by calen knauf and dan climan

PF Flyers laces sneakers and art even closer together with Art and Sole 2010—an art shoe project and auction taking place across Canada during August and September. With no-fewer than 40 artists on the roster, it’s of little surprise that this four-city art project is gearing up to be one of the most influential events of the season. There are no limitations set on the background, or the approach of the contributing artists; the common goal is a simple one: put a unique twist on the classic sneaker silhouette. Forty per cent of the proceeds from Art and Sole 2010 will be donated to various organizations around Canada; the rest goes back to the artists—some of whom we’ve profiled below.
[artandsole2010.tumblr.com]

Calen Knauf
This resident of East Vancouver is an industrial design student at Emily Carr who finds great pleasure in examining the natural and built spaces that surround him. A self-described ‘stickler for furniture,’ Calen has been featured in numerous ‘creative spaces’ profiles—his being meticulously organized, which can be seen as an almost direct contrast to his organic flowing artist style. His design work has been commissioned by the likes of Adidas, Stüssy, Trakstar, Color Magazine and ION. And when not working on something creative, Calen can be found mentally preparing for the day when aliens invade earth—he’ll be the only one well and truly prepared.
[www.calenknauf.com]

Dan Climan
Dan is another Vancouver-based artist who focuses on hand-drawn illustrations, but with a grungy New York City skate-punk aesthetic. Originally from Montreal, Dan is now enrolled at the Emily Carr where he is studying painting. To make ends meet, he also designs flyers for weekly parties and events in the Vancouver area. Dan’s vibrant and humourous design work consists mainly of his signature script and character based themes; not surprisingly, this sneaker enthusiast is also a regular contributor to Color Magazine. When not working on his personal projects, Dan is known to collaborate with Calen Knauf (with whom he shares a creative live/work space) and punking friends around town.
[www.dancliman.blogspot.com]

by lupe martinez

Lupe Martinez
Born in Buenos Aires in 1980, Lupe Martinez is a talented Vancouver-based illustrator, painter and conceptual artist. Her work ranges from dream-like landscape paintings to textile-based installations that are founded on a philosophy that art is a medium for creating awareness and igniting the exploration of one’s inner self. With a BFA at the National University of Arts (IUNA), the 30-year-old artist has an extensive list of exhibitions to her name, not to mention a stint at Emily Carr in 2007, as well as myriad workshops and seminars in Europe, South America and Canada. Today the award-winning artist works from her permanent studio at the Dynamo.
[www.lupe-martinez.com]

by zema lam

Zema Lam
Comic-cum-pop artist Zema Lam calls Montreal home and as such, the streets are adorned with her unique graffiti murals and illustrations. Working in tandem with husband Frank Lam, the multidisciplinary artist is as comfortable painting in Montreal’s back alleys as she is with canvas and other media. Her style has been described as “pop-surrealist” and “lowbrow cartoon-trash,” yet whichever way you choose to look at it, Zema is on the cutting edge of Canada’s contemporary arts movement. From video to graphic design and everything in between, Zema’s creations are exaggerated and emotive. There is simply no avoiding the charming allure of her work.
[www.zema-ink.com]

by andrew tong

Andrew Tong
Vancouver’s own Andrew Tong is a fine artist in every sense. Born and raised in London, England, Andrew is a graduate of Reigate School of Art and Design and has had a pencil or paint brush in-hand from an early age. His work varies from the fantastic to the horrific and captures the imagination in a twisted fashion. Each image, character or scene has a life unto itself. And while his work is technical and multi-layered, Andrew creates portraits and still-life studies that are approachable and enticing. Well versed in the ways of the Old Masters, Andrew Tong brings a philosophy of exploration and self-discovery to the masses.
[www.andrewtongart.com]

by juliana neufeld

Juliana Neufeld
Torontonian Juliana Neufeld is a talented artist whose illustrations, paintings and mixed-media creations grace the pages of many local and international magazines, packages and gallery spaces. Recently voted the winner of Applied Arts Magazine’s Photography and Design Award for best packaging, the young artist is on the fast track to great things. Her work is both multi-faceted and vivid, without being overly involved or complex. It is therefore no wonder that the likes of Exclaim Magazine and Element Skateboards are commissioning work from this bright young star. Along with her work in books and magazines, Juliana is preparing for her first solo show, which will be hosted by Toronto’s Sleeping Giant gallery in September.
[www.juliananeufeld.com]

by peru dyer

Peru Dyer
An avid traveller and linguist, Peru Dyer (aka Peru143) is originally from Lima, Peru, but he now calls Montreal home. His moniker, as you might gather, is an homage to the country of his birth; the ‘143’ inspired by the self-assigned number of the home he grew up in. Now firmly entrenched in the Canadian art world, the freelance illustrator and muralist is making his indelible mark on the streets and in galleries alike. His work ranges from vibrantly colourful lettering and pop-art characters on the streets to images of geometric shapes and figure studies on canvas and paper. A humanitarian at heart, Peru Dyer gives particular focus to issues affecting the environment and aims to “educate and inspire” through his God-given talent.
[www.peru143.com]

Words: Nick Hanekom

Highly recommend watching/experiencing the video for The Arcade Fire’s The Wilderness Downtown.

Get acquainted with Charlotte Stokes and Alicia Wrobel…

STYLIST
CHARLOTTE STOKES
Charlotte styled our fashion editorial in this issue. Australia seems like a cruel place for a red headed girl to be born but Charlotte Stokes thrived while living directly under the hole in our ozone. She worked down under as a fashion editor and stylist until she made the move to Canada, just over a year ago. Vancouver has kept her busy and the area’s moderate climate has been easier on her complexion. She’s stoked to be working with ION and looks forward to flawless skin in 20 years thanks to a rigorous dedication to sun screen.

[www.nobasura.com]

WRITER
ALICIA WROBEL
Alicia wrote the swimwear article in this issue. She hopes her cool glasses will convince someone to hire her as her degree in communications with a minor in publishing is proving to be more use folded as a paper airplane. She likes traveling, vintage teacups, Starbucks, sangria, mason jars, coffee ice cream, and still has yet to find a horror movie that scares her. Put a picture of a moth in front of her, or worse yet a real moth, and she will probably rip your head off—or the moth’s. In her free time she enjoys finding the most interesting words in the English language, one of which will always be ‘loaf’. She often wonders why she doesn’t get mail from carrier pigeons because it would be awesome.

Get acquainted with Jenkin Au and Andrea Tiller…

WRITER
JENKIN AU
Jenkin interviewed Vladimir Kato for this issue. Bio in third person? Jenkin would normally laugh. In fact, I know Jenkin so well that he’d probably make something up on the spot, like the chocolate chunking up on his teeth. Jenkin thinks photography is a sham and would never touch it. He also thinks writing is for the dogs and will never write a single piece in his life. Jenkin is a short scrawny Asian kid who thinks he was born here and wishes he was a super chef. He’s also a comic book nerd and he thinks that porn would be great in a 4-D theatre. Jenkin is my best friend.
[www.justalilhype.com/blog/jenk]

MAKEUP
ANDREA TILLER
Andrea did the makeup for our shoot with Die Antwoord. Dre was born and raised for most of her childhood in Peru by an Austrian father and Peruvian mother. This explains why she has Latina flare and an appreciation for art, music, fashion and culture. She’s been painting faces for the last five years in Vancouver and has been a regular contributor to ION. She dreams of doing makeup for Lil Wayne one day and possibly marrying him.

[www.andreatillermakeup.com]

The Raveonettes covering The Stone Roses for Dr. Marten’s 50th Anniversary.

Reviews of the latest from Kylie, Mogwai, Procedure Club and Wolf Parade.

Kylie
Aphrodite
Capitol
The beauty of what sets Kylie Minogue’s 20-year career apart from that of other decade-spanning pop icons like Madonna is that while Madge and co. have radically reinvented themselves for every comeback, Kylie has fought all conventional wisdom and stuck to what she does best: dance. (Dance! DANCE!) When she did experiment—with Body Language’s R&B flavour, or X’s scattershot of electro, disco and conventional radio bait—her unrepentant club beats lacked their usual luster. But Aphrodite is as precisely and distinctively Kylie as we’ve seen since Fever—catchy, heart pumping, love struck pop. Kylie sums up her 11th album in its title track (over a primal Rhythm Nation-style drum line): “It’s the truth / It’s a fact / I was gone and now I’m back.” It’s an auspicious return that hits every note longtime fans want their nouveau-disco queen to hit. Pop-rock “Cupid Boy” is a characteristically exuberant love song, and “All the Lovers,” the lead single whose music video has Kylie writhing in a 15-story-high dogpile of half-naked models (think Human Centipede meets the video for “Slow”—don’t fight it, you know it sounds hot), is simply euphoric synthpop. And “Get Outta My Way,” the album’s pièce de résistance, marks Kylie’s throwdown dance floor hit, every bit as infectious as “In Your Eyes” or “Love at First Sight.”
-Nojan Aminosharei

Mogwai
Special Moves
Rock Action
Mogwai are a cute, fuzzy, little chipmunk things that you buy from secret underground shops in Chinatown. They make delightful pets, multiply in numbers if you get them wet and turn into fiendish gremlins if fed after midnight. Mogwai is also a band from Scotland. They do really long, really pretty, cinematic sounding songs. Their live album is an elegant sampling of their best work. It comes with a DVD of the concert. As far as live albums go, there’s nothing absolutely mind blowing here. That said, Mogwai themselves are mindblowing. This might be a good introduction for the unfamiliar or a good way to revisit them if you haven’t paid attention to them in a while. -Kellen Powell

Procedure Club
Doomed Forever
Slumberland
Like
Halley’s Comet or a successful Oakland Raiders season, noise pop is a thing again for the first time in decades and we’re all paying attention. The best part about the genre is the idea that the melody is the Aspirin you require to ease the pain while the unearthly tones and production are the jam to spoon-feed to the contrarian music fan. If Procedure Club’s Doomed Forever was stripped down the songs would be more akin to Shonen Knife’s than they are to Prolapse’s. But with 8-bit drums and guitars referencing the out-of-tune stylings of Chin Chin (an excellent re-release by Slumberland Records, by the way) the band becomes both catchy to the easy summer listener and respected by the stubborn I-Hate-All-Pop-Music art house fatty. Add the fact that the song structures range from the waltzy finger waggling of “Rather” to the sludgy butt-rock crawl of “Nautical Song” and you’ve got yourself a record to give you late night cred at a gallery opening while you secretly smooch it goodnight before you place it in a lavender scented box under your bed next to a copy of The Gentle Waves’ The Green Fields of Foreverland.
-Trevor Risk

Wolf Parade
Expo 86
Sub Pop
A sentence I hear more and more lately is, “(band name) had to make (mediocre album) so that they could make (clearly superior album).” I’ve heard it said about Ariel Pink’s latest. I’ve heard it said about the last two or three Animal Collective releases. I am hoping beyond hope to hear it when the next Strokes album is released. However, I may have to use that sentence to talk about Expo 86. At Mount Zoomer, Wolf Parade’s previous release, fell short of my ridiculously high expectations. However, Wolf Parade brought the sprawling, ass-kicking aspects of Zoomer into the fold with the flawless hooks and energy of Apologies to the Queen Mary. On Expo 86, it no longer seems that the primary songwriters, Dan Boeckner and Spencer Krug, are dueling with each other. Rather, they seemed to work that relationship out on Zoomer and their respective side projects. What we are left with is a more cohesive, focused album that seems more representative of the talent involved. Plus, the album art is effing amazing.
-Ian Urbanski

David Choe is someone you should get to know as he’s one of the most talented artists around. His work can be seen in galleries all over the world, Facebook headquarters, the White House and alleyways behind convenience stores. He recently released a 288-page monograph with Chronicle Books that needs to be checked out for the introduction alone (it consists of disses he found by Googling “David Choe”). We had a chance to do an interview with him via email and jumped at the opportunity. Normally email interviews suck and we try not to do them, but we made an exception because David Choe is as good a writer with a keyboard as he is with a spray can.

Why is 2010 a good year for David Choe?
I got to eat whatever I want and get the fattest I’ve ever weighed and still meet the girl of my dreams (and then, of course, destroyed it). I won the most amount of money in the universe gambling with my best friend Harry, I made the most amount of money from selling paintings, I got Dan the Automator to help build me a music studio, I got to walk my parents into a mansion and say to them “this is yours.” Besides that everything is fucking shitty.

Your book has the most entertaining introduction I’ve ever read in art book. Clearly you don’t give a shit what other people say about you. What’s the best slag of yourself you’ve ever read?
That my art = AIDS, which I actually take as a compliment, AIDS has devastated many countries and communities all over the planet, and I plan to do the same with my art. And by the way, I do care what people say. I was crying my eyes while putting that intro together, you might even be able to see some tear stains.

Superheroes are prevalent in your early work. Who is the best superhero and why?
Me. I got a secret hideout, I have super friends, I have a million disguises, and aliases. I can turn invisible, sometimes I can fly, but really low to the ground and only backwards (like ice skaters when they skate backwards) and only for short bursts. I can throw my voice, change it and emit high pitched shrieks that can split eardrums. I’m ambidextrous, I can have multiple orgasms, and I can’t die, and I’m real.

Some people think your work is misogynistic. I think you love women more than any man on the planet. What’s the truth?
I want to love the living shit out of them. I think like all men, sometimes I want to bow down at the alter of woman, and kiss their feet, and other times I’d like to cut their heads off with a rusty chainsaw and use their hollowed out heads as a spittoon and I don’t even chew tobacco. In the end it’s all because of love. You don’t have the lust to murder, beat and kill unless you have the passion for love. A woman actually called me a faggot for not raping her last week, but I’m almost 109% sure it’s not rape, if someone’s asking you to do it.

What’s the most difficult thing about painting with your own blood?
Everything that happened in my life affects my art. I’m left handed so all my drawing from my childhood ended up getting smudged with my palm while drawing, so I could never develop a clean style, and that’s why my art style is very dirty. As a kid I had a lot of bloody noses, and I would always draw laying on my stomach in front of the TV. So sometimes while I was drawing a big red dot would appear on the page, before I realized it was my own blood. As a young teenager to adulthood, I had my nose broken four times so I would have even more bloody noses, so with a combination of being dirty and drippy, that’s why I end up using so much blood. The most difficult thing about it, is how to preserve it on the page after it dries, since it turns brown and chips and cracks away. Nothing lasts forever.

In your book you share an anecdote about how you spent days on a painting for the client then they ended up wanting a 10-minute doodle you did instead. Why do you think people connect with your work that’s fast and loose?
I think that’s the case with anything creative, because if you really are good at your job, everyone will always like the fast fresh inspired and spontaneous approach over what’s been contrived and laboured over. Freestyle. What’s better going to watch a fight or seeing a fight breakout at the IHOP parking lot? What’s funnier than someone shitting their pants while falling down an escalator?

You’ve got a notorious personality and reputation. Does it bother you when people aren’t able to look at your work without taking that into account?
A lot of things bother me, but all I need is a two-hour drum solo followed by a very hard fuck or a vigorous jerk, to flush all my worries and frustrations away. I’m Korean so I was born already judging right out the womb. I was already passing judgment on my mom’s vagina pushing-out skills and the doctor’s fanny-wack performance, so if people want to judge my work on my horrible personality, what can I say don’t read my interviews, or watch my shows. Let the work speak for itself.

You mention how self-destruction is important to you work. So what’s the most depraved or self-destructive thing you’ve ever done?
Suicide, duh! And I’m writing this shit right now, so obviously I sucked at it. I’ve never had a hard black penis in mouth with tears streaming down my face, but I have put the black shiny barrel of a gun in my mouth, and kept it there.

You wrote, “The one thing that enables men to succeed in anything is pussy.” You’re quite successful so how much pussy are you getting these days?
Actually none, I can be quite braggadocios and over confident when relaying messages to the opposite sex about my sexual prowess, saying things such as” I’m gonna fuck the living shit out of you and tear your world apart, I’m gonna make you feel things you’ve never felt before!!” These kinds of mental images usually get the women well lubricated to the point of overflow, so we go at it, heavy make out action tearing each others clothes, only to have my penis which is always hard, get a little too excited and have him puke his brains out inside my pants. This happens all the time, so I’ve still yet to penetrate, but I’m concentrating heavily on penetration for 2010 and made it one of my top five goals. So I’ve yet to get any “pussy” and I just now realized that was a pretty rude and vulgar question.

Die Antwoord are on our cover right now. When I interviewed them they had kind things to say about you. Tell me about your friendship with them?
Ninja and Yo-landi are my family. They grew up in an area where they are so strange, unique beautiful and creative, that they were shunned and made fun of, and they rose from all that bullshit to become the biggest performing duo in the universe. We are on the same paths, brothers from other mothers. I feel like when you are on a spiritual, sexual and emotional journey through time and space, and you want to bring, love joy, and happiness into the world, even if you, yourself, want to kill yourself, you end up meeting other spirits, creatures, bands of misfits, along the road, that bond instantly. It’s as if you knew them your whole life, with no beginning and no end. Watch us penetrate the world together.

Your work is hanging in a lot of awesome places. Facebook Headquarters and The White House to name a few. What place brings the biggest smile to your face?
The painting in the White House is pretty fucking sick, there’s a secret message on that painting written in glow in the dark paint, so you can only see it at night. That makes me laugh, I never get bored because I’m always making myself laugh, impressing myself, or making myself cum.

What’s the secret message?
If I told you it wouldn’t be a secret, now would it? But nice try anyways.

What’s next for David Choe? What haven’t you done yet that you’d like to do?
I already told you fucker… penetrate.

[www.davechoe.blogspot.com]

Words: Michael Mann

Really bad gig posters are the equivalent of projectile vomiting on the audience according to Christine Hale. And let’s face it, there is only a small minority of sick perverts out there who enjoy that. The illustrator, designer and musician with Montreal-based band, The Hoof & The Heel, hopes that instead, her surrealist, cartoon animations simply speak to people. “There are three kinds of gig posters: the ones that just speak, the ones that are visually stunning, but kind of mumble or speak their own language; and then the ones that can speak, but also be visually aesthetic, which is what I try to do with my posters.” If you’re a charity or non-profit, Christine may just pick up her pencil and make you a poster for free because that’s just the kind of nice gal that she is.

[www.posterswiththemosters.com]

Check out some more of her posters…

LEO
Even when it’s your time of year, remember that even the cutest of polar bears can’t smile or wink away the melting ice caps. Nor can your excellent hair save you from terrible shoes. Avoiding areas that need attention will only lead to, well, less excellent hair overall.

VIRGO
You’ll never get anything done if you just stand there. Take off your pop-bottle glasses and headgear and step into the friggin’ sunshine already! I’m sure that under all that nonsense, you’re even an attractive person. And if not, follow someone attractive to a Pilates class!

LIBRA
Remember to sort your plastics from your paper and glass—especially now. Avoid certain death by reading from solar-powered iPads instead of wasteful printed pulp and paper publications. You don’t want the Green Army to penalize you for not donating enough endangered Milk Thistle seeds to the We-Live-Better-Than-You-Live Society. Or maybe you DO!

SCORPIO
Sylvester Stallone’s mother, Jackie, is also an astrologer. In addition to inventing “rumpology” (AKA the palmistry of your butt), she has published books on more traditional star signs. In one, she says Scorpians are known for their beautiful genitalia. Share my confidence in Jackie and make your gifts KNOWN already!

SAGITTARIUS
It’s not your fault if that lunchtime quickie left your house and was immediately hit by a bus. Fact is, bad stuff happens. If you ever wanna avert a global disaster—ie a Backstreet Boys Reunion LP—don’t be so fucking hard on yourself. Only a useless idiot would keep that up!

CAPRICORN
Being alive is a lot like baking a cake. Too much salt and it’s game over. Plus, you only get one chance (per cake). Just for kicks, why not try a new approach to creating something you can be proud of. Season these upcoming months with moderate doses of fun rather than typical binge drinking marathons. You’re an irritating drunk.

AQUARIUS
When the Aquarian Sun aligns with the Pescatarian Moon, a Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian will become a Twilight Vegan. Translation: you will be bombarded with watery, meaningless tripe this season. Question is, will you choose to ingest it?

PISCES
Dear Piscean, allow me to impart some wise words I once shared with my fishy mother. MAKE A FUCKING DECISION ALREADY. It’s not like you haven’t weighed the shit out of the options. Or, conversely, don’t. It’s not my life.

ARIES
Aries-heads have a lot goin’ on. Always good with your hands, great skin etc, etc. It’s just that dour-as-shit grimace you’ve been sporting recently that’s putting people off. You know that expression about lemons? Well stop sucking them already! Whiney looks about as good on you as navy socks in tan leather sandals look on my mother.

TAURUS
You bulls have such a crummy reputation. It’s always you, bottle in hand, clumsily smashing delicate objects with your knobby heads. More than once, you are the first to leave the party—out of shame. I’ve always felt that you have so much more to offer. But you know what? I’ve been wrong before!

GEMINI
Using the expression “polar opposites” to describe two incomparable things seems wrong to me. First of all, the North and South Poles are BOTH fucking inhabitable wastes of space. Secondly, they’re similarly icy cold, lame, and remote. Maybe your “bi-polar” personalities aren’t such opposites either. Think about it…

CANCER
Not everyone wants a Cancer. The sooner you realize this, the sooner you can dump that piece of trash you’re dating and aim for someone who actually wants you for you. Someone hot? Focused maybe? Even rich? Nevermind, you’re gonna ignore this and just “take a break” aren’t you?

Ryan Kerr is an artist, author and performer based in Toronto. His first book, On Growin’ Up was just recently published and should be 10% as successful as a Canadian Bestseller by the end of this year. Ryan has a fetish for vintage glassware and things in general that are pretty but impractical. He also laughs at his own jokes.
[www.ongrowinup.com]

Here’s a sneak peek of the cover of our Fall Fashion issue. It’s features Dave 1 and P-Thugg from Chromeo. It’s printing right now so stay tuned!

In the year 200X, the scientist Dr. Thomas Xavier Light created a robot which he called Mega Man. After the success of his creation Dr. Light and his assistant Dr. Wily built several other robots to defend against the dangers to humans. With what could only be described as premeditated insanity, Dr. Wily re-programmed the new machines to take control of the planet. In a world of allies, heroes and legends, Mega Man was a machine to create freedom. After a most tumultuous fight and adventure, Mega Man was nearly destroyed only to have his unconscious body saved by Breakman, a robot who regularly blocked Mega Man’s path along the way only to disappear after he was defeated. When Mega Man came to, Dr. Light revealed that Breakman was actually his first creation… Protoman. Turns out that Protoman has a band and they will never let the darkness win. We caught up with two of the players in their hometown of Nashville, Tennessee.

Tell our readers about the musical climate of Nashville.
Commander: It’s a strange beast, for sure. Most people associate it with Country music and the industry surrounding it, but in reality, there is a shit load of rock and roll happening there. Secretly, almost every rock band in Nashville is wishing that the rest of the world would appreciate how much good non-country music is coming out of Nashville, and simultaneously terrified that any high profile exposure from the rock community would damage their “cred.” Either way, the best players, country and not, are in Nashville.

If Nashville did get that attention, and it lost it’s underdog mentality would the city lose something? Do you like that the rock and roll talent is somewhat of a guarded secret?
Panther: That’s a good question. Every once in a while something comes out of Nashville that rattles the Rock and Roll cage a bit. Something like Kings of Leon, or that Paramore fellow, or even that hot Ke$ha robot. Even The Pink Spiders made a go of it. It’s strange to watch the musicians in Nashville get ruffled by other Nashville success stories. There’s a camaraderie that exists between all the bands struggling to get by and it seems that once a band has gotten their head above water, they’re banished from the scene. We’ve never really been Nashville darlings anyway, so we’re not really in any danger of being banished… or getting our heads above water for that matter, but I think if that camaraderie could stand even after a band gets it’s feet on solid ground, the whole scene could rise up. Maybe Nashville just wants to live together and die together. Up or down, we’re with her all the way.

What is your live show like? How do you pull it off?
Panther: We pretty much do everything that the Blue Man Group does, except we’re silver instead of blue…. and don’t have anywhere close to the budget they have. Oh, and we play much tougher jams. On the road, we take 10 brave men and women, forgo sleep and nutrition, disregard any and all safety precautions and barrel our way through the country playing rock and roll. It’s not a pretty job…. but at least it doesn’t pay well. We take three times as much gear as any smart traveling rock band, spend twice as much time getting ready for shows, and take nine times as long loading out. But what we lack in blazing speed and efficiency, we make up with sassy good looks and raging beauty.

So when “Give Us The Rope” begins, do some uninitiated fans think you may be busting into a cover of Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s “Shimmy Shimmy Ya”?
Panther: By God, if they don’t, we haven’t done our job.

The Protomen: Jesus Christ Superstar sung by “Thunder Road”-era Springsteen… if Christ was actually Mega Man. Is that a fair observation?
Panther: Yes. Nailed it. That’s the best description we’ve heard so far. Truthfully though, the religious overtones probably stem from the fact that the Bible is one of the best tales of good vs evil ever. We also would’ve accepted “The Protomen: Masters Of The Universe, as sung by Streets Of Fire era Diane Lane…. if that Dolph Lundgren fellow was actually Mega Man… and If Diane Lane was a bunch of dudes in makeup.” Actually, our description wins because it has the all-important “as written by Jim Steinman” clause implied…. and it also has Diane Lane.
Commander: Originality is like dancing with a one legged bear…nearly impossible, and if you mess up, you’re dead.

Take us through the process of writing to recording, specifically the parts that feature a choir of voices.
Panther: Ah yes. The Human Choir. It was, personally, the most entertaining part of the writing/recording process. I wrote almost all of the choir parts myself and even demoed some of them, Jeff Lynn style—Me recorded over and over and over. In the end, we really needed more voice than just mine. We ended up with some really amazing girls that the Gambler has worked with in the Nashville theatre scene, as well as some tough-ass guys that Murphy and I have worked with in the rock world. The blend of classically trained vocalist and fury-filled amateurs gave us what we were looking for.

Act II has far less Mega Man overtones than your self titled previous album. Why the retreat?
Panther: We don’t view it as a retreat. This new act dealt more with the humans that created the robots. Mega Man wasn’t even a character yet. Protoman is just being created during the last 16 measures of the act. On the whole, this new album is far more… human… than Act I. Because of that, it deals with much more universal themes than say, a robot army takeover, and a robot on robot grudge match. We’ll get back to the robot destruction. That’s what Act III is for.

So what can we expect from Act III and when can we expect it?
Commander: All out war. It’s too soon to get into details, but it’s going to be huge. We’ve already started working on some things, but don’t expect to see/hear it for a while. Touring with Act II is taking up most of our time, but I can tell you there won’t be as long of a gap between Acts II & III as there was between I & II.

Capcom; what’s their reaction?
Panther: I’m going to tell you the honest-to-God truth here. Capcom is sort of like a giant corporate goldfish. Once every six months, their community representative contacts us with a very polite “Hi, we’re Capcom… we really like your band and wanted to say hi and introduce ourselves” letter. We respond with “Hi. We’re the Protomen. We really like you too, but we’ve already met.” They’re like some sweet good-looking sorority pledge that had too much to drink at a party and couldn’t remember who she’d made out with. That being said, we love the hell out of Capcom, and we look forward to all of their sweet letters of introduction. Someday, perhaps, we’ll meet. We’ll make the cutest couple!

What percent of audiences think that you aren’t serious? Is it a higher percentage in certain cities or countries?
Commander: We’re very aware of the dragon that we ride. We know how we look to the outside world. We’re sort of like that Michael Bolton looking lion guy in Linda Hamilton’s Beauty and the Beast show… Once you get to know us you realize that we’re really a beautiful prince man in a Michael Bolton monster suit that just happens to be living in a sewer. Our show is a somewhat careful balance of all the most ridiculous and fun things possible. Some people like the pretty prince side…. some people like the Michael Bolton monster living in a sewer side. In the end, all we’re shooting for is that people are entertained…. and don’t worry, I don’t follow any of my analogies either.

[www.protomen.com]

Words: Trevor Risk
Photography: Jonathon Kingsbury

Reviews of the latest by The Clientele, DVAS, Hot Panda and M.I.A.

The Clientele
Minotaur
Merge
The Clientele have always been the band that I’ve listened to on cold and rainy days, but their sixth release, Minotaur EP, is being released in the middle of summer. “What the fuck?” Listening to this on a hot and humid evening, though, I begin to see how the violin and dreamy guitar perfectly soundtrack a barely dressed girl, in her apartment holding a flower that moves in the wind from her fan. “That romantic shit or whatever!” The electric bass sound. The English man’s voice. The yams in the oven. A song gets dark. “I love you, okay?” The eighth track comes on, “Nothing Here Is What It Seems,” and the pop gets wet and the drunk outside is still screaming: “I’ll learn Greek. So fuck you!” This is a nice and seasonal record to play in your living room.
-Stefana Fratila

DVAS
Society
Upper Class Recordings
Not for nothing but this album didn’t make my backbone slide; nor did it make my pants feel tight. Society’s strongest moments are achieved at the beginning of the album, with the title track and “Consenting Adults” being the best offerings. After the midpoint all of the tracks sound repetitive and more like an afterthought. Their last two tracks, “Giving it All Away” and “Passionate Persuasion,” would do better by not being on the album at all. My advice to DVAS would be to release strong singles, rather than throw out a full length that doesn’t have any real umphh. It’s not that it’s a bad album, it just isn’t really great. In summation, if Society was a Star Trek phaser setting, it would be meh.
-Dr. Ian Super

Hot Panda
How Come I’m Dead?
Mint
Boy, this is nice! How Come I’m Dead sounds like the perfect soundtrack for a sick new movie you could write in your head. Imagine the playful new alterations of the title that you could come up with … for instance: “How Come I’m Dad?” or “Homecoming, I’m Done.” Don’t those sound like nice movies to watch? It seems like Edmonton’s Hot Panda are ready. A song like “Fuck Shit Up/ Hell Hey Hex” is asking for a toss an’ turn in a busy and abandoned ‘venue’. Maybe I’m losing my grip on what music really is to me. But right now I just wish I could see this band live because, man, when I hear “Start Making Sense” I know those are the kind of guitar riffs I want to hear now and then… like the moment when we first felt something from music in ninth grade. Where were Hot Panda when we were in ninth grade!?
-Stefana Fratila

M.I.A.
/\/\ /\ Y /\
Interscope
There comes a moment in every controversial musician’s career where the tides turn and the fans that once anticipated her songs with genuine relish pull the pedestal out from under their idol and wait to watch her fall. For M.I.A., her third and possibly most personal album, /\/\ /\ Y /\, is that moment. But then again, that moment has been coming in fits and starts for months. First, there was the online release of M.I.A.’s uber-violent music video for “Born Free,” a calculated controversy that missed the mark with its oversimplified human rights allegory. Then there was Lynn Hirschberg’s New York Times Magazine takedown, which publicly shredded M.I.A.’s credibility as a revolutionary (if indeed anyone ever took her self-appointed role of pop star-pundit seriously). /\/\ /\ Y /\’s lyrics are often clumsy attempts at incendiary political statement, and lines like “Connected to the Google / Connected the government” (in opener “The Message”) are off-putting enough even before you realize they include not a shred of irony. The album is full of misses (and several near-hits), and it’s not as catchy as its predecessors, but it will hardly be the end of M.I.A. Behind /\/\ /\ Y /\’s over-aggresiveness are the makings of solid hip hop. If she learns to lay off, she might have us eating out of the palm of her truffle-fry-stained hands all over again.
-Nojan Aminosharei

For this issue we got the oddest and awesomest request from an artist ever. Prior to our photoshoot with Die Antwoord, we received an email asking, “Can you bring XL boxers of Canadian flag and maple leaves for Ninja to wear for this?” We were, of course, ecstatic and immediately dropped everything we were doing to go on a quest for him. Said Ninja of the boxers we gave him, “They’re nice. I love new boxers and underpants and socks. We never had money so for a few birthdays Yo-landi always bought me underpants and socks and I always liked them. I have nice affection with new underpants.” If you’d like to look like Ninja does on our cover, his maple leaf boxers can be purchased for $15 at almost any tourist store in Gastown, Vancouver.

Two things about Montreal artist Dave Arnold: A) He is hilarious, and B) He doesn’t like to be pigeonholed. In an attempt to avoid this, he’s currently working under the alias Mr. Sign, and is bringing a new face to many storefronts in an old way: by hand-painting signs for businesses eager to recreate that old nostalgic charm. He also has a collection of paintings titled “Teenage Nudes,” consisting of Betty and Veronica from Archie comics posing in the nude. “It seemed like a decent idea,” he says, laughing.

One commonality within all of Dave’s work is his rampant penchant for nostalgia. “I think a lot of it’s based on reading Archie comics actually,” he reveals. “The stuff I think looks interesting mostly can be traced back to all those funny, weird little ads in them that have tricky wording, but are also real simple.” Having never really been interested in the “newer stuff,” he shares that he’s basically been stuck in the Twenties, adding that this has made business successful. “It almost seems to be like a trendy thing now, to take a place and give it that old-fashioned, almost cottagey type vibe, and it seems to be appealing to all sorts of different people—to go back to the sort of older look, like not as crisp and clean.”

Mr. Sign’s success in Montreal has had people talking, with store owners eager to commission his work and clients brought to tears of utter joy with the results. Dave laughs, “Oh my god, I think that was the best response you could ask for. If someone breaks into tears, then you know that you’ve hit the mark.”

And although he’s always had a knack for artistry, Dave unabashedly admits that really, he’s just trying to get by. It’s all about, “How can I take what I’m doing and charge more money for it, basically. It’s always been the goal to sell everything I’ve got!” He further divulges that he doesn’t have much of a connection to, or interest in art as self-expression. “The whole ‘express what’s on the inside’, like, ‘put yourself on the canvas’, has never interested me. I just like pumping this stuff out, and if I can somehow pay my bills doing it, I’m happy.”

Apart from his flourishing sign painting business, “Teenage Nudes” has been Dave’s greatest success to-date, garnering overwhelmingly positive public interest. Always candid, he laughs, “People actually give a shit about Archie?” But after doing the show it hit him, “At that age you have no idea what sex is about, and then you see a boob in a magazine and giggle yourself to death, just trying to figure out what is actually going on. So a lot of people were like, ‘This really speaks to how my brain used to work, and how my brain works now,’ and the fact that I was able to bring them back to an older time.”

As for what’s next, Dave says not to expect to see him in the sign business for much longer, as he tends to bore easily. He’s planning his next show to be titled “Mr. Sign” and it will consist of signs he describes as a little bit more twisted or weird, thus marking the end of Mr. Sign, and the beginning of something new. His motivation for doing this? “So my brain doesn’t explode.”

[www.davearnoldart.com]

Words: Chelsea Moore

If the rhythm sounds nice, you gotta do it twice. So we’re doing it again. On Saturday August 21th, you are cordially invited to spend an afternoon with us on one of the most seldom available rooftops in the city. Be prepared for a day filled with familiar faces, tempting libations, BBQ and general revelry. From 2-7pm the rooftop of Scotiabank Dance Centre will be home to an array of summer favorites from past and present.

Selectors: AJK, Zeeaa + U-Tern and All Hands In
When: Saturday August 21st. 5-10pm.
Where: Scotiabank Dance Centre. 677 Davie Street. Google Map
How much:$7
RSVP on the Facebook Event Page

Generously sponsored by the good people at:
Bear Flag Wine www.bearflagwine.com
Steam Whistle www.steamwhistle.ca

Apparently the Swedes are good at a few things: crafting perfect pop songs, furniture you put together yourself and meatballs. They can add making sunglasses to that list with this month’s prize, a pair of WESC shades. The heat is on which means beach days aplenty—what better way to spot your summer crush while you’re catching some rays than through the lenses of a pair of WESCs.

Enter after the jump…

[contact-form]
One entry per person!

It’s about time you ditch that itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie-yellow-polka-dot-bikini for something a bit more original. Swimwear companies are upping the ante when it comes to merging fashion with function, and you don’t want to be left behind. If you’re not sure where to start your search, why not try a couple of buzz-worthy ones on for size.

Anna Kosturova’s swimwear has graced many famous bodies, including those in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, which she describes as the holy grail of the industry. As a youngster, she spent her summers lounging by the pool from morning to night, and it is because of this she believes she developed her love for all things aquatic. Designing swimwear was a natural progression for her, “I’m just perpetuating my childhood dream by making the beach my office.”

Well known for using crochet in her pieces to give her control over design, structure and texture, Anna Kosturova promises that, “There will always be lots of colour, sparkle, and emphasis on maximizing the hotness.” If you’re a fan of her innovative designs, that’s good news. Anna has big plans for her company—she envisions offering a head-to-toe resortlook, that would include wrap dresses, swimsuits, shoes, bags and dresses.

If you’re looking for something a little more earthy, add a botanical touch to your wardrobe with Maaji Swimwear. In 2002 the brand leads, Veronica Velez and Manuela Sierra, launched the Columbian company. Producing creative swimwear with an eclectic yet modern flair, designers mix patterns and textures to bring uniqueness to each piece. Their 2010 collection, Botanical Touch, brings elegance to bohemian style and offers an array of options including strapless, oneshouldered, halter, and one-piece.

As if you didn’t already have enough excuses to leave work and hit the beach, now you have two more. If you’re in the market for a new swimsuit, be sure to check out Anna Kosturova and Maaji Swimwear. They’ll guarantee that no matter where you are, you’ll arrive in style. Mojitos are, unfortunately, not included.

[www.annakosturova.com]
[www.maajiswimwear.com

Words: Alicia Wrobel
Photography: Felix Wong

I recently read an article that a magazine produced a whole issue without going into their office once! Mindblowing stuff, I know. I can see why this would be a newsworthy story. Well, fuck you magazine that produced an issue without going into the office, we did this whole issue on the beach. And I wrote this whole editor’s letter without wearing socks or a shirt.

Summer is all about sitting on the beach and getting drunk when you least expect it. However, sometimes there is a magazine to do. So we decided to multitask and combine the two. How is doing this possible, you ask? Well it’s really not that hard now that you can get the internet at the beach. How great is that? Who wants to read a book when you can Facebook instead?

All you need to do is plug in one of those fancy internet usb sticks or tether your iPhone to your computer with Bluetooth. I cannot wait to see my data charges at the end of the month! Life is tough. It’s not easy putting together a magazine on the beach. The sand is an issue. Not only does it get between your toes but it also gets in your keyboard. And you can’t merely wash it all off at one of those showers by the concession stand. We would have finished this issue weeks ago if we didn’t have to spend so much time cleaning our laptops with q-tips.

Then there are all the distractions. Did you know women are now allowed to run around topless on public beaches without fear of being arrested? And not even exclusively at the weird hippy beach where the unemployed hang out and do mushrooms. Female doctors and lawyers and bankers are running around tits out and rubbing sunblock on each other at even the most family friendly beaches these days. You go girls! Assert your hard-fought-for rights and never take them for granted (I’ve been in the sun all day and might be imagining this).

And then there’s the sun! Nevermind how hard it is to Photoshop Yo-Landi from Die Antwoord’s hair when the sun’s glaring on your computer screen. The real pain in the ass is sunburn. Oh, the sun’s deadly rays can be unforgiving. Fortunately we have a sexy young intern to slather sunblock on our pasty skin. His name is Zia and he has magically soft hands.

Wanna be less productive? Crack open a drink. Even one can totally throw a wrench in the production of a magazine. With each successive drink, productivity goes down till it degenerates into hours of “Hey look at these funny pictures of cats I found on the internet.” A month ago we were all busy Icing each other—a fun summer game where you force your friends to drink Smirnoff Ice at hilarious and inopportune moments. Now we’ve actually started drinking Palm Bay coolers. Not for a joke, but because they’re tasty.

We do this magazine with cellphones, laptops, iChat, pirated software and a printer that’s so old, the paper has those perforated edges on it. We do it in cramped apartments, tiny offices, patios and even the beach. A lot of times it’s like trying to build a skyscraper with glue and popsicle sticks. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. Also, I am eating a popsicle right now. It’s delicious. I can never resist the siren’s song of the ice cream truck.

Words: Michael Mann
Photography: Toby Marie Bannister