The Wake - Issue 4 - Fall 2021 by The Wake Magazine

fortnightly student magazine

volume 21 — issue 4

Working Out With Social Media

p. 8

(Odd) On-Campus Posters

p. 16

In the Light of the Open Mic

p. 11

The Pothole

p. 17

Blossom

p. 13

Distant Edge

p. 22

ART

Art by Ella Moroz Photo Montage

NOVEMBER 15 — NOVEMBER 28

Disclaimer: The purpose of The Wake is to provide a forum in

which students can voice their opinions. Opinions expressed in the magazine are not representative of the publication or university as

Established in 2002, The Wake is a

fortnightly student magazine

VOLUME 21 — ISSUE 4 EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Cities Editor Voices Editor Online Editor

Marley Richmond Jemma Keleher Ian Knoll Mitchell Levesque

Copy Editors

Na’Jai Wilson Autumn Sanders

Music Reviews Editor

Peter Nomeland Tosin Faseemo

Multimedia Editor Multimedia Producer

Linnea Baerenwald Noah Berghammer

Editorial Interns: Holly Gilvary, Marie Ronnander, Srihita Raju, Nina Afremov, Carly Quast, Veroninca Nowakowski, Anika Wilsnack, Erica Bouska Music and Review Interns: Avery Wageman, Griffin Jacobs

a whole. To join the conversation email eic@wakemag.org.

fortnightly independent magazine and registered student organization produced

The Wake Student Magazine

by and for students at the University of

126 Coffman Memorial Union

Minnesota. The Wake was founded by

300 Washington Avenue SE

Chrin Ruen and James DeLong.

Minneapolis, MN 55455

PRODUCTION

THIS ISSUE

Executive Director

Esther Chan Chae Hong

Writers

Erin Krotz Hannnah Lundquist

Houdek, Quinn McClurg, Carly Quast, Alex Hadlock, Zoe

Skylar Neuber Megan Bormann

Bennett, Avery Wageman, Griffin Jacobs, Peter Nomeland,

Creative Director Finance Manager PR/Ad Manager Social Media Manager Art Director Web Manager Distribution Manager Distribution Assistant Designers

Natalie Blum Shannon Brault

Holly Gilvary, Marie Ronnader, Sanjali Roy, Ashley HarrisHoornbeek, Lydia Tallarini, Anthony Vystoropski, Harriet Jun Lin, Beryl Belmonte, Kami Kendall, Tosin Faseemo Art

Emily Baude Gavin Schuster Makenna Larson

1 Megan Bormann, 2 Madison Kuehn, 3, Katka Trachtova,

Zoë Foster

Cover and Feature art by Megan Bormann

Production Interns: Patrick Gagnon, Gracie Kibort, Renee Mottet Art Interns: Madison Kuehn, Natalie Yang, Katerina Trachtova

4 Katherine Regas, 5 Zoe Hoornbeek, 6 Natalie Yang, 7 Anisha Joshi, 8 Simone Traband Feature article spread designed by Gavin Schuster Punk, Juno, Succession, Till Death, French Dispatch, Kidz Bop images from original sources.

Multimedia Interns: Cecilia Harold, Natalie Aue

THE WAKE

Art by Chae Hong

wink! one page magazine

wreckkkkk this one pager

go for a walk. write your observations here

pour, spill, drop, spit, fling your coffee here

let out your test-stress here

ask a stranger to add something— advice, a silly drawing, their hottest takes, self-promo—to this page

dm @ thewakemagazine on instagram to show off your wreck this one pager!

NOVEMBER 15 — NOVEMBER 28

INSIDE 8

Working Out With Social Media Farm to Photo

9 10

Completely Deewana for ISA’s Fall Show #Striketober Proves MN Workers are Fed Up

In the Light of the Open Mic

Blossom

(Odd) On-Campus Posters

The Pothole Art in Many Forms

The Importance of a Good Professor

Doing Extracurricular Activities for the Resume Boost

20 22

Six Reviews Distant Edge Q&A

THE WAKE

UPCOMING EVENTS 11/19 @ 5pm

11/20 @ 7pm + 11/21 @ 2pm

Net Impact — Green Week Charity Gala

Marching Band Indoor Concert

The climax of UMN’s Green Week brings about a

The 60th Annual Indoor Concert brings the Pride

variety of eco-friendly activities, complimentary

of Minnesota from the field to the stage as they

dinner, and a series of presentations from

perform all your halftime favorites, alongside a

University Professors and Industries Experts on the

selection of pieces chosen for this special occasion.

importance of sustainability. Walter Library

Northrop Auditorium

11/20 @ 7:30pm + 11/21 @ 2pm

11/23 @ 8pm

Let the Crows Come

Playboy Carti at The Armory

In “Let the Crows Come”, Ahswini Ramaswamy

Hot off the release of his second studio album,

uses the south Indian dance form of Bharatnatyam

“Whole Lotta Red”, Playboy Carti brings his gothic

to tell a story of memories, home, guidance, and

style and frenetic vocals to Minneapolis with the

dislocation.

King Vamp Tour.

528 Hennepin Avenue

500 South 6th Street

11/23 @ 11am

11/26 @ 7pm

SK Coﬀee Instameet

Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live: Time Bubble Tour

You’ve heard of wine tastings, but what about a

The grandfathers (and kings) of ripping on awful

coffee tasting? Star Tribune’s Best Coffee House

movies, MST3K comes to Minneapolis to suffer

of 2021 has you covered with a selection of drip

through 1985’s “Making Contact.” This time, you

and pour-over samples, along with a tour of their

don’t have to just watch shadows in a movie

premiere roastery.

theatre: you can live it!

550 Vandalia Street

710 Hennepin Avnue

Letter from the Multimedia Producer Dear reader, Stories are powerful, aren’t they? A captivating film, a gut-wrenching poem, a perfectly crafted record—I mean, you can’t beat it. Good stories can move us with their narrative and bring us to tears with their ability to reach us. We, as a society, are living out our own unique stories, and it’s truly special. Since getting to college, I’ve come to realize that the power of story is second to none. Everyone on the planet, especially the twenty-somethings, just wants to be seen, heard, and understood. That’s why we tell stories, isn’t it? In the hope that we might connect and find some common ground. The world that we live in can feel so big and scary and our ability to tell stories allows us to make sense of it. The beautiful chaos around us deserves to be captured and felt. So, let’s capture it and feel it, shall we? I’m an artist, so I’m obsessed with telling stories. Whether it be in my poems, short stories, or books, I try to be as authentic and razor-sharp as I can be. I want you to feel what I feel and see what I see. I don’t want you to relate to my characters—I want you to lose yourself in them. I want my writing to be your escape from the crazy reality we exist in, even if it is just for a moment. In my music, I don’t want you to feel alone in your feelings but validated because you may be broken, but the rest of us are, too. I want to fill your ears with charming nostalgia so that you are rushed back to a time when you felt whole. We all deserve to feel whole, don’t we? I grew up in a town where my creativity and individualism weren’t always embraced or validated. However, since joining The Wake and being surrounded by artists and storytellers, I can tell you firsthand just how fortunate I am to be a part of the team. Being an artist—hell, being a human being—can be lonely sometimes. So finding people who look at the world in the same light that you do, with bright colors and descriptive language—it’s pretty special. And I don’t take it for granted—not even a little bit. This is a call to arms for all artists and people: TELL YOUR F*CKING STORY because IT MATTERS. You matter. Sincerely, Noah Berghammer Multimedia Producer

NOVEMBER 15 — NOVEMBER 28

CREATIVE WRITING

THE WAKE

Poem by Simone Traband Mississippi River Poem

CITIES

Working Out With Social Media Social exercise apps can be helpful, but they shouldn’t be stressing us out

BY HOLLY GILVARY Every few days or so, as I’m scrolling through my phone or simply pulling up my screen to check the time, I get a notification from the Nike Training Club app with messages such as “Try this new at-home workout for shredded abs,” or “This quick glute-burner is only 15 minutes—no excuses.” I like to think that I’m neutral about these notifications; I usually dismiss them without a second thought. But I’d be lying if I said there isn’t a slight twinge of guilt I feel after reading them: Why aren’t I making time for a 15-minute workout? Am I lazy? Unmotivated? Should I be taking these notifications more seriously? Social exercise apps were a decent substitute for in-person fitness classes and gyms when the pandemic was at its peak. Even if we had to work out from home, we could at least do it simultaneously with our friends and share goals and metrics through an app. Now, even with many gyms and fitness classes open to the public again in the Twin Cities, social exercise apps still seem to be a popular option. I definitely enjoy the convenience of looking at my Nike Training Club app for workout ideas and yoga routines that I can do at home if I don’t have the time or energy to go to the gym. It also allows me to learn new routines and techniques without having to pay for a class in person. However, apps like these, with their features allowing you to see and compare workout metrics with others, aren’t always the best for our mental health. Especially during a global pandemic, the last thing we need is more health anxiety. The best option? Keep your fitness apps if you find them useful for finding new workouts or sticking to your goals, but maybe silence notifications or turn off data sharing. Working out should be an enjoyable activity, not another source of stress and anxiety in our already-chaotic lives.

Farm to Photo Lark Gilmer’s photography is both heart-warming and thought-provoking BY MARIE RONNANDER The Schmidt Brewery is an industrial brick building that adds a historic presence to its neighborhood. After the building was abandoned by its namesake in 2002, it remained vacant for nearly twelve years. In 2014 it reopened as an artist loft, a community where richly creative minds could share their work. From October 10th through the 30th, Lark Gilmer, a resident of the loft, shared an important part of her life. “Welcome to My WORLD” portrays old and recent works by the photographer, who moved to the Twin Cities from a sheep farm out of state. Her photos invoke a deep love for the land. Furls of dried grass turned into a child’s secret language, a young woman in a silk dress surrounded by the wild, and a sheep with an ear tag that cheekily reads, “come with me.” The longer one stares at the images, the more secrets one can find within the work. Poems are posted between photos, adding stories to the visual elements. Gilmer has a beautiful form of conveying her connection to the earth so that it roots the viewer and allows them to physically feel this love. The setting of the show deepens this sentiment of a relation to the world. The photos are displayed in “The Atrium,” a large stone refuge filled with sunlight. Gilmer’s German shepherd, Molly, sits in the corner and occasionally trots up to visitors with expectant eyes and a floppy frisbee. With the addition of many photos of farmland and a sheepdog, the room almost mimics an empty barn. The show was an overwhelming success. Increasingly in our world, industry is merging with nature. Gilmer’s raw communication of the natural world around us strikes deep and allows contemplation on how we hold onto our connection with the changing earth.

NOVEMBER 15 — NOVEMBER 28

CITIES

Completely Deewana for ISA’s Fall Show The Indian Student Association smoothly pulls off a crowd favorite event 4

BY SANJALI ROY Bright reds, blues, and golds flashed around the room and the smell of aromatic Indian food filled the air. There was laughter and chatter all around; the sound of old friends catching up with each other, and the sound of new connections being made. A general buzz of excitement could be felt as everyone was anticipating a fun night of performances. Each year, the University of Minnesota’s Indian Student Association hosts Deewana, their annual fall show. Deewana means crazy or passionate in Hindi; it’s a word often used in Bollywood films, and it invokes a sense of nostalgia for Indians. The show began with the emcees welcoming the audience, followed by the board of the Indian Student Association, who had their own dance performance! All seventeen of them were wearing vibrant Indian clothes; kurtas for the men and salwar kameezes, ghagras, and sarees for the women. The audience cheered for every board member and was supportive throughout the show, screaming out names and offering raucous applause at regular intervals. The show included several musical and dance performances. Two students had individual musical performances: one played the harmonium and sang a Kannada love song, while the other played a Carnatic classical song on the altosaxophone. MN Fitoor, the South Asian acapella team on campus, also performed a beautiful medley of songs in English and Indian languages. Among the classical dance acts of the night were the Nrityalaya Dance Academy, a major dance academy in the Minneapolis area that teaches the Indian classical dances of Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi. Minnesota Agni, UMN’s own

THE WAKE

Bharatanatyam team, also had an incredible ten minute performance set to the soundtrack and narrative of Harry Potter, which made my heart burst with happiness as it combined two things I love a lot: India and Harry Potter. Beta Chi Theta, the U’s South Asian fraternity, delivered an incredibly entertaining performance that ranged from classic 1990’s Bollywood songs to today’s American hip hop hits. The audience was left in splits because of their parodies of classic Bollywood poses. Minnesota Junoon (meaning passion; see a theme here?), a competitive, co-ed Bollywood fusion dance team, danced with high energy to a mashup of Bollywood songs. Finally, Dhoom Dance Crew closed the show with an invigorating performance influenced by various styles like bhangra and hip-hop. It’s important to give artistic groups a platform to perform and express themselves, because it empowers them. As Garima, a member of Junoon, said, “dance makes me feel alive…, powerful, and strong.” By performing dance or music from our culture, it gives the South Asian community a way to assert that we’re here, and we’re not going to forget or erase our identity, even in a foreign land. But the most unexpected part of the event for me was when a representative from SEWA-AIFW gave a speech about their organization. SEWAAIFW is a non-profit that supports the well-being of South Asian families in the area by providing access to health care, well-being programs, domestic violence resources, and socialization for elders. Having lived in the greater Twin Cities area for the last ten years, I have never heard of resources like these for the South Asian community. The representative openly talked about mental health counseling, which I thought

was extremely necessary because mental health is very stigmatized in the South Asian community. Often it is a subject that is neglected and ignored in South Asian households because we are afraid of what other people will think about us if we admit that we have a mental illness. However, this issue is slowly getting better because of the steps organizations like SEWA-AIFW are taking. A possible question that might arise is what the purpose of shows like this is. Does it help people in any way? I think the answer is yes. This kind of event creates well-needed solidarity within the South Asian community. Without solidarity, migrant communities can become competitive and toxic rather than supportive; I’ve seen it happen before my own eyes. However, shows like Deewana channel our energy towards positive things like music and dance, and it reminds us of the cultural heritage we have in common. It also connects with attendees from outside the South Asian community, and gives them a greater appreciation of our culture. These events are the bridges we need to connect across barriers; these are the bridges we need in the fight against racism. I hope cultural communities at UMN continue to host events like these, so we can spread knowledge, break down stereotypes and celebrate all those things that make us deewana.

CITIES

#Striketober Proves Minnesota Workers are Fed Up COVID era has Americans striking at record numbers for better pay and benefits BY ASHLEY HARRIS-HOUDEK Welcome to the land of the free—if you’re a billionaire. The US is ranked the worst country for workers’ rights in the developed world. #Striketober is looking to change that.

factory workers (10,000), the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees in Hollywood (60,000), and healthcare workers for Kaiser Peranente (24,000).

We live in a pandemic era where corporations make record profits, the stock market is booming, but the worker’s quality of pay and benefits has decreased. With the threat of COVID in the midst, there is no other choice but to strike.

Even the recent Alec Baldwin manslaughter case ties back to #striketober. That day, workers on the set left on strike to protest unsafe working conditions. Hours later, the working conditions were proven unsafe, as Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed a worker on set.

The industrial revolution birthed a new type of violence, with child labor and 14-hour workdays. Unions were created to combat this violence. They advocated for the elimination of child labor, the 8-hour workday, and the revolutionary idea of the weekend. Unions allow for collective bargaining, where workers demand certain rights, such as pensions, and collectively strike if they are not given those rights. The goal of striking is to demonstrate the value of the worker to the company and threaten the pockets of the wealthy—without labor, there is no business. Going on strike is a last resort for workers because they risk losing their pay, their jobs, and sometimes their lives due to state violence. However, it’s an incredibly powerful tool that big businesses fear. Because of this, unions have steadily decreased since 1945, with about 10% of Americans currently unionized. Striking has been on the rise since the beginning of the pandemic, but October of 2021 has seen record organization—nearly 100,000 workers in the US have gone on strike. The media have labeled this as #striketober. Some of the largest organized strikes in #striketober include the John Deere

Locally, nurses in Plymouth, Minnesota, have been striking for better benefits. They work under Allina Health, which has produced 5 billion dollars in annual revenue in 2020. The healthcare workers at Allina Health aren’t fighting for something radical— simply that their holiday pay is increased up to the level that every other Allina branch in Minnesota has. There is currently a nurse shortage due to COVID-19, so these nurses have lots of other options for work. Still, they are committed to investing in their communities and potentially sacrificing their jobs for a better future. Allina nurses from other locations have stepped in as strikebreakers, which are temporary, or eventually permanent, replacements to threaten the current nurses on strike. They are currently working toward a better contract with Allina Health. I recently met with Aidan Thomson, a leader of the Young Democratic Socialist Party at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities. This organization advocates for the rights of the working class through political organizing. He recently attended a rally for the unionized clerical workers on campus, part of the AFSCME 3800.

These rallies are some of many that AFSCME 3800 has held to add pressure to the campus and allow workers to realize what they are fighting for: not just themselves, but everyone rallying with them. The goal is to update their contract with the University. They have been “rallying the entire month, basically threatening to strike.” The contract updates that campus clerical workers are pushing for include: • • •

More flexibility for vulnerable workers. Ensuring safe spaces for all clerical workers. Increasing the very low pay they receive on campus, especially due to the pandemic

Aidan compares this rally to the state of our country, stating that “the pandemic has opened our eyes to class consciousness… with companies like Amazon becoming worried with unionization efforts in Staten Island and Bessemer, Alabama, or the unionization efforts at various breweries all over the Twin Cities.” While October is over, #striketober is just the beginning—”workers will only continue to get even more organized to fight for the economic justice they deserve.” The AFSCME 3800 is currently petitioning the University for COVID accountability on campus. Their petition is available to sign online; simply google AFSCME 3800 petition, and you too can take part in #striketober.

NOVEMBER 15 — NOVEMBER 28

CITIES

In the Light of the Open Mic Vulnerability and connection at the Moth

BY QUINN MCCLURG That night, the mic was hot and the audience even hotter. As the stories went on, more people would crane their necks from the bar to catch even a stray word gone their way. This is The Moth, a nonprofit organization specializing in live storytelling events, and I had the honor to sit in on one of their cherished “story-slams.” The concept is simple: a theme is established (this night it was Legends), people in the audience submit stories, and ten are randomly selected to tell their stories on stage, taking no longer than five minutes each. These stories are then judged, rated, and a winner is chosen at the end of the night. This could just be a standard fare open mic night, but the Moth makes it so much more than that. When preparing and submitting a story, one is confronted with many guidelines. Some emphasize how to tell a story well while others ward against disrespect: punchlines centered around race, culture, orientation, class, or identity are not tolerated. The Moth is not a crude standup show, nor is it a soapbox; it is a celebration of diversity and commonality. Throughout the night, the inclusivity and positivity became palpable. The audience was giddy to interact when desired, attentive when required, and empathetic when anyone came to the mic. Whether they were regulars or first-timers, venue workers or judges, everyone gave each other the same undivided attention. As a result, everyone could forget about themselves for a while, drop all pretenses and dispositions, and listen with their entire hearts.

THE WAKE

Listening here was never hard either. All ten speakers brought something new to the table: some were rehearsed and relaxed, some were unorganized and emotive, but all of them were genuine and ordinary people. On the stage, there was no “other,” the experiences the speakers shared were universal and comforting as a result. Through tears or laughter, the audience reassured the speaker that they understand, that they are receptive, and that they are empathetic. As for the stories themselves, I’m not sure they are mine to share. Each one was a different unique aspect of the universal human experience. They told stories of the loss of someone important, the devastation in the death of a culture, of the gentle teasings of dad jokes, of stage fright of elementary school, and of the challenges of coming out in high school; each speaker’s story was underlined with the sanctity and the importance of memory. Although these aspects are universal, they still aren’t my stories to tell. I could tell something similar, but it could never be similar enough to be theirs. After all, you don’t always have to be the one telling the stories; you can be the one sitting back to listen, as that role is just as important. As for myself, I have always believed in the power of stories. When I was a kid, I would spend countless hours making skits and lego stop motion videos with my brother and our clunky 2000’s cameras. Sure, they might not have been very good, but that wasn’t the goal. The goal was to have fun together and we hit our mark every time.

Since then, storytelling has still remained an important part of my life: sonder has dug its roots so far into me that I would never dream of removing them. Instead, I foster that sonder by actively looking for stories. Whether it’s on my gondola, in classrooms, or even in line waiting for the elevator, everyone has a new perspective to offer and I’m more than happy to listen and understand them all. This is why The Moth’s open mics appeal to me so much: people are encouraged to be vulnerable, to speak unapologetically, and to paint a picture of their own lived-in corners of the world and after hearing so much about other people’s lives, you can’t help but notice how similar yours begins to look. This is a practice in empathy, a practice in sonder; it is a realization that no matter how different anyone seems, they’re in the exact same boat as the rest of us. Thus, as long as we have stories to share, we will always have compassion to offer. So next time you find yourself in the middle of a story, feel free to sit back, relax, and enjoy. After all, you may be there for a while, but there is always space for a good listener; when the time comes will you be ready to be one?

ART

Art by Natalie Williams

NOVEMBER 15 — NOVEMBER228

FEATURE

BY CARLY QUAST

i nn Made by Minnesota Artists for M

ta es o

st i t r

Local band Hippo Campus has started Blossom, an artist collective highlighting the growing art scene rooted in the Twin Cities. THE WAKE

FEATURE

“If you’re here to hear ‘Way It Goes,’ you’re in the wrong place,” Jake Luppen, the lead singer of Hippo Campus, said with a smirk on Fine Line’s stage three weeks ago. With the band’s new single “Boys” filling the air alongside a sea of audience members swaying to the beat, the atmosphere was packed with anticipation for the new beginnings blooming from the stage on October 19. That Tuesday marked the first concert put on by Blossom, a new artist collective created by Hippo Campus. Made by Minnesota artists for Minnesota artists, the band hopes to highlight the growing art scene that roots itself in the Twin Cities.

DeCarlo Jackson, founder of Blossom and trumpet player for Hippo Campus, explained that the motivation to create the Twin Cities’ newest artist collective came from a time when there was no other option than to sit at home with no motivation. The COVID-19 pandemic allowed all of the members of the band to be in town for longer than they had been for about six years, and the music scene that they had grown to know and love had changed while they’d been gone.

“WE WANT TO USE OUR PLATFORM TO UPLIFT YOUNGER AND NEWER ARTISTS”

“We want to use our platform to uplift younger and newer artists,” Whistler Allen, the drummer for Hippo Campus, said. Tuesday night’s show at the Fine Line included a lineup of local Twin Cities musicians to display Blossom’s versatile new sound. Ivers, Gully Boys, DNM, and Raffaella all took the stage, and Blossom t-shirts, designed by musician and visual artist Papa Mbye, were being sold in the back of the room. Allen explained that Blossom’s “There was a new generation of artists cropping up mission doesn’t only include musicians. “We want that were making really special music. We wanted to broaden the horizon to all mediums if possible.” to start the Blossom collective to help those artists get their music made and heard,” Luppen said. “One of our main goals in doing this is to link Minnesota acts with other artists we’ve toured and produced with in places outside of our hometown.” Hippo Campus was born and raised in Minnesota,

and they’ve headlined five tours and released two studio albums and five EPs. With the connections they’ve made in the music industry, they hope to make a new network of musicians and artists that can create and grow with each other, hence the name Blossom. “We hope to incorporate touring acts and other friends of ours from out of state in our Blossom shenanigans eventually,” Jackson said with a smile. “We want to provide a clear access point to affiliated Hippo acts [like Lupin, Mono Moon, brotherkenzie, Whistler Isaiah, and Baby Boys] as well as uplift other bands by lending a hand with things like recording facilities, practice spaces, and creative development.” Jackson explained that Blossom is a team effort. Every member of Hippo Campus plays a role in curating it, stemming from organizing events and concerts to the music production and songwriting that occurs in the studio. “The idea is that we all figure out how to express ourselves through the brand more effectively in time,” Jackson said, adding that he hopes Blossom can offer a new sense of artistic freedom to everyone involved, including the members of Hippo Campus. Along with the artists that headlined Tuesday’s show at the Fine Line, Blossom has begun working with several other musicians in and around the

NOVEMBER 15 — NOVEMBER 28

FEATURE

Twin Cities. They include Miloe, Landon, Caroline Smith, and Kinfu—and that’s just the start. Blossom’s purpose is to highlight the different sounds of the Twin Cities, raise them above the boundaries that exist in the music community, and allow artists to grow into the best versions of themselves. “The sound of Blossom is creative freedom. We want to give younger artists an opportunity to experiment in the studio and be cared about while they’re doing it,” Luppen said. “Recording and production [are] too often treated like a factory. The most important thing we can do is empower an artist to eventually go and do this on their own.”

“THE SOUND OF BLOSSOM IS CREATIVE FREEDOM”

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Jackson also mentioned that other artist collectives, like Dirty Hit, Art Hoe Collective, and Odd Future, were a big part of the inspiration behind Blossom. These collectives combine musicians and visual artists into projects that have expanded into other art forms outside of concerts or shows. Podcasts, magazines, and art shows that have a combination of art forms are a few of the options that they’ve explored, and the hope for Blossom is to stretch just as far. “We hope to reach outside of production as well and into the world of shows, curating, zines, and all the works,” Jackson said. Blossom will be much more than a band making (more) music. It’s going to be “more of a production company than a label,” allowing Blossom to have the ability to stretch into any artistic direction it pleases without the restrictions that the music industry enforces. This breeds total artistic freedom.

“a compilation/mixtape of unreleased songs by a bunch of our Blossom seedlings.” The EP will be highlighting the artists associated with Blossom, and listeners should expect “lots of fun unexpected musical collaborations and fun posters to put up on your walls if that’s what you’re into.” By hosting their own events and working with bands and artists that they listen to and love, Blossom will create a more accessible music scene for listeners and creatives alike. You can find them on social media at @blssm.mpls, and be sure to keep an eye out for future shows and events. “We want to plant little ideas and watch them grow,” Jackson said. “Hippo has been looking for a way to directly engage with artists in our city on a larger scale than we were before.” And after Blossom’s debut concert at the Fine Line, it’s clear that their mission is being achieved.

After Blossom’s debut show, the future of the artist collective is looking bright. The band explained that they’re working on getting a residency that would start in January, allowing for weekly concerts involving the artists that are working with Blossom. These shows will not only allow the Twin Cities community to see who’s a part of the new collective, but will also offer the artists more visibility and opportunity in the local music scene. Jackson explained that Blossom will be releasing

VOICES

(Odd) On-Campus Posters Pyramid Schemes or Opportunities? BY ALEX HADLOCK At the top is a headline, cheaply edited with a Sharpie, and near the bottom, what looks like the photocopied image of a driver’s license. These identical pieces of yellow cardstock have appeared again and again across bulletin boards at the University of Minnesota. While difficult to read from afar, up close they seem to present a money-making opportunity to students. After finding these posters, my research led to a broader issue that has become an almost expected part of the college experience. Students being strapped for cash is nothing new nor is the search for ways to solve their monetary problems. One of the most reputable places for finding opportunities on campus, monetarily or not, are bulletin boards. Job postings, bodily fluid donations, and searching for test subjects are just some of the posters providing opportunities to make money. There is, however, content on these boards that appears to have the aim of swindling students rather than providing them legitimate opportunities. One of these illegitimate opportunities that is synonymous with preying on individuals in need of money is called a pyramid scheme. This type of system relies on recruitment and new members to pay money with the promise that they will be paid a larger return. Pyramid schemes are illegal, but the line of legality is often easily abused by companies that allow them to retain the pyramid framework with minor changes. While each person may suffer different degrees of financial stress and how they deal with it may also differ, the frequency of this issue has left many

vulnerable and exploitable. Students in need of money are especially at risk of falling victim to forms of financial exploitation, in the form of pyramid schemes, as their desperation is only compounded by the number of other stress factors inherent to college life. Desperation and mounting pressure lead anyone, not just students, in that position to ignore many of the red flags of a financial scheme. Considering this, the true nature behind these peculiar yellow posters, and content posted on bulletin boards, is called into question. None of the posters were stapled to bulletin boards. To remain up, they acted as parasites wedged under other posters. Enough of the posters remain exposed to ensure they’re visible to anyone walking by. The boards occupied by these unusual pieces of paper are all outdoors, and extend from the edge of the West Bank well into the East Bank campus. After passing by them for weeks, I picked up a copy of the poster from the floor of the Washington Avenue Bridge to read it.

personal information is visible, but Sharpie was used over part of his face. A beard and sunglasses were drawn onto the man’s ID photo. The name of the man is Jerome Frisco, but although his license is on the poster, it wasn’t clear if he was responsible for them. It would be odd for someone to spread this much personal information across a college campus. Amongst the text on the front side is a simple instruction for readers to “email [their] name & number [to] machomanteam@.” Presuming that the source of the email address would also be the source of the poster, I decided it would be best to reach out and see who replied. Within a day I received a response that was signed “Jerome Frisco.”

Up close, there is an enticing nature about it. The phrase, “first come—first serve” and promises of large sums of money. After analyzing the poster, my copy is now a patchwork of notes, arrows, and question marks, all attempting to deduce its source. The headline is an oddity all on its own. It reads “GOPHER TEAM BUILD,” but the word “GOPHER” is written in Sharpie over another word. The word that was originally printed there appears to be “LATINO.” The reasoning behind this choice is not clear.

Scan the QR code to read the rest

At the bottom of the poster, there is a photocopy of a Florida man’s driver’s license. All of the man’s

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VOICES

The Pothole

Change in our community BY ZOE HOORNBEEK

My car lurches into the hole in the road. The front wheels face the impact first, then the back. In the alley behind my house, a giant pothole lies in the middle of the narrow road, unavoidable to my small Honda. This is how it began. Every morning at 5 am, I drove my car through this pothole on my way to work. The car jerked into the hole every time. My head hit the back of the headrest and my body jolted upwards. I got used to the feeling until one day on TikTok I saw a video about how to fill a hole with a couple of shovelfuls of pebbles. I went to the closest Ace Hardware that I could find and bought a small garden shovel. I took some pebbles from my front yard, hoping I had enough, and admired my handiwork. However, the pothole shouldn’t have been my problem. “I spent money on this,” I thought to myself. It began to irritate me. Why didn’t the city do something about this and the other potholes on the street? Everywhere I looked, I began to see potholes. It was not my job to fix them all. I wrote an email to the mayor, asking about a plan to fix the roads, specifically the potholes. I was grateful when I received a response, saying that there was a plan to fix the roads in the budget, and that it was a problem that has gone on for far too long. The taxes that we pay go towards this budget, but it was hard to act upon due to COVID-19. This pothole had a minute impact on my life. However, problems with larger consequences such as property taxes, school funding, and so much more are also dealt with through city government. Local leaders play a key role in making decisions that impact voters and their families.

Art in Many Forms From visiting a museum to sitting at home with a book— it’s all art BY LYDIA TALLARINI There’s something oddly appealing about museums. More than the exhibits, there’s an air of mystery—possibly because of the artworks’ rich historical and cultural value or maybe because of their astronomical resale potential. But either way, that “something more” propels me to return and rediscover the separate world of art, so hidden from my everyday life. Why is that world so different? Why are paintings and sculptures categorized as “fine” art while books, movies, and pop music are just “entertainment?” It seems a little unfair to classify creative works like that, but it does partially convey the cultural differences in the perception of the origin and function of each art form. Art was, at first, an expression of wealth. Aristocrats commissioned pieces, and beauty usually played the foremost role until artists became more independent. With the rise of the modern art movement, they began to create what they wanted, and sometimes that meant spitting in the face of convention. The role of the artist changed to challenging the expectations of their patrons rather than flattering and conforming to them. Novels, films, and music, on the other hand, are more like extensions of folk art. Usually, they’re made to tell stories and entertain—the existential questions are often just a part of that. These forms of art are more common in our lives, leading to more popular support. Sometimes the ease of sinking into a state of entertainment leads to escapism, where we distract ourselves from reality, but that still adds to our human experience. Perhaps living another life for a bit provides comfort, a new perspective, or food for thought. Regardless, whether one picks up a book and listens to music before bed or visits a gallery, a new world is being discovered. To experience the product of another’s creativity is a gift worth appreciating, no matter how one does it.

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VOICES

The Importance of a Good Professor

Here are some of the things that research has shown BY ANTHONY VYSTOROPSKI “It is not what is poured into the student, but what is planted, that counts.” —E.P. Bertin So is your professor planting or pouring? In an article published by the University of North Carolina Wilmington, the question of what makes a good professor is discussed. The first thing is that the professor should not only know the material but live for it. Hence they should show passion for their work. As a student, you will be engaged with the material if the professor revamps it every couple of semesters instead of teaching the same thing over and over for twenty years, without any pizzaz or excitement sprinkled into the lectures. Another thing that is important is understanding students’ needs and being flexible while also maintaining high expectations. The professor should want you to be successful but should also want you to learn something while being challenged. They should aim for a happy-medium relationship. They should challenge you to the point

where you are fully engaged and thinking about the material, but should not push you so much that you are stressed about the result and pay no attention to the learning process. College students have their plates full but so do professors. Instead of piling on extra assignments that they will dread grading, there should be a middle ground where the students engage in Socratic discussion. This way the professor could see if they taught or planted the material effectively and the students themselves would be able to learn from the different points of view and perspectives of their peers. There is a method to this madness. The professor has learned what works for them and stuck to it, but most students do not prefer to listen to a professor lecture for the whole class period and pour information onto them. It is the same feeling as when you are a regular at a coffee shop. The barista will often greet you by name and remember what your regular order is. The key is building relationships. It helps you to learn the

material because the class is structured more like a conversation and place to bounce ideas around. It helps the professor to create and establish connections with each student as a person, rather than a number from the roster. Students will feel more engaged and pay attention in class, promoting a positive learning environment. An example of an engaged professor would be my first-year English professor. Not only did we write research and persuasive essays, but we also got to venture out into the real world and write about our observations and experiences. We got to learn the ins and outs of campus, but the class also set us up for success. Her lectures were not cut and dry; she tried to incorporate a variety of activities and encouraged us to share our ideas. In the end, this benefited all of us. Overall, a good professor can change a life, inspire it, or motivate you to do great things. Class should be a place where we learn and engage with one another and not a place we dread.

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VOICES

Doing Extracurricular Activities for the Resume Boost Why it’s more important to do extracurriculars for yourself and the impact they may have on society

BY HARRIET BENNETT “This will look great on your college applications” is a phrase I heard all throughout high school, and now that I’m in my first year of university, it has switched to “this will look great on your resume.” Using applications or resumes to entice students to join a club may be effective, but it begs the question of whether or not they’re joining for the right reasons. If students join a club in high school or university only because of the career benefits it might bring, it has an impact on both the club and society. The benefits of doing an extracurricular activity at any point during one’s schooling are monumental. Fred C. Lunenburg of Sam Houston State University wrote that “extracurricular activities serve the same goals and functions as the required and elective courses in the curriculum. However, they provide experiences that are not included in the formal courses of study.” Lunenburg demonstrates that extracurriculars can be very beneficial because they provide real life experiences. This could be especially beneficial in a university setting because one could get experience in the field they’re interested in working in, which is both beneficial to the student and potentially impressive to the employer. With over one thousand student groups at the University of Minnesota, students are bound to find at least one club they’re interested in or at least one club that relates to the career field they would like to go into. However, many of the meetings for these clubs are not mandatory, and students are able

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to attend as many or as few meetings that they would like. Because of this, it could be really easy for someone to say that they were in a club when in reality they only attended a meeting or two. Extracurricular activities can look impressive on resumes, especially if the activity is something that someone had a leadership role in. However, the problem is when students only join these activities because of the boost it gives their resume. Websites such as Indeed.com, a popular employment website, stress that one should include extracurricular activities on their resume “when you need to show leadership skills,” “when you need to demonstrate technical skills,” and “when you are short on experience.” If someone needed to do any of these things, an extracurricular activity (especially in their prospective career) could really boost their resume. However, if students are doing the activity only to boost their resume, there could be some potential problems. For example, if someone only did an extracurricular to put it on their resume, they might not have fully participated in the activity and received the full benefit of it. But if an employer hires them because they see this activity on their resume and are impressed, they would not be getting the employee they think they are. Joining an extracurricular activity because it will give you experience in a career is a great reason to join. However, it becomes problematic if the

person isn’t putting in enough work for the club, especially if they are in a leadership role. They probably wouldn’t be putting enough effort into the position, and therefore both the club and its members would suffer. This individual also wouldn’t be receiving the full benefits of the activity. They wouldn’t be getting all of the experience that they could get, and a huge reason to join clubs is to get experience. Further, Lunenburg states that “extracurricular activities are said to be integrative in nature because they tie together many areas of knowledge and experience.” Put most simply, this is why people should join extracurriculars, especially in college, for the benefits they give. These activities are able to give university students real life experiences while tying knowledge into it. Moreover, students can learn about their prospective careers while participating in something fun and beneficial. Joining an extracurricular activity in university can have many benefits for students if they join them for the right reasons. They can provide experience while looking good on resumes. However, this shouldn’t be the only reason students join. Ultimately, extracurriculars can help students make friends and other connections, and have fun in the midst of stressful times.

SIX REVIEWS

Succession Punk Juno Remi Wolf BY AVERY WAGEMAN If you think pop music is monotonous and uninteresting, Remi Wolf and her dynamic debut album, “Juno,” are here to prove you wrong. I have been a fan of Wolf’s music for the last year and I’m obsessed with her energetic music, so I was ecstatic to learn she was releasing a full album. “Juno” does not disappoint. “Juno” is an amalgamation of the best aspects of Wolf’s music. Her fiery vocals are matched with layers of beats, bass, and electric guitar. Her lyrics are eccentric and funky, even weird at times, but still touch on complicated topics like her journey with alcoholism, lockdown and loneliness, and her fear of abandonment. One of the most memorable tracks is “Sexy Villain,” linking Wolf’s interest in true crime with her perception that she is the villain in her relationships. She humorously depicts herself as a serial killer in the lyrics, “He’s a keeper/ big believer/long as he don’t check the freezer/ Yum, yum yum.” Another favorite off the album is “Street You Live On,” the concluding track on the record. With her decelerated vocals, electro beats, and melancholic lyrics about a breakup, “Street You Live On” sounds like something off of one of The 1975’s albums. “Juno” is an instant mood booster, a refreshing alternative to the somber music I find myself listening to this time of year as the weather gets cold. I hope y’all have as much fun listening to this album as I have.

“Punk” is Young Thug’s most ambitious album and is also easily one of his best BY GRIFFIN JACOBS Young Thug’s “Punk” is his best project besides 2019’s “So Much Fun.” Unlike that album, “Punk” is melodic and highlights Thug’s singing over his rapping on songs like “Stupid/Asking,” “Living it Up,” and “Love You More,” where his unique and beautiful vocals take center stage. However, “Punk” is also an eclectic album, meaning fans of his trap bangers won’t be disappointed as Thug brings the heat on tracks with J.Cole and T-Shyne, Drake and Travis Scott, and the late Juice WRLD. Strangely enough, Juice WRLD isn’t the only deceased artist on this record. Mac Miller headlines the outro “Day Before,” named because it was recorded the day before Miller passed. It highlights Thug’s weirdness as he decides to play something that feels sacred over whale noises and ukulele, a strange choice that has only grown on me with repeated listens. That oddness carries over from the intro, where Thug tells the story of his mother’s life struggles before transitioning to “I always knew I wasn’t gon’ be gay.” That moment speaks to what makes Thug a revolutionary rapper. He uses his voice primarily as another instrument instead of a storytelling device. That’s why he gets the best out of artists like Gunna and Future, who have a similar schtick; his production doesn’t require them to control a track, just have their voices fit into its composition.

You can’t make a Tomlette without breaking a few Gregs BY PETER NOMELAND Rich people suck. We all know this. But luckily, so do the writers of “Succession,” HBO’s Emmyaward-winning series currently airing its third season. Following the billionaire Roy family, as they run their media conglomerate Waystar Royco, the series makes it abundantly clear that these are some of the most despicable, self-absorbed people you will ever find on TV. And yet, you can’t stop watching them. The series centers around Logan Roy, the aging founder and CEO of the company, as he determines which of his children will inherit control of the business when he either steps down or dies. The contenders include Kendall, the most involved in the company who plans on a takeover while also dealing with severe substance issues; Shiv, the only daughter of Logan and an outsider of the company who secretly wants approval from her father; and Roman, the least ambitious and most eccentric of the siblings. However, the two best (and funniest) characters may be Tom, Shiv’s insecure fiance, and Cousin Greg, the family’s distant relative who unwillingly finds himself caught in the middle of the family drama. The best way I could describe the show is a combination of the politics and betrayals of “Game of Thrones” with the organizational ineptitude and spewing of insults of “Veep.” Or maybe it’s more like “The Sopranos” meets “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” It’s both the funniest show on TV and the most compelling, all while highlighting some of the worst people in the world. And Pusha T did a remix of the theme song. Need I say more.

“Punk” is ambitious in that Thug is no longer trying to fit into traditional hip-hop, just being himself to the highest degree.

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SIX REVIEWS

KIDZ BOP 2022 “KIDZ BOP 2022” brings fresh tunes and faces with the same old baggage of censorship. BY JUN LIN After seeing “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” by Lil Nas X as the third track on “KIDZ BOP 2022,” I suspected the album was going to be a long two hours and nineteen minutes. The Lil Nas X anthem is both the most interesting and most inappropriate adaptation in forty-eight songs. Placed at the beginning of the album, the hard-hitting opening dulls the rest of the child-friendly tunes. KIDZ BOP caters to kids and parents by creating censored versions of top pop songs, and I consider censoring a song about self-acceptance and uncensorship an unfortunate choice. Replacing “bad” words is one thing, but replacing a song’s entire meaning is another. “Peaches” by Justin Bieber is another off-color song choice due to its strong marketing and lyrical association with marijuana, which KIDZ BOP erases. Besides questionable music selections, a common phenomenon for KIDZ BOP, there is the tinny production and unflattering vocal processing that make the album difficult to listen to in long sittings. Each new track is like spinning a wheel and wondering whether or not it will retain enough of what makes the song a hit in the first place. However, the multilingual, international song choices, such as “Butter,” “Todo de Ti,” and “Die Guten Zeiten,” acknowledges global audiences, and I can easily see it expanding the musical palate of first-time listeners. While “KIDZ BOP 2022” is a lot of the same old KIDZ BOP that has managed to top children’s music charts and sales, its strange existence in relation to content censorship continues to fascinate, and the varied assortment of songs from around the world is a nice nod to the rising popularity of international music.

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Till Death I’m gonna cut myself free of you if it’s the last thing I do BY BERYL BELMONTE As someone who considers “Jennifer’s Body’’ to be a cultural reset, I couldn’t wait to watch another movie of Megan Fox kicking men’s asses—and looking good doing it. While she definitely understood the assignment, I finished the movie feeling like it was just alright. To quote my own Letterboxd review, “this movie did too much and not enough at the same time.” “Till Death” follows Emma, who wakes up handcuffed to her husband, Mark, as he shoots himself the day after their 11th wedding anniversary. As she desperately searches the house for ways to free herself from this deadweight, she uncovers that this is all part of his twisted plan to get back at her for cheating on him. To make things worse, two sinister strangers arrive and start a deadly game of cat-and-mouse, hunting Emma down for the code to a safe full of diamonds Mark promised them. For a thriller, there were very few scenes that actually made me sit on the edge of my seat. The plot was predictable and the pacing was awkward. But the main focus of the film—Emma’s struggle to quite literally cut herself free from her narcissistic, psychologically abusive relationship—was what made this movie truly disturbing. As she dragged his lifeless corpse across the floor, I was reminded that Mark found a way to degrade and control from beyond the grave. Until the final seconds of the movie, I even started to feel suffocated. So while it’s not something I would recommend if you want suspenseful build-ups and plot twists, “Till Death” is still a good choice of entertainment for my fellow misandrists.

The French Dispatch Wes Anderson’s Greatest Film BY KAMI KENDALL Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch” is a celebration of journalism, the artistic process, and all creatives. Hardcore fans of his work and new viewers alike will be captivated by this anthology of stories centered on the fictional French city of Ennui and its eccentric collection of denizens. The fictitious literary magazine after which the film is named is what binds these stories together. Viewers get a first-hand look into the editing process as they journey through the experiences detailed in the monthly Dispatch. Perspectives range from the tortured soul of an incarcerated modern artist to a group of revolutionary student intellectuals at war with authority and, finally, an action-packed hostage situation involving a world-class chef. An ongoing narration of these events that conveys an overflow of details, like that of a novel, requires every bit of the audience’s attention and perhaps even a second viewing. As Anderson’s world unfurls upon the big screen, one will, of course, find recognizable elements of his trademark style, which will comfort those who have been starved for his content (living without a live-action Anderson movie since 2014). Still, an uncharacteristic instability also makes “The French Dispatch” all the more interesting to watch. Its anthology form allows flexibility of style that ebbs and flows seamlessly from black and white to vivid color to cartoon animation. Despite being perhaps his most ambitious project, largest, star-studded cast, and widest variety of style, it may be his best film yet.

Q&A

Distant Edge BY TOSIN FASEEMO

Distant Edge is a Twin Cities-based band. It consists of vocalist Nolan Litschewski, keyboardist Sam Swanson, guitarist Nate Erickson, bassist Aaron Eiden, and drummer Jahmal Fisher. Keep reading to ﬁnd out about their band’s origin, their creative process, and more.

: How did you guys meet? No: We met a very very long time ago. Back in middle school, we were all in different after-school music programs. That’s for the most part where we met some, some of the other guys like Aaron and I were, we were friends in second grade. So we go pretty far back. J: I wasn’t actually in any of the after-school programs besides jazz band. It was actually one day in seventh grade, Nolan walks up to me and he’s like, “You know how to play the drums right?” And I say no. He was like, “You want to.” And I was like yeah. Then he invited me to come over to his house, and I’m learning how to play the drums, and I’m like, “All right, so what was this for?” He was like “You’re in the band.” And that’s how it started. S: It was similar for me. I already played piano. I knew Nolan tangentially; he was a friend of a friend. Their old keyboardist had called it quits and they needed a new one. He knew I played piano so he asked me. I didn’t want to do it at first, but eventually I said yes, for some reason, and now we’re here.

: What’s the story behind your band name? No: We had a notebook full of stupid ideas, and we would write pages on pages of potential band names. We had pools of words that we liked and then we threw different ones together. I guess this one stuck.

: What genre of music do you make? S: I would call it alt-pop, maybe. It’s definitely changed. It used to be more rock, for sure. J: You could say, rock-inspired pop.

: So you guys have been together since middle school. How has that affected the way you make music? No: I guess yeah it’s evolved a bit. In middle school, we used to get together and we’d have these like six, seven hour practices. Then obviously, as we got older we didn’t have time to have these eight hour segments in our week just devoted to this. A big scary thing was when we went to

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Q&A college because it was like, who knows if we’ll stick together. Eventually, the process evolved. With our most recent album, we started it the summer before freshman year of college and finished it last year. We wrote everything while we recorded which, I think, brought a lot more freedom into the creativity of it. S: It felt a lot more creative, because we weren’t recording in a recording studio. We weren’t paying for studio time; it didn’t feel like there was any rush, which I think allowed us to experiment quite a bit. We did a lot of things that I don’t think we normally would have if we weren’t writing as we were recording. There were a lot of ideas that we would record and then come back to the next day and say, “Oh that was bad. Let’s change that up” or “That could be better.” You know, things like that.

: I know you mentioned that you guys were doing some live shows recently. What’s it like to get back into doing live shows after the pandemic? S: It’s very exciting. We’ve only played four or five since we’ve been back. But, it’s been very exciting. We played at The Whole; that was super fun. Our first show back was at a brewery, which was so fun to be back. With the pandemic we’ve had a lot of time to sort of workshop the live show. I mean all we’ve had is time, so it’s been really exciting to be able to finally show off all that work. J: It’s great and all releasing this album, but I want to play the songs in front of people. I want people to be there to listen to the song while I’m playing it. There’s just nothing like that. No: Yeah, and it’s cool because the songs evolved too. It was fun after the album was set and we were kind of thinking about how we were going to play it live as we were writing stuff. It was fun. Being able to actually play around with the music. When we wrote the album we were never all five playing together because we recorded each thing separately. One of my favorite things beyond being with people watching the show, I just love being with all five of us and actually playing music together, like we did in middle school.

: Do you guys go to the U? No: Yeah, four out of the five of us go here. It’s kind of interesting. Freshman year I roomed with Sam. Sam, Aaron, and I went here. Na: Freshman and sophomore year I went to Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, and then I transferred here this year and it’s been really great being able to live with everyone. It makes band stuff a lot easier, because I don’t have to drive two hours to do anything with them. S: I think that’s the biggest reason we were able to do so much last year with the album was because Aaron, Nolan, and I were living together and it was really easy to just walk out of our room and into his room and talk about band stuff.

: How would you say your location as a Twin

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Distant Edge will be playing a show on November 19 at 10K Brewery in Anoka.

Cities/U of M band informs the way that you make music and interact with people who listen to your music? How does that affect the way that you function as a band? No: There’s a great music scene in Minnesota as a whole. People think of New York, LA, and Nashville but Minneapolis has First Avenue and all the history here with Prince. We’re from the Chaska/ Chanhassen area so, when we go home, we drive past Paisley Park every time. I’ve been there; I’ve toured it. I think there’s such a deep history here in Minneapolis, and such a unique musical scene, unlike any other. S: Even the local acts. There’s so many bands on campus. It’s really great to be in that community where there’s so much new activity all the time, there’s so much creativity going around.

: Who would you say is your biggest artistic inspiration? J: It’s really hard for me, because for the last three years or so, I haven’t really been listening to music in English. I’ve mostly been listening to Japanese music and other more Eastern music. That’s been a really big inspiration for me for the last few years. The way that they structure their music and the way that they organize their chord structures, just like the general sound that they have, has really interested me. It’s very different from Western music and it’s given me a different look on the way I play the drums and the way that I listen to music in general. It’s kind of just been seeping into the band slowly and steadily. So, I’d say at least for right now, it’s not a single person but more Eastern music has probably been my biggest inspiration for the last couple years. No: Yeah, and that’s what I love so much. It’s that we all have such different inspirations and it shows itself throughout what we do. For me, artistically, I feel like a lot of what my first inspiration was when I was a kid. The music we listened to when we were younger is totally different from now, a lot of it was

just kind of what my dad listened to, but also, when I first started listening to music, a lot of what was on the radio back in like 2010 or whatever. A lot of it was super anthemic pop that was super synthy and stuff. Then I was also listening to film music too. So, a lot of my artistic inspiration comes from movies in general. I feel like any kind of piece of art that draws emotion out of you is a big inspiration for me. S: I’ll narrow it down a bit. I think Hippo Campus would be my biggest inspiration. Maybe not technically artistically, I mean, their songs are awesome. I could listen to every one of their songs and not skip a single one and love all of them, but just what they’ve been doing with the community. They’re a big national act and it feels like they’ve stayed really grounded in the local scene. Like, they just played a show I think at the Fine Line, maybe it was the Turf Club. It was just a surprise show, nobody knew they were even going to be there. It was a lineup of local acts and they just showed up to play a set and I think that’s super awesome. I guess, I would emulate them as a group for sure, they’re definitely an inspiration. Na: I think I would say, for me, my biggest artistic inspiration, at least currently, would probably be Tim Henson from Polyphia. Just because I feel like he’s doing so much with guitar that it’s sort of redefining what guitar music can be. Yeah he’s just pretty cool, he makes a lot of interesting stuff and I think it’s good for guitar music in general. A: For me, I think it’s changed a lot, especially since I was younger because my family used to literally only listen to country. I’m pretty sure they still do that, so that was the only music I was really exposed to when I was younger, but then I started getting into the band, but it turns out the rest of us don’t listen to country as much as I did. So I started getting introduced to new stuff through these guys. I think that’s really changed my mindset on music a lot because there’s actually so much more to open my eyes to. I don’t know if I can narrow it down to one single musical inspiration, but I guess it changes quite a bit from how much I get exposed to stuff.

The Wake - Issue 4 - Fall 2021

Articles inside

Megan Bormann, 2 Madison Kuehn, 3, Katka Trachtova

Anisha Joshi, 8 Simone Traband