Headspace Magazine

1 FALL 2013 HEADSPACEMAG.COM

2 HEADSPACEMAG.COM FALL 2013 3 FALL 2013 HEADSPACEMAG.COM

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CONTENTS FALL 2013

5 Letter From the Editor

6 Comix Corner 7 Rocks With A Fox Picking Apart Petalite By Shawn “Fox” Rybacki

8 A Head Of The Game Concert Photography 101 Featuring David Oppenheimer Interview by Tim Dougherty

parking lot Miscellaneous

munchiesFood and health

tunesMusic

spaced outActivities, arts, & culture

10 InCider Edition The booming trend of cider making By Mia Jester

14 The Vibration Featuring Swift Technique Written by Rebecca Wolfe 15 Shredding With Scofield Interview by Alessandro Satta

16 The Great Banjo Explorations An intimate interview with Béla Fleck By Becky Blumenthal

18 Best Fests Of 2013 Fan favorites of the season

20 Coltrane’s Philadelphia An inspiring documentary about the legendary musician’s roots By Tim Dougherty

21 Spaced Out Events

22 Ripping The Sheet Off “Ghost” Towns By Jesse Bellosi

24 Cheech and Chong Are Back Interview by Alessandro Satta 28 Artist Showcase Featuring Angela Monaco

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10 Letter From The Editor

s the days of summer dwindle and ele-gantly glide into a Pennsylvanian fall, I sit on my couch reflecting on the past

months of music, people, and heat. Along with the beautiful festivities that are associat-ed with the festival scene come the dangers; thieves, overdoses, undercover cops etc. People newer to the scene may be led into a naïve sensation that nothing bad could ever happen to them within the sanctity of the festival boundaries. However, that is not the case. When one realizes this, they proceed with caution and can be wary of new and different people. Regardless of these attitudes you can still see gestures of real human compassion shining through the darkness, reminding us of humankind’s positive attributes. This summer during Jibberjazz’s Madsummer Meltdown, I encountered the Agin’ Cajun’s Back Porch for the first time. These guys were dedicated to making festival-goers real Cajun food that was delicious and affordable. Max Prejean and his family make you feel right at home, complete with picnic tables set up under a shaded area. Over the course of the weekend, my pregnant friend’s car was broken into and her gas money stolen. While she attempted to sell the stones and random goods she had in order to get home, she stopped in at the Agin’ Cajun for some shade. She related her story to this family of strangers while taking advantage of their shade. When she walked past the stand again later on in the day the family had taken up a tip jar in order to get her gas money to get home, over $60! Random gestures of kindness are what it’s all about. Enjoy the change in seasons!!

- Alex Satta

staf f founder/ editor - in - chief

Alessandro [email protected]

chief executive officerTim Dougherty

[email protected]

creative directorJoe Gurreri

[email protected]

copy editorBecky Blumenthal

[email protected] Pandarella

illustratorsJohn Warner

jduballstars.comJoel KirckhoffBen Fowler

graphic designersPat Ambrogi

contributing writers Shawn RybackiJesse Bellosi

Mia JesterRebecca Wolfe

8Cover by Paul Mobley

A


Picking Apart Petalite

parking lotparking lot

othing in the world compares to crystal hunting through treasures at a gem show with friends. From a

recent expedition I brought home a piece of petalite, which encouraged me to share the details about this stone for all of my beloved readers! This lithium sodium aluminum silicate can be found in Canada, Sweden, Australia, Zimbabwe, Brazil and many other places. The color ranges from clear to pink or green, even yellow. Its name was derived from the Greek word for “leaf,” probably due to its leaf-like layers and perfect cleavage. Both in aesthetics and aura, petalite is tremendously soft. Petalite is said to be a healer of the Triple Burner Meridian, which, if you think of it in terms of food, is the system by which we balance our consumption, digestion, and excretion. In metaphysical terms, it translates to a much deeper balancing act. With petalite we can help ourselves be mindful of the input of information,

energy and other stimuli (from what movies we watch to of the types of attitudes with which we surround ourselves). We can have greater control over how we transform the energies we swallow on a daily basis,

and make more positive decisions regarding how they come back out of us. Since petalite is a high-vibration stone which not only activates the Crown chakra, but also gently stimulates Kundalini, it can assist in channeling creative outlets –rather than putting negative vibes back into

the world with pessimism, selfishness, fear or bitterness. When the Triple Burner Meridian is healed, a human system becomes sustain-able. What was initially striking when

holding petalite was how comfortable and peaceful I felt. Almost as soon as I decided to take it home, I was continuously befriended by several meandering “jam kids,” who I later learned were there together. With a softened heart and self-love one can quickly become a magnet for like minds. When we stand still for a moment and remember to care for ourselves that is when positivity finds us! It is almost spooky what wonderful things can happen when we love ourselves, which is why it is so vital that we make space in our daily routine to do that. If

you’ve been struggling to take some time for yourself, try carrying a piece of petalite around.

Written and photo by Shawn “Fox” Rybacki

N

Comix Corner

We are always looking for fresh jokes!

Submit them on our Facebook page and we will illustrate the joke with the most likes!www.facebook.com/headspacemag

Why did the scarecrow

win the nobel prize?

BECAUSE HE WAS OUT STANDING IN

HIS FIELD!

SUDOKU


a head of thegameDavid Oppenheimer

featuring...

HS: So when did you first become involved with concert photography?

DO: Well, the story starts a little bit before my first concert shooting experience, when I got my first Nikon camera. I picked it up in the early ‘90s and quickly realized I had a passion for photography. My passion for music finally crossed with photography in 1998 when I snuck my camera into a Phil Lesh and Friends show. It was a film camera, not digital, and the whole experience was nuts. After that I got some more equipment and started taking my camera to every show I went to. It was really just a hobby at first, but it slowly started turning into a job.

HS: How did you manage to turn your hobby into a career?

DO: It really was more of an evolution. It took a lot of work to really get it to become a job. I started my company, Performance Impressions, in 2004 and started taking on small gigs and anything I could get. It was really hard to

get a paying job at first. I started off by just shooting a lot of small local shows here in Nashville. It seems like everyone just expected me to work for free or for beer or for a free ticket to a show. But I took anything I could get just to build my portfolio. My first big paying jobs were at festivals; that’s the primary work I do now. Now I have over 500 shows stored in my archive, having that much work really helps when you’re trying to get a paying gig. Knowing your target market really helps too. I talk to a lot of marketers, promoters, advertisers and artists to help me find jobs. Just getting out there and showing you can do quality work is really what makes the big difference.

HS: What was your favorite festival of the summer?

DO: Definitely Bonaroo. It was a great experience. That festival just condensed so many great acts into one weekend, I got to go from shooting Paul McCartney to Billy Idol to R. Kelly, it was just incredible. I also got to shoot from a

helicopter there! It was nuts, I was just leaning out the side of the helicopter with the door open shooting pictures, it was amazing.

HS: Do you have any tips for aspiring concert photographers?

DO: It’s all about access and angles. You have to think about how you’re going to get the places where you can get the shots you need. Think about using different angles! At a lot of shows you’ll just see all of these people right up in the pit, all fighting for space to take the same pictures as everyone else. You really need to think outside the box. I’ve come up with all kinds of crazy ways to get the shots I want. Recently I built a kind of camera periscope by attaching a remote viewing screen to the bottom of a monopod. This allows me to stick my camera way up above the crowd and easily see what my camera is going to capture. This lets me get angles that no one else is getting, which is how I set myself apart from all of the other photog-raphers out there. Another obvious thing

is that you really need high quality glass. A good lens will allow you to take photos in any situation. The faster shutter speed and better focus just enable you to get so many more pictures then cheap glass. It really makes a huge difference. Another thing I’ve started to do is carry a 2x multiplier. You put it on the back of your lens and it instantly doubles its range. I can use one 80-200mm lens and turn it into a 160-400mm lens whenever I want without carrying around another super heavy giant lens. Oh and I can’t forget, buy equipment protection! Not only will it allow you to replace expensive equipment if it gets stolen or destroyed, but you can also get them to refurbish all of your stuff before you sell it, and you can transfer the policy, so you can sell it for more and put that money towards newer and better equipment. Try to get your stuff from a store that offers a 5 year plan if you can. It is really worth it.

What is your favorite place you have ever gotten to show your work?

DO: The Warren Haynes Christmas Jam. I’ve donated work to that event for the past three years. There is a Gov’t Mule show along with a big gallery showing a bunch of show posters and awesome photography. All of the proceeds from the concert and the gallery go to Habitat for Humanity, which is just a great cause. I’m really looking forward to my photography becoming more collectible. You know, the collectors now still want photos of Elvis, The Beatles, The Grateful Dead, you know stuff like that. But down the road people are going to start wanting photos of Trey, Umphrey’s and Soundtribe, stuff like that. I think it’s going to be really cool when that happens.

Be sure to check out David’s website, performanceimpressions.com, and check out some amazing photographs of your favorite bands!

Interview by Tim DoughertyPhotos by David Oppenheimer

ConcertPhotography 101David Oppenheimer is one of the leading concert photographers in the country. While you may not have heard his name, you have almost certainly seen his work. His photos have graced the pages of Rolling Stone and been featured on MSNBC, MTV, Fuze and AOL. He has been with his camera onstage capturing performances of Furthur, Phil Lesh and Friends, Bassnectar, Bob Dylan, Gov’t Mule, Willie Nelson, B.B. King, Metallica, The Dead, Warren Haynes, Jack John-son, Widespread Panic, The Itals, The Wailing Souls, David Byrne and The Beastie Boys to name a few. With the summer festival season coming to an end, many people will look back and remember a summer full of fun, family and great music. Having great photos to remind us of all the amazing times is something we sometimes take for granted. Headspace caught up with David to try to really grasp the amount of work, knowledge, time and effort needed to become a great concert photographer and to give all of you aspiring shutter-bugs out there some tips on how to shoot in one of the most difficult environments out there, a live concert.

Medeski, Martin And WoodThe Dead outside Madison Square Garden in NYC Widespread Panic

Mickey Hart with Rhythm Devils

PhishPhil Lesh And Friends

parking lot


munchies munchies

Apples date back to creation stories, but when did Cider come into play? Some argue this fall-favorite existed as early as Julius Caesar’s time, but its consumption became more widespread and better

For the first time in centuries, Cider is experiencing a full surge in popularity. Ciderguide.com reports 11 cideries in Pennsylvania, alone, as of early August 2013. Whereas the beer industry is already established, the growing popularity of cider has proven news worthy. CBS’s program This Morning recently presented a segment titled “Hard cider cuts into traditional beer sales” and The Wall Street Journal has even explored how cider has saved the New York orchard industry by deeming apples that are unfit for fruit stores still usable. Cider companies have experienced increases in sales over 50% in the course of the past two years and even big name beer manufacturers are hopping on board beyond the hops to maximize profit and popularity. Stella Artois now has Cidré, MillerCoors purchased Crispin, and Sam Adam’s Angry Orchard is among the most frequently served ciders. The cider culture overall is thriving, as evidenced

by the formation of the United States Association of Cider Makers in

February 2013. USACM aims “to serve and

represent the hard cider and perry

industry in the United

States.” This

documented following the Norman Conquest in 1066. After this time, it

was common for monasteries and households to produce

and consume cider. English settlers brought apple seeds to the New World

in the early 1600s, and although Johnny

generously spread the seed, cider’s popularity may have resulted more

from necessity than desire. At this time grains were costly

to import and did not grow as well in the New England soil;

however, apples were more highly adaptable. Despite the agricultural

struggles on new land, Germans and Eastern Europeans immigrating to America in the early 1900s were determined to have their beer and drink it too, so cider experienced a decline in popularity during this time. Apple cider production came to a near halt during the Prohibition, when, in addition to the banning of hard cider, sweet cider production was monitored, making it near impossible to bend the rules. When the Prohibition was revoked in 1933, apple orchards had been diminished to a point where even those who had managed

Association was formed prior to the most recent CiderCon, “an annual industry event organized to give the commercial cider community an outlet to meet, share ideas, collaborate , and effect positive changes in cider-making and cider fruit production practices, the cider market, and cider regulations.” Such regulations may be trickier than one would think! A taste-tester may not be able to differentiate between an apple cider and an apple wine but the taxes on the two different categories, often separated by alcohol content, are completely different. “Basically,” explains Lynda Calimano of Starfish Junction Productions, “the governing laws vary by state and in some cases we’ve learned that ciders over 7% alcohol fall under the jurisdiction of wines.” Starfish Junctions Productions will bring Pour the Core: A Hard Cider Festival to Philadelphia this fall so attendees can try out the industries’ latest innovations and experience the growing trend of cider-only tasting events.

to maintain orchards on their properties could not restore production to the level it had reached before this time period. Now, almost a century later, hard cider is experiencing a comeback.

In “The Botany of Desire,” renowned author Michael Pollan takes a closerlook at Swedenborgian missionary John Chapman. Chapman, the “real” Johnny Appleseed, is credited for spreading apple trees from Western Pennsylvania, through Ohio, all the way to Indiana. Exploring the interconnectivity of people and plants in relation to the experience of the New World’s early settlers, Pollan makes an unconventional conclusion. Does the legend of Johnny Appleseed live on because the settlers were really craving an apple a day? No. Chapman’s planting processes were all natural and a non-grafted apple tree produces fruits sour to the point of inedibility. More realistically, Pollan proposes that good ole’ Johnny Appleseed was so well received due to his bestowment of alcohol to those who found his nurseries, as this was the most common use for the apple during his time.

Starfish Junction owner Andy Calimano comments that “With the strong craft beer culture in Philly, this was a logical next step for launching and building the Pour the Core festival brand. We’ve hosted several sold out craft beer shows at the Philly Navy Yard, and we are thrilled to be returning with a new show concept that addresses the recent surge in hard cider popularity and the soaring sales from this remarkable beverage.” Among the 30+ ciders available for tasting, attendees can expect to see Woodchuck and Strongbow. “Woodchuck is the tasting glass sponsor and Strongbow will be hosting a special mixology tent for demos and instruction,” reveals Calimano. Indulging into senses beyond that of taste, the festival will also feature seminars and music. Best of all, the event will donate funds to the Committee to Benefit the Children. Designated drivers receive a discount, but all attendees must be 21+ with a valid identification. Be sure to visit www.pourthecore.com/philly for info and tickets soon because the event is expected to sell out!

Real Johnny Appleseed

The

[Written by Mia Jester]


munchies munchies

HOW DID WOODCHuCK HARD CIDeR COMe ABOuT? DID A BOOM IN CIDeR POPuLARITY CReATe A DeMAND?

Hard cider was once the most popular beverage in the United States. For a variety of reasons, including Prohibition, cider fell off the map in the US, but continued to grow around the world. In 1991, the only ciders really available in the US were imports. Woodchuck started that year out of a two car garage in a tiny Vermont town. It was really the first American made hard cider to gain traction in the U.S. during the 90s. Woodchuck has steadily grown over the last 22 years, and events like Pour the Core are the reason why. When people taste it they like it! We have been thrilled to see the category grow so much over the last two years. The great thing about cider is that it’s a bridging beverage for all other categories. Cider is an attractive choice for beer, wine, and spirit drinkers. In addition to a standalone beverage, you can mix cider with beer and spirits. Cider also drinks like wine and is made

apples to meet our demand, so we are forced to widen our sourcing to the Northeast. New York is a big state for us. We get all of our Granny Smith apples from Washington State as they don’t grow in large quantities on the east coast.

CAN YOu COMMeNT ON THe CIDeR COMMuNITY IN AMeRICA TODAY? PHILLY SPeCIFICALLY?

The cider community is very passionate! Those that like cider, really like cider. It’s a great community to

like wine. So its appeal draws from a lot of places. HOW DID YOu SeTTLe ON THe FLAVORS OF CIDeR YOu STOCK (FARMHOuSe, WINTeR, eTC.)?

We prefer to call them cider styles as each has it’s own ingredients and yeast strains. We run the ciders through an internal taste panel and perfect the ones we love. One of the great things about Woodchuck is we aren’t afraid to try new things.

WHAT WOuLD YOu ReCOMMeND AN AMATeuR BReWeR DO WHeN TRYING TO INCORPORATe NeW FLAVORS? ANY TIPS FOR NeW BReWeRS OVeRALL?

Well, Woodchuck grew from a garage into one of the largest cider companies in the United States. We didn’t rush into growth and new styles right away. We focused on crafting Woodchuck Amber into the highest quality cider

be a part of.They get genuinely excited when we release new products. At Woodchuck, we are always listening. Last summer we heard from hundreds of fans that they wanted Woodchuck in a can. We answered the call and started canning our cider a few months later. As for Philly, Philadelphia is where the Founding Fathers gathered to declare independence and they certainly enjoyed a tankard or two of cider during their time in the city. Philly has always embraced Woodchuck since our earliest days two decades ago, so it’s really exciting to have Pour the Core take place there. The category is gaining new fans every day, and we are thrilled to be pouring Woodchuck for a new crop of cider enthusiasts.

HAS BuSINeSS INCReASeD ReCeNTLY WITH THe NeW GLuTeN-FRee CRAze?

The gluten free diet and growth in number of people with celiac disease has

we could make, and only after we perfected that and had success selling it to consumers did we start to branch out. It’s all about the liquid, flashy marketing campaigns only go so far, people have to enjoy how it tastes.

HOW MANY APPLeS DO YOu uSe FOR CIDeR ANNuALLY? WHeRe DO THeSe APPLeS COMe FROM?

It’s hard to say exactly how many apples we use annually. We source our apples as much as we can from Vermont, but the state doesn’t grow enough

driven more people to Woodchuck. The gluten free community is so incredibly passionate about the products they CAN have. They take to blogs, magazines, and newsletters to let the rest of the community know what’s out there and that has certainly benefitted us. We are a naturally gluten free product, so we just focus on crafting the highest quality ciders and are psyched when that community responds to it so well.

Need to know more? Visit hardcidernews.com or take a trip to the National Apple Museum in Biglersville, PA (http://www.nationalapplemuseum.com). There’s ample information on brewing from scratch available and many companies also sell kits for anyone craving a home-made fall treat!

Gluten FreeCider Is

Rebecca, of Philadelphia, shares why she prefers this fall-favorite year round: “I used to be an avid beer drinker but since I have recently discovered that I have a gluten-intolerance and wheat does not typically agree with me. I have switched over to hard-cider for my go-to drink. Hard cider is delicious and since it is brewed using apples and not wheat, it is naturally gluten free! I usually drink Angry Orchard, my favorite flavor being their “Apple Ginger.”. For a nice crisp drink with a kick to it, what can be better than some hard cider?”


The Great Banjo ExplorationsAn intimate interview with Béla Fleck

Béla Fleck is a musician unlike any other. He’s an incredibly innovative and technologically advanced banjo player who crosses all genres of the musical sphere. He will be uniting with other world-renowned banjo players to perform a very special “Banjo Summit” at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, NJ, on October 13, 2013.

HS: It seems like as your career has progressed, you’ve crossed through many different genres. How would you describe your style for those who may not be familiar with you?

I guess I’m a banjo explorer, looking for untried musical challenges, and trying to make music that is meaningful on various levels. Having recorded and performed with top musicians in many fields, I’m in a unique position to view music from the top, and look for the commonalities between the different forms.

HS: If someone hasn’t heard your music before, with which song or album do you suggest they start?

I start by finding out what they like. I do enough different styles, that someone could love one thing and not care for another that I do at all! If you are open to bluegrass, try “Drive”. If you like funky grooving stuff, check out Béla Fleck and The Fleck-tones. If you need to be convinced that you like the banjo at all, try “Perpetual Motion,” my classical transcriptions album. If you like music from around the world, check out “Throw Down Your Heart “or “Tabula Rassa,” my African and Chinese/Indian projects. I just released an album called “The Impostor,” which is my first attempt at Classical Composition, with Orchestra and String Quartet.

HS: Can you tell us a little bit about the New Grass Revival days? What was it like to be in a progres-sive bluegrass band in the 1980s?

Those were golden years for that band. We were having a lot of impact, and there was nothing else remotely sim-ilar on the scene. We worked con-stantly, and people were going crazy for it. Nice work if you can get it!

HS: Do you feel like bluegrass has evolved since then?

Oh yes. The seeds that were planted in the 80’s have yielded some fat fruit. Folks like the Punch Brothers and Crooked Still and even Alison Krauss were kids that were watching us closely.

Of all the musicians/

groups that you’ve worked with, which have helped

you grow the most?

Wow, everyone I play with teaches me so much. The guys in New Grass were great teachers, then the Flecktones all taught each other so much, now I’m fortunate enough to collaborate with Chick Corea and Zakir Hussain and many others who keep feeding me new and interesting information.

HS: What spurred you to write a banjo concerto? What was it like to perform it alongside the Nashville Symphony?

It was very exciting to perform it with the Nashville Symphony. A concerto is a piece that puts a soloist in front of a sym-phony orchestra and kind of pits them

against each other. It’s a very interesting form, and I have wanted to write for or-chestra and banjo for many years. Finally I was commissioned to write the piece, actually getting paid to do something I always have wanted to do!

HS: What new music (or new musicians) are you the most excited about?

I love what The Punch Brothers have achieved. There isn’t much else new that I’m truly excited about.

HS: What does the word “headspace” mean to you? How do you get into the right “headspace” to perform?

I want to be very mellow when it’s time to play. I have to avoid things that make me tense; I must get ‘chill’. That’s when my best playing happens. I get into the zone, and everything kind of happens by itself.

And that’s when I play things that I don’t know that I know, ya know?

HS: Do you have anything special planned for the New Brunswick performance at the State Theatre on October 13?

The New Brunswick show is all about the meeting of a big

pile of banjo players that all have deep New York connections. This is a very special tour, and I’m very happy to be a part of it, along with banjo innovators and forward thinkers Tony Trischka (my genius teacher), Bill Keith (an architect of the melodic style), Eric Weissberg (of Dueling Banjos fame), Noam Pike-lny (of the Punch Brothers), Ritchie Stearns (grooviest old time player around), and special guest Abigail

Washburn (great singer and old time banjoist - and my wife!). It will be very special, I promise!

Tickets to the State Theatre show range from $25 - $55. The show starts at 7pm.

Interview by Becky BlumenthalPhotos by Alessandro Satta

tunes


The VibrationKEEPING UP WITH THE LOCAL SCENESWIFT TECHNIQUE

HEADSPACEMAG.COM FALL 201316

A Swift Technique concert can be described as a heavy dose of music with a hint of theater, all rolled up into a humungous dance party. Recently, they put on an incredible performance at The Blockley on July 18, as they opened up for Soulive for The Liberty Ball Part II. This band possesses incredible musical marksmanship, and an undeniable stage presence. The energy at their shows resembles the interactive dance parties created by funk masters George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic. Swift Technique consists of soul vocalist, Chelsea Lynn Weaver, Greg Rosen on the trumpet, Matt Fischer on trom-bone, Brian Blaker on the saxophone, Jay Davidson on the keyboards, Jack Leschinsky on the bass and Rich Agren on the drums. I was lucky enough to be given an opportunity to ask Jake Leschinsky a few questions for Headspace Magazine. He enthusiastically shared aspects of the band’s performance, influences, experiences and aspirations:

HS: How did Swift Technique come to be- what is the story behind the creation of the band?

JL: Swift has had many incarnations on its way to the current line-up and presentation. We started in college with an MC, aiming to combine funk/jazz with a hip-hop presentation. We eventually parted ways with our MC and became a straight-up instrumental ensemble for about two years. Most recently, we’ve added our old friend and vocalist, Chelsea ViaCava, to the group and we’re approaching a completely new frontier for the repertoire and presentation of this band.

HS: What artists/musicians would you say influence your music the most?

JL: P-Funk, James Brown, Led Zeppelin, The Roots, Red Hot Chili Peppers, as well as several artists in the Ska world.

R: When you opened up for Soulive at the Blockley this summer I noticed that you all had excellent stage pres-ence. There was seemingly choreographed dancing, vocal interaction with the audience and then towards the end the band even parading around in the crowd. Did such a level of comfort and theatrics come naturally? Were any of you involved in theater in the past?

JL: The comfort to express ourselves on stage has always come naturally for this band. Some members have a back-ground in theater, but a major aspect of this band has always been involving humor and our individual personalities into the

music and stage show. Swift Technique has become a creative outlet for the band members to express themselves musically, physically and spiritually. When we became an all instrumental band about two years ago, we really started to hone our stage presentation and choreography.

HS: What is your favorite type of venue to play at?

JL: I personally really like venues with an upper balcony, simi-lar to Johnny Brenda’s. I think the group would also agree that there’s nothing like playing at a venue within a beautiful space in nature.

HS: Are there any particular bands that you are interested in collaborating with?

JL: We’ve been incredibly blessed to share the stage with some of our heroes, including Soulive, as well as The Meters and Wu Tang Clan. Moving forward, we would really like to support The New Mastersounds and Galactic. On the indie level, we’re also dying to collaborate with a kick ass LA based band, Vulfpeck.

HS: If you could open up for any band/artist who would it be?

JL: This may vary from member to member, but a prevailing “dream show” would probably be opening for P-Funk or the Chili Peppers.

HS: Are you guys planning on putting out a studio album anytime in the near future?

JL: We’ve just released a small quantity of our new studio albums, ‘You Boys be Aight’, and will be announcing an official release/promo campaign later in September.

HS: What is your favorite song to cover?

JL: Currently, “It Gets Funkier”, by Vulfpeck. I may be speaking for everyone on that...

HS: What are your aspirations as a band?

JL: In addition to building fan bases throughout the country, and eventually the world, Swift Technique strives to constant-ly push each other creatively and as musical entrepreneurs. Everyone in this band truly loves to travel and share this special music we’ve created and we hope to see that continue many years into the future! If there were no such things as obligations, and if the band could perform nightly, I would go back night after night to see their amazing performances as I can imagine no two will be the same. Greg Rosen often serves as a pseudo M.C., as he enjoys taking the microphone to interact with the crowd! Be sure to catch Swift technique at one of their performances either September 27 at Ardmore Music Hall or September 28 at the Sly Fox Brewery, or, better yet, attend both performances and bring your dancing shoes. (Your feet will hate you from the immense amount of dancing; but your ears will be delighted as well as your uplifted soul)!

Written and photographed by Rebecca Wolfe

johnscofieldJohn Scofield will be steppin’ out in style as he makes his grand return to the space once known as the Chestnut Cabaret and now renowned as The Blockley. Mr. Scofield has been at the forefront of the jazz scene for decades. He has played with the greats such as Miles Davis, Charles Mingus and Herbie Hancock in addi-tion to countless others. His project Überjam promises a fantastic night of musical fusion with a strong jazz backbone. Mr. Scofield took the time out of his busy schedule to share the details of his musical background, and some of his thoughts on music with HeadSpace Magazine. Make sure you come out and experience this show on October 25. It’s sure to be mind melting musical madness.

HS: How did jazz come into your life?

JS: Well, when I was eleven years old I wanted to play guitar because it was the cool thing. I would see it on television. There was a lot of music around in the 60’s. I got into rock n’ roll first. I got way into rock and the blues as a teenager. That kind of led me to jazz because of the similarities. I was just so serious about music and guitar that it seemed to be a natural progression from rock n’ roll to jazz.

HS: Who did you listen to while you were maturing as a musician?

JS: Well as much jazz as I could. I still am a student of it and I’m still finding old stuff that I’ve never heard before. On the guitar, I particularly liked first starting with blues guitarists. I would say B.B. King, he was huge for me. Then I started listening to the jazz guitarists like Wes Montgom-ery, Pat Martino, George Benson and all those guys.

HS: What would you describe as the driving force behind great jazz music?

JS:The main driving force is the love of the music. You have to really love the stuff in order to put in that kind of time. I did fall in love with jazz. It became an ob-session for me. You have to be a certain kind of person that just really wants to be devoted to one thing. That’s what makes successful jazz music is having musicians that have the drive to achieve perfection. In a group, everybody has to have the same concept and understand the style and the kind of music they are going for.

HS: Can you tell us about your time playing with Miles Davis?

JS: You know I’ve been lucky that I have gotten to play with a lot of the older greats in music. The cool thing about jazz is that it’s really passed down from one generation to the next by playing with these people. So we all play with younger musicians after you have learned how to do it and they learn it from you. You learn a lot on your own from records and from practicing, but there is nothing like play-ing with a great musician and Miles was just that. He was a great architect of mu-sic. He gave me so much confidence in my own playing. I figured if he liked what I was doing then I was okay. He had al-ways been my favorite. We got to tour the world together and it was fun because he was like a rock star, maybe even bigger than a rock star. Everyone thought it was a big deal when Miles came to town.

HS: Can you talk about your expe-rience touring with Phil Lesh and Friends?

JS: That was a lot of fun. Phil is the only rock star that I have ever heard of who is completely dedicated to free improvi-sation. When he plays the Grateful Dead songbook he wants the music to just go anywhere; to take a new turn. That’s ad-mirable. That’s why he likes playing with me, because ya know, that’s something that I kind of know how to do. He likes to bring the jazz elements and it’s just been a blast. He is a wonderful player and a great person.

HS: Tell us about Überjam and how that came together?

JS: Überjam came together 12 years ago. I wanted to try some electronic sounds that I knew were out there more in pop music. Then I met Avi Bortnick who is an incredible rhythm guitar player. We started playing together and Avi said, “I know how to do this stuff on the computer maybe I can work up a rig that will trigger the samples at the same time.” So we started working on this music that had electronic samples and two guitars, bass and drums. It’s been a great group for me. It’s a real funk oriented-jazz group. We play all of the different grooves like reggae, house, funk even some afro-beats; we do a bunch of afro-beat stuff.

I play with my jazz content over these different grooves and it’s kind of a fusion of music. We have been having a great time playing.

HS: Do you have any funny or nota-ble memories from traveling through Pennsylvania on past tours?

JS: I always loved playing in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. I’ve played there many times. The guitar company I work with, Ibanez, is based outside of Philadelphia in Bensalem, PA. I remem-ber coming to Philly to take guitar lessons from Pat Martino back in the 70’s. We had some great gigs at this club called the Chestnut Cabaret. We used to rock the place out all the time. The East Coast is incredible. You have DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, then up to Boston and all the little stops in between. It’s like the greatest area for music in the world to go play. I’m an East Coaster.

HS: Are you aware that the venue you will be playing at in Philly used to be the Chestnut Cabaret and has reopened with the name “The Block-ley”?

JS:You gotta be kidding! That’s a great room. So I’m going back. That’s incredi-ble. I didn’t know that. I heard about The Blockley and looked forward to playing there, but now I even know how to get there.

HS: Anything you want to add to the interview?

JS: Check out our al-bum “ÜberJam Deux.”

Interview byAlessandro Satta

Photos by Joe Gurreri

Shredding

With


Best Fests of Summer 2013Recently, we may have taken over your Facebook status feed with our Festie Polls. We asked you what your favorite music festivals in the area were and you definitely let us know. This is what you had to say:

Favorite Goods VendorWinner: Get Shit DoneSecond Place: Tied between Shakedown Goods and uncle John’s Outfitterskiki and justin are super duper extra awesome and all their stuff is fabulous and made with love! original designs made by wonderful folks!- Crasian Ruv Rife

Best Medium Festival (3000-7000)Winner: Stir FrySecond Place: Catskill Chill

Favorite EDM FestivalWinner: TIe Camp Bisco and The Big up

Favorite Food VendorWinner: Shady Grove WrapsSecond Place: Agin’ Cajun“Well of course Shady Grove Wraps esp the “Greasy Butthole” breakfast wrap.” - Gregory Day“Shady Grove is always my favorite, but the new people on Jibberjazz lot Agin’ Cajun’sBRING IT everytime.” - Sara Golden

Best Bluegrass FestivalWinner: DelfestSecond Place: Spring Pickin’

Best Water FeatureWinner: Peach FestSecond Place: Delfest“Those slides are pretty fun at peach/ being able to trail around in the wave pool during late night!” - Justin Miguel

Best CampgroundWinner: equifunk at Camp equinunk and Camp Blue RidgeSecond Place: Madsummer Meltdown at Schuykill Haven“All I gotta say is - waterslide and latenight Marco Benevento campfire set. CAMPFIRE SET.” - Jedd Buller

Best / Cleanest Restrooms Winner: Jibberjazz festivals at Schyukill HavenSecond: Camp Bisco“Camp Bisco has bathroom trailers with staff that keeps ‘em clean” - Sam Wasserman “The real bathrooms at Camp Bisco are immaculate and somehow there’s never a line for them!!!” - Nicole Carmella

Best Bang For Your BuckWinner: SummercampSecond Place: TIe - Peach Fest and Stir Fry

Best Light Show

Winner: TIe - Stage Trip Productions and Jefferson Waful“Waful is a genius!” - Jordan Simms

Best Big FestivalWinner: Peach FestSecond Place: WakarusaWaterslides, wave pool, lazy river, zip line, mini golf and Bob Weir! - Brian Peterson

Best Small Festival (Under 3000)Winner: On the RiseSecond Place: Jibberjazz Festivals “On the rise was epic. They have a killer location with an inground pool right near stage. You can float and rage” -Crashley Roadtrip


Glow: Living Lights Presented by Academy of Natural Scienc-es at Academy of Natural Sciences - Free

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Spaced Out Events

Smoke ‘Em If Yous Got ‘EmSmoked beer and food festivalPhiladelphia, PA - Free

Happenings in your area

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SEPT22

SEPT21-22

NOW-SEPT 29

NOW-NOV 30

Ghost Tour of Philadelphia by Candle-lightPhiladelphia, PA - $17

Cheesemaking Workshop for Beginners - Chester Springs, PA$90

SEPT23

Pour the Core: A Hard Cider Festival - Philadelphia, PA $40 adv. $65 door

SEPT28

Pex Party - Has not been announced yet so keep an eye out and an ear open!?

Beer Tasting: Troegs Brewing Company - Sellersville, PA$10-$12

NOV1 Scrapple Fest at the Reading

Terminal Market Philadelphia, PA - Free

NOV2

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Design Your Own Sugar Skull Workshop - Philadelphia, PA$5 http://www.eyesgallery.com/

OCT16

21 FALL 2013 HEADSPACEMAG.COM

Peddler’s Village Scarecrow FestivalLahaska, PA http://www.peddlersvillage.com/ - Free

Coltrane’s PhiladelphiaAn inspiring documentary about the legendary musician’s local roots When most people think of the world-re-nowned jazz musician John Coltrane, they don’t always associate him with Philadelphia. However, Philadelphia played a crucial role in allowing Coltrane to lick his chops and mature into one of the greatest and most well-known musicians of an era. The new documentary Coltrane’s Philadelphia aims to bring this fact to life by showing how Philadelphia enabled, encouraged and affected Coltrane on his journey to stardom. The idea for this documentary sparked from some likeminded people working together to get the historic building marker in front of Coltrane’s Philadelphia home replaced after it was stolen and their passion for Coltrane’s music. This documentary came together through the hard work and dedication of music critic Tom Moon, Craig Santoro of WHYY, and historian Robert Armstrong who co-produced, and co- wrote the documentary. According to the film’s press release, “Coltrane’s Philadelphia is part of the Preservation Alliance’s Coltrane Planning Project which aims to devise a revitalization strategy for the Philadelphia home of John Coltrane, the 20th-century jazz great who lived in Philadelphia from 1943 to 1958. The Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia is the premier nonprofit preservation advocacy organization serving the Philadelphia region. It actively promotes the appreciation, protection, and revitalization of the Philadelphia region’s historic buildings, communities, and landscapes.”

Through the funding provided by the Preservation Alliance these three de-termined individuals worked for years gathering information and interviewing musicians such as the famous Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson of The Roots and Philadelphia jazz saxophone legend and Coltrane peer Odean Pope. Philadelphia truly played a critical role in Coltane’s transformation from a southern man to jazz legend. When I asked Rob Armstrong what the main goal of the documentary was about he told me, “You know, the movie is about how he cut his teeth in the club scene in Philly, and how he played with Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis. You know, if he had stayed in the South under the Jim Crow laws, he never would have had the opportunities he had here; they just didn’t have sophisticated music schools for African Americans. In Philadelphia he actually managed to get a formal education in music. Another big point of the film is how Coltrane overcame his

heroin addiction in Philadelphia. He overcame his addiction in the spring of 1957 and by the next Labor Day he had put out his first album as a band leader.” After migrating from his childhood home in North Carolina in 1943, jazz giant John Coltrane spent years honing his craft in the City of Brotherly Love. In 1952 at the age of twenty-six, with the benefit of a G.I. Bill loan, he purchased a modest rowhome on North 33rd Street in the Strawberry Mansion section of North Philadelphia. Coltrane owned and lived in this home longer than any other during his legendary career. It was here that he honed his craft becoming identifiably the legendary ‘Trane. Be sure to be on the lookout for the documentary. There is only one scheduled screening now, but more are sure to follow. Coltrane’s Philadelphia will also be shown on WHYY, though the exact date hasn’t been scheduled yet. Check back with Headspace for updates on more showings and air-dates.

Thursday, September 19, 6pm Coltrane’s Philadelphia: A Documentary Plus a performance by Warren Oree and the Arpeggio Jazz ensemble WHYY Studios, 150 N. 6th Street, Philadelphia, PA Free. RSVPs required at http://coltranesphillydocu-mentary.eventbrite.com

Written by Tim Dougherty


Ripping the sheet off “Ghost” townsHeadspace investigates local scary spots

The tri-state area was the setting of some of the most important events in American history; however, it is also home to some notoriously spooky places. These “ghost towns” tend to have creepy background stories that have led to the inhabitants leaving the locations. HeadSpace Magazine had the opportunity to explore some of these sites and experience the eerie tales first hand.

Disclaimer: This article was written for historical purposes. Please do not attempt to visit these sites without proper clearance. Do-ing so may result in trespassing charges, and seriously, that’s the last thing we would want.

Nike Missile Site (Woolwich Township, NJ)

The first site on this tour required a short trip into New Jersey. After a half hour hike through the woods, and several spider webs to the face, I reached an abandoned missile base. The Nike Missile Base in Woolwich Township was construct-ed in 1958, during the Cold War. Complete with missile silos and four identical radar towers, the site was used to store and if needed, launch anti-aircraft missiles in case of a Soviet attack on Philadelphia. What is astonishing about this base is that some of the Nike missiles stored here had nuclear capabilities, adequate for taking down a fleet of Soviet bombers if needed. The site still exists today. However, it is completely overgrown with thick vegetation. Some buildings, as well as the four radar towers, are still intact, but in poor condition. Ascending up the rickety radar tower made me feel uneasy considering the steel used to build them has been exposed for over half a century. There were numerous bases like this one scattered all over the country, many of which have been destroyed or turned over to private hands for development. The thought of possible all-out nuclear war seems quite outlandish, but the site in Woolwich Township shows just how close we were to this scary reality.

Glenville (Bread and Cheese Island, DE)

The second site on this tour took me to the First State. Glenville, Delaware was once a subdivision just a bit west of Wilmington. The neighborhood was built on a century old flood plain on Bread and Cheese Island near the Red Clay Creek. Contrary to the name, I found absolutely neither bread nor any cheese on my visit to the island.

The area has a long history of flooding. In fact, there have been 17 recorded major floods in Glenville since the late 1930s. The worst flooding came in September 2003, when water became waist high within minutes. The state began buying out residents’ homes the following year and demolition began. Today, there are still homes at the beginning of Glenville, but all property within the flood zone boundaries belongs to the Delaware Department of Transportation. Not much is left past the flood plain, just remnants of driveways that used to lead to homes, and flood ridden tire tracks resembling what used to be roads. Since the buyouts, the state has been working to restore Glenville back to its original wetland glory. There are dozens of exploratory trails that lead all around Bread and Cheese Island. This island had an extremely creepy feel to it. The twisted, overgrown paths were endless, and I felt like the next turn in the path would either lead to me being turned into a corpse, or some sort of large cult gathering I wasn’t supposed to see. And to top it all off, I was treated to a few painful stings by a dozen or so fire ants on my way out.

Centralia (Centralia, PA)

The final site on this trip lies up north in Columbia County. The borough of Centralia, Pennsylvania, is home to one of the most notorious mine fires in American history.Researchers believe the fire resulted from an attempt to clear out an illegal dumping site in the borough by way of fire. After the trash was burned in May 1962, the fire was believed to be extinguished. Just two days later, embers still smoldering from the trash fire seeped deep into the ground, reaching a coal deposit, thus igniting it. Attempts to quell the fire were unsuccessful. Today, over a half century later, the underground fire still burns. There are several homes in Centralia still standing, most of which are dilapidated. Centralia’s population has since diminished from 1,100 residents in 1962 to just ten people in 2010. In certain parts of town, such as the abandoned stretch of PA Route 61, there are sinkholes in the ground resulting from the fire beneath. Plumes of dangerous gasses are reported to have been spewing from the ground in other parts of town. In 2009, the state declared eminent domain over Centralia, in effect condemning the borough. According to officials, there is enough coal underneath Centralia to burn for another 250 years.

Written and photographed by Jesse Bellosi

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Headspace Magazine was fortunate enough to speak with Mr. Tommy Chong in this special interview. Join the rotation with Cheech and Chong at the Keswick Theatre on October 27 at 7:30pm.

HS: Where were you born and raised?

I was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. That is north of everything, near the Arctic Circle. I was raised in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I traveled around Canada while I was a baby and my dad was in the army, so I’m a Canadian. I’ve been self-deported out of America five times, but now I got my green card and my citizenship thanks to Ronald Regan’s amnesty program

HS: What was your childhood like?

My dad joined the army when I was born so we would follow him around like a camp follower. We followed my dad when he did his basic training, but when he was shipped overseas we stayed with relatives. We were really raised by my mother and she raised us kind of hippie style. We weren’t rich; we were kind of poor nomads. My mother had married a Chinese guy so there were a few rela-tives that weren’t too happy to have us stay with them. We ended up hooking up with Ukrainians. My other aunt married a Ukrainian and we all got along well, so I

had a little bit of Russian influence, and a very hippie influence. We lived in the country so the only entertainment was the church. I got into Sunday school at the Christian church when I was quite young and ended up going to Bible camp when I was 8 years old. That sort of steered me into the spiritual side of life, which I have been in ever since.

HS: How did you get into acting?

It was kind of an accident. When I smoked my first marijuana joint it lasted me a month. A jazz musician gave it to me. He gave me a joint and a Lenny Bruce record and it changed my life. I knew that I wanted to be a blues musician. So I quit school and went on the road and became a blues musician with a band. Motown discovered us. We went to Motown and did things like help discover the Jackson 5 and I wrote a song called “Does Your Momma Know About Me” and it steered Motown into the “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” and “Love Child” era. Then I got fired from Motown because I had to get a green card. They kept deporting us so I finally had Motown get me a green card, but the tour manager of this one particular band that I was backing up, didn’t understand what a green card was so they fired me. When Berry Gordey heard about it of course he wanted to hire me back, but I told him I wanted to stay fired because I wanted

to become a Berry Gordey. So then I was without a band, so I went back to Vancouver and I started an improvisation-al comedy team in a topless nightclub. We had topless improv, which was pretty daring. I haven’t seen it done since then. That’s where I met Cheech, because I was looking for actors and Cheech said he was an actor. That was actually his first acting job, but he told me he was an actor. Then the group broke up and Cheech and I stayed together, came down to L.A. and made history.

HS: Do you remember your first time meeting Cheech?

Oh Yeah! Clear as a bell. He was delivering carpets during the day. On weekends and after carpet delivery hours he was working in a hippie magazine, like yours, called Poppin Magazine. He was writing music reviews cause that was part of his scam, he would call himself a music reviewer and it got him into all the concerts for free and he had record companies sending him albums. So he would get all these albums for free and that’s what he was doing when I met him. So I told him what I had going on at the nightclub and he came down and saw what we were doing. He liked what he saw and we have been together ever since.

Could this be the

thickest fog Glenside, Pennsylvania has ever

experienced? Nope, Cheech and Chong are back on tour. Get ready

for a hazy night full of stoner antics that you will hopefully be able to remember. This legendary com-edy duo is bringing their “Up in Smoke Tour” back on the road

and lighting up stages (and audiences) across the

country.

An exclusive interview with

Tommy Chong

&CHEECH CHONG

ARE BACK



HS: What were some of your favorite bits you can remember doing as a team?

Cheech was playing a straight man when we first met. I had another partner named Dave. Cheech was more like an understudy. When the group broke up we were going to put a band togeth-er because Cheech is a singer and a very good singer too. So we put a band together, but when we went to play music we knew more comedy than we did music so we did the comedy. After we finally got together we went to L.A. and had to come up with a skit that would make the L.A. crowd laugh and that ‘s when the characters from Cheech and Chong: Up in Smoke came about. That was probably the turning point of our career when we got those characters. We could play any where in L.A. In fact we had our own following before we even had a record contract. Wherever we played we had people following us; trying to figure out where we were going to play next. We were also playing a lot of freebies. Another skit that really put us in the main stream was “Sister Mary Elephant” where Cheech plays a nun in front of a class of unruly ghetto kids. That was the bit that Carol Burnett stole. Quite a lot of television stars were influenced by Cheech and Chong, ya know, because of the craziness. “Basketball Jones” was a big cultural hit with the sports world. So yea we have made our mark on society.

HS: Can you talk about Cheech and Chong’s 25-year separation and what brought it around?

Well I write and direct. Cheech would say that he wrote a lot of the bits, which he did, but I am the one who physically wrote it down. So I am the official writer. We did Up in Smoke and I wrote most of it. Cheech came up with a lot of the skits in it and he would tell me his ideas and I would put them in there. Then we made a three picture deal with Universal and Columbia and I directed all of those pictures. Then we made a deal with Paramount for “Still Smokin” which I di-rected and then we made a deal for “Cor-sican Brothers” which I also wrote and directed. At the end of “Corsican Broth-ers,” Cheech was very unhappy with his marriage and with me because I was the boss. So he made a break and took on a movie without me which was Born in East L.A. He changed Bruce Spring-steen’s song “Born in the U.S.A.” to “Born in East L.A.” He then used that as his

launching pad for his solo career. That’s really what broke us up cause he took a movie without me. I was nowhere in sight. So I kind of moped around for a couple years and tried to figure out what I was going to do with myself. I did a movie that was not released called Best Buds but it’s unfinished and still in my basement. I will finish it eventually. Then I got the bug to start performing. I went and saw Dennis Miller in Vancouver for New Years in 1991 and decided that I wanted to start doing that. By ’93 I was pretty much set as a stand up comedian. I got my wife to join me and she became a stand up comedian. Then we became a partner team Chong and Chong. That’s what we did. Cheech went on to do those movies like “Spy Kids” and “Desperado” and worked with a lot of different direc-tors. Then it came time where both of our careers kind of stalled then I went to jail, and when I got out in 2005 I did That 70’s Show for awhile and then that ended. Then Cheech and I finally got back together and went back on tour together in 2008 and we have been together ever since.

HS: How does it feel to be working together again?

It’s good, it’s easier. When you have a solo act you have more control, but you don’t have the range that Cheech and Chong have. Our Facebook is a good example. Cheech and Chongs page has close to two million people subscribing to us while I only have about eight hundred thousand. So it’s a bigger crowd for Cheech and Chong. It’s just easier. I do half the work for twice the money.

HS: Can you talk about this new tour?

We have hooked up with a couple bands called Tower of Power and War. Sometimes it’s just War, but sometimes both. We start off the show with Cheech and Chong and Shelby and then a little Q and A. Then Cheech and I do a couple songs with Tower of Power. Then Tower of Power comes out and plays their set. Then we do an intermission. Then we start off the second set with Cheech and Chong. We come out and do our comedy. We do three of four skits with Shelby. Then we bring War out and they do their

set. Then we come out and do a “Born in East L.A.” and “Why Can’t We Be Friends” with them and that’s the finale. It’s a good show.

HS: How does it feel to be working with your wife?

It’s incredible I mean it’s a double-edged sword you know. The reason I brought her on the road is I don’t think our marriage would have survived me being away from home that much. I didn’t like being alone. You have no protection. When Cheech and I worked together we always had each other. We always had an excuse of why we didn’t have to be somewhere. When you’re alone you have no excuse and you’re sort of helpless. When I asked my wife to come along just to keep me company she didn’t want to just sit in the hotel room or back stage. She was an actress. So I said, “what if I put you in the show?” So she started introducing different bits that I do and has ended up with 45 minutes of her own material. It was incredible. We love each other and now we work together, it’s great. Ya know there is always the

little bickering that goes on with every family. My son is a road manager and a bass player. I once put together a band with my kids. One of my boys is getting a degree in music so when he gets out of school we’re going to put our trio back together. My son, Paris, is road managing Cheech and Chong so it’s a family affair. Cheech is jealous cause I know he would like to put his wife on the road, but for now there is no room, there is only room for mine.

HS: You are known for your work with Norml and your support of decriminalizing or legalizing Mari-juana. What kind of effect have your movies had towards the process of decriminalizing or legalizing?

I think we have sped up the process. We showed how pot really does affect people. We showed the honesty of the situation, which is humor. Most people get high to have fun. I guess there are people who get high and get depressed or because they are depressed, but most people want to have fun. I think that is alright towards the pursuit of happiness. I

know there are people who would disagree with that, but those are the straight people who have never done pot or who have done it and had a bad experience. Then there are the haters. You have haters in every society. The only attention they get is by being haters. I think our movies have really helped everybody. You watch CNN and they have Gupta talking and he doesn’t mention Cheech and Chong, all the others did but he doesn’t. He keeps it focused on the illnesses that marijuana helps. Cheech and Chong represent the stoners of the world, of which there are quite a few.

HS: If this is too much let me know but our readers are curious: What is currently your favorite strain of cannabis and your preferred method of smoking?

It is a sativa. I can’t remember the name. I got it from Buds and Roses. They were the winners of the Cannabis Cup. I’m not sure of the name it could be Bubblegum or Blueberry. I’m not sure. I’m terrible with strain names. We are actually working on our own strain, a Cheech and Chong strain called the “Fuchi Capesta” and another one called just “Chong.” But I prefer the sativa because I like the en-ergetic highs. I make these little one-hit-ters. They are called “Not a pipes” and I wear them around my neck. They are necklaces with a bigger hole at one end and a smaller hole at the other. I take a little pinch and I stick it in there. I get 2 or 3 tokes and I am good to go. That’s my method. That’s all I need. The way the weed is now you can ruin a productive day really easily.

HS: Do you have any memories from being in Pennsylvania?

Well I had to go to Pittsburgh to be sentenced to nine months of jail. We used to play a little folk club in Bryn Mawr and we had the best memories there. The club was upstairs and the down stairs was the dressing room and if that dressing room could talk Cheech and I would both be in a lot of trouble.

HS: Anything to add?

Catch our Chong and Chong Podcast @tommychong on twitter.

Interview by Alessandro SattaPhotos by Paul Mobley



featuringConcrete Polish, created in 2009, is the realization of Angela Monaco’s quest for her creative form. After years of studying arts from printmaking to glassblowing, she found her calling in metalsmithing classes at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Angela’s love of crystals dates back to her childhood, when her mother adorned the house with their powerful presence. She took her inspiration a step further when she learned to work with crystals as a sculptural form, marrying mineral and metal. Concrete Polish is bold and bewitching, rare and wearable. In Angela’s hands, rugged geodes become lustrous emblems of beauty and strength. She crafts each piece to become an heirloom, a precious possession to pass down through generations. Each Concrete Polish design is individually handcrafted in Angela’s studio, and produced on Philadelphia’s historic Jewelers’ Row with close attention to environmental concerns. Though Angela aspires to introduce Concrete Polish to Jewelry Lovers across the nation, her love and dedication will ensure that each new piece remains relevant and timeless. Concrete Polish Jewelry is available online at concretepolishjewels.com and at her retail location RITUAL RITUAL located in Northern Liberties, Philadelphia.

716 N. 3rd st Phila 19123Hours Tuesday-Saturday [email protected]

Artist Showcase

Angela Monaco


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