With Illirjana Alushaj
The Beat Goes On and on and on and…

-What’s new with your band Apache Beat?

We have our debut album out in October called Last Chants, the single Another Day just came out so everything has just started to get into motion. People have been into the album so far, so it has been good. Touring is also about to begin… I am trying to mentally prepare myself for vans, traveling and loads of video gaming.




-What is The Pop Manifesto?

It is a digital magazine I started a few years back as a way of writing about people I thought were doing interesting things. I like focusing on subjects that are creating in an innovative and individualist manner. It turns out it’s not that hard to just use Email or phone calls or just personally ask them. Everyone has been pretty easy to contact which makes my life easier. As a writer I just wanted to write about things that regular magazines weren’t really all that interested in… or want to wait until they are hyped. I kinda like the challenge of finding the artists before that happens. I am editor and Karl Maier designs the magazine. We’ve know each other for so long that we don’t really need to check in on to each other as we are working, so that helps a lot with getting things done efficiently. As it is digital the cost is barely existent. We build and maintain it ourselves so I guess in theory we fund it. No advertising at yet. Maybe if we can figure out a way to insert advertising without it ruining the look and feeling like we are selling out we will do that.




-How do you find time between the band and the magazine?

I like being really busy all the time and don’t want to feel limited to one avenue. So I will make time for both whenever I can. It isn’t so hard. Just a lot of time management.

-And now, at the same time you’re getting ready to put out your own debut LP, you’re also getting ready to put out the first record signed to The Pop Manifesto. How long has this been in the works?

I started a label this summer so not very long. Have been wanting to for a while and now can start because even with the aforementioned time management… adding one more big project I would need assistance. Magick Mountain is the first release for The Pop Manifesto this month. He is native New Yorker Harry Bornstein. Really talented guy and am very psyched about releasing his music. I guess it veers towards languid techno.

Plains by Magick Mountain


-Plans for future signings? Releases already being planned?
We have Blood Diamonds and Typical Girls… as well as a few other things in the works we can’t announce yet. I feel like I am going to really love having a label, as an real extension to the ideas spanning from the magazine.

-What else are you working on?
Typical Girls is a side project of mine and have been working with CFCF on a single release. Also been randomly throwing events, last one being with the amazing Teengirl Fantasy and Air France. I still write for varying publications about music too… that is about it I think… or I hope for now.


Check out The Pop Manifesto here.

This entry was posted on Monday, September 13th, 2010 at 11:23. It is filed under Zine Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.