Daniel Trakell Interview

Haast Hunter Interview

Pippa Scott ‘Valerie’ Premiere

Louwop ‘Ghosts’ Premiere

Tess Anderson ‘Self Control’ Premiere

Cookin’ On 3 Burners Interview

DANIEL TRAKELL captivates on new release ‘INTO THE BLUE’ Upcoming sophomore album...

AMY WINEHOUSE EXHIBITION COMING TO AUSTRALIA

HAAST HUNTER | NEW ZEALAND BASED ROCKERS RELEASE EXPLOSIVE NEW SINGLE ‘SUNSHINE’

Jon McCann ‘Too Far From Here’ Premiere

Monthly Archives

April 2017

Music Interviews

Arja Wawo-Runtu | Deep Sea Explorers

by the partae
written by the partae

How did you start in music?

I started getting interested in music at a very young age. There has always been a draw to it for me, but it wasn’t until I was a teenager when I decided to take it seriously. I was very fortunate at that time to stumble into an extensive collection of classic records from the likes of David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Velvet Underground, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The Beatles and all the rock & roll giants, the list is almost endless. Didn’t take long before I became obsessed, figuring out my favorite musicians influences and finding out who they’ve influenced. I decided to go all the way, like Charles Bukowski said “If you are going to try, go all the way. Otherwise, don’t even start.”, and so I did.

I started as a band manager for a high school band, learning about how bands work, it didn’t take me long to start my first band, I was going back and forth Jogja, Jakarta and Bali at that time learning how to play music. The first band in Jakarta became a learning experience; we cut a few singles that opened up to other opportunities. I disbanded the group in 2010 due to personal reasons and started Deep Sea Explorers in 2012. We went to cut our EP that won the national Independent Cutting Edge Music Award (ICEMA) and the 2016 Hard Rock national battle of the band. We are currently in progress of recording our debut concept album, due to be released sometime this year.

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Please give an example of your music writing process?

Music writing is at times a delicate process, sometimes it feels like I am tuning in to a subconscious radio station. It can be difficult when you are not tuning into the right mind. But when the time is right, things can come naturally. Although I have to say that I am more of a songwriter than a guitar player, meaning I can play simple progressions and write lyrics for the songs. From there I take the song to the group for suggestions, second opinions and elaborate on how I feel about the song direction, from there the group can work on the music in its entirety.

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How did you start in music and art direction and what does this role involve? What are the most memorable projects have you worked on?

I started in music and art direction by default, I grew up in a family that is surrounded by art, my grandfather was a photographer and all around art entrepreneur, my grandmother was a painter and a designer, my father is a self-taught architect and an antique collector. So it was pretty natural for me to take this direction growing up. I am currently working in Hank’s Pizza and Liquor as an Art & Music director, my role is to curate for DJs, Musicians, artists, photographers and so on. Other than that I throw independent art exhibitions under Cross Collaboration, a pop-up gallery event that I started recently, I also organize live music and dj events for fun. The most memorable projects I’ve done this year was between this collaborative electronic psychedelic band called Grandfather Medicine and my last pop up exhibition at Square One, Sanur.

Grandfather Medicine was a music project started by Andriesh Gandrabur, an electronic music producer from a label called Gamelan Records in Moscow. We had 10 musicians playing live instrumentations of electronic music and a group of Traditional Gamelan players collaborating for a few songs; it was a really great experience.

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You’re the lead vocalist for Bali, Indonesian band Deep Sea Explorers, how did the band start? 

Deep Sea Explorers started in August 2012, the group started when I was contacted by Hendro who once filled in as a bass player in my previous band project. He asked me if I’m interested in starting a new project with him. He introduced me to our drummer Palel and our guitarist Momo. Since then we’ve been very good friends, playing in various places around the island and touring other parts of Indonesia to promote our work when we have the chance.

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What are you working on right now?

I am currently working on several projects. Including the Deep Sea Explorers debut album. Other than that I’ve been working as an independent art curator and event organizer for Cross Collaboration; a pop-up art event for the young emerging artists in Bali.

I’ve also taken up a position as the music and art director for Hanks Pizza & Liquor in Seminyak, managing events for live performers, djs, artists and photographers. On top this I’ve also been very motivated to start my own independent movement, finding whatever ways I could help to raise fund for various humanitarian and environmental causes across the island. What else? I make art and do some freelance graphic design for art and music events.

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What is your gear setup?

Boss VE 20 Vocal effects, Shure SM 47 and 48, a simple and practical effect for equalization and precise reverb or delay.

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What do you like to do outside of music and does it affect your music?

I like to do art, graphic design, organize exhibitions, study films, photography, architecture, interior design and most things that relates to creativity. It keeps me busy, happy and inspired.

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How would you describe your music genre?

So far I don’t think I will be limiting my music to a certain genre, although there are certain characteristics of music that my group is greatly affected and inspired by individually. We are pretty open to play around with our musical direction as we grow. For our debut album, we took a turn to make a concept album that is inspired by Blues Rock, Surf Rock, Grunge, Psychedelic Rock, Punk Rock and a little bit of this and that.

arja9

Do you know any music theory?

I find myself more of a subconscious theorizer. I did start playing guitar by learning classical, but it didn’t last very long. My girlfriend was a classical violin student, so she’s been helping me by teaching me this and that. Palel and Hendro, my band mates are currently studying music in The Art Institute of Indonesia, so they’re way better at music theory than I am.

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What are your plans for the future?

My plan is just to continue doing what I love doing, work hard and see where it takes me. I want to gain more experience playing music and travel the world.

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What are you listening to at the moment?

I listen to so many things, as I don’t limit my musical taste to a particular genre. If it’s good, it’s good. Recently I’ve been digging Dorothy Ashby, Sun Ra, Francis Bebey, Fela Kuti, a little bit of Hip hop, Post Punk and Classical at home. When I do go out I like to listen to a lot of my friends DJ, Archie, Trigan Young, Dr. Kessler, Doctor Yez, Seabass, Kai, Dubwill, Syviov, Sylvie Foret, Mistral, Kasimyn, Los Brengos and a lot of other talented DJs picking songs for me.

Side note: This Frankfurt producer DJ ATA and Rico Loop played a killer set for the closing set of Air Festival this year.

arja12

Who are your top 5 influences and icons?

There are too many to list into five, but if I have to say, it would be David Bowie, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Peggy Guggenheim and my grandfather Wija Waworuntu.

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When are you playing next?

Deus Ex Machina on Sunday the 30th of April and Old Man’s Friday, May 5th, the rest of the dates will be announced in the Deep Sea Explorers Facebook and Instagram page.

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https://www.facebook.com/deepseaexplorersbali/

https://www.instagram.com/deepseaexplorers/

https://www.instagram.com/arja.dse/

https://www.instagram.com/cross.collab/

https://www.instagram.com/hankspizza/

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Music Interviews

High Sunn

by the partae
written by the partae

What is your name and role within the band? Justin Cheromiah (singer and guitarist)

high-sunn

How did you start? High Sunn first started when I received a Tascam 8 track recorder for my birthday. As soon as I got my hands on it, I started recording several ideas and unpolished riffs. When I finished my first listenable song, I was extremely proud of myself. The feeling was indescribable. This was a path I needed to follow. So, as time passed, I continued to create more compositions in my bedroom. Since 2014, I have been writing songs under the name, High Sunn. 

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Where are you based? High Sunn is based in San Francisco, (well South San Francisco/San Bruno).

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Please give an example of your music writing process?  What I usually do first is write a guitar riff. If I like it, I loop it on my 8 track or computer. Then I layer it with a second guitar. Sooner or later, a second guitar part comes into the picture. From there, I try to shape it and follow a verse-chorus-verse-chorus structure. Later, I add vocals. Once, this was completed, I would send it to my friend, Tristin, in San Diego. He would add drums and synths to it. Recently, I have been changing up the process since I have a full live band. They now get the demos, so we can practice for studio time opportunities.

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What are you working on right now? We are currently working on the next studio LP. Though we are giving it a some time, since the new studio ep is coming out soon via PNKSLM.

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What is your gear setup? Cream colored Fender Strat/Fender Mustang IV.

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What do you like to do outside of music and does it affect your music? Hmm. Well, I skate, play a lot of PC games like OSU and Counter strike, and I watch a ton of Anime. LOL. Surprisingly, all of these things give me fuel for song lyrics.

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How would you describe your music genre?  Well I would consider my music as Sad Pop or Emo Pop. Most of the times, High Sunn is labeled as Dream Pop or Indie though.

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Do you know any music theory? NOOOOO haha. But, my bassist does. Ask her lmao.

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What are your plans for the future? TOUR! TOUR! TOUR! We really want to travel the world with our music. It has been my dream to go to Singapore, Japan, and United Kingdom. Also, I plan to write and record more. Hopefully, I have enough fuel to do so.

highsunn12

How did you get into music? My father really shaped my path in music. He is the ones who introduced me to New Order, the Cure, Jesus and Mary Chain, and the Smiths. He is also my number one fan. My dad is the reason why High Sunn is what it is today. Also my mother of course haha.

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What are you listening to at the moment? The sound of my dehumidifier.

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Who are your top 5 influences and icons? My top 5 influences are Craft Spells, Foliage, Yukiko Okada, Beach Fossils, and Current Joys(Tele/visions).

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When are you playing next? April 29. We a playing a fundraiser show for KDVS. (DAVIS, CA).

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Feel free to share any other info:  I love all my doggos.

highsunn17

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Fashion & Culture

Yasmin Suteja

by the partae
written by the partae

How did you start in fashion photography, film, branding and art direction?

One thing led to the other. I studied film making at university in Sydney. Then moved to Bali and started getting photography work. I think a huge part of a photographer’s job is creative / art direction, so I developed these skills concurrently. Especially within the current digital landscape, where we are expected to create exciting, original content at a rate faster than ever before – photographers are more than just camera operators.

Branding was something I started thinking about in the process of developing my own ‘photography aesthetic’. I was building Culture Machine as a company throughout this whole process, and branding was something I was thinking about right from the beginning. I wanted to establish a place in the market – and it was important to develop the branding of the company itself in order to set the precedent for the kind of work I wanted to do, and the companies I wanted to work with.

culture

Please give an example of your photography and film making process?

Usually it starts with a client brief. They will send me some reference images, a location they want to use, or a ‘mood’ they want to set. I’ll put together a visual treatment based on those cues, and generally scout a location and do all the pre-production planning as well. Most of the time I’ll book Culture Machine talent as part of the package. I currently represent 5 models / social media influencers.

Once on set, the process is usually very instinctive. We’ll move from one location to another, and allow for natural moments. I usually have a pretty good idea of the type of shots I want to get. I’ll put together a mood board categorised into: pose, composition and lighting. I can refer back to this if I get stuck.

I am motivated by the natural light. So wherever I chose to shoot, or how I position the model, is generally dependent on what the light is doing at that time. I love ‘hair’ light’ and using a reflector to ‘fill’.

Filmmaking is a much longer process. I’ve only just got back into filmmaking recently. So my process is still developing.

yasmin2

What are you working on right now?

Right now, I’m working on a project funded by ABC and Screen Australia, under the Fresh Blood initiative. It’s a show called ‘Woes’ written by my brother Kai (@urmumsyadad). We’re working with a full production team on three episodes that will screen on iView. If we get to the next round, we’ll get a pilot!

yasmin3

What is your gear setup?

I shoot digi on my Canon 5D Mark III. I have 2 lenses. A 70-200mm and a 24-105mm.

I also have an analogue film camera. It’s an Olympus OM-1 that I purchased at Portobello Markets in London. It’s amazing! I sometimes attach a lomo flash to the hotshoe and shoot with flash fill. I usually shoot Vista 400 film (because the lab I go to gives me free rolls every time I process)

yasmin4

What do you like to do outside of photography and film and does it affect your work?

My favourite thing to do is meet friends for coffee and catch up. Usually involving a treat of some sort and maybe even some thrift shopping. I’m a real ‘people person’ and I love to hear people’s stories. I learn a lot from talking to people, and usually find inspiration for projects in these conversations.

I also love music. Specifically, RnB and Soul. My all-time favorites are Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill.

yasmin5

How would you describe your photography / film style?

I often get described as ‘urban’ and ‘edgy’. I think that’s because of my subject matter. I’m fortunate to work with close friends, who I get to shoot a lot of the time. So the imagery is usually quite candid and authentic, because of the relationship I have with them.

yasmin6

Do you know any photography and film making theory?

Yes, my sub major at University was film theory. I’m a big fan of Spanish cinema. My favourite director is Pedro Almodovar. I’m also fascinated by the Dogme 95 movement, and Lars Von Triers’ work – I’ve been particularly inspired by the documentary ‘The Five Obstructions’.

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What are your plans for the future?

My plan is to start developing a team of young creatives that will become the next generation of filmmakers, creative directors and photographers. I want Culture Machine to be the a creative agency that covers everything from pre through post production, at industry standard. Moving from fashion photography into music videos, TV and eventually feature films!

yasmin8

How did you get into fashion photography and film?

I’ve always been fascinated by film and photography, and started using cameras at a young age – documenting family holidays on our VHS handycam, to planning weekend fashion shoots with my school friends. Studying filmmaking at uni gave me an insight into how films are made – and I just knew that’s what I wanted to do!

yasmin9

What are you listening to at the moment?

Princess Nokia and Loyle Carner

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Who are your top 5 influences and icons?

Well it’s so varied – I’m influenced by a lot of people for a lot of different reasons. In photography, my first icon was David LaChapelle. I remember flicking through his book Heaven to Hell as an 8 year old – it was the coffee table book at my best friend’s house. I love the theatricality of his photographs. And the way he creates visual puns through symbolism.

I’m also influenced by filmmakers like Andrea Arnold, who have a documentary style approach to storytelling. I remember watching ‘Fish Tank’ at uni and thinking, “this is the kind of film I want to make one day”.

yasmin11

www.culturemachine.tv

http://instagram.com/yasminsuteja

http://instagram.com/culturemachine

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Music Interviews

DZ DEATHRAYS

by the partae
written by the partae

The words of Simon Ridley, the drummer for DZ Deathrays!

How did you start?

Shane and I had been friends since high school and we both moved to Brisbane to do university. Eventually we formed a 3 piece band but ended up losing our drummer so then I just started playing drums and we decided to keep it as a two piece because we couldn’t find anyone else who was as dedicated as we were (also were huge DFA1979 fans at the time who are a 2 piece).

dzdeathrays

Please give an example of your music writing process?

It’s changed a lot over the years, at the moment we do it all over email because we live in different cities. One of us will send a riff or drum beat idea to the other and we just keep adding things to it and cutting it up and rearranging it until it’s somewhat complete. Then once we compile a group of say 4 or 5 songs we get together in a jam room for a few days and try play them and see if they work or not.

dz1

What are you working on right now?

The finishing touches on our third album.

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What is your gear setup?

It’s starting to get a little extensive between all of us to list everything. However my touring rig is usually just a Yamaha maple or oak custom.

1 rack, 1 floor, 1 – 18″ Paiste dark energy crash, 1- 21″ Twenty Paiste crash/ride and some 14″ 2002 Paiste hats. Shane’s in the middle of configuring a new pedal board for himself and our session guitarist Lachy so who knows what he’ll end up with on there.

dz3

What do you like to do outside of music and does it affect your music?

Nothing really exciting: movies, drinking, does seeing bands count?

dz4

How would you describe your music genre?

I’d say it’s just Rock. I’m pretty over having to describe our sound in a three word niche style like ‘cyber-keytar-wave’, or ‘Hard-thrash-polka’.

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Do you know any music theory?

I’ve learnt some here and there over the years. I’ve got a diploma of audio engineering but it barely touched on musical theory.

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What are your plans for the future?

Put out album 3!! Hopefully it won’t bomb and then I won’t have to go find a real job for a few more years.

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How did you get into music?

In high school I had a group of friends who started playing guitar and in lunch breaks we’d go in and jam around on the schools shitty acoustic guitars.

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Then my friends started making bands to play at friend’s parties and it just kinda kept on going.

What are you listening to at the moment?

I always end up listening to Beck at the moment. Also a bit of M|O|O|N and occasionally some Sinatra. Also just listened to a band from Sydney called Rackett’s new ep. It’s pretty good.

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Who are your top 5 influencers and icons?

In no particular order – Beck and Trent Reznor (Both for their writing styles and also because they write/record/produce everything themselves), Jimmy Chamberlin (amazing drumming style), Lemmy (just all round legend, plus his book is fucking amazing) and finally probably Shane (it’s pretty hard not to be influenced by someone you hang out with all the time).

dz10

When are you playing next?

Next month at Big Pineapple fest on the Sunshine Coast.

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www.dzdeathrays.com

www.instagram.com/dzdeathrays

 

 

 

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Fashion & Culture

TERRY OWENS

by the partae
written by the partae

How did you start painting and what sparked your interest?

Well unfortunately I fell into art after a car accident took my skate career away. Friend at the time feel asleep at the wheel and well don’t need to get into the craziness of it but hospitalized a year and bed ridden at my parents’ house for another. So during the time of nothing I was always at the tattoo shop and because I would drink there booze and get tattooed for free. They kinda put me to work re working line work and such and I would hide Lil gems in them. Soon after I fell in love w the satisfaction of finishing a piece. Now the rest is history. Always craving my need to learn new products.

terry4

How did you get into Skateboarding and what inspired you to start?

Well the freedom alone of skating was enough for me. Also the friendships I would make during were amazing plus the trips of chaos and the adrenaline well it was supreme in my life. I had a rad family who pushed me into whatever I wanted to do.

What are you working on right now?

Well right now I just got commissioned to do a blown out oyster vagina for a client in Colorado. Lol. The things I get to create when it’s not from my creative side.

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What is your gear setup for skate and painting?

Well my house is literally turned into a studio. No t.v. No fancy couches. Just a work space w records and no distractions from a dull world filled with politics and religion. Just good ol productivity all in its full glory.

What do you like to do outside of painting and skateboarding and does it affect both?

Not really. I mean literally both of those are still heavily translated through what I do enjoy. But if I’m not creating or skating. I find most of the time to ride bikes through the beautiful city of New Orleans. Mess around w my dog Lula may boots. Chill w my girlfriend Devin and go to shows or just get drunk and enjoy the outside.

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How would you describe your art style?

I would best describe my art as. Dark art light heart

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We love your personal style, what inspires you to wear what you wear?

I love simple. Never loud. Black. White. And the shade of blue haha. Sad boy for life.

How would you describe your skate style?

Back when I was actually playing in the circuit I was very heavy went for anything and everything. No cares. Just wanted the fast rush of learning a new trick. Now I’m more lazy and steezy.

terry7

Do you know any art theory?

Honestly I know a lil bit of a lot. I never really payed attention to others in the art world except for my friends. I try to stick in my bounds so I’m not easily strayed away by what I am seeing. I mean I know surrealism very well hence Dali is one of my go to if I need inspiration or the renaissance era. I’m very simple until I start a piece then it gets intense haha.

What are your plans for the future?

Just to keep doing what I am doing and to stay true to myself and love all aspects of it. Most importantly keeping a roof over my head and my dog fed hahaha. Living day by day is my jam.

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What are you listening to at the moment?

Right now I have been listening to First Hate. Gents. George Clanton

Who are your top 5 influencers and icons?

Salvador Dali. Lilith. Mum and Dad. Clive barker

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When are you exhibiting next?

May 25th at Eiffel society

Where are you based? How is the art / skate scene in there?

I’m based out of New Orleans past 9 yrs. the art scene is very huge here. The skate scene here is amazing. The state of Louisiana and all that push wood is like a little family. Everyone knows everyone and are very accepting. Especially if you love skating alone.

Please let us know your thoughts on your local skate scene, where it started for you and where it is going.

Local scene is awesome. But I can say I am mostly in my studio now a days. Been hammering out some funnn.

3

Street or Vert? Where’s your favorite skate spot?

I love the street but I can say moving to Nola has made me appreciate vert. Spots here you definitely have to work for. I miss the hills and smooth concrete back in ca. But skating here in Nola is on another level.

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Do you have a favorite party venue?

I frequent a lot of venues here but my fav would be Gasa Gasa. It’s a more intimate vibe. I’m not much of a festival guy. I like to be able to meet and greet w the artists I’m seeing and sharing a glorious time w them. Hence why I only buy records at shows and make them sign outrageous things to me out of hate lol. Cause then I remember exactly when and where I got them at. Also have to say Jesse Lanza still to this day will not say a mean thing to me hahaha.

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We would love to know anything else that you feel like telling us.

I just love to stay in my creative world whether it be painting. Making trinkets. Bone works. Skating w the homies. Just playing outdoors. Hah or getting drunk and ranting about nonsense.

10

http://instagram.com/terryifernowens

http://terryifernowens.com

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Reno Pratma
Fashion & Culture

Reno Pratama

by the partae
written by the partae

How did you start playing music and what sparked your interest ? 

I listened to a bunch of Indonesian rock n roll music and It made me want to learn guitar. I started playing music when I was 7 and my Mum bought me my first guitar.

How did you get into Skateboarding and what inspired you to start ?

I watched a skate comp in 1998 and it inspired me so much to want to learn how to skate.

What are you working on right now ?

My second music album.

What is your gear setup for skate and music ?

For skate I use my pro model from beside skateboards Melbourne.

For music I use a Gibson guitar for electric, Martin and co for acoustic and Hohnor for harmonica.

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What do you like to do outside of music and does it affect your music and skating ?

I like to do expressionist painting on canvas and write poetry.

How would you describe your music genre ?

Folk, skate, blues.

We love your personal style, what inspires you to wear what you wear ?

I like to dress in what feels comfy.

How would you describe your skate style ?

Street.

Do you know any music theory ?

Nope, I just learn by doing. When I play music I just close my eyes and celebrate;))

reno3

What are your plans for the future ?

Represent Indonesia to the world.

What are you listening to at the moment ?

Alot with a bunch of different genre.

Who are your top 5 influences and icons ?

Bob Dylan

BB king

Paul Wailer

Basquiat

Jim Greco

When are you playing next ?

20th April at Q Garage

23rd April at Deus Ex machina

24th April at Strawhut

reno4

Your based in Bali, Indonesia, how is the music / skate scene in Bali ?

The music scene here is really huge with a lot of different genres and talented musicians. The skate scene here is growing and we have alot of different skateparks, its always fun to skate here.

Please let us know your thoughts on the local music scene in Bali, where it started for you and where it is going.

I started in a small rock n roll bar called ‘twice bar’ in Kuta jamming with all the local bands. Back then we didn’t have many places to jamm but now the scene is growing and there are lots of new bars.

Street or Vert ? Where’s your favorite skate spot ?

Street spot for sure but I enjoy playing vert or bowl. Why not:))

Do you have a favorite party venue ?

At the moment i really enjoy the new rock n roll bar called ‘Gimme shelter’

We would love to know anything else that you feel like telling us.

Yes this is my quote : lose yourself but don’t lose your mind, you can do what you wanna do as long as the freedom doesn’t kill you. Do what you wanna do. Peace and love! Bless.

https://www.instagram.com/renpratss/

Photography: Arseto Adiputra

 

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Music Interviews

THE BEVERLY CHILLS!

by the partae
written by the partae

THE BEVERLY CHILLS!

How did you start the band?

Twiggy – We were on holiday in Los Angeles, cruising through Beverly Hills with our friendly neighborhood police officer mate, Nick was in the backseat headbanging to ‘tallica and I was riding shotgun wearing a kilt. We were scoping out Beverly Hills signs saying how sick they were visually and then Nick popped his skull over my shoulder and said “Oi man, let’s start this band we’ve been talking about… Beverly Hills? More like The Beverly Chills” so we started the band, wrote a full length LP and got sick cassette tapes made. Fun fact, the first ever person to buy a TBC tape was Joel Madden. Thanks Joel, still waiting for your $20K investment mate.

Piss – The Second person to buy our tape was a 50+ year old full blown drug addict who was sharing a mansion with us in the Hollywood Hills. He came in to our room at 2 am on a Tuesday night to offer me “the best cleanest crack rock ever”.. I said “nah, it’s a bit late mate I’m already in bed”. I had a sheet up to my chin giggling cos he was standing above me in black jeans and no shirt like Glenn Danzig waving his swollen hands around. He over paid us and gave us 20 USD for a cassette. The money came from a disability pension because he has a bullet lodged in his head. Come to think of it we never even turned the light on. But yeah that’s about it, we wrote and recorded 12 songs in under 3 weeks and dropped it and people bought it. The laptop we recorded on was rented from a cop for $50 a week.

Please give an example of your music writing process?

Twiggy – I plug in, improvise some riffs and mumble in tongues until I hear a line of sound that I think has the capacity for a song. I’ll sit down, play and repeat until I’ve got at least a verse or chorus of riffs & melody, then I’ll work on it from there. I have archives of lyrical content so I dig through them until I find something fitting to the feel of the song I want to create. I see a little image in my head, it’s hard to explain, but I can match up lyrical content with a melody and build up from there. In my head I see a blank slate of concrete and I imagine myself to be a builder. My job is to create the best possible structure to house perfectly the shit I’m feeling at that point in time. Once I’ve got a rough idea I send it through to Nick, he either says it’s good or a piece of shit or he will say it needs changing here or here, he’ll make some refinements, touch it up and the song will bounce inbetween the two of us for a while until we feel it’s ready to be thrown at peoples heads.

Piss – Yeah basically we just play things to each other, mostly from the top of our heads, collaborate and hit record. Some of the time we have been in the same city and room together and other times we’ve had to send shit to each other over the net. We just wrote a collection of songs over the internet and Stix Zadinia from Steel Panther recorded the drums over in LA chilling with Dave Lombardo from Slayer. It’s all DIY.

What are you working on right now?

Twiggy – Ask our Manager cause if I say too much he’ll knock me out (his words)

Piss – We wrapped up our next release recently, I just remembered we haven’t even got a title for it yet, oopsy! We’re actually already working on newer songs. I sent Twiggy some ideas yesterday which are kinda Black Flag influenced and he got a stiffy! He is a disgusting pig!

What is your gear setup?

Twiggy – Hungarian vocal chords and a cool black guitar

Piss – Live we play the drums off an iPod we bought on Craigslist with the $20 we got from Glenn Danzig. Plus various black electric guitars and basses plugged straight in to the PA thru distortion pedals.

What do you like to do outside of music and does it affect your music?

Twiggy– I feel like Nick and I are introverts with extrovert qualities. We’re both Scorpios so we like to hide underneath rocks, wait until you lift it to take a squiz and BOOM fuckin stung ya!!! I enjoy browsing archives of 80’s and 90’s horror and dark art. I sometimes go to existential philosophy meet-ups. I do yoga with Ray Cappo from Youth Of Today and I workout 5 days a week, mostly jail style workouts but I incorporate weights or anything heavy I can find, depends where I am. I paint and edit clothing, mostly denim but sometimes Dad Nikes and items I find at thrift stores and recycle yards. My lifestyle out of music is fairly on the go, I stay on my feet most the time so I don’t get too comfortable or fall into a depression. Staying active definitely affects my music and writing in a good way but laying low gives me a moment to think and delve into my darker feelings a little more. I live in intervals of pure volume and pure silence. It feels good running around bein naughty, breaking some shit for a while and then taking a good minute to sit down and gather myself. I definitely feel like surrounding myself with fun people who are also creatives rubs off on me, we all motivate each other to keep doing whatever it is we’re doing. Someone give me $50 I’m ugly.

Piss – Full time whiskey connoisseur and heavy metal blaster. It probably has an effect on our music!

How would you describe your music genre?

Twiggy – It varies from manic punk filled with pure unrefined angst to beachy garage rock I’d say. What do you think Dad? Twiggy’s Dad: “Sounds like shit, go to fuckin bed” Twiggy: “Okay”

Piss – Manic garage punk

Do you know any music theory?

Twiggy– Yep… Do Not Fuk Mi Or Mi Gf Wi LL Ki LL U ,,|,

Piss– Only palm mutes, squealies and dive bombs

What are your plans for the future?

Twiggy– Kill Nick and change the band name to The Beverly Chill

Piss– O.D.

How did you get into music?

Twiggy– My dad held his fist up to me and said if I didn’t play solos like Eddie Van Halen he’d play my head like Vinnie Paul plays the drums.

Piss – Metallica and Nirvana.

What are you listening to at the moment?

Twiggy– Ho99o9, check them out or die.

Piss– Motorhead – “Hellraiser”

Who are your top 5 influences and icons?

Twiggy– GG Allin for his outstanding velvety vocal ability and elegant singing style. Stix Zadinia from Steel Panther has been a great friend and mentor over the years, he has always influenced me to do the best possible shit I can, so he’s definitely one person. Dune Rats have been good guys and mentors, Dunies always let me crash on their hotel floor when in need and they’ve helped pull me through some absoluuute Bullshit. Faith No More for their multi-influenced confident ever growing sound over the years. I’ve walked many a street with FNM pumping in my headphones. And at last I’d have to shoutout our good friend and hot Mom, Alice ‘Malice’ McMunn. She’s had a sick influence on my sobriety and overall character the past year or so, you’re a legend Malice!

Piss – I’ve just taken up bass after playing electric guitar since I was 12.. so RN it would be: Lemmy (RIP), DUFF, Nikki Sixx, Krist Novoselic & Peter Steele (RIP).

Your website, Instagram, any other links?

Instagram – @thebeverlychills

Merch store – thebeverlychills.bigcartel.com

Facebook – facebook.com/thebeverlychills

Photography: James J. Robinson.

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