Photos by Mark the Cobrasnake
Jared Southard Musician: Low Flying Owls 26 years old, Sacramento Musical hero: Iggy Pop “Iggy Pop isrock & roll is punk rock. When everyone was doing all that hippie bullshit, he was fucking stabbing himself with glass bottles. Peace, love and happiness meant nothing to him. We need another Iggy Pop.” Chuck O’Neil Actor, 29 years old Silver Lake Musical hero: David Byrne “Because I dig his syncopated weirdness. Because the first time I heard ‘Sugar on My Tongue,’ I had never heard anything like it before. Because he is constantly reinventing himself. Now he’s teaching computer programming somewhere.” Glenn Medina High school student, 16 years old, Atwater Musical hero: Billy Idol “He was one of the first real original punks. He’s better than what a lot of the kids listen to now. His songs are not played out on the radio, and he’s a really good singer. I don’t hear anyone like him. My favorite song is ‘Tainted Love,’ he covered it.” Glennmissedthebustosharethiswithyou. Mounir Hajjar Surgeon, Silver Lake Musical hero: Madonna “She’s powerful. She’s strong. She’s liberated. She does what she wants, regardless of society’s expectations.” Lindsay Pulsipher Musician/actress/Seattle transplant, 26 years old, Huntington Beach Musical heroes: The Intelligence “I think they’re the best band out right now. They’re definitely the most inspiringband I’ve heard in a long time. Just for diversity and a ‘not giving a fuck’ attitude, straightforward music.” Arthur Garcia Jewelry designer, 69 years old, Hollywood Musical heroes: TThe Moody Blues “Because [they] bring up so many beautiful memories of my life, nothing but good times. Their unique sound, and that wonderful, wonderfulvoice. I saw them at the Inglewood Forum, whenitwasstill‘theForum.’It’s been a while since I’ve been to a concert, but I certainly remember them! Just their presence.Everyone was right there with them. I have all the albums, everysingleoneofthem.I have them in long play, andon CDs now.” Anthony Valdez Student, 18 years old, Silver Lake Musical hero: Johnny Ramone “His attitude, his appearance, he had what it took to be successful. And Dee Dee Ramone! Even though he was the dumbest guy in the world, he wrote the most brilliant songs. All the Ramones. They were fast. They were good. I like their style. I just purchased [the Ramones documentary] EndoftheCentury,yesterday.” Lucy Spriggs The Jack Hanley Gallery employee, 27 years old, Echo Park Musical hero: Morrissey “Because he’s from Manchester, and so am I. Because when I was miserable, he was miserable, and when I got happier, he was happier. I love him! He’s my dream man! I like the fact that he has flowers coming out of his trousers when he performs, and I like his quiff. I like that he likes Nancy Sinatra, whoIhate.I like that he likes tea and always talks about England, though he hasn’t lived there in forever. I just think he’s funny. “I went to New York, and my friends took me to a Morrissey party for my birthday. They just played Morrissey. It was amazing. I wore my Morrissey T-shirt.” Rex Kesterson Journalism student/editor of The Collegian, L.A. City College’s newspaper, 53 years old, Silver Lake Musical hero: Patti LuPone “She’s the best! Her choice of roles . . . when she did Norma Desmond in SunsetBlvd.in London, she really put a lot of feeling and emotion into it. She was, like, channeling Gloria Swanson. It was just astounding! Her vocal range, as evidenced in Evita,when she was younger, was probably a full octave and a half. Youjustdon’tfindthatkindofrange.Merman was better. But she was not the actress that Patti is. That’stheotherthing,she’s an amazing actress! A good comedian, a good dramatic actress, she covers the spectrum.” Ingrid Allen Portrait painter, 29 years old, Echo Park Musical hero: PJ Harvey “She is just so raw. She is extremely powerful, and feminine, at the same time. I love the way she looks. I love her style. I love her hairy legs. Have you ever been to one of her shows? You get up front and she’s a hairy monster. I love it! She is always showing off her legs. Rocking the supersexy look, but she’s fuzzy as all get-out. I love her voice.” Andy Entrekin Circus of Books employee/Chicago transplant, 19 years old, Hollywood Musical heroes: Kill Hannah “They’re a local Chicago band, and I’m from Chicago. I followed them for a long time. Their lyrics hit close to home and helped me through hard times. I met the band several times, they always wait outside and talk to people and stuff. They’ve always been nice. They’re just, all around, an awesome band. They have three guitarists and especially, once they got their new album, they were able to layer the different guitar riffs the way it is supposed to sound. A lot of bands can’t do that, ’cause they only have one or two guitarists. That has a lot to do with it.” Apple Via Sleepwear designer/event planner, 31 years old, Silver Lake Musical hero: Bob Dylan “That’s like asking, ‘What’s yourfavoritecolor?’It changes every day, just like my favorite color changes every day. Bob Dylan is my musical hero. A show I saw brought me to tears, eventhoughIdidn’tunderstandasinglewordhesaidtheentiretime.I absolutely feltwhat he was saying. His music translates emotionally, it could be French, it could be Japanese, it would still bring you to tears.” Eyexyk Prasadam employee/fashion designer, 22 years old, MacArthur Park Musical hero: Björk “Of course, I love Björk! She’s magic, I think she’s a witch. She cast a spell on me. Whatisthespell?A love spell. I want to marry her. If she were a man and I was a woman, that’s the only way it would be Björk, I think.” Neslihan Kaplan Fine-arts graduate/Istanbul transplant, 26 years old Looking for an apartment, staying with a friend in East L.A. Musical hero: Jim Morrison “Because of his lifestyle. That time [the ’60s] was my favorite time; it brought all new thinking. We are just building steps on that time.” Malnie Jones Art director, 42 years old, Highland Park Musical hero: Joni Mitchell “My older sister turned me on to her. In 1974, I was 12 years old and listening to Joni Mitchell. As a young woman, her lyrics about trials and tribulations, love and loss were inspirational. I grew up listening to her. She is just brilliant.”
