Abort Magazine - Issue 3

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THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU

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PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF E.S. DAY MANAGING EDITOR GRIMM CULHANE ART DIRECTOR/LAYOUT ARA SHIMOON PHOTO EDITOR TOBY SCHUCH HIP-HOP EDITOR DAVE “CORVID” MCCALLUM SENIOR WRITER DEREK LESCHASIN STAFF WRITERS JIMMY LYNCH (TORONTO), WILLIAM ”MOOSE” ROBERTS, GARY LACHANCE, CHAZ BUTCHER (MONTREAL) STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS SARAH HAMILTON, TOBY SCHUCH, PAUL MICHALOWSKI, MARK DAVID, SHAWN SCHEEPERS ASSISTANT ALEXANDRIA LEE WEB DESIGN/GRAPHICS JOHN ALLAN – JOHNALLAN.CA CONTRIBUTORS DERRICK BECKLES, PAPERMONSTER, CALDER FERTIG, MARK SACKMAN, FRANKIE JACKS, BEN CARLIN, GARY LACHANCE & MARK DAVID FOR ABORT TV, JOSH TAYLOR, TANK COVER DESIGN AND CONCEPT ARA SHIMOON AND E.S. DAY ABORT MAGAZINE IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY: ABORT MEDIA PUBLISHING CORPORATION (AMP CORP.) 1140 COMOX ST. STE 203 VANCOUVER, BC CANADA, V6E 1K5 778.330.7575 FUCK THE FAX GENERAL INFO: [email protected] HTTP://WWW.ABORTMAG.COM HTTP://WWW.ABORTMAGAZINE.COM ADVERTISING [email protected] MARKETING/PROMOTIONS [email protected] EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES [email protected] SUBSCRIPTIONS/E-NEWSLETTER [email protected] (WE DO NOT GIVE OUT YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS) CD’S, DVD’S, BOOKS, ART, MURALS, CASH, DRUGS, GARTER BELTS, GUNS, FUR COATS, TRANS-FATTY FOODS AND CIGARETTES TO BE CONSIDERED FOR REVIEW… [email protected] TO SUBMIT WORDS, ART, VIDEO AND FILTH ETC… [email protected] (NOTE: ABORT MAGAZINE/ABORT TV AND ITS COPYRIGHT HOLDERS ACCEPT NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR AND WILL NOT NECESSARILY RESPOND TO UNSOLICITED ART, MANUSCRIPTS OR ANY FORM OF MEDIA INCLUDING PHOTO, VIDEO, AUDIO AND FILM FOOTAGE SUCH MATERIAL WILL NOT BE RETURNED UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY A SASE) ABORT MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED 12 TIMES A YEAR AND DISTRIBUTED FREE ACROSS CANADA, L.A. SEATTLE AND PORTLAND COPYRIGHT © 2004-2007 ABORT MAGAZINE/AMP CORP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION OF THIS PUBLICATION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN ANY FORM OR MEDIUM WITHOUT EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM ABORT MEDIA PUBLISHING CORP. IS PROHIBITED. ALL USE IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS OF USE. “ABORT” “ABORT MAGAZINE” “ABORTMAG.COM” “ABORTMAGAZINE.COM” “ABORTCAST” AND “ABORT TV” ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF AMP CORP.

GFYS Sept./Oct., 2007 1. Facebook Apps.: What happened to “Networking” you ruthless cocksuckers! 2. Iron Maiden: White-Sleeve Jersey feat. the cover for the album “Killers” (at least listen to the fucking thing prior to wearing it – goof). 3. Being on the “same page.” 4. Lumberjack rockers from Vancity w/ band members who sport a Grizzly Adams-style face full of hair and name their bands after animals. There is more than one, trust us. 5. Japanese Subway Molestation Laws (don’t worry, the twits who passed this also ride the subway – they can’t hold off that long). 6. Hey college rockers: “Take off that fucking tie!” 7. Vancouver coffee house patios (and the people who inhabit them). 8. Jack White. Do us the favour, stay in the studio…write…then die. 9. Bow Chicka Wow Wow: How about “Bow Chicka Fuck You.” 10. Pitchfork/Filter (well that’s just a given).

Bacon Bitz/Pickton’s Picks Robert “Willie“ Pickton’s Top 5 Tracks on his iPICK© 1. Big Bad Bill ( is sweet William now) – Van Halen 2. Willie the Weeper – Louie Armstrong 3. Little Willie - The Sweet 4. The Meanest Cat (In Town) – The Ill Billy’s 5. Free Willy – The Dickies

We take an album and dissect it track by track. The results can sometimes be well…messy.

Our monthly chart compiled from the blood, sweat & fears of our staff. 1. Silly Bitch/I Get Wrecked feat. KRS-1 – Tim Dog (Ruffhouse ) 2. You Suck – Yeastie Girls (EMI) 3. Fueled By Hate - Droid (Emotional Syphon Recordings) 4. Love The Life You Live – Black Heat (Label M.) 5. Sanctity of Brothers – Unearth (Metalblade) 6. HateD – Ninjaspy (Yes, again) (Indie)* 7. Right Back To Where We Started From – Maxine Nightingale (Razor & Tie) 8. 20,000 Hardcore Members – Messiah (American) 9. Latest News – Mr. Vegas (Greensleeves) 10. From New York To L.A. – Patsy Gallant (Attic)* *Denotes Canadian Content. Now where’s our fucking money, Magazine Fund People?

Mood Ruff MC Odario Williams, repping for Winnipeg fronts the Grand Analog project, backed by a diverse crew of live musicians and dirty samples for “Tape endeavours, love letters & the sound of the city”. So let’s break it down:

1. LMAO - Immediately engaging from the outset, the opener sets the tone collage style, with snippets of vocals over a bare drum beat all blunted out. Dirty and analog sounding, it draws you into the vortex like slow creeper hash. 2. Human Beans - brings the slow dopeness, phat bass and soundclash electro tweaks in the background for that first spliff. Like stretching your stoned legs on concrete streets early in the morning. 3. Touch Your Toes actually rocks distorted funky guitars witho ut sounding cheesy, the kind of track with crowd appeal that gets shows started right.

4. I’ll Walk Alone - This video/single is an instant classic, setting GA far apart from the typical club rap sound associated with Canadian Hip Hop, wearing the reggae roots on the sleeve right through to the next track Gene “All About The Green” Simmons (for the 3rd time!): In town to promote his new MoneyBag line of clothing as well as Frank’s Energy Drink.

5. Around This Town - Odario’s voice is naturally melodic and the reggae shit works real well, rooted in the best 70’s dub styles and equally slammin’ and red eyed all at once. Rockers All Stars!!!

Of course we wanted to talk about the mixdown process for “I Stole Your Money…I mean Love.” from ALIVE II

6. Get Live and Go - brings the power chord guitar+boom bap drums style back, with tight Old School storytelling flow to prove that this isn’t just a “crossover” project, but real Hip Hop from a skilled MC.

Instead…..

7. Sitting on Sunday is something else entirely – sing song laidback reminiscence with an almost alt-country chorus by Sarah Dugas that’s somehow not too cheesy. 8. BRB - A little crossroads blues 9. Social Butterfly - funky soul a la K-OS 10. Weekend Love - A real classic sounding down tempo reggae lover’s rock, a la Gregory Isaacs. Again, the reggae shit sounds like the most natural of the styles, carrying through into...

11. Mixtapes – dwelling a little deeper in the digital dub darkness, Odario’s voice rules on this one (esp. with the space echo…), and Arinze drops a soulful chorus. 12. Small Town Boys - featuring Shadez (awesome blunted voice), is a dope electro funk club banger repping true to his roots in the Peg and “making big town noise”. 13. Simmer me down - is back on the K-OS beat and mellow vibe sex funk with sweet voiced Tynisha Goddard on the hook. 14.What’s Good - featuring Len Bowen and Ofield is confident g-funk with horns and falsettos and perverted bass, mutating into ambient sequenced paranoia on “TTYL”, to leave you feel like you’re coming down alone. Gene Simmons Shoves his infamous tongue up the ass of ABORT Magazine’s Grimm Culhane at Leone’s here in Vancouver and then does a counter-clockwise swirl, while Grimm sets his KISS Army Membership Card ablaze. Photos by Sarah Hamilton

From full band funk to dusty dub to boom bap to soulful pop to mixtape weirdness, Grand Analog is beautiful in its diversity and flows smoothly from one style to the next. Somehow, the whole sound is really evocative of the Winnipeg/central Canada feel, and instead of being an exercise in appropriation, comes off more as a natural style of its own. Lotsa soul and emotion without being overworked, lots of grimy attitude without being gangsta, a bright musical talent reaching boldly in all directions. Sounds like better times are here for Canadian Hip Hop. By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

Satellite Party w/ Mink September 23, 2007 Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, BC It was the perfect evening for getting “Ultra Payloaded” last Sunday night as Perry Farrell and the rest of Satellite Party touched down at The Commodore Ballroom. Riding the success of their latest album, Perry and the rest of the band showed they still have what it takes to remain at the top of the musical game. Fledgling rock stars Mink, (the politest band on Earth), joined the fray for what turned out to be an “Ocean Size” night of music and mayhem. Sporting tight pants and even tighter grooves, Mink opened the show with a high energy set that really got the crowd moving. Singer Neal Carlson says, “we’re totally real,” and after seeing them in action I’m inclined to believe him. Guitarists Dave Lowy, Nick Maybury and bass player Grant Fitzpatrick make up the strings of Mink, but it was drummer Stella Mozgawa who really stood out. Visions of drummers such as Sandy West (The Runaways), Denise Dufort (Girlschool), and even Demetra Plakas (L7), ran through my head as they played. I mean this woman is amazing! For an up and coming band Mink are quite impressive and can only continue getting better. Their self-titled debut is out now. The crowd’s anticipation boiled over as Perry and the rest of Satellite Party hit the stage to a huge ovation. Smiling and genuinely glad to be playing in Vancouver, Perry introduced each song, cracked jokes and interacted with the audience the whole night. He even shared a full bottle of vino with the crowd at one point and snatched cameras, drinks and whatever he could grab from the people up front during “Been Caught Stealing” (which he promptly gave back). The man is truly a consummate showman, working the crowd and never letting things get out of hand. Still as flamboyant as ever, Perry’s twisting and gyrating nearly rivaled the sexy dance moves of wife and background singer Etty Lau Farrell…but not quite. Rounding out the rest of the band were Nick Perri on guitar, Carl Restivo on bass and Jordan Plosky on drums. This night’s Satellite Party turned out to be more of a “Best of Perry Fest” as nearly half of the tunes they played were Jane’s Addiction songs as well as a few choice cuts from Porno for Pyros. Perry’s distinctive voice and song writing skills make this Satellite Party definitely a party worth checking out. “Ultra Payloaded” is in stores right now. By Grimm Culhane All Photos - Sarah Hamilton

Global ComedyFest: Tommy Chong September 13, 2007 Lafflines Comedy Club, New Westminster, BC The Global Comedy Fest kicked off with a “bong” last night when Tommy Chong and his lovely wife Shelby busted more than several guts down at Lafflines Comedy Club in New Westminster. The packed house was definitely jonesing for a good time and not even short term memory loss will affect anyone’s ability to remember this night. Tommy’s wife Shelby opened the show with a solo act that was gold, Jerry. Gold. She’s truly a hilarious woman in her own right, cracking jokes and gleefully sharing anecdotes about their lives and what to do when the police bust your house. Her thoughts and comparisons of men and women were both insightful and too fucking funny! Tommy may have helped write some of her material, but the delivery was pure Shelby. An entire room doubled over in laughter is quite a sight to see and I’m guessing more than one drink went out someone’s nose during her set. After a much warranted round of cheers and applause she was joined on the stage by “The Man” himself. You must be living under the wrong kind of mushroom if you don’t know who Tommy Chong is. Musician, comedian, movie star, pop culture icon, incarcerated bong salesman; he’s done it all. Looking trim and fit with that familiar sly smile on his face, Tommy was definitely in his element when he stepped on stage. Research shows (in the form of Mr. Chong) that forty some odd years of getting Chinese eyes has little or no effect on quickness of wit or perfection of timing. The guy’s fucking hilarious!

Photo By Paul Michalowski

Topics Tommy covered in his hour and some on stage included visiting prison (the “bong” bust), his relationship with Cheech (strained), why Canadians pee more than any other country in the world (no comment), and what to do when you come across stray weed (you light it on fire, duh!). There was a curious reaction to a couple of off coloured racial distinctions, but his quick mind, good humour and easy going attitude kept things light and forgiving. Shelby rejoined Tommy on stage for the show’s finale. They did a couple of skits together involving hot Salsa dancing and how to react when divine intervention touches you while sitting in the car waiting for your wife. Together they bade the audience good night and graciously exited the stage to loud and well deserved applause. Afterwards they hung out in the club for quite a while selling t-shirts, posing for pictures, signing autographs and chatting with everyone. Not a bad way to kick off a festival! By Grimm Culhane

Metal Blade 25th Anniversary Tour Feat. Cannibal Corpse, The Black Dahlia Murder, Goatwhore, The Red Chord, The Absence September 20, 2007 Croatian Cultural Centre, Vancouver, BC

kid Gib September 20, 2007 The Bourbon, Vancouver, BC

Along with local opening band Scatterheart, Ontario’s up-andcoming emo-rockers Kid Gib played the Bourbon on September 20 to something less than a full house (to be diplomatic). Regardless, both bands managed to make up for the lack of action on the floor with competent, entertaining sets. Scatterheart opened with emotional, flamboyant rock, including a few surprises… and I don’t really ‘get’ singer Jesse Enright’s costume, but I guess that doesn’t matter. If that’s the way the wind’s blowing, so be it. In my day, I have been to more shows than I can remember at which the main audience has consisted of members (or friends) of the other bands on the bill for the night. It’s a little depressing and you can’t help but feel for any band that has journeyed for hundreds of kilometers to play such an event. However, it’s also a great way to test a band’s mettle, and a band that plays every show like it matters is a band that is likely to at least do decently well for themselves. I should probably mention that Kid Gib fit that bill pretty well.

In the midst of a cross-country tour, Kid Gib have just released a full-length on Subciety and recorded a music video, and it’s obvious that they’ve put in a lot of work since their beginnings in 2003. Kid Gib play a form of emotional pop-punk with hardcore influences. I was a bit put off by listening to the polished sound of their recorded music, but onstage the band present something a bit different. Still very tight and professional, Kid Gib have a rawer, slightly more aggressive output. Their energy level was as high as anyone could expect for a young touring band, and those who chose to make it out on a Wednesday night couldn’t have been disappointed by what they saw. It’s just a shame there weren’t more there to see it. By Derek Leschasin

The Metal Blade 25th Anniversary Tour hit the Croatian Cultural Centre Friday night like a fucking freight train t-boning a Greyhound bus. There were bodies everywhere, a bit of blood and enough black clothing to outfit a hundred funerals as five acts played over five hours celebrating Metal Blade’s 25 years as both pioneers and veterans of the metal scene. The coming apocalypse never sounded so good as The Absence, Goatwhore, The Red Chord, The Black Dahlia Murder and Cannibal Corpse all shared the stage for this marathon of metal.

Career Suicide Aug 17, 2007 Pub 340, Vancouver, BC

Tampa, Florida’s The Absence was up first. Sporting more hair than a Grizzly Adams convention, they ripped through their set with the fury of a Florida hurricane, leaving nothing but carnage in their wake. Hair swingers savant, check out their new disc “Riders of The Plague” out now.

Toronto’s own Career Suicide finally brought their lightning fast hardcore to Vancouver playing Pub 340 last Friday. The wait was well worth it. Their machine gun delivery, tight, fast, hard songs and the sweat flying everywhere took me back to basement gigs at The Rat’s Nest.

Goatwhore--out of New Orleans--followed soon after, whipping the crowd into a frenzy of circle moshing, hair swinging, head banging bliss. Before their last song singer Ben Falgoust requested that EVERYONE mosh (not just a circle mosh), and I’ll be damned if the whole place didn’t erupt like an audience fleeing a burning Bali nightclub. Their latest release, “A Haunting Curse” is out now. Boston’s The Red Chord was up next. Theirs was truly an excellent set performed by one of the best self proclaimed “noisy bands” out there today. Intricate songs performed with conviction and rage, if this night is any indication these guys will be around a long while. “Prey for Eyes” is their latest release, go check it out. The Black Dahlia Murder kept things rolling with an excellent set of death/metalcore. Hailing from Detroit, these guys knew exactly what they wanted when they hit the stage: to shred some eardrums and hopefully cause a fucking riot. Lead vocalist Trevor Strnad, between deep growls and high-pitched shrieks, petitioned the audience for as much weed as they would share. I sure hope he got his hands on some; he and the rest of The Black Dahlia Murder definitely earned it this night. Their latest disc “Nocturnal” kicks serious ass!

White Lung from Vancouver opened the night with songs reminiscent of The Slits and X. Their set was pretty short, but peaked my interest in finding more of their sound.

Photo By Toby Schulch

Finally, and with much deserved ado, Cannibal Corpse hit the stage and damn near plastered everyone against the back wall of the C.C.C. with their huge sonic bombardment and relentless attack. A fitting way to celebrate 25 years of Metal Blade Records with a band who’s been on that label and going strong for nearly 20 years themselves. Lead singer George Fisher and the rest of his Tampa, Florida cohorts assaulted the audience like a psychotic driver mowing down the advancing forces. What a way to celebrate 25 years of Metal Blade Records! Enough rage and head pounding sound to have you keyed up and shouting at your friends (because you’ve been rendered deaf!) long after the show was done. If you didn’t work out your rage and angst at this gig you might as well crawl back into your casket and remain among the dead. Nuf sed! By Grimm Culhane

Photo By Toby Schulch

Up next was Alternate Action, an excellent old school punk band out of Vancouver. Their straight forward set, played with intensity and genuine punk enthusiasm, really got the night going. A sort of Rancid/Ramones hybrid with less ska and more fwah! Career Suicide finally hit the stage like a forest fire and burned the fucking place down! Toronto certainly creates some excellent angst if these boys are any indication. Well written songs and a tight as hell execution, nothing less than a full frontal assault on the senses. Crowd strafing guitar solos and barking vocals backed up by solid bass and drums coming at you with no mercy, what more could an appreciator of hardcore ask for? Nothing; it was fucking great! Do not miss Career Suicide when they return in the future! They will; they have to! By Grimm Culhane

Photos - Toby Schuch & Sean Cowie

where our music was always underground and it’s given a little variety to it. E.S. Day: I really think they should widen the U.S. for this show. Mr. Kaves: Their trying to go nationwide right now, but its nationwide have a certain cable package. Because if you have a certain pack, you can see it in California. But umm.. Right now I’m at Madison Square Garden channel, is a New York channel that reaches ten million people in New York.We are trying to release it national hopefully. E.S. Day: What about Satellite? Mr. Kaves:Yeah, you can see it on you tube too. E.S. Day: I noticed a couple clips. You know I’m going to ask about Lordz of Brooklyn (former group) for a sec. Mr. Kaves:Yeah, sure.

21 & Under With…The Lordz Back in the early 90’s, the thought of meshing Hardcore/Metal and Hip-Hop, was a risky move that made a decent attempt but yet never really stood its ground One of the groups that helped shape this was The Lordz of Brooklyn. Now simply – The Lordz, the group went through an overhaul and resurfaced with a new sound, a new TV show and now The Brooklyn Way is shaking the foundations all over again. E.S. Day: This is E.S. Day and I’m speaking with Mr. Kaves from The Lordz. How’s it going? Mr. Kaves: Hey, its going good. E.S. Day: Good, Good. We are going to try and bang these out really quick. Mr. Kaves has come a long way to bring us the Brooklyn Way. How much has this changed your life and The Lordz You know it’s been a long time coming. So, obviously anything helps in this day and age. T.V?… Mr. Kaves: T.V. is a great way to market your band because the music business is a hard business especially now… E.S. Day: Especially now, exactly. Once again speaking of the T.V. show, so we heard there’s an upcoming episode with Fishbone. Mr. Kaves: Right E.S. Day: We recently did and interview with Fishbone. Is

Mr. Kaves: (Haha) I broke of my back these whole years. The Lordsz of Brooklyn is my thing, it’s not going to go anywhere. In order for us to branch out, into different musical styles, we packaged it up a little different and came up under the radar. Because, as many people as there are out there that like you there’s a lot that hate on you, and they thing one thing. Like Lordz of Brooklyn, “Ah we been there”.You know what I mean. E.S. Day: Yeah , yeah right E.S. Day: Old School metal? Mr. Kaves: KISS. E.S. Day: KISS, wicked! Which album?

this a ------ or guest appearance and for that matter do you find it hard to have a personal conversation with Angelo (haha)?

Mr. Kaves: Every album.

Mr. Kaves: (Haha) Yeah, we had a few that were definitely over the top. But Great guy, great band. Like I say on the episode, one of the best bands on the planet. Rock band and originators of this whole hybrid thing.

Mr. Kaves: I got to stop.. Every album up to (The Live too).

E.S. Day: No doubt, yeah.Well I have to say, we don’t get your show here in fucking Canada… Mr. Kaves: Uh you know what, it’s the Tri-State area in New York.since the voice of Brookyln expanded, not to mention the hardships your still endure. Mr. Kaves: Ah well I mean listen, this is kind of a blessing in disguise . You know, taking up a lot of our time, producing it and do everything ourselves. We haven’t got any sleep. The last sleep depravation but what its starting to do is open up people and putting a face to a song, kind of thing. You know,

E.S. Day: KISS was the first show I ever saw.

E.S. Day: Into the matter, he’s standing behind them. Mr. Kaves: It doesn’t matter which track you , he’s there supporting it. And you see on this new Lordz album we did a cover of , “Back in the New York Groove.” E.S. Day:You just fucked up one of my questions Kaves!(haha) It was about the has freely solo thing.That’s really great that.. I still can’t believe that you guys picked that. I shit when I heard that and now its like the hockey theme for your Rangers or something. I mean that’s incredible. I mean that’s great, that must have been a big boost for you guys getting picked up by the NHL. Mr. Kaves:Yeah you now, it gives you hope to keep doing that your doing because those little blessing comes to yeah and all the other doors are shut, then one opens for up. Then you’re the hometown favourites. E.S. Day: But not only that, to have The Lordz pumping through the arena all the time. Through all the games and commercials… Mr. Kaves:Yeah its incredible, it’s a great feeling. Those things outweigh all the bullshit. E.S. Day: “The Brooklyn Way” is tagged as a life style show. Which lifestyle and who are you targeting? Mr. Kaves: Well we did want to turn reality T.V. Most realty T.V. is bullshit. This is more of a documentary . And the lifestyle is about the subculture, hybrid music and art and everything we grew up on and still support. And that’s from being a graffiti artist as kids, or being in a hip-hop band. It was pretty much that kind of subculture that New York City and Brooklyn kind of life style. E.S. Day: Time Warner cable has picked this up. Can we assume that there is a Warner album in the works or… Mr. Kaves: The Brooklyn way right now on Warner Brothers right now. Warner Chapel. Perfect Game Recordings is the label right now.You can get it on iTunes right now.

E.S. Day: Okay perfect and website. Its just thelordz.com. E.S. Day:Wicked? Alive II. Alive II two you can only listen too. Your views on the White Rapper Show. You have to listen to the whole album. You can’t just listen to “I Stole Your Love”, you have to play the whole thing. Mr. Kaves: Yeah, You now, I am biased because a friend of Wicked. That’s great you said that. “Dynasty” tour was the mine created it. first show I saw. E.S. Day:You mean MC Serch? Mr. Kaves: Yeah, we seen KISS live to at the Garden, and then we seen the Dynasty show as well. And I guess KISS was on Mr. Kaves: No no, The Ego Trip guys.…. its way out. E.S. Day: Cool, cool. Speaking of White Rappers, LaCoka E.S. Day: That’s right, it was game over. (haha) Nostra. Any collaborations on the horizon? Mr. Kaves: When I talk about my brother, he’s a true Kiss fanatic. He kept on going.

Mr. Kaves: Well you know, the House of Pain guys have been our extended family, since we started. You never know, I’m sure there is.

Mr. Kaves: And graffiti is, you know, it never goes away. It performs now.. We are doing canvas now and… E.S. Day: Oh your doing canvas now? Mr. Kaves: yeah, yeah. E.S. Day: Oh no way, are you showing this anywhere?

have anything to say to your West coast fans while you’re here? Mr. Kaves:You now what, Thank you for the support and we are here. And were are not going any where. Go check out Brooklyn Way. E.S. Day: Wicked… website is thelordz.com. The Brooklyn Way, on Warner and in stores now and on iTunes.

Mr. Kaves: Yeah, well I’m always showing my work. Always doing something new. We actually… you saw one of the episodes of the show. There was one episode that we were working on putting on an art show and unfortunately one of the graffiti artist that I was working with past away. So we didn’t get a chance to do it. I show my art work on a few occasions and we just did a painting yesterday for Allen Ket. Their raising money for because he got himself some legal problems over graffiti in New York City. Big case going on because he worked for Echo and they went after him.

Mr. Kaves:You can grab it on iTunes or you can go download it for some site.

E.S. Day: Okay interesting., next show for you then, for your art?

E.S. Day: Eastern Time?

Mr. Kaves: Yeah, I’m working on something now. I mean somewhere in the city sometime soon… E.S. Day: Well keep us posted, if its legal we will advertise it.(haha)We also spoke with some graffiti writers, who have been around for decades., who stated that punk music was in fact the soundtrack to graffiti culture long before hiphop..Your views on that? Mr. Kaves: Graffiti was more, for us, it was a neighbourhood thing. So, our neighborhood wasn’t a hip-hop neighbourhood, it was mostly rock kids that were running graffiti. E.S. Day: Rock and punk were the … Mr. Kaves: Depends on what neighbourhood you were coming up on. I mean, it was all coming up in, the early seventies in New York City. Depending on what neighbourhood you were in and what you listened too. It was all part of it. The early days on the trains there was a lot of references to Black Sabbath, Ozzy, The Beatles and plenty graffiti for sure. E.S. Day: Well I tell you this much, I know some hip-hop kids that would knife me in the back when they hear me say that. I mean, how dare I put Black Flag and graffiti in the same sentence, Mr. Kaves: If they are true graffiti writers, they need to learn the history there… E.S. Day:Yeah well that’s what I’m saying, we need people like you. True originators. Mr. Kaves:Yeah sure. E.S. Day: So that’s the thing. Well we will rap this up. Do you

E.S. Day: The T.V. show is on the MSG channel. Mr. Kaves:Yeah the MSG channel… E.S. Day: When’s the date? Mr. Kaves: It airs every other Friday at 10:30 pm

Mr. Kaves:Yeah E.S. Day: Perfect. Mr. Kaves from the Lordz, Thank you so much. Mr. Kaves: Thank you. “The Brooklyn Way” can be seen Friday’s on MSG Networks. thelordz.com

Adema Kill the Headlights Immortal/RED Sounding like a holier than thou version of Korn or Linkin Park, one could see the appeal of Adema to a younger crowd, not old school twits like myself. I say Korn for the simple fact that founding member (not in the group as of present) Mark Chavez is Jonathan Davis’ (of Korn) half brother. This explains the intrepid journey into the nebbish world of radio-friendly rock. Not until track three, “Waiting for Daylight,” do we stumble on a shred of anger. Not for long mind you, as the 3-part harmonies kick in and the Nu Metal revival commences. Shame, since the boys could single-handedly throw a deer into the album titles’ headlights, leave it for a week to rot and call it “Art.” If you need Korn-related thumping, bite into the debut Droid album Then tracks like “Days Go By” pull a tear from the eye of a 12 tear old girl wanting to do an emo-shred on her forearms. Sensitive stuff. The “Super Management” conglomerate of Union have put their weight behind a door I would rather slam shut. Not that Adema does not put out well crafted tracks; this is solid song-writing, but it ends up a re-hashed Nu Metal outing for the “My” Generation. Not ours. By E.S. Day

OTEP The Ascension KOCH (in stores October 30) OTEP are the kind of band I wouldn’t really expect to like. This band serves up gothic nu-metal, a blend of genres I don’t normally have the time to pay attention to. But OTEP, and this record in particular, impress. Female lead singer Otep Shamaya demands attention not because she is a minority in the world of heavy music, but because she actually has the vocal talents to deserve that attention. Her voice ranges from soft and sultry, to demonic growling. There are occassional elements of rap-metal in Otep’s delivery, particularly in the second track “Confrontation,” but thankfully no song on this disc can actually be included in that oft-cheesy genre (Hey I spread rap-metal cheese on my crackers everyday. Gravediggaz anyone? – Editor). The most unique, stand-out tracks on the album are “Perfectly Flawed” and “Breed” - the former being an oddly radio-friendly ballad, and the latter being, of course, a Nirvana cover. Cover songs can be risky, but OTEP are faithful to the original and it’s definitely a bonus to hear the song played so well by such an unexpected band. Part of what makes The Ascension stand out is the sense of atmosphere it conveys. Listening to this CD--which clocks in at around an hour--is an experience; a sound track of brooding aggression and angst that often carries a strong, creepy vibe. This is dark stuff, and while many a band tells the listener that they’re angry and the world is fucked up, OTEP makes you believe it.

I’ll admit, my preconceptions about what this band might provide in terms of lyrics were shattered. OTEP’s poetic lyrics are intelligent; dealing with both personal battles and the issues of the day, including the current debacle in Iraq. Maybe the last few years have not unleashed the storm of Vietnamesque protest music that some people expected, but it’s at least nice to see that there are bands out there unafraid to express their views musically. By Derek Leschasin

The Carps The Young & Passionate Days of Carpedia (EP) Urbnet Records The evolution of funk has come a long way from its origins in the mid to late 1960s. Artists such as James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone and George Clinton built on the Motown sound and created intense, vamp driven songs using strong bass guitar riffs and bass lines as the centerpiece. Once Jimi Hendrix hit the scene and started combining the rhythms and riffs of early funk with his own distinct rock sound the genre of “funk-rock” was born. Today funk-rock is becoming a rarity. Bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Primus, and Mr. Bungle do tip their collective hats to past masters and are keeping the genre alive, but not to the extent it previously enjoyed. Thankfully there are bands like Canada’s own The Carps whose funk-rock puritanism restores one’s faith in the longevity of the genre. Better late than never, The Carps are a duo with a cause. Coming out of Scarborough may have a lot to do with that, or maybe they’re just pissed off musicians with something important to say. Bass player Neil White plays some very funky bass here while drummer Jahmal Tonge (who also does duties on guitar, keyboards and vocals) really rips this one up. Tonge’s vocal stylings will unavoidably be compared to those of Lenny Kravitz, but you can’t hold that against him. Their musicianship and pure funk-rock sensibilities make further comparisons a mute point; breaking new ground is never easy. This is one of those records that makes one anticipate a full length release and wonder what the band is like live. While not a new development, the recent surge of dynamic musical duos (some good, some horribly annoying) is an interesting trend. Studio manipulation and multi-instrumental talent is not always a guarantee of quality recordings though. This “less is more” mentality isn’t always wise, especially if you are among the “less” and have no idea when to stop making “more.” The Carps, however, prove you don’t need a huge funking band to make a huge funking sound. Not a bad start. By Grimm Culhane

Galactic From the Corner to the Block Anti/Epitaph The sixth album from New Orleans five man funk institution Galactic surges with the intensity of the floods and the palpable trauma and angst of the evacuation. Recorded before, during and after the disaster, “Corner to the Block” features nearly a dozen guest MC’s, each asked to write a track with a specific street corner in mind. The result is a very Hip Hop oriented record true to the band’s traditional funk aesthetic; a modernized Booker T and the MG’s with the dirt and frustration of a whole new generation worked permanently into the fabric. Things kick off with Lyrics Born on “What you Need,” and while I’m not the biggest LB fan, his gravelly melodic flow locks in a deadly cadence with Stanton Moore’s drums, and there you are on the hottest, sweatiest corner in whatever city you want. Mr. Lif takes us deeper into the maze of urban paranoia on “…And I’m Out,” a feeling most can relate to “cause livin’ in fear ain’t livin’ at all…” There’s Gift of Gab in a tale of getting busted, followed by the incredible Big Chief Monk Boudreau in the dope Mardi Gras anthem “Second and Dryades.” Definitely enough cowbell here. Things get nostalgic with Chali 2na on “Think Back,” and Z-Trip heats up the dense mix of “Bounce Baby” with some sharp horn scratches. Things get supa-phat for Boots Riley on “Hustle Up” - I’ve seen Boots with his live band and it’s definitely his thing, equal parts rapper and rockstar. Probably the most anticipated track is the title cut with Juvenile (!!!) and the Soul Rebels Brass Band. Juvenile recently performed with Galactic on the Jimmy Kimmel show, and it is amazing how natural this collab sounds; huge brassy horns over a swinging side to side downbeat with that wicked loose New Orleans drumming. My dreamgirl since Digable, Ladybug Mecca drops her fluid flow with the beautiful vowels on “Squarebiz,” featuring Nino Moschello’s falsetto on the chorus. It’s cool how Mec’s still got that entrancing style, and her voice sounds stronger and more assertive than ever. Lateef the Truth Speaker’s “No Way” is probably the only underwhelming track on the record; in the wake of the other scorchers it just does not stand out. For my money, the closing track “Find My Home” with Vursatyl and Ohmega Watts is the best on the album; the kind of soulful Roots type groove with dope East coast emcee’s to take you deep down. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina this song speaks directly to all those searching for something better and endlessly frustrated with the options. Honestly, these days when I hear the word funk I’m wary, but this is authentic, dirty, soulful and fucking hype! I was immediately drawn in from the jarring organ sounds of the opening, the drums and Rob Mercurio’s bass are perpetually locked in sweltering groove, the guitar playing is spare and sleazy and not just one overbearing wank. Each band member seems totally aware of all the others, and wary of overplaying. The sound is fully urban, yet with minimal sampling and digital effects evident. Fresh and ferocious, even when chilling, Galactic have harnessed some serious musical talent and produced a work of genius. Dave “Corvid” McCallum

Coliseum No Salvation Relapse Though the first few years of this century gave us a little bit of a scare, it’s now becoming clear that we’re suffering no shortage of people who can pick up a guitar and shout out their rage and discontent to the world. I still think that this is a big part of what punk rock is meant to be, and Coliseum--hailing from Louisville, Kentucky--are absolutely representing that aspect of the genre. “No Salvation,” the band’s first release on Relapse Records, is an uncompromising blast of anger and intensity, reminiscent of Black Flag and other early hardcore punk bands. While only a 3-piece outfit, Coliseum are loud with hardly a let-up. Frontman Ryan Patterson is fully convincing; his vocal power is something to be reckoned with and he screams and growls his way through politically charged tracks like “White Religion,” “The Fate of Men,” and “Fall of the Pigs.” There’s nothing particularly fancy here, but then again that isn’t what this style of music is about. Raw and energetic, this is music for sweaty circle-pits and blowing off steam. It’s been done before, but who cares? By Derek Leschasin

Baroness The Red Album Releapse/KOCH Metal ain’t just for meat-heads; it needn’t simply conjure up images of busted eardrums, sweaty guys pounding the crap out of each other in a mosh-pit, or wanton destruction. I admit, what I’m proposing might seem like a bit of a stretch, but luckily I have Baroness to back me up. Debuting on Relapse Records with “The Red Album,” this is one band that should be turning heads and (never mind that this doesn’t make sense) ears. Baroness borrow a lot of styles and fuse them into what is, for the most part, a smart-sounding instrumental metal album verging on a jam session. From the opening of the first track, “Rays on Pinion,” Baroness unleash melodic, almost ambient metal, sounding oddly similar to a band like Explosions in the Sky. For those waiting for head-banging (this is metal, after all… c’mon), the auditory experimentation is interspersed with heavier sections, reminiscent of Mastodon. Vocals are interspersed sparingly throughout most tracks, and this is probably for the best as John Baizley’s hoarse shouting is probably the weakest point in this band’s wall of sound. And maybe it’s just me, but for a band with two guitars, Baroness could definitely stand to kick it up a notch at times. But no matter, this disc is still a worthwhile listen and a positive addition to Relapse’s line-up. By Derek Leschasin

The Red Chord Prey for Eyes Metalblade With “Prey for Eyes,” the third release from Massachusetts deathcore band The Red Chord, the overwhelming mentality seems to be that “life’s short, wasted time is gone forever, so we might as well slam the fuck out of them before the first track is over.” I’d been familiar with The Red Chord as a band proficient in heavy, technical metal, but I have to admit that I wasn’t prepared for opener “Film Critiques and Militia Men.” Clocking in at just over a minute, this first track is probably one of the most brutal songs in the album, and perfectly showcases the band’s grindcore influences. There is , however, more to the Red Chord than just gurgling vocals and relentless ferocity. Prey for Eyes demonstrates that not only do they have the chops to rival some of the heaviest bands out there, but that they are also a creative and experimental force. One of the most memorable tracks is “It Came From Over There,” an almost psychedelic instrumental standing out for its metal-tinged groove and use of synthesizers. Breakdowns during tracks like “Open-eyed Beast Attack” offer plenty of other surprises as well. With Prey for Eyes, the Red Chord have ultimately meshed sometimes contradictory influences from within the extreme music scene and made them work. Heavy and experimental without being unaccessible, this is an album that will likely leave fans thirsting for the next one. By Derek Leschasin

Orange Escape From L.A. Hellcat/Epitaph After enduring the last few years, in which we’ve seen saccharine “punk” musicians like Avril Lavigne marketing themselves to pre-teen mall rats, it’s fair enough to ask if perhaps the world has experienced enough new pop-punk. There are still decent bands plugging along in the genre, but maybe it would be best to let it fizzle out once they’re gone. Well, it might be silly to talk about a band ’saving’ anything, but Orange--releasing their sophomore album “Escape From L.A.” on Hellcat Records--have at least shown that it’s still possible to release a pop-punk record and maintain some credibility. Mixing old school punk sensibility with catchy, melodic tunes, sing-along choruses, and just the right amounts of snottiness and sincerity, Orange show that there is still some life in the genre after all.

Every Time I Die The Big Dirty Ferret Music It seems to takes 3 simple ingredients to make a half decent metal band these days; attitude, style and sound. Subtract any one of these and you can keep your shitty day job and maybe play in the garage with your buddies now and then. Every Time I Die, with their in-your-face attitude, southern metal style and relentless and infectious sound have all the right ingredients that go into the making of a great band…and then some. For proof of that, you need look no further than their latest release, “The Big Dirty” (Ferret Style). Fast, well written songs with a tight, crisp musical execution, excellent vocals and that all important mix under the capable hands of producer Steve Evetts (The Dillinger Escape Plan, He Is Legend). Put those all together and you have the makings of one truly great album. Nothing but fast, hard rocking metal anthems with curious tempo changes and solid riffs throughout, this is a showcase of skilled song writing and musical mastery! Try not nodding your head to tracks like “No Son of Mine” or “Rebel Without Applause.” It can’t be done. Hard rock numbers like “Rendez-Voodoo” and “Buffalo Gals,” with their more straight forward progressions add to the album’s diversity and depth, showing another side of an already multifaceted band. With nods to bands like Pantera, AC/DC and Thin Lizzy, Keith Buckley (vocals), Andrew Williams (guitar), Jordan Buckley (guitar), Michael Novak (drums) and everyone else involved in making “The Big Dirty” have created a disc of pure and relentless metal fury. Obviously it takes a lot more than 3 ingredients to make a superior album like “The Big Dirty”; having a shit load of talent like these boys comes in damn handy too. By Grimm Culhane

As I Lay Dying An Ocean Between Us MetalBlade Records Let your plans be dark and as impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt. -Sun Tzu, The Art of War Its pretty obvious what’s going on here. Ever since forming in 2001, As I Lay Dying have been doing exactly what every smart metal band should be doing; they’re building an empire. By declaring war on metal mediocrity and putting out consistently good albums, As I Lay Dying are carving a huge notch for themselves in the current metal scene.

sity to the band, their sound and the technical expertise they use to record their albums. Straight forward metal tracks such as “Comfort Betrays” and “Bury Us All” sound right at home with, dare I say, “radio friendly” tracks like the title track “An Ocean Between Us” and “Forsaken.” The haunting instrumental “Departed” will catch you off guard; you can’t help but stop and listen to it - it’s that good. There is something here for every fan of tight, fast, smart metal. Whether choosing to expand their empire or just keep sharing good fucking music, As I Lay Dying have definitely outdone themselves with this album regardless of their intentions. It’s hard to say if “An Ocean Between Us” will be a hard act to follow or just another prominent brick in their empire. Just go enjoy this album and leave their future up to them. By Grimm Culhane

Necro Death Rap PLR/KOCH The latest from NYC’s king of “Horrorcore” comes screaming from his twisted pit of sadistic insanity, fueled by an endless hatred for humanity, and featuring a cast of co-conspirators straight from the depths of 80’s thrash and hardcore nostalgia. Scott Ian, Dave Ellefson (with no mention of Megadeth of course…), and Ray Alder of Fates Warning all bring the crunch and power chords for some passable metal rap (“Suffocated By God’s Shadow”) and epic riff exercises, with Necro on rhythm guitar and a dope verse listing off Metal greats from Quiet Riot to Exodus to Bestial Devastation (“Evil Rules”). The Harley Flanagan (of the Cro-Mags) collabo “Belligerent Gangsters” sounds a bit forced, and Mr. Hyde and Ill Bill show up for the usual lyrical perversion. Necro’s beats are a little dry this time out, straight moody samples over understated drums that without vocals are hardly heavy. His lyrics are tight, with lines like “Let’s get it percolating like the Church of Satan/or Berkowitz waiting to shred you like Kirk on Damage Incorporated” on “Portrait of a Death Rapper,” but the monochrome focus on graphic violence is tiring, and most of the metal based tracks sound too much like he’s trying to prove something (even though he couldn’t handle the anti-rap fans on the Sounds of The Underground tour, which he’ll explain in our upcoming Necro interview…). Somehow the demon of rapcore has been exhumed again, but even Necro can’t quite make it sound credible. It’s good enough (evil enough?), but really it’s got nothing on “The Sexorcist”, as fucked up as that album is.

Escape from L.A., however, is a mixed bag in that there are almost as many mediocre near misses as there are hits. Songs like “Too Scared to fall in Love” and the pointless “Karma Chameleon” are throwaways, but not terrible in themselves. On the other hand, opener “Not Coming Home”, “The Last Punk in L.A.” and “Flying without Fear” are tight, catchy songs, along with others that showcase a band coming into its own. When these guys get it right, it’s good. Really good.

This latest, “An Ocean Between Us” (Metal Blade), is their largest notch yet. Growing technically and musically as a band, this recording shows a much fuller sound than in previous albums. Tim Lambesis (vocals), Jordan Mancino (drums), Phil Sgrosso (lead guitar, piano), Nick Hipa (Rhythm Guitar), and Josh Gilbert (bass, vocals) are playing to their strengths, and it shows. Crisp, precise recordings of solid, tight-as-fuck musicianship mixed by legendary producer Colin Richardson (3 Inches of Blood, Cannibal Corpse), have produced an album nothing short of brilliant.

Sounds like what Necro really needs to do if he wants to play metal, is get a whole fucking band together and let them write the music. His larynx is definitely ragged enough to make his verses sound better than a lot of screamer/growlers do over heavy guitars, and the fact that you can understand his lyrics makes it all the more scary. Seems he likes to stick with the one theme per album concept too, but all the violence with no sex? It’s just not the full experience. Oh shit, did I just diss Necro? I was just offering constructive criticism… I hope he doesn’t step to me “with the power of Odin and make [my] gush a blood shower/’til [my] flesh is like slush, [my] bowels exploding.” Yep, Necro’s fucking twisted, but at least he loves his Mom and Dad, and thank God for Uncle Howie!!!

By Derek Leschasin

These twelve tracks show an increased maturity and diver-

By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

Life, Sex & Death The Silent Majority Reprise/Warner This Chicago-based unit, signed to Reprise Records, only produced one album in their six years of existence. The cult following they achieved was somewhat remarkable considering: a) the songs are mostly forgettable, b) their frontman was a real-life bum off the street (more on that later), and c) their entirely unmarketable band name; L.S.D?…tripping anyone? It really is a shame they didn’t take another approach to their songwriting (or at least hire some writers). The overall sound was ahead of it’s time; crisp and layered with a side order of sleaze just for good measure. The musicianship displayed in these tracks is impressive, but what a waste of resources. When your best song is called “Fuckin’ Shitass,” you might as well go ahead and put your CD’s directly in the discount bin in order to avoid the frustration of waiting for the inevitable. Clearly, not a lot of thought was put into this; how much airplay could you possibly expect? “Hey M.T.V., you gotta put ‘Fuckin’ Shitass’ on heavy rotation! These boys are the next big thing!” Yeah, smoke another one!!! The lineup consists of 4 semi-permanent members and a slew of others; most notably John “John 5” Lowery and Timothy “Zim Zum” Linton, who both left for the genderspecific-challenged Marilyn Manson. The whole “buzz” (no pun intended) about this band had to do with their frontman Stanley. Apparently he was found in some alleyway; filthy, smelly, and digging through garbage . Why a glam-metal band would scour the seedy alleyways of Chicago looking for a singer is anybody’s guess. So there was all this hype that their singer was a bum (I guess to offset the prettiness of the band, therefore giving them more street-cred?), only to be revealed years later that “Stanley” the vagrant was none other than Mr. Chriss Stann of Los Angeles; heir to a multimillion dollar estate. I guess all that cash can’t buy you a secret identity, or soap for that matter. At any rate, the band did reach some measure of success...if you count the tracks “Tank” and “School’s 4 Fools” being on the Beavis and Butthead Show as success, that is. Overall, the album “The Silent Majority” should only be enjoyed by the “hearing-impaired minority.” (Thanks for mentioning “Train” and “Wet Your Lips” you fuckin’ shitass - Ed) By Jimmy “The Judge” Lynch

PETER JOSEPH - THE ABSENCE www.theabsence.com

Name: Tank Standing Buffalo Age: 30 City: Calgary Tank recently decided to take the plunge and become a full time artist. He’s spent his life devoted to developing his talent and draws his inspiration from classic creature feature films. His mom was a big time horror fan who planted the seeds of what became his lifelong passion. Tank lives an “Everyday is Halloween” lifestyle; he grew up always dabbling in make-up effects and working in haunted houses. His big break came when he traveled with Conklin, managing a Haunted house for 3 years and providing him with free reign to do what he wanted and the budget with which to do it. Tank also designed and built the haunted house at the PNE and more recently, his winning entry model in the “Miss Dead Calgary” competition gets to be at the head of the parade. Not bad for a hobby make-up artist. A turning point in his life came when a local Calgary bar was hosting a fundraiser for a horror film called Season Macabre. Tank’s make-up effects were employed in a show where Jesus was crucified and disemboweled. A caricature artist was hired for the event but bailed out and Tank filled in for him. The majority of his clients requested to be drawn as zombies, and now he tours around with events like the Calgary Tattoo Convention and Warped Tour doing zombie portraits. He views his artwork as a constant work in progress, amd is always adding more and more detail to his pieces. Tank foresees a future in show business and looks forward to having his art in galleries. Tank can be contacted via email at : [email protected] By Ara Shimoon

All Photos - Sarah Hamilton

Vintage Reggae Bash MVD MVD visuals presents this rare footage of 70’s and 80’s reggae/dancehall stars performing live at the Empire Roller Skating Center in Brooklyn circa 1983. Performers range from ultra smooth (and undreaded) Max Romeo, all decked in 70’s leathers, rocking a pretty chill version of “War Inna Babylon” to Roman Stewart’s soulful lover’s rock. Other highlights include Ken Boothe sweating like a motherfucker in his white suit, and some 60’s style ska with massively dilated pupils and too tight white trousers. Most memorable and impressive of course is Big Youth; all pimped out in a shiny pink blazer, red gold and green head wrap and top hat, rocking Rasta knowledge straight off the top, deejay styles like the roots of Hip Hop, and definitely the most red-eyed of the crop (okay, everybody looks pretty fucking blazed here…). His transition from lyrical improvisation to catchy hooks is seamless while the band locks into a deadly one dropped straight from the top of Mount Zion. While all of the performers are tight, the band seems a little lackluster, or just not into it for the most part. The audience is only ever shown from the back, which makes one wonder how many people were actually there. Seeing as how most of these styles were already dated when the video was made, I wonder if it was just a bad turnout, or if this was just made as a promotional video for the artists. Seven out of ten out of respect for the masters, but honestly a lot of it is so slow you need some killer chron to get into it. By Dave Blaze - aka “Corvid” McCallum

Paul Booth’s Last Rites Vol. 1 PBF The world is full of abominations and mankind is pathetic and weak. The only way to save them both is to destroy them both… or so one would be lead to believe. Enter Paul Booth, artist, entrepreneur, cult figure and the reigning “King of Rock Tattoos.” Gouging out yet another deep notch in the fleshy part of his list of accomplishments, Paul Booth now presents “Paul Booth’s Last Rites Vol. 1.” Ten years in the making and directed by Paul Booth himself, this is exactly what every fan of Paul Booth has been waiting for. Part documentary, part horror movie, ALL visual mind fuck, Paul manages to cram a lot into 113 minutes. Coming away from this I felt bewildered, discombobulated, unsettled, and like a sole stinging kiss from the whip of my dominatrix, I immediately wanted more. Footage includes tattooing clientele such as Kerry King of Slayer, Clown of Slipknot and Chris Alder of Lamb of God (to name a few), some dude who pierces himself repeatedly and bleeds everywhere, and my personal favourite, the rabid Paul Booth fan who nearly pees his pants when he meets Paul. Mixed with this are creepy, undulating graphics, bloopers, a short “to be continued” film in black and white about Tabitha, her Dad and their mutual friend, as well as numerous graphic depictions of…well…real live death! To tell you more would ruin it so suffice it to say this video is definitely worth a watch.

Preserving Efforts Vol. 1 A Classic Hip Hop Video Archive MVD This collection of videos from five countries claims to preserve the efforts of those whose works are seen by few, and in this respect presents a strange diversity of artists. Good ol’ Slug hits it off with “Say Hey there”, definitely not the strongest Atmosphere track and a rather self indulgent vid, and the Australians that follow make you wonder “where’s the fucking connection?” Seriously. As for the international shit, only the ugly Englishmen of Def Tex are even noteworthy for music and visuals. Guru embarrasses himself with the ridiculous melodrama of “Hood Dreamin,” and the Living Legends are only adequately interesting. Honestly, the only real gem on the whole disc is the mighty Murs with “H-U-S-T-L-E.” It’s fucking hilarious, with WWE superstar John Cena throwing people through walls while rapping! On a serious note, will someone please tell me if there is any Australian Hip Hop worth listening to whatsoever? With seven out of fourteen vids coming from the former penal colony you’d think there would be enough urban crunch to produce something world class. Alas, the shit ranges from cookie cutter b-boys (Bliss N Eso, Koolism), to dishwater dull (Mnemonic Ascent), to self indulgent white boy wankers with annoying accents (TZU,Urthboy). No discernible regional flavour at all, just mimicry.

Although not for the faint of heart (a.k.a. pussies!), “Paul Booth’s Last Rites Vol. 1,” like the man himself, will definitely find its way into “cult” status. Until then I hope I don’t have to wait another ten years for more of the same in Vol. 2 and to hopefully find out what happens to Tabitha. Shit!

And then we have the only Canadian to cap it off: Wordburglar (WTF?!). This shit is so stupefyingly bad it makes me want to go to Australia! Nauseating animation with racist undertones set to Saturday morning cartoon style rap. Made me puke. Fuck man, I’m all for preserving efforts but most of this shit should be deleted forever and the producers actively discouraged from doing further work…except Murs!

By Grimm Culhane

By Dave ”Corvid” McCallum

Waking Up Dead Directed By Fabio Jafet MVD Visual Vaguely remember the 80’s?, Almost remember bands like Saigon Kick and Skid Row? Trying to forget how embarrassingly big your hair was and how sore your nose got from all that cocaine you snorted? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then “Waking Up Dead” is the documentary for you. This unapologetic look at the fast life and almost tragic times of Phil Varone, one time drummer for Saigon Kick and Skid Row, holds nothing back as it explores the decadent rise and almost demise of a would be rock star. Just as documentarian Robert Frank and the Rolling Stones did for the 70’s with “Cocksucker Blues,” Emmy award winning journalist and filmmaker Fabio Jafet shows us the seedy yet perversely fascinating underbelly of one of the most decadent periods of our modern times; the 1980’s. Four years in the making, this film explores what it takes to make and subsequently break the most ardent of rock musicians, from hopes and dream to harsh reality and rehab in one fell swoop. By tracing how the hedonistic and financially unstable lifestyle of a rock musician plays a large part in the destruction of many relationships and families, Jafet offers a first hand look at the plentiful (and I do mean plentiful!) amount of sex and drugs available to any rocker who might wish to indulge. Faced with the choice to either stop doing what he loves the most or to continue on the fast road to the bone yard, Phil Varone gives us a rare and refreshingly candid glimpse of a lifestyle many of us have only dreamt about. Dreams sometimes turn to nightmares however, but Phil’s natural charm and optimistic good humour suffuse this video with enough honesty and heart to satisfy any rock and roll enthusiast. I highly recommend it! By Grimm Culhane

The UndaGrind Various MVD N.G Films presents this look at the struggles of artists in the Dirty South to be “heard and respected by the streets.” Looks cheesy but it’s actually 80% better than most “rapumentaries” out there. With dope words of wisdom from the likes of David Banner and Juvenile on how to maintain and come up in the game, insanely crunk live footage of Pastor John, and live, in-studio fisticuffs, this shit is entertaining and inspiring. Shit, these are the shows I wanna see in Vancity, where girls turn around and raise their asses as soon as the Pastor takes the stage and he ends up in the middle of the floor still rapping hardcore with the fans just grabbing at him. The bottom line is the grind; artists doing the work day and night, selling shit out the trunk. Oh, and the bonus booty shake-off is clearly rigged. By Dave “Corvid” McCallum

Before The Music Dies Directed By Andrew Shapter and Joel Rasmussen B-Side Entertainment Is it just me or is “popular music” fucked up or what? Some 20-something, makeup wearing pop star telling me what blue jeans to wear who’s engineered solely for fame and wealth (talent optional) is not my idea of what popular music is about. “Popular culture” maybe, (and thanks for all those wicked dance moves Britney, they really come in handy on a crowded Skytrain), but “popular music?” I think not. Whether you are a death metal puritan, a Shania Twain lookalike, or a lip gloss wearing “Idol” wannabe, “Before The Music Dies” should be at the top of your “must see” list. Documentary filmmakers Andrew Shapter and Joel Rasmussen set out with one simple mission: to investigate and expose what the hell is wrong with today’s “business” of music by interviewing musicians, industry insiders, music critics and fans. The truth behind what has gone horribly wrong with the industry is presented in no uncertain terms. So much (if not all) of the music played on the radio and for sale at retail stores is controlled by a very small number of companies. At the same time, there are more bands and more ways to discover their music than ever before. As such, music has split into two distinct groups; the homogenous corporate goo that is spoon fed to consumers and the much more diverse independent music scene that builds a devoted fan base both online and in clubs across the country. With “Before The Music Dies,” Shapter and Rasmussen shed a bright and important light on what some people don’t want you to know. The idea that fickle, corporate, suit wearing button pushers sit behind desks deciding who the next hit maker will be is fucking insane! The faceless money machine grinding out (s)hit after (s)hit is the whole reason we’re downloading like fiends; who wants to pay for “popular music” when most of it sucks so fucking hard? For music to succeed it must ultimately please the player, not the mindless corporate moneygrubbers. The standard corporate bottom line is money, which might be successful for a while, but it’s dehumanizing and inevitably fails because it eats itself. Longevity is now determined by how much money you make and how many fans buy your records. The “today’s empires on tomorrow’s ashes” mentality is the real reason the music industry is stumbling. New music does not have a hope in hell in this scenario, fueling the need for fans to download the music they “really” want to hear. Face it people, music is bigger than religion, its bigger than politics and the best way to “stick it to the man” and to keep good music alive is by watching this video, educating yourself, giving a shit about where your good money goes and by supporting the artists you really care about, not the greedy, mindless, corporate fad machine. By Grimm Culhane

All My Loving Directed By Tony Palmer MVD Visual The theme of Tony Palmer’s 1968 BBC produced documentary “All My Loving” is stated by a music publicist during the hedonistic pop explosion of mid-60’s London. The publicist, when discussing the music of such trendsetters as The Who, Floyd, Hendrix, Zappa, Donavan and oh yes, The Beatles, states that, “the Product will sell easily if the sound is right.” This statement certainly foreshadows the next four decades in the music industry, though it cannot be assumed that this documentary--just released on DVD--is meant as a criticism of the movie industry. It is a definitive account of its time. The archival footage of The Who is just spectacular, especially the material from ‘64-’65. Frank Zappa states some early anti-war sentiment which segues into a mix of fashion, raw, innovative musical experimentation, and the prevalent 60’s notion that one had the freedom to do whatever the hell one wanted as long as it was unique. Interestingly enough, Anthony Burgess, author of “A Clockwork Orange,” states in the documentary that he fears many musicians in the 60’s era are being considered to be deities, when in fact they should be considered only in the light of what they are: entertainers. Interesting observation from Burgess in 1968, especially when looking at the Lohan, Hilton and Spears debacles of today. This documentary is a valuable piece since it truly captures the period it is examining because it was produced and released in 1968; a pivotal year in history and the eve of an approaching avant garde period in rock music. The DVD also contains bonus material on the making of the documentary for further insight into the era . By William “Moose” Roberts

Coming Next Month in Your November Issue of ABORT Magazine: •EXCLUSIVE: 21 & Under With….Chuck D. •Short Shotz: Henry Rollins – The ABORT Interview. •Inksploitation: EXCLUSIVE: Paul Booth – The ABORT Interview. •Junkie Secrets: How To Buy Drugs in the Downtown Eastside - a play by play (w/ Maps!). •Derrick Beckles: “I love to steal Canadian writers ideas and publish them in NYC under MY Name (oh yeah go to www.tvcarnage.com, I need bees wax for my dreads). •How I got Fingered by Gene Simmons” – A Commentary.

PLUS: DENIED!, Audiotopsy,- Ninjaspy, ABORTIST: Rank & File, GFYS, Headphonica, Tales From The Eastside/Church’s Chicken Goes To Hell/MS-13 Pt. 3, Music, Film, DVD’s, Live Reviews, our Shooting Gallery and The Cutting Edge Also: Celebrities slagging their labels, freaks, junkies, vagabonds and other family members. All for your reading pleasure.

ABORT Magazine….Because We Know More Than You Do.