NIKE METALLIC WINDRUNNER 2008
Uffie -- Photographed by The Cobrasnake
STATUS WORKS OUT FOR EVERYBODY
It ain’t easy being free. The rise in price for all kinds of goods—that includes the fine paper you’re fondling and the crisp ink you’re eyeing—has turned out to be an endless bummer for us in this here magazine. And you do know STATUS was never cheap to begin with. It’s no cop-out when you’ve got to work out the time zones, getting globe-buzzin’ shutterbugs like MARK HUNTER (who shot now-cover electro-cutie UFFIE with her dog up there) and QUANG LE (who shot street wear big shot Jonas Bevacqua for our last issue) to answer your calls. Neither is stalking man of mogul means QUARK HENARES on set or trailing frequent-flying, don’t-give-a-flying-f*ck band THE DORQUES at some random rock bar in Makati. But no matter how much long-distance phone time we have to cover or how many hipsters end up spilling beer on us, we’re always hard at work over here. Just like all the people we’ve rounded up for this issue’s theme: “Status is a piece of work”. Workin’ our pages, we’ve got multi-occupational master, actor/restaurateur/DJ/mad Scientologist DANNY MASTERSON; nocturnal head-turner ROXY COTTONTAIL; and Fil-Am LANIE ALABANZA ringing our clothing bells with her rebel yell of a ladies’ label Hellz Bellz. And then there’s Vegas spin king, DJ AM, who, apart from packing clubs nightly, is worldly enough to indulge his third-world groupies with a few words of wisdom (flip to “Tune into AM” on page 38). In case you haven’t been news-fed lately, AM and ex-Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker survived a private plane crash—both seriously scorched ‘n’ scathed—in September. Less than a month later, he was back behind the decks, trading tracks with no less than rap royal Jay-Z. ‘Course, if there’s one thing AM’s worked into his mindset, as with all our other STATUS symbols, it’s that you gotta do what you gotta do. And like AM says, “take life one amazing day at a time.” Yours Perseveringly, pLo
contributors MICHI ANCHETA Michi is an accidental English Lit Major who likes making her own life-isms, sleeping on cold floors, and the smell of coffee and baked bread. She doesn’t like hugging but enjoys watching people do it in airports, bus stations, terminals and the like. She hates the beach but likes the sound of waves and being underwater (preferably in a bathtub). She is also afraid of Chips Ahoy! and believes that her soulmate’s name begins with J… or until Billy Crawford comes to his senses. Her greatest dream is to write a book about her family who will surely disown, sue, or murder her after said book’s publication.
Gino De La Paz A Jedi trend junkie, Gino’s worked as a newspaper columnist for half a decade. He’s also the resident fortune cookie and former lifestyle editor of Preview Magazine. With his highly sensitive sonar, he’s probably heard, seen, or known about the latest “it” thing an eon before you have. This is all done with Gino’s trademark De La Paz wit and gallant gab skills. Who else could invent traveling to third world slums as “poorism” or convince us that Nickelodeon Jr. shows like Yo Gabba Gabba were so cool?
TOM EPPERSON A photo phenom who can do no wrong—well, with regards to the slick pics you’ll beam your vision on—has “worked with everybody”, according to our Fashion Editor, Rosario. And everything, might we add—from landscapes in Mongolia to, well, snaps of Mara Reyes and Weewilldoodle for this issue. If he’s good enough for everybody, hell, he’s awesome enough for us.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paolo Lorenzana FASHION EDITOR Rosario Herrera ART DIRECTOR Revo Naval MARKETING DIRECTOR Mesh Villanueva EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Nicola M. Sebastian FASHION ASSISTANTS Josephine Reyes Jessa Lopez DESIGNERS Nicole Bianca Po Patrick Jamora
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Gino Dela Paz Anna Canlas Michi Ancheta Daryl Chang Hannah P J. Vincent Ong Sarah Jesri Wincy Ong Anine Vermeulen Vanna Lim Chiara Cui Romina Tobias Bea Garcia Jonty Cruz Lizette Lee Darwin Chiong Beverly Dalton
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Tom Epperson Nick St. James Emman Montalvan The Cobrasnake Revolution Carlo Bandoquillo Jason Quibilan
FINANCE Eva Ventura MARKETING STAFF Christopher Star PUBLISHER Whiz Kids Publishing
What’s your STATUS? We love to hear from you! Email us! whatsyourstatus@statusmagonline.com
It’s also available digitally at WWW.STATUSMAGONLINE.COM For advertising opportunities, please email STATUSMAGAZINE1@GMAIL.COM or MAGAZINESTATUS@GMAIL.COM Or call (02)8901708 / (02) 8956833 Status Magazine / Unit 3 / Ecoville / Metropolitan Avenue / Makati
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*all games and accessories are available for all consoles
STATUS ISSUE 04 ...is a piece of work
W
e needed a little tough love to bang this cover out. Good thing this pic’s taker, The Cobrasnake, could get a lil’ firecracker like Uffie (our cover chick if you’re impaired that way) under control. The mouse ears— she just had to grab ‘em from some poor little kid outside the studio. The Jeremy Scott bathing suit— ripped off some defenseless runway model. Oh, and if you see the barcode in the lower right corner, that means you can’t hoard copies of this issue like you used to (*cough* cheapass *cough*). Now that we cost something, we can at least pay for all the damages our cover star cost us.
STATUSPHERE x CHECKOUT COUNTER.................8 STATUSPHERE x REVIEWS.........................10 ABOUT FACE....................................13 GO-SEES.......................................16 SWAG BAGS..........................................20 HEELS.........................................22 SKATE DECKS...................................24 ANTI-WAR EXPLOSIVES...........................25 SNEAKERS......................................26 TEES .........................................28 JEANS.........................................30 TOYS..........................................31 MAESTRO DANNY MASTERSON...............................34 BLOODY BEETROOTS..............................36 DJAM..........................................38 The Dorques...................................40 Roxy Cottontail...............................42 Electrico.....................................43 MASTERMIND Todd Selby....................................44 We Will doodle............................... 48 QUANG LE..................................... 50 LE MESSIE.....................................55 MARK HUNTER...................................56 MARA REYES....................................60 NICK DIAMOND..................................62 HITMEN STEVE WILLIAMS................................65 QUARK HENARES.................................66 BEN BALLER ...................................68 WORKING GIRL UFFIE.........................................70 HELLZ BELLZ’ LANIE............................76 NIGHT VISION..................................78 TRANSACTION...................................82 RIGHT RIDER x PILAR OREEL.....................88 SUCCESS PRINCIPLES [FOR TEENS]...............100
correction: in the third issue, there’s only one Anna Canlas from the writers; and it’s Simone Heng not Simeone Heng.
STATUSPHERE
TURO-TURO AT ITS FINEST
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ubtract the usual angsty manangs, faint smell of insecticide, and indecent meal presentation from your college cafeteria or office building canteen, and you’ve got a place like Petra & Pilar. Leading the way in turo-turo dining, this high-style carinderia deceives us with its poshlooking edifice along Pasong Tamo. Katrina PonceEnrile, the visionary behind P&P, was inspired to unearth her grandmothers’ recipes and recreate them; a daily dish rotation that’s a mix of savory Ilocano cooking learned from the PonceEnrile matriarch, Petra, and the extravagantly rich flavors of proper Spanish grub from the Castaner matriarch, Pilar. “There are many places to eat that offer high-end food with a high-end price tag. I wanted a very affordable place, short of a turo-turo but three or four notches in the aspect of quality,” says Katrina. Other than their turo-turo corner, Petra
& Pilar also houses a delicatessen shop: Delimondo. From deli meats to marinades, and even bottled milk chocolate and fondue, it’s a line of cheaper-by-the-convenientserving-size gourmet food products. And while you’ll only need to drop P50-P190 over here, expect more than the common Pinakbet or Adobo. Each dish in this socalled carinderia is made with full-blown flavors and spice. At least now, you can enjoy that bottle of beer without worrying about the menopausal manang coming your way to confiscate it.
Petra & Pilar is open from 7am-10pm from Mondays to Fridays. Ground Floor, JAKA Center Building, Export Ave. corner Pasong Tamo, Makati City. - Beverly Dalton
CLAE BOY W e’ve seen enough sneaker collabs, colorways, and limited drops these past few years to fill the bloggers’ junkyard. So it’s about time that California-based
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IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE SALON!? D on’t know who Shunji Matsuo is? Listen up and listen good. This worldrenowned hairstylist has just opened up a salon right here in manic Manila with Dr. Boy Vasquez, owner of the elegant café Juanita. Shunji’s worked on the tresses of Cindy Crawford, Uma Thurman and Cher, to name a few. He has also created artistic and original styles for magazine covers like Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. Not to mention that his work has graced the runways of Yohji Yamamoto, Oscar de la Renta, Gaultier…yeah, you get the picture. So now you’re thinking: ‘Where does the Doc fit into all of this?’ Dr. Vasquez has decided to dip those hyperdexterous fingers into the salon industry. Describing himself as the “Imelda of the beauty business”, Dr. Vasquez’ more-is-more approach to the salon’s interior emulates his overthe-top approach to life and the beauty industry in general.
Clae entered the scene, and unlike the other independent footwear labels, its’ designs are here to stay. Clae is the brainchild of Sung Choi, who has done design time for Lakai footwear and DC shoes. Tired of seeing the sneaker trends come and go, he envisioned the next level of the lifestyle shoe—something timeless yet modern. You know, something we’d still want to wear after the hype has died down. With classic silhouettes, subtle details,
The salon’s interior is a shifting art installation that reflects the doctor’s mood and ideas. Brass cranes, Japanese and Thai umbrellas, colorful carpets and a smorgasbord of modern and vintage collectibles epitomize the ebb and flow of this grand and ostentatious hair space. Behind the experience of beauty and style is a science—the Shunji Matsuo technique. It’s a special system and method that stylists go through, spearheaded by William Wong, Shunji’s International Director. So now you know that whether you’re getting a perm, cut, or dye, you’re getting nothing but the best: the Shunji experience.
Shunji Matsuo Hair Studio is located at 17 West Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City with tel. 631-9424. - Anine Vermeulen
and a few bright colors that pop, Clae keeps its focus on both design and comfort. It’s a simple and versatile shoe to wear for any occasion (the country club to nightclub works), and it’s the best pick for the guy who has great taste but doesn’t feel like he’s got to flash it. No hype, just style done right.
- Hannah P.
STATUSPHERE
WAX ON, NOT OFF P
eople are staring so don’t be surprised. The Miss Wax jewelry line has that effect. With cigarettes, lipsticks, and ghetto blasters dangling from your ears, not to mention Polaroid cameras hanging from your neck, you definitely deserve a double take. Launched in 2006 by Kylee Fauss, the line is set to reilluminate the jewelry scene. Besides, the ladies needed something new, and that’s exactly what Miss Wax is giving them. “Influenced by our hiphop heroes, trends and pop culture of the 1980’s, and the straight love for street art,” Miss Wax is original
and unpretentious; its line bringing back the forgotten spirit of the streets. Nonconformity and a respect for the “musicians, artists, and leaders for a positive tomorrow” are beliefs reflected in their designs. So far, the brand has kickstarted collabs with women’s streetwear label Hellz Bellz and graffiti artist Retna. Thus, turning visual art into wearable accessories. To the girl who is outspoken, rebellious, and creative...this bling’s for you. -Hannah P.
HIGH FLYING HAWK
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SHOW ME YOUR T.I.T.S.
efore you go and file any sexual harassment lawsuits, T.I.T.S. is an acronym for Two in The Shirt, a smokin’-hot new company that’s set to take the fashion scene to a whole other level. The wonderful people at T.I.T.S. believe that a woman’s body is truly a work of art, and what better way to showcase a masterpiece than to show it off on nearly every piece of clothing that they design? Nude or scantily clad ladies frequently adorn their tees in what Two in The Shirt likes to think of as provocative (but tasteful) fashion. Sexy and attention-grabbing for sure, but no sloppy spread-eagles
awk. And we aren’t talking about Tony. Located in out-of-this-world Harajuku, this store is one third of a trinity of Hawk specialty stores, with the other two keeping Shibuya and Shinjuku peeps happy. Hawk’s stores focus on snowboarding, surfing and skating. This store, in particular, is for everything skate. With cred-carrying labels like Four star, Chocolate, Girl, Diamond Supply, Plan B, Uniful, Enjoi and DGK packing its shelves, skaters are on their way to a good treasure hunt. Hawk sells everything you’ll need to make an outfit fly: t-shirts, denim, bags, hoodies, hats and belts. For shoes, however, we’re afraid you’re going to have to stick to the only available
choice, Lakai. Then again, who’d complain about having a shoe created by legendary skaters Mike Carroll and Rick Howard? In case you broke a few skate parts in an attempt to mimic a trick you’d caught on YouTube, Hawk can be your go-to place to stock-up. YouTube can’t match up to the selection of Hawk’s skate videos on DVD, though, so you might as well get your balls-out footage over here. See, we told you they had everything.
Harajuku, Tokyo 150-0001 Hawk Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 4-26-28 Open: 11:00- 20:30 - Hannah P.
here. Believe what you might, but T.I.T.S. is set on keeping it classy. Everyone can grab ‘em some T.I.T.S now with the fall/ winter 08 line releasing pieces for both genders. It’s slowly becoming a surprise hit with celebs like “Sexy Can I” Ray J, and even the hot, hot ladies of the Diddy-born girl group Danity Kane are among those who have been spotted out in T.I.T.S. designs. Lust-worthy shirts on gorgeous women? Now if that isn’t art, we don’t know what is. - Vanna Lim
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DJ Mars Miranda
MUSIC REVIEWS
STATUSPHERE
Groove Armada – Soundboy Rock “The Girls Say” (2007) Mars says: “One of the catchiest tracks I’ve heard in the past few years. The track combines the old school style of rapping with the current electronic sound of the UK. It’s a good break from all the current commercial releases since the track has a fun sound and a good vibe.” Jose Nunez – Bilingual “Bilingual” (2003/4?) Mars says: “A friend of mine made me listen to this song; she said it was the sexiest song ever... she was right! The lyrics will make you want to do bad things. She says this is recommended listening for the drive home when you’re with someone. I agree!” Raphael Saadiq – Love That Girl “Love That Girl” (2008) Mars says: “I’ve always loved the old soul/Motown sound, and Raphael Saadiq brings it back on this track. I always thought that he has one of the best voices out there and that’s what makes this track so smooth. Listen to this track ten years from now and it’ll probably sound just as good.” Pizzicato Five – Made In USA “Baby Love Child” (1994)
Mars says: “This is one song that never fails to make me feel relaxed, regardless of what mood I’m in. I’ve been listening to this track for years and I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it. It’s just sad ‘cause they don’t make songs like this anymore.”
Diego Mapa (vocalist – Pedicab)
Hillary Isaac (DJ, Jam 88.3
Architecture in Helsinki – In Case We Die “Do The Whirlwind” Hillary says: “They are an Australian musical collective. Their music makes use of a wide range of instruments, from more novel instruments such as analog synthesizers, glockenspiel, handclaps, tuba, clarinet, recorder. They’ve got a very unique and distinct sound that’s resonant of Swedish synth-pop.” Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head – Glistening Pleasure “Sophisticated Side Ponytail” Hillary says: “You gotta admit, the title and the group’s name really does catch attention. I came across the music video to this song months ago and I couldn’t get over the whole 80’s feel to it. Talk about a catchy rock/dance tune that your boyfriend won’t have to be embarrassed about being caught dancing to ;)” Au Revoir Simone – The Birds of Music “Stars” Hillary says: “Think Peter, Bjorn and John-meets-Stars-meets new wave group Altered Images. This is off the second album of the Brooklyn-based indie pop trio named Au Revoir Simone. Catchy tune, and easy recall.” Young Knives – Superabundance “Turn Tail” Hillary says: “A rock tune from English geek rock band, Young Knives. The opening strings in the intro somehow remind me of the late ‘80s anime cartoons they used to show on local TV—something like Voltes V almost. The vocal work is beautifully mixed and it’s got pretty sweet guitar riffs.”
MGMT – Oracular Spectacular “Time To Pretend”
Thieves Like Us – Play Music “Drugs In My Body”
Diego says: “This is a fairly new band, I discovered them through their other single “Electric Feel”. I love their mystic paganism look. There was a time I became very obsessed with this song. I’ll play this in a party when everybody is wasted and already opening up.”
Diego says: “Discovered this from a DJ friend, it’s the only song I remember from them though. Most of their other stuff sounds more IDM than dance. This song’s still kicking my butt.”
Erlend Oye – “Sudden Rush” (The Twelves Remix) Diego says: “I like whatever Erlend Oye does and this remix is funky. A lot of The Twelves’ stuff is also good.”
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Musique – Keep On Jumpin’ “Keep On Jumpin’” Diego says: “I went back to a lot of not-so-obscure ‘70s disco for a while. Musique is a studio band like Lipps Inc. (“Funkytown”) Play this alongside the electro stuff today; you’ll still be on the right track.”
Director’s Cut:
Hal Hartley’s Amateur Review by Quark Henares
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n abusive pornographer who gets amnesia; an exnun who leaves the convent because she realizes she’s a nymphomaniac (even though she’s a virgin); an ex-pornstar-turnedspy; a violently maniacal accountant; two goons who would rather argue about cellphone models than kill people—these are the characters of Amateur, a noirish nearcomedy about redemption and murder. Released in 1994, right smack in the middle of the indie film boom in the year that brought us classics like Pulp Fiction, Clerks and Safe, Amateur went by hardly noticed by audiences, with a small but loyal critical following. I
SUB-CULTURE:
Holidazed and Confused
MOVIE REVIEWS
STATUSPHERE
saw it when I was 14 years old, though, and I couldn’t fathom how people could even think of making such a quirky, absurd movie like this. It was one of the more influential movies in my life that made me want to make film, and more importantly it was also crucial in making me a film fan. Amateur was written and directed by Hal Hartley, one of my favorite directors of all time. What’s striking about Hartley’s work is that it’s impulsive and absurd, but when all is said and done it’s totally heartfelt and honest. Oh, and it also has Parker Posey in a small role. And Parker Posey is always a good thing.
DiBiDi Pick:
Boy A W
hat if you faced a whole life ahead of you already bearing the tag “murderer” on your record? A child gets put away for murdering another kid; years later he emerges from prison a young man, anxiously hoping to reenter and belong to the outside world. With the help of his selfless caseworker (Peter Mullan), he assumes a new identity as Jack Burridge (Andrew Garfield), and possibly even, a new life. But how long can you run away from your past before it catches up with you? And when it
does, what hope is there for redemption and acceptance? Directed by John Crowley, Boy A tests the stretch on the concept of the second chance on the most horrifying and baffling of criminals: the child. With Garfield’s stellar performance, it’s impossible to feel anything but sympathy and a feeble hope for a happy ending to all this tragedy. With salvation a doubtful “maybe” and its alternative a punishment far worse than any prison sentence, maybe it would’ve been better if Jack had never left his cell.
It’s going to be cold out this season what with the economic meltdown and all. Too bad the hipsters turned the Palestinian scarves into something SM would be selling by bulk right about now. There are many ways to keep warm, though, even if New York’s stockbrokers have turned into Wall Street urchins and the only gas you can afford is what comes out of your own ass (all that hunger-induced acidity tends to do that). But STATUS is all about the laugh of luxury. With this new section SUB-CULTURE, we’ll try our darnedest to keep you warm with this hot cup of cultural caca. Merry Crisis-mas everybody!
STATUS STOCKS UP (3) - Girl-on-Girl Power: There’s a gay hike going on, and lezzie love is in the air. Ellen-Porcia, SamLindsey—we’re giving the finger to these power dykes. The thumbs-up, we mean. - Smells Like Teen Pregnancy!: Whether you’re literally the daughter of Republican convention (Bristol Palin), or the second act to left-wing, spread-eagled poptart-dom (Jamie-Lynn), getting knocked up has been bumped up to ubiquity. Oh baby, baby? - Econo-Me? Econo-Yes!: Excess is so out. Downward mobility is in. Poor-foods, hobo haute couture, D.I.Y another day, and cars that run on cooking oil—there’s class in recession and scrimpin’ equals big pimpin’. PLATEAU (3) - Counterfeit Culture: We’re a nation of imitation. When your national mentality is colonial and your national export is the dibidi, it’s only natural that what’s locally viewed might spark a little déjà vu. Who knows, maybe Betty La Fea or that charming rendition of “Apple Bottom Jeans” (I believe it goes, “Mansones pantalon…”) will do a one-up on their international better halves. - Global Lukewarming: Not so hot a topic anymore huh? Gore’s become a bore and so has his… uncomfortable (?) truth thingy. But damn, those cute polar bears…aww-kward! - Honk if you’re Horny: So I guess we’ll always be catching the meat specials along EDSA. You know, Dingdong’s ding dong, the Folded and Hung dude, or some hot new Bench boo-tay. At least when
Typhoon Bunjing hits, the last thing you’ll see before the steel pylons crush you will be Kris Aquino’s airbrushed ass. DOWN (8) - Family Damning: So the Church is still hot on condomnation. Great for the masses, mas ma-sarap the feeling. Just the way Jamie-Lynn and Bristol like it (see above). - VJ (Video-Joke): With high-def video streaming, the video jock is as useful as a Segway. Nowadays, we don’t need no TV segue to getting our AV fix. - KC naman…: For the first time, you’ve sort of screwed it up. Someone with an album, a huge advantage, and a good pair of genes doesn’t need to play the ‘Chard card. - Coke Zero: Piso for your powder? Nada. Economy low? No more blow. - Close the shutters: The cool factor of those Kanye West-endorsed shutter shades has now gone South. You know something’s gone around the trend bend when it’s sold in Greenhills. - Cansei De Ser Sexy: The Brazilian invasion has turned into one hot mess. Brazilians who actually model here rather than treat Manila as their eternal Mardi Gras are becoming extinct. - Maid to (Not) Order: Tightening up that belt might entail learning how to wipe your own ass. Maybe you’ll pick up a little something about self-sufficiency, but your little dark native will still be out of a job. Yaya, you’re such a loser. - The World: Global financial crisis + global warming + Mayan Prophecy = Apocalypse soon.
for more sub-culture: holidazed and confused check out statusmagonline.com/subculture -- www.statusmagonline.com - 11
STATUSPHERE
BOOK REVIEWS
Candy Everybody Wants by Josh Kilmer-Purcell
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Downtown Owl by Chuck Klosterman
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rom the guy who’s always got something to say about everything pop culture, comes a debut novel about a place so removed from anything pop, there isn’t even cable, there never was punk, and the only movie theater is closing down. Owl, North Dakota, is a town you escape before it’s too late to leave. A newspaper clipping gets the story started, reporting a super blizzard that rages through Owl, leaving about a dozen dead and more wounded. Downtown Owl then presses rewind to see if pre-apocalypse Owl was anything worth mourning. We meet three strangers (well, as strange as someone can be in a town with roughly 850 people in it). There’s Mitch, the anti-rock’n’roll
football jock who spends his time dissecting theoretical fistfights between two of his teammates. Julia is new in town, a twentysomething teacher who finds she prefers the town bar over the classroom. Then we have Horace, an old widower who drinks the coffee shop dry, gabbing on about Owl’s history and the heroes in it. And no, they never meet or change each other’s lives— or their own, for that matter. Delivered in true Chuck Klosterman fashion, the sameness of Owl’s days become as compelling as an epic blockbuster, and the smallness of these three lives that unfold—and get erased—present us with only the biggest concern of all: the regular human being.
Graphic Novel: The Alcoholic Written by Jonathan Ames, Illustrated by Dean Haspiel
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ogue novelist Jonathan Ames pops his graphicnovel cherry with a dark but engaging book about one man’s nosedive into the bottom of a bottle—and all the inebriated mishaps that find him along the way. Jonathan A. is a confused man and
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ow do you top a successful autobiography as a drag queen named Aqua, whose breasts are fish bowls filled with live swimming goldfish? You write the autobiography that never was. Josh Kilmer’s Candy Everybody Wants is more sour and salty lickerish than sweet licorice. It’s queer, and not just because the 15 yearold Jayson Blocher is gay but because the book is prone to shifting moods. Wasting no time, the start itself is hard to swallow; there’s Jayson, an early ‘80s Jerry Springer trailer-trash version of a Dawson’s Creek character, who writes and stars in his own homemade soap, Dallasty!. The story moves all too soon—his mother tiring of her scandalicious son and shipping him off to his father (who runs a gay escort service)—to the gay celeb-wannabe scene of New York and then L.A. where it transforms into an Iggby Goes Down plot that is gutter-like yet endearing. After a couple of absurdly
hilarious turns for the worse, it finally plateaus to a serious Rent-like drama with gay cancer lingering on—for a while, before continuing with its twists and cliffhangers. Candy goes on OD-ing on OTT until it suddenly ends—in homage to the early ‘80s sitcoms that Kilmer-Purcell grew up watching. It never becomes real, as Jayson points out that reality TV hasn’t been invented yet. Despite the gag-inducing homotones of the story, Candy is poignant because it points out that kids from the ‘80s and onwards are all a little bit queer because we cope with the world through TV, searching for shared experiences and solace in sitcom scripts by quoting them left and right. This is what salvages Candy Everybody Wants from being another gay teen book or another ‘80s name-dropping novel, instead emerging as an original star.
seriously deflated writer. Adding to his professional letdowns is a “love” of his life that’s just not into him, sending him down a road many males know all too well. But what could just be a gloomy, cautionary tale comes alive with the stark, emotional illustrations of Dean Haspiel, whose nottoo-subtle imagery lends a bleak and black sense of comedy, as only a drawing of a man waking up in a rubbish bin filled with his own vomit can. Although Ames bombards the protagonist with so many issues—from homoerotic tendencies to a bad case of gas—you’d suspect him of sadism (or mascochism, if the “A”
in “Jonathan A.” is more than just coincidence), The Alcoholic comes uncomfortably close to life in all its disappointing glory. At the end of the day, more than a fictional character to condemn, pity, or laugh at, Jonathan A. is the perennial story of many urban lives: the story of alienation, emptiness, as well all the other lovely types of existential angst— and the self-medication of those afflicted through alcohol. If you’re looking for something with tights, maybe a flowing cape or two, perhaps something more Marvel-ous is up your alley. But if not, bottoms up.
- J. Vincent Ong
- Jonathan Ames
Lip Gloss (not the TV show)
elixir of life for skin
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ancome Juicy Tubes will unleash the diva in you. In tribute to the most magnificent divas, Lancome named the glosses Red Gilda and Sparkling Ava for their two new exclusive shades. These juicylicious lip glosses will guarantee to make your kissable lips oh-so-delicious. Let your lips match your day. Shiny lips for a bright day or vibrant hot red for a night of romance. Show your luscious divalicious pout or you are out!
Shining, shimmering, splendid lips just like that of a princess. No need for a magical carpet for you to live the fairy tale. Charm your Prince Charming with this new glistening collection by Lancome. And the magic begins with just flick across your lips and turn all frogs into hunkilicious Princes with washboard abs. Okay maybe that is too much of a fantasy but you get the picture, right? Be a diva, be a princess, be whatever you want to be. - Christopher Star
doll’s face should never become a dull face. Revitalize your skin with some TLC - Toner, Lotion and Cleanser from Kiehl’s that is! Suitable for all skin types, no more excuses on depriving your skin from the TLC it deserves. Cleanse, tone and moisturize your battered skin with Kiehl’s Yerba Maté tea skincare collection. Kiehl’s Yerba Maté formulas have a unique combination of Kombucha Tea, Lemon Fruit Extract and Honey that are good food for the skin. The nutrient-packed ingredients help maintain a healthy, youthful skin vivacity. Beauty junkies would be happy to know that this product is zero junk and packed with 24 vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. Lines are for notebooks so minimize the first signs of it. Yerba Maté herb is a remarkable
gift of nature that will let you see results in days and enjoy effects forever. Nourish your skin and add these products to your daily regimen.
CELLULAR-YOUTH CREATOR
It was a sevenyear itch that the skin scientists over at L’Oreal Paris had to scratch. But after such a period of research to develop an active ingredient like Pro-XylaneTM, a beech wood tree-derived molecule that sows seeds of firmness and regeneration onto your skin, it was all worth having a product that can truly save face.
Keeping great face value is all about watering your epidermis, and the L’Oreal Paris Derma Genesis line ensures that your skin gets enough hydrotherapy by packing it with an unprecedented combination
of active ingredients Pro-XylaneTM and Hyaluronic Acid. Pro-XylaneTM allows for Hyaluronic Acid, a powerful skin moisturizer and replumper known by dermatologists, to cling on to those skin cells just so they’ve got enough H2O running through them. This helps create new cells so your skin looks and feels younger. The Derma Genesis line currently includes six products that help nurture skin cells at the top skin layer so you look as young as you can be. With L’Oreal’s Derma Genesis anti-ageing line, we may have found our fountain of youth.
www.statusmagonline.com - 13
statusphere
ome on, admit it. How C fun is it to take aim at your best buddy’s head,
pull the trigger, and watch the paintball go “splat!” all over his face? Yeah, we know. And the guys at FORREST BREAKER INTERNATIONAL know it too. Sometimes even the most kick-ass, realer-thanreal graphics and the ultimate motion-sensing, jet-packed, A.I.-capable, ergonomically kick-ass game controller just don’t cut it when it comes to war games. Sometimes you need the weight of metal in your hands, the smell of mud underneath your combat boots, the thrill of running through the bush in pursuit of your target, and the satisfaction of firing a shot that makes its mark with a solid splat. And that’s why paintball still hits the spot for kids—and the kiddie-minded—everywhere. Started in the seventies by a stock trader and a S.W.A.T. officer, in an attempt to relive their buffalo-hunting days in Africa, paintball’s all about the thrill of the hunt. Except that what’s taken the place of the poor, unsuspecting herbivore is your poor, unsuspecting buddy. Have any unresolved arguments? A beef with your best mate maybe? Your cousin Gino pissing you off? Take it onto the paintball
Fight
field. Words are overrated anyway. And with Forrest Breaker International’s sprawling 10,035 square meters of play area, you’re sure to have all the space you need to blow off some of that steam. Named after Gen. Nathan B. Forrest, who led the Confederate troops in the Civil war battle at Northeast Mississippi, on July 14, 1864, you’ll probably feel a bit of the old man’s combative spirit when you enter FBI’s grounds. Located in Batangas, an easy two-hour drive from Manila, FBI stays true to the core of paintball by keeping it wild. Gamers hunt each other in a forested field so lush with vegetation, you can almost hear the monkeys chattering. Break off into teams and go into full Apocalypse Now!mode, making up as many hand signals or bird calls as you damn like, or go solo, manon-man, with no one to look out for but yourself, where the fighting don’t stop ‘til the final paintball is fired. It’s up to you. Because in paintball, no computer geek is programming the rules and no gaming company is dictating the play—it’s your game, and your rules. Of course, FBI’s has rules that you actually have to follow, like wearing your goggles, firing from a certain distance, etc., but that’s just so the play
doesn’t turn ugly. You’d think after thousands of years of civilisation, people would be too cultured to indulge in the savage joys of the hunt, or at least wouldn’t want to get their hands dirty with a game like paintball. But at the end of the day, as digital and enlightened as man may get, he still likes to run around, mess about, and shoot a pal or two with a paintball. Maybe it’s because the urban jungle we now live in and bustle about from one appointment to another can get too overwhelming at times. Maybe we feel an irresistible need to return to the real jungle, where the business of the day is simple: kill or be killed. And while a few paint stains and the odd bruise is about the most extreme the savagery will ever get in paintball, somehow it feels kinda good to crawl through the bushes in full combat gear, your eyes two little slits of fierce concentration as you take aim at your “enemy’s” unguarded back, laughing as you go in for the “kill”. Splat.
14 - www.statusmagonline.com -- for more info about Forrest Breaker International visit www.fbiphilippines.com
WWW.FRESHJIVE.COM/WORLD_PROBLEMS.PHP
16 - www.statusmagonline.com
Student
Alyssa
Student
Julius
Victor
Student
Ravenna
18
Model / VJ
Director
Adrian
Amanda
Promoter Student
Photographer Student
Melvin 20
Iron Chef
kai Biancadoo
Marketing Officer
Michael 25
Fashion Designer / Editor Artist
Samantha 20
Kiko
Kato 23
ick Ja po and Patr by Nikkie
Student
Evidences
Tollo
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Pornstar
Christopher 17
Glenn Mark 19
Rupert Student
Store Manager
Che
Student
Charles 20
Charles
Grame 23
Ronald
Student / Dancer
Skater
Nuclear Scientist
Photographer / Stylist
Akio 17
BJ 20
Designer
Ben
Model
Model
Chanel 18
Mira
Student
NJay 20
Student
Dee 18
Pornstar
Kevyn 35
What’s your Status? +Online Gosees
GO-SEES
Send them Go-sees photos to gosees@statusmagonline.com
for more go-see photos check out statusmagonline.com/gosee -- www.statusmagonline.com - 17
W
here were you during Elvis’ first swagger or when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon, or when Pac-Man and Space Ivaders were the musthave video games? What was your favorite outfit to wear during drivein movie dates or to warehouse parties? PUMA has been around for all of these events and wants to celebrate this rich history from the last six decades by launching a collection inspired by iconic PUMA styles from the 1940’s thru to the 1990’s. Founded by Rudolf Dassler in 1948 with the first football boot in 1948, the ‘ATOM PUMA’ set out and continues topush the boundaries and fuse together sport and lifestyle in everything it touches. Many world-class athletes have worn PUMA. Heinz Fütterer captured the world record in the 100 meter in Japan in 1954 while wearing PUMA running shoes. In the Summer Games of 1968, sprinter Tommie Smith, famous for his BlackPower salute, wore The Suede. The ‘PUMA KING’ was the preferred shoe of world-renowned football superstar, Pélé when he led Brazil to win the World Cup in 1970. During the tennis craze of the 70’s & 80’s, Guillermo Vilas wore only PUMA during his playboy days of the 1970’sand during his win of the 1977 French Open. Boris Becker won the Wimbledon Tournament wearing PUMA.
I am 60 Collection The 1940’s-50’s collection features the Dassler logo on sportswear shapes, silhouettes and fabric trims. Highlights of the collection include the 40’s Graphic Tee, 40’s Winner Tee, Artikel 61, Rennschuh and the Grip Bag - all reintroductions of the classic PUMA designs thatstarted the sportlifestyle legacy. The 1960’s-70’s collection is inspired by the T7, PUMA’s first track jacket. Trackjackets, tees accessories and footwear in this collection all have the well-known ‘Number One’ logo, which first appeared on the T7 track suit. The beloved Roma 68, Easy Rider and the Clyde, three iconic footwear silhouettes, which are still in fashion today, are the standouts from this decade. Breakthroughs in technology and bright, bold colors are the theme for the 1980’s-90’s collection. Bright logos and color blocking can be seen in the apparel selection reminiscent of 1980’s-90’s fashion. The Unlimited Hi, a high-top shoe with the flavor of the 90’s, are brought back and updated in celebration of PUMA’s 60 years of history.
18 - www.statusmagonline.com
PUMA is available at Bonifacio High Street, Glorietta 4, Festival Supermall Alabang, Trinoma, Limketkai Mall Cagayan de Oro, Gaisano Mall of Davao, Robinsons Place Bacolod
SCA
Th ar ese ur e f r ba or ep ti n wi sli le ld th -i er er ns ne in pi ss g re d in thr b a o st ug gs yl h e. th e
LE
TH E
CIT Y
SWAG
20 - www.statusmagonline.com
Photography by Jason Quibilan of Snapbox Photography Product Shots by Carlo Bandoquillo Purple dress with hood by Diesel P 9,950 Bag by CMG P 2,999
SWAG
Fino Leatherwear [P8,850]
Shu [P1,999]
Furla [P32,750]
Kate Spade [P14,950]
Michael Kors [P14,850]
DKNY [P13,500]
Charkes & Keith [P2,199]
Fino Leatherware [P11,850]
Nine West [P3,950]
Aranaz [P4,000]
Charles & Keith [P1,699]
Anne Klein [P8,250]
Charles & Keith [P1,699]
T Bags [P1,889]
Dumond [P4,300]
www.statusmagonline.com - 21
Photography by Jason Quibilan of Snapbox Photography
SWAG SWAG
Product Shots by Carlo Bandoquillo Top by Diesel P3,450 Skirt by Diesel P6,250 Shoes by BCBGirls P4,499
METALLIC-AHH Rock out to some serious metal.
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SWAG
Shoe [P6,000]
Dumond [P4,350]
Lewre [P1,999]
Nine West [P5,250]
Dumond [P4,250]
Enzo Angliolini [P5,590]
Janylin [P2,295]
Aldo [P5,295]
Aldo [P4,095]
Gaupo [P10,500]
Charles and Keith [P1,799]
Lewre [P1,999]
Charles and Keith [P2,199]
Kenneth Cole Reaction [P3,950]
Nine West [P4,950]
www.statusmagonline.com - 23
SWAG
Deck
Halls
Steady your kicks of these skate decks from H2o Republic and ride it like you stole it.
Plan B “TREE-D” Series - Ryan Sheckler [P2,795]
Plan B “Safari” Series - Ryan Gallant [P2,795]
Chocolate Anthony Papalardo “Dark Chocolate” [P2,695]
Chocolate Chris Roberts “Bi-plane” [P2,695]
Girl Mike Mo Capaldi “Pizza & Pancakes” [P2,695]
Girl Eric Koston “Beauty & the Best” [P2,695]
Girl Guy Mariano “Flashback” [P2,695]
Girl Mike Carrol “Crusher” [Php. 2,695]
SLave Mumford “Sour Puss” [P2,795]
Slave “Assassination” [P2,495]
Mystery Lindsey “Focused” [P2,795]
Mystery Lopez “Royale” [P2,795]
Mystery “Dollar” [P2,695]
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Mystery Murphy “Coppertone” [P2,795]
SWAG
EXPLOSIVES
Tr
ia
ng
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fir
ec
ra
ck
er
!
bl
a
bl
a
bl
a
Pl
a-
Pl
a
bl
ab
la
bl
a
CUT em out! Use your imagination & feel the love!
Belt is on fire!!! wohooooooooooooooo!
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SWAG
Supra Cruizer [P4,000]
Converse Nzinga Mid [P3,190]
Gola Brisk [P2,375]
Nike Dunk Lo [P3,695]
Converse Chucks [P2,390]
Puma Basket Stitch [P4,310]
Nike Air Force One [P5,995]
Puma Game Wn’s [P2,950]
Ecko Unltd. Knox [P3,795]
Clae Russel [P7,640]
Circa [P2,655]
HIT’EM HIGH
Shoe so me love f these r ubber-f or ooted wonders .
Supra Vaider [P5,170]
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Product s Carlo B hots by andoqui llo
SWAG
Puma 917 Mid Pop Art [P2,310]
Adidas Nizza [P3,495]
Circa [P2,655]
Zoo York [P3,590]
Adidas Superstar II [3,295]
Puma Cabana Racer II [P2,870]
Supra Skylow [P4,520]
Fila [P1,999]
Nike Dunk High [P4,195]
Clae Mcqueen [P7,050]
Zoo York Hiram [P3,890]
Clae Parker [P6,500]
Adidas Decade High [P4,295]
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Photography by Jason Quibilan of Snapbox Photography
SWAG
Product Shots by Carlo Bandoquillo Make-up by Angie Cruz of Shu Uemura Model Laurence Chua Ginsburg tee white shirt by Freshjive P2,120 Jeans by RMK P5,875 Burroughs tee black shirt by Freshjive P2,120 Jeans by RMK P5,875
SEETEESCAN The content on these un-plain tees is definitely nothing to censor.
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SWAG
Ezekiel [P1,600]
Paul Frank [P1,450]
Billabong [P1,800]
Springfield [P1,250]
Puma [none]
Insight [P1,795]
Volvom [P1,295]
Nike [P1,195]
Republic [P750]
Stussy [P1,260]
Circa [P950]
T.I.T.S. [P4,295]
Diesel [P2,850]
Marithe Francois Girbaud [P1,200]
Levis [P1,099.50]
www.statusmagonline.com - 29
SWAG
Dentyne Ice
Orbit White
Clorets
Cool Air
COMMON COLD For a well-minted mouth, chew on these.
Product Shots by Carlo Bandoquillo
Double Mint 30 - www.statusmagonline.com
SWAG
HEADY BEARS Reach Bear’s lightninghot figures are damn cool bear necessities as well.
[P1450]
[P1450]
[P1450]
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SWAG
DVD ble
ta
Por
Home Theater System
Micro Component
LG LC D Tv
DAD
BROTHERS
LIFE IS GOOD! 32 - www.statusmagonline.com
yer
Pla
THE
MAN
Stop sizing up your wiener. That’s no real way to measure a man. Just ask Danny Masterson—he grooms himself, for crissakes. By Michi Ancheta
34 - www.statusmagonline.com
MAESTRO
D
anny Masterson is a cheapskate. Sure, he owns 10 restaurants and earns a bagajillion (a term I made up to describe piles and piles of money no living man should ever have the right to swim in, except maybe, Mr. Burns) from spinning club rooms as DJ MomJeans and That ‘70s rerun royalties, but the guy still cuts his own hair. Still, that’s what makes him one charmingly bad, albeit cheap, mofo. Even in the decadedated comedy series, where he’s forced to don bellbottoms, fringed suede vests (think American Indian threads) and ankle boots as Hyde, Masterson can still pass off as that guy you’d rather not mess with. And the cool thing about it is, he actually is. At 32 years old, Masterson’s acted in two-dozen films (give or take), starred in what probably is America’s most iconic tele-laugh romp ever, established himself as one of LA’s indemand mixmasters while still having time to manage his business(es), and pay his cerebrospiritual Hollywood dues by practicing Scientology. True enough, there might never be anyone who could pull-off the tousled-curly-hairedbadass-look better than this here Danny boy. But hey, that’s why he’s The Man. When did this whole DJing thing come about? 1997 And the club alias DJ MomJeans? We thought your old one, DJ Donkey Punch was a pretty magnificent moniker. Donkey Punch became Donkey Pizzle when Puff Daddy became P. Diddy. Donkey Pizzle became MomJeans when chronicles such as the New York Times figured out what it meant and started printing it with an *.
Punch, Pizzle, MomJeans, whatever—what have always been great musical influences? I’m influenced the most by The Raptures’ “House of Jealous Lovers”. It is the quintessential indie-electro song. A few fave new bands are Tokyo Police Club, Born Ruffians Albert Hammond, jr., MGMT, The Virgins, The Grates, Little Joy, and Nico Vega. Spin stint that brings forth good memories? Lollapalooza. What’s it like working with Steve Aoki? Super fun. We play perfectly off each other. In your tour with Steve, are you supposed to be Laverne or Shirley*? But more importantly, why not Mork and Mindy*? Laverne. Because then we would fight over who got to be Mindy. Steve’s biggest pet peeves are boredom and sell-outs. What are yours? Rough toilet paper and reality stars. What else do you do apart from DJing, hosting your radio show, playing poker and acting? And uh, how do you manage to do all these things? Watch a lot of basketball, own 10 restaurants, opened a boutique, throw a weekly live jazz club, and cut my own hair. I manage them all with stealthy grace. And you’re a scientologist to boot. What are the biggest misconceptions about scientologists turned actors turned DJs? And how does that help with the career?
knowledge.” So it helps in every aspect of my life ‘cause it raises my intelligence in areas I might be having difficulty [in]. Point taken. And between the acting and DJing aspects of your life, which one would you choose over the other and why? Acting. The full-time DJ schedule is exhausting. I’ve got a Jim Carrey flick called Yes Man coming out in December. And I’m starring in Jake Hoffman’s film A Regular Hero as well. If Miley Cyrus and Vanessa Hudgens booked you for a party on the same night, who’d get your nod? Whoever paid my quote. Which similarities do you share with Hyde? We are both incredibly good-looking. What brings out the “Fonz” in you? My girlfriend (modelactress-singer Bijou Phillips). Who do you think “The Man” really is? Psychiatrists. I’m not kidding. When are you coming over to our lovely third-world paradise? I’d fucking love to. Hook it up! *As you know, Laverne and Shirley and Mork and Mindy areboth spin-offs from the show, Happy Days. As far as I know,your character Hyde, and it seems even you yourself, look up to Fonzie who is the lead... You’re like a C.I.A. agent.
That we’re all Irish. Well, scientology defined is “the study of
www.statusmagonline.com - 35
Electro-punk avengers THE BLOODY BEETROOTS have exploded onto the international club, scene leaving all the sweaty club kids satisfied. It’s an aural assault they deliver, but you definitely won’t mind spilling a little blood on the dance-floor. by Chiara Cui
BEAT
SLINGER
S
By Nicola M. Sebastia n 36 - www.statusmagonline.com
W
henever I think about electronic music, the movie Grandma’s Boy always comes to mind, particularly the scene wherein one of the beta testers, Kane, walks into their boss JP’s office and some generic techno music is being played on full blast. Kane asks JP to turn the music down, which prompts him to ask, “Why? Are you afraid of it?” To which Kane responds, “No, I just don’t like techno.” Then JP, unfettered by this comment says, “You would if you had robot ears.” Now, I’m no expert on electronic music but I can tell you this much: bionic ears are not a prerequisite in appreciating the music of the newest disciples of electronica, The Bloody Beetroots. Our inferior human ears will do just fine. The Bloody Beetroots are the latest electro superstars churned out by the omnipresent Steve Aoki hipster hype machine. They have, in a short amount of time, established themselves as a veritable force to be reckoned with. And in a scene where most of the music arguably sounds the same, this is by no means a modest feat. Originally from Italy, Bob Rifo and Tommy Tea met in 1998 and have collaborated with each other on a number of projects, though it was only 8 years later that The Bloody Beetroots came to fruition. The duo has crafted a sound that cannot be reduced to the clichéd descriptions of the past; descriptions that might’ve sufficed in the days when club kids were still dicking around with glow sticks and when “PLUR” (Peace, Love, Unity, Respect, to the un-E-nitiated) was still common club lingo. I’d describe their sound as akin to hearing the death rattle of a hamster slowly being devoured by a hungry python— decidedly offensive at first and yet strangely and rather surprisingly satisfying in the end. TBB took a break from their club-stomping schedule to tell us what it’s like to beat off the dirty hipsters on the daily, what they
think of comparisons to French electro duo Justice, and what the deal is with those Spidey masks. To start, what’s the story behind the name? We never did touch our beetroots as kids. THE BLOODY BEETROOTS: It is about architecture of the word in a world where the importance of information is no more quantitative but qualitative. What we felt the need of was a skimming agent. For this reason, the best answer could be digiting this name on Google. Try to. Your music’s been described a number of colorful ways— “chipmunks gone rampant with chainsaws” being a personal favorite. How would you describe it? SIR BOB CORNELIUS RIFO: It is very difficult to classify the sound I have created for “The Bloody Beetroots”. The components are multiple and reworked from visions as much as multiple. It is the final result of personal experiences, comics and writings that are composed and deconstructed continuously. It is anarchic music that finds its only stability on the residency over the 4/4 of the dance-floor. Apart from producing your own music, you do a lot of remixes, from The Kills to Timbaland. How do you go about choosing which songs to dip your fingers in? SBCR: I choose artists basing myself on the creative profile, the image that they want to give of themselves and the analogies I track into their sound and their way of thinking. Otherwise, if they choose me, then I try to develop a new genre of thinking to open doors that I do not know. My favorite remixes are the ones I did for Goose... I remember the words of Mick when he asked me to remix them: “Go, I respect your art”, and I went. Now, I am remixing Pink and Peaches—two P’s, two different worlds, new tricks to learn and new harmonies to experiment. Strangely, both are at 126 bpm, shuffled, 4/4 and quantized in 16T. You’re signed to Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak Records. Who trailed whom?
SBCR: Jess Keeler discovered me. He introduced me to the court of king Steve. A lot is due to Jesse, [who] supported me since the beginning, playing my tracks [and] pushing them into charts and DJ sets. How have your roots in punk and other genres helped in creating your own brand of electronic music? SBCR: I have always been anarchic, full of contradictions. This has allowed me to better unravel punk, classical and the sounds of the streets without crashing on a single direction. The Bloody Beetroots is my resumé— the synthesis of the sound format that evolves through my artistic life. 2008’s been a busy touring year for you guys. What’s the experience been like? TBB: The countries that better responded to our push are Australia and the U.S., together with our homies, France and Belgium. Each country we go to has a particular way of standing out; so are the clubs in each city. These differences come from their music-cultural roots: some are more electro, some more classical, some others more inspired to black music. You can tell a lot about an act by its groupies. How would you describe yours—or your rabid fans, at least? TBB & MATHIEU (BORN TO FILM): They always end up beating us up in the mosh pit. At the moment, we are touring Australia and we have Born To Film (film crew) from France following the adventures. The best explanation could be given by the contents that will virally show up soon on the net after out encounter. Okay…what’s with the Spidey masks, then? TBB: We give a rather strong importance to one’s personal character and the Venom masks allow to do that. Furthermore, the decision to choose this type of mask is given from our imaginary world, which keep on expanding. Yes it gets stuffy, but we expect kids to be better stuffed than us. That’s when we get our best nights.
Is it at all possible to enjoy electronic music without becoming a pill fiend? TBB: Let us tell you a story: we were in Adelaide, after a set, at a certain point a rather kind gentleman of Venetian roots showed up tired and upside down with a bland and gentle movement of the jaw and a special present for us. Not being activists of certain presents, we ended up not accepting the offer. To this point, the good son took the present in total solitaire delirium. We are sure he did all with the best purposes and he made our night, but we can today tell you this story, which he might not remember. It is up to you to decide how you want to remember the life you live. In a scene where a lot of the music arguably sounds the same, how do you set yourselves apart as artists? And what do you think of the unavoidable comparisons to French duo Justice?
MAESTRO by the Manila club scene in the future? TOMMY TEA: Regarding a possible shift in sound, it is all to be discovered. Bob has all the secrets and he is not intended to unveil them. I can tell you that there will be a concrete possibility to play in Manila as soon as we will be heading S.E again—that, we reckon, has to be sooner than soon. Our good boss Steve has been spending plenty of good words about the club scene there and made us very curious. Pick any person you’d want dancing at your booth... TBB: The full TBB crew: JFK, AL-P, Steve, Crookers, Congorock, Cecile. See you soon. We promise.
SBCR: I love dirty shoes, futurism and some preludes in F. If each life would be lived in a different way, then the sound would be different. I live my life and compose my notes, you will be able to find similitude, but they will never be equal to others. The point is: to find a personal way of expressing emotions, this makes the difference. This has to be different from person to person. Justice—I believe it is a comparison more intertwined with the phoenomenon of the electro context than the music itself. I respect and support Justice. What spurs your creativity with the music you make? SBCR: Inspiration is something that catches you off-guard; that makes you read or speak out a phrase letting you discover a new world—a planet of thoughts that is translated into music. The creative phase is not when I lay my hands over any instruments, but is when my thoughts fly free during the day. I collect them and make a song out of it. Any immediate plans for ’09— like a shift in sound, maybe? And is there any chance you might be dropping
www.statusmagonline.com - 37
MAESTRO
Y
eah okay, DJ AM’s that guy who used to date Nicole Richie. And sure, the New York Daily News even suggested that his earnings have been less than six-figurestellar since the split, invoking the rage of the spin-master in the form of a messy, meaty lawsuit. But it’s taken more than his run in the gossip circuit—the guy stepped out with Mandy Moore and Canadian model Jessica Stam—to get AM to where he is today: being one of the hottest L.A. DJs whose soundwaves have gotten the world up on its feet. And he don’t need no lawsuit to prove it. From sold-out club dates from Miami all the way to Berlin and owning Hollywood hotspot LAX, to scratching on the records of Madonna and Papa Roach, to name a few, AM’s helped the rich and famous bust it on the dance floor with his bump-and-grind beats. By lording over the parties of Ashton Kutcher, Jennifer Lopez, Kate Hudson, and the like, DJ AM’s got it tuned in and dialled down. But it wasn’t always this way. Once
38 www.status-
upon a time he belonged to this group called Crazytown, whose lone hit for some reason failed to make music heads take them very seriously (perhaps the title, “Butterfly”, had something to do with that). Once upon
another time DJ AM was Adam Goldstein, an obese crackhead who squeezed funds out of his knack for dropping beats to feed his habit. So when he finally ended up putting a gun in his mouth, pulling the trigger, and getting no bullet to the brain, there must’ve been something that kept him from ending it all at just 24. We all know there sure was. And he’s still doing it now. And for DJ AM, “life has never been better.” How did you get into this whole DJ thing anyways? You’re a superstar on the club scene nowadays, but it wasn’t all smooth
sailing for you right? You definitely put in the time and worked your way up from scratch. I saw Grandmaster DST scratching on the 1983 Grammy Awards with Herbie Hancock and I thought, “I want to do that.” What has been the highlight, the most perfect, incredibly rad moment of your DJ career thus far? Any moment that made you go, “this is the reason I got into this business”? Stevie Wonder came to the DJ booth to meet me once at a club in Los Angeles. I thought I was gonna faint! But that one moment that I thought, “THIS is why I am a DJ” was shortly after Jam Master Jay’s death. I was DJing a Maxim magazine party for the Superbowl in San Diego. Run and DMC both were there. I had practiced a tribute mix at home using an old Run DMC song and a Gang Starr song and I made the two records say “Jam Master Jay, REST IN PEACE.” When I saw Run and D getting close to the booth and checkin’ out the crowd, I did the mix. DMC put
MAESTRO his fist in the air and I saw a tear come out of his eye. For me, that moment was not just a highlight of my career, but of my life. I will remember that feeling ‘til the day I die.
‘cause being not sober is numbing) if that’s sadness or joy. What were you listening to back then anyway (in other words what are your influences as a DJ)?
it was when I was ready to die (also the title of one of my all time favorite albums by Biggie) and I thought my life was over. I never “hit bottom” till I stopped digging. I
am to in tune Best gig you’ve ever played?
different kind of show. I try to put ME and my ego (how I want to look) out of the way, and just make people dance, be happy, and scream. What you? that with
is DJing all about for Is there something you’re trying to do your music,
ld one the wor n o n w o ouch d g to t loathin f l e basically gave up s nd drugs a ing. c f n o and let go and let GOD a d o r s e star und z [take over]. Life has got the the gro n m e o v r e f s Everything from never been better. himself Launching time, a Elton John, Bob Marley, t a iong h b C u l n c i w Dar evated Boogie Down Productions, Okay, that was a heavy ntro by beat-el an -- I Sebasti System Of a Down, Billy question. Haha. Let’s . M a l ico ew by N something that keeps Joel to Gang Starr. lighten it up a bit. Intervi The you doing what you’re doing What’s your favourite coolest PLACE I have and gets you out of bed Your youth and pre-mega place to spin at, whether every morning? DJ days were a pretty a bar, club, or city? ever DJed at was Alcatraz. dark period for you, in a I got to DJ in the showers My job is really to let previous article you’ve I love San Fransisco; it’s of the prison. It was an AMAZING event. people escape for a few talked about your messy, my favorite city to play hours, forget how bad their downhill journey into in I think. People there On the other hand, worst work day was or whatever drugs and binge-eating. I always want to have fun (and/or weirdest) one problems they may have, and find it amazing that you and love every kind of ever? to let them dance and be were able to turn your music, so if I decide to happy. I love my job. life completely around play an ‘80s metal set, I did some Russian guys THEY ARE GAME! and become the absolute birthday in a huge suite What’s it like being a opposite of your former at the Palms hotel. Only DJ in LA? I mean you’ve self: someone everyone How do you feel about thing is, there were six obviously had your share wants to be, or be with, music these days? What people (three couples) of gossip buzz, which and more importantly, current songs/artists have there and two of the guys makes some think of you someone who has every gotten you hooked and were naked and jumping in as a “celeb” rather than right to feel pretty cool palpitating (both DJ and and out of the pool in a legitimate musician and about himself. But I’m non-DJ)? Are there any DJs between dancing! master of your craft. Does sure back then it wasn’t out there that we have to it affect you and how do all that clear, that you keep an ear out for this How would you describe you handle it? didn’t know how your story year? your DJing style/sound? would end. Care to talk What separates you from Yes it effects my ego. But about your experiences with Right now I m loving The rest of the rabble? us a little bit? What’s I do my best not to let Ting Tings. So many good it effect ME. I am not my your perspective on it songs on that record! I just play good music ego, I am not DJ AM as now, looking back at that Watch out for DJ Scene and and I play it fast. I get others who have never met time? And what was it, DJ Marshall Barnes bored of a song and I want me may think. I am Adam what moment, or feeling, to change it ‘cause there or event, that made you So, er, what was it like, Goldstein and DJ AM is a are so many good songs to brand and a business that want to change, and more dating Nicole Richie? play, so I keep it movin gets to travel to make importantly, enabled you to (don’t kill us please, we fast, but on-beat, and I people dance. That’s what’s overcome your dependencies just had to ask) always try to play songs important. and take control of your that make sense together. life? I don’t know, I dated I don’t mean to bring up Nicole RICHIE. How do you approach a buried memories, but you For one, I STILL don’t typical set? Is there any didn’t exactly have a warm, know how my story will If one day everybody woke sort of process or ritual sunny childhood. What did end out! I really take up deaf and every record, involved, or do you just music mean to you during life one amazing day at a mp3, or cd that was ever go with the flow and see that time of your life? time. Today, I am in Cabo made blew up into tiny what happens? Did it help you through San Lucas, Mexico. It’s bits and pieces, what it, like a way for you so beautiful here so I am would you do instead? What I try to read the crowd. to escape from a shitty enjoying the blessing of career would you end up There is a science to environment? getting this vacation. WHO pursuing if DJing wasn’t this. Everything plays KNOWS if the whole world your thing? a part, like if it’s a Music is my best friend. will be gone tomorrow so I ALWAYS have tried to STAY college club, a Hollywood It has always been there I would cry and die. club, a concert, a suite to share with me whatever PRESENT. It’s very tuff and 16, a festival etc… Each feelings I am feeling (for takes a lot of work. As for of those requires a me, as long as I’m sober the moment that changed me,
DJ AM’
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MAESTRO MAESTRO
POPPING
SONIC
SKITTLES Triggered by color and not so much sense in their eclectic-eccentric music,The Dorques just want you to have a gay (in the mirthful sense, more than anything) ol’ time. By Jan Vincent Ong -- Photographed By Emman Montalvan
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f you bump into towering English tutor Joffy Cruz in the street, you’d probably never guess he likes wearing kneehigh rainbow socks while singing and strumming on his guitar. His averageguy, nondescript tone doesn’t give it away. You also wouldn’t think his friend/account managerby-day Nina Beltran likes wearing Japanese schoolgirl garb by night, when she boards her fingers on a keyboard. The two make up the swirly kaleidoscope of a band called The Dorques, along with their equally eccentric pals Tani Santos on guitars and Arnel Fabiania on bass. Based on the comments of a fan on YouTube (e.g.: I saw them in person. The lead singer (the tall curly
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haired guy) is so HOT! I would love to have that dorque in my bed), let us wipe the filthy and derogative connotations away from what a Dorque really is (if it came down to it, they’d rather use “cuntwagon” instead, anyway). A Dorque is actually a student dorm official who has the special task of hiding a special object around the residence. If one of the students finds the object through the clues posted every week, the Dorque provides a keg of beer or a case of whiskey for everyone. First, this definition makes more sense ‘cause I know the band members aren’t a bunch of dorks after meeting Joffy Cruz, who was projecting Bob Dylan, and power-puff band mate Nina Beltran, at
the RJ Bar. Second, the correct definition fits to a tee ‘cause trying to define the sound of the Dorques is like trying to find the subliminal smiley tunes hidden in the halls of your head. It’s the type of sound that continues to loop in your brain and is more potent in your dreams, like a sweet case of whiskey. You find yourself with a pleasant hangover after taking in songs like “Musaki Blue” or “Super Cool”, suddenly chiming in your head as you zoom through a stoplight in Makati. In the sphere of relevant indie bands, their work expands and broadens the harmonic and phonetic frontier of alternative music. It’s because their sound is abstract and simply can’t be wrapped up and shipped
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out like bubble gum pop. Their songs fuse Nippongo or French into their lyrics, even if they don’t know a phrase of either language. For example, the words of “Le Metronome” were lifted from the Lonely Planet French Phrasebook. There is no reason but pure manic rhythm, rhyme and auditory aesthetic to what they produce. Hence, actually trying to make sense of a band that will only make sense to your sense of hearing is a ridiculous ride to take. When you watch a live show of rainbow anime outfits inspired by Japanese Cosplay magazines or whatever fits their mood (according to Nina), it’s a sensory overload, as songs like “Supercool” aren’t just ear candy but eye candy as well; each note sparking up a strong color of flavor into your mind. As much as their vibrant set of ex-members Aimee Marcos and Nino Mendoza (who left to marry Snooky Serna), they concoct an experience for you—not the other way around. You don’t think about Willy Wonka and his oompaloompas when you gorge on a box of Nerds or Gobstoppers right? The same goes for a band that follows the generation X-Charlie Bucket motto of “never hog the spotlight too much like Veruca Salt or Mike Teevee.” Running ‘round the rockclub circuit of Saguijo, Route 196, and Gweilo’s Eastwood, they humbly offer their audience a bite of the effortlessly absurd in each performance and go back to work on their daily grind to blend with the rest of us in the daytime. To be fair, the Dorques put the oomph in oompaloompa when it comes to promoting their band. By touring nearby places like Vietnam, and recently, Hong Kong, they’ve netted a growing group of squealing groupies. Hopefully, it’s on to Singapore and maybe even Japan next. ‘Course, craving a little rock ‘n’ roll queer-dom once in a while is understandable. Gobbling on the delectable pieces the Dorques throw around is like taking care of that sweet sonic fix.
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COTTON
CANDY International party queen Roxy Cottontail just can’t stop the bunny hop. by Vicky H.
redited for delivering C Baltimore/Philly club sound to NYC, DJ Roxy
Cottontail conquered the nightlife as one of the best promoters and DJs of the scene. With her ear to the ground, she’s promoted the likes of Hollertronix (DJ’s Diplo and Low Budget) and Spank Rock before the rest of the world even caught on. Her newest transition to rapping not only adds her flavor to the music scene, but also to the entire “electro disco” culture at large. And let’s not forget to mention that one-of-a-kind Roxy style that’s influencing hundreds of energetic ladies to paint their nails bright and rep their streetwear tight. Roxy is a lady’s lady, a homegirl’s homegirl, the party’s very “life of the party.” STATUS talks to Roxy about beginnings, lessons, and everything in between.
Hey Roxy! Where are you right now and what are you up to? I’m back in New York, hustling and making moves, as usual. Just finished with Fashion Week. It was nuts. You started out as a promoter. Tell us about those days. What was missing in the party scene that you wanted to create? Promoting started as a hobby. My roommate many moons ago was Miss Justine D and she saw the natural socialite in me. She gave me a guest list for Motherfucker, showed me how to make a budget and the rest is history. The first DJs I ever promoted were Diplo and Low B, who I’ll always think of as my brothers. It’s family forever. I lived in Philly after 9/11 and discovered 42 - www.statusmagonline.com - www.statusmagonline.com 42
their party Hollertronix and brought it back to NYC when I moved back a year later. The mix of music they blended—from crunk Southern rap, to electro, Baltimore club, pop and ‘80s—wasn’t really getting mixed together anywhere. In the same way, the people from all those different scenes weren’t mixed together like they were in Philly and I wanted to make that happen for New York. What was the best and worst part of the job? The best part of the job is getting new music before everyone else, seeing new clubs before anyone else, getting into the best parties & events, drinking for free, meeting fabulous people and knowing amazing people who can have a good time anywhere at anytime. The worst part is socializing with strangers, crappy sound systems, and people constantly asking for drink tickets. At the end of the night, it’s still about the business. What were the most important things you’ve learned on the job? I’ve learned that a DJ can clear an entire room by playing just a song or not playing anything at all. A DJ can single-handedly send a whole party into a downhill shit storm. People love free alcohol but they will purchase it if the music is amazing and there are a lot of girls present. From promoter to DJ, how did you make the transition?
I transitioned from a promoter to a DJ from practicing in empty clubs at off-hours, watching other DJs and having a good ear for music. On a crazy night, you’ll open your set with… It depends on what city, who’s opened for me and what time of night, but maybe “Together Forever” by Lisette Melendez And close with… “Slut?” by Avenue D. How do you spot hot talent in the music scene? What do you look for?
Can you tell us about the new people you’ve been working with on this? I’ve been working with Fonda from Team Facelift… amazing house music producer. I did a song with Larry T.ee, he’s he’s a visionary in electronic music. Also, Teenwolf from Ninjasonik. As an artist, People describe your music as… I’m not really sure what people call my music! Hah! They compare me to Blondie a lot.
I look for undeniable superstars and music that’s unique but still catchy. Style is also important. And, in this age you have to be marketable. That helps.
But you’d rather call it…
From DJing, you later started rapping over music. What made you want to try that out?
Mickey Avalon and Spankrock because they’re both ridiculous and talented party animals.
I had a punk band in high school called the Fox Deluxe, which was a lot of fun. My mom is a music teacher—it’s in my veins. After being on the other side of the business, I didn’t really think that I could go back to making music. I was kind of dared to do it and it turned out to be a lot of fun. So, I just kept doing it.
Describe the official ROXY COTTONTAIL attire?
How do you come up with your lyrics? Everyday life inspires my lyrics. I like to play with words, fashion and decadence as inspiration. And popular culture is just so easy to make fun of, I kind of have to.
I think I’d call it electro-disco punk. You love performing with… because...
I wear lots of vintage, ruffles, tutus, and Hellz Bellz with a cute heel, pump or dope kicks. Any other field you see yourself getting into? Of course! My clothing line is coming out Fall ‘09. It’s streetwear and accessories with a funky-ass flavor that will eventually be a cut & sew line. Shout-outs? Cottontail De La Familia, Peter Cottontail and Status Magazine.
POSITIVELY CHARGED
maestro
Sing-shot group ELECTRICO has done the rock route of festivals ‘round the U.S. and Australia, playing, oh you know, a few small gigs like SXSW and The Australia Tour. Of course, with a variable sound that pounds out everything from pop to rock, wherever they go, there’ll always be a rabid fan—or more—getting electrico-ted. by Lizette Lee
C
hemistry is something that might’ve made your love life last or a class you were always terrible at. But for Desmond Goh (DG), David Tan (DT), William Lim Jr. (WL) and Amanda Ling (AL), chemistry became the core of Electrico. What started out as a group of kids getting together to play for a 1996 church fun fair is now one of Singapore’s hottest bands. “We were just young kids then stoked on being in a band with no agenda,” says Goh, referring to that one holy communion. “After that gig, we found out our chemistry was great and continued to jam and write more songs.” Starting off with band-basic guitars and drums, Electrico’s members felt what they had was good yet lacked a little something. Despite the entry of Daniel Sasoon and Amanda Ling to the former trio in 2003, the exit of Daniel in ’08 devastated the band, but what soon bubbled up was their current chemistry. Electrico, known for a genre gnashing of everything from alternative rock to hiphop to electronica, just offered something unique to Sing’s soundspace. Goh says, ” It’s
up to the listeners to decide how they feel to the song and what it means to them.” We are very eclectic in our sound… don’t know if that’s a good or a bad thing,” confesses David. It’s a an audio-wave epiphany seemingly borne from a mortar and pestle
“Someone might be jamming to a certain new riff and the rest just come in and play around with that riff. Impromptu stuff works!” shares Amanda, who began to work the keyboards for the band at 19, the boys spotting her at the same gig they once played at. Aural proficiency was one prerequisite—and aesthetics may have been another. “It was her gorgeous looks!”
Desmond says, laughing. “Lots of sexiness to the sexiness that we already have.” However “electrified” their music may be, the band draws the line between toofake-digitalization music and music with actual content. Technology might be a fresh key to break out a distinctive sound but nothing beats having good melody, vocals and lyrics before hitting technology up for some enhancement. “I think technology is great and
we’ve had some great music come from it…but it will never substitute for good songwriting.” shares David, asserting the importance of real talent to balance modern synthesized music with good ol’ fashioned soul. ‘Course, all that’s how the band blitzed onto sound supremacy in the first place. Signed by mega recording company?
Check. Touring all over the stage to kiss and run, check. girl) have come. Then again, music-lovin’ bunch who wakes
world, check. Having a fan run up the It’s no question how far these guys (and at the end of the day, they’re still the with a rush for new music. “The thought of creating something new excites,” says Goh. When you’ve got a member who can’t stand to bathe in cold countries, another so clumsy that it’s not funny anymore, the other notorious for his mild Attention Deficit Disorder, and yet another with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, the whole musical journey can get pretty damn interesting. Will we be seeing Electrico around anytime soon? Well, they’ve worked side-by-side Rivermaya before; now, getting them here seems to be the next step. Things are looking up, though, ‘cause booking a gig in the Philippines is definitely in the works—especially since that one single shot up to NU 107’s charts and all. And hell, if they can make it as far as Australia and the US, neighboring Manila’s got to be on the itinerary. Or not, if David gets his way: “I’d still head to
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MASTERMIND
SHOOT INTO TODD SELBY is a neon pink kinda guy, he says. But as a photographer who tends to make normal settings look like eye candy, he’s the sorta guy whose work comes up gold. By Bea Garcia
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f it takes a certain kind of intelligence to make typical places and people seem out of the ordinary, then Todd Selby is a genius. You can find pics followed by exclamation points on Selby’s photoblog, theselby.com, where he straps dynamite onto normal things—mainly regular folks in their workspace and habitat—by allowing contrasting colors and extra-unique angles to detonate across a picture. This voyeuristic inclination gets Selby to shoot whoever he wants and show ‘n’ tell it all immediately to the world, unless the Los Angeles-based photographer isn’t shooting for mags like he’s been doing for seven years. In another interview, Todd was asked where he sees himself in the near future. It’ll be all books and photo shows in Europe and Asia, he says. Read on so you’re schooled enough when the photo synthesizer extraordinaire sets foot on Manila soil.
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MASTERMIND On your website, you posted some goals you’d written when you were 8. One of them was to make at least $1,111,111,111,111,111.00. Have you gotten that much in your bank account from photography? Yes, I have. But it is really outdated because now I want 1,111,111,111,111,111.00 POUNDS!!! You also state that one of your current goals is to shoot every member of the Wu-Tang Clan. You get that done? We know you already got the Ol’ Dirty Bastard down. I have shot Ghostface Killah and ODB—R.I.P.—so I am still working towards that. How come you don’t have your goals posted up on your website anymore?
The Thrills for Dazed and Confused, hired by Emma Reeves. My dad was my photo assistant and he brought along photos of me from when I was a little kid to show them!!! We noticed there aren’t too many shadows in your work, giving your pictures a clean and cold, almost sterile feeling. Is there a reason for this other than you think it’s pretty?
You shoot regular, everyday people in the same fashion you would big-name celebrities. They’re still just people, huh? I just like interesting, creative people. Is there a place that you absolutely couldn’t make look interesting? Anything minimalist.
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Jack Nicholson naked in his house—on a bearskin rug. Can you make this cover happen for us? Haha :) God yes. In all your shoots, who has been the most fun to take pictures of? David Hasselhoff.
I don’t like shadows or reflections!
I got bored of them. Who was the first person you had to shoot professionally? And how’d you get that gig?
be? And what would they be doing?
If you could shoot any person for the cover of our magazine, who would it
Any plans to shoot out here? There are definitely some interesting homes here and your friend Cobrasnake enjoyed himself here. Yes, I would love to come. Hook up a plane ticket for me and line up some crazy, bizarre spaces and I’ll come right away. Can you take a picture of whatever environment you’re in now and send it to us? No, it’s my studio and it’s secret!
Do you like a bit of background music playing when you shoot people? What are your preferred songs and/or albums? Silence is golden. What’s your favorite color, then? Neon pink. Okay…how ‘bout influences when it comes to photography? 100% Mark the Cobrasnake. And in dance? Dance—it’s got to be Napoleon Dynamite. In theselby.com, you also ask your subjects to fill out questionnaires like this one. So... ask us something. What is the craziest interior design in a house you have ever seen in the Philippines? What is your secret? i__ i_ a__ a b__ f_____
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k c a t t A rt
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A
inganyth to , s t n ants rmame eir a DLE just w ines and h t s DOO s l ls a lls. Pente ad WEEWILL art world’ ts wa i With o u t q l n a o art s e loc edom tian goes of th e fre r Sebas t o u m o a M. e l r l o o c t l i t C s co li Tillo le by deed. ble a Artic ew by Val Epperson vi m scrib odle it in r o e T t n y I b do graph Photo Just
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ith all the guerrilla art fare going on in the streets, stencilled anarchy glaring from concrete walls and F-yous to the man spraypainted on road signs, Weewilldoodle’s motto is refreshingly simple. “We just doodle,” shrugs doodler Nelz Yumul with a laugh. Doodle? As in those random swirls and funny stick figures you draw on your notes during a particularly boring lecture on cell division? You got it. But thanks to Weewilldoodle, doodling is making the leap from the margins of your intermediate pad to the ever-widening world of “proper” art. Started when Nelz Yumul needed a spacefiller for one of his exhibits, Weewilldoodle is a collective made up of ten artists who get together to scribble on anything from Cartolina paper to virgin, white walls. With clients like Hewlett-Packard, Adidas,
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Fresh Manila, and Nike all demanding the services of their skilfully wielded Pentel Maxiflo markers, it’s pretty obvious that it ain’t just the ink fumes going to their heads. I know we all do it, but the question remains: why doodle? “Compared to drawing, doodling is spontaneous,” Nelz tries to explain the finer points of the distracting activity. “It stems from the idea of making art without thinking. It’s fun and a break from a whole day’s worth of working in a cubicle.” An act that needs no thought, the hand moves the pen from one line to another without design or purpose—an allseeing eye, a harmonious cacophony of curling lines, a fluffy monster sprouting one too many tentacles—anything can take shape. “We usually have a bank of characters and patterns hidden under
! k
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the cerebellum,” shares Nelz on what goes on during a Weewilldoodle get-together. It’s undeniable that feeding your subconscious a diet rich in inspiration does your doodle good. When asked what brings on the episodes, Nelz replies, “everything, from pop culture stuff to food to commuting and even bad breakups…we have different influences. Usually we look to illustrators, comic book artists and vinyl toy designers. Some of them are Jon Burgerman, Pete Fowler, Nathan Jurevicius, tokidoki, Amanda Vissell, Paul Pope, Tado, Joe LedBetter, and Katie Olivas.” ‘Course, Weewilldoodle’s got some plans in its noodle. Nelz sketches out the group’s future for us: “the long-term plan is to develop Weewilldoodle into two sects. One will be ‘Weewilldoodle as a lifestyle brand’, where we develop more merchandise, from shirts to kitchen utensils. That would be
nice. Two, ‘Weewilldoodle as a design studio’, where we become a design studio focused on creating character-based designs for clients. Wee.” More than anything, maybe Weewilldoodle is just trying to add a little craziness to all the blank and bare surfaces of the world. “Doodle lang ng doodle”, exclaims Nelz. “Doodling is the basic building block of creative stuff. You have to start on something. So start doodling, kids. Don’t be afraid. Explore. Find your style. And we’ll see you around. Apir!” (A lively fellow, that Nelz). But before we get too serious, let’s not forget the reason for doodling’s universal appeal in the first place: it is, in the fullest sense of the word, silly— an activity completely and absolutely lacking in practical or even ideological significance. Nelz sums Weewilldoodle up for us in five easy words. “Spontaneous. Random. Cute. Live. Fun.” Wee.
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mastermind
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Girls and Film We’ll need to thank the chick who got Quang Le into pointing and shooting. As we capture the Quang, he shows us there’s nothing like a muse—or music—to get his photogra-freak on. By Romina Tobias
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hotographers are posers too. Some belong to the shutterbug-turned-viciouspests who want to take over the world of photo shoots and beyond while there are others—rebels still—whose pseudobattles are simulated by perpetual love, fear, and embarrassment. They are those who break the cardinal rule of fashion by letting their accessories (designed by Nikon for instance) take over. Not entirely a slave to his camera but perhaps an assiduous disciple who captures his ideas in still shots would be Quang Le, 29 year-old photographer who’s been at it for roughly five years now. As he shoots the shit on girls, music, porn, and poultry, read on and get captured by this diabolically creative genius.
Your website’s bio section mentions how you started taking pictures to impress a girl. Was she the reason you got into photography? Strange but true. I was in film school and I took a photo class to learn more about the camera. That’s where I met her. We used to sit under a tree, napping and talking. I wanted to impress her, and she loved photography, so I decided to become an expert in that. It was a lot of work...I think I took a whole extra semester of college taking photo classes just to hang out with her. Around that time, one of my friends introduced me to Pat Tenore of RVCA. Pat started inviting me to all these parties and events. Sometimes, I can be awkward at parties, so I’d bring my camera so I had something to do. Pat
really liked my photos and one day asked me to shoot Mickey Avalon and Matt Costa for an ad. I was so scared during those shoots, I dropped a lens and broke it. And the girl? I don’t really know, we don’t talk much anymore. I try not to think about it too much. Questions like that can drive people crazy. Women. Does any of that still matter after all those great photos? In the beginning it was all about impressing a girl, but now it’s all about pleasing me and conveying my ideas in my work. Not needing the girl...does that sound masturbatory? Um, from self-stimulation, I think I’ll just ask you
if you were always selftaught in photography? I consider myself primarily self-taught. The few courses I took in college I spent mostly chasing a girl around. Needless to say I didn’t learn much in college except for love and the proper application of lotion. A good amount of what I have learned over the years can be attributed to some good friends of mine. Growing up I was really into a band called The Aquabats. I ended up working for them after I graduated from high school for almost seven years or so, growing pretty close to the lead singer Christian and his brothers Parker and Tyler. They are all creative juggernauts and each, in their own way, has influenced me immensely.
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How would you describe your style? I like creating images you can’t put a date on. Earthy or surreal, I like it when people get confused on seeing my work, when they can’t decide when the photo was taken. My style is a riot of pop culture and images from film and television, with a dash of my own life to top it off. I live in my head a lot. A long time ago, I had a long distance relationship with a girl on the other side of the country. Yeah, another girl. We were so far apart, we spent hours on the phone every day, using our imaginations to go together to impossible destinations. We’d use any reference we could to describe what we would be doing if we ever got to spend time physically together.
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Imagining those places got me in the habit of envisioning how things should look in a very vivid way. Hell, I actually put an old ‘50s diner booth in my studio for eating with company, just because when I used to imagine eating with this girl, we were always in that old booth. I’m very specific about my props, like I was about the diner booth in my studio. I tend to run photo shoots like a movie set, calling outfits costumes and models actors. It helps them and me to bring this creative world to the real one. The colors in my imaginary places were always superbright and poppy or drab and cold. I guess, in my head, Norman Rockwell and Charles Burns double date with me and my girl at the dinner booth—with Oingo Boingo playing on the jukebox from time to time.
mastermind
You go for music on the set? I actually employ a DJ to spin at my shoots whenever possible. We actually built a DJ booth in my studio, just for him. He’s DJ Y.O.O.K.S. It’s funny that you should mention music, because I really believe that the right music can really enhance a shoot and the wrong music can, for sure, kill a shoot. I did a shoot last week where the client’s best friend or something like that said that we were only allowed to play his music and we weren’t allowed to put anything else on the computer, not even a CD because he was afraid that it would either infect or tamper with their system. The music he had
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MAESTRO mastermind chosen was so jarring and weird. I believe it set a negative tone over the whole day ‘cause the models felt uncomfortable and three crew members didn’t come back for the second day of shooting. There is obviously more to the story, but music for sure helps set a certain tone for a shoot, just like the right score to a movie.
and waffles. She found me in the back with smut piled around me, trying to categorize thousands of videos and DVDs. I was so embarrassed and she pretended not to notice…. It was a picnic on porn. Since then, [porn’s] been a huge distraction for me as I can’t help but think of that day...fried chicken is a distraction as well, oddly enough.
What turns you on and off creatively?
Those are pretty snapworthy examples…
Anything can get me going: daily interactions, music, movies, books and, you guessed it, girls. As for creative turn offs, I would say distractions like Ebay, episodes of Law and Order, fashion blogs, and especially porn! When I was younger, I worked in a mom and pop video shop and a gal I was dating surprised me with lunch—Roscoe’s chicken
Here’s how you break the code in my work. The sadder I am, the more colorful the image is. The happier I am, the more drab the photos are. I’m not sure why, though. In my portfolio, there’s a bright image of gals surrounded by balloons. Two days before I took it, my girlfriend dumped me.
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&
TRUTH,
mastermind
SENSE
LE MESSIE, one half of his loyal-to-values namesake label, just wants you to wear it like it is. By Anna Canlas The following is a true story, about the false world we live in. In this reality, the hero is Le Messie— the savior, the deliverer, the Messiah from all things fake. To him, everything is false. The “perception of reality in itself is what it is: perception. And if perception is everything, then reality in itself—what we see, feel and hear— truly is false.” It’s an existential plot twist more whack than the ending of The Sopranos. Just think: my threads, your sneakers; his eyeliner, her bad perm—all the things we think we need are really just that: figments of our imagination. But before we get all paranoid like that nekkid Emperor with the New Clothes, it’s right about time for a flashback to, say, three years ago. When the saving started. Before false was Big in Japan, and in the US, and in Europe. Sick of empty labels and the even emptier people that wear them, founders Le Messie and Amanda Scully began the false brand in Singapore; sketching, cutting, and screenprinting t-shirts—All. By. Hand. “It’s not a capitalization or a gigantic movement,” declares Le Messie, alluding to his simple desire for people to appreciate quality, meaning, and message—three things that all false tees have. “It’s more really just an art form and base of
expression.” For the duo, label love is never blind. Buyers must have brains and shopping should be a little sacred. Says the Eurasian design maverick, “It’s important to know your purchases…to be an independent consumer, not swayed too much by media.” For the latest collection, “Melancholy Victory”, the artist sticks to a palette of black and white, then lets everything go crazy from there. Skulls, cycling skeletons, a Lego-looking eagle, and a panther pretending to be a human pretending to be a panther, jump out at you from false’s trademark Ziplock bags. Something so real, wrapped up in something so plastic? Oh, hello.
And when he’s not busy striking ironies like that, Le Messie is even busier than the Holy Trinity—working with edgy eyewear brand Sabre on a sick re-issue of its Die Hippy shades, creating time…pieces and dropping beats for hip-hop artists, most recently the too-sexy-for-myt-shirt sounds on Lupe Fiasco’s Fighters. Basing everything on a true story, the man is inspired by “life and the desire to live it”. He adds: “Everything around me influences. From the air I breathe, to the birds and bees.” So, you with the “I’m With Stupid” t-shirt—take a reality check, will you? Next time you’re at the checkout, don’t be as plastic as daddy’s Amex. Know the truth. Or suffer the consequences. “Everything is false.”
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MASTERMIND
Commander Cobrasnake A lot of imitators have sprung up in the wake of the Cobrasnake’s blazing online trail, but for the shutter-snake also known as MARK HUNTER, there’s more to photography than just throwing up “last night’s party.”
Interviewed by Nicola M. Sebastian Photos By Nick St. James Visuals by The Cobrasnake
M
ark Hunter doesn’t consider himself a “real” photographer. Hunter, also known as the Cobrasnake, who’s slithered into L.A.’s nocturnal escapades exposing snapshots of its underground partyphiles to the Wide Wide World. As in thecobrasnake.com, the net phenom hit up by millions of hipsters looking to soak up the sharp shooter’s latest photographic escapades (which have also been splattered on the pages of STATUS since issue #1, mind you), whether it be a rager in Japan or Fashion Week in Paris. Not much of
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a photographer, all right. Mark shows up to our interview in Cuisine in his signature neon cycling shorts and a vintage Betty Boop tee. For a guy who’s made a name for himself immortalizing all the midnight madness that goes down in the global party circuit, he’s more low-key than his electric pink shorts suggest. With a newfound local disciple soaking up every minute by his side, Hunter, a vegetarian, orders a pesto pasta as we get down to the larger-than-life vision that is the Cobrasnake.
MASTERMIND There are so many exciting things happening in L.A., like cool bands, artists, fashion—I realized that I wanted to show the world all of this, by documenting what was happening around me. And it’s turned into more than that.
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MASTERMIND
I hate all these artists that are so weird about trying to be ‘fine artists’.
Naturally, we made small talk on his happy, little hipster (though they all hate the word) pseudo-family comprised of DJ Steve Aoki (“Steve embodies what I want to see and capture at a party”) and the net’s favorite dancing girl, Cory Kennedy (“I knew there was something special about her”). But today, the focus was set for once on the man normally behind the lens. And that’s ‘cause although the trinity’s ascended up the cool pole, the Cobrasnake has exploded far beyond the title “party photographer” to break into the realm of “visionary”. Night visionary, at least. “I was always passionate about photography and I wanted to come up with a way that I could do it professionally but in a,
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like, not pretentious way,” says Mark on how he ended up taking photos of dolled-up, effed-up party people. “I hate all these artists that are so weird about trying to be ‘fine artists’. There are so many exciting things happening in L.A., like cool bands, artists, fashion—I realized that I wanted to show the world all of this, by documenting what was happening around me. And it’s turned into more than that.” No shit. Thecobrasnake.com, which had its beginnings in a humbler, more practical function—Mark using it to more easily share photos with friends—has morphed into a hype-generating, hipness-rating beast, with all the cool kids looking to his site for intel on where to go to be seen and mega-brands jetting Mark
all around the world to shoot their parties. “I don’t like to really set up my shots too much. It all just comes naturally,” says Mark when prodded for some kind of method to all the madness. Although going with the flow means you take what you can get, he assures me that one good night makes it all worthwhile: “every night is different. Sometimes it’s really boring, and then there’ll come a night when it just flows and people are laughing and dancing and falling on the floor, whatever’s going on, but it’s like, real. That’s when I’m like, ‘this is why I do this.’” As much as he owes his life online for his current, almost-surreal success, it gets a bit lonely sitting in front of his laptop. That’s why
MASTERMIND
the site’s retail alter ego, selling shirts from the Cobrasnake-endorsed RVCA and his own label Dim Mak, is really just Mark’s attempt to reach out to people. “The Internet can be a weird thing; it’s all digital and a bit stale. So I ship these shirts all around the world, and then I travel and see people everywhere wearing them. It’s like there’s a personal relationship there, a sort of physical connection.” Still unsatisfied with the limits the internet placed on communing with the kids, Hunter took it another step forward with his now-famous yard sales. A daytime occasion where out-of-their-garage
designers can sell their D.I.Y. wares out of cardboard boxes, the first of its kind made landfall in Manila at Cuisine a few days ago. “It’s where kids can come hang out, meet other kids during the day, and not just be partying all the time,” Mark explains. “It’s cool because the kids get to meet and interact with us, and you know, touch and feel things.” But more than the props and dollars it’s raking in, Mark’s Snake eyes have given shape to a growing sensibility also championed by the likes of Terry Richardson. Capturing the moment as it happens, out-of-focus and off-center, mid-blink
or mid-make out, the website propagates an asis aesthetic that exposes the now in all its raw, frenetic energy. It brings it back to the kids, to what is really happening right now, removed from the vision of reality dreamed up by the big brands and blasted on TV. Despite the hype surrounding it, the Cobrasnake isn’t an attempt to be cool, or even a cry for attention; it is merely an outlet for the expression of one person’s passions—which can be anything from the music-making at Coachella, a crazy cool outfit at some party, to an underground art show. But in being that close to the cultural
pulse of L.A. and—dare I say, the world—the Cobrasnake’s very antihipness becomes something trend-slaves everywhere go ape-sh*t over. Which means wherever Mark chooses to point his lens, the hordes are sure to follow. Where to from here? “I’m not attached to anything besides my own beliefs,” he states. “Everything comes and goes—music, style, everything. But I’ll always be crazy so why not ride the wave and live the dream.” Yeah, maybe Mark Hunter isn’t a real photographer. He’s much more than that.
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HITMAN
HEAD
In Project Runway Philippines,
clothes contender
a silent killer on the sewing machine.
That
MARA REYES
“reality” TV, real world.
was for
think about what the girl could do in the actual
was but
By Daryl Chang Make Up by Christine Duque Photographed by Tom Epperson Mara didn’t arrive for our interview on time. She was way early. Totally unexpected, but Mara turns out to be just that, a paradoxical package of quiet ‘tude and striking idiosyncrasy. I was introduced to her a few months back, (before she was in that popular fashion reality series) and found her to be unusually shy, this of course translating well onto TV, giving her a distinct introverted personality that strangely, people couldn’t get enough of. In real life, her enigma is more palpable. She’s vibrantly fresh, disarmingly pretty even without makeup, and she comes off with that enviable, almost-too-cool artsy aloofness. It’s hard not to stare. While she often answers in an unassuming way, her fashion armor speaks otherwise. Channeling the global scenester, she has the uniform down pat: the funky assymetric bob, a slouchy ‘80s electric blue shirt dress, a stack of thin bangles, chipped nail polish, black stirrup leggings and some evolution of the now-hip-again Sperry Topsiders. Obviously Mara, a girl with few words, is totally vocal when it comes to visually expressing herself. Her style, she explains, has always been inspired by music and its spin-off, resulting in an avant-garde-meets-street aesthetic. This filters through to her clothing lines. Like her sign Gemini, the twins, creative schizophrenia is inherent; her dual personality naturally creating two different brands; SWATHE is the pedestrian style of an in your face club kid, while her namesake MARA REYES would be the directional visionaire, seditiously refusing to blend in with the crowd. “When I make clothes for people, I want them to intimidate others instead of pleasing them,” she explains. And like twin cores, each balances each other out. “I can’t stop doing both.” While that fashion reality series has seen this girl, without any formal technical training survive with only lakas ng loob, talent and passion, she admits that if given another chance, she would have taken pattern making classes first. But still, she explains, with her strong aversion to establishment and rules, plunging headfirst into an unconventional learning experience was her way of testing herself. Her month of being in “jail”, (as she so eloquently puts it) turned out to be an atypical education. It was discussing, debating and defining fashion firsthand with kindred artistic spirits. “I learned three important things about myself while I was at that competition, number one, I proved to myself that this is what I really wanted to do, two, that I could make sabay pala with the other good designers. And three, comparing myself to them , I found out that I really have my own distinct style.” And from someone who admits to having started out by “fucking up early, going out, partying, getting grounded, the works”, Mara certainly has cleaned up nicely. The real story is, at 22, she’s been through enough and understands just what she wants and what she needs to do to get it.
So
far,
there’s no reason to doubt that the trajectory of her career has nowhere to go but up. to talk,
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I
And
what’s she got to say about that?
just want to make clothes.”
“I
don’t want
What’s your Status?
www.statusmagonline.com Jonas Bevacqua photo by Quang Le
whatsyourstatus@statusmagonline.com
HITMAN
T U C T N A I L L I R B A amond Life. ving the Di li be to s ke t what it ta or two abou g in th a d teaches us Nick Diamon By Hannah P
“If you ain’t bein’ hated on, you ain’t doin shit!”
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T
hat’s what it says on Nick Tershay’s Myspace page. How anyone could ever hate on Nick Tershay, let alone his famous skate brand Diamond Supply Co. is a mystery. Then again, we weren’t there to witness the beginning. Nick Tershay, better known as Nick Diamond, has come a long way. The founder and creative mind behind of props-pounding skate brand Diamond Supply Co. has had his share of success and setbacks, highs and lows—and everything else in between. Thankfully, he never gave up. As with his ever-growing apparel line and upcoming Diamond Supply limited footwear line to be released next year, he won’t stop shining. Despite the rough start, the Diamond Supply Co. sponsors the best skaters today, from Paul Rodriguez to Mike Carroll, with their selective and impressive skate teams, as well as increasing its fan base with rappers
Lupe Fiasco and Lil Wayne adding tees to their wardrobe. If you don’t call that influence, then we might as well mention the net sensation that Nick caused when he posted his personally designed Diamond Supply Co. Tiffany Dunk photo on his Myspace page. Within days, it was the sneaker everyone was talking about. We guess you could say that the struggles have paid off. Diamond Supply Co. is the brand that has earned its spot among the best streetwear/skatewear labels to date. Read up and learn more on how Nick Diamond made it happen.
Hey Nick! What’s up? What are you working on right now? I’m currently working on some new cut & sew pieces that will be dropping in ‘09. Oh, and I’m working on building a new redwood deck in my back yard too What made you decide to
start Diamond Supply?
Well, the whole idea for Diamond Supply came from my days as a kid. Growing up, I didn’t have much guidance and had zero supervision. I spent most of my early teens just skating, going to punk rock shows and being a frequent resident of Juvenile Hall. I was in and out of juvie so much that everyone there knew me by name. I never really went to school because all I wanted to do was skate, instead of being forced to learn things that I didn’t think mattered at the time. I think the big turning point in my life was being sent away to a group home in San Francisco when I was 15. The group home that I was placed in had to be the worst place for a kid like me to be. The house was being run by a bunch of dopeheads and young college kids that didn’t really give a shit. I would actually smoke weed
with the people that were supposed to be teaching me how to be a better person. Since they didn’t care what I was doing or what I was up to, I ended up finding my way down to the Embarcadero which, at the time, was the place all the young skaters in the city would hang out. Eventually, the EMB crew became my family and we would just hang out down there smoking, drinking, skating and just being oblivious to the rest of the world around us. We all became really good at skating because it was basically all we wanted to do. Then skate magazines started taking notice and writing articles about our crew and this new phenomenon of technical street skating that we were pioneering. By 1990, EMB was all over the skate magazines and skate videos were being filmed down there every day. Our whole crew became sponsored by numerous companies and skaters from all over the world, literally packed their bags and moved out to San Francisco to try and become part of the hype. EMB blew up fast and San Francisco in the early to mid ‘90s became the world’s mecca of skateboarding. We were the new “it” thing in skateboarding and if you were from EMB you were respected by skaters everywhere. Growing up around all the hype, being sponsored by different companies, learning all about the business, and having some of the world’s best skaters as my closest friends made me want to start my own skate brand. I had a dream of starting a new board or clothing company since I was always into clothes and sneakers, but as time went on, I just kept skating and dreaming because starting a brand cost a lot of money that I didn’t have. Then in 1998, I had an innovative idea for skateboard bolts. And it was definitely something that I could get into because bolts were cheap to make and I had all my pro skater friends to back up the product. So I asked all the homies to
skate for my new company and Diamond Supply Co. was born. Why the Diamond? What does it represent? I got the name Diamond from the song “Smooth Operator” by Sade. I already had the idea for my company lined up, but needed a brand name. I was cruisin’ around in SF with my homie Greg Carroll one day when the song came on the radio. In the first line of the song she sings, “Diamond life…” and as soon as I heard her say it, it just stuck. It was perfect because living the Diamond Life was a world so far from where I was at in my life at the time. All my friends growing up were just street kids with no direction and all we had were our skateboards and each other. We were diamonds in the rough that just needed some polishing to really shine. Diamonds are the hardest natural substance known to man and we all grew up pretty hard so it all made perfect sense to call it Diamond Supply Co. How was the skate scene like back then and how do you think you changed it? The skate scene back then was underground and received no mainstream media attention. The only press skateboarding got was through the skate scene’s own magazine publications. If you saw someone skateboarding on TV it was like the craziest out of the ordinary thing ever. Skateboarders were outcasts and considered a nuisance to the rest of society. The skate industry was poor and only a couple of key companies were seeing any real money. But it all changed when the world turned on their TV’s and saw the X-Games. I don’t really think Diamond Supply Co. as a company changed or influenced our scene. But what Diamond did that was different was bring together all of our closest friends and pretty much every ill skater in the industry at the
time to be part of one team. All my friends were sponsored by different board, shoe and clothing brands, but by starting a company that was solely based on skateboard mounting hardware, we could have everyone be part of something together that would not conflict with their other sponsors. It is the biggest family of skateboard talent and friends today. The Diamond Supply Co. skate team in 2008 consists of over 100 of the world’s best professional skateboarders. “Adversity builds character.” Tell us about your struggle to get your ideas off the ground… The biggest struggle was in the beginning because I couldn’t get my bolt idea to work properly. I had the illest skate team backing us and I was making Diamond t-shirts that were flying off the shelves. But these damn bolts would not work. Between 1998 and mid2000, the only thing I was selling was t-shirts even though we were supposed to be this new innovative bolt company. It was a complete nightmare and all of the shops and distributors were pissed off at us because we kept promising them these new bolts. Luckily our Diamond script logo was a popular t-shirt and I had the world’s best skaters backing the brand. If it hadn’t been for that, Diamond Supply Co. may have been a complete failure. I have never been the type of person to give up on something once I start it, so I stuck with it and was finally forced to put out a half-assed product that people were bummed on since two years in the making caused a lot of hype for it. But since the shirts and hats were doing so well, I decided to not give up. So I just put out regular hardware that every other company was already selling but with our name on it. It’s something that I wish I did from the start because people bought a ton of it. We then expanded into making bearings, wax, grip tape and all kinds of
HITMAN
other skate accessories with the Diamond Supply Co. name on it.
A lot of your projects work closely with your friends. How is it balancing that friendship with the business relationship? Working with friends is always a good thing because we can come together with ideas and put something out on the market that reflects us as one. Collabos are always good to do with my friends that start up new brands because it gives them instant relevance in the market when we put the Diamond Supply Co. label on the bottom of the shirt. Diamond Supply Co. is by no means the biggest or most popular brand in the world but we are definitely sold in some of the best stores in the world. When we offer a shirt to a retailer that is a collabo with an unknown brand, the retailer instantly becomes interested in what other designs that brand has to offer. I never ask for anything in return for doing a collab. It’s just my way of helping my friends get started and hopefully be able to see them blow it up. I do, however, also do collabs with other brands that I feel benefit Diamond on the same level as the collabs I do with my friends’ upstart brands. Some collabs can really put a brand in the hands of a whole new market overnight, and working with other creative people on a project is always fun. How do you keep your ideas original and new? I ask myself the same question every season. When it comes to sneakers, the famous Tiffany SB Dunk you designed gained immense respect and attention from sneaker heads around the world. This was followed up with another sneaker collab with DVS. Now, the Diamond Supply Co. will officially be branching out into the footwear industry with their limited collections. www.statusmagonline.com - 63
hitman
How’d that happen? As far back as I can remember, I have been into sneakers. The first shoe I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to design was for the Nike SB Team Manager Series back in 2005—the Diamond Supply Co. Tiffany Dunk SB. I actually just found out that the Tiffany Dunk was voted “#1 Dunk SB” of all time in Sole Collector Magazine’s “100 Greatest Kicks” issue. I have always been a huge Nike fan, so for the Nike SB Dunk I designed to get voted #1 is amazing!
What’s the hardest part about designing and producing shoes? The hardest part about designing a shoe is getting the sole and shape of the shoe right. Our limited Diamond sneakers are my first actual venture into designing and producing an actual shoe. For Nike and DVS, I just flipped colorways and materials of existing shoes they had already been designed. Getting the shape of the shoe to look right on your foot is the hardest part. Doing colorways is easy.
I’ve also been working very closely with DVS on various projects in the past two years. Last year, we released
Are there any other collabs we can look forward to?
the Jeron Wilson “JDubb” shoe in 2 colorways, which became the best selling shoe for DVS Original Intent, their core skateboarding line. At the end of this year, we are dropping a Diamond DVS Dayton colorway model along with matching apparel, and following it up in ‘09 with 2 colorways of the newest JDubb model.
collabs on our own sneakers with different artist friends of mine, but other than that, I’ve been continuing to work with DVS and we may be doing a Lakai skate shoe with Mike Carroll in the future.
Since we’ve had such great success with shoes, I thought it would be fun to design and manufacture our own limited footwear that will only be available at our flagship store in LA. Just a small expansion of the Diamond Supply Co. line. 64 - www.statusmagonline.com
we make, which gives our consumer a better idea of what the brand is all about. I have also learned that having the right team of employees is key to having a successful retail business and that hiring the too-cool-for-school kid never seems to work out. Customers like to be greeted by people that are friendly and helpful so the cool guy employee attitude doesn’t fly with us. My homeboy expro skater Joey Suriel, who I like to think of as the backbone of Diamond Supply Co., handles pretty much everything that has to do with the store, our
just design the line and they are taking care of the rest. Can you describe the style of the pieces? My style of dress is simple so the type of clothes I am making reflects that. Everything we are putting out is high quality and I put a lot of time into the subtle details and fit. We have some nice fitting denim, jackets, shorts, buttondowns and fleece. You will also be seeing some Army Surplus and Polo inspired pieces. Growing up, what mistakes ended up being your most important lessons?
I’m planning on doing
As a businessman, what important lessons did you learn from taking care of Diamond Supply’s flagship store? I learned that having my own retail store with all of my own products is probably the best move I could have made. It is great because the profit margins are high and I can showcase everything that
skate team management and t-shirt production. Without Joey in the mix of things, I would most likely be completely overwhelmed. You talked about working on your cut & sew pieces for ‘09. What made you decide to do this? I have always wanted to make other clothes besides tees and hoods but never really had the time to spend on it since I am a one-man design team. I’ve just been waiting for a good time to jump in and do it right. I have now hired a production manager and pattern maker to help me get it going, so now I
From all of the mistakes I have made in my life, the lesson I have learned time and time again is to only trust in God and yourself. What advice would you give young entrepreneurs? You are who you believe you are. Don’t let anyone tell you different. In 2009, Streetwear will be.... Booming. In 2009, Diamond Supply will be.... Expanding. In 2009, Nick Diamond will be.... Doing exactly what I do now.
hitman
G N I S S CRO BOARDER
From touring all across the globe as a pro skateboarder to getting kids from Pomona to Panama to wanna snag boards from his own brand, DGK, the world is STEVIE WILLIAMS’ skate park.
By Jonty Cruz
S
tevie Williams can do more with a skateboard than most of us can do with ourselves. But from just mounting his board and riding, the pro skater kick flipped onto Reebok’s first foray into skateboards, and after some time with different sponsors clinging to Williams, he Willygrinded his way into self-enterprise himself, via his own skateboard company: DGK (Dirty Ghetto Kids). From the boarders of Mexico to the boarders of those Pixel Plated Video Games, Stevie Williams has damn right made a name for himself with his heart on his sleeve and his feet on the board.
You’ve gone through a lot of sponsors in your skate career. Did that help in starting your own company, DGK Skateboards? Experiencing the highs and lows of companies and knowing what to do and not to do has helped
me start and lead my own company. Learning to trust certain people and having the right people involved, especially. The overall experience was learning how they work and having the drive to run your own company, or at least working for a large corporation.
What else do you hope to accomplish with DGK besides all those amazing boards?
A lot of your buds in sport also have their skateboard companies. is DGK different from the rest?
Any interesting tour experiences on the skate tour circuit you wanna tell us about?
the own How all
It’s not different; we all just have different names and different skateboards. For the most part it’s all the same. It’s how the skateboard company works, runs, and markets itself. If you’re known, you’re doing something right.
More brand awareness globally and staying in touch with the fans. Making an impact not only in the skate world but the world as a whole.
I’ve been on so many tours, the craziest one probably in South America with DGK and Reebok. We made stops in Mexico, Columbia, and Panama.
entertainment biz—get into acting or rapping, maybe? You would see Stevie Williams as an actor before a rapper. But, then again, you’ll never see Stevie Williams as a rapper…never. If you weren’t a skateboarder, would you still be this cool? Definitely. I would be cool or a nerd—I wouldn’t be in between…I wouldn’t be regular… One skateboard trick that tells us what you’re all about? “Hard Flip”
You’ve done the business side of things, but would you ever hit up the
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C I M O T A SUB
N O I T A S SEN HENARES. d of QUARK rl wo y ad te -s in the rock lling “cut” ye no s e’ Why ther g By Wincy On on by Revoluti Photographed
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C
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urreal? Peculiar? Strange? There must be a word for it. Quark Henares calls, “Action!” A ninja shouts a battle cry and commands a horde of coplayers to wreak havoc on a team of tabletennis players armed with paddles. Mayhem ensues. The absurdity of the scene cannot be contained; chuckles escape from the crewmembers making heroic efforts to keep a straight face. This is what typically happens on Rakista, a show that Quark and his friend, Sandwich guitarist Diego Castillo, created for the primetime tube (it airs on the newly revamped TV5 every Thursday at 7PM, with replays on Sundays at 1PM). The show is cavalier in its approach: a tellall, hipster dramedy about a college band that just wants what every band wants, really: rock-god fame and a high scoring average with the ladies. “Rakista is loosely based on a lot of what happened when I was still in college. My friends, my … And it’s been a joy that
most of the viewers of the show can relate to the story,” Quark shares. “What we can’t do in films or commercials, we do it in Rakista. Everything from a zombie episode, to one where we have ninjas, to one with a detective story…It’s all good fun! Plus you get paid to tell these kinds of stories,” he adds. Although we might not have a second season to look forward to, Rakista has been gaining cult-like status and a loyal YouTube fanbase. And you can bet your momma’s fake Hermés bag that it’s got something to do with the show’s shoestringbudget charm, which
harks to cheese-ball classics like The Adventures of Pete and Pete and early Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Music videos are another specialty of Quark that are worth noting, whose hearty servings of quirk do not disappoint. Consider his music video for The Itchyworms’ “Penge Naman Ako Niyan”, where the somewhat-plump band members undergo an extreme makeover session with an overeager gym instructor, thereby transforming (through the magic of a jump cut) into Victor Basa and friends. Consider Pupil’s
“Disconnection Notice”, where Glaiza de Castro, a guinea pig in a futuristic Kubrickesque laboratory, undergoes a battery of tests—culminating in a tinikling showdown. Yeah, it’s all very David Lynch. Consider his stillunaired music video for Rico Blanco’s “Yugto”, where the happy viewers are welcomed into a museum of Philippine paranormal oddities, housing such treasures as the organs of a manananggal and the fiery remnants of the Santelmo. Aside from doing all that is humanly possible from the director’s chair, from films like the iconic Keka to more corporate-y stuff like commercials, Quark also moonlights with an indie band called Us-2, Evil-0. Yep, the guy is a busy man indeed. He shares vocal duties with fashion designer/demi-celebrity Mich Dulce, and their union spawns boy-girl harmonies, strummy guitars and swirling disco synthorgans. “I’m a big fan of indie bands like +/- and Mates of State,” supplies
Quark on the band’s inspiration. “And we wanted to get that kind of vibe but sing about very personal topics, which funnily have been our love lives and friends of ours whom we want to poke fun at.” Their song titles are nothing but original, ranging from “Superpoke Is Nothing Compared to True Love” to “Mikey Is The New Mong”—the latter, a winking reference to Sandwich/Chicosci guitarist and notorious ladies’ man, Mong Alcaraz. Quark Henares calls, “Cut!” He lets out a howl, a laugh. An affable man, he approaches his actors, hugs them, and—if they’re close friends—jokingly twists their nipples as an utmost gesture of his brotherly love. “That take was amazing, guys!” he exclaims to the cast and crew. “Now let’s do the scene with the severed ear and the captain of the swim team.” Surreal? Peculiar? Strange? No. The word for it could only be Quark. www.statusmagonline.com - 67
HITMAN
E C I STER
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he i Anc
tch By Mi
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HITMAN BEN BALLER L.A.’s biggest player in the bling biz, can take care of his crown jewels himself, thank you very much.
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here’s evidence why Koreans may possibly rule the world. And it’s not ‘cause they’re housing nuclear bombs built to obliterate the human race (Sorry Kim Jong, my man). For all their cutesy sensibility and quirkcombustible style, Koreans are a deadly mix of stealth and intelligence, a combination that allows them to blend in anywhere. Case in point: look up from this page you’re reading and chances are a Korean will pass you by. No, this is not a magic trick and I’m not David
Blaine. They really are everywhere. And that’s precisely why Koreans are the next Masters of the Universe (Sucks for you, He-Man!). Don’t believe me? Then say hello to Mr. Ben Baller, one of the biggest Asian players the lux-loaded hills of L.A.-la Land have ever seen. Growing up in K-Town, this self-made millionaire paved his way as a DJ and slowly worked himself up the food chain. After helping create one platinum album after another, Baller decided to gamble in a business no man in his right mind should ever try (except if you’re Ben Baller): jewelry. Fast-forward to a few years later and he’s got the world’s A-listers wrapped happily ‘round his blinged-out finger. The likeliness of a kid being named Ben Baller seems slim to none… My college basketball assistant coach gave me the name in 1992. You’ve treaded on a lot of different courts— deejaying, consulting for Nike, and now, dealing and creating bling pieces. Um, what’s the deal? Nothing I’ve done in my life has ever been on a small scale. From being part of signing Jay Z’s
Reasonable Doubt record, working with Tupac, being the first Asian to play college ball, world records on eBay for shoe reselling, etc etc…I think my biggest challenge is yet to come, 35 years in the making. Is the world, or at least America, ready for an Asian reality TV star? Or with that fact that I’ve never been allowed to the motherland Korea ‘til this year, how will my people treat me? Has growing up Asian with a lot of Caucasians around influenced your decisions in life? I’ve always faced odds, from being a professional breakdancer in the very early ‘80s to being the first Asian to play basketball and football at my university, to my music profession. I’ve just played dumb and kept it moving as if the stereotypes and racism didn’t exist. But of course I wasn’t oblivious to being a minority. It just gave me more motivation to break the stereotypes and act as if being a minority was a cool thing (which it was) but in the sense of like, a rare Ferrari or a rare pair of sneakers. I was always the only Asian in most of the circles I’ve been in, from work to social gatherings, until recently. But all in all, I don’t let color lines ever interfere in my decisions in life. I can mold and blend into any culture I feel. I’m that worldly of a person.
in the exaggerated Asian stereotypes. Or probably the only Asian guy I know that doesn’t know martial arts. Does he? (laughs.) What got you in the jewelry biz in the first place? It was just about that time. It was more of an experiment with my cousin and three years later, we are worldwide and everyone in the jewelry biz knows ICEE FRESH. My cousin had asked me in 1997 to help him out and bring him some rappers/celebs, but I just kept it pushin’. Same thing in 2001, but around then he became a legend in the ‘hood as “Slauson Steve”! He has been killin’ it! What about the people who say your glimmering success was set off by luck? What’s a guy got to do to collect your kind of
But what goes through your head when you see Bobby Lee playing DaeWoo on Mad
cred? What luck? Shit, nobody opened one single door for me. I damn near had to build doors to break them down myself. If anything, maybe it was good timing and my ability to execute and close deals. At best, I’ve seen cracks of a door open and I just kicked them down from there. You wanna be like me? Cramps, headaches, anxiety attacks, bad attitude, bipolar disorder, long face, bald… Do something else. But if that’s cool with you, then Dalai Lama says, “If you lose, don’t lose the lesson.” I’ve made tons of mistakes in my life. Learn from them. He also said, “Learn the rules, so you know how to break them
TV?
properly.”
Call me an asshole, but I’ve never seen one episode of Mad TV ever—and Aries Spears on the show is an old friend of 15 years. But I did meet Bobby in first class on a flight home—cool inperson. I watched a couple skits of him on Youtube that he sent me and I died laughing. He’s the only Korean or Asian I know that hasn’t been pigeonholed
Any time you decide your ice is too cold for a client? All the time, it’s mostly ‘cause they try to bargain with the prices. You don’t bargain at a Ferrari dealership, don’t do it with us. Don’t matter if we’re in the Slauson Supermall. A diamond with certificates or appraisals is the same anywhere on earth. Like a 2008 Ferrari
599 is a 2008 Ferrari 599, it won’t be cheaper at Slauson than it would be on Rodeo Drive. Also, a lotta famous rappers get cheap and ask for cubic zirconias or moissinites as replacements for diamonds. Naw bro, go to ‘em Southern jewelers or them bootleg cats on 47th in NYC. You’ve done a lot of cameos for some very famous people—ever thought of making a record yourself? Eight years ago, I told Dr. Dre, if Jin the rapper goes gold, sign me ‘cause I’m going double platinum off my image alone. I told Dame Dash and Jay-Z the same. Obviously, my dude didn’t go gold, but I got love for him ‘cause he is a yellow brother. I wish I would have did it anyways. Now I’m way too old; if I did it, I couldn’t tour, because I’m way too out of shape. Then again, you’re set to be on a reality show and a few movies. How’s that been going? Money and fame change you much? We start filming very soon. I don’t know what’s gonna happen. I’m definitely gonna get canceled. We’re guessing money and fame haven’t changed you much. What else does a guy like you need anyway? It hasn’t. I’m still on the grind ‘til the police come and this shit don’t last forever. I go hard but I also save some for my less fortunate homies and my family just in case I overdose on syzzurp. My bucket list is way too long but taking down Cassie comes to mind— actually, wifeying her? Yeah, probably. (laughs.) Ah yeah, and I definitely want to get a six-pack of washboard abs before I turn 40 but that might be harder then getting Tom Cruise to wear my jewelry on Oprah Winfrey. No actually, getting Tom to do that was pretty easy.
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o r t c e l e CUTE Sour candy rapper, punk electro princess—whatever you call her, UFFIE spits out the sort of sweet stereo gum you can’t help but chew on. STATUS tries not to choke on all that extra-juiciness. By Gino de la Paz Interview by Nicola M. Sebastian Photographed By The Cobrasnake
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t the ripe old age of 20, Uffie says she’s got some serious bags under her eyes. It’s hard to believe that nearly two years and a dozen gigabytes ago, the sweet-faced ingénue fired up everyone’s file sharing software with her auto-tune harmonies and transcontinental potty mouth. Her take on her life so far? “Well, I’m not a teenager anymore. I’m married, and music is completely my life now. It used to be a big party. Now I get up in the morning to record,” Uffie confesses, temporarily trading her electro-scene queen’s tiara for headphones. “This year I’ve really slowed down to only a few shows a month. My album’s overdue and I just needed to be in studio instead of planes. So it’s been really calm, but a lot of work,” she continues. “They say time goes faster as you get older, but 2008 has gone so fast. And I also got a puppy. So lots of changes!” Maturity is a notable achievement on its own. Aside from coming of age under the glint of a disco ball, however, it’s Uffie’s status as a certified ThirdCulture Kid—someone whose passport country is different from his or her place of residence and therefore mashes up the two to create a neither-here-nor-there way of being—that has allowed her to grow up faster than other recent post-teens. Born Anna-Catherine Hartley in Miami, Florida, Uffie (more on that moniker in a bit) stomped the streets of a pre-handover Hong Kong before moving back to the U.S., then eventually to Europe. “Well, my dad’s from Liverpool, and I have basically 95% English www.statusmagonline.com - 71
working girl
“Well, I’m not a teenager anymore. I’m married, and music is completely my life now.”
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genes so I had an English accent ‘til my late teens. Now it’s not so strong. I have a pretty strange accent but it’s not straight English,” she explains. In hindsight, bouncing from one time zone to the next has been a fun, surreal education for her. “It’s strange looking back, always moving. I went to Chinese schools, then I was homeschooled, then I went to American ones, then French ones. I guess it was a bit stranger as a kid…explains my issues,” Uffie says, giggling. Along with the good comes the potentially traumatic, and Uffie’s had her share of that, too. Thankfully, her memories of abandoning ship in the Philippines do not involve pirates. “Basically we were pretty close to land and a typhoon was coming. So we followed a fishing boat to land--smart–and hit a reef,” she recalls. The coast guard didn’t come to help but the villagers did. The next day, all their shit was on the beach and people were taking her toys. “It was crazy! That, as a kid, was my world and it vanished! But someone came to give my mum her jewelry back. It was really incredible. We lived at the base in a bamboo hut till our papers were ready and the last night I slept outside and got bit by something and got so ill. It was horrid! But we just hung out and the people just enjoyed life and knew what it was about. It was amazing after such a tragedy to be so blessed.” Stories of her earliest musical influences are not so emotionally scarring but they are just as interesting nonetheless. “Growing up in Hong Kong, there was no MTV or any of that. I had my parents’ music – Pink Floyd, Bob Marley, and Eric Clapton, whom I adore! Then when I came to the U.S., it was just MTV -- hiphop, pop, and commercial stuff. But when I went to Europe, I discovered electro and it was amazing. We don’t have that underground scene in the US. I also work with amazing older producers who have the craziest record collections. I discovered a lot there.” Now part the Now part of of the Ed Ed Banger Bangerinfiltration, infiltration,one onethat has thatlaunched has launched a million a million magazine magazine Uffie articles, Uffie is articles, is helping export helpingsweat export sweat French to French the rest of the to the rest of planet. the discodisco-dancing In 2006, dancing planet. In 2006, the year she signed to the Pedro year Winter’s she signed to Pedro music label, Uffie Winter’s music label, Uffie www.statusmagonline.com - 73
working girl
dropped a Chanel clutch of electro-jailbait singles. “Pop The Glock,” with opening drumbeats borrowing nostalgia from Mary J. Blige’s classic “Real Love,” was the first to grab the blogosphere by the balls. Meanwhile, it was the track’s B-side, “Ready To Uff,” that became Uffie’s motto to battle. Reeking of hormones and whiskey, the “I’m ready to fuck” chorus has split listeners, who have either pumped their fists and chanted along or shut their eyes and looked away. Our chick Uffie is definitely more Skins than Hannah Montana yet that hasn’t stopped the haters from dismissing her as another Disney creature. Forum trolls have, in fact, compared another one of her releases, “First Love,” to something Hilary Duff would’ve come up with. “Again I never called myself a rapper. I love hip-hop so there’s obviously an influence. But my style and personality are way more punk electro than
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rapping. For ‘First Love’, I wanted to try something different. It was like the fifth song I wrote!” she reasons. “It’s horrible how people are pigeon-holed into only making one kind of sound, and when they step out of that box people accuse them of trying to be something else. Music is an art of expressing yourself. You should reach in all directions.” For the record, “First Love” is the perfect slow jam for a particularly fucked up prom. In a cool, streetwise way, of course. With a ring on her finger and a debut album that has given fans a case of the blue balls, the highly bloggable Uffie is at a tipping point of a different kind. The French touch is back and she plans to reshape the buzz to suit other forms of creativity. “I really wanted to work in fashion or be a writer. Creative writing and literature were always my favorite classes. So I’d really like to dabble in that and see the outcome.” And how about fashion? “Definitely. Right now, one of my best friends does jewelry and accessories for
Chanel and Maison Michel. I’m waiting for the right collab to come along. I want my art and visions to expand beyond music.” As the party became a sound and the sound gave way to a scene, Uffie has emerged, as some critics have noted, kind of like a one-woman Fannypack or a much younger Princess Superstar. But before we call it a day, where did the name come from anyway? “Well, there’s two reasons. It’s something my dad’s called me since I can remember. I’m not called Anna Catherine unless I’m in trouble! It was always Uff or Uffie. My parents always were always saying it enough so it shortened. And second, an oeuf in French is an egg!” As she cakes into the fabric of pop culture at the tail end of this decade, her sexed up vocals acting as icing on a cake of chickachicka breakbeats, count on seeing more of that name both online and off. “It’s definitely been a hell of a ride! I’m just having fun and blasting what I want and the people next door can either enjoy it or complain about it.” After all, as Uffie herself put it, “I’m just screaming to be heard.”
working girl
“First Love” is the perfect slow jam for a particularly fucked up prom. In a cool, streetwise way, of course.
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working girl
LIBERTY
BELLE If you lack a few shock absorbers in your head, you’d best turn the page ‘cause Hellz Bellz’ she-devil designer, LANI ALABANZA, is about to shake the middle earth up. By Vanna Lim Hellz Bellz, one of the newest lines to blaze the women’s streetwear scene, is unapologetically, unabashedly, unashamedly In. Your. Face. Live fast, hard, and wear a look that can kill—that’s the Hellz Bellz kinda woman in a Hellz Bellz kinda lifestyle. No wallflowers here— only Venus flytraps—and take your glitter, lace, and Hello Kitty dolls with you. Here, design dame Lani Alabanza gives us the lowdown on street spotting, her daily eyeliner requirement, and the brand that’s scorched the earth and sidewalks with designs that are hotter and more titillatingly toxic than fire and brimstone. In ten words or less, what do you actually do at your job every day? Each day consists of me conceptualizing, designing, answering tons of emails, directing my team— and having fun, of course.
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What was the first Hellz Bellz item ever created and were there any birthing pains in doing this? I started Hellz with just graphic tees. At the time, I was still working at Rocawear as the ladies art director. One time I came into a meeting with Jay-Z wearing one of my tees. Rather than going over the RW collection, he started asking questions about my tee… for about five minutes while everyone in the meeting just sat around as he told me how much he loved my tee. (Smiles widely). Jigga what! Who is the Hellz chick? Does she hate the word “chick”? Does she have a habit of kicking guys’ nuts and then spitting on them? First of all, yes she hates the word chick (laughs). She’s an intelligent female who isn’t afraid to question authority or push the boundaries of fashion and life. She’s
stylish, cool and dares to be different. And no, she doesn’t have a habit of kicking guys balls but she does kick their asses in everything else she does. What does your mom think of the Hellz Bellz woman? She’s my number-one fan… but that doesn’t stop her from occasionally telling me to stop using so many bad words and guns (laughs). How often do you wear your own designs? All day, everyday, of course. Hellz seems to be all about rocking the shock factor. You receive any word on your garb—good or bad—when you walk down the street? You’d be surprised by how many people come up to me asking where I got my tee. There aren’t really any other lines out there that are as forward as Hellz,
working girl so most people are intrigued by it. If they do have a problem they don’t stop me, they’ll just do double takes as I walk by. Does everything look better with black eyeliner? That’s funny you asked that. I don’t ever leave home without wearing black eyeliner. So my answer is yes. What goes on in your head— or your loins—when you spot someone wearing one of your designs? Even after three years, I still get overly excited and extremely proud when I see someone on the street or in magazines wearing one of my items, and I can’t even describle the feeling I get when I see a celeb like Beyonce or Cassie rocking Hellz, but what really matters to me is the people in the street—those are actually the people that really make me happy! Always a good thing, I guess. Time to name drop. Who’s been spotted in your designs? Kid Sister, Roxy Cottontail, Beyonce, Cassie, Nina Sky, Nikki Jean, Estelle, Keri Hilson, Teyana Taylor, Santo Gold, Natalia Cappucini, Murs, The Donna’s, Christian Soriano, etc… So why do you think streetwear’s big with the ladies now? Whether they’re a part of the culture or not, women are being drawn to streetwear ‘cause it’s refreshing. It’s new to many and offers more range for women rather than the
typical cutesy graphics or silhouettes. No plans of coming out with Hellz lingerie? Or does that totally go against being one of Satan’s hos? We’re definitely not one of Satan’s ho’s… but that doesn’t mean that lingerie is out of the question. We have a lot in store but you’ll have to wait and see.
It would be my dream to collababorate with Vivienne Westwood. Some projects that we have coming up are a collab with Nooka watches, which will be available Holiday 2008, a special Stussy Collection that we’ll be releasing in Spring 2009, and many more to come that I can’t divulge just yet. Stay tuned!
If you could collaborate with any one designer, who would it be? In fact, any collaborations or new projects you’ve got lined-up? Can we expect any other hell-raising acts in the near future?
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NIGHTVISION Into the Twilight @ Embassy Photos by Revolution
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Status Yardsale 2
NIGHT VISION
@ Embassy Fly Photos by Revolution
N Project Runway Fashion Week @ SMX
Photos by Revolution
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NIGHT-VISION
Greyone Social Opening @ Greenbelt 5 Photos by Revolution + Abu
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NIGHT-VISION
URCC University Challenge
@ A-Venue
Photos by Revolution
for more photos, visit www.statusmagonline.com/nightvision
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TRANS ACTION
TRANS ACTION Everyone Loves Am @ Cinespace
photos by The Cobrasnake
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TRANS ACTION
N Hellz-Bellz Party
@ Cinespace photos by SWITCH
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TRANS ACTION
Drop Dead Katy photos by The Cobrasnake
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Where to find stuff in this magazine ADIDAS available at Adidas Stores ALDO available at Bonifacio High Street Taguig City ANNE KLEIN available at Power Plant Mall ARANAZ available at Power Plant Mall (632) 833-6845 BCBG GIRLS available at CMG Glorietta BILLABONG available at Stoked Power Plant Mall CHARLES & KEITH available at Bonifacio High Street Taguig City (632) 856-3431 CIRCA available at H2O Republic (632) 864-0774
GOLA available at Shoe Salon Power Plant Mall and Shangrila Mall Pasig City INSIGHT available at Aloha Power Plant Mall
SUPRA available at Greyone Social Power Plant Mall (632) 896-5084
JANYLIN available at Glorietta 1
T BAGS available at Power Plant Mall
KATE SPADE available at Power Plant Mall and Greenbelt 3
TINT available at Power Plant Mall
KENNETH COLE available at Power Plant Mall LEVIS available at Levis Stores LEWRE available at CMG Glorietta 4
CLAE available at Greyone Social Power Plant Mall and Greenbelt 5
MARITHE FRANCIOS GIRBAUD available at SM Mall of Asia Pasay City (63) 556-0131 Level 2 Robinsons Place Manila (632) 567-8580
CMG available at Power Plant Mall
MICHAEL KORS available at Power Plant Mall
CONVERSE available at all Converse shop all SM and Robinson Department Stores
NIKE available at Nike Stores Nationwide
DIESEL available at Power Plant Mall DKNY available at Power Plant Mall DUMOND available at Greenbelt 3 ECKO UNLTD available at Ecko Unlimited Concept Shop 2F Trinoma Mall Quezon City ENZO ANGIOLINI available at Bonifacio High Street Taguig City EZEKIEL available at Stoked Power Plant Mall FILA available at Glorietta 3 FINO LEATHERWARE available at Glorietta 3 Power Plant Mall FURLA available at Rustan’s Makati City GAUPO available at Greenbelt 5
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STUSSY available at Greyone Social Power Plant Mall (632) 896-5084
NINE WEST available at Bonifacio High Street Taguig City PAUL FRANK available at Anthem Power Plant Mall PUMA available at Puma Bonifacio High Street REACH BEAR available at Fresh Manila (632) 412-8786 REPUBLIC available at Team Manila Power Plant Mall RMK available at Greyone Social Greenbelt 5 SHU available at Glorietta 4 SOLEA available at Power Plant Mall SPRINGFIELD available at Power Plant Mall
TITS available at Greyone Social Power Plant Mall (632) 896-5084 VOLCOM available at J&S Surf, 2285 Solid House Bldg. Don Chino Roces Ave. Pasong Tamo Ext, Makati City (632) 893-5766 and Aloha Sports Power Plant Mall ZOO YORK available at SHOE SALON STOKED and RUSTANS ARTIST Angie Cruz Shu Uemura (Makeup) 0916-386-8307 www.angiecruzonline. com acruz.makeup@yahoo. com Carlo Bandoquillo (Photography) 0927-805-4589 www.lorincer. multiply.com Jason Quibilan Snapbox (Photography) 0917-625-2272 Nick St. James (Photography) 0919-250-6714 Revolution (Photography) rev.naval@gmail.com Tom Epperson Snapbox (Photography) 0917-625-2272
Photography by Jason Quibilan of Snapbox Photography
RIGHT RIDER
Makeup by Angie Cruz of Shu Eumura Top by Diesel
THE
OREEL DEAL P
opping like a pop tart out of nowhere (well, Singapore, actually, where she lived for 13 years), FilDutch Pilar Oreel is a sweet ‘n’ fresh addition to the local modeling scene. Really fresh, considering the 15 year old just moved out here from the Lion City, where she’d been glazing glossies, print ads, and a Nickelodeon TVC as early as seven years old. “Well, I haven’t really started modeling here yet. I did a fashion show for Duerr in Embassy—and there’s this for Status, which I got really excited about,” exclaims Pilar. “But I’m trying to get into this whole modeling thing and bag an agency as well.” Unless scouting agents have gone blind, this looker’s gonna have trouble
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ESSENTIALS:
DEMANDS:
5. Cibo’s telefono pasta 4. Music is my boyfriend (The Script, DJ Steve Aoki, Norwegian Recycling) 3. Someone slap me in the face, I can’t seem to stop checking my Facebook account 2. My puppy (“It’s actually a dog but I call my Rhodesian Ridgeback a puppy. Haha.”) 1. Family and friends, of course
5. Maybe a little more of that pasta—a lot more of that pasta, actually. And, oh yeah, Mexican…burritos. Ole! 4. iPod connected to booming iPod speakers playing the songs above, just for mood music…maybe pumping Chris Brown or something. 3. A good book does a brain—and boredom— good. I’ll want to read the Twilight saga. A double-shot espresso—or, okay, regular brewed coffee would make this even better. 2. Wifi. And yeah, okay, I’ll probably be on Facebook. 1. I’m sorry, I’m not very picky. I can’t think of anything! I’m happy as long as the people around me are cool.
THE VAIDER AVAILABLE AT FACTORY413.COM AND OTHER FINE RETAILERS ONEDIST.COM