The amount of creative energy that can be felt in Los Angeles at a given moment is almost unreal. From across the planet, the best of the best in their respective fields descend upon the city with the sole purpose of advancing their art form, whatever that may be. For the Summer Music issue SOMA asks some of LA’s most dynamic creatives:
1. What was the first album you ever purchased or were given?
2. Which musician/band would you love to play or work with?
3. Do you play a musical instrument?
4. Do you have any favorite venues in LA?
5. Any local shows you’ve been to recently that you liked?
6. What are some new artists that you’ve been listening to lately?
Steve
1. The Cure¬Disintegration
2. The Congos
3. Drums
4. Echoplex
5. Phoenix at the end of the summer
6. Caribou, Toro y Moi, El Guincho, Firehouse Sound System
Seb
1. Alisha’s Attic
2. Lauryn Hill
3. No
4. The Orpheum and The Wiltern
5. Franciand the Lights, Four Tet, Nine Inch Nails
6. HEALTH, Curtains
Kevin
1. A Charlie Byrd jazz record
2. Blake Mills
3. Cursory knowledge: guitar, saxophone
4. Troubadour
5. LCD Soundsystem
6. Beach House, Diane Burch, Radio Department, Bosco Delrey
Scott
1. Smashing Pumpkins¬Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
2. Gwen Stefani.
3. Some guitar while singing in a band
4. The Fonda-Music Box.
5. Justice, How to Destroy Angels
Conor
1. Bon Jovi¬New Jersey
2. Jeff Buckley
3. No
4. The Hollywood Bowl
5. Haven’t been to shows in awhile
6. Passion Pit, Phoenix
Stretch
1. My parents’ Beatles records
2. Mostly working with new talent
3. Drums, a little guitar, some bass
4. Echoplex, The Music Box
5. Fake Blood and Boy 8-Bit in NYC
6. The Glass, Clubfeet
Yuske
1. Ice Cube in 1993/1994
2. Nujabes
3. No
4. No
5. The Bob Marley Festival in the OC
6. S.L.A.C.K, Norikiyo
– Kat Borchart
Photography by Kat Bochart