THE 202: February 2010

White Denim

is a three part rock band hailing from Austin, Texas. Their music draws influence from garage rock,dub, soul, alternative rock, country, post-punk, blues, psychedelic rock, experimental rock with home-basedrecording, intense looping work and unusual song structures

In March 2005, the two bands Parque Touch (Josh Block, James Petralli, Lucas Anderson) and Peach Train (Steve Terebecki) played a show together atBeerland in Austin, Texas. After the show Steve was asked to play bass for Parque Touch and the band became four, playing under the pseudonyms Byshop Massive (Lucas), Bop English (James), Nicholas Mallard (Josh), and Terry Beckins (Steve); however, in February 2006, Lucas moved to Russia and the resulting power trio changed its name to White Denim. The new line-up began playing the local Austin circuit while recording punk-infused, psychedelic blues-rock in Block's 1940s Spartan trailer.

In 2007, the band self-released its first EP entitled Let's Talk About It on 7" only, but later these tracks became available on iTunes. While on tour in 2007, the band recorded its second album and sold copies as a nine-song "tour EP" entitled Workout Holiday, which was only sold at shows. Workout Holiday caught the ear of new record label RCRD LBL (an online record label releasing exclusive and completely free music from emerging and established artists), and the band signed on to re-record three of the songs from Workout Holiday. These songs were exclusively released as the RCRD LBL EP, one MP3 track at a time over the course of the first few months of 2008.

Since these releases, the band has toured extensively, playing shows including SXSW and CMJ Music Marathon, and also received the award of "Best New Band" at the 2008 Austin Music Awards. In order to reach European listeners, the band signed to UK record label (home to The Hold Steady and Viva Voce) for an overseas release. The first release on Full Time Hobby was the single "Let's Talk About It" b/w "Darksided Computer Mouth". One June 23, 2008, the band released its debut album, the Workout Holiday LP, which consists of re-recorded songs from the band's first two self-released EPs along with some new tracks. The band has since released two more singles in Europe off of Workout Holiday: "All You Really Have To Do" b/w "DCWYW" and "Shake Shake Shake" b/w "All Truckers Roll".

Back in the US, White Denim released their debut US full-length LP, entitled Exposion in late 2008. Originally sold during their Spring 2008 tour as a CDR with the title 11 Songs, the album was made available in digital format from their official website on October 19, 2008. The band teamed up with Austin's Transmission Entertainment for the distribution of Exposion in the US; however, the two parted ways in mid-2009.

White Denim's third full-length album, Fits, was released via Full Time Hobby on June 22, 2009. The record was initially release in Europe only, but after signing their first US record deal with Downtown Records on July 10, the band release Fits on October 20, 2009. This album was also packaged with Exposionas a bonus disc, giving the band's second LP a proper US release.

Cazwell

Luke Caswell (born June 27, 1979 in Worcester, Massachusetts), known as Cazwell, is an American rapper and songwriter. He is best known for his explicit lyrics and collaborations with Amanda Lepore. His work focuses ongay and bisexual urban themes and content and his music and videos are heavily played on LOGO. Cazwell himself is openly gay.

Cazwell released an album in 2006 named Get Into It. The lead single, "All Over Your Face", was banned from LOGO due to explicit lyrics and sexual imagery portrayed in the music video directed by Francis Legge and edited by Cayle Ryan Pietras. Cazwell is known for hosting and djing at parties, including BoysRoom in New York City, with guests such as Ladyfag, Amanda Lepore, Dj Adam, Raquel Reed and her brother Stephen Reed.

During the summer of 2007, Cazwell was a part of the multi-artist True Colors Tour, which traveled through 15 cities in North America. The tour, sponsored by LOGO, was hosted by comedian Margaret Cho and headlined by Cyndi Lauper and included Rufus Wainwright, The Dresden Dolls, Rosie O'Donnell, Indigo Girls, Stephen Reed and other special guests. Profits from the tour helped to benefit LGBT organizations Human Rights Campaign, PFLAG and The Matthew Shepard Foundation.

Recently on the video sharing site, Youtube, Cazwell had a song featured entitled "I Seen Beyonce at Burger King" featuring Jonny Makeup directed by Francis Legge. The single was released in September 2008.

In 2009 he appeared in the final episode of RuPaul's Drag Race. His single Tonight samples Give Me Tonight by Shannon.

Steve Aoki - also known as his stage name DJ Steve Aoki Kid Millionaire, (born November 30, 1977) is an American club DJ, record producer and the founder of Dim Mak Records.

Aoki runs Dim Mak Records. The label has recently released music by other fidgethouse artists such as MSTRKRFT, The Bloody Beetroots, Klaxons,Scanners, Whitey, Mystery Jets and Mustard Pimp. Aoki is also a club promoter and DJ.

He has also teamed up with Blake Miller of the LA -based band Moving Units to produce remixes. The duo of Miller and Aoki work under the moniker Weird Science. As of 2008. Aoki has started producing on his own and started with a Duran Duran remix for their second single in the UK.

He has remixed many artists and bands, including Drake, Lenny Kravitz, Bloc Party, Snoop Dogg, Robin Thicke, S.P.A., Duran Duran, Timbaland, Kid Cudi,Chester French and Peaches.

The Dim Mak Collection clothing line was launched in 2006. A new fashion range designed by Steve and his sister Devon Aoki is coming out in 2009. They've partnered with the founders/owners of Ksubi, George Garrow and Dan Single to release this range together. "We've been putting it together for two years, from the very early stages." Aoki told. Also with Dan Single and George Garrow, Ksubi will be partnering up and creating a Dim Mak sunglass line that will drop in 2009 as well.

Aoki and friend Greger, the owner of WESC, came up with the idea together to do the "Aoki headphones." They used different shades of green, because that was Aoki's favorite color at the time. Each season Aoki plans to design new headphones for WESC.

Aoki also is endorsed by KR3W Apparel and Supra Footwear, where he develops and designs an entire range of clothing and shoes for both companies under his name.

Aoki is a co-owner in a Korean BBQ restaurant Shin alongside Danny Masterson, Julian Casablancas from The Strokes, Mark Ronson, Laura Prepon, Jerry Butler, among others. He also co-owns a management company called Deckstar with DJ AM along with their managers and Paul Rosenberg. Underneath the Deckstar Management division, Dim Mak management has been formed to manage some of the label's artists and other DJs.

He was featured in the video games NBA 2K8 and NBA 2K9 as a special celebrity player, even though he admits to being horrible at basketball.

Aoki's debut album, "Pillowface and His Airplane Chronicles" was released in January 2008. He also had an Essential Mix that aired on BBC Radio 1 on August 2, 2008.

He has recently remixed the track 'When The Wind Blows' that features on the UK edition of the The All-American Rejects latest album When The World Comes Down.

On November 10, 2009 he released a remix for Drake's song "Forever". The song features Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wanye, and Eminem. The track made it to the top of Hype Machine's chart in December 2009.

As many as you know fashions come and go, and some fashions make a reappearance like back in the 90's when the hippie look the 80's brought back the 60's retro look and what I'm seeing now out and about is the 80's are back in full force!!

I mean when are we gonna make our own

fashion statements with out copying the past!! but by being a child of the 80's and growing up and remembering certain things and then seeing them again, it's kinda fun. So I'm all about the 80's fashion here are a couple inspirations! look easy! gasp soft.

the Mullet has come and gone Euro style of course.

MC Hammer pant's I know early 90's but it's a come back at several boutique stores especially in NYC. Can I barf now!!!

We can't forget the ultra conservative but fashionable guys in the city, as Fred Perry is known for Tennis clothes and footwear, the line is making a break through with the youth.

A conservative look that reminds us of the 80's nerd.

(think Return of the Nerds the movie).