Skinnie Magazine Issue 120 - April 2012 by Skinnie Magazine

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CONTENT$|Issue #120 FEATURES p.010

FROM A BASEMENT IN BROOKLYN Joanna Angel Reigns Supreme In The World of Skin Flicks

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BULL ON THE MOUNTAIN Red Bull Takes The Street To The Slope

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WATCH HIM SHINE Pierre Luc Gagnon Continues To Cement His Legacy

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FULLY LOADED AND READY TO FIRE Machine Gun Kelly Takes On The World

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SXSW 2012 & WHAT YOU SHOULD’ VE WATCHED But You Probably Didn’t.

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HEATWAVE IN AUTUMN Get Familiar With April’s Skinnie Girl

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SKINNIE SCENE The Skinny On The What, Where, and When

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A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR| The Learn to take a

joke Edition

APRIl 2012 J ISSUE NUmber 120 10184 6th Street, Suite A Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 www.skinniemagazine.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

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

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

ART & DESIGN Art department

Mel D

PHOTOGRAPHY Michael Vincent, Alan Rivera, Sean Myers, Joanna Miriam, Wil Marques, Damian Tsutsumida, Genevieve Davis, Spencer Amonwatvoukal, Kyler Locke, Leanna Flecky, 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 Lanza 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

Eighth grade. The last year of junior high was a big one for me. I had felt a couple of girls’ titties, had already began working and earning some kind of paycheck, and was getting ready to leave for a new school for the first time in nine years. I went to a private school with the same 25 people from Kindergarten through eighth grade – so with high school on the horizon, it was a big deal. Towards the end of the school year, we got to take a senior field trip of sorts. Our whole class went to Disneyland. Aside from a bunch of horny, awkward 13 year olds going to Disneyland on a school day, this was a semi-unsupervised field trip. Game time. The night before I had already had my outfit picked out. Anchor Blue Beyond Baggy jeans (I lied to my friends and said they were Beyond Baggy, My mom would only let me get the Baggy but Beyond Baggy were cooler) a Guess t-shirt (irregular, discounted rack), crisp new pair of Nike Deion Sanders’ (with the strap undone), and a gold platted Guess watch with a brown strap that didn’t match a thing I was wearing. By 6A.M. the next morning, I was already dressed to go and bathed in a coating of Cool Water cologne. Hair did, shoes bright white – FRESH. There was a particular girl in class I had already been kind of dating I guess. Dating back then meant holding hands and the occasional sloppy kiss. But this trip… the plan was to figure out how to grab as much of here anatomy as I could during a ride on Small World – but I had to be smooth.

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That spring afternoon at The Happiest place On Earth proved to be particularly warm. The massive amounts of gel in my hair were slowly melting on my brow, but it was all good. Said girl and I hung out in our group of friends, laughed, rode rides, had a churro – shit was lovely. Then, time stood still. Right there, waiting in line to ride Pirates of The Carribean, I could flashback to our bathroom cabinet in our single family home in North Long Beach where my deodorant stick stood untouched. In my haste to be GQ Smooth, I forgot the simplest of details - deodorant. I confided in my best friend Julian, hoping he would have some kind of plan. I couldn’t stink, not now. Ha. As loud as he possibly could he says, “Ramon, damn foo you smell like shit.” I was horrified. For the rest of the day I was putting soap under my arms and dealing with the girls giggling at my expense.

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. 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. Skinnie Entertainment Magazine All Rights Reserved. 2011

What’s the point of this story – to this day I still laugh about a random day at Disneyland. My best friend was great about mocking me so frequently that it helped me to be able to laugh at myself. Now, more than ever, shit is so bad, you have to have a sense of humor. Don’t take life so seriously. Or editor’s letters apparently.

Ramon Gonzales

Cover Photo by Michael Vincent

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ACCOUTREMENTS 1

crass consumerism Buy This Or Else 1 Vestax Spin DJ USB Controller Old school guys are gonna piss and moan so much about this one. Long gone are the days of lugging turntables, mixer, and a crate full of goodies. While there are many all in one DJ systems,Vestax made this one dummy proof. Complete with software, this reasonably priced deck allows aspiring DJs to literally plug in and go. With the ability to access your iTunes library for any and all of your tunes, a fairly comprehensive set of levels for sound, and super simple plug ins, this one is a gem

$$$ Apple.com 2 Lamb & Flag – Women’s No. 12 As many more the urban-chic, streetwear savvy stores continue to pop up all over Southern California, it might be easy to get lost in the host of brands the place carries. Don’t sleep on the stores’ own line of accessories though – including the most important accessory, a damn good scent.You won’t break the bank trying to smell tasty on this one. Purple jasmine, strawberry petal tops, blue rose, and crushed amber, blended with a sandalwood-musk base = She will love you for it.

$$$ LambandFlag.com 3 ION LP 2 Go Whether you are legitimately into listening to your music on vinyl or if you just champion it because it is the cool, alternative thing to do, modern technology has a pretty rad tool for you in the LP 2 Go. This is a portable USB turntable. Not only can you listen to your records at the free trade coffee shop, but you can also burn your LPs onto your computer

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for that obscure, ultra hip lo-fi sound.

$$$ IonAudio.com 4 Gravis Quarters The anchor of the Spring/ Summer line for Gravis, The Quarters are considered their most versatile example of footwear. Encompassing the necessary elements for a proper skate show, while presenting the crucial elements of a lifestyle shoe, The Quarters come in a variety of colorways and materials. Dropping their latest viral video with riders like Dylan Rieder, Danny Fuller, Arto Saari, Gravis remains core among skate purists all while managing to be accessible to average Joe looking to stay fresh.

$$$ GravisFootwear.com 5 THE HUNDREDS CANDLE SCENT NO. 1 BY JOYA STUDIO Huh? One of the biggest names in streetwear has indeed delved into the Better Homes and Garden side of consumer goods and delivered a pretty damn good smelling candle. Ben and Bobby Hundreds when hard here teaming with Joya Studios to craft a candle loaded with lime, spearmint, lemon leaf, eucalyptus, blonde woods, cedar wood, jasmine, and rum hints to liven up any room in your pad. Smelling good is half the battle.

$$$ TheHundreds.com 6 Skin Food – Gold Caviar Massage Mask

Yes, you read that right. Actual gold, caviar, and collagen are infused in this massage mask to ease ladies back on the wrinkles and keep that skin looking flawless. Skin Food is a brand that actually uses food-based formulations in their skin care products and make-up lines. Aside from a clever marketing ploy, the all-natural products really do practice what they preach. From baby care to hair care, from skin care, to grooming kits, Skin Food is set to dominate the hipster product craze.

$$$ theSkinfood.com 7 Volcom – Stranger Women’s Duffle Bag Summertime – for most of us it means at least some form of travel. Don’t be the lame ass stuck at the carousel waiting for your checked luggage.Volcom has a proper bag for ladies looking to stay stylish and cram a ton of shit in their bag. 9” high

X 15 1/2” wide X 7 1/2 “ deep – if you can’t fit your make-up and birth control in that, you might want to stay home.

$$$ Shop.Volcom.com 8 OHIya Smooch Tongue Canvas The brainchild of Ohio-based illustrator Jason Tharp, Ohiya is indeed a play on words driven to make art cultivate friendships. A little cheesy? Yeah, maybe. But Hello Kitty might have been considered cheesy too before it too over the fucking world. A complete line of young adult driven clothing and accessories has officially launched, but the coolest pieces are the art itself on canvas prints. Check out the entire line and all four of the canvas prints

$$$ OHIyaFriends.com

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pulling zero

punches Joanna Angel Tells It Like It Is By Ramon Gonzales

As a senior getting ready to graduate from college, the conversation went something like, “we should start a website, with titties and bands.” Well, at least that’s how it could’ve happened. For Joanna Angel, the business model wasn’t really developed, but the idea was genuine. She liked music and liked sex. A lot. What resulted from that night in Brooklyn could arguably called a stronghold on a porn market that has gone from niche, to undeniable. Embracing counter-culture casts complete with tattoos, piercings, and the kind of bravado to be different for sincere reasons, Burning Angel is now 10 websites deep and 10 years in the game – and a very real part of a 13 BILLION dollar a year industry. Accepted by mainstream media for her articulate presentation and championed for her candid approach to producing porn, Joanna Angel fucks on film for a living and doesn’t really care if you or Rick Santorum dig it. Everything we read and see ties you to the term, “alt” porn. Do you feel like that term is still applicable? What does “alt” even mean? The term is still applicable, I think people have a hard time categorizing what I do so that is the go to term to putting a label on the type of content I make. However, I think that “alt” porn is generally associated with adult movies that feature more tattooed/ hipster/ emo/goth/whatever you want to call them, type of girls and a community that surrounds it. Like the other sites in the “alt” category, BurningAngel has blogs, message boards, a chat room, band interviews, etc. People come there for

the community aspect of the site, in addition to just the content. I don’t think “alt porn” just means porn with girls with tattoos- it is a type of porn that reflects an alternative subculture that exists both on and offline. What was being a columnist for Spin like? Was there any reason you decided not to continue? I loved being a columnist for Spin! I had a lot of fun giving really ridiculous, and humorous sex advice. My advice was paired alongside advice from a doctor, and the dichotomy between our two responses was great. It was not my decision not to continue! There was a change of management at Spin magazine and they chose to discontinue the column for some reason. I didn’t really know why. At the time, I remember I knew it was over when I mysteriously vanished from the Spin magazine “top friends” on Myspace. I was extremely sad. Does it strike you as odd that journalist seem so quick to include that you are a college graduate when discussing your accolades in the adult film industry - like it’s some kind of anomaly... I don’t find it odd, and I am glad to be breaking some kind of stereotype. There are lots of people who went to college who are in porn, its just not made readily obvious to the consumer before a dick goes inside someone’s ass.And also, yes, I am a porn star. I have sex on camera, I have been in hundreds of porn movies, and have

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I knew it was over when I “ mysteriously vanished from the Spin

magazine “top friends” on Myspace. I was extremely sad.

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done extremely filthy things on camera. However, I own a company that is pretty successful and has been in business for almost 10 years, and employs other people. Most, not all, but most people who own companies the size of mine, did graduate college, and most people who own the bigger porn companies did graduate from college. If people took a step back and realized what I have accomplished, and what goes into all the aspects of what I do, I don’t think they would find it so strange that I have a degree. However, people see me with cocks in my mouth in a video on the internet and they are soooo shocked that I am not a complete idiot. It’s mildly insulting but, whatever. It’s the last thing someone needs to think about when they are trying to jerk off to one of my movies.

However, if someone can work past that, I do honestly think there are great benefits to boning me thanks to porn. First of all- just on a clinical health level, I get STD tests every few weeks. So I am like, way safer to have sex with than a random bar slut. Secondly, I take sex very seriously. It’s my job! I take pride on being good at it. Bad sex is like, offensive to me. I refuse to be a part of it. I have done so many different types of scenes, with so many different types of people it’s made me able to connect with lots of different people sexually and open to so many different things. I learn a lot of little tricks at work, and I get really excited to share them with someone in my personal life. So I can’t speak for everyone but, for myself, porn has definitely made me a lot better in bed, and more confident sexually.

Candid might be the best way to describe the majority of your productions. There seems to be a genuine passion for sex - porn with fake enthusiasm is bad for boners. Do you still get amped for scenes as much as you did when you first started? I always get extremely nervous and extremely excited before I do any scene. Since I do only work for myself- I’m not getting a paycheck at the end of every day- I am writing them... so I put a lot of extra pressure on myself for whatever I do to be amazing. It’s not just another day of work, it’s an investment. I actually get more excited and nervous now than I did when I first started because now I have a fan base and I know people will be watching it and I do care about what they think or how many times they can jerk off to my video. In my early days, I had no idea who was even going to see what I did so I didn’t put as much energy into my scenes as I do now.

You have never been shy about speaking your mind - what sucks about porn right now? What do you see that is a terrible trend that you wish would go away in porn? I just wish it wasn’t free everywhere. That’s all. There’s a lot of porn that is shot that I don’t personally like, but it doesn’t offend me. I make what I make, and other people make what they make and that’s what make the industry what it is. I just hate the piracy- that’s really the only thing I hate about porn!

The majority of the actors/actresses with BurningAngel seem to have sort of the same demeanor on film as you do. Coincidence or do you really make sure the people you work with are the people you enjoy having around? We are pretty particular about who we hire, so I think that has a lot to do with the positive energy we usually have on screen. If I have any inkling at all that someone is a total diva, or doing porn just to make quick cash and isn’t into the sex at all, I don’t hire them. We aren’t as much of a porn factory as the other companies are. We very much choose quality over quantity, our content library is smaller than others so, we keep a tight ship, and only let the real sluts into our little perverted family. Everyone brings their work home with them - to some degree. What kind of impact does fucking on camera have on your romantic life? It’s not easy to date people outside the industry, and have them be comfortable with what you do. I understood getting into this that it would make my love life a little complicated, and I was willing to accept that. I mean really, romance is complicated for people who work regular desk jobs or almost anyone for that matter. It’s impossible to find someone you can connect with and share a life with without their being any road bumps. One of my road bumps will always be, ‘hey, I get fucked on camera, and I need you to be cool with that.’

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You have made music a very integral part of BurningAngel - was this something that happened organically or was this marketing savvy on your end? It happened organically, and it has been that way ever since the site first started. When the idea of BurningAngel was first thrown around in the kitchen of the house I lived in my senior year of college, it was naked punk chicks, and band interviews. At the time I didn’t even know this had potential to be marketable, it was just something I wanted to do and I wanted to do it that way. Say the world really does end up crumbling come the end of 2012 - what can we expect BurningAngel to put out to celebrate? An orgy including every single girl and guy who has ever been on the website that takes place on the moon. Well, I guess the orgy could begin on the space shuttle that took us to the moon. There could be lots of foreplay there. That would be a good way to go out! If the world is ending, I’m going to the fucking moon and I’m taking all my girls with me! How important is it in this industry to have a sense of humor - people still talk about porn with such seriousness - you always seem to smile. How important is levity in porn? I mean, I enjoy comedy- and I enjoy creating comedy. Some people find the comedy in my porn distracting- and that bums me out but- fortunately, we do have plenty of un-funny scenes on BurningAngel, that basically just have a sexy tease and sex, or something along those lines. I think you can make a good porn without having comedy in it, and it can serve it’s purpose, but I personally have more fun with the intricate comedic scenarios that lead to sex. BurningAngel.com

Twitter- @joannaangel

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Full Contact

April showers =

PROper powders

Red Bull Plaza at Bear Mountain Goes Hard For Southern California Snowboarders By Ramon Gonzales Images by Tyler Gaines & Benedick David

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Let’s be honest, in terms of snowboarding, California, domestically, has the same rep your kid brother does. He’s cool, but… eh. Where skateboarding reigns supreme, snowboarding has resonated with the same crowd, but in terms of infrastructure, skateparks are like 7-11’s out here. Snowboarders don’t get that kind of love just yet. Until now. This season, the folks over at Bear Mountain teamed up with action sports’ biggest proponent in Red Bull to launch The Red Bull Plaza. A true to form skatepark on the mountain, the urban-esque sprawl has become a huge draw for boarders looking to take the street elements of skateboarding to the snow. With plans to continue building to the spread annually, the idea is to cultivate a skatepark that just needs the addition of snow each season. The initial impression however was nothing less than impressive as is. 13 different setups, 21 different features and the kind of environment that allows patrons to hang out and not have to worry about the lift or the gawkers at the base rushing you along. Among the 21 features - a 30’ marble ledge, two 20’ concrete rails, three ledges, two banks, a kink building wall, a building wall with a ledge attachment, four stair sets, two down rails, a bleacher box, planter ledge box and a down-flat-down ledge wall and a partridge in a pear tree. The spread is massive, wide open, and engineered with the maximum amount of shred in mind. Director of Marketing for Bear Mountain, explained the genesis of the project and how something like this is unique to Southern California snowboarding. ““In urban areas of the United States that receive snowfall, snowboarders and skiers are riding rails, stair sets and ledges and nailing tricks on features around their neighborhoods. Partnering with Red Bull, we sought together to bring this authentic experience to Southern California, providing guests with a creative urban environment to jib and just hang out in.” Situated just off the Chair 9 at Bear Mountain, the area really is an oasis for riders looking to get creative with their runs. With the kind of innovation Red Bull has become synonymous with among the action sports world, Southern California now has a prime destination among the snobs on snowboards. Peep the photos.

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Pierre Luc Gagnon Has Been One Of The Best for Over A Decade…No Big. By Ramon Gonzales

Among the major competitions annually, the dude is a staple. Maloof Money Cup, Dew Tour, X Games – he’s walked away from all of them with gold around his neck. At X Games, he’s done it seven times. Vert, street, pools, he does it all and manages to make it look like, well, nothing.The interesting dichotomy of PLG is that on the course or before he drops in, he is revered as one of the most consistent competitors, absolutely relentless. But his personality is cool as a cucumber – unphased. So much in fact that VH1 sent their cameras to follow him on a regular for the series, The X Life. Getting his first skateboard for his eighth birthday, the guy has never looked back. Since he was 16, PLG has been one of skateboarding’s most exciting riders period.As he gears up to go for the 3-peat in the Mega Mini for X Games Asia in Shanghai, Gagnon talks pressure, legacy, boxing, and how the Warped Tour get things started for him. First and foremost - explain what skateboarding in Shanghai is like. How does China take to skateboarding culture? Skateboarding is brand new in China. There is great street skating there and a lot of skaters go out there to film because there is so much to skate and not many skaters. Street skating in California, all the good spots have been blown up, but in China all the spots are wide open. Skateboarding is really starting to grow there though. They have the SMP Skatepark, which might be a little too advanced for the level of skating right now in China, but it’s still a great skatepark and hopefully they will get to that level soon. Estimated attendance records last year were upwards of 60,000 attendees. Do big crowds help you skate better or add to the pressure? It’s always great to have a big crowd there to support you and I don’t really get nervous in front of crowds. I just use it as motivation. I would be really nervous doing something I’m not comfortable with in front of a big crowd, but skating is what I do and that’s what I’m the best at so I’m really comfortable. You have earned Gold 7 times now at X Games. Is this another day at work for you? How do you charge up for something you have done so many times? Everything’s been positive lately and I feel good about my skating so I’ve just got to keep doing what I’ve been doing. It really helps to be in the middle of a winning streak because it builds up your confidence. A big part of that is that the other competitors know you’ve been winning every contest so you’re probably going to do it again. You’re expected to win in other people’s minds so it’s like they start right away just competing for second place. You’ve got to know how to use that to your advantage and also how to keep it fun because as soon as the fun goes away that’s when you start not doing so well. Where do you feel you rank in terms of skateboarding’s elite? You have been one of the most consistent names in competitive skateboarding for years now. Do you think about your legacy and what do you want it to be? To be honest, I don’t really think about that. I just try to better myself ever year and progress in skateboarding. I try learn new stuff and keep getting better and better and keep enjoying what I’m doing. I’m enjoying traveling the world and making a living skateboarding. I’m grateful to be in the

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position I am. There aren’t many people that get to do what they love for a living so now that I have that chance to do that, I’m going to do it the best that I can. A legacy isn’t really up to me, so I just do what I do the best that I can and that’s up to other people to critique what I do. Who are some of the skaters that are on your radar? What are some of the skaters you think are the next generation of elite? As far as street skating, Nyjah (Huston) has just been dominating and it’s unbelievable that he’s so young. It’s amazing that he’s so consistent at a young age and came through with such a good video. A few years ago, you were either a good contest skater or a good video skater and there weren’t that many guys that were good at crossing over. As far as Vert and Mega Ramp skating, Eliot Sloan is definitely getting really good. He’s really powerful and goes big. He did a Tail Grab 900 at the Maloof Money Cup last year and almost landed one at X Games. Mitchie Brusco’s been doing really well too. He’s definitely going to be really good if he keeps skating the way he is. With skateboarding becoming so rooted in American culture - do you feel like it has become too accessible? Has the sport lost some of the edge/danger that originally drew so many people to it? You can’t have everything. Now that’s skateboarding is more accessible it is helping pros to make a decent living at it. Now I can actually save a little money and not be living check-to-check. Now I don’t have to be stressed out that if I break something I’m going to have to get a day job in a couple of months. It might be a little more mainstream, but on the flipside, that’s helping a lot of people to actually focus on skateboarding a lot more because they can make a living from it. Even if skateboarding is mainstream, I’m not going to let anything dictate how I skate. I always try to be original and unique and if you’re doing that, it doesn’t matter if it’s mainstream. If you’re still keeping it real like when skateboarding was underground and you were broke then it’s the same thing except you have some money in your bank account and you can actually eat. Did the Warped Tour really play a part in you turning Pro? What’s that story? For sure. I grew up in Montreal, Canada. It was crazy when I came to California for the first time, way before Warped Tour. Every kid was sponsored. When I won the

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Warped Tour, I finally got sponsored by Vans and they gave me a travel budget that allowed me to travel from Canada and come out to California and to Europe to enter all those contests and that’s how I turned pro. If it wasn’t for Vans I wouldn’t have been able to do that on my own. I would have been stuck in Canada and no one would have gone out there to find me. With your roster of sponsors and professional obligations, do you still skate for fun? Is it difficult to skate as both a passion and for your paycheck? If it wasn’t fun, I would probably suck at it. It’s as simple as that. If you’re not having fun then it becomes and job. If you’re not having fun skating, even if it’s professionally, you should probably find something else. When skateboarding isn’t enjoyable for me, that’s the day I’m going to hang it up and try to figure out something else. I’m still having a lot of fun and there’s so many aspects of skating between Vert, pool, park, street, superpark. There’s so much you can skate that you can always reinvent yourself and try something new. You have delved into MMA - how has that kind of strength conditioning impacted your skate career? It’s more like boxing than MMA. It definitely makes skating a couple hours easy because it’s pretty hard physically to be boxing and getting hit. It’s definitely made me stronger and tougher. I enjoy doing it and it’s just another way to stay in good physical form and challenge myself in another way. I was getting really bored just going to the gym and doing the same old stuff. Boxing is a way for me to work out and have fun and challenge myself and stay in shape and it’s fun to learn something new. I’ve always been a fan of boxing and how those guys get ready for fights. You’ve said before that by the time you are 40, your skating career is pretty much done. What are the plans for you after skating has that ever crossed your mind? I really don’t know. As of right now I’m trying to save up money so I have something to either start my own business or invest in something or actually have a cushion to refigure out my life and not have to be rushed into something else. It’s definitely going to be a tough transition, but I want to keep skating for the rest of my life whether I’m making a living from it or not.

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Machine Gun Kelly Is Armed And Dangerous Words by Patrick Douglas

Egocentrism isn’t necessarily an abnormal trait when it comes to hip hop artists. When you spend all your time conveying a message by yourself and for yourself, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to worry too much about what others think of you. Richard Colson Baker is now known as Machine Gun Kelly after being given the nickname for his rapid-fire display of lyrics six years ago. “Obviously, I earned it,” he says. He has already conquered the industry and taken his vision to heights unseen by other wordsmiths who have climbed the ranks before him, at least in his own mind. He’ll tell you that he doesn’t care about the future or where his music is presented on TV or radio because he’s living for right now and right now is a stage surrounded by adoring fans. He doesn’t worry about how many records he’ll sell when his debut finally comes out because he’s already crowned himself the greatest of all-time. Forget having to forge a name for himself, the future is whack and he’ll fill in the blanks later. “Dude, I’m just living for the day. There is no goal. I just make music and we just enjoy every day, dude. Motherfuckers die every fucking day and they were probably thinking about the future too much and forgot what was going on in the present,” he said. “I’m not thinking of this shit while I’m on tour. I’m not out here thinking of what my album sales are gonna be or what the strategy was. I don’t give a fuck. I’m on a bus trying to focus on the next kids I’m about to see and make sure they get the best show they’ve ever fucking seen in their life. Because all I fucking know is this bus could roll the fuck over and that’d be it. I’m just trying to enjoy the fact for those two seconds while the bus is rolling thinking about how good of a day I had before. I don’t think about the future. I don’t give a fuck.” Having just released an EP to tease fans, MGK’s official Bad Boy/Interscope Records debut, “Lace Up,” is due this summer and the rapper calls it, “one of the greatest albums done in hip-hop.” The EP, “Half Naked & Almost Famous,” was curiously released in March even though the debut is slated to be released a few months later.The delay on the full-length doesn’t bother MGK because, as he puts it, his job is done and delays are out of his hands. “I’m on top of my job so my shit’s been done. I wrote my album before I was even signed. No one’s gonna hold my message back. You’ve got me fucked up with some suits. Some motherfuckin’ suits and ties aren’t gonna put a hold to ‘Lace Up,’ or anything that I’ve got coming out,” he said aggressively. The ride has come at MGK pretty quickly. It was just last year that he was discovered and signed by Diddy after spending a few years struggling to balance

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life and hip hop. It was a tough life for the 21-year-old growing up, living in nearly a dozen different places (including Egypt and Kuwait) and dealing with a broken home and disturbing school life. “My mom ditched on me at an early age when I was like nine,” recalled MGK. “My dad was so depressed over that shit that he just stayed in bed for probably the first three years of the divorce, so as a 10-, 11-, 12year-old I was raising myself. After that me and him just had beef with each other because he was never there during those years so we just kind of never really reconciled so he was never really that much a part of my life outside of when I came home. He was physically there but he was never emotionally there for me. I don’t know. Everything. I was getting locked up when I was young. Suspended, failing classes. It’s like the typical American youth fuck up story that describes me. Getting jumped all the fucking time. I had a big mouth. Writing checks my ass couldn’t cash.” When asked about his early love for hip hop, MGK simply says, “I didn’t choose it. It chose me.” Dealing with so many difficult situations, he found himself turning to lyrics as a way of coping with some heavy shit. “It’s amazing but it’s also rare because to go back and dig that deep but also you don’t wanna keep being repetitive,” said MGK of writing the perfect lyric. “You wanna talk about new things that are going on and sometimes life is great but on a lot of my best records, life is shitty, so I’ve gotta wait for some bad shit to happen. I write very few songs but the songs I do write have very deep meanings to them and they last forever. Even though I have fewer songs than a lot more artists, they’re more powerful than others. I really just treasure ‘em, dude. I don’t have a choice. When you have those rare records and shit, and they come at the perfect time, you kind of have to hold on to ‘em and wait for the right time and let ‘em go.” His single, “Invincible,” co-starred Ester Dean on vocals and was featured in a Verizon ad played just about every commercial break during the NFL season. In the commercial a guy strolls through an imploding city reminiscent of the one in “Inception,” as he obliviously listens to MGK on his phone. It’s part of the times in which we live. Gone are music videos, replaced by spots on commercials or

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tabbed as entrance music for wrestlers (“Invincible” was also used by wrestler John Cena). Despite it being a common way in which to display your music, MGK can’t be bothered with such trivial things. “I don’t even give a fuck how that shit is out, motherfucker. I’m here for the music. I’m not here to get on commercials and shit like that. I never asked for that shit,” he said. “Yeah, it feels awesome but I’m not in this shit to get fucking sponsors and all that shit. I don’t give a fuck about that. When that shit happens on its own, it’s beautiful but if it’s like I’m begging for it, that’s just whack, which I’m not.” Currently submersed in a wicked 90 cities in 99 days tour with Tech9, MGK is learning how to cope with the road as he goes and does a variety of things to loosen up before a gig. “We always say a prayer. If I can have sex before I go onstage, that’s ideal. Fucking whatever, dude. It doesn’t matter. Shots. Jack off, whatever. Just whatever’s random. Every day is different. I try to sober up, really. That’s the biggest thing with me,” he said. “I’m a really heavy drinker and a heavy smoker so that’s just not gonna fly on a 90-city tour. I’m not in a group either so it’s not like if my voice goes out, I have other people to hold me down. If my voice goes out, I’m the center of what goes on onstage. Fucking my people up.” His “people” and most passionate of fans are part of the Lace Up Movement but MGK isn’t about promoting it. If you’re a part of it, you get it. If you’re not, take a hike. “I’m not talking about the Lace Up Movement,” he said. “There’s no point, dude. Why would I talk about something that you can’t put in words? Words can’t describe how beautiful that movement is. My movement and Tech’s movement, it’s like two colts coming together. They seem to mesh really well and it’s like fucking mosh pits, boobs, tits, all that shit. Two of hip hops best performers in my opinion, on one stage.” Some might call MGK an egomaniacal asshole. It doesn’t matter because, in his mind, he’s already conquered you.

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bass & treble

digging a little

deeper

What You Probably Missed at SXSW 2012

By Ramon Gonzales

It is a bit convenient that this publication actually missed the press deadline to submit for credentials, but if you reference the last few years of coverage, this falls right in line. SXSW, for those of you that have been living under a fucking rock for any period of time, is essentially the music industry’s equivalent to a national convention. Complete with roundtable forums from executives, seminars from artists, management, publicists, etc., and showcase after showcase from artists from all over the globe – for anyone that has any level of professional interest in music, Austin, TX is a must make pilgrimage. In recent years however, there seems to have been a transition from the ethos of SXSW. Initially, the idea was to give emerging artists a platform to earn press buzz, management interest, to really gain some professional momentum for the thousands of industry tastemakers bouncing from venue to venue littered on or around 6th Street. What has been stealing headlines in the past few years from most of mainstream media has been these uber-exclusive parties. This year was no different, corporate sponsored shows from the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Jay-Z, and Eminem were undoubtedly the hottest ticket in Texas – which has left some people grumbling. Wasn’t this supposed to be about new artists looking for exposure? Wasn’t this supposed to be for people looking to find something new, fresh, dare we say it, maybe even different? Well lucky for you Skinnie wasn’t granted access to any of those big parties. We took the dive bar route through Austin, TX to find the artists that deserve to be discussed. Since the music generated electronically is all the rage, we also decided that 2012 should be devoted to rock music. Drums, strings, lungs – the good shit. Fueled on some of the best BBQ this nation has to offer and plenty of Lone Star tall cans – here is Skinnie’s 2012 guide to the shit you likely missed at SXSW while you were being a scenster waiting in line to see Jay-Z hock crass commercialism and ruin hip hop.

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DEATH BY STEREO Since 1998, Death By Stereo has called Epitaph, Indecision, and Serjical Strike Records home.Why does that matter? If ever anyone needed proof as to how diverse Death By Stereo has managed to be for the last decade plus, well there it is. Flirting with the technical prowess of metal music, the catharsis of hardcore music, and the social consciousness of punk rock, there are very few bands still relevant that can do what DBS does. Recently reaching a deal with Viking Funeral Records, the brainchild of Pennywise staple Fletcher Dragge, the band’s Black Sheep of The American Dream could easily be called the band’s seminal work. Anchored by the articulately aggressive guitars of Dan Palmer and the tongue in cheek persona of frontman Efrem Schulz, DBS is the band that understands, if you are gonna scream into a microphone, you should probably have a damn good reason. Far from the meathead take to heavy music, DBS crafts musically detailed angst that resonates with a crowd that has long been through the circle pits, and now expects more. There is a genuine reason Death By Stereo has remained a factor in the genre for well over a decade…Death for life. Deathbystereo.com

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CORROSION OF CONFORMITY Flashback to an unfortunate time in rock music history when big hair, contrived androgyny, and mandatory ballads for every “heavy” album reigned supreme. In 1985, the line up of Mike Dean, Woody Weatherman, and Reed Mullins released what would arguably be called on of heavy music’s most essential albums, in Animosity. North Carolina’s Corrosion of Conformity has endured a slue of roster changes over the band’s 30-plus years. The trio that was responsible for such an influential album came together to release a new self-titled record in February of 2012 that is by far one of the band’s heaviest in a very longtime. While the band did enjoy much more success under the Pepper Keenan era of COC, which was responsible for some of COC’s most polished, mass friendly work, the Southern stoner sludge of the Animosity line-up remains firmly in tact despite the long time lay off. Recording the new project in longtime COC fanatic Dave Grohl, the band managed to do more than channel a sense of nostalgia here. This isn’t Animosity 2. In fact, the heavy factor sort of gives way to an intricate take on Southern rock music that clearly embraces their Raleigh roots, without sounding too pretty. There is doom, there is dirge, there is thrash, and there is a fury whip in COC that is intrinsic. Even after 30 years and a rotating roster. COC.com

THE DROWNING MEN Superlatives aside, this Oceanside, CA. outfit leans more towards to folk end of rock music but manages to make their brand of musical dexterity insanely vivid. Almost ominous in the vein of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and loudly urgent much like some of the more boisterous Pixies’ stuff, The Drowning Men are poised to become one of music’s most sought after brands in that they do not fit any particular mold. Having toured successfully with the likes of Flogging Molly, Lucero, And The Airborne Toxic Event, their esthetic is that of rough and tumble dockworkers, complete with scruffy beards and salty dispositions, but their sound is a potent blend of sweeping crescendos and lyrical intuitiveness that will really resonate well with fans looking for something more than a catchy beat. From mandolin to keys, there is a healthy dose of unconventional at the root of the band that never comes off as forced. It’s simultaneously dark and hopeful, beautiful and maybe even a bit morbid. Above all else, it forces you to pay attention – no two ways about that. Soon to release their Borstal Beat Records’ debut helmed by Bill Mohler (Jon Brion, Macy Gray), expect to hear a concoction of songs are theatrical in their delivery and gimmick free throughout. TheDrowningMen.com

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CANCER BATS Canada might not be famous for cranking out the heaviest of bands, but Cancer Bats are giving good reason to make an argument all on their own. Although the band has resonated strongly among metalheads, they remain adamant about their admiration for the hardcore punk sound. Releasing their fourth studio effort, Dead Set On Living, propelled strongly by the punishing single “Old Blood”, the band, much like the previously featured bands here, take the high road in making aggressive music. Drawing a lot of inspiration for the new record from music that actually would not be considered heavy, the ability to steer listeners into dark places with a bit more of an articulate disposition ensures a record that never gets repetitive and never has to beat the listener over the head to pay attention. Heavy, Cancer Bats just are – they don’t aim to be that way and Dead Set On Living is probably the band’s best example of that. TeamDistort.com

TRASH TALK Unbridled release, period. Everything written about this Sacramento, CA hardcore collective focuses on one of a few things – their onstage explosion complete with unending stage dives, broken equipment, and crowd participation OR their intriguing crossover appeal. In fact, Gary, Indiana rapper Freddie Gibbs, after having made quite the splash himself in 2011, declared that Trash Talk was his favorite part about SXSW 2012. He is the bottom line. Aside from their minute long bursts called songs, their firm connection to skateboarding culture, and their ability to rally small armies during their live shows,Trash Talk genuinely does not care how they are received, especially if it means compromising who they project themselves to be. It is not about black or white, hip hop or punk, smoking weed or drinking 40oz. bottles of malt liquor, when Trash Talk steps onstage, it is fundamentally about releasing every bit of energy onstage to backing tracks that play out more like sonic assaults then hardcore songs. With Trash Talk, there is no formula and that is the beauty of it all. TrashTalkHC.com

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skinnie girls

heat wave in

autumn

Skinnie Girl Autumn Brockman Is Burning Up....

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4 Photographer Michael Vincent Director of Operations Tal-B Hair Ravi for toky crush wigs cosplaywigsusa.com Make Up Vanessa Haro Location Michael Vincent Studios: michaelvincent.com Venice Beach Los Angeles, CA.

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Meet

autumn Brockman So you spent some time growing up in Mexico? Tell us about that... I did! I come from a Spanish background. My mother had a taste for the Mexico life, so we moved there when I was growing up. We spent most of our time in Monterrey, Matamoros, and Chihuahua. How comfortable do you have to be with your sexuality to model for a living? A person would have to be pretty comfortable with their sexuality, otherwise, it would show in their photos. Are you voting Republican or Democrat for President this year? I’m for Republicans. I believe there are too many people taking advantage of the “ help” system that democrats try to enforce. The money that we make should be ours to keep. The government should only take what is needed. With freedom comes responsibility. individuals should take responsibility for their actions, and not blame society for committing crimes. I also believe, there can be a difference in opinions, such differences, should not result in enemies. What is something you can tell us about yourself that most people would never guess... People tend to perceive me as being just a model without brains. That’s not the case at all. I have my degree in Real Estate and Cosmetology. I’m currently working on my bachelor’s degree in Nursing and later getting my Masters as a Nurse Practitioner. I own my own business called HollyRock Designs, which caters to all my clients beauty needs, such as, makeup, hair and even wardrobe for models on photoshoots. As an actress - if you had a dream role, what would it be? My dream role would be portraying a sexy undercover FBI agent, that falls in love with a Columbian drug lord, and I would have to choose between my love or my job. What do you think about to feel sexy when the camera starts snapping? I think about the hottest sexual encounter that I last had. Since you began doing this as a career, what has been the most memorable photoshoot and why? My most memorable shoot would have to be with MV! We shot at Bare Pool in Vegas, for centerfold in FHM. It was an honor to be in FHM! autumnbrockman.com twitter.com/autumnbrockman facebook.com/1autumnbrockman

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SKINNIEScene

Bruno Mars @ The Playboy Mansion

INDEX

LOS ANGELES

LAS VEGAS

ORANGE COUNTY

SAN DIEGO

INLAND EMPIRE

p.042 Weekly Club Listings

p.044 Weekly Club Listings

p.046 Weekly Club Listings

p.048 Weekly Club Listings

p.050 Weekly Club Listings

Calendar Club Pictures

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 Chad Yanagisawa, John Pangilinan, Cameron Duddy

LA CALENDAR

04.11 Marilyn Manson @ Club Nokia

Bruno Mars @ Hugh @ The Playboy Mansion

The Viper Room

DBS Dan Palmer @ Viper Room

Death by Stereo @ Viper Room

Sanctiond @ Factory Place

Josh Barnett is Sanctiond @ Factory Place

Sanctiond @ Factory Place

04.13 Comeback Kid @ Key Club 04.16 Atari Teenage Riot @ The Echoplex 04.19 Dom Kennedy @ House of Blues 04.24 Mickey Avalon @ Viper Room

04.18 Justice @ Club Nokia 04.25 Behemoth @ House of Blues 04.27 Pepper @ Hollywood Park 04.30 Hurt @ Key Club 05.01 Coldplay @ Hollywood Bowl

04.28 Cypress Hill/Ice Cube @ Universal Amphitheatre 05.02 Coldplay @ Hollywood Bowl

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Los angeles | Skinniescene

mister cartoon’s sanctiond launch party

@ factory place

Images by John Pangilinan

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Las Vegas | Skinniescene

Photos Courtesy of Hyde Bellagio of Las Vegas

LV CALENDAR

Harland Williams @ Hyde Bellagio

Ghostbar Day Club @ Palms Pool

Hyde Bellagio

Ghostbar Day Club @ Palms Pool

04.13 The Shins @ The Cosmopolitan 04.11 Eddie Vedder/Glen Hansard @ The Pearl 04.11 Zeds Dead @ Hard Rock Cafe 04.13 Elton John @ The Coliseum At Caesar’s Palace 04.17 Machine Gun Kelly @ House of Blues

04.14 Madness @ House of Blues 04.18 Nero @ Surrender 04.19 Justice @ The Cosmopolitan 04.20 Chuck Ragan @ Aruba 04.21 Florence & The Machine @ The Cosmopolitan

04.27 Ditch Friday CRAZE @ The Palms 04.25 Mastodon @ House of Blues

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Las Vegas | Skinniescene

characters

Skinnie magazine’s 10th anniversary party @

ghostbar day club, the palms

Photos by Alan Rivera

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Orange county | Skinniescene

Photos Courtesy of Jeff Allen of EventVibe.com, Milus, Mitchell Hutchinson, Shauna Baharie

OC CALENDAR

04.10 Sepultura @ The Yost

Deezamn @ Musink

Zombie Wrecking Crew @ MUSINK

Yost

Getting Tattooed @ Musink

Musink

Yost

Top Honors @ Musink

Paul Oakenfold @ Sutra

SUTRA

Swanky @ Yost

04.11 Blood Orange @ Detroit Bar 04.16 Neon Indian @ The Observatory 04.20 Common Sense @ The Coach House 04.22 In Fear & Faith @ Chain Reaction

04.20 Berlin @ House of Blues 04.22 In Fear & Faith @ Chain Reaction 04.24 Ben Kweller @ The Coach House 04.26 Retox @ Alex’s Bar 04.27 Kittie @ City National Grove of Anaheim

04.29 Hardwell @ The Yost

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Orange county | Skinniescene

MUSInk tattoo convention & music festival

@ The OC fairgrounds

Images by Mitchell Hutchinson & Shauna Baharie

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san diego | Skinniescene

Photos Courtesy of Jeremy Wassink & Bobby Reyes of Eventvibe.com

SD CALENDAR

04.12 Zeds Dead @ 4th & B

Feathers @ FLUXX

Stay Classy San Diego @ FLUXX

House of Blues

Fever @ FLUXX

FLUXX

House of Blues

FLUXX

Hipsters @ House of Blues

Hotties @ House of Blues

04.13 Evidence @ The Cow Shed 04.15 Face To Face @ The Casbah 04.18 Buzzcocks @ Belly Up Tavern 04.24 Mana @ Valley View Casino Center

04.17 The Bronx @ Belly Up Tavern 04.26 VooDoo Glow Skulls @ Shakedown Bar 04.28 Ingrid Michaelson @ House of Blues 04.29 John McEuen @ Anthology 05.02 Dirty Ghosts @ Soda Bar

04.27 Incubus @ Open Sky Theater Harrah’s Rincon

05.04 Destruction @ Brick By Brick

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inland empire | Skinniescene

Photos Courtesy of Alan Rivera and Jason Anderson

IE CALENDAR

04.12 Battle For Warped Tour @ Marquee 15

Lingerie Bowl @ Citizens Business Bank Arena

McAlans

Ra Pour

Lingerie Bowl @ Citizens Business Bank Arena

McAlans

Ra Pour

McAlans

04.07 Paid Dues @ National Orange Show 04.12 Refused @ Glass House 04.16 Bon Iver @ Fox Theater Pomona 04.17 A$AP Rocky @ Glass House

04.14 Lee Rocker @ Glass House 04.18 Explosions In The Sky @ Glass House 04.21 The M Machine @ San Bernardino Fairgrounds 04.27 Gramatik @ Nocturnal Wonderland

04.19 Pulp @ Fox Theater Pomona 04.29 Screaming Females @ VLHS Warehouse

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inland empire | Skinniescene

MEZ Sports Presents

PANDEMONIUM VI

Photos by Alan Rivera

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