Skinnie Magazine Issue 115 by Skinnie Magazine

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CONTENTS|SEptember/October 2011

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FEATURES p.012

GRACE UNDER FIRE Azita Has Come A Long Way From Kabul, Afghanistan

p.016

WEB SHERIFF Policing Your Keyboard Strokes

p.018

THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKIN’ Jesse Hughes of Eagles of Death Metal Is BOOTS ELECTRIC

p.022

GET SPANKED Everything Is Boring, Except Spank Rock

p.026

TECHY DEATH Atari Teenage Riot Is Still Loud

p.029

DENMARK RULES Barbara Zatler Is Scandinavian Sexy!

p.032

BRING ‘EM ALL ON The Last Thing Jason Ellis Could Ever Be Is Scared

p.038

MONSTER ENERGY CUP $1 Million Dollars, 1 Race.

p.042

FALL FASHION Get Into It

p.052

BUILD. DESTROY. BUILD. Andrew WK Tears It Down

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p.012

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A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR| fuck the hype

Give a hoot

sept/Oct 2011 J ISSUE #115 10184 Sixth St. Suite A Rancho Cucamonga, Ca. 91730 Ph. 909-476-0270 Fax 909-476-5931 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PUBLISHERS Jimmy Clinton and George Giordano ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EDITORIAL Ramon Gonzales Contributing Writers Jasen T. Davis, Alex Mendoza, Eric Bonholtzer, Katie Evans, Kristie Bertucci, Patrick Douglas, Lacy Ottenson, Elysia McMahan, Ben Marazzi, MM Zonoozy, Katie Evans, James Gobee, Editor-In-Chief

For editorial submissions, email editorial@skinniemagazine.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ART & DESIGN Art department

Max Headroom

PHOTOGRAPHY Michael Vincent, Alan Rivera, Sean Myers, Joanna Miriam, Dave Gatson, Karen Curley, Harmony Gerber, Edison Graff, Amanda Davies, Angela Jugon, Timothy Sheppard, Erik Faiivae, Christian Sosa, Tammy Rapp, Todd Scheuerell Contributing Photographers

Sales & Marketing Advertising

Marketing Director

Jason Zahler Matt Lee, Jose Lazar and Julius Lopez

For all sales inquiries email sales@skinniemagazine.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Administrative House Of Designs Morgan Desmond Angela Jugon Raquel Lopez, Cynthia De Los Santos and Ryan Mercer Webmaster

online editor

Contributing Staff

FASHION Michelle Ngo Heather Choi and Christina Pham

Fashion Director Fashion Coordinators

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SUBSCRIBERS If the post office alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within two years.

…I hate writing the editor’s letter. So let me kick some muthafuckin’ knowledge for yo ass. Kim Kardashian made $1.5 million dollars by selling her images to People Magazine.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER The content in this magazine is for entertainment and intended for mature audiences only. Advertisers are responsible for their ads placed in the magazine. Skinnie Magazine is not responsible for any actions taken by their readers. We may occasionally use images placed in public domain. Sometimes, it is not possible to identify and/or contact the copyright holder, if you claim ownership of something we’ve published, we will gladly make a proper acknowledgement. Skinnie Magazine does not share opinions and/ or views stated by the writers and or photographers. Some of the content published may be of a mature nature; we do not, in any way, condone underage drinking or any other illegal activity. All submissions become property of Skinnie Magazine, be it text, photos, art, etc.

MADE $1.5 million dollars. Stop swallowing the bulshit TMZ and every other lame ass media outlet gives you whole. This world is filled with fantastic people who make real contributions to the world we live in. Fuck the hype. Give a hoot. Keep It Hood,

Ramon Gonzales

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Cover Photo by Michael Vincent

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ACCOUTREMENTS 2

3 5

DON’T FALL BEHIND

The Joneses Already Have Their Eyes On These... Paul Budnitz Bicycles ‘No.2’

Mozipedia: The Encyclopedia of Morrissey and The Smiths

Nike Back To The Future II Limited edition doesn’t even begin to describe how exclusive these kicks are. Remember, we are talking about leather, rubber, and nylon here – or are we? Get your slice of pop culture history with a set of Marty McFly’s complete with a rechargeable LED panel, but no auto lacing. NIKE only made 1,500 pairs to raise money for the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Sold only through eBay, pairs went for well over 5k, but believe collectors will start flipping soon.

Shaun Phillips X Attic Collab Snapback

iPhone 5 Let’s get down to brass tacks – an 8-megapixel camera, an A5 dual-core processor, a thinner much more tapered look, couple with a larger display screen and all the bells and whistles of any other smartphone on the market will all but guarantee the iPhone 5 will fly off shelves immediately. The biggest news is that Sprint will join the list of carriers to offer the new iPhone – sorry T-Mobile users, you’re fucked.

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The founder and creative genius behind Kid Robot has launched his homage to luxury bicycles. Far from the eccentric designs Budnitz has become famous for, the 3.4 lb. titanium frame sitting on fat slick tires is anchored by it’s sleek feel and timeless presentation. The single to 11-gear adjustable transmission ensures this thing ain’t just pretty to look at, the Made In the USA bike can run over just about anything in front of it.

$5500 BudnitzBicycles.com

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I think we have already featured this book, but in all honesty, it just may be the most comprehensive collection of MOZisms circulating in print. Get the complete story on Manchester’s biggest export from beginning to the present day, along with a fuckton of tidbits that even the most fanatic Morrissey fan couldn’t tell you. A great gift for any fan, novice to enthusiast. $55 Amazon.com

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Southern California street wear authority, The Attic, joined forces with one of the scariest dudes in shoulder pads. Outside linebacker for the San Diego Chargers Shaun Phillips will now have a limited edition snapback sold exclusively through The Attic. The simple white on black colorway and NF… logo tribute makes this one a keeper.

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$??? Apple.com

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foreplay

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Grace

under fire Azita Ghanizada Is So Much More Than Beauty

Few have taken a path to Hollywood beset with more obstacles than Azita Ghanizada. Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, the actress was brought to the States by her parents as a baby with only one goal in mind, to survive. It was an indescribably difficult transition for the family as they hurriedly left Tehran and headed for Washington D.C. Today, Ghanizada is one of the stars of the hit SyFy

Words By Patrick Douglas

show, “Alphas,” and is showing her parents that they made the right choice in getting the family to America when they did. “My mom kind of single-handedly took a tremendous amount of effort in getting her family out of the refugee camps. Everybody kind of fled as the Russians were

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I think you just kind of keep your head on “your shoulders, you work, you smile, you

give out hugs and you just try to work as hard as you can and keep it as close to the bottom as possible.

”

coming and going into different camps on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan and Iran,” said Ghanizada. “It was devastating to watch what everyone had gone through. There were so many prisoners of war. There were so many who saw everything they’d ever known be gone in a flash. They had nothing but the clothes on their backs. Same with us. We had no paperwork. I don’t even have proper documentation. Everything was just kind of taken. We just fled. It was my parents that lost everything. I watched them and my grandparents and my aunts and everybody struggle to get on their feet and understand an entire new culture.” Growing up in D.C., Ghanizada at first struggled to balance her strict family life with the pressures of American public schools, but it all worked out in time. “It’s interesting to come from such a different place than where I (was born). It was a very real thing to understand loss. Everybody became afraid and I think that’s where all the misconceptions and all these terrible warlords and all of these things came from. All of that fear of being thrown into a decade of war and suffering,” said Ghanizada, who has a degree in English Communications from Virginia Tech. “It was a very unique and curious experience. One that feeds me as a creative person and one that’s completely irreplaceable. We weren’t allowed to do a lot of things. We were very restricted in the things that we weren’t allowed to experience, out of fear. It caused a lot of backlash and a lot of rebellion and a lot of hurt. At the end of the day, everybody survived it.” Ghanizada, who also speaks fluent Dari (an Afghan dialect) credits television with teaching her the basics of English as a child, so naturally, she was drawn to acting when she got older.

Rachel and a select few other people with special powers are pooled together and put in the care of Dr. Rosen (David Strathairn), a man who is studying the Alphas and trying to stop a few bad apples from doing bad things. Rachel’s super power lies in her ability to focus intense attention on her five senses. Her upbringing slightly parallels that of Ghanizada, having grown up in a strict Middle Eastern family. “Rachel has been put in this position where she’s not really accepted at home,” said Ghanizada of her character.“She’s never really kind of blossomed and because her abilities have made her a little awkward, it’s really intense for her to even kiss a boy because she can feel everything.” Ghanizada admits that her personality is far removed from that of Rachel’s. “I’m very different than Rachel. I’m very outgoing and bubbly and I’m sweet and I’m generous and I’m very confident and I kind of walk into a room banging pots and pans and give hugs,” she said. “Rachel kind of slithers in and doesn’t want to be seen.” It’s the perfect role for someone who doesn’t mind doing her own stunts. In fact, she’s been asked to hold back a little when it comes to requests to be selfsufficient in her action scenes.

“I learned English from Joan Collins,” Ghanizada joked. “(My mother) is the reason why I’m a fan of television. She would sit there and tweeze her eyebrows and watch Joan and talk about how beautiful Joan was and how she wanted to wear sequins and look like Joan.”

“I like to push the envelope a little bit,” she said. “That makes it more interesting for the audience and it makes it more interesting for me to have something to play it off of. If I’m gonna be grabbed, I really wanna be grabbed or else it’s not real. I do as much as I’m allowed to do until the director, the boss, comes over and says ‘You can’t take a smack in the face.’ I’m like ‘Smack me in the face!’ They’re like ‘You’re not allowed to get smacked in the face.’ I’m like ‘Why not?’ And then, six smacks later, I’m like ‘Oh yeah, that wasn’t a good idea.’”

Having appeared on shows like “Castle,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “Bones,” and “Numb3rs,” Ghanizada is excited to finally have a lead role in a show like “Alphas.”

While Ghanizada hopes “Alphas” takes off behind its current buzz, she is already proud of what she’s been able to accomplish and hopes it inspires others in her position to reach for their dreams and stay humble in the process.

With super heroes becoming as popular in movies and television as vampires were last year, it’s no surprise to see “Alphas,” creating a buzz this summer. It’s for good reason.What could possibly be the most original and exciting show to air on television this year, “Alphas,” isn’t your ordinary tale of mutants and men wearing tights to battle evildoers. These characters are more human than most super heroes. They aren’t going to stop the rotation of the Earth or disappear through walls. They’re just a little more exceptional than most people.

“I’m honored to be a working actor. I’m honored to be one of the first girls from Afghanistan to break through on television in the United States,” she said. “There aren’t a lot of us and I kind of wanna blaze that trail. I’m in this unique situation where it’s not really a respected profession for girls where I grew up in that family system. Because I’m doing it, a lot of family members are curious about the arts and curious about pursuing music and actually seeing there’s potential to be a writer or a model or an actor or whatever they wanna be.They have the freedom to do what they choose and their talents and gifts allow them to.”

“The show is about five ordinary individuals with brain anomalies. They’re not (traditional) super heroes,” explained Ghanizada, who plays Rachel Pirzad on the show. “They’re super humans actually. There’s a lot of medical science involved. We’re kind of set into hostile situations where most of us don’t have the professional training to be in. We’re constantly on a hunt every week.”

“I think you just kind of keep your head on your shoulders, you work, you smile, you give out hugs and you just try to work as hard as you can and keep it as close to the bottom as possible.”

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Double Western

cheeseburger Can The Web Sheriff Save the Music Industry By Ben Nine-K

The music business is in a state of disarray. I feel this is in many ways an obvious statement, but one that should be made nonetheless.Within the first few months of 2011 Universal laid off a large portion of employees, numerous concert tours were canceled due to “lack of interest”, and LA Reid resigned from Def Jam to go judge a TV show contest. Fortunately the man sitting across from me at a table in Beverly Hills, supposedly, has the answer that can save numerous jobs and careers. His name is John Giacobbi, the self-proclaimed, “web sheriff”. He and his crew of 20 individuals search the Internet day and night to stop copy written material from being leaked via the Internet. The formation of Giacobbi’s web sheriffing business has a logical beginning. As an entertainment lawyer in the UK he oversaw countless cases in which artists had to deal with varying forms of copyright infringement. After one of his clients (The Village People) sorted through their own problems (most of them centering around the fact that it’s very easy to pretend to be The Village People) Giaccobbi had an idea, what the music industry needed was an online task force. He slowly began creating a specialized team of workers who would spend their days searching torrents, message boards and fan sites looking for leaked material and systematically removing it. Since 2000 his company has protected Prince from popping up on YouTube via camera phone, spent 18 forum pages negotiating with fans of The Prodigy, and celebrated Christmas by silencing a leaked copy of Dangermouse’s Broken Bells album. Through hard work the Web Sheriff team is usually able to squash about 90% of all leaked material during the lead-up of an album’s release. It’s no doubt his company is successful…but I also can’t help but feel reluctant about his business model. Are we fixing the problem or merely covering up holes in a slowly crumbling levy? Despite what his foreboding press-pack may lead us to believe, Sheriff Giacobbi is not terribly threatening. He’s calm, collected, and asks for permission to sit closer to my tape-recorder as he knows he “tends to speak a little quietly”. In many cases his approach to silencing music-pirates has lent itself to finding new ways of marketing leaked material. Essentially Giacobbi has an exceptional grasp of viral marketing concepts and knows how to use them. Rather than just storming into a fan site and ripping leaked albums out of people hands, his company often offers fans special unreleased tracks or exclusive material. His company basically locates those individuals who control the leaked commodity and then bargains with them to get it back. We talk about cell phones, and The Clash, and why the Sex Pistols may arguably be the first truly “viral” campaign, but eventually I can’t help myself and I just ask the Sheriff point blank, ‘do you truly think the music business can recover? Or is it all over?’ He pauses for a moment and then with slight hesitation replies “yes.” “I think it’s sort of chaos currently. If you think about it, a computer company is controlling the selling of music right now. I think the music industry is a decade behind.” While the recording industry was still worrying about smashing what was left of Shawn Fanning and Napster, Apple was developing iTunes and creating a way for people to make money from online musical content. Now fast-forward a few years and these same major record companies are having to split their profits with a computer company who apparently knows more about selling audio content than their ‘music biz’ peers do. “I think once we have an affordable option everything will

work out. We need to find some happy medium where people can afford to buy new music and Lady Gaga can still go out and buy a cheeseburger.” To a degree what he has to say makes sense. If you look at the amount of money an artist retains from the sale of a song on a site like iTunes it’s really not much. And unless you’re successfully moving a sizable amount of downloads its probably more than likely that you’ll be spending your days flipping cheeseburgers rather than buying them, but Giacobbi’s ideal here is flawed in a way, because I’m not entirely sure that Lady Gaga gets her metaphorical cheeseburger money from selling music. Yes, she sells a lot of records, but it seems like the power of someone like Lady Gaga (arguably a model citizen for the way that the ‘modern pop artist’ seems to do business) isn’t in the sale of .99-cent songs on iTunes, but in the branding of her name. Lady Gaga’s cheeseburger money comes from her Mac makeup line, her ‘creative director’ title at Polaroid, and her custom made special edition Lady Gaga Beats by Dre Earbuds. She, like many modern pop-artists, has diversified. Making music is merely one small branch of her empire. I skim through the shortlist of clients that the web sheriff has worked with and I can’t help but realize that although all of these artists are no-doubt hugely successful, none of them have their own line of $100 headphones. Artists like Bryan Adams, Van Morrison, and Tina Turner are no doubt highly successful and musically talented, but they are artists that function on an “old school” music-business mentality. Essentially, if today’s music market is all about diversification and using music as only a part of an entire selling package these artists are ‘single income’ households. They make money by selling and playing music. This realization begs the question, is the web sheriff’s service something that can extend beyond a certain type of artist? Yes the music business has been in a slump for the first decade of the new millennium, however artists haven’t entirely disappeared, they’ve merely learned to adapt with the times. Whether it be Lady Gaga making Mac cosmetics, U2 signing a deal with iPod, or Will. i.Am of The Black Eyed Peas becoming creative director at Intel, the neo-musician is a finally tuned currency-hunting machine. While The Web Sheriff teaches artists like Van Morrison how to create an online presence, the newer more deadly model of rockstar has a complete and total grip of what a ‘viral campaign’ should look like. With this in mind it makes more sense to look at someone like John Giacobbi not as a sheriff, but as a game warden sent to the internet to protect those artists that haven’t evolved enough to understand that diversification is the only way to make money when music is looked at as a free commodity. I’m not saying that it’s right that Van Morrison has to get a second job, I merely speculate that maybe once this crop of artists is no longer attempting to make music, we can’t be sure that the Web Sheriff’s company model will be as necessary to the music industry. As our conversation comes to an end I briefly ask Giacobbi about his Chuck Norris inspired photos. He laughs, “Oh that was just something I did for fun. I was working with Bryan Adams and he’s been working a lot as a photographer lately, so we just did a quick photo shoot.” To date, Adams has shot photos for Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, and Vogue... Interestingly enough, apparently you can teach an old-dog new tricks. Diversify Bryan, Diversify!

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jessie hughes is boots

electric

What Happens When Rock N Roll and Soul Music Butt Fuck?

Jesse Hughes is finally venturing out of the cover of Eagles of Death Metal and discovering that his alter ego, Boots Electric, has a lot to say. His new album, “Honkey Kong,” is a funk driven ode to all of the influences that got him to this point. If you want a more detailed description of the album, Hughes has come up with the perfect slogan to go with the music. “I took George Clinton and bent him over the couch and butt fucked him with Gary Numan using Little Richard and Chuck Berry as a dick,” he said. “When I was growing up, my mom was a soul fanatic. A southern white girl, soul fanatic. Very quintessential to the ‘60s movement. By the time ‘70s hit, my mom bought Parliament’s ‘Up for the Down Stroke,’ and the album scared me because it was two

Words by Patrick Douglas

women pulling their hair and moaning with a hooded ghoul whipping them with chains. The music made me so happy. There’s something absurd sometimes about a man wearing a dress and there’s something absurd with a white boy trying to think he’s a funky man (but) I’ve always been cognizant of that.” Musical influences aside, Hughes will tell you his biggest influence in life since youth has been his close friend Joshua Homme from Queens of the Stone Age and Kyuss. Homme and Hughes have collaborated as Eagles of Death Metal for three records and the two have been close friends since Hughes was 12. Their friendship began when Homme stopped a bully from giving Hughes the business and, just like that day, Hughes decided it was best to hang with the guy with the bigger guns.

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“The bully’s name was Travis Eagleson. He had put me in a trash can earlier that day in school and wouldn’t let me out for an entire lunch,” recalled Hughes. “I showed up at my first party and it just seemed like fate set everything up. The first motherfucker I saw when I walked into my first party was Travis Eagleson. I went head first into the pool and he decided he wanted a pond with a fish and I was gonna be his fish. It’s the God’s honest truth of what he said. Classic, childhood cruelty. He kept me there, for probably a good 45 minutes and I finally just resigned myself to sitting in the pool. I was just kicking it on the steps, sitting in the pool, being the dunce of the party and I heard a voice say ‘Let him the fuck out.’ Literally, like Moses, the whole party parted and Joshua picked me up. He picked me up out of the pool and said ‘God damn. Have some self respect. At least fight back. You’d have a bloody nose, but you wouldn’t be in the pool.’ From then on, I stayed close to that son-of-a-bitch.” In Eagles of Death Metal, Hughes plays guitar and sings while Homme contributes on drums and backing vocals for the most part.When EODM tour, Hughes usually goes it alone with a fill-in backing band. Over the years, Homme has given Hughes a heads up on the music biz and helped school him in the do’s and dont’s that go along with it, “Joshua has always helped me learn how to maintain and handle the business. How to keep my head up,” said Hughes. “He’s always been there to give me advice on how to handle myself ‘cause this is a very political world, rock and roll. It’s procedural. No matter how everyone wants to act like they accept everybody, it’s the least accepting place I’ve ever been in my life. You’ve gotta learn how to get a tough skin. You don’t get many second choices here. You get a choice and if you make it wrong, you’re fucked. I’m a very weird dude. I’m very selective in who I trust. Joshua’s one of the only people I trust with my life. He’s the godfather of my son and I love him more than I love most any people. He’s a brother to me. When you have a best friend on the playground with you when you go to fight the bully as big as him, yeah, that’s better than a mentor. That’s like a fuckin’ 50-foot-Yoda.” Homme was the catalyst behind the Boots Electric album as he pushed Hughes to get out to the studio to do something solo. “We were talking about doing another Eagles album after this last record and he was like ‘Boots, I don’t know man, it seems like you should get in the studio alone so you can get this going, man,’ Josh has always been there to encourage me,” said Hughes. “It’s kind of very touching, but he heard something in me before I ever thought I’d be in rock and roll and he’s always been aware of it, to seek it out, which is very rare, man. It’s very Roman in the way it goes down in Hollywood. With your own brother, you love him but you end up resenting him the most and you end up competing. That’s just the way the business gets to be. It’s very rare when someone’s there to push you. Also, I have a massive fucking vein ego, dude. The idea of everything being about me, I was like, ‘Yeah, the time is right now.’” By his own admission, Hughes is a technically savvy writer who doesn’t just pump out a jam on a whim and call it a song. There’s a lot of details to work out before something is a done deal and working on the solo album just allowed him to freely wallow in his madness. “I’m a real geek, I’m a real nerd,” he said. “I can’t help it. Before I go into anything, I write an essay with a thesis with an operating paradigm. I’m one of those kinds of nerds. I had a general idea. I take very seriously what it is we get to do in this world, in this great society of rock and roll. When I went into Boots Electric, I wanted to demonstrate that I wasn’t asleep at the fucking wheel.” Don’t think that the bizarre photo of Hughes on the album was an accident either. You’re not just going to get a regular photo shoot with Boots Electric. What would be the fun in that? Instead, you get a nearly naked guy with a huge mustache, wearing a Native headdress and his girlfriend’s socks, jumping in the air. That’s “Honkey Kong.” “It looks like this record is really gonna draw me out,” said Hughes. “I’m very proud of it. I really fell like it came off well.

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Spank rock:

Everything is boring and everyone

Is A FUCKING LIAR Except His New Album and Boyz Noize

By Kristie Bertucci

After five years of listening to whack shit on the airwaves, Spank Rock has returned from depths of music industry hell to triumph over all the bullshit and bring back the vibrant and thunderous beats that make up the hadrcore MC’s infectious party-rap aura. In case you don’t know, Spank Rock (aka Naeem Juwan) provided a refreshing jolt to hip-hop back in 2006 when he dropped Yoyoyoyoyo, a collection of progressive hip-hop tracks that were electro-inspired, rock-infused and bassline-heavy—a winning formula for just fucken good music. As a spawn of the Baltimore club scene and its boom-tastic underground bass culture, hip-hop and “some other local stuff,” Spank Rock emerged on the scene as a unique up-and comer who impressed the likes of producer and DJ extraordinaire

Diplo. From there, he was signed to his first record deal on Bid Dada and that’s when things both started to take off (before the path got rocky). But before that, Spank Rock didn’t have his eyes set on a career in music, but did it more for fun. “I’ve been interested in music, since forever,” he describes.“But, I really didn’t intend to make it my career. I went to prep school and was supposed to finish college [Drexel University in Philly]…but that obviously didn’t happen. It was all a surprise to me after I got signed, and I never expected to have this type of career.” Well lucky for our ears, he took the musical route and decided to continue down the path of rhymes and beats. Listening to NY-based Boot Camp Clik and inspired by all the hip-hop artists on Rawkus Records, Spank Rock would soak it all in to help tighten his rap skills. From there, a bit of production help from XXXChange

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I take my expression and material “ seriously, and I plan to have fun. I don’t

know if I’m going to get boo’d off stage or how people will react to it, but it’s one of the greatest things that could’ve happen to me, career wise.

”

(Alex Epton) created his electrifying sound of underground/indie hip-hop with an electro twist.

statement is true about how I felt about the first record, but it has a little more shock value this go round.”

“It’s actually really hard to classify the kind of music I do,” he explains. “I like to call it ‘funk rap rock fusion.’ It’s just me. The reason why I changed from the underground scene was because I felt people lost their whole reason for doing that type of music. I felt a part of culture, but not wholly immersed in it, and I started exploring the indie Philly music scene, which was heavy rock and that influenced me a lot.”

With that new shock value coupled with some help from executive producer Boys Noize (who produced the majority of tracks on the album), Spank Rock is ready to kick ass once again and tantalize us with his new sound best heard on the first single, “Energy.” And that’s not all…besides amazing production from Boys Noize (who brings in a new flavor to Spank Rock’s already multi-faceted musical innovativeness), the album features some dope ass collaborations. Guests include longtime friend and fellow indie gem Philly Santigold and New Orleansbased Queen Diva of bounce music Big Freedia, as well as more production help from Sam Spiegel (aka Squeak E. Clean of N.A.S.A), XXXchange and Neptunes genius Pharrell Williams.

Spank Rock blew everybody away after his debut album dropped, and he was considered by many to be the next fresh sound in music with a viable future ahead of him. Then shit hit the fan, causing Spank Rock’s next LP to be delayed. “It wasn’t conscious,” he asserts. “Everything that could possibly go wrong went wrong but it’s a classic story of how the music industry can slow down or completely stop one of the new bands coming up. Everybody sees your potential, but everybody wants a piece of it; and it’s hard to have all those people around and still push out product to the fans. I didn’t know how to deal with the industry, and I was just stubborn.” Despite it all, Span Rock didn’t completely shy away from music entirely and released a 5-track EP in 2007 on Downtown Records, Benny Blanco & Spank Rock Present: Bangers & Cash, which was a 2 Live Crew-inspired effort. He also has made appearances in a series of collaborative projects throughout the gap, but never wasn’t ready to release a Yoyoyoyoyo’s follow-up album. Not wanting to conform to any anybody’s standards or live up to someone else’s musical expectations, Spank Rock decided to take matters into his hands so to make the music he wanted to create. “I think I was being stubborn, and I knew there were certain things I wouldn’t do. I just didn’t trust the industry anymore. I didn’t trust that a major could do more for me that I could for myself. My manager found a way for me to put out the music on my terms so we’ll see how this turns out.” And with that, he founded his own record label, Bad Blood Records. Spank Rock and the musical gods are now in harmony, and with that comes the highly anticipated release of his sophomore album, Everything Is Boring And Everyone Is A Fucking Liar. While his album titles are catch and definitely interesting, he had had some help with this one. “A friend of mine who designs websites were having a conversation and he was asking me how I created the first album. And I told him, ‘Everything is boring and everybody’s a fucking liar.’ And he thought it was great and told me that I should make that the album title, then I laughed and that’s how that came about. But the

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“Santi is one of the most talented songwriters ever,” he compliments. “She’s one the music’s industry’s biggest gems, and we both sit on that fine line of being pop and being ourselves. Besides Santi, Big Freedia is just as amazing. Both are inspiring and definitely pushing the music scene forward” Thanks to Boys Noize, Spank Rock was able to show his evolution and growth as an artist, as well as experiment with new genres. “ It was funny because Boyz Noize is total in techno world, and I’m still sitting in the world of hip-hop and rock and it was interesting to hear how he linked the two worlds. He really showed his versatility as a producer and so did I as a singer and songwriter. He was patient with the whole creative process which really helped me in the end.” According to an online MTV News interview with Boyz Noize earlier this year, the electro/techno producer and DJ mentioned that the album is very eclectic, and “all over the place, musically.” Besides his upcoming September release, Spank Rock is touring North America for the summer with Ke$sha’s “Get Sleazy Tour,” sharing the stage with fellow party rockers LMFAO. Not sure what to expect from the tour, he’s still excited to share his music with a new audience. “My music is challenging and different but I’m an indie artist on one of the biggest pop tours of the summer and that’s what’s exciting. I take my expression and material seriously, and I plan to have fun. I don’t know if I’m going to get boo’d off stage or how people will react to it, but it’s one of the greatest things that could’ve happen to me, career wise.” Given Spank Rock’s party rocking beats, he’ll be just fine…after all, Boyz Noize did describe him as a “true artist and the best rapper live, as well. Like once you see him live, he’ll blow you away.” So get ready to be blown away by Spank Rock’s latest endeavors because we seriously doubt Boyz Noize would lie!

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bass & treble

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atari

teenage riot Leading The Digital Assault

By Alex Mendoza

The threads of European history reach deep into the earliest recollections of human progress, with significant events molding and shaping human thought and experience. The politics, the art and the people – all separate cogs that have powered the historical core of the nation on the other side of the Atlantic, but also traversed the ocean blue in order to establish the political and artistic foundations upon which we now call our home. History lessons aside, though, it is clear that Europe’s contribution to music is unparalleled. The world’s most renowned composers have called its historic conservatories home, crafting the masterpieces that have seared themselves into the musical conscience of the public, as well as the music community. And with the progression of time, a healthy roster of Europeanbased artists made their significant contributions in pushing the creative envelope – some of which set the precedent for all others to follow. But if music is to serve as the voice upon which we can all relate to, or understand, then for those bands who sing songs of praise and happiness are well aware there are tunes set to rousing anthems that thrive on anarchy and dissidence. Whether it is in the throes of rock ‘n roll or the emergence of punk, the voice of the oppressed is a powerful device that echoes across the seemingly vast expanse of history. One need not look any further than a particular band’s catalog to comprehend the general mainframe of society’s overall perceptions of life at large during a certain sliver in time; and in the city of Berlin one of the most volatile voices emerged under the guise simply known to the world over as Atari Teenage Riot. Led by its enigmatic frontman, Alec Empire, he coined the group’s music as Digital Hardcore – an unapologetic mixture of punk’s vicious tendency to employ distorted riffs amidst a cacophony of white noise, but employing the use of electronica to provide what one might ideally call the perfect soundtrack for the next modern revolution. Following him along this effort in the group’s earliest incarnation were Hanin Elias and MC Carl Crack – two integral portions to the Berlin-based trio. Their earliest recordings were fueled by a startling wave of anti-Nazi sentiments that stirred controversy, but also added considerable gravitas to their music in the underground scene. They were eventually joined by Japanese-German Nic Endo, whose compelling work with noise and soundscapes provided the canvas upon which ATR persistently crafted their merciless tracks. In 2001, however, tragedy struck as MC Carl Crack passed away and the group eventually went their separate ways – tending to their own musical projects for nearly ten years. “None of us was ‘out of the music scene’ over the past decade. Nic Endo and me were very active, played more live shows than in the 90ties, sold more records, and recorded also more material,” Alec recalls. Fate, as it would seem, would have ATR once again unite with a new roster, with Alec Empire yet again at the helm, joined by Nic Endo and CX Kidtronik.

“We played a one off show in London last year as Atari Teenage Riot. It was sold out and the music critics loved it. To my surprise we faced a completely new audience of twenty year olds. After that show a lot of promoters wanted us to play, so we added more shows. This was not planned as some sort of comeback or so. People loved it, we pushed it further.” Building off the surprising momentum of this show,the group proceeded to craft a new series of songs – their first in nearly ten years – titling their latest musical endeavor as “Is This Hyperreal”. Fans rejoiced and critics eagerly anticipated the album, which comes as no surprise when you consider the manner upon which ATR has influenced artists such as M.I.A., Sleigh Bells and No Age – all of which have tinkered with the mechanics of electronic, pop, punk and noise in their own unique ways. “We decided last winter we wanted to record the album, because we felt we wanted to give the fans something back. We also hooked up with Steve Aoki in Tokyo at a rave and we all thought we need to speak about the current issues like hacker activism and internet freedoms,” Alec remarks. “So we recorded the album really fast in Berlin in December and January. Most of the lyrics were written in Japan over New Years Eve though.” Whereas other politically influenced bands such as Rage Against the Machine, Rise Against or System of a Down have crafted radio-friendly tunes built upon melody and dissidence, ATR’s tracks on “Is This Hyperreal” are a return to form. But opposed to previous albums, the latest offering is a dance-based affair that will appeal to anarchist and hardcore enthusiasts alike; something upon which is nothing short of spectacular considering how the industry and the genres have changed since ATR last appeared. As such, most bands would crumble under the pressure of acclimating themselves to the brave new world of the digital music landscape. Alec’s solid confidence, however, proves otherwise. “Atari Teenage Riot sounds like Atari Teenage Riot. If one wants sound experiments they should look at what me and Nic Endo do solo. We never follow trends in the electronic music scene. We have our own signature sound. That’s part of the fun of this project,” Alec states. “Of course we push certain sides more each time we make an album, but it’s not like we feel pressure to suddenly sound like some blog hype band which disappears 2 months later again. Many European critics say we incorporated dubstep into our new album. We say, we always had those half time tempo beats and many dubstep producers listened to ATR when they were kids. Who cares? All these genres have been pushed further by many producers over the years. It is absurd for anyone to claim certain sounds or beats. Music is like language – it moves freely.”

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skinnie girl 4A dangerous damsel

from denmark Meet Skinnie Girl, Barbara Zatler

What part of Denmark are you from? I was born in a small town by the name Horsens but I grew up in the second largest city in Denmark, Aarhus. I moved to Copenhagen to pursue my goals. Is being an actress in Denmark different from America? Many Danish actors work only in Scandinavia. Of course, some make it to Hollywood but it takes much more work for a foreign actor to make it in Hollywood. In Denmark we are a small country and the film market is a lot smaller than the U.S. which is a very large country and because English is an international language also makes it a bigger market than we have in Denmark so there is greater exposure. But the acting career in itself is much the same wherever in the world you’re an actor.You have to become the role in full so that you are credible and the audience becomes immersed in the story you are bringing. So in that way, its the same. What do you miss about Denmark? I miss the good food.Yes, I am a very big food lover. The language and of course the country itself, it’s very beautiful in Denmark even though its cold almost all year round. What do you love most about America? I love that there’s always a blue sky when I wake up in L.A. - and you have palms! We don’t have that in Denmark, too cold for that. I love the beaches and the city is full of life day and night. What are you working on? Right now I am working on some movie projects in both the U.S. and Denmark. I can’t reveal too much just yet, but it includes some very big Hollywood names. Besides that I work with a very big charity project called ProjectWAT. Water Aid Team in collaboration with Save The Children. They are making a 2012 calendar which 12 celebs will pose for and I am one of those. The calendar will be sold on Itunes, www.projectwat.dk, redbarnet.dk, and stores across the country. All the money that we get will go directly to the [efforts] in East Africa. What are your future plans? As it looks right now I want to do more acting but I also want to start my own production company for TV and film. I love to work with motion pictures so I feel this is where my passion lies. Right now I am working on a screenplay [of my own]. My modeling career is not gonna last forever. I know that. So I have to look ahead and get started on some projects besides modeling. Images by Michael Vincent www.michaelvincent.com www.barbarazatler.com www.twitter.com/barbarazatler

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All In a day’s

work

Jason Ellis Takes On A World of Stupid Pussies’ By James Gobee Photos By MIchael Vincent

There have been many athletes like “The Worm” Denis Rodman, “The Brat” John McEnroe and Ron Artest who have riled up the sports world but none have taken things to the limit like Jason “The Future” Ellis has. His Sirius XM satellite radio show on Faction 41 is providing Ellis with more platforms to develop and expand his talent base. With an empire expanding in dirt bike racing, truck racing, professional fighting and satellite

radio the loose-lipped-Aussie is taking sports that are considered fringe by some to a wider audience, proving himself worthy of his nickname. “I know no one will ever be better than me at talking on a microphone. Nobody can talk and be more interesting than I can and nobody ever will be,” Ellis said. “I just want to be the biggest thing there ever is.The more it becomes a possibility and the more I see that it really is happening, then I start to analyze exactly what kind of superior being I would like to be.”

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The popular and ever expanding Ellismania has turned the 39-year-old into more than just your average skater, and his sights are set even higher. Ellis is bound for glory as he is on a trek to become the future of satellite radio and world domination.

I tell them, ‘What about you shut the fuck up and put it on TV! You don’t have anything to do with Ellismania and you never will. You’re a TV corporate dude and I’m the dude that made it up,” Ellis said. “They don’t really like me and, well, I don’t really like them but I’m happy that they’re putting it on TV.”

As much of a mogul as he is he still remembers not to lose touch with his smash and grab attitude.

With ideas already infecting Ellis’ brain, he is currently putting together Ellismania 7 which will be held at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas on September 17. The next season of Ellismania will have bigger names and bigger fights. Already scheduled to be the main event is BMX legend Dave Mira vs. FMX legend and Metal Mulisha founder Brian Deegan. Also, Jackass’ Wee Man will battle Beacher’s Madhouse’s Wee Matt for Wee Supremacy. Having Ellismania televised has made it easier for Ellis to find people to fight each other.“People in action sports have seen it and now they wanna fight in it. More people know of it, they’ve seen how much fun it and more people want to be a part of it,” he said.

Ellis has so much on his plate while he tries to balance the next season of Ellismania, racing Lucas Oil off-road truck races, a celebrity dirt bike race, an album for his new band - Death! Death! Die!, along with plans for a professional Muay Thai fight. While this may be shocking and ambitious to some, Ellis does not back down when it comes to taking the world by storm. “The rest of the world shocks me because they’re a fucking bunch of stupid pussies, that’s shocking!” he exclaimed. “It’s shocking that Britney Spears sells albums. It’s shocking that Kim Kardashian is the most famous female on the planet. To me, that’s shocking!” Understanding how raw he really is, Ellis thinks that maybe its time to start taking it down a few notches. Ellis admitted that his main thing is to calm down now in his personal life. It’s not like he does these things for the money, it’s all a part of his plan to be the best in the world at everything. “I got enough to get a car and dinner whenever I want and I can feed my kids. My priorities have changed a little bit. I’m not so greedy anymore, I’m not so hungry to get paid,” Ellis said. “I don’t really need a Lamborghini, I race trucks. A Lamborghini to go on Sunset would be the irony of it all. I would be such a hypocrite I would hate myself.” With The Jason Ellis Show, his fan base has exploded and Ellis is quickly becoming the next Howard Stern, but it goes beyond that too. Ellis confesses that he enjoys doing stuff on the radio that helps people get off their ass and be better people. “I believe that before I die I will have made millions of people better people and then I can live myself or die with myself, whichever way you want to put it,” he laughs. Realizing that his plans of world domination would entail reaching outward beyond the ears of satellite radio listeners Ellis created the phenomenon known as Ellismania. Up until last year Ellis’ baby, appropriately named Ellismania, where boxing meets Jackass, was held in Las Vegas. If you have been living under a rock for the past year, the sixth installment was held at the Palladium in Los Angeles and was televised on Fuel TV. Every moment of the debauchery was shared to the masses that weren’t lucky enough to attend. Fights like the Robot fight, the Musical Chairs fight and of course, the Hot Chick fight were just some of the outlandish and comedic combats that took place at Ellismania 6. The idea behind televising it on Fuel TV was good but the way it had turned out was nowhere near Ellis’ expectations. “I don’t like other people being involved in my shit and contaminating it. I don’t appreciate Sirius XM being involved in my radio show. I understand that it’s ridiculous when I say it but I’m not gonna change my mind,” Ellis said. “I don’t like people making Ellismania that aren’t in Ellismania. They’re my babies and I know what they should to be like, you don’t.” Being the first time that he had ever aired Ellismania on TV it was a learning experience. Ellis admitted that he didn’t really like the show at all and that he didn’t like what they did with it. “My initial thought was, ‘Fuck, I shouldn’t have let these dudes do this. I should have been standing over them watching them the whole time’. ” Ellis is planning on being a bigger part of the next one and ensuring that everything is handled properly and turns out the way he wants.“We’ve already had meetings about the next one and (Fuel TV executives) ask me, ‘What about this fight?” so

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Being on satellite radio and on TV, the world sees Ellis as being outright shocking in some of his antics on and off of the air.He doesn’t see himself as being shocking,he’s just being himself. He rationalizes it by saying that he talks about everyday life of everyday people. Sure it may be the side of things that people don’t talk about but it is reality. “I know that, whether everyone else wants to admit it or not, you’re all just as creepy as I am. You don’t want to talk about it but you’re all doing weird shit,” Ellis said. “You got a fucking lap dance at the fucking strip club and the chick was a dude. Don’t act like I’m the only guy that fucked a tranny, its bullshit!” He does admit that in the beginning his whole game plan was to have enough money to own a Lamborghini, but now he realizes that in reality, it would actually be a stupid purchase. Even Ellis laughs when he explains that the money to buy a Lambo could go to something better, like a house or a washing machine. Clearly, his views on money have changed from when first started making serious cash in his early 20’s being a pro skater. “Money is not for free. You get a lot more money then all of a sudden there are a lot more people have your phone number and to me it ain’t worth it,” he explained. “You can’t really buy me anymore. I’d rather hangout with my kids and my wife than make some millionaire happy and shake hands at some restaurant.” After all is said and done, Ellis acknowledges that his family is the most important thing in his life. He says that his wife,Andrea Ellis, is a truly understanding woman who knows that he is in the process of making something that has the potential to be forever. “I mean, I could take care of my kids’ kids if I played my cards right,” he explained. Ellis and his wife remember to remind one another of what their goals are. Even through the midst of attempting to take over the world, Ellis says that most important thing is that his wife and kids are together, happy and love each other. “I want to keep my kids in a really normal environment because I would like them to just be happy with their lives have a good education, get a normal job, a nice girlfriend and have a normal life,” Ellis said. Through all the ups and downs that he has encountered, Ellis knows that it could have gone the other way a hundred-thousand times and for that he is very fortunate to still be around. He knows that there a lot of people in the world who had a similar life and it didn’t work out for them. Ellis’ childhood was no Cinderella story. He was molested as a child, grew up in a broken home, where his mother was a drunk and went out with junkies. “I saw some pretty heavy shit I guess, I had it pretty rough,” Ellis opens up.“But by the time I was ten, my dad had a pretty good job so I wasn’t starving or anything. If I wanted to, I could have gone to a good school if I didn’t get expelled for being such a fuck up.” Some could say that being a fuck up drove him down the path of drugs and alcohol which usually is a story that doesn’t have a happy ending. There is no question or hesitation that if Ellis continued down the path of drugs and alcohol that there would be no Ellismania or Jason Ellis Show.

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The rest of the world shocks me “ because they’re a fucking bunch of

stupid pussies, that’s shocking!... It’s shocking that Britney Spears sells albums. It’s shocking that Kim Kardashian is the most famous female on the planet. To me, that’s shocking!

”

“My skateboard career was ended shorter than it should have been because of drugs and alcohol. I didn’t really realize that until quit drinking and doing all those drugs, that it had indeed blinded me and that there was no coming back,” he said. “After that I knew that I could never make that mistake again.” Now Ellis has an opportunity in radio where he believes he is ten times more talented in radio that he ever was in skateboarding. Now that he has kids and a family to support there is no question to where he get my motivation, he said that its common sense now. “My brain switched on in a moment of clarity. I thought, ‘Wait a minute, I fucked my skateboard career and now I’m one of the luckiest people on the planet because I’ve found another thing that doesn’t suck for a living.’ I mean it’s not as good as being a pro skateboarder but it’s a pretty fucking good job. ‘How bout you don’t fuck this one up! For the sake of your child and your wife how about you pull it in and get your job done,’” he admitted. Ellis confessed that is was difficult and that he saw a therapist through all of the ups and downs. “It’s not like I woke up one morning and didn’t do it anymore,” he explained. “I’m at a level now where there is nothing that will stop me from getting my job done. I’m the guy that you can count on now which is weird because the people who knew me ten years ago would say that I was the number one guy you can’t count on.” Now Ellis is alcohol free and off the hard drugs, yet still tokes up every now and again. Admittedly Ellis smokes too much weed.

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Ellis finds himself smoking weed to go to sleep and smoking again to do a radio show. “Next thing you know I’m like,‘Wow, you just turned into a pot head again!’” Ellis said. At that point he has to go somewhere and add it all up. He says that he can’t just tell himself to do something because there is more than one person in his brain. “I have to come up with a convincing speech on why I should not smoke marijuana, the court will assess it and then I’ll give it a verdict. If the verdict is guilty then it’s not a problem not to smoke weed ever again, but if I can’t make sense out of it then I’m like, ‘Fuck that, I’m getting high!’” Determined to make changes for the better Ellis realizes how things could have been. If things hadn’t worked out the way they did, Ellis said that he wouldn’t be here and he surely wouldn’t be happy. “I’m not easily content, ya know. I want it all and if I’m not getting it all, I’m fucking bitter and pissed off,” he said. For now, he seems to on the better side of content, yet ideas of ways to outdo himself still loom. He said that the TV show is good for now, but he sees it being a tour like that travels around the country. “There are pro football players who listen to show so we can have a football game, we’ve got all kinds of connections with bands, comedians, porn stars who can wrestle each other, it just doesn’t matter,” Ellis said. “There are so many things that I can do that will keep extending it to make it bigger.”

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Monster energy hits

the dirt

Presenting The Inaugural Energy Cup By Elysia McMahan

By commissioning the two greatest riders of all time to collaborate on designing the track for the 2011 Monster Inaugural Energy Cup, this race, taking place at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, will be unlike anything ever put inside a stadium. Ricky Carmichael and Jeremy McGrath are working together to create a race with tremendous amounts of motocross inspired obstacles with the essence of Supercross added to various sections of the track. Riders will be challenged during the three main events – where they have the opportunity of walking away

$1 million dollars richer. The Monster Energy Cup posts a $250,000 purse with the winner walking away with a $100,000 check and the Monster Million will be awarded to the winner of all three main events. “The beauty of this cup is that we have no boundaries.We started with a clean sheet of paper and began filling in the pieces,” explains Dave Prater, who is the director or Supercross at Feld Motor Sports, Incorporated. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the world

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leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. productions include Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam, Monster Energy Supercross, AMA Arenacross Series, Nuclear Cowboyz, and IHRA Nitro Jam. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment. In preparation for the Cup the entire Feld Motor Sports team is working hard to create a completely distinctive experience for everyone involved. “There is no need to worry about tradition or anything we may have done in the past. The fans that will be in attendance on October 15th are going to witness something truly innovative and extraordinary!” says Prater. The specially designed track will be the perfect combination of motocross and supercross, which makes it the supreme arena. The three main events during the Energy Cup will be ten laps each. Heat races, semis, and the last chance qualifier for the first main will determine a rider’s gate pick. The second and third gate choice will be established by a rider’s finishing position in the previous main. While the best Super Mini and 250 amateur riders are competing, other participants will have a short break between mains. “We are inviting the top twenty Super Mini (12-15 year olds) from Loretta Lynn’s US Amateur Motorcross Championships to compete. We will also have the top ten 250 A and top ten 250 B riders from Loretta’s to be combined to compete and give the fans a glimpse at the next generation of superstars.” The Energy Cup is invitation-only and Feld Motorsports chose riders from the top twenty Supercross Class, top ten East Coast Supercross Lites Class, and the top ten West Coast Lites Class from 2011. They’ve even invited some riders from Europe, ones who were injured last year, and also a small number of riders that may surprise some people. The class for this race will be completely open, which means riders can race any size bike they desire. The top 250 riders will be lining up against the top 450 riders, one of them being Andrew Short, whose competitive edge has been known to get him in the zone in order to solely focus on what lies ahead of him. Since turning pro in 2000, Short has competed in ten supercross seasons and has had quite a few memorable career highlights. Back in 2003 and 2006, Short competed in the best race of his career, winning Supercross on a lites bike both years. “As a racer you are always learning to adapt to different elements and this race won’t be any different. You can never underestimate any racer. I am looking forward to the added challenge of trying to master this new style track,” Short reveals. This rider is one with no real systematic approach; he lets his instincts take over and charges day and night. “My contract is up this year so I am unsure of what bike I will be racing. The fall is a time where everything is constantly changing, but I am very appreciative and excited to be a part of this event. I can use this race to prepare for the following season.” Taking into consideration that this $1 million dollar purse may change the mentality of riders competing in this three-stage race it become a question whether or not riders tend to lose focus of what brought them there in the first place. “I think it affects everyone differently. It causes some guys to lose focus, while it may motivate others to push that much harder. I am sure a lot of guys will try to block it out and just focus on racing and let the chips fall where they may,” says Prater. Other riders who are scheduled to vie for the Cup are Cole Seely,Wil Hahn, James Stewart, Chad Reed, Mike Alessi, and Josh Hansen – just to name a few. The AMA is opening up the rulebook for this event, with the only real official rules being sound and fuel. There may be in-helmet communication, prototypes, and traction control out on the track but there really are no limits when it comes to these three main events. This invitation-only pursuit will present audiences with the world’s top racers live on SPEED in a three-hour program. For now, Feld Motor Sports is focusing on October 15, 2011, but they are definitely planning on making this an annual event. With it being such an exciting race, this event is something fans can look forward to for many years to come.

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nitty gritty

SET YOUR CLOCKS BACK ...and get ready for

fall fashion

Fashion Director Michelle Ngo Photographer Jeff Farsai Asst. Photographer Dominik Alvarez Stylists Brandon Niquolas H. & Art Brandon Hunter Asst. Stylist Marrisa Choto Hair Jose Monzon Makeup Desiree Foote Female Model Jessica Strother Male Model Beau Watts

â&#x20AC;˘

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On Jessica Thigh High Boots by DBDK Shirt by BTFL People Bra by Victoria Secrets Bottoms by American Apparel Bracelet by In God’s Hands Necklaces/Cuffs by Marianna’s Designer Jewelry On Beau Vest byStandard Cloth Pants by BTFL People Belt/Goggles: 214 designs Shirt: BTFL People Shoes by Study Bracelets by Guess Asccessories

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On Beau Leopard Tank by BTFL People Gray Tank by Pascual Designs Cross by Marianna’s Designer Jewelry Blazer and Pants by G-Star Shoes by Steve and Ozzy Hat - Stylists Vintage Collection

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On Jessica So R.A.D. Shirt by Rusty Fur Coat by Firenz Shoes by Michael Antonio Studio Hat by Marianna’s Designer Jewelry Necklace by BTFL People

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On Jessica Dress by BTFL People Shoulder Piece by Marianna’s Designer Jewelry Bracelet by In God’s Hands Shoes by Senso Diffusion On Beau Leopard Tank by BTFL People Gray Tank by Pascual Designs Cross by Marianna’s Designer Jewelry Blazer and Pants by G-Star Shoes by Steve and Ozzy Hat - Stylists Vintage Collection

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On Jessica Vest by G-Star: Jumper by BTFL People Earrings/Cuffs by Marianna’s Designer Jewelry Necklace by In God’s Hands Shoes by C. Label On Beau Shirt by Marc by Marc Jacobs Suspenders by 214 designs Pants by Chor Shoes by Kenneth Cole

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On Jessica Leggings by American Apparel Shorts by Jealousy Cuffs by Pascual Designs Earrings/Bracelets by Marianna’s Designer Jewelry Top Hat by Vintage USA Shoes by Bamboo Shirt by Joyrich

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On Jessica Top by XXI Shorts by Biscote Shoes by Wild Pair Socks by BTFL People Scarf by BTFL People Earings and Ring: Marianna’s Designer Jewelry On Beau Shorts by Levi’s Shoes by Diesel Shirt by Joyrich Poncho - Stylists Vintage Collection

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On Jessica Thigh High Boots by DBDK Shirt by BTFL People Bra by Victoria Secrets Bottoms by American Apparel Bracelet by In God’s Hands Necklaces/Cuffs by Marianna’s Designer Jewelry

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nitty gritty

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Serving a

greater purpose Andrew W.K. Tears It Down

By Alex Mendoza

In an increasingly cynical world, it is difficult to imagine how Andrew W.K.’s wholly optimistic outlook on life avoided falling victim to society’s nihilistic insight. Even the emergence of his image and his specialized brand of “Party Rock” waded its way through a world dealing the repercussions of a Post 9-11 America, where nearly a decade ago Andrew W.K. willingly broke his nose to capture the image of a man fully unhinged by his own unabashed passion for life. Consider the various clumps of his wet, long hair, or the vivid intensity of his own blood dribbling from his shattered nose. The half-lidded appearance and subtle smirk engraved onto his face served more than just a publicity stunt. There was substance beneath the style of I Get Wet – an unexpected amalgamation of positivity and high-energy musical antics that were unapologetic and surprisingly genuine. Yet aside from the Party Rocker image that stamped his signature on his music and music videos, Andrew W.K. has embarked upon ventures that are disarming at first glance, if not difficult to swallow. One can hardly imagine the same guy who paraded around a house with an impossibly long microphone cord giving lectures at New York University about how to live life in a positive manner, but such is the marvel that is Andrew W.K. The name serves a greater purpose, posing as the front for a micro media empire that resides within the caverns of Andrew’s mind – various stations of thought and creativity that focus on music, writing, television and anything that will encourage freedom of expression.

looking for things that make us feeling anything less than happy? Society has this incredibly flawed view that the monetary rewards are what define our happiness, but I’d much rather be broke pursuing my passion than making a ton of money at a place I can’t stand.” His careful manner of speech implies the habit of a man who thinks through everything he recites. There is hardly a sense of some haughty, smug demeanor, but rather a man who generally appreciates his position in life. You can hear the elation in his voice and picture him smiling at the same time. Given the recent track record of success Andrew has gathered across the years, however, it is easy to see why he is content with his position. Aside from his musical ventures, Andrew’s exploration of various avenues have provided opportunities as a guest motivational speaker at acclaimed academic institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University, New York University, Yale University, as well as working with Adult Swim and Cartoon Network in contributing and developing various television programs such as Destroy Build Destroy. “One of the main questions I tend to get asked as to how I got this whole idea of being positive, or when did it come about,” Andrew explains.

“I remember people always telling me that I take on way too much,” Andrew states over the phone.

“I was one of those problematic kids and I got to a point where I had a choice to make. I could continue what I was doing at the time, or could opt to make a difference for myself. It wasn’t by any means simple. We always stumble on the road to change, but I found that when I really stuck to it there were rewards I wasn’t expecting. I wasn’t the only individual affected by this new path, as my friends and family were changing as well.”

“I’m not the type of guy who just wants to settle for one thing. Everyone ties it back to how taking on too much can ruin my career and so forth, but life is meant to be this big adventure. We should always be learning and who are we to stop

The heralding of the Andrew W.K. vehicle was unexpected storm that took the music world by surprise. Opposed to the opulence and style employed by artists in other genres, Andrew’s music focused on a merciless display of passion for

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what makes music engaging in the first place – its innate ability to connect to a person and their positive emotions. Hoping to capitalize upon this message and its personal importance to Andrew himself, his live performances approached a level of infamy that further propelled Andrew’s rising star into the atmosphere – including a performance where Andrew broke his foot, but continued to perform the show on a wheelchair for a remainder of the tour. “I can’t tell you how much adrenaline was going through me at the time,” Andrew laughs. “But I love to perform live, man. I figure when I have the chance to talk to people like you in the media, or when fans come out to watch what I do, I can’t help but feel I need to give it my all. I never take for granted that I have people that are attuned to my music. That means the world to me, so if I have to perform on something like a wheelchair to give back just a little of what they’ve given me, then why would I do anything less?”

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After a brief hiatus from his music career, Andrew has returned to the studio to continue work on his next album. He also performed as a headlining act in the 2010 Warped Tour, bringing forth his unique brand of Party Rock to a relatively new audience unfamiliar with his music. But alongside the return to creating music, Andrew also has plans for a book detailing his own personal experiences and views on life. And whereas most would be swift to cite him as a jack-of-all-trades but a master of none, the prospect of such a statement has no bearing on Andrew’s inspiring views on life in general as he continues to explore whatever entices his boundless imagination and fearless spirit. “Part of the reason I can even say I love what I do now is due in part to the people I associate myself with. Andrew W.K. isn’t just one person, you know? It’s a collection of all these people who work with me and my music or my live shows on T.V. or anything else. Without these people and without my fans, I am nothing. I am just another person. All these experiences and individuals make me who I am.”

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• SKINNIEMAGAZINE.COM

Photo by Harmony Gerber

SKINNIE Scene

Kid Rock @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

INDEX

LOS ANGELES

LAS VEGAS

ORANGE COUNTY

SAN DIEGO

INLAND EMPIRE

p.058 Weekly Club Listings

p.060 Weekly Club Listings

p.062 Weekly Club Listings

p.064 Weekly Club Listings

p.066 Weekly Club Listings

Calendar Club Pictures

p.059 Sunset Strip Music Fest

p.067 The Search for Miss Adult Chocolate Milk @ Luna

To Receive Updates on Skinnie Scene Club Listings or To Submit Your Events, E-mail: Update@skinniemagazine.com to be Added to Our Weekly Skinnie E-blasts.

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Los angeles | Skinniescene

Photos Courtesy of Tammy Rapp, Genevieve Davis, and Sean Myers

LA CALENDAR

09.25 TV On The Radio @ Hollywood Bowl

3rd St. Tattoo Grand Opening

Red Bull X Games Party @ Icon

3rd St. Tattoo Grand Opening

Red Bull X Games Party @ Icon

Lucha VaVoom @ The Mayan

09.22 Two Door Cinema Club @ The Wiltern 09.22 Machinehead @ On The Rox 09.23 Big Sandy @ Redwood Bar 09.24 KDAY Fresh Fest @ Club Nokia

09.29 ODD FUTURE @ Hollywood Palladium 09.24 Tony Bennett @ Staples Center 10.01 Erasure @ Hollywood Palladium 10.03 Toro Y Moi @ El Rey 10.04 Why? @ Largo

10.04 Misfits @ House of Blues 10.06 The Rapture @ Music Box

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Los angeles | Skinniescene

SUNSET STRIP

music festival

Photos by Harmony Gerber

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Las Vegas | Skinniescene

Photos Courtesy of Marquee and Reebok

LV CALENDAR

Charis Burrett on red carpet at Tabu Ultra Lounge

Swizz and Chris Brown

Swizz on Stage

Luke Burrett, SkySkrape, Clay Guida, Kim Couture and Punkass at Tabu Ultra Lounge

Marquee Dayclub

Swizz and Chris Brown

Marquee

Marquee Dayclub

Marquee

09.29 BUSH @ The Joint 09.24 I HEART RADIO Festival @ MGM Grand Garden Arena 09.25 I HEART RADIO Festival @ MGM Grand Garden Arena 09.26 The Lonely Forest @ Hard Rock Hotel 09.28 Elton John @ The Colosseum

09.30 Erasure @ The Pearl 09.30 Duran Duran @ The Joint 09.30 Mike Posner @ Pure Nightclub 09.30 Thrice @ Hard Rock On The Strip 10.04 Bring Me The Horizon @ House of Blues

10.06 Misfits @ House of Blues 10.07 Blink 182 @ Red Rocks

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Clink! Mix, meet and mingle over music and cocktails at our always hopping w xyz™ bar. The fun ﬂows freely from our signature cocktails to music you just can't miss. See a list of events and plan your stay at www.aloftontario-rc.com Alof t Ontario Rancho Cucamonga

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Orange county | Skinniescene

Photos Courtesy of Harmony Gerber, Erik Faiivae

OC CALENDAR

10.02 Misfits @ House of Blues

Above and Beyond @ Sutra

Lovely Ladies @ Continental Room

Sutra

ChiChis @ Heat

Kid Rock @ Verizon Wireless

Sick Ink @ Sutra

Nice Shirt @ Heat

Kid Rock @ Verizon Wireless

Living the Dream

09.21 Polar Bear Club @ Chain Reaction 09.22 Lee Scratch Perry @ Galaxy Theatre 09.24 Epicenter @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater 09.27 Dark Star Orchestra @ Yost Theater

10.09 The Pains of Being Pure At Heart @ Detroit Bar 09.28 Bush @ City National Grove Of Anaheim 09.30 Zebrahead @ Slidebar 10.01 Blink 182 @ Honda Center 10.02 Ozomatli @ Segerstrom Center For The Arts

10.15 Incubus @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

10.06 O.M.D. @ House of Blues

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san diego | Skinniescene

Photos courtesy of Eventvibe.com

SD CALENDAR

Fluxx

Luke Skyy @ F6ix

IDENTITY Festival

FLuxx

Fluxx

IDENTITY Festival

Booty Cheeks @ Intervention

Geeks @ Intervention

Holla! @ Intervention

09.24 TV On The Radio @ SDSU Open Air Arena 09.22 Skrillex @ Petco Park 09.23 Ladytron @ House of Blues 09.24 Adams Avenue Street Fair @ Adams Avenue

09.28 ODD FUTURE @ House of Blues 09.25 Blackstar @ House of Blues 09.27 Bush @ 4th and B. 10.01 Duran Duran @ The Pavilion @ Harrah’s RIncon 10.02 Funeral Party @ The Casbah

10.03 Misfits @ House of Blues 10.06 Blink 182 @ Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre

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inland empire | Skinniescene

Photos Courtesy of Erik Faiivae [Five Eye Imagery]

IE CALENDAR

Brody Jenner @ Silk

A Cluster Fuck @ Chronic Cantina

Silk

Comedian Kevin Hart @ Fusions

Former Heavyweight Champ Cristobal Arreola

Scotty Boy @ Chronic Cantina

Fusions

JKing @ Fusions

KATT WILLIAMS @ Fusions

09.24 Los Tigres Del Norte @ Palmdale Amphitheater 09.21 Underoath @ Glasshouse 09.25 REO Speedwagon/Styx @ Pomona Fairgrounds 10.01 The Blind Boys of Alabama @ Scripps College

10.07 The Rapture @ The Glasshouse 10.05 Parkway Drive @ Glasshouse 10.07 Circa Survive @ Fox Theatre Pomona 10.08 The Sword @ Fox Theater Pomona 10.14 Death Cab For Cutie @ Fox Theater Pomona 10.25 Mickey Avalon @ Bex Bar & Grill

10.11 Frank Turner @ Glasshouse

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inland empire | Skinniescene

The Search for Miss Adult Chocolate Milk

@ Luna Nightclub in Diamond Bar

Photos by Alan Rivera

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