We had the good fortune of connecting with Mikey Clavel De Vera and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mikey, why did you pursue a creative career?
I question my pursuit in the arts nearly everyday; most strongly towards the 1st of every month when the rent and bills are due. To be direct and answer the question, I have no idea and have no choice. Sometimes I wonder if I’m physically incapable of pursing other options. Sometimes my 1st generation guilt weighs in and I ask myself, “Am I just lazy?”.

Maybe I’m too idealistic to confine myself to a straight-laced, square, soul-sucking capitalist cubicle, so I choose to live on the fringe of the welfare line because it gets me off and at the end of the day, I feel most fulfilled by adventuring into the unknown abyss that is financial instability. Why? I think I find it most exciting.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m currently involved in a new music project called ÖLÜM, it’s an Anatolian Rock Group performing Turkish folk and rock music of the psychedelic variety with nods to artists like Baris Manço and Erkin Koray.

I am also customizing and designing one of a kind, bespoke studded garments for clients under the brand The Lone Stud with the moniker Ralph Studman, a play on words attributed to Hunter S. Thompson’s illustrator Ralph Steadman.

My pursuits, although organically intertwined in the vein of rock n’ roll, haven’t always been easy, but I’ve learned that if you keep your door open to new ideas and experiences, new opportunities will always present themselves. This holds particularly true when investing one’s time into small creative communities.

If I wanted to let the world know anything about myself and my so called “brand”, it’s that somewhere on the Pacific shores of the American South West, there is a small artist who is undoubtedly “Californian”, a native trying hard to be the “real mccoy”, navigating through life as the quitessential starving young artist and desperately seeks your approval.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
SO much can be done in a week; California’s one of the few places you can hit the slopes, sky dive, and surf by sunset in a single day; & yes, rob a bank, and live out your Point Break fantasy.

Let’s see here, a week long trip out of Los Angeles? North to San Francisco or South of the border to Baja California. depends on the time of year and funds i suppose.

San Francisco in a week would consist of an order of San Tung’s dried fried chicken wings in the sunset district, a tiki drink at the Tonga Room at the top of Nob Hill, cross the street for an old fashioned at Top of the Mark, dinner at Shalimar Indian and Pakistani on Jones St., a walk over to Li-Po’s Lounge for a Chinese Mai Tai, down to Vesuvio’s for drinks on the second floor, and a night cap with a cheese and crackers at Spec’s. It seems like this would all take a week but believe me, it can be done in a day’s work.

The sights and sounds of the hustle and bustle of San Francisco hasn’t even been accounted for, trolly rides, the tenderloin district remains sketchy, a midnight mission style burrito at El Farolito, dives like the Make Out Room, Phonebooth, Kilowatt, drag shows at Aunt Charlie’s, mandatory trip to Eli’s in Oakland, and a slice of pizza at Arinell’s … haven’t even scratched the surface. For more i’d have to charge.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have to give recognition and immense credit to all of the artists who’ve made my path a little more visible; in music, my father who played in a 60’s Mod Beatle cover band in the Philippines, in the fight for righteousness, my mother who fled Chile’s CIA assisted military coupe, in the radical arts, most of the staff and faculty who enabled me at the San Francisco Art Institute where i received my higher education like, Fred Martin, Linda Connor, Jack Fulton, Henry Wessel, Carlos Villa, Richard Berger and Keith Boadwee.

Instagram: @mustbetheseasonofthebtich @thelonestud @olumbandofficial

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSCk-56UyOE

Other: Photo Credits Andrea Calvetti
Emily Utne

Image Credits
Photographs by Andrea Calvetti, Emily Utne, and Ian Svenonius

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.