tag:www.psychopedia.com,2008:/dailynews/2 2008-07-03T16:56:07Z Movable Type 3.2 tag:www.psychopedia.com,2008:/dailynews//2.1034 2008-07-03T08:00:00Z 2008-07-03T16:56:07Z

Flight attendants have been an iconic cultural image since the 1960s, with the stylish crews of TWA and Pan Am. From their chic, tight-fitting uniforms to jet-setting around the world, the lifestyle is one often associated with glamour and...

psychoPEDIA Flight attendants have been an iconic cultural image since the 1960s, with the stylish crews of TWA and Pan Am. From their chic, tight-fitting uniforms to jet-setting around the world, the lifestyle is one often associated with glamour and mystique.

New York-based photographer Brian Finke, in his new book Flight Attendants, vibrantly documents this present-day niche community, in a series of portraits that display both the charming and realistic sides of the industry. Having traveled around the world for two years, concentrating on 15 airlines in particular, with some (including Delta, Hawaiian, Qantas, British Airways, Thai, Tiger, and Icelandair), Finke captures an inside look at the men and women of professional air travel both on the ground and in the sky.

With his work currently on exhibit in LA’s Stephen Cohen Gallery (June 12-Aug 2), as well as an upcoming exhibit at Paris’ Gallerie Philippe Chaume (Sept 11-Oct 3), to complement the book's release by powerHouse, Finke joined psychoPEDIA to discuss his experience making the book, and the highs and lows of airlines:

How did you develop the concept for the book?
With my work in general, I photograph a lot of different subcultures and like working on projects that describe specific ones. My previous project was about cheerleaders and football players, and while I worked on it, I thought a lot about the costumes and style around it. I was traveling a lot on planes anyway, and it was right in front of me, so it seemed like a natural progression. Also, after September 11, I was drawn to the challenge of getting in there and photographing it. It wasn’t something I had really seen pictures of before.

Has the perception of flight attendants from the early days to now has changed?
I started photographing domestic airlines, and discovered traveling isn’t what it used to be. Pretty quickly I realized that I also wanted to go overseas to photograph airlines in Europe and Asia. When I was in Hong Kong, they were saying there’s still an allure of it being an exotic lifestyle. I think that still exists, but with my personal experience traveling around the States, it’s not what it used to be. Even last week I was going to DC and New Orleans, flights are always delayed two hours and crowded.

Was your own impression of their lifestyle altered after the project?
With my pictures, it was important showing the reality of current travel. Some of the pictures have a sense of humor and are whimsical, and some are more romantic and nostalgic. I realized a lot of flight attendants make it fit their own lifestyle. One of the attendants I photographed in Iceland has a family and kids, and she just goes to work like anybody else—flies to Europe then flies back home. I realized they make it fit whatever lifestyle or point of life they’re in.

As for style, which airlines have the best uniforms?
There’s a website called Uniform Freak, that has hundreds of uniforms on showcase. Several airlines in Asia are my favorite. AirAsia is a carrier in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, that has really great uniforms. I worked through airlines’ PR departments and would propose story ideas to editors, and a lot of them dealt with fashion and travel. Airlines in the past several years have started inviting high-end designers to design their uniforms.

Which airlines have the most attractive or glamorous stewardesses?
Icelandair is definitely a favorite. They have the scarves and hats— which are on the cover of the book. AirAsia is another favorite. It’s very Virgin Atlantic– great with style. And Air France is great, also.

Most unattractive?
Hooters Air, which doesn’t exist anymore. It was around for a few years, but folded a little over a year ago. They would have flight attendants, where two would be traditional ones in uniforms and two would be dressed as Hooters girls like in the restaurants, in nylons, short pants, T-shirts. They were there more for entertainment.

Best service or most helpful?
In a broad case, a lot of the Asian airlines are very good with passengers. Cathay Pacific is great. I photographed them during their 60th anniversary where they brought back the retro uniforms for a few months.

Oppositely, is there an airline with especially gruff flight attendants?
Not a big fan of Continental, even though I didn’t photograph them. They don’t seem very helpful these days.

Which has the nicest amenities?
Foreign airlines in general, and Cathay Pacific for sure.

What about the best food?
I recently flew Virgin American, and I like how you can go on and purchase food whenever you want. They have a touch-active screen where you can watch movies, but also purchase food whenever you want during the flight, which is nice.

Since you flew constantly during the project, do you have special tricks to avoid air sickness?
I fly a lot-- it’s just a normal thing. I drink a lot of water and take vitamin C to deal with jet lag and breathing airplane air all day.

Have you witnessed any emergencies while flying?
Once I was flying back from Florida and a plane had to make an emergency landing because a passenger had a heart problem. It’s good to know when something comes up that they can react so quickly.

What is your overall favorite airline after the entire experience?
I like Air France a lot, who I use a lot to fly back and forth to Paris. The food, drinking the wine, and visually the uniforms and plane are nice. And when I flew to Iceland, they put us up in First Class and really took care of us more so than normal.

What projects do you have planned for the future?
After photographing mostly female flight attendants for a few years, my wife had the idea to photograph construction workers. Time to hang out with the boys for a while! So I started on that this summer. I’m starting it here in New York, then hopefully take it to other major cities around the world.

~Leann Peterson


All photos by Brian Finke
]]> tag:www.psychopedia.com,2008:/dailynews//2.1032 2008-07-02T08:00:00Z 2008-07-02T15:20:41Z

If planning your future entails uncovering the secret to scratch-off lotto tickets, then perhaps you should redirect your energy to something more constructive. While vowing to drink only during Happy Hour has saved some pocket change, if you could...

psychoPEDIA If planning your future entails uncovering the secret to scratch-off lotto tickets, then perhaps you should redirect your energy to something more constructive. While vowing to drink only during Happy Hour has saved some pocket change, if you could figure out how to open your own bar, then beers are aways free. So whether you're looking to become the next nightlife tycoon, start a fledgling T-shirt business, or open a Risky Business-style establishment, for those not lucky enough to be trust-fund babies, follow along for psychoPEDIA’s dispatches from the financial frontlines:

Most of us have dreamed of leaving our cubicle behind to have a boss we can respect–- namely, ourselves. If that entrepreneurial spirit burns inside you, you’ll need to hatch a business plan and raise some capital. A great idea is only going to take you so far unless it’s accompanied by some foresight and a solid strategy. Recognizing that small businesses create the backbone for our country’s economy, organizations like Score and SBDC exist to provide financial advice for little or no cost. Additional NYC-specific resources include the SBS, where you can find out about incentives in place for helping minority and female-owned companies as well.

With the initial research completed, and having convinced friends that your venture will be more significant than the Segway (or Amway), it’s time to seek funding for your enterprise. An institutional loan is your safest bet. It’s best to find a bank that already deals with other businesses in your chosen industry and whenever possible, get a referral from an established customer. If your idea of dressing up is wearing jeans without holes, consider digging through your closet and dusting off an old high school graduation outfit, because looking the part is as important as outlining your path to success. To that end, make sure all paperwork is filled out completely and accurately. Banks want to be assured that you’re a low-risk proposition, so be prepared to answer how much money you’re going to need, what it will specifically be used for and a realistic time frame for paying it back. Though you may not be approved for your first, second, or third loan, don’t get discouraged. Ask questions and continue developing your pitch. Chances are good that if you believe in your undertaking enough, somebody else will too.

Sometimes, you don’t want to wait for the day your business can finance an entire trip to Aruba. Therefore, credit is perfect for those instances when you don’t need a full-fledged loan, but still need money for your lunch. It’s the nature of card companies to start you with a low limit while they track your spending, payments, and establish a customer history. During this six-month to year-old trial, it’s important to make payments on time and whenever possible, pay above the minimum, setting good habits and laying the groundwork for increasing credit line. Once they’re in place, all you have to do is ask. By steadily growing this limit, you add purchasing power without having to carry multiple cards. This simple strategy will also help to positively impact your all-important credit score. Credit utilization refers to your debt-to-credit ratio. The lower this percentage, the better for your overall standing, meaning that carrying a $500 balance on a card with a $1000 limit is more advantageous to holding the same balance on a card with a limit of $600.

If your current mode of transport is tandem bicycle with a basket on the front, you might consider trading up for an actual vehicle to get you to important business meetings. When adding a car to your budget, the first decision is to lease or buy. Leasing means agreeing to pay for a vehicle for a specified number of months (24, 36 or 48), where you must stick out the contract to the end or face stiff penalties. Monthly payments are lower than when buying because you’re only responsible for the portion of the vehicle’s value that you “use” during that time. Making a down payment to further decrease your monthly costs is recommended, but not required. Though you won’t acquire equity in terms of ownership at the end, many experts feel that investing the money you save with lower monthly outlay can be more beneficial ultimately to your financial well-being. In general, leasing is associated with short-term savings, while buying is linked to long-term gains. And if you’re still at a loss understanding the best personalized option, you can visit Lease Guide for more information.

As every good entrepreneur needs a decked-out base for relaxing and inviting clients over, the final step is to acquire a nice space to come home to. Though sending in a monthly rent check feels like watching your hard-earned dollars getting sucked down the drain, for most living in squalor in Williamsburg loft, the idea of owning a home seems well out of reach. In an effort to demystify the quest, Home Buying for Hipsters has entered the fray, offering free advice on the art and business of owning property for the legions of uninformed that believe wisdom is best dispensed when seated belly-up to a bar. Arrive early to ensure ample time for your questions and consider holding off on the PBR until later that night.

~Scott Lachut]]> tag:www.psychopedia.com,2008:/dailynews//2.1030 2008-07-01T08:00:00Z 2008-07-01T20:00:15Z

Despite mass transit systems being the most readily-accessible and popular form of transportation, biking is slowly becoming a staple in virtually every metropolitan center worldwide. Particularly in densely populated cities, riding a bicycle has become a necessity. With benefits...

psychoPEDIA Despite mass transit systems being the most readily-accessible and popular form of transportation, biking is slowly becoming a staple in virtually every metropolitan center worldwide. Particularly in densely populated cities, riding a bicycle has become a necessity. With benefits including allowing individuals to avoid stuffed, rush-hour subway commutes, not to mention contributing to a greener world by decreasing pollution, many businesses have now teamed with city councils to form bicycle share services where one can rent bikes from convenient, self-serve outdoor kiosks.

As the stress of having an expensive bike stolen can often deter bike-enthusiasts from forking out hundreds to own, share services offer the advantage of having access to a bike any time of day for short trips, without the hassle of needing to store it or take it home. And besides, with the summer weather inspiring people to spend more time outdoors, these temporary rentals offer an inexpensive option for both tourists and locals to see the sights. With Europe starting the breakthrough with bike share services p(opping up in Barcelona, Paris, and Brussels), now the U.S is following suit with shares in NYC and DC. Here is psychoPEDIA’s guide to bike shares around the world:

Velib, Paris
Biking through Paris is a great way for travelers to discover treasures typically unnoticed by standard tourist routes. Easier to maneuver around the city’s narrow, cobble-stoned streets, Parisians can also cycle to avoid the stress of sandwich-style car parking and take Vélib– a year-old bike share service with 750 stations in Paris. Bikes can be picked up from a locked rack with payment of 1 Euro for each half-hour ride, and can be returned to any of the many stations around the city. Weekly and monthly passes are also available at the same rate for frequent cyclists. Although, don’t expect to cross border to Belgium or Germany on a joy ride, or you’ll set off the built-in alarm.

Bicing, Barcelona
Cycling through Barcelona is a convenient way to see the artistically-influenced history of the city’s landmarks like Antonio Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia, Park Guell and La Pedrera. Although you don’t have to be a tourist seeing the sights to use their bike-share, Bicing-– as it’s also popular amongst the locals. Set up similarly to Paris’ Vélib, Bicing has self-serve stations all over the city, accepting only credit card payment. Each ride costs a mere 30 cents for every half hour, with the only downside being that for extended trips, you must renew your ride by picking up a new bike for each session.

Cyclocity, Brussels
The city best known for beer and chocolate now offers the Cyclocity bike-share with which you can use to explore and sample its sweet and savory offerings. You can make guilt-free visits to the breweries and chocolatiers knowing that cycling there will burn off calories, although late-night inebriated rides aren’t recommended. The service is conveniently set up with stations all over downtown, known as the Pentagon. And as with other European bike-shares, the same rules apply. Although Cyclocity has the lowest price of .05 Euros every half hour, or 10 Euros for an entire year subscription, with the only requirement that the user be over fourteen years old.

SmartBike, DC
While DC’s Metro is famous for being one of the cleanest, most easily navigable metropolitan transit systems in the US, the new SmartBikeDC service, created by Clear Channel (the same business behind Barcelona’s Bicing system), offers an above-ground way to experience the nation’s capital. As summer in DC packs a tight calendar of cultural festivities, free concerts, performances, and art exhibitions, you can fully enjoy the city’s outdoor events and scenery by subscribing to Smart Bike DC. With a one-year membership for only $40, you can rent bikes for up to three hours at a time.

Bike & Roll, Governor’s Island NYC
While a typical New York City lifestyle involves plenty of walking, cycling is also a popular mode of transportation not just for its obvious health benefits and cost-effectiveness. Thankfully, between May and October each year, New Yorkers can enjoy biking worry-free at Governors Island, thanks to the new Bike & Roll share service established by the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation. Introducing the city’s first free bike-share program, open every weekend starting June 6th and ending October 4th, the service offers adult and children’s bikes Saturdays and Sundays from $5, and free on Fridays. To score a free hour-long bike ride, take the free ferry to Governors Island departing from Battery Maritime Building beginning at 10 am and available every half hour, at the corner of South and Whitehall Streets.


First photo via Inhabitat
Second & third photos via Letsgogirl.com
Fourth photo via Velorution.biz
Sixth photo via Daylife.com
]]> tag:www.psychopedia.com,2008:/dailynews//2.1027 2008-06-30T08:00:00Z 2008-06-30T16:20:56Z

Big-name designers are generally expected to be graduates of esteemed fashion schools such as Central Saint Martins, Parsons, and Pratt, the recent trend of designers with no design background has been taking the industry by storm. From both small,...

psychoPEDIA Big-name designers are generally expected to be graduates of esteemed fashion schools such as Central Saint Martins, Parsons, and Pratt, the recent trend of designers with no design background has been taking the industry by storm. From both small, high-end boutiques to Barneys stocking their labels, as well as being validated by hallowed CFDA by taking home many of the past years' most distinguished awards, these designers with varying professional backgrounds have proven that in order to garner commercial success, a fashion degree is optional. Raising the question of whether fashion craftsmanship or inherent fashion styling sense is the key to success, the new movement perhaps signals a shift in consumer demand, in which buyers are looking for polished day wear looks seen on the streets.

Narrowing down some of our favorite labels, here is psychoPEDIA’s guide to designers who have taken the non-traditional path to make their mark on contemporary style:

Patrik Ervell
Swedish-born, California-bred designer Patrik Ervell, nominated for this year’s CFDA Swarovski Menswear award, served five years as V’s Contributing Fashion Editor before starting his eponymous label in 2005. While the menswear designer who experiments with unique, durable fabrics like parachute nylon, gossamer polyurethane, and foil metallics, and describes his line as “romantic futurism,” would seem to have honed his design skills at a well-known fashion institution, the 30-year-old actually began as a Political Science major at UC Berkeley before moving to New York in 2001 where he made his introduction into fashion. While he’s already being hailed as one of the future hard-hitters of menswear, Ervell currently operates out of Bushwick, creating collections centered on classic American sportswear with a twist, and sell at high-end men’s boutiques like Oak, BBlessing, and LA’s South Willard.

Scott Sternberg
Scott Sternberg, who majored in economics in Ohio, started his career as a Hollywood agent at Creative Artists before becoming the acclaimed designer of men’s label Band of Outsiders and newer womenswear, Boy-– a reinterpretation of men’s clothing for the female figure. With his label name taken from a Jean-Luc Godard film, Sternberg’s menswear line is inspired by nostalgic American silhouettes with a touch of French flair. Despite lacking a collegiate fashion background, Sternberg learned about the process of making functional menswear from his Brooklyn-based tailor Martin Greenfield-– the same man who passed his skills along to respected designers Calvin Klein and Donna Karan. While his West Hollywood-based studio hasn’t taken him far from his days as an agent, and his clever Polaroid look books have featured the likes of indie-actor Jason Schwartzman–- his line being carried at Barneys, Jeffrey, and Ron Herman, and taking home the 2008 Swarovski Award for Menswear-– show that he’s come a long way from his days in Hollywood.

Michael Bastian
As a former men's fashion director and buyer for Bergdorf Goodman, Michael Bastian later transitioned into becoming creative director at Bill Blass before launching his eponymous label in 2006. Known for creating modern American sportswear, this 2007 CFDA Newcomer Menswear nominee makes luxe but comfortable day and evening wear, focusing on a few contemporary yet timeless pieces for every man’s wardrobe–- including his favorite staple, shorts. Understandably stemming from his extensive experience examining all types of menswear labels and collections, though only now in his fourth season, critics are already anticipating Bastian as a future icon of American menswear.

Rag & Bone
Rag & Bone, which began simply as a line of high-quality denim, was started in 2002 by a trio of young English men: David Neville, Marcus Wainwright, and Nathan Bogle (a former model who recently left the company), who wanted to create clothes that their friends would wear, as well as themselves. While their pieces exude a distinctly American aesthetic indicative of the 60-year-old North Carolina-based factory where the collection is produced, the designers cite that their line is a mix of the English attire worn in their upbringing with the practicality of American workwear. With Neville and Wainwright having met at Wellington College boarding school, their introductions to the fashion world were initiated by their respective wives, make-up artist and Lancome executive Gucci Westman and model Glenna Neece. Now with established men’s and women’s collections, and the 2007 Swarovski Award for Menswear under their belts, Rag & Bone is stocked at stores from Odin and Scoop to Bergdorf Goodman.

Adam Kimmel
New York-based designer Adam Kimmel studied Architecture at NYU, where he graduated in 2001. However, leaving building design for another artistic venture, in 2005 Kimmel launched his eponymous label, which he now runs out of his Chelsea design studio. Describing his line as influenced by artists Willem de Kooning and Jackson Pollock, his designs are focused around the philosophy that clothes are meant to fit everyone, and therefore stray from the typical, tight-fitted silhouettes of more recent trends and opt for the robust structures and classic fits of the 1940s. With an inner-circle of friends that reads like a downtown New York’s “Who’s Who” list, faces who appear in his look book (shot by his fashion photographer half-brother, Alexei Hay) include artists Ryan McGinley, Dan Colen, Nate Lowman, former V editor Christopher Bollen, actor Michael Pitt, and DJ Mark Ronson. However, despite his long list of connections, Kimmel has proven himself as a legitimate part of the fashion world, having been honored recently as a featured designer of the Italian menswear tradeshow, Pitti Immagine Uomo.

~Leann Peterson]]> tag:www.psychopedia.com,2008:/dailynews//2.1025 2008-06-27T08:00:00Z 2008-06-27T16:13:35Z

The Presets (comprised of Kim Moyes and Julian Hamilton) have been taking the dance world by storm for several years. Known for hypnotic electronic pop beats, the two boys from Down Under-- Sydney to be exact-- have moved many...

psychoPEDIA The Presets (comprised of Kim Moyes and Julian Hamilton) have been taking the dance world by storm for several years. Known for hypnotic electronic pop beats, the two boys from Down Under-- Sydney to be exact-- have moved many dance floors with their debut EP in 2003, Blowup, and LP, Beams in 2005, the latter of which attained international acclaim and DJ approval. Their self-produced sophomore album, Apocalypso, released on Modular Records in May of 2008, topped with singles “This Boy's in Love” and “My People.” Who’d guess that the duo originally met during school at Sydney's Conservatorium of Music, cracking the books and notes of Mozart?

Considering their current world tour and recent album release, dreaming of their balmy hometown must happen often. Before their performance at New York’s Bowery Ballroom, psychoPEDIA joined Moyes and Hamilton inside their tour bus, where they discussed all-things-Sydney:

What’s the current music scene like in Sydney?
JH: There have always been great DJs and parties. There are quite a few good indie nights where bands play, and a few great venues; the Oxford Art Factory, where there’s a club and a live venue where bands perform. Another spot that’s really dingy called Club 77.
KM: We’ve played there!
JH: There are a few bands like us in Sydney. Sydney is really known more for a club-place. The pub-rock rock n’ roll thing is pretty there, yet it’s more a suburban thing in the greater Sydney area. Sydney has a huge gay population so there’s a lot more of the club vibe.

Are there popular sex shops in Sydney?
JH: Well, we have Tool Shed!
KM: The sex shops here in New York are fun and cool. Australia is so oppressed, unfortunately. In Australia, there are awful scary places that you don’t want to go into, where it’s run by heroin.
JH: It’s the more dingy, Book Exchange-type places, where you go swap your pornos, are really dirty and seedy.

Is there a big heroin scene there right now?
KM: There was, then the war in Afghanistan killed it. From what I understand, there was a huge heroin problem, then it disappeared suddenly overnight. Ice now has become a problem. They call it crystal meth here in the States. You couldn’t get heroin in Sydney for a while because of the war in Afghanistan, since they produce most of the heroin for Australia. Ice now has slowed down and the overdoses have stopped, but mental illness has gone through the roof.

Any other major controversy?
KM: We have a new Prime Minster right now, Kevin Rudd, who we love to compare to John Howard, who was our last Prime Minster. Rudd is more left leaning and liberal. What happened recently was that an amazing photographer Bill Henson, who shoots a lot of teenage models in these stark, dark, ghostly images just released a photo of a naked 13-year-old girl. It’s beautiful, but the police raided the exhibition and took away all the photos. Kevin Rudd came out publicly and said it was disgusting and the work was horrible. He’s a left-leaning guy, but socially a Christian and a conservative. It’s funny, because the national art galleries in Sydney and Melbourne have had major retrospectives of Bill Henson’s work. In the art world, he’s quite respected.

On a lighter topic, where would you recommend staying in Sydney?
KM: Zerp Tree Hotel. It’s down near The Rocks, which is an area down underneath Sydney Harbor Bridge. The Park Hyatt is really lovely down there, because it has a great view of the Opera House and harbor. Also, Observatory Hotel.
JH: More boutique hotels, The Kirketon and the W. Most of the hotels on the harbor are great.

Best restaurants to check out?
JH: Bondi Icebergs Dining Room and Bar. It’s right on the south side of Bondi Beach, and it looks across Bondi and out to sea. It’s one of the most breathtaking places to have a meal.
KM: We’re so lucky because we’re really multicultural. We can get anything you want, except Mexican! All Mexican food in Australia is crap. We have great Thai, Pakistani and Chinese. There’s a spot called Golden Century, where we can go at 4am. It’s a little bit of a musician haunt too. Often, when bands finish shows, they head down to grab something to eat. During the Olympics in 2000, after a show we’d gone down to get some food and the Hungarian wrestling team was there!

Places to shop?
JH: There’s this great store called Assin and the clothes are stupidly expensive but really cool designer stuff. Ksubi is a clothing label with sort of street-beach vibe. That Beach Boys sort of culture and attitude mixed with street city vibe. Obviously, all the surfing labels are huge too.

What's the most special thing inherent to Sydney?
KM: I don’t think you could find a better beach anywhere in the world than Sydney. To be able to go to these world-class beaches that are so clean and beautiful is just amazing. It’s definitely its high point.
JH: And, of course, The Presets!

~Jessica McMenamin]]> tag:www.psychopedia.com,2008:/dailynews//2.1023 2008-06-26T08:00:00Z 2008-06-26T15:35:48Z

Stewart Home is a writer for good reason. He has a brilliant memory, having recalled succinct details of life since he was two years old. On occasion, this can be more of an annoyance than a blessing. But he...

psychoPEDIA Stewart Home is a writer for good reason. He has a brilliant memory, having recalled succinct details of life since he was two years old. On occasion, this can be more of an annoyance than a blessing. But he has put it to good use, linking inane facts and insane lives in his varied published works.

Although he’s too strange for the likes of Penguin, over the last three decades, Home has grounded himself as a scion of subculture. His writing ranges from satirical to the non-narrative, from pamphleteering to critique. He touches on everything from the early users of LSD (Tainted Love) to pornography (69 Things to Do with a Dead Princess); from boot stomping skinheads (Slow Death) to underground art movements (The Assault on Culture). If it sounds fun, Home has usually dabbled in it.

psychoPEDIA asked the writer and avid music-lover, born and bred in London, to guide us through the fast-changing nooks and crannies of his old stomping ground and source of inspiration-– Berwick Street’s record shops. Hoping to stumble across some gems before urban re-development to the area creeps up (whereby many of Berwick’s streets finest record shops have already disappeared), Home gives us some insight to his favorite spots:

What are your earliest memories of Berwick Street?
The first thing I remember of the area was Carnaby Street’s colored paving stones. They took them out in the 1980s, because they were looking a bit crappy. But they really should have refurbished them instead.

Why does that area appeal to you more than others?
Carnaby Street and Berwick Street are great, because you could pick up all the new bootleg records down the market. Then, just behind them, in St. Anne’s Court is a science-fiction shop, The Golden Eye. I started going to all these places in ’74. I remember discovering Aleister Crowley in there, who I thought was hilarious. Not because I was into magic, but because his books had chapter titles like “A Harrowing Heroine” which, when you are 12, is very funny. But Berwick St was the place.

Which record shop did you frequent most?
So many have come and gone–- but Selectadisc, which is now Sister Ray, was the best. You want change, because that is what a vibrant urban environment is all about. Sometimes things change for the better, and sometimes things change for the worst. Obviously, the property values in London are ridiculous. That’s one thing. But the other is that book and record shops are on the way out.

Any particular reason why you think that’s happening?
You can sit at your computer and pick what you want now, which is fine. But the down side is the loss of the social element. You don’t get recommendations, people don’t play you stuff. When I was a teenager, I’d go down Soho Market where they had the Rocks Off record store. It was great just to hear the records, talking to market traders, listening to new Siouxsie Sioux releases. When I was 12 or 13, I discovered You Can’t Sit Down by The Dovells and thinking that was the most amazing record I had ever heard.

Do you go anywhere nowadays to find new albums or discover bands?
No. But then I know what I want a lot more. I realized as I grew up that my taste veered towards Mod and Northern Soul. Now it has moved into a little bit of techno and the old psychedelic '60s stuff. Like The Vibrations or The Temptations when they stopped being so pop.

Do you have different stores catering to different needs then?
I have Soul Jazz doing their little post-punk thing. Sister Ray is great other than their obsession with shitty industrial bands which they should fucking dump. Record & Tape Exchange has hoards of random second hand stuff. There was Mr CD, which recently closed down, sacrificed to MP3s. I don’t say that in a bad way. I want my music in the cheapest possible format. I understand people being precious about their vinyl. On some dub tracks, you just don’t get the bass tone out of an MP3 or CD, or if you copy very minimal techno, like Plasticman, it sounds really shitty, because you are losing vital frequencies. But with most stuff, you can never tell the difference. With old Motown and punk songs, they are supposed to sound shitty and tinny. Mind you, on The Slits' track Vindictive, the tom sounded so rubbish on CD but fine on the vinyl.

Do you feel like Berwick Street is losing its record and bookstores to gear more towards Red Light District-friendly establishments?
I’ve got no idea where the sign saying ‘Model First Floor’ leads to, but all the girls on the street are quite obviously clippers. They are just gonna take your money and run. It used to be a hobby of mine, sitting outside a café and watching guys get strung along. I used to go to the venue The Marquee, which was round the corner. I would bunk off school to go to shows and beforehand, think it hilarious to sit outside a café with a cup of tea, and watch some businessman who had just been up to shag a prostitute having a cup of tea before he went home to confront the wife. He wouldn’t be able to hold the mug still.

~Iphgenia Baal]]> tag:www.psychopedia.com,2008:/dailynews//2.1020 2008-06-25T08:00:00Z 2008-06-25T15:35:13Z

Though the U.S. economy is careening like a drunk on roller skates, the skyrocketing costs of city living are only going up. Add the presumed threat of Happy Hours cutting back to mere minutes a day, and one can...

psychoPEDIA Though the U.S. economy is careening like a drunk on roller skates, the skyrocketing costs of city living are only going up. Add the presumed threat of Happy Hours cutting back to mere minutes a day, and one can imagine the trend of ever-skinnier jeans becoming a reality for all Americans, not just the select few. As we are forced to reach deeper into our wallets to get by these days, perhaps no group has been impacted more than true bohemians attempting to wring truth and beauty out of the human plight. Certainly a virtuous pursuit, but one that often doesn’t pay the bills.

With that in mind, it may be time to consider alternative methods of augmenting income without completely abandoning otherwise high-minded goals. Though it’s far from a perfect solution, at the end of the day, it feels good to define yourself as the thing you do-– photographer, author, painter, musician, actor-– without having to qualify it first. Fortunately, there are options out there for the artistic soul looking to make a wage:

If all acting work was Shakespearian in nature, our country would be a more intelligent place-– but we’d also be robbed of the unquantifiable talents of the Ashton Kutchers and Jessica Albas of the world. That being said, a bona fide thespian understands that the key to lasting success is the ability to make a role, no matter how insignificant, your own. Though as evidenced above, a little serendipity never hurts. Extra work is one way to get noticed by those behind the camera, while offering a glimpse into the nuts and bolts of the business. Sites such as Moviex and Mandy list open calls throughout the industry.

Maybe that facial tattoo wasn’t such a great idea after all, but there’s no sense regretting, especially if you've got a voice like James Earl Jones. While you’re saving money for the laser surgery to restore your good looks, there’s no reason you can’t practice your theatrics in front of a microphone instead. By enlisting your storytelling skills to create audio books, you’ll be creating alternative educational materials to serve the greater good. Recorded Books encourages individuals with a flair for the dramatic to submit an audition.

If critiquing the world through use of obtuse metaphors dished in rhyming couplets is your birthright, consider fueling your habit with paid focus group-work. These 1-2 hour sessions are a lucrative way to dispense your opinions to the masses with little fear of reproach. Companies like Great Opinions and Focus Room provide online forms to get you started and will contact you if they think you fit their target demographic. You may even become the next Gene Shalit.

Great writing has the power to hint at the universal, but someone needs to read it first. If you want throngs of adoring fans to swoon over your every word, try out a little coitus literati. Sex sells and you needn’t be afraid of sullying your nonexistent reputation. Nerve is one of the rare places on the Web that handles the nexus between smut and literature eloquently. With their expanding roster of established authors, you might be surprised by who you’ll find there.

Once the sun goes down, you spend your time skirting along the back alleyways and streets searching for the perfect wall to serve as your canvas, but hopping over one too many chain link fences while outrunning the cops is getting almost as old as you are. Not only is converting your clandestine operations to the light of day easier on your constitution, but it also transforms graffiti into mural painting. Signing up with the New York Foundation for the Arts is a good place to start.

The Modern Art world might favor technology over classical expression and gimmick over craft, but few things remains as evocative as the human form. If you’re unable to afford an art school education, then exposing yourself for cash might be the next best thing. Figure modeling at one of the New York art colleges-– SVA, FIT, Parsons-- is an excellent way to learn from afar. And if you’re lucky, the instructor might let you sit in on the rest of the class once your session is over.

Your band keeps breaking up and you don’t know how to play an instrument anyway, but why should that stop you from entering the entertainment ranks? With the right equipment and a passable singing voice there’s no reason you can’t be a party waiting to happen. Becoming a professional karaoke singer is your ticket to one big open bar and all you have to do is warble some Neil Diamond tunes when things start getting dull. Before striking out on your own, get a taste of the amateur circuit at Spotlight Live in Times Square. Sure it might be one step below being a wedding singer, but think of all the practice you’ll be getting for the next time American Idol comes to town.

~Scott Lachut ]]> tag:www.psychopedia.com,2008:/dailynews//2.1018 2008-06-24T08:00:00Z 2008-06-26T17:51:03Z

Celebrities are notoriously tight-lipped about the beauty secrets that keep them looking pristine. Whether it be plastic surgery, cleansings, or new cosmeceuticals, those in the limelight are always on the cutting edge of beauty and health developments-– and attempting...

psychoPEDIA Celebrities are notoriously tight-lipped about the beauty secrets that keep them looking pristine. Whether it be plastic surgery, cleansings, or new cosmeceuticals, those in the limelight are always on the cutting edge of beauty and health developments-– and attempting to keep them under wraps.

Breaking the trend, the infamously fresh-faced, 46-year-old actress Demi Moore-– while on the circuit promoting her aptly-titled new film, Flawless-– recently confessed an unorthodox beauty regimen that helps her maintain a youthful glow: leech detoxification therapy.

As odd a procedure as that may seem, it’s only one of a long list of inventive new products and practices, from snail creams to breast-enhancing gum, that are now on the market. To that end, here are psychoPEDIA’s picks for bizarre beauty products:

Leech Detox Therapy
In Moore’s promotion of this treatment, she explains that the therapeutic leeches aren’t just ordinary swamp leeches but “highly trained medical leeches.” By having them suck your blood, an enzyme is released that triggers blood detoxification. Now a serious advocate of the treatment, Moore declares that she continues to feel its effects and will visit Australia for more detoxing. Although there is no concrete evidence that the process detoxifies blood, leech therapy has been used as a valid form of microsurgery since 1985.

Coesam Snail Secretion Cream ($64.95)
Eating snails is a widely-popular gourmet practice of French delicacy. Now, the cosmetics world is embracing snails to supply the newest ingredient in beauty products. As the secretion that allows their movement has been found to have beneficial properties for skin renewal, among other findings, it also helps preserve skin elasticity and treat superficial wrinkles. In addition to powerful anti-aging properties, the secretion is a potent natural ingredient, as it’s original use is for the speedy repair of a snail’s damaged shell.

Borba Gummi Boosters ($25, 136 pieces)
While snacking on these may make you feel like a kid again, these acai-infused nutraceutical gummies might make you look and feel equally youthful, as well. These fat-free dietary supplements from Borba are enhanced with green tea and grape seed extracts, rich in antioxidants, as well as a specially formulated bio-vitamin to promote healthy skin clarity and regeneration. And the obvious nutritional benefits aside, six gummi bears a day is inevitably more enjoyable than your standard multi-vitamin.

Zoft Breast Gum ($59.99 for 5 packs)
Don’t mistake this for the newest flavor of Orbitz-– Zoft Breast Gum is a chewing gum supplement that triggers the hormones that stimulate growth of fuller breasts. With a mix of thirteen herbal ingredients, including: oat grass for healthy hormones, hops flower for mammary gland development, pacific kelp for healthy thyroid function, and l-tyrosine for burning fat and enhancing muscle-– not only will Zoft clean your teeth after a meal, but offer a simple and natural way to increase cup size, with claimed visible results of a 1/ 2 to 2 cup-size growth in as short as three months.

Fuwarinka Gum ($5 for 2 packs)
While deodorants and perfumes offer an external, temporary cover-up for unpleasant body odors, Fuwarinka has created a gum that will not only freshen your breath, but your entire body-– from the inside. Available in Fresh Citrus and Fruity Rose flavors, the candy containing the natural ingredients geraniol and linalool, causes a time-released aroma to emit from the skin through the sweat glands. And on top of its scented properties, the gum also has the anti-aging ingredient, hyaluronic acid, as well as offering a specially formulated version for men–- Otokokaoru Rose Menthol.

Collagen Marshmallows (£2.30)
Some may remember playing childhood games of “Chubby Bunny” by stuffing copious amounts of marshmallows in their cheeks. Giving the plumping quality of marshmallows a new meaning, Japanese confectioners Eiwa, normally known for producing kid-appropriate sweets, have introduced an adult marshmallow to the market enhanced with 3000 mg of collagen. Citing comparable benefits to injections, the marshmallows–- which come in a range of flavors including strawberry, cherry, blueberry, grapefruit, and yogurt–- are said to improve signs of aging by increasing skin firmness and elasticity.

]]> tag:www.psychopedia.com,2008:/dailynews//2.1016 2008-06-23T08:00:00Z 2008-06-23T22:29:47Z

Zak Smith is a fan of comic books and likes painting pretty girls. But don’t peg him just yet as a hormonally-charged guy secretly sketching half-naked women in his notebook— this is a Cooper Union and Yale-educated artist who...

psychoPEDIA Zak Smith is a fan of comic books and likes painting pretty girls. But don’t peg him just yet as a hormonally-charged guy secretly sketching half-naked women in his notebook— this is a Cooper Union and Yale-educated artist who creates intricately detailed, erotically-charged portraits of girls in their natural, decadent environments; vivid vignettes of a sub-culture in which the artist himself is immersed. The green-haired artist has made a career of mixing gritty reality (Girls in the Naked Girl Business) and beautiful invention (100 Girls and 100 Octopuses). And his work, represented by Fredericks & Freiser gallery in NYC, has even shown in the Whitney Museum of Art, with permanent works on display in Minneapolis’ Walker Art Center and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, as well as in a book collection titled simply Zak Smith: Pictures of Girls. While his work seemingly borders on OCD— particularly in his laborious 760-page project illustrating Thomas Pynchon’s Gravity's Rainbow— the result is a colorful frenzy reminiscent of Klimt.

With a penchant for girls in the adult-film industry, many of whom appear as subjects in his work, it’s no surprise that after shaking up the fine art world, Smith found himself moving into another expressive format— star of “alternative” porn, under the heavy-metal-inspired name, Zak Sabbath. Having made his debut two years ago, he’s since appeared in several adult films, of which he donates the majority of his proceeds to charities like Food Not Bombs.

psychoPEDIA caught up with the 32-year-old— who made a recent move from Brooklyn to Los Angeles to be closer to the porn industry— to find out more about his films and his position on the future of popular art:

How did you get into the industry?
I knew people, because I had been doing portraits of girls in the industry. Soon after I did the Gravity's Rainbow pictures, a director calls to ask if he can use them in a porno movie. I was joking around if I could have sex with all the girls in the film. He said "ok," I sent some pictures, and then I did the movie— Barbed Wire Kiss.

Did you have previous acting experience?
I did some radio. I have no idea if that helped, but it made me used to the fact that everything I said and did was being recorded. You don’t need to act in porn so much. Chances are, if you can forget that you’re “acting,” you’ll probably do a better job than most people who are trying.

Favorite porn moment?
It was one of the strangest scenes in any movie, porn or otherwise: Charlotte Stokely was playing a prostitute, and William Wood was her drug-dealer boyfriend. He was out of it the whole scene, barely paying attention to her. They start having sex, and she says, “I love it when we do things together.”

Is most of it scripted or improv?
Usually they’ll set up a situation and say to the actors, “Pixie’s pregnant, and she’s trying to convince you to give her money to get an abortion— go!”

Do you feel it’s at all problematic to donate your porn earnings to charity?
Half the money from porn is going to some hustler, so with the money I make, at least it can go to something good. I also give away a lot from art. I think artists should do that more, frankly, because we can afford it. Any artist that shows in a gallery makes a lot of money, because paintings are expensive things. A lot of artists feel that whatever message is in their work is benefiting humanity, but what you do in galleries just isn’t that popular— it doesn’t get out to that many people. If you want to change things, change them with money. I try to put my money where my mouth is.

How often do your porn partners show up in your art?
I’ve always made pictures of the people around me. Pretty consistently, the girls in the movies show up in the art and vice versa.

Has being "alternative" made it easier or more difficult to succeed in the art and porn worlds?
n music or regular movies, or TV, you can make a movie, TV show, or record for people who don’t like the things that usually come out, and you’ll get an audience. The Ramones made records for people who hated the music at that time, and people bought it. But in porn and contemporary art, most of the economy is based on selling your product to the same people who bought the last product. If you sell contemporary art, you’re nobody until the people who used to buy Andy Warhols buy your work. You can’t make a big splash in porn unless you sell to the guys who go into porno shops and buy 20 movies at once. It’s harder to break that cycle and create an audience than in other industries.

Have you ever been alienated in the bourgeois art world because of it?
It’s not that people are pushing me out and saying bad things, as much as they seem to be ignoring a lot of artists and concerns I think are important. Whether or not you like them, there’s a future in people like Banksy, Chris Ware, Juxtapoz— if contemporary art has a future at all, not just as things people want to look at, but things people want to make. The art world at large hasn’t realized the Warhol way of things is dead. At some point in the last century, pop culture started being more avant-garde than high art. It’s become a specialized thing like fishing. The future of art is not this conceptual game people have been playing with each other, but making art with your own two hands that people want to look at.

Did you ever use your status as an artist or a porn star to pick up girls? If so, which works more often?
It has less to do with which one works, as opposed to who it works with. You meet somebody you like, tell them everything about you, and they decide to sleep with you. It’s hard to tell why. I lean more toward girls you meet in porn than those in the art world. I don’t like sweaters, and a lot of girls in the contemporary art world wear sweaters. And sandals. Porn girls never wear sandals. I like that– it’s like saying, “Hey, I care.”

Do you have any upcoming exhibitions planned?
I’m working on my next show, in October, in New York. The title I like right now is “Everything Has Already Been Done, Poorly.” Like how people say, “Everything has already been done,” and I think, “but not very well.” The next frontier is doing things with quality and depth, and giving a shit. It’s an unexplored dimension in art, since it’s so easy to make money without it.

Any book projects?
I’m working on a book about my experiences in porn— pictures and stories, called Pornography in the Time of Bad Ideas. I just feel like we’re in a really horrible, almost hopeless time— especially with regards to people who make art and have an ability to talk to the rest of the world. But we keep making these things, and maybe someday, people will pick up what we did and think it’s worth something.

~Leann Peterson


All artwork by Zak Smith
]]> tag:www.psychopedia.com,2008:/dailynews//2.1014 2008-06-20T08:00:00Z 2008-06-20T20:16:02Z

Hailing from Raleigh, North Carolina, Bowerbirds play a lush mix of folksy, Americana tunes filled with accordion, violin, and acoustic instrumentals that invoke the tranquility of their Appalachian setting. Consisting of native resident Beth Tacular, her partner Phil Moore,...

psychoPEDIA Hailing from Raleigh, North Carolina, Bowerbirds play a lush mix of folksy, Americana tunes filled with accordion, violin, and acoustic instrumentals that invoke the tranquility of their Appalachian setting. Consisting of native resident Beth Tacular, her partner Phil Moore, and Mark Paulson–- two more recent Iowa imports-– the band has a clear connection to nature, reflected in everything from their lyrics about sounds of the forest to their avian-inspired name, which Tacular adopted after reading about that breed in a children’s encyclopedia.

Having just released their latest album Hymns From A Dark Horse this week (June 17), and on the cusp of embarking on a hectic national tour supporting soul-folk singer friend Bon Iver, psychoPEDIA caught up with the music-making couple of Tacular and Moore, who currently reside in an Airstream trailer in the countryside outside of Raleigh, for a tour of their scenic hometown:

What are the hometown influences behind your newest album?
At the time the songs were written, we were living in the country. I think it has a lot of “space” because of that– a clarity.

Since your music is nature-inspired, what are your favorite outdoor sites?
Umstead Park has a great trail system to walk around, and Lake Johnson. The whole of North Carolina is just trees. Everything’s lush and green here.

Is there a good spot for bird-watching?
Out where we live is wonderful. We see so many different varieties. And the Hollow River is great— you see a lot of bald eagles.

As an earth-loving band, do you have favorite eco-friendly places in town? Piedmont Biofuels Co-op is a great place to get gasoline if you drive a diesel. With restaurants here, since there’s a big farming infrastructure, they get a lot of produce from local sources. At Enoteca Vin, where Mark works, they get a lot of their meat, greens, and other vegetables from local places. There are a few fair-trade, organic coffee places, too— Royal Bean, and Counter Culture. And a street market in Pittsboro called Chatam Marketplace, where 95% percent of the meat is organic and natural.

Best way to keep cool in the North Carolina heat?
Locopops, a new popsicle business started in Durham. It’s a little retail space, painted white with no decoration and a freezer against one wall. They have hundreds of varieties that they make them themselves. Cream-based and vegan ones, flavors like strawberry basil or rosemary chocolate. They also have dog popsicles!

Which shops are best for getting folk instruments like the ones you play? There’s a place called High Strung Music. Fat Sound has great amplifiers, guitars, and old acoustics. But we get our accordions from a guy in Wisconsin.

Favorite local clubs to play?
Bull City Headquarters— a little co-op space with a bicycle repair shop in it. Then there’s Local 506, which has the staple bands that come through, and Cat’s Cradle which houses larger bands.

Since aside from the music, you're also a visual artist, what are your favorite places to display or check out other work?
My favorite gallery is Lump. They bring the most avant-garde or cutting-edge emerging artists, established weird art, or locally progressive art to the Triangle. If I didn’t have it, my idea of art in the public world would’ve been limited to what I saw in magazines. Downtown Raleigh has an Art Walk on the first Friday of the month, where all galleries have an opening. I’ve also shown at Design Box. Wootini in Capitol Hill brings artists from around the country as well as local artists. They even have an area with Japanese toys. And Branch Gallery is fancier, but still has some aesthetically cutting-edge art.

Where do you go to get a dose of outside culture?
The Internationalist Bookstore and Community Center is great, because they have sections on ecology, gender studies, sexuality, and the best magazine selection. The Regulator Bookstore in Durham, and Quail Ridge, which has a classical music section. The Center for Documentary Studies has the International Documentary Film Festival every year-– put on by progressive-minded people to open eyes to an environmental issue or labor issue. And the American Dance Festival happens here.

Best places to get antiques or home furnishings for your nest?
Father & Son Antiques— it’s vintage mid-century stuff. We bought a lot of our furniture there. You can get second-hand things at the same price as a regular store. Beggars & Choosers has some furniture, cheaper than at other antique stores, but it’s good for vintage and antique clothes, neat old jewelry, and household things like pictures frames and fabrics. I get a lot of my clothes there, because they have dresses from the 1910s and 1930s. I just bought a couple of slips from the 1910 at 10 dollars each.

Young female bowerbirds are known for having a penchant for "fancy men." Where are the best places to pick up them up?
Mark in our band is “fancy.” He’s single and needs to be picked up. The Raleigh Times Bar is probably where you’d find them. It’s a cross-over place where hipsters and yuppies go. They seem to bathe. They’re the cleanest men, and put product in their hair. Clean-cut sort of dandies.

Where would you go to do a courtship dance after you’ve found your mate?
Hell has a dance night. And a bar called the Jackpot up the street from Mark’s house– the seedy, dirty, smoky hipster bar in town.

What about your own first date in town?
We went to Reservoir to see the band Caliphone. Afterwards, we went dumpster diving at the PTA Thrift Store. I used to do that because you could find the stuff people didn’t think was good enough to sell. We found My Little Pony figurines and 80s unicorn stickers. I was in the middle of doing a series of paintings about unicorns, so it was meant to be! Then we went to a bar called the Orange County Social Club, with a neat beer garden in the back. We had a couple drinks, then went to Forest Theater— an amphitheatre in Chapel Hill, near the UNC campus. There are hiking trails and woods on one side, and the university on the other. No one goes there at night, so it’s really quiet. We climbed on a big wall where we hung out until 5 in the morning.

Best place to spend an overnight romantic stay?
There’s a B&B that’s an organic goat farm, called Celebrity Dairy. And there’s a nice camping site on the Eno River in the state park, which has a beautiful river and trees.

Favorite thing about Raleigh?
You can walk to everything. And everywhere you go, you run into six people you know.


~Leann Peterson]]> tag:www.psychopedia.com,2008:/dailynews//2.1012 2008-06-19T08:00:00Z 2008-06-19T15:31:35Z

Having evolved from the ashes of lo-fi distorted garage noise acts like Coachwhips, The Hospitals, and the most seminal of Providence label, Load Records has ever released: the mighty Burmese, it came then as a surprise when John Dwyer...

psychoPEDIA Having evolved from the ashes of lo-fi distorted garage noise acts like Coachwhips, The Hospitals, and the most seminal of Providence label, Load Records has ever released: the mighty Burmese, it came then as a surprise when John Dwyer emerged as the frontman of Thee Oh Sees, with the gentler folk sound.

Maybe it was the move to San Francisco from Providence, but this was an altogether quieter Dwyer. However, like a kid pretending to be grown up for a week and failing OCS (Orange County Sound) swiftly mutated into Thee Oh Sees, and started getting loose all over again. Their album The Master's Bedroom Is Worth Spending A Night In should be sitting tall on end-of-year lists everywhere, combining elements of all Dwyer’s past into an impulsive and petulantly coherent whole.

Beyond Shoreditch, venues that consistently put on shows of any quality in deeper East London are few and far between. If you aren’t watching a band in Dalston's Bardens Boudoir, it’s likely you won’t be watching a band at all. With this in mind, it East London residents welcomed the opening of council-funded venue Café Oto that popped up out of nowhere just two weeks ago behind Dalston-Kingsland station. With a string of great gigs in the near future thanks to the ever reliable Upset The Rhythm Thee Oh Sees-– Dwyer, Petey Dammit, Mike Shoun, and Brigid Dawson-- talked to psychoPEDIA about venues, lake of cake, and organic beer:

How does Dalston compare to San Francisco?
JD: Right now Dalston is nice. We are just sitting out here on the curb in the sun drinking coffee.
PD: In fact, this is probably exactly what we would be doing if we were in San Francisco right now.
MS: You would probably actually be asleep.
PD: Jet lag is a bitch. All those timezones. My head can’t keep up.

How were the venues as opposed to on the mainland?
JD: On this particular tour, they have all been fairly standard. But with other bands I’ve played with, I’ve played everywhere: you name it. Squats where the punks want your blood, pool tables, beer halls, caves. Wherever we could get power. It sounds awful but they all kind of merge into one.
PD: We had a great show in our practice space in San Francisco recently, though. Does that count as a venue?

What made it so great?
MS: It was Brigid’s birthday. We were practicing and we had everything planned so that mid-practice, all her friends burst in and surprised her.
BD: I was pretty scared, but in a good way.

Did you know that "oto" means "sound" in Japanese?
JD: No, but I do now.
PD: I see what they did there.

How are you finding the full range of organic beers and ciders?
PD: I like the label with the Bayeaux Tapestry painting, but it costs five pounds. I’m sticking to coffee.
JD: The coffee is excellent. It reminds me of the coffee in this little SF joint where we used to go and bum out and drink cup after cup and smoking a whole bunch of cigarettes or whatever.

Does it bother you that you can't smoke indoors in the UK anymore?
JD: They are weird about it in the US. Some venues just turn a blind eye. I can imagine it must suck bumming smokes in the winter here.

What do you think of this Bretton beer-- so organic that it has loads of sediment?
PD: I’m not into that. It looks like mud in beer. They serve Kronenberg and Beck too. We are gonna get a bunch of that in later.
JD: The coffee is great though, I want to stress that. And you can always drink coffee. Beer is sometimes just not feasible. But, coffee? Always.

How about the space itself?
JD: I really like it. It is super simple. Just a nice square white box. Everything has slight sense of DIY to it. Like the guy DJing has his turntables on top of a vintage sled. Sled? Sleigh? I’m not sure the proper term, but one of those rickety old wooden things.
PD: They also haven’t started doing food yet. Can we come back and play again when they are doing cakes? They say the cakes are coming. But when?
JD: Good cakes and good people. That is all you need. The people here seem great–- the promoters, the kids, the local guys. People told me this place was rough, but it’s been great. We just need those cakes now.

~James Knight]]> tag:www.psychopedia.com,2008:/dailynews//2.1010 2008-06-18T08:00:00Z 2008-06-18T15:25:21Z

Many people have quite a lot to say about the oppositely laconic Jay Lindsey. So much so, that the time spent conjecturing on a guy who calls himself Jay Reatard almost out-weighs the long list that comprises his tireless...

psychoPEDIA Many people have quite a lot to say about the oppositely laconic Jay Lindsey. So much so, that the time spent conjecturing on a guy who calls himself Jay Reatard almost out-weighs the long list that comprises his tireless discography. Say what you will, but he doesn’t stand still for a second and prefers to get things done rather than stand around talking about it.

Reatard began his recording career in Memphis at 15. Restless, he cut a record, calling his band simply "The Reatards." Except that it wasn’t a band at all-- just him playing guitar with as much distortion as possible when hitting an empty bucket to create a beat. While most of his contemporaries were busy with high school, Reatard had already completed his first European tour.

His move to major label Matador has already seen a slew of 7”s with a soon-to-be-released album, and the summer has seen a furious live schedule with many of his shows already famous for disintegrating into scenes reminiscent of a bar brawl.

Following the notorious flying fists incident in Toronto, psychoPEDIA caught up with Reatard, and bandmates Billy Hayes and Stephen Hope, to get his views on the untamable mobs his shows seem to attract:

How are you finding UK audiences compared to the reactions you get in the US?
JR: Every night is different.
BH: We played a pretty furious show at a pub in London the other day. I think someone threw the air conditioner out the window and it almost landed on someone.
SH: We’ve got a house show lined up when we get back to London as well. They are always fun.

Do you worry the crowd may get too crazy and ruin your gear, as has happened before?
JR: That was totally different. That was people being jerks. If people want to come to a show and have a good time, that’s cool. Just don’t come and be a jerk.

How have you found ATP Festival, and seeing so many bands play a rundown British holiday camp?
BH: It has been weird. But it is sunny and people seem to like staying up late and having a good time and stuff. We pretty much played so that we could just hang out for three days.

Whose chalet has the best party?
BH: There seemed to be a lot of people at the Deerhunter kids' chalet last night.

In comparison to some of your earlier work, would you say the more recent singles have a pop feel to them?
JR: Fuck that, man. That is just demeaning. We sound like Husker Du with Geddy Lee on vocals.

Would it sound the same if you ditched the flying V's?
JR: I don’t know. Probably.

~James Knight]]> tag:www.psychopedia.com,2008:/dailynews//2.1008 2008-06-17T08:00:00Z 2008-06-17T08:00:29Z

Thick, white, goopy sunblock is a thing reserved for camp lifeguards and grandparents vacationing at the beach. Thankfully, the days of being forced to use a toothpaste-like cream that leaves white residue are gone. Today, getting good, invisible sun...

psychoPEDIA Thick, white, goopy sunblock is a thing reserved for camp lifeguards and grandparents vacationing at the beach. Thankfully, the days of being forced to use a toothpaste-like cream that leaves white residue are gone. Today, getting good, invisible sun protection is easy, as the best SPF-inclusive creams out there are sophisticated, light, and do way more than just block sun. From face to body, here are psychoPEDIA’s favorite five:

Clarins UV Plus Day Screen High Protection SPF 40 $40 (1 oz)
If this product had no SPF in it, it'd still be a winner for the way it feels: light, luxurious, instantly absorbent and emollient. But the fact that it contains a whopping SPF of 40 takes it over the top; due to its micronized mineral filter technology, it's completely smooth and great for sensitive skin. And it leaves your face looking matte -- a major boon in the sweaty months. It’s among the most cutting-edge skincare available.

Kiehl's Creme de Corps Light-Weight Body Lotion SPF 30 $26.50 (8.4oz)
Kiehl's original Creme de Corps is one of the most lavish body creams on the market -- its rich texture provides a massive moisture infusion. Now they have a new summer version, that's lighter weight and more appropriate for the hot weather – but, though lighter than the original, it feels just as luxurious. And it's got SPF 30, important because while we know to slather our face with SPF, too often we forget our precious limbs.

Shiseido Sun Protection Spray SPF 16 for Hair & Body 5 oz, $26
Your hair can get sunburned too -- and though there are not the same health risks associated with skin exposure, there is a palpable risk of your hair looking really bad. That's where this spray comes in -- not only does it shield hair from the sun without weighing it down, it also works great on your body, not to mention that it has a fresh, light botanical scent.

Estee Lauder Sun Towelettes SPF 15 $25 (for 10)
The key with this product is the easy delivery system -- just a sweep of the hand and you're done. This individually wrapped towelettes make it easy to stay protected from the sun on-the-run or if you're out for a beach day -- just throw a few in your bag and go. The moist towelettes have water-resistant, broad-spectrum SPF 15 protection, and anti-spot technology that ensures an even application.

Cellex-C Hydra Hand Cream SPF 15 $40
You can’t get a face lift for your hands; therefore, they are one of the places your age shows first. To prevent spotting and wrinkling, you have to get SPF into your hand cream. This one’s got an SPF of 15, as well as Cellex-C’s typically exhaustive blend of exotic moisturizing ingredients, like kikui nut oil, horse chestnut extract, chamomile and shea butter. So you can feel confident sealing the deal with a hearty handshake.

~Stephen Milioti]]> tag:www.psychopedia.com,2008:/dailynews//2.1006 2008-06-16T15:21:10Z 2008-06-16T16:01:53Z

Bedraggled filmmaker Chris Waitt, in one short debut, has perfected the art of being a total loser. Following an unhealthy professional obsession with puppets, the 33-year-old found himself dumped and unemployed. Waitt decided a simple solution to his problems...

psychoPEDIA Bedraggled filmmaker Chris Waitt, in one short debut, has perfected the art of being a total loser. Following an unhealthy professional obsession with puppets, the 33-year-old found himself dumped and unemployed.

Waitt decided a simple solution to his problems would be to put himself in front of a camera. Borrowing money from his mother, he delved into what promised to be a reassuringly shallow psychological self-profile-– contacting each of his ex-girlfriends and asking for an interview on why they dumped him.

Three weeks into filming, the money had run out and no one was speaking to him. Nearly killing the whole project, on one rare brainwave, Waitt showed the film to Warp Films, who could see that his film was highly entertaining. Film4 raised funding and Waitt began a publicly-funded career in professional stalking, resulting in the bemusing escapades of A Complete History of My Sexual Failures.

PsychoPEDIA sat down with the shaking shell of a man and discussed honesty, inappropriate timing from his mother, and his exes' scary new boyfriends:

Where did the initial idea for the documentary come from?
Nothing other than being dumped by a succession of girls and being unclear as to the reasons why. I remember almost all the events in the film as awkward, depressing, and extremely humiliating. Watching them back on screen, they seem hilarious and enjoyable, as the women make mincemeat of me, and I come off as a total loser. The mind has a great way of turning depressing experiences into amusing anecdotes, and filmmaking can do the same I suppose.

How honest is your film?
I’m not naturally the most honest person. The main gripe my ex-girlfriends have, apart from me being lousy in bed, is that I’m a fucking liar. But in the film, those are all my ex-girlfriends; all those horrific encounters actually happened. There are still two ex’s suing me-– I don’t know how much I am allowed to say–- simply on the grounds of contacting them.

You can get sued for a phone call?
They weren’t phone calls. I sat outside one’s house in a van with my cameraman. We were waiting for her new boyfriend to leave so I could interview her. He saw me out the window and went wild. I ran away, but he caught my cameraman and said if this was anything to do with Chris Waitt, he would personally kill him. Me. Or,he’d end up in a fucking wheelchair, that was it. It all went a bit sour.

What have other girlfriends' reactions been?
All the ex-girlfriends are invited to the premiere, which could prove to be a messy evening. Alex, my girlfriend who I met on my Viagra experiment, has seen it. She sat with her hood up except in the S&M scene where she glanced over with raised eyebrows. I did have a family screening at Christmas. It didn’t go down well. I sat watching the stuff and began questioning what process someone has to go through to film themselves being humiliated repeatedly, having their balls whipped and then showing the footage to their mum? That’s just sick.

Not least, as your mom calls as your hired dominatrix is inspecting your bare bottom?
Hee hee. My mum always calls at inappropriate moments.

What’s been the reactions of viewers?
I've mainly been approached by weird guys who seem to want to tell me about their sexual problems. After screenings, I also get interest from middle-aged women who talk to me in quite a sympathetic way.

Aside from the aforementioned, can you say what your "huge problems" are?
Were you ever tempted to turn it into a script and put someone else in the starring role?
I tried writing a number of scripts about being dumped, but I found it hard to finish them, and I'm not sure I'm a very good writer anyway. In the end it was easier just to jump in a van and go and stalk my ex-girlfriends. I find myself idiotic. I have zero personal dignity, no grace, no self-respect.

Don't you reveal some ego simply by making the film?
It’s more an unhealthy self-obsession.

~Iphgenia Baal]]> tag:www.psychopedia.com,2008:/dailynews//2.1004 2008-06-13T08:00:00Z 2008-06-13T15:27:43Z

Modern music as we know it wouldn't be around without Cincinnati. From James Brown and the Isley Brothers to the Afgham Whigs, it has birthed a shockingly wide array of icons. Bad Veins-- comprised of Benjamin Davis and Sebastien...

psychoPEDIA Modern music as we know it wouldn't be around without Cincinnati. From James Brown and the Isley Brothers to the Afgham Whigs, it has birthed a shockingly wide array of icons. Bad Veins-- comprised of Benjamin Davis and Sebastien Schultz-- also hail from this musically prolific city, and have popped up loud and clear on the international radar thanks to Alexandra Patsavas of Chop Shop Records and the Target Music Maker award. Capable of swelling orchestrations and ballads that are wise beyond their years, it's hard to comprehend there are only two members, accompanied merely by an antique movie projector on-stage.

While the two are currently in-studio working on their highly anticipated debut album, psychoPEDIA joined Schultz to chat about the city they call home:

Since Cincinnati has a Coney Island, is there a connection with Brooklyn?
It used to be called “Coney Island of the West,” then the name changed to just Coney Island. Sounds sort of shady, I know. Parenthetically, we do have a connection to Brooklyn. We have the Roebling Suspension Bridge that crosses from Cincinnati over to northern Kentucky. This bridge served as the prototype for the Brooklyn Bridge— so you’re welcome, New York City. Theirs is bigger, but then, everything is bigger in NYC.

Could you explain the Cincinnati chili phenomenon?
To be fair, it’s not special unless it’s Skyline Chili. Seriously, that’s all you need to know. Fine— I’ll elaborate. Skyline Chili came to the city back in the 1940s. It was brought to us by a fine Greek gentleman who had the genius to add a little something to the chili— chocolate and cinnamon. You can choose to have coney’s or three-ways (spaghetti, chili, and cheese). There have been days where I’ve eaten at Skyline for lunch, dinner, and then post-bar. Yes, it’s that good.

Best restaurant when someone else is picking up the tab?
Hell— if I’m not paying, I would say The Precinct. However, I’ve heard some amazing things about Jean-Robert at Pigall’s. Ben and I have been to his bistro, and we were more than satisfied.

Good place for brunch?
Melt or Honey in Northside.

Best neighborhood to hang out, grab coffee, or shop?
Northside—they have the best record shop in town as well some of the best restaurants. Plenty of variety and the bars/venues have some of the best shows in Cincinnati.

What about places to catch a gig by an up-and-coming band?
I’ve seen amazing shows everywhere from the Comet all the way up to the Taft Theater. The Southgate House is our indie mainstay venue, whatever that means. Everyone from Stephen Malkmus to Arcade Fire has played there. I remember seeing The Shins play there years ago when Oh, Inverted World came out. There were around 30 to 50 people in a venue that holds over 600. The next time they came, it was sold out. Additionally, the inventor of the Thompson Submachine Gun was born there—so put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Favorite place to play yourselves?
Probably The Northside Tavern. I grew up going to loads of punk shows—where you could stand about an inch from the entire band. Northside Tavern is similar—the crowd surrounds you and you can feel the energy in the room the minute you start playing. Larger venues are great, but nothing quite feels like those intimate shows where people are attentive and focused on every aspect of the songs and, ultimately, the performance.

Where do you pick up new music?
Shake It! Records in Northside and Everybody’s Records, just a bit north of the city. Both have amazing selections—you can find anything you want.

What’s your favorite of all the museums the city has to offer?
Undoubtedly, Union Terminal houses our Natural Science and History museums as well as our Omnimax. It used to be a train station back in the 1930s, but has since been converted into an amazing museum. Beyond that, we have the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Contemporary Arts Center—both of which are worth a visit.

Any sights you'd recommend for people visiting the city?
The museums here are great, but we also have King’s Island and Beach Waterpark just north of the city, which appeals to mostly everyone.

Speaking of sights, ever run into Peter Frampton?
Actually, yes. We were backstage together at the Taft Theatre a few years ago for the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards. Bootsy Collins was there as well.

What's a little-known fact about Cincinnati?
We have an entire subway system under the city that dates back to the 1920s. The catch, however— it has never been operational. They built a majority of it back before the Depression—even completing the stations. Unfortunately, the money ran out, so it has never run. From what I understand, though, a significant amount of tax money goes into maintaining the subway every year. I suppose this is prudent considering we have giant tunnels under our downtown streets, but it’d be nice to get to use it after 80 years.

~Abbey Braden]]>