C/O McMaster University Concert Band
The McMaster University Concert Band looks forward to bringing the band together in person as COVID restrictions ease
Under the School of the Arts, the McMaster University Concert Band offers students the opportunity to practice music in an ensemble setting, engage with the Hamilton community through performances and meet other students interested in music while doing so.
No matter which discipline or program you belong to, all McMaster University students are welcome to audition for the band.
Students can choose to join the concert band as a course for credit if they would like. Regardless of whether students are receiving credit or not, all players complete the same band activities.
Typically, the MCB gathers together for rehearsals once a week and holds three regular performances. Additional performances and engagements with the community also occur throughout the year.
However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ensemble conducted all rehearsals and performances online in the 2020-2021 academic year.
Speaking to last year’s experience, President of the MCB, Duncan McCallum, said that although doing everything online was not an ideal experience, the band was able to learn a lot from the challenges they overcame.
“It was a much more collaborative process. We were all trying to figure it out together so that was I think rewarding and certainly something new that was cool to experience,” said McCallum.
“It was a much more collaborative process. We were all trying to figure it out together so that was I think rewarding and certainly something new that was cool to experience.”
Duncan McCallum, President of the McMaster University Concert Band
Doing everything online taught the band that there are benefits to working in smaller groups and that virtual participation opens up opportunities for more guest speakers or musicians to engage with the band.
Now, for the 2021-2022 academic year, McMaster has announced that students are welcome to come back to campus. However, many COVID-19 protocols are still in place. If the band wishes to incorporate in-person components within their rehearsals, they must adhere to the protocols.
Thus, McCallum said that exact plans for how the school year will play out are still undetermined. For now, meetings will be conducted virtually.
McCallum explained that having to consider the different instrumental needs of the band introduces an added level of difficulty for meeting in person. Different mask procedures would also have to be adapted to accommodate the players.
In addition, social distancing poses another barrier for the band. Students have to remain six feet apart. In a typical year, the band is comprised of about 70 students, so finding enough space for the band to meet would be difficult.
Despite all these challenges, McCallum looks forward to bringing the band together in person.
“There’s a lot of barriers to [meeting] in-person, but I think everyone’s so eager to do so that we’re just going to jump on it any chance we get, [even if] that means playing outside in a parking lot [or] being spaced out in the bleachers of the concert hall so that we’re all far away [enough] from each other,” said McCallum.
“There’s a lot of barriers to [meeting] in-person, but I think everyone’s so eager to do so that we’re just going to jump on it any chance we get, [even if] that means playing outside in a parking lot [or] being spaced out in the bleachers of the concert hall so that we’re all far away [enough] from each other.”
Duncan McCallum, President of the McMaster University Concert Band
Wendy Tang, vice-president of the MCB, said that on top of practicing music, building a community is also an essential part of the band’s culture.
“Apart from rehearsals, as execs we also ran a lot of events so students can also feel that community because honestly, a big part of our concert band aside from it being a band is also the community that we’ve built,” said Tang.
“Apart from rehearsals, as execs we also ran a lot of events so students can also feel that community because honestly, a big part of our concert band aside from it being a band is also the community that we’ve built.”
Wendy tang, Vice-President of the McMaster University concert Band
Having events where students can socialize and get to know each other is something that the executives of the band aim to do every year.
McCallum also emphasized that despite still having to do things online, learning from experiences from the previous year greatly benefits the new year.
“[Not just the band, but] a lot of classes and clubs, they [also] felt like they adapted because they had to, not because [it was] the best circumstance. This year, we want to make it the most rewarding experience we can with whatever is thrown at us, whether that means being online for part of the semester or being in-person as much as we can,” said McCallum.
This year, we want to make it the most rewarding experience we can with whatever is thrown at us, whether that means being online for part of the semester or being in-person as much as we can.”
Duncan McCallum, President of the McMaster University Concert Band
C/O Zula Presents
With a mix of music, improvisation and film, the Something Else! festival has something for everyone this fall
By: Sarah Lopes Sadafi, Contributor
At the foot of Harbourfront Drive, the Something Else! festival is bringing live performance back to the Hamilton area at Bayfront Park this fall. The festival is a not-for-profit initiative highlighting diverse, marginalized and unique voices in the arts, in an effort to fill the gaps in Hamilton’s arts scene.
Cem Zafir, the director of Something Else! festival, began presenting music as a passion project in the early 2000s while also working as a postal worker. At the time, he focused on jazz, improvised music and the avant garde. After being transferred to a post office location in Hamilton in 2012, Zafir started writing grants for the Something Else! festival in 2014. Seeing the prominent rock music scene at the time, he seized the opportunity to fill the lack of diverse and unique voices in the Hamilton music scene.
“As [my partner and I] spent time in Hamilton, we felt like there were so many [styles of music] that weren’t being covered . . . For a local scene to grow, we need to be open to new ideas — from poetry to spoken word, to various forms of music. Anything that’s more adventurous and generally falls through the cracks,” said Zafir.
Seven years later, the festival has expanded from jazz and improvisation to include film, dance and mixed and multimedia arts. Zafir’s not-for-profit organization, Zula Music & Arts Collective Hamilton, has now grown to a group of 15 people working to organize the Something Else! festival and associated arts series, Watch it Burn!
The name Something Else! was inspired by an Ornette Coleman album of the same name. Additionally, the name is reminiscent of the common saying ‘that was something else’, referring in particular to something off-center and apart from the norm—exactly what the festival strives to showcase.
Hungry for local acts, the Something Else! festival emphasises the importance of highlighting Hamiltonian voices in the arts. In order to feed Hamilton’s cultural fabric, Zafir holds that we need to amplify the unique talents that we have right here at home.
Ronley Teper and The Lipliners is a multi-genre local Hamilton music act that has participated in the festival since its conception in 2014, with a focus on improvisation and collaboration in musical expression.
Teper described feeling nervous prior to her performance at the festival on Sept. 11 for the first time in 18 months, followed by the joy of finally being back in front of an audience in a space with COVID-19 measures in place. She hopes the audience felt that range of emotions from her day at Bayfront Park.
“Joy and laughter are some things that I love to emit, but I also try to tempt the other emotions,” Said Teper. “People tell me that they love me or hate me, because you can’t hate without love. I always want people to feel something when they leave —i ndifference is dangerous.”
As the end of September approached, there are still a few performances left to see before the end of Something Else! festival.
Brass Knuckle Sandwich is an improvisational duo of Nicole Rampersaud and Marilyn Lerner, with an upcoming performance at the festival on Oct. 8. They hope people walk into their set with an openness to experience.
“When being in front of audiences, being in the same space, learning and having an open mind opens up new connections and points of commonality. In an age of divide, divide, divide, we could all use some of that connection and an open mind can help make that happen,” said Rampersaud.
"When being in front of audiences, being in the same space, learning and having an open mind opens up new and points of commonality. In an age of divide, divide, divide, we could all use some of that connection and an open mind can help make that happen.”
Nicole Rampersaud, Brass Knuckle Sandwich Improvisional Duo Member
The festival operates in accordance with all provincial COVID-19 guidelines currently in place. It is run entirely outdoors with contact tracing for the limited capacity and staff and volunteers are masked at all times. Sanitizer, wipes and extra masks are also available at the venue.
Admission to the festival is granted on a pay what you can basis, in an effort to increase accessibility and ensure all arts-lovers have access to live performance. The suggested donation of $15-25 includes several diverse artistic acts, as well as a provided dinner.
Zafir emphasised the importance of coming to the festival with an open mind.
“The choices we make are entertaining, intellectually stimulating and emotionally moving. If you come in without judgement, if you just let it wash over you and be present, you’ll walk away with something. Coming with an open mind and being present will lead to getting turned on to new things, new ideas,” explained Zafir.
The festival will be running every Saturday until Oct. 9 at Bayfront Park Pavilion.
“It’s just music. It’s not precious, but it’s sacred,” said Zafir.
C/O Rania Saxena
Singer-songwriter Rania Saxena discusses her musical journey, passion for outer space, and upcoming EP
By: Edwin Thomas, Contributor
This article marks the beginning of Behind the Beat, a new series highlighting Hamilton-based music artists, their musical journeys and recent work.
Emerging singer-songwriter Rania Saxena’s creative journey began when she was very young. Growing up as an only child, Saxena took to making up games and drawing to keep herself entertained. Looking to explore new creative outlets, she also began taking guitar lessons. Her guitar teacher encouraged her to sing while playing to improve her technique, which unintentionally improved her vocal abilities as well.
In high school, Saxena surrounded herself in a group of friends who wrote original songs and performed at their school. Her peers inspired her to start writing her own songs. Her first few performances were as gifts for her close friends and family, with the most notable being a song she wrote and performed for her father’s birthday. She received a lot of praise from people attending the event for how relatable the song was, which encouraged her to continue writing and performing songs.
“I realized that music can not only be a way for me to express myself, but for other people to find some of their truth in my words . . . that was pivotal,” said Saxena.
“I realized that music can not only be a way for me to express myself, but for other people to find some of their truth in my words . . . that was pivotal.”
Rania Saxena, singer-songwriter
She continued playing original and cover songs for her friends and family, which eventually led to her performing original songs at her high school’s talent shows.
In 2018, Saxena began attending McMaster University’s Health Sciences program. She found the atmosphere to be very welcoming, encouraging her to grow and try new things. She found herself surrounded again by musically inclined peers as part of the Health Sciences Musical. She recalled the excitement and energy she felt performing in her first performance in 2019, and later on in her 2021 performance in BHScreentime. She considers her peers in the musical her family and an integral part of her university experience.
Saxena started publishing her music to Soundcloud during her time at McMaster, using the microphone on her earphones to record and Garageband to produce. Her early songs involved only her voice and a ukulele as they produced the best quality given her resources at the time. These songs were heavily influenced by artists such as Lorde, Hozier, and Dodie. Later on, in songs like don’t you need a break, Saxena expanded her musical repertoire, incorporating drum loops, piano chords, and a plethora of other sounds in her songs.
She began to develop her writing style, incorporating events from her life, such as heartbreak, and her admiration of nature into the lyrics. Another major influence on her writing style came from her grandfather’s passion for poetry. She started with couplets which later evolved into free-form poetry that she used as a foundation for her lyrics. Her songwriting process typically begins with either the poems she has written or the melodies she has recorded in Voice Memos on her phone. Additionally, she made original album covers for her singles using paintings and digital art she created. After releasing her first few singles, she performed mini-setlists in fundraisers for the Health Sciences Musical at the McMaster University Student Centre.
In her songwriting process, she often draws inspiration from her fascination with space. The imagery in her lyrics is used to illustrate the likeness between the grandeur and vastness of outer space to her experiences with love and heartbreak, seen in the song cosmic avenue. She often uses space-related symbols to signify the importance of events in her life, such as comparing her mother’s love and care for her to the moonlight that wraps around the earth at night, in mama moonlight, a birthday tribute to her mother. Cosmic Queries by Neil deGrasse Tyson in particular has been an important inspiration for songs in her upcoming EP.
Over time, her music has evolved to include a variety of themes, including self-conflict and frustration in her most recent single, speculation, where she described an inner turmoil during a darker time in her life. She found her relationship with music became a therapeutic outlet for her.
“What started out as a fun hobby has turned into a form of therapy for myself. What started off as me just goofing around and trying out different things has ended up with me using song-writing and composition as a way for me to process my emotions,” explained Saxena.
The new circumstances of the pandemic, however, limited her access to the resources she used during her time at McMaster, so she invested in a midi keyboard, guitar and microphone to continue making music. Though the pandemic hindered her plans, she used her spare time to teach herself how to produce, mix, and master records using Logic Pro through YouTube tutorials. She found the experience to be very valuable to her musical comprehension. It was also at this time when she started writing songs for her EP.
When asked about advice that she would give to future artists, she said it is important to find your voice.
“Why aim to be the second Billie Eilish when you can be the first you?” she asked.
“Why aim to be the second Billie Eilish when you can be the first you?"
Rania Saxena, singer-songwriter
This is a mantra she has taken to heart to find her own music style. She encourages other artists to experiment with rhythms and sounds outside of their comfort zone to help them find their style.
Her first EP is set to come out later this year, drawing influence from Sarah Kinsley, Lorde, and Clairo. She has kept most of its details under wraps but revealed there will be rock-influenced songs as well. As for her future after McMaster, Saxena plans to continue her music career, hoping to make a debut album. Additionally, she has not been able to perform in-person since the pandemic but looks forward to more performances in the future.
Her music is available on most music platforms and can be found here.
How students have adapted to limited lab time, cancelled programs and remote research
C/O Firmbee.com
Doing a thesis or capstone project can be difficult in regular circumstances. In this virtual year, students have shown incredible innovation, determination and have made the most out of these trying times. These eight students from a range of disciplines and types of research have shared their challenges and triumphs navigating this strange and unpredictable year.
While each of their experiences is unique and insightful, many of these students had similar challenges and benefits in this online year.
Rya Buckley, who is also the Silhouette's Arts and Culture Editor, and Lee Higgins both had trouble with remote desktop access. Buckley couldn’t access the data or statistics program, SPSS and instead conducted her data analysis through Zoom calls in which she shared her screen with research coordinator Caroline Reid-Westoby. Higgins had concerns about speed and file safety.
“I needed one software which was on those computers and I just bought it instead because I didn’t want to deal with it. I just spent $120 on the software and bit the bullet,” said Higgins.
“I needed one software which was on those computers and I just bought it instead because I didn’t want to deal with it. I just spent $120 on the software and bit the bullet.”
Lee Higgins
Several of the students had to change their research methods. Titi Huynh and her group were restricted to online surveys for their data collection, rather than interviews. Christy Au-Yeung hoped to choose clinical assessments and apply them to patients in a memory intervention program, but the program was cancelled in the fall due to COVID-19.
Julia Wickens and Higgins, both in the faculty of engineering, were able to be more ambitious and creative with their capstone projects because they no longer had a manufacturing component.
“We didn’t have to take into account the cost of materials and building time and stuff like that, so we were able to make something a bit more interesting,” said Wickens.
Peipei Wang had very limited access to the laboratory she belonged to but was still able to expose mice to cannabis smoke and the influenza virus and analyze the results with the help of a masters student and laboratory technician.
Though Rodoshi Rahman could have done further experiments with more laboratory access, she was able to take her experiments home. She built two snail compartments in a tank and studied their growth.
Sarphina Chui’s thesis changed completely. She was initially going to study the effects of dance and music on people with Parkinson’s. Instead, she has studied pedagogy to inform a new integrated program at McMaster.
Every student highlighted the challenges and benefits of online communication. For some, the logistics of setting up a common meeting time was a hurdle. Others found it simpler to meet online, to have several questions answered at once and to have quick check-ins.
Huynh mentioned that she hoped to spend more time in the community she researched. Wickens wanted to spend time with her group members in a social setting.
Huynh mentioned that she hoped to spend more time in the community she researched. Wickens wanted to spend time with her group members in a social setting.
All students expressed gratitude for the support they’ve received over the past year, from supervisors, group members and classmates.
“I would say, overall, even though it’s not what I had expected, it’s been a positive experience and I’m sure that’s maybe what you’re hearing from a lot of people," said Au-Yeung.
“I would say, overall, even though it’s not what I had expected, it’s been a positive experience and I’m sure that’s maybe what you’re hearing from a lot of people."
Christy Au-Yeung
That is exactly what I heard from the eight students I was fortunate to interview and share their experiences.
Thesis: identifying which clinical predictors — like age, personality, cognitive abilities, depression and stress — could predict better outcomes in memory following a cognitive remediation intervention in patients with mood disorders.
Supervisor: Heather McNeely, associate professor at McMaster in PNB and clinical lead for neuropsychology at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.
Christy Au-Yeung has a long-term interest in mental health interventions, especially on the cognitive symptoms of depression or bipolar disorder, such as memory. She is interested in identifying how clinical factors will impact the outcomes of interventions.
Initially, she was supposed to choose clinical assessments and administer them before and after intervention; however, because the program was cancelled for the fall, Au-Yeung instead used data from previous patients to analyze clinical predictors and outcomes.
“I would say, overall, even though it’s not what I had expected it’s been a positive experience,” explained Au-Yeung.
Au-Yeung said that apart from the research question, she was really interested in this project to gain clinical experience and she was a bit sad to find out she couldn’t. Luckily, the program ran online in the winter term and she was excited to sit in. Au-Yeung hopes she can use what she’s learned in her pursuit of clinical psychology.
Though she initially felt disconnected, she said the online environment has made it easier to meet with her supervisor and that the other thesis students have been supporting each other.
Au-Yeung said she relied a lot on being motivated by her peers but, with the nature of an online thesis, she’s learned to work more independently.
“I would say, overall, even though it’s not what I had expected it’s been a positive experience,” added Au-Yeung.
“I would say, overall, even though it’s not what I had expected it’s been a positive experience.”
Christy Au-Yeung
Thesis: association between socioeconomic status, the uptake of the enhanced 18-month well baby visit and speech and language problems in Ontario kindergarten children.
Supervisor: Magdalena Janus, core member at Offord Centre for Child Studies and professor of psychiatry and behavioural neurosciences at McMaster University.
Rya Buckley is interested in child psychology and especially socioeconomic status differences, as SES is a predictor of many outcomes for children. For her thesis, Buckley used data from the early development instrument, co-created by her supervisor, that measures school readiness through various domains of development.
Buckley said that the main adaptation she’s had to make due to COVID-19, apart from no in-person meetings, is access to the data.
“I feel like I’ve learned a lot and I still feel like it has been a useful experience,” said Buckley.
Typically, students use the computers at the Offord Centre in McMaster Innovation Park to access the database and run analysis on SPSS.
“I still feel like supervisors, for the most part, are trying to give their students the best experience.”
Rya Buckley
Due to technical difficulties, they were unable to create access through a remote desktop. Instead, Buckley had weekly meetings with Caroline Reid-Westoby, research coordinator at the Offord Centre, where Reid-Westoby would share her screen with the data and SPSS. Buckley would talk about the next steps in the analysis, Reid-Westoby would perform the commands and send the outputs to Buckley.
“I still feel like supervisors, for the most part, are trying to give their students the best experience,” said Buckley, adding that it’s been a rewarding experience.
Thesis: development of a STEM and music four-year double major degree program at McMaster University.
Co-Supervisors: Matthew Woolhouse, director of the Digital Music Lab and associate professor in the School of the Arts at McMaster University and Chelsea Mackinnon, sessional instructor of health sciences at McMaster University.
Sarphina Chui’s initial thesis on the benefits of dance for people with Parkinson’s disease was cancelled due to COVID-19. Instead, Chui joined the STEM and Music double degree project, specifically looking at music pedagogy and how to best design an integrated program.
Chui designed a 30-minute online interview for current students in integrated programs at McMaster to understand their undergraduate experience and inform the structure of the proposed STEM and music program.
"To see how we can . . . build an undergraduate degree program that’s most beneficial for students to learn,” said Chui.
“To see how we can . . . build an undergraduate degree program that’s most beneficial for students to learn.”
Sarphina Chui
Chui said that it would have been easier to advertise her study in person, but she said that online interviews haven’t impacted the quality of the research she has done.
“I would say it’s been really great and it’s because of my supervisor. I know that thesis can suck for some people, with it being online, but my experience has been amazing,” said Chui.
The student explained that her supervisors prioritized mental health and that she has learned a lot of really valuable skills from her thesis.
Capstone: pitch and roll adjustable active rear wing for touring and road car applications.
Supervisor: capstone course professor.
Lee Higgins and his two group members are spending January to December designing and simulating a rear spoiler. The design that Higgins and his group are working on will be able to pitch forward and backwards and tilt side to side and the force these movements produce, as it goes.
There is typically a manufacturing component to the capstone but that became optional due to COVID-19. Higgins noted that he was able to create a more complex design but that he lost out on the practical component.
So far, he has worked on a literature review of the necessary concepts and is beginning the modelling stage. Later in the year, he will simulate the model and add any necessary revisions.
“I wanted to really do something cool, something that I was proud of,” said Higgins.
“I wanted to really do something cool, something that I was proud of.”
Lee Higgins
“While it’s different, it’s not as different as I expected it to be. It’s not as bad as I expected it to be. I still had an opportunity to do something that I really cared about that I really liked. Even though it was slightly different I was able to bend it in a way that I was still happy with,” added Higgins.
Thesis: the influence of social media on undergraduate students’ perceptions of reality.
Supervisor: thesis course professor.
Titi Huynh and her four group members looked at the communities that are formulated online through social media and how they can recreate norms and biases amongst individuals, as well as how online behaviours affect offline behaviours.
Huynh said that they were restricted to online surveys because of COVID-19, which had challenges and benefits.
“I know we wouldn’t have been able to reach the 53 students that we did end up reaching if we were to do interviews,” said Huynh, noting that it was initially difficult to recruit students.
“I know we wouldn’t have been able to reach the 53 students that we did end up reaching if we were to do interviews.”
Titi Huynh
To analyze their data, Huynh and her group members would call each other over Zoom, someone would screen share SPSS software and they would go through the analysis verbally. Once they moved from SPSS to Microsoft Excel, it became easier as everyone could access the sheet at the same time.
Huynh also conducted a sustainability thesis as part of her minor. This thesis was in a group of five and they collaborated with the Hamilton Farmers Market to look at vendors’ perceptions on trying to implement or co-develop a food recovery program. Huynh hoped that the vendors could collaborate with a non-profit, such as Meals with Purpose, to donate any unsold healthy and nutritious foods.
This thesis hoped to address food insecurity and food waste in Hamilton. They conducted interviews with vendors and used NVivo to conduct their analysis. However, their McMaster license to NVivo expired after the first semester, before they had data to analyze.
“Everybody planned a schedule for each person to start their two-week free trial and then we would overlap it, so two people would be able to work on it within the same two-week period,” said Huynh.
“Everybody planned a schedule for each person to start their two-week free trial and then we would overlap it, so two people would be able to work on it within the same two-week period.”
Titi Huynh
Huynh said that she would have liked to be more involved within the community, such as the participants in her social psychology thesis or the vendors at the Farmers Market. She also noted the benefits of two of these at the same time, where she completed an ethics application for one and then immediately started the application for the other thesis.
“It’s been good. I am very thankful we did these in groups,” said Huynh.
She wished that she could have been more hands-on with her theses and worked directly with the communities.
“With the online environment we seem to have taken a step back and observed everything, which was different, but they were both very enjoyable,” said Huynh.
Thesis: phenotypic plasticity of snail shell morphology induced by architectural constraints.
Supervisor: Jonathon Stone, associate professor of biology at McMaster University.
Rodoshi Rahman has spent the year with snails to see how their shells grow and physically adapt to an architecturally constrained environment. Rahman said that some snails naturally can live in areas that are more sheltered while others live in areas that are more open, including more open to predators.
The nature of her design and the fact that snails are invertebrates meant that Rahman was able to build and conduct her experiment at home. Rahman grew the snails in one of two compartments that she built, one without restrictions and one with a maze, for about two and a half months.
Rahman said that she was acquainted with Stone’s lab before COVID-19.
“I was super excited to experience that because I feel like Doc Roc’s lab was super energetic, they were super friendly but they were also very educational,” said Rahman.
She was really let down that she couldn’t experience this, especially the challenges with making connections, but felt that the online adaptation was smooth.
“[Doc Roc’s] been super available and flexible and helpful,” said Rahman, crediting part of her success within the thesis to Doc Roc’s guidance and training, even if it had to be through Zoom.
“[Doc Roc’s] been super available and flexible and helpful.”
Rodoshi Rahman
Thesis: investigating the in vivo effects of cannabis smoke on lung immune response to influenza infection.
Supervisor: Jeremy Hirota, assistant professor at McMaster University and Canada research chair in respiratory mucosal immunology.
Peipei Wang has been exposing mice to short periods of consistent cannabis smoke to see how it affects different lung functions. Partway through the cannabis smoke exposure period, they infected the mice with influenza.
“Let’s say lungs are damaged due to cannabis smoke. How does that damage their specific response to specific diseases?” said Wang.
She planned to analyze the gene expression within these mice, but she found out in early March that she was unable to get the RNA data in time. Instead, Wang changed her focus to cell populations and immune mediator expression. Although she found her new topic interesting, she was initially looking forward to analyzing the data that would result from her gene expression analyses.
“There were definitely still upsides. I felt really included by my master’s student, so when he was smoke-exposing and anything happened, he would WhatsApp me and say “Oh, this happened, this looks kind of cool take a look,” and I thought that was really nice,” said Wang.
The student spoke to how interactions with others helped her complete her research.
“Everyone has been so nice and conducive to helping me learn. Even through the pandemic I felt like I had these mentors who were checking up on me and that was really nice,” said Wang.
“Everyone has been so nice and conducive to helping me learn. Even through the pandemic I felt like I had these mentors who were checking up on me and that was really nice.”
Peipei Wang
Capstone: universal muscle stretching equipment.
Supervisor: Philip Koshy, professor of mechanical engineering at McMaster University.
Julia Wickens and her three group members have spent their year responding to the lack of gym equipment focused on stretching. They are creating a piece of equipment designed specifically for a gym environment that can guide people through stretching, especially for those who aren’t as experienced.
The group collaborated on the design but then divided the modelling of each station among themselves, where Wickens and another group member developed the legs and back station. In a typical year, capstone students make a prototype but that was made optional this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“One of the nice things about doing this online is that we were able to go a little bit more ambitious than we would have if we did have to build it,” said Wickens.
“One of the nice things about doing this online is that we were able to go a little bit more ambitious than we would have if we did have to build it.”
Julia Wickens
They designed the equipment to be highly adjustable to accommodate different flexibility levels and body sizes.
Wickens completed a capstone for the society component of her degree in the fall term. The capstone challenged the students to research and propose a protocol to implement a program.
The program was meant to address a sustainability problem. Wickens and her three group members chose to focus on a social and financial sustainability problem.
Her group of four developed a proposal for a community program to distribute low-cost computers and computer classes in downtown Hamilton. The computers would be partially made of recycled materials, involving an environmental sustainability lens and a Raspberry Pi. Raspberry Pis are affordable small computers that can connect to the internet and run programs similar to Microsoft Suite programs.
Wickens said that overall the capstone was a good experience and she felt very lucky to have the technology that enabled them to accomplish everything they did.
“The thing we were kind of sad about is that we got along really well as a group and we couldn’t hang out outside of working on the project,” said Wickens.
“The thing we were kind of sad about is that we got along really well as a group and we couldn’t hang out outside of working on the project.”
Julia Wickens
Inspired by Joni Mitchell and quarantine, Mac student Zoé Freeman created an album all by herself
C/O Zoé Freeman
By: Serena Habib, Contributor
Meet Zoé Freeman, also known as Zoé Alexis. A fourth-year student in the arts and science program, Freeman’s album River was released in December 2020. The process of single-handedly creating an album might seem daunting to most people, but Freeman saw it as a challenge that she felt compelled to undertake.
Music has been a part of Freeman’s life for as long as she can remember. From harmonizing to songs on the radio and recording covers in her basement to performing in choirs and musical theatre troupes in Toronto, Freeman grew up singing. However, she was always afraid to write her own music.
“Music was always a thing in my house so I actually have my parents to thank for that. I got my first little music player when I was seven or eight and I just listened to the same 12 Beatles songs over and over and over again,” said Freeman.
Music was always a thing in my house so I actually have my parents to thank for that. I got my first little music player when I was seven or eight and I just listened to the same 12 Beatles songs over and over and over again.
Zoé Freeman
Her fear of writing music changed when she moved to university. While going through a challenging time during first year, Freeman attempted to write her own melodies. However, she found it to be a discouraging process.
Freeman compared songwriting to flipping pancakes. Practice makes perfect, or in her case, a song she’s happy with. Through practice, the title track of Freeman’s album was born, with each drum beat created electronically and manually placed into the spellbinding track.
Freeman gained confidence while singing with an intense competitive music group in England while on exchange in her third year. When she returned home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she began a new musical journey.
“I was living completely alone during the first month or two of quarantine and I didn't see a single person, not even my family. So I went into overdrive. And I couldn't stop writing . . . The only reason I even decided to release an album was honestly because I liked the challenge. I thought to myself, “I wonder if I could write, record, produce, edit, mix and release an album, all by myself.” And once the seed was planted, I couldn't stop thinking about it. It became something I had to do to . . . prove to myself that I can actually do it,” said Freeman.
I was living completely alone during the first month or two of quarantine and I didn't see a single person, not even my family. So I went into overdrive. And I couldn't stop writing.
Zoé Freeman
Using the same microphone, mix boxes and editing software she’s had since the age of 12, Freeman was determined to create the album on her own. In her writing, she intertwines memories to make her songs both ambiguous and relatable. This conception of memory is echoed in the childhood photos used as the artwork for her music.
“It was fun for me because I wrote about everything right now. I wrote about things that had happened years ago. I wrote about new things that were happening during quarantine. I wrote about things that people didn't even know I knew about,” explained Freeman.
Freeman’s favourite songwriter and greatest inspiration is Joni Mitchell, who invented her own type of guitar tuning and chord progression structure by ear because her polio prevented her from using traditional methods. Joni Mitchell’s story has helped Freeman overcome insecurities surrounding her own unorthodox way of creating and playing music by ear.
Freeman begins with the guitar, memorizing finger placements for her desired sounds and then designs a mental image of the other instruments. She then records voice memos of herself singing accompaniments and either send them to friends or constructs the harmonies herself. River is a tribute to Joni Mitchell’s song of the same title and the song “Oh Joni” pays homage to the singer as well.
“Part of her being my biggest musical inspiration is that it's made me realize there is no right way to play music. You can sort of just do it any way that you want and, as long as you end up getting the result that you want, it doesn't really matter how you got there,” said Freeman.
You can sort of just do it any way that you want and, as long as you end up getting the result that you want, it doesn't really matter how you got there.
Zoé Freeman
The end product of Freeman’s journey is an exquisite collection of music that stems from personal experience. However, it may be a while before fans have a new album to listen to. Freeman does not feel compelled to continue publicly releasing her music.
“I would love to be one of those people who leads a professional career, but plays in a band on the side, like that's my dream . . . Music has always been and will always be sort of something that I do for myself,” Freeman explained.
Freeman is heading to law school next year, but she plans to continue sharing her music with loved ones. Music has allowed her to connect with friends and family through hardship and it has been there for in times of loneliness. Regardless of whether she releases more songs, Freeman hopes that listening to River provides people with a sense that they are not alone.
In an isolating pandemic, music serves as a crucial way for us to cope
By: Jesica Martinez de Hoz, Contributor
The arts are repeatedly seen as non-essential. Yet, as COVID-19 has heightened issues in our economic, social and political structures, we look to music not only as a distraction from the outside world but as a means of connection.
Though it may seem like more than a lifetime ago, if you think back to March of this year you might remember the viral story about people all over Italy stepping out onto their balconies and joining together in song. After being restricted to their homes due to a country-wide lockdown, many Italians chose to use music as a way to keep their spirits up and stay in touch throughout an extremely distressing time.
A lot of musicians, rather than singing from the rooftops, have been using this time indoors to concentrate on making music. While some artists, like Taylor Swift, were able to write, record and make music videos for an entire album during the pandemic, others have had to come up with innovative ideas on how to collaborate and continue creating. Yet, regardless of any new struggles they have to face, the pandemic has not stopped musicians from making music.
Thank goodness for that. While this was happening across the globe, many Canadian students, including myself, were finishing up the winter 2020 semester online. Now, more than ever, do we need music to help us get by. Just as musicians use their songs as a way to express themselves, we listen to them in order to brighten our mood, better understand our own emotions or simply escape. Whether it was used to pass the time or as a diversion from current events, the amount of media consumed rapidly increased.
Music has helped me cope with the events of the last couple of months through a radio show which I host on CFMU, McMaster University’s community radio station. In being able to produce a new show every week, I’m given a creative outlet to share my thoughts, as well as the chance to promote the artists who have helped me de-stress while being stuck inside.
In being able to produce a new show every week, I’m given a creative outlet to share my thoughts, as well as the chance to promote the artists who have helped me de-stress while being stuck inside.
At first, it was difficult to transition from recording live at the station, to trying to figure out how to use GarageBand all by myself. However, like many musicians, in forcing me to adapt, this pandemic has provided me with the opportunity and incentive to learn a new skill that I would have never otherwise attempted.
With several of CFMU’s hosts also taking steps to record their shows from home, the station has continued to act as a bridge between the McMaster and Hamilton communities during this period of isolation. Locally and globally, radio is helping musicians remain connected with their fans and listeners stay connected within their communities, showing yet another one of the music’s many influences.
We often take for granted how substantial music is in our daily lives, even before COVID-19. Yet, whether it's an outlet for us to be creative and express ourselves, a diversion from stressful current events or a way to feel connected, music has been an essential way for many to manage in this pandemic.
Transmit to these virtual and physically distanced events during your winter break
As the holidays approach, snow blankets the streets, colourful lights twinkle as they adorn the outline of houses and the smell of Pillsbury’s cookies fills the air. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the provincial government to not allow large social gatherings, the spirit of the holidays lives on.
There are still many virtual and physically distanced events that can help you recover from stressful exams and reconnect with the community. Whether you are in Hamilton or on the other side of the world, there is something for everyone in this list of eight winter events happening in Hamilton.
1. The Holidays, Mental Health & COVID-19
Wondering how to manage all the changes this holiday season? This webinar from the Hamilton branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association is taking place on Dec. 15 at 1:00 p.m. It will take a deeper look at how the COVID-19 has and will impact the 2020 holiday season. The webinar will give concrete strategies to maintain your mental health and stay connected to your loved ones during the holidays.
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2. Ushi Mart Winter Holiday Market
Ushi Mart is hosting a physically distanced in-person winter market at The Cotton Factory from Nov. 28 to Dec. 28. A wide variety of local vendors will be selling art, jewelry, housewares, clothing and trinkets. Tickets are $5, and customers will need to book their visit ahead of time as only five visitors can enter per hour. All proceeds from the market will go toward Wesley Urban Ministries, a non-profit organization that offers support to those who are homeless or living in poverty in the Hamilton, Halton and Brantford regions.
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3. Christmas Store & Tree Farm
Until Dec. 22, you can cut your own or purchase a pre-cut Christmas Tree at Merry Farms on Concession Road. It’s a 176-acre farm also popular for its corn maze and pumpkin patch in the fall. Reservations must be made in advance through their website. They also have a Christmas store on-site where you can find unique items to decorate your house. On Dec. 12 and 13, Merry Farms is offering on-site food service by The Rockton Lions Club.
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4. Art Gallery of Hamilton Film Series
If you are on the hunt for a new show or movie to watch, join the Art Gallery of Hamilton’s Online Film Series from the comfort of your home. The series, which is available for a fee, will last throughout December, and you can stream films such as God of the Piano, Queen of Hearts: Audrey Flack and Rocks. Check out their website for more information about when the tickets for each film will become available.
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5. Supercrawl Livestream Series
Although Supercrawl was cancelled this year due to the pandemic, they are hosting a series of livestreamed performances every weekend until the end of December. The virtual concerts, which are held through Facebook, are free. Upcoming performances include Tim Hicks, The Dirty Nil and Terra Lightfoot.
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6. Royal Botanical Garden Express
Hop on the Royal Botanical Garden Express train through Hendrie Park, which is decorated for the season with beautiful holiday lights. Hendrie Park is the largest cultivated garden area at Royal Botanical Gardens with 12 different themed spaces. Tickets can be purchased at the main doors and the rides will remain open until Jan. 3.
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7. Goodbody Feel December Workshops
Goodbodyfeel is offering various virtual workshops for self-care, self-love and self-compassion during the holidays. You can learn about restorative postures, how to do a guided self-massage, how to bake seasonal treats, participate in an online dance party and more. Different workshops will be held each week from Dec. 12 until Dec. 31 to help you destress and relax.
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There is no better way to put yourself in a festive mood than listening to holiday music. The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra Brass Quintet will perform holiday classics and excerpts from Handel’s Messiah on Dec. 18. The performance will be available to watch online until Jan. 18, 2021. This concert is part of the orchestra’s Hamilton Series and tickets are available for $27.
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Piper & Carson’s second album Edgewalker’s Remedy is about divesting from colonist structures
By: Tracy Huynh, Contributor
For singer-songwriter duo Piper & Carson, music is about disarming people, building community and creating intentional art that heals. They sought to embody these ideals in their second album, Edgewalker’s Remedy, which was released on Oct. 23, 2020.
Piper & Carson is the stage name of duo and couple Piper Hayes and Carson Ritcey-Thorpe. Hayes and Ritcey-Thorpe met when Hayes, who was raised in the east end of Toronto, was performing at a Harvest Bash in Ritcey-Thorpe’s hometown of Millgrove.
Feeling a deep connection with the land and the community, the two moved to Hamilton five years ago. In 2017, they released their self-titled debut album, Piper & Carson. The theme of nature is apparent throughout their music, with sounds of water and birds underlying the melody.
Their second album, Edgewalker’s Remedy, is about divesting from capitalist and colonial systems. The title paints a picture of how colonialism pushes groups of people to the edges of society. Tackling themes of anti-racism, Indigenous sovereignty and respecting the Earth, the album is strikingly relevant to the topics currently explored by media today.
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For example, in Mother’s Prayer, background heartbeat sounds, vivid imagery and lyrics such as “Decolonize your mind/You don’t own anything” bring attention to the Black Lives Matter movement. It’s clear from the first listen that this duo isn’t trying to shy away from topics that spark conversation.
“We felt really strongly that it's really our responsibility as settlers here to be part of anti-racism and to be part of amplifying the voices of Indigenous people. It's people [and] it's communities that are going to change things. I have very very little faith in the current structures that are in place,” said Hayes.
The duo has been amplifying Indigenous voices by sharing content from Indigenous activists on their social media platforms. However, they aim to create a long-term exit strategy from social media.
“For years it has felt imperative as musicians to have a Facebook, Instagram and Twitter account. Lately, however we are questioning this reasoning and wondering what better ways we can collectively invest in each other and our relationships,” said Hayes and Ritcey-Thorpe in a press release.
Wanting to further reject the predatory capitalist practices of the music industry, Hayes and Ritcey-Thorpe did not put the album on streaming platforms. Instead, the album is available on their website and Bandcamp in a pay-what-you-can model. They wanted to make decisions centred around their art, rather than around what would do well on the market.
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The project also includes a companion book of lyrics and stories for “adult children.” The book features custom illustrations by Métis artist and friend of the couple Riley Bee. The physical and digital versions of the book are available on their website.
“Our goal is to just get us all collectively to slow down, reflect and hopefully seek out the connection to this natural world, to step into that as much as possible and build and foster wonder,” said Ritcey-Thorpe.
Hayes and Ritcey-Thorpe recorded their latest album in their Hamilton home in the midst of the pandemic. For the pair who are used to performing live, this was new territory. With the help of their friends, Greyson Gritt and Chris Bartos, the duo navigated the challenges of learning new equipment, setting up their home studio and working digitally with other artists.
It was important for the duo to collaborate with artists like The Rough and Tumble and Lacey Hill. They found that the digital space combined with the insights of other artists allowed for creative and serendipitous ways of building a song.
Piper & Carson are livestreaming a show on Nov. 29, 2020. As with their other work, tickets are being sold using a pay-what-you-can model. Hayes and Ritcey-Thorpe are going to use the show to serenade, tell stories and connect with their guests. Through this show, they continue to build community with their music even during the pandemic.
The Supercrawl cancellation is another disappointment in the year of COVID-19 cancellations
Community events are an important part of fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion in cities big or small. These events bring together people from all walks of life. Community events are often where many beloved traditions and treasured memories are created.
In Hamilton, one of the largest community events is Supercrawl. However, on June 17, Supercrawl announced that due to COVID-19 it would be cancelling the festival which had been scheduled to happen in early September.
On social media, many have also expressed relief that Supercrawl is willing to do their part to keep the community safe. However, it is still disappointing as the multi-arts festival is near and dear to the hearts of many Hamiltonians.
And I guess this should be Supercrawl weekend☹️.
I ❤️ Hamilton.— Marie Zilik (@MarieZilik) September 12, 2020
For many first-year students, Supercrawl is their introduction to Hamilton and its art community, and an opportunity for them to connect with their peers.
“I went to Supercrawl last year, so in my first year at McMaster . . . I found it to be a really great opportunity to get to know the Hamilton community and the art community. I feel like I got to see a lot of really, really cool performances and art pieces. It was just a really great opportunity to experience Hamilton culture . . . I think a lot of people in the McMaster community actually really love Supercrawl. I remember in my first year when it was coming up, a bunch of professors and a bunch of upper-years were really encouraging us to go,” said Andrea Chang, a second-year arts & science student.
I think a lot of people in the McMaster community actually really love Supercrawl. Like I remember in my first-year when it was coming up, a bunch of professors and a bunch of upper-years were really encouraging us to go,” said Andrea Chang, a second-year arts & science student.
Supercrawl’s organizers have opted to run a series of alternate events beginning Sept. 24, 2020 and continuing through to March 2021. When these events are scheduled to take place in person, there will be a cap on the number of attendees, who will all be screened prior to entry, expected to wear masks and instructed to respect physical distancing protocols.
The first of these events, running from Sept. 24–27, is a ticketed concert series featuring Tim Hicks, Jessica Mitchell, Lee Harvey Osmond, Choir! Choir! Choir! and Skratch Bastid, among others. Supercrawl organizers will be setting up a temporary open-air venue for the event, at the top of the York Boulevard Parkade in downtown Hamilton. Both the concert performers and concert-goers are grateful and excited to still experience a little bit of Supercrawl.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBigIWvF2ga/
However, due to the academic year being entirely online, many McMaster students are not in Hamilton and will likely not be able to attend any of the alternate events. For students, the cancellation of Supercrawl reflects the much larger sense of community that the pandemic has deprived them of.
“[I]t's disappointing to not have community events in Hamilton the same way anymore. But I also think that that kind of just translates to everything else that the McMaster community is facing. We're stripped of in-person community in a whole host of ways and this is just one of them,” said Chang.
“[I]t's disappointing to not have community events in Hamilton the same way anymore. But I also think that that kind of just translates to everything else that the McMaster community is facing. We're stripped of in-person community in a whole host of ways and this is just one of them,” said Chang.
Community is an essential component to wellbeing and has typically been formed through in-person interactions. In larger cities, community-wide events like Supercrawl, often play a key role in facilitating these interactions and connections. However, by causing events like these to be put on hold, the pandemic continues to isolate students from their communities.
This article is part two of a two part series. Give the first part a read here.
As part of his newest publication, The Terror of the Unforeseen, McMaster professor Henry Giroux enlisted the help of his friend Julian Casablancas, lead singer of The Strokes, to provide some insight on the rise of various right-winged movements throughout the world. We had the chance to catch up with Casablancas to talk about music and politics.
Q: So in the early Strokes days, the music scene in general was saturated with songs about politics, but now, it’s been critiqued as being too “pop-y”. Why do you think it’s kind of sloped down?
I’m not sure I necessarily agree with that. If anything, [for me] personally, [it’s] probably more overtly political now. I think political music has not really been in the mainstream for a long time other than I guess, maybe like hip hop or hardcore punk. But if we’re talking just like mainstream, yeah I guess, I don’t know, I would say that the corporate confusion about what the real problems are has kind of saturated all minds, that there’s not really a . . . I don’t wanna say there isn’t an outlet, but maybe there hasn’t been an outlet yet that is connected, like a mainstream political concept that is connected in a mainstream way. I think the people who are truth-saying are crazy on the margins and essentially kind of mocked by corporate culture and news and therefore society at large . . . So I think truth is on the margins and it’s been like that as far as I can tell since 1971, maybe ‘69.
Q: Do you think it’s important for music to be used in a political way?
I think that it is important if you are to kind of create some kind of a movement towards any kind of philosophical, spiritual awakening in terms of human culture taking a forward progress-type step. It’s something like Buddhism or someone like Martin Luther King or Gandhi, I think inspiring is a key element to that. I think great books and works of art have inspired changes. I would say art tends to have more of a “further down the road” generational change. Politics is maybe more direct, or you know, action. People like Gandhi and MLK, it’s more kind of direct progress and art is more, kind of inspires the minds of tomorrow or generations that will make the change happen, more so than a song changes everything.
Also, it’s a fine line because there’s different kinds of art. Sometimes people seek art, it’s like watching a documentary or a rom com. Sometimes people want to be inspired and educated, and sometimes people want to just have fun. So I think all of mainstream music is basically designed that way and so being serious doesn’t really connect and you got to be careful not to bum people out who are maybe there to learn but want to also have a good time. So it’s a delicate dance and, short story long, I would say it doesn’t have to be. I think sometimes even a light song, if it’s well done and powerful, can have a politically-inspiring emotional power. So I just think quality is maybe the most inspiring thing because it could be an album like Thriller or Star Wars. I feel like when something is really good and popular, that tends to inspire people that things that are true and good can be widespread through society.
(Casablancas paused)
So there’s another library for you. Am I failing this?
No, I don’t think so!
(Pretends to be a reporter) “So, we were looking for a one word answer . . .” (everybody in the room laughs).
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4BsleBAv47/
Q: What would you say that your political work looks like now with your music? You wrote the forward [for Giroux’s book]? Would you even describe your work in that way?
To be honest, it’s probably more similar to when I was working on music before I even put anything out. I’ve spent so many years reading and learning and it’s a little more . . . I’m gonna say a lot more intense than the music world because I think whatever you say people are going to come at you from all [angles], especially in this day and age. I think in the long run, it’s a good thing, but you’re expected to kind of understand every situation from all angles so perfectly that you gotta be careful with everything.
So I think I’m more in the process of getting my thoughts together and organizing ideas and stuff; and sure, I put it in songs and I put out a little, like the forward . . . I’m meeting people, talking to people, I’m kind of like “the battle is yet to happen” and I think that you need a very clear, sexy, simple ideology and philosophy, an exciting, inspiring thing if you’re going to unite all people to create separation of wealth and state.
Q: How did you meet Professor Henry Giroux? You guys did a sit down interview in 2016 for Rolling Stone magazine, how did that come about? And then how did you get involved with The Terror of the Unforeseen?
That’s kind of how we met. I’d seen him on Bill Moyers, was a fan of his mind and he’s one of the few truth-sayers around. I think he’s one of the people that I kind of would meet, talk to, and we did the interview and then he was writing a book, asked me to do the forward, told him that I’d come up to Toronto whenever the book came out. So yeah, we’re buds.
Q: How would you describe what The Terror of the Unforeseen is about?
He focuses a lot on fascism and neoliberalism and I think he’s got a really good knack for describing how things are malfunctioning and I think that’s a very important thing. It kind of reminds me of, like Malcolm X too, he’s good at holding the mirror up [and] saying the truth plainly. And I think that he does that really well.
Then the forward, not that I [wrote] it in the forward, but I guess, yeah. The counterbalance, team, superfriends, interview tour is about, for me, always kind of keeping that goal of like a simple strategy and solutions. I think they’re both part of the equation and I think people being informed is probably the first step in anything. Weirdly, the truth is not a tactic. I think people who try to fight for justice or whatever, think that it’s enough to value truth — even though I think it is something that should be valued higher than anything almost — I think it’s not a strategy, it’s almost a handicap. So you should still use it because the ends are inherent in the means or the means are inherent in the ends so you almost have to kind of fight with one hand tied behind your back and not cheat and do things the right way. Fighting against people who are cheating is what the fight looks like, I think, but my point is you need to be informed first and foremost. I think Henry’s one of the ideal. He’s a professor and one of the ideal people to teach the children to sing.
Q: Would you think that applies to the current political climate in the United States right now going into the next election?
I mean, it’s the world. The iPhone world, all the news. It’s interesting. Whether it’s Spotify and Netflix, the news on your phone, as soon as it asks you for your preferences, you’re screwed. It’s already funneling stuff towards you and limiting what you hear and even the options. The news options . . . it’s like this magic trick. It’s like pick a card, but really you only have — you know, it’s like in Canada, for example, you have these two options [Conservatives or Liberals]. You only have corporate options, you don’t have a non-corporate option. There should only be non-corporate options. Maybe there could be one in a future utopia or something, but right now, that’s the only option [Canadians] have.
Like, I remember when I had to select the news on my phone, I couldn’t . . . the websites I go to, you couldn’t even select that. You could only select the CNN type. I mean, even though more liberal ones, they’re still owned by these big companies and they’re all controlling the argument and it’s dark. If you really go deep and analyze it detective style, it’s extremely dark.
But my general point is it’s a worldwide issue that I think, corporations are fine and should thrive and we all want a world where companies are trying to make good products that help people’s lives be easier — unemployed people and all that, so it’s not about down with capitalism. For me, it’s about just separating capitalism and government. Basically keeping capitalism in the private sector and separating wealth and power. It’s a pretty simple concept and it’s not just money out of politics, it’s a worldwide thing. America, Europe.
In more oppressive dictatorships, the problem goes beyond [separating capitalism and government], they need separation of church and state still — they’re missing that step. So I think there’s a couple of things you need. You need separation of church and state, separation of wealth and state, all these kinds of power structures that are incentivized to manipulate and exploit people for their own benefit. They can exist, but they can’t secretly take over governments which they have done everywhere in the world.
The Terror of the Unforeseen is the 71st book by Henry Giroux and features a forward by Julian Casablancas. Casablancas’ new album with rock band The Strokes entitled, The New Abnormal, comes out April 10.
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