#BlackAltBae: Miles Strand

I stumbled across Miles Strand on TikTok when he did a metal cover of "Unholy" by Sam Smith. You may have notice I repost him a lot on Instagram. So when he answered my call for allcomers, I was ecstatic. I reluctantly concluded this awesome interview on June 27th, 2023...but I had to let the man get back to his life.

Miles!!! Your version of "Unholy" ruined all other versions for me, including the original (I accidentally heard yours first, and after that, no one else came close). How long have you been making music?

HAHAHAHA, oh man, I love that! Well, I started my first (real) band in high school, and that was the first instance where I started trying to actually write and perform my own stuff, so I guess it's been about 23 years that I've been making music!

#BlackAltBae: INVincible K

I had the pleasure of first meeting Kendall a.k.a. INVincible K on Instagram when I invited allcomers for interviews. He was my very first responder, and I loved getting to know him a little better during this interview we completed June 24,2023.

My fellow Houstonian!!! What a pleasure to meet you! Have you always been based in Houston? When did you start making music professionally? 

What's uppp! Yeah, I was born and raised in Houston. Started making music professionally around 5 years ago. 

Do you play any instruments?

Yes, I play the guitar, the bass, and the piano; not the best at reading music though. I know all the basic stuff like notes and chords, took guitar in high school and piano as a kid, but eventually stopped. The reading part was always complex but the feeling...if I could catch the feeling...it then became easy to copy and to play with my other classmates .

#BlackAltBae: Sad Heaux the Goddess

I think I first came across Sad Heaux the Goddess on Instagram and started following her with the intent to research her more thoroughly at a later date. But when I saw a clip of one of her videos, "later" became a serious issue of "now." I immediately had to follow her on every platform and add her music to my library.

It was an absolute delight to complete this interview with her on January 31st, 2023.

So how long have you been in music and how did you get started?

Well I’ve been into music ever since I could remember. My and my father would spend so much time listening to R&B and jazz together. I wrote my first song at age 5, and we have tons of family videos of me doing performances at home. I also I have musicians on both sides of my family. On my mom's side I have a lot of family who rap, sing, and/or produce. On my father's side we have a proud history in the jazz genre. My great-great-grandfather was actually a part of the Southern Syncopated Orchestra, which is the jazz band responsible for spreading jazz music around the entire world from 1919-1921. My other great-grandfather played Sax in the US Army’s jazz band during World War II. So both my personal history and my family history with music instills so much pride and motivates me to keep going.

#BlackAltBae: Shola Aurora

Words cannot express the sheer glee I felt when Shola Aurora agreed to an interview. A New York-based artist who draws from a vast (and diverse) well of influences, it was the utmost pleasure to complete this interview with him on November 14th, 2022.

#BlackAltBae: Malxolm Brixhouse

Malcolm Brickhouse co-founded heavy metal band Unlocking the Truth, and now works as a solo artist in New York. It was an honor to complete this interview with him on October 3rd, 2022.

Malcolm, thank you so much for doing this. Now, you’re best known for your work in the now-disbanded Unlocking the Truth, a group that was known for being extremely talented and very, very young. How and when did you first get into music? How many instruments do you currently play and what’s it like being a prodigy?

I always say I was attracted to the background music in anime, wrestling and monster trucks. Then my parents had me enrolled in all kinds of activities (e.g., karate, gymnastics, soccer, magic, art, music, etc.). You name it; I've done it but I really liked the guitar.  My old drummer used to come to my house every weekend and we played band like girls played house and here I am.  At the moment, I play the guitar and the bass.  About being a prodigy, I'm too modest for that but I do love writing, composing, producing and engineering.

#BlackAltBae: @legothicpoet

With over 21,000 followers on Instagram, Alyx (better known as @legothicpoet), is a prolific alternative model based in New York. As my first subject in seven years, it was an utter delight to not only interview her, but casually converse with her as well. We completed this interview on September 30th, 2022.

Alyx, welcome to Black Alt Magazine! It's such a pleasure to have you.

Thank you for again for the opportunity to interview with you.

How long have you been modeling and what is it like?

I started freelance modeling in 2019 in the summertime. One of my good friends and mentors at WeJustWorkin invited me to come down to the studio for a photoshoot. At the time I didn't think of starting a modeling career, I just did it for fun. We took some great photos, and it was an amazing time. It wasn't till after that shoot another photographer had reached out to me that same day!  I was amazed, and thought to myself that it was a calling from the universe. Three years later here I am, modeling for alternative brands and being on the cover of magazines. I never would've though that would be me. It's almost like I'm looking into a mirror every time I achieve a goal in my modeling career. I give myself applause. 

Quick Update

I know it seems like I came straight out the gate with guns blazing and then...nothing. I assure you I've been busy.

I've sent out invites to interviews for the first round of artists, and I'm not just limiting it to musicians. You can also follow Black Alt Mag on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and feel free to tag Black alternative artists you wish to see interviewed (@blackaltmag).

My first interviewee in several years got back to me and promised an answer to the first draft of questions by this weekend. Another has agreed to an interview; I just need to get some questions out to them. It's a process, but it's going.

Thanks for your patience and support.

The Bar Loves Pop ETC

Christopher Chu...I see you.

You see, Chris here is the frontman of POP ETC, a band currently based in New York and formally known as the Morning Benders.  Chris founded the group around ten years ago and despite changes in the line-up, it's still going strong.

I first learned about POP ETC ("pop etcetera", by the way) while watching the second season of Lovesick on Netflix and I heard a song that I would later discover was called "Running in Circles."  It didn't take long to scour the net to track it down and find its creators.

I'll admit I didn't become a fan of theirs right away because without seeing them, I thought they were another Thriving Ivy/Jonas Brothers-type of deal and I'm really not about that life. I just wanted to buy the "Running in Circles" mp3 and have done with it.

But when I discovered they were mostly POC...it was all over.

The Bar Loves Suld

So Jules posted a vid by Suld, a Mongolian folk metal band.  They combine throat singing and traditional Mongolian instruments with a hard rock sound, and after hearing two tracks, I promptly bought the whole damn album.

I can't wait to bump this in my car, y'all.

At the Bar with Chelsea Erin Jones (#MisSpelled @Tullywickett)

Fans of the YouTube cult hit MisSpelled will recognize Chelsea Erin Jones as the edgy, hardcore Quinn, the witch with the ability to manipulate time.  Fans will be happy to know filming resumed this month, and that we can expect new episodes this summer.

It was a great honor and pleasure to welcome this curly-haired goddess to our Bar.

Welcome to the Bar!!! What are you sippin’ on?

Thank you kindly! I'm sipping on some Jack on the rocks. Though, my favorite drink is a good shot of Kraken Rum. I love me my rum.

My kind of woman!  So you’re an actress, and a pretty damn good one if I dare say. How did you get into that? How did your family react to your decision?

Oh, geez, thank you. Well, as it turns out, it's kinda my family's fault. My dad is an actor and musician, and my mother is obsessed with theatre and the arts. My brother got bit by the acting bug early on, and I was pretty quick to follow. We used to put on tiny productions in our living room for the holidays. My dad taped them all, supposedly. Mad blackmail, right there. Then, I got into a few local theatres, my mom got me an agent, and I just never stopped. And, thanks to my dad, music kind of went hand-in-hand with it. It's like eating, or breathing. It's too much a part of my life. My parents are really supportive, real advocates of doing what makes you happy. I'm incredibly grateful for that.

At the Bar with Lindsey McDowell

Actress, singer, and writer Lindsey McDowell is the mastermind behind the cult web hit MisSpelled, whose flawless casting, quirky premise, and laugh-out-loud hilarious script garnered an army of fans overnight.

It was the utmost honor to complete this interview with her October 16, 2014.

Lindsey McDowell, it’s amazing to have you At the Bar. What are you sippin’ on?

Midori Sour!

In addition to being a writer, you’re a singer and an actress. How did your family respond to your desire to study and pursue that?

They had a very different reaction when I was fresh out of my freshman year at Howard VS. being 3-14. It was a lot of 'cute' and keep practicing at those ages. I don't think even I got super serious about acting until I was 18. When I was 18 they were supportive and I was in shock. My parents are so conventional when it comes to academics and 'the sure route' in life. My sister left the nest for LA too. She loves films and making films and I think they were comforted that I'd be living on her couch while I was in acting school.

Tell me about your writing. How did you get into that and what motivates your work?

I started at a young age. I must have heard my mom talking about Maya Angelou and how she expressed herself through poetry. Even today at my house (back home in NY) I could find probably 75 sheets of paper with really sad poems and haikus from a super sad and overweight 10-year-old. Actually...you can probably find that today looking through my computer from the same. Just 23, haha! It's important to grow and express yourself. Even if no one sees it.