“Glitter, eyeliner, hair dye, wigs, false eyelashes, high heels, G-strings, pasties, feather boas, Otis Redding, table dances, the economics of desire and the philosophies of the fringe, the heart of the cowgirl nation and the quiet of 3 AM.” – Viva Las Vegas

Viva Las Vegas has been a star in Portland since her arrival in 1996. Not only is she an accomplished author, exotic dancer, musician, and actress, but she is also a survivor. She speaks five languages, has lived on four continents, and graduated from the prestigious Massachusetts liberal arts school Williams College with a degree in Anthropology.

Part of Viva’s inspiration to pursue her ambitions came from an unlikely source — George H. W. Bush, who as keynote speaker at her Williams graduation ceremony encouraged her class to pursue their dreams. She “looked George square in the eye as [she] shook his hand and thanked him for his address,” knowing that from that moment forward she was “done with the talented and gifted program and was going to do whatever the fuck [she] wanted.” Pure Viva. She chose Portland by blindfolding herself and putting her finger randomly on a map. Upon arrival, she fell in love with the city and its bridges.

In the late 90s, Viva’s popular residency at the famous Chinatown strip club Magic Garden received a fateful nod from the Willamette Week, which invited her to debate another ivy league-educated woman about feminism and adult entertainment. In that conversation, among others, Viva was and has continued to be a brave voice backing strippers’ and sex workers’ rights. Viva has been a prolific writer, publishing both locally and nationally. Her band, Coco Cobra and the Killers, has recorded two albums: Want You and The “I Need Sex” Sessions. If all of that weren’t enough, Viva has also been in over a dozen films, most notably Paranoid Park and First Kiss (films by Gus Van Sant) and The Auteur (a James Westby film).

For the last year, Viva and I have been in the same rooms, at the same parties, running with the same crowd. We bowled a lane a part at a birthday party last March, and somehow were never introduced. Then early last month, a mutual friend and I decided to go by Mary’s and check out Miss Viva in action. She’s Portland’s most famous stripper, and for a good reason. She’s arguably the smartest, coolest, most talented chick in Portland. And beautiful. Absolutely beautiful, even without her trademark long, blond locks.

“And was stripping even about sex? Nine times out of ten, for the stripper it’s about performance, especially in Portland, where good old-fashioned burlesque never went out of vogue. No doubt the men come in for a frisson of sexual excitement, but men will visit their favorite foxy bartender for the same reason. All you really have to do is smile at them and they get all fired up. Ultimately, stripping is no more about sex than Boticelli’s “Venus” or modern dance. It’s performance and, to my mind, art.” – Viva Las Vegas

When you meet Viva Las Vegas these days, her punk rock hair style seems intentional. Though it’s no secret, you wouldn’t know by looking at her that she’s been battling breast cancer. If you Google “stripper mastectomy” the first thing that comes up is an interview on The Daily Beast, a blog that prompted a great deal of attention for Viva. Shortly after, Inside Edition and Entertainment Tonight were calling her. Though the world is curious about Viva’s battle with cancer, her first book, a memoir called Magic Gardens: The Memoirs of Viva Las Vegas, takes place in Portland, Oregon, beginning with her arrival in the city in 1996 and ending with her departure in 2001, seven years before she was diagnosed with cancer. “It’s kind of a backhanded way to have my memoir noticed,” Viva says.

In 2001, Viva moved to New York, wrote for The Village Voice and The New York Times, witnessed 9/11, and then returned to Portland. Magic Gardens is her first memoir and the first in a series she plans to write. Viva is a natural-born storyteller and the book is captivating; reading it moved me to tears. While an insightful look into the world of someone who bares her skin as an art form, Magic Gardens is also about freedom, growth, the writing process, and untimely death’s effect on those left behind.

When she’s not busy juggling her burgeoning career, Viva agrees to an interview once in awhile. Magic Gardens: The Memoirs of Viva Las Vegas is now available for purchase at Powell’s Bookstore. I was excited to talk with Viva about the writing process and life in general. We met at Sydney’s coffee shop under the Fremont Bridge at NW 15th and Thurman, an apropos spot, since in Magic Gardens she describes how it was her favorite neighborhood to run through.

Stephanie: So Viva, what have you been working on now that your book is coming out?

Viva: I’m hosting a book bash on Tuesday, October 6th at Dante’s. It starts at 7:00pm and there will be celebrity readers, strippers, and a band, interspersed with some burlesque. The event will be black tie, even if we have to hand them out at the door.

S: Sounds like a party to me. Who’s reading so far?

V: So far Courtney Taylor-Taylor, Storm Large, Walt Curtis, Richard Meltzer, and Mona Superhero have volunteered to participate. And Coco Cobra and the Killers, my band, will be playing. I might be reenacting that scene from the memoir, where I sing a Mozart aria and do a striptease before performing with my band.

S: Sounds like a great time. Count me in. Let’s talk about the book. I feel that even though it’s about your experiences dancing in Portland, it’s also more than that. It’s about the Shoulds and What People Expect From You, How Do I Get Paid to Do What I Do What I Love, and How Am I Going to Pay My Student Loans Back. There are many levels in which people can relate to your experiences.

V: On the back cover I call it a coming-of-age-tale. Fresh out of college you have so much idealism. You want to do something like your idols have done. You want to be Jack Kerouac, you wanna hit the road and make art, and not compromise. But the thing is that it is really hard to do that in this society.

S: And not starve to death.

V: Yeah, and even when you do find some success in the arts, then that can become limiting, because people will always expect that from you then. I think when I left for New York, I was just overwhelmed, because people wanted Viva to be this specific thing. And it felt so good to go to New York and escape that, to be completely anonymous. I was exhilarated.

S: What did you do when you got to New York?

V: Hit the streets running. I called those four phone numbers [I was given at the end of the memoir] and it opened up the whole island for me. I was made, (she laughs) to use the mafia term. I was working for The Village Voice within a couple weeks, and I had a bartending gig a week after I got there, through Handsome Dick Manitoba from the Dictators. All those people helped me out.

S: It’s all who you know in this world…

V: (she laughs) I know, I guess so. And it’s hard for me to ask for anything. During this whole cancer thing, people have been asking me, “What do you need?” Telling me to have a benefit… But I just have the hardest time asking for anything. But then like for this book bash, I guess I feel more comfortable with that kind of attention. I thought, well, I’m not going to ask Courtney to read. And then I thought why not, Richard Meltzer said he’d read, and I asked Storm on a whim, and she said yes. And then Courtney said yes. You know, coming from Minnesota, people have to offer three times before you finally accept something.

S: Will you be doing any other promotion for the book?

V: Yes, on Monday, October 26th, I’ll be giving a reading at Powell’s Bookstore. And then the book tour starts: Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. But for now, I’ve got my hands full planning the premier book bash.

S: In MG you mention that your given name is unpronounceable to anyone outside of Norway. How do you pronounce your name?

V: It’s Liv, like Leev. But once I spell it for people, they can never pronounce it right.

S: Really? It’s not that hard to say. Leeeev. But I like Viva.

V: The worst is when guys will come into the club and try to be cool calling me by my real name, but then totally pronounce it wrong. But I love my job. And if I never have a job again that I love this much, at least I’ve had it for thirteen years. Thirteen years this September 30th, Viva Las Vegas Day.

A Woman Sitting Next To Us: I’m not eavesdropping. Okay, I am. I should be writing about the two of you…

V: That would be very meta…

S: Are you worried about how the people you know will react once they read it? Do your parents know about your book?

V: They know about it, yeah. They were not looking forward to it for a long time, but then me getting cancer put things into perspective. They were okay with me doing whatever I want, as long as I’m alive. That’s what’s important. Now they’re cautious. They said, “You didn’t put anything bad about your parents in there, did you?” The nudity stuff is what I do, they can get over that. The thing I worry about the most are the words that might hurt people. You never know what’s going to hurt a person. You know, my mom is going to wonder, “Did I really make you feel like that?” Or the whole part about how I don’t feel like I can love somebody because I moved around so much my whole life. They’re going to take that personally. I don’t want to hurt people.

S: Does Terri [the bartender/villain of Magic Gardens] still manage Magic Gardens?

V: Yes, she does. I’ll probably be 86ed there in a week. (We both laugh.) We should go there while we can…

S: Were you mindful of public reaction when you were editing the memoir?

V: Well, yeah. I don’t want to be sued. Even if it is the truth. It’s my truth. And the things that those people in this book did afterwards are even maybe more remarkable, and darker. And, well, life is dark.

S: Yes, there are some tragedies in your memoir. It made me cry at times.

V: Why?

S: Because I felt like there were parts that were so moving. It’s like a movie, it’s so cinematic. When your train is pulling out of Union Station, I can visualize it happening. It should be a movie.

V: A couple people have approached me. I’d like Gus to do it.

S: Well, of course!

V: He’s so Portland; he captures Portland so well. Maybe James Westby would do it. My friend, Scott Green, and I were commissioned to write a screenplay together in February for Sundance, really quick. It deserved a little more time. I would like to see the memoir become a series. There are so many characters, like Black Larry. If it was a 10-part-series, then these characters could come and go and not just have one minute. It’s the nature of a strip club, you leave and live your life, and then you go back and it gets weird all over again. I would love to work on it collaboratively.

S: It would be like your own Sex and the City, where Sex and the City meets Cheers.

V: Yes!

S: You have so many possibilities. The next month is going to be exciting for you. Let’s go to Powell’s and buy a copy.

V: Yes, and come to the book bash at Dante’s on October 6th at 7:00pm and the reading at Powell’s on October 26th at 7:30pm.

S: I’ll be there in the front row smiling at you.

V: Yes! I’ve never been happier. Bringing this book into the world is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and I’m surprised how immensely satisfied I feel having seen it to completion.

For more information about Viva Las Vegas:

www.vivacide.com

http://www.threemusespress.com/2009/02/magic-gardens-and-dame-rocket-press/

To purchase Magic Gardens: The Memoirs of Viva Las Vegas:

http://www.powells.com/biblio/18-9780980141948-0

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Categories: books, interviews
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“…if anyone was doing things that talked to me perfectly then i wouldn’t have to make them”

Clint Ganczak is behind White Noise Observation point, a mysterious entity that began reaching out last year on social networking sites like Myspace and Oregon Media Network, looking for like minded independent filmmakers. I ran into Ganczak serendipitously on the patio at NE Portland’s Bye and Bye a few weeks back. We talked a bit about independent film in Portland and what exactly White Noise Observation Point is up to, and this interview is the result.

Are you White Noise Observation Point, or does the name represent an organization?

this is the name of my one man band production company. originally it was a band name but the band never really got off the floor. i left out the word “productions”, or “films”, to be a little more enigmatic. i like it because people always wonder. that and i didn’t want a name that people didn’t take serious. if you’re serious about your films, your work, etc. – then i don’t know why you’d name your company/organization something like toast and jam films or flying green dog productions.

Where does the name come from?

the name is quasi buddhist. i came up with it a long time ago working third shift and never getting sleep because of loud roommates. i kind of walked around in a fog. kind of like in fight club were he’s talking about not sleeping, “….a copy, of a copy, of a copy…” white noise is all frequencies of sound at once. there all all kinds of interesting things white noise is and does, it helps you sleep, it can make you crazy, and theoretically true white noise isn’t possible, because it would be infinite and infinitely powerful. so observing it is like seeing everything at once, sadness and happiness, tragedy and euphoria, epiphany and nothingness, all at once.

Can you take me through a brief history of your independent film screenings at Kelly’s Olympian?

i actually started at “the know”, but only a few people ever showed. i would sit there with a sign that read “WNOP” and people at the bar would ask me if it meant “W ith N o O ther P eople”. originally i called it filmmakers anonymous, a meet up for people doing film, and possibly show films. i didn’t know anyone or where the film scene was. so i just started something myself. then the booking agent from kelly’s contacted me and wanted to join forces and show local short films made by locals. we’ve been going strong for over a year, with a pretty decent turn out. we were doing it once a month, but now only four times a year. the next one is this weds at kelly’s olympian, 8pm, april 22nd. it’s free and we have some films that have won awards.

How long have you lived and worked in Portland, and from where did you originate?

like everyone else i’m not from here. i’ve been here for almost 5 years. i grew up in the rust/bible belt, fort wayne indiana. i became desperate enough to look into defense contract work in iraq(which was morally questionable) and fishing jobs in alaska. anything to escape. i ended up in the bering sea. if any of you are thinking about trying to earn film financing or buying equipment through commercial fishing, i don’t recommend it. i went for three summers before i learned my lesson.

Is there a film community in Portland?

yes, it’s small and can be clique-y. other times, it’s the same people on every other set.

What about a movement or any unifying aesthetic?

i don’t think so. everyone i know likes different things. there’s a few filmmakers who i like their work and far more that i don’t. but if anyone was doing things that talked to me perfectly then i wouldn’t have to make them. at first i had grandiose goals of starting some type of movement. i don’t know if that’s possible here. i’ll need to get more of my stuff off the ground and then start stirring shit up.

What is most of your professional film and video work like in Portland?

completely different. some are really trying to be professional, others are messy nightmares that are going no where. i just work my camera or whatever i’m doing and try to learn as much as possible. i’d like to be doing it full time, but i guess i have a lot more dues to pay. most of it is low pay, running ragged, run and gun. i’d like to work with more people that are willing to do anything to make it just right. but that takes money, and most of us are more dreamer than business man.

How pulled toward larger film cities (like LA or NY) do you feel?

i love portland even though i never intended to be here for more than a couple weeks. my first misadventure in alaska shit me out in seattle with a few hundred in my pocket. that wasn’t going to set me up in brooklyn, where i originally intended on. i’m back and forth on this. eventually i’ll be in nyc, unless portland makes some big changes or if i start making films that people really like. i probably will go to nyc regardless. i’ll never be a west coaster, portland is too small, and too comfortable.

What have you noticed changing about the Portland film industry since you arrived?

i still haven’t figured it out

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DTR contributor and local musican Natron recently had his music (Happy Prescriptions) noticed by a French blog called Say Yeah.  They wrote an article about his band here, and then the interview followed.

If you have to describe Happy Prescriptions, why would you say?

I hope to one day make music that can be used to synthesize dreams with reality.

I tried learning French once and got nowhere near proficient.  Luckily the interview is in English!  If anyone cares to translate in the original article from French and post it in the comments, I’ll be real impressed.

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Brie Williams records fellow Portlanders’ stories and sets them to eerie piano music. She posts them on a Myspace Page entitled Weird Stories.

Enjoy!

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I was born and raised in Fresno, CA, but I relocated to Portland last April, glad to see Fresno in my rear-view mirror getting smaller and smaller as I drove onto 99 North. But this story really began two summers ago, when I received an email from a photographer asking me to be a part of his photography project documenting his hometown. I agreed, flattered that someone wanted me in front of the camera, not behind it. The shoot didn’t take very long, and as I signed the release form, I never truly thought it would materialize into anything of consequence. The man I met was humble and funny, and little did I know that one day the entire project would be turned into a art book I could proudly display on my coffee table.

The Fresno I know is mostly suburbia, where the majority of the town is track home after track home, with green lawns and SUVs. It’s also an example of poor city planning with suburban sprawl, and too many strip malls and parking lots. But, New York-based (and Fresno born) photographer, Tony Stamolis, has a keen eye, and has captured Fresno in a unique way in his forthcoming book, Frezno. Like most of us who have gladly, and willingly, left our home in the Central Valley, it takes some time away to truly appreciate all Fresno has to offer. Powell’s Bookstore has a display of Tony’s photography up in the Pearl Room all month long, and his 100-page book of color photography will be available November 8th, 2008. When Tony discovered that I live in Portland, and occasionally contribute to this blog, he agreed to an interview:

Tell us how you started your career in photography?

By mistake! I started assisting for a friend who was a travel photographer, which was a total magic carpet ride. I didn’t unpack my bag for five years because we were on the road for at least 200 days a year. When I finally had an exhibition, I got such a great reaction, I thought, “I can actually do this for a living.”

Did you study photography formally?

I didn’t study photography. I think on the job training is the best. School sometimes shapes people’s “eye” too much. I can look at some commercial photography these days and pick out the school they went to.

You’ve been published in major national publications, such as, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Maxim, Urb, Nerve, Giant, Mass Appeal, Flaunt, and Black Book. How old were you when you sold your first photo and how much did it go for?

I sold my first print at age 31 (for what I was making in a week as an assistant) to an amazing graphic designer in London who contacted me. I am sure he’s quite the collector, so it was a very flattering start.

What was your reaction when you were first published?

One of my first commercial jobs was shooting a portrait of Joan Jett. I was like, “I’m getting paid to hang out with Joan Jett? Not bad for a ‘day at the office.’” Not all jobs are that fun, but I like that every assignment, and every day, is different.

How does it feel to have your collection of Fresno photography published by Process Books?

I am thrilled that my first book comes from such a personal, deep-rooted place. I left Fresno an “angry young man,” vowing never to return. Typical stupid teenage shit. It took me years to appreciate it and see that it gave me my voice. The project was extremely therapeutic as well. It’s what I did on my off-time, when I came home a few times a year, to tend to my very sick mother. The book is sort of a homage to the town, and though people may find it hard to believe, I am incredible proud that I am from Fresno.

Your photography is full of emotion and vivid color. Do you ever shoot in black-and-white?

I haven’t shot in black-and-white in years. I just prefer color.

Who are your heroes?

Nobuyoshi Araki. Most people know him for his crazy bondage stuff, but to me, that’s such a minor part of what he does. His work is so simple and beautiful. He did a book about his wife called Winter Journey, which documents their life together, her sickness, her death, and then his life right after. It is so incredibly heartbreaking, but inspirational too. A true masterpiece. And that’s just one of over a hundred books he has done!

You’ve been compared to Terry Richardson. How do you feel about that?

Flattered. I love his work, but I think our stuff is very different. He has definitely opened a lot of doors for us “lo-fi” photographers.

How have you chosen your projects? Which is your favorite?

Projects just happen. They choose you. It’s the silly little things that you are inspired to shoot, and that keep you going. It’s about keeping the cogs oiled, as I like to say. Thus far, Frezno is my favorite.

What format do you prefer shooting in, digital or film?

Film, but I have started to shoot a bit of digital. There is definitely an instant gratification you get from it. I just don’t think it looks as good as film…yet.

How do you feel about having growing up in Fresno?

Lucky and proud.

There is some ongoing effort to revitalize downtown Fresno, to make it more than pavement, concrete, and abandoned buildings. How do you feel about the diversity and gentrification that’s happening?

I have always loved the cultural hodgepodge of Fresno and was glad to see cool stuff starting to happen in the downtown area again. I HATE the nightmare developments in the North side of town. Soon you’ll be able to go to Chili’s at the top of Yosemite Valley.

Do you feel you represent Fresno fairly in Frezno? What locations stood out to you, and why?

Again, I take pictures of things or people that inspire or attract me. This is an art project–an outlet for me–and I think everyone would have their own way to “represent” Fresno. I am sure some might see it as being “unfair” or focusing on the negative…but to that I say, go and make your own book! This is such a sweet labor of love for me and I am very happy with the outcome. I think every corner in Fresno is a photo op. It’s how this whole project started…me driving around the old stompin’ grounds, snappin’ pics. I can’t believe movies aren’t filmed there. It is just location after location after location to me. AMAZING!

How and why did you choose the cover photo for the book?

The publisher, the designer, and I whittled it down to three options and went with that one because it had a great sense of place. I also love it because when I was in high school that exact spot used to be all fig orchards, and that’s where we’d have keggers…and climb those power line towers!

An Inscription in the Frezno Guest Book at Powell’s

You mentioned that you had to cut the project in half (the final book is 100 photos). How many pictures did you start with? Were there any favorites that you wish hadn’t ended up on the proverbial cutting room floor?

The publisher had allotted a certain page count for her budget. In the end, it is a much stronger book. I have THOUSANDS of pictures of Fresno and there is always a personal connection with anything you shoot, but editing is not about favorites, it’s about what’s the strongest image. It’s VERY hard to let go sometimes!

You spent six years photographing Fresno. Do you have any funny stories about that process?

I’d get coffee at 6am every morning at Fresno Donut…and the day would just snowball from there. The random run-ins, and word of mouth leads to find people. Every picture DEFINITELY has a story.

Do you have any advice for aspiring photographers?

Stick to your guns.

What can the world expect from you in 2009?

A book of nudes…

For more information:

Tony Stamolis
51 MacDougal Street #23
New York, NY 10012
#646.498.4337
http://www. tonystamolis. com

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Squeezing in and out of the photo booth at The Matador a few weeks ago, my friends and I began to lose interest in the booth one by one. We were being distracted by a woman selling handmade greeting cards which she carried in a case hung around her neck as if she were selling cigars, cigarettes.

The greeting cards were funny, rude, and smart — the kind of cards you’d want to send your best friends and enemies.

Alisa Starr sells her Snarky Cards in dozens of bars and retail establishments all over Portland. That night our group bought a handful of cards, and Starr agreed to answer a few of my questions.

What are your favorite bars to sell in?

They change all the time. Right now I’m a big fan of: Bonfire Lounge, The Bye ‘n’ Bye, , and — as always — I am loyal to the great and beautiful Muu-Muu’s.

Have you ever received one of your own cards?

Sometimes guys ask me that in the bar. It’s usually because they’re thinking about buying a card from me and then doing something cute and flirty with it — like filling it out and then handing it back to me.

I usually look at them with a “What the fuck for?” expression on my face and say no. Their face falls. They look down, and stop flirting, trying to find another in. Usually they can’t recover and end up melting back into the bar, slinking away.

I’m never sure if I’m okay with them melting into the background or not. But the thing is, if you don’t have the balls to say whatever you need to say to me, you’re probably not going to last too long in my company. Because I will scare the fuck out of you. I make the cards because, mostly, because I don’t need the cards. Other people do. I’m encouraging people to think honestly about their lives. I’m trying to get people to say the truth faster.

Well, that’s how it started out, anyway. I just wanted to cut through people’s bullshit. Including mine. Because if we shed our self-deceptions and we are who we know ourselves to be, inside and out, we can allow people to love us quicker, truer and without reservation. I mean, if you think about the people who you know love you, the people you can depend on when you are without anchor, they are the people who know your secrets. The people for whom you do not have to pretend.

If you can shed some of those pretenses as you go, and become that person most of the time, more people have a chance to know you, and therefore love you.

It sounds pretty noble, right? Most of the time, I believe it too. But every once in a while, a card like: “I’m sorry I shit in your pants” sells like crazy and I start to think all of that is bullshit. Maybe I’m just an old bar hag who figured out a way to drink her way through the night for free.

What is the production process like? I.e., do you “mass produce” a single card or have many “one-off” cards?

I spend about 40 hours a week making cards.

First I get the paper, which comes in a big sheet. Then I tear it into card-sized peices. I dip them in paint. I wait for them to dry. I paint pretty pictures on one side. I wait for them to dry. I paint pretty pictures on the other side. I wait for them to dry. I stamp my website/copyright on the card. I put it on my typing desk. In a big ole’ pile, with other cards.

I keep a list of all the cards I’ve ever written on said desk. Once I have that big ole’ pile of ready-to-type cards, I pull out my Snarky Card Box (the one that hangs beneath my boobs at bars, where I sell) and look at what I’ve got on me.

I look at my cards, counting them, mentally keeping tabs on which ones sell etc. every day. I make notes, if something new is moving, I highlight it on my “all the cards ever list” if something is a dog, I make a note and try to remember not to make any more of it.

There are about 5 cards that will always sell when I go out. It doesn’t matter how many hundreds of them I’ve already sold in this city, everyone always falls for them. I try to keep about ten of each on hand every time I go out. After I’ve typed those up, other patterns emerge, and I settle on the cards I need typed up for my night. Then I type until my wrists and back hurt.

How did you come up with the idea, and when did you decide to start doing the rounds at pdx bars?

I started making the cards 5 or 6 years ago when I was working in an art studio in San Jose, California. I came up with my first 30 cards then. We were going to mass-produce them. Then my boss stopped taking her medication, and I had to go find a real job. The cards sat in my notebook until October, 2006, when I was trying to figure out what to send my sister for her birthday. I made and sent her some of the cards, and she called me, totally excited. She said she showed them around her office and everyone there agreed I was a genius.

I started making them for my friends. And then, last July 4, I found myself turning 29 years old, and jobless. And totally disinterested in finding a job that wasn’t selling my art.

I think other people have biological clocks. I have a ticking time-bomb of art. When I was in high school I fully expected myself to have a novel finished and published by the time I was 20. Last year I decided I just couldn’t live anymore without trying to make myself a real writer, without trying to become famous for my wit. I was tired of being disappointed in myself.

What are you writing now other than the cards?

I have a couple of scripts that I’m trying to work on right now. Some short video’s that I want to set loose on Youtube eventually. The Youtube videos are infomercials for a training video on “How to Take a Punch In The Vag Like A Man”.

The movie is a dark (romantic?) comedy called “And Now Magically I’m Inside Of You”. I think it’s going to have 3 different endings, like Clue.

If Hallmark were to approach you and say they wanted to place a huge order of cards that had the same vibe but with a somewhat gentler tone, how would you approach the project, or would you at all?

If Hallmark approached me, it’d better be to buy my cards. I don’t see them ordering them from me. I’m too small to supply them the number of cards they’d need. I see them (or someone like them) buying the line from me eventually. I mean, they have their own production line which is more efficient and dependable than me, making cards in my living room.

If a large company approached me and said they wanted “something with the same vibe but with a somewhat gentler tone,” I’d say something like “Okay I have no idea what that means. You’re going to have to be more specific.”

The thing about my cards is the sentiment is harsh. I don’t know how to tone that down without losing the over-all effect. They’re only 1-3 sentences long, and most of them don’t swear. So it’s not like I could say “Okay, I’ll take-out the swearing, does that work for you?” I’d find myself having a conversation like “Okay, so you want me to make a card that sort of apologizes for gaying up your A-hole? Like, “I’m sorry I gayed up your nipples? Is that what you’re looking for?”

You don’t kinda gay-up someone’s A-hole. The charm of my cards is that they’re honest and also that they’re specific; and most of the time, they honestly and specifically talk about sex. In order to tone them down, I think they would lose either their specific nature or their honesty or their sex-talk. And that would make them like a lot of other cards that you can already buy.

I think I’d be open to having the conversation (unless whomever is asking is catching me on a cranky day) but at the end of it, I’d probably gently guide the asker to the conclusion that they’re looking for a different set of cards than the ones I make.

So: the nice answer is that they’re probably looking for a product I don’t offer and am not interested in making. The snarky answer is that I will think that they are a pussy once they ask the question.

When a possible retailer says that I’d need to tone them down for their customers, I always think that they’re underestimating their customers. Most people crave truth. And it’s something that they don’t expect in greeting cards, so the power of the surprise rev’s up their laughter. I have 24 different businesses in town who sell my cards, and time and time again, my favorite business owners tell me that it’s the people they least expect that whoop it up when they read them: new mothers, women in their sixties, happily married octogenarians, tie-wearing professionals, therapists. And I think it’s because of the sex.

It doesn’t matter who you are, or what kind of person you are, sex is on everyone’s mind. It’s one of the few unifying factors in the universe. Everyone wants more, or better sex, or sex with better people, or less sex with the wrong people. No matter how old we get, that drive is part of us. And while there are now a lot of television shows, blogs, clubs, books, video’s, newspaper columns and movies about how to get/keep better sex with better people, there aren’t any cards.

So, I’d kinda feel sorry for anyone who didn’t see the value in that, or wasn’t interested in pushing that forward by partnering with Snarky Cards. At this point, they sell well enough that I can be choosy and only agree to vendor for people who are really into my cards. “Go where you’re wanted” is my motto in life and in business.

Snarky Cards on Etsy.com
http://www.superalisa.com/

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Jordan Domont is a Portland artist who paints stunning and colorful portraits which seem to melt off the canvas, if “canvas” is even applicable. I’ve yet to see one his paintings in person, but even as digitized, shrunken heads his portraits of friends and celebrities are compelling. He was kind enough to answer a few questions.

. . .

First things first. How did you come to paint a picture of former Congressman and current Libertarian Party presidential candidate Bob Barr?

It was commissioned by Atlanta Magazine.

I first saw your paintings on Myspace. They appeared among a small network of Portland friends as their default photos. How often do you get to paint pictures of your friends and acquaintances?

Not at all anymore. Last year I was given a solo show at Local 35 on Hawthorne, with only a couple months to prepare and no real body of work. Justin the owner and curator saw a couple of portraits I had done in school and wanted a body of work in that particular style. So that is when a painter’s friends have to step up to the plate and pose. I did something like 12 busts of all of my interesting looking friends.

I’ve searched around the web seeing if I could find what media you use in your paintings and it’s been a little confusing. I’ve seen reports of glass, Dacron, drawing ink, acrylic. Care to explain?

I use water-based drawing ink on mylar.

Did your aesthetic evolve slowly or did you arrive at this method suddenly?

I think everyone’s particular “style” or technique constantly evolves with each new piece. I have been using this medium for a couple of years now and am always trying new things with it as my confidence grows. But it is a very unpredictable medium and that’s what is so exciting about it.

Your style is incredibly singular, yet when I first saw the paintings I felt an anxious suspicion that they might have been generated by software processing digitized photographs. I was excited to find out they weren’t when someone on Myspace wrote me back. Do you use a computer at all in your work?

I have to use a computer to find reference material. The illustrations themselves are done entirely by hand, but I do have to scan them when finished. Then I use photoshop to clean the image up and resize it in order to send it off to the art director.

Do you reside and work in Portland?

I live and work out of my apartment that is basically a studio, in South East Portland. I work twice a week at the Aalto Lounge on Belmont, in order to pay for my 8 alimony checks that I write every month.

Do you feel you are part of a community of artists?

I really don’t feel part of any kind of club or community as an artist in Portland. I just feel normal. It is a beautiful thing to be completely surrounded by creatives at all hours of the day. I feel like it is the only place in the country I could possibly live. It is at least the only place I could afford to live.

Are you showing your work anywhere right now in Portland or abroad?

Not showing work at all, I have just been focusing on freelance illustration work.

Any exciting new projects you’d care to hype?

Right now I have the awesome opportunity to do two different portraits of Stan Lee, for the cover and interview in Virgin/Atlantic’s magazine “Roger” in London. It is going to be a blast painting a man who’s work pretty much got me interested in art itself. Comic book characters were the first things I remember drawing as a kid.

. . .

See more of Domont’s work at Jordandomont.com

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We sat down with our computer, and The Bugs sat down with their computer, and now you can sit down with your computer and read this interview. Stay seated through the credits for some mp3s!

So you just got back from a European tour. How did the tour plans come about?

Mike Coumatos: We’re always looking for a way to get out there. Our friend Kevin Branstetter lives in France and asked us to join a Trumans Water tour.

Was there a lot of interest in the bugs from specific European cities?

Paul Haines: In general, I would say the smaller the city, the more enthusiastic people are. Northampton, England is a guaranteed good time for us.

Mike Coumatos: I’m looking at you Bordeaux and Gothenburg.

Did audiences in Europe ever pick up on and respond to the American politics in some of your songs?

PH: Well, mostly our politics are subtle, except for the one obvious line about killing the president; and pretty much everyone in Europe under 50 who isn’t a member of a white power group agrees with that sentiment. Everyone who picked up on it, was overwhelmingly enthusiastic about it, and let us know. So i guess, Ol’ G. W. is a uniter, after all!

MC: Geez, I always thought that was a reference to Putin.

What percentage of your shows would you estimate have been in Portland basements?

PH: Up until 3 years ago, i would say about 90 percent. Nowadays, more like 30 percent. Hopefully, the real estate crash will bring that figure back up.

MC: Attention all basement owners. We wanna party.

Richard Meltzer, seminal rock critic, wrote the liner notes on the back of your self-titled LP. Have you had contact with him?

PH: Richard is very good friends with our friend Michael Walsh, a local poet, who has engineered some of our recordings from time to time over the last 9 or 10 years. We see Richard every now and then.

MC: I laugh every time I read ‘em. Everyone rush out and buy your very own liner notes, with the bugs record attached.

As raw and quick as your recorded songs are, there are some prominent influences. They jumped out especially on side B of the LP. I hear British post-punk, riot grrrl, West Coast 90′s, and even Mo-town. Trying to avoid the obvious influences question, but I’m dying to know, so how about you name some bands you feel influenced your music but haven’t gotten enough props.

PH: Both of us appreciate the strip-mine crooning of Reverend Fred Lane, and his backing band, Ron Pate’s Debonairs. Joe Phillips / AKA Joe Pestilence / AKA Joe Silverking is an inspirational figure & a songwriting genius, but many of his greatest songs remain unreleased, or even unrecorded. Both of us Bugs briefly played drums for the Silverkings, and are loyal subjects of the crown.

MC: I’d have to include Trumans Water, whom we also both played bass for. If those two bands ever played together it would be really confusing. But since Paul’s a better bassist AND drummer, I’d just get drunk and pogo. The Mo-town reference is spot-on for me. It seems that every band I enjoy hasn’t got proper recognition.

You recorded at a place called The Ship. Is that the studio of the so named Los Angeles collective or some other vessel?

PH: The vessel we sailed on is usually docked in North East Portland, and navigated by Captain Mike Stanioch.

MC: It’s more like a submarine. Brown not yellow, and sounding more like Mark Motherbaugh’s than Ringo Starr’s.

What is Mike doing in Mexico right now? Why are The Bugs travelling all over the world? Are you tired of Portland?

MC: I’m back now. [but...]

1: Just finding a place to move to when McCain gets re-elected.
2: Because it’s fun.
3: No, but we better get a summer this time, my tubes didn’t hit the Sandy once last year.

PH: (Mike is referring to tubing on the Sandy River.)

Is it really the alma that matters?

PH: You betcha!

MC: Ditto.

. . .

mp3s
1. The Bugs – Hail Sister Bottle
2. Fred Lane – I Talk To My Haircut
3. Truman’s Water – Horsesense

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Links

The Bugs on Myspace

Bugs Records From Hovercraft

http://www.trumanswater.com/

The Silverkings on Myspace

Reverend Fred Lane on Wikipedia

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Shag is a mid-century modern furniture store on NE Sandy Blvd in the Hollywood District of Portland. They carry beautiful furniture, art, plateware, and even a few records. Most surprisingly, they’re not as expensive as they look. I stopped in with some friends who were shopping for their home last week and had a great chat with owner Randy Lucas, who was also kind enough to answer a few of my questions via email.

. . .

When we stopped into Shag last weekend, you had just been visited by a man touring some of his Japanese clients through in order to buy stuff for a café they were opening in Japan. What did they buy, and how often does that sort of thing happen?

We get Japanese buyers several times a year.

It can get quite crazy when they come in too. Oftentimes, they are in a hurry as they are normally trying to cover as much ground as possible. They circle the store, then go back around pointing at everything they want. Most of the items they look for are American vintage from the 1950′s to 1970′s. As a rule of thumb they never bother with Danish Modern style furniture, which is great for us because it offers the perfect balance. Danish is harder to come by and that is in such high demand that it can be expensive. Oftentimes they come and clear out a lot of old stock for us, which gives our local customers the ability to come into our store the following week and see a lot of fresh product.

There are different types of buyers. Some come in by themselves a walk around the store pointing at everything they want. Some actually live here in the US, or in Canada and then export containers of furniture and decor over to Japan. Others are more like tour guides that bring clients with them and take them searching for what they want for their particular business, like this past time. They bought several love seats and chairs this time, but many times they look for lamps, particularly swag lamps.

I have a friend that lives in Osaka and he says there is a part of Osaka that is affectionately termed “American Town” that is filled with everything USA and vintage is HOT there, from furniture and decor to clothing to music. The urban Japanese culture loves America, and we are happy to return the love.

Shag is definitely specialized, and the store has a unified feel. Without giving away all your secrets, can you explain how you’re able to keep an entire storeroom filled with mid-century decor?

We have three things that customers ask or say… 1) “Is this stuff new?” 2) “I remember that” or “This looks like my parents (or grandparents) house.” 3) Where do you get your stuff? Kaci, who is a dealer in our store, loves to answer that question with “At the gettin’ place”. Seriously though, it takes a lot of work and time out of the store to find stuff. We go out of town a lot on buying trips, we advertise, we buy estates, people bring us stuff, we go to garage sales, the occasional estate sale, thrift shops, auctions, etc. At times I think I dream I am searching. What many people don’t consider is that there is a lot of time behind the store hours. We spend much of our time buying, cleaning and doing minor repairs, and we have to change our website constantly. We don’t have the privilege to order from a wholesaler and keep a stock of the same product. Once something is gone, it is gone.

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

How long have you and your partner Cindy Hislope been in the business?

That is a difficult question to answer. This will be Shag’s 5th anniversary this summer. I’ve been an avid collector and dealer of some sort for over 20 years whether it’s been sports memorabilia, vintage toys, clothes, or furniture/decor. I’ve always been a treasure hunter. When I was in college at Florida State, I used to promote sports memorabilia shows instead of working for someone else. Cindy started just before we opened our business, more or less when we started dating. If anything, she was the biggest influence to open a store front business.

Did the retirement community in Florida make it like Shangri-la for dealers?

Unfortunately, I can’t confirm that as I haven’t really bought anything from that area. The same with Arizona and parts of California. From what I’ve heard from a few customers and other dealers, it’s like a pot o’ gold at the end of the rainbow. Of course, they make it out that way, but there are areas all over the country where you can find this stuff. I grew up in Michigan and remember all the Scandinavians throughout the Midwest — that and the weird accents. The irony is that it is more about supply and demand. You’re not going to find many dealers there who set up shop in those areas, but rather go to areas like that and haul it back to their own little mecca.

I was fascinated by what you were saying about the culture surrounding estate sales in Portland. It sounds like a pretty cutthroat experience. Are they something you avoid as a matter of practice, or do you find yourself caving in and giving them a shot every now and then?

Yes, yes, yes. Portland is crazy about Estate Sales. They are exciting, a ton of fun, and a major headache all rolled into one. I love finding stuff, but it is truly a mad dash when there is good stuff to be found. It can be pretty cut throat at times as well. I’ve seen people get into shouting matches, dealers pulling sold tags off of products and trying to buy them under someone’s nose, etc. The other issue with Estate Sales is technically dealers shouldn’t label things sold unless they are going to buy them. Since it is a mad dash, the first dealers in will oftentimes tag everything sold and then go back and inspect items after the fact. Trust me, there can be plenty of hidden damage that you miss in the frenzy. I rather check things out as I go, and obviously Estate Sales aren’t the best when the doors first open. I prefer stumbling across an Estate Sale that has been open for awhile. We find our fair share of good things still, even after several hours, or even days. The last day of an Estate Sale often brings 1/2 off many items that nobody would buy at the full price. Good deals can be found on Sundays.

I have a friend who just had an estate sale because she is moving to Hawaii. She said two dealers came knocking on her door the day before her sale wanting to get in early. They actually got pissed at her for not letting them in. It is very competitive, and with this economy every dollar counts. I just wish people were more respectful, but it goes with the territory.

I wouldn’t discourage anyone from attending Estate Sales, just be ready when the doors open because that is when the feeding frenzy begins, and if you want to compete with dealers you have to be there early. Some dealers sleep in their van overnight for a sale, especially when they know the sale is loaded with good stuff. Some sales have a sign up list that gets put out days ahead of time. Don’t get discouraged if you are #123 on the list. Sure, you’ll miss out on stuff, but there is always something to find that someone missed out on.

You emphasized your preference for the term “mid-century” over “retro”, “vintage”, and “Eames era”. Will you explain how each of those terms strikes you?

I hate the word retro, as does just about every other mid-century dealer I know. It sounds cheap. To me it conjures up Wal-mart attempting to be cool by selling crappy lava lamps, and faux leopard print bed sheets. We have retro on our A-Board and on our window, but that is changing in the near future because I cringe when I see it. I now only use retro when I sell stuff on eBay and Craigslist b/c many people are not familiar with mid-century modern. Eames Era is another phrase that is used a lot. I don’t cringe when I see it, as it pays homage to Charles and Ray Eames, one of America’s most well known designers. Again, I don’t use this term with exception to online as it tends to be a good keyword for searching.

I bought a copy of Scary Monsters when I was in the store. Why is it that all your furnishings are mid-century but all your records are from the 70s and 80s?

How is that album? I was curious about it, but my turntable at home is on the fritz and haven’t listened to vinyl since Christmas. Most Shag customers who buy records prefer the 70′s and 80′s. That and the two people who buy most of the records, Kaci and myself grew up in this era. 70s and 80s are easier to find and generally didn’t get abused. Plus there isn’t much demand for Herb Alpert and Tijuana Brass or Jose Feliciano. I would love to find more old R&B and Jazz as that is where the collectors are, but it is hard to find, especially in good condition. The other area I would love to expand our vinyl collection is Funk. Records are tough for us because it takes a lot of time to sift through, and pull only the better vinyl, both musically and condition.

It’s pretty great, and it has all the lyrics on the insert.

What’s so magical about the 40s through the 60s, when it comes to decor and design?

It was post World War II, and everything was about progress and the future. Homes, furniture, decor, appliances, decor, food, just about everything was game. That era brought us the race for space, the lunar landing, the red menace (Russia) and eventually the Cold War. Everything was about technology and it influenced the American lifestyle.

Many furniture designs from the 1950′s are still in production and in very high demand. Herman Miller and Knoll still produce many iconic pieces that were originally designed in the 1940′s,50′s and 60′s and even further back to the 1920′s. The Eames Shell Chair, the Florence Knoll Executive Desk, the George Nelson clocks are all significant designs from the mid 20th Century and everywhere you look you see them. A perfect example is Ameriprise commercials with Dennis Hopper (a iconic individual in his own right). The red chair in every commercial is an LCW chair designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1946, just a couple years after WW2, or the Eames Management Chair that is used in many newscasts and is on the set of the Daily Show and the Colbert Report on Comedy Central.

Many people think Modernism is a recent fad, but the reality is that it has its own culture. It has fads within the culture. Styles that were hot a few years ago have peaked and are now on the decline. It is constantly evolving and old designers are being rediscovered on a regular basis. There are also regional interests as well. Heywood Wakefield is still hot in Southern California and other areas, but not so hot here in Portland. The thing about Modernism is that it remains popular because of three influential factors… 1) Hollywood glamorizes modernism (that and the Art Deco movement). It is on television, in movies, commercials, music videos, etc. 2) Corporate environments want that fresh modernist look, and they are the biggest buyers of furniture from companies like Herman Miller and Knoll. 3) The perpetual movement towards progress. We continue to develop new materials capable of doing things that wood and organic materials couldn’t do. The funny thing about modernism is that it continues to borrow good design from the mid-20th century.

Shag is located at 4071 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR, 97212. (503) 493-7011

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Boone Johnson is a composer and native Oregonean. I met him at an Oregonmedianetwork.com panel discussion recently (see here) where he spoke along with several other composers about the process of composing music for film and the communication gap between directors and composers.

He has composed music for narrative film, documentaries, and commercials, and he agreed to answer a few of our questions.

In 2007 you scored a locally produced film called Burnside. The filmmakers selected you from a pool of applicants on Craigslist. Was it a harrowing experience, or did they decide quickly?

I think the process took a couple of months from the initial Craigslist post to their final decision. I really respected the questions they asked and the time they took to pick the right composer for the style of film they were making. I enjoyed the process, because it helped my to really think about what skills I bring to the table and what styles of music I am strongest at composing in.

You were able to record the score for Burnside at Lewis And Clark, and you brought in various musicians. Where do you find the players, and how do you go about choosing the instrumentation?

Cameron and Matt (the directors) had a pretty specific vision for the type of music they wanted for the film and they gave me lots of examples to work from. This definitely guided my instrument choices. Craigslist again played a part in helping to find musicians for the film, especially string players, with whom I have a connection now and can use for future projects. I also knew a decent amount of musicians beforehand and brought in the ones I thought had the style most appropriate for the film.

What is Aural Produce?

Aural Produce is the name I chose for my business, as opposed to just using my name only. From the beginning, in 2005, I planned to do more than just compose music, so I wanted a business name to reflect the various aspects of audio there are. Music plays a very nourishing part of most people’s lives, and I wanted that to be reflected in the name I chose. Being a music composer often puts you in the role of doing sound design and possibly voiceovers as well, so I wanted a company that could encompass these other aspects and take on other employees at some point.

It’s a good name; connotes “organic” and “sustainable”. Is there a central, physical location for most of the company’s work, or is it a process that more often requires you to be on the move?

Most of my work is done in my studio, which takes up a good portion of the basement of my home in NE PDX. Occasionally, for recording work, I’ll get into the field for sound effects and ambient noises or more specifically to different performance halls and such for other recording projects. My goal is to eventually move into an official work space away form the home as my business grows and the need for more room is needed.

You’ve also done some work for commercials. Do you believe it’s a more effective business strategy to employ licensing companies, or do you feel it’s better to put your work out there for free in smaller projects until the right people see it?

I think it’s a fine and accepted practice to take advantage of both of these routes. As most of us know, so many things in this world, particularly in the media world, happen because of random discoveries or meetings. The more visibility you have just opens up those possibilities to a wider audience. This game is still about people, and the more people you connect with, the greater your chances of finding places for your work.

People know Portland is festooned with musicians, but they probably don’t often think of Portland first when they think professional film / documentary / etc. composing. What do you like about it?

I think the sense of community in Portland is a wonderful thing to have. There are so many artists, that the chance of connecting with someone to collaborate with or learn from is high. It’s also a great place to practice your craft because so much of what happens here is on a smaller level than the big media cities. There’s a whole range of types of jobs, with varying budget and exposure sizes. There seems to be something for everyone here.

Ever see yourself living in L.A. or New York?

I’ve thought about it, but it’s hard to imagine leaving Oregon. There are so many variables with every situation, so I would never rule it out. If the right circumstance presented itself, I would consider the options. I am excited to see what happens in Portland over the next decade, as things grow and the media world continues to establish itself here. I think there will be good opportunities for those that stick around and work hard to play a part of the growing media industry in Portland.

Care to speculate on the nature of this work? Any trends you’re noticing?

With so many media people from California and other cities moving into Portland, and with the overall growth that is taking place here, it is inevitable that the industry will grow as well. Portland continues to be a hotbed for film, in both the indie and Hollywood realms. There also seems to be a “changing of the guard” happening in Portland right now as well. Many of the media pioneers in Portland are reaching retirement age, which opens up places in the industry for newcomers. With an ever-growing artist base moving to Portland, I think this adds up to a lot of new ideas in local media production and a lot of needed stimulation.

What’s on the table for Boone Johnson and Aural Produce?

On the art side, I’m finally making time to record some personal music projects that have been put off for too long. On the business side, It’s time to update the website, get out a new reel or two, and establish some more relationships in town. On the work side, I’ve just finished up a documentary and have another slated for the summer. Last night I put the finishing music and sound design touches on the POW Film Festival bumper, which will be showing before each film in the festival, which is in mid May. Always tons to do. Onward…

Boone Johnson on Oregonmedianetwork.com
Aural Produce

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