mad sounds JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
a publication for the young and daring
the modern age ISSUE NO. 12
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mad sounds a publication for the young and daring
Giselle Melendres - Editor-in-Chief, Creative Director & Designer madsoundsmagazine@gmail.com
Trinity Gardner - Music Editor
Contributing Writers - Giselle Melendres, Zoe Allen, Riley Donahue
Contributing Photographers - Sheridan Elyse Dyches, Willow Greene, Arvin Rusanganwa, Aidan Doyle, Rai Utomo
ON THE COVER Photography by Felisha Tolentino Featuring Grace McKagan Makeup by Joyce Bonelli
stay rad, stay mad @madsoundsmag www.madsoundsmag.com @madsoundsmag
contents contents
photography by FELISHA TOLENTINO featuring GRACE MCKAGAN makeup by JOYCE BONELLI
introduction 008
contributors
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a letter from the editor
photo journals 012
the kids don’t know what they want by WILLOW GREENE
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take my breath away by SHERIDAN DYCHES
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speckled existence by AIDAN DOYLE
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what ever happened by RAI UTOMO
features 062
GRAVE an interview with Grace McKagan
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an interview with Champagne Babylon
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an interview with Tor Miller
mad sounds contributors
contributors
GISELLE MELENDRES
WILLOW GREENE
SHERIDAN DYCHES
AIDAN DOYLE
@gisellelisabeth editor/creative director Seattle
@willow_greene photographer Arizona
@sheridanelyse photographer Hawaii
@adoyleee photographer California
RAI UTOMO
RILEY DONAHUE
ZOE ALLEN
TRINITY GARDNER
@paraisitic photographer Kentucky
@rileyjdonahue writer California
@eoz_allen writer Texas
@catveins music editor California
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a letter from the editor
THE MODERN AGE GRAVE
FELISHA TOLENTINO We are a flourishing generation of young creatives and entrepreneurs, driven by the desire to create art inspired by the world around us. From photography, to writing, t o m u s i c , a n d c re a t i v e d i re c t i n g , generation y has the seamless ability to create, innovate, and inspire a nation. Within our twelfth edition of Mad Sounds, we introduce to our readers a variety of young artists whose music reflects a voice of a generation.
From electronic rock, to synth pop-punk, Grave from the Pink Slips, Tor Miller, and Champagne Babylon captivate their listeners with a sound unlike any other. We invite our readers, from boomers to millennials, to take part in a new generation of music and creative innovation. Welcome to a new era of music and artistry, welcome to the modern age. Giselle Melendres Founding Editor-in-Chief & Creative Director
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THE KIDS DON‘T KNOW WHAT THEY WA N T photography by WILLOW GREENE featuring REMI BENNETT styling by BRANDY MELVILLE USA
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photography by WILLOW GREENE featuring REMI BENNETT styling by BRANDY MELVILLE USA
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photography by WILLOW GREENE featuring REMI BENNETT styling by BRANDY MELVILLE USA
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TAKE MY BREATH AWAY photography by SHERIDAN DYCHES featuring LOHELANI HICKS
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photography by SHERIDAN DYCHES featuring LOHELANI HICKS
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photography by SHERIDAN DYCHES featuring LOHELANI HICKS
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SPECKLED EXISTENCE photography by AIDAN DOYLE featuring TRINITY GARDNER & LOGAN HAMMON
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WHAT EVER HAPPENED photography by RAI UTOMO featuring KRISTINA LEGGAS, GRACE ENGLAND, & RUTH CHOATE
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mad sounds featured
GRAVE interview by GISELLE MELENDRES photography by FELISHA TOLENTINO featuring GRACE MCKAGAN
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photography by FELISHA TOLENTINO featuring GRACE MCKAGAN
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Meet Grave, the on-stage alter ego of eighteen year old Grace McKagan: lead singer of synth-pop/punk band, ‘The Pink Slips’. Grave is a modern-day rockstar—with flaming pink hair and ‘blood’-stained dresses to match—Grave is an ode to all rock revolutionaries, channeling her inner Iggy Pop, Ziggy Stardust, and Alice Cooper in every enthralling performance. We sat down with Grave and talked about The Pink Slips, fashion, and her upcoming EP. Read our exclusive interview to learn more about the ever-fearless and unapologetic punk-rocker of Generation Y.
THANKS FOR SITTING DOWN WITH US HERE AT MAD SOUNDS TODAY. TO BEGIN, TELL US ABOUT A DAY IN THE LIFE OF GRAVE: An average day for me: I wake up, I rise out of my coffin, I have a bite of cereal, then I put on my Grave dress—which is usually a white dress. Then I do some jumping jacks, head out the door, suck on some blood, throw some blood on myself, listen to 80s pop music…and that’s a day in the life of Grave [laughs]. YOU’RE AN L.A. NATIVE BUT A NEWLY FOUND SEATTLITE; WHAT’S IT LIKE LIVING IN SEATTLE VERSUS LOS ANGELES?
HOW WAS YOUR BAND, THE PINK SLIPS, ORIGINALLY CREATED? “The Pinks Slips” was originally created with a girlfriend and I, we started doing covers of songs in my bedroom. Later on, we started playing shows more, and the more I played shows I realized I wanted to put on a performance and dance on stage. I really just wanted to put on a theatrical show and I try my best to do that with a low budget [laughs]. But I think just by playing shows more, writing more, and developing a greater sense of self I discovered what I wanted to do with The Pink Slips. That—of course—is still evolving, possibly because I’m only eighteen.
I grew up in L.A., I went to school there from kindergarten until I graduated high school, so I really am from L.A. but I would always come up to our home in Seattle for winter break and summer break. I just love Seattle because it feels more homey to me and it’s much less ‘superficial’ than Los Angeles.
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photography by FELISHA TOLENTINO featuring GRACE MCKAGAN styling by NASTY GAL
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“They’re not just singing songs, looking ‘cool’ up there, they all have messages, whether it be feminism like Kathleen Hanna, […] or David Bowie who always glorified the underdog, which I want to be my whole thing—glorifying the underdog and glorifying people that are always the outcasts and are different.” WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND YOUR ON-STAGE ALTER EGO, ‘GRAVE’? HOW WAS THE NAME ORIGINALLY COINED? Grave is an immortal synth-pop goddess who has risen from her grave to reclaim her throne in the modern pop world. She was a big pop-star back in the 80s, but now she's arisen again because some pop stars just aren't fulfilling what she believes needs to be achieved in the pop-punk world. She was created because I, personally, love Alice Cooper, Ziggy Stardust, Iggy Pop, Lady Gaga, Prince, Madonna, and all these other artists with similar alter-egos. I just really identified with that idea, and also I was looking at the lyrics for 'Bennie and the Jets' by Elton John, (one of my favorite songs of all time), and that's where I found out that Bennie is actually a girl and is a 'futuristic rock goddess'. For some reason, that just really stuck with me, so I guess I put the two ideas together, and now it's Grave!
WHICH ARTISTS PRIMARILY INSPIRE YOUR MUSIC? Artists like David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Debbie Harry Kathleen Hanna, Alice Cooper—even Miley Cyrus. They’re not just singing songs, looking ‘cool’ up there, they all have messages, whether it be feminism like Kathleen Hanna, Miley Cyrus pushing sexual boundaries, or David Bowie who always like glorified the underdog, which I want to be my whole thing—glorifying the underdog and glorifying people that are always like the outcasts and are different. That’s kind of what I end up myself and I feel like everyone at a certain point in their life can identify with being an outcast in their circle of people. But I’m attracted to people who have a voice and opinion and a dream they project onstage. I also love Alice Cooper, who I saw over the summer when he opened for Motley Crue. I love all the theatrical stuff and props he had onstage. I thought it was so cool because he’s not just singing classic rock songs and stuff. He takes the time and puts on a whole show and that’s what I’d want to do if I ever have my own tour. I’d make it like a whole extravagant event with a message. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE LIVE SHOW THAT YOU’VE PERFORMED THUS FAR? My favorite show changes all the time because I just started playing shows two years ago, so I’m still pretty new at the whole thing. I think the last show I did which was at the Crocodile (on October 16th in Seattle) was my favorite. A bunch of kids my age came and they were moshing and getting really into it, and they were having a really good time which made me feel good. Because I want people my age to connect to the music and have fun with it.
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“I want people to be able to feel united and feel like they can be themselves. […] I feel like your favorite songs bring out the best in you when you’re listening to it; you feel so excited and so happy and really connected to it. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SONG FROM YOUR NEWEST ALBUM, ‘SAY L’OR VENUS’? My favorite song is probably Cruella, and we don’t usually play it live anymore—which kinda sucks, because our sets are usually only 20-25 minutes and it’s hard to cram in a slow, experimental song in the middle of that when we want to get the crowd really pumped up and into The Pink Slips. But I really like how Cruella is so deranged and so dark and deep. It’s based off of girls making fun of me in high school for The Pink Slips, and this one girl in particular inspired “Cruella”. So it’s just a really easy song for me and my whole band to get into.
people to feel accepted and excited while listening to my music. I want people to be able to feel united and feel like they can be themselves. That’s what I personally enjoy while listening to music, and I feel like your favorite songs bring out the best in you when you’re listening to it; you feel so excited and so happy and really connected to it. YOU’RE CURRENTLY REPRESENTED BY IMG NEW YORK, AND HAVE COLLABORATED WITH NAMES SUCH AS NYLON MAGAZINE, NASTYGAL.COM, KITTEN GALORE MAGAZINE, L’OFFICIEL ITALIA, AND MORE. WHAT’S IT LIKE WORKING WITH SUCH HIGHLY ACCLAIMED NAMES AT SUCH A ‘YOUNG’ AGE? So working with these really cool magazines like Nylon Magazine—Nylon has always been my favorite magazine ever since I was like ten, and I would always say “I want to be on the cover of Nylon when I grow up”, and I got a feature in it which is like the first magazine I’ve ever been in and the first real photoshoot I’ve ever really done, and that was SO exciting. Just working with all these different names like Kitten Galore, L’Officiel Italia, Nasty Gal—it’s really cool. It makes me feel like The Pink Slips’ audience is also attracting the fashion world and fashion is always something I’ve wanted to do. Music and fashion are my two favorite things in the whole world, so it’s awesome that I get to do both; I get to be in fashion magazines and talk about my music!
WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO PORTRAY TO YOUR LISTENERS WITHIN YOUR MUSIC? I hope to portray a sort of inclusiveness and “nonjudgementalness” through my music. I really want
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photography by FELISHA TOLENTINO featuring GRACE MCKAGAN makeup by JOYCE BONELLI
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“I think the best advice I could give any performer is to be exciting, to be bold. You need to have gut, integrity, passion, and promise when you’re on stage. In order for people to appreciate your music, you have to be relatable and let your heart out.” ASIDE FROM EXHIBITING EXTRAORDINARY MUSICAL TALENT, YOU’RE A FASHION ICON TO MANY. WHAT INSPIRES YOUR UNIQUE SENSE OF STYLE? Movies and street style inspire my fashion sense a lot; some of my fashion icons are people like Alexa Chung—I mean she’s everyone’s fashion icon, but I also love Ziggy Stardust, Debbie Harry, and so many more that I’m probably forgetting. I think just looking at other people’s styles influences your style too. That’s where I get a lot of my inspiration from! WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE CLOTHING STORES? I love Red Light in Seattle, they closed the Broadway location but they have one in the University District that’s still pretty solid. I also love Reformation, Topshop, etc. My favorite designers
are probably Vivienne Westwood, Saint Laurent, and Chanel. So fabulous. [Laughs] Oh! And I love Unif! WHAT’S ONE FACT THAT MOST FANS DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU? I love salty foods! Like pickles, mustard, popcorn, I just love that stuff. I will always pick salty over sweet. DO YOU HAVE ANY UPCOMING PINK SLIPS RELEASES THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING OUT FOR? There isn’t a set release date for anything from The Pink Slips as of right now, but I really want to put out a new EP in the next year just because my style and my life have obviously changed since my last EP. I wrote a lot of those songs when I was fifteen and sixteen, and now I’m eighteen, and I feel like when you’re a teenager every year is so monumental and you end up changing so much. I’m in a completely different place in my life right now because I’m in college and I live in a different city, so I want to put out a new EP that really reflects my evolved style and where I am now. Hopefully you’ll see something from us in the next year! DO YOU HAVE SOME LAST ADVICE FOR ASPIRING MUSICIANS, PERFORMERS, OR SINGERS? I think the best advice I could give any performer is to be exciting, to be bold. You need to have gut, integrity, passion, and promise when you’re on stage. In order for people to appreciate your music, you have to be relatable and let your heart out on stage. It annoys me so much when performers have this dullness and melancholy on stage and they put up a facade of “feel bad for me” or “I’m too cool for this”. Just be real and relatable on stage—that’s what will make people excited.
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CHAMPAGNE BABYLON
photography by FRANKIE HYATT featuring CHAMPAGNE BABYLON interview by GISELLE MELENDRES
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Meet Champagne Babylon, a Seattle based indie-rock band whose sound is taking over the west coast music scene. Dreamy, eclectic, and filled with the heart and soul of four local Seattlites—Champagne Babylon is taking on the music industry by storm, and captivating their listeners with a new generation of experimental-pop/neo-soul. Read our exclusive interview with the band to learn more about their music, inspirations, and the champagne-filled journey that started it all.
HEY GUYS, THANKS FOR SITTING DOWN WITH US TODAY. TO START OFF, WHAT IS A TYPICAL DAY FOR CHAMPAGNE BABYLON? Of course, it depends on what's on the agenda. If we have shows booked, we spend a lot of time at our practice space in SODO, if we're not playing shows we turn our attention to recording and hole up in the studio.
WHO ARE THE MEMBERS OF YOUR BAND AND WHAT INSTRUMENT(S) DO THEY PLAY? Cody Sargenti plays drums, Bryce Pierce sings, plays guitar and handles production, Ryan Young plays saxophone and synth, Paul Fitzpatrick sings, and plays keys and guitar.
H O W W A S C H A M PA G N E B A B Y L O N ORIGINALLY CREATED? Cody and Paul have been writing, recording, and playing small shows since middle school. Bryce and Ryan joined us in high school. We played all through high school and changed our name to Champagne Babylon when we graduated.
FROM WHERE DID THE NAME “CHAMPAGNE BABYLON” ORIGINATE? We decided on Champagne Babylon during a trip to Joshua Tree where we drank champagne. The mystical desert landscape made us feel like we were in the ancient near east on some biblical shit.
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photography by FRANKIE HYATT featuring BRYCE PIERCE, PAUL FITZPATRICK, RYAN YOUNG, & CODY SARGENTI
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“ S t a y grinding, but have a little fun when you reach a milestone.”
also visual art and films.
IN A GENERAL SENSE, WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO PORTRAY TO YOUR LISTENERS WITHIN YOUR MUSIC? Something that is both familiar and fresh
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE LIVE SHOW THAT YOU’VE PERFORMED THUS FAR? The Skylark in Seattle! DO YOU HAVE ANY UPCOMING RELEASES THAT LISTENERS SHOULD BE LOOKING OUT FOR? “...and then we just went downtown” is dropping early this spring, we've been working on it for over a year now and are in the final stages of production. we're also working on a video for a song off that release.
IN ONE WORD, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE EACH OF YOUR BAND MEMBERS?
DO YOU HAVE ANY LAST ADVICE FOR ASPIRING BANDS OR MUSICIANS?
Cody: fair, Bryce: chaotic, Ryan: marsupial, Paul: meretricious
Stay grinding, but have a little fun when you reach a milestone!!
WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS T H AT C H A M PA G N E B A B Y L O N H A S RELEASED? Glory!
KEEP UP WITH CHAMPAGNE BABYLON spotify: champagne babylon instagram: @champagnebabylon champagnebabylon.bandcamp.com
WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS AND BANDS? Kanye West is our collective favorite, we don't miss a move that he makes. WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION FOR YOUR MUSIC? We find inspiration in other music, of course, but
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TOR MILLER
the lungs of new york city interview by ZOE ALLEN featuring TOR MILLER
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In August of last year, I was driving my mom around listening to an indie, ‘off-the-grid’ radio station. A song came on--one entitled “Midnight”, off of an EP titled “Headlights” by an artist with the name of Tor Miller. I had never heard of him before, but was instantly impressed with his wooing, compelling, and soothing vocals and enchanting lyrics. I had to look him up--and get an interview with him-as soon as I could. Here it is, exclusively for Mad Sounds.
TELL ME ABOUT HOW YOU GREW UP. DOES THIS HAVE ANY IMPACT ON YOUR MUSIC TODAY? When I was about 12 years old I moved from New York City to New Jersey and for a couple years felt very isolated. During this period I began to form a bond with music and writing. Many of my early songs were about the loneliness I felt and the longing to get back home. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF? IS YOUR MUSIC A REFLECTION OF WHO YOU ARE? I would say I am kind, thoughtful and all the other generic things. But if you listen to the lyrics of my music you have insight to some of my inner most thoughts, how I feel about myself and the life I have lived.
I KNOW THAT WHEN I WRITE (NOT SONGS), SOMETIMES I WRITE OUT OF EXPERIENCE AND SOMETIMES I DO NOT. DO YOU WRITE BY EXPERIENCE? IF SO, DO YOU WRITE BY EXPERIENCE ALWAYS? IF NOT, WHAT DO YOU WRITE ABOUT? I write about my own experiences and the experiences of those around me. W H AT I S Y O U R M A I N S O U R C E O F INSPIRATION? I draw inspiration from the relationships I’ve formed with friends, family and various girlfriends. I write about many an introverted moment I have experienced, either walking the streets of New York City or sitting out in a field of my parents horse farm trying to figure out the big questions of our own existence.
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“If you walk around long enough and talk to those around you, you find even subconsciously it seeps into your music.” HOW HAS BEING IN NEW YORK CITY INSPIRED YOUR LYRICS? There are so many stimulants on the streets, so much subject-matter, issues and concerns which people of NYC face. If you walk around long enough and talk to those around you, you find even subconsciously it seeps into your music. SPEAKING OF YOUR LYRICS, ARE ALL LYRICS BY YOU? DO YOU HAVE ANY HELP IN W R I T I N G T H E M ? W H AT I S Y O U R SONGWRITING PROCESS? Yes, I write my lyrics on my own and in some cases with others, while doing co-writing sessions. I usually begin creating my music with the harmonic and melodic elements with a subject matter in mind and then I will finish with the lyrics, but it all sort of happens at once.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE IN THE WHOLE WORLD? Easy, NYC. NEW YORK CITY IS HUGE, METROPOLITAN, AND CRAWLING WITH CONVIVIALITY AND PEOPLE. BECAUSE OF HOW LARGE IT IS, DO YOU EVER FEEL SWALLOWED UP? IS IT EASY TO BECOME LONELY IN SUCH A BIG CITY, OR DO YOU ALWAYS FEEL AT PEACE? I certainly need a break from it from time to time. What I do is absorb all the influence and energy until I have a system overload and will travel out to the horse farm and start creating based off those experiences. I find the hectic nature very calming in many ways. IF THERE WAS ONE THING YOU COULD CHANGE IN THE WORLD WHAT WOULD IT BE? DO YOU DONATE TO ANY CHARITIES OR HELP OUT WITH ANY CAUSES? That’s a hard question, there needs to be many changes in this world. But something immediate I would wish for is the abolition of guns in our country. I could fill book with changes I want for this world. MY LAST QUESTION: WHY DO YOU MAKE MUSIC? It was something I found very early in life which made me happy whenever I was sad. It helped me stay out of trouble as a kid and has been a watchful eye over me since those first two years I felt alone in New Jersey.
WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS? ANY FAVORITE SONGS?
KEEP UP WITH TOR: instagram: @tormillermusic tormiller.com
[Musicians are] David Bowie, Ray Charles, Tom Waits, Elton John and others. Song wise, For All We Know by Donny Hathaway, Rock n Roll Suicide by Bowie, Hard times by Charles.
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STAY TUNED there’s more mad sounds on the way! DO YOU WANT TO BE FEATURED? email madsoundsmagazine@gmail.com with a cover letter & link to your online portfolio not all submissions will be featured for publication
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