issue 67 featuring chromeo

FREE#67

[L IFE AFTER SKATE] 2010 WeAct iv is t CHRIS PASTRASSHOT BY

CHERYL DUNN

www.wesc.com

[L IFE AFTER SKATE] 2010 WeAct iv is t CHRIS PASTRASSHOT BY

CHERYL DUNN

www.wesc.com

WHERE TO FIND USCONTENTS

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Volume 8 Number 6 Issue 67 WEB www.ionmagazine.caFACEBOOKwww.facebook.com/ionmagazineTWITTER@ionmagazineTUMBLRwww.ionmagazine.tumblr.comISSUUwww.issuu.com/ionmagazine

Editor’s Letter Fall fashion tips for you!

Of The Month More fashion info than you can shake a stick at. What does that even mean?

Poster Art: Handiedan Hot pin up girls! And no, it’s not those annoying ones that are always trying to get

you to go to their stupid burlesque night.

ION the Web We feel up Zachary from Touchpuppet.

Horoscopes What’s your sign, baby?

Comics

CULTURE

Your Piñata We’d hit it!

Art + Sole 2010 We dare you to try and wear some of these sneakers!

Gavin McInnes The creator of the Dos and Don’ts talks to us while seeding his lawn.

FASHION Palladium Lace up for your battle with style.

Herschel Supply Co. Best bags ever!

Room With A Crew Fashion editorial is shot by Olivia Malone and styled by Toyo Tsuchiya.

Let’s Get Out Of The City Fashion editorial is shot by Edwin Tse and styled by Toyo Tsuchiya.

MUSIC Chromeo One of our favourite bands gets interviewed by another one of our favourite bands. Win!

Women Like Girls but with a more grownup sound.

Grum Grum tells us all about his mafia connections.

Album Reviews

8ION

ABOUT OUR COVERCHROMEOSHOT EXCLUSIVELY FOR ION MAGAZINE

Cover Photography: Felix Wong, Styling: Toyo Tsuchiya, Photo Assistant: Julia Visentin, Hair and Makeup: Eduardo Mella, TRESemmé

Hair Care, judyinc.com

On the cover of this issue is Dave 1 and P-Thugg from Chromeo. Being retro in the Western world ain’t easy.

Having busted through the plexiglass window of sophomore slumpery with the hit LP Fancy Footwork, Chromeo

are sticking to their guns—not re-inventing themselves, but rather sticking with the sound that they hold so dear.

The new record, Business Casual, is a classic Chromeo record (yes, by the third record a band’s sound can be

classic) that will delight both fans of their earlier work and fans of electro funk pop from decades past. ION was

lucky enough to have Love & Electrik, a young and popular act of a similar genre, interview Dave1 and P-Thugg.

Never again shall these two bands be in the same room, as any catastrophe would drain the Canadian funk pool

down to zero.

Business Casual is out September 14 on Atlantic Records.

[www.chromeo.net]

IONMAGAZINEPublisher/Fashion Director Vanessa Leigh [email protected]

Editor in Chief Michael Mann [email protected]

Creative Director Danny Fazio [email protected]

Art Director Tyler Quarles [email protected]

Music Editor Trevor Risk [email protected]

Fashion Editor Toyo Tsuchiya [email protected]

Office Manager Natasha Neale [email protected]

Copy Editors Steven Evans, Marisa Chandler

Editorial Interns Zia Hirji, Sinead Keane

Writers Marisa Chandler, Stefana Fratila, Nick Hanekom, Zia Hirji, Alex Hudson,

Sinead Keane, Love & Electrik, Jeremy McAnulty, Jules Moore, Kellen

Powell, Ian Urbanski, Taz VanRassel, Natalie Vermeer

Photographers and Artists Claire Arman, Toby Marie Bannister, Kin Chan, Jessica Chanen, Tyler Fast,

Jamal Hodges, Jenny Kanavaros, Javier Lovera, Grace Lee, Olivia Malone,

Eduardo Mella, Stephanie Peterson, Charlotte Stokes, Edwin Tse, Julia

Visentin, Vittorio, Felix Wong

ION is printed 10 times a year by the ION Publishing Group. No parts of ION Magazine may be reproduced

in any form by any means without prior written consent from the publisher. ION welcomes submissions but

accepts no responsibility for the return of unsolicited materials.

All content © Copyright ION Magazine 2010

Hey PR people, publicists, brand managers and label friends, send us stuff. High-resolution jpegs are nifty

and all, but they’re no substitute for the real thing. Clothing, liquor, PS3s, CDs, vinyl, Blu-rays, video games,

and an iPad can be sent to the address below.

#303, 505 Hamilton Street. Vancouver, BC, Canada. V6B 2R1

Office 604.696.9466 Fax: 604.696.9411 [email protected]

www.ionmagazine.ca | @ionmagazine

www.facebook.com/ionmagazine | www.issuu.com/ionmagazine

Advertising enquiries can be directed to [email protected]

10ION

Marisa Chandler wrote the article on Meaghan

Kennedy. Marisa is a Vancouver-based freelance

writer with a lot of time on her hands. She

previously worked for a variety of now-dead

magazines, and is currently sporting a nice

part-time employment tan and generally living out

loud (as quietly and unobtrusively as possible.)

Her greatest achievement to date is being listed in

the “I saw you” section of Craigslist for her “lithe

body and almond skin.” In her spare time she also

illustrates and plays the glockenspiel (very badly.)

If you want to catch up with her she is probably

napping on a park bench covered in a multitude of

day-old snacks.

WRITER[MARISA CHANDLER]

CONTRIBUTORSPHOTOGRAPHER[OLIVIA MALONE]

Ryan Romero did the illustration for the Gavin

McInnes interview. Ryan’s hair is 12 3/16 inches

in length. He got an intern to measure it. When

asked to submit a bio, Ryan got all nostalgic

about his past. He thought about sour mangos

and watching chickens roam in his backyard.

He remembered putting on his school uniform in

the morning when he was eight. He also thought

of this girl named Cecilia from his kindergarten

class. Cecilia was sweet. Ryan remembered

feeling that this was probably the first time he’s

ever met anybody so charming. Ryan currently

resides in Vancouver above a toy store.

[www.ryanromero.ca]

Olivia Malone shot the Room with a Crew fashion

editorial. Olivia was born in 1982 and raised on

the east side of Los Angeles. She now divides her

time traveling between Los Angeles and where

she lives now in Brooklyn. She has exhibited her

photography in group shows in Edinburgh, New

York, Los Angeles and Austin, while her editorial

work has been featured internationally in Elle, Elle

Girl, Nylon, Dossier, Pig and Neon Magazines. She

enjoys other people’s pets, afternoon light, road

trips and the company of her muses.

[www.oliviamalone.com]

ILLUSTRATOR [RYAN ROMERO]

Love & Electrik are Roxy Aiston and Kevin Mah

and they are one of ION’s favourite bands.

They’ve been featured in the magazine before

and they even played our seven-year anniversary

party. Love & Electrik play fun, Eighties-infused,

bubblegummy electrofunk and that makes them

the perfect band to interview Chromeo for us. They

did an outstanding job and it made us love them

even more. Love & Electrik are also adorable and,

chances are, if you saw them in the street you’d

want to grab them, stick them in your pocket and

take them home with you.

[www.myspace.com/loveandelectrik]

WRITER[LOVE & ELECTRIk]

12ION

EDITOR’S LETTER

MICHAELMANN

This is our fall fashion issue. But let’s get real for a moment here. There conceivably could be no fall at all this year. Sure, leaves will drop off the trees, people will go back to school and clothing companies will release brand new lines with heavier fabrics and different designs. But it could be 30 degrees till mid-October this year and we could hop straight from summer into winter.

Thank you global warming. Or Jesus, who is very angry because gay people can join the military and get married... Whatever rational and perfectly plausible scenario you subscribe to about why it is so bloody hot out... Don’t want to alienate anyone.

Maybe we should amalgamate the seasons and take it down to a more reasonable and manageable two: sprummer and finter.

But let’s hope fall doesn’t get its season status revoked any time soon. It’s been two years since the economy officially went down the toilet and magazines have been hit hard. You might have heard that print is dying. You might have even heard me say that. Some magazines you like might have gotten thinner and some may have even gone out of business or said they’re going “online only” (which is also out of business).

I feel like an idiot saying this, but it needs to said. We pay to print and distribute the magazine with ads. Magazines make their money selling an audience to advertisers and September is the best month of the year to do this. The September issue is such a big

deal, they made a movie about it called The September Issue

You’d be surprised how many people think newsstand sales are a magazine’s main source of revenue. Magazines don’t make very much money from newsstand sales. Magazines haven’t been making very much money with ad sales either these days. But it’s more than they make from you plopping down $5 at Chapters.

Fashion magazines, the industry barometer of how well ad sales are doing, are getting fatter again. And this is a pretty fat issue for us. You might think advertising sucks but here’s the reality: our ads look good, advertise products you want, and allow us to stick more great stuff in the magazine. Hopefully the economy

really is making a comeback as there are a lot of great magazines out there right now. Did you know Canada makes the most interesting small magazines in the world? Pretty confident it’s either us or Holland. I’m not being cocky or tooting our own horn either. There’s a half-dozen terrific independent magazines being produced in Vancouver alone right now.

This is good for everybody because the reality is this, magazines are awesome and you look great carrying one around. People who use iPads in public or even just walk around with them smugly tucked under their arms look like complete dorks and are begging you to punch them in the face. That is my fall style tip for you.

“Untitled” by Toby Marie Bannister

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This month’s prize is all about helping you stay

fresh, even if you don’t tan or hit the gym, with

a Ben Sherman button up and cardigan. Ben

Sherman was founded in 1963, championed by

the Mods and has been a trusted name in British

fashion ever since.

To enter visit

[www.ionmagazine.ca]

BEN SHERMAN

ION THE PRIZE

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[1] Book—Faile: Prints + Originals 1999–2009 Faile have been on fire lately. You remember Faile from ION

issue #50, right? They put a mural on the front of the Tate Modern, recently built video arcades in New York

and London and a bloody temple in Portugal. Ring any bells? Well now the street art duo from Brooklyn have

a book out documenting a 10 year span of their amazing career. You probably can’t afford to hang their

work on your wall so this 224 page book is the next best thing.

[2] Website—Catorialist If the Sartorialist is the go to site for all things cool in street style, then get ready

for the Catorialist. This site highlights, you guessed it, cats. I am not a big fan of cats because of horrible

allergies that send me into an asthmatic fit but this site is pretty great. They treat cats like fashionistas and

the comments on the subjects’ fur as if it is clothing will bring a chuckle to anybody, even those of us that

cringe at the site of a new cat in a friend’s apartment. —Vanessa Leigh

[www.thecatorialist.blogspot.com]

[3] Festival—Puces POP! POP Montreal is known as a music and art festival but there is a portion of the

festival that you might not be as familiar with and that is Puces POP. This two day DIY festival takes place

on the final days of POP Montreal and features all kinds of independent creations. You will find over 100

local and national crafters, designers and even some indie record labels just to round it out. POP Montreal

runs September 29 to October 3 and is well worth checking out if you are in Montreal.

[www.popmontreal.com]

[4] Fashion—Proenza Schouler x J Brand If you have ever wondered what a pair of J Brand jeans would look like

if the designers over at Proenza Schouler got their hands on them you are in luck. The latest collaboration

between a highend designer and a street brand is definitely worth a mention. These high-waisted, skinny

jeans are made from 11oz Japanese denim, which are then printed and painted to create the unique pattern

that has a definite Eighties vibe. Available in select specialty boutiques.

[Book] Faile [Website] Catorialist [Festival] Puces POP! [Fashion] Proenza Schouler x J Brand

OF THE MONTH[1] [2] [3]

[4]

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www.g-sus.com

T - S H I R T

G R A P H I C S

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T - S H I R T G R A P H I C S E X P O S E D TORSOEdited by Daniel Eckler. With their catchy messages and bold artwork, T-shirts are a reflection of and petri dish for current styles in graphic design, illustration, and fashion. Focusing on T-shirts created by the most innovative and style-setting brands, Torso presents T-shirts that can be seen as projection screens for the most original contemporary visual codes. Compiled by Formatmag.com founder and editor-in-chief Daniel Eckler, this book is a definitive guide to today’s T-Shirt culture.

ISBN 978-3-89955-309-3

[Fashion] JNBY [Hotels] Ace [Book] TORSO T-Shirt Graphics Exposed [DVD] The Jonses

[5] [6] [7]

[8]

[5] Fashion—JNBY JNBY (Just Naturally Be Yourself) is one of the newest and most fashion forward imports

to hit North America with its first Canadian locations in Vancouver. Boasting over 500 locations internation-

ally, including the newly-opened Soho NY store, this company is an influencer for women and men

around the world. JNBY focuses on multi-functional dressing with contemporary separates and innovative

silhouettes. The detail-oriented designs will give your wardrobe the modern edge you are looking for.

[www.jnby.ca]

[6] Hotels—Ace If you find yourself travelling and are in a city with an Ace Hotel you should probably stay

in it. Ace Hotels are the definition of what a boutique hotel should be. All are located in interesting areas of

town and feature a number of artist-designed rooms from the likes of ION favourites Kaws, Kenzo Minami

and Shepard Fairey. Ace have also managed to offer the boutique hotel experience at a fair price point.

Beyond all this, the Ace New York let us use the facilities for our “Room with a Crew” shoot. ION basically

loves Ace.

[www.acehotel.com]

[7] Book—TORSO T-Shirt Graphics Exposed A book of t-shirt graphics can be a pretty hokey concept; the

strength of the book would largely depend on the individual who curates it. Luckily Gelstaten got Daniel

Eckler formatmag.com’s founder and editor-in-chief to compile Torso. The graphics found in this book come

from a varying array of influential graphic artists for forward thinking brands. Beyond simply being a book of

t-shirts Torso serves as a great resource for graphic designers and an even better snapshot of t-shirt culture

and early streetwear. If you have an empty coffee table that is in need of a book Torso is for you, if you want

a snapshot of t-shirt culture Torso is for you, if you need some design inspiration Torso is for you.

[8] DVD—The Jonses Your favourite sex addict, David Duchovny, has a new movie out on DVD and it’s

pretty darn great. Duchovny, Demi Moore and their two kids movie into an affluent town and immediately

win over the neighbours. They’re charming, they’re sexy and they have the latest and coolest shit. Problem

is, they aren’t who they say they are. Turns out the family are all employees of a guerilla marketing firm

trying to move product. Surely the neighbours won’t care when they’re exposed for who they really are. Or

will they?

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CULTURE

YOURPIÑATA

If you’ve ever wanted to bash someone’s head in, Meaghan Kennedy,

creator of the Vancouver-based company Your Piñata, can help. “I

began making piñatas as sort of like a joke. A friend challenged me

to make one for a local talent show in Vancouver—I kept bugging him

to get a poodle piñata and he said just make one, and I did and it was

super-duper fun,” says the 30-year-old self-taught craft maven.

After spending years working in retail, the tall willowy redhead

has turned what seemed like a fun crafting hobby into a full-fledged

homegrown business. “I took a really big leap leaving my job,” she

says, tapping her acrylic nails on a cup of peppermint tea, “but I really

think if you take a really bold move it’ll manifest things, and if you

are actively pursuing then things will happen.” She’s already made

piñatas for some big names: a Perez Hilton likeness for Black Eyed

Peas singer Will.I.Am inspired by their now famous feud, and a hand-

delivered piñata for the wrap party of The Vampire Diaries in Atlanta.

Looking through her window from outside. Meaghan’s apartment looks

like a macabre torture chamber, but the figures hanging throughout

her one-bedroom apartment are all actually drying works-in-progress.

“I use balloons and paper; it’s just like when you were at school,”

she says. These labour-intensive creations range from two feet tall to

life-sized and take a few days to make including drying time. “Six feet

tall is the largest I can do, ‘cause that’s as high as I can get out of my

apartment. I live on the eighth floor, any bigger than that and it would

have to be lowered off the balcony.”

“A lot of people think piñata and they think SpongeBob

SquarePants, 10 dollars. That’s not what I’m doing,” she says. These

are “couture piñatas,” retailing from $300 and up, and custom-ordered

to look like whomever or whatever the customer wants: from exes to

celebrities. In fact, there’s a three-foot-tall version of BP CEO Tony

Hayward hanging from her ceiling right now, along with a variety of

sea-inspired creatures and people for a pirate-themed art show being

held at Aphrodite’s, a local organic pie shop. The mermaids and pirates

are based on the staff, says Kennedy, and all of them will be smashed

at the end of the run. That’s right, even though they’re couture piñatas,

you’re still supposed kick the crap out of them.

“Oh I want them to be smashed; that is the purpose. I have some

people that order one to break and one to keep, and I charge a fee for

putting them back together again.” The cathartic effect of smashing a

piñata has an appeal, but Kennedy also thinks that her business has

taken off because people connect to the whimsical, fun aspect of the

piñata, “I think there’s something from people’s childhood about them

that they really like and this is taking that to the next level.”

Not all the piñatas are for profit alone. “I hang them randomly

around Vancouver as well, not for promotion, just to see how people

will react to having a piñata hanging.” She’s already hung a dragon

in Stanley Park in Downtown Vancouver, as well as a merman at

the Vancouver Aquarium. Here’s hoping that piñatas take off as the

ultimate new form of street art, even if Meaghan’s papier-mâché

creations don’t come with any lofty artistic ideals, “they’re piñatas, so

they’re not super serious,” she says with a shrug and a laugh.

[www.yourpinata.com]

HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOTWords: Marisa Chandler Photography: Kin Chan

22ION

ART + SOLE

CULTURE

COLLECTIVE SOLEWords: Nick Hanekom

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]

[1] 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]

[2] 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 multi-

disciplinary 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]

[3] 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]

[4] 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]

[5] 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]

[6] 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

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[1]

[2]

ION 25

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]

[7] 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]

[3]

[4]

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[5]

[6&7]

ION 27

GAVIN MCINNES

Interviewing Gavin McInnes is for a 25-year-old magazine writer, sort

of like interviewing the architect of your personality. That said, you’d

think I’d have been more prepared. I leapt at the chance to interview

Gavin when it came up, thrilled at the opportunity to talk one-on-one

with of the neatest people in the publishing industry ever, and then was

completely terrified when I found out the article was meant to be for

the fall fashion issue, since I know nothing about fashion, other than a

vague understanding of things I like or don’t like to wear.

Gavin is the now 40-year-old co-founder of Vice Magazine and

former writer of the infamous Dos and Don’ts. He now maintains his

own project, Street Boners and TV Carnage, where he does more or

less what he did with Vice. So instead of doing any real research on

what kinds of things I would ask about fashion, I just came up with

some really general questions and watched all of McInnes videos on

YouTube. Gavin was generous with his time and gave a long phone

interview while seeding the grass of his upstate New York home with

his with his wife and two children.

Lets start with what a typical day for you is like? What do you get

up to?

Well, it’s rare to have a typical day for me. Today for example, we

decided the city was too hot. We drove upstate. Uhm, I have a place

up here, and I’m just focused on my lawn. I’m at a weird point with

it, you know, where I feel like giving up. Cause the soil up here is so

shitty. Some people just kind of accept that their whole lawn is going

to be clover but I feel like I don’t wanna accept that. I feel like I can

fight it, you know? If you can get to a point where the soil is fertile

enough, where the grass can have a fighting chance, then you’re good.

The grass is like a skinny boxer. You don’t think he’s gonna win, but if

you keep him fed, clothed and trained he can beat up Mike Tyson. But

anyway, what I do in the city is I rent an office with a bunch of people.

Like-minded people and uh, just hunker down. I just write a lot, just

hunker down. Back in Vice days, I just lived at the office. If I had an

idea at four in the morning I could just crawl over to the computer and

hammer it out. But now being a dad, it’s weird to me. I have more of a

schedule. It’s like, “Now its time to be funny.” So what’s ION about?

It’s a free magazine, you know arts and culture. We do ten issues a year.

National publication…

So you copied me.

Yeah, more or less… I think we’re less scathing than Vice though.

You copied me and you did a weaker job. You know if this was grade

four, we’d be fighting. It’s a big deal copying in grade four. Remember?

I’m talking about in grade four where like, someone would discover

Chuck Taylor’s, and then someone else would wear them? And would

be like, “She copied me!”

Where do you think good style is? Like, what’s the foundation of your

approach?

Well, my background is punk rock and there was a thing in the Eighties

with skinheads, who were really scary, where you’d get beat up for

your Doc Martens.

I remember kids getting jumped for their Nikes in high school.

Well that was because they were so expensive and people wanted

them. With the Doc Martens it was more like, “You can’t have them.”

So that sort of started a culture of rules. Where we were all about the

rules, and maybe that sort of bled over into my fashion philosophy

of today, where I’m obsessed with rules. But I think anyone who’s

really making a living at it, I mean you talk to anyone at Vogue or any

sort of fashion editor and they’re obsessed with rules more than the

skinheads were.

Right that makes sense. Where do you fit into that?

Well 99 per cent of the time it’s women. They’re so inside of it that

they’ve lost all humor. And I guess women have pretty high stakes.

They’re trying to find a mate, to reproduce. They pretend it’s something

else and they just like the clothes, but…

Well that’s sort of what men are trying to do too right? Isn’t it just

peacocking?

Sure, but men are just trying to get a blowjob. So they’re sort of

nervous about it but I don’t know how important it is to them. They’re

not freaking about “if they look good in these shoes.”

But don’t most women claim to dress for other women?

Yeah, but that’s still for men in a sense because you’re

competing. You’re competing because you wanna get the best

mate. I mean it all goes back to primal stuff. And then with the

gays it’s the exact same, except they don’t have to worry about

procreation. So what I think is unique about my angle, is that

it’s the perspective of a male that doesn’t see it as that serious

and can joke around about it.

AIN’T NO NICE GUYWords: Kellen Powell Illustration: Ryan Romero

CULTURE

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You seem just as interested in writing jokes as you do writing about

fashion in Street Boners and the Dos and Don’ts. Is it more about one

than the other?

Well, what happened was, back when Vice started we needed ads.

We were totally new to magazines—none of us went to journalism

school and everything was, “Well, what do we do?” So we actually

asked the advertisers “Well, why aren’t you advertising with us,”

and it was because we didn’t do fashion shoots. We didn’t like doing

them. Even people that I respected, you know, editors I liked that would

do them—they were still so pretentious and shitty and pointless. Anyway,

so we said, “We can’t do that. Maybe we can do a comedy version.” So

we’d have someone dressed up in our advertisers clothes and that would

be a do, and then next to them would be someone dressed in stuff we

found at the Salvation Army, and then we’d make jokes about how bad

they looked. And that worked and everyone was happy. We didn’t feel like

total sell-outs and the advertisers got what they wanted.

You were nominated for hipster of the decade by Gawker. That’s kind of

dumb, but I’m curious how you perceive your relationship to hipsterism.

You don’t have the Street Boners book do you? This is all well covered in

the book. You know it obviously doesn’t matter; its just a silly game. All

that shit is just a backdrop so kids can party and get laid. It’s not like its

classical music or opera. It’s just a type of partying.

So it’s not important?

I was talking to a guy in New York and he was like. “What’s the hipsters

legacy?” And I don’t understand why young people need provide us

with a legacy. All they have to do is have fun. All young people need

to do is get laid and listen to music and party. They don’t even have to

know what they’re doing at the time. So don’t say that you’re mad that

hipsters haven’t given you a legacy, or they’re shallow or something. I

want kids to be shallow. What do you want them to be? Shut the fuck

up. Baby boomers like to pretend they were all hippies. Hippies

were a relatively small movement. Kissinger stopped the war

by the way—not hippies. He ended it by blowing it up. Then

won a Noble Peace Prize for it. A lot of people were kind of

mad about that.

[www.streetbonersandtvcarnage.com]

ION 29

FASHION

THE PALLADIUM BY NEIL BARRETT

The French and English are collaborating on military apparel and

fashion is the victor. This fall, Palladium, an 80-year-old French

footwear brand that got its start making aircraft tires for Europe’s

fleets, and Neil Barrett, an English designer and fourth-generation

military tailor, are collaborating on the aptly titled The Palladium by

Neil Barrett.

Palladium got into the bootmaking business after WWII because

of a decrease in demand for fighter plane tires. As you might have

guessed, Palladium’s boots ended up being pretty durable. If they

can handle landing on a tarmac, they can handle anything you can

put them through. The boots were such a hit that the French Foreign

Legion started sporting them.

Neil Barrett is a celebrated designer who has worked for the likes

of Gucci, Prada and Puma, where he was the creative director. He

also has his own line that’s complemented by a string of mono-brand

stores in Japan and Korea. His designs are equally at home on runway

models walking the catwalk, and normal people, like you and me,

walking down the street.

The result of these two fashion powerhouses collaborating is a

durable, stylish and comfy boot. The boots feature ultra-flexible soles,

which provide for a noiseless walk perfect for exploring the city or

going on solo stealth missions. The design is also available in two

materials: waxed leather and nubuck (think more durable suede).

Keep your eyes peeled for these in select stores this Fall as Palladium

was recently re-launched in Canada.

[www.palladiumboots.com]

SIR, YES SIRWords: Max Renn Photography: Javier Lovera

Stylist

: Toyo

Tsuc

hiya.

Hair a

nd M

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by Vi

ttorio

for T

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Mode

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lsen M

odel

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ION 31

HERSCHEL SUPPLY CO. BAGS OF ATTITUDE

People judge you by your bag. Diamante-encrusted clasp equals

trashy valley girl. Expensive looking leather satchel empty save for

a copy of Kerouac’s On the Road is a sure sign of a non-prescription

eyeglass-wearing hipster. Oversized backpack wearers identified by

a slight hunch as they bear the brunt of their schoolbooks are often

sadly identified as nerds. Regardless of what group you identify with,

Vancouver based bag company Herschel Supply Co. may be able to

take some weight off your mind with their range of simple, classically

designed backpacks and bags for adults.

Co-owner Jamie Cormack set up shop with his brother Lyndon and

the pair kept it in the family by naming the company Herschel after

the adopted hometown of their great grandparents who emigrated

from Scotland to Canada (and yes there is a tartan bag in their

collection). The brothers draw inspiration for their bags from vintage

mountaineering, American heritage, world travel and fashion. “I have

been traveling a lot of late and really pulling ideas and inspiration for

all type of places,” explains Jamie. “I have been looking at everything

from footwear to old vintage flags. But really inspiration comes from

just building things that we like.”

As they launch their Fall line with new styles, fabrics and designs,

Jamie is confident that the future looks bright for Herschel. “We are

already out growing our office in Gastown and are looking forward to

introducing a few new brand extensions for Fall. So in the next year

we have a new work space, more bags, kids’ bags, more fabric options,

wallets and luggage coming up.”

The best thing about these bags is that they are durable, affordable

and they look good. That’s all you need to know really.

[www.herschelsupply.com]

Words: Sinead Keane Photography: Tyler Quarles

FASHION

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Styling

: Cha

rlotte

Stoke

s, Mod

el: Ju

lian at

Liz B

ell

ION 33

Photography Olivia MaloneStyling Toyo TsuchiyaArt Direction Daniel Fazio

Hair and Makeup: Jenny Kanavaros, TRESemmé Hair Care, judyinc.com, using MAC Cosmetics

Models: Rila at Trump Model Management, Emily at VNY Model Management and Axel at Red Model Management

Photography Assistants: Claire Arman & Jessica Chanen Styling Assistant: Mitchell Kaufman

Shot at Ace Hotel New YorkAce is a friendly hotel for the people who make cities interesting.20 W 29th St, NY NY, 10001[www.acehotel.com/newyork]

ROOMWITH A CREW

FASHION

with a

Left: Striped leggings - Enza Costa | Pink socks - H&M. Right: Green cat tee - Numph striped bodysuit - American Apparel | Purple tights and pink studded bracelet as anklet - H&M | Bow headband - American Apparel

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Dress - Lifetime Collective | Pink blouse - American Apparel | Purple knee highs - H&M | Bow headband - American Apparel

Left: Cream blouse - 212 | Floral leggings - American Apparel | Coloured socks - H&M. Above: Blue cardigan - WESC | Plaid shirt - Lifetime Collective Linked triangle necklace - CHRISHABANA.

FASHION

OUT O

CITYof the

Let’s Get

Photography Edwin TseStyling Toyo TsuchiyaArt Direction Daniel Fazio

Makeup: Stephanie PetersonHair: Jamal Hodges at B Agency NYModel: Alyssa at Major Model Management

Shot at Rockefeller State Park Preserve

Velour top - WESC | Velour leggings - Numph | Feather necklace - H&M

44ION

Printed dress - NumphCream tights - H&M

Knit cardigan - 212 | Top - WESCNavy skirt - Lifetime CollectiveLeggings - Enza Costa

Cowichan sweater - Lifetime CollectiveNavy velvet dress - Numph| Ballet flats - Top Shop Fur hunting hat - Kangol | Cream tights - H&M

Cream jacket - American Apparel | Sweater - 212 | Olive green trousers - Citzens Of Humanity | Lace up boots - Top Shop

Draped sweater - Numph | Leggings -Lifetime Collective. Right: Scarf - NumphBlouse - 212 | Trousers - American Apparel

DRESSED FOR SUCCESS

MUSIC

Words: Kevin and Roxy from Love & Electrik Photography: Felix Wong

CHROMEO

So we got to listen to your album Business Casual. What was your

inspiration musically on this record compared to previous records?

Dave 1: I’d say we were listening to a lot more classic rock—late

Seventies classic rock, soft rock, Toto, Boz Scaggs, but I mean…

P-Thugg: Still a lot of funk, but the soft rock kinda gave us a bit of

a new direction.

Dave 1: There’s also songs that sound like nothing, kind of. “Don’t

Turn the Lights Out,” to me, the only influence was, like, maybe Sade

for certain melodies.

You guys are both spokespeople for Bushmills whiskey. Do you drink

it dry or on the rocks?

P-Thugg: On the rocks.

Dave 1: It’s actually quite good. I don’t know much about whiskey so

the fact that I can drink it… I mean, here’s the thing, when you’re a

band like us, and you’re not on radio and you’re not on mainstream

television, there’s only so many ways to finance a tour and also get any

kind of promotion money. I know a very traditional sort of indie minded

person might think that’s kind of a sellout thing, but that doesn’t really

mean anything in this day and age. How I see it is like this: record

companies give out these new deals where they have your publishing,

your merch and touring rights and they give you this huge advance.

We said no to that because for us that’s important. That’s ours. For

us, I feel like if you sign that deal you’re just as much of a sellout

as someone else who licenses something to a commercial. I mean, I

would feel more like a sellout if the record label was making money off

our live show. I’m happy to talk about this. We actually got a couple

comments. I mean, you don’t see us drinking. There’s nowhere you

see us drinking. It’s not like, “Whoa, soo good Bushmills.” You don’t

see us drinking it anywhere. The pictures are just cool photos. We had

Photo

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.com

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“IT FEELS GREAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE GET QUESTIONS, YOU kNOW, ABOUT PRODUCTION WITH PEOPLE REALLY INTERESTED IN WHAT’S GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES... IT’S VERY REWARDING, JUST AS MUCH AS BEING INFRONT OF A SOLD OUT CROWD DANCING.” —P-THUG

all the approval of every artistic dimension. It’s about friendship. Every

time they have a little clip of us we’re not talking about Bushmills. Like

there’s no mention of us doing anything with their product.

P-Thugg: It’s kind of a win-win situation—the three-way win-win. The

Bushmills people win, we win and the fans win. We get to put on a

better show.

Dave 1: We put all the money back into everything, the videos, the

album. We reinvest back into stuff so that everyone benefits.

When you first recognized success back in the She’s In Control-era, are

there any regrets or things your would do differently?

P-Thugg: The whole thing! [laughter]

Dave 1: I listened to it the other day and I mean, it was dope, it was

alright. There was no precedent for that back then. Sometimes I look

back and I’m like, “Ugh, the artwork. Ack it’s terrible.” But, like, it’s

our first album.

P-Thugg: We were still kind of looking for our sound.

Dave 1: We had no managers; we didn’t know what a booking agent

was. She’s In Control didn’t blow up. It was pretty much a failure at all

levels. But we had “Needy Girl,” and “Needy Girl” was like a musical

passport. That song went all around the world and DJs played it

everywhere, but there were no remixes on She’s In Control but

one— actually lousy one: Paper Faces.

P-Thugg: Our best remix was two years after.

Dave 1: The label put all their money into getting a DFA remix for

“Destination Overdrive,” and they were like, “We spent everything”

and we were like, “Oyyyy.” So it was a tough learning experience

but I look back and actually in a way I’m proudest of what we

did, ‘cause it was just me and P, schlepping everywhere. Just

the two of us.

P-Thugg: Recording everything, mixing everything…

Dave 1: Now that I look back, our band sort of chronicles the

coming of blogs or YouTube. When we came out with our first

album, MySpace didn’t exist yet and YouTube didn’t exist yet.

Our “Needy Girl” video was almost one of the first viral videos...

but people had to send a crazy link. It’s weird ‘cause we kind of

saw all that happening. DJs were the first people to support us.

At first that’s really how it got around. With the first album it was

the DJs and a snowboard video. So many kids learned about us

through that.

How many videos have you guys done with Surface to Air?

Dave 1: Two. I like Surface to Air a lot. We owe a lot to them—

they’re kind of part of our image. We collabed closely with those

guys. The logo was them, the legs were their idea, the album

covers for Business Casual and Fancy Footwork was them. The

guy who owns the whole company is a good friend. A lot of credit

must be given to them... we have fun with the videos but our

videos are not very self-indulgent, it’s really a service. I mean, I

have fun, but I really hope that the millions of people that watch

the videos, like “Night By Night,” had more fun than me. We see it

as something to really show people a good time.

How does it feel to have such an influence on young musicians?

P-Thugg: It feels great, especially when we get questions, you

know, about production with people really interested in what’s

going on behind the scenes... more specifically asking me about

the talk box or the synths we use. It’s very rewarding, just as

much as being in front of a sold-out crowd dancing.

Dave 1: I agree with P. It’s really humbling, and we talk to

musicians all the time and give advice and P’s geeking out with

all the guys and stuff. I feel like, at the same time, when the

smoke clears, I hope that at one point people realize that we were

one of the first to do it—as far as the Eighties funk. Obviously

there’s Daft Punk—they hinted at it. But in terms of really trying to

rehabilitate the Rick James, the Hall and Oates thing, the squiggly

56ION

synths and stuff… you know, we were some of the first. Not that we

want a special achievement award or anything, but that recognition

feels good when we get it. Even at our shows when we first started,

P having a synthesized voice was a curiousity. He would go, “What’s

up?” and people would be like, “What’s that?” We never get that

anymore. Now, people barely react. But back when we started, it was

like. “What’s that? It’s a tube! It’s a robot! It’s a guy!”

What was it like collaborating with Yo Gabba Gabba! and writing a song

that was kid friendly.

Dave 1: P always answers the “What was it like?” questions, but

another thing we should clear is that we didn’t write that song. Believe

it or not, they have their own songwriter over there. So all the songs

for Yo Gabba Gabba! is like one dude. I think his name was Ken Lee,

this Asian hipster guy with, like, big glasses. He’s dope. He writes all

the stuff and sent us, like, three songs, they were like demo quality

so we took the songs, picked one and made it into a funky Chromeo

thing.

P-Thugg: All three of his ideas were actually very compatible to us.

So he had you guys in mind when he was creating the tunes?

Dave 1: Definitely, especially the one we picked. A couple of the

songs they might have had already sitting on the shelf, but that one

was already very funky.

So Dave, you’re earning your PHD in French literature and now teaching

in NYC. How do you manage to balance this with music and what’s it

like when students recognize you?

Dave 1: I don’t really know. You need to ask my students, but I think

it’s kinda funny for them. I don’t think about it when I teach class

because there’s so much to do. It’s tough balancing them. At the

same time, with a band, you have time when you’re not touring.

Writing music for us luckily comes fairly quick. And the way we split

the work, P can do a lot of stuff in my absence and then I can come in

and we can do binges. Hopefully by the next time we do an interview

with ION I’ll be a full-on professor.

Have you ever taught in your leather vest?

Dave 1: I’ve worn other leather jackets, but that one is a little too

sleeveless, you know?

Chromeo has been around for eight years, which dismisses any kind of

novelty act assumptions people might have about you. What are your

thoughts on that issue?

Dave 1: It’s understandable. I mean, look at what we look like. This

guy’s got a tube in his mouth; I’m talking about chicks. I mean,

obviously I’d have my suspicions too. But I think that Fancy Footwork

kind of dispelled that. When we started we just looked at the White

Stripes. I mean, Jack White’s wearing red pants, he’s got swirls

everywhere, he does like retro music too. How come nobody thinks

they’re a joke band? They’ve just been doing the same thing and the

image is über consistent. Maybe subconsciously we tried to apply

that. And if you look at what we’re doing now, the legs everywhere, the

chromed out logo everywhere, everything is consistent. We’re trying

to create a universe that’s between us and our album covers and our

lyrics and theme. The more you do that the more it makes it harder for

others to imitate you. That’s why, by the way, you can’t imitate Jack

White, Like what are you gonna do? I mean, who can walk around

imitating Jack White? He’s untouchable. He’s the only guy who wears

the red pants, sings the way he does, and has that retro sound and

crazy artwork. So I think it’s a cool model for us to follow. That’s what

leads to credibility in the long run.

[www.chromeo.net]

“THIS GUY’S GOT A TUBE IN HIS MOUTH; I’M TALkING ABOUT CHICkS. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY I’D HAVE MY SUSPICIONS TOO. BUT I THINk THAT FANCY FOOTWORk kIND OF DISPELLED THAT.” -DAVE 1

58ION

NEVERMIND THE CRITICS...HERE’S WOMEN

WOMEN

Words: Alex Hudson Photography: Tyson Fast

60ION

Back in 2008, Calgary’s Women became a surprise success with the

release of their gritty, art-rocking eponymous debut. Produced by eclectic

pop maestro Chad VanGaalen, the album’s brittle guitars and swampy

production struck a chord with fans and tastemakers alike, getting

the band signed to indie heavyweight Jagjaguwar. Now, the group is

preparing to release its sophomore LP, Public Strain, on September 28.

While at home in Calgary, frontman Patrick Flegel answered ION’s call to

discuss the new album, the critics, and why Women definitely, definitely

shouldn’t be classified as lo-fi.

Did you go into recording your second album with a mapped out idea

of what you wanted it to sound like, or was it more of an experimental

process?

It’s kind of weird, ‘cause we intentionally experimented with

things, and then ended up doing the same thing, which is pretty

much setting up some kind of ideal and completely missing

the mark. Sometimes it works out, like you’re happy with it.

Sometimes you’re not

Was this a time that you were happy with it?

Yeah, I think so. I have a hard time listening to my own music. But

yeah, I’d say I’m at peace with it, y’know?

You took quite a while recording this album I understand.

Yeah. I think we played around 200 shows and we came back to

town and everyone sort of got to work and that was it. I think part

of it might have had to do with the fact that I was working the

graveyard shift pretty much full-time while we were tracking. Plus,

it’s hard to just get any of us in the same room, so it’d be like a week

on, a week off, one day here, one day there kind of thing. I don’t

know what it says on the piece of paper people are getting, but I

think, in my brain, it took three years. Seasons came and went and

we were still recording, and then one day we decided to stop.

The album has quite a few drones and feedback jams. What inspired that?

I just like hearing one note being playing over a bunch of other notes. It

sounds really good to me, just a melodic drone, like a harmony hovering

above everything.

Well, at the same time the album’s got quite a few mellow, pretty moments.

It sounds like you were going in a couple of different directions.

That’s something that appeals to me about recording an album over a

long period of time—you’re in different moods and using different setups.

Getting that kind of variation on a record is kind of cool. It really just

depends on what kind of day one of us is having, as far as what’s going

to happen. You never really know. Typically, if I’m just sitting there with a

guitar, then I’m probably going to write a slow jam. I don’t usually, alone

in our practice, just turn up an amp to 10 and freak out.

Your last album was partly recorded on boomboxes and other non-

professional recording equipment. Did you use the same setup this time

around?

We actually used a Tascam 388 8-track that Chad [VanGaalen] has for

most of the record. It’s a beautiful machine, man.

Was the whole thing recorded in Chad VanGaalen’s studio?

Yeah. Well, it’s his garage. There are a bunch of machines in a garage.

“Studio,” quote-unquote.

Yeah, it was all recorded there. It’s two levels. Upstairs it’s all wood. The

basement is all concrete and it’s very cavernous. He’s got a couple of

rooms separating things, and then if you want to get some really roomy

sounds we could record down in the basement.

What kind of pressure did you feel with your sophomore album after the

success of your first one?

People always say this, but we’re way harder on our music than anyone

MUSIC

60ION

MUSICelse could possibly be, me in particular. The band was formed out of my

frustration with bands I was playing in and bands that I would see, and so

it’s pretty much trying to make the music that you wish other people were

making. Which is extremely difficult, especially when you can’t really

hear your own music, in a way, unless you’re extremely intoxicated. Sorry,

what was the question?

Was it hard to write the album knowing you had a guaranteed audience?

Oh yeah. I’m incredibly hard on myself. What happens after it’s done—I’m

actually indifferent. Someone decides to approve what you do, and then

other people decide to follow suit or whatever. Everyone’s looking to the

certain sources for validation, for permission to listen, y’know? So I guess

if you’re lucky enough for people to decide that what you’re doing has any

merit then you end on a record label like Jagjaguwar or something like

that. Which is a dream come true. It’s amazing. But we never looked at

those things as relevant to actually making music. It’s a by-product.

Your band has often been associated with the so-called “lo-fi movement.”

How do you feel about that label?

I think it’s stupid. I just don’t think it sounds blown out at all. I mean,

obviously it’s not high-end studio gear, that’s clear. But I just thought

it sounded old, or home-made. Anyone who says we sound like Times

New Viking doesn’t actually listen to music. I just feel like using those

words, “lo-fi”—that label’s going to apply to other bands that I don’t think

we sound like. I find all that stuff nauseating. But what do I think of it? I

think, as we’re concerned, we have nothing to do with it.

Would you ever make a really clean-sounding recording in a hi-tech

studio?

For sure. We just want it to sound a certain way. I was listening to

[Wire’s] Pink Flag today—that’s an amazing recording! All that old post-

punk stuff—there’s just a certain quality to everything. For whatever

reason they were producing things that way. I guess the reason I’m using

that as an example is because those are my favourite recordings. I relate

to those sounds for whatever reason.

[www.myspace.com/womenmusic]

62ION

MUSIC

GRUM OF THE EARTHGRUM

Have you been to a club where dance music has been played in the

past year? Have you read one of the many music-related blogs that

exist on the internet? Do you enjoy your dance music with catchy

pop-filled vocal hooks? If the answer to any of these questions is

“Yes,” then you have probably heard the music of GRUM. Scottish-

born/Leeds-based Graeme Shepherd and his laptop have produced a

series of disco-influenced burners that will surely have you leaving the

club with a bass line or two of his stuck in your head. GRUM’s latest

album, Heartbeats, is a synth-filled odyssey and a great soundtrack to

a night out. ION recently got to sit down with Graeme and have a chat

about music, touring and dial-up modems.

So, you’re from Scotland. What was it like growing up there musically?

How did you find music when you were coming up?

Well, I think it was like when I was 12 or something like that when the

Internet got popular, and you downloaded music on a 56 Kbps modem.

I used to leave it on overnight and just download music. I must have

been maybe 13 when I actually started caring about music. For some

reason I really liked club music and something about it, you know, the

way it was put together just did that for me. I’d say the first album I

got into was the first Stone Roses record. I really liked that. Obviously I

go through phases of liking different music; I don’t really listen to The

Stone Roses now but at the time I thought it was great.

What did you hear originally that pulled you into club music?

Do you remember, like, 1999-2000 when there was lots of trance

around? I remember that stuff and it was kind of interesting. That got

me into it. I had a few Ministry of Sound comps, the annuals, that sort

of thing. Around that time it was really big, I just got into it.

As far as your sound goes, where do you see it going next?

Well, when I started making music I was doing a little bit more noisier,

heavier stuff. I find, as I get older, I’m listening to more classic pop

music and it’s going more towards that sound, like Hall and Oates. I’ve

had some production offers from some bigger people and I’d like to go

down that route and try it because I think it would be funny to make

a really camp disco tune and have some rapper on it. Now with chart

music things are going a bit more dancey, but it still has that hip hop

thing where it’s a little bit simple and rushed. I think people want to

hear things with a lot more feeling with it. That’s where I come in.

Who was the production offer from?

Atlantic. They have a few people and they want to get me to

do something. One of them was BOB, so I want him to rap over a

Flashdance style song.

What’s your weirdest experience on tour?

I was in the Ukraine last week at an outdoor club. Before the party the

promoters took me to eat some traditional Ukrainian food. They had

this cold soup with bits of cucumber in it that tasted like milk gone off.

At the venue there were a bunch of reserved tables and one of them

was for the mafia. The sign actually had MAFIA written on it. When

they were paying after the gig they gave me 75 Euro of my fee in

shekels or whatever. I can’t exchange them anywhere. I have no clue

what I’m supposed to do with them.

[www.myspace.com/grummmusic]

Words: Zia Hirji Photography: Tyler Quarles

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MUSICREVIEWS

[1] Black Mountain Wilderness Heart Jagjaguwar I lay back down on

my bed. Black Mountain’s follow-up release to 2008’s In the Future be-

gins to play. I remember a PowerPoint presentation about Mars coming

closer to Earth, about space (keyboards) and metal (mostly recorded

in LA). I feel underwhelmed although I know that this album has an

exciting enough story: Stephen McBean fell in love with a California

girl, Dave Sardy reunites with the band for the first time since producing

their Spiderman 3 track and Randall Dunn joining in alongside his past

work with Sunn O)))—the two of them sharing the title of producer. I

imagine loving this record. I have to imagine because apparently what I

find boring, Black Mountain doesn’t.

- Stefana Fratila

[2] kathryn Calder Are You My Mother? File Under Music I imagine

Kathryn playing piano and singing as her mom clasps her hands to

her heart, grateful to witness her daughter’s songs in the living room.

Kathryn’s crisp and sweet vocals receive compliments from the harmo-

nies of friends (like NP bandmate Neko Case, ahem) who come over

and pick up a guitar or tap on some drums at different points in the

evening. There are cookies baking in the oven, the wood-burning stove

is glowing and a scrapbook of Polaroids is being passed around. The

arrangements are simple and the melodies last long into tomorrow’s

hums while cleaning up. Everyone is happy for their time together but

there is a hint of sadness apparent, knowing this moment won’t last.

-Natalie Vermeer

[3] Chilly Gonzales Ivory Tower Arts & Crafts Well this was an unex-

pected treat. Gonzales, (or now Chilly Gonzales), had the lead single off

Ivory Tower produced by Boys Noize, and instead of the “lathe sawing a

drum machine in half” sound I was expecting from the song, it sounds

more like a collaboration between Phillip Glass and Juan Esquivel. The

album is a soundtrack to a movie about chess (which is awesome), so

many of the tracks are mainly atmospheric piano melodies with little or

no drums. However, “You Can Dance” is a nice little boogie track that

stands out on its own and will probably be well received on dance floors

in the months to come.

-Kellen Powell

[4] Grinderman Grinderman 2 Anti Half-naked 50-year-old men thrusting

their pelvises in bronze armour. And so goes the first publicity shots

for Nick Cave’s post-punk, post-Birthday Party, post-Bad Seeds, post-

Grinderman (1) album, Grinderman 2. Owner of one of the most recog-

nizable voices since Elvis, Cave is still singing in the key of doom and

writing lyrics that suggest we humans are, and have always been, a

sad and lonely bunch of heathens worth nothing more than our weight

in stories and scar tissue. In a recent interview, Cave and his weirdy-

beardy-brother-grim, Warren Ellis, said that forming Grinderman was “a

way to escape the weight of The Bad Seeds.” Really? I didn’t get that

from this at all. Grinderman’s sound and subject matter are heavier than

Santa’s bowels on Boxing Day. “Worm Tamer” and “Beringer Blues”—

while viciously good—are the sonic equivalent of chewing raw flesh.

That said, if a Bad Seeds-esque love ballad is what you’re after, one

“When My Baby Comes” is sure to lick the wounds left by the other

eight.

-Jules Moore

[5] Of Montreal False Priest Polyvinyl Outrageously camp Of Montreal

frontman Kevin Barnes has a habit of stripping mid-set, slathering shav-

ing foam over his naked body and jumping into an eagerly awaiting

audience. Listening to the latest oversexed offering from the Georgia

art freaks can have the same effect on you. Once I managed to pick

my pants up from the floor and sat down to listen to the record again

I got that feeling you get when you realize that something you really

1 2 3 4

Black Mountain [Wilderness Heart] kathryn Calder [Are You My Mother?] Chilly Gonzales [Ivory Tower] Grinderman [Grinderman 2]

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Of Montreal [False Priest] Salem [king Night] Superchunk [Majesty Shredding] Various Artists [Scott Pilgrim Versus The World OST]

5 6 7 8

want to be good, well it just isn’t. Don’t get me wrong, there are some

gems hidden in the band’s follow-up to 2008’s Skeletal Lamping and

Barnes’ lyrics are as witty and brazen as ever (“Hooked up with one of

your cousins / Just to feel somehow closer to you”), but do yourself a

favour, save the cash you would spend downloading this album, haul

your ass to your local record store and buy (most likely on special offer)

Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust which is a full fat version to what is in retrospect

a diluted tribute from Of Montreal. And then you suddenly realize that

you only took your clothes off because everyone else did...

-Sinead Keane

[6] Salem King Night Iamsound By the time I had finished listen-

ing to the opening track of Chicago trio Salem’s debut full-length, King

Night, I had been swept through an array of urges from getting lost, to

dropping acid, to throwing a party, to banging, to having a heart-to-

heart with my best friend. Salem has somehow figured out how to

capture my favourite aspects of Animal Collective, Explosions in the Sky,

Timbaland, MGMT, and DJ sets all at the same time while maintaining

an ability to be darker, weirder, and more interesting. While the bass

is often ready to uproot trees and the high-hat falls in broad circles

inside your head, Salem keeps melody hanging around with the subtlety

of your older sister’s mysteriously cool boyfriend. It takes skill and

tact to be this intense and interesting while also preserving playfulness

within your album, and Salem does just that. All this combined with an

origin story that includes prostitution, crack, art-school, and a Dutch gay

magazine called BUTT, Salem is definitely one of my top bands to watch

in the near future with King Night one of the top albums of the year.

-Jeremy McAnulty

[7] Superchunk Ma jes ty Shredd ing Merge God, can we all

finally stop listening to chillwave and witch house and celt-a-billy or

whatever now? I mean, Teenage Fanclub just released a new album,

Scott Pilgrim Versus the World is basically one big Nineties indie rock

song up on the silver screen, and Guided By Voices are playing shows

with their early Nineties lineup, so it’s about time we get back to some

major chord, heartfelt, guitar driven songs about girls in the midwest.

America is only going to get out of their economic and social crevasse

by sticking to what they’re good at: baseball, movies and stuff on Merge

Records. Superchunk just made an album that compares to any re-

lease since their self-titled debut back in 1990, and all the Weezer-

looking guys out there had better be pumping up at the gym getting

ready to help out with the genocide of people who think the party is

better than the music.

-Trevor Risk

[8] Various Artists Scott Pilgrim Versus The World OST Abkco

I have always hated having soundtracks in my music collection. The “Various

Artists” thing wreaks havoc in a perfectly organized OCD iTunes like mine.

There are a few exceptions that I deal with however: High Fidelity, Rushmore,

Death Proof and one or two others that are too embarrassing to print. The

reason I put my debilitating condition into check for these soundtracks is

because they remind me of the brilliant parts of their respective movies. What

the Scott Pilgrim soundtrack does so perfectly is remind me of everything I

loved in the comic book. The author of the comic book, Bryan Lee O’Malley,

always included suggested listening for his books. These songs, however,

are (mostly) not his suggestions. They are artists’ interpretations of what the

garage bands from the comic books sound like. And if there is one thing I

love, it is grimy Canadian garage rock mixed with some indie rock standards.

Plumtree’s “Scott Pilgrim” obviously had to be included, but one of the more

inspired choices is Frank Black’s “I Heard Ramona Sing.” It is a criminally

overlooked song that I’m glad will finally get some widespread airtime. This

soundtrack will be added to the list that makes my iTunes OCD boil over. It

is absolutely worth it.

-Ian Urbanski

Handiedan makes wonderful mixed media artworks of pinup

girls. Why pinup girls? They’re “a perfect combination of sexy,

humor and style,” says the 29-year artist from Amsterdam.

For Handiedan, her art is “one big personal experiment in how

photographic images and drawings can interact together.” It’s safe

to say there’s a lot of interacting going on as the collages contain

paint, ink, sheet music, playing cards, money, stamps, wood, rusty

metal, doodles and whatever else she can get her hands on to help

POSTER ART

HANDIEDAN

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give the work a lovely antiquated feel. Handiedan has a background

in fashion and photography and she says this aids her with her

compositions. But the desire to create started at an earlier age. “I’ve

always drew since I was young and it runs in the family. I always said

I wanted to become a designer, a photographer and a drawer.” And

now she gets to be all three.

[www.handiedan.com]

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ION THE WEB

What’s your background?

I’m 25, born and raised in Texas, and the son of an artist. I’ve been involved with the internet since I was about

14. The first website I ever did was for my high school when I was 15. I’ve maintained some kind of web

presence since then. After graduating high school I decided I wanted to build engines for race cars. I saw that

idea through to graduation, only to realize I had completely lost interest somewhere along the way. After that I

set off for college with no direction, just trying to make sense of life as it went. Eventually I found a passion for

photography and ended up in art school, where I spent 4 years studying film photography. During that time I

worked a lot as a freelance web designer and photographer.

When did you come up with the idea for it?

The idea came about in late 2008. My close friend Aly is a fashion designer and we always talked about doing

some kind of art-centric website together. Eventually we sat down and started formulating the basic idea, and

it seems like overnight the site came into existence.

What’s Touchpuppet all about?

Touchpuppet is a cultural resource for lovers of art, fashion and photography. But more than that, it is the

culmination of everything I’ve been interested in for the last few years. The site is very much a reflection of its

original creators; one being a photographer, me, and the other being a fashion designer, Aly. As for the name,

we originally wanted something vague enough to allow us to do anything we wanted with the site. We are

rather absurd people in real life and the name is fittingly appropriate for how weird we are. I won’t say that the

name means nothing, but I also can’t tell you exactly what it means. It is best left to the imagination.

When did you know it was going to take off?

I can’t really say that there was ever a distinct moment, but I was always confident in what I was doing. From

the beginning I focused a lot on brand identity and quality content. I wanted people to be excited by not just the

content, but also by the site itself. To me, the most successful websites are the ones that can transcend their

web presence; they can exist in the real world as something that people can be proud to associate themselves

with—just like any successful brand. If a website sends me 60,000 visitors in one day, it’s very exciting.

However, it is infinitely more exciting if one person tells their friend about the site while sitting at a bar. To me

that’s an indication that a real connection was made. So I guess I’ll realize it’s starting to take off when I run

into a fan of Touchpuppet in the real world.

What keeps you going?

I really like what I do, but besides that, it’s knowing that there are people that truly enjoy the site. If they’re

happy, I’m happy.

What’s the best compliment you’ve received about your site?

I always appreciate getting emails and tweets from fans. I’m also always thrilled when the site gets linked from

somewhere unexpected like CNN, The Huffington Post or Kanye West’s site. Its just sort of surreal to imagine

someone at CNN looking over the website.

Where do you see the site going?

I’ve always wanted to create projects for the site’s community to participate in, and it looks like that is some-

thing that will be happening soon. The site is also about to give birth to three new web projects, but I can’t

really talk about them yet.

Anything else you’d like people to know about the site?

I want people to know how much I care about the site. I have literally spent almost every day and night for the

last two years working on it. At this point the site feels like a family member.

[www.touchpuppet.com]

WWW.TOUCHPUPPET.COM

Touchpuppet is one of our favourite sites on the interweb. It’s a slick and carefully curated site that posts the

best fashion editorials from around the world. We talked to one of the site’s founders, Zachary Hayes, about

how Touchpuppet came about.

HOROSCOPES

VIRGO: Get out there, Virgo. Think outside the box.

Don’t be afraid to be seen, get noticed and turn

a few heads this month. Wear Crocs with your

suit. Ride a unicycle to work. Get two cockatoos,

name them Merlin and Arthur, then wear them

like shoulder pads all around town. Live your life

out loud!

LIBRA: Stop living in the past Libra. I don’t care if

the flux capacitor now runs on garbage and it’s

super economical and green. It’s irresponsible.

Also, there are studies that have linked time travel

to Parkinson’s disease.

SCORPIO: Here’s something you don’t need this

month, Scorpio: authority. Wriggle your little

wrists out of the zipties of society. Kill your TV.

Eat the rich. Freebase the internet. Blowjob the

government. Swine flu the HST. Newspaper box

through a bank window the police. Rip up and burn

the indie fashion zine… no, no wait! Oh fuck,

am I fired?

SAGITTARIUS: Quit your job Sagittarius. Tell no one.

Instead of going to work every day, compete in

outdoor paintball tournaments. Before you know it,

this will be your new job! Now you can finally say

to your dad, “I make more money than you now, old

man.” This is how Jack Johnson made it, except he

competed in beautiful song tournaments.

CAPRICORN:

An innocent child sits beneath a waterfall made of

dreams. This image best describes you this month,

Capricorn. A naked woman bursts through a wall of

skulls onto a horse comprised of Chinese characters,

all of which is inside a tribal sun wearing a top hat and

smoking a joint. This image best describes my tattoo.

AQUARIUS:

Settle in at home this month, Aquarius. Get a good

book, do a Costco run, and prepare for a little fall

hibernation. Light a candle, turn on your Roomba

and let it glide. Run a hot bath, put on some Amanda

Marshall and snort your body weight in fine-grade

Colombian cocaine. You deserve it!

PISCES:

I heard you never went to your prom, Pisces. Well, it’s

never too late. Get a Baby Phat dress, Skyy vodka and

some ecstasy. Now you just have to make out with your

Grade 11 lab partner, have a cry fight with your BF and,

finally, enjoy the sunrise from the comfort of a rented

cruise ship covered in streamers, vomit and memories.

ARIES:

Don’t jump Aries! You have too much to live for. Think

about your family, your friends… uh, your blog? Who

will post rare MF Doom tracks and wax poetic about

the similarities between Jamie Oliver and Raekwon?

Your weird rap blog needs you,. Also, Devin the Dude is

relying on your links to his MySpace.

TAURUS:

It is said that Zeus once took the form of a bull, went

to earth and sexed up a woman, siring a hybrid son

that was half man, half bovine. This freak of nature was

appointed guardian of the fabled labyrinth. Only to be

slain by Theseus. So, that’s a lesson right there, Taurus.

Keep your gross sex stuff to the internet.

GEMINI:

Be a good neighbour this month, Gemini. Trim those

rose bushes that are infringing on the property line.

Put a robe on your creepy wife. Take down your

Confederate flag window curtain. Shut down operations

on your rooftop opium den. Most importantly, for the

love of Gaia, recycle better.

CANCER:

This month is great for important decisions involving

travel, education, animals, love and diet. So go ahead,

Cancer. Take that trip to China. Take a course on

etiquette. Meet a panda. Fall in love with and publicly

have an affair with the panda. Then eat the panda

and any subsequent sex tapes, all the while using the

appropriate chopsticks.

LEO:

Cats were considered very holy in ancient Egypt. But

guess what, Leo? You’re a human! No amount of

body modification is going to change that. I hope you

feel dumb for getting yourself spayed and neutered

now. Also, just pick one operation. Unless you’re a

hermaphrodite, which is a totally different issue.

Taz VanRassel is a Vancouver based actor/improviser/comedian/jerk. Catch him every Sunday at

the Hennessey dining lounge with his group The Sunday Service. Also observe him with other such

groups as: Vancouver Theatresports League, Urban Improv, Hilari-YES!, the Vancouver Comedic Play-

ers and countless more wacky named ensembles.

[www.thesundayservice.ca]

THIS MONTH: Taz VanRassel

ION 71

COMICS

DINOSAUR COMICS BY RYAN NORTH www.qwANTz.COM

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issue 67 featuring chromeo

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