“Some people will believe anything if you whisper it to them.�
Miguel de Unamuno
Editor & Creative Director Zara Duffy Music Jacob Warren Contributors Jarryd Lynagh Jesse Mullins Kale Munro Liuk Lucy Clough Ruffbats Photography Phi-Hung Le-Vu Nano Kato
rommmag@hotmail.com
On The Cover
Photographer: P.L.V Photography Model: Grace Ognyenovits HMUA: Chanelle Ho
Able & Game Awkward humour at it’s best; Able & Game’s cards could probably replace a phone call. They also make other stuff too. Etsy | Facebook | Web | Blog
I Don’t Give a Flying Fox I Don’t Give a Flying Fox manufacture probably the greatest wooden brooches, but they don’t give a flying fox what you think anyway. Facebook Archer & Archer Archer & Archer make homewares fun for everyone. Vintage homewares even. That’s pretty goddamn hard. Facebook | Tweed Heads, NSW 2485
The Happy Cabin It’s impossible not to exit this shop joyously. Especially when there’s friendly staff and fox-adorned paraphernalia for sale. Facebook | Web | 58 Vulture St, West End 4101
Pannikin Filled with colour and childish tendencies, Pannikin is bringing back preschool, and making it fashionable. Etsy | Blog | Facebook
Velvet Pins With one ear against the earth and one foot on the sewing machine pedal, the two girls behind Velvet Pins have created a brand reflective of themselves, oozing with good karma, harmony and style. Web | Facebook
Any hidden talents we should know about? Rhiannon is a master of glass-coating, she has mad skills for not getting any bubbles or defects in our shiney glass coating we put onto our badges and earrings. Josh makes a mean bloody Mary. What’s the average day in the Ruffbat life? We both work full-time so Ruffbat comes to life late at night and over weekends. Ruffbat duties vary from making stock of our badges and earrings to preparing artworks for an exhibition to just brainstorming ideas over a few cold bevies. Where can we get our paws on your art? At the moment the best place to eye our wares is on Facebook. We will be doing some more markets around Brisbane, The Gold & Sunshine Coasts later in the year. Could you scribble ROMM something top-secret? What sparked the birth of Ruffbat Creative? Floating around since 2003, Ruffbat Creative is the lovechild of creative partners Rhiannon (Dingbat) & Josh (Ruffo) Rufford. Ruffbat Creative was born out of a love of all things drawn and crafted by hand, with Rhiannon and Josh both working as freelance illustrators and graphic designers. Ruffbat is their outlet to have a little more fun and be a bit more quirky then most of their clients require. So are two heads better than one? Definitely 2 heads are better then one. We have completely different drawing/designing styles and ways of thinking so when we come together on a project it becomes an awesome mash-up of all our good qualities combined. We have also found more and more that even in our own individual jobs outside of Ruffbat we look for that input or advice from each other. Do you prefer shows or commissions? Either, or. Shows are fun for seeing peoples reaction to our works and commissions are always great because it means the client likes what they’ve seen you do before. Favourite medium? Anything that we can paint, carve, sculpt, draw on. Or if you look at it another way - a good cuppa coffee is always a great medium for getting us motoring away on things!
To keep up with the Ruffbat crew’s mischief, visit their Facebook!
Hushed Photographer: Jesse Mullins Model: Rebecca Fletcher Hair/Makeup/Styling: Jingjing Hang
Brisbane-grown and barely legal. Leave art to the kids, they’re better at it than you.
Rolling Reckless Hooligans Age: 15, 19 Tumblr | Facebook
The Kramers Age: 15, 18 Bandcamp | Facebook
Tyler TouchĂŠ Age: 16 Soundcloud | Facebook
Fleur Callaghan Age: 19 fleur.callaghan@gmail.com
Zanee Age: 19 Facebook
Thelma Plum Age: 17 Facebook | Triple J Unearthed
Words by Jacob Warren Ambient chillbeat, next level music to some, electro trash to others, either way Motion Picture Actress is an up-and-coming force in the Brisbane scene. Motion Picture Actress is an electronic music producer, organising emphatic hip-hop beats and conducting graceful chillwave. The track Germs W/Keiiko is a sexy composition, the chime tracks and catchy drum sequences combined with Keiiko’s hauntingly beautiful vocals amalgamate perfectly into a chilling and relaxing track. I Don’t Want to Be Alone is a head bopper (yes I am from the 40’s) for sure, it starts with an amazing vocal sample and slowly, with resounding ambience, progresses into a juicy hip hop beat. The thing is, MPA creates such resounding beats and tracks, that you don’t want to hear them being rapped over, like the words would intrude into this blissful, relaxing paradise of electronic sound. MPA’s ‘hip-hop lullabies’ have been a welcome soundtrack to my uni life, Natural Ghost takes me away from everything, every-time I hear it. Natural Ghost to me is a waterfall in the middle of a rainforest, he has used the sound of rain and a rising beat that reminds me of a bird to create a beat sanctuary. True is a newer release wherein MPA uses (as you will find out below) voice samples as another instrument in his electronic arsenal. MPA’s next level usage and redefinition of vocals in his music is a great thing to ponder, but I’ll leave that to you. Give Motion Picture Actress a well-deserved listen, best enjoyed when relaxing. I interviewed Motion Picture Actress (Tom Brydon) about musical things, it was great.
How would you describe the genre of music you produce? Hip hop Lullabies. I notice a lot of voice sampling in some of your tracks, do you find the voice samples and build from there, or have a track and retrospectively add them in? I usually have a progression of some sort and try altering it to re-harmonize the vocal sample. But sometimes they fit perfectly on their own and I add something new to them, sometimes I cut them up and use them as sort of an underlying synth for a track. What does your music mean to you (is it a hobby or more than that) and where do you hope it will take you (if anywhere)? I would love to make a living off music, music is the world to me, without I would not be here...or something cheesy and emotional like that. Where does the inspiration for your tracks come from? It varies to be honest, sometimes inspiration builds over time for me, from listening to new music, travelling, imagery, friends and my personal problems. Then one day I might sit down at the computer and it will all come to me, but some days I don’t get anything. So I have a lot of unfinished tracks that I come back to over time and find new inspiration for them.
This style of music is becoming quite popular and more accessible due to advances in technology and all that, how do you stay original when there is so much competition? I guess it’s like guitar, people still make new songs on that but they add their own tweaks to it that they have developed over time. No two guitarists play the same no matter how much they try to replicate one another. With computer programs, everything is to your advantage, tons of instruments, samples, effects etc. But the way you use those instruments and samples develops your own sound. If I wanted to sound exactly like Burial or Flying Lotus I wouldn’t be able to, I would be able to make similar sounds but the way I approach it would be completely different to theirs. Mos Def or Pink Floyd, who would win in a row boat race? Mos Def! I love both of them but man...Mos Defs music suits winning an athletic event a little more than pink floyd. However I am sure it would be a tie as they would all be high as fuck to think about entering a boat race together. I love those questions.
Motion Picture Actress Bandcamp | Facebook
Photos by Jarryd Lynagh
LIUK, a new Sydney-based label, creates beautiful clothing for women, using quality fabrics and workmanship. ROMM interviewed Krystal, LIUK’s founder, about their debut SS’ 12-13 collection.
Facebook | Web
What sparked Liuk’s creation? Since high school I have always wanted to have my own fashion label, after completing tertiary education, and after working for a few years as a design assistant and pattern maker, I just felt like I was ready to give it a go. What/who are you inspired by? I love following street fashion blogs, and am often fascinated by how people interpret clothes into their own style. This and pattern making are my main sources of inspiration. The more pattern making I do, the more I discover shapes, which can be manipulated to create different affects. Such as in the winter collection I’m working on, it’s about curves and straight lines. When sewn together an organic, floaty pivot is created. Also draping fabrics, and paying attention to their characteristics inspire what I will ultimately create from them. What’s your dream for Liuk? I simply just want Liuk to go from strength to strength with creating interesting designs made from the highest quality fabrics and workmanship. Hopefully one day there would be a great following with the label. This is my main dream for Liuk. Describe the ultimate Liuk girl? She’s a thinker, a creative who enjoys the ugly, the beautiful and subtle quirks of life. Your favourite season? Spring Summer 2012-13 was a great season. A lot of super fine silk, tencel and cottons were used, which are so lightweight, smooth and luxurious to wear.
What’s up next for Liuk? We’ll be launching a new web shop next month! Where can we get hold of LIUK goodies? Along with Liuk’s own web store, it will also be available at thegrandsocial.com.au!! Could you draw us some secret ROMM threads?
“I’m quite fastidious when it comes to my practice. My work is anomalous in comparison to other photographers; it is a reflection of myself presented through the medium of photography. I shoot strictly film and my photos are often very left-of-field or go against what is traditionally considered beautiful. Either that or as I grow older my photographs are becoming progressively shitter. I’ll take the former..” http://kalemunrophoto.tumblr.com
noun /zēn/ zines, plural A magazine, esp. a fanzine
‘ardent defenders of zine culture’ Melbourne Web | Facebook
‘independent publisher of small things’ Brisbane Web | Tumblr | Facebook
Words by Lucy Clough
West End is known for it’s collection of vintage and retro stores, and huddled among them is Lucia Good Gear. Zapped straight from Baz Lurhman’s Romeo and Juliet, icons and portraits decorate the candy pink walls draped with fairy lights. The air, thick with incense, and the music playing is the only thing keeping us in the present. This second-hand fashion emporium is only for the most flamboyant of clientele. Located at the intersection of Boundary and Vulture Street, Lucia Good Gear is hidden away above Bent Books Bookstore, with only a narrow stairway leading you to this beautiful discovery. Unique vintage wear is not only what awaits you here; this treasure trove caters all styles - retro clothing, labels, performers’ costumery, haberdashery, fabrics, and local artist’s wares; each item hand picked for its distinctive qualities. The clothing is in perfect condition and certainly unique.
My visit to the store nearly concluded with a purchase of the entire cabinet of second hand cameras and an adorable 40’s handbag but thinking of my back account, I restrained myself. However, stretching your wallet is the least of your worries, with items priced to suit all customers, you’ll find bargains by the dozen here (This is directed to you, uni students). The staff are awesome - Lucy is the most colourful, stylish woman who will be sure to make your experience with her store a pleasant one. Found a top last week but can’t find it today? No worries. Simply tell Lucy or one of the other friendly folk here, and assuming it hasn’t been sold, they’ll track it down and put it aside for you! Lucia Good Gear really is the diamond of all vintage stores and you’re guaranteed to leave satisfied, thrilled with the fact a place like this exists!
Facebook | 205 Boundary Street, West End 4101