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Tabl e of C
Pag e 7 - Int er view wit h Shar k t o pag e 11 - Int er view pag e 19 - Int er vie pag e 27 - Po p Go es The Cul t ur e: pag e 37 - A Dar t & A D pag e 39 - Res p pag e 4 1 - Ho w No t To pag e 4 3 pag e 51 - Why pag e 55 pag e 61
Cont ent s
o o t h Rec o r d s ' St uar t Buc k l ey wit h Shawn Dec k er ew wit h JPEGMAFIA An Int er view wit h Kat Ro bic haud Dr eam: A DIY Cul t ur e pec t t he Sc ene o Be A Dic k In The Pit - Reviews y Yer Sc ene? 5 - Bio s - Cr ed it
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Let t er f r om
Through February, the Yer Scene team has moved towards e night has been spent comparing sounds, ethics and method Despite the piles of differences, commonality of a love for thei the shortest month of the year and one of the busiest month kickass issue. We have one of our coolest interviews, courtes this up, check a couple of the bands and sent it to a friend. T about scenes from around the globe, maybe listen to a couple focusing on interaction, please please please please send u community and develop o
We?re grateful. We hope you like this issue enough to c
-Kenneth Fury
m t he edi t or
examining what makes different DIY spaces unique. Many a dology between team members and their respective scene. ir DIY community and Doc Martens can be seen. Despite being hs for our student team members, we?ve put together a pretty sy of JPEGMAFIA! To all the people who took the time to open Thank you, we need you. As always, take some time to read e friends and send this zine to a friend or two. PS. Since we?re us any show posters or pictures. We?d love to hear from the our international outreach.
check out a couple bands and maybe, send to a friend.
y, @kfurybud
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An Int er view wit h Shar kt oot h Recor ds Founder St uar t Buckl ey Interview by Kenneth Fury
F
ounded in Saint John, New Brunswick born out of the DIY scene, Sharktooth had some of the most important releases from the area. In a smaller area, the labels, venues and other scene essentials we do have become immediately part of the culture forever. Whilst I knew Sharktooth Records weren?t active anymore, I knew they deserved a place in the zine to immortalize them, if nothing else. However, Stu was more than happy to do an interview, through Twitter DM?s, no less. Check it out.
Wh en did you st ar t you r r ecor d label? Was
it som et h in g you h ad been con sider in g or did som eon e h elp you get in t o t h e pr ocess? I started Sharktooth back in the spring of 2013. It was something I?d always wanted to do, but never really knew how to start. Eventually I just decided to give it a go, not really knowing how to do it at all.
M ost r ew ar din g par t of r u n n in g a label? The most rewarding part of running Sharktooth was honestly getting the Shark Tank going. The label itself was never all that active and didn?t have many physical releases, it was more about just documenting and amalgamating all of the music my friends and I were creating. Starting up the venue/rehearsal space/studio the Shark Tank was the first time it felt like I was doing something that served someone other than me and my close friends.
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How m u ch t im e did r u n n in g a label t ak e of you r aver age day? The day to day of running Sharktooth wasn?t all that busy honestly. Most of the releases were digital only, and we rarely got online orders for cassettes. It was busier leading up to a release for sure, sending a ton of e-mails out to blogs trying to get the music heard. But overall it really wasn?t a huge investment of time. Have an y gian t m ist ak es/ h or r or st or ies? Wit h so m an y r espon sibilit ies, t h er e m u st be a cou ple f u n n y st or ies. The worst one was definitely the first release we did. When Sharktooth had just started, we hadn?t even put out a release yet, we got an e-mail from 2 kids in North Las Vegas who played in a band called Anorexia. They were asking us to do a tape release for them and the song they sent was catchy and cool, really lo-fi bedroom pop stuff so we said sure, why not. I didn?t think about the complications of shipping merch over the border and long-story short, they got the tapes 2 days AFTER their release show? needless to say, they were pretty pissed and I don?t blame them. I fucked that one up big time. Funny part about that was the singer of that band, Shamir, ended up making it pretty big doing their solo thing and I still see news about them all the time. Did you r u n t h e label by you r self ? When it started, it was me and my girlfriend at the time, but after we split up it was pretty much just me. I think that was my biggest mistake with Sharktooth, honestly. It could have been a lot better and a lot more impactful if I had have involved more people from the community.
Fr om Sh ar k t oot h , w h at ar e you r f avou r it e r eleases? I honestly and truly love them all and they all have some very fond memories attached to them, especially the ones I recorded myself. My favourite though is probably the NVN EP. We did it all in a weekend at the Shark Tank and it was just so much fun the whole time. I have a pretty vivid memory of Sadie kicking back in an office chair, legs wrapped around the mic stand, drinking a bottle of wine and improv-ing her harmonies and absolutely nailing it.
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Wh at w as it lik e get t in g in t o r u n n in g a label? I can on ly im agin e t h e pr essu r e It was kind of scary sometimes, it?s always scary putting your name out there and announcing to the world ?I do this now!?, but yeah it was a huge learning experience. I was far from being a good head of a record label but I learned a lot from my mistakes and think the whole process helped me grow a lot as a person. You r label isn't act ive an ym or e, cor r ect ? Did it ju st slow ly st op or did you decide t o disban d it ? Yeah, the label isn?t active anymore at all. Corey started up Monopolized and I saw him just really do it right and felt like it wasn?t really needed anymore. I was moving out of the city too, and the whole Sharktooth thing is so tied to Saint John for me that it felt like it?d be disingenuous to either run it from afar or to put out releases from my new location
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h t i w w e i v r e t n I n A r e k c e D n w a By Hug h Sc h midt Sh M
iddle-M an r ecor ds is on e of t h e m ost im por t an t labels in t oday ?s scr eam o/ ch aot ic h ar dcor e scen e. Based in Laf ayet t e, In dian a, USA, t h ey ?ve r eleased an d dist r ibu t ed m u sic f r om ban ds all over t h e w or ld an d acr oss gen r es, despit e t h eir f ocu s on h ar dcor e. M iddle-M an boast s r eleases f r om som e of t h e m ost acclaim ed ban ds in t h e sk r am z/ gr in d scen e r igh t n ow , in clu din g I Hat e Sex, M assa Ner a, Seeyou spacecow boy, Ost r aca, an d Sou l Glo. Th ey ?ve also pu t ou t r ecor ds by older an d less act ive gr ou ps, lik e Cir cle Tak es Th e Squ ar e, Sm all Br ow n Bik e, Raein , an d Tet ola93. Wit h t h e sh eer am ou n t of im pr essive r eleases t h e label pu t s ou t , it ?s h ar d t o believe t h at it ?s r u n , m ost ly, by on e per son . Sh aw n Deck er h as been r u n n in g M iddle-M an f or year s n ow , all t h e w h ile playin g in cou n t less ban ds/ pr oject s (Com a Regalia, Plagu e Walk er , Der acin e, M at t er Field, et c). I?m a h u ge f an of t h eir w or k bot h m u sically an d w it h t h e label, so I r each ed ou t t o Sh aw n via em ail t o t alk abou t t h eir back gr ou n d, t h e label, an d t h e u pcom in g Com a Regalia r elease.
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How old w er e you w h en you got in volved in you r local scen e? How an d w h er e did t h at h appen ? I book ed m y f ir st DIY sh ow in Por t Ch ar lot t e, Flor ida a cou ple decades ago at t h is poin t . We r en t ed a 10x10 st or age space t h at w e pr act iced in . It w as in t h e m iddle of n ow h er e. I cam e u p w it h t h e idea t o bu ild a sm all st age t h at w ou ld st ick ou t of t h e st or age space's open in g an d t h en be able t o be t ak en apar t an d pu t back in t o t h e st or age space w h en n ot in u se. We did a f ew sh ow s lik e t h at bef or e police cau gh t on . At t h at poin t som e clu bs h ad h ear d w e w er e get t in g a bu n ch of k ids t o com e ou t t o t h ese t h in gs so places t h at pr eviou sly w ou ldn't give u s t h e t im e of day st ar t ed let t in g u s book som e sh ow s at t h eir spot s. Som e people w h o w en t t o m y h igh sch ool t h at played t h ose sh ow s n ow play in t h e ban ds Ju n iu s an d Cir cle Tak es Th e Squ ar e.
Wh at w as you r f ir st ban d called an d w h at did you sou n d lik e? I t h in k m aybe t h e f ir st ban d w as called M esh ? Th is w as bef or e I played an y sh ow s bu t m aybe w e played a bir t h day par t y? I w an t ed t o sou n d lik e t h e Descen den t s or Bad Religion bu t a cou ple of t h e ot h er k ids w an t ed t o sou n d lik e Pr im u s an d on e of t h em w as r eally in t o Ran dy Rh oads er a Ozzy. Th er e w er e n ever an y r ecor din gs, t h an k gr odd.
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How an d w h en did M iddle-M an st ar t ? Do you r u n it by you r self or do you h ave ot h er people w or k in g w it h you ? M M st ar t ed in h igh sch ool. I h ad r eleased a t ape f or a ban d I w as in bu t didn't h ave a label or decide t o do on e yet . It w asn't u n t il lat er t h at som e f r ien ds ask ed m e t o h elp t h em r elease a t ape t h at I ask ed " Oh , so you w an t m e t o be t h e m iddle m an ?" an d cam e u p w it h t h e n am e an d idea t o r elease a f ew r ecor ds. I did a com p CD an d a cou ple 7"s f or an old ban d of m in e an d t h en t ook qu it e a bit of t im e bef or e I did m u ch else. It w asn't u n t il abou t 2010 t h at I st ar t ed t o becom e act ive again . I do t h e label by m yself bu t m y w if e Lau r en h elps a lot w it h pr in t in g an d pack agin g r ecor ds.
Wh at ?s t h e h ar dest par t of r u n n in g a label? Hon est ly t h at 's a h ar d qu est ion t o an sw er . A lot of it is h ar d. Pr et t y m u ch all of m y t im e an d in com e goes in t o it . I'm f or t u n at e t o h ave su ch a su ppor t ive f am ily an d gr ou p of f r ien ds or I don't k n ow h ow I'd m an age. On e day m aybe t h e label w ill su st ain it self f in an cially bu t I don't k n ow... I r elease scr eam y h ar dcor e r ecor ds
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Do you h ave an y t h ou gh t s on t h e t er m ?sk r am z?? (h at e it , love it , don't car e?) I t h in k it st ar t ed as a w ay t o dif f er en t iat e bet w een t h e dif f er en t k in ds of ban ds t h at u sed scr eam ed vocals an d t h en w en t f r om a jok e ph r ase t o a k in d of cat ch all t er m . I per son ally w ou ldn't call an y of m y ban ds t h at bu t it w as t h e m ost sear ch ed t ag on ban dcam p at som e poin t so t h er e m igh t be som e r ecor ds w it h t h at t ag on it .
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How do you h ave t im e t o play in so m an y goddam n ban ds? Som et im es I h ear people say " I w ish I h ad t im e t o..." an d it 's k in d of f u n n y w h en you t h in k abou t it . As if som e of u s h ave u n lock ed a 30 h ou r day. No on e of u s act u ally h as an y m or e t im e per day t h an an y of t h e r est of u s, w e ju st u se it dif f er en t ly. People pr ior it ize dif f er en t t h in gs an d t h at 's w h at t h ey spen d t h eir t im e doin g. Af t er m y f am ily, m ak in g m u sic is w h at I love m ost in lif e so I ju st do t h at in st ead of a lot of ot h er t h in gs t h at I also lik e t o do bu t ar en't as im por t an t t o m e.
So t h e n ew Com a Regalia LP " Th e M ir r or " com es ou t on M ar ch 10t h . Did y 'all h ave a con cept in m in d w h en w r it in g it ? Is t h er e con t ext or an y n ot able lyr ical t h em es you r list en er s sh ou ld k n ow abou t ? All of t h e Com a Regalia albu m s ar e con cept albu m s t h at f ollow a n on lin ear n ar r at ive. Som e of ou r split s f ollow t h is n ar r at ive as w ell. Th er e is a sor t of w ak in g w or ld / spir it w or ld elem en t t o it . Th at 's as m u ch as I r eally lik e t o say at t h is poin t .
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Is em o a r eal gen r e? As r eal as an y ot h er I su ppose. It 's k in d of f u n n y w h en I t h in k abou t h ow dif f er en t ly t h at t er m h as been u sed over t h e year s. I get w h y people w an t t o be sor t of specif ic w it h t er m s lik e t h is bu t at t h e sam e t im e t h in k it 's n ot som et h in g t h at sh ou ld alw ays be t ak en t oo ser iou sly.
?Th e M ir r or ? by Com a Regalia com es ou t on M ar ch 10t h , an d t h e ban d is plan n in g an east coast t ou r in Ju n e. You can f in d t h em an d all ot h er M iddle-M an r eleases at m iddlem an r ecor ds.ban dcam p.com / m u sic
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An i nt er es t i ng conv er s at i on wi t h J PEGMAFI A i nt er vi ew a nd t r a ns cr i pt by Ja ck Robi ns on
Yer Scene caught up with JPEGMAFIA after his show at the Local 506 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina to talk about the tour, Veteran, and many other topics.
What follows is a slightly edited version of the full conversation that can be found at Yer Scene?s Mixcloud page.
So, h ow ar e you en joyin g t h e t ou r so f ar ? I love it man, every show is sold out except Burlington Vermont, which was still packed, we had like 10 tickets we didn?t sell, but this is the first time this has happened to me like, ever, so yeah, it?s beautiful honestly.
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So, w h at w as t h e biggest in spir at ion f or Vet er an as a w h ole? I think the biggest inspiration was just my desire to make something better than anything I?ve ever made and show people that I?m not a one trick pony. People thought of me as a noise rapper before, and with this album I think I?ve added a lot to my palette, but as far as music, probably The Life of Pablo was the biggest influence, not directly, I listened to life after I finished Veteran, and I was like, damn this is kinda similar, like stuff ends abruptly and shit pops up out of nowhere, maybe subconsciously, it?s also the same amount of tracks, 19.
You w er e t alk in g abou t h ow you w an t ed t o do som et h in g ot h er t h an n oise r ap, so w h at w er e you r t h ou gh t s on t h e r est of t h e scen e, w h en it com es t o n oise r ap, an d m or e exper im en t al pr oject s, lik e Cit ies Aviv, an d Ho90909? Both of those dudes are great, especially Cities Aviv, I?m a big fan of his especially Come to Life, I love it, I love the experimental rap, I think honestly, a lot of experimental noisy rap has not been given the chance to sign, because every single black person that comes up gets compared to Death Grips, all of them. So, if people compare me to Death Grips, that?s fine, I get it, the beats are noisy and whatever, but as far as the vocalization, I guess when we yell sometimes we sound similar, but like, People are really saying, like it?s just like people who only listen to death grips hearing that and slapping it, they?re just rounding it up, with no basis to compare, it?s this guy looks like MC Ride, he sounds like MC Ride, they did the same thing to Daveed from Clipping. I want that shit to be squashed, because it?s racist as fuck. It?s narrow-minded as shit, all these pitchfork artists, they look the same, no one confuses them at all, they even sound the same.
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cymbals eat guitars, and animal collective, you switch them around and no one would notice, and yet, every black person that comes up and does anything experimental gets compared to Death grips, so I think a lot of the music has not been given the chance to shine, it?s no shot at Death Grips, it?s not their fault, it?s just the fans. I love the experimental scene, Ho90909, Cities Aviv, Blackhandpath, all these kind of dudes, they?re making great shit, and it?s just being lumped in with Death Grips? shit. I think it?s great music, I think it?s excellent music, and I love that whole scene, and I have nothing against that scene, I pull from a larger path than just noise, me personally.
Th at ?s def in it ely t r u e, w it h t h e r elease of Veteran, you ?ve got sam ples f r om Cou n t er St r ik e, an d som e of t h e r ef er en ces you dr op, m or e specif ically t h e lin e f r om I h ope M or r issey f u ck in g dies, w h en you t alk abou t ch oosin g Lil B, over Joh n n y Rot t en , t h at ?s som e r eal sh it . Facts, man, facts, that was a shot at the people who say shit like ?The Beatles are the greatest?, we?re told that the Beatles are greatest, but what if I don?t think they?re the greatest? What if I don?t give a fuck about any of those artists? What if I like Sun Ra? What if I like Rakim? That?s the people I look up to, like, whatever you believe in, if you like Slayer or whatever, I just want people to think for themselves, and not just go along (with the status Quo). I never listened to the Smiths before last year, and I didn?t know anything about
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it (him & the Smiths), and I started looking up shit, man this has just been saying dumb shit about people for years, and the tipping point was when he made this shirt that had James Baldwin?s face on it, and it said ?I feel black on the inside because I wear black on the outside? or something, and I?m just like why would you do that? That man is dead and that?s disrespectful, so I made that song (I cannot fucking wait until Morrissey dies), and I?m going to put out a shirt that?s gonna be me peeing in his mouth, and it?s gonna have I can?t fucking wait until Morrissey dies, because he played it as art, so I?m gonna be like that?s art too. It?s like why did he think he could do that? That?s why I want to slap his ass, it?s just like he?s so entitled, he literally thought that he could make money off of a dead black man?s name, and I?m gonna slap the shit out of him for that, that?s a violation, he?s not a street dude, he?s a white British man, but I?m gonna treat him like a street dude since he wants to act like that, so I?m gonna slap the shit out of him, real shit. That wasn?t even the question, but it kind of went that way.
No, it ?s per f ect ly f in e, so, w h at do you plan t o do af t er Vet er an , sou n d w ise? Oh man, I?ve got a lot of shit, there?s a country song I?m gonna release, I keep flexing to release this song, but I?m low-key scared to release it because I don?t think it?s that good. Before I release things, it has to sound good to me, like I have to be like ?this is good?, because if I release it and I?m unsure about it, and if everyone says this is great, but as soon as one person says this is trash then I?ll delete it. But if I?m secure with it, and I like it, then I don?t give a fuck what anyone says, like if anyone says something about Veteran, I don?t give a fuck, I?ve loved that album since it was done, and you can?t harm me with that. This country song, I?m gonna keep working on it, but it?s happening, I don?t give a fuck, I?m stepping into the country territory, move over Garth Brooks,
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Trace Atkins, I?m kicking all you dudes down, I?m auto-tuning that shit, and we?re getting real ghetto in this bitch, we?re gonna be pulling up with horses, and jays, and straps. We?re showing up at all your waffle houses, all that shit. My next album, I haven?t really thought about it too deep, but it?s gonna be like releasing black Ben Carson, I didn?t set out to make Veteran, Veteran just happened organically, and whatever I do next, organically.
Wh at w as t h e r ecor din g pr ocess f or Veteran lik e? For Veteran? Same as it always is, I record at my house. I record wherever, I recorded this in different places, I recorded this in Baltimore and in L.A, but it?s always at my house, I used to have a fake studio that was in my basement, and I record down there, but it?s always just at my house. I?ve never recorded in a professional studio in my life. I have Styrofoam that I got from when I was in the military, they used to throw it away, and never realized how important it was for a rapper, so I used to take all of it and just use it to soundproof. I like to be isolated when I record because I get to focus. The recording process wasn?t a real recording process, I?m just making music and I?m always making music, and veteran was a snapshot of the music I was making in 2017. Like, Baby I?m Bleeding, the beat was made in 2015, I recorded in 2016, and there?s a video of me playing live it at Litfest in 2016. At the time I was calling it Black Kanye west, so I just kept recording and making things until I felt it was a good stopping point, and then I mixed and mastered, and that was it.
Ear lier , (bef or e t h e in t er view ) w e h ad been discu ssin g t h e issu e of gu n r igh t s in Am er ica, w h at ?s you r posit ion on t h e cu r r en t clim at e w it h gu n s an d gu n law s? So yeah, I, as a gun owner myself, being around these places (rural areas where gun laws aren?t as strict), I can confirm that people there, they?re definitely racist as fuck, they have guns because they?re paranoid about the government, they?re paranoid about brown people, they?re paranoid about all these fucking things and their idea of fixing it, is just to shoot it all out, so they?re all strapped up, there?s millions and millions and millions of crazy ass motherfuckers with guns,
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that should not have guns, and it only reveals itself when a mass shooting happens, but this is a wide spread thing and it?s because gun laws are super loose. I was able to get a gun very easily, and I was in jail. My record got expunged, but I got a license while I was on probation and that makes no fucking sense. I only got it because I was in the military, like I literally could be crazy, like if I was crazy, I could walk down the sidewalk and pull my gun out like whatever, I have a concealed carry, so like I could walk around and pull it out, if I?m just crazy, I could act sane to get the license and do the thing (get a gun), but there needs to be stricter screening, because they?re loose, because the people who want guns are the ones in charge, so they?re giving them to themselves basically. I just feel like gun laws should be stricter, I don?t think they should take away guns, like you take away guns and people will still find them. Make it harder for crazy dudes like the dude who shot up the thing to get (possibly in reference to the Stoneman Douglas shooting) guns, he showed signs, people went on his Instagram, and he was on some supremacist shit, that?s a red flag, like why do you have a gun? So yeah, stricter laws, and stricter screening.
How do you f eel abou t you r t ou r m at es, (M ilo an d Eu clid) cu r r en t ly? Oh, I love them man, they?re the funniest. I?ve been a big fan of Milo since Toothpaste Suburbs, I was listening to him in the military a lot, when I was in the desert, I would like, study a lot of rappers and his flow I used to study a lot, so to be on tour with him is surreal. I still get star struck when I?m around him, it?s crazy. Euclid, he?s from Armand hammer with Billy Woods, he?s like, one of the scariest rappers ever. I?d be so scared to get on a track with him, he just bars the shit away, he finds the pocket on the beat and he just goes in, and I just feel like I?d sound basic next to him, he just has all these bars, and I?d just like do something goofy. I have a lot of respect for both and I genuinely enjoy their music. I actually produced a track on Euclid?s last album and it?s called barbarians, and actually it?s the same beat as my thoughts on Neogaf dying.
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Wh at br an ch did you ser ve in t h e ar m ed f or ces an d w h at did you do? Airforce. The chairforce, I was in charge of classified plane parts, that was my official job, I deployed to Kuwait, Iraq, Germany, went through Japan, and somewhere in North Africa, I can?t remember where, but when you?re deployed anyone in the military can tell you they?ll just put you wherever when you?re deployed, I was in customer service, I was in the field, I was in charge of plane parts, warehouse shipping, wherever they needed me. The military was like, I don?t even know, I?m really grateful I was in the military because it helped buy me (music) equipment, and it made me grow, but fucking a, the military just puts you in stressful situations on purpose, and the people that are over you aren?t always as qualified as you are for some jobs. Imagine, working somewhere where your boss didn?t know how to do your job, at all, but they were there just because they had rank, so someone could be an asshole and if they have rank over you, they?re going to make your life a living hell, and there?s nothing you can do. I worked with a dude who beat his wife in her sleep, went to jail, came back the next week, and was just there. I was just like ?he?s here? He beat his wife.?, he didn?t even let her wake up, and then a few weeks later they tried to kick me out for skipping PT. It?s like they pick and choose who they want. It?s like some police shit, if you don?t fit in this clique, they just shun you. I?ve said this in other interviews, but I was a good human being and a bad airman, they were good airmen, but horrible human beings. So, they could only be in the military because if they go out into the real world, they?d be in jail, or shot, or something they can?t function in society, they have to be in the military, because uncle Sam would protect them, but the military was simultaneously a growing experience and also a fucking terror, that?s the only real way I can describe it.
Last qu est ion , w h at ar e you r t h r ee in f lu en ces w it h in r ap, an d t h r ee ou t side of r ap? Three of my biggest influences in rap would probably be Kanye West, Ice Cube, and MF DOOM. Kanye because he?s the best hip hop artist, to me, not the best rapper, I was talking with Milo about this earlier, he?s not the best rapper, and he?s not the best producer, but he?s the best artist overall, he?s the best at
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presenting his ideas perfectly, like no one can copy that. Ice cube, he?s influenced me the most, because before Amerikkka?s most wanted, I didn?t know you could rap about political shit, and be on some street shit. I felt like when you rapped about politics, you had to be preachy and whatever, but Ice Cube broke that down for me, like oh I can say ?fox news suck my dick?, like there?s no rule against that, and DOOM, because that?s the father, like he has one of the most original styles, like I feel that DOOM is an internet rapper that foreshadowed the internet, like he?s the godfather of internet rap, almost every rapper is influenced by him in some way. So that?s my top three. Outside of rap, that?s a little bit harder because I listen to a lot of shit, but there?s only a few people that I click with. Probably Bjork, she?s just like, I don?t know, I look at the things she does, and I can?t figure it out. Like sometimes, I listen to her music and I?m like how this even come to exist? Like there?s a song called innocence on Volta, and I listen to that shit and I?m like what?s going on here? I love it though, and also one of the things I take from Bjork, I never put texts on my albums like her, she never puts text on her albums she lets the picture speak for itself, so I take a cue from her with that, so Bjork. Arca, he?s a god, I?ve never seen a producer who?s just like, he has no style, he keeps evolving, and the last album he did, the self-titled one, that?s like some classical electronic, my homie said it was boring and blah blah blah, because he likes &&&&, but that shit is hard, people don?t understand he grew so much, like he?s on some shit 20 years from now people will be listening to, the man is a saint. Arca, Bjork, and what else, Janelle Monae, because Janelle Monae, she?s one of my favorite artists of all time, I actually have this song on the ArchAndroid called Oh, Maker, it got me through a lot of shit in the military, when I was depressed and shit, I would put this song on, and that album on. So, I?d say Arca, Bjork, and Janelle Monae, are like maybe my top three, I listen to a lot of shit but I?m just randomly picking.
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Pop Goes The Cul t ur e KAT ROBI CHAUD ON HER LATEST PROJECT, THE MI SFI T CABARET Int erview by Jesse Pruet
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t alen t ed sin ger an d son gw r it er , Kat Robich au d h as br aved h er w ay u p f r om m u sical f an dom in Raleigh , Nor t h Car olin a t h r ou gh seven year s of playin g in a t ou r in g cover ban d, w alk ed ou t in t o t h e n at ion al spot ligh t as a con t est an t of Th e Voice, t h en sw ept in t o San Fr an cisco t o bu ild h er lovech ild, Kat Robich au d's M isf it Cabar et . Fillin g a t h eat er w it h set pieces, act or s, m u sician s, per f or m er s, m u ppet s, f ir e, blood an d h u n dr eds of f an s, Kat or ch est r at es a n ar r at ive of n ost algia an d ador at ion w h er e pop cu lt u r e icon s ar e r ein t er pr et ed in a var iet y of m ediu m s. Bu r lesqu e act s, m u sical cover s, m ash u ps, acr obat ic f eat s an d pu ppet sh ow s claim t h e st age in t h e w or ld so lovin gly cr af t ed by t h e r in gleader of t h is zan y var iet y sh ow. Wat ch in g h er glow in gly pr esen t h er cr eat ion t o t h e w or ld, I w as dyin g t o k n ow h ow sh e did it . So, f or an yon e ju st com in g on t o t h e scen e Kat , h ow w ou ld you descr ibe you r self ? I?m an entertainer, I write my own music and I play instruments but I?m more about the execution of the idea, how it?s going to be presented. I?ve been a professional performer and musician for about 15 years now. Obviously I was on The Voice and then I moved to SF and started my own variety show called Kat Robichaud?s Misfit Cabaret. I write original music for that and I?m the creative director and put it all together. Yeah, it?s been pretty wild. I don?t know, I?m 34 now; I?ve been hacking away since I was 22.
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I k n ow you ?r e w or k in g on a lot of pr oject s. Wh at pr oject s ar e you w or k in g on cu r r en t ly? Well, for Misfit Cabaret I write two original songs for each brand new show. We?ve done eight full shows at this point so I?ve written 16 songs. Ten of them are recorded on an album that I did a Kickstarter to raise money for. The album came out not too long ago; I think five or 6 months ago? Now I?m in the studio recording the new songs, and I just shot a new music video. All of this is being funded through my Patreon which I had been wanting to do for a while but I always thought, ?it?s not the right time, I don?t have enough content constantly coming out?, and now I do! I am going to be MCing the main stage Saturday night of the Edwardian Ball which I am really excited about. Besides that it?s just the odds and ends kind of thing. I?m in a professional Bowie band. I?m in two actually. One is a really amazing party worship band in San Francisco that I?m in with 10 other amazing Bowie friends and we always sell out. The other Bowie band travels the us playing in front of 50 piece orchestras in this really amazing high production night of tribute to David Bowie, and then I get asked to be in other people?s projects. I generally say yes if it?s worth my time and I really value the other artists, but you know, that?s it. Misfit Cabaret is a job and it?s super time consuming. I cou ld im agin e. I?ve n ot iced a gr ow in g pr esen ce of w h at I?d r ef er t o as f an based ar t com m u n it ies w h er e ar t ist s cr eat e w or k t h at r ef er en ces or u t ilizes pop cu lt u r e icon s f or t h eir ow n w or k . Wr it er s h ave f an f ict ion s, visu al ar t ist s h ave f an ar t , an d m u sician s h ave t h e h om age - I t h in k t h is sh ou ld be called t eam m u sic, by t h e w ay - in a w ay, I f eel lik e t h is is lit er ally h ack in g pop cu lt u r e. You do a lot of t h is, an d it com es ou t in a com plet ely aw esom e w ay t h at is obviou sly a big deal, an d people r espon d t o it in an am azin gly posit ive m an n er ; I?ve seen you sell ou t t h eat er s. Can you t ell m e a bit abou t h ow you u se pop cu lt u r e in you r w or k ? I?ve definitely gone that route, even before I had Misfit Cabaret. My previous albumKat Robichaud and the Darling Misfits had a song about Dr.Who. That song got picked up by a ton of nerd blogs, then got featured on BBC and that was really cool.
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That music video - I Craigslisted it. Shot it on my own camera, the next step up from an iPhone. Just got seven people to dress up as their favorite versions of Dr.Who and run around San Francisco with me. I am absolutely obsessed with pop culture; I?m a cine-file, I get really excited writing music about my favorite characters. Growing up, I was a really weird child and I had friends, but I played by myself a lot. I would get wrapped up in playing pretend and I would have imaginary friends. My imaginary friends would be Beetle Juice, Jack Skellington and weird Tim Burton characters, and so I think in a way that I?m channeling that now. People really love nostalgia, obviously. I?m an introvert by nature, and I find that it?s hard for me to talk about my personal experiences through song. I find it?s a lot easier to do that when I am singing about characters in pop culture as a mask and stepping into these roles, using these characters. [I played] Edward Scissorhands to talk about the isolation I felt growing up as a kid and yearning for acceptance. Th at w as an aw esom e cost u m e, by t h e w ay. I f eel lik e it ?s also a call t o ar m s f or you r t r ibe in a w ay t oo. I t h in k t h at bef or e t h e adven t of t h e in t er n et , people lik e u s w er e m u ch m or e alon e in a big w ay. It w as h ar d t o f in d t h e people t h at w er e in t o t h e t h in gs w e w er e in t o. To h ave t h e in t er n et com m u n it y it k in d of bu ilds an accessibilit y. For you t o k in d of m ak e t h is you r sh ou t ou t it r eally br in gs ever yon e t oget h er . Do you do t h is in t en t ion ally? Yeah, and that?s what David Bowie did. I think that?s why when David Bowie passed away so many people took it personally and mourned in their own personal ways. [He] was a very personal artist. He affected so many people but in such an intimate way. Growing up in rural Carolina it wasn?t cool for me to listen to David Bowie, I got made fun of for it. Even more so I was also, still am, a really big Marilyn Manson fan. I took a lot of shit for that too. I really loved these artists. I wasn?t jumping on any kind of bandwagon and I wasn?t doing it to rebel. I really and truly loved their music and their persona, but I wanted to fit in so badly. I didn?t dress like any of these artists. I dressed like what was popular in my hometown-Abercrombie & Fitch, whatever. I tried so hard to fit in, and I don?t know why I did that.
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I think, you know, because the internet became the internet when I was in high school, that I didn?t really grow up with this network. The internet certainly wasn?t what it was today. I set up a page on Facebook for people to gather for the David Bowie photo shoot we did last night to say, ?this is how we?re doing this, this is how it?s going down.?I think we had 25 people come out for the shoot, but there are over 250 people that are members of this group page because its David Bowie, and these people are doing this thing, and that?s really cool and it?s just so easy now to connect. Even if its harder to connect face to face in a way digitally that has never been done before and that?s incredible. I think also that anyone that thinks they?re really alone that there is such an accessible support system now online that you can go and find your people. I left North Carolina because I was trying so hard to be myself but it wasn?t necessarily acceptable. I was always swimming against the current. when I moved to SF all of a sudden I was swimming with the current. There are so any people that are backing me now and putting their hands on my shoulders and saying, ?we get this, we get you,?and ?keep going.?That?s an amazing feeling and that motivates me to work harder and to keep pushing. So w h en you w r it e t h ese son gs, an d ar e bu ildin g t h ese per f or m an ces, you do t w o t h in gs. You n ot on ly w r it e you r ow n or igin al son gs f or t h e per f or m an ces, bu t you k in d of dou ble h ack t h e pop cu lt u r e. You t ak e popu lar son gs, n ot n ecessar ily pop son gs, bu t you t ak e son gs an d you pu t t h em in t h e con t ext of pop cu lt u r e t o m ak e a bigger st at em en t w h ich I t h in k is h ilar iou s an d su per aw esom e. I r eally love t h at . How do you decide on w h at t o u se? How does t h at com e abou t ? I don?t know, these ideas just pop into my head. So Horror Show for example, I just thought it would be really funny if we did the Norman Bates shower scene to Splash Splash by Bobby Darren. It?s this really horrific scene that was so controversial and when it came out in 1960 people were throwing up in the theater. Let?s put it to this really really cheesy poppy song that bobby Darren wrote and, oh my god, how amazing would it be if we constructed this big box on stage that?s on wheels so that we can pay homage to Alfred Hitchcock and get the perspective of Norman Bates and then get the perspective of Marian, who?s dying in the tub so you get both of the camera angles. It was so cool to do that; we got John Benet Buttenbuns, a burlesque performer to come out and do a strip tease, step into the shower and then the shower rotates so now she?s in front and the audience is getting to see me as Norman Bates coming up and then sees the killing scene. It was really hard to pull that off.
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It was really hard to construct that box and I was overly ambitious with the build and everything. We?re lucky that we have a team behind us that helped out with that. I say helped out, but really did it. It was really cool to see that come into fruition. I get these ideas in my head and they have to happen and I make them happen. I book performers on their willingness to collaborate with me and to carry out my vision. I don?t want anyone working with us that isn?t super excited about what they?re doing on stage. I t h in k t h at ever yon e t h at goes an d sees t h e sh ow can see h ow in t o it you ar e. Is t h er e a f avor it e per f or m an ce you h ave? I don?t really have a favorite. Edward Scissorhands is one of my favorite movies of all time, so getting to write a song about Edward Scissorhands and then dress up like him and perform this heartbreaking song to people while it?s snowing on stage was really great. Honestly I write these songs and then I put them out to the universe. The fan reaction plays a really big part in how I feel about the song. If I write a song that I?m kind of lukewarm about and I release it and people are like, ?oh my god I love that song so much,?its going to make me love that song a lot more; whereas if I have a song and no one really pays attention to it, it?s going to dampen my feelings for that song a little bit. I f eel lik e h ack in g pop cu lt u r e gives you a bit of a edge in a w ay. People ar e in t o t h e st u f f you sin g abou t . Th ey go w ild f or t h e r ef er en ce, you r w or k it self , an d t h e com bin at ion . Is t h is a con sciou s decision on you r par t , or a Bob Ross h appy acciden t ? Well, I don?t like the term hacking. Hacking has a negative connotation. What I?m doing is embracing a culture, embracing something that I really love that I want to cherish and pay homage to. There?s a lot of new stuff that isn?t related to my childhood and that I just think is a really great idea too, like the Psycho shower scene. I didn?t grow up obsessed with Psycho or Alfred Hitchcock, that wasn?t really part of my childhood but it?s something I get excited about now. A lot of what I?m doing is cherry picking bits of pop culture from my childhood that were comforting to me. There?s something about stepping into someone else?s clothing that?s empowering. When I was getting started as a performer and nervous about being on stage and nervous about figuring out who I was as a performer I would pretend that I was other singers, other famous musicians. I would channel them and it would give me this confidence boost and slowly I've figured out who I was a performer.
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But I think that?s really fun and I think that?s why people like to cosplay and do stuff like that, because it?s hard enough being a human being as it is. It?s kind of a relief, an escape and that?s what a Misfit Cabaret is. It?s escapism. Not only for the audience, but for me as well. I hate my hair. It?s flat, it doesn?t hold a curl and it doesn't go with the shape of my face. It?s wonderful to be able to put on the biggest wigs I can find and just feel so empowered, just like 'my hair is so big today, I am so excited about how big my hair is today.?Getting to look in the mirror, having put on a ton of makeup, and made myself look like someone else. It?s kind of exciting to not have to go ?oh, there you are again,?and go ?oh hello, who are you??I think more than ever because we have the heaviness, the weight of the world bearing down on us every minute of the daybreaking news, updates, Twitter feed, and Facebook, all of these things, it?s so important as artists to provide this escapism so people can just let go for a couple of hours. It?s healthy. It?s forcing people to get off their phones. It?s forcing people to stop thinking about their own problems and just get lost in a different world. For su r e. Th is is a h u ge pr odu ct ion . You h ave a h u ge st af f an d a h u ge var iet y of people in cor por at ed in t o t h is act as w ell as set pieces an d cost u m es. It ?s m or e of a t h eat r ical pr odu ct ion t h an a ban d an d it ?s ju st m assive. I k n ow t h at M FC is a SF cen t r al pr oject , bu t you ?ve been t ak in g it on t h e r oad. I k n ow you ?ve been t o Seat t le. Ar e you t ak in g it an y ot h er place, do you see it goin g an yw h er e? How do you do t h at ? We don?t take all of our giant set pieces. We take things like banners that can be folded and not take up too much space in a car and we take my keyboardist Brendan Getzell, who is a very big part of the show, and Jordan Nathan, the co producer of the show, all of the costumes and props for the show, and we go to these cities and we book local acts to come in. When Misfit Cabaret started out it wasn?t as theatrical as it is now. We are taking Grimm to Seattle in march, and I don?t know how we are going to do certain things. Like Horror Show, or Very Mary, [Grimm was] written like an actual play where all of the actions are sewn together and is less of a variety show where we say, ?and now!? ' and we slide into one act from another with scripted dialogue. Grimm was the first show where we started going that direction. We?ve been very successful in Seattle. We have just as big a fan base as we do in SF. We want to get into Portland, Los Angeles, Vancouver and that?s what we?re working on for 2018. We just lost our theater in SF, so. Paul Nathan, our executive producer who is also the proprietor of The Great Star Theater where we?ve been putting Misfit Cabaret on at, has been fighting the
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landlady in court of over a year and it?s finally coming to an end. He?s tired of fighting with her and can?t do it anymore, so were looking for a new theater and hopefully it won?t take too long because as you said, the show is really popular. We have eight shows right now and we are thinking about what the next show I?m going to write is, but i?m not doing shit until we have a theater because it?s exhausting. It?s super rewarding, but it is really tiring writing music, orchestrating it, and booking people and making sure they?re going to be the right fit. It?s a lot but its really fun. If you h ad you r dr eam com e t r u e, w h at w ou ld t h at look lik e r igh t n ow ? I?ve been saying for years that success for me would be to roll up into any city in the US and play a show of my original music to over 500 people a night. That to me was success. I?m really close to achieving that. I?m a lot closer than I was a year, or two years ago. I just want to make a living making my original music, doing my original shows. So if I could do a national or international tour of Misfit Cabaret where we roll into a town where we have new people every night, or could afford to take the entire cast on the road with us which is ridiculously expensive, if I could afford to do that, it would be an incredible dream. I?m kind of living it right now. I?m happier than I ever have been because both of my backgrounds, my Broadway background and my rock and roll background are both being fed and honored. I really love what I?m doing. My short term dream is to get a new theater in SF and to get a residency somewhere where we?re not constantly worried about losing the theater and we have shows booked out over a year. Have you ever t h ou gh t of m ak in g a Kat Robich au d M isf it Th eat er m ovie? Yeah, I have. Honestly I think it will happen at some point. If it doesn?t, whatever, but I?ve thought about it. Everything that has happened to me in my musical career has fallen into my lap. But it?s not me sitting around watching television and reading email and saying, ?oh this is going to happen now.?It?s me constantly working and having the tenacity to keep carrying on in this really crazy hard business where it is easy to give up.
Well, I h ope it h appen s soon . I t h in k w e w ou ld all love t o w at ch it .
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A Dar t & A Dr eam : A DIY Cu lt u r e by Ken , Eileen & Tyson
Saint John has been touched on the in the letters from the editor, but after years of spending too much time observing, we have what feels like, endless amounts of notes to share. In Saint John, DIY kids are all or nothing. Like the city that surrounds the shows, it is boom or bust. Saint John?s massive gap in seemingly all things is reflected. Saint John is a port city. Foggy and gray, dominated by the Irving Oil Refinery, forever burning fires in the sky. When we were children the harbour used to stink like rotten eggs and sulfur. The pathos of the city ends up reflected in its residents; hard to find a 40 hours per week job without falling back on a call centre or Irving family-owned ventures, easy to become a statistic and get involved with drugs or become a teen parent. Fitting then, that like-minded young folk would come together and start bands, carrying the intangible feeling of being a Saint John local in our music. Like any town we have our challenges as a scene - we?ve raised our glasses to many a shuttered DIY venue. Our current stomping grounds is a Guatemalan restaurant where tables are cleared to the sides for an audience to gather, and we face fines as a community for running loud punk shows in a rapidly gentrifying neighbourhood. Nevertheless, we?re believed in and allowed to grow there and we adjusted our time slots to compensate.
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Rarely, do people avoid getting completely involved after they?ve had a taste. As most were, a lot of participants are former friends who tagged along because they had nothing else to do that night. In a city where living thirty minutes away from the closest show and driving to it through hell or high water, you don?t get the choice of being casual. In this, how we act at shows begins to make sense. Pits are regular, and always push pits that are some of the most respectful i?ve ever seen, lightning fast to pick up those who stumble or fall. Yelling at your friends or the band members you know is a must, followed by inside jokes that somehow, everyone understands.
Like any scene there is some inherent animosity. That?s to be assumed with any large standing group. However, after every 15-25 minute set, everything is left on the floor. Some nights bring with them a feeling so impactful that it could turn anyone into a believer that a good show is a true abstract form of therapy. The slate of any terrible day is wiped clean by the infectious energy of this city?s breed of kids who live for these nights. Being a DIY kid in Saint John means standing outside with your friends that smoke as you freeze your ass off, because friendship is a representation of who you vouch for, except sometimes for an annoying dude you can?t shake but hell, it?s Canada, we?re nice. Music in Saint John entails the necessity of carrying amps in when the snow storm breaks, or if that's not going to happen, the planning of draping blankets, jackets or whatever you can get your hands on to insure the safety of an amp that's likely to get stepped on by some passing punk. Crowd Surfing, sing-along (if you actually know the words, god providing that the band has recorded any of it.) and anything else the crowd can do to show the playing band that they give a shit, they will. Regardless of its in a bar or converted restaurant, Saint John?s scene is defined by the want to leave knowing the crowd experienced catharsis, and you played a part in it.
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Res pect The Scene By Edward Rojas
Whether it?s a house, bar, restaurant or space that?s being rented out, most venues are completely trashed after DIY shows. Beer bottles, half eaten food and an occasional hole in the wall mark the interior while cigarettes line the street outside. This is an image most people who to go shows are familiar with but the problem with this is that the people who end up cleaning up the mess are the people who were kind enough to lend out their space. One of our favorite houses stopped hosting shows after someone backed into a neighbor ?s car and drove away without leaving a note. This house has been torn apart by the number of shows it?s had. It?s always easy to get carried away but it?s important to remember that venues need to be respected. They aren?t just here for us to trash, they?re someone?s house or work environment and the best way to prevent any more venues from shutting down is by treating them with the decency they deserve.
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How Not t o be a Dick in The Pit By Emily Ham
If you're like me, odds are that you love to get in the middle of a mosh pit. In my local scene, I?m known as ?the girl who?s in every pit at every show?. I love it. Granted, I am six feet tall and can hold my own. Some people can?t. Regardless, the pit shouldn?t be as bad as some that I have experienced. Wearing my bruises like a badge of honor, I live for the adrenaline. Mosh pits can be wonderful, but only when those involved aren?t, for lack of a better term, being dicks. Simple enough, right? We all want to have a grand ol?time thrashing our limbs around to these fantastic breakdowns, but we should be doing so in a way that isn?t so messed up. You can?t guarantee that people aren?t going to get injured- it comes with the territory, but here are some tips to make sure that you keep the pit works the way that it is supposed to. 1. Before the Show If you go into the pit expecting to come out whole (i.e. your clothes potentially still in tact, not having any bruises or sores, etc.), you will be let down. That?s why it is best to prepare yourself for what to expect. Where shoes that are secure to your feet. Your untied Vans will be your enemy. You should also wear clothes that you don?t mind messing up. If you have long hair, I find it best to wear it up so that you can still be aware of your surroundings. If you have glasses, you might want to invest in contacts. If you?re ballsy (like me) then you?ll risk them getting broken. (I?ve lost 6 pairs to mosh pits.) Additionally, leave the valuables at home or in your car. You don?t want to risk losing your watch or jewelry.
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2. Be Aware of Your Surroundings Just as there are people who want to be involved in the pit, there will be a lot of people who don?t want to be involved. Don?t try to push them in for the fuck of it. The pit can seem like a scary place for those new to the scene. Others just don?t like it. You can normally tell where the pit is going to be at a show, so if you don?t want to accidentally get trapped inside of it, just try your best to avoid it and stand either right up front or a little closer to the back. Additionally, you?re going to want to watch out for photographers. If they don?t have a photo pit, try to keep the moshing away from them. They are already trying their best to stay out of your way. It?s the least that you can do.
3. Don?t Be a Dick Throwing fists isn?t really appreciated. Same as kicking someone with your steel-toe boots. If you and your buddy want to fuck around and it doesn?t affect anyone else, then cool. But if you are intentionally trying to injure people, just leave. Odds are someone will notice and everyone will kick your ass anyways. I have been in far too many pits where I was targeted by some guy and hurt pretty badly. There?s a difference between leaving a pit with a black eye because that?s just how it played out and leaving with one because someone intentionally tried to give you one. Pushing and shoving are normally your best bet. You can pretty much feel out how the pit is going to be. Just go with the flow and everyone will have an enjoyable experience. Like I said, I know all too well what it?s like to leave the pit hurt for the wrong reasons. It can ruin the night for people. You?ll be fine in the pit. Just don?t be a dick, have fun, and enjoy the show. It?s really not that hard.
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Viny l Spot l ight Caladan Brood - Echoes of Bat t le By Elijah Chamberlain Along my journey into the wonderful world of black metal, I stumbled into the genre of epic black metal via the band Summoning. I picked up Old Mornings Dawn at HMV when it was still HMV, and gave it a blind listen. Suffice to say I was blown away at the incorporation of synths and programmed drums, which is not something I would have expected to enjoy. In typical black metal fashion, Shield Anvil?s vocals are harsh and shrieking, but have a certain hollowness to them that I can?t really explain any other way. I continued down the rabbit hole and discovered Caladan Brood on YouTube. Not even five minutes into the album and I was hooked. The first track, City of Azure Fire starts off with a melodic harp intro, before throwing you into the rest of the album with ripping guitar riffs and Shield Anvil?s shrill vocals piercing through the instrumentation. Each track takes you on a journey to Steven Erikson?s world of Malazan: Book of the Fallen, a book series I highly recommend. The lyrical content is based off these books and the music really shows the source material. Wild Autumn Wind, the third track, is an absolute masterpiece in my opinion. The guitars drive the song throughout, and once again, Shield Anvil?s vocals pierce through the mix to give the feeling of what seems like a lost and forlorn soul crying out, while choir vocals switch out occasionally to give even more emotional drive to the track. The riffs on this track are stellar but simple, especially in the segments between vocals. It?s truly an emotional track overall and one of my personal favourites from the album. To Walk the Ashes of Dead Empires, the track following, is definitely less guitar driven, and draws heavily on the band?s use of synths, and not just in the drumming. It throws in a few other fantasy-inducing instruments like pan flutes and even adds a rain effect around the mid-point of the song. I hate to pick favourites out of this album, given I feel it?s basically a perfect album, but this track and Wild Autumn Wind definitely make the album for me, with the addition of the final track, Book of the Fallen. The track puts the image of an army marching home after long years at war, but closes with a triumphant war chant sung in clean vocals that are sprinkled throughout the album. I cannot help but belt out any time it plays, it?s just such a badass way to end the album, putting a proverbial cherry on top of the already mind-blowing experience. The album?s artwork is done by a late painter named Albert Bierstadt, whose work is absolutely stunning. I was surprised to learn that he did the majority of his painting in the United states, while the cover art looks like it should be pulled from a fantasy novel.
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The entire album is near-perfection, and at the time that I listened to it, it had gone out of press, until not a year ago when I spotted it on Art of Propaganda Records?online store. I got the white edition, but for the rest of my life I will pine over the diehard edition I keep seeing in record collector ?s YouTube videos. Regardless of this fact, I?m glad I have the white edition, as it?s one of the few white records I have in my collection. This album is in my top ten favourite albums of all time, and for good reason. I command that any of you reading should check it out.
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Pr imit ive Man - Caust ic
A r eview
by Kenneth Fury
Caustic by Pr im it ive M an is an albu m yan k ed ou t of t h e u n der w or ld. Th is albu m f eels lik e bein g en cased in con cr et e. Th r ou gh t h e h ou r an d seven t een m in u t e r u n t im e, Pr im it ive M an pu sh slu dge m et al t o it s ext r em e. Th e m ast er f u l pr odu ct ion r eally allow s f or t h e br u t al at m osph er e t o t ak e h old an d k eep it s gr ip. Each in st r u m en t con t r ibu t es t o t h e cr u sh in g, loom in g over all sou n d. Th e dr u m s an d vocals ar e per h aps m y f avou r it e. Th e cover ar t set s t h e t on e per f ect ly, lik e t h e ar t if act s of a f or got t en gr ave. Lyr ically, t h is albu m r eveals in n er t h ou gh t s t h at per h aps w e dism iss as t oo dar k or h on est , on es t h at h it t oo close t o h om e. Th r ou gh Caustic, t h e ideas of loss of t im e an d lif e, m isan t h r opy in cit ed by on es pr oblem s an d t h e gen er al f eelin g of in dign at ion t h at leads t o h at e ar e f or ced on t o you . Caustic is a scr eam in t o t h e void, on e of t h e m ost an gu ish ed I?ve h ear d. Pr im it ive M an don?t em ploy r egr et in t o spar se acou st ic gu it ar s, opt in g in st ead t o con vey t h eir ideas t h r ou gh dem an din g in st r u m en t als. Wh ile t h e albu m em ploys dif f er en t paces, t h e slu dgey w alk becom es f am iliar bu t n ever , even f or a secon d, com f or t able. If you ?r e look in g f or a ch allen gin g list en t h at gives n o qu ar t er , t h is is it . List en at you r ow n r isk . Favou r it e t r ack : Sugar Hole. Favou r it e lyr ic: ?I pissed m y you t h aw ay An d t h e adu lt w or ld h as sw ept m e in t o t h e gu t t er ?
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Pi c k of t he Mont h Stephen Malkmus - S/T Rev i ew by Hugh Schmi dt I think we can all agree that solo projects are almost universally disappointing. Especially if an artists main project is important to you, the chance of a solo project living up to that standard is unlikely. I mean Jesus, anyone remember Eddie Vedder?s Ukulele Songs? This is why I was pleasantly surprised when I first checked out Stephen Malkmus?self titled record, released in 2001 after the breakup of Pavement. This record is a continuation of the loose indie rock vibe of Terror Twilight but with a lighter and more optimistic feel. Adopting a sound influenced by 60?s and 70?s pop music, this record is characterized by winding guitars and sweet sounding vocal melodies. The organ on the track Vague Space is reminiscent of NRPS, which is further evidence of this influence. The instrumentation on this album is more varied than on your standard indie rock record, with synthesizer, xylophone, marimba, organ, and various auxiliary percussion worked into the standard bass/ drums/ guitar arrangement. Most every song on this record is beautifully written and arranged, from the folky and psychedelic tracks like Trojan Curfew and Pink India to more standard indie rock songs like Church on White and the most well known song this record, Jenny & The Ess-Dog. That song in particular is extremely well written, with catchy melodies and guitar leads littered across the entire song. W hile Jenny & The Ess-Dog is a story song about a couple that simply couldn?t make it work, lyrically it deviates from the norm of this album. Most of the lyrics across this record are cryptic, with themes ranging from colonialism to Mediterranean history. Malkmus has always been a fantastic lyricist and this record displays some of his best work. This is a dusty record, and one that reflects a certain worldliness and exhaustion.Stephen Malkmus comes from a place of observation and of reflection, which is translated into a hazy and relaxed album that reminds me of the most humid and lazy days of summer. As a result this record is the perfect soundtrack for extreme periods of nostalgia for me, and seeing as I?m a nostalgic piece of shit has intense emotional value for me. Despite low expectations going in, it?s turned into one of my favorite indie rock records and is, in my opinion, the best record he?s ever released.
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Febr uar y Favour it es Some hand-picked faves to get you through the rest of this winter, as compiled by our very own Amelia Bailey
Pray for Me by The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar The Mountain by Three Days Grace Temple by Tonight Alive Brb by SWMRS Arose by Eminem Red Cold River by Breaking Benjamin My My My! by Troye Sivan Big Shot by Kendrick Lamar and Travis Scott Blood // Water by grandson Spotlight by Marshmallow and Lil Peep When They Call My Name by Black Veil Brides BOOGIE by BROCKHAMPTON Love Lies by Khalid and Normani Yr Throat by Jeff Rosenstock
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Why Yer
r Scene?
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Emil y Wr it in g an d m u sic h ave alw ays been m y t w o biggest passion s. I am a jou r n alism m ajor , specif ically m u sic jou r n alism . Wh en t h e oppor t u n it y t o w r it e f or Yer Scen e w as of f er ed, I cou ldn?t say n o. I can n ow say it t h at w as an am azin g decision . Get t in g t o w or k w it h t h ese am azin g people, even if t h ey ?r e people t h at I on ly ever k n ow t h r ou gh t h e in t er w ebs, is on e of t h e best t h in gs t h at I get t o do. Each an d ever yon e on e of t h em is so cr eat ive an d in spir in g. I can h appily call t h em all m y f r ien ds an d even lik e m y f am ily. It ?s been su ch a sh or t am ou n t of t im e, bu t I can?t im agin e n ot bein g a par t of t h is. We w or k t oget h er , w e su ppor t each ot h er an d t h at ?s w h y I do t h is. Th at ?s w h y I am a par t of Yer Scen e.
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Chappy Back in m id-Jan u ar y, I w as br ou gh t in t o h elp f in ish u p t h e zin e w h ile t h e f or m er h ead of ar t w as on leave. Wh at I didn't r ealize w as t h at I w as goin g t o f all in love w it h t h e pr oject . Wh ile I've w or k ed on ot h er pu blicat ion s an d been a par t of m y DIY scen e f or year s, I h adn't f ou n d a m or e su ppor t ive an d posit ive gr ou p u n t il I m et t h e t eam h er e. I didn't t h in k I'd st ay on in an y sor t of even sem i-per m an en t r ole, I f ou n d it im possible t o st op w or k in g w it h t h e t eam . In m y sh or t st ay h er e, I've m et sever al n ew people I'm lu ck y t o call f r ien ds. Th er e h ave been m an y lau gh s sh ar ed an d t h e pr om ise of even m or e beer s (sh ou ld w e ever get ou r collect ive sh it t oget h er an d act u ally m eet u p). Th e m ost in san e par t w as w h en I discover ed Hu gh an d I lived on ly a f ew m iles apar t f r om each ot h er an d h ave sever al m u t u al f r ien ds even t h ou gh h e an d I h ad on ly m et t h r ou gh t h e zin e. I can't w ait t o see w h er e w e all go an d h ow t h e zin e con t in u es t o evolve. I h ope you all com e w it h u s on t h is w on der f u l r ide.
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el ij ah For t h e lon gest t im e, I?ve alw ays w an t ed t o get in volved in t h e m u sic scen e ar ou n d m e, bu t I w as alw ays r elu ct an t f or a n u m ber of r eason s. Th e m ain on e bein g t h at I didn?t r eally k n ow an ybody w h o w as in t o t h e sam e k in d of m u sic as I w as, an d it h on est ly in t im idat ed m e a lit t le. M ak in g w as n ever easy f or m e, so I alw ays opt ed ou t w h en sh ow s w er e goin g on . Th at m in dset ch an ged a f ew m on t h s ago, w h en I w en t t o m y f ir st sh ow at Taco Pica, a local ven u e, t o see a f r ien d of m in e play w it h h is ban d. Th is w as h on est ly t h e t u r n in g poin t f or m e, as an y t im e h e w ou ld play, I?d m ak e an ef f or t t o see h is ban d an d t h e ot h er s t h at played bef or e or af t er h im . Not lon g af t er t h is, ou r edit or , Ken appr oach ed m e t o con t r ibu t e t o t h e zin e w it h pieces abou t m et al. I n ever r eally t h ou gh t m u ch abou t con t r ibu t in g t o t h e scen e, let alon e bein g a par t of it , bu t I decided t o t ak e h im u p on h is of f er , an d m ade m y debu t in Issu e #4. Sin ce t h en , I?ve m et so m an y gr eat people t h r ou gh Yer Scen e, be it m em ber s f r om t h e t eam or people at sh ow s. It ?s in cr edibly im por t an t t o get in volved w it h you r ow n scen e, ju st t ak e m e f or exam ple. I?m so glad I get t o be a par t of t h is t eam .
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The T Kenneth Fury Editor In Chief
When Kenneth Fury gets stressed out, he drinks coffee or beer in the shower. You can find him spewing political theory or nonsense in some pretentious coffee store in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. Alternately, on social media at @kfurybud
Jeremy Plume Director of Social Media Jeremy Plume lives in New Brunswick and is pretty new to the scene but is ready to get to be involved in it, he makes sure that if someone really digs that band then he will listen to a song of theirs. Any band that you are listening to and want to share, send him a message and he will take a listen. Follow him on Instagram @its_plume and twitter @itsplume
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Team Chapman Wells Creative Director
Chapman is an industry veteran, semi-retired touring musician, designer and friend to all animals. He runs the design firm Apothecary Media & Design and works as a session drummer for metal and hardcore acts around New England. He can be found at your local coffee shop drowning himself in espressos and chain-smoking his problems away
Hugh Schmidt Head Writer Hugh Schmidt is a writer and musician from Carlisle, MA who currently lives in Tacoma, WA for school. He's the host of Document #90.1, a skramz/emocore radio show on KUPS Tacoma and a co-founder of Punk!Atasset Records. He's the bassist and vocalist in Kids Luv Cops back in MA and has various solo projects. You can find him on twitter @gblessgilgamesh, and if you want to submit your music for review or for his radio show, email him at hwschmidt99@gmail.com
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Eileen Michelle Jones Photography / Writer / Editor Eileen Michelle Jones is a Canadian photographer with roots in the far north and the Maritimes with a focus on underground DIY music scenes. Punk rocker since the age of 11. instagram: @indyrenegade flickr portfolio: emichellejones business: emichellejones@gmail.com
Amelia Bailey Designer & Writer Amelia Bailey is a 21 year old student at UNBSJstudying Politics. She is passionate about art, photography and music. She loves attending shows in her home town of Saint John, New Brunswick. You can follow her on instagram @_ameliabailey_ or email her at Amelia.bailey@unb.ca
Jack Robinson Writer Jack is a 23 year old writer, DJand lover all of everything from afrobeat to zither music
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Jesse "Nemo" Pruet Writer & Creative Nemo is a graphic designer and illustrator that found our zine and begged us to let him on. He now does an assortment of illustrations for each issue, and all our laundry. I SAID LIGHT STARCH GODDAMMIT! He's ok. Follow him: twitter- @normalforest ig- nemonoai www.unstoppablecreativeforces.com
Edward Rojas Writer Edward Rojas is a junior at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. He is majoring in philosophy and plays guitar in 3 bands which include Pet Minotaur, a jangly emo moth band, Sentiments, a noisy shoegaze pop group, and Self Help, a dreamy twinkly indie pop band. Edward writes for his school magazine, The Peel, and likes to play ping pong and watch movies
Elijah Chamberlain Writer Elijah is a third year history student from New Brunswick attending UNBSJ. He is a massive metalhead, who listens to mostly everything that fits into the genre. While metal may be his passion, he also enjoys video games, emo/indie rock and reading fantasy
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William Sinclair Cover Design William Sinclair is a non-binary photographer and graphic designer based in Halifax Nova Scotia. Instagram: @lilbilly Email: williamsinclair97@Gmail.com
Emily Ham Writer Emily Ham is an emo sad girl from Lafayette, Louisiana. She is a journalism major as well as an avid member in her local scene. Her favorite pastime is crying. For more trash, follow her on instagram at @ham.jpeg twitter @ham_jpeg She is also available for serious inquiries at emilyham1996@gmail.com
Tyson Kingsley Writer Tyson Kingsley comes from Saint John, New Brunswick. He has been attending local shows since his early teenage years. He is now a vocalist in well worn, along side team members Kenneth Fury and Dawson Cole. In an effort to give back to the community he loves, Tyson works on Yer Scene
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61 Cover by William Sinclair Table of contents photo by Eileen Michelle Jones Letter from the Editor photo by Eileen Michelle Jones Page 5 Photo by Eileen Michelle Jones Page 7 Photo provided by Learning / Sharktooth Records All Rights Reserved Page 7 Photo provided by Amelia Bailey Page 8 Photo by Eileen Michelle Jones Page 9 Posters provided by Sharktooth Records All Rights Reserved Page 11 Photo provided by I Hate Sex / Middle-Man Records All Rights Reserved Page 11 Photo provided by Massa Nera / Middle-Man Records All Rights Reserved Page 12 Photo provided by Massa Nera / Middle-Man Records All Rights Reserved Page 12 Photo by Thomas Mansanti All Rights Reserved Page 13 Photo provided by Ostraca / Middle-Man Records All Rights Reserved Page 13 Photo provided by Massa Nera / Middle-Man Records All Rights Reserved Page 14 Photo provided by Ostraca / Middle-Man Records All Rights Reserved Page 14 Photo provided by Soul Glo / Middle-Man Records All Rights Reserved Page 15 Photo by Luke Mouradian All Rights Reserved Page 15 Photo by JJacobs Photography All Rights Reserved Page 16 Photo by Bobby Leonard All Rights Reserved Page 16 Photo by Dani Rato All Rights Reserved Page 17/18 Photo by Kyle Burgess All Rights Reserved Page 19 Photo by Audrey Gatewood All Rights Reserved Page 20 Photo credited to High Club Promotions All Rights Reserved Page 21 Photo provided by jpegmafia All Rights Reserved Page 21 Album artwork provided by jpegmafia All Rights Reserved Page 22 Photo provided by jpegmafia All Rights Reserved Page 22 Album artwork provided by jpegmafia All Rights Reserved Page 23 Photo provided by UCLA Radio All Rights Reserved Page 24 Photo provided by jpegmafia All Rights Reserved Page 25 Photo provided by jpegmafia All Rights Reserved Page 26 Photo provided by jpegmafia All Rights Reserved Page 27 Photo by Mike Lloyd Photography Page 28 Photo by Becca Henry Photography Page 29 Photo by Mike Lloyd Photography Page 30 Photo provided by Kat Robichaud All Rights Reserved Page 31 Photo provided by Kat Robichaud All Rights Reserved Page 32 Photo provided by Kat Robichaud All Rights Reserved Page 35/36 Photo by Eileen Michelle Jones Page 37 Map provided by Academia Maps, GeoAtlas All Rights Reserved Page 37 Photo provided by Right Shitty All Rights Reserved Page 38 Photo provided by Loveover All Rights Reserved Page 38 Photo by Sam Joey Page 38 Photo provided by Little You Little Me / Sharktooth Records All Rights Reserved Page 39 Photos provided by Amelia Bailey Page 41 Photo by Eileen Michelle Jones Page 42 Photo by Ocean & Anchor Photography Page 42 Photo by Eileen Michelle Jones Page 43 Album Artwork provided by Caladan Brood All Rights Reserved Page 46 Album Artwork provided by Caustic All Rights Reserved Page 47 Album Artwork provided by Stephen Malkmus All Rights Reserved Page 48 Photo provided by Amelia Bailey Page 49/50 Photo by Eileen Michelle Jones Page 51 Photo provided by Amelia Bailey Page 52 Photo by Eileen Michelle Jones Page 53 Photo provided by Kyle Burgess Page 54 Photo by Eileen Michelle Jones Page 60 Photo by Eileen Michelle Jones
