Disco Underworld Issue #8

disco under world

issue #8 june 2009





www.discounderworld.com. issue #8 contents. page

issue #8 features 4

disco inferno

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direct address

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disco’s got hands a-twittering

WIN! See page 39 for details

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20 ways to have a disco romance 22 reader submission: my town 40 reader submission: theme photo 42 mike’s space: dark nights 64 the gold edition is coming 74 last issue’s favourite

50 Garret Clarke

charlie ‘fab’ goubile

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Z e n r i c o

10

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www.discounderworld.com. disco inferno. page

disco inferno

Dear Stacey,

Oh, oh my. I just read the latest issue of disco underworld. I am floored at how beautiful and inviting it is. I was chit chatting with my bloggy friend Julie, about the article that was so wonderfully done on her in your magazine. Go Julie!

I’m getting lots of really positive feedback on the issue from my bloggy friends! they love it! (the whole thing, not just the bit about me). :-) i think you’re doing a brilliant job!! xox, julie, Denmark

I love your disco underworld issues. Keep up the good work, I look forward to your email every month. Love Bernie, Ireland

Bloody great looking maggie bro. I have forwarded it on to people who may be interested in the office. Out groupie!! Philip, New Zealand

www.julochka.blogspot.com

I had to drop you a line, and profess my love, for your magazine ;)

Stacey, the magazine is looking great!!!

Go Stacey!

Melissa, Australia

Sweetheart, this is a beautiful and interesting magazine. Peace Christina Martin, USA soulaperture.blogspot.com

Hi Stacey,

Explore. Experience. Evolve.

My first time seeing the online magazine - I love it! Best, Andi, San Francisco www.misadventures-with-andi.blogspot.com I am so very impressed with your online magazine. The joy is in the colors (the interactivity is something else too),

The issue looks really good. I think they just get better and better! Tessa, New Zealand

Thank you, Julie Saari, USA www.itisjustjules.blogspot.com

it keeps getting hotter in here

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direct address disco underworld, june 2009

Me and my new friend Larry the cat on our way to an 80s party. You can read Larry’s story on page 24. He’s also got something for you to win... Another month gone by! How are we in the middle of the year already? I guess time truly does does fly when you are having fun! As usual, this issue we have brought you a showcase of cool cats. In fact one of them thinks he actually is a cat... The theme is “the night hours” as I was interested in hearing how different people use these hours differently. I am a healthy sleeper i.e. I

sleep a lot and I sleep well. So when I’m not attending 80s parties with random cats, I normally put in around nine hours with the pillow. But some nights I don’t sleep at all. For these nights I keep a piece of paper and pen by my bed, because I know that the loss of ability to sleep means one of two things. One, something is wrong and needs attention to sort it out, or two, I have a really great idea for something and I need to write it all down, so I don’t forget any little detail.

www.discounderworld.com. direct address. page

When I was working through the idea for disco underworld in July last year, I had plenty of these nights! It has been quite interesting hearing other people’s experiences with “the night hours”. Reader and contributor to disco underworld Amanda Gray, also wrote in suggesting that it would be cool to see material from readers around the world, showcasing their towns, offices and studios, either as a photo or a movie. She so kindly put together a movie showcase of her town, Hamilton, New Zealand, which you can watch on page 21 of this issue.

Next issue’s theme, is “things the world should know more about.” Drop me a line if you have anything to contribute: [email protected]

Cover image by Zenrico. Read his story on page 10.

Speaking about people writing in, I was blown away with all the amazing feedback I received from last issue. I want to thank you all so much for taking the time to write in or tweet or blog or talk about disco underworld. You make my day!

disco underworld is published by Online Insight Limited © copyright 2009. By reading and interacting with our magazine and website, you agree to the terms laid out under the “terms of use” on the site www.discounderworld.com Editor: Stacey Childs [email protected] Contributors: Dillie Baria, Amanda Gray, Agneizska Parr.

If you want to drop me a line, my email is [email protected], or @discounderworld on twitter. I look forward to it!

Coming up in the next few pages:

Stacey oxoxo

twitt twitt zenrico

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www.discounderworld.com. twitt twitt. page

disco’s got hands all a- ing follow us: @discounderworld

Join our newsletter to get each issue of disco underworld delivered to your inbox. Email [email protected], and she will add you to the list. Thanks!

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Z e n r i c o

www.discounderworld.com. zenrico. page

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“I want to capture as much as possible with the least possible strokes in just a few seconds.”



Z

enrico lives in Rome, Italy.

All day he works in an office in a huge white cube. At night Zenrico works on his amazing creations.

“The night hours belong to me whereas the day belongs to millions of others. Almost all my drawing and painting comes out at night.” Zenrico hasn’t got just one word to describe his work. When asked he says “Figurative calligraphy! Or figurative Shodo! Graphic extremism!! Fast art!” (Shodo is Japanese calligraphy, and Shodo brushes are made out of animal hair for the bristles and bamboo or wood, for the stem.) Coming up in the next few pages: ways to have a disco romance reader submission: my town



www.discounderworld.com. zenrico. page

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“I want to capture as much as possible with the least possible strokes in just a few seconds.”

A lover of PVC, leather, lace and heels, he is a typical hot-blooded Italian who describes women as life’s greatest mystery. “Their faces, their shapes, how they walk, how they hold things, their twitches, bodies. I want to capture as much as possible with the least possible strokes in just a few seconds.”



www.discounderworld.com. zenrico. page

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www.discounderworld.com. zenrico. page

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“Artists and madmen: all of them.” Zenrico has been drawing and painting since he was small, and is also interested in filmmaking. His entire family are creative, and all consider art to be extremely important. He says of his upbringing and culture in relation to his art, “whether I am denying them or expressing them, somehow I see them always there in the drawings.” And when asked to describe the people of his country he says: “Artists and madmen: all of them.” Check out more of Zenrico’s awesome work here: http://zenrico.deviantart.com

If you would like to vote for Zenrico, enter your email here and hit vote. Your vote will count once your email has been verified. Only one vote will count per email and person.



www.discounderworld.com. zenrico. page

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disco under world

Try designing our cover.

issue #4 february 2009



Send in your website if you think you have what it takes to be featured in an issue.

Ways to have a disco romance

(without the need for any embarrassing dancing).

Send in a photo that goes with the theme. This issue: The night hours Next issue: Things the world should know more about.

Drop us a line and let us know what you think and if you have any ideas.

www.discounderworld.com. have a disco romance. page

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Send in a video to share. Here is one from Amanda Gray:

If any of these things interest you simply email [email protected] to find out more Next issue’s theme is Things the world should know more about.

Spread the word. Please feel free to write/blog/ tweet/email about disco underworld.

Send in a photo of your studio/home town.





www.discounderworld.com. reader submission. page

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n w o T y M : n o i s is m b u S Reader Early Morning, Penn Avenue Pittsburgh, PA USA “Last weekend I got up very early in the morning to take some photos in a neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania called the Strip District. It is primarily a warehouse and market district, but there are a few residences there.

I was lucky enough to have the owners of Zerrer's Antiques give me free reign of the room above their store.”

Lisa Tobaz www.lisatoboz.wordpress.com

www.flickr.com/photos/lisatoboz

Send pictures or movies of your town to [email protected]





www.discounderworld.com. the man. page

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www.discounderworld.com. the man. page

“On the last newsletter there were all sorts of donated goods, from tools to a colonic session, cuff links, a jar of organic homemade plum sauce and a pineapple.”

T

his is a tale of one Man (who prefers to remain anonymous), who has invented a character: Larry. Larry is a man who woke one morning from unsettling dreams, and found himself changed in his bed into a big cartoon cat.

After a startling morning, Larry goes on to create a project called Happy as Larry. Happy as Larry focuses on giving and generosity, and the kindness they generate. Coming up in the next few pages: the man cont. reader submission: the night hours

Happy as Larry works like this: The Man organises donations sent in from the Happy as Larry community into an email newsletter. The community then click on the links in the newsletter to win the donations. On the last newsletter there were all sorts of donated goods, from tools to a colonic session, cuff links, a jar of organic homemade plum sauce and a pineapple. The Man says “Larry feels pretty cool that he is building something that inspires other people to ‘give’. Beyond that the project becomes currency in itself, strong enough that it can get real stuff from businesses to give away, without the giveaway having any catch at all.”

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www.discounderworld.com. the man. page

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“The cat drawings are done by my wife.” So how did the Larry the Cat idea come to The Man? “I don’t know why, but I went through a phase about one or two years ago, where I became really grateful at how great my life was, you know, like an audit of counting my blessings. It just happened on its own. I got a great feeling of gratitude from every little part of my life: family, friends, relationships, nature, experiences… I started to consider myself the ‘luckiest person I know’”. The Man explains that this spawned an energy to do something creative. He put together all the pieces of the puzzle in his life that allowed him to create and launch Happy as Larry. “The cat drawings are done by my wife, I have a business which gives me time (The Man also runs an Internet marketing business), I work around the Internet a lot so I can make my own email newsletters etc... It was logical to use these elements.”



And the cat theme? “Larry didn't think when he woke up that being turned into a cat was a very good thing at all, but I think the cat thing has way more traction than bunnies, rats, or even dogs... but who knows, that's for someone else to test.” “Essentially the transformation idea is loosely based on Kafka’s character Gregor Samsa, you know: guy who wakes up turned into a beetle. My reading on that was it was some kind of psychological transformation, a reaction against his place and role in the world.” He explains that he sees the decision to start Happy as Larry just like that; a rejection of the “linear ho-hum which was and is my straight middle-road middle-class destiny.”



www.discounderworld.com. the man. page

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Send a picture of yourself to Larry and he’ll get himself drawn in: [email protected]



www.discounderworld.com. the man. page

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“I think most people at some point ask themselves what do they stand for, what do they really want to do in their life.

Some people have a lot of courage or self belief or whatever and go out and do amazing and crazy beautiful stuff in the world with their lives, and other people sort of never make that stand.”

He goes on to say that this is not something he normally has to explain, “People just want to win stuff!” The Man hopes to spread the Happy as Larry message around the world, and would love to help potential Larrys in other parts of the world start up. “At some point I hope there will be lots of Larrys out there... already lots of people have worn the mask for various reasons and I think the character format is transferable. Like the greatest American hero, anyone could have put on that suit.”



www.discounderworld.com. the man. page

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www.discounderworld.com. the man. page

“The fact is it can be done with no money. Happy as Larry has not cost me anything to do. An Internet marketing guy I met told me about a new frontier of web-based projects, which are grown organically, and I thought, sure, why not? Why spend a lot of money, why not just play?” “People get involved by getting in touch, that's all. There's no prescribed process. People can give stuff to give away based on their own motivators, whether it’s to promote a business or to get rid of some old stuff, or just to be involved. It’s up to them.”

New Zealand's Next Top Cat Model

www.topcatmodel.co.nz

In the future The Man also has plans to evolve Happy as Larry to offer more services. This month he is launching New Zealand's Next Top Cat Model to fund raise for the SPCA “all without spending a cent”. He is also working on a “Karma Cleanse”, where people can donate things to counteract guilt from a past action. “You know like if you kicked a neighbour’s cat when you were a kid or something, you could donate to the SPCA.”

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NAME YOUR PRICE

NAME YOUR PRICE

we can help you with anything from a simple website for your business, to writing advice, professional marketing collateral or digital publishing solutions. You tell us what you would like us to do for you, and how much you’d like to pay for it. bringing back the barter in business



Need help with: Writing? Designing? Creating? digital publishing? marketing?

www.discounderworld.com. the man. page

The Man is even looking at branching into the employment sector. “People who are looking for work can donate a prize, bake a cake or whatever, and Larry will put the word out there about that person and their CV.” The Man obviously is full of ideas, and Larry the Cat is just the beginning of the adventure. He quotes the end of Vanilla Sky, “See you in the next life, when we are both cats.” Last question: Do you like being called The Man? “Ha, you are really funny! Yes, sure, I like being called The Man.”

WIN! An original Larry the Cat drawing! Check out the current issue of

www.happyaslarry.co.nz

to enter and win an original signed Larry Cat drawing, amongst other things. P.S I am really really sorry, but this prize is only for those of you lucky enough to live in New Zealand. I’ll make it up to the rest of you one day I promise! Enter your kitty in NZ’s Next Top Cat Model here: www.topcatmodel.co.nz EDITOR’S NOTE OF WARNING: Your tabby will be up against my tabby, who is in a word, Fierce.

www.online-insight.com

Contact us to find out more, obligation free!

If you would like to vote for The Man, enter your email here and hit vote. Your vote will count once your email has been verified. Only one vote will count per email and person.

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he T : n o si s i ubm S me e h T r e d Rea



t

h g i N

www.discounderworld.com. reader submission. page

s r u Ho

The Night Hours “This is the time my brain won’t go to sleep. It seems to be more active at night, so many thoughts and ideas come to me. Trying to go to sleep can be a mission. The sound of the clock ticking, the tap dripping keep me awake. Often I find myself wrestling with my pillow, just to get a comfortable sleep. I often just turn the light on and start to write or even doodle. Thinking of what has to be done the next day and how to do it.”

Mikaela, Perth, Australia.

Send pictures of next issue’s theme Things the world should know more about to [email protected]

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Mike’s Space: Dark Nights words and images by Mike Woodruff

Mike Woodruff lives in Los Angeles. When not writing, he enjoys playing basketball and eating Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. You can find him on the internet at www.mutinouswombats.blogspot.com.

Read last month’s Mike’s Space here.



www.discounderworld.com. mike’s space. page

I

used to be a night owl. Years of collegiate cram sessions fueled by Red Vine licorice and Mountain Dew found their ultimate culmination in a yearlong stint in South Korea. That year, I sometimes took jaunts through Seoul as it slept; taking long exposure shots of bridges, responding in Spanish to Koreans addressing me in English, and sitting on a riverside bench to watch the sunrise while listening to the Braveheart sound track. I enjoyed all those late nights immensely, especially when everyone seemed to enjoy it with me. Korea was cool like that. Seoul was an overwhelmingly safe place to explore at night, Los Angeles does not offer the same comforting luxury.

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Now living in Los Angeles, my situation offers up a completely different experience. My late night tendencies have dimmed as the real world, and in some ways, a real job, have taken over. In bed by 11, I’m usually rising with the sun as it comes up over the San Bernardino Mountains and sends the coyotes scurrying back into their bristled canyons. Mostly though, nighttime here in America isn’t nearly as friendly as Korea. Stay out on the streets long enough after dark in my town and the spotlight is all yours. I mean that literally. Police helicopters drone endlessly overhead with searchlights as blinding as the sun. If one of them finds you, it means one of two things: 1. Go home. 2. If you don’t have a home, go to a shelter.



www.discounderworld.com. mike’s space. page

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www.discounderworld.com. mike’s space. page

“My memories of those nighttime jaunts are a very particular tint of rose.” As I can’t really explore Los Angeles the way I explored Seoul, my memories of those nighttime jaunts are a very particular tint of rose. The best of these memories seem to glow with a meaning that packs months and months, maybe even years, of experiences into moments. A moment like one memorable night on the streets of Seoul. It was one of those magical nights. The kind of night where you constantly have the urge to snap your fingers in front of your face to make sure they're really there.

I met a friend in Dongdaemun for some twilight shopping. Of all the ridiculous things I saw in Korea, this was the pinnacle. Who buys orange neckties and bootleg adidas sweaters at one in the morning? Answer: approximately half the population of Seoul. It wasn’t the fact that these places were open at such a late hour that made the situation ridiculous. It was the fact that they were open late and crowded. Even for a society obsessed with maintaining a stylish status quo, this kind of dedication to consumerism seemed overboard.

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On this magical night, as my friend and I made our way through the densely packed passageways and catacombs labeled “sports zone” and “luxury zone”, I just tried to stay out of the way which for some reason, was really, really hard to do. I tried my best to emulate the natives, who flowed through crowds like water as they stared at their cell phone screens. It was amazing. I however, failed miserably and just couldn’t find the rhythm. Having the undeniable pleasure of seeing a girl on the street hock the most gigantic loogee I’ve ever seen offset all this crowded discomfort. To this day, it's the sexiest thing I've ever seen.



When we had our fill of crowds, bargains and noodles, a taxi took us to Itaewon, an area of town near the American army base filled with bars, bootleg movies and drunken Canadians. As we stepped out, the drizzle of rain transformed into flickers of snow. I stuck out my tongue to taste it but my friend said no. We're in Seoul, dude. That stuff will burn through your tongue like alien blood through metal grating. He was right, of course, and another piece of my inner ten year old crumbled. We found the first restaurant open at that hour, sat down by a window and watched the falling snow. My friend couldn't take his eyes off it. At first because as an Angeleno, it was a rarity for him to see snow. Later, though, he kept looking out the window to avoid looking at what I ordered: Pig intestines. A little chewy, but surprisingly not in the least bit disgusting. The spices covered over some of the taste, but like I said before, it was a magical evening. Everything tastes good in a memory. And it probably always will.

www.discounderworld.com. mike’s space. page

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Garret Clarke



www.discounderworld.com. garret clarke. page

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“This was from the first of my street studio series. Some people were shy, others interested, this girl totally hammed it up and loved it.”



www.discounderworld.com. garret clarke. page

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www.discounderworld.com. garret clarke. page

G

arret Clarke lives for experience. Brought up in a small mountain town in Southern California, he then went on to roam the beautiful streets of Madrid for a few years. He is now an MBA student living in Taiwan. “Not too many people speak English. Nobody has blonde hair. Every day is a bit uncomfortable.” He says he deals with this by making the most of it and he uses his camera to communicate with the people and places he sees. “It is a great way to interact with people even though there is such a vast language barrier.” Photography caught his fancy at high school, and he has been taking pictures wherever he goes ever since.

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“This beautiful girl was being paraded around her small country town with about 30 other children. It was a big festival to celebrate their gods. It was amazing!”



www.discounderworld.com. garret clarke. page

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“Upon my arrival in Taiwan, I was mesmerized by the intricate details of the temple décor. This is one of the first pictures I took out here.”



www.discounderworld.com. garret clarke. page

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www.discounderworld.com. garret clarke. page

“This is outside the Chiang Kai-Shek memorial hall in Taipei, just after a light rain.”

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Garret’s most recent photography captures all shades of life in Taiwan and portrays his obvious obsession with the place. Some of his best work is taken at night, when he says he has the most fun. “Shooting pictures at night is a great challenge and often is really fun. I spend a lot of time meandering the brick-lined Taiwanese alleys, scaring cats off with my tripod. It is a joy to be able to capture a perfect lens flare, with a long exposure and a correct white balance in a night shot.” His pictures seem to also capture the essence of life in Taiwan, and the beauty and diversity of the people who inhabit it. Garret describes Taiwanese people as “nicer and more friendly than anywhere I have ever been.” By the end of the next decade, Garret aims to have traveled China and South America, to capture more glory and excitement of daily life through his lens.

Check out all his work here: www.garretmclarke.com If you would like to vote for Garret, enter your email here and hit vote. Your vote will count once your email has been verified. Only one vote will count per email and person.

www.discounderworld.com. garret clarke. page

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the gold edition is coming



www.discounderworld.com. charlie ‘fab’ goubile. page

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Limited edition, personally signed, addressed and numbered. Only the best photos and articles from the past issues of disco underworld. Released and delivered worldwide in time for Christmas 2009. 100+ pages of solid gold disco underworld goodness.

Find out in the next issue of disco underworld how you can get your hands on one of these gems or email [email protected] if you just can’t wait.

charlie ‘fab’ goubile

Article by Amanda Gray Photo by Jennifer Gaskin





www.discounderworld.com. charlie ‘fab’ goubile. page

“T

he night hours are the perfect time to dream, imagine and create. Everything stops moving and is quiet, allowing your brain to think differently than it would during the day.”

The night hours are also when Blackbird, a teenage vigilante crime fighter with a comic series of the same name, is on the loose, thanks to Charlie ‘Fab’ Goubile’s imagination.

The US comic book artist was surprised by Blackbird’s immediate success and critical acclaim upon its release in May 2007. Independently produced and published, it was initially a three-part mini-series. Due to the unexpected hype, he subsequently revamped the whole concept into a graphic novel trilogy. Parts 1 and 2 of the first story entitled Growing Pains have already been released.

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www.discounderworld.com. charlie ‘fab’ goubile. page

Born in Alabama in May 1981, the “military brat” spent his childhood in the US southern states and Germany. Always interested in drawing, his fascination with comics began in middle school. “The first comic I ever bought myself was X-Men #1 by Jim Lee. I carried that book around with me like a bible. It really sparked the fire inside of me.” Employed as a graphic designer by the U.S Army, his passion for comics was renewed towards the end of his six-year military career. “I really got into the science of a comic book and how it could be used as a vessel for storytelling. From addressing complicated social issues to political and religious stands, the possibilities were literally endless.”

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“I believe that having a family life is great for hyper-imaginative people like me, because it keeps your mind from floating completely off into space.” Fab feels grounded by his family life and inspired by his African American ancestral roots, a culture rich with art, poetry, music and literature. “My father, aka Pops has always been my mentor. Pops is a strong, smart and loving man who instilled in me a strong sense of morals and values, which I’ve built my entire life around.” “My wife Doris, aka Dee is my source of energy, giving me the drive to go out there and take on the world. I believe that having a family life is great for hyper-imaginative people like me, because it keeps your mind from floating completely off into space and helps you to remain human.”



His previous graphic design experience and current fine arts studies have complimented his hand-drawn work. “I can move seamlessly from traditional media to digital media, which is pretty much necessary in today’s art world. My art is a hybrid style that infuses graffiti and animation (both Japanese and American) along with traditional comic book art techniques.” Inspiration comes in many forms including the colour and stylisation of music videos, a growing and varied DVD collection and many music genres.



Music is his second love, specifically hip-hop. To give his work energy and soul, Fab listens to hip-hop instrumentals while drawing, replicating the rhythms with kinetic movements, similar to “wild style” graffiti. Music and episodes of US TV show Martin help him unwind as he juggles a busy daily schedule of work, school, family responsibilities and comic book creation. "My philosophy in life is that anything is possible and you are only limited by the stretch of your own imagination...if you can imagine it, visualise it in your mind's eye and then you can materialise it."

www.discounderworld.com. charlie ‘fab’ goubile. page

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Quick-fire Questions What is your favourite place in the whole wide world? The Fab-Cave (my home art studio) because not only is it a creative space for me to work in, but it’s also a small sanctuary from the cruel world outside.

If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be? Africa, to trace my ancestral roots and to soak in the art and a culture as old as time itself. If you would like to vote for Fab, enter your email here and hit vote. Your vote will count once your email has been verified. Only one vote will count per email and person.

What super power do you want? Super-speed, because then I could put out a graphic novel per day and go anywhere in the world in seconds.

This interview was: pretty cool. You would like to tell the world that: I’M HERE!!!! He’s also here:

http://charlie-fab.deviantart.com

Your favourite from last issue, and the person to be included in the Gold Edition at the end of the year is:

julie broberg

Check out Julie’s awesome blog here: www.julochka.blogspot. com. You can find out how to get your copy of The Gold Edition in next month’s issue of disco underworld.