That Gnawing Thought: Zombies in Popular Culture

Looking at bestselling books and popular movies, a person might conclude that vampires are in style. But amongst the ranks of the undead, vampires are miles behind another group of ghouls when it comes to overall cultural significance. From video games like Left 4 Dead to the television series The Walking Dead, zombies are on the rise out of the grave and into public consciousness. Interest in these shambling horrors has spiked in recent years and only continues to grow. As I write this, I can glance and spy a book I plan on reading over winter break on my shelf: Theories of International Politics and Zombies, written by Professor Daniel W. Drezner. Disbelief at my own dorkiness aside, the truth of the matter should shock you. Zombies have even penetrated academia.

"Braiinnnnsssss...."

Why such a fascination with zombies? What sets them apart from the witches, vampires, ghosts, and demons? I have a few suggestions. Scientists argue that there is at least the possibility of zombies existing. Similar occurrences are no stranger to biologists; take the fungus Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, for example. That is the main difference between zombies and the rest: they are plausible. There is nothing magical about them. They could exist. Remember the story on the news this of the cannibal who devoured the face of a homeless man? More than a few people grew nervous about the possibility that this was some type of zombie. Even when the police announced it was bath salts that caused the man to act in such a way, it does not erase that fact that our minds jumped to the possibility of a zombies.

Zombies are also unlike other creatures in the effects that produce on a society. Recent depictions of vampires, for example, show them coexisting in the world with regular people. They merge with our own institutions or create new ones, sometimes threatening that of humans, but the world continues onward. Zombies change everything. There is little chance of coexistence; humanity either survives or dies. Typical social structures disappear completely in an outbreak. It is a crisis that alters the world in a horrifying and irreversible way.

I believe this is the crux of the matter. Zombies are considered fictional, but the disaster they could create is very real. In entertaining the idea of a zombie apocalypse, it raises questions about how prepared the world is for other catastrophes. A pandemic infection, for example, is a very realistic threat to our entire species, especially in this age of globalization. Zombies allow us to tackle difficult questions about public policy that need solutions now, before the crisis emerges. Thinking about dangers to the entire human race makes even the best uncomfortable and leaves rest either in a panic or unable to comprehend its magnitude. Zombies help bridge that gap; by using zombies as a substitute, we can start discussion topics that would normally remain best left unsaid.

Stepping back from the grand scale and peering into the more personal interest in zombies, they also present individuals with the chance to think about circumstances they never had a chance to before. Could I survive if society collapsed? Could I find food and water? Could I use a weapon? Would I kill someone, even to save myself? What would happen to my family and friends? What skills or knowledge do I have that give me an advantage? Larger moral dilemmas emerge: would you kill an infected loved one to spare them turning into a zombie? Would you kill yourself? Does individual need or the common good matter more? What about liberty and security?  If you even manage to survive, do you bring children into such a world? If you could, do you rebuild society? How do you shape it? During a zombie apocalypse, you and the world are one giant tabula rasa. Zombies allow people to ask challenging questions about themselves in a fictional setting. Placed outside of reality, a person can explore questions that they would otherwise never have a reason to entertain.

Zombies will outlast vampires in terms of culture significance. Vampires are like shiny baubles (after all, they do sparkle now) that are more show than substance. Zombies let us discuss both larger problems and personal dilemmas by creating circumstances that are fictional but nonetheless applicable to other disasters. It is a thought exercise in which all can participate, a philosophical experiment that all can understand and contemplate. Vampires, demons, and ghosts are simply too supernatural. When the credits roll, they and the horror they bring slowly dissipate away. Zombies, and the big questions they force us to consider, linger much longer.

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Joey Gale '13

Behind the Scenes At Dancing with the Stonehill Stars

The RS sits down with Meghan Tinkham, a dance partner on Dancing with the Stonehill stars, to talk about her experience in dance and with the event.
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I have been dancing for about 17 years now, and two of those years are here at Stonehill. I started dancing at the New Hampshire Academy of Performing Arts back at home and graduated from their company in 2011. I have tried several different styles, but I have always found my favorite to be tap and jazz. One of the only styles that I have not tried is ballroom, and that is something that I would love to learn in the future. I got involved in Dancing with the Stonehill Stars through the Stonehill College Dance Team. This is the second year that this event has taken place as a fundraiser for our competition to Daytona. As a first year member of the dance team I was unsure of what to expect going into this, but absolutely loved work with a staff and fellow dance member to create a crowd pleasing dance. I have the pleasure of working with Kristen Pierce, the director of Res Life, and she was incredible. It was very easy to teach her, and she stepped right up to help Rose McClimans and I think of ideas. She was dedicated to this competition and went beyond our expectations. I definitely plan on continuing dance in the future. As a dance minor I hope to be able to teach and work with other dancers after graduating.
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Meghan Tinkham '15
Interviewed by Nicole Colantonio '14

Spotify Has Forced me to Admit it

Spotify has Forced Me to Admit It: I Have a slight Appreciation for Modern Technology

I have often made it clear in prior pieces published, and even in general conversation amongst those who can bear to hear me speak for an extended period of time: I have an absolute and utter disdain for modern technology. By my view, modern technology has slowly robbed all of us of our ability to appreciate the wonderful sound of silence, or even to focus for an extended period of time. Rather than e-mails I wish to write letters, rather than text messages and phone calls, I prefer face to face conversation and interaction with the rest of the human race. I seem to hold the opposite opinion of many, in that I do not want to be in constant contact with the world around me. I would like to be able to lie down on the beach or in a grassy knoll and stare at the sky, without having to hear the incessant buzzing, beeping, and ringing of a cellular device. I would have lived better in an age where the most advanced technology available was the telegraph. Nonetheless, every once in a while something will come along that will force you to question, and perhaps even violate your most basic principles: for me that was Spotify.

I can still remember the day I first met Spotify: it was a cold, rainy day in January. The Sem was ever so quiet on a Thursday afternoon, and my friend Kraig and I were relaxing  in his room listening to music and doing homework. After a solid round of Frank Sinatra’s Live at the Sands, an advertisement began playing with a catchy acoustic melody and a cheery sounding fellah speaking about something called “Spotify”. Now you can imagine my confusion, I had experienced Itunes before, which obviously entailed no advertisements. I had even tried Pandora Radio for a short spell, but after hearing Israel Kamakawiwo'ole’s Somewhere Over the Rainbow nearly 20 times on Jack Johnson radio in one sitting, I quit on that too.  I had come to despise these services due to their costliness or inefficiency, but Spotify seemed different. At first glance, it appeared simple, straight forward, and perhaps most importantly, free! Once Kraig gave me a little background on the service, I sprinted out of his room to my own (Upper A35 to be precise), and downloaded the program onto my own laptop. And so began my love affair with Spotify.

For me, Spotify has come to represent all that is good in modern technology. It still seems baffling to me that a music program could be available to the public that allowed them unlimited access to an astoundingly large catalog of artists and material, ranging from Ella Fitzgerald to Wale, and it isn’t illegal. I consider the interface of the system even more user friendly than Itunes, and it even has a radio feature that kicks Pandora’s tail. An on top of all that, must I mention it again? IT IS FREE!!! Spotify has helped me to discover artists I had never heard of before and delve deeper into the catalogs of artists I have loved since I was a child. I have come to appreciate the program so much, that I pay the 10 dollars a month so I can access Spotify premium. This subscription allows me to listen without advertisements, access the program on my phone, and even download entire playlists to my mobile devices so that I can listen to my music anytime, anywhere, Wi-Fi or no Wi-Fi. Spotify blended the positive aspects of services like Grooveshark, Pandora, and Itunes to create the greatest music providing program known to man.

So congratulations Spotify, you have forced me to sacrifice my core principles and beliefs for the musical convenience you provide. But, I can’t even lie, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

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Brendan Monahan '15

Living the HighLife

The Rolling Stonehill recently got the chance to sit down with Nick Capezzuto of 2015, member of the multi-inspirational group HighLife in Suburbia.  This group is influenced by a wide variety of different styles, ranging from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to ska mixed with "intricate chords" and deep drum emphasis.  We knew we needed to track down Nick and find out more about their up and coming EP.

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RS: Highlife in Suburbia goes back about four years where I (Nick) had been playing in a band with Vernon West for a little over a year. We started out as a group called Summer Track, but after our first drummer left we were faced with the decision to find another. I went to high school with Liam Cregan, where we both ran track together, and one day I asked if he’d be interested in jamming on the drums with us. A few days later he tried out, and after a fateful night of fun hijinks we christened our new band.

NC: “High Life” was conceived by our old lead guitar player, and the “In Suburbia” added by both Liam and Vernon. Initially the name was to be written as “High Life In Suburbia,” but I thought Highlife should be one word. The band agreed, and thus Highlife in Suburbia was born.

RC: The three of us have varying influences on our music. Liam, the drummer, is heavily influenced by a unique combination of punk music, jazz music, and his time in the high school marching band. Vernon, on the other hand, draws his style of playing from the Beatles (namely George Harrison), Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, and most notably John Mayer. His roots lie in the blues and his music is filled the same emotion. I find that I tend to be guided by the musical talents of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sublime, and Enter Shikari, in which I don’t identify as a “bass player” but as a “bass guitarist.”

NC: It’s always been a challenge to achieve this with only one guitar player, but we’ve surmounted that problem by developing a unique chemistry between the three of us. What makes the three of us so unique is that we are able to create a massive sound. When we play our songs we structure them in ways with intricate chords, over driving drums, supplemented by a melodic bass riff that brings the rhythm and melody together. The three instruments are then held together by Vernon’s insightful and profound lyrics, which ultimately result in the unique sound we generate.

RS: Unfortunately we haven’t played many lives shows in the past year or so. Back in 2009, however, we played shows around our local scene. Most of these were in VFW halls or places of similar nature, many of the bands we played with tended to be much heavier and aggressive. Still, we played on, and culminated in a series of basement shows with a few other bands our friends were in. There was always so much energy going on. It was incredible.

A photo from Capezzuto's Instagram account,
 which is captioned, "Living the dream"

NC: Our last live show was this summer with a few local punk and ska bands, but that was back in June. However, we do plan on performing more once we can record some of our material and begin letting people listen to it. We’ve spent countless hours perfecting our music and know we feel it’s time to start getting our name out there again.

RS: As of right now Vernon and I are in the process of attempting to put together a rough EP of a few of our favorite songs. We’re currently in the process of setting up a Soundcloud where people will be able to listen to them. They’re not of the superior quality that we hope to have recorded during Thanksgiving Break, but we feel as if they’ll give a much more accurate representation of the things to come. Once we get back together as a band we hope to put together an actual EP and release on our own. Ideally we want to put down anywhere from 6-8 tracks, all of which we’ve worked so arduously to perfect.

NC: Sadly we’re still in the process of setting everything up online, but in the meantime each of us have various other social networking accounts.

Instagram: @vernonwest @captainzzuto
Twitter: @captainzzuto

Check us out, follow us, and don’t forget to #highlife or #highlifeinsuburbia

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Rex Macipinlac '13
Image credit to Nick Capezzuto

The Tallest Man in Scotland

Anyone who knows Nick Howard is already familiar with his passion for music, poetry and the arts.  Although campus is not quite as merry without him this semester, we were eager to hear all about his cultural adventures while abroad in Scotland, and even heard he got to meet one of his musical heroes in the process- nearly by accident!

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RS: What influenced you to go to Scotland?

NH: I was influenced to go to Scotland because of the academic reputation of St. Andrews. I did not really process it as being part of Scotland or the UK. I figured that I knew enough about "British" (what I really meant was English) culture that it would not be an issue. It was one of those I will figure it out when I get there things.  

RS:  So we heard you're doing a radio show over there. Tell us a little bit about what you play and discuss on the air.

NH: Yes, I have brought my radio program "The Beach" across the pond with me. It is basically the same show I have at Stonehill, a mix of modern alternative and folk, classic rock, classic indie (The Smiths), a little punk, and everything in between. Basically the mantra for the show is, to quote Mick Jagger, "It's only Rock n Roll, but I like it"

RS:  What's been the biggest culture shock from being in a new country?

NH: In my opinion, culture shock can kind of be like an earthquake, sometimes there are large tremors and sometimes there are just small aftershocks. At the beginning there was a huge quake of "Oh my God, what is this country? Everything is different?" Now I simply enjoy taking notice in the different phrases, expressions, foods, customs, spelling, and culture overall. To summarize, I have continued to learn about the culture, the only difference is now it does not overwhelm me, I embrace it. 

We see you recently got to meet the Tallest Man on Earth. Can you tell us a little about that?

NH: Yes, I did meet The Tallest Man On Earth. Probably one of the greatest moments of my life. To make a long story short, my friend and I ended up in the same cafe as him, so when he stood up from where he was sitting, we went over, introduced ourselves, chatted a wee bit, and got a photo. He was just such a relaxed, yet still so focused guy. He had it in his eye and it all came out in the show.

The "Tallest Man on Earth", Kristian Matsson

RS:  Have you discovered any new music or art in Europe that you wouldn't have picked up in America?

NH: I wish I could say, but unfortunately no. You could maybe count my re-interest in The Who, but that is just because I love 60's rock, before it became big and bloated in the 70's. What has really happened is I go through periods where I listen to marathons of American music. I will devour the catalogs of Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Neil Young (technically he is Canadian), Bon Iver, Iron & Wine, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, and Passion Pit. You get the picture. I like to hear my country in my music choice, both classic rock and modern alternative. My goal is to get into one Scottish band that captures what I feel that the sound of St. Andrews is.
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Nicole Colantonio '14
Image credit: Nick Howard and yetimusic.net

DONUTS, CROSSES, AND CATS, OH MY!

Tyler the Creator

Tyler The Creator and his buddies make up the LA music and skate collective, Odd Future (aka Wolf Gang; OFWGKTA)…and yes, they live up to their self proclaimed oddness. 

Late 2010 saw these cats blossom in all their grotesque glory over several hip hop blogs and forums. With lyrics that were packed with racist, homophobic, and violent content, a 19 year old Tyler led his gang of wolves into the mainstream arena with his grimy, slow burner, “Yonkers.” Over this track, he spews a stream of consciousness about popping Xanax, dancing around his house in pink panties to Marvin Gaye, and stabbing pop sensation Bruno Mars in the throat till the cops come in. Did I mention he was 19 at the time?

What followed suit was the rise of his bandmates such as stoner rapper Domo Genesis, 16 year old wordsmith Earl Sweatshirt, the hilariously dichotomous Mellowhype, and R&B crooners Syd and Frank Ocean. With Tyler as the crew’s ringleader, Odd Future has gained an international cult following of teens who love to mosh and crowd surf at their live shows. Yet, it’s not only the intense content that has garnered Tyler appeal and popularity. He has savvily integrated his own drawing and graphic design skills into the group’s marketing ploys. 

Since Odd Future’s rise to fame began, it was obvious that Tyler was a creative dude. It was obvious that, despite Odd Future’s rowdy all-over-the-place-ness, Tyler has kept a subtle calculatedness as to how he promotes himself and his posse. From photos, to album cover art, to commercial advertisements, to skate apparel, Tyler has retained a creative control that is evidenced in all things Odd Future.

A quirky donut image from Odd Future

Now, how could one possibly create visual designs to complement songs as chaotically random as Odd Future’s? In a hilarious yet brilliant fashion, Tyler has managed to integrate his own childhood sketches into the group’s image. Items like upside down crosses, tie dye print, half bitten donuts, cats, and bright and bold text are the group’s signature visual motifs. With no deep reasoning behind their significance to him, Tyler succeeds in advertising absurdism, which somehow captures the randomness of Odd Future. Oftentimes, their songs do not revolve around a storyline, plot, or motif…they’re literally just a bunch of cool sounding rhymes, with each line simultaneously punching listeners in the eardrums and provoking thoughts.

Examples of these designs have resonated throughout Odd Future’s run so far. Tyler’s half bitten donut and cat designs have been printed on hoodies, which have sold in Odd Future pop up shops for over $200. Tyler’s love for upside down crosses have appeared on album covers such as his own 2011 release, Goblin, and Mellowhype’s past two releases, Blackenedwhite and Numbers.  

Despite all of Odd Future members’ different personalities and musical styles, it’s evident that Tyler knows how to run an organized operation. He’s not only an artist behind a microphone; he’s an artist with an eye for what visually pops. Forget the explicit content—the elaborate creative vision makes him all the more threatening.

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Rex Macipinlac '13
Image credit: Tyler the Creator

Function Meets Style in London

Meg Lewis '14 has always been a fashion presence at Stonehill...and this semester, she has continued to experiment with looks and styles while studying abroad in London.  While still keeping up with the College Fashionista website by submitting regular posts, Meg's style is still making an impact back in the states.  We got the chance to chat with her recently about her experiences with style and fashion on the other side of the pond.
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RS: Describe your style in three words. Has it changed since coming to London?

ML: AH this is tough, probably "function meets style." I think it definitely has changed a little since being here. Living literally in the middle of London gives you a wide range of other people's styles on a daily basis, and I quickly began to realize people really don't care what other people think of what they wear, they wear what they want and that is that! It was eye-opening. I have pretty much worn whatever I pleased to a degree before coming here, but I have definitely stepped it up in the personal style department.

RS: What is the biggest difference you've noticed between European and American fashion?

ML: Everyone has their own way of wearing what they want to wear, while at the same time remaining very functional and comfortable. Living right in the city has taught me a lot about layering and wearing functional pieces, especially in London where it literally could rain, hail, and be 70 degrees within the span of 8 hours. I have definitely learned my lesson to always make sure my bag is big enough for my umbrella.

RL: Have you noticed big style similarities or differences in the different countries of Europe?

ML: The men are so impeccably groomed and styled pretty much everywhere in Europe. I know returning home will be a rude awakening in this respect. When thinking of the different countries in Europe, the only thing I think I can really put my finger on is that when I went to Prague, when people went out at night, they were significantly less dressed up as they are in London or Paris. However, girls seemed to be dressed to the nines when going out in Galway, Ireland which really took me by surprise!

RS: So I hear you got to go to Fashion Week, what was that experience like?

ML: I did! It was amazing. I got the chance to attend a trend show at the Somerset House in Central London which was so amazingly cool. It was right at the tail-end of Fashion week, so they were summarizing the different trends seen in the past week with pieces from some of the shows. I write a personal fashion blog as well as doing a remote internship for CollegeFashionista, so I took a bunch of pictures for those, which were both really well recieved.

RS: Give us a hint as to what might be big this Spring season.

ML: Something that was really present were prints, especially stripes and polkadots. It's hard to believe these designers don't collaborate on their collections considering it seemed that stripes were the staple of Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, and Tommy Hilfiger, three pretty big names. Also, for a change of pace, there was quite a bit of leather on the runways for the spring, which is usually a fabric considered for fall, so I am pretty excited to see how that translates.

RS: Fashion aside, what has been the biggest culture shock since coming to Europe? And what things do you like the most that we don't have in the States?

ML: Probably the biggest thing that shocked me was how easily we are spotted out as Americans, and how that is typically a bad thing. I also was shocked, and excited, by how well dressed everyone was for class every single day! There were Americans in my classes, but also a bunch of English and other international students, and instead of a sea of sweatpants, it was a stampede of heeled boots and wedges!
What I'll probably miss the most is how much people care about their sense of style on a daily basis, and living in a city and having the ability to see so many different things within walking distance.  Also these things called Jaffa Cakes, they are orange and chocolate flavored cookies that are TOO DIE FOR. I will be bringing many back to the Stonehill community to open their worlds to the wonder. I miss them already.

Lewis on historic Abbey Road

You can check out Meg's style and fashion blog at http://clothezonelayers.blogspot.com and check out her posts for College Fashionista here.
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Nicole Colantonio '14
Image credit to Meg Lewis

The Artist Stands Alone

The Rolling Stonehill is all about individuality.  We were lucky to recently catch up with one of the most original Skyhawks on campus, the class of 2013's only Art major, Kat Waterman.

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RS: Is it true you're Stonehill class of 2013's only Art major? If so, how does that feel, and what kind of studio arts do you dabble in?

Kat Waterman, class of 2013

KW: It is true, I am the only Studio Art major. I feel kind of happy and sad about this: I feel happy because I get to have more freedom to experiment in my own major, but I feel sad because I don't get to converse about my experiences with someone who understands what I am going through during my senior year. Unfortunately I haven't really been dabbling in much "studio" art stuff, I have mostly been honing my photography and graphic design skills to become more marketable in the business art world after college life.

RS: You've been on your photography grind lately. Talk a little bit about what projects you've been up to with your camera lately.

KW: The projects that have been testing my photography skills are really fun actually. I've been busy with my directed study photography project that supports the LGBTQ community (which you participated in, thank you again!). And for my graphic design projects, I have been using my studio arts creativity to form interesting compositions to photograph and then I include them in my projects. I just recently designed and finished a fake magazine and had to use my photography skills to create fake ads and a fake band photo shoot. It's really fun and great to say that all the photos in my projects are mine.

Waterman's interpretation of food photography

RS: What got you into drawing, painting, graphic design, and photography? And what geared you toward being an Art major? 

KW: I have been a creative being for pretty much my entire life..haha. I've always been a visual learner and my parents encouraged my skills throughout my schooling and it just became a part of who I was. I think high school REALLY helped me discover my true passion for art though, because my high school had an academic program for the visual art students and my art teachers nurtured my growing love for art.

RS: How do you plan to translate your art skills into your post grad life? What opportunities are you looking forward to after graduation?

KW: Now that is the trick isn't it.....marketing your skills to sustain yourself in the real world......haha I am pushing myself to become the best I can be in both the photography field as well as the graphic design field because I want to as marketable as possible. And to learn more about the demands of the professional outside world, I have been interning and finding more intern opportunities. Grad school is last on my post grad list of things to do....I believe that my field is more dependent on professional experience and less on exceedingly higher education. Not to say that I don't love school...I just would love to be out in the world doing what I love and getting paid for it instead of juggling grad school work and bills.

RS: What inspires you?

KW: I don't know if there is particular person or thing that inspires me.... I think what always catches my eye visually is when I see creative designs and concepts that transcends the literal/realistic image that the average human being would see. I love when people exaggerate color, light, and emotion to the point where my mind is stimulated. And this could be in drawings, graphic art designs, paintings, photography, anything!

RS: In a perfect, happy world, what would you be doing with art for the rest of your life?

KW: I don't have anything specific in mind for careers at the moment because I just want a job somewhere in the arts so I can move out of the house and be on my own. But I guess ideally I'd love to be a photographer for maybe the movie and film industry? Or a graphic designer/photographer for a high end magazine? I'd love any job that had me traveling around the world photographing anything.......now THAT would be a great job! But as you can see, I'm really keeping my options open and would like any field experience.
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Interview by Rex Macipinlac '13
Image credit: Kat Waterman

The Tribe

The Rolling Stonehill recently got the chance to sit and chat with Brendan Murray '14, an active musical force on campus, to talk about his love of guitar, his musical heroes, and his new release, The Tribe.

RS: How long have you been singing and playing guitar? Are you self taught or have you undergone any formal training?

BM: I started taking guitar lessons at a local music shop when I was a freshman in high school, but with a much different mindset for the instrument than what I do now. When I first started learning to play, I wanted to play classic rock style riffs like Aerosmith, Zeppelin, etc As I widened my musical landscape I got more into newer alternative rock like Wilco, Kevin Devine, Brand New, Gaslight Anthem, Sonic Youth. I started to become more interested in using the guitar as a device to work with songs I was writing, using the new voice I was learning from those bands. I stopped taking lessons when I graduated high school, but I still consider myself a student at the instrument. Whenever I talk to people I know who play I always try to pick their brain to learn more about it.

RS: Do you play any other instruments?

BM: I play a little bit of piano/keyboard but always struggle to feel comfortable writing and performing with the instrument. I'm hoping to take some more time with it soon to try to become more comfortable with it, because I love the sound of the piano, and would love to try and use it in my own work. I'm also hoping to pick up a banjo over winter break and use that. I love the sound of a banjo and think its such a versatile instrument, and more versatile than a lot of people give it credit for. It can be used to make things sound very pretty, like the way the Ballroom Thieves use it, or it can give a song a really folky sound like in songs by Neil Yong, or probably my favorite, it can be used to make things sound very angry or menacing with bands like Modest Mouse, so the banjo is something I'd love to get into.

RS: Talk a little bit about your new release, the Tribe. What inspired its content, and who came up with the cover design? It's awesome.

"The Tribe" cover design
by Jackie Kolgraf '14

BM: The Tribe is the EP I recorded this summer back home on Long Island at Island Music Lab, with a really awesome guy who did a great job working with me named Scott Byrne. Its a four song EP with all original material, songs I've written between the beginning of freshman year of college and the end of sophomore year. Lyrically, the songs just tell stories of different spots in my life, as basically all of my songs are autobiographical. When I write songs I try to be honest with how I feel about whatever I'm writing on. The final song and the title track “The Tribe” is about my group of friends here at Stonehill. Those 6 people I talk about in the song mean more to me than just about anyone who isn't family, and they've become almost like family since I've been up here. The song just talks about things I've been through with them. I decided to name the EP after that group of people because of how much they meant to me, and because they all impacted my life so much, and that life served as the backdrop to the song on the record.

The cover design is awesome, its one of my favorite parts of the record actually. One of the members of my “Tribe”, designed it for me. Jackie Kolgraf is an insanely talented graphic design student that goes to Stonehill, and is one of my best friends. We were talking about the project one day and I asked if she'd be interested in helping design it. I told her to just try to get inspiration from the name “The Tribe” and run with it, and she did an amazing job.

RS: Who exactly is Craig Finn?



Craig Finn of The Hold Steady

BM: Ah, yes this question comes up a lot. Craig Finn is the frontman of a band that means an incredible amount to me called The Hold Steady. He has this great story-telling ability to paint an honest picture, two halves of a tale really, the high that can come from feeling young and invincible, and the crash that can come when you take that feeling to far. They also use those themes to explore topics of destruction, forgiveness, and redemption, all themes that really fascinate and appeal to me. In the song I named after him, I reference one of my favorite songs, written by him called “Stay Positive” That idea got me through a lot of difficult stuff, both within my own mind and things happening around me. It became a mantra for me, something I would scribble on notebooks and in the margins of songs. The song is about trying to convince myself to stay positive, and whenever I do that, his words ring in my ear.

RS: What artists spark your creativity? What bands do you listen to in your spare time?

BM: I'm inspired by a huge range of artists. The Hold Steady are obviously a big influence, as are bands that I just love to listen to. I take a lot of inspiration from bands who play somewhat similar music to I'd like to make Wilco, Brand New, Modest Mouse, Gaslight Anthem, The Front Bottoms, Manchester Orchestra, Kevin Devine, Neil Young, the Band, are all big influences on me and I don't think me saying that would surprise many people. I also take a huge amount of inspiration from music I don't ever see myself playing, noise rock bands like Sonic Youth is a big influence on me trying to find new ways to use the guitar. Older hardcore punk bands from the 80's like Black Flag, Minor Threat, Bad Brains, Seven Seconds, the Youth of Today. I'm not a huge hip-hop fan but the stuff I do like, the lyrics always really appeal to me and want me to get a little better or smarter with my word play, stuff like Jay-Z, Kanye, Kids These Days, George Watsky. Really anything that feels like a real honest expression or can pack a punch when it comes to energy makes me want to do the same thing, which is why I pull from so many genres.

Really though, where I get the most inspiration is seeing people I consider friends make stuff that consistently stuns me with just how good it is. Devin and Martin in the Ballroom Thieves, Chris Borelli and his work in the 4LM project, Steve MacDonald of the Okay Win, and your stuff. It makes me so inspired to see people I know doing stuff that I enjoy so much, and it makes me feel like I can do it to, and it makes me want to do it so much more

RS: Tell us a little known fact about Brendan Murray, the artist.

BM: Hmmm. I guess a little known fact about me is that I would love to give hip-hop a shot as a form of musical expression in my own work, but I'm not sure if I ever will. Its so distant from what I try and seeing guys like you and Chris Borelli do it, I would love to do it, but I don't know if I ever will.

RS: What lies ahead for you? Are any new musical projects in the works?

BM: I'm hoping to record more towards the end of this semester and kind of doing the opposite of what I did with “the Tribe”. When I recorded that, I went into a semi-professional studio and worked with Scott as my producer, and came out with a high-quality acoustic record that I'm really proud of. This time around, as I write new songs, I want to incorporate new instruments and techniques and just record it myself. I want to bring in electric guitar and some effects, piano and keyboard, percussion, banjo, really I'm open to anything. I recorded my first song in this idea last week, and put it up on my sound cloud (http://soundcloud.com/brendan-murray/skinny-love). Its a cover of Bon Iver's “Skinny Love” and I use a kinda freaked out electric guitar running through a couple pedals and effects and ran my vocals through some reverb and other effects. It stands in pretty stark contrast to my acoustic EP, and I want to keep exploring that contrast in a lot of different areas, but I think my first impulse will always be the simple arrangement of acoustic guitar and honest lyrics. It just feels right to me.

Download Brendan's EP at http://brendanmurray92.bandcamp.com

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Rex Macipinlac '13
Image credit: Brendan Murray and Tremagazine

LADY GAGA: IN THE HAUS

Lady Gaga as she appears in the music video for her 2008 hit , "Poker Face"

Since Steffani Germanotta hit the pop world in 2008, it’s safe to say that the mainstream has gone gaga for the lady. New York native Lady Gaga has entertained our eyes as much as our ears with her flamboyant fashion sense. This post is to highlight the artistic team behind the force that is Lady Gaga. From stage sets, to ensembles, to music videos, the team responsible for getting Gaga where she is today is called the Haus of Gaga. This 18 member team is comprised of multiple fashion designers, art directors, stylists, and dancers. So yes, for all those who were fans of the meat dress—thank this team. They’re responsible.

Gaga has established herself, over the past four years, as a walking fashion statement that advertises the simple message of being yourself. Promotional campaigns revolving around her album such as “The Fame Monster,” serve as proof. 

The music video to her most successful “Fame Monster” single to date, “Bad Romance,” illustrates her fight to retain individuality and to not be swallowed by the successes of her newfound fame. The video oozed of everything pop from signature dance moves, to product placement, to set design, to fashion. The Haus of Gaga put together scenes depicting Gaga being forced to drink vodka, dancing in a futurist designed bathhouse with “monsters” dressed in white leather suits, and posing in the center of several diamonds floating mid air. This video also introduced her concept of the “monster” (her positive flip of the word “freak” which she equates with individuality, for empowerment purposes) to which she refers to her dancers as, and also introduces the signature “monster” dance (which I find suspiciously similar to a Michael Jackson Thriller move). As for advertising, she is portrayed in multiple outfits, one of which includes heels designed by the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen. 

Hedi Slimane's contrasting photos of Germanotta
 were meant to illustrate her  struggles with fame

Two photos were shot for the Fame Monster’s cover by fashion designer Hedi Slimane in collaboration with the Haus of Gaga. Both were black and white and illustrate a contrast: one depicts a gothic crying Gaga with black hair, and the other depicts a short haired blonde Gaga, covering her face. Both intentionally serve to illustrate a self conflict one undergoes in dealing with the pressures of fame. 

Her tour which followed the release of the Fame Monster took place between 2009 and 2011. All of the sets’ designs were created by the Haus of Gaga, including animated backdrops, white and gold leather costumed outfits, and animated shorts to serve as interludes throughout her set

Pop culture analysts and critics have compared Gaga as a grand scale artist who parallels Michael Jackson and Madonna, in regard to her showmanship. The Haus of Gaga is a low key force that I personally feels deserves more credit for their achievements have only elevated Gaga to the status of a renaissance woman.

Rex Macapinlac '13

Image credit: Wikipedia

"Give us a squeeze"

Continuing the flow of on-campus artists gracing our blog posts, we knew we needed to track down Derek Krevat '13, member of the self-proclaimed Alternative/Rock group Foxglove.  With a catchphrase as endearing as "give us a squeeze", we knew we had to find out more about the Boston-based trio.

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RS: How long has Foxglove been together? How did the band form itself, and how'd you guys decide on the name?

DK: We've been together since 2010, but we went from a five-piece band to a trio in late 2011. We decided on the name because in my backyard, there are flowers that look like Foxglove flowers, which are really poisonous. We liked the idea that they were so dangerous but also pretty.

RS: Talk a little bit about the new release, "Strawberry Lemonade." What inspired its sound and lyrics?

DK: We're pumped that Strawberry Lemonade is out. It had been a work in progress for about a year before we started recording it. We started writing it during the summer, so we tried to give it a bright and summery feel. We just always wanted it to be the perfect CD to play on the way to the beach. Chris, bassist and vocalist, wrote most of the lyrics. He moved back home after four years of college, so the first track, Boomerang Kids, is all about moving back in with your parents after graduation and all the confusing but humorous feelings that come along with it. Most of the other lyrics are about love, relationships, and friends.

RS: Who came up with the idea for the album cover?

DK: The album cover came about through my sister, who did all the photography, and I bouncing ideas off each other. We wanted the album cover to match the bright and summery sound we tried to capture. After a while of throwing around complicated concepts, we decided to keep it simple, and went for a literal but creative depiction of Strawberry Lemonade (the title track).

RS: Do you guys play a lot of live shows?

DK: Since my brother (the drummer) and I are at college, we try to play shows pretty much every time we're home for breaks. We've played a few gigs in Boston, including places like the Greatest Bar, All Asia, and McGann's. We also play a lot for our friends in our basement, and at parties.

RS: What's next for Foxglove? Are there any music videos, shows, or EPs ahead?

DK: We are currently recording a music video for Boomerang Kids, which we hope to have up soon. We're having a CD release concert on November 24th, and are still working out the details, but it'll be posted online as soon as we know. After that, we'll begin work on our next EP, which we're hoping to record next summer.

RS: Where can we find you?

DK: Find us online at...

www.facebook.com/foxgloverock
http://www.youtube.com/foxglovema
twitter.com/foxgloverock
http://foxglove1.bandcamp.com/album/strawberry-lemonade

Strawberry Lemonade is also for purchase on amazon.com and on November 24th it'll be available on iTunes.

Interview by Rex Macipinlac '13
Images from Foxglove's media sources

Music Comes Full Circle

For those of us that are self-proclaimed “music nerds” like myself, it seems like music has surrounded us from the day we were born. An obsession with music and the emotions and feelings that it brings out in us isn’t something we chose, but something we were born into. It was passed down through our family like blue eyes or red hair. There was just no escaping it.

This was certainly the case for me. For as long as I can remember every car trip, every family get together, there was music. When we cleaned the garage every summer, the stereo would be outside, warbling away. I suspect this is the same for many people, irrespective of background, where you grew up, or what music was being played. Songs from bands like The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Dire Straits, The Clash, The Police, and The Counting Grows soundtrack my earliest memories. In fact, the first time I was brought out of my house as a baby was to watch a pay-per-view event where some of the most popular musicians came together to celebrate Bob Dylan’s 60th birthday by holding a concert in Madison Square Garden, with greats like Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, and Pearl Jam performed classic Bob Dylan songs.



Neil Young

But above all those great artists, there is one that always sticks out and recurs over and over in my earliest musical memories-Neil Young. My dad is an avowed Neil Young fan. He has seen him countless times, and owns all of his albums in one form or another. His passion for Young’s music even extends into his earlier outfits like Buffalo Springfield and Crosby Stills Nash and Young. Ever since I can remember his music has been in my ears. Listening to classic Young albums as my dad and I would drive to baseball games when I was young, my dad showing me Neil’s more fun and lighthearted songs like “Old King”, a banjo-tinged ballad about a canine companion, are memories I still hold dear to this day. But, as I grew up and developed my own musical taste I shied away from artists like Young and Dylan, shrugging it off as “my dad’s music” and developing a taste for 70’s rock like Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin. Then one day as I returned from a trip to New York City, my dad popped in new Neil Young and Bob Dylan CD’s he had picked up as he indulged his music obsession at a closing sale of Tower Records. The music I was hearing this time seemed different, and didn’t bring the usual feelings of apathy, but instead a sense of enjoyment and excitement. I quickly began to put Young’s albums into my own music rotation, and soon became a Neil Young fan in my own right.

This discovery could not have come at a better time. My dad and I have always had a back and forth relationship, one that could be both driven apart and brought back together by our shared passion and temper. But as I listened more and more to Neil Young, it became an easy talking point, something we could always go back to when times got tough. We attended his concerts together, a tradition that still continues to this day, we shared excitement as new albums came out and we dissected every song on them, sharing opinions, our favorite songs, what excited us about the albums, and what disappointed us. Neil Young became an important marker in my own musical development. I fell in love with Young’s embrace of unpopular, sometimes strange elements in his music and sought out bands that also indulged that affinity for the weird. That search brought away from the rock radio I had grown to despise, and into the indie and alternative music scenes, and led me to my favorite bands now, bands like Wilco, Sonic Youth, The Gaslight Anthem, Kevin Devine, Brand New, and Manchester Orchestra. I began to listen to Young less and less as I found bands from my own generation that struck a chord with my music obsession. He was always around my listening, but not at the forefront anymore.



As I left for college, conversations with my dad occurred less and tended to shift in focus. As I struggled in my first year at school, we began to talk, and often argue, about my struggles, how to fix them, and consequences of them. The lighthearted conversations about music and sports that had brought us close had started to slink away and tensions between us were again becoming strained, a development that delighted no one. I began to wonder if things would ever go back to the simplicity of Neil Young album discussions and comparing the bands I found to him. But then things began to change. I got my act together and the two of us both made a concerted effort to not only talk about “business” like school and summer jobs. As the new semester started we both promised to talk more often, and try to find our way back to the things that had brought us such closeness.

And at the perfect timing whispers of new Neil Young albums and tours began to surface. Rumors that he would tour with his original band Buffalo Springfield kept my dad and me guessing and speculating over their veracity. Announcements that he was working with his (in)famous backing band Crazy Horse brought excitement, which only grew, as half hour long sessions of him and the band were leaked online. Relations began to improve and things came back to normal.



Manchester Orchestra



Then one recent night as I clicked around Youtube videos of one of my new favorite bands, Manchester Orchestra, I found something that immediately caught my eye and ear. It was a video of three members of the band, two sporting guitars and one with a harmonica, covering the Neil Young classic song “Hey Hey My My”. I immediately posted the link on my wall, excited to hear his take on this combination of different styles and eras.



The video immediately put me into thought about how the music of Neil Young, and music in general, has brought me and my dad full circle. No matter what direction my musical taste goes, how far away the heavy guitars and passionate, sometimes screamed, lyrics of Manchester Orchestra seems from the folk rock acoustic tales and erratic electric guitar play of Neil Young, I always find my way back. It seems as though Young’s music will always be a factor in my life, and I couldn’t really be any happier. It is really a sign of why I, and the whole of us that count ourselves as “music nerds”, fall in love with music. It allows us to make connections and bridge gaps that may not be possible without music. It seems to bring everything back to the beginning.

 

Brendan Murray '14

Image credits: last.fm and www.guitarlessons.com