Warm Soda Magazine Issue Two

warm Soda art music culture

Issue two

Staff Editorial Director & Co-Founder Lauren Leady editorial@warmsodamag.com Creative Director & Co-Founder Shelby Clayton creative@warmsodamag.com Layout Editor Bryan Bethel Writers & Contributors Alex St. Peters Cal Stevens Logan Bryant Mariah Huelsmann Rosita Event Coordinator CyRhen Sohngs Friend to All/Moral Support Pup Buddy "Buddy-boy" L. Associate Editors Katherine Navarro Zachary Boren

Submissions Submit us samples of your art (copies of originals only). DVDs, books and music may be sent to our mailing address with “Submissions” written on the back of the envelope. Please send email links to editorial@warmsodamag.com with subject title “Submissions.” Please don’t send email attachments. Links only. We suggest uploading an online gallery.

We are happy to accept samples, but submissions do not guarantee coverage.

Samples will not be returned.

Legal The advertising, features, and reviews appearing within this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. All rights to art, writing, photos, design, and/or likeness are property of respective owners, and no assumption of ownership is made by this publication or the publishers. Everything else is Warm Soda Magazine and may not be reproduced in part or in whole without written permission from Warm Soda Magazine and the respective contributors.

Advertising Send inquiries to Ash Hagerstrand advertising@warmsodamag.com Cover Daniel Jefferson/Bipolar Holiday Contact warmsodamagazine@gmail.com Warmsodamag.com Facebook.com/warmsodamagazine Instagram.com/warmsodamagazine patreon.com/warmsodamag Warm Soda Magazine 2821 Sanford Ave. Alton, IL 62002

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Editor's Letter Hello again and welcome to Issue 2!

First of all, thanks for coming back. Issue 1 received more than 5,000 readers — WHAT!? I’m so thrilled and honored. I can’t wait for that number to get bigger and bigger.

In the Warm Soda world, we've been pretty busy. We started a moving show, "RISE: A Regional Artists of Color Exhibition." This exhibit recognizes and celebrates the uber-talented and hardworking artists of color in the area. There have been two shows so far, featuring up to seven artists and 25 pieces. It has been a blast meeting with these artists.

The Fizzy Fellows Podcast will start again this fall with an official season two.

Keep your ears wide open because we got some cool guests lined up.

Also, I want to take this time/space to give a big thank you to all the local businesses who have helped us since the beginning. Without the trust and open arms of these business owners, Warm Soda would not be as successful: Old Bakery Beer Company, Jacoby Arts Center, YWCA of Alton, Post Commons, Germania Brew Haus, Today’s Beauty Supply, Megyme Productions, SCORE! Records and Rock The Hops.

Special acknowledgements to OBB and Jacoby. Without them, Warm Soda would never have had the walls to hold rad art shows. These businesses are foundational to not only us, but to the Riverbend area. We love you both so much!

This fall, expect to see our second annual “Phantasmagoria” art show at Jacoby.

It will be complete with a Halloween costume contest, awards, live music and more.

It’s no secret, the Riverbend loves a good Halloween. Come get spooky with us! We also have another “RISE” exhibition planned at Jacoby in the fall.

In this issue, we decided to feature works from local artists. This decision, we felt, was (and is) super important. Warm Soda is made of local independent artists, and we continuously strive to support local. Please take a look over these pages full of hard work and talent.

Enjoy this second issue. There is so much I’ve learned reading about these wonderful humans, I can’t wait for you to learn too.

Stay fizzy!

Lauren Leady

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Table of Contents Art

Illuminating the Graffiti Art Scene with Bipolar Holiday by Rosita 6

Local Art Submissions 12, 13, 28, 29, 42, 43, 70, 71

Connecting Nature and Art by Lauren Leady

20 Carbonated Comics by Rosita

Behind the Curtain with Brian Lynch by Mariah Huelsmann

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Exploring the Relationship Between Technology & Humanity An Interview with Craig Newsom of Coalfather Industries

by Lauren Leady and Bryan Bethel

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Kim Ji-Woo by Lauren Leady

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Music

History of Distortion by Cal Stevens

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Connecting Album Cover Art by Cal Stevens

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Reach for the Starskys by Logan Bryant

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The Versatile and Vivid LéPonds by Logan Bryant

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Making a Feast Out of Scraps with The Ricters by Bryan Bethel

Culture

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Building Community One Cup at a Time by Cal Stevens

“Intangible” by Mariah Huelsmann

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“Vibration” by Mariah Huelsmann

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DIY Eco-Friendly Reusable Bag by Rosita

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Zi Teng Wang: Scientist By Day, Magician by Night

by Mariah Huelsmann

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Avril Lavigne is Dead? Well It’s Complicated by Alex St. Peters

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‘Local Ambition’ to Launch Season 8

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Certified Organic Craft ewery & Family iendly Restaurant

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400 Landmarks blvd.

Alton IL 62002

www.oldbakerybeer.com

ILLUMINATING THE GRAFFITI ART SCENE

WITH

BIPOLAR HOLIDAY

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olar world as Bip rt a e th in s n on, know ere he claim h w , is u o L Daniel Jeffers t. th S y w up in Sou ipolar Holida B . y it c e th Holiday, gre f o ers melting pot from influenc rn a le d n a is the artistic ty ti orking race his iden first began w e H . seeks to emb le y st n paint as an lop his ow to e v d e e d rn lp a e le h r to late s a kid and nd painting to with graffiti a rges elements of graffiti a here me narratives. W e v ti ra st adult. His art lu il ht-provoking city. create thoug ing pot of the lt e m c ti is rt a e he claims is th ns reet art auctio st is u o L t.

S o ries ay also has tw Auction Galle t k in L h it Bipolar Holid w g n n stree , collaborati nd well-know a l a c lo under his belt d re tu ere, he fea annual event. n a n o ti c u a in St. Louis. H the goal to keep artists with a r even eryday life o v e m o fr s l se iration ari y’s work wil a d li o H r la Whether insp o Bip acy theories, from conspir stay a while. invite you to

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How did you get started with Written By Rosita doing your art?

Photography by Shelby Clayton Artwork Provided by Daniel Jefferson My father is a painter. I didn’t really start painting until I got out of high school. The work before was more like illustrative cartoons. That’s where I thought I was going, but I didn’t have that “thing” that people have to create a character, develop it and draw the same thing over and over again. I used to draw characters but I didn’t stick with one. I didn’t start doing that until maybe a year or two ago and now I got a couple repetitive figures.

My father got a studio when I was out of high school and he found out I was doing graffiti with my friends.

He didn’t like that at all, so he said, “Okay, well, I will give you this space where you can paint.” He didn’t understand that graffiti for me was more about blowing off steam.

I don’t really consider myself a graffiti artist, but it’s more of a confidence booster. It’s like when you go out in the middle of the night and you get the paint and you’re painting, your heart beating fast, you’re walking around looking out, you hear cars, people walking by — you think everybody can see you. Then you go home and you can’t sleep because you want to see it. You get up early in the morning and go to the spot where everybody else sees it. Sometimes you see people in their cars looking at it while you’re looking at them looking at it.

It’s good for your self-esteem, that’s what it’s all about.

It’s like, I was here on this corner. I was here and here and there. People will say, “Aw man, I saw your stuff here and over there.” It’s a little something for the poor man, it’s invisible money.

My dad got us both this studio space and so that’s where I started playing around with paint. We were painting on whatever. He was bringing in a lot of doors and just random pieces of stuff that he was finding. The last studio space we ended up in, this lady and her business partner had a part of a warehouse where she rented loft spaces to artists. It was a really nice space downtown by the Lumiere Hotel, but then the bank took over and they locked it up. I was telling my dad that we needed to get over there to get our stuff, even if we have to cut the lock off. I had this bad feeling.

By the time we got in there, all the old stuff I did,

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like from the '90s, it was all gone. I don’t know what happened to them. The lady of course had no idea. So I don’t know if someone just threw them out or someone took the pieces and sold them.

I definitely have a love-hate relationship with the art community in St. Louis. They are not interested in their homegrown artists, and they don’t do anything to nurture them. There’s no real events that are catered to help them grow and get good resources. Museums give out grants, but you have to be “the chosen one” to get it. I’ve noticed that when famous artists come here it’s like they just get way more love and attention. I mean, I get it, a local artist versus a world famous artist, I understand, but it’s unfair.

"It's good for your self-esteem, that's what it's all about...

It's a little something for the poor man, it's invisible money"

What kind of art do you do?

When my dad got the space, I started going more painterly, like what he was doing at the time. I was more interested in illustrative characters and also graffiti character type stuff.

Talk about your role with the street art auction and how it helps the community.

Around 2002, I was represented by a gallery with work I came up with the idea because I that was more painterly because I would wanted to showcase local artists in the notice that when I would go to d to es auction I saw who were prolific on St. Louis o o galleries to show my work, they streets. I got people to contact them to ’s g enc u L saw my characters and thought it It f tell them about the concept, and I also in e v o was more for street art. They were have got a street art dealer, who had recently en m h saying, “Oh you’re just a graffiti t closed his gallery, to put some of his d re a artist.” I knew when they said that, an high-end street art in the auction, o h my stock was going down so I had on. W with internationally known artists like w no k to take that out of my work. I made a I e Shepard Faiery, Bansky, Mr. Brainwash u? ud d conscious effort, but now I’m making yo t tha re and Andy Warhol. o the two styles come together. Now a h o w wh street art is the dominating art.

I wanted to intermingle that hight u b are t is, a end art with the local artists so the Wh ? o u t auction had a credibility out the yo ying gate. Plus, I was tired of seeing the r t YOU same artists showing around St. ?

Louis, while these artists literally move ay It can change from moment to moment, s in the shadows to create while risking life and limb day to day. Everything and anything can as well. Hopefully, this is gonna be a regular auction. affect it. A lot of the pieces [in the “RISE” art show] I did in the summertime. It was hot and I didn’t have air conditioner at the time, so I sat in the car sweating and drawing. With the job I had at the time, I couldn’t stand being in there, so I would come out and sit in my car to I was heavily into Basquiat. When I was in that studio pass the time. space with my father, I was making work and was looking at Basquiat’s pictures. I think our thought In addition, some personal reflections — how I’m doing pattern and application of painting was similar, so my that day, if I’m in a good mood, if I’m in a bad mood. work favored his work. I would hear that from people I’ve had my days where the environmentalist in me is and then I started hating that shit because I felt like like, “Look at the ozone layer!” I might include that in they were kind of writing off my work. my work.

If influences are an island, you want to vacation there.

Some of us have money issues, you know what I mean?

You want to go there, get your room on the beach, So I’m broke and my stomach is hurting because I’m have some drinks, and you’ll have a good time but hungry. I have to draw to take my mind off it as much you’ll eventually go back home. You don’t want to as I can, so I’m putting those thoughts in my work. It’s move there or raise kids and all that shit. At least for funny because every minus is also a plus. I can beat me, I don’t want to stay on Influence Island because myself up, but come art time it’s great subject matter. everybody is going to look at my work and that’s the Like a blues musician, if he has a lot of blues, he has first thing they say, “That looks like whatever famous great material to make music with. Who wants to listen artist.” It’s good to have influences and then move on. to a blues musician who has a great life? That’s kind Who are you? I know who that dude is, but who are of what I’ve been going through. Art can just be art you? What are YOU trying to say? for the sake of art sometimes. There can be nothing behind it other than, “I just want to draw something.”

What are your thoughts behind your subject matter?

Do you have any artistic infLuences?

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Local Art Local Art Local Art Local Art Local Art Local Art Local Art

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1. Adam Long In The Green Hills Preserved Natural Objects and Reclaimed Materials adamnlongsculpture.com 2. Dr. Andy Dykeman Looks Mixed Media on X-Ray File IG: andykemanart 3. Grace Rose Reality T V Collage IG: gracearose 4. Grace Rose In Your Hands Digital Photography IG: gracearose

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5. Deanna Miller The Batter y Watercolor FB: Deanna Young Miller

Building Community One Cup at a Time

Course Coffee’s new location will be in French Town in St. Charles. Currently, the three owners sell their coffee in several places, including Blooming Daisy Marketplace in Cottleville Mo., Rootbound in Clayton, Sugar Cubed Candy Shop and Valenti’s Deli, both in St. Charles. Take your own journey to St. Charles and experience Course Coffee for yourself. You will not be disappointed.

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Written and Photographed

By Cal Stevens

Course Coffee Roasters is passionate about coffee, not only about the way it's prepared and experienced, but also about the way it builds community.

This St. Charles, Mo., roasting company was started three years ago by husband and wife Brandon and Sarah Runk, along with Sarah's cousin Andrew Mueller. The trio set out with a mission to connect and share people's journeys over a masterfully and carefully prepared cup of coffee. I sat down with Sarah and Brandon to discuss their journey so far, as well as where they're headed next.

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How did you guys get your start?

Brandon: We really got our start through just the means of wanting to know more about coffee roasting as a hobby. Learning about unique coffees, and then being able to roast them, try them and experience different types of tastes that Sarah and I could have never imagined come from coffee.

Sarah: Brandon and I had both worked in coffee a lot of years. We developed that skill. And when we met, we started traveling all over the country, tasting different roasters and seeing what other people were doing. And then, I took the next step and bought a roaster for Brandon so that he could start it as a hobby ... Brandon has been roasting for about six or seven years, and he honed his skills and did and a lot of research.

Is there specifically a kind of coffee that you like roasting the most?

B: Out of our offerings that we currently have right now, my favorite is the Peruvian. On a personal note, Sarah and I very much enjoy a hearty African coffee, like a Kenyan.

S: I think because we've been to Africa, we have a different love and passion for African coffee. It really is a big part of our story too, because we've seen the farms, we've met people. We're really passionate about that.

Where in Africa have you been?

B: We were able to see coffee farms and a coffee roastery house in Nairobi, Kenya. We were actually also in Tanzania briefly. So being able to experience coffee and seeing how integral it is to a part of the culture, and to see how much work, care and finesse goes into that crafting even before it gets here for us to be able to do what we do was really important for us. And actually very eye opening.

S: I think seeing how much work that they put into the farming ‌ our process is really only about half of the process. They do the other half. They deserve the recognition, and that's really important to us.

B: They really, truly do like 85 percent of the coffee process. There's so much reward in coffee roasting, yet we're just stewarding the coffee that was already done.

We're just trying to steward it well, like keeping the bean consistent and actually allowing the bean to speak what it means to people here, to people who partake of it.

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What is your mission? What did you set out to do when you started Course?

S: Naming it Course was like highlighting a journey.

Whether it's our journey, whether it's the farmer's journey, whether it's the people who taste the coffee's journey, wherever you're at in that journey process, that's kind of what it's about. That community thought.

You guys have been located out of St. Charles. How has the St. Charles community affected your business?

What do you like the most about it?

B: It just seems to be so welcoming of what we're desiring to do. From the moment we stepped in the farmers market to just all the people that we have been meeting.

Even today, I was dropping off some coffee at Valenti's [a restaurant in the downtown St. Charles area] and then I met a woman who had bought coffee from us frequently at the farmers market. She was like, "Can you deliver me two bags?" It kind of felt like she was someone I knew, like she was my neighbor. I think something that we as individuals are looking for, but also as a business. We want to encourage the meeting of people and having coffee be an experience around the dinner table.

S: The farmers market in St. Charles is one of the aspects that brings the community together, like that's a

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real community event ...That's where you really get to start connecting our journeys together. As we've had a coffee bar and as we desire to have a coffee bar, our next step is to provide a place where people can come and have a place to go, relax and feel like they belong. I feel like providing a space for people in St. Charles is going to be the other part of connecting people's journeys together.

What's new with you guys as a business? What exciting things do you have going on?

S: Our focus is other businesses, to have them serve our coffee, which is what we have been doing and we will continue to focus on that. To support other businesses so that other businesses have a good product to serve their people, and that brings people in their doors.

Also, we're focusing on opening up our own space for people to come and experience the coffee. That's gonna happen late spring, early summer. I think long term, we want to visit more of the farms and work more towards the direct trade process.

Course Coffee’s new location will be in French Town in St. Charles. Currently, the three sell their coffee in several places, including Blooming Daisy Marketplace in Cottleville Mo., Rootbound in Clayton, Sugar Cubed Candy Shop and Valenti’s Deli, both in St. Charles. Take your own journey to St. Charles and experience Course Coffee for yourself. You will not be disappointed.

“Intangible”

Dancing, fluttering in the mind Something that was once tangible Is now intangible Trapped with a memory of kind But the events, while ephemerally past Can be and should be Always present, in each era, from sea to sea Of images, which offer a grasp Of proof, of these events, of their importance Allowing us to connect the dots In the patterns of these crucial image shots And an attempt at containing memory’s endurance

Mariah Huelsmann

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e

Mariah Huelsmann

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“Vibration�

Trees have hearts they say Vibrating in our still ear Hiding Mystery

Caitie Caitie Lah La 20

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Connecting Nature and Art Written by Lauren Leady || Photos provided by Caitie Lahr

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Tell me a little about the colors you use. Some pieces are bright and some are black and gold only. Is it just what suits the painting or are there other connections and ideas going on?

I usually have a clear vision in my mind of what I want the colors to be and the final piece to look like. I tend to go for black and gold when the design itself is the most important to me, while sometimes the feeling I want the piece to have needs to be shown through color. My pieces are usually very spiritual and I feel like indigos and purples best represent the spiritual world.

Have you painted on any other different items besides the wood slices and paper? Do you have other ideas for places for your art?

I mostly paint on watercolor paper and occasionally wood slices if I’m able to get a hold of any! I’ve thought about painting on small stones, but I haven’t tried it yet!

What has been the most rewarding part of starting your shop on Etsy and selling your work?

What has been the biggest challenge with selling your art?

What medium do you primarily work with? What other mediums do you work with?

I tend to work with a mixture of watercolor and gouache, and sometimes ink.

My black and white pieces are a mixture of ink and black gouache. First, I draw my concept with a pencil and then go over the lines with ink. I use ink pens for smaller details and gouache paint for the larger parts of the painting to add that contrast of black and white.

How long have you been creating with gouache?

I learned about gouache while taking a design class about five years ago and fell in love with how it looked on paper. I love the way watercolor flows and gouache almost acts as an anchor to really bring the whole piece together.

How long have you been creating art?

I’ve always been interested in painting and drawing, but it was only two years ago that I really started focusing on creating coherent pieces of art and selling them on a platform.

What inspires you to create pieces focusing on nature? At Picasso’s your pieces mainly feature nature — animals, insects, flowers, etc. Do you prefer creating nature pieces?

Nature is my biggest inspiration. I believe every creature has a message for us, and I try to express those messages in my artwork. I’m always amazed by the magic the earth has created.

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The most rewarding part to me is every single time someone tells me that my art spoke to them. I’ve had people tell me that an animal I had painted had been showing itself to them in dreams, and they felt as if the painting was made for them and was seeking them out to tell them something. That blows me away every time because it really makes me feel like my process of creation is greater than myself.

The hardest part is definitely getting my work out there! Social media is amazing for artists, but with all that’s out there, it’s hard to stand apart. Either way, art makes me happy, so it’s not something I worry too much about!

Where can we follow you on social media?

You can follow me on Instagram @thehummingspirit and my Etsy is listed on my Instagram as well. https://www.instagram.com/thehummingspirit/

DIY

Eco-friendly Reusable bag

Written and Photographed by Rosita

Do you ever notice how many plastic bags surround our everyday life? Too many to count. Because plastic bags are cheap and easy to make in high quantities, those wasteful products flood our stores, landfills and our streets.Yeah, plastic bags are convenient, but at what cost? Much of the plastic used to create bags come from oil, which harms our Earth when extracted. There is a simple solution for this problem; refuse plastic bags and BYOB, Bring Your Own Bag. Reusable bags can be bought at various stores but can be rather expensive — plus, energy and materials are still used to produce more and more bags.

Here is a way to cut-down on costs and garbage by making your own reusable bag out of that old T-shirt that has been hiding in your closet for years. No sewing machine required, although a sewing machine can produce a more durable bag.

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Tie Method: Step One Turn your old T-shirt inside out, then cut off the sleeves and neckline. At the bottom of the shirt, measure 2.5 inches from the bottom, mark with fabric pencil (optional), then cut 1-inch tabs to the 2.5 inch mark.

Step Two Tie all the lil’ tabs opposite to each other to closeup the bottom. I recommend double tying the knots to make the bag more secure.

Step Three Turn the bag right side out, and badabing, badaboom! You have yourself a groovy reusable bag that you can roll up and bring anywhere you go.

Sewing Machine method: Step One Turn your favorite old school T-shirt inside out, then cut off the sleeves and neckline. At the bottom of the shirt, measure 2.5 inches from the bottom, mark with fabric pencil.

Step Two Stitch the bottom of the shirt together to close up the bottom. Then, to clean up and reinforce the bag, stitch a hem for the arm holes and neckline.

Step Three Turn the bag right side out and behold!

You have yourself a super rad reusable bag that you can roll up and bring anywhere you go.

DO NOT FORGET TIP: Wash that shit every once in a while. Nobody wants little germs hanging around.

Now you can get your groceries knowing you’re helping to cut down waste. Some places will even give you a little discount for Bringing Your Own Bag. Right on, dude.

Supplies: Old T-shirt (durable cotton fabric works best, the fabric shouldn’t be too stretchy or else your fruits and veggies will be sliding on the floor alongside you at the store) Scissors (fabric scissors work best) Ruler Fabric pencil (Optional) Sewing machine (Optional)

written and illustrated by cal stevens

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W

here would modern guitar playing be if not for the invention of the effects pedal? Guitarists have many helpful tools at their disposal, yet none provide the same versatility and impact to their sound as the stompbox. The first-ever stompbox was the Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz-Tone, a germanium style distortion pedal released in 1962. While the Fuzz-Tone influenced pedal builders and guitarists alike since its release, its invention came about completely by accident.

Let’s step back to the late 1950s, when rock ‘n’ roll was in its infancy. Distortion was already playing an instrumental part in shaping the genre. Guitarists of the day like Howlin’ Wolf, Chuck Berry and Jackie Brenson had been experimenting with distortion by cranking their tube amplifiers past the limit of sound they could produce, essentially compressing the outputted sound and adding more grit to it. Later innovators like Link Wray would take it a step further by cutting up his speaker cone to cause distortion.

However, it wasn’t until 1961 that the distortion effect would be made more instantly accessible. During a Nashville recording session for country star Marty Robbins’ new single “Don’t Worry,” bassist Grady Martin plugged in directly to the studio’s soundboard instead of playing through an amplifier. However, what studio engineer Glenn Snoddy did not realize was that

o r t s e a M

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Z Z U F E N O T

History of

Distortion gear review series

the pre-amp Martin had plugged into on the board was faulty, resulting in a distorted, fuzzy bass sound.

Snoddy was able to reverse engineer the issue with the pre-amp and replicate the effect. With the help of WSM-TV engineer Revis V. Hobbs, Snoddy teamed up with Gibson Guitars to release the effect as the Fuzz-Tone in 1962, essentially kicking down the door for all effects pedals to come. This stompbox is most famously used by Keith Richards on The Rolling Stones’ classic “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.”

The Fuzz-Tone is fairly simple to use, consisting of two knobs for adjusting the effect and a latching push button switch to turn it on or off. Adjusting the “Volume” knob controls the loudness of the outputted sound, while the “Attack” knob controls the fuzzy and distorted sound. The Fuzz-Tone comes equipped with a built-in cable to connect an instrument and ¼-inch output jack.

Unfortunately, this stompbox has been off the market since the 1990s, and used ones are hard to come by. However, there are many stompboxes that nearly match the original circuit in a more modern, affordable form, like the Electro-Harmonix Satisfaction or the Vectra Maestro Fuzz-Tone clone. If you’re looking for that unstable, fuzzy tone that started it all, these stompboxes will not disappoint.

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1. Genevieve Esson Beaujolais Abstract Digital IG: genevieveesson

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2. Michelle Seitzinger Here Comes the Bride Charcoal and Pastel on Paper IG:michelle.d.seitzinger 3. Bananna Mochi Sad but Cute Paint Pensx` IG: bananna_mochi 4. Michael Snider Prince of Darkness Wood, Mother of Pearl and Print FB: LOA Art Gallery 5. Arianna Roach Bubble Leaves Digital ariannaroach.wixsite.com/website

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6. Bryan Bethel Impertinant & Ignorant Digital IG: Bryan_Bethel_Art

Connecting Connecting

Album Album Cover Cover Art Art to to its its Musical Musical Contents Contents written by cal stevens

The relationship between a music album’s cover art and the album it represents is important. Great cover art can help to enhance the album experience as a whole for the listener. Cover art, in many ways, can also help to shape an album’s concept and tie it together as a cohesive project. Here are a few examples of how:

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The Beatles

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

The cover art of an album can help to introduce listeners to the theme of the album it represents before it’s even been heard. The Beatles' “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band” is considered by many to be the first mainstream concept album. As part of this concept, the fab four adopted new band identity to match their psychedelic musical change.

The cover features cardboard cutouts of many different celebrities throughout history that are part of the

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“Band,” such as Marilyn Monroe, Bob Dylan, Aleister Crowley and Shirley Temple. The Beatles themselves are dressed in wildly colored uniforms and can even be found next to wax figures of themselves from their early years to illustrate the tonal changes.

The marching band inspired bass drum, which features both the name of the band and album, symbolizes the album's colorful and whimsical nature through its use of vibrant colors and shapes.

Hotel + Casino Arctic Monkeys

An album’s artwork can also help provide a setting to the music on the album. Arctic Monkeys’ “Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino” is a concept record set in a fictional hotel on the moon. The band, serving as the record's tour guide, adopts the identity of the lunar resort’s resident lounge act.

The cover of the album features a detailed cardboard model of the hotel atop a Revox A77 tape machine, which was used to record parts of the album.

This image not only gives you a visual representation of the place the album takes you to, but also represents the warm analog sound of the record

itself through the inclusion of the tape machine.

One of the major themes of the record is isolation in the modern world, brought on from the adoption of technology. The model of the hotel on the cover sits in a dark space with nothing else but the tape machine beneath it. This image plays off of the concept of isolation and also sets a scene that depicts the darkness the listener might see if they were to stare out from the hotel lounge’s window while taking in the slinky, smooth sound of the band.

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Cover art can also be used to add an illustrative element to the narrative.

“Good Kid, M.A.A.D City” by Kendrick Lamar tells a non-linear story that recounts life-changing moments and day-to-day events for Kendrick in his hometown of Compton, CA. While there are two different covers for this album, the deluxe edition featuring the van that belongs to Kendrick’s mother will be used for this discussion. The van on the cover serves as a prop element in the narrative and

gives the listener a piece of Kendrick’s world, as many songs on the album take place while he drives the streets of his hometown. The van, in a way, also bookends the album.

In the first tone-setting track, "Sherane a.k.a Master Splinter's Daughter," Kendrick borrows the van to see his girlfriend. Kendrick is also heard yelling during the album’s closer “Mom, I finna use the van real quick!

Be back, 15 minutes,” bringing the narrative full circle.

Good Kid, M.A.A.D City

Kendrick Lamar

Cover art takes the listener to another world the artist has created. Music and cover art go hand in hand, with cover art being the overall symbol of what the music could sound like and does sound like.

Fizzy Fellows Podcast Season Two

COMING THIS FALL listen to season one on itunes and spotify spoti.fi/2xHPFQM https://apple.co/30XKxFh

: g n a W g n e , iT

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y a D y b t s i t n e i t Sc h g i N y b n a i c i Mag

During the day, Zi Teng Wang of St. Louis works on groundbreaking DNA science learning the mechanics behind cancers and genetic diseases. In addition to his impactful work in science, Wang also is a magician by night. Wang is a fantastic magician, appreciating the ins and outs of magic tricks and the effect they have on the audience. Specifically, Wang loves how magic can spark inspiration and fire up the imagination in not only him, but his audience. He started out learning magic with one of the hardest tricks in the book, but that beginning was the fuel to ignite the fire of his passion in magic.

WRITTEN BY MARIAH Huelsmann PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ZI TENG WANG

What would you say are your muses? Why? Derren Brown was my inspiration for getting into Magic; the illusions and psychological tinkerings he creates fired up my imagination and inspired me to learn how to do the same.

How do you balance between the magician side and the science side? What do you like about it?

What are the challenges?

How would you explain Magic?

Well, there’s not much demand for magic at say, 10 a.m. on a Tuesday morning, and not many experiments require me to actively take care of them in the evenings, so they actually interleave pretty neatly.

Magic is a journey you and the magician take together.

You start together in the same old world you know and understand, but along the way, the magician takes a shortcut without you noticing, so that when you arrive at your destination, it looks like you found yourself in a whole new world where impossible things happen.

Occasionally I’d have a gig on a weekday afternoon and have a hard cap on when I’ve gotta leave the lab in the evening, but it hasn’t been an issue so far. Fingers crossed that it won’t bite me in the future! I have trouble sitting still and I’d much rather be busy than not, so juggling both suits me just fine.

Tell us about the work you do as a scientist.

How do you plan to make a difference in your corner of the world?

In the lab, I work on gene editing using CRISPR/ Cas9. It’s a programmable pair of DNA scissors that recognizes and cuts DNA at specific locations we can designate. We use it to insert, delete or modify DNA to discover the mechanics behind cancers, mutations, genetic diseases and more.

I plan to create magic and bring wonder and joy to as many people as I can, while doing good science that advances our knowledge of how life works, while being kind and good to my fiancé, friends and family.

Everyone has their own story, and I think it’s important to always try and be a good chapter, paragraph or sentence in theirs.

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Describe your favorite magic trick.

There is a classic effect in Magic called Out of This World: you’re asked to deal a deck of cards into two piles facedown in front of you as randomly as you can.

Then it’s revealed that you’ve somehow split the deck perfectly, putting all the red cards on one side and all the black ones on the other.

It’s a century-old trick and utterly brilliant, and there’s at least a dozen ways to accomplish it, but Derren Brown’s take is simply genius.

He sat with an undertaker in the morgue of a funeral home and handed him a stack of portrait photos. He spoke about how given his profession, he may be more in touch with mortality than your average person on the street, and asked him to try something. He asked the undertaker to take a look at each photo, and based purely on his intuition and feel, to sort these pictures into two piles in front of him. After the man did so, Derren revealed what had happened: on the backs of every single photo in one pile, was the word “ALIVE.” On the backs of every photo in the other pile, “DEAD.” I love this piece because it was what first made me realize how much of Magic was not in the mechanics, sleights and secrets that I’d been obsessively studying, but in the presentation. I’d been performing Out of This World for many years at that point, and I was blown

away at how the same mechanics underneath a new presentation could elevate what was once a card trick into an experience that’s absolutely transcendent and magnificent.

Since I know you can lean philosophical, can you tell me a story that can inspire the audience?

I’ve always been obsessed with wanting to know how things worked, and what got me started in magic was a card trick I saw on YouTube 12 years ago as a freshman in college. I studied this obsessively for weeks with cards in my hand and eventually worked out how it must have been done — it took ages to be able to do it myself.

It used a lot of very complex sleights and manipulations and was an incredibly hard trick to do. But because I didn’t know that at the time, I stuck with it, pushed through frustration and self-doubt and wound up teaching myself a good chunk of the toolkit for advanced sleight of hand and card manipulation along the way.

In card magic, there’s a huge chasm between “pick a card, do stuff, was this your card?” kinds of basic tricks, and the more complex things. I ended up crossing that chasm without truly appreciating that it was there.

If someone told me from the outset that [starting with that trick] was too hard to learn and that I should take 20 steps back and start with something simpler, I don’t know if I would have traveled as far as I have today.

BEHIND THE CURTAIN WITH

BRIAN LYNCH Written by Mariah Huelsmann

Photo by Howard Ash

Recent graduate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and dancer Brian Lynch has taken the dance world by storm. With a repertoire that includes burlesque, pole/aerial performance, modern, ballet and more, Lynch has big dreams to expand into West Coast companies. Always rehearsing and learning, this performance artist never backs down from a challenge. Catch him working at a burlesque lounge in St. Louis called The Boom Boom Room.

What got you into dancing and when did you start?

What’s your routine now?

I’ve always strongly connected to music, and that initiated me to movement and my evolution as a dancer. I always wanted to dance but was too self conscious of gender stigmas growing up. I got into theater, and then I finally joined a competitive dance studio my senior year, which led to pursue dance study in college.

My training now is focused on conditioning my body for aerial performance through a daily routine of crossfit,

weightlifting and yoga, and I train pole/aerial and rehearse in the evenings. I choreograph and practice my performance pieces during the week for shows on the weekends. Also, I’ve recently joined a modern dance company in St. Louis where I will routinely keep up my technical dance training in modern, ballet and improvisational styles.

What inspires you?

I am inspired by witnessing a variety of unique and exquisite artists in the burlesque circuit. My emotions influence my individual works as I create new repertoire. Meditation and spiritual practices cultivate my creativity, and certain mentors of my past resonate strongly in my artistic goals and values.

What are your future plans?

Having just graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in May of 2019, I am going to continue training and teaching pole, competing regionally, nationally and internationally. I have recently begun working steadily at a burlesque lounge in St. Louis called The Boom Boom Room, where I will perform new works of exotic

Photo by Jason Patrylo

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dance and aerial arts. I look forward to collaborating with other emerging artists in the area and performing at a wide variety of venues, shows and festivals.

Recognizing how much I still have to learn, I am eager to explore deeper technical training focused in the circus arts. I will train and perform with the professional modern dance company, Leverage, in St. Louis. I hope to someday make my way towards Cirque Du Soleil company work and similar shows in Vegas, and I have my eye on some dance companies on the West Coast.

Describe your process behind a favorite piece.

A very special piece in my repertoire is called “Ephemeral Effeminate,” originally staged at a Southern Illinois University Edwardsville dance concert. I created this duet on myself and an exquisite aerialist from St. Louis named Anya Fisher. Like me, she is a tall, wild, burlesque performer covered in tattoos and it was such a joy to share her talent and influence on me with my colleagues and mentors at school. It was an 11-minute piece comprised of three episodic chapters of a fleeting relationship, featuring solo and partner work on both pole, silks and contemporary dance styles on the floor. I also incorporated pedestrian movement in transitions and between the characters to sculpt a realness between performer and human as seen on stage. It was an excellent challenge and opportunity to grow as a partner and as a choreographer, and I love the opportunity to just climb an apparatus with a partner with whom I strongly connect.

Do you have any advice for up and coming dancers?

The arts community expands far beyond what is typically represented in pop culture and social media.

While embracing all that is available to you as a dancer, give yourself the permission to revel in experimental work, divergence from the norm, diversifying that which is normally viewed as “entertainment” is critical to discovering your identity as a performer through trial, error, curiosity and risk.

Photo by Alloy Images

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1. Maddie Aunger Dollhouse and Apple Juice Acrylic on Panel IG: maddieonjer 2. Courtney Phelps Festival Vibes Photography IG: phelps_photography1999 3. Anna Dixon Sophie Acrylic Paint IG: annascribbles 4. Meltyface Possession of Faith Oil Paint and Aerosol IG: tp_meltyface 5. Milkman Dope Fiend.

Ink and Marker IG: of_milkman 6. Dina Fachin Still Life with Guitar and Papaya Watercolor and ink on wet paper www.dinascolours.com

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Craig Newsom and Kara Jansson dress in strange garb as a part of their art process, capturing their bizarre actions in photo and video.

Photo provided by Craig Newsom

Exploring the Relationship Between Technology and Humanity An Interview with Craig Newsom of Coalfather Industries Written by Lauren Leady and Bryan Bethel

One half of the legendary Coalfather Industries, Craig Newsom, sat down with Warm Soda to discuss his art journey and the relationship between humanity and technology. Coalfather creates videos, animations, installations and more to investigate the relationships between the members of Coalfather itself, society and technology that consumes people in their daily lives.

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Kara Jansson (left) an Craig Newsom (right) have a shared interest in mobile visual arts — using this platform allows them to work together remotely.

Still from video 'Paljon Onnea'

The other half of Coalfather Industries is Kara Jansson, who met Newsom in New York during a conference series in 2010 and 2011 that covered mobile digital art.

Taking the lessons learned from these conferences to heart, the two decided to continue creating together despite the distance between them.

“We just kept thinking of things to do together after that, you know, working on projects,” Newsom said. “We used to pass files back and forth. There was an [app] on the phone that allowed us to draw together at the same time, so we were working together on the same thing at the same time.”

Newsom explained that Coalfather is a collaboration of the work between him and Jansson over the years.

“We just kept drawing until it’s at the point where that’s all she and I do,” he said. “We work together as Coalfather Industries. We don’t really operate as individual artists anymore.”

Since they live in different regions of the U.S., there can be some difficulty in the collaboration between Jansson and Newsom. However, the duo are shifting their style and will soon produce almost exclusively digital works, which makes it easier to collaborate in a digital age. Despite the distance between them, they

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still meet up a few times a year to collaborate.

“It’s a lot of back and forth. We get together maybe three or four times a year, and we do end up being able to work together in the same space.”

Newsom’s life revolves around art. When not working on various projects for Coalfather, he is a professor at Blackburn College in Carlinville. Surprisingly, Newsom didn’t start out as an art major though. He began as an English major, focusing on a passion for writing stories and the goal of becoming a writer. After his stories were rejected numerous times from different publications, he questioned this path. “[Rejections] sort of made me question and start thinking what I was really doing every time I was writing something; I was describing something,” he said. “So then I got this idea, ‘well, if I’m describing this thing, why don’t I just make it? Why don’t I just paint it, why don’t I draw it, why don’t I sculpt it?”

Newsom went back to school for art and found that it suited him better than English. He had an easier time describing and implementing his ideas and narratives using a visual medium instead of verbal. Before art school, he didn’t have any experience with the arts.

Using elaborate costumes and bizarre video effects, Newsom and Jansson critique their relationship to the culture that created them.

Photo provided by Craig Newsom

“I didn’t even really think about being an artist. It wasn’t even really a consideration… You never know exactly where you’re going to end up,” he explained. “You may think you have a really firm plan and your ideals are in place and the way you think about the world is all set, but it’s really not. It’s fluid.”

One major project of Coalfather is “Neighbors,” which focuses on 3D sculpted characters existing in a nightmare world of consumerism and isolation, which is eerily similar to the world we live in now. The characters have their own social media site, Neighbr, a place they can express their obsessions and lack of empathy. “Neighbors” was inspired by the idea of being simultaneously connected with and disconnected from others. Humans are surrounded by other humans daily, yet never engage with each other. “‘Neighbors’ came from this idea that paranoia and conjecture goes with living next to people and surrounded by people.” Newsom said. “A lot of times, especially if you live in an apartment building, you live in a place where you hear somebody above you, someone on either side of you and you never really see that person, so you start building this mental image of what they look like without seeing them. You know we kind of live like we’re in hives in that respect but we’re not like bees. We’re not social really.”

Coalfather looks at the relationship between humans and their phones, often making videos including the topic of cell phones. Newsom believes phones have just continued the separation of people from each other. “[Phones] are sort of forcing that isolation even more,” Newsom explained. “Everything is either a tool or a weapon, or it’s both or neither. You know, things are what you make of them.”

Through Coalfather’s videos and installations, viewers get the sense of a loss of control due to the technology surrounding us in our daily lives. Newsom understands the benefits of social media and technology, but doesn’t see humans using these tools positively.

“This all happens very slowly over time. It’s not like we decide one day we want something else to be in control of our lives. It’s all under the guise of convenience,” he said. “It’s not like it doesn’t have a positive spin to it, but I think the way we use this most of the time is to distract ourselves.”

In some ways, the works Coalfather creates can be seen as a warning to society. People need to pay attention to each other. Sure, technology has its perks, but so far it has led people to feel deeply embedded

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Coalfather combines strange graphics and effects layered over videos taken, documenting their daily lives to merge their worldview with our reality.

Photo provided by Craig Newsom

in a different world — a world that looks very different from the society we know.

Newsom explained the society we are becoming and the next evolution of technology and humans, “I think it’s like robots. When we no longer make any decisions, we’re fed our breakfast at certain times... we’re placed in our driverless cars to drive around the artificial track.

It’s all about losing your decision-making ability.”

“I think as long as we stay embedded in our technology, that’s what will happen — we’ll just disappear and we’ll do it because we kind of don’t care. It’s easy to disappear.”

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One of the main topics to take away from the work produced by Coalfather Industries is to just engage with each other. It’s that simple. Newsom believes if humans just pay attention, they might be able to break the cycle of materialism and mindless entertainment that is further distracting and isolating us from the bigger picture.

Currently, humans are too focused on what they own — the more you own, the better you are as a person in society, which is not true. In addition, people are too distracted by their phones and mindless videos, social media posts and pictures to notice what is going on with the world. Newsom explained the road humans are traveling by partaking in this mindless behavior.

“I think we’re all collectively withdrawn. We’re staying in our homes, we don’t go out, we order things online,” Newsom said. “I think as long as we stay embedded in our technology, that’s what will happen — we’ll just disappear and we’ll do it because we kind of don’t care.

It’s easy to disappear.” www.coalfather.com www.inastagram.com/coalfather

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Reach for the Starskys: Local Atmospheric Rock Will Blow Your Mind

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Written by Lauren Leady Photos by Zachary Boren Artwork Provided by Kim ji-woo

Photos of Ji-Woo taken at Northwest Coffee Roasting Company.

Artist, traveler and Korean-American Andy Minard, who goes by the art name Kim Ji-Woo, is an open book, inviting all to partake in the wonderful journey of art, expression and finding yourself.

Visiting Japan and several countries during her study abroad program helped influence her perspective about people and desire to learn more about her surroundings. This pushed her to channel newfound inspiration into her art.

As a Queer Person of Color (QPOC), Ji-Woo finds self-expression important in her art. Reflection is not always the goal in her work, but often shines through anyway, giving these pieces individuality and personality. Often her pieces highlight big cats, like lions and tigers, which call attention to the social construct of race.

Ji-Woo’s bubbly personality is conveyed through the bright colors and fun patterns in her pieces. By encouraging others to follow her journey, Ji-Woo helps bring reconition to the complexity of finding a personal style and voice within art.

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All my pieces represent growth for me, even if the subject matter isn’t directly talking about me.

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bit burnt out from the academic side of doing art and decided to take a break and try shifting gears a bit.

So I ended up at UMSL pursuing a major in Japanese language. Through that opportunity I took a leap of faith and found myself studying abroad in the country.

At the university I was studying at there happened to be an art club, so I joined. It was amazing to see this group of people from different backgrounds and career paths that had nothing to do with art together in this space, creating for the sake of doing it — not to mention many of them were fantastic!

Traveling really opens your eyes and your heart to experiences that influence your work. I didn’t do as much art as I planned to do when I was there, but after taking a long hiatus from it, I found myself lost without it, so I promised I’d never take it for granted again and pursue it.

A few of the places I ended up in, aside from various parts of Japan, were Thailand, Colombia, the Amazon and Korea...

But seeing and experiencing so many other places got me wanting to learn more about people and landscape/urban sketching for the sake of preserving memories in art. It’s been a third eye vision since then.

How does community impact you and your art?

What does the St. Louis community, including the art community, bring for your art? What could the art community in the area work on to create a stronger environment for artists?

What mediums do you work with the most? What would you like to explore more with?

Watercolor, acrylic and gouache! I would like to explore using texture and some other mixed media in my pieces to keep them more engaging for me as well as the audience. Even sculpture would be something I’d love to do because I lack in 3D skills right now!

What inspires you to make art?

Just about everything, honestly. But humans, nature and the relationship between them are my true joys to create. Especially anything dealing with people of color and human sexuality since I myself am a Person of Color (POC) who is queer/gay.

In your About page on Facebook, you explain you have a “never ending vision to create after traveling overseas.” Can you explain this more? Where did you travel? What did you experience while traveling, and how did that experience inspire your art?

After I obtained my Associate’s in Fine Arts, I felt a

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Well, going back to traveling, I never ever once thought about that before I left the comfort of St. Louis, but upon traveling overseas, I experienced racism and discrimination I wasn’t used to in the states. It really opened up my eyes to what some people experience their entire lives, but me being a sheltered child never really understood that, even though now that I look back at it, I received that treatment from my own mother because I am a mixed child.

Even so, I was homesick and missed St. Louis and its diverse, messed up and beautiful culture that’s working hard to flourish and change. Upon returning, I decided to reach out to people and slowly find a way to integrate myself into the city where I am now.

I’ve also learned a lot just being able to mingle with people; it’s completely changed my view on the world and my art.

The only downside of the art community here is that St. Louis is pretty scattered and divided, like being in high school again where folks have their own cliques and it’s hard to get your foot in the door because no one is looking for friendship with an outsider. If we were able to break down those walls, I wonder what that would look like?

You also mention the importance of fantasy for you. Do you still incorporate fantasy into your art? How does fantasy inspire you? Do you have any future ideas for fantasy and your art?

Yes, I definitely do still incorporate fantasy when I have the chance to! I haven’t really figured that out with my newfound way of thinking about my art, but I’ve definitely had that on my mind for some time now, though I don’t currently have any ideas, unfortunately.

Fantasy has always inspired me, though. When I was a kid, I was obsessed with Pokémon and getting to travel, meet new people, accept failure, form connections with people and nature and eat good food — all these things that have inspired me to arrive at the places that I have and to do the things that I have done.

Just because a small part of me held that child side of me close and made me low-key want to be a Pokémon master, but of my own life.

For many artists, identity is a huge part of their art pieces and how they explore and understand themselves more. In what ways does your identity as a QPOC influence your artwork? Does it influence your art at all?

Do you incorporate any parts of your identity into your work? How personal are your pieces for you?

The fact that I’ve only just recently started to really fit into my skin within the past few years has played a huge role in my art. I just came out to myself about five years ago and to my parents about a year ago. Same goes with my queerness and identity crisis as a KoreanAmerican in the past couple of years.

My art didn’t have much meaning and substance going on before that, but now I really think about the subject matter and try to render those ideas to the best of my abilities. I definitely have an attachment to my work that makes it hard to let go of them due to the personal nature. All my pieces represent growth for me, even if the subject matter isn’t directly talking about me.

Race is just a social construct, and we are not like animals that have true restrictions to how they are able to be together, unless they are from the same genus, within a certain family. For example, tigers and lions are both of the genus Panthera, so together they are able to have offspring like ligers and tigons. But try to pair a cheetah and a mountain lion, you’ll come to find that they come from completely different lines and aren’t able to have offspring even though they share similarities.

Humans basically represent that small niche of one genus, unlike felines that represent many despite looking the same at face value.

What do you hope to achieve through your art? What do you hope your art does for others and yourself?

Through my art, I personally hope to be able to make a living off of it. Right now, it is not a huge priority because I’ve realized that focusing solely on monetizing the thing that I love often makes me tired versus making art for the sake of making it and improving!

And maybe it’s a pipe dream, but I would love it if my art brought people together one day, which is my current goal for the portrait series I’m working on.

Doing portraits of different people from different artistic backgrounds and niches in hopes of having those people exist in the same space, for the same reason. I just honestly want to make myself proud by committing to my passion.

Where can we follow you on social media?

You can find me under ‘kimjiwooart’ on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

Several of your pieces on Facebook include big cats, including lions and a tiger. What is the meaning behind that?

My big cat series was the first series of work where I really thought about the concept of Race. Big cats are similar to humans in a sense that we all come in unique shapes, colors, patterns and inhabit different parts of the world. And though they may look like you could bunch them all together into one group like humans, there is so much genetic variety in these animals that make them different between one another. Whereas, humans have barely any [genetic variety] when comparing one person from another.

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THE VERSATILE AND VIVID LÉPONDS

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Written by Logan Bryant Photographed by Shelby Clayton At age 13, Lisa Houdei of LéPonds began to write her own music, which was just four years after she learned to play guitar. In addition to music, she has a love for gardening, baking and interior design. Houdei resides in St. Louis, and she appreciates the city’s welcoming vibe for various talents and passions. St. Louis accepts all artists for who they are, including Houdei, and tries to support them in any way possible.

Houdei’s versatile musical project LéPonds can be performed as a solo act or with full instrumentation.

Houdei described her solo sets as more intimate and serious than her full-band sets. This is reinforced by comparing her two albums, “Heat” and “I Was Dancing with My Dream Team.” “Heat” reflects a lucid version of LéPonds, while “I Was Dancing with My Dream Team” is more playful. Both are balanced, warm and dreamy, and perfectly highlights LéPonds style.

Houdei not only works on her own music, but also with other local artists. She was featured on Pono AM’s newest release, “Variety Hour,” where she sang on “Room On The Wheel.”

Houdei stated it was a blast; she loves the members of Pono AM and their music. Working on separate projects helps her find comfort in singing and recording in the intimidating spaces with other artists.

While she collaborated with other artists, Houdei finished recording the newest LéPonds album, “Lean To.” Houdei is still deciding on a release date, and described the album as more mature than her previous albums. She explained that the recording process is laid-back and natural, as she worked with the same engineer who recorded her two previous albums, Tim Gebauer of Electropolis.

St. Louis does a great job to accommodate her passions, whether it be music, gardening or interior design.

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I DON'T WANNA BE MEAN.

DONT TREAT ME LIKE A MACHINE.

DONT TREAT ME LIKE A MACHINE.

I DON'T WANNA BE MEAN.

Lyrics from "I Was Dancing with My Dream Team"

Houdei feels the love from the city, which helps inspire her to keep creating. Houdei explained, “We have more opportunities to open for bigger names in this city. The city really backs you up once you show your face enough. It's a very supportive scene.”

Her passion for gardening is supported in St. Louis, too. She explained there are no challenges with wanting to garden in the city, as the Land Re-Utilization Act allows people to purchase abandoned lots for $1 for the purpose of gardening. There are also many places, including Carondelet Park, that offer free piles of compost and mulch. She suggested going to local nurseries like Flowers & Weeds, Bayer's Garden Shop and Rolling Ridge. In addition to growing her own produce, Houdei uses the produce to bake homemade pita bread! You can find Houdei’s pita on Instagram at @lisaspitastl for updates on when and where it will be available.

Additionally, Houdei has an eye and a love for interior design. When creating her spaces, she said she looks for happy things and bright, vivid colors. She also aims to find warm textures from odd trinkets and odd-shaped lights. To do so, she said that thrifting at locally-owned shops is the best option.

Houdei shows us just how wide STL’s arms are to its residents; whether it be other musicians supporting music, gardening resources or local businesses that help fill homes with beautiful decor, this city is a grand place for creatives.

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Graphic by Bryan Bethel

Avril LaviGne is Dead?

Well It’s Complicated Written by Alex St. Peters

Why do people have to go and make things so complicated? Is exactly what Avril Lavigne has said to herself ever since a ridiculous rumor about her death surfaced a few years ago. People online came to the conclusion that Lavigne died back in 2003 and was replaced by a clone of herself — not a clone like Dolly the sheep, but a body double.

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It was said after the release of her debut album “Let Go” in 2002, Lavigne was overwhelmed by the fame and hired a body double named Melissa to pose as her for the paparazzi. As time passed, Lavigne and Melissa became best friends, and Melissa learned a bunch of her mannerisms. It’s even theorized Lavigne taught her how to sing exactly like her.

After the death of Lavigne’s grandfather, shortly after the release of “Let Go,” she was so distraught that she committed suicide in late 2003. The theory went on to explain her record company, friends and family covered-up her suicide due to her successful career.

This way her legacy wouldn’t end abruptly. She had already finished her sophomore album “Under My Skin,” and they already knew someone who looked like Lavigne and could sing like her. It’s said that Melissa went on to live Lavigne’s life and continue her career.

People noticed differences in Lavigne such as height, facial structure, mole locations and most importantly music. It was also noted that Lavigne’s close friend and guitarist Evan Taubenfeld left the band shortly after the release of “Under My Skin” in 2004. Did he leave because they had differences or because his friend died?

People also brought to attention clues in “Under My Skin,” which is her last album according to the theory.

Lavigne has been asked many times by fans and media about claims that she isn’t who she says she is. She has denied the claims over the years and said, “People are just bored and need something to talk about.”

On the Australian radio show Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O, Lavigne commented on the theory, “Some people think that I’m not the real me, which is so weird.

Why would they even think that?”

“People are just bored and need somethinG to talK about.”

The Avril Lavigne conspiracy theory is well known all across the web, being discussed in multiple socia media posts and joked about in meme culture.

Even Shane Dawson, a well known YouTube creator has included this theory in his Conspiracy Series.

Photo by Shane Dawson

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Please Support your Local Businesses Impacted by the Recent Floods.

They Need Your Help this Summer.

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Making a Feast Out of Scraps WITH

n Bethel Interview by Brya

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Members of the band The Ricters survey their stomping ground at the old Lemp Brewery in the Marine Villa neighborhood in St. Louis.

Photo provided The Ricters

Located in a repurposed part of the Lemp Brewery complex, down hallways decorated with graffiti and up winding staircases, I found myself in the studio of up-and-coming St. Louis band The Ricters. With Adam Sheppard on guitar and lead vocals, Brendon Sheppard on bass and Drew Nilson on the drums, these three are doing all they can to get noticed as a local band.

After getting a live demo of their latest single “Apple Tree,� I sat down with the guys to talk inspiration and what sets them apart from the rest.

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To start off, I wanted to ask about the meaning of the name “The Ricters.” I thought initially you were named for the Richter Scale, but the spelling is slightly different. Can you explain that?

Brendon: Well, we are here to Shake Things Up!

A: Yeah, a super-christian rock home. *laughing together* B: Yeah, I was like 14 before I found friends that showed me these other bands and showed me “oh wow, there’s this whole world outside of worship songs!”

Adam: Honestly, it was an inside joke a long time ago.

We were playing an (original) song and I jokingly said it was (a cover of) a song already by a band called The Ricters — totally pulling the name out my ass as I went — and so years later I thought it would be funny to just make that an actual band name. Making something out of nothing, you know what I mean? I think things develop meaning over time… that’s kinda the point of why we’re doing music in the first place, because it means something to us. It might not mean something to anybody else, but it means the world to us.

What kind of music would you listen to then?

Did you all grow up with musical backgrounds at all then?

Well what kind of technology do you guys use in your music then for recording?

A: I was a choir boy!

A: Our credo is pretty straightforward: “simple, stupid.”

Less is more for us, and we try to make a feast out of scraps. The bands that always inspired me were more stripped back and raw, so that’s what we’re going for. A more organic sound, I think. And we have our hands in

B: [Adam] and I are brothers and our parents met in an opera company, so our whole family was super musical all the time.

Things like Three Days Grace, MCR (My Chemical Romance) in middle school and early high school I guess. It wasn’t until out of high school that my manager at Cecil’s would put on live concert videos of The Doors and Zeppelin, and that’s when I really started soaking it in. They did it differently back then. There’s so much productions these days, when plucking a string on this instrument that was engineered to make this sound… it’s done in a very certain type of way.

Photo provided by The Ricters

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it, with Drew making most of the mixing for things we’re about to put out.

Drew: Like as far as playing, we don’t really use any tech. All that is done in the mixing.

When did you guys come together as a band?

B: It was like October 2017 when we started getting together, writing stuff.

D: Just jamming, feeling things out. And then we recorded our demo in early 2018, and went to Firebrand Studios later on to record the album we’re getting ready to release now, along with the singles we have out.

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Everything you guys are putting out is sounding really tight and well produced. For being so new to the scene is there something to be said quality over quantity?

B: Well, we had been playing together for a year practicing these songs before we ever played our first actual show.

We just got together all the time and went over and over the set until it became muscle memory. When you’re up there performing, if it’s instinct, it’s so much easier to enjoy the moment.

A: In the beginning we’re just trying to find our sound. There was a lot of experimentation and there’s a lot of songs that didn’t make the cut for this album. Just trying to keep things focused, I think.

D: So by the time we do record and play these live shows, then it feels like we’ve all got it locked down.

B: And the more we would play together, [the more] these songs would evolve. One practice we would do something just a little different, and it’s like, “Let’s keep that!”

A: Now, we’ve got five or six shows under our belt at this point, and we’re feeling good about it, but it’s tough out there man. Everyone wants to be a rock star.

So that’s pretty tricky then — the business (and marketing) aspect of creating music?

B: Exactly you have to do so much to get shows. Our social media face is something we could definitely get on

a bit better, but playing shows will only help to grow that audience. It’s a classic catch-22 though. It’s like, you’re gonna go talk to a venue and they’ll need you to be able to bring in an audience of course. But on our side, we’ve got to be able to play shows to be able to gain that audience.

A: It’s growing slowly, but we’ve got good things on the horizon now that we’ve got the product and are working on mixing the album.

D: There’s just so much saturation out there, we’re trying to do all we can to stand out. Trying to focus on producing some quality content, and making sure that everything we do is really tight.

B: You gotta be clever now. Everything’s been done before so you’ve got to find a way to do it a little differently.

The Ricters’ new album “Zygote” will be coming out later this year on Spotify and Bandcamp, so keep an eye out!

Since this interview, The Ricters have played shows at Halo Bar, the Firebird and Pop’s on a whirlwind series of shows to get their music out on the scene. Their single “Apple Tree” has also been played on KDHX, 88.1 St. Louis radio. Follow them on Instagram @the_ricters to know about upcoming shows! www.thericters.com Insta: https://www.instagram.com/the_ricters/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/thericters/

The Ricters are making big steps to making a name for themselves — playing multiple live shows and having their music featured on KDHX.

Photo provided by The Ricters

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Sabrina Dawnn | Shot by Matt Schmitt (Streetscape Studios - St. Charles, MO)

Above & Right - Jaclyn Tripp | Shot by Kaleb Helle

Ian Miller | Shot by Matt Schmitt (Streetscape Studios - St. Charles, MO)

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Colie Lewis | Shot by Jorge Restrepo

“Local Ambition” is an original reality show series from Always Late TV. This reality show features local women from St. Louis who participate in a modeling competition. Only one model will make it out as the winner after a five-round competition.

The models will compete in a series of photo shoot challenges made to test and push their skills and knowledge as a model. In each season, the cast find themselves in all types of strange drama, including love triangles, kidnappings and time travelers.

www.facebook.com/Localambition

alwayslatetv.com

View season 8 to follow every model featured as they share their lives and passion on Always Late TV’s website on Sept. 16.

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There will be a red carpet premiere at Marcus Ronnie's Cinema in St. Louis on Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. In addition, the first issue of the Local Ambition magazine will launch Nov. 4 on their website and through MagCloud.

‘Local Ambition’ to Launch Season 8

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1. Valeria Prieto Cancer (Zodiac series) Acrylic, Ink, and collage on Canson paper IG: valerialejandra_

6. Maddie Berry Star-Eyes Watercolor painting IG: mberrart

2. Steve Hartman Color is the Glue that Binds Spraypaint and Watercolor on Paperboard IG: steve.hartman.art

7. Nigel Hilgert Never Satisfied Photography IG: angel.of.the.abyss

3. Emma Hagerty Singularity Ink, Water Color, Acrylic Paint Marker IG: meauzick 4. Ferris Shawver and Courtney Phelps Nightmare Faun Photography, Latex, Acrylic, Performance ferrisshawverart.weebly.com/Â phelpsphotography1.wixsite.com/phelpsphotography 5. Renee Canetta In the Eye of the Flora Polymer Clay, Epoxy, Acrylic Paint on Wood Plaque IG: renee.canetta.ar

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