When It’s Okay to Start Swinging

By Jordan Terrell

With a cobra cane as a crutch, Joe Miller, owner of Vision MMA Dayton, paces around the worn mats giving advice on punching techniques as Travis Thaxton and Mike Powell spar.

Vision Dayton, a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) gym, is currently under transformation. The gym moved from Pierce Street in Dayton to Kauffman Avenue in Fairborn. Miller is looking forward to creating a bigger gym with new mats, punching bags with costume racks, weights and a ring. “I can’t wait to get new mats,” says Miller as he pushes them back together with his cane.

The gym has coaches in a variety of martial arts practices. Paul Burns will be coaching Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Daryl Phelps, 60, who has 44 years of experience in Golden Glove championships, will be coaching stand up techniques and boxing alongside Tony Revels and Mohammad Abdullah. Allan Dogels, with 11 years of experience, will be instructing wrestling.  Kyle Lingg will be coaching Muai Thai, with a professional record of 11-0 in amateur divisions and 3-0 in professional divisions.

Miller welcomes people who don’t want to fight but either want to stay healthy or learn self-defense. In the future he wants to train women’s self-defense courses, cross fit training and have children’s classes. He also encourages people to come in to work out and remain healthy. A membership at Vision Dayton is $60 per month, or $50 if you pay three months in advance and $30 for people under the age of 18.

Miller also wants to train police in MMA, in hopes of preventing fatal accidents. He points out that police officers are subject to more violent situations than people of other professions, and he believes that if the police were to be trained in MMA they would be less apt to pull guns or tasers, which are more likely result in fatalities.

“I’m not saying they don’t get enough of it [combative training],” said Miller. “I think they should get more of it and do it quite often. So they don’t have to rely on the quick problem solver. But obviously, if there is a gun involved it’s a different story.”

Dennis Pauley, a former Marine, displayed his disarming techniques. No matter how the mock gunman held his weapon. Pauley knew how to disarm his attacker with cobra like reflexes. With the mock gun at the back of Pauley’s head, he quickly moved his head out of the way of its sights and had the attacker on the ground with his wrist a couple degrees from breaking.

“It’s all about leverage,” said Miller as Pauley went through different techniques. “When disarming, your best bet is to tie them up and get them on the ground. That’s Jiu Jitsu. I think police should know this stuff.”

Miller has trained for over four years. He started training in a garage with a couple of friends before he started training at the Vision gym.   Miller became owner of the gym two and half years ago after Rod Hously, a Hamilton county Sheriff and owner of the Vision divisions had asked him to take the reins of the Dayton branch. Vision also has a gym in Cincinnati.

“I worked six days a week, I told him … I’m a fighter, I don’t know how to run a gym,” recounted Miller.

During the transition of ownership the gym’s power was shut off. But the group of 6 professionals and 15 amateur fighters weren’t left in the dark — they brought generators and continued to train.

“Everyone chips in to get things for the gym,” said Miller. “We have a family environment and everyone wants to help each other out.”

Miller is healing from ankle surgery. The initial injury happened years ago while playing basketball and flared up after training in this physically demanding sport.  He’s been in a cast for 6 weeks and is in the process of physical therapy.

Vision Dayton recently had an opportunity to show off the results of their training. Jordan Beverly (4-0) from Vision Dayton squared off with David Smires (4-0) in the heavy weight division in the American MMA Ohio Championships semifinals at US Bank Arena in Cincinnati. After the sound of the bell, Beverly put Smires down with a right uppercut, ending the fight in 14 seconds.

“It was exciting,” said Beverly, “That was my first KO.”

Beverly’s previous fights have resulted in technical knockouts, when the referee stopped the fight, in 24 seconds, a tap out in 1 minute and 7 seconds, a rear-naked choke in 23 seconds and a cobra choke in 22 seconds. Beverly said they work extremely hard at Vision Dayton and the people there are always willing to give out a helping hand. Beverly will advance further into the tournament to compete for the championship belt against Tim Dunn who is ranked number one in Ohio, with a professional fighting record of 9-2.

MMA has often been seen as a barbaric sport, and as Senator John McCain put it, as a “human cock fight.” Miller said that people should see the sport from the other side of the curtain. They don’t see the friendship between fighters after a fight. Miller said he still remains in close contact with his competitors. He said that it’s the purest form of competition, and believes the sport will be an Olympic sport soon.

The Vision team lost Chris Smith, a professional fighter, in a car accident earlier this month. According to the Ohio Highway Patrol, a car made an illegal pass, forcing Joshua Bach to swerve head-on into Smith’s vehicle. The police are still looking for the car that made the illegal turn, which was described as a gray or silver Saturn. The Vision team is now dedicated to carrying on what Smith did outside of the cage and gym – community work.

“We lost a dear friend and a valuable team member,” said Miller. “Victory through sacrifice is our main motto. He’ll remain through us.”

Reach DCP freelance writer Jordan Terrell at JordanTerrelll@DaytonCityPaper.com.

[Photo: Vision Dayton's Jordan Beverly after his recent KO victory]

Doomsday Preppers in the Miami Valley

By Tim Walker

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see.”

 Hebrews 11:1

You just can’t argue with faith.

Be it faith in a person’s religion, faith in the Cleveland Browns or faith in a belief that civilization as we know it is about to come to an end — there simply aren’t enough words in the dictionary to dissuade someone that some of their most cherished beliefs simply may not be true.

The National Geographic Channel’s new series “Doomsday Preppers” premiered on Tuesday, February 7^th, and it offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of people who are busy preparing for the worst. As the show’s official website puts it, “Doomsday Preppers explores the lives of otherwise ordinary Americans who are preparing for the end of the world as we know it. Unique in their beliefs, motivations, and strategies, preppers will go to whatever lengths they can to make sure they are prepared for any of life’s uncertainties.” And believe it or not, some of those doomsday preppers — although none yet featured on national television — are located right here in the Miami Valley.

Having received a number of “doomsday” themed emails over the years, all forwarded to me from a local businessman I’d become friends with, I decided to reach out to him for some insight into this strange and decidedly paranoid world.

“Yes, absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt,” “Neal said recently when asked if he really believed that our civilization was about to come to an end. Neal, like all of the other doomsday preppers featured in this article, asked me to keep his real identity a secret — a very real fear of shadowy “government reprisals” underlay all of these requests. Neal is in his late 60s and has lived in the Dayton area for most of his adult life, having relocated from Buffalo.

“I believe that we’re living in what the Bible refers to as the Last Days,” continued Neal. “President Obama is a Muslim, he shouldn’t even be the President because it’s been proven that he wasn’t born in this country — did you know he has work camps already set up near the Ohio/West Virginia border? Concentration camps, dozens of them — huge labor camps that can house thousands of dissident citizens, once they’re rounded up and arrested.”

“Why would they be arrested?” I asked.

“Don’t be naïve, Tim. It’s going to be martial law,” explained Neal, dragging on his cigarette. “Once the economic system collapses and the food riots start, there’ll be armed patrols in the streets. Anyone who opposes the government will be arrested and put in these camps — the ones they don’t shoot immediately, anyway.”

For the sake of argument, I agreed with Neal that the camps existed, and asked what he was doing to prepare for this eventuality. He drove me to a local business not far from his, and pointed at a semi trailer.

“You see that?” he asked, pointing. “I have one just like it. Bought it off a local guy and I have it parked at a friend’s farm. I’m going to wait until one night after dark — so my neighbors won’t see — and I’m going to bury it on my property and use it as a shelter. I’ll have my guns, food, clothes — everything I’ll need.”

“You’re going to bury a semi trailer,” I asked. “In one night? Discreetly?”

“It’ll be perfect,” he answered, a gleam in his eye. “They’ll never find me there.”

Rumors, myths, and paranoia spring like mushrooms from the fertile soil of the internet, and the doomsday prepper community takes full advantage of that fact. Websites like SHTFplan.com (“When it hits the fan, don’t say we didn’t warn you”), AmericanPreppersNetwork.com, and CollapseNet.com disseminate information, advice, instructions and lists of items we’ll all need to have on hand when the local Kroger isn’t open for business anymore.

“I’m ready. All I need are some more guns,” said my friend “Bob” to me recently. Bob is in his early 40s and a veteran, lives in Kettering, and owns a local business. His preparations and beliefs, though perhaps not quite as extreme as Neal’s, still reveal a decidedly survivalist bent and a palpable fear of the future.

“These are my canned goods, batteries, flashlights, my water — one gallon per person per day is my rule of thumb, and I have enough here for two weeks. Once the unrest hits, God knows what we’ll do, but we’ll have enough here to get by,” he explained.

“Do you really see all this as being necessary, Bob?” I asked.

“Are you kidding?” He looked at me like I was crazy. “Gas will be over five dollars a gallon this summer, and the money is just going to keep dwindling and dwindling until people can’t survive anymore, and then the whole system is going to collapse. It’s going to be chaos — anarchy — martial law. If you were smart, you’d be getting ready for it.”

“I need some more guns — you know anyone who can sell me some?” I asked.  Sure enough, Bob answered in the affirmative.  Perhaps the most intriguing thing to dwell on regarding doomsday preppers isn’t their radical preparations after all, but instead the various possible scenarios for which they’re preparing …

Reach DCP freelance writer Tim Walker at TimWalker@DaytonCityPaper.com

Customer Service is Tattoo Shop’s Secret Weapon

By Tim Anderl

For the majority of people interested in having their bodies tattooed, choosing the artist who will accomplish the work is a decision that carries major weight.  Whether an artist listens during the design phase, is technically proficient, is safe and clean or even is male or female are all considerations that play into the dynamic of inking one’s skin.  The artists at Cloak & Dagger Tattoo designed a business plan with these catalysts as the lynch pin.

Located on Brown Street near the University of Dayton, artists Steve Ratcliffe, Britton Asbury, Jeremy McGrady, Nathan Palmer and apprentice Jessica Oram have been applying ink to and punching holes in satisfied customers at the studio since mid-2011.  With the shop’s first anniversary around the corner, the team are eager to celebrate with an open house celebration — McGrady is angling for a pig roast — and are making plans to seek out a second location in 2012.

Dayton City Paper caught up with Cloak & Dagger’s artists recently to discuss their business, C&D’s mission, their influences and their favorite, and least favorite, pieces.

When asked about how the recent venture of Cloak & Dagger opening shop on Brown Street came about, Steve Ratcliffe said, “Well, we were working at a shop where we felt certain things were being overlooked and we wanted to make a change. However, you can’t really make changes to other people’s business, so we got a business plan together. As far as how we ended up on Brown Street … well … Britton and I were driving down the road and saw a building for rent and we went for it.”

And customers can expect a unique experience when stopping by to visit the new shop.  Ratcliffe maintains that, “at Cloak & Dagger we strive to have great customer service by doing a variety of different things. Some of those are as simple as getting to know every client’s name up front and treating them like a person, not just another tattoo. We also really listen to what our clients want and make suggestions, being careful not to completely change their idea into what we want to tattoo. Those are just the start of things we do, but to get the full experience you’ll have to come in and see for yourself.”

Since tattoos are such an expression of individuality, Cloak & Dagger tries to make a comfortable and custom experience for each person that walks through the door.

When asked about their mentors on the path to becoming tattoo artists, Britton Asbury responded, “I would say the guys I worked with at Blue Byrd. Mainly Naryan Claudy and Chris Fullam. Also, despite having taught him, I feel like Nathan Palmer pushes me to do more solid tattoos … you can’t have your student kicking your ass.”

Ratcliffe said, “My mentors when I first started were mainly Cameron Fuhrer, Jesse Perrault and Dave Hopkins, but as I’ve moved around and met other tattoo artists, I’ve also learned a lot from them too. Most recently though I’ve been learning a lot from Britton.”

Artist Nathan Palmer said “I did my apprenticeship under Britton when he was working at ACME tattoo in Cincinnati. He gave me a chance to get into this industry, so I really have to give all the credit to him.”

And similarly, Jeremy McGrady observes, “Britton took me under as his apprentice and is teaching me the art of tattooing.”

When I asked the apprentice, Jessica Oram, how she became interested in the art, she said “I had sort of thought about it as a teenager.  Then I went to art school and there were a bunch of people there who were into it, and I really got into it too.  I loved hanging out at the shops, meeting other people who were artists, and realized it would be a great way for me to do art and make money.  I knew Britton’s wife from riding bikes around town, met him and asked if I could get in here.”

“We’d always wanted a female tattoo artist in the shop.  If a female customer is having their chest or bikini area tattooed, they may just be more comfortable with a female artist.  And some guys think it is cool to be tattooed by a good-looking female artist, so there’s that too,” added Asbury.  He further enlightened me about his artistic influences, his strengths as an artist, and how the various dynamics of Cloak & Dagger artists complement each other: “I take influence from a lot of different sources. Even tattoo artists (and artists in general) that I don’t necessarily think are great artist can have great ideas. I check out all these guys’ work who I look up to pretty frequently. My contribution to the shop would probably be my versatility. I do a lot of different styles of tattooing. I just try to find what I think best suits the piece, unless the client has something specific in mind. I like doing semi realistic tattoos and larger colored pieces.

Ratcliffe adds “My influences are mainly other tattooers like: Tony Ciavarro, Jime Litwalk, Jesse Smith, Joe Capobianco, Nick Baxter and Scotty Munster. Non-tattoo though I really dig Mark Ryden and Alex Grey. I feel my strengths are in color theory, I really love to work with as many colors as I can and use them to complement and contrast each other,” and artist Nathan Palmer names his influences as “Adam Hathorne, Jeff Ensminger, Tim Biedron, Jeff Gogue and a ton of other artists. American traditional, hard lines and bold color. No one else here at the shop is as focused on traditional style tattoos.”

Adding to the stylistic variety of Cloak & Dagger, McGrady mentioned some of his early inspirations: “Growing up I was always very into comic books and graphic novels, which sent my artwork into a very graphic design style. But as I’ve been learning tattooing, many of the industry’s top artists have inspired me to push my artwork to make it something more. David Tevenal has recently driven me to progress as an artist and explore new mediums of art. Being very new in this business and still learning many things I would say my best strength would be my dedication to becoming a good artist and always wanting to get better with every piece I do. I think that we’re all very dedicated to the shop and always want the best for it as a whole.  With the amazing artists I get to work with we’re always pushing each other to our limits and getting better with what we do on the way.”

Finally, when asked about their favorite and least favorite pieces, Asbury says “As far as least favorite … boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife, baby mama/daddy names. I always tell them it’s a bad idea and 90 percent of the time you see them again to cover it up.”

Ratcliffe recalls “Favorite … I did a matching tattoo on my mom and little sister and that was an honor for me to do. Least … I’d say it would be the end of the day on a hot summer day, somebody who has been active all day and comes in wanting their feet tattooed. I have no problem with foot tattoos, just have some kindness and make sure that they don’t smell horrible.”

And Palmer adds “My favorites are when I have complete creative freedom. My least favorites are people who don’t want to plan out their tattoo and just want tattooed right then and there.”

(For more information on Cloak and Dagger Tattoo Studio, visit them at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/CloakandDaggerTattooStudio.)

Reach DCP freelance writer Tim Anderl at TimAnderl@DaytonCityPaper.com.

World Renowned artist Derek Hess Visits Dayton

By Tim Anderl

When asked about the permanent inclusion of his art in the most visited art museum in the world, France’s the Louvre, and Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland-based artist Derek Hess swells with pride.

“When they approached me, I was floored and totally flattered,” Hess said.  “When other artists boast about what museums their art is displayed in I think, ‘The Louvre…I’ve got trump, five aces, top that!’  And then to be included in the coolest museum (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame) ever is incredible too.  And I never intended to be in either.”

Another source of pride for Hess is his latest book, Black Line White Lie, which Hess will show off during a book signing at Dayton’s Press on February 11.  The book features art Hess created from 1990 to 2011.  During the signing, Hess plans to exhibit pen and ink drawings that complement the content of the book, and will offer prints for sale.

Black Line White Lie, which hit the streets via his own STRHESS PRESS in late November 2011, features over 275 black and white images by Hess created over the past twenty years of his career as a creator of rock and roll posters, commercial pieces and politically-charged fine art. This book covers black and white drawings from his earliest fliers to some of his more recent works like “Cancer of the Soul” and “Valentine.”

Music fans are sure to recognize Hess’ work.  Upon returning to Cleveland in the early ‘90s, following a brief stint at The Center for Creative Studies in Detroit, Hess continued studies in fine art print-making at the Cleveland Institute of Art.  At the same time, he was promoting concerts at the Euclid Tavern and his promotional fliers, which featured drawings playing off a band’s name and genre, quickly began gaining the attention of bands, fans, as well as his future business partner, Marty Garamita.

As a result of the attention, Hess’ art took off.  To date, he has been featured on numerous album covers — he’s created art for well-know bands like Deftones, Thursday and Taking Back Sunday.  He has also been featured on TLC, MTV, Fuse, VH1, and in Alternative Press, Spin and Juxtapoz magazines.  In recent years however, Hess has veered away from the flier work that many fans first fell in love with.
“People were pissed at first, but I was starting to become complacent with it.  I didn’t want to make art that I wasn’t happy with, because I knew people wouldn’t be happy with it either.  Any opportunity for growth that had once been there was just gone.”

Hess said he created the STRHESS clothing line to accommodate fans looking for an affordable way of collecting his pieces.  Hess also made one recent exception, putting pen to paper for a flier for Melt Bar and Grilled’s fifth anniversary.  The restaurant is owned by a former Euclid Tavern regular and Cleveland musician Matt Fish (Whatever, Chargers Street Gang, Lives of the Saints).

“Who doesn’t love a good grilled cheese?” Hess asked.  “Matt Fish has three locally-owned, ‘mom and pop’ type restaurants.  I couldn’t help but support that kind of thing.”

Though Hess is a friendly and calm conversationalist, he can get fired up too.  When a mention of his Wikipedia page reveals that he’s linked to the page for something called the “Lowbrow” art movement, he’s agitated.  “The term ‘lowbrow’ lowers expectations.  That sounds like they’re describing the art associated with the ‘movement’ as ‘not-as-good’ art, or ‘might-be-good, but probably not’ art.  I’m not willing to volunteer myself for that.”

Hess describes his distinctive, technically complex pieces as figurative, pen and ink-based, emotive art.  “Some of my art is light, like an angel drinking from a martini glass while he’s peeing, but some of it is heavy.  It explores feelings of spiritual disconnection, isolation, and disconnection from society.”

“A lot of society today is soul sick.  Even those who don’t think they are, like religious evangelicals or fanatics, are soul sick.  They’re distorting the messages in their religions for their own gains.  I think you can see my position in some of my work — I’m more of the ‘God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ kind of guy.”

Hess has dedicated the 300 page book to his fans, one of which is the reason he’s coming to Dayton before he visits larger cities like Baltimore, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Indianapolis and Orange County’s MusInk tattoo convention and music festival later this year.  Hess said he met fan Jessica Hill, a Daytonian, in an online forum discussing his work, and according to Hess, “She’s kick-ass!”  The chance meeting resulted in a friendship and a previous 2008 trip to Dayton for signing events at Paccia and Truth and Triumph Tattoos in support of his book Please God Save Us.

In addition to hard-bound editions of Black Line White Lie, Hess has released a spiral bound version of the tome, largely because the book features about 70 pages of pictures of tattoos his line drawings have inspired. This version is designed to accommodate tattoo artists who can copy pages for body art.

“I’m incredibly flattered that people have had my work tattooed on their bodies,” said Hess.  Although Hess only has one of his own pieces tattooed on his skin (his popular “Hemorrhage” piece), he’s chosen to emblazon his skin with some of his own inspirations — Captain America drawings from the “silver age” of comics, and WWII tanks and airplanes.

Hess’ father, an artist and WWII B26 pilot, drew another of his favorite tattoos on the back of a flight test.  This piece, which featured a WWII battle scene, was applied during an episode of LA Ink in which Hess appeared.

Hess also promises that those attending the February 11 event will have the opportunity for a special meet-and-greet with another distinguished guest.  He promises that his dog Jose, a Pomeranian mix that emblazons each page of his website, will also make the trek to Dayton.

The Black Line White Lie book signing takes place at Press, located at 257 Wayne Avenue, Dayton, on February 11 from 6pm until 9:30pm.  For more information about Hess, visit http://www.derekhess.com.

Reach DCP freelance writer Tim Anderl at TimAnderl@DaytonCityPaper.com.

Musician Develops D.I.Y. and Punk-inspired Little Monster Printing

By Tim Anderl

For a music fan, there are few better feelings than pulling on a shirt emblazoned with the name of a beloved band, or hanging a nice screen-printed poster in your living space. Road warrior and The Story Changes drummer, Chris Popadak, sees this experience play out first hand while working the merchandise table at hundreds of tour dates each year. During the rare occasions he is home, Popadak operates Little Monster Printing, a screen printing business delivering pristine and colorful merchandise – including shirts, posters, hooded sweatshirts, patches and more – for a variety of bands and clients. I caught up with Popadak recently, discussing his skill sets, favorite clients, and the importance of screen-printing to punk rock. Here’s what he had to say.

When did you become interested in screen-printing?

My first introduction came from the Nickelodeon show SK8 TV in the 90s. I remember a visit to the Powell Peralta shop and they showed boards and wheels being printed. Never knew anything about it until that moment. As a young adult I started playing in bands and I definitely paid more attention to it.  That’s where my love for it was born. (Chris “Poppy” Popadak)

Are you self-taught or was this a skill you acquired as a result of some mentoring or class?

I owe all of my basic knowledge to Gretta Smak from the Dirty Socialites. She showed me how to expose screens and we used to print all of our bands’ merchandise in our kitchen. Very do-it-yourself, very varied results, but the basics were learned there. Later I made the jump to using professional grade supplies and equipment. I had a few friends I would write to, or check blogs and websites, but it was very trial and error when it came to the actual printing and setting up the job. [CP]

When did you begin doing this as a small business?

I started taking on clients, other than my own bands, around 2002 or 2003 and then made the jump to register with the state as a small business about five or six years ago, I think. It’s just me, printing each shirt or poster one at a time. [CP]

Where did the “Little Monster” moniker come from?

Well I have a 10 year old son and when he was much younger I always called him my little monster. I wanted to name it after him. [CP]

Where is your work space?

I just recently moved the operation into the Front St. Warehouse. It’s allowing me the space to grow if I choose to and basically to have a more comfortable working environment. [CP]

What do you do to prepare for and execute a job?

Most of my preparation starts off with ordering the garments or paper, and then working with the client to make sure the art is print-ready. When that is in order, I print the art on films and expose the screens. I put the screens on the press, mix up the inks, run some test prints and then start the run. [CP]

Did you start out doing one-color items and graduate to more difficult multi-color pieces?

Yes, most of my prints for the first few years were one-color prints. I built a pretty crude but functional press that I worked on. A year or so later my boss at the Pizza Factory talked to me about printing shirts for our shop, so we worked out a trade and I got my four color press and jumped right into multi-colored prints. Trying something I had not done before was definitely a scary process, but I learned a lot that way. [CP]

Are there any challenges that you’d like to try your hand at in the future?

I want to do some four-color process prints on paper, and my friend Tim Krug took this photo of Dayton years ago that I love. I have the colors separated and ready to go. It’s one of those things that I know has to be perfect or else the print won’t turn out correctly, so taking my time will be key. I want to practice it, though, so if a client does approach me with a job like that I will know I’ll be able to produce it for them. [CP]

How does the business lend itself to your transient, touring musician lifestyle?

It has very positive and negative aspects. The positive aspect is that I’ve met a lot of my clients on the road. I talk to a lot of bands and ask about their merch and the prices they pay. The negative aspect is that I’ve had to turn down a lot of jobs due to being on the road. Or having clients push their deadlines forward or back to match up with my schedule, which in turn always seems to have me printing right before a tour to get all of the orders out. [CP]

You’ve had a pretty diverse roster of clients — from bands, to wedding reception invites, to the West Virginia Film Festival.  How do your clients find you?  Who have been your favorites to work with?

Most of my work comes from word of mouth. My friend Tommy from Minneapolis sent so much work my way a few years ago. When a new band popped up, he sent them my way. It’s still that way, which is great because I don’t do a lot of advertising.  Jason Goad is one of my favorite clients. He’s an amazing artist and he designs with the printer in mind. Seeing his work come together is inspiring. I also love working with the Buffalo Killers. I’ve known Zach and Andrew for about 18 years now, and I’m honored to be printing their stuff. Also, my friend Jason Novak who runs Robbed the Bank Records has been a super cool guy to print for. He’s given me some really cool projects. [CP]

Do you believe that screen-printing is an intrinsic part of the punk subculture?

Very much so. Bands rely heavily on their merch, and almost every item they offer can be, or is, screen-printed. It’s been a way for bands to get their message out without saying a word. It’s also something that anyone can do, so in keeping with the DIY aspect of punk, a lot of kids just get the materials and start doing it on their own. [CP]

Reach DCP freelance writer Tim Anderl at TimAnderl@DaytonCityPaper.com.

By Kathleen Cahill

Outside Residential playing during the benefit show for Haiti held at Vex

A true renaissance was once taking hold, creating magic in the air on the streets of Dayton. The cultural scene seemed to be thriving with art and music events held outside the realm of local bars. Just a few years ago, Dayton held a place for Matt Randolph and his musical production called Outside Residential. This was a time when people opened up their doors to musicians and art shows were held in homes and warehouses. At that time, Randolph would mainly play at art shows such as the Sideshow events and the Pearl, now Vex, when it would hold avant-garde art nights. Now, as our art and music venues are fading away and the bars as music venues grow, it leaves little room for the truly underground musicians such as Randolph in this town.

“My music is too strange for indie-rock, too digital for the noise scene and too odd for the electronic scene,” Randolph confessed. His music produces is what would fall under the umbrella term of experimental electronic music. He incorporates light sampling and bass guitar loops meshed together by simple drumbeats, occasional spoken singing and complex melodies. Unlike many of today’s electronic musicians, Randolph prefers to forgo a computer and instead uses a stereo digital four-track sampler, keyboard and bass guitar. His music lacks loud intense drumbeats that are the driving force for many electronic musicians. Randolph explained, “It’s not dance music, whereas most electronic music is made for dancing, mine is more about atmosphere.”

Providing the audience with a transcendental escape is the motive behind Randolph’s unearthly music. His spacey sounds and repetition of psychedelic melodies is what Randolph calls “daydream-inciting audibles.” To add to the spacey feel of the music, he incorporates visuals with his live sets. His passion for film and music comes to life on stage when his music becomes intertwined with his videos shown on a projector screen. The videos have become a staple for Randolph when performing, stating, “The video will always attract people, it’s like they get tricked into paying attention to both the video and music.”

In high school, Randolph, now 32, purchased his first bass guitar to try to emulate his favorite bassist and singer Les Claypool of Primas. But his history with music is more abstract than most other musicians. In the early stages of his music, he would record household appliances such as a blender or garbage disposal, and then use his drum machine and bass guitar on his four-track recorder to produce songs.

His music rivals that of other musical acts in his genre, such as the well-known experimental rock band Animal Collective. For Randolph, a Dayton resident, creating music is not about coming up with an idea or following song structures. Randolph describes, “It’s more about having an ear than to have an idea for a song. I play around with it until something sounds good to me.”  Perfecting this ear did not happen overnight for Randolph, but is the product of years of experience.

Over the course of nine years, Randolph produced six albums. The most recent, titled “Coniferous,” came out at the beginning of this year and is a compilation of music from 2006-2009. Most of the music on “Coniferous” is what Randolph has been playing live under the name Outside Residential. A unique aspect of Randolph’s live set is that no two performances are ever the same because he is constantly perfecting. The music he produces overall is playful but still allows the listener to be relaxed. Randolph admits, “My music is not well-suited for the club or bar scene because it isn’t party music.”

When listening to his music, it is easy to image it being played in hip European-style coffee shops or live at an art gallery where the music can be appreciated. Although most bars in the Dayton area are not looking for ambient music to be played in their establishments, Randolph managed to play a total of 23 shows throughout 2010. Most were hosted at Oregon Express and open mic night at Blind Bob’s.

Even with the number of shows played, Randolph still faces discrimination against his music. Most area establishments want to provide a lively atmosphere with more mainstream music. By censoring what is played in bars, we are not exposing the public to the vast amount of underground music Dayton has to offer. Much of the problem stems from favoring which bands can pull in the most people. Randolph explained, “I think the music scene in Dayton has become more about the social scene. And I don’t participate in the social scene.”

Recently, it has become more apparent how important the small music and art venues were to the Dayton scene. They provided a haven for unique musicians not just in Dayton but the surrounding areas as well. The closing of places such as the Dayton Dirt Collective has left a definite mark in our community. Those spots once housed traveling musicians from all over the country and provided an outlet for those who were unable to be booked in local bars due to their strange genres or the fact that there was a minimal fan base. Now, because of the lack of these types of venues, Dayton will not continue to grow as a safe house for explorative musicians like Randolph. We may never become the culture mecca we had hoped for unless we allow thinking outside the box.

Reach DCP freelance writer Kathleen Cahill at contactus@daytoncitypaper.com

By Kathleen Chaill

Sean Patton and Mike Shultz are Electric Banana

The two-man group of out Troy, Electric Banana, brings heat to the stages of Dayton venues by using ‘80s-esque dance beats, backed by an invigorating classic hard rock sound. The electro-rock duo uses an unconventional set-up of a drum machine, keyboard synthesizers and two guitars, with only the guitars being played live.

“Two guitars are a lot fuller than one,” singer and guitarist Sean Patton noted about their unique arrangement. “It gives it a heavier sound, and seems necessary because we have two different styles of playing.”

Guitarist Mike Schultz has a more fluid style of playing than his counterpart and this is evident when seen live. The pair complements each other well, with both bringing their own unique guitar solos and riffs.

“No one is really doing solos anymore, it is like the flash has been taken out of it,” Schultz said.

On stage, the two-man group goes full throttle with energy and flare with front man Patton usually sporting unique outfits such as pink leotards or all white denim pants and jackets.

“You also need visuals with the music; you will see us and not forget us,” Patton expressed about his sometimes wild clothing.

Schultz, however, does not get lost in the background, but instead ignites on stage with head-banging and long, smooth guitar solos. Combined, the two of them live have a full sound that when heard, sounds like a four-man band. Patton and Schultz recognize that they work well together and do not want to disrupt the chemistry by bringing in another member such as a drummer.

“It was how the band was built; why fix something that isn’t broken?” said Schultz.

By incorporating the use of a drum machine and keyboard, Electric Banana has a dated electro-pop rock feel that is hard to put a label on. To the two of them, it is just strictly rock n’ roll.

“It’s rock music, why make it difficult? People have so many things that they wish their music to be, ours is just rock,” Patton expressed.

Exhibiting a mixture of light dance pop with heavy rock, their music is a product of their influences such as Prince, Megadeth, Ween and Queens of the Stone Age. Together, they work on concepts for songs – even the writing of the lyrics is a team effort. Their songs are unconventional and what they sing about even more so.  On their last full-length album, “Black Rubber,” they used pitch shifts on the vocals -often times spoken instead of sung. The lyrical writing is done by the two of them and is a reflection of their daily lives.

When speaking about their lyrics, Patton said, “We don’t take them too seriously because why sing about serious things all the time? Some of what we write about is based on real people that we turn fictional.”

Electric Banana was formed out of what Patton and Schultz expressed as years of them simply playing around. Since forming, they have released a series of three albums and have shown improvement with each.

“We are forever changing our song structure; we don’t just write one way and then just go with it,” Patton commented about their evolving sound.

Electric Banana has recently released a new EP titled “Odds and Ends.” The album consists of six tracks with a blend of both dance and rock and is a strange mix of songs that range from drug references to a light-hearted break-up song. With the range of songs such as these, it is easy to see why the EP got its name “Odds and Ends.”

To debut the new release, Electric Banana had a show at Jimmy’s Cornerstone with accompanying bands Astro Fang and Roley Yuma. Their next endeavor will be making a concept album with hopes of being finished around the beginning of summer 2011. They have hopes of touring in surrounding states after the release of their next album.

Electric Banana introduces an unusual blend of dance rock that is uncommon in the Dayton music scene. Staying fresh and not getting caught in repetition is what helps to keep them from fading away. One of the recent highlights of their music career was going onto WYSO’s show “Kaleidoscope” where they were interviewed and played a few of their songs. The secret to their success and feel good music is their philosophy of what Patton says is, “Not taking ourselves too seriously.”

For more information on Electric Banana you can visit their website www.electricbananarocks.com

By J.T. Ryder

Dirty Martini

While the word burlesque may be a derivative of the Latin word burra, meaning trifle, it is anything but. While its organic origins are obscure and rather hard to pin down, what is now known as the ‘old’ burlesque was a fanciful mélange of sexual innuendo, farcical skits and deviant dance numbers. The primary image of burlesque being scantily clad women sashaying about to a bump and grind beat is truly only representative of the declining years of the ‘old’ burlesque. With that in mind, however, the mold in which burlesque cast itself was a molten cauldron of sexuality and ribald humor mixed in with elements of musical interludes and poignant social commentary. The realm of the ‘new’ burlesque lies somewhere in between the shadow world of the seedy strip clubs, theatrical performance art, the drag scene and the Rockettes.

Another film about the burgeoning ‘new’ burlesque is a documentary by Gary Beeber (Ten In One Productions) that is set to make its Dayton premier on November 18^th at 8:00 pm at The Neon Movies. I was able to speak with Beeber at length and one of the first questions I asked was how he became interested in the world of burlesque.

“I was working on a film about this fire eater from the Coney Island Circus Sideshow. I had asked the fire eater who would be good people to interview that liked her and she pointed out Dirty Martini. So, I went over and did the interview with Dirty and in meeting her, I was just amazed immediately because she wasn’t anything like what I thought a burlesque performer would be.” Beeber said, his respect for the performer reflected in his voice. “What I thought a burlesque performer would be was like a Las Vegas showgirl and I thought that she might be rather vacant, but Dirty was incredibly bright and very well spoken. She was just the total opposite of what I thought a burlesque performer would be and I thought, ‘Jeez, this would make a good film!’ That’s how it basically came to be.”

In talking with Beeber, I wondered how the art of burlesque had been revived. What was the impetus and who were the performers that brought it back from the dead?

“This film is about Dirty Martini. What had happened with burlesque is that it died out. I mean, it was totally dead. Dirty was really enamored with the downtown drag scene where they were doing these burlesque-like pageants and she was just trying to do what they did. Now Dirty had even gone to college to study modern dance, so that is her background, so she kind of worked it in to what became the ‘new’ burlesque. Now, Dirty Martini and the other people in this film didn’t really know that they were doing burlesque. Dirty Martini and some of these other people were the ones that really pioneered this new burlesque that is now everywhere.”

In delving into this topic for his documentary, I was curious as to how much Beeber presented the long and convoluted history of burlesque into the mix.

“In interviewing Dirty Martini, I also explored some of the people that influenced her. They were people like Tura Satana, who was famous for her role in Russ Meyer’s Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! There was also Dixie Evans, who was the Marilyn Monroe of burlesque and several others who I was able to get some very rare footage of. So, with that, we do explore where her moves came from. There’s also Dee Milo, who I don’t think is that well known, but she was the goddess of dance.” As to how he juxtaposes the past with the present, Beeber revealed that, “Some of the footage that we got is of these women doing their routines and then I have Dirty do her version of it, so that is how we explore the old time burlesque.”

And what of the satirical sniping that used to exist in the burlesque of old?

“Having dealt with many of these performers and seeing their shows, I feel that they are exploring the boundaries.” Beeber added that, “Some of these shows have a political message too, so it’s not just someone up there shaking their rear-end. It’s not just somebody taking off their clothes.”

There are other social commentaries as well, and ones which fit well into the modern world and are represented by the performer’s presence as well as the performance.

“Well, what we talk about in this film is the women’s movement and we talk about how that has affected burlesque. I think that with Dirty Martini…I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but she’s big, beautiful woman. There are so many women, all over the world, who have been inspired by her.” Candidly, Beeber said, “Basically, every woman in the world thinks that there is something fucked up about their appearance and they are very inspired by Dirty because Dirty goes out there and puts on a show and then they feel, ‘Well, my body is good too. I’m beautiful too.’ So, she has broken a lot of barriers. It’s interesting too, because in the film, she says that she doesn’t give a shit about what men think about her. All she cares about is that she can do her performance.”

Dayton native Gary Beeber will present his documentary, Dirty Martini and the New Burlesque at The Neon Movies on November 18th at 8:00 pm. Tickets are only $15 in advance ($20 day of show). There will be a live performance after the screening by Dayton burlesque queen Champagne Shock as well as burlesque queens Viva Valezz!, Pandora Foxx and Nina Cherry and hosted by MC Dexter Wilde. For more information, call The Neon’s box office (937) 222-7469 or visit the movie’s website at ten-in-oneproductions.com.

Reach DCP freelance writer J.T. Ryder at contactus@daytoncitypaper.com

Heart Of The Whore

The Music You Have Never Heard

By Kathleen Cahill

Artists of all styles have pushed their music into a state where it leaves the realm of what most people consider music to walk the fine line of noise.  With roots dating back to the early 1900s, noise is nothing new.  In fact, noise has even been heard in the mainstream, brought to us by such artists as Yoko Ono, Sonic Youth, Lou Reed, Jimi Hendrix and Nine Inch Nails.  In the local area’s underground scene of noise, Luke Tandy, originally from, Muncie, Indiana, has helped to revitalize the already-existing scene by moving to Dayton in 2007. Tandy brought his style of harsh noise and opened a house venue named The Acid Fever House, now closed, that featured avant-garde acts from around the country.

Harsh noise is a sub-genre of noise.  Like its name implies, harsh noise is more intense, loud and traditionally uses more static. Tandy, who specializes in creating harsh noise that uses heavy feedback, uses microphones, scrap metal and tapes, and has three noise projects consisting of two solo acts: Being and Tephra, and a third project named Heart of the Whore, with fellow members John Moloney and Matt Reis.  “You tape the contact mic to the piece of scrap metal’s surface and it picks up the vibrations when you manipulate it and scrape other metal against it. It’s super loud amplified junk metal,” Tandy relayed about his use of special microphones called contact mics that he uses in his harsh noise projects.

Tandy was first introduced to noise music while attending Ball State University in Indiana. He started out listening to electronic music and bands like Sonic Youth.  “There is the rock side to noise and the electronic music side, but I kept wanting to hear something more far out which led me to noise.” Harsh noise is not considered music by most standards, but for Tandy and others, harsh noise is more than music – it’s a way of life. The scene has an almost cult-like following as well, with album art that falls under a very stylized dark and minimalist formula.  Within the noise scene, cassette tapes are still alive and doing well with the majority of noise releases today being produced on tapes.

Tandy’s latest release on cassette tape under his project Being is titled Slated for Evacuation. The album itself shows the true progression of Being as it reaches new heights by bringing in more highs, lows and mids to the music. “I tried to expand the palette of sounds and leave behind the monolithic wall of harsh sound,” said Tandy. “It’s more dynamic.” The tape is full of feedback layers that evoke thoughts of human voices hidden under the static.  In his album there is almost a rhythm to the music, of which noise music is usually void.  This rhythm of feedback static and dissonant sound brings about ideas of a violent ocean with beating waves against a rocky shoreline. The album is not for the faint-of-heart due to the heavy and aggressive nature of Tandy’s music. When talking about his live sets played out mainly in basements and art venues, Tandy states, “I start off minimal but then it turns violent by thrashing the metal around.”

When first listening to noise, most reactions tend to be that of confusion and
negativity.  “It is very confrontational and is far outside the norm, and it doesn’t really sound like music to people,” said Tandy. “It sounds like something is broken and that can be bothersome for people.” While this is a common reaction people give him when exposed to noise music, he confessed his feeling about harsh noise and why he has been drawn to such odd music by stating, “It’s cliché to say but a lot of people use the word cathartic to describe it. I obtain a cathartic level, it’s a total release. A nice release I never get to feel otherwise.”

Tandy is also a producer of music, releasing albums on his record label Skeleton Dust Recordings, and was honored to do a release for the well-known noise musician Richard Ramirez.  Besides running his record label and producing his three music projects, Tandy has managed to go on tour over the past couple of years. In 2007, he played at the St. Louis Noise Fest and has toured throughout the Midwest, Philadelphia, New York and Texas. This past summer, he toured with other noise musicians such as Paranoid Time, Taskmaster and Rusalka.  When reflecting on his involvement within the noise scene over the years, he concluded, “Noise doesn’t feel like noise to me anymore, but a different kind of music.”

For more information, contact Luke Tandy at SkeletonDust.Blogspot.com or MySpace.com/BeingSound

Reach DCP freelance writer Kathleen Cahill at contactus@daytoncitypaper.com

By Kathleen Cahill

New Vega

In an age when self-taught musicians fill the current indie-rock scene, New Vega is fresh air. The troupe’s well polished sound is testament to the professional training each member has received. New Vega has a diverse style that falls under a common ground, with every person in the group contributing their own sense of self to the music. Their sound is spacey and on the cusp of what it means to be contemporary. New Vega defies genres with their bold jazz influences to produce a very new, but timeless sounid.

When performing live, Alex Rundle’s de-
meanor is tame for a front man. He is more caught up in the music than how the audience may perceive him. His vocals are light and airy which adds to the already ambient sound. Rundle’s keyboard playing acts as the center-piece to the jazz-rock sound while Adam Sabin’s bass distortion pedal creates an almost pipe organ sound by creating fade-ins and outs of strummed cords. The bass, which can be heard well live, helps give balance to the keyboard’s higher notes.  One common mistake in indie-rock music is an overly loud guitar; however, New Vega’s guitarist Chance Campbell plays smooth easy listening riffs that do not overpower the music. Backing up the overall jazz-rock sound is drummer Zach Sabin who understands the technical use of both hard and soft hits of percussion.

In a warehouse off Linden Avenue the band New Vega rents a practice space. Their studio reflects their ambitions as musicians with a full sound booth and practice space separated by a large window, much like what you see professionals use. On a whiteboard, Adam Sabin takes charge, directing the rest of the band on what will be covered during their practice. They are organized and thorough during rehearsal with every so often finishing a song to converse about it and then begin another. Unlike their counter parts, New Vega has a tighter, more held together sound.  When talking about how they compare to bands in the area Adam Sabin prides himself on their ability to work well together and adds, “We are a little cleaner and more precise, other bands in the area play a little rawer and looser.”

It has been only two short years that the band New Vega has formed and they have already produced closely knit songs with a distinctively “New Vega” sound. Defying what it means to be indie-rock, Adam Sabin stated, “When you get classified into one genre of sound you can begin to define yourself more finitely.” While being a sub-genre of rock and roll, indie-rock has a shown us that you can take rock and roll in many different directions. In New Vega’s case, they are very much a rock band that pulls toward a modern jazz sound.  Zach Sabin expressed, “We are not trying to decide on a certain sound, but we have a jazz background that we can’t get away from at this point.”

With all of the members having played their instruments of choice for over a decade, New Vega’s songs are interesting and technical. Their self-titled EP has only three songs but is complete in its entirety.  Rundle, who was not always the lead singer, took it upon himself to take vocal lessons.  He states that while writing lyrics for New Vega’s songs, “I try to write things that can be taken on a personal level or on a larger scale.” This is evident in their song, “Habits” which talks about habits forming and compares them to a sleeping beast that can easily be awakened.

Over the past two years, New Vega has performed throughout the Miami Valley at such venues as Blind Bob’s, Canal Street Tavern, Club Vex and Peach’s. Outside Dayton, they have played the prestigious Southgate House in Newport, Kentucky not to mention Cincinnati’s annual Mid-Point Music Festival, where they were particularly honored to play alongside well-known music acts like the Pomegranates. Their last show was a house party in Indiana.

New Vega stands out in the Dayton indie-rock scene by what Campbell said is, “Thinking outside of Dayton.”  The group as a whole appreciates their fellow musicians in Dayton and believes that it is because of these talented musicians in the Miami Valley that they have been challenged to stand out. Adam Sabin, who does sound engineering in Dayton and has been able to see many of the acts in the area, stated that, “Every single band in the area helps other bands to be more creative.”

As of now, New Vega is working on a first full-length album, not yet titled. With anticipations running high about their first LP release they all keep a level head about it, saying that they are still working out some of their issues. Campbell added that within this new album, “Quality changes over time; we are trying to work towards a more cohesive sound. So no matter what, you will be able to tell that we have a homogenous sound.”

Reach DCP freelance writer Kathleen Cahill at contactus@daytoncitypaper.com