by Blogbot

This Thursday June 20th on SuicideGirls Radio hosts Nicole Powers and Juturna Suicide will be joined in studio by producers DJ Muggs and Andrew Kline, and uber geek and Safecast co-founder Sean Bonner, who with vocalist Brevi comprise the avant-garde band Cross My Heart Hope to Die. Journalist, podcaster, and SG Blog contributor David Seaman will also be in-studio to give us his take on the recent NSA surveillance revelations.

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About Cross My Heart Hope to Die

Cross My Heart Hope to Die (@cmhxhtd) will change your perceptions of art and challenge your expectations of music. CMHHTD transcends musical boundaries – the music exists as just one part of a larger project, ever evolving. At its foundation, this collective balances tangible art with striking visuals and an all encompassing soundtrack to create a total experience – each element as important as the other.

The sound system is the spark caused by the collision of producers DJ Muggs (@DJ_Muggs) and Andrew Kline. DJ Muggs is best known as a founding member of the multi platinum rap group, Cypress Hill, as well as the producer of such hits as Ice Cube’s “Check Yo Self” and House of Pain’s “Jump Around.” The Grammy nominated producer has created remixes for U2 and Depeche Mode, and collaborated with UK trip hop artist, Tricky, on the album Juxtapose. Andrew Kline is a founding member and main songwriter of the Los Angeles based hardcore band, Strife. With a career spanning more than 20 years, Strife is heralded to be one of the most influential and defining hardcore bands of the 90’s. As a music producer, Andrew has worked with artists over a wide range of genres and has recently added video directing to his repertoire. Muggs and Kline, though from different musical backgrounds, share a love of a dark, cinematic music and the fusion of their talents creates something you would not expect.

This sound is complemented by the ethereal songstress, Brevi, who elevates the tracks with her sexy and hauntingly beautiful vocals. The attentive listener may recognize her from tracks with such musical veterans as 50 Cent, Wiz Khalifa, Xzibit, Raekwon from the Wu Tang Clan, and more – though CMHHTD puts her in a spotlight like never before.

Sean Bonner (@seanbonner) adds an additional, indefinable piece to what is already a bit of an enigma. Sean is a hacker and curator who commands a noteworthy online network. With a history in both fine art and music, he helps to shape the public face and feel of this project, and his involvement is sure to blur the lines between fans and collaborators, audience and participant.

The first traditional release from Cross My Heart Hope To Die, a self titled EP, was released on April 2nd on Alpha Pup Records. The interactive art side of this collective, however, has been prolific and manifesting itself on the streets for close to a year. Unsuspecting pedestrians around the world have been enjoying and participating in this project – sometimes without even knowing it. Inconspicuous art installations and street music boxes have been hidden in such cities as Los Angeles, New York, Tokyo, Rome, Belfast, Prague, and Vienna. CMHHTD wants to manipulate the way people find music; to bring back the thrill of discovery. Something sorely needed in a digital age where we are constantly bombarded with aural stimulation.

Upcoming gallery exhibitions and a series of videos shot all over the world make it obvious that Cross My Heart Hope To Die is much more than just another musical project. Their actual scope escapes clear definition.

For more visit cmhhtd.com and Soundcloud.

About David Seaman

David Seaman (@d_seaman) is an independent journalist. He has been a lively guest on CNN Headline News, FOX News, ABC News Digital, among others, and on his humble YouTube channel, DavidSeamanOnline. Some say he was recently censored by a certain large media corporation for posting a little too much truth… For more, find him on G+ and Twitter.


**UPDATE**
ICYMI: Here’s the video-pod of last night’s show. We explore the intersection of music, art and technology with Andrew Kline and Sean Bonner of the innovative LA band Cross My Heart Hope to Die. Sean also measures our radiation levels with a Geiger gadget he made earlier and explains how his crowd-sourced Safecast project helps empower people with critical data about their environments. Plus SG’s Political Correspondent David Seaman explains to someone who gets naked on the internet – ie SG Radio co-host Juturna Suicide – why she should care about the fact that the NSA is spying on her.

Video streaming by Ustream

by Nicole Powers

Artist/SG Member Name: Timothy Skinner a.k.a. TimmyGee

Mission Statement: Everything is about balance – of imagery and material. Paint has the ability to both mimic and exist as its own entity. As an artist I sit between the two trying to react to each and create a harmony of sorts. The imagery I collect and use is often of human rituals but the imagery is essentially a place to start, the paintings themselves then lead to a place that you don’t expect.

Medium: Paint – mostly oils but some printing inks and spraypaints also find their way in.

Aesthetic: I guess you would say I err on the shadier side of life.

Notable Achievements: I think the first piece you sell is a landmark, especially in how you view yourself coming out of art school. There is a watershed moment when you start to understand that what you create is really an extension of you that you are putting out in to the world.

Why We Should Care: Why should you care about me? Maybe you shouldn’t. I’m really not the person to make that decision. But you should care about creative integrity and embrace it whenever you find it.

I Want Me Some: The best way is to speak to me directly. Work is often in shows around the UK and I try to keep my blog and website updated with current exhibitions. There are a few shows coming up late summer which I’m working on now so that will be the next chance to see the work in the flesh. You can also follow me on Twitter @TimSkin.

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by Nicole Powers

Artist / SG Member Name: Luis Tinoco a.k.a. Xtinocox

Mission Statement: To create things with style. Style is the answer to everything. Style is a difference, a way of doing, a way of being done.

Medium: Anything – oils, charcoal, mixed media, Photoshop, etc.

Aesthetic: To create something that is beautiful, that stimulates the senses and that evokes a feeling that is personal to the viewer.

Notable Achievements: Creating better work with each piece I finish.

Why We Should Care: Without art, life would be a mistake.

I Want Me Some: Visit grimhearts1985.com or society6.com/tinoco.

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by Nicole Powers

Artist / SG Member Name: Barry Quinn a.k.a. Mooliki

Mission Statement: My practice and the subject of my work has changed quite a lot over the years. I’ve always been drawn to use natural forms, the human body, trees, textures in nature, to convey feeling and idea in an image, using these shapes to tell a personal, emotive story. But environmental and political concerns have increasingly become the driving force behind a lot of what I do. Much of it is simply trying to make sense of the world around me, the problems and challenges the world faces and understanding my own part in that. I would consider my work as a sort of visual diary of this process, that tends to take the form of character-based illustration. I place as much value on sketches and writings as I would finished paintings. My main aim, in regards how I present it to others, is to hopefully communicate some of the more visceral concepts and feeling behind an image.

I hold in high regard any form of art that can deal with genuine emotion over life’s struggles and experiences and present it as something perfectly necessary and natural. There’s something tremendously cathartic about that sort of acceptance of the darker side of life. Like with great children’s stories, old blues and folk songs, or the best films, I appreciate the sort of art that says life is cruel, tough and unkind, and still absolutely amazing and beautiful and worth experiencing. If I get a fraction of that out of a drawing, I’m happy.

Medium: For larger pieces I would mainly use acrylic on canvas or wood. Smaller pieces would be in pen, pencil and watercolor. I work primarily on found, recycled or waste materials.

Aesthetic: Larger figure paintings like the SG portraits tend to be quite free in form with a lot of focus on the body shape and textures. I like building up textures with light layers, lots of water and scraping. It’s generally a messy, expressive activity involving paint-covered hands and feet and a general lack of structured method. If I’m working on smaller format it’s usually the opposite, slow, methodical work with focus on tiny detail, while maybe trying to illustrate a broader story. Lately drawing is very heavily influenced by the aesthetic surrounding folk and fairy tales, and I’ve always had heavy influence from both traditional and contemporary Asian art. I grew up reading comics and watching manga films, later Studio Ghibli animation and then the old Chinese watercolors. I love that mix you find in traditional Chinese and Korean art; minimal scenes but full of feeling and depth and story. I think the characters I draw would be very influenced in form by the Japanese anime/manga style.

Notable Achievements: My achievements would be pretty modest to date. I’ve exhibited with various groups around Dublin, where I used to live, taken part in art events at festivals and gigs, but I tend to stick to the DIY-driven, artist-run establishments. I’ve little formal training in art and I’ve never been drawn to that more academic side of the art industry. Achievements for me are when a band or musician wants to use my work for an album, or someone wants to blog about it, or someone simply wants to buy something. I’m working on an illustrated story at the minute. If I manage to get that to materialize some time next year, that’ll be a pretty decent achievement.

Why We Should Care: I would always look at art as a way of people working out that stuff in our heads that we otherwise don’t know how to express. Whether it’s with music, visual art, performance, it’s a way for a more subconscious part of our selves to say, “Hey, this is what I think is going on.” I always try to give way to that sort of unabridged honesty, and whether its abstract or illustrative, my work would generally come from a very personal place. I think anyone who creates with honesty and passion is going to produce something special and unique, it’s a story you’re telling, and for me that’s what always makes art interesting.

I Want Me Some: You can see more of my work on my portfolio site, and buy prints via Society6 and Etsy.

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by Nicole Powers

Artist / SG Member Name: Bruise Suicide

Mission Statement: My mission is to rule the world but…My work is pure catharsis. They are pieces of me and represent my personal journey, my own process. I enjoy creating them like nothing else and it is really nice to know other people enjoy looking at them and appreciate them.

Medium: Watercolors, acrylics and charcoal on wood or cotton paper (mostly).

Aesthetic: A sort of sexy silence. Topless girls with no mouth.

Notable Achievements: Well, my mom loves them : )

Why We Should Care: Because it is mine and it is sexy.

I Want Me Some: I don’t do this to make any money whatsoever. It is not a full time job so I don’t really sell my artwork BUT, I do like to get involved in other people’s creative processes and/or inspire and be inspired by others. If anyone wants to trade or collaborate, I am open to new ideas, just message me.

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by Nicole Powers

Artist / SG Member Name: Rudy Calheiros / rudycalheiros

Mission Statement: My name is Rudy but I’m not rude…I’m from Brazil, a land that inspires creativity and art. I graduated in publicity, am an ex-rockstar, and want to take over the world. The main goal of my work is to communicate and express my point of view while maintaining a consistent style. My art features characters with a strong personality. I also portray people (specially the strange ones, I love weird people) in different ways.

Medium: Most of my work is done digitally using digital painting and vectors. But I’m also always doodling in my sketchbook with pencil and markers.

Aesthetic: Cartoons of different people with remarkable style.

Notable Achievements: Development illustrations for advertising, personal projects like my cartoon band “The Motherfuckers From Hell” and some publications on blogs.

Why We Should Care: My work is based on real people with their own style and personality. You can always identify with my characters. I like to give them musical features, especially rock & roll.

I Want Me Some: You can contact me via SuicideGirls, my website, and on Facebook. I’m also on Twitter (@rudycalheiros and @motherfuckersfh). More of my work can be viewed on urbanarts.com and motherfuckersfromhell.com.

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by Nahp

A column which highlights Suicide Girls and their fave groups.

This week Mindi tell us why she loves getting Crafty.

Members: 1,418 / Comments: 13,131

WHY DO YOU LOVE IT?: I love to do things with my hands and I’m soooo crafty. I’m always thinking about what new stuff I could make. I make bags, and love decorating shoes and drawing stuff.

DISCUSSION TIP: It doesn’t matter if you are an expert or a beginner, all you need is to love using your hands!

MOST HEATED DISCUSSION THREAD: There isn’t heated thread!! This is a group full of creativity, and everyone loves that!

BEST RANDOM QUOTE: “Keep laughing darling and don’t let the bastards wear you down.”

WHO’S WELCOME TO JOIN?: Everyone who knows how to make stuff and wants to show others how to do it and everyone who wants to learn how to make stuff!

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