interview Drew Pearce: No Heroics

July 23, 2009 - 10:48 am

No Heroics Cast

We have average, mediocre days in which we aspire to something greater. We sit in movie theaters imagining ourselves as the super heroes, with destinies, super powers, and epic sex lives.

But, how can we be sure that telepathy or the ability to fly would improve our lives?  More likely, we would be ordinary people who could use heat powers to warm up our dinners without using a microwave.

Drew Pearce has created the amazingly hilarious world of “No Heroics” to examine this exact thought. For those who are unfamiliar with the story; it’s very simple, but very funny.  Inspired by his time as a musician, Drew crafted the narrative of four friends who happen to be super heroes: The Hotness, Electroclash, Time bomb, and She Force who all commiserate at the local heroes-only pub—The Fortress—about their struggle to rise above mediocrity…all with hilarious consequences.

Amidst the mass of caped convention attendees,  I was lucky to sit down with the hero himself, “No Heroics” creator Drew Pearce and talk about the UK version of the show, the unaired US pilot, and the super-power he’d most like to have.

No Heroics Set with Drew Pearce

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Fashion Dr. Marten Revolution

July 22, 2009 - 6:25 pm

Dr. Martens

Seen anything familiar pounding the pavement recently?  Yeah, me too.  It’s all about that boot with its yellow stitching, familiar lacing & distinctive tag — AirWair With Bouncing Soles — from which American punk group, The Bouncing Souls, took their name.

Yes, Dr Marten boots are BACK, & in no uncertain terms.  Currently seen on everyone from punk rock ruffians to uber-stylish fashion editrixes, the iconic boot is experiencing a resurgence like never before.  With brand new styling & vibrant colourways, there’s now a DM boot to appeal to everyone. (Even my mother fell in love with a pair, & she’s 62!)

Dr. Martens

They’re creative over there at DM HQ.  Not content just with simple colours like black, brown or cherry red — oh no, not them — they keep expanding, having recently rolled out a line of pastel boots (purple, pink, turquoise & mulberry) in super-shiny patent, & even a boot with a floral, almost William Morris-esque design overlaid with velvet-effect flocking.  There are DMs featuring glow-in-the-dark skeleton feet & angel’s wings.  Or perhaps a skull with a rose in its mouth is something you’d prefer to have emblazoned on your leg.

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Event Why San Diego Comic Con Matters…to Me

July 22, 2009 - 12:14 pm

Comic Con's Past

It’s been called everything from Nerdi Gras to Geekapalooza to the Nerd Prom.  The San Diego Comic Con is “the” event to attend for uber-fans seeking out tastes of the next big things in TV, movies, comics, collectibles and all things geek culture.  It’s where fans connect with other fans and meet the creators behind their favorite fictional stories and characters. Simply, Comic Con is the place to get an early look at… everything cool.

The result for those fans lucky enough to attend… multiple nerdgasms.

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Music Nas, Makin’ it Look Easy

July 21, 2009 - 3:54 pm

Nas Remaining relevant in hip-hop is arguably tougher to do than in any other music genre/culture, but Queensbridge-bred rhymer Nas makes it look easy. When he made his debut on Main Source’s “Live At the BBQ” in ’92, potent lines like, “When I was twelve I went to hell for snuffin’ Jesus,” quickly made Nas an MC you purposely sought out. Like many hip-hoppers in ’94, I remember listening to his debut, Illmatic, on repeat that summer in awe. On top of the first-class productions from DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and Large Professor heard on this classic, Nas’ vivid street narratives and raw metaphors unfolded like moving, gritty cinema that you just refuse to stop watching.

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Music C-Sick and Nas

July 21, 2009 - 3:54 pm


Nas & C-Sick

It has to be surreal going from making beats in your grandma’s basement one year to working with hip-hop mainstay Nas the next. But C-Sick, the winner of the Red Bull Big Tune 2008 beat battle, doesn’t come off as nervous about being a part of this landmark collaboration. Instead, I see this 18-year-old newcomer as quietly confident and eager, not wanting to draw attention to his own anticipation.

Nas- Film

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Featured Music On the Verge of being C-Sick

July 21, 2009 - 3:54 pm

C-Sick

Humbleness is underrated in hip-hop. Despite what some say, ego does not automatically equal talent and 18-year-old rookie producer C-Sick is proof that even the most quiet hip-hopper can capture a crowd.

Watching the then 17-year-old beatsmith face off with the competition at the 2008 Red Bull Big Tune Chicago battle, C-Sick was clearly not only one of the youngest in the competition, but he was also one of the most reserved. Still, as the skinny kid from Chicago’s South Side modestly shuffled his arms along to his own bouncy beats, the audience responded loudly and I knew he was on the verge of doing big things.

When I got word that C-Sick won the Red Bull Big Tune Finals at the Highline Ballroom In New York, it was good to know that East Coast heads embraced the emerging Midwest producer. Earlier this year I caught up with him via e-mail to talk about his victory and he told me, “Since I was the representative of Chicago as well as the runner-up Rob Bates, I had to put my best into it and show the public that Chicago has a lot of talent.”

Since holding it down for Chicago last Fall at the finals, C-Sick didn’t try to jump right into the industry and I commend him for that. Still finishing up his senior year of high school, he has no problem keeping things low-key while continuing to collect samples and knock out beats on his Toshiba laptop. And when he has time, he keeps his ear to the rap game. “Not a lot of people heard about me, but I did still keep in contact with many record labels,” he says.

Coming up to April, with school coming to a close, and young C-Sick finds himself in L.A. working with Nas as part of his Red Bull Big Tune prize. After two years of quietly building his skills, I have a feeling this is just the beginning for the burgeoning beat maker.

You can catch up with C-Sick at www.myspace.com/csickmusik

Words by Max Herman, photo by Robert Downs/Red Bull Photofiles

Music Stellastarr Dust

July 21, 2009 - 3:14 pm

stellastar_pp_03_large
Stellastarr*, came out the gate with a roar. Now, almost ten years and three albums later, they are navigating through the realities of the new music world with their first self-released record, Civilized, and a reinvigorated sense of self. As the first few tracks hit iTunes and the band gears up for a summer tour, we talked with Mandy (Amanda) Tannen..

Stellastarr – Freak Out

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Art/Design Gallery Crazy 4 Cult Opening

July 21, 2009 - 3:11 pm



The 3rd installment of Crazy 4 Cult opened last Thursday at Gallery 1988 on Melrose Avenue. Crazy 4 Cult celebrates those weird and wonderful cult films all your friends dig [alternately, the films you talk about on a first date] and features work by Ewellina Ferruso, Dan May, Ana Bagayan, Scott Campbell, Dave MacDowell, Amy Sol, Craola, Molly Crabapple and many, many more. My favorite trend of this year’s show was Edward Scissorhands – a sentiment shared by thirteen exhibiting artists, each with their own interpretation of the film. Other artist favorites included Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, A Clockwork Orange and The Professional.The reception was packed, with an attractive and well-put-together line of L.A. art scenesters scretching past neighboring Gloden Apple Comics. Crazy 4 Cult 3-D runs through August 8th, 2009. You can check out the catalog and purchase prints here.

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Music The Black Heart Procession

July 21, 2009 - 3:11 pm

The Black Heart Procession Press

The Black Heart Procession took root in San Diego in 1997, when Pall Jenkins (vocals, guitars, synths, etc.) and Tobias Nathaniel (piano, guitar, organ, etc.) put their previous band, Three Mile Pilot, on an open-ended hiatus. They are the core members of Black Heart, joined by drummer Joe Plummer (Modest Mouse, the Magic Magicians), bassist Jimmy LaValle (The Album Leaf) and violinist Matt Resovich (The Album Leaf).

The Spell is their fifth full-length album. To make it, the band assembled a new recording studio and then traveled between San Diego and Portland, OR to write and rehearse the material. The album was recorded and produced by The Black Heart Procession in their new studio, SDRL, in San Diego.

Black Heart Procession Rats

Music Bad Veins Break it Down

July 20, 2009 - 3:25 pm

Bad Veins

Benjamin Davis and Sebastien Schultz of Bad Veins have some very exciting times ahead of them.  The orchestral-meets-indie pop duo has a self-titled debut album, coming out on July 21, with the radiant Gold and Warm slated to be the first single.  Not only are they armed with a well produced album, they also have the support of Dangerbird Records, who has pushed the careers of bands such as Silversun Pickups.  Currently on tour across the entire United States, with dates along the way in Canada as well, Bad Veins are fully ready to embark upon an intense promotional journey to bring their music to the public.

I caught the show on Wednesday, July 1, 2009 at the Echo in Silverlake, CA which was part of a benefit for the Pablove Foundation, supporting the fight against childhood cancer.  They played a captivating show despite rolling into town a few days before without most of their own gear and having to borrow bits and pieces from friends and other bands.  The Echo was packed and the crowd was definitely giving the band some affection.

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