September 2014 by Jen Rees

OUR TEAM Editor in Chief

Jen

General Editor

Maddie

Copy Editor

Leeann

Assistant Copy Editor

Renee

Managing Editor

Sonia

Design Editor

Freda

Writers: Jen, Maddie Jane, Lenore, Luke, Marly, Leeann, Kailia, Sinja, Rossi, Sian, Sonia, Kelly, Maria, Eleanor, Rose, Nathaniel, Damla, Sophie, Jelena, Brett, Vitoria, Emelie, Josselyn, Gemma, Freda, Bree

the city shake up

courage my love

Contributors: Jenny, Brianna, Ale and Nick Photographers: Belinda Glass Reedy, Freda, Rick Rose, Got Image LLC, Hailey Rose Photography, Zach Foerst, Andri Linz, Nicole C. Kibert, Holly Stanford, Shawna Terry, Chris Romano, Emma Rees Think a photo is yours? Let us know and we will credit you

Simple Plan Space is in no way affiliated with Simple Plan, Warner Music, Atlantic Records or Coalition Entertainment. This is a magazine made entirely by fans for fans. Simple Plan Space is only available online and always for free. All contents belong to their respective writers. 2

american pinup

remedy x

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK... Hey Everyone! Another huge edition for you to read this month! We had a massive readership last month and are keen to top that. So if you enjoy reading our magazines please share it on your social media. We could not resist doing a feature on the US Warped and interviewing some of the bands that played to find out what it was like to be on the tour. I also interviewed Courage My Love but decided to do a feature on them next edition. We have one Australian Home grown band, The City Shake Up so make sure you check them out. We start a new feature this month called Fresh Fruit, of a band that I find that is just starting out. Our first band is Remedy X, thanks to their manager Ariel for setting that up. If you think you have a band that you would like in this feature contact us with links to their music. While Simple Plan are writing their 5th Album they are still tweeting us, so catch all their news on our news pages and check out Simpleplan.cz for more. Thanks to the all the bands and their managers for their interviews, as well as the photographers that kindly let me use their photos. We welcome to Bree to our team of writers as well as Belinda Glass Reedy as an overseas photographer. If you are interested in joining the team you can apply, we have proofreader positions available as well as general writers. If you can work to a deadline and have a good grasp of English then send us an email simpleplanspace@gmail.com Till next month, Jen

CONTENTS 4 SImple Plan’s Summer 6 Jeff’s Birthday page 8 David’s Birthday Page 10 Opening of Laurea Restarant 12 Warped Auburn, WA Review 17 bolwling for soup interview 22 ACIDIC INterview 28 the city shakeup interview 34 American Pinup Interview 40 Courage My Love interview 46 Divided Heaven interview 52 Face the king interview 58 Lost in Society interview 62 Naked Walrus interview 68 PJ bond interview 74 That’s Not my Baby interview 80 Beebs & her $ Makers interview 84 The Maine Fact File 86 The Story so Far Fact File 88 We are in the Crowd Fact File 90 Fresh Fruit Remedy X 96 Song of the MOnth 98 sp twitter talk 100 sp Sept calendar 102 fan of the month 105 Seirra News 106 aussie band news 108 pop punk band news 110 SKATALITES 50th year tour 112 birthday page 114 get to know the team 3

simple plan’s summer Written by Sonia @Give_Me_ARTPOP

During this summer, the guys had time to do many important things.

During July, the band performed at Salmon Fest, where were also Maroon On June, 23rd Pierre 5, Pitbull and Amerappeared as guest ican Authors. After on “Ça Commence this event, Simple Bien”. He talked Plan decided to about the new album stop for while, to dedicate and the Simple Plan time to the new Album. Foundation Charity Event (Made on AuOn Instagram, Pierre decidgust, 6th). ed to open up to the fans about his private life. He On June, 25th the posted a photo of his wife band had a fancy (Lachelle) and his daughdinner with the ters (Lennon Rose and Simple Plan FounSoren). He wrote: dation Auction “I’ve always been Winners, where the a little reluctant to guys also played share my personJet Lag. al life online. I’m not sure why but I On July, 1st Simguess I felt I needple Plan celebrated to protect my ed Canada Day in loved ones. But Brampton. They lately I’ve realized also played “Jet that I don’t really care if people know Lag” on stage with who my wife is, or what my kids look Andee. like. There’s no real threat. And if I don’t Watch “Never share that part of my life, then I’m not Gone” by Andee ft. Seb. Also see Andee really sharing who I am. And that’s kinda rehearse with Simple Plan. boring…. So on that note… Get ready to enter my life. The real me. And get ready to be bombarded with cuteness cause my girls are cute as hell. These are my peeps. I love them. And I can’t live without them. <3″

On July, 10th Jeff opened a new bar called “Lorbeer”. Jeff also opened a new restaurant in August, “Laurea”, and the guys from Simple Plan attended the opening.

On July, 20th Chuck attended the Alternative Press Music Awards. He was a special guest for idobi radio to interview the bands that attended the event, like All Time Low and Pierce The Veil.

The band posted a new vlog where they talked about the new album, coming out in 2015. During the Osheaga Festival, David, Jeff and Chuck were there to attend the festival to hear some music live.

On August, 16th Simple Plan attended the Golf Tournament to raise money for their Foundation, During this event were present other Canadian Celebrities, like José Théodore.

This Summer, celebrities decided to do the “Ice Bucket Challenge” to support SLA. Simple Plan also made it and the first was Chuck that nominated the other guys from Simple Plan. The second was Seb, that nominated… Every Astronaut! Even the other guys from the band did the IBC. “carolineduguay: @kiehlscanada did the #alsicebucketchallenge with @simpleplan” http://instagram.com/p/sLr1ZeLjFN/ Simple Plan teamed up with Kiehl’s (Cosmetic brand) to raise money for the Simple Plan Foundation. The band will perform a special show, sponsored by Kiehl’s, in Toronto on September, 19th. Everyone that wants to watch this show live streamed has to donate 1$ for the Foundation. On August, 26th Jeff and Seb appeared on Breakfast Television Montreal to talk about the fifth album and the foundation. At the end of August, Chuck posted a photo of Pierre laying some vocals on one of the demos for the upcoming album!

jeffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

! y a d h Birt

On August, 22nd Jeff Stinco celebrated his 36th birthday and everyone sent him some love. By Sonia @Give_Me_ARTPOP

david’s

! y a d h Birt On August 29th David celebrated his 34th birthday. Every Astronaut and friend sent him many birthday wishes! By Sonia @Give_Me_ARTPOP

Chuck and Pierre: “TAKING A QUICK SELFIE BREAK TO WISH OUR AMAZING BANDMATE AND FRIEND @DAVIDDESROSIERS A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! PARTY HARD BUDDY! NOW BACK TO WORK!@PIERREBOUVIER #SPALBUM5”

Opening of Laurea Restaurant Written by @MariamAstronaut

As you could read in our July edition, Jeff Stinco, the talented guitarist of Simple Plan, was involved in the re-opening of a restaurant called Laurea (alongside with Éric Lefrançois and Cindy Simard). It is, in fact, a part of double-project Laurea and Lorbeer. Lorbeer, the pub that is offering beer from Stinco’s and Lefrancois‘ West Shefford brewery, was opened a couple of weeks before the Laurea restaurant, whose opening was on August 5th. Laurea’s first customers attended a VIP party. There you could see all the members of Simple Plan, their long-time friend Patrick Langlois or other familiar faces such as Sim Klugerman, Herby Moreau or Anne-Marie Withenshaw. Public was allowed to taste the meals with the flavours of the Mediterranean two days after, on Thursday, August 7th. Here you can see how it looks like inside. And now some photos from the opening party (for more of them check out SimplePlan.cz’s gallery). According to the news from August 4th, Jeff and his business partner Éric Lefrançois are also working on a brand new project in Old Montreal: a bar/restaurant with the name “Mimi la nuit“. You can see the scan of an article talking about it (in French), that Jeff posted, here. According to his tweet, Mimi La Nuit will be a French sister to his Italian restaurant Mangiafoco and will be located on the same street. If you want to keep track of Jeff Stinco’s projects, check out the list of his bars and restaurants on SimplePlan.cz.

we are looking for highly motivated people who can work to a deadline. a good understanding of English and an interest in pop punk bands is necessary.

Positions available: General Writers (own research and article writing)

Proof readers (each article prior to design and then after design)

Copy readers (Checking the entire

completed edition checking everything)

No age restrictions. be part of our facebook group and make new friends from all over the world. (every position volunteers)

Email Jen at simpleplanspace@gmail.com

“if you go home today and still have a voice, you did this all wrong” - Ryan Key, Yellowcard

w e i v e R A W Auburn,

YELLOWCARD

Written by / Photos by Freda @Freda_SP

11:15 With Warped Tour in Auburn just getting started, State

Champs are doing an awesome job at waking up the crowd at the Journey’s Stage. The New York pop punks are lively and energetic, with vocalist Derek Discanio bounding all around the stage. Hearing the crowd sing back their songs with passion and volume is a definite sign that State Champs are a Warped Tour favourite this year, and rightly so. Their fast-paced, melody-filled pop punk songs stand out as unique and original - y’all should give ‘em a listen.

11:50 A downpour of rain occurs, drenching everyone not taking

shelter under the amphitheatre. After about 10 minutes the sun pokes out to dry us off. This rain/sun sequence happens nearly every hour, fulfilling the weather predictions of “scattered showers”.

12:05 Mayday Parade take to the Electric Soul Stage where a giant

crowd awaits. Their set is a bit slow and uninteresting, and vocalist Derek Sanders has a habit of pushing his long hair back from his face every few seconds which is a little distracting. But the pace picks up with “Black Cat” which get the crowd moving and singing and all is well after that. Sanders reminds the audience that in their early days, Mayday Parade used to follow the Vans Warped Tour all across the States promoting their band. Considering they are now playing a main stage, their perseverance and growing success is genuinely something that they and their fans should be proud of.

STATE CHAMPS

13:15 Next is Bowling For Soup on the Electric Soul

Stage, just after Finch finishes their set to a dwindling audience at the Kia Soul Stage beside. BFS is great fun to watch as they joke amongst themselves and the crowd, and make up songs on the spot. They declare themselves “the band you can wave to”, as they “will always wave back”. Halfway through their set they paused for a “photo op” which consisted of the band posing together for the crowd to take pictures of them, while a funny BFS photo op theme song played over the speakers. The highlight of their set was undoubtedly “Stacy’s Mom”, which the crowd sang back to them at full force.

13:50 Just as the third downpour of the day beings, Yellow-

card hit the Kia Soul Stage passionate and energetic as ever. Vocalist Ryan Key constantly challenges the crowd to lose their voices, stating that “if you go home today and still have a voice, you did this all wrong”. And fans have every right to believe they succeeded at this challenge, as “Ocean Avenue” is sung back almost louder than Yellowcard can play it.

YELLOWCARD

14:45 The line is already piling up for Yellowcard’s 15:30

signing at the Kia Lounge. The Lounge attendants do a good job at keep-ing the line up entertained, getting everyone to sing along to songs ranging from Yellowcard to Spice Girls. As the band finally arr-ives, their fans scream so loud that violinist Sean Mackin winces and plugs his ears. MAYDAY PARADE

warped tour review continued... 16:45 Tearing up the Warheads Stage are We Are The In Crowd, pleasing their fans with old favourites from their first two albums, and a couple songs from new album “Weird Kids”. Vocalist Tay Jardine has a habit of not finishing her lyrics as she pulls the microphone away from her mouth, but overall their set brings good vibes.

17:15 As Issues take to the Journey’s Stage, their

audience is so massive that they could well be bumped up to a bigger stage by the end of the tour. The band make a solid, confident performance.

ISSUES

17:50 Another band that could play a larger

stage is Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! at the Ernie Ball Stage. The small fold-out truck literally shakes as the French pop-punk metalcore quintet spew their energy. Frontman Bert Poncet has an impressive vocal range that corresponds to the band’s light choruses and crunching breakdowns.

CHUNK! NO, CAPTAIN CHUNK!

19:05 Down at the Electric Soul Stage, The Story So Far appear to

be yet another band that need a bigger stage to accommodate their au-dience, even at a main stage. (Which is a remarkable improvement from playing Tilly’s Stage last year). Lead singer Parker Cannon’s vocals are a little flat, but the amount of passion displayed from the whole band makes up for it. As rebellious as can be, The “No Moshing/Crowd Surfing” sign hanging from the stage means absolutely nothing to this crowd.

WE ARE THE IN CROWD

THE STORY SO FAR

19:50 As the evening creeps on and Warp-

NECK DEEP

ed Tour in Auburn comes to a close, Neck Deep give the people at the Hard Rock Kevin Says Stage one last show. At first listen they come across as just a British version of The Story So Far, but soon enough they prove themselves as having their own unique style of hard rock. The crowd knows the lyrics to all the songs they play, and the sun even pokes out one last time during “A Part of Me”.

21:00 Tomorrow’s show in Portland concludes the 2014 Vans

Warped Tour in the Pacific Northwest - surely everyone who attended will suffer post-Warped Tour depression to a degree, and we all cannot wait for next year.

BOWLING FOR SOUP Written by Jen @justjenrees

Bowling for Soup began way back in 1986 in Wichita Falls Texas where the band members grew up. They, as most students in the 80â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s loved bands like Quiet Riot, Motley Crue, The Ramones and Green Day. With only one line up change in 1998 when Lance Morrill left the band. Lance was replaced by their friend Gary Wiseman. Bowling for Soup have stayed true to their Punk Rock origins. They have ignored their critics and have just kept on writing songs that their fans love. They are fantastic to see live, and their music videos are very clever. This year they are once again teamed up with Pledge music to rerecord all their greatest hits that their fans actually want. The least greatest hits album was released by their old record company without Bowling for Soups permission.

Bowling for Soup have a Pledge Music campaign going. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know about Pledge read more here. PledgeMusic is fast becoming a way for musicians and bands to produce their work the way they want with needed funds, except the whole monetary value is supported by fans! There are perks of course, apart from seeing your favourite band release another album! The artists will offer rewards such as signed photographs, a download of the CD and even more epic things like Skype sessions! You can find more about it here. Still time to pledge! Songs People Actually Liked Vol 1 I have pledged, I am keen to get this album!

INTERVIEW

Interview by Jen @justjenrees

bowling for soup

As a more mature band that toured warped this year did you find that anything had changed over the years that you have done the tour? CHRIS: Well, its still an outdoor tour in the heat of the summer and you still have to spend a lot of time in port-a-potties taking care of the daily business. With the exception of the younger bands, still pretty much the same ol’ tour. How many years have you done the tour? We did the complete tour in 2003 and 2004. Both years on the Ernie Ball Stage. Since then we have only done limited dates here and there. Was there a stand out city for you? You did 22 shows! It’s really hard to say a favorite city. There were a few days off in San Diego, Ca. and that was a good time.

What stage did you play on? Did that always stay the same? There are 2 main stages that rotate time slots. We played on one of those. Same stage every show. Time slots vary. I have heard some bands not being happy about their set times being different each day, did that happen to you and if it did, did you mind? It’s just one of those things you have to accept about being on Warped Tour. Mostly it is balanced and fair. You can also request a time slot every now again. Take us through a day in the life of a warped artist. Our readers go to many many concerts and festivals and would love to know what goes on back stage. A lot of work. For crew, it’s a grind dealing with merch and equipment. As busses are not always parked conveniently next to the stages and lots where the tour is.

Chris at warped

The artists have it easy. Worst part of the day is probably sitting down in the porta-potties for the morning biz. We spent a lot of time signing and meeting people at our merch. It’s our daily ego-boost. Afterwards, there is usually a BBQ and a party. We didn’t attend the official BBQ’s often but we grilled and had a party outside of our bus every night. I’d like to think that we had the best “unofficial” Warped Tour BBQ every night. Get up to any mischief? Be truthful! I have been backstage on a warped tour! Promise I won’t tell anyone except our readers…… Just the general drinking and hanging out. We did light some fireworks one night and get in a little trouble but for the most part we were fairly tame. We are old, fat bastards so all the females steered quite clear of us.

Chris photo bombing

Was your set Jaret’s and my photo list the same each show? Depending on how many bands were on the main stages that day, the set times were either 30 or 35 minutes. We mixed it up a little as we normally do as we generally don’t play with a setlist. Ah I should have remembered that from Soundwave here. Also, if anyone has seen us, they know that we talk a lot on stage. We played the general hits. No curveballs in there. Did you play many from your Lunch Drunk Love? Nah, nobody ever goes to a show where an older band is playing and wants to hear their new crap. That is not crap Chris!!! But I get your meaning. Did you guys do a signing? If you did were there any crazy fans?

INTERVIEW We were at our merch tent for several hours a day signing. I wouldn’t say we had any crazies but there were definitely a few uncomfortable moments here and there. Some people just don’t know what to say or do in that situation. When playing, were the crowd who were watching older mature people like myself? I was surprised at Soundwave and your side wave this year how many young people were in the crowd. I was on the barrier and my 15 year daughter was also there, (though she had avoided me all day….. haha) In Australia you seem to have a huge younger fan base, I was wondering if that was the same in the US? We definitely had a new and younger crowd at these shows. We saw a few familiar faces but for the most part, it was a new one. Did you stop and do your infamous photo posing for the crowd? Of course. That’s always a nice little break in the show. You did not do that at Melbourne Sound Wave! The Side wave you did so I guess I cant complain! Do you feel post Festival Depression like fans do? Takes me ages to get over Warped and Soundwave in Australia. Absolutely. Met a lot of cool people on tour. It’s a bit like going to summer camp as a kid. You are happy to go home but you miss all the good times and the buddies you got to see on a daily basis. How is your Greatest hits album coming along? I realize that it was put on hold

due to warped! What stage are you up to? The first volume is almost completely done. The second may be on hold as well as we may be planning another US tour early next year. I really don’t think it will take much time to record once we start on the 2nd one though. It’s not too difficult to re-record songs you are already familiar with. I am still not exactly sure when the first one will be on the market. Thanks for you time buddy! No probs! You can follow Bowling for Soup’s tour by watching their update every day on their youtube channel. Check out Day One here.

Set list Almost   High School Never Ends   Ohio (Come Back to Texas)   Today Is Gonna Be a Great Day (Phineas and Ferb)   The Last Rock Show   Punk Rock 101   Stacy’s Mom  (Fountains of Wayne cover)

Girl All the Bad Guys Want   1985  (SR‐71 cover)

bowling for soup

take note everyone of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Man of the hourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on the amp!

Photo credit: Rick Rose

ACIDIC ARE: (LEFT TO RIGHT) Josh Bennett (guitarist/vocals) Michael Gossard (singer/guitarist) Matt Whitaker (drummer) Max Myrick (bassist/vocals)

California. They played one the Kevin Says stage and you can learn more about that in the interview with them. 2014 has also been ACIDIC’s first year as having headliner tours that have received rave reviews.

Quoted from their Facebook About page:

John Ryan of Chicago Kid Productions is producing their next album who also produced their recent album, Copper Man. Check out their music video for the title track here on their YouTube channel. It has more than a million views, it is a great song and together with a really funny video it is worth a watch.

“ACIDIC specializes in a high-powered fusion of insanity-based, radio-friendly, organic, carnivorous rock n’ roll! Explosive live show, hot new CD and a ridiculously hilarious new video with almost 200K views of Youtube! Touring nationally, going out a second time with Hinder in mid-June. “Brain-sticky” original songs. Lead singer Michael Gossard: “Copper Man sounds like Green Day and Jane’s Addiction had a baby…and Of Monsters and Men was the milkman!” 2014 has been a huge year already for this hard working young rock band from

ACIDIC

Written by Jen @justjenrees

“copper man” (2013) 1. Copper Man 2. Satellite 3. Monster 4. Only One 5. Drive Thru 6. Forever More 7. Looking Glass 8. Pirate Eyes 9. Hail to the Yeti 10. Believe

“Chronic Satisfaction” (2011) 1. Uninspired 2. Break Me Down 3. Call for More 4. Her Walls Are Coming Down 5. Black box 6. Goodbye 7. Fifteen Miles Away 8. The Brave 9. Ironic Dreams

There are so many rave reviews for ACIDIC on stage and their albums.

BLUERAIL.com: “Frontman Michael Gossard is a force of nature, connecting to his audience and his band mates in ways that make an ACIDIC show highly electrifying.” RUKUS magazine: “These guys aren’t afraid to rock out. Gossard can really wail with his vocal at times and the band is full of energy.” PERFORMER magazine: “Straight from the get go, ACIDIC brings forth its frenetic energy and passionate sound in waves of indie alternative delight. This band brings the goods, with personality and flair unmatched in many West Coast bands.“

“Getting Lucky” (2010) 1. Tell Me 2. The Big Bang 3. Move On 4. No Name 5. It’s OK 6. Strata Red 7. Let Me Take You Away 8. Closer to the Sun 9. Liar 10. Waiting for Someone 11. Retrograde 12. maybe

ACIDIC clearly love to play live as they have played with bands suck as Alien Ant Farm, Candlebox and many more. They also played for US troops in Kosovo and Germany and festivals such as SXSW, Rockin’ Roots Festival and Sunset Strip Music Festival. ACIDIC’s song “Strata Red” came first in the Alternative category in the 18th Billboard World Wide Song Contest.

Links

website bandcamp facebook YOUTUBE twitter

INTERVIEW Interview by Jen @justjenrees

acidic

Hey Michael, thanks for taking some time out to answer my questions.

Take us through a day in the life of a Warped artist. Our day starts at 6 AM when we arrive. From 6 and 9 AM we unload and prepare Which one was the stand out best show the merchandise table and gear. It’s also time for breakfast. From 9 AM until doors and why? open we wait to find out what time we It would be the hometown show – Pomona. We walked in and saw hundreds of play. After that, we make sure our merchandise is laid out and walk around to people. A lot of them actually knew who we were. We did not expect that overmeet people and give out free stuff. When it’s time for us to play, we go on stage. whelming reaction. It was really crazy After that we walk out, sign, meet people and a lot of fun. and then sit down on our tent – that’s Which one was the worst? Did anything where more people come up and meet go wrong like power issues? us. I wouldn’t call any show “bad,” but in Did you meet any of the bands that have Albuquerque they had to shut down the inspired you at all? whole Warped Tour because of storms We met a lot of them! We met Bowling and lightning issues. We were safe for Soup – they’re one of the bands we though and still got to play. used to listen to growing up. We also met You played 9 Warped shows, is that correct? Yes, that’s correct.

What stage did you guys play on? Hard Rock Kevin Says Stage

Photo credit: Rick Rose

(L-R) Max Myrick (bassist/vocals), Matt Whitaker (drummer), Michael Gossard (lead singer/guitarist), Josh Bennett (guitarist/vocals) Yellowcard and Anberlin. Then we got to hang out with Linkin Park and have ‘selfie time’ with them during the Ventura show.

MERCH TENT

gonna have a really great Get up to any mischief? Be truthful! I have been backstage on a Warped Tour!  show at the Troubadour We were very, I would say, cooperative. in LA this We were more interested in learning about the Warped Tour. We were very well week. I also think our behaved. We didn’t it want to be our first next tour will be great. and last tour. Good Answer! What was your set list? Was it the same each show? It changed per show. We weren’t sure which ones to play. We had short sets – only 25 minutes per city – which gives us time for roughly 6-7 songs. We played a couple of new songs as well as Copper Man and Drive Thru from our album. We also played our cover of Come Together by The Beatles. Do you think you made new fans due to your experiences on Warped? Absolutely. We had a line everywhere we went. It was awesome. I’m sure we’re

Did you do a signing? Were there any stand out crazy fans? Well, there was fan who drove from Boise to see us in Ventura. There was also a fan who flew from South Carolina to catch us at the San Antonio show. I don’t want to call them crazy, they’re just dedicated! There wasn’t any formal/official signing but we were at the merch tent all day for people who wanted autographs. We’re equal opportunity people. Now some background questions for our readers to get to know you a little better.

INTERVIEW How did you guys all meet? I started the band in 2007 and over the course of years of playing, meeting and touring, I found the other members. I met Matt Whittaker, our drummer, back in high school so I’ve known him for a long time. Our guitarist, Josh Bennett, saw us play in one of our shows with Alien Ant Farm. We had a slot open at that time and he did not leave us alone. Max Myrick, our bassist, was introduced to me by my cousin.

The music video for Copper Man has well over 1 million views and made me laugh a lot! How on earth did you come up with that concept? We went into the music video director’s office. We said we wanted a video that’s unique but relatable. Then he immediately blurted out that we should spoof infomercials. So it turned out that way - it’s a spoof of infomercials.

Your album Copper Man was produced but John Ryan, how was it working with someone with his talent? It’s always an experience. He has the definite direction. It’s nice to have someone like that. Working with music producers with a creative vision is always awesome. It has helped ACIDIC tremendously. There hasn’t been a bad day.

Thanks you your time guys! Cheers, Jen

Any funny stories that you can tell us about the filming of that? You have been super busy with many Ted got naked for that. He actually wore tours last year and this year had your own headlining tour, The “Electric Cool- see-through tights to look naked. It was Aid ACIDIC tour, can you take us through really funny. Also we shot it for only a day and a half. It was quick and fun. As far as some highlights of that tour? funny stories, when we’re working, we’re It would be walking out to a sold out show with 1500 people in Spokane. That working. was definitely the highlight of our headWhat has been the highlight of your caliner experience. We also played many reer so far? radio festivals. We travelled across the It would be the Warped Tour. As far cacountry and played coast to coast. But reer, it was a major step forward. Another really, every time I step on stage, it’s alhighlight was going overseas and playing ways a highlight. for the troops during the holidays years ago. You had tours with Smile Empty Soul last year, Trapt and Hinder. Did you have Any news that we can promote for you? any time to sleep at all?  Not really. We were home for just 90 days We’re in the middle of writing a new album. We’re about to leave for our tour. last year and that definitely took its toll You can check out our tour dates on our on the band. We’re on tour a little less this year. We’ve been home for about four website. months now.

website youtube facebook bandcamp twiter

acidic

Photos by Got Image LLC

THE CITY SHAKEUP Written by Jen @justjenrees

The City Shakeup are: Dave - Vox/Guitar Cam - Guitar Ronnie - Bass Reece – Drums “A vein of light banter, enthusiastic swearing and some decent punk rock… I was won over” – Fasterlouder.com.au The City Shakeup team up together to write their music influenced by the ideals of each of them. This is stated in their facebook bio , “This united front is heavily represented on their latest EP “Trigger Happy Slander” – a social commentary on the less chivalrous - Addressing futile hostility, first world problems and everyone’s old friend heart-ache.” One thing The City Shakeup love to do is tour. They played Big Day out in Australia

in 2011, opened for Billy Talent in 2012, had their own headliner tours as well as many supports for both Australian and International bands. They had the pleasure of doing the Warped tour last year and were invited back to do it all again this year. This band reminds me of RESET in the early days, they do everything themselves self funded, self managed, self promoted, and even do their own merch. They are a band that has the potential to do well and have fun doing it.

Check out their new EP ‘Fought Control’ on Spotify or iTunes. Check out their music video for ‘The Writing on the Wall’ here.

Photo: Trevour McGoldrick

Facebook post 30th July What up Nashville! ? It’s your friendly Australians here from The City Shakeup! Just letting y’all know we’ll be playing the KIA SOUL stage at 12:15! It’s going to be super! #warped #warpedtour #thecityshakeup #tcsu #punks #superukkus

Links facebook twitter youtube bigcartel

INTERVIEW

Interview by Jen @justjenrees

the city shakeup

I love Australian bands being on the US Warped Tour! So it is a pleasure to have a chat to you. First question I have to ask….. 4 dudes 1van 42 shows -60 days. How is that working out for you? Well to be honest, its 4 dudes, a merch guy and a driver / Tech… so its cosy to say the least! We’ve fashioned a double bed into the back section and the other 2 bench seats become beds. Showers are few and far between and generally after one or two gas station snack stops, the entire van looks like a mobile trash can. Any amusing stories you can tell us? Well it’s not so much a story but our driver TJ is a gym dude and eats a lot of protein and as such his farts would wake a man from his coma, which made sleep time in the Van interesting. You seem to have a great following over there, your tent seems packed. Was this different for every show? Yeah for sure, the thing with us is we are quite

unknown over here even though we did warped last year. Every day we have to build our audience and that means dragging as many people as we can to our tent to hear our music and convince them to come see us over the 7 other acts playing at the same time. Some days worked better than others and there’s a lot of factors that play into that like tent position, stage position, how much of a novelty being Australian was in said town and the vibe of the band, generally related to amount of sleep had and any tensions in the band. You had a great idea of a walking billboard to announce when you were on, whose idea was that? Haha, I’m not sure if it was an idea so much. A girl we met last year, who became probably our biggest fan was the first. I literally walked up to her with the poster and gaff tape and taped it to her back. From then on we had kids coming up to us volunteering to do the same, so it basically developed itself. Your set time changed every day, was that frustrating or did you find it good to mix things up a bit.

That is the great thing about Warped Tour and why there is no other festival like it in the world. Mixing up set times for all bands every day ensures that the crowd is there early and creates a level playing field for all bands to capture an audience. Generally playing just after lunch is the best time, but you just have to adapt and work with what you’re given. You got bumped up to ‘Kevin Says stage, can you tell us what that meant? We are not up with the stage names. I take it was good! Yeah, it was amazing! I had actually said at the beginning of this tour that I would love to be bumped up to the Kevin Says Stage just one time on this tour. It ended up being around 15 times and then we were bumped up to the Kia Main Stages 4 times, which was literally a dream come true! The on and offstage sound jumps greatly each stage as does the potential audience. We couldn’t have asked for a better run of shows. “What up warped tour. Your Aussie mates The City Shakeup have been bumped up to Kevin Says today and we play at 3:15! Time to mosey on over and get your fix of punk rock! #warped #warpedtour #thecityshakeup #kevinsays” Take us through a typical day at Warped. I mean have you go any sleep at all? Everyone but Cam sleeps; Cam is actually a

robot who runs purely on Coke Zero and sunflower seeds. He drives most of the night and then runs around taking care of admin throughout the day. He occasionally takes off for an hour or 2 to get sleep somewhere during the day, but we assume it’s actually for an oil change, or flux capacitor replacement, whatever robots need to stay running. As for the rest of us we get up at around 7 and get as clean and pretty as well can with a comb and a tooth brush, then we hit the line armed with and iPod and pair of headphones each. Once doors open we run back to the merch tent where we continue to harass kids with our music and plaster them with our set time stickers. About an hour before we play we start to get ready, warm up, stretch, sacrifice goats etc. then we rock as hard as our bodies will allow for 25minutes. Once we get off stage we go back to our tent where hopefully there is a bunch of people wanting us to scribble on various things they bring to our tent, phones, shoes, shirts, bags, sunglasses, the occasional boob and a snow globe. After all the excitement has died down we then pack down the tent and start to prepare the BBQ for the night’s party. Once we have cooked and served around 400 burgers, 250 hot dogs, 200 veggie burgers, 600 beers and 60litres of Pina Colada, we pack everything in the van and drive 4 – 12 hours to the next city and do it all again. What are the crowds like? Do you think they are crazier than Aussie crowds? From what we have experienced crowds do seem to be a little more crazy in America. The whole ‘fan girl’ thing here is next level and it seems people are much more open to new music. Also crowds seem a lot more willing to participate when you ask them to do something and look like they are there to have fun and not just to be amateur music critics. What bands did you meet and hang out with? Did you meet anyone that inspired you? (This is your chance to name drop!) We definitely made some amazing friends this summer, most of the bands were from the Ernie Ball stage and included; Close your Eyes, Courage my Love, Mixtapes, I Fight Dragons, Teenage Bottlerocket, The Marmozets… the list

INTERVIEW goes on. Also was a pleasure to make friends with the guys from Enter Shikari and borrow their equipment when we got to play main stage. We are big fans of their music and more importantly their message and it was humbling to discover they are all incredibly nice and down to earth people.

We played last, which is usually a really tough spot as most people have either gone home or are watching one of the bigger bands, but we ended up with an awesome crowd with so much energy. The second would have to be Charlotte, which was our first time on Main Stage. The crowd was insane, people as far as we could see and the entire experience was Did you get the chance to be on side stage and surreal. watch the headliners? Being the BBQ band allows you to bribe peoWhat was your worst show? Crazy crowds? ple with food and booze so through this we Bad weather? became good friends with Kenny Leith the To be honest, I don’t think we had a bad show Kia Soul stage manager. This came in handy this year. The weather in Florida is always when A Day to Remember was playing and interesting, but other than that it was relatively side stage was completely packed out. As we smooth sailing! were walking around behind the stage to look for a place to watch them from, Kenny chased Any weird people that you saw in your crowd? us down and dragged us side stage which was Not so much weird but we had quite a few a pretty awesome experience. Other than that people come to Warped in custom, hand drawn we had limited time to watch other bands but TCSU clothing which was awesome! Everything we took opportunities as they presented them- from shirts and shoes, to necklaces and earselves. rings. Can’t wait to see what everyone has next year if we get the chance to come back! Did you guys go out in the crowd and mingle and meet fans? Did you have much support from you family We as a band are a very interactive band. We and friends in Australia? Did some come over didn’t hide ourselves away backstage, we were to see you? at our tent most of the day to meet fans and Surprisingly enough we met up with quite a introduce ourselves to potential new fans. few friends from back home. Most were there We write music to inspire and it’s people who already but there was also a number who inspire us to write, so the one on one contact is changed travel plans to tie in with our shows. I so important. also had my faience fly over and travel with us for about a week. She loves the music and the I know that you are no new comers to touring atmosphere so it’s as much about coming to life, but what have you learnt from this experi- Warped as it about seeing me. ence? I think most of what we learnt we did learn last Best food on warped? (I want Chip on a stick year but I think the most valuable lesson to be from Aussie warped!) learnt from Warped Tour is that no matter how I have no idea what chip on a stick is? Haha, small your band is, every day presents a new but I’ll give it a try! Best food on Warped would opportunity to play to a decent sized crowd if be Warped catering. Somehow the cook 3 you work hard enough. meals a day for around 500 – 1000 people with plenty of healthy and delicious options. I was What was the best city to play at? Great also told that the peanut butter shake from the weather, big crowds. Pomona warped is actually the best thing you I have to say I have 2 personal favourites; Sha- can put in your mouth… I stay away from dairy kopee Minnesota was just an awesome show. for my own sake and the sake of others so I

the city shakeup cannot confirm or deny!

I can say without a doubt in my mind, this summer has been the greatest experience of What was the highlight for you on warped? my life and yes, there will be much more to There were actually so many high points for me come! this year, it seemed that as the tour went on the bar just kept lifting. Having said that, playing Thanks for taking the time to answer my main stage would have to take top honour! questions, did you do it on one of those long drives you had to do? You merch seller loved to sleep on the job Haha, sorry it took so long. Warped is a cuddling a kangaroo. I guess that is a good never ending barrage of work. I’m sitting at way to represent our country haha. How did home in front of a heater at 5am because your merch selling go? Sell lots? I couldn’t sleep and thought I’d try to get Haha! Joel worked hard for us and as anyone on top of some things… Hope the answers who has done Warped in a van will tell you, make sense and feel free to cut out any ramany sleep is good sleep. Before we left we set bling! Thanks for the interview. ourselves a goal with merch which we though may have been out of reach. Turned out we did Thanks David, I also do that, get up early even better than we had hoped selling around while the house is quiet and get lots down, 500 Shirts and over 2500 CDs. We are just so but when I do need to get up I sleep in. I thankful to everyone who supported us and hope your post concert blues go away and continues to support us! you can recover. Has this been one of the best experiences of you life so far? By the sounds of it there is so much more to come for your band!

To see some awesome pics of The City Shake Up at Warped check out this Tumblr. Thanks Chuck!

AMERICAN PINUP

Written by Bree

BAND MEMBERS: Rob Peralta (guitar) Lauren West (vocals, guitar) Tim Robbins (bass) John Casale (drums)

American Pinup is an American rock band from Westchester County, New York, founded in 2012. They play punk rock and alternative rock. In 2010, the band self produced their debut album, Strange Creatures, which was released by Altercation Records after the band was signed in 2011. The band has appeared at festivals such as Vans Warped Tour, The Fest, SXSW, Move Music Festival, Tinderbox Music Festival, Philly FM Fest and many more. They have also appeared on Altercation Recordsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; compilation Blood Sweat &

Punk Vol. 1 & 2 and the Punk for Progress compilation to raise money for v-day.org which is a global movement to end violence against women. The bands sophomore full length album, Change Machine was released in 2013 and has received extraordinary reviews from critics and fans alike. The band are currently touring and continuing to write new material.

Links website facebook twitter tumblr

“STRANGE CREATURES” (2011) 1. Sheena Easton 2. Superman 3. F#M 4. No One Dies 5. Special Brownies 6. Bus Stop 7. Expecting 8. LFDY 9. Strongbow 10. Boarding House 11. Somewhere In Between 12. Go 13. Strange Creatures

“END OF THE WORLD EP” (2012) 1. Far Away 2. Siren 3. Creeper 4. A New America

“CHANGE MACHINE” (2013) 1. Far Away 2. Storm Chaser 3. Siren 4. Shelter 5. The Upper Hand 6. Look Alive 7. Creeper 8. Joy Ride 9. Souls 10. A New America

“SPLIT WITH LOST IN SOCIETY” (2013) Lost In Society: 1. Not Afraid 2. Wrong Direction 3. Three Long Years 4. Waiting 5. Too Long Too Fast American Pinup: 6. Collect Call 7. Buzzkill 8. Led Zeppelin Rox 9. Drinking Buddy 10. Urban Folk Revisited

INTERVIEW

Interview by Jen @justjenrees

american pinup

Hey, thanks for thanking the time out of your busy schedule to answer a few questions. No problem! Happy to do it. You guys played 9 dates on Warped, did you have fun and wish it was more? Yes, we had a total blast. I am still not over it being over. Coming home after that is like going back into the Matrix. There’s something very real about Warped Tour. It keeps you on your toes. Do you have any warm up rituals before you hit the stage? We all seem to do weird stretches. I do some silly-sounding vocal stuff. Occasionally we’ll have a little collective pep talk, but I think we mentally prepare individually for the most part, and get into the zone in our own way. We don’t get in a circle and chant, “Ducks, Ducks, Ducks!”

or anything. Did you have the same set times each time or was it mixed up? If so did do you think that was an advantage or disadvantage? It was different every day, which I actually liked. It made the day harder to plan, but I think that’s what Warped Tour is about. I think we performed better because of that. Routine can be a big creativity killer. We were also motivated every day to “prove ourselves” in whatever time slot we had. I like that kind of challenge. What was the highlight of Warped for you? Meeting fans. We got to really spend time getting to know some of them and that was so nice. It’s hard to do that a regular show, but when everyone is there all day, you have the opportunity to really take

that extra time with the fans. It was really encouraging to me to find out that they are such a nice, sincere bunch of kids. Take us through a typical day on Warped Tour. It is great for fans to hear what happens back stage. A lot of the time we had to drive straight from one venue to the next, so most days we would wake up in the van in the parking lot. Then there was a blur of figuring out where we were supposed to park, finding the stage we were on, scoping out a spot for the merch booth, and setting up the booth while someone goes to the production area to try to find out set times and pick up breakfast for everyone. We’d spend most of the day promoting the set time, talking to the festival-goers, and hanging with some of the other bands. Most of the time we found a way to grab showers somewhere in there. Warped Tour feeds everyone really well,

but the lines at meal times could get long, so that could account for a chunk of the day. We also met with press every day. Then of course, we’d play our set and usually did a meet and greet at our tent right after we played. We’d usually try to catch some other bands’ sets before packing up and loading out. Then it was on to the next venue. Every day was kind of the same, yet totally different, because everything was at different times and in a different place every day. It really seemed to go by so fast. Except for the drives. Those could feel pretty eternal. Did you do a signing? Meet any funny fans? We did signings every day. We were only on the tour for a short time so we wanted to devote as much time and energy as possible to meeting the fans and getting to know them. They were all great. Hon-

INTERVIEW estly, I know bands always say they have the best fans. But I really think we do. I think our fans were the nicest, coolest people at Warped Tour. I met this one kid who had to be around 15 years old and he started talking to me about how he was a huge fan of Hole. And he asked me what my favourite Hole album was and I realized that Live Through This was definitely older than this kid. I was just stoked that he appreciated it and knew I would too. I also got a few marriage proposals, and I’m pretty sure one of the guys was dead serious. So I guess you could say that was funny. You guys have done so many festivals other than warped, what festival is your fav to do? Festivals including SWSW, The Fest, Valley of the Vapours. Warped Tour was definitely awesome, but The Fest was probably my real favourite. But they’re totally different beasts. The Fest’s line-up is more along the lines of our “scene,” so we were more in our comfort zone there. It’s also generally an older crowd. At Warped Tour, the kids are so young. People brought their toddlers. I felt bad swearing on stage sometimes, as puritanical as that seems. The prospect of having to act like a good role model is a little intimidating to me, so playing in front of people who have already committed themselves to a life of flannel-wearing and PBR-drinking appeals to me. It’s very low-pressure. How happy were you when you read that the AMP magazine as the “voice of the new decade” and combines elements

of rockabilly, surf rock, punk, pop, folk, and ska to create a fresh alternative sound” That certain got me listening to you. The first time I saw that “voice of the decade” quote, it was on a sticker that had been put on every one of our freshly pressed record Strange Creatures, which was new at the time. I was so confused because I hadn’t seen the article. I knew we had done an interview for AMP but I hadn’t actually seen it in print. I was actually worried that our label just made it up. Then the owner of the label was like, “No, they really said that.” I was floored. It’s extremely flattering, if not a little hyperbolic. I’m not great with taking compliments. Lauren, your voice is so unique, you have a great future ahead of you as a front woman. Did you find any difficulties at warped being a female? Well, there are zero creature comforts, which is probably the hardest part, at least day-to-day, but of course that is not exclusive to females. I did end up shaving my legs in the parking lot one day. No one batted an eye though; everyone knew the deal. I will say, though, that while I loved the experience overall, I definitely encountered some uncomfortable stuff. There were a lot of these macho hardcore bands on the lineup and some of their lyrics and general attitudes could be pretty sexist. There was also a “Girlz Garage” tent where you could meet a couple of the female musicians on the tour and

american pinup they handed out free tampons. It was just pop punk energy, so I looked forward to a bit patronizing, to say the least. their sets every day. I still have one of their songs stuck in my head. I worry about the impression these things make, especially because so And Rob and John kind of met Mark Hopmany of the attendees are so young. I pus, but that’s a story that we may keep do think Warped Tour is something of a as an in-joke. taste-maker for that age group, and I personally would like to see a shift toward What’s next for the future of American programming that is a little more whole- Pinup? Any plans you can tell us? some and empowering to young women. More touring and new music. I sometimes felt torn between keeping my mouth shut, because we really were We’re working on writing a new record grateful to be there, and sticking up for right now and we’re really excited about what I believe. I just think there were a what we have so far. We’re still worklot of mixed messages being sent to that ing out the details of when/where/with young audience. whom we’re going to track it. It may not be out for a while. But I promise, it’s the Did you meet any of the bands that have best stuff we’ve ever written. inspired you or that you just really enjoy watching? While we get our ducks in a row with that, We got to meet Saves the Day, who are we’re going to be doing a couple of US like pop punk legends. They were proba- tours and looking into going to Europe. bly way too nice for their status. We’re working on getting with a booking agency, both at home and abroad. That’s There was one day when we watched our biggest hurdle at the moment. Saves the Day and Bayside back to back from the side stage. Saves the Day closed Any plans to come down to Australia? with a cover of Weezer’s “El Scorcho” and We would love to come out there! If a moment later, Bayside opened their set someone hit us up and offered to help us with “My Name Is Jonas” (probably to be book a tour, I would be on the next flight. adorable, which it was). I’m a big Weezer But going into it cold, from another contifan so I was loving it. I actually broke my nent, with zero contacts out there… that’s rule about recording video of live music tough on a little band like us. because I was like, “No one will believe me!” Thanks for your time! Thanks so much for your questions! We also shared a stage with Mixtapes and were the only two bands on that stage that shared that semi-nostalgic

COURAGE MY LOVE

Written by Jen @justjenrees

COURAGE MY LOVE ARE: Mercedes Arn-Horn (guitar/vocals) Phoenix Arn-Horn (drums/vocals/cello) Brandon Lockwood (bass/vocals)

and banging your head with abandon, don’t miss the message: They have no appetite for destruction. They do not seek to destroy. No, Courage My Love is here to uplift, inspire.

The following is an excerpt from their facebook page:

Courage My Love are from Kitcener- Waterloo. They have a heavy rotation on MuchMusic/MusiquePlus and a huge number of views on their you tube channel. IN 2012 they were in Alternative Press Magazine Lists of the Top 100 bands to know.

“What is courage? When you’re a young rock ‘n’ roll band—courage is throwing yourself into your music fully and completely. It’s stepping onto a stage and just given’r. It’s touring new places far from home, and opening up, scars and all, to your fans. Courage is saying what you really think. It’s being unafraid of change, of becoming who you really are. Courage My Love is all of these things.” Call them a power trio, pop-punk, alternative metal. As you wish. They grew up on it all. But while you are jumping around

Their EP Becoming was inspired by their touring. The message from this EP is clear “rock out, be happy, stay true.’ You can buy their EP’s and merch here.

“becoming” (2013) 1. Skin & Bone 2. Cold Blooded 3. Unfamiliar Sheets 4. Lost Cause 5. You Don’t Know How 6. All I Need 7. We’re Not In Kansas Anymore 8. Dark Wood, Dark Water

Photo credit: Ashley Osborn

Links website soundcloud facebook youtube twitter

INTERVIEW

Interview by Jen @justjenrees

courage my love

Hey, thanks for taking the time to answer these questions and tell us what warped was like for you. As you can see from our title we all really like Canadian bands! Have you ever met Simple Plan and have they been an inspiration for you at all? Mercedes: We actually have met them! They’re signed to the same label as us, so we got introduced to them a while back before one of their shows. I think they’re a pretty big inspiration for a lot of bands! “I’m Just A Kid” was my jam haha. Sweet! Yeah they are an inspiration for heaps of bands! I really like what you have written on your facebook page: “What is courage? When you’re a young rock ‘n’ roll band—courage is throwing yourself into your music fully and com-

pletely. It’s stepping onto a stage and just given’r. It’s touring new places far from home, and opening up, scars and all, to your fans. Courage is saying what you really think. It’s being unafraid of change, of becoming who you really are.” This is a great uplifting comment rather than the negative ones that are all to often on Facebook. You seem determined to make a difference to other peoples lives. Have you guys been through some of your own struggles that are reflected in your songs? Definitely. That’s what art is for most artists, I think! It’s a reflection of our lives, who we are, the way we see the world and the way we want to see the world. It’s therapy. We love our fans, and we believe that being in a band is a privilege, and given the opportunities we are, it’s our duty to use them to make a positive im-

pact on the world. We try to do that in any a full band signing. It was an amazing way we can. way to get to know our fans and personally it gave me a lot of inspiration and You played all the dates on Warped, how brightened my mood almost every day! amazing was it to do the whole tour? In between we’d have amazing gourmet It was an unforgettable experience! Com- food at catering for lunch and dinner. pletely unlike any tour we’d ever done Some nights they would host BBQs and before. Definitely the most demanding movie nights, which were always fun. tour we’ve done (in my opinion) but also It was basically like summer camp on with the highest rewards. We had a lot of wheels. fun, made lots of memories and I think it made us much stronger as a band. We Did you meet any of the bands that have can’t thank Kevin Lyman and Warped inspired you in any way? Tour enough for the amazing opportunity. We got to meet lots of amazing bands! Some I’d heard of and looked up to for Can you take us through a day at Warped a while, and some I just learned about = did you get up to any crazy things? through the tour. But I respect any band In the morning we’d get up to load our who loves what they do enough to tour, gear to the stage. Then once we’d found especially on a tour like warped. We got out our set time we’d write a million flyto hang with Close Your Eyes, A Skylit ers to be handed out during the day. Each Drive, A Lot Like Birds, and Pvris a ton, as of us would do a solo signing/meet and well as We Are The In Crowd, Enter Shigreet before the set. After we played, we’d kari and Bad Rabbits. always go back to the merch tent and do

INTERVIEW What stage did you play on? The Ernie Ball stage!

people who are there for us, even when we have to be away from them.

Did you mix up you set list a bit or have the same one? We tried to keep it constant, but on the road little things always change and evolve from the beginning to the end. Do you have a favourite song to play live or one with the most meaning for you? I love playing You Don’t Know How live and I love our song Lost Cause. That one has a lot of vulnerability in it that hits home for me.

Do you think that playing Warped has increased your fan base at all? I hope that it did. I definitely think so. It totally increased our confidence in ourselves as well! Any news you can tell our readers for you future? We’re writing and recording our next album now, then going back out on another US tour in November! Check out the dates on our website!

What were the crowds like? Here in Australia we are pretty wild! Thanks guys, best of luck with everyPretty amazing!! We’d never been to a lot thing and stay in touch. of those places in the states before, so we really didn’t know what to expect... But the crowds we consistently big and rowdy every day, and showed us so much love... It was a humbling experience for sure. What was your highlight from Warped this year? For me it was getting to meet so many fans I didn’t even know we had, and playing every day on that stage. It really felt like one big family! Was there any low point? The hard part of touring for every band is being away from your loved ones and leaving certain people behind. You need some really understanding people in your life who are willing to be put through emotional hell, if they want to be with you. But we’re all lucky enough to have

Set list

Skin and Bone Cold Blooded Kansas Bridges Dark Horse You Don’t Know How

courage my love

Photo credit: Hailey Rose Photography

Photos by Got Image LLC

Photo credit: Zach Foerst

DIVIDED HEAVEN ABOUT DIVIDED HEAVEN Singer/Songwriter, Jeff Berman, has been involved in a variety of projects including time with Protagonist, The Boils and VPR. On tour constantly, Berman has played on the Vans Warped Tour and has shared the stage with international artists such as Anti Flag, Less Than Jake, and Joey Briggs. Berman pulls lyrical influence from the various cities he’s lived in including Washington DC, Berlin and his current home, Los Angeles. ABOUT YOUNGBLOOD Ten years, tens of thousands of miles and many sing-alongs have created Youngblood, which was released March 25 on Say-10 Records. The sophomore effort, produced by Charlie Stavish (Imagine Dragons, Ryan Adams) and Stephen Egerton (ALL, Descendents), showcases a resounding progression in style and dynamics that introduced for the first time, Divided Heaven as a full band.

Written by Press Agent Stacy Soquet

“YOUNGBLOOD” (2014) 1. Youngblood 9. Ego and Nothing 2. The Worst More 3. Melissa Militia 10. Safety-Pinned 4. Kateiswar Heart 5. Mass Ave 11. Kew Gardens 6. P. Levi 12. Gin 7. Musser Park 13. 9169 (LP Bonus) 8. Crooked Smiles / Brutal Miles

Dates on the 2014 Warped Tour Playing the Acoustic Basement Stage • July 20 – Canterbury Park • July 30 – Marcus Amphitheater • July 31 – Cricket Wireless Amphitheater • August 2 – Utah State Fairpark • August 3 – Sports Authority Field at Mile High

Links website facebook

In 2011, Divided Heaven released a debut album called A Rival City.

Live at Pinnacle Studios EP Released: November 21st, 2013 Say-10 Records (Digital) Free Download: Track Listing: 1. Safety-Pinned Heart 2. Melissa Militia 3. Clean Sheets (Descendents) 4. Brandywine 5. Can’t Hardly Wait (Replacements) Produced by: Charlie Stavish

Written by Jen @justjenrees

INTERVIEW

Interview by Jen @justjenrees

divided heaven

Hi Jeff, thanks for the chance to interview you. Warped must be pretty hectic for you and I hope you are enjoying yourself. Was there are particular reason for the name Divided Heaven? I took the name DIVIDED HEAVEN from a book by the same title. I read the book in 2003 while I was studying in Berlin, Germany. The book was about young love story during the division of Berlin between East and West in the height of the Cold War. Manfred believed and yearned for Western political and social change for Germany while Rita stood firmly with the State-sponsored politics of the Eastern Communist bloc. I loved the notion of ‘heaven’ to be used in a completely secular context. And, it was while I was living in Berlin that I first decided to start playing solo, writing songs about politics and love.

You are playing on the Acoustic basement stage. Who are some of the acts that you are sharing that stage with? Brian Marquis, Front Porch Step, Rob Lynch, Allison Weiss, Light Years and more. On previous tours you have played with Less than Jake, I’ve met them a few times and loved seeing them live many times. What was it like to work with them? Must have been a laugh! They’re the best. Great band I’ve loved for a long time. They continue to have a great career and do so with a sense of humor. And they’re always very helpful to me. Is your set list the same for each show or do you mix it up a little? My set time changes everyday, as does my set, typically. I like to mix it up.

Can you tell us the songs that you play and how long your set usually is? Our sets on the Acoustic Basement stage are 25-30 minutes and I’ve been playing Youngblood, The Worst, P. Levi, kateiswar, gin, KeyStone, Crooked Smiles / Brutal Miles, Born-Again Non-Believer, Five and Dime to Hollywood, Melissa Militia and others....just depends on what I’m feeling that day. Do you have a favorite city that you have played yet? I played Brooklyn, not part of Warped, and that was great. The Kansas Warped date was my favorite so far. I’ve never played at festivals and it is not the case at all. Kansas and was pleasantly surprised to I wake up, find coffee, sort my merch, do have a full tent of people watching. vocal warm ups, hang posters, do press and interviews, promote the Acoustic Take us through a usual day at warped Basement stage, play my set, try to watch for an artist, I think fans think it is all all my buds’ bands and try to find time fun and games but I’ve been backstage

INTERVIEW to eat and relax a bit. It sounds like alot but it is nothing compared to the amount of work the catering, tech, production and sound folks do. They work so hard for such little glory and I am constantly amazed at their hardwork and all they do to make Warped Tour happen everyday and everything they do to help the bands succeed. Who if any of the bands that are on the current Warped tour have been an inspiration to you in your musical career? Saves The Day are not only one of my all-time favorite bands, but they are a major influence in my songwriting. I had the honor to meet Chris Conley and talk

about old times and get to know each other a bit. His music has not only influenced mine but it has also impacted me personally. What is next for Divided Heaven? Now you have a full band? Yes. Half the time I tour is solo while the other half is full-band. Up next is a solo Japanese tour, then a West Coast fullband tour, then some Festival dates in the Fall and a solo North East tour in the Winter.

website facebook

divided heaven

FACE THE KING FACE THE KING IS: Eric Zirlinger (vocals, guitar, keyboards) Dan DelVecchio (lead guitar, keyboards, back-

Written by Jen @justjenrees

up vocals)

Joey Dammacco (bass, synth, backup vocals) Randy Palumbo (drums, percussion)

ace the King have been together for four years and hail from New York.

They are an independent alternative hard rock band that along the way in the four years they have been together have got support from sponsors such as DBZ Guitars, Ernie Ball, Crush Drums, VOX, Blackstar, Aguilar, Korg, Lag Guitars, Spector, Pigtronix, Behringer, SIT Strings, Source Audio, In Tune Guitar Picks, and Visual Sound. They have won the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands 3 times running. They have done Warped tour 2012-2014 and played with New Found Glory and Yellow Card. Face the King are working hard to achieve their dream. They are touring, making new fans the way bands should become successful. Their band Interest is Making good Music, well they sure do that!

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INTERVIEW

Interview by Jen @justjenrees

face the king

Hey Guys thanks for answering a few help us to keep getting back on stage. questions about Warped Tour. One of the That has to feel pretty good! funniest interviews, expect a few laughs! Were you left wanting more after the 7 You won a competition to be able to play shows? your 7 shows at Warped, You were one We were just talking about this driving of four national finalists out of 20,000 home through the night yesterday from a bands that played. Congratulations! Tell gig. The 7 days felt like a warm up, and us a little about how that all worked. we were only just getting started. We’re Of course. Using a simple algorithm that incredibly grateful for those 7 shows, factored in socio-economic and marginal being that only a small number of bands utility – Joey was able to decipher a seever get to experience what we just did. cret to succeeding in the music business That being said, next year we want to (I wish). Good One! The truth is we enplay the whole tour. We want to play the tered into this competition by Ernie Ball. second biggest stage they have (secFans vote and decide who moves on. We ond biggest to keep our egoes in check). are incredibly lucky that our fans believed With this we aspire to bring an arena rock in us so much, and it is truly humbling sound back to these festivals. to have that kind of support. We got an email saying that we were a finalist and What stage did you guys play on? were shocked. Bands enter these comWe played on the Ernie Ball stage. Great petitions with a pipedream – a glimmer stage too. The sound guy Bob was top of hope, so to be selected was unexpect- notch and treated us like gold. The stage ed. We owe all of the credit to our amaz- manager Kyle was on point. All of us ing fans - We just write the music. They were treated like rock stars...even Dan!

Honestly though, ALL of Warped Tour is one big giant stage. While we played each day – we were in the crowd for so many more shows. Warped is the longest running tour and rightfully so, and what’s amazing for us is that we share a common value to which the atmosphere is all about. It is about unifying people through music. We have never felt so much a part of a community as we did at Warped. Did you have the same set times each time or was it mixed up? If so did do you think that was an advantage or disadvantage? The set times were changed at random every single day. Bands don’t know until they arrive in the morning to the venue. It’s funny as hell: We all wait likes dogs begging at the dinner table to find out when we are playing. You get the slot and then the band discussion starts. Is this a good time? Where do we want to set the tent up? Should we change the set because we are playing next to this

band? Does Eric look good at 4:30 pm? The answer to that last one is yes – always yes! Ultimately it comes back to us doing the same thing everyday. We play our set the way we want to play, no advantage or disadvantage. The timing is what we make of it. Put on us before or after anyone at anytime of the day, and you are going to get everything Face The King has to offer. Did you do a signing? Meet any strange fans? We did do signings, and it was incredible. I don’t talk on tour very much. I’m always trying to save my voice so I talk roughly ten minutes on the hour. To communicate with the band I was using a dry erase board. Tried interruptive dance but everyone just thought I was having a seizure. As for strange fans – I think we were more strange to the fans than they were to us. We are pretty outgoing and truly love what we do, yet I am pretty sure we scared them away when we held the sign up that stated “Do you like penguins?

INTERVIEW What was the best crowd that you played to. Any crazy antics that the crowd got up to? The best crowd was Chicago. It wasn’t that the crowd wasn’t great anywhere else. WE were best at Chicago. It was the Is there something special about this last show of the tour and we were hitting Warped that makes it feel different from our stride. As always, we left it all out on others you’ve been on? the stage. I did jump into the crowd to What’s special about this tour was the finish up the set while playing guitar and intangible. This tour should have tired simultaneously knitting a sweater (One us out, but instead it rejuvenated us. of those is not true). We don’t believe in a Warped Tour treats bands so incredibly bad crowd. We believe the crowd is alwell that it’s a little off putting. The people ways great – and the band on stage has behind Warped understand how hard we to bring that greatness out of them. work – and they do not take us for granted. Warped is always special. Getting Take us through your day on Warped to know the people behind the scenes Tour. Give your fans an idea of what you and seeing how much they care and how do behind the scenes. hard they work made this tour eye open- Let’s start from the night before a show: ing. We realized that on the road we are not alone. Throughout the tour you find a 10 pm – Leave Warped Tour and drive family with other bands and staff. What through the night to the next show. truly felt different was going home after- 6:30 am – Wake up and get ready. Wakwards. We made such great connections ing up Joey is like trying to rise a hiberthat going “home” felt a little foreign. At nating bear. It is not safe. Get ready for Warped Tour we felt like we were home. the show. Dan does his hair. Joey does The previous few sentences should have his hair. Randy and I watch Dan and Joey been read while listening to “My Heart do their hair. In all fairness – their hair Will Go On,” by Celine Dion. Good One! looks good. 7:30 am – Dunkin Donuts, Wawa or Did you meet any of the bands that have Sheets. inspired you in any way? 8 am – Load in at the venue. Set up merThere were so many big bands that inch and locate stage. Apply sunscreen or spired us on this tour. However, we were if you are me – wear a flannel shirt, scarf, most inspired by the bands on the rise and hat in 90 degree weather. I may pass - Courage My Love, Fit For A King, Me out, but my skin is perfectly white! Like Bees to name a few. Getting to meet 9 am – Review tasks for the day. Who is the unsigned bands in each state playing sitting at the table when for signings? Do their first Warped was my favorite part. we have any interviews and tables to be They are not jaded by the business. They at? Does Dan have food? are overwhelmed with where they are. 10:30 am – Doors open. Hand out flyers They remind you of what it felt like when to the fans. Promote our slot time, give you first started. These were the bands away free high fives. that inspired us the most. 10:30 – 8 pm – Interviews, show time, So do we. We have so much in common. Come check out Face The King.” Nike wishes they had advertising genius like that. Nike – Just Do It! Face The King – Already Done it!

face the king signings, set up equipment, network, write new songs, prepare for tomorrow – all in the blistering sun. 8 pm – Pack up and load out. We are all tired beyond belief and now we have to move equipment back to the van. 9 pm – Food with friends at the show. Share stories from the day. 10 pm – Leave Warped Tour and drive through the night to the next day. All the while – wearing a smile. Not because we have to, but because we can’t help it. The days are long and the nights are tough, but there is nowhere else we’d rather be. Well… maybe the Wonderful Wizarding World of Harry Potter. That place seems magical – even for a muggle. Do you think you made new fans due to your experiences on Warped? We certainly did. Thanks to Warped Tour our show last night in CT was packed. Wall to wall fans I will say though – not to sound arrogant, we worked hard for those fans. We put everything out on the stage. We make the show worth it. If a fan does not respond to us, it’s simply because they don’t like the music. I can live with that. What I can’t live with is not putting everything out on the stage for them to make the best educated decision. More importantly – we made friends. Bands understand each other and we needed that support on the road.

King may be going overseas to support our Troops! Any chance you will come to Australia soon? We are all about it. You want us there – reach out to us. Our booking agent will book a tour anywhere fans ask. When we play Australia we ask that you come on stage and sing with us. If we are flying to the other side of the world – you can come the extra few feet on stage. Sure I can sing and ruin your career for you! Clear the crowd in record time. Perhaps I can just dance? Or set up a bar for you and serve you drinks Zebrahead style? Thanks guys, best of luck with everything and stay in touch!

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Any news you can tell our readers for you future? New songs are on the way. Heading into the studio within the next two weeks, and more touring! We are coming back to Warped cities to show them Face The King as a standalone. We are also waiting to hear back, but it looks like Face The

INTERVIEW

Interview by Jen @justjenrees

lost in society

Check out Lost in Society on their web page or on Facebook here.

actually ended up being one of my favorite shows ever, Warped tour or not.

Members Zach Moyle Nick Ruroedvve Hector Bonora

You have played many festivals before, how does this years compare to the some of the other ones? Well, Warped Tour is a whole different animal. It’s basically a moving city that sets up and breaks down in hours and then disappears only to pop up somewhere else the next morning. The other festivals that we have played like: Punk Rock Bowling, The Fest and Fun Fun Fun Fest are at a set location and last for the weekend at the longest, so traveling with Warped Tour is definitely an insane experience. I always tell people that it’s the “best-worst, shortest-longest” experience ever. I had a blast this year though and hopefully we get to do a bigger chunk of it next year.

Hey guys thanks for taking the time to answer these questions and tell us what Warped was like for you. You played nine dates at Warped, was there a particular gig that stood out for you and why? Hey! Thanks for the interest in finding out more about us. I would have to say that our show in West Palm Beach was definitely my favorite show. We started playing to about 10 people and were worried that the show would be a dud, but before we knew it there were a couple hundred kids going absolutely insane. They got really involved and were singing along, dancing and just really amping us up. It

Can you take us through a day at Warped (and send some pics please), did you get

up to any crazy things? Warped is usually a pretty crazy day. After an overnight drive (we drove ourselves in a 15 passenger van) we would get to the venue around 8am to load in and find a place for our tent. Then we would get our merch set up (usually Nick handles this), then I would find production, figure out our set time for the day and then set up the time we would go to press and do an interview or two sometime during the day. Then we would walk around and promote the show, work the line sometimes to get a feel for the crowd. We would always target kids wearing old school punk shirts, or shirts that made sense with our type of music, especially since a punk band like us is more of an oddity at Warped these days. Then we would usu-

ally hang with fans after the show, grab dinner and hang for the rest of the day and try to catch some other bandsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sets. Did you do any signings? Did you meet any funny fans? We didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t set up any official signings, we would just tell fans that if they wanted a meet and greet, or us to sign something to just come to our tent after our set. There are always lots of cool fans. One kid had me sign his brand new pair of white vans. But we actually had a fan come all the way from Mexico just to see us all the way in Salt Lake City. It was one of the most amazing and humbling experiences of my life. We all took a bunch of pictures with him and told him to keep in touch.

INTERVIEW Did you get to meet any of the bands that have inspired you in many ways? We definitely got to chat with some of the bigger bands at some points. The dudes from Bayside are always really nice and willing to talk if they have a minute. Hector talked to the dudes from Anberlin a good amount as well during our short stint. Everyone from Saves The Day (NJ representatives as well) were awesome too, really down to earth guys and definitely humble. And of course Teenage Bottlerocket were a bunch wackos, as expected. They were really hilarious and great though. Make some new friends along the way? Right off the bat we bonded with Mixtapes. Maura, Patrick and Boone were all great people and we got along really well. I had a blast with their merch manager Danny, he is from my hometown and we never met, but we hit it off almost immediately. We hung out with them just about everyday along with Alex from Close Your Eyes and had a great time. The dudes from The City Shakeup were also really awesome, unfortunately we met them a little later on, but we will definitely keep in touch with those dudes. We even had private parties where we would just listen to Green Day in the parking lot and talk about everything and anything. We also got to know some of the leading ladies or Warped tour like Lisa, Mona and Julie. They were all great and treated us spectacularly. They even took the time out of their hectic day to come see us play a set.

How about your set list? Did you keep it the same or mix it up? Our set list was pretty similar throughout. We changed it up here and there. We played a mix of old and new, about half and half. We usually had enough time for

6-7 songs in a 25 minute set, so we did what we could to keep it fresh enough for ourselves, but still play what we thought the crowd would react to the best. What stage did you guys play on? Were your set times the same or did they change? I heard that frustrated some artists. We played on the Ernie Ball Stage. Our set times varied anywhere from 11:40am7:55pm. I didn’t mind the set times changing. It makes it fair for all of the bands to get different slots and keep fans on their toes everyday. It definitely benefits us because people will be more likely to stumble upon a band that they haven’t necessarily heard of, but like what they hear and stick around for the set. Do you have a fav song that you play live? Definitely “Not Afraid”. We always play it last and it’s definitely the song that gets the crowd energized. The chorus has a call and response and people really seem to dig it. I would also shed my guitar for this song and have our buddy Sam who helped us on this tour play the part. In fact, the last three shows we had Maura from Mixtapes and Sam come up and both play. That was pretty killer. It also allowed me to jump down to the barricade and involve the crowd a little bit more, which is my favorite part. What was the highlight for each of you from this tour? I think I can speak for everyone and say that the highlight of the tour was our set in West Palm Beach I mentioned earlier. Shows don’t get much better than that. And of course all of the friends we made along the way.

lost in society Do you think that playing warped has increased your fan base at all? I hope that it did. Warped definitely increased our fan base, we always had a very responsive crowd, big or small. People gave us very positive reviews, bought our merch, followed us on facebook, and all that fun stuff. It was a great experience and I can’t imagine how beneficial being on the whole tour can be. What is next for Lost in Society? Any tours coming up or new music? Well, back in January we recorded a full length record with Pete Steinkopf of The Bouncing Souls and we are currently shopping that around to some labels. We are also in talks with a boutique label to put out a split with a band from the U.K. sometime this fall (I’m not sure if I’m allowed to go into too many details about that yet, but we will keep everyone updated). As far as touring goes, for the fall we are going to keep everything pretty regional and hit the northeast markets. Then in the spring we are actually touring Europe for the first time, which we are all ecstatic about. November strikes our 10 year anniversary, which is pretty crazy. Nick and I started this band when we were only 13, so we still think we have a long way to go. But we will probably do a celebration show to that. That’s about all we have planned right now.

tion. We have looked into it before and always have it as an option. We just need to find the right representation and agency to bring us out there. I want to make sure it’s worth it to tour there when my life will be in danger of a billion things that can kill me at any time. Thanks Zach, keep in touch and thanks for your time! Thanks so much. This was a fun interview. We will absolutely be in touch.

Any plans to come to Australia? If so get in touch and I can tell you the best places to go! Australia definitely isn’t out of the ques-

NAKED WALRUS Written by Jen @justjenrees

NAKED WALRUS ARE: Dakota Ray Duffy Gartner (lead vocals/rhythm guitar)

Hayden Gregory Bush (lead guitar/backing vocals)

Taylor Hurtado (drums) Andy Hart (bass)

Naked Walrus are an alternative rock band that hails from Los Angeles, California. They are a driven band that is determined to share their own unique blend of alternative rock to the world. I quote from their Facebook bio: ‘Naked Walrus are a genuine group of friends who make music with a kaleidoscopic attitude, independently expressing themselves as they wish, allowing those in their wake to peek into their lifestyle through their music- a tasteful balance of hard work, creativity, and party. ‘

Their Album ‘All In’ has infectious melodies and you can download the first single “Aliens” for free here. You can check out Naked Walrus here. This includes their merch shop that is pretty rad! Also subscribe to their YouTube channel here. You can keep up with their news as well! And like them on Facebook here.

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Self-titled EP

“Stripped Down” EP

“all in” full length

INTERVIEW

Interview by Jen @justjenrees

naked walrus

Hey thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions. You played Warped a while ago now. Did you never want it to end? No! None of us wanted it to end! Dakota and Hayden were also working so they got to stay on the tour for a longer stint. Tell us about a day in the life of Warped Tour. A day in life of Warped tour for us revolved around three things: Merch, Catering, and our Set. We would unpack the van and find and set up the merch tent. Then find catering, eat breakfast and get our set time. Depending on our set time, determined when we would grab our gear and eat lunch and dinner. The rest of the time we were selling merch and taking turns watching bands. At the end of the day we would tear down, pack up, hang out backstage for a while, then start driv-

ing to the next city, to do it all over again the next day. Did you do a signing? Did you meet and crazy fans? Ya we did. We would do a signing everyday right after our set. But we were hanging out at our merch tent majority of the day so it was basically an all day signing. No we didn’t have any crazy fans crying and screaming haha. Just genuine kids that wanted to take a picture with us or have us sign a shirt or a CD. Did you meet any of you musical inspirations while on the tour? Don’t think that we had any musical inspirations from any of the bands on the lineup prior to going out, but that’s what was great! We ended up finding some great new music and bands that are now extremely inspiring to us. Being on

Warped is like being at summer camp. You end up hanging out and meeting a lot of people backstage, in the catering line or at one of the late night bbq’s. You gain a certain respect for what they are doing and how hard they are working. Some of our favorites from the road are Heart To Heart, Bad Rabbits, The Maine, DJ Nicola Bear, and The Protomen. You were playing on the Kevin Says stage, did your set times change at all? I have heard that was annoying for some. Every band has a different set time every day no matter what stage you’re on. It keeps it fresh and it makes the fans show up right at doors. We didn’t mind it. Although it can be hard if you’re set time is at the same time as one of the main acts. Do you play the same set list each time? We played our new album All In front to back everyday. Sometimes we would get our gear set up early so we would be able to throw in an older song or a new song that hasn’t been recorded yet to see people’s reactions. What do you think is the crowd’s fav song of yours?

It’s hard to say. Some days it seemed like kids enjoyed the heavier songs, like Acceptance or All In. Other days it seemed like the more groove oriented songs like Reception and Fade Away were received better. It really depended on the mood of the crowd. Do you have a fav song to sing live? Favorite song to sing live is Fade Away. (Dakota & Hayden) Did anything go wrong while playing? At our Warped tour we lost power to one of the stages, now that was sad! Thankfully, nothing went horribly wrong during any of our sets. We all had a few personal flubs but nothing major. One day we went over our time by a minute and a half, that’s about the worst thing that happened to us. We made up for it by giving all the stage crew free Naked Walrus T’s. I have listened to some of your music

INTERVIEW and I can see why the critics are giving you rave reviews. What are some of the best reviews that made you proud? Thanks, glad you enjoy our music! We are proud of anything and everything good that people have to say about us or our music. There is no one in particular. We are trying to make honest music so there is always a sense of pride when someone appreciates what we are doing and decides to write about it.

lot of time focusing on building a great team to help us with the rest. We had Ron Murray do all our new photography, Terry Duffy and Becky Ankeny do all the album art and graphic design, and Skylar from Jellyfish PR helping us get our album to a wider audience. Without collaborating with our team it would have been extremely difficult. In the end it took about a year to release.

Do you have any plans that you can Your new album came out in March this share with us now? What does the future year, how much sweat and tears went hold for Naked Walrus? into creating that? What’s next for us is our new acoustic EP A lot of sweat and tears went into making “Stripped Down II”, which will be out Octhis record. We truly went All In. We start- tober 25th! We are all super excited about ed with a Kick starter campaign to help releasing this! We will also be writing us out with expenses and exceed our extensively for a new record as well as goal. Once the money came in, we looked planning a Fall tour. around the LA area for different studios and producers and nothing clicked. So we decided to record in Santa Barbara and have our good friend and amazing Producer, Curtis Douglas come out to work with us. We wanted to make a record where we were comfortable, had someone who understood the direction that we were going, and overall have great time doing so. We spent about a week on pre production, then went up to Orange Whip in Goleta, CA and tracked all the drums and percussion in a day. For the rest of the record we went down to The Soul Kitchen (Hector Hurtado’s Studio, Taylor’s Dad) in Santa Barbara, where we spent the next 16 very long days tracking and living. After that, we sent it off to Cory Spotts, to have it mixed and mastered. After the recording process we spent a

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naked walrus

PJ BOND

Photo credit: Andri Linz

Check out some of PJâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s videos:

Written by Jen @justjenrees

Savannah Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m in a Bad Way PJ Bond acoustic live show @ provamicrofono Garbagnate Milanese

Photo credit: Nicole C. Kibert

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ears: music (townes van zandt, brian bond, elliott smith, nirvana, harry chapin, the beatles, blind melon, CCR, ravi shankar, serius b.), laughter, leaves blowing on the ground, tattoo machines, friends voices.

mouth: pizza, veggie turkey sandwiches, cheese of all kinds, bananas, clementines, quiche, pancakes and soy milk, eggplant parmigiano, salad, zucchini, carrots, corn on the cob, mushrooms, grilled cheese.

skin: instruments (guitar, bass, drums, piano), water, soft beds, tattoo needles, soft shirts, hooded sweatshirts.

eyes: books (ram daas, julio cortazar, mark danielewski, chuck klosterman, david sedaris, jon krakaur, pablo neruda), smiles, tattoos, paintings, pencil/pen sketches, little kids, big landscapes, other eyes, photographs, movies, bright colors.

PJ Bondâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Influences nose: burning wood on a cold winter day, fresh pizza, fresh flowers, brownies baking, clean houses, scented candles, green soap, uncoated cd inserts.

heart: brian bond, chris bond, dan barrett, shannon hoon.

INTERVIEW

Interview by Jen @justjenrees

pj bond

I had a chat with PJ that played on the Warped Tour this year. Thanks for your time PJ, I know how busy Warped can be! It is my pleasure, thank you for wanting to chat. I’m glad we could work it out. It is kind of crazy out here sometimes, especially in the US. There usually 9 stages, sometimes more, with average crowds pushing close to 20 thousand, so it can get a bit overwhelming. You are playing 12 warped shows this year, is this your first Warped Tour? This is my first Warped Tour as a solo musician, but I played one show with an old indie rock band of mine, I think it was in 2004, and I did the whole tour in 2008 as a hired guitar player. So on some level I knew what I was getting into, but its way different when it’s you’re music versus just showing up and playing guitar.

Were there any better shows? Or were

they all similar? The shows do all vary, but maybe within a smaller range than you’d expect. The best show for me so far was the Boston date, where I just had a lot of friends and local fans come out and a bunch brought others along. That was easily the most fun show for me. Sound wise, also, some days are way better than others, but that has to do with the layout of the venue. Since we are an acoustic stage, if we are right next to the electronic stage or a really screamy band or something, it can bleed over pretty bad. But most days we get a good spot and provide something that the kids can’t find anywhere else on the tour. How was the weather on all of them, our Warped Tour over here is always so hot! Luckily for me, I’ve been on the part of the tour in some of the more mild areas. I like it warm, but not crazy hot. When I was in Australia last year it got as high as 40c, and that was too much for me. But

it’s been a bit more mild here, which is better. We do get a lot of humidity on the east coast, which makes it harder, but it’s still not bad. One day it rained a lot and everything got ridiculously muddy, which can be kind of annoying for a bit, but then starts to feel kind of fun and some kids slide in the mud and jump in the puddles, makes things a bit more light hearted. Can you take us through what you do on a day at Warped please. Every day I get up around 9 am, which for me is not easy, especially if we’ve been hanging out late the night before. Most people on the bus are still sleeping then, so I quietly get my things together, and then my friend Rob Lynch (another songwriter on my stage) and I will walk down to the catering and production area. They’re usually closing up breakfast, but we will grab some small bits and a coffee then wait for our schedule. Every day on Warped the schedule changes, so that no band is ever playing a great spot or a bad spot for too much of the tour. It’s very egalitarian, which I really appreciate. When we get our times then we can figure out the rest of the day - when to sign up for press, when your favorite bands are playing, when to fit in meals. Then Rob and I will go set up our merchandise, and fill out time cards/flyers and walk

down the line of kids waiting to get in, to tell them when we are playing to come check us out. It’s a nice way to meet some people and to try to raise awareness of the stage. Throughout the rest of the day I’ll watch Saves the Day, Bayside, Rob Lynch, Brian Marquis, Nick Santino, and just enjoy the music. Press usually lasts around half hour to an hour, and meals can take about an hour, plus I always have to play my set time. Our stage closes just after six, so I need to make sure I’m back to break down my merch and pack up my stuff, and then after that and dinner I usually come back to the bus, relax, do a bit of work, and then hang out. If we have a late bus call there is often a BBQ and a party, so I’ll head there, or go find some friends and listen to records and hang out with them. Eventually I make my way back to the bus, climb into my bunk, fall asleep so I can wake up and do it all over again. What stage did you play on? I am on the Acoustic Basement stage, which was started by, and is run by, Brian Marquis. Do you mix up your set list or do you play the same one? Saves the Day are cycling through 75 songs, and they sound amazing. I was

INTERVIEW inspired by that, but have to choose some of the same songs, due to certain limitations with volume. So I probably play half same set and half new every day. You are no new comer to the music scene, what were your main inspirations when you started? When I started listening to music heavily, I loved Guns N Roses and Metallica, as well as some metal. But then I found and got obsessed with Nirvana, and eventually bands like Sunny Day Real Estate and Mineral. Over the last 5 or so years though it’s been more and more classic stuff - Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan - that have been exciting and inspiring me. Have you being hanging out with any bands that you highly respect? When I was a kid I didn’t care about Saves the Day, but as they matured I started to really like them and then fell for their older stuff as well. That coupled with the fact that they’re just such great guys, really great vibes, we’ve been getting along really well. I’d also not known much about Bayside, but they’re such a solid band and really good guys. Nick Santino has also impressed me.

You played the Acoustic Basement is this correct? Did you get to hang out with Mike Herrera? He is one of my fav musicians. Yes, we are both on the Acoustic Basement. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and talking with Mike, and he’s great. Really nice guy, performs really well, seems very relaxed and easy going. It’s always cool to see someone who has been in it as long as he has still be laid back. This year the set times were not organised in advance… Is this new to US warped as the Aussie one was the same in each city. Was this a problem for you or was it good to mix things up a bit? It’s how they’ve always done it in the US, to my knowledge. I think it keeps everyone on their toes and makes it a lot of fun. Plus, if you have a bad clash one day or a hangover or something, you get through it and you know tomorrow could be totally different.

I love your genre that you list on facebook ….. songs you want to sing. Classic line as so many bands struggle to decide on a genre and that one takes the cake! You seem to love what you do and are comfortable being yourself, any advice for the younger bands just starting out Who would be the band you enjoyed the that are trying hard to impress? most that played on Warped this year. Thank you, that’s very nice to hear, and Saves the Day, no question about it. I’m glad it comes off that way. On some level I’ve always been this way, because Did you meet any crazy fans or was eveven when I do try to impress, I always eryone pretty mellow? just end up being me. My advice is that There are plenty of crazy fans out here, people should believe in themselves and but none of them are for me. Luckily peo- have faith and pride in who they are. And ple who like my music tend to be pretty if they don’t, work on that, internally. If mellow. I like that. It’s nice to have a con- you become really strong and solid, that versation with someone who just digs the will be impressive, because it’ll be natutunes. ral and powerful. Trying to be something you’re not can be pretty unattractive, and

pj bond

THAT’S NOT MY BABY Written by @dearvitt

This band was formed by Scott Tsangeos and Anton Kiril. Scott is the vocalist and Anton plays the guitar, Hartrison Wagener the bass and Jarren Heidelberg on the drums. That’s Not My Baby is a new band that just finalized their lineup in 2011. They already have an acoustic album, entitled “No Mudd” and just released their demo “Taste The Difference” that you can download for free here. Check out their Facebook page. You’ll find some pictures of the band as much as their demo. We were able to interview the band, and they talk a little bit about the shows they performed in California and about this year’s Warped Tour, where they were able to play for the first time. Check it out!

Links facebook reverbnation

Interview byJen @justjenrees

INTERVIEW

that’s not my baby Hey thanks for your time, I know as a band how busy you are. No problem at all! We always have time for some questions so thank you for reaching out to us.

the turnout was so unbelievable. More people came to watch us than I ever could have imagined and I even took a video of the crowd at the end cuz it was so surreal.

You played 4 shows in California right? Ya, this was our year on Warped and we played Pomona, Mountain View, Ventura, and Chula Vista. It was honestly the coolest thing we have ever been a part of.

Did you know when you were playing prior to the day or were you told on the actually day? Good question! We had no idea until the day of and we were very lucky that our driver Jesse had been on the tour before so he could help us figure out where to go to find all that logistical stuff out. I honestly don’t know what we would have done without him.

Were they all similar shows or was there one that stood out being the best? Each show is different. You never know what you’re going to get with weather and cuz we are a new band we were always unsure how many people would watch our set. But for me, Pomona will always be the one that stands out. It was our first show and it was super hot and

What stage did you guys play at? Our official stage was the Acoustic Basement where we would play a 25-minute set but we actually played two shows a

day. As people were entering the venue we would set up our instruments and play a little guerrilla show telling people who we were and when we were playing that day. We had a blast doing that.

finalized it. Pretty crazy right?!

Did you get to hang out with any of the bands that inspired you? In all honesty, we were very intimidated. Bands like Yellowcard, We the Kings, and Less Than Jake are groups that we grew Being such a new band can you explain up listening to and to see them just like how you got on Warped Tour? It was kind of a freak thing, we were doing right there was so unreal. We tried to at an acoustic set in an art gallery and Kevin least say hey to all of them and we manhappened to be there and asked us to be aged to make some good friends along the way as well. on the tour! He had seen us play a few times before then and a few after but if I Take us through a day in the life of a remember that was the night that really

INTERVIEW Warped artist. (everything!!) Okay, so we woke up around 7:30 and the first thing we did is look for a bathroom. We travelled in a van so we didn’t have showers or anything so we took sink showers to wake up and get ready for the day. If the breakfast line was too long we would just eat hot cheeto puffs, sour gummy worms, or whatever else we had in the van. We found out when we were playing and got our meal tickets for later on and then we got ready to go play to the line to get people to come to our show that day. We did that for like an hour and half then went back to the van to get ready for our real set. After our 25 minute set we hung around taking pictures, selling merch, and making friends to whoever wanted to chill which, was super fun. After lunch there was a lot of down time so we would go watch some other bands or hang out backstage. Some bands brought skateboards or just something to do so that was learning for next time because you really do have a lot of time off during the day. After all the people left there would sometimes be a barbeque where all the bands chilled but we hit the road at about 11 PM and tried to get some sleep so we could start again the next day.

well next to each other. It’s a constant work in progress. Do you think that you got some good exposure playing warped, like new band contacts and new fans? Without a doubt. Warped was so amazing for us in this respect. We really put ourselves out there and we tried to put on great shows and we really do think it paid off. We did make some contacts or whatever but for us it was really about reaching out to new fans, that’s what made it worthwhile. Are you hoping to do the whole Warped tour next year if you get the chance? That is definitely the goal. We would love to play electric as well. We were discovered as an acoustic band so that’s why we played in the Acoustic Basement but we will keep working hard so hopefully we can be on the whole tour next year as an electric band.

A few background questions… What is the story behind your name? Unfortunately there isn’t really a cool story behind it. Our good friend and original bassist Mark actually came up with it while we were all waiting in line for a ride at 6 flags. We wanted to start a band and that just happened to be what popped into his head and it stuck.

Did you have the same set list for each show? We pretty much had the same set every day but we are always tweaking it depending on how the crowd reacts to certain songs or what songs we feel work Your song White Collar Dream is a pret-

that’s not my baby ty catchy song, any plans to do a music video for that? First of all, thank you! But ya, we would love to make a music video for it we just don’t exactly have the funding at the moment. I will say though that if we ever get the chance we have some pretty sweet ideas for it that involve trashing an office… Who are your main influences? We are influenced by bands such as Blink 182, Against Me, Green Day and other bands of that nature. We consider our

genre to be “alternative and punk.” Thanks guys, keep up the good work and I hope to see you one day in the future. Check out their Demo entitled “Taste the Difference” that is available for free download on both Facebook and Reverbnation, you wont regret it!

facebook reverbnation

BEEBS AND HER MONEY MAKERS BaHMM have been around since 2010 and aren’t going anywhere until they show the children of America that unicorns ARE real. Check out our interview with them to find out more.

festivals but they really received their big break in 2012 after playing at the Florida Music Festival and being approached and then invited to play on all dates of Warped Tour by Kevin Lyman, the Warped Tour founder himself!

The band consists of Michelle Beebs who does the vocals and kazoo, Jeremy Lovelady who is the guitarist, Eric ‘E-Money’ Christian on the trumpet, Levon White plays the bass and Paul Brisske who plays the drums.

The band is currently on tour with Warped, but check out the interview for what’s coming up next for Beebs and Her Money Makers. To find out more on the band, you can visit their website here.

The ska band is from Orlando, Florida and have so far successfully released 3 albums: Welcome to Barter Town (2011) No Sleep Tonight (2013) Wurst Album Ever (2014) As well as an EP: How to Start a Dance Party (2013) The band has played numerous music

In case you’re unsure of what a ska band is, here’s a definition from Wikipedia: “Ska (/ˈskɑː/, Jamaican [skjæ]) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae.Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. It is characterised by a walking bass line accented with rhythms on the upbeat.

Written by Madeline Birkett @MaddieBirkett

photo credit to Holly Stanford

Links website facebook twitter youtube 81

INTERVIEW

Interview by Madeline Birkett @MaddieBirkett

beebs and her money makers What was Warped Tour like? How did you feel to be selected for such a big tour? Warped Tour is hands down the best way to spend a summer. Being asked to join for a second summer in a row was truly and honor. At night when we lay in our cotton candy filled bathtubs, we can’t help but think about how grateful we are.

tions where you don’t remember how it started but are afraid to stop.

What was your favourite memory or experience from Warped? Did you learn anything new? Our favorite memory is definitely having acoustic jams with MXPX’s Mike Herrera and then showering him with confetti against his will. From that experience we Are there any funny or exciting stories to learned that no matter what someone share? says, it’s ok to confetti bomb them and We brought our friend Joe the Dead Alien they’ll eventually forgive you. along. One time, he was playing poker with a squirrel named Pete. Pete lost and Your style is very different compared to got really upset and we had chase him your typical Warped band. What influaround our bus for like an hour until he enced that? finally gave up, turned into a Pegasus and Our style is inspired by Baby Gap. It flew to Saturn. Other than that nothing makes us feel mature. interesting happened. Who are your biggest musical influences Was there any pre-show rituals or warm and why? ups that you did before every show? To name a few, Al Green, The Beatles, We do jazzercise and eat ice cream bePearl Jam, Erykah Badu, Nirvana, B.B. fore every show. It’s one of those tradiKing, Milka, Tori Amos, Tori Amos’ cousin

Dave Amos, Pink Floyd, 50 Cent, Taylor Swift, Cupcakes (any flavor but mostly chocolate), Franklin & Bash, Joe Pesci and goats. So you’ve released “Wurst Album Ever”. What’s next for the band? Starting in October we will embark on the Wurst Tour Ever. Should be real bad. What inspired the songs off your newest album? Our friend, Joe the Dead Alien, inspired the tracks on this new album. Don’t ask why, he just did. And how did you get the name for the album? We listened back to what we had recorded and then named it almost immediately. What is the thing you want to achieve most with the band? Well, to touch on a serious note for a second: There are a lot of uncertainties

as a child in America. We know what that’s like, to live with doubts. We want to be the voice of reason and set the record straight…Unicorns ARE real. Just because you’ve never seen one doesn’t mean anything. We saw in Nebraska once. So we know. Do you have any plans for touring Australia in the future? We’d looooove to tour Australia!! We don’t have anything on the books now, but we promise it will happen. Our friends in The City ShakeUp have told us Aussie crowds are the best! Do you have any advice for aspiring musicians? Other than the standard, “be you, be different” cliché’s … Be the coolest, nicest person in the world. Be a person that people want to be around. Those are the types of people that get asked to tour, asked to be in bands. Gate-keepers go out of their way to help nice people, be a friend to everyone.

Band members: John O‘Callaghan (vocals, guitar, piano) Garrett Nickelsen (bass) Jared Monaco (lead guitar) Pat Kirch (drums and percussion) Kennedy Brock (rhythm guitar, back vocals)

The Maine is an American rock band from Tempe, Arizona, founded on January 21st, 2007. They play alternative rock, pop rock and pop punk. The band was originally formed with Ryan Osterman and Alex Ross, who left and were replaced with Kennedy Brock and Jared Monaco, after The Maine released their first EP, “Stay Up, Get Down“ in May 2007. In December of that same year they released their second EP called “The Way We Talk“. It has five songs.

THE MAINE Like Girls. They also supported band The Academy Is... on its tour of the UK, alongside We The Kings. In December 2008 The Maine published a holiday EP, “...And Happy New Year“. Next year they toured with We The Kings, The Cab and some more bands before playing Vans Warped Tour. The Maine’s second full-lenght album, “Black & White“ came out in July 2010. Then they toured with Never Shout Never and had their first headlining tour, “An Evening with The Maine“. In February 2011 the band went on an international tour, playing Soundwave.

At the end of that year they released their third studio album called “Pioneer“ with a lot of successfull songs. Their fourth studio album “Forever Halloween“ was released in June 2013 and in December The Band’s first full-lenght album was published in the summer of 2008 with the of the same year they also released an EP name “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop“. After that called “Imaginary Numbers“ which came they toured with Good Charlotte and Boys out with five acoustic songs on it.

They also published EPs “This Is Real Life EP“ (2009), “Daytrotter Sessions EP“ (2010), “In Darkness & In Light“ (2010) and “Good Love - The Pioneer B-Sides“ (2012), but only for digital download. In 2010 there was also a live album called “Never Shout Never & The Maine“, also in a digital download format download. The Maine headlined five tours, the last one was this year’s “An Acoustic evening with The Maine“, and co-headlined with bands such as Never Shout Never, Augustana, Mayday Parade or Anberlin. The attended this year’s Vans Warped Tour as well.

Links WEBSITE twitter

FACEBOOK YOUTUBE

Written by @MariamAstronaut

THE STORY SO FAR They are a pop punk band formed in 2007. Band members are Parker Cannon (vocals), Kelen Capener (bass), Kevin Geyer (guitar), William Levy (guitar), Ryan Torf (drums). They have two albums and ten EP’s. Here are some facts about them!

»» They have only 3 videos!

»» They were featured in EA skate »» William really loves Riff Raff »» Parker has sunken chest »» Parker’s dad has a cover band »» Parker punched a security guard defending a fan. Here is the video

»» Their influences are Eminem , Goo Goo Dolls, Smashing Pumpkins, Third Eye Blind, Blink 182... »» When they were younger, their houses were so close that they could easily hang out together »» Parker is good at doing impressions »» Kelen doesn’t smoke

Written by Damla @pierre_1905

Links website facebook youtube twitter kelen tumblr kevin

WE ARE IN THE CROWD We Are in THE Crowd are a pop punk band from Poughkeepsie. They have released two albums so far. The band consist of Tay Jardine, Jordan Eckes, Cameron Hurley, Mike Ferri and Rob Chianelli. They are dominating Warped for a while but maybe you recognize them from their collaboration with Alex Gasgarth in the song called Kiss me again. Let’s take a look them closer!

»» Tay loves Pink and Alicia Keys. »» Jordan and Tay have pre-show rituals, they go to bathroom together to warm up for the show.

»» Jordan showers the least. »» Band supports a foundation called The Keep A Breast Foundation. »» Tay’s dad was a musician. »» They covered Taylor Swift songs. »» When they shot the clip Kiss me again , Tay was sick. »» Their first name was The In Crowd but there was a band with same name that’s why they added We Are to their name. »» Kiss Me Again was shot at Mike’s house.

»» Tay is right-handed. »» In 2009, the band’s Myspace page was hacked by their former member.

Written by Damla @pierre_1905

Links website Facebook Rob Twitter Cameron YouTube Jordan Tay Mike We Are The In Crowd played with Simple Plan in 2012 at GroezRock Festival

thi s m onth ’ s

Fresh Fruit Interview by Jen @justjenrees

remedy x

LEFT TO RIGHT: Sean, Josh and Patrick Hi Guys, Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions and congratulations for being chosen as our band in focus for our new segment called Fresh Fruit. You have changed your name to Remedy X from We’ve All Virus, what was the reasoning behind this? We basically just needed a fresh start and it was the right time to make a shift. We’re All Virus was our chapter 1 and Remedy X was the perfect name for our chapter 2.

How long have you guys been working together and how did the band all come together to make it like it is today? Josh and Sean have been playing together for about 5 years now. Patrick just joined us recently within the last year. It just came together naturally and evolved naturally over time into what it is now. You have recently released your EP Ephemeral that is packed full of emotion, that was the reason that I was attracted to your music when I listened to you on the warped web page.

How does your writing process go? Is it a team effort? Yes of course we are a team and the writing process is a team effort. Josh usually comes up with a lyrical idea or an idea for a melody or riff and then the song is built around that idea. What was it like working with Evan Loffman and Brock Berryhill at Starlight Studios? It was a lot of fun, Evan Coffman is a brilliant producer and we learned a lot in the process. No messing around? Oh yeah. A lot of the song arrangements had changes made to them in the studio that made the songs more powerful. Evan would repeat over and over to Josh to stop being gay and sing like a real singer. When I heard the song So Good, it stayed in my head all day, I am lucky, it takes me only one or two listens of a song to learn the lyrics and I definitely think that a song that has meaning like that and sticks in someone’s head is destined to be a hit. What would you be choice of song that you think has the potential to be a hit? So Good. What was the song that came together really well and that you felt comfortable it was as perfect as you could make it? Every song. We don’t release any music that we don’t feel is exactly the way it should be. In regards to your live shows, you have supported Taproot, who I had not heard of but checked them out as Ariel suggested, and I really like their sound. What was it like sharing a stage with them? It was cool. It was very awesome. It was

inspiring sharing the stage with someone we listened to growing up. They put on a great show and gave Josh a shout out in the middle of their set. In regards to all the other shows you have played, what was a highlight? What was the worst one? A lot of our shows early in our career were the worst because we were all about drinking, partying, having fun and making noise. It was fun but we probably didn’t sound very good. One of our best was when we played Zombicon in downtown Fort Myers. The crowd was huge, wall to wall. We got a lot of love and sup-

“We don’t release any music that we don’t feel is exactly the way it should be” port that night. It was an amazing feeling. The cops tried to shut our set down early and the crowd was so wild that they had no choice but to let us continue playing. Any funny stories or something that went wrong that you can tell us? One time we played in Miami and this really drunk chick was trying to hump and make out with all of the members of the bands. She kept jumping on stage and grinding on people and then she’d keep getting thrown off. She was really persistent. She even jumped on the bar and started strip dancing.

Do you have any rituals when you play live? Josh usually starts each show with a beer and a shot of whiskey. Sean drinks unreasonable amounts of coffee and does backflips in the parking lot. Pat doesn’t really have any rituals besides the usual warming up on his bass. What do you do the moment you step off stage? Break down our equipment and load it up. Josh goes and gets a drink and mingles with people at the show. Sean doesn’t

“Sean drinks unreasonable amounts of coffee and does backFLIPS in the parking lot” drink any more but he goes and parties it up sober style and finds the loveliest lady in the place. Pat jumps on people.

Who have been your main musical inspirations over the years? Avenged Sevenfold, The Used and My Chemical Romance take the top 3 for Sean. My Chemical Romance was also Pat’s biggest influence, and Queen was a big influence for him too. Josh’s biggest influences were Wormwood, Death From Above 1979, Tegan and Sara. Recently you were in a competition to get a spot on Warped Tour, you were voted so much for you were in the top 5. Very disappointing that it seemed the Warped chose who they want not the top 5. I voted a lot for you and really thought you would have been chosen. My advice to you is use your anger and disappointment to make you determined to work harder and show that your band will do bigger and better things than Warped. How are you feeling about that now? It didn’t really affect us negatively. Those competitions are always ridiculous. We gathered a lot of positive attention just by being a part of it. So if anything we were happy about it and motivated by it.

Summing up

What has been the main highlight for you all? Sean: The entire experience has been the How often do you rehearse? Usually once a week. We try to get a 2nd highlight. Working with Josh throughout the years has been great. He is a terrific one in if we can, but it doesn’t happen songwriter and a good friend. The bassevery week. ists we’ve played with have all been solid players and also great people. What does a typical rehearsal entail? In Patrick: Just playing on stage, and for the garage? Pizza and beer? No we have a music room with air condi- people. It’s kind of the adrenaline rush tioning and sound proofing. Pizza some- you get right off stage. times, usually no beer. Usually good food. Josh: Getting to spend time once a week Friends and friendly dogs. Rocking music. with my homies at practice.

Do you have a merch store that fans can buy merch? Not yet, but we will hopefully have one in the future. As of right now, we have T-shirts available at shows only. The music is also available for purchase online. iTunes, Google Play, the usual.

Random questions First CD ever bought? Sean: The first CD I ever bought with my own money was Bob Marley - Legend. My parents always bought me music up until that point. Or I’d just listen to my brother’s CDs. Patrick: Do you really want the answer to that? Hansen’s Mm-bop.. HAHA Josh: The Chipmunks Christmas Carols hahaha, sorry, I still have that album Fav ever band? Sean: Avenged Sevenfold Patrick: My Chemical Romance Josh: The Misfits Have you guys ever met anyone really famous? Sean: Tila Tequila. I talk to her every now and then. She’s a sweetheart. Much smarter than most people give her credit for. Patrick: Jack Barakat of All Time Low. Josh: Samwell. The guy who sings “what what in the butt”. At an airport on my way to Chicago. If you could of written any song in the world what would of it been? Sean: Holla Back Girl by Gwen Stefani. I’m clearly not a holla back girl. Pat: Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. Josh: The next song I write.

Fav Sport? Sean: Frolf. Pat: If I had to pick one, I guess it’d be football. Josh: Frisbee Golf on the Wii. Any messages for our readers? Thanks for reading this article. Thanks for supporting us. We wouldn’t be where we are now without all the fans and friends and family who have showed us love along the way. Thanks Guys, Jen Thanks also to Ariel May who made this interview happen!

Links Facebook Reverbnation twitter

g n offt th o o h ssong Written by Sophie Calbrant

fire in my heart Album: Get Your Heart On - The Second

Coming!

Track: #4 Length: 3:26 Genre: pop punk, power pop Release: 29 November 2013 (Australia)

3 December 2013 (Worldwide)

29 January 2014 (Japan)

Label: Atlantic Records

Simple Plan released a seven track EP (Get Your Heart On: The Second Coming!) in late 2013/beginning of 2014 as a follow-up to the fourth studio album Get Your Heart On! (GYHO) that was released back in 2011. Simple Plan tour the world and are on the road for about 1,5 years which is a pretty long time. On the road they write new music and as hardworking and dedicated they are to make their best album possible; it’s a long process when making a new one. Simple Plan wrote over 70 songs for their fourth album (GYHO) and as we know, all songs didn’t make it to the actual album. With all these songs laying around and fans craving new material they decided to make an EP and give it to the fans as a gift; something to have while waiting for the fifth album, that hope-

fully will be released in late 2015/beginning of 2016. For this EP they took songs from the ones they already had written but they also produced new songs. Track No. 4 is titled Fire In My Heart and is a pop song with the touch of an Owl City vibe. Fire In My Heart is a song you can listen to on a low volume and have in the background as you read or study but also a tune that works great on full volume if you feel like dancing. It’s some kind of a love song with lyrics like: “You struck a match And just like that you got me” and the chorus “You lit a fire in my heart”.

h t n e he month h mo fan comments: “I think it’s amazing. I love the beat of it.” – Jenny, USA

“It’s a great and catchy song that just fills you with energy when it bumps into chorus. If someone has problems with waking up in the morning, this is what the one should turn up. It’s not my favourite from the EP, but it’s still great.” – Mária @MariamAstronaut, Slovakia

“This song always cheers me up, it has a great beat and keeps me happy.” – Brianna, Canada

“This is one of my fav SP songs. It has one of the best beats to it and I love listening to it.” – Ale, Mexico

“This is the best song of GYHO2, I love the beat. It is a songr I can relate to.” – Jen, Australia

“Makes me want to dance! ” – Nick, Australia

“Fire In My Heart” I bet ya didn’t know You started up a chain reaction I saw no intention on your face It must have been some kind of chemical attraction I felt a spark, it left a mark I can’t erase.(I can’t erase) It’s like oh whoa Something like a bolt of lightning Oh whoa, is going on inside ‘Cause I’m burning up, it ain’t no joke And all my cells are going rogue Caught up in a blaze with no way out And it’s my self-control goes up in smoke One more hit, I get so stoked that I I’m glowing in the dark You lit a fire in my heart It was kicking that beat Steady in my body (in my body) Untilil you pumped it up with gasoline You struck a match and just like that, you got me Now I’m the brightest firework you’ve ever seen It’s like oh whoa No there’s no need to run for water Oh whoa, don’t ever put me out ‘Cause I’m burning up, it ain’t no joke And all my cells are going rogue Caught up in a blaze with no way out And it’s my self-control goes up in smoke One more hit, I get so stoked that I I’m glowing in the dark You lit a fire in my heart Oh, oh, so come and warm your hands around me Oh, oh, I will light you up tonight [Chorus x2]

Twitter talk Written by Leeann @adnaxar

David

Robin William’s passing touched many of us. David took to twitter this month, sharing how he felt about the tragic news. While not on twitter all that much (as usual) David has been around out and about this month, appearing at SP events as well as hanging out with friends from the band Hitch & Go.

chuck

pierre

Time off from touring gives Pierre more family time. Making blueberry lavender pancakes for his tribe really made him a #superdad. Popsicles poolside where also enjoyed, as well as spending time with playful pooch Delilah. Heading back home to see his family led to a walk down memory lane. Who was this hockey stud?? Back home, the house smelt like hippies had been smoking in it, but there was no time to ponder that joke, cause he had to get stoked about doing the dishes, and maybe about getting his geek on with Chuck while in the studio.

Chuck was on the fence. Was this Simple Plan’s worst Vlog ever or was it potentially their very best? He was living life on the edge by taking the subway, before taking in Lorde’s show at Osheaga and the Roger’s cup while he was in Montreal. Having finally found David, Chuck laid rumours to rest. He had an amazing day at the Simple Plan foundations first golf tournament. Reading gave Chuck gave us a review of a book he had just finished reading, declaring it one of the best books he had read in a long time. Having just taken in the Paramore concert, Chuck couldn’t wait for Fall Out Boy’s show. He accepted the challenge, donated to the cause, and encouraged others to get wet for a good cause before getting back to work on album 5.

jeff

Be there, or be square. That’s what Jeff had to say about this year’s Oshega festival where he was looking forward to seeing Portugal The Man play. He was kept to pregame tradition. All his hard work came to fruition when his newest restaurant Lauren had it official opening. His little one came up with the solution to the world’s pollution problems. Hmmmm, maybe that’s why his guitars were smelling so bad ;) For Jeff, the best remedy to a stressful day was a heavy motorcycle and a good massage. Hopefully that helped relax him for what lay ahead, cause we all knew Friday was going to be a big day. Happy birthday Jeff.

sébastien What was Seb working on?? Maybe the fact he was in the MOTH studio might be a hint ;) That’s right. MOTH was coming back to the airwaves. Seb was looking forward to a Sunday of doing nothing, but to do that, he had a long list of things to do first. But that must have paid off, as a few days later he was up and having a very productive morning which led to evening tips from the master. Then it was time for Seb and his buddy Seb to enjoy a day of golf, charity and an acoustic set before heading back to the studio where guests were waiting in the new MOTH studio. They really were working hard. Maybe over work was the reason why Seb mixed up ranch dressing and yoghurt at breakfast. But while he was working hard, we were up to no good, he was sure of it. Seb exchanged one studio for another, dropping by Breakfast Television to talk about the SP Foundation and #KiehlsGives. The guys really do a lot of fun things.

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August calendar By Leeann @adnaxar

Simple Plan may be taking some time out from touring, but it didn’t stop some of the guys attending this year’s Osheaga festival. While David and Chuck were checking out some of the acts on this year’s bill, Jeff was also working on The Event, a documentary that will feature the festival in upcoming episodes.

It was all hands on deck when the guys attended the official opening of Jeff’s new restaurant, The Laurea.

Seb and Pat were back on the air today, bringing the 15th season of MOTH (Man of The Hour) to fans.

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Jeff was up early this morning appearing on TV and radio where he was not only promoting his newly open restaurant Lauren, but also discussed what Simple Plan was up to. You can check out his appearance on Breakfast Television right here.

The Golf ProCélébrités was held today on behalf of the Simple Plan Foundation and Procure. The event featured many Canadian celebrities, and those in attendance were treated to not only a day on the golf course, but also an intimate acoustic Simple Plan show. You can check out a short clip Seb posted on his Instagram of them rehearsing earlier in the day.

On the back of the opening of Laurea, Jeff has announced his next venture Mimi La Nuit will open in the fall.

With the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge taking the world by storm, today we saw Chuck, stepping up and taking one for the cause. Check out Chuck’s dunk, and who he nominated here.

It has been announced that Simple Plan will be performing a special concert in Toronto on September 19th on behalf of Kiehl’s Rocks For Kids. The event which will help raise funds for the Simple Plan Foundation will be able to be accessed live online for just $1. You can see more about this collaboration in the following video.

Having been nominated by his mate Chuck, it was time for Seb to step up to the challenge. You can check out his clip and nominations in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge here.

Kiehl announced they would be hosting a Twitter chat with the guys from Simple Plan on August the 26th. Fans could submit their questions using the hashtags #AskSP and #KiehlGives

Jeff, David and Seb today took part in the launch of Kiehl’s Rock For Kids at the Kiehl store in Montreal. The charity aims to raise $40,000 through its initiatives which include the limited edition Ultra Facial Cream as well as the acoustic concert scheduled for September. During the night, the guys took to twitter to answer questions posted under the AskSP and KiehlGives hashtags.

Jeff was back on Breakfast Television this morning, this time with fellow band mate Sebastien, where they were talking about the Simple Plan Foundation and upcoming Kiehl concert. You can check out what they had to say for yourself right here.

I stumbled across this clip on YouTube, let’s all sing together and wish David a very happy birthday.

Now, before rounding off the month, it’s time for an update on the progress of Album 5, where we catch a glimpse of Pierre laying down some vocals.

Happy birthday Mr Jeff Stinco.

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FAN OF THE

MONTH Evelyn García What is your name? Evelyn García Where do you live? Monterrey NL México When was the first time you heard about Simple Plan? I heard their music thanks to my friend Zaira, 10 years ago, when we were in Jr. High School. When was your first SP show? 5 years ago at Arena Monterrey (October 2nd 2008) For how long have you been a SP fan? For 10 years!

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How many times have you seen them live? (October 02nd 2008) (October 03rd 2012) Get Your Heart On Tour! (October 03rd 2013) MTV World Stage What do you like the most about Simple Plan? Their generosity, that’s the main reason why I feel proud of them, also, that good vibe they transmit to their fans to in their concerts, the attitude they have when they meet their fans. They are always open to take a photo or sign an autograph. I love their attitude! What’s your favorite possession of Simple Plan and why? My tattoo. Because it is my love proof. David signed my shoulder and as soon as he did I went

and got it tattooed. When I told him I what I was going to do he said that it meant a lot. That’s why is my favorite possession. Say what Simple Plan means to you. Simple Plan in everything to me, they are with me through their songs making my day brighter. Describe each member with one word: David : Love Jeff : Strong Pierre : Attitude Seb : Sweet Chuck : Initiative Favorite Simple Plan song and why? I love all of their songs, but Addicted is very special to me because David sang the first lines of the song to me in one concert. That’s why this song is so special. What’s your favorite part of ABPFY? Chuck, David, Jeff, Pierre and Seb can’t shut up: The Interview. If you could spend a whole day with SP, what would you do? Spending all afternoon bowling, then going to the movies and finally having a dinner and talk about how wonderful our day was. Best Simple Plan memory? It was October 4th 2013 in Monterrey’s airport. It was a day after they played MTV World Stage, I went with my friends of the SP Oficial Club “Simple Fans Party Monterrey” to say goodbye to the guys. David was the last one to arrive, he took pictures with us and signed autographs, he said goodbye and walked to the departure aisle, but they he turned around, he stood in front of me and said “You are hermosa”. That was something very special to me he smiled and turned around and left. He turned around just to say that to me, it was the best! I love him so much. Have you made friends thanks to Simple Plan? Of course, I have friends all around the world, we communicate via twitter. Also my friends from Simple Fans Party Monterrey❤️, they are, to me, my second family!. We have each other’s backs and when the guys visit our country (Mexico) we get even closer.

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Favorite SP quote? “I’m a nightmare, a disaster that’s what they always said.. I’m a lost cause, not a hero but I’ll make It on my own I’ve gotta prove them wrong... Me against the world.” (Me Against The World) “You’re my escape when I’m stuck in this small town, I turn you up whenever I feel down.” (This Song Save My Life) Favorite Simple Plan video? Don’t Wanna Think About You. What song would you like Simple Plan to cover? Have A Nice Day - Bon Jovi Apart from SP, which other bands do you like? Escape The Fate, Bon Jovi, Falling In Reverse, Beatles, Avril Lavigne, Misfits, Blink 182, Queen, Gun’s, Green Day and moreee.... If you could say anything to Simple Plan right now, what would you tell them? Guys you are the best, thank you for everything! For the great friendships that they have given me and for all those unforgettable moments with you! You are my escape from reality! With your everything is perfect. Thank you for being Simple Plan! Thank you for being who you are, I love your attitude! I love you so much! Okay, now pick 2 songs of the No Pads album and say what do you think are the real meanings behind them: (This Song Save My Life) There’s not much to explain, the lyrics of the song says it all, it is the most powerfull song they have ever written, that song describes all of my feelings. I love the lyrics, it is perfect! Last but not least, What is your one wish that you want to do with Simple Plan? How I mentioned earlier, I would like to go out and have fun with them, even though I have always wanted to ask David to grab a beer or have a good tequila with me, and have a deep conversation.

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Written by ??

‘R

EALITY REDEFINED’ is a “coming of age” of sorts for Mount Gambier quintet SIERRA, a follow-up to the band’s 2013 self-titled release which fuelled significant growth well outside of their regional setting. Returning to Sydney’s Electric Sun Studios to work with producer and friend Stevie Knight, ‘REALITY REDEFINED’ is the product of maturation within the band while keeping the dynamic and melodic sound that triggered their initial rise in popularity. The first single “SUBURBAN FAME” - taken from the forthcoming release - builds on the band’s dynamic prowess which gives unique flavour to their brand of post-hardcore. Lyrically, Kennedy said the title ‘REALITY REDEFINED’ summed up the inspiration for the record. “As time and life progresses, things change and so does our perception of what is happening and what is important. This record is

a diary of personal, societal and global change and the impacts they’ve had on me these past couple of years. I’m not trying to inspire drastic change in masses, but rather encourage thought and reflection while keeping much of what is written open to interpretation.”On a less serious note, we believe we’ve progressed our sound and musicianship with ‘REALITY REDEFINED’, and it should translate well in a live setting.” ‘REALITY REDEFINED’ will be released independently on September 5th, 2014 with the band once again turning to Bandcamp as a platform to digitally launch the record. Tracklisting for ‘REALITY REDEFINED’: 1. Memoirs 2. Suburban Fame 3. Bittersweet Youth 4. The Great Charade 5. Hideaway Revolution

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Aussie Band News

Written by Madeline Birkett @MaddieBirkett

The Never Ever have released a new single “Leading Me On” and trust me, it’s epic. Check it out here, and then don’t forget to grab it on iTunes! There’s more to come too!

Forever Ends Here, Breakaway and Far Away Stables are supporting Hands Like Houses on their Australian Tour. Check out the info here.

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For all the Melbourne Masketta Fall fans, the band has decided to have an EP preview! Details on the poster!

5 Seconds of Summer have released a new single “Amnesia”. Check out the video here.

Two of our favourite bands also decided to cover Amnesia! Josh and Moke from Call The Shots and Let’s Not Pretend!

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International Band News Written by @MaddieBirkett

Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance has released a new music video for 'No Show'. Watch it here!

The Madden Brothers have released two new songs! Listen to California Rain here: and Out of My Mind here:

Frnkiero and thecellabration (former MCR member) have just released their first album 'Stomachaches'. You can listen here:

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Members of All Time Low take on the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge! Check it out on their Youtube channel here: and donate to the cause here!

Yellowcard release a lyric video for their song 'One Bedroom' from their album in the works, 'Lift a Sail. Watch it here!

Good friend of Simple Plan, Lights has released a new music video for her song called Portal. Check it out here: This song will be featured on her new album titled 'Little Machines'.

Patent Pending announce UK tour and post their tour video from last year. Check it all out here.

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THE SKATALITES are heralding

changed the shape of Jamaican popular music as chief proponents of the ska form, backing all the leading artists of the day, including a young Bob Marley, Alton Ellis, and Toots and the Maytals. Skatalites instrumentals such as Tear Up, (the original ska anthem), Guns of Navarone, (which also made the UK top 40), and Ball of Fire all topped the Jamaican charts.

their return to Australia with the celebration of their 50th anniversary. It’s rare that a band can boast of this milestone achievement but THE SKATALITES are more than a band; they are an institution, made up of a collective of some of Jamaica’s finest musicians who not only defined the sound of ska in the 50’s and 60’s but influenced and inspired a number of generations and bands both on their own turf and around the world.

“The Skatalites – that’s why ska music is eternal.” - The Vinyl District.com

Named after a recently-launched Sputnik satellite in 1964, THE SKATALITES were officially together for only 14 months, but

After a hiatus the group reformed in the mid-80’s to a new and embracing audience, including a world tour as Bunny

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Wailer’s backing band and later for Prince Buster. An album of new material in 1993, called Skavoovee, cemented THE SKATALITES as true pioneers of the ska movement as the rest of the world was in the grips of ska fever thanks to bands like NO DOUBT, LESS THAN JAKE and THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES resurrecting the form. The band’s constant world touring has seen generations of new fans captivated by the now-legendary musicians which includes 9 of the finest brass, sax, horn and string players as well as the first lady of Ska – original vocalist, Ms Doreen Shaffer. Two step-dance moves, triumphant sax solos and huge smiles all help make THE SKATALITES show an experience. Lead singer Lester Sterling says “The crowd

gets wild, the jump up and down, it’s not sit down music!” Have a look at the tour trailer: ‘’HERE’’ THE SKATALITES return to Australia for just 10 shows. Be part of the significant anniversary and the magic that crosses decades and generations!

“The Skatalites – that’s why ska music is eternal.” - The Vinyl District.com “Skatalites are the epitome of roots music. The group is the genesis of an entire genre, not to mention the influence the band has had on ska, reggae and almost every other kind of popular music for more than 60 years now.” - Popmatters.

com

“They played for the mods and the ska-heads. They played for rockers and the raggamuffins. They played for the old and young. They played for the ages.” – Vinyl District “The Skatalites are pure energy: hot like fire, with a scorching, skanking rhythm and big-band bravado.” - Reggae Reviews.com

THE SKATALITES announce 50th Anniversary Australian Tour! Metropolis Touring and Tombowler Presents: Australian and New Zealand Tour December 2014 Friday 5th

Auckland - Kings Arms

Friday 12th sydney - The Basement

Saturday 6th

Wellington - Bodega

Saturday 13th Meredith Music Festival

Sunday 7th Christchurch Churchills

Wednesday 17th Melbourne - Caravan Club

Wednesday 10th Adelaide - The Gov

Thursday 18th Melbourne - Corner Hotel

Thursday 11th Brisbane - The Zoo

Friday 19th

Sydney - Factory Theatre

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September Birthdays! By ??

(Mayday Parade)

Matt Jones (Turn South)

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Jake Bundrick

Charles Trippy (We The Kings)

Shayley Bourget (Dayshell)

Chuckâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Birthday!

Mikey Way (ex-My Chemical Romance)

Austin Carlile (Of Mice & Men)

Jason Lancaster (Go Radio)

Avril Lavigne

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I saw them on Scooby Doo when I was little. When Shut Up was released my cousin and I listened to it on repeat for weeks. Fav SP song: I’m Just A Kid. First song I bought when I got my first iPod for Christmas 2007.

Bree Booth Writer Full Name: Bree Booth Age: 15 Country: Australia Twitter nick: I don’t have twitter. Tumblr URL is scotland-graveyard.tumblr.com Bands beside SP you like: Mayday Parade, Pierce the Veil, My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, A Day To Remember. I also like older stuff like The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Ramones, Sex Pistols and the Clash. My favourite artists are Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel. What do you do on Simple Plan Space? I don’t know what to write here? I write articles…? Have you seen SP live? Yes! At Vans Warped Tour 2013. It was so hot and poor Pierre almost died of heatstroke. I guess Canadians just aren’t used to the heat. Have you met them? I would love to one day if I got the chance. Since when have you been a fan? Since

Fav SP music video: I’m Just A Kid. Favourite song plus it reminds me of my all time favourite music video All Signs Point to Lauderdale by A Day To Remember Hobbies: Reading mostly. Blogging (if that counts). I used to play bass in a metal band called Silent Sorrow. Languages: Just English, though I would love to learn French or German. What do you do for a living?: I’m a student. Fave books: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger, Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz, Wonder by RJ Palacio and The Shades of London series by Maureen Johnson. Fave movies: JERSEY BOYS!! I have been to see it at the cinema about 8 times now. I love Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. I like musicals so Les Miserables, Grease, Hairspray, I even kind of enjoyed My Fair Lady. I also like The Breakfast Club, The Perks of Being A Wallflower and my all time favourite movie is Almost Famous. Fave TV shows: Supernatural, Doctor Who (new and classic), Sherlock, Hannibal, Being Human, Bones, American Horror Story and Torchwood, Mrs Brown’s Boys, How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory.

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