alt rock no.33
OFF THE WALL
Rock On
in Leather Boots
Q& A
with
Kurt Cobain From the archives
The Dangerous
Revival of
Heroin Chic
Willow’s Rock Revelation
OF
table
CONTENTS
Photography Annie Leibovitz Steve McCurry Diane Arbus Richard Avedon Dorothea Lange Ansel Adams
5
18
Infographic History of the Electric Guitar Orville Gibson’s carved body guitar increases its volume and sets standards
8
17
Feature Willow’s Rock Revelation Willow talks about the rock influence in her music and personal life.
Product Rock on in Leather Boots Variety of boots, including vegan leather boots.
Editorial The Dangerous Revivial of Heroin Chic Why body trends like “heroin chic” cause a danger to young girls.
25
Q&A with Kurt Cobain from the archives “ No, man! We’re Nirvana, and we just want to have fun.”
L E T T E R
It is with immense excitement that I welcome you to the latest issue of Alt Rock Off the Wall magazine. As we venture into the vibrant world of alternative rock, fashion, and makeup, we embark on a journey that is all about pushing boundaries, embracing the unconventional, and celebrating the creative spirit that defines this dynamic subculture. In this issue, we dive deep into the world of alt rock music, highlighting the artists who are revolutionizing the industry with their raw and unapologetic sound. From thought-provoking interviews to in-depth album reviews, we aim to keep you plugged into the latest trends and discoveries within the alt rock music scene. Expect insightful features on emerging bands and a look back at some of the genre’s iconic figures who paved the way for today’s musicians. But Alt Rock Off the Wall is more than just a music magazine. It’s a celebration of individuality, where fashion and makeup are art forms that amplify your unique voice. This issue explores the intersection of alternative style and cosmetics, offering you inspiration from the boldest, most unconventional looks. From retro punk to futuristic glam, our fashion and makeup sections will help you transform yourself into a living, breathing work of art, ready to take on the world in style.
F r om t h e E d ito r
From The Editor
We believe that the essence of alternative rock extends far beyond music; it’s a lifestyle, a rebellion, and a means of self-expression. In these pages, you’ll find stories of artists, creators, and visionaries who challenge the status quo, from their thought-provoking lyrics to their captivating visual aesthetics. We celebrate their audacious spirit and the communities they’ve built around them. Thank you for being a part of this ever-evolving journey. Together, we’ll keep riding the wave of alternative culture, celebrating the extraordinary in the everyday. With all our alt rock love,
Jayne Haugen Olsen
Editor-in-Chief
Alt Rock Off the Wall Magazine
alt rock OFF THE WALL
Contributing Editor Andrew Zimmern
Creative Director Brian Johnson Executive Editor Sara Elbert
Contributing Bookings Editors Alison Oleskey Chelsea Yin SHO & Company, Inc.
Deputy Editor Jennifer Buege
Senior Copy Editor Jean Marie Hamilton
Senior Editor Sydney Berry
Spanish Editor/ Translator Edgar Rojas
Art Directors Amy Ballinger Ted Rossiter
Circulation Manager Carin Russell
Digital Prepress Group Steve Mathewson Bill Sympson Director of Project Management Frank Sisser
Circulation Assistant Anna Buresh Chief Marketing Officer Tim Mapes Director, U.S. Marketing Communications Julieta McDurry
Director of Circulation Bea Jaegar
Electric 1800’s 1850’s Guitar
1890’s
History of the
Editor in Chief Jayne Haugen Olsen
Introduction of the modern six string Spanish style guitar.
Orville Gibson’s carved body guitar increases its volume, sets standards for the instrument makers and blazes the trail for the archtop guitar as well.
Nineteen Hundreds Guitars become a popular instrument all across the world and steel strings are starting to become widely available. Engineers, makers, and musicians begin to solve challenges of the amp.
1950’s – 1960’s The electric guitar is at the heart of rock and roll and electric guitarist becomes the superstars of rock. It became the time to experiment with new sounds and textures, like distortion and feeback. Jimi Hendrix was a master of manipulated sound.
By t h e N u mb e r s
70’s
&
80’s
German-Christian Frederick Martin makes the first guitar and develops Xbracing.
19 20
The First Electric Guitar is Born!
Loud, raunchy power chords, flashy solos and overall volume were the trend. This is when heavy metal began. Floyd Rose improves solid body guitar tremolo systems, making it possible to dive bomb repeatedly. Experiments with a wider range of guitar designs. 5
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ALT ROCK OFF THE WALL
HAVEN EARRINGS
7
WILL ROCK
REVELATION
F eatu re
LOW’S
N
By Taylor Mims
With her most adventurous album yet, child stardom is firmly in her rearview — and she’s setting a new model for what career longevity looks like.
I
was just thinking to myself, ‘Jesus Christ, oh my goodness. I need to retire soon,’ ” says Willow. “This is crazy.” Very few artists could credibly declare that at the age of 21, but it’s understandable why Willow would consider calling it a day. A handful of dates into her supporting role on Machine Gun Kelly’s Mainstream Sellout tour, she’s sprawled out on an old leather couch in Los Angeles, theorizing about when she’ll get a break — sometime after the 20 dates with MGK end in August, she figures, and certainly not until after she has promoted coping mechanism, her next album, due this fall on Roc Nation and streaming everywhere. Last Four Years The last four years have been nonstop for Willow. In 2019, she released a self-titled psychedelic R&B album, followed six months later by a 10-track project with frequent collaborator Tyler Cole as The Anxiety that included everything from dreamy pop (the anthemic viral hit “Meet Me at Our Spot”) to rowdy punk (“Fight Club”). Then, amid the pandemic, Willow switched gears completely, releasing the devotional meditation EP RISE, and by spring 2021, she was promoting her first full-blown rock album, Lately I Feel Everything, and its Travis Barker-featuring lead single, “transparentsoul,” that’s just her solo output. Collaboration Lately, Willow’s clear-eyed intensity has made her the artist to call when a track needs some added edge, which she lent to Camila Cabello’s “psychofreak” and PinkPantheress’ “Where you are.” Even artists who are already firmly working in rock know a feature from Willow — like on MGK’s “emo girl” and Yungblud’s t“Memories” — can add a little something extra to take them over. Roc Nation co-president Shari Bryant insists there’s “not one particular reason” that these artists seek out Willow, for some, it might be the wide audience.
Regardless of whether she’s solo or on someone else’s track, the demand for Willow is holding strong — and her dreams of early retirement will almost certainly have to wait. “From working with artists for more than 20 years,” says Bryant, “when they have that level of excitement, they usually don’t slow down anytime soon.” Deep Dive Into Rock That momentum is leading up to what Willow enthusiastically calls “some of the best music I’ve ever made.” Her upcoming album, which she co-produced with Chris Greatti, is an adventurous step forward for an already-versatile young artist, as well as her deepest dive yet into rock music. There are “Radiohead vibes in there, some Deftones vibes in there, a smidge of Queen with the major harmonies,” she says. “I wanted to go for rock. I didn’t want to go for pop punk. I didn’t want to go for what’s necessarily popular right now,” she continues. “I wanted to go for the heart of rock music, which to me is a deep outcry — maybe about pain, maybe about joy.” Celebrity Family Though she may have first gained fame as a 9-year-old, Willow’s current cavalcade of music firmly sets her apart from child stars who withered on the vine, burnt out by a demanding industry or left unable to nimbly evolve into compelling adult creators. She never resigned herself to becoming a novelty act or coasted on the credentials of her megastar parents, Will Smith and Jada Smith. And despite the constant scrutiny of her family, Willow has stayed above the fray — even, most recently, this past March, when her father slapped Academy Awards host Chris Rock following a joke he made about her mother’s alopecia. The ensuing media firestorm, Willow says, didn’t derail her creativity or “rock me as much as my own internal demons — I see my whole family as being human and I love and accept them for all their humanness.”
“ “ II wanted wanted to to go go for for the the heart heart of of rock rock music, music, which which to to me me is is aa deep deep outcry outcry — — maybe maybe about about pain, pain,maybe maybe about about joy.” joy.”
11
Inspiration
Teenage Willow
Perhaps because she knew this early on, Willow learned the power in a judicious “no” and steered her career in a direction that always felt true to her, even as it changed. Today, she’s in complete command of her musical fate. Perched on the couch, as she prepares for her Billboard photo shoot in a humid warehouse near her Los Angeles hometown, she doesn’t miss a beat discussing her art, speaking with her hands and disrupting her own train of thought to gush about her latest inspiration: “I think the monks have it right.” Witnessing her independence and authoritativeness, it’s easy to see why Willow’s team follows her lead, even if it means working on a new marketing plan every few months to keep up with her steady output. “We want to make sure that we are supporting and we’re not manufacturing an artist,” says Bryant. “If an artist is telling us, ‘This is the state that I am in today, and this is where my passion lies,’ from a label standpoint, it’s up to us to support that.” Willow has always “shown nothing but pure authenticity,” Bryant continues. “She has been a self-starter.
Between 2011 and 2014, the teenage Willow slipped into a dark, insecure place thinking she “was inherently not good enough,” which continues to leave her guarded over her creative output. When she returned in 2014 with the 3 EP, she was determined to make music on her terms. Now, “you see that she is in control of her creative, from writing to playing instruments to being part of the marketing,” says Roc Nation marketing manager Naydeen Rodriguez. It’s no longer unusual for artists to take that kind of active role, but Rodriguez says Willow was ahead of the curve, presenting ideas on how to deliver her music to her audience through external platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Facebook that have been game-changers by increasing her reach while preserving a personal connection with fans. “She certainly steers the ship, and we’re there just to help her execute,” says Carly Mann.
Whip My Hair According to Willow, the kind of deference she now receives wasn’t always the default. After her debut single, “Whip My Hair,” peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 2010, shortly after she turned 10, Willow released the songs “21st Century Girl” and “Fireball” the next year. She was slated to record a full album on Roc Nation and take on the titular role in a big-budget remake of Annie. Then she brought it all to a screeching halt. First, Willow turned down Annie; then, once the adults in her life listened, she walked away from the debut album that she didn’t believe in. “It took a lot of courage for me to say ‘no’ because everyone was rooting for me and trying to support me and expected of the to do it,” she says.
transparentsoul As the Roc Nation team pushed “transparentsoul” to radio and digital service providers for playlisting when it started to promote Lately I Feel Everything, the version of “Meet Me at Our Spot” from Willow’s July 2021 Facebook Live went viral on TikTok, soundtracking lip dub and dance trends. The song’s surprise success garnered Willow her highest placement on the Hot 100 since “Whip My Hair”; the Facebook Live version of the song now has more than 102 million YouTube views and the track boasts over 415 million Spotify plays. “Over the last three years, the growth in followership and loyalty levels has been amazing to watch,” says Roc Nation senior vp of revenue Liberty Lucken, who adds that she has seen Willow’s social media profile numbers triple and quadruple thanks to “a mixture of TikTok, touring, constant algorithmic play” and the “focus [Willow] puts into these projects.”
Child Star “I was just going to dig myself a deeper and deeper hole if I didn’t advocate for myself as early as I did.” Roc Nation co-president Omar Grant, who has worked with Willow since her debut single, says the label didn’t press the young artist on her need for a break. “We’re invested in the long-term career of artists,” he says. “Giving her that space and knowing how young she was and how long of a runway she has… it’s fine for her to take a break and to finally find herself.”
Devoted Fans It also helps that Willow’s hits are representative of her catalog. Raised on streaming platforms, her generation is less shackled by the idea of genre, with artists’ entire discographies at their fingertips — and Willow’s features a smorgasbord of styles. Experimentation has always come naturally for Willow. “Me being 9 and saying ‘I whip my hair back and forth’ as a symbol of internal freedom and selflove was so authentic for me,” she says.
WILLOW’S
TOUR
ESSEN TIALS
Unique Jewelry Selection For Willow Smith’s tour, she might consider adorning herself with personalized pieces from the Luv Aj collection, like a customized necklace or bracelet that features her initials or a special symbol. Additionally, incorporating vintage-inspired rings or statement earrings from Luv Aj could infuse her stage look with an edgy and elegant vibe, ensuring that her accessories stand out as iconic elements of her rockstar persona. Customized Musical Gear To enhance her onstage presence, Willow could opt for a Gibson Les Paul electric guitar, uniquely customized to align with her distinctive style and musical preferences. Complementing this iconic instrument, a selection of high-quality guitar pedals would allow her to experiment with diverse sounds during performances, ensuring a dynamic and personalized musical experience. Incorporating personalized touches such as custom artwork or modifications to the guitar could further solidify her musical identity. Fashionable Vintage Finds
ALT ROCK OFF THE WALL
Embracing her cool and quirky style, Willow might choose to showcase her fashion sense through a vintage leather biker jacket adorned with unique embellishments or patches. This iconic jacket, exuding a rebellious and stylish aura, could become a signature piece of her stage attire, adding to the individuality,customizing the jacket.
13
YOUR GRANDMA’S ENERGY DRINK Don’t be scared. It’s just tea.
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R O C K O Leather Boots N
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Kalani Butter Shoes from Steve Madden are a luxurious and stylish footwear option that combines comfort and fashion effortlessly. These shoes are crafted with meticulous attention to detail, featuring a soft, buttery leather or suede upper that not only feels incredibly supple against your skin but also adds a touch of elegance to your outfit. The Kalani Butter Shoes are designed for both comfort and versatility, with a cushioned insole that provides all-day support and a durable outsole that ensures stability and durability. The Kalani Black Boots are the perfect addition to a chic closet.
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ALT ROCK OFF THE WALL
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17
Edit ori a l
HEROIN
CHIC
THE
DANGEROUS R E V I V A L OF
By Heather Hayes
A
tweet by the New York Post declaring that “heroin chic is back” and curvy bodies are out caused a great deal of backlash earlier this month, with body positivity influencers like Jameela Jamil highlighting the dangerous consequences of this 90s and 00s trend. The tweet came amid increasing numbers of very thin models walking the runway during New York Fashion Week and a revival of trademark styles from the era, such as bucket hats, low rise cargo pants, and halter neck tops. While fashion and styles inevitably evolve and change, expecting women’s bodies to change with them will continue to drive up rates of disordered eating and body dissatisfaction.
What is Heroin Chic? “Heroin chic” is an aesthetic became popular in the 1990s and glorified thin, often malnourished-looking bodies, dark kohl eye makeup, pale skin, and often dishevelled looking hair or clothing. Supermodels of that time like Kate Moss filled magazines with this “effortless, runway ready look.” As a result, thigh gaps, protruding hip- or collarbones, and slim, flat waists became the desirable look, which drove up rates of disordered eating. Between 1990 and 1998, the prevalence of eating disorders in the US increased sharply in those aged 15 to 29 and only began to slowly decrease again in 2010. Although this aesthetic is associated with the 1990s and fashion trends of that era, the term “heroin chic” was originally associated with supermodel Gia Carangi, who used heroin and tragically died of AIDS in 1986 at age 26.
Changing Body Ideals Women’s bodies have always been the target of harsh scrutiny and judgment. During the Italian Renaissance and Victorian era, an hourglass shape with rounded hips and bellies and a fuller bust was most desirable. Moving into the 1920s, slim, flat chested women were considered the most attractive. The 1930s to 50s saw a change again with curvy, Marilyn Monroe type bodies becoming the most desirable and accepted in Hollywood and beyond. Then, once again, the 1960s brought back slim, long legs, flat waists and chests, and what was frighteningly described as an adolescent physique. The 1980s then celebrated an athletic, “toned” body that was svelte but curvy, with workout videos spurring a “fitness craze” that lasted until the 1990s, when “heroin chic” became desirable. Since then, throughout the 00s, the ideal body type has become fuller, with Kim Kardashian often hailed as the poster woman for ideal beauty standards due to her curvy shape.
“ Although this
aesthetic is associated with the 1990s and fashion trends of that era, the term ‘heroin chic’ was originally associated with supermodel Gia Carangi, who used heroin and tragically died of AIDS in 1986 at age 26.”
“ Approximately
28.8 million Americans will have an eating disorder in their lifetime...”
What are the Risks? The danger of rapidly changing body ideals and the pressure on women to keep up have been widely discussed by mental health professionals, eating disorder survivors, and body positive influencers. Particularly in the teenage years, bodies go through changes that can cause distress, discomfort, and confusion. For some, a desire to maintain control over their lives and bodies, coupled with the intense pressure and expectation to look a particular way, can result in disordered eating, self harm, over-exercising, and other body image issues. Social media can be both a warmly accepting and an intensely judgmental space. Now more than ever, young people’s bodies can be watched and scrutinized 24 hours a day. With celebrities and role models posting highly edited images online, selling weight loss teas, pills, diets, and exercise routines, the constant pressure to fit in with the latest trends can become all-consuming. Such content perpetuates a pervasive narrative of inadequacy inside the minds of young, impressionable, and often already perfectly healthy young women.
Who is Targeted? Approximately 28.8 million Americans will have an eating disorder in their lifetime, with EDs affecting people from all genders, ages, sexual orientations, and socio economic backgrounds. Eating disorders are the second most deadly mental illness, behind opioid use disorder, yet popular media is fuelling widespread disordered eating through the active glorification and sale of diet culture and weightloss and beauty products. Diet culture is now often carefully masked as “healthy eating,” “detox,” and a “healthy lifestyle” to sell an ideal that is almost always unattainable. It fundamentally values appearance and thinness above health and conflates thinness with moral virtue.
Changing the Narrative The response to The New York Post’s declaration that “curvy bodies and big butts are out” has been overwhelmingly damning. From those with lived experiences of eating disorders sharing how internalization of the thin ideal and the media fueled their dangerous and destructive eating patterns to people within the fashion industry, there is consensus that reducing women’s bodies to fleeting trends is no longer acceptable. Our bodies are not trends to be accepted and worthy of praise only if they meet the latest aesthetic ideal. The return of big 90s cargo pants may be relatively harmless, but there is no place for heroin chic in 2022. The outcry against such narrow beauty standards has sparked important conversations about the need for diversity and inclusivity in media representation, emphasizing the importance of embracing different body types and challenging harmful societal norms. As the call for body positivity grows louder, it becomes evident that individuals are demanding a more inclusive and compassionate approach to beauty that goes beyond superficial trends.
Addiction & Eating Disorders Battling addiction or an eating disorder can be an overwhelming journey, and reaching out for help is a crucial step toward recovery. One compelling reason to seek assistance is the recognition that these challenges often require a multidimensional approach for effective management. Professionals such as counselors, therapists, and support groups possess the expertise to address the physical, emotional, and psychological aspects of addiction or an eating disorder. By engaging with these experts, individuals can gain valuable insights, coping strategies, and personalized guidance that are essential for navigating the complexities of their struggles.
Mental Health Reaching out for help is an acknowledgment of the complexity and severity of addiction and eating disorders, demonstrating self-awareness and a commitment to personal well-being. It is important to dispel the misconception that seeking help is a sign of weakness. In reality, asking for assistance is an act of strength and courage. Both addiction and eating disorders can have profound effects on mental health, and recognizing the need for professional support is a proactive step toward a healthier, more sustainable life. By embracing the courage to seek help, individuals open themselves to a transformative process that can lead to lasting positive change. Support groups, therapy sessions, and helplines provide individuals with spaces to share their experiences, struggles, and successes with others who have faced similar challenges. This sense of camaraderie can alleviate feelings of isolation, offering understanding, empathy, and encouragement. Establishing connections with others who are on a similar journey can create a supportive network that plays a pivotal role in breaking the cycle of addiction or disordered eating.
Investment in One’s Future Lastly, seeking help is an investment in one’s future and overall well-being. Addiction and eating disorders not only impact the individual’s physical health but also influence their relationships, career, and overall quality of life. By reaching out for assistance, individuals take a proactive step toward reclaiming control over their lives. Professional help provides the tools and resources necessary to build a foundation for recovery, fostering resilience and empowering individuals to envision a future free from the grips of addiction or disordered eating.
Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
National Helpline 1-800-662-4357
24/7 all year round
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa &
Associated Disorders (ANAD)
888-375-7767
email: hello@anad.org
Monday–Friday 9PM–9PM
Q& A
KURT COBAIN From the archives
with
Q & A
Nirvana, Nirvana,
T
o the thousands already inside San Francisco’s Warfield Theatre, not to mention the hundreds outside pleading, begging and paying up to ten times the official ticket price of $13.00 from “scalpers” to get the chance to experience Nirvana the band, the concept means rock. Hard rock. And serious fun. Greater and louder than the sum of its three parts, guitarist/ vocalist Kurt Cobain, bassist Chris Novoselic and drummer David Grohl, this rock’n’roll trinity of noise, melody and anti-apathetic lyricism brought their Sub Pop-based ethic to the big stage, the big label and the big crowd. All in a very big way. Nirvana is punk. Arising—like Pearl Jam, Queensryche, Alice in Chains, Mother Love Bone, and Mudhoney—from the fecund grounds of the rain-soaked Northwest (Seattle, Washington, to be exact). Nirvana has a sound and sensibility that matches the punk movement of the depressed north of England and lowlands of Scotland. Indeed, “Punk is musical freedom,” proclaims guitarist-singer Kurt Cobain. “It’s saying, doing and playing what you want. In (dictionary) terms ‘nirvana’ means freedom from pain, suffering and the external world.
“
Q
Welcome to the Big Time! Did you ever think it would come to this?
This is our first album and tour. We’ve done the on-the-road slugfest too many times to mention—the “band in a van” routine, you know. So, for some people it’s like we came out of nowhere, whereas for us it’s like we’ve always been right here. We just got lucky one more time. A lot of the faces here tonight have seen us before. I talked to a lot of people who saw us with Mudhoney at the Kennel Club and with Dinosaur Jr. It’s just gone up to another level. It’s always been out of our control, the music itself and what goes on around us. Somebody at a convention called Nirvana the “new” Dinosaur Jr! Does that mean we could then be the next R.E.M.? No, man! We’re Nirvana, and we just want to have fun.
In (dictionary) terms ‘nirvana’ means freedom from pain, suffering and the external world, and that’s close to my definition of punk rock.
”
!!
Nirvana
Q
What about the production on this album?
I think we still sound like us—unmistakably Nirvana. Having different ideas, getting the chance to talk about stuff with somebody else who’s not in the band, can be good, as long as you’re doing what feels right to you. You know if it’s bullshit, if you’re being taken. On the other hand, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is getting airplay, a lot of airplay. People are coming to shows on the strength of one song. I guess that’s the way it goes.
Q
Do you still see yourselves as an “alternative,” underground band?
What’s alternative? What’s counterculture? What’s cool? Who knows? Who cares? If chasing cool is important to you, you’re an idiot! What can you say about people who wait to be told what to like, what to do and how to do it? It’s like apathy in action. In an insular situation, like college, where they actually reduce the input of ideas on some levels while they sell you on the idea that you’re actually getting more, and then you believe it in the end. It’s so easy. Most of the people who claim to be pursuing a higher education are just as much followers as those they look down on. I see lots of people come out of the systems—educational, social and business—thinking about nobody but themselves, to show, if you work at it, you can justify.
Q
It’s apathy that’s the most dangerous for society—the banality of evil. Letting evil exist, without fighting back.
For Nirvana’s lyrics, you cull from your own poetry....
I don’t understand anything technical about music at all. I don’t understand any of it, why you can’t put these sounds together with those sounds. I only know what sounds good to us. I, or we as a band, never really copied anybody or spent time learning other people’s songs. We were never good enough or had the patience to do it! So we put that energy into putting our own stuff together. We’re from the learn-as-you-play school. We’re still in it. Oh, yeah, I learned the official rock anthem “Louie Louie,” that and a [Rolling] Stones song or two, maybe. I write poems for myself and I write poetry that gets torn apart and becomes songs. I have a lot of respect for words, the power of words. I have so much love and respect for poetry, that it’s something I have to do myself for myself without other influences. I don’t want to mention favorite poets, what few I have, because I think that world should be discovered by you.
ALT ROCK OFF THE WALL
“Teen Spirit” specifically, and other songs we do, deal with that. We just did a benefit show with Sister Double for an AIDS foundation. We and you can do so much more. I’m disgusted by my own and my generation’s apathy. I’m disgusted at what we allow to go on, by how spineless, lethargic and guilty we are of not standing up against racism, sexism and all those other “isms.”
Q
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ALT ROCK OFF THE WALL
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