Sir Bobby Robson RIP

More new designs

Not sure on the release dates as yet.

Lenny

Futura 2000 is probably the world's most well known Graffiti artist. Starting out in the early 1970's, he set out painting illegally around New York's subways and is a pioneer of the art form in my eyes.

I have been a fan of his art for a number of years. Although familiar of his early work including the art he contributed to The Clash in the early 80's, and touring with the band, it was probably through James Lavelle and Ben Drury in the mid 90's which got me more interested in his work.I do believe Futura has James to thank for resurrecting his career and introducing it to a whole new generation.

I also thought his involvement with clothing, first with Project Dragon, Recon and Subware with fellow artist Stash, and with his own Futura Laboratories brand, was another interesting move which also allowed people to purchase his work in the form of clothing and toys.

To be perfectly honest I haven't followed much of his work of late as I became a little bored with the constant recycling of the atom designs and the pointmen, but I do have the up most respect for the guy.

His website also showcases his love of photography, and I must say it is very pleasing on the eye. A simple site in the form of a calendar, updated daily with a new photograph for each day.
check it out here.

Bizarre

Soonish. Enough of This

Jean Ignace Isidore Gérard

Robin Hood Town

Albrecht Durer

Before you ask....

...It's not a picture of Jeremy Beadle clapping lol.
I'm really proud of this picture I took.

B-Boys

Further to the previous post, I thought it would be a good idea to write a little on The Beasties and how these guys have influenced myself since I was 12 years old.

Initially we got into them like alot of kids in the UK did back in say 1987 when it seemed a craze to pinch VW signs and wear them around your neck. My cousin bought Licensed to Ill on cassette (which I still have)and I remember recording them live on Channel 4's network 7 show (anyone remember that?)
I still have the original Video cassette and it also features Run DMC when the two toured the UK and at that time I remember the UK press hating the Beasties, and tried at one point to ban them from entering the country.

I would have to say that I was still young at this point and didn't really fully appreciate them on a full music level until they released Paul's Boutique. I clearly remember Hip Hop Connection completely slating the album and I stood by the boys as it was that album, through the samples used which introduced me to artists like Curtis Mayfield, Led Zepplin and Funkadelic to name a few.

Their next release Check Your Head is probably my favourite. I was 15 years old, in my last years at school, and the album just had so much going on. The way they switched from punk, to funk instrumentals to classic hip hop all in one album. Who else was doing this? True pioneers and one step ahead of everyone else around.

Unfortunately I was a little too young to catch them play live whiles touring Check your Head, but my wife did manage to watch them at The Newcastle Riverside. A small dark intimate club which to me resembled the likes of CBGB's where alot of underground bands used to play. Perfect venue for The Beasties to showcase their live instrument playing.

I did catch them in 1994 at the Manchester Academy when they toured Ill Communication. A great gig too might I add, and Ad-Rock indeed wore a adidas tracksuit top my mate threw up on stage for a good 20 minutes, which at the time was awesome. What was even better was my mate somehow managed to get the tracky back.
I have had the pleasure of seeing them on three other occasions including two days at The Bestival Festival at The Isle of Wight, and I think since Mixmaster Mike has joined the group their live performances have been stronger.

Although I still rate them as probably my all time favourite band, nothing they have released IMO has come close to Paul's Boutique, Check Your Head and Ill Communication. I found their last few releases to be of the same repetative sound and each album was too long in length with too many tracks.
I was also a little disappointed when they played a few new tracks on Zane Lowe's show last month, and the idea of collaborating with the likes of Nas didn't exactly excite me. Not that I have anything against Nas, but to me if feels like when DJ Shadow released The Outsider after such classics as Endtroducing and The Private Press. What a disasterous album that was.

But I still haven't given up on these 40 yr olds. I still believe they have that creativity embedded inside them to create and unleash another masterful album. Whether it will be their next release, who knows?

I would like to wish Adam Yauch a speedy recovery in the coming weeks and then they can continue to do what they have done for the last 24 odd years or more.

Get well soon Adam

Giambattista della Porta

Answer

One of my favourite brands. Answer is based in the UK and run by Will Bankhead and Emmet Keane.
Their designs are fresh and original and I'm waiting for the long awaited next releases. Come on guys.

In the past they have worked with established designers such as Ben Drury, Fergadelic, Chris Love, Ed Gill, worked with Bape and have released designs using the artwork of artists such as Gustave Dore, Jon Naar and The Andy Warhol estate and The Vaughn Bode estate to name a few.

I could go on writing about the brand and why I like them so much but click the link to check out their amazing designs and if you haven't heard of them - WHY????

Tropical TV

Luke rocking our Maintain to Defend patch striped tee.

Alberto Martini

Take it from the Champs....

Another Classic film on hip hop culture, focusing on early Graffiti pioneers in New York City.
Tony Silver and Henry Chalfant's classic documentary Style Wars follows the rise and fall of subway graffiti in New York in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The documentary shows both the young writers including Seen, Dondi, Dez, Iz the Wiz, Cap, Shy 147 struggling to express themselves through their illegal art, and allows them to voice their points of view on the subject of graffiti, as well as the views of then New York City Mayor Ed Koch.

Although focusing mainly on the graf subculture, it also features the other subcultures which make up Hip Hop, and includes The Rock Steady crew featuring a very young Crazy legs and Frosty Freeze, showcasing their dance skills and voicing their opinions, as well as music provided by Grandmaster Flash, Ramellzee, The Fearless Four, The Sugarhill Gang and Trouble Funk to name a few.

Ernest Haeckel

Apparently a racist. What a shame

Saul Steinberg

BB

Winston Smith

Click

Squadron Patches

Arent Van Bolten

Antonio Basoli

In Bologna, in 1839, the decorative artist Antonio Basoli published his Alfabeto Pittorico, ossia raccolta di pensieri pittorici composti di oggetti comincianti dalle singole lettere alfabetiche (‘Pictorial Alphabet, or, a collection of pictorial thoughts composed of objects beginning with the individual letters of the alphabet’).
Below are details from the lithographs representing the five vowels from this alphabet (plus one other additional image).

Gustave Dore

Streetwear fans, recognise the first graphic?

Vintage Powell Peralta Stickers

Paternity leave over

First day back at work and I'm already missing my morning fix.

Surrenderous

I just received two pieces from James Lavelle's / Earn Chens Surrender label. There's a big sale on over at their online store and apparently it looks like they will be cooling off from future seasonal releases.

This is a great shame as I have been a fan of the brand for some time. Although I have questioned some of their past designs, you can't fault their attention to detail and all garments are well executed.

I received the Ten Hurts tee which is designed by Ben Drury, and you gotta admire Ben's designs. He consistently releases strong graphics. Each Surrender tee features screenprint on the inner neckline, flag embroidery and side tag.

The Skull Crew sweater is also a nice piece. Vintage varsity styled crewneck, pigment dyed and processed. It also features a Flocked Surrender Skull on the front and reverse and Printed elbow patches.

My only concern with the brand is the inconsistency in sizing and it's a kind of gamble when ordering online. However Jagger at Surrender is very helpful with questions and queries.

Hopefully they will decide to keep releasing new stuff in the near future, as a lot of brands out there could take a leaf out of Surrender's book.

The Comb Over

Like The Beasties introduced The Mullet on their track "Mullet Head" - "Cut the sides but dont touch the back". I want to know why the older generation feel the need to attempt to cover their bald spots with the comb over style??

As if by growning what's left on your bonce and arranging it in such a ridiculous way, no one is gonna think you are going bald?
Come one guys, lets grow old gracefully. Part of me thinks that these old guys were doing it to just take the piss as I'm tempted to grow one myself once I lose this mop, just to see what comments I get from the younger generation.

She's your queen to be....

Coming to America - 1988

I haven't had much free time since the birth of my son, but I did manage to watch the classic Coming to America last night.
Not only is it one of my favourite Eddie Murphy movies, but it made me think - "What happened to Eddie Murphy? Why did he become so unfunny!!"

The film is about an African Prince, Akeem Joffer (Murphy) who travels to the US to try to find his bride after his parents attempt to set him up for a custom arranged marriage.

The film focuses on Akeem as he falls in love with an american girl and attempts to win her hand in marriage whiles adapting to the western way of life. His aim is to get her to fall in love with him as a person without her knowing that he is actually a prince and heir to the throne in his home country of Zamunda.

I think this is the last great film Murphy starred in, he plays multiple characters along with Arsenio Hall and both manage to pull each one off so convincingly. Checkout the barber shop scenes. Totally funny, and Murphy actually plays the old white guy in the shop.
The film has a strong cast including James Earl Jones, John Amos and a young Samuel L. Jackson.

The 80's was the decade for Eddie Murphy. I thought Delerious and RAW were superb. And some of my favourite movies of all time starred him. To name a few classics - Trading Places, 48 hours and Beverly Hills Cop.

Then as he got older he released some really bad movies and I can't recall a decent film that he has made in the last 20 years. He didn't light up the screen as he did in his younger days, his distinctive laugh disappeared, as did ours.

How to fold a tee

Japanese Style

Friday