Hasta La Gadget!

In 2009, I landed a book deal to write about what I felt was (still) the final frontier for feminists in their personal lives: how to be in a relationship and maintain your independence. I had just broken up with my boyfriend and was starting to realize that being in a couple may not have been for me. In looking for guidance, I turned foolishly to the self-help aisles of bookstores, only to find the shelves lined with harangues on how to make myself perfect for Prince Charming. How was it possible that publishers were still peddling sexist messages to women about how best to find love? So I wrote a book.

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So kids, you say you want to be an EDM star?

Try this at home … if you dare.

“It’s interesting just how much your life changes and where you think it’s going to end up,” Five Knives lead singer and part-time philosopher Anna M’Queen was saying over the phone in early May about her transformation from Southern Baptist daughter living in Hollywood — Florida, that is — to wild-and-free performer in a electro-pop group. “And if you think you can predict things, nothing surprises me anymore. I played guitar for my college and they had these convocation worship services, whatever. I played acoustic guitar for that.

“I went to Guitar Center to go get some strings for my guitar and ran into this little punk rock dude who I sort of was an acquaintance and out of nowhere he’s like, ‘Hey, Anna, do you want to come audition for our band?’ “

Describing her teenage self as “bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, blond ponytail,” M’Queen was attending Palm Beach Atlantic University at the time, on her way to earning a degree in communication with a minor in philosophy.

“It sounded fun and I needed a little adventure in my life,” she said about the offer. “You couldn’t drink, you couldn’t do anything in this college. And I was like, ‘OK, do it.’ So I did.

“I joined this punk rock band (called Good Life Cycle), I got in a car with a stranger, we drove down to Fort Lauderdale, where they practiced in a warehouse. I showed up, again, pretty much cardigan sweater, J.Crew girl and there’s porn all over the walls, guys with cigarettes out of their mouths … and I was like in heaven.”

Now M’Queen has joined some of the most exciting women on the scene such as Phantogram’s Sarah Barthel and Sleigh Bells’ Alexis Krauss. Taking electronic music beyond the beats while making Nashville’s image a tad edgier, Five Knives prepares to release its first full-length album, Savages, on June 2 (Red Bull Records).

“At first I was like, ‘I wonder if I can do this? It’s so different,’ ” M’Queen said. “But electronic music is what’s hot right now, what’s great right now. It’s majority DJs. … Kids are just basically jumping up and down in mosh pits to DJs. And it’s so weird. But I mean I get it. The music’s amazing and the vibe is amazing. But for us, when we said we wanted to bridge the gap between that feeling and a show, we want to be respected for that.”

Smart, self-assured and quite charming, M’Queen might appear to be the antithesis of an angry punk rocker. But she recognizes her past role for helping an aspiring singer who admired confident and strong showmen such as Queen’s Freddie Mercury and women (No Doubt’s Gwen Stefani, Blondie’s Deborah Harry) become who she is today.

“I wanted to do something rebellious,” M’Queen said of her initial musical makeover in Florida, adding that her dad “told me he was going to cut me off from everything if I didn’t quit the band” before accepting how committed she became. “It felt rebellious and the guys were nice. They didn’t take advantage of me or do anything and it was just like, I played the dirtiest clubs in Miami and Fort Lauderdale and I did this for several months. And that’s what gave me the spark to really want to be in a band because I found I was sort of like a natural performer. …

“I’ll always kind of had a punk rock spirit. And that’s why I still perform aggressively on stage most of the time even though our music is more on the pop side now. You’re still going to get a really raw, energetic show.”

Anyone attending the opening day (May 15) of the Hangout festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama, can witness that when Five Knives performs at 1:30 p.m. in the Boom Boom Tent. While melodious songs such as “Oblivion” and “Wild Ones” are surprising tame, some of the lyrics on Savages are X-rated (cover the kiddies’ ears when M’Queen goes off on “Take My Picture”) and most of the music is intensely fierce. But she guarantees their live performances are “going to resonate with a younger group of kids who just want to let go.”

“That’s rock ‘n’ roll,” M’Queen added with a laugh.

And that’s a long way from Montreal, where Anna Elizabeth grew up with a lengthier Lithuanian last name and became interested in the arts and music because of its “very European vibe.”

Female-fronted bands such as Veruca Salt caught her attention (Louise Post and Nina Gordon were “cool as shit,” she said), but hearing No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom at the age of 13 was like a sign from heaven … or somewhere along the way.

“I just basically put it out to the universe and said, ‘I’m gonna do that one day,’ ” offered M’Queen, who legally changed her name last year after previously being married, but still wanted to honor her family’s heritage with a cooler, shorter version of her difficult-to-pronounce/harder to spell surname. “I really do believe, not to get all New Age-y because I’m not New Age-y, but I do believe in the power of manifestation because I literally did that. And that’s exactly what I’m doing today.”

Living in Nashville for the past 10 years, M’Queen played in “a ’90s throwback punk band” called the Worsties under the name Anna “Madame Worsty” Worstell before joining Five Knives.

Five Knives (from left):  Shane Wise, Nathan Barlowe, Anna M’Queen, Zach Hall.

The latter group was formed in 2011 by guitarist/programmer Nathan Barlowe, a fan of former experimental electronic duo Crystal Castles. A founding member of Luna Halo and the Honeymoon Thrillers who’s also considered the “mastermind” by M’Queen, Barlowe writes songs and programs tracks with Zach Hall for the quartet that also includes drummer Shane Wise.

“When we all recorded together, there was such a chemistry that was unexplainable that we just decided to throw these bad boys up on the Internet and see what would happen,” she said. “And it just spread like wildfire. So we were like, ‘Well, I guess we should play a show.’ ” (laughs)

They did just that in October 2011, a secret gig that required a password to get into Barlowe’s house basement. But M’Queen considers being on the bill with Bush at 12th & Porter shortly after that as their first “real booked show,” adding, “I guess that was a little bit of a cool sign that we were gonna do something big.”

Intending to do what was “something completely off kilter and different from the Nashville scene,” M’Queen said Five Knives now feels accepted in the Music City.

“We have some good DJs,” she added. “But as far as trying to do the electronic pop thing, I think we’re still the trailblazers when it comes to that. … Every time we play a show (in Nashville), we pretty much sell it out. So people enjoy it.”

Regarding the group’s name, “There’s no extravagant story behind it but it’s really fun to play with when people ask and they want to know who the fifth Knife is,” M’Queen said with another laugh, then telling her interviewer, “Well, you can be the fifth Knife today.”

The album has been done since last summer, when they enlisted producer Mark Needham (The Killers, Imagine Dragons, Fleetwood Mac) to add some finishing touches in Los Angeles.

“We’ve been desperate for it to come out,” M’Queen said, mentioning the album’s name change from FVKNVS to the opening track was a last-minute decision. “I can’t believe it’s finally here. When they told us this run’s gonna be a marathon and not a sprint, they weren’t kidding.” (laughs)

Asked just how far they want to go, M’Queen laughed again.

“Oh, I mean, are we limiting it?” she wondered. “Of course, I want to go far with this group. I want to see the world. I want to meet as many people as I can. I want this band to have as many fans as possible. I’m dreaming big here. This is not just a garage band. This is something that we have all dreamed about. We’re not stopping until we get there.”

If there’s anyone adventurous enough to tag along, plan to cut loose. M’Queen and Co. have sharpened their Five Knives.

ALABAMA GETAWAY WITH FIVE KNIVES’ ANNA M’QUEEN:
FIVE FESTIVAL-RELATED QUESTIONS

1. You’re onstage in the Boom Boom Ten at 1:30 p.m., while other acts appearing at that time include Trampled by Turtles and Halsey. What does Five Knives have that the others don’t? What will attract audiences to Five Knives?

AM: (laughs) Oh … (long pause) Well, it’ll definitely be the live show and the pop hooks and the dance-ability. I think that will attract people. Our music always does. Somebody’s never heard us before and they walk by the stage and they hear the music, they automatically want to come dance. We have a dance factor to our music. I think that’s why we’re doing so well on the dance club charts. I think that will separate us.

2. Have you previously been to Gulf Shores and, if not, what do expect?

AM: I have not. I’ve been to Seaside on the Florida panhandle. Is that close? (About 160 miles east of Gulf Shores, also on the coast.) I know that Gulf Shores is going to be beautiful. And I’ve heard great things about Hangout festival and how good of a time it’s going to be. So we’re stoked.

3. When you’re not making music, where do you like to hang out?

AM: Oh, man. It’s funny. I have such a softer side to me when it’s just like real life. I’m a little bit of a foodie. (laughs) I love wine. Yeah, so I’m always trying some new local restaurant or something like that. Or riding my bike. So I’m definitely not too much of a party girl anymore. So I think that’s a good thing. It’ll keep me looking fresh and young to do this forever. (laughs)

4. The Hangout lineup is pretty diversified and includes a number of electronic acts. Is there anyone you’re interested in seeing?

AM: On the night that we’ll be there (Friday), I notice that Foo Fighters are playing. I’d definitely love to see them. I would love to see what Macy Gray is doing now (with Galactic). I would love to catch that. I’ve always thought that Macy Gray is cool as shit. And then Paramore. Zach and Nathan are friends of all those guys in that band. I’ve never really seen her (Hayley Williams) before live, so that’ll be cool to check out.

5. Which of the following Alabama-themed songs makes you wish you lived there (and why)?
a. “Sweet Home Alabama,” Lynyrd Skynyrd
b. “Alabama Getaway,” Grateful Dead
c. “My Home’s In Alabama,” Alabama
d. “Alabama Pines,” Jason Isbell

AM: I’d probably go with Lynyrd Skynrd. I’m just more of a Lynyrd Skynrd fan than any of those other bands.

Fifth in a series that began with Kopecky on May 1 and continued with the Mowgli’s on May 7, Houndmouth on May 12 and My Morning Jacket on May 13.

Check back for more coverage of Hangout festival. Five Knives publicity photo by Kenneth Cappello.

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Summer will be here soon, and with it comes the onslaught of sun, sand, fun… and lots and lots of food.

While our diet choices in the winter may often be used to comfort or soothe, come summer, it’s weaved into events that celebrate the arrival of the sun and warmth. The dreary “I’m eating again on the couch” in winter is often replaced with “let’s eat and drink!” on the deck in the warmer months.

Though we tend to be more active in the summer months due to better weather and more hours of daylight to get in that after-work walk, our splurges may negate the extra activity.

There are five foods I see most often dominating the diets of my patients during the summer, and although these foods surely fit into “the devil that they know” category with no real surprises, it’s the overconsumption of these foods that create the devil they don’t know. Come fall, many of my patients have gained weight from having too much of a food blast.

Here is the top 5:

1. Alcohol

Excess alcohol consumption at any time of the year can easily lead to weight gain, health problems, high risk behavior, and an increase in psychological and sociological damage. In the summer, however, beer, wine and those cool summer adult beverages seem to flow a bit easier. To give you some perspective, consider this: A 5-ounce glass of red or white wine is about 100 calories, a 12-ounce beer is about 150 calories and a 1.5 ounce shot (just the shot, not the sweet somethings you’re adding to it) is about 100. This may not seem like a lot, but let’s consider now the fact that binge drinking has gone up and let’s now add in the last final piece of information that really hits home: It takes only 500 extra calories a day to gain a pound a week. When you consume a few drinks on a regular basis, it’s easy to reach that pound, and after three months, you may have gained a few. Some drinks alone have almost 500 calories or more (think Long Island iced tea, strawberry daiquiri, margaritas and that pina colada you’re sipping at the beach)! If you love things like your liver, fitting into your pants in the fall, and having energy, I’d suggest you slow things down this summer and drink less. You can still drink, and enjoy the summer events, just limit to no more than one actual serving and no more than three days a week.

2. Meat that’s not considered “real food”

If you were to envision pictures of food when I said the word “summer,” you’d probably think of some healthy options like watermelon, grilled chicken and corn on the cob, but you would most likely also envision the grill stacked with hot dogs and hamburgers. After all, it’s hard to imagine summer without them. A few years ago, I read Michael Pollan’s book “Food Rules,” and it changed the way I speak to my patients. Food was no longer just what we put in our mouths, but rather something that “comes from nature, is fed from nature and will eventually rot” — that’s Pollan’s definition. It’s genius, it’s spot on and if you follow it, it can transform how you view food too. According to Pollan’s rules, a hamburger that comes from cows that ate grain (as opposed to cows that eat grass) wouldn’t be considered food, and surely a pork product that has nitrates and nitrites added to it wouldn’t either. The point is, the summer months are chock full of Americans sharing a table with the wrong meats — and lots of them. Processed meats, like a hot dog or bacon, have been shown to increase the risk for heart failure, premature death, and cancer. If that’s not enough to scare you, how about this? The hot dog is usually anywhere from 130 – 270 calories depending on size and will most likely have about 800 mg – 1400mg of sodium and 25 grams of fat. That meat stick is then nestled in a stripped white bread bun that’s anywhere from 150 to 200 calories and void of any nutrients whatsoever. The hamburger can come in anywhere from 250 calories to 500 calories and add in even more fat, about 22 grams — 40 grams worth. Pair that with some chips (we eat tons of those during the summer too) or fries and we are no longer talking about a low-calorie food. A better bet would be going with a grilled chicken breast or a hamburger that’s 4 ounces in weight and derived from happy cows that eat what cows are supposed to: grass. Pair that with a whole grain bun and a side of fruit salad and you’ve got a healthier option.

3. Mayo-based salads

Lobster rolls anyone (almost 500 calories)? How about a cup of potato salad (400 calories) or macaroni salad? During the summer months, mayo rules! While it’s fine to have mayonnaise in moderate amounts, the foods we typically eat them in during the summer are serving as size dishes without the side dish proportion. That means they are supporting cast to a most likely unhealthy lead actor like the hamburger or hot dog I just reviewed or the slab of ribs I’ll cover soon. It’s not just calories either; it’s also the effect it has on our blood sugar and insulin. White potatoes and white macaroni are two of the highest glycemic foods around. Having a lot of high glycemic foods in your diet may increase your risk for chronic disease and make it a lot easier to gain weight.

4. Ice cream

I know what you’re thinking. Duh — this one is too easy; no one thinks that ice cream is beneficial to your health. What may be less obvious though is that it’s possible that we may eat more ice cream in the summer (more ice cream trucks, baseball games, and standalone stands available in summer months) and it’s even more possible that we are also grossly underestimating the size of a serving. A serving of ice cream is ½ cup. That’s about ½ a baseball or ½ a scoop and that weighs in around 150 calories. You’re probably thinking not so bad, but the average “small” is actually more like 1 cup, or 300 calories. So, even if you’re being “good” and assuming you’re not putting any toppings on (hot fudge, peanut butter cups, whip cream) you’re still ingesting 300 calories. (Remember how many extra calories I told you needed daily to gain a pound a week? You’re almost there.) Further, studies show that components in ice cream actually make your brain less likely to send a signal that you’ve had enough, making you more likely to take one more (or 100 more) licks. Looking for a better option? A “kiddie” cup or cone (in a cake cone) will be closer to that 1/2 cup serving.

Finally, now that frozen yogurt joints are everywhere, we’re piling up our cups in that area too. The cups at self-serve frozen yogurt establishments are not small in any way, shape, or form and the toppings are never-ending, making your calories never ending as well.

5. Ribs

I’ve left the best for last. It’s the food that we probably eat more frequently in the summer, the food that entire festivals are themed after and the food that’s completely drowning in sugar (in the food industry this “sugar” is referred to as “barbecue sauce”). Two slabs of ribs will put you close to 500 calories. And after you add in the sauce, you’re around 750 calories and 50 grams of sugar. That’s right, 50 grams of sugar. That’s the same amount of sugar in 2.5 doughnuts or two candy bars. Calories, fat, and sugar… you get the picture.

You don’t need to swear these foods off completely this summer. You just need to be mindful of how much of them you’re eating, and how often. Having a ½ cup serving of ice cream every week isn’t going to kill your diet, for example. It’s what you’re probably having as a serving coupled with the other summer foods that are literally tipping the scales. Enjoy your summer, but set it up so that you’re not living with regret when the leaves start turning.

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The Kardashians were glowing and gorgeous at the NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment Upfront in New York City Thursday.

Khloe Kardashian, Kylie Jenner and Kris Jenner arrived at the event held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center dressed to the nines. Kardashian donned a plunging silk blue gown and matching eyeliner while her sister and mother both opted for white.

The three were there to talk about “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” but offered some insight into the two-part special, “About Bruce,” due to air Sunday and Monday at 9 p.m. on E!.

“I think the reason we did the special was that so the people that have been watching our show for so many years and have been invested in our family can really see what the kids and I went through with Bruce,” Kris Jenner explained to E! News, “and that maybe it brings some comfort and hope to somebody going through the same thing.”

After the event, the ladies had some fun with their team on their private plane. They changed into their pajamas and got food from Popeyes.

that’s just how we do it

A photo posted by Kylizzle (@kyliejenner) on May 14, 2015 at 10:09pm PDT

Popeyes and PJs!!!!!!

A photo posted by Khloé (@khloekardashian) on May 14, 2015 at 4:53pm PDT

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BEIJING, May 15 (Reuters) – In a rare show of everyman charm from one of China’s most elite politicians, Premier Li Keqiang appeared in a grinning selfie with visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.

Modi, who is visiting China this week to boost economic ties and discuss a persistent border dispute, is known for being at ease with social media, including a large follower base on Twitter.

It’s selfie time! Thanks Premier Li. pic.twitter.com/DSCTszSnq3

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 15, 2015

But such spontaneous displays online are rare for leaders in China, where discussion of politicians’ personal lives is taboo and details such as their exact birthdates are considered a state secret.

The selfie, which shows the leaders at a historical site smiling shoulder to shoulder, with Li squinting slightly in the sunlight, was posted on Modi’s Chinese microblog account.

He spent the day in talks with Li during his three-day trip and is set to travel to the economic powerhouse of Shanghai on Saturday.

Modi set up an account on the microblogging site Weibo, China’s answer to Twitter, ahead of his trip, prompting a flurry of mostly skeptical messages from the Chinese public.

China’s leadership has experimented with more unscripted interactions in recent years. President Xi Jinping surprised residents near a popular Beijing shopping street when he took a stroll there last February.

He also astonished customers at a modest steamed bun shop by turning up, paying for his own food and making small talk with other patrons.

Many Weibo users reacted with delight to the two leaders’ selfie, with messages like “cute premier!”

Others wondered why China’s own leaders had no social media presence.

“Wouldn’t it be great if Premier Li had his own Weibo?” one user wrote. “Then we could respond to him directly.” (Reporting by Megha Rajagopalan and Shu Zhang; Editing by Nick Macfie)

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