slugmag.com 1 slugmag.com 3 SaltLakeUnderGround • Vol. 26 • Issue #323 • November 2015 • slugmag.com CONTRIBUTOR LIMELIGHT: ABOUT THE COVER: We’d long been itching for Skyler Chubak’s Nick Ketterer earned his BFA degree with an emphasis in calligraphy to grace a SLUG Mag graphic design from the University of Utah in 2014. Along cover, and the Distillery Issue was the the way, his then-girlfriend/now-fiancée saw a flier about perfect fit. Chubak’s work captures becoming a SLUG designer in 2013, and Ketterer soon be- the spirit of a bygone era that the re- came a staple in SLUG’s design team! Ketterer has designed cent rise of local distilleries evokes— many ads for the magazine and recently began designing the forgotten history of Utah’s distill- eries. Check out more of Chubak’s editorial layouts. Some of his favorite layouts include the work at skylerchubak.bigcartel.com. Hoppers layout from our 2015 Beer Issue and the Dirty Rat Moto Cyco layout from our subsequent July 2015 issue. Be DISCLAIMER: SLUG Magazine does sure to catch his designs this month: Nico Muhly & the Utah not necessarily maintain the same Symphony (pg. 12), Short Fuse (pg. 26), Sugar House Distill- opinions as those found in our ery (pg. 20) and Manilla Road (pg. 32)—and many more to Nick Ketterer content. Content is property of SLUG come. We’re proud to have Ketterer on Team SLUG! Designer Magazine—please do not use without written permission. Publisher: Eighteen Percent Gray Design Intern: Jordan Brooks Marketing Intern: Paige Emond Thomas Winkley Editor: Angela H. Brown Ad Designers: Brad Barker, Marketing Team: Alex Topolewski, Monkeys with Computers: Brighton Metz, Christian Broadbent, Cassandra Loveless, Cassie Anderson, Adam Fratto, Alex Coulombe, Managing Editor: Devin Wakefield, Dianna Totland, Claudia Trochez, Janie Greenberg, Alex Blackburn, Alex Cragun, Alexander Ortega KJ Jackett, Maggie Zukowski, Jono Martinez, Lark Smith, Alex Gilvarry, Alex Vermillion, Editorial Assistant: Nicholas Dowd, Nick Ketterer, Lindsay Clark, Marina Quevedo, Ali Shimkus, Andrea Silva, Christian Schultz Sumerset Bivens Paige Emond, Shley Kinser, Ashley Lippert, Austin Doty, Ben Tilton, Skye Galley, Xena Jade Brian Udall, Carl Acheson, Digital Content Coordinator: Website Developer: Kate Colgan Chris Proctor, Connor Brady, Distribution Manager: Henry Glasheen Illustrators: Brighton Metz, Dan Vesper, Darcy Mimms, Dylan Eric Granato Office Coordinator: Brooklyn Ottens, Evans, Erin Moore, Gregory Gerulat, Gavin Sheehan D. Bradford Gambles, Eleora Nelson, Distro: Ali Shimkus, Jamie Stott, Jeanine Carmichael, Maggie Zukowski, Manuel Aguilar, Daniel Alexander, Eric Granato, Jeremy Cardenas, Jesse Hawlish, Editorial Intern: Kathy Zhou Natalie Edwards, Paul Frame, Phil Eric Norris, Jesse Hawlish, John Ford, Kamryn Feigel, Kathy Zhou, Digital Content Assistant: Cannon, Robin Banks, Ryan Perkins, Julia Sachs, Manuel Aguilar, Kristal Starr, Kristyn Porter, Julia Sachs Sean Hennefer, Timm Paxton Megan Kennedy, Michael Sanchez, Laurent Backman, Lizz Corrigan, Nancy Perkins, Nate Housley, Madi Smith, Mame Wallace, Digital Archive Assistant: Photographers: Andy Fitzgerrell, Ricky Vigil, Rob Hudak, Sam Feinman, Matt Brunk, Michael Sanchez, Marina Quevedo Ben Melini, Bob Plumb, Tommy Dolph, Tony Bassett, Nate Housley, Nic Smith, Chad Kirkland, Chris Gariety, Fact Checker: Wesley Peterson, Xkot Toxsik Nicole Stephenson, Rachel Jensen, Nic Smith Chris Kiernan, Gilbert Cisneros, Randy Dankievitch, Copy Editing Team: Gilbert Garcia, Jake Vivori, Senior Staff Writers: Alex Cragun, Rheanna Sonnichsen, Rob Hudak, Jessica Bundy, John Barkiple, Alex Springer, Alexander Ortega, Alexander Ortega, Allison Shephard, Ryan Michael Painter, Sara Bezdjian, Johnny Cowan, Logan Sorenson, Allison Shephard, Amanda Rock, Christian Schultz, Henry Glasheen, Seeth McGavien, Some Cop Dude, Martín Rivero, Matt Brunk, Ben Trentelman, Brian Kubarycz, Izzy Fernandez, John Ford, Stephan Wyatt, Taylor Hoffman, Timo Matthew Windsor, Megan Kennedy, Brinley Froelich, Bryer Wharton, Jordan Deveraux, Julia Sachs, H., Trevor Hale, Trey Sanders, Tyson Melissa Cohn, Michael Lehmann, Christian Schultz, Cody Kirkland, Kathy Zhou, Laikwan Waigwa-Stone, Call, Xena Jade, Zac Smith, Michael Portanda, Niels Jensen, Dean O Hillis, Eric U. Norris, Lindsey Parkinson, Maria Valenzuela, Zach Lambros Mary E. Duncan, Nic Smith, Russel Daniels, Scott Frederick, Gavin Hoffman, Gavin Sheehan, Nick Kuzmack, Shawn Soward, Talyn Sherer, Weston Colton Henry Glasheen, James Bennett, SLUG Magazine’s Official James Orme, Jimmy Martin, Podcast: SLUG Soundwaves Traci Grant Videographers: John Ford, Jordan Deveraux, Content Consultants: Andrew Schummer, Brock Grossl, Producer: Gavin Sheehan Julia Sachs, Justin Gallegos, Jon Christiansen, Matt Hoenes Lexie Floor, Nate Alley, Ryan Dearth, Kia McGinnis, Lauren Ashley, Executive Producer: Slugger Cover Illustration and lettering: LeAundra Jeffs, Mariah Mann Mellus, Angela H. Brown Community Development Megan Kennedy, Mike Brown, Skyler Chubak Associate Producers: Executives/Advertising Sales: Mike Riedel, Nancy Perkins, Lead Graphic Designer: Alexander Ortega, Christian Schultz, John Ford: [email protected] Nick Kuzmack, Peter Fryer, Joshua Joye Henry Glasheen, John Ford, Angela H. Brown: [email protected] Ricky Vigil, Ryan Hall, Scott Farley, Joshua Joye Graphic Design Team: SLUG HQ: 801.487.9221 Sean Zimmerman-Wall, Shawn Mayer, Stakerized!, Chad Pinckney, Nick Ketterer, Events Coordinator: Ellen Young Paul Mason Steve Goemaat, Steve Richardson, @SLUGMag youtube.com/user/SLUGMagazine 4 SaltLakeUnderGround slugmag.com 5 If you—the ever persistent pleasure seeker, the he buy some turntables and take his passion for Sam Stinson, aka DJ Feral Cat—a no-non- Atlantic tracks you hear in grocery stores,” he attuned musical connoisseur, the discerning ap- records out from the wine cellar and onto the sense audiophile with a flair for soul, funk, R&B, says. “I have a secret love for disco because it preciator of fine drinks—find yourself without en- stage, “which [was] a life changing [event],” blues and underground disco—carries his 45” was the first type of music specifically formatted gagement at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19, you Kuzmack says. With turntables on deck and vi- records in a cast-iron case and his wealth of for DJs.” When pressed for his favorite artists Urban Lounge nyl in hand, Kuzmack began teaching himself might make your way to to catch musical knowledge with humble pride. His very from that time period, Stinson says, “I don’t even SLUG’s Localized—sponsored by Uinta Brew- how to mix records. With long hours spent hon- presence seems to ask, “How much does music have favorite songs, generally. You know, you ing Co., High West Distillery, KRCL 90.9 ing his abilities, he began to feel more comfort- J mean to you?” When in conversation, one can have your top, but there is just so much good J FM and Spilt Ink SLC. This month’s showcase able in the role of a DJ. In the following months, easily see how much it means to Stinson. stuff.” Furthermore, “There are a lot of great soul D features the DJ stylings of headliners DJ Nix Beat Kuzmack began booking shows at clubs, play- D and DJ Feral Cat, along with opener DJ Eric ing parties and similar events. “I was told after singers that put out one or two killer tracks dur- Jenson. [DJing a going-away party] that people had For Stinson, music became inherently linked to ing a certain era, on a certain label where it all gotten blisters on their feet from dancing, and I heritage and, at the same time, rebellion. “I start- came together.” But for Stinson, the greats for Nick Kuzmack—easily recognizable as the was like, ‘Fuck yeah, this is good.’” But it wasn’t ed buying rap CDs at the age of 13,” he says. soul must include: Rodger Collins, Otis Red- ra until more recently that Kuzmack’s DJing career r tall, slim, fashionable figure whom you no doubt a “That was a big deal then. I was in defiance of ding, James Brown, Dyke & The Blazers, ee l have seen in record stores, at shows or on- has really taken off: In January, he opened for the music accepted by my parents. Ice-T’s Power Bobby Powell and Milton Wright. And for F l stage—has a presence that commands (and in Brian Bell’s The Relationship and, in Sep- F was my first ‘explicit lyrics’ CD. I scored it used R&B, no collection would be complete without equal parts demands) attention. Kuzmack has, tember, for Dirty Fences and ’70s punk gods at another shop because I couldn’t buy explicit Louis Jordan, Jimmy Reed and Hound since his birth, been surrounded by a wealth of The Vibrators. culture and passion. “I was raised on the legacy rap at my dad’s store.” His father’s shop—local Dog Taylor. of the original greasers from the ’50s and the Perhaps as important to Kuzmack as his record vinyl staple Randy’s Records—definitely affected Caa mods from the ’60s,” he says. It’s no wonder collection are his ideological commitments—com- Stinson in those early years. “Growing up in a In the coming year, Stinson hopes to travel exten- C tt that Kuzmack prefers the classics like Chuck mitments that can be traced back to his involve- record store gave me access to music that most sively—both for business and pleasure—digging Berry, Little Richard and Elvis Presley to ment with the punk scene. In his college years, people of that time didn’t see, hear, know of,” for records in famed and not-so-famed records works of modernity. “I like older music,” he says. while working on a political science degree, Kuz- says Stinson. “Being able to listen to that mu- stores, and booking as many gigs as possible “To me it has more meaning, more grit, more mack fell in love with the messages and music sic definitely opened up music avenues that I both within the country and without: “DJing is soul to it.” Kuzmack’s appreciation for the ide- of The Clash, the Dead Kennedys and The wouldn’t have otherwise been exposed to.” something that I do for fun, but record collecting Adverts als of substance and the underground—as (dare .