+ hellogoodbye sick of sarah new years day stephen jerzak

+ HELLOGOODBYE
SICK OF SARAH
NEW YEARS DAY
STEPHEN JERZAK
style wars!
WHICH COAST is the best coast?
Publishers
STREET
LEVEL
Alan Miller & Alan Sartirana
Editor-IN-CHieF
Breanna Murphy
10
style editor
Heather Cvar
EDITOR-AT-LARGE
Pat McGuire
layout designer
Melissa Simonian
WRITERS
Heather Cvar, Daniel Kohn, Mary Kosearas, Clare R. Lopez,
Laura Studarus, Colin Stutz
interns
Clare R. Lopez, Geneva Perezcastañeda, Leila Tredemeyer
3OH!3
Photographer: Ben Watts
Stylist: Misha Rudolph
New Years Day
Photographer: Pamela Littky
Eyes Set to Kill
(from RAGGED #9)
Photographer: Andrea LaBarge Mills
Attack Attack!
Photographer: Chase Clymer
Photo Assistant: Patrick Axe
Hellogoodbye
Photographer: Piper Ferguson
Photo Assistant: George Campos
Hair, Makeup & Styling: Heather Cvar
Stephen Jerzak
Photographer: Luke Babcock
Go Radio
(from RAGGED #10)
Photographer: Brook Pifer
Fashion 4-Ward
Christina Mohit,Taylor Testa & Mariko Jones
Photographer: Heather Cvar
Ilyse Kaplan
Photographer: Breanna Murphy
Ragged is published by Filter Magazine LLC, 5908 Barton Ave., Los Angeles CA 90038. Vol. 1, No.
13, SUMMER 2011. Ragged is not responsible for anything, including the return or loss of submissions, or for any damage or other injury to unsolicited manuscripts or artwork. Any submission of a
manuscript or artwork should include a self-addressed envelope or package of appropriate size, bearing
adequate return postage.
©2011 Filter Magazine, LLC.
all rights reserved
Ragged is printed in the usa
raggedmag.com
produced with support from
STYLE
20
34
1. Street Level: Style Wars: L.A. vs. N.Y.
6. Style Council: Sick of Sarah: Fashion Fearlessness
16. Fashion 4-Ward: 1 Tank Top Worn 4 Different Ways
38. Play It Again: 4 Female Skaters Pick Their Favorite Summer Playlists
SOUND
2. NEW YEARS DAY: Tearing Down Fences
10.HELLOGOODBYE: Past Pleasures and Future Sounds
34.STEPHEN JERZAK: Melodic Youth
COVERS
20.3OH!3: Nothing But Fun 24/7/52/∞
28. ATTACK ATTACK!: Ready, Aim, Fire
ARTIST ALUMNI
42.EYES SET TO KILL: Seize the Day
44.GO RADIO: Tuning through the Static
front coveR: 3OH!3 BY ben watts
•
back cover: attack attack! by chase clymer
the raveonettes
los angeles, ca
interpol
new york city, ny
Back in 2009, somewhere at the Warped Tour in Pomona, California, a thousand hand-stamped CDs
holding two freshly recorded songs were launched over a fence and into the hands of fans, bands and
the general populous wandering on the other side.
“I stood there in that moment and thought to myself, ‘Last year, I was on the main stage, and
this year, I have a backpack full of CDs, throwing them over to Warped Tour. I can’t even get inside.’”
Ashley Costello, lead singer of New Years Day, was faced with the almost-guerilla/grassrootswarfare tactics of launching both a potential lawsuit and the band’s future into the crowd. At the
time, with the band tied up in a legal back-and-forth with their record label, getting back into the
music scene this way was daring, brilliant and lucky. One of those CDs fell into the right hands and
New Years Day—now the lineup of Costello, Jake Jones and Matthew Linblad on guitar, Anthony
Barro on bass and Russell Dixon on drums—were signed to new management that helped them get
back out in front of their fans. RAGGED caught up with Costello, the rebel rouser behind the band’s
comeback, to discuss New Years Day’s return—yes, including a promised theatrical appearance on
this year’s Warped Tour.
2 ragged // raggedmag.com
New Years Day
Photographed in Los Angeles
raggedmag.com
raggedRag
3
ALL Clothes by//American
After New Years Day’s success in 2007, what happened record label wants to come after us, let’s bring the fight to us.”
to the band during the legal turmoil with the label? And it worked.
Ashley Costello: I remember playing a show in New York
and MTV was there. They saw my mom, hugged her and
said, “How does it feel that your daughter will be on MTV
in two months?” And the next month it was like the rug was
pulled out from under all of us. We had no idea the label was
planning on going bankrupt and there was really no money to
keep it going. On top of that, they wouldn’t drop us. There
was nothing I could really do. I couldn’t legally write music.
Did you come across any complications?
I couldn’t start another band with my own name. I hate to
admit it, but there was a yearlong period where I didn’t make
music at all. I refer to it as “the Dark Ages.” It was probably the
lowest, rock-bottom place I’d ever been in because music was
everything. It took a solid year to pick myself back up.
With everything that has happened in the past
five years, you don’t seem to have many fears or
hesitations.
You lost some band members in this transition. Did
you begin to make music by yourself, or did you get
in touch with anyone else?
I called Russell, our drummer, and said, “Dude, we are not
done, let’s get back in the studio, let’s write music—and if the
4 ragged // raggedmag.com
It was guerilla warfare. I look back now and it’s exactly the path
the band was supposed to take because there was a certain style
of music that I wanted to write but wasn’t able to when we had
a record label breathing down our necks. When we got back
together, it was no-holds-barred. It was freeing, but it definitely
did bring a fight to us—which we ended up winning.
Yeah, actually, I have a huge fear of failure. It’s my number
one fear. It would keep me up at night and I’d ask myself,
“Will I ever be successful? Will I ever get the things I
want?” If I went up to 16-year-old Ashley and said, “You’re
going to be on Warped Tour and people are actually going
to listen to your music,” she probably wouldn’t believe
it. I’m really not scared of anything, just failure...and
spiders. R
raggedmag.com // ragged 5
STYLE
COUNCIL
sick of
sarah
fashion
fearlessness
By Heather Cvar
Photos by Marc Lemoine
Styling by Sara Cooper
All Clothes By American Rag
The ladies of Sick of Sarah, a five-piece band from
Minnesota, have no inhibitions—whether it comes to
fashion or recording studios. Be it for onstage antics or
casual nights at home, they never pass up an opportunity
to alter an article of clothing or two, perhaps even going
so far as to step out in a pair of one-legged pants. After
all, edginess is to be expected from a band that’s been
compared to other groups with riot grrrl roots, such
as The Breeders and Sleater-Kinney. As for the daring,
Sick of Sarah recorded their last album, 2205, at Sonic
Ranch, an immense recording compound near El Paso,
Texas—rumored to be a haunted site.
2205 was released last May and still continues to
pull in a wide range of listeners. “We have had a lot
6 ragged // raggedmag.com
of people who claim to only be fans of one specific
genre—whether it be rap, metal or country—say they
love us, so that is a huge compliment. I truly believe
there is something for everyone on this album,” says
Sick of Sarah’s lead songstress, Abisha Uhl.
Reaching out to the masses, the fivesome
(guitarist and lead vocalist Uhl, bassist Jamie Holm,
drummer Jessica Forsythe and guitarists Jessie
Farmer and Katie Murphy) will be appearing on their
first Warped Tour during the summer. Sick of Sick of
Sarah? Not even close. For more, Ragged caught up
with Uhl and Holm shortly before they took off and
talked fashion, focus and, of course, that certain
spark of fearlessness.
raggedmag.com // ragged 7
YOU WEAR
STYLE
IT WELL
COUNCIL
What was your initial inspiration to
play music?
Jamie Holm: My dad, and later my
brother. They both played guitar and
I picked up a little from them. I would
secretly write love songs about
people I had never dated. I didn’t date
until I was 20.
I should say my inspiration for
playing and writing is feeling and
emotion, though. Sometimes I need
to write because it’s the only thing
that makes sense and makes me
feel better.
Holm: There was a curtain
incident in our house. Curtains
were blowing like crazy and
when Jessie and I went to
shut the windows, they were
already shut.
Uhl: She’s an amazing gardener.
Uhl: There was this black cat
that would end up in our house.
Every morning, we would find
him sleeping on the end of the
couch. Nobody let him in; there
was no way he could get in, so
that was strange. Not only that,
there were strange noises and
shadows…
How would you describe your
individual style and how it’s
evolved since you started the
band?
Holm: 2205 is the address of the
house where we practice, have all
lived, did pre-production for the
album, shot music videos and have
even played shows.
Holm: My style varies by the
day. I’m often lazy and stick with
jeans and a T-shirt, but when I
dress it up it can get interesting.
I love to cut up my clothes. Hell,
I’ve worn one-legged pants.
Lately,
we’re
really
into accessories. We make
necklaces out of bullets from
guns we shot at Sonic Ranch
while recording 2205, as well
as skeleton keys and a few
other things. We all wear them
and have been selling them at
shows. It’s a nice way to feel
we’re all connected, and keep
busy in our down time on tour.
People are loving them!
Uhl: 2205 is our hub. We thought
it would be a suitable name for our
album. People and places inspired
us, and 2205 is one of those places.
Rumor has it that Sonic Ranch
is haunted. Did anything
spooky occur during your
recording sessions?
Abisha Uhl: Jamie totally stole my
answer! My inspiration is my brothers,
as well. They were in a band and played
all over, and it seemed like so much
fun. I really looked up to them. I told
my brother I wanted to play, and that
night he came home with a guitar just
for me. I started writing right away.
How did 2205 get its name?
8 ragged // raggedmag.com
Holm: When we aren’t out on
tour in the summer, you can rest
assured you will find a few of
us on the patio of 2205. Jessie
currently wears the housedress
and tends to the gardens.
Holm: Haunted or not, Sonic
Ranch is just a great place to
exist in. I miss it.
From what do you draw your
fashion inspiration?
Holm: I think a lot of my style
comes from mixing things up
with my friends and taking my
own thing away from it. I’m
lucky to be friends with some
stylish people.
Uhl: Fashion is fun for our
band. I might not always have it
down, but thank God no one in
the band is going to let me walk
onstage looking like a mess! At
least, I hope not. R
raggedmag.com // ragged 9
Hello
good
bye
Past
Pleasures
and
Future
Sounds
By Laura Studarus
Photos by Piper Ferguson
forrest kline and travis head
Forrest
and Travis
Head of Hellogoodbye
of
HELLOGOODBYE
10 Kline
ragged
// raggedmag.com
Photographedin
inLOS
Echo
Park, California
photographed
ANGELES
All
shirtsbybyAmerican
AmericanRag
Rag
Clothes
raggedmag.com // ragged 11
“A friend was in Travis’s car, sitting shotgun. One of us
went back into the trunk getting some bags and, for
some reason, he made the assumption that we were
going through his CDs,” Hellogoodbye frontman
Forrest Kline laughs as he recounts a summer trip
with pals to a family-owned cabin in Big Bear. “And
because of that, he started banging at the windshield
yelling at us, and he cracked the windshield open!
That may be one of my best memories of summer.”
The Long Beach, California-based band (which
also includes keyboardist Joseph Marro, drummer
Michael Nielsen, guitarist Andrew Richards and the
aforementioned bassist Travis Head) are no strangers
to fun in the sun. Their infectious, ennui-laced indie
pop feels custom-made to soundtrack a lifetime
worth of summers. This June, the band are set to help
fans create more memories as they take to the road
with Warped Tour—which Hellogoodbye haven’t
been a part of since 2006.
“It’ll be fun to be outside, and play in front
of a bunch of people,” says Head of their planned
two-week stint with the festival—his first
experience with Warped since joining the band
in 2007. “It’s not going to be how everyone’s
experience is with Warped Tour, being super long
and no showers and stuff.”
Kline fondly remembers the tour from five
years ago. “It wasn’t so much a fraternity house.
Maybe a little bit summer camp. It was sort of like
a whole season of school. You were really excited,
you went and you met new people. But it’s also like,
‘Ohh, I’m so tired!’ And by the end, you can’t wait
for it to be over, and then it’s over and you’re like,
‘Oh, that was great!’”
A lot has changed for the band since they last
graced a Warped stage. Last November, after a split
with their longtime label, Drive-Thru Records,
12 ragged // raggedmag.com
Hellogoodbye released their sophomore album Would
It Kill You? via their own imprint, Wasted Summer.
Both Kline and Head agree the shift has allowed
them greater freedom in making and distributing
their music. “We make a song that we like, we put it
out. There’s no ‘demo for a few more months,’” says
Head, relief in his voice.
“We haven’t officially planned anything yet, but
we’re talking about a day when we can just give our
record away,” adds Kline.
While Hellogoodbye aren’t quite ready to hand
out free tunes to the masses, they are using their
newfound flexibility to release more music, more
often. Currently, the band are busy prepping an EP—
and while they’re coy about specific details, they do
promise a sound that’s “a little bit sexier than the last
record.” Future shows could involve mood lighting
and slow dancing... “or grinding!” laughs Kline.
As the band members have grown up, swapping
vocoders for acoustic guitars and an established
indie label for a more homegrown approach, they’ve
watched their fans grow up as well. And while their
style and sound may have been developing since
they were teenagers, their fanbase now extends far
beyond the schoolyard. “When you’re 19 and there
are 16-year-olds at the show, that’s fine. But when
you’re 27 and there are 14-year-olds at the show,
that’s a no-go,” says Kline.
Although the band loves their fans of all ages,
even keeping in touch with them via a frequently
updated Q&A section on their website, Head agrees
with Kline’s assessment. “We’re actually gaining
older fans, which is nice. It just feels better to play to
people you can relate to on some level.”
In song, Kline and Head are able to tap into their
youthful sides. However, doing the same in real life
hasn’t always garnered the best results. “Last summer,
raggedmag.com // ragged 13
we tried to take up skateboarding. We all got hurt and realized we
were too old to skate,” recounts Head. “Some kids at the skate park
asked us if we were too old to be skateboarding.”
“If a 10-year-old asks if you’re too old to skateboard, you’re
like, ‘Yes, I am,’” cracks Kline.
Hellogoodbye have come a long way since their formation
a decade ago—evolving from youthful start-up to power-pop
stalwarts. And while alternative sports may be off the table,
Kline isn’t beyond a bit of reflection on past identity. “I liked
high school and I liked all the people there, but I just hated
14 ragged // raggedmag.com
waking up. I don’t know what advice I could have given to myself
at that time. I still hate waking up! ‘I’m with you, buddy!’” Kline
laughs. “I probably wouldn’t have listened anyway. Even to
myself. ‘Screw you, old man! You’re clearly old! What are you,
like 57?’ I would have been like, ‘No! I’m visiting you from 10
years in the future!’”
Where will Hellogoodbye be 10 years from now? No one—
except perhaps Kline’s alt-dimension self—can tell for certain,
though no matter how time progresses, their sense of humor is
sure to follow. R
raggedmag.com // ragged 15
FASHION
4-WARD
1
TANK TOP WORN
WE GAVE 4 GIRLS A DIFFERENT AMERICAN RAG TANK.
THEIR GOAL: TO COME UP WITH A UNIQUE WAY TO WEAR IT IN THEIR OWN STYLE.
How do you make a living?
I provide 24-hour beauty for ladies and gentlemen in the
heart of Venice, California. At NiteSpa, there is no excuse
for chipped nails or rough feet. Specializing in sweet feet
pedicures, we are available around the clock for all your
beauty needs.
How would you describe your style?
“Grungy tomboy-chic.” I’m a T-shirt and jeans kind of gal.
How did this piece fit into your style?
The back on this piece is beautiful and great for those
days when you feel like being feminine and showing skin.
It can be paired with so many different bottoms to create
several very different looks.
CHRISTINA
MOHIT
16 ragged // raggedmag.com
What is your experience with Warped Tour?
I went to Warped Tour back in 2001 in Calgary, Alberta. I
was 13 and very into the skate/punk/rock culture. But if
we are being completely honest, I was mostly there for
the boys! It was one of the only American festivals touring
Canada at the time with big name headliners. That year it
happened to be Weezer, which was amazing. We traveled
three hours from Edmonton just to get there—well worth
the experience.
Christina works at the swanky, hip, late-night beauty
spa NiteSpa as a manicurist to the stars and locals of
Venice, California.
4WHOSE STYLE MAKES THE GRADE?
DIFFERENT WAYS
TAYLOR
TESTA
CHRISTINA
TAYLOR
MARIKO
ILYSE
How do you make a living?
I work in the A&R department of Epic Records.
How would you describe
style?
“Eclectic with a rock-and-roll edge.”
your
How did this piece fit into your
style?
I wear a lot of black, so it’s nice to have something
colorful in my outfit. Plus who doesn’t love a
good animal print?
What is your experience with
Warped Tour?
Warped Tour was my first internship ever! I went
on tour the summer before I started college and
it has been one of the most valuable experiences
of my career. Taylor is a recent graduate of the music industry
program at USC. She currently works in the A&R
department at Epic Records (EpicRecords.com)
and lives in Downtown Los Angeles.
FASHION
4-WARD
How do you make a living? How do you make a living?
I’m a freelance production coordinator for festivals
and window displays. How would you describe your style?
MARIKO
JONES
“Cool-lazy.” I wear shorts year-round and I love
thin, solid color T-shirts with no logos on them. My
signature piece is a cardigan; I always wear a cardigan. How did this piece fit into your style?
It’s a fun color for summer and I can throw on a longsleeved shirt or cardigan—perfect to wear during an
outdoor festival!
What is your experience with Warped Tour?
I work for Goldenvoice—one of the promoters of the
festival—and I assist the production manager. I’ve
been working on Warped Tour for many years, from
box office to production coordinating.
How would you describe your style?
It’s been described as “hippie-gothic-chic”...so I’ll
go with that.
How did this piece fit into your style?
It’s a top that’s very easy to mix and match. I love
that you can throw a simple vest over it to give it
a little edge, or just wear it with jeans.
What is your experience with Warped
Tour?
My first Warped Tour was in Boston when I was
14, and I attended them sporadically until I moved
for college. I also worked certain booths on site
during the summers.
Ilyse currently writes for a number of freelance
publications focusing on entertainment and music,
including Variety. In her spare time, she contributes to
an artist’s collective that produces fashion, jewelry,
multimedia art designs, and music.
Nic ray
Mariko currently works as a freelance production
coordinator for a luxury fashion brand company, as well as
one of the country’s largest concert promoters. When she’s
not working, she’s sending emails to friends promoting art
openings, film screenings, music programs and lectures.
ILYSE
KAPLAN
I am a freelance writer, marketer and I book bands
for performances around Los Angeles. I have
also recently started putting on benefit shows. In
May we held a successful concert and raffle with
100% of the profits going towards relief efforts
in Japan.
18 ragged // raggedmag.com
Nothing
But Fun
24/7/52/∞
By Colin Stutz
Photos by Ben Watts
20 ragged // raggedmag.com
“It’s fun to have fun,” says Nat Motte, half of the
electro-hop duo 3OH!3, explaining the ethos behind his band’s
performances. It’s a simple, obvious statement but still stands
out as an ultimate truism amidst the infectious party anthems
and inspired live shows for which the band has become known.
“Listen,” continues Motte’s partner-in-rhyme, Sean
Foreman, “we’re not über-cool, we’re just like anyone out
there. It’s OK to jump around. I’m no Usher; I can’t moonwalk
across the stage, but I’m having fun. I’m putting my energy out
and going crazy, so it’s OK for you, too. You don’t have to sit
there and be worried that you’ll look like an idiot. We’re all in
this together and we’re all having a good time.”
For the last four years, that attitude of assurance has
helped put 3OH!3 fans’ insecurities at ease while throwing
their bodies into frenzies. This summer, the boys from Boulder,
Colorado, will join Warped Tour for a month to bring the party
to parks and parking lots across the States, while releasing an
EP of new material to satiate fans’ thirst for new bangers. It’s
the fifth time in as many years 3OH!3 has gotten involved with
the touring festival (twice prior for summer-long stints, twice
for one-off dates), and Ragged caught up with the wild
children before they packed their bags—to pick their brains
and explore the evolution of the band’s onstage raucous.
raggedmag.com // ragged 21
How has your show evolved from those
early days?
Nat Motte: They were pretty crazy. We kind of
just tried to break down that barrier between artist
and fan, so our shows were kind of an inclusive,
all-out crazy party. And it worked in that sense—
that’s what they were and that’s what they still are.
We’ve evolved a lot musically and our live shows
incorporate a lot more elements, but we still keep
that sense of just trying to have a good time, have a
party and put a smile on everyone’s face.
You’re mostly using synthesizers on the
record. How has your live band developed?
Sean Foreman: We started out with a few DJs.
Actually, our first show was with an iPod. We
thought it was a funny idea to use an iPod Shuffle
so we would never know which song was going
to come up next and just kind of let it go. As we
grew, we didn’t want to have the same show over
and over, so we were like, “OK, let’s develop it.”
We had some buddies play with us on Warped
Tour, a bunch of people we met in the other bands
expressed interest, like, “Hey, man, I’d love to
play on this song,” so we just sort of put a ring
up there and let people switch in and out. It was
so fun, like a family, and after a while we decided
it sounded good. We got a couple of our friends
from Colorado to tour with us and now we have
keys, guitar, bass and drums.
3OH!3
22 ragged
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raggedmag.com
Photographed
in Los
ALL CLOTHES by American Rag
raggedmag.com // ragged 23
24 ragged // raggedmag.com
raggedmag.com // ragged 25
As your audience has grown over the years, has your didn’t really know what to expect, but it was awesome. The
onstage confidence developed, too?
next year, we went from playing in front of 400 to 500 people
at home to showing up in states we’d never been to and playing
Motte: We’ve sort of always had a shield to hide behind where for a few thousand people. It was huge and then we did all of
we’re not trying to project ourselves as cool or put forth too 2009 on the Warped main stage.
much nonsense. Physically, those first shows were crazy. I
remember afterwards we would just go straight home, almost How is the Warped Tour audience different from your
too tired to even drive. We’ve learned to capture that energy standard shows?
and keep it going over months and years of touring.
Foreman: One element that casts Warped Tour fans away
Foreman: Yeah, playing a big show is a different game. In a lot from the rest is they’re willing to come out in 100-degree
of ways, you’ve got to perform a bit larger-than-life, and it’s weather, bear the elements all day, listen to music and go crazy
not as personable. But at the same time, you try to see the faces in the mosh pits—just have fun and let loose. I think we really
up front and make it like a smaller show.
appreciate Warped Tour fans because it’s so much energy and
our live show relies completely on energy, so if the fans are
Five years involved with Warped Tour. What has that going crazy it pushes us further. It’s like a really good boot
meant for 3OH!3?
camp for any artist to play Warped Tour because you develop
your live show. If you don’t have a good live show, I think it’s
Motte: It’s been huge for our band. It’s where we started our pretty apparent at Warped Tour because that’s what people
touring career. We played this one show in Denver in 2007 and expect. R
WE , VE EVOLVED A LOT MUSICALLY, BUT WE
STILL KEEP THAT SENSE OF JUST TRYING TO
HAVE A GOOD TIME, HAVE A PARTY AND PUT
,,
,
A SMILE ON EVERYONE’S FACE.
NAT MOTTE
,,
Attack
Attack!
Ready, Aim, Fire
By Daniel Kohn
Photos by Chase Clymer
Attack Attack!
Photographed in Columbus, Ohio
all 28
Clothes
by American
Rag
ragged
// raggedmag.com
raggedmag.com // ragged 29
Normally, inclusion on Warped Tour
signifies that a band is on the cusp. But
ascending to mid-afternoon performer on the
main stage? Now that’s progress. And Ohiobased Attack Attack! has done exactly that in
just a few years’ time. After paying its dues on
the festival’s smaller stages, this year the band
sees its hard work come to fruition.
“We’ve gone out the past few years and have
had a great time and did really well,” drummer
Andrew Wetzel remarks. “So [Warped] asked
us to come back again this year and be on the
main stage with some of the biggest bands on
the tour.”
This summer, Attack Attack! will join
acts on the main stage like 3OH!3, Against
Me! and Gym Class Heroes. In the past, bands
such as My Chemical Romance, Anberlin,
Motion City Soundtrack and Avenged
Sevenfold have achieved widespread success
after playing the Warped main stage, a fact
that isn’t lost on Wetzel.
30 ragged // raggedmag.com
“It’s very exciting, and we’ve got a lot of
stuff lined up and we’re not going to be wasting
this great opportunity. We want to make it,
like so many of the bands that have before. It’s
always great to play on the Warped Tour, but to
be on the main stage—that’s something else.”
Since its formation in 2005, Attack Attack!
has gone through more members than Spinal
Tap did drummers.Wetzel and guitarist Andrew
Whiting are all that remain from the original
ensemble, but that hasn’t changed the band’s
outlook or musical style. In fact, it has enhanced
and allowed for their brand of metalcore-meetselectronica to evolve and become popular with
a wider reach to audiences across the country.
“[Electronica] was more of a novelty item,”
Wetzel says. “But it’s not very exciting or
versatile, so we’re pushing on, trying to bring
rock and dance music together.”
These stylistic changes can be heard on
their new material. Recently, the band recorded
some tracks with producer John Horton for
raggedmag.com // ragged 31
their next album. However, they will first be
re-releasing their self-titled sophomore effort,
which came out last June and peaked at Number
26 on the Billboard 200. There will be added
bonuses culled from these sessions, including
four new studio tracks, two electronic remixes
and two acoustic songs.
“It was great to go back and take a look at the
album again,” Wetzel says. “We went out to L.A.
to work on a couple of new songs—that’s what
we put on here.”
And what about the role of electronic music
in the band’s sound? “It’s a win-win situation
because electronic music is real easy and you can
release it whenever you want,” he explains. “It
started off playing a limited role in our band, and
over the years it progressed and branched out
and intertwined more with what we’re doing.”
As much as the band enjoys the freedom of
the studio, nothing beats a live performance.
“We’re very active onstage, jumping around
32 ragged // raggedmag.com
and all that stuff,” Wetzel explains. “We love to
interact with the crowd, whether it’s to joke
or talk, it’s all about having fun and getting the
crowd’s energy up as well—which we feed off.”
Plus, Warped Tour will provide the band
with something they never had the chance to use
before: an epic stage. “The stage is huge so it’s
going to be great to have production perks,” he
says glowingly. “There’s so many ideas percolating
in our minds and it’s really liberating to play on a
huge stage and, most importantly, it’s really fun!”
With a main stage appearance comes a lot of
responsibility, so what is Attack Attack! looking
forward to most?
“Definitely meeting new people.We’ll be able
to meet a lot of our fans at the tent and all kinds
of people you’d never come across. Also, since it
has a community feel to it, we can’t wait to meet
other people on the tour. And hopefully we can
get them to like our group, make new friendships
and get them to fall in love with us.” R
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MelodiC
Youth
By Clare R. Lopez
Photos by luke babCoCk
Birthdays usually include some combination of
family, friends and festivities. With his parents
cooking up a special meal and his band coming over
later that evening, Stephen Jerzak’s 19th birthday
was almost no different. “I was actually in the studio
last night until three in the morning, so I spent
my first birthday hours there,” says Jerzak of the
day’s start. Even though his latest album, Miles
and Miles, is all squared away, he plans to release
three free tracks—the first is called “Heart”—to
tide his fans over before the album drops later this
year. This summer, Jerzak will also go from being
a concertgoer to a first-time performer on the
2011 Warped Tour. From his home in La Crosse,
Wisconsin, Jerzak chatted with Ragged about
the foundation for his musical pursuits, the upside
of being a young musician and the clothes he could
never tour without.
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Stephen Jerzak
Photographed in La Crosse, Wisconsin
all Clothes by American Rag
raggedmag.com // ragged 35
While you were growing up, your dad had a
studio in the house. How did that establish
your interest in music?
because they also have an ear I’ve never been around.
All the sounds are really cool, and the ideas we had
were basically acoustic with the electronic flourish.
Stephen Jerzak: Ever since I was a kid, there
would always be guitars and stuff hanging on the
wall. When I was 12, I tried it for the first time
and found that it was what I wanted to do. I taught
myself how to play drums and guitar. Then, my
friends and I started a band and we couldn’t find
a singer…so I tried singing, too. Ever since then,
I’ve been singing as well. So it kind of happened
on its own.
In terms of making music, what do you
think are the advantages of being such a
young musician?
Considering how your previous album, My
Uke Has a Crush OnYou, favored the ukulele
and electronic flourishes, what ideas did
you have that you wanted to put into action
as you made Miles and Miles?
Definitely being able to be really creative and do
whatever you want. I’ve done raps in a song, crazy
melodic singing, really bad singing [laughs], and
it’s like I can pretty much do anything. It’s cool to
be able to do that. You look at other artists and all
their music pretty much sounds the same.
What’s the one item of clothing you can’t
be without on tour?
I bring a lot of clothes. I’m kind of a fashion
junkie, so I have a big suitcase. As plain as it is, I
Every single day, I had new ideas, like, “What can’t be without my black tees because that’s my
could this song have? What could that song have?” immediate, go-to shirt.When you don’t really feel
It was cool to be able to go in to work with the like getting ready, just toss on a black tee. Black
producers—talk and be able to mess around with goes with everything…unless you have brown
all the instruments; just to work together with them pants, but I never have brown pants [laughs]. R
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4 female skaters PICK THEIR
The sun’s up, school’s out…and why let the boys have all the fun? We asked four girls
who know a little something about how to shred concrete to give us a soundbite of the
soundtrack for their perfect summer.
ABISHA
ALSHEBAIKI
L.A. pro skater and aspiring actress
Abisha Alshebaiki connects with her
craft through music. “When I’m trying
to go for a gnarly trick, I just put on
some tunes, vibe out, get hyped and
land it. Music is a beautiful thing.”
Whether she’s on a board or off, we
like her clean and crisp approach to
style. “I like fresh V-neck tees, fresh
jeans and fresh shoes,” she says of
her favorite clothes. Her signature
pieces when she’s not skating:
fedoras, leather jackets and skinny
jeans. Now that’s class with an edge.
My Playlist
“When I’m Gone”
Wiz Khalifa
“Dynasty
(Dada Life remix)”
Kaskade (feat. Haley)
“Did It On ’Em”
Nicki Minaj
“Till the World Ends
(Jump Smokers remix)”
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BRYCE PAGTER
Britney Spears
FAVORITE S U M M E R PLAYLISTS
LETICIA
BUFONI
Leticia began skating the streets of
her hometown in São Paulo, Brazil, at
just 10 years old with some of the guys
in her neighborhood. With a little help
from her friends and encouragement
from her family, she moved to California
to pursue a career in skating. “My father
didn’t like the idea of me skating at first.
It was my grandmother who bought me
my first board!” she explains. “My dream
is to keep skating until I can’t anymore.”
Her signature fashion piece, a headband,
matches her musical tastes right on—
very Axl Rose.
My Playlist
“Blitzkreig Bop”
Ramones
“T.N.T.”
AC/DC
“Mulher de Fases”
Raimundos
“Welcome to the Jungle”
Guns N’ Roses
ANA PAULA NEGRÃO
PLAY IT
AGAIN
raggedmag.com // ragged 39
PLAY IT
AGAIN
My Playlist
My Playlist
The legendary Cove Skatepark in
Santa Monica, California, is where
it all started for Lizzie Armanto.
“Music and skateboarding go hand-inhand: When you’re at the skate park,
someone usually brings a stereo and
their iPod, and some people can’t skate
without music.” Lizzie’s not afraid to
get scrappy, but when it comes to her
style, she says, “I’m definitely a jeans
and a T-shirt kind of girl, but I can
clean up nicely. Skateboarding hasn’t
scraped or scarred me up too bad.”
From the rubble to the Ritz, anyone?
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“E.T.”
Katy Perry
“Signal in the Sky
(Let’s Go)”
The Apples in Stereo
“On the Motorway”
Metronomy
“From the Ritz to
the Rubble”
Arctic Monkeys
RUSS SAKURAI
LIZZIE
ARMANTO
Half Moon Bay in Northern California
is known for its misty air, amazing
views and—of course—surfing. Now,
Amy Caron is making the sleepy town
known for hatching a female skater.
Currently living and skating in Los
Angeles, Amy always has her skate
shoes on her at all times because, as
she says, “you never know when you
might find a lil’ spot and get a cute lil’
session on.” Jean jackets with lots of
pockets are essential to her style—a
place to stash your belongings while
in constant motion is a must. Also,
“always fitted jeans—with jeans, if
you can’t see the shape of your legs,
you might as well be wearing a long
skirt or something.” Functional, and
fashionable.
Q Lazzarus
“Blasphemous Rumors”
Depeche Mode
“A Certain Person”
Light Asylum
“Running Up That Hill”
(Kate Bush cover)
Chromatics
MEGHAN McGUIRE
AMY
CARON
“Goodbye Horses”
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Eyes Set to Kill
Seize the Day
Eyes Set to Kill are focused on the here and now. Although last year’s Broken Frames was
their final contractual release with BreakSilence Recordings, the Tempe, Arizona, quartet
are using this moment of freedom to put out an EP entirely on their own. Aiming to show
fans where they stand as a band today, the group—made up of sisters Alexia and Anissa
Rodriguez, Caleb Clifton and Cisko Miranda—plan on a summer release for the upcoming
EP, anotherWarped Tour run and a few tour dates in Southeast Asia. As they prepared for a
day in the studio, the Rodriguez sisters talked to RAGGED about being siblings as well as
bandmates and the past tracks they decided to refashion for the present.
How does the sibling dynamic play out within the band?
Anissa: I think it’s really awesome to have Alexia in the band. We’ve
known each other our whole lives, so if Alexia’s having problems or
she’s sad about something, I know how to make her feel better or vice
versa.
Alexia: It’s like having your lifelong best friend in a band.
Anissa: It makes being on tour easier and it makes life easier.
What made you want to release an EP yourselves?
Anissa: I guess just [knowing] that we can. I hear so many bands
complain about it; so much is taken out of their pockets from
having a label do everything for them. I’ve even had people tell us,
“You guys should take advantage of the place you’re in.” So that’s
what we’re doing. We don’t want to wait to get signed because
Alexia’s been writing these songs for a while. We want to finally
get them out to the people, so they can hear our new music with
our current lineup.
Alexia and Anissa Rodriguez
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of Eyes42
Setragged
to Kill
Photographed in Los Angeles
All clothes by American Rag
By Clare R. Lopez
Photo by Andrea LaBarge Mills
Why did you rewrite “This
Love You Breathe” and
“Pure White Lace” for the
EP?
Alexia: We’ve played those songs
in the U.S. for a bunch of tours, but
we never played them overseas.
People were asking about them
and we don’t play them anymore.
So we thought it would be a cool
thing to share with our fans.When
we’re trying to decide something, we always like to think, “If one of my
favorite bands did this, would I like that? How would I feel about that?”
You did your first-ever headlining European tour in April.
How did the fans receive you?
Anissa: It was really surreal, especially because you don’t know what to
expect. When you go there, you don’t know if a bunch of kids are going
to come out or no one’s going to come out…and we get there and a
bunch of our shows are sold out. It’s really exciting; it’s a good feeling.
Since you played Warped Tour last year, what are you most
looking forward to about doing it again this year?
Alexia: Just playing to a bunch of kids again.
Anissa: And playing our new songs for the same people; because
we haven’t played those for a lot of people yet, only overseas. We’re
excited to show everyone our two new songs [“Where I Want to Be”
and “Harsh”] and see if they like them. R
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When RAGGED spoke with Go Radio frontman Jason
Lancaster last year, his old, beat-up cell phone had
broken and he was in dire need of a new device. Now, a
year later, the singer can’t get enough of his iPhone and
highly addictive apps like Angry Birds and Call of Duty.
It’s not just a technological upgrade, it’s a symbolic
correlation to connectivity and the growing success his
band has experienced in the past year.
Since February, Go Radio has had a relentless touring
schedule, culminating in the band’s first headlining tour,
which proved to be an overwhelming success.
“It’s amazing to see kids come out to the shows,
sing all the songs and are here just to see us—it’s a
tremendous feeling,” Lancaster explains before the
band’s gig in Oklahoma City.
Over the past year, the Tallahassee-based outfit
completed and released its acclaimed first LP, Lucky
Street, in March on Fearless Records, which peaked at
Number 73 on the Billboard 200.
“It’s been an incredible year,” Lancaster remarks. “We
got really, really lucky with our producer, Tim O’Heir
[who has also worked with The All-American Rejects
and Say Anything], and he brought out the best sound
that we could possibly make. The fans seem to love it and
are really supporting the new record.”
If this wasn’t enough for the quartet, it is set to head
out on its first Warped Tour in late June. For Lancaster, this
symbolizes how the band’s fortunes are on the rise.
“Right now, we’re watching the ball roll and it’s
amazing,” he says.
The band’s scheduled 48-minute set should give
fans, both new and old, a pretty clear understanding of
what the band’s about, which, according to Lancaster, is
just fine. “The way the set is organized, we’re basically
saying, ‘Here we are and we’re Go Radio,’ and we really
hope that everyone likes it, but if they don’t, then maybe
we’re not for them,” he reasons. “We’re playing a longer
set on Warped, but it’s pretty much the same set, keeping
the energy up and having a good time.”
Go Radio will be playing on the Warped Tour’s
Glamour Kills stage (one of the largest of the mid-sized
stages), a great opportunity for where the band is at in its
career. It may not be the main stage, but it will give the
band wide exposure to the summer festival’s enormous
crowds.
To say the band is excited wouldn’t do it justice.
“It’s scary, but it’s exciting at the same time,”
Lancaster confesses. “Warped Tour is where you put
your dues in and earn your stripes. When you go out
and make it through Warped Tour, you get to the next
level. Plus we’re going to be out playing on tour all
summer, how could you possibly complain about such
a great thing?”
Easy:You can’t. R
Tuning Through the Static
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By Daniel Kohn
Photo by Brook Pifer
Go Radio
Photographed in Tallahassee, FLorida
All clothes by American Rag
raggedmag.com // ragged 45
Attack
Attack!
Ready, Aim, Fire