I love LOVE.

The best thing Ive ever bought for $17.99 was probably Caldo Verde soup and Portuguese style Mushroom and truffle Croquettes at my favorite new restaurant, Macao Trading Company, but for $17.99 you can also get the first issue of LOVE, the new Conde Nast title that is the brainchild of Katie Grand, who is the genius/girl wonder of POP magazine... easily one of the most influential magazines during my School of Visual Arts tenure. (Back then buying an issue of POP was like a week's worth of ramen noodles.)

Praise the Lord for depicting Portland's own Beth Ditto of theGossip on the cover. You better work ( cover girl ), work it girl ( give a twirl ).
GIRLFRIEND sounds like a Black Janis Joplin. She evokes a sense of power that looks you in the eye and says "FUCK YOU!"

Affinity for Beth Ditto aside...LOVE profiles an assembly of icons, Marc Jacobs in drag, the legendary PAM (freaking) HOGG! And Courtney Love...need I say more? and the up and up, Gang Gang Dance.
And classsics such as Angelica Houston...<---MAMMA looks daaamn good. Michigan's best, IGGY POP! <---a god. This has got to be the best compilation of portraits and interviews I've ever seen in a good while. Question is, will they pull this amazingness off in the next issue?

***Big Ups to Alex Chow, job well done!***


Standing in the Way of Control - The Gossip
Turnstyle Tip: listen to the Gossip while exercising its like getting beat up. (For the last 3 years the song, Standing In The Way of Control has gotten me through dreadful cardio workouts)