Make It Mag Issue 1

ISSUE 1: MARCH / APRIL 2012

BRINGING YOU THE VERY BEST OF INDIE FROM AROUND THE GLOBE! 1

WE JUST COULDN’T POSSIBLY FIND IT ALL OURSELVES. IF YOU THINK WE’VE MISSED OUT HAVING YOU IN THE MAG THEN PLEASE EMAIL US WITH SAMPLES OF YOUR WORK TO MAKEITMAG@GMAIL.COM MAG

2

Hello Friends!

WE LOVE ALL THINGS INDIE HERE AT MAKE IT MAG (MIM)!

WE SET UP THIS MAGAZINE BECAUSE WE WANTED TO SHARE THE THINGS WE LOVE WITH THE WORLD. WE ARE SUPREMELY PASSIONATE ABOUT INDIE AND ARE VIGOROUSLY INVOLVED IN THE INDEPENDENT MOVEMENT. INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON AWARD WINNING CELEBRITIES, WE’LL BE BRINGING YOU NEW, FRESH AND VIBRANT PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO SHOW THE WORLD THEIR STUFF! OUR MINDS ARE BOGGLED BY THE TALENT THAT IS OUT THERE SO WE’LL DO OUR BIT BY BRINGING THAT TALENT TO OUR READERS IN A FUN AND FREE WAY! HOPE YOU ENJOY! MAGGIE & THE TEAM MIM

Contents

ART & CRAFT

6

FASHION

16

MUSIC

35

FILM

22

SPACE

39

HANDMADE 3

COMICS

47

26

EDIBLES

BOOKS

51

32

4

FREE DOWNLOADABLE EP WE ALL LOVE FREE THINGS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE FREE DOWNLOADABLE MUSIC GIFTS FROM MIM’S UNDERGROUND RADIO VAULT. VOLUME ONE INCLUDES OUR FAVOURITE PICKS OF THE SEASON BROUGHT TO YOU BY INDIE BANDS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE. CLICK THE LINK TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE COPY! HOPE YOU ENJOY! MAGGIE & THE TEAM MIM

THIS IS THE SHOES CHANGE IT UP (From the EP This Is The Shoes) thisistheshoes.bandcamp.com

1

We begin with blues duo This Is The Shoes. They are a fine example of the gritty rock ‘n’ roll seeping from Vancouver’s music scene at the moment!

3

2

AUTUMN OWLS ACROBATICS OF A PATCHWORK HEART (From the Single) autumnowls.bandcamp.com

THE ALUSKAS WHERE WE STARTED OUT (From the Album DRAW!) thealuskas.bandcamp.com

This cheekily named group hail from Denmark. They are a folk trio made up of three bearded good friends.

Consisting of Gary McFarlane, Adam Browne and Will Purtill, Autumn Owls create a cinematic soundscape adorned with buzzsaw feedback.

The Aluskas are a very refreshing prospect indeed. Their songs have a child-like wonder that is beautiful in its awe.

THE WHITE ALBUM GUNS AND AMMUNITION (From the EP The Album) thewhitealbum.bandcamp.com

5

7

HOUSE OF DOLLS LOVERS AND CLOWNS (From the Album Welcome To The Department Of Nuclear Medicine) houseofdolls.bandcamp.com

THE QUICKSAND BAND LEARNING (From the Album Approaching Rain) thequicksandband.bandcamp.com

6

THE BROTHERS MOVEMENT SOMEDAY (From the Album The Brothers Movement) itunes.apple.com/ie/album/the-brothersmovement-vinyl

The guitars blaze, the drums boom and if you like your rock ‘n’ roll heavy, look no further than neo-punks, House of Dolls.

There is a lullaby quality to the songs of TQB and their record merges atmosphere and melody in equal measure.

All good things come to an end, including this EP. Here we finish with disbanded rockers The Brothers Movement.

5

4

6

IN THIS ISSUE WE FEATURE A WEALTH OF EXTRAORDINARY ART & CRAFT TALENT. WE TALK TO THE SUPERBEST BOY AND GIRL COMBO’S NERDBOTS, MONOCOL AND THE FILIGREE ABOUT ROBOTS, RECYCLING, WOODGILLS AND FAIRYTALES.

7

MIM

ART & CRAFT

MIM

ART & CRAFT: NERDBOTS

NERD BOTS

U.S.

ROBOTS HAVE BEEN AROUND SINCE THE FIRST CENTURY AD TO HELP HUMANS DO THE JOBS THEY DON’T WANT TO DO. THEY ARE DEFINED IN THE DICTIONARY AS ‘A PERSON WHO WORKS MECHANICALLY WITHOUT ORIGINAL THOUGHT’. BUT IN A MAKESHIFT ROBOT FACTORY IN KANSAS, MARRIED COUPLE ANGELA AND NICHOLAS AKA NERDBOTS HAVE TRANSFORMED THESE STRANGE METAL CREATURES INTO OUR NEW BEST FRIENDS. WE CAUGHT UP WITH THEM TO TALK ABOUT ALL THINGS BOTTY...

MIM: HOW DID YOU GUYS MEET?

Bremner

BOTS: We went to the same college and while there, lived in the same dorm on the same floor. We ran into each other almost immediately.

MIM: WHERE ARE YOU FROM AND DO YOU HAVE YOUR OWN ROBOT FACTORY? BOTS: We are based in Kansas City, Missouri. We have a studio in an old warehouse full of artists’ workspaces. We store all of our parts there, we build there and we even open our doors to the public in that space as well.

MIM: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO MAKE ROBOTS? BOTS: We both always really liked robots, so we decided on a whim one day to build one for Angela to take to work and put on her desk. All of her co-workers really enjoyed it, our friends and family loved seeing photos of it and we had such a great time making it. We decided at that point to keep building more because it was so much fun. After we had about 15 in our living room, we decided to start a business so we could sell them.

“When we’re ready to build a new robot, we drag different parts and pieces out and essentially try them on”

MS Co.

MIM: DO YOU HAVE A PICTURE IN YOUR HEAD FOR HOW EACH ROBOT SHOULD LOOK BEFORE YOU MAKE THEM? BOTS: Not exactly. We go out and buy parts that we think just look awesome. Then we store them In our studio sorted by heads, arms, legs, bodies and so on. When we’re ready to build a new robot, we drag different parts and pieces out and essentially try them on. Once we have a look that we are happy with, we start construction.

MIM: YOU GIVE EACH ROBOT THEIR OWN NAME AND PERSONALITY. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS? BOTS: As we are building together, we start talking about what we think the robot’s personality is, like its hobbies and interests. We also name it, although usually it actually names itself because of markings on the head or body that has a brand or label. The final robot gets a name with a bio, all written up to have very nerdy interests.

8

MIM

“We often pull things out of junkyards that are destined to be crunched up and melted down”

U.S.

MIM: WHAT MATERIALS AND METHOD DO YOU USE TO MAKE YOUR ROBOTS? BOTS: Our materials vary since we go out to scrapyards and antique stores and estate sales and just buy what strikes us. Usually they are made exclusively of metal, but sometimes they incorporate plastic. Mostly everything can be attached using hardware supplies, and occasionally we use welding.

MIM: IS IT IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO TURN SOMETHING OLD INTO SOMETHING NEW? BOTS: We love the idea of recycling in what we do. We often pull things out of junkyards that are destined to be crunched up and melted down, and we also find things that are discarded and make them new again.

MIM: HOW DO YOU SNIFF OUT SUCH TREASURES IN A JUNK YARD? BOTS: It sometimes feels like we are finding a needle in a haystack. We search through piles of scraps looking for the perfect thing. And for arms and legs, we need two identical perfect things.

That can get very frustrating.

Ealing

C.O.C. MIM: THE NAME SUGGESTS NERDY ROBOTS OR IS IT THAT THEY ARE THE BOTS AND YOU GUYS ARE THE NERDS? BOTS: It’s kind of both. They are definitely nerdy robots, especially since we write the bios specifically to make them nerdy. However, we are also very nerdy ourselves, so it’s fitting to describe us as well.

MIM: HOW DO YOU FIND WORKING WITH YOUR SPOUSE AND WHAT ARE YOUR INDIVIDUAL ROLES IN NERDBOTS? BOTS: We work really well together and are almost always creatively on the same page. We concept and build the robots together, but when it comes to the other aspects of running a business, Angela does the design and marketing and Nicholas does all the boring business stuff, like spread sheets and taxes. He loves that, so it’s a perfect division of labour.

MIM: WHERE CAN PEOPLE BUY THESE SUPER NERDY METAL GUYS? BOTS: We sell them online at nerdbots.net, where we also feature merch like t-shirts and prints. We also open our studio twice a year for a building-wide open studio event, and are always available by appointment.

MIM: FINALLY, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE OF NERDBOTS? BOTS: We’d love to get the little metal guys and our merch into more retail locations around the world.

The robots refer to this as “world domination.”

mim: We see the beauty that lies behind the cold metal junk and we want one so bad it hurts! Thank you Nerdbots!

9

MIM

ART & CRAFT: MONOCOL

MONOCOL

U.S. THRIFTING IS BECOMING A LARGE PART OF OUR CULTURE AND WHEN VINTAGE ITEMS FIND A NEW PURPOSE AND A RENEWED LOVE, THAT MAKES US HAPPY. THIS ISSUE WE ARE CELEBRATING ALL THINGS RECYCLED! WE TAKE TIME OUT TO CHAT TO MONOCOL HEAD HONCHOS, GWYNNE & TOM TO DISCUSS THRIFTING, WOODGILLS AND TEA WITH SLOTHS.

MIM: WHO AND WHAT IS MONOCOL? MONO: Monocol is a boy (Tom Eykemans) and a girl (Gwynne Siak) and, when pressed, refer to themselves as an art duo (and apparently in the third person).

Monocol is something akin to your typical after-school art club, where we like to learn and try lots of different mediums, styles, and projects.

MIM: HOW DID YOU MEET EACHOTHER AND WHERE ARE YOU BASED? MONO: We were neighbors. Gwynne is originally from Atlanta, Georgia and moved to Seattle, Washington a few years ago. Tom came over once to ask Gwynne if she wanted to share internet, and would then hang around to watch cable TV since he had none. This lead to discussion of interests and aspirations, and eventually the idea of Monocol came to be. We are based in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle.

“Inspiration often strikes the moment we find a vintage reproduction, as if it had been waiting for us to come along and tell another story”

Slugurbia

MIM: WHAT WERE YOU GUYS DOING BEFORE MONOCOL? MONO: Mostly watching Battlestar Galactica and playing Mario Kart. Well, actually, we didn’t watch Battlestar Galactica until just last year. Before we met and started working together, we were always involved in creative endeavours in some way. Tom created lots of show posters, comics, websites, and other miscellany that comes along with having art and design experience and with having friends in bands. Gwynne made lots of reconstructed t-shirts, tote bags, and other miscellany that comes along with having a sewing machine and seam ripping experience and with having friends in bands. But really, we were mostly watching sci-fi shows, eating chips and playing video games (as evidenced in our origin story above). Note: these things still happen in conjunction with Monocol (and Tom still doesn’t pay for cable).

MIM: YOU MAKE WOODGILLS, CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THAT IS? MONO: Woodgills are found paintings with unexpected new subjects carefully added into them. 99% of all Woodgills are painted on ubiquitous Robert Wood prints found at our neighborhood Goodwill thrift store (hence the name “Woodgill,” see what we did there?). Part of the fun and challenge is matching the original paintings’ brushwork and color palette. Often they are old and faded, which means the Woodgill must be as well. Inspiration often strikes the moment we find a vintage reproduction, as if it had been waiting for us to come along and tell another story - whether it be a giant penguin trying his luck on the open road or a family of sloths stopping by for a cup of tea.

Bog Bot 10

MIM

“The desire to revive or recreate some past memory, experience, or product probably fuels a lot of people’s work”

U.S.

MIM: WHAT TYPES OF PRINTS ARE PERFECT FOR MAKING WOODGILLS? MONO: The ideal print sports a faux textured surface and a glossy lamination, allowing the painted additions to really take on the characteristics of the underlying piece. A final spray coating helps seal it all in place.

MIM: DO YOU LIKE TO TRANSFORM SOMETHING OLD INTO SOMETHING NEW? MONO: Definitely! Like many people of our generation, we have a strong sense of nostalgia for the past. The desire to revive or recreate some past memory, experience, or product probably fuels a lot of people’s work - whether it be creating new art or inventing time machines.

Nowhere to sit

MIM: YOU ALSO MAKE LOTS OF OTHER THINGS IN YOUR LABORATORY, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THESE? MONO: Fun fact - we once rented an old science laboratory for our studio space (but fortunately never made use of the emergency eye-wash station).

We make anything we feel like doing...eloquent, right? We do a lot of screenprinting, painting, drawing, and making plush /sewn goods. We’ve also worked on animations and illustrations for music videos and independent movies. We like creating for the sake of creating.

MIM: WHAT ARE YOUR INDIVIDUAL ROLES IN MONOCOL? MONO: Monocol is truly a collaborative team. Because we share the same sense of humor and nerdy interests, no matter who is holding the pen / brush / squeegee / needle (i.e. Tom paints Woodgills, Gwynne sews plush), the ideas and spirit behind them are always a synthesis of us both. More practically, Tom does all the technical stuff like website design and Gwynne handles all the business and marketing. Both are in charge of ensuring that there are plenty of snacks and coffee to go around (snacks are integral to Monocol, we can’t stress this enough).

MIM: WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS FOR MONOCOL AND WHERE CAN WE GET OUR HANDS ON YOUR STUFF? MONO: Continue to make new stuff and hang shows! Seems obvious and simple, but we both work full time jobs so we actively have to seek out time and opportunities to create—which can be both beneficial and challenging.

We’ve had lots of great experiences working with different people on different projects, and we always look forward to what’s next! You can buy our stuff in Etsy, seasonally at craft fairs such as Crafty Wonderland in nearby Portland, Oregon, and at local cafes and gallery spaces!

mim: Well, we just love the skill and humour that these guys bring to their work! Thank you Monocol, you guys simply rock!

Surf and turf 11

MIM

ART & CRAFT: THE FILIGREE

THE FILIGREE

U.S.

ACCORDING TO ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE, DOLLS ARE THE OLDEST KNOWN FORM OF TOYS, SOME DATING BACK AS FAR AS 2080 BC! IT’S NO SURPRISE THAT OUR FASCINATION WITH THESE LITTLE VERSIONS OF US HAS LASTED THROUGHOUT THE AGES. THE FILIGREE MAKE DOLLS TOO, BUT THEIR DOLLS ARE NO MERE TOYS, THEY PARTAKE IN EPIC ADVENTURES! WE CATCH UP WITH THE FILIGREE TO DISCUSS FAIRY TALES, NEWSPAPERS & THE ART OF CREATIVE NONSENSE.

Fancy Feathers

MIM: HOW DID YOU MEET EACH OTHER AND HOW SOON AFTER WAS THE FILIGREE BORN? FILI: We met each other in Florence, Italy (in 1999) when Martin was studying painting and Celena was ballet dancing. Soon after, we started a creative relationship with fairy tale elements, inspired by the beauty and ghosts of Florence. Since then we have weaved a ‘Filigree’ of fairy tales that eventually turned into our newspaper idea that was born in 2008 as a means of compiling it all together. Celena is the writer and Martin is the illustrator while they both make the dolls.

MIM: WHEN AND WHY DID YOU START MAKING DOLLS AND DID YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF FORMAIL TRAINING? FILI: We started making dolls in Florence in 2000 without any formal training as a spontaneous expression.

“There isn’t one child hero but rather a collection of creatures from all walks of life, doing things which are understated but epic in their own way” MIM: DID YOU BOTH HAVE A LOVE FOR ALL THINGS FAIRYLIKE? WHY DO YOU THINK YOU ARE SO DRAWN TO THAT STYLE? FILI: Martin grew up next to a forest in Denmark and spent many childhood hours playing and exploring. He likes the fairy tale narrative and the ability to incorporate surreal elements.

Celena is very attached to the Invisible, hidden world and the places and creatures from ‘beyond’ imaginary or not. She spent many hours reading and hanging out in the glorious Tennessee woods.

MIM: YOU PUBLISH YOUR OWN OLD WORLD NEWSPAPER- THE FILIGREE, FAIRY TALE NONSENSE NEWS. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS? FILI: For us, The Filigree is a way to compile all of our creative endeavors. Whether it be dolls, illustrations, short stories, editorials, poems, ads - it continues to be a web that connects our physical world and our imaginary world, thusly called “the Filigree.” We’re motivated by doing something different with fairy tales, mainly celebrating the simple things. In our world, it’s a post ‘light – dark struggle.’ There isn’t one child hero but rather a collection of creatures from all walks of life, doing things which are understated but epic in their own way.

If anything, training one’s perspective can alter one’s life - things aren’t always as they seem, and nonsense is necessary! And necessary is nonsense! We’re currently reworking all seven issues and moving away from the black and white newspaper format and making them into matte magazines in color, fully illustrated. #7 should be hot off the press soon, and we’ll work our way backward. From there, we’ll try to get the word out. We include a copy with each doll we sell.

12

MIM

MIM: CAN YOU DISCUSS YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS. WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO MAKE SUCH INCREDIBLE CHARACTERS? FILI: By working together throughout a day-- we’ll chit chat and these ideas will form. It’s enormously satisfying to chase an inspiration and see it materialize. Martin may sketch a doll or Celena may write a story and we take it from there.

U.S.

MIM: IT’S NOT JUST DOLLS; WE’VE SEEN YOU MAKE SLUGS, SPIDERS AND DRAGONS. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT ELSE YOU GUYS MAKE IN YOUR OLD VICTORIAN LOFT? FILI: Let’s see, there’s the paper, illustrations, dolls and we create art and clothing along with Celena’s best friend, Autumn (fashion designer) for our sister shop Carousel Ink. MIM: CAN YOU DISCUSS YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS. WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO MAKE SUCH INCREDIBLE CHARACTERS? FILI: By working together throughout a day-- we’ll chit chat and these ideas will form. It’s enormously satisfying to chase an inspiration and see it materialize. Martin may sketch a doll or Celena may write a story and we take it from there.

Autumn Garden

Forget Me Not Dolling

MIM: WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM THE FILIGREE IN THE COMING MONTHS / YEARS? FILI: We really want to re-do all of our newspapers in color! Polish our doll concepts and always keep moving forward and enjoy what we are doing. We will continue designing and creating dolls in the future as we absolutely love seeing our world’s inhabitants materialize!

MIM: WHERE CAN PEOPLE GET THEIR HANDS ON YOUR WORK? FILI: You can visit our shop on etsy or become a fan on Facebook as we primarily sell our dolls through our shop there.You can also check out our main website here!

mim: The Filigree certainly make us feel like we’re part of a fairy tale. Those little doll faces make us smile widely! Thank you Celena & Martin!

Devil Mask Doll 13

WWW .B AU B I E SU NSHI NE.C O M

14

15

MUSIC THERE’S A WHOLE LOT OF GREAT MUSIC BEING PLAYED BY INDEPENDENT BANDS. THIS ISSUE WE CATCH UP WITH THIS IS THE SHOES TO DISCUSS THEIR DEBUT EP AND WE COMPILE A LIST OF GREAT NEW RELEASES FROM AROUND THE INDIE ROCK WORLD! AND DON’T FORGET TO DOWNLOAD VOLUME ONE OF MIM’S SENSATIONAL EP FEATURING LOTS OF THE BANDS BELOW FOR FREEEEEEE!!!!!

THIS IS THE SHOES INTERVIEW

OUR FAVOURITE INDIE MUSIC OF THE SEASON

“They are a folk trio made up of three bearded good friends”

FROM: Copenhagen, Denmark RELEASED: 29.07.2011 STYLE: Acoustic / Folk / Roots

THE WHITE ALBUM - THE ALBUM [EP] This cheekily named group hail from Denmark, the land of Hans Christian Andersen, Lars Ulrich and football brothers Michael & Brian Laudrup. They are a folk trio made up of three bearded good friends: Claus Arvad, Frederik Vedersø and Jakob Eilsø. The Album, their confusingly titled debut EP, is their warm welcome to you. Their voices blend very nicely and the mellow sounds of banjo, picked acoustic guitar and lap steel transport you to a place of calm serenity. Opening track ‘Another’ is reminiscent of ‘Heartbeats’ by Jose Gonzalez but the comparisons don’t end there. ‘Guns And Ammunition’ sounds like an outtake from Bon Ivers’ For Emma, Forever Ago while on ‘Fall At Will’, they come off like a more laidback Fleet Foxes (if that’s possible). But rather than sound like mere imitators, The White Album marries the best of all these influences into a very sweet and authentic package. Have a listen.

You won’t be disappointed.

16

MIM

MUSIC: REVIEWS

“a cinematic soundscape adorned with buzzsaw feedback”

FROM: Dublin, Ireland RELEASED: TBC STYLE: Post Rock / Alt Folk

AUTUMN OWLS Autumn Owls are a three piece band from Dublin, Ireland made up of singer/guitarist Gary McFarlane, bassist Adam Browne and drummer Will Purtill. They are currently at work on their debut album which is set for release sometime this spring. If their previous releases are anything to go by, their upcoming debut should be a treat. Insomnia Lodge (May 2008) laid the foundations for the group’s sound, a mix of The Frames whispered vocals and Radiohead rhythms. ‘Pavor Nocturnus’ bears some Kid A hallmarks while ‘Love Is Just A Place’ is a cinematic soundscape adorned with buzzsaw feedback and intricate drums. It’s quite a sound for a record that was recorded in a converted shed in Dublin. Follow up EP On The Trail Of The Disappearing (December 2008), took the sound further, the apocalyptic mellotron strings and tolling church bells of ‘A Thousand Blind Windows’ painting an appropriately haunting picture. It’s a dark vision but one that rewards with each listen.

“feels like the soundtrack to a Quentin Tarantino film”

FROM: Las Vegas, US RELEASED: 07.05.2011 STYLE: Garage / Blues / Lo-Fi / Rockabilly / Surf

THE MAD CAPS - THE MAD CAPS [LP] The Mad Caps are a thunderous rock ‘n’ roll duo made up of Jon Real (Drums) & Ted Rader (Guitar/ Vocals) from Las Vegas. Their most recent release, last years’ acclaimed self-titled debut album, is a blistering mix of 1950’s style rockabilly, Jerry Lee Lewis vocals and White Stripes-esque psycho-riffs.

The record feels like the soundtrack to a Quentin Tarantino film on a journey through the underbelly of modern America. It’s cool, dirty rock ‘n’ roll played through a warped retro vortex. ‘Tube Top’ has more than a hint of ‘Bohemian Like You’ to it, ‘Wild Wild Lover’ sounds like Elvis if he was born a punk and Kitty Kitty is Lo-Fi 50’s diner music. And all this sound from just two guys. The popularity of two-piece outfits has increased dramatically in the last few years with the rise of the aforementioned White Stripes and hopefully the future looks bright for The Mad Caps. We’re looking forward to the next record.

“a child-like wonder that is beautiful in its awe”

FROM: Dublin, Ireland RELEASED: 26.03.2012 STYLE: Rock ‘n’ Roll / Alternative / Folk

THE ALUSKAS - WHERE WE STARTED OUT [SINGLE] Once known as The Willows many years ago, The Aluskas, now older, wiser and with the beards to prove it, are a very refreshing prospect indeed; a group of equal singers, writers and performers.

Consisting of brothers David & Anthony Byrne and Philip Tinsley, they released their debut single, ‘Backwater Woods’, in January. Upon early inspection, it is a classic slice of goodtime rock ‘n’ roll but latest effort, ‘Where We Started Out’, points a different direction entirely. The sorrow-filled intro of guitar, piano and harmonies soon gives way to one hell of an upbeat romp through the mysteries of our living world. The purposes of things like a blade of grass are invigorated with a child-like wonder that is beautiful in its awe. And then, (metaphorically) flipping over the disc, you’re a greeted with the balls-out riff rock of B-Side ‘Strawberry Jam’. There’s even a guitar duel to finish. Enough said. The bands’ debut album, DRAW! is out in the coming months and promises to be one of the records of the year. Watch this space.

17

MUSIC: REVIEWS

“warped canyon feedback and razor guitar riffs”

FROM: Dublin, Ireland RELEASED: 27.02.2012 STYLE: Psychedelic / Garage / Rock

HOUSE OF DOLLS - WELCOME TO THE DEPARTMENT OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE [LP] House of Dolls began life in 2008 as a side project for its members, who were then playing with other groups, namely Aleko, The Brothers Movement & The Things. Consisting of Stephen White (Vocals/Bass), Stuart Curran (Guitar), Conor Paxton (Guitar) & Jimmy Cullen (Drums), House of Dolls draw on many influences ranging from BRMC and The Jesus and Mary Chain to The Stooges and The Sex Pistols. Having previously released the well-received double A-Side single ‘Gimme Some Glory’ / ‘Before She Wakes’ in December 2009, they went to ground and recorded their debut album, Welcome to the Department of Nuclear Medicine, throughout 2011. Recorded by Liam Mulvaney in Bow Lane Studios, the album is an unruly journey through the groups’ darkly lit corridors of sound.

From the warped canyon-feedback of ‘All I Need’ and razor guitar riffs of ‘Ills’ to the sublimely insistent ‘Lovers & Clowns’, there is no let-up from start to finish. The guitars blaze, the drums boom and if you like your rock ‘n’ roll heavy and hard, look no further than neo-punks, House of Dolls.

“The record merges atmosphere and melody in equal measure”

FROM: Dublin, Ireland RELEASED: 04.02.2012 STYLE: Alternative / Country / Rock / Folk

THE QUICKSAND BAND - APPROACHING RAIN [LP] The Quicksand Band started life as the solo project of lead singer Justin Corr, but soon developed into a full group with the addition of Phil Clarke (Lead Vocals / Guitars), Shay Cosgrave (Drums) and Eoin Melinn (Bass Guitar). They released two EP’s, Ten Gallon Drought (Parts 1 & 2) in 2008 and 2009 respectively but in 2011, moved into the studio to create their first album proper, Approaching Rain.

The record merges atmosphere and melody in equal measure. Corr and Clarke trade lead vocals on roughly half the album each and this provides an interesting mix of chameleon-like voices ranging from Neil Young & Bob Dylan to Glen Hansard & Ryan Adams. Standout tracks include ‘Fade Away’, ‘Learning’ (with its Love Is Hell era Ryan Adams outro) and the Frames-like debut single ‘Homesong’.

There is a lullaby quality to the songs here and Approaching Rain is definitely worth a listen.

FORGOTTEN GEMS: LOST MUSIC BY OVERLOOKED OR DISBANDED INDIE GROUPS

“a poignant finish to a great lost indie record”

FROM: Dublin, Ireland RELEASED: 09.11.2009 STYLE: Rock / Alternative / Psychedelic

THE BROTHERS MOVEMENT - THE BROTHERS MOVEMENT [LP] Formally known as Mainline, The Brothers Movement was a much more apt name; three of the members were Paxton brothers: Neil (Vocals / Guitar), Daniel (Vocals / Guitar / Bass / Drums / Keys) & Conor (Bass / Slide Guitar). Scott Glennon (Guitar) & Andy Parkes (Drums) helped flesh out the sound. In 2009, the group decamped to Philadelphia to record this, their only album. Opening sinisterly with ‘Blind’, the songs’ chaotic drums and synth strings lay the foundation for what follows.

Early highlights include the organ drenched ‘Sister’ and the Mainline era ‘Is God Dead’. But the album really hits its stride with the standout ‘Someday’, an acoustic guitar/piano ballad that should have been a single. It continues with ‘The Salute’, an upbeat, but prophetically nostalgic look at things that can’t last. And with the west coast vibe of ‘Coming Home’, you get the feeling that TBM can do no wrong. Unfortunately though, all good things come to an end and we are left with ‘When We Leave’, a poignant finish to a great lost indie record. Seek it out. It’s a goodie.

18

LOOK NO FURTHER THAN

MAKEITMAG.COM/MUSIC 19

MIM

MUSIC: THIS IS THE SHOES

THIS IS

THE SHOES

CANADA

VANCOUVER IS A SPECIAL HUB FOR INDIE MUSIC RIGHT NOW. BLUES DUO THIS IS THE SHOES ARE A FINE EXAMPLE OF THE GRITTY ROCK ‘N’ ROLL SEEPING FROM THERE AT THE MOMENT! WE CATCH UP WITH THE PAIR FOR A GOOD CHAT ABOUT INDIE OBSTACLES, RECORDING AND CHILDHOOD DREAMS...

“It all started when we heard an old John Lennon interview on the drive down to the Coachella Music Festival...”

MIM: WHAT ONE WORD BEST DESCRIBES THIS IS THE SHOES? SHOES: Rock’n’roll. That’s one word, right?

MIM: WHERE DID YOU GROW UP AND HOW DID YOU BOTH MEET? SHOES: We both grew up in the suburbs of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

We first crossed paths while working at a local outdoor sports store, but it wasn’t until we bonded over The Black Key’s Attack & Release album that we started hanging out. That lead to us discovering a mutual love and repect for everything blues and rock’n’roll. Three years later we started making music together.

MIM: WHAT’S ONE THING WE‘D BE SURPRISED TO HEAR ABOUT EACH MEMBER OF THE BAND? SHOES: We both work for the government. Not in high profile jobs or anything, but we’ve decided that a career in music is worth risking a pension.

MIM: WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THE NAME THIS IS THE SHOES? SHOES: It all started when we heard an old John Lennon interview on the drive down to the Coachella Music Festival. The interviewer asked him why his band was called The Beatles, and John said something to the extent of, it didn’t matter, the name is meangingless – they could be called The Shoes for all he cared. We thought that was pretty awesome. Unfortunately, there was already a band in France called The Shoes, so we had to add a ‘this is’ to change it up. It’s cheeky, but it works. We both have an afflication for shoes, too.

MIM: HOW DOES YOUR MUSIC DIFFER FROM OTHER MUSIC OUT TODAY? SHOES: It seems that a lot of popular music lately has become very overproduced.

Everyone’s trying to get that million dollar orchestral sound with as many instruments crammed in there as possible. We prefer the qualities of lo-fi, reaching into the past of rock’n’roll and blues (we’re talking Robert Johnson playing in the corner of a hotel room) and taking their techniques and sounds and applying it to our style. Most of our record was recorded in a warehouse, if that’s any indication of the sound we’re going for. There’s something powerful about taking away all of the fluff. What’s left is the song.

“There’s something powerful about taking away all of the fluff. What’s left is the song.”

20

MIM

MIM: WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES FOR INDIE BANDS? SHOES: Cashflow. Moolah. Bling. Money is hard to come by for indie bands. There’s a lot involved in really putting yourself out there. There’s the artistic costs like putting together your CD and artwork, but there’s a business side to the industry. There’s promotions, show bookings, social networking and tons of other things that take time and energy (aka money).

With the internet age enabling anyone to put music out there (thank god for that), there can be a lot of clutter to break through. A band really has to differentiate themselves to get noticed. Or luck out. Or know somebody.

CANADA

CANADA

MIM: HOW DO YOU PROMOTE YOUR BAND AND WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE FELLOW INDIE BANDS? SHOES: We manage ourselves and do most of our own promotions. It’s a ton of work, but it pays off. When you own the whole process, you’re in control and tend to do a better job because you have a vested interest in the outcome. Depending on other people to do the work for you, in our experience, hasn’t worked out as well – creatively and financially. The internet and social media has been a huge tool for us. In fact, we depend on it to get our music out there. Tools like Bandcamp, Soundcloud, Twitter, Facebook and Youtube are your best weapons against the big record and promotion companies. They instantly expose you to a worldwide audience, if you can position yourself right. We’re no experts on any of this, but that’s the goal.

Local campaining is a necessity to get out in your local scene. The worldwide web can only do so much, but if you can’t play shows in your local scene you can’t go anywhere. So play shows. That’s the best way to build a fan base that goes beyond your friends. Unless you have a ton of friends, of course. And they’re willing to come out to all of your shows. We’ve found posters to be really successful. Pretend like you’re running for mayor and put your poster up everywhere. Even if it’s up for a day, that’s still good exposure.

Collaboration has also been huge for us. By building a network of other bands, artists, sound engineers, etc you have a way better chance of suceeding long term as a band. Go out to other shows, open mics and industry events! Support the local scene and they’ll support you. There are lots of industry people that are relatively new on the scene and looking for experience; if you all work together, you can grow together. For our EP release party we teamed up with a group of young, local artists to put on an art showcase along with the standard rock show. It was a ton of fun and everyone involved gained a lot experience and exposure. Win-win!

MIM: DESCRIBE YOUR SONG WRITING PROCESS. SHOES: Usually, Jereme gets the process started by writing the music and Sabrina creates the vocal melody and lyrics. It’s kind of seamless like that. That’s the beauty of being a two person band.

MIM: CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE RECORDING PROCESS FOR YOUR DEBUT EP? SHOES: This was our first experience in the recording studio. It’s hard. You have to do things over and over again, until they almost lose meaning completely. But it’s still tons of fun. We recorded in a few different spots: a multimillion dollar studio, a construction tool warehouse and our 11x11ft rehearsal space. An opportunity to work with a recording arts student came our way and the project snowballed from there.

We aren’t so fluent with the technical side of the recording process (mics, pre-amps, and editing programs). That was left up to our talented friends: Carson Field and Dan Blackburn.

But for most of the recordings, all that was used was a kick drum, a guitar amp sent through a Boss Overdrive pedal and a mish mash of old shitty guitars that Jereme has collected.

Sabrina’s harmonica is mostly recorded with a Shure Green Bullet that’s overdriven and at times sent through a tremolo. The goal of the recordings was to try and capture our live sound.

MIM: WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD? SABRINA: A Broadway star. I wanted my name in lights!

JEREME: A Volconologist. I wanted to study Volcanoes. A bizarre dream for a little boy but I was hypnotized by magma.

mim: this is The Shoes is a promising debut. Their minimal approach to the blues is a refreshing 21st century take on this guttural music form. Long may they continue. Thanks guys!

MIM: WHAT’S ON THE HORIZON FOR THIS IS THE SHOES? SHOES: We are currently working on three music videos. The first of which should be out in the next few months alongside a new single. Aside from playing shows in the local area and potentially going on tour in the summer, we are writing new music. There is never a dull moment.

21

MIM

SPACE: A TRIP TO THE MOON

SPACE WHAT OH WHAT IS OUT THERE? THIS ISSUE WE CHAT TO PHILIP TINSLEY FROM THE ALUSKAS TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE MOON CONSPIRACIES, LEGENDS AND WHAT HE RECKONS REALLY MIGHT BE ON THE DARK SIDE!

EIRE

A TRIP TO THE MOON The Moon has always held a special place in human history. It is the largest and brightest object in the night sky and it watches over us every night as we sleep and dream. It is no wonder then, that so many cultures throughout the ages have produced poetry and artwork in its honour and written countless mythologies to explain its origins and purpose. Much of the folklore that surrounds the Moon is diverse and often beautiful.

Some of these legends suggest that the moon was once a fertility goddess, that its surface was made of silver and cheese and also that it was the cause of madness and werewolf transformations. The moon itself still influences a lot of popular culture, from songs like Elvis’ “Blue Moon of Kentucky” and albums by Pink Floyd (their seminal Dark Side of the Moon) to films such as 1902 silent classic Le Voyage Dans Le Lune or 2009’s science fiction drama Moon. The Moons’ captivating presence continues to the present day without any signs of waning.

It is not surprising that as soon as technology would allow, we dared to journey to the moon, a voyage made successful on July 20, 1969 by the Apollo 11 mission. This trip was completed by three astronauts: Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, only two of which (Armstrong & Aldrin) actually stood on the moon. Armstrong, the first man to stand on the lunar surface, had the duty of delivering the first words spoken: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”. This was actually a slight error. What he intended to say was “that’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”. This was a huge feat of human achievement but there are those who still believe it was too impossible to have actually happened. But we’ll get to that later. So let’s explore some of the best moon-related facts, conspiracies and legends from around the world...

22

MIM

“She lived there with a jade rabbit that made potions and herbal remedies. She then became known as the goddess of the moon”

EIRE

THE MOON IN MYTHOLOGY We can only imagine what it would have been like to view the night sky before the advent of electricity, as the residual glow of today’s city lights diminish the view of even a clear star filled sky. This view of the sky (which can still be experienced from certain places on earth) is something that must have been even more striking to the ancient civilisations that gazed upon it. They attached meaning to the movements of the celestial bodies and built monuments all over the world that align themselves with the positions of the Stars, Sun and Moon. Here are some of the best examples of these Moon myths and stories.

THE CHINESE GODDESS OF THE MOON In Chinese culture, a woman named Chang’e was immortal and lived in Heaven with her husband Houyi. The Jade Emperor, the ruler of Heaven, had ten sons. His sons transformed into actual suns and started to burn the Earth. The Jade Emperor asked for Houyi’s help as he was an expert archer. Houyi shot nine of the suns but spared one.

The Jade Emperor was displeased with Houyi’s solution and punished him and Chang’e to live as mortals on Earth. Houyi began a quest to find a pill that would grant them immortality again which he eventually found. However, Chang’e took too much of the pill and began floating upwards until she eventually landed on the moon. She lived there with a jade rabbit that made potions and herbal remedies. She then became known as the goddess of the moon.

THE CHIEFTAIN AND HIS WIFE In Native American folklore, some tribes believed that the sun and the moon were a chieftain and his wife. The stars were their children. The tribes believed that the reason there were no stars during the day was because the Sun liked to chase and eat his children, thus making the stars disappear. The Moon however, danced happily and played with the stars at night.

Eclipses occurred when the Moon darkened half or all of her face to mourn her children that the Sun had captured and eaten.

HAESIK AND DAESOON In Korean mythology, in a time when only stars dotted the sky, brother and sister, Haesik and Daesoon lived with their mother, a poor woman who sold rice cakes for a living. One day, when their mother was returning from the village, a tiger approached her and offered to spare her life in exchange for a rice cake. The woman gave him one and went on her way, only to be confronted by the tiger two more times. Each time he asked for another rice cake. When she ran out of rice cakes, the tiger threatened to eat her. She pleaded with him to spare her life, saying that she was the mother of two children. The tiger did not listen to her pleas and he quickly ate her and stole her clothes.

The tiger, now dressed as the mother, made his way back to her house where he tried to fool the children into thinking he was their mother. The children ran and climbed a tree where Daesoon prayed for a rope from heaven so they could escape. A rope appeared which they used to climb up to the heavens where Haesik became the Sun and Daesoon became the Moon, though they eventually switched duties as Daesoon was afraid of the dark.

23

MOON CONSPIRACIES

“the Moon’s surface is littered with glass and crystal structures, some over a mile long.”

It could be argued that conspiracy theories are the modern equivalent of ancient folklore.

Some of these stories are as far-fetched and bizarre as anything the ancients concocted.

The most well-known moon conspiracy theory concerns the Moon Landing, which is said to have been faked entirely and that the video footage was actually recorded in a studio.

But since this theory is so well known, I have excluded it to make way for some lesser known, but equally interesting conspiracies.

GLASS RUINS ON THE MOON In the book Dark Mission: The Secret History of NASA, it is claimed by authors Richard Hogland and Mike Bara that the Moon’s surface is littered with glass and crystal structures, some over a mile long. They say that these structures and ruins have been photographed and documented by Apollo astronauts but that the pictures have been covered up by NASA. The internet is teeming with supposed video evidence and stills of these structures.

HOLLOW MOON THEORY Astronomer Carl Sagan once said that no naturally formed satellite could be hollow.

However, many people believe that the moon is just that. Some versions of this theory claim that not only is the Moon hollow, but it is an artificial satellite brought here by an advanced alien species and placed into orbit around our planet to monitor us.

NAZI MOON BASE Towards the end of WWII, Nazi scientists were busy working on advanced technology, including hi-tech weaponry and possibly space shuttle technology. Some believe that the Nazis may have been the first on the Moon and also that they never left. Hitler is said to have escaped in a rocket to the moon and lived a long life in a Nazi Moon base.

“the Moon moves away from us at a rate of 38mm per year” MOON FACTS Finally, after a few mythological moon stories and strange conspiracy theories, it’s time to come to the facts. What do we actually know about that crater-faced rock in the sky? Here are some interesting facts that will hopefully bring us back down to Earth.

THE MOON FORMED OUT OF THE EARTH There have been many theories of how the Moon actually formed. The most widely held theory at the moment is called Giant Impact Theory. It states that at some stage 4.5 billion years ago a Mars-sized planet crashed into the Earth. The resulting debris began to orbit the Earth and gravity eventually pulled it into its current shape.

WE ONLY EVER SEE ONE SIDE OF THE MOON The Moon takes approximately 25.9 days to complete one rotation which is nearly the exact amount of time it takes to complete one orbit of Earth (approximately 27.3 days).

Because of this, the moon always has the same side facing us. It used to rotate much faster but the pull of Earth’s gravity has gradually slowed its rotation, leading to this coincidence. The side of the moon that faces away from us was first viewed by human eyes during the Apollo 8 mission.

Mim: Wowee, there’s so much we didn’t know about the moon. Next time we look up there we’ll be thinking about that jade bunny! Thanks Philip!

THE MOON IS SLOWLY MOVING AWAY During the Apollo missions, a series of Retro-reflectors were left on the Moon as part of the Lunar Laser Ranging Experiment. The Retro-reflector is used to reflect lasers sent from Earth to the Moon’s surface and back again. By firing a laser at the Retro-reflector and measuring the time it takes for it to be reflected back, scientists can work out the accurate distance from the Earth to the moon. The results of this experiment have shown that the Moon moves away from us at a rate of 38mm per year.

24

MIM

SPACE: A TRIP TO THE MOON

E OM

C

BACK

MOON 25

26

MIM

COMICS COMICS ARE A SPECIAL ART FORM THAT WE WANT TO CELEBRATE. THIS ISSUE WE FEATURE THE WEIRD AND WONDERFUL WORLD OF KRISTYNA BACZYNSKI, THE SLEEP DEPRIVED ADVENTURES OF CAFFEINE MAN AND THE RIGID BERSERKNESS OF MISHI.

27

MIM

COMICS: KRISTYNA BACZYNSKI

KRISTYNA

BACZYNSKI

U.K.

COMICS ARE ONE OF OUR FAVOURITE ART FORMS. WE FELL IN LOVE WITH KRISTYNA BACZYNSKI’S MINI COMICS FROM THE MOMENT WE LAID EYES ON THEM. THEY ARE EDGY, SWEET AND SURREAL. WE CATCH UP WITH KB FROM HER STUDIO SPACE IN LEEDS, UK TO TALK ALL THINGS COMIC!

“Creative growth comes from experience and exposure, both of which I felt immersed in while studying art full-time” MIM: WHEN AND WHY DID YOU START MAKING COMICS? DID YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF FORMAL TRAINING? KB: I started making comics at University, but the process probably started a lot earlier in my life, as I spent much time as a child drawing and making little fold-up books and stories.

MIM: DID YOU FIND THAT ART COLLEGE WAS A NECESSARY PART OF YOUR GROWTH AS A COMICS CREATOR? KB: I found making the choice to dedicate three years of my time to an art course was totally worthwhile. It made my artistic development feel less hobbyist, as I had paid to be there, moved cities to attend and was determined to make the most of it. It gave me the dedicated time to find my processes and hone my skills. Creative growth comes from experience and exposure, both of which I felt immersed in while studying art fulltime. However, you don’t need to study art to be an artist - it gave me a springboard, but my portfolio contains no work from my time at University. The really hard work came after I had graduated. Anyone can start creating, with a degree or without. It’s the ‘doing’ that is essential.

MIM: WHAT INSPIRES THE COMICS YOU MAKE AND THE CHARACTERS WITHIN THEM? KB: Oh, everything inspires me! Nature, plants, birds, animals, space, science, family history and everyday experiences. I started out illustrating and writing in a diaristic way, re-telling stories and capturing odd or memorable moments through drawings. This became more of a starting point the more I wrote. I like to take my own experiences and put them through a mangler, re-write them with different characters and obscure the source material to add a strange depth to the narrative.

Character-wise I just love to draw weird body-shapes, heads, animals, aliens, robots... everything. I often draw pages of faces and creatures in my sketchbooks, just to see how many different ways you can draw the same thing. This leads to new ways of drawing, and amongst the sea of doodled faces there tends to be one that stands out and I pick on them to develop further.

“I’d say my style was somewhere in the region of surreal storybook and fantastical folk.”

28

MIM

MIM: CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE OF ILLUSTRATION AND WHAT TECHNIQUE DO YOU USE?

U.K.

KB: That’s quite a tough question. I like to leave the analysis of style to the audience, as it’s for them to interpret my ideas and visual communication. But, (deep breath) in a broad sweep I’d say my style was somewhere in the region of surreal storybook and fantastical folk. My technique is quite traditional. I draw a lot, over and over in pencil, then ink on a lightbox in pen. I then scan this and colour my work digitally.

MIM: YOU MAKE LOTS OF MINI COMICS; DO YOU THINK THERE’S SOMETHING SPECIAL IN A MINI? KB: Mini-comics are lots of fun to make. They are short, manageable projects for the creator to complete, but also a bite-sized taster to the audience too. It can be super satisfying to have a small, handmade, miniature book stowed away in a coat pocket or satchel. They can be discovered, transported, lost and found and read anywhere in an undemanding way. They are also a great way to self-publish low-cost comics that introduce people to your work without a big monetary ask.

MIM: YOU HAND MAKE ALL YOUR COMICS, DO YOU ALSO ENJOY THIS SIDE OF THE COMIC MAKING PROCESS? KB: Bookmaking is great. I love the object and am a total paper junkie. The moment when you fold around a card cover and put the last staple through all your pages and hold the first physical manifestation of a book you’ve made is amazing.

MIM: YOU ARE OF YORKSHIRE TONGUE AND UKRAINIAN BLOOD, THIS IS AN INTERESTING MIX. DO YOU THINK THIS ADDS A CERTAIN DYNAMIC TO YOUR WORK? KB: Absolutely, my own personal dynamic! But everyone is a sum of disparate parts.

I just happen to be lucky enough to have had amazing Ukrainian grandparents, yet sport a Huddersfield accent. I find it amusing when people are given an impression of what I’ll be like by my non-English name and then get introduced to a Northern accent.

Two worlds collide and I feel that in myself. But everyone has a trail of stories that lead them to where they currently stand. Whether generations of a family stretching back to The Carpathians or a chance love story in a local pub years ago. I find the delicate balance of fateful happenings that.

MIM: WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’D BE DOING IF YOU WEREN’T DESIGNING? KB: I honestly can’t image being alive and conscious without creating something. I like to think if my family history had taken a different turn 50 years ago I might be a farmer in the Ukrainian hills. But, I assure you I’d be embroidering the heck out of my blouse sleeves and decorating my pots.

MIM: FINALLY, WHAT’S ON THE CARDS FOR KRISTYNA BACZYNSKI? KB: Well, this year is a exciting one, as I’ve just traded my full-time design job for freelance. I am making my first full-length graphic novel this year, just need to find a publisher to partner with for wider distribution. I have Comiket in April - my first big London Comic Con. So I’ll be bringing out a new comic for that, for sure. I’m also working again with Thought Bubble and Solipsistic Pop this year which is always amazing. Also look out for some of my Etsy items in Computer Arts next month, excited about that!

Check out my Website, Thought Bubble, Solipsistic Pop, Comiket

mim: this talented girl is certainly going places and we’re going to follow her on her journey!

Thanks Kristyna!

29

CAFFEINE MAN WITH HIS INSOMNIABILITIES, BUCKAROO ON THE BOIL AND UNIQUE FIRE QUASHING TALENTS, CAFFEINE MAN IS THE TALE OF AN EXHAUSTED HERO WHO USES ALL HIS STRENGTH TO PROTECT HIS TOWN. BROUGHT TO YOU BY YORKSHIRE MAN MITCH RAWCLIFFE.

After an unbelievable time of 3.2 seconds in the one hundred meter sprint, Caffeine Man was ejected in disgrace from the Olympic Games. He didn’t care! He decided to put his speed and hyper senses to good use, protecting his town! With a super insomniability, his lifestyle allowed him to be at least nine steps in front of his arch enemies at all times.

His heart, always just ready to explode, surged with alarming palpitations. He jittered from one dynamic and often dangerous episode to another.

Like Popeye and his cans of spinach, Caffeine Man relied heavily on multiple mugs of black Buckaroo (a dark, daring roast coffee grown on the lush slopes of Hawaii). This unique blend was all that separated him from his enemies. If they ever got a sniff of his secret, it would lead to his downfall! He would scoff these wondrous beans down in his secret hideout; a dark converted attic away from the prying eyes of normal civilisation.

Stacked high upon his heaving shelves were Caffeine Man’s Gaggia bean grinder, espresso machine, filters and bottled water, not to mention a lifetime supply of his buckaroo beans. All he needed to maintain a constant level of insomniability.

Caffeine Man’s latest success in helping mankind was achieved at his local fish & chip shop. Because he drank so much coffee, Caffeine Man was always bursting to go to the loo. For once, this curse came in handy.

A small electrical fire had broken out and in his on-going pursuit for good (and his on-going need to urinate), Caffeine Man was able to drown the fire out in his own unique way. Only for his ultra-refined senses which allowed him to detect the small fire in the back of the chipper, there could have been a catastrophe.

Caffeine man, once again pulled in the crowds to an uproar of cheers and jubilation. ‘Go get ‘em Caffeine Man’ they roared. “Thank our lucky stars for Caffeine Man!”

“mim: Was that really a crowd cheering in the end or was it Caffeine Man’s delirium setting in? We’ll never know!”

30

MIM

COMICS: CAFFEINE MAN

U.K.

MIM

MISHI GOES

BERSERK

EIRE U.K.

POOR MISHI, WHAT CAN SHE DO? AT THE SAME TIME EVERY NIGHT, SOMETHING STRANGE OCCURS - A BOUT OF TRUE BERSERKNESS! THE BERSERK WORLD OF MISHI IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY MIM’S OWN, BAUBIE SUNSHINE!

BAUBIESUNSHINE.COM 31

MIM

BOOKS: CRANIUM KID

BOOKS

EIRE

DO YOU LOVE BOOKS AS MUCH AS WE DO? THIS ISSUE WE DISCUSS THE SUPERB NEW PICTURE BOOK, CRANIUM KID (THE BOY OF THE HEAD) BY IRISH COUPLE, DAVID BYRNE & NATALIE MCGLYNN. WE ALSO CATCH UP WITH THE DUO TO TALK INDIE BOOK PUBLISHING, OUTCAST CHARACTERS AND DARK HUMOUR IN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE.

“But some days my toes would itch which was odd for I had not a toe, nor a knee, nor a bod”

CRANIUM KID (THE BOY OF THE HEAD) Cranium Kid (the boy of the head) is one of those perfectly odd stories that is reminiscent of Tim Burton’s Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy. It tells the deliciously dark humoured tale of Cranium Kid, aka Sid, a bodyless boy who struggles with being different. Sid might not be able to experience the sense of touch or the joy of movement but he does have some wonderful gifts, including a very distinguished palate and an extraordinary sense of smell. The book essentially deals with the deformity of it’s main character through his own eyes.

The illustrations are filled with gorgeous vibrant yellow and brown hues which give it a very vintage feel. They are a sweet mix of photo-collage and vector graphics. The story, written in rhyme, is at times comical, thought-provoking and poignant. It will tug at the heart strings but at the same time make you chuckle. It is a tale about not fitting in, a parents’ unconditional love and a lovable outcast hero.

“I’d eat avocados and listen to Bach, but that sense they call touch is what I did lack” 32

MIM

MIM: WHEN AND WHERE DID YOU WRITE THIS BOOK? N&D: We wrote the story while travelling around Australia. We were sitting in our car one day, hiding from the sun and it just poured out of us!

MIM: WHAT MADE YOU WRITE ABOUT A BODYLESS BOY?

EIRE

N&D: The idea of a little bodyless head was with Natalie for a long time and we both like to come up with characters that have strange features and unusual qualities. If you want to go a bit deeper than that - we wanted to celebrate people’s differences and show children that not everyone is the same in the world, we all have things that make us unique, Sid’s differences are just very noticeable!

MIM: IT COVERS THE TOPIC OF DEFORMITY; DO YOU THINK IT IS SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN? N&D: There has been a lot of TV documentaries made lately that have been trying to bring light to deformity and we think this is great! It is a part of life and it does unfortunately affect Children too. It’s about time that we stop shying away from it. Anyone who has ever felt different or abnormal for any reason will relate to the Cranium Kid and Children will certainly love him too!

MIM: DID YOU COLLABORATE EQUALLY OR WHO DID WHAT? N&D: We wrote the story 50/50, (it wouldn’t have been the same without either of us) and Natalie illustrated the story by herself.

“My father would pull the head from my dolly, he’d lay it beside me to make me feel jolly” MIM: WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO WRITE IN RHYME? N&D: For us, rhyming / poetry allows us to talk about dark topics in a light and humorous way. It also adds a charm and sweetness that may not have come across through normal writing. Besides we’re major Dr. Seuss enthusiasts!

MIM: NATALIE, CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE OF ILLUSTRATION? NAT: My illustrations are mostly photo-collages. I discovered Photoshop when I was 19 and I haven’t been able to part with it since. My pictures are made up of loads of photographs which are cut up and worked on and then joined together to make a scene or character. I also dabble in vector graphics and I’ve included a vector page in the book when Sid is dreaming about having a body.

MIM: DAVID, YOU’RE ALSO A SONGWRITER! DO YOU THINK THAT MAKES IT EASIER FOR YOU TO SWITCH TO WRITING STORIES? DAVE: Yes it does make it easier for me. I’d never written any books before but I did write some short stories as a kid. Songwriting is actually just the skill of putting poetry to music so this made it quite straightforward for me when trying to write a rhyming story. Plus, co-witing this book was a great avenue for self expression. It’s not my usual thing but it’s turned into something I now love to do.

MIM: YOU HAVE PRINTED AND PUBLISHED CRANIUM KID INDEPENDENTLY, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS? N&D: We did try to go down the publishing deal route at the start but it wasn’t happening fast enough and we really wanted to get the book out there. We were also concerned that publishers might want to change the story and we didn’t want that at all! It is, obviously, tougher to do it on your own but it is made easier with the help of social media and eBooks.

mim: Well there you have it, this is a must have for your bookshelf, a little piece of art. We love you Cranium Kid!

MIM: FINALLY, WHERE CAN WE BUY IT AND (FINGERS CROSSED) ARE THER ANY MORE BOOKS IN THE PIPELINE? N&D: Oh yes, we have written 4 stories in total and Natalie is illustrating the second one as we speak. We’d really love to have that one out in 2013. There are hints about who the next character is in Cranium Kid so look closely to find her! You can get your hardback copy HERE!

33

FREE DOWNLOAD OUT NOW 34

MIM

FASHION

EIRE

OH WE DO LOVE A GOOD FROCK! FASHION IS SO IMPORTANT TO US HERE AT MIM! THIS ISSUE, WE CHAT TO THE MARVELOUS EMMA KATE MANLEY ABOUT HER NEW COLLECTION, DESIGN INSPIRATIONS, ROLLER COASTER JOURNEYS AND URBAN STREET WEAR!

35

MIM

FASHION: MANLEY

MANLEY

EIRE

THIS ISSUE, WE CHAT TO THE MARVELOUS EMMA KATE MANLEY ABOUT HER NEW COLLECTION, DESIGN INSPIRATIONS, ROLLER COASTER JOURNEYS AND URBAN STREET WEAR!

“Feminine frivolity and urban streetwear juxtapose to make garments both hard and soft, powerful and preciously delicate at once”

MIM: WHO OR WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO DESIGN? EMMA: My daydreams - a little world of inspiration that I frolic in. Everything goes into this world, it’s the little things I see, I hear, I think, I feel – music, art, street style, fairy tales, books, images - they all contribute to my inspiration.

MIM: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE MANLEY? EMMA: Manley is a play on words, and anything but an androgynous aesthetic. Feminine frivolity and urban street-wear juxtapose to make garments both hard and soft, powerful and preciously delicate at once. The Manley line includes contemporary separates and alternative evening wear.

MIM: TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY. EMMA: It’s a pretty long one, you sure you want to hear it all? I’ll make it short and snappy! Foundation year in Colaiste Ide in Fashion & Textile design. Refusals left, right and centre from art collage’s all over the U.K and Ireland. The Grafton Academy for two years. New York to intern for VPL. London to Intern for Alexander McQueen. Terribly lost for a year managing a bar and restaurant in London while trying to set up Manley. Moved home sweet home and so the real start of Manley began!

“I adore working with wools, chiffon and leather. Each fabric in it’s own right is beautiful”

MIM: CAN YOU DISCUSS YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS? WHERE DO YOU START WHEN YOU WANT TO DESIGN SOMETHING NEW? EMMA: The beginning of a new collection is always the most exciting part. I would have been chained to the previous collection for six months so I’m always dying to move onto the next. I always start with the feel of the collection and that’s always akin to how I’m feeling as a person. I’m hugely influenced by music and constantly surround myself with music that mirrors my attitude at that time. Whatever the emotion, weather it’s love, sadness, excitement, that emotion will be the starting point, and around that the story is built.

36

MIM

MIM: WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE MATERIALS TO WORK WITH? EMMA: I adore working with wools, chiffon and leather. Each fabric in it’s own right is beautiful. Leather makes something powerful and confident. Chiffon gives a whimsical air and makes a garment so delicate. Wool makes a garment functional and luxurious.

What I love is mixing them together and challenging them to work together when really they shouldn’t.

EIRE

MIM: DESCRIBE YOUR FAVOURITE PIECE FROM YOUR COLLECTION. EMMA: The Hail Studded Dress is the ‘tah dah’ piece of this season for me. Manley isn’t associated with evening wear, it’s more of a day to day cool label, so when I decided to delve into the world of evening wear, I wasn’t sure how it was going to pan out. Luckily for me, I reckon quite well! The main body of the dress is leather that is heavily seamed and sculpted to the body. Various seams are studded to outline and enhance the waist.

From the bottom of the leather flows a layer of chiffon. It’s a cheeky dress because even though it’s covered up, there’s a hell of a lot of leg there too. You’ve got to be bold and brave to wear it!

“hopefully at the end of it I can take a breath, look back on the year and be very proud”

N&D: We wrote the story 50/50, (it wouldn’t have been the same without either of us) and Natalie illustrated the story by herself.

MIM: WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’D BE DOING IF YOU WEREN’T DESIGNING? EMMA: A chef. I’m a total foodie and love everything got to do with it.

MIM: WHAT’S ON THE HORIZON FOR YOU? EMMA: So many exciting things! Right now is a really exciting time, Manley is growing and lots of opportunities are coming about. It’s about picking the right one’s for Manley and making the most of them. Watch this space, 2012 will be a busy one and hopefully at the end of it I can take a breath, look back on the year and be very proud.

MIM: WHERE CAN WE GET OUR MITTS ON YOUR PIECES? EMMA: You can buy my collection at: Bow, The Powerscourt Townhouse, Dublin 2 Wolf & Badger, Notting Hill, London Brown Thomas, Grafton Street, Dublin N&D: We wrote the story 50/50, (it wouldn’t have been the same without either of us) and Natalie illustrated the story by herself.

mim: we love a good success story, especially when something this good comes out of it! Thanks Emma!

37

YOU CAN NOW HELP MIM TO STAY AFLOAT BY DONATING! WE LOVE DONUTS, I MEAN DONATIONS!

ONLY 2% OF ALL DONATIONS WILL BE SPENT ON DONUTS, WE PROMISE! MAKEITMAG.COM/SHOP 38

MIM

FILM WE LOVE A GOOD FILM HERE AT MIM. THIS ISSUE WE FEATURE THE MAKING OF AN IRISH INVESTIGATOR, AN INDIAN SNOWSTORM AND A STUNNING SOLAR ROMANCE FROM OSLO...

FRANCK & JOSEPH CHAT FROM OSLO ABOUT THEIR NEW ANIMATION, KISS.

WE CHAT TO FREEZING FRIENDS ALODIYA AND MOHIT.

39

WE CATCH UP WITH BARRY O’NEILL TO DISCUSS DICK DICKMAN P.I.

MIM

FILM: KISS

KISS

NORWAY

WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING WHEN THE MOON ECLIPSES THE SUN? COULD THEY BE KISSING? WE STUMBLED UPON THIS BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF ANIMATION WHICH DEPICTS JUST THAT. WE CATCH UP WITH MAKERS, FRANCK AUBRY AND JOSEPH HODGSON IN OSLO TO CHAT DESIGN, INSPIRATIONS AND NATURE IN NORWAY...

“Our narrative is played out as a solar eclipse, a love story between the sun and the moon ”

MIM: WHO MADE THE FILM ‘KISS’ AND WHAT IS IT ABOUT? FILM: Kiss DIRECTOR: Franck Aubry and Joseph Hodgson DURATION: 3.12 Minutes DESIGNED WITH: Adobe After Effects / Photoshop / Illustrator EDITED ON: Final Cut Proave been the same without either of us) and Natalie illustrated the story by herself.

F&J: Kiss was co-directed by Franck Aubry and Joseph Hodgson, two moving image designers / directors who work at Racecar, a broadcast design studio based in Oslo, Norway. Our film explores the consequence and innocence of a kiss. Our narrative is played out as a solar eclipse, a love story between the sun and the moon.

MIM: WHERE DID THE IDEA COME FROM? IS THIS THE FIRST SHORT FILM YOU’VE MADE? F&J: The initial idea was to create a piece of abstract animation to illustrate what happens when two people kiss. Our interpretation was going to be quite literal, but visually abstract. During development of the project we decided that we wanted to create more of a narrative based project, something people could relate to. So we ended up abstracting the way in which we told our story. Although we both work with film and animation on a daily basis, Kiss is the first self-initiated fully independent short film that we’ve made.

MIM: WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND? J: I’m a designer / director who has been working in the moving image industry for almost a decade. I’m originally English, but live and work in Oslo, Norway. Passionate about design and love working in this industry, I try to always keep learning and to never repeat myself.

F: And I’m a French / Norwegian, raised equally in the big city and the countryside. I’m a musician and I’m trained in the art of traditional animation, but have been working mainly with motion graphics and occasional VJ’ing since finishing my degree.

N&D: We wrote the story 50/50, (it wouldn’t have been the same without either of us) and Natalie illustrated the story by herself.

40

MIM

“Nothing is better than that period of time after that initial spark of inspiration and before finishing a project”

NORWAY

MIM: YOU SEEM TO HAVE A REALLY GOOD EYE FOR FILMMAKING / ANIMATION. CAN YOU TELL US WHO OR WHAT INSPIRES YOU? F&J: Tough question, as we have a multitude of influences that are constantly changing.

Music always inspires us, and we often look to illustration as a source of inspiration.

Beyond that, I think one of our biggest influences is nature. Norway has beautiful scenery and very distinctive seasonal changes, so the world around us is a constant inspiration.

MIM: THIS SHORT IS SO STUNNING, CAN YOU DESCRIBE HOW YOU MADE IT? F&J: Thank you! Well, we started with the idea of a kiss, and early on we knew that we wanted the sun and the moon to tell our story. We sketched a rough storyboard and followed this up by making an accurate and visually very simple animatic to help us plan the compositions and general timing of the film.

Visually we wanted the film to be dark, detailed and illustrative. We decided to work in 3D (using Cinema 4D) but did everything we could to make the film look as 2D or flat as possible. We wanted to utilise the freedom and depth that you get from working with 3D, but avoid that typical look you so easily get from many 3D programs. We used the Adobe package (After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator) to create artwork and composite scenes and edited in Final Cut Pro. We worked on Mac Pro’s and rendered on every machine we could get our hands on!

MIM: WHAT DID IT COST TO MAKE THIS FILM? F&J: Time and determination. We had a zero budget for the film, although it was made within working hours whilst at work. It’s also impossible to underestimate the value of a project like this!

MIM: HOW MANY PEOPLE HELPED MAKE THIS FILM AND HOW LONG DID IT TAKE IN TOTAL? F&J: For the majority of the project it was just the two of us working intensively on the film. We also presented our progress to our colleagues at Racecar throughout the production. Later on we approached a friend of ours, Sven Erik Nordset to do the initial sound design and finally Bendik to ask them for permission to use their song ‘stille.’

Bendik ended up working on the final sound design and mix.

We had a production time of about three weeks in total. After two intensive weeks we needed to take a break and get some distance from the project in order to solve a few key scenes in the film. It ended up being almost two months before we finally came back and completed the project.

MIM: WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT THE FILM MAKING /ANIMATION PROCESS? F&J: I think it’s exactly that: ‘the process’. Nothing is better than that period of time after that initial spark of inspiration and before finishing a project. It’s always a journey, and you never quite know how things will end up. The most important thing to us is to learn something along the way, and of course to have fun.

MIM: FINALLY, WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD? J: First an astronaut (of course) and later an Architect.

F: Really Joe? Haha! I wanted to be a ninja and then later on I wanted to build robots.

mim: This film is like art in motion. We love it!

Thanks Franck & Joseph, the talent is simply pouring out of you two!

41

LONELY CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS CAN BE A LONELY & FREEZING TIME! WE CATCH UP WITH FRIENDS ALODIYA GAGAN AND MOHIT SRIVASTAVA IN INDIA WHO SHARE THE MAKING OF THEIR BEAUTIFUL AND MINISCULE PILOT EPISODE FOR THEIR UPCOMING SERIES.

“When we had the idea to create a series we wanted to explore unconventional ways of storytelling ” 42

MIM

FILM: LONELY CHRISTMAS

INDIA

“All the short films that we have made till now have been completely shot with just a DSLR camera and tripod.”

MIM

FILM: Lonely Christmas DURATION: 35 Seconds CAMERA: DSLR EDITED ON: Adobe premiere or After Effects STARRING: Alodiya Gagan & Mohit Srivastava

MIM: CAN YOU TELL US ANY INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE MAKING OF THIS FILM?

MIM: YOU SAY THIS IS THE PILOT EPISODE TO A SERIES, SOUNDS INTERESTING. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT WE CAN EXPECT IN THE NEXT EPISODE? WILL THEY ALL BE JUST UNDER A MINUTE LONG?

ALODIYA: The dog was not real either and initially the title of the film was “How to help a friend in winters”.

ALODIYA: For the pilot episode, we wanted to keep it really short and establish the character’s surroundings and loneliness. We can say that in the second episode, they are not lonely anymore!

MOHIT: This was the first time that we took about 20 takes for one single shot and ended up choosing the first take.

MOHIT: Yes but it wont be easy for the lonely characters to adjust to that...

ALODIYA: And those 20 shots were taken over a period of 2 months.

ALODIYA: Being lonely was easy.

MIM: FINALLY, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?

MOHIT: Totally! And the events that lie ahead in the future for these guys deserve more than just 60 seconds.

ALODIYA: We just plan on successfully completing this series first. Then probably jump to another style, platform or medium of storytelling.

View our video here!

ALODIYA: And sometimes less. We do not want to follow a pattern for our kind of storytelling.

MIM: WHERE DID THE IDEA COME FROM? IS THIS THE FIRST SHORT FILM YOU’VE MADE?

mim: Isn’t it incredible what you can create using 2 boys, a fake dog and some special effects. We can’t wait for episode 2! Thanks Mohit & Alodiya.

ALODIYA: When we had the idea to create a series, we wanted to explore unconventional ways of storytelling. We have always had this weird sense of humour that gets expressed through our conduct and not just words. We tend to get inspired from our own actions when we face a situation in our daily lives. Let’s just say this series is an outcome of those inspirations.

MOHIT: Together we, as well as independently, have made a couple of short films before.

But this is the first time we are making a series.

MIM: DID YOU FILM IT IN HEAVY SNOW OR WAS THIS AN EFFECT? WE WERE NOT AWARE THAT THERE WAS SNOW IN INDIA! ALODIYA: We really wanted to shoot this in an actual blizzard but unfortunately there was no such weather condition available to us.

MOHIT: But what we did have was After Effects.

ALODIYA: So we decided to take the route of VFX. MOHIT: Oh, and there’s a lot of snow in north India during the winter.

ALODIYA: (Slapping his own forehead!) Sigh!

MIM: CAN YOU TELL US WHO OR WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO MAKE FILMS? MOHIT: LOST! ALODIYA: LOST! - The television Series MIM: WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU USE TO SHOOT YOUR FILMS AND HOW DO YOU EDIT THEM? ALODIYA: All the short films that we have made till now have been completely shot with just a DSLR camera and tripod. We mainly prefer editing the shots in Adobe premiere or After Effects.

MIM: WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT THE FILM MAKING PROCESS? MOHIT: Audience’s reactions ALODIYA: That and the ideation process.

43

INDIA

MIM

FILM: BARRY O’NEILL

BARRY O’NEILL

EIRE

IT SEEMS TO BE BOTH AN ENJOYABLE AND SOMETIMES FRUSTRATING EXPERIENCE DIRECTING A FILM, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE TRYING TO MAKE IT INDEPENDENTLY. WE CATCH UP WITH BARRY O’NEILL TO DISCUSS COMEDY, FILM MAKING AND WRITING SCREEN PLAYS.

“I saw it like a job and I thought after three months I’m going to have a story finished and that’s what I did.”

MIM: YOUR BACKGROUND IS IN COMEDY AND STAND-UP, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS? FILM: Dick Dickman P.I. DURATION: 93 Minutes CAMERA: Sony 750 HD EDITED ON: Final Cut Pro STARRING: Patrick Bergin, Brendan O’Carroll, Frank Carson, Jon Kenny, June Rogers, Joe Rooney, Alan Short, Doreen Keogh And Barry O’Neill.

BARRY: About twenty years ago I was doing stand up comedy and impressions and also working on a pirate radio breakfast show. I was always into writing comedy sketches and about ten years ago I got my first breakthrough, a show on TV. It was a Christmas special called ‘The real O’Neill’. That led to another comedy show, a number of shorts and was supposed to turn into a series. They’d paid me for a year to write the series with a number of writers. In the end they didn’t like it and they never ran with it. So I went back to stand-up.

MIM: SO WHERE DID THE IDEA FOR YOUR FILM COME FROM? BARRY: I had the idea going around in my head about a detective but I couldn’t find the right angle. One day I was reading the newspaper and it just came to me. So I decided to take three months off, sit in a room every day and sketch down ideas. I saw it like a job and I thought after three months I’m going to have a story finished, and that’s what I did.

MIM: WHERE DID YOU LEARN HOW TO WRITE A SCREENPLAY?

“If you want to do it you’ve just gotta go for it.”

BARRY: I was completely self-taught, I bought lots of books on how to write screenplays and I bought the programme that they use, Final Draft. But I couldn’t type, so I got Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing and taught myself to type over Christmas.

44

BARRY: At the moment it’s a movie and meant for the cinema and hopefully still is but it could be made into a TV series afterwards, we’re not sure yet.

MIM: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR FILM, DICK DICKMAN P.I. BARRY: It’s about a delivery man who’s a bit of a loser. He sees an advert in the paper one day for a course which says ‘become a private detective and earn one thousand euros a week’. He thinks it sounds like a good idea so he decides to give it a shot. He receives a DVD and a book in the post. It’s Frank Carson’s voice who brings him through all of the steps on how to become a private detective. Each step on the DVD fits in with each piece of the case that he starts working on… he’s very lucky.

MIM: HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT GETTING FINANCE FOR IT? BARRY: I tried the Irish Film Board, couldn’t get any money, tried the county council because we were going to shoot it in Wexford, told them it could be really good for tourism, etc. They wouldn’t give me any money. I ended up putting my own money into it and selling shares of the film to bring in funds.

MIM: SO IT’S EDITED AND READY TO GO. WHAT’S THE NEXT STEP? BARRY: Now it’s a case of raising more money. Some of the Music rights have to be paid for the tracks we chose. Otherwise we will have to change the music. We’re going for a cinema release in Ireland, hopefully for September and then a DVD release for Christmas. Then go for cinema release in the UK. MIM: HAVE YOU ANY ADVICE TO GIVE TO WOULD-BE FILM MAKERS KNOWING WHAT YOU KNOW NOW? BARRY: I would say try to raise enough money in the beginning and keep enough for the end stages to actually distribute the film. You could make a film without using big names.

If you want to do it, you’ve just gotta go for it.

MIM: WOULD YOU DO IT AGAIN? BARRY: Oh yea, I’m planning a new one already. I’ll put the money I make from this into another movie.

MIM: FINALLY, WHAT DID YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT THE FILM MAKING PROCESS? BARRY: Well, I enjoyed the directing and going from location to location and working with the helicopter. Looking at the scenes we shot and thinking, yea that works, that was great. I think I enjoyed seeing it all come together and of course I enjoyed the acting. I play the main part in the movie, Dick Dickman P.I. himself.

mim: Well there you have it, he wrote the story, scripted it and transformed it into a full length feature film. We can’t wait to see it. Best of luck Barry!

45

MIM

MIM: SO THIS IS A FULL LENGTH FEATURE, 93 MINUTES. THAT’S NO SMALL FEAT. IS IT FOR TV OR CINEMA?

EIRE

ething ““There’s som bout powerful a y alL taking awa f. What’s of the fluf song”” left is the

THIS IS

THE SHOES EP OUT NOW!

46

WE LOVE THE ART OF HANDMADE HERE AT MIM. WE HAVE PICKED OUR FAVOURITE FOR GROWN UPS AND MUNCHKINS. THERE’S SO MANY SUPER UNIQUE AND LOVABLE THINGS OUT THERE, MADE WITH SO MUCH LOVE! ♥

47

MIM

HANDMADE

MIM

HANDMADE

HANDMADE

GERMANY

GERMANY

EIRE

Panda Bear Wrestling Club Men’s Tee Screen Printed by Doppler €19.50 / $25

Ties made from reclaimed wood by Wood Thumb Who would have thunk it! €27.50 / $36

The Superhero Cat - Set of 4 Super Cards

by Late Night Drawing €8 / $10

ENGLAND

SWEDEN

WALES

Natural and sublimely aromatic soaps

by The Handmade Soap Co. €4.50 / $6

U.S.

GERMANY

Minimachine Cozyo MT 40 by Soft Machines A pillow for serious chilling! €24.50 / $32

EIRE

FROM HOUSEHOLD FURNISHINGS TO BURLESQUE BLOOMERS, THESE ARE OUR PICK OF FAVE HANDMADE ITEMS FOR GROWN UPS. EACH ITEM IN CLICKABLE, BUYABLE AND OWNABLE!

Mujuworld Coin Purse by Muju A perfect world for coins! €6.50 / $8

48

Wren Brooch by Katiwo Decorate your sweater! €12 / $16

Norma’s Garden Dog Tag by Baubie Sunshine These are kitsch-tastic! €10.50 / $14

Polka Dot Mini Bloomers by My Delilah. For burlesque bottoms! €29 / $38

MIM

MUNCHKINS

Kapow Shirt & Cape by Trusty Sidekick Super Kids! Shirt €20 / $26 Cape €19 / $25

PORTUGAL

Paloma’s Pantyhose

by Alberto’s Family They’re Pantyhose for doves! €8 / $11

Felt Fox Tail & Mask by BHB Kidstyle Super for carnival dress up! €23 / $30 49

EIRE GERMANY

Trophy Dear Head by Planet Fur It’s Felted Taxidermy! €19 / $25

GERMANY

Cranium Kid (the boy of the head) Book

by Zebra In A Top Hat Press €11 / $14

NETHERLANDS

Shrink Plastic Brooches by Minifanfan Each one is unique and super cute! €9 / $12

U.S.

EIRE

MALAYSIA

THE VERY BEST OF HANDMADE AND INDIE FOR CHILDREN FROM AROUND THE GLOBE

Stripy Jumper by Si & Lu. Get them in turquoise & mustard too! €28 / $37

Little Wooden Horse by Georgia Georgia Beautifully hand crafted animals! €10 / $13

WWW .B AU B I E SU NSHI NE.C O M

50

MIM

EDIBLES SCRUM-DIDDLEY-UMPTIOUS RECIPIES STRAIGHT FROM NANNY’S KITCHEN! THIS ISSUE NANNY GETS NUTTY WITH BANANA BREAD, TALKS TO US ABOUT THE NUTRITION IN RAISINS AND DIVULGES HOW TO MAKE HER SIGNATURE ALMOND & OAT OLAFS.

51

MIM

EDIBLES: BAKING WITH NANNY

BAKING WITH

NANNY

EIRE

“My banana bread is a real winner. People walk miles for my banana bread but a chimp could make it!”

NANNY’S FIVE NUT BANANA BREAD CAKE INGREDIENTS: 3 LARGE VERY RIPE MASHED BANANAS (450g / 15.5oz) 2 LARGE FREE RANGE EGGS BEATEN SELF RAISING FLOUR (230g / 8.5oz) CASTER SUGAR (100g / 3.5oz) UNSALTED BUTTER MELTED (100g / 3.5oz) CINNAMON (1 Teaspoon) VANILLA EXTRACT (1/4 Teaspoon) MIXED NUTS (100g / 3.5oz) HAZEL, CASHEW, WALNUT, BRAZIL, ALMOND RAISINS (15g / 0.5oz)

“This bread is not bread at all, it is cake.”

METHOD: Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180°C / 355°F and grease a rectangular bread tin.

Step 2: Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl (flour, sugar, cinnamon, nuts, raisins).

Step 3: Mix all the wet ingredients together in a bowl (banana, butter, eggs, vanilla).

Step 4: Lightly fold wet into dry mixture with a wooden spoon or spatula. Mix until combined but do not over mix or it will lead to rubbery bread!

Step 5: Pour mixture into tin and bake for 55-60 minutes.

!

M U Y M YU

Step 6: Leave to cool and then enjoy with a nice cuppa cha (tea).

52

RAISINS A raisin is a dried red grape. A sultana is a dried white grape. Raisins are my favourite but sultanas are also nice.

Raisins are packed full of anti-oxidents, contain fibre and have absolutely no cholesterol. So they are a good little snack and are even better in baking. I also like raisins in my porridge! Raisins come coated in chocolate and yogurt and are also added to curries. They come in a wide variety of colours including yellow, black, blue, green and purple.

MIM

for you d o o g m I' g! your do but not

NANNY SUMS UP RAISINS

EIRE

OTHER THINGS CALLED RAISIN The Raisin River, in Ontario, Canada was named ‘Raisin’ by the French settlers because grapes grew along its shores.

Agatha Raisin is a fictional, middle aged detective who appears in over twenty mystery novels by Marrion Chesney.

Raisin Hope is a television comedy starring Martha Plimpton.

Raisins is a designer swimwear line by Pat Lingo.

AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT RAISINS Raisins cause renal failure in dogs. Don’t give raisins to dogs.

“These are crunchy and buttery and homely and delicious” ALMOND & OAT OLAFS INGREDIENTS: OATS (200g / 7oz) FLAKED ALMONDS (110g / 4oz) RAISINS (110g / 4oz) 1 LARGE FREE RANGE EGG BEATEN SELF RAISING FLOUR (105g / 4oz) BROWN SUGAR (150g / 5.5oz) UNSALTED BUTTER WARMED (150g / 5.5oz) CINNAMON (1/2 Teaspoon) VANILLA EXTRACT (1 Teaspoon)

“ Olaf loves my oats!”

METHOD: Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180°C / 355°F and line 2 rectangular trays with grease proof paper.

Step 2: Beat butter and sugar together until fluffy. Mix in eggs and vanilla.

Step 3: In another bowl mix flour and cinnamon.

Step 4: Add wet mix to dry and then add oats, almonds and raisins and mix until sticky.

Step 5: Mould cookies into rounded shapes, make them 1/2 inch thick and place on trays.

Step 6: Bake in oven for 12-15 minutes until golden and middle is still wet.

Step 7: Leave to cool and then enjoy with a nice cuppa cha.

mim: Yum Yum, we’ve tried these and they are sooo good! Thank you Nanny!

53

WE HAVE A NEW POOCH ON THE JOB, A CANINE AGONY AUNT WHO HAS ALL THE ANSWERS FOR EVERYTHING. JUST TAKE HER ADVICE LIGHTLY OR ELSE YOU COULD END UP IN A WORLD OF PAIN.

MAG

SEND YOUR WOES TO COMET AT

MAKEITMAG@GMAIL.COM 54

ISSUE 1: MARCH / APRIL 2012

BRINGING YOU THE VERY BEST OF INDIE FROM AROUND THE GLOBE! 1

ISSUE 1: MARCH / APRIL 2012

Editor: Maggie Stills Illustration / Layout / Design: Baubie Sunshine Contributors (Issue 1): Jack Valentine (Music), Philip Tinsley (Space), Nanny (Edibles) Published by Zebra In A Top Hat Press Cat No: MIM001 Text and Illustrations Copyright owned by MIM / Zebra In A Top Hat Press ℗ & © &☺2012.

All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission from the Editor / Illustrator / Publisher. www.makeitmag.com www.zebrainatophatpress.com

55

MAG

56