LB author, poet Paul G. Maziar tells me his secrets!

Barbara is on Pacific Time: 8 p.m., San Pedro. Feeling spy-like, password: Mommy.

That's almost a line from Paul G. Maziar's book "What It Is: What It Is." I found it at {Open} Bookstore in Long Beach in late March, right after visiting Matt Maust's teeny art show going on inside. Maust, being 1/4 of the Cold War Kids, as well as an extraordinary graphic artist, collaborated with the prose writer that is Maziar and voila: "What It Is: What It Is."

In preparing a book review of Maziar's latest, I got in touch with the author where he revealed more on his book's title, his friendship with Maust and his relationship with Long Beach (and what it means to come back). You'll be able to find my review of "What It Is: What It Is" in Monday's paper. For now, here are a few excerpts taken from our correspondence:

On his relationship with Long Beach...
My relationship with Long Beach has been on an elevator. The place stirs my mind and all my senses, (and) so far has been the place where I’ve been the most productive as a writer.

Where he hangs out in Long Beach...
My favorite place to get a burrito is La Taqueria, I think it’s the best.

On the title of the book, "What It Is: What It Is"...
The title of the book is partly nonsense jive, which we wanted to be something fun that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Plus Maust and I have long been saying “What it is?” as a greeting to each other and friends.

On meeting Matt Maust...
The first time Maust and I met, we hit it off— talking about music and art and books. When he began showing me some things he has been inspired by as an artist— I realized it would make perfect sense to collaborate on our own project. Two years, and a few versions of WHAT IT IS later, here we are.

On Matt Maust...
Maust is an immense talent, someone who’s so true to what he does he is at all times a creative soul— in various ways, whether it is in speech, comradery, travel, or interpreting music/art/literature.

Mingle with Paul G. Maziar and his special musical guests, along with Matt Maust, at the {Open} Bookstore tonight in Long Beach.

Visit Maziar's MySpace page for the complete 411 and flyer. The event is free and truly one of a kind. (http://www.myspace.com/whatitisbook)

Book cover by Matt Maust, courtesy of Paul G. Maziar. Other photos by Barbara Navarro.

ISM: In Long Beach, they're totally an IN-ism

Juicy bits of those ISM magazines do a good job of catching my eye whenever I shop at my favorite local bookstores. How I wish every bookstore anywhere carried these 8-by-6-inch, colorful things. The magazine stands for something interesting, coming from an official non-profit organization and all, and it’s got even more interesting content, always pushing forward local artistes (writers, photographers, painters and the like) into the limelight with interviews and full-colored spreads.

But looking beyond the soft matte finish of the magazine, and looking beyond the simple ISM logo stamped across every one of their covers, I found an even greater community that simply calls itself ISM. Altogether they are, in fact, “ISM: A Community Project.”

What do they do as a community? Party and celebrate their fabulous existence, for one. To embellish the atmosphere, they do a good deed of hanging their even more fabulous collectibles—photography art and such. Everybody who contributes to the magazine, and those people whose names we see on the masthead, gather their things and shower them into various local art galleries, leaving their mark as ISM: Gallery.

And the parade doesn’t stop there, they have their own place online, too—ISM: Online, a place outside the random, every-now-and-then ISM: Gallery gatherings or the even rarer two-times-a-year business of the ISM: Magazine.

During spring break, I had the happy chance of joining the fun at the ISM: Gallery, taking residence inside Long Beach’s Koo’s Art Center on Broadway. Apparently, the two—Koo’s and ISM—have been sharing space for the last two exhibits heard of out of this place (“Hello, My Name Is” and “Shudder,” the one that kicked off my weekend of spring break), so it’d be healthy speculation if eventually Koo’s turned into ISM’s.

ISM’s relentless affection of breaking into Long Beach art scene seems to be working for them, especially with their latest exhibit, the fashionable-looking “Prelude,” which will open on Sunday at Koo’s Art Center, or the ISM: Gallery. So, if you’re into fashion, and the fashion shows of late on campus aren’t cutting it for you, then perhaps this will satisfy your fashionista appetite and should also quench your curiosity of who or what exactly ISM is all about.

Kevin Staniec, founder and executive creative director of ISM, will be in full swing on the 11th, catering to all Long Beach art darlings. He’ll be presenting new artists to the ISM: Wall (something described as an ISM ritual), and the night will be lit up by the fashions created by UCLA students for their fashion show FAST.

ISM says they’re promising that everybody will be sharing oohs and ahhs over the original sketches on display, the runway shows, over-the-top accessories, the one of a kind wearable masterpieces... All of which will be lovingly showcased. But if this event will turn out to be as fun as “Shudder’s” opening, I’ll come prepared with my best face for all the fun photo booth action and my dancing shoes for the hot DJ music.

RSVP for Sunday night's opening of "Prelude" like a VIP at ISM: Online. (www.ISMcommunity.org/)

All photos were taken by Barbara Navarro at the opening of "Shudder" on Saturday, March 29.

Out with the old, in with the new?

I discovered Acres of Books for the first time in mid-January, and I truly fell into a narrative wonderland, an escape within a giant maze of towering reads. …Ooooh. But after a few weeks (er, days… I work for a daily, remember?) of research and hanging around the place, I learned of the store’s dimming truth: it could be knocked down. The stinky trend was finally catching up to Acres at their lot on Fourth Street and Long Beach Boulevard—a trend involving beautification of the immediate and surrounding blemished street blocks by Acres, which included a possible buyout from the city.

At Friday's weekly poetry night (or how the owner Jackie Smith calls it, “a psychobabble fest”) the store finally made the announcement: the city would be moving them out, that they had "negotiated the sale of our property... to the Redevelopment Agency," meaning Acres of Books would be knocked down.

Sad, stinky news. And, I don't get the city's fixation with demolishing history for lofts that nobody's buying. What will be left for Long Beach's future bibliophilic communities? This dusty downtown dinosaur is the place.

The truth is, there is another bookstore in town that I've also developed a crush on—{Open}, an independent store on Fourth Street (in the "Retro Row" neighborhood). It's a special little place that thoroughly stocks books by local literary stars, or simply draws large crowds when they invite them in for readings. Their art shows make a good draw, too. (Art di Matt Maust, anyone?)

So much to choose from... The wonderfully old, and charming new!



See these places for yourself...
Acres of Books, 240 Long Beach Boulevard, Long Beach. (562) 437-6980
{Open} Bookstore, 2226 East Fourth Street, Long Beach. (562) 499-OPEN

Pictured above: (Left) Acres of Books' towering shelves; (right) Echo Park photographer Marleah Tobin at the current art show happening at {open}, taken on opening night (3-29-08).

Pictured below: Snapshots of the shelves at {open}. Photos by Barbara Navarro.

Ode to the District Weekly

I thank them for not having porno ads dominating the back section of their issues, ever, which I know is the standard for most alternative publications. I admire them for being so animated in their storytelling and so committed to giving this city (and often times, the surrounding cities) some color. Like Technicolor color. And, after one full year in business now, it’s safe to say, also, that they’re not some elitist group in town who just write to show off. They have something real to say and they do it so exquisitely with so little—they’re out once a week and, on average, probably have 15 full pages of stories and reports. I like them for many reasons. Congratulations, District Weekly! You’re one year old, and yeah, you’re growing up quite fast. But that’s OK. It’s as if you were born with a hundred brains at a hundred years old. That’s what’s so sexy about you!

Images courtesty of Kristina Coffeen at the District.

Cold War Kids: Distorted in Tinted Shades of Grays and Reds

It’s a group of men, living and working in and around Long Beach: the four-man band Cold War Kids and their photographer/poet/artists friends. They're producing a wealth of artistic goods while hitting bold, battered-out notes across international airwaves.

And it's way cool and raw in the end.

Looking at the Cold War Kids, many might just stop at “Hang Me Up to Dry,” the hit single from their 2006 debut record, “Robbers and Cowards” that sprinkled the airwaves all last year in irritatingly excess doses. (Yes, irritating—just listen to lead singer Nathan Willett’s feverish screams over a repetitive, wrinkly bass-guitar hook "way too many times.") But that’s not all the Cold War Kids should be known for. Even their band name comes from bassist Matt Maust’s graphic design Internet company from about a decade ago, which is just the start of the band's deep roots.

To be even more amazed at how vast and boundless Cold War Kids actually are, turn off your radio. With only “Robbers and Cowards” to their name (and rare, hard-to-find EPs from way back when), they’ve shot themselves farther and wider into the world by producing other musical compilations and putting out some avant-garde book and art projects. Some may not understand it or even get it or want to get it. But it’s exactly what so many fans around the world love about them.

Some have described the indie-artists as creating a “repertory of craggy guitars, verge-of-a-nervous-breakdown vocals and elliptical songwriting,” while the band describes itself as "[striving] to make honest songs about human experience in orchards and hotel rooms, Laundromats and churches, sea ports and school halls.”

Most recently, bass guitarist Matt Maust made an appearance in the Long Beach area (where he still lives today) with poetry readings and art shows. In February he accompanied his author friend and fellow East Coaster companion Derrick Brown with a show at the Found Theater for a reading. In early March, Maust debuted one of his solo gallery shows at {open} bookstore on Fourth Street, which closed on Sunday.

The show, “Five Easy Pigliano Pieces,” was an interesting fusion between photography, graphic design and Maust’s genuine celebration to traveling the world, touring as a Cold War Kid and then a poet.

It's nice to figure it all (or some of it) out. The Orange County Performing Arts Center has done it—and they’re quite a success for it. Wanting to reach out to the college-aged crowd, the usually posh-and-all-sophisticated center invited the Cold War Kids for a performance March 27 in a music series called Off Center. Peter Bjorn and John, The Walkmen and We Are Barbarians have also been part of the series since it began in late January.

Coming along with them to the OCPAC (or, more precisely, the Samueli Theatre at the OCPAC) is one of Cold War Kids’ friends: photographer Matt Wignall from Long Beach and the band's official photographer. Wignall’s art springs from his interest in Malawi’s environmental conditions, something he’s been apart of with an organization called Water Wells for Africa.

It’s a pretty hot ticket, especially when you consider the size (500-seat capacity) and location (a lush neighborhood in the bright Costa Mesa) and the other entirely fun stuff happening.

WEEKEND: COLD WAR KIDS

1. LIVE The Long Beach-based Cold War Kids make their return to the OC tomorrow night (Thursday, March 27); it's been way too long—the last performance was at the Detroit Bar in Dec. 2006. The Kids will be at the Samueli Theater at the Orange County Performing Artscenter in Costa Mesa. The show is sold out. *Look forward to my review after spring break.*

2. ART Bassist Matt Maust and the band photographer Matt Wignall show their artwork through Monday at Found Gallery in Echo Park. The show's name is "Matt Maust + Matt Wignall: Your Alimony Check Won’t Buy a Bigger Room." Hmmmm... Sounds like a must. Check Found Gallery's website for more details.

3. READ Maust also collaborated with friend Paul G. Maziar for a book called What It Is: What It Is. You can find the book for sale at {open} in Long Beach. Interviews with Maust and Maziar are sprinkled throughout various underground-esque publications around town, like LA Record and ISM. Look for those at {open}, too.

Photos by Barbara Navarro. Band photo via OCPAC.

{open} closes CWK's Matt Maust's show today

Photos and video below by Barbara Navarro.

Whether you've heard the name Cold War Kids or have all their records (and books), you MUST visit {open} bookstore in Long Beach today, Sunday, before bassist-guitarist Matt Maust's tiny but thorough collection of his recollective art from touring the world packs up and leaves the little space where it's been so nicely put together in the LBC. Where is it all headed next? Perhaps the OC Performing Arts Center. Perhaps Silverlake. Perhaps a new, foreign destination.

{open} has a few collectible items for sale that are a part of this exhibit, "Five Easy Pigliano Pieces." Fans must see this! But anyone can appreciate Maust's careful attention to typography and style.




{open}
2226 E. Fourth Street (near Cherry Ave.)
Long Beach, CA 90814
562-499-OPEN

Sunday's Hours: 11 am to 6 pm

Substituting an 8th century bishop for a 20th century drunkard—and a German at that

"It was a joy. Words weren’t dull, words were things that could make your mind hum. If you read them and let yourself feel the magic, you could live without pain, with hope, no matter what happened to you."
Henry Chinaski, Ham On Rye
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How big of a fan of Charles Bukowski are you?

I've read so many of his books and own some of his newer poetry anthologies. I've been to his grave at Green Hills and I live in the town where he died, San Pedro (but, I was born here, so I didn't have a choice; it was just a coincidence that the ol' Buk and I ended up in the same place). Plus, I toured with Esotouric recently!

Bukowski doesn't fit a genre in literature, because it's a lifestyle. I loved reading his books a few summers ago (after I was introduced to John Fante's Ask the Dust) and I loved watching "Barfly." It's a classic movie and it captures L.A. in a way I've never seen before, either with my own eyes or by movie. I definitely recommend you try touring with Esotouric if you're interested in beating your friends out on who's the better fan of Angeleno authors and their history here. Rumor is, they'll be visiting Vroman's in Pasadena this summer, a place where Bukowski was a usual. But if that's too far off, they have trips focused around Raymond Chandler and the Black Dahlia scheduled for pretty soon.

PHOTO: With the Esotouric group on March 9th, celebrating Bukowski's 14th year death anniversay. Here we stand in front of the Reading Room at the downtown L.A. Public Library, where Buk disvored his God, John Fante.

{Visit ESOTOURIC online. Just click HERE.}

Also be sure to visit the library's Special Collections (2nd floor, to right off the elevators) where you can find Gerald Locklin's memoirs on how he got to know the great ol' Buk in "A Sure Bet." Locklin, a retired English professor from Cal State Long Beach, helped me create today's '5 to Try,' which was dedicated to the greatest barfly of all times, Charles Bukowski.

Cheers!