Just went and got my nipples done... of all things Holy this is the most painful piercing I've had thus far... but it was so very worth it! I don't know why I didn't do this a long time ago. Something to look forward to for you next photo set!

I love the fact that we have a President who can say, "Come on up to the White House, and we'll have a beer and discuss it." and it happens. Granted it was a big photo-op but "The Beer Summit" as it has been dubbed, is, as I see it, a momentous occasion of proletarianism in the... more

I love the fact that we have a President who can say, "Come on up to the White House, and we'll have a beer and discuss it." and it happens. Granted it was a big photo-op but "The Beer Summit" as it has been dubbed, is, as I see it, a momentous occasion of proletarianism in the highest office in the land. A bunch of guys sitting, and talking about everyday problems over a beer. I can't really imagine that happening with any other Presidents. Granted the reason why they were there is a rather ridiculous situation. It's true, Obama should have left well enough alone, or gotten the facts, but I do admire his willingness to speak about things that we all know in a daily occurrence. also to sit down with all the parties involved and talk about the matter. Will it end racial profiling, probably not, but it does get the idea out there, and perhaps a starting point for further discussion.

However, all I have to say is, come on Mr President, Bud Light? You're one the most powerful people in the world and you drink Bud Light? Was there really nothing else available. I always thought Obama was a PBR man. Granted I see the reason for choosing a domestic beer, (support America) but there are so many better beers than that swill. Was an micro-brew too bourgeoisie? What about a Miller, or Yuengling, or the aforementioned Pabst? I really not even that upset that it was a Budweiser. The thing that gets me was that it was a light beer. Mr. President, you're in good shape, and you're only having one, why not splurge of a few more calories, and get some better tasting beer. It could have only heightened your coolness factor.

So what's your opinion? What beer do you think Obama should have ordered? What beer would you order if you were meeting with the president?

So my work week is over, and I'm on a 5 day weekend. I've totally become addicted o the SG site. There are so many beutiful SG's, Holefuls, and members and I hope to meet a lot of you. It's awesome to see others who enjoy the beauty of so called "alternative" chicks. I'm... more

So my work week is over, and I'm on a 5 day weekend. I've totally become addicted o the SG site. There are so many beutiful SG's, Holefuls, and members and I hope to meet a lot of you. It's awesome to see others who enjoy the beauty of so called "alternative" chicks.

I'm busy today getting ready for tonight. I have a date with a new girl who, it seems, we have tons n common. She is the first girl I've had any real interest in since my divorce. We met onlone, of all places, but things just seem right. I'm having her overfor dinner, some drinks, and just a nice evening. I'm totally nervous. I haven't really been out in the dating scene since single, nd unfrotunately have severe trust issues after my divorce. But I guess you have to get back on the horse right? I am making a nice dinner... yeah,I can cook, and am hoping it all goes off well.

So until next time... it back to jamming to tunes, making some chicken alfredo, and crossing my fingers that tonight goes well.

Thanks to all the girls who make this site so much fun. You guys are all beautiful and its nice that you share that beauty with all of us.

Late!

We had a good run, my little monkeys. This is the final Asshole Fuckface Roundup. Your life is officially empty. Of course, you can always head over to StopAllMonsters and enjoy more AFR, as I will be posting them there. For now, enjoy the final collection of Asshole Fuckfaces. They are nothing special,... more

We had a good run, my little monkeys. This is the final Asshole Fuckface Roundup. Your life is officially empty. Of course, you can always head over to StopAllMonsters and enjoy more AFR, as I will be posting them there. For now, enjoy the final collection of Asshole Fuckfaces. They are nothing special, just your ordinary horrible people.

First up, some fireman Asshole Fuckfacery.

Charles Alexander Diez is not the best firefighter in North Carolina. This week, Chuck took it upon himself to stop people from riding bicycles in dangerous places with their children on the back.

Well, that'll keep the kid from getting hurt. Sometimes lessons have to be taught hard and with a bullet. Buddha said that.

Diez spotted the crazy bike rider in a high traffic area. His three-year-old son was in a child’s seat on the back. Thankfully, Diez had his weapon, so he could stop the guy from hurting the kid. That’s what guns are for.

First they argued, and then appropriate action was taken.

The helmet saved the guy’s life. And now the kid knows firemen will kill you if you fuck with them. Win win.

Next up, some banking Asshole Fuckfacery.

Remember when the Republicans fought tooth and nail to make sure bonuses could be paid to bank employees if those banks received TARP funds? Well, it all worked out.

Oh, thank God. For a while, I thought this wouldn’t have a happy ending.

Wait for them to get the hookers out of their mouths.

You’re totally welcome.

Glad we could help.

Completely understandable, except to party bummer Andrew Cuomo.

Shut the fuck up. Why do you hate America, Cuomo? Fucking hippy. You try running a bank and not losing billions of dollars AND your awesome employees.

Again, thanks to the Republicans for fighting restrictions on bonuses. It worked out great.

Next up, some witch doctor Asshole Fuckfacery.

Spells are obviously getting super hard for witch doctors, with the economy being in the tank and all. Some witch doctors have come up with bold new rituals, like Mewalal Chauhan of Lakhimpur Kheri, India.

Villager Ram Niwas came to the witch doctor because he needed male heirs. He had produced sons, but none lived past infancy. The witch doctor had the perfect solution.

Duh. How else do you make boys? Now, should we use a big, burly trucker, or…

Right, a little, tiny girl who can’t fight back will do. Good luck making a male heir in prison, Ram.

Finally, just straight up Asshole Fuckfacery.

For my final Asshole Fuckface of all time, I’d like to go to the state of Ohio. Where else? Alan Patton is a 54-year-old man who lives in Columbus. He’s not the best fella in the world. In 1994, Mr. Patton served four years in prison after raping an 8-year-old boy. Now he has a new hobby.

Well, we all have different things we like. When I was a kid, I enjoyed lemon with chocolate chip ice cream. Other people enjoy the taste of boy urine.

We each have our own faith. Some just have a different way of expressing it. Patton is man enough to fight through the sickening taste of urine for his faith.

AHHHHHHHH. Fuck! God dam it! I hate everything now!

I can’t think of a more fitting way to end the Asshole Fuckface Roundup. I had a good time here on SG. Most of you are good peeps, while a few of you are complete assholes.

Cheers!

FearTheReaper is a writer, actor and stand up comedian. You may also enjoy his blog, Stop All Monsters.

(image) (image) (image) (image) (image) (image) SuicideGirls helped comics historian Craig Yoe recreate the secret fetish art of Superman artist and co-creator Joe Shuster at back room soiree held at LA's Meltdown Comics last night. Shuster's erotic illustrations were originally published in... more

SuicideGirls helped comics historian Craig Yoe recreate the secret fetish art of Superman artist and co-creator Joe Shuster at back room soiree held at LA's Meltdown Comics last night.

Shuster's erotic illustrations were originally published in 1953 in the under-the-counter comic Nights of Horror. The work violated pornography laws at the time, thus Shuster was unable to lay claim to this work. A spate of murders in New York lead to a crackdown on pornography in the city the following year. The publisher of Nights of Horror was arrested, and the comics were confiscated and destroyed. Thus the adult work of Shuster, which had always been done undercover, was seemingly lost for all time.

Then, about two years ago, Yoe stumbled across a copy of Nights of Horror in a dusty box on an antique book stall. Yoe instantly recognized the DNA of the draftsmanship displayed in the images. Further research into Shuster's hereto unknown illicit work opened the door to a twilight world of showgirls, mobsters, neo-Nazi juvenile delinquents, hate crimes, murders, court cases, and government enquiries held at the highest level.

Yoe has compiled the stories and images he uncovered in a just-released book, Secret Identity. Read more on Yoe's remarkable voyage of discovery in our interview here.


The above event images feature SGs Sash, Moxi, Adria and Zoli, pictured with Secret Identity author Craig Yoe.

For more info on Secret Identity: The Fetish Art of Superman's Co-Creator Joe Shuster, go to Secret-Identity.net.

Hello friends and welcome to this, the sweaty final edition of Now Hear This on Suicidegirls.com. I'm not going to hold forth on any New Agey bullshit like "how I'm feeling about it"...for that, you must read my maudlin blog. I'm just going to do what I always do, i.e. tell you about... more

Hello friends and welcome to this, the sweaty final edition of Now Hear This on Suicidegirls.com. I'm not going to hold forth on any New Agey bullshit like "how I'm feeling about it"...for that, you must read my maudlin blog. I'm just going to do what I always do, i.e. tell you about some bands I like whom I think/hope you out there in Internet land might like too. I've gotten some nice comments from people who want me to keep making recommendations, so I'll start inserting them firmly but gently into my SG blog. I hope you've enjoyed this column, and that I've come off more as a big dorky fan than some high fallutin' rock afficionado, because, ironic fronting aside, that's really all I am. If there's one thing that keeps me marginally functional despite frequent heartbreak, professional frustrations and bunions, it's music, and I try to share that with folks as best I can.

Screaming Females

"All the music this year is made on fuckin' computers, man," said one observant bro in front of me in the beer line at the Fader Fort during SXSW. "It's good to hear some fuckin' music with guitars! These guys rock!" He was talking about the new Taylor Hanson/James Iha supergroup Tinted Windows, and he was sorely, dangerously wrong. But when it comes to New Brunswick, New Jersey's punk trio Screaming Females, my little riot grrl heart wells up with the exact same sentiments. Look and listen!



Lead singer/guitarist Marissa Paternoster shreds like a demon, combining the best of '70s riff rock and '90s garage to create something uniquely bone-rattling and head-bopping. Her voice echoes punk icons from Siouxsie Sioux (throaty and authoritative) to Corin Tucker (that amazing scream). By the time Screaming Females are done with you, your head is a pile of blissfully quivering jelly. Anyone still mourning the demise of Sleater-Kinney on the eve of their progression to profound monster riffage minus all the bad things about cock rock will take much comfort in this band's existence.

They're currently touring with Jack White and Allison Mossheart's new buzz project The Dead Weather, so check them out if you can; if you can't, their latest release Power Move is a pretty good substitute. Fun fact: they still do all of their own booking.

XYX

On the topic of badass women, how about this drum & bass duo from Mexico? The words "drum & bass" are misleading; this is no techno group, though their obsession with psychedelia means they probably wouldn't turn down a gig at a rave full of people on drugs. Fuzzy bass lines run ragged over relentless drums as lead singer Anhelo makes noises ranging from meditative, to indignant, to downright maniacal, which are then run through various pulverizers and centrifuges until they grow to truly frightening proportions. The perfect soundtrack for your friendly neighborhood brown acid desert freak out. Consume with caution.



They are currently on tour in this great land of opportunity, the U. S. of A. Their first and only 7" is currently sold out, but to tide us all over they've made "Sistema de Terminación Sexual (Extended version)" and a few other tracks available for free on their very own D.I.Y. label's website. Aaw.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs Get Twisted

Because you can never have too many brown acid desert freak outs (actually you can, but whatevs), I'm now going to show you Snakesweat, the 7 minute video The Yeah Yeah Yeahs put up on Pitchfork to accompany their excellent latest album, It's Blitz. Just when I think this band is losing all its wonderful quirks in a grab at mainstream stardom (I liked Show Your Bones but it also bummed me out), they do something to remind us they're still skulking art kids who can make "a visual journey into our sonic crusade" without feeling any obligation to explain it to us neophyte plebes. This Barney Clay directed clip has everything: Nick Zinner as "The Scientist" brandishing a whip; Karen O as "The Black Widow" looking sexually threatening as she spits, smokes a cigar, and shoots guns; and Barbies far more on fire than the ones in that silly Soundgarden video from the '90s. It's only up for one week, but just between you and me, I'm sure enough people will have ripped it by then for it to stay on the Internet approximately forever. I'm going to get stoned and watch it as soon as I get done writing this post, possibly sooner.

Obits

Formerly a key member of such underground juggernauts as Hot Snakes and Drive Like Jehu, singer/guitarist Rick Froberg has returned with a new project that's a touch more melodic than his older material, but just as loud and cynical. Blues, punk, and post punk combine in ways just new enough not to feel like a retread while keeping his spit and swagger with lyrics like "the streets are all full with people/I don't feel close to them/I led myself to what I want/right now I'm gonna win."

"Pine On," the first single off Obits' debut album, I Blame You, now has a video featuring the curiously Freudian tactic of turning upside down and painting eyes on one's chin. This is not some magical, vaguely blowjobby, inverted Spiderman kiss; twitching lips, moist tongues and unapologetically styled facial hair create an effect strangely vulgar and, in the basest way, funny. In short: the perfect accompaniment to the song.



They're currently on tour all over the place, and if their performance at SXSW was any indication, it's worth the ticket price for Froberg's GG Allen-esque stage antics alone.

Did you guys know that I like music videos? It's my secret hope to someday pretend I'm Liv Tyler or maybe Alicia Silverstone as I sulk and prance to create the perfect visual tableau for some great song.

I never know how to end things, so I'll leave you with my audition to be the next big video vixen:

Not bad, right? Smell ya later.


Hunter is a Brooklyn-based writer currently contributing to Vice, The New York Press, Impose, and The L Magazine. If you email her at hunter.suicide AT gmail DOT com, chances are she'd love to add your publication to that list. Seriously, she's got some time on her hands.

Joe Shuster changed the landscape for superheroes. The bold lines and primary colors of Superman, a character he created with writer Jerry Segal, put other action figures in the shade. However unsuccessful legal action lodged in 1946 against National Allied Publications (a forerunner of DC Comics), who... more

Joe Shuster changed the landscape for superheroes. The bold lines and primary colors of Superman, a character he created with writer Jerry Segal, put other action figures in the shade. However unsuccessful legal action lodged in 1946 against National Allied Publications (a forerunner of DC Comics), who claimed ownership of the character, meant that Shuster and Segal missed out on the millions their character would ultimately generate. Worse still, to add insult to injury, following the court case, the duo were stripped of their byline by the publisher.

Shuster and Segal were never able to repeat the success they achieved with their Kryptonite-shy guy. In the era immediately following the war, America no longer felt the need for supermen, and their 1947 follow up, Funnyman, fell flat. By the early 1950s Shuster was reduced to drawing cartoons for cash.

Fast-forward to the mid-2000s, when a comics historian named Craig Yoe discovers a copy of the little-known underground fetish rag, Nights of Horror, in a dusty cardboard box on a book stall. Yoe thought the whip-wielding women depicted in the illustrations bore a remarkable resemblance to the nubile lines of the otherwise chaste Lois Lane. Further research proved Yoe's initial suspicions were likely correct, and with the weight of world renowned art publishers Abrams behind him, he set about compiling a comprehensive compendium of the illicit fetish art of Joe Shuster that had lain undercover for over half a century.

We caught up with Yoe on the eve of the West Coast launch of his book, Secret Identity, which will see several of Shuster's sexy panels brought to life with the help of SuicdeGirls.

Nicole Powers: How did you come across the fetish art of Joe Shuster?

Craig Yoe: I'm always digging into comics history and searching for rare ephemera and forgotten gems of comics. I was at an antique book sale and a book dealer on the back corner of his book stall, he has this dusty old cardboard box. I peered in and it looked like some kind of homemade porn booklets that looked quite interesting. I opened up the first one I saw, and low and behold, I said to myself, "Oh my god! Joe Shuster." I recognized his work. I recognized the creator of Superman's style and realized that it was him doing these illustrations of bondage scenes and it just blew my little mind.

After that I sold the idea of doing a book on this artwork to Abrams, the world's largest art publisher. They do coffee table books on Picasso and Michael Angelo and stuff like that, but on the basis of Joe Shuster having done this erotic artwork I thought it would make a terrific book and they agreed.

Then I started researching the details behind it and it opened up another whole world of neo-Nazi juvenile delinquents and murders and floggings in the park and supreme court cases and the mob and Hitler and showgirls and this whole crazy world that this turned out to be part of.

NP: Where and when did you first discover these comic books?

CY: In New York City about two years ago.

NP: And you just recognized the style? Because Joe Shuster hadn't put his name to this work. He was doing this just to make a buck.

CY: Well I'm a comics historian; I instantly recognized his style. And I conferred with a lot of my fellow comics historians and they all agreed it was Joe's work. Because artwork is like a fingerprint. You can see the DNA in it.

He didn't sign this because this was highly illegal at the time. These booklets, they only printed a thousand copies, were sold under-the-counter in Times Square bookstores in 1953 before the mayor of New York cracked down on the booklets and assigned eighty detectives to find out who was behind them. They confiscated all the copies in the bookstores and arrested the printer. The publisher eventually went to jail for three years for publishing material like this.

NP: I understand you eventually tracked down someone connected with the publisher who was able to confirm that Joe had worked on these comic books.

CY: Yes. There's a professor of erotic literature at San Francisco State [University] who also deals in material of this sort, and he met the guy who wrote these booklets when he bought his erotica collection. He told him that he got his neighbor Joe Shuster to draw these pictures. When the police started cracking down [on Joe's] neighbors they took their unpublished manuscripts and artwork and threw them in the Long island Sound and went undercover....Very few of these booklets survived. They're really rare. To track them down I had to go to rare erotic dealers in Paris and London, and pay some dear money to get these.

NP: You're doing a very interesting live event at Meltdown Comics in LA tonight to promote this where you're recreating some of Joe's erotic panels with live models. I understand you did something similar in New York too. Can you tell us a bit about that?

CY: Yes...In New York we did a giant launch party for the book where all kinds of comics fans and young New York partygoers and members of the BDSM scene all kind of gathered together in one big hoopla to celebrate the launch of the book. We had actors and models acting out scenes from the book, four or five different tableaus around the night club, and it was a big, big hit. Meltdown Comics in LA, which is the premiere comic store out here, heard about the party and wanted to do their version of it our here. That's going to be tonight and I'll be there to sign books and the SuicideGirls are part of the acting out of the scenes. They're going to be there with their whips and lingerie.

NP: What do you hope to achieve with this book? I mean, at the time Joe wasn't allowed to be proud of this work but it's definitely worthy of note.

CY: Well as a historian I like to fill in puzzle pieces of comics history. There's many things I hope for the book, but one of the things I hope is that it brings more attention to Joe Shuster's artwork. He was really a master draftsman and [had] a lot of imagination. He's only thought of as a children's comic book artist doing Superman and here's mature work, in content and also in that he was at the top of his game when he was drawing this. Because the strips he did of Superman he only did when he was a teenager. Now we have him at his full chops doing great work. I hope it celebrate more the artwork of Joe Shuster and people find it a fascinating piece of comic history.



Want to see Sash, Moxi, Adria and Zoli bring Joe Shuster's art to life? Come down to the West Coast Launch Party at Meltdown Comics (7522 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046) tonight, July 29th. The event starts at 8 PM. Secret Identity author Craig Yoe will also be there to sign copies of the book. Click HERE for event info.

For more info on Secret Identity: The Fetish Art of Superman's Co-Creator Joe Shuster, go to Secret-Identity.net.

Addiction first took hold of Richard Farrell after a torn knee put an end to hopes of a professional athletics career. That same injury started his relationship with pain medication. One thing led to another, as these things do, and by the time he reached thirty Farrell had succumbed to almost every aspect... more

Addiction first took hold of Richard Farrell after a torn knee put an end to hopes of a professional athletics career. That same injury started his relationship with pain medication. One thing led to another, as these things do, and by the time he reached thirty Farrell had succumbed to almost every aspect of the heroin lifestyle.

His journey to redemption is chronicled in his new memoir, What's Left of Us. Farrell was one of the lucky ones; after twenty failed attempts, he slayed his dragon at a run down, state funded detox clinic in Massachusetts, and went on to fulfill his potential as an author, journalist, teacher and screenwriter.

Many addicts will not be so fortunate. Clinics such as these are the easy victims of budget cuts. As bankrupt states struggle to pick up the incarceration tab for the collateral damage of the War on Drugs, and our federal government goes deeper into debt to pay for its War on (drug-funded) Terror, Farrell's live experience leads him to pose an important question: Have we forgotten the simple laws of supply and demand? By funding these two never-ending wars are we ineffectually treating the symptoms instead of battling the cause? Wouldn't our money be better spent reducing the demand for drugs?

The state-funded treatment of drug addiction has never been a vote-winning cause (just look at the tap-dancing Obama was forced to do recently on the prickly issue needle exchange programs). Here, in this special guest column, Farrell makes the case for a more enlightened drug (and healthcare) policy and talks of the horrors that will likely transpire if we continue on our current course, which is tantamount to treating cancer with a gold-plated plaster -- ridiculous, ineffectual, expensive and ultimately fatal.



Richard Farrell: The Two Hour Orgasm

I took heroin only once. But for three years, heroin took me to anyplace it wanted to. I stole, robbed, hustled, and did whatever was necessary to keep a 10-bag-a-day habit in full throttle.

Heroin is amazing. It is the devil. Heroin is like riding the peak of an orgasm for hours. It sucks you in, removes all your doubt and fears in a heartbeat. In less than three seconds, its warm snake grabs onto your heart and sets you free. I've been clean for over 22 years. But not one day goes by that I do not remember the mighty power of heroin's ensnare.

Back then, to most, I was a scumbag junkie who should have been locked up. The majority of people in America believe addiction is a moral issue. Sadly, the current administration's policy is a shadow of those beliefs.

President Obama has failed to confront the issue of free and immediate health care for all addicts seeking help. This is not only an egregious oversight but arguably an error that has the potentiality to crumble America from within.

Recently, President Obama created a four point plan of attack. First up on his agenda will be an all out effort to crackdown on drug use in our cities and towns. Next he'll be sending an increased, unspecified amount of US Border Patrol Agents to facilitate his third point of action. For the first time ever, the US Border Patrol will be conducting inspection of all trains and cars exiting the United States. And finally, Obama released 59 million dollars to Homeland Security for immediate execution in the war against drugs.

On paper it appears to be a comprehensive attack. But the goal of reducing drug use in America and thereby decreasing demand of illegal drugs entering from Mexico will not be effective without an emergency health care plan that allows access to rehabilitation hospitals for drug addicts seeking recovery. There simply are not enough jails in America to hold the mounting numbers of drug addicts. Those suffering from this addiction only have two choices every morning -- repeat or recover.

Recently, the New York Times ran a story about Dana Smith, a mother who had just lost her son to heroin. The facts are gruesome, horrific. This was Dana Smith's third son lost to a heroin overdose. She said her boys "fell like dominoes."

But what strikes me is the location of where her kids died. Not in New York City, Detroit, Miami, or Los Angeles, but on the streets of Grove City, Ohio, in the heartland of America.

Heroin is back. The Federal Drug Administration has no way of adequately policing the vast network of crisscrossing highways in Middle America. Drug-traffickers understand their advantage here and are mounting an all out war for control of America's suburbs.

But there is another large ingredient to add to this potpourri. The fucking wheels have come off the United States economy. From coast to coast, fear, unemployment, crime, and mental depression have reached all time highs.

And heroin is the perfect answer. It doesn't matter if you're a teenager whose parents have lost their jobs and homes. Or you're a returning soldier who has seen shit nobody should ever remember. Heroin, with its seductive magic, will free all from the uncertainties our future holds.

And the Taliban leadership in Afghanistan is mindfully aware of heroin's affect on the youth in the United States. In 2007, they earned 300 million dollars from Afghan's poppy farms. Most people fear the insurgence of the Taliban and their poppy farm profits which they're using to fund terrorism around the world. But President Obama and his administration are being fooled. The Taliban are after our youth and nobody on Capitol Hill has a clue.

They have forgotten about Virgil's epic poem The Aeneid. During the ten years of a failed siege on Troy, the Greeks built a large wooden horse in the darkness of night. One day the Greeks pretended to sail away and the Trojans pulled the horse into their city as a victory prize. However, inside were members of the Greek army who opened the gates. The Greek army retuned and destroyed Troy.

Heroin is our Trojan horse. You see, when I shot heroin it was $30 a bag. Today, because Afghanistan produces 90% of poppy seeds around the world, it is $5 a bag.

Any fuckin' questions?!

Bottom line, President Obama must confront the ever increasing popularity of heroin in America's heartland. We need to focus more tax dollars of free comprehensive health care. It is quite simple; the demand for heroin is increasing daily. The Taliban has the supply, the economy is spiraling downward, and hundreds of American kids are reaching out for euphoria.

Each and every new heroin addict is in search of that two-hour orgasm, but by the time heroin is finished, it will rob them of their souls. In the end, heroin will leave them and their families with nothing but pain, anguish, and death.

Mr. President, I personally do not know one single heroin addict with health insurance.



Richard Farrell is an author, filmmaker, teacher, journalist, and adjunct professor of English at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell. His documentary, High on Crack Street, was aired on HBO and received Columbia University's duPont Award. His memoir, What's Left of Us, published by Citadel Press, is out now. He is the screenwriter for the upcoming film The Fighter, which stars Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg.

Although The Partridge Family may be first thing that comes to mind when you think of a family band, War Tapes just might change that preconception. While siblings Becca and Neil Popkin clearly prefer their "heart-quaking doom pop" to silly television cheese, there's something inescapably... more

Although The Partridge Family may be first thing that comes to mind when you think of a family band, War Tapes just might change that preconception. While siblings Becca and Neil Popkin clearly prefer their "heart-quaking doom pop" to silly television cheese, there's something inescapably enduring about this particular family affair. Their music might reference the atmospheric goth rock of the '80s, but for bassist Becca, and lead singer Neil, one thing is certain: the family that plays together stays together.

Auren Suicide: Congratulations! Your record [The Continental Divide] recently came out.

Becca Popkin: Thank you!

AS: How are you feeling now that it's done?

BP: Making the album was a really long process for us, actually. We started recording when we could. We were never really able to block out a long period of time to go into the studio. We did it when we could, around our work schedules. And then, while we were recording, we'd write new songs and then we'd want to record those. So we'd end up constantly writing and then recording and writing and recording. Our sound would constantly change and then we'd want to re-record our older stuff that we'd already spent time recording, so it became a really long process -- so much so that when our CD came out in May it metaphorically felt like we'd given birth to our little baby. It was a long process, but really fun and definitely one that made me want to get back in the studio and record more.

AS: So you already have material for your second record?

BP: We do. We're in a constant process of writing. When we're in our rehearsal room, and were supposed to be rehearsing our set for a show, we inevitably start writing. And writing. And writing. So we're ready to start recording again. It's fun. Never-ending and crazy, but so fun.

AS: You seem like a really creative person. You took the album photos, you designed the jewelry you sell as merch -- is the band just an extension of who you are? Always making stuff?

BP: Yes. It's just like the recording. It is another thing that is just non-stop. When I'm home I always have to be doing something. I just constantly feel the need to make and make and make. The War Tapes jewelry has been so fun. It was something that I did at first to take on the road just to see what would happen, and people really liked it. Now there are War Tapes necklaces and earring and hair clips...all sorts of things. And then there's my photography...it really comes down to the fact that I always want to be doing something. I think it's ADD [laughs].

AS: Well, at least it's productive.

BP: There are not enough hours in the day for me.

AS: Was being in a band ever in your plans? I know this if your first band, but you did study guitar?

BP: Music has always been around me. I took piano as a little kid and then I moved on to guitar. But as much as I loved music and going to see bands play, I never thought I'd be in a band. When my brother [Neil Popkin] and I were little kids we used to have a family band and we'd torture all our relatives. That was my idea of a band. So when [War Tapes] happened it was so unintentional. Neil moved out to LA and just like, got a show. But then realized, "Oh shit, I don't have a band," and asked me to play. It just happened. Even now I think this whole thing is really weird.

AS: But it does sound like you had a very musical family and childhood.

BP: Definitely. Our dad played guitar and our mom was super into playing us music all the time. We'd go through all her old records.

AS: Who's the older sibling, you or Neil?

BP: I'm older.

AS: So what's it like to be in a band with your little brother?

BP: It's crazy. The best part is that your family is always your family. You can push a family member further than you can push a friend. So there is a strong dynamic between us. When things are good they are really good and when things...well...it's a strong energy. We know we're never going to break up as a band, because we're family. It's a really comforting, cool feeling. It also allows my brother and I to be closer than I think we otherwise might have been.

AS: Can you escape the family dynamic? Can you look at each other as just musicians who are working together? Or is there always that kind of brother-sister thing?

BP: I think sometimes we forget we're related! That's a good, because we can just function as people in a band. It's not just that me and Neil have a bond that no one else can come in on. It's very much like everyone [in War Tapes] feels like family. We're all so connected right now, that at this point we might as well all be brothers and sisters. We all look at each other that way.

AS: From what I've read, you and your brother seem to have pretty different musical tastes.

BP: Yes. I'm more of the Brit-pop girl.

AS: Who are some of your favorites?

BP: Pulp for sure. Suede, The Verve, Blur, Lush...gosh, there are so many. I pretty much only listened to British music for a really long time. Everyone in the band has their own stuff that they're really into but there are some bands that we all like. So it all eventually comes together.

AS: It does. I also have to say that your backup vocals are so good!

BP: Wow! I get really shy about my vocals so I really appreciate that.

AS: They are! Anyway, thanks for talking to me. Your brother is supposed to call me in a few minutes.

BP: You know what? I'm going to remind him to call you. I am the big sister, after all!

[Two minutes later]

AS: Hello?

Neil Popkin: Hi! What's up?

AS: I just talked to your sister, she's awesome, I must say.

NP: Yeah, I like her.

AS: [laughs] So tell me a little bit about making your record.

NP: It was a long process because we didn't have the means to record. We couldn't do very many songs at once. It took us a couple of years to get the recordings up to speed to where we had them sounding like we wanted them to sound. It was a work in progress. We'd do a little here and a little there and then we'd go play a bunch of shows and then come back and then realized we could do better and scrapped a lot of them and did it all again. We learned a lot as a band and our sound grew into its own because of that long process. Now that we've done that whole ordeal we've developed our own formula for recording which is great.

AS: The record sounds major-label quality. It's very well recorded.

NP: Thank you!

AS: So what is that winning formula?

NP: I think it has to do with getting each individual band member's performance as good as possible. We spend a lot of time on each individual element where, for example, guitars are the only thing we're concentrating on. We also have it so everyone in the band can give notes on anything. It takes a long time but it's a matter of all of us being perfectionists. The recordings didn't always sound that good [laughs].

AS: What's your favorite song on The Continental Divide?

NP: I think it's "She Lied."

AS: That was my favorite, too!

NP: That's cool!

AS: That one, and also "All the World's a Stage."

NP: That song is really special to us. This record is really personal. It's about figuring out where you're going and re-evaluating your life. That's the theme of this record. The next record, I think, will be more about the way the world works, not necessarily about personal dilemmas.

AS: What about moving? I know you and Becca are from Boston. What changed when you moved to LA?

NP: My whole life was in Boston and when I moved here, I had nothing. It was depressing at first but I love the fact that I had that era in my life. It was a big change.

AS: So why move in the first place?

NP: I was just bored with Boston. I didn't think there was much more I could do out there. At the time I was working at a club, and I was DJing. I was playing in bands. But I didn't have anything that was my own. And I didn't know exactly what it was that I wanted to do musically, but I knew that I wanted to be creatively involved, not just be a member of a punk rock band, where I was playing guitar. I wanted to start my own band.

AS: What's the dynamic like being in a band with your sister?

NP: It's cool. It has brought us much closer together.

AS: She said the same thing.

NP: We were always friendly but growing up we never really hung out everyday or anything like that. She went to [college] in Washington DC and we didn't go to the same high school so we were never super close. We played music together when we were little kids, but then she went off to school and I did a lot of growing up in those four years she was away. We are closer than we've ever been. Also, the fact that she and our drummer, William [Mohler], are married ads another cool element.

AS: I didn't know that! This really is a family band.

NP: This is a total family band. Matt [Benett], the other guitar player, is my best friend. We're all really, really close. We have arguments that most bands might not have, because we are so close to one another. But in that respect we also get the chance to delve deeper into stuff that other bands might not get to do. We say what's on our mind. It ends up helping us in the long run.

AS: Do you like being on tour?

NP: I love it.

AS: What's your dream tour? If you could play with anyone?

NP: Echo and the Bunnymen. The Cure, a band on that level. But really we're down to tour with anybody. We just want to play as many shows as possible. Last year we went on tour with Tiger Army and we weren't sure how that was going to work out. But we were very well received. It was great.



War Tapes' debut album, The Continental Divide, is out now on Sarathan Records. Keep up with the Popkin's via their Twitter @WarTapes.

Years from now, as we look back in time, one glaring stance of the Bush administration will stand tall over the others. Bush's assault on the environment will forever be the worst that was done by his White House. As someone who went to college to study the earth and learn about its complexities,... more

Years from now, as we look back in time, one glaring stance of the Bush administration will stand tall over the others. Bush's assault on the environment will forever be the worst that was done by his White House. As someone who went to college to study the earth and learn about its complexities, I believe the majority of men will not live through this century. The impact of global warming obviously goes far beyond shit just heatin’ up. We're already seeing very dangerous symptoms.

Global warming will hamper plants and animals ability to fight off infection and disease. Early warning signs are coming in the form of a massive bee die off, a massive bat die off, and an impending wheat fungus that is poised to sweep across the planet, possibly killing 80% of wheat crops.

Bats, bees and plants are fragile, much more so than man. The threat of global warming does not come from man getting a little hotter; it comes from a breakdown in the food supply, floods, a lack of water and dying crops. All of those things are already happening. We are already dying, just very slowly.

The few global warming deniers are wrong and shockingly stupid. Even if they were right, their argument is to keep polluting, which makes them serious idiots. My father is one of them. He sends me email after email from his right wing leaders, who simply cherry pick data and pass it off as proof that global warming is not occurring. They believe carbon dioxide levels have been rising for the past ten years and temperatures have gone down. Whatever argument they can make, consistency be damned. As I said, they are idiots and they are wrong.

The scary thing is that scientists are discovering their models are not at all what they predicted -- because as time passes, the results are turning out to be far worse.

Scientists are alarmed.

And the fear is now that a quick change will occur.

This is, quite simply, far worse than the worst-case scenario. All the doom and gloom predictions were actually rosy predictions. The suffering humans will endure this century is unimaginable.

This week, the Obama administration released satellite photos that detail what we are dealing with. These photos were “classified” by the Bush administration. They are photos of disappearing ice. The only reason to classify them is because they are damaging evidence against global warming deniers. Enjoy the horror.





The Bush administration released the photos to scientists, but would not allow them to be released for public use. Maybe they thought terrorists would get a hold of the photos of less sea ice and make non-sea iceboats to attack Alaska. Or, maybe they just wanted to keep the lie of no global warming alive because they only served big business, not the people. Either way, this is very, very bad. Overall, 1,000 photos were released by Obama, who seems to actually believe in science.

The results of human created gases will be extreme. Our forests will die. The ice caps will melt, causing massive flooding. Larger storms will kill more people. Islands will disappear. Diseases will spread. Crops will fail. Large animals will die off. Allergies will worsen exponentially. Tropical insects will die off, while temperate insects will flourish. Water wars will be common. They've already begun.

And there is no stopping it. That time has passed.

Besides the war and destroying the world economy, George Bush will be known as the man who did nothing while the dam was breaking. It’s his legacy. It’s also the legacy of idiots who deny global warming, who cherry pick evidence to prove their lies while mankind slowly drives off a cliff.

Is there hope? I seriously doubt it. The only remote hope we have is that the the sun is cooling. So, you can hang your hat on that. But, I think we’re toast. We are parasites and we are being removed through the old classic: A fever. You are about to live through the most horrifying century man has ever known.

FearTheReaper is a writer, actor and stand up comedian. More from FearTheReaper can be found HERE. You may also enjoy his blog, Stop All Monsters.

For this month's Miss Truth Hurts column SuicideGirls has teamed up with the folks behind the new romantic comedy Spread to bring you questions and advice inspired by the film. Spread stars Ashton Kutcher who plays Nikki, a charming freeloader, who trades his sexual prowess for the financial advantages... more

For this month's Miss Truth Hurts column SuicideGirls has teamed up with the folks behind the new romantic comedy Spread to bring you questions and advice inspired by the film.

Spread stars Ashton Kutcher who plays Nikki, a charming freeloader, who trades his sexual prowess for the financial advantages ladies of a certain age and position can provide. As the film heats up, Nikki gets caught in a love/lust triangle between Samantha (Anne Heche), a mature woman with a sleek car, beautiful property and a well balanced portfolio, and Heather (Margarita Levieva), a hot young waitress who may just end up beating him at his own game.



Here's some nuggets of advice that the three leading characters in the film could do with swallowing:


Q: I used to do bar work and wait tables, but now get by thanks to the significantly richer partners I date. No money changes hands, but I make sure all my bills get paid. Does this make me a whore? And isn't everyone to some extent? There's always some kind of a trade off in a relationship right? Do you think there's anything wrong with seeking relationships based on money rather than this abstract and unreliable feeling we call love?

A: I just finished co-writing porn star Tera Patrick's memoir, Sinner Takes All: A Memoir of Love, Marriage & Porn (shameless self-plug: out Jan. 5 via Gotham/Penguin), and she talks about this very subject. To paraphrase her, she says, "We're all 'hos on this bus, whether you're a porn star, a prostitute, a stripper, or a girl dating a rich guy who buys her things." Everyone is a whore in some way at some point in their life, whether it's whoring your talent or skills out to the corporate man for a nice salary or accepting an expensive dinner date from a guy you don't really like, we've all been there. But, true love is amazing and having a fulfilling career where you can support yourself is equally as satisfying, so don't give up on that too soon. It's not as abstract and unreliable as you think.


Q: I'm looking for the perfect pick up line to hone my dating technique. My buddy Nikki says there's only on pick up line, “Hi, what’s your name?” and that everything else is cheese. What do you think?

A: Remember what I said about everyone's a whore at some point in their life in the first question above? Well, I'm a plug whore right now. Go ahead and send hate mail. I don't care. The, "Hi, what's your name?" line is an example I actually have in my book, Cherry Bomb: The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Better Flirt, a Tougher Chick and a Hotter Girlfriend and to Living Life Like a Rock Star, and it truly is the simplest, most charming, and honest way to meet someone. Try it and you'll see.


Q: I've heard that you should never show a woman that you’re impressed since it lowers your market value. The strategy works really well for my pal Nikki. Why do women go for men who pull these kind of mind games?

A: I hate to admit it and it's shameful to my gender, but the truth is, yes, it does work. Why do women like guys who act like they don't give a damn? It's because most women love a challenge and think they can turn a bad boy good. So, if you're not interested, she will try harder to make you interested whether she really likes you or just wants to prove she can turn a negative into a positive. But, think of it this way: Do you really want a woman like this?


Q: My sometime roommate is a bar crawling philosopher. He says, “When a girl tells you that you're not getting any before you ask, before you even try, it means you’re getting some.” Do you agree?

A: Uh, sometimes no means no. If a woman says "no way" right away, you are probably not even on a real date with her. That said, most women love being pursued and seduced, so there is always room for that "no" to turn into a "yes" if you make the right moves. There is an art to seduction.


Q: My friend has this point system theory: 1 for flowers, 2 for dinner, 3 for an orgasm. He figures you need to get 12 points in the love bank before a woman will trust you -- then you can go back to watching football. Do you think this is wrong, right, cynical, or all of the above?

A: First of all, if you're with a girl who doesn't let you watch football or join you at a game now and then, you're with a bitch. Second, lose the point system. It's a wee bit immature and frat-boy-ish.


Q: I've just turned 40 and am attracted to younger men, who always end up leaving me for younger women. Some might call me a cougar, but do you think I'm really the immature one here since I'm unable to find happiness with men my own age?

A: If you want hot sex only, keep dating the young studs. If you want a real relationship, date someone on your own level and that usually (emphasis on usually) means someone with similar life experiences, who's in the same place in life that you are, and, yes, who is within five years of your age either way. There's nothing immature about dating younger. What you need to think about is what you want: fun, sexy flings or a serious commitment.


Q: I'm considering vaginal rejuvenation to keep my younger man happy in bed. What's your advice? Should I go for it? My doctor tells me I'll be out of action for five days, but it'll be "well worth the wait."

A: If you can afford it and have thoroughly done your research on doctors, then go for it! But, don't do it for your younger man. Do it for yourself. And, ask yourself this question: if your man did NOT want you to do it, would you still do it? If the answer is no, then you're doing it for the wrong reason. You're a brave woman to even consider it. Ouch!


Q: Often I can envision my future with a girl before they cum. Then afterwards I just want them to stop touching me. Do you think there's something wrong with me?

A: You're fucked up, my friend. See a shrink.



Spread opens on August 14. Go to Spread-TheMovie.com for more info.

Got a line that's guaranteed to open more than a conversation that you'd like to share with the world? Do you have a unique angle on how to turn a casual encounter into something more special and/or useful? Text the word "SPREAD" and your pickup tip to 878787 and have it show up on digital billboards nationwide. Alternatively, you can go to Spread-TheMovie.com and click on the “Express Yourself” link to spread your relationship wealth and read advice left by others.

Carrie Borzillo-Vrenna is Suicide Girls' sex, love, and life advice columnist. She is an entertainment journalist, rock wife, and author of Cherry Bomb: The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Better Flirt, a Tougher Chick, and a Hotter Girlfriend, and to Living Life Like a Rock Star and Eyewitness Nirvana: The Day-by-Day Chronicle.

www.myspace.com/carrieborzillovrenna
www.carriebv.com