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Author Spotlight: Ryan Lee Wong, ‘Which Side Are You On’

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Reed, the 21-year-old narrator of Ryan Lee Wong’s debut novel Which Side Are You On, has it all figured out. After coming home from college at Columbia, he’s all too ready to teach his parents about how dining at one of their favorite Korean restaurants that employ Latino busboys unknowingly upholds “white supremacist patriarchy.” He learns about the world’s injustices not through his studies at Columbia, but from Twitter, which he cites as an unbiased news source and activist hub. As a recent college graduate who, similarly, must explain ideas and concepts that Generation Z know as fact but bamboozle anyone over 40, I related to this character and the blind confidence about the world that isn’t quite based in reality.

Following the real-life murder of Black man Akai Gurley by Chinese police officer Peter Liang and the political and cultural divides that come from it, Reed remembers his mother’s involvement in activism work and the Black-Asian coalition she was a part of during the era of Rodney King and Latasha Harlins. Reed meets with his mother, activists from her past, and starts to open up to the idea that there are other ways to organize, be politically involved, and function in today’s society.

Our Culture sat down with Wong to discuss his novel, the history that shaped it, and how generations approach activism and politics. 

Congratulations on your debut novel! How does it feel to have it out in the world?

Good, good! It’s been a few months now, so it feels more normal and less like a whirlwind.

The heart of this novel is on the character’s arc, which was so clearly brought to fruition by the end. Was this the first element of the story you came up with?

The first thing that came up was the subject. I knew I wanted to write about these two historical moments: L.A. in 1992 and New York in 2015 and 2016. The character’s transformation had to follow from the historical record — I had to figure it out as I went along, and that was probably the hardest and most rewarding part of writing it. I knew the history was interesting, I had a personal connection to it, but actually figuring out what I wanted to say in a literary way was the great challenge of it all.

So we meet Reed at 21, on break from college, thinking he’s got the world figured out from his studies at Columbia and activism on Twitter. I definitely relate to this character, teaching my parents all the new radical ideas I learned at college and assuming they knew nothing. Was this character based on maybe a previous iteration of yourself?

Yeah, I would say partially a younger version of myself. And also the communities I was around at the time. I had a lot of experience with some of the activist communities in New York, and I met all these really brilliant young people whose analyses I really admired. But then also felt sometimes that they might hold the analysis above the human connection we were having. I think that’s something that happens to almost everyone in their politicization, so that moment was really interesting to me. That moment, of just being radicalized, seeing things for the first time, thinking you have all the answers for the first time and wanting to tell people.

This novel is based on the real life events of Akai Gurley, a 28-year-old Black man who was shot and killed by Chinese police officer Peter Liang. Reed is a Korean man, busy advocating for justice for Gurley, and wants to learn more about how best to proceed from his mother, a member of the Asian-Black coalition. This story is so rife with unfortunate history, from the events happening in present day, the Gurley case, and ones his parents are more familiar with like Rodney King and Latasha Harlins. This is clearly an important story to tell, and I’m interested in how you went about constructing this narrative that entwines multiple strands of history.

The history is based on real life. In real life, I was part of these protests around the Akai-Gurley case, and in real life, my mother was in these Black-Korean organizations in south L.A. in the 1980s. It was actually during that organizing work I was doing in Brooklyn that I really started to think about my mom’s history for the first time in a serious way. I actually went back and interviewed her, which was the spark of this novel. I realized it was such a rich history but not that many people knew about it, and it wasn’t part of the official stories of the L.A. uprising and Rodney King, so initially my impulse was just to get all this history down on paper and see how these events were happening in a cycle. It wasn’t that we were doing something that had never been seen or done before in Brooklyn in 2015, it felt like we were in a cycle of history.

Reed expects to know everything about how to organize and bridge the gap between two camps, one fighting for Gurley and one for Liang. I wanted to read this bit of dialogue between him and his mom, which is one of the most striking ways that their trains of thought differ. After a yoga session, Reed sarcastically says,

“Let’s address the racialized exploitation between Asians and Blacks by having them do yoga together.”

His mom says: You talk, my smartass son, but things like that are how you actually connect people. That’s lesson one for your tool kit.”

Reed says: “Go on.”

His mom says: “Organizing is person-to-person, right? And do most people like to sit around in meetings talking about blah-blah racial capitalism? Or do fun things, like sharing food, or exercising, or listening to music?”

I feel like this is maybe the first moment where Reed starts to realize there are other ways to approach this problem, and that his mom has the experience to back it up.

Yeah, in my experience, when one has that moment of ‘waking up’ to certain kinds of violence or oppression, it can feel very serious and it can make one feel like they have to be serious also to meet that crisis or issue. When in fact, everyone I know who has stayed in movement work in a sustained way has found ways to make it joyful and happy and fun. And that’s just as helpful to building as theory and the critique. 

Something I’ve been thinking about recently is that prioritization of the self isn’t necessarily selfish. Reed feels shame, whether it be from himself or his friend Tiff, for attending a salon appointment his mom organized, because he feels he should be out there learning and being an activist. Talk a little bit about this moment and what it means for Reed’s overall story.

There’s this other idea that I think a lot of people internalize is that to do nice things for oneself is a betrayal of the movement or self-indulgent or reinforcing capitalism. On some level, that is true — it is hard to care for oneself outside of capitalist forces. And yet not caring for oneself, in my view, reinforces capitalism because it treats bodies as disposable and machines. What Reed has to learn is to accept certain ways of existing within these systems without giving them more power by taking them as absolute truths or being paralyzed by not being able to act under such forces.

I liked this line from Reed, which gives sort of a truth to younger activism work: “I wanted to be a radical, but I wanted it my way. I wanted credit.” Do you think that we have a problem today with people who do activism simply because it’s visible and virtuous? Did you ever want to explore performative activism further in the novel?

That’s definitely a sub-theme in the novel, and Reed has a conversation with his dad later and says that performance and politics are really almost inseparable for our generation. I think this is true largely because our identity is so bound up in how we present to the world via social media. From a very young age, we start to craft these personae, and your politics is part of this persona. What Reed is confused about is that he actually is driven on some level by ego. Even though consciously he thinks he’s being really selfless and putting his whole life to the cause, he’s actually being driven by an individualist desire to be recognized as good.

I love that this is a coming-of-age novel set in a relatively short span; he decides to drop out of college, changes his mind, meets activists and discusses with his friend about what he’s doing. For a culture riddled with confirmation bias and radical ideas, this is honestly a hopeful look at how we examine ourselves and our families, and how we can come around and compromise. Did you set out to end it this way, or was this the logical progression of Reed’s story?

The main thing that had to happen for me to finish the novel was to have enough distance from Reed, both so I could capture his voice and what that age was like, but also distant enough so that I could have some compassion towards him. The point of the novel isn’t that he’s a jerk or idiot, the point of it is that there’s some of that in all of us. The only way to move forward is to bring compassion to oneself to that mind that wants to do everything right, to other people who maybe don’t have it right, in your worldview, because ultimately relations are more important than your idea of a revolution. There’s no change without the people around you.

Finally, what’s next for you? Do you want to continue political writing or other avenues?

It’s a little too early to say, but I have ideas for other projects, both fiction or nonfiction. I really am interested in the themes that were brought up in the book — questions of how we build community when we’re so fractured by technology and political divisions, and disagreements about truth. I’m interested in talking about my Zen Buddhist practice, which was a big shift in the course of writing this novel, which shows up in little ways. And I’m also interested in these larger questions of radical history and politics and movements, which often don’t get that much attention in literature.

Stumped On What to Wear This Holiday Season? We Have 4 Great Outfit Ideas

The holiday season is fast approaching, which means there will be plenty of fun holiday celebrations to fill up your calendar with! You’ve got your office holiday party, your best friend’s annual holiday gift swap bash, and of course your family’s annual holiday get together. On top of your already packed holiday calendar, you’ve got to find the time to pick out the perfect outfits to wear to every event that you’re invited to! If you’re stumped on what to wear this holiday season, we’re here to help with a list of great outfit ideas for every kind of event that might pop up on your calendar. Spend less time stressing about what to wear, and more time looking stunning in one of the amazing ensembles suggested below. 

What to Wear to Your Holiday Office Party

If you’re looking for an outfit to wear to your office holiday party, you want something that’s eye-catching but respectable enough to wear around your co-workers. For an outfit that does all of the above, consider wearing: 

A Satin Mini Dress 

Satin is a fantastic fabric for holiday attire thanks to its gorgeous, glossy appearance. It gives off an elegant vibe while also being incredibly comfortable to wear. A satin mini dress could be a great option for a holiday office party. For a more professional look, you could opt for a satin mini dress with a collared shirt top. Or, if you’re known around the office for your out-of-the-box fashions, you could choose a satin mini dress with a halter neck collar and peekaboo neckline. If you’re a little bit worried about your satin dress being too short for a party that your boss is attending, you can always wear a pair of opaque tights underneath for the sake of modesty. Plus, your tights will give you an added dose of warmth, which can be especially helpful if your office’s holiday party is being hosted outdoors. 

A Super Cute Jumpsuit

One way to look great and stay warm this holiday season is by wearing a jumpsuit to your office’s holiday gathering. For a jumpsuit look that will have you on your company’s best dressed list, try wearing a long-sleeved jumpsuit made with shiny, velvet fabric. Or, if you’re a fan of simpler looks, there’s nothing wrong with a flowy black jumpsuit paired with a bold, festive red lip color.

What to Wear to a Casual Holiday Hang With Friends and Family

While there are plenty of holiday parties on your calendar this year, some of the best times are spent hosting casual get-togethers with friends and family. While these events might be more low-key, it doesn’t mean that you don’t want to look good! Here are some of our favorite clothing items that will have you looking chic while chilling with loved ones. 

A Plush Cashmere Sweater

Nothing says “the holidays” quite like a cashmere sweater. They’re warm, soft, and eternally stylish. You can dress them up by pairing them with a long skirt and heels, or keep things simple by pairing them with a nice pair of jeans. If pullover sweaters aren’t really your thing, there are also cashmere cardigans that you can wear over dresses or tops for an added dose of comfort and style. 

A Cozy Set of Matching Pajamas

While this outfit idea might require a little bit of planning, there’s no better way to spread holiday cheer than by getting the family together for a festive holiday pajama night! Get a few family members together before the holidays and have everyone vote on a few different sets of pajamas in order to pick the perfect set to order for everyone. Or, if you’re feeling generous, you could track down everyone’s sizes, and surprise the whole family with a pair of PJ’s for everyone to wear. 

When searching for a good set of holiday pajamas, obviously you’ll want to get a pair that features a festive holiday design. You’ll also want to consider the weather: nights get much chillier during the winter months, so it’s a great idea to get holiday pajamas made out of a warmer material like flannel or jersey. Whatever style of pajamas you choose, you’re sure to make a fashion statement, and family holiday memories that will last a lifetime as you wear them. 

In Conclusion

When shopping for your holiday season wardrobe, it’s important to consider the occasion that you’re shopping for, and decide what styles will suit them best. For an office holiday party, consider strutting your stuff in a satin mini dress or a cute jumpsuit. Or, if you’re headed to a holiday hang with the family, you might want to try a plush cashmere sweater and jeans, or pick up a set of matching pajamas to wear alongside your loved ones. What are your favorite holiday clothing styles?

Complete Mountain Almanac Share New Song ‘February’

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Complete Mountain Almanac – the collaborative project of Norwegian-born, Sweden-based composer Rebekka Karijord and multidisciplinary artist Jessica Dessner, joined by her brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner of the National – have shared a new single. It’s called ‘February’, and it’s the second preview of the forthcoming Complete Mountain Almanac LP, following ‘May’. Give it a listen below.

“’February’ is a song that began as a reckoning with the profound physical changes wrought by breast cancer and how they threaten to dismantle every aspect of life, and yet, somehow the spirit rises, remains constant, immutable, a force, like nature,” Jessica Dessner explained in a statement.

Vocalist Rebekka Karijord added: “To me, February is like an ancient myth. A road trip dance, moving between vulnerability and resilience. It journeys through layers of odd meters, restlessness and mystery, and then lands in a musical landscape of acceptance and clarity.”

Complete Mountain Almanac’s debut album lands on January 27 via Bella Union.

Shame Release Video for New Song ‘Six-Pack’

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Shame have released ‘Six-Pack’, the second offering from their forthcoming record Food for Worms, following lead single ‘Fingers of Steel’. It arrives with an accompanying video directed by Gilbert Bannerman and animated by Cyrus Hayley. Watch and listen below.

“Six pack is essentially the opposite of a Room 101; instead it’s a room where all your wildest desires can come true and will be showered upon you,” frontman Charlie Steen said in a statement. “Be it commodities, self-obsession, foods and B-lister celebrities, it’ll all be there if you want it to. You’ve done time behind bars and now you’re making time in-front of them. It’s time to make up for anything you’ve lost or wasted, it’s time to get it all.”

“The idea was to make a parody of a middle aged bloke thinking he’s a king for going to the gym once,” Bannerman added of the visual. “I read a lot about Napoleon and thought it would be a laugh to make it about him. The style comes from trying to make my youth spent playing PS1 not entirely wasted.”

Food for Worms is out on February 24 via Dead Oceans.

Bailey Miller Announces New Album ‘love is a dying’, Releases New Single

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Bailey Miller has announced her sophomore full-length, love is a dying. The follow-up to September 2022’s Still Water will be released on February 10 via Whited Sepulchre Records, and its first single, ‘cul-de-sac’, is out today. Listen to it and find the album cover and tracklist below.

In press materials, the singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist said that the songs on the new LP “resisted being re-recorded,” adding that “once a song seemed to work its magic and help me to process an event or an emotion, I let that song be done.”

Check out our Artist Spotlight interview with Bailey Miller.

love is a dying out Cover Artwork:

love is a dying out Tracklist: 

1. glacier
2. needs
3. cul-de-sac
4. ink
5. goldfinch
6. admirer
7. unger
8. mirror
9. I am trying
10. still
11. love is a dying

Neutral Milk Hotel Announce New Career-Spanning Box Set, Unveil Previously Unreleased Song

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Neutral Milk Hotel have announced a career-spanning box set titled The Collected Works of Neutral Milk Hotel. Slated for release on February 24 via Merge, the collection will feature both of the band’s LPs, 1996’s On Avery Island and 1998’s In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, along with two 10-inch EPs, three 7″ singles, an exclusive 12-inch picture disc of Jeff Mangum’s Live at Jittery Joe’s performance, and more. Listen to a previously unreleased recording of the rarity ‘Little Birds’ below.

According to a press release, Jeff Mangum wrote ‘Little Birds’ in 1998 following a confrontation with an anti-LGBTQ street preacher in Athens, Georgia. After a small group of people gathered and shouted back at him, Mangum yelled to the point that the preacher eventually went away. A more recent version of the track, recorded live at the Prospect Park Bandshell on Neutral Milk Hotel’s 2014 reunion tour, is the one included in the new box set.

Mangum previously collected almost all of the group’s output in a limited-edition box set that was self-released in 2011. The Merge box set marks the collection’s first digital release and contains a double LP edition of On Avery Island, the ‘Holland, 1945’ b/w ‘Engine’ 7″ with new artwork, a remastered version of the 1994 Everything Is EP, and more.

The Collected Works of Neutral Milk Hotel Tracklist:

In the Aeroplane Over the Sea:

1. King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1
2. King of Carrot Flowers Pts. 2 & 3
3. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
4. Two-Headed Boy
5. Fool
6. Holland, 1945
7. Communist Daughter
8. Oh Comely
9. Ghost
10. [untitled]
11. Two-Headed Boy Pt. 2

On Avery Island:

1. Song Against Sex
2. You’ve Passed
3. Someone Is Waiting
4. A Baby for Pree
5. Marching Theme
6. Where You’ll Find Me Now
7. Avery Island/April 1st
8. Gardenhead/Leave Me Alone
9. Three Peaches
10. Naomi
11. April 8th
12. Pree-Sisters Swallowing a Donkey’s Eye

Ferris Wheel on Fire:

1. Oh Sister (1995)
2. Ferris Wheel On Fire (1993)
3. Home (1992)
4. April 8th (1992)
5. I Will Bury You in Time (1994)
6. Engine (1993)
7. A Baby for Pree/Glow Into You (1995)
8. My Dream Girl Don’t Exist (Live) [1992]

Everything Is:

1. Everything Is
2. Here We Are (For W. Cullen Hart)
3. Unborn
4. Tuesday Moon
5. Ruby Bulb
6. Snow Song
7. Aunt Eggma Blow Torch

Little Birds:

1. Little Birds (Live) [1998]
2. Little Birds (Studio Demo) [1998]

You’ve Passed / Where You’ll Find Me Now:

1. You’ve Passed (Alternate Version)
2. Where You’ll Find Me Now (Alternate Version)

Live at Jittery Joe’s:

1. Intro
2. A Baby for Pree
3. Two-Headed Boy
4. I Will Bury You in Time
5. Gardenhead / Leave Me Alone
6. Two-Headed Boy Pt. 2
7. I Love How You Love Me
8. Engine
9. Naomi
10. King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 2
11. King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 3
12. Oh Comely

Avey Tare Announces New Album ‘7s’, Shares New Songs

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Avey Tare, the solo project of Animal Collective’s Dave Portner, has announced a new album called 7s. The follow-up to 2019’s Cows on Hourglass Pond was recorded at Drop of Sun Studios in Asheville, North Carolina with Adam McDaniel. In a press release, Portner describes the LP as “a dreamy surrealist landscape,” and two songs from it, ‘The Musical’ and ‘Hey Bog’, are out today. Take a listen below, and scroll down to see the album cover, tracklist, and Avey Tare’s upcoming tour dates.

7s Cover Artwork:

7s Tracklist:

1. Invisible Darlings
2. Lips At Night
3. The Musical
4. Hey Bog
5. Sweeper’s Grin
6. Neurons
7. Cloud Stop Rest Start

Avey Tare 2023 Tour Dates:

Mar 23 Asheville, NC – The Grey Eagle
Mar 24 Savannah, GA – Lodge Of Sorrows
Mar 25 Atlanta, GA – Aisle 5
Mar 27 Durham, NC – Motorco Music Hall
Mar 28 Washington, DC – Songbyrd
Mar 29 Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church
Mar 31 Brooklyn, NY – Market Hotel
Apr 1 Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
Apr 3 Montreal, QC – Bar Le Ritz PDB
Apr 4 Toronto, ON – The Drake Underground
Apr 6 Detroit, MI – El Club
Apr 7 Chicago, IL – Sleeping Village
Apr 8 Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry
Apr 27 Big Sur, CA – Henry Miller Library
Apr 28 San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
Apr 29 Sonoma, CA – HopMonk Tavern
May 1 Portland, OR – Polaris Hall
May 2 Seattle, WA – The Crocodile
May 3 Vancouver, BC – Biltmore Cabaret
May 5 Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
May 6 Denver, CO – Lost Lake Lounge
May 8 Sante Fe, NM – Meow Wolf
May 9 Phoenix, AZ – Valley Bar
May 10 San Diego, CA – Casbah
May 13 Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room

Foo Fighters, Paramore, and the Lumineers to Headline Boston Calling 2023

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Boston Calling has announced its 2023 lineup. Taking place across Memorial Day Weekend at the Harvard Athletic Complex, the festival will be headlined by Foo Fighters, the Lumineers, and Paramore, with Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Queens of the Stone Age, the National, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Bleachers, the Flaming Lips, Niall Horan, 070 Shake, Teddy Swims, the Aces, Genesis Owusu, Mint Green, Mt. Joy, and the Linda Lindas among the many acts also scheduled to perform. Tickets go on sale on Thursday, January 12 at 10am ET. Check out the full lineup below.

Bonnaroo 2023 Lineup: Kendrick Lamar, Foo Fighters, Paramore, and More

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The Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival has announced the lineup for its 2023 edition, which will take place from June 15-18 in Manchester, Tennessee. Kendrick Lamar, Foo Fighters, Zeds Dead, Odesza, and Liquid Stranger are set to headline the festival, which will also feature appearances by Paramore, Lil Nas X, Sheryl Crow, Fleet Foxes, Pixies, black midi, Three 6 Mafia, Rina Sawayama, Alex G, My Morning Jacket, MUNA, Korn, Jenny Lewis, Tyler Childers, the Beths, Marcus Mumford, Amber Mark, Baby Keem, Diarrhea Planet, Franz Ferdinand, Sylvan Esso, 070 Shake, Men I Trust, and many more. Find ticket information here, and check out the full lineup in the festival poster below.

M83 Announces New Album ‘Fantasy’, Shares Video for New Single ‘Oceans Niagara’

Anthony Gonzalez has announced the ninth M83 album, Fantasy, which will arrive on March 17 via their own Other Suns label. To accompany the announcement, he’s shared a new single called ‘Oceans Niagara’, alongside a video created by his brother and filmmaker Yann Gonzalez. Check it out and find the album’s cover artwork and tracklist below.

“Very proud to present the first track of my new album Fantasy,” Anthony Gonzalez commented in a press release. “It’s called ‘Oceans Niagara’ and it’s the very first collaboration between my brother Yann Gonzalez and myself on a music video. I wanted to create this sense of friendship. Listening to that song, I imagine people running, driving fast, or riding spaceships together. It’s this sense of going forward, like a magic potion that you take to discover new worlds. Beyond Adventure!”

Yann Gonzalez added: “‘Oceans Niagara’ is the perfect synthesis of M83’s music: a wall of sound and emotions that goes crescendo until it climaxes, with moments of pure melodic ecstasy that personally make me feel like I’m floating, loving and crying all at once, almost like being a teenager again. This is the first time I’m directing a music video for Anthony and this was a great chance for us to share our common references and emotions from our own childhood and teenage years with hints of our favorite French-Japanese animes, horror films and kid’s strange TV shows from the ‘80s and ‘90s.”

Fantasy will follow 2019’s DSVII, the sequel to 2007’s Digital Shades Vol. 1. “I wanted this record to be very impactful live,” the M83 frontman said in a statement. “The idea was to come back with something closer to the energy of Before The Dawn Heals Us. The combination of guitars and synths is always in my music, but it’s maybe more present on this new record than on the previous ones. I wanted to be more present lyrically and vocally even if that was daunting at first. I thought if I could achieve that, this album will be more personal than those that came before.”

Fantasy Cover Artwork:

Fantasy Tracklist:

1 . Water Deep
2 . Oceans Niagara
3 . Amnesia
4. Us And The Rest
5. Earth To Sea
6. Radar, Far, Gone
7. Deceiver
8. Fantasy
9. Laura
10. Sunny Boy
11. Kool Nuit
12. Sunny Boy Part 2
13. Dismemberment Bureau