The Strongest Man at Sundance
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The Strongest Man Slamdance • Squarewave Sound • Alpha Dominche Vol. 25 • Issue 313 • January 2015 • SLUGMAG.COM • Always FREE at Sundance slugmag.com 1 2 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 3 SaltLakeUnderGround • Vol. 25 • Issue #313 • January 2015 • slugmag.com Publisher: Eighteen Percent Gray Juell, Carl Acheson, Cassandra Loveless, Cassie CONTRIBUTOR LIMELIGHT: Editor: Angela H. Brown Anderson, Claudia Trochez, Ischa B., Janie Managing Editor: Alexander Ortega Greenberg, Jono Martinez, Kendal Gillett, Lindsay Mason Rodrickc Junior Editor: Christian Schultz Clark, Rachel Roller, Raffi Shahinian, Robin Sessions, Graphic Designer Office Coordinator:Gavin Sheehan Rosemary Saycich, Sabi Lowder, Skye Galley, Digital Content Coordinator: Henry Glasheen Zac Freeman Fact Checker: Nic Smith Social Media Coordinator: Catie Weimer Copy Editing Team: Alex Cragun, Alexander Distribution Manager: Eric Granato Ortega, Allison Shephard, Christian Schultz, Cody Distro: Andrea Silva, Daniel Alexander, Eric Kirkland, Henry Glasheen, John Ford, Jordan Granato, Janie Greenberg, John Ford, Jordan Deveraux, Julia Sachs, Laikwan Waigwa-Stone, Deveraux, Julia Sachs, Maria Valenzuela, Michael Maria Valenzuela, Mary E. Duncan, Nick Kuzmack, Sanchez, Nancy Burkhart, Nancy Perkins, Phil Shawn Soward, Traci Grant Cannon, Ricky Vigil, Ryan Worwood, Tommy Dolph, Content Consultants: Jon Christiansen, Tony Bassett, Xkot Toxsik Matt Hoenes Senior Staff Writers: Alex Springer, Alexander Cover Illustration: Chris Bodily Ortega, Ben Trentelman, Brian Kubarycz, Brinley Lead Graphic Designer: Joshua Joye Froelich, Bryer Wharton, Christian Schultz, Cody Graphic Design Team: Chad Pinckney, Lenny Hudson, Cody Kirkland, Dean O Hillis, Gavin Riccardi, Mason Rodrickc, Paul Mason Sheehan, Henry Glasheen, Ischa B., James Bennett, Mason Rodrickc is a one-two combo—his designs Ad Designers: Brad Barker, Christian Broadbent, James Orme, Jimmy Martin, John Ford, Jordan have been knocking SLUG readers out since the Devin Wakefield, KJ Jackett, Kelli Tompkins, Deveraux, Justin Gallegos, Kia McGinnis, Lauren summer of 2012. Rodrickc’s design work is clean Maggie Zukowski, Nicholas Dowd, Nick Ketterer, Ashley, Mariah Mann Mellus, Megan Kennedy, and superb—see it for yourself in our interviews Sumerset Bivens Mike Brown, Peter Fryer, Ricky Vigil, Ryan Hall, with Jon Mikl Thor (pg. 8) and Squarewave Website Developer: Kate Colgan Scott Farley, Sean Zimmerman-Wall, Shawn Mayer, Sound owner Philip Zinn (pg. 22). Taking inspi- Illustrators: D. Bradford Gambles, Lenny Riccardi, Stakerized!, Thomas Winkley ration from cartoonists Chris Ware and Win- Maggie Zukowski, Manuel Aguilar, Natalie Edwards, Monkeys with Computers: Adam Fratto, Alex sor McCay, Rodrickc’s illustrative flair—seen in Paul Frame, Phil Cannon, Robin Banks, Ryan Perkins, Coulombe, Alex Cragun, Alex Gilvarry, Allison 2014’s Beer Issue and his SLUG “Holiday Comix” Sean Hennefer, Steve Thueson, Timm Paxton Shephard, Amanda Rock, Andrea Silva, Ashley in Aug. ’14—has given emotive depth to his design Photographers: Andy Wright, Ben Melini, Chad Lippert, Ben Tilton, Blake Leszczynski, Carl Acheson, eye candy (check them out on Insta’: @bearcat42). Kirkland, Chris Gariety, Chris Kiernan, Gilbert CJ Morgan, Dan Vesper, Darcy Russell, Dylan Evans, You might spot Rodrickc working on SLUG and oth- Cisneros, Gilbert Garcia, Jake Vivori, John Barkiple, Eric Norris, Gregory Gerulat, Jamie Stott, Julia er commissioned projects while sipping coffee at Johnny Cowan, Logan Sorenson, Martín Rivero, Sachs, Kamryn Feigel, Kathy Zhou, Kendal Gillett, Nostalgia or Publik Coffee Roasters, headphones on Matt Brunk, Matthew Windsor, Megan Kennedy, Kristyn Porter, LeAundra Jeffs, Lizz Corrigan, Mame and ears tuned to anything from indie-infused hip- Melissa Cohn, Michael Portanda, Mikey Baratta, Wallace, Matt Brunk, Michael Sanchez, Mike Riedel, hop to dark and ambient electronic to Radiotopia Robin Sessions, Russel Daniels, Scott Frederick, Talyn Nancy Perkins, Nate Abbott, Nate Housley, Nic podcasts. We’re happy to call Rodrickc one of ours! Sherer, Weston Colton Smith, Nick Kuzmack, Nicole Stephenson, Randy Videographers: Andrew Schummer, Brock Grossl, Dankievitch, Rebecca Frost, Rheanna Sonnichsen, ABOUT THE COVER: SLC expatriate Kenny Candida Duran, Lexie Floor, Mitchell Richmond, Samuel Hanson, Sara Bezdjian, Seeth McGavien, Riches’ film The Strongest Man was accepted into the Perry Layne Decker-Tate, Ryan Dearth, Slugger Some Cop Dude, Steve Goemaat, Steve Richardson, Sundance Film Festival. Chris Bodily deftly illustrated Community Development Executives/ Taylor Hoffman, Timo H., Trevor Hale, Tyson Call, its main character, Beef. Read about the film on page Advertising Sales: Xkot Toxsik 38, and check out more of Bodily’s art at hatrobot.com! John Ford: [email protected] SLUG Magazine’s Official Podcast: Angela H. Brown: [email protected] SLUG Soundwaves SLUG HQ: 801.487.9221 Producer: Gavin Sheehan DISCLAIMER: SLUG Magazine does not necessarily Marketing Coordinator: Robin Sessions Executive Producer: Angela H. Brown maintain the same opinions as those found in our Marketing Interns: Ben Juell, Rosemary Saycich Associate Producers: Alexander Ortega, content. We seek to circulate ideas and dialogue Marketing Team: Alex Topolewski, Benjamin Christian Schultz, Henry Glasheen, John Ford through quality coverage of arts, music, events and lifestyle … except rollerblading. Content is property of SLUG Magazine—please do not use without written @SLUGMag youtube.com/user/SLUGMagazine permission. 4 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 5 Dr. Duck By Oliver Buchanan • [email protected] 6 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 7 KING OF MUSCLE ROCK By Henry Glasheen downs—and believe me, there were plenty of downs, [email protected] mishaps and crazy things. Some of the stuff, I don’t even believe.” However, he’s planning to travel down to Utah this month to see the film for the first time. ention Jon Mikl Thor in the right circle of peo- ple, and you’ll know right away what makes the Though his interest in performing live rock music was Thor man a legend. His band, , never achieved galvanized in the early ’60s by the British Invasion, the same heights of commercial success reached he first decided that he wanted to perform when he Mby their contemporaries. They’re not booking sold-out encountered science fiction. “Growing up in the ’50s, shows every couple of years to support an endless I was always into The Adventures of Superman with stream of new releases, coasting on lucrative record George Reeves on television, and movies like Invad- deals or living a life of luxury. ers From Mars,” he says. “I had always wanted to put to- gether some kind of theatrical event—didn’t know quite However, Thor is bending steel bars in his teeth, still what it was—that would display all these elements that standing as a testament to the resilient spirit of rock n’ roll. I enjoyed and I felt other people would enjoy.” That might seem like an oversimplification, but in real- The world of rock began to change in the early ’70s, ity, his live performance is still an unforgettable experi- when bands like KISS and Alice Cooper began amp- ence. “I think that if people put down their dollar, they ing up the theater of their performances. Technology want to see a show,” says Thor. “I want them to leave like laser-lights and pyrotechnics started becoming satisfied that they’ve seen a great show and they’ve a regular facet of the rock scene, making live shows heard some tremendous rock.” Performing an array of bigger and crazier than ever before. Thor finally saw strong-man feats and changing from costume to cos- an opportunity to make his childhood dream a real- tume during his set, Thor built his rock n’ roll career ity. “I could just go wild with my theatrics,” he says. “I on the strength of his charisma and theatrical prowess. drew all kinds of ideas and concepts on my drawing board—like becoming this superhero character and Fifteen years ago—a few years after he started tour- science-fiction character, fighting monsters and doing ing again—he encountered a pair of filmmakers who strength feats.” began following his life and daily struggles, creating Slamdance I Am the documentary that would become It’s one thing to pull off an illusion or a trick onstage, Thor Ryan Wise Alan Higbee . “ and saw me play but Thor’s feats were the real deal. He’d spent much of in Seattle,” he says, chuckling to himself. “That’s right, his youth competing in body-building competitions, and this is an epic 15 years in the making.” He still hasn’t by the time he became the Legendary Rock Warrior, he seen the film, which will be premiering at this year’s was already the first Canadian ever to win both the title Slamdance film festival, but he knows that it won’t be of Mr. Canada and Mr. USA. He even learned some pulling any punches. “You don’t know what’s going to secrets from the great body-builders of his time. “Doug happen when you do a documentary,” Thor says. “They Hepburn was, at one time in the ‘50s, the strongest followed me more and more through the ups and the man in the world. He lived in Vancouver, and I used to get secrets from him,” he says. “He could actually bend a dime in two with his fingers. I could never quite perfect that one.” Photo: Blue Lame 61 Productions For more than a decade, Thor was at the top of his game. His live show dazzled audiences in the US and Just how strong is Jon Mikl Thor? See Europe. Nobody else was pulling the kind of stunts he I Am Thor at Slamdance to find out. would attempt live and, at the time, he seemed like a shoo-in for permanent rock star status. However, a se- ries of incompetent management decisions ended up For someone who has seen the absolute best and stunting his career, preventing him from ever achieving worst of what the world of music has to offer, Thor the star status he craved. “I pretty much got out of the still believes in the dream.