Coming Soon

Welcome to My Swag Magazine Coming Soon Page
Here you will be updated on new columns to come to My Swag.
We value your opinions so let us know via e-mail(Info@myswagmag.com) Twitter(@MySwagMagazine) or shouting really loud out your window what you think about the new things to come to My Swag.
Updated all the time so stay in the know with My Swag Magazine


What you listening to?
What you listening to is as simple as the title"what you listening to". Its all about the readers of the magazine and what's in there Ipod/mp3 player.Being that the reader are sharp and cutting edge and hip to the new we decided to make a columns just for them.All content of "what you listening to" is for the readers by the readers.
Set Release Date:TBA


Swag Check
What's more fun then looking a pictures of celebs ? Judging picture of celebs.Swag check is all about did your look make the cut (Its like the fashion police but grades and better commenter) now the question is who fail and pass.
Set Release Date:TBA


Polls
Did you miss the polls?Well if you did then miss no more there back and better then ever.From fashion to music to movies and everything in between we got you covered.
Set Release Date:TBA

Kill Brand

Killbrand was started in 2000 by pop punk drummer Jonathan Smith. While on tour with Tokyo Rose, Jonny ran into a problem faced by many musicians: he ran out of clean t-shirts.

Instead of making a pit stop at the nearest thrift shop, Jonny got creative. He bought a hot pink t-shirt and a can of black spray paint. He spray painted K-I-L-L in huge letters across the front, and took the stage.
His creation turned the heads of punk rock peers and fans. Soon, they started requesting their own “Kill” shirts. Still on the road, Jonny started designing, spray-painting and selling his t’s out of the back of his tour van. Word spread and demand grew. When Jonny returned from tour, he ditched the spray paint cans and invested in a screen printing machine. Though it wasn’t the ideal décor for his studio apartment, it was perfect for officially branding and building Killbrand's line.
Now juggling Tokyo Rose, Killbrand, and teaching surf lessons on the side to make ends meet, Jonny started designing and screen printing each t-shirt and hoodie himself, making sure to include his signature word, “Kill.” From designing to printing and shipping, he did it all by himself out of his cramped studio apartment on the Jersey Shore.

"Apparently, the bigger you get, the less money you make…haha. Realize that you're going to have some friends, but there are a lot of fake people in the business"

Jonny soon left Tokyo Rose, but didn’t leave the touring life behind. He set out on Warped Tour and Taste of Chaos, and set up tables at Bamboozle and other music festivals, promoting and selling the Killbrand line solo. Life on tour was grueling, but with each show, Killbrand’s notoriety grew. The grassroots campaigning has paid off.

Killbrand designs have been requested by stylists from GQ Magazine, and featured in Alternative Press and Wonka Vision Magazine. Seth Green, Pete Wentz, Patrick Stump, Steven of Steven’s Untitled Rock Show, Nicole Richie and Ashlee and Jessica Simpson wear Killbrand. So do bands such as Second Hand Serenade, Fall Out Boy, The Used, My Chemical Romance, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, and countless others. Killbrand is currently available in Tilly’s, Virgin Megastores, and select boutiques across the USA and Europe, and on the official website www.killbrand.com

All of Killbrand's designs are hand-drawn and coveted by a diverse group of people, from artists to musicians, fashion lovers to comfortwear seekers, and anyone with a taste for unique clothing. Killbrand’s line features over 70 pieces, including men’s and women’s t-shirts and hoodies, hats, bags, flip flops, gloves, and women’s dresses and intimates. All of the garments are soft, comfortable, flattering, and made and printed in the USA.
Killbrand is proud to remain true to its punk rock roots by having strong business ethics, using independently-owned printing companies, and producing unique clothing of the highest quality.

Who are the players on the kill team and what are there fashion/design backgrounds?
I use a lot of freelancers. I'll come up with a design concept and send them out to our designers. We have a lot of young, college age designers that do freelance for us. They're all into the brand so I know they're going to put their heart into the design and not just do it for an hourly rate. The ones out of college studied art or design and have always had a passion for original artwork.

So you are the boss, being so what unique challenges and opportunities does this present?
Well, when I started Killbrand, I never thought I'd spend half my day tracking down money, figuring out why a stores shirts are lost in the Czech Republic or stuck in Russian customs. A small company faces daily challenges. For example, I trusted one of my employees to handle one of our biggest accounts this year- Virgin Megastores. Well, the day before the order was supposed to be shipped to Virgin, none of the shirts or accessories were ready.

They hadn't even been screen printed yet. So, I called up Dogwig, our print shop, drove over there at 6pm as they were closing down, convinced them to stay open, then helped the entire staff screen print about 600 gloves and 1000 t-shirts. We worked hours into the night. After that, my girlfriend and I had to put in all of the hang tags. I think I worked for 20 hours straight to get out that order. In the end, it got done on time. And that employee doesn't work for me anymore. Ideally, I'd like to concentrate on putting out designs and thinking of different ways to market the brand. That's my favorite part of my job. But at the end of the day, being able to do something I love and am passionate about, it's totally worth dealing with all the other stuff too.

It seems like many street-oriented brands tend to focus towards a youth demographic. That being said, can you foresee this generation of consumers continuing to wear street wear into there 30s and beyond?
It's all what kind of person you are. If you feel like you're confident enough to wear something that's a little more edgy and not some cookie-cutter outfit from JCrew, then you're going to seek out more original clothing. I'm 29 and I'm a t-shirt and jeans dude… though the proper high tops are very important. I still don't own a suit. I have to borrow my dad's jacket on the rare occasions I need one. I think this generation is definitely more inclined to wear original clothing and to express themselves through their wardrobe. I definitely don't want to "sell out" or get too big too quick, because then kids will turn on you and deem you "uncool." I definitely get excited when someone in their late 20s or early 30s is wearing Killbrand. I hope Killbrand can grow with this generation, and they'll continue to look to us and follow us and dig our designs.

How do you intend on keeping your brand image that of one consumers will actively want to associate with?
I think people buy and wear the clothes proudly because we're not over saturated at all. We don't run a lot of ads and force ourselves on people. Even our logo is still a shirt that kids are proud to wear, rather than some logo that was a fad for a few months. I'll go out on Warped Tour and sell shirts and meet our customers first hand, and then hopefully they'll tell their friends that we're really DIY, and not some corporate office. I think people respect that, and respect a slow growth of a brand.

Any firsts for Kill in `08?
We started video-ing some of our shirt designs being drawn from start to finish, to show how it comes to life from a doodle on a napkin, to being hand drawn, to being scanned in the computer, to being screen printed on a shirt. I wanted to show that our designs are totally original and hand drawn and not created by clip art or Photoshop. I really strive to bring original concepts to clothing and I want our customers to know that. Also, I joined up with my a girls-only line, called Love & Lipgloss.

Do you find yourself more inspired by fashion or things external to the fashion world?
External. Definitely. I don't really watch fashion week, or keep up with trends, which can be good or bad. For instance, our head designer and me have always like old horror movie posters. So we're doing a whole line of tees featuring made-up horror movie posters. Like, Cheerleaders with Chainsaws vs. The Cobra Babies as a Double Feature… kind of like an old Grindhouse Movie. I have no idea if people will like it, but it's fun to be able to try it. We do stuff like this, instead of looking through a magazine and being like, oh, high-waisted pants are in, we should do something with high-waisted pants.

What advice would you give to the many people out there today who are trying to start their own brands and companies?
I'd like to say that education is the most important thing… but I've gotten further by just meeting the right people and working hard. Get out there, go to what ever major city is by you and try to meet as many people as possible. I was an intern at Def Jam records just to meet people that could help and have helped.

For some of the up and coming brands, what are some of the overlooked tasks that you had to complete during start-up that they may not be aware of but definitely need to know about?
Apparently, the bigger you get, the less money you make…haha. Realize that you're going to have some friends, but there are a lot of fake people in the business. You really realize who thinks your cool for owning a brand, and who likes you as a person. And Get your overseas trademark!!!

Any last words? Speak now, or, you know the rest.
OBAMA in 08!!!!!!!
Thanks SO MUCH!!!!

Kyle Lucas of Vonnegutt

Vonnegutt is your girlfriend's favorite new band.
Here's an unlikely recipe: Take classic emcee skills and dope lyrics, add pop sensibility and rock energy. Stir. Sprinkle a dash of inspiration from a literary icon. What do you get?
Vonnegutt.
Formed in early '07, the band has quickly built a tremendous buzz, placing in the top ranks of several unsigned band lists, drawing an ever-growing fan base, and catching the eye of several record labels (including Big Boi of Outkast’s Purple Ribbon Records). Recently, their popularity earned them a spot at the Vans Warped Tour in Atlanta.
Though the band's success may seem to have come easily, Vonnegutt's two founding members had been paying their dues for years before crossing paths. Frontman/emcee Kyle Lucas was earning a name for himself in the underground hip-hop and mixtape scene. Guitarist/singer Neil Garrard was busy doing session work for some of the south's biggest names in Rap/R&B(Dungeon Family, Pastor Troy, and Kelly Rowland).
Looking to create something that fit his expansive musical tastes, Lucas decided to form an alternative hip-hop band. Garrard soon responded to his flyer at a local music shop, and after meeting they recognized their shared vision and musical chemistry.

"Well one of the reasons people didn't like the name at first was because we don't talk about political elements or counterculture aspects as much as he did in his novel. But i think if we focused to much on his material in our songs we would come across as a gimmick band"

Within months, with the help of friend and producer Michael Woodruff, the duo had created their first record, a promising marriage of rock, hip-hop, funk, and electronica. The Vice Nine EP lit up the internet with thousands of plays on Myspace and a big response from college radio with their single “Bright Eyes”. Their style has been described as "refreshing" and “a unique blend of hip-hop & rock.” They went on to play many shows in and around the Atlanta area earning a sizeable following.
On the heels of the spark that was the Vice Nine EP, the band has solidified its lineup with the addition of Mike Hardin on drums and Patrick Postlewait on bass. Recently Vonnegutt went back into the studio and refined their sound with producer Simon Illa. The result is their brand new ep The Appetizer EP, which is set for a fall release.
So, only one question remains...
Are you hungry?!

118: Alright Kyle, break down Vonnegutt for all the My Swag readers out there, who makes up Vonnegutt?
Kyle: No Problem, Vonnegutt is a live hip-hop band that consists of myself on vocals, Neil Garrard on guitar/vocals, Gage Brown on bass/vocals and Mike Hardin on drums/vocals

How did the band come together? Was it the typical high school friends who started practicing in a garage story or was it different?
Yea it was pretty different. I have been rhyming forever and got kind of bored with rapping and really rap music in general so i decided the next thing to do was start a band. I started posting up flyers about starting a live hip-hop band and then neil called. And the rest of the members filled in as well after that.

Cool, so how long ago was the band finalized. When was the roster set?
We've been a band for about a year and a half now. But we are still changing and growing, we want to add a keyboard player next.

Foreal? Anybody in mind or will you be holding auditions for that? If so, do you know when?
I think it would probably be best to find them through musicians and industry people we already know. Not saying that the average joe couldn't come aboard but i think everything will fall into place.

Tell me about the name Vonnegutt. Whats the story behind it?
It's actually the last name of my favorite author from high school Kurt Vonnegut Jr. We added an additional "t" for copyright reasons. At first we caught alot of shit from critics and magazines about using his name, but eventually it kinda caught on and i always meet kids after shows who come up to me and say how much they love the name. So i think it worked out well

Definitely, I think its an awesome and original name for a band. I did some research on Kurt Vonnegutt Jr when getting ready for the interview and I read that he was a counterculture writer. Would you say that you implement some counterculture elements into your music?
Well one of the reasons people didn't like the name at first was because we don't talk about political elements or counterculture aspects as much as he did in his novel. But i think if we focused to much on his material in our songs we would come across as a gimmick band. We do however pull from all elements of music and are trying to be a little more original then what's out there, and that's what i think he did as far as his novels. I'm also a little sarcastic at times in my rhymes, so i think he would of appreciated that

"Umm, not really star struck any. I got a chance to connect with Matt from Gym Class Heroes so that was ill. Shouts out to GCH! They killed it today!"

Speaking of your rhymes, who are some of yoru favorite emcees and why?
Umm, i am such hip hop head its unhealthy. So for me to tell me all the rappers i listen to or grew up listening to it would take forever. Haha. But my top 5 emcees as of this moment, in no particular order would have to be Jay-Z, Royce da 5'9'', Black Thought (of The Roots), Joe Budden and Wale. I just got into Wale like a month ago and i was blown away. I felt like a fan again. I haven't felt like that in 3 years since the first time i heard Saigon. Wale is the shit!

Ooh heavy into underground hip hop i see. how would you classify your rap style? anybody that it can be compared to?
I don't know how i would classify my rap style to be honest. But i was talking to Matt from Gym Class Heroes today and he said i reminded him of Slug from Atmosphere and i thought that was funny cause the only 2 rappers i ever get compared to are Slug from Atmosphere and Travis from Gym Class Heroes.

Well I never heard of Slug but I definitely would agree with the Travis comparison. Vonnegutt's music seems to be a little more soulful than GCH's music though. Was the soulfulness of Vonnegutt's music coincidence or was it MEANT to be that way?
Well at first i was just going to rhyme in the band. Then i found out Neil could sing, and we took it a step further. Neil is very soulful and i think it comes across heavy in our records. Like i said we are still brand new and our new material blows the old cd out of the water so its pretty exciting coming into our own and finding our sound.

Speaking of the album, what are some of your favorite tracks on the new album and how has the music changed from the last album to the new one?
As of now its "Ex-Girlfriends Are Stupid" and "City of Clones." Of course we are still recording every week and coming up with new ideas, nothing is final until we get an offical release date. And Vonnegutt's music has definatly evolved, because we are kind of finding our niche and working together better just because we've grown as far as band this past year.

But once I'm up there i'm fine and you would never know I was trying not to throw up for the last 3 hours. Haha, but Warped was dope!

I know from the band's MySpace that you are in negotiations with Purple Ribbon Records which is huge, can you update My Swag on the progress of the deal?
Umm. well from what im told things are moving along, i mean these things take time and we might of announced that we have contracts on the table a little prematurely but i mean c'mon, were kids, when Big Boi says he's going to sign you and your lawyer gets contracts, you get extremly excited! haha, but i was pretty naive to the industry and how long things take as far as negotiations and what not. So hopefully soon everything will be wrapped up shortly, but i mean were moving right along as far as building a buzz and doing shows and recording. We have a manger now, so things are cooking a little more. We had a meeting with Big Boi not to long ago and he was really excited with the project and that was very re-assuring.

I think that would be huge for hip hop music in general to have a real rap BAND on a label such as Purple Ribbon. I have never heard of anything like that so I'm personally excited to see what comes of it. I think everybody is looking for a new sound and I think Vonnegutt gives you that. How did Big Boi even come into the picture?
Well our guitar player Neil was one of Dunegon Family's studio musicians and has played on whole heep of rap/r&b records. So once we finished our first EP, Big Boi's camp was just the first person who we handed a cd too. The rest just kinda rolled into place, we had contracts before we even did a show.

Pays off to have friends in high places and when you have the talent its pretty much a no brainer huh. When you and I talked yesterday you mentioned that you still get nervous at your shows. Well today you played the Vans Warped Tour, THATS HUGE! Just how nervous were you? lol
Haha i was really nervous. I mean ima pretty emotional and over dramatic and i tend to obsess over issues and getting on stage is one of them. But once i'm up there i'm fine and you would never know i was trying not to throw up for the last 3 hours. Haha, but Warped was dope! It was such an awesome experience and an honor to be included in it. Especially since we are such a new band.

No doubt no doubt. Were you startruck at all? Any new friends and colleagues as a result of the show?
Umm, not really star struck any. I got a chance to connect with Matt from Gym Class Heroes so that was ill. Shouts out to GCH! They killed it today!

So should we look for any future collaborations with GCH or any other artists for that matter? Any collaborations on the new album? Any artists the band would like to collaborate with in the near future?
Well, we have a few people in mind that would fit our album perfect. Big Boi will def be on it, we have something in the works featuring Big Gipp being produced by Ray Murray Organized Noize. As far as Gym Class Heroes, I’m definitely down. I'm really up for anything.

Big Gipp, now THAT would be interesting lol Its obvious that Vonnegutt's music is a very different type of hip hop. Are you ready for the criticism, if any, that the media might have as far as the classification of your music as far as the appropriate genre that it should be labeled under? What do you have to say to those that say that your music is not "real hip hop" but anything else?
I don't like being boxed in with categories or anything. I try to stray as far away as i possibly can. But if necessary, i would say we are live hip-hop, alternative hip-hop or just hip-hop. No rap rock. I hate it when people say rap rock, we are definetly not that. It makes me think of like limp bizkit or something. We are Hip-Hop.

Well said. What would you say that Vonnegutt's mission is? What are you guys out to prove or change, if anything?
To be honest we just wanna make dope, fun music. We touch on alot of topics and subjects, but we just want you to enjoy yourself while listening to our music. We're fun!

Yea I noticed that! Its awesome to see hip hop that’s headed in a different direction and with the different topics that the band brings to the table are definitely a step up from cars, hoes, and dro lol Not that there's anything wrong with that because I know I definitely bump to that shit too lol When can we expect the next album to drop, go ahead and plug it for My Swag along with any future shows or anything the band has coming up
Well I think we got a few shows coming up in Atlanta. We are working on a tour nationwide soon. And the album isn't dropping until this label thing gets sorted, but we almost have a album worth of new material. If it ends up taking to long, we've discussed about dropping it independently or on the net or something.

Well whatever way that the band chooses, I know i'll be copping. Anything else you would like to say to the Vonnegutt fans and My Swag fans that are reading this right now?
I just wanna thank all our fans. I try to express it as much as possible, i'm always down to sign every autograph and take a million pictures with you guys. I love our fans and i just want our fans to know how much we appreciate them. "Vonnegutt fans are the best fans in the world!"

Click here for Vonnegutt Myspace

Sarah Rosado

What's up let everybody know your name and what you do?
My name is Sarah Rosado. I am a Freelance Photographer and an Artist.

How did you get started? Did you start doodling at a young age and it just stuck or was there a different artistic trajectory for you?
I come from a family with artistic abilities. My father was a musician, my aunt, uncle, cousins are also artists. At a very young age I developed a knack for drawing. I was the only child among my other siblings who always decorated my notebook with drawings and even in class I was always doodling on what ever I could get my hands on. It sometimes got me in trouble. However, as I grew older, my desire to draw increased. My goal is to exhibit my Art at a Gallery where people can have the opportunity to view my work and where I can earn a living from it.

If a random person were to open your sketchbook, what drawing would be most puzzling to them?
About a year ago, I started adding dimension to my work, such as identical reflections on mirrors within the art and also objects that can be viewed from different angles. This, I would say, would be most puzzling to a random person who views my work.

What’s the greatest compliment anyone’s ever paid you and your work?
The greatest compliment that I have received about my work has been how much detail and expression my art has. It's as if each picture has it's own story to tell.

What’s your preferred medium? What best suits you?
Since I am also a photographer I take many pictures of different objects in parks, shopping malls or any other place where there are many different people and activities. Usually, I use these pictures as a medium for the scenario of my drawing, but not always; other times it could be something I saw on television or the internet. What best suits me, is a quiet, peaceful environment. I have a room that I use only when I am drawing for that purpose.

Do you listen to music while you work? If so, what music moves you?
Honestly, I do not listen to music while I work. I feel that it distracts my concentration. While working I prefer a silent room where I can focus all my attention on what I am doing.

What challenges you as an artist?
There are many challenges out there with all kinds of exceptional artists and when I look at their work, I get motivated to do better. However, I don't believe that the challenge is a question about who's work is better, since each artist has their own unique style, the challenge would be which style of art is preferred by the people that view it.

What’s the longest time you’ve spent on a single piece? Have you ever begun something and had to walk away from it and come back again later? Have you ever abandoned something all together, never to return?
Usually, it takes me an entire day, without interruption, to finish my piece. However, if the drawing requires more detail I usually come back to it later. However, I don't normally like to do that because it interferes with the inspiration aspect of it. I feel that when I walk away and come back later to any of my drawings it is not the same final result as if I sat and finished the product continuously.

Is there a reason in particular that you draw lots of characters?
My choice of drawing lots of different characters is actually inspired by the many different life forms on this planet, whether it's a small odd looking insect or the many different faces of people from different cultures.
"Bugs Bunny is a wise smarty pants who could definitely outsmart poor ole Wile E. His inventions are ingenious but careless. That is his flaw."

What are your plans for the near future?

At this time, I am focusing on getting my work exposed in the public eye. Hopefully, in the near future, I plan to open my own business.

Outside of Art and all the other stuff on your plate, what other things are keeping you excited day-to-day? Any hobbies?
Outside of Art, what keeps me exited on a day to day basis is time spent decorating my home, creating a new recipe and/or volunteering a few hours a week at homeless shelters.
Also, I love to spend time listening to soft rock music.

Is there a project you’ve worked on that stands out for you the most, whether it offered you the most creative freedom, was a character you had always wanted to work on, or for any other reason really? What made it memorable?
As an adult, I love cartoons and I'm not ashamed to admit it. My favorite are the characters of the Looney Tunes; such as Wile E. Coyote, Road Runner, Bugs Bunny and Tweety Bird.
A specific project that I worked on that I find gave me the most creative freedom was when I created my own cartoon character by merging certain attributes of all my favorite looney tunes characters and merging them into one. The end result was memorable. Everyone in my family loved it. I also got compliments from friends who even suggested that I should create my own cartoon strip for the newspapers.

Is there a medium that you want to experiment in that you haven’t been able to get around to yet? How do you see your work evolving in the future? Is it planned or pretty much fly by the seat of your pants?
Yes, actually, I am interested in experimenting with oil painting on canvass, although I haven't been able to get around to it yet. It is an interest that I developed after viewing the work of other Artists. There are no solid plans at this time, for that type of work. It is pretty much fly by the seat of my pants type of interest. However, if it does evolve in the future, you will be the first to know.
A lot of artists cite their geography as a huge influence on their work, guys like Adrian Tomine or Chris Ware’s work more or less epitomizes the places where they live, whereas some artists seem hesitant to let it come through, where do you see yourself when it comes to this sort of thing, is it relevant to you?
Absolutely, all this is relevant to me. Art is a form of expression. Whether through dancing or drawing. We as Artists, bring out our innermost feelings through Art. That is why many Artist's work is highly influenced by their environment and life experiences. However, those hesitant to let it come through are tied down by their fears of reliving whatever bad experiences they have had in the past and instead opt to create opposite scenarios when creating their Art work.

Are there any fellow artists that you admire, or who would love to work with?
Yes, there is this artist, who goes by the name of Juicy J., whose work I truly admire. His work involves; Cartooning, Illustration and Sketching. But I especially love his sketch work. I would love to work with him on a project where both our skills can be combined to create a masterpiece, if I may.

"Honestly, I do not listen to music while I work. I feel that it distracts my concentration. While working I prefer a silent room where I can focus all my attention on what I am doing."
So you create recipes? You got to share one with us and the readers.
I will share 1 quick recipe that I usually do for desert, I call it candy walnut.
In a flat sauce pan, put 3 table soup of domino sugar and stir until it turns brown, than you take half of pound of walnut, and throw it inside the sugar and then you mix it all up under the high heat until it turns into a caramel. Then turn off, let cool and presto!. You got yourself a nice little batch of caramel candy.

Who would win in a fight between Bugs Bunny and Wile E.?(lol)
In the real world, a coyote could beat a rabbit hands down, but in a cartoon perspective, I would have to say that Bugs Bunny would win a fight against Wile E. Why? Bugs Bunny is a wise smarty pants who could definitely outsmart poor ole Wile E. His inventions are ingenious but careless. That is his flaw.

So will we be seeing a cartoon strip by you in the future?
I love the idea. At this time I am working on creating different types of characters, when I have enough that I feel comfortable with, I will definitely look into creating a comic strip in the future.

What are your favorite soft rock albums and why?
my favorite soft rock albums are U2 (No Line On The Horizon) and Coldplay (Viva la Vida). The reason why these albums are my favorite is because I can relate to the meaning of the lyrics and the sound is very relaxing.

When did you get your “big break?”

I can't say that I have gotten my "big break" yet, but I am working on it. I'm meeting so many other Artists where we can look at each others work and comment on it. I would have to say that being featured on your site is my "big break".

What is your most recent work of art?

I haven't been working on any new artwork yet because i'm trying to master the adobe illustration cs3 so that I can do a little more artwork using computer graphics.
Did you have any formal art training? If so, where and how has it benefited your artistic ability?

No, I have never had any formal training. Whatever I know, I learned on my own. It would be nice, however, to get formal training in the areas of my interest; such as, canvassing, sketching and cartooning so that I can enhance my skills.

Any last words?
I want to thank you for allowing me the opportunity to conduct this interview and for allowing me to share my experiences as an Artist with you and the public. For those that wanna see more of my work, check me out on myspace www.myspace.com/sara_artwork_

Dawn Richard

Keyana:Hi Dawn it’s such a pleasure to speak with you.
Dawn: It’s a pleasure to speak with you as well.

Keyana:How’s everything been going?
Dawn: Good, working hard.

Keyana: That’s good!
Keyana: Well’ I’m not going to hold you to long, your publicist told me about some of your new ventures you have going on. So I want to ask you a little bit about that.

Keyana: First, I want to ask you about the comic book you’re releasing or released.
Dawn: Yeah, the comic book is out right now.

Keyana: So it is out right now?
Dawn: Yes, it’s availableable now at Danitykanecomics.com. So yeah I have my first issue out and my second issue will be out at the end of the year.
Keyana: Okay, that is so good! How did you get into comics, are you the one who actually draw them too?
Dawn: Yeah I did it in high school, and it just kind of blossomed into what I’m doing now. But I always have been a fan animating.

Keyana: Yeah, okay that’s how the whole DK (Danity Kane) name came about right it was like a comic?
Dawn: Yeah it was.

"It’s a slow process because everyday you learn something new, but I’m grateful for the transition."

Keyana: That’s so good. So Dawn let me ask you what was it like when Diddy called your name to be in the group.
Dawn: Um surreal I’m still trying to understand what happened.
Keyana: really?
Dawn: It’s a blessing I was really happy.

Keyana: I watched the whole process and I’m like a big fan of yours by the way, I was rooting for you the whole time I was so excited for you when he choose you.
Dawn: Thank you!

Keyana: You were one of my favorites, I thought you had the whole package from the dancing; the vocals and you just have that likable personality. You had it all and I just really respect your hustle and how you worked hard for it. I’m a big fan!
Dawn: Awe thank you, your making me blush.

Keyana: I am. I was so excited all day that I was going to be interviewing you. Let me ask you this, you know how everybody always talk about their first major purchase when they made it. So what was your first big splurge?
Dawn: Oh no I had to pay bills; we didn’t make that kind of money in the beginning.

Keyana: What is it like being on Making the Band and having you’re life tape like that? I mean they’re following you everywhere you constantly have the cameras in your face through everything. What has that been like for you?
Dawn: It’s hard to deal with you know, I’m a very private person so I’m learning to be more open but you never get use to waking up with a camera in your face because you always have your bad days and seems they always get the bad days.











"You know I believe Diddy didn’t make the decision, I think God did. God help Diddy make that decision "

Keyana: So on T.V what we see you portraying is it all true or is it just for T.V.?
Dawn: its entire true none of it’s scripted.

Kenyan: Okay, have you ever had any crazy encounters with fans?
Dawn: You know what all our fans are great I never had any problems, I like the fact that we have opinionated fans and that they have their own opinions and I like that.

Keyana: How has the transition been for you, I mean going from a regular person to this big time stardom and being on Bad Boy because that’s such a big label. What has that been like?
Dawn: It’s a slow process because everyday you learn something new, but I’m grateful for the transition. I mean you wait your whole life to live your dream and I’m getting an opportunity do so, so I’m not taking it for granted.
Keyana: What have you learned most about this industry?
Dawn: It’s a shady business (laughs). That’s what I’ve learned.

Keyana: Yeah that’s true. So what advice would you have for people like yourself, aspiring artist who’s trying to get into this industry?
Dawn: Know your business be prepared because this industry is not easy and stay true to who you are because you can get lost in it. But it can be great moments if you fight through the greediness and see the positive in the situation it can be a really great thing to be apart of.

Keyana: Alright, now I want to ask you some Danity Kane questions…

So what’s going on with the group are you all still together, are you broken up or getting back together. What’s going on with that situation?
Dawn: You got watch the show; you got to watch the season.

Keyana: Ah come on, I mean I’m rooting for you girls and so is so many of your fans. I hope something good can come out of it, because like you said you have a lot of opinionated fans who really support and stick by y’all.
Dawn: Thank you, yeah it’s a hard thing but we’re staying positive.

Keyana: Are you surprised at what you were able to accomplish with DK?
Dawn: No, I knew

Keyana: Did you think Diddy made the right choice with who he chooses to be in the group?
Dawn: You know I believe Diddy didn’t make the decision, I think God did. God help Diddy make that decision , so what ever decision Diddy made it was suppose to happen, God put us together we were meant to be together and rock the stage together. That’s why we had so many great things happen for us.

"that’s just how it is you have to fight for your freedom and your freedom of creativity and I think that’s what we did."

Keyana: Yeah, I feel you Diddy was more of a vessel. What would you say was your most memorable moment of being in Danity Kane?
Dawn: Rocking on stage and standing there seeing all those people singing our songs, and headlining. Amazing!
Keyana: Do ever get bothered by all the work and travel, the long days and nights?
Dawn: I love the work, I love the work ethic you know you do miss out on part of a personal life that you don’t have but I got a take that risk because this is my dream I love what I do.

Keyana: Now watching the show I notice sometime doing y'all recording process you wasn’t to please with the song choices you were given at times. Is it frustrating sometimes having label execs controlling everything and you all not being able to be more hands on when it came to the album?
Dawn: That’s with anything, that’s in anything in music. You know that’s just how it is you have to fight for your freedom and your freedom of creativity and I think that’s what we did. You have to play a game you know and you don’t always fit in it, the label is always going to try to see it in the direction that they want to go but that’s when you have to fight for what you believe in and if you really believe that you’re an artist and ideas that you have to bring forward, you know you have to fight for that and I believe that’s what we did.

Keyana: How do you feel about auto-tune and everybody using it and have you use it?
Dawn: I feel if that’s what rocks for them, that’s what they rock. I mean to each it’s own.

Keyana: Are you planning on using it?
Dawn: Ah, well you know I like to hear my natural voice. That’s just kind of what I grew up in I grew up in the church but you never know when your in the studio working with someone’s flavor and their like auto-tune I’m not gone knock it.

Keyana: So Dawn you know it’s 2009 and I’m sure five years ago you had goals as to where you’d be, are you where you thought you’d be right now?
Dawn: No, I never imagined it would be this great, I always hoped but you know I never thought to this capacity that I be chilling in London and traveling all over the world. I never thought that in a million years. Did I want it, yeah but never thought that it would be possible coming from little old New Orleans.

Keyana: So where do you see your career going, I say in 5 years?
Dawn: In the next 5 to 10 years I want to become icon legend music. I know it’s a lot of hard work that has to come with that but hey it’s no fun to dream small.

"I feel if that’s what rocks for them, that’s what they rock. I mean to each it’s own. "

Keyana: Yeah, you have to set your goals high. I know working under Diddy I know you must get shown great examples of that because he’s such a talented artist and he’s done so many great things. So what’s it like working under him?
Dawn: It’s not easy he’s a talented business man

Kenyan: Do you have any plans to venture out and do other things on side of the comic book?
Dawn: Of course, I love fashion I would love to get into that as well. I mean the sky’s the limit; I’ve already done it with the comic book who knows what I can do next. I do want to become a brand though.

Keyana: Do you think your plan on trying to do something more with the comic book, like possibly making it into a cartoon or anything like that?
Dawn: Definitely, I would love to make it a movie. I would love to have Craig Miller direct it, he’s an amazing director who can take comic books and create them into great movies. I’d love to do a movie or a cartoon with it.

Keyana: Yeah he is. That would be great. Well it’s out there now so you never know. Now, I want to ask you some Que questions if you don’t mind?
Dawn: Not at all, not at all.

Keyana: You guy’s are such a cute couple and everyone seems to love you all’s relationship, so let me ask are you two engaged or planning on getting married anytime soon?
Dawn: Ah no we’re taking it slow, I mean you never know with him but I don’t know. Right now we’re good, comfortable at the pace we’re going.

Keyana: Well’ I know you you’ve heard about the Chris Brown and Rihanna situation and that’s crazy. I don’t have any opinions about it because I don’t know what happened but with their relationship being played out in the media like it is on such a national level. Do you wish sometime you wouldn’t have been so open with you and Que’s relationship?
Dawn: The reality is we have the T.V. show and it’s not something that we can hide it is what it is, but um it’s hard and my heart goes out to them. I just pray that you know we can keep our relationship together even with all the predicaments and being out in the open like it is.

Keyana: Do you think it’s even harder being in a celebrity relationship when you have your own separate careers and both have so much going on like you do?
Dawn: I think its hard being in a relationship like this, so yeah.

Keyana: Okay, so do you get to spend as much time together as you would like or is that hard as well?
Dawn: No we don’t spend enough time, we work a lot but we make it work. I think the thing about us is we make it happen; we work really hard to make it great.

Keyana: Oh and Dawn, last season when he song to you. I think I melted that was just so sweet I was blushing for you. That was just too adorable.
Dawn: Yeah he’s amazing, he’s an amazing guy. (Laughs)

Keyana: You guy’s are so cute.
Dawn: Thank you!

"It’s really fun making them, it’s cool you get to become characters and act like someone else. Its film like a movie, it’s like being an actor. It’s really; really fun and I enjoy it."

Keyana: I wanted to talk to you about an album, well there’s been a lot talk going around the internet about you doing a solo album. Is that true?
Dawn: I am writing right now, song writing and getting better as a writer. I think you guy’s need to watch the show and see what happens and see where the road takes me next.

Keyana: So you gone leave it at that? Dawn: (laughs) Yeah.

Keyana: You know the last album you did with DK had some really great songs on it, do you think there will be anymore songs released from that album as a single?
Dawn: I don’t know you never know. I think all of this is a wait and see type of thing, I think if the fans make enough nose you never know what could happen.

Keyana: Tell me, what is it like making the videos?
Dawn: It’s really fun making them, it’s cool you get to become characters and act like someone else. Its film like a movie, it’s like being an actor. It’s really; really fun and I enjoy it.

Keyana: You know sometimes when you become a big star you have people in your hometown that knew and sometimes feel like once you made it you got big headed or forgot where you came from. Is it like that for you or do you still stay connected?
Dawn: I got lucky, I got to hometowns Baltimore and New Orleans and they give me love in both places.

Keyana: That’s cool, because you just don’t seem like the big headed type and that’s what I like about you.
Dawn: Oh not at all, not at all.

Keyana: That’s what I love about you, you’re so humble and down-to-earth and people can relate to you. You know, and that’s a formula for success.

Well it’s been such a pleasure interviewing you and I wish you much success and greatness in your future.

Dawn: Thank you, God bless you!

For more on Dawn dawnrichardonline.com/

Caleb "Sheesh" Morris

A 28 year old Gulf Coast native, Caleb "Sheesh" Morris has been exhibiting his work in the streets and galleries of North America for the past 3 years. In addition to showing in galleries around the United States, Canada, and Europe, his work can be seen in international magazines, various clothing lines, and books, including: Design Wire's "Design Annual 2007" and ISM Quarterly's "Untitled Love Project".

When not fighting insomnia or deadlines, Sheesh can be found planning his next scheme to travel across the country and record it in his sketchbook.

What's up let everybody know your name and what you do.
Hey, what's up, I'm Caleb Morris aka SHEESH and I'm an illustrator, Mardi Gras float builder and an insomniac.

Where did you grow up and what was the environment like as a young kid, teenager and young adult?
I grew up on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, when I was a kid there was nothing there, then came casinos and it blew up, then came Hurricane Katrina and it went back to nothing. The best part about growing up there was living in the country and hanging out in the woods, checking out all the animals. I appreciate it a lot more now that I'm grown up and live in an apartment.

How did you get started? Did you start doodling at a young age and it just stuck or was there a different artistic trajectory for you?
I started drawing since before I can remember, my parents always used to buy me notebooks to draw in and tons of comics, etc. I stopped around 14 or 15 when I get into music really heavy and doodled off and on till I was living in L.A. around 2004 when my band broke up and there was tons of nice graffiti everywhere and that kind of got me started re-learning how to draw and I've been hard at it ever since.

"It's always weird when people check out my sketchbook, you never know what they're going to think."

If a random person were to open your sketchbook, what drawing would be most puzzling to them?
It's always weird when people check out my sketchbook, you never know what they're going to think. People are usually puzzled by all of it, the siamese twins, kids w/ branches growing out of their heads, etc but most of them laugh which I guess is the point.

What’s the greatest compliment anyone’s ever paid you and your work?
Whenever someone connects to a painting for their own reasons or is willing to spend their hard earned money on a piece, those are huge compliments, even if someone spends the the time to tell me they hate it, at least it caused them to feel something..

What’s your preferred medium? What best suits you?
Acrylics for the most part, I'm always changing things and I'm crazy impatient, so it works the best for me.

Do you listen to music while you work? If so, what music moves you?
Yeah, I wish I could say I have real eclectic taste in music but honestly I stay between stuff like Big Pun, P.O.S. Rhymefest and Gaslight Anthem, Hot Water Music, and Latterman.

What challenges you as an artist?
Every painting is a challenge, I try to never paint the same thing twice so I'm always having to figure out new stuff. Ideas are the biggest challenge, I don't like repeating myself or feeling like I'm getting stale so I spend a lot of time working on ideas and making sure people aren't going to think they're lame.

"I'm getting stale so I spend a lot of time working on ideas and making sure people aren't going to think they're lame."


What’s the longest time you’ve spent on a single piece? Have you ever begun something and had to walk away from it and come back again later? Have you ever abandoned something all together, never to return?
Last September I started a piece that took me till December to finish..that was the longest, tons of changes and problems but it worked out. I have to walk away from every painting, I get frustrated easily because I want them to be perfect and if the're not, I have to pull up and breathe for a minute. Yeah, I just abandoned a piece about 10 minutes ago that I'd been working on all weekend, you win some, you lose some, I guess.

Is there a reason in particular that you draw lots of characters?
The characters are a way to get across whatever it is that I'm trying to say with out being too literal about it and it's a way for people to get out of the paintings what they want and make it mean something to them personally.

†What is your most recent work of art?
I haven't stopped painting for the past month and a half, I think the most recent finished piece is "Wayfarer", I finished that up a couple days ago but I'm hoping to have another one done by the end of the week, all my pieces sold this past weekend at a show so I'm back to being sold out, I've got to try to get the inventory built back up.

What are your plans for the near future?
The next month is booked with commissions and trying to get a body of work built back up. I've got shirts coming out w/ XXXVII Apparel and I'm working on some things with a couple of other clothing lines that should see the light of day by the end of summer. I'm working on a piece for a show in January at Gallery 1988 in L.A. and the rest of the year is filling in quick.

Any last† words?
Thanks to My Swag Mag for hooking up the interview and to everybody that took the time to read it.

More on Sheesh vist myspace.com/akacaleb

Rudy Fig

What's up let everybody know your name and what you do.
Alrighty. My name is Rudy Fig. I'm a 20 year old artist. I paint pictures of forest nymphs, space babes, ice cream and magic.

Where did you grow up and what was the environment like as a young kid, teenager and young adult?
I'm a native minnesotan, though ive done a lot of growing up in a lot of places. My parents were toy designers, working for tonka, tyco and mattel. When i was young I would have to ask my parents which toys were "work toys" and which toys were "play toys" It was a very creative environment. I played with a lot of prototype toys as a kid- and strange concept toys that didn't have eyes and hair yet. High school was a little weird for me... I was in and out of the psyche ward a few times... Then I ended up at an art college where i flunked out with flying colors. I worked at a bakery for a while too somewhere in the midst of all that...Today i spend my time traveling around the U.S. for art shows and shenanigans.

How did you get started? Did you start doodling at a young age and it just stuck or was there a different artistic trajectory for you?
Ive always been an artist. It just happened that way, i cant really explain it. When i was a kid people were always like "your going to be an artist" and i was like "what the hell is that supposed to mean..." Turns out they were right.

If a random person were to open your sketchbook, what drawing would be most puzzling to them?
hmmm....many things perhaps
What’s the greatest compliment anyone’s ever paid you and your work?
I think all compliments may be of equal value, but i get a lot of really nice emails from people around the world. It is good to know someone somewhere is appreciating my time enough to spend a minute of their day to actually write that email that i end up reading....
What’s your preferred medium? What best suits you?
Well, I'm pretty young and im still doing a lot of learning... so i may not have found what best suits me yet. Right now i prefer painting in oils but i have also worked in plastics, printmaking, dead fish, sculpture, photography, custom toys, and occasionally fashion makes its way on the list. You could probably throw a pile of garbage in front of me and i would give it back as something else.

"I ended up at an art college where i flunked out with flying colors."

Do you listen to music while you work? If so, what music moves you?
Yep i listen to music or audiobooks. I like everything from gregorian chant to aesop rock. Pink floyd, David Bowie, The Flaming Lips, The Pixies, a good Randy Rhoads solo... I really like classical music. I taught myself classical guitar by ear when i was younger but i still can't actually read sheet music.

What challenges you as an artist?
I like challenges. I think my biggest frustration is that I have too many ideas and not enough time for everything. I hate ideas that are lost due to lack of time or manpower.

What’s the longest time you’ve spent on a single piece? Have you ever begun something and had to walk away from it and come back again later? Have you ever abandoned something all together, never to return?
Hmmm the longest ive worked on a painting... Its hard to say perhaps 7 or 8 months, but that is unusually long. I'm a pretty fast worker and i get bored VERY easily. I work on about 12-20 paintings at a time, that way i can keep myself amused. I abandon work all the time, sometimes i come back, sometimes i just paint it white again and start over.
"Well, this sounds crazy butI'm moving to the woods to live in a tent with my boyfriend, 200lb dog, and cat."

Is there a reason in particular that you draw lots of
characters?
Well, i paint a lot of different characters. Some of them have names and stories, and some do not. I have a lot of reoccurring characters and some who only hang out for a blip. Sometimes they will represent really hard core stuff like love, hate, humility, faith, peace and some times they are dumb and represent absolutely nothing. Its a time and place kind of thing. When i was young my mom painted the eyes on dolls, i think those dolls may have been a sort of subconscious base prototype for my characters if that makes sence.

What is your most recent work of art?
That changes every day.

What are your plans for the near future?
Well, this sounds crazy but im moving to the woods to live in a tent with my boyfriend, 200lb dog, and cat... We havent locked down on our exact location yet, but i have sold off all my furniture. Ive also got a group show coming up in early May at Halogen in Seattle with Jeramiah Ketner and Kendra Binney. I have big plans...

Any last words?
CHeers and Peace and People are People. And thanks for having me of course :)

For more on Rudy vist myspace.com/bigdeadvanillafish