Category: FEATURES

How YouTube Pays Artists by East Bay Ray

East Bay Ray December 3, 2015

YouTube (owned by Google Inc.) is a remarkable platform for the sharing of videos and music by both fans and creators. Many artists have used it to start careers and achieve a form of stardom, which is great. But what’s behind the curtain? How is the “monetization” income shared with content creators, filmmakers and musicians, by the businessmen who operate YouTube? I am the guitarist, co-founder and one of the songwriters for the band Dead Kennedys. We’ve been called “one of the most popular and important American hardcore punk bands” by the Rough Guide to Rock and “the undoubted kings of U.S. punk” by the Encyclopedia of Popular Music. We are proud of our Do It Yourself independent ethic and have negotiated our own recording, song publishing and other licensing deals. As an independent artist, we attained the extraordinary achievement of Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death earning a Gold Record in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Back in the day, Dead Kennedys did a publishing deal in the U.K. with Virgin Publishing where they received 30 percent of gross songwriting income, with the DKs receiving 70 percent. Virgin also paid the band an advance which

Video Premiere: The Slippery Lips- Someone You Love

Danny Baraz November 11, 2015

Janky Smooth would like to present to you, the worldwide premiere of the “Someone You Love” music video by The Slippery Lips. It’s rare that a virtually unknown band from the mid west gets on the Janky Smooth radar but The Slippery Lips from Cincinnati are hard to miss. With their new video for Someone You Love, The Slippery Lips join the “party band” circuit. In a sea of melodic discontent, they are a wave that washes away the mundane and repetitive flood of music emanating from countless American garages. Having opened for the likes of White Reaper and Twin Peaks and also FIDLAR and Dune Rats on their latest tour, Janky Smooth are not the first to discover this mid western gem but we hope to expose our readers to the raw power of this band. Their motto is “Punch Life in the Dick”. With lead singer, Jesse Fox, The Slippery Lips have an ambassador that is deeply entrenched in the American garage rock music scene. As an editorial and concert photographer, artist and musician, she gives to the scene just as much as she takes but leaves all of it on stage, including her liver and her pride.

Small Talk with Teri Gender Bender of Le Butcherettes

Danny Baraz November 9, 2015

Teresa Suarez aka Teri Gender Bender has the potential to become a world wide, iconic figure in music and in the fight for women’s rights. If you’ve seen Le Butcherettes live, then you know that her magnetic presence is impossible to ignore. This past September, Le Butcherettes released their third, full length album, “A Raw Youth”. In her continued collaboration with Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, the Teri Gender Bender/Le Butcherettes genesis continues to evolve into a musical mission statement. Simple arrangements with complex topics fit into the punk rock modality but with what most would describe as a maturation. As more artists like Rodriguez-Lopez and the likes of Iggy Pop seem eager to collaborate with Teri Gender Bender, the respect of her peers demands the respect of the proletariat. In an attempt to help reveal more about the artists and musicians that we love, Danny Baraz had a few questions for Teri Gender Bender for the inaugural installment of Small Talk. Danny Baraz: When you collaborated with Iggy Pop on La Uva, who reached out to whom to work together? What came first, the song or the agreement to collaborate? Teri Gender Bender: Iggy, Omar and I were in his green room

The People, Bands and Fashion of Beach Goth 4

Paige Vreede October 30, 2015

With an incredibly diverse lineup including Juicy J, Mac Demarco, The Adicts, Grimes, and Parliament Funkadelic, it is no surprise that the crowd Beach Goth 4 attracted was nothing but a circus of ghouls, goblins and fashion. In this environment anything goes. During FIDLAR’s set on day two, the heterogeneity of this eclectic crowd was seemingly apparent. Mia Wallace’s and Wednesday Adams encircled a pit in which every character imaginable was welcome to. Two grown men in sunhats and summer dresses shamelessly cavorted about tossing trash cans at one another. A gal adorned in full raver gear stomped around the pits edge, right next to a 20-something year old in 90’s attire who was helping a painfully obvious drunk brosef who had fallen down amongst the madness. As the name suggests, beach kids and angsty goths were both welcomed. Walking amongst the Beach Goth 4 crowd was like being on a drug trip in some far away land that doesn’t actually exist. One could easily spot Hunter S. Thompson exchanging words with a petite girl sporting a penis costume on her head, and the quintessential good-looking woman dressed as “a mouse duh” could be caught hanging with that one weird

It’s Not Dead Fest: The State of the Union

Danny Baraz October 13, 2015

After my visit to San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernardino yesterday and bearing witness to the 1000’s of punks kicking up huge clouds of dust In 100 degree weather at It’s Not Dead Fest, I can, without a doubt, attest to the fact that It’s NOT Dead. Not dead at all. Well, at least the part of IT that generates millions of dollars of revenue, world-wide. When people talk about “It” being “dead”, are they referring to “it’s” spirit? “It” is punk rock and I’ve written about this topic so many times now that this might be my swan song. Then again, if a 52 year old Milo Aukerman can stand in front of thousands of sweaty friends and play “I Don’t Wanna Grow Up” then I can write about “it”- again. After attending HiFi Rockfest a couple weeks back, I must admit, I WAS a bit worried about the future of hardcore punk but after the invasion and take over this weekend and thinking back to the last Punk Rock Bowling it became clear that the issue with HiFi Rockfest was 100% promotional. I hadn’t attended a Warped Tour in at least 15 years and this show reminded me

Dick Dale at Casa Escobar shot by Daniel Garcia

Dick Dale: The Last Stand of The First Guitar Hero

Danny Baraz October 1, 2015

“Don’t get me TOO excited”. That was the warning from 78 year old Dick Dale as he scanned the highly vocal, sold out audience with a surprised and maybe a bit of a worried look on his face. I was just as shocked as he was. For once, I wasn’t the “old guy in the club” and almost 45 minutes passed until I remembered to suck my gut in. On Saturday, September 19th 2015, Dick Dale played a gig in Malibu just steps away from Surfrider beach at Casa Escobar, formerly The Malibu Inn. The King of Surf Guitar (I was informed by his wife Lana that he doesn’t dig that title) is failing in health but not in the exceptional gift that was bestowed upon him at birth. That gift is the only thing standing between himself and death. Literally. After the show, I realized that simply writing a show review would be trivial in light of the fact that almost all the pages have been turned in the book of his life. If you’ve always wanted to see Dick Dale then don’t delay too much longer. He is still very active in playing shows. With the heavy responsibility

Theo, David and Ben shot by Julien Kelly

Meet The Cinematic Wizards Taking Music Videos By Storm

Jai Chebaia September 30, 2015

I met Theo Cohn, David Gantz and Ben Mullen, at their house in West Adams, Los Angeles, a few days before the release of their most recent music video. Before the interview even began, I caught the boys discussing the release party for their new video, ‘Norma and Jessica’, for LA surf-punk aficionados, SadGirl. They had been in the office for all of five minutes, and already they’d slipped into work mode, discussing technicalities with sound and video projection, as well as how much beer would be needed to placate the crowd. It was a testament to the trio’s work ethic, which throughout the interview, grew to a daunting point where you could begin to understand the difference between crafting a good music video and crafting a great music video. To first understand the boys though, and where there magic comes from, you have to understand what they commonly refer to as “The Nest”. The Nest, located right down the road from USC, is the house where the trio work, party, eat, and sleep. Out the back, there are three garages. Two of them have been converted into a DIY performance/rehearsal/storage space for Theo and David’s band, Wild Wing, while

Video Recap: Janky Smooth at Riot Fest Chicago 2015

Danny Baraz September 24, 2015

Janky Smooth was reppin hard at Riot Fest Chicago 2015. With a team of people stumbling around Douglas Park, it might’ve been the first time belligerence and gratitude were able to co-exist within a group of salty, jaded individuals. We caught up with a number of bands and artists and asked them some stupid questions which made it clear how unprepared and mildly intoxicated we were. Check out our full review and photo gallery of Riot Fest Chicago 2015 Riot Fest Chicago 2015 also reminded us how much fun festivals can be when you aren’t incarcerated in beer prisons called beer gardens. It seems the state of Illinois isn’t as concerned as California and specifically, the city of Los Angeles with underage drinking. Therefore, it was refreshing for the adults to be treated like adults. I almost forgot what it was like not to have to schedule time to drink a beer in a designated drinking area, just so they can MAYBE avoid some teenager getting drunk at the festival. After all, it’s MUCH better for those kids who are going to party, one way or another, to buy illicit drugs off a complete stranger, rather than getting their grubby

Burger-a-go-go 2015: Feminism in Rock reviewed by “Some Guy”

Danny Baraz September 8, 2015

Rock music has been a catalyst for social and political change since it’s inception. It’s not just three chords and a back beat. It’s poetry. It’s a manifesto and it not only serves as an individual expression but has also served as commentary for entire generations, as only great art can. The revered blues and country origins of rock music broke race barriers in popular music but it was largely a boys club until Janis Joplin completely upended not only the gender roles in rock but rock and roll itself. In the decades that followed, women have been responsible for some of the biggest leaps in rock and roll and it’s continuing evolution. Joplin, Grace Slick, Heart, Patti Smith, Suzi Quatro, Joan Jett, Chrissie Hynde and Debbie Harry. Those women traveled a road which at the time was bumpy, rocky, sexist and fueled by testosterone. I was careful not to wear my G.G. Allin shirt to this event and I am going to attempt to stay away from too much “Commentary on Feminism, written by ‘some dumb guy’” in this review. Let’s just say that, for all intents and purposes, this tumultuous road for women in rock has led us

I’m In An Abusive Relationship With Death Grips

Danny Baraz August 28, 2015

By Danny Baraz Death Grips are like that beautiful woman that won’t fuck you. The more she says no, the more you want her. At some point, (if you have any self respect at all), you must decide you can’t love a girl who won’t love you back. You stop texting her. You stop calling her. You stop liking all her posts on IG. When that happens, she has to decide how she really feels about you and lay all games aside. This is a defining moment in the relationship between two people. I personally prefer crazy women but not too crazy- intellectual, complicated and unpredictable women who aren’t like anyone else. Those also happen to be my criteria for musicians and artists. Death Grips were the perfect girl. I had never met anyone like her. Her relationship with the world was almost satirical. Over the years, I have watched her stand other guys up with bemusement and curiosity. I have seen her defy her bosses at work. I have seen her “give away the milk for free”. I have seen her thumb her nose at fame. Sure, she seemed crazier than most but I’m not the trophy wife type.

No Parents pose at Echo Park Rising by Taylor Wong

Echo Park Rising 2015: Rising and Rising and Rising…

Taylor Wong August 20, 2015

In it’s 5th year, Echo Park Rising has become a barometer of culture in Eastern Los Angeles. 20 years ago, the music scene in L.A. was way further west on Sunset Blvd on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. Most of the music lovers that attended Echo Park Rising 2015 this past weekend wouldn’t have felt safe crossing the street in this part of L.A. 20 years ago. 20 years ago, the club now called The Satellite was purchased by a man named Mitchell Frank (and partners) and transformed from a gay disco called Dreams of L.A. and rebranded into an alternative music club they named, Dreams and Spaceland. That one event proved to be one of the most important events in the history and future of the city of Los Angeles. That one event was a catalyst to the complete transformation of everything between Los Feliz to Downtown L.A. Significant events like the building of Staples Center in 1998 and the collapse of the music industry at the turn of the century contributed to the transformation but Mitchell Frank might just go down as one of the most important figures of modern history in L.A. There aren’t many examples of gentrification

Thee Oh Sees at Berserktown II by David Evanko

Berserktown II: Music Fringe Binge at The Observatory

Danny Baraz August 18, 2015

Last year at around this same time, the first annual Berserktown Festival was in the midst of a filthy, sweaty, hardcore but successful mess at club Los Globos in the Silverlake district of Los Angeles. A harder edged alternative to Echo Park Rising, Berserktown was successful enough for a sequel this year. With ambition in his heart and dollar signs in his eyes, Church on York captain, Graeme Flegenheimer decided to take some risks in an attempt to expand and grow his vision. The result was one of the most interesting festival lineups I have seen in quite some time. It was a buffet of musical delicacies and rarities such as Dead Moon, Royal Trux, Lust for Youth, No Hope for the Kids, Destruction Unit and Total fucking Control. When it was announced that the second annual Berserktown would be held at The Observatory in Orange County I thought to myself, this could either be genius or it could be a disaster- like a football coach deciding to go for it on 4th and inches, late in the game, backed up deep in their end zone. The Church on York venture has been disturbing the music scene’s status quo in