Winnie Cooper » interview

The Magician and the Gates of Love

Sam — Wed, 23 May 2012 20:18:06 +0000

The Magician and the Gates of Love have an interesting back-story; so let me break it down for you.

Langley native Nathan Moes is the Magician and after releasing his debut EP in the fall of 2008 he garnered a pretty impressive local following. But he’s recently teamed up with The Gates of Love, also hailing from the Langley area, to create a live act that is unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.

Playing piano-driven pop songs reminiscent of the 1960’s, this musical collaboration creates a sonic atmosphere that will make you want to spoon your hunny for days. Seriously, it’s almost dangerous. So bring your favorite bb’s out to FIVESIXTY on Thursday, as the Magician and the Gates of Love will be playing with five other bands to support Breast Cancer. They’re on first (8:00 pm) so don’t be late. Tickets are $12 in advance and you can purchase them here.

Check out my interview with Nathan (aka the Magician) below.

Describe The Magician & the Gates of Love in five words or less

Harmony heavy classic-ish pop.

Describe the Beach Boys in five words or less.

Summertime pop for happy humans.

If your music were a type of car, what would it be?

Toyota Tercel. Reliable. Won’t blow you away, but it’ll get you there.

What was your biggest (musical) guilty pleasure growing up?

Steve Bell, Parish of Little Clifton, T.I.

If you could be any superhero in the world, what would you choose?

Wolverine. Regenerative powers to recover from any wound, live near forever.

What do you miss most about the 90’s?

Playing on high school sports teams, going to Vancouver Canadians games for Justin Meyer’s birthday parties, the Vancouver 86rs, Vancouver Grizzlies, and EA Sports NHL 92-93.

If I wanted to seduce a guy with a song from The Magician & the Gates of Love , which one should I choose?

Most songs run on themes of unrequited love, shame and regret…these are real dead ends for seduction. Your best bet is to bump the stereo off as you glide towards him.

How has teaming up with The Gates of Love affected your music?

We jam more, we cover songs more…Both of which are not features of bands that usually pique my interest, but when it’s you playing the instruments, it’s too much to resist. I get excited to play weddings and sing Sam Cooke, CCR, and James Brown songs.

What can we expect from your show on the 24 at FIVESIXTY?

A few new songs, hopefully. And generally, positivity. We play to have fun. But with a maximum one cover song.

posted by @clarkbs

Nardwuar x A$AP

hunk — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 19:09:55 +0000

Oh snap, @nardwuar’s SXSW interviews have begun coming through. Peep the first one. R u excite? Some WC material en route.

posted by @tristanorchard

Nardwuar x Henry Rollins

hunk — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 19:45:46 +0000

posted by @tristanorchard

Nardwuar vs. Ghostface & Kreayshawn

hunk — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:19:13 +0000

posted by @tristanorchard

Them Jeans x Felix Cartel

hunk — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 16:39:10 +0000

Felix Cartal by Themjeans on Mixcloud

Check out Them Jean podcast Tall Tales. During his recent trip to Vancouver he sat down for a bro down with local Felix Cartel.

Britney Spears – I Wanna Go (Felix Cartal Bootleg Remix)

Halloweens!

hunk — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 21:55:08 +0000

IT’s here, Winnie Cooper & Beatroute Magazine’s Halloween Extravaganza. Tickets are sold out but there are some at the door.

From Seattle. We’ve been stalking these guys for ages.

Beat Connection – In the Water

Beat Connection – Space Vacation

The Drums – Money (Beat Connection Remix)

Too High Crew “a 20 person Canadian Wu Tang” have a brand new EP out today. Check out a couple tracks and download the ep for free here. The club is about to get smokey.

Too High Crew – Alien Azz Pharm

Too High Crew – Hazy

++#1 WC broski, the Teen Dazes

Tycho - Hours (Teen Daze Remix)

Blood Diamonds dj set

Blood Diamonds – Lasting Love

We have a lil interview with Teen Daze and Too High…..

If someone were to dress up as you for Halloween, what would they look like? What would they sound like? What would they say? How would they act?

Teen Daze: Like Ryan Gosling meets Seth Cohen. They’d sound like the hit Halloween tune, “Werewolf Bar Mitzvah.” They’d say, “Gimme some candy, you old battle axe” and they wouldn’t take any guff from anyone.

Too High Crew: Bitch gon’ dress up like th’Crew? Best know’em on a first name rap game… you got a sweater? Who you kill for that? I’m'a find out where you live…

2. Is Halloween the best party holiday? Yes/No? Why?

Teen Daze: “Party holiday” is a myth created by Hallmark.

Too High Crew: Hundr’d p’cent – only time runnin’ way from those pigs be e’zzzy – masks n’shit, yo! Fo’sho!

3. Ultimate Halloween mixtape? 8 songs if you can think of that many.

Teen Daze:
1. The Locust – Live from the Russian Compound

2. Theme From “Cheers”, played at -100% the speed.
3. Godspeed You! Black Emporer – The Dead Flag Blues

4. A.A. Bondy – Skull and Bones
5. Balam Acab – Await
6. Slowdive – Machine Gun

7. Tracey Jordan – Werewolf Bar Mitzvah

8. Babe Rainbow – Shaved

Too High Crew:
Yo, Too High Crew got waaaayyy more then 8 songs…

posted by @tristanorchard

Nardwuar vs Tommy Chong

hunk — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 19:37:53 +0000

#Rare #based interview of @nardwuar vs Tommy Chong circa 93′.

Tommy tells the kids drugs are the way, discusses Rick James bi-sexual period and his after hours club in Vancouver.

posted by @tristanorchad

Nardwaur vs Kreashawn

hunk — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 02:47:45 +0000

posted by @tristanorchard

OH NO! YOKO! Pau Pau pt 2

hunk — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 20:10:58 +0000

We effed up and labelled Oh No Yoko’s new song incorrectly. argh. It was late (4am). I was last minute packing / leaving for Calgary / Sled Island. SORRY.

Here is a brand new song from Pau Pau, GO ALIEN (not Alien Womb, although that does have a nice ring to it) + an interview with the gents. Purchase / listen to Pau Pau here.

Oh No! Yoko – Go Alien

1)what do fans need to know about oh no yoko?

That we are touring this summer with Teen Daze to Edmonton and back starting July 1st (at the Cobalt)!

2) what inspired the name?
Liam was watching a documentary on John Lennon and she came up. Basically nothing.

3) yoko ono is a controversial figure in muisc history because she broke up a brotherhood. what kind of woman would it take to cause you guys to fight with each other?
We all had a crush on our friend’s mother when we were ten. We all slept in her suede bed. None of us ended up with her. Maybe her, she could do the trick.

3) how did you come together?
We met in kindergarden and showed each other our butt holes.

4) you guys are from Abby and do a lot of gigs in Vancouver. that can be quite a ride. what do you do to pass the time when you drive together?
We have like 3 mix cds that we made years ago and we just cycle between those. They consist of Don Henley and Punk Rock 101.

5) you guys have played with a lot of other local bands. which older band member from the scene do you admire and why?
You Say Party come from our town and we got to play a show with them before they split and now thankfully we are good friends with Stephen and Becky and they give great advice.

Nardz x Das Racist

hunk — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:01:37 +0000

Jonathan Caouette Interview

Karen — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 19:23:47 +0000

Watch the trailer for Jonathan Caouette’s new short film called “All Flowers In Time” and you might get a understanding of why I thought this director, writer and editor may have an interesting brain to pick. This short film is set to release at Sundance Film Festival. Turn your speakers up and your lights off.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBNbP9_XIhE[/youtube]
You may know Jonathan Caouette from his film work:
Tarnation (2003)
All Tomorrow’s Parties (2009)
All Flowers in Time (short) (2010)

::::::: SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW JONATHAN CAOUETTE ::::::

Where are you right now and how has your day been so far? “I am in my living room slash home office in post production for a new film with a crew of about 7 … It’s perfect timing to be doing this, because I can literally lock myself inside away from winter, which I am not too much a fan of.”

You grew up in Houston, Texas – can you tell us 3 things that you are fond of about Houston, Texas that you think those visiting should acknowledge? “Houston is one of those rare amazing places..When I grew up there it was fairly repressed and super bible-beltish in a lot of ways, so whenever people there wanted to think outside the belt and repression they did, and they did it in really amazing BIG ways..I am so glad I grew up in Houston, because it really makes you appreciate other major cities like NYC, where I have now lived for 13 years. Despite some of Houston’s quirks and flaws, I really like and miss the friendliness and open-ness of people. I miss cars culture a bit, and I miss cheap music and movie thirsting. Houston has an extraordinary art scene and coffee shop culture that I really miss and like. I had such an array of great friends down there. I think I might want to live there one month a year. There is no place like the nest you cam from sometimes, no matter where it was.”

What song have you most recently had in your head? “Outer Space by John Grant. He is this amazing singer-songwriter that I am going to see here in NYC this week.”

When I google “All Flowers In Time” I learned that there is a Jeff Buckley song with the same title. Tell me what that song has to do with the film, if anything at all? And where the name for your short came from? “Not a thing. I DO DO love Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser … and I love the song and yes I was inspired to use the same title, but they have nothing to do with each other. Just in the way that The Cure song ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ had nothing to do with the film titled Boys Don’t Cry.”

Who are the 2 current musicians that would be honored to make a music video for and do you have a song of theirs in mind you would like to direct the music video for? “What a great question! I would love to do a Arcade Fire video or Antony video anytime!”

How did you get Chloë Sevigny for the film? And how and where did you two meet? “I met Chloe at a film festival in Canada once, then at a club in downtown NYC and we exchanged info and were fans of each other and knew a lot of the same people and had similar music/film tastes. It was very comfortable. A year after I saw her at the club, I texted her about coming to my place to shoot the film. It was a one day shoot. We did the whole correspondence by text. She was a blast to work with. I adore her and would work with her again in a heartbeat.”

What is your favorite role Chloë Sevigny has played in a film other then your own?
“Lana in Boys Don’t Cry always gets me … she is one convincing southerner being she is from CT.”

Did you enjoy getting your picture taken as a child? “Yes, and sometimes as a teen too … but not as an adult.”

What was something that haunted you as a child, in your dreams or in real life?
“Going to see my Uncle Buddy who was dying from emphysema in a hospital and then wandering around the hospital and accidentally going into a morgue..When your a kid, your invisible and people always think that where there is a kid, an adult must be nearby etc..But I was a wanderer as a kid..always getting into strange places and situations..Although, I had a pretty tumultuous upbringing, at the same time, i wouldn’t have traded my childhood experiences for anything. I love facing all my fears full on.”

Were you scared by Paranormal Activity? If not what is a film that really freaked you out? “No. But, Dancer In The Dark freaks me out still … in all the good ways.”

I found it really unique that the film has a “chorus” to it where you repeat a message a few times.

What is a chorus of a song you love, that you think has a really strong and/or interesting message? “Fotzepolitic by Cocteau Twins.”

Cocteau Twins – ‘Fotzepolitic’

It’s the end of the year, so everyone starts to make their best of lists. What are your 3 favorite films that released in 2010? “Mind you I have not seen a lot of films this year, but …

Catfish
Trash Humpers
The Social Network

… those are the films.”

What was a song or image that someone recommended to you recently, that you now want to recommend to us? “Simon Scott’s 2009 album titled Navigare. Recommended to me by my friend Jared Hutchinson.”

Simon Scott – ‘Ashma’

If you want everyone who watches “All Flowers In Time” to walk away with one thing what might that be? “Feeling like they have a first hand POV of someone’s nightmare.”

Who is someone that you recommend we interview and get to know? “Laurie Anderson … she is internally fascinating to me.”

:::::::::::::: SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW, JONATHAN CAOUETTE :::::::::::::::::::::

Familiarize yourself with Jonathan’s work, by watching Tarnation and the documentary All Tomorrow’s Parties.

And if you haven’t had enough of these interviews, be sure you get the read on Alex of the band Lemonade, he had a lot to share.

Lemonade Interview

Karen — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 19:54:34 +0000

This is the juiciest interview with Alex Pasternak (drummer) of Lemonade. Lemonade is currently on tour with Delorean, bringing dance and good vibes to cities all over the world. Before Lemonade’s sold-out show in Los Angeles we got to know Alex Pasternak, 1/3 of Lemonade’s electronic-reggae-toned music-making trio.

Why might people think they know Lemonade?

“Lemonade has played a club in your town at some point and you can still feel the positive vibes.”

(Download this Delorean remix of Lemonade’s ‘Big Weekend’)

What are you wearing right now?

“I’m wearing khakis and a collar shirt that makes me look 3D … like the old blue and red glasses trick mixed with Magic Eye.”

What is something that you would find completely romantic and unique to connect with someone on?

“A shared love of the Mediterranean, ethno-musicology, tapas/small plates and MDMA.”

What do you think the best hours of the day are for someone to listen to Lemonade?

“During sunset over the sea and sunrise, if you are still awake.”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-3hN8P3JEw[/youtube]
What companies’ customer service situation frustrates you more then most?

“Whoa. This is deep. Probably any and every airlines’ CS department. I worked customer service at United Express in SF for THREE YEARS.”

(I went on to explain and bitch about how T-Mobile has been destroying my life this week and that is where this question arrived from.)

What is a hidden talent of one of your band members that is rarely revealed?

“I’m pretty sure Callan has ESP. And perhaps telekinesis as well.”

What is the average fan that you see at a Lemonade show like?

“Smiling, slightly bewildered, curious and full of bliss. Future.”

If you were a restaurant owner, what would you call your restaurant? Where would your restaurant be? And what would your restaurant be known for?

“I have been thinking about this for ten years. When I am too old to tour, I plan on opening a restaurant in San Francisco or Half Moon Bay, my home town. The food will be centered around basque Pintxos, which are like tapas but served on a small round slice of a baguette. Just as traditional pintos from the basque country utilize local seafood, meats and produce, mine will consist of locally sourced ingredients from the Bay area. For example, Lingcod, Cabezon and smelt fish instead of Bacalau and sardines. Or Chanterelle mushrooms found in oak groves rather than hongos and setas from the northern Spanish forests. I may call my restaurant Ekhi, after my friend that taught me about basque food, music and culture.”

Who is someone that you think the internet should know more about, for instance who should we interview?

“My little sister Anna. She is four years younger than me and has lead a pretty crazy life in the last few years. Dancing in a samba troupe in Brazil, running a non-profit in Panama City, teaching surf lessons in northern Spain. Her recent jobs make me (a touring musician) feel like I barely travel. She would be a great interview and she asks a lot of questions …”

What is something that is cute you have spotted recently on the internet?

“This isn’t cute as much as it is creepy. Enjoy.”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X0AamE1Bxs[/youtube]
What are your favorite life sounds?

“I love the sound of the rise and fall of the shore break and the deep breaths of someone sleeping next to you. Also, the strange muffled swish when inside the barrel of a wave. And the sound of birds in the morning, advising me it’s time to go to bed.”

What are your top 3 albums of 2010?

El Guincho – Pop Negro Beach House – Teen Dream Delorean – Subiza

“Though I mostly listened to dance/electronic singles and EPs. These may be the only albums I have heard from 2010.”

Delorean – ‘Real Love’

What can we expect from Lemonade in 2011?

“Big things. We are writing our first proper full length, then we will be all over the place on tour. Expect good feelings and dreams, huge sound, collaboration and plenty of fun.”

:::::::::::::::: SO, YOU THINK YOU KNOW LEMONADE :::::::::::::::::::

In case you missed last week’s So, You Think You Know Me interview, click here to get to know Chromeo.

Chromeo Interview

Karen — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 16:01:57 +0000

“You sound like you are in a bad mood, is everything okay?” That’s how this interview with David Macklovitch, one half of Chromeo kicked off. But, once we got that awkward start out of the way and I told David that I was just losing my voice, the conversation proceeded comfortable, casual and energetic as Chromeo’s lighthearted, feel-good funky music.

Get to know 1 half of the duo that makes up Chromeo-oooo-o!

So why might people know Chromeo?

“People who are having sex might have heard or listened to Chromeo.”

What is something the internet might not know about Patrick Gemayel, that you think we should know?

“Hmm. Where do you start? Hold on let me think of something funny. Aah, this is a good opportunity to tell you something good. Oh, okay I got it. P thinks that Celine Dion, is gorgeous. He really thinks she is a beautiful woman. He adores her. This is a true story. We used to work in Montreal, out of the studio she owned. One time when we were there, Celine walked in with her husband and son. Unfortunately for P, she only said hi to me.”

What is overrated right now? “Television.”

What is underrated?

“Hmmmm. Education is underrated. (I start to laugh about David getting political.) Not that I am trying to make this all serious, but a good education for all is very much underrated.”

Do you remember where and who your first slow dance was?

“Yeah. My first slow dance was an extended arm dance. It was 5th grade, back home in Montreal. The girl was really hot. Way out of my league. Everyone was wondering how I hooked it up. Sad, but true, she started going out with someone else a month after our dance.”

And what song was playing? “Patience by Guns Roses.”

What are some people and things that are just so “1980′s” to you?

“Prince. Ronald Reagan. I think about Eddie Murphy. Most importantly I think about videos. I think of the amazing videos that I watched as a kid, that really shaped my modern vision and taste. I was born in 1978. But, as a kid I was just listening to my parents records, but then I started to acquire my own taste as music videos came out. I think of innovation, such as the microwave or neon socks. I think of a lot of hip-hop, a lot of the most music of our generation. It was the greatest decade for me.”

Check out Chromeo’s music video for ‘Turn The Lights On’:
[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/13869078[/vimeo]
What celebrity appears to be a lovely date and a match for you?

“Let’s see. Monica Belucci.

Who else, since I think she is taken?

“What is that others girl name I like? Hmmm that British chick. Alexa Chung. She is alright. Is she single?”

Do you have a favorite word?

“Oh, good question, I can relate. My favorite word changes each week. I have a lot of favorite words. Right now it’s Philistine. I mean I know it’s been around, but this week I am bringing it back. Last week it was assuage which means to alleviate.”

You have a great vocabulary.

“People always use the same five words – sick, sweet, awesome rad and legit. Which is of course okay when describing Chromeo.”

What are you favorite life sounds?

“I like the sound of expensive car door shutting. It’s just the sound of expensive. I like that. I like the sound of a snaffle bottle opening. I got an espresso machine, I like the sound when the espresso is made. That’s a pretty good one. I like the sound when I am wearing a leather jacket, and everyone of my movements.”

If you had to choose a food to eat for an indefinite amount of time what would you choose?

“My mom’s cooking. All the Moroccan stuff she makes. My mom is Moroccan. If I can’t have that I want Pat’s moms cooking, she is excellent at Lebanese stuff and Italian.

2010 is wrapping up, so what are some of your favorite albums you would have on your best of 2010 list?

“Hands down, my favorite album of the year is Gonzales “Ivory Tower” produced by Boyz Noise. Then I would have to say Kanye West’s album, cause that’s going to be a good one. The Roots album “Wake Up!”. Oh, I am adding a fourth. The Scissor Sisters album. That was slept on, but really should have been paid attention.”

What Scissor Sisters song do you recommend? “Any Which Way.”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHv0jW4p_xA[/youtube]

(David goes hm and bum bum bum in between thoughts. It’s pretty cute and so relevant considering he makes music for a living and so his noises are entertaining when in conversation as well.)

What images come to mind when listening to “Business Casual”?
“White pants. Open shirts. And sunsets. Palm trees. Office romance gone wrong.

What track on “Business Casual” would you suggest I play if I want to set the mood?

“Don’t Walk Away is the sexiest song on the album.”

Lastly, who is an artist that you would like to interview to get to know?

“The Suzan all girl band. Signed to Fools Gold Label.”

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

You can catch Chromeo on tour for the next few months. So either you can get to know them by catching the funky-electronic duo at a show, or you can just give a good listen to their new album “Business Casual”.

::::::::::::::::: SO, YOU THINK YOU KNOW CHROMEO :::::::::::::::::::

In case you missed the last So, You Think You Know Me, check out the interview here with The Rolling Stone’s personal photographer – Gered Mankowitz.

Gered Mankowitz Interview

Karen — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 16:32:21 +0000

Gered Mankowitz and I caught up in Los Angeles, while he was in town for his book tour, promoting the release “The Experience: Jimi Hendrix at Mason’s Yard”. Gered is one of the most famous and credible rock photographers over the last 50 years, so yes, this is kind of a big deal to get to know him …

Reasons you may know Gered Makowitz:

He has photographed icons, such as: Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Marianne Faithfull, Small Faces, Traffic, the Yardbirds, the Jam, Kate Bush, Slade, Sparks, Eurythmics and Jimi Hendrix.
In 1965-1967 he was The Rolling Stones personal photographer.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Why might people know Gered Mankowitz? “I am the photographer of several images of Jimi Hendrix and also the Rolling Stones and Marianne Faithfull that have become iconic all over the world.”

(Marianne Faithfull pictured above by Gered)

Do you have a particular photograph of Jimi that you hold dearest in your new book you have just released? “There are many that I particularly like. The image on the cover, which is a new interpretation of this photograph, in it’s own way is my favorite, because it has had a life of it’s own over the last 20 or so years.”

Where were you on September 18th, 1970 when Jimi Hendrix passed away? “I have no idea. I know I was in London. I think saw a headline in one of the London evening papers, they come out in the middle of the day. I expect somewhere in the west-end of London where my studio was.”

What is your favorite Jimi Hendrix song? “Well, ‘Hey Joe’ was the song that was just entering the charts when I met him and started to work with him. So there is an association particularly with that song. At the time I met him I wasn’t that into his music, it went sort of over my head. But, I recognized there was an extraordinary talent and personality.”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mBjG9chIFw[/youtube]
Do you recall the first record cover that impressed you? “There wasn’t really album art in those days. I know what you are talking about. Probably Elvis’ black and white album, would have been the first album to make an impact, I can’t remember at this very moment what it was called.”

Yeah, for so long it was really just the artist’s image on the cover, wasn’t it? “It was the artist image with a bit of badly designed type on it and that is why I wanted to change all of that. Well, me and several others of course … I am not obsessive about my music. But, I still got all my vinyl, so perhaps that makes me a collector.”

What was the first camera you ever used? “The first camera … the camera that changed my life, was a tiny little Italian camera. A Bencini Comet, my grandmother bought it for me, because I was showing an interest in photography. And she bought it and I started taking photographs and that led me to become seriously interested in photography.”

What is your go-to camera now? “It’s always been a Hasselblad, ever since I have made my work my photography.”

What was your favorite Rolling Stones show you recall while you toured with them? “No (stated very bluntly) I don’t because they have all blurred between each other and a lot of the photos I don’t remember which shows they were even taken at. However, the Academy Of Music in NY was particularly exciting, because it was very early in the tour and we were based in NY for the first 5 or 6 days. It was such a great gig, very high energy, screaming screaming kids and because we sped back to the hotel to party in the same city, it was particularly a good night. The rest of the tour, we had to fly out of the city we were in right after the show. NY had the celebratory high that a band deserves after a good show.”

(Poker, 1965, USA taken by Gered)

Who is the most intimidating person you have ever shot? “Bing Crosby. Because I was asked to do what turned out to be his last studio album cover. He was such a huge star, on a different planet to the Rolling Stones and The Beatles. He was very old. There was a tremendous tension around the session, mainly because of the record company. It was going to be called “Seasons”. On each of the folds of the album there was going to be a portrait that reflected the different seasons. We had a very high production set-up. He arrived, he didn’t say hello to anyone. I had to be the front man, so I said “these are the 4 outfits we have for you”. He looked at me and the outfits and just said “no”. He said “you shoot me in this”. He was wearing a red plaid golfing jacket and a little hat. We got him in front of the camera. On the Hasselblad you have 12 frames per roll. After 9 he gets up, starts to walk out and goes “that’s it, you got it, that’s it”. I got to sneak in 2 more frames and then he just got up and left. There was nothing we could do.”

Do you have a favorite wardrobe stylist to work with? “No I don’t like wardrobe stylists. I don’t like fashion very much. Most of my work was done at a time when stylists were not part of it, not part of a team. I don’t like hairdressers, makeup artists or stylists, they all dominate the shoot time, you only get a fraction of time. They create a barrier between the subject and the camera. However, the closest person to a stylist that I work with most is Sharron Daly, she is not really fashion stylist, she is an advertising props and production researcher and does amazing work.”

(Gered asks me if I am a fashion stylist. I laugh and respond with the answer no. We continue to talk about how cool I think it is that the Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix were rocking their own style and not something picked out for them. They were making their look themselves. I started to wonder if he thought my outfit was lame.)

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Do you have a favorite genre of films? “No I don’t think I do. I don’t like horror. I am not wild about musicals. I like well made, well directed thrillers. Not crazy about Sci-Fi. I like indie films. Probably the Coen Brothers, I love the Coen brothers, they are a genre in and of themselves.”

What adjectives define Rock N’ Roll to you? “Exciting, loud, fabulous, scary, in your face, sexy, moody.”

What is a good piece of advice that a rockstar once gave you? “Uhhhh, I don’t know that Jimi gave me any advice. Charlie Watts, the drummer in the Rolling Stones gave me some advice, but I can’t remember what it was. Keith Richards told me some advice once (laughing in thought), he was very protective of me in 1965, he was like an older brother. Keith said to me that I have to be very careful about the girls that hang around rock n’ roll stars.”

Who is someone no longer living that you would have loved to work with? “Well the young Elvis, Bob Marley. Yes particularly those two stand out.”

Who was the biggest it-girl that you worked with? “Well Marianne Faithfull. Her and Mick were king and queen of the music world for some time. She was and is still a very very good friend of mine. Kate Bush and Annie Lenox were also it-girls, these are people I worked with. They were in their own way, I don’t particularly care for it as a term, because they were very huge artists, but they had an it-type popularity. I have never and just don’t work with people who are just famous for being famous. I photograph artists.”

(Kate Bush pictured above by Gered Mankowitz)

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

How would you describe the decor of your home? “My home is not a style. I live in a Victorian Farmhouse in Cornwall about 1/2 a mile from the sea. I have a lot of books, photography. In my media room I have a lot of my own work up. But, I wouldn’t really consider my home a particular style.”

Do you have a favorite snack? (Gered begins laughing at me) “I don’t snack much. But, my favorite snack would be mixed nuts and raisins.”

What was one of the most memorable clubs or nightlife places you recall from tour in the 60′s? “The music scene was relatively small. There was a very small club next to the studio called the Scotch Of St. James. They were all discotheque clubs, with a small stage and a restaurant. The Adlib Club was my personal favorite. The Adlib was in a penthouse, you had to go up in a glass lift, it felt terribly exciting.”

(Fun fact about the Adlib Club, this was the first place that John Lennon, George Harrison and their wives all took LSD together.)

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Where is somewhere you have traveled in your life that you suggest people visit? “New Zealand is an amazing country, it is full of exciting places.”

If you could have 1 song play every time you walked into a room, what song would you choose? “Well, ummm. I don’t know. ‘Stay’ by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs.”

‘Stay’ by Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs

What was a book that you read recently that you would recommend? “Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel.”

:::::::: So, You Think You Know Gered Mankowitz? :::::::::::

Familiarize yourself with more of Gered’s work on his website. Or head over to Amazon to purchase Gered’s new book available now.

Check back each week for a new So, You Think You Know Me interview.

Todd Slater Interview

Karen — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 19:23:05 +0000

Todd Slater has been making posters for artists that you love for years. I couldn’t get a great image of his face, so instead you can enjoy the art of his work. Get to know the man behind thousands of posters you have probably seen hundreds of times.

Reasons you may know Todd Slater:

He has designed limited edition tour posters for artists such as; Morrissey, The Strokes, Muse, Mars Volta, The Beastie Boys, Modest Mouse and Radiohead.
If you have been to a Dead Weather or Ween show in the last few years, you have probably seen his posters for sale.

Why might someone think they know Todd Slater? “People know me from my concert posters. That sort defines who I am. ”

What was the first concert you remember going to? “It was in Austin, I was 12 or 13 years old and it was NOFX at Liberty Lunch, a venue that is no longer around. I remember being excited to see people with green and purple mo-hawks. I am 31 now. Clubs seemed to be really relaxed with ages at that time.”

What was your favorite concert your saw this year? “It would probably have to be – Ween at Stubbs in Austin, TX. I also liked Meat Puppets at Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle. I was there for a poster convention. Almost all the shows I ever see are in Texas, so it was nice to see one outside of Texas.”

What is your favorite thing on the menu at Stubbs Bbq in Austin? “I like their brisket. I like their sauce. They sell it at the grocery store.”

What was the most intimidating artist you designed a poster for? “It was the White Stripes. Rob Jones does pretty much all their stuff. It was about 2004, I graduated from college about 2 years before. I was working in a t-shirt shop in Nacogdoches. I was learning screenprinting and was doing these unsolicited White Stripes posters. I would make an unsolicited poster, with no approval, would print it out Kinkos, I would mail it to the tour mgr to the next date on the tour, didn’t even know the tour manager’s name. Then he called me and said he didn’t like it. (Todd starts laughing.) The tour manager was nice, said he already had someone doing work, but that he would give me a shot. It was really exciting to even get the phone call. Then in the coming years, I met Rob Jones in Austin and he sort of became a mentor. I started to build a relationship with Jack White related projects. But, still that talent is intimidating.”

(pictured above is the unsolicited print that got Todd essentially on Jack White’s radar)

Have you ever branched into album art? “I did 6 vinyl singles for the Dead Weather in 2009, they printed about 100 of each of them. I would like to do album art, but it really isn’t something I have pursued or that has pursued me.”

What day or situation would you say to yourself “I have made it”? “Oh okay. I really still don’t feel like I have made it. Because I feel like, I almost laugh when I say this, but I feel like art careers are so finicky, that I will never feel my safety zone and I can say that I have made it. I think consistently getting work with bands you like (Ween, White Stripes) that is rewarding, I feel lucky. I never really felt like I have made it.”

What are a few of your favorite books as a child? “My parents made me read a lot. My dad writes for a newspaper in Texas. My mother is an English teacher. So as a result I had to read a lot. I hated most books back then, but looking back some of them had an impact on me. Like Atlas Shrugged, Trouble In Bugland. I would say Hunter Thompson had an impact on me in my early 20′s, Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, a lot of my imagery is guided by that now.”

Were you the kid in class that sketched all over your notebooks? (Todd laughs, so I take it he knows what I am talking about.) “Yes, I sketched all over my notebooks. All the way through college, through Art History. I keep sketchbooks now, I am insecure about showing them to people. I never post anything online from a sketchbook.”

What is your process for choosing colors? “If you listen long enough to a band’s music you get a gut instinct or a vibe or a feeling that is like, oh I think I am going to use blues and silvers. Kind of like listening to the music, is what pieces together scraps and parts of the poster.”

Do you collect posters and if so what do you look for? “I trade a lot of posters with other artists. I would say just someone that has the craftsmanship and takes care in their work. Someone that has a good sense of design. Good draftsman. Showing me something I haven’t seen before. Layered colors in an interesting way or split fountains in print.”

What is something you geek out over? “Well, umm lots of things. Star Wars miniatures. There is basically game like Dungeons And Dragons but with Star Wars characters, my friends and I played that for many years. There is that. I also collect vintage basketball cards from the 70′s. I have a lot of e-bay alerts for stuff. You told me to geek out.”

(Todd’s collection of Star Wars minis pictured above)

How do you celebrate when you finish a poster design? “Oh my god. I go to sleep. All the posters I have done, I don’t really have a formula for making for them. I approach of them pretty differently. I am trying to make new ways to make new posters. I am concerned with not doing one the same way. Which leads to taking a bit longer for things. If I have a deadline of 9 am I pretty much go straight to the deadline. My printer in Seattle hates it, he has so many quick turn around for me.”

Do you have a specific place you go to when you want to be inspired? “That is a good question. I mean I don’t go a certain place. My office is where I work, its a converted garage int he suburbs. There is just piles around my desk of stuff I like, magazine clippings, books, just anything that I think might be inspirational. I sort of live around these piles, if I need to be inspired.”

What is the closest thing to you now? “Well lets see, there are couple of art books. There is a book by a Chicago painter named Ed Paschke. There is a book on retrospective by William T. Wiley. There is a book by Westermann another Chicago artist.”

If you could pick the brain of any artist whose would you choose? “I mean, I would say that Picasso is probably the most important artist in what I do, because at the time he was so inventive and radical. He stylized things in a way no one was seen. If I could talk to him, I would try to tap into that. I would want to see how I could see things in a new way.”

What music have you had on constant rotation? “I had ‘Congratulations’ on running, cause I just did a new MGMT poster. It was for a single date at the Borgata in Atlantic City on August 21st. I have had some older Mogwai playing. I was just listening to Yo La Tengo’s Summer Sun, I really like that album.”

MGMT – ‘Congratulations’ mp3

If you could travel to any 3 places in the world where would you want to go?
“NYC would be my number one. I want to live there one day. I have been there twice for vacation. I would say New Zealand, along the trails of Mordor. I would say doing some kind of visit to Japan, if I had to choose a city I would say Tokyo.”

Where is one place you recommend someone go eat in your hometown?
“Oh okay. I am in a suburb 10 minutes or so outside of Austin. Round Rock. There is a little town called Driftwood that has a place called Salt Lick BBQ. In Round Rock there is a well known bakery called Lonestar Donuts, grew up eating their stuff. Gotta get a Mexican food place too. Umm. Okay, in Austin Juan In A Million for breakfast tacos. The owner greets you with a hardy handshake and the food.”

Lastly, what print do you get the most people contacting you about? “Neil Young print.”

:::::::: So, You Think You Know Todd Slater? :::::::::::

Familiarize yourself with more of Todd’s amazing work on his website.

Check back each week for a new So, You Think You Know Me interview. In case you missed last weeks you can click here to get to know Rusko.

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