PRESSURE PEOPLE MEET THE PRESSURE TEAM KEVIN NAUGHTON With a degree in anthropology and a zest for history, Kevin Naughton brings a uniquely studious perspective to every article he concocts. He's a full-time bartender and a part-time activist, volunteering for political groups when he's not busy with work and his many creative endeavors. Naughton plays bass in his band the Suede Brothers, along with guitar and drums in various side PRESSURE LIFE projects. Aside from writing about politics, culture, and beyond, Naughton aims to further pursue his passion for film. Creative Director, Owner Jim Bacha Recently Naughton has transitioned from self-proclaimed film buff Chief Operating Officer, Owner John Gardner to full-on filmmaker, having completed both a full length feature and a short film, with the hopes of screening in film festivals. Editors Amy Sokolowski Sarah Maxwell Ryan Novak Art Director Hannah Allozi Illustrator Aaron Gelston WILL KMETZ Will Kmetz claims he doesn't have Senior Writers Adam Dodd any interesting facts to share, but Will Kmetz that couldn't be further from the Staff Writers Dan Bernardi truth. By day, he's a manager at the Matt McLaughlin Cleveland Brew Shop, and by night Gennifer Harding-Gosnell he zealously pursues his love for all Kevin Naughton things beer. Aside home brewing, Contributors Stephanie Ginese Kmetz's hobbies include writing, Jae Andres drinking, and writing about drinking, heavily fueling his aspirations Brittany Dobish to become a professional brewer one day. In the meantime Darrick Rutledge Casey Rearick he's shaping up to be quite the connoisseur when it comes to Anthony Franchino everyone's favorite social lubricant. Alex Bieler Tiffany Fields Kmetz's thirst for life doesn't end with alcohol. He's an avid fan of Distribution PMK Logistics cycling, backpacking, and weilding a refreshing brand of cutting, sarcastic wit. Buy him a drink or two and you'll get a taste. Enjoying Pressure Life? We would love to hear your thoughts. pressurelife.com/feedback 2 PRESSURE LIFE | Issue 3 Issue 4 | PRESSURELIFE.com 3 SINCE LAST ISSUE... NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015 The Force, Will Kmetz, Senior Writer With the “lives matter” campaigns, police shootings and ISIS murders capturing 10 headlines, it's evident that people are inherently shitty. Generally speaking, egotistical CONTENTS with no regard for others well being. It’s instances like #forcefordaniel that should give us a new hope. Terminally ill Daniel Fleetwood had his wish granted to see the new Star 08 Let Them Eat Cake Wars flick, The Force Awakens, before he passed. Social media rallied by his side and From severed heads to Willie Nelson, JJ Abrams hosted a private showing for Daniel at his house shortly before he passed, hyper-realistic cake artist Natalie Sideserf exhibiting that the force is still strong within us. We're not so shitty after all. redefines the industry 10 Lake Erie Monster vs. Punch 12 18 Money Grubbing, Alex Bieler, Writer Bowl Social and Alley Cat Oyster Bar A quick list of recent examples of why the NFL is an unfeeling organization of money- Are the new Flats worthy? grubbing schemers. • They won't allow DeAngelo Williams to wear pink football equipment outside of Breast 12 Pucker Up Cancer Awareness Month without fining him New Belgium is getting Fat Head • They fined William Gay, whose mother died in a domestic violence incident, for wearing 27 08 purple shoes on the field to bring attention to honor his mother 14 Men of Steel Alloy-X is redefining hip-hop • They fined Cameron Heyward for wearing eyeblack that honored his dad, who died in the electronic age of cancer I love football, but it's really hard to support an organization that can't bend its draconian 18 A Growing Concern rules for acts of good. The out of control threat of the lake’s algae bloom boom 30 Bring Back Reghi, Ryan Novak, Editor 22 Absolutely Intense Your Cleveland Cavaliers are back. Unfortunately, Michael Reghi, the Cavs play-by- Step inside Cleveland’s hidden world of play announcer from 1993-2006, still has not made his triumphant return to Cavs TV independent professional wrestling broadcasts. No disrespect to Fred McCleod, who took over after Reghi’s firing, but as 22 someone who grew up with Reghi, McCleod has always felt like a well-intentioned step- 27 Gregory Scott dad, who came in and tried to get me to love him, but, unfairly or not, will never be A sit down with newly Cleveland- my “real dad.” I’m not pulling for McCleod, who seems like a good dude, to lose his job, based artist, Gregory Scott but nothing would make me happier than hearing Reghi describe another “virtuoso performance” from “the mega-star in wine and gold.” 30 Holiday Renegades Have yourself a merry little... Festivus? The Weekly Politic, Adam Dodd, Senior Writer My column for the Pressure Life website, The Weekly Politic, is a week-to-week send up where I push, poke, and outright ridicule the candidates on both sides but looking back from where we’ve been since the last issue I’ve noticed something- I don’t think FOLLOW US 14 we really need a President. The Republicans are all running on the premise that the Facebook // Twitter // YouTube // Instagram entirety of government is either parasitic or impotent, given their debate performances I’d have to agree. Bernie Sanders, perhaps the most popular candidate for Millennials, @thepressurelife argues that the entire structure of American democracy is so corrupt that we need a complete philosophic overhaul. The two Republican frontrunner’s claims to fame are no experience or talent within governance, as if that were a highlight. I suggest we just take the next four years to reflect on our evolving national identity and ask if we really even want these jingoistic jackanapes embarrassing us anymore. Issue 4 | PRESSURELIFE.com 5 Ultimately, Return to the Moon sounds like a pair of guys throw- with the rest of ELO’s discography. It’s a refreshing release that ing darts at the wall and seeing what sticks. It was likely a fun manages to feel both nostalgic without being trapped in the past, experience and some of the experiments work, but the album has an impressive feat from the veteran musician. a lot of moving parts and not a lot of cohesiveness. “I’m the Man to Be” is a sex-driven groove with a whole bunch of unnecessary 4/5 touches added to the mix. Return to the Moon has fun parts, but PRESSURE is underwhelming as a whole. MUSIC REVIEWS 3/5 Majical Cloudz, Are You Alone?, Matador Alex Bieler Jeff Lynne’s ELO, Majical Cloudz’ songs play out like scenes Music never stops. Each week, new albums from bands big and from a film, with singer Devon Welsh small are released to the world, contributing new creations for Alone in the Universe, RCA playing the protagonist. Each track is a new monologue, baring people looking for the next great song. It’s impossible to hear his soul while band mate Matthew Otto builds the scene around everything, but that won’t stop us from trying. Here are some Full disclosure: I love me some Jeff Lynne. him with softly buzzing synths and piano. Are You Alone?, like albums that caught our attention since our last issue. When all of my grad school friends were 2013’s Impersonator, is an intimate album. There are no sweeping first discovering The Beatles, I extolled the virtues of Electric hooks or rousing riffs. Instead, Welsh and Otto imbue a sense Light Orchestra after discovering 1977’s Out of the Blue. Of course, of melancholy in their latest release, weaving a gentle, beautiful WEIRS WALDO NOW? the skeptic in me had some reservations about Lynne’s 14th ELO creation that floats effortlessly from your speakers to the space Grimes, Art Angels, 4AD studio album after a 15-year hiatus. However, where some classic between your ears. It’s quite a lovely creation that adds extra heft WEIR IS HE? rockers botch their return to the studio, Alone in the Universe is to each of Welsh’s lyrics by placing him dead center in a slew of Grimes, aka Claire Boucher, could poten- crash course in what made ELO so much fun back in the band’s ethereal compositions. Any good investigation starts with the five W's. Who, tially be a pop star if she really wanted to. heyday. Lynne doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel on his new album, what, when, why, and...Weir? For a little fun last The Canadian singer and producer edges instead producing 10 expertly crafted tracks that easily fit right in 4.5/5 issue, we challenged Cleveland to find our mysterious slightly closer to the realm of top-40 tracks friend Weir who was hidden somewhere within the on Art Angels, her follow-up to the 2012’s excellent Visions, but advertisements of Pressure Life. After a swift game of hide-and-go-seek, that doesn’t mean that she’s conformed to the norm. It doesn’t Anitza, a laser focused reader, spotted Weir in the Gunselman's ad, take long for Grimes to show off her varied tastes, going from winning a gift card to the tavern and restoring balance to the cosmos. radio-friendly pop magic (“California”) to abrasive (The Aristo- However, that wasn't the end of it. No...Weir not done yet. phanes-assisted “Scream”) within the first few tracks of her latest release. Take “Kill V. Maim” for example. It’s a wonderfully weird The great white Weir has stealthily escaped from Gunselman's.