thurSday , M arch 25 , 2010 ­life­ & arts Graphic b3 Sophomore student publishes book about faith ship in Sammamish, Wash. at Pepperdine in fall 2008. contract from Tate Publishing saying the Hawks added that he is not compar - His book addresses 15 issues many During his first semester, Hawks con - group liked his openly abrasive, sarcastic ing himself to these figures, but said that A.J. Hawks Christians struggle with in a “grey” soci - ducted scriptural research and word stud - and confrontational writing style. if people aspire to live like Jesus, they ety that condones moral relativity. ies in their original languages. By “People are tired of being told that should not run away from their ministry. finished book Hawks supports each point with a pas - Thanksgiving break, his manuscript was their sense of justice is wrong in the After an extensive process of editing sage from Scripture, clarifying each point 65 pages. name of tolerance,” and sifting through options for titles and at age 19. for the reader with his characteristically Ceri Fox, a youth Hawks said. “For our cover art, he received advance copies of forthright delivery. program leader at “S tatistically, I message to get across, his book on Christmas Eve. “I think that in our postmodern era, Evergreen, saw the let - it has to make people While abroad in for the By SONYA SINGH shouldn’t be at college, Staff writer where everyone can be right and truth is ter and encouraged a angry, and whether year, Hawks has been working with For sophomore A.J. Hawks, all the relative, there is a logical backlash— our reluctant Hawks to let alone at Pepperdine, they admit it or not, Tate to arrange publicity, create a Web pieces fell into place at the right time. sense of justice doesn’t mesh with the send it to a publisher, if they’re listening; it hits site and schedule speaking engage - With the support of an encouraging modern world,” he said. “If you get only to get feedback publishing a book about a soft spot and people ments for the summer. on how to improve it. Coming from an unassuming back - friend and the convenience of Google, punched, you want to hit back— you theology before the age respond.” Hawks recently published a book about want justice— and this recaptures the “I thought it was a Hawks is well aware ground in his early life, Hawks appreci - theology and its application to our mod - true sense of the Gospels. They’re in your silly idea,” Hawks of 55 or 60, and living that his book may not ates and acknowledges the improbability ern world. face, they’re convicting, they’re unpleas - said. “To pridefully garner a positive re - of his current path, especially for his age. Set to hit bookstore shelves April ant at times.” prove her wrong, I in London all the while.” sponse. His no-non - “Statistically, I shouldn’t be at col - Googled ‘Christian lege, let alone at Pepperdine, publishing 6, Hawks finished his book, “Living in But Hawks never intended to write a SOPHOMORE A.J. H AWKS sense approach to a Grey World: Rediscovering the book confronting ambivalent Chris - publishers’ and sent it right and wrong could a book about theology before the age of Black and White Truth of the Word,” tians. Hawks simply planned on writing to the first one that would allow you to offend those sympathetic to the “grey 55 or 60, and living in London all the at age 19. a letter of encouragement and caution submit an online PDF, which was Tate areas” he seeks to clarify, but Hawkes while,” Hawks said. Hawks, a religion and political sci - to the youth at Black Lake Bible Camp Publishing. Ceri had more vision than says this doesn’t worry him. “I think God likes to take people from ence double major, has extensive expe - in Sammamish. I did.” “Do you have an option?” Hawkes humble beginnings because it turns our rience in ministry. He has taught a By the camp’s end, the single-spaced Hawks did not expect a response said. “When you know the truth, can you conventions on their heads. It is by grace nine-week series on Apologetics, letter took up 16-typed pages. from Tate, which he said only accepts 5 really say nothing because you’re afraid of alone that he chooses to use any of us, let preached more than 20 sermons and For the remainder of the summer, he percent of the manuscripts they receive getting an angry e-mail from George in alone a guy from the least-churched city given multiple seminars on evolution wrote and researched extensively, man - per year. San Antonio? The apostles said shocking in America.” and intelligent design at his home aging to flesh out a three-part skeleton He did not work on it during Christ - things to get the point across ... Jesus did - church, Evergreen Christian Fellow - by the time he started his freshman year mas break, but received an e-mail and n’t make friends; he got crucified.” g [email protected] Guanlao : Band spends downtime in Silverlake Continued from B2 The Henry Clay People and Avid Buffalo are also two bands that could also come and break out of the CG: We’re waiting until the end of summer to whole Silverlake vibe. start the writing process. We’re not very productive G: Does the band still spend a lot of time in Silver- writing on tour, and when we get off tour we usually lake during breaks and whatnot? scatter like cockroaches and hide out in L.A. [Laughs] CG: Yeah, of course. Just the other day I was at We still feel pretty fresh with “Swoon.” We’re still seeing my friend DJ there and Brian learning the for it, and a few of them we haven’t (Aubert, lead singer and guitarist) showed up and we even tried to play live yet that we’ll try out on this tour got a few drinks and caught up. coming up. We don’t need to forcefully see each other, because G: So are you more of a “bunker” band— one that we end up seeing one another in clubs or bars in the holes up in a studio for a month and writes an entire area a lot. It’s still our hangout. or a band that kind of sends demos to one an- G: Do you think staying in Silverlake helps or hin- other and pieces songs together over a long time pe- ders your music? riod? CG: We never really think about it that deeply. If CG: We’re not the type of band that will try new you do, that’s when you start to second-guess your songs during sound check. Maybe in the future we’ll music, or start trying to sound like someone else or be get better at writing as we go along. some other band. G: Looking back, how do you think “Swoon” did But as far as being grounded, it helps. We still in the band’s eyes? hang out in the same places with the same friends CG: We’re still very proud of it. We worked so when we’re in town— and hang out with Joaquin hard on the record. The four of us spent so much Phoenix. [Laughs] We don’t really think about it that time on it, and it’s great that fans have liked it as well. much, we just do it. There are always times where I say, “I would love to I live right across the street from Spaceland, so I change up the rhythm on a drum part here and know the area really well. And it’s nice to know all there,” but with the four of us being perfectionists, restaurants in town, and know where your friends are we’re always going to feel that way. We’ll always want hanging out and eati ng. Sometimes I’ll go down to to make our next record better than the last, and I Eagle Rock, where I grew up. I try to avoid Holly - think we did that with “Swoon.” wood as much as possible, just because it can get kind As far as the public’s reception of it, I mean, we got of hectic down there. This area is home for us. PHOTO COURTESY OF SILVERSUN PICKUPS nominated for a Grammy, right? [Laughs] It would be G: Favorite thing to do on a summer day in Los From left, Chris Guanlao, vocalist and bassist Nikki Monninger, vocalist and guitarist Brian Aubert and keyboardist Joe Lester. really stupid for me to say we didn’t have a successful Angeles? go around with “Swoon.” We really want to keep CG: Get Mexican food and chill. That’s one thing thing that cracks us up touring out there is we’ll be in like, We like not having so much overhead. We’re totally playing the material off the new record, so hopefully you can’t get on the road a lot: good Mexican food. Germany, and they’ll be singing along to our songs in per - aware of what’s going on in this day and age of the indus - we can and maybe sell a few more records along the G: How do you like touring in Europe? fect English. I think we’re very American as a , try. To make this a career, we don’t need to spend that way. CG: It’s nice because that’s when we can actually and I think that is how we are portrayed in Europe. much money to get things done on the music side. G: Switching gears here, what kind of music do be tourists when we’re traveling. We’re not one of G: Usually in this period of a career with this success G: To finish out: What are you playing in your iPod you see coming out of Silverlake in the next few years? those bands that sits around in the hotel room. We’ll you’ve had, the major labels will start pursuing. Thoughts? right now? Who could break out much like you guys have? go out and walk around. We get a kick out of it. CG: We know the music industry is a lot different CG: The xx, Fan Farlow and Lady Gaga. [Laughs] CG: Happy Hollows is a band we’re big fans of. G: How are you received by Europe? than it was 10 years ago, so right now it might not be the When we play in L.A. we try to get them to open up CG: We’re a lot bigger in North America than we best move for us to go on a major label. We’re not really for us, and they just get better and better every time. are in Europe, but we do pretty well in England. The planning on leaving (Dangerbird Records) anytime soon. g [email protected]

“Don’t depend on me to ever follow through on anything, but I’d go through hell for you and I haven’t been this scared 3 in a long time,” from “Going Away To College.” In this sen - march timental songs, the boys disclose the truth that some guys top aren’t willing to admit: ey can’t always give girls what we ­ want or expect. at doesn’t mean they don’t care. “I used to hate the lipstick. It stained and tasted so sick. e John Mayer and Michael Franti: Folk pantyhose and the bras she threw on my guitars,” from rock Mayer and reggae-jam Franti per - 4 “Time To Break Up.” We do tend to overdo the makeup... I mean, you do want to be kissed, right? Girls should also form at the Staples Center. Show starts 10 steer clear of guitars, as well as anything referred to as at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $40-$80. Dating advice from “tools” or “gear,” if they want to keep their men. “No one should take themselves so seriously. With many years ahead to fall in line. Why would you wish that on me? Jay-Z: Performs with Young Jeezy and Blink-182 lyrics other supporting acts at the Staples 5 I never want to act my age,” from “What’s My Age Again?” By JESSICA ABU-GHATTAS Conversely, the guy in this gets dumped because of his Center. Tickets cost $39.50-$129.50. aSSiStant Life and artS editor immaturity. Too bad he’s having too much fun to care. In Let’s be real. We still blast Blink-182 songs that were on MTV’s “Total many ways, this addresses the pressure girls put on guys to Request Live” when we were in the fifth grade. And shamelessly, we take relationships so seriously, when realistically, there are 2010 Method Fest: Catch an individual sing every word. But did you ever think those pop-punk jokesters many “years ahead” to do that. film screening at the annual Calabasas and could actually give us reasonable dating advice? One visit to song - “So all you little ladies, be sure to choose the right guys. Agoura Hills Independent Film Festival at meanings.net and, I’ll admit, several one-woman rock shows in Con - You’ll come back to me maybe. I’ll shower you with lies,” the Regency Agoura Hills 8. Screenings ner Hall later, I compiled the top 10 words of wisdom sung by one of 6 from “Dysentery Gary.” Self-explanatory. the defining bands of our generation. cost $7 with student ID. “Guys hate to fight, girls think it’s therapy,” from “Don’t “I waited for her call. She always kept me waiting. And if I Tell Me It’s Over.” en there’s how the fights end: “Girls ever got another chance, I’d still ask her to dance because she 7 always cry; guys will never admit they did.” Miss the late-night legend? Jay Leno: 1 kept me waiting,” from “e Rock Show.” Why would he ask “Surprises let me know she cares,” from “All e Small ings.” Catch him at the Comedy & Magic Club her to dance? Because she kept him waiting. Guys like hard- A reminder that it’s the little things that matter. e same idea in Hermosa Beach every Sunday at 7:30 to-get. Something about a chick who keeps a guy waiting 8 is in “Josie”: “My girlfriend takes me home when I'm too p.m. Admission costs $30. makes him tick. Lesson learned: Never be too available. Turn drunk to drive, and she doesn't get all jealous when I hang out down plans occasionally. Men obsess over the pursuit— it’s with the guys. She laughs at my dumb jokes when no one does. their God-given right. Give him something to pursue. Performing at the Sta - She brings me Mexican food from Sombrero's just because.” The Black Eyed Peas: “So when you see her standing there with green eyes and long ples Center with LMFAO. Show starts at 7:30 “When I needed you most was when I needed a friend,” blond hair, she won’t be wearing underwear and you’ll dis- from “Untitled.” Friendship is the core of a relationship, p.m. Tickets cost $49.50-$89.50. 2 cover this girl’s not the one, and she’ll never be fun. You 9 and she “let me down now like I let you down then.” should just turn and run because you’ll find out that some No. 10 does not involve any lyrics. Blink-182 taught us girls try too hard,” from “e Party Song.” is is a warning that it’s OK to “take a break.” In early 2005, the three Rick Lupert to guys looking for hookups at parties— they’re better off 10 launched a hiatus lasting almost five years. ey saw other Open Mic at The Cobalt Cafe: “back at home watching TV alone” than with the typical, easy hosts an open poetry reading at The Cobalt people, joined other bands. en in 2009, they got back to - girl at parties. How did this night end? “I said I’d call her, but gether, stating on the band’s Web site: “To put it simply, Cafe in Canoga Park. Sign up at 8:30 p.m. never I’d bother.” Guys, you don’t want that girl. Girls, you We’re back. We mean, really back. Picking up where we left don’t want to be that girl. off and then some.”