Skinnie Magazine Issue 111

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CONTENTS | MAY

2011

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p.

FEATURES p.012

D*FACING LOS ANGELES

p.016

The R&R GALLERY

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LIBYAN STATE OF MIND

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TOUGH, TRUE, TERRY

UK’s finest D*Face unveils his brand of street art in LA Turning art into a fucking party! Khaled M Knows First Hand

There Can Only Be One TK

p.030

NOTHING LIKE A LITTLE DRAMA From the Fantasy Factory to the World of Fashion and Beyond

p.035

SKINNIE GIRL - Ashleigh Elliott A Little Southern Hospitality

p.039

DANNY McBRIDE RULES! No Subtitle Necessary

p.046

THE HIGHEST SUPERHERO Ziggy Marley Details A New Kind of Hero

p.050

THE SENIOR CLASS Royksopp Reps Norway To The Fullest

p.052

“SHOOT THEM DOWN, BANG BANG” Philly’s Dynamic Duo Chiddy Bang Cross Genres

p.054

“WITH EYES SO BRIGHT Conor Oberest Comes Full Circle

p.035

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©2011 Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved. Card subject to change. ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO SKINNIEMAGAZINE.COM


MAY 2011 J ISSUE #111 10184 Sixth St. Suite A Rancho Cucamonga, Ca. 91730 Ph. 909-476-0270 Fax 909-476-5931 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PUBLISHERS Jimmy Clinton and George Giordano ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EDITORIAL Editor-In-Chief Ramon Gonzales Jasen T. Davis, Alex Mendoza, Eric Bonholtzer, Katie Evans, Kristie Bertucci, Patrick Douglas, Lacy Ottenson, Elysia McMahan, Ben Marazzi, MM Zonoozy, Katie Evans, James Gobee, Contributing Writers

For editorial submissions, email editorial@skinniemagazine.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ART & DESIGN Memo Gonzalez, Morgan Desmond Client Service Representative Morgan Desmond

Art department

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PHOTOGRAPHY Michael Vincent, Alan Rivera, Sean Myers, Joanna Miriam, Dave Gatson, Karen Curley, Harmony Gerber, Edison Graff, Amanda Davies, Angela Jugon, Timothy Sheppard, Erik Faiivae, Christian Sosa, Tammy Rapp, Todd Scheuerell Contributing Photographers

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Sales & Marketing Sales/Marketing Director

Jason Zahler Christopher Pena, Liza Dalida Andy Alexander, Leigh Ann St. Cyr and Julius Lopez Advertising

For all sales inquiries email sales@skinniemagazine.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Administrative Kevin Whetstine House Of Designs Morgan Desmond Contributing Staff Angela Jugon Raquel Lopez, Cynthia De Los Santos and Ryan Mercer Promotion Director Webmaster

online editor

FucK my

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editor’s letter The 213 Edition

Seriously. Who cares?

What I will say is this. Last month, Nathaniel “Nate Dogg” Hale passed away far too early. A lot of people have jumped on the bandwagon and talked about how “you will be missed” and all this other melodramatic, self-righteous bullshit. The fact is, that kind of dialogue should be reserved for the people who now have to deal with the tragedy of losing not Nate Dogg the performer, but Mr. Hale the father, brother, cousin, husband, friend. I didn’t know Mr. Hale personally. If I had passed, he

Fashion Coordinators

Michelle Ngo Heather Choi and Christina Pham

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SUBSCRIBERS If the post office alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within two years.

wouldn’t be writing about me. However, I can call myself a real fan.

One, I am not interesting. Two, it gets difficult to come up with something that doesn’t sound self-indulgent. This really shouldn’t be a forum to unload. It’s lame.

FASHION Fashion Director

Acknowledging where you grew up ultimately plays an important part of who you become. Anytime I hear Mr. Hale’s voice on a track, I can’t help but feel something strangely familiar. The opportunity to feel rooted from a simple song – to feel like home when you listen to a fucking song – you are compelled to be, at least in some small part, thankful.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER The content in this magazine is for entertainment and intended for mature audiences only. Advertisers are responsible for their ads placed in the magazine. Skinnie Magazine is not responsible for any actions taken by their readers. We may occasionally use images placed in public domain. Sometimes, it is not possible to identify and/or contact the copyright holder, if you claim ownership of something we’ve published, we will gladly make a proper acknowledgement. Skinnie Magazine does not share opinions and/ or views stated by the writers and or photographers. Some of the content published may be of a mature nature; we do not, in any way, condone underage drinking or any other illegal activity. All submissions become property of Skinnie Magazine, be it text, photos, art, etc. Skinnie Entertainment Magazine All Rights Reserved. 2011

You weren’t lying Mr. Hale, “Nobody Did It Better…”

Ramon Gonzales Cover Photo by Frank Connor

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ACCOUTREMENTS 2 3 1

5

4

Essentials for spring

Southern California Living Means Always Showing Some Style. The Rayna X Nixon Watches

Teruo Artistry x New Era 1919 Fitted Cap

Toshiba Tablet

SOUL by Ludacris

Fred Perry “Holdall”

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Depending on preference, there is something insanely sexy about simplicity. Nixon Watches continue to crank out designs that showcase style without having to scream at you to notice. The bold design of Nixon’s spring line for ladies manages to become that perfect accessory to meet the standards of even the pickiest of the fairer sex. Ladies, get on these.

Combining imagery that remains undeniably West Coast, with genuinely savvy street fashion, Teruo Artistry is steadily gaining the kind of momentum that is making them a name among aficionados and sneakerheads. This New Era collab features Japanese cultural fabric on the underbrim, making nos two hats alike. That kind of exclusivity and detail makes Teruo tops.

$160 NixonNow.com

$42.50 Teruo.com

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Only adding to the ongoing debate of PC versus Mac, Toshiba has launched their latest effort in response to the huge popularity of the iPad. Simply called the Tablet, this bad boy is powered by the latest Android Honeycomb technology. USB, HDMI, mini USB jacks, and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capability are met with a self-adjusting brightness sensor makes visibility a cinch inside and out. Apple better watch out.

While Ludacris might catch some flack for following in the steps of Dre’s now household signature Beats headphone series, a little competition never hurt anyone. The stylish design of these noise cancellation studio quality headphones work for the performing DJ, the engineer behind the board, or the nerd on his/her way to class. The full series of headphones is available for any budget.

Championed by the Rude Boys and brace donning, boot strapping trendsetters of all things Oi, Fred Perry has gone from working class chic, to one of the leading names in timeless fashion. That simple wreath has become an iconic image that transcends the UK and really conveys a unique look. Urban Outfitters is one of few US retailers able to carry such a lofty name. The bag speaks for itself. RAD.

$(who knows)

$(who knows)

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SoulByLudacris.com

$84 UrbanOutfitters.com


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d*Face

The World UK street artist holds a mirror up to Los Angeles Words By Ben Nine-K

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Starting April 9th the collected works of notorious UK street artist, D*Face will for the first time descend upon Los Angeles. For those unfamiliar with the spraycan wielding vigilante, D*Face is an artist/sculptor whose work is equal parts pop culture and social commentary. He has dubbed his style “aPOPcalyptic” and describes it as “a metaphorical backdrop for the corruptive persuasive consumerist folly that has been force fed into society.” D*Face seeks to question the authority and power of both stardom and celebrity. His work calls into question the morals and values of modern consumerist culture. Even though he missed it in its first-wave, he cites early punk bands like The Clash, The Sex Pistols and Dead Kennedys as early influences on his law-breaking attitude toward art. Despite growing up in London, D*Face’s artwork is also heavily influenced by both New York graffiti culture and America Skateboard culture. Some of D*Face’s earliest art inspirations appeared in Thrasher Magazine and on American skate decks. With a board at his feet and Suicidal Tendencies blaring in his earphones D*Face made his first mark on the underground art scene and has since held multiple gallery showings on both sides of the Atlantic. His latest show Going Nowhere Fast focuses on many of these reoccurring themes. The artist has held galleries in both the UK and New York but has yet to make it to the west coast, so for many LA street art enthusiasts this will be a first look at the stylings of D*Face.As a result, he’s taken the measures to make this show an extension of his earlier galleries, essentially summing up the concepts he’s presented in his previous shows with a few new twists. He describes Going Nowhere Fast as the “apocalyptic feeling of impending doom” and hopes it continues his good versus evil battle with a celebrity-obsessed culture. One of D*Face’s newest creations is a series of works which he has dubbed “Flutterdies”. After amassing a large collection of spray can odds and ends over the years the artist decided to use these discarded parts of what most would merely consider a tool, to create a series of bionic semi-steam-punk butterflies. The tiny sculptures are created by combining the bodies of real taxidermied insects with caps from discarded spray paint cans. The oddly creepy creations are what the artist explains as one of his best illustrations of the Going Nowhere Fast concept “as well as a statement on mortality.”

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After speaking with the artist I couldn’t help but ask what the selfproclaimed anti-celebrity was planning to do in LA. If his bio served correctly it would seem D*face would want nothing to do with the celebrity infested hills of Los Angeles, however, he feels the apparent contrast of concepts is one of the best parts of his art pilgrimage to the West Coast. After years of questioning the “perfect people”, D*Face is excited for his chance to let his artwork serve as a potential looking glass for the culture that he openly mocks. Although this will be D*Face’s first gallery in Los Angeles, those unfamiliar with street art culture may have become aware of his work by way of his recent celebrity collaboration with Christina Aguilera. Even now, D*Face seems a little shocked that he got the call about the job. Apparently a few years back Jordan Bratman and his then wife “Christina” had commissioned a few paintings from D*Face, but as the artist openly admits, when Bratman referenced his wife he failed to make the connection that he was married to the famous pop-singer. A few years later as Christina prepared to release her 2010 album, D*Face was contacted and asked if he would be interested in creating the cover. Although admittedly not a fan of pop music, the artist met with the singer and, after negotiating full creative control of the project, he set to work creating what would eventually become the cover art of the #1 selling pop album, Bionic. With all his recent press it would seem that the once underground artist is starting to inch closer and closer to the mainstream. 2010 was a big year for street art.With the release of Exit Through the Gift Shop and Hollywood residents ripping down entire walls in pursuit of a piece of original Banksy art I had to question D*Face on whether or not he is afraid his culture is about to be thrust into the mainstream. He feels it has had both an “adverse and a positive affect”. Although he does feel that the major motion picture exposure has started to steer the art culture he grew up with in a commercial direction, it won’t stop him from creating. “When you put something in the street it’s no longer yours.” He explains that although often times the public will take notice, the beauty of street art is that it keeps changing. Yes, the recent media attention has caused more people to become aware of his culture, but if the point of working in the public domain is to create new ideas and move forward, then mainstream media exposure doesn’t kill the art form, it just sends it off in a new direction. Despite his more high profile gigs, which aside from his work with Christina Aguilera also include a portrait of Pope Benedict XVI for The Vatican and a series of covers for Penguin Books 50th anniversary, D*Face considers himself first and foremost a street artist. Although his work has been sold at both Christies and Bonhams, he still likes going out into the world and creating artwork in the public sphere. With D*Face’s “public domain” philosophy on art, even something as unsettling as having one’s creation painted over can be taken positively. “Yes it’s disheartening when something gets painted over, but it keeps it fresh.” The important thing is always questioning authority and moving forward. So prepare yourself Los Angeles, from April 9 – April 27 you will have your values put on display and openly questioned. D*Face’s Going Nowhere Fast will be on display at the Corey Helford Gallery in Culver City. The artist finished the interview by pointing out that he isn’t “anti-LA”. It’s one of his “favorite cities”, but as an artist it’s his job to present “a moral dilemma for his viewers to embrace, reject, laugh (at) or deny”. It’s a love hate relationship, but as D*Face concludes, “contrast and contradiction is what makes his art.” To learn more about D*Face and his art visit www.dface.co.uk For more info on the Corey Helford Gallery visit www.coreyhelfordgallerycom

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THE R & R:

GALLERY

Putting the Art in Party By Kristie Bertucci

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Nestled on the outskirts of the bustling hipster metropolis that’s become Downtown L.A. is a quaint little space that Mark Yamamoto and CW Mihlberger have transformed into The R & R gallery. Proud of its one-year achievements, the guys celebrated their anniversary with an interesting themed show about Jesus.Yup, the guys decided to commemorate their grand achievement with a salute to The Man. With a variety of pieces from 25 different artists, the show was a hodgepodge of the most unique and interesting Christ-based art you’ll probably ever see. There was an entire piece the reflected the image of Christ in Cheez-Its, a piece of the Holy Man made of Dixie Cups, a Rob Zombie look-a-like homeboy Jesus throwing some wine down for his deceased homies, a chair slashed with blood and thorns, a huge ass alter piece of a wood crucifix, and the most daring was a crucifix created out of severed penises (fake, of course).

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For such a controversial topic, the guys got no backlash— from anyone. “We had a cross of dicks hanging…that’s pretty fucken offensive,” CW asserts. “Only one guy that I knew was religious was, like, ‘I just can’t look at it.’ Some sort of controversy would have been fun but nobody cares anymore; we’re not in Utah anymore” “Yeah, we didn’t have anything at all,” Mark chimes in. “We actually wanted some shock from people, but Jesus just isn’t as taboo as he was before, I guess.” For the show’s opening night on January 28th, the Utah-born, Mormon-raised transplants passed around bread, wine and beer.“We passed out the essential sacraments,” Marks laughs. “Yeah, we even had a priest come and bless everyone…just kidding,” adds CW. For the duo, art isn’t about being snotty and all serious or coming in and dropping mad money for pieces; instead it’s all about fun, which is what shines out from both guys in person…almost in a spiritual manner (pun intended). “It’s never about coming to get the most expensive piece, everybody that does a piece here,” CW says. “It’s solely to do it for the love of art and having fun with it instead of being snotty.” The guys let the artists (many friends, art students and art school alumni, both vets and newbie’s) price their own pieces for whatever amount they think their art should cost, instead of pricing things themselves as other galleries do. “The standard is whatever the hell they want,” CW explains. “We always say you put it for how much time you put into it. We had a mannequin show and one guy didn’t want to sell his piece. So we were, like, ‘Just price it at what you’d like it to sell at if you did want to,’ and he said $12 K. And that was cool with us.” Creating the R & R Gallery (named after rest and relaxation) for the sole purpose of leaving their 9-5s for a more a more independent, free and creative outlet. Mark owned his own graphic design production company and CW worked for Warner Bros. in their video production department; cool jobs in many eyes, but still part of the “corporate bullshit” in CW’s eyes. “We both hit a point where we were like none of this is for us though,” CW explains. “And wanted to do our own shit and said lets make our own jobs and do whatever we wanted to do.” As more of a creative space for all their artistic friends than your typical gallery (the guys didn’t even open it as a “gallery”), the place looked as if it was more of live/work space with a small kitchen way in the back, a couch in the corner and a couple of Jesus pieces still on the wall even thought the exhibit had already fun it’s two-week course. It had a mixed feeling like a workspace/dorm room. Definitely not what one expects from a traditional gallery environment. “Yeah, it’s pretty messy right now. We have so many creative friends that it’s just a good place for us all to come together and make stuff and a place to show it off,” Marks comments. “People crash here all the time! It’s literally like a home away from home for a lot of our friends.”

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Text NBFF to 88704 for a chance to win 2 All Access Passes to NBFF! Msg&data rates may apply.

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Also using the space for music videos and band stuff for their musically inclined friends (as well as renting it out for side things), the guys think of their art show more as intimate parties with art thrown in. “Opening night is always one big ass party,” Mark confesses. “If you take a look at our site, we talk about are shows as parties. We want everyone to have a good time. We put the ‘art’ in ‘party’ really!” “We definitely have good parties. The Jesus one was the one were I got most wasted at,” CW laughs. “Yeah, it was a good time,” Mark adds. “We have these themed shows based on our influences and heroes from out childhood and go from there.” “Actually we were on acid out in the woods and looked up and saw Jesus in the stars,” CW jokes. Having a total of eight themed shows in total including ones that centered around Mr. Bill Murray and the ’80s Labyrinth movie with David Bowie, upcoming themed shows for the gallery will be about Cowboys and Indians, Cheese and Willie Nelson. “It doesn’t get any bigger than Jesus,” Mark explains. “He’s, like, the ultimate pop icon. We weren’t looking for the artists to take a religious approach to their pieces. The intentions were for them to see it from a pop culture aspect that would allow them to express their thoughts on such a classical subject matter in a fun, unique way. It was interesting to see how everyone interpreted it. I would have never thought of making ‘Cheese-us’ piece out of Cheez-Its.” While The Jesus show was a smash hit, it was the Bill Murray exhibit that the two couldn’t stop talking about. “Yeah, that was our sixth month anniversary show,” Mark says. “It was so crowded that it got shut down.” “Totally insane,” CW adds. “We even had people come dressed up in full Ghost Buster gear. They were Ghost Buster recreationists and even brought out a replica car.” For the rest of 2011, the guys hope to continue their themed shows at lest once a month and hope to even throw in some more solo shows that showcase two to four artists at a time and even want to host most music-related events. “We definitely want to be considered as a well known gallery and have been talking about doing something like this in other states,” Mark says. “It would be cool to take our idea and do pop up galleries. Really, if we can continue to have an awesome place for all of our creative friends to come work out of, then that’s plenty for us.We’re not trying to make the R & R gallery into something it’s not. We always want to keep it fun!”

Sources: The R&R Gallery | Project 929 East 2nd St. Suite 106 Los Angeles, CA, 90012 z(213) 626-2261 http://therandr.org

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4 STROKE FOREPLAY

DAILY SKIN PHOTO: ELLIOT CRABTREE

TROPHY GIRL GETS ROOSTED!

MIKE ALESSI: I LIKE TO GET DIRTY WHEN IT’S WET SH E

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I GOTTA GO USING HIS HEAD EX-VIRGIN SKINNIEMAGAZINE.COM

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libyan

state of mind

It’s Lights, Camera, Revolution for Khaled M. By Jasen T. Davis

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Khaled M. (Khaled Muammer) is an American-Libyan hip-hop MC creating revolutionary music at a time when his homeland is in the midst of one. He fine-tuned his skills in Chicago, working as a ghostwriter for other hip-hop and R&B musicians while he perfected his freestyle-driven signature sound. Now Khaled M. is an MC on the rise, touring around the world with industry heavyweights such as Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and Tech N9ne. Recent political protests in Libya over Gaddafi’s totalitarian regime have placed a different kind of spotlight on Khaled M., who had grown up in a family that had fled Libya for their lives to live in a community with strong ties to the National Front for the Salvation of Libya. His song, “Can’t Take Our Freedom,” has become a rallying cry not only for protestors in Libya, but for anyone facing political oppression around the world. You were born into a family that had witnessed your father being jailed and tortured by the Libyan government on a routine basis. After they fled their home to eventually live in America, you were raised in a community with strong ties to Libya. How do all of these experiences affect your art? I think more than anything that my experiences growing up taught me about what is important in life.We grew up poor but I had a very happy childhood. My family instilled me in certain values…that it was important to fight for justice, for freedom and to see what was more important in life. From what I understand, your father was a poet as well. My father never sat me down and taught me writing. I’d always hear him freestyling these little songs. He’d make little rhymes about how I didn’t like a certain food or things that would happen during the day. He was very clever and always had something witty to say. I was too young then to understand the magnitude of how good his writing was. Do you look forward to visiting Libya once a new government comes into power? It’s surreal.We always felt that any moment we could go back to Libya. That’s why a lot of Libyans grew up poor, they didn’t invest or save anything over here because they always thought they were going back. As a child I always thought we’d go back. When I became a teenager I realized that this was America, this was my home. Recently, our group became more about making people more aware about what Gaddafi had done. Every male family member on my father’s side has been tortured and imprisoned by Gaddafi. It’s going to be very emotional when we go back. It’s going to be an exciting time and a sad time.There’s a lot of family there I haven’t seen before, although I met a lot of them in when I was in Tunisia in 2004.To see a lot of my friends and family back in Libya again will be very moving. Right now you are a young Moslem male growing up in a politically charged time in America. How do you feel about the country? At the end of the day, regardless of what actions the American government or certain people might make, there are truly good people here. I think a lot of times a smaller

group of negative people with loud voices can make life hard. I grew up as an outsider. All the King hearings, the fuss about building a Mosque in NYC, that can hurt. There’s a lot of mixed messages. I have a lot of personal beliefs about what the government has disclosed and not disclosed. I think anyone who watches the media has to understand that they need to do a lot of research. I don’t watch Fox news or anything like that. For instance, If you watch the news, you’d think that all Arab men are Moslem. But it’s only 18%. I feel sometimes I’m part of a culture that can be under attack. I get randomly checked, every flight. But I understand, we have to stop terrorism. What’s it like for you in the world of hip-hop? In the hip-hop world there is no anti-Moslem attitude.There’s big ethnic backgrounds, there’s Latinos, Chinese, Black people…it’s a big family and it’s a beautiful thing. Many hip-hop artists are Moslem, too. Because of this there’s a lot of cultural understanding. People don’t act weird when I have stop and pray. The Libyan protest website you were a part was influential in helping the people who were under Gaddafi’s regime get their message out, despite the government’s attempts to block communications to the outside world. What was it like being part of the technical and social side of a revolution? Feb17.info was part of a lot of other things, a lot of different people from many areas working together to help. We called people in Libya, got a hold of them, and we offered tutorials to teach people there how to get Internet connections, using proxies and other technologies, like Google Voice, to get the word out. People involved in the political demonstrations in Washington, D.C. during the protests in Libya wanted to be there so much to help. They wanted to be in Libya, helping them, fighting, giving medical aid…but people over there told us they needed the help we were giving them. They were the ones who told us that what we were doing was very important. With all of that going on you still have had time to create a highly anticipated new project. Let’s talk about it. I’m releasing it in early spring, late summer. It’s called Free P.This is my debut project. It’s a compilation of original material with original beats and music that I’ve been working on. I’m offering it to the fans for free because I don’t’ want anyone to miss it. It’s not an album. An album is based on a theme.This is a compilation of songs that I have made over the course of my career. It’s more of a collection of unreleased songs. My manager and I often say that we are free spirits with how we set up my tours.That’s the way I make my music. I don’t write anything down, I revise until I have something I like. That’s how I create my songs. I have a very diverse set of songs because of the spontaneity in my music.That’s what Free P is going to show to everyone.

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The pleasure of proving

‘em wrong

Terry Kennedy Continues to Pile More On His Plate By Alex Mendoza Photos by Fly Society

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It takes a mere matter of seconds to realize that Terry Kennedy is one of the most dynamic and talented professional skaters. His track record speaks for itself, and if you observe one of his videos there is no question about the Long Beach native’s talent. It is irrefutable – a miracle onto itself when you consider that his pursuit of skateboarding was born of immense tragedy. Surrounded by the constant barrage of gang influence, as well as losing his mother to drugs, Terry managed to find a means of escape through skateboarding. “I tried doing the sports thing for the longest time. It just didn’t work for me, because when you’re playing sports in junior high and high school, you have to depend on others. I’m not the type of person who is against teamwork, but it just doesn’t work for me. I wanted to pursue something where the only person I had to rely on was myself. And I didn’t just jump right into skating. My friend, Evan, was a skater and eventually I decided to take it up myself. It was exactly what I had been looking for – something that allowed me to be independent and push myself to the next level.” Now at the cusp of turning twenty-six years old,Terry Kennedy has accomplished an astonishing number of feats – both within his craft as well as various media outlets such as television and independent film. At this juncture it is clear that there is nothing Terry Kennedy cannot tackle, as his tireless work ethic and optimistic attitude are one of his defining trademarks. Again – when one considers the circumstances of his upbringing, Terry’s humble nature and eagerness to spread a positive message is far from a publicity ploy. But in order to reach a vast audience, there was only one place to venture next: television. And when you consider the swarm of reality television shows pigeonholing everyone into the set criteria of clichés and archetypes, Terry’s search to extend his reach in the television world was defined by one rule: never having to compromise his message, or his personality. “We had been tossing around the idea of doing a show for quite some time. When I did my thing back when I was seventeen, I was a much different person then. I was just a happy, young kid who was doing his thing and loving life. But now I’m going be twenty-six and I’ve matured so much. I am not the same person, and when I went to these different places all the executives and producers wanted me to act like ‘Compton Ass Terry’. That wasn’t my aim.” “I wasn’t going to change who I was, or what I wanted, so when BET picked up the Pilot, they were all for me having the desire to go back to my roots; to these places where people can see that the inner city has more skating involvement than it ever has before. It’s not just for one set group of people anymore. It’s a multi-cultural sport, and with these skate parks popping up left and right, I just felt that I had to show people this side of skating they had never seen before. To show the youth is not all about negativity, but rather the search for something that gives them a sense of purpose. Something that gives them hope.”

The show was an immediate hit for BET, netting a debut viewing of 1.6 million – the 5th highest for the network and the highest ever for a male-centric role. Terry had managed to overcome another hurdle – without ever having experience in fabricating something of this considerable magnitude. He was the executive producer and star of the show, and never once found himself having to act as anything, or anyone else but himself. It was a breath of fresh air and one of the few programs that actually employed the aim to serve the community through whatever means necessary – opposed to other competing networks whose major hits are centralized around self-gratification through less helpful means; the message being more about “me, me me” as

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opposed to using the resources to make a positive impact. And all the while it was still wholly entertaining. While the denizens of “Jersey Shore” fight and sleep amongst each other, Terry’s media strategy is centered on bringing a positive light to the sport. And where the “Original Housewives” series has their rich, opulent (and visibly miserable) cast complaining about trivial issues in regards to superficial aspects, Terry is transfixed on presenting opportunities to the youth with talent and the strive to hone their skills; to give back to the community the same way other people managed to take a chance on him when he was ascending the ranks in the skating world. “I feel really blessed in the regard that I get to do what I love. Truly, I do. At this point it’s not even about the money anymore, but just going for whatever I can. My belief is that if you have the confidence and work hard – and I mean really work at it – you can accomplish anything. At the time I was starting off I didn’t have a role model to look for in the skating world, but now I see myself as taking upon that responsibility to show there is promise in this sport for all kids of all ethnicities. And I don’t ever intend to stop, because people have to know there is a reward for working towards your dreams. Everyone deserves that shot if they really want it.” Terry’s inspiring work ethic has led him to a new pursuit – music, and as it turns out the road ahead appears extremely promising. Coupled alongside the rap moniker, Fly Source, there is a clothing line bearing the same name that recently launched in January 2011, and was immediately distributed through a variety of well-established skate shops and clothing stores. It’s simply another part of Terry’s plan to accomplish whatever he sets his mind to, and with the undeniable passion

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fueling every sentence, you’d be hard-pressed to deny his ambition. “People are always scared to try something new, but with me it’s always been about you’ll never know ‘till you try. And it seemed natural to take this step because you have legends like Nate Dogg, Snoop and Dre who all came from the same city. People were sketchy when I was pursuing this music thing, but they heard it and now I got all this support. Same with the TV show, and even the movie I did with Rob Dyrdek in 2009, ‘Street Dreams’.” The film was another departure for Terry, and was the brainchild of Rob Dyrdek – another well-known skater (as well as Terry’s mentor) that was set on crafting a film managed to resonate within the skating community – for both fan and skater alike. It was a considerable challenge for Terry, but as with all things that present an obstacle to overcome, the manner upon which he discusses the dedication and passion behind the project affirms his inhuman work ethic. He was not simply another pawn involved for the sake of saying “I did it,” but fully committed to making the project palpable and staying true to Dyrdek’s vision, as well as his own when it comes to his latest pursuit within the music industry. “People are always going to oppose you when you try something new, but also remember it’s your life and your dreams. You have to believe it’s going to work and practice to make that dream a reality. There’s no easy way around it. My thing with film, music and television are just ways to spread the message, and the clothing line is already sponsoring five or six kids who deserve that shot. Cause let’s face it – there is no greater feeling than doing what people said you couldn’t do in the first place.”


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drama and the

american dream Christopher “Drama” Pfaff Steps Into the Spotlight

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Let me introduce you to Christopher “Drama” Pfaff, co-owner and founder of the Young & Reckless clothing company, founder and producer at Causing Drama Productions, and co-star on Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory. If you’ve ever seen the MTV hit show, you’re already familiar with the younger cousin of skateboarder turned entrepreneur, Rob Dyrdek. Acting as personal assistant, driver, and partner in crime, Drama has become a sort of fall-guy for Dyrdek’s antics. Beyond the tail-end of the tomfoolery on the show, there’s really not much you’d think to know about the skinny Akron-export.

By MM Zonoozy Photo by Emilio Sanchez

that tattooed 23-year-old has in mind. I ask him again, what is your goal in all of this? What are you chasing? “I want to be some sort of nerdy version of P. Diddy – an entertainment mogul, I guess you could say,” explains Drama. “Build a mini empire – that’s really my goal.” There it is. Like his cousin before him, Drama is trying to parlay his hustle across mediums and industries. He wants more than just a role on MTV – Drama wants to make a name for himself.

Nevertheless, there’s a reason I’m writing – and you’re reading – an article on this dude. So, very plainly, I ask D-Money what that is? What lens am I supposed to look at him through? More simply, who is Drama?

And the wild thing is that Christopher Pfaff is already well on his way. Drama has successfully taken on the world of television, fashion, and, in due time, music production. Drama is a junior varsity mogul in his own right.

“A young entrepreneur,” Drama starts, “And, you know, just a kid from Ohio trying to chase that good old fashioned American dream.”

Yes, you read correctly. Rob Dyrdek’s sidekick is getting paid.

For some reason, the idea of the ‘good old fashioned American dream’ doesn’t quite register here. It’s tough to imagine a white picket fence and 9-to-5 is what

“If you told me four years ago when I moved from Ohio that this is where I was going to be, I would’ve told you that you were on some sort of drug,” says Drama.

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Still, the rise of Drama has been a steady one. Clearly guided by the golden hand of his 11-year elder cousin, the younger cousin has found his footing after joining the Rob and Big duo as a bright-eyed 19-year-old in Los Angeles.

base doesn’t really matter,” notes Drama. “But I’m just not a big fan of waiting on other people. If I have all the resources, I might as well just do it.” And that’s what Drama is doing; he’s doing it on his own.

Perhaps most notable is Drama’s success as a clothing designer. “I’ve always had an interest in clothing – I’ve always been really picky about what I wear. When I moved to LA and saw the streetwear culture, and saw how that worked, I got really into that,” recalls Drama. “There’s all this cool streetwear stuff, and you can’t get it in these small towns. In Ohio, I had no idea what any of this was.” Drama focused in on that lost market, and did his best to fill the gap. His efforts, along with co-creator Tracy Tubera, birthed Young & Reckless, an attempt to take the streetwear to the mainstream without losing the cred. To his credit, Young & Reckless exploded, and is working collaborations with DVS Shoes, Monster Headphones, Starter, and Diamond Supply & Co. to name a few. “When we started doing Fantasy Factory, I realized that there’s no better time than right now to just go for it,” recalls Drama. “So that’s what I did, I went for it.” When Drama isn’t slanging threads, he’s in the studio at the Fantasy Factory working under his alter ego, Drama Beats.With two other production teammates, Drama’s ‘Causing Drama Productions’ is making moves by running with the likes of Wale, The New Boyz, Pac Div, and Yelawolf. But it seems the music industry has proved to be least influenced by his television stardom. ‘The music game is super, super tough and super cutthroat. They don’t care if you’re on TV – they don’t care if anything. Especially being a producer, your fan

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“My whole thing is that I’m going to just start putting out these mixtapes, and maybe one day that’ll turn into almost like a DJ Khaled sort of situation where I put out my own albums, or like Travis Barker just did,” mentions Drama. In the meanwhile, Drama stays busy with Fantasy Factory. The new season is set to tip off this April, and to top it off, Big Black will be back on full-time. The new cast presents a hybrid MTV super-show where Rob & Big meets Fantasy Factory. Throw in a Justin Bieber appearance, and you’ve got something special coming. “As always, we always have to outdo ourselves. Which is always a little bit of a gift and a curse, because that means we have to be even more sketchy and get into even more dangerous situations,” tells Drama. “So you can definitely look forward to that.” But what’s going to happen to the Rob and Drama dynamic now that Drama is a rising star on his own? “I was telling Rob the other day, it doesn’t matter if I become rich on my own off of clothing, or whatever, and I have $20 million in the bank and pull up in a Ferrari. Either way, our dynamic is still going to be the same,” explains Drama. “There will never be a point where he’ll be like, ‘Okay, now you can make fun of me.’” So go ahead and keep laughing at Drama the next time you watch Fantasy Factory. Christopher “Drama” Pfaff is cool with it, and he’ll be cheesing too…all the way to the top.


B E N

H U C K E

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Southern Hospitality with a

POp princess Meet Skinnie Girl Ashleigh Elliot

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What’s it really like to be a working class musician in LA? I love it. I know that in order to succeed you must go through the necessary steppingstones to reach the top. Let’s be honest, not to be crude, but you have a nice rack. Does that get in the way when you are trying to get people to take your music seriously?. I’m sure when people meet me they only see the surface but …It’s all about how you carry yourself to the world. Respect yourself and people will respect you. That’s my motto How important is it to convey some degree of sex appeal as a female artist? I think that i would have to be dumb if i didn’t say that sex appeal plays a major role in the music industry. I bet you deal with a lot of douchebags...what kind of dude would likely win you over? In my experience, I go for the guy that makes me laugh and lets me be me. Of course there has to be an initial attraction but looks isn’t a huge deal to me. What is one thing most people would never guess about you? i grew up in Danville, Alabama. I was raised on a big farm. I grew up in a very simple life. I rode horses, drank sweet tea, worked in the vegetable garden and gathered chicken eggs. I am glad I grew up there.That’s is where my roots are and I am the person I am today because of it. Any parting words for the folks just meeting you? “World!!! I have arrived. Let my music inspire you to be not be afraid to say how you are feeling nor to be scared to let people know what you have gone through. If more people in the world expressed their emotions though song this world would be a better place.” Photographer: Michael Vincent Director of Operations: Tal-B Makeup by Ruby Polanco www.rubymakeupacademy.com Hair stylist : Irving Flores Stylist: Trish Martin Stylist Assistant: Angela Riccobono All clothing provided by PUNKOUTURE.COM CHERRY BOMBIN’ WEAR

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The Life of the party

Danny mcbride Steps Into the Spotlight

Words By Ramon Gonzales Photos by Frank Connor

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“Back in 2001 we were on the set of a film called All The Real Girls. It was the first film I had ever acted in,” McBride explains. He would go on to explain the “we” referred to he and his North Carolina film school neighbor, director, and friend David Gordon Green. “We used to play this stupid game where we would say the name of a film and the other person would have to explain what it was about. One day “Your Highness” came up and I said, it was about a prince who gets stoned all the time and has to save a princess. The idea stuck, but it was always as a joke. Years later though, I was in a pitch meeting with all these suits and nothing I was saying was winning them over. So I figured, ‘Fuck it, I’mma let this one rip.’ I pitched ‘em on Your Highness. They were into it…they (Studio Executives) embraced it for the fucked up fantasy opera it was.” On paper, a film that McBride has called “Krull meets Barry Lyndon” might leave the genral public scratching their heads. A protagonist who makes the occasional butt-fucking reference (McBride’s character Thadeous makes a few in the film)

isn’t necessarily behavior indicative of an endearing hero. However, in a story that features a pedophile muppet wizard, a dickless troll, and Natalie Portman in a thong, the story’s strength remains rooted in Danny McBride’s almost cavalier comedic approach. In his first starring role opposite James Franco, Zooey Deschanel, and of course Ms. Portman, McBride manages to make a foul-mouthed, less than valiant Prince who he describes as “living in the shadow of his brother Conan The Barbarian” (referring to Franco’s character, the gallant Fabious) not only hilarious, but incredibly human. It would be very easy to get lost in the sensationalism of the film’s evil naked pixies, well-endowed minotaurs, and rampant use of the word “fuck” in medieval dialogue – but McBride’s ability to reel everything in and restore the focus on a reluctant asshole of a hero is nothing short of marvelous. In his first starring role, McBride doesn’t flex the muscle of the star he has become, but showcases the star he was born to be. Could it have been a sign from a higher power that McBride and his film school

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buddies, co-writer Ben Best and director David Gordon Green, were making a fantasy film in Belfast that coincided with the Dwarf Olympics in Northern Ireland? Who knows, but it made for some incredibly ironic laughs and indicated that the guys were likely on the right track. “The stars must’ve aligned. The city was filled with little people. It killed us going to the bars after a long day of shooting and watching these little people get fucked up and fall off of barstools.” Cosmic alignment aside, McBride is no stranger to being in the right place at the right time – with the right equipment of course. While McBride admits to always being fascinated with film, (he has referenced his homemade VHS collection and his devotion to a Vanilla Ice look throughout most of junior high school) his passion became a career with The Foot Fist Way. The no budget indie comedy featured McBride as a small town Tae Kwon Do instructor, Fred “King of The Demo” Simmons. The role would become familiar territory for McBride, an alpha male oozing with bravado and insecurity just the same. “These sorts of characters are very tongue in cheek for me. That archetype of the guy with tons of confidence has always been funny to me. The irony leaves room to find humor in all of it. Then the challenge comes in finding a way to make that character relatable on some human level despite how fucked up he is.” Since 2006 McBride has began a steady ascension in delving in the role of the crude, quick quipping asshole.After gaining the attention of Will Ferrell and Adam McKay with Foot Fist, McBride would steadily become the, “Hey that guy is hilarious” guy of comedic film. From Tropic Thunder, Pineapple Express, and Observe and Report, McBride’s roles had limited lines, but they all managed to be haymakers. Then came the HBO hit, Eastbound and Down. The definitive example of the endearing villain, McBride’s character Kenny Powers is THE asshole. The philandering, gambling, semihomophobic/prejudice, chauvinistic, overweight drunk of an ex-athlete with delusions of grandeur really has made McBride one of the most fascinating personalities in entertainment. The alter ego of sorts that has manifested in the various roles for McBride, all bearing some core similarities that flirt with jerkass-ness, are the result of an infatuation with that alpha male and a probe into just how far McBride can go to get a laugh. “We’re (McBride, Best, Hill) always experimenting with just how far the audience stays onboard. It’s interesting to see how we can find humor in the dark and tragic and how far we can go with it before the audience leaves.” The reality is, the audience really isn’t going anywhere. What began back in 2001 as a joke among friends (possibly in a smoking circle of their own) is now a very real film. More than the opportunity to make his debut as the star of a feature length, McBride shares the writing duties with long time friends and collaborators Ben Best and director David Gordon Green. The realization is something McBride has not taken for granted. “I get to make films with lifelong friends. Every time I get to work on a new project, especially something like this I feel so grateful to be in the position I am in. It really is mind-blowing, but at the same time I feel like it is what helps me stay grounded.” Just how good is life for McBride? When people discuss creative freedom, he likely has just about everyone beat.

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Easily one of the most hilarious scenes of Your Highness could serve as the catalyst for the kind of creative freedom McBride and his buddies enjoy in pursuit of the punchline. Without dropping any spoilers, towards the end of the film, McBride’s character Thadeous, in an attempt to extend the olive branch to his once foe turned ally, Isabel (Portman), offers her a trophy – a massive severed penis from a Minotaur he slayed. A trophy Thadeous has since been wearing around his neck. As co-writer of the film, there’s a certain gratification that comes with getting to make out with Academy Award winning actress Natalie Portman and rub it in every guy’s face. There is also gratification that comes in the absurdity of watching McBride passing Portman a severed cock from a mythical beast on film. “(Laughs), They were about dead even. We shot that scene on the first day of filming. Here we are on the shores of Belfast in Northern Ireland and I am trying to hand Natalie Portman this massive prosthetic dick.” As more of an homage to the fantasy classics that surged in popularity in the 1980’s (Labrinyth, Willow, Beastmaster – you know you watched ‘em.) McBride’s attempt to bridge humor into the genre isn’t to be confused with an attempt to crank out a spoof. “Your Highness was never intended to be a spoof. It really was the result of a genuine love for the genre.Those movies were really what began my fascination with film.” McBride further details that the epic scope of this fantasy film, combined with the actors straight-faced demeanor is what made for big laughs. “I think I had the hardest time keeping my cool. You have Franco (Fabious) delivering these stoic lines with this fucking earnest look on his face as we are filming this fucking stupid movie. We couldn’t help but laugh. It fucking killed us.”

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As for the archetype McBride discussed being a fan of, the unlikely hero of Your Highness, fits. Perfectly. In fact, the actor/writer described Thadeous as a dude who simply, “likes to butt fuck girls and drink a lot.” While the description has since changed, you get the idea. “(Laughs) I think that’s how Thadeous is perceived. I mean he is living in the shadows of his brother Conan The Barbarian. So on the outside he projects this image of a tough guy who can compete. That front on the outside is really just his need for acceptance.” The irreverent take on the timeless ‘prince saves the princess’ plotline, the innuendo, the vulgarity, the titties – none of these elements hindered the laughs obviously. Yet, the juxtapose of a hero that is more concerned with saving his own ass than anyone else’s, and still manages to be the guy the audiences roots for, well… The ability to transform a character who can be described both as a womanizing drunk with an penchant for butt sex and as an insecure man with a profound failure complex is no easy feat. Unlike other films that rely heavily on the shock value of dick and pussy jokes, McBride’s debut in a starring role remains unique in that however absurd the situation, McBride seems almost irreplaceable in the role. He is unique in his ability to make the asshole, at least somewhat admirable. Thadeous could be a drunk prince, a bitter handicapped veteran working the night shift at Western Union, a disillusioned Tae Kwon Do instructor, or a past his prime drug-using baseball pitcher and in any time frame it would result in big laughs. McBride’s strength isn’t in mimicking the archetype of that insecure alpha male, his real talent is in being astute enough to acknowledge that there is one and that even assholes can be funny to laugh at and more importantly, with.


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LA Scene

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Keeping You Warm and Fuzzy Since 2002

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The power of

the plant

Marley’s Marijuanaman Strives for Comic Legitimacy Words by Patrick Douglas

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Naming your superhero Marijuanaman, you might expect people to think he moves faster than the cherry on a lit spliff or gets higher than the tallest building in a single toke. The brainchild of reggae legend, Ziggy Marley, the first installment of “Marijuanaman,” will be released in late April on Image Comics and there’s hope Marijuanaman will eventually stand alongside the politically correct superheroes found in mainstream comics. While it will surely take some time for this controversial subject to become acceptable in the comic world, Marley is hopeful that people will give it a chance and realize it’s just as serious as any other comic story.

Admittedly, Marley has been a big fan of comics since he was a kid. “I’m a big comic guy. I’m a big comic fan. I love Batman, all these DC comics, Marvel, everything. I have a big collection of comics at my house. I introduced my kids to comic books,” he said. His famous father wasn’t a fan of the medium but Ziggy Marley found himself obsessed at a young age. “(My father) was not a comic guy. I’m the comic kid. He grew up in a different time than I did. He had a whole different experience. I discovered comics. I used to scribble while I was in school all the time trying to draw Batman and all these guys. If you could look back on my books, I used to draw all these super heroes on jet planes. I’ve been in it for awhile.”

“I wanna be able to make a real hero. (I don’t want) when people think about Marijuanaman, they think about gimmicks. Smoking, getting the munchies. It’s not a jokie, jokie thing. This guy is a legitimate super hero,” said Marley, the 42-year-old son of Bob Marley. “The only difference between him and the other superhero is that he gets his powers from a plant. Superman gets his power from the sun, the Green Lantern gets his power from this ring, from this lantern, Spiderman gets his power from being bitten by a radioactive spider. This guy gets his power from a plant.”

Because comics are naturally connected with children, it’s no stretch to see a controversy brewing on the horizon. Marley has given thought to the fact that kids will be curious about the green leaf-loving super hero and he ultimately foresees “Marijuanaman,” being accepted by all ages. Just not yet. “I wouldn’t recommend it for young kids, no. I did think about that. I’m a little concerned but I think about all the other comics and I see all the violence,” he explained. “There’s guys shooting bazookas. Is it okay to show the kids violence but not show them some guy smoking a spliff? How do we judge? How do we judge if it’s okay for Superman to punch someone through the wall or for the Joker to do some terrible shit and it’s okay for teenagers to see that stuff? It’s okay for people to be shooting guns but to show someone smoking a spliff is bad because why? Why? Why? Kids watching the Super Bowl. How much Budweiser and Miller commercials come during a Super Bowl game? Is that okay? Is that alright?”

Marijuanaman is also referred to as Sedona and comes from the planet Yelram (backwards Marley, of course) with an atmosphere comprised of THC. He arrives on Earth by crash landing in a field of pot and discovers that the unfamiliar plant somehow gives him strength. He is taken in by the peaceful people living in the village of Exodus. Meanwhile, the evil Mr. White is in charge of a powerful pharmaceutical company and sends a monster named Cash Money to find and destroy the village. That’s where the battle ultimately begins. Written by Joe Casey and beautifully animated by Jim Mahfood, the comic has Marley buzzing with excitement. “It’s not just drawing, it’s art,” he said. “I dig that. It’s different and it’s funky.” Marley is a pacifist by nature and his hero is meant to show that not all superheroes have to use their brawn to get the point across. “There’s a philosophy behind it. We come from a culture which is Rastafarian culture and marijuana is a product of that culture. That culture is a culture that is known for being loving and peaceful,” Marley explained in a thick Jamaican accent. “Getting his powers from the plant was also emissary of peace and love and not just someone who found this power and used it to get vengeance and beat. It’s not about that. It’s about promoting an idea of peace and promoting an idea of love and environment. His power comes from a plant that is known to be from a peaceful nature. It’s not like he’s getting his powers from crack or meth.”

“I think it’s an adult book, but I do intend that, of this vision of the future, I do want him to be looked on just like a kid looks on Superman,” he continued.“That’s one of the reasons why this super hero doesn’t smoke. He does not smoke weed. He gets his powers from it but somehow, he doesn’t smoke it. To keep him from being ‘the pot smoking super hero.’ I think he’s gonna evolve into an acceptable role model.” An avid proponent of not only marijuana but hemp, Marley is using the comic medium to raise awareness of the plant and its positive attributes. “To me, this plant is like the stone that the builder refused. My father sung that. He said ‘The stone that the builder refused shall be the head cornerstone.’ This plant is like an oppressed minority in the world and I’m standing up for this plant,” said Marley with a laugh. “That’s what Marijuanaman, is all about really, to me. He’s a superhero and he really represents … the plant and the plant is a superhero and he has to fight to fit in a society that continually tries to beat him down.”

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SXSW Celebrates their

Silver anniversary The Austin, TX Institution Turns 25

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By Ramon Gonzales Photos by Lucia Holm

For those that have made the pilgrimage, the routine is very simple.

HBO special. The original special from The Roxy Theatre in 1981 would be the platform that launched Pee-Wee’s successful film and television career.

Beer. Barbeque. Bands.

Coinciding with Spring Break for University of Texas, Austin becomes overflowing with all things music and entertainment. For 25 years, the people behind The SXSW Film, Music, and Interactive Conference have worked tirelessly to create a brand that is synonymous with being THE platform to showcase what will very likely become the next household name in each of the respective mediums. While much of the media focus on the celebrity driven parties and the arena sized bands that take to the stage of a small Austin dive for an exclusive set, the real appeal of SXSW rests with the thousands upon thousands of music and entertainment ENTHUSIASTS that litter downtown wandering aimlessly in search of something they have never heard or seen before. While a big name is a certain draw, lesser known artists manage to wrangle a level playing field during SXSW because of the genuine interest the folks of Austin possess. Don’t mess with Texas – or their music. Here’s our run down of some of the highlights from this Silver Anniversary of SXSW The Return of OMD – While the big story came from an accident during the performance that saw some microphone equipment fall on and injure (minor injuries) 4 onlookers, it couldn’t overshadow what a gem Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark’s surge at SXSW was. The synthesizer duo of Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys performed a rousing set of classics including “Joan of Arc”, the Pretty In Pink anthem “If You Leave”, and brought in Moby on bass to perform “Souvenir” and “Enola Gay”. The SXSW performance was part of the band’s first tour in the United States in over 23 years. Hey Everybody…It’s Pee-Wee!!! – From the humble beginning of the comedic/improvisational troupe The Groundlings of Los Angeles to pop culture icon, Pee Wee Herman is in the midst of a full on comeback. The revival of his timeless stage show officially began January 2010 and has since moved to Broadway and now the Silver Screen. With rumors continuing to swell about the upcoming film project with producer Judd Apatow (Funny People, Knocked Up, The 40 Year Old Virgin), Pee Wee gave lucky fans a chance to see a screening of his upcoming

Queens of the Ball – It’s been 3 years since Josh Homme and the Queens of The Stone Age had performed onstage. Headlining The Rolling Stone party at La Zona Rosa seemed like a fitting place to mark their return. Despite many groans from fans that waited hours outside only to come in and NOT get a set of radio hits, the reason QOTSA performed at SXSW was to push the re-release of their 1998 debut. The band performed it in its entirety. While these weren’t sing-alongs, the set served as a compelling history lesson and an insightful glimpse at the genesis of Homme QOTSA’s phenomenal songwriting ability. As he occasionally picked up his bottle of Ketel One, Homme tore through “Walkin’ On The Sidewalks”, “Regular John”, and “Hispanic Impressions” much to the pleasure of die-hard fans. The self-titled re-release is due out April 19th in the US. Just A Tinie Taste – While Tinie Tempah isn’t an immediately recognizable name, 2011 will likely be his turning point. With the single, “Written In The Stars” gaining some traction on pop radio here in the States, Tempah’s 2010 debut “DiscOvery” earned two Brit Awards for “British Breakthrough Act of the Year” and “Best British Single”. From the Fader Fort to the MTV garage, Tempah was the toast as he blasted the crowds with club bangers from across the pond including “Pass Out” and “Frisky”. Names You Better Look Up – While intimate shows and special guests are always the talk of SXSW, the real reason to trek to Austin (other than Amy’s Ice Cream) is to find NEW music. Trash Talk from Sacramento has gone from unknown to the underground band to see in the last two years at SXSW. Contributing to the madness of the Vans party at Emo’s, leaping off of speakers, limbs flailing in a panicked frenzy, and gang yelling into one microphone only begin to highlight their show. For A Minor Reflection made their United States debut at SXSW 2011. This Icelandic instrumental quintet, highly touted by countrymen Sigur Ros, amazed audiences at Chicago’s JBTV showcase with their brand of epic soundscapes. Taking it back to the house party, Whittier’s very own Funeral Party wowed crowds with songs from their US Debut, “The Golden Age of Nowhere”. Just last year in Austn the band was performing to sparse crowds, now opening for Deftones this summer. Thanks SXSW.

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from junior

to senior

Norway’s Finest, Röyksopp, Craft Magic

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Röyksopp have thrived on weaving complex tapestries of pulsating electronic rhythms and cool, atmospheric timbres, entrancing the likes of anyone within their radius. Since 1998, that sphere of influence has expanded considerably; not an easy feat when you take into account that a majority of import artists – regardless of genre – tend to endure a grueling ascension into Western musical conscience; especially when the listeners on this side of the world tend to be far more close-minded when it comes to exploring their musical horizons. But with music that evokes hints of dance, downtempo, electronica and trip-hop, Royksopp’s music is as captivating as their Norwegian homeland. The group is comprised of Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland, two longtime friends whose musical history began in their hometown of Tromsø, Norway. Their common interest in electronic at the tender age of 12 and 13 sparked their inspiration to play for sometime before parting ways and then reuniting once more in 1998. During this time their hub of inspiration was centralized in Bergen, Norway – a critical lifeline and mainstay for the ever-evolving underground electronic scene. It was around this the group released their first set of songs, dabbling with other projects and bands like Aedena Cycle, before settling on the name Röyksopp – which means puffball mushroom; the same type you might recall from the aftermath of an atomic blast.

By Alex Mendoza

album just isn’t viable anymore. People are not really into that sort of thing when you consider the technology around that would just allow such things to be downloaded or listened to. It’s an iPod age and truth of the matter is we didn’t have the balls to release a double-album at the time. It’s a scary thing, because it’s a lot of music and we wanted to go two separate routes with one album catering to the music we’ve done, but then the other catering to what has inspired us as artists, musicians and people across the years,” Svein explains. The effect may come off as jarring for those anticipating the same head rush they received while listening to larger-than-life tracks such as “What Else Is There”, or “The Girl and the Robot”. The tracks are at times brooding, others lost in a haze of warm timbres, or simply exploring realms that are meant to be felt, not heard. It’s an arresting experience at best, and one the band has taken into account with painstaking detail. Each sound serves its purpose, allowing the listener to create their own sense of what happens to evolve in the midst of the nine tracks. And true to form the group still manages to create a sense of organic growth; even with the absence of words. As Svein notes, though, it was not without its fair share of challenges.

Thirteen years later, the Norwegian duo is at the forefront of the electronic scene – helming three albums that have earned them endless accolades and working with the likes of European electronic juggernauts such as Robyn and The Knife’s Karin Dreijer Andersson. Each album has earned platinum status in their homeland, evoking the success of another Norwegian group from quite some time ago: A-Ha. But whereas that band has faded away, left only as a remnant of the New-Wave scene with its hit single, “Take On Me”, Röyksopp are an entirely different beast altogether in terms of creativity and staying power.

“Trying to make something that is going to peak someone’s interest without the use of words is really hard. You consider the fact that people are going to have to actually work at listening to this music and find something to latch onto. The trouble is how you manage to create something that will appeal to those people who have followed us, while thinking about others who are inspired, or even captivated by this genre. Times such as these we listened to Vangelis, or think about the video games we’ve played, or the type of movies we like from guys like David Croneberg. It’s impossible to think that you wouldn’t consume what is around you in order to influence something that you want to work in the best way possible.”

The latest form of this group’s vision comes in the form of their first wholly instrumental album, aptly dubbed, “Senior” – which serves as a prolonged companion piece to the group’s highly successful 2009 release, “Junior”. As the title suggests, there is a sense of a maturity underlying the nine ambient an atmospheric tracks. The group has been noted for their infallible ability to craft intricate tracks of delectable electronic delight. In this musical stint, however, the group sidesteps the normal expectations of their music and takes a surprisingly cinematic route. This is the soundtrack for a movie that has yet to exist, and amidst the swirling collections of various sounds the image of fjords, icy landscapes and terrifying situations are engraved into your mind’s eye.

Whereas most artists these days rely on the advent of Mac Books, Pro Tools and Logic to create their music, Röyksopp are purists in the sense the solely relied on analog and MIDI based recording for “Senior”. It makes perfect sense considering the duo has clearly expressed love for the warm analog-based sounds that have filled their songs with a euphoric wash of sound that does not feel, or sound, cold and calculating. Röyksopp’s strength has always relied on their inspirations from their homeland, and there is a connection to these unforeseen places that the lyrics and soundscapes paint through these strokes of electronic enlightenment.

“Originally ‘Junior’ and ‘Senior’ were intended to be released as a double-album. We both have a love for the albums back in the day. You know, those epic 1970s Prog-Rock albums that had all these songs, but these days the idea of a double-

“Senior” capitalizes further on what looks to be another step in the right direction for a group that is continually evolving in fresh, creative ways. And in this day and age where everything is a copy of a copy of a copy, it’s a welcome breath of fresh air.

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The duo

from THE DOORMAN Chiddy Bang Isn’t Worried About The Genre

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Every hipster, rasta, and emcee has a different definition of what’s buzzworthy, but Philly-based alternative hip-hop duo Chiddy Bang is aiming to please everyone.

“We want to reach out to a broader market – to people who don’t necessarily listen to rap, or like it, or people that don’t necessarily listen to whatever type of music,” declares Chiddy. Excuse me, but what makes these new-schoolers think that they can swap out drum machines for synths and get away with it? Who gave these 20-year olds the cojones to get all multi-genre on their mixtape – streaming indie, hip-hop, electro, and Nigerian afrobeat? We need answers. But getting Chiddy on the phone is no easy feat. The battery on his Blackberry seems to be constantly running low, no doubt from it ringing incessant. Now that Chiddy Bang has hit major label status, they have appearances, concert promoters, and groupies with which to deal. It’s no surprise that a journalist may catch a ‘Let me hit you back” from time to time. But that’s not unusual; appreciation comes rare when dealing with burgeoning stars. So it’s quite a surprise when I finally get Chiddy on the speaker to ask him how things have changed given his recent success, and the rapper throws around modesty and humility like it ain’t shit: “My life hasn’t changed too much as far as materials and stuff like that. I’m pretty much the same. I still live with my parents, so that’s kind of cool.” Pardon me? Quick, someone tell this dude that he’s famous. “I really live out of a suitcase since we’ve been the road for so long…It doesn’t really make sense for me to have a spot since I’m never really home,” continues Chiddy. “It’s cool. I just be in the house chilling and writing, and just trying to rhyme.” Let me clarify: the Chiddy I’m talking to is Chidera Anamege, one half of the mixtape masters. The Bang-half is identified as Xaphoon Jones, né Noah Beresin, a sampledriven production whiz-kid. Neither needs to live at home, trust me, but they’re still young.The duo’s first international hit, “Opposite of Adults,” was conjured up in the Drexel University freshman dorm in which the two first met, and quickly lit the blogosphere on fire last spring. For a duo whose combined age doesn’t add up to Jay-Z’s, the Xaphoon’d remix of MGMT’s ‘Kids’ was as fitting of a title track as they come. Right now, for these two kids, the music industry is their private playground, and Chiddy Bang is playing real nice. “It’s a crazy experience. We went from being freshman to doing our taxes right now. So we young, but at the same time, we dealing with grown people stuff,” explains Chiddy. “We’re really, really lucky to do what we love and get acclaimed for it.” If the past is any indicator of their future, acclaim is something Chiddy Bang will

By M.M. Zonoozy

get used to. Their sound is so original that every interview with the two seems to begin with a question regarding its classification. You’ll hear all sorts of convoluted sentences full of ‘old-school’ and ‘new-school’ descriptors. Admittedly, genrebending is always a tricky topic, so it may make more sense to let Chiddy speak for himself: “Chiddy Bang is hip-hop with quirky electronic and indie influences,” describes Chiddy. “Very much sample driven indie, rap, hip-hop – all that shit at once. Some of our stuff sample rock, some of our stuff sample afro-beat.There’s no formula for what we sample; we just pick what we love.” One thing is for sure, if Pandora had a “Fun” channel – it’d be swelly mixtape after swelly smixtape of Drexel U.’s finest. Chiddy Bang’s frivolous vibe is a remarkable byproduct of what seems to be a test in contradictions. Xaphoon relishes that buzz-band sound – the game of indie chop-and-screw – while on the mic, Chiddy waxes nothing like Sufjan Stevens. “I started rapping because of the city I come from, Newark. People there are really into hip-hop. At an early age, you sort of pick up the passion to just rap, you know what I mean – to just rap with your friends,” recalls Chiddy. “I’ve been rapping since I was about thirteen” For Chiddy Bang, that dichotomy of musical inspirations is the special sauce in their polarizing final product. Xaphoon’s beats make Chiddy’s lyrical stylings frat-house standards, while Chiddy’s swag adds instant credibility to Xaphoon’s Ellie Goulding and Passion Pit tendencies. “Truthfully, I come from this straight up hip-hop background – like straight up 100%. I never knew about MGMT until I met Xaphoon,” admits Chiddy. “We give each other a lot of different styles, and balance shit out really.” That balance has built a following that’s nothing if not pretty much amazing. A month after burning their 2009 The Swelly Express, 100,000 copies of the mix were downloaded. Soon enough, major label support came around the corner in the shape of a deal from Virgin/EMI. Taking a cue from Mr. West, the freshman saw themselves out of the ivory tower of academia, and on to stages at Glastonbury and Lollapalooza. ‘This is always what I say myself doing. It was just a matter of figuring out how to make that happen and satisfy the parents too,” Chiddy explains. “I had to do the school thing until I have a reason not to, you know?” Now prepping a summer release of their first major full-length album, the duo has more than reason enough to put cum laude on hold and pursue their creative passion. Their future is in their quite-capable hands, and it seems that the guys have a plan to keep Chiddy Bang on top of everyone’s playlist: “Just really grinding,” declares Chiddy.“We just want to make general undeniable shit. Opposite of Adults was a smash, and that was just something we made in our dorm.”

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A conversation

WiTH CONOR Bright Eyes Talks Bright Side

By Katie Evans

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It began when he was 13, recording pre-pubescent croons on a four-track cassette tape in his parents’ basement. Over the years, it progressed into acoustic guitars and sentiments like “the sound of loneliness makes me happier.” After a four-year break, Bright Eyes has returned with less angst and more liveliness, bringing the album “The People’s Key”, fittingly released on frontman Conor Oberst’s 31st birthday, February 15th. And now… Tell me a bit about the process you went through in making “The People’s Key.” We started in January of this year and we finished around Thanksgiving, so it was about nine months. We weren’t in the studio the whole time, we were taking a lot of breaks, and coming back and revising things. A few years ago, we built a studio in Omaha and really did it up, spent all the money we had on a nice place to make our records and it was really cool because it was the first time we really got to make a record start-to-finish there, and that was enjoyable. I know that years ago your music was considered depressing. Since your music is much more upbeat now, does this reflect a change in how you feel day-to-day? I think, you know, I definitely have grown up, or grown old, or whatever you want to say… Aged. I think with some of the early records and the fan-base that it drew and the way it was perceived, I think it’s totally justified in the sense of, I was an 18, 19-year-old kid making records for 18, 19-year-old kids. There’s a reason those records sound like that, and I think that that’s a part of growing up, you know, those emotions that maybe people see as depressing, but I guess when you’re young, I think everything feels more intense. And I think that’s reflected in those early records. As time goes on, I’m going to still feel sad sometimes and happy and of course all the spectrum of emotions but I guess it’s just the way I process that now or the way it comes out in my writing is definitely different.

Have any favorite songs on the new album? I like the third song, “Jejune Stars”, because it features a double bass drum which I had always been trying to get into a Bright Eyes song and I thought that one came out cool. I like the title track one, “A Machine Spiritual” That’s kind of, somehow, an anchor of the record. I like the first song, “Firewall,” I think came out good, I like the way the music sounds in that, especially.

Do you think your work with Monsters of Folk and the Mystic Valley Band affected the way you recorded and composed another Bright Eyes album? I think Bright Eyes versus Mystic Valley Band especially, it’s a very different approach. I write my songs the way I write my songs, but when it comes to arranging songs with the band, like I said how Bright Eyes is very much a studio project,Valley Band is the complete opposite of that. I basically start playing the song in the room with the guys and they all know what they play. They start playing along and it’s very immediate and visceral and organic and it happens quickly

without a lot of decision making. I would say Monsters of Folk is a whole different deal and is just something I feel lucky to have been a part of and learned a lot from just seeing two of my favorite musicians up close, making a record.

There have been some rumors going around that you’re going to retire Bright Eyes after this album is released. Is that true? That came from an interview a couple years ago and I was feeling different at that point than I feel now, and I guess I’ve learned that it’s foolish to never say never. I think there’s a chance we’ll do another record in the future, but it could be awhile. For the foreseeable future I think it’ll be, what do they call that? A hiatus.

What are you proudest of when it comes to Bright Eyes? I’m proud that we always manage to make different kinds of records. We’ve always had a fear of repeating ourselves or just mailing something in. Getting stuck in a pattern is something I’ve always been scared of. I think, as a band, we’ve always done a good job to experiment, at least in our limitations. I’m not saying that we’re always doing something groundbreaking but for us it’s a new thing, and we try to approach every record with fresh eyes.

Does that mean the next Bright Eyes album is going to be all hiphop? Exactly. It’s gonna be like, all salsa or something like that. We’ll see.

I know Bright Eyes has some really dedicated fans. Was there anything that happened with them that stands out as memorable? I had a doll made in my likeness once, which was very scary, but sweet. Oh, and it wasn’t Bright Eyes per se but on the Monsters of Folk tour we had this hippie kid roll up on us and he gave us four glass pipes and each one was adorned with a different member’s face. So, we had a collection of four different Monsters of Folk pipes.You can smoke out of M’s face and it’s like one sort of thing, or you can smoke out of Jim’s face. It all makes you feel good.

Are there any mistakes associated with Bright Eyes you would take back if you had the chance? Sure, I’ve made some mistakes - Not so much musically. There’s things I’m embarrassed of but I guess I’m in somewhat of a unique position, because my whole musical life from the time I was 13 and made a cassette tape to now, because of the miraculous internet, you can download any of my music, even things that are out of print. So, I guess it’s like I have nothing to hide, which is a liberating thing. I think if people go through something where they want to change who they are, and pretend like they were never in this kind of band and did this or whatever… that wasn’t possible for me because all of my stuff is pretty much out there. Yeah, I made a fool of myself a hundred times, but they’re all chances to learn.

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SKINNIE Scene

YELAWOLF OWNS THE ECHO

INDEX LOS ANGELES

LAS VEGAS

ORANGE COUNTY

SAN DIEGO

INLAND EMPIRE

p.058 Weekly Club Listings

p.062 Weekly Club Listings

p.064 Weekly Club Listings

p.066 Weekly Club Listings

p.068 Weekly Club Listings

Calendar Club Pictures

Calendar Club Pictures

Calendar Club Pictures

Calendar Club Pictures

Calendar Club Pictures

p.065 Musink Tattoo and Music Festivsal @ OC Fairgrounds

p.070 Nascar @ Autoclub 400 Speedway

To Receive Updates on Skinnie Scene Club Listings or To Submit Your Events, E-mail: Update@skinniemagazine.com to be Added to Our Weekly Skinnie E-blasts.

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SKINNIE SCENE Los angeleS

Photos Courtesy of Sean Myers, Jamie Barren, Karen Curley, Alan Rivera

LA CALENDAR

05.01 Vivian Girls @ Echo

Mansion Saturdays @ Marbella

Revolver’s Golden Gods Awards Press Conference

Revolver’s Golden Gods Awards Press Conference

Echoplex

Plush

Yelawolf @ The Echo

Mansion Saturdays @ Marbella

Revolver’s Golden Gods Awards Press Conference

05.03 Dredg @ Roxy Theatre 05.04 The Deer Hunter @ Roxy Theatre 05.05 Frank Turner @ Hotel Cafe 05.06 Ke$ha @ Hollywood Palladium

05.10 Mogwai @ Mayan 05.13 The Kills @ The Music Box 05.20 Kylie Minogue @ Hollywood Bowl

05.20 Rammstein @ The Forum 05.21 Echo & The Bunnymen @ Club Nokia 05.25 Noah & The Whale @ El Rey Revolver’s Golden Gods Awards Press Conference

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Plush


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SKINNIE SCENE Las vegas

Photos Courtesy of David Becker/Wire Image, Alan Rivera, Issac Brekken

LV CALENDAR 05.01 Chris Lake @ TAO Beach 05.05 Warbringer @ Area 702 Skatepark 05.09 Soilwork @ Cheyenne Saloon House of Blues

Asher Roth @ Chateau

Wet Republic

Snoop Dog Burnin’ Trees @ Studio 54

Flo-Rida @ Chateau

Flo-Rida Flexs @ Chateau

Kim Kardashian @ Chateau

05.29 Punk Rock Bowling w/ Descendents @ Fremont Street Experience

Marquee

Wet Republic

05.22 System of A Down @ Pearl Concert Theater

Wet Republic

Snoop Dog & The DPG @ Studio 54

05.07 Papa Roach @ Fremont East Entertainment District

05.13 Rusko @ Rain 05.20 Echo & The Bunnymen @ Red Rock Casino Resort 05.21 Rammstein @ Thomas & Mack Arena

05.16 Steve Aoki @ Surrender Nightclub at Encore 05.28 Punk Rock Bowling w/ Dropkick Murphys @ Fremont Street Experience

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SKINNIE SCENE orange county

Photos Courtesy of Alan Rivera, Erik Faiivae

OC CALENDAR 05.01 The Boxer Rebellion @ Detroit Bar 05.03 The Motels @ Slidebar 05.04 Chris Cornell @ Ford Theater

05.06 Dirty Heads @ House of Blues Anaheim

Luna

8Eighty8

Luna

8Eighty8

Luna

8Eighty8

8Eighty8

Luna

8Eighty8

Luna

05.07 Agent Orange @ Juke Joint 05.07 Portugal. The Man @ House of Blues Anaheim

05.08 Diddy Dirty Money @ City National Grove Of Anaheim 05.10 Bayside @ House of Blues Anaheim 05.14 El Ten Eleven @ Slidebar

05.19 Combichrist @ Galaxy Theatre 05.22 Echo & The Bunnymen @ House of Blues Anaheim

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orange county SKINNIE SCENE

Musink Tattoo and Music festival @ OC Fairgrounds Images by Erik Faiivae

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SKINNIE SCENE San diego

Photos Courtesy of Tim Sheppard, Jeremy Wassink & Bobby Reyes of EventVibe.com

SD CALENDAR

05.02 TV On The Radio @ 4th & B

EV Fridays @ Boudoir

Fluxx

Onyx

Onyx

Stingaree

WOW @ Boudoir

Stingaree

Stingaree

Fluxx

Stingaree

05.04 Black Label Society @ House of Blues 05.06 Ghostland Observatory @ 4th & B 05.07 The Ravonettes @ Belly Up Tavern

05.10 Coheed & Cambria @ House of Blues 05.11 Mogwai @ Belly Up Tavern 05.13 Jimmy Eat World @ RIMAC Field

05.13 Pinback @ Belly Up Tavern 05.17 Citizen Cope @ Belly Up Tavern 05.20 Chiddy Bang @ House of Blues 05.21 Voo Doo Glow Skulls @ The Casbah 05.22 Les Nubians @ Anthology

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SKINNIE SCENE Inland empire

Photos Courtesy of Sean Myers, Alan Rivera, Erik Faiivae, John Pangilinan of ID

IE CALENDAR

05.04 The Raveonettes @ Glass House

St. Patty’s Day @ Killarney’s

Fusions

Fusions

St. Patty’s Day @ Killarney’s

Rock the Keys

Rock the Keys

Fusions

St. Patty’s Day @ Killarney’s

Rock the Keys

The Brandin Iron

05.05 Atmosphere @ Fox Theatre Pomona 05.05 Between The Buried and Me @ Glass House 05.07 Ghost and Observatory @ Glass House 05.14 The Kills @ Fox Theatre Pomona 05.14 White Arrows @ The Wire (Upland) 05.15 San Bernardino County Fair @ San Bernardino Fairgrounds 05.16 San Bernardino County Fair @ San Bernardino Fairgrounds

05.18 Baths @ The Barn (Riverside) 05.21 40 Oz. To Freedom @ Stingers 05.22 Yeasayer @ Glass House

05.30 Eddie Money @ National Orange Show

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SKINNIE SCENE Inland empire

Nascar @ Autoclub 400 Speedway Photos by Sean Myers

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