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PHANTOM PLANET
right back where they started from
FREE WITH SUPPORT FROM
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PHOTOGRAPHY & STYLING:
Chad Robert Springer photographed
Morningwood at Lodge in
Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY.
Assistant: Nicholas Roberts
Hair/Makeup Stylist: Kate Werner
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ANNIE STELA (PAGE 2):
All clothes by American Rag
HOMETOWN GUIDES
2
4
ANNIE STELA’s Guide to Ann Arbor, MI
GREG LASWELL’s Guide to San Diego, CA
FEATURES
6
10
16
Liberation at First Sight:
MORNINGWOOD Storms the Stage
Right Back Where They Started From:
PHANTOM PLANET Break the
California Pop Machine
Ships Under the Moonshine:
Meet SILVERSUN PICKUPS
MUSIC SAVES
20
LIFEbeat Fights to Raise AIDS Awareness
FLASH
22
RAGGED Picks
RECORD COLLECTION
Get it. Hear it.
Download a free
interactive PDF and
stream tracks by all of
the Ragged artists at
raggedmag.com
24
26
CHECK IT OUT ON THISIT.COM.
Verity Smith photographed Annie
Stela, Silversun Pickups and
Bitter:Sweet at Moonlight Rollerway
in Glendale, CA.
Photo Assistant: Charles Grauke
Hair Stylist: Jeremy C
Makeup: Kerri Ann Luevano
Wardrobe Stylist: Ashton Michael
Shea [16 Aug 2006|01:21pm]
Andrea LaBarge photographed Greg
Laswell, Phantom Planet, the Vacation
and Nina Gordon at Safari Sam’s in
Hollywood, CA.
Photo Assistant: Nikki Browner
Second Assistant: Gia Coppola
Hair/Makeup: Mosha Katani
Wardrobe Stylist: Jamie Crowley
me & sara went to c Frnz Ferd @ bow balrm... we saw T.
he lkd +ly gorg & was soo nice. I was nrvs. I thnk we cld b
2gether, but WTH knows. He’s such a swe T. Txt me after
OC, k?
EDITOR:
Chris Martins
BITTER:SWEET Spin the Hits
THE VACATION Cover the Classics
PLAYING FAVORITES
24
NINA GORDON’s Creatures and Comforts
COVER PHOTO BY ANDREA LABARGE
ANNIE STELA (ABOVE) BY VERITY SMITH
urr.. Self.
ou
Yo
Be. Y
All clothes by American Rag
Annie Stela’s Guide
to Ann Arbor, MI
BY PATRICK JAMES
DON’T BE FOOLED BY THE DELICACY with which her fingers lay into those ivory keys; Annie Stela is tough.
“Music tough,” she says. And while she claims she doesn’t know what that means, we think we have a good idea.
This L.A. transplant ditched the suburban bliss of Bloomfield Hills—“the Orange County of Michigan,” per Miss
Stela—opting for Ann Arbor, where she studied creative writing and music at the University of Michigan.While
reading poetry in Ann Arbor might not be the most grueling undertaking, spending a Michigan winter in Sylvia
Plath’s Bell Jar is enough to make even the toughest city-dweller tremble. And that’s exactly how Annie honed her
lyrical skills and flexed her musical muscles. With influences ranging from the usual suspects of Radiohead, Ben
Folds, and Tori Amos to some less evident but no less significant voices like Sunny Day Real Estate’s Jeremy Enigk,
Annie’s sound is ripe with harmony and wrought with tension.An Angelino for nearly three years,Annie met with
us in Glendale’s Moonlight Rollerway to give us the low down on her new EP, There is a Story Here—out now on
Capitol—and all things Ann Arbor.
The Best…
…reason for Michigan-related nostalgia?
I miss fall the most when I’m away from Michigan. Is
that lame, missing fall? I lived right by a cider mill,
where they make the apple juice. I miss that a lot. I
don’t miss winter, at all. But I really miss fall and spring.
…spot to grab a bite?
There’s this thing—I don’t feel like Californians
understand it—this chain of Greek diners called
Leo’s Coney Island. And it’s so funny: It’s the crappiest food in the world. It’s dirty. It’s crappy. And it
has the world’s worst coffee. Gross. And the
service…not so much. It’s literally just a bunch of
old Greek dudes coughing into your food. But
there’s just nothing that compares in California and,
well, I miss that too.
PHOTO: VERITY SMITH
Beyond
Bloomfield
…place to witness budding musical
talent?
Blind Pig is the big venue in Ann Arbor. All the cool
bands play there. It’s like a proving grounds. A lot of
bigger bands like Nirvana played there when it was in
its heyday. I used to see Sunny Day Real Estate there
when I was in school. There’s also the Hill
Auditorium—it’s similar to the Hollywood Bowl or the
Verizon Wireless Amphitheater [in Irvine, CA]. I saw
Tori, and Ani DiFranco there.
…after-hours hole in the wall?
Leopold’s. It’s right in town and it’s a great place to
go get a beer with a friend. I don’t really drink anymore. Or smoke. [Laughing] I know, I know—I’m a
“serious musician” now, but it’s the truth. But there
are usually bands playing, and I actually played there
once or twice back when I was in high school. I was
in this, um, [she blushes and pauses] band? It was
called Room 237 after the hotel room in The Shining.
Yeah, really cool, right? We played a lot of small, small
bars where nobody listens. There was hardly a soul
there aside from maybe two of our friends and our
parents if they were in the mood. I broke away from
the band after a year and did my own thing: the
coffee shop thing.
…place to grab a cup of Joe?
There’s this really great place called Café Zola—they
have the world’s best banana crepes. I’m big on the
sweets. And it really does have good coffee. I used to go
there and study into the wee hours of morning.
…place to wax intellectual?
Shaman Drum is like the cool kids’ bookstore. It’s actually a name to drop for the kids who don’t want to use
the campus store or Borders. Ann Arbor is the worldwide Borders headquarters, you know. It’s our big
claim to fame.
…evidence of Michigan on There is a Story
Here?
Oh, it’s all Michigan. Of course, this is my first record,
you know. I wrote a lot of it when I first moved to
L.A., so it comes somewhat from the idea that you
have to get away from a place in order to write about
it. A lot of Story is about my childhood and me growing
up. A lot of the imagery comes from that time: my
house, my backyard, etc. And a lot of the record comes
from my transition from Michigan to L.A., which is
kind of like childhood to adulthood I guess you could
say—a very strange version of adulthood, but my version nonetheless. R
raggedmag.com // RAGGED 3
All clothes by American Rag
Greg Laswell’s Guide
to San Diego, CA
BY DAN FRAZIER
AT 18, GREG LASWELL MOVED to the Southern California beach metropolis of San Diego to attend college
and, well, he never left.Whether it was the weather that kept him, or the fact that he became inextricably tied to
the local music scene, we may never know. As an independent label owner and producer he helped a lot of fledgling bands grow up, but after finding himself without a band for the umpteenth time, he figured it was time for the
solo career to sprout. His second album, Through Toledo (Vanguard), was written, performed and produced almost
entirely by Laswell. It’s a subtle work full of a melodic grace and a plethora of instruments (most strongly felt:
acoustic guitar, piano, strings).The stories woven here emotively recount our troubadour’s attempts to cope with
awaking one morning to discover his wife gone. Here he names a few of his favorite hometown locales and, perhaps, some of the places that helped heal his heartache.
The Best…
…spot to grab some local cuisine?
El Acerdo has, hands-down, the absolute best
authentic Mexican food. It’s actually just a meat
market with a taco stand in the corner. It’s a good 25minute drive away from me but I make the pilgrimage
to it at least twice a week. It takes about seven or
eight tacos to make me completely full, but I always
end up getting more and more. I’m actually going
there after this interview, now that you’ve got me
talking about it.
…shop for hard-to-find records?
Lou’s Records in North County. They carry a lot of
local and independent artists. You can find anything
you’re looking for if it’s independent. One of the first
CDs I ever bought was from here.
…place to catch waves?
Abs—it’s beautiful, right off the cliffs between Point
Loma and Ocean Beach; you have to hike down to get
to it. I don’t surf anymore but when I did back in college, this is where I would go for long-boarding. It’s
not like a beach per se, with people lying out on the
sand. It’s just for those who want to get in the water.
I have a lot of good memories with good friends from
that place.
PHOTO: ANDREA LABARGE
Heat Waves
and Heartaches
…outdoor café?
The Cottage in La Jolla. It’s built in a Victorian house
where they extended the patio out. It’s a great place to
get coffee and have breakfast in the open air. I usually
just get scrambled eggs, but the coffee is the best in the
area. Plus, the weather’s always a little cooler there than
in the rest of San Diego.
…weekend retreat?
There’s this little mountain town about an hour east
outside of the city called Julian.The drive there is really
pretty; you easily forget that you’re just outside a city.
The town is like three blocks long and there’s this shop
that makes the best apple pie.
…tourist attraction actually worth going
to?
Growing up I always looked forward to going to Sea
World. I even worked there for about a year, right
after college. I was in the sea lion and otter show. A
lot of San Diego musicians still work day-jobs there.
…venue for live music?
Lestat’s. It holds just below 200 people, and it’s where
people who love to hear music like to go.The crowd is
always really respectful. The sound guy Louie is probably the best sound guy around. He becomes really
good friends with all the artists he brings in. Lestat’s is
my home base, and kind of where I got my start.
…place for late-night refreshment?
The Ould Sod. It’s an Irish pub with the best Guinness
in town and it’s two doors down from Lestat’s. After
you’ve spent an evening listening to music you can drift
down here and maybe even get a chance to talk to the
people who played that night. All the bartenders are
shining examples of the quintessential Irish bartender.
It’s very much like Cheers; it’s for regulars.
…place to relax under the sun?
I like Dog Beach at the end of Ocean Beach, because I
can take my dog. I have a border terrier named Shep
Proudfoot (after a character in Fargo—one of my
favorite movies). It’s actually my dog’s favorite place to
go as well. We go early every Thursday morning; I
mostly just hang out and watch him run around back
and forth in water. R
raggedmag.com // RAGGED 4
Morningwood
Storms
the Stage
All clothes by American Rag
BY BENJY EISEN
PHOTOS BY CHAD ROBERT SPRINGER
CHANTAL CLARET, LEAD SINGER and
baroness of Morningwood, is in the backseat
of a taxi cab going from Long Island to
Manhattan. Even though she’s only talking
about her band’s self-titled Capitol Records
debut, she has a presence that fills the small
space from the frayed roof upholstery down
to the cracked-seat crannies.That old bashful
high-schooler in me returns and I’m reduced
to a jumble of stutters and false starts. At a
loss, I stare down at the album in my hands.
Morningwood’s cover shows the band
shot as if caught live in action at one of
their notorious shows: The guitarist
(Richard Steel) is in the air, the drummer
(Japa Keenon O) is sweat-spackled, the
bassist (Pedro Yanowitz) has just strummed
a note, and Chantal looks so put-together
that she could explode at any moment.
Above them in bright lights is a giant logo
for the band, half of it bringing to mind the
iconic Weezer “W” (given a Wonder
Woman treatment, perhaps), while the
other half—the “M,” naturally—is menacing, bold, and a bit sassy even. And taken
in its whole, this is a pretty fitting image
for these charged upstarts. Morningwood’s
brand of polished, world-weary punk-pop
is almost as catchy as Rivers Cuomo’s
songs, but with an overt eroticism that
could only be delivered by the right singer.
Liberation
at First Light
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raggedmag.com // RAGGED 5
CHANTAL & PEDRO YANOWITZ
All clothes by American Rag
Rivers would come off as way too creepy; Chantal
comes off as, well, inviting. But lest we forget, this is
rock and roll; and what fun would rock and roll be
without a little bit of spectacle?
Here we get Chantal’s taxi-cab confessions about
Morningwood, the art of being a performer, and the
performance of good art.
line between the entertainment (image)
and art (music)?
It draws itself. I think there’s a level of morals and sensibilities that I have, and as lame as it might sound, I’m
actually an incredibly private person.What happens on
stage is a show, and as sad as that may be to some
people…
This mini magazine is being distributed
through retail stores around the country
just in time for back-to-school shopping.
Do you have a message for the boys of
America?
I have many messages for the boys of America.The fact
that their mothers are going to be shopping with them
You mean as disappointing as it might be to
some people?
I hate to break it to them, but it is a show. That’s why
when people get up onstage and don’t take off their
clothes I get upset:They’re ruining my show! And when
they do get naked on stage and take it too far, I get upset
because there are younger people watching. I always
We’re not trying to sell our
sexuality; we’re just being ourselves.
narrows it down. Call me when you’re 18.
So as a woman, how can you personally
relate to your band’s name, Morningwood?
Actually, I often come into contact with morning
wood. [She raises a single eyebrow, then bursts into
laughter]
What’s the difference between Morningwood’s brand of sexuality and, say, X-tina,
Jessica Simpson, or Britney?
I think sincerity and honesty is the difference.We’re not
trying to sell our sexuality; we’re just being ourselves.
Listen to the music; I think that comes across.
And maybe a bit of maturity with it as well?
I wish.
Well, you do have a song called “Take off
Your Clothes.” Other articles claim that
people really do take off their clothes at
your shows. Is that true?
That’s actually one of the few things that the press has
not manipulated—it’s an actual occurrence at, I’d say,
95 percent of our shows. Somebody always gets up
onstage and takes off their clothes.
Dudes or chicks?
I am an equal opportunist.We actually have both.
I’ve read elsewhere that you consider “Take
Off Your Clothes” a love song?
I’ve refined that answer. It is less of a love song and
more of a lust song.You know, there’s a fine line.
Speaking of which, where do you draw the
bear that in mind; that it is entertainment and it is a
show.
People want to buy that the entertainer is
the person, rather than accept that the
person is an entertainer.
Exactly. On this last tour, so many of the people that we
brought up on stage seemed to have had this expectation that they would be whisked away with us to some
backstage wonderland where the antics would continue, but it’s like, “Alright, show’s over, go home, see
you later.”
What are you trying to accomplish with
your live shows?
We’re trying to bring live entertainment back. We
really do feel that it’s sorely lacking, especially in rock
music, these days. The showmanship of it is totally
lost; and if it isn’t, it is made into a joke. And you
know, I like the cabaret/burlesque aspect of theater,
the theatricality of performing.We’re trying to create
a kind of energy with our audience.We want to break
down that fourth wall that musicians and audiences
have created where it’s like, “We love you and put you
on a pedestal and idolize you while you stand there
and do your thing.” We want to break that down. We
want to create energy with the audience and if they
give that to us we want to give it back. It’ll be a constant state of motion.
Is that why you bring people up onstage?
Yeah, anybody is welcome to come up.We encourage
it. We really would just like to liberate as many
people as possible, whether it’s through nudity,
dancing, yelling, screaming, clapping…hopefully all
at the same time. R
raggedmag.com // RAGGED 6
right back where
they started from
PHANTOM PLANET
break the california
pop machine
BY COLIN STUTZ + PHOTOS BY ANDREA LABARGE
(L-R) ALEX, DARREN, SAM, JEFF:
All clothes by American Rag
7 RAGGED // raggedmag.com
raggedmag.com // RAGGED 7
BY NOW
you should know the gist of it: troubled teen moves to an affluent
beachside community, befriends the local nerd, woos the rich hottie
next door, and gets in plenty of fist fights along the way. Needless to
say, we laugh, we cry, and we get to hear a few up-and-coming “indie” acts along the way.
But somewhere things go awry: Marissa’s dead, Seth’s a pothead and Kirsten’s back on the bottle; this entire snowglobe of a world is in a state of chaos and we’re staring at the shake-up, mouths agape, three letters reflected across our
eyeballs: “WTF!?”Welcome to Season Three of The O.C.With national viewership down 15 percent, a meager 5.7 million
teenagers are tuning in on the edge of their seats, waiting anxiously to see what catastrophe will strike the Cohens next.
…and then a faint voice in the cold distance starts singing a song of hope, something uplifting that tells us life will go
on:“We’ve been on the run/Driving in the sun/Looking out for number one/California here we come/Right back where
we started from.” One by one, the millions start singing along—increasingly strong and wholly unified—until a collected
international chorus is chanting these words of inspiration.
Meanwhile, here sit the boys of Phantom Planet—singer, songwriter and all-around frontman Alex Greenwald, guitarist Darren Robinson, bassist Sam Farrar and drummer Jeff Conrad—inside a cozy Hollywood rehearsal space,
preparing material for their upcoming fourth album, and trying pretty darn hard to ignore the whole “O.C. thing.” It’s easy
to get lost in this confined space. Plaid carpeting envelops all who enter (it’s on the floor and the walls), and it’d be all too
easy to mistake up for down, or left for right.
And perhaps it’s fuzzy red glow refracting off of the billions of fibers, but these four look a little different than last we
checked in.They’ve ditched a bit of their sunshine pop sheen (2002’s The Guest) and spent some time in the garage (2004’s
Phantom Planet); they’ve ridden a few of life’s roller-coasters and come back a little bit wiser; and as we’ve just learned
ourselves, they have embarked on a spiritual quest following the one they call “Leader.” Read on.
You once said that because of the success
of The O.C. and the song “California” you
felt like the most famous unknown band in
the country. Do you still feel that way?
Alex: To this day. Now we’re the longest-running most
famous unknown band. It’s weird because when The
O.C. first came out I got really freaked out and scared that
we’d only be known for this one song. But that sort of just
vanished over time, and I think initially that was because I
started coloring my songwriting more. It was like I was
trying to get as far away as possible from that writing style.
The acoustic guitar was something I didn’t even want to
touch, which is wrong because I love the acoustic guitar.
enjoyment. I’m going to use a bad example, but seeing
drunken frat dudes at Carnegie Mellon [University in
Pittsburgh, PA] with their hands up, waving, going,
“California!” and being so happy with so much camaraderie…to be real with you, I get a kick out of seeing
that. It just feels like we’re at a sing-along, singing
“Kumbaya.” I love “Kumbaya.”
Sam: [U.S.Senator] Dianne Feinstein had it as her ringtone, which is awesome.
Has your approach to “California” changed
as a result?
Sam: It feels like we’re covering a song; it doesn’t feel
like our song anymore.
Alex: I think that song is practically public domain by
now. It doesn’t belong to us, it doesn’t belong to me—
it sort of belongs to everybody. It’s not a Phantom
Planet song anymore.We wrote it, we played it, we put
it out there, but it’s like “Happy Birthday”:Two women
wrote it, they still own the publishing for it, and you
still have to pay them every time you sing it in a movie,
commercial or on TV, but it belongs to everybody.
Were you consulted when they initially put
the song on the show?
Alex: Yeah, the creator of the show was a Phantom
Planet fan and he’d been to a bunch of shows. He
thought the song was perfect, so the show contacted
our manager. Initially we were like, “TV? No.” But we
saw the pilot and liked it…the girl was hot.
Darren: Girls.
Alex: Right, girls. It would have been pretty weird to
have said no. I wonder what would have happened if we
all had said no.
Sam: We probably all would have had to get real jobs
by now.
Alex: They probably would have had “California
Dreaming.” Or “Californication,” or whatever the Red
Hot Chili Peppers’ new California song is.
Do you still play the song at your shows?
Alex: Yeah, we get paid a lot of money to play that
song. It’s a weird thing though, being a band for so long
and having really old songs, because you start to
develop a relationship with them. For me it was an
unhealthy one: I was just tired of the songs and hated
them. But when you play them in front of people and
those people like them, that’s where you can get your
With Phantom Planet is Missing (1998) and
The Guest, you dove head-first into poprock, then with Phantom Planet you
seemed to almost reject the formulas that
led to your past success. Is there any sort
of statement you are trying to make with
your next release?
Alex: This is the perfect time for me to start with the
8 RAGGED // raggedmag.com
JEFF, DARREN, SAM, ALEX:
All clothes by American Rag
I think that a lot of these new songs
bring the light, show people the way, because
we’ve been shown the way ourselves.
raggedmag.com // RAGGED 8
Got it. Now Alex, you were in Donnie Darko
and you’ve also done some modeling.
[Former drummer] Jason Schwartzman is a
full-time actor now. Even if it is just by circumstance, Phantom Planet is a very
Hollywood band. How has that affected
your career?
Alex:We grew up here; the only thing that’s that different
about our experience is that we started really young. The
All bands are kind of their own cult,
you know, but we want to take it to a new level.
people to feel like this “cult” is something that they can
join and be a part of with us…I think that’d be a lot
more exciting than the old band thing.
Alex: And if you put the spin on it that our new music
comes from us having joined a cult, and that we’re just
trying to bring people in to it—to celebrate the leader
that we’ve found who’s finally shown us the path to
enlightenment—it might work.
How do you plan on accomplishing this…
lofty goal?
Alex: Maybe if we could make it ambiguous that we’re
coming up with the cult part ourselves. A band is about
community, and within itself it is a brotherhood; it’s
companionship. But a band can’t be anything without
the people to love it. Our goal will be to recruit and
befriend as many people as possible with our message.
You have a new song titled “Leader” and
you’ve spoken of a higher being…what, if
anything, does all of this have to do with
your music?
Alex: The next record is a concept record. If the
Beatles had Sgt. Pepper’s and the Rolling Stones had Their
Satanic Majesties Request, we have our “Leader.” We’re
concocting it, but at the same time we’re following it.
Sam: Did you see the logo on the kick drum? [It’s a circular
graphic of piano keys that seem to morph into a shirt sleeve
with a hand emerging from the cuff.] The idea is that we’re
going to sell a lot of these sweatshirts and all the kids will
show up in them so the entire audience looks just like us.
Alex:The Leader is the hand. He is the hand that plays the
notes we sing to. It’s in the beginning stages still; we’re just
9 RAGGED // raggedmag.com
band formed when I was 15—this is 12 years ago—and
you go through a lot of stuff in that time.There are ways of
making money in the city you live in, and we live in
Hollywood. Jason took an acting roll, and I took an acting
roll. The only thing that’s strange about it is that it’s now
seven years in my past, and it still colors people’s judgment
of the integrity of the band.That’s always a little weird. But
the good thing is that the band has been around forever,
making music, and it’s fantastic.
With the exception of Jeff, who joined in
2004, you guys have spent nearly half of
your lives playing music together. Has
there ever been a time when you’ve considered some sort of hiatus?
Alex: I can see why a band would want to take a hiatus
or an extended vacation from each other, but at this
point we haven’t. It’s kind of funny now; it’s just like,
“Why not stick around?”
Darren:Yeah, we haven’t had the need to yet. It feels like
we’re at a vital point in the band’s career. Personally, I’m
curious to see—when this album comes out—how many
more people will come to our shows and how many of
those people will know our songs. Until I see and experience that, I don’t want to take a break.
Alex: It’s just always growing, this band, which may
be why we don’t take a break because we fear stopping the growth.We like always trying new things; it’s
fun. It’s like graduate school or something. We’ve
been in it for a long time and we’re about to reap the
rewards with a new record. And once that’s done,
we’ll probably keep saying the same thing up ’til
record number 80. R
raggedmag.com // RAGGED 9
CHECK IT OUT ON THISIT.COM.
r. Self.
ur.
You
Be. Yo
Hola bro. u missed a mongo
sk8 session. hit tht pipe near
E-town...killa ramp and tons
o’ betties! T.C. nailed a 740
and I ollied a huge set...
Hope yr leg heals up soon, so
u cn get back on yr stick. CU
on the rails!
Our words are his words…the Leader…
Alex: Exactly.This new record and these are his words.
[27 Aug 2006|08:23pm]
What exactly is “the cult thing”?
Alex: All bands are kind of their own cult, you know,
but we want to take it to a new level.We really like the
show Lost, and even though it’s totally fiction, there’s
this air of mystery that’s lacking in a lot entertainment
these days. I really like mystery in things, and what a
little bit of enigma brings out of people and their imaginations. We want a little ambiguity and mystery and
smoke and darkness of our own.
Jeff: I like the idea of Phantom Planet being something
bigger than a band. There are so many bands. We want
chipping away at the stone.“Leader” is about my experience
with a cult. But the truth is, that’s not true.The truth is…
Sam: “Cult” could be an analogy for several things.
Alex: Yeah, we pride ourselves on the lyrics meaning
several things and being open to interpretation. Of
course, they’re all his words now…
Riley
cult thing. People get a lot of chances to be lost in life,
to find themselves without any means of escape, to be
in the dark or feel hopeless. And I think that a lot of
these new songs bring the light, show people the way,
because we’ve been shown the way ourselves. I mean,
I’m working on it… [breaks into laugher]
Darren: That was pretty good.
Ships Under
the Moonshine
Meet
Silversun
Pickups
BY LIAM GOWING
PHOTOS BY VERITY SMITH
CHRISTOPHER, NIKKI, BRIAN, JOE:
All clothes by American Rag
10 RAGGED // raggedmag.com
raggedmag.com // RAGGED 10
Who are they?
An experimental indie-rock quartet based in Los Angeles’
Silver Lake community—an enclave for the arts nestled
between Hollywood and Downtown—Silversun Pickups
have been a local favorite for years. They’re members of
“The Ship”—a collective of Silver Lake musicians/artists
that includes Irvine and Earlimart— regulars at live music
institutions like Spaceland and Silverlake Lounge.
What’s all the fuss about?
Hot on the heels of their warmly received, mostly
acoustic 2005 EP, Pikul, Silversun Pickups are releasing
Carnavas, their all-electric, full-length debut.The record
effortlessly blends shoe-gazer atmospherics with aggressive, grungy progressions and cathartic vocals. In fact,
Carnavas sounds a bit like the musical love child of Billy
Corgan (circa Smashing Pumpkins) and Kevin Shields (of
My Bloody Valentine). Of course, that’s not to pigeonhole the band or their sound; singer/songwriter/gui-
didn’t know what to do. Songs would go on and on, especially with Elvira in the band ’cause she was just learning
how to play drums.We had to cue her to stop by kicking
the drum riser! Then we’d start playing and kick it again,
and she’d go. It was crazy.
“But that’s how it started, with us playing live. We
were playing so many shows, playing in front of people
all the time, and that really helps you grow.Then, once
we got Christopher [Guaniao, on drums] and Joe
[Lester, on keyboards], the group really started to focus
itself. We started getting louder and the vocals started
to appear. I just didn’t care anymore. I was like, ‘Okay,
you know what? This is how I sound.’”
Early claim to fame:
In their formative years, Silversun Pickups were probably as well-known for their backyard barbeques as for
their music. Aubert and Monninger lived together in an
apartment known as “Likki Likki” (for its lack of a
It was a trial by fire.
We were a downright mess. I wouldn’t sing
and the band didn’t know what to do.
tarist Brian Aubert noticeably cringes when he hears the
word “grunge,” and says the gossamer atmospherics and
crunchy effects are more often the result of happy accidents than any determined effort to create a Shieldsian
wall of sound. But whatever the source of Silversun
Pickups’ inspiration, the group’s musical mélange works.
Carnavas’ highlights include “Well Thought Out
Twinkles,” “Future Foe Scenarios,” and the bass-driven,
syncopated wonder “Waste It On.”
A long and winding road to success…
Formed by Aubert, bassist Nikki Monninger and sincedeparted, original drummer Elvira Gonzalez in 2000,
Silversun Pickups were initially a free-form band instigated partly as an excuse to visit New York City for the
CMJ music festival. The irony: after Big Apple audiences
responded warmly to the band’s organic jams and effectsladen experimentation, Silversun Pickups were in demand
back home—they were forced to become a real band.
With so many gig offers and so little time to practice,
Aubert learned how to sing onstage while the band basically made it up as they went along:
“It was a trial by fire. We were a downright mess. I
wouldn’t sing; I wouldn’t go to the microphone to save my
life—it was just scary for some reason—and the band
watertight roof, naturally). During one of their latenight parties, packing in more guests than the largest
club in the area can accommodate, the Pickups achieved
local infamy when the weight of the crowd resulted in
the collapse of the apartment’s exterior deck.
“We had this deck that looked like it was made from
recycled wood, and it was always damp,” says Aubert.“And
there were a lot of people on it all dressed up in crazy costumes, talking and dancing. And well, the deck eventually
just went ‘Crrrack!’ and caved in. It crashed down about
four feet and turned into this concave thing with nails and
beer everywhere. But no one was injured so we kept
going.The rest of the night, walking over to get a beer was
like a scene from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.”
Future Foes vs. Thoughtful Twinkles
As word of the new record spreads, it seems Silversun
Pickups will have good reason to celebrate. Of
course—given their history (they’re named after a local
liquor store) and the fact that when asked for their
favorite beer they unanimously reply “Jameson’s Irish
Whiskey”—they probably don’t need any excuses.With
Carnavas out now on Dangerbird Records, the Pickups’
next party is bound to make an impression (just hopefully not on any real estate). R
JOE, CHRISTOPHER, BRIAN, NIKKI:
All clothes by American Rag
11 RAGGED // raggedmag.com
Music Saves
LIFEbeat Fights to Raise
AIDS Awareness BY LOUIS VLACH
SOMETIMES THE BEST IDEAS are the most simple.
Consider this: You’re a music industry executive.
You’ve worked your way up to a position of influence;
paid your dues along the way; seen ’em come, seen
’em go. And you’re old enough to know better. It’s not
that you’re jaded—the right song at the right time still
gives you the chills—but while you firmly believe that
music is something to believe in, you see through the
image and posturing.
Again, you’ve seen ’em come and seen ’em go—
and going both ways, these bands and musicians have
carried with them oodles of identity and loads of sexuality; sets of morals or a complete lack thereof; rebellion against conformity and conformity through rebellion; etc. etc. etc. And then it dawns on you like it’s
dawned on so many marketeers and capitalists of cool:
This is the perfect vehicle. But instead of moving
units—of spiked collars, hair dye, soft drinks or
deodorant sticks—you could move something a little
more beneficial for, well, the entire country.
Something like consciousness.
This is the crux of LIFEbeat: use the talent and
tools of the music business to raise awareness about
HIV/AIDS prevention in the United States and provide support to those trying to cope with a life permanently altered by the scourge. The organization was
founded 14 years ago by a group of music executives
in New York and remains there to this day; faithfully
staffed by a team of seven, but buttressed by a citywide web of over 200 volunteers, and a national constellation of affiliate organizations they form partner12 RAGGED // raggedmag.com
ships with. What began as a support system for those
within the industry dealing with the disease ballooned
in the mid-’90s into an extensive program that
encompasses national tours, local activities, and
broadcast public service announcements.
“It started out as a resource to people in the music
business and expanded from there” says John Cannelli,
executive director of LIFEbeat, “based on the idea that
there are these massive companies that market music
to youth, but there’s no real social conscious when it
comes to issues like this. We’ve created these great
relationships with music companies, artists and other
entertainment entities like MTV, and we partner with
them on events to communicate our prevention message. In many cases, these artists are role models for
young people.”
LIFEbeat’s most successful and extensive work
comes with their ongoing national campaign. The
organization partners with artists and tours to make
sure that every city en route is serviced with not only
literature on AIDS prevention, but the means as well
(meaning, well, condoms). Nearly every large city and
college town in the country has a local organization
(sometimes consisting of only one person) dedicated
to the cause, and though the federal government has
cut back on the funding that keeps these non-profits
going, LIFEbeat works with them to keep their doors
open. They coordinate with these partner organizations to make sure their tours are serviced. Ozzfest
and Vans Warped Tour are always a part of this, and
individual artist tours past have included the likes of
Jay-Z, Moby, John Mayer, Destiny’s Child, Red Hot
Chili Peppers, OutKast, Dave Matthews Band, Tina
Turner and Britney Spears, no less (“We will go on any
tour that will have us, basically,” says Cannelli). Some
donate a percentage of tickets sold to the LIFEbeat
cause as well.
“We facilitate a connection in each city for the concertgoers,” says Cannelli, “putting them in contact
with the local organization so that after an event is
over, especially if they’re shy, they know who to contact within their own community to get testing information or counseling or whatever.”
And in New York City, their reach is incalculable.
Their “Hearts and Voices” program brings music (and
with it hope and happiness) to hospitals and residential facilities where AIDS patients live. With the help
of their volunteers and NYC’s musically inclined,
LIFEbeat averages 250 performances like these in a
year. Gospel choirs, hip-hop artists, rock bands, classical pianists, acoustic troubadours and jazz quartets
alike donate their time to bringing a little bit of light
to those that the city’s forgotten. (Cannelli remembers that after one Saturday show, one of the facility
directors told him she’d seen people laugh and cheer
for the first time in years.) Volunteers also spread the
word and prophylactics at local events, club nights,
political gatherings, and any other venue that will
have them.
Recently, LIFEbeat has been expanding their
efforts even farther. A recent partnership with Macy’s
might give LIFEbeat their biggest boost yet as far as
funds and participation are concerned. Together, the
retail giant and the social organization are designing a
T-shirt that’ll be sold in-store and online to raise
money for LIFEbeat’s continued efforts. At the same
time, they’re initiating a contest calling for homemade
ideas on how to spread HIV/AIDS awareness in the
United States. Youth are invited to contribute their
own ideas for information campaigns, and the most
effective and fantastical creative will win a hometown
or school performance by an as-yet unnamed artist.
It’s plenty of incentive and to those who’ll help further the work of LIFEbeat. And there still is a lot of
work left to do.
“I think the primary challenge we face as an organization is reminding young people that there’s still a
crisis in this country,” Cannelli says. “Most of the
media attention is focused on the pandemic in other
parts of the world—and that’s the right thing; that’s
where they should be focused—but in the process,
people here assume that there is no longer a problem
in this country, and that just isn’t the case. There is a
significant problem in America: it’s 40 thousand new
infections every year and that number is ticking
upwards. Half of those new infections occur in people
under the age of 24.”
There are serious problems in this world. It’s a
simple statement, but something far too easy to
forget—by the end of the day we’re all relativists with
our own gauges of “bad” to “worst” tailored to fit the
specificity of daily life. Here’s a chance to do something different. Here’s a chance to do something. R
raggedmag.com // RAGGED 12
Fullmetal Alchemist: The Movie —
Conqueror of Shamballa
In select theaters September 8.
Available on DVD September 12.
www.fullmetalalchemist.com
13 RAGGED // raggedmag.com
Frz Frd sounds lk it was gr8…sara said it was amzng…
wow..so jls of u 2. I hrd frm a ltl brd that T is nto u…so U
go grl!!!...all up n tht grill. Ugh…my nite was sch a BORE.
Txt u l8er, sk8r.
Lindsay [17 Aug 2006|08:41pm]
Mimobot
Tado Hero Edition
1 Gig Flash Drive
kidrobot.com
CHECK IT OUT ON THISIT.COM.
Auto Double-Layered Polo (left)
& Screen Print Striped Hoodie
American Rag
Available at Macy’s
urr.. Self.
You
Be. Yo
Bitter:Sweet
Spin the Hits
BY VIVIAN AMES
A Matter of Taste
We at this humble (and free) publication know that our readers have got a ravenous appetite for music. And that’s
why we’re here—the agents of good taste come to feed the craving. Call it altruism. But sometimes one needs to
get the beef straight from the kitchen, so who better to reaffirm our commitment than the delicious duo of L.A.
spin-sters Bitter:Sweet? Singer Shana Halligan and soundman Kiran Shahani—having just cooked up an 11-course
feast for your ears called The Mating Game (Quango)—sat down with us to share recipes for some all-time great
records. It’s kind of like a Tupperware party. That is, if the hosts of said party spin a sexy, funked-out version of
trip-hop with a bevy of influences as diverse as the list below. Bon appétite.
KIRAN:
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin (Atlantic, 1969)
The first album I ever bought that just
blew me away. I mean that’s probably
the one that made me want to actually be a musician. I was 13 and picked it up and just burnt it out.
Now I appreciate it for its instrumentation, arrangements and everything…but then it was all about the
angst.
Pink Floyd
The Wall (Capitol, 1979)
I love the drama in it and that it told a
story. And then they put out the movie,
which just put it over a notch for me. I love how it was
so theatrical and how it glued everything together and
captured these amazing songs. It’s actually one of my
favorite movies when I think about it.
De La Soul
3 Feet High and Rising
(Tommy Boy, 1989)
I just love this one. I had the best summer to
it. I mean all summer: I just wore it out. The way they
used sampling and the way they put the beats together…I
was really inspired by that. There’s a little French influence too. It’s one of the tastiest records of all time.
KIRAN & SHANA:
All clothes by American Rag
PHOTO: VERITY SMITH
Portishead
Dummy (Go! Discs/London,1994)
Great album! It was weird because I had
never heard anything like that. But at the
same time I was making music like that [as part of
Supreme Beings of Leisure]. It felt good to hear
someone else, even on the other side of the world,
doing the same thing.
Iron Maiden
The Number of the Beast (Capitol,
1982)
This is a strange one.When I was a kid—I
grew up in San Dimas—it was all heavy metal. And I
played in a bunch of metal bands. That was the first
record where I learned the whole thing on the bass,
every single note.Then my mother saw it and made me
burn it, literally. So, just for that reason it has sentimental
value. It’s one that your mother would make you burn.
SHANA:
Portishead
Dummy (Go! Discs/London,1994)
I know Kirin picked it too, but it’s a huge
inspiration in the music that we’re doing.
It’s one of the most eclectic and beautiful albums ever,
ever…ever. Genius. Rich.They used a lot of things that
in that day and age no one was thinking about. Their
style of production just influenced so many bands.
Digable Planets
Reachin’ (Pendulum, 1993)
I wore this one out.Yeah, “Nickel Bag”! And
with Doodlebug, Ladybug, Butterfly…I
can’t tell you how many times I played this CD—in my
house, in my car, everywhere I went.
Coldplay
Parachutes (Capitol, 2000)
I really love this album. I know, I
know…they got their inspiration from bands
from the era that preceded them, but every song on this
record is beautiful and brilliant, so simple and eloquent.
Michael Jackson
Off the Wall (Epic, 1979)
I mean, of course…hands down. I’ve
roller-skated many a time to this.
Beastie Boys
Check Your Head (Grand Royal, 1992)
I really like it because it had a lot more
umph.The Beasties had broken ground on
their prior albums and I think on this one they wanted
to show off a little bit more on the beat-making and
sampling; you know, really in-your-face. It got me in an
amazing mood every time I popped it in. R
raggedmag.com // RAGGED 14
DENNY WESTON, JR., BEN,
STEVE, DUTCH SUONINEN:
All clothes by American Rag
The
Vacation Cover the Classics
BY COLIN STUTZ
Ah, brotherly love.There’s nothing quite like it is there? That is, unless you’re comparing it to the connection shared
between identical twin brothers. It must be that extra time spent suspended in the stuff of life that cements this extraspecial fraternal bond (which seems to come, invariably, with creepy telekinetic abilities). Now, it’s no one’s business
whether the Vacation’s Ben and Steve Tegel (vocals and guitar, respectively) are monochorionic or monoamniotic
twins (we don’t need to know who shared whose placenta), but without getting too graphic, one thing is clear:They
were made of the same snips, snails and rock ’n’ roll tales. And when the brothers Tegel entered this world, it was
with a textbook music sensibility and a Ph.D in Kicking-A.
“But how do I become as smart as them?” you ask. It’s simple: Study what’s right in front of you.We caught up
with these two look-alikes from Granite City, IL (whose full-length is coming out on Warner Bros.), for a quick lesson
in musicology as they share their favorite records of all time. It’s like Ben says: “Get this out to the kids so they can
listen to some decent stuff.They’ve got to learn about the classics.” So don’t just stare; take a seat and take note.
Bob Marley & the Wailers
Catch a Fire (Tuff Gong, 1973)
Steve: Back then reggae was still really
rebel music; politics were a huge part of the
message. Bob Marley was almost a predecessor to punk
because he was so outspoken.
Aphrodite’s Child
666 (One Way, 1972)
Steve: A psychedelic rock album with biblical references here and there, mainly
from the Book of Revelation. The band’s from Greece.
The record stands the test of time and sobriety.
Captain Beefheart & the Magic
Band
Trout Mask Replica (Reprise, 1969)
Steve: You have to listen to this album a
few times before you understand it.You may hate it at
first, but the more you listen, the more you’ll appreciate it. In fact, you will hate it at first.
Ben:You should listen to it in a darkened room with a
willing consciousness.
Dr. John, the Night Tripper
GRIS-gris (Collectors’ Choice, 1968)
Ben: Psychedelic voodoo funk for driving
through the South late at night. If you’re
ever involved in a situation where you’re going to get in
a fight, if you ever need to pump yourself up for anything important or dangerous, listen to the song “I Walk
on Guilded Splinters.” It will make you feel invincible.
Going Back to School
PHOTO: ANDREA LABARGE
Tom Waits
Rain Dogs (Atco, 1991)
Ben: This album is definitely weird. He
uses lots of odd instruments and these
unusual tools that seem like they exist in some strange
netherworld. There’s this entire underworld of characters and pirates and one-eyed dwarves and stuff.
Steve: For the record, Tom Waits was influenced by
Captain Beefheart too.
The Dead Boys
Young, Loud & Snotty (Sire, 1977)
The Dictators
The Dictators Go Girl Crazy!
(Epic, 1975)
Steve: These two belong together.
Ben: Definitely. These are the two great
American albums of the second wave of
punk—the first wave being the Stooges almost exclusively. After that, you’ve got your English and American
generations, and these two debuts are the best of the
U.S. crop.
The Clash
Combat Rock (Epic, 1982)
Ben: This album was famous for “Rock
the Casbah” and “Should I Stay or Should I
Go?” but all of the songs are really good. With the
exception of one, “Overpowered By Funk,” which is
terrible. But not enough people give this album credit.
Joe Strummer’s best lyrics.
Syd Barrett
The Madcap Laughs (Capitol, 1970)
Ben: The founding member of Pink
Floyd’s first solo album after he got kicked
out of his own band. And though Roger Waters and
David Gilmour helped to produce this album, I prefer
it to anything done by Pink Floyd.
T. Rex
Electric Warrior (Reprise, 1971)
Steve: This is one you just put on at the
party and let play. ElectricWarrior is a classic.
“Mambo Sun” is the first song, and it always makes me
want to dance. R
raggedmag.com // RAGGED 15
NINA: All clothes by American Rag
with
Nina Gordon
BY PATRICK JAMES
If you are anything like me, then you had an unhealthy obsession with Veruca Salt as an early adolescent. So much
so that your voice literally changed midway through their live set at the Forum when your parents took you to see
them open for Bush. Hey…it was the ’90s—1997, in fact. And I was a boy no more. Nearly 10 years later, former
VS singer/hit-writer Nina Gordon still has those same sexy pipes that ushered me into manhood, but now she
prefers rich, dynamic melodies to über-bratty distortion. At least, so suggests her third solo album, Bleeding Heart
Graffiti (out on Warner). And thankfully, my favorite volcano girl (now a lovely and talented woman) was kind
enough to share with us a few of her favorite things, ranging from French board games to Muppet dictators to
American comfort food.
ANIMAL:
My two pugs, Apple and Motorboat. I should say that I
named Apple long before Gwyneth Paltrow named her
child and I must say that I’m a bit suspicious of her.
BODY PART:
Mine or yours? I’m fascinated by hands. I want to do a
conceptual art piece with like a hundred sets of hands,
just in rows. And you’d stare, trying to tell which one is
yours, but I’m convinced that you couldn’t. You can,
however, tell a lot about someone from their hands
MOVIE:
West Side Story, Topsy Turvy, and Truly, Madly Deeply are
three that I’ve seen 10 million times but still have to
watch if they come on TV. Oddly enough, they all
appear to have titles ending in “y,” and yet I most certainly do not feel this way about Tommy. In fact if I
happen to stumble upon it, I turn the channel immediately—the acid queen and baked beans parts give me
nightmares. My dad took me to see it when I was 7
years old and it scarred me for life.
16 RAGGED // raggedmag.com
PHOTO: ANDREA LABARGE
Creatures
and Comforts
20th CENTURY DICTATOR (OR MUPPET):
Wait, my favorite dictator? Or the most successful?
’Cause, I mean, if we’re talking “most evil” then the
choice is clear…and he actually does kind of look like
my one of my favorite Muppets, the Count. Could you
imagine people marketing him, with like googly eyes
and a removable mustache? I think I’ve said too much.
character upon which Scarlet O’Hara was based. I think
it would have made a great title for my latest album.
SUMMERTIME BEVERAGE:
I had a drink once, one that very few people make or
order because it has such an annoying name: “The
Raspberry Lime Rick.” It’s embarrassing to say, but it’s
amazing.
FABRIC:
It doesn’t get any better than a good, soft cotton jersey
or denim. I’m not much for velour or terry cloth. My
favorite era for clothing remains the late ’60s and early
’70s. Everything was better then—music, cars,
movies…everything.
BOARD GAME:
Mille Bornes. It’s this French car racing board game that
was at some point bought by Parker Brothers.You pick
a card and you race, playing cards for mileage, speed
and that stuff.
TOUR FOOD:
There’s this place in Charleston, SC that has the perfect
mac and cheese—you know, with real grits and buttery
green beans. Crave it.
SATURDAY MORNING CARTOON:
I don’t really know what Saturday morning cartoons are
like today, but I lived for them as a kid, especially The
Bugs Bunny and Daffy Show. Bugs—he’s a genius. He
might be my favorite actor.
CANDY:
It’s all about the stuff you can’t find anywhere, like
chocolate or pink Necco Wafers. They’re made in this
factory in Cambridge, and they seem all dusty and old.
I often wonder what goes on there. Then there are
Bottle Caps, but only the root beer flavor. And it’s
tough: The color is so similar to the cola ones that you
get tricked, but it’s not even close. Actually the perfume that I wear smells exactly like the root beer flavor.
BOOK:
Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp by Harriet
Beecher-Stowe, starring Nina Gordon. So maybe I
haven’t actually read it, but it does exist—I have a copy.
And the “Nina Gordon” in the book was apparently the
BREAKFAST CEREAL:
I try to stay away from it, and I haven’t had it in about
seven years, but it’s got this dark magnetic power:
Cap’n Crunch.With the Crunch Berries, of course. It’s
like eating delicious garbage. R
raggedmag.com // RAGGED 16
[12 Oct 2006|04:56pm]
CHECK IT OUT ON THISIT.COM.
r. Self.
ur.
ou
Yo
Be. Y
Sup’ big guy? We may nd u
2nite … our bass Gtrist clld in
sick…hv a gig @ Sparky’s
R u free + able to play? We
cld use Yr pwr…and we’re
getting $$ for it.
T.C.