Plastic Water 3

I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman, “Where’s the self-help section?” She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.

-George Carlin

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November 2010-September 11 • Riverside, CA

PUBLISHER: www.sitemagnify.com EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Christie Time Firtha COPY EDITOR: Tulasi Love (www.mosaic.ucr.edu), William Casey CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Chloé Veylit, Eric Niederkruger, Trent Smith, Quinten Collier, Tulasi Love, Jared McCreary (www.myspace.com/jaredmccrearypoetry), Sierra LaPoint (www.sierralapoint.webs.com), Patrick Sweeney (patricksweeney.wordpress.com).

LAYOUT/CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Don Chano, Daino CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS: Dan Nguyen, Juan Thorp.

PHOTOS: Ethospine Noise, Riverside Prom, Patrick Sweeney, A. Borjas, Shellie Vickrey, Daino, Erik Otis, Tulasi Love, Orion Haught, Teeter Photography Co., Jesus had a Sister Productions.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: El Daino WEB ASSISTANT: Nurodexter ADDITIONAL HELP: Sierra LaPoint, Maggie Tello Case, Nurodexter SPECIAL THANKS TO: Bill, Mark S, Christie, Maggie, Joseph M., Edward G., Chloe, Lee T. Doug E., Tulasi, Freddy Firtha, Patrick S., Mr. V., David A., Mazzy, Snoopy, “Zac’s House,” Darren, Shane S., Elliot F, Sierra, John P., Joe, Tyler S., La Orbe, Tina B., Nick, Marian S., Ken S, J.L.Stout., Cade, Angela, Annie, Alaska, Paul, Joey and all our family and friends that continue to support PW. CONTACT INFO: editors@plasticwater.us

WEB: www.plasticwater.us www.youtube.com/plasticwatertv www.myspace.com/plastic_water

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Good Will Hunting (1997)

Screenplay by M.Damon & B. Affleck.

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“Like the averaged-out lives portrayed in television sitcoms, pills create a homogenized society. Not too fat, not too unhappy, not too sick, not too threatening. I think of those helium balloons you can buy in shopping malls, rounded shapes with big appealing eyes and cartoon smiles glued into the seams. This is us if we keep popping pills like we do.�

top portrait courtesy of Jesus Had A Sister Productions

PLASTIC WATER: We’ve been fans of your work for a while and especially appreciate the combination of humor and scathing social insights that are present in it. It manages to incorporate elements of pop-culture and yet it’s intellectually savvy enough to rank among productions of high-art. How would you describe your art?

DANA WYSE: I never ever describe my work. I just make it. I think defining it is the job of the spectator. So I thank you for providing such a flattering description.

What would you say is your biggest source of inspiration?

Over-the-counter cough syrup, vintage wine, made-in-China toys, infomercials, the 6 o’clock news, science journals, spy stories, thrift stores, weird things I pick up off the street.

How important is humor in your work?

I would say that truth is a very important element of my work, and truth is often very funny.

Are there certain private subjects that in some sense you wish to address through your work, but may be too personal or maybe too edgy to consider?

Anything to do with cellulite.

Do you ever think of an idea on the spot and want to run back to your studio, to get right to it and work on the package?

Good God, no. I am the laziest person on earth and also a firm believer in not working; purposely not letting myself work so that creative pressure builds up to the point where I beg myself for permission to create. Last week I was sick and had a terrible fever with hallucinations and those creepy feverish obsessions you get where you think your pillow is magic, etc. and then the voices in my head started rapping out ideas and I was listening to the ideas and they were good so I dragged myself out of bed to get a pen and paper and just wrote down what the voices said. So that sort of describes my creative process – I listen.

You do a lot of traveling these days. So what’s it like going through airports with a bunch of fake pills (your art), in your baggage?

It’s so stressful. As you know I’ve been working a lot in Colombia this year. I would bet that I am the only person in the world who has ever smuggled fake drugs into Colombia. Fake marijuana. Fake cocaine.

And all the real drug paraphernalia. To pass through customs, first of all, I dress like a Jehovah’s Witness. Then, using ancient Samurai techniques, I try and flatten and dull my energy so that I’m invisible. Then I adjust my skirt so that all the “artwork” duct-taped to my abdomen doesn’t show too much.

How did your stay in Colombia influence your work?

I am convinced that Colombia is not a country, but rather an artist’s installation. It’s the most magical place I have ever been to. The unofficial slogan of the country is ‘In Colombia, anything is possible,’ so for an artist’s mind this is manna. I couldn’t believe my luck. Here is me testing the waters. I’m like, “Ok, I’ll be needing to slaughter eighteen virgins for the opening of my show, and I’d like Supertramp to perform. Plus I’ll like to serve whale meat as hors d’ouevres” and the organizers just say, “Would you prefer boys or girls? Original lineup of Supertramp or the John Helliwell version? And if you’ll forgive my suggestion, dolphin meat is much tastier this season. And we might have some Panda left...” The word you hear most in Colombia is “Yes” so this just rips open your creativity.

“Most pills, excluding pills prescribed for real medical conditions, are nothing more than plastic surgery for the soul.”

Has your pill artwork or related pieces ever been translated into other languages? If so, does this have an effect on the message?

Not with my permission! My lawyers have shown me a German version of my work, and also a nice Spanish copy. Litigation (and knee-capping) in progress, of course. I think choice of language is integral to the work. For me, English is the traditional language of Victorian charlatans and ad agencies and TV prophets and I have tried to reproduce that voice. The only other language I would be tempted to use is Spanish because the language is so full of energy and its economy of words is perfect for the small space left for writing on the pill package.

Has the global economic crisis had an impact in your production or distribution?

Not at all.

In how many countries are your pills distributed?

In many, many countries.

Which countries sell the most?

Colombia, France, Germany, Belgium, the United States of America.

Do consumers in the U.S. relate to your entire collection of pills more than in other countries?

Not necessarily. A lot of the themes in my work are universal so the installation functions surprisingly well in many countries. And when I say countries, I mean Western-oriented countries because when you consider a pill like Guarantee the Heterosexuality of Your ChildTM, which is another best-seller in the United States, the pill will lose all nominative power when applied to the reality of a First Nations tribe where gay children are considered two-spirited and beautiful, and may grow up to be shamans.

I read some place that the pill that sells the most in the U.S. is “Have Confidence In Yourself Instantly.” Do you think this is partly due to massadvertisement that we’re exposed to here in the States?

Perhaps. But it also could be the relationship between the negative force of advertising which creates a psychic lack in the viewer - ie. I don’t have a INSERT BRAND HERE music player, my children are uglier than those TV children, my T-shirts could be whiter with the right soap - and the long American tradition of self-help books, the modern day bible, that promises a quick fix remedy, in one day, in less than three weeks, to life’s trials. Both forces attack you with the message that you have something to fix. Whether it be your yellow teeth or your ability to understand men or connect with God...in three easy lessons.

In your opinion, how do you think that pills shape societies?

Sir, that’s a book length question. Again, I will only speak about Western societies because if a man is depressed about a romantic breakup in Cambodia or a mountain village in south Colombia he’ll probably reach for a machete before he reaches for 2mg of Xanax.

Pills are like television. In fact, I’m beginning to believe that there is a high correlation between televised societies – ie. America with its plethora of TV reality shows – and societies fueled by unnecessary pills. My friend Mathilde says that in Western societies there is no longer space allotted for le fou, the town crazy person who spouts profanities and pulls down his pants at the supermarket. We drive him away in a white van and give him 20mg of Paxil, instead of asking him to predict World Cup scores. Like the averaged-out lives portrayed in television sitcoms, pills create a homogenized society.

Not too fat, not too unhappy, not too sick, not too threatening. I think of those helium balloons you can buy in shopping malls, rounded shapes with big appealing eyes and cartoon smiles glued into the seams. This is us if we keep popping pills like we do. We are mutating emotions, repressing urges, killing genius, creating artificial realities (if you don’t know what I mean swallow half a Rohypnol and a quarter Adderal with a glass of champagne) all so that we can exist within an acceptable level of emotion or rage or awakeness or length of depression. Or even numbness.

But who determines what is acceptable? With our longevity controlled by pills, we are living past our dates of expiry. With our erections controlled by pills, we are copulating past what is aesthetically pleasing. And in England, with women pissing out the hormones contained in their birth control pills into the water system,

men are growing tits. That’s a fine example of how pills shape societies.

I once read that someone broke into your studio and stole a good amount of your pills because this person thought that they were drugs. What was your reaction to this? Does this sort of thing happen a lot?

This has happened twice now in 15 years of making the pills. You come home and the studio is turned upside down like a scene out of an action film. My first reaction is always a bit Irish mob.“Get the fucker, and shoot him, then dust the house with his corpse.” Then, of course, the humour of the situation kicks in...but then comes apprehension and fear. People don’t like being served up bad drugs...even if they are stolen. What if he comes back with a knife and complains?

Have you ever regretted (and thought back about) a message that you shared in one of your pills?

Never. I don’t let myself go back and censor the work I’ve already done.

Certainly, there are some pills that haven’t aged well because real

science has caught up to fiction. Have a Big Cock InstantlyTM, Clone Your Bestfriend’s GirlfriendTM, Erase Your Past InstantlyTM, Aggression Pills for SoldiersTM, to name a few. All this is possible now so the philosophical value of the pill is weakened.

Shame on you. Your question implies that you still have doubts about the therapeutic powers of Jesus Had A Sister Productions. If I were my own client, I would buy Be A Best-Selling Writer InstantlyTM. A constant wish of mine.

How many pills have you been able to create up to date and do you have a goal for how many you wish to complete?

152 pills already in circulation and another ten or so in the works. Even though I am very tempted to retire, I think it would be an interesting sociological experiment to ride this idea out to the end of my life to see how it plays out. I started the project when I was 31 so I can imagine at 75 my desires might be different. Grow Teeth Instantly!TM or Instant

Successful Blue-Rinse Granny Perm!TM– “Say goodbye to unsightly purple streaks because, face it honey, you’re not in a punk band anymore!”

Can your work exist and cause a reaction in viewers even without a photo or title?

Geez, that question reads like a Buddhist riddle. The work definitely can function without a visual, but would entirely collapse without words. Each pill needs a title because the title is the command for a performative action. BE something. BECOME something. CHANGE something. DO something. Remember, what we say is what we become. So in order for the pills to work they must include the mantra.

You’ve mentioned before that all your pills are fabricated in your studio, (you don’t necessarily work with just pills, you add other objects in them). How do you decide what content should go with what message?

That, my friend, is a trade secret.

the pills and the fabrication of the pills and the distribution of the pills.

That’s a full-time job. Then there’s my collaboration with Blue Q, the Massachusetts company with whom I have developed a brand of healing tea, magic gums and breath sprays, and fast-working, wealth-inducing piggy banks. That’s a full-time job. Then there’s books and film scripts.

Plus my day job! So it’s never been a question of splitting my time. I haven’t had a real day off since May 1, 1997.

How important is advertising in reminding us of certain moments in our life?

Zero importance. Advertising is intellectual and spiritual pollution.

Last, you employ models to do book signings and TV appearances for you, as yourself! Now, are these models also required to know your signature?

Of course. Plus remember the date of my mother’s birthday... www.myspace.com/jesushadasisterproduction

How important is the environment in which your work is presented?

It used to be critically important. I’m old school. I’m a big believer in the role of gallery or museum as sacred temple. I like silence, temperaturecontrolled environments and clean white walls. But this latest adventure in Colombia really blew those beliefs apart. I was showing work in the strangest conditions, in open-windowed spaces so hot and humid the work curled. I almost went all Mariah Carey and diva-ed out, but then the people were so nice, I let go. And at night when it got cooler, the work curled back. One town didn’t have a place to show art so we held the show for two hours on a Friday night in a shopping mall. A nightmare.

There was a food fair and a discount running shoe store and everyone was walking around with baby strollers and ice cream cones. But we had over 1000 people who stopped to look at the show, with thousands more walking by. I think the shopping mall may be the future of art. You don’t get that kind of traffic in a Chelsea gallery.

Can people in a modern world exist without the need to take pills at all times?

Of course they can. Most pills, excluding pills prescribed for real medical conditions, are nothing more than plastic surgery for the soul. photo courtesy of Jesus Had A Sister Productions

In 1996, you were in a serious motorcycle accident and spent a long time in the hospital. This same year is when your company, Jesus Has A Sister Productions, got started. Is the creation of the pill (artwork) a sort of testimony for the things that you wish you had a cure for back then?

More like a testimony about how fun it was to take morphine for a year!

Jesus Has A Sister Productions has two main components. One is the creation of the pills. The second is the collection of your “How to” books.

How are you able to split the time between the two components?

Two! I wish. It’s more like four. Pieces like the Recipe for Life installation of five hundred How To books are one-offs; you make one copy, then move on to the next idea. Like a real artist. Then there’s the creation of

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“What strikes me is the fact that in our society, art has become something which is related only to objects and not to individuals, or to life. That art is something which is specialized or which is done by experts who are artists. But couldn’t everyone’s life become a work of art? Why should the lamp or the house be an art object, but not our life?”

(Foucault, 1984)

I should first expose my own personal relationship to art and to movements for social change. I’ve always been interested in different forms of art, being involved with performance and theatre since I was pretty young, and becoming involved in zine-making, screenprinting and stenciling through the underground punk scene during high school.

In regard to social movements, I’m currently taking part in the movement for free, accessible and quality higher education. I’ve also worked on immigrant rights, labor, anti-war and Palestinian issues. Many of my thoughts about social issues have been profoundly impacted by anarchist and socialist thinkers.

I’ve always enjoyed art and believe it to be a thoroughly integral part of human life. I not only concur with the radical artist and art theorist Joseph Beuys’ famous declaration that “EVERY HUMAN BEING IS AN ARTIST,”2 but also believe that aesthetic expression is important to creating a world that is enjoyable to live in. Not only are material conditions like clean water, affordable (and nutritious) food, access to healthcare, a quality education and freedom from violence and harassment important, but so too is our subjective experience of life. Art is critical because it gives human beings an outlet to express themselves and it contributes to a beautiful and pleasurable world. Not everything has to be

serious, academic or austere. What I think Joseph Beuys meant is not that every person should be creating traditional works of art like paintings or sculptures, but rather that artistic creativity should not solely be the provenance of those people we term “artists.” Our daily action, even those as seemingly mundane as cooking dinner, riding our bike to school, or spending time with friends, can be imbued with an artistic sensibility, an aesthetic appreciation, a subjective sensitivity; and the sum of those acts contributes to shaping our collective future. Beuys viewed society as one great work of art and believed that every action each of us undertakes, every choice we make, contributes to the great social sculpture of human history. I too believe that every person has the ability to make art, even if in small ways. There is no point in political liberation if all we know how to do is have really boring meetings, perform scripted protests and sign ream after ream of petitions.

As the mother of American anarchism, Emma Goldman, once said: “If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be part of your Revolution.”

So if all of us are already artists, and we have the potential to sculpt our social landscape, I think we must do with our actions what Antonio Gramsci argued we must do with our thinking - “...renovating and making ‘critical’ an already existing activity.” We must give “...a conscious

* Foucault, M. (1984). On the Genealogy of Ethics: An Overview of Work in Progress. In P. Rabinow (Ed.), The Foucault Reader. New York: Pantheon Books.

direction to one’s activity,”4 thinking critically about the social and political implications of what we create, and transforming what is already occurring into a more radical practice.4 I am NOT going to argue that artists should go out and make art in service of “the movement,” or “the revolution” - you should go out and make whatever art you feel compelled to create! Art, however, can definitely have its place in social movements. It does help if our flyers and banners look inspiring and beautiful, like those created by my talented friend Cindy Bui for our March 4th actions, and art can be an extremely effective method for communicating about social issues.

I have nothing against political art - I wrote half of this article while staying in India, where I’m working with Indian youth, using theatre, posters, and zines to communicate about the social issues that are affecting their communities.

So while I certainly believe that art can carry messages about social and political issues, I would like to echo what Walter Benjamin has written about what makes art truly radical. In his article “The Author as Producer,”1 Benjamin argues that it is not the content of art that makes it radical, but its means of production. As evidenced by the interview discussing Shepard Fairey’s art in the last issue of this magazine, anyone can tumble

source materials provided

by Patrick Sweeney

together a bunch of “radical” images and symbols without really challenging, in any substantial way, the status quo. What does it mean for the image of Angela Davis, Mao Zedong, and other revolutionary figures to be sold on a t-shirt in Urban Outfitters? Capitalism has a frightening ability to subsume resistance and sell it right back to its creators, de-revolutionizing the content and transforming the celebration of rebellion into consumption and negation. Much like the style of punk rock has been co-opted by mainstream music labels and is marketed to a niche audience, our counter-cultural symbols mean almost nothing when the profits from their sale sustains the very systems of inequality that the symbols stand against. Counter-cultural images appropriated by capital don’t necessarily function negatively, as culture is always undergoing contestation, and images can be co-opted and reclaimed at different times in history. Like Benjamin, I don’t care if artists produce art that explicitly states its opposition to capitalism; we need art that in its mode of production provides a physical, tangible alternative to capitalism.

The writings of Antonio Gramsci and Stuart Hall have profoundly impacted my understanding of social change and can contribute much to our discussion of art. What we think about and how we behave are intimately connected. Gramsci

and Hall understood that culture and philosophy both reflect and shape how we think, thus impacting how we act. Gramsci developed the idea of “cultural hegemony”5 - culture is both an influence on human behavior and a reflection of it. Culture is not only a historical record of society, but also has predictive and pre-figurative power through its ability to shape the group norms and collective beliefs that then guide our actions and behaviors. Art, even that of the every day, is uniquely positioned to intervene in and engage with popular culture. If we want to truly challenge the dominance of capitalism, our art must take part in the struggle for cultural hegemony, throwing our weight behind justice, equality and liberty.

But when we do so, we must do so on a deep and substantial level. The creation of superficially oppositional works is not worthless, but art that challenges capitalism in its form, as opposed to its content, is exceptionally more powerful.

What we need then, is FREE ART. We need creation that evades the oppressive relations of capitalist production, labors of love and passion that not only gesture toward, but actually embody a non-alienated method of producing where all are free to explore their desires and create works of meaning for themselves and their communities.

Brad Troemel’s manifesto entitled “Free Art,”6 and distributed (for free, of course) at thefreeart. tumblr.com, details the destructive impact of capitalism on artists through the transformation of creative construction into the production of luxury commodities. He calls for the disruption of the dependent relationship between artists and consumers by use of the internet as a “decentralized system of display that allows

anyone to appropriate and re-contextualize the work of others online.” Of course, reliance upon the use of computers with internet connections situates this technique only within the reach of the world’s citizens with a certain amount of economic privilege, but the idea of freely distributed and infinitely modifiable art is inspiring and visionary.

This October, the New Museum in New York City will host an exhibition entitled, Free, examining the culturally dispersive and participatory nature of many new art works. Admission to the museum, unfortunately, is only free one night a week. Many art galleries are exhibiting works online instead of in traditional place-based venues, and graffiti/ street art continues to be an oppositional challenge to the policing of public space, as well as an opportunity to inject art into the everyday.

We must carve out spaces of resistance “Temporary Autonomous Zones,”3 (Bey) perhaps - exploiting cracks in the seemingly impenetrable face of capital and planting seeds of subversion in its allegedly barren soil. This magazine - no one pays for it, no one gets paid for it - it is art in the form of mutual aid, a gift. We need more projects like this. They don’t have to be anticapitalist in name, because words, like images, are only representations; and what really matters is not even the underlying concept, but people’s relationship to their world. What matters is the experience of human beings, the translation of ideas into practice. So let us practice! Practice with gifts, practice with art, practice actually living in the world we wish to see.

1. Benjamin, W. (1986). The Author as Producer. In P. Demetz (Ed.), Reflections (pp. 220-238). New York: Schocken Books.

2. Beuys, J. (1974). In C. M. Joachimides & N. Rosenthal (Eds.), Art Into Society, Society Into Art: Seven German Artists (p.48). London: Institute of Contemporary Arts.

3. Bey, H. (1985). TAZ: The Temporary Autonomous Zone: Ontological Anarchy, Poetic Terrorism. New York: Autonomedia 4. Gramsci, A. (1971). Selections from the Prison Notebooks. (Q. Hoare & G. N. Smith, Trans.) New York: International Publishers .

5. Hall, S. (1981). Notes on Deconstructing ‘The Popular.’ In R. Samuel, (Ed.), People’s History and Socialist Theory (pp. 231-239). London: Kegan Paul-Routledge.

6. Troemel, B. (2010). Free Art. Retrieved from http://thefreeart.tumblr.com/

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Something On Happiness

Jared McCreary

It occurs to me that everyone puts way too much emphasis on being happy.

Well guess what?

I’m not that happy.

I’m angry.

I’m depressed.

I’m resentful.

And I have every right to be.

Oh, so I look “pimp as fuck?”

With my cane, and dumb luck Well, I can’t fuck-ing

Walk dumbass And it hurts limping from class to class.

I can’t afford a real prescription, And I’m tired of smoking grass.

And I have 2 broken parents who couldn’t care less.

A neighborhood of dealers who want to capitalize off this mess A bunch of smiling faces, A few friendly places, But none of that erases These lines that are drawn.

You either “Have,” Or you’re gone.

Am I wrong?

I was just told that “Everyone has Hardship” “Maybe you should come back when you can afford a car, kid” Because I’m just some statistic that didn’t add up.

So they’ll kick me when I’m down like some beat up, sad pup.

But I thought I was hu-man?

Didn’t you man?

No, I’ll give and they’ll take.

They don’t care what’s at stake.

It don’t matter, I’m a student.

My thoughts are free!

Who gives a fuck about your wounded knee?

What’s one more slaughter by the rich sons and daughters We’re all just fodder for the machine.

Chewed up, spit out, planted in the dirt to make green!

But not for us, know what I mean?

It’s a scheme quite obscene Being sold a dream For it to break just at the end of the four year warranty…

So back to being happy, Oh yeah, I’m not I’m angry I’m depressed

Yeah this shit hurts a lot And it’s not about who you are, Or just how far, You can go And will show, Its just dough,

You know bro?

You either have, or you’re done

No saving grace, father’s son.

Eye for an eye, and what have we won?

Well I put mine on deposit for my education

And all that you learn As our earth turns and burns And the romantics yearn And the washer kids churn Is that the philosophy That’s costing me Is lost on me ‘cause it’s wrong you see?

Forever held down By all those around Who want you on the ground

And their feet on your back Till you mind and bones crack No Slack Jack And no turning back.

From the “haves” who want more The “have nots” tryin’ to score Its Dog-eat-Dog Well, Hey Dawg, you hungry?

That’s funny. so am I But not that guy That fool in the suit Trying to give us the boot From his snooty Land of loot

Because what’s his is his And what’s ours, is his too

So when you live “mine is yours” And you open the doors To the suit with the loot He sees “What’s yours is mine?”

“Well, maybe I should stay for some time.”

Because the truth is folks, We have always fed him!

When our backs break and our tummies ache He gets fatter At the top of that ladder Yeah. American dream?

Fuck that!

American Scheme Bring in the slaves Or breed em’ in the hoods.

Drive them to early graves Just collect on the goods, Man! I wish we could go back to the woods So, you want me to be happy?

Fuck you.

I‘m not.

“Who does not believe in Fate proves he has not lived.” – E. M. Cioran, Anathemas and Admirations “My dependence on climate will forever keep me from acknowledging the autonomy of the will. Meteorology determines the color of my thoughts. One cannot be more crudely determinist than I am, but I am helpless to alter the case… Once I forget I have a body, I believe in freedom, but I immediately abandon such belief when my body calls me back to order and imposes its miseries and its whims. Montesquieu belongs here: ‘Happiness or misery consists in a certain arrangement of the organs.’” – E. M. Ciroan, Anathemas and Admirations “We never say of a dog or a rat that it is mortal. Why is man alone entitled to this privilege? After all, death is not man’s discovery, and it is a sign of fatuity to imagine oneself its unique beneficiary.” -- E. M. Cioran, Anathemas and Admirations

Cat People With canned tuna lumped out and steaming on a paper plate, Tim sat on the couch eating and watching television. His feet were up on the coffee table, and his cat sat at his side purring, its tail patiently twitching, imploring him for a bite. After a few more forkfuls, he held the plate out to the cat. As he chewed, she sniffed the rising steam with a nose the same color as the tuna, tested it with her tongue, and bit off a little chunk. Her mouth made small smacking noises as she ate, and when she finished, her tongue darted out to lick the juice from her lips.

He did not know, not yet, that his body was host to a parasite that she had given him.

Toxoplasma gondii prefers feline hosts, as only they provide the right environment for the reproductive stage of the protozoan’s life cycle. However, they are well adapted to other hosts.

In rats, they have the unique ability to affect the rodents’ brain chemistry in a way that causes them to lose their fear of the smell of cats, thus increasing the likelihood of a full circle return to the preferred host. Tim was unaware of this. He was also unaware of studies linking the parasite to aggressiveness, recklessness, and a six-fold increase in the likelihood of car accidents in infected humans.

When the cat had had her taste, he went right back to eating where she had left off. Even if he had known, though he may have thought twice, he probably would have done it anyway. In either case, it wouldn’t have mattered. He already had the bug. The damage was already done.

He had no choice in the matter because matter, composed of atoms like so many miniscule pool balls, is governed by cause and effect. God, with a crack from his Holy Cue Stick, had set them all in motion, and it seems unlikely that even He knew exactly where they would all end up. When it came down to it, Tim had about as much will as the protozoans currently residing in his muscle tissues and brain cells, biding their time until they could find a way out, find a cat, and complete their life cycle. And when the moment came, when he would be ejected through a windshield in a wreckage of metal and glass and fire, he would have no time to reflect that it was all the fault of his cat.

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Trent Smith

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A Picture of a Poem

Tulasi Love

Distant Bridges

Eric Niederkruger

My mind races To cross distant bridges Bridges my heart peers under To gaze at its reflection Not out of vanity But to grasp what it has done To preoccupy my mind With crossing distant bridges Leaving my heart to weep alone And pray for their reunification Â

Magnum Opus ChloĂŠ Veylit

I am tired of living the artist said.

I will now produce my magnum opus, Then I’ll lie down flat.

Those before were just practice. The knowing how and why. It has festered inside of me since Birth, now ripe for rupture, like some ungainly pimple bulbous with pus.

Those others were just practice. We are always practicing then, we die.

“The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way. Some see nature all ridicule and deformity... and some scarce see nature at all. But to the eyes of the man of imagination, nature is imagination itself.�

- William Blake

“Politics - I don’t know why, but they seem to have a tendency to separate us, to keep us from one another, while nature is always and ever making efforts to bring us together.”

~Sean O’Casey

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Who writes most of the material?

The arrangements are generally a group effort, but Sam Rufus (Guitar) and I write the majority of the material, he instrumentally and me lyrically Tell me about the connection you feel with the rest of the band?

The connection I feel with the band is that of love and respect. We struggle like every other band I suppose, but mutual respect for each other’s talent and love persevere every time. My sister and I are as close as two siblings could be and her role is inexpendable because it gives us feminine energy.

Sam is my teacher and in my opinion, the best guitarist I know personally.

Rick is amazing and never ceases to

expand as an artist. Joey and Justin are the bread and butter of the band both musically and business wise. Yasha is simply the most intense and electric drummer in the world, hands down.

Is there a perfect moment when you guys perform live?

Our music has a lot of silent breaks and sudden song transitions. When we’re precise, it makes for very special musical moments.

Let me ask you some questions about yourself. What was the first song you ever sang?

The first song I ever sang was “Tell Them I’m A Child of God” by De Leon. It was at Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church in downtown Riverside. I sang at home of course, but that was the first time singing in public. I, like most soul singers, started singing in church.

What kind of music did you grow up listening to?

I grew up listening to everything.

FUNK/SOUL BAND

PLASTIC WATER: How long have you guys been together?

D’ANTE WHITMAN: This particular line-up has been together for two years, but Souldier, which was formally known a “Your Majesty,” has been together since 2002

photo: Shellie Vickrey

Initially it was hip-hop and R&B, like Run Sme and New Edition. As a teen I got into Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, P-Funk and James Brown, but I always was and continue to be influenced by Prince, above and beyond all others.

What age were you when you first performed in front of an audience?

I was five years old and singing in church.

Your dance skills remind me of James Brown and Michael Jackson combined.

Have you ever taken dance lessons to move like you do, or does it come naturally?

I took dance classes as a kid, but I didn’t have the attention span to go all of the way with it.

My dancing is more rooted in improvisation and the performers I was influenced by.

If we could turn the clock and had a choice of having someone really big play with you guys. Who would it be and why?

For me personally it would probably be Wham. George Michael is a genius and it would have been awesome to be apart of a hysteria that was deserved. Also, I feel like George and I would learn a lot from each other.

www.facebook.com/souldierpage

Who’s your favorite soul artist?

My favorite Soul artist, and singer for that matter, is Sam Cooke.

What does “Soul Music” mean to you?

Soul music in my opinion, is a very vast genre. Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin is as much of a soul singer to me as Terrence Trent D’Arby. When ever music is positive, sweet and genuine, it’s Soul music to me.

Are you guys working on an album, and if so, when will it come out?

We’re preparing to record in the fall so the album should be released in spring of 2011.

photo: Shellie Vickrey

ARTIST AND MUSICIAN

PLASTIC WATER: Tell me a little about Demon Slayer.

Where does the name come from?

DAN NGUYEN: Back in 2003, some friends and I had come about that name in order to represent a certain aesthetic and concept, illustrated through our emerging clothing company.

I just somehow grew into that name. My lineage holds many supernatural ancestors. Magic and ghosts.

You’re an illustrator, a musician and a public muralist. What inspires you to create?

Inspiration comes to me in an infinite amount of ways and means.

Being alive in this present time, experiencing life in the now, absorbing nature, that is what inspires me to create / translate the cosmic energies.

What came first when you were a kid–art or music? Did you always want to be an artist?

Visual arts came first. I started DJing parties at 15, which in turn led to me developing my musicianship / producing. When I was young, I always wanted to be a comic book artist and now I just BE. What’s the first thing that you ever drew?

I don’t remember, but I do remember fighting a kid in preschool because he said my Donatello drawing sucked.

At what age did you become interested in making music? Do you have those early recordings around, and if so, what do you think of them now?

I started producing at the age of 17. I still have and listen to those recordings; some are actually on the internet. When I listen to them, they are a bit embarrassing because you can hear my squeaky voice rapping. But other than that, I still enjoy the rawness of the works. They remind me of my musical journey.

What inspired your “Daily Creations?”

Creativity will be garnished and eroded away little by little if we do not exercise it routinely. Habits (good or bad) usually take illustration and elements inspired by Dan Nguyen’s art

Top and center right art courtesy of Dan Nguyen

about three months to make or break. I figure I might as well start some new and positive habits.

What are you currently working on?

Being in the now.

What inspires all the details and colors in your art?

Life / The Universe / Mother Earth / Sound

What inspires you to create in this town?

I represent Riverside not only through my art but through my way of being. I was born and raised here, so everywhere I go I carry the lessons learned in this environment.

In music and art, you always collaborate with other people. What do you enjoy most about banding together?

I don’t always collaborate with other people, but I do often. I really enjoy the challenge and design problems that arise when two minds come together. If it is a positive connection, the end product will double. If it is a negative or sub-par team up, then the circumstances will prove less interesting.

How has your style of art evolved over the years?

My style has grown in focus, more towards my specific concept and message – to bring more love and positivity to the Universe via creative expression. We are living in drastic times, any amount of positive thinking / action will ripple clearly across the spectrum. Let’s make living life less painful. Love is all.

Does your music inspire your art or does you art inspire your music?

When I creatively express myself, I am merely translating and transcribing the cosmic energies that lie within us all. This “pool” can be accessible by all humans. With that being said, I hold all creative expression at the same level – they are the different shades of the same sphere.

Do you play your own recordings when you create art?

Sometimes I play music and sometimes I don’t.

My favorite place to create is nature. The sounds, smells, colors and frequencies there charge me up like no other. It’s our natural setting so it makes sense that our bodies are at their best when there.

What’s the biggest compliment you’ve received, over your art and music?

I really enjoy it when people explain to me their stories of personal connection to my work.

What are some plans for the future?

To affect the world positively through the creative arts; to reach critical mass.

Is there something that you wish to still accomplish as an artist in the near future?

Yes, see above.

http://Dan-Nguyen.com http://Twitter.com/DmnSlyr

circus art source: Google.com

PLASTIC WATER: What kind of music did you, Daniel and your brother, Ivan, grow-up listening to?

DANIEL McCORMICK: At a very young age, our father would expose us to very eclectic styles of music, from experimental noise shows to Japanese Taiko, to 20’s and 30’s Jazz and Blues.

Are these influences present in the music that you play?

Yes. I think everything you are exposed to as a child influences you later in life.

How did you guys get into French music?

When we were quite young we were listening to “rock en español” bands like Maldita Vecindad and Cafe Tacuva, which led to bands like Mano Negra. That led to the beautiful world of European folk influenced music. Not only French music, but music from all over the world.

Tell me about some of your French influences.

Singers like Edith Piaf and Jaques Brel hold so much sadness that they have brought me to tears with the beautiful songs “Hymn a l’amour” and “No me quitte pas.” My life’s vain hope is to someday compose a melody so beautiful.

When you (Daniel) and Ivan started listening to French music and hot Jazz, did you guys do it with a goal in mind?

No. The music consumed us.

Do you come from a family of musicians?

Our father is a musician; our mother is a dancer.

How long does it take to complete a song?

We can never “complete” a song. There is always more you can add, change or play with. While recording you just have to stop. Live you can keep changing it till mortality stops you.

How difficult is it to focus on recording a record when, in the process, you are always experimenting and coming up with new sounds?

Recording for us IS experimenting.

INDIE/POP BAND

What’s your own opinion of your music?

It makes me feel better.

Tell me a little bit about working with producer John Avila (former bass player for Oingo Boingo)?

It is wonderful. He is an incredibly happy person and that is very comforting. He believes we have a lot of potential as composers and is willing to work with us for the sake of the music, not financial affluence.

Is there a place in town that inspires you to write new music?

The abandoned house behind where I live, where my little brother and sister used to play.

The Mad Marionettes put on one of the best performances in town. So what do you learn and take from each of your live performances?

Happiness.

www.madmarionettes.com

IMPRESARIO

PLASTIC WATER: You’ve been throwing some of the best “Prom” parties in downtown Riverside for many years now, but how would you describe these to people that have not had the opportunity to attend any of them?

DAVE WARNER: Missing out. Riverside Prom is one of the most fun and unique activities I have been a part of.

Where did the idea to host your own “Prom” come from?

I was at a friends house for a get together and some of the girls where complaining they have all of these prom and bridesmaid dresses that they have only worn once. We started thinking of an excuse for them to wear them again and we came up with having our own prom.

How long have you been putting parties together?

Next year will be the 10th year. I can’t believe it has gone on that long.

How much time do you spend planning a “Prom?”

A lot. I start thinking about the next one even before the current one is over. Getting a theme is the first step. After that I can keep my eye open for props and decorations and ideas to make it better than the year before. It stars picking up November 1 when I hit all the Halloween stores for discounted items. Then in January, I am in full prom mode until the event.

What’s your favorite part about your “Prom” productions?

This last year it was the commercials. It was the first year we have done them for prom and they came out great. You can see them all at www.youtube.com/user/ RiversideProm reference photos for illustration courtesy of Riverside Prom

How important is community to you and what sort of role do you think your “Proms” play in it?

I think it is the one time of year where everyone can come together and just have fun. Riverside Prom brings together so many different people from every aspect of Riverside in one place just to have fun.

Your parties are always filled with props of all kinds. Do you spend your own money on toys and props for all of them?

Yeah, I spend way too much money on props. I search all year for stuff for prom. If I can’t find it, it gets made. My college friend, Monica Schalow, is responsible for a lot of the Prom props. This year she made satellites and we built a huge talking robot.

People also just say “hey I have this thing that will be perfect for prom” and add it to the decorations.

Your promotional materials are really clever. You have videos and really cool looking posters. Are all the promos created by yourself or do you have other people helping out?

I do 90% of the graphic stuff, posters flyers and things.

The write-ups on the back of the flyers are the work of Paul Quilici. He has been doing them for years. He also shot some of the “Prom In Space” Commercials with Jesse Hoffman. They were all shot in the hallway of our house with friends. Then I spent countless hours editing them. I love how they came out.

Is there a theme that you enjoy the most and has there ever been one party that has stood out the most?

I loved “Prom In Space” on every level. It was the most fun to do because of all the promotion for it. The commercials, the art show, it worked. I really liked “Heroes and Villains” and “Slumber Party Slaughter”

for just the great costumes.

When everything is set and decorated, do you normally feel satisfied about how things look and fit the theme?

I always wish I had one more day to get ready. I always want to add another light, or put up another prop. But all in all, I have been happy with the results.

Could you see yourself getting hired to do a corporate theme party and how would that be different from managing your own?

They would have to pay me well. It takes a lot of time and effort to do one of these things, but I would like the challenge. It would be nice to have a real budget.

It also depends on what it’s for and what level of control I would have...and would it be fun?

What’s the best part about hosting your own “Proms”?

Seeing people get exited leading up to it, having fun at it, then bragging about it. My friend, Elizabeth Faith

Aamot (co-founder of Riverside Prom), says the Prom is her favorite holiday.

What is your least favorite part about them?

Clean up. It takes hours!

Do you consider yourself a party animal or are you just some sort of community leader (or impresario) that enjoys bringing people together to have a good time?

Definitely, the community leader. I really do it to see others have fun. And it is a great excuse to let loose and get dressed up one night a year.

You graduated from UCR with a degree in Arts.

Do you ever consider these “Prom” parties your own work in progress art projects?

I look at prom as like a kind of happening. I set up the venue and wait to see what the people make it into.

Have you ever produced similar parties for friends or other people?

bottom left photo and posters courtesy of Riverside Prom

No, I haven’t. People have asked and I have helped out with props and ideas, but Riverside Prom is my main project. I don’t think I have the energy to do more than one of these a year.

Plan far in advance. You will run out of time quicker than you think. Also get different varieties of people involved to help. This way the network of people extends beyond just people you know.

When you were a kid, did you take charge of your own parties and was it mandatory to show up with a costume on?

Actually no. I never really had parties. Maybe that’s why I put so much into the Proms. The mandatory custume rule just helps set the mood. If I didn’t make it mandatory, only a few would show up in costume and it would be a normal weekend party like all the others during the year. Costumes make it an event to plan for, something different, and a chance for people to be creative.

A lot of people in town look forward to your annual theme parties. What do you say to them when they ask, “When is the next one”?

The next one will be in May again. As for at theme... think video games!?!

These “Prom” productions take lots of planning and time to host, but you’ve succeeded at them for many years now (nine years to be exact). So what advice do you have for someone that would like to produce one?

www.facebook.com/riversideprom

INDIE RECORD LABEL

PLASTIC WATER: What year was Ethospine Noise founded?

FRITZ ARAGON: I think 2001-2002ish.

What genres do you cater to?

Mostly punk and hardcore, but we’ve released Circuit Scarecrow (hip-hop), Dan Coffman (folk/indie).

Where did the influence come from to run your own label?

Being involved in the DIY Punk/Hardcore community, starting a label was a natural move to make, especially during that time. The label idea clicked once I released the Piano Drag CD. The feeling of working with another band excited me and I wanted to document and compile more of what was around me locally that inspired me. I’ve been going to punk shows since 1989 and there were so many cool bands that have never been documented. It’s almost as if they have never existed. The very least I could do was to contribute to what was happening around me and I’m happy to get a piece of it.

What’s the benefit and best part about running a small label such as Ethospine Noise?

It’s just super fun. You have freedom and you can only be in debt to yourself.

Was Ethospine Noise founded by you or was this a collective effort by good friends and musicians?

I started it, but it is a collective effort that keeps us on our feet.

What was your first release?

Dogs of Ire “Reach For The Burning” Can you name a few of the bands that you work with in Riverside and beyond…?

In Riverside: Piano Drag, Jesus Makes The Shotgun Sound, Dohrn, Circuit Scarecrow, Dan Coffman, Marc Antony, Rogue State. Elsewhere!/Aso: Maladie (Tijuana), Towers (Philadelphia), Death To Tyrants (New Hampshire), Setiembreonce (Uraguay) Are all people involved with Ethospine Noise based in the local community?

For the most part yes, but we have various international distros and friends that work with us from all over the place that keep us engaged outside of our local community.

What’s the down side of running a label?

Being broke.

Do you believe that only labels that profit in this type of business reach a point of success or does it even matter?

We’re not a big business, just a labor of love. So it doesn’t matter to us.

How do you promote your bands and is it necessary for them to do their part through the net and blogs?

Mostly through distros, playing shows, and touring.

Most of the bands we are involved with are pretty good at being active on their own, so things fall into place.

What total albums have you released since Ethospine got started?

TOWERS / DOGS OF IRE: 10” split ... ESN017 SEPTIEMBREONCE: CD ... ESN016 ROGUE STATE: Emic vs. Etic CD/LP ... ESN015 MALADIE: LP ... ESN014 DOGS OF IRE / ROGUE STATE: 12” split ... ESN012 DAN COFFMAN: The Man That Should Not CD ...

ESN 013 CIRCUIT SCARECROW: s/t CD ... ESN011 DOHRN: s/t CD … ESN009 DOGS OF IRE : Sterile Thoughts From a FirstWorld CD… ESN007 MARC ANTONY / DOGS OF IRE: 7” split …

ESN008 DEATH TO TYRANTS / DOGS OF IRE: 10” split …

ESN005 JESUS MAKES THE SHOTGUN SOUND: s/t CD …

ESN006 ROGUE STATE: Statues That Fall CD … ESN004 PIANO DRAG: Positions & Possessions CD ...

ESN002 You’re also a member of the hardcore band, Dogs of Ire. Does having your own label allow you to have more access to other places to play, as well as reaching more areas to promote the label?

Absolutely. More options to interact with people, and more reasons to have fun.

Last summer, Dogs of Ire, Towers, and Rogue State toured South America. Tell me a little about what that was like?

Fucking amazing! Played 17 shows through the countries of Brazil, Uraguay, Argentina, Chile, and Peru. We were basically guinea pigs set up to blaze an experimental route and it turned out to be a success. The people in all the countries we played are sweethearts, full of life, and hungry for loud music.

Craziest thing I ever did in my life.

What’s the kind of networking that exists with other bands in other cities and countries and the benefit of it, even when there’s language barriers?

Punk / hardcore communities, for the most part, operate the same everywhere. The web allows us to

take things international a lot easier. But in the thirdworld there’s more solidarity within communities because people don’t have the resources we do, so people naturally come together more. South America, for example, has a history of overcoming dictators and political oppression, and it shows in how people operate and organize. There is less of the individual and more do-it-togetherness. Language barriers can definitely be a factor, but in the end we all speak the same language of art, music, and community. We are lucky enough to transcend barriers and get right down to what we have in common.

It was a web-based relationship that made this function, but what made this tour even possible was Diego from Rogue State. He’s from Uraguay and used to be in Septiembreonce.

What’s your take on the term, “indie” and its juxtaposition to the DIY culture?

To me they go hand in hand. “Indie” is an old word.

It’s just a new term for the mainstream/major labels who’ve posed as independents for years. The bottom line is people don’t need a stamp of approval from anyone or anything to justify their art. When people try to market underground culture, things get ugly, confusing and ultimately stupid.

How important is it to maintain a do-it-yourself ethic in your label?

It’s very important. It’s empowering and critical that I go broke on my own terms…haaa! I’m lucky enough

photos courtesy of Ethospine Noise

to not have a choice, I guess.

Does having your own label ever feel like a fight to keep a genre of music alive?

It can be, but music is always evolving and progressing. If I can afford to capture anything interesting, I’m happy. I see the label as a tiny sketchbook you pass around with all your friends on a journey, hoping to get a piece of everyone. But in the end we all come up short on paper.

What have your experiences as a musician taught you that you have applied to the way you run Ethospine Noise?

It keeps us grounded. I love watching bands, experiencing music live. The goal is to capture that experience on vinyl and share a piece of that feeling.

You also create some of the art for your band’s records. Is there a certain mood that you must be consistent with to fit the genre?

I try my best to. I seem to do more art for people than myself lately. So I can easily say that it’s the bands that make me a better artist.

Are you a fan of Ian MacKaye and his label, Dischord Records?

Of course. I’ve been a fan since I was 13-years old and can’t say enough about his music and Dischord Records. They offer employees health insurance!

Who can fuck with that?

Was he an influence on your decision to start your own label? If so, how?

Well, I never really planned to “start” a label. The label idea clicked once I released the Piano Drag CD (refer to question # 1) Dischord has always been a definite inspiration for me and thousands more. They exemplify how far a DIY label can go.

Are some of the bands songs available for download on the net?

Yes. We are redoing the Ethospine site for better downloading availability. You can find most everything somewhere on the web I imagine.

Does running Ethospine Noise seem like a very serious job or is it more like a fun and important contribution to the punk/rock community?

Yes. It’s dead-fucking-serious-community-fun, Daino! www.ethospine.com

How long have you been writing poetry?

I’ve been writing since I can remember. Officially, I guess since I was about 11.

What made you start writing?

I had to write. I couldn’t not write. I often feel compelled to purge the words that are swirling around my feelings and clouding my mind. I highly value contemplation and self-reflection, and sometimes writing is the only way I know how to sort things out.

Do you remember the first poem you wrote?

Well, I remember the first one(s) I shared with anyone. I was 11 and I wrote this pair of love poems called “I Will Always Love You” and “Will You Remember Me?” I remember I was at my neighbor’s house and suddenly felt desperate to find a pen and a paper or a napkin or something. I don’t know what kind of jaded 11 year-old writes forlorn love poetry, but I did.

What inspires you to write?

Everything inspires me, especially people. I’m very empathic, and I am often greatly affected by other people and my interactions with them. Observing and relating to other people often helps me recognize my own feelings and motivations.

Are you in a comfortable stage with your writing or do you feel there’s still a lot to learn?

There’s always more to learn. I would be very upset if I thought I would not continuously change and grow wiser with time. My poetry should reflect this growth.

How much thought do you put into your choice of words?

None, and infinitely much.

POET / ARTIST / MUSICIAN

PLASTIC WATER: Tell me a little about Sierra. What is your background?

SIERRA LaPOINT: I lived in Sacramento until I was 12, where I attended a performing arts elementary school and was certain I would end up on Broadway. Then I moved down to Redlands, where I lived through high school, and my plans changed. I’ve lived in downtown Riverside since 2004, where I now attend classes at RCC and work at the Riverside Art Museum.

“I write to relieve the pressure of emotions within myself. If I can affect my audience in a similar way, or even just get them thinking, I’m satisfied.”

Do you have preferences for employing rhyme into your poems or not?

I write many styles of poetry, from haiku and metered slant rhyme to free-style spoken word and heavily rhythmic, rhyming slam. I just write, and sometimes my words rhyme.

On your facebook, you have a montage of philosophers. How does philosophy influence your work?

I have always been a student of philosophy, and I intend to formally study aesthetic philosophy as I move forward in school. I was raised to ask questions constantly and recognize my perspective as my own inherent truth, but to also know that my perspective can be changed and should change as I grow older and wiser. My poetry helps me to work through changes and to later reflect on the work I did to get there.

What about “Sappho” (Ancient Greek lyric poet)?

Why is she on the top of your list?

Sappho represents a strong woman, a brilliant, insightful poet and a tender, introspective thinker. I have always felt a connection to her on a very intimate level. I only wish we had more by which to remember her.

…and what attracts you to Wittgenstein. Why is he first on your list and not “Socrates?”

Socrates is the father of Western philosophy, sure.

(But to be fair, we only know his thought through Plato, who used Socrates as a platform for his own ideas too.) Wittgenstein uses modern logic to discuss the relationship between the world, thought and language. He says “the picture is a model of reality.”

For me, each poem, song or place of art, is a model of my reality at the time it’s written. It’s a picture that I craft carefully, with my whole soul. By pouring myself into them, they help me grow, and my reality evolves.

Do you have a favorite living poet and what do you like about his or her work?

I could no sooner pick a favorite poet, alive or dead, than I could pick a favorite star or a favorite language.

I haven’t, couldn’t possibly know them all intimately enough to judge them in a comparative way. I love poets for their individuality.

What are you reading these days? What was the last poetry book that you bought?

I’m always reading lots of things. Right now I’m reading lots of Rilke, Narcissus and Goldmund and Less than Zero, and re-reading Don Quixote. I was also recently given a book called SLAM: The Art of Competitive Poetry, so I’ve been reading that as well.

left photo by Teeter Photography Co.

You’ve studied Spanish for many years now. Do you read poetry in Spanish?

Yes, I read and now write poetry in Spanish. The way the Spanish language approaches descriptions and uses symbolic language is quite different that in English, and it allows for different connections to be made.

I love your piece, “Yo siento el temor.”

Do you care to talk about this piece?

What inspired you to write the title in Spanish while keeping the poem in English?

This was my first attempt to infuse Spanish into my work. By titling the poem in Spanish and leaving the last line in Spanish, I was able to distance myself a bit from the raw emotions that have build up just before it. That line, “yo siento el temor” is my vulnerability being exposed.

Bilingualism is my defense.

Do you have a favorite poem written by yourself?

Oh no. Maybe one in every style.

What goal do you seek through your words, for yourself and for an audience?

Catharsis. I want to express the unexpressible–whether it is due to overwhelming turmoil or overwhelming joy. I write to relieve the pressure of emotions within myself. If I can affect my audience in a similar way, or even just get them thinking, I’m satisfied.

What is your opinion of your poetry?

It changes everyday. I love it, I hate it, it contains me, it consumes me–it is me, on paper, as I’ve undergone so many significant life experiences. I couldn’t live without it. (I’d explode.)

Let me ask you about slam poetry. When did you start doing slam poetry and what kind of response did you get from the audience?

I began performing my own slam-style poetry when I was 17. I had read some spoken word before, but nothing like what I do now. I am not an editor poet, and when I write, the emotions and cadence create themselves. Slam provides me an

Urbia vs. Sub-Urbia

Sierra LaPoint

This dichotomy – Dotting me – Perforated edges.

You tear me in pieces, I tear off my clothes.

I am a doll in a doll’s house.

I am a prisoner of war.

I am caught in the middle Of Urban Versus Sub-Urban warfare.

I live on the tracks And both sides claim me, But I claim neither.

One side tips: Tequila shots, long bong rips, Sniffin’ lines, stealin’ shit, We’re both losers – no one wins In this game of chances and mortal sins.

Now your will power is lost to the demons within, The fun’s wearing off and your excuses have worn thin.

Just keep pushing, keep pulling, and then – It all ends.

The other side: balance.

Sell your soul for a sale.

Buy a life, buy a love, Buy an “A” when you fail.

Buy whatever it takes to forget what you feel.

Buy a lift, buy a tuck, Buy whatever feels real.

Avoiding your pain?

Well that’s the name of the game!

Young or old, rich or poor, We all try to escape Just the same.

This dichotomy – Dotting me – More perforated edges.

You tear me in pieces, I tear off my clothes.

You tell me: segment and separate.

You tell me: differentiate and delegate.

You beat and berate me, but I beat you to it again.

Structure and mayhem, my yin and my yang, But both sides are evil and the same shade of gray.

I struggle to find stability.

I struggle to find the ability

To struggle at all, And not just let apathy reign.

We see media broadcasts, We see that nothing in life lasts, We see that a mere thirty seconds is all it should take.

We’re raised on compartmentalized commercialization.

We’re raised to be slaves to the capitalist nation.

Voluntary slavery?

Anarchist bravery!

Fight the consumerist powers that be!

We’ve all got red, white and blue blood cells, But still the story that my life tells to strangers Is different than what it tells me.

Because, see, to some I’ve got freedom, I’ve got the freedom at least To be strung out and strung along anyway that I please.

Now my freedoms and rights are all tied up and tired, Strung out and along some invisible wire, Some invisible truth, Some unconscious desire To leave the living to you and just jump into the fire!

So pop it, or shoot it, or snort it, Or not.

Now neither side wants me, So I’m stuck with what I’ve got.

A little of each but enough of none, Teach yourself to be happy, to be having fun.

Teach yourself to be feeling just fine.

Teach yourself to turn off that mind.

Try not to think.

Try not to feel.

Try not to decipher what’s not and what’s real.

Can you reconcile your wants and your needs?

To what you’ve committed and to what you’ve agreed No matter the cost?

To both sides I’ve committed, No matter what’s lost.

This dichotomy – You’re dotting me – All these perforated edges.

You can tear me in pieces, I’ll just tear off my clothes.

opportunity to pour that intensity out all over the audience in the way it originally hit me.

Recently you won first place in “Sing and Slam” (Regional Competition). Is this the first time that you’ve ever competed in poetry?

How important was it for you to win this competition?

I competed in performance poetry when I was on the Speech and Debate teams in high school and college, but the Sing and Slam competition was the first time I ever competed with my own original words. Winning the competition was an affirmation that my poetry does affect the audience in a powerful way. It felt great, like validation.

What do you enjoy about reading in front of an audience?

Several things, I guess. When I perform my poetry, I feel that I can connect with my audience in a way that is more visceral, and therefore more human, than poetry that is only read. When I see someone smile, it makes me smile; and when someone is crying, I also feel sad. Performing allows me to express these things more directly, and to connect more directly to those around me.

instruments…but I can try.

Tell me a little about The Riverside Jazz–Poetry Collective?

The Riverside Jazz-Poetry collective is a project we started to help bring together poets and musicians, without all the pressure of a formalized band. We love words and music and collaboration.

The Collective developed with these things in mind, as a vehicle to allow for a constant flow of influences. It is our attempt to remind people that expression should be fun, not a chore.

www. sierralapoint.webs.com

When you write poetry, do you instantly think of an audience to share it with?

No. I write them for myself because I must.

Afterward, when I have had a chance to reflect on everything my poem has taught me about myself, I consider sharing it.

Do you consider yourself a type of poet?

No. Well, I’m many types of poet. I write things to be read, I write things to be heard and I write things just for the sake of writing. So I guess I’m the publishing, performing, purging kind of poet.

You also play harmonica and bongos. Is there a right sound to accompany your live readings?

No one sound is right for all poems. The harmonica, the hand drums, my electric bass, my accordion, saxophone, my new clarinet– they all represent pieces of me. The problem is that I have so many pieces, I could never play enough

photo by Orion Haught

MUSICIAN / ARTIST / BLOGGER PLASTIC WATER: How long has your blog, Sound Colour Vibration, been around?

ERIK OTIS: Sound Colour Vibration became official in January of 2010. Plans, concepts and designs had been floating around for about a year and Pouya Asadi and myself finalized our vision around the end of 2009 and created the wordpress page in January of 2010.

When did you become so interested in music?

I first started really loving music after my dad exposed me and my brother to a lot of 70’s and 80’s music at a very young age. Music was always playing in our house as my dad played flute and keyboard along with owning an extensive record collection. I didn’t first start loving music until about the age of 12 when a few friends got me into Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley and Ravi Shankar.

What was the first record that you bought?

The first record I bought was a Westside Connection tape. That was in 6th grade and my parents found it not too long after I bought it and threw it away after they read the lyrics. That tape along with an Outkast single for “Elevators” were the first items I ever bought.

How long have you been collecting rare albums?

Since late middle school when I inherited records from family members after they realized my interest in nonpopular music.

What’s the rarest album that you own?

It’s a mix between a batch of rare jazz 78’s from the 30’s I received from a few relatives and some out of print limited runs of Sun Ra records hand pressed by the band themselves.

What influences your music taste?

It’s hard to define such an area. One minute I am listening to Flying Lotus another Patsy Cline. It varies reference photo courtesy of Erik Otis

on the day, where I am at in my life and so forth. Most of my friends have favorite records that they have had for years. My tastes and influences shift like the wind but always remain constant in some aspects. The right music for my current mood is all I could sum that one up as.

Do you read a lot about music?

All the time, anything I can get my hands on really.

I recently finished a book written by Bill Milkowski called Rockers, Jazzbos and Visionaries and it’s a collection of interviews from his various publications on artists of all fields. It’s an invaluable look at modern music culture. I am also very interested in contemporary music history, foundations of brass, string and rhythmic components, and composition origins and so forth–knowledge in the field of structures and outlines, not style or melody. When you learn the foundations, it unfolds a lot of the meaning behind music throughout history, as it all stems from the same origins.

What attracts you to certain graphic artists or musicians that you feature in your blog?

There are a wide variety of reasons, but any art that we feature is something that we really believe in, art that impacted the moment we shared with it. We don’t try and over analyze the artists we choose or the music we select as everyone involved is deeply passionate about the arts and works under our organization and, naturally, brings their interests to the table. This isn’t the type of site where you will find bowls of fruit painted perfectly; from what I have started to gather from the sources of influence into this project, art that goes beyond conventional means and sets its imprint onto the world. Blueprints are fine when building structures, but the mind goes much further than that and that is the art and music that we tend to be drawn towards.

What’s so rich about the music in the East/South?

The legacy and tradition is so strong in the East and South that we had to start a series focused on the many achievements of centuries of musical foundations.

The dedication and discipline it takes to do the octave changes in the Hindustani vocal music or to learn the hundreds of ragas that all have their own tunings and direct correlation to the time of day and part of the year is a mind blowing reality. What else has been featured is the diverse and strong influence Western music had and still continues to have on the world.

The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix and so many other artists put sounds into areas of the world that never would have made it there if the powers that be at that time had had their way. They took equal influence from these outside regions. Our series sounds from the East and South showcases the wide variety of talent, tradition and styles around the globe. Jazz and classical and other forms of modern western music have spread out and become a standard for all people of the world. This series was designed to help put into context the totality of the equation and to give thanks for so many musicians who create in the name of things outside of money, popularity or ego.

Tell me a little bit about “Past 2 the Present” on your major areas of content. Why is it important for people to know about this?

Past 2 The Present features audio YouTube clips that are the tracks used for samples by some of today’s most respected and popular producers in hip hop music. A bulk of hip-hop was taken directly from the past and we felt it would be a good thing to spread this knowledge to people who might not have known.

The crate diggers know all these records, so the series isn’t designed for the hardcore collector, but more the casual fan who enjoys classic hip-hop music and wants a little insight into what the producer was listening to and choose to cut up to create their own beats.

How do you decide what to feature on the “Album Release” post?

Most entries come from the current year but we do present older material that is being reissued and so forth. Everyone at SCV (and friends) have been following music culture actively for the last 10 years, so we have a pretty good general idea of what’s coming. We have dozens of reviews and posts that are scheduled to go in. 2010 has been a good year for

music and we are proud to present the artists we have.

Recently you’ve taken a lot of interest in the album art of Jeff Jordan, Chor Boogie and Sonny Kay to name a few. What attracts you to their art?

In the most simple terms, this is art that attaches itself to a desired directed sound. When an artist can embody sound, it’s a beautiful combination of sight and sound. These artists put out a lot of effort to signify the music, and this becomes really apparent when you have the vinyl to look at the art.

In your opinion, how important is album art in today’s music industry?

I think it’s important, very important. Bands like Tool and The Mars Volta and other mainstream bands into further out sounds have been pushing the boundaries with their album art. For me, it’s all about the total package, holding the album, reading the notes. That is something I need for the full experience to take place.

How much the music industry cares about this is a question I could never answer.

Do you find art and music as two separate modes of expression or do you see them as intertwined? Why do you hold the view you do?

It would be tough to answer that with a yes or no as it can and it can’t. Some music reminds me of a place where paintings can’t reach and certain paintings can give me that internal feeling as well. The energy state of music is flowing and is moving, dispersing it’s energy in many ways and directions whereas a painting is something that has been imprinted and its energy movement doesn’t transfer or radiate as much as music. In the same light, art can define more meaning and expression with one snap shot than an entire album can. I just take each piece of expression for what it is, regardless of the medium or area of art it comes from.

What can you tell me about your partner Asadi?

How did you two decided to collaborate?

Pouya G. Asadi is from Chicago and is a rising filmmaker and has massive amounts of knowledge in film and music. Film is one aspect that he will bring to the table once his school schedule slows down and he finishes work on various projects along with a gig he got on the set of Transformers 3. His work ethic is amazing,. It’s a blessing to have him on board. He’s been a silent partner in all of my internet projects,

from the site Astronation which has over half a million views to The Pharaoh’s Den Web Library with over a hundred thousand views. He has helped shaped these projects and put a considerable amount of time into each one. This new project is the first for which he has come fully out of the background and is establishing his brand and vision into the model we created together.

Why is a blog like yours so important to share with a global audience?

We designed it to be shared by many, but it will take a lot more until we reach our goal of really spreading it to the world in the way that we would like.

How involved are you in the local music scene?

I co-founded and helped operate a music and art venue in Riverside for 2 years (The Pharaoh’s Den). I have also been playing with various musicians in the city and surrounding cities. I also attend shows as much as possible when my schedule doesn’t eat away all of my time to enjoy the artists here in Riverside. We are also in the works of putting out music through Sound Colour Vibration. Our good friend Kenn from Future Static is going to help put out a compilation record under SCV, and my good friend Aaron from Mothers of Gut is the first to agree on a compilation release designed to showcase artists from Riverside. We have a band from Brazil lined-up along with compilations and special 10” splits, so Sound Colour Vibration will extend itself into realms very far outside of just being a blog within the local and non-local music communities. .

So what’s next for SCV (Sound Colour Vibration)?

Will it remain a blog or will it morph into something bigger?

There are many plans for our organization and friends of the organization to expand out of this and to launch multiple areas from what is now just a blog. We are organizing more events, private live painting/drawing sessions, a rare hard to find Ebay store, a record label and so much more. We are preparing for a big shift in the coming months for the brand we have created so far and how we want to incorporate the new elements.

http://sacvs.wordpress.com

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Is there a favorite part of your studio that you enjoy the most?

The drawer filled with oil paint, and the smell when I open it. It’s very comforting to me and makes me feel at home. I grew up with that smell as a kid. My mother paints in oil.

Your studio is so full of colors and details. How is all of this presented in your work?

I think the studio is a reflection more than vice versa.

The majority of my work has been highly detailed and vibrantly colored so the studio had to be an accessory to go with it. My studio acts as an art gallery as well so as pieces leave, the bare walls beckon me to paint something to fill the spot. This will often dictate the size of a new piece but I typically resist the urge to let it influence my color scheme.

Is there a perfect time of day to spend in your studio creating?

No, but I have difficulty sitting down to work unless my studio is in an organized state. I typically paint at night largely do to the fact I have a day job. I’m a graphic designer by day. Graphic design plays a large part in my work process actually. All of my concepts are brainstormed in Photoshop before I put a brush to canvas. It’s much easier to change your mind in Photoshop than on canvas. So I work all the kinks out there.

Is your cat, “Picattso” required to be present when you’re painting?

I actually prefer her to be in the next room due to the fact that she is so disgustingly cute that she steals my attention from my work. She is hideously spoiled.

So much so I just got her a kitten so now we have Picattso and Pouseau.

So, you come from a family of artists. Did you ever have an art session with your parents in the studio?

I had my mom over not too long ago and asked her to duplicate what she was doing. I think I could use another lesson. I learned a lot. paint a seascape while

I tried to duplicate what she was doing. I think I could

My dad’s works were mostly portraiture so we possessed the same skill set pretty much. My dad was a little harder to pry out of the house. I would have had to paint over at their place to paint with dad.

Stepping into your studio space is like stepping into your head. Is there something or a small detail in there that you’d like to talk about and share with us?

Well, the most interesting is more of a large detail. And that is the painting of Marie Laveau. And it’s a large story too so I’ll simply say that strange things have happened revolving around my work ever since I painted her. If you don’t know much about her she is one of the most fascinating and misunderstood figures in American history, as is Voodoo one of the most misunderstood and maligned religions. I am really glad that Jake Kimbrell challenged me to paint that because it led me on an extraordinary adventure into history and the survival of beliefs under adversity.

How many painting are you working on right now?

One. Unfinished? Oh, geez! Let’s not get nasty here.

How do you feel about people visiting your studio and seeing your work in progress?

Lately I have been trying to become much more protective of my spare time and so Arts Walk 1st Thursday is really the one time I throw my doors open to the masses. I am more than happy to open my studio by appointment to serious collectors any time. But I really don’t think people comprehend working 40 hours a week and having time for family and a non-profit gallery and then on top of that trying to find time to paint. The unfortunate side effect is, I confess, feeling the urge to be more reclusive. I hope people can respect that.

Since your studio is so full of colors, is there one particular color that you will always avoid?

I had to think about that one a while, so I’d have to say no..

www.semicfineart.com

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TOWERS: www.myspace.com/toweringsound SATIE: www.myspace.com/satie666 DOGS OF IRE: www.myspace.com/dogsofire

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http://buttonbuttonwho.blogspot.com

www.monowheel.com

www.back2thegrind.com

www.laorbe.com www.la-orbe.blogspot.com

www.brosiusdesigngroup.com

www.rcaart.org

www.bunnygunner.com

“...if art is serious about claiming a central role in today’s society and culture, this is the best chance it’s had in ages. The current climate doesn’t represent a threat to the production of art but to the market. I think it’s time for artists to get over auction houses, galleries, and highproduction-value exhibitions and start using our voices again.”

-Maurizio Catellan, Interview Magazine

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Callithump n. A somewhat riotous parade, accompanied with the blowing of tin horns and other discordant noises. Source: thefreedictionary.com

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PHOTO DETAILS: 1) Downtown, Riv. 2) San Salvador, E.S. 3) Mercado Central, E.S. 4) Fairmount Park, Riv. 5) Mt. Rubidoux, Riv. 6) Prop 8 rally.

Downtown, Riv. 7) Patrick. Students Day of Action March. Downtown, Riv. 8) Ken. Downtown, Riv. 8b) Orange Blossom, Riv. 9) Fairmount Park, Riv. 10) Downtown, Riv. 11) Mt. Rubidoux, Riv. 12) Raymond Pettibon live drawing at Riverside Art Museum. 13) Back to the Grind, Riv. 14) Box Springs Mountain, Riv. 15) Joseph. Downtown, Riv. 16) Rose Parade. Pasadena, CA 17) Snoopy (1995-2010) 18) Union Station. L.A. • Original illustrations, cover photo and back art by “D.”