Arts Oct 28 2009.Indd
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arts october 28, 2009 the paper page 15 by Sean Bandfi eld Would you identify place? One of the common com- kids feel good about themselves. STAFF HARDCOREBEQUE [Crunkcore] as a movement It could be jealousy. Seeing plaints about Crunkcore is the When you’re writing a or a scene? a band that’s getting that suc- superfi ciality of its lyrics. Dah- song and when you release Dahvie Vanity is a shad- It’s a movement, because cessful so fast… vie explains that his message something, are you making ow character and an all right there’s a bunch to listeners is, an effort to give the fans what guy. Dressed in black lace and of people, it’s “Live it up, they want? spiked platform boots, with not just a trend. love it up…just Yeah. I really try to push my red-fl are hair, he could only People really party on.” I ask music to where I don’t com- front the techno-scream proj- live their lives him if such a pletely change, but I’m giving ect known as Blood On The like this. message is vir- what the fans want. Dance Floor. His band scorches What’s the tuous. What the fans want – is earth with brokenCYDE on the lifestyle? Just be safe. that what’s best for them? Crunk Kids Tour, which cuts The Crunk You’ve got to When you were a kid and and burns across our nation as movement is be smart. you wanted to eat cookies these words are put to paper. I more like, “We The one for dinner, and your parents recently sat him down to talk just want to song you wouldn’t let you…if your par- about the crucial things: vanity, party and have didn’t per- ents, you know, were there to virtue, Crunkcore, cookies. a good time” form tonight do what you wanted and to and things was “Bitches give you what you were look- Let’s talk about your birth like that. But Get Stitches.” ing for, then you would’ve eat- certifi cate. If we were to look I don’t like to Lyrically, you en cookies for dinner. at that document, what would put myself in a say, “Stop But then cookies would get the name be on it? trend or a cate- the hate, con- old! It would be the same old Dahvie Vanity: Well, my gory. I’m super gratulate,” damn cookies! real name is Jesús David Torres. universal. and, “You can But the principle is… is And what year? How do talk your shit, what the fans want what’s 1984. I’m twenty-fi ve. you think you you’re only best for them? So why the name Dahvie fi t into this? making me Totally. Vanity? Well, of famous.” Who Really? Well, “Dahvie” is “David” course we’ve are you talk- The thing is, I’m always in Spanish - “David” is my got the techno ing to? evolving…I think every Blood middle name…“Vanity” kind dance beats I’m talking On The Dance Floor record has of came through my obsession going on, but I to all the haters. progressively changed and even with mirrors. Everywhere I’d do a little bit of That song is to gotten better. So, you know, we go, I’d always look at my own hip-hop. We’re make people are going to change. But, like, refl ection. kind of like the feel good about we’re not going to change to I’d like you to talk about random Goth themselves… where they can’t recognize us. your image and where vanity kids of this tour to let everyone Where do you see this fi ts into that. - but we’re not know that, if scene going? Other people express their Goth. someone is go- I think it is going to get big- art form through music or litera- Oppo- ing to hate you, ger. It is going to change…It’s ture or things like that. I express nents of Crunk- fuck ‘em. still new, it’s still young, and my art form through visual, you core have been If someone it’s still developing, so I think it know…I’m really huge into notably vocal makes you fa- still has a longevity… You don’t Visual Kei and Harajuku and about their mous by talk- want to just be a trend. What Gothic Lolita and things like disdain. Buddy ing hate about you want to do is you want to that, so that’s where a lot of my Nielson, front- you, is that a become a timeless act…You image came from. I’m obsessed man of the pop- good kind of want to be remembered. with Japanese magazines and ular and scene fame? Is that Do you think you’re going the 80’s and things like that… respected post- the kind of to be remembered? and vampires. hardcore band fame that you Of course. Absolutely. When I see someone who Senses Fail, want? Whether the fetal entity that has a very stark image or is took time out I don’t nec- is Crunkcore will become a leg- very stand-out, part of me has of his shows essarily want endary revolution or a forgot- to wonder – is it all about at- to lambast fame, it kind of ten accident is long from de- tention? brokenCYDE, just happens… termined. It combines the most No, it’s about the music. who, without But it’s the old grating elements of Screamo I’ve always been like this. I’ve Buddy’s con- saying - every with the most abject traits of always been obsessed with Ed- sent, were put publicity is Crunk, birthing a devil child ward Scissorhands and things on tour with good publicity. that is therefore twice as base like that. I kind of became my his band. I ask Couldn’t I as either - for it to survive its obsession with things like that. Dahvie about say the same criticism would be a feat alone. “Crunkcore” is a young the backlash. thing about However, despite the current term – groups have started to I think Hitler? Hit- gauntlet, these bands are selling combine the throat shredding people just ler’s really tickets. But unless they want to vocals of screamo with the elec- need to grow famous. He’s join Disco in its shamed crypt, tronic beats and subject matter up and be ma- really famous the Crunk Kids will have to of crunk. brokenCYDE is the ture about it. for being re- hone their sound and deepen notorious archetype of this em- They’re making it worse…I What about Buddy from ally bad. their message. As it is, their bryonic pattern. While Blood sing in one of my songs, “Haters Senses Fail? Would you say But I think most of my fame grave has already been marked, On The Dance Floor isn’t as make you famous.” Whether it’s that he’s jealous? is not from me being bad. I and whether they know it or not, overtly crunked as some other good publicity or bad public- I think there’s a lot of un- didn’t kill six million Jews. they’re the fastest ones digging. groups, the strong parallels be- ity…it’s advertising. Let them necessary hate. I’m not here to That’s true. And forgive tween them and others in the hate. bash Senses Fail…I like those the allusion. To hear the full interview, movement allows the band to Well why do you think guys…but it’s like…let’s just I think I saved a thousand check out fupaper.wordpress.com be included alongside the cat- they’re hating in the fi rst all get along. kids. I think I made a thousand egory. page 16 the paper october 28, 2009 by Nick Murray Detroit. Soon after returning, in New Orleans, came this way, STAFF ‘MERKIN he set out again, this time down the car running opposite his pri- to Savannah. Later that year, or subjects. In the thirty-seventh of the Frank embarked on his longest Ultimately, this exhibition, eighty-three photographs that run. Beginning in Indianapolis celebrating the fi ftieth anniver- comprise Robert Frank’s 1958 he traveled west, making it as sary of the publishing of The book The Americans, the pho- far north as Butte, before travel- Americans, is not just about tographer stands in front of a ing down to San Francisco and photography but about his- screen door in McClellanville, along the Pacifi c coast. When he tory—how we write it, what it South Carolina. His fi gure, cam- reached Los Angeles, he turned means, and what it says about us era raised, blocks the incoming back and headed toward per- today. In one sense, the pictures sun, and through his silhouette haps the most American city in seem to come from a different we can see into the room behind the country—Las Vegas—then world. The clothes, the cars, the door. It’s an empty barber- made his way to his conclusion and just about everything seems shop. Are dated, and those li- Halloween around these parts can be dangerous. the paper is even the quor bot- no feardozer, no--we’d love to personally install a kitten shower idea of tles or hair (that’s a shower head that pelts kittens) in each of your residenc- a cross- products es so that you could hide from the cold, unmerciful realities of country sitting on the outdoors.