C I T Y S T R E E T M A G A Z I N E

T H A N K Y O U

S T R E E T R U N N E R S :

Welcome to the first issue of City Street Magazine! This is just the beginning, and we have much more in store for the future. We hope you enjoy this issue as much as we’ve enjoyed planning and putting it together! Lots of love,

RachelMendelson ChloeMurray Rachel Mendelson and Chloe Murray (Co-owners of City Street Magazine)

C O N T R I B U T E R S Winnie Lam (Columbia Records) Brennan Bliss Olivia Hobbs Steve Lewthwaite Jon Van Dine (CRUISR) To Kill A King Little Comets

P H O T O C O N T R I B U T O R S Emma Barrott Simon Godley Sam Keeler

City Street Magazine • 3

C O N T E N T S

POSITIVITY // 10 DIY // 16 CRUISR // 14 TO KILL A KING // 24 LITTLE COMETS // 25 WINTER BLUES // 26 BRENNAN BLISS // 28 MAGIC MAN // 30 QUESTIONS // 43

MAGIC MANSocial Mediahttp://www.citystreetmag.comhttp://www.twitter.com/citystreetmag

Contactinfo@citystreetmag.com

Editors-In-Chief: Rachel Mendelson and Chloe MurrayGraphic/ Web Designer: Jordyn Halpern

DIYRachel Mendelson

WritersAnaya Symone, Rachel Mendelson, Eliza Matz, Jordyn Halpern, Katelin Cooper, Lauren Wong, Eva Cowan, and Caitlin M.

PhotographersSal Clark, Kelly West, Trenton Matthew, and Angela Levitan, and Saloni Jaisingh

MissionCity Street Magazine is an online publication written by young adults, for young adults. We strive to create a community of creative individuals seeking to promote positivity and radiate optimism.

BUY THE 2014 ALBUM FEAT. HIT ‘PARIS’

Twitter: @MagicManhttps://www.facebook.com/MagicManMusic

https://magicman.bandcamp.com

Amor / / Raury

Amer ican Love / / Smal lpoo ls

Heaven / / C lub 8

She Moves in Her Own Way / / The Kooks

K ing C i ty / / Swim Deep

S imple and Sure / / The Pa ins o f Be ing Pure a t Hear t

Horchata / / Vampi re Weekend

Ca l l Me Back / / The S t rokes

Go ld Snafu / / S t icky F ingers

F loa t On / / Modest Mouse

Wi ld Hear t / / B leachers

I f You Say So / / V iny l Theat re

Peaches / / The D is t r ic ts

Hear t to Te l l / / The Love Language

Of Moons, B i rds , & Monsters / / MGMT

APRIL 2015

April Horoscopesby: Caitlin M

Aries // Slow down! With your high level of energy, patience and waiting might be difficult for you. You are trying to be patient with a situation that is driving you mad, but don't you worry, you're doing a great job so far. Surround yourself with people who are positive and make you happy. Take it slow and remember patience is a virtue!

Taurus // You may be having a hard time motivating yourself and keeping up with commitments. You have no problem with visualizing and planning out your goals, but those goals won't happen on their own. Take a deep breath and relax, keep working hard and staying bright because at the end of the day you will feel a high level of happiness and satisfaction!

Gemini // This month may be very exciting and one of the best months for you! You may encounter a few bumps along the way but in all, you will accomplish a whole lot. Things at school, work or wherever will open up new opportunities for you to take, and remember to take full advantage over them. You're very dedicated and hopefully you'll be able to connect with someone who is as dedicated as you!

Cancer // Nothing will seem to be going quite as you expect. If you change your approach you'll find approval more readily available and the opinions of others, helpful. You will be confronted with challenges and difficulties. You need to be clear about where you stand in these circumstances. Think about every step you take and don't be too hard on yourself because everything will be okay.

Leo // You're always so full of energy and joy! You're very a very clear thinker, and your clear thinking is what will help bring certain situations to an end. You'll be able to face to any difficulties you've avoided in the past and receive a positive response to how easily you handle everything!

Virgo // Resign yourself to being unusually anxious, don't find out the reasons why, just accept the way you feel. People may disagree with you or say different, but don't take it too seriously and stick with what you think, don't let others influence you or tell you right from wrong. You are strong and independent and can do anything as long as you stick your mind to it.

Libra // You're more than capable of dealing with people, you respond naturally to them in the most appropriate way you know, which is understanding their problems and needs. It's not difficult for you to take on a task that requires you to exert a lot of effort. People around you notice this quality of yours, and will come in handy in future assignments and projects wherever you are.

Scorpio // You'll be feeling a lot of stress and anxiety, but what your feeling is partly of your own doing. Asking and questioning yourself to much will result in you being in a bad mood. Don't feel distrusted and open up to people more, this will help you to propel your ambitions further more.

Sagittarius // You're so full of strength, purpose and abilities, that the goals that you have, are stronger than usual. Don't fight against things that you know are out of your control, instead develop an approach that runs more smoothly, so that your difficulties won't turn into negative consequences.

Capricorn // Be prepared to face new, but exciting challenges. In the beginning your progress will be slow, but don't be threatened by this because this its just a phase that come and gœs. Break free from your usual routine, do something fun, extraordinary, and have a new way of organizing your life, because I promise you'll feel 10 times better than you do now!

Aquarius // Anything you do is a pleasant experience, but maybe just not enough. You may feel like your life is boring or you can't do anything but I promise there's plenty of things to do. Climb a roof, read tons of books, write in a journal, bike around a new side of town, anything that keeps you active and happy! It's important to accomplish and do things while still making yourself satisfied and positive.

Pisces // You're an overall great person, you have the qualities everyone looks for in a friend. You're basically a social butterfly and out going, but sometimes it's hard to show and let out. You're extremely comfortable around friends but when it comes to strangers you freeze up, but that's perfectly fine! You're friendliness and kindness will open new friendships no matter what.

by: Anaya Simone

P O S I T I V I T Y

We all want to be the best. We all want to have the most. We all want to have more. We all want to be the better.

There's nothing wrong with wanting ourselves to strive to be the best we can, but we make it so strenuous to fulfill that desire. We notice the voice stored within our heart that tends to whisper its want for other's approval, desperate to not only be the best, but to be known as the best. There's a very simple solution to answer the small voice that is begging you to have the most. There's an easy way to pacify your excitement over being the best. There's a life-changing way to finally achieve your goal for being the better. It takes practice, but it's worth the rehearsal. Darling, you need to start raising awareness to your own incomparability.

What better way to win if there was no competition? What better way to be the best if you decide to stop turning yourself into an analogy? You simply cannot rise to the highest rank of excellence if you keep comparing your progress with others. You cannot be the best if you keep reciting to yourself what is below you and what is above you. How can you have the most if you keep comparing your amount with others? You cannot do it, darling. If you keep letting the uniqueness of others force you into an analogy, then you will always be blind to your own uniqueness.

The moment you stop comparing yourself to everyone else in the room is when you start to love yourself. The moment you cease the comparing of your uniqueness with others is when you will start to find peace within yourself. If you constantly set yourself on one side of a scale opposed to the expectation that sits on the other side, weighing your value between the two as if you aren't already enough, you will convince yourself that you are not already the best, which is something that you so long to be. You cannot be the greatest if you keep comparing yourself to other great things. The world has no set definition of what creativity really is and it leaves it up to us to define it. Your creativity may not always their creativity, but that's what makes it special. It's yours. Anything of yours is the best it could ever be if you start expressing its incomparability. Anything of yours will always have more if you dare not put it in an analogy. Anything of yours will always have the most if you set it off a scale. Anything of yours will be better if you make it better for yourself, not to reach the expectation that a few critics created. You have to stop comparing yourself, for you are simply incomparable. It's hard to love yourself if you constantly scan yourself as an item, comparing your value to others. It's time you see yourself as priceless, a rarity so special that there is nothing like it. Darling, it's especially time for you to start believing it and to be the best no one else can ever be.

©SAL CLARK

JON VAN DINE:DRUMMER OF CRUISR

BY: JORDYN HALPERN

TOURING WITH THE 1975MUSICAL INFLUENCE

RAPID SUCCESS

For how long have you been drumming? I have been drumming for about 19 years, but I would air drum to Nirvana for hours when I was 7. When I was in the 6th grade, I wanted to join the school band but was afraid of messing up in a concert. My mom finally talked me into pursuing it and I couldn’t be happier that she did! I took to it very naturally and studied under a great teacher for 8 years.

Favorite moment you've had whilst performing/ drumming? My favorite moment was playing the Tower Theater in Philadelphia on the 1975 tour. That’s one of the biggest venues in the city and some of the biggest names in music have all played there. Our families were at the show, which was so great because we had been gone for about five weeks, so it was a great homecoming show. It was also pretty emotional for me because all my life I fantasized about that exact scenario: playing a sold out show to thousands of people in front of my family. It was a dream come true.

You toured with The 1975 just a few months ago, has this impacted your life/ music? Touring with The 1975 has changed a lot of things. We grew our fan base, which in turn has increased our visibility to the world. We’ve seen such a surge in sales on iTunes, plays on Spotify, and our social media has grown so much. Our own headlining shows now have been packed with fans who discovered us on that tour. Musically, The 1975 helped elevate us as musicians and have inspired us greatly. They are the hardest working dudes we know and that’s why they’re so successful. We want to work harder than we did before.

How did you get the gig to open for The 1975? How did you feel when you found out? The 1975 are on the same US label as us (Vagrant Records). Our manager signed them years back and we actually played with them in March of 2013 for their first Philly show to about 100 people. We were offered the tour out of nowhere with only about 4 weeks before the tour was to start. Getting that call was unbelievable. I remember playing it cool on the phone and then when I hung up, I was jumping up and down running around the apartment in excitement.

Was The 1975 ever a "mentor" to you? Any words of wisdom they passed on? Funny moments? Absolutely! They taught us so much. We are a very young band and had never toured prior to that one. We were able to gain so much experience in those 7 weeks that I think really elevated our band. The 1975 is one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen as well as one of the most successful bands I know. They didn’t just get there with luck; they worked REALLY hard. They were great mentors to all of us. Everyone buddied up with their 1975 counterpart. George and I would talk drums a lot, and same with everyone else. Matty and Andy would talk about songwriting and I think Adam even gave Bruno a guitar pedal. Their crew even helped us out since we didn’t have a crew of our own. Leon fixed Bruno’s guitar and would help us on stage if we needed anything. There were many funny moments, but for me personally, in the beginning of the tour, I was most nervous about them watching us perform. I remember looking over to side stage and there was Ross, watching us and as soon as I noticed, I got super nervous and completely missed hitting a crash cymbal. I basically just hit the air with my stick.

Who are your musical influences? The bands that helped influence me as a drummer, and as someone who wanted to pursue music full-time are Nirvana, Blink 182, Rage Against The Machine, The Police, and The Appleseed Cast. That’s just the list of bands early on in my life that really shaped my drumming style. Today, my list is pretty vast and I take inspiration from everything I listen to. I am really into funk and hip hop lately, which you can probably hear in 'Go For It’.

Advice for aspiring musicians? It’s funny, I feel like I don’t really have much to offer. The most important thing is to have fun and don’t get caught up in trying to make it. I never stopped playing music because it’s just something I have to do. I don’t think there’s any real secrets to “making it". I think it just comes down to writing good music and surrounding yourself with great musicians that you can learn from. You are gonna have to play in crappy bands for a while, but those years for me were so much fun. It doesn’t happen overnight.

CRUISR has been gaining many amazing opportunities lately. Do you feel more pressure to perform well now that your audience is increasing, or is your skill natural? There's definitely more pressure than before, but I think we welcomed it and in doing so became a way better band. I think naturally we are all very good musicians, but we are always striving to improve our live show. The 1975 tour was our first tour as a band, so we spent several weeks before tour started obsessively picking apart every weakness in our live show and built something much better. We got better every single night and I think seeing how amazing The 1975 were day in and day out, it constantly pushed us.

"All Over" recently reached 1,000,000 Spotify plays and was just a free song on iTunes. How does it feel to know that people around the country sing along to your songs? Not too long ago, my goal was to have a song get 100,000 plays. The fact that 'All Over' reached 1 million blows my mind. Now I just wanna top that!

When I first got into the field of eating healthy, I was so overwhelmed that I immediately dropped out again. Nowadays, living healthy seems so complicated that it’s sometimes viewed as undoable. During the last three years I dug myself behind the scenes of smoothie bowl pictures on Instagram, did my research not only in online magazines, science classes, books and even had hands on experience on what works and what dœsn’t. I tried, I failed, and sometimes I succeeded. Here are some of the things I’ve discovered and my tips for you!

1. The Basic Rules

Do not stick to numbers. Your weight dœsn’t necessarily show your progress and calories do not give you an idea on the health factor of a product. Concentrate on the fact that your skin becomes clearer and you feel more energized. Also, remember that a 200-calorie salad is still healthier than a 100-calorie piece of chocolate cake.

Remember that eating healthier is a lifestyle change. Do not assume this is a six-week beach body program. Change takes time - it’s a marathon rather than a sprint. The results are here to stay and not to be neglected within three weeks.

If you’re struggling about being committed to this change, talk to a friend! Changing life routines can be very stressful and a friend who may know what you’re dealing with can help you keep your mind focused on the goal.

2. Drink

By drink, I mean a lot. 2 - 2.5 liters a day minimum is recommended.

Have sugar free drinks! You are already sweet enough without any extra sugar.

Refrain from alcohol. Alcohol damages your cells and has a high caloric value as well.

simplyby: eliza matz

3. Let’s talk about Toxins.

This is the hardest part of eating healthy. Flavor enhancers, preservatives, artificial food colorings, you name it - they’re everywhere and it’s nearly impossible to avoid them. However, you should try to follow the following tips:

Do not eat anything your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food, such as frozen pizza or jellybeans. Take a look on the ingredient tag: Do not buy anything that contains more than 5 ingredients or has ingredients you cannot pronounce. In addition, avoid all products that have a TV advertisement.

4. Find healthy substitutes

The great thing about eating is that you have a choice on what you eat, but it’s up to you to make the right one. For instance, you should eat whole grain products (bread, pasta) and avoid refined sugars. If you have a sweet tooth, opt for natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup. Bringing your own lunch to school is a great way to keep on task. Preparing meals in advance will help you eating clean and healthy.

Another thing you should consider is your meat and dairy intake. No need to go veggie or even vegetarian but cutting down on animal products dœs not only save the environment but it helps you rethink your diet since you have to include new sources of protein and vitamins like soy products.

5. Forgive Yourself.

Remember that you don’t have to do it all. Improve your lifestyle step-by-step at your own speed and don’t punish yourself if you don’t stick to your ideal every once in a while. There’s nothing wrong with allowing yourself an unhealthy treat!

healthy.

KELLY WEST PHOTOGRAPHY

KELLY WEST PHOTOGRAPHY

KELLY WEST PHOTOGRAPHY

GLOBAL MUSIC CASTby: Jordyn Halpern

RALPH PELLEYMOUNTER

OFKILL A KING

OFLITTLE COMETS

Indie vibes and early rock essences of the 1980s, To Kill a King is undoubtedly an eccentric group with a one-of-a-kind aura. Recently releasing their 2015 self titled album, vocalist/ guitarist Ralph speaks to City Street Magazine on new music, originality, and writing. Still reigning supreme after years of creative music production, To Kill a King will continue to astound fans on a global scale.

For how long have you been a band? What's the story of you coming together? 5 years, it's a long dark story with with many deaths along the way, actually exchange deaths for changes in line up and remove the word dark from that sentence and you'd be much closer to the truth.

Do you have a preference of bigger shows or more intimate gigs? they are both so different. I love them in different ways. Ultimately a good show is a good show.

You're about to release a new album. What can we expect? Did you try any new approaches as you composed the music? Yeah this one was written on the road a lot more, recorded in bedrooms, recording studios, backrooms. It meant we jammed a lot less and focussed a lot more on layering parts.

You have been gaining more recognition in America lately, is there a likelihood that the band will tour here? We can't wait to come back. It is my main ambition of 2015 to come back to The States.

Could you create a superlative for each member of the band? OK I think I got this. Taffel the fastest Ben the slowest Pete the strongest Grant the the hostess (may need work on that last one)

Had you always known you would end up in a band? I've been writing songs since I was 15 so I always wanted to have music be a part of my life.

TO KILL A KING // AS TOLD BY VOCALIST/ GUITAR-MAN RALPH PELLEYMOUNTER

LITTLE COMETS // AS TOLD BY ROB COLES

Shooting themselves into a musical euphoria stretching from Europe to North America, Little Comets burns brightly. Steadily reaching 3,000,000 Spotify plays on 2011 hit ‘Dancing Song’ and surpassing 1,000,000 for ‘One Night In October,’ the band is flaming just as the iconic name claims. With a new record in the works, music is radiating from the creative minds of the band as a general indie pop spirit is likely to stun listeners. The English rooted group has been producing tunes since 2008 though brothers Robert and Michael Coles have been expressive musical artists since their father intrigued the duo during childhood. Rob opens up about the newfound freedom in composing visionary, satisfying music alongside a general adoration for melodic tunes and perfected rhythms.

Do you have an opinion on "natural ability" vs a "practiced player" as it correlates to drumming? “Both. Anything is a craft. You have to learn what works for you and you’re not your own songwriter until you've written 100 songs. You don't necessarily have to be born with it, but certain things allow you to express yourself. You really have to channel the song. Anybody can do it, have no weaknesses, and extremely dedicated. Everyone has something like someone may be predisposed to be an athlete but it’s just a matter if how you use those skills.”

Advice for aspiring musicians? “There was no reason in starting to write our songs. We needed to express ourselves. We went to uni and it was very linear. We missed having this linear progression, but then when we started to do music. This was our linear that we needed. We’re not going to have a degree, but we’re going to have a career in music. We thought ‘let’s make a career out of being a band.’ The second album became the ability to just write again. Since that point, we’ve been

a l o t m o r e happier

a n d m u c h healthier in a w a y . We do it

because we love it and we do it for the consequences of it. everything in your life brings you to the point you're at. You cant change any moment b e c a u s e you wont know the impact. We could have been resenting music, but we love music, we love playing it, and we’re lucky that we still get to do it.”

Little Comets has attained phenomenal opportunities lately. Do you feel more pressure to perform in a better manner now that your audience is increasing? I don't like letting people down. Being in a band is good for on stage performance because when someone makes a mistake, you smile about it. At, first we’d glare at each other, but that’s negative energy. Now we like to make sure we feel comfortable

ridding the winter bluesby: katelin cooper

Spring means new beginnings, a frozen heart thawing after the long and dreary winter months to start afresh and live new and exciting experiences.

Soak in the Sunshine As the days grow longer and the rays of the sun grow stronger, it's the best time to take advantage of the perfect spring days. Whether you decide to spend an hour or so doing homework outdoors, or even simply cracking open the window to allow fresh air into your room, surely your mood will lift with the sounds of the birds' songs. But make sure to apply your sunscreen if going outside, because as much as we need that Vitamin D, we don't want to get burnt!

Don't Overwhelm Yourself Now this is where it gets a little tricky, because different people handle stress in different ways. It is of course important to keep yourself busy with good stresses, but the moment that you overburden yourself is the moment you stop enjoying life. Since it's getting warmer out, try to relax yourself by spending time outside and making plans with friends. Most of all, have fun and live a little, but don't ever force yourself.

Accept Change  As human beings, we are constantly growing and shifting and our lives are shaping around us. Expect things to change within the next few months, whether good or bad, small or big. It's important to have an open mind when going into new situations this season, while at the same time knowing that whatever comes your way is going to be useful at some point in your future. I must say that in my experience, the moment you stop seeking out opportunities and experiences, whether that's in friendships, relationships, academics, or anything similar, is when those experiences will find their way to you. Have an open mind and an open heart, and change can easily be your friend.

© KELLY WEST PHOTOGRAPHY

If you haven’t heard of Brennen Bliss, chances are you will soon! Brennen is a Texas

based teen who posts his original, creative content on YouTube each Wednesday. He has

surpassed over 10,000 followers on Twitter, and 1,000 subscribers on YouTube. You may think

he’s just another YouTuber… so what? However, Brennen isn’t your average teenage web star.

His video topics range from do’s and don’ts on dates to self-love. While Brennen has gained

confidence and optimism over time, it wasn’t an easy process. He revealed, “Learning to love

myself is an everlasting process, it didn’t happen overnight. People are always evolving, and I’ve

become much more comfortable with myself thanks to YouTube.”

Aside from internet stardom, Brennen spends much of his free time programming. He is

able to code in over 7 different languages, designing his entire website by himself. Brennen

shared, “I make websites, and I designed mine

myself. It was a fun and interesting process for

me to be able to control the aspects that I want. I

programmed my own app for the App Store,

which was a fun time. It’s kind of weird though

because I have an Android!”

Out of all his videos, Brennen’s favorite is his

video titled “Defining Yourself.” He stated, “Of all

the video’s I’ve made, that one is the one that’s closest to heart. It’s more of a self-appreciation

video. My main message for my viewers is to love themselves. This video kind of sets this view

brennan bliss.by: Lauren Wong

Out of all his videos, Brennen’s favorite is his video titled “Defining Yourself.” He

stated, “Of all the video’s I’ve made, that one is the one that’s closest to heart. It’s more of a

self-appreciation video. My main message for my viewers is to love themselves. This video

kind of sets this view in action.” Creating his channel was a spontaneous action with no

thought behind it. He happily remarked, “One day, I just randomly decided that I was a

going to make a video and post it. I’m really lucky, because my parents support me and

my YouTube journey.” YouTube has given Brennen the opportunity to meet many amazing

people including some of his closest friends who live far from where he resides. Creating

his own content and helping others has opened Brennen’s eyes to how the internet can

help people. “At Playlist Live I met people whose lives had been changed from my content,

and were emotional to meet me because of how I’ve impacted them. It was pretty

amazing,” Brennen remembered.

Brennen is an incredible inspiration and his videos are marked with his own

personal shine and uniqueness. You can check out his videos on his Youtube channel,

BrennenBliss!

MAGIC MANBY: EVA COWANPHOTOGRAPHY ©: SALONI JAISINGH

For the music lover seeking vibes of indie and synth rock, Magic Man has fueled a balance that will take one's listening to a brand new dimension. Alex Caplow, Sam Lee, Justine Bowe, Gabe Goodman, and Joey Sulkowski are known as the masterminds behind such a creation, and with origins based along the East Coast, there is no denying the heights that have long been reached by the five-some far beyond their hometowns. After touring with bands such as Walk the Moon and Panic! at the Disco early last year, the group soon released their latest album Before the Waves, a truthful collection of electric grooves and dreamy vocals one is guaranteed to jam out to. With their own headlining tour continuing on this month, it's quite clear that the group has ventured far down the road of their journey to the top. On a Chicago evening buzzing with the anticipation of awaiting fans, the City Street had the opportunity to sit down with the band to explore their thoughts on what such an exhilarating ride has granted them along the way.

z

Magic Man is Alex Caplow (AC) Sam Lee (SL) Justine Bowe (JB) Gabe Goodman (GG) Joey Sulkowski (JS)

City Street: You guys are young, talented, playing shows for a fan base. When did it all start for you as individuals before eventually coming together to share that same love of music?

JS: I'll start because mine is easy. My father was in a band when I was a kid, he always encouraged us to play all sorts of musical instruments.

GG: My dad used to play guitar for me when I was very young. He would keep it in his closet and I would end up crying in front of the door until he picked it up again. Finally, my parents got me my own guitar.

SL: What kind of guitar was it?

GG: It was a Yamaha classical, wasn't very good but it did the job.

City Street: You probably have a nicer variety now, I'm guessing.

GG: Slightly better basses, yes.

AC: My dad also was involved and got me a guitar around fifth grade. We would just jam out to Wipeout and switch off with soloing.

SL: I first started playing the recorder in school, like many students, and then the oboe. After that, I think Alex was actually the one who inspired me to start taking guitar lessons, which was much cooler than the oboe. My parents told me I could only take one musical instrument lesson, so I abandoned the oboe for guitar and haven't looked back since.

JB: My dad plays piano, so we had a piano in the house and I eventfully got into keyboard.

City Street: How would you describe your sound to people who haven't heard Magic Man?

SL: I would just surprise them by taking them to one of our concerts.

GG: I've noticed that whenever we get asked that question, the beginning of 'Everyday' plays in my head. (Cue demonstration and interpretive dance).

City Street: Do you have any influences that inspire you either individually or as a band?

AC: Each other. I'm very influenced by the music that my friends make around me, including when Sam was in high school writing his own music. Gabe and Justine are in a band called Photocomfort who inspire me a lot.

SL: I think, as a band, one thing that's really helpful for us is touring with more experienced bands and their crew as an opener. There's always something you can learn whether it be about showmanship, sound, or even just what to put on your rider. They've been really helpful to us in terms of growing as a band.

City Street: How rigorous is the process of writing an album and reaching that point where you're unconditionally happy with the outcome?

AC: Pretty easy, we basically knocked it out in a couple nights. No, it's a really long process. You start out with dozens and dozens of song ideas floating around in your

City Street: How rigorous is the process of writing an album and reaching that point where you're unconditionally happy with the outcome?

AC: Pretty easy, we basically knocked it out in a couple nights. No, it's a really long process. You start out with dozens and dozens of song ideas floating around in your brain until you eventually find the pieces that stick with you. After that, there's an endless process of fine tuning it. It's also a very emotionally draining process because it's your creation, you want it to come out as good as it sounds in your head and it's often a struggle to find out how to make that happen. But, with the help of collaboration and being able to balance ideas off of someone else, you can keep moving. Without that, it's quite easy to imagine the difficulty of writing on your own and getting stuck.

City Street: What's the most personal song off of your last album and can you talk a bit about the story or message behind it?

AC: Well, the most personal song of our set that we play is a song that was on our first album that we wrote called South Dakota. It's definitely one of the more delicate, emotional songs. Every time we play it, it's definitely a moment in the set where the mood sort of shifts and it feels very intimate and vulnerable.

SL: A couple of our songs are about specific people. These are obviously about the more personal experiences of ours and the relationships held with the people behind them. I won't go into the gory details but those songs inherently promote a more singular experience for us on stage. It's always funny when they come to the show and you're playing a song directly to the person who inspired it.

City Street: You guys have a such a strong fan base coming to your shows, paying money for tickets, waiting in line for hours to see you perform. Can you describe the feeling of walking offstage after playing a show and taking in that reality as well as the response from the crowd?

AC: Yeah, it feels crazy knowing that some of our fans have been outside since 8 am. It reminds me of

being back in high school when I fell in love with bands and also would get to shows hours early, willing to do anything to meet them. We feel very lucky to have such a strong support network of fans/friends. At the end of the night, when we get off stage and everyone is cheering, I wish I could personally reach out to every single person to thank them. All we can really do at the time, though, is wave and show our appreciation very briefly. We always try to plan to come out and take pictures and hang out. It's really overwhelmingly positive.

City Street: What's it like sharing a tour bus with four other human beings. Are we talking 'slumber party for the next two months' or 'struggling for sanity?

JB: Its actually 8 on the bus, incredibly, since we share it with our crew.

AC: Yeah, we once even traveled with 13 when we were with New Politics.

SL: It's definitely a our own little vault, obviously we all get along very well and we love our crew. I think everyone feels really at home on the bus, but also you can't get over the fact that there's so many people in such a small space so there are also times where you just wanna get off and breathe some fresh air and have some alone time. In general, I think we definitely all have a great time and it's our home. There will be some days, though, where you're like, "I just need to not see any of these people right now," but I think everyone is pretty good with finding their own 'me' time.

AC: And sometimes the alone time happens on the bus if everyone is off. It's good to have a quiet space to yourself once in a while.

City Street: Do you guys share any other interests besides, obviously, making music?

JB: We watch TV, a lot of us. The wire is being watched? I don't know.

SL: A personal hobby of mine, recently, has been convincing Gabe to buy a double neck bass guitar.

GG: Yeah, I never thought I would ever be contemplating the situation but Sam is a really persuasive dude.

SL: We'll be sitting around, not talking about it, and then out of nowhere I'll be like, "So what do you think for the color?" So, that's a big hobby we share.

AC: Talking about concepts, whether they're million dollar ideas or just jokes. Conceptual conversations.

City Street: If you had the opportunity to collaborate with any band or artist, who would you choose?

JS: Michael Jackson.

GG: Prince. We'd probably play everything and I would just be like, "Oh, sounds great. Loved collaborating with you on that." Very star struck.

AC: I'd like to write music with Taylor Swift. Maybe on her next album, whenever that is.

SL: I would have to say Kanye for this one. I probably wouldn't be the most pleasant experience, but he's just so creative and inspiring and has such a singular voice. I love all of his music and everything he creates, so I feel like it would be amazing to work with him.

JB: I think me and Janet. Janet Jackson. We've got a thing.

City Street: Do you have any hopes for the near future, any goals?

JS: My goal is to play a good show tonight.

JB: Start going to the gym again.

AC: Survive this tour, not lose my voice, write a smash album for the future of our band.

SL: I will try to walk ten thousand steps a day. So far it's pretty easy because when you play guitar, it's, like, one step per strum so it's basically no problem.

City Street: What's the best advice you can give to aspiring musicians or, perhaps, young people who are already starting to venture onto that path?

SL: Explore all different types of genres and musicians, don't keep yourself in a box. Expand your boundaries towards all sorts of people and their work, because you never know what you might learn or where it can take you.

AC: Write a lot of music, don't get stuck on just one thing. It helps to come up with a strong variety of ideas for your own creation.

City Street: Something I've often heard is that, in terms of critics, it's a big step to avoid 'catering' to what people want when it comes to the music industry and reaching the highest point instead of making your own choices based on the soul purpose of doing what you love. Have you ever run into any experiences surrounding this where you had to really stick to your independence?

JB: I feel like, well, something that has at least guided my life is how critics don't spend time on the band that is growing because there's no point in writing a negative review about an album that people haven't heard about. So, I feel like there's no point in getting tripped up about the critical response before you've even let people get a chance to read into you. But, something I would say is that taking the listener into account is a very important thing because I feel like wanting to give a person something they will enjoy is actually a really significant way to make music more personal. I know that, for me, I could write songs that I like everyday and that wouldn't be an issue, but the real challenge is making things for other people.

JS: Or, if I wanted to play whatever I want, I could go out there and drum solo for the entire time.

JB: Joey, tonight is the night.

SL: There's gonna be a ten minute section devoted just to that technique where you hit the stick where it's touching the other drums. I never really got how to do that one but this is why I'm not the drummer.

City Street: Is there anything in particular you want fans to gain from your music?

SL: Merchandise. No, I think one thing that's been amazing that I've seen through Twitter and Facebook is fans who have actually become friends through coming to a Magic Man concert or who maybe met online just by being fans of the same band. Not just us, it happens with a lot of other groups, as well. I think that's really incredible. I know I've made a ton of friendships through music such as the other guys in the band and ones that we've toured with. There are so many people that I've been brought together with through music, so I think that's definitely one thing that's really cool to see and hopefully there will be even more of that in the future.

AC: I love to watch the music fuel further creation, when fans are inspired to make art after listening to it or are even inspired to start their own band and make their own music. I love hearing that from fans, that they've started creating themselves, because that's exactly what we do ourselves and knowing that we've been able to share that with others is definitely the most rewarding experiences we can get out of this journey.

Ask  RachelQ: I became close with a boy and we took things slow and all and became really good

friends. Me, him, and my best friend were all friends. We used to hang out after school

and me and him had hidden feelings for each other. We all hung out over winter break.

And I was confused about my feelings for him at first but then I discovered I really liked

him and had grown fond of his presence and sense of humor, you know, a joy to be

around. But the week after winter break, when we came back from school I was still

determining my feelings for him and I guess acted a little weidetermining my feelings for him and I guess acted a little weird for a week. And after I

realized I was being silly, I guess the tables turned because he acted weird. It's been

going on for a while and things looked like they were going to get better but then they

got bad again. His best friend does random stuff everyday so when they're together they

follow each other and my friend just did whatever his best friend did, and I started barely

seeing him. He doesn't really make decisions for himself because he is so self conscious

about being himself so one day when he was talking to these two girls in the group of

people he was with at the time, one randomly suggested to ask the other one to ppeople he was with at the time, one randomly suggested to ask the other one to prom.

It came out of no where and I know how these girls are and they only want him to go to

prom with her because he's in their "friend circle" and they just want to have a good

time. Every time a new situation came up between me and him I tired to somehow

mention the topic and talk to him to try to get things on track but it's just weird now,

he's so self conscious and scared to go against the crowd and do what he wants. And

since he goes along with what everyone else tells him too chances are he will go to prom

with this girl just because he's afraid to not do what others sawith this girl just because he's afraid to not do what others say. I recently talked to him

about the topic of making decisions for himself and it was kind of broad, it wasn't about

this specific issue. But I've tried and so has my friend to try to get through to him and

nothing works! And things didn't end with us hating each other it's just in a weird spot

right now, and mostly it's him feeling bad about what has happened so he tries to avoid

me. But if he acted normal I would have no problem with it being normal! The whole

situation has kind of sucked though going down the way it did. Is there any advice on

what you think I should do with this situation fwhat you think I should do with this situation from here? (Sorry this is kind of like a big

rant but it feels nice to get some of it out to an unbiased person!)

A: Hey there!

I can tell you that I’ve been in a similar situation before and it’s not at all fun. If I was your

classic advice columnist, I would tell you to risk everything and put yourself out there and

just straightforward tell him how you feel. The situation would be solved, and you could

finally move on from this stage of questioning and second guessing yourself. However, I

understand just how hard it is to do that (heck, I could never do that myself.) So what I’d

try to do is to start to talk to him again. Most people dontry to do is to start to talk to him again. Most people don’t realize just how insecure guys

get about fitting in. They will act differently in front of their friends, because they want to be

accepted just like girls do. Start small to try to gain back that friendship that you two used

to have. You will have to go out of your way and truly make an effort, but I can tell you that

if you do put in the time and energy, he will start to see you in the same light he once did

and start making an effort too. If you put in the effort, and he doesn’t end up putting in

effort on his side, then he isn’t worth the slightest bit of your time.

Q: I have a problem. I'm a big liar. Sometimes it's big lies, and other times it's tiny lies,

and today it started out with me not telling my mom something and then it escalated

out of hand. Here's the story, the place I work at allows people to just kind of take

anything they want. Like you have to pay for it by a lot of the employees just kind of take

stuff, so my friend found a bracelet that she thought would look good on me and I just

kind of took it. I ended up feeling bad about stealing it so I hid it, but my mom found out

today and then I tried to lie my way out by saying it wasa gift and eventually told her the today and then I tried to lie my way out by saying it wasa gift and eventually told her the

truth and I've done stupid things in the past. Some worse than this, well actually a lot that

were worse than this and everytime I feel like I'm getting along better with my family

something always happens that breaks the relationship and I start out further back than

when I started. How do I become a good person? I don't understand, its like everything

good I do is completely overtaken by a simple mistake or by me being a complete idiot,

and people will say no you're not anidiot and you're not a terrible person, and I hate that,

because YES I am a terrible person and I'm stupid and dumb and can't eabecause YES I am a terrible person and I'm stupid and dumb and can't earn the trust of

the person who gave birth to me and I feel like I'm hurting her each time, and I feel the

need to just leave and get out and start fresh, but at the same time I can't because me

leaving would hurt her even more. She's done so much for me and all I do is hurt her.

A: I’d first off like to say that you are not a terrible person. You are not defined by your

worst actions. This may sound cliché, but everyone makes mistakes and no one is

perfect, and it’s ok to have flaws and screw up sometimes. That doesn’t make you a

terrible person at all; otherwise every single one of us would be consideterrible person at all; otherwise every single one of us would be considered ‘a terrible

person.’ Secondly, everyone’s definition of a good person is different. It’s impossible for

me to tell you exactly what to do to become a ‘good person,’ because everyone has

different descriptions to what exactly those two words mean. Try making a list of goals

of things you can improve on, and constantly go over them. They can be big or small,

with the motive of becoming a better and happier version of yourself once they are

completed. Also, think about your actions. Before making a choice, try to get yourself

to think about what this choice would lead to, and if it is worth it. Lastlto think about what this choice would lead to, and if it is worth it. Lastly, try sitting

down and having a heart-to-heart with your mother and tell her how you feel. It may

not always look like it, but Moms know more than you think, and I can promise you that

she only wants what is best for you in the long run.

Q: Hi city street! My problem is, I just found out that my boyfriend is cheating on me and

its with my best friend. I want to talk to him but I feel like he's dangerous. What do I do?

AA: Hi Claire!

I’m really sorry to hear about your problem. First off, I agree that you should 100% try to

talk to him. Try either talking to him at school in a busy hallway, or if he doesn’t go to your

school text him to hangout in a public place of some sort. There, you should say to him

what you need to say, and leave it at that. I’d recommend you to bring a friend with you

for extra security as well, even if they just stand a little away so they can still see the

situation and everything that’s happening. If you have an adult or someone older you can

trust, you could also let them know a little bit about your situation for extra ptrust, you could also let them know a little bit about your situation for extra protection.

Your safety is your main priority, and no boyfriend or so called best friend who leads you

into questioning your safety should really be a part of your life.

Need advice? Send it to us at www.citystreetmag.com under the ‘Need Advice’ tag!

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