Welcome to the S&T special edition issue! This is a new high water mark in the evolution of this idea. We packed this seventh issue to the top with more interviews than we have ever had before. We have long interviews and we have short interviews. We have famous people, but we also have important local people from Arkansas. We continue our interview with college professor and meditation expert, Red Hawk. In our last issue he discussed the long term impact of technology on the adolescent brain. Carrying that thread of childhood into this issue, every interview (except his) touches on the topic of childhood. We talk with our cover model, Beth Steelman, about the many things in her world that influence her artistic perspective. We speak to Bobby Missle from the band Ghost Bones, and get a few comments from the other members as well. We have a real nice interview with multi-published and awarded artist and graphic novelist, Nate Powell, a transplant from North Little Rock to Bloomington, Indiana. The most recognizable name we interview is Henry Rollins, a TV and movie star from one of the biggest bands in punk music. This zine is not for profit, but only done to expose Arkansas to the talent of the world, and to expose the world to the talent of Arkansas. So that means as the captain of this ship I get to select personalities that I am personally a fan of. Two of those that I was lucky enough to get to interview include underground musical artists Zackey Force Funk and Nmesh. Let's get right into it.
This may be the shortest interview we have ever had. Call it a micro-interview if you want to, but we were honored to have this dude take time out of his busy schedule building rockets for Elon Musk's Space-X and making sinister funk music both as a solo artist and in Demon Queen with the artist known as Tobacco (from the band Black Moth Super Rainbow). Consider this an appetizer for the rest of the issue.
I first met Bethannie when I was invited by Jose Hernandez to be a part of an art show with Michael Shaeffer and a few other artists. Her art had a sort of rock-n-roll and tattoos kind of vibe, but it also had this other side to it that was exploding in bright colors and modern conceptual ideas. In all incarnations, her work is arresting. Her portraits have a hypnotic quality, both haunting and inviting. When I first saw her work I had no idea just how prolific she was or how many styles she has under her belt. Be patient downloading this interview, it is the longest interview this issue because it shows a ton of her art. Photos courtesy of Aaron Brewer.
Hailing from the same Hot Springs hometown as Beth, Ghost Bones is a band fronted by Ashley Hill and Bobby Missile, whom we mainly interview here, though we hear from Trey Lamberth and Ryan Jolly too on the last question. Their music is an upbeat jangly sort of post-punk haunted house type rock. They just put out a new album called "Lipshifter," and their stage show is excellent if you get a chance to see them live.
Oh man, I can't forget this guy. A punk legend in Arkansas, but a literary legend globally. All along he has maintained a consistent and recognizable visual style. But behind the art is one of the most humble and intelligent guys I have ever met. It was just very surreal when I watched him appear on the Rachel Maddow show, and thought back to the days when he played in a band that wore intentionally ridiculous DIY costumes. Now his art is integrated into school curriculums. We were lucky enough to speak with him. Check it out!
As I stated, this is the one interview where we don't ask about childhood, because we discussed that in part one. This, however, is part two, where we discuss poetry, but also fashion and meditation, as well as a complete poem he has graciously provided. As always, you can purchase one or all of the multiple poetry volumes he has published under the name Robert Redhawk Moore. All of his work is quite intriguing and captivating.
I could say this guy's work is also intriguing and captivating, but I think most people would find it strange and confusing. That is the kind of art I like to know more about. Nonetheless, Nmesh, pronounced just "Mesh," combines atmospheric sound effects, vocal snippets of movies, ambient keyboard patches, and sometimes beats, to create a collage of moods and ideas, at times humorous and at other times unsettling. I was surprised when I discovered he was a former metal drummer, but then again, the drummers always were the ones to worry about.
I'm pretty sure there were times when Rollins was the one some people thought they needed to worry about. The jokes on them I guess, since he is now a TV star from the show Sons of Anarchy, as well as in several other roles in movies. All that after he fronted the legendary Black Flag, followed by fronting The Rollins Band, which is where I first encountered his work. His performances are brute, muscular, and moist, unless of course we are talking about one of his lectures or speaking tours. There are many sides to him, so we spun the dice to see which one showed up, and he was gracious enough to delver some very interesting answers.
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JMH - MGMT
