Archival Thursdays: The Damned - Phantasmagoria (1985)

Just in time for Halloween I bring you 'Phantasmagoria'. It's the sixth studio album from goth-punk legends The Damned. Released in 1985, it reached #11 in the charts and was the bands highest charting album ever. Dark chords, eerie tones and driving lyrics are the best way to describe the sound of this divine record. By now I'm sure you've heard their classic "Shadow of love". If you haven't by all means do so now! Another great, creative song off this release is the opening track "Street of dreams" which has that dark, grimey punk sound only The Damned can produce.

I picked this up not too long ago actually at Yesterday & Today records here in Miami.

It's Your Ride

Check out this solid short film by Daniel Leeb of Cinecyle Productions out of Brooklyn. It's basically a promo spot for Hutchinson tires as it was commissioned by them and it features some beautiful riding shots in the city and also has some great music as well. I love the attention to detail used in the making of this video which is what makes it so unique.

Film producer Daniel Leeb breaks it down for you;

"The film spins a visual ballad between two cyclists experiencing the city in their own unique ways. Both cyclists are city dwellers who amidst the chaos of the concrete jungle have created a private and peaceful psychological space as they traverse the streets. They are both alone and yet they are both very much aware of each others presence. The film speaks to the harmony with one's environment that can be found while riding a bicycle in a city and the synchronistic connection we can have with those we have not even met."

It's Your Ride from Cinecycle on Vimeo.

Fuck It Fridays: TesseracT - Deception (Concealing Fate Pt.2)

This Fuck It Friday belongs to UK's TesseracT. This band is one of the most promising new acts to emerge within the progressive/math metal genre. You might have not heard of them yet as they just released their first official studio EP, 'Concealing fate', but I promise you will in the near future. TesseracT delivers a strong, progressive sound not seen since the days of Tool or Meshugga, and have developed themselves into one of the most intricate metal acts abroad.

Every once and a while an energy emerges that changes the future and the shape of everything moving forward. Find out for yourself why TesseracT is that energy.

Archival Thursdays: Radiohead - OK Computer (1997)

'OK Computer' is Radiohead's masterpiece breakthrough album, as if you didn't know that already. From beginning to end, the sound this release protrudes was a new fresh direction for Thom Yorke and the boys back in '97. Filled with eerie electronics, distorted guitars and a pace that makes one feel as if they own all the time in the world, this release is overflowing with emotions. Recorded out in the middle of nowhere in a makeshift studio shed, far away from the diversions of city life, the entire project took a full year to complete. A few recordings of this album also took place in St Catherine's Court, a historic mansion in UK built in 1594. Personal favorites include "Lucky", "Subterranean homesick alien" and the ever winning "Climbing up the walls".

I scooped this up at the now defunct (of course) Virgin Megastore in Union Square back in 2004.

Daydreaming with James Lavelle

I know this is a bit dated, but I was just emailed this today. This past August, London's Haunch Of Venison gallery hosted recording artist UNKLE aka James Lavelle's exhibition titled "Daydreaming with James Lavelle" which ran through the last days of summer. Legendary Mo'Wax artists Futura, Robert del Naja, Ben Drury, Simon Birch and a handful of others joined forces to inspire the desire to marry music and visual art. The brief exhibition showcase featuring both new and retrospective work ran from August 27th through August 30th. Check out some great photos of the exhibit below, read more here.










Photos courtesy of Hypebeast

Supreme x Cost

Legendary NYC vandal "Cost" has collaborated with Supreme to bring forth a series of tee's for their latest drop. Cost, along with his partner "Revs", started a guerilla-style bombing campaign that lasted over 7 years with the intention to "tear the city to pieces and rebuild it". They wheat pasted huge signs like 'Cost Fucked Madonna' and 'Who Killed Revs?' in all the five boroughs, nothing was safe. When asked by a NY Times reporter what it all meant, Cost said "If you could give us the meaning of life, I’d give you the meaning of us."

Being that Supreme is all things NY, it was only a matter of time that they started collaborating with the movers and shakers of NY's graff world, like their last graff project with "JA". The tee's are real nice, I prefer the first one with the handstyles but what about the 212-760-4740 tee on the very bottom, which was a huge campaign Cost did. He wheat pasted that phone number all across Manhattan and actually set up a hotline with an answering machine and claimed to get over 80 calls per day! When people would call, the recorded voice of a woman would come out and say: "My intuition tells me that you're asking yourselves who are Revs and Cost and what are they doing? What is it? What does it mean? What does it mean? What does it mean?"

Grab your tee's here before they're gone.

Archival Thursdays: Mr Velcro Fastener - Lucky Bastards Living Up North (1999)

Electro wizards Mr Velcro Fastener were on another level when they released their debut full length 'Lucky Bastards Living Up North' back in 1999. Even now, over 10 years later, the sound they created during that era is unparalleled. Filled with crisp beats and deep bass, this album should be the benchmark of all electro music. If you listen to tracks "Real Robots" or "Coywm" you'll surely understand what I'm talking about. You should also check out the remix they made of Iron Maiden's "The trooper"!

I traded a friend of mine a Richard Devine record for this baby back in 2001. What a fool!

The Half Century

This Sunday a few of us did a half century (50 miles) ride through Miami Beach, Key Biscayne, Coconut Grove, South Miami and Pinecrest. It's Thursday and I'm still feeling it.

Peep the route we took here.

Fuck It Fridays: Dozer - Rising

For this Fuck It Friday we have Swedish rockers Dozer coming correct with their banger "Rising". Their music sounds complex, yet with a simple approach. When it comes to stoner/doom metal these guys are the perfect recipe with their rolling drums, heavy guitars and an always prominent progression. The sound they create is raw, original and full of fury, check it out yourself! It's too bad they've been on a brief hiatus as of late, but isn't that the case with any good band?!

Public Service Announcement

I wouldn't have it any other way!

Archival Thursdays: Shaft - Soundtrack (1971)

Since my post before last was about Blaxploitation films, I figured I'd dig up the Shaft soundtrack from the archives for this Archival Thursday. The entire soundtrack was produced by Isaac Hayes from beginning to end with most tracks being instrumental, Shaft is Hayes' best known work and has been sampled countless times by several hip-hop producers. It also became the first double album of original studio material released by an R&B artist. Starting with "The theme from Shaft", this compilation just keeps getting better as it moves along. My personal favorite is the never-ending 19 minute gem "Do your thing" which is pure smoking material.

I managed to scoop this one up about 8 years ago at a thrift shop on 11th street & Washington Avenue in South Beach. I remember that thrift shop was a hidden treasure, with walls of vinyl in the back, back room, all on sale for 50 cents each, no matter what record. I doubt it's still there.

Chas for Mash SF

Here is some short but sweet footage of Chas from Mash tearing up San Francisco's streets on his Cinelli. It's a promo shoot for Vittoria tires, which I love using and always recommend to anyone that ever asks me about cycling tires. Check it out below.

Chas from MASH TRANSIT PRODUCTIONS on Vimeo.

Blaxploitation

Lately I’ve been watching a lot of classic Blaxploitation films. You know, movies like Super-Fly, Shaft, Foxy Brown, you get the idea. Most are about pimping, dealing, running numbers, ripping off others, all the good things that make a movie, right!?
What I love about these films is not only the fact that most of them take place in a 1970’s NYC, but the jive-talking, gun-toting, leather-wearing, cocaine-addicted pimps which always keep things interesting, not to mention the outrageous outfits, cars, women, etc. All of these films carry this inner-city, nitty-gritty kind of vibe that can be cheesy at times, but the one thing Blaxploitation films are most known for are the great soundtracks. Most of them being produced by major recording artists such as Isaac Hayes, Curtis Mayfield, Bobby Womack, Marvin Gaye and many other soul greats from that time. How can you go wrong with pimps smacking up bitches, chasing stick-up kids throughout the streets of NYC in Cadillac Eldorado’s then climbing fire escapes in 1,000 dollar suits whilst not getting one bit dirty? Classic!

So below I present you my 10 favorite films of the Blaxploitation genre starting with my personal favorite, ‘Across 100th Street’.

Eat Here Not There

'Eat Here Not There' is DQM's first skate video. The Bowery skate shop made a promo video introducing their new skate team and since DQM store owner Dave used to skate for Zoo York, it has the same feel as some of their videos with quality footage of NYC's most well known skate spots and skaters. Filmed during last spring/summer, they managed to produce a real nice end result. DQM sums it all up for you below;

"Street beers, street meat, street sweepers, slappys, wallies, skitch parties, happy hour, dollar slices, iced coffee, shinners, hippers, swellbow, late nights, early mornings, speed wobbles, razor tail, flat spots, bum piss, gawkers, jailbait, lady boys, rent-a-cops, citizens on patrol, good times, bad times, hang overs, high fives, strikes, gutters, Ben Bartle, Pat Cook, Brian Delatorre, Curtis Rapp, Carter Donnel, Dan Forkin, Rob Harris, New York City."

Eat Here Not There from DQM on Vimeo.