Dabs Myla

Dabs & Myla are artists from Melbourne currently based in Los Angeles. The duo mix and match both of their skills, creating whimsical and chromatic pieces, whether it's on canvas or on walls. Infusing both letters and characters, their pieces turn blank walls into exciting and colorful interruptions in between the mundane. Here, Dabs & Myla discuss a bit about all things art!


1. How did you first get interested in art and how did you veer towards street art and murals?

DABS:I had been interested in art and drawing since i was a young kid. I would always be drawing and making little comics and cartoons. When became a teenager I started hanging out with some kids in my neighborhood that where all bombing a lot. I started tagging with them and paying attention to the culture of graffiti and noticing pieces on the train line. I loved it and started sketching letters a lot!! I was lucky enough to have a few people around me who where older and where already pretty established graffiti writers, they took me out and showed me how to get a piece done. From then on I was hooked and have spent the past 17 years painting on walls...and I think I will be for a long time!

MYLA: I also have been drawing and painting since i was really young. I met DABS at Art School..and we ended up falling in love. When we first started dating he took me out and showed me how to use spray paint and how to draw letters and paint a piece. I had always loved graffiti..but had never known anyone who did it..or much about the scene. Once I started painting pieces I slowly developed my own style.


2. What is the process like for you guys?

MYLA:We collaborate on everything we do. So with our paintings we sit together and draw up ideas and start working out compositions and concepts. From there DABS will start working on the characters and figures and I will find a reference of a city or building that fits. Once we have all of that worked out we will start painting. We always have 2 paintings going at one time. DABS will work on one and I will work on the other, once we have both finished our bits we swap over and do the same...it's pretty crazy way to work. We are really luck to be able to work together like this!!

DABS: It's a bit different of a process with murals and walls that we paint. We will both draw up a concept together and then just paint it together. Each one of us doing what ever has to be done.


3. What are your inspirations or influences?

DABS: Our main influence is each other! Being a team of 2 people, I think we bounce back and forth from each other so much that we are constantly inspiring each other.


4. What do you feel is the difference between the US and Australia in terms of street art culture?

MYLA: There isn't much of a difference between the 2 really! Australia has a really strong graffiti and street art scene. Maybe one difference is that there are a lot more people living in the US compared to Australia...so there are more people who are part of the scene which maybe makes it bigger and therefor provides more support and infrastructure from outside sources.


5. How do you pick the spots for your pieces?

DABS: We don't really have a specific method? Just depends on what we are planning to paint...or what we feel like painting. If we are painting letters, we look for spots that are long enough for us to be able to do both our names..and if we want to do a BIG character then we will be looking for a spot that's tall enough to make it work.





6. Is there a main medium you prefer over the other?

MYLA: Not really...we love using spray paint..but also love using acrylic paint and a brush just as much!!


7. How far in advance do you plan out a piece and is it always fully mapped out before you start?

DABS: For walls we usually work something out a day or 2 before we plan to paint. We usually do a rough sketch, but it always changes once we get to the wall!! It's good when painting walls to not be too stuck on one idea or sketch because a wall is always different to a piece of paper! Its good to be flexible and make it work in the space it is!!


8. What do you want your pieces to convey?

DABS:Our work is usually about our life together. We don't try to convey any heavy messages...We just like to make things that are fun and reflect our life, travels and relationship together.


9. Are there any stories that stick out of getting random people asking about what you're doing in the middle of working on a mural or anything of the like?

MYLA: You always have people saying funny things when you are painting in public. There are too many to be able to single out! People love to assume that you are either a gang member, homeless or doing it just to get a buzz from the fumes!


10. Where is someplace you'd like to put art up on, if you could choose anywhere, anyplace?

DABS:We love painting anywhere...I don't think there would be a specific spot or place!We really enjoy painting murals and always have a blast doing it no matter where we are. We have never painted in India..and MYLA loves it there so hopefully we will be able to paint a really BIG wall there some time!

Morley

Morley is the guy putting up wheat-paste posters with phrases plastered on them, along with his own image, around the LA area. His posters are thoughtful, curious and almost evoke a sense of feeling like things don't have to so bad. Whereas many street artists choose to remain an anonymous mystery, Morley does the opposite. Not only does he include an image of himself on each poster, but takes to his blog to further discuss the process and even lists the location of each piece. Here, Morley discusses further some different aspects about street art.


1. How did you first get interested in art?

I suppose I got interested in art the same way as everyone else, through the things that entertained me as a child. Anything that gave my imagination fuel to explore the various recesses of my mind and the worlds that exist within them, would be quickly devoured by my young eyes and ears. Films, music, cartoons, comics- they were and still are a sort of relief from the drudgery of every day life. The difference between when I was a child and today is my reverence for such things. Being given the privilege to create anything that might give someone else a similar relief is a gift that I don’t take for granted.


2. How did you get involved with street art and what made you decide to start?

I was raised in Iowa City for most of my adolescence and had never heard of ‘street art’ until I moved to New York in 2000 to attend college at The School Of Visual Arts in Manhattan. I started to see work by people like Neckface and Shepard Fairey and became absorbed by the idea of creating art with the sole purpose of giving it away to anyone who noticed it. I was never interested in graffiti or tagging as much as I was in communicating an actual message. In speaking into the lives of a sea of strangers that might wander past. I began silk-screening slogans and quotes on to Contact paper that I would stick in subway cars and throughout the city. At the time, it still hadn’t occurred to me that this was ‘street art’ as the term wouldn’t gain traction until years later. When I moved to Los Angeles, I discovered a new breed of people I wanted to speak to. I returned to my goal of saying something encouraging, funny or relatable but as people travel in cars, I knew that I needed to go bigger. I started making posters. With that came the desire to add something that would give an identity to who the message was coming from. I thought that if I included a picture of myself, it would create a bond between the reader and artist. They would see the messages as coming from a kindred spirit, a friend. Things just started evolving from there.


3. How would you describe what you do to someone who might not grasp the concept or idea behind it?

It would depend on how much animosity they had towards people they view as ‘vandals’. In its most basic form, I’m just trying to leave messages for people to stumble over with the hope that it’s the kind of thing they need to hear. Whether it’s as simple as “I promise you you’re not just a waitress” or something a little more cerebral like “the curse of imagination is picturing the world as it should be”, my goal is always to inspire, encourage or commiserate with someone. In my mind, this is worth the negligible damage that wheat paste and posters could do to a piece of public or private property, but there are others who would disagree.


4. What do you feel is your main purpose behind your art?

I like to think, my art is a lot less about me than it is about the viewer. A lot of artists create from the desire to get it ‘out of their system’, others do it to educate or express their opinions. These are totally valid reasons to create, but for what I do, I believe the viewer is a most vital part of the process. It’s the viewer that gives the piece its significance by bringing their own lives to the experience. The degree to which someone relates to something I’ve written or which doors it unlocks in their memory is the only measuring stick to which I can rate a piece’s success. Since I’m not there for 99% of the interactions between someone who sees a poster of mine, I am afforded the luxury of assuming the best.


5. How do you feel about your art either being destroyed, torn down, buffed, etc. within an unknown time frame?

It can be bittersweet but I do my best to believe that my messages only stay up as long as they need to. That the people that needed to see it got the chance. On a financial level it can be frustrating to see a larger poster that cost 30 dollars to make only last a day on the street but it comes with the territory. On the other hand, there’s something sort of beautiful about the temporary nature of street art. That someone might see something of mine that’s gone the following day gives a value to the immediacy of a moment. I find that kind of fleeting beauty is often under appreciated.


6. How do you choose the spots for each piece to be put up?

There are always two major things you look for in a good spot- how many people will see it and how long will it stay up. Usually however much it has in one of those, it decreases in the other. For example, a spot on a rooftop might last longer but a lot fewer people will see it than an electrical box that’s right in front of their face. I generally go for the short-term spots that a lot of people will see. The other thing I try to gauge is how much damage I’m going to do on the spot. I never want someone to see a poster of mine and say, “What a nice sentiment… it’s such a shame he had to ruin that person’s store front to make it.” So I look for bored up buildings, public spots that aren’t going to incontinence anyone or advertisements.


7. What inspired you to come up with phrases and post those up, as opposed to another form of street art and will you ever go in another direction art wise?

The reason I was drawn to phrases was that I consider myself a writer first. I am passionate about the written word and the effect it has on people. The fact that it’s both specific and yet completely open to interpretation has always fascinated me. I enjoy the challenge of telling a little story in a single phrase or sentence, of getting across a profound idea in as few words as possible and letting the viewer fill in everything else with their own histories and perspectives. To that end, I still do my best to evolve as much as I can on a visual level. As that process continues I’m not really sure where it will take me but I always try to keep an open mind.


8. After you put something up, you'll take a picture and give some insight into it on your blog, while most street arts do not take that approach...What made you do this?

For me, the blog was an extension of putting myself on all of the posters. It was a chance to connect on a more personal and intimate level with the audience. Many street artists prefer a level of secrecy, mainly for self preservation, something I can appreciate- but for me, I wanted to do something different and, almost as an alternative to artists like Banksy, create a bond between myself and the people who like my stuff. Speaking into someone’s life requires both honesty and vulnerability and the blog gives me the chance to offer that.


9. How would you describe the phrases you use?

I generally use the term ‘slogans’. In the dictionary, a slogan is defined as: “A distinctive cry, phrase, or motto of any party, group, manufacturer, or person”… Or “a war cry or gathering cry.” I think those definitions suit what I do just fine.


10. If you could wheat-paste any one building, location, anywhere, where would it be?

The Great Wall of China. It would take a lot of paper and paste but I can’t imagine a more bad-ass spot in the world.



http://iammorley.squarespace.com/

LIGHTS

Lights is a singer, songwriter, synth, guitar and keytar player based out of Toronto. With her mix of pop hooks blending and falling into place with a bit of razor-edged electro beats, Lights creates a dynamic combination of sounds on her new record, Siberia. Here, she explains and gives some insight into the world of Lights.


1. How did you get involved with music and what made you want to pursue it?

When I was younger and my dad used to play his acoustic guitar while I was trying to fall asleep, I realized the power of music to change your state of mind, and put me at peace. He started teaching me the basics on guitar when I was eleven and I went from there.


2. What's your earliest memory of music?

I used to have these tapes, these musical stories, about a songbook and his family that went on adventures. I believe it was called Psalty the Singing Songbook. I used put on my huge headphones and listen to the tapes and sing along. Those are probably the first songs I coherently memorized.


3. Who or what are some of your inspirations?

What inspires me varies from visual art, like fantasy art, comics or video game graphics, to good song writing to creative production. It can come from anywhere at any time, you just have to be ready to reign it in and turn it into something great.


4. What is the song writing process like for you and do you get something different out of writing certain songs?

I will either sit there alone with my acoustic and pen a song from start to finish in one sitting, which usually comes at a time when I need it the most. Or I’ll sit in a studio setting with a trusted co-writer and build up a track based on a vibe. Once most of the song is sonically in place and melodies begin to fall into the cracks, I’ll go off that night and write the lyrics. More recently though, with Siberia, a new dynamic was thrown in with Holy Fuck in the picture. Some of the songs came after we patched together stand-out parts pulled from jam sessions recorded right off the floor. Really cool and alive. Each song comes from whatever mood you’re in when it’s written, and the lyrics are pretty respective to the vibe of the song, thusly following suit. They’re all honest, all cathartic in some way. I’ve never written a great song and felt nothing. Those ones just get lost.


5. How do you think winning the Juno for best new artist and being on Last Gang Records has differed or impacted things for you?

The Juno came at an interesting time. I only had an EP out and I was just getting started. It was a real sense of acknowledgment from fellow Canadian music-minds. It gave me an encouraging boost and probably put a few more eyes on me. With Last Gang, it’s just a perfect match for where I’m at right now and the vibe of the new record. Here’s a label with some great, cutting edge, sonically creative music, like DFA, Metric, Crystal Castles, Chromeo. It’s an honor to be among them.


6. What is the best and maybe worst parts of touring for you and do you plan out and make an attempt to check out a certain place in the city you're playing?

The best part of touring is playing in different cities every night, seeing the reach of the music you’ve created even though you’re so far from home. That’s invigorating. Plus, knowing that every day you’re getting better at what you do. The worst part is probably that it gets exhausting after a while. You go hard and long every day. When we have time and are in a good area we check stuff out in the respective cities, but most of the time the venues are a ways away from anything of interest so we just lurk around the bus area.


7. Who would you like to collaborate with at some point?

In my experience so far, I’ve found that the best collaborations are the ones that had little planning, the natural things that just come along. I’m mainly just waiting to see what happens! Though I wouldn’t mind a sing-along with Celine Dion. That also kind of rhymed.


8. What do you think you might be doing if you weren't doing this?

Something graphically oriented probably, like comic illustration or game design.


9. What do you enjoy doing that's non music related?

See above! On the side I release comic-book inspired paintings. I’m taking computer science courses and learning to tattoo. I also watch B-horrors movies and love it.


10. What is something random about yourself?

I used to take pop-up book making classes when I was 12.


11. What are some bands you are currently listening to?

Radiohead, Mew, Bon Iver, Crystal Castles.

Some old favourites/favourite records?

Face Value by Phil Collins, Breakfast in America – Supertramp, Joshua Tree- U2, King of Fools - Delirious

Anything you're looking forward to being released?

The new Tomb Raider game and the upcoming World of Warcraft expansion, involving pandas. Possible Wonder Woman movie? Possible Warcraft movie?

Last cd/vinyl/digital purchased?

Bon Iver - Bon Iver.

Last movie you saw & show you went to?

“The Thing” (remake)



http://www.facebook.com/lights

Marksmen

Marksmen are a four piece from Tampa. The band includes Matt Segallos - guitar and vocals, Chris Brickman - guitar, Glenn Espinoza - bass, and Reed Murray - drummer. Recently, Marksmen brought their blend of indie-alt-rock sound out on the road with Eisley. Here, Reed discusses a bit further about the band known as Marksmen.


1. What made you decide to start a band?

It was never my intention to start a band. I had always wanted to be a part of a project that I believed in and enjoyed playing drums for, but at the same time, the idea of being in a band left me feeling skeptical - it's rare to find other musicians who you completely connect with as people and also have the same musical vision as yourself.
Then Matt and Chris came along. They had been writing together for a short time and had the drive to start this band - a band they wanted me to be a part of. At first I declined due to my other commitments of school and work, but then I listened to various acoustic demos and I was on board.


2. How did everyone meet?

Matt and Chris originally met at a Sam Ash music store in Tampa and began writing together.
At this time, I worked at a Starbucks nearby. Matt and Chris were regular customers at the store. Eventually they heard I was a drummer and they asked me if I would be interested in starting a band with them and I accepted the offer.
I had met Glenn at a pizza place called Mellow Mushroom in Tampa, where he would usually be my server. I heard from friends that Glenn would be a great fit as a bassist, so I asked him and the four of us formed the band, Marksmen.


3. Who are some influences for the band?

I am personally influenced by the drummers of Radiohead, Death Cab for Cutie, The Killers,and Mew.


4. How would you describe the band and its sound?

I feel that we are somewhere between an indie and a rock band.


5. What do you find to be the most difficult thing about being in a band?

The most difficult thing about being in an unsigned band is touring. We've been lucky though, thanks to bands like Anberlin and Eisley, who had been kind enough to take us out to play shows with them in and out of Florida.


6. What are some bands you are currently listening to?

Lately I've been listening to Antlers, Bon Iver, the new Bright Eyes album, the new Thrice, the new St. Vincent, and the new Fleet Foxes.

Some old favourites/favourite records?

Some old favorite albums of mine are "Frengers" Mew, "Transatlanticism" by Death Cab for Cutie, "Clarity" by Jimmy Eat World, "Kid A" by Radiohead, "Parachutes" by Coldplay, "Continuum" by John Mayer, "Hopes and Fears" by Keane, "Beat Romantic" by Talkdemonic and "Sam's Town" by The Killers.

Anything you're looking forward to being released?

I'm very bad with remembering dates of when new albums come out, so there's nothing I'm looking forward to at the moment. I just picked up the new Feist album yesterday though, and I love it, which is the last CD I purchased as of late. Last cd/vinyl/digital purchased?

Last movie you saw & show you went to?

The last movie I saw was Synecdoche, New York and the last show I paid to go see was Death Cab for Cutie in Atlanta with Frightened Rabbit.

Geographer

Geographer are a 3 piece based out of San Francisco. The band consists of Nathan Blaz on cello/electronics, Brian Ostreicher on drums/vocals, and Mike Deni on vocals/guitar,keys. Recently having wrapped up a tour with Ladytron, Geographer brought their blend of indie-synth-pop sound. Here, Mike gives a bit of insight into the band called Geographer.


1. Who or what are some influences for the band?

Radiohead, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Arthur Russell, Prince, Kate Bush, and Terry Riley are heroes of ours.


2. How do you think being San Francisco based benefits or maybe hinders being in a band?

Touring on the west coast is kind of rough. We've gotten used to 8 to 10 hours between shows being a routine drive. But as far as the scene itself, it's been very good to us. The blogs are very genuine out here. They seem to just want to bring people good music, rather than try to find something no one else likes so they can remain cutting edge. And the community is very tiny. It feels like a small town, in that everyone eventually winds up meeting each other. It feels good to know that you can go to a show alone and you'll bump into 5 people you know.


3. What is the songwriting process like for you guys?

I write the songs at home or at our practice space, and flesh them out the best I can. I bring it to the rest of the band and they give a sort of yay or nay on the song as a whole, and tell me which parts they like or don't like. Then I go back home and try to improve it while we all play it together to generate more ideas. It's sort of a war on two fronts like this until the song gets to a place we're all happy with. The lyrics are usually the last to fall into place. A kernel starts with the song, usually, but then it takes me a long time to finish them. Just jamming together and making weird sounds has also helped us expand our pallet. I'm looking forward to doing more of that now that we've finished the album.


4. Who would you like to work with if given the chance?

Nigel Godrich and Dave Fridmann. We have as much respect and admiration for them as we do for the bands they produce.


5. What is the best/worst part of being in a band?

Best: people screaming and clapping and dancing because of something that you made and that you love. Worst: not being able to listen to music the way I did before I stepped behind the curtain. Now I try to imagine the shape of the gears that make the engine work, rather than marvelling at its power and magic. If I hear a strange sound I have to hunt it like an animal, and I only feel better once I know how it's done. That's why I listen to so much old music, I think, because you can't touch Paul Simon. And that's no fault of your own. He's Paul Simon.


6. What would you be doing if you weren't involved with music?

I can't even think about that.


7. What are some bands you are currently listening to?

Prince, Here We Go Magic, Shabazz Palaces, Braids

Some old favourites/favourite records?

I love records from my youth, that my parents listened to. So Steve Winwood's "Back in the High Life," James Taylor's "Mudslide Slim and the Blue Horizon, Cat Stevens' "Tea for the Tillerman."

Anything you're looking forward to being released?

I'm looking forward to another Grizzly Bear record.

Last cd/vinyl/digital purchased?

Billy Joel's "Glass Houses"

Last movie you saw & show you went to?

Drive. It was so good. Made me wonder what makes movies good, but whatever it is, that movie had it. When I heard about that movie, before it came out, I watched all of Winding-Refn's movies, and they are very interesting but usually quite sickening. This one walked a nice balance of not making me feel like a freak for watching it while still exploring the violent fringes of being human.

Raw Geronimo

Raw Geronimo is at the core of it Laena Geronimo. Having been a part of various bands, she got together 5 friends and began her current journey as Raw Geronimo. Here, Laena goes in depth and gives some insight into all things Raw Geronimo.


1. How would you describe this project and would you describe it as a solo effort, that turned into a full band?

The closest I've come to summing up our sound is: Jungle-Punk-Soul-Surf-Goth-World-Avant-Pop-Wildness... and I could keep adding hyphens for hours. Basically It's a very eclectically inspired, high energy set. Everyone has a different description for it. I haven't been sold on one yet. I suppose initially it was a solo effort- only because it was just me writing songs and recording them by myself with no specific purpose for years; I was reeeeally shy as a songwriter and kinda just kept it hidden away. Then something just clicked; I basically experienced a totally abrupt about-face early 2011 and suddenly became consumed with this mission to share my songs and to sing my heart out to the entire universe. There was never any question in my mind about whether or not to form a full band: the "band" is my natural habitat. No backing track can replace that camaraderie, not to mention the nuances of human musicianship. Each member adds their own personality to the mix and I believe in that whole heartedly. I think that the songs sound 10x better and more exciting now being played by the full band than they ever could have in my wildest dreams.


2. Where did the name originate from?

Well, I guess I should go ahead and explain my name first... If I'd been born a boy my mom wanted to name me Geronimo, inspired obviously by the great Chiricahua Apache Native American Chief. In 2009 I decided to streamline "Myers-Ionita" to something a little easier to spit out, and I couldn't turn down the opportunity to go with something really awesome and symbolic... The idea of summoning that "male" counterpart to Myself, along with the strength and prowess associated with that Name Itself felt right. I also love how the name is used in pop-culture when someone's jumping off a cliff or something...I kind of feel like everything I do has an element of that reckless faith to it. When I finally decided to bite the bullet in 2009 and put some of my own material out there online I did it as Raw Geronimo- a name I'd been dabbling with in journals n doodles; I liked the way it sounded and it seemed fitting since this was the rawest presentation of myself that I had ever made public; it really was very much a naked feeling- as opposed to always having been able to hide behind someone else's vision... Flash forward a year a half: I'd formed a band and they all liked the name. So it stuck.


3. When did you start playing music?

I'd say shortly post-womb? My parents are both very musical; my mom is a singer/songwriter from Romania who had a band (BABOOSHKA) that practiced in our living room when I was a kid and my dad is a drummer/percussionist (DEVO). We sang a lot; I was always surrounded by instruments- guitars, keyboards, percussion galore, sitars, flutes- you name it. Started studying violin in school when I was 10 and then seriously trained with private teachers and symphonies until I started touring with bands too much to keep it up. Played guitar in the jazz band in high school. Started playing bass when I was 18 in a band. So I mean, I dunno.


4. How do you approach different projects/bands?

With a smile haha. Playing music is the funnest most fulfilling thing in the world to me. I would rather work on music than watch tv or sit around a bar any day. Being in multiple bands, especially ambitious ones, does require a LOT of organization skills and also a solid understanding of priorities between everyone involved, but I enjoy playing different instruments and different roles in a band too much to have only one outlet for it all, at least for now. At one point back in 2007 I was playing in 5 different bands, all the while holding down a full time job. Playing music is seriously my passion, sometimes to my own detriment! I'm a full-on addict. I still play in 2 other bands and work other fun little projects in when I can, but really now with my baby Raw Geronimo to care for I've had to learn to be realistic about my time and turn things down a lot more often. I spend an enormous amount of time as the wizard behind the curtain organizing, conceptualizing, planning etc... It's very different when it's your own band; you can't just show up n wing it on the spot.


5. Who or what are some inspirations you either use or perhaps don't directly channel, but nevertheless look to?

As far as live performance goes- Iggy Pop is The Man- he embodies the maximum of the sort of energetic, uninhibited live performance that I love- also Jim Morrison, Ian Svenonious, Dante White-Aliano... I love a performer who gives it all to the audience, who's energy is so intense that it's contagious. On the more feminine side of that coin Kate Bush's dance and almost-pantomime performance style holds a very sacred place in my heart also. I actually studied ballet and other forms of dance for 8 years as a kid and have always interpreted music in a very physically expressive way. I also definitely admire her talent for balancing artistic freedom with pop relevance. Musically, In writing- it's just such a hodgepodge of everything I've ever heard that it's really tough to name names. I love to take extremely disparate influences and marry them all together... but it's more of a subconscious thing. More often than not my songs don't start out as just a chord progression with a vocal melody- I usually write as I record the demo, and each track dominoes the next. It's always a frenzy and never a systematic process of working in influences, which is why I generally only can name them in retrospect, usually when I'm attempting to describe a part to my bandmate who's about to play it... at practice recently I realized that the best way to describe how I was hearing the drums on Magnetic Love -which we just adapted to play live to celebrate the 'Faustine' 7" release- was: "TERMINATOR" haha


6. Who would you like to work with on some type of project?

Musically I would be in heaven to work with Brian Eno and/or David Bowie.


7. Having played with quite a few various bands, what kind of venue or setting do you prefer?

I like playing anywhere where a real connection between the performers and the audience can happen- sonically, visually, physically... A live show is about celebrating real humanity as far as I'm concerned. I do appreciate quality sound, and awesome lighting is always a plus... I mean it's hard to say. Honestly the funnest shows I've ever played have been in some of the most random places: on a speed boat out in the water with 80 people on board in Long Beach, a raging house party in Austin, The Botanique Rotonde in Brussels, a converted 2-story military bus in San Francisco... basically it's really wonderful when the sound is great, but the most important thing to me is that the crowd is feeling good and alive and having fun! The live show is all about raw energy and getting everyone to just go nuts with us. If we were somehow playing a show locked in a prison on death row to an audience that was just losing it having the greatest time ever- we could overthrow the joint or die; I'd go out smiling either way.


8. If it weren't for music, what else do you see yourself doing?

Pet psychic/masseuse. These are real jobs I am told.


9. Being LA based, where are a couple places you'd recommend to visit?

Well, The Observatory and The La Brea Tar Pits are wonderful. For food I love Sage/KindKreme, It's Thai Hometaurant, Paru's Indian, Canter's Delicatessen, In n Out, Two Boots Pizza... If you're lookin for vintage clothing definitely hit up Lemon Frog Shop and Squaresville. For live music I love The Echo, The Smell, The El Rey... but really there are so many venues and destinations... I would highly suggest picking up an LA WEEKLY and seeing what's going on; it depends so much on the interests of the visitor. If you're looking to check out the local music scene you should grab an LA RECORD or look them up online for sure. I mean personally, I would say skip the typical tourist spots. I've run into a lot of people while traveling who've visited L.A. and hated it- and I don't blame them; I personally find that most places that are considered L.A. "hot spots" are horribly superficial and I avoid them like the plague. But don't get me wrong- I LOVE L.A. One of my fave things about it is that here communities are more based on common interest than spatial necessity; the fact that the city's so spread out allows for these neighborhood cultural hot spots to evolve where everyone's pretty much on the same page. In a place so huge- I can walk down my street to the coffee shop and run into like 15 people that i know, mostly through music in some way. Pretty much everything i do and everyone I wanna hang out with is within like a mile radius. I feel at home on the East side: Echo Park, Downtown, Highland Park, Silver Lake, Atwater Village... where the gentrification hasn't fully taken hold yet- there's health food stores and nice cafes but it's still real and rough around the edges. It's actually really exciting over here right now; there is such a prolific and strong concentration of creative people who are truly supportive of each other- it's a palpable force. And then if you could use a break from the city there's more nature destinations tucked around than even I know what to do with- gigantic parks, mountain ranges, lakes, the ocean- and it's all so close. Home Sweet Home.


10. What are some bands you are currently listening to?

Current bands? The Abigails, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Holy Roller, VUM, The Growlers, Deerhoof, The Black Apples, Jail Weddings, King Tuff, Devon Williams, Corridor, ... I hear my roommate Jada Wagensomer work on her songs for Brass Tax or Baby and Guy all the time which is awesome... but mostly what I've been listening to lately is a pretty vast variety of world music; Nigerian funk, Hawaiian lullabies, Romanian dances, Japanese Koto, Cuban calypso- you get the idea. I feel like there's an inherent honesty in non-westernized music and I love thinking about the arrangements, time/key signatures, etc and letting that sink into my subconscious, maybe to pop up later on in some form in my own music.

Some old favourites/favourite records?

Siouxsie and the Banshees "The Scream," Kate Bush's "The Dreaming" and "Never Forever," Suburban Lawns' small discography, Iggy and the Stooges "Raw Power," Sonic Youth "Dirty," The Slits "Cut," Patsy Cline "Greatest Hits", Television "Marquee Moon," CAN "Ege Bamyasi," Leonard Cohen "Songs From a Room," Brian Eno "Here Come The Warm Jets" and "Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks," The Cramps "Bad Music for Bad People," Frank Zappa "Freak Out," Joy Division "Closer," The Velvet Underground "The Velvet Underground & Nico," Blondie "The Best of Blondie," Moon Dog (s/t,) Jefferson Airplaine "Surrealistic Pillow," Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg (s/t,) Ethiopiques (Volume 1 and all the rest,) Adam and the Ants "Kings of the Wild Frontier," ABBA "Gold"..... this could go on forever... I've left out the overly obvious (at least to me) Beatles,Kinks,Stones,Bowie,Hendrix,Doors,Dylan etcetcetc

Anything you're looking forward to being released?

Well this may seem horribly self-centered, but I've gotta say that I am ridiculously excited about Raw Geronimo's "Role Play/Shot On The Spot" 7"-which is our first release featuring the full band- out in late Jan 2012... and even more for the future release of the LP that we just got started recording at Station House Studio here in Echo Park. I also can't wait for the Dante Vs. Zombies LP to come out in early 2012... To tell you the truth, I am so excited about everything that Neurotic Yell Records is putting out; the label was launched just this Fall 2011 and it's already off to a running start with upcoming releases scheduled throughout 2012 from some of my very favorite bands.... very exciting to be a part of it! Honestly I don't really go out of my way to keep tabs on what's going on in music outside of what I see locally. I suppose I spend too much time with my head buried in music that I'm actively a part of to care as much as I probably should about what everyone else is getting excited listening to? But it doesn't bother me much.

Last cd/vinyl/digital purchased?

My last record purchases have all been vinyl: VUM "Night Sun," George Danquah "Hot & Jumpy" (-African artist- released by Secret Stash just this year - they are putting out some verrrry cool stuff, check them out!) and an old, undated live recording from the Sahara Desert called "Desert Wedding," (-a sampling of the music that newly weds dance to in joyful and sometimes frantic celebration for an entire day without stopping. The last line of the notes on the back reads, "The desert may be bleak and bare, but the people and their customs are full of life and color." so good.)

Last movie you saw & show you went to?

The last movie I saw was an amazing film called "Double Indemnity" from 1944. The last show I went to (that I didn't play) was VUM at Echo Country Outpost, which was awesome.


Raw Geronimo's debut single "Faustine/Magnetic Love" is OUT NOW on Neurotic Yell Records and available worldwide (order here: http://neuroticyellrecords.bandcamp.com/album/faustine-magnetic-love) It's a translucent aqua vinyl and comes with a limited-edition 11"x17" full-color poster of the original artwork used on the album by Elon Etzioni and a digital download drop card featuring an additional song. You can check our insane music video for "Faustine" here: http://vimeo.com/32534551. Our follow-up 7" single featuring the full band line-up "Role Play/Shot On The Spot" on translucent red vinyl is available for pre-order now as well! (order here: http://neuroticyellrecords.bandcamp.com/album/role-play-shot-on-the-spot)

Keep up to date with the band by staying tuned to our Facebook band page http://www.facebook.com/RawGeronimo and you can also follow us on twitter! http://www.twitter.com/RawGeronimo

photo credit: Maraiah S. Tillett

L'Altra

L'Altra are a duo made up of Lindsay Anderson and Joseph Desler Costa. Formed in Chicago and now based in Brooklyn, their sound is a blend of guitar, keys and a bit of electronic elements. Here, Joseph gives some background on the band.


1. When/where did the band meet?

--- Lindsay and I met the 1st day of college and began talking about putting a band together. We spent a lot of time just sitting around listening to music before the band became a reality in Chicago in the year 2000.


2. What was the inspiration behind starting the band?

--- There was so much music happening in Chicago in the late nineties and 2000's that it was impossible not to get swept up in the fever to make it. We began playing in our bedroom and I think that contributed to our softer sound. We also deliberately did not want to be come a math rock kind of group. Our focus has always been expressing what we feel and our obsession with this kind of 'romantic' idea... We always were listening to music from the UK and really identified with the shoe-gaze aesthetic of close your eyes and play...


3. How would the music best be described as and was this a deliberate sound that was created?

--- I guess I would call what we do 'dream pop' or 'soft indie jams' Nothing we do is deliberate, though I think our aesthetic definitely developed over the years. We definitely think through everything we do, from the songs, to album covers etc. We also developed these characters we become on our albums, I think we have been playing the same characters since the beginning and each album is like an exploration of these characters and their relationships.


4. Where do you see yourselves as a band within the multitude of various others bands and where do you hope to go from here?

--- I have a really hard time understanding where we fit in. I know that we are either loved by people or easily shrugged off... Our music is intimate and does not always get through. When it does get though I think it really gets through. Telepathic is our 4th album as a band, I think we're really lucky to have survived and keep releasing albums. I think we'll continue to write songs and just do what we do. Obviously we hope to reach more and more people, but in the end its not something we can worry about.


5. Who would you like to work with, given the chance?

--- Dream scenario: I'd love to do an record produced by Daniel Lanois, Nigel Goodrich, or John Hughs(Slicker)


6. What are some bands you are currently listening to?

--- Anna Calvi, Benoit Pouilard, Tamryn, A Classic Education, Gram Parsons, Ariel Pink, Echo and the Bunnyman...


7. Some old favourites/favourite records?

--- Ride, Nowhere The Cure, Disintegration Love and Rockets, Earth Sun Moon


8. Anything you're looking forward to being released?

--- La Sera (katy from Vivian girls side project) and the Captain America movie ( I love stupid super hero movies!)


9. Last cd/vinyl/digital purchased?

--- Deerhunter, Halcyon Digest. Its a beautiful and understated record.


10. Last movie you saw & show you went to?

--- Last Movie: Greenberg with Ben Stiller (Super depressing!) Last show: British Sea Power at Music Hall of Willamburg(Super Loud!!)



http://www.myspace.com/laltra