Urban Vinyl Magazine-Issue IX

URBAN VINYL Issue IX

Tor Miller • Saint Motel •

• Krewella • Highasakite • Weathers • JR JR • Zipper Club •

About

Founded and launched in February 2016 by Sophie Hsu, Urban Vinyl Magazine is an independently-run outlet that harmonizes a passion for music and food. Started in New York City and now currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area where both music and food are at their best, the artists and restaurants featured on the site and the upcoming issues are individually handpicked in order to reach a diverse spectrum of sound and taste. Created by a music lover and a foodie, the aim is to provide high quality content for fellow music lovers and foodies.

LISTEN. EAT. EXPLORE.

Sophie Hsu • Founder • Photographer • • Editor-In-Chief • Writer • Layout & Design • Content •

On the Cover • Tor Miller • • Duboce Park, San Francisco • • September 27, 2016 •

Stay Connected urbanvinylmag.com @urbanvinylmag @urbanvinylmag

For booking and inquiries: sophie@urbanvinylmag.com • All social media icons by Good Stuff No Nonsense •

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Thank You

• Ashley • Jeremy • Lindsay • • Inge • Jill • Chelsey • Brandon • • Lauren • Chloe • David • • Tor Miller • Saint Motel • • Krewella • Highasakite • • Weathers • JR JR • Zipper Club • • Of course, to my readers! You make this happen! • • And most importantly, my family and friends for always supporting my photography and my love for music. • • This issue would not have been possible without all of you! •

Contents

Main Artist • Tor Miller • 17-22

Featured Artist • Saint Motel • 11-16

Live Shots • Krewella • 3-4

• Highasakite • 5-6 • Weathers • 7-8 • JR JR • 9-10 • Zipper Club • 23-24

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• The Independent, San Francisco • September 9, 2016 •

Krewella • Chicago, Illinois • • Jahan Yousaf • Yasmine Yousaf •

@Krewella

Krewella’s sound in 3 words: Raw, Energetic, Emotional

Favorite song to perform live:

“Beggars”; “Human”; “Broken Record”

@krewella

/krewella 3

Favorite food or drink:

We all love food, mainly spicy cuisine like Pakistani or Thai.

Favorite spot in SF:

The Ferry Building-you can eat anything here!

• Yasmine Yousaf •

• Jahan Yousaf •

• Frank Zummo •

• Devon Bronson •

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• Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco • September 16 , 2016 •

Highasakite • Ålesund, Norway • • Øystein Skar • Kristoffer Lo • Ingrid Helene Håvik • Trond Bersu • Marte Eberson •

@highasakiteband

Highasakite’s sound in 3 words (Ingrid): Contrasts, Orchestral, Diverse

Favorite song to perform live: “Deep Sea Diver”

@highasakiteband

Favorite food or drink:

Peruvian food and Pisco Sour

Favorite spot in SF:

/highasakitemusic 5

I haven’t been there that much. I’m hoping to see a lot more this time around. And eat lots of seafood.

• Øystein Skar •

• Ingrid Helene Håvik •

• Kristoffer Lo •

• Trond Bersu •

• Marte Eberson •

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• Great American Music Hall, San Francisco • September 17 , 2016 •

Weathers • Los Angeles, California • • Cameron Olsen • Cameron Boyer • Brennen Bates • Cole Carson •

@Weathersband

@weathersband

/weathersband 7

• Cameron Boyer •

• Cameron Olsen •

• Brennen Bates •

• Cole Carson •

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• Great American Music Hall, San Francisco • September 17 , 2016 •

JR JR • Los Angeles, California • • Joshua Epstein • Daniel Zott •

@JRJRmusic

@jrjmusic

/jrjr 9

• Daniel Zott •

• Joshua Epstein •

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• Great American Music Hall, San Francisco • September 17, 2016 • @SaintMotel @saintmotel /saintmotel

Featured Artist • Saint Motel •

saintmotel.com

Different colleges and a sushi restaurant mark the spark of Saint Motel. Saint Motel, formed in Orange, California in 2007, combines the musical and visual talents of A/J Jackson (lead vocals, piano), Aaron Sharp (guitar), Dak Lerdamornpong (bass), and Greg Erwin (drums). Putting forth a bouncy and euphoric sound, they released their debut EP For Play on September 8, 2009, via OnThe Records. They put out their debut record, Voyeur, on July 10, 2012, also via OnThe Records, followed by a few EPs and singles. They are currently getting ready to share their much-anticipated sophomore album, saintmotelivision, set for release on October 21, 2016, via Elektra Records. Saint Motel have toured with acts such as Imagine Dragons, Arctic Monkeys, in addition to having performed at this year’s Firefly Music Festival in Dover, Delaware and at last year’s Coachella.

Currently touring the nation with JR JR, Hippocampus, and Weathers to share their upbeat sound, they made an exciting stop at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall on September 17, 2016. Before the show, the band kindly posed for a few portraits. Amidst his busy schedule, A/J generously gave some time to recommend a soup dumpling restaurant, the idea that influenced 11 “Midnight Movies,” and which instrument he got his start in music with.

What’s the story behind the formation of Saint Motel?

Our guidance counselors all felt it best we take up the practical career path known as “professional musician”.

What was the first instrument (musical or non-musical) you started making music with?

Piano

You’re getting ready to release your sophomore album, saintmotelevision! What was the process of writing, recording, and producing it?

This is our first album with a label involved, and the process has been a bit different. There are songs on saintmotelevision from around or before the My Type EP sessions, all the way up to songs that were written a month before we went into mixing. The music encompasses a lot of where we’ve been and where we’re going.

It’s a adventure!

Which song (released or unreleased) are you most proud of?

If any of the songs heard that I liked one over the others, they’d be very upset with me. I love all of them.

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• Dak Lerdamornpong •

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• A/J Jackson •

• Greg Erwin •

• Aaron Sharp •

• Great American Music Hall • September 17, 2016 •

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What happens before you go onstage? Is there a Saint Motel pre-show ritual?

We huddle and chant the name of the city we are about to play in.

That and sacrifice a goat.

Out of all your songs, my favorite is “Midnight Movies.” Can you touch on the inspiration and creation of that particular song?

That’s very nice to hear, thank you! “Midnight Movies” was the last one we recorded for the My Type EP. It was one that was almost entirely done at Summerland Studios in Santa Barbara. The lyrical concept is perhaps about a kid turning the fights his parents are having into dialogue for his very own midnight movie.

What’s your favorite restaurant and/or food in San Francisco? Any places back home in Los Angeles?

We had some amazing soup dumplings last time we were in SF! Recently found something similar in LA at Din Tai Fung.

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If there a chocolate bar with the name “Saint Motel,” what type of chocolate would it be, and what would it have?

Would be 99.9% pure cacao and would be bitter, sweet, and good for your soul.

What can listeners expect in terms of upcoming projects and/or shows?

More more more!

What’s a question you have wanted to get asked in an interview, and what’s the response to it?

When a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist and a round thing in your face what do you get?

Sprung

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• Duboce Park, San Francisco • September 27, 2016 • @TorMillerMusic @tormillermusic /tormillermusic

Main Artist • Tor Miller •

tormiller.com

With just his voice and piano, Tor Miller creates a sound that epitomizes a musical journey through time and place. Born in New York City and growing up in Colts Neck, New Jersey, music has always been an integral part of him, as a means of listening to classic records like Ziggy Stardust during his commute to school, in addition to piano lessons with Anthony Rufo.

Growing up heavily on music as both a listener and a performer, songwriting became prominent at the time of his start at NYU’s Clive Davis School of Recorded Music, with a typical week consisting of class and composing late at night, and closing the week with a live performance or two at venues such as Rockwood Music Hall and The Bitter End. But, one evening, his sound caught the ear of Daniel Glass, and shortly after, Tor landed a record deal with Glassnote Records. Contributing a unique 2016-meets-the-’70s-and-’80s sound to the New York City music scene, Tor released his debut EP, Headlights, on February 2, 2015 via Glassnote, which marked his first step towards buzz and success. A remarkable drive for music has influenced him to persevere, undeniably audible on his debut full-length record, American English, which was recently released on September 30, 2016, also via Glassnote.

Touring has brought him to London and San Francisco, to name a couple of cities. He is currently preparing for an extensive tour in the UK. However, prior to his recent tour in England, Tor embarked on a North American headlining run, making a stop at San Francisco’s Swedish American Hall on September 27, 2016. Before hitting the stage to share his shimmery sound topped with his one-of-a-kind energy, Tor generously shared some of his time to discuss the creative process behind American English, recommend a couple of spots to grab a bite, and the 17 inspiration behind “Stampede;” he kindly posed for a few portraits in Duboce Park.

What’s the story behind your passion and talent in music?

Well, I mean, it was really my parents who pushed me to start taking a lot of lessons, and I wasn’t really into it for a really long time. It wasn’t until I moved to New Jersey when I had a new teacher who made it really interesting for me, changed things up a lot; the idea and thought that I should learn piano totally shifted. He sort of coaxed it out of me and had me singing and writing songs and everything. So I owe a lot to him. I moved to a place where I didn’t know anybody and didn’t talk to anybody for awhile, and it was something to do to fill up a lot of boredom.

What was the first instrument (musical or non-musical) you started making music with?

I think that when I actually started writing songs, it was on the piano. But the first instrument I learned, I guess like everybody else, was the recorder. I played a little cello as a kid, and never that seriously. I kind of honed in on one, and am still not that good at it.

What was the process of writing, recording and producing your debut record, American English?

When I was 18, I really started getting serious with my manager. I had a lot of co-writing sessions in London where he’s based, and really learned from a bunch of people and writing on my own, and having all these experiences. So we put together 100-something songs that were co-written and on my own, and we decided to do the record. It was like 110, and now 13.

From there, we worked with Eliot James (who did the EP), and we recorded in London. It was so amazing; I had this idea of the album being my version of a lot of my favorite 70’s records, like Elton John and David Bowie, and all these people. So I told Eliot, and then Jon Greene who I wrote half the album with co-produced it, and we all made it happen. We had strings and horns come in, and recorded a lot of instruments and analog gear from that time period. The actual recording process was 3 months, and it’s been done for a year.

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• Sean McVerry •

• Andrew Gillum •

• Hayden Frank •

• Swedish American Hall • September 27, 2016 •

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Which song (released or unreleased) are you most proud of?

That is constantly changing. There’s a song called “Crust Punk Queen,” which I’m really proud of. I just like the lyrics and how the song flows; it’s a just a song I really like at the moment.

What happens before you go onstage? Is there a Tor Miller pre-show ritual?

No, not really. All I really need is just a few minutes beforehand to just be myself. I then do a couple of warm-ups, but not for really long. I’ve had it where I talk to people, and haven’t prepped myself and then I realize, “Oh, shit,” I’m on stage now.” It takes away; you’re just not in the right headspace.

Just as long as I have five minutes just not talking to anyone, that’s about it.

Out of all your songs, my favorite is “Midnight.” Can you touch on the inspiration and creation of that track?

So I wrote that with Jon Greene in London, who’s a really good friend of mine.

I was away from home for awhile and living in London for a little bit, and I just sort of missed everyone in New York and everyone I had left behind. So it was just a song to try to reconnect moments you have in New York City that feel very special to you.

What’s your favorite restaurant and/or food in San Francisco? Any places back home in New Jersey?

La Taqueria, I thought was really good. Someone got the tacos, and they were gigantic. It was great. Sean (who’s in the band)’s sister lived in San Francisco for 5 or 6 years. He comes a lot, and he told us to go. In Jersey, there’s a place called Huddy’s, an Irish pub. It’s nothing special, but it’s the one real restaurant in my town. It’s just really small, and they make a bunch of really good things. In New York, there’s a place called Black Market on 7th and A in the Lower East Side, and it’s really great. It’s just an amazing vibe and really good burgers.

If there were a chocolate bar with the name “Tor Miller,” what type of chocolate would it be, and what would it have?

I’m like a huge dark chocolate guy, and I guess dark chocolate always seems a bit more grown-up in a way. So maybe that’s something I’m trying to emulate. What would be in it? I don’t even know if it goes together, but caramel or something. That would be my ideal one. I think it [caramel] would be inside. You would get a hybrid [“Tor Miller” and after midnight].

What can listeners expect in terms of upcoming projects and/or shows?

It’s tough to say, really. The record comes out on Friday, and beyond that, I don’t have too much to play. I’m going to the UK to play a couple of shows on my own, but it’s going to be very reactive how people feel about the album, and who wants to take me on to do TV performances or whatever they may be. So hopefully, sky’s the limit; I’m just writing and writing and writing for the next record. So, just keep grinding, and I’m going to be surprised just as much as anyone else. I’m vying for those late night shows; I know that’s been in the talk, so we’ll see. That would be ideal.

What’s a question you have wanted to get asked in an interview, and what’s the response to it?

Obviously, it’s not a question not many people would have asked because not that many people have heard the whole album. But, what’s the inspiration behind the song “Stampede”?

I wanted to write a song that sounded like if Bruce Springsteen wrote “Purple Rain” by Prince.

• Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco • September 30 , 2016 •

Zipper Club • Los Angeles, California • New York, New York • • Mason James • Damar Davis • Lissy Trullie •

@ZipperClubMusic

Zipper Club’s sound in 3 words (Mason): Slick Spacey Synths

Favorite song to perform live:

@zipperclubmusic

“Regrets” because we get to turn it up at the end of the song.

Favorite food or drink: Pizza and Iced Tea

/ZipperClubMusic

Favorite spot in SF: Golden Gate Park

• Damar Davis •

• Mason James •

• Lissy Trullie •

LISTEN. EAT. EXPLORE.

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