In late 2009, Hopecore.com burst upon the music scene, with an innate ability to delve into and capture the inner workings of some of today’s most premiere artists who have donned the positive/Christian-rock mantle. From their inaugural issue cover which boasted an interview with Stephen Christian of the ever popular indie band Anberlin, to the second issue followed with a cover by hardcore August Burns Red and then the master of all things musical Aaron Gillespie for issue #3, hopecore has established themselves as a legitimate entity. Hopecore.com shows it has muscle to flex through their hard work, roots in the industry and the quality of their product. With the word of mouth growing around their e-zine through fans, musicians, promoters and happy advertisers, hopecore.com is fast building an entertainment medium that is both niche and diverse. Our thanks to Jameson and Jeremy for taking the time to share.

Jameson has done some work with To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA), how long did you work with this organization and what did you do there?
Jameson Ketchum I did a fall internship there in 2008. I mainly did merch orders/organization/shipping as well as working a festival or two and answering MySpace questions. I also worked Heavy and Light 2009 doing merch for Jon Foreman, Dustin Kensrue and Renee Yohe.

What were some of the most valuable lessons that you learned while with TWLOHA and how has this experience helped prepare you for your venture with Hopecore?
JK I learned how key organization and planning are when it comes to running a business or non profit. I learned that good communication and honesty can put you head and shoulders above the rest. I enjoyed my time at TWLOHA and made some lifelong friends, some of which I still talk to daily.

For those who may not be familiar with TWLOHA, what is it and what do they do?
JK To Write Love On Her Arms is a non profit organization that helps fund and find treatment for those struggling with depression, addiction, self injury and suicide. They exist to provide care and comfort to those facing these issues. They have some amazing and exciting things coming in the future so keep up to date with them at www.twloha.com.

When did you initially conceive of Hopecore and what was the process that you went through to get everything up and running?
Jeremy Seick Growing up this is something I always wanted to do. I really felt a calling on my life. Hopecore.com started as a project while I was still attending Western Oregon University to get some hands on experience. Doors started flying open though, with connections and a designer and people caught on and liked it. So After college I decided to see where it took me and let it grow into what it is today. And it is still growing.

Initially I worked remodel and construction for a summer and then went out and bought all the equipment I thought I would need. We continue to add things all the time as we continue to grow. It is really crazy to think about how things came together in the early stages, it is seriously only by divine appointment.

Who have been the key players and supporters who helped get Hopecore rolling?
JK So many people have been immensely supportive of this endeavor. Friends and family have stepped forward to provide for us financially and through endless prayer. Almost all of the bands that we have played on the radio station and covered in the magazine show great support for what we do. A few that stand out are Veil Arms Clothing and Come & Live! Also, bands and people like Fallstar, Aaron Gillespie, Demi Lovato and I Am Alpha and Omega have showed continued support over the past year. We are so thankful for these relationships.

JS Definitely without the support of my family this thing would be nowhere. They have allowed me to dream and helped me in whatever way they can whether financially or spiritually or whatever. It takes a lot of trust to in this vision for them to support me like they do and I will never be able to thank them enough for that. We also have a list of supporters that send checks every month and keep this thing going. They do it because they believe in the message, it is truly amazing. We are so blessed to have such great friends and family.

How/where are you distributing the magazine? Where can readers get a copy of the latest issue?
JK The magazine is available completely free online only. We have discussed moving to print eventually but we are just keeping a careful eye on the trends in publications to make the best informed decision. For now, we are happy to present our content for free on our website in the hopes that people can learn and draw from the information given.

What about Hopecore sets it apart from other comparable publications?
JK To be honest, there aren’t a lot of publications covering what we cover. We have a very distinct vision for what we want to present to people and being fans ourselves, we believe we ask the questions that the average fan wants to ask. There are a few other similar websites and magazines but we hope that we are able to stand out from the pack in one way or another.

JS We pride ourselves on understanding our peers and what is relevant at the time. It takes a lot of time and effort to stay up on everything but at the end of the day it is really the best job you could ask for.

You primarily feature Christian artists, are you an exclusively Christian publication?
JS There is an underlying theme that runs through all the bands and organizations that we cover and in that is found something more than music, it is a reason for music. That is what we are about. Bands come and go and style and genres change, but the reason for those things stay the same. For me, if it were only about the music it would be a waste of my time.

How else are you involved with the music/entertainment scene both locally and nationally?
JK We both have our hands in other projects such as tour managing/planning/booking as well as publicity. Jeremy is currently working with a great Boise artist called Your Friend, Peter Giles who everyone should keep an eye out for this summer. I contribute to several other music magazines as well as do publicity for Pig Cloth Clothing, Fallstar and Pistolita. I also work on getting bands involved with a non-profit called Faceless International which aims to educate people on the plight of human trafficking victims all around the world.

Currently you are based in Boise, Idaho, how did you arrive there?
JS I have always liked Boise. Mom at The Venue is incredible and she pours her heart into this scene and the kids here and bringing relevant acts through so that was a big draw. Also our design guy works full time in political advising here so being closer to him and being able to meet up at the office and work was a big pull. All in all though just like everything else we do here, sometimes you just hear the Lord say do this or that and you just do it. He is always faithful.

JK I arrived here about six months after Jeremy did. After a few life changing experiences, I decided that school was no longer for me and I decided to make the move to Boise.

Is music alive and well in Boise? What seems to be popular right now in Boise? Any local acts that we should keep our eyes out for?
JK Yes! It is alive and kicking! Boise is indie through and through and we couldn’t love the scene more. Please have a listen to Your Friend, Peter Giles (www.myspace.com/youfriendpetergiles) as well as We Won the Science Fair (www.myspace.com/wewonthesciencefair). These are two great acts who you’ll be hearing more and more about soon!

JS Definitely check out those bands! It is crazy to see how many solid bands have come up from Boise in the last year we have been here.

Jameson, you used to reside in Canby, Oregon, correct?
JK I grew up near Portland, yes.

What do you miss most about Oregon?
JK Boise is a beautiful city but there is no place like home. I miss the forest and trees and overall atmosphere. Portland gets a lot more shows than Boise does so that is always a downside.

How involved were you with local music when you were in Oregon?
JK In Oregon I worked (and still do) with Fallstar mainly. My mom works at a local high school there so she is always passing new and local bands on to me when I can’t keep up. The next time I visit I’m stoked to check out this new band called My Mantle.

Are all of your writers, artists and photographers on staff at Hopecore?
JK: Hopecore.com is run by three people, myself being one of them. We have a few occasional contributing writers and we are always stoked to have Levi the Poet write for us (www.myspace.com/levithepoet). We have a few very talented friends like Tim Riley (http://www.flickr.com/photos/trileyphoto) who graciously take photos for us when they are available. Seriously, Riley is one of the most talented photographers I’ve ever known.

Where do you receive the bulk of your content for HC from?
JK Our content is gathered through our contacts with either the band members themselves or through some very helpful and talented publicists which, without them, our job would be much harder.

What are some of the greatest challenges to creating a viable entertainment publication?
JK I would say just promotion. Its hard getting your name out there but God has continued to provide for us month after month through either financial help, word of mouth or, in a very freak situation, the endorsement of a Disney star. Its certainly a tough job keeping up to date with all the current events but again, great publicists make it happen for us.

What keeps you excited and moving forward with Hopecore?
JK The excitement of never knowing whats coming next keeps me going. Every day is so different here. Just when you think its going to be another boring day, awesome things happen! We actually just got off the phone with a friend about some very exciting news coming our way next month! You just never know. Also, the knowledge that kids are reading our magazine and they are gaining insight from these articles and reviews is huge. The hope that they can walk away with something positive and uplifting that they can apply to their own lives is such a big motivator. Also, we love our jobs! We are fans just like everyone else so we are stoked to talk to some of our heroes and artists we respect each day as well.

How receptive have bands/artists been to your zine?
JK All acts have been very pleased with the end results. That isn’t to say we haven’t ever made a typo, (laughs) but everyone we have checked in with has been very happy with their pieces.

JS Some of the support that we have received from larger acts like August Burns Red, The Almost, The Rocket Summer and For Today (to name only a few!) blow me away. This thing has come a long ways in the last year, and it is support like these that will carry us through another great year.

Are there any acts you have been efforting and haven’t been able to nail down yet?
JK There have been a few that we have never caught up with, mostly due to scheduling issues. But we will get them eventually! We would have loved to get the inside story on breakups such as Copeland and As Cities Burn but it just wasn’t in the cards.

What feedback are you getting from readers and sponsors?
JK We get great feedback from readers, sponsors and advertisers. Most advertisers have seen big increases in their sales or numbers after running an ad with us. We are so fortunate to have such good relationships with the people who choose to support us. We couldn’t be more thankful for these people and these relationships.

JS We would not be able to do this without the support of the readers! So thank you! We want this to be about you guys, so connect with us via email or twitter or whatever and let us know your thoughts on what we are doing and what you would like to see in the future. We really do care about what you have to say, so please get a hold of us!

Can we expect to see HC at national music events such as Tomfest (Stevens, Washington), Cornerstone (Illinois) or Creation (George, Washington)?
JK We loved doing Tomfest and we were vendors at that event for the past two years. Tomfest is family as well as one of the highlights of our year and we wish its future plans all the best. As far as the others go, we’ll just have to wait and see if those are places that God will lead us. We are certainly looking forward to RevGen in September!

For more information on local music, band interviews, concert updates and promotional content. Local bands, artists, concerts, venues, tours and events from rock, hip-hop, metal, pop, punk, hardcore, acoustic, indie, organic, progressive, funk, rap and more. Stay tuned to hurdcore.com, friend us on myspace and join us facebook Hurdcore is open to partnerships to promote local arts, music and entertainment as well as advertising opportunities – hurdcore@gmail.com – be specific in “subject” line.

At hurdcore.com we have the privilege of meeting and introducing our fellow fans to the hardworking bands throughout our great nation. Whether these bands will remain as local treasures or others will find/make their break and forge a deep run though the several layers of entertainment success. Will Breitner has distinguished himself as one of the hardest working musicians at the local level in the Portland area, spearheading several bands, each with their own unique identity, collaborating with like minded musicians to promote local shows and pioneering his own effort to enable grassroots artists to begin the recording process. On Saturday, April 24th, 2010 Mr. Breitner will be organizing and performing with several other local artists in an all day metal extravaganza for the first Savage Fest to be hosted at the Camas Courthouse in Washougal, Washington. This event will showcase some of Washington and Oregon’s finest metal bands while simultaneously demonstrating what hard work and local collaboration can produce. Join the hurd and come get your metal on!

Is the Camas Courthouse an actual functioning courthouse?
WB Yes it is. It sometimes makes shows difficult actually because on Fridays you can only rent it out after 5pm.

Will SAVAGE FEST be indoors or outdoors?
WB It will be indoors

What can you tell us about the venue, why did you choose this site?
WB I chose the venue because the room is a little smaller, perfect for getting in around 150 kids and having a really intimate atmosphere where the bands can be directly interacting with the fans and friends who are at the show. There is an actual stage in the venue, but it is only about a foot off the ground, so like I said, the bands are right up in your face which is awesome as a listener.

For those, like myself, who are unfamiliar with Camas, WA – what types of food selections are there and how nearby to the show will they be?
WB Well there are a few options. Right next to the venue, there is a Burger King, Subway, Starbucks & Chevron and then if you go about a mile into the actual town of Camas you have Burgerville, Dairy Queen, Top Burger & more gas stations.

Even though this is an all day metal extravaganza, there is quite a range of sub-genres within that metal umbrella which will be on display, tell us some about the music and performers we will be seeing?
WB Well I like my shows to be diverse so you aren’t seeing the same band 18 times in one day and kids don’t get burnt out after the third band and decide to leave or something. I have two acoustic acts, a couple of rock acts, some metalcore, some straight up thrash metal, and then of course some death metal thrown in the mix. I think that diversity makes for an awesome show.

How did you select the bands and the lineup, are these all bands you know personally?
WB I selected the bands because they are pretty much all close friends of mine and great people. There isn’t a single band on the show that I haven’t worked with before and haven’t performed with before.

You are an impressive young man who wears several hats within the local music scene. You perform, promote, record and what else are you involved in?
WB Haha well thank you very much! I just try to do everything possible to put the fire back in our scene basically. I try to help my friends’ bands with getting endorsements and bigger shows and out of town shows and whatnot because I love music more than anything in the world. Me and my best friends that compose my main band …And The Sirens Sang are working on making a more professional studio, then I will be starting my own label to help smaller bands be heard and get merch and tour and stuff. We also will be doing management, local show booking, tour booking, and someday screen printing and professional CD printing. All local, all cheap. I believe that every band deserves a chance to show the world what they’ve got, but unfortunately for bands, the industry is a cash cow and everything costs so much that most bands can barely make it out of their home town, let alone put out a professional CD and merch and whatnot. I want to call it “Siren Industries” hahaha

You are currently involved with at least 3 bands that I know of, but you had mentioned maybe as many as 6? What bands are you actively playing with now and in what capacity?
WB Well my main band is called “…And The Sirens Sang”.
We are working extremely hard right now preparing for 2 summer tours as well as about 20 shows around Washington & Oregon in the next couple of months and that band takes up most of my time. Me and three of the guys from that band are working on a side project called The Leper Legion, which sounds like The Black Dahlia Murder, but with everything that Sirens is doing in preparation for tours and to make our band as professional as possible we just don’t really have time right now. Another thing I’m working on is a project that sounds like AFI because they are the reason I started playing music. I’m doing it with Brady Johns, who is also in Sirens. Just a fun project that is a tribute to them. I have an internet based two member band called “The Assyrian Sonata“, which is on a stand-still because the other member is going into the National Guard so we have to wait about a year before we can do anything more with that but we have a full length written and demos on our myspace page currently. I have a rap project that’s for fun called “Slug Stompaz” with my brother and the guitarist Will Terada of Sirens. And I have my solo project.

Your also have a music studio (Siren Studios), is this your daytime job? From your comments the main purpose of your studio is to help grow young artists, how do you go about recording?
WB It is indeed my daytime job but I see it as more of a hobby because of how much fun I have doing it! I just wanted to try my hardest to create a place where bands could come to record an EP without spending a thousand dollars that still turned out well. First, we lay out all of the click tracks for every song so that the album will be perfectly on time and not fluctuating or anything. Then we record a scratch guitar track for the drummer to play to. Then drums, then bass, then guitars, then vocals. If there are any additional instruments such as piano or something we do those also before the vocals.

With your diverse efforts, are you at a point where you are able to “live” off of music?
WB In a sense, yes. I make pretty good money recording bands, playing in my band, and booking shows. I make enough to pay rent and have just barely enough to live off of and that to me is living the dream. It’s more than I could ever ask for and I am incredibly grateful for all of the support from my family and friends that make it possible for me to pursue this versus forcing me to go to college or whatever.

From whence came the idea for an all day metal festival?
WB Well I love metal. All kinds. I love all kinds of music actually haha I just wanted an awesome event where great bands could hang out and party with like-minded musicians and just have an awesome time. It’s somewhat of a “I know how hard you work to be in a band, so I want you to play my awesome show and have a great time” festival haha

Who are you partnering/working with to make the Savage Fest happen? Who is there to help you run the show especially when you are performing
WB My good friend Brady Johns who plays keys for Sirens runs a booking agency called “King Arthur Booking” and he has also done a TON of awesome shows, so I’m bringing him in to help run sound as well as oversee everything. While we are playing we have a few friends who will be handling the door and everything else.

What got you into metal, who were some of the most inspiring bands for you growing up?
WB As far as metal goes, it was always bands like Slipknot, Metallica, Ozzy, Megadeth and Pantera back in 7th grade. My favorite band, however, has always been AFI and I don’t think that will ever change. “Sing The Sorrow” inspires me every single day to get better as an instrumentalist, composer and singer.

Who are you listening to now, what is in your top 5 on your ipod?
WB AFI, Emarosa, The Black Dahlia Murder, Isles & Glaciers, and Rose Funeral.

How did you get into playing and performing? How do you keep your skills sharp and continue to grow in your craft when you are busy with so many things?
WB Honestly, the first time I heard “Miseria Cantare” by AFI I knew that I belonged playing guitar on a stage. I just love performing music that I have worked countless hours on and having people react to it, for the most part, in a good way. And it’s all about staying busy! I practice playing songs on guitar that I can’t play so that eventually I will get them down and better myself as a musician and I am always working on writing music in genres such as hip/hop, country, pop and rock that I normally wouldn’t play in so that I don’t get stuck in a box so to speak and I am able to progress versus write the same song every time. Me and the dudes in my band are also always working on our vocal harmonies with an acoustic guitar to keep our voices strong and fresh.

What do you enjoy most about music – writing/performing?
WB DEFINITELY performing. Don’t get me wrong, I love writing. But the feeling of actually playing a song that you’ve spent months fine-tuning is what being a musician is all about. It’s truly the best feeling in the world.

Do you just like music for itself or would you say that there is a meaning in or through or even beyond the music that inspires you to press forward in what you are doing?
WB As far as meaning goes, I write our albums about heartbreak, loneliness, abandonment and other human issues that are very close to home with me but I write them in story form so it kind of plays out as a whole big story as the album progresses. So yes, the material is very heart-felt by me and it is very touching for me to play the songs live because I write them in times where I am the weakest and it is a great release to sing it in front of a crowd and have them singing back, possibly even going through the same things that I was.

SAVAGE FEST
Sat 4/24/2010
Camas Courthouse
89 C Street
Washougal, WA 98607
18 Bands // $10
11AM – 11PM

Band Lineup – order subject to change:
1. Jack Devore (Blues, Seattle)
2. If All Else Fails ( )
3. Mourning For Memories (Thrash – Washougal, WA)
4. Edessa (Hardcore – Camas, WA)
5. Daematta (Death Metal, PDX)
6. Apsis (Progressive, PDX)
7. Ashlynn (Hardcore – Kelso, WA)
8. We Move Mountains (Metal – Maple Valley, WA)
9. Upon Departure (Metal – Longview, WA)
10. Almost Is Nothing (Thrash, PDX)
11. Chin Up Rocky (Happy Hardcore, PDX)
12. Bring Me Solace (Progressive, PDX)
13. And The Sirens Sang (Screamo, OR)
14. Aleen (Screamo, WA)
15. The Leper Legion (Death Metal, OR)
16. Idols (Death Metal, Seattle)
17. Proven (Metal, PDX)

For more information on local music, band interviews, concert updates and promotional content. Local bands, artists, concerts, venues, tours and events from rock, hip-hop, metal, pop, punk, hardcore, acoustic, indie, organic, progressive, funk, rap and more. Stay tuned to hurdcore.com, friend us on myspace and join us facebook Hurdcore is open to partnerships to promote local arts, music and entertainment as well as advertising opportunities – hurdcore@gmail.com – be specific in “subject” line.

Mixtapes in Moline, Illinois is making music happen for the Quad Cities. When not hosting bands from Illinois and beyond, Mixtapes boasts a variety of music and arts related business outlets such as an in-house tattoo parlor (Meno’s) and record store. As the bands and fans were waiting for the show to start an unpaid artist consultant (sarcasm) decided to stop by the small crowd in front of Mixtapes to share a few volumes from his wealth of entertainment knowledge. You can see some of the video of that encounter, now infamously dubbed “the drunk guy video”, on our hurdcore.com Midwest youtube page.

Opening a show can require heavy lifting at times, thankfully the lead singer for Nevada based Legions brought his muscles, rocking a pre-governator Arnie pose and setting Mixtapes on fire with their brand of metalcore. Iowa’s Kidnap The Sun introduced the crowd to the wall of death, as their synth pop-core brought dancers and ladies to the center of the room. The members of When Bears Attack knelt together near the drums as the voice of God rang out quoting those ex nihlo words of creation recorded in Genesis chapter 1, “Let there be light!” Aside from their creative blend of synth and hardcore, aptly classed as keycore, these young men accented their non-stop energy with a double strobe lighted gang plank that provided a platform to place them closer to and over the crowd.

On this fine Friday night in East Moline, Mixtapes boasted a remarkable blend of alternative -cores spawned from the hardcore family tree, with Eagle Scout taking indie to the max and inciting a stream of sing-a-longs. Perhaps a new vogue in stage theatrics is in the making as the drummer from Renae took to spitting on the bass player. Upon inquiry this was a recent ploy from the band that is taken in stride between the two who have no animosity towards each other, yet at one point the expectorate was so loaded that the bass player was encumbered by a loogie dangling from his playing hand. “This is our time. This is the end,” came the synth infused screamo/thrash opening incantation from locals Sleeper Awake Society. “Montana is basically Canada,” came the words of wisdom from bassist for Midnight Drive who started his night with a tattoo showcasing his home state across his upper chest.

Mixtapes has a good thing going with their ties in the Moline community and their several tiered approach to crafting a viable concert destination with record sales, music merch, live music venue and Meno’s Ink. The venue provides a close knit music experience and a regular diet of the Midwest’s finest local artists. Get your tats while you get personal with the bands, just be sure to arrive early because you never know who you may meet while you wait!

Mixtape’s Concert Venue and Record Store
including Meno’s Ink and Tattoo Parlor:
832 15th Avenue, East Moline, Illinois.

For more information on local music, band interviews, concert updates and promotional content. Local bands, artists, concerts, venues, tours and events from rock, hip-hop, metal, pop, punk, hardcore, acoustic, indie, organic, progressive, funk, rap and more. Stay tuned to hurdcore.com, friend us on myspace and join us facebook Hurdcore is open to partnerships to promote local arts, music and entertainment as well as advertising opportunities – hurdcore@gmail.com – be specific in “subject” line.

Clothing and music go hand-in-hand, as the common spirit of creative innovation is well expressed through music and print design. Bands love seeing their logos and designs rumbling through a crowd on the backs of loyal fans, while simultaneously these fans are proud to identify themselves with an artist who has connected with them through beat or lyric. Legionnaire Apparel stands in a prime position to optimize these relationships as its founders Joe Moxley and Mike Herrera (of MxPx and Tumbledown) have a wealth of experience between them and as a company they have already been active in sponsoring bands both nationally and locally. If you live outside of Oregon, you may have seen their feminine line in Zumiez stores or any number of their stellar designs on several of their faithful friends such as nationally known bands as Kutless or local rising stars like Tallboy. Join Rob Van Winkle (aka Vanilla Ice) and the rest of the Legionnairre Army as they continue to spread the Legionnairre goodness one torso at a time. A hearty hurdcore thanks to Joe for taking the time to share about his journey and vision for Legionnairre Apparel.

How does Joe of Medford, OR hook up with Mike of Bremerton, WA? How long have you known each other and what was the process/discussion like when you ventured into making apparel together?
JM Jason Hanlin of Guru Screen Printing introduced Mike and I about 4 years ago. Mike was on tour with MxPx and Jason and I were going on Taste of Chaos Tour with my older clothing line Meddy Clothing. I hooked up Mike with shirts and stayed in contact with him. Over time we talked and put our heads together and Legionnaire was born!

Legionnaire was recently picked up by Zumiez and being distributed in their stores up and down the West Coast (apparently not in Oregon?!), what does this deal mean for you and how did this come about?
JM Ha, yea. Zumiez did a test buy with the gals shirts nationwide. Not in Oregon because they wanted to see how it will sell outside of people we know. So far so good! We are super stoked that larger stores are starting to hear the buzz about Legionnaire so this is a huge step for us.

When did you and Mike make their official start as Legionnairre Apparel?
JM The launch of Legionnaire was in January 2007.

From your initial start, what has the journey into the fashion world been like for Legionnairre? What have been some of the biggest challenges along the way and what have you learned as you continue to build your empire?
JM Right away we had a great response because of all the loyal Herrera fans! I believe the biggest challenges are that Mike and I both have other jobs! Its tough to run a business on a few hours a night. We have learned if you take care of your customers that they will take care of you. Legionnaire fans are Legionnaire! Without them we would not be where we are now.

Who have been some of the key supporters from the beginning for Legionnaire?
JM Friends and family! Legionnaire has such a strong friends and family base that that is really how we spread the word on Legionnaire. So many bands to thank for showing Legionnaire Love and really supporting us by wearing out designs! Tumbledown, MxPx, S.A.T.O.R.I., YouHangUp, TallBoy, Kutless, Amber Pacific and even the great Vanilla Ice just to name a few.

What artists are you working with now as promotors/sponsors?
JM We are working with YouHangUp on a shirt design that will be a Legionnaire/youHangUp shirt that will only be found on our site. They are a newer band that is starting to blow up and sitting on drums is Frankie Muniz. We also are always working with the band S.A.T.O.R.I. This band has been with us before we had a clothing line. Great guys plus I manage the band so ha I guess I better sponsor them right?

Other than Joe and Mike, who is Legionairre? Where do you get your designs, are they all in-house?
JM For the last 3 to 4 years mike, Jason Hanlin (Guru Screen Printing) and I were pretty much the only ones designing. Now we have branched out just a little…ha Jeremy Hanlin has done a few of the new designs (ArrowHead, Love with Tear us Apart) Great Artist! We also just started working with Kay Boak. She is a super talented tattoo artist here in Ashland Oregon! You will see her designs real soon on our site and in many tattoo magazine.

What is the most difficult part of the printing process?
JM Printing is easy, it’s coming up with designs that we believe in and want on our site that takes time.

If I had an extra $50,000, the first piece of equipment that I would purchase for the business is A store front – time to open another store where we can also book bands!

Is there a current fashion trend that you have noticed that you will never join?
JM Skinny Jeans! I just don’t have the legs for it.

Currently reading Facebook for dummies, listening to Tyler DeVoll and watching Modern Family.

How about the best book you’ve ever read, what makes it stick out to you?
Who Moved My Cheese. Ha sounds lame but I really did get a lot out of it! Makes you want to be a go getter.

What are the top 5 songs in your personal ipod right now?
JM 1) Tumbledown – Butcher of San Antone; 2) S.A.T.O.R.I. – Hey; 3) Digital Underground – Humpty Dance; 4) Tumledown – Drink to Forget; 5) When we Were kings – What a Beautiful Fight We’ve Had

What are some of your best and worst experiences hawking apparel?
JM [BEST] Meeting the great people that support Legionnaire. [WORST] Seeing other clothing company steal your designs!

CHECK out all the Legionnairre Apparel designs for men and women’s clothing on their WEBSITE or MYSPACE

For more information, interviews and updates for live local music concert tours. Local bands, artists, concerts, venues, tours and events from rock, hip-hop, metal, pop, punk, hardcore, alternative, acoustic, thrash, indie, heavy metal, organic, progressive, funk, death metal, rap and more. Stay tuned to hurdcore.com, friend us on myspace and join us facebook Hurdcore is open to partnerships to promote local arts, music and entertainment as well as advertising opportunities – hurdcore@gmail.com – be specific in “subject” line.

If you never roll the dice, never risk something, then you’ll never reap the reward of having first learned and second expanded your opportunities to grow. Oregon’s First – The Everything Show set out with an ambitious goal to host a night that would offer “something for everyone.” Without catering to any specific crowd or scene, The Everything Show’s promoter Danny Morgan, Jr. (aka Suganuts), assembled a diverse blend of Oregon’s finest local talent for a night of musical variety. There was no doubt that most of the bands that came understood the vision for bringing such an ecclectic group together and responded themselves by giving 110% in their performances. Meeting several of these unique artists, who came from all over Oregon and were in various stages of their evolution as performers, it was inspiring to discuss the common pursuit of chasing their dreams through the expression afforded via their music.

Being the first act, has a certain dichotomy, where an artist bears the honor and burden of opening a show to set the tone for the night. While Pynt Syze brings a unique touch and high energy, between technical difficulties and a youth crowd confined to the distant balcony the response wasn’t up to par with what the young performer might have hoped for. KTR has a great sound with a meld of classic and modern rock, their compositions seamlessly rotate to brandish the talent of each musician. The play between percussion, acoustic and electric guitars provides KTR with a full bodied sound and the dual vocals gives a smooth dynamic that keeps things interesting in the melodies. If you don’t like ska, be careful stating such around Eugene’s Wetsock as their drummer dangerously resembles karate’s most notorious iconoclast, Chuck Norris. Wetsock brought high energy from the start that didn’t let up for a moment, with a spectacular blend of ska, punk, surf, reggae and swing. Treu aka Tha Hustla is the consummate professional, knowing that if the crowd isn’t warm sometimes you have to manually ignite them. Diversity was definitely on display when you consider that by this point in the show we’ve gone from 14 year old hip-hop local prodigy, classic rock, ska/punk and gangster style hip-hop.

Greenlander has a polished sound and look but don’t let the ties fool you, these gentlemen are ready to get down, with heavy riffs, pace changes and a crisp rock tone. October Rising has carved a local presence with their acoustic indie rock which elegantly plays with instrumental and vocal harmonies. Where time constraints and technical difficulties had prevented Will Woodruff from firing up his microphone for a full scale comedic assault, when intermission made an opening for The People’s Comedian to deliver, the crowd responded. Cracking jokes about his troubles with women and the societal disparities in perceptions of men driving mini-vans. Will is very personable, his comedy and beat-boxing skills played well with an Albany crowd. It’s wild to observe that the band that traveled the farthest, whom has the most momentum going for them currently and perhaps has played on the biggest stages of any of the acts, also delivered the deepest onslaught of musical mayhem for the night. It’s clear why Medford’s hardest working hardcore band, Tallboy, has been able to make such waves, as these young men put on a clinic of passion and professionalism, going all out as well as ALL over the place. DJ Unofficial was totally into the night, spinning and working with artists to add spice to a show that always brought something new.

The great thing about a live experience is that even when you aren’t used to a particular style of music, it is hard not to appreciate the work that goes into writing, composing and performing a song live. There is an energy to live performances that doesn’t always translate through recordings, so whether you are seeing your favorite band live or getting to experience something new, the opportunity to see such talented local artists on display is a blessing that shouldn’t be taken for granted. While there weren’t as many people on the dance floor as some would have liked, the crowd was always responsive, interacting with the bands and even cheering heartily throughout their sets. The biggest response of the night came for the shows organizer, seasoned local hip-hop artist Suganuts (aka Danny Morgan Jr.) who demo’d several of the rough cuts for his upcoming album ‘Natural’, which likely will be releasing later this year. Flo closed the night with her beautiful voice and classy R&B sound. On a night which envisioned a little of “something for everyone” the reception was creatively encapsulated by the t-shirt designs from The Sign Express which displayed a crunked out Charlie Brown and turn table spinning Linus. Oregon’s First – The Everything Show perhaps planted a seed, a vision/tone for what can happen when fans, promoters and artists are willing to color outside of the lines.

What more could be said, props to Suganuts for his vision and the amazing local performers who poured themselves out for this one of a kind show. Huge thanks to the sponsors for The Everything Show: Riley’s Bar & Grill is a spacious and beautiful venue with so much potential; KC Productions & Entertainment for stretching and laboring to make everything work; The Sign Express for designing and sponsoring the awesome Everything Show T-shirts; J Photography for getting into the action and capturing so many of the memories; Downtown Tattoo & Piercing for always being good to Albany music; Hightides Pipe & Tobacco for their generous support; Jack & Jill’s Barber Shop for your support and great hair cuts; Go Figure for all you do for Albany women and your willingness to get right into the mix; Nancy of The Entertainer for helping spread the word on all things local; Noah of The Alchemist for sharing your platform and working hard to help local art thrive; Paradox Production for pushing quality local hip-hop; Magnolia Audio & Music; Movies & Magic; Ciddici’s Pizza; AND EVERYONE WHO PASSED OUT FLIERS, TOLD SOMEONE AND CAME TO THE SHOW!

ALL photos for this article courtesy of J Photography – check/book them HERE

For more information, interviews and updates for live local music concert tours. Local bands, artists, concerts, venues, tours and events from rock, hip-hop, metal, pop, punk, hardcore, alternative, acoustic, power pop, thrash, R&B, soul, reggae, indie, heavy metal, organic, progressive, funk, death metal, rap and more. Stay tuned to hurdcore.com, friend us on myspace and join us facebook Hurdcore is open to partnerships to promote local arts, music and entertainment as well as advertising opportunities – hurdcore@gmail.com – be specific in “subject” line.

To be honest, we were a little shocked when we received a response from Ivan de Prume as this is by far the most decorated rock artist we have interviewed to date. In reverse chronological order, Ivan’s accomplishments include: radio host for Metalopolis on Rock 101.1FM KUFO (Portland, OR), currently playing with metal bands Healer and Kreep and, oh yeah, former drummer of White Zombie. This is a man who has taken a seat at the top tiers of the metal world, headlining with his band mates and rubbing shoulders with mega stars the ilk of Pantera, Slayer, Danzing…and on. Ivan hasn’t just dreamed, he’s taken his dreams by the throat and conquered them, continues to dream and even takes time to share his dreams with those still gaining traction in theirs. I am blown away by the passion, humility and depth of content that Mr. de Prume has shared with hurdcore fans, get ready for a roller coaster ride through the bowels of metal…

You used to drum for White Zombie, how long were you with the band and what was that experience like?
IDP The experience was incredible… full of challenges and rewards, twists and turns… I was only seventeen when I joined the band back in 1985 and quit in 1992. I put everything I had into the band and took it all the way to the top! It was one of the greatest achievements I have been a part of. I am very proud of the work I did with them.

What were some of the highlights for you personally during your time with Zombie?
IDP The greatest moment in the band for me was finally getting Rob Zombie to appreciate heavy metal music! It was always a struggle for me because he would make fun of bands I appreciated and loved such as Metallica and Slayer. But then one day on tour he was driving and suddenly asked for my Metallica “Ride The lightning” cassette tape. He played it all the way through and from then on he instantly changed. He played it over and over again! I was so floored. We quickly began writing songs with a fatter guitar sound and the band took a quick turn away from being a noise metal band and began shaping its Metal flavor that quickly brought the attention of the metal scenes wherever we went. I was so happy to see my metalhead friends rocking out to us instead of the old Lower East Side art scene which really wasn’t me! Chris Williamson from Rock Hotel Promotions placed us to open for Danzig and from there we opened for Slayer and their fans ate us up! What more can I ask for… We toured with many kick ass bands I loved to listen to such as Testament and Pantera. And I must say my greatest memory was playing those shows with Pantera and hanging out back stage with Dimebag Darell.

What I loved about the band was all of our dedication to our common goal. That led to the creation of the album that hit the band big-time, Le Sexorcisto Devil Music Vol. 1

Any plans for a White Zombie reunion tour that you are aware of or any discussions about de Prume being the victim of some gruesome death in one of Rob’s upcoming films?
IDP hahaha… No plans right now…

Are you still actively drumming, if so what are some of the other acts that you have worked with?
IDP I had many project that came and went since White Zombie. The two bands that are still at the forefront are Healer and Kreep. After leaving White Zombie, I began envisioning a new sound, musically, for many years but it wasn’t easy to create until I took it upon myself to form the band Healer. I wanted to bridge some musical elements from different corners of the globe… This sound came into fruition with the album “Awakening” that I co-wrote, played drums/percussion, engineered, produced, mixed and financed in my own home recording studio and it was a fantastic experience. I also play with Kreep and we just released an album last year called “Lead Us Not”.

Is Metalopolis your baby? How did you get involved with the show?
IDP My wife Stephanie was making calls to radio stations to get my band Healer played and she landed on Chris Patyk, former Operations Manager at KUFO, who asked if I have ever been on the radio. She was confused and said, he is always on the radio with his band White Zombie. He answered, no what I meant was, has he ever hosted a show, do you think he would be into doing a metal show? and she answered, he would be great at that! So, we set a start date for March 7, 2009 and its been awesome ever since.

Metalopolis is aired locally in Oregon on Rock 101.1 FM KUFO, does your show have syndication outside of Oregon?
IDP We are working on that as we speak!

For those who may not have heard your show what is Metalopolis?
IDP “METALOPOLIS” is a weekly radio show hosted by myself burning up the airwaves in Portland, Oregon on Rock 101.1 FM KUFO and you can catch the party streaming around the world online at kufo.com every Saturday night from 10PM – Midnight Pacific Standard Time! You can hear exclusive interviews with the legends of metal such as Rob Halford from Judas Priest, Jason Newsted x-Metallica, Max Cavalera from Soulfly and many more… Although the show plays a lot of metal on the harder side, we do play all styles of metal as long as its good music. We play bands that are on top of the world to the bands that are unsigned and starting out with a kick ass demo. We cover metal beginning from the late ’60s to fresh new releases… As long as it falls in the metal genre and its just good music, I will play it….

What are some of the best and worst changes that you have observed as part of the the metal scene over the last three decades?
IDP Its changing all the time… I feel we are about to hit a new level in music…. I think it has changed for the better as far as technique goes but not as far as creativity. I have have never seen drummers playing so fast with these blast beats and double bass while staying in time and all. With technology bands over the past twenty years have the ability to sound perfect live and in the studio using click tracks and pitch correction but the song writing has suffered for most I have seen. I think this will change because nothing stays the same and aren’t we dying for something new and fresh! We all know it and I think this band will come and will steel us all away… possibly take us to that far away planet!

The topic of defining what is “metal” can be a heated subject for many. For you, who have been some of the quintesential metal bands?
IDP Wow, that’s a good one… Every band that you hear on Metalopolis! hahaha…These are the four songs I picked that shaped me as a metal head from a Metalopolis theme show we did a couple weeks ago…
(1) Iron Man Black Sabbath Black Box: The Complete Original 1970-1978 [CD 2] – Paranoid 5:59 2004; (2) Where Eagles Dare Iron Maiden Piece Of Mind 6:13 1983; (3) For Whom the Bell Tolls Metallica Ride the Lightning 5:10 1984; (4) Raining Blood Slayer Reign in Blood 4:58 1986

Who of the newer acts spike your attention and seem to embody a healthy evolution within metal?
IDP Amon Amarth, Soulfly, Lamb Of God.

Are you an Oregon native? If not, what brought you to Portland?
IDP No! I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Then moved to Los Angeles for fifteen years. I moved here because it kicks ass out here… the bottom line is that I find it fulfilling to all my needs and desires to stay alive and be happy. The most basic is cleaner water and cleaner air and after 15 years of being deprived of that in Los Angeles… I am in heaven in this juicy land of life. I find an undercurrent of an incredible scene here, great talent and the level of creative, weird, wild and different energy is very much needed when you are an artist in a community. New York and Los Angeles has had that spark in the past but I just didn’t see it anymore. I travel all over all the time for projects and I enjoy heading back to Los Angeles and New York and they are still great cities in my eyes.

How metal friendly is Portland and How does it rate against other cities for metal-mania?
IDP I must say it has one of the best metal scenes in the country… Especially now that we have Metalopolis!

We often hear tidbits in the news of actors and sports stars
residing in Oregon, who are some of the music figureheads that you are aware of who call Oregon home?
IDP I found a few in Portland… Art Alexakis, member of Everclear, Black Francis, musician, and founder of the Pixies, Brad Wilk, Portland-born drummer of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave… check out this site [for more]

Aside from Metalopolis, what else are you currently involved in?
IDP I have an awesome wife and three kids. I am owner of Burningsound Studios where I produce and engineer bands. I just remixed a KMFDM song Never Say Never off their latest release Blitz. It has just been released on their new album called Krieg and the song has been titled Never Say Never (Naughty Habit Mix by Ivan de Prume). Healer and Kreep are in the writing stages at this time for future releases.

How did you get into drumming? Do you remember the first song that you ever learned on the sticks?
IDP I just always loved them! There was this hippie dude that lived in my house when I was like 12 years old! He helped me pick out my first drumset and taught me a couple of beats! Other than playing along with songs on the radio, I think the first song I learned with a band was my Junior High School Band class performance with a song called “Blue Rock”

What were some of the key lessons and/or techniques that helped you as a beginning drummer? What are some tricks that you utilize now to keep your skills sharp?
IDP Counting, and starting very slow so your coordination can develop! Now what I like doing to help me stay in shape is simply playing along to different tracks and playing left handed. Also applying accents you hear in songs to different limbs and drums, such as playing a part in a song only on one drum while keeping the pulse with the high hat or kick drum… or playing accents with the kick drum and high hat while keeping a solid rhythm on the toms or ride!

Best and worst experiences performing a live show?
IDP Best show… wow so many great ones… recently it was on our last Kreep at a benefit show called Blakefest in Idaho to raise funds to take a young girl who was dying of cancer to Disney Land before she went cause that was her last wish… This girl who was sick was doing cartwheels on stage and became the bands number one fan! Our guitar player gave her his guitar! Worst show… ahhh lets not go there… I think it was a White Zombie show when we thought we were going to be killed by Skinheads in Chicago

(Question CYCLONE) Any song that gives you the most trouble live? With practice and preparation I found nothing is a challenge live! If I had an extra $1000, the first piece of equipment that I would purchase for the band is? New crash cymbals. Trend that you have noticed that you will never join? Dora back packs. Currently reading interview questions, listening to the kids fighting in the other room! and watching myself turn into my dad. Any crazy pre-performance rituals? I like to be alone stretching, and getting myself in a space visualizing and playing the entire show from beginning to end! When you are a diva/rockstar the three things that you will demand be in your dressing room are? A personal assistant, who can hopefully do everything from laundry to chiropractic techniques, my wife and kids but in a separate suite so I can focus, and healthy fresh meals and drinks for after the show! Band you have shared the stage with that blew you away? Pantera and Slayer. Top 5 songs in your personal ipod right now? Amon Amarth Twilight_Of_The_Thunder_God, One Soulfly, Preacher’s Daughter 3 Inches Of Blood, I Wizard Smoke… they change every day!

HUGE Thanks to Ivan de Prume of METALOPOLIS, listen in every Saturday at 10PM-12AM PST on 101.1FM KUFO (Portland, OR) or online at kufo.com. See website for instructions on how to get your band airtime on Metalopolis! Listen or see Ivan play live with bands Kreep and Healer.

For more information, interviews and updates for live local music concert tours. Local bands, artists, concerts, venues, tours and events from rock, hip-hop, metal, pop, punk, hardcore, alternative, acoustic, power pop, thrash, R&B, soul, reggae, indie, heavy metal, organic, progressive, funk, death metal, rap and more. Stay tuned to hurdcore.com, friend us on myspace and join us facebook Hurdcore is open to partnerships to promote local arts, music and entertainment as well as advertising opportunities – hurdcore@gmail.com – be specific in “subject” line.