“The Forgotten Terrorist: Sirhan Sirhan and the Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy” By Mel Ayton

As the campaign motorcades and jets wiz in and out of cities and town across the U.S. this summer, there are hints and reminders of the campaign trail from 40 years ago. With arguable similarities to our current Democratic candidate,  a candidate with a great vision for change and equality had managed to give a new generation of Americans hope after incredible tragedy. But too soon, here in our own fair city, Robert F. Kennedy’s life and work were tragically cut short by the hand of what some saw as a mad man.

In his book “The Forgotten Terrorist: Sirhan Sirhan and the Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy”, Mel Ayton discusses Kennedy’s assassin Sirhan Sirhan, the evidence at the scene and the conspiracies surrounding the case. At the time, the Sirhan was seen as having no motive for the slaying of RFK. But with further investigation into his life, Sirhan is revealed as a young many with strong anti-Semitic views and blamed not only the U.S., but RFK himself for the plight of the Palestinian people. Putting conspiracy theorists to the test, Ayton reveals the political motivations behind Sirhan’s actions.

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Full-time student, journalist, and sports enthusiast, Justin brings a male’s perspective on L.A. Street Fashion.

What is L.A. street fashion to you?

L.A. street fashion = giving a damn about what other people think.

How has this city changed your style?

Honestly, this city has F’ed my style up. Wait, I take that back. This city has F’ed my wallet up! Why does all the “cool” stuff have to be so damn expensive? My clothes are always two years late because I wait until they go on clearance before I buy ‘em. I used to think I was cool in a Nautica jacket and jeans. But I guess that’s out of style now, isn’t it?

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Keaton Simons knows the Los Angeles scene. He is not only a native of the city, his parents and grandparents were definitely well connected in the film and television industry. After college and performances with such artists as Snoop Dogg, Keaton Simons signed to Maverick records and thought he had “made it.” His full-length album, however, was turned into an EP and it seemed his career was over before it even had the chance to begin. After persevering through the unfortunate Maverick record deal and other hardships, including drug addiction and the ridiculously fickle machine that is the music “industry,” Keaton Simons somehow managed to pull himself up from the trenches, pick up his guitar and continue playing amazing music. Now signed with CBS records, Simons’ album, Can You Hear Me, is selling out in stores and getting great reviews on iTunes. His life is proof that hard work and perseverance can make your dreams a reality. I had the awesome opportunity to talk with Keaton and hope you have as much fun getting to know him as I did:

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LA.CityZine brings you band, Pistol Pistol, as part of our Know Your LA Bands series. Hailing from Redondo, these young guys should come with a warning label. Their music is rebellious, edgy, raw and almost too much to handle as the band is compiled of extreme intensity as well as a wide range of genres. If you are looking for a fresh and upcoming band from the South Bay area, Pistol Pistol is the band that’ll give you a sense of serious rockability and standing up for what’s right with a little devious feeling afterwards. Everyone likes to be bad and this band is not afraid of consequences.

With stylistic writing in hip-hop to swing to punk and a sound of The Strokes going metal on skateboards, Pistol Pistol is shooting into Hollywood at the Universal Bar & Grill this Sunday, July 13th - 10:00 PM. With an emphasis on realism and none of that commercialized structure, the band will give you a taste of what it’s like to be bold for the common good. The band’s frontman, Ash Riser, was cool enough to take a moment and talk about his theories of reality and revolution with us in the interview below. Check it out.

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Every once in a while, we get great new artists from overseas. So when we heard David Ford was coming to North America from the UK, we couldn’t wait to grab an interview with the singer-songwriter. He’s been compared to Bright Eyes and Damien Rice because of his raw lyrics and gorgeous melodies upon looping he does with his acoustic guitar. However, David Ford could care less about what others think of his music. Somewhat of a troubadour with his songs, he does it to make sure something he loves is being put to good use during his life time. David Ford is a musician who truly cares about the communication between people and art.

His latest record, Songs For The Road, is full of bittersweet combinations with his writing abilities that’ll make you feel empathy on top of pleasure. Gritty and truthful stories are worn on his sleeve then transported onto this album. The one man show during live performances will be sure to capture your attention if not put you on an emotional roller coaster. He graces the LA audiences this coming Thursday on July 10th - 9:00pm at The Hotel Cafe. Don’t miss out on this display of remarkable musicianship. If you can’t make it out, check out his MySpace and the interview below where David tells us about his lack of technological abilities, his thoughts on the music business, and more.

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I don’t think I’ve ever interviewed a more honest, appreciative, confident and hilarious person than Ron Pearlman, the star of Guillermo del Toro’s latest film opening this weekend, Hellboy II. Although he’s the star of the Hellboy series, he’s more than willing to take his hat off to all those around him who have made this project happen. When speaking with Ron, he seemed like one of the few people in the world that would actually give you an honest answer. He trusts in his Director, his ability, is able to find the joy in his art, and is a pleasure to talk to.

Ron does an amazing job with Hellboy at balancing the seriousness with the humor. It’s refreshing to see a man like Ron play the romantic, action lead in these films. Who says that 20 somethings, with statuesque bone structure, and cliched attitudes are the only ones who can play these roles? It’s all about the swagger and the personality that he brings to it. The thing about Hellboy is that you go beyond his outer red shell and giant fist and see what makes him a true hero, his heart.

So without further ado, LA.CityZine gives you Ron Pearlman.

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I don’t think I’ve ever interviewed a more honest, appreciative, confident and hilarious person than Ron Pearlman, the star of Guillermo del Toro’s latest film opening this weekend, Hellboy II. Although he’s the star of the Hellboy series, he’s more than willing to take his hat off to all those around him who have made this project happen. When speaking with Ron, he seemed like one of the few people in the world that would actually give you an honest answer. He trusts in his Director, his ability, is able to find the joy in his art, and is a pleasure to talk to.

Ron does an amazing job with Hellboy at balancing the seriousness with the humor. It’s refreshing to see a man like Ron play the romantic, action lead in these films. Who says that 20 somethings, with statuesque bone structure, and cliched attitudes are the only ones who can play these roles? It’s all about the swagger and the personality that he brings to it. The thing about Hellboy is that you go beyond his outer red shell and giant fist and see what makes him a true hero, his heart.

So without further ado, LA.CityZine gives you Ron Pearlman.

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Angie Vasquez
L.A.’s very own artist and DJ, Angie Vasquez, tells LA.Cityzine why she’s on a mission to bomb your handbags. She also reveals how her independent clothing label, Girlfitti Love, was humbly conceived, distributed to the right people, and ended up on Pink’s superstar head.

What made you decide to start Girlfitti Love?

Well it was definitely by accident, but the story goes: I was in a mall and this chick was rocking a graffiti trucker cap. I knew I could do that myself so I went out and bought a trucker and hooked it up with the worst graffiti ever. (Haha!) I knew it wasn’t great graffiti but I was proud of what I did. So I hit the dancer scene in my new hat; before I knew it I had people asking me to do a hat for them.

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Guillermo del Toro’s films are not only enjoyable for the the audience but an inspiration to many young aspiring filmmakers today. All his films are filled with dark imagery and a surprising amount of hope. He manages to capture people’s darkest fears and wildest dreams all in one. Guillermo seems to be hellbent on bringing all his creativity and imagination with him to whatever set he works on no matter what. Everyone who works with Del Toro, from his actors to the writers, love and respect him. I could imagine there must be a few wars with the Producers, because Guillermo is always more concerned with his vision than their need to cut the budget or market the film.

From “Pans Labyrinth” to the two “Hellboy’s,” Guillermo has always puts imagination and quality first. It’s not about flaunting what you have it’s about creating a realistic imagery world. Instead reveling in his budget, he simply uses it as his backdrop to help further the story of his characters. It’s no wonder they’re picked him to create the two Hobbit films. Instead of letting things intimidate him, he sees chances and opportunities to create.

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I had the opportunity to interview The Austin James Band (AJB) who will be playing a free concert at The Key Club on July 8, 2008 at 7:00pm. Their EP Goes to Austin James Land has a sound that has been likened to The Beach Boys and even, gulp, The Beatles. Yet it is so wonderfully unique that any labels of “copy-cat band” would never stick. Made up of Kevin, Chad, Nick and Chip, Austin James Band is a cool, intelligent and grounded group of guys who try to steer clear of getting caught up in the LA scene. Instead, they focus their energy on using their plethora of musical talent to create music that, at times, seems to be slightly tongue-in-cheek while at other times is, simply, great. Take the time to get to know Austin James Band:

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LA.CityZine brings you band, The Pity Party as a part of our Know Your LA Bands series. These two people, who are too good looking for their own good, can be compared to a Rilo Kiley pair. However, that’s just at a first glance. Forget the red hair comparison. The Pity Party brings you music that is moody, punk, pop and rock all at once. With both members playing multiple instruments (Heisenflei on drums, keys and vox and M on auto orchestra/electric guitar), this party is nothing to pity. Creating a sound that is almost ahead of our time (definitely not for those teeny boppers, but maybe for hipsters who have good taste and aren’t snobby about it), the Pity Party brings us music that is unfamiliar yet addictive.

The Pity Party has already gained critical acclaim as LA Weekly’s “Best Band in LA” in their weekly reader poll of 2007, Number 1 MySpace find by Supersweet Magazine, and NME’s Radar Band of June 2008. Being asked to play abroad isn’t unusual for bands in the states but The Pity Party is increasing their fan base in the US with each day as their multi-tasking inflict awe on their audiences. Don’t be fooled by all those instruments being set up on stage. There’s only two of them. If you want to get a taste of this futuristic punk as f*** band, head on out to the Echo Curio tomorrow on Thursday, July 3rd at 8:00 PM. The red hair, all their multi-tasking limbs and eerily fascinating Silverlake sound will be there. If you can’t make it out, make sure to purchase their first EP, Orgy Porgy, which is available through their myspace. The EP is eco-friendly and comes with 7 different covers featuring very lovely creatures designed by Ronald Dezerigian.

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Method Man - also known as The Panty Raider, Ghost Rider, The Long John Silver, Johnny Blaze among other things, and last but not least, Clifford Smith is not only an accomplished hip hop artist, record producer and actor, he’s also got quite a charming personality on him.

In “The Wackness,” which ironically contains many of the hits he wrote, produced and performed, with the The Wu-Tang Clang, Method Man plays Percy, a Rastafarian drug lord who supplies Josh Peck’s character, Luke Shapiro, with weed to sell on the streets of New York.

Recently, Method Man sat down with Los Angeles CityZine at the press junket for “The Wackness” to discuss his role in the film, his thoughts on current artists, new projects, including a comic book and how it was like working with Sir Ben Kingsley.

How do you think this move reflected that era in New York and is it pretty accurate?

Yeah i think so, as far as Josh’s point of you, I didn’t know they had it that hard, I thought the white kids was rollin’. It was pretty spot on, the whole Giuliani thing, even down to blowing the Nintendo cartridge.

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