After ransacking the Austin music scene in 2005, with blues-driven gunpowder and Brit spit, it seemed that lead-guitarist and singer/songwriter Glynn Wedgewood and his pond-hopping mates in IV Thieves were poised to be the heirs-apparent to the “throne” of the Live Music Capital of the World.

And then 2 years later, faster than you can say, “beans-on-toast”, Austin’s favorite adopted sons, like the thieves for whom they were named, slipped out the back door and they were gone.

4 years on and several tunes later…

On a cool, Tuesday evening in January in Austin, Texas, its “Free Week”, and the music faithful have turned out in droves to participate in this first-of-the-year, no-cover phenomenon. As every bar from Red River to Congress experiences the highest foot traffic it will see until March, a small upstairs room on the corner of 6th and San Jacinto called The Parish is no exception. Known amongst fans and musicians alike for it’s impeccable sound and intimate feel, tonight it plays host to a smartly-dressed, 5-piece band who are lightning-charged to rip it down like a wrecking ball smacks a wall.

As they furiously race to the end of the last tune of a blistering set, a familiar ginger-haired Geordie leading the charge flashes a fiery glance towards the audience as he skulks ever closer to the front of the stage. Tightrope walking the edge for what seems like an age, he suddenly drops himself down into the audience, and offers his precious cherry-red 335 to the strangers below, who are ready and waiting to see him willingly sacrifice it all in the name of the song.

No sooner do his boots touch the ground than the crowd quickly forms a circle around him, their collective breath hanging heavy in the air, looking for a front row seat to what comes next, as they watch him bare-knuckle threaten and throttle his guitar in an effort to give every last ounce of it’s sound to them.

And when the soul of the four on the stage finally meets the man on the floor, and the five reach the sonic crescendo of one, through the feedback static and the pounding of the drums you can feel the heart of Austin music skip a beat.

And if you look closely, you can see a phoenix screaming out the truth as it rises from the ashes.

STEREO IS A LIE.

It is indeed.

Born in a small town just southwest of Newcastle, England (“that’s where the beer comes from”), and relocating to Austin in 2005, Glynn Wedgewood has made a career out of layering lyrically poignant tunes with massive riffs and irresistible, on-stage charisma. And while his penchant for the song has resulted in such career highs ranging from opening slots for The Pretenders and Oasis, to the co-founding of a record label (Monolathe Recordings), self-admittedly, his greatest musical accomplishment thus far is STEREO IS A LIE.

One week after their performance at The Parish, and exactly one month before the release of STEREO IS A LIE’s self-titled, first full-length offering, a more mild-mannered Wedgewood trades giving guitars life-or-death ultimatums for a seat and a chat with EG15M about his life in Austin, some of his favorite local bands, the state of making music today and his unabashed, barely-contained excitement for his band’s debut record.

Go on then, Andy Carroll.  Around these parts, Newcastle’s got a new favorite son.

I was probably about 16 when I first started making a racket. I started off playing drums and then switched to guitar. It’s pretty tricky to write a melody on a drum kit.

Who are some of your musical influences?

There are just too many to list, I tend to be inspired by certain elements from artists though I might not necessarily be ‘into them’. A few bands that have inspired me over the years are: Constantines, These New Puritans, PJ Harvey, Radiohead, The Meters, Sigur Ros, The Smiths, Von Bondies, These Animal Men, Portishead, The Bees, Suede, Longpigs, The Small Faces, The Raveonettes, Super Furry Animals, Stevie Wonder, The La’s, Six By Seven, Interpol, Led Zeppelin, Gillian Welch, Patrick Wolf, Tim Buckley, Mansun.

For all of those who don’t know the story, how’d you end up Austin?

I used to play in a band from the UK called IV Thieves. The band’s US label, New West Records, had offices here, so after spending a while in the city working on demos, we decided to stay and record an album. By the time we had completed the album, all but one of the members were involved in relationships here in Austin, so everybody decided to relocate.

After that relocation from the Nottingham/Newcastle area to Austin, in what ways did you find it most difficult to adapt?

Apart from not being around my close friends and family, there wasn’t that much to it. It all felt very much like an adventure, probably because it was. Austin was very welcoming, so it wasn’t too hard to settle in.

photo by John Pesina

How much time elapsed between the Thieves break-up and the forming of  STEREO IS A LIE?

A year or so maybe? That project officially ended in 2007, and I believe SIAL first played right at the end of 2008, but we didn’t start playing regularly until 2009.

I know we didn’t have anyone to play drums until three weeks before the first show!

How did you meet with your current line-up?

Pretty much all through friends. No crazy Craigslist stories I’m afraid.

Had you already been working on material for SIAL while you were in IV Thieves?

I was certainly working on material that I never thought would work with IV Thieves. For instance, I was messing around with a lot of synths towards the end of that project, something that IV Thieves never really touched upon.

At a time when the scene is overloaded with bands and names that get wilder and wilder, how did you settle on “STEREO IS A LIE”?

Believe it or not, I woke up from a dream one morning with the statement stuck in my head. I thought it would a great band name, so I immediately went to Google. Oddly enough the only reference was in an article on Moses Asch (Folkways Records) and his views on capturing performances. It was a great article, I agreed with 99% of what he said, so I was sold. Fortunately the lads were all into it and didn’t think I was a loon.

What is your favorite track on the new record?

That changes constantly. Right now I’m really into ‘What We Do’ and ‘Last Call’.

What is your most memorable moment making this record?

I’d say it was running one guitar into x3 amps, turning them all up and then having to wear ear defenders while we tracked the part. I always remember leaving the studio in the early hours of a cold January day as well. The bleak weather that morning seemed to be perfectly in sync with the feel of the album.

What was it like to work with Chris Cline (co-owner/recording engineer at Monolathe Recordings)?

Great. His attention to detail is phenomenal. I’m still going to take that Neve desk when he’s not looking though.

Who are some of your favorite bands in the Austin music scene at the moment?

In no particular order I’d say: Ringo Deathstarr, New Roman Times, dead black hearts, The Strange Attractors, She Sir, White Dress, Astronaut Suit, Motel Aviv, High Watt Crucifixers, The Boxing Lesson, BK & Mr. E. I could go on forever, there are a lot of great bands in this city.

What has been your personal high point in your career so far?

I tend not to look back too much, though touring with Oasis was a great experience. There’s so much still to be done. Saying that, I’m really happy with how SIAL’s debut has turned out and was chuffed once the record was completed. Now I’m just itching for it to be released!

Speaking of Oasis, when I read other reviews of SIAL, more than once I have come across that comparison. How do you react to people who pigeonhole you as just another Brit making rock?

I don’t really…it’s fairly accurate. Some journalists are lazy, some have to hit quotas and some are genuinely trying to help the music reach a certain audience.

What’s the biggest difference between British and American audiences?

I’m not sure there’s that much difference at all really. In general if a British band travels to America, the chances are the majority of the audiences are going to be pretty open-minded to them and vice versa. Making a trip across the pond goes a long way. If you compare somewhere like London to NYC it becomes pretty hard to find any differences…well, in my opinion anyway.

What do you do when you aren’t writing songs or playing shows?

I’m usually spending time with the family, teaching music, or checking out other live shows.

photo by Jenna Wedgewood

Where would you like to see this band in 5 years time?

Wembley.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?

Living on a farm somewhere in Europe, searching for truffles.

Many songwriters talk about how there is no real formula to writing a tune. Do you find this to be the case? When writing a tune, is there a “formula” that works best for you?

The second I feel I’m repeating myself, or being complacent, I run in the opposite direction. I definitely do not have a set formula or method, the thought of that just bores me.

From distribution to recording and everything in between, the landscape of music has changed so much in the past decade. What would you say is the biggest hurdle with which current musicians have to deal?

Being heard or seen. People are bombarded with new music every day and a lot of the time things fall through the cracks. It might be easier to get music to the masses these days, but so much still revolves around who has the biggest chequebook when it comes to promotion.

You mentioned earlier that you teach music, and in that regard, having experienced every facet of the process from student to stage, what would be your biggest piece of advice to a kid today who is picking up the guitar for the first time?

Love what you do. If you’re not passionate about something, you shouldn’t be doing it.

STEREO IS A LIE’s 1st single “It’s Too Late” is out now, and the full-length, self-titled debut on Monolathe Recordings will be available everywhere on Feb. 8th, with an album release party on February 12th at 9pm at The Ghost Room on 4th & Lavaca in Austin, Texas.

If you’d like to peek behind the curtain and see SIAL in rehearsal mode, check them out earlier that same day (February 12th) from 3pm-6pm at the Arthouse on Congress, as they become part of “Rehearsal At The Astoria“, an ambitious installation by London-based artist Graham Hudson to rebuild the famous London Astoria theatre in the middle of downtown Austin.

title photo by John Pesina

In the beginning of your rock ‘n’ roll musical schooling, when the idea of learning to play an electric instrument first pulls you towards it with its totally irresistible, and completely magnetic force, the only thing that seems important, when you’re 12 years old and gawking at gear in the guitar shop, is simply buying the loudest amp and a screamin’ electric guitar. Not surprisingly then, the standards by which you make these decisions tend to range anywhere from “that’s what Slash

There is nothing wrong with this, and in fact, it is the absolute necessary first step on the road to not only figuring out who you are as a guitarist but also finding your “sound”. And your sound is…well…your sound is your signature, and finding it is a process that will be a lifelong pursuit often ending in a closet full of pedals and frustration. But sometimes, when the stars align, and you meet the right “amp guy” with that perfect touch and magical combination of craziness and brilliance needed to break the Rubik’s Cube-like mystery of what in the hell it is you’re looking for…well, it might just end in ecstasy.

Meet Shane LaPorte.

Originally from Utica, New York, and raised in the Adirondacks, this self-proclaimed “nomad” has lived everywhere in the US from Pittsburg to northern Oregon, and after a recent, 4-month stint living in Missouri, only to leave after finding out that his pit-bull wasn’t allowed inside of the city limits, he decided it was time to make good on a 5-year dream, and move to Austin. Bless that damned dog.

After spending a little less than a week with my 1965 Gibson GA-35 RVT fixing a blown speaker, a busted phase inverter and a boatload of other bells and whistles for which I haven’t the free brain space to spare, LaPorte agreed to sit down with me and go on the record with EG15M to talk about some his favorite gear, the worst amp he’s ever worked on (hint. hint.), the “Zen” of electricity, and a few of the reasons he moved to Texas.

Look out you redheaded gals.

How did you first get involved with amplifier repair?


I started off learning how to do my own guitar setups by maintaining and “modding” the guts. Then I moved on to effects pedals and winding pickups, mostly as presents for musicians or friends who I admire, and naturally I just moved up the food-chain to amps. 
In the end its because I’m cheap and don’t like paying someone else to do it! 
Electricity is also interesting. You can open up the back of your stereo, turn it on, crank the volume all the way up, turn it back down again and the inside of it is still going to look exactly the same. In the end there’s something very spiritually Zen about electricity.  There is motion in what stands still. 


What amp is your personal favorite?


I’ve owned at least a dozen, but my current go-to amp of the last 10 years has been a reissue Sunn Model T. Since Fender bought out the name just over a decade ago, it still has that trademark Sunn wallop, but has a lot of versatility when it comes to clean and slightly saturated tones. It’s definitely not just a “hard rock” head. It has a lot of classic Fender qualities, which the original Model T does not, but it also lacks some of those original qualities as well. 


Do you play the electric guitar? 


Yes. Since I was 12 years old when I first heard Black Sabbath but I’m mainly an acoustic and resonator slide player now.


What is your favorite guitar & amp combination?

The standards. An old Fender plugged into an old Fender. I love what new technology is capable of, and a lot of these modeling amps are very convincing and more convenient, and living in a rat cage apartment in New York City my Line 6 became a reliable friend, but they’re still not very good at getting a Tele into an old Princeton sound, and that’s my favorite. Like a Swiss wool blanket that’s still soft to the touch. 


Where do you stand on tube versus solid-state technology?


Personally I have no stand, and to an extent from a repairman’s perspective because of mass manufacturing, even modern tube amps can be a pain in the arse to repair because of the printed circuit board and accessibility of components. Its like the reason I still have never owned a vehicle newer than 1995. I like to be able to change my own spark plugs. I don’t like it when my equipment is smarter than I am. 
 From an aural standpoint, its all subjective. Some of my favorite guitarists have exclusively used solid-state amps throughout they’re career. Dimebag Darrell is the perfect example, but also guys like Brent Mason, Bill Frisell and Billy Gibbons have been known to record and perform with them, and you could never tell the difference, right? Because it’s all in their hands. 
Vacuum tubes to me are appealing, for the same reasons they are for a lot of people, in that they outlived the time they were introduced. They’re this perfect representation of American “form-follows-function”. They’re just beautiful, and magnificently the ones we’re still plugging into our amps haven’t changed much in design at all in 70+ years. Most people don’t realize that vacuum tubes are still used in transmitting stations for radio and television, because the technology for the transistor, as revolutionary as it was, has not caught up to vacuum tubes in terms of efficiency. They just can’t handle the heat. 



Walk me through a typical day fixing an amp. What is your approach?


I don’t carry a very technical mind. I’m more of a right-brained, hands-on individual. I mean…I’m Italian (ha!), so from a repair aspect it’s no different than anyone else. It takes a lot of patience, coffee and fundamental troubleshooting; however, from the design aspect, though I’m totally new to this, I feel like there is a fresh road ahead of me. A typical day involves studying a lot of non-musical instrument amplification, mostly from the Hi-Fi world. Audiophiles are nuts, and most don’t realize that its the Hi-Fi industry that dictates the evolution of most amplifier and component technology. These are the people that pay up to $100,000 for a pair of fucking mono-blocks, so that industry is usually responsible for why this tube is made “here” and that component is now made “there”. So I try to stay relatively on top of that and brainstorm about how I can apply some of those ideas into a practical guitarist’s amplifier…you know, the usual little people like you and me who cringe at having to drop $1,000 on a new piece of equipment. I have a short list of good ideas I’ve drawn up. I’m just working on the funding. 


How’d you get the nickname “Atonal”?


Oh, God. I gave it to myself back in high school. I don’t even really remember why. I had just started to discover composers such as Schoenberg, Webern, Cage etc., even though that was serial composition, but the idea of “atonality” just fascinated me and was one of my first introductions to music outside of Western musical thinking. It’s also pretty analogous to how my total A.D.D. thought-patterns can be (ha!). When I lived in Pittsburgh for 3 years right after high school, that’s how I introduced myself to everyone around the music scene. After that I dropped it and forgot all about it until I moved down here and my friend Stephen Bidwell (drummer for Hard Proof Afro Beat, The Calm Blue Sea), who I played with in Pittsburgh and currently lives down here, I guess had been referring to me through that moniker for the last 5 years, so I walk into a party during my first week here and people are like “Hey! Atonal!” and I did a little head spin. I prefer not to use it; however, if I ever have a child I swear that’s what I’m naming them! 


The tattoo running up and down your right arm looks like a diagram of circuits of some sort. What is it exactly? 


It is a bunch of amp circuits mixed with Eastern religious texts. I think the forearm is some old Ampeg tube compressor. The control plate is an old Fender Twin-Reverb, and there are some Marshall and Sunn Model T schematics thrown in, and then I have a few Sunn logos. Some people think its prison escape plans, or subway tracks or something. I get a lot of great interpretations. Just don’t try to build the thing whatever you do. 


Do you exclusively work on guitar amps? If not, what else? 


I moved to Austin to make this city the grounds for starting this career. Right now it’s a word of mouth thing, and I’m just doing favors to get my name around. But I have 15 years of experience doing guitar setups, carpentry and finishing…you wouldn’t be able to tell that by looking at my own guitars because I like to beat the shit out of them, but they sound fantastic and they play like butter. I mold them to my own hands.



What is the craziest amp that has crossed your path? 


Well, yours actually (A late 60s Gibson GA-35 RVT) was the first real “rats nest” to come my way! (ha!) “Rats nest” meaning a lot of wires that should not be crossing each other and are just so horribly routed. That’s the irony of the big picture sometimes. Here is Gibson, producers of the most elegant guitars, and yet when they branch away from what they’re mostly known for, it’s a complete mess.

What’s your favorite amp on which to work and why? 


The Fender Bassman. Probably for the same reason anyone else might enjoy working on one. First of all it’s still a simple amp to work on, very linear, but it’s also the turning point in the evolution of rock and roll. So many amps since have used the Bassman as a template, but that’s not always a great thing either. There are a lot of copycats out there you have to weed through before you find something unique. 



What kind of tone are you going for? 


No matter what sound I’m trying to achieve, I always love a little tube-saturation…a good mix of 2nd and 3rd harmonic overtones. It’s like when you set your toaster on around 6. No matter what bread you stick in there, it’s hot enough to melt the butter but not too black and crusty, does that make any sense? It’s that “brown” sound. I need to use more toaster analogies. 


My days of trying to be Steve Vai are over, that whole shred thing. I grew up on Black Sabbath and I will always love that thick, velvety stoner rock tone that guys like Victor Griffen and Wino get, but my favorite electric guitar tone is still Peter Green in his early John Mayall and Fleetwood Mac days. I can pretty much nail both of those with my trusty Sunn, but on the other end of the spectrum, next in line is Frank Zappa. I absolutely adore his sound, but now we’re talking stacks of amplifiers, racks and effects that I don’t have, nor do I even want at my disposal. What I love about the 70’s is that all of those cats had badass, thick tones, and still retained an individual, human quality. Nowadays, most of the time I see anyone with that much equipment at their disposal, sounds horrendous even on professional recordings because the trend for most major producers is to sterilize everything. That’s the other secret to guitar and amplifier tone. Find a producer you can agree with. A lot of magic happens when you start playing with mics and outboard equipment…both bad magic and good.



When you’re not fiddling with amps, what else do you do? 


I’m always writing and searching for new music. Professionally, I’m a line-cook, I mean, I’m a musician right? (and not really a working one), so of course you’ll find me in the kitchen. But I have found peace within that line of work, the “Italian” in me naturally comes out, and after staring at wires and multicolored resistors all day, making a good batch of gnocchi dough is still refreshing, and welcoming. It’s home. 



Where would you like to see yourself in 5 years time?


In a touring band and married to a tender little redheaded gal. Redheads are a third of the reason I moved to Texas. Everything else was for the music.

For all of you guitarists out there looking for a good amp tech, and all of you redheads looking for a date, Shane LaPorte lives happily with his pit bull Quinn in Austin, Texas, making music under the name Red Label Catharsis, and is currently taking on new clients.

From her pop art snapshots and impressionist oils to her figure sketches and portraits, Houston-based artist, painter and illustrator-for-hire Olga Nydia Galindo wants her canvases to bleed beauty.  More Stella than Frida, but more Lichtenstein than Klein, Galindo makes no bones about straddling the line between art and fashion by fusing her passion for both into her work; however, becoming an artist was never her intention.

Although her love of painting can be traced back to her childhood in Mexico, Galindo originally set out to realize the other half of the equation by working to make a name for herself in the fashion industry. In fact it wasn’t until 2000, while studying fashion design at Arte A.C. in her hometown of Monterrey that she stumbled onto the idea of becoming an artist through her drawing and color courses.  It was one of those happy accidents that Galindo says she recognized as a way to continue pursuing her love of fashion, “without going through the hassle of sewing.”  And it is certainly one that directly influences her work today.  “It’s the shapes, asymmetric lines, and more specifically, how a garment looks on the body that catches my eye,” says Galindo of the presence of fashion in her work.  “I always think about how it could translate into a painting.”

After relocating to Texas in 2004, and spending a brief period in Austin, Galindo set up shop in Houston, where she resides today, continuing to carve out her niche.  The prolificacy of her creativity coupled with her sense of color and style that balances both feminine and rock ‘n’ roll aesthetics has landed her no shortage of commissions and gallery work that include showings this month at ZERO HOUR Apocalypse Art and as a guest artist at the Montrose Art Society.

With the Body of Work opening reception at the KAXM gallery on August 7^th fast approaching,Galindo was kind enough to take some time out of her preparation to talk to EG15M about her ever-present sense of fashion, her current watercolor “phase”, and why when it comes to inspiration, the band MUSE is her biggest, well…muse.

What does being an “artist” mean to you?

For me art is a way of expressing myself. My art is so personal.  For example in my oil pieces you can say a lot with the brush strokes. It shows the mood you are in and what you want other people to know.  It’s letting other people get to know you through your pieces.

What is your definition of “bad art”?

Oscar Wilde said, “Bad art is a great deal worse than no art at all”, and I agree. Art is an outlet to show yourself and your thoughts. Not everyone will appreciate it, but it’s still someone’s thoughts. Just like you can’t tell someone they can’t think, you can’t tell someone they can’t create.  Even if something were considered “bad”, at least somebody would be talking about it!

Why do you create?

I love it.  It’s my passion. I love making something that will inspire other people.

What inspires you?

Usually looking at other artists’ work.  It makes me challenge myself into trying new techniques or mediums, and even though I‘m not pursuing my fashion designer career, clothes inspire a lot of my paintings and drawings. If I can’t make them, at least I can draw them!

Do you ever regret not pursuing fashion design further?

Not at all.  Even though fashion and style are a part of me, I can’t imagine myself doing that right now. I can still show my ideas and designs in my artwork without going through the hassle of sewing.

Does painting run in the family?

Well, my mom used to take oil painting classes with a painter in Monterrey when I was little. She and my older brother would go once a week for years, and I used to go with them and just watch. They were the ‘artistic’ ones in the family and I always wanted to be like my brother. He has so much talent, but ironically they stopped, and that’s when I started doing it more. Now I’m the only one doing it professionally. I also have a little brother who just started college in graphic design.

How does Monterrey play a part in your work?

Mostly in my modern pieces. The urban living and fashion scene in Monterrey is very avant-garde and chic. It inspires me to see things differently…to put a “wow” factor in my pieces.

What is your favorite medium with which to work?

Recently it’s been watercolors.  I’ve been trying drawings with pencil and ink and accenting it with watercolor and coffee and tea stains. It’s just so delicate and I think it gives a different feeling to the illustration.  I started doing the ‘girl series’ collection with ink and watercolor, and I just fell in love with it. It looks simple, delicate, and unexpected. Sometimes you don’t know if the watercolors are going to drip the way you want them to. They have a mind of their own and they even have the power to ruin the piece if they want to, but that’s part of why it’s so interesting to me…an unexpected drip can make the piece.

Who are some of your influences?

David Downton and Erin Petson are great watercolor illustrators. A long time ago when I wasn’t familiar with this medium I would look at their work and think, “I want to do that”, or “I wish I had come up with that.” Looking at their pieces makes me push myself harder to somehow try to be a better artist.

Van Gogh…but who can’t be inspired by Van Gogh? His brushstrokes are what I love the most. They are so powerful and heavy with paint. I think they give so much feeling to the painting and you find yourself wondering what he was thinking when he did it. The combination of colors and that post-impressionism style inspires me when I paint with oils.

Last but not least, Music. MUSE is one of my favorite bands.  Music is what brings the passion in my paintings. Every time I paint, listening to them, it makes me show much more of myself in my art. I guess it pumps me up and puts me in this creative mode that I just can’t stop. Matt Bellamy’s voice and guitar solos can inspire anyone.

Which of your pieces says the most about you as an artist?  Why?

This is a hard question.  I think I have phases that I go through, and sometimes a piece describes and showcases how I was feeling in that period of my life, so it keeps changing. For now, I love my piece ‘gone with the wind’. I think it transmits calm but with an edge. I like my pieces having an element to them that keeps you wondering. In that piece the hummingbird is drinking syrup, but to some people it may look like blood. I want to keep them wondering.

Even when the subject matter seems to be suggestive of something slightly harsher, your work still maintains a subtle, almost soft sensuality.  What turns you on?

The human body. I find myself drawing figures of women all the time. In most of my paintings I always try to bring out a feminine touch, even though the painting might be considered dark and “angsty”.

There’s an undeniable photographic feel to most of your work.  What role does photography play in your creative process?  How do you use it?

It’s a big part of it. I have tons of catalogues of clothing stores that I like and use them as inspiration. Since they are selling the clothes, I can see the full body and poses.  I always try to imagine the final product before doing the painting. Some artists usually start painting and just go with it until “voila!” they have a final product. For me, I like to know exactly what I want and usually have this picture of it in my head of what I want it to look like. Of course most times it turns out different, but in my mind it always starts with a picture.

Would you ever consider pursuing photography as a career?

I would love to.  I can appreciate a good photo, but unfortunately I don’t think I have the passion or talent for it as much as I have for my art.

What do you hope to accomplish with your pieces?

For me, satisfaction as an artist is to have somebody absolutely love my work and want to buy it. Just the idea of anyone having one of my pieces in their daily life gives me that sense of completion. I don’t like selling just to sell.  I want them to feel like they need to have it.

What’s next?

I have a couple of shows coming up in here in Houston. One is called Zero Hour –Apocalypse Art, so I’m doing a piece inspired by that.  I’m also doing a piece about body movement, using wood instead of canvas, and trying to work more on some pieces mixing my watercolor illustrations with acrylic…the best of both worlds.

What’s your advice for artists just starting out?

Do a lot of pieces. Do a portfolio. Do a website.  Send it to galleries! Get out there with your work!  Send it! Send it! Send it!

Olga Nydia Galindo lives, paints and rocks out to MUSE with her husband Alfonso and her Pomeranian, Camila in the Houston area. You can see her work on display throughout the month of August at The KAXM Gallery in the Heights (Opening reception August 7^th from 6-9pm.), The Zero Hour-Apocalypse Art Show on August 14^th, and the Montrose Art Society August 19-21^st.

In his own words, Jay Cook describes his humble beginnings as the classic DJ story.  “Boy meets music.  Boy falls in love.  The rest is history.”  Originally a Michigan native, who says he “couldn’t match a beat to save his life”, Cook cut his teeth spinning records at a local café during his college years at the University of Washington in Seattle.  Gradually, as his skills developed, Seattle-based producer and Cook’s former roommate Benjamin Bethurum incorporated “DJ Jacedo” into a live, electronic show to promote Bethurum’s solo records.  With Jacedo on the turntables and Bethurum on the keys and trumpet, Bethurum’s sister Didi on vocals and upright bass player Evan Flory Barnes rounded out the quartet.  “The Bethurum Collective”, as it came to be known, became the perfect vehicle that gave Jacedo the platform he needed to reach a wider audience through his unique blend of hip-hop, drum & bass and Brazilian influenced beats.

In the years that have followed, Jacedo has been wrecking the decks on both coasts from NYC to San Francisco and everywhere in between, playing clubs and private events across the US and abroad.  Since those early days with the Collective, he has continued to perform live on radio shows, as well as DJing and producing a wide range of international music events for companies as varied as Diesel and Red Bull.

His beats are infectious, his style is accessible, and his mission is simple:  to get you moving.  He is the breath of fresh air in an industry that sometimes takes itself too seriously.  He effortlessly possesses a kindness and sincerity that permeates his sets, and takes you higher, but that’s not to say he can’t rip it up.  And if you listen, not only will you hear a mix of the foreign and the familiar, but you just might just enjoy yourself too.

At dusk on a pleasant San Francisco evening, walking through NOPA on his way downtown to see a film about British street artist Banksy, Jacedo takes a moment to talk to EG15M about some of his favorite DJs, the differences between the scenes on the coasts, and the positive influence anthropophagy has had on the Brazilian arts.

Tell me about your DJ name. How did you come up with it?

I had a few terrible names when I was starting out… Bethurum and I were joking around that I needed a new name one night while checking out all the new drum and bass coming out of Brazil.  Since my initials are J.C., he called me something like J.Cito.  Two minutes later my name was Jacedo!

If I wanted to book you for a show, how would I describe the tunes that you spin to someone who had never heard you before?

As long as it’s got soulful melodies and funky beats, I’ll play it: Drum & Bass, Soul, Hip Hop, Electro, Jazz, 2-Step, Samba… etc.

You mentioned Samba, and there does seem to be a heavy Brazilian influence that underlies your style as well.  What quality of that sound appeals to you over all of the other styles out there today?

For me it’s the sounds of traditional Brazilian percussion instruments, the syncopated rhythms of samba, and those sweet Portuguese melodies.  I could nerd out here on a philosophical level too… about the cultural cannibalism of the Brazilian arts in general, but that’s for the EG30M interview…

Please, by all means, nerd out…What do you mean by “Cultural Cannibalism”?

It was a movement in the Brazilian arts called “Anthropophagic”. The movement was derived from a 16^th century story about Brazilians rebelling against colonialism by literally eating a Bishop, hence the name. Through the years, Brazilian culture has had so much outside influence, that eventually there was a backlash from the indigenous people there, but instead of being overrun by these cultures, Brazilians chose to “devour” them and create their own Brazilian versions of it. They chose to “eat instead of be eaten”, and they have applied that concept directly in their approach to the arts.  For instance, if James Brown put out a record in the US, a Brazilian band would put out their own version of that record. That’s why I love the dance music that is coming out of Brazil.  It is something brand new, and at the same time distinctly Brazilian.

What are your thoughts on Serato?

It’s definitely helped and honestly was much needed at the time.  DJing exploded in the late 90’s, as can been seen in the movie Scratch, but to become a DJ still took a huge financial and personal commitment just to get started.  One record costs $6-12, they’re a hassle to carry, especially in NY!  When CDJ’s came out music became a little easier to transport, but playing with CDs is a totally different experience… Serato has made DJing so much more accessible to everyone while staying true to the artform.

Who are some of your favorite DJs?

My favorite is definitely DJ Marky from Brazil.  Number 2 is Annie Mac and rounding out the top 3 is Gilles Peterson.  All of these DJs are people who I can trust for opening my ears to new music.  DJ Marky is one of the greatest performers I’ve ever seen.  He’s incredibly passionate about music, has a wide range of influences and has incredible technique.  Annie Mac showcases the most cutting edge club music on her weekly BBC Radio 1 show and Gilles Peterson is like a musical anthropologist, always on the hunt for new music while exposing the history as well.

Describe the perfect gig.

I love playing earlier in the night in more intimate venues, especially outdoors.  As long as the sound system is nice and thick, and there’s a warm ocean breeze I’m good to go.

On that note, what was your most memorable gig and why?

Well, as far as a straight DJing gig… my favorite gig would probably have to have been in Portland for a Red Bull/Flugtag event.  I was in Portland for summer 2004 with DJ Tina T, who is based in Vegas now (she’s the one who actually taught me how to dj hip-hop).  It was a gig that I just got to play drum & bass and Brazilian hip-hop to over 2,000 people.  It was in the evening.  It was on the river… it was hands down the best gig of my life so far.

What are you currently listening to?

-       DJ Nuts – Embalo Jovem:  Crazy Brazilian heat on this mixtape from Mochilla.

-       Donaeo – Party Hard: Minimal UK Funky track with a smooth hypnotic groove.

-       Steve Angello & Laidback Luke with Robyn S – Show Me Love: Epic electro remix of Robyn S that gets all the ladies dancing.

-       Ska Mania compliation: The best £6.99 ever spent!  2 discs of ska classics, found this in a discount bin in Heathrow airport!

-       Robin Hannibal & Coco Solid – Turtle Pizza Cadillacs: Strange but amazing, has an Amanda Black meets Blondie in space kind of vibe.

-       Phase II – Reachin’: End of the night closer… classic disco-ish vibe.

What’s the last record that you bought?

I just picked up a couple 12”s from Sunrize Recordings out of the UK, that are full of beautiful summery Brazilian drum and bass.  Also, I finally found Roni Size’s 1996 Music Box compilation on vinyl!  Clean breakbeats with surprisingly soulful melodies, definitely a must have for any dnb collector.

How do you spend your days when you aren’t spinning records?

I spend my weekdays working in advertising.  In my free time I love cooking, fancy wine, collecting design books and denim, and cruising with my lady on our BMXs.

Relocating to SF after having lived in NYC for many years, what would you say are the major differences between the two scenes?

I’m still trying to adjust to the nightlife in SF, but I feel like there’s more musical snobbery out here.  It’s like a scene out of some indie record shop movie… like you have to play obscure vinyl to be cool.  In New York, nightlife is all about having fun!  DJs sometimes get too caught up in dropping knowledge and forget about the important part: inspiring people to laugh, smile and dance!!

However, having said that, I do like exploring the diversity of the music in San Francisco.  There are so many interesting pockets of people.  I think it just takes longer to dig in.  SF also has a totally different musical history than any other city that I’ve ever been in.  For instance, the unique history of disco and funk in San Francisco is really interesting and I’m enjoying digging deeper.  

If you had one piece of advice to give to an upstart DJ, what would it be?

Always follow the music you love and practice, practice, practice.  Today anybody can play songs off their laptop, it takes passion and persistence to become a DJ.

If you’re in need of a soul-overhaul, and everybody is from time to time, you can reset your calibrations with DJ Jacedo down at San Francisco’s Farmer Brown on Market & Mason where he will be in residence on 3rd Saturdays for the summer.

In this day and age of technology playing the role of popular music’s “Almighty Savior” in almost every step of the creative process from the recording studio to the living room, none are more susceptible to it’s time-saving, beat-matching ease of use than the DJ. Now imagine a DJ whose taste in music is more futuristic than Roy Batty’s dreams, and you almost certainly expect him to be punishing the keys of Steve Jobs’ latest creation, or at the very least DJing with “Hal” from 2001: A Space Odyssey in order to manufacture the groundbreaking sounds emanating from the speakers.  But that’s the beauty of Luciano Duran aka “DJ Automatic Romantic”.  That’s what sets him apart, and makes him special.  It’s one man and his turntables, no robots and all vinyl.  If the BPM’s don’t match, he knows the record and it’s tracks from memory, and he’ll switch it.  If he wants to hear a certain tune, he won’t scroll down to it, he’ll pack it in his carrying case, and bring the record to the gig.  If the stylus is dull, he’ll drop a quarter on it to give it a little more weight.  He’s old school, but always pushing the envelope.  He’s what has been, what’s now and what’s next…simultaneously.

A graphic designer by trade, the well-traveled and always mysterious Duran was born in Kansas, raised in Mexico, and spent time living in Japan before landing at the California College of Arts in San Francisco in 1995, but if you ask him where he’s from, he won’t hesitate to tell you, “Planet Dyatron” (we’ll come back to that one in a bit).  In 1983, he got his start spinning records for teenagers at his uncle’s club in Mexico, and has now been on the scene in California for over a decade blowing people’s minds with his massive, rare collection of electronic vinyl, and his equally extensive and arguably outrageous, eclectic cache of vintage eyewear.  He spins with Miami bass champions Soundchasers, has played with Tokyo’s AE35 and Dutch electro’s Legowelt & TLR, and this summer, he will be opening for minimal wave heroes Xeno & Oaklander in Los Angeles before heading back to perform in Japan later this year.

Speaking to EG15M from San Francisco, “The Man From Dyatron” shares a little bit more about his home planet, his interest in parapsychology, his favorite records and why he prefers to leave the laptop behind when he spins.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to The Future.

How would you describe your style?

My style is dynamic, honest, authentic, and straight up futuristic. I collect, DJ and listen to music that matters to me, not what is hip. But it’s not an issue of going against the trends for the sake of it.  What’s good is good, no matter what trends are, but stylistically I have always been about the sci-fi aesthetic.

You spin a lot of rare Italo disco and obscure ambient records. What is it about this music that appeals to you?

Italo disco was huge in Mexico in the 80’s, so I started collecting Italo disco, minimal wave and electro. The overarching genre could be called “electro”, but when I spin you might witness me go into many different styles…house, hip house, goth, acid, hyphy or whatever…I love all of them.

You are known for wearing random eyewear (sunglasses) when you spin. Where did that start?  What determines which shades you go with for a given gig?

Since my teens I’ve been collecting robotic sunglasses. I have so many that I wear them like t-shirts!  They do express the music I spin because they are from those eras. Wearing funky shades comes from the 80’s Paninari style, like Chris Lowe of the PSB, and of course also from the B-Boy culture. These days, hyphy cats who wear stunner shades and new pop icons have gone full circle picking up on this street wear tradition, but some of us have always kept it going.

If you weren’t DJing, what else would you be doing?

I draw and paint a lot. I love to make illustrations, and I work on them off and on.  I also like doing graphic design work, I have some synths that I play with (someday I’ll put out a record!), and of course I get my exercise from poppin’ practice at home.  I’m sure my neighbor thinks it’s freaky to see a shadow moving mechanically through the window all the time!

Unlike many DJs today, you DON’T use Serato. Why?

The computer is amazing, yet I personally don’t want it to do everything for me, not the fun stuff. I like to paint with my hands, and I like vinyl DJing with my hands, because its fun. I’m from the old school, and I want to represent that ‘til the end.  Vinyl DJing is a set system.  You don’t need to upgrade.  It makes sense to me already. All of my collection is vinyl.  We’re talking decades I’ve spent building it. But for cats that like Serato that’s fine cause that works for them, and they can do amazing things with it.  I think DJing has expanded into a wider area, and more technologies will emerge beyond Serato, so yeah, I just chose not to be leap froggin’ for new technologies.

So, do you think it has helped or hindered the DJ profession?

Serato is amazing.  The whole digital revolution has had tremendous effects, and I think its not all positive or negative. I think it has created a new type of DJ, but I don’t think it replaces the living vinyl DJs.  It’s just added a new type, which is a good thing.  There is the whole experience of finding records, diggin’ for records in weird places, seeing and touching records, and mixing with your hands that is different than having the whole process happen virtually on a screen, yet I know Serato is terribly convenient for those that support it.  I think vinyl, CD, Serato, etc., can all lead to artistry in DJing.  The DJ has to make the choice of which tools to utilize. For me vinyl DJing has always been interesting because it’s an odd man/machine interface.  I like being the ‘man’ part of the equation.  I don’t want the machine to do my role.

You’ve spent some time in Japan.  How is the DJ scene in SF different from Japan?  Mexico?

Very interesting.  Each country and region has subcultures that are parts of a jigsaw puzzle. Being outside of the US is fascinating because the people don’t understand the lyrics often, so they vibe off the music more abstractly I think. The music industry is quite different in Mexico, Japan and the US.  I think too much pop can kill the DJ anywhere.  If you play only pop, then you’re a jukebox…no need for a DJ.  In a way, America produces the most powerful pop icons, yet it has also brought the world the strongest subcultures challenging that same pop iconism.  In that sense, I am proud of American DJs and artists that have not sold out completely to the machine of the music industry, but bear in mind I understand that pop has its place as well.  It’s about balance.

You mentioned before about your extensive record collection.  What genre comprises most of that collection?

My collection is made up of styles as they emerged.  I love to see how new styles mutate. Electronic music itself is a form of mutation. My collection is all vinyl with every tune on the same format to connect like legos. Italo disco, minimal wave and electro are the bulk of my collection, but I also have hip hop, cosmic, LA electro, Miami bass, Detroit technobass, NYC electro, Den Haag electro, Chi-Town house, acid, braindance, industrial, abstract, hyphy, crunk, hip house…you name it, and its true I have all the rare sought-after records (heh-heh)!

What are your top three favorite records?

Off the top of my head, Kraftwerk’s “Computer World”, bear in mind I got it in 1981.  That record is mind-blowing now.  Picture hearing it in 1981!

Let’s throw in a minimal wave, “H.S.T.A”. by Das Ding, and something hip-hop, hmm OK…Divine Styler “Directrix”!

What has been your favorite professional moment so far in your DJ career?

DJing with the Egyptian Lover and Jamie Jupitor in Tokyo, with Japanese B-Boy crews, that was awesome!

What do you listen to when you’re not spinning records?

Ha!  That’s funny ‘cause I listen only to my records…kinda like homework.  But I actually like to listen to 70’s rock music if I’m not near a turntable.

What do you say to people who say that DJs aren’t “real musicians?”

DJing is kinda like being a critic, a commentator and a collage artist all in one, but yeah, the person has to be present.  That’s what is getting squeezed out more and more by technology.  If the DJ is just a jukebox or an iPod, then yeah, I agree with them.

Some people call you “The Future.” How do you feel about that nickname?

I am flattered!  I’m called “Automatic Romantic”, and “The Man From Dyatron” as well, but “The Future” is perfect!  The music I spin makes me dream about the future.  I share this fascination and induce dreams of future worlds in others ‘cause that’s what the records want.

So, what or where is Dyatron?

Dyatron is a whole environment.  When I DJ with different people in different places, that kind of event is called “Dyatron”.  We do paintings, illustrations and we also create some music…its not just DJing.  Dyatron means “DYnamic Activities through elecTRONics.”

Who or what are some of your influences?

Science fiction in general, but the I love the OG hip hop culture, OG Italo disco, OG minimal wave, etc…because they took what they found interesting and incorporated into their life, their fashion, music, even their dance!  That’s dope!

You have a deep interest in the inexplicable (i.e. outer space, aliens, mathematical unseen symmetry in space and time) How does it affect your style as an artist and DJ?

It’s all connected.  The art I make, the graphic design, the music I’m making, and the DJing I do are linked to some fundamental form of shamanism in some way that I don’t understand. The things I entertain in my imagination are shared through art and sound. I am a type of unadorned parapsychologist. The paranormal is so fun because its always finding ways to tickle the imagination, and something we all need is to keep things fun!  The normal is just a small part of the paranormal…not the other way around.

While his home planet of Dyatron awaits his return, Earthlings can catch a glimpse of The Future at Avenue Lounge in San Francisco.

Somewhere in Austin, Texas, tonight a band is playing. They’re good.  They’re very good. They’ve got a tight rhythm section, guitar hooks for miles, the singer can sing, and they’ve got something to say.  In the middle of their set, as they blaze through their favorite number, a mischievous, young, raven-haired woman orders a glass of red wine and sits down at the table in the back.  She’s heard through the grapevine that they’re worth checking out, so naturally, she’s there, and if the band knows what’s good for them, tonight they’ll do their damnedest to burn down the house.

For the past few years, Laurie Gallardo has embodied this role and played out this scenario in numerous venues across the city.  As an Announcer and Associate Producer for KUT, she has tirelessly championed local acts she believes in, and lucky for them, ‘cause she’s got a righteous platform from which to proselytize, and a hell of a voice with which to do it.   Educated in Journalism at UTEP, this girl from West Texas, who used to record songs from the radio onto her tape recorder, recognized the power in music at a very early age, and felt a kinship with those who delivered it.  Her love of music is, in her words, “a driving force”, and it’s evident in her work.  Through shows like the “Austin Music Minute” and  “Laurie’s Town”, it’s apparent that Gallardo does it as much for the sheer joy of the experience as she does for the opportunity to break up-and-coming acts that she thinks should not go unheard.

With SXSW on the horizon, as she prepares for another year of on-air performances, showcases and of course the parties, Gallardo sits down with EG15M to talk about her time at KUT, finding the “joy in the unknown”, her passion for her work as a voice actor and a whole mess of bands who have her screaming her “mantra” from the rooftops.  Pay attention, because now is certainly not the time to behave.

What does your business card read versus how you would describe what you do?

My business card says that I’m an announcer and Associate Producer for KUT 90.5 in Austin. Well, I do a lot of announcing on KUT, whether it’s the Austin Music Minute, Laurie’s Town for Texas Music Matters, underwriting, hosting a music show or sitting in for announcer Bob Branson during the drive-time shift, from 3 to 7 p.m. on weekdays. I do production work, and of course, I’m a voice actor. I can do character voices and commercial narration for all sorts of things… everything from commercials to education materials to animation.

What inspired you to get into radio/journalism?

The journalism side of my career comes from my curiosity to see how creative minds work. I used to do stories about artists and a lot of bands in El Paso when I worked for the El Paso Herald-Post, an evening paper that isn’t around anymore.  My love of music is what got me fascinated with the idea of radio. When I was younger, I’d be taping songs I liked from my little radio into a tape recorder my parents got for me. Of course, the announcers at these radio stations seemed like really cool people to me. It seemed like they had a very fun job, so naturally I began to follow the work of my favorite announcers, which led me to notice announcers that you hear in nationwide commercials on radio and television, and even the movies.

What is your favorite part of your job?

Listening to so much great music. Who’s lucky enough to say something like that? Music is a huge part of my life anyway, so I’m truly blessed. I also love the nervous energy I get right before I go on live. I always get nervous as hell before I’m on. Scares me to death. But I learned to use that energy and, in the wise words of Tim Gunn, “Make it work.”

During your time at KUT, you have seen and worked with a number of musicians.  What stands out in your mind as your most memorable music moment on the air?

Oh man. How much time have you got? I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of getting to know so many talented people here in Austin, so interviewing them is an added bonus. It’s a way I can share their ideas, their creativity and their humor with the listener…especially the humor. In some of these interviews, I swear, sometimes you can hear the grin on my face. I’ve had some of the best times visiting bands in their studios or rehearsal spaces, and hosting performances in KUT’s Studio 1A.

Through your work with shows like Before The Break, Texas Music Matters and the Austin Music Minute you have been an avid supporter of the local music scene in Austin.  Why is it important for you to keep searching for and discovering new music?

Honestly, it’s my passion. This is what I love. Music. Words are not enough to describe the elation. It’s a driving force.

What are some of the criteria that you look for when you are looking for new bands to listen to/profile/showcase?

Criteria? Egad! I cannot list any specific criteria. It’s too confining for me. To be blunt, nothing out there is entirely new. We constantly borrow from our inspirations, but I do tend to be drawn toward artists who do a great job of mixing different styles and genres, and maybe provide a fresh outlook on what they love or grew up listening to.

What moves you?  What are you listening to these days?

I am having some mad love for Blitzen Trapper. My heart also belongs to The Raveonettes, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Gliss, The Avett Brothers, Dawn Landes, and Kaiser Cartel. I’ve been getting into Yeasayer and Lissie. Locally, I’m all over The Black Angels, Stereo Is A Lie, Lee Barber, The Lovely Sparrows, White Denim, The Sour Notes, Uncle Lucius, Wiretree, The Tunnels, Lee Simmons, The Black and White Years, Leo Rondeau, Leatherbag… Oh lord. My peeps know I have mad, mad love for the White Ghost Shivers and The Invincible Czars. I about had a cow when I saw Crawling With Kings reunite to do a show with Zookeeper. (eyes roll to back of head, faints)

You’ve mentioned before that you are also a voice actor/narrator.  How did you get into that line of work?  What are some of the jobs that you have done in this field?

A friend of mine introduced me to (producer and director) Charlie Campbell, when he was still working for ADV Films, and that was the beginning of my stint with anime. Apparently, I make a pretty damn impressive bad guy. I’ve played quite a few villains, including one in the restoration of Gatchaman – Edwin Neal (from the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre) played the male version of Katse, and I was the female counterpart. I also played a lead character in the English-dubbed version of a Korean action film, No Blood, No Tears (2002). I make a pretty good bimbo.

Who are some of the voice actors out there that inspire you?

I’m inspired by people who have impressive, character voice ranges.  Take, for example, Jean Hagen. She starred in “Singing In the Rain”, as this actress named “Lina Lamont”,  a great beauty, but with a voice that would, as Robert Osborn on Turner Classic Movies said, “…make hyenas’ ears hurt.” I mean…”Lina” was just awful. It was like nails on a chalkboard. But in reality, Jean had a lovely voice, and she could even sing. That, to me, is great talent. It takes an intelligent person to play someone so stupid.

Some of my heroes are the late Paul Frees and Don LaFontaine.  I also love the work of Seth MacFarlane, Brendan Small, H. Jon Benjamin and Mark Hamill. Phil Hartman was amazing, may he rest in peace. There’s a brilliant voice actor named Candi Milo who’s done great characters on Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends. Her range is amazing! And let us not forget my mentor, Lainie Frasier. She’s absolutely amazing. She’s taught me a lot about getting into character, and reading a script in the most effective way possible. There’s an art to this, you know.

Any advice for those just starting out in radio?

My advice to budding broadcasters is to never be afraid to learn editing. It will serve you well. It’s not enough to simply be just a pretty voice. Learn to produce your own shows!

You say your mantra is “Don’t Behave”.  Where did that phrase originate, and what does it mean to you?

My love, life is short…terribly short. We cling to things that, in the end, are not that important. “Don’t behave” is my way of telling people to live. One of my favorite actors, Rosalind Russell, portrayed a character in a play made into a great film called Auntie Mame (1958), and Mame always said, “Your problem is that you don’t live, live, live! Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death!” You have got to appreciate the moment. The time is NOW. Do it NOW. I find it mind-blowing when my friends toss my line right back to me: “Laurie! DON’T behave!!” Good. I hope they remember that. I hope I do, too. If I drown in my own self-pity, be sure to give me a right thunk on the head.

What’s next?

Someday, I’ll provide voices for Family Guy, or The Venture Brothers, or…oooooh! Squidbillies! (sighs dreamily) Imagine working for Adult Swim on Cartoon Network? One of my biggest dreams is to do voice work full time. I’ll probably keep singing. And…who knows? The joy is in the unknown, right around the corner.

You can catch Laurie Gallardo on KUT 90.5.
photo by Briana Purser

Coming up with a clever introduction for someone like Gabriel Jeffrey seems a bit pointless.  Given his portfolio, and his extensive body of work over the past decade, spanning numerous mediums, you get the sense that it would almost be better to call him, and ask him to write it for you, because you know he’d knock it out of the park.  Having worn many hats in his career from art director and web designer to photographer and author, Jeffrey defines what it means to create.  He’s worked for ad agencies like Arnold Worldwide and David & Goliath.  He launched an online confessional site called Group Hug and then wrote a book about it.  He’s done editorial photography for magazines like Nylon and Lemon, and then bought a 1963 Ford Falcon and fixed it up.  He’s directed music videos, and next, he wants to tackle features…a “Western” to be exact.  He’s equal parts Indiana Jones and Steve Jobs with a pinch of Ty Webb and a dash of Marquis de Sade thrown in for good measure.  But all of this is par for the course for the kid from Marysville, California who at 14 got his start designing signs, buttons and a billboard for a local city council candidate running for office.

Currently finishing up some graphics for a new TV network, and doing some freelance work for Volkswagen, Jeffrey gave EG15M a little bit of his time (just a little bit) to chat about formal education for artists, shooting for Nylon Mexico (never again), what happens when you do Tequila shots with a Chinese girl, and “burning down entire villages.”  No…seriously.

As an artist, how would you describe yourself?

Antsy. I do a lot of work just because I need some money, and then while I’m doing that I see someone having all this fun doing something else, and I want to try that too. A friend of mine has done really well in the music business, and one day I was showing him some pictures that I’d taken of some girls in Malibu. He said that “photographer” was the second greatest career after “rock star”. I don’t completely agree with that, but the point is that I found it much easier to use a camera than a guitar, and he was right that getting paid to take pictures of pretty girls is an awesome thing to do.

How does your approach to a project change depending on the project?  For example:  Kate Earl’s “Melody” video versus creating “Group Hug”.

The approach is pretty similar. Each of those projects was a thesis in its own right. In 2003, I happened to be working on all these web sites, as a designer, so those are the thoughts that were banging around my apartment. Six years later I’d had a little experience on commercial sets as an art director, and I had taken a lot of photos of Kate already.

Melody from Gabriel Jeffrey on Vimeo.

How did you come up with the idea for Group Hug?

I was drinking tequila with a Chinese girl and we were talking about how we didn’t know of any place on the web to just go tell a story, anonymously. It was a fast and easy idea. No plan, just execution.

Are you still working with it?

I’ve moved on. A string of volunteers maintain it. I’ve had some ideas along the way, related to it but more relevant to what I’m doing now. I’d like to maybe do a non-fiction film related to it at some point.

From a photographer’s standpoint, talk about the 3-ring circus that is “producing a shoot.”  How do you manage it all in order to get the most out of your subjects?

It just happens somehow, I haven’t got a fucking clue.

Your site currently features your most recent photo editorial for Lemon magazine.  Having worked as an art director and now as a photographer, talk about the relationship between the artist and the editor.

Kevin Grady, one of the editors at LEMON, came to me with a specific idea for one shot. He didn’t mandate it, but I thought it was a good idea and I added a little to it. I felt like we had the same thing in mind, and that turned out to be true. It was a flawless collaboration, and when I turned in the pictures he just replied, “you nailed it.” Last year, I shot story for Nylon Mexico. We delivered, they loved the pictures, and then they decided not to run them, and not to pay for them. I won’t go near that rag again.

Your photography has a visceral quality to it portrayed from an almost intellectual standpoint. From the Burning Man images to the photos of Paris Suit Yourself, the viewer can almost taste the dry dust in the air, or feel the sweat on the musicians. What do you want us to feel?

Whatever I was feeling. I try to get really excited, or silly, or serious, or turned on or whatever the feeling is supposed to be. Subjectivity is everything, I think. If I’ve been staying up really late with some unhealthy habits, but I’m really happy about it, then things look a certain way. Lights are brighter, red looks really red, and people react to you differently. So then if I do things right, the picture comes out like that. If I was just really bored or worried about my mom or something, it would end up different.

Having now explored so many artistic avenues, which is your favorite?

Right now, I want to direct.

Anything in particular you have your eye on directing?

Definitely more music videos.  A feature is obviously something I am interested in long-term, but I don’t feel like I’m ready for something that yet.   Eventually though, I’d like to shoot a western.

What turns you on?

Everything turns me on, but only for about an hour…like an unaltered puppy.

In terms of creating art, how important is a formal education?

Certain things would probably be easier, more profitable, and definitely more formal, if I’d gotten a formal education. It’d be easy to make either case. If a person is struggling to communicate, then some school sounds reasonable, right? Maybe there are other paths that work out better for others. Personally, I didn’t give it a lot of thought. The loans didn’t make sense to me.

Who are some of your influences/ heroes in both your work and your life?

Shit, I don’t know. I feel influenced by a lot of people and movements. I don’t try to consciously subscribe to one hero or ideology. People I notice being really happy and productive, it never seems like they’re taking it too seriously.  I like Dostoyevsky, Mikhail Bulgakov. I really enjoy hearing about how all these old geniuses like Franklin, Einstein, and all the old master painters and composers… I like how they all had this insane, lecherous side to them. I don’t think you can make something really beautiful if you’re afraid of shadows.

What equipment do you use?

I use a Canon 5D MKII for photography, and a Mac Book Pro for burning down entire villages.

What is your take on digital versus traditional photography?

I probably feel the same as most guys, of a similar background, if you asked them the same question. Film is amazing, romantic and generally comes with a patina that takes some effort to emulate with digital. I own a number of cameras that expose film. Every now and then I choose to use one of those instead of a digital camera.

How instrumental is Photoshop or other photo editing software in your work?

I think most digital pictures look lousy without some correction.

Why do you create?

Mainly to modify things. If I had some wood to split or a garage to take things apart in, I’d be just as satisfied.

What’s next?

Right now, I’m putting together a shoot for a campaign for a clothing line in NYC.  I have also started a company with Paul Cavazos, my business partner in NYC called Parts & Labor.  We provide creative direction for musical artists, visual artists as well as branding for various projects.

Gabriel Jeffrey lives and works in Los Angeles and New York City.  He is the author of “Stoned, Naked and Looking In My Neighbor’s Window”.

“Youth is something very new.  Twenty years ago no one mentioned it.” -Coco Chanel

Ever wonder how Steven Meisel or Bruce Weber got their start? Sure, you can scour the Internet and devour all of the interviews you can find about their lives, and about the experiences that led them to becoming the household names that they are today, but who were they when they just started shooting? Where was their head?  What were they doing?

At age 21, Arizona native Jeremiah Damian finds himself at the beginning of a journey that he hopes will one day place him in that elite company of photographers who light up the pages of publications like Vogue and W.  With all of the confidence of one of these shooters, tempered with the infectious bravado of youth, on any given day, you can find him out in the streets of San Francisco scouting the perfect location. From Grace Cathedral to Ocean Beach with his camera in hand, his portable lighting equipment in tow, and his latest concept in mind he is always ready to burn through some film, or at least warp his memory card.

Educated in Photography at the Academy of Art in San Francisco, an institution that counts many a famous photographer among it’s alumni, Damian is passionate, driven and unwavering in his quest to take on the fashion industry on his terms.  Having previously done work for the Ford and Look modeling agencies, and currently testing models for City, Damian is slowly and methodically building his book, before heading out to NYC this fall to put his work to the ultimate test.  On this day, EG15M plays “Catch a Rising Star” with Damian as he shares what he loves about shooting fashion, some of his influences as a photographer, “talent” versus “moving furniture” and what he’s learned thus far about finding his voice.

What is photography to you?

Pictures become gravesites.  People come and go, never to be seen again.

What equipment do you use?

For Digital I shoot with the Canon 5D Mark II, for film I still rock it with my Pentax K-100 and my Yashica-D twin lens (“stolen” from my grandfather).

How would you describe your style as a photographer?

It’s taken me a long time to realize or even find my style, but if I have to condense it down to a few words, my style would be considered “darker beauty” I suppose. I have recently been told that my images have a darker undertone and dreamlike quality, whether that’s good or bad is up to the viewer, but I agree that my images follow along this idea of beauty mixed with the unknown.

What is it about fashion photography over other styles of photography that appeals to you most?

For me personally, fashion photography is fine art, documentary and advertising photography all mixed into one. Fashion photography allows me to create whatever kind of concepts I wish, from military-clad temptresses to crazed mental patients. I get to explore different outlets that lead to those final images which include high fashion with a story line that is all my own. (Well…along with the help of the team make-up artist, hair stylist and wardrobe stylist!)  In the end, it’s producing a world that was never there and turning it into something real. I really just love the work, finding the location, getting the team and model and shooting my concepts.  Other styles of photography, no disrespect to them at all, are just not as fun for me.  I cannot tinker with every facet of a diamond ring or get out into the world and just shoot what I see, that work is beautiful but not what I love doing.

What qualities are you looking for when choosing a subject to shoot?

It’s always different and depends on the concept. There are times when the model has been dead on for the concept and times when they’ve been the complete opposite.  I guess once I visualize my shoot I just edit the talent to fit as best as possible.

What would you consider to be your dream assignment?

When I realized that fashion photography was what I was going to do for the rest of my life, my goal has been to shoot for the pages of Italian Vogue.  That magazine is so “art” driven and allows for raw image making.  You can be as creative and as weird as you wish.  It’s all about the concepts and the passion put into the spreads.

What is “sexy” to you?

Creative people with passion for the shot.

With digital being the standard today, and Photoshop a given, in what ways do you think the advancements in technology have helped or hindered fashion photographers?

It’s instant gratification.  I truly embrace the fact that I was lucky enough to work with film for a while before digital made its grand entrance. I think digital has for sure helped photography in general, but I also think that digital has made it too easy to over shoot (Sometimes I find myself over shooting because I have a larger CF card that allows for it!).  Lately, I’ve been going back to basics and shooting film to remind myself that with film your forced to get it right the first time.

As a fashion photographer, who are your greatest influences?

Gray Scott, his work is amazing and his story on his success. Every time I look at his work I feel so inspired and driven to create. His work and the interviews I have read on him really have pushed me to stop shooting pointless images and really give my work a life and a voice.

Others that I really look up to include Steven Meisel, Steven Kline, Mark Peterman, Yu Tsai and Miles Aldridge. The list goes on and on, I have way too many booked marked on my computer, but I also really love my fellow peers’ work.  Their work pushes me to do my best on every shoot.

When choosing the image to go with, whether it be for a client’s portfolio, tests for an agency or work for a magazine, what is your editing process?

Honestly for me, I edit purely by what looks right. The edits that others make for models and magazines, normally include a lot of my own edit, but ultimately it’s their decision; however, everything that is on my website is my own vision, whether it pleases the viewer or not, its my voice.

In Annie Leibovitz’s book “At Work”, she quotes Arnold Newman as saying “photography is one percent talent and ninety-nine percent moving furniture.”  In your opinion, how important is “talent”?

I think that talent is a huge portion of being a photographer, I mean in reality we don’t see just anyone’s work on the cover of Vogue or W, we see someone with talent and drive. I understand what Newman was getting at, but if the world really operated off 1% talent then we would have been screwed already.

When thinking about carving out a niche for yourself in this highly competitive industry, what is the most important lesson you have learned thus far?

Just to stay true to what it is I want to do, to stop wasting time with shoots that I really don’t care about and to focus on those that my passion is leading me towards…to follow my own voice and not to let others try and break me down.

Any other advice for those photographers that are just starting out?

Just to stay true to what you want. Learn as much as you can whether through a critique, a friend, or even a complete stranger. Keep your ears open and mind open, if you can’t take critique and constructive criticism then stop right now and start thinking about another career.

Jeremiah Damian is currently living and working in San Francisco, California.  www.jeremiahdamian.com

Describe your style.

My style is really a fusion of everything, Soul, Hip Hop, Funk, Psych, Garage, Techno, House, Disco, Post Punk, Latin, 80s, Rock n Roll, Porno Beats and weird shit. I have never believed in limitations or boundaries, and always keep an open mind when hearing new music. There are just too many sweet melodies in every genre, and if you put restraints on yourself, you will miss out.

Your influences and eclectic taste in material sets you apart from the average DJ in San Francisco. What is it about 1960’s R&B and Soul that moves you?

I’m the most moved with 60’s soul or really soul music in general, because I believe the music reaches down to the very core of human emotion. It is genuine, sincere and real. It is raw, never scripted and always in your face presenting the truth…Take it or leave it.

If you could meet any musician from any time period, who would it be and why?

That is a hard question almost as difficult as “what kind of music do you listen to?” or “who is your favorite singer?” I’d like to chill with “the Duke” learn to be more of gentleman while picking up little class…Would love to hear Bix Beiderbecke play a note or two. Party with Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, David Bowie… Pick at Brian Eno’s brain. Go to the Disco with Donna, listen to Larry Levan on the decks or a Tom Moulton mix…Spend a day with Funkadelic on the Mothership…sooo cool…

Describe your perfect gig.

A gig where your family and friends are present, speakers that bump, no drama, no shady club owners, or other DJs sweating you to get off the decks. $$$$ are always a plus, and most of all a good time.

Do you feel that the introduction of Serato has affected the DJ industry in a positive or negative way and why?

I’d have to say both, Serato has totally revolutionized DJing, and it has made it possible to have infinite tracks at your disposal, while decreasing the load of having to haul around crates of records (That is of course unless you’re a superstar DJ like Paul Oakenfold or Tiesto). Serato is merely a tool and should be taken lightly. It has created too many “Serious DJs”. Unless you’re putting out good tracks or holdin’ down on the decks doin’ a vinyl set, then shut the fuck up and get off your high horse.

Who are some of your favorite DJs?

Other then myself, hmm… I’d have to say any of those Hip Hop DJs out there juggling beats and keeping it real by dropping that hot wax…Detroit Techno DJs. Twonz (always killin’ it and demonstrating true skillz) DJ Bone (First DJ that I had ever heard) Jeff Mills (aka the Wizard), Theo Parrish, Stacey Pullen (every time I’ve seen this cat he has always manages to get the crowd into a frenzy) Terry Mullan (Back in the day) Green Velvet, Paul Johnson, DJ Funk (making the booties shake) Dam Funk, Madlib (U can’t step to this fool) DJ Craze, Drum and Bass DJs, My homie, A Bow Holdin it down in the Chi, and San Fran’s “The Future”, just to name a few.

What is the biggest “no-no” that a DJ could commit?

Playing wackass remixes, oouch…hurts my ears…

If the “big one” hit tomorrow, what record would you want to be spinning while you were going down?

Why, anything from Sam Cooke of course…

What’s the most common misconception about DJs today?

Everybody is a DJ.

What has been the most satisfying moment in your DJ career up to this point?

Probably having my dad out here in San Fran hearing me play for the first time ever…. He was stoked.

What do you say to people who say that DJ’s aren’t “real musicians”?

My first thought is to take it with a grain of salt. For me it doesn’t really bother me, because I’m not a musician. I don’t produce or create anything. I take other people’s work, and I re-work it into it’s own medium and art form. I’m more of an entertainer, but then again, that’s also what a musician is. As far as a statement like that, its just ignorance. A lot of DJ’s are musicians. They are producers who create their own music, and then work it into a DJ set. For someone to say that, it’s just kind of an empty thought.

Aside from the turntables, if you could play any other musical instrument, what would it be?

Sax…it’s the sexiest of instruments, next to the Hip Harp.

In addition to being one of the resident DJ’s at Gestalt in San Francisco’s Mission District, DJ Mateo spins the last Wednesday of every month at 222 Hyde and starting in March, every 1st Friday at 111 Minna.

How would you describe yourself as an artist?

I’m curious. I’m visual. I can usually see a project in my mind and if the ideas stick around long enough I have to see them through.

What is your goal as an artist? Why do you create?

My goal is to teach myself how to do things that I’ve never done before and if I get a second chance to do it again, such as another film, I want to do better. It’s an uphill climb, always and the day it’s no longer a challenge is a day that my creativity comes to an end.

Who are some of your influences?

Picasso – for his never being satisfied with his own work.
Pedro Almodovar – for making films his way and for making them better every time.
Ken Burns – for keeping our history alive and leaving no stone unturned.

How did you get started as a filmmaker? Why film?

I’m not sure why. I just knew that I wanted to direct experimental films since I was a little boy. I started in photography so I could work solo while learning lighting and cinematography. Then, I gradually picked skills on producing and fund-raising.

Is fund-raising the most challenging part for you of the filmmaking process?

Fund-raising in a bad economy.

What do you love most about making films?

The entire production process is a thrill because there is so much action going on from the first frame to the last. A film is essentially a thousand decisions that come together over time. What you do with those decisions will determine how good your film is in the end. Cut corners and it’ll show. Take you’re time and think about each decision and you’ll see great results.

When filming “Happiness Is…”, what did you find were some major stumbling blocks that people encounter in their search for happiness?

We have a habit to comparing one another. In America (especially) we tend to compare ourselves to those around us or those we look up too. It can make us feel like a lesser person when we compare ourselves to people that are younger, wealthier, taller, skinnier or whatever. It’s a bad habit unless we compare ourselves to those who have less.

We assume that happiness is something that can be pursued when in fact happiness is already within us all.

In the film you interview a broad spectrum of subjects. Who’s story was your favorite and why?

My favorite story has to be Lily, the immigrant woman from that left extreme poverty behind in Mexico to join her family here in the States. Her family moved to Yakima Valley and worked long hours in the apple orchards. A few years after she settled in, she lost her father after he was poisoned from pesticide exposure.

She turned her loss into a call to action. She focused her energy on her education, earned scholarships and later became a physician. Now as a doctor she educated the immigrant community on how to protect themselves from pesticide exposure.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I learned to accept my imperfections. There are some that just won’t go away so I’ve accepted them, and in a weird way, I’ve even grown proud of some of them. But generally, I need to improve in several areas. Don’t we all?

So I guess my New Year’s resolution would be 1. Remember more faces 2. Remember more names 3. Listen closer 4. Look Closer 5. Learn more 6. Think more 7. See more 8. Care more 9. Share more …..And then take it all in.

Where do you find happiness?

At home. In my garden. Walking with my wife. Doing homework with my kid. Hiking with my unemployed house-mates (my dogs).
Helping people out. Making movies…oh man, I guess I’m pretty happy.

What is the best piece of advice you could impart to a filmmaker just starting out?

I would do my best to remind them that there are no rules. There are textbooks that can teach you some film history but when it comes to making your own film? There are no rules. You learn by doing.

There are chapters in film history books dedicated to those filmmaking pioneers that broke away from the normal structures and traditions of filmmaking. Filmmakers that explore new ways of making a film are the one’s that will go down in history.

What’s next? What projects are you currently working on?

I’m working on a documentary about two lovers from a small town in Texas that disappeared into thin air. Their story fascinates me and I’m going to try connecting the missing links with the help of some retired detectives that originally worked on the case.

When he’s not on the road or making films, Andrew Shapter is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post and lives with his wife, his daughter and his two unemployed housemates (dogs) in Austin, Texas.