#71
4/14/2023

LOCKSTEP

Yoooooooo,

The weather is so good. So all I have been doing is hanging out on patios, absorbing the sun, and skateboarding. Its been nice. I have not been shooting.

So its a perfect time to tell you about my friends and their band, Decliner.

Everyone thinks they rock.

Their sound is a mix of punk, electronic, and country and is created by my long-time friends Steve Stravopoulos who creates the percussion and synth sounds, Tim Barrett on guitar, and Rob Luzynski who growls and sings.

Over the years we have made
a few music videos together.

The first one, “Burn”, was filmed on the dunes. Rob and I ran out of gas on the way there cus we were talking so much.

I covered rob in flour and he had to
shave his head and go blonde to get it all out.

Later that year, we went to the Michigan State Fair and played sing-along with Michigan’s finest for “Honky Tonk Boy”

The opening shot features a woman pouring popcorn all over herself. We did not ask her to do this, I nearly missed the shot. I love when people candidly perform for the camera.

Their live shows are a ball. Steve’s pounding drums pulse and shift as Tim’s finely toned guitar (he carries around a 22 pedal board) creates a musical menagerie for Rob to scream over.

Rob tends to take his shirt off.

Which almost everyone loves, people beg for it.

The only person who has ever had an issue is Joe Casey, the lead signer of “very serious post punk band” Protomartyr who wrote about the band for Creem Magazine. Overall, he likes the music.

Each show is a very fun meet up of lots of beautiful people I have known for a good long time.

I would show up just for the hangs, it helps that the boys have figured out a good sound.

Tim has had a glow up recently and may now be the hottest band member.

Rob, AKA “Robsponsible” holds everything together. He makes sure his fans hydrate and preaches moderate drug* use.

*I am not sure if he does any drugs himself.

OK, actually Steve is the hottest member of the band. He just bought a 1989 Dodge Dakota and it pushed him over the edge.

Tim probably could get a truck for himself, but he spends all his extra money on pedals.

Tone-god is not a cheap identity to pursue.

Rob can’t afford anything, as you can see, not even a mic stand.

The band is playing this Saturday in Lansing, at the Capital City Film Fest, in an abandoned Sears, which sounds about right.

We just put together another music video for “Lockstep” which was made out of archival footage.

I am proud of these dudes and happy to hang out and document their early days. I fully expect them to become big enough to pay for my retirement later in life, so I have pulled out my 401k and have been aggressively spending it on night life.

Who knows how long we really have anyways, mine as well have fun.

For all things Decliner, look here.

See you next week.

-Niki

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