1. art and entertainment
2. music

Fitz and the Tantrums
THE ONE AM RADIO
The Sheepdogs
The Static Jacks
and more
In RAGGED 14, we teased our
What’s Next feature. Turn to
page 40 for the big reveal...
CONTENTS
Publishers
Alan Miller & Alan Sartirana
Editor-IN-CHieF
Breanna Murphy
c × Style,
mag. Musi
e
th
e
v
lo
you
you
also know
e
We know
w
t
u
B
?
to love
flipping
what’s not
ou’re done
y
n
e
h
w
o
. S
on your
eck us out
want more
h
c
,
e
su
is
latest
on to:
through the
ter. Just log
u
p
m
o
c
r
o
phone
m
o
c
.
g
a
m
d
e
g
g
ra
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
style editor
Heather Cvar
EDITOR-AT-LARGE
Pat McGuire
layout designer
WRITERS
Editorial: Clare R. Lopez, Krystle Uy
Design: Kristin Hinkley, Leila Tredemeyer
THE NAKED
AND FAMOUS
Fitz and the Tantrums
Photographer: Piper Ferguson
Photo Assistants: Ashley Andrea
Beliveau, Grace Havlak, Ryan McAlary
& David Uzzardi
Stylists: Laurel Valencia, Erica Clum
Hair: Memosa Meadow
Makeup: Heather Cvar
Girl Talk
Photographer: Jordan Beckham
Photo Assistant/Stylist: Steve Tchirkow
The One AM Radio
Photographer: Chrissy Piper
Stylist: Heather Cvar
The Sheepdogs
Photographer: Vanessa Heins
The Static Jacks
Photographer: Brantley Gutierrez
Hair & Makeup: Jenni Shaw
The Beat
Photographers: Stephanie Fernandez,
Karen Labuca & John Sequiera
Correction: In issue 14, we credited “Gina Cline” as the photographer of the
“Play It Again” section. We apologize to Ms. Clyne, for the typo in her name.
Ragged is published by Filter Magazine LLC, 5908 Barton Ave., Los Angeles CA 90038.
Vol. 1, No. 15, 2011. Ragged is not responsible for anything, including the return or loss
of submissions, or for any damage or other injury to unsolicited manuscripts or artwork.
Any submission of a manuscript or artwork should include a self-addressed envelope or
package of appropriate size, bearing adequate return postage.
©2011 Filter Magazine, LLC. all rights reserved
Ragged is printed in the usa
p ro d u c e d w i t h s u p p o rt f ro m
raggedmag.com
Heard
06. Race for the Prize: THE SHEEPDOGS Lead the Pack
06.
12. Heartbreak and Heartbeats:
Lessons in Soul with FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS
Fashion 4-Ward
Bella Blue
Photographer: Marcia Schaubert
Ally Burguieres
Photographer: Alexis Wyatt
Brandi-Lea Harris
Photographer: Matthew Hance
Juley Thuy Le
Photographer: Kytana Le
Play It Again
Musa Alves
Photographer: Brice Nice
Micah McKee & Brian T. Simonson
Photographer: Joshua Brasted
Kristen Zoller
Photographer: Aubrey Edwards
02. The Beat » MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE and BLINK-182
Fans Bring Out Their Boots
10. Fashion 4-Ward » 4 Female NOLA Natives Sync Up
Their Style
interns
Dev and The Cataracs
Cover photograph: Josh Jordan
Stylist: Misha Rudolph
Interior photographs: Joseph Llanes
Photo Assistant: Cory Nickols
Stylist: Heather Cvar
Digital Tech: Jenny Llanes
Scene
04. Horoscope » Your Fashion Future Foretold
Melissa Simonian
Michelangelo Arevalo, Jessica Jardine, Taleen Kalenderian,
Marissa R. Moss, Loren Poin, Laura Studarus
&
contespts
swee stakes
HELLOGOODBYE
40.
Johnny Wombus
30. Rocking Into the Future:
The Savage Pop of THE STATIC JACKS
36. Play It Again » NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
4 Citizens of The Big Easy Drop Their Favorite Big Beats
18.
At Home
18. THE ONE AM RADIO: An L.A. Story
Covers
24. Up All Night with GIRL TALK:
The Masterful Mixing of Gregg Gillis
40. The Golden Rule of DEV and THE CATARACS
Front Cover: Dev and The Cataracs by Josh Jordan
Back Cover: Girl Talk by Jordan Beckham
SCENE: THE BEAT
Your street style caught at the scene.
MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE
AND BLINK-182
FANS BRING OUT THEIR BOOTS
When leaves begin to change and fall to the sidewalks and the wind kicks up, Mother
Nature is giving everyone the high sign: It’s time to pull on some boots! Whether they
are sleek ankle boots, slouchy knee-highs or classic cowboys, stomping around town in a
pair of boots is always one of our favorite welcomes to a shift of the seasons.
We caught up with the Honda Civic Tour—featuring Voodoo artists My Chemical
Romance and Blink-182—at stops in Miami and Houston to check out everyone’s latesummer fashion.You ready, boots? Start rockin’.
BOYFRIEND
MILITARY
JACKET
SIMPLE
& CHIC
BAND
PRIDE
MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE
ANKLE
OXFORD
BOOTS!
BLINK-182
Houston, Texas
September 26, 2011
Cruzan
Ampitheater
FPO
Miami, Florida
September 23, 2011
HORRIFYINGLY
HAUTE COUTURE
Stephanie Fernandez
Cynthia Woods
Mitchell Pavilion
FITTED
FLANNEL
SHIRTDRESS
KAREN LABUCA
and
BAND PHOTOS BY John Sequeira
John Sequeira
BAND
PRIDE
SCENE: HOROSCOPE
Your fashion future foretold, no crystal ball necessary.
by Michelangelo Arevalo
SCORPIO
OCTOBER 23–NOVEMBER 21
Scorpio, lately school or work has been sending you on a roller coaster ride, but you’ve held on tight and endured
the twists and turns. In November, things are starting to look up. It’s your birthday month, putting you in the
spotlight of the Zodiac.Your energy level is high, and you have the stamina to tackle any problem that comes your
way. People are going to be crushing on you from afar, too, and romance is the highlight of the month. Friends
will want to celebrate with you during your special day; just be sure you get some deserved rest and relaxation
around the 14th through the 18th.
CAPRICORN
DECEMBER 22–JANUARY 19
Sometimes it’s OK to put your obligations on
“pause.” For the holidays, let your vacation time
away from work and school set in and really take
it easy. Leave your phone behind and take a break
from updating your Facebook status every other
moment while spending quality time with family
and hanging out with friends. That sense of peace
will pay off; December is an overall positive month
for you, and a whole new outlook on life develops
in time for the New Year.
AQUARIUS
JANUARY 20–FEBRUARY 18
Aquarius, you are known as one of the most
rebellious signs but in the beginning of winter you
need a censor warning: you could be talking or
tweeting about information that is too revealing.
When the holidays come about you are ready for
big changes; projects that went unfinished will
come to completion and, whatever you do, family
and friends will be there to support you.
PISCES
FEBRUARY 19–MARCH 20
In November, you’ll be getting all the attention; you
have that magnetic allure that surrounds you. It feels
good to be put on the pedestal, just be careful from
the 15th through the 19th; don’t give into the first
cutie who asks you out, you might regret it later.
During the holidays, you’ll get special recognition
from school and if you have a job, luck comes your
way in the form of a raise—just when you need it!
.
GEMINI
CANCER
LEO
MAY 21–JUNE 20
JUNE 21–JULY 22
JULY 23–AUGUST 22
Lately, you may have been getting all sorts of buzz
from school and work. Admirers want to get to
know you, and absorb what you have to offer with
your tastes in fashion and music—and, hey, you’re
reading RAGGED, it must be true! It’s a lot of
work being social, so pay attention to your family
and close friends in December, as they might feel
neglected. During the holidays, your friendships
will really shine their worth—and when it rains,
it pours.
4 ragged // raggedmag.com
November is a special time of month; you
enter fellow water sign Scorpio, making you
feel emotionally inspired, and now is the best
time for creation. In the middle of the month,
a misunderstanding could lead to a possible
argument with someone close to you, so on those
days tread lightly on eggshells. During the holidays,
let yourself be the one to receive. A loved one is
ready to reward you for making life special.
At the start of winter, everyone will be shopping
for the holidays, but just say no! Money issues come
up last minute; it could be the moment after you
swipe your Visa or spend a hard-earned paycheck.
December has opposite results; everything is in
abundance and love is in the air. You and a crush
or partner could spend a picturesque moment
together in the midst of a chilly winter. This holiday
season is one of the best ones yet!
Sagittarius, give yourself a pat on the back.You’ve accomplished many things over the past few months.
Your ruling planet, Jupiter, is the ultimate giver of gifts, and with your birthday in sight, it’s time to
celebrate! Plan a weekend getaway with loved ones or throw a party—people will be talking about it
for weeks. Who said you only get one special day a year? The whole month is yours! When it comes
to being admired, you are always on someone’s mind, and a quick romance might sweep you off your
feet in the middle of the month.
ARIES
MARCH 21–APRIL 19
Aries, in November you’re feeling tender to the
touch; friends are seeing a softer side of you.
You are known in the Zodiac as one of the most
independent signs, but your lone-wolf streak might
be too much for a companion to deal with. A fight
or confrontation could occur in the middle of the
month. The holidays have you spending time away
from home; make sure to answer emails and texts
during this point as discussion and clarity are key.
VIRGO
AUGUST 23–SEPTEMBER 22
Virgo, in November you get a shocking new
outlook on a relationship with a partner or friend.
What at first can be jolting will ultimately end up
refreshing. Virgo is known as one of the most giving
signs, and this is shown most during the holidays.
You could find yourself doing something charitable
for a organization or food drive, and really make a
difference in someone’s life.
TAURUS
APRIL 20–MAY 20
Taurus, the beginning of the month has you hitting
the snooze button on your alarm clock. You’re
finding it hard to get out of bed. Work or school
might be too stressful. If you don’t take it easy—or
don’t stock up on the Emergen-C and vitamins—
it could result in an illness. The good news is in
December, a short relaxing getaway is in order. Just
make sure you set aside some money for gifts, you
don’t want to be anyone’s Scrooge this season.
LIBRA
SAGITTARIUS
NOVEMBER 22–DECEMBER 21
Birthdays in
this issue
May 22 (Gemini)
IAN DEVANEY
July 28 (Leo)
DEV
SEPTEMBER 23–OCTOBER 22
Libra, you and a partner or friend are having all
sorts of dynamic interactions in November.You are
feeling somewhat lazy around the holidays, though,
and this can be draining. Make sure all of your
shopping for friends and family gets done early—
no procrastination!—and stick to your holiday
gift guide and avoid the mall rush. The sooner it
gets done, the more time you have to enjoy your
relaxing holiday.
February 1 (Aquarius)
Hrishikesh Hirway
October 8 (Libra)
Noelle Scaggs
raggedmag.com // ragged 5
HEARD
By Jessica Jardine
Photos by Vanessa Heins
It’s an awfully good time to be a Sheepdog. The Saskatchewan-bred foursome has had a wild ride through 2011, culminating in
winning Atlantic Records and Rolling Stone magazine’s “DoYou Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star?” competition, where they nabbed
the esteemed publication’s cover and a recording deal with the label. That came after six months of rounds to narrow down
16 competitors to the eventual winner, including a live face-off at the 2011 Bonnaroo Music Festival in front of thousands of
potential voters.
While it’s been a particularly spotlit couple of months—including a Times Square billboard-unveiling of their shaggy
mugs on the cover—the group (lead vocalist and guitarist Ewan Currie, guitarist Leot Hanson, bassist Ryan Gullen and
drummer Sam Corbett) are far from wide-eyed newbies to the biz. Before being submitted to the competition (by a Canadian
music manager who had their demo), they’d released multiple albums independently and toured extensively over seven years,
so it’s an especially rosy and rewarding moment to have their ’70s-inspired, Southern-fried rock reaching millions of ears. Lead
singer and songwriter Currie talked to RAGGED about the process of becoming the homecoming kings of the competition…
and not letting it go to their heads.
6 ragged // raggedmag.com
raggedmag.com // ragged 7
What did it feel like to see that Rolling Stone
cover when it finally hit newsstands? Was it a
strange moment?
Yeah, it’s very strange. I mean, we kept saying that
it was like one of those gag covers you get made at
the mall where they superimpose your picture on,
like, Muscle & Fitness magazine or whatever. It was
so surreal.
How did they let you know that the band had
won the contest?
They had a big reveal in Times Square the day that
the issue came out, and they unveiled the cover up
on a billboard. But we were actually told about
it the day that we shot the cover. They told both
artists they were going to be shooting a cover
prior to the whole thing coming out. Right before
we did our shoot, we got the news that we were
shooting the actual cover.
The band didn’t enter itself into the Rolling
Stone competition, so how did you get
involved?
Ewan Currie: It wasn’t like an open call to the
public where bands were submitting themselves.
They were asking some industry people to submit
worthy, unsigned bands. So, we got kind of scooped
up in that whole kind of sweep and included.
What was your first thought when you found
out that you were a part of the competition?
You know, it’s exciting because you hear Rolling
Stone and Atlantic are involved. They’re pretty huge,
heavyweight names in the world of music. Also, there’s
some trepidation about everything because it’s sort of
new territory: It’s a competition. It’s a little different
than what we were used to, but it was exciting.
8 ragged // raggedmag.com
As part of the competition, you went to New
York to record and perform three new songs
for music editors and record label A&R types.
That sounds incredibly nerve-wracking.
Well, it potentially could be, but we felt pretty
comfortable because we have a lot of experience.
We’ve played a lot of different shows, all kinds of
venues and admittedly this was new territory—
playing for these different panels and recording in a
very short amount of time. But we had a pretty good
variety of experience under our belt coming into the
competition. So, we felt that we handled things pretty
well and took them in stride.
It sounds like it went well, all things
considered.
Yeah, well, we won! [Laughs.]
Back to the beginning: How did the band
form?
We started in 2004 and we were just three buddies
who basically decided out of the blue to start a
band without ever having played in a band before.
We hacked away for a long time and when it came
time to make a full album and start touring, we
enlisted the help of our fourth member. It was
basically bonding over similar taste in music; a
love of good sort of rock-and-roll music that
wasn’t as readily available on the radio. We never
set out to be like one or two bands; we just set
out to include elements of all our favorite bands
and hopefully it ends up creating a Sheepdogs
bouillabaisse or stew.
A delicious bouillabaisse.
Yes!
Now are you approached by newer bands
looking for career wisdom to inherit?
I don’t mind that at all. It’s funny, our bass player
Ryan has always been the point man in terms of
the organization, business, planning and booking
side. Before we had management and agents and
stuff, he was “our guy” in that regard. We joke that he
has a “Band Advice Hotline” where other bands call
up and he’s able to impart suggestions and just kind
of be a sounding board for them. Not to sound like
we have all the answers—certainly we don’t—but
we did a lot of touring and we made three albums
independently. We did everything on our own and
when you do everything by yourself, it forces you
to learn a lot more, as opposed to relying on other
people to do it for you. And that’s important. It gives
you an understanding of how things work, and it
means you’re a little more self-reliant and you’re not
as likely to have the wool pulled over your eyes by the
industry...hopefully.
Surely some of them are looking at the
competition and trying to figure out what the
quick ticket is.
We had this weird situation where we certainly did
have this kind of quick rise thanks to the Rolling
Stone competition, but it came after about seven
years of slugging away, as well. We saw both sides of
it. We saw the slow, steady build being accelerated
by the overnight kick in the pants that the whole
competition gave us. Our whole thing was that with
or without the competition we had been in the band
for years and we were going to make music no matter
what. Our career wasn’t necessarily dependent upon
the competition.
And, given that credo, what a nice way for it to
have gone.
Oh, absolutely. We’re very happy. R
THE SHEEPDOGS
shot in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
CLOTHING BY AMERICAN RAG
4
FEMALE
NOLA NATIVES
SYNC UP THEIR STYLE
By Heather Cvar
How do you make a living?
I’m one-half of the New Orleans–based
art-duo H-Art. We create and sell our own
work, as well as the work of other emerging
artists.
Brandi-Lea
Harris
How do you make a living?
I’ve been working on a few projects including
doing some nonprofit work and venturing
into a new entrepreneurial opportunity. I also
maintain my style and food blog regularly.
How would you describe your style?
Classic and sophisticated mixed with a little
edginess. I like to purchase versatile staple
pieces so that I can shop my closet and
reinvent outfits to fit the season and my
mood.
How does this piece fit into your style?
This sweater is a great transition piece into
fall and winter. It’s lightweight enough to
wear alone with jeans and also on trend with
the polka dots.
What do you love most about New
Orleans?
New Orleans is a city full of character and
unique energy. There’s been great growth
in the restaurant industry and fashion scene,
and also big moves in education and politics.
This all makes for an ideal community to be
a part of. I admire the leaders and innovators
who are taking risks to add value to New
Orleans and aspire to contribute to this
economic and cultural growth.
Brandi-lea returned to her native New Orleans just over a year ago after spending the last 12 years in
Los Angeles, NewYork and Berlin. She continues to paint, doodle and take pictures alongside her partner
in crime, artist Matthew Hance. Their work can be viewed at H-ArtNewOrleans.com.
10 ragged // raggedmag.com
KYTANA LE
MATTHEW HANCE
What do you love most about New
Orleans?
Everyone marches to the beat of their own
drummer, and people stop to say,“Good
morning,” as you’re walking down the street.
Bella
Blue
e
Juley Thuy L
How would you describe your style?
I like playing with the same elements in
clothing as I do in art: using contrasts to
create unexpected beauty and playing with
subtleties. There’s definitely a sense of
playfulness and reinvention in most of my
wardrobe, and I take a lot of ideas from old
movies and eras and give them a personal,
modern spin.
How does this piece fit into your style?
I really like the contrast of the black and
white, and the boldness of the pattern. I used
the top as a layering piece, breaking it up
with a splash of color and paired it playfully
with wool shorts and a vintage cloche.
THE TOP
Juley was raised in Houma, Louisiana. You might see
her gallivanting uptown with her boyfriend and puppy,
eating at their favorite spots and enjoying everything
New Orleans has to offer. Find out more at her lifestyle
blog, SwankHeights.net.
with jewel tones and have become
a fan of mixing different textures
of fabric.
How does this piece fit into
your style?
This piece combines an off-white
with a sharp black, and its softness
and oversized shape pair well with
fitted blue jeans. I spend all my days
How do you make a living?
around bold colors, so sometimes
I’m an artist. I work primarily in oil I enjoy high-contrast pieces that
and acrylic paint on canvas and I enjoy blend organically with my artwork.
experimenting with multimedia and audiovisual projects. I own a gallery called What do you love most about
Gallery Burguieres in the French Quarter New Orleans?
that features my work exclusively.
I absolutely love the people! There
is also a great arts scene and there
How would you describe your style? is always something going on. New
It tends to be unexpected. I was not Orleans is great for high-profile
very adventurous with my wardrobe as a events, big nights on the town or
teenager, so I think I’m making up for lost lazy days in the park. The city has
time. Lately, I enjoy pairing cream colors it all. res
Ally Burguie
Ally has built a name as a contemporary artist who blends traditional techniques of
Impressionism and representation while playing on the notions of color, scale and perspective.
She maintains a popular blog on art and gallery life at GalleryBurguieres.com.
MARCIA SCHAUBERT
One piece, four ways.
Style is all about making a point, and putting your own unique twist into your threads for an individual
look of true fashion flair. We challenged four girls to do the same: Take a piece of American Rag clothing
and transform it into an inspired piece of flawless style.
We asked four New Orleans natives to give us a rundown of their style and influences, and to make
a cozy black-and-white sweater a seamless, fashion-forward part of their ensemble. One sweater, four
different ways. So, how did they do?
ALEXIS WYATT
SCENE: FASHION 4–WARD
How do you make a living?
I am a ballerina-turned-burlesquedancer and currently perform for
a living and am the headmistress
of The New Orleans School of
Burlesque.
How would you describe
your style?
It’s typically always going for
comfort and something I can
move around in easily. I’m always
dancing and always in motion. I
need pieces that don’t get in my
way.
How does this piece fit into your style?
This piece is super-soft and comfy. It looks
great over a leotard with some leggings for
classes and rehearsals. If I had to run errands
before or after, I’d still look super cute. What do you love most about New
Orleans?
I was born and raised here and I’ve been
lucky enough to travel and perform all
over, but New Orleans is home in my heart.
There’s so much diversity, great food, music
on every corner and just an amazing and
eclectic group of people that can’t be found
anywhere else.
Bella lives, performs and teaches dance in New Orleans. Her passion is burlesque and she teaches
at The New Orleans School of Burlesque. More information can be found at TheBellaLounge.com.
raggedmag.com // ragged 11
HEARD
and
By Heather Cvar
Photos by Piper Ferguson
Some breakups burn hard, and take twice the amount of time that you were in the relationship to recover from. Others
are fateful lessons learned that urge us to reflect back—“What was I thinking?” Regardless of how it goes down and which
side of the fence you land on, there’s nothing like a good solid breakup anthem to propel you towards the light at the end
of the tunnel. With words that yearn but make you feel stronger at the same time, moved by the satisfaction that comes
from discovering that you’re not alone, songs are the perfect workout for a broken heart.
Los Angeles-based six-piece Fitz and the Tantrums dished out the soul food and heartbreak helper with their debut
album, Pickin’ Up the Pieces, last year. The band is composed of two lead singers, Fitz and Noelle, who channel a modernday version of Ike and Tina Turner, trading barbs and melodies while the Tantrums (bassist Joe Karnes, keyboardist Jeremy
Ruzumna, flautist and saxophonist James King and drummer John Wicks) deliver tight, ’60s-esque jams that lift you right
up off of the floor. They’ve got the presence and moves to assure you they’re one of the hardest-working bands around and
here, RAGGED catches Fitz for a moment during his band’s current tour to discuss the past, present and future sounds of
post-heartache hope.
12 ragged // raggedmag.com
raggedmag.com // ragged 13
How did you all come together as a band? I
heard it was very serendipitous...
Fitz: “Serendipity” is definitely the right word.
From writing the first song to putting the band
together, it has been almost divine intervention. We
had barely played 10 shows when Maroon 5 took us
out on tour. It just exploded from there.
The band is unique in the fact that there is
not a guitar present. Was that a conscious
choice?
I don’t think people always realize it. I am a piano
player, so it was just natural to revolve the songs
around that instrument. We wanted to see if we
could create a big sound without guitars.
What’s better source material: real life
experiences or fiction? Do you think one is
more difficult or presents problems over the
other?
Real life. No more truth can be found than in drawing
from your personal experiences. It connects you to
the songs every night when you perform them and
people can feel that.
You seem to be quite insightful about
breakups in your songs. What makes you
such an expert?
A very long list of relationships gone bad. I have
had more breakups than I care to remember.
Problem is, at a certain point you are the common
denominator!
What are a couple of breakup survival tips
you’d share?
Pour yourself into what you love, hang tight with
your friends and get a good make-out session.
What is the worst love advice you were ever
given?
I don’t need advice to make bad love decisions. I do
that all by myself.
Do you feel that writing as a band is more
difficult than writing alone? What is the
process like?
They are definitely different. Alone, it can be just
your vision but it’s also more challenging to carry
all the weight. Writing as a group, there are six of us
coming up with ideas and that can be incredible—
and sometimes it can be too many ideas.
Fitz and the Tantrums obviously have a very
soulful, throwback sound. Who are some of
your influences, or the bands that you love?
All the classics: Al Green, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke.
But also people like Jeff Buckley, Thom Yorke and
Cee Lo.
The appeal of those names from the ’60s and
’70s is still everlasting; people don’t seem to
think of them as too outdated. Why do you
think that is?
It’s because they are true greats who have honesty
you can feel. That never goes out of style.
The vibe between you and Noelle is very
reminiscent of those eras, too. How would
you describe your musical relationship with
one another?
We are definitely trying to bring the male–female
dynamic that was so prevalent in the 1960s. The
songs just kind of beg for it. We are always pushing
each other to bring that emotion out from each
other on stage.
There’s a lot of energy when the band plays
live. What’s the source?
It comes together naturally. We don’t really think
about it that much; we just do what we do. If it’s
not working, we all know it instantly and we adjust
it until we can feel the song exploding. The audience
feeds you, even when you got nothing left to give.
You can be crawling on stage, but that energy you
get from an audience—that’s like illicit drugs!
How would you compare playing a festival
like Voodoo to playing a normal show?
A festival is amazing. You get to play in front of
people that might not know you, you get to see all
of your favorite bands. A show of your own is more
intense. Everyone is there to see you and you really
get to feed off the audience.
Have you learned any valuable lessons since
starting the band?
To try and enjoy as much of the experience as
possible because there is no end destination. Not to
sound cheesy, but it really is about the journey and
taking every moment in.
What does the future hold for Fitz and the
Tantrums?
Well, we are still touring nonstop. We have a big fall
tour coming up that we are really excited about. We
are eager to start the next record, so we have been
jamming a ton of new ideas. There are a ton in the
works, but it’s all under wraps. All I know is that the
record is gonna make you want to dance. R
FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS
shot at The Viceroy Hotel
in SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA
ALL CLOTHING BY AMERICAN RAG
raggedmag.com // ragged 15
16 ragged // raggedmag.com
raggedmag.com // ragged 17
AT HOME
Los Angeles, California
The One AM Radio
An L.A. Story
The Decemberists once sang that its “hollowness will haunt you.” Woody Allen declared that its “only
cultural advantage is that you can make a right turn on a red light.” David Letterman joked that, there,
it’s the birds—not the leaves—that fall from the trees. For its role as the world’s entertainment hub, Los
Angeles is seemingly repaid as the butt of the joke—pop culture’s perpetual redheaded stepchild. The
One AM Radio (songwriter and lead singer Hrishikesh Hirway, multi-instrumentalist Fontaine Cole and
guitarist Scott Leahy), however, jump to the defense of their adopted hometown. “I think there’s this
weird cliché in music about bashing L.A. or having a bittersweet attitude toward it,” muses Leahy, who
first fell in love with the city while driving in two hours east from Twentynine Palms to see concerts as a
teenager. “Like: ‘This is my home but I hate it so much!’ I don’t have any negative associations with it. I
will defend L.A. to the death!”
By Laura Studarus
photos by chrissy piper
18 ragged // raggedmag.com
raggedmag.com // ragged 19
“
There’s definitely
a tradition and a
heritage of looking at
the lights and sunsets
and everything about
this place and falling
20 ragged // raggedmag.com
“
in love with it.
—Hrishikesh Hirway
Hirway—who relocated from Massachusetts
to pursue a career in film scoring— is quicker to
look past the punchline, evoking both director
Michael Mann and the Ryan Gosling film Drive as
signs of life in the much maligned metropolis. “I
think the idea of depicting L.A. in a romantic way
is an old idea,” he says. “I think it gets a bum rap
from people who don’t know. There’s definitely a
tradition and a heritage of looking at the lights and
sunsets and everything about this place and falling
in love with it.”
It’s that spirit of admiration that the band
brings to their fourth full-length, Heaven Is Attached
By a Slender Thread. An electro-pop love letter to
the City of Angels in the vein of their 2004 effort
A Name Writ in Water, the album is soaked in the
spirit of Los Angeles—its sparse instrumentation
and Hirway’s gentle voice evoking both the beauty
and loneliness of a late-night drive. “I think the
driving in L.A. part, especially on the highway,
doesn’t necessarily have to be L.A., it can be in
any urban area,” says Hirway, noting that any bigcity dweller can identify with the cinema-worthy
setting. “I remember that feeling in Atlanta. It
was three in the morning, there’s this crazy set of
highways coming together, all these junctions.That
landscape, you can transpose that across so many
different cities.”
But when it comes to the city itself, there’s
another layer of symbolism—as Hirway is well
aware of. “I feel like the conceit of L.A., the whole
idea behind the city, is based on idealism,” he says
22 ragged // raggedmag.com
of the album’s title and thematic through-line of
approaching—but never reaching—perfection.
“I think the thing that I noticed was a sense of
disappointed idealism, being tantalizingly close
to having the existence that you want to live,
inhabiting a world that you can visualize, and having
it be really close. L.A. is perfect for that. It inspires
that a lot. Maybe even realizing it, and having some
of those things come true, on either side; wishing
for it or having it, realizing how tenuous all of
that is. There’s never a feeling of safety, of time to
relax, [of] ‘we’re good, we made it.’ It’s a feeling
that I think about, and I’ve always thought about it
in the context of The One Am Radio. It’s like right
after you wake up from a dream. I think the title is
about that, seeing that dream dissipate. If you take
it more literally: the idea of seeing it detach.”
More than just present in concept, Los
Angeles often feels like a fourth band member—
its news anchors, autumn fire season, fastfood joints and streets all making recognizable
appearances in Heaven’s lyrics. “I’ve been scared
of the idea of being that specific before,” admits
Hirway. “As I got older I realized there’s as much
emotion in a warts-and-all approach to what
you’re living. I think somewhere in that change,
that’s when my lyrics changed to be more specific
like that. Tom Brokaw is the anchor in my memory
that delivered the news. The Wilshire Boulevard
part of [“Sunlight”], there’s a specific part—
right where Hancock Park ends, and before you
get to Vermont—where there’s just this weird,
dark, non-neighborhood. I could picture it, so it
seemed like it would be going out of the way to
not mention what the scene actually was.”
Even when on the road, the band admits they
take a piece of Los Angeles with them. Or, in the
case of their recent Soft Alarm tour, two—as they
took to the road with L.A. friends and musicians
Baths and Dntel. “I remember discovering Dntel
for the first time a few months before I moved to
L.A.,” Hirway reminisces. “I knew I was going to
move to L.A., and I hadn’t yet, and I heard that
song ‘Anywhere, Anyone.’ It just knocked me over.
I had this dream of the scene in L.A., and that was
why I had to move to this city. Then, to go on tour
and play shows with those guys was incredible.”
It’s a legacy of realistic-laced optimism
some 12 years in the making, and the band sees
no reason why it won’t continue to carry them
through another decade (or two, or three…) of
making music.
“As an idealist, I hope to be doing music for
a long time,” says Leahy. “I wouldn’t want to look
back at this time as different than any time in the
future. It would be similar to what’s going on now.
What did I do ‘back then’? Same thing I’m doing
now. I guess, for me, I would ideally be in a place
where I don’t have to explain it. It’s just the way
that it is.” R
THE ONE AM RADIO
shot at home
in LOS FELIZ, LOS ANGELES
ALL CLOTHING BY AMERICAN RAG
COVER
By Marissa R. Moss
Photos by Jordan Beckham
24 ragged // raggedmag.com
raggedmag.com // ragged 25
regg Gillis (aka Girl Talk) is sitting in the green room
of Terminal 5 in New York City in an “I’ll Be Back”
Terminator T-shirt and jeans, politely picking at the
hummus and chips on the coffee table in front of
him, his elbows resting on his thighs. He’s here to play the U.S.
Open’s Rock the Set party, which kicks off the tennis match with
the aforementioned rock (Girl Talk, Matt & Kim) and partying (nice
treats passed on trays, free drinks and a red carpet). If you ask Gillis
why he’s here, he’ll say, “Some tennis sports thing,” with a tone
that you might get when asking a fourth grader about their math
homework. His eyes widen a bit when he gets to talking about the
Voodoo Music Experience—he’s excited to go to New Orleans,
and he’s going to dress up for Halloween when he performs. As a
kid, he once went dressed as a Nintendo Game Boy, in a costume
he and his father fashioned from some cardboard boxes and paint.
Gillis likes the holiday. And scary movies.
But in a few hours, he will perform to this crowd of athletes,
socialites, celebrities and the people that follow them in fancy
dresses and shoes that click; he will hunch over a rather clunkylooking laptop, moving and jumping nonstop, his brown hair
shellacked to his face and neck with sweat. He will transform.
And people will dance—oh, will they dance. First, they’ll move,
maybe, to that recognizable “ra-ra” of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance,”
flashing a look to a friend as the samples shift into something else
entirely, breeding that rush that comes from a sound both familiar
yet intangible, a chorus of different moments, beats and memories
cascading all at once. At the end of the night they’ll be left with
blisters on their feet, a pumping pulse and the inability to shake that
Aphex Twin riff, the one they’d never heard before but will hum for
days on end.
That, in essence, is Girl Talk.
26 ragged // raggedmag.com
raggedmag.com // ragged 27
I don’t expect everyone to ultimately like the source material that I use,
but I try to make something transformative out of it, so even if you don’t
like that particular song, hopefully you like the way I rework it.
“I’ve always liked playing to an audience who might not be into
the project or know what it is about,” says Gillis, who first played with
tissue as a biomedical engineer in Pittsburgh before quitting in 2007
to dedicate himself to Girl Talk. When All Day, his most recent release,
was distributed for free online, the response was downright explosive.
Logging 373 samples of everything from pop princess Christina
Aguilera to ’90s heavy metal-ers White Zombie, sometimes looping
five at a time, it was a masterpiece of modern pop tongue-in-cheekiness
that got hipsters dancing to will.i.am. For Gillis, that’s the point. “If
I’m going to do a Kelly Clarkson remix, in weird way I’m trying to
be almost confrontational about it. I like to jump around, I like to play
Metallica and Miley Cyrus within a minute of each other. I don’t expect
everyone to ultimately like the source material that I use, but I try to
make something transformative out of it, so even if you don’t like that
particular song, hopefully you like the way I rework it.”
Because, as your high school English teacher might say, the writing
is in the rewriting. His nonstop, audience-on-stage, fluorescent, sweatand-confetti-fest of a concert has helped to redefine the experience of
live electronic music, and developed a seriously devoted following along
the way. Gillis plays a lot of festivals—this year also included stops at
Lollapalooza in Chicago and Outside Lands in San Francisco—since his
sound is not only a surefire antidote to multi-hour exhaustion and band
boredom, but also that, no matter what, everyone can find something in
his mashups to dance to. And not only because they recognize it—they
do—but because the delight’s in what’s been born anew. Listening to
Girl Talk can kick you in the gut with nostalgia in the same way it can
with its complexity.
“You don’t have that intimacy,” he says recalling tiny venues in his
hometown where he began the Girl Talk project, “but at the same time,
if you have 10,000 people all at the same level and enjoying the same
thing simultaneously, that can be more powerful than 10 people in a
room all liking something.”
At Voodoo, he’ll coincidentally be headlining alongside Snoop
Dogg, an artist he’s frequently sampled. To prepare, Gillis rehearses his
set in the way any band or singer would: The entire show is played live
and at times spontaneously, with Gillis constantly grabbing from the
bag of beats and tricks he stores in his laptop. “At any moment I can
drop a kick drum or bring in an extra handclap,” he says, noting that
sometimes he’ll happen upon a six-year-old sample that suddenly melds
perfectly with a set. “Knowing that it’s a big collage, the more pieces I
have prepared, the more potential positive results I have,” he says. He’s
constantly working on new music in-between shows, scouringYouTube,
rifling through his CDs or even catching riffs on the grocery store radio
to feed his library of sounds.
For Gillis, as much as Girl Talk is about music, it is also an
experiment of sorts by an aural scientist with a keenly developed
idea and point of view. Which also means that there’s no telling what
could be in store for the next record—or for Girl Talk in general.
“It takes me a long time to do a record, and things change,” he says.
“If I did it exactly the same [as All Day] it might not be as exciting.”
Live bands, collaborations (Gillis worked on a track with Harlem hiphop collective Dipset’s Jim Jones called “Believe In Magic” during the
summer) or maybe even producing are not out of the question. “This is
just a project—it’s one project, and it’s been 11 years running. I don’t
know how it’s going to end.” Like the multiplying cells and biological
reactions he once presided over, sometimes things take on a life of their
own—but it’s the master engineer who can tweak the outcome just
right. Something tells us he’s one of them. R
GIRL TALK
shot in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
CLOTHING BY AMERICAN RAG
28 ragged // raggedmag.com
JESSIE J
shot in LOS ANGELES
clothing by American Rag
HEARD
Rocking Into the Future
Need a few frosty fist-pumpers to crank while you’re driving around aimlessly this fall? Looking for some whirlwind
guitar antics? Ready to make a few fun mistakes this weekend? If You’re Young, the debut full-length from New Jersey’s
The Static Jacks, should probably be your soundtrack for all of the above. All cheetah-sleek riffs, minor-key meltdowns
and brash declarations, the music of this young rock mob is sure to transform even the stingiest concertgoer into a
crowd-surfing maniac. Having hit the road with razor-sharp Anglo-pop champions The Futureheads and high-energy
rockers White Denim, The Jacks are starting to view the world through the windshield of their tour van, and they
seem to like what they see. Influenced equally by melodic punk and hard-edged pop anthems, If You’re Young is full
of hard-beating hearts—both broken and mended—and the jilted-yet-hopeful wisdom that seems to come naturally
from 20-something America.
Singer Ian Devaney, drummer Nick Brennan and guitarist Henry Kaye first began honing their skills in the
hormone-fueled pressure-cooker of high school deep in the heart of Springsteen country in central Jersey. The
fledgling band continued to rock for one semester at college before the lure of punk glory was too strong to ignore.
After moving back home and acquiring second axe-slinger Mike Sue-Poi, as well as touring bassist Andrew Santora,
the Jacks went into a writing frenzy, producing three EPs and the new full-length album. The band has been touring
constantly over the past few years, creating a space where the beleaguered romantics of the world can get together
and rock out in communal sonic bliss, trading as they do in the common themes of relationships, social alienation
and weekend mischief. Never flagging under the duress of strained heartstrings, the music of IfYou’reYoung matches
the lyrics perfectly, as the band seems to find the perfect combination of chords to gird your will to celebrate in the
face of life’s weighty tribulations.
RAGGED dug in deeper with Devaney to discover the roots of the band’s core, the strangeness of social
alienation and the key to surviving in the scene.
By Loren Poin
Photos by Brantley Gutierrez
raggedmag.com // ragged 31
32 ragged // raggedmag.com
Were you guys really into punk music growing up?
Ian Devaney: It was different for each of us. Henry and Nick did the poppunk thing, and I basically just listened to whatever my dad listened to, which
was Weezer, The Clash and bands like that. The more-hardcore punk started
coming in later, actually, which I think is kind of unusual. But the harder
music definitely formed our sound a lot, our live performance especially. We
also like, I guess “modern indie rock” is a good term for it—we’re huge fans
of Arcade Fire and things in that vein.
Even though you’re feeling a little alienated, your music has a
celebratory feel to it. Is that important to you, to have this kind
of “rocking into the future” positivism?
Totally. I kind of see it as, we’re expressing all these uncertain emotions, but
we’re doing it in a way that encourages everyone else who feels the same to
come together with us. I think if you share it with people, it alleviates the
stress and anxiety—trying to kind of bring people to it and share in those
emotions.
When you compose songs, do you write them on an instrument?
Do you write lyrics first or just jam?
When I write, it tends to be on piano or guitar, and I do not excel at either
but I have enough of an understanding where I can put chords together. It’s
cool because even if one person writes something, it’s generally only a basic
idea that then comes to the band and we can all sit down together with it
and each put in our own parts and bounce things off each other. It starts
independently and then comes together in a very collaborative way.
Have you ever done a festival or anything as big as Voodoo before?
We played the Escape to New York Festival in Southampton and that was
pretty cool. It was a strange experience to have a trailer with our name on
it. I don’t know if that’s how we’ll have it at Voodoo, but it seems like it’s
going to be pretty crazy.
Do you have any ideas or inspirations for your next album?
We are eager writers, so we’ve started writing a bunch [of songs] that we
hope will be on the next album. For the first album, we wrote a ton of songs,
and then picked the best ones to go on the album.We’ve really already started
that, figuring it’ll be hard to write when we’re on tour. Plus we love writing
together, so we just jumped into it right away.
“Blood Pressure” seems to be driven by the desire to be alone. Do
you guys feel pretty isolated these days?
Well, it’s a periodic thing. We have our friends among whom we don’t
feel that way, but you always find yourself in situations where you don’t
quite feel like you’re on the same level as everyone.
Are you guys psyched to see any bands in particular?
Actually, a lot of the bands I really want to see aren’t playing our day; we have
to leave right after we play for a date in Houston the next day. But I know the
guys are psyched to see Blink-182. I would have liked to see TV on the Radio.
Do you have any advice for the young, hungry bands in the
garages of America?
I actually do; I just thought about this yesterday. Everyone’s answer is
always “write great songs,” which is good but broad advice, so I would say:
Have the most exciting live show possible. Because when you’re starting,
you’re just going to be playing random clubs to just a few people, and it’s
difficult to stand out if it’s just everybody standing around onstage. So,
have an exciting live show. Bands build their whole career off of it. R
THE STATIC JACKS
shot in New York City
ALL CLOTHING BY AMERICAN RAG
34 ragged // raggedmag.com
Four citizens of the Big Easy drop their favorite big beats.
NEW ORLEANS,
LOUSIANA
By Heather Cvar
Every city has that special character trait its citizens are inherently proud of, something
that’s born with them and never leaves. In a place where live local music fills the air as much
as the scent of a spicy batch of jambalaya, loving and living it is an inescapable fate. As you
listen to a New Orleans native talk about music, the pure enthusiasm in his or her voice
is enough to have you clapping, swaying and snapping your fingers above your head along
with them. The blend of indigenous and modern culture and profound history of jazz and
roots continues to cast a spell on today’s Big Easy sound, where everything from hip-hop
to the Big Bopper is an influence on a region that has its own distinct legacy. Seeing as the
Voodoo Music Experience is a culmination of these vibrant ideals, RAGGED took to the
NOLA scene and asked four musical tastemakers what’s cookin’ on their current playlists.
KRISTEN ZOLLER
For the past 11 years, southern Louisiana–born Kristen Zoller and partner Matty
Ulhman have been hosting an all-vinyl soul, garage and British invasion all-night
dance frenzy called Mod Dance Party. The M.D.P. dancefloor has been responsible for
new life and love, and was ranked as one of “America’s 101 Wildest Parties” by Spin
magazine. Staying true to New Orleans’ rich soul history, Zoller never strays from the
Swinging ’60s by playing any boring Top 40 hit or other predictable anthem. “I can’t
express how proud I am of New Orleans,” Zoller says. “We play her songs, but she is
the true magic.” Laissez les bon temps roulez, Miss Zoller!
AUBREY EDWARDS
Kristen’s
playlist
36 ragged // raggedmag.com
she says…
“Nobody But You”
by Little Bob and the
Lollipops
“Misery”/“I’m
the Man”
by The Dynamics
“I’ve Got a Feeling”
by Baby Washington
“New York
Honeys”/“Don’t
Get Me Wrong”
by The Barreracudas
This is out of Lafayette and is one of the best swamppop soul bands to come out of Louisiana. They formed
in 1958 and played on through the early ’60s. His
voice is so true, soulful and heartbreaking.
MICAH McKEE
Singer-songwriter Micah McKee was born and raised in New Orleans—“born on the
bayou,” if you will. Spending his formative years gigging around the city, he’s making
quite the name for himself with latest music endeavor, Empress Hotel, which he cofounded with local guitar hero Ryan Rogers. The duo (which released their self-titled
debut EP on Park the Van earlier this year) is a pop band in the purest sense of the
term, playing on retro influences like ABBA and Bee Gees, but also incorporating the
rhythmic and melodic sense of current acts like Phoenix and Vampire Weekend. Also
keep an eye out for McKee’s solo-oriented project called Little Maker, an atmospheric
orchestral bedroom folk-pop project. His debut record on a local indie label, which
includes musicians from all over the New Orleans landscape, is hitting the scene later
this year in December.
for more...
ParktheVan.com/EmpressHotel • LittleMaker.Bandcamp.com
“Calgary”
by Bon Iver
“Wardrum”
by Big History
he says…
“How Come You
Never Go There”
by Feist
Micah’s
playlist
“Runaround Sue
(ft. Greg Banks)”
by G-Eazy
Justin Vernon’s voice is one of my favorites in popular music
right now, and I love that he’s not afraid to lay his emotions on
the line. In a musical climate where it’s vogue to be emotionally
distant, it’s wonderful to hear a guy place so much unabashed
importance on intimacy. Kudos, J.V., wherever you are.
JOSHUA BRASTED
HEARD: PLAY IT AGAIN
raggedmag.com // ragged 37
BRIAN T. SIMONSON
MUSA ALVES
DJ YRSTRLY, aka Brian T. Simonson, is a born-and-raised New Orleans
DJ, promoter and producer who makes his own beats and rules the skinnyjeaned, bearded dancefloors of New Orleans’ indie rock scene. He is also
a founding member of OpenHouse Media, a local booking, management
and entertainment development agency. He also works with OpenHouse
New Orleans Company, a non-profit entity of OpenHouse Media that is
developing a program to house and book visiting entertainers, artists and
service professionals in New Orleans homes furnished and equipped with
local furnishings and equipment relevant to the trades mentioned above. In
exchange, the visiting residents provide free vocational workshops, shows,
and youth-focused classes related to their expertise.
for more...
Brian’s
playlist
Soundcloud.com/YRS-TRULY • OHNOCo.org
“Eyes Be Closed”
by Washed Out
“Why I Love You
(ft. Mr. Hudson)”
by Jay-Z and
Kanye West
“We Bros”
by WU LYF
“Church”
by Nadastrom vs.
Heartbreak
Musa’s
playlist
Musa Alves is a self-proclaimed Brazilian redneck, her parents being from São Paulo,
Brazil, and Greenwood, Mississippi, respectively. At 15, Alves started throwing punk
rock shows in New Orleans and eventually felt compelled to create her own music later
down the line. “My boyfriend at the time was living in L.A. and saw how much I loved
DJing and sent me Serato. I became obsessed. Hence the name of my party, Obsession,”
she explains. While born and raised in New Orleans, Alves has been bouncing back and
forth between New Orleans and N.Y.C. while also hosting and DJing Obsession at The
Saint in the Big Easy over the last year and a half.
for more...
Soundcloud.com/MusaAlves • TheRhythmKillers.com
“The Birds (Part 1)”
by The Weeknd
“Tight Rope”
by Alex Clare
“Du! (Emynd Remix)”
by Vockah Redu & the
Bouncespot DJs
“Hands Dem Up”
by Fellow
she says…
Abel Tesfaye’s an amazing artist who’s bringing a unique
R&B-style to the world in the most innovative way right
now. The Thursday mixtape is hauntingly significant, and
this song in particular is really excellent. The drumline beat
with his falsetto voice really grabs your ears and attention
for the entirety of the song.
BRICE NICE
JOSHUA BRASTED
he says…
Toro y Moi, Ford & Lopatin, Com Truise…they all use heavy, vintage-synth
sounds and vibed-out ’80s production, which I love. I look at Washed Out as the
frontrunner of this sound. I dig this track off the new record especially because
it’s got the same groove as “Feel It All Around” from his first EP. He recorded that
whole EP on Reason and an old synth at his parents’ house. That really showed
me that I don’t need tons of gear or other people to make cool music—just rely
on what you already know and love.
COVER
THE GOLDEN RULE OF
AND
DEV
THE CATARACS
For a group whose initial claim to fame was singing about “poppin’ bottles,”
“gettin’ slizzard” and “sippin’ sizzurp” on Far East Movement’s 2010 banger “Like
a G6,” one might expect Dev and The Cataracs to have some insane stories.
Having toured extensively with Usher and Akon this summer, 22-year-old
electro-rap princess Devin Star Tailes (who goes only by “Dev”) has been playing
in the big leagues with David Campa and Niles Hollowell-Dhar, who produce
her songs and have their own act, The Cataracs. Yet, perhaps surprisingly, the
artists claim everyone was on their best behavior.
By Taleen Kalenderian
Photos by Joseph Llanes
40 ragged // raggedmag.com
raggedmag.com // ragged 41
“Akon and Usher are way over their rambunctious
stages of being artists,” says Campa. “They each have families,
so even if you wanted to act a fool and mess around, it just
wouldn’t be right. The most surreal thing for me on tour was
getting to sit in a room with Usher and have a one-on-one
with this dude I grew up listening to. That was like, woah.
I just had a conversation with Usher and he knows who we
are and he’s giving us all this advice, telling us about the first
time Kanye opened for him. Usher is a perfect human being.”
What’s even more impressive than a first major tour
with two of the best is to have landed it before Dev or The
Cataracs released official albums of their own. Instead,
The Cataracs have been producing singles for other artists
(Hollowell-Dhar’s forte) and building their own following on
the label Indie-Pop as well as the Internet, where the boys
initially discovered one of Dev’s laptop-recorded “diss tracks”
on MySpace.
“Artists of the younger generation who were hyphy
artists would communicate on MySpace,” says HollowellDhar. “One kid who was in touch with us put us onto the Blast
Off Kids, which was actually the name Dev had at the time, it
was her group. It was just kind of there and we found it. You
listen to a lot of crap music all the time, sifting through the
Internet. But something was real distinct about her voice. I
suspected there was something magical there and there was.”
The Cataracs’ lastest superstar collaboration was even
more magic for the group; the work they did for Snoop
Dogg’s “Wet,” which appears on Snoop’s most recent album
Doggumentary, topped charts internationally.
“It just happened,” says Campa. “Snoop Dogg’s manager
knows our manager and—bam—he heard the beats and
wanted to do it. He called us from France just to tell us he
really liked the song and that he was going to feature it.”
“The Snoop thing went bigger than we ever thought it
would,” Hollowell-Dhar continues, “and so did the few tracks
we have on 50 Cent’s album.”
The hype certainly can’t hurt their ongoing exposure,
but Hollowell-Dhar admits, “Honestly, we just really want
Dev’s album and our album to be incredible. As much fun
and profitable as it is to make music for other people, [our
albums are] really our focus right now.” With so many singles
and brand names under their belt and a following that got
them each picked up by Universal, their electro-rap energies
are finally primed for mainstream releases.
“You listen to a lot of crap music, sifting through
the Internet. But something was real distinct about
Dev’s voice. I suspected there was something magical
there and there was.”
42 ragged // raggedmag.com
—Niles Hollowell-Dhar
Dev recorded her major-label debut, The Night the Sun Came Up
(released this fall), with The Cataracs over the course of three weeks in
Costa Rica. “It wasn’t much of a challenge,” says Hollowell-Dhar. “I got
to take everything I’ve learned producing for other people and have
fun, and let Dev’s abilities wander into new arenas where she could
sing different kinds of songs.”
“It was similar in the ways of how we work in general,” Dev says.
“We work exactly the same every time. But this time, it was obviously
really different because we sat down to make a lot of work. We had a
lot of time and no pressures. I feel like this was finally the time where
I could not just put out a single that I could perform at some club in
L.A. or something. I had the chance to make songs that were personal.”
However, the club-ready tracks are still plentiful and so are the
Ke$ha comparisons (to which Dev responds, “I’m a brat, I don’t like
being compared to anybody, I don’t care who it is”), but there’s more
to her persona than the assumed party girl status. It’s evident by Dev’s
Flo Rida–guested summer single, “In the Dark,” that the music is
taking a deeper direction, exploring dark desire and drama.
“I’ve always been that person,” she says. “The bands I grew up
listening to were like that. [Past singles] ‘Booty Bounce’ and ‘Bass
Down Low’ were fun to make and I still really enjoy those songs, but
the album was my and The Cataracs’ chance to make stuff that had a
little bit more feeling towards us. The beat [of “In the Dark”] is superflavorful. I wanted to take the personal and creepy aspects of the song
and put them in the video, too. It definitely has a little bit of a vibe
being that it’s called ‘In the Dark,’” she laughs.
Everything considered, Dev, Campa and Hollowell-Dhar maintain
a light attitude despite the amount of exposure they’ve been getting.
“We still conduct ourselves the same,” says Dev. Campa adds, “I don’t
know about Dev, but it’s not like people follow us. It’s nice right now.
I like how with ‘Like a G6,’ we were the guys behind the scenes, rather
than the face of the song.” However, that simple joy may fade to black
once The Cataracs release their own album early next year.
And as for being called the next “golden girl,” Dev responds, “I’ve
never heard that one. But golden anything is kind of cool.” R
DEV and THE CATARACS
shot in Los Angeles
ALL CLOTHING BY AMERICAN RAG