NKD Mag - Issue #23 (May 2013) by NKD Mag

ON THE COVER

AVAN JOGIA

PAGES

42-51

“IF YOU DON’T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU STAND FOR, PROBLEMS REMAIN AND NOTHING GETS SOLVED.”

NKD NAKED MAGAZINE

PUBLISHERS Ariella Mastroianni Catherine Powell

EDITORS Nicola Pring

PHOTOGRAPHER Catherine Powell

DESIGNERS

WRITERS

CONTACT

Isaac Bate Tara DeVincenzo Alex Lane Stacy Magallon Ariella Mastroianni Shina Patel Stephanie Petit Catherine Powell Tanya Traner

Publicity » Catherine Powell catherine@nkdmag.com

Ariella Mastroianni Catherine Powell

Writing » Nicola Pring nicola@nkdmag.com Advertising » Silvia Orozco silvia@nkdmag.com

Is your favorite band not featured this month? Tweet us! @nakedmag

IN THIS ISSUE KATE NASH

FEATURES JOHN NOLAN [06] KATE NASH [10] LYDIA [16] JOE BROOKS [20] JAY SEAN [24] MISSION SOUTH [32] COASTA [52] 2AM CLUB [54] TOURE [60]

EDITORIAL OP-ED [04] NICK SANTINO OF A ROCKET TO THE MOON

FEATURED PLAYLIST [34]

ANTHONY LI OF ACTION ITEM

LYDIA

JAY SEAN

PHOTO FEATURE [35]

GREEN DAY, HOODIE ALLEN, MUSE

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NAKED

GUEST EDITORIAL

By Nick Santino of A Rocket To The Moon A Rocket To The Moon spent two days in the middle of January driving from Boston to Nashville full of excitement and nerves. We were about to create an album that we knew would put us on the map. The drive took about 18 hours - we travel for a living, so this was nothing. I think the drive felt even longer for all of us because we were so excited for what was waiting on the other end of this highway. Drives like this always seem long before you do them, then when they are done you barely remember them. It could have been because I was also sick, but I slept for most of it. We got to Nashville the next afternoon, checked into our apartment and ran over to the studio to unload our gear. Justin [guitar] and I had been to this studio before, but Eric [bass] and Andrew [drums] had not. Seeing their faces as we walked around the live tracking room and wandered the halls was like seeing two kids opening Christmas presents. For the next 30-something days, we pushed ourselves to the limit. We didn’t stop until everything sounded perfect. We put our hearts and souls into every song on this record, so with our producer Mark Bright, we set out to make sure that the heart and soul of A Rocket To The Moon was exactly what people would be hearing when they hear this record, and I’m pretty damn sure that’s exactly what we did. That time in the nicest studio in Nashville with a multi-Grammy award-winning producer was not only a game changer, it was a real eye opener. I never would have thought I would be sitting in that nice of a studio with my three brothers making a record with a producer like Mark. It was incredible. It was like all of the stars aligned and we got our best case scenario. We didn’t ask to record in this studio, we just wrote songs, Mark liked them and here we were. It was a blessing. There wasn’t a day where I didn’t sit on that couch in the control room, look around and go, “How did I get here?” The whole process brought our band together. We would sit in the live tracking room for the first week and a half knocking the music for these songs out. This process was different than what the four of us were used to but it was the only one that really made sense. We tracked a huge chunk of these songs live. We wanted to capture that rock n’ roll, four guys in a room playing music, all playing to the same feel kind of vibe. I think that’s what brought the four of us so close. We were literally living in each other’s brains for that first week and a half — anticipating a change in the chorus, waiting for the drum fill out of the bridge, feeling the emotion in the guitar solo and coming

in even stronger together into that last chorus. You could physically feel the differences between takes. If one person messed up or wasn’t too comfortable with their part, you could feel it in the overall performance. We were all there for each other. If someone was getting too worked up over a part they couldn’t get just right, there was no fighting. Instead we’d take a break or move on and come back to it. We were feeding off of each other and it felt so good. We’ve spent so much of our time on tour we had almost forgotten how much work creating music really was, but it was the kind of work we all enjoyed doing. We’ve wanted to create this record for a long time now. It’s been four years since we released a full-length album. Four years in the music business is scary — it feels like 30 years. In those four years we did a lot of growing up, a lot of maturing, a lot of listening and a hell of a lot of traveling. We fought and loved like brothers. We got each other through tough times, and we stood next to each other during the best times. The music on Wild & Free shows all of that. It really shows how far we’ve come as people and as musicians. This is a record we’ve been looking to make for a long time, and fortunately, we stumbled upon it now. The songs we wrote for this record are some of the most important I’ve ever written. There are songs about love, loss, death, reassurance, traveling and life — a song for just about anything. I think one of the biggest unintentional themes on this record is reassurance. There are a handful of songs on this record about it. “Wherever You Go” is a song about traveling and telling the person you love that you see them everywhere and you’re always thinking about them. “Ever Enough” is a song about telling that same person that you will stand by their side forever through the good and bad. “Somebody Out There” is a song to my future daughter, telling her that if she is patient she will find the perfect person that will come sweep her off of her feet. “Lost and Found” is a song about coming to terms with something. It’s about knowing that you have to go through all of the bad to get to the good and to never give up on that. I think that this theme is something that I subconsciously write about. I am constantly trying to reassure people and tell them everything will be ok, but at the same time I’m also the one being reassured. I know you’ll hear every artist and band on Earth say that their fans are the best fans in the world. Yeah, I’m sure they are. Who wouldn’t think that? But, I honestly, truthfully feel like we have the most amazing fan base. Our fans have put up with us over the years, stood by our side when we didn’t want to leave the road and waited for us when we finally did. Then they waited more as we took our time putting this record out. We never set out to keep our fans waiting, unfortunately it just happened and was out of our control. Sometimes though, time is good. So many people fear it, but I really think it can be a good thing. Time lets things grow. It lets things develop. I think time was on our side while making this record. We didn’t just release a group of songs we were “supposed to” release. We took our time and picked the best 13 songs we wanted our band to be known for. Looking back now, exactly a year and some change ago, that month spent in Nashville was the most amazing, terrifying and eye opening experience I’ve ever been a part of. As a musician, I learned all sorts of new things. As a songwriter, the process opened my eyes to new ways of writing. But as a person, it showed me that you can do whatever you want to do. There really is no limit to what you can do. If you set out to do something, you’ll finish it. I was a stubborn 12-year-old pop-punk kid with Converse sneakers and a ball chain necklace when I first really got into playing music. I grew up with the most supportive parents anyone could ask for. They taught me to follow whatever dream it was I wanted to follow, and to never give up on it. If you had told that little wannabe punk rocker then that I would be doing what I dreamed of doing 10 years later, I would have said, “Yeah right” and skated on down the road. So, to all of our fans, thank you. We would not be here without you, and we hope you’ll enjoy Wild & Free as much as we enjoyed creating it for you. NKD

USE THE CODE “NAKEDMAG” TO GET 20% OFF YOUR NEXT ORDER ON WWW.SHOPJAWBREAKING.COM!

JOHN

Words by Tanya Traner Âť Photos by Catherine Powell

NOLAN

career in music can often mean sacrifice — giving John has taken this to the next level and branched off of TBS up time with loved ones to create something for the with his own solo project. He tours on the band’s downtime, and masses. But for John Nolan of Taking Back Sunday, says TBS will remain his main gig for the foreseeable future, but he music has become a family affair in every way. wants to keep working on his own music in his spare time. “I think John started out playing in bands in high school, there is a little bit of difference when you write on your own versus and knew he wanted to do music professionally. getting together in a room with people,” he says. “You’re the only He played in several different bands following person who kind of makes decisions. You’re not running anything by graduation. “I just kept playing as much as I could, anywhere that anybody.” I could,” he says. John says the feedback has been positive and a lot of the people Music truly is the only option for John. He had a few jobs after who support him have followed his career since TBS formed. “I’ve high school, including one in particular he thought he might like. gotten to this point with what I do, if you like it you pay attention He was working for a company that made signs for other busito it, and if you don’t, you don’t care, so I don’t have a lot of people nesses to use at trade shows, which was something that allowed criticizing me. They just ignore me, I think,” he says, laughing. him to be creative while making a living, and he was even able to For John, the best thing about his solo career is being able to do a bit of graphic design. But after three or four months, he was bring his family on tour with him. He collaborated on some of his absolutely miserable. That’s when he decided he couldn’t have a songs with wife Camille, so she and their seven-month-old son come regular job. “I decided I was going to focus on music and just go along for the ride. “I like having that kind of life where everything is for it,” he says. not compartmentalized,” John says. “I like the fact that my work life, This led to hooking up with the group that would become my wife can be a part of it.” Taking Back Sunday in 1999 and was ultimately the move that John enjoys fatherhood, and is glad he doesn’t have to miss seeing allowed him to make a living playing music. his son grow up while he is touring, though there are a lot of ups and When you’re in a band, your downs. “Every single day there’s band members often become a point where I just look at him your extended family, as you and I’m like, ‘This is the most spend more time with them amazing thing in the world and I than with your real family. This can’t believe how lucky I am,’” he wasn’t always the case for TBS, says. “And there’s also another and John left in 2003 because point almost every single day of that. where I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I’m “When I left, just the congoing to be caring about this kid nections between all the band and worrying about him and members [were] in such a bad freaking out about him for the place,” he says. “Everybody had rest of my life, probably until I problems with each other and die.’” … we were just sort of on auto John has some advice for his pilot, just touring and going son, should he someday want and going but everything was to follow in his father’s musical falling apart interpersonally.” footsteps. After he left, John worked “Don’t try to do it for a living on other projects including unless it’s the sort of thing you Straylight Run and his own solo can’t live without doing,” he says. JOHN NOLAN project. He teamed up with “For me the only reason that I’ve TBS again in 2010. “When we gone through everything I have got back together, really one is because I never felt like I had of the first things we did was just kind of hang out and reconnect an option. I never felt like I had a plan B.” with each other,” he says. “We made sure to see how that would be “There is a little bit of negativity,” John adds. “I have gotten to before we worked on music. It’s been almost three years now. It’s points where I almost couldn’t make a living doing it anymore. And been a lot longer than it feels.” to be in your late 20s, early 30s or whatever and not being sure if you Everything the guys have been through in the last three years can make a living doing the only thing that you’re qualified to do is has completely connected them as a band. John says the five pretty terrifying.” members now relate to and understand each other like no one John says you have to live knowing that everything can go away. else. “There’s a little bit of a weird kind of family that I think we The minute someone stops caring, he won’t have a career anymore. created,” he says. “It felt like I got a piece of my life back that I had “It works for me because like I said, this is what I do, and this is lost.” the only thing I can do, so I just do it,” he says. “But I don’t think Change is crucial for a band to remain relevant for as many everyone is cut out to live with a career that is so tentative and prone years as TBS have, but fans don’t always welcome it. John says to completely falling apart at any moment.” while the band are conscious of this, they try not to think too Hopefully things won’t fall apart for John. TBS are currently in much about what people are expecting when they write, and the very early stages of writing but should be recording again in instead choose to go in directions that make them happy as artists. the near future. In the meantime, he will continue touring with his “I think as far as maturing goes, it’s a pretty natural thing,” he says. family and hopefully put out another solo record at some point. “You get older, your tastes change. It happens to everybody. You Whether it’s his immediate family or his band family, John has want different things out of music, lyrically and even melodically. I realized the importance of maintaining these connections to get him think it’s just sort of a natural thing.” through anything in his career. NKD

“I THINK AS FAR AS MATURING GOES, IT’S A PRETTY NATURAL THING. YOU GET OLDER, YOUR TASTES CHANGE. IT HAPPENS TO EVERYBODY. YOU WANT DIFFERENT THINGS OUT OF MUSIC, LYRICALLY AND EVEN MELODICALLY. I THINK IT’S JUST SORT OF A NATURAL THING.”

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KATE NASH Words by Tara DeVincenzoÂť Photos by Catherine Powell

IF YOU’RE EVER LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND YOURSELF AT A SLUMBER PARTY WITH BRITISH INDIE POP SINGER KATE NASH, THE GIRL TALK WILL BE MUCH DEEPER THAN CUTE BOYS AND CELEBRITY GOSSIP. Now that she’s released her third studio album, Girl Talk, Kate’s got a lot a lot of things to say about her life and how it transformed into a career. Kate’s teenage angst resulted a little differently than most people’s do. “I didn’t get into any colleges and I broke my foot and was working in a fast food restaurant,” she says. “I was really like, ‘Oh my God. How had my life turned to this?’” At 17 Kate was determined to come back from this moment of bad luck, so she turned her misfortune into something positive. “I think I was a bit like, ‘I really want to do something interesting,’ ya know?” she says. With a newly healed foot, Kate hit the ground running. Itching to get leave monotony and unfulfillment behind, she started performing in her hometown of London. “I did my first show and as soon as I did that, I quit my job,” Kate says. With a MySpace profile to promote her music and several opportunities to perform in London, Kate launched herself onto the music scene. “The excitement sort of spiraled quite quickly on myspace and stuff,” she says. It only took a few months after creating her account for Kate to get into a recording studio. Her debut single, “Caroline’s A Victim/Birds,” was released in 2007. Kate signed with Polydor Records and released her first album, Made of Bricks, shortly after. The 12-track album (with an additional track everywhere outside of the U.S.) reached No. 1 on the U.K. charts.

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“I DIDN’T GET INTO ANY COLLEGES AND I BROKE MY FOOT AND WAS WORKING IN A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT.”

KATE NASH

As successful as her first album was, her second brought her face to face with her demons. “I went through this, like crazy transition where I went through a really bad time personally,” Kate says. “I purged out this album of like, puke emotions, basically.” Uninterested in cleaning up the mess she made, her then-record label cut her off. Kate found herself back in a hole, losing too much in such a short time. “I got dropped from my label, and one of my really close friends died. I had heartache,” Kate says. “It was just one of those times when it’s like, ‘Bam bam bam bam,’ and I was like, ‘Kick me while you’re down why don’t you,’ and they’re like, ‘Boom, ok.’” Each time Kate started a new project she faced obstacles, and each time she was able to hurdle over them. “I just had to like keep going,” she says. “I think music is the reason I was able to do that because I had an outlet.” Using music as her guiding light, she’s now on a world tour for a third time with a third album. Kate took all she had learned and all she had felt and created her own kingdom from it. The album, Girl Talk, was released under her own personal label, Have 10p Records. Nothing was more rewarding for Kate than making the album. “It was single-handedly the most amazing experience of my life recording it,” she says. Set up in Paramour Mansion, a notoriously haunted recording studio in Los Angeles, Kate walked into the wild while recording Girl Talk while still coping with emotional turmoil. Despite the immense accomplishments she had already made and those she had in front of her, it was difficult. “I turned up feeling really terrible and like, heartbroken,” she says. Regardless of her persistent heartbreak, Kate made Girl Talk come to life in one of the most glamorous cities in the U.S. in a palace of exotic and awe-inspiring proportions. “I was in L.A. in an old mansion from the ’20s with taxidermy tigers,” she says. Alongside the polar bears, zebras, wolves and cheetahs, Kate began to let her success sink in and got a clear picture of what lay ahead. From the beginning, she had known she wanted to be successful artistically, but being in this mansion, which houses an eccentric interior designer, opened her eyes a little wider and gave her a little more hope. “I just had to ride the wave of craziness, and I think set in that mansion made it more crazy. It was so cool,” Kate says. With a new producer, Kate allowed herself to ride the rollercoaster up the next hill to create Girl Talk. “I just go down every morning and record in this giant ballroom with Tom Biller who is one of the greatest humans on the earth,” she says. Having chosen Biller as her producer and taking the reins herself on her label created the atmosphere Kate needed to keep moving along. “It’s good to be creating my own team, handpicking ... people who are really passionate and want to do this,” she says. Kate, a passionate singer, songwriter and now record label producer has other passions in addition to music. Kate traveled to Ghana in February with the Because I Am A Girl charity to support their international campaign. “It was so crazy, it was so different. It was a whirlwind,” Kate says of her travels. “From driving past and seeing loads of people walking down the streets with machetes and seeing giant wild baboons on the side of the road to, like, coffins being sold, to meeting loads of amazing crazy children.” Kate isn’t stopping there. She wants to travel to other countries including El Salvador and Nicaragua for different causes. Having been through severe highs, severe lows and pushing through it all, Kate has a handle on who she is and what she wants to make of herself. Art and the freedom it provides keeps her going. “I want to be a musician, an artist for a career for the rest of my life,” Kate says. “That’s my goal, really.” NKD

“I PURGED OUT THIS ALBUM OF LIKE, PUKE EMOTIONS, BASICALLY.” KATE NASH

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LYDIA Words by Alex Lane Âť Photos by Catherine Powell

LYDIA FRONTMAN LEIGHTON ANTELMAN SEEMS RIGHT AT HOME WHEN HE TAKES THE STAGE AT BRIGHTON MUSIC HALL IN BOSTON IN BARE FEET.

band member steps on stage, illuminated by the golden hue of hanging string lights. As they settle in, Leighton turns to the audience and flashes a grin. Just when the crowd’s excited energy seems like it might implode, the house music cuts out, and Lydia start their hour-long mix of new tracks and fan favorites. Originating from Gilbert, Ariz. where the music scene is primarily metal, Lydia emerged in 2003 as something fresh — Lydia are a little bit indie-rock and a little bit pop. When they first started out, the Arizona music scene was “basically all screamo, hardcore stuff,” Leighton says. But he says that coming into themselves in that area helped them. “We were one of the only bands that wasn’t screaming at people,” he says. Because their early influences were albums like Death Cab for Cutie’s The Photo Album (2001), and Bright Eyes’ Lifted (2002), Lydia knew they didn’t want to get noticed by screaming. Their first album This December; Its One More and I’m Free (2005) attracted a listenership interested in their soft, melancholic, piano driven tunes. Lydia really hit their stride with their second release Illuminate (2008), which their fans fully embraced. That fan base continues to grow with each new album. Their latest release, Devil (2013) is a collection of mostly light, melodic tunes that touch on everything from nights out on the town to getting in your own way. Lydia’s music, which is all written by Leighton, has relatable ideas and real life notions because he draws inspiration from everywhere. “I try to just live my life day to day,” Leighton says. “If something catches my ear, I make it a point to listen to it again more intently.” While the core of their sound has remained the same in all of their releases, Lydia — and Leighton — aim to grow through their creative process. “I don’t want to stay in one little niche area,” Leighton says. “I might want to write a swing record next, or a fuckin’… I don’t know. I just don’t want to stay in one area,” he says. Devil strays a bit from fans’ expectations — it’s simultaneously drastically different from anything they have previously released, and classic Lydia. Working with a new producer, Colby Wedgeworth, gave Lydia’s distinctive sound a new spin. Leighton and Wedgeworth, along with keyboardist Matt Keller, formed the creative think-tank for the songwriting on the 10-track album. Leighton says his writing style is generally free form, while the vocals require a little more structure. He says that every album begins with unfinished and unpolished ideas. Leighton entered the studio with about 20 ideas for Devil. “I would literally pour it all out onto them and they would be like, ‘Yes’, ‘No’, ‘This is cool,’ ‘Move this over here.’ And we would just kind of arrange everything,” he says of the process. Leighton gives a lot of credit to his two collaborators. “[I] can’t take full credit, they obviously were a big part of it … I just bring everything to the table as a rough idea, and we would all kind of hash it out together,” he says. Lydia haven’t always worked so well together. Due to tension and interpersonal conflict, the group dispersed into their own projects and

EACH

personal lives several years ago. “I had been writing the whole time and whatnot. I couldn’t decide whether I was going to just put it out under my name, or continue with Lydia,” Leighton says. In the end, Leighton and new and old members of Lydia decided to keep the band alive. Though they’ve had to prove themselves after a year-long hiatus, Lydia have been warmly welcomed back with Devil. Leighton says the response to the album has been very positive. “I have had a lot of people come up to me and say ‘I never thought you could top Illuminate, but I think you did with this one,’” he says. However, Leighton has heard complaints about the artwork for the album. The cover of Devil features a photograph of two masked women, a huge transition from their previous picturesque, colorful and delicately painted covers. The image, while striking on its own, juxtaposes the group’s previous pictorial covers and highlights the difference of the sound on Devil. Leighton says the album art is a reflection of a new route for the band. “We wanted to go with something new, something different, just to get people talking,” he says. “I think it worked.” Everything seems to be working for Lydia. By releasing this album they have developed a team of people who work well together on both the business and creative sides. Throughout the history of the band, there has been a flux of musicians in the studio and on tour. Now, Leighton says, “We are getting closer to having a set line-up because you come across musicians that you can’t really let go of.” And while they aren’t on a label, their management team at Eighty One Twenty Three and their booking agent have been really good to them. “We are really stoked about the team we have behind us right now,” Leighton says. The band are really happy where they are right now. “We finally have a really great group of dudes on the road with us,” Leighton says. Traveling the world and making music with a group of people who genuinely love what they are doing together is one of the highlights of life on the road for Lydia. For Leighton, being able to make music that impacts people around the world is a surreal experience. He says that going to new places and hearing stories of how his music has helped complete strangers is an amazing experience. “It’s just incredible to me that I can write a song and it can change somebody’s life on the other side of the world,” he says. “That’s kind of a highlight of touring and playing in a band, for me at least.” The band hope to put out another record early next year. In the meantime, they’ll continue to tour in support of Devil. Leighton, who is also working to wrap recording with his other musical endeavor, The Cinema, says his goals for this year revolve around his music, but he with all he has going on, he wants to focus on other things as well. “I want to find some way to find a balance to not lose my mind,” he says. All kidding aside, Leighton knows how lucky he is. At the end of their set in Boston, Leighton takes a moment to look out into the audience and thank everyone for coming out, “Truly, you guys humble us. Thanks,” he says, before hopping off the stage and disappearing into the crowd. NKD

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JOE BROOK 20

LUCKILY FOR HIS FANS, BRITISH SINGER JOE BROOKS’ ORIGINAL CAREER PLANS DID NOT WORK OUT AS HE INTENDED. Words by Stephanie Petit » Photos by Catherine Powell

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“W

hen I grew up, sport was my thing,” Joe says. “I wanted to win Wimbledon, that was my dream. Then I decided I wasn’t good enough. I think the world decided I wasn’t good enough and made it quite obvious to me.” Joe first picked up a guitar around age 16 after seeing musician and guitarist Derrin Nauendorf play at a local club, and taught himself how to play. With music by Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz as influences, Joe launched his own music career quickly, using Myspace as a platform. “It was the only thing and the first thing that gave people like me the opportunity to get their music to the world,” Joe says of the site. “It sounds so obvious now to you and me. The first thing you do as a musician is put your music online, but back then in like, 2005, it was a totally new thing. So I made a page and put it out, then all of a sudden I’ve got a few emails from Australia and Cambodia, some places like that, and it’s just crazy.” Joe also recognizes other platforms that help musicians reach audiences, although they do not have the interactive components Myspace does. “I think Spotify has been a great thing and just the distribution of independent music has gotten so much easier,” he says. “Anyone can be on iTunes, anyone can be distributed around the world instantly.” Joe says the interaction with fans through Myspace is something unique that other social media sites do not allow for in the same way. “I think nothing is as effective as Myspace because there was a real emphasis on music, not so much on Facebook, not so much on Twitter,” he says. “It’s not so much focused on listening to music. To see someone like Jack Johnson with their own Myspace page, that was so amazing. You could have that connection with your favorite artist. It changed the face of the music industry completely.” Joe says he is all for Myspace’s plans to re-launch. “I hope it does take off and I’ll ride the wave,” Joe says. Although he was getting lots of attention through Myspace, Joe was ready to expand his audience and start playing live shows. He moved to Los Angeles when he was 19 to tour small venues and make contacts in the music business. He says the transition was not too difficult, partly because he doesn’t find America to be much different than England. “It wasn’t too bad because the weather is amazing, people are really nice, and I found some friends real quick,” he says. “I think that’s important. There are a few differences, but I really enjoyed it from the moment I landed and I still enjoy it now.” Joe enjoys playing to fans in the United States and is busy touring. “We’ve played a couple headliner shows that we just blew out of the water and were so much fun,” he says. His current tour with The Rocket Summer featured several bands and posed a new challenge for Joe and his band. “It was a tough start for us personally because we’ve never been in this situation where we’ve had so many bands on the same roster before, so for us, we weren’t prepared for that,” he says. “The kind of, ‘plug in and play with no sound check’ type thing, but we’ve gotten it down now. Hopefully, we’re getting to our best. The Rocket Summer, they’re so nice, and the other bands are so nice. There’s no way we can’t have a good time.” Although he spends lots of time playing in the United States and has toured five times in the United Kingdom, Joe has also traveled all over the world to play shows. Last year, he went to Asia four times

and plans to visit Korea and Singapore in May. “I’m trying to go as international as possible, hopefully get to Australia soon,” he says. Joe’s live show is an important factor in having a long career and in connecting with fans. “People will keep coming back if you put on a good live show,” he says. In addition to touring, Joe has an EP coming out on May 1. He is also working on releasing a full length album. He was very involved in the process of putting the album together. “It was an interesting process,” Joe says. “It was challenging because I’ve never been so involved from top to bottom of every aspect. Writing, producing, directing the video. It’s been a lot more pressure on myself because I want to get it right and I haven’t got so many people to help me with that process. Fingers crossed it comes out ok. Hopefully you like it.”

“WE PLAYED 100 SHOWS LAST YEAR IN 10 COUNTRIES. THAT’S SOMETHING I’M PROUD OF AND WANT TO CONTINUE. JUST TRAVELING, SEEING THE WORLD, MEETING FANS AND SPREADING MY MUSIC AS WIDE AS POSSIBLE.” JOE BROOKS

Joe says his new music is different in ways from previous songs in some ways. “I think it’s definitely more of a mature sound, more mature lyric,” he says. “It’s very creative and it’s very diverse. It’s a step in a bit more of a raunchy direction I think. Maybe raunchy is not the right word. A more honest direction.” Even with the EP and album coming out in the near future, Joe wants to continue to travel as much as possible. “Currently I can say that I’ve sold out shows in three continents,” he says. “We played 100 shows last year in 10 countries. That’s something I’m proud of and want to continue. Just traveling, seeing the world, meeting fans and spreading my music as wide as possible. I think specific goals are very difficult, I wouldn’t like to pinpoint any specific aim. But I think just to have a long career is a good aim to have.” How does he plan on doing that? The answer is simple. “By making good music,” Joe says. “Music that can be listened to in 10 years and still be enjoyed.” It’s far from Wimbledon, but so far trading a tennis racket for a guitar has worked in Joe’s favor. NKD

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JAY SEAN Words by Isaac Bate Âť Photos by Catherine Powell

Perched on a wooden bench on the Highline above 26th street in New York City, Jay Sean talks at his mile-a-minute pace to me on the importance of not holding back in life, when a young girl and her mother approach him. “Excuse me,” the girl says, “are you Jay Sean?” Though he is not dressed in a way that makes him stand out, nor especially distinctive looking, he has such easy charisma and presence that it does not seem out of the ordinary when he is so quickly identified. “I am. It’s nice to meet you, what’s your name?” he asks her, shaking her hand. The girl smiles shyly and tells him, “Tashari.” Her mother, still staring at Jay, tugs the girl away and says to him, “Sorry, we didn’t want to creep you out.” Jay laughs and shakes his head. “You’re good,” he says. “I was just doing an interview. You’ll be in the magazine now.” So here you go, Tashari: you made the magazine. It’s not necessarily surprising that Jay is comfortable with his fame at this point. It’s been, as he puts it, “Ten years in the game.” Still though, it’s amazing how natural he seems, as if he was born into it or groomed from an early age. The reality is a bit different — Jay was in fact on his way through medical school in London, where he was born, when his life abruptly stopped resembling that of a stereotypical intelligent young son of Indian immigrants and led him instead to a record deal with Cash Money records and a number one single (“Down,” in 2009). A decade later he’s about to release his fourth album, Neon, on May 21. Going from a likely stable career in medicine to a world where success is far from guaranteed must have been a big and scary step, and even in hindsight Jay admits to few misgivings. “I know to a lot of other people it would [seem crazy] but it’s the way I’ve lived my life,” he says. “When I was a medical student and I was given the opportunity to become an artist, I didn’t question it at all. My gut said, ‘Who are you to turn this down? There are people standing on street corners dishing out demo tapes, waiting outside restaurants to sing to CEOs to try to get a deal, and you’re like, ‘No thank you, I’ll stick with

being a doctor?’ No, that’s a normal life. That’s a normal dream. I don’t want to live a normal life, a normal dream, I want to go out and be exceptional.” As unlikely a dream as it might have been, the work Jay has put in ultimately paid off in a big way. Not only is he immensely popular in his own right, but he also stands alone in one significant way. “I do realize the importance of being literally one of the only, I’d say, mainstream Indian acts in the world,” he says. “That’s a pretty big accomplishment when I think about it, I just didn’t think about it until press started focusing on it. I was like, shit, that’s actually true, that’s something to be proud of, the fact that I’m flying the flag for my kind.” Indian parentage, a London upbringing and U.S. residency have given Jay an essentially universal appeal. He’s charming, funny and handsome, and presumably to Indian people he feels as much like one of their own as he does to Western audiences. It’s people like Jay Sean who, intentionally or not, gradually break down cultural barriers and stereotypes. As he points out, there is a small or even non-existent history of Indian acts breaking through into the Western mainstream. “It’s not down to lack of talent, I’ve met many talented individuals in my race and background,” Jay says. “I think it’s still too early. Only 40, 50 years ago were African-Americans able to break mainstream and come into sports, music, acting … It takes time [to] get out of that box where you are first a niche act or artist, and be accepted as just an artist or just a great athlete … So I’m looking forward to a time in 20 years when there might be many more of us, but for now I’m just proud and glad and honored to be able to be the one who is trying to pave the way.” The trailblazing is going at full pace. Jay’s last album, All or Nothing, came out four years ago, but since then he has not been idle. “I’ve been so blessed to have a massive international fan base over the last 10 years, so I’ve been touring a hell of a lot. Every country you can think of, in the last four years, I went to and did shows there, tours there, but

on top of that I had to make this album.” The album has clearly been a labor of love for Jay, carefully crafted and never rushed. “Making the album took a while because it’s my fourth album now, and I was like, ‘I don’t need to rush this,’” Jay says. “I think we live in a day and age where people’s attention spans are tiny. We all know this. I used to sit … and wait for my game to load on the Commodore 64, go make a cup of tea, go make a sandwich. And now, you know, if I don’t have the highest Internet speed on my iPhone I’m pissed off.” Jay mimics a roar of frustration and laughs at himself. He obviously understands that today, artists need to be innovative to survive in a saturated market. “I know that my fans were like, ‘Come on, come on,’ so what I did in the interim, I was like, ‘I’m going to give you guys some music for free because I appreciate you waiting, while I get this right.’ Give me the time to get this right.” Getting it right can be difficult in an era when musical trends change in the time it takes to produce a track. “Music’s changing a lot, all this EDM stuff was taking over everything,” Jay says. “I did not want to do an album full of dance tracks just because that’s what’s popping off right now. That’s not me as an artist.” What quickly became clear to Jay was that although it can be fun to try new styles of music — “Hey, I dabbled in it, I tried it. I might have made some mistakes along the way… but I had to give it a shot, you know, the best of them do” — what he really wanted to achieve was an album with staying power, one that would bear up to the tests of time and repeated listening. “I went round the houses and what I realized is nobody wants an album cut, every producer wants to give you the single. So what do you get? You get an album full of disjointed songs, and I was like, ‘No thank you,’” Jay says. “I don’t need to do an album like that, that’s geared toward the charts. I wanted to do an album that I could be proud of, that I can just go, this is my fourth album and I can do this now, I’ve earned it.” It’s always refreshing when an artist makes a genuine attempt at putting together an entire album and not a collection of singles, and Jay is bubbling with excitement about the finished product. “I’m so, so happy with it, it’s the best thing I ever could have put together,” he says. “It took me a while but I think sometimes those things do. It’s going to be great. I had to come to the realization that in a day and age when everything is ‘impress me now,’ how do I make an album that still has some heart and soul, some integrity about it, not just let me impress my fans in the first 30 seconds on iTunes.” It’s exciting to watch him try, and maybe he’ll inspire some latent creativity in somebody who is plodding through a medical degree right now. Jay’s message is clear — we only get one shot, so make the most of it. “Because,” he says passionately, “if this is it, if this is all we get, I don’t want to be on my deathbed going, ‘Fuck, when I was 19 I could have gone out with that girl, I should have just made out with that chick in the club, in the toilet, I know it looked unhygienic at the time but she was hot.’” He cracks up for a second. “You know, whatever it is, do it, enjoy it.” NKD

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MISSION SOUTH Words and Photos by Catherine Powell

Ask Mission South what they’re interested in as a band and they’ll laugh and say comedy tapes, brunch and whiskey. But ask them about their hopes for their music career and they’ll get serious. Originally from Washington D.C., Mission South are currently making their way across the country in support of their new EP, Migration, Vol. 2. Before a show at Sullivan Hall in New York City I caught up with drummer Max Harwood in a fountain at Washington Square Park.

How did you each get into music? MAX HARWOOD: It’s different for each of us. I know John [Beck]’s (bass) parents, though not musicians themselves, have always been huge music lovers. They go to concerts all the time and play music in the house constantly, so I think that’s a big part of what got him into music and playing bass. For me, I’m not sure what made me want to play the drums other than that I thought they simply looked like the coolest thing in the world. My dad is a musician and played professionally in several bands throughout his life, so he always encouraged it, which was great. Last I heard from Dan [Miller, guitar and vocals] on this subject he said, “Well my mom is tone deaf, but my dad’s a pretty good dancer.”

How and when did Mission South form? MAX: The Mission South that everyone knows and loves today officially formed in August 2012. That’s when we all graduated from college and decided that pursuing the band is what we wanted to do. But we’ve been playing together and messing around since our childhood. We met in elementary school bonding over The Simpsons, pop tarts and whatever else it is that gets you going at that age (probably candy … definitely candy). Around that age we picked up instruments too, and then in high school we really started jamming together and taking our first crack at writing songs.

What have been some of the band’s greatest accomplishments so far? MAX: Playing the 9:30 Club in Washington D.C. was huge. Getting our music video for “Peaches” on Fuse was awesome. A buddy of mine was watching Wayne’s World on Fuse and said an ad came on for our music video during the commercial break. That’s sick! Everybody watches Wayne’s World!

What do you hope to accomplish as a group?

sound cool and express something meaningful. That said, we also hope to one day out-do the record sales for Michael Jackson’s Thriller album. I mean, it can’t be that hard to go platinum 29 times.

Do you consider music your career at this point? MAX: Hell yeah! [I] definitely don’t have another job. I’d know because there’d be more money in my wallet. We figure if you’re gonna do it, then do it. What’s that they say, always put all your eggs in one basket? And make sure that basket is an over-saturated highly competitive industry? Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s what they say.

You just released your new EP, Migration, Vol. 2. How is this release different than previous releases? MAX: Our previous release, Vol. 1, also an awesome record, was heavier on the blues influences. With Vol. 2 we tried to go beyond that. Dan expanded his vocal range, getting all Adam Levine with the falsetto a couple times, and we tried to switch up the arrangements so that we didn’t just sound like another Gary Clarke Jr. I mean that dude is awesome, but we ain’t Gary and we’re not trying to be.

What was the writing and recording process like? MAX: Our producer was Jarrett Nicolay of Virginia Coalition and he’s da bombalomb (that’s D.C. slang for “a fine producer.”) He definitely helped us craft the record and the sound, and he helped encourage us to take some risks. The wild intro at the beginning of the record was definitely an idea that came about in the studio, and he also helped us get that super-sexy, dirty sound that makes “Peaches” like crack to your ears. In general, our writing process has become outrageously collaborative. Dan still writes all the lyrics, but that’s about it. The rest is pretty much an all out brawl of musical ideas between the three of us. It’s kind of a cluster-fuck at times cause we’re all so opinionated, but in the end that combination and blending of ideas is what makes our sound so unique.

What’s next for Mission South? MAX: Next for Mission South. Get a Kendrick Lamar feature on our next recording. He’ll do it for sure. Just gotta tweet at him. NKD

MAX: We just want to make good music that means something to people. It’s pretty much as simple as that. It’s not about flashy guitar licks, wild drum fills or gimmicky lyrics. We write songs that we think

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THE PLAYLIST Anthony Li of Action Item takes us through his current top tracks.

TRACKS

3 1. “CHOCOLATE” - THE 1975

2. “WHEN A HEART BREAKS” - BEN RECTOR

3. “POWER TRIP” - J COLE FEAT. MIGUEL

4. “BURNING BRIDGES” - ONEREPUBLIC

5. “SWEATER WEATHER” - THE NEIGHBORHOOD

6. “PASSING THROUGH A SCREEN DOOR” - THE WONDER YEARS

7. “5AM IN TORONTO” - DRAKE

8. “HUNG UP” - HOT CHELLE RAE

9. “WISEMAN” - FRANK OCEAN

10. “THE PHOENIX” - FALL OUT BOY

11. “ALL I HEAR IS” - 2AM CLUB

12. “POM POMS” - JONAS BROTHERS

13. “TUNNEL VISION” - JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE

14. “THE THINGS THAT STOP YOU DREAMING” - PASSENGER

15. “HURRICANE” - BRIDGIT MENDLER

NAKED EYE BEST OF APRIL LIVE PERFORMANCES

GREEN DAY April 7, Barclays Center (Brooklyn, N.Y.)

HOODIE ALLEN April 13, Roseland Ballroom (New York, N.Y.)

MUSE April 15, Madison Square Garden (New York, N.Y.)

AVAN JOGIA Words by Stacy Magallon Âť Photos by Catherine Powell

After scanning the menu, I decide it’s a mix between Mexican and Indian. I sit beside actor Avan Jogia’s father and his publicist, both of whom are also eyeing the options for lunch. I choose to order a plate of tortilla chips and guacamole. The restaurant’s main room is illuminated by multi-colored lanterns dangling by thin strings. The bright hints of red, pink, yellow and green add a pop of contrast in the mostly wooden, browncolored space. With the exception of a little bit of small talk, it is relatively quiet. The only thing missing is Avan himself. Avan’s father points to his son, who is pacing back and forth in a corner of the room. He’s on the phone, and by the looks of it, the call is important. We chat about the weather before a waiter sets a bowl of chips and guacamole on the glass table in front of us. When my appetizer appears, so does Avan. He apologizes for his lateness then engulfs me in a big hug as if to say, “Long time no see.” It’s been almost a year since my last meeting with him and his mother. “I’ll bring my older brother along next time I’m in town, then you’ll have met my entire family,” he says, grinning. Avan takes a seat beside me and he asks how I’ve been. He doesn’t hesitate to munch on my chips and dip while I tell him about my classes this morning. Then I remember this interview is about him, not me. Avan looks older than he did 10 months ago. His sprouting facial hair is a definite sign of maturity, as are his recent career moves. Say farewell to his Victorious character, Beck Oliver — the Nickelodeon star is thrilled to write an ending to one chapter in his life to start another. Avan now has a starring role in ABC Family’s Twisted, and it’s a part that’s drastically different from the one he played on Nickelodeon. His opportunities have led him down a new road, but there’s one thing about him that hasn’t changed — he always has something interesting to say. Before Avan, now 21, had a recurring role on Nickelodeon, he was raised in a

low-income Canadian neighborhood. Acting was always a passion of his — it came naturally after he watched classic films like The Godfather and the James Bond collection as a child with his father. At age 17, Avan chose to head for California to pursue a career in acting. The past four years of Avan’s life have been dedicated to Dan Schneider’s Victorious. The show was shot on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, and while Avan was there, the Nickelodeon Studios became his second home. The cast, which included Victoria Justice and Ariana Grande, became his second family. When Avan’s co-star Matt Bennett texted him, “See ya, guys!” last August, he had no idea what Matt was talking about. A few hours later, he received a phone call from his agents and managers. Victorious would not be filming a fourth season. Most Nickelodeon shows have a lifespan of 60 episodes, so it made sense for the show to be cancelled at 58. “The news was very bittersweet,” Avan says. That feeling was short-lived. Last May, Avan told me he wanted to play characters that are different from himself. In the arena of television he was in at the time, those opportunities were scarce. Today, the playing field has changed. A month after learning about the show’s cancellation, Avan landed a lead role on Twisted. “I’ve jumped from ship to ship,” Avan says of the new opportunity. This new “ship,” however, is very different from the last. Twisted follows Avan’s character, Danny Desai, an alleged sociopath who kills his aunt when he is 11. After five years in juvenile detention, Danny must find his place in a judgmental society. When a schoolmate is found dead, Danny becomes a prime suspect in the murder. “For me, it’s about a town and people, and how sometimes we don’t forgive,” Avan says. “We operate a lot on fear of the unknown and not knowing somebody.” The pilot of Twisted premiered after the season three finale of ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars in March.

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The teen drama thriller is a complete shift from the live-action sitcom stylings of Victorious. The Twisted pilot was mostly filmed in Westchester, N.Y., miles away from Sunset Boulevard. “I focused on the aspects of juvy and the kind of person it makes you,” Avan says of his preparation for the pilot. Danny is quite different from Beck. Danny is an outcast. Beck is the most popular guy at Hollywood Arts High School. Danny is guilty of murder. Beck has great hair and is fawned over by girls. The list goes on. “One of the defense mechanisms Danny relies on is his charm,” Avan says. “Perhaps his charm is harboring something much darker. I don’t even know yet. I guess we’ll find out eventually.” Victorious was a comedy, Twisted is a drama that will make you think. Avan is excited for the show to attract a different set of viewers than those who watch Nickelodeon. While most Victorious fans were preteens, Avan’s peers might be the audience for his new show. “It might even scare you,” he says. “The show is controversial, and that will lead people to form opinions about the plot or the characters.” Avan says he’s eager for the show to find it’s “legs.” The rest of the series is scheduled to premiere on June 11 of this year. Avan admits to watching ABC Family in his spare time. “The shows on the network are always something to talk about,” he says, referencing the hype around Pretty Little Liars as an example. “In the technological world we live in, the audience is free to have discussions on Twitter. It makes everyone a conspiracy theorist.” Avan’s father briefly interrupts our conversation to ask what I want for lunch. I assure him that I’m content with my chips, but he continues to press the issue. I fail at trying to fight his hospitality and give in to a sandwich. Avan settles for a dish of tacos. “My dad is relentless. He might even feed you once your food gets here,” he whispers to me. After we place our orders, I notice Avan paying close attention to the atmosphere instead of the conversation. “This is a very interesting place,” he says. I watch as his eyes scan across the small groups of people enjoying their lunch. Eventually he makes eye contact with a man sitting alone at the bar. “I enjoy being at bars by myself. Not for depressed self-drinking, but to observe people,” Avan says, looking away from the man. “I think it’s interesting to watch different social groups and how their situations change toward the night.” Last night Avan spent a few hours people-watching. “I was just being a little wallflower,” he says, smiling. (Cont’d on page 51)

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Though he says he just observed the New York action last night, Avan is always vocal about the things that matter to him. Two years ago when he co-founded the organization Straight But Not Narrow, he did not expect to be invited to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Awards in Manhattan, which took place earlier this week. His non-profit organization is focused on promoting LGBT rights and acceptance, and it’s recruited many more supporters since Avan and I talked last year. SBNN is currently aiming to branch out to colleges and elementary schools in the near future. Avan’s goal is to find 10 willing colleges to organize charity football games for the organization, and to send informational pamphlets to grade schools. “A person is responsible for society’s empathy toward other people,” he says. “The civil rights movement was not just an issue regarding race. It was a societal issue.” Avan himself is extremely empathetic. He believes the world would operate more smoothly if people were more understanding, and that is what he is working toward. Avan hopes to use his platform to inform a younger audience about real life issues. He thinks it’s crucial to talk to children in an honest way rather than dancing around the truth. “My parents have always been honest with me about how the world works. Telling kids, ‘Just don’t do it’ is not the way to teach people,” he says. Avan is quick to bring up fear, and how it can cause people to act irrationally. “It’s quite similar to the plot line of Twisted,” he says. A moment later, Avan’s father passes him a tray of assorted tacos. “What were we talking about again?” he asks me as he takes a bite out of a taco, looking a little confused. I decide to briefly change the topic. While Twisted seems to be Avan’s top priority at the moment, he’s keen on pursuing music as well. “If I weren’t homeschooled for a period of time, I wouldn’t have learned piano or guitar. My time would have been spent socializing,” he says. Though he could’ve easily released music during his time on Nickelodeon, he wanted to do it on his own terms. He says a Nickelodeon-sponsored album many not have been received the way he would have preferred later on in his life. On top of that, Avan doesn’t have enough musical material to release, but he assures me he’s working on it in his spare time. “One time I wrote a song and thought it was great. The next morning I woke up, and went, ‘God, this is awful!’” Avan says, laughing. “Sometimes it’s important to be hard on yourself, but not too hard.” Avan loves storytelling. “I’m an actor. It’s my job and it’s also my passion,” he says. “With this kind of job, you either become a

celebrity or a public figure, and some actors don’t know how to deal with that.” In Avan’s eyes, there are two kinds of stars. The first kind over-indulges their celebrity status, and the second kind holds out on society and doesn’t promote themselves or any cause at all. I would not dare place Avan in either of these categories. “We have to cut the crap. If I’m going to be in the limelight, I rather not talk about bubble gum or my favorite snack,” he says, looking down at his hands. “If you don’t talk about what you stand for, problems remain and nothing gets solved.” He mentions that fans have approached him in the past to thank him for his work with SBNN, whether it helped a gay friend of theirs, or themselves

personally. “That’s the most rewarding part about working for the organization,” he says. Avan has a hell of a lot to say. All he needs is an open-minded audience to hear him out. I know I’ve listened. The actor, musician and humanitarian is multi-talented, and that’s putting it lightly. There’s more to Avan Jogia than meets the eye. I thank Avan’s father for lunch, and Avan pulls me into another hug. “I’ll see you soon, and I promise I’ll bring my brother,” he jokes. He seems to fit comfortably in the new niche he’s created for himself, but I hope he doesn’t get too comfortable. There could be another opportunity waiting for Avan around the corner, and I can’t wait to see what he’ll jump into next. NKD

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COASTA

Words by Shina Patel » Photos by Catherine Powell

When Jamey Lacey walked into the studio to record a few songs, he had no idea that a couple weeks later he would form a band with some guys who were also recording in the studio. The band that came out of this unexpected twist was Coasta, featuring Jamey (vocals), Chris Lorenz (drums), Steve Kupillas (bass) and Jon Murphy (guitar). It all began with a simple search for band member. “I was online looking for some band members and [Chris and Steve] were actually renting a room in the studio and I went to the studio to jam with a kid and record some stuff, and I ended up linking with them and started the project, probably two or three weeks later,” Jamey says. Coasta initially formed in 2011, and Jon joined the group about two months ago. As the boys like to say, “He’s still a little fresh. He’s got a fresh face.” Since the band formed, the boys have released an EP, which they recorded at the studio where they met. The EP, titled Sunzal, was released in May of 2012, and since the release the guys have started playing more live shows and are trying to spread the word about their new band. By putting their songs online for download and on YouTube, the band have been able to expand their audience. “Blogs writing about us, it really helps spread the word for us,” Chris says of their online presence. But the boys all agree that their listeners play a big role in pushing their music out there for more people to hear. Coasta put the EP out and have been playing the live shows, and their fans have really done the rest. “It’s really been a lot of word of mouth,” Steve says. “We get a lot of people who are like, ‘My buddy told me about you,’ or ‘I got a link to you,’ which is a good sign.” With so many bands using Twitter and Facebook to promote themselves, it can be hard for up and coming bands like Coasta to distinguish themselves. While many bands make an attempt to stand out on their social networks by coming up with different ideas or schemes such as rewards and contests, Coasta don’t rely on gimmicks. “We rely on our songs to stand out,” Jamey says. “We don’t really do anything personally to attract attention to [ourselves]. If people like the music, that’s really the main thing we hope [they’re] interested in us for.”

No matter how much social networking and press a band does, standing out in the industry will always be an uphill battle. Coasta’s battle has been slow and steady, but it hasn’t been for nothing. This past month they played their third show at Webster Hall in New York City. “The first time we played Webster, barely anybody was here and the second time we played Webster we actually played second to last. It was a better crowd and this time around there was an even better crowd. So every time the live shows have improved and the fans are different,” Chris says. Their hard work and the help of their booking agent and old manager have landed Coasta a spot on this year’s Skate And Surf bill, where they will play alongside major acts like Fall Out Boy and Macklemore in May. After Skate And Surf, the boys plan to focus on finishing their full-length album. They put a lot of time and effort in the writing and production of the album. They each have a keen interest in the process of making the final product. “We all love production,” Jon says. “Steve’s an audio engineer and works at a studio so he’s always playing around with it. It’s a big process.” Even though they like producing their own music, the guys aren’t possessive of their songs and the process it takes to create them. They all would love to have the support of someone else to help guide them and give them feedback on what they’re working on. They would love to have a third party to come in and help with their producing and writing and shape their work from a different perspective. The guys were fortunate enough to have their families and friends to evaluate their work on Sunzal. They also look to their families for musical inspiration. Everyone in the band grew up around music, either listening to rock with their parents or playing the instruments that have now become their lives. Coasta have come a long way in their journey together as a band, but it’s just the beginning. They’re still far from where they want to be. The guys want to tour, travel around and just see the world. “Ultimate goal would be just to do this full time where we could provide for ourselves and do this just as our own job is the main goal,” Jamey says. NKD

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2AM CLUB Words by Stephanie Petit Âť Photos by Catherine Powell

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M A 2 B U L C

2AM Club starts talking about stealing, there’s no need to call the authorities. The band had the experience of working with many different writers and producers as opposed to just a couple while working on their new album, which is due out later this year. The guys joke that they enjoy having more people to “steal” from, or learn new techniques and practices from. “The more awesome people you can be around and steal from, it always helps,” lead vocalist Marc Griffin says. The band, whose music combines genres such as hip-hop, rock, electro, rap and alternative, have come a long way since the days when Marc and emcee Tyler Cordy were playing together at UC Santa Cruz. Guitarist Matt Reagan and Marc grew up together playing music, as did Tyler and keyboardist Dave Dalton. The four got together and started doing the whole band thing several years ago. Bassist Matt “Sauce” Warshauer had been in Los Angeles playing bass around the city for other bands. “We met him and he came and auditioned for our band even though we were not the kind of band you need to audition for, and that’s how we became a band,” Marc says. After drummer Ian O’Neill left in 2011 to pursue other opportunities, the band picked up Patrick Jarrett to complete their current lineup. They started playing around L.A.and

WHEN

eventually caught the attention of some major record labels. “We flew out to New York and played for some labels and had some meetings and decided that RCA [Records] seemed like the least shitty label so we signed with them,” Tyler says. 2AM Club put out their first album, What Did You Think Was Going to Happen? in 2010. “We toured for a while and experienced what it’s like to work with a major label and put out an album,” Tyler says. “We learned a lot about radio and getting better as a live band and sort of the interpersonal relationships with people in the industry and out of the industry and each other. Thankfully we got in a position where we could make a second record.” They have spent much of the past year and a half collaborating and experimenting with different producers for their new album. “In the time that we spent in L.A., with certain producers we really clicked and we worked really hard with, and certain people totally didn’t work,” Marc says. “We made a shitty demo and left and never talked to them again.” Although it sometimes didn’t work out, they’re taking it as a learning experience from producers as well as each other. “I think it’s odd because we’re a bunch of different people who have different musical tastes,” Tyler says. “We bond differently with producers, so you can have one or two tracks

where maybe two of us are really in on it and the others are “If it was up to us, I think individually we would all have like, ‘Ok, is this a song I can learn from?’ and then vice versa a different idea about what our favorite way to play is,” Marc on the next track, where someone else is leading the charge says. “I think as long as the songs are awesome, we like playing and the others can learn from it.” live so much. That’s kind of what brought us together in the Tyler adds that he believes the role of producers has first place, was actually enjoying playing live. Whatever we changed since the last record they made. write, no matter if it gets produced by someone else or if it’s “We’re a band and it’s become such a producer-driven self produced, we’re going to end up being on stage performing industry in the last decade whereas it used to be that a band it together. Our live shows kind of bring everything back down went in the studio and cut tracks, played live and built tracks to earth.” on an instrumental basis,” he says. “Now the producer will, a Despite spending lots of time lately working with many lot of times, just have a track. We play the parts, do our own different producers and having two distinct directions of their thing on top of it, but a lot of the ground work is already set. songs, 2AM Club insist there are few disagreements over the That’s something that’s new for us, but that’s just collaborating music. with somebody, having a conversation about where all that “Collaborating helps because the groundwork is laid a goes.” little bit more so we all have a clear idea of how to approach Marc also thinks the role of albums has changed since 2010. each song,” Marc says. “I think the more butting of heads is “It’s not like your album is your offering to world like how when it’s the five of us in a room and we’re really trying to it used to be,” he says. “Now you have an album and as soon as get down to that one core song that we’ve been working on.” the album comes out someone is going to be like, ‘Where’s your Even between each other, the guys have an understandremixes? When’s the next mix tape? When is the next feature?’” ing of each other and when to step up and when to let go. This constant demand for “We’ve written in a lot of new music sometimes leads different ways and what I’ve to mix tapes such as the one noticed is we really do trust 2AM Club released in March each other in a lot of ways and which features the band in also have an open mistrust for a more casual setting. As each other,” Matt says. “It’s like opposed to highly produced someone you are family with, tracks, the mix tape includes where you know enough to songs the band put together know, ‘I’m not always going to themselves. trust you and on a base level I “On the mix tape, a lot sort of always trust you, but I’m more of the stuff is literally going to speak up.’ Point being a creation that we were all is we learned how to step back. involved in 100 percent,” We’re still really learning, but Marc says. the better we get at that, the 2AM Club enjoy putting better we get with each other out mix tapes for free. because now we let someone MARC GRIFFIN Although they admit as a else’s idea fully form before band’s popularity increases it becomes less likely that producmeddling and getting in the way of it.” ers will be willing to give them songs to release without a cost, In addition to their album coming out later this year, the they say it is a balancing act, and they’re not worried about band plan to tour a lot and hope their new album leads to even continuing to release free music. bigger shows. “That’s the balancing act. If you want a completely free “There’s this amazing wave of new music coming out that project, you’ve got to do it all on your own in most cases,” Tyler we really love and are inspired by,” Marc says. “I think that’s says. “I think people that you really relate to musically, people part of this new album and especially this mix tape that we that you see eye-to-eye with on the artistic side are never put out and everything that we will continue to put out in really tripping about that because you know that you’re both the future is sort of more in line with what we’re really into, benefitting each other if you’re putting out great music.” so hopefully that will propel us into more touring and cooler 2AM Club’s new album includes songs like those on the mix shows and festivals and all that fun stuff that we want to be a tape as well as radio-ready type songs, such as their first single, part of. Because we can play and we want to show everybody.” “Not Your Boyfriend.” They agree all the experience they’ve gained working with “I think last time all of our songs were in between those others has helped them come together within the band. two things and this time it’s more polarized, but I think that’s “I think that’s what collaborating allowed us to do, to be probably better for the listener,” Marc says. “It’s cool that we better on our own,” Tyler says. “It’s cool, I think it’s helped us can be us and go play in a room together and we can also to blend, and our eventual goal is complete and utter greatness. collaborate because there’s no limit to how much you can do.” Hopefully that could be done whether it is with one producer No matter what type of song they work on, one of the most or 10 producers or just with ourselves. Everyone’s trying to get important elements is how they sound live. better and better.” NKD

“IT’S NOT LIKE YOUR ALBUM IS YOUR OFFERING TO THE WORLD LIKE HOW IT USED TO BE. NOW YOU HAVE AN ALBUM AND AS SOON AS THE ALBUM COMES OUT SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE LIKE, ‘WHERE’S YOUR REMIXES? WHEN’S THE NEXT MIX TAPE? WHEN IS THE NEXT FEATURE?’”

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TOURÉ

Journalist and TV personality Touré discusses his new book, I Would Die 4 U: Why Prince Became an Icon." INTERVIEW BY ARIELLA MASTROIANNI

Did your opinion of Prince shift as you were writing the book? That is, compared to how you thought of him as you were growing up with his music? TOURE: Prince was an ever-present part of our musical landscape as I was growing up. You know, the sort of very sexual big brother who knew a lot more about sex than we did, a guy who just knows everything and does everything. I remember hearing about “Dirty Mind” (1980) and “Controversy,” (1981) but by [the release of] “1999” (1982) you couldn’t get away from it. It was huge. Then, by the time you get to Purple Rain, (1984) it’s just this monster cultural event. I learned a lot of things about [Prince] that I think shifted my perspective a little bit. The large thing is that you think of him as the sexual being, but when you really sort of lay it out, you realize how much of a spiritual being he is, how seriously he takes spirituality and how much he talks about spirituality. In his case, it’s not a situation where he gets famous and then starts talking about spirituality and religion. He talks about it as he becomes famous. And he becomes famous on the strength of talking about it, in terms of songs like “Controversy” where he does the Lord’s Prayer in the middle of the song. Then you have songs like “1999” and “Let’s Go Crazy,” which are about the Apocalypse, and a song like “Purple Rain” which is about redemption and, in some sense, him being the Messiah. These are the songs that helped propel him up the ladder to superstar status. I think more typically a person becomes famous and then they start to talk about the thing[s] they want to talk about. That’s not what happened here.

Would you say Prince’s religiosity was part of his appeal? TOURE: It leavened his sexual approach. If he was just talking about sex all the time then it would just be like ... wow... you know? There was a broad group of things that he was talking about, but he’s not being discreet about [religion], he’s being fully open about it.

How would you describe the general attitude toward Prince and his music? TOURE: There was this constant excitement of like, “Oh God here comes a new album,” or “Oh God here comes a new video.” Not only would he go on tour to play the big gigs, but there were after-hour gigs somewhere else, so it wasn’t just like, “Let me make sure I get tickets to the show,” you’d have to find out where the second show is and get into that, too. I got into a couple of those. They were just as exciting and raw and unplanned, and you had no idea how long it would last and all sorts of things.

Did your parents like you listening to Prince? TOURE: No, not particularly. I remember being barred from going to see “Purple Rain” and that was a big fight. They were like, “Take it easy with the Prince.” It was really not their choice, but I was huge into Prince and hip-hop. w

Do you think, given new media technologies, that it is possible for an icon like Prince to emerge out of the Millennial generation? TOURE: I think the short answer is no. When you think of the media resources you have, it’s going to make it much more difficult to have people who the generation can coalesce around, because it’s much more difficult to have singular sources. Gen X had MTV … we’d watch MTV as one, and then certain things will sort of explode out of there [like] Prince or Michael Jackson or Run DMC or Nirvana or REM or Pearl Jam or what have you. Lots of us, all of us, were listening to that, led there by MTV. Plus, a certain number of radio stations were dominant. You don’t have that now. You can have a situation where there’s a

million gatekeepers and there’s not that centralized source like MTV. There are a million blogs and a million places to get the information for who’s coming out, when and with what. And, while it’s more democratizing in terms of allowing more people, more artists, to have a chance to get known, it’s harder to create that large community. It’s harder to create that group now, that community. Even in the way we consume music via the iPod. I mean, we would get an album when it came out or close to when it came out, and then listen to it front to back. We have a different relationship now with music.

Is the role of the icon necessary? TOURE: I think it’s very valuable. I think it’s a way of pulling the generation together. Everybody in the group has those recording artists that they love. There’s a glue, a common language that you can all speak. I think you see a lot of those for Gen X, from Prince and Michael Jackson, perhaps Madonna, to Guns N’ Roses, Nirvana, etc. For Millennials it’s hard. It’s harder to get that big. People talk about Lady Gaga, and it’s like, “Ok yeah, but I don’t see [artists like Gaga] having that same level of widespread cultural impact.”

That’s kind of a bummer. What was it like to grow up with a music icon? TOURE: It’s fun! The thing that I used to find is that an album would come out and for three to six months everybody is talking about this given album. And it wasn’t like, “Have you heard Nirvana” or “Have you heard Tupac or Run DMC” you know, it was “What do you think about them?” Because of course you heard it, everybody’s heard it, everybody’s listening to it a lot and dug into it. [Now] there’s no way to find that common language that we can sort of come together on. And it’s a little sad to lose that I think.

What was it like to delve into the religious side of Prince?

he’s Messiah? Does he think that he is the special connection to God? And where is the evidence? I don’t know that he feels like that. I can’t say for certain that he thinks he is the second coming of God. I certainly can’t nail that down. But there is some evidence, there are some people who say he does think a lot of himself and his connection with God in certain ways, and he may. It’s unclear.

In I Would Die 4 U you suggest the idea that Prince became an icon because of the way his music spoke to Gen X-ers, and not simply from his musical genius. Would you say that Gen X culture shaped Prince or that Prince helped to shape Gen X? TOURE: I think it’s gotta be a little bit of both. In terms of the sexuality that the generation was prepared for, he was ready for that. That’s something he saw and consciously wanted to express and be part of his mythology. But then he realizes the exploding visuality of the culture. And to be so up on that in 1983, very early in MTV’s reign, is really, really astute. It’s hard to explain now how young MTV was at that point. And for him to have realized, when he started Purple Rain, that [his music] has to be visual ... people were not doing that. Nobody did was he was doing. Madonna wasn’t doing that, Michael Jackson wasn’t doing that. But he had the vision and the tenacity to do that, along with the understanding that he had to do it. It says a lot about how he understood where the times are going, and he wanted to flow with the times. So, essentially he flows with the generation but changes it a little bit, pushes the envelope. The music video, the visual piece, is the way he sort of recognizing the times and changed by going with it. NKD

TOURE: I loved that part. I needed that part. There is a real question: Does the guy think that he’s the second coming? Does he think that

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