NKD Mag - Issue #24 (June 2013) by NKD Mag

ON THE COVER

SAMMY ADAMS

PAGES

42-49

“MY NEW RECORD EMBODIES MY MOVEMENT FROM BOSTON TO LOS ANGELES. IT’S ALL ABOUT FULFILLING MY DREAMS.” SAMMY ADAMS

NKD NAKED MAGAZINE

PUBLISHERS

WRITERS

CONTACT

Ariella Mastroianni Catherine Powell

Katie Amey Isaac Bate Tara DeVincenzo Alex Lane Stacy Magallon Nicole Mazza Shina Patel Stephanie Petit Catherine Powell Kiki Van Son

Publicity » Catherine Powell catherine@nkdmag.com

EDITOR Nicola Pring

PHOTOGRAPHER Catherine Powell

DESIGNER Ariella Mastroianni

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

Tweet us! @nakedmag

IN THIS ISSUE MAYDAY PARADE

FEATURES MAYDAY PARADE [06] BETHANY MOTA[12] MIDNIGHT RED [14] JESSICA TYLER [18] BEBE REXHA [24] THE MAINE [28] JACOB LATIMORE [50] CHUNK, NO! CAPTAIN CHUNK! [56] ASHLEY ALLEN [60]

EDITORIAL OP-ED [04] ANDY BELL

FEATURED PLAYLIST [34] SOUPY CAMPBELL OF THE WONDER YEARS

PHOTO FEATURE [35] JESSICA TYLER

THE MAINE

EMBLEM3, TWENTY | ONE | PILOTS, HOLLYWOOD ENDING

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ON TOUR MANAGING By Andy Bell » Tour Manager, The Dangerous Summer

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GUEST EDITORIAL

EVERYONE ASKS THE SAME QUESTION: “HOW DID YOU GET THAT JOB?” The answer is too long and complicated to really explain in the moment. I could write a 10-page essay about how it all came together from age 14, but it makes more sense to tell you the express version. Basically, I was fortunate enough to grow up and be in various bands with my best friends who eventually started The Dangerous Summer and signed to Hopeless Records right out of high school. When their touring schedule started to get serious, I came in first as a tech, helping set up gear and troubleshoot any problems. Eventually, I took on more responsibility as I gained experience and started handling finances, show advances, route planning and countless other things. I began to build relationships with promoters, venues, labels, brand reps, publicists, producers and all the other great people who make this industry work. As a tour manager, you don’t have a set job description — your job is to make things happen, whether you do it or you find someone else to do it. Over time, I met tons of up-and-coming bands on the road who I connected with various contacts I had made. It eventually dawned on me that what I was doing was pretty similar to what a manager would do.

AS A TOUR MANAGER, YOU DON’T HAVE A SET JOB DESCRIPTION — YOUR JOB IS TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.

I think there are a lot of misconceptions about both managers and tour managers. People often confuse one with the other, and they couldn’t be more different. Tour managers, just like it sounds, manage tours. They’re the day-to-day contact for press, anything show related (aside from booking) and the business end of the band on tour. Band managers think of the big picture rather than the day-to-day operation. They’ll be the ones connecting bands with the resources they need to be successful. A lot of times, they’re the ones who hang out with the guy who owns your favorite clothing company, or are friends with a few people from the booking agency that you’d like to work with. The old saying, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” is the easiest way to understand the value of a manager. So, with my experience and contacts, I started Anchor MGMT with Cody Payne from The Dangerous Summer. Most recently, a band we represent, The New Classic, has begun the process of their first major release. It’s such a great feeling to be able to use everything I’ve learned over the last few years to help a band I really believe in achieve big things. I’m often asked for advice from people just getting started or just really interested in being a part of the music business. I’d love to say that it’s easy, everyone’s really nice, you’ll make lots of money and nothing will ever suck, but I won’t because that’s a total lie. The truth is, if music is something you love and are inspired by, none of those things will matter because you’re a part of something you love. I’ve dealt with an unimaginable amount of crazy and stressful times, but I never regret anything. If you can deal with that, just immerse yourself in every part of the business you can. Meet bands, go to shows, talk to anyone and everyone involved. This isn’t something school can get you into, nor does it prepare you at all for what you’ll need to know — that comes from experience. Remember, in life there is no limit to how many things you can do and be, so don’t give up if you feel like you’re on NKD a different path.

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MAYDAY PARADE Words by Tara DeVincenzo Âť Photos by Catherine Powell

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SINCE MAYDAY PARADE’S ALBUM DEBUT IN NOVEMBER 2006, THEIR MUSIC HAS ALWAYS KEPT FANS COMING BACK.

Now, even though no promises have been made and there’s nothing solid to wait for, fans still can’t wait to see what the band will do next. Most recently, Mayday Parade performed on The Spring Fever Tour alongside All Time Low and Pierce the Veil. Lead vocalist Derek Sanders says their fourth album is in sight, it’s just not fully formed yet. After breaking away from Fearless Records to produce their self-titled album in 2011, Mayday Parade decided it was time to go back to what they know. “They were the first label we signed with back in 2006 and we have always had a great relationship with them,” Derek says. Attempting to form a relationship with other labels was risky for the band — they were comfortable with Fearless because they knew what the label expected. “They want to have the artist to have their integrity,” Derek says. “It just made sense whenever the time came to renegotiate label stuff to go back to Fearless.” Their first independently produced EP, Tales Told By Dead Friends (2006) sold 50,000 copies. Fearless helped them shoot their way onto the Billboard charts and more than triple their numbers with the release of their first studio album, A Lesson In Romantics, in July of 2007.

weeks of work to finish. “There aren’t songs that are completely done,” Derek says. “Everything’s coming along great. We’re super excited about it.” Even though the single isn’t ready to be exposed yet, Derek has faith that it will be ready by the end of the summer, and the album will come shortly after. When it comes to making music and writing lyrics, it’s always been a natural process for the band. “It’s still just the five of us in the band trying to write the best songs we can and go record them and just have fun, and make an album that we love first and foremost,” Derek says. “Hopefully people like it as well.” Six years ago, the band started off with just those values — they were a group of 19-year-olds writing straight from personal experience that other 19-year-olds could relate to. Now Derek is 26, and it is still about writing from experience. The music matures as the band does, and keeps delivering what their fans are excited about. “We’ve all grown up and kind of changed a little bit,” Derek says. “It’s still, for the stuff that I write, it’s mostly just reflections on life experience.” Derek is both a frontman and family man. He’s found the time to devote himself to his band and their success, and to his girlfriend and their daughter. “It’s always kind of been the balance we’ve tried to strike,” Derek says. “Having enough time at home to spend with family and we want to vpush ourselves and stay busy on the road as well.” This formula is part of what has helped the band survive. “Part of you expects to see things start to slow down or decline,” Derek says, “but things have always just kind of kept staying steady or going up for us. As long as we can maintain that then I’m happy doing it.” As the summer months move on, fans wait for the upcoming single that might drop at any moment. The single, the album and a larger scale tour, including a lot more international dates, are all part of Mayday Parade’s plan. Derek is confident that they’re on the right track and moving at the right pace. “As of right now we’re focusing on the record and we’ll see what happens next,” he says. NKD

“IT’S STILL JUST THE FIVE OF US IN THE BAND TRYING TO WRITE THE BEST SONGS WE CAN AND GO RECORD THEM AND JUST HAVE FUN, AND MAKE AN ALBUM THAT WE LOVE FIRST AND FOREMOST.” DEREK SANDERS Despite this, Mayday Parade felt they could handle a lot of the promotion on their own. “These days you can almost do just as much of it yourself without a label,” Derek says. “It was hard for us to decide but ultimately we said with Fearless everything just feels right.” Reuniting with Fearless marked the beginning of the new project they have on the way. The band was in the studio working on their upcoming album for about six weeks, then took a break, leaving them another six

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BETHANY MOTA Words by Nicole Mazza Âť Photos by Catherine Powell

BETHANY MOTA HAS OVER TWO MILLION FRIENDS. Though many YouTube personalities might see their subscribers as simply viewers and hits, 17-year-old fashion vlogger Bethany sees them as friends who she genuinely hopes to help and inspire. “It’s crazy because they’re more than just viewers, they’re like all my friends,” she says. “I have this friendship with them that I never thought I’d have. They talk to me, they tweet me just like my best friends would. It’s just this really cool friendship that I’ve gained with these people all around the world.” After watching one of her many videos, in which she gives beauty and style advice and more, you’d never guess that the confident and glowing Bethany was a shy girl when she was growing up. “I didn’t want to talk to anybody,” she says. “I hated meeting new people.” You’d also never guess that Bethany, whose YouTube channel focuses on fashion and beauty, once described herself as a tomboy. “I wasn’t a girly-girl at all so that’s why people are really surprised I make YouTube videos now for everyone to see, and I’m really girly now,” she says, crediting cheerleading and dance to her style evolution. She also credits starting homeschooling midway through her middle school years, and having too much time on her hands, for her beauty vlogging destiny. “I was really bored,” she says. “I had so much time on my hands. I didn’t know what to do with it.” One of the first videos she stumbled across focused on a girl who went to Walmart and showed off the makeup products she purchased. “I was like, ‘This is really cool,’” she recalls. “It was just so cool how you can interact with girls all over the world and share style tips, and it was just a really organic kind of thing and it just felt like it was your best friend, so I just really wanted to do it.” Bethany started filming her own videos on her phone to see what it was like, though she didn’t share them at first. “Then one day I was like, ‘Oh, I want to make a for real video.’ I grabbed my parent’s old camcorder and I set it up and I filmed my first video talking about some MAC products I just recently got,” she says. Bethany has definitely evolved and mastered her craft over the years. “My first video is really embarrassing though. I was super shy and totally out of my element,” she says, laughing. “I was going to take it down but I was like, ‘I can’t. That’s my first video,’ and I think it’s important to keep that up because that’s where it first started. Ever since then I just kept going.”

“[GROWING UP] I WASN’T A GIRLYGIRL AT ALL.” BETHANY MOTA Bethany didn’t skyrocket to YouTube fame immediately. With millions of videos being uploaded to the site every day, it takes diligence and consistency to get noticed. Bethany originally got discouraged and second-guessed her new hobby. “No one really noticed it at first,” she says. “I was like, ‘Mom, I’m going to stop.’” But after a shout-out she hit 100 subscribers, which gave her the encouragement she needed to keep going. At first, Bethany decided to keep her new vlogging hobby a secret. “No one in my town knew about it, none of my friends or my family, because I didn’t want anyone close to me to know,” she says. “I thought they’d tease me about it.” But soon enough, it was something she couldn’t hide. “I’ll just be at my local Target in my hometown and

there will be girls that come up to me and ask for pictures and say they watch my videos. It means so much to me,” she says. “A lot of my viewers are teenagers and girls my age, but sometimes I have like adult woman that come up to me and I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh that’s such an honor.’” Soon enough, Bethany was featured in magazines and websites such as Seventeen, Teen Vogue and even the cover of the Los Angeles Times. “I thought it would be a tiny little section but it was not. So when I found out how big it was, I freaked out,” she says of the L.A. Times feature. “It was such an honor.” Though Bethany also loves music and signing, it’s fashion that has claimed her heart. Her future goals involve designing clothes and creating products, and she even hopes to go to school for fashion. “I noticed through making videos that I have a passion for fashion and I really love putting together different outfits and giving people inspiration,” she says. Now, with over two million subscribers on YouTube, Bethany has certainly found her path. “I just want to continue what I’m doing,” she says. “When I first started making videos I had no idea it would turn into what it is now and I just love having that opportunity to inspire other girls and give them tips and just help them. I just want to keep them happy and keep giving them cool content and different ideas, and help them with even personal situations in their lives. That’s what means so much to me.” “And if I could continue to have a career doing that?” she adds. “I love it so much than that would be just amazing.” NKD

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MIDNIGHT RED Words by Alex Lane Âť Photos by Catherine Powell

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MIDNIGHT RED IS NOT YOUR AVERAGE BOY BAND.

Joey Diggs Jr., Anthony Ladao, Eric Secharia, Thomas Augusto and Colton Rudloff may come from different corners of the country, but unlike most boy bands, the guys created their group on their own. Anthony, who is from Seattle, and Eric, who is from Burbank, Calif., met through a manufactured boy band that didn’t pan out. “We fell in love with the whole boy band brotherhood thing, and we wanted to keep it going,” Anthony says. The guys called up Thomas (from Dallas) who Eric knew from a project they had both done called Making Menudo, an MTV show that aimed to revitalize the Latin boy band. The three of them then found Joey (from Los Angeles) through a producer they had worked with, and Colton (Buffalo, N.Y.) through YouTube. “As far as Eric and myself and Thomas go, I know we were in previous bands or boy bands or projects that were put together, and nothing really worked out until we did it on our own,” Anthony says. “So when it was organic and real, that’s when it really happened.” The guys met up in L.A. where they were able to audition one another and get a feel for each other’s personalities and musical styles. Their musical inspirations vary, but there are definitely artists they all jam to. Anthony, who got into the business as a dancer, cites Usher’s 2004 MTV Music Awards performance (“Confessions Pt. 2” and his collaboration with Lil Jon and Ludacris on “Yeah”) as influential. “I remember that day, I told my mom, ‘That’s what I want to do,’” Anthony recalls. Joey says his musical influences were a little closer to home. His dad (Joey Diggs Sr., the voice behind Coca-Cola’s “Always” campaign) was a huge inspiration. “All the years watching this guy, my hero, doing what he loves. I just sort of gravitated toward music,” Joey says. One influence all five guys pull from is the late ‘90s boom of pop boy bands like N’SYNC and the Backstreet Boys, which is the reason that, when they were told they were going to be touring with New Kids On The Block and the Backstreet Boys on their 2011 co-headlining tour, Midnight Red were equal parts excited and nervous. “The very first show, we were all really nervous,” Joey says. “Previous to that first show, at Mandalay Bay in Vegas, we had just performed in front of like 50 people. That was our biggest show prior to that, and Mandalay Bay was like 20,000 maybe.” Touring with two groups who have been major players in the pop world for the better part of the last 20 years was not only great exposure for Midnight Red — it also introduced the guys to some of their idols. Joey recalls that the night they opened at Mandalay Bay was a highlight from the tour. “Brian Littrell from Backstreet Boys actually came into our dressing room. He gave us some wise words. He was like, ‘Go up there, give them what you’ve got, but always remember you guys always have to be a unit. You guys are brothers now.’ That really helped us build the fire under our butt, get up there and we did it. We handled our business, and we’ve been great ever since,” he says. Since the tour, the guys haven’t slowed down at all. They recently finished a cross-country trip from L.A. to New York for an interview, a meet and greet, a show and a meeting with their record label. When they got back to L.A., they had a meeting with their producer, and

then went to an iHeartRadio party — all in 48 hours. Put simply, a day in the life of a boy band is, Anthony says, “freaking intense.” The guys agree that it’s totally worth it, and all their work is paying off. Midnight Red signed with Capitol Records earlier this year, and they are already seeing positive progress. “We’ve been with them for about two months now, and they are pulling strings for us that haven’t been pulled in the last year and a half,” Joey says. “It feels like a family,” Anthony adds. “It is so much more helpful with them being involved in our business. We feel safe with them.” They feel equally confident about their relationship with Grammywinning producer RedOne. “We are in the studio with RedOne cooking up some hits,” Anthony says. “I will definitely say that this is the best music that we have in our repertoire.” Midnight Red’s forthcoming music, which will most likely be a single coming out in August of this year, is promised to be something fresh and exciting. “I can definitely say it’s different from what you’ve heard from Midnight Red previously,” Joey says. “And real different from what you’re hearing from other boy bands. It’s definitely unique, and it’s definitely Midnight Red.”

“WE FELL IN LOVE WITH THE WHOLE BOY BAND BROTHERHOOD THING. ” ANTHONY LADAO

All of their achievements are even more impressive considering Midnight Red haven’t even had an official launch yet — they’ve released an EP (One Club at a Time in 2011) and a single the following year (“Hell Yeah”). They’ve already been compared to groups like One Direction, which makes them enthusiastic about the future of the group. “The fact that we still have all our tricks up our sleeve and we’re being compared to an amazing group like One Direction, that’s an honor for me,” Anthony says. “To even be in the same category as someone who’s out there doing their thing, and I’m sitting here thinking, ‘Wow, our group hasn’t even given the world a piece of what we have for them, and to be in the same category, that’s really cool.” With the promise of another single, a headlining slot on the Pop Explosion tour, (which begins June 22 and runs through the end of August) and an official launch, this summer is already gearing up to be huge for Midnight Red. The guys are amped to be bringing their music to new and old audiences. “We have a lot of loyal Redheads, but I love going to these different cities and spreading our love of music with all these different people who love music just as much as I do,” Anthony says. All five guys hope are in this for the long haul. Joey says his hopes and dreams for Midnight Red are simple: longevity. “We don’t want to just come and go,” he says. “We want to be around. We want to build a family around the world. Perform for as many people as possible.” NKD

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JESSICA TYLER Words by Stephanie Pettit Âť Photos by Catherine Powell

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JESSICA TYLER LIVED OUT WHAT MIGHT BE SOME PEOPLE’S WORST NIGHTMARE: SHE WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL TWICE. Ok, so maybe one of the schools was Degrassi High and she was acting on the hit teen show Degrassi, but with all the drama that occurs on the show, it might as well still count. “I feel like in order to go to Degrassi, you’d have to be super … not even just confident because that would even get you in trouble,” Jessica says. “It’d be like, ‘Who’s this girl? She thinks she knows everything.’ It would teach you a lot, that’s for sure.” Over 12 seasons, Degrassi has seemingly dealt with every teen issue possible. Jessica’s character Jenna Middleton, who has appeared on the show since season nine, converted religions, dealt with body image issues and gave birth to a son she gave up for adoption. “It’s kind of funny because Degrassi’s storylines are so crazy but they’re so relatable,” Jessica says. “It’s cool that at the end of the day we are talking about relatable issues, but it’s a lot for one school.” Although Jessica feels she usually relates well to Jenna, she admits she was a bit nervous when her character became pregnant. “Jenna got pregnant and I was like, ‘What am I supposed to do with this? I’ve never been pregnant!’” she says. “That was interesting. Sometimes I look back and I’m like, ‘I kind of wish I did this differently, but I’m still pretty proud of myself with how I pulled it off. I think because I didn’t really know what I was doing, it kind of worked for the character because … a 16-year-old that’s pregnant doesn’t know what she’s doing. It was fitting that I was a little lost.” One unique factor about Jessica’s character is her musicality, which is the thing about Jenna that Jessica can relate to the most. Her character sings, and even competed in a TV singing contest where she tried to use her pregnancy to win votes, although she ended up losing. Jessica’s music helped her land the role on Degrassi. “I originally was meeting with the creators to talk about my music, specifically with Steven Stone,” Jessica says. “I was meeting with him to get some advice on music and see what to do then we ended up talking about how I’m acting and they were like, ‘Maybe you should audition for the show. We’re looking for some new music characters to add into the series.’ It was kind of like fate that it all worked out. When I did audition it was for a musically-type character so it’s cool I was able to incorporate both of them. It’s the best of both worlds for me.” While other characters have sung and performed in character on the show, Jessica actually writes her material. “I’m super proud about that,” she says. “It’s amazing for me to show everyone my music that way. Usually what happens is we’ll get a storyline and they come to me and say, ‘Jenna feels this way. Do you have anything that would work for this?’ There were one or two times I actually wrote a song around the storyline which was really neat for me. That was a cool songwriting exercise.” Despite being busy filming the show, Jessica still finds time to write and play music. Usually, it just comes to her. “It’s weird to explain, but all of a sudden I’ll just be in a room and have an idea,” she says. Jessica grew up around music — her father is a musician, and Jessica used music as a diversion when times were tough. “I was constantly around music and forever wanting to turn into a big pop star, I guess you could say,” Jessica says. “Growing up, around grade six I started writing songs. It was right around the time that bullying and all the cattiness starts. It was an escape for me to write some songs to get my emotions out.” NKD

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Her early influences included fellow Canadian Avril Lavigne. “[I] was one of those kids who wore the ties and bought the Converse and had posters of her all over my wall,” Jessica says. She also admired Kelly Clarkson’s songs and “unbelievable” guitar chords. Now her music collection is “all over the place,” and includes everything from Drake to Kings of Leon (and, she admits, a little Justin Bieber when she’s feeling fun). With the mega musical success of former Degrassi cast member Drake, there are constant comparisons and expectations for Jessica, but she wants to do her own thing. “Everyone’s just assuming you’ll become this big thing because Drake did,” she says. “I like that I can follow in his footsteps. He’s having an amazing career. But also it’s like, ‘Well, what about me?’ I want to be the next Jessica Tyler.” Jessica’s enthusiasm and readiness to share her music shines through when she talks about it. It’s something she knows she wants to do, and touring across Canada with Nelly Furtado on the Spirit Indestructible Tour this year solidified that. “Acting is amazing and I’ve had so many opportunities, but I’ve always said at the end of the day that music is my real passion,” Jessica says. “It was totally cool for me to go on the tour and be like, ‘Yes. This is so what I want to do.’ It was a real confirmation for me that this is where I belong.” With Degrassi’s graduation special airing this month, Jenna’s future is uncertain, even for Jessica. “With Degrassi, they keep us on our toes,” she says. “People are always like, ‘What can you tell us?’ and it’s like, ‘Well, as much as I would love to sit here and talk about spoilers, we don’t really know much either.’ We find things out about two weeks before we film an episode. What they have in store for my character in five months from now, I have no idea.” Her character is coming away from some difficult times, but Jessica feels Jenna is getting back to her old self. “I want Jenna to get back into her music,” she says. “I think it would be nice for her. I would love for Jenna to … get back to her confident, bubbly self. Last season was about finding that person again for her, whereas I think this season, I hope that Jenna is able to get back to that person. I really would love to see Jenna settled and happy and confident in the direction of where her life is going. I think she’s getting there.” The one thing that’s certain is that Jessica is not eager to leave. “This is the only time I’ve wanted to fail

high school so I can come back for another year!” she says. “It’s kind of funny.” On top of all her acting and singing, Jessica also finds time to travel. She is a Free the Children Ambassador and has traveled to countries such as India and Haiti. She says the trips are really eye opening, and they made her realize that while these countries are less fortunate, they are still home for people. “It’s not necessarily we’re helping them fix their lives,” she says. “I feel like no matter where you live, everyone has a home and their own little life that may not be the best life, but it’s their life. It’s interesting for me because at first you think, ‘We’ve got to fix these places. They’re troubled.’ There are issues, but it’s their home.” Free the Children works to educate and empower people around the world. “Once people have the right education then they’re able to go about their lives and make the right decisions,” Jessica says. “Overall, they’re amazing trips. I suggest it for anyone who really wants to feel humbled and get really grounded and really feel fortunate for everything that we have.” Jessica may seem like she’s already done it all at the young age of 19, but she has even bigger goals for herself for the future. She hopes to expand her travels and eventually visit all seven continents. She would also love to get her music out there even more. “I think it would be cool for me to hear reactions from people all over the world, either liking it or hating it,” Jessica says. “Whatever it is, it’s still a reaction, it’s still talking about it.” As for acting, Jessica says she would be interested in tackling a film. “I’ve always said it would be so interesting to do a film because I’ve only ever done TV things,” Jessica says. “It would be really cool to do a feature, even like an indie movie or just anything. I think it would all be a really cool learning experience.” Although she has graduated high school in real life and is taking college classes through an online university, Jessica is in no hurry to end her high school time with Degrassi where she can continue to combine her love of music and acting. Jessica says she would love to stay as long as possible because she’s still finding new challenges with the show. “It’s so funny because I consider it like, ‘Yeah, I’ve been doing this for a while,’ but every time I get a new role or a new storyline on Degrassi, I’m constantly learning new things,” Jessica says. “It would be hard to me to decide between acting and music so it worked out really well for me.” NKD

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BEBE REXHA Words by Isaac Bate Âť Photos by Catherine Powell

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“I

fucking hate college,” Bebe Rexha says, cheerfully. “I hate school, I can’t focus, I just want to do music all day every day, non-stop.” We’re sitting in a diner on 23rd street, near Madison Square Park in New York. The ambience is not exciting and neither is the food, but once Bebe arrives and begins to talk it doesn’t matter. Listening to her speak is an activity that requires full focus — the words come in flurries, and emotions flit across her face like frames from a movie projector. It doesn’t help that she’s beautiful in the most interesting way, all cheekbones, half smiles and lash-hidden eyes. She’s expressing her feelings on higher education because we’re only a block away from Baruch College, which she briefly attended before she first achieved serious public exposure as the lead vocalist of a Pete Wentz project called Black Cards. “I just had to drop out, I couldn’t do it,” she says. “I was thinking about it, and then that’s when the whole Black Cards thing happened.” That whole Black Cards thing all started when Jonathan Daniels, the founder of Crush Management, heard a song Bebe had written. She was signed to them at the time as a songwriter, and he asked her to come in for a meeting. “The first session they set up was kind of to test me out, a writing session,” she says. “There was this song that we did called ‘Dominoes,’ and they sent it to Pete Wentz and he was like, ‘What is this? I want to meet the writer.’ So I meet with him and then the whole crew.” College almost immediately took a back seat in Bebe’s life, something she seems immensely pleased about. She gleefully recounts the moment she got the call: “They called me and were like, ‘Hey can you do this band with Pete Wentz?’ I was in Italian class, I was like, ‘Fuck yeah,’ and I just left and never went back.” Freed from the specter of lectures and homework, Bebe leapt immediately into the life of a full-time musician. “They made me go to the studio the next day and cut three records with harmonies and everything and I did it in four hours like boom, boom, boom and they’re like, “Ok, you’re in.’” During Bebe’s time with them, Black Cards were prolific. “We cut 60 records,” Bebe says. “I wrote a lot.” Most of the songs were unreleased, played on tour or at festivals. “Everything was just performed at Lollapalooza, Bamboozle, we had actually done a lot of festivals … We toured with Travie McCoy, we opened for Bon Jovi in the U.K. It was insane.” For some people, being thrown into the world of touring might have been an unpleasant shock, but Bebe embraced even the least appetizing aspects of the lifestyle. “I love touring,” she says. “I love being on a bus and I love being dirty and not taking a shower and Febrezing myself and wearing the same outfit.” This isn’t what most people would think of as the fun part of being a musician, but Bebe tells the horror stories with a certain relish. “After every show we would get off so sweaty and dirty, and you don’t have time to go into a hotel and wash clothes because we’d wake up in a different state every morning,” she says. “So we’d take our clothes into a back room and everyone would hang up their clothes and then one person would go in and Febreze all the clothes and then close the door.” Bebe smiles at the memory. “Did it work? Well, after the show you didn’t want to come close to us.” After a frantic year and a half with Black Cards, Bebe and the band parted ways. The relatively abrupt nature of the split after quite a short time together left some fans questioning the amicable statements all parties made. “People want it to be some kind of crazy, like, ‘Is that really what happened?’” Bebe says. “But no … Spencer [Peterson] and Pete really wanted to go into a DJ thing. That’s not what I wanted to do. I really wanted to stick to making the music that I love. So it just made sense for me to do my own thing and them to do their own thing, that’s what makes us happy. In the end, why we were all [in Black Cards] was to do what we loved, and to always stick to that, so that’s what we should always do.”

Since she left Black Cards, Bebe has been a little off the radar. “I haven’t been in a cave,” she says. “I mean, I’ve actually been in a cave in the studio. I’ve been doing a lot of collaborations, writing a lot. I got signed to BMG Publishing as an artist/songwriter. I’ve been working on my own project.” Though she’s focused on starting her own solo career, Bebe is also a standout songwriting talent, and has several big projects lined up that are currently under wraps. “Every time I write a song, I write it for myself,” she says. “I go through moments and I write songs every mood that I’m in. I’m like a mood ring. So sometimes I’ll make a record and then be like, ‘This doesn’t really fit what I’m trying to do.’ You want to hone in on a certain vibe and stick to it, so sometimes when you feel like a record is not representing what you want on that one album then you’ll be like, ‘Ok, I’m cool to shop this.’ And sometimes records, oddly enough, even though I write them for myself, sound better for other people.” What Bebe wants to achieve for her own album is music that genuinely speaks to people her own age. “It’s not just about writing a hit song for me, it’s a lot more than that,” she says. “It’s writing a song that actually says something and relates to other chicks my age or even younger, and dudes, too.” Bebe had some experiences in high school that have made her want to reach out to those in similar situations, and provide a little reassurance.

“EVERY TIME I WRITE A SONG, I WRITE IT FOR MYSELF. I GO THROUGH MOMENTS AND I WRITE SONGS EVERY MOOD THAT I’M IN. I’M LIKE A MOOD RING.” BEBE REXHA

“I was that girl that was always picked on, for some reason. I was really ugly, I had like a unibrow and really thick glasses, braces, mustache,” she says, though it’s hard to picture it now. “I’d never go to lunch because I felt so anxious to go to the lunch room, because I always sat by myself. So I literally sat in the library or ate in the counselor’s office. I remember one time I had won this award for most likely to become a music star or whatever and I couldn’t pick it up that day. I went the next day and when I went to the office, one of the girls had thrown it on the floor. The trophy was in like a thousand pieces, and I felt so upset, it was like the end of my life.” Bebe looks defiant, but there’s genuine pain in her voice. “I have this song that I just did called ‘Comeback Kids,’ and it’s about that. Because when you are going through it you feel like it’s the end of the world, like you’re dying because you’re so lonely and upset. I feel like you wish somebody would just tell you, who is not your mum or dad, but is just a little bit cooler than you, and I feel like this song is that.” As well as trying to help someone going through the same things see the light at the end of the tunnel, Bebe tries not to be relentlessly negative about her school days. “I remember those times, they shaped me to be who I am,” she says. “A little bit fucked up but a better person. And it opened my eyes to a lot of things. You can’t let people bully others, it’s so fucked up.” Her experience has given her a simple life philosophy: “No matter where you are in life, no matter how much money or how much success you have, people should be treating each other equally,” she says. “Why be a douchebag? Just be cool.” NKD

CONNECT FACEBOOK.COM/BEBEREXHAMUSIC TWITTER.COM/BEBEREXHA NKDMAG.COM

THE MAINE Words & Photos by Catherine Powell

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year and a half ago I sat in The Maine’s tour bus in a crowded parking lot in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. listening to them discuss their soon-to-be-released third album, Pioneer. Now, on a rainy April morning, we sit in a conference room at Paradigm, the band’s booking agency, discussing their soon-to-be-released fourth album, Forever Halloween. These guys work fast. The time between meetings was mostly spent on the road for The Maine, comprised of John O’Callaghan (vocals), Kennedy Brock (guitar), Pat Kirch (drums), Jared Monaco (guitar) and Garret Nickelsen (bass). After living out of a bus for a year they made one more cross-country drive from Phoenix to Nashville, Tenn. to record with producer Brendan Benson. Forever Halloween is The Maine’s second release as an independent band, and they found it the easiest to write. “The five of us were the only people that had to agree on it,” Pat says of the new record. “We also had no problem hearing Brendan’s opinion on anything,” John says, adding that they had all been huge fans of his work for years.

it as frustrating. “The album [Black & White, 2010] we made, we’re proud of and we stand behind it,” John says. “I think the letdown came with expectations we had, and things that we were being told prior to signing.” The Maine also faced a bit of a nightmare while on Warner Bros.: The entire team that signed them was no longer at the label, including their A&R guy. “I think you have a certain idea of how something is going to pan out, and when it doesn’t it’s a little disheartening,” John says. The band admit that after a few months on the label, it didn’t feel like they were a part of it anymore because they were doing everything themselves. The first person to leave was the president of the label, and each week more employees seemed to disappear. Once their A&R guy left they barely had any interaction with the label at all. “It was a speed bump,” Jared jokes. The Maine are going into the release of Forever Halloween with no expectations — they’re just pleased with the way they made it. They recorded the album to tape and tracked everything live. “It has a backbone to it,” John says. “It has some soul.” They’re proud of how the record turned out, and that alone is an accomplishment.

The Maine jumped from an indie label (Fearless Records) to a major (Warner Bros. Records) before making the decision to go completely independent to release Pioneer in December of 2011. One may think the transition would be difficult considering their team of marketing and publicity experts is now gone, but the band agree they were always heavily involved in the business side of things. “We’ve had situations where a record label would stop doing anything for us after a couple months after the album came out, and we would take control at that point,” Pat says. If anything, being independent gives the band more options. Decisions like whom they’re touring with and when a record is coming out are completely in their hands. “We have less disposable money, but a lot more freedom,” John says. When The Maine signed to Warner Bros. in February of 2009, it brought out a variety of reactions from their fan base. Though many were proud of the band, others were angry that the “scene band” was “selling out.” Looking back on their time there, the band describes

Though The Maine started out as a band that had a lot of “extra stuff ” in their records, like synths and autotune, they’ve gradually lost that with each record. When they first started talking to Brendan Benson about four months prior to going into the studio, he asked how they felt about doing it live. “We thought he meant like, three of us doing it live,” Garrett says, laughing. He didn’t. Typically, a band will record each instrument individually and finish up with vocals. The tracks will then be mixed and mastered, and all the “extra stuff ” is put in. On their first day in the studio The Maine spent 12 hours setting up and then began recording — all five of them at the same time. “Before going out to Nashville it was talked about, but I don’t think any of us really realized what it meant until we got there,” John says. This isn’t the first time The Maine experimented with doing the entire album live. “We tried to do it a little bit on Pioneer,” Jared says. “It totally didn’t work.” (Cont’d on page 33)

“THE ALBUM [BLACK & WHITE] WE MADE, WE’RE PROUD OF AND WE STAND BEHIND IT. I THINK THE LETDOWN CAME WITH EXPECTATIONS WE HAD.” JOHN O’CALLAGHAN

They recorded Pioneer in a studio in El Paso, Texas, and no one in the building had ever done a live record before. Brendan had a lot of experience, which is why he was such a crucial player on Forever Halloween. Within the first eight hours, the band adjusted to recording. They didn’t have time to change anything because they were only there for one month, and all the imperfections made it onto the final product. “It was a good kind of pressure,” Pat says. The process opened their eyes to how they can make records in the future. “It also helped us not put too much into a song, which is a problem we’ve had in the past,” Kennedy says. Pat, Jared, Kennedy and Garrett recorded in one room, while John sang his part in a different room at the same time. “It was almost as if none of us really knew we were recording,” John says. “We would just run takes and it didn’t feel like we had to get it right.” When it comes to hitting the road to promote Forever Halloween this summer, the guys have more confidence than ever before. “From a guitar player’s point of view, there’s so many different guitar tracks on each song that I have to pick which one I’m going to play live,” Jared says of the band’s older material. With the new songs, there’s no picking and choosing — everyone has their own specific part already. But fans of older albums need not worry — The Maine will be playing older songs in their original form on their summer tour. “I think there’s a good balance of trying to maintain the integrity of the initial sound because I think it would be cheap if we just tried to adopt all of the old songs and make them change into the new sound,” John says. They formulate their set list based on how they feel when they go to see their favorite band: they don’t just want to hear new songs. “I think especially with this tour it’s important to play some songs we haven’t played in a really long time,” John says. Forever Halloween is what The Maine have been working toward since their formation in 2006. “We couldn’t have made this record before we did,” John says. They have no regrets about any of their past albums because they’ve learned something every time they’ve recorded. “I think it’s always hard to look back because you can’t manipulate anything you’ve already done,” John says. “I think everything in the past six and one-half years has been positive for us.” At the end of our conversation I ask one simple question: What does Forever Halloween sound like? John smiles and replies, “It sounds like us.” NKD

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THE PLAYLIST Soupy Campbell of The Wonder Years takes us through his current top tracks.

TRACKS

1. “TWIN SIZE MATTRESS” - THE FRONT BOTTOMS 2. “ARCANE EFFIGIES” - SHARKS

3. “THAT GIRL” - JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE

4. “ONE WAY LOVE” - ALLISON WEISS

5. “CAN’T COMPLAIN” - BOMB THE MUSIC INDUSTRY!

6. “TEETH” - FIREWORKS

7. “CASEY” - THE MENZINGERS

8. “WE CAN ROLL” - BAD RABBITS

9. “DON’T DIE ON ME NOW” - HOSTAGE CALM

10. “L-DOPA” - LAURA STEVENSON

NAKED EYE BEST OF MAY LIVE PERFORMANCES

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EMBLEM3 May 1, Terminal 5 (New York, N.Y.)

TWENTY | ONE | PILOTS May 8, The Bowery Ballroom (New York, N.Y.)

HOLLYWOOD ENDING May 17, Highline Ballroom (New York, N.Y.)

SAMMY ADAMS Words by Stacy Magallon Âť Photos by Catherine Powell

IF RAPPER SAMMY ADAMS HADN’T INJURED HIS ANKLE WHEN HE WAS 19, HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A PROFESSIONAL SOCCER PLAYER.

Instead, he’s performing at radio station 92.3 Now’s annual One Night Stand concert tonight, alongside Midnight Red, American Idol’s Jessica Sanchez and The X Factor’s Emblem3 in New York City. Before I reach the corner of 56th Street and 11th Avenue, I can already hear the roars coming from the excited crowd at Terminal 5. I catch up with Sammy in his tour bus before he takes the stage. When I step onto the bus, I smell something strong — something I believe is only recreationally legal in Colorado. Sammy’s tour manager leads me down the narrow hallway toward the back lounge in the bus. After introducing myself to Sammy’s touring crew and quietly striding along the rows of bunks, I sit down on a black leather couch. I’m enclosed in a box of light gray walls and small windows adorned with dark, patterned curtains. The lounge’s only source of color are the neon yellow and blue pairs of Nikes and Jordans lying across from me.

The atmosphere is a little bleak, but the mood changes when Sammy walks in. After shaking my hand and sitting beside me, he smiles comfortably. “I had a different upbringing than a lot of people,” Sammy first says about his childhood in the inner city of Boston. The 25-year-old Bostonian was constantly surrounded by people of multiple cultures. In fact, he says he didn’t have another white friend until his freshman year of high school. Sammy’s early exposure to the melting pot of the city influenced his background and diversified his music taste — he likes rock, hip hop, soul, reggae, R&B and the oldies. “Music was ingrained in my everyday lifestyle,” Sammy says. “It wasn’t just a hobby or something I listened to.” While school and sports were two of his main priorities, Sammy has played piano since he was 7. A few years later, curiosity led him to create his own beats to pass the time. By age 13, he was producing music on his own.

Throughout high school, Sammy played competitive varsity soccer, a passion he pursued through college. At Trinity College in Connecticut, Sammy lived with his entire college soccer team in a house that had a reputation for being one of the more popular spaces on campus, and for throwing great parties. While he was at Trinity, he began recording his own songs on his MacBook, and his team always showed their support for his musical stylings. Playing professional soccer was in the cards for him until he hurt his ankle at 19. Luckily, music was his backup plan. He released his first EP, Boston’s Boy in 2010. “Ever since then, I’ve really just crushed it,” he says. Sammy is only two credits away from finishing school, but he needs to be at Trinity to finish, which would take him away from music. “I need to take something super easy that doesn’t require a lot of work,” he says, laughing. “Like ‘Intro to Nothing.’” (Cont’d on page 49)

Though Sammy will always be a Boston boy and a diehard Celtics fan at heart, he has lived in both New York and Los Angeles. Sammy currently lives in L.A. so he can stay near his producers and team. When I ask about his favorite spot in town, he grins and says, “My couch.” For him, New York City has always been all about the fast pace, as it is for most. Boston was calm until public recognition started to get a little out of hand for him. L.A. is a change of pace for him. Since college, Sammy’s party lifestyle has not died down at all. “There’s always a writing or studio session I need to be at, but I still tour and have a lot of fun all the time,” Sammy says of his new responsibilities. “You have to tone it down a little bit when you’re in L.A., but once you tone it down, it comes right back up.” For Sammy, it’s all a matter of getting work done first, then partying later. “Los Angeles is a lot more mellow than New York City,” he says.

all about fulfilling my dreams.” “L.A. Story” dropped on May 28, and his new record will follow this summer. For the most part, Sammy’s creative control is in his hands. While he is focused on performing for the rest of his life, he also loves music production. He’s worked with producers like Pharell Williams, Bei Maejor and Ryan Tedder, and he hopes to work with Kanye West soon. “I have no idea when I want to settle down with a family, but I know I definitely want to work with Kanye,” he says, grinning. Sammy has no personal plans for this summer because music has taken over his life. “I’m hardly ever in Boston,” he says. Sammy tries to be home for major holidays like Thanksgiving, and he always makes it back for Christmas. Being away from home is a big sacrifice for his work, but he can’t really complain. “I haven’t been home for my birthday in three years,” he says. Sammy hopes the new album and single will dictate his future, as well as possible touring plans. He aims to do endless promo and radio shows to give the “L.A. Story’s” debut the attention it deserves. Later, I watch Sammy take the stage at a nearly packed house. Girls’ shrieks bounce back and forth between the walls throughout his performance, almost to the point where I can’t hear Sammy. He introduces “L.A. Story” during the set, and the screams increase tenfold when Mike Posner joins him on stage. Sammy hopes a nationwide tour will follow in the fall. In his ideal world, his new record will hit the top of the iTunes Charts and he’ll make it big. But when we talked about the future back in his tour bus, Sammy just smiled. He took pride in uncertainty and said, “The future is still up in the air.” NKD

“MUSIC WAS INGRAINED IN MY EVERYDAY LIFESTYLE. IT WASN’T JUST A HOBBY OR SOMETHING I LISTENED TO.” SAMMY ADAMS On top of providing a calmer environment, Sammy is better at maintaining his health in the City of Angels. “I’m trying to stay as healthy as I can be. I go to the gym five to six times a week in L.A. whereas I went two or three times a month in New York City,” he says. Sammy’s new single, “L.A. Story,” featuring Mike Posner and produced by OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder, is an upbeat explanation of his new West Coast lifestyle. “The United States has always talked about moving west in order to be successful,” he says of his new single and upcoming untitled album. “My new record embodies my movement from Boston to Los Angeles. It’s

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JACOB LATIMORE Words by Shina Patel Âť Photos by Catherine Powell

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ew musicians can say that at 9 years old they recorded a song, had it picked up by a radio station and got signed to a major record label. Teenage R&B artist and actor Jacob Latimore can. As a kid, Jacob was constantly exposed to music because both his dad and uncle sing in a group called The Latimore Brothers. In 2005 Jacob began to take music seriously. The then 9-yearold recorded his first single, “Best Friend” which was picked up by Radio Disney. A few years later he signed to RCA Records, and things have been taking off ever since. Now, at 16, Jacob has even bigger plans. Since he released a mixtape called This Is Me last year, Jacob has been experimenting with different sounds in the studio and growing as an artist. For any musician, there has to be a balance between time in the studio and time for touring and meeting fans. Jacob says he definitely prefers to spend time touring. “The studio is an amazing place to be creative but nothing beats the stage and the screaming fans and traveling on the road and seeing different places,” he says. Jacob has had plenty of experience on the road — in 2011, he was featured on Scream Tour: The Next Generation, which was headlined by Mindless Behavior and Diggy Simmons. After performing on the Scream Tour, Diggy Simmons brought Jacob out on his Life of The Jetsetter Tour, and most recently Jacob was featured on Mindless Behavior’s #1 Girl Tour. Last month, he performed at the Move Your Body campaign held at the Avenues School in New York, where he performed to a gym full of students, parents and faculty alongside acts including Mindless Behavior and R5. The young artist hopes to get back on the road with his new music soon. “I want to do my own small venue tour this year,” he says. It’s been a while since he’s put out anything new, so he’s excited to show his fans how his work has grown. “Hopefully people really like [my new music] and it takes off the way I want to,” he says.

got older I got more willing to try more things.” He always admired great actors and learned by watching shows like The Cosby Show and That’s So Raven. Recently, Jacob wrapped up three months of shooting in New York City for his first lead role in a movie, called Black Nativity, which will be released in November. The film tells the story of a mother and son (Jacob’s character) who endure tough times, resulting in the mother sending Jacob’s character to live with his grandparents, whom he had never met before. One day while his grandfather is giving a sermon, Jacob’s character falls asleep and dreams the Black Nativity, the birth of Jesus, and he learns valuable lessons about family and forgiveness. Jacob considers his work on the film to be very successful, and even life changing. “It was just great,” he says. “Everything felt like family. Everyone was genuine and caring and that’s how it’s supposed to feel on a movie set, and it just felt comfortable. It’s kind of sad because it went by so fast. It’s something I’ll never forget.” Though Jacob has already booked another movie gig, he wants to try television too, “I want to cover everything when it comes to the film side,” he says. Jacob says balancing his friends, family, school work, acting and music career can be tough sometimes. He’s got a lot on his plate for someone so young, yet he never seems to miss a beat. “When you love it, you just gotta make time for it,” he says. School is definitely a main priority for Jacob. “A lot of teens, when they get into the music business around my age, it’s easy for them to just say, ‘I’m successful with my music. I can just give up school,’ but I think it’s always important to have a plan B or C,” he says. Even as a sophomore, Jacob is thinking about college and the future. He definitely wants to go to college if given the opportunity. “I want to experience the on-campus thing. But who knows? We’ll see what the future holds,” he says. One constant for Jacob has been the support of his family. His family means the world to him and he knows he wouldn’t be as successful as he is today without their support. “I try to tie my family into everything I’m doing because I think if you don’t have them you don’t really have anybody,” he says. He even brings his mom and dad everywhere he goes to make sure they are involved in all that he does. Although Jacob has already been in the business for years, this is just the beginning for him. He’s far from average and has got some big dreams to chase. “I want to win an Oscar before I turn 18,” he says. And as for music, his goal is, simply, “to be the greatest entertainer and be the best.” NKD

“WHEN YOU LOVE IT YOU JUST GOTTA MAKE TIME FOR IT.” JACOB LATIMORE

He describes his latest material as “edgy but relatable.” Since he’s a sophomore in high school, Jacob says his songs are mostly about girls. “[I write about] things you might go through in a normal teenage relationship,” he says. “I think there’s something special inside of these songs and I’m really excited about it.” In addition to music, Jacob has been able to make a name for himself in the film industry. “I never really wanted to act when I was younger,” he says. “But as I

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Q&A

CHUNK! NO, CAPTAIN CHUNK! In 1985, Chunk’s neighborhood was facing foreclosure when he and the Goonies escaped for one last adventure that would end up saving everyone’s home. Then in 2007, guitarist Paul Wilson was facing the fact that France didn’t have a rock music scene when he set out to experiment with a style that he would pioneer with a band called, Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! The name, taken from a line in the 1985 adventure-comedy film, The Goonies, is more than a childhood reference. With the help of friends and vocalist Bertrand Poncet, guitarist Eric Poncet, bassist Mathias Rigal and drummer Jonathan Donnaes, the band has both reclaimed and added to the French scene. Since the release of their debut album, Something For Nothing (2010), their eclectic blend of hardcore punk and heavy metal music has traveled far beyond their native country. Their diverse sound, which fuses growling vocals with upbeat melodies and aggressive breakdowns, has been well received in the United States. They showcased at Vans Warped Tour in 2012, just in time for the release of their second studio album titled, Pardon My French (2013). Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! are going forward with the excitement of one who’s lived to tell the tale of a Goonie adventure. Paul tells us that the boys are as devoted to mischief as they are to their mission, which is essentially to rock on. Words by Kiki Van Son

How does your band name reflect who you are as a band?

Are the hard-core, deep growling vocals in your music all you, or is that auto-tuned?

PAUL WILSON: “Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!” is a quote from the movie The Goonies. This was my favorite movie when I was a kid and it reflects who we are, five kids that don’t want to grow up.

PAUL: 100 percent real. Our singer has a beast hidden in his pants!

Did you grow up in France and is French your native language? PAUL: Oui, French since the day I was born.

Why did you decide to switch over to English musically and how were you able to do so? PAUL: French doesn’t sound very musical and we all grew up with American music so it was a normal choice for us. It’s also easier to export your music and bring it to a bigger audience. Almost everyone speaks English around the world but French is only spoken in France, or Canada and Africa for some parts.

Did you connect with fans in France? PAUL: Of course, kids in France are used to this and in this music scene there’s probably less than five bands singing in French. It’s harder for a band singing in French to make their music sound good, it’s a lot of work to get the vocals to flow smoothly ... Even if you sing in French you have to make it sound like you’re singing in English so it doesn’t sound too cheesy.

How has the language barrier affected your progress as a band? PAUL: It hasn’t affected us too bad, it just made things a little more difficult for communication and understanding. Now after spending the last two years on the road, we feel more and more comfortable and we don’t have any problems to communicate anymore.

How would you describe your music to someone who’s never heard it before? PAUL: It’s like putting a hand full of Sour Patch Kids in your mouth, at first it’s really sour and after a minute it gets very sweet.

How has being in a band changed your life? PAUL: I watch a lot more porn and I eat a lot more cheeseburgers.

Where in the world has your music been received best so far? PAUL: America is No. 1 by far, but Indonesia is our second biggest fan base. For such a small country, the reaction of the fans when we arrived was crazy. They treated us like One Direction.

Do you think bits of artistic genius get compromised without alcohol and the wild lifestyle that comes with being in a touring band? PAUL: No, I don’t believe so. Music is more of an emotion that comes from the heart, substances are not needed.

Is there anything you don’t like about being in a band? PAUL: Living in a van with seven dudes. It stinks.

What’s the craziest thing a fan has done? PAUL: Robby, one of our friends, always wears a gorilla costume when we play in Baltimore, goes real crazy in the pit and breaks a bone during our set. Every time.

If you can resurrect any music legend from the dead, who would it be? PAUL: Edith Piaf. She was the shit.

What’s the most annoying question you frequently get asked?

Do you think there’s a lack of pop-punk/heavy metal music in the rock scene today?

PAUL: Question No. 1!

PAUL: Looks like there was more bands involved in this scene a few years ago, which is better for us because we suck so kids don’t have the choice, they have to listen to us!

CONNECT WITH CHUNK! ON TWITTER: TWITTER.COM/CHUNKNOCAPTAINC

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Where haven’t you played yet that you wish travel to in the future? PAUL: Probably South America. We’ve been to a lot of places all around the world but I’m really stoked to play some shows in Mexico, Brazil or Peru. Even if some of those countries are sketchy, it’s a great experience and it makes the trip even more interesting.

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ASHLEY ALLEN Words by Katie Amey Âť Photos by Catherine Powell

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ALL ASHLEY ALLEN HAS EVER WANTED TO BE IS HERSELF. At 24, the singer-songwriter is coming into her own and his been burning up the New York City music scene as of late. Ashley has loved songwriting since she was young. “I would always sit in my room and write [when I was] growing up,” the Long Island-native says during our interview in her New York apartment. “I was never really happy growing up, so music was the one thing I had to turn to.” As she got older, things only got more challenging. “I got into drugs,” she says. “I was miserable. I hated life. I was always just a big fish in a small pond. I was on Long Island, and I just felt trapped. People looked at me weird all the time. I just felt like I was never meant for that life.” At 15 Ashley decided to go to France — a decision that ended up changing everything. “I sent myself to France by myself to get away,” she says. “I would sit on the beach, just thinking and writing.” When she came back to Long Island, Ashley had a new outlook and a newfound direction. Later she decided to attend Arizona State University. “I still wanted to sing,” Ashley says. “My dad told me, ‘Every little girl wants to be Britney Spears. If you really want to sing, go to college, get an education, and when you graduate, I’ll give you two years. And I’ll pay for the songs to be recorded.’” When Ashley moved back to New York after college, she wasn’t expecting to be on her own. Her father, though involved financially, told her that she would have to figure out everything from songwriting to demos to gigs by herself. Looking to find her place in the New York City music scene, Ashley began hanging out at the now-closed East Village bar Angels and Kings, which Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz owned. “That was our spot,” she says. “Every Tuesday, before it closed down, we would go. One day, I went for a song release party for this girl I knew. I basically went to support her because I didn’t know what the hell I was doing yet, and I ran into a familiar Myspace face: JP Makhlouf.” Makhlouf, a New York-based songwriter and member of the EDM band Cash Cash, immediately saw a spark in Ashley, and the two began to collaborate. Initially, it wasn’t easy. “About a week [after we met], we were Skyping and he told me he wrote a song for me,” Ashley says. “We met and they played the song and they just didn’t really know me very well. I sat them down and I was like, ‘Listen guys, it’s really sweet of you to write me a song, but I came here to write one with you. There’s no way I’m going to sing anything that anyone writes for me if I have literally no say in it.’” As soon as the two uncrossed their signals, magic happened, in form of an infectious, can’t-help-but-dance pop-punk sound. “Thirty minutes later, we had written ‘Body Say No, Heart Say Yes,’ which is the song that got me the whole development deal,” Ashley says. Although Ashley, Makhlouf and his crew were happy with the direction the music had taken, the aspiring singer still faced personal challenges with her image as an artist. “People were taking my music and switching it around, telling me that I had to be sexier or lose weight,” she says. “I was like, ‘Dude, that’s not who I am.’” Her best friend Chloe helped her decide to be true to herself. “My best friend and I grew up together, but she’s in the modeling field instead of music,” Ashley says. “She was like, ‘I’m going to dye my hair different colors and do what I want to do,’ and it was

in that moment that she booked Forever 21 and NYLON. She was everywhere.” Chloe’s revelation prompted a similar one in Ashley. “In college, I knew who I was,” she says. “I would wear red lipstick and bright colors and all that, but I lost it. Then, it just clicked again. I said, ‘I want to get the other side of my nostril pierced. This is what I want, so fuck you guys.’ I just went with the moment.” As soon as she realized that the most important part of being in the music industry was not losing sight of who she was, the rest began to fall into place. Beginning in January of this year, Ashley started to post YouTube videos, which caught the attention of radio mega-station Z100. The radio station invited her to play a show at the Highline Ballroom in New York a few weeks later. “To play for Z100 and for them to love it, it’s amazing,” she says. “I hate to use this metaphor, but it’s great for people to let you know that you’re not a fat girl in skinny jeans. I’m not standing on stage when people are like, ‘What is this girl doing,’ you know? It might be a bad metaphor, but it’s still nice to share my music and have people appreciate it.”

“I WAS NEVER REALLY HAPPY GROWING UP, SO MUSIC WAS THE ONE THING I HAD TO TURN TO.” ASHLEY ALLEN Despite Ashley’s great success so far, she’s always looking to improve her act. “I’m actually going to buy a keyboard and do the whole Garage Band thing and figure it out,” she says. “I used to play as a kid. I took lessons, but all I wanted to play was my own music. My piano teacher would come over and say, ‘Ok, this is how you play this song.’ And I would say, ‘No, these are my lyrics. Teach me how to play this song.’ She’d be like, ‘But you don’t know how to play the piano yet,’” Ashley recalls, laughing. Aside from brushing up on her keyboard skills, Ashley is also planning a trip to Australia with singer Taylor Dayne to expose her music to a new audience. Australian radio has already taken notice of her music — the country’s Top 40 radio station has started playing her song, “Let Go.” Next month, she will release her first music video for the same song. As for the future, Ashley is just happy to be doing what she loves. “It’s really tough to say,” she says, when asked what her goals are. “I could say, ‘My future goal is to have a Greatest Hits album,’ or I could say, ‘My goal is to finally have an album out this year.’ But I guess my goal for now is to take it day by day. Ultimately, I just want people to relate to and appreciate my music. I’m just a normal girl who loves music.” She pauses for a moment. “It used to be like, ‘We want you to be this and this and this,’ and now it’s like, ‘We want you to be you,’” she says with a smile. “Now, it’s easy. Now I’m just doing NKD what I love. So I guess maybe my goal has already been met.”

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