#daniel topete

[danieltopetephoto]

Grian of Fontaines D.C getting a tattoo backstage

[mitskicentral]

I love therapy! Having someone to talk to, who you don’t feel like you’re burdening, because it’s their job – it really eases up all your friendships.

"You're saying it out loud, giving it words; it clears things up. In America, there's still this notion that you're not good until you're happy. I hope we can get away from that."

—Mitski for The Guardian, February 4 2022 📷 Daniel Topete

[taste-in-music]

SASAMI photographed by Daniel Topete for Rolling Stone

[thoughtswordsaction]

Militarie Gun Shared "My Friends Are Having A Hard Time" Featuring Manchester Orchestra; New EP "Life Under The Sun" | Out This Friday Via Loma Vista Recordings

Photo by Daniel Topete Los Angeles’ Militarie Gun kicks off 2024 with the announcement of a new EP Life Under The Sun, which will arrive this Friday, January 26th via Loma Vista Recordings. Life Under The Sun strips back a selection of songs from Militarie Gun’s breakout debut album Life Under The Gun, which was released last summer, putting Ian Shelton’s intensely personal songwriting center…

[jenestaa]

Artistic Vision Statement

My design strengths are imagery using photography, abstraction in illustration, and also typography. I want to become either a photographer, a social media designer or an exhibition designer. I want to try to improve on my camera skills by attending more photography workshops. Also, I want to explore more about how content creators on social media design their own brands. Lastly, going to more seminars for various exhibitions.

All these statements above were what I wrote for my artistic vision statement. I think that it is still not quite well thought out yet. This is because I feel that my statements above are not concise, and not really thought out in a more in-depth manner. Hence, I do think that it does need some revising.

My new artistic statement is “To be an experimental and receptive designer”.

KCRW is an NPR affiliate radio station and work x work is a creative agency. Previously in 2019, work x work and KCRW had joined forces for On Air Fest. They had an organic partnership. Therefore, developing conversations about doing more collaborations. They also had similar thought processes when it comes to audio.

“It’s about audio, but it’s kind of not about audio- it’s about culture, it’s about community, it’s about engagement.” (Beach) I think this implies that their focus is not only on producing soundtracks, but also, trying to be more engaged with the public.

I like how they used simple typography for their branding. By doing an outline of the four letters KCRW, it creates a graphical framing shape. Keeping a consistent typeface while also using the graphical shape to design their brand identity. The usage of vibrant colour schemes does attract the public, especially in large-scale printing. Where it can be seen even from afar. Lastly, photographs used as the background were captured by photographer Daniel Topete. Using perspectives to capture portraits of people and also LA’s city surroundings. Images being used as backdrop while illustrations and typefaces on top, portrays an over-layering effect.

Snarkitecture is a New York design studio. Created by American musician Pharrell Williams and Japanese graphic designer Nigo, they designed a flagship store for Billionaire Boys Club (BBC). “It’s going to be a place where people can come in to get inspired by the mix of fashion, culture, art and design.” (Dreith) I think this sentence implies that the creators designed this space to attract the public to be immersed in fashion trends, minimalist culture, as well as art and design practices. Many materials were environmentally-friendly which includes recycled plastics, cages, glass and wood panels. Hence, showing sustainability.

In comparison with both design case studies, and relating to my new artistic vision statement, I think that I will choose the second project. It is because I want to try out something new. Reusable materials are a good way to put recyclables to good use. Through design and marketing, experiencing how I should try to complement the collaborators point-of-view.

(492 words)

References:

Beach, Charlotte. “KCRW Got a Groovy Rebrand from the Audio-Space Experts at work x work.” PRINT Magazine, 22 June 2022, https://www.printmag.com/branding-identity-design/kcrw-rebrand/.

Dreith, Ben. “Snarkitecture uses recycled materials for Pharrell Williams' store in Miami.” Dezeen, 24 October 2022, https://www.dezeen.com/2022/10/24/snarkitecture-pharrell-williams-bbc-miami/.

#photography  #abstraction  #illustration  #typography  #social media  #exhibition  #artistic  #vision  #experimental  #receptive  #rebrand #design  #sustainability  #marketing    

[lagroupie]

Interview: Jimmy Whispers, “The Search for God”

Jimmy Whispers shot by the great Daniel Topete.

About seven years ago, I met Jimmy Whispers during his first European tour. He was playing at Bar 3000 to introduce his album Summer in Pain. It was only him and a backing track, but the crowd quickly got into it. I found his set both fun and touching, because just like his songs – Jimmy Whispers is brutally honest, which is great. We also did an interview about his first record before the show.

Around 2021, Jimmy announced through his socials that he would release new music. I was looking forward to it and kept an eye and an ear on his new material. We got in touch again in 2023 and set up an online interview pretty quickly. Jimmy told me that he was not living in Chicago anymore, but in Los Angeles. So we agreed on a time: 10 p.m. for me in Switzerland and 1 p.m. in Los Angeles. I found it very funny that when Jimmy answered my call, he was hanging out in his car – the very car that he used for the music video of his new song True Love is Freedom!

Join us as we catch up and Jimmy tells me all about his upcoming record, what he has been up to before that, his plans for 2023 and his future American and potential European tour. Many thanks to Jimmy Whispers for his time and his kindness!

Could you tell me about your life at the moment? What have you been up to?

Jimmy Whispers: It’s good! I was playing shows here and there, but I haven’t really toured in a while. Life is good in L.A.! I have a lot friends and there’s a very good music community. The last couple years, I’ve been writing a lot of music and directing music videos for other bands. Now I’m back working on my own music.

The search for God is the name of your new album, which is coming out in June. Two singles have come out already, Hellscape and True Love is Freedom. Can we talk about the music video of True Love is Freedom? You directed it and I thought it looked really good! How did you learn how those skills?

I started editing videos for myself in 2019. I think a lot of it had to do with the pandemic. I lost my other jobs and was at home learning how to edit. I started getting asked by a lot of friends to make music videos for them and it kind of became a job. I just got better and better very quickly. That video in particular is really fun. I brought my car! (ndlr: Jimmy shows me his car through his phone camera) So I brought it on the rain stage and I realized I needed an assistant director, because I wouldn’t be behind the camera the whole time. So I had my friend Geneva Jacuzzi being an assistant director. She’s really great and I love her music videos. It’s nice to work with a friend who also has a good vision.

The video reminded me of the movie ‘Back to the Future’ for some reason!

Yes, there was also this really cheesy TV show in the 80s called Knight Rider. David Hasselhoff from Baywatch was in it and he had a talking car that would make crazy screams. In my music video, the car is that other character. The concept of this music video – singing and dancing in the rain with an umbrella – also reminded me of the old movie ‘Singing in the rain’ with Gene Kelly.

Sound-wise, it seems that there is a huge leap between those two new songs and the ones on your previous record, Summer in Pain. I remember that you recorded Summer in Pain on your Iphone, which is not the case for the new singles.

They weren’t recorded in a fancy studio, but they were recorded well! (laughs) Ziyad, who is one of my best friends in the world and plays in the band Whitney, has recorded, mixed and co-produced the new record with me. He has produced Whitney’s newer stuff as well and he’s working on a record with the band Dead right now.

I’ve looked at the credits. You and Ziyad play most instruments right?

Yeah! Aside from two songs where my firend Sky plays guitar, it was me and Ziyad who played all the instruments. We kept it very simple.

There is a gap of seven years between Summer in Pain and The Search for God. I was wondering how the inspiration had come for this second record. Did it take a long time, or was it a quick process?

I think it took a long time between records because of a lot of personal things. My dad died and I moved to Los Angeles-

I am so sorry. Please let me know if you’re uncomfortable.

No no, it’s good to talk about. So shortly after I put out Summer in Pain, my dad died. I was doing a bunch of touring and then I moved to Los Angeles. I worked on a lot of different records with different producers, like Jonathan Rado and Jarvis Taveniere. But then I got sober and I just didn’t like what I was writing anymore. My perspective on life changed a lot. The way I wanted to perform and the things I wanted to sing about changed too. That’s how this record came to be. I wrote it very quickly in 2020, like in a week! I was just very inspired. Me and Ziyad also recorded it very quickly.

I had been working on music all those years, but I kept putting things on hold or deciding ‘I’m gonna wait on this’, ‘I need to find a label’ or ‘this isn’t good enough’. I’m going to put the records I made with Jonathan Rado and Jarvis Taveniere out. The Search for God is just a re-introduction, I have so much music!

I’m looking forward to those projects! Also, I am sorry for your loss and congratulations on getting sober.

Haha ! It’s a lot, but it’s for the best you know. God’s plan!

May I ask, what made you move to Los Angeles?

Well, I played some shows and started recording out there and it just felt like what I needed. I think that – in a delusional way – I outgrew Chicago, which looking back is not true because I cannot outgrow any city. But looking back, it’s what I needed for my mental health. I feel like I would have never got sober or healthier if I had stayed in Chicago.

I think a lot of people come to Los Angeles with this old school idea of ‘making it’. The ‘you can make it in Hollywood’ kind of bullshit. I did think a little bit like that at first, but after being out here I realized that I was in L.A. for personal growth and enjoying nature. It didn’t really have to do with any kind of pursuit of success. I found myself out here. I feel grateful and fortunate about that, because a lot of people come to L.A. to make it and they never outgrow that. Then they crumble. There’s so much more to life than career and success. I found peace of mind.

What can we expect from Jimmy Whispers in the future?

Well, the record The Search for God is about looking for the meaning of things and this higher power, but not finding it and returning empty-handed. The next records are about finding it! There’s a lot of music and videos coming up as well. I have been making a documentary about this older underground author in Los Angeles. Also, a lot of music videos I have been making for other bands are coming out this summer and this fall.

And touring! I am touring in the United States this Summer and I hope I will come back to Europe very soon. I loved having the opportunity to tour in Europe and I am grateful, but I am really excited to come back and play this new music with my new show. I have a band and they’re all very good friends and wonderful musicians. I am looking forward to being able to do the experience over again with a better show!

I just remembered something about our interview in Switzerland seven years ago. I told you that one of the songs in Summer in Pain made me cry – I don’t remember which one – and you replied ‘then it worked. That was the goal.’ To this day, I remember! (laughs)

Hahaha, ‘it worked’! That is a point, to make people feel something. But I don’t want people to feel sad, I want them to feel hopeful! Even if it’s a few people, for me that’s the goal in making music. It’s really isn’t about me or my ego. It’s about other people and making their lives a little bit better.

https://www.instagram.com/jimmywhispersxo/?hl=fr

https://jimmywhispers.bandcamp.com/album/the-search-for-god

[shit-talk-turner]

@danieltopete on instagram wishing a happy birthday to the pic that broke the AM fandom internet

Bless you sir for your service to humanity

[authoroftheaccident]

Mirror Sound: A Look into the People and Processes Behind Self-Recorded Music 

By Spencer Tweedy and Lawrence Azerrad, Foreword by Carrie Brownstein, Photographed by Daniel Topete.

“For the past few years, Lawrence Azerrad, Daniel Topete and I have been working on a book. I had been thinking about musicians who self-record, and how their music often has this special sound that seems like it can only come from an artist working in their own space. I’d been self-recording since high school and I love the process so much, but I hadn’t seen many stories about it (even while “making-of” things become more commonplace). So we started running around the country, interviewing and photographing artists who make records at home, on the road, in their bedrooms, in barns. The stories and photos of more than 25 artists are in this book, including Yuka Honda, Sharon Van Etten, Ty Segall, and Vagabon. I learned a lot about the art form I love most. And Daniel photographed them and their spaces beautifully!!!! It’s the book I wish I had had when I was learning to self-record.”

- Spencer Tweedy Mirror Sound is out October 20 and available for preorder now.

https://mirrorsoundbook.com/

[twinpeaksdudes]

This old boy turns 4 years old today. What a time we did have recording this during the summer of fun in 2015. Our spirit guide Ben Kramer opened his doors to us in Western, MA to track it there. We spent our days writing, playing music, building a lake barge, making slip ’n slides, grilling, canoeing, and tryna keep the place clean. I think we spent about six weeks there on and off touring throughout the summer, making the record, and having too much fun. The level of camaraderie we established there followed us into everything we’d do in the years after. I love looking back and thinking about that time, especially during all of this. The good photos were taken by @danieltopetephoto.

[lewisdelmarfanblog]

Max by Daniel Topete

[sinceileftyoublog]

Soccer Mommy Late Night Preview: 8/23, ABC

Photo by Daniel Topete

BY JORDAN MAINZER

2022 has been quite the year for Soccer Mommy, the project of Nashville-based singer-songwriter Sophie Allison, as she’s released her third and best studio album Sometimes, Forever (Loma Vista). Notably, Allison enlisted Daniel Lopatin, aka Oneohtrix Point Never, to produce the record. On paper, I wasn’t sure that OPN’s warped soundscapes would mesh with the stark intimacy of Allison’s songwriting, but his stamp perfectly complements Allison’s dark, but skyward storytelling. 

To start, “Bones” is a perfect opening track, exemplary of Allison’s ability to write poetically about relationships, but sporting a newfound shoegaze-influenced aesthetic with swirling and screeching guitars. “You make me feel like I am whole again / But I think your heart could use a tourniquet,” Allison sings, “‘Cause I’ve bled you out and patched you up again / Far too much to call it love.” The songs sets up the rest of Sometimes, Forever, where Allison dives deep into the Catch 22 situations of giving yourself completely to something or someone, in a music career or in a relationship. “With U” illustrates the inherent pain of devotion, being there for someone during the roughest of times; despite the song’s sparkly, cascading synth lines, Allison’s all-in on the masochism of love: “I’ll take the pain / Feel it everyday / Just to have you look at me.” Lead single and song of the year candidate “Shotgun” describes infatuation as similarly altering, featuring warped surf rock harmonies, a “Love Is The Drug” mentality, and the band’s most anthemic chorus to date (not to mention a Simlish version, a remix from Magdalena Bay, and a slowed-down, reverb-heavy version). And while “Unholy Affliction” sounds the most like an OPN song, with its pulsating electronics, Rollum Haas’ jazzy drums, and Allison’s distorted vocals, it’s the most self-aware Soccer Mommy song to date, Allison reflecting on her musical success but wary of participating in a harmful industry.

Though OPN’s contributions to Soccer Mommy are stunning, whether the slow-lurking trip hop and churning guitars of “Darkness Forever” or the ambient soundscapes of “newdemo”, the album is Allison’s best because it contains some of her best moments. She gracefully toes a line on “Darkness Forever”, referencing Sylvia Plath’s suicide, showing her understanding of Plath’s mindset without fully occupying it. (It reminds me of the late, great Norm MacDonald line: “When people commit suicide, no one ever understands. You know what I mean? People commit suicide and people go, 'I don't understand why,' and I go, 'You don't? What, do you live in a cotton-candy house or something?’”) “Don’t Ask Me” follows the deconstruction of “Darkness Forever” with heavenly blasts of shimmery dream pop and a J Mascis-esque guitar solo in the outro. “Following Eyes” is a wonderfully simple ghost story, buoyed by the churn of the percussion and the wiry twang of the guitar lines. Similar guitars pervade “Feel It All The Time”, a heartfelt song about Allison’s truck. And then there’s closer “Still”, where Allison earnestly doubles down on her own emotional turmoil. “I don’t know how to feel things small / It’s a tidal wave or nothing at all,” she sings, eruditely summarizing the Soccer Mommy pathos with a deft punch in the gut.

Between a Roblox listening party and a solo show at the GRAMMY Museum® Los Angeles last night, and upcoming UK/EU and US tours that will last throughout the calendar year, Soccer Mommy will stop by Jimmy Kimmel Live! tonight. Catch it on ABC at 10:35 PM CST.

[danieltopetephoto]

Idles at The Warfield on Cinestill 800

[nonesuchrecords]

Vagabon is featured on the cover of and in the pages of Mirror Sound: A Look Into the People and Processes Behind Self-Recorded Music, a new book by musician and writer Spencer Tweedy, graphic designer Lawrence Azerrad, and photographer Daniel Topete, due October 20, 2020, from Prestel. The book is a visual portrait that delves into the people and processes behind self-recorded music, showcasing twenty-seven musicians, interviews, and studio visits and more than 150 images, as well as an introduction by Sleater-Kinney's Carrie Brownstein. For details and to pre-order, visit mirrorsoundbook.com.

[taste-in-music]

Blondshell photographed by Daniel Topete

[thoughtswordsaction]

Militarie Gun Shares New New Versions Of "Never Fucked Up Twice" & "Very High (Under The Sun)"

Photo by Daniel Topete To cap off a breakout year that saw the release of their critically-acclaimed debut album and near-nonstop touring around the globe, Los Angeles’ Militarie Gun releases two new songs. Both songs are completely new approaches to highlights from their aforementioned debut album Life Under The Gun, “Never Fucked Up Twice” featuring Bully vocalist Alicia Bognanno and “Very…

[meltedmagazine]

TWIN PEAKS ANNOUNCE LIVE ALBUM

    Twin Peaks. Ya know ‘em, ya love ‘em. If you haven’t caught them live yet, this could be your chance! Come April, they will be embarking on a Southern US tour. If you don’t live in the South, do not panic. Digitally on March 31, and committed to wax by May 5, comes Urbs In Horto (Latin for “City In a Garden” the motto of their native Chicago), Peaks’ first live album. Recorded from 3 sold out shows in Chicago, this is a release you won’t want to miss.

LISTEN TO “HAVE YOU EVER?” HERE

by JARED HARRISON