The Basement [Vol. 4] - Spring 2023

Cover photo by Meg Teeling

Cover design by Bashar Talib

LaurenSharp ZineEditor+Writer

Arianna Washington Writer

Brandon Walkley Writer

Meg Teeling Zine Coordinator + Writer

Sirena Salas Zine Editor Martin Ma Writer

Ariana Hartman Writer

EmilyLopez Writer

Ariana Nava Writer

Isabel Flores Writer Jesse Tinoco Artist

AlyssaSamoa Artist

RanielSantos Writer

Alonso Valle Writer

Sydney Ynzunza Writer

MayaDesai Writer

Abby Mornhinweg Writer

NatalieBrunjes Writer

Sesame Station Dog

Realistic Things - Raniel Santos

I daydream of realistic things Because I can't afford to think wishfully

Nobody's innocent for long I order another round Just in case I change my mind Cause no matter what anybody says We all want more

Josh Kiszka - Greta Van Fleet by Meg Teeling

(1996) by Emily Lopez

Tom Hanks directed, acted in, and released That Thing You Do! in 1996. This movie follows a small-town Pennsylvania band in the 1960s coming together to perform a small gig in a competition. When the song didn't go as planned the group quickly realized they created a hit song and a constant crowd favorite. After a couple performances, a manager makes a deal with them to tour and produce an album. "The Oneders" soar through the music charts and gain national popularity. As the band continues, personalities and egos clash and the audience gets to witness how difficult it is for a band to keep a healthy relationship. Gradually, two members lose their interest in the band and leave unannounced while the remaining two quickly realize the end of the road is near. The lead singer believes he can be more successful as a solo act, leaving his girlfriend, Faye, as well. The final member, Guy, pursues his passion for jazz with his hero and lights a spark between him and Faye. The first time I watched this movie I immediately fell in love because of the lively music and iconic fashion. The catchy soundtrack highlights the life of the 60s with a sound reminiscent of The Beatles. I also felt a personal connection to the movie when I learned they shot the scenes for the Pennsylvania town at the Orange Circle, not too far from here! Although this movie doesn't have a deep, twisted plot, it is still what I think would be a staple and contains the major aspects of what makes a movie worth watching. Likable characters, rhythmic soundtrack, a love story, and a major issue containing different perspectives. I would recommend That Thing You Do! as a comfort movie or for anyone looking for a feel-good movie.

Crazy Ass Pearl. This is Pearl. The first time I met her at the farmers market, she gave me a hug and seemed like a down-to-earth human being. Every weekend for nearly three months, we talked about life, she checked in on me, and I considered her a genuine friend.

One of the things that made Pearl unique was her crazy button hat and her smile. I don't know why I never noticed before but the day that I took this picture I saw a Trump 2024 button on her hat. Then, tell me why I found out this bitch was protesting wearing masks by tying a mask to her shoe and stomping on it. I should have known from the missing teeth and the CIA buttons that her asswascrazy.

Me at the Tupac Exhibit. #hestillalive #IslandGAL

Cinnamon Overnight Oats

1/2 C Rolled Oats

*1 C Any type of Milk

**Ground Cinnamon

***1 Banana Container (mason jar)

Optional:

Handful of Cranberries

Any Nut butter

Himalayan pink salt

Shake cinnamon and oats in your container. Stir in Milk, Sliced banana, cranberries, and Nut Butter. Let the oats sit overnight or for 3+ hours.

*Any milk works except for Oatmilk. If you use unsweetened milk add either agave or honey!

**Heavy-handed on the cinnamon!! I use about 1 TB.

***Dicing the banana brings out the flavor

SumMer lauren's of the soundtrack

laid down my arms- del water gap

25

vibethis-like sg lewis skate depot-

purple

sun-cannons

one in million-ainner wave hella good- no doubt hesitation-hot flash heat wave

chloroformphoenix t love-quarterschangeof sweetbrenjoy

don't fade away- beach fossils

Artists, The Vehicles for our Grief

by Alyssa Samoa

Artists throughout history have been expected to portray and make sense of all the emotions that grace the minds of humans. Farther back there are painters Vincent van Gogh and Michelangelo Buonarroti or more recently there are artists like Kurt Cobain and Frank Ocean. It’s beautiful to see the warm, comforting sunshine and billowing hills full of flowers, but those are not the art pieces we connect with. It’s wonderful to hear the summer anthems and pop melodies that sing of the wonders of love, but again, those are not the songs that grip onto us and become comforting sounds during our lows.

Respected artists are expected to make music that we will latch onto. Therefore, they are often expected to make music which calls to our insecurities, our anxiety, our depressive thoughts. They are expected to bare the heaviest of emotions and feelings, yet also be sociable and mentally available/healthy. Why do we expect one human to bare the emotional load of millions of people around the world. And why do we expect these ‘emotional mules’ to act as though they aren’t carrying anything at all.

One of the most prevalent artists that I connect with and see this happening to is Frank Ocean. Singer-songwriter Frank Ocean has been making music since 2010. Many of his songs from his two albums channel ORANGE and Blonde are known for being extremely emotional and comforting to those struggling with anxiety and depression. He is an artist that bares the emotional load of millions of young people around the world, yet his own emotional load is cast aside to continue serving the public with his music. As the headliner for Coachella, he was expected to come and be a performer that he’s never claimed to be. Disappointed fans ran to social media to shame Frank Ocean’s performance and repeatedly mentioned his late brother’s passing then immediately went on to discredit his grief and downplay the complexity of his healing. Many claimed his performance should have been important enough to seize his grief and perform in a more digestible way. Frank shared how his only fond memories of Coachella were with his brother, making the headliner performance even more difficult for him. Yet it is obvious, some fans will never understand the destruction of self that grief causes.

It’s quite a melancholic concept. Being forced to relive and delve into your sadness to serve others. But alas, it’s even more depressing to imagine a world without these quintessential artists.

Musician Rights, Master Battles, and Midnight Rain by Meg Teeling

Somewhere in the haze, Taylor Swift got a sense that she had been betrayed. And she definitely had been. In June of 2019, Big Machine Label Group, which contains Swift’s entire catalog featuring her first six albums (two of which had been Albums of the Year at The Grammys), had been sold by Scott Borchetta to Scooter Braun of Ithaca Holdings. This all but solidified the fact that Taylor Swift, no matter the price, would not be able to regain her masters without signing any sort of crazy contract. She had switched over to Republic Records following the expiration of her contract with Big Machine and the conclusion of her recordbreaking Reputation Stadium Tour. Swift, being the mastermind she is, already had a plan.

Despite the masters of six entire albums being under lock and key, Taylor Swift had really given herself quite the loophole in her original contract. Big Machine, now Scooter Braun, may own the master recordings of these albums, but there was one big thing that Swift had ownership of: the composition credits. So what does someone do if they own what is virtually the sheet music to every song she has ever written and performed? Rerecord it, of course. Here is where (Taylor’s Version) was born.

Anything with (Taylor’s Version) next to it means that it is (finally) owned by Taylor Swift. Of course, the only exception to this is the albums Lover (+ Lover: Live From Paris), folklore (+ folklore: the long pond studio sessions), evermore, and Midnights,

along with singles “Only The Young,” “Christmas Tree Farm,” “Beautiful Ghosts,” and “Carolina.”

Of course, rerecording just the original albums as they were can appear boring to some, and so Taylor Swift added some extra incentive to streaming her versions of these albums. The rerecorded albums include songs that are labeled as coming from the vault, meaning that while she had written these songs at the time of the original albums, they were never added to the album for various reasons. The (From The Vault) songs have become a fun way for Swift to release puzzles for fans to solve in order to piece together that part of the track lists. While some of the (From The Vault) songs are ones we have already heard before from artists who Swift has given the songs to, such as “Babe” being performed by Sugarland or “Better Man” by Little Big Town, most of these songs are ones we have never heard prior. The first song to come out of the vault was in 2021 when Swift dropped “Mr. Perfectly Fine (Taylor’s Version (From The Vault)” during the lead-up to her first rerecording, Fearless (Taylor’s Version).

Now, songs coming from the vault can easily become fan favorites along with the cult classics already featured on the original album. The best example of this is “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault).” While it’s quite the mouthful to type of say, this song has become an instant fan favorite, even before it was released. “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” was already a highly anticipated song on Red (Taylor’s Version) due to how fans have turned the devastating breakup song into one where Swift and fans alike can find comfort in being surrounded by a community of people who relate to the song and will scream the lyrics together. However, Swift at one point had mentioned how brainstorming the song’s concept had manifested itself into a ten-minute improv session with her band, which has become the ten minute version we know and love today. Fans have proven loyal to this song by learning every single new lyric and being able to scream out these words for the entire ten minute duration of the song.

If there is anything Taylor Swift loves more than her cats, it’s dropping easter eggs for her fans to try and find in order to determine her next moves. After releasing Fearless (Taylor’s Version), fans were sold on the idea that 1989 (Taylor’s Version) would be next due to the hints about New York City, pizza parties, and releasing “Wildest Dreams (Taylor’s Version). However, this was all just a red herring (no pun intended), as the next rerecording that was announced was actually Red (Taylor’s Version). While fans were so set on the hints pointing towards the legendary pop album, Swift dropped easter eggs for Red (Taylor’s Version) through her look at the 2021 Brits Awards, the Spotify canvas for “Long Story Short” being a clip directly from what we would learn was the Red (Taylor’s Version) album cover shoot, and Olivia Rogrigo being gifted a Cathy Waterman ring similar to the one Swift wore while writing the original album. This rerecorded album was incredibly successful, bringing lots of new people into her music and winning and being nominated for various awards.

In the anticipation for her next rerecording, Swift attended the MTV Video and Music Awards show in August of 2022. Fans were expecting an announcement for a rerecording, perhaps of reputation or the ever-so-elusive 1989, but what we got was so much more than expected. In her acceptance speech when she won the Video of the Year award for “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault),” she announced the least expected thing: An entire new studio album. “Meet me at midnight,” Swift said, prompting fans to flood her website at midnight that very evening. This is where we learned of Taylor Swift’s tenth studio album, Midnights, and its release date, October 21st, 2022. This is where madness began. From August to October of 2022, Swift gave away hints about Midnights, even creating a mini series on TikTok called “Midnights Mayhem with Me,” where she would release a track title at random via a bingo cage to pick a title based

on the number written on the ball that would come out. Swift surprised her fans with every turn, especially on tracks “Snow on the Beach (feat. Lana Del Rey),” “Karma,” and “Mastermind.”

Following the release of Midnights, fans speculated what would happen next. After releasing music videos for both “AntiHero” and “Bejeweled,” Swift announced that she would be embarking on The Eras Tour, celebrating each and every one of her albums in one tour. Of course, there was the whole battle with Ticketmaster in order to secure tickets to her show, but that can be a whole piece on its own. The Eras Tour kicked off in Glendale, Arizona on March 17th, 2023, and was met with praise like never before. Swift is continuing to break records and win the hearts of the cities she tours in, and fans are always excited to see the changes in costumes, setlists, and surprise songs that come with each individual show on this tour. The tour is still happening at the time of this piece being written and released, so it will be exciting to see what other exciting things happen during the span of The Eras Tour!

Wede Harer Guzo by Hailu Mergia

This came from the trailer of Supremes blessed, this is an Ethiopian song with little to no lyrics. I don’t know what prompted Strobeck to use Mergia for a skate video but it just worked so well. Crazy fun fact… Hailu Mergia was one of the most dominant musicians of Ethiopia and then he moved to America and now he works for uber.

Mayonnaise by The Smashing Pumpkins

Found this in Ben Kadows part in Supremes Blessed, this part lowkey changed my life and made Ben one of my favorite skateboarders of all time. Before yall kill me, I had no idea who The Smashing Pumpkins were before I heard it in this video. The music fit the energy that surrounded Ben K. It just matched so perfectly. Great song, great skating, great all that.

In Our Angelhood by Cocteau Twins

Another submission from a Supreme video, but this comes from Candyland. This really put me onto Cocteau Twins, now they’re one of my favorite bands of all time. I found this song at the perfect moment in my life where I was transitioning to different genres. I listened to the whole Head Over Heels album that same night. Shoutout the cocteau twins love you 4ever.

The day has come…the chance to finally see your favorite artist live for the first time. It’s an exhilarating moment and all you can do is scream and try to perfect your itinerary so that you’re as close as possible. As someone who has been going to concerts for years I have truly gone through the ups and downs of preparing! As the concert world is evolving, here are some tips from me that I believe will heighten your overall first concert experience.

Concerts are such a fun way to dress up according to the artist you’re going to see!! Harry Styles fans are known for going all out on theme for his shows, boas being one of the most popular items worn! At the same time you do want to make sure that you’re comfy while you are waiting in line for the show.

Obviously you know where your ticket is!!! Many ticketing companies like AXS and Ticketmaster have your ticket on the app where you can then add it to your apple wallet, this makes it very convenient especially if the wifi in the area is bad. Another thing to consider is whether your event is General Admission or a seated ticket! General admission means that there will be a standing pit section and its first come first serve when it comes to how close or far you will be from the stage. With this new wave in concert goers showing up early and even camping out has become more normalized compared to past years!

Having snacks and water is super important when it comes to waiting in line all day for a show! I always like to look up a venue to see if they have any fast food nearby. I would also bring tons of water and even something like “liquid iv” powder to make sure you’re staying hydrated. Last thing you want is to pass out from lack of hydration in front of your fav performer.

Now personally I don’t like to take bags to concerts because then you have to get it checked by security and it can slow down your security experience meaning you get a farther spot! For the most part many venues nowadays are under a clear bag policy! This means that your items must be in either a ziplock bag or a clear bag that you own so that security can look through your items more efficiently. What I typically bring are: at least 2 portable chargers, my phone charger, my wallet, my car keys, deodorant, water/snacks, and a chapstick. Although this list may look different for you since you want to bring the makeup you’re gonna be wearing or maybe sunglasses…this is just what I typically bring.

Although the lead up to the show is always so crazy, just living in the moment at a concert is important. Although it’s totally ok to record a lot during a concert we often rarely look back at those videos and remember the moments we had with friends more! Some artists like Sabrina Carpenter even encourage fans to be in the moment and not have their phone outs!

Whether you’re going to your first GA show or even starting out in an arena…using these concerts steps will be overall helpful to your experience.

Fashion has flourished into trends that we love and show diversity in style throughout the years. When I think back to celebrity fashion in the 90s and early 2000s I was in complete awe. Between the grunge aesthetic and bubblegum pink colors or even dare I say it… dress over jeans. Let’s be honest some celebrity fashion if worn today would be considered slayyy so here is my rundown of my favorite celebrity outfits throughout the years.

The queen of bikinis and low rise jeans!!!! To start of course I had to mention the Fullerton local Gwen Stefani. She has made a huge impact on early 2000s fashion with her fun hair designs, use of bikini tops and of course the low rise jeans. I mean you won’t catch me wearing them unfortunately, but I have seen a huge comeback in baggy low rise…almost cargo style jeans and it’s GIVING.

Words cannot describe how much I love this outfit that she wore…I mean the way the colors look on her skin tone and the ACCESSORIES!!! It shouldn't surprise most of y'all this Berry is on this list like she just gives effortless beauty. I mean I literally have no words imma just let her outfit speak for itself.

You guys might think I’m trying to prank you with this one, but truly this outfit was before her time!!! I mean between the shimmery sequin skirt, the bootcut jeans and the keyboard handbag like I’m trying to rack this in my mind where a genuine fashion designer said “this will be perfect for a red carpet.” I mean even though this outfit isn’t as glamorous as the other it pays homage to pop culture…I guess.

We all love her, we all want to be her, the grunge legend Winona Ryder. I mean I feel like her fashion back then was so popular now…we see so many people tryna have this “rockstar aesthetic” and I mean she just gave it off naturally. Even her outfits with Johnny Deep when they were together were *chefs kiss*. I want to dress like this when I’m feeling feminine because it just seems so powerful.

Now this last one might surprise you…because it surprised me, but after watching Fight Club for the first time I wanted to see how Brad Pitt was doing in the early 90s with his fashion game!! I mean where do I start…the earth tones, the cream on cream, THE SUNGLASSES. I don’t know but there’s something about this fit that says “I’m trying but not really.” Especially with his hair being a little messy I think it really adds to the look.

With Martin Ma

“The Cut” - $$

3831 Alton Pkwy ste c, Irvine, CA 92606

One of my all time favorite burger restaurants, The Cut, has what I would call the epitome of a good burger. A perfectly soft, and tearable bun; amazing meat blends; perfectly balanced toppings; and the best part: a burger that you can bite into.

My biggest metric for a burger, is how easily I can eat it. The Cut has a burger that you don’t have to tear and unhinge your jaw to eat. A single bite and it’s flavortown in your mouth. The bread perfectly gives way and leaves you with what I would say, the perfect burger experience. Everything about their burgers are exactly what I want in my mind, soft, savory, and delicious.

My recommendation? The truffle & brie burger. Although the truffle part may be kind of a lie, the burger itself is honestly to die for. Pickled onions, brie cheese, truffle aioli, and a bit of honey glaze on a juicy patty and soft buns? This burger, is in this critic’s opinion: one of the best. Try it out if you ever get the chance, it’s not your every day burger.

9.5/10 - Taste

6.5/10 - Value

8/10 - Time

Worth a Visit.

“Cloudy Co” - $ 14370 Culver Dr suite D, Irvine, CA 92604

Personally, it’s my favorite boba store. Cloudy Co delivers just a really good boba milk tea, and their choice of toppings and teas makes the shop superior to others. The tea is amazingly balanced, having gotten Cloudy Co multiple times as well, it’s quick, consistent and tasty. My go to order at Cloudy Co is the “Cassia Mountain Wuyi Oolong Milk Tea.” It’s a deliciously strong tea that’s mellowed out with whipped cream and milk. The boba that I add on to it is also perfectly chewy, offering an amazing boba sipping experience. The final addition of the tea are the nuts on top, which is boba-straw sized to be able to sipped up by your average boba enjoyer.

I highly recommend Cloudy Co if you’re in the area, it’s much more faster than locations like Omomo or Orobe; it’s better; and it’s worth the money. I rate Cloudy Co a 9/10 and encourage you to make the trip if you’re on campus. The boba drink is well worth it, and if you don’t like boba, they have different toppings like grape or melon jelly. The tea that Cloudy Co uses is also insanely high quality, and has discernible notes that you don’t really get from other boba stores. Cloudy Co is the perfect boba tea store for that delicate tea flavor of classic Bubble Tea.

10/10 - Taste

8/10 - Value

8/10 - Time

Worth the Drive.

So I did not know what to write for the zine and I was like well what do I do? But I feel like I just have so much going on and the world is soooo lame. Like I really don’t want to sound gross or angsty or anything like that, it’s just like… it sucks right? I feel like the world right now is meant to break down people that are just trying to live their lives, and its really sad to be honest. In a world where people are just trying to live, go to school, work, hang out with friends… why are people who are authentic to themselves met with such opposition?

I feel like people are in each other’s business way too much. Oh I forgot to mention I am just writing what’s on my mind. I am not even thinking right now. I just feel like the world we live in is so disgusting. Why do people who have fought for their rights for so long have to fight again? Black, brown, gay and trans people are the literal backbone of our society yet white, Christian supremacists come through our spaces and have the nerve to tell us WE don’t belong? WE don’t deserve to be ourselves? WE don’t deserve to live or express ourselves? It’s literal actual bullshit. If these people went a day without using things created by these groups of people, they would have such a lame life. No computers or internet, no like… ANYTHING. Yet we are the problem?

There’s no hate like Christian love, and that is proven time and time again. White supremacist ideologies have poisined our societies and allowed for things like homophobia/racism/transphobia to run rampant within our schools, streets, and even online spaces. People say there’s no such thing as a “safe space” and I agree to an extent. Because as long as we have people with such hate in their hearts, our spaces will NEVER be safe. Nightclubs for the LGBTQIA+ community are safe until a homophobe with a gun comes in. Black churches and spaces are safe until a known racist with a gun comes in. We have created our own safe spaces time and time again and yet there has always been people motivated by hate and white supremacy that come and ruin it.

When can communities be ourselves? When will we be respected? It’s been far too long. I can’t believe that we live in a nation that would rather forget our history and ban the teaching of segregation and oppression (yes, that’s a real thing being debated in some state legislatures) in schools? What do we gain from ignoring our pasts? You know what, WE don’t gain. The we being black/brown/queer people. The people that do gain are the white supremacists running our nation. If the voices and stories of black/brown/queer people are silences, how will the majority be awakened? How will people learn that our government and our very founding documents are based in hatred? “All Men are created equal” according to our nation’s documents, yet it seems that that only applies if

the men in question are cishet white men. Because why in the year 2023 do we have to worry about racism in the workplace? Pay gaps? Discrimination and literal physical hate crimes? It is so terrible and I can’t believe that this is something we still fight for.

I feel like including my stream of consciousness in this point of time is important. It’s almost like a time capsule. I am sure if you’re reading this you can’t but think like why did I include this? But this is the time we are in.

A time where transgender people are under blatant attack; a time where an inherently queer artform (drag) is demonized. A time where black people can be shot in the streets for seemingly no reason.

And yet, the people in charge don’t care. The people in charge don’t see people that aren’t the same as them as people. The people in charge don’t care about your happiness unless you look, act, pray, believe, and exist in the same exact way as them. The people in charge only care about preserving white homogeny and do not care about the beauty that comes with diversity. Diversity in race, beliefs, genders, sexuality and more. This diversity is what makes the world beautiful.

solve them all or create your own!

Yet these people continue to fight against us.

I don’t know much, but I do know one thing. There is never ANY room or space for bigotry, hatred, or anything of the sort. Racists, homophobes, transphobes and anyone like that can genuinely get out of here. There is no room for you.