Portraits of Punk — Alex: Menswear blogger, shit-starter

Posted on January 22, 2012 by Mario Carmine Moretto

Alex Yakovleff, as he was then and as he is now.

Not all punks stay punk forever. That’s a crucial underlying thesis of this project: While we may get jobs and abandon our spikes and sneers, the simple fact of having once been punk shapes who we are. The distant sound of distorted guitars and screaming rebellion blast into our present-day lives when we least expect it, reminding us they’re still there and they still matter.

Alex Yakovleff is a former punk who blogs about menswear at A Fistful of Style. He’s a #menswear rebel, whose “maximalist” style and tooth-and-nail devotion to thriftiness nips at the heels of the often-pricey “What to Wear” culture of men’s fashion. “Take me with a grain of salt and a whiskey back,” he tells readers.

Alex and I got together over coffee to talk about what it means to be punk and how being a punk as a teenager affected his approach to style, politics and more.

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It’s coming, I swear

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Mario Carmine Moretto

Punks on Parade

I know, I know. I made a promise and have yet to deliver. By now, you likely expected at least a few installments of Portraits of Punk and I’ve so far failed to deliver.

The slog back to the real world after my awesome holiday vacation has taken more of a toll on me than anticipated. The good news is I’ve got a few interviews lined up this weekend and hope to have the first installment up by Monday.

If all goes according to plan, the first interview subject will be an interesting, albeit unexpected, one. He’s a local Portland blogger and the only maximalist I know. That’s all I’m saying.

So please bear with me while I navigate the world of self-imposed deadlines and high expectations. I’ll do my best to make sure you’re happy you did.

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Thanks for the enthusiasm

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Mario Carmine Moretto

I’ve gotten a great response from readers since announcing my Portraits of Punk interview series last night. I’ve received dozens of emails, tweets and facebook comments from people who want to be interviewed, or people nominating others to be interviewed. Yesterday was also the second-busiest day Journalator has ever seen, traffic-wise.

As a preview: I’ve got a lead on a guy who was tour manager for Anti-Flag and allegedly witnessed a near fistfight between Henry Rollins and Tim Armstrong. Another guy in Boston said he’s a 41-year-old nonprofit employee and self-described punk-rock lifer. An acquaintance of mine wants to talk about the intersection of radical queer culture and punk rock.

You guys are making it easy for me to stay pumped, which I’m sure will be important going forward. Thanks for your kind words, support and enthusiasm for this project, especially considering the first interview hasn’t even been posted yet.

Lastly, like I said yesterday, if you fit the bill and would like to be part of this series, let me know in the comments or email me at riocarmine@gmail.com.

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Portraits of Punk, or Why I’m Starting a New Interview Series

Posted on December 26, 2011 by Mario Carmine Moretto

In 2012, I’m going to publish a list of interviews with as many punks as I can. Here’s why:

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Going native in Maine nursing homes

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Mario Carmine Moretto
The below was originally scheduled to run in the Sept. 21 edition of The Forecaster. Due to space constraints, it was pushed back and pushed back until it was no longer timely. I thought I’d post it here.

Architect, 28, seeks insight by admitting himself for 9 days

Evan Carroll, co-founder of Bild Architecture in Portland, stayed at Maine Veterans' Home in Scarborough for nine days in an effort to gain insight into how the physical properties of nursing homes affect the daily lives of residents.

SCARBOROUGH — Evan Carroll slowly made his way through the halls of the Maine Veterans’ Home in Scarborough last Monday. He uses a walker, and is making the trek from the dementia unit, where he’s been staying, to the rehabilitation unit. Two nurses help carry all his belongings.

“I’m just going to the other end of the building,” he tells another resident. “I’ll come back and visit.”

Though he’s not going far, it’s still a big shift for Carroll. He said he’s gotten to know the other residents and the staff in the dementia unit. Now he’ll have to get to know new neighbors, new nurses and doctors, new support staff.

Luckily for Carroll, a 28-year-old architect, he didn’t have to adjust permanently. Carroll was participating in “Learning by Living, ” a program created by Dr. Marilyn Gugliucci of the University of New England. At the end of his nine-day stay at the veterans home, he got to go back to his real home in Portland’s East Bayside neighborhood. He doesn’t even need the walker.

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Posted in Features, Portland | 4 Comments