and it is still as great as it always was.
]]>Bartholomäus Traubeck’s magical music machine is not what I would call the most useful new media player, but it’s definitely beautiful and inventive. Reminds me (conceptually) a bit of Robert Corish’s Feedback.
Notes re: vimeo comments regarding the engineering behind say: A tree’s year rings are analysed for their strength, thickness and rate of growth. This data serves as basis for a generative process that outputs piano music. It is mapped to a scale which is again defined by the overall appearance of the wood (ranging from dark to light and from strong texture to light texture). The foundation for the music is certainly found in the defined ruleset of programming and hardware setup, but the data acquired from every tree interprets this ruleset very differently.
]]>Slightly creepy video, but the song is infectious! The video is actually an excerpt from Anna, a made for TV movie from 1967 starring Jean Claude Brialy and Anna Karina (and not really Marianne Faithfull). Serge is in it though and the whole soundtrack is tops!
]]>My favourite dog in the world sadly passed away a couple of days ago. A sad day for me and my family and friends who knew Mr. Gomez. He will be dearly missed and fondly remembered.
]]>These are “b-sides”??! via Monster Children twitter.
]]>I kind of “overdid” hip hop a bit when I was in high school and I needed a break for a while (10 years?), but I think I’m back on board now. I’ve decided to start posting up a series of some of the freshest jams from the 90s/00s….starting with Rick the Ruler!
]]>Time to rejoin the real world once again!
]]>
This one goes out to all the type nerds out there who have been longing for something new, old, and awesome. Fonts.com has posted up Volumes 1-8 of ITC’s quarterly publication U&lc (Upper & lowercase) in high-res downloadable pdf’s. All but the last few of these were art directed by Herb Lubalin and they all look amazing modern and unique even 20 years later.
]]>
I realise that I have been neglecting to put any work (well, actually, anything at all) up here for a while now. I am working on a new website at the moment, but it keeps getting bumped from my priority list due to work commitments. I should set a deadline for myself I think.
VICE Style has been up for a while now, but the developments have been ongoing. I did the design and art direction for the site working closely with Daryoush, Stephen, and Dan @ VICE to bring it all together, and have been doing ongoing creative for it as needed. We have been fine-tuning things since launch and trying to iron out the details and now we are nearly ready for round two (on which we focused on heavily on user testing and feedback). It’s been a great project and should be getting better as it gets older!
]]>
Amazing mixed-use building designed by Danish firm Bayarch going up (I think) in South Boston. Read more at Inhabitat.
]]>Relaxing with a hint of danger! Great stuff from Man About Town, Atelier Franck Durand & Kilian Martin.
via Chivo!
Taking a break from the normal nonsense I post on this blog, I thought I would interject something enlightening and inspiring….and serious. Despite being roughly a decade old now, this article rings more true today than it probably did when it was written. This is Bill Joy, co-founder and chief scientist of Sun Microsystems, on technology, robots, ethics, and the future of us humans. Never so much had I wanted to put everything I own into NASA research *just in case*. It’s quite a long piece, but give it a chance, it’s definitely worth the time.
]]>Great video for an upcoming Bruce Haack compilation album. Get your birthday party on.
]]>Ramping up to Les Savy Fav’s show at Cargo in September, here we have lead singer Tim Harrington’s comprehensive guide to things to do and see in London.
]]>A pretty hilarious video for a great song. I doubt it’s an official video, but fitting nonetheless!
]]>
Go Cassini!
]]>Guru the man, yes the one with all the JAZZ. I’ve been seriously lagging on updates to the blog lately (as you’ll see on the tardiness of this post), but I had to post a shout out to Guru, who has been on daily rotation in my headphones, car, home stereo, iTunes, you name it, since probably 1995. RIP Guru.
More by his brother Harry on the Boston Globe’s site.
Is anyone staying up on this cat fight between Primo and Solaar? Leave a comment if you know the latest.
Some interesting thoughts and discussions about the future of publishing (particularly newspaper publishing). Definitely worth a listen to anyone who designs for print, web, devices, or anything really. Monocle Weekly is a, well, weekly audio show hosted on Monocle.com that features editor in chief Tyler Brûlé, editors Andrew Tuck and Rob Bound, alongside a dynamic panel of industry folks and academics. Topics change weekly. You can subscribe to this show via iTunes or download an mp3 of this show as well. Organized folks, those Monocoleans!
]]>As a result of being in the right place at the wrong time (namely, St. Pancras Eurostar arrivals), I had the lovely pleasure of seeing one of my favorite musicians arrive in London yesterday. And although I’m sure he saw the “holy shit it’s Jarvis!” look on my face, he didn’t stop and ask me to go get a tea, nor did I ask him to sign my tits. Casual star sightings at their best.
So in honor of that, I figured I would post some Jarvis. I think this is my favorite song off his new album (does anyone else think this must be a male response to “Don’t Let Him Waste Your Time?” I do. And here is another famous karaoke number for the weekend.
]]>Kirk Hammett waaaaailing - 02:50!
I met him once actually. He came into the office at Nixon one day after surfing in Encinitas. I was introduced, shook his hand and didn’t even realize it was him until he was walking away from my desk. I was like “no wait….Kirrrrrk…you ruuuuule!” (in my head). I never saw Kirk again.
A.P.C. just launched their summer collection. Hot, hot, hot, i must say. Shame the weather in London is making it difficult to not wear (or at least carry) 5 extra layers. Come on Spring!
]]>
One of my favorite labels just unveiled their online shop. Right now they are only really selling polo shirts, but it appears that the store is a work in progress and the stock is to be updated. It’s a bit of an unorthodox shopping experience (not that I would know, I cant afford a thing), but it suits the company well and it’s nice to see something inventive says I!
Check it out for yourself—http://www.bandofoutsiders.com/.
Very happy to hear that one of my favorite magazines (that I could never afford at import prices), Monster Children finally made it to the US this month! Hopefully they brought along all the issues I have missed…..so I can buy them and take them back to London with me? Whatever. Congrats to Monster Children!
]]>Free and easy, Friday style.
Via Pierre.
Almost forgot what a great scene this was. Bill Murray at his finest!
]]>Pretty hilarious if you ask me!
via Club Mumble.
I’m probably a little late on this one, but hey, the DVD was pricey, I had to wait for xmas! Well worth the price in hindsight though, the videos are amaaaazing.
]]>
Trailer / microsite for a new Spike Jonze short. Hard to tell what the film is going to be about from the trailer, but the characters look pretty sweet.
]]>
One of my posters made the cut—thanks Gary!
]]>
Each January (for the past 5 or so), I spend some time compiling a list I felt were the best records released that year. This year, I am finding it really difficult. I don’t know if just that I’m getting old and cant connect with new music anymore, or that 2009 just plain sucked for music….Im tempted to believe the latter, if only because I would rather not admit to the former. I’m going to look through some other top lists and see if perhaps there are some albums I may have forgotten about that should have been on my list, but as of right now, the only album I can think of would be Port O’Brien’s Threadbare.
In the meantime, head over to Club Mumble and check out another kind of list - the decade’s worst songs. Although this list is pretty subjective (and probably could be a box set), I’d say that the compiler did a pretty awesome job. And you can even download it (I did).
]]>
Well, as much as I try to escape it, my 30th birthday is nipping at my heels; I figured I had better just give in and get my birthday wishlist published asap. This board by Michael Leon / Solitary Arts for FTC will surely top it. Nothing but a shape like that could make me feel young again. Solitary Arts is keeping my dreams alive.
]]>I really can’t get enough of Jim Henson. Has anyone heard of any good documentaries made on him?
(thanks Richie for the heads up on this one)
Sad news to start the new year with (and Im a bit late with this one), but I recently found out that Ernest Csuka, builder of many, many a fine bicycle, died at 81. Mr. Csuka was in charge of Alex Singer, a bespoke bicycle brand based in Levellois, North West Paris. With him passed a legacy, as he was the last of the great French constructeurs (that I know of at least). It is believed that his son will continue to keep the shop and production of Alex Singer Cycles going (which I believe he has been for a while already). I hope so, it’s my dream to own one of these bikes one day.
]]>
I don’t know if this mix will ever get stale for me. Three years+ later and this one is still doesn’t get the FF. This mix (by LA based edIT) was made to celebrate Chicago based Hefty Records’ 10th anniversary. If you are an edIT, Glitch Mob, Hefty Records, Kanye, Mike Jones, Rich Boy, etc, etc fan, have a listen!
Some Hefty Records trivia: The label is owned and run by John Hughes III, son of the late writer/director John Hughes (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, and loads more).
]]>
Just came across this great looking set of Albert Camus books designed by book cover designer Helen Yentus. Upon hunting down the designer, I also came across a sweet new (to me) website called the Book Cover Archive that appears to be, get this, archiving book cover design. Looks really promising!
]]>
I reckon this is what would happen if motion graphics materialized.
]]>I was sitting around today, thinking about some variations of visual artists that I have found inspiring throughout the years and ended up coming across (yet another) amazing Muppets parody video. I’m not sure if it’s because I grew up with the Muppets as a kid, but for some reason, videos like these always put me in a great mood. Jim Henson was such an amazing and inspiring talent. Who’d have thunk that little felt puppets, crazy animatronics, and some of Bowie’s weakest songs would still inspire years after Henson had passed? And although it is a damn shame he isn’t still here in person to inspire us all, I’m glad that his torch is being carried on.
]]>
This looks like it’s going to be amazing! I hope it’s going to make it to a subtitled cinema near me.
]]>Looks like we might be a Charlotte / Beck album on the horizon from the looks and sounds of this (very strange, but fun) video. I think the release date is slated for January, but hopefully they pump it out sooner!
]]>I’m excited to see this one!
]]>I wanted to take a moment of silence for Sin. I feel privileged to have met and worked with him. He was an inspiring, talented, creative, and hilarious person and he will definitely be missed. Lot’s of touching comments at Boardistan on this.
]]>
Contributors, a charity art project, is currently running some pretty hot auctions at the moment. If you have any spare dinero, go have a look! The holidays are coming up…these boards are on my list if you need any hints. All the proceeds are going towards buying skateboards for kids who cant afford them (Im putting my name in the hat for that one).
Instructions to bid:
]]>Blood Orange is (I think) a new side project by Dev Hynes of Lightspeed Champion. Feel the drama when the ditch fight comes in…insane! Great track too, can’t wait to hear the full album.
]]>Stefan Sagmeister delivers another great and insightful talk at Ted. Always inspiring and entertaining to boot.
]]>Here’s a little video about how Champ likes his rubs. Champ, for those of you who don’t know, is the best cat in the United States.
]]>
I’m not too sure how these function as bags, but maybe that’s the whole point seeing as the collection is called You Can’t Judge a Book by It’s Cover . There’s no denying that certainly look really, really great. Lots more photos at the Purple and Colette blogs. (photo lifted from the Purple blog).
]]>Lio goes with the sure-fire strobe light / dry ice / no pants combo. Always a guaranteed winner.
]]>
Spent the weekend fixing up the wheels on my new ride (only to find out they need to be completely replaced :/). Anyhow…she is coming together!
]]>Spotted and shot by my girlfriend Monica during a trip back to San Diego from Nevada. Is it safe to say this is probably as EXTREME as it gets?
]]>Tim Exile and Native Instruments teamed up to make the coolest looking virtual instrument / effects bundle that I’ve seen in some days! I think “I want that…” comes to mind. Now if I could only learn to use my sequencer…..
More here.
Almost snuck right be me undetected, The London Design Festival is currently underway here in London from now until the 27th of September. All kinds of fun things to do and see can be found here.
]]>
This just in! Pavement announced a 2010 reunion tour and presale tix go on sale tomorrow on Ticketmaster (barf). Definitely not to be missed! More info inside. Thanks to Moose for the heads up!
]]><3 Jonathan Richman!
]]>She looks a little bit like you….and a lot like Dog the Bounty Hunter.
]]>
Surface to Air just posted their Autumn / Winter collection - looking great! Shame (or maybe fortunately for my wallet) the collection wasn’t available in store a couple weeks ago when I was there.
]]>
“How cute and cuddly are those stuffed…….OH MY GOD!”
Shot @ a Walmart in Bennington, VT. Best site ever!
A few days ago, I jokingly posted a Patrick Swayze music video, today I’m feeling a little bad about that. Patrick Swayze RIP.
]]>I was super excited to be a part of the Igloo Store 7th year anniversary celebration / bazaar that took place a couple weeks back. After scurrying around in an attempt to complete a project for the event, I’m happy to say (with mucho help) I was able to make it happen, and even better, had an idea for a fun poster series to run alongside it.
]]>
Just took a special trip down to Carnaby Street to check out the new Gap pop up shop featuring an exhibition by fashion photographer / blogger / illustrator extraordinaire, Garance Doré. The shop is only going to be open for another 19 days, so if you are out and about in Soho, it’s definitely worth the trip! Really great photos and amazing illustrations.
]]>It’s getting colder and colder here by the day, pretty soon winter will be here and jacket WILL be required, Phil. I figured I would take the opportunity to get a last skate session in before the time changes and skateboarding is relegated to the weekends. I took my camera along the way on what Im going to (pessimistically, perhaps) say is the last day of summer in England. Enjoy!
]]>
New Lucero album on the horizon (being released October 6th)! Lots of touring going on if you fancy catching a show as well (dates on their myspace).
]]>Dates like this only happen 12 times a century; hope it was a good one for you! See you on 10.10.10.
]]>“She’s outta my leeeeeaague.” Brilliant.
]]>
Looks like A.P.C. took a little ride in the dolorean and have been able to bless us with their Autumn 2010 collection as a result. The future looks good to me!
]]>
Beck’s first Record Club project seems to be complete. The project sees Beck and friends covering and recording an entire cover album in one day. The first is a cover of the Velvet Underground and Nico’s S/T album. According to Beck’s new site/blog, “the next Record Club featuring Devendra Banhart, MGMT, Wolfmother and Little Joy will kick off next week.”
]]>Time it keeps going by so fast. In less than a month, this playground is where I will spend most of my days.
]]>
Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair, the Swedish company that currently holds my “favorite pair of jeans” title, just launched an online store. Probably a bit out of budget for me at the moment, but maybe not for you!
]]>Definitely made me want to go skate!
]]>
Talk about finding the gap in the market.
]]>
Not to be confused with…Catladies.
]]>