Nightlife Network Issue 1 December 2014

COVER PHOTO CREDIT : LISA MOOREa

TABLE of CONTENTS WHO? WHAT? WHERE? Welcome to the Nightlife Network Spokane.

Our mission is to cover the artistic community and the venues, businesses and individuals who make this part of the world what it is. I've been a journalist and an interviewer for over a decade now, and I've always felt that the Spokane area deserves a magazine that celebrates the undeniable talent that comes from our neighbors.

I've lived in Spokane the majority of my life and went to school here from Kindergarten onward.

This magazine is a monthly tribute to the outstanding artists of all stripes that live in this area. It's also a tribute to the venues and businesses that support our artistic neighbors.

Community is a pretty vague and useless word without a drive to mutually benefit each other.

As the publisher of this here magazine, I have to say I'm a huge fan of the Inland Empire's music and arts community.

When I was 18 I decided against a conventional education and started to put the majority of my time into songwriting and performing. My parents taught me, the best way to learn to do anything is to jump right in. I cut my teeth here in Spokane playing in all sorts of bands and projects.

I plan on spending the next ten years showcasing as many artists as possible. ~Zaq

Contributors this issue: ISSUE #1

Community is a pretty vague and useless word without a drive to mutually benefit each other. ~NN

1-2 Civilized animal 3-4 free the jester 6 Union of voices 7-8 Ryan larsen band 9-10 blistered earth 11-12 terry swan 13-14 Tommy gant 15-16 Jared Crabb-crabwalk studios 17-18 Union of voices 19 -22 Events Flyers 23-24 Mike JOnes Photography 25-26 T- Chic Pix 27-28 Mike FIelds sculptor / artist 29-30 FEEL GOOD INK tattoo 31-32 Kevin Oliver 33-34 Pawn 1

Zaq Flanary - Editor/ Publisher/ CEO/ Interviewer/ Photographer/ Musician/ Podcaster/ Zombie Monique Flanary- Copy Editor/ Proofing/ Transcriber DC - 24 Hour Rush Layout/ Designer/ Contributor Tina Cooper (T-Chic) - Photos Mike Jones - Photos All Article features, bands, muscians, artists, local business, clubs and friends!

Email us if you wish to contribute!

We encourage it!

We Will be focusing on a monthly release with music, art

Send all submissions to :

and whatever we can fIt into these pages, send us Your PHOtos,

Events@N2Spokane.com Call us at : 509.927.3249 Send coffee & cookies to this address: Nightlife Network PO Box 14615 Spokane Valley WA 99206 Web: N2Spokane.com

The NighTLIFE NETWORK Short Stories, Drawings, art, show posters, band logos, band media kits, Art shows, fun events.. and it may FINd its way into priint in a future issue or be featured in a podcast.

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CIVILIZED ANIMAL

Local legends Civilized Animal have recorded their fifth record. It’s aweseome, go buy it!

SKA/PUNK/REGGAE

We interviewed Civilized Animal about their new album. For the full interview visit N2Spokanecom.

N2: What's the name of the album?

Jason McKinney (vocals): State of Delerium.

N2: Why that name?

JM: I'm not sure I thought about it too much. We wrote a song of that title, and the lyrics touched on a few issues. Some of the lyrics are 'I won't let anybody bring me down, nobody like you. You're the kind I just don't need around. It doesn't matter what I do.' The song touches a little bit on recent feelings of turning 40. I just turned 40 this year. Another lyric is "Yeah I know I'm growing old in a hurry, the whole idea just kind of disturbs me. Feels like I'm living in a state of delirium."

N2: Does the album have that theme?

JM: No, not necessarily. It does touch on ideas of insanity a little bit I suppose.

N2: How is this album different from your last record, the Green Album?

JM: It's got way more of a punk edge to it.

Kenny Johnson (guitar): It's heavier. There is a lot heavier stuff.

Bill Wadd (bass): It's got some balls to it.

JM: Yeah we let Bill Wadd sing some vocals on this record.

Bill Wad: That's pretty ballsy.

JM: It's a pretty ballsy move for sure.

N2: What's the song about?

JM: It's about drinking alcohol and excessive fornication.

BW: Well, it's trappings of a functional drunk that's been binging on Charles Binkowski.

N2: You recorded with Jimmy Hill at Amplified Wax for this album.

JM: Jimmy's the man. He's the master.

KJ: He's awesome. He was a fan of Civilized Animal for a long time and I think that made a big difference on this album.

BW: Jimmy's f*cking awesome.

N2: How long did it take to record?

KJ: A couple weeks probably.

JM: From late July to early August‌ N2: What was the writing process like?

JM: We all got together here in Kenny's basement and everybody kind of threw in a riff here and there, I came up with the melodies over it. It came together really naturally. Real organically. The horns weren't present for the writing. Some of the horn lines weren't even written until we were in the studio. (laughs) KJ: I don't recommend that by the way. Don't write in the studio.

JM: Two of them live in Seattle. It was hard to coordinate.

Ben Capeck (drums): Also having the ability to make scratch versions of the album. We could come back and make changes to transitions here and there. Being able to kick out working scratch tracks that actually sound pretty good.

JM: We were able to retool all of those. I think we got better arrangements out of it in the long run.

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CIVILIZED ANIMAL

FREE THE JESTER

Free the Jester is one of the most promising new bands around. Check out their latest album!

PUNK/ROCK BAND

Words of Wisdom

Nothing is out of reach. Five years ago I didn’t know how to play guitar. That thought

wasn't ever in my head. My life was baseball, and then injuries happened. I met Willy in a country bar, started a punk band and now we're playing the Knitting Factory.

Nothing is out of reach.

Full interview with the whole band coming soon!

We talked briefly with Cameron Moore, the vocalist and guitarist of the punk-rockparty band Free the Jester about their latest album. Look for their full interview soon.

N2: Where did you record and how was the experience?

Cameron Moore: Amplified Wax with Jimmy Hill is where we recorded. Honestly, it was the best experience we've had as a band. Probably the best decision we have made so far. Jimmy really helped us fine tune our sound and as a vocalist, he helped me really find my voice. As a producer he took what we were doing to another level.

N2: This is a three song, self-titled EP is there a theme to it?

CM: All our music is about having a good time and doing what you want to do in life.

N2: There are a lot of drug themes. So you're saying this is for the children.

CM: It's definitely for the kids.

N2: Explain your sound.

CM: Punk rock, in your face party music. A couple members come from metal, we have a hip-hop influenced bassist. Our sound is influenced by Green Day, Rancid, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blink 182, the Ramones. We're a mix of it all.

N2: Who are some of your favorite locals?

CM: Hands down, our big brothers in Nixon Rodeo. They have helped us from jump-street.

I've always been a fan of Nixon but when we got this project together they took us under their wing and introduced us to Jimmy at Amplified Wax. They have had our backs from the beginning. Spokane has an amazing music community. We try and support everyone. We love the Project Kings and Helldorado. You name it, we'll probably be at their show.

Track Listing: 1. "Simple Way" CM: "Simple Way" is the first song we wrote as a band. It's really seen the whole evolution of the band. It started as a country song and then got faster and faster. This song is like our baby‌it just grew with us. Some of the lyrics in the chorus are "Glass of Jack, bag of weed, a little bit of loving is all I need."

2. "Whitewall" CM: It's an in-your-face, dirty rock song. It's about being in rehab and not wanting to be there.

It's more of a theme song for that mentality.

3. "One Last Night" CM: Living life like it's your last day. The song is more produced and mainstream-ish, straight edge but it's it's own thing.

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UNION OF VOICES

Local artists and personalities weigh in on the idea of “Rock is Dead.”

IS ROCK DEAD?

The purpose of Union of Voices is to learn more about the nightlife's many artists and their experiences. This time we are talking about the phrase that has been thrown around "Rock is Dead". Gene Simmons and other successful rockers have said this, but “Rock is dead” is a silly phrase of course, and we didn't interview anyone who played into the silliness. The business is changing. Here’s what a few locals think.

Kristopher DeMers (bassist and songwriter for the band Coming Alive, formerly of Five Foot Thick) It's hard to argue against the "God of Thunder". For one, he's a veteran of the industry that has weathered good and bad times in his own career. Secondly, his business acumen is well known. File sharing has taken the profitability out of music as a product, which is a shame, because if you create a great "product" you should be allowed to profit from it. This applies to anything; cheeseburgers, floor joists, etc. Unfortunately, there is little value given to intellectual property by consumers. I've been given the argument by a club owner that "isn't about the music for you guys". We had packed her bar, and she was gonna be able to buy liquor for another six months off of us, but for US it should be "about the music". It was hard not to tell her to get fucked.

Instead, I was polite, lol!

I think what we're seeing now is a shift in how musicians are going to go about their business. Crowd funding is one thing that presents a lot of possibility. Then, there are other avenues like licensing of music, which is less likely for unsigned acts, but still a potential source of revenue.

With all of that said rock is not dead! It's on life support, and needs someone to shake it up really, really bad, but dead? Fuck no!!!!

Shawn Murphy (drummer/management at Blistered Earth) SM: Obviously Gene Simmons was talking about the business model.

The model is broken. He was talking about the death of the support system in the industry. Bands rising up through record company support. It's no different than any other business model. If someone comes up with a chip for your head that is better than a cellphone, than no one buys cell phones anymore. Metallica sold 15 million copies of the black album. Besides a bunch of fat cats making their money, a lot of that was invested into other talent. Not anymore. Most bands don't make money touring either. We live in an age where you have to pay to get on big bills. People don't realize that Metallica didn't become what they are by themselves. They didn't do their promotion and get themselves into magazines and in people's faces. people got angry over Gene because a lot of them don't want to hear that the chances of becoming a modern rockstar is similar to getting hit by lightning on a unicorn. The people who are going to succeed don't give a shit about any of this. They are too focused to care and they just know they are going to succeed regardless of business models.

Kenny Johnson (guitarist and songwriter Civilized Animal) KJ: The music business has changed so much. This is the first year to not have a platinum artist. I heard NIkki Sixx say on his radio show that to be a gold selling artist is now something like 60,000 records. It used to be over 500,000. The reality is that music is a marketing tool to hopefully get paid decent for shows. The only realistic way to do it is to be able to charge $5k-$10k a show and selling a bunch of merch.

When you get $500 or less a show you end up paying out more than you get paid in.

Terry Swan (promotor Gold Bay Productions, tour manager and artist) TS: It's definitely changed. There are new ways to get from point A to point B. Everything is quicker. A viral video can get you attention from a label. It doesn't change the hard work aspect of it. Bands still have to do the leg work and write good songs. Touring can still work.

You are going to get out of it what you put into it. There are a ton of new ways to be discovered.

Jared Crabb (engineer Crabwalk Studios and musician) JC: I have heard the quote but I don't know the details. If he is talking about rock music being dead, how many tickets did he sell to his last show? Glam rock isn't even dead. If glam rock and hair bands are still selling tickets than no way rock itself is dead. If he was talking about the business model of the rockstar being dead, of course. Business models change all the time. You probably can't go find a guy, invest millions of dollars and make him a household name, but then again Justin Bieber might argue with that. The old way doesn't work with the new ways. Record labels probably don't want rockstars anyway. This is one conspiracy theory but perhaps record labels don't want rockstars getting too big and telling them what to do. In reality, the turn 'em and burn 'em businesses model appeals to our short attention spans. Instead life long fans of bands like the Eagles have or Elton John, record labels find a band to exploit for a few albums and then they are on to the next.

The model is to make a quick buck off of the next fad. I wouldn't say rock is dead, but the idea of buying music is dead.

Cameron Moore (vocalist and guitarist for Free the Jester) CM: …F*ck off, rock isn't dead. Sure, this is the first year that there won't be any platinum albums, but music is changing. Digital sales, singles and a few songs recorded and released at a time over a whole album are becoming the models. But rock isn't dead. People go out to local shows like crazy. Local acts are selling out venues like the Knitting Factory and there are plenty of big rock acts.

UNION OF VOICES

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RYAN LARSEN BAND

Named the best band in Spokane by many local media outlets, we sat down and chatted with their frontman.

COUNTRY BAND

N2: Describe Your sound.

Ryan Larsen: We play more of an upbeat rock/country sound, it's all new country but we rock our stuff up, even the old stuff we play is rocked up a little bit. And our originals are along the same lines as a Garth Brooks, more story telling songs. We have a lot of energy and pride ourselves on that. Garth Brooks is the guy who got me to want to sing. I also love Jason Aldeen, lot of the rock-guitar influence in our music. Very upbeat, heavy drum beats. We play a few ballads too, but not a lot. We're more into the party scene. We like it when people come out and have a good time. people say we sound a lot like the bands we play and I think that's good.

N2: How often do you play shows?

RL: This year we had four weekends off and I think last year we had two weekends off. Sometimes it's Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sundays.

A lot of us have full-time jobs, but we love this a lot and just continue to push forward.

N2: Do you manage yourselves?

RL: We do. We do it all internally. We do all our own bookings. Everything is word of mouth.

N2: How many shows do you play a year?

RL: I haven’t counted this year but last year I think we did 130 shows.

But we have a lot of weekends where we may play four shows in a day.

We start at 11 am, and through friends we’ll have three or four drumkits set up and we’ll drive from drum kit to drum kit, plug in the P.A. and play. The most we’ve done is four in a day, but that’s a lot. It’s a crazy day, but I love it.

N2: What did you learn in Nashville?

RL: Everyone always says ‘you have to move to Nashville’. I went down there. Every PR person I met said, ‘don’t move to Nashville.

Don’t move to Nashville! If you want to do something big, go back home, build up your supporters as much as you can at home. That’s what people want to see.

N2: What’s your writing process like?

RL: I do a lot of the vocal writing, the words and arrangements. Then Chris Blair (guitar) and I get together with the acoustic guitar, sit down and try and hash out a good melody with it.

N2: What advice would you give to artists about the business aspect of live music performing?

RL: You know, reputation is everything in this business. We pride ourselves on our reputation. When you pay for a show you get a show. You also have to get yourself out there. I walk around at shows and I talk to everybody in the audience, at the bar. A lot of our shows come from other shows. I probably hand out five to ten business cards at every show and that turns into more bookings. We're not reclusive at all, we put ourselves out there a lot. It's not an easy business but our reputation has got us through a lot.

N2: How long have you been playing music? How did this begin?

RL: When I started this band I never had any musical experience at all.

I did a show that Q6 put on called "Gimmie the Mic". I took third that year and thought, wow, this is a lot of fun. I got my start really singing Karaoke, believe it or not. I got up sang a Garth Brooks song and people started to ask me to sing songs that they picked. So I just sang all night long. I thought, 'hey this is a pretty good time'. I went down to Nashville for a couple years, just for a week at a time to hang out and see what the scene was about. I recorded a vocal demo, put my name out on craig's list and started a band. It's been going ever since.

N2: What's your recording history?

RL: We've spent a little bit of time in the studio. We had a couple guys up at SFCC who used us as their project. In two days we recorded five songs with them. We have a three song demo that we're real happy with.

N2: Do you have plans for an album?

RL: Yes. The way it's going now, I'm hoping by spring we'll have it done. At least have eight songs done. I also have a project where I'll be recording another six songs with different players.

N2: What are some of your favorite places to perform?

RL: Gaza Ranch would have to be right at the top there. It’s a lot of fun.

Handshake Productions in Coeur d’Alene, it’s probably my favorite. We get Wayne Gretsky and guys like that up there. It’s a lot of fun. Gaza is the full production. Great sound engineers, big stage, light trusses, the whole nine yeards. They don’t spare any expense. We have a real good time up there.

The Sunrise Saloon in Missoula Montana is always a good time. And the shows around here are a lot of fun. The Iron Horse in CDA, the Roadhouse. We’ve opened for a lot of great national bands as well.

N2: How would you describe the area's country scene?

RL: There's a lot of people that like country music. There are just phenomenal players in the area, in all genres really but but I think especially in country. The one thing I would wish I think more than anything is that the bands would collaborate more. It's seems to be kind of a competition which I wish was not the case. We love doing what we do and we bring our show to the stage, and other bands bring their show to the stage and it seems like everybody is always jockeying for some sort of position.

It's unfortunate. I think we should a Christmas album for charity.

Get a bunch of bands, everybody plays two songs, get it produced, sell it and give the proceeds to charity. I've been talking to people about it for four years now. There's some interest but it's not there yet.

When I see a member of another band in the audience, a lot of times I'll invite 'em to sing a song with us. It's important to me. We are all doing the same thing. We're all trying to build our own nitch, but that doesn't mean we have to compete all the time. We like supporting the other bands and promoting up and coming bands.

FREE THE JESTER

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BLISTERED EARTH

Blistered Earth is one of the most convincing and passionate tribute bands on the planet.

tribute band

Blistered Earth bills itself as the Ultimate Tribute to Metallica, and lots of people all over the western USA continue to agree. Lars Ulrich, the drummer from Metallica has had similar words to say about the Spokane based band. The four piece has played hundreds of shows, travelled countless miles and played to massive crowds. Shawn Murphy, the band's drummer, has made Blistered Earth into a viable business that is consistently growing. He answered some of our questions in between road trips.

N2: How long have you been playing in bands?

Shawn Murphy: I started playing Metallica and Slayer songs with my friends when I was 12. I've been in real bands‌for 25 years.

N2: Why do you play?

SM: Like anybody else, I just want to play. Same as the 60 year old whose been playing Mustang Sally for 40 years. Dude just wants to play, doesn't care what or where. I took a break from music between the bands Downpour and Black the Sky. I don't do well when I'm not playing.

N2: How long has Blistered Earth been performing?

Shawn Murphy: Our first show was in March of 2010.

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BLISTERED EARTH

N2: What inspired you to start this project?

SM: Money. (Laughs) I knew this could be done and we already knew all of the songs. This was a chance to play lots of big shows and get paid for once. I got inspired when (my band) Black the Sky played with (the all female tribute to AC/DC called) Hells Bells at the Knit.

The show was packed and most of those people weren't there to see Black the Sky. It made the idea real, although those ladies have a few extra gimmicks to our one.

N2: How many shows has the band performed?

SM: We just eclipsed 300.

N2: What is your favorite show so far?

SM: Rockin’ the Rivers is by far the most people. (over 10,000) That place went off. We played dead last too. We started at midnight and wondered if people who have been partying under the sun since 11am would stick around after Pop Evil, Bobaflex and Hinder to see us.

They stuck around and there was lots of screaming and bare breasts everywhere.

N2: Are there any Metallica songs you don't like playing?

SM: I don't like playing "Fade to Black".

N2: Why? SM: I don't know. (laughs) N2: What advice do you have for young musicians?

SM: Never make music for other musicians. People will say they make music for themselves, and some probably do, but you've never heard of them. Everybody else makes music with others in mind.

Just don't make music for musicians; they don't care about your shit.

“Never make music for other musicians.

People will say they make music for themselves, and some probably do, but you've never heard of them.” Shaun M.

TERRY SWAN

promoter/peronality

N2 – What was your first show as a promoter?

TS – It was a Thursday show at Ichabods North. The bands on the bill included Zanex and High Centered. Although I didn't make any money that night, I did it to get my foot in the door of the Spokane music scene. I came to Spokane in December of 1996 and, at that time, it was a total Punk-Rock scene run by a guy named Terry Grove.

The first show I saw in Spokane was Snot, Seven Dust and Hed PE at the Met Theater. It was fucking awesome and I thought “Wow, Spokane is a hell of a town.” The next night Floater was playing at Ichabods North and having grown up in Springfield and Eugene Oregon, I had seen them several times back in the early nineties and they were the shit!

So, I went to the show and in between change overs, they played a song by a band called Machine Head “Davidian” and in the chorus they say “Let freedom reign with a shotgun blast”. So, I'm drinking and yelling along with the chorus “....shotgun blast!” my hand in the air making devil horns, and I look up – and sitting across the bar doing the same fucking thing is this guy, I found out later his name was George Silva. We started talking after that. George was already a well established musician in a band called Psycho Babble and they came down to tour the lower 48 and just never went home. George came to Spokane and ended up joining a band called Sugar Pig as the drummer and sticking around here. At that time, I knew Floater really well so I introduced George to Dave and we all started talking. Back then, when I was new in Spokane, I saw a lot of musicians and not many promoters except for Terry Grove and he was the king of promotion. Seeing a niche that needed to be filled, I decided to become a promoter and began pursuing Terry to allow me to throw a show. After 2 years, he gave me that Thursday night show and it turned out good. During this time I was also a roadie for Five Foot Thick, doing everything I could from loading gear to running lights and sound. It was here that I began securing money from outside the band to fund these shows and landing sponsorships from local business.

N2 – You mentioned Five Foot Thick – How did they come about and what was your role?

TS – Oz Fest 1997, Limp Bizkit was playing down there, a guy by the name of Kurt Whittle, a drummer in a band called Xylophone Rib Cage, he was also a roadie for a band called Limbo Lads where he worked with a guy named Steve Ellis. Steve Ellis was involved with The Fail Safe Project for awhile. Well, George and Kurt went down there and saw Limp Bizkit and thought their concept was cool. You know, Anthrax had had done something similar with Bring The Noize, but LB had a whole different way of performing it with energy and aggression. So they decided to form this band with George and the Drummer at the time, but had always played guitar and and Kurt was a drummer. Kurt grew up in southern California, in the mecca of Urban sound and had a hip-hop edge to him. George was a rip master and could could listen to anything, reproduce it and put his spin on it and make it match the trend. So, Five Foot Thick was born. After time, their sound morphed and became their own.

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Terry Swan is a local renaissance man. As a promoter, musician and radio host, he has seen it all.

George was great at putting together the vision for image and sound and would hand pick band members, offering them opportunity to play with Five Foot Thick. Over time, the project evolved, band members changed and they got bigger, stronger, more aggressive....even to this day, I listen to the music and I can still feel it. I was part of it, promoting and helping bring in money for bigger and better production.

N2 – Did you have a mentor during this time showing you the ropes?

TS – One of my biggest motto’s is “Fake it till you make it”. Nobody knows that you don't know what you're doing unless you tell them. I think much of my success can be attributed to the fact that I was underestimated by others. They took one look at me and judged me by my appearance. What they didn't know was that I am former military, I speak 3 different languages and I'm not too shabby a mathematician.

Their underestimation drove me to prove them wrong...and I did. During this time, I dealt with radio stations, lining up airplay and gained experience in recording radio ads. I was recording up at Citadel where Rock 106 was back in the day, and the Buzzard. The Program Director came over and asked me if I wanted to do a radio show and I said “Fuck yeah, let's do it.”

N2 – How much radio have you done? I know you've had quite a few projects.

TS – Oh my god, Pete Jensen and I we counted the other day and just on KHTQ, one of the three of four that I've worked at, I did over 600 commercials.

N2 – We spoke about Five Foot Thick and their success. With regard to the local bands, do you see a similar drive?

TS – You see a lot of drive. When you have a band that's doing well, you see one of two things happening: these bands try to equal their dedication and advancement or they sit back and hate.

N2 – How many are stepping up their game do you think?

TS – I think more than before. I’m happier now with the way bands are interacting. People are getting along and it helps everybody. People are starting to see that music is art and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. These bands understand that they need to work hard and promote themselves. Everybody is working together and it’s better today. These bands are seeing that if you work hard you’re going to have some measure of success.

N2 – Who are some of the best examples of local bands that are promoting themselves well?

TS – Right now, I think Nixon Rodeo is the best example at self promotion. They are a friend to everybody in the music scene. They have moved through the negativity and each member plays to their strengths.

Ethan is really good at social media and meeting people in person, Brent is great at going to other shows, listening to bands and meeting up afterward, talking about future projects and new ideas. You can just tell by their Merch, it’s crisp, it’s clean and totally pro. They have already moved themselves past the image of being a new band and their only in their second album. They look like they should be in their sixth or seventh album. They have created a great image and have excellent drive.

N2 – Tell us about some of the local bands that your working with now. Who should we be looking for?

TS – Right now, the one band that I am most impressed with as far as work ethic and drive to grow is Free the Jester. I met them in March of last year and they wanted to do a 420 show and call it GreenFest.

DEC 2014

TERRY SWAN - PROMOTER N2 - Many people are talking about how the old model of the Rockstar and idea of signing to a label is dead. What do you see as far as future bands “making it”. What, in you opinion, is the future of music?

TS – In my opinion, in order to make it bands are going to have to bring in new forms of media...as an example, online concerts, streaming live.

No matter what happens in the music scene, I don't think the live experience and the demand for it is ever going to go away. There is something about planning for the show, the car ride to the venue, the pre-funk before hand, taking the last swig off the bottle before you dump it on the ground and walk to the gate....I don't think that will ever disappear. The energy exchange that happens between the fan and the artist, that will always be sought after.

N2 – do you think bands need to start looking at themselves as a Small Business model in order to to succeed?

TS – Yes, absolutely. Here's what you need 1. You need distribution. You need to get your product out to your market.

2. You need to tour. In most of these tours you need to “buy-on”. To do this you can get a financial backer. You go out for 6 weeks, you get your product out there, you sell your merch and you come home. Hopefully, in the end you've recovered enough of the money and connected with enough people that, on the second leg of the tour you've grown. That's all it takes. You've gotten your product out to your market and it's all done through distribution. That's what a record label does for you.

N2 – How do you feel about Crowd Funding?

TS – I like it. I think it's great and that its helped a lot of bands out. It's a great way to promote. I think all bands should give it a shot.

N2 – Talk about Jimmy Nuge of the Failsafe Project.

TS – The fist time I met Jimmy Nuge, I was a bouncer at the Quarter Horse and he wasn’t even 21. OK. Here is the evolution of Jimmy.

When I first met him, he was with a band called Off to the Left. There was something about him that made you want to be around him, he had charisma. Jimmy took vocal lessons and began to hone his craft. Like most men, big changes came after a failed relationship. Once the pain subsided, it became the fuel for his fire and he became an unstoppable machine. The songs poured out and the music came together. The first chance I had to jam with Jimmy I was playing guitar in a band called Level. George from Fail Safe was playing drums and Justin Glen from Fly Reel was the original singer, but eventually quit and we got Jimmy.

This band was a side project for all of us, as we all had our own bands we were concentrating on. In this band, we watched Jimmy improve and he and George hooked up later on starting The Fail Safe Project. I had just gotten out of a band with Lenny who is now the bass player for FSP, we were in a band called Glasgow Kiss together. They also brought Steve Ellis on board. So, that’s how Jimmy came to be with FSP. N2 – Words of Wisdom. What would you like to tell people?

TS – Do good things, surround yourself with good people and good things will happen to you.

N2 – What’s you favorite album of all time?

TS – Vulgar Display of Power, dude. That’s it.

TOMMY GANT

A thoughtful songwriter and dedicated performer, we loved hanging out with Tommy Gantt.

SONGWRITER

N2 – Tell me about your sound and your influences Tommy G – The last record I did was called The Sound of a Smile.

That's the sound I look for when I sing, the smile in my voice. My influences would have to be James Taylor first and foremost, but there is Jim Croche, Harry Chapin, Billy Joel for sure.....people who were very melodic, progression-rich song writers.

N2 – I understand that you were the first ever to play in a canabis club here in Spokane. You played at The Members Lounge. Tell us a little about that experience.

TG - I was a great experience. While I may not be the first guy to ever play in this atmosphere, I'm definitely the first guy to admit it publicly.

N2 – Do you play guitar or piano?

TG – I don't play the piano or keyboards at all, but I try to play the guitar like a piano. When you hear the arrangements, you hear a bass note and then you hear an arpeggio, so you feel the movement of the music in a similar way you would with a piano.

N2 – It seems I'm seeing your name everywhere I look recently.

How often do you perform?

TG – Busking is something I enjoy. When the weather is good, I perform 4 or 5 times a week. I prefer to play outside and enjoy the sunshine. Around November, the weather in Spokane begins to get too clod to play out of doors. Through the years I have learned that 45 degrees is my limit. If it's 45 degrees out, sunny and there is no wind, I can layer and find a bright spot outside and still play. I love this part of my life....it is the ultimate in freedom. I set my own schedule and don't have to answer to anybody. I am my own boss

N2 – It sounds as if you have had quite a bit of training, is this so?

TG – I took a few guitar lessons when I was a kid, but attended high school in Silverspring, Maryland, where we had a strong music program and had a great education in music theory.

N2 – So, you’re from Maryland? How log have you been in Spokane?

TG – I moved out here in 1998 with my wife at the time and my three kids, so I'm a transplant, so to speak. I divorced in 2006 and began following my music career at that time. Prior to 2006, my music was essentially focused on performing in church and this is where I learned to lead a “band”.

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N2 – Let's talk about Busking in Spokane – are there any obstacles that you have experienced?

TG - There are 2 obstacles with busking and both of the rest with the performer: 1) If you're going to busk in Spokane, you need to be good. I mean, you can't suck or they are going to chase you away. Now, if you're marginally good, they aren't going to chase you away....you don't have to be a superstar, but you have to get through a song and not be pitchy.

DEC 2014

TOMMY GANT - SONGWRITER

2) If you're going to busk in Spokane, you need to be kind. Be decent. Be respectful. Act like you're a guest! It's really very simple.

So, to sum it up: **BE GOOD.** DON'T BE AN ASSHOLE.** N2 – Where is your preferred location to play outside?

TG – In Spokane, it's right outside of Riverpark Square, across from PF Chang's. The location is perfect. There is a certain science to busking, and your location relevant to the passersby is part of that.

In addition to location there is an amount of psychology and a bit of superstition involved as well. I like to keep $2.50 in my case at all times. This has personal meaning to me and moves me forward.

Other performers have their own system and superstitions that work for them. I've played in many locations and each city has a specific spot that I prefer.

N2 - Who are some your intellectual influences when it comes to philosophy?

TG – Although I wouldn't say I'm “well read” per se, I was raised in an excellent school system and received a great education. I was brought up by two really great people and was immersed in intellectual influence. The Washington Post could be found at the breakfast table every morning. In a nutshell, I was taught to read; I was taught to think; I was taught to questions things. I can't say that I look to any one person to have formed my personal philosophy, as I glean information and ideas from all areas. But if I had to throw out names of some that have influenced me, among them would be Carl

N2 - It seems that your songs follow a path of sorts; they tell a story. Elaborate on this concept for our readers.

TG – I like to take my listeners on a journey. In fact, I wrote a song a few days ago called “Pretty Girl”. My goal was to write a song that made people smile. It's about a front man and his band. Together, they have 90 miles to go until their last show on the tour. They get there, and everyone is jammin and having a good time. The front man sees this pretty woman in the front row and asks security to bring her back stage. She ends up becoming a stowaway on the tour bus. It's just a fun song. I prefer to tell stories with my music. It allows me to connect with my audience and share a bit of myself.

N2 – Where can we find your music?

TG – At the moment, the best place to find my music is online: www.

ReverbNation.com/tommyg509 or www.ReverbNation.com/nugjugband. The Nug Jug Band members are currently involved with other projects, but I'm looking forward to bringing them back together to play some shows. I'd love to perform “What's the Fuss About” again.

I wrote the song back on 2009 and it has been played around Spokane over the years, before and after legalization. It's a funny song and makes people laugh, which I love to see.

With regard to busking, I would like to extend some thanks to Rick Bowcook aka Harpman Hatter. He and I aren’t as close as we once were, but I consider him to be a pioneer in Spokane street music. If it weren’t for Rick, we wouldn’t have free street music, as the City used to charge for permits to play.

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Jared Crabb

AUDIO ENGINEER

Spokane has some excellent audio engineers and Jared Crabb at Crabwalk is one of the best.

N2 – Who was the first band you recorded?

J – The very first band I recorded was a band called Top Soil. They’re a local band here in Spokane. I was doing remote recordings, which is where I got the name Crabwalk Studios.

N2- You were a mobile studio?

J - Yeah-I was going to become a mobile recording studio, but quickly learned that you get ½ the recording quality for twice the work, so having a home studio, having a good place to record in was going to be essential. So, I basically stopped doing the mobile recording, although it is still an option for my clients. When someone inquires about it, I let them know they will not achieve their ideal sound.

N2 – Do you prefer to record live music with the mobile recording?

J – Yes, I can record live stuff, although there isn't a real call for it. Most of the venues record their own board mixes and will offer the bands mixes of the show. Some bands will record their own. There rally isn't much of a demand for that. One thing I noticed in Spokane when I had the basement studio was a lack of good acoustically built recording space.

I decided to fill this void and build the first one in Spokane from the ground up, instead of retrofitting an old space. If you look into studio construction, you'll find there is so much that goes into creating the space from the ground to the ceiling and every little bit in between, that you can’t build an affective studio out of an old office space or a garage. In my opinion, if you want to do it right and get great sound, you have to build it from the ground - up. This is what I have done here.

Crabwalk Studios Interview N2 – Where did you get the music bug? Do you remember where you were when you realized that your life would revolve around music?

J – I have always been into music. Ever since I grew up I've been around it; my dad was a touring musician in the 70's. When I was born he began to settle down and play more locally in the clubs. It was here I ended up engineering and running the live sound for the club so I was just around it all the time. The practice pad was always at our place, so I always had instruments available to me. This is where I learned how to play bass, guitar and drums – I was surrounded by it. Then, when I was old enough, I started my own bands. Eventually I started doing audio recording at home. The defining factor for starting Crabwalk Studios and doing this full-time, making it a part of my life, really was a matter of circumstance. You could almost say I was a “victim of circumstance”. I had a career in Real Estate and didn't have a job after 2008, and continued to get laid off from jobs after that. I had a studio in the basement already, so I invested a little money and said “Hey, I maybe can do this”. So from the first moment diving in and committing myself, I decided this was really for me.

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N2 – Did you design your studio?

J – Yes. The current Crabwalk Studio building was designed by myself and a company in Seattle called BRC Acoustics. I laid out my design and they completed all of the specs. There are a lot of technical specifications that go into the room's shape and dimension for the resulting sound to be acoustically pleasant and work that way sound is supposed to work.

Not only do you need isolation between the rooms for sound-proofing principals, but you need the interior acoustics of all the rooms to sound really good. Between me and BRC Acoustics, we came came up with well-designed rooms that sound really good.

N2 – Is this something that you can now do for other people? To help in creating their own studio space?

J – Yes, in fact I have had the opportunity do some acoustic consulting for other studios. I've helped others build up their own home studios and treated their rooms, as well as a current opportunity that I have with the City assisting with acoustic treatments in some of the government buildings. So, what I learned in creating the Crabwalk building allows me to assist others in creating or defining their own acoustic space. I enjoy this work and really look forward to future opportunities.

DEC 2014

Jared Crabb ~ Audio ENIGNEER In fact, many of my clients have run their own studios in the past and they are open and willing to teach tricks of the trade. So, I don't think you'll ever know all there is to know; you may get to a certain point where you may feel like you're trailblazing, but then something always happens to make you realize there there is another way to accomplish something.

N2 – How would you describe the Inland Northwest music community?

J – In my opinion, the music scene in Eastern Washington is very diverse. There is a lot of hard rock and metal, but there are also a lot of indie rock bands. There are quite a few country bands in the area, although not as many as you would think. You can go out on any given night and listen to live jazz, you can go see an indie rock band or live metal; there is pop, rap and hip-hop. One of the great things about our music scene is that there is a place for every genre in Spokane. This is a benefit for all of us, including in my industry. This way no single studio gets pigeonholed into recording only one type of music. I have an opportunity to record all different genres of music and have enjoyed them all. If I get asked to do something I've never done before, I jump at the opportunity to do do something new.

N2 – What are some of the groups that have come through here that you have been excited to work with?

J – We've had some real talent and every artist that has come through here has been really great. I don't want to exclude any of them and I've truly enjoyed working with each group. The one thing that I try to do with each individual is learn something new. I've been challenged to think outside of the box and try things that I wouldn't have thought of.

For example, there was a band that came through here called The Strangers. They were really talented, kind of a jazz-rock band with a unique sound. Their album turned out really good. In audio, one of my philosophies is the quality of the sound depends on the quality of the musicians.

So, the better the band, the tighter and better prepared you are coming into the studio, the better you're going to sound. Recently, we had Wiley Gustafson here, a renowned country western artist and we did some amazing work. There has been a whole host of singer-songwriters I've worked with like Ben and Ross, Josh Fiegel who goes by Steve McSlapMe-Back, he's an amazing singer and songwriter as well; Chis Connerty is a very talented folk and country artist that I had the pleasure of working with over the course of a year turning out her album. Her songs have won many songwriting awards across the country and she's doing really well on the Reverbnation charts right now.

We have had the opportunity to work with some really great musicians and have always had a good time.

N2 – This one is a bit more personal – right about this time you started the studio, you got sick and had to set it aside for awhile.

Would you mind telling us a bit about this?

J – I have definitely had some challenges in the last year since I opened the studio. I have Krohn's disease and this got the best of me over the last year. I went through a lot in the two years I spent planning the studio, getting it out of the basement. I was going to school and doing many other things to prepare for the building of the studio, however during the 6 months it took to build it, I really pushed myself physically and mentally to get it done and this took an toll on my health. I actually had to close the studio for 4 months during last winter, and couldn't officially re-open until March 7th which just happened to be my birthday. I could have allowed the reality of my illness to get me down and think twice about my career path, but I didn't. I was actually reminded as to why I started the studio to begin with. I wanted to provide a good life for my family and because I built the studio on my property, I am able to be with my family all of the time. With that said, the past year has not been an easy time for me, but I've never been the type of person to give up on something or throw in the towel simply because it was difficult. On a positive note, I came out on the other side of this more health conscious, I exercise regularly, I eat right and it's paying off. I am definitely healthier than I used to be and it shows in my work. I'm sharper in the studio now.

N2 – Tips for bands that may not be ready for the studio: list a few things that bands will need to know to get the best product from a studio.

J – The best way a band can prepare for a studio is simply that, be prepared. Time is money when you're in the studio and you don't want to waste it. It's fairly well known that you shouldn't be rehearsing or writing in the studio. I like to boil it down to the basics because you can go on all day about technical information you should know for a studio session.

1) Know your music. Not only should you know what you're going to play, but know the tempo.

2) Practice to a click. Everyone has smart phones now days and you can go down to radio shack, buy a cable and plug that into your PA. There are free metronome apps so there is no reason every band shouldn't be practicing to a click. This simple thing will help the engineer make a better product for you and allow him better control in the mix.

3) Everyone needs to know their part. Write it down if you need to.

Vocals are somewhat of an exception to this rule, because most of it is often still fluid, but write down several parts so you have options.

4) Knowing the count. This may seems a bit technical, but know how many measures there are in each section of the song. You might be surprised how often this simple detail is not tackled in the rehearsal space.

The bands come in for a studio session and this becomes a huge road block, costing valuable time.

5) Come in with a positive attitude. Understand that everyone has a bad take now and again and move on. You want to stay emotionally charged and positive in the studio, otherwise it comes across in your performance. This is key to making everything sound better.

UNION OF VOICES What do you want for Christmas?

Eric Skaar of Sativa Sisters: Being new to the area, I'm really looking for anything to furnish my new place. On a more obscure note, I really want a plastic duffel bag.

One of those water-proof ones?

That's slick! You know, the kind you find a REI. Eric Buchanan of Members Lounge: Wow....it's been a long time since I've though of what I wanted for Christmas; especially when you have kids, you just get them what they want. I’m very family oriented, so I would want a big family gathering like when I was a kid.

Jimmy Hill of Amplified Wax: I want an acoustic guitar. Mine was stolen off the wall a couple years ago, and I haven't had one since. The guitar I had held many memories for me. I wrote all my songs on it, took it to family events and bonfires. It would be nice to have another one just to jam around on.

Sam Calvert of Green Star Cannabis: ­Personally, I would like to a reduction in taxes. I would also like a new car! (Laughs) Rayce Barnes of Cinder: The new iPhone would be a great gift! I’m a big fan of new technology and try to keep up with the forward momentum.

We talked with local personalities about the holidays.

Jason Dixon of HerbNerds: I want a Fogpanics Growing System. It's a new form of hydroponics….looks awesome!

Josh Fiegel (artist/vocal coach): If I could have anything for Christmas it would be Peace…..or and XBox! Justin Wilson of Piece of Mind/Satori: I would love to have a hot tub because it's DAMN COLD! Brandon Mulvey of Green Light: I’m a lucky guy. All I want is for my friends and family to get what they want this year. I love getting other people gifts.

Scott McKinley of Cavigold: I consider myself a privileged person, so there isn’t much I can’t get. What I really want for Christmas this year are handmade gifts from friends. I truly appreciate thoughtful small gestures.

EJ from Feel Good Ink: Tattoo machines and beer. That is all!

Bobby Kluss from Pawn 1: I want one of the 200 Gibson Dave Grohl Trinny Lopez’s, in pale blue. So, if anyone is feeling extra generous, that’s it!

Terry Swan (promoter/artist): A beer.

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UNION OF VOICES What is a holiday tradition that you have always followed?

Eric Buchanan of Members Lounge: I come from a very competitive family, so when we get together it's a lot of game playing like board games, video games and talking smack. There are eight kids and eight distinctive personalities, so there is no 'one person' that's quiet or sits off in the corner. My family is vocal, active and competitive so I like to get together on the holidays. It is forever a good time!

Scott McKinley of Cavigold: You know, I don't have a very defined Christmas tradition, but I DO have one for Labor Day! Three large groups of friends get together and head to Pacific Beach. It's a really great time, as there are no police and we get to be wild all weekend. There is a "Drunken Parade" where they appoint the King and Queen, although the King is a woman and the Queen is a man. In all, about 2000 people attend this event and it gets crazy! We rent the Penthouse Suite annually a year in advance . This tradition has been going for about 30 years. One of my favorite parts is heading out to the beach at night and seeing the iridescent algae "glow" in the water. It's amazing!

Jimmy Hill of Amplified Wax: We have a secret Santa event every year so family members make gifts for each other. My family is spread out from Montana to Spokane, so we go back and forth every year.

The great thing is all members really try to make it, so we end up with like 50 people in a house.

Jason Dixon of HerbNerds: Smoking bowls in an icy car with old friends.

Deller from Feel Good Ink: My family gets together for dinner every year. Going out into the woods with the kids to chop down a Christmas tree is always a good time. We don’t get to do that every year, though.

Terry Swan (promoter): Returning all of the shit I don't like for cash.

EJ from Feel Good Ink: After we go to all the family diners on Christmas, my friends and I all get together for after dinner cocktails. I'm more of an “after Christmas” kinda guy, anyway.

Eric Skaar of Sativa Sisters: For many years on Christmas we had a crab feast. I have family members that would go crabbing around that time, so they bring it back and we chow down. Good times!

Bobby Kluss from Pawn 1: My family is originally from Lewiston, Idaho. We homesteaded our farm in 1877 and it's still in the family today as an active farm. In fact, we just restored the barn this year.

Every Christmas for as long as I can remember, the whole family travels on Christmas and meets at the farm.

Mike Fields (artist): All I want for Christmas this year is for my friends and family to be happy and healthy.

Josh Fiegel (artist/vocal coach): If I could have anything for Christmas it would be Peace….. or and XBox! Justin Wilson of Piece of Mind/Satori: I would love to have a hot tub because it's DAMN COLD! Sam Calvert of Green Star Cannabis: ­Putting up Christmas Lights.

However, I’m going to miss it this year because of my work load. Every year we go all out with the lights...my neighbors tell me they look forward to seeing what design we come up with that year.

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NIGHTLIFE NETWORK

DEC 2014

THE FLYER PAGES ARE SPONSORED by:

SEND YOUR FLYERS TO events@n2spokane.com

NIGHTLIFE NETWORK

Make cool posters, email them to us and we’ll print them. Sound fair?

FLYER PAGES

FLYER PAGES

NIGHTLIFE NETWORK

Send flyers to Events@N2Spokane.com

Make cool posters, email them to us and we’ll print them. Sound fair?

FLYER PAGES

Mike Jones

Mike Jones is always looking to capture local talent at their best. His talent is obvious.

Photographer

KNOTTY GUN STICK

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Mike Jones / Photographer

KNOTTY GUN STICK

MIKE JONES 24

One of our favorite people; T-Chic gives her perspective through photos.

T-CHic’s PiX

Photographer

T-CHIC

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DEC 2014

TINA COOPER - photographer/personality

FREE THE JESTER

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Mike Fields

sculptor artist

We were blown away by the genius of Mike Fields and his craft.

N2: How did you get into sculpting? How long have you been at it? Who are some of your inspirations and/or mentors?

MF: My father, Chester Fields is a professional sculptor, world renowned for eagle sculptures. Growing up observing my father was obviously the largest factor in becoming an artist. There was no form of persuasion to go into the arts; I always had passion and talent for art. In elementary school I use to give my teachers drawings in exchange for being able to stay in for recess and draw. I created, cast and sold my first sculpture of a bull elk at the age of 13, which marked the beginning of my sculpting career and the end of sketching.

Most of my inspiration has come from classical masters and in attempting to understand what made their work great. From this I learned a lot in a technical and design sense, but there always remains a quality in the truly great works that the mind cannot fully capture. This quality or essence that comes through a piece is not something that can be achieved through technical skill alone.

N2: How long does a large piece take?

What is the process like?

MF: A typical traditional piece takes from 800-1800 hours. Each new subject requires a large learning curve. Much of the time involved in a piece might reflect mistakes and redoing work over and over again until I approach being satisfied. As my understanding of a subject increases, so do my expectations, which sometimes renders previous work inadequate. This process of learning and increasing expectations is an organic process that also involves resistance, a type of suffering, and breakthroughs. I have learnt to accept the almost predictable process of ups and downs and setbacks as necessary and a result of a kind of dissatisfaction due to a perpetual gap between actuality and an ideal.

A certain amount of closeness or identification with a piece is necessary and this leads to distorted perception and a resistance to feedback. Through experience, I try to spend less time in the resistance phases and transform that energy into action and creative solutions.

It is sometimes helpful to step back from a piece for a while or even get input from others along the way.

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DEC 2014

Mike Fields / sculptor arTIST Sometimes the original design for a piece might come in a flash or more often is an iterative process of redesign and refinement.

The process also involves learning new styles and techniques that will work for a particular piece’s design goals.

N2: What is the most rewarding part of your work?

Of course it is always nice having a piece well received, but I also find that the times when working that I am totally lost in my work and discover that I haven’t eaten all day are also rewarding – I guess this is the fabled “zone”.

N2: What are some of the dangers involved? Is the business artist friendly?

MF: Any artist will face some form exploitation from clients, agents, or galleries. They will also face challenges with subcontractors.

I was very lucky because my dad learned a lot of lessons for me and had solid contracts in place before I entered the field. One should understand that a contract is designed to be pessimistic in nature and account for everything that can go wrong. It is nice to be optimistic, but writing up a contract is not the time.

I think one of the biggest challenges for an artist is promotion. Other than the quality of work, I don’t think there is a more important factor in an artist’s success. Generally an artist’s skill set does not include the qualities needed to run a successful business. In addition, even if an artist has these skills it is almost inherent that they would rather focus on creation than the operation of a business.

N2: What is your signature piece at this point in your career?

MF: I’m not sure. That is not for me to decide.

N2: What piece do you want to make the most? What's next?

MF: I would like to refine and launch “Convergence”. I have an equal passion for observational and theoretical sciences and now I would like to reflect this into my work. There is endless inspiration in the various realms that are explored by science.

I am ready to take a break from traditional realism and explore the domain of contemporary art. I have so many ideas and designs that would carve their own niche in this area. I haven’t even scratched the surface of what I want to do or of what is possible. I also find designing contemporary sculptures refreshing. Working on contemporary designs is so much less constraining and emotionally taxing.

Much of the same principles of design and composition apply to contemporary work. I am excited about pure design and the challenge of making a very simple piece compelling. It is common in the Japanese tradition of painting to focus on simplicity and efficiency of strokes. I am interested in exploring the same principles in 3 dimensional form.

N2: Where can people see your work? (monuments, pieces) How much do large and small pieces cost? How do we buy pieces or commission you?

MF: www.mikefieldsbronzes.com I am making a transition away from the model of selling in galleries and focusing on commissions and public art. In order to be financially successful I believe this refocus is necessary and also may afford me more freedom.

N2: What advice would you give to a young sculptor/artist?

MF: I would give the same advice to anyone: focus on being the best that you can and constantly strive to improve. I would also say that understanding business is as crucial as perfecting their art. Some of the most talented artist are never known and sometimes the least talented are the most known. It is nice to maintain an artist’s integrity, but sometimes you have to eat. I would also advise them to apply the principles of the lean startup methodology, especially the focus on receptivity and adaptation. I think it is possible to balance what the market wants with what the artist wants to produce. This may also require being out of balance when necessary.

“A typical traditional piece takes from 8001800 hours.”

N2: What words of advice do you live by?

MF: I’m not sure I want to be held to any standard, but one valuable piece of advice I received was to always communicate your hidden assumptions and expectations when entering any kind of business or even personal relationship. This advice can spare a lot of conflict and surprises down the road. For some reason it is a natural tendency to avoid communicating this, perhaps in fear of losing something, but this only leads to heartache and problems.

N2: What about art inspires how you live?

MF: "Every artist is also an activist—and if an artist is not an activist, then he's no artist," tells us Ai Weiwei.

Generally speaking an artist (musician, comedian etc) has the ability to step outside of social conditioning and perceive things as they are. With this comes a certain responsibility to spread awareness and take action.

Based on this measure, I am not sure I am yet an artist in its deepest sense. I would prefer that my legacy be composed of action instead of bronze.

An artist’s mind has a certain flexibility that allow them to suspend and question the assumptions of their culture. This is the primary freedom and the resistance, or inability to do this, is the measure of an individual’s and a society’s limitation. The human mind’s tendency is to seek security through the known.

Most of what people believe to be true is inherited in some way and not examined. The grasp on tradition, belief, identity and systems is the reason why the future is a projection of the past. Not until we let go of the known as a vehicle for security will we have a chance to overcome the conflict and disorder in the world. Life and art are a movement. Keep in movement. Be like water, as Bruce Lee would say.

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Feel good ink tattoo

The artists at this valley tattoo boutique will make you feel good.

DELLER & EJ OF FEEL GOOD INk N2 – Did you draw a lot as a kid?

EJ - Yes, I drew a lot when I was younger and went to college for graphic design. This helped a lot.

N2 – When did you get started and why?

Deller - I got Started in 2011/2002 with an apprenticeship in Idaho. I had always wanted to be involved in the industry and had the luck of getting my foot in the door.

EJ - I had spent my time around artists, getting tattoos and was in the right place at the right time. I've now been doing tattoos for about ten years.

N2 – What is your favorite style of tattoo or your forte?

EJ - I really like doing the tradition stuff and Japanese art. In Spokane there is such a diverse audience that I find I do judt about everything. I do a lot of the smooth black and gray pieces.

N2 - Is there a specific genre that Spokane leans toward?

EJ - Not really, you find a little bit of everything. Spokane is a workingclass town and they love their tatoos, so you have to be well rounded.

N2 – Do people usually come in with their own ideas or are they more inclined to chose something from off the wall?

EJ - Typically they come in with their own ideas and we make it happen for them. When it comes to personal art, I treat it like a puzzle. You have to pull it apart and find out the best way it will work from them. I try to make sure theyre very happy ith it when they leave.

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N2 – What advice would you give someone coming in to get a tattoo? What could they expect?

Deller - Make sure you put a lot of thought into it, you're going to have it forever.

EJ - Make sure you eat something before hand. Then, make sure you're focused and really want it and you’re going to get right through that tattoo. It's when you get nervous and lose your focus that people have a hard time. That's when there is a possibility of passing out.

N2 – Passing out? Does that happen often?

EJ - Yes, it does.

Deller - Yeah, I could be something as simple as an ear piercing. People will come in here, not having eaten, and when the adrenaline kicks in they have a hard time keeping it together. It’s very important to eat.

N2 – Can you see this coming? Before they pass out?

Deller - Oh yeah, their eyes get a funny look, their face loses all of it’s color and you have to grab them, before they hit the deck. It happens to the best of us! Like we said before, you have to get food in your stomach.

N2 - How do you feel about the popularity of tattoos today?

Deller - I think it’s great that they are more widely accepted. I think television has quite a bit of influence on this. You see all kinds of people in here today, even the soccer moms and grandmothers.

DEC 2014

FEEL GOOD INk. EJ’s gorilla

N2 – Tell us about your mentors.

Deller - That goes back to my apprenticeship. I had someone who taught me all of the tips and tricks, the good and the bad.

EJ - I had my my apprenticeship as well, but I've worked with so many bad-ass artists along the way as well. You pick things up and learn from everyone you work with, whether it's what to do or what not to do.

N2 – What was your first tattoo?

Deller - Mine was my Grateful Dead Head, on my upper arm. I got it for my 18th birthday.

EJ - Mine was a tribal piece.

N2 – Cover-ups, how ofetn do you see them?

EJ - When we're busy we see them every other day. Usually people come in to have a poorly done tattoo covered. It's important to get a good artist from the start.

N2 - Tell us about some misconceptions that you've run into in your line of work.

EJ - The most common misconceptions about tattoo artists is that it's easy and that anyone can do it. It's challenging to get a clean line on a lumpy moving canvas and it takes experience and talent.

Deller - We don’t run into many prejudices any more. We have a clean shop and we’re all friendly and easy to get along with. People are comfortable when they come in here, so we don’t see much of that. Because tattoos have become so popular there is a certain comfort level now that wasn’t there 20 years ago. Additionally, it’s regulated by the state now, so it’s very safe.

N2 – What’s your least favorite part of the body to tattoo or pierce?

Deller - I would have to say it’s piercing the female genitalia. For this reason, I specifically brought a female body piercer aboard to do this work. Not only does it help with my comfort level, but it allows my female customers to be more comfortable as well.

EJ - Any bony part of the body. The bony bits make my work difficult!

N2 – What is your favorite piece that you’ve ever done?

EJ - Any time I get to something traditional, I’m happy. I did a whole dragon sleeve recently and really enjoyed that.

N2: Tell us about any horror stories you may have.

Deller - Well, awhile back I was piercing a very large gentleman’s nipples and he passed out. I caught him as he went backward and held him up to keep him from hitting his head. As he came around he was confused and had forgotten where he was or why he was here....and I was essentially on top of him. I had to explain to this guy what as going on and that he had passed out and try to keep him from taking a swing at me. That was a bad one and quite stressful!

N2 – Tell a little about your role in the music community. I know you sponsor a lot of things for the artists.

Deller - Well, I've known Big T (Terry Swan) for over a decade. I met him when I was working in Idaho. He's just a really great guy and always keeps us in mind when it comes to events and gives us the opportunity to be part of it. It's a beneficial relationship for all involved and the way it should be, this way everyone benefits.

N2 – Tell us about some of your favorite local bands and any tattoos that you have done for them.

EJ - I really like Static Tones and The Black Water Prophet. I did a bunch of tattoos for Dan from Static Tones and Holly did a couple sleeves for Garrett.

Deller - Civilized Animal is definitely one of my all-time favorites. I’ve had a lot of good times with those guys. I'm friends with one of their old drummers and James is one of the best singers I've heard. They really do the funk/punk right.

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KEVIN OLIVER

Kevin Oliver has dedicated several years of his life to the legalization movement.

KO - Specifically, people were opposed to the DUI component, however, it was a necessary to include that provision based on conservative polling results reflecting a concern for public safety. Now, whether I agree with that provision or not, the facts thus far are this: Overall DUI is down in WA and the WSP reports one less fatality so far this year on our state hwy. So, neither the Orwellian blood letting of drivers, nor increased carnage on our roads has materialized, thus far.

N2 - How could 502 change over the next few years? What changes would you recommend?

KO - We could see the legislature create a law that doesn't allow municipalities opt out of implementation. We could see medical regulated within the I-502 framework. Home grow would be nice, even if were a few plants.

Kevin Oliver is the director of Washington State NORML and a 502 producer and processor.

N2 - What are the major differences between wa and Colorado?

KO - WA's DUI is Per Se, meaning if you are above the 5ng threshold impairment is presumed. CO's is not presumptive, meaning impairment has to be proven. WA has no home grow. CO allows 3 flowering plants and 3 vegetative plants.Also, it is possible that CO's law may not be as tight when it comes to investors, which may be indicative of the recent raids in Denver, both last January and then again this month.

N2 - How did you get started in marijuana law reform?

Kevin Oliver - I started publishing articles about marijuana law reform in the back of a free newspaper I used to work on in Spokane called the, "Lilac City Nightmare" ;-) After attending the Seattle Hempfest in 2003 to do "research" and farm for future interviews, myself and the rest of the mag crew decided to throw a hempfest or two in spokane on the back of the magazine. That's when I formally formed a NORML chapter here in WA. After several years of networking with NORML and helping out where I could around the state, from hearings in Olympia to open public meetings in Seattle and Spokane, surrounded by dedicated and responsible adult volunteers and working with everyone from Vivan McPeak to Alison Holcomb, I was eventually elevated to the state affiliate director and was recently elected to a three year term on the NORML Board of Directors - which I share with several MD's, PHD's, JD's, publishers, celebrities and other successful advocates of marijuana law reform from around the nation.

N2 - As a 502 grower and processor, what are some of the hurdles you've faced/are facing?

KO - It is just like starting any other legitimate and regulated business. There is investment of capital, resources and long hours, with no days off in sight. Zoning issues were looming initially because of local fears, however, reason and truth prevailed and Spokane County has done moderately well in allowing I-502 businesses - better than some, but not as well as other counties.

N2 - As a full-time activist for several years, how has the movement changed since 502?

KO - Adults can smoke pot without fear of persecution or prosecution; and licensed production/sales are legal. The whole world is now forced to seriously consider the reality of legal pot. And, we are just getting started.

N2 - National legalization, do you see it happening soon? What would it look like?

N2 -Why do you think 502 is controversial to some in the movement?

KO - It is impossible to speak for everyone or to all the concerns raised by those opposed to I-502. However, generally, most people are resistant to change, period. That change is made even more difficult, if say, you have spent a considerable amount of time and energy participating in what is commonly referred to the "black market" or "grey market" medical marijuana cottage industry.

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NIGHTLIFE NETWORK

N2 - With so many people uneducated about cannabis, what methods do you think would be best to change the "hearts and minds"?

What role does Washington play in the national conversation?

KO - Nothing will influence public opinion more than watching legalization work, like it or not. When the sky doesn't fall and refer madness doesn't ensue, the line in the sand that is prohibition will disappear under a wave of realization.

“The tomato model of growing pot in your backyard to give to your neighbors probably won't be the prevailing ideal.�

DEC 2014

KEVIN OLIVER - DIRECTOR OF WASHINGTON STATE NORML KO - Some sources hope that the current Obama administration will at least re-schedule pot in the last days of office. Other estimates are about 10 years before federal laws are actually changed. Any legalization will be regulated and taxed. The tomato model of growing pot in your backyard to give to your neighbors probably won't be the prevailing ideal.

N2 - Who are the main players/industries against cannabis legalization locally and nationally?

KO - Maybe not so ironically, many individuals involved in the current medical marijuana industry are opposed, however, they don't represent a discernible presence at the polls.

Of more concern is "Project SAM", which is nationally funded and seeks to oppose legalization by simply replacing incarceration with treatment.

N2 - People are worried about the children. Doesn't 502 protect children better than the previous black market?

KO - Legitimate I-502 stores are not allowed to sell to anyone below 21. Drug dealers don't check I.D. Legalization removes the romantic attraction to the "taboo" of pot.

N2 - Does Washington have opportunities to make real scientific studies? How would that happen?

KO - WSU and UofW offer great opportunities into research of plant genetics and the medicinal uses of marijuana. At this point, public research is contingent upon a private grant the doesn't threaten public funding. However, the opportunity exists for legitimate research in the private sector, which, if done correctly and in compliance with accepted standards, could be useful in furthering scientific research in the qualities of marijuana which are the most appealing to humanity.

KEVIN OLIVER

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BOBBY KLUSS - PAWN 1

Few businesses support the local music scene quite like Pawn 1’s Music Corner

the musician’s friend

N2 – Tell us about the services that you provide.

Bobby Kluss (manager) – We have an awesome repair group that originally came from Dutch's. Jason is our Floyd Guru. In fact, we have customers that will ship their guitars from Seattle in need of repair just so Jason will do the work on their Floyd Rose. Shawn is awesome, and does excellent repair work no matter the age or brand of guitar. We also offer new and used instruments. If we don't stock it already, we can get for you. Just ask the folks in the store. Of course, we love used tradeins! The cool thing about us is that you can trade in a lawn mower or a glock to get a Stratocaster. It opens up the possibility to acquire gear that people otherwise would not have been able to acquire. It's tough to walk into Guitar Center with a lawn mower, a chainsaw and a bunch of video games and walk out with a new piece of gear. It's just another way we try to support our local music community.

N2 – Pawn 1 is well-known in our area for having a great selection of gear. What was the catharsis for becoming a music heavy store?

Bobby - Our owner, Mark Lax, really has an affection for music gear.

Back in the beginning, at his original store, he had some great vintage pieces. Many will remember seeing these pieces out on display in the Valley. He has always had a music corner in his original store: a glassed-in area for equipment. So, it really started with his love of music and gear, and he's hired people like me, Jules and Dusty to be the faces of the music department. We use our expertise to assist the music community to the best of our abilities.

N2 – Your company has been a great supporter of the local music community for a long time. Tell a little about your experiences.

Bobby – Spokane offers quite a broad spectrum of music genres. From the new metal sound in the Valley to the classically trained guitarists in the Gonzaga District and Whitworth area, the music scene has something to offer everyone. Many of the musicians end up coming through our store. One of the artists that frequently comes through here for repairs or purchasing guitars is Steven King, who is nationally known.

He is an International Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar Champion . There are many cool cats that live in the area.

N2 – This area is also big for County Music, isn’t it?

Bobby – Yes, it is. We just assisted the old Big Al’s out at state line, it’s called The National North now. A Nashville signed country artist who lives in Spokane, Jerry McComb, purchased the building along with some partners and they are turning into a county music club that will be open two days a week. We helped them out by supplying them with their gear. We try to do anything that we can to support these venues because they give local musician a place to play. We need to get these great artists out of their basements and into the public eye.

Bobby Kluss Local musician and manager of the Music Corner

N2 – Let's talk a little about the band affiliations within the store.

Aren't there quite a few people that play music ?

Bobby - Yes, we are all musicians and have been an active part of the local music scene. That's one of the cool things about our store, we've all been in a handful of bands and are still actively playing music. Jason comes from a progressive 80's metal scene, so he can shred with the best of them. Dusty is a classically trained pianist who started training before the age of ten. He is a wealth of music theory and other knowledge. Of course, Jules and I play just about anything and. Jules is an excellent vocalist as well. Shawn and Jason are in a band together called One Fall and Jason is also involved with 33. So, all of us here at the store can provide a huge wealth of knowledge to our customers.

N2 – Tell us about some of your local favorites with regard to the bands.

Bobby – It's really hard to pick out one band. We have so many that come through the store that are great. Even some individual musicians that are extremely talented in their own right. I've been with Pawn 1 for ten years and lived in Spokane my whole life, so I've seen the progression of the music scene as well as individual artists. I've had the opportunity to meet some of these artists in the beginning of their careers, just learning to play guitar or drums and watched them as they've honed their skills. Another great thing about this store is the fact that we are a “meeting place” for local musicians. We get people in here looking for a bass player or a drummer and we are able to connect them with others that may have come in looking for a band to play in. Part of our vision here is to be a gathering place for musicians. We aren't a high pressured sales environment so our customers are more comfortable to converse with one another. We encourage people to come in, talk, try out the gear and have fun. Because we have created that culture here in the store, we see a lot of that and it makes this a fun place to be.

As far as bands that I like: 33, Nixon Rodeo and Helldorado are some of my personal favorites. Steven is a solo artist and he's excellent. New Jack City is a really cool R&B Funk band. There really are all kinds of people, it's tough to narrow it down.

BOBBY KLUSS -PAWN 1 N2 – Do you have any holiday promotions going on right now?

Bobby - Actually, we do. We have acoustic and electric guitars and basses in really great shape starting around $50.00. We have $30.00 ukeleles, strings and drum sticks from $3.00. There are many great deals in here and we really do try to work with people. We want to make sure they have everything that they need.

N2 – You guys started having shows here, didn't you??

Bobby – Yes, Acidic just played here. This is just another way we try to support the bands. Often times, if bands are looking for a little push before a show, they are able to perform an acoustic set here in the store.

We have also has a couple full live performances. Last summer, we had bands set up in the parking lot. It was a lot of fun. We have national acts come through here all of the time and play during the day before a show. It gives people an opportunity to see these bands in a different light.

N2 – You stated that you've been involved with the music scene for a long time. How has it changed over the years?

Bobby – I think it's getting a lot better. In the past there were only a few options for playing live music here, and with the number of venues increasing it's really improving the music scene. I think Spokane is beginning to recognize that there are many musicians here supporting the local economy. The City is improving Brown's Addition and creating a fantastic artistic burrow, the Perry District is another example of improvement. The Downtown area is always changing and evolving, which attributes to the growth of our City.

N2 – What would you like to see in the future with regard to the music community?

Bobby – I would like to see the music community come together more.

It would be great to see them gather maybe once a year to voice their opinions. This gathering should include musicians, venues, music stores....I think if these businesses can grow individually, it is beneficial for them as a whole. Healthy business creates excitement and energy in the music community.

N2 – Tell us about some of the more interesting trades you have done. Have there been some memorable experiences?

Bobby – We do odd trades all of the time because we do our best to give people what they need. Because of this, we end up with all kinds of weird musical pieces. Right now, we have what's called a “Udu”. I've never heard of it or seen one before, but we have it! You never know what you're going to find here. We have hammer dulcimers and mountain dulcimers, weird hand drums....being a music store, we're always interested in new pieces. We love getting gear in here that stumps us.

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