Welcome to RAGGED Thanks for checking out the interactive version of RAGGED, presented by Filter with support from American Rag. We’ve prepared a few pointers to make your visit easy and enjoyable. Nothing too complicated, we promise. RAGGED is best viewed in full-screen mode, so if you can still see the top of the window, please click on the Window menu and select Full Screen View (or press Ctrl+L). There you go—that’s much better isn’t it? Right. If you know the drill, go ahead and left-click to go forward a page; if you forget, you can always right-click to go back one. And if all else fails, intrepid traveler, press the Esc key to exit full-screen and return to a life more humble. Keep an eye on your cursor. While reading RAGGED online, you will notice that there are links on every page that allow you to discover more about the artists we write about. Scroll around each page to find the hotlinks, click ’em, and find yourself at the websites of the artists we cover and our generous sponsors. Want more? You can hear audio from our artists, enter contests and find links to more great content at raggedmag.com. Questions or comments? Email [email protected]. 3OH!3 SUICIDE SILENCE The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus And More! Kate Nash @ El Rey Theatre / Los Angeles STREET LEVEL With her fiery red hair and penchant for vintage sundresses, Kate Nash is one of Ragged’s favorite musicians. So, there was no way we were going to miss her performance at L.A.’s famed El Rey Theatre. Fans paid homage to Nash’s style, mixing ’50s-inspired dresses with sneakers, calico dresses with cowboy boots, and denim with lace. And Kate honored them right back—inviting all of them on stage for the kind of dance party you don’t usually see on this side of the pond. R Publishers: Alan Miller & Alan Sartirana Editor-in-chief: Patrick Strange style editor: Noelle Valdivia editor-at-large: Pat McGuire layout designer: Melissa Simonian photo editor: Andrea LaBarge Mills WRITERS: Lauren Barbato, Kendah El-Ali, Colin Stutz, Tamara Vallejos interns: Nazirah Ashari, Spencer Flanagan, Daniel Kohn, Greg Christian photography & styling: Good Charlotte by Walter Chin with Marek Associates Mitch Lucker by Joshua Jordan with Jed Root Angel Taylor by Laura Crosta Wardrobe Stylist: Gino Tavernaro Makeup: Neil Scibelli Hair: Natalie Cora Red Jumpsuit Apparatus by Laura Crosta Wardrobe Stylist and Grooming: Gino Tavernaro 3OH!3 by Andrea LaBarge Mills Wardrobe Stylist: Ashton Michael, House of Infinite Radness Wardrobe Assistant: Tiffany Maxwell Grooming: Heather Cvar Eisley by Andrea LaBarge Mills Wardrobe Stylist: Ashton Michael, House of Infinite Radness Wardrobe Assistant: Emilie Odeil Hair/Makeup: Heather Cvar STYLE 1. 6. 16. 38. Street Level: Kate Nash in Los Angeles You Wear It Well: Sarah Ellquist Makes a Grand Entrance Dress Code: One Piece Four Ways Play It Again: Four Trend setters Pick Their Favorite Songs SOUND 2. 12. 28. 34. 42. SUICIDE SILENCE’s Mitch Lucker: The Secret of Success THE RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS: On the Road, Again ANGEL TAYLOR: Newfound Love 3OH!3: Pop Rebellion GO RADIO: Distinct Sounds, Distinct Tastes Sarah Ellquist by Andrea LaBarge Mills 4 Girls: Photographer: Andrea LaBarge Mills Ragged is published by Filter Magazine LLC, 5908 Barton Ave., Los Angeles CA 90038. Vol. 1, No. 10, FALL 2010. 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. COVER 20. GOOD CHARLOTTE: Fashion Ready ARTIST ALUMNI 44. The Ever-Evolving EISLEY produced with support from ©2010 Filter Magazine, LLC. all rights reserved Ragged is printed in the usa raggedmag.com cover and above by walter chin and marek associates KATE NASH By Lauren Barbato Photos by joshua jordan with jed root the sounds photographed in camden, new//jersey. 2 ragged raggedmag.com All clothes by American Rag. estled in the corner of Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea in Silver Lake—Los Angeles’ Mecca for the young, trendy, and self-assured—Mitch Lucker is just one of a patio-full of alternatively-dressed 20somethings.Tall, lanky, and sporting dark jeans, Lucker fits the dreaded ‘hipster’ label right down to his mustard yellow Tee. But the 25-year-old, hard-edged vocalist does not take image-fueled labels lightly, especially when placed upon his metal band, Suicide Silence. “As Andrew Green of Circa Survive says, ‘It’s the talent, not the promo shot,’” Lucker touts matter-offactly. “We’re not just another cookie-cutter band.We’re setting the bar and making every band follow us, which makes us the ones that stick out like sore thumbs.” A striking figure with a mix of black-and-vibrant ink tattoos intertwining down his arms and legs, Lucker coasts with ease for most of our conversation, until I return to the previous point—does Suicide Silence have the talent or promo shot? Lucker’s unruffled deathcore swagger falters for just a moment. “We’ve been doing this full-time for the last four years,” he says. “If we don’t have talent by now, something’s wrong with us.” It’s several weeks before the start of the Vans Warped Tour and it’s the only time off the road that Lucker has had in awhile. He enjoys it, spending time with his three-year-old daughter Kenadee, whose name is imprinted inside a rose on the edge of his right hand. But as he describes his anticipation for the band’s first-ever Warped Tour, Lucker’s almost too riled up to remain seated. Perhaps it’s the lure of free tattoos and free booze—or, secretly, the fear of falling into Hot Topic-backroom obscurity—that keeps Suicide Silence constantly on the road, whether for a headlining tour or a festival such as Mayhem. Admittedly, Suicide Silence with racing, hard-hitting tracks driven by raw angst is an unlikely addition to a tour lineup known for its pop-rock vibe. But whatever the reason, it seems that working full-time is paying off. 4 ragged // raggedmag.com After the impressive performance of its full-length debut in 2007, the band beat the sophomore slump with No Time to Bleed, which peaked at # 32 on the Billboard 200 and helped Suicide Silence garner the Revolver Golden God award for Best New Artist. Following last fall’s Megadeath tour, the band members rented a cabin at Big Bear, California to write their third album. Putting recording on hold, the band is still deciding on a producer. “We look for non-metal producers—people that are into hip-hop and music that’s catchy—because putting a radio-friendly touch on an extreme band like us gives us that extra bit of catchiness that metal needs,” Lucker says. Suicide Silence is not so much selling out, however, as it is tearing down boundaries, making heavy metal—a once-niche genre that has evolved just as many nuances as indie rock—more accessible. Besides seeking out radio-friendly producers, since its formation in 2002, the group has been at the forefront of Internet marketing. An early recording of a Suicide Silence show was posted on the band’s MySpace page before the social networking site was popular among musicians. As a result, Suicide Silence generated a following almost as hardcore as the band itself. Despite all the digital fuss, however, the band hasn’t forgotten its metal roots. Lucker lives by the virtue that music resonates best when blood, sweat, and the occasional tear (we are talking heavy metal, after all) is involved. As such, Lucker teeters that fine line—as musicians often do—between art and commercialism, yet it’s clear he knows what it takes to be successful— and to stay that way. “When you’re creating music, you’re creating something that’s your own,” Lucker concludes. “If you’re not passionate about it, then you’re not going to be successful.” R mitch lucker photographed in new york All clothes by American Rag YOU WEAR IT WELL You Wear It WELL Sarah Ellquist Makes a Grand Entrance Sarah Ellquist is a Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter and musician. Her band, Robotanists, has recently completed a vinyl-only release called Current, a selection of songs from the group’s first two records. 6 ragged // raggedmag.com raggedmag.com // ragged 7 8 ragged // raggedmag.com raggedmag.com // ragged 9 YOU WEAR IT WELL After a childhood spent studying jazz and the upright bass, Sarah Ellquist hunkered down at USC to get serious about the music business. Thankfully, her story has that classic good-girl-goes-bad ending that we all love so much. “The second I got my degree, I joined a rock band,” she says, “and the rest is history.” Now, Ellquist sings, writes and generally makes noise with Robotanists, who specialize in “beat driven, relentlessly sincere, melancholy pop songs.” The band is currently working on its third release, a conceptual album based on the idea of first impressions: “The songs look at all sides of the interactions between people and places when they first meet. The first track is called ‘Have We Met Before?’ Another track, ‘Terminal A,’ is rooted in the first time I went back to New Orleans after moving to Los Angeles, and how I got a second chance and a first glance, if you will.” As far as impressions go, Ellquist makes one that lasts.With her thick fringe of white-blonde hair and a knack for dressing sexy-but-tough, Ellquist is one part Billy Idol and another Bratz doll—a look she’s been subconsciously cultivating since childhood. “I think style is really embedded in you as a child and growing up, David Bowie, Miss Piggy, Marianne Faithfull and Barbie were the icons that resonated with me the most—Bowie is edgy and mythic, Piggy is glamorous and tough, Marianne is soft and sexy, and Barbie can wear any hat fabulously. Whether I’m on stage or buying groceries, there’s a piece of one of them in my wardrobe.” R For more info, go to robotanists.com. AMERICAN RAG SHOWS YOU HOW TO GET THE LOOK 10 ragged // raggedmag.com raggedmag.com // ragged 11 red jumpsuit apparatus 12 ragged // raggedmag.com photographed in brooklyn, NY raggedmag.com // by ragged 13 Rag All clothes American It’s a windy Friday afternoon somewhere off the interstate between Florida and Tennessee, and The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is taking a break from a road trip to Nashville. The hard-rocking quintet will be playing a gig there, just a few days after performing for the troops at Guantanamo Bay. And as if its touring schedule isn’t enough to keep Jumpsuit busy, the group also has a new EP in the works. What’s even more exciting is they’re going at it solo thanks to a recent split with Virgin, with which they released the 2006 debut, Don’tYou Fake It, as well as last year’s Lonely Road. Despite the Gitmo jet lag and an 11-hour drive, frontman Ronnie Winter found a spare moment to give Ragged a call and fill us in on the band’s progress, his own nerdy style and what he plans to do with his long, gorgeous locks of hair. How has it been working free from of a label? Ronnie Winter: It’s been really easy. There’s not a big lineup of people we have to go through when we want to approve a photo or have some cool artwork drawn up or write a new song or book studio time. We can do what we want. Is the new EP almost done? I believe all the songs are recorded, but we haven’t finalized the track listing. We actually have our own studio in our yard, so you never know. Tomorrow we could write a song we like better and bump one of the others. How does the new EP compare to your past work? Well, the songs on the last two albums were pretty old. It was stuff we had laying around for a long time, which is the case when you’re a band that has existed for a while before being signed. But every song on the EP is brand new. It’s very guitar-driven and has a heavier vibe. Other than that, it’s classic Jumpsuit—if that means anything. Now, onto the important stuff: Who in the band is the most stylish? Definitely our drummer, Jon [Wilkes]. He’s the kind of guy who will go out and buy stuff you’ll see in a magazine. How would you describe your own style? I’m the nerd of the band. I’m in the middle of The Dark Tower series right now—I like Stephen King and I’m also a big StarWars fan. I’m wearing a Star Wars belt right now. Actually, speaking of style, I had this app on my iPhone once that I used to put a fake haircut on my head when I had my hair pulled back in a ponytail. So many people freaked out on Twitter. It was funny that so many people cared. But, my ultimate plan is to donate to Locks of Love. I’m going to cut whatever I need to donate and then tell them to fix what’s left. R FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: RONNIE WINTER, MATT CARTER, DUKE KITCHENS, JOEY WESTWOOD AND JOHN WILKES 14 ragged // raggedmag.com raggedmag.com // ragged 15 Jennifer Talesfore Until recently, a jumpsuit was something rarely seen outside of a throwback Grace Jones video and a romper was a garment strictly reserved for toddlers. But oh, how times have changed. Onesies are back by the dozen, and thus, we’ve challenged four fashionable, music-minded women to work their magic with the all new American Rag romper. This is what they conjured up… How do you pay the rent? I’m a graphic designer and a musician. Right now, I’m in a band called The Lonely Wild—the music is rock with a bit of the old West in it. How would you describe your look? I would say I have a bit of a classic style with mixes of vintage elements. Jaclyn Johnson How did this romper fit your personal style? Jumpers are easy—they’re comfy, cute and you can just throw it on. I love that. How do you pay the rent? I market and brand companies, blog about fashion and run a creative collective. Jennifer splits her time between graphic design—she’s created some of our favorite lookbooks—and making music. She’s currently performing and recording with L.A.’s The Lonely Wild. For more, go to thelonelywild.com or krop.com/jennifertalesfore. How would you describe your look? Some days I’m all about vintage dresses and pretty little heels, but other days I wear military jackets and combat boots. It’s feminine and flirty with a touch of masculinity, like if Zooey Deschanel and Erin Wasson had a style child. How did this romper fit your personal style? I loved the vintage polka dot pattern. L.A.’s whole vibe is somewhat retro, so it’s nice to play up your fashion taste to your city’s sensibility. all photos by andrea labarge mills Since launching her blog (SomeNotesOnNapkins.com) in 2007, Jaclyn has become known in the fields of fashion, culture and media. She’s currently spearheading the Los Angeles creative collective, No Subject. For more, go to ThereIsNoSubject.com. 16 ragged // raggedmag.com raggedmag.com // ragged 16 raggedmag.com // ragged 17 Emily Simonian How do you pay the rent? People pay me to sit at a piano and sing about my feelings. It’s awesome! How would you describe your look? I like to mix and match garments that might typically be considered opposites, like a feminine, floral top with something edgy like a short leather skirt. How did this romper fit your personal style? It’s a great addition to my closet because of its versatility. It’s been fun thinking of all the different ways I can style it. A classically-trained vocalist, Emily ditched tradition, opting for contemporary rhythms and lyrics. For more info and to hear her music, go to emilysimonian.com. Rachel Cragg How do you pay the rent? I walk the delicate line between art and business. How would you describe your look? 38 percent vintage, 79 percent “first five clean things” I grab before running out the door, 45 percent success rate. How did this romper fit your personal style? The romper gets some serious convenience points. Anything I can throw on and just accessorize is always a closet go-to. As a manager for Nettwerk Music, Rachel’s style is as dictated by her busy lifestyle as it is by her proximity to artists like Landon Pigg and Sarah McLachlan. For more, go to nettwerk.com. 18 ragged // raggedmag.com raggedmag.com // ragged 18 raggedmag.com // ragged 19 raggedmag.com // ragged 19 By Kendah El-Ali Photos by Walter Chin with Marek Associates 20 ragged // raggedmag.com raggedmag.com // ragged 21 hese days, the names Joel and Benji Madden are better associated with the tabloids than their band, Good Charlotte. Despite their high-profile relationships with Nicole Richie and Aussie model-pop star Sophie Monk; however, it’s not to say they aren’t still a pair of fashion-savvy identical twins in a band that’s been running strong for nearly 15 years. This fall, Macy’s and American Rag will present Mad Picks by Joel and Benji Madden, a capsule line of clothing fit for budding punk rockers. In the interim, they’ll also be busy touring Europe with Good Charlotte in promotion of their new album, Cardiology. Ragged had a chance to chat with Joel not only about his take on mid-brow couture, but also family, growing up, and the science behind the seemingly impossible task of mending a broken heart. 22 ragged // raggedmag.com “When it comes to songs, music, love, life, relationships… the heart is a mystery. There is no real emotional or physical cure for a broken heart.” - Joel Madden raggedmag.com // ragged 23 24 ragged // raggedmag.com raggedmag.com // ragged 25 How does it feel to be back on tour again? Joel Madden: Right now, we’re getting our chops back. We started the band when we were 16, and toured nine of those years. There was obviously a lot of living, learning and growing up to do during that time. It’s good to be back on the road, touring, and the bands—like P!nk—that we’re touring with are cool. The last tour we did was in 2008 and the last record we put out was in 2006. We started making this record in late 2008, but we really needed to get back to our lives during that time and have started families since then. with Macy’s and American Rag. It’s kind of just our taste and style, really… casual, but versatile. I like to wear clothes that you can wear up or dress down, like a T-shirt you can throw a jacket over it for dinner or wear it whenever. It’s important for us as a band to have clothes with which we can both walk on stage or relax at home. What’s it like living the rock star life with a famous partner and two new babies? The family comes out when they can. Luckily, I have a partner who’s really awesome and holds it down. Nicole’s an awesome mom, which is lucky and makes things so easy for me. She’s a real career woman, but stays at home and can base from it. My job doesn’t really allow me to be at home a lot. The foundation I’ve set up at home is really solid. That’s key with a family, when you have that person who’s really willing to take that kind of a sacrifice. I even see it in the kids; they are really balanced. It’s all about your partner, it really is. She has clothing lines and shoe lines, and she does it all at home with the kids… I always credit her for that and support her for it. For us, the attention that we get outside the music and art is just mainly an annoyance. It’s not something to complain about necessarily, but it gives you more to maneuver through. Are you going to perform in Macy’s stores? Are you excited to be putting out a line for them? Oh sure, we’re going to do some in-store performances and I’ll do acoustic performances with my brother. We’ll also do meet-and-greets at the stores and stuff like that. I personally like to shop at Macy’s, but I also really like the idea of making nice clothes accessible to everyone. It was a perfect fit, especially in light of the tour and new album. What was your style ideology for Macy’s Mad Picks clothing line? Well, it’s a one-off season for girls’ T-shirts and clothes 26 ragged // raggedmag.com What are the pieces like? Tees and basics. Everything is designed with a sense of functionality to be both good-looking and comfortable at the same time. Can you tell us anything about the new album? We have a new record coming out in late September, early October called Cardiology. It’s a play on the idea of cardiology, and the idea that there is a medicine and science to the heart when there isn’t really one at the same time. When it comes to songs, music, love, life, relationships… the heart is a mystery. There is no real emotional or physical cure for a broken heart. The songs all relate to that idea in some shape or form. R For more info about Macy’s Mad Picks and Good Charlotte’s in-store performances at Macy’s, go to raggedmag.com. good charlotte photographed in new york All clothes//byragged American raggedmag.com 27 Rag 28 ragged // raggedmag.com ANGEL TAYLOR photographedin NEW YORK All clothes// byragged American raggedmag.com 29Rag ngel Taylor could be donning a visor and working at your local Starbucks right now. She could also be studying at a university, or preparing lesson plans for a second-grade class. Instead, the 22-year-old singersongwriter raised in Santa Clarita, California, found her life plan exchanged for a pipe dream when she put her faith—and some demo tapes recorded as a Christmas gift for her family—in the hands of producer Mikal Blue (Colbie Calliat, Jason Reeves). “As far as the record business is concerned, I didn’t know what to expect from someone who does that for a living,” Taylor says. “But, Mikal fell into my lap and it worked out perfectly.” Together, the pair sorted through Taylor’s “notebooks full of music” and crafted Love Travels, a lively soul-pop album that explores the nuances of romantic relationships. With a voice like Lily Allen and lyrics that resonate with the most jaded cynic, Taylor found a following on the Internet, and thus, Love Travels was named iTunes’ Best Pop Album of 2009. This year, Taylor has already toured with the Grammy Award-winning Adele and cult favorite Ingrid Michaelson, and spent the summer on the road opening for Barenaked Ladies and American Idol-winner Kris Allen. Although she now jet-sets around the country, Taylor—a sunny spirit with an infectious laugh—is determined to remain grounded despite her newfound occupation. “There’s a part of me that loves the road and touring, and there’s another part that misses home,” Taylor says. “It’s a balance I’m still getting used to.” 30 ragged // raggedmag.com raggedmag.com // ragged 31 You didn’t set out to be a musician. What’s it like to have your hobby become a career? Angel Taylor: It’s like someone coloring for a living and then someone letting them put their paintings in a gallery—it’s a whirlwind situation where you didn’t expect any of it.You ride with the flow as a career grows and progresses on its own. Were there any vocalists you admired when you were younger that shaped your singing? I listened to a lot of Christian music growing up, so if anything, I probably sound like Avalon or Rebecca St. James. The lyrics on Love Travels are very image-driven. Have you dabbled in other types of writing besides songwriting? My sister actually started this whole thing for me because she started writing poetry first and I copy-catted it. Naturally, having started writing that way formed actual songs. I don’t have the melody or the lyrics penned out first; it’s born all together at one time. 32 ragged // raggedmag.com Who are the songs on Love Travels about? They stemmed from one person; I’ve actually only had one real relationship and it was like a two-and-a-halfyear thing. There are songs on there that relate to other people at different points in time, but most of them are about that one relationship. In your expert opinion, what elements make the perfect love song? I think there are two types of love songs: There’s the heartbreak, and then there’s the princess and the prince and they live forever and they’re gorgeous and they have babies and everyone wants to be like them. I’m guessing you lean more toward the heartbreak. [Laughs] Very much so. Music and fashion often go hand-in-hand. How much are you concerned with your image? With every industry—whether music, film or modeling— people are going to look at what a person looks like. Some people get carried away with that, but people who generally are themselves don’t dwell on it very much. I love fashion but I’ve never really been a super girly-girl in high heels. Give me a T-shirt and jeans and I’m good to go. R raggedmag.com // ragged 33 3OH!3 photographed in Los angeles ragged // raggedmag.com All 34 clothes by American Rag raggedmag.com // ragged 35 It’s funny to think that Nat Motte of the electro-hop duo 3OH!3 was once, as he says, “vehemently opposed to pop music.” Considering his group’s knack for producing hits, collaborating with chart-toppers such as Ke$ha, Katy Perry and Lil Jon, and driving worldwide fans into freaked-out frenzies with party anthems designed to lodge themselves in one’s head, it’s pretty clear that Motte and pop music have made amends. “Now I think that pop is pretty interesting,” he says. “People are doing pretty creative stuff within a popular realm and even incorporating things that wouldn’t necessarily make a song popular or even palpable.” Instead of penning tributes to booze-infused hookups, Motte could have easily taken a more conventional path as he and co-conspirator Sean Foreman graduated from college a couple years back with nearly perfect GPAs. Nevertheless, Motte treads the alternate (pop) route with an utmost diligence, and with the looming release of 3OH!3’s third album, Streets of Gold, the towering 26-year-old Boulder, Colorado-native is eager to reveal how less-traveled roads are paved. How did college help prepare you for this unexpected career path? Nat Motte: It’s different in terms of the specifics of what we’re doing, but I really think there’s still a work ethic Sean and I have that a lot of bands don’t— the determination to see everything through and be involved in everything we do. What pressures did you feel in creating Streets of Gold? At once the pressure is self-inflicted but also there are people who want to hear hits. But whenever it felt too over-burdening, we just kind of went in with the same mantra from when we started the whole thing, which was to make music that was fun and different. Where are you now as a musician or artist versus where you were a few years ago? A few years back it was still that transition between hobby and job. When we were working on our last album, I was still going to go to medical school six months later. Now it’s really what we do. We take our art seriously but we also really take an active involve- 36 ragged // raggedmag.com ment in everything that is 3OH!3 the business. It’s funny because being in the studio creating and being onstage playing is just a micro-fraction of what we do now. Do you find enjoyment in the business side as well? There are definitely parts that are more fun than others. There are those parts that are a little bit more laborious, a little more trying but they’re still interesting. And there are parts that suck. Obviously when you have more success, more people are involved on the edge of what you do and want to get their hands on what you do creatively. And that’s always a constant battle to retain creative freedom and do what we do. Is your success in proportion to your talent? I think it is proportional to our talent and to our work ethic. I think we’ve had a lot of luck too but we’ve capitalized on that luck with hard work… I kind of slap myself on the face a lot and revel in the fact that we’re doing awesome stuff and really appreciate what’s happened, but at the same time, it’s satisfying to know that we’ve worked hard for it, too. R raggedmag.com // ragged 37 Four Trend setters Pick Their Favorite Songs …To Strike a Pose “Sorcerer” Stevie Nicks “Gimme Danger” The Stooges “A Sight to Behold” Devendra Banhart “King Rides By” Cat Power “Lord Can You Hear Me” Spiritualized Christina Masterson Model and blogger Christina Masterson, the other half of A Go-Go Fashion, understands the benefits of working to a good soundtrack. “I always shoot with music playing if I can. It helps me pull out different emotions and it puts me in some sort of fantasy world,” she says. Masterson’s life is a bit of a fairytale, with her ads popping up on practically every fashionable URL and her face gracing videos from Louis XIV to Miley Cyrus. “My taste is eclectic,” she says. “I’m open to so much when it comes to music.” JENNIFER HUMPHREY “My personal style is always changing and evolving with the times,” insists Jennifer Humphrey, who in addition to being a model and classic rock purist is also something of a fashion dare devil: “I am definitely not scared of fashion and taking risks.” Her blog, A Go-Go Fashion, founded with fellow Ragged-muse Christina Masterson, chronicles these fashionable exploits, including a recent Coachella outfit that consisted of a white crop top and motorcycle boots, framing bright blue vintage bloomers—risqué, indeed. “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” Billy Joel “Crazy” Aerosmith “Go Your Own Way” Fleetwood Mac “Magic Man” Heart “November Rain” Guns N’ Roses 38 ragged // raggedmag.com raggedmag.com // ragged 39 ERIC LYLE LODWICK “I love pop, the ’80s, things that are soft”—thankfully, Eric Lyle Lodwick isn’t referring to his taste in music but rather his fashion sense. “Also, I love the color aquamarine blue,” he adds. Perhaps it’s this specificity that allows him to lead a double-life as a successful model and also as one-third of the about-to-blow-up band BRAHMS, which toured with Passion Pit and Tokyo Police Club this summer. This duality is common in the life of a musician, and Lodwick has some great ones to look up to: “I admire David Bowie. He was able to transform his normal life into a created stage presence and somehow keep the two separate.” “Swing Tree” Discovery “Golden Prize” Apes & Androids “Concrete Jungle” Bob Marley & the Wailers “Vertigo” Gordon Voidwell “Sound and Vision” David Bowie “Superstition” Stevie Wonder “Eleanor Rigby” The Beatles “Love is the Drug” Roxy Music “Ashes to Ashes” David Bowie “All Day and All of the Night” The Kinks 40 ragged // raggedmag.com JONO NAMARA “Bowie was always ahead of his time and he had great hats—I can’t pull off hats,” Jono Namara says. As a model-DJ-club-host, Namara has shot numerous campaigns and trotted countless runways. His affinity for both fashion and music culminated a few years ago when he and three other male models formed the punk band, Mannequins: “It was a great idea, but being four male models in a punk band, there were just too many egos to contend with…even the drummer wanted to be at the front of the stage!” raggedmag.com // ragged 41 go radio photographed in tallahassee, FL All clothes by American Rag By Daniel Kohn photos by Brook Pifer The year 2010 has been a busy one for the Tallahassee-based, pop-punk group Go Radio. The band signed with a new record label—Fearless—and released its second EP, Do Overs and Second Chances. “This record is a lot more Go Radio than an idea of Go Radio,” says lead singer and band co-founder Jason Lancaster, when describing the differences between the EPs. “The first EP wasn’t mixed or mastered. This one [Do Overs and Second Chances] had a lot more of, ‘Hey, this is what I’m thinking, what are you thinking?’ We’re more of a band now because of that.” With a stalwart fan base ranging from first-time teenage concertgoers to raging college co-eds, Go Radio’s catchy hooks and Lancaster’s distinct vocals continue to win fans from across the cultural spectrum. Ragged recently caught up with Lancaster to discuss the songwriting process, the band he admires, and the thought-process behind Go Radio’s on-stage wardrobe. What can fans expect at a Go Radio show? What are you guys like onstage? Jason Lancaster: We’re more of a high-energy show. I feel like if we don’t get excited about it, then it will be hard for anyone else to be. We’re still at the stage where we’re trying to impress as many people as possible. Stage presence has a lot to do with that. What band have you shared a stage with that really impressed you? Anberlin is an amazing live band. We’ve been fortunate enough to play with those guys. And, they’re probably the most professional-looking band I’ve ever seen. They have a strut on stage that the crowd goes nuts for. I feel that’s something we’re constantly trying to achieve. When you guys are performing, do you try to be “professional” too? We try to mix it up. I feel like it’s important to be comfortable because you’re there for a long period of time, but you also want to look good because you are trying to set yourself apart. 42 ragged // raggedmag.com Speaking of setting yourself apart, you seem to have the “rocker” look working for you. Do you think it’s important as an artist to have a distinct look? A friend of mine once told me, “You don’t want to look like a kid in the crowd and you don’t want to get offstage and be standing there and have nobody know you were just onstage.” So, you have to try to set yourself apart in some way, whether that be a tie or different hair. We definitely take that into consideration before we go onstage. Applying that idea to your new album, do you see a gradual growth with the songwriting or are you guys sticking with what’s familiar? It’s going to be a mixture of new and old. We’ve never been about trying to fake something. I think there are always going to be songs that sound like the old stuff but we’ll just see how it goes. There’s going to be a little something for everyone on there. R from left to right: matt burns, steven kopacz, alex reed, jason raggedmag.com lancaster // ragged 43 EISLEY photographed in LOS ANGELES, 2007 All clothes by American Rag By Spencer Flanagan Photo By Andrea LaBarge Mills When Ragged last caught up with indie pop-rock band Eisley, the group was gearing up for the release of its sophomore album, Combinations. Now, nearly three years and a couple of marriages later, the band of siblings is once again getting ready for another album release—but this time from a very different approach. Having recently left Warner Bros., the members of Eisley are ready to leave the messy record label business behind them so they can, first, finish the new album (hopefully due out at the end of this year) and then promptly tour the world. With several band members recently betrothed, a new, edgier look, and a fearless attitude toward “all in the family” pop music, Eisley is more than ready for the future. What made you want to go indie? Sherri DuPree-Bemis: I think Warner Bros. was a good place for us to start out, but it’s one of those things where unless you have a big pop-rock radio kind of sound, it’s going to be hard for a major label to put the time and money into you because it’s a risk. I think 44 ragged // raggedmag.com honestly, if I could go back, I probably would have gone with an indie label for our type of sound from the beginning, but you know, you live and you learn. I think just as we’ve gotten older, everyone has definitely honed in on their own style, which is a natural thing, but still it’s very cohesive with the band image. I think that’s partly related to the fact that we’re all siblings and everyone hangs out together and is into a lot of the same music and fashion. Everyone has their own style now but it is still cohesive, which is great because you don’t have to worry about someone showing up to a photo shoot in leopard print pants or something. How has the band’s sense of style changed since we last featured you? What’s the best thing about being in a band with your family? Obviously for me, because of how I grew up, family is the most important thing to me. Our band gets crap for being a family band. The fact that my brothers and sisters are my best friends is an amazing thing to me because it’s a built-in support group. What else could you want in life? To me it’s a blessing. I love it. Really? You still get a lot of flack about being a family band? We do! People think it’s cheesy, but I don’t know why loving your family is cheesy. Some people like to harp on us, but it’s fine; it doesn’t bother me. I have a family who I love and love to hang out with, so you know… I win. R raggedmag.com // ragged 45 ged g the unplu our t BEFORE YOU EXIT EVERY AVENUE SING IT LOUD THE BIGGER LIGHTS THIS PROVIDENCE ONEREPUBLIC VALENCIA Check out raggedmag.com for additional concert details and exact locations.
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