issue #77 preview featuring andrew wk

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F R E E77

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

CULTURE MUSIC

SelectION: Guys (and a girl) who might make you LOL hard.

Editor’s Letter A Brit Abroad: Legal Alien. 12.

REGULARS

ION Prize 18.

Of The Month Aircrafts, coins and call girls. Plus, Barbie, Warhol and Beiber meet.

14. Horoscopes: Michael Venus: Canada’s own RuPaul Andre Charles.64.

Comics 65.

Pleasure Cruise What being as happy as Larry while getting drunk on a beach must sound like.

52.

ION Collaboration Anthony Thompson.62.

Goodfellas Gallery Creative hardnuts. Don’t mess.20.

Skating Shelters Winnipeg winter gets a well needed make over.

26.

Andrew WK and the P.A.R.T.Y.46.Fashion: Photography by Jan Snarski and Kane Ocean.Styling by Deanna Palkowski.

38.Focus: Norman Wong.28.

ION Style 36.

Album Reviews60.

Lindstrom Probably the coolest man in Norway.56.

VOLUME 10 NUMBER 1 ISSUE 77

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2 I O N M A G A Z I N E . C A77

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I O N M A G A Z I N E . C A 3

COVER: Andrew WK

[Shot exclusively for ION Magazine]

PHOTOGRAPHY Meredith Truax

STYLING Toyo Tsuchiya

GROOMING Jenny Kanavaros using

TRESemme Hair Care/judyinc.com

“ Y O U ’ V E G O T T A R E A L L Y G R A B I T W H I L E Y O U C A N

B E C A U S E Y O U M I G H T D I E T H E N E X T D A Y . ”

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OF THE MONTH

M A G E N T A P U B L I S H I N G ’ S F L A S H F O R W A R D

THIS IS SO, WELL…AWESOME.

The first of its kind in Canada, Magenta Publishing is a charitable arts publishing house, based out of Toronto. With a focus right now on photography, they published Flash Forward – Emerging Photographers 2011 at the end of last year: a round up of winners from Canada, the UK, and US, of their annual photography competition of the same name. It’s a sick book, full of cutting edge photography and captivating images. They’re currently compiling the “ones to watch” for 2012, with a book out later this year. Through collaboration with galleries and artists in the US and UK, Magenta gives Canadian artists an international platform in the arts community, while also publishing works by artists worldwide. Hats off folks.

“ F O R A G O O D T I M E C A L L … ”IMAGINE BRIDESMAIDS BUT DARKER,

FUNNIER, WITH MORE SEX, more rawnch, vagina jokes and a low budget. Oh and no wedding. So basically nothing like Bridesmaids at all. Clearly not your average chick flick, this comedy gem premiered at Sundance and is the first feature length directed by Canadian wonder boy filmmaker Jamie Travis (we wrote about him years ago – see, we know a good thing when we see one). Co-written by Lauren Miller, wife of Judd Apatow’s favourite Canadian Seth Rogen, and starring the couple alongside Justin Long, Mimi Rogers and Ari Graynor, expect big things from this indie flick, due out this summer.

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S H W O O D + P E N D L E T O N

TRUST OREGON TO COME UP WITH

SOMETHING AS INDIVIDUAL, CREATIVE AND

21ST CENTURY HIPPY AS THIS. Not your average wayfarer, these sunglasses are carved out of Oregon’s own trees and handcrafted in Shwood’s Portland based workshop. Even better, they’ve joined forces with fellow Portlandian company Pendleton Woolen Mills on a limited edition frame, Canby. The collaboration sees the rims laser engraved with Pendleton’s trademark native “Chief Joseph” pattern, from their blankets which date back to the 1920s, as well as a hand woven wool pouch for the glasses to go in. All locally sourced top-notch craftsmanship, these two companies are paying tribute to Oregon and looking damn good while doing it.

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G A R Y T A X A L I C O I N I L LU S T R A T I O N SROYAL CANADIAN MINT ISN’T EXACTLY

KNOWN AS A DESIGN FORWARD MONEY

MAKER, but bring in Canadian illustrator Gary Taxali to do their celebration coins and BAM! That’s fresh thinking for you. Taxali’s vintage inspired retro-style usually has a hefty price tag, but now we can own a piece of his work ourselves on a 25-cent shaped canvas. A six-piece commission which uses his trademark Chumply font, these coins mark special occasions and celebrate ‘O Canada’. There’s even one for the tooth fairy. No longer just for creepy Terry Richardson look-a-likes or nerdy kids, these celebration quarters have been given the stamp of approval.

F I L M C R A F T S E R I E STHESE BOOKS AREN’T JUST EYE CANDY

FOR THE CINEMATIC MINDED.

We know it’s always helpful to aide concentration when something is easy on the eye, but these beautiful books actually give coveted advice, and exclusive interviews, from renowned and damn respected filmmaker insiders from all over the world. From Oscar-winning editor Michel Kahn, known for Raiders of the Lost Ark, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, and, The Goonies, to Raoul Coutard, the Parisian cinematographer famed for creating the aesthetic for 1960s French “New Wave” cinema. Use to either add knowledge to your craft, or just be a smartass. The Oscars are over, awards season is done and we know you didn’t actually watch or read about the boring ones given out for editing and cinematography. You’re welcome.


A + C

GALLERY


A + C

Tell us a little about Parkdale…Parkdale is one of Toronto’s only authentic neighborhoods left. I can’t think of another area where you can get this kind of free entertainment. It is like a circus with no admission. The people accept everyone and it is home to more artists per capita than anywhere else in Toronto. Tyler Tilley (artist of the Next Level Art Collective) and myself really wanted to get on board with the other local businesses to assure this gem reaches its full potential. The buzz that has been created so far around the Queen West area is phenomenal. Tell us about Goodfellas Gallery…Since we were already dealing in high end real estate and

commercial design, we felt it was time to open a space that focused entirely on rejuvenating art in commercial spaces and joining some of the other inspiring local businesses in bringing awareness to the potential of the neighborhood.

The gallery is in a warehouse, attached to a studio I run called 36 Chambers. In the studio we house a total of 36 artists some of which will be in our line up for 2012 exhibits. The gallery entrance greets you with two giant full view glass garage doors which used to be the shipping and receiving area for Usher’s Groceries back in the ‘70’s. The floors have been re-done with 1-inch thick raw pine and the space was broken into two tiers. The main two walls stand 13 feet high which is ideal for exhibiting large-scale work.

THIS ISSUE SEES THE BEGINNING OF ION’S “ONE TO WATCH” FEATURE, FOCUSED ON BRINGING YOU THE LATEST AND GREATEST IN ART FROM CANADA AND AROUND THE GLOBE. EACH ONE TO WATCH WILL INTRODUCE YOU TO A SELECTED ART GALLERY THAT’S LEADING THE WAY IN ITS PARTICULAR ART SCENE, AND THEIR CHOICE OF ARTIST TO WATCH OUT FOR IN THE COMING YEAR.

WE KICK OFF OUR FIRST “ONE TO WATCH” WITH THE GOODFELLAS GALLERY,

IN THE QUEEN STREET WEST AREA OF PARKDALE, TORONTO. FORMALLY HOME TO GRIMY NEIGHBOURHOOD DISCOUNT GROCERY STORE “USHER’S,” THE CONVERTED SPACE NOW HOUSES THIS COMMERCIALLY DRIVEN GALLERY, A STAPLE IN THE ARTS SCENE OF THE CITY’S BOHEMIA. FOCUSED ON GIVING TORONTO’S URBAN LIVING A FACELIFT, THE CULTURAL HUB EXHIBITS COMMERCIAL AND COLLECTOR’S ART. WE ASKED GOODFELLAS CURATOR JOSHUA JAMES A FEW QUESTIONS.

W I S E G U Y SG O O D F E L L A S G A L L E R Y , Q U E E N S T W E S T

R A C H E L Z O T T E N B E R G


F O C U S N O R M A N W O N GNorman Wong graduated from University of Toronto, from the Visual Studies and Semiotics program. He worked in the commercial and music video industry for over four years before switching his focus to pursue photography a few years ago. Since then Norman’s work has appeared in such publications as Flare, Under The Radar, Death + Taxes, Exclaim and Dazed and Confused. Norman continues to collaborate with and photograph such bands as Broken Social Scene, Stars, Metric, Holy Fuck, and Charles Spearin’s Happiness Project.


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STYLE A L A N C H A N | S T Y L I N G D E A N N A P A L K O W S K I @ L I Z B E L L

M A K E U P A N D H A I R A N D R E A T I L L E R U S I N G T R E S E M M E H A I R C A R E / A N D R E A T I L L E R M A K E U P . C O M M O D E L E M M A @ L I Z B E L L

E A R R I N G S U R A N I U MU N D E R S H I R T L U C C A C O U T U R E

T A N K B B D A K O T AP A N T S I T J E A N S

W A T C H T O Y W A T C HS H O E S T R E T O R N

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F A S H I O N

E A R R I N G S U R A N I U MU N D E R S H I R T L U C C A C O U T U R E

T A N K B B D A K O T AP A N T S I T J E A N S

W A T C H T O Y W A T C HS H O E S T R E T O R N

B A G P U M A


C O V E R


I first became aware of Andrew WK the way many people did, by seeing the iconic image of him with his hair wet and matted in his face, while blood is pouring out of his nose. The image seemingly announced a menacing new force in the rock ‘n’ roll arena, but what made him even more interesting was that he turned out to not be that menacing…

Tough? Sure, he’s built like a brick shit house and if you’ve ever seen him on camera or gone to one of his shows you know there’s an intense physicality to everything he does. But is he mean, or scary? Not a chance. Andrew WK has spent his career championing life, positivity and fun. He’s like a beacon of good vibes.

Can I start by asking what a typical day is like for you these days?I’m sure people say this all the time, but the thing is, I guess there’s nothing really ‘typical.’ Every day is different. In many regards that’s my favorite aspects of this kind of work, the variety that comes from traveling or from the specific activities that go into any one-day. There’s always something fresh or new or exciting…

For instance when I was doing Destroy Build Destroy, three days a week I’d have a routine for filming, showing up at 5:30AM in Hollywood and driving out to the official movie-ranch-studio place out in Santa Clara.

I put my skills into a bunch of different avenues and in this case TV performing helped me learn about being on camera and being on stage. It helped me be a better front man and using my

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IN CASE YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT ANDREW WK HAS BEEN UP TO IN THE PAST 10 YEARS HE’S RELEASED 3 ALBUMS, HOSTED A GAME SHOW ON ADULT SWIM CALLED DESTROY, BUILD, DESTROY, DONE A MOTIVATIONAL

LECTURE TOUR, PLAYED COUNTLESS SHOWS AND BUILT AN AWARD WINNING CONCERT HALL AND NIGHTCLUB IN DOWNTOWN NEW YORK CITY WITH CLOSE FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES. NOW HE AND HIS BAND ARE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON A 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY TOUR FOR THE

ALBUM I GET WET. KELLEN POWELL CATCHES UP WITH HIM BEFORE HE SETS OUT AND FINDS OUT WHAT IT’S LIKE IN THE DAY OF THE LIFE OF THE

FOUNDER OF “THE PARTY.”

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K E L L E N P O W E L L M E R E D I T H T R U A X

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SHADES OF GLORY

M U S I C

IF THE CAST OF EMPIRE RECORDS, JOEY RAMONE, SUNSHINE AND ALL OF SOCIAL MEDIA HAD A LOVECHILD, PLEASURE CRUISE WOULD BE IT. DANIELLE HALL DISCOVERS WHAT IT’S LIKE

TO HANG OUT WITH THE MUSICAL ANTIDOTE TO WINTER BLUES.

D A N I E L L E H A L L C O R E E N A L E W I S

Pleasure Cruise is a four-piece band that is the music baby of Quinn Omori. They play fuzzy sun-soaked love jams, reminiscent of pop from when music was a little simpler. I arrive at the restaurant to talk to the band before one of their shows in Vancouver and am met with three heads bent over their phones. Front woman, Jody Glenham, is posting a photo onto Instagram of her misspelled name on the reservation board; not terribly surprising for a band that claims to have been formed on Twitter.

Quinn, who is also known for writing music blog From Blown Speakers for the last seven years, had already written the three-song EP Business or… when the band formed in the summer of 2011. As drummer, Dustin Bromley, one quarter of Pleasure Cruise

as well as another Vancouver-based band Keep Tidy, explains, “A year or so ago Quinn asked me if I would drum for him if he wrote some pop songs. He didn’t want to sing so we looked for a singer on Twitter.” That’s where they found Jody, the lone girl in the band but with a voice that often gets them compared to bands like Dum Dum Girls, and Best Coast. The girl band label doesn’t seem to bother Quinn though. “That’s fine,” he says. “My favourite albums last year were by Dum Dum Girls and Eleanor Friedberger.” Bassist Kyle Bourcier, who recently moved to Vancouver from Victoria, was the last of the quartet to join. “I only met these guys in the summer. I did see one of Dustin’s bands play on [Vancouver] Island a while ago and I was pretty excited to work with him.” P I O N M A G A Z I N E . C A 17

N O W A V A I L A B L E

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N E W S S T A N D

issue #77 preview featuring andrew wk

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