ISSUE 4: SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012
BRINGING YOU THE VERY BEST OF INDIE FROM AROUND THE GLOBE! 1
ADVERTISE WITH US!
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Hello Friends! IT’S AUTUMN AND HALLOWEEN IS HERE! LET’S PUT ON OUR WOOLIES AND READ ISSUE 4. WE HAVE BEEN SHRIEKING WITH GLEE WHILE COMPILING A FACEMELTING ARRAY OF ARTICLES FOR OUR READERS TO ENJOY. WE FEATURE A RAINBOW OF TALENT, FROM MOTORCYCLING GORILLAS, LIFE SAVING POODLES AND CANINE COUNCILLORS TO GAS GIANTS, GUITAR MAKERS AND STOP MOTION CLAY MODELLERS. WE’RE ALSO EXTREMELY DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THE ARRIVAL OF OUR LONG AWAITED PHOTOGRAPHY SECTION. THERE’S MORE THAN ENOUGH TO SUIT ANY PALETTE. PLEASE OH PLEASE HELP US TO KEEP SPREADING THE WORD BY TELLING EVERYONE YOU KNOW ABOUT US. YOU CAN ALSO JOIN OUR MAILING LIST AND FOLLOW US ON FB & TWITTER! DON’T FORGET TO VISIT OUR NEW MIM STORE, NOW OPEN AND FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH OUTRAGEOUSLY GOOD PRODUCTS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! FINALLY, WE ARE DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT MIM HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR BEST ONLINE PUBLICATION & BEST ARTS WEBSITE AT THE WEB AWARDS 2012. SWEET! HOPE YOU ENJOY! MAGGIE & the TEAM MIM
Ingredients
ART & CRAFT
PHOTOGRAPHY
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MUSIC
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HALLOWEEN
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SPACE
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COMICS
FILM
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HANDMADE
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EDIBLES
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AGONY AUNT
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FREE DOWNLOADABLE EP WE ALL LOVE FREE THINGS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE FREE DOWNLOADABLE MUSIC GIFTS FROM MIM’S UNDERGROUND RADIO VAULT. VOLUME FOUR INCLUDES SOME FANTASTIC INDIE TREASURES, BROUGHT TO YOU BY INDIE BANDS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE. CLICK THE LINK TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE COPY NOW! HOPE YOU ENJOY! MAGGIE & THE TEAM MIM
THE BLANK TAPES I'M BACK (From the LP Sun's Too Bright) theblanktapes.bandcamp.com
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Matt Adams is the multi-instrumentalist lynchpin behind The Blank Tapes, a lo-fi collective from San Francisco.
THE ALUSKAS SKIN & BONES (From the LP DRAW!) thealuskas.bandcamp.com
A DARK HORSE THE HEART WON'T LIE (From the EP A Dark Horse) adarkhorse.bandcamp.com
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There is an urgency and a cinematic edge to the music of Dublin band A Dark Horse, especially on this featured track.
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LISA LEBLANC CERVEAU RAMOLLI (From the LP Lisa LeBlanc) lisaleblanc.bandcamp.com
Lisa LeBlanc is a french speaking rock ‘n’ roll woman with a powerhouse of a voice, well demonstrated on 'Cerveau Ramolli'.
SUMMER TWINS GOT SOMEBODY TO DREAM ABOUT (From the LP Summer Twins) summertwins.bandcamp.com
'Skin & Bones' is The Aluskas heaviest tune so far and features a throat-shredding vocal from guitarist Philip Tinsley.
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We finish Volume 4 with Summer Twins, the Californian Sisters who make excellent, catchy 50's / 60's style tunes. 5
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FROM THREADLINE TATTOOS AND MOTORCYCLING GORILLA’S TO FANTASY FUELLED, STORYTELLING IMAGES, WE HAVE AN AWESOME COLLECTION OF ART & CRAFT TALENT FOR YOU TO FEAST YOUR EYES ON IN ISSUE 4...
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ART & CRAFT
MICHELA MORIELLO WE LOVE THE THREADLINE TECHNIQUE OF MICHELA MORIELLO’S ARTWORK AND WE WERE DOUBLY EXCITED TO DISCOVER THAT SHE IS NOW A FULLY QUALIFIED TATTOO ARTIST. HOW GREAT WOULD HER DESIGNS LOOK ON SKIN?!
“I try to capture emotions through the page, the atmosphere in the air”
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ART & CRAFT: MICHELA MORIELLO
ITALY
MIM ITALY
“I’m looking forward to learning about what people want from their tattoos”
MIM: CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOU AND YOUR BACKGROUND? MICHELA: Aloha! I’m from a small town near Rome and I’ve been drawing and creating for as long as I can remember. However it’s only recently that I’ve really started to appreciate my own work. I’m always interested in exploring and learning new things. Although sometimes seemingly pointless things, I like to broaden my horizons and maybe someday they could be useful.
MIM: YOU SAY YOU WILL APPLY YOUR WORK TO TATTOO’S. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT?
MIM: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORK?
MICHELA: Tattoos are still a new chapter for me. I left University two years ago to work at a tattoo studio to learn all about tattooing, and after taking the exams last December I am now a fully qualified tattooist. I’m looking forward to learning about what people want from their tattoos, who they are, their story and how they want to show it on their body.
MICHELA: There are some truly special moments in life that sometimes even a photograph can’t capture. I try to capture emotions through the page, the atmosphere in the air and the way I feel at the time and fill the paper with them. MIM: WHAT TECHNIQUE DO YOU USE?
MIM: IF YOU WERE A SUPERHERO, WHAT SUPER POWER WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO HAVE?
MICHELA: Every piece of work is different so it depends on the subject of the piece. As with everything about me, I can’t always stick to just one style. My work is usually mixed media. I use inks, watercolours, oils and even pencils – sometimes all on one piece.
MICHELA: Ahh! Teleportation for sure! It would be great to be able to go everywhere in a blink!
MIM: WHAT OR WHO INFLUENCES YOU?
MIM: WHAT’S NEXT FOR MICHELA MORIELLO?
MICHELA: Since I discovered Ireland it has changed my perspective on everything. It is such an incredible country with so much inspiration. The vibrant colours I see and the magic I feel go straight into my work.
MICHELA: I’m involved in various competitions and publications, most of which are in Ireland. However, my first exhibition will be on 15th to 22nd September in the Cinnamoni Gallery in Sweden as part of the Art Marathon exhibit.
Mim: We’d be heading to this girl to design our tatoos, we just have to build up our pain threshold! Thanks Michela! 9
www.thedandelionart.com
SARAWUT
CHUTIWONGPETI INSTALLATIONS ARE A NEW ARTFORM FOR US TO COVER HERE AT MIM. SOMETIMES, WE DON’T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE BUT WE LOVE TO LOOK AT THEM NONETHELESS. MR CHUTIWONGPETI HAS BEEN WORKING WITHIN THIS MEDIUM FOR MANY YEARS NOW AND HIS ART HAS TAKEN HIM TO MANY PLACES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. READ ON SILVER TIGER, READ ON...
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ART & CRAFT: SARAWUT CHUTIWONGPETI
THAILAND
MIM
“My art projects focus on the mechanisms of perception and dreams, the private world of fantasy and the unconscious”
THAILAND
MIM: CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY?
MIM: YOU ALSO CREATE AMAZING INSTALLATIONS. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THESE?
SC: I work in the realm of contemporary art and am interested in revealing the unexplored facets of experience. In 1999-2012, I secured funding and travelled as a visiting artist / researcher to several countries including Canada, the US, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, France, Norway, Sweden, Slovenia and Slovakia, among others. I really like to travel to find out something new and gain experiences. As my travelling is a means for creating and self-discovery, my journey is always linked with inspiration and creativity.
SC: It is not really easy to make my installations. I am interested in combinations more than purity and expanding in “Development of ideas from concept to creation, Contemporary and Modern Art”. My installations include elements of nature and science, contemporary arts, new media arts, textile, sound / music, textile with sculpture and video among other elements.
MIM: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORK?
SC: My ideas are always coming from my senses and my journeys.
SC: My art projects focus on the mechanisms of perception and dreams, the private world of fantasy and the unconscious. At the same time, my structures ignite confusion on the viewers’ perception of the work and of the space where it is placed, thus provoking an ambiguous relationship between the object, its function and its appearance.
MIM: YOU DABBLE IN SO MANY DIFFERENT ART FORMS. WHY DO YOU THINK YOU HAVEN’T STUCK TO JUST ONE?
MIM: WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR IDEAS FROM?
SC: Currently, my recent work is all about using new mediums such as Installation, Video Art and Photography. My choices are dependent upon situations and the way I approach techniques.
Mim: This guy’s installations are just magical! Thanks Sarawut! 11
www.chutiwongpeti.info/index.html
BARRY QUINN WE WERE CAPTURED BY THE ART OF BARRY QUINN FROM THE MOMENT WE LAID EYES ON IT. WE JUST HAD TO HAVE HIM IN THE MAG. WE CHAT TO BARRY ABOUT NATURE, FANTASY AND MUSIC...
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ART & CRAFT: BARRY QUINN
EIRE
MIM: CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOU AND YOUR BACKGROUND?
MIM
“my work would be character based illustration, leaning toward fantasy and the surreal”
EIRE
BQ: I grew up in a very creative household; there was a great deal of music and art in our home. I have a handful of older siblings, all with very different personalities and a mother who always encouraged us to think for ourselves. We lived in the countryside, so much of my childhood (and adulthood) was spent running through forests and jumping in rivers. I studied programming in college, which put me off the idea of a career in programming. Up until about 4 years ago, music would have been my main creative output, but I gave that a break for a while and decided to focus on art. Around the same time some friends were organising an exhibition and invited me to show some paintings. Since then it’s mainly thanks to friends and family that my work gets seen. I’ve never been great with the business element or networking side of art so I think I owe a lot of commissions and work to word of mouth. I’ve no formal training in art so I make it up as I go along and keep trying to pick up new things when I can.
My drawings would usually reflect the darker side of human nature and society, but I’d do everything with a slightly obscure sense of humour. Critical and a little self-deprecating at the same time. Not that that’s my intent when I sit down to draw something, that’s just the way things tend to come out. Then I have this one character, a girl who features in many drawings, usually wandering around this surreal world, meeting these unfortunate characters. I’ve been collecting stories of her for a while and it’s also the case that the stories then can inspire and lead to other characters. Visually, I think the characters are obviously inspired a great deal by natural forms, the textures and shapes you’d find in nature, as well as the symbolism I’d associate with particular forms. I’d have a deep appreciation of nature and the countryside, that’s something that tends to feature heavily, not just in the subject matter but how I approach making things. I’d have a pretty minimal attitude to creativity; make what you can with what you have.
MIM: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORK? BQ: Most of my work would be character-based illustration, leaning toward fantasy and the surreal. But it would generally be of an emotive nature, at least that’s what I’d hope for. Using surreal scenes and figures to represent real, observed human interactions and experiences. In terms of style, I’d be heavily influenced by graphic novels and Manga films and in more recent years the old Chinese masters and contemporary folk art. And in most things I do, I’d look to aim for a quality of storytelling of work by the likes of Studio Ghibli, Joe Soren, Joanna Newsom and Neil Gaiman, who I think would all share a similar dark fantasy feel.
MIM: IT SEEMS YOU DON’T JUST PAINT. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE OTHER THINGS YOU CREATE? BQ: I do web design and I play music, guitar mainly. I used to play in different bands, mostly gigging around Dublin. Recently I’ve been recording my own projects, under the moniker Emakousma (http://soundcloud.com/emakousma). I’d be pretty DIY with the practical end of things, like making my own sketchbooks, cd covers, packaging, bags, etc. Not so much because I’m naturally crafty (I’m actually stupidly messy when I’ve scissors and glue in my hands), but I have an inability to throw things away and have to find ways to use up all the stuff that takes over my studio. I’d like to say I also make sculptures out of wood, but really I just find odd bits of wood and sand them. I don’t know if that counts. But I’m pretty sure I have more random bits of wood in my studio than actual art.
“I’d have a deep appreciation of nature and the countryside”
MIM: WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD? MIM: WHAT INSPIRES YOUR STRANGE CREATURES AND FAIRY TALE STYLE CHARACTERS?
BQ: Some sort of adventurer, occasionally fighting off marauding orcs and dragons. Or an astronomer.
BQ: A lot of the incentive for a drawing is simply my trying to understand or express an idea or explore some aspect of reality or society that I might have trouble with. So I’d instinctively create characters as a sort of visual wordplay. Like a lot of my work recently would come from trying to put into some understanding the balance of living within a contemporary society and living intelligently with the environment. So the characters would often reflect that struggle; figures with trees growing out of their faces or wearing animal masks and such. As in showing a certain sense of deception, a kind of satirical idea of humanity saying to the rest of nature “Hey, it’s cool, we’re one of you”!
MIM: FINALLY, WHAT’S ON THE HORIZON FOR YOU AND WHERE CAN WE GET OUR MITTS ON YOUR STUFF? BQ: Art wise, I’m working on some of my own stories and I aim to have an illustrated story finished before the end of the year. I’d like to get more into illustration, book covers and editorial work. I worked on a cover for an album by Niamh deBarra (http://niamhdebarra.bandcamp.com), which was released on August 7th this year. She’s looking to gather funds for a vinyl release, so I’m looking forward to that. I love the idea of my work on a vinyl cover. Plus it’s always cool working with Niamh. For my own music, I have an album recorded which I’ll be self-releasing within the next month under Emakousma. It’ll be a digital download, pay what you want affair, mastered by brother and audio-guru Stephen Quinn. I’m a little nervous about that one. I have a small selection of work for sale in Mayfly in Dublin and on Etsy (http:// www.etsy.com/shop/mooliki), and you can get prints on Society6 (http://society6. com/BarryQuinn). I haven’t any exhibitions planned at the minute. Generally the best way for people to get stuff is to get in touch via email or through Facebook, which I keep updated quite regularly these days.
Mim: Well we can’t wait to read that story and listen to that music. A multi-talented man, thanks Barry! 13
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We set up Make It Mag in March 2012 because there seemed to be a gap in the market place for an Arts magazine that focused solely on Independent Artists. There are so many magazines out there that are filled with celebrities or already established artists. And there is definitely a place for them but we wanted to bring something fresh & new by turning the spotlight elsewhere. We have already featured artists from over 25 countries in only four issues and we are delighted to be able to highlight the many creative indie individuals throughout the world. The main goal of MIM is to present unpretentious, down to earth art and features in a colourful and readable way. Make It Mag began with two people and the team is steadily growing. We want the mag to keep getting bigger and need your help to spread the word for us. We will continue to provide you with the very best of indie arts from around the globe because we want people to know that you don't have to be signed to be really talented. There is a whole world of people out there with amazing gifts; we're just finding them for you and delivering them in a nice little readable package that is totally FREE. If you like it, please help spread the word by telling your friends and liking us on FB & Twitter. We Love Indie! Thanks for reading! Maggie & The Team MIM
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ABOUT MIM
WWW . BAUBIE SUNSHINE .COM
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THERE’S A WHOLE LOT OF GREAT MUSIC BEING PLAYED BY INDIE BANDS RIGHT NOW. ISSUE 4 IS CHOCK-A-BLOCK WITH REVIEWS & INTERVIEWS. WE’VE GOT THE BLANK TAPES, GUITAR MAKER JOHN MORIARTY AND THE LEGENDRY LUKE SEERY, NOT TO MENTION THE USUAL ROUND UP OF THE BEST NEW INDEPENDENT RECORDS OF THE SEASON...
THE BLANK TAPES
JOHN MORIARTY
LUKE SEERY
OUR FAVOURITE INDIE MUSIC OF THIS SPOOKY SEASON
“a bath of sunshine coast pop nuggets for all to enjoy”
FROM: California, US RELEASED: 22.05.2012 STYLE: Alternative / Folk / Garage Rock / Psychedelic
THE BLANK TAPES - SUN’S TOO BRIGHT [LP] Californian native Matt Adams is the multi-instrumentalist lynchpin behind The Blank Tapes, a lo-fi odd-ball collective who have just released their 9th album!!! Recorded, like most of their music before, to 8 track cassette tape, Sun’s Too Bright merges Beatlesesque pop, Daniel Johnston style quirkiness and 60’s instrumentation in a bath of sunshine coast pop nuggets for all to enjoy. Instrumental ‘Motor Scooter’ is lo-fi Creedence Clearwater Revival, ‘I Want To See The Man’ crosses Burt Bacharach with the Beach Boys and ‘Killer Bee’ is Village Green era Kinks. The frenetic, psychedelic guitar playing on the title track is a standout moment but there is much to be enjoyed here. Sun’s Too Bright provides a real warm musical feast for the ears. The band are currently at work on a new studio album, Vacation, which is set for release in early 2013 but for now, just sit back, put on some sunscreen and enjoy the sunshine-drenched tones of The Blank Tapes.
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MUSIC: REVIEWS
OUR FAVOURITE INDIE MUSIC OF THE SEASON
“this record will surely keep you warm in the dying days of summer”
FROM: Dublin, Ireland RELEASED: 06.08.2012 STYLE: Alternative / Ambient / Folk / Rock / Americana
A DARK HORSE - A DARK HORSE [EP] The self-titled debut EP from Dublin’s A Dark Horse merges emotional balladry, intricate instrumentation and epic musical passages extremely well. Not content with a bare sound, founder members Hugh Rodgers & James Parker brought in some musical friends to help create the dense textures of sound on display here; ‘Take Me Home’ sounds like Billy Corgan & Justin Vernon battling for the mic over an ambient Beach Boy backing track. Meanwhile, the twinkling piano notes and harmony singing of ‘The Heart Won’t Lie’, adds an urgency & cinematic edge to the song. The music of A Dark Horse resides mainly in the realm of alt-folk Americana acts such as Bon Iver & Fleet Foxes and would not be out of place on a Nikon camera ad or a US TV show. The slow, measured pace of the EP musters from one track to the other, never threatening to breach the speed barrier and this record will surely keep you warm in the dying days of summer.
“a saloon style swing that’s entirely authentic and convincing”
FROM: Canada RELEASED: 27.03.2012 STYLE: Folk / Acoustic / Roots / Rock
LISA LEBLANC - LISA LEBLANC [LP] Let us put our cards on the table: we don’t understand a word of what’s being sung by Canadian Lisa LeBlanc. That’s because she is speaking in French. But her music, like all good music, transcends language barriers. Having won the prestigious Festival International de la Chanson de Granby award in September 2010, LeBlanc has gone from strength to strength. Her debut album was written in Rosaireville, New Brunswick, as well as in Montreal. At times her vocal delivery verges from Dylanesque mannerisms to powerful, all-out belting. The dryly recorded guitars and drums are very pleasing on the ear and the record celebrates the joys of singing for singings’ sake. At heart, LeBlanc is a rock ‘n’ roll woman and many of her songs lie within the boundaries of rock, folk and the blues. The upbeat ‘Chanson D’une Rouspéteuse’ sees LeBlanc wig out but the standout track here has to be ‘Y Fait Chaud’, it entwined banjo and percussion lending it a saloon style swing that’s entirely authentic and convincing.
“a tirade against a friend who just can’t seem to get their life together”
FROM: Dublin, Ireland RELEASED: 24.09.2012 STYLE: Rock ‘n’ Roll / Blues / Folk / Country / Pop
THE ALUSKAS - SKIN & BONES [SINGLE] In the last issue, we noted that ‘Skin & Bones’ was one of the highlights of DRAW!, The Aluskas debut album. Well guess what. They’ve only gone and released it as the third and final single from that record. It is the bands’ heaviest tune so far and features a throat-shredding vocal from guitarist Philip Tinsley who co-wrote it. Lyrically, the song is a tirade against a friend who just can’t seem to get their life together and the records disturbing sense of claustrophobia is heightened by insistent piano strikes, a coiling guitar riff and the manic percussion work of Anthony Byrne. The tracks lacerating guitar solo is performed by Brother David Byrne and ‘Skin & Bones’ has already established itself as a firm live favourite. The B-side, ‘Jump In The River’ is its polar opposite, the song’s jazzy overtones portraying The Aluskas ability to move comfortably between genres and is a perfectly wistful goodbye to the summer. And best of all, you can download it for free, so get it now!
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MUSIC: REVIEWS
“the Wild Maps are here to sooth your soul”
FROM: Los Angeles, US RELEASED: 03.08.2012 STYLE: Folk / Bluegrass / Country / Pop / Rock
THE WILD MAPS - TROUBLE YOU INVITE [LP] The Wild Maps are a bluegrass outfit based around the song writing skills of Anna Su (who released her debut album Howling Tree in 2010) and siblings Rachael & Nate Vaughan. Apparently recorded in just one day, the groups’ debut LP Trouble You Invite sees all three main members contribute vocally to the record and this really lends itself to repeat listening. The album opens with a joyful trombone and harmonica duel on ‘Cicadas’ and from there, it glides along effortlessly with expertly honed group performances throughout. Although banjos, ukuleles and mandolins are now completely overused by todays’ alternative bands, The Wild Maps lend an authenticity to the recordings here which set them apart from the pack. The vocals of standout track ‘The Hills Are Talking’ are sweet and the banjo and piano playing on ‘Crick’ are understated but beautiful, reminding of some of Norah Jones’ earlier efforts. So let your worries go because the Wild Maps are here to sooth your soul.
“Sounds like The Fleet Foxes covering a long lost Phil Spector track”
FROM: California, US RELEASED: 05.07.2012 STYLE: Rock / Dream Pop / Lo-Fi / Harmony
SUMMER TWINS - SUMMER TWINS [LP] Summer Twins eponymous debut album is a 50’s / 60’s style rock ‘n’ roll record from sisters Chelsea (Guitar / Vocals) & Justine Brown (Drums / Vocals). The record opens with ‘Got Somebody To Dream About’, a really great tune that sounds like Dolores O’ Riordan fronting The Fleet Foxes covering a long lost Phil Spector track. The girl’s further channel the ghosts of the 50’s on the likes of the Hawaiian flavoured ‘Stars Aligned’ but they add enough personality to make it their own. The dreamy guitar phrases and simple percussion accompaniment on ‘I Could Never Break Your Heart’ are heartwarmingly familiar but are brought up to date with the more modern ‘Apple Orchards’ over a Bo Diddley beat. ‘Try’, with its organ pads and guitar snaps is reminiscent of McCartney’s ‘Let Me Roll It’, but for the most part, Summer Twins somehow come away sounding like themselves. This is summer music. Keep it with you for when the nights get dark again.
FORGOTTEN GEMS: LOST MUSIC BY OVERLOOKED OR DISBANDED INDIE GROUPS
“Kurt Cobain called him the greatest songwriter of his generation”
FROM: California, US RELEASED: Sept 1983 STYLE: Lo-Fi / Acoustic / Folk
DANIEL JOHNSTON - HI, HOW ARE YOU? [LP] Daniel Johnston has reached a level of success that few artists working in the same style as him could ever hope to achieve. This success can be attributed to people like Kurt Cobain calling him the greatest songwriter of his generation and has been further fuelled by the acclaimed documentary, The Devil and Daniel Johnston. In it, Johnston is portrayed as a more unhinged version of Brian Wilson and his lo-fi songs have been covered by everyone from Beck to Tom Waits. Hi, How Are You, Johnston’s sixth album, is probably his most famous. Featuring 15 very roughly recorded songs, the album is at times funny, bizarre, moving and poignant. Standout tracks include ‘Walking The Cow’, the hilarious ‘Big Business Monkey’ and his lament to depression ‘Despair Came Knocking’. The artwork to the album has become famous in its own right and coupled with the songs, gives a true glimpse at a troubled artist striving to maintain his sanity.
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THE BLANK TAPES
MIM
MUSIC INTERVIEW: THE BLANK TAPES
THE BLANK TAPES ARE A PSYCHEDELIC, ROCK ‘N’ ROLL BAND WITH A LONG HISTORY OF LO-FI RECORDING AND MANY GREAT SONGS AND ALBUMS TO BOLSTER THEIR MUCH TOUTED REPUTATION. WE LOVE THESE GUYS SO WE WERE DELIGHTED TO TALK TO MAIN MAN MATT ADAMS ABOUT 8 TRACK TAPE RECORDERS AND THEIR LATEST RECORD, SUN’S TOO BRIGHT...
“I recorded my last 7 albums, which I made almost completely by myself on an old 8 track cassette tape recorder in various garages” MIM: WHAT ONE WORD BEST DESCRIBES THE BLANK TAPES?
MIM: TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR LATEST ALBUM, SUN’S TOO BRIGHT?
TAPES: Groovy.
TAPES: Well, my latest record is actually a 7” single called ‘I’m Back’ released on SF’s 20-Sided Records, which was recorded by my band in a couple of fancy studios between LA & Oakland. Immediately before that I released the cassette tape Sun’s Too Bright on Burger Records. I recorded that album the way I recorded my last 7 albums; I made it almost completely by myself on an old 8 track cassette tape recorder in various garages, basements, sheds & bedrooms, playing all the instruments & mixing down the tracks using the built-in faders and knobs. As for the reason why Sun’s Too Bright was compiled and released; I have a back log of hundreds of songs that I’ve sllooowwly been recording, mixing down and releasing. I really just wanted to release a tape with Burger Records, so I picked through my mess of recordings and found a few somewhat cohesive tracks to give them. I have a few more home recorded albums as well as some slicker studio stuff coming out in the near future.
MIM: CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF THE GROUP? TAPES: Here’s my band history in a nutshell: I grew up in Orange County & played music under my name Matt Adams up until about 2003 when I came up with the band name The Blank Tapes after I moved up to LA. I formed a couple bands around So Cal, then moved up to the Bay Area in 2005 where I formed a couple more bands till just last year when I moved back down to LA. Lately, my band has consisted of DA Humphrey, Will Halsey, and my girlfriend, Pearl Charles.
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“The great thing about recording on most tape machines is that they have a pitch control wheel which allows you to control the speed at which the tapes record”
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MIM: WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST OBSTACLES AS AN INDIE ARTIST & HOW DO YOU OVERCOME THEM? TAPES: The biggest obstacles are just trying to get the word out there. Giving people the chance to hear your music and if they like it, somehow figuring out a way to let them know when you’re playing in their town. That and everything else about the music business. It’s all one giant obstacle that I’ve been trying to navigate through for years. If only I could just focus on writing and recording songs, instead of emailing all day. Next question ;) MIM: CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE RECORDING PROCESS OF A’BERGINE (A COOL SONG FROM SUN’S TOO BRIGHT)? TAPES: The strange single from the album called ‘A’bergine’ is a track I’m definitely most proud of, although the song ‘Get Ready’ was a feat too. I wrote ‘A’bergine’ a couple years back while hanging out with friends at Lake Temescal in Oakland, California. My friend Bryant had a ton of odd catch phrases like “yarrr” & “boi-oi-oing” and at the time “A’bergine” was one of them. Aubergine is another word for eggplant, so some of the lyrics are about just that mixed in with wordplay. I decided to record the song in my basement studio as soon I got home & set out to make it sound as psychedelic as possible. I used instruments and effects like my Rogue guitar/sitar played through a Wah-wah pedal, and my Nord Electro kicking off the notes that feedback through a Fulltone Tube Tape Echo. I also played the drums with mallets along with a drum machine hi-hat. However, my biggest achievement on the recording was what I ended up doing at the end of the song, which was something that I’ve never done on any other recording. The great thing about recording on most tape machines is that they have a pitch control wheel which allows you to control the speed at which the tapes record. I decided I wanted the song to slow down at the end of the song like a record going from 33 rpms to 45 rpms, but still remain in the key of E. So I did a test recording where I recorded the guitar while the pitch wheel was cranked to the fastest possible speed and then I slowed it down to the slowest possible position to figure out what key I’d have to switch the song to, so that it would remain in the same key. It’s hard to explain but I discovered that if I changed the key of the song from E to C# when I wanted the song to slow down at the end, the key of the song would remain the same once I turned the pitch wheel from the fastest speed to the slowest. I ended up recording the vocals so they sound normal in the fastest and slowest pitches and not like Alvin & the Chipmunks or Darth Vader. So at the end of the song, the tape suddenly slows down, but instead of being in a lower key, it’s still in E, just a little sludgier. MIM: WHICH FAMOUS SONG DO YOU WISH YOU’D WRITTEN AND WHY? TAPES: Oh boy, just of the top of my head, the Kinks ‘Waterloo Sunset’ is a great song. I like the sentiment of the characters and the picture it paints. Ray Davies and I both have similar vocal ranges and styles too. The lead guitar and back-up vocals are badass but I’d have turned the drums up in the mix. MIM: HOW DO YOU INTEND ON PROMOTING YOUR LATEST RECORD AND HAVE YOU GOT ANY MARKETING TIPS FOR OTHER INDIE ACTS? PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAREN KNOLLER
TAPES: My PR people RIOT ACT MEDIA have been promoting my latest 7” release, & I’ve just been pushing Sun’s Too Bright on my own with the help of the music video for the song ‘A’bergine’. Check it out here: http://vimeo.com/42228242 MIM: WHERE CAN WE GET OUR HANDS ON YOUR RECORDS?
Mim: Fabulous, just fabulous. The Blank Tapes, we salute you! Thanks Matt.
TAPES: The best way is to order them from my website (www.theblanktapes.com) which links to my bandcamp site. Another way is to come to one of our shows and get it straight from the source. You might be able to find some CDs / vinyl here or there in different records shops too. Keep an eye / ear out for our new music as well! 23
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MIM
MUSIC: JOHN MORIARTY
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JOHN MORIARTY IRISH MUSICIAN, JOHN MORIARTY, IS ALSO AN ESTEEMED QUALITY GUITAR MAKER. HE BUILDS THE INSTRUMENTS FROM SCRATCH AND WE CATCH UP WITH HIM TO DISCUSS THE PROCESS OF MAKING A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT...
“I began getting books on guitar building and constantly sketching ideas in the back of the van between gigs”
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they could use in a big band, for example, the instrument would need to project acoustically and probably need a large soundboard. The same guitar wouldn’t be suitable for someone who plays unison lines with a sax player every night - it would feed-back and low frequencies would be a problem. I use the computer a lot for designing templates and body forms. I have a CNC machine now that will cut fret slots and parts directly form computer files.
JM: In school I was always ‘the artist’ in the class so without too much consideration, I went to NCAD in Dublin assuming I would be a visual artist. During college I realized how much more I enjoyed music so I gigged a lot around that time in jazz groups. Music remains my focal point. When I’m not practicing, rehearsing or gigging I’m usually in the workshop doing repairs or building instruments.
MIM
MIM: CAN YOU TELL US WHAT YOUR BACKGROUND IS?
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This has replaced many of the smaller tools and jigs I used and developed. I use mainly traditional cello woods from Europe. The graduation of the soundboards is an intuitive process involving listening and constant monitoring of flexibility. The wood needs to be able to vibrate in order to have a resonant acoustic sound. The final process is the lacquering. I don’t enjoy that part so much as a little mistake can set you back a long way! There’s no excuse though; the finish needs to be excellent - especially now that the guitar market is flooded with cheaply produced instruments with perfect shiny finishes. The trick is to apply the finish thinly. Most mass produced instruments have thick polyester finishes which dampen the woods underneath.
MIM: HOW, WHEN AND WHY DID YOU COME UP WITH THE IDEA OF DESIGNING AND MANUFACTURING YOUR OWN LINE OF GUITARS? JM: I was on a tour about 11 years ago so I began getting books on guitar building and constantly sketching ideas in the back of the van between gigs. I made small parts first - mainly bridges for my Gibson guitar which I played at the time. Then I started buying larger machines and many hand-tools. Before I knew it, I was bending the sides of my first guitar. The first guitar had some small issues but it really sounded great - I never expected it! I didn’t plan to start a manufacturing enterprise but I was approached by a few people who heard the guitar and it turned out other people wanted this sound too. I currently have four basic designs which can be modified to individual needs.
MIM: WHAT DESIGNS DO YOU HAVE IN MIND FOR FUTURE GUITARS OR PERHAPS FOR OTHER INSTRUMENTS?
“The graduation of the soundboards is an intuitive process involving listening and constant monitoring of flexibility”
JM: I have a 17” design which is my benchmark for the traditional jazz sound. I’m totally open to ideas though. I started developing an ergonomic guitar for a guy who was experiencing severe back pain as he played. For whatever reason, the project didn’t get completed but I hope to see that one through some day. I have a bluegrass mandolin in production which is based on the dimensions of a 100 year old Gibson I had for a while. It is a slightly modern take on it, aesthetically. I also have a round ukulele in development - a new concept based on a sketch provided by the client.
MIM: WHAT OR WHO INSPIRES YOU?
MIM: WHERE CAN WE GET OUR HANDS ON ONE OF YOUR INSTRUMENTS?
JM: I have enormous regard for the American builders who pioneered the creation and development of the Archtop guitar, including Lloyd Loar, John D’Angelico and Jimmy D’Aquisto. Bob Benedetto also wrote a great book on the subject which contains some very helpful guidelines. Mostly, inspiration comes from the records I’ve been listening for 20 years. Records such as Wes Montgomery’s ‘Boss Guitar’ and Kenny Burrell’s “Soul Call’ embody the archtop sound, in my opinion.
JM: People can contact me directly through my website, www.archtop.ie. I rarely have surplus guitars which are not commissioned. However, there’s one on show at the moment in Crowley’s Music Store in Cork. Also, I hope to send an instrument to Mandolin Bros in New York. They expressed interest in stocking them and it’s quite a prestigious establishment.
MIM: CAN YOU TALK US THROUGH THE PROCESS FROM IDEA TO CREATION OF ONE OF YOUR GUITARS?
Mim: It’s nice to see that high quality instruments like John’s are being made right here in Ireland! Thanks John.
JM: I sketch out dozens of ideas first with pencil and paper. For a new design, I keep in mind the body thickness, the width and the lower bout (usually 15 to 17 inches), the scale length and the intended use. If someone was looking for a guitar
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MY STRUGGLE
MIM
MUSIC: MY STRUGGLE
THE BATTLE OF NORMALDY MIM JUMPED AT THE CHANCE TO FEATURE THE THOUGHTS OF THE MUSICAL (AND VISUAL) GENIUS LUKE SEERY. BELOW IS AN ABBREVIATED VERSION OF HIS AUTO-BIOGRAPHY.
MIM ISSUE 4 - FREE
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012
musicians and set about recording. Slinky paid for everything, for as well as teaching, he would deal heroin in the evenings and every summer.
“Come together right now over me” - John Lennon
I was standing on the cusp of greatness when disaster struck. My bowels started acting up again. What started as a trickle eventually turned into a crude oil gusher. It could not be tamed. No specialist doctor could contain the chocolate flow. I couldn’t have a folk career from a pit toilet! It wasn’t meant to be. I had to flee, to cut ties with everything and everyone. I did what any man would have done; I came to Ireland, birth place of my mother. I was soon on their reverse credit card scheme or as they call it ‘the dole’. I am still here weighing up my options. Life is tough but I have to roll with the punches. So far I haven’t led ‘the normal life’. Just like all other artists out there, I don’t think in the normal way.
Throughout my life I have had numerous encounters with people from different ethnic groups. Nearly all I disliked but that is neither here nor there. I noticed within these groups there is a divide between the artists and the normal people. The artist is destined to struggle, whether it is with their muse, emotions or the world. The normal 9-5ers have it easy, conforming to this or that, listening to Ray Darcy and getting tribal tattoos. They don’t know any different and that’s fine. This article should be read by the bland normal people of society as well as the artists. I want them to know about the artists struggle, “my struggle” or as Adolf would say “Mein Kampf”. Now I’m not going to bore you with 720 pages of German thrash. I just want to give you an insight into the life of a troubled genius. I was born Luke Augustine Seery on the 16th of August 1983, an only child, in a little shanty town just off Johannesburg. My mother died during childbirth. She was supposed to have been of simple mind but I would like to have met her nevertheless. My father Dirkie Seery, god bless him, was an alcoholic. He was a Jekyll and Hyde type of character. He could be so sweet at times whilst on the bottle but when sober, he was an absolute messer. He was a pitch and putt manager by trade. Whilst growing up in the ‘Shanty’, I knew I wasn’t like all the other kids. At age 8, I contracted chronic bowel syndrome and suffered recurrent bouts over many years. In a teachers report card, I was described as a ‘vague and dreamy child with a big chance I could be a retard’. The only class I did shine in was Music. My teacher was a man by the name of Mr Shinky. The kids used to call him Mr Slinky because his pants were forever falling down and he’d straight away pull them back up. Up and down like a
PUBLISHED 6 TIMES A YEAR!
slinky. Kids can be so cruel. Slinky told me I was ‘special’ and said I had a deep and thoughtful song writing style. Knowing Dirkie’s life was going tits up, Slinky adopted me. When I went to live with Slinky, I didn’t hear from Dirkie for years until one day when he sent me a smiley face via text. I still have that text saved to my phones’ memory. I never did see him again. I like to think of him drinking his life away in that old shack, fighting with whoever came his way. I then entered AFDA Film College in Cape Town. I wanted to see if I could transfer my genius from audio to visual. The transfer was a success. I had the teachers saying ‘You’re the new Kubrick’ and ‘are you Michael Bay’s love child?’. Whatever. I soon grew tired of the constant attention and compliments. These people want their art spoon fed to them so I jumped ship. Slinky had let me make my own mistakes and he could see I now wanted to dedicate myself to music 100%. So I wrote tons of songs, booked a studio and some session 26
We, the artists, don’t hear noise only music. We don’t think of sex, only love. We can’t see separate parts, only the whole. We don’t see chocolate cake, only carbs. I want to end by saying this; we need the normal people of this world. They are the ‘hate’ to our ‘love’, the ‘ugly’ to our ‘beauty’ and the ‘war’ to our ‘peace’. We can’t have one without the other, even if our side is the more desirable one. Luke Seery is currently working on a book entitled Rock Gods with each chapter dedicated to a legendary rock star. He is also releasing a scrapbook full of photographs from his life as well as numerous diary entries and scribbles.
mim: we eagerly await the scrapbook with bated breath. Thanks Luke.
EIRE
YOU CAN NOW HELP MIM TO KEEP CREATING BY DONATING! WE LOVE DONUTS, I MEAN DONATIONS!
ONLY 2% OF ALL DONATIONS WILL BE SPENT ON DONUTS, WE PROMISE! MAKEITMAG.COM/SHOP 27
MIM
HALLOWEEN SPECIAL
IT’S HALLOWEEN O
nce a year on the 31st of October, people all over the world celebrate the holiday of Halloween. Halloween has its roots in Pagan tradition and takes its name from ‘All Hallows Evening’ or ‘All Hallows Eve’. Many historians believe that such traditions stretch back to the Celtic festival ‘Samhain’. In medieval Ireland & Scotland, Samhain was held on the last day of Autumn and it was believed that this time was special, a time when the physical and supernatural worlds could cross paths. On Samhain eve, the souls of the departed were believed to revisit the homes of the living. People held huge bonfires to ward off these spirits. In Christianity, it was believed that the dead wandered the Earth until All Saints’ Day (1st November) and Halloween was their last chance to seek revenge against their living enemies. So to avoid being recognised by the dead, people began donning masks to conceal their identity and to scare away evil spirits. In Ireland and Scotland, Halloween had been celebrated since the middle ages but it was only with the mass emigration of these countries to North America that the traditions of Halloween took hold there in the 19th Century. One of the original Samhain customs was the carving of Jack-O’-Lanterns from turnips as a way to remember the dead whose souls were thought to be in Purgatory. When this custom was taken to North America, instead of using turnips, people used pumpkins because they were much larger and easier to carve into. Today, Halloween is one of the best loved of all the holidays and is celebrated worldwide. Traditionally, black and orange are the Halloween colours and many images associated with Halloween include references to death, magic, evil, monsters, ghosts, graveyards, pumpkins, trick-or-treating, hauntings, black cats and witches etc. Another form of Halloween festivities is the telling of scary stories and poems and over the next few pages MIM have gathered together a number of treats for you to sink your fangs into. Read on headless horseman, read on…
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MIM “it was believed that the dead wandered the Earth�
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THE HALLOWEEN PARTY
MIM
HALLOWEEN: THE HALLOWEEN PARTY
EIRE
OUR FIRST SPOOKTASTIC OFFERING THIS HALLOWEEN COMES FROM THE HAUNTED MIND OF SHORT STORY WRITER LYNN MCGLYNN. IT’S SURE TO KEEP YOU AWAKE WAY AFTER MIDNIGHT, MUAHAHAHAHA...
“I don’t know how much time had passed since I fell asleep when I heard it. A regular rhythmic ticking that permeated my consciousness” It all started with the ticking of a clock. Not just any old clock but a one hundred and fifty year old Grandfather clock passed down through the generations from my great grandmother, Alice. The night was dark and all enveloping and the only sound was the tapping of raindrops blown by the wind onto the roof and window panes of the bedroom I was sleeping in. And oh it was cold, so cold. Earlier in the evening I’d tried in vain to light the fire in the bedroom fireplace. I had to drag in an old gas heater which seemed to work for a while but eventually frizzled out. The house had not been occupied ever since the death of my mother five years ago and smelled musty and damp. When I first arrived that morning I threw open all the windows, letting the October sunshine flood in. I managed to get the fire started in the living room but it seemed the chimneys of the other rooms were blocked from years of soot and old bird’s nests (I’d glimpsed their black wings fluttering around on the roof as I drove up the driveway).
Earlier that day, after airing the rooms out as best I could and finding that the central heating had long since broken down, I took out some food I had brought with me from the city, a cheese and tomato roll wrapped in cellophane. I ate in one of the upstairs rooms. It had once been my Mother’s. It’s a large room with high ceilings and two long windows which look out onto the front garden and further down to the street and the houses in the village. It had grown dark and a slight breeze was moving the branches around and I watched as the dried autumn leaves slowly dropped to the ground. The windows rattled slightly, a sound that always unnerved me as a child. As I looked down the hill on top of which our house stands, I could see a slow procession of lights moving about and, as the lights passed under the street lamps I could see they were the lanterns carried by children dressed in costume for Halloween. Yes, I hadn’t realised it was October 31st, the eve of all souls. After twelve, the souls of the dead are said to walk the Earth once more. What unfortunate timing! Was I trying to tempt fate? As I watched the lantern lights flickering in the village, I remembered the many Halloween parties my parents used to throw, the fun we had and the laughter that used to echo throughout this house. After ‘dinner’ I walked around the house, looking from room to room, unearthing old memories as I walked. Could I really move back here to the house of my childhood where the ghosts of the past may still be present? Would I be revisited once again by relatives and other souls who want to grace this house with their presence? Suddenly, I became even more aware of my aloneness. There was nothing here now except the old furniture and pictures on the walls, the staring faces of those who were long since dead.
I’d been avoiding this day ever since my mother’s funeral because you see, to return here needed every ounce of courage I could muster. I’m not a courageous person. Sometimes I wish my mother had left the house to someone else, but to whom? Everyone else is dead. Everyone related to me, that is. So I came here to make my decision. Would I sell or would I keep it in the family and make it my home again? After all, the house, just like the clock in the downstairs hall, had been in my family for generations. I’ve had a problem with this house or maybe the house had a problem with me. I guess I’m over sensitive. This so called ‘sensitivity’ started at a young age. It began to manifest itself as an uncomfortable feeling, the sensation of being watched or even followed through the many rooms and corridors of the house, but when I turned around, there was nothing, or should I say, no one there.
I sat in front of the living room fire looking at an old book of photographs from scenes of our past. I must have dosed because I awoke with a start. I had heard a thud and my heart started to beat wildly, but it was just the photo book falling from my hands onto the floor. The fire had died down to a few burning embers and I felt cold and exhausted. I went up to bed, to the bedroom of my childhood. As I said it was very cold in the room and the rickety gas fire wasn’t producing much heat. It had started to rain and the wind was blowing the raindrops in gusts against the window panes. There I lay and when the gas fire finally spluttered out and died, I was plunged into a thick, deep darkness. I pulled the covers over my head trying to get warm, leaving just enough of a gap to breathe. There was just me, the seeping cold, the velvet darkness and the raindrops blowing against the windows. After a while I became sleepy and I could feel myself slowly sliding downwards into the dark recesses of my unconscious.
Later on though, things started to change just around the time of my granny’s death. I’d walk into a room and there she’d be, standing at the window or sitting in her favourite chair, knitting, always smiling, her glasses perched on the end of her nose just like when she was alive. Of course she only stayed a matter of seconds and then she’d be gone, knitting and all. Her visits became a regular occurrence and I started getting used to them. Then other people started dropping by like my grandfather and my uncle Jack, always just for a second or two and then whoosh, they were gone. No time for a chat or a discussion on the afterlife. The thing is, I never believed in an afterlife. I believed when you were gone, you were gone. My rule was to enjoy this life as much as I could because this is all there is. So, how to explain all the otherworldly visitations? I couldn’t. It’s as simple as that. When complete strangers started dropping by I knew my time in the house had come to an end. I said goodbye to Mom and I left for Dublin to move in with a college friend of mine and, although I’d come back on visits, I never did live in the house again. Ten years have passed since then. In all those years I have never had a ‘visitation’, that’s what I call them now. So what is it about the house that allowed these visitations to occur? My Mother was always quiet on the subject and told me I always had an over active imagination and that I’d inherited this trait from my father who was an artist, quite a famous one in his time. I say ‘was’ because of course he, like all the other important people in my life has passed away. I’m pretty much an orphan now. But now I’m lying in my old bed with the heavy blankets on top of me, trying my best to keep out the cold, listening to the spluttering of the gas fire, feeling very alone indeed. Why am I here? I could have had an estate agent come and survey the place, got the movers to pack everything and bring it to storage. As I said, part of me was reluctant to let it go. There are good memories buried in this house too, you know. Memories from when my father still lived, when I was a small child and we were a family, three generations living together in this big, old house. It deserves just one more chance. Recently I’ve been feeling very alone with my life lacking direction. It’s hard when your relations are all dead. I guess I’ve been feeling disconnected, as if I’ve been torn away from my source, from the fabric of what it is that makes me, well me, if you get my meaning.
I don’t know how much time had passed since I fell asleep when I heard it. A regular rhythmic ticking that permeated my consciousness. As I slowly started to wake, the sound seemed to blend in with the tapping of the rain on the windows. As the seconds went by, I gradually became aware that the sound was coming from somewhere else, somewhere outside the room. The sound was somehow familiar to me, like an old friend entering a room. Slowly I pushed off the mound of blankets, sat up and swung my legs from the bed onto the floor and into my waiting slippers. I could hear the sound better now, the unmistakeable ticking of the grandfather clock from the hallway downstairs as though it had never stopped all those years ago. Suddenly my heart lurched as the clock started to chime, just three times, enough to let me know it had once again come to life. I turned on the bedside lamp and checked my watch. Yes, it was three in the morning. I grabbed my dressing gown and made my way to the door which I had left partially open and peeped out into the hallway. Moonlight poured in through the uncurtained window as I stepped outside the room. Yes, there it was, louder now, ticking its’ ancient grandfather heart out as I looked down the stairs to where it stood.
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I made my way down the stairs glancing behind me as I went. Everything was in darkness except for the moonlight coming in through the hall window. Silence everywhere except the
MIM TICK
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TICK TICK
ticking of the clock. Even the rain seemed to have stopped and the wind was silent. I was aware though of my own laboured breathing and the quick and frantic beating of my heart. I glanced around the dark carpeted hall searching for the light switch. When I did find it and switched it on, nothing happened. Damn! They had been working earlier, a fuse must have blown. As I crept along, that old feeling seemed to be slowly coming back to me, like icy fingers touching the back of my neck. I walked further down the hallway to what was once called the parlour, passing a dark cubby-hole where the family once hung their coats. There in the darkness I could see a shadow, tall and menacing causing me to jump back in fright but as my eyes became more adjusted to the darkness, I realised it was only the coat stand shrouded with old coats and half submerged in the impenetrable darkness of that shadowy, forgotten corner. I felt my nerves would not hold out any longer. I could hardly stop myself shaking, not from the cold but from deep and wretched fear. A fear of something I couldn’t understand, of happenings and events that were unexplainable. I turned to go back to my room but became aware of voices. Soft at first, coming from one of the other rooms at the end of the hallway. Then I heard the sound of laughter. How could this be happening again? Why did I come back here? I knew it would never change. Suddenly I was angry and my anger spurred me on and I followed the sounds of the laughter. I stood in front of the living room doors, light spilling from underneath the crack. The voices were louder now. I inhaled and slowly opened the door. Warmth and light spilled over me as I stood there watching the amazing spectacle before me. They were all there, my relatives; Mom and Dad, Granny and Granddad, Jack and other Aunts and Uncles I hadn’t seen in years, sitting around the huge polished oval table, laughing and talking and drinking wine. The room was awash with candle light and hung with the most fantastic Halloween decorations and lanterns. Life size skeletons adorned the windows, ghouls and witches hung from the ceiling and skulls grimaced from the table which was set with our old Halloween crockery on which a fantastic feast had been placed. My Father’s old paintings of Count Dracula and the monster of Frankenstein stared back at me from the papered walls. A huge fire burned in the grate in front of which sat a large bucket of water, red apples floating on its’ surface, a couple of children, possibly cousins, trying to get them out with their teeth. As I stood there gaping, I had the strange feeling I was witnessing a dream, that I was about to cross into another dimension. I wanted nothing more than to cross that threshold, to enter into this world where I would be welcomed and surrounded by the people I loved most. I had the sense though that if I entered into their Halloween festivities, I may never be able to return. Slowly I closed the door, unseen, and hurried back up to my cold room. The lamp was still lighting as I entered the room but then the strangest thing happened, even stranger then walking into a room full of partying dead relatives. Someone was lying under the blankets where a few minutes earlier I myself had lain. This was just too much! I began rapidly to hatch my escape plan. I would throw my clothes back into my bag. No, I would quickly dress and grab only my bag and keys and get the hell out of this house while I still could! I dressed quickly, trying not to look at the body lying under the blankets in my bed. I grabbed my bag. My coat was downstairs and my car keys in the pocket. Now to run! No, not so quick! I walked slowly over to the bed. The body was completely covered by blankets and I couldn’t see the face. Whoever it was, they were lying perfectly still, undisturbed by my frantic attempt to escape. I peeled down the blanket slowly and recognised the face immediately, though I had never seen it sleeping. It was me. I was in the bed. What was happening here? I felt so confused. Could this be some kind of horrible dream or night terror that I’d stumbled into? Would I wake in the morning to find the sun streaming in the window and the birds singing outside and laugh at my Halloween escapades? I reached out and touched the face, my face, my fingers shaking with fear.
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My face was cold, oh so very cold. I stood and walked to the door almost knocking over the old gas fire in my haste. I noticed the heater was still switched on allowing the gas to escape but the light had long since gone out. It seemed the gas had been on but for how long? I looked back at myself lying in the bed as still and peaceful as if…. Just then a door opened downstairs and I heard my Mother’s voice calling me as clear as rain. I looked back at myself lying in bed one last time and closed the door as I left. “I’m coming Mom”, I said, and made my way down to join the Halloween party, for the night was still young.
PAUL SHERIDAN
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MIM
HALLOWEEN: PAUL SHERIDAN
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MIM
TO CELEBRATE THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF BRAM STOKER’S DEATH, IRISH ARTIST PAUL SHERIDAN HAS CREATED A NUMBER OF PIECES FEATURING SCENES FROM THE WRITER’S MANY NOVELS, INCLUDING HIS MOST FAMOUS GOTHIC CONTRIBUTION TO THE LITERARY WORLD, DRACULA.
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THE FINAL RECORDING
MIM
HALLOWEEN: THE FINAL RECORDING
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ARE YOU LIKE US AND WANT TO BE SCARED RIGHT DOWN TO YOUR BONES? WELL IF SO, THIS NEXT HALLOWEEN OFFERING WON’T DISSAPOINT. THE FINAL RECORDING IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY MIM CONTRIBUTOR, DEBBIE BYRNE...
an odd creak coming from the landing and called out to his mother to see if she was ok. Not hearing a response, Michael rushed up the stairs to her room but the sight before him left him paralysed with fear. When he pushed open the bedroom door, he saw his mother levitating in the middle of the room. There was what looked like a board game on the floor and candles all around it. Suddenly, he looked into the darkened hallway where he saw a hooded figure slowly shaking his head. Then there was a very loud thud and Jess dropped to the floor. All the candles went out. When she eventually came around, she was never the same again. This was the beginning of her decline into madness. She was taken to doctors but no one had an answer to her illness. Almost overnight she had been transformed into a raving lunatic. She soon became known as the Demon Lady of her local area. She would break out of the house at night and wander into people’s gardens in her long frayed grey night dress, crouching there behind pillars, just watching and waiting, sometimes for hours on end. Soon, social services became involved and Michael was removed from her care. He was sent to boarding school and he didn’t see his mother again. He never found out what had happened to her but he did hear that she passed away after apparently being found rotting in their house for days.
The rain fell heavily that night as they left the studio after a long recording session. It was the days leading up to Halloween and the band were recording their second album. But this was no ordinary night. As the band members all went their separate ways on the dark country road, Michael hurried to his car, being the last one out. He had an eerie feeling, a feeling that wasn’t unfamiliar to him. He looked around nervously as he struggled to get his keys from his pocket. Eventually he got inside his car and locked the doors in sheer panic. He had found it hard to put his past behind him and build up a new life again. It had taken him many years to meet new friends and start anew but now, the thing he had run from was returning for him. As he turned the key and the engine revved uneasily in the quietness of the night, he began to pull off down the foggy back roads. Suddenly he heard five taps on his rear view window and with no one in sight, he pulled off frantically into the darkness. When he finally reached his home, he scaled the steps to his apartment, burst through the doors and hid in fear. Something had been following Michael most of his life ever since unexplained things happened all those years before in the home where he grew up with his mother. As he sat on the edge of his bed, Michael remembered a blood-curdling incident from his childhood when he still lived there with his Mother, Jess.
Michael continued to see that hooded figure frequently at night in the boarding school he attended. He even felt a cold cracked hand drag over his head combing back his black hair most nights before he went to bed. He knew it was not comforting and whatever this thing was, he knew it wanted a hold of his life and wouldn’t stop until it had him. When Michael was finally released from the school, things started to change for him and all his horrible experiences began to disappear. Years had passed and having found new friends, joined a band and found a new place to live, Michael was hopeful that things were starting to look up. That was until this one particular night at the studio. The next morning when he came out to his car, he was shocked to find a clump of long grey hair hanging from the passenger door. In a cold flush, he opened the door to find more hair on the ground inside. He threw it out onto the ground and sped off. When he arrived at the studio, he was completely restless and on edge. It was the bands’ final recording day and time to put everything together. As they started listening to the takes from the previous day, they heard a lot of muffling in the background. But when they isolated it from everything else, the strained, distorted tones of a voice became clear. The voice was that of an old woman. “You left me. You left me but I will never leave you”. Suddenly all the frequencies and noise levels pitched and all the screens went static. They shouted in terror for help as they found themselves unable to rise from their chairs. Suddenly all the lights went out and they were in darkness. But the more they struggled, the more pain they felt. That was the night when nobody went home.
Jess’ husband had passed away a number of years before and ever since then, she had been desperate to reconnect with him. She had tried mediums and clairvoyants before but nothing seemed to work. One night, Michael arrived home from a friend’s house but the minute he walked through the door, he could sense that something wasn’t right. He heard
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HALLOWEEN: THE SPOOKS
THE SPOOKS
EIRE
ANOTHER SPOOKY OFFERING THIS TIME TAKING THE FORM OF A POEM. SHORT & SWEET BUT EQUALLY CHILLING. BROUGHT TO YOU BY MIM’S OWN, BAUBIE SUNSHINE.
A spooky man Went spooking through A dark and disastrous place Upon a leaf He found a friend With a spooky little face They ran about For all of ever Across a moonlit floor Now you’ll hear Their howls amidst The darkened misty moor 36
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SPACE: THE GAS GIANTS
EIRE
SPACE
WHAT OH WHAT IS OUT THERE? THIS ISSUE WE CHAT TO PHILIP TINSLEY FROM THE ALUSKAS TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE GAS GIANTS JUPITER, SATURN, URANUS AND NEPTUNE.
“Earth could fit into Jupiter around 1000 times over” THE GAS GIANTS In the last issue of MIM, we looked at two planets; Mercury and Venus. This month, we’re taking a look at not two planets but four: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, also known collectively as the Gas Giants. These celestial bodies are referred to as such because they are huge and are composed mainly of gases. They occupy the farthest reaches of our solar system and are a long way from our Sun. Jupiter and Saturn have similar compositions, both internally & externally and both consist mainly of hydrogen & helium in their outer layers. It is also thought that they both have a liquid hydrogen core. Uranus and Neptune on the other hand, consist mainly of hydrogen and helium in their upper atmospheres but unlike Jupiter and Saturn, they have similar cores made up of water, methane and ammonia. The one feature that is common to all four gas giants is the rings of rock and ice around each of them (Saturn’s rings are the most famous of all due to their enormity and intricacy).
windy planet with average wind speeds ranging from 192-400mph. In 1979, the Voyager 1 spacecraft discovered that, like Saturn, Jupiter also has rings which encircle the planet. Unlike Saturn however, its rings, which consist of tiny dust particles, are very thin. Jupiter has upwards of 60 moons, the four largest of which are Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. These moons are known as the Galilean satellites as they were discovered by astronomer Galileo Galilei in 1610. This discovery was the first evidence of objects in our solar system that did not orbit the Sun or Earth. Now we move on to interesting facts about the planet. I will withhold Jupiter’s strange conspiracy theory until we have dealt with Saturn as it concerns both planets but I will reveal that it is chillingly known as the Lucifer project. JUPITER FACT: A STORM BIGGER THAN THE EARTH
JUPITER
The great red spot on Jupiter has been observed from Earth for hundreds of years but it wasn’t until the Voyager 1 mission in 1979 that we got a clear picture of it. This great red spot is actually a huge storm in Jupiter’s atmosphere located just south of the planets equator. It is big enough to contain two or three Earth-sized planets and rotates counter clockwise.
Jupiter gets its name from the king of the roman gods. It is by far the biggest planet in our solar system and all the other planets in the solar system would fit inside Jupiter. In fact, Earth could fit into Jupiter around 1000 times over. It also has the strongest gravitational pull of all the planets. The strength of its gravity is only second to the Sun. Jupiter is a very 38
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SPACE: THE GAS GIANTS
“Saturn ate most of his children, fearing that they would one day usurp him”
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SATURN Saturn is the second largest planet in the solar system and probably the most unusual looking, due to the prominent rings that surround it. Saturn is named after the roman god of time agriculture. In mythology, Saturn was the king of the gods until he was overthrown by his son Jupiter. A common story is that Saturn ate most of his children, fearing that they would one day usurp him. When Jupiter came to power, he forced Saturn to throw up, releasing his siblings who were still alive in Saturn’s stomach. The astronomer Galileo was the first to observe Saturn’s rings through telescope. However, he didn’t know what these rings were so he drew them as handles attached to either side of Saturn’s surface. He presumed these ‘handles’ were probably two large moons orbiting the planet. Another theory about Saturn’s rings was put forward by Leo Allatius, a catholic scholar and the keeper of the Vatican Library. He suggested that the foreskin of Jesus Christ had formed the rings around the planet as it ascended to Heaven. On that note it’s probably best to move onto the facts and also the aforementioned “Lucifer Project Conspiracy”. SATURN FACT: SATURN CAN FLOAT As we now know, Saturn is the least dense planet in the solar system. It is comprised mostly of hydrogen and helium which are the lightest of the elements. So although it may seem counter intuitive because of its enormous size, Saturn would actually float in water; that is if you could find an ocean or bathtub large enough to contain it. JUPITER & SATURN CONSPIRACIES: THE LUCIFER PROJECT Ok, I’ve probably led you on a bit with the name Lucifer, as most people associate the name with Satan himself. In this case however, I suspect this conspiracy is using the name Lucifer based on its meaning, rather than the character it’s associated with. Lucifer means ‘bringer of light’ or ‘light bearer’. There are different versions of this same conspiracy, some involving Jupiter, others involving Saturn, but the goal remains the same. NASA is accused by conspiracy theorists of attempting to turn these gas giants into stars by crashing probes containing plutonium into the planets in the hope of starting a nuclear fusion reaction. However, the reasons why they would want to do this are not clear.
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“Uranus is the only planet to be named after a Greek, not Roman, deity”
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URANUS NEPTUNE FACTS: NEPTUNE WAS DISCOVERED WITHOUT BEING SEEN
Named after the Greek god of the sky, Uranus is the third largest planet in the solar system. It was discovered in 1781 by astronomer William Herschel. He originally named it “the Georgian star” after King George III but the name didn’t stick and the planet was later named Uranus, continuing the tradition of naming the planets after gods. Uranus is the only planet to be named after a Greek, not Roman, deity. Uranus and Neptune are sometimes referred to as Ice Giants, as they have a higher concentration of icy material made of ammonia, water and methane. Both planets are thought to have cores made of ice and rock. The term Ice Giant however, is used more so to underline the differences between the four Gas Giants.
Neptune is the only planet in the solar system to have been discovered by mathematical prediction rather than direct observation. This doesn’t mean that the planet had never been seen by anyone before (the astronomer Galileo had previously observed Neptune as far back as 1613 but assumed that it was a fixed star and not a planet) but it wasn’t until 1845 that the planet was actually discovered. Working independently, Astronomers John Couch Adams and Urbain Le Verrier began work on the problem of Uranus’ orbital path. Astronomers had noticed an irregularity in Uranus’ orbit but this could be explained if there was a more distant planets’ gravity affecting Uranus. Both Adams & Le Verrier worked on calculations to determine the position of this possible planet. Johann Galle officially discovered the planet based on Le Verriers calculations in 1846 but this led to some dispute as Adams had also predicted the position of the planet but had not published his calculations.
Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any major conspiracies about Uranus or Neptune. I have done my usual research of meeting shady men in car parks and talking to people in tinfoil hats but have come up short. The lack of conspiracy theories about these planets is probably due to the fact that they are less familiar to us than the likes of Mars or Venus. Or maybe the truth about these planets is shielded so strictly from us by secret government organisations that even the most persistent conspiracy theorist can’t get any information. It’s definitely one of those reasons - you decide which one.
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URANUS FACT: URANUS ROTATES ON ITS SIDE Uranus is the only planet in our solar system that rotates on its side. The planet is tilted on its axis by more than a 90° angle, making it almost parallel to its line of orbit. The most common theory as to why the planet is on its side is that during the formation of Uranus in the early life of the solar system, it was involved in a collision with an Earth-sized object.
“The storm itself was as big as Earth and surrounded by winds moving at around 2000km/h”
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NEPTUNE Neptune is the furthest planet from the Sun in our solar system. It was named after the roman god of the sea. Neptune actually held the title of farthest planet until Pluto was discovered in the 1930’s. However, it has since regained this status as Pluto is now considered a Dwarf Planet. The planet is so distant from the sun that it takes 165 Earth-years to complete one orbit of the sun. One of Neptune’s most interesting features is the ‘Great Dark Spot’. It was first observed in 1989 by the Voyager 2 spacecraft but had subsequently vanished by 1994 when the Hubble telescope attempted to photograph it. Like Jupiter’s ‘Great Red Spot’, the ‘Dark Spot’ was in fact a massive storm in Neptune’s atmosphere. The storm itself was as big as Earth and surrounded by winds moving at around 2000km/h.
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Like the other gas giants, Neptune has many moons which orbit the planet; the strangest of these being Triton, which compared to Neptune’s other moons, orbits backwards. Its strange orbit suggests that Triton may have once orbited the sun but got captured by Neptune’s gravity as it passed too closely. Another theory suggests that Triton may have been pulled from the Kuiper belt, the disc of icy material composed of water, methane and ammonia that surrounds the solar system beyond the orbit of Neptune.
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Mim: Those gas giants sure are an interesting bunch. Thanks Philip! 41
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A bittersweet, Illustrated tale about a bodyless boy who struggles with being so different. 42
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COMICS ARE A SPECIAL ART FORM THAT WE WANT TO CELEBRATE. THIS ISSUE WE FEATURE A HELPFUL POODLE HERO AND A MULTIPLE EYED MONSTER...
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COMICS
NICOLA STUART MULTIPLE EYED MONSTERS WILL SIMPLY ALWAYS CATCH OUR ATTENTION. SO WHEN WE SPOTTED NICOLA STURT’S COMICS, FILLED WITH COLOURFUL CRITTERS WE HAD TO HAVE HER IN THE MAG. WE CHAT TO HER ABOUT MORNING CARTOONS, CREATIVE TEXTURES AND HERALD OWLETT...
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COMICS: NICOLA STUART
UK
MIM: IF YOU WEREN’T DESIGNING, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’D BE DOING?
MIM: CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND?
MIM: FINALLY, WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU?
NIC: I’ve been into drawing and making things for as long as I can remember. I left school and went straight into art college. I then went onto University and did a BA (hons) in Illustration. Having left uni, I’ve been trying to get out into the big Illustration world. In my spare time I like to make my own comics and I try and draw as much as I can.
NIC: I’m currently in the process of starting a new comic series titled Honeydew and Magic. It’s about a girl who happened to get a Tree Spirit stuck in her head and small tales about the world she lives in. I’m hoping to have this done by the end of the year (fingers crossed). I do have an Etsy shop where you can buy my Herald Owlett comics and some of my illustration work too. I hope to see you there!
NIC: Having grown up in the middle of the countryside, I guess something to do with nature as it’s kind of in my blood.
MIM
“I like to think it’s a mix of various old Saturday morning cartoons with a few videogame elements thrown in”
UK
MIM: CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE OF COMICS FOR US? NIC: I can’t pinpoint what exactly it is but I like to think it’s a mix of various old Saturday morning cartoons with a few videogame elements thrown in. There is a bit of action and a bit of story but overall it’s just a bit of fun. My first lot of comics are in black and white, but I have recently decided to upgrade and produce some in colour. I find it much easier to do these in colour and I also think it helps my style. MIM: WHAT TECHNIQUE DO YOU USE TO MAKE THE ILLUSTRATIONS? NIC: Let’s see, when I work digitally I tend to sketch a few ideas down and then run with the one I like best. I then ink it up and scan it into Photoshop. I’ve been using Photoshop now for about six years and I still haven’t fully got to grips with it yet. I’m still trying things out and seeing what works best with each drawing. I tend to be a little slower with digital work but I do find it works best when I do my comics; it’s easier to move things around and change things if need be. When I work with traditional media I tend to dabble with different styles, especially when it comes to my cut-out collage stuff. Depending on the size of these they can take anything up to a day to a week to do but I really enjoy creating them. With these, I do a little sketch of an idea, then from that I try to translate it to card. I cut out the shapes and after that start adding different textures to it; they can be anything from marker pens to spray paint to wrapping paper, anything really. It all seems to come together somehow and make an illustration image.
“It’s about a girl who happened to get a Tree Spirit stuck in her head and small tales about the world she lives in” MIM: CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR THANK GOODNESS FOR HERALD OWLETT COMIC AND WHERE YOU GET YOUR IDEAS? NIC: The comic started off as just a one shot about this character that I had created one day. I really just wanted to see what I could do with it but when I came to plotting a story, so many ideas were floating around. So I extended it to three small comics to make an adventure about him. The comics follow the adventures of a five eyed, blue monster called Herald Owlett; they are really about him finding out about what he really is and his powers whilst fighting the evil forces created by Bufu. A very simple good vs. evil story but hopefully very fun!
Mim: Go and get yourself this girl’s comics, they’re great! Thanks Nicola! 47
www.etsy.com/shop/Submarinecoat
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MISHI MEETS
POODLE
EIRE U.K.
MISHI IS STILL DISTRAUGHT BY THE NOTION OF POODLES. THE BERSERK WORLD OF MISHI CONTINUES COURTESY OF MIM’S OWN, BAUBIE SUNSHINE!
www.baubiesunshine.com
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PHOTOGRAPHY YAY, IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING AND HIGHLY ANTICIPATED BUT WE CAN NOW BRING YOU OUR BRAND NEW PHOTOGRAPHY SECTION. LET US INTRODUCE TO YOU THE FEEL GOOD SENTIMENTS OF RAMONA LANGNER AND THE EERIE LANDSCAPES OF MAGDA NOWACKA...
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PHOTOGRAPHY: RAMONA LANGNER
GERMANY
AT MIM, WE LOVE TO FIND PICTURES THAT MAKE US FEEL REALLY GOOD WHEN WE LOOK AT THEM. WHEN WE CAME ACROSS RAMONA’S PHOTOGRAPHY WE WERE INSTANTLY SMILING AND WE JUST HAD TO HAVE HER IN THE MAG...
“We all have memories we can’t really describe with words but a single picture often says it all” MIM: TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND.
In my opinion photography is the best way to express feelings and moods. We all have memories we can’t really describe with words but a single picture often says it all.
RL: I am a 24 year old freelance photographer from a small town near Munich in Germany. I just moved into a little house with my boyfriend and my bulldog Pebbles.
MIM: WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE THINGS TO PHOTOGRAPH?
MIM: WHAT GOT YOU INTO PHOTOGRAPHY? WHAT IS IT YOU LIKE ABOUT IT?
RL: I love taking pictures of animals and children because they’re honest and natural. They don’t pose or ask you to photoshop the whole picture like most of the models do.
RL: My Mom was the one who set my passion for photography alight. She always took a lot of photographs when I was a child (and she still does by the way). At the age of ten I finally wanted to take photos on my own. I saved all my pocket money and bought a little orange camera. I remember walking around for hours taking bad quality pictures of landscapes and flowers. But it wasn’t until I was seventeen that it became a real obsession.
MIM: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE OF PHOTOGRAPHY? RL: Colourful! Life can be really hard and sad sometimes. With my photos I want to show how even the little things can make you happy.
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MIM: YOU SAY YOU LOVE TO TAKE PHOTOS OF IRELAND. WHAT IS IT ABOUT IRELAND THAT YOU LIKE?
organisation against animal cruelty. I think it’s important that our society speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves.
RL: I am fascintated with Ireland ever since I was a teenager. Everytime I visit Ireland it feels like coming home. The people there are so lovely and they always treat you like an old friend even if they don’t know you. My boyfriend is half Irish and part of his family live in Cork. It’s a great place to stay but the place that impressed me the most so far was Connemara. The landscape is just breathtaking and a paradise for photographers.
Mim: These photographs make us feel so sunny inside! Thanks Ramona.
MIM: WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’D BE DOING IF YOU WEREN’T BEHIND THE CAMERA? RL: I probably would be working with animals. Maybe in a rescue shelter or even for an
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MAGDA NOWACKA
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PHOTOGRAPHY: MAGDA NOWACKA
MISS NOWACKA CERTAINLY HAS AN EYE FOR EERIE STRUCTURES AND BREATHTAKING CINAMATIC LANDSCAPES. WE CATCH UP WITH HER TO TALK ALL THINGS PHOTO...
“I can proudly say that my first camera was the now legendary Praktica with Carl Zeiss lenses, which I think is older than me”
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POLAND
MIM: WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE THINGS TO PHOTOGRAPH?
MAGDA: I was born and raised in Krakow, Poland and I’m living in Dublin the last six years. I decided to become a photographer about 10-12 years ago and so far it has been a wonderful journey. I’m a self-taught photographer and I did not finish any photography school. I have a degree in a completely different field altogether – International Relations. I mostly specialise in landscape and conceptual photography. In my work, which includes traditional and surreal photos of landscapes, I use a variety of techniques like infrared and ND filters, fisheye lenses and long exposures. In 2010 I started ArtWave (art-wave.org), a multicultural organisation which aims to promote every kind of art and every artist (new and already established). To do so, I am organising international exhibitions and small festivals, where artists can present their work.
MAGDA: It took me a long time actually to find my favourite field of photography. When I started I did a bit of everything and I was still learning the basics from my dad, from the internet or books and by just taking different kinds of photos. But I always loved nature and I love to travel, so very quickly landscape and nature photography took over everything else. I also heard from many people that even my old portraits and conceptual photos have a kind of “landscape feeling” in them. For example, many said that one of my photos of a guitar looks a bit like a lake with a railway bridge. Apart from traditional landscapes, I love the more eerie ones, which often are considered more artistic, in which you have to use specific filters or converted cameras e.g. infrared, ND filters for day-time long exposures etc.
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MIM: TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND.
POLAND
MIM: YOU ALSO USE AN INFRARED TECHNIQUE IN YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS?
MIM: WHAT GOT YOU INTO PHOTOGRAPHY? WHAT IS IT YOU LIKE ABOUT IT? MAGDA: There were a few factors that “helped” me to get into photography. First of all my dad is an amateur photographer, so there were always good cameras in our home and all the darkroom equipment. We always took a lot of photos from trips and of each other. There never was an option to go on holidays or even to visit a family without a camera with us. And also I can proudly say that my first camera was the now legendary Praktica with Carl Zeiss lenses, which I think is older than me. I still use it and it still takes unbelievable photos.
MAGDA: The first infrared photograph I saw was on Deviant Art a few years ago and I was enchanted. They were the kind of photos I wanted to take. I think I emailed everyone I could find who had been taking that kind of photo and read every tutorial on the internet and got all the filters. Photographers were extremely helpful. Every one of them got back to me sharing their IR “secrets”. At first it was hard work, especially in Photoshop as infrared needs a bit of extra post processing than a traditional photo. Another thing is that, when you are using the IR filter you need to have a very long exposure (depending on your camera of course). At that time I was not using a very IR sensitive camera, so I had to use at least 60-90 seconds exposure during sunny days.
I can’t remember when I got my own first point-and-shoot camera (film of course) but I must have been really young. It definitely was in primary school and I can remember my parents being very upset with me when I was coming back from a 3 day school trip with 6 rolls of film (36 exposures) and I was only present in a few of them (actually I’m still being told off by them for doing that). It continued through secondary school and I would have never even thought of myself as a photographer but I always enjoyed it. Then the digital era arrived and of course my dad got us a digital Sony compact camera and I fell in love. What I loved about it the most was that I didn’t have to wait for the effect until I finished the film and developed it. For me that was a miracle because I am a super impatient person and I want to see results straight away.
The final effects were good but not exactly what I wanted to achieve. On a windy day it was impossible to get crisp sharp photos e.g. of a tree (which look great in IR), so I bought another camera from my friend and I had it converted to IR. So this means that I could now take infrared pics without having a filter. The post processing is the same, whether you take photos with filters or use a converted camera. There are only two rules: set a proper white balance (focus on green) and then swap red and blue channels (because infrared pictures are… well…really red or pink). After that you can do your own post processing the way you like it. My personal favourites are IR blue & white or sepia landscapes and I would not recommend taking portraits using this technique as people’s skin and eyes look extremely artificial (unless that’s what you’re going for).
I created an account on one of the first social art websites, Deviant Art as a writer (as I have been writing poems and short stories since primary school). Very quickly I realised that no one wanted to read on the internet and visual images attract people more. Therefore, except holidays and family events photos, I started to take photos to portray my writings and make them more attractive. Soon I was spending more and more time taking photos and having more ideas than doing actual writing, so a few months after joining the site I changed the status from writer to photographer. Thanks to the people I met there and their tips and comments and my stubbornness, I had my first and solo exhibition in Krakow, Poland in 2006 and that was the turning point after which I decided to be a pro one day and I’m still getting there.
MIM: WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD? MAGDA: When I was really, really small I wanted to be a famous singer. The only problem about it was that I couldn’t sing and I still can’t though I really like it. So to have mercy on people’s ears, I do it only when I’m home alone. After that I wanted to be an archaeologist and this is still my little unfulfilled dream. Since I was eight, I read of the legends and mythologies of the most influential civilisations (Egyptian, Greek, Persian, Inca and Celtic, etc). I still love to read about it and every time I travel somewhere, ancient ruins are top of my must-visit and must-photograph list. Thoughts of becoming a photographer came much later.
What do I like about photography? It is difficult to just point out one thing. I love everything about it. It is a hobby, passion and the best way to express myself. While taking photos my favourite moment is when you look through the viewfinder, have all the settings of the camera the way you want and you hear this click-clack. I love it!
Mim: Our mouths fall open when we look at these shots, she’s a talent and a half. Thanks Magda!
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S F T O F RE I G E VE I D N
UT CK O NGE OF E H C RA NE EAT S ONLI R G E OUR GOODI ME AT: P I E O I IND L THE T OM/SH C . AL AG EITM K A M
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FILM WE LOVE A GOOD FILM HERE AT MIM. THIS ISSUE WE FEATURE A BLACK & WHITE PLASTICINE MODELLED STOP MOTION ANIMATION ABOUT SOME STRANGE SEA PEOPLE...
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FILM: JENNY KANZLER
US
WE LOVE STOP MOTION SO MUCH, THAT’S WHY WE WERE DELIGHTED TO INTERVIEW THE WONDERFUL JENNY KANZLER ABOUT HER NEW BLACK & WHITE ANIMATED SHORT, WORKING FOR SEA PEOPLE...
“The sudden death of his mother instigates a decision to join a company of Sea People who he meets in the ocean” MIM: CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOU AND WHAT YOU DO?
MIM: WHAT IS YOUR SHORT FILM WORKING FOR SEA PEOPLE ABOUT?
JK: My art training is in painting, drawing and sculpture and often focuses on metaphorical storytelling. I have been interested in stop motion animation as a spectator for a while now, enjoying animation and components of animation in the films of David Lynch, the Quay Brothers, Jan Švankmajer and Michel Gondry in particular. I am partly motivated by a desire to emulate these works and partly motivated by an interest in integrating visual, audio and temporal elements in storytelling, which come together in performance and film in a way that I have only just begun to understand. For me it’s a fascinating new territory to explore.
JK: Working for Sea People is based on an absurdist short fiction piece written by Abram Lynch. It’s a story about a genius child who fails to live up to the great promise of his capabilites. Unable to decide between prospects, he disengages and spends many years vacationing on a remote island. The sudden death of his mother instigates a decision to join a company of Sea People who he meets in the ocean. In essence, it’s a story about resignation with failure and loss.
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WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A STOP MOTION ANIMATION? DID YOU DESIGN THE CHARACTERS AND MAKE THEM? At first, I intended to illustrate Sea People in a series of pen and ink drawings (there are 90 or so pieces that accompany the film) but as I was making the drawings I became more interested in the descriptive and cinematic quality of the story. At that time I came across Eric Carbonara’s music and reconnected with Gavin Hecker, who was running PhilaMOCA in Philly, and so all the pieces were there - the story, the imagery, the sound and the screening / exhibition venue. Excited by the prospect, I modeled the characters rather spastically, in plasticine and drew on them with ink pens. The sets are also mostly drawing with ink combined with paper cutouts (for the videophone scene, for instance). I borrowed a tripod, hooked up my camera and after a few false starts, settled on a particlar look for the short and then struggled through the process, which was arduous but satisfying. CAN YOU TELL US WHO OR WHAT INSPIRES YOU? I am interested in the uncanny, the absurd, wonder and the connection of wonder, uncertainty and curiosity to childhood. WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD? A dentist or a mathematician. WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR YOU? ARE THERE ANY MORE FILMS IN THE PIPELINE? I am beginning work on a stop motion sci fi film about an impregnated city, using Metropolis, The City of Lost Children, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) as seed material.
Mim: We love this girls style and the next film sounds right up our street. Thanks Jenny! Watch ‘Working For Sea People’
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“I borrowed a tripod, hooked up my camera and after a few false starts, settled on a particlar look for the short”
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HANDMADE WE LOVE THE ART OF HANDMADE HERE AT MIM SO WE HAVE PICKED OUR FAVOURITES OF THE MOMENT FOR GROWN UPS AND MUNCHKINS. THERE’S SO MANY SUPER UNIQUE AND LOVABLE THINGS OUT THERE, MADE WITH SO MUCH LOVE! ♥
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HANDMADE
HANDMADE
BRAZIL
Large Porcelain Bud Vase by Tokyo Craft Studios. Super stylish! €27 / $32
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Wooden Magnets by Baubie Sunshine. Jazz up your fridge! €6.50 / $8.50
Embroidered Fawn by Gala Born. Decorate those walls! €42 / $52
Lola May Arrow Necklace by Baubie Sunshine. A tiny frame on a chain! €12.50 / $16.50
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Homemade Bread Miniatures by Sisunyak. Made from polymer clay! €14 / $17
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ENGLAND
Moustache Plush by The Doll City Rocker. What a smart skull he is! €18 / $22
BULGARIA
JAPAN
FROM HOMEMADE LAUNDRY SOAP TO MUSTACHE CLOCKS, THESE ARE OUR MOST FAVOURITE HANDMADE ITEMS FOR GROWN UPS. EVERY SINGLE ITEM IS CLICKABLE, BUYABLE AND OWNABLE!
Bamboo Mustache Clock by Paint It Green Hairy Time! €45 / $55 62
Sweet Orange Laundry Soap by Pepper Jack Home. 1 tbl spoon per load! €18 / $22
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MUNCHKINS
ARGENTINA
UKRAINE
GERMANY
Wooden Baby Blocks by Nanu Graphic. Comes in a range of fab designs €18 / $22
Little Wooden Mouse Box by Alfonnew. A cute place to hide things! €15 / $18
Jabbah Chair by Babu. It’s cardboard! €55 / $70
Mr. Moustache Baby Mobile by Jaell & Tofta €85 / $105
Mr Rabbit Striped Sock Plushie by The Yarn Kitchen €28 / $33
KENYA
PORTUGAL
Princess Bobby Pin by Dariami. Pretty and practical! €7 / $8.50
Rustic Wooden Tic Tac Toe by Stair Lodge Supplies. Organic Fun! €21 / $25
ITALY
HUNGARY
SCOTLAND
THE VERY BEST OF HANDMADE AND INDIE FOR CHILDREN FROM AROUND THE GLOBE!
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Silk Butterfly Wings by Ziezo Designs Let’s get flying! €22 / $26
WWW.B AU BIE S UN S HI N E . C O M
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EDIBLES WE COULD EAT ALL DAY HERE AT MIM, ESPECIALLY FROM NANNY’S KITCHEN! THIS ISSUE NANNY GETS ITALIAN WITH TOMATO & BASIL SOUP AND SALMON FUSILLI. HOW YUMMY...
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EDIBLES: BAKING WITH NANNY
BAKING WITH
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“My Tomato soup will heat you through and through” NANNY’S TOMATO & BASIL SOUP
INGREDIENTS: TOMATOES (1kg / 35oz) 1 ONION DICED RED SPLIT LENTILS (140g / 5oz) A SMALL BUNCH FRESH BASIL 4 CLOVES GARLIC 1 SMALL RED CHILLI (OPTIONAL) 1 VEGE STOCK CUBE BASIL TO GARNISH
“You could also add croutons or cream!”
Delic
ious! METHOD: Step 1: Add onions, garlic, chilli and lentils to your stock in a nice big pot. Cover and simmer for 15 mins until the lentils have softened. Step 2: Add the tomatoes and basil and simmer for a further 5 mins. Step 3: Add all ingredients to your food processor and whiz until smooth. Step 4: Bowl up and add some fresh leaves of basil and cream or croutons to taste. Step 5: Eat!
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TOMATOES There are around 7500 varieties of tomatoes out there in the world, including plum, cherry, beefsteak, grape and campari. Tomatoes can be eaten raw in salads, cooked in tomato soup or even in drinks as a Bloody Mary. I love a good Bloody Mary! Tomatoes contain Lycopene, which is a powerful anti-oxidant and this seems to be more prevalent in cooked tomatoes. They are also known to protect against sunburn and keep your skin healthy.
I prote
inst s ct aga
unburn
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MIM
“I love a good Bloody Mary!”
NANNY SUMS UP TOMATOES
OTHER THINGS CALLED TOMATO Tomato Lake is a seven hectare conservation wetland in Belmont, Australia. Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information and news about films. Fried Green Tomatoes is a 1991 comedy-drama film starring Kathy Bates and Jessica Tandy. Blue Tomato are a surf & snowboard clothing company. AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT TOMATOES When the tomato was introduced to Europe in the 1500s, The French called it “the apple of love.” The Germans called it “the apple of paradise”.
“This is a great dish when friends come over” SALMON FUSILLI INGREDIENTS: SMOKED SALMON (150g / 5.5oz) FUSILLI PASTA (250g / 8.5oz) 1 CARTON PASSATA OR CAN CHOPPED TOMATOES 2 CLOVES GARLIC ONE DICED ONION SALT & PEPPER 1 SMALL RED CHILLI (OPTIONAL) BASIL AND PARMESAN TO GARNISH
“smoked samlon, it’s delicious in pasta!”
METHOD: Step 1: In a pot add Fusilli, salt and dash of olive oil to water. Bring to boil and simmer for ten minutes. Step 2: At the same time get out your pan and add a dash of olive oil. When hot add onion, chilli, salt, pepper and sizzle. Step 3: Add chopped tomatoes or Passata to the pan. Step 4: When pasta is cooked to your taste, remove water. Step 5: Add salmon to sauce. Cook for 3 minutes. Step 6. Add Fusilli to your pan of sauce and mix around until all the pasta is covered in sauciness. Step 7. Plate up, add basil and parmesan. Step 8. Eat!
mim: Oh god, we’re starving! 67
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QUESTIONS FOR
OUR AGONY AUNT MIGHT BE A CANINE BUT SHE CERTAINLY LOVES TO GIVE ADVICE. THIS ISSUE, COMET DEALS WITH YOUR HEALTH WORRIES...
COMET HEALTH TIPS FOR THE WORKING HUMAN Hello everybody and welcome again to my self-help section that could help you become a more tolerant person. This time round I’m talking about health issues that affect both humans and dogs alike.
"Just be thankful you don’t get my other condition, Kaleido-Eye"
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SUE IN FINGLAS: HEY COMET. I WOKE UP THIS MORNING WITH A LOT OF LOWER BACK PAIN. IT’S HARD TO WALK AND REACH FOR ITEMS HIGHER THAN MY WAIST. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
COMET: Well Sue, your problem is that you humans were never designed to walk upright. You evolved from a lower species of ape that predominantly walked on all fours, like me. Over time, you humans jerked your back vertical, in a sharp twisting motion so you could reach items on tops of counters and fridges and the like. The unnatural upright stance that you people sprint around with can only lead to severe spinal injuries and sometimes complete severance of the spinal cord. My advice to you would be arch your back forward as much as possible, while using your knuckles for balance and re-learn to scuttle around on all fours. In this position, you will find both mating and fighting more comfortable.
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AGONY AUNT: Q’S FOR COMET
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CLANCY IN MURSHEEN DURKIN: HI THERE. I WAS RUNNING FOR THE BUS THE OTHER DAY AND FOR A SPLIT SECOND I THINK MY VISION DISAPPEARED AND I FELL OVER. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?
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COMET: Ah, I see. You sound worried. Don’t be! This happens all the time to me. It’s called Temporary Blindness or Creeping Blackout. This condition will only worsen for you but please don’t fear; I get it all the time, sometimes 6 – 20 times a day. One time it lasted for 4 hours but then it just came back, one eye at a time. Just be thankful you don’t get my other condition, Kaleido-Eye. This happens when I reach a certain stage of hysteria (usually park induced ball throwing) whereby my vision changes into a kaleidoscope effect and I think I enter some kind of 4th dimension. But as your creeping blackout condition worsens, you will become more comfortable with it and develop a type of sonar or echo location that will guide you through bustling cities. NEXT!
“And even if you do die, an autopsy will be carried out and your cause of death will be determined”
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OSCAR IN FRANKFURT: HEY COMET, LOVE YOUR COLUMN. I RECENTLY GOT A KITTEN AND I NOTICED I HAVE DEVELOPED AN ITCHY SKIN RASH THAT GETS WORSE WHEN THE CAT IS NEAR ME. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
COMET: Well that’s your own damn fault for getting a cat. Why don’t you just shut up? Like I always tell people, cats are stupid and lazy. You probably have Cat-Aids or something.
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LEELA IN TALLAGHT: DON’T YOU JUST HATE IT WHEN YOU TURN INSIDE OUT FOR LIKE TEN MINUTES WHEN NOBODY IS AROUND? SEE YA TOMORROW.
COMET: Well you’re not really looking for advice there Leela, but anyway. No, that doesn’t happen much to me, but if it doesn’t stop you doing the things you love, then just ignore it. Like the way I ignore the thing on my back that I can’t see. I’ll end by saying that as with most health problems, they usually go away as quickly as they came. But next time you are ill, always try to imagine the worst case scenario. Maybe it IS Cat-Aids, maybe it IS Kaleido-Eye. Take Leela for example, it sounds like something very ancient is happening to her but she seems happy and unless you die from whatever terrifying disease you have, it doesn’t matter. And even if you do die, an autopsy will be carried out and your cause of death will be determined so that future generations will not have to suffer in the same manner you did. Ciao for now, Comet.
Mim: If you are inclined to take advice from dogs we cannot be held responsible for the canineinspired madness that ensues! Thanks Comet!
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WE JUST COULDN’T POSSIBLY FIND IT ALL OURSELVES. SO IF YOU THINK WE’VE MISSED OUT HAVING YOU IN THE MAG, THEN PLEASE EMAIL US WITH SAMPLES OF YOUR WORK TO MAKEITMAG@GMAIL.COM
ISSUE 4: SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012 Editor: Maggie Stills Sub Editor: Animal Kovax Illustration / Layout / Design: Baubie Sunshine Contributors (Issue 4): Jack Valentine & Luke Seery (Music), Philip Tinsley (Space), Lynn McGlynn & Debbie Byrne (Halloween) Nanny (Edibles), Comet (Agony Aunt) Published by Zebra In A Top Hat Press Cat No: MIM004 Text and Illustrations Copyright owned by MIM / Zebra In A Top Hat Press ℗ & © &☺2012. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission from the Editor / Illustrator / Publisher. www.makeitmag.com www.zebrainatophatpress.com
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