March 2010

Volume 4

The Real

t o n y
duggins

Also…
The Trees
Fifth World
Grand Central
Artist Jenny Kurek
Jointpop
The Fores
We Are The Becoming
s Mischief Gunner by Rick Buda Matt Ir
ie
Mis and much more!
 From the desk of… Table Of Contents
Pages 4-5
Wow! Do we have an issue for you!! The Trees Interview by Lissy
Page 6
It’s going to be full of musicians, artists, My Secret Service Incident by Mike Paus
reviews and all the usual good stuff you’ve Hear the compelling tale of Mr. Paus’ one-on-one showdown with former
come to expect from us, we have also been President Bill Clinton!
receiving submissions from lots of people on a whole wide Page 7
Dear Cola
range of things related to the entertainment industry!
Pages 8-9
We are so thrilled to have Tony Duggins from the Tossers Who The F*%k Is Matt Irie by Cola
as our main featured artist. Cola and I took a road trip Matt Irie of Cougars discusses music, art and mopeds.
to his home where we were privileged to talk to him in Pages 10-11
Horoscopes by Lola & …AND I’M OUT OF VODKA by Cola
his environment, so we can bring you an interview like
Pages 12-15
you’ve never read before. We also have Matt Irie, visual The Real Tony Duggins by Cola and Lissy
artist and singer for Chicago band Cougars. From the UK: Inclination gets personal with Tony Duggins of The Tossers on life inside
Grand Central, The Toniks, The Fores, and The Trees. Our and outside of music.
Featured article “Same Old Ten” is with Impale’s drummer Pages 16-17
Phil Messina and we are also repeating some featured GUNNER by Rick Buda
Page 18
articles from last time, like wise words and advice from Gaming With Grampire and Kevin Brannigan
regular contributor Wicked D, as well as starting some new Page 19
ones. Oh! And our beautiful spokesmodel, Miss Mischief Retro/Active by Brian Ryder
answers a few questions for us too! Pages 20-21
Miss Mischief Interview by Lissy
There are some great things coming up I’d just like to tell
Page 22
you about, I Decline have come out of a 7 year hiatus and 2009 Indie Music Business Recap by Wicked D
will be playing the Metro, Chicago with an amazing line-up Page 23
which includes Earthen Grave and Sacred Dawn on March You’re Breaking Up…What? by Brian Ryder
5th. Get on down and show your support! Also Ideamen Page 24
are going on US tour with fellow Rotten Records artists, Audio Files
Polkadot Cadaver, Vampire Moose and Karen Page, starting Pages 25-26
March 10th in Indianapolis Indiana, make sure to check the Jen Kurek Interview by Cola
Page 27
dates for a show near you. SPRITUALITY & RELIGION by Dr. Robert Binford
Like I said, this is one packed issue!! We hope you enjoy Page 28
reading it as much as we’ve enjoyed putting it together for Jointpop Interview by Coma
you. Pages 29-30
The Toniks Interview by Lissy
Lissy MacMillan Page 31
Editor in Chief BACK TO THE FUTURE? by Wicked D
Page 32
www.inclinationwebzine.com The Fores Interview by Lissy
www.myspace.com/inclinationwebzine Page 33
KLOVER FILM by Kristin Love Webster
www.facebook.com/#/inclinationwebzine
Pages 34-35
inclinationzine@gmail.com Grand Central Interview by Lissy
Page 36
Fifth World Interview by Cola
Pages 37
SAME OLD TEN by Lissy
Page 38-39
WE ARE THE BECOMING INTERVIEW by Sarah 13
 Lissy MacMillian Cola
Editor-in-Chief and Founder Associate Creative Director

Movie: Moon Movie: The Invention Of Lying

Book: The Year Of The Flood - Margaret Atwood
Now this is weird. I normally have two on the go at once, but it’s
been so long since I’ve read anything. I feel I can’t recommend a
book, but I’d like to read this one next.
Albums: Boxer Rebellion - Union
The Tossers - On A Fine Spring Evening
Place: Reggie’s Rock Club, Chicago
Book: The Sookie Stackhouse Novels by Charlene Harris
Albums: Grand Duchy - Petit Fours (Frank Black from
The Pixies and his wife Violet)
Gorillaz - Plastic Beach (They’re back!)
Place: Flavor, Flossmoor - Great food and great ambiance
http://flavorrestaurant.net

Sarah 13
Articles & Interviews
Brian Ryder Movie: Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day
Book: Night World
Graphical Wizardry & Editorial Associate
http://thefuryofpurerock.blogspot.com Albums: Acey Slade & The Dark Party
twitter.com/purerockfury - The Dark Party
Movie: Little Children The Becoming - Volume I
How Jackie Earle Haley spent 13 years in limbo before resurfacing Place: Zombies Bar, San Antonio
here is one of life’s great mysteries. His performance was
outstanding, causing my skin to crawl.
Book: The God Delusion by Sir Richard Dawkins Wicked D
Albums: Kinghorse - Unreleased Demos Articles
The Decemberists - The Hazards Of Love Movie: Anvil: The Story Of Anvil
Place: A-F Books Book: Music 3.0 by Bobby Owsinski
Albums: Be’Lakor - Stone’s Reach
Hemoptysis - Who Needs A Shepherd
Place: Mic Dance, Baytown, TX
Grampire
Music & Game Reviews
Movie: Chaos
Book: Chronicles Of Wormwood
Lola
Horoscopes
by Garth Ennis Movie: Henry And June
Albums: Tyr - By The Light Of The Northern Star Book: Woody Guthrie: A Life by Joe Klein
Charred Wall Of The Damned - s/t Albums: Rumbleseat - Rumbleseat Is Dead
Place: Any motorcycle shop Place: Witchy Wearables

Klover Dr. Robert Binford

Film Corner Articles
Movie: Bright Star Picks Not Available
Book: Transforming A Rape Culture
by Emilie Buchwald, Pam Fletcher & Martha Roth
Albums: Corinne Bailey Rae - The Sea
Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days
Place: 11th Street Diner
How and when did Trees begin? Tony: I think with today’s computer
based recording technology its perfectly
Simon: The Trees were formed in the possible to create a recording cheaply
late 90s by me and Tony and our first that’s is of reasonable quality however
singer who sadly, past away. I didn’t that doesn’t make a song good so
pick up the guitar until I was 18 years while it helps to sound polished and
old but I was playing the synth at an professional a good song will shine
early age, I remember seeing Tony through a poor recording every time.
walking down the road with his
guitar and desert boots (Jim Morrison Simon: I think it comes down to how
phase). We found a drummer and the good you are live if you can cut it live
first line up of The Trees was formed, your halfway there, but with today’s
we secured a management deal and venues insisting on a commitment of
started to record and gig, then due to a least 50 people a struggling band, has
different issues and illness, we slowed difficulty even getting a gig, a situation
down and concentrated on recording, we have found ourselves in many
we found Ben our current bass player times.
from a advert online, and bumped into
Tommy a friend from college who’s now Can you tell us about “Changes”?
our drummer, this current line up is
working well and we are recording our The Trees are an Indie/Alt band from Well its now called The Great Tree
best songs yet. London, England. Due to popular Conspiracy:
demand, they’re making a comeback
Your style is very reminiscent of 60s/70s after slowing it down for a few years, Tony: Our last album Things That Make
Psychedelic music; in fact you even do You Happy was just a collection of songs
so it’s no surprise that they were voted that we had recorded on our home PC
a cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Sound
of Silence”. Did you all come together Band of the Month for November! Read and was never intended as an album
from a common musical interest or all about them here in the interview, we just decided that after we had lots of
was your direction something that and then check out their amazing music songs, This time we decided to actually
came later? on their myspace page or LastFM. try and record an album so we decided
to write and record about 20 new songs
Tony: I think we all have similar interests and pick what we feel are the best so far
in music both contemporary and past, it myspace.com/thetrees08 we have about 10 written and recorded
wasn’t a conscientious effort to sound a last.fm/music/TheTrees so we’re getting there.
particular way its just sort of happened
and we never wrote or recorded a song Do Indie bands get much support and
to slot into a particular genre. and it was ok, nothing special, then we radio play in the UK?
forgot about it for a few weeks, then
Simon: I know the sound I bring to the feeling inspired I went in to the studio We’ve had some amazing support from
band is heavily influenced from my and just recorded it and did the vocal in independent radio stations, Katy Jay
fathers record collection, Pink Floyd, one take, no overdubs because I didn’t WCRFm, WarmWebRadio, London
Genesis, Beatles, Cream, it’s the music think anything would come of it I didn’t Café, Nervecast, BBC6. And various
that shaped everything I do musically, bother correcting the little mistakes, pod casts some of these are on our
in someway or another. Tony came round put his bass down myspace page.
and it was finished it only took about
Back to “Sound of Silence”- Great 8 hours, the best songs usually happen Do you play a lot of live shows?
job! Why did you decide to cover that like that.
song? When we first started we gigged
Things have changed so much in the extensively of late we have been
Simon: we wanted a song to end our music industry over the last few years. concentrating on getting these new
set on, a good cover, something that’s It used to be that a band would play songs recorded so haven’t gigged so
memorable. We tried various songs a few live shows, some bigwig from much.
REM, Man on The Moon, The Who: a record label would show up and if
I can see for miles, Pink Floyd, Bike, you were lucky, you got signed, then What is your favourite song you’ve
but couldn’t really decide, then one recorded and put out an album. How written and recorded so far and why?
day while watching a reality show on important is it, do you think, for an
TV, I heard the song and remembered unsigned band to have a top quality Tony: For me it’s odd one out as its
how good it was, so me and Tony tried recorded product before they can even simple and honest and a little odd.
it and did it the same as the original, think about being signed?
Simon: For me hole society
its whatever we with neat little
are working on slots for people
at the moment, to occupy so
I love the buzz I think this
of a new song. song is about
rejecting that
Do you guys and after all
do everything “They can
yourselves, or never take
do you have what matters
a manager, most the fire
booking agent, in your eyes.”
help with
myspace etc? You guys must
really like the
We had a visual aspect
manager when of music;
we first started you have five
to help with videos on your
gigs etc. but myspace page!
now we do it
all ourselves. Yeah were
Its hard quite liking
some time, making videos
so we usually at the moment
delegate between us who does what. clubs for us. There is a massive unsigned as I said earlier it started out as just a
community there to help the unsigned little fun but people liked them so we
How important is it for you, as a band, artist; I’ve also joined Reputation, which made more we might invest in a decent
to have a relationship with your fans? is shaping up to be
just as important
Tony: We feel its very important to keep for unsigned acts.
a sense of how people feel about what
Your video for
we are doing and sites like my space and
last FM help to do that and enable us “Stop Talking”
was our Video
to keep it relatively personal, its a good
source of feed back and constructive Of The Week at
criticism. the beginning of
November, can
Simon: LastFm has been a godsend for you tell us about
us, more people have heard The Trees it- who made it,
now than ever before, we also have how etc?
some fans promoting and setting up fan
We make all the
videos ourselves
using stuff we’ve
recorded ourselves
and stock footage bought from various
sources on the net. It was just a bit of camera and try something a little more
fun really but people liked it so we did live, I think seeing something visual
more. along side the song can make the
listener hear the song in a different way
What’s the song about? and bring out new dimensions to song.

In life you always get those people that
tell you, you should act this way or dress
that way, you have to be like this to be
accepted, you have to look like that to
be liked they think we live in a pigeon
What will come next, after your album
release?
Hopefully more recording and live
performances.
Back in 1994, Bill Clinton visited Hillcrest High School in Country Club Hills, Illinois for one of
his “town hall” meetings. My high school was in the same district as Hillcrest, so our NHS and My Secret
Service
Student Council were invited to this once-in-a-lifetime event. The fact that I was in neither NHS, nor
the Student Council, was not a deterrent to my fellow students or me. One of them was so kind to
sacrifice their field trip form so I could go. The reason: they all wanted me to wear my “Impeach

Incident
Clinton: And Her Husband Too” shirt that I wore frequently my junior year. The plan was for me to keep
it hidden under my jacket and show it off right as Bubba went on stage.

There was one problem in my logic. While I successfully penetrated the metal detectors and pat downs of the outer Secret
Service perimeter, I was unaware that the gym where the meeting would occur would be locked down for two hours before
Clinton arrived. Two thousand people in a room with no air conditioning sent the temperature over 80 degrees, and I was melting
with my jacket on. With an hour left before Clinton hit the stage, I took my jacket off. That’s when everything went to hell.

My first nemesis was an evil looking hag
that was casting a questioning eye in my
direction at my shirt. She then proceeded
to inform a very well dressed gentleman
with those infamous radio earpieces and a
gun of my presence. The next thing I know,
he’s bounding up the bleachers to grab and
yank me down the rows of seats, leaving my
horrified principal and classmates behind.
I was terrified, thinking I was going to be executed in the hallway or at the very least ejected from
the building and arrested. What came next, though, surprised me. As they pushed me behind the
bleachers, a very angry Country Club Hills cop and Secret Service agent started grilling me. They
informed me that my shirt was offensive to the President and his wife, and that I would not be
allowed to wear it. They informed me under normal circumstances I would have been removed from
the building, but since they were in lockdown I would be asked to turn my shirt inside out instead.
I now became furious, asking: “Isn’t there something called the First Amendment that allows me
to wear this shirt?” The Secret Service agent coldly answered: “That doesn’t apply here.” I meekly
decided to cut my losses and turned my shirt inside out. In retrospect, I rather would have kept my
shirt on and been arrested then be returned to the bleachers and endure the shameful looks of my
principal and teachers while I endured Slick Willie masterfully spinning answers to the prepared
questions given to him by the crowd.

I was furious with Clinton at first, but later realized that the Secret Service does this
to anyone who dares object to the President in person, whether they are a Republican
or Democrat. And the Secret Service is completely wrong: Their charter is to protect the
President from physical harm, not save him from embarrassment. The First Amendment
does not give the President immunity from his protestors. Indeed, protestors of the
President are the ones the framers first had in mind when they wrote the Bill of Rights.
Shame on all of the Secret Service agents who violate their oath to the Constitution by
suppressing the freedom of speech.

Written by Mike Paus

Dear Cola,
My boyfriend and I have been together
for 5 year and we now live in an apart-
ment in a very seedy part of Chicago,
itís making me unhappy. I love him, but
when he and I got this place together,
he claimed it was an artsy neighbor-
hood and that we would fit in perfectly.
I have found out in the past year (we
have been here almost 2 years now)
that this is not even close to being the
case. I am seriously considering pack-
ing up my shoes (LOL) and running
away in the middle of the night. The
main reason for this being, when I told
him that I was feeling unsafe walking
from the car to the entrance door-
way, he laughed and called me Vanilla
Paranoia. After my windshield getting
smashed and having all my shit stolen
out of my car, TWICE…you would
think that he would GET IT! We need
to move and he is not even considering
it.WHAT DO I DO?
Signed,
Vanilla Paranoia
Dear Vanilla Paranoia,
The many neighborhoods of our fair city
of Chicago are as diverse and somewhat
dangerous as any other major metro-
politan area. Seeing as you have been
the victim of a robbery twice over, you
are feeling angry and fearing the worst.
It is my opinion that if you havenít al-
ready, you may want to get to know
your neighbors. Also, take your valu-
ables out of your vehicle when you leave
it unattended. I am praying that you
are not a racist, and that your reason-
ing for wanting to flee the nest, is due
to your lack of community involvement
and fear for your safety; although I did-
nít read anything about you having any
violent experiences. My advice to you is
to suck it up, at least until your lease is
up. If you truly love your boyfriend, ex-
plain to him that youíd like to open up
other options as far as neighborhoods in
Chicago go. If all else fails, move to the
burbs and live a boring but somewhat
more safe existence.
Cheers,
Cola
Dear Cola,
I have been playing the drums in a
band for about a year now and I feel
like my talent is going to waste. We
have been playing all cover songs and
catering mainly to an audience of older
adults while they sip their fruity drinks
at the casino. I would like more than
anything to get involved in a project
that revolves around original music
and play to an audience of younger
folks. I am a 27 year old single guy, and
I am not into the cougar thing. How
should I branch out?
Signed,
Drummer Drama
Dear Cola
Dear Drummer Drama,
CRAIGSLIST is your friend. You need
to post an ad stating that you are open
to playing original music within other
musicians in your age group. You may
also want to read ads where bands are
seeking drummers. Check out The Chi-
cago Reader, The Illinois Entertainer,
and soon enough our site. ;-) As a for-
mer member of a band who had gone
through a few drummers, I can say from
personal experience that you should
easily be able to find others to hook up
with.
Cheers,
Cola
You can all write to Dear Cola @ Inclination. She
will do her best with whatever ails you. Cheers!
Dear Cola,
My girlfriend doesnít want to try any-
thing out of the ordinary in the sack.
If I even suggest that she and I get out
some rope, or a blindfold, she freaks
out. I have always had a fetish for
BDSM and would love it if she would
help me to live out some of my wild
fantasies. I have dreams of busty blonds
pouring mustard and ketchup on my
“hot dog” and eating me. I would go
wild if she would play a role as small as
that one. I offered to buy her a wig and
she is already a solid C cup. The rest
of the supplies are in the fridge! Since
she is always bitchin’ about money, this
role play is cheap and easy. I just want
her to tie me up and turn me into a ball
park frank! Is that too much to ask?
How do I make this work?
Signed,
Oscar Meyer
Dear Oscar Meyer,
If lady ain’t feelin it, she ain’t feelin it.
Try to come to a compromise be finding
out what turns her on. Slowly begin to
insert element of your fantasies into her
own. You may not wind up on a bed of
tin foil with relish on your nipples, but
it’s a start.
Cheers,
Cola
Dear Cola,
I think that I might be addicted to my
iphone. I can’t seem to put it down. I
wake up and check it, I go to bed lis-
tening to it stream radio. My husband
thinks that it is getting really annoy-
ing. In my defense, all of my network-
ing goes through my cell. I check my
Facebook, my email, my MySpace, my
texts and of course Twitter and MyLife.
Oh yeah, and I use it to call people. I
can’t give it up, but how do I make him
understand how great the phone is?
Signed,
iAddict
Dear iAddict,
Does daddy have an iPhone too? If not,
you may just want to get him on that
train. As an iPhone user, I have to agree
that the phone is fun. Don’t get too ex-
cited though, I am about to scold you a
bit. It seems clear to me that you have
too many things going on as far as your
networking goes. Cut down, just as I
would tell anyone about any ìaddic-
tion…everything in moderation. Most
importantly, don’t forget about the im-
portance of human contact.
Cheers,
Cola
 Who the f&ck is Matt Irie?
Interview by Cola
Drawing by Keiler Sensenbrenner
Who the fuck is Matt Irie?
(Matt’s Answer)
Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1977, Matt
Irie lives and works in the Chicago area.
Irie received his MFA from Northwestern
University, Evanston (2002). He completed
a permanent commission for the Chicago
Public Libraries in 2005. Irie and his regular
collaborator Dominick Talvacchio recently
participated in the Luleá Art Biennial, Luleá,
Sweden (2009). They had a solo exhibition
at Unit B Galley, San Antonio (2007); and
most recently were included in Double Take,
a public exhibition of site-specific sculptural
works funded by The Public Art Fund at
MetroTech, Brooklyn, NY.  In addition to
his activities as an artist, Matt Irie has also
been a long time member of Cougars, an
aggressive rock band based in Chicago.
Cola: Hi, Matt. You’ve made quite a reputation for
yourself as a musician and artist over the years.
When did you first know that your life was going in
that direction?
Matt: With regard to music I have always been
interested in exploring it. I started playing the drums
in junior high and have been collaborating with other
musicians in bands ever since. At this point it would
feel completely strange not to practice at least once
week. As far as visual art is concerned, I have always
been interested in that as well. I was told in High
School that I would not have to take physics if I was
planning on becoming an art major in college. At
the time I was getting a D in physics, so it just made
sense. As an undergraduate I was enrolled as an
illustration major. When I asked my instructor, Mark
Arctander, which illustration teacher I should take,
he replied that I should take some real art classes. I
changed my major to painting the next day.
Cola: How did “Cougars” come about?
Matt: Cougars came directly out of Hot Stove Jimmy.
After our third record, Theme for a Major Hit, a couple
of the founding members decided to leave the band.
We were already heading in a different direction and
with the addition of Bryan Bienias (bass) and Brian
Wnukowski (drums) it solidified this trajectory. We
played a few shows as “Hot Stove Jimmy”, but quickly
realized we were a different band. We had played our
first show at the Metro under the name Dame. Around
this time the drummer mocked up a couple posters
listing us as either Dame or Cougars. I remember
walking into Brett’s house (guitarist) where we used to
practice and seeing the Cougars poster and I thought,
“Yes. That’s it, Cougars.” The other members thought
so too.
Cola: From your success with Hot Stove Jimmy to your
growing popularity as front man of Cougars, what
lessons about the Chicago music scene did you learn
the first time around?
Matt: It was really just a continuation of the path we
were already heading down. However, I will say
that it seems the older I get the more debased and
juvenile my lyrics seem to get. I don’t think I learned
any lessons from the Chicago music scene.
Cola: It’s no secret that you are actively involved in a
socialist network, and that you hold strong to your
political philosophy, due to being well read and also
hard headed. When did you discover your potential
as an activist? Do you consider yourself an activist?
Matt: I don’t consider myself an activist. I have a certain
world outlook that I am, at times, quite outspoken
about. I suppose I have always been skeptical about
the status quo. As an undergrad I became very close
with one of my history professors (Marvin Rosen)
who was a Marxist and that theory had a great impact
on my worldview. In graduate school I continued to study
Marx and a number of other radical or critical thinkers.
Cola: As far as the artist in you, where does he fit into your
passion for music and politics?
Matt: He’s all over the place. For one reason or another I
have tried to keep the music somewhat separate from what
I investigate with art and/or politics. My political views
saturate my work as an artist, but they only creep up here
and there in the music. In this I believe I am somewhat
schizophrenic, as I also believe our place in history is. Part
of me is interested in exploring more formal issues such
as space, color, line, composition, rock, and an overall
modernist evolutionary method of investigation. I still
believe working dialectically can produce new and radical
things even when the investigations don’t address the
political directly. However, I am also influenced by a post-
modern way of thinking about the world and I imagine
the work I do with my long time collaborator (Dominick
Talvacchio) attempts to straddle these seemingly opposed
positions.
Cola: You’re a professor of 2-D art at the college level. How
do you like teaching? What made you decide to choose a
career as such?
Matt: I had a number of amazing professors in undergrad and
graduate school. The impact that these people had on me is
immeasurable. I decided I wanted to teach very early on in
my college career. It is my hope that I can be to my students
what my professors were to me.
Cola: What does Professor Matt Irie listen to in his car, on
his sofa, or wherever? What music gets you going?
Matt: In the car I mainly listen to NPR and audio books.
Most recently I have been listening to the audio versions
of books by Chuck Klosterman, David Cross, Bret Easton
Ellis, Katherine Dunn, Philip Roth and John Updike to
name several. On my sofa I am addicted to TV series such
as The Wire, Californication, Dexter, etc. As for music, lately
I have been listening to the most recent Bill Callahan, Great
Lake Swimmers, David Grubbs, Jim O’ Rourke, YACHT,
and Pissed Jeans records.
Cola: Do you feel as though you are more of an influence
to your students, or do you feel that your pupils are
influencing you?
Matt: Hopefully it’s both.
Cola: You’ve traveled around quite a bit. As far as music
goes, what is your favorite location? As far as art goes....
same question.
Matt: Anywhere in the Europe. The Cougars last/first tour
in Europe was fantastic. It’s really different there. It’s as if
people really enjoy live music and they are appreciative of
the people who make it. Those were the best shows and
the best hospitality by far. As for visual art, I can’t really
say. Dominick and I recently participated in a Biennial in
Sweden that was great. We also just finished a piece for the
Public Art Fund in Brooklyn. I suppose it would have to be
New York at the moment, but I’m sure that will change.
Cola: Whether you’re writing lyrics or creating art, what
inspires you most?
Matt: I probably write lyrics differently than most. I would
describe my lyrics as abstract in that I collect a number of
things I might say or hear in different contexts and then
collage them together to create a sort of mood or semblance
of a narrative. I am inspired by multiple histories and
potentialities when creating art.
Cola: You are really into your moped. What’s with the
moped obsession?
Matt: Moped Army Mission Statement: The Moped Army
is the organizational end result of an outcropping of moped
enthusiasts throughout the nation. Seeing it as more than just
an easy and inexpensive way to get around town, members
uphold the moped as a way of life. Although the advantages as
a mode of transportation are many, a similar mind set is what
brings us together. We see the moped as more than a means
of travel, and truly believe in the lifestyle that accompanies
riding one.
It’s all about the moped’s aesthetic, its marginalized status in
our society, the friendly traveling, easy stop communication,
and our ability to enjoy the trip, as well as the destination.
2-Stroke Power. Swarm and Destroy. Live Fast, Ride Slow.
Cola: Who are some of your favorite artists?
Matt: Well…Traditional: Giotto di Bondone, Jan van
Eyck, Hans Holbein the Younger, Francisco José de
Goya y Lucientes, Gustave Courbet, Édouard Manet,
and about a hundred other artists. I’m not really good
and picking favorites. Lately I have been interested
in the work of Michael Elmgreen & Ingar Dragset,
Urs Fischer, Frank Nitsche, and Erwin Wurm. My
contemporary heroes remain Felix Gonzalez-Torres,
James Turrell, and possibly Thomas Demand.
However, this really changes day to day.
Cola: Who do you feel that you are most influenced by
in your own life?
Matt: Everyone I come in contact with?
Cola: What is on the agenda for 2010; for Cougars,
your own artwork, moped adventures, travel, and
just life in general?
Matt: Cougars- Shows and hopefully making another
record. Artwork: New projects, applying for grants
and opportunities, exhibitions. Mopeds- Maybe the
L.A. rally and possibly a couple rallies in the Midwest,
mashing up the streets of Chicago. Travel- nothing
scheduled yet except for a trip to New York in April for
a panel discussion. Hopefully this changes.
Life in general- Please see above.
Cola: You possess an old school charm about you.
Where does this come from?
Matt: I am not sure what you mean by old school, but I
imagine whatever it is it comes from me being in my
thirties.
Cola: Nice! As far as Chicago local bands go, who do
you enjoy seeing live?
Matt: Cougars share a practice space with a few bands
and we like to support each other. The most recent
shows of Chicago bands I checked out are Haymarket
Riot, Loose Dudes, and The Jesus Lizard reunion.
Cola: Okay Left Hand Luke, which I feel to be a fitting
handle or what not, where do you see yourself in 5
years?
Matt: Gallery representation in multiple cities. Included
in the Whitney…
Cola: Aiming high I see, but more importantly, if you
were stranded on a desert island, what (outside of
people, food and water) are the 3 things that you
couldn’t live without?
Matt: Onyx (my Great Dane), my computer (it does
everything), my studio (does this count? It’s crammed
with all kinds of shit).
Cola: Okay, you’re at a pub full of strangers, you have
no way home till closing, the beer and spirits selection
is limitless....what do you order? Does the room
know your name by the end of the night? How does
Matt proceed?
Matt: Scotch. Some will call me a savage for ordering
it on the rocks, but Macallan 12. I doubt the room
will know my name and most likely I will proceed
drunkenly.
Cola: I’ll bet. I just have to know, what makes you
happy? What makes Matt feel most content?
Matt: Keeping busy and making stuff.
Who the fuck is Matt Irie?
(Cola’s Answer)
In order for me to profile the persona and detail the experiences
of this quirky left swaying art and music cultivator, I would
need hours from patient ears. Wrapping Matt up in a package
of descriptive words and glossy high resolution pictures would
never do him the justice that he has earned as a local figurehead
of our generation. From Hot Stove Jimmy’s hard yet circus like
tunes to the rock experience that is the music of “Cougars”
signed to Go-Kart Records, Matt has led the parades of uber
talented musicians toward mind driving performances with
his show stopping vocals and movements that remind me of
the great Mike Patton. Matt’s art boggles my mind. I see the
peculiar humor of his installments along with an undertone
of serious attempts at communicating his social and political
philosophies with all of us. Some pieces are not so obvious,
while others are vomiting anti-capitalist fury at our feet….and
this vomit has a voice: A teacher, a political activist/pseudo
preacher, a man on a moped, a musician and an artist. Who
the fuck is Matt Irie? I still don’t know. As we take a listen and
a look into his creations, we are certainly provided with a map
of his mind. Unfortunately, the compass is nonexistent. As our
journey into Matt’s artistic genius begins, we are allowed a trip
with a multitude of directions.
www.poorhammer-sadsickle.com
www.cougarsrock.com
www.mopedarmy.com
www.myspace.com/cougars
ARIES:  CANCER:
Someone has a birthday coming up!  You are
glowing.  You have been working hard and now
is the time to sit back and enjoy what you’ve
accomplished.  This will become more evident as
the sun goes into your sign on the 20th.
TAURUS:  LEO:
Life has been feeling stagnant lately...same old,
same old.  Think of this boredom as a chance to
recharge your batteries.  There will be plenty of
excitement in the coming spring.  
GEMINI:
This is definitely not the time to give up or even
go back to the drawing board.  There are things
in the works that are beyond your scope and
grasp.  Success is for those that can face many
rejections.  
LIBRA:
You are absolutely strapped of energy right now. 
The reason for this is that the sun is as far away
from your sign as it can get.  Feeling like nothing
is going your way?  The pendulum is bound to
swing back! By April the tides will turn.
SCORPIO:
Major changes are happening and for once you feel
like they are all in YOUR control.  Good decisions
made around the New Year are beginning to pay
off.  It’s time to make some solid summer plans.    
SAGITARIUS:
Watch your finances closely this month.  A simple
error can send things out of control.  Time to
figure out where the leaks are.  Being honest with
yourself is the best way to fix this.  This summer
you’re gonna thank yourself for it.
This is a good time to give back.  Some simple
gestures of kindness will not only help out others,
it will make you realize that you are part of
something bigger.  This month a much needed
door will open for you.
Try not to burn any bridges this month.  Sometimes
it’s better to just move on.  This particular time,
you will be happy you kept your cool.  Sparks are
flying with you and a co-worker.  Could these two
things be linked?
VIRGO:
Winter has been difficult, but you begin to feel more
like yourself this month.  Around the 3rd, you’ll gain
back your equilibrium.  Around the 15th, pay close
attention to what your day-to-day life is telling you.
CAPRICORN:
February ended with a bang for you, in more
ways than one.  Try to keep this momentum.  An
intriguing person that you met in the late fall will
turn out to be an excellent ally/connection.
AQUARIUS:
This will be a month full of movement.  You feel
like you are constantly on the go.  All this activity
has you wondering if it is worth it and if you can
keep up.  It is, and you can!
PISCES:  
You feel like you woke up and discovered what
your emotions have been doing while your
thinking cap was asleep.  It’s ok.  You are heavily
influenced and inspired by passion and sentiment. 
You revel in it.  You may need a small clean up in
aisle one though.  
MY SNOWMAN IS GIVING ME DIRTY LOOKS
AND I’M OUT OF VODKA
I
have, for the very first time in my life,
discovered the utter misery that is SAD,
commonly known as Seasonal Affective
Disorder. Damn, living in the Chicago land
area is rough this time of year. Sure, we all
love the snow as it falls from the sky like
clumps of tissue between November and
the beginning of February. Yes, every
one of us has made our yearly “stoner”
Christmas light cruise, and enjoyed the
beauty and majesty of the Midwestern
weather. We watch the snowflakes
shooting at us like stars toward a
spaceship cruiser, or while we’re not
heavily medicated, our car windshields.
We get our winter sports on, we build
our discombobulated snowmen, we
bundle up like Eskimo folk and we face
the freeze.
Enough is enough! We are now
approaching spring (as the Roman
calendar determines….obviously
someone didn’t take into account
us poor Chicago cats who have the
privilege of experiencing a seemingly
never ending Winter, which no exact
date can predict the end of) and we are
continuing to wake up to SNOW, WIND
and MORE SNOW. Even when the sun
is out, we are freezing & praying that our
yearly extra long winter will cease to exist.
There are only so many times that one
can shovel snow, clean their car off, strap
on the “ugly” boots and super insolated
jackets (and let’s face it, we all own them)
before we all begin to feel depressed and
long for temperatures above the low 30’s.
My solution is to do one of two things. You
can choose to bask in the extended weather
dilemma, go to a state park that hosts cross
country skiing, tubing, horseback riding, ice
fishing and hide out at night in one of the
many wood shelter cabins that are
equipped
w i t h
electricity and radiant heater, or you can
drive 10-15 hours south and to the east.
My pick for busting up the winter blues for
the month of March is to head on out to the
Carolinas, more specifically, Hilton Head,
South Carolina. Yes, it’s a bit on the pricey
side, if you intend to stay at a resort, but
there is always the option to rough it. Yes,
bring your tent, sleep in your van/car/truck
or whatever and just enjoy the improvement
in weather. Hilton Head will be the
prescription that will cure “SAD”.
Strap your mountain bike to
your vehicle, pack your non-
perishables and hit the road.
What more do you need
outside of warm weather
and nature? There are great
restaurants, ranging from road
side stops and greasy spoons to
5 star wallet busters. There is the
OCEAN! What else can I say?
As I am certainly not working for a
travel agency, or getting any kind of
endorsement for our zine by suggesting
these get-a-ways, my ultimate goal
in writing this to all of you is just to
offer you a solution to the quarry
that faces all of us…that is unless you
really do love being cold while “spring”
approaches. So, either embrace the cold
and snow by indulging in the outdoor
activities, or hop in your car and escape
this weather. Either way, I personally plan
to take a Louisville Slugger to my “SAD”
this season. A road trip beckons me.
Cheers,
Cola
By Cola & Lissy
A
s we walked into the home of
t o n y
Tony, Jesse and little Nora, we
were immediately blown away
duggins
by the cozy and hospitable
atmosphere of this punk rock family.
The beautiful and intelligent Jesse was
cooking up some beefless stroganoff while
baby Nora was sitting in her tiny seat
on the kitchen counter, jamming out to
“We’re a Happy Family” - The Ramones.
Daddy Duggins singing along to her and
mommy while offering us both drinks.
The environment was mellow and fun. No
stress over the music business for Tony, and
all smiles from Jesse, whom obviously basks
in every moment she is able to share with
her little angel. They are the quintessential
“happy family” and love where they live…
“Too bad you can’t see the yard,” says Jesse,
“we have such an awesome yard. The reason
we moved here is because my sister lives
close. Tony’s watching her now, but she
stays home with her kids, the youngest just
started Kindergarten, she offered to help,
so when Tony goes on tour she can go over
there” referring to little Nora who’s sitting
The Real
there watching her Mom talking, “which
is huge, you know? She’s always available.
So, we looked into this area and had three
houses set up and we saw this one second.”
We brought the conversation and little Nora
into the family room area, that along with
being adorned with vintage rock posters
like that of legends “Guided By Voices” and
“ The Dubliners”, also catered to baby Nora.
High-end baby play equipment and a piano
for dad and mom to serenade her completed
this room, fit for a “family”. Tony singing
songs about everything from the vacuum
cleaner to Nora’s diaper fill ups, he dotes
over his little lady, keeping her all smiles and
coos. As we spoke quite casually with Tony
and Jesse there was a real feeling of being
in the presence of two parents that
are bound to raise a well-rounded
child. Another important member
of the family is Pelee, their dog,
Jesse rescued him from the streets
of New York “ I found him at a bar
called The Pelee Royale, that’s where
he got his name, He was just a little
shit when I found him, 4 months old.”
There was also a gorgeous longhaired cat
roaming around taking in the scene, “Lola
was a stray when I found her too, she was
running across Western Avenue.” Tony and
Jesse are two very interesting and insightful
individuals, whom are obviously well
read and have invested in their daughter’s
growth, spending their every free moments
loving her and making her surroundings
ideal for a happy and stress free childhood.
Tony and little Nora were kind enough
to give us a tour of their humble abode;
with little Nora all smiles during her mini-
walkabout. Upstairs at Casa Duggins, we
are amazed by how much time and effort
Daddy Duggins has thrown into making his
little rock and roll princess’s surroundings
beyond aesthetically pleasing to a tiny
future lady. Nora’s bedroom is filled with
whimsical Winnie the Pooh characters,
and not only on the shelves. As we gazed
onto the ceiling, directly above her cradle,
we are impressed beyond words
by the artwork of Tony (Daddy)
Duggins. Tony had painted a full
size mural of a map of the Hundred
Acre Woods, that magical place
that was home to Winnie and
friends. A sweet addition to this
map is “Nora’s House”, which
he creatively included into the
fun landscape. “Nora’s House”
pictures Nora, her doggy and her
cat, it’s beyond sweet and was yet
another testament to how well
acclimated Tony had become, as
far as fatherhood. Along with the
walls being a child’s dream, Tony
also hand made a toy chest that
in my opinion would rival that of
any furniture store. Nora’s room
is a dreamland, adorable and
artistic.
While mommy Jesse gets baby Nora settled
in for the night, Tony escorts us down to
his “lair”. Within this finished basement,
you can find Irish heritage wall hangings,
mugs, trinkets, family photos, more vintage
posters of The Dubliners and a bookshelf
filled with all of the great writers throughout
history. Tony and Jesse do not neglect
their devotion to great books, possessing
a collection to be envied. As Jesse frowns
on television in general, and Tony
prefers “Miss Marple” and “Big
Cat Diaries” for he and Nora to
enjoy, books take precedence
over the boob tube in their house.
Within the Tony/Jesse library of
classics, you can find everything
from Tom Robbins to Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle, showcasing a truly
diverse collection of reading
gems. Also in the Duggins lair is
a hip and comfortable sofa area
in the corner, a bar (Of course, I
mean…we are in Tony’s lair) and
a casino style card-playing table.
We sit down with Tony, who is
continuously plying us with ales
and begin to get down to it, the
interview that is.
Probably what will not be so
surprising is that we start off by talking
about music and different artists, what
might be surprising though is who we were
talking about, it turns out Tony is a fan of
Beyonce and Shakira. “She can really shake
her ass” says Tony about Shakira, and that
we all agreed on, then he said “I really love
Beyonce, she’s amazing, the girl can sing
and she writes her own songs.” We had
been talking about the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame and how he had been there 10
years prior doing a show.
“…It was under construction, but as VIP,
we were able to take photos and go up to
the attic where they had the rap exhibit.
It was funny ‘cause they had Easy E’s
notebook from high school, and you know
what it said on the front? ‘This book is
the property of (pause) A Real Nigga’ we
all got a laugh out of that, and of course
then the conversation turned to the other
exhibits and memorabilia and how Aretha
Franklin’s dresses were so small back in the
day. This whole time their dog, Pelee, who
is eleven years old is hanging around with
us, “he’s still got his wits about him, just like
Sherlock Holmes.” Tony comments about
him as he rubs himself all over our legs,
depositing hair all over our jeans.
“My brother is fuckin crazy about Sherlock
Holmes, I’d read a couple of them, as a kid...
hound of the Baskervilles…you know, shit
like that, and I now, I’m like totally into
him, and that’s only within the last couple
of years.” He then grabs a book and reads
from it “It is a capital mistake to
theorize before you have all the
evidence, it biases the judgment.”
Which Tony then explains
to us is one quote, which he
whole-heartedly tries to live by.
Nonjudgmental is Tony Duggins
for certain. Tony then gives us
his best impersonation of the
character, “Elementary, my dear
Watson.”
One of the songs from his latest
release “On A Fine Spring
Evening” is about his old local
pub Teehans, “I know that
these days there’d be no one
that I know there, except for the
bartender…Noel’s there every
fucking day if you go at the right
time, I know Noel.” He says of
one of the regulars “Most of the guys I still
know that go there are up in the afternoons,
we used to go there after work.” (Referring
to his old job at Tinley Ice) “Yeah, you know,
I wish I could get down there, at least once,
just to see everybody. I’ve always been on
the attitude that I could be on tour, it could
be a couple of years and I’ll come back and
you guys will all still be there…we’ll know
each other forever.”
As we’re getting the whole story
on Tony we turn the conversation
around to politics and have a
laugh as we discuss the fact that
there is a definite split on either
ends of the spectrum. We tell
him about one of our articles
in this edition, how Mike Paus
had quite an experience with
the Secret Service “Was it
because he wrote some paper?”
Tony asked. We explained that
it was because he was wearing a
derogatory T-shirt. Tony laughs
and adds, “Yeah, that’s funny, I
know Mike Paus. He comes to
our shows. Ha!” He didn’t realize
that Mike was so into politics
though “I’ve always been really
political on the records, and a lot
of people know that, and they
all try to come up and strike a conversation
up with me, and maybe Mike and I have
talked about this and I don’t remember,
‘cause the only time I ever see him is at
fuckin’ Teehans….ha! We could’ve sat there
and talked about politics all god damn
night and I wouldn’t
fucking remember...”
Then we switched
to Irish politics and
his views on that
“It’s completely
seen differently
here…well, because
when you think of
it, anybody that’s my
age, that’s even first
generation here, was
born in the 70’s, so
their parents had to
have come here in
the 70’s...before the
60’s which was before
bloody Sunday, before
Bobby Sands died in
81, before any of that
shit happened, before
it became serious. It
didn’t get really bad
until like 72 onto
the mid to late 80’s,
which was when it
was the fuckin worst.
Our parents from
here didn’t have to deal with any of that an anti-establishment- for lack of a better mean everybody knows what hurts and
shit…they were singing the old fucking word: sentiment…they stopped singing what doesn’t, and with September. 11th, the
songs, but even like Ronny and Duke from those songs because everything did turn whole world felt that happen. I remember
the Dubliners they were in London at the so bad A lot of Americans my age were in the early 80s too big things…1980,
time, as their biggest fame was in England, so far removed, and the parents of them John Lennon died and in 81 Bobby Sands
they went back and forth...and up until were still singing the same songs and the died...he was a hunger striker who starved
72, they completely stopped singing the kids didn’t know any better...” He explains, himself in prison. Everyone knows what’s
rebel songs. There were a couple tunes “People here are just so out of touch, they’re sad, everyone knows what’s wrong and
that were not an anti-English, but more of just so far removed from the situation, I right...print this if you want...I don’t care…
and I’m American,
so what do I care?
It’s got nothing to
do with me…and
it has no bearing
on my life what so
ever.” he says the
IRA are “fucking
gunslingers,
they’re all fucking
gunslingers...
but that has no
bearing on what
the British have
done to the Irish as
far as occupation...
Paisley and
McGinnis were
the least deserving
of the office.”
“I used to hang
with the fucking
communists, the
Chinese Chairman
Mao killed more
people than Lenin
and Hitler put
together. That is not only where
it doesn’t make any sense to me-
and where you can’t leave any
of those countries, it’s the fact
that it’s one thing that people
keep trying the same thing over
and over, just revising it. Well,
you just give up…” We asked
him about taxes and what he
thought about the possibility of
a government where we weren’t
taxed, would it possible? As a
Dad, would there be sufficient
schools for his daughter without
taxes? “We have to be taxed,
but we can’t be taxed this much
for nothing. Half the private
schools are elitist, religious and
then they’re occupational. Why
does the American populace
vote against anything Socialist?
Because they don’t realize how
many programs we have that
are socialist, they don’t realize
that we are mostly a socialist
country because we take care of
our people, they don’t fucking
realize that but they vote against
anything socialist that comes along, like
healthcare.” He then adds “We have a
constitution, but it’s something that can be
used to scare voters from voting a certain
way, and actually the people that do it are
the Republicans, they say, ‘This is a Social
stance’ they’re the ones that call themselves
Republicans.” He finishes “As soon as one
branch gets into office, the other turns into
something else.”
After such a heavy
conversation we decide to
take a cigarette break outside
in the freezing cold, but
beautiful backyard, where,
even though it was dark
you could see the fence that
Tony had built and the huge
maple tree that the squirrels
live in. “Is that thing still
on?” he asks me, referring
to my digital recorder. I tell
him it is, and he then says:
“We get a lot of shit for being
plastic Paddies ’cause we’re
American and we play Irish
music, people have said such
things in magazines and on
the internet” He finishes
his cigarette and starts to
walk indoors and turns back to me “Well,
here’s the deal with that- is Sting from
Jamaica? No. Is Bono American although
he sings Rock N Roll like one? No, Ya
know? We went on tour with a band called
The Mighty Stef; they’re from Dublin and
they play the fuckin’ blues yeah? Like the
real fuckin’ blues, It was funny ‘cause they
supported us, they’d get on stage, do their
thing and sing in an American accent, then
we’d do ours, then we’d have one hell of a
time drinking together ‘cause they’re Irish
and we all drink.” At this we all laughed
and went back down to the basement to
continue the interview. As we sit down
Tony says, “Here’s another thing…when I
was talking about Sting and Bono adopting
another persona to present themselves the
way they want to be presented, that’s Rock
N Roll, that’s what you do, everyone takes
on another persona.”
Tony and The Tossers had
some problems getting into
Canada while they were
touring “I’ll tell you, they’re
not lax if you’re going through
with a band, they’re hardcore,
it’s not the drugs or anything,
it’s the tax they get if you’re
working” he explains, “you
have to have a work visa, and
if you’re our size band it’s
not even worth it all” (The
Tossers are a six-piece band).
Then on the second trip they
were going to be taxed so
much for their merchandise
they turned back around to
the US to mail it to where
they were going “We took all
the boxes of merchandise to
a Post Office and mailed it,
everything was like, I don’t
know 200lbs a box, it cost
around $3000 to mail it”
How did Jesse win Tony
Duggin’s heart? They met in
a bar… “She was smoking
hot, she’s beautiful!” he says, “After we got
together I couldn’t believe a girl that pretty
would even talk to me, but I called her back
and yeah, she wanted to hang out and so we
hung out and we kept hanging out. I was
walking on eggshells expecting it to end
but did everything I could to make sure it
didn’t” So, what do they do? “With Nora
we can’t even go to a movie, we go out to
eat though. I don’t go to bars, I have never
been to a bar round here”
he adds “There’s a lot that’s
changed, but I’m still that
obnoxious kid”
So, Tony that was born May
15th, 1974 on Fort Leonard
Wood to Dorothy and
Dennis, the Tony that liked
to nap, and play in coffins as
a child while his dad trained
to be a mortician, that
played disco with our Cola
as a teen and eventually
found himself as singer of
The Tossers is now settled
down and a Dad- but still
the singer for The Tossers
has that glint of mischief in
his eyes and the personality
that makes you like him
instantly. As you can see he had a lot to tell
us and we enjoyed listening, but best of all
was when he finished off the evening by
bringing out the mandolin and gave us our
own private show and singing Beatles tunes
and whatever else we requested.
This document is a transcription of a computer
file recently found on disc in the wreckage of
a hotel. The hotel is in (censored) (The identity
of this country should be kept secret). The
current war against terrorism might even be
jeopardized if it should leak out. In reality, the
beginning of this story go back over 36 years.
With this in mind, here is the
transcribed file, exactly as
written by (censored).
*****
There is not a lot of dialogue
– this is not a fanciful piece
of fiction reproduced for your
entertainment. If that is what you seek, then
perhaps some other offering is for you tonight.
If, however, you wish to hear more about what
happens everyday in countries and places
beyond most people’s horizon’s then this may be
of some interest. As usual, there is nothing else
to back up this story, other than this telling.
*****
I
n the legends of mercenaries there is one tale
that stands out over all the rest. While being
a story often passed down from person to
person, written since medieval times, there has
always been a re-occurring theme: A warrior,
betrayed, murdered; then finally wreaking his
revenge on his betrayers. I believe I may have
uncovered a modern manifestation of this
myth.
Sent to (censored) by (censored) magazine,
I had traveled all over North Western Africa
and parts of the Mid-East, trying to find an
interesting story for (censored). Being a men’s
magazine, I wanted a manly story to pass
onto the publisher. While in Tunisia, I heard
snatches of a story about a mercenary, who
had seemingly been in almost every nasty
battle for over 40 years. It was, however, here,
in Africa, where the story unfolds.
In the middle 1960’s there was a battle in
what was then called, The Congo. We recall
names like Biafra and the Bantu as well as
the Congolese. It was into this bloody fray
the interesting character, Roland, makes an
appearance. It seems this war, as many in this
part of the world, was financed by not only the
governments, but also, rich interests that had
their own reasons to see the war through, in
a manner most beneficial to themselves. The
Congolese were well enough off using this help,
to hire some of the world’s best mercenaries. In
this one group, the tale is laid.
Nick Van Owen, Paladin Roland, Gerard Byrne,
Guy Longchamp and an Italian fighter, Costantino
Fortunata made up this band. This group of five
men exemplified the UN, representatives from
around the world. While they all were familiar
with each other, supposedly Van Owen and
Roland were best of friends. They fought side
by side and defended each other in battle as
well as during negotiations and bar brawls.
It was their choice of weapons that set these
t wo, and the whole coterie, apart. They fought
almost exclusively using Thompson Submachine
guns.
As Told By: Rick Buda
These 45 caliber dinosaurs were this band
of five’s signature. Often, in the heat of the
bloodiest battles, Roland and Van Owen
would be seen, sometimes be back to back
– slaughtering hundreds, as the guns spat lead
clots that ripped through armor, flesh, bones
and brains. With the Nor wegian and the Swede
so busy, Byrne, Longchamp and Fortunata often
were reduced to ammunition carriers, keeping
the murderous duo slaying for hours. To pay
them all respects; any one of the quintet could
be that killing machine and when they all were
moving for ward, a straight, tight line of five,
their gangster weapons spat fire and lead, no
one advanced upon them.
In 1966 they landed in Africa and reported to
the Congolese commanders. The ammunition for
their weapons was cheap and plentiful. When
the army of the Congo saw the carnage that
the five men could lay, they knew their money
had been well spent.
Please remember, this part has been pieced
together from stories told to me, often by
people plied with alcohol. I have attempted to
reconstruct it here as best as I can. Hoping to
get it published in (censored), upon my return. I
have put it all onto this disc and will send it to
you in (censored) so that you can keep it and,
hopefully, others until I see you again.
In 1967, the Congolese were overrunning
the Bantu. While the US had ample reason to
support either side, or neither, they had chosen
the Bantu and their dream of a “free” state as
the “Official,” United States stand.
The spearhead of the armies of the Congo was
Paladin Roland. While Nick Van Owen was no
second fiddle, the fierce, blond fighter stood out
so against the dark armies of either side. It was
Roland that attracted the most attention.
The CIA approached Nick Van Owen in October
of 1967. They offered him safe passage out of
the Congo and to where ever he needed to be to
feel safe. Van Owen knew that if he betrayed
Roland, the other three might come after him.
The Agency assured Nick, the others would be
“taken care of.” The money was transferred
and since mercenaries always establish their
price for death, the deal was struck.
Less then a week later, in the thick of a battle
where all five men were firing and dealing doom,
Van Owen swung his chattering
angel of death around, hitting
Roland in the head at least
t wice with bullets nearly ½
inch in diameter. By all accounts
Paladin Roland’s head was blown
off. Soon the battle turned and
there seemed to be a huge surge
in Bantu gunfire and the Congolese army, the
headless corpse of Roland laying in their midst,
fled. During the frantic retreat, single shots
from an unseen sniper killed Fortunata, Byrne
and Longchamp. Ironically, the Bantu, from
whom the sniper would have emerged, had few
men with marksmanship fine enough to do this
in the heat of a withdrawal. Rifle fire placed so
well, was nearly unheard of from tribesmen
mostly known for their prowess with the
blowgun. Regardless, with them gone, Van
Owen vanished.
For 36 years Van Owen wandered, while tales
about Roland grew and strengthened. If you
look in history, however, the name Roland
and Paladin seem to leap out at the center of
so many ghastly, nightmarish stories. With
that said, the story of this Paladin Roland
took on a shroud of modern horror, that even
after I had heard it over a dozen times, I could
scarcely believe a single word. Yet the story,
almost unwavering in its frightening detail,
was repeated.
Let’s look at myth-laden stories as passed
down to us. While most have an iron hard core,
the details get changed from telling to telling.
From ancient fables to urban legends, we see
this over and over. With Roland, the Headless
Thompson Gunner, the core and details seem
cast in granite.
Within weeks of the grisly battlefield murder,
the headless corpse of Roland would be seen,
in battle, during the bloodiest episodes. Often
he would also be sighted at night, in the still
moldering remains after a huge battle. The
truly horrifying aspect was that only the flash
from the huge Thompson submachine gun he
wielded at his side lights him. Most often, while
the sight is seen, no sound accompanies it.
You may say to yourself, the world is full of
battlefield hauntings and while (censored)
may indeed want to buy this story, it is not
remarkable. It was with that quest I set out to
find the remarkable.
Two weeks ago, obliterating all the odds, I found
Nick Van Owen.
All over Africa I had traced the story –
interviewed the survivors – finally I found him.
Few people realize how huge this continent is!
“What’ll ya have.” The language here in South
Africa is Afrikaans. It is a mash of English,
Dutch and African accents.
“Gin,” I replied. The only drink you know will
kill you at a prescribed rate. “Get one for him.”
I nodded toward a huge – yet worn man who
seemed he was pushing against the bar. His hair
was sandy – bet ween the blond of Nor way and
white of age. If I had the right story I knew
who he was.
“Aye” the barman grunted. He poured me a
tall gin in a greasy glass and another just as
generous for the slumped man.
The fellow stirred at the clink of the glass,
reaching – in case it was being taken away. His
was safe – his eyes brightened with the vision
of a fresh drink, standing near the well-used
shooter. “Hey. Thanks.” He said, a dead flatness
in is voice.
“Nick Van Owen?” I shot the wad, figuring
– what the fuck let’s see if it works. It did.
“Who’s askin’?” He countered – but standing
up – aware, alert. His face had changed. “Who
wants to know?”
I introduced myself, adding that I was
researching his life and wanted to find out
where his mercenary ways had taken him. Van
Owen never lost his suspicions, but he seemed
not to fear me.
We talked for hours – I bought food and more
drink. I learned that this man, while un-afraid
of any earthly thing feared the legend of
Roland, The Headless Thompson Gunner.
“He’s still seen – he will not leave this continent
until he avenges his death.”
“Why don’t you leave?”
“Don’t you think I have tried?” He said. “I have
left – where ever I go, he follows.” He was quiet.
Chewing a bit he’d sucked from his teeth.
“He travels?’ I said, flippant. “Does he go
Coach?”
“Fuck you, Mr. Reporter man.” He spat in my
face as he spoke. “You being here – hearing
the story will make him come around all the
faster.”
“How does he travel?” I re-worded the question
– I figure I’ll let him tell the answers.
“I don’t know. He does. I leave; he is where I
go – I have seen him – heard stories, Ireland,
Iran, Berkley, Israel. Any place where killing is
– where I am – he has been.”
You’ve been to those places as well?” I was
incredulous. Here’s a guy running for his life but
going to where guns were hired.
“A man has to earn a living.”
Mombassa is not a big town. A few people
arrived as we spoke. Nick asked that I come
back the next day at noon (I figured he was
gonna get lunch out of me – but that was fine).
I agreed.
I typed up what I had here and loaded it onto
this disk overnight.
The next day was hot, dry. What the Hell did
you expect in this town? Just a minute or so
before noon I headed to the gin mill we’d met
in, hoping to get the rest of the story. I pushed
in the door.
As I walked in, Van Owen spun to look at me. He
stood straight up a slight smile on his face. He
looked so different – almost resigned. Perhaps
his confession to me would free his soul.
The Barman looked up as he washed a glass in
dirty water. Almost instantly I saw, something
was very wrong.
I was so close to Nick that he reached out and
grabbed my left arm as I walked – pulling me
to the heavy palm wood bar. I still managed to
spin around and look in the dark entryway I had
cleared moments before. There was someone
there! Before I could say anything more, or
react, Nick Van Owen had pulled me so hard I
pitched for ward.
I can’t say exactly what I saw – but it was
the sound that stunned me. Not the sound of
gunfire, but the clatter of the impacts.
Impacts – ten – fifty maybe a couple of hundred.
If you have ever been caught in a hailstorm under
a thin roof – you have an idea of the sound. The
splatter was not the hail – for that was lead -
- The bar began to disintegrate. Glasses nearly
vaporized. I was down. I have never tried to
lay INTO a floor before that night. That night
I tried. Still no gunshot sound, but the splatter
and crashes of each bullet crushed the room. In
a few seconds it was over.
I lay for a minute, not sure if I had been hit. No
extreme pain made its way to my buzzing brain
and my aching ears heard dripping. A stream
of beer became visible slowly flooding the floor;
Foamy and at room temperature.
I looked at my hands – A knuckle was cut – some
blood. I sat. No damage!
I stood slowly – there seemed to be no other
sounds. Like no one outside had heard and no
one would be coming in. I looked around.
The Barman had taken five slugs across his
chest. The back wall sprayed in deep red. It
sharply stood out in contrast against the gray,
everything.
Van Owen was dead. He was hit 40 perhaps 50
times. To be frank I could barely recognize him,
except that there was no one else in here. Perhaps
Van Owen had seen the gunman and smiled the
smile of resolution to his executioner.
I left town. Something told me to get out. I
typed this up as you see it now. I know who
killed Nick. I know why there was no sound.
The lightning flashes of a large gun lit up my
retinas through my closed eyes – yet no sound
was made beyond the ghastly impacts. I knew
who had killed Van Owen. He might want me if
he found I had the story.
I keep stopping to save this as I go. In case
something happens. Don’t ask what might
happen. I just keep hitting “Save”. It makes me
feel a bit safer.
I called the desk – checked out. There’s a knock
– I’ll answer and continue.
Back and typing as fast as I can – no one there.
But up the long, dimly lit staircase I can see a
dark shadow.
GOD it looks like lightning and I can see he has
NO HEAD!!
The disk is blank beyond this.
(Authors note: As a fan of the late Warren Zevon,
you may recognize the story. I confess – drinking
and listening to one song over and over can do this
to your brain. If you have no idea of what I speak
– Listen to Mr. Zevon’s song, Roland The Headless
Thompson Gunner.)
About the Author. Rick Buda has been writing for
over 20 years. His Supernatural Mystery WolfPointe
won a LiFE Award. He is currently working on a
coming of age novel about Chicago Rock and Roll as
well as a sequel to WolfPointe.
http://mooramoora.org.au/bobrich/
writer/life.html
The LiFE AWARD
 To CD or Not to CD G a m i n g W i t h
by Kevin Branigan
I
n the beginning, there was the live musical
performance.  For thousands of years, the
only way for a listener to hear music was
to have a musician perform for them in
person.  This all changed with the invention of
the phonograph in 1877, followed by magnetic
tape and the digital disc in the second half of
the twentieth century.  But, as we all know,
the story does not end there.  Well into the
twenty-first century, the format of choice
among many music consumers is the megabyte.
My early days as a recording engineer were in the
mid-1980s, after the invention of the compact
disc, but before these discs were recordable to
the average consumer.   As a result, all of my
copies duplicated with full-color graphics.  I
Grampire
had big plans to market the CD like a maniac,
get my music out there, and maybe even make This column isn’t really a new game review as much
a few bucks.  But after playing the salesman for as it is my personal game of the month which, in
a few weeks, I got burned out and went back to reality, isn’t done by release date but more of what
what I truly loved--songwriting and recording.  I’m enjoying currently. Now that my explanation is
I still have several hundred copies a box. out of the way, let’s get onto the game at hand.
A few years into the new decade, I acquired
the tools to record CDs, print color graphics
on CDs, and print my own inserts.  I soon
realized I could re-master my early cassette
albums and put them on CDs.  This was
ironic when I was manufacturing “What’s
Wrong With This Picture?” because the
core concept of that title was that the album
should have been a CD.  Now it actually was.

T
earliest recordings are on four-track cassette So from 2004 and on, I went crazy making CDs. 
tape.  One of the most exciting periods of my Between re-mastering my early tapes, putting his month’s Game Of The Month is
DARKSIDERS. I’ve been hooked on this
life was transferring these recordings to CD.   together compilations of dozens of songs I had
game since I first bought it and really started
recorded over the years, and recording new getting into the meat of the game and I am currently
Ironically, as I am finishing up a new album in songs, by 2007, I was finishing up my fifteenth on my second playthrough. Let’s get into the story of
2010, I am questioning whether or not I will album, “Nocturnal Enterprise.”  All of my the game: the setting for this story is post-apocalyptic
even release this album in CD format.  Although albums were now in CD format, except for the Earth. You play as War of the Four Horsemen. You
there are legitimate reasons to manufacture first two; I selected the best songs from the two answer the call to the apocalypse but when you arrive,
physical copies of my project, I am seriously and made one CD: “The Best of the Late 80s.” you realize that Heaven and Hell are already in battle
and you are the only horseman to show up. This leaves
considering releasing my music online only you to blame for the apocalypse. War convinces the
and refraining from traditional duplication. I am currently mixing tracks for my sixteenth Council, a group that preserves the order between
album, and once again I find myself at a historical Heaven and Hell, to let him return to Earth to clear
This is something I never could never have crossroads in terms of duplication technology.  his name and thus begins your adventure.
foreseen when I released my first two albums As a result, I am questioning whether or not
in 1990.  Both albums were released in I should actually manufacture CDs, or just Graphically, this game is beautiful. The attention to
detail is great and the colors just seem to pop out
cassette format, and I had 100 copies of each release the songs online.  I am already working at you without being too colorful to lose the feel of
manufactured by a cassette duplication company.  on simple videos to post on YouTube, which is a the environment. Focus has been given to this game
In the two years that followed, I recorded requirement in this day and age, and I’ll be posting graphically so well that you can see every little detail
dozens of songs, and in 1993, I put together a links on Facebook and MySpace to start with. on Chaoseater, the sword of War. The scenery gives
compilation of more than twenty of these songs. off the post-apocalyptic feel in a very good manner.
Theoretically, this will be enough.  And the The creatures are nicely done and great care to detail
has been taken in this action/puzzle game.
I had just finished having my mixes mastered at fact that it is virtually cost free makes it hard
a local recording studio when I received a copy to justify duplication, especially when CD As far as game play goes, they have put a great deal
of a CD that a friend of mine had just finished duplication is still relatively expensive.  I into making the game fun and challenging without
producing.  This was a reality check for me.  I would either have to invest over a thousand using awful controls or bad camera angles as part
had to ask myself, “Why am I still limiting myself dollars for a thousand copies or more, or of the challenge. There is definitely a God Of War
to cassettes when CDs are the cutting edge?” spend twice as much per CD for a short run influence, but it seems they’ve built off the best of
that influence to create their own game. At first, it
of 100 and still spend a couple hundred bucks.   may seem just like a button masher but once you get
In reaction to this, I decided to name the into the game and develop your skill set, you will
album, “What’s Wrong With This Picture?”  I I could manufacture the product myself, but the begin to see how much your combat and defensive
was questioning the way I was doing things.  ink is costly, the quality is significantly lower moves matter against certain enemies. You are also
Nevertheless, I had 100 cassettes duplicated. than a professional job, and it is time consuming given a plethora of weapons which you will need
to do one at a time.  And although the quality to advance certain situations or take on certain
enemies. This game is challenging without being a
In retrospect, when I received my friend’s of standard audio CDs is better than mp3s, the
controller-throwing, head-punching experience.
CD, I hadn’t even created my graphics gap is closing as mp3 technology improves.   My defeats didn’t make me want to quit, but rather
yet, which means I probably could have drove me to defeat the enemies at hand. The world
manufactured the album as a CD right then Furthermore, knowing myself and my limited is free roaming and weapons received later in the
and there.  But CD manufacturing was a ambitions with regards to marketing and sales, game will have you going back to get to new areas in
mystery to me at that point in time, and I am likely to distribute a few necessary copies, previously explored sections. All in all, an amazingly
probably much more expensive than it is today. and the rest will sit in a box unless I give them fun game that does borrow from previously released
titles, yet seems to improve on those ideas with a few
away.  So for now, the plan is to release the innovations of their own.
I released two more albums on cassette over songs online and hold off on duplication.  The
the next few years, and it wasn’t until the year question, still unanswered, is whether or not I Hold the Heathen Hammer High,
2000 that I had a CD manufactured.  It was will manufacture CDs in the future.
called “Carnival of Delusions,” and I had 1000 Grampire
In art as well as in life, so much is made about what is new. It has been stated many times that we live in a throwaway culture. Bearing
this in mind, this column exists as a means to shine a light on great achievements from the past one last time. Releases that have long
since been put aside, discontinued and forgotten about. Each month, this space will serves as a means to giving books, films and music
that helped shape me in the past the notice I have always felt that they deserved.
If you were
aware of punk
rock hailing
from Louisville,
KY in the early
1990’s, Endpoint
was likely the
go-to name
that found its
way into the conversation. By and large,
Endpoint was the most recognizable
name and cut the widest swath in terms
of audience in the underground for being
all inclusive. However, there was a force
of nature lurking beneath the surface
that, while gaining some notoriety of
their own, never quite gained the status.
That force was Kinghorse.
Officially, Kinghorse only released
one album, a self-titled affair that just
happened to have a producer by the
name of Glenn Danzig. Word has it that
the notorious antics of Louisville punk
rockers was originally the trademark
of the mighty Kinghorse. Musically,
Kinghorse stomped out a sound that
was akin to the Bad Brains playing in
a dingy biker watering hole. As the
music erupts, members of Thin Lizzy
and The James Gang walk in, sit down
at the bar and commence the fine art of
inebriation. When the time is just right,
the bar patrons stumble up to the stage
and the entire rosters of the Bad Brains,
James Gang and Thin Lizzy clobber one
another with anything in sight. The
musical results are Kinghorse.
In addition to their unholy self-titled
album, I recently stumbled upon 12
unreleased demo tracks online that are
equally as brash as the album, albeit via
poorer quality. Seek these tracks out and
prepare to unfurl a sad face once you
realize what you’ve long since missed
out on.
Though admittedly a comic book/graphic
novel newbie, I can say without pause
that there are a multitude of tales of the
Batman that exceed the expectations of
the medium to the outsider. This month,
I’d like to call attention to Jeph Loeb
and Tim Sale’s noir masterpiece (yes…I
said masterpiece) The Long Halloween.
What began as a tale of 12 months in the
life of Bruce Wayne/Batman went on
to inspire Christopher Nolan’s ground-
breaking film The Dark Knight.
The Long Halloween feels like a dark
murder mystery filtered through n
obscure Tim Burton film. With villains
that both exceed through excess and lead
Batman through the darkest recesses of
Gotham’s underbelly,
we find Batman
seemingly chasing
his tail to solve a
series of serial killer-
esque murders. Each
murder is deliberate,
calculated and intent
on leaving a clue
behind, almost as
if the mysterious killer is begging the
Batman to unearth him.
The Long Halloween combines mafia
elements akin to The Godfather with
the usual cavalcade of Gotham’s finest
criminal minds. Almost every major
villain from The Joker to Calendar
Man bows in and out to bring the DC
universe together with the world of
organized crime. Like all great mystery
novels, The Long Halloween keeps you
guessing from the start and in the end,
you suspect you’ve been lead by the nose
all along. It is a brilliant piece of noir
fiction that, along with other graphic
novels, gives serious legitimacy to the
medium.
By Brian Ryder
Trash cinema is an acquired taste.
Even for the most ardent consumer of
low grade schlock, there are limits to
which one will endure before someone
needs to grab their remote and simply
stop the madness. For all intent and
purpose, H.G. Lewis is one of the crown
princes of trashy, gore-soaked nonsense.
Though he dabbled in various forms of
exploitation, gore was his creme de’ la
creme. While there are certainly better
choices in his library of blood and guts,
this month belongs to The Gore Gore
Girls.
I will be the first to admit that this is a
hard film to sit through. Not because of
any excess (of which there is much), but
because the in-between is so incredibly
dry and boring. It is an 89-minute film,
but it’s a long 89 minutes. Without the
inserts of exploitative gore, this film
is unnecessary on every level. So, if I
have these gripes concerning the long
stretches of nothing that are strewn about
this film like a child’s toy collection, why
I am plugging it here?
Simple. Despite it’s many flaws, there are
moments that are flat out unspeakable in
how hilarious and unreal they manage
to be. I will refrain from indulging in the
details for the few of you
brave enough to submit
90 minutes of your
life over to this DVD.
For those who follow
my recommendation,
there will be plenty of
moments where you
will want my head on a pike. However, if
you are a gorehound (which I completely
admit to being), you will find sequences
here that will have you in tears. You
would have to be because otherwise, you
cannot possibly have a sense of humor.
 I’m sure you recognize Miss
Miss Mischief, she has been with us from

Mischief
nearly the beginning and we have
had her on our backgrounds on
our various sites, used her photos
for promotional material and she’s
also popped up in our magazine.
When she approached us, we were
very grateful and the thing we love
the most is that her look is so multi-
faceted and no matter what the
season, or mood we are going for
at the time, there is a photo we can
use. If there’s anything else you’d
like to know after reading this, let
us know and I’m sure we can set up
another interview later on.

First of all I’d like to say Thank You

for being our spokes-model, you’re
very beautiful and we love the
photos you have allowed us to use. 
Did you always want to be a model
growing up?

Miss Mischief: Haha not really.

I always thought I would sing or
become an archeologist. I really did.
But I certainly wouldn’t trade in what
I do now!
 
I love that your look is so versatile!
What’s your favorite to do and which
is most like you when you just go out
as “you”?

MM: Well I love gothic, steampunk

and pin up. Although I’m fond of
many different looks... My “usual”
look would be a beat up, rock and roll
type top and jeans. If it’s warm, I’d be
barefoot, or wearing flip-flops. During
the colder months, I like my slip- on
skull sneakers.
 
You have worked with a multitude of
photographers, who would you say is
the one you enjoy working with the
most?

MM: Well, my favorite photographer

Interview by Lissy MacMillian
of all time is SMP Photography
(Shaun McCurry). We are very
much on the same creative and
inspirational level, so working with
him becomes more of an art project.
I have creative openness working

with him, and of course his work is
amazing!!
 
I admit, he takes most of my favorite
photos of you. I’m sure you get a
bunch of idiots sending you “fan-
mail” What’s the most ridiculous
thing someone has said to you?
MM: HaHa, I’ve gotten some funny
ones but probably the most ridiculous
was when someone offered me his
credit card.
 
That is ridiculous! No man should
give a girl his credit card- don’t they
know that? Haha! If a guy wants to
get your attention in a way that’s not
going to make you laugh or throw up,
what should he do?
MM: Approach me with a Mohawk.
You’ll already score a point! If you’re
silly, funny or even a little dorky you
can get my attention!
What kind of music do you like and
who’s your favorite band/artist right
now?
MM: Locally, I love our resident Chain
Drive! I love All That Remains, As I Lay
Dying, RED, Haste the Day; they all rock
and are some of my personal favs!
What did you think
of Lady Gaga’s outfits
that she wore at the
Grammies? Would
you wear them for a
shoot?
MM: I didn’t actually see
what she was wearing but
have seen some of her
other outfits. So far, I’d
rock most of them. Some
of them are very similar to
what some of us alternative
models and performers
have already been wearing
Your make-up always looks
so amazing, what brand do
you use?
MM: Honestly, whatever is cheap! I’m so
not a make up buff! I’d probably put mud
on my face if that was in my bathroom. HA.
But I’ve done my makeup so much, that I
can pretty much work with anything!
 
How old were you when you got your first
tattoo and what was it of?
MM: I was 19 I think. I got this little symbol
on my calf when I was in the military in
air borne school. It was one of those seedy
places off the highway that everyone went
to... and yes, it’s bad!
What kind of stuff do you like to do in your
free time?
MM: When I can, I like to get my
adrenaline pumping. I’ve done some
skydiving, rappelling, and love to shoot
my gun. Sometimes I just like to chill
on the couch with a beer and watch a
movie!
What’s your favorite movie of all time
and can you quote a line from it?
MM: My favorite movie has to be Snatch.
I can probably quote the whole movie,
but my favorite part is when Bullet
Tooth Tony is giving the “balls” speech
as he puts his Desert Eagle down on the
table. Quoting it would require a lot of
censorship! But it’s one of the best parts
of that flick.
 
Oh, we don’t worry about censorship
around here…Do you do fashion shows
as well as photo shoots?
MM: I’ve done several fashion shows. I
did a great one last year at the Fetish Flea
Market and Fangoria. Those were two of
my favs. They don’t come along all that
often, so when they do, I jump on ‘em!
 
If someone wanted to contact you for
networking purposes, how could they do
that?
MM: I can be contacted through myspace.
com/missmischiefchaos, facebook.com/
missmischiefchaos, morallycorrupted.
net or missmischief@rocketmail.com.
2009 Indie Music Business Recap
By Wicked D

O
bviously, I can’t squeeze every little
detail of a year’s worth of music business
happenings into one article. So much
happened in 2009 that several books could be
written and still not cover it all. Electing to
bypass the continued debate over the NIN/
Radiohead business models, Live Nation/
Ticketmaster merger, and MySpace’s struggle to
stay afloat, I would like to focus on the rise of
the independents.
I believe 2009 was the year indie musicians
leveled the playing field. This is probably no
more evident than at the 2009 Grammy Awards
where independent artists and labels won 56
of the 110 awards given. Granted, they were
probably recognized for achievements the year
before, but it was made official in 2009. The
revolution has begun!
This past December, George Howard, executive
editor for Artists House Music, published “Coin
a Phrase: The Leveling.” He stated, “...in the
music/creative world at least - we’re reaching a
moment where the technological barriers that
provided advantages to those with the most
resources is nearly over.” Simply meaning,
independent artists now have many of the tools
and resources available to them that were once
reserved only for major label backed artists.
Again, things were set into motion years prior,
but really came to a peak in 2009.
ProTools, TuneCore, and the rise of Social
Media put the power of competitive sound
recording, worldwide distribution, and global
marketing & promotion into the hands of those
creating the music. Furthermore, in 2009,
TuneCore announced a new service that added
physical distribution via Amazon’s CreateSpace
to it’s Amazon digital offering.
Forget localized, FM radio, artists at any level
now have easy access to worldwide radio airplay
& live interviews through internet broadcasting
and podcasts. Open opportunities exist for
artist interviews, music reviews, and featured
articles by way of webzines & blogs. Let’s not
forget viral video distribution via YouTube and
other video sites. Did you know that video
viewing on social media sites doubled from
October 2008 to October 2009?
Social Media integration exploded in 2009.
ArtistData, Ping.fm, and many other such
services allow artists to post one time with the
results being displayed across all of their social
networks. Many of the social network companies
themselves have applications that allow data
sharing. Even the previously anti-social
network, Myspace, a site known for blocking
out the rest of the web for years, opened up to
integration and data sharing. Artist promotion
platforms such as Reverbnation can also be
easily integrated into your social networks.
One of the major topics of discussion in 2009
was the Direct To Fan business model. By
definition, this model bypasses the historic
major record label model, thus allowing the
artist to create interest in their music directly
with their fans by developing relationships
with those fans. Companies such as Nimbit,
which started a few year’s earlier, makes it easy
for artists to sell direct to fans via their own
website. There are also several other companies
that allow artists to sell their music by way of
widgets and viral promo tools.
PayPal apparently had this business model in
mind when it introduced the Mircopayment
option in 2009 which helped indie musicians
hurdle two major roadblocks: consumer trust
and transaction costs. PayPal is the most
trusted name in online payment options. By
adding lower transaction costs, direct to fan
sales became more feasible than ever.
Spinning it old school, 2009 also saw increased
sales of vinyl albums - in a big way! By late
November, more than 2.1 million vinyl records
had been sold in 2009, an increase of more than
35% over the previous year, according to Nielsen
Soundscan. That total was the highest for vinyl
records in any year since Nielsen began tracking
them in 1991. Furthermore, The Coalition Of
Independent Music Stores (CIMS) reported
that vinyl sales jumped 222% on Record Store
Day, April 2009. Vinyl appears to be the one
physical format that continues to defy trends.
Believe it or not, Best Buy, the third-largest
music seller (behind iTunes & Wal-Mart), laid
out a plan to begin selling vinyl.

The Best Of The Rest

In no particular order, I thought I would throw together a short list of other industry news/events that came across my desk in 2009.
- Ariel Hyatt’s Indie Maximum Exposure List (A Guide For The Rest Of Us) - http://www.arielpublicity.com/pdfs/IndieMaxExposure.pdf
- Audiolife launches Public Beta, offering artists virtual stores - http://www.audiolife.com
- Bandize opens to public, offering a suite of DIY tools - http://bandize.com
- Band Metrics releases Artists Mapping Platform - http://bandmetrics.com
- GameSoundCon, First Industry Conference on Game Music and Sound - http://www.gamesoundcon.com
- INgrooves partners with Topspin, providing custom direct to fan marketing - http://www.ingrooves.com/node/46
- Musicnotes and Tunecore team up, offering artists sheet music - http://ow.ly/YMK7
- Music Sponsorship Spending at All-Time High in 2009 - http://ow.ly/YMh2
- ReverbNation and Bandzoogle partner For D.I.Y. Artist Web Site Builder - http://ow.ly/YMxH
- ReverbNation launches Fan Reach Pro - http://ow.ly/YMzM
- Rock Band opens platform to indie music - http://creators.rockband.com
- SoundExchange partners with ReverbNation, to register and deliver digital performance royalties - http://ow.ly/YMvv
 You’re Breaking
Up...What?
By Brian Ryder
Are you kidding me? Seriously? I am finding it increasingly more difficult to
believe that I ever took you serious.

I admit that in the beginning, I had a fascination that bordered on obsession. There was clearly a lot of hype in
certain circles that imbued it to you. And I fell for it…lock, stock and barrel. I completely fell for it.
I feel kind of stupid for it now. As a person ages, they feel that they have been burned enough times in life to know
better. I thought I knew better. I thought that I had been smart enough to sense something amiss. Once again, I’m
an idiot.
I am willing to admit mistakes as well as forgive them. I understand that no one is perfect. We all have our
missteps. No matter how old and wise we may ever become, we are always going to be vulnerable to the occasional
failure, large or small.
With you, I was warned from afar. There were those out in the distance that tried their damnedest to let the world
know not to get too attached. While there were past triumphs to be found, the litany of disappointments was too
great to be ignored. I assumed that exaggerations were afoot.
But no, they were right. All of them. Your penchant for letting people down is all too real. The occasional bomb, in
this case the utterly unwatchable “Stendhal Syndrome”, is forgivable. But “The Phantom Of The Opera”? Are you
f%*king kidding me?!?
I cannot even fathom where to begin. I thought that perhaps I could manage to bypass any expectations since I
had no prior exposure to the story as a whole. I figured that I could forego preconceived expectations and analyze
this as a standalone piece. But goddamn it…really?

I mean, Jesusfuckingchrist! I’ve seen more professional special effects in

“The Gingerdead Man”. The entire production resembled something that
PBS might have invested funding that they stumbled upon in an old cigar
box to run on a Sunday after midnight just to fill a slot. Cable access would
have laughed had they been offered the chance to air this monstrosity.
I know, I know…”Suspiria”, “Deep Red”, “Tenebre”, etc. I get it. All of them
stellar examples of horror filmmaking for their time. You can’t just keep
bringing up the past though. Recent encounters have all ended in tears
for me. Hours of my life spent watching your films that I will never get
back again.
Dario, we had a solid run. It was a good time while it lasted. Who knows?
Maybe after my anger subsides, we can try being friends. Maybe we
can just reconnect on Facebook or something, just to keep one another
abreast of where our lives have gone. But I can’t defend you. Not anymore.
I’m sorry. I just can’t do this anymore.
American Anti-Gravity since I received this album, it has remained The vocals
Transparent in rotation in my CD player. I wouldn’t be almost remind
(Self Released) able to pick a favorite, but Out of my Life me of a bad
American Anti- is the song that always really stands out take on Peter
Gravity songs for me. It’s just an all-round beautiful, but Steele of Type
remind me of powerful song. I hope that in her future O Negative’s
a good shag. travels, Elke Robitaille makes it to my town. vocals. The
They start off I would love to see her play live. (LM) leads are tight
slow and lazy, ✪✪✪✪ and really
building up to good. Very
a frantic and SOULS DEMISE interesting lead-wise. I wish I could say the
loud finish. 3 Song Demo same for riffs. They definitely can play their
Tr a n s p a r e n t (Self Released) instruments, but there’s nothing here that
is no different. Getting 2010 off to a good This demo grabs me and demands my attention. Might
start, they released their first brand new reminded me be well received by others, but it’s definitely
song in a long time on myspace at 12.01am of going to the not my cup of tea. (GR)
Jan 1st so click on over to myspace.com/ record store ✪✪
americanantigravity and tell me you don’t back in the day
also love the trippy sounds of the eerie and buying ETERNAL FEAR
synthesizers and vocals preluding the some obscure Embraced In Darkness
onslaught of sonorous power from all thrash band’s (Noreen Music)
directions, especially the guitar solo that album to check From Sweden
brings us to that satisfying climax. But don’t it out and being comes Eternal
expect these guys to cuddle after. They’re glad you picked it up. The vocals are of Fear, a band I
busy this year making lots more music and the throaty mid-range variety which work had not heard
preparing to unleash other projects they’ve well with the music. The musicianship is until this review
been working on. (LM) really good as these guys took the time to and damn…am
✪✪✪✪ learn their instruments well. Souls Demise I glad I got to
strays from the trappings that plague plenty review this. I
Elke Robitaille of modern thrash bands such as dating was instantly
Flowers In The City themselves to sound straight out of the hooked on
(Rag Veda) early 80’s or the typical verse-chorus-verse- these fine and catchy tunes. They have a
Elke Robitaille’s solo formula. There are many great ideas, way of writing the kind of things that get
Flowers In The time changes and riffs-a-plenty here. The stuck in your head. The vocals are a mid-
City is her third leads and melodic, layered guitar parts are to-high range and this guy can sing! Every
release, inspired excellent. The drummer is also a highlight aspect of this band is complimentary to
by her time for me. He is tight as nails and does some each other and everything fits perfectly. The
touring the US interesting and intricate things behind the guitars are thick and heavy with a melting
and Canada, kit. He is much more than an average time pot of influence from 70’s rock and metal.
which you can keeper. Overall I enjoyed the demo quite a They weave these influences together to
really hear in bit and look forward to hearing more from create fun, catchy and interesting songs.
her song Home. this Chicago thrash outfit. (GR) The guitar harmonies remind me a lot of
This folk singer, originally from British ✪✪✪✪ Thin Lizzy without sounding like they
Columbia, has a beautifully addicting voice were lifted straight off one of Thin Lizzy’s
that makes you want to hear more of her Hazy Hamlet records. I found this album to be so good,
and would appeal to a broad audience, as Forging Metal I went on iTunes and bought not only a
her haunting melodies and honest lyrics (Self Released) proper copy of this but I also picked up
are recognizable to everyone at some point. Coming across as a cross between average their 2007 release. Embraced In Darkness
There are some really great instrumental power metal and Ratt, we have Hazy Hamlet. is a great and catchy record that will make
parts that I really enjoyed: I loved her use of The band is tight as far as keeping time, but you want to rock out! (GR)
the cello in some of the songs, but most of the vocals are loud and bellowing, seeming ✪✪✪✪✪
all I loved Interlude where you get to enjoy to overtake the riffing. The music isn’t bad
some didgeridoo and banjo along with the

Audio Files
but the vocals are a bit hard to take seriously Reviews by Lissy MacMillan & Grampire
acoustic guitar. It is totally brilliant! Ever and they get in the way of the musicianship.

✪ Poor ✪ ✪ Fair ✪ ✪ ✪ Listenable ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Great ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Epic

 with Jen Kurek
shade them in so that when my
dad came home from work he would
A message from the artist: be so proud of what I had made.  No one
really believed that I had drawn them but
Hello, my name is Jennifer Kurek. I am a contemporary artist that uses acrylic paint
to create unique personalized works of art. I am a stay at home mom that is living my father would act so excited when he got
my dream.  I have the pleasure of raising my amazing daughters, at the same home and I showed him what I had made. 
time create, and show my art. My husband and I have four lovely girls ranging from the age of 2 to 14.  Anyway, the point I was getting at is when I
My family is very involved with and supportive of my art. I love receiving new ideas: whether it is for a decided to start doing them all on my own
commissioned piece or just something, you would like to see on canvas.  I benefit by getting new ideas.  I
create my art for the purpose of others to enjoy.  Therefore, feedback and suggestions have a great impact on is when I realized how much I liked them
me. I strive to consistently explore and develop new depths to my creativity.  I am always experimenting and better.  No, they might not have looked
trying new materials and supplies to make my artwork more vibrant and dramatic.  Earha Kitt summed it up like they were “supposed to”.  That is what
perfectly when she said, “I am learning all the time.  The tombstone will be my diploma.”  There will never be makes art so wonderful?  There is no right
a time when I feel I have learned all I need to.
or wrong way to do it.  When I realized the
Interview by Cola: blaring and usually enjoy a cocktail.  My way I made my horse was so different from
favorite is red bull and vodka.  There have the way the book told me to do it and it
Cola: Hi Jenny, when I look at your been many sleepless nights. still looked great was the moment I knew I
magnificent pieces, I feel serene.  When Cola: When did you first realize that you would never stop creating art. 
you are working on your art, what kind of had such terrific potential as an artist? Cola: What inspires you the most?
atmosphere do you like to surround yourself Jen: I would say the moment I knew I truly Jen: Music has always been my biggest
with? loved art was at about the age of five or influence.  I can use it to alter my mood to
Jen: I usually do most of my art in my six… I used to go to the library in our town where I want it to be.  I love most types of
garage (also known as the K Bar).  I am and check out books teaching how to draw music.  I would have to say the musician that
most creative at night after my wonderful different things.  My favorite was How to has inspired me the most would be Jerry
children are sleeping, or at least pretending Draw Horses.  I would trace the horses and Garcia.  The Grateful Dead has always been
too.  While working I always have music one of my favorite bands.  I was fortunate
 or do you just free flow?  What is your
creative process like? She is woman,
Jen: I usually know the general layout of
the painting before I start.  I place things hear her roar!
Jen Kurek is a true inspiration to all women
out in my mind before I put it on
the canvas.  They do not always artists, considering the path of family life.
stay how I envisioned them.  A Jen is quite able to continue creating her
lot of the time, I change things.  art and fulfilling her dream, while staying
Very rarely do I start a painting connected to her loved ones. She is a real “All
with nothing in mind. Some of American Gal” with love for her family and
the times that I have just blindly friends. She lives for a good laugh and the
painted I created some amazing happiness that her husband Tim (her true
pieces, other times I have createdlove/soul mate/support system/biggest fan)
dreadful pieces. and daughters bring to her. The artwork
of Jen Kurek is both beautiful and thought
Cola: What about art interests provoking, blatantly inspired by all of the
you the most? meaningful experiences that fill her life. She
Jen: I hate to say is a truly free spirit and shares her peaceful
everything but I think energy with all whom surround her. This is
that is the truth.  I love exemplified by her soulful paintings which
enough learning new techniques and ways of showcase her passion for music, love, nature
to see a doing things.  I enjoy using nontraditional and the joy of her life in general. Beyond her
bunch of painting supplies to see what will happen.  ability to awe us with her current pieces, she
shows before Okay I think I answered the question here is also capable of putting your dreams onto
he passed away.  with these last two sentences.  I guess the canvas, as Jen also works as a commissioned
However, not experimentation process is my favorite.  artist. A wife, a mother and an artist is Jen
everyone knows That is one of the reasons my artwork is Kurek. Jen’s amazing artwork can be viewed
how truly talented he was.  He created a so all over the place.  I do not stick to one and acquired by visiting her personal website,
style because I enjoy doing many.  The a portal into her talent and serenity.
lot more than just amazing music.  He was
entire process is so different when doing -Cola
also a very talented visual artist.  I have
an abstract painting compared to a
done many paintings that include different
landscape. A landscape is so much more www.roseysunshine.com
Grateful Dead icons.  I have also sold many
prints of those works in the parking lots of detailed and an abstract is so free. 
concerts.  I truly love going to see live music
Cola: What would be
in both large venues and small bars.
your ideal painting,
Cola: What is your educational background one you could stare
like, as far as the arts go? at for hours, what
Jen: For as far back as I can remember I would it look like?
have always enrolled in different types of Jen: My ideal painting
art classes..  I   attended the International would be of a beautiful
academy of Merchandising and Design amber colored rose
(now known as the International Academy with a brilliant sunset
of Design and Technology) and received directly behind it.  I
my Bachelors Degree in fine art in 2001.  tried to do this painting
My major was fashion design.  I just woke once and couldn’t get it
up one day and decided that was what I to look like I wanted it
wanted to do.  I went down to the school too.  So, I have put that
and enrolled.  I figured that would be a good canvas away for now and
way to bring my art into a “real” career.  I will go back to
always heard art is a great hobby, but what it at a later time. 
are you going to do for a living.  Now I can My design is
say I am doing what I love.  I work when also the name of my company. 
I want and work on what I want.  I don’t The reason it means so much to me
think it gets better than that. is that the name comes from my two
little girls.  It is a combination their
Cola: When you first begin a piece, do you middle names Rose and Sunshine and
know what will wind up on the canvas, they are my most valuable creations.
H
i I’m Dr Robert.
I find it exciting
to introduce
I N C L I NAT IO N ’ S
newest column for you. The
spirituality and enlightenment
column is given herein to
explore the freedom of spiritual
and progressively enlightening
music and other media. But,
WTF! I find the daunting part of
discussing this topic its ambiguity.
But, if you’re wondering you can
check your religion at the by-line
buddy.
We can agree, no one can really
say where spirituality and
religiousness begin or end. Then
again no more could anyone tell
you where the shallow waters
or the deep waters divide in the
ocean from one moment to the
next. It’s kind of a current.
Music and art are religious in as
much as they allow you comfort
in your paradigm, much like the
shallow shores allow us comfort at
the edge of the vast ocean. Music is
spiritual in as much as it awakens
you from your paradigm much
like a deep-sea diver exploring
the reaches if the Mariana Trench.
That is, if, you can see him floating
with his headlamp and flippers
slowly paddling him into the
unknown.
And, as a spiritual enlightenment
musician you sometimes feel in
a battle of sorts when attempting
to label or group your music and
that of your contemporaries. So
in an attempt to set a definition or
perspective for Inclination readers,
I feel it’s important to define what
types of music and media we
will acknowledge gravity to and
about in future columns. This is
submitted to you, my Inclination
readers, as a mission statement
and vision of sorts for Yours Truly,
Dr Robert.
Spiritual isn’t Religious experience.
I will not be focusing special
attention or declination on any
faith system or art form based on
such systems. The spiritual, in
my experience as both an artist
and visionary, is a moment when
the mind, the heart (musheee!!!),
and the spirit fuse together and
experience in union the same
moment or truth. Meditation is a
widely accepted method to achieve
this place. So, transcendental
media is a go. (The operative word
being trance).
The mind-altering experience
embodies the variety of inspiration
and enlightenment by which I am
intrigued. Therefore, I vow also to
seek out and explore those artists
who use such heightened states to
create their music and arts. I argue
that the process of creating music
or art can be a profoundly spiritual
experience for the creators as well
as the fans or patrons of the art.
This I bring to your altar, you
holy of holies. This is my vision,
not the latest Amy Grant “Jesus
Rocks” album, albeit she has her
own legitimacy. I bring the stuff
that really puts you in touch with
the greater soul not what qualifies
you as a fan of one of its stage
names. Now, if you can, share in
my vision, let’s go diving.

Interview by Coma
Who the hell is Jointpop you may ask?
Well, imagine The Clash being molested
by The Beatles while smokin’ with Bob
Marley. That kind of describes the pop/
punk fusion that is Jointpop. This 5-
piece from Trinidad/Tobago has toured
a lot of places including the UK and the
US. When you hear the single Monday
Morning Love Situation, you may just
want to hear it over and over. I know I
did. This is no Island music, this is good
old rock and roll. All of Jointpop’s tunes
are catchy, upbeat, and will probably get
stuck in your head, but in a good way.
It’s a refreshing break from the same old
same old.
What’s it like being a Rock-n-Roll band
on the Island of Trinidad and Tobago?
The Jointpop story is one of a rock n roll
band on a calypso and reggae island.
About trying to find a voice in your
own home. Just about being travelers
and rock n roll troubadours.
What is the state of music there as
compared to the UK and the US?
Because of where we come from, we are
First up...I must say thanks to
Nervecast for the support. I
am sure it helped with sales,
exposure and getting new
fans.
What is the story behind
“Monday Morning Love
Situation”??
That lyric just came to me on
a Monday Morning. It may
mean so many things...but
it’s just a good old rock n roll
song.
Aside from the obvious,
who are Jointpop’s musical
influences?
Well I can’t seem to get
enough of the Followill boys,
free of all music biz trappings. So we are brilliant rock n roll band, The
free to write as we please, any topic and Kings of Leon. Pete Docherty’s work
style, versus if we were from London is impressive. The Magic Numbers,
for example. We may get caught up in are you aware Romeo and Michelle
all the ‘Brit’ scene, the Camden fashion are from T&T?? My Morning Jacket…
and ‘most’ of the bands sounding the now getting into their genius MGMT,
same etc. But at the same time, our local Sterophonics, Starsailor. But my Ipod
scene is one of “no ambition”. The radio, is loaded with all the great bands and
press and the Music Industry in general singers. But I’m just really a Dylan,
are all mainstream, so the underground Stones, Beatles, Kinks, Clash, Pistols,
is really suffocating. In the UK and Smiths, Blondie man…way too much
the US, so many independent and rock n roll to mention.
Underground Radio, Press, TV, Mags
etc. The UK and US got an actual Music What do you and the band hope to
Industry, and sadly T&T do not have a accomplish within the next few years?
Music Industry. Just to keep Jointpop together as long as
possible, have good fun with the band,
Are you currently looking for a be honest with our music and travel
label? the world. We are all very good friends
We are always on the lookout for a also...and that is worth keeping.
cool Label...one that gets the story of
jointpop, but at the same time it’s a DIY If you had to pick any other profession
situation and we just keep writing songs besides Rock-n-Roll, what would it be?
and gigging. I would pick being a Professional
football (Soccer) player... but not sure if
You have been on several radio shows it would pick me.
lately, including The Nervecast Show,
has this helped with sales of your new Thanks Gary...
CD “January Transfer Window”? Cheers Coma!
The Toniks are Mark, Jez, Tom, Jim and Gaz. They’re a pretty new band from the London area of England, but they already have it
together as far as how they want to sound, getting into the studio, gigging and even some radio play which is no easy feat for a band
in it’s early years. They may be pop, but The Toniks are definitely the cure for the mundane.
How long have you guys been together? “Unashamedly pop and proud of it” how Just getting the lads together in
exactly would you describe your music? the same place at the same time
We’ve been together as a band for about 2 is an achievement (only joking!)
years. That’s a very tough question as everyone’s Signing to Reputation has been a big leap
take on The Toniks will be different but we but we’ve also attracted lots of extremely
You just recently signed to the Reputation don’t shy away from the catchy choruses positive music industry attention almost
Label, how did that all come about? & we’re big fans of melody. One common from the first tracks going up on Myspace
thing most people take from the music is which was an achievement so we felt we
John who at that time ran Nervecast the fresh, uplifting sound. We’ve been must be doing something right! We have
Radio approached us via Myspace just compared to bands such as Squeeze, The great hopes for this year with the new
after we’d formed and since then we’ve Feeling with a touch of Snow Patrol thrown material we’re writing & also working
kept in regular contact. John then formed in. We think we have our own sound but with Reputation.
Reputation & approached us again with a we would say that wouldn’t we :)
view to signing to his label and as we all I saw that you support some charities,
got on so well & he’d supported us from What has been your biggest achievement would you like to tell us about this?
the beginning, it all made perfect sense - it as a band so far?
was meant to be :) Yeah, we’ve supported Oxjam, Chase and
The Armed Forces charities in the past
On your myspace page, it says you’re
and this is ongoing. Where we can, we’ll
always help out.
Have you recorded a CD yet? If so where
can we get it?
We did a soft release last year ourselves to
get some local promotion though these were
demos. We’ve also put some live recordings
up on our Myspace site for free download
at myspace.com/thetoniksmusic.
Do you have plans to get back in the studio
anytime soon?
Early this year, through the Reputation
label we’re gonna do our full on EP,
hopefully going into the studio to record
in Feb. We’re very excited about this and
can’t wait to get it finished and out there!
Do you have a specific method to writing
your songs?
Myself or Jez will usually come up with
a rough melody and chord structure first.
Then we get together to vet our ideas and
see what’s worth working on. We’ll usually
then record a rough demo at my home
studio & give this to the lads in the band to
learn their parts. The boys add their magic
for the live set & studio recording... we
then review the songs again to tweak and
address any niggles, sometimes re-writing
whole sections. The songs normally come
together really fast.
If there was one major music event in
history you could participate in, which
would it be?
Bit before our time but Woodstock would
have been amazing because all the legends
were there and that period of time produced
some fantastic music which has influenced
us & a lot of bands today.
I really like your live recordings; do you
play a lot of live shows?
We do play live shows but we keep them
local to test new songs out. The problem
most bands have is that nobody knows who
you are or have ever heard your songs so
playing a venue in London to 20 people just
makes money for the promoter. Festival
gigs are much more fun. As a new band,
you really need to be on a support tour and
plugged on the radio to get known so this
year we will look at that with Reputation &
hopefully move ahead.
I like ‘Lifetime’. Is this one of your new
songs? What is it about?
Lifetime is one of our new songs and much
more of the direction we are going in
musically. It’s about looking reflectively
over your whole life up to now & then
looking ahead to what’s on the horizon.
Like most of our lyrical themes, it’s
bittersweet in the sense that certain things
don’t turn out as you expect but there’s still
optimism for the future.
Are you getting much radio play?
Thankfully through John, we’ve had a lot
of airplay on Nervecast and we’ve also
been played on a lot of BBC local stations
around the country doing interviews and
live sessions. This year, we hope to get a
lot more!
What do you think of internet radio? Do
you think it’s the way of the future, or do
you think it’s a good way for indie bands
to get exposure?
It’s the future for sure. People are getting
bored of being spoon fed the mainstream
on the big stations and the internet gives
a level playing field to all the music out
there giving up & coming bands a chance
to be heard & giving the audience fresh
new music that they might have never
heard. Ironically, this allows some bands
to get the exposure that ends up with them
getting played on the mainstream stations!
Above all, it gives everyone the choice of
what they listen to.
What’s your opinion on all these social
networking sites and music websites for
bands? Do you twitter? Are you on every
site available or do you focus on a couple
and spend your time maximizing those?
They’re fantastic to a point. We don’t twitter
but Myspace has been a great platform for
us and got us a lot of attention but this is
now swamped with bands and spam so
we keep it as a promotional page where
you can hear the tracks and check out gig
dates. We’ve recently setup a fan page on
Facebook for more personal contact with
fans of the band & this is great for direct
contact as is Reputation’s site. We should
be on these more but to be honest, we spend
most of our time rehearsing or writing!
Did you always know you wanted to be in
a band, or did you have other careers in
mind? If so, what were they?
We’ve always loved music from an early
age so it was inevitable that we’d end up
in a band. We’ve never been career minded
& actually always seen jobs as a tedious
distraction to the music!
Is there anything else you would like to
add?
Just to say, thanks for the interview, keep
reading Inclination & watch this space for
The Toniks!:)
Thanks and I look forward to hearing
more from you.
 Back To
The Future?
by Wicked D

L
et it be known that I am not a
psychic. I do not possess a crystal
ball, nor consult with an oracle. By
no means do I claim to be a futurist of
any sort. I just feel things. Derek Sivers,
founder and former CEO of CD Baby,
once stated, “Nobody knows the future.
Anyone who pretends to is full of shit
and not to be trusted.” Still, I’m feeling
something here.
With that said, this article is written in
good, clean fun, and poses the question -
Has Music History Gone Full Circle, and,
if so, shouldn’t you be a part of it? More
importantly, as a musician, what does this
mean in regards to your livelihood?
Here we are in 2010. Digital music sales,
particularly singles, have been all the rage
for the past few years. Go back several
more years and it was the Compact Disc.
Before that, cassette tapes, 8 track tapes,
reel to reel, and of course, vinyl records
(LPs), which had already been around
for many years. Strangely enough, vinyl,
the oldest of the aforementioned formats,
has made somewhat of a resurgence in
recent years. Many listeners have found
its sound quality superior to that of both
CDs and MP3s.
Let’s make note of the resurgence of LPs,
along with the digital trend of selling
singles, as opposed to complete albums.
I’m reaching here, but bear with me. Let’s
look back about 50 years or so, around the
time Rock n Roll was beginning it’s climb
to chart dominance. Vinyl, in the form
of singles, called 45rpm records, were
the accepted release format, particularly
for promotion purposes. Hmmm?!?!?
Should we be looking back in time for
that ever elusive, future business model?
OK, we all know bands can’t survive
on selling digital singles for a living,
right? Let’s consider them a write off
for marketing & promotion purposes,
something I have called “Music As A
Marketing Tool.” The fact of the matter
is, musicians simply must look for
reimbursement elsewhere. Music sales
are just not gonna cut it! There are plenty
of ways to make money as an artist, but
we want to focus on the most obvious.
So, looking back even further, what did
musicians do before there were 45s, LPs,
reel to reels, 8 tracks, cassettes, or CDs?
Hell, what did they do before there were
recording studios and record labels?
How about play live, constantly? Musicians
had been honing their trade in front of
an audience for thousands of years before
the invention of sound recordings. In
fact, they were more often than not, well
respected individuals, receiving privileges
usually reserved for royalty. They were
also well paid and well taken care of, in
most cases. I truly believe today’s artists
need to get back to the basics of “working
for living”. Unfortunately, too many of
them expect someone else to step up and
foot the bill.
Honestly, what if an artist put as much
energy into creating a paying gig as the
lack thereof, sitting around, wondering
why no one has purchased their latest
single on iTunes? What if they focused all
that energy into placing THEMSELVES in
the spotlight, instead of hoping a record
label will come along and magically whisk
them away onto a major tour? What if an
artist took control of their own destiny,
set some goals, laid out a plan of action,
and used all the recording, distribution,
and promotion tools now available to
build a career as a working musician?
What if, right?
OK, no more pipe dreams, no more
fantasies, just plant both feet firmly in
reality, take the oath, and I’ll see you out
there!
“Oath of the Indie Musician”
I am an indie musician,
this is my livelihood.
I have developed a concrete plan with
specific goals and dates.
My skills are honed, my mind is open.
Self assessment, investment, and
promotion are mandatory.
I am my own niche, rising above generic
clutter.
Writing, recording, and performing
require detailed critique.
Fellow artists are my colleagues.
My fans are my life’s blood.
I am actively involved in my community.
I am surrounded by good people.
My network was built by helping others.
I am an indie musician.
www.academyoftattoo.com
Learn to Tattoo. DVD single lessons,
or a complete apprenticeship available.
Email us at
sales@academyoftattoo.com
Mention this ad and receive a rebate
from your purchase.

Honestly, if you haven’t heard of The Fores, you’re not
listening to any of the Underground radio stations
around the web. I think they have been played and
interviewed by just about everyone, but I still had to
feature them here in INCLINATION because, quite
frankly, they deserve the attention they are getting. So,
if you haven’t heard of them yet, read this, then go and
listen to their music on their page- Join the rest of their
fans from all over the world!
myspace.com/thefores
Your music has a classic rock sound to it, which is
not surprising when you look at your influences.
How would you describe your music?
We would say our music is like a modern kind of indie
rock n roll with a vintage kind of twist. However we
like to see ourselves as a more eclectic kind of band,
the songs that are currently on our web-site are very
upbeat and rocking mainly because when we were
writing these songs we were just getting started and
only playing 20minute gig slots so didn’t really have
much time to mess around with the tempo so just
decided to keep it upbeat and rocking but we are
looking forward to mixing it up a little in the next
set of recording sessions but will still definitely
maintain that Fores sound! We used to have a kind
of cheesy slogan which was “bringing rock n roll to
the new generation” and even though we don’t use
that anymore it still pretty much sums up how we
see our music.
I have to say I am impressed at the way you handle
your self-promotion! Are you one of those bands
that can prove you don’t need a label to make it or
are you using your charms to seduce them?
Great question! Well to be completely truthful we
are hoping that one day a good label will snap us up
and give us a chance, don’t get me wrong we think
its awesome that bands today can go it alone, but the
kind of ambitions we have we think we will need a
label.
Stuart Epps has worked with some of the best: Led
Zepp, Elton John, Robbie Williams… how did you
get to work with him and what was it like??
Stuart added us on myspace and sent us a cool
comment saying if we needed/wanted someone to
mix or record some songs to give him a shout as he
would like to work with us, which was great! So funny
enough his timing was spot on because we had just
finished recording some new songs and were looking
to go re-mix them so we thought we’d go with Stuart.
So we drove down to his house and spent a few days
there mixing. He’s a really cool guy who tells it how
it is and is very confident in what he does which is
great, he comes across as someone who likes to pick
what he works on and doesn’t simply “press record”
and offers lots of personal opinion, ideas and advice
which again is awesome
when you’re in the studio
and very reassuring when
you know the person giving
the advice knows what they
are talking about.
What would you say would
be the most valuable thing
you learned from the whole
experience in the studio
with him?
It would have to be that
sometimes less truly is more!
For example sometimes
we’d want certain things
turned up which meant
that other things had to be turned up and everything
would begin to become uneven but Stuart just told us
“look, pack all that in, just one guitar here, another
there and lets keep it all straight forward!” which
really worked for us! He said with a band like us and
songs like we had don’t kill your songs with too much
decoration and as long as your guitars sound good
and everyone’s delivery is good then that’s all we
need to worry about, which again worked! We learnt
that you can easily overdo things with-out knowing
or intending to and by doing so you can divert the
direction in which you want the song to be heading.
He said that we were pickier than Elton John! Haha
Can you tell us what your song “Roll of the Dice”
is about?
Its about living for the buzz of being on the edge,
like if your life isn’t as exciting as you want it to be
and your trapped in the system of 9 till 5 and want
things to be more exciting and you have that “bug”
for excitement and again being on the edge.
What do you guys do when you’re not doing band
stuff?
Well we all have our individual hobbies for example
Liam and Guy both work at music shops (separate
ones) Liam enjoys going to football (soccer to you
guys) games and hanging around with friends as
does Tom but if you mean collectively as a band we
keep in regular contact (daily) and speak to each
other a lot over the phone and e-mail each other and
stuff and go to gigs together.
Tell us some of the most prominent highlights you
guys have had since forming the band.
Playing the Cavern in Liverpool was awesome! We
have played it three times but the first is always the
most special! Especially seeing as it was only our
second gig and we only found out Guy could sing
about 4 weeks before so we were in awe of the place
to be honest, we’d never played in a city before and
with it being the home of The Beatles who are big
influences on us all it was brilliant, there are statues
and pictures of them everywhere, along with the
Who, Rolling Stones, Oasis and so on so it really felt
like home. We went up there with some mates stayed
over night, played the show then went clubbing
afterwards! Was an awesome night and we were
really proud of ourselves that we had done it and to
go up there and get a great reception was brilliant
and we got a lot of confidence from that. Also when
we played The Barfly and took a coach full of people
that was awesome! Probably our best show to date!
Everyone was cheering us and jumping around and
even had two of the other bands come up and shake
our hands and compliment us which was really cool!
It was brilliant! Working in the studio for the first
time and hearing our music back for the first time
all count as highlights for us! There are too many to
mention to be honest.
Your first gig was played on the side of a lorry (truck
for the USians) what was that like?
That was the most bizarre gig ever! Haha, not because
of the fact it was in a lorry but after we had played
there was a big gang fight that kicked off and police
helicopters and everything were called down so we
grabbed our stuff and legged it! (Rock n roll! Lol)
but from a performance side it was great, we were all
a little nervous and had been rehearsing for a solid
week before but it broke the ice well and we played
ok. Got some nice feedback and everyone seemed to
enjoy it and people stopped, came over and listened
and complimented us so we were happy with it but
again a strange experience for a first show! haha
If you could collaborate with anyone, alive or dead
on a song, who would it be and why?
(This question sparked a discussion that lasted
almost an hour! Lol) Well, the answer varies for all
members of the band but for one reason or another
we would have to say it would have to be either Noel
Gallagher from Oasis, The Beatles (all of them can’t
just pick one! Hehe) or Keith Richards from The
Rolling Stones, just for the fact that we think Noel
is one of the best songwriters of the last 25 years and
inspired Liam especially to pick up a guitar so to be
able to watch him in action and make a song with
him would be a dream come true! Plus most of the
people in Liams area (friends and people in the town
he lives) all love Oasis so to be able to tell everyone
he has worked with Noel would be incredible! Does
Keith Richards need an explanation apart from the
fact he’s KEITH RICHARDS!!! One of the coolest
and iconic rock stars ever and it would be an honor
to even be in his presence so to work on a song would
be awesome! It’s something that you can tell your
grandkids about! As a songwriter he is awesome!
So it would be amazing again to play alongside him
on a record. And The Beatles changed music forever
and are the most important and biggest band that
have ever and will ever live! And for that reason they
would have to be on the list! Also Liam says “I would
love to work with Rod Stewart, just a LEGEND in
my opinion and my mum and dad have been fans for
about 35-40 years so to work with him would make
them really proud!!!” – We know you only asked for
one but we couldn’t agree on just the one!
I watched Spinal Tap for the first time the other day,
what a piece of film genius for its time~ What is
your Top 5 Musical Movies list?
Don’t really know of many to be honest! But it would
do something like this – Rockstar, Spinal Tap, Almost
Famous (wicked film!!!). Cant think of any others,
sorry! Lol!
Where can we buy your music? Is there a CD?
Yes there is a cd! Shoot an e-mail to – Melvin.h@
ntlworld.com and we’ll send you a cd. We are going
to be putting it online for purchase very soon.
What are your goals for 2010?
Record another 6-10 songs keep on improving as a
band and individuals and attract as much positive
attention as possible.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Yes, thank you to everyone for your amazing support!
You guys rock and your support really does mean the
world to us!!!!
Not So Crazy About Crazy Heart in the film, acting as the “antagonist” if you
will, is Jean, a thirty-something single mom
Immediately after the concert, Blake makes
his way back to Jean, and what seems to be

I
f you’re looking to be captivated by a great
performance – possibly a once in a lifetime
character – you won’t find it in Crazy Heart.
What you’ll find instead, is a great actor doing
what he does best. But
I’d hardly call it “Oscar-
worthy” or “stellar” like
so many other critics
are hailing Jeff Bridges
in Crazy Heart.
Being guilty of
buying into the hype
surrounding this
independent feature
(also starring a frazzled Maggie Gyllenhaal and
a much ignored Colin Farrell), I rushed to the
theaters, looking for inspiration and magic.
Things start off promising as you are instantly
transported into Bridges’ character Bad Blake’s
life as an aging, boozing, talented yet failing
country singer/songwriter. The mise-en-scène*
as we filmmakers call scenic atmosphere, was
perfect. You felt like you were right there in that
dingy motel room, smelling the stale whisky
and feeling the searing heat that makes Blake
sweat so profusely. And for his part, Bridges
is that man. He’s sweaty and drunk, and like
the old country song goes, “looking for love in
all the wrong places”. But the substance in the
story is missing.
Blake has been on the road for awhile at this
point, and much to his dismay (and his record
company), he’s booking run-down bowling
alleys and small town bars. This is killing him,
especially since his one time protégé, Tommy
Sweet, played brilliantly by Farrell, is selling
out stadiums. The most endearing and frankly,
redeeming quality about Bad, is that he doesn’t
let his envy for his old friend hold him back from
giving his all (what’s left of it) to the bands that
back him up and to his followers. In fact, when
asked if he tires of playing his most famed hit,
he appreciatively replies, “it’s been too good to
me. I can’t turn my back on it”. His appreciation
was refreshing to hear, and made me lose a little
respect for artists who avoid performing their
biggest hits when touring.
One follower who comes into his life early on
who’s trying to make it as a reporter for a
local newspaper. He guardedly grants her an
interview, but upon meeting her, extends their
initial chat into a date, which you can guess, turns
into sex, which of course
becomes a relationship.
Making things complicated
for Jean, but easy for Blake
is her 4 year old son Buddy
(Jack Nation – a precocious
preschooler with a rock star
name). It doesn’t take long
to figure out Blake is looking
for redemption in Buddy,
and you can’t help feeling it
all comes about too fast – his bond with the boy
and his mother.
Almost midway through the movie, Blake is
given a great opportunity, when Tommy Sweet
(Farrell) invites him to be his opening act at one
of his sold out shows. Reluctantly, Blake agrees
to the gig, thinking it will be his way back into
the good graces of his record company. What
he finds instead, is an opportunity to make a
living, writing songs for (ready to feel the sting
of salt in his wounds?) Sweet. Now this is where
things start to unravel for me. Blake is our hero,
albeit an unattractive one, so we want to feel for
him. But when you’re introduced to Tommy
Sweet, you can’t help but feel like maybe Blake
is part jealous old man who doesn’t want to see
someone other than himself succeed. It doesn’t
help that Farrell plays his character so carefully,
that you start to wonder if it’s no coincidence
that the writer gave him the last name “Sweet”.
Tommy genuinely wants a friendship and
working relationship with his mentor, and
when Blake finally agrees to work on new
song for him, you hope this is the beginning of
something great for both men.
more important to him, Buddy. During the
weeks that follow, we get a sense that both
Mr. Bad Blake and Jean are using one another
for something other than love – comfort. Of
course it doesn’t take long for Bad’s habits to
drive a wedge into their relationship, and the
first time Buddy is put in harms way, she finds
her senses and leaves. What follows is a very
realistic, but unexpected response from Blake,
that again, feels entirely too rushed.
The movie comes to an end right when it feels
like it might be getting somewhere, and I guess
it says something that it was hard as a viewer
to accept that this story was over. But leaving
unsatisfied is never a good thing.
I wanted more, more from Mr. Bad Blake, and
more for him.
In the end, the greatest reward to come out of
Blake’s struggles is the song of his career, “The
Weary Kind” – a song he ends up giving to
Tommy Sweet, as promised. Angry, you can’t
help wonder why the screenwriter couldn’t
allow Blake to have the one thing he wanted
most, a last moment to shine (because everyone
knows, the performer always gets the credit
even when they had nothing to do with the
original creation).
The movie is good enough to sustain your
interest for an hour and a half, and the music
provided by Ryan Bingham and T-Bone
Burnett (of Walk the Line fame) is outstanding,
but you may leave feeling disappointed and for
me, unconvinced and cheated by the end to the
journey with Bad Blake.
*Mise-en-scène has a literal translation of, to
place in the scene.
by Klover

DVD Suggestion of the Month – February 2010

The Sea, 2002
Hafid (Iceland)
One of the finest films to come out of Europe this century, The Sea or Hafid in Icelandic, is an honest portrayal of
a dysfunctional family from a seaside community. You get a glimpse into a secretive household, whose lies and
enigmas start to unravel and free them. Shot on what some would call Utopia-like locations in Iceland, including the
geothermal pool Blue Lagoon, The Sea is a rare treat. It tells the story of the ties that bind us, all the while avoiding
the family story clichés that Hollywood finds hard to steer clear of. Sometimes difficult to find, it’s very much worth
the hunt. You’ll laugh, cry and thank God for your family – or lack there of!
Grand Central brings you Rock and Roll that
is as widely appealing and unique as the many
different faces that you would see walking
though the station they are named after on
any given day. This interview gives you a little
glimpse into the lives of the Hannan brothers,
the backbone of this band, talking about all
kinds of things, from how they write their
fantastic songs to what they like to drink down
the pub. So, Take My Hand, step Inside and
get ready for a Headrush cause this is quite a
read!
Lissy: Your logo is very striking, it reminds me of the
Chinese Communist Army flag. Was this what you
were going for? What would the relationship be to
your name, Grand Central?  in downloading the song they like. They will first
Cade: Good question! Grand Central station in NYC
represents the hub of the world really. Everyone
knows it and anyone in NYC travels through it. The
style of the architecture etc. all represents the world
and art. The whole “Chinese Communist” thing
is more an element of the East, the Cold War, the
differences between East and West, so we tried to
bring the 2 together in a stylist way. If you look at
the cover art of our 2 singles, they follow the same
style. We hope our music acts in the same fashion of
bringing down boundaries. Or I could be speaking
bullshit and just say we liked the visual element and
design concept ;-) hahahaha. Well it’s both actually.  videos, the album or single cover and I think that
Ryan: Way back during the Cold War, the land
behind the Iron Curtain was mysterious and alien to
us on this side of Checkpoint Charlie. I remember
getting hold of a book of Soviet Propaganda posters
and was really impressed with the imagery. I guess
that Stalinism and the Soviet Propaganda Machine
left us with some great art. Not just visually, but great
Soviet composers like Shostakovich and Prokofiev
created masterpieces during that part of Russian
history. Anyway, there’s gravitas in the imagery,
which represents so much of what was going on at the
time so I really wanted that idea. Also, I liked the idea
of our band being more than just a band, more like
an “ism”. The beliefs that were behind this imagery
rocked the world during the 20th century and held it
on a knife-edge…so that’s a good reference point for
a belief system…I thought.
Lissy: How long have you guys been together? Can
you give us a little background on your band?
Cade: Well Ryan and I are brothers so we have been
together a long time haha. We played together in a
previous band before Grand Central. That band,
“Lumiere” was more electronic, and when we started
Grand Central we wanted something more organic.
Grand Central started about a year and a half ago
when we felt we weren’t done and still had a lot of
music left to write and play.  any more, which is what the USA does so well. We
Lissy: So far you’ve been releasing your songs one
at a time… do you think you’ll release an album
eventually?  this or a bit of that. We don’t want to be one of those
Cade: In the current Music Industry, it’s quite a
different world to even just a few years ago. Previously
you would aim to get signed by a Label, and then they
would pay for you to get into the studio, release the
singles, and then an album would naturally follow.
Nowadays, people are not really interested in buying
music in a physical form. People are more interested
listen to the Album on Spotify, and the songs they
like, they will probably just download. Saying that, an
album is something we want to do. It basically groups
together a particular style, feel and moment in the
bands life. It’s important for a band to create, develop
and to evolve musically, creatively and visually. An
album allows us to bring together the songs we write
and play at this moment, and to come up with a
visual element, such as the whole “communist” feel
you mentioned, as a visual style, and then hopefully
once the album is released, we can experiment with
something new. If you think of all your favorites and
the great albums/singles, you always remember the
these days, bands have lost that element of visual
style and how it works with the songs. Rant over
– yes we will hopefully be releasing an album in the
late summer 2010 :) 
Ryan: I think you need something tangible to say,
“Look, this is us!” Downloads became part of this
chew-it-up and spit-it-out consumerism where
people just pay attention to something for as long
as they need to search on the latest P2P website,
download it into their folder of a million anonymous
MP3s and then forget about it. Buying a CD is a
commitment to the belief in music, in bands, in
musicians. Let the tweens fill their MP3 players with
whatever the media spews…but let music fans get
excited by getting their paws on something physical.
Lissy: Each of your songs sounds completely
different, which is one of the things I Iike about you
so much. How does the writing process begin? Then
do you complete the song as a band, or is there a
main writer?
Cade: Thanks. Well, I think the music scene;
especially the UK scene has become quite boring
and repetitive. They are always looking for the next
Franz Ferdinand or next Bloc Party... Everyone is
just trying to be like everyone else, without doing
something original. English music is not melodic
are not trying to be like anybody; of course we have
influences, and some songs you might hear a bit of
bands that it all sounds the same. We want you to hear
the song and go, oh that sounds like Grand Central,
not because it sounds like another song. Of course
we don’t write each to sound different, it just is how
we feel and if we like it and if it goes that way. Ryan
and myself are the main writers. With most of the
songs it will start with a guitar riff, which I hear, and
write the melody and lyrics, and we work on the song
after the basic structure and melody is done. With
a couple of songs, Ryan emailed me a riff of a few
seconds, I have an idea, and I write it down and then
sing over it, email it back to him. We go onto Skype
and I sing it to him and he plays guitar over Skype
and if we are happy, we go in and record a demo.
Ryan: Let’s just say that Skype is not an ideal writing
environment…unless you like writing in treacle.
Which may be entertaining but extremely sticky.
The delay in Skype is like working in a DAW with
extreme latency issues. The problem with riffs is that
they’re sometimes just a hook; I like to build up from
the rhythm sometimes too. Create a loop in Reason
and work up from that. Quite a few ideas have been
jammed out recently, although I’ve never been big
on jamming. I like to craft as much as I can before
playing it in front of anyone.
Lissy: CD Vs Digital. Where do you think we’re
going with this?
Cade: As much as I love CD, a physical thing
you can touch, give to and look at, with a design,
inlay etc., I believe that its end is near. Digital is
the way forward, and we just have to accept it. 
The good thing is people are now starting to buy
music again because it’s cheap enough. Also with
sponsorship, like we had with Microsoft and
Windows 7, they will sponsor the songs so people can
download it for free, but we get a small cut. Digital got
a bad rep because of Napster and illegal downloads,
I think the only reason people download is because
it’s too expensive, or it’s not available to buy online.
Another thing is that a lot of people just want to buy
one song, so they download the whole album to get
one song. Now, you can download an individual
track from an Album, which means, even an album
track can be a top selling track without being a single. 
So... we just have to find ways of making digital
more interesting, other than just an mp3 file. With
long play through Itunes and the new music format
MusicDNA to include lyrics, artwork and extras; I
think this is a great thing. You pay a bit extra to get
it, but I think most people want that as its the only
advantage a CD has over digital .
Ryan: I think I gave my two cents worth a few
questions back. I would say “at the risk of sounding
like a stuck record”, but people won’t understand that
anymore because MP3s don’t generally get stuck do
they? Although…actually, I have an MP3 player that

skips. What’s that all about?
Lissy: We saw a rise in Vinyl sales here in the US last
year. What’s the trend there in England, and how
are the small record stores doing?
Cade: Vinyl has always been relatively popular here.
With all the DJs and clubs here, most DJs still prefer
vinyl to cd/mp3. There are quite a lot of record stores
and indie stores around. They are still around, and
probably are losing business but they seem to have a
good niche here and people are still shopping there.
So its a good thing .
Ryan: Ah, the joys of a freshly bought LP on vinyl...
the smell of it as you remove it from its inner sleeve...
something about it you know.
Lissy: Can you explain to us what MIDEM 2010 is
and your involvement?
Cade: MIDEM is the biggest and most important
Music Industry event. Its held in Cannes where all
TV Networks, Publishers, Labels, Agents, Bookers,
Management Companies, Film companies, Radio etc.
all go to talk about music, release their new business
ideas, talk about the current music situations, new
music companies etc. It’s basically a place where
all music industry people go to make business and
deals. We were represented by a UK Company who
partners with Spotify, to represent the best emerging
UK artists. They went to promote the UK music to
companies. It is not based on sales, but based on
music song writing and believing that the music
can sell products, so its got a lot more punch as
advertising and synchronizing is really where music
money making is going so its a great honour to be
there.
Ryan: Talk to Cade, I prefer discussing Cubase.
Lissy: You play a lot of live shows; in fact you’re
going to Europe this summer! What would I get for
my money if I came to a Grand Central gig?  a new thing in the UK, which is pretty interesting.
Cade: Yes we play a lot and this year will see us head
to Europe. We are going to be hitting Spain, Italy and
a few other European countries in the summer. If
you came to a Grand Central gig I think you would
get a great gig. We always put on a good show. Ryan
who always finds something interesting to mishap on
stage will entertain you. Just recently we played a gig
in London where our drummer accidentally pushed
shuffle on the ipod and we had some green day and
some other stuff coming out over the speakers in
mid set. We all laughed and started dancing on stage.
It’s all about having fun and not taking yourself too
seriously. Sitting around after the gig, having some
drinks and chatting about life, music and travel. We
love to learn about new people and things.
Ryan: You wouldn’t get a free drink, not in UK websites that make them work compared to the ones
venues anyway. You might get to hammer the that are a waste of time? Because lets face it we spend
strings of my guitar when I decide not to play it. hours online promoting what we do every day. 
You would probably get an earful of rather catchy
tunes. Afterwards I’m probably too distracted to pay Cade: I would say, Reverbnation is great because
attention to anything for very long. Don’t be surprised you have a lot of control over what people see.
if you come up to me to say “hi” and I say something You can set up a song to be streamed, clips,
Grandma Georgina-esque like “I love grapes”. downloadable and allow only fans that register
to download it for free. It has great control over
Lissy: If we wanted to buy you a drink, what should fan email groups. It has great info of statistics and
we get you? demographics of fans, which helps the band know
who listens and where they are more popular. 
Cade: I’m pretty much game for anything, although Myspace is great to look for people and get your
if you had to buy me a drink, it would be either a music heard in places you never would otherwise. If
double Jack Daniels and coke, or a tequila sunrise. they set up myspace a bit better it would be excellent.
Our drummer, Bogdan, would probably take a tea or Facebook only for the more dedicated fans to interact
a Jack Daniels. with the band and for events. 
Ryan: Cuppa tea would do nicely ta very much. Ryan: Can I just say that I think Facebook is the
Gone off the vodka these days. A shot of Limoncello Devil. A necessary evil. Does that actually make it
wouldn’t go amiss.   the Neville?
Lissy: Are you looking for a label and do you a Lissy: If I were coming over to England to check out
think a band can be successful without the financial the indie music scene, where should I go? Manchester
backing and promotional help from one?  or London, and why?
Cade: Well... Of course any band that says, “we Cade: It’s a tough one because I don’t really hang
don’t want a label” would be lying. We would love out much in other cities. London is my city, and
that teenage rock star dream of playing a gig and Camden Town is my place. There are hundreds of
some old rich fart from a major comes up and says pubs and venues around the Camden Town area. It’s
“here’s a million dollar contract” but its not realistic where most UK bands have started out (like Blur,
is it. We are doing things ourselves for the moment Madness, Bloc Party) etc. I love to just walk around
up until someone offers something better. We can and go into a venue and see what’s on and hopefully
do a lot ourselves but of course, you’re not going to see something that blows my mind. Doesn’t happen
get anywhere if you don’t have the contacts. That, often but I remember going to a venue in Camden.
realistically, is what you need. No bills. No thrills.
8.15pm on a Tuesday night and saw a band. 3 people
One can only do so much yourself before you need in the audience, and it happened to be Bloc Party
some backing. Very few bands make it without it.
when they had just started. You never know. But I
Our friends Datarock, were fortunate enough to would say Camden Town in London. Plus I live
get a licensing deal to 17 EA Sports games and get
down the road so drinks at mine before!! 
their song in Sims and on Ipod ads. That is pretty
much where the money is now, and so without labels, Ryan: Manchester has a rich musical heritage, but I
publishing is the way to go which will hopefully get think London has a greater variety.
the labels looking at you. So yes you need the labels
and promotional help from the companies, but bands Lissy: Do you have any other news
you’d like to share or anything else you’d 
are not so dependant as before, but to make a job out
of it, you need the backing.  like to talk about?
Cade: Just to tell everyone that your magazine is
Ryan: I want someone to pay me to do what I love
and buy me a nice amp and place for my guitars. That great and thanks for the support. It’s a pleasure to
would be nice. And a popcorn machine backstage. meet everyone from Inclination and it’s a fantastic
But to get the whole touring machine into gear zine. Our new single, “My Star” is out in the spring
requires money, which is best found in the pockets and we hope to give Inclination an exclusive to all
of some label guy. their readers! 
Ryan: Please bear in mind that in the Southern
Lissy: There’s a gazillion websites now for bands to
use to get their music heard, promote shows, and Hemisphere, spring is in September - so if you live
in Australia, don’t hold your breath. Unless of course
build a decent fan base on, which one do you feel
has been the most beneficial to you?  you want to, but I assume no responsibility.
Cade: Well...firstly you have to be able to have good
songs otherwise no website can help you. I usually
try to keep up with the new start-ups in the music
world, so I can get beta sign ups for free before they
go public. I find Reverbnation to be great. They have
fantastic support, statistics and also they work with
Microsoft to try and get bands sponsorship deals, or
give them cuts from advertising. We also use that for
our fan mailing list. Another is obviously MySpace to
get the people to hear your music. Facebook, for the
real fans to follow and promote gigs. Band Central is
 
Ryan: er…talk to Cade about web-promotion. My
premise is if you’re shit, a website can only hide the
smell until they come and see you. You have to have
a good product. If your songs are bad, or the band is
crap, the websites will just quicken your journey to
the gutter (or keep you from getting out of it) The
websites, at least, give power to the fans. Instead of
relying on a select few magazines or Simon Cowell
to decide what’s good or bad, the fans who trowel the
websites can decide if something is shit or not. Thank
you so much Mr. Cowell for the exceptional leap in
quality in music since X-Factor/American Idol etc.
has infiltrated the living rooms of the world. Turn it
off people! Go and see some live music instead!
Lissy: What would be the key features on these
I was completely thrilled when my old
friend Tim agreed to allow me to interview
him about his latest and in my humble
opinion, greatest musical endeavor, “Fifth
World”. The Current lineup of this circus
jazz fused, moving, melodically chaotic
creation is one to be revered! Catching
a show of theirs is an experience beyond
the sound itself. The energy of the crowd,
the visual show, I have yet to see anything
quite like it. Currently they have 6 full time
members.  Mart Rocha on drums, Richard
Ward on percussion, Asif Wilson on
Keyboards and vocals, The Sensei of Soul -
MC and Beat boxing, Greg Firak on guitar
and vocals, and the man himself, Timothy
(Also known as “Smu”) McCarthy III on
bass guitar and vocals.
Cola: Hey Tim, everyone who doesn’t know you,
wants to know…how did you get into playing music?
Tim: I think my spirit was preselected for this. I’ve had
instruments since I was a child, participated in choir in
4th grade, started the Alto Sax in 5th grade-8th grade
(school band), then I met the bass guitar at age 13.
Cola: Your latest project, Fifth World has become quite
the rage. Why the name Fifth World, what does it mean
to you?
Tim: Fifth World is either the present world or the next
world, in several Native American beliefs which center
around a cyclical understanding of time. According
to both Native American Hopi mythology and Maya
mythology, the current world we inhabit is the “Fourth
World.” In both belief systems, time is cyclical, and the
end of one world is the beginning of the next. For the
Hopi, the end of the fourth world is marked by the
arrival of Pahana, or the lost “White Brother.” The Maya
Calendar charts out this progression through astrology,
concluding that the current, fourth world will end
sometime near the December solstice in 2012 (dates
vary based on interpretation). The coming Fifth World
(where our present World is presented as the Fourth)
is said to arrive following a cycle in nature affecting
our entire Solar System, where our Earth births an egg
(Mystery Egg, Hidden Egg) and then moves “up” within
our system to reach its crowning place. All of the Earth’s
life is then said to be “raised” to its perfected-eternal
form. Some tribes refer to this period of change as
“Purification Time.” During this period of purification,
time is said to change where we must choose between
the natural Time we have now upon our Earth (meant
for us) and an unnatural time structure which removes
us from nature and our opportunity to reach the Fifth
World. It is told that everyone will have to choose
between the two time frames—one leading to the Fifth
World with our Earth, and the other (which will be very
alluring, deceiving many) which will remove us from
our Earth, taking us to oblivion.
Cola: How did Fifth World come about, when and
what kind of lineup changes did you experience?
Tim: In 2006 I was looking to put together a new group
to express the type of music I heard in my head. I
had been playing with “Forty Piece Choir” since 1999
and had gained a wealth of experience about being
in a band. In FPC,Dana Okon was the predominant
writer and band leader. I learned so much from him
and the others in the art of crafting fine tunes, and
band survival. FPC was always more geared towards
indie rock and Americana with psychedelia bleeding
through. However I had always leaned towards funk
based music, psychedelic jam band rock, jazz fusion,
hip hop, and electronica.  Bands like Phish, the Grateful
Dead, Pink Floyd, Sound Tribe Sector 9, the Disco
Biscuits, Thievery Corporation, and the Grey Boy
All Stars. I then hooked up with Marty Rocha, a long
time friend of mine from the Chicago Jam band scene.
We met in 2000 after Phish had gone on hiatus and
the funk jazz fusion scene was exploding in Chicago.
We attended and befriended the Silver Wrapper crew.
Silver Wrapper was throwing all the hip (funk/jazz/jam)
shows in Chicago at this time. It was at a post Greyboy
Allstars’ party at the loft that Marty and I finally played
together. This improvisation session led to a bunch of
dancing artists, hippies, and promoters, as well as the
light bulb moment, that brought Marty and I together.
Traveling to
FIFTH WORLD
By Cola
With a mutual friend on Guitar, the first Fifth World
lineup was put together. Marty was on the kit and his
friend and former band mate Ryan Mcgraw was playing
guitar. We were a trio with big ideas. We built a rehearsal
room in Ryan’s basement and started doing some serious
creating. I brought in the initial bulk of material, and we
went to work solidifying those songs. (Inky Binky Bay,
Sitting on the Dark Rift, Coffin Riding,ect..). At this time
I was throwing all of the Boombox shows in Chicago, so
they gave us our inaugural show opening for them at the
Bell’s Brewery to a near sold out show in Kalamazoo.
This was in Nov. 07. One Dec. day Marty and I showed
up for rehearsal and there was a second guitarist there.
We were kind of pissed off, but went through rehearsal
any ways. The guitarist melted both of our minds. He
had technique, chops, and was dripping with soul.
His name was Greg Firak. Greg quickly learned our
tunes and brought in a few of his own (Brain Surgery
and Shine On). We did a gig in early Jan at the Double
Door, where Greg’s long time keyboardist Asif Wilson
attended. The following week Asif came out to audition.
He was the missing link, the glue we needed to really
solidify the band and even out our sound. Once Asif
joined full time he took the role of running rehearsals.
He busted our butts to keep tempos and to clean up the
slop. It was also at this time that we realized our original
guitarist wasn’t going t work out. Through countless
mood swings and mental breakdowns, and eventually
the straw that broke the camel’s back. Not showing up
for a gig. We went our separate ways from him and
that’s when the band really started clicking. All of a
sudden, we lost the big distraction and really ironed
out our craft. Our one issue was we needed a front man.
We all loved hip hop and thought it would be perfect
to bring in a MC to augment our sound and style. Asif
brought out his buddy the “Sensai of Soul”, he was a MC
from the south side of Chicago. He then became our
voice and master of ceremonies!! All that was left was
percussion, and that’s where Richard Ward came into
the picture. He played with us off and on for the course
of the last year and a half, but is now officially our sixth
member. Richard definitely makes us even groovier and
adds all the secret sauce. So that’s our conception in a
nut shell.....
 
Cola: What are some of your favorite venues to play?
Tim: House of Blues, Kinetic Playground, Double Door,
Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, Founders Brewery, and the Metro.
Cola: What are we to expect from Fifth World this
year?
Tim: We are releasing 2 albums this year and trying to
play around 40-50 shows. We’re really excited about this
year and really feel as if we’ve come in to our own.
Cola: When you all get down to it, who writes the songs,
what is the process like?
Tim: When we first formed I was the predominant
writer, but as we’ve added members and have fallen in
to our own, we’ve all been contributing to the writing
process. It’s been a really organic process, growing as
a band that is. One of us will come in
with a skeleton of a song and the rest
of us will add the meat. We’ll often try
a few approaches and then vote on the
way the song will be. The original writer
gets the final call on how a tune ends
up though. We’ve actually been going
back over old material and making
some tweaks. It’s been a really positive
experience.
Cola: How can people pick up your
music and add it to their collection?
Tim: We’re finishing up our first release
entitled “Sitting on the Dark Rift”. I’m
hoping for a late spring early summer
release date. As of right now, you can
download some live recordings from our MySpace
page. We often give away live CDs at our shows at the
merchandise booth as well.
Cola: What is your show schedule like this year?
Tim: We’ve been playing around once a week since the
end of 2009. We play every third Wed. at the Tonic
Room in Chicago.  9:00 PM at the Tonic Room - A
Wednesday Affair : presented by Triple Dot Mas, 2447
North Halsted Street, Chicago, IL. 60614. Cost: $5.00.
We play from 9-10:30. We are actively booking summer
festivals right now. So far we are confirmed for “Jammin
on the Wolf.” This is an amazing 2 day camping/
white water rafting fest in Langlade Wisconsin. http://
jamminonthewolf.weebly.com. We also have Duck Fest
booked for July 31st.
Cola: How do you feel about the Chicago music scene
in general?
Tim: The Chi town scene has always been very kind to
me and my various musical projects. I tend to be very
lucky in these regards.
Cola: What were you doing before Fifth World? 
Tim: Before Fifth World, I was playing with Forty Piece
Choir. We had a great 10 year run. I was very blessed
to have that tenure with those guys and gal. I also ran
a promotion company called “Smu Presents” for a few
years while I was putting Fifth World together. I needed
to keep in touch with the talent buyers and the scene in
general.
Cola: What have you learned from past band
experiences?
Tim: I’ll borrow a line from Phish here.. “The secret is,
you need to surrender to the flow”. Being in a band is
like being married to x amount of people (without the
benefits). You need to discuss time off, compromise
artistically, and have trust in your partners.  In order to
make the greatest music you need to really become ego-
less, step outside of yourself and become the conduit. Let
the music play you. At the same time in the management
area of the band sometime you need to let go of your
original idea and move to where everyone else is.
Cola: When you’re not practicing, playing out, or
recording....what do you do for fun and how do you
relax?
Tim: I really enjoy hanging with my family. My wife
Melissa and sound Nyjah are two of the most intense
and amazing forces I’ve come across. I feel very blessed
to have them in my day to day life. I love spending warm
nights in the yard BBQ and sipping on a fine beer (the
more hops, the better). I also love attending music
festivals and hiking. Being in areas like the Red Woods,
Smokey Mountains, Guatemala, Belize, Killarney
National Park. I love traveling and visiting areas of the
world with tremendous energy. We will our reality.
Timothy “Smu” McCarthy III - Bassist for Fifth World
& Forty Piece Choir, Chicago regional coordinator for
Evolver Customer Service Manager and Artist relations
for US Music Corp (David Eden, Randall, Washburn,
Parker, and Oscar Schmidt)
www.fifthworldmusic.com
www.myspace.com/fifthworldmusic
www.sonicbids.com/epk/epk.asp?epk_id=148292
www.fortypiecechoir.org
evolver.net/user/smu573
evolver.net/group/evolver_chicago
 The Same
Old Ten
With Phil Messina of ...
This Issue’s Same Old Ten is with
Impale’s Drummer: Phil Messina. Metal news on The Gauntlet.com 7. Where in the world would you
Impale are a death/ thrash metal and your most like to
band from Chicago IL. They have interview visit?
been around for 8 years (Phil is one 4. If you Germany, so I
of the original members) and have had one can go to the
played many shows including opening day left to Wacken Open
for Machine Head and Chimaira. live, what Air Festival
Check out their myspace for more would you
information and to hear their music 8. What was the
do?
last song you
Do
www.myspace.com/impale1 certain
things listened to?
I’ve Buried Dreams
1. What was the last concert you wanted by Carcass
went to? to do, and
9. If you could
Um, I think it was Satyricon, tell certain
be someone
Chthonic, and Rosenguard at The people
else for 24
Double Door things I’ve
hours, who
wanted to
2. Who would you most like to would it be and
say.
record a song with? why?
5. Who would you say is the most
Michael Amott from Arch Enemy/ I wouldn’t be anyone else. I can only
underrated musician in the History
Carcass/Carnage/Spiritual Beggars be myself. And I like myself.
of Rock N’ Roll?
3. What are you reading right 10. What has been your biggest
Hmm, I would say Daniel Erlandsson
now? fashion faux pas?
from Arch Enemy.
Being a lazy ass and not wearing
6. What’s your favorite meal?
clothes that match, or clothes that
Anything involving Italian and have tons of wrinkles in them.
BEER!
We Are The Becoming was my first face to face interview, and a very fun one. I couldn’t have chosen a better band to interview, these guys prove that
good southern hospitality and kindness is not dead. With that said, they have an air about them that let’s you know, even in makeup they could probably
kick more than half the guys asses in the room. Though they aren’t angry or violent, they are a band that has a rock and roll soul. Since this interview I
have seen them a few times, and every time, they have been great, both on and off of the stage. I have never seen one of their fans treated badly, and in
fact anyone I have talked to that has met them can do nothing but praise them. We Are The Becoming is a band whose music grabs you, their live show
captivates you and their attitude and personality sell you. We Are The Becoming is a band not to be missed live, it’s a necessity to get out and see them.
You guys seem to be pretty busy, from Dustinn: There is a lot water
touring with The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus,
Caleb (Owens, vocals): Probably lack of Caleb: Lot’s of water
to touring with The Eyes, and now touring
sleep and driving is one of the lows
with Gunfire, how has this adjustment If I was someone who had never heard the
been for you, how is touring with The Eyes Dustinn: Yeah, but getting to play every band before what is something you would
and Gunfire? night is great, and the fans are amazing, tell me, how would you ‘persuade’ me to
they kind of cancel each other out give your band a listen when there are so
Dustinn (Lowry, guitar/vocals): They are
many bands out there?
both great and they’re a lot of fun to tour Any rituals before you go onstage?
with, Caleb: We wouldn’t make you listen, it’s cool
Dustinn: Shockingly no, not really if you would though, we greatly appreciate
Do you feel a little more comfortable on
Caleb & Kory (Arcidino, bass): What about it if you do, if you don’t it’s your choice.
this tour since you had just hit some of
these cities, and maybe gained some more the hand clap thing? Kory: Just listen
support for this time around? Dustinn: *laughs* Oh yeah, but I don’t do Dustinn: Actually when we first started out,
Dustinn: yeah, definitely, it’s always great to that every time. we used to walk around selling our cd’s, I
come back and see a familiar face *pauses* What is a must have item when on tour? think that by showing people this was us,
and it’s great to see new fans.. we are involved in getting ourselves out
Dustinn: Water there was a good idea. I would tell them
What are the highs and lows of touring?
Kory: Baby wipes hey give it a listen, I guarantee you’ll like it,
*All laugh* if not I will give you a refund from my own
Dustinn: *laughs* Baby wipes, yeah and pocket *pauses* well maybe not from my
own pocket, that wouldn’t be very smart of
me *All laugh*
You bought it, now you’re stuck with it.
Dustinn: Exactly! We got you now
*Laughs*
You guys were working in a tattoo shop
prior to the band, what was that experience
like? Are there any similarities to working
in a tattoo shop and being in a band?
Dustinn and Caleb: We didn’t work in a
tattoo shop, that was Kory, we just spent a
lot of time there *Laughs*
Kory: Well, the hours are long, and the
money isn’t great.
Caleb: I would think that being in such a
creative and artistic environment would be
inspirational.
Kory: yeah, that too.
Are there any pranksters in the band?
What has been the best/funniest prank?
Dustinn: We got The Eyes pretty good
Kory: Yeah
Caleb: Yeah we like to do pranks like on
other bands when were on tour
Dustinn: We got Dommin pretty good too,
we basically just made their stage so really
pussified, cuz uh, they’re all like big, tough
and serious. We put punk streamers, pink
balloons and that sort of stuff on the stage.
Kory: Duct tape
Dustinn: *laughs* There was an opening
band for a show and during their show, we
rushed the stage and duct taped their arms
down, and put Aqua Net all in their hair.
They couldn’t do anything about it because
their arms were taped
All: *laugh*
What is one of your all time favorite
band?
Dustinn: As a band like collectively?
Kory: We don’t have just one.
Caleb: We like a variety of different bands
Dustinn: The Eyes, Johnny Cash,
Murderdolls, Wednesday 13, Motley Crue,
really we are kind of all over the place when
it comes to what we listen to.
If you could do a cover of any song, what
would it be and why?
Caleb: We aren’t a band that does a lot of
covers
Dustinn: I mean, maybe live, for fun. As far
as recording we really only play our songs,
it’s just how we work, ya know?
Kory: I would say Europe-The Final
Countdown.
Any crazy experiences that happened on
tour you’d like to share?
All: *laugh*
Dustinn: Every night is an experience.
If you could put together your dream tour
or festival, who/what would be involved?
Caleb: Well it’s not so much what band it is,
or what they play. We would choose based
on who they were, like we would want to
have a lot of diversity, and play with bands
we like. Bands that for lack of a better
phrase, we get along with.
‘I Cry’ seems to be a very personal song, do
you think it’s a song everyone can somehow
relate to, especially in today’s times, where
the battle between inner goods and evils
are so strong and easily lost?
Caleb: Yeah, I mean, ‘I Cry’ is a song that
can be interpreted in many different ways.
That’s the beauty of it and a lot of music,
what one person takes away from the song
could be something completely different to
another person. Someone might see this
as a breakup song, someone may see it as
a love song, it is all in you perception of
things. So I think that everyone, in a sense
can relate to ‘I Cry’ because everyone can
find at least a little bit of relation to the
song.
Thank you for taking time out to do this
interview, are there any final words?
Dustinn: Thanks to the fans, thank you so
much for the support.
Caleb: Yeah, thanks for coming out to all
the shows, it means a lot especially when
we see the same fans at every show.
Kory: It does mean a lot, we’re not just
saying that. The fans make us able to live
our dream, and we love how our fan base
is growing. At one show, someone could
be there for a different band, and at our
next show, they are there for us. It is really
cool when you start seeing a lot of different
people turn up to support us, I like that a lot
of times you keep seeing the same people.
We love what we do, and the fans just make
it a great experience.
Find out more info at a few of the sites for
We Are The Becoming:
www.myspace.com/wearethebecoming
twitter.com/weRthebecoming
www.youtube.com/user/xTheBecomingx
www.facebook.com/thebecoming
Current We Are The Becoming members:
Caleb Owens-Vocals and guitar
Dustinn Lowry- Guitar and backing vocals
Kory Arcidino- Bass
Lance Bennett- Drums