Fader

Sometimes people accuse the intrepid FADER staff of being insolent, corny or simply sleeping too late, but I prefer to think of our ragtag bunch of writers, editors and lunch orderers as dreamers. That's why when it was time to figure out our March Spring Style Fantastic, we put the psychics on speed dial, dusted off the dreamcatchers and spiked our apple martinis with valerian root. In a magical, Technicolor REM, the juxtaposition of legendary hip-hop mind blowers Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and up-and-coming downtown body rockers Gang Gang Dance just came to us, (along with a strange and sort of unnerving dream about chorizo, but nevermind that). Say what you will, skeptical minds, but somehow-like potato chips and ice cream, or Kanye West and the abundance of id-it makes sense. Bone Thugs will be launching thunderclouds over your nearest horizon sometime this spring with the release of Strength in Loyalty-their latest oeuvre, produced with the genius of Swizz Beatz and help from every other heavyhitter on the planet, plus Will.i.am. Gang Gang Dance's multi-rhythm, cross-pollinated rock has been fucking us up for a while now, but with new tunes in the kitty and a valid pass to Go Get It, we're watching as they figure out what to do with their potential stardom.

The visions don't just stop there, of course (do they ever stop at Krayzie Bone and Brian DeGraw?): we've also taken on some serious scene reportage with a feature on Beijing's burgeoning underground rock scene and a one-two punch profile on DC's post go-go headliners Wale and Tabby Bonney. True to form (and issue theme), we also wanted to give our lovers and sisters and brothers something fantastic in the way of wearable items for party and play: please check out the mexxxxxxxxxtended style section up front and the deep fashion kablammy in the caboose, featuring gents on the streets of Mumbai (née Bombay), basically chilling, but looking fly as all hell while doing so. We think it inspirational. Finally, lastly, superficially and thus sort of most importantly, you'll see that this issue debuts a new design and snappy layout-it's sort of like we spent the winter in training, getting tanned, learning French and figuring out which fork to use. Can a magazine be debonair? No one knows for certain, but we're sure as hell gonna try.

ALEX WAGNER