Issue Eight
Apex Festival Cal Look Drag Day Australian Special Features Kustom Tiki
Air Monkeys Magazine The Air Monkeys Crew: Joe Eynon • Editor • Feature Writer • Photographer Samantha Eynon • Deputy Editor • Feature Writer • Photographer/ Illustrator Edd Thorpe • Techincal Focus Editor • Feature Writer John Hilton • Layouts Ed Kellas • Feature Writer
For those of you out there with some inside knowledge in self-publication, creative writing or design you’ll understand how much hard work goes into making a magazine such as ours. I’m not attempting to gain more admiration, that’s not why we do what we do, but trying to shine some light on the people that help us. On the left is a list of team members and contributors. As you can see we’ve got some new members recently and that the same names crop up every issue. These people are dedicated to the cause. We want to give you a magazine that gives you all that you want at none of the cost. We enjoy what we do so why should you pay! We now have regular contributors in Australia and America and have a growing fanbase throughout the world. We are so proud to be bringing you a lot of features from down-under in this issue.
Richard Thorpe • Proof Reader • Feature Writer
If you feel like you could give us something, whether it be show reports, sourcing vehicle features, writing a blog/ diary each issue or just advertising in our magazine then please get in touch. We would love to hear from you.
Nikola Woodhall • Proof Reader
This magazine is yours so why not custom make it!
Martin Cox • Photographer Scott Mitchell • Feature Writer • Photographer Contributors: Albino Jacks, Josh Ashley, Holly Booth, Danny Bullock, Reece Chapman, Laura Clowes, Jason Cooper, Tom Davies, Christopher Eccles, Kat Hawke, Sam Maycock, Darren McDonald, Ross Naumov, Chris Nichols, Rothfink, Pete Salter, Scott Savage,
all work subject to copyright laws
Joe Eynon Editor Joe and Sam have become a 2 VW couple with a watecooled edition to their fleet!
What’s inside? Regular Features Feature Vehicles Spanked! Cool Sh*t Tasty Tees Technical Focus Earworm Shop Tour Show Reports Photo Focus
Apex Festival
Sweet rides at Stanford Hall
Slammed panel van
Tattoo Freeze and Campermart
Jussi 33 tattoos
Feature | Growl and Grandeur
Our friends at Growl & Grandeur needed a hand with the photo shoot for their latest clothing range. We gladly helped and roped in Si Medlicott with his and his girlfriends, Jess De Sousa’s, awesome bus to make a day of it. Rick Nunn shares his images from the day from the Birmingham shoot.
Feature | Growl and Grandeur
Feature | Growl and Grandeur
Feature | Growl and Grandeur Thanks to models Emily Alice Johnston and Suicide Girl, Kats and Crows.
The new range of Growl and Grandeur clothing and apparel can be found at www.growlandgrandeur.com You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Keep an eye out for the awesome Snapback caps also. Out Soon!
Feature | Growl and Grandeur
Show Report | Apex Festival
O
n the 18th of May Ed Kellas and myself headed to the far corner of the UK, near enough in France, to see what the Apex Festival was all about. There was a lot of hype surrounding this years show and sometimes that can over-power a small event but every time a new attraction was announced to be taking place at the small race track near Dover the excitement just grew and grew. The show was held at the Lydden Hill Race Circuit in Kent. A prime location as it was only a few miles from the channel tunnel terminals and ferry ports making it easy for European visitors to make the trip over. The race circuit is the UK’s shortest road racing circuit at exactly one mile long. It is used throughout the year and even though it is small it is well known to be a challenging track with many undulation changes and tricky hairpin bends. It is mainly
used for European and British rally cross championship events, truck racing and drifting competitions. For this weekend though the air cooled Volkswagen scene did what it does best. Invades and takes over! The Saturday was race day with racing from championship and trophy events including the famous Beetle Challenge, Single Seater Formula Vee’s and an assortment of VAG and Retro classes. With a good size grandstand there you could uncomfortably perch on the edge of your seat whilst tyres squealed and paint scraped! The racing was organised and run by Lydden Hill itself which allowed for not only a seamless trouble free event but it was done safely and responsibly. With voluntary marshals on track and passionate organisers facilitating it was great to see British grassroots motorsport in action. If you didn’t fancy just sitting and
Show Report | Apex Festival
watching the action then you could even have a few laps on the track in your car behind the pace car. This proved very popular with a vast array of cars on track from modern VAG cars to high top splitscreen buses.
<uncomfortably perch on the edge of your seat whilst tyres squealed and paint scraped!> Some of the racing was brilliant to watch. One of the highlights of the track action was the Forge Motorsport Golf which was being used in the UK for the first and only time before being shipped to the states to compete. Another one of my favourites was the Escort Mexico. The driver of the fast Ford was obviously having a brilliant time as he was showboating at the hairpin
in his tail happy retro machine. Airmighty and Cool Flo organised a cruise over the channel from mainland Europe which included Nick’s Autohaus from Belgium with some crazy cars. The Hayburner crew were present with all their magazines there for you to help yourself to. Another major attraction was the Barndoor Camp Out organised by Mr Barndoor himself, Rikki James with help from Airmighty, Cool Flo and Hayburner. A large lineup of Barndoors greeted you when you walked through the show area. From pristine gleaming buses to an example on a trailer with more air than metal in the sills. It was still amazing to see though. With the brilliant barndoors on display you would be
forgiven for missing the general club area which had some excellent vehicles from all over the country.
<he was showboating at the hairpin in his tail happy retro machine> There was a huge amount of people who camped over and even though I didn’t go into the camping field myself when I asked others they said the facilities were great and didn’t have any issues. Inbetween the Barndoors and the accessible pit area was a small but well stocked trade area with plenty of shiny, or not so shiny, things for you to spend your money on. I certainly left a bit poorer! I managed to finally have a look at the BeamTech beams sold by
Show Report | Apex Festival
Show Report | Apex Festival
Show Report | Apex Festival the Royal County Auto Supplies. I was very impressed to say the least. Another excellent part of the show was the food area. This may have been because I was starving but with a great choice of food and with it being right next to the grandstand it certainly proved popular. I picked the Chilli Gone Barmy van and was adequately full of burrito before long! With a great number of sponsors supporting the show, including ourselves, I have a feeling this show will be getting better and better as well as bigger and bigger. This year the show managed to attract many people even though it was the same weekend as Dubs in the Park, Battlesbridge and All Types. This bodes extremely well for the future. Next year weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be hoping to go for the entire weekend and we cannot wait!
Show Report | Apex Festival
Illustration by Samantha Eynon
www.samanthaeynon.com
Feature Car | 64 Beetle
Feature Car | 64 Beetle
Photo Focus | Wide 5
Feature Car | Bay Panel Van
Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re spanning the globe this issue to bring you Ross Naumovâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s slammed early baywindow panel van and to show you his beam fabrication company, Skinned Knuckles. Words: Joe Eynon Pictures: Ross Naumov
When Ross Naumov purchased his lowlight panel van he knew exactly how he wanted it to look. Slammed, narrowed, sign-written and dirty. A week after getting the bus he was cutting rust out of it and trying to create the bus of his dreams. The bus had already been lowered and had been fitted with a set of Empi 5’s but it neaded a lot of love to get it back to being a solid bus. Ross replaced the cab floors, A pillars and valances before he was happy to start modifying the ride height and the look of the van. When we asked Ross about his passion for aircooled VW’s he said, “Throughout my life I’ve owned about 30 cars of all makes and models but always had a great passion for volkswagens. There’s always been a VW project on the go.” Ross has given the bus some really nice features. He has a hand made rear pop-out window which we imagine comes in handy in the dry Australian heat that the bus lives in. He stripped the entire interior out of the bus and removed the dash, cleaned and detailed it by removing the radio and filling the hole. He then painted it and fitted a dash pad. He also fitted new old stock floor and under-seat mats as well
as new rubber seals for all the controls such as the pedals. The baywindow is fitted with a stock 1600cc twin port engine allowing easy and simple use of a vehicle thats sole purpose is to advertise his company, Skinned Knuckles. When Ross was trying to source a narrowed beam for the bus he found it difficult to find a quality item in Australia so being a metal fabricator by trade, he decided to make his own. He wanted a beam that ran original bearings and he wanted it to be a top quality product which he could be proud of. With this in mind he set up Skinned Knuckles and after a year of research and development he got himself a great locally made product to fit splitscreen and baywindow buses. Once he had a 5 inch narrowed beam for the bus he fitted it along with 3.5 inch dropped spindles and new slam shocks and adjustable springplates. Fitted with Enkei wheels the stance is perfect and certainly gives the panel van the slammed and dirty look Ross was aiming for. We love this bus as it is a simple and pure slammed ride and it shows the scene in Australia is getting bigger and bigger all the time.
Feature Car | Bay Panel Van
Feature Car | Bay Panel Van
Photo Focus | Bullymeister
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Show Report | Drag Day
words: Edd Thorpe pictures: Scott Savage
Show Report | Drag Day
Show Report | Drag Day
Show Report | Camper Mart
W
e headed to the Telford International Centre for a second successive year to check out Camper Mart and its exciting sister show, Tattoo Freeze. We loved what the organisers were trying to achieve in their first year so we wanted to see if they had developed the show at all and continued to make the show unique. In 2012 the Camper Mart show was the reason we
went but on discovering Tattoo Freeze we knew that in 2013 we had to find out more about this part of the day. The show was laid out in exactly the same format as the debut year. You intially walked through the show gates and into the Camper Mart trade arena. There was a vast number of stalls within this first room ranging from parts and accessories to soft
furnishings. The organisers had done very well to fill the room but we felt that the quality was not as good as rival indoor shows such as Dubfreeze. They can be excused for this though as to get the number of traders that they did, and only in their second year was a good return. There was a few bigger named traders there but most were small independent retailers.
Show Report | Camper Mart
The two shows met in the middle of three show halls. This hall was were most of the activity happened and we feel is were the combined shows main strengths are. A lot of VW shows throughout the year can claim to have a diverse array of entertainment but Camper Mart and Tattoo Freeze really steal the top step of the podium. They really have a great selection. When you first walk into the second hall armed with your purchases from the traders area the first thing you are greeted with is the Roller Derby girls from all over the country who come and have an event in the shows honour. Overlooked by a large grandstand the spectators get a great view of some of the most fiesty and competitive ladies on the planet. No wimps allowed! Once you have sat and failed to understand the
On the otherside of the halfpipe was the music stage with bands and solo artists playing throughout the day to further entertain the crowds. Druids Brew were there again to give a familier sound to the day. Towards the back of the hall was the graffiti and ice sculptures. This not only made the place smell of spray paint, (which I have to admit smelt great!), but showcased some real talent. The ice was carved with all manner of garden tools such as chainsaws and chisels. Health and Safety rules were observed at all times!
complex rules of the Roller Derby you can head over to the flatland BMX area. If you thought breakdancing was hard these guys appear to breakdance whilst riding a BMX! Really is something to behold. Next to the enclosed Flatland area in a fair sized halfpipe which was used by a small number of tallented skateboards and BMX riders. This kept me entertained for a fair while!
this year there was a fair few early VWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for people to look at. The quality is far away from some other VWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s but this can only improve over the years to come.
After you have walked around this hall and taken everything in you could fail to notice that smack bang in the middle of the room was the show and shine! In 2012 we commented on the complete lack of anything air-cooled and we are happy to report that
When you were paying for your Camper Mart ticket you could have paid a little extra and got entrance to Tattoo Freeze at the same time. If you get the chance to do so in 2014, please do. The Tattoo Freeze hall
was as big as the traders hall and was full of separate booths all with tattoo artists demonstrating their talents in the best way possible- by tattooing people! If you got to the show early enough you could have booked a slot in their schedules and been tattooed by some of the best artists in the industry from all over the U.K. If you did not want a tattoo then walking around the hall was so interesting. Most of the stalls had folders of past work in which could be looked through and some of the stalls had some fascinating art displays
which had a broad range of styles on show. As well as the tattoos there were plenty of clothing and alternative fashion stalls in there including Growl n Grandeur with their range of great T Shirts and Sweaters plus their new sticker packs. If you didn’t have a tattoo before you went in to the show you either left with some ink or with a craving to get one soon! Each show on it’s own is a good day out but with both combined they’re unmissable.
Show Report | Camper Mart
Interviewer: Samantha Eynon Photos: Provided by Darren McDonald
W
e have wanted to do a feature on a tattoo artist for a long time, but trying to decide who to approach was proving difficult, with the amount of talent that is out there, (as well as some unfortunately shockingly bad artists). However, one such talented fellow came to my attention on my facebook feed. Having studied Fine Art at University I know a fair few creative folk, and it turned out that one of the people that I studied with had gone on to become an awesome tattoo artist. I decided now was a good time to have a catch up to see how he had gone from Fine Art student to a fine inker!
Interview | Jussi Thirty Three
First off who are you and what do you do? I am Darren Jussi Luke McDonald and go under the name Jussi33 for my tattoos to avoid confusion to other ‘Daz’ tattooists. I am a tattoo
artist, painter and illustrator... Oh, I forgot to mention that I work at the Old Smithy Tattoo Parlour in Leek on Fountain Street. What led you to the world
of tattooing and how long have you been doing it for? I’ve pretty much been tattooing since July/ August 2012. It was a gradual thing. I remember my good friend getting a tattoo done in a high
street shop in hanley and it was a tribal scorpion. I looked around and all I could see was tribal designs and bulldogs. When I went on a university trip to Prague, on my foundation course, I decided it would be good to get a tattoo at that point and started to take interest and researched to find a really good European shop. It was that point I realised how good work on the skin could be and from that my eyes were opened into the world of tattooing. There was so much more to it than what I had been exposed to back in the UK. It was a serious art that’s just growing and growing each year, with new techniques and some seriously talented people out there. How did you begin? I actually did an apprenticeship whilst at uni studying Fine Art in 2005. The place I was based at actually put me off tattooing as it was one of those high street, off the wall places. I
was just in the back drawing designs all the time and after a bit of unfairness I decided to return to painting realistic stuff. I always had an interest in tattoos/ culture but it’s so hard to break in to. I got a bit fed up of painting realistically, and wanted to explore my own imagination, so started to draw designs and develop my own style. From there I decided to make efforts to get back into the tattoo work. I met Hollie and worked at her studio, The Old Smithy Tattoo Parlour in Leek. I’ve been there since September 2012 and couldn’t be happier. Have you tattooed yourself? Yes I have done my own fingers and I’m in the process of designing one for my left palm. Wow, that sounds quite hardcore, isn’t it difficult? I don’t find it that hard to tattoo myself. The intense con-
centration it requires takes the edge off the pain! How would you describe your style? I would probably say my work is very illustrative. I like to try and express a narrative through every design I do using varied techniques, consisting of lines, dot-work and areas of black and block colour at times. I like my work to look like it has fallen off the page of a warped story book! What’s your favourite tattoo you have done and why? I haven’t really got one favourite. I’m pretty pleased with any of my more recent ones, as I feel I’ve really found my own style. I love tattoos where the client has gives me complete freedom with the design, with just a brief couple of words as a starting point and a reason behind the tattoo, that’s perfect for me.
< it is a serious art that is just growing and growing talented people out there >
Interview | Jussi Thirty Three What would be the absolute worst thing you could think of to be asked to tattoo on someone? Hmmm, without wanting to offend anyone, names in blatant standard script. I always feel like people could be much more interesting and rather than a obvious name, why not have a image that represents that person/creature. It would be much more discreet and could make a much more personal and interesting tattoo. Oh and football badges! Have you ever refused to tattoo someone? I have refused once. I would only refuse someone if they asked for either offensive imagery or wording which I don’t agree with. I believe that tattoos should be done with a positive feeling behind them, and they should promote good art and imagery . What and who influences your artwork?
My work is influenced by a lot of Flemish, Renaissance painters/illustrators.I have inpsired by these since my college days. I tend to not look too much at other tattooists style, as that way I feel more free to develop a style that is unique to me. I also like children’s books and illustrations, asian, indian and Norwegian illustrators all have very cool styles. Huichol Indian tribal art has also influenced me in the past, with the way they approach patterns, use such solid surreal colour and don’t give a monkeys! They have very unique takes on reality. Which tattooists do you look up to? I look up to tattoo artists who have distinctive styles. I like bold clean work and technical style artists. Xoil, MXM, Gre Hale, Thomas Hooper, Liam Sparkes, Rafael Delalande, Jondix, Xed Le Head, Valentin
Hirsch, Sarah Carter all are amazing artists. If someone came in and gave you complete free reign on a tattoo, what would you do? A piece of my own art practice. I am in the process of making my own flash sets to sell to other studios etc I would like to tattoo anything thats completely my own idea. We noticed that you are a big fan of Japan and have visited there a number of times, what draws you to it? I love Japan, yes it’s not like being on the same planet. You visit Japan and EVERYTHING is different, such an experience, especially the first visit. I’m going there for the 7th time in August. I just love the culture, the lifestyle, the people.
each year, with new techniques and some seriously
What is your favourite tattoo that you have? I have sooo many tattoos now that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve lost count! My favourite would probably be my Chamelion by Gre Hale. It holds a great memory for me.
Would you like to own your own tattoo shop eventually? I would love my own shop one day, which I plan to also be an art space/gallery where I could possibly hold open painting nights, where people can come
and practice their art together, and do collaborative projects. There would also be a wall where artists can leave their mark. It would be a massive collaborative collage!
Interview | Jussi Thirty Three
What do you like to do in your spare time? I enjoy painting in my own person pieces, when I have time. I also like to surf (weather and location depending), travel and reading poetry and illustrated novels.
I try to have a couple of days a month where I spend the entire day looking at artists. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s almost a homework style day for me, Who are you and what do you do?
To see some more of Darrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s awesome work, check out his Instagram feed @jussi33tattooer
Interview | Jussi Thirty Three
Another book in this growing series, and it looks like it’s another cracker! At this rate we will need a whole shelf for the ‘My Cool...’ books! A well timed book celebrating bikes and bike culture. As ever gorgeous photos and a lovely lay out, with nice little annecdotes from the owners. Available from Amazon
With a nod to 1950’s Americana, Izola made this sweet shoe brush that not only does a great job of getting your Oxfords looking spic and span, but looks pretty cool too. Functional and good looking, what’s not to like? Available from John Lewis
Regular | Cool Sh*t
This awesome mug makes having a cup of tea even more awesome, as you get to build something too! The exterior surface is compatible with LEGO, PixelBlocks, Mega Bloks, KRE-O and Kâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;NEX Bricks. So get your old building bricks out and get creative! Available from thinkgeek.com
These sunglasses are made by German company Karmawood. They have awesome wooden frames. The wood creates frames that are lightweight, rigid and natural. The wood graining looks pretty ace too! Also one euro from the sale of every pair goes to an Indonesian school.
Available from www.karmawood.de
A gun shaped alarm clock, this could make waking up in the morning a bit more exciting! Keep it under your pillow, (secret agent style) and when you wake up in the middle of the night with no idea what the time is fire it at any surface to see a bright red LED projection of the time. Available from red5.co.uk
This beautifully packaged aftershave is made the old fashion way, with all natural ingredients. Created to bring back the smell and feel of a time when the barbershop was a place to come of age and commiserate. It smells great and leaves you with smooth feeling skin.
Available from SoapboxGypsy on Etsy.com
Regular | Cool Sh*t
Husband and wife team Tony and Katie Rodono create awesome looking maps that are a work of art. They believe in the importance of Place, how the places you visit become an important part of who you are. They also create custom prints too. Available from cityprintsmapart.com
The hours, minutes and seconds are shown in an innovative way on this ace watch, with its cool contemporary looks. Why read time the normal way!?
Available from nooka.com, but also currently available from eu.fab.com for a reduced price.
9,:;69(;065 -()90*(;065 .,5,9(3 9,7(09 :,9=0*, 46; >692 46+0-0*(;065 <7.9(+,: 05;,9069: *65=,9:065: 7(05; *<:;640:05.
5L^I\Y` )LYRZOPYL
^^^ ]VVKVV]^ JVT
Technical focus There is some really exciting new things coming from the guys at Royal County Auto Supply. Colin Davies gives us the lowdown, literally!
They have a ball joint Beetle beam nearing completion for a customer with our standard build spec of CDC tube, TIG welded throughout for strength, CNCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d end plates and shock towers to take the early shock eye/eye mounting and SwayAway adjusters all in a powed coated finish. Using urethane bushes and available in left or right hand drive. You can have to choice of any width up to 4â&#x20AC;? narrowed without body mods.
As for work in progress we have a late Baywindow beam too.
Regular| Tech Focus
Amazing money back offer for 2013. Something to guarantee to improve your ride qualtity or your money back* (T’s and C’s apply). If your aircooled VW has a harsh, jarring ride or wallows over gentle road undulations and generally feels out of sorts you need uprated shock absorbers to calm and firm the ride. Protech shocks by RCAS are made to measure to suit your ride height. You say your upper to lower mounting dimensions and they’ll be built to fit. Made from an all alloy body, billet end caps with a 13 stage single or double adjuster on them. Made in the UK using high quality British engineering. Treat you VW to the best!
Company Profile | Rothfink
words: Edd Thorpe
Photos: Supplied by Rothink
Company Profile | Rothfink
Company Profile | Rothfink
Our favourtie vehicles from the past few months...
Regular | Spanked!
Regular | Spanked!
Regular | Spanked!
Richbrook LED Torch & Tripod
Review and photographs by Richard Thorpe
Feature | Torch Review
This is a new product from Richbrook, who are well known for producing vehicle accessories. The kit comes very well packaged in its presentation box and is the perfect size for popping in the glove box or under-dash shelf. In the box you get a USB cable, USB/12v adaptor, flexible tripod, velvet carry case and the LED torch. The torch itself is very bright with a single 160 lumen LED providing over 5 hours of use on a single 4 hour charge, and will remain charged for over 12 months. It has 2 modes - an ‘Emergency flash’ mode and ‘On’. To cycle between them, you simply press
wrap it around any structure/pipe/hose next to what you want to illuminate and will hold the torch firmly and securely in place. The only thing we found is that the legs don’t quite flex enough to hold onto structure/pipes etc with a diameter smaller than 1 inch, however most of the time we placed the torch on a flat surface and bent the legs so it angled the torch to shine where we wanted it. It has a positive weight to it and feels a good quality product, something that is not likely to break if you drop a feather on it. Other nice touches are a knurled rubber foot on top of the
the bright yellow rubber power button on and off until you reach the mode you want. Whilst the use of a single button keeps the exterior looking smooth and clean, if you have used the torch in ‘On’ mode and switched the torch off, when you next press the power button you will enter ‘Flash’ mode, which can get a little frustrating when you want continuous light but is easily solved by a quick double-press of the power button to select ‘On’ mode again. The tripod is very handy for when you need to use both hands and don’t want to either hold the torch with your teeth (we’ve all done it…) or prop it up somewhere and hope it stays put. The legs of the tripod are flexible so you can
tripod to protect the finish of the torch when you attach it to the torch, and the velvet carry bag easily holds the kit and keeps everything protected against scratches if you can’t store it in the presentation box, which itself is good quality and held shut with a magnetic strip. Overall, a very handy and good quality piece of kit that should last a very long time and stand up to everyday knocks and bumps. The kit is priced at £25.95 which we think is pretty good value for what you get, and is available from Richbrook on their website at www.richbrook-styling.co.uk or call 01328 862387.
words and pictures by Joe Eynon
Show Report | Stanford Hall
I
f there is one show each year I feel I have to go to it’s Stanford Hall. Last years show was a disaster with the awful British summer floods and even though they rescheduled it it just wasn’t the same. The beginning of May means Stanford Hall and Stanford Hall only means one thing. The best Volkswagens, Audi’s and Porsches in the country. Organised each year by the Leicestershire and Warickshire VW Owners Club it is famous for its concours cars and beautiful surroundings with a friendly family atmosphere. If you are new to the VW scene this is the best show for you to attend. There is so much to see you’ll certainly
find something to your liking. From the historic Kublewagens and Beetles in the circle near the house to Audi A8’s and R8’s by the river. The Stanford Hall show appears to be the only show that manages to fuse all the V.A.G groups together well. It also appears they manage this with very few issues. With the show being open to all classes of vehicle no body feels left out and with this years re-jig of their layout it was really easy to see everything on offer. We set off early on the Sunday morning for the one-day spectacular near the village of Lutterworth. We got there just after the gates had
Show Report | Stanford Hall opened and the grass car park was already filling up quickly. Fortunately we got a space near to entrance gate and paid our entrance fee of ÂŁ8. For what is on offer inside the show we feel ÂŁ8 is more than reasonable. When you first walked into the show area you are greated with the club displays. This area seemed bigger and better than any other year and really showcased the best of the world we live in.
There was no real order to how the clubs were located which meant as you moved along the riverbank and viewed the club displays you were met with a surprise each time. There was national forums such as the Type 3 and 4 owners forum alongside small local clubs like The Lower Class. Our favourite cars from the show all came from the Rebel Alliance display who certainly won the award for the most varied display. With a number
of VW’s on display plus a Rometsch and a slammed early Audi it gave you plenty to stare at! Once you had finished walking around the club areas, which could have taken hours you could make your way into the traders market. With row and row of independent stalls selling all manner of things for you or your dub you could get lost for a while, and leave a lot poorer! The highlight of the traders area had to be Seaside Neil’s corner plot with a huge amount of sign-written
accessories and trinkets for you to buy. He was also taking orders from customers and looks like he is going to have a busy summer! Next to Neil’s stall was the Hayburner Canada Dry bus looking brilliant alongside Si Medlicott’s and Jess De Sousa’s mouse grey bus with its new Westfalia awning. By the time you had finished looking around the trade stands you would be about finished at any other VW show but not at Stanford Hall. You haven’t even reached the main attraction yet! Behind the trade
Show Report | Stanford Hall stands is the Concours dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Elegance area. Here the best VWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Audis and Porsches battle it out for to top awards and trophies. The standard was outstanding and the amount of cars there was mindboggling! Most people, including me, could only dream of having a car in that condition.
The hall houses the worlds first glider so a walk around the hall is a must for any aviation geeks out there! Number 2- Keep walking down the side of the hall and see what you could find....... With views of the stately home in background and beautiful cars all around you it was a fantastic day. Plus it was made even better at lunch time when the sunshine made an appearance and caught us all a bit unawares. Red necks all round unfortunately! Once you had spent a good hour or so looking with dreamy eyes at the amazing cars in the main field and also looked at the gravel circle in front of the house, home to a number a pre 1960 beetles and military vehicles all stock and factory fresh, you had two options in front of you. Number 1- You could pay a little fee and have a walk around the hall itself which would of given you an amazing view of the show plus the cafe would have allowed you to rest your tired feet.
We chose number 2 as there was a No Dogs Allowed rule in the hall. The show had yet another trick up its sleeve for us yet! Once we made it past the hall and the stable buildings we saw a few splitscreen vans by the traders entrance so we went to have a look. Once we got there we realised there was not a few splitscreen buses it was the Splitscreen Van Owners Club annual gathering at the show and this year they had really been busy planning the congregation of early buses. There was over 100
Show Report | Stanford Hall buses, campers’, kombis’, panelvans’, crew-cabs’, single-cabs’ and Sambas’. The amount of buses there was crazy with them parked 3 deep in places alongside the river and service roads. There were stock ones and slammed ones. Rat-look campers and mint crew-cab’s parked as close as possible in order to squeeze as many as in as they could. Everyone who I spoke to about the show just kept mentioning the line up that shocked them! This line up of course was organised by the Splitscreen Van Club but would not have been possible without the attitude of the LWVWOC and how they choose to run a VW show. The show is put on every year so that the LWVWOC have the funds to simply survive as a club. Last year must have been difficult due to the weather but this year the weather shone
down on the event and people came in their thousands to see the best VW’s around. The organisers allow the traders and clubs to act independently and the show doesn’t seem stressfull or ran by a big company. Due to this the whole event is super chilled out with a great atmosphere throughout. You can even camp over the weekend now, this is something we’ll be doing next year for sure!
Show Report | Stanford Hall
Show Report | Stanford Hall
Interviewer: Sam Eynon
Pictures: Provided by Sam Maycock
O
ne of the great things about the VW world is that it encompasses many other scenes, which means it is easy to find some part of it that you fit into. One world it embraces is the world of Tiki Culture, which also seems to go hand in hand with the hot rod scene, and has links with surfing culture and was orginally popular in the 50â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and 60â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, an era many of us V dubbers are particularly keen in. You see Tiki related memorabilla for sale at many VW shows, a lot of which will be of the cheap, mass produced kind. Sam Maycock of Kustom Tiki, however, will create you a unique slice of tiki culture from a hunk of wood. As soon as we saw his Tiki sculptures we were in love, and are saving up for one for our garden. We had a bit of a chat with him about his company Kustom Tiki.
Interview | Kustom Tiki So Sam, what is it that you do? I own KUSTOM TIKI. I carve Traditional Polynesian style Tikis out of wood. I also make and sell other Kustom Kulture items such as Tiki Mugs, Resin Shrunken Heads and keyrings etc. Like many creatives you have a day job – what led you to TIKI carving as a side line? I honestly can’t remember why Tiki Culture caught my eye. I’ve always been interested in art and design and I have a ‘have a go’ mentality when it comes to different ways of
creating things. I’ve always been fairly creative and I’ve picked up a fair amount of skills including screen printing, resin casting and slip casting ceramics- all self taught. How did you develop your skills? By carving lots and lots of Tikis! Luckily, the carving skills came naturally to me. A big part of the skill involved is in the design and gaining the correct proportions for the features; you have to have an artistic eye to be able to master this. My first tiki carving still looks very effective even though the design is much
simpler than some of the pieces I’ve worked on recently. What tools do you use? What is the process of creating a TIKI? I try to keep things authentic by using traditional TIKI carving methods such as a chisel and a mallet. The process involves stripping the wood of bark, marking my design, carving out the main features and then adding the detail. I stain the TIKI afterwards to preserve the wood and to give it more of a personality. It’s a simple process but sometimes it takes a long time!
< I try to keep things authentic by using traditional TIKI carving methods >
< the only reason I began KUSTOM TIKI in the first place was because I was rapidly running out of space in my house, I guess I do keep a few... Apparently you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t keep them all. Not if you want any space! >
Interview | Kustom Tiki
What is the largest TIKI you have carved? It’s not always the height of the wood I’m carving that makes a TIKI large; it’s the diameter. I have limited space in which I can work and since I am using hand tools, the larger the log, the harder the work! Some of my TIKIS measure up to about a metre, but I’d like to get hold of some much larger logs and try some new techniques. I’ve turned my hand to chainsaw carving in the past and have been experimenting more recently with a specialised carving Chainsaw. This will allow me to work on much larger pieces in the same time that it would take me to carve a smaller TIKI by hand. What type of clients do you have? I have a very eclectic mix of buyers. Many are like me and share a love for VWs, Hotrods and tattoo culture, but the one thing they all have in common is they are all just people who want to add some TIKI to their homes and lives. In the few months that I
have been carving and selling as KUSTOM TIKI, I’ve had people as far away as America ordering from the website, and I’ve carved personalised TIKIS for a number of businesses, which shows how widespread the love for TIKI really is.
What other hobbies and pastimes do you have? Apart from my creative projects VWs seem to take up the rest of the time - from attending shows to carrying out the maintenance needed to keep an old VW on he road.
How long does it take to carve a TIKI? - It really depends on the size and the amount of detail I’m adding. It can take anywhere from a day to a week. It also depends on the amount of time I have available; working TIKI carving around a day job is sometimes challenging. The part that seems to take the longest is the stripping of the bark from the wood; this part is laborious but necessary for a good starting point to carve from.
Which shows will you be at this year? As Kustom Tiki I will be trading at the National Hot-rod and Kustom car show at The Peterborough Showground. I will also be trading and doing live carving demos at the Kustom Kulture Blastoff in September at Springfields in Spalding.
Do you keep many for yourself? Well since the only reason I began KUSTOM TIKI in the first place was because I was rapidly running out of space in my house, I guess I do keep a few... Apparently you can’t keep them all. Not if you want any space.
To have a look at more of what Sam does, and if you’re interested in getting your own Tiki head to the Kustom Tiki website www. kustomtiki.co.uk
Photo Focus | Bullymeister
Interview | Packaged Wardrobe
O
ur friend Holly Booth pointed us in the direction of a very exciting looking new clothing company. We thought we’d find out a bit more.
design and thought I could really make a career out of it.
Hi, thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. Before we start talking about what you do why not tell us a little about yourself. (Name, age, location, uni etc)
The designs, concept and the idea of The Packaged Wardrobe being sold as a package of garments, and featuring reversible and detachable elements were established around November last year (2012) as part of my final University project work. The collection of garments you see here in these images were then developed and manufactured by myself between January and May this year as part of my final university collection.
Well hello, my name is Laura Clowes, 21 years young, currently residing in Stoke-onTrent and I have just completed my fourth and final year at Derby University. When did you first get interested in fashion design? I’ve always loved creating things, being arty and designing ever since I was young, but it wasn’t until my late high school years and time at college studying a BTEC National Diploma in Art and Design that I recognised my strengths in fashion
When did The Packaged Wardrobe become established?
What makes The Packaged Wardrobe different to other companies? They are unique pieces. When I started out with the idea of The Packaged Wardrobe and its vintage inspired design, I knew I
wanted the garments to become distinct and different from other reproduction vintage clothing. So I decided to incorporate my love for print and print design into the collection, which then led to me developing The Packaged Wardrobe’s unique shaped details, giving the garments a unique and eye-catching edge. There are three key elements to a Packaged Wardrobe outfit, versatility
through reversible and detachable features, prints exclusively designed by myself for the brand and the carefully stitched shaped detailing. Who and what influence you in your designs? I have a huge love for almost anything vintage, I love history and the development of fashion throughout the 20th century so I like to incorporate
this into my print and garment design work. The current Spring/Summer 2013 collectionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design and prints are inspired by an exciting development and original purpose that the garments would have had in the late 1950s. I like to have a true concept and story behind the design, so I always have a good body of research to support my work. I find street-style an important inspiration as I love how creative individuals can be in their outfit choices and what they collaborate together, so I guess I have the creativity in the people of Great Britain to thank for that. High-street, catwalk designer and vintage/
vintage style clothing are also key but I pretty much use anything and anything to influence my mind really. Where can you see the company going over the next few years? Ideally I would love to own a little shop somewhere, and with an increasing interest in The Packaged Wardrobeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products we can hopefully build a reputation as a wellestablished brand in the vintage style clothing market. Do you ever think there will be a true resurgence in handmade clothing? I think more and more individuals are pulling at their creative strings these days. Jobs are scarce and there are so many opportunities available via the web for people to set up small crafty businesses and gain interest through social media. As this sort of media is so accessible to us in modern day and there is also an increasing interest in buying local produce throughout the population, I have faith at the moment that the popularity of handmade clothing could pick up.
to order the digitally printed fabrics as and when, at the moment I am working on a bespoke made-tomeasure basis with clients. If anyone is interested in having an outfit or garment created, in which I will work with you personally to tailor the outfit to your wants and needs please contact me via my Facebook page, just search The Packaged Wardrobe Co. Alternatively you can email me at thepackagedwardrobe@ gmail.com.
Where can people buy your items?
What market are you aiming at?
As the availability of some fabrics can be limited and I have
You definitely need a sense of fun and humour to wear a
Interview | Packaged Wardrobe
Packaged Wardrobe outfit, a love for vintage style clothing and an appreciation for the time and effort that goes into creating these handmade pieces is always nice! The photos we are showing here look amazing, could you tell us a little more about them. I was required to carry out a photoshoot for my graduate collection and I needed a location that would be the perfect backdrop to display
the four outfit themes, Planet Sputnik fitted the criteria perfectly! Me, photographer Holly Booth, make-up artist and hair stylist Sian Revill and model Chelcie Gascoigne had an amazing adventure to Planet Sputnik in Watford and we were very well received by owner Sarah Bradley who made our experience a wonderful one. It was so surreal being there, it was like a film set, we were so sad when we had to leave. The results we got from the shoot couldn’t have been more perfect to represent The Packaged
Wardobe Co. image. Have you got anything exciting in the pipeline you would like to share with us? At the moment I’m just extremely excited to be working with new clients on the beginning of The Packaged Wardrobe Co. venture and looking forward to creating some wonderful prints and outfits. Has anyone special helped you get to where you are today? There are so many
people that have helped me through my journey, my mum, dad and boyfriend have been incredibly supportive of me and my work and I can’t thank them enough for what they have done. I wouldn’t have been able to cope without all my friends and family around me keeping me sane as well. Everyone I have worked with during my work placements between my second and third year at university have been a massive help.
words: Ed Kellas pictures: Reece Chapman R Photography
S
tonor is the tits!
I’m British so I shall mention the weather first. Sunny (compared to 2012s torrent of flood proportions rain) The standard of show cars? High, varied and game changing. The quality of ice cream for sale? A Perfect 99 every time. I have a gripe though, not enough people put their cars in the show, and each year classes are merged from poor representation. PEOPLE NEED
TO JOIN IN THE FUN! If you pre-register you pay £5 for you and your car, saving £4 off the price, and it’s cool having conversations with the showgoers about your car when it’s in a line-up. Type 3’s are always under represented, they’ve just started a ratlook class (SHOCKER), and restocal and cal look are shockingly quiet. The car park is full of cool cars that should be in the show. It’s not about winning; it’s about taking part and being part of a scene, one that is still flourishing and ever evolving.
< A Perfect 99 every time > I’ll say it again, YOU SAVE MONEY IF YOU SHOW YOUR CAR! *rant over* It’s a chilled event; family friendly and you can
Show Report | Stonor Park
Show Report | Stonor Park
bring your dog too but please clean up after they poop. You may also miss some of the show as you’ll be catching up with friends new, and old and totally forget about the time…. until 30 mins before the end and then race round the stalls looking for parts etc, (but the writer of this piece didn’t do that, honest guv!).
< A circle of “cool” if you ask me >
days the kids are buying cheap mk2 golfs and mk3 polos like we oldies used to buy bugs and buses so it’s keeping young blood in the show scene which is what it needs. Some may say water is taking over but it’s keeping it fresh and taking ideas from air, modifying the water-cooled, which are feeding back into air-cooled. A circle of “cool” if you ask me. It’s must on everyone’s calendar at least once.
The stalls at the show are a good varied affair, from retro/vintage house and garden wares to car part swap meets and clothing retailers catering for all ages and persuasions. Air-cooled mixes with water-cooled, and these
Show Report | Stonor Park
Photo Focus | Wide 5
Feature Car | 69 Squareback
words: Joe Eynon and Ed Kellas photos provided by: Chris Nichols
C
hris Nichols has owned this 1969 Squareback since 2011 when he purchased it off Ebay. His best friend introduced him to the VW world and his first and so far only VW is pretty sweet. Chris
is a part of the Type 3 Contingent crew out of Melbourne, Australia. Keep reading to find out more about them and what they do. When Chris first got his hands
on the Type 3 he needed a lot of work and all of the panels had to be shot-blasted and a lot of new metal has been used to get the vehicle solid again. The bodywork was done by Skinned Knuckles, (see page 10), and the Satin Black and Blaze Blue paint was sprayed by Asshat Panels. Chris had panels added on the sides to given the bus a custom panel van look. Once the bodywork was straight and true he set about with the challenge to get the Variant a little lower to the ground. With a standard width beam and adjusters the car has a simple static stance with short shocks fitted also. Internal TMI panels are used throughout the inside to stop the car looking too much like a van
Feature Car | 69 Squareback
inside. Matt Strickland re-trimmed the standerd low-back seats and with a custom carpet on the way the interior will look great. A Vintage Speed Black Mamba shifter and restored dash pad gives the inside more of a fresh feel.The engine is a stock 1600 engine with a stock restored carb on it. Around the back is a Empi exhaust system but Chris does say a OTT system is on the way. This car is a simple and clean cut VW but because of a few neat modifications it has become a really interesting custom type
3. With more and more people getting into aircooled VWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in
Australia I imagine weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be seeing more and more cars like this.
Type 3 Contingent are making a lot of noise in Australia so we thought we’d ask Christopher Eccles what they’re all about. This is what he had to say… Type 3 Contingent, T3C, started out as a bunch of mates who realized there was no Type 3 love in Australia. WE don’t call ourselves a club as we see
ourselves as more of a community and are trying to get a non-biased friendly vibe out there. We do BBQ’s, cruises and coffee meets often. The coffee meets have become very popular. Our first event only had 5 people there and now we average about 30. We also have people across the globe involved replicating our
ethos. Not bad from something that started on my front porch!
All of the founders were bike collectors and moved into the VW scene together. We also now have the Type 1 Contingent crew with us as beetle owners have started hanging out with us too. Air Monkeys writer, Ed Kellas,
e
Regular | Club Focus
continue to keep his Squareback in the condition he left it and honour his name by driving it to shows and keeping his name alive.
came over to see us and has since become the UK rep and we hope he is passing on the good vibes to you all. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been about for 2 years now and have increased in rolling size and made some amazing friends. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what VWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s are all about, getting out together and having a great time.
One of the T3C crew tragically lost his life recently and we continue to miss him like mad. His name was Lewis Marnell and was an inspiration to all of us. We loved him dearly and we just want to let the rest of the world know that he was the most genuine down to earth and goodhearted person I have ever had the pleasure to spend time with. His family and the T3C crew
Lewis Marnell was a professional skateboarder from Melbourne, Australia who was signed to Nike, SB, Volcom, Thunder, Spitfire, Modus, The Cream and Almost Skateboards. He won skater of the year in 2008 from SLAM magazine in Australia. Over 100 skateboarders attended to his funeral and they all held their boards aloft in a final salute. A skate park was adorned with a Lewis Marnell tribute mural also showing his lasting legacy to the Australian people. He will be missed.
Regular | Club Focus
Jah luv Lewis Marnell 3 December 1982 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 18 January 2013 photos provided by Type 3 Contingent and Christopher Eccles
Tribute | Lewis Marnell
We are privileged to have had Lewis Marnell part of the Almost family. He will be loved and remembered for ever. RIP brother… you will be greatly missedAlmost skateboards
“It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we are to inform you of the passing of our longtime pro rider friend, Lewis Marnell. A skater who’s incredible trademark pop could only be matched by the warmth of his smile, Lewis was an amazing person both on and off his board and will be truly missed. Our deepest condolences to his family and friends. Rest In Peace.” Nike Skateboarding
Gonna miss him and remember him always a true legend. Cooper Wilt. Lewis’ Teammate I helped him find it quite a few times, and remember how psyched he’d be to find it under his mess of shopping bags he’d bring on every session, OHHHH the shopping bags – they’d be rustling around making all sorts of noise in the car, hotel room; he’d have all his gummy worms, sour patch kids, all sorts of sugary foods to keep his levels were they needed to be. Lewis was legitimately a good person, he cared about what was going on in your life, he’d stop to talk with anyone, I mean
anyone… A bum, the random lurker you don’t want to talk to a the spot, anyone… We’d always be waiting on him cause he met some new friend
at the skate spot/ or wherever we stopped the car. I miss you Lewis I hate to say I
Tribute | Lewis Marnell
truly took you for granted and am sorry for every time I made you eat Subway cause I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t figure out your diet, I wish I could tell you all this in personâ&#x20AC;Ś but I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. So next time I will try and let
the people I see daily know that I appreciate them, and stop to talk with them just a little longer. R.I.P Lewis. Love you bud.- Jason HernandezSkateboard Videographer An extremely gifted, generoussouled human left us over the weekend. The skateboarding world bows its collective head in disbelief
that Lewis Marnell has passed away. Lewis was a global citizen who had friends and navigated adventures on every portion of the planet. We will miss you Lewis. You will continue to inspire for generations to come. Wishing all the strength to his friends and family during this devastating time.Skateboarding Australia (SbA).
Show Report | Big Bang
Words: Edd Thorpe Pictures: Scott Savage
Show Report | Big Bang
words: Joe Eynon pictures: Holly Booth
Feature Car | 67 Westfalia
H
ere at Air Monkeys magazine we have been trying to feature this bus for about 2 years now but we were finding it hard to get hold of the owner. That was until he took the bus into Absolute VW, in Castle Donnington, and with a bit of help from Stuart White we managed to make contact with the owner. The bus is owned by Nick Deakin who lives in Markfield, Leicestershire and works as a landscape gardener. This bus is far from a workmans van
though. With a passion for classic cars and a garage at home with this bus in and a 1971 Escort Mexico in it he sure is an exciting bloke to meet. We met up with him and his son Jack in Markfield and made our way to the leafy country roads, to which Nick refered to as Millionaires Row, and got some photographs of this gorgeous vehicle.
<It sits on the road just perfect.> The model you are looking at is a standard 1967 VW Campervan with the original Westfalia interior still in place. Nick got the bus from World Wild Wagens in April 2010 and has set about making it his own. The paint is Velvet green, as it left Wolfsburg with. Such a classic colour and it really suites the classic design of the bus. Most of the tricky mechanics was undertaken by Absolute VW including the suspension set-up. Nick claims the bus
Feature Car | 67 Westfalia
is as low as the bus will go without having to be brutal and cut the chassis. With a narrowed beam and drop spindles up front and an IRS rear end with adjustable springplates the stance is just perfect. We followed it to the location for the photographs and the bus just hugged the road. This is thanks to the set-up by Absolute VW. Nick then bolted on a set of American Eagle Empi 5 Spokes with some 165/50/r15 front and 195/65/r15 rear tyres to finish the ride height off. It sits on the road just perfect. The bus required a fair amount of work when Nick first got it though. JC Welding has fitted a complete new roof skin on it which is no easy task! The bus shows no sign of having had such a major job done on it though.
<Living in the Midlands, not far from Air Monkeys HQ, he can jump onto the motorway, sit back and relax > Inside the bus the old faithful interior by Westfalia makes another apperance. So simple but it really does the job so well. With the little pop-top fitted from new it makes the bus a great weekend get-away. Nick fitted curtains from VW Camper Curtains and also trimmed the interior throughout with Mad Matz carpets. He even has converted the Westfalia Coolbox to house a modern fridge. All that is left of the original cool-box is the old shell which now houses a modern more usefull
fridge. This runs either off the leisure battery or the 240v hook-up which is also installed. For driving comfort the cab has the stock seats but the longer journeys are made easier by the installation of a Retro Sounds CD/MP3 player with Pioneer speakers. A Mooneyes rev-counter and oil temp gauge gives Nick piece of mind when heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s travelling from show to show throughout the year. Another great thing about this bus is that it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t running a big burley engine. Just a 1600 with Empi 34mm carbs and Empi inlet manifolds. Absolute VW installed the engine and fiited it with a Petronix ignition set-up and a Bosch 009 dizzy. With a Rancho gearbox this bus really
Feature Car | 67 Westfalia
does eat the miles with ease on a long journey. That is one of the reasons why Nick and his family can be seen all over the country throughout the show season. Living in the Midlands, not far from Air Monkeys HQ, he can jump onto the motorway, sit back and relax.
<this bus is just right!> The bus is named, by Nick and his family, The Green Goblin and even has spidermans arch enemy sitting in the bus. We think it really should be called the Green Godess though. With the right amount of accessories scattered about the vehicle it sets it above and beyond many other buses in the camping fields at shows. Maybe its the single coloured body or just Nick’s choice of trinkets, either way this bus is just right! Nick and his family purchased this Bus because, “he always wanted a Splitscreen bus”. He mentioned in our interview that this bus is his dream VW but he would love a split windowed beetle too. We hope he gets one because we cannot wait to see what it would look like. For me, I’ve just found my favourite VW in the scene right now!
Feature Car | 67 Westfalia
Feature Car | Karmann Ghia
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dam Fiander, otherwise known as Empi, has been the owner of this beautiful â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;68 1500 Karmann Ghia coupe since 2006. He bought the car in Melbourne, where he lives, and took 4 years to restore it. When he first bought it, it was white and brown, and won best modified car. In 2013 it won best modified car again at the Victorian VW Jamboree, now in its new colour of VW Anthracite, which we think suits it brilliantly! Adam first became interested in VWs when on holiday in Exeter in the UK, where his
neighbour had a 60s Ghia. He is no stranger to Volkswagens now, this Ghia being his 36th out of 41 he has owned, and he is currently working on a Manx project too. Testament to how good the Ghia is, is the fact he says that this one is his dream car. Most of the handy work on the car was done by Fiander himself, including the paint job, and the engine build, which is a 1776cc with a Porsche fan shroud 5 blade 911 fan. He also did much of the body work. Many of the panels were fabricated by Adam at home
from fresh steel. He would like to give a shout out to Ross at Skinned Knuckles for his awesome welding talents though! The vehicle is of course lowered and on Fuchs- a combination that just works so well. It is lowered on Monroe Air ride, the guage for which is hidden in the glove box. It is also rolling on a 4 inch narrowed beam. Of course it hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t all been plain sailing, when Adam was about 1km away from debuting the car in 2012 a spark plug
Feature Car | Karmann Ghia shot out of the head! Luckily Adam is a chap that knows what he is doing then, having, in previous years, worked in several local Volkswagen workshops and at Volkswagen itself too.
As for the interior, which of course Adam did himself as well, the Ghia has a 14 inch Empi Gt steering wheel, with a flat4 boss and a Flat4 eliminator shifter. An earlier, better looking dash has been fitted, and burgandy carpet
that just carries on the feeling of class this car has. All in all a super slick vehicle, classic good looks, understated and really well done!
< He is no stranger to Volkswagens now, this Ghia being his 36th out of 41 he has owned...>
< All in all a super slick vehicle, classic good looks, understated and really well done! >
Feature Car | Karmann Ghia
John Grant – Pale Green Ghosts Peter Salter
It was always going to be difficult for the former The Czars frontman to follow his widely-acclaimed debut, ‘The Queen of Denmark’. However, the chocolate voiced, half-man/half-beard has exceeded himself in creating an album of enormous charm that improves on its already impressive predecessor. Equally adept at writing sexy, electronic pop songs and beautiful, swelling ballads; Grant demonstrates an enviable ability for constructing near flawless music. With his lyrics full of stone-dry wit, an irresistibly charming sense of humour, and a tangible sense of both joy, and immense pain, Grant’s rich vocal drips like honey over each and every track. Single, ‘GMF’ is the album’s finest moment; a huge tongue-in-cheek ballad, full of intelligence, humour and heartbreak. ‘Black Belt’ is another highlight with its ultra-cool pulsing beat and razor-sharp wit slicing clean through the nameless subject of the song’s lyrics and album opener, ‘Pale Green Ghosts’ is an enormous six minute chunk of gorgeous, dark electro. The album tails off a little towards the end, but it’s difficult to hold this against the record when it starts off so remarkably well.
James Blake – Retrograde
Sounds like: The Magnetic Fields, The Flaming Lips Stand out track: GMF Rating: 9/10
Peter Salter
The follow up to producer-cum-musician, Blake’s self-titled debut is much bigger in ambition and scale than its predecessor and in places, that is to its detriment. Blake can certainly write a song and his voice is mesmerising, having lost some of the Aguilera wobble it possessed on his first record. However, all that fades into insignificance when Blake introduces elements of dance music that detract from the beautiful serenity and simplicity displayed classily elsewhere. When Blake strips things back, the songs really come into their own. His powerful, soulful voice comes to the fore over sparse piano, sweeping synth and minimal percussion, creating tracks much greater than the sum of their parts. Nowhere is this exemplified better than on lead single, ‘Retrograde’ - a powerhouse of a track that isn’t topped throughout the rest of the LP. There isn’t much in the way of variety here, but when Blake sticks to what he knows, as he does on Retrograde and the record’s title track, it’s an immensisely satisfying listen. Sounds like: Bon Iver, Mount Kimbie Stand out track: Retrograde Rating: 6/10
Regular | Earworm The Wonder Years- The Greatest Generation Joe Eynon
The Wonder Years are the band you would use to sum up an entire generation of punk rockers. Punk rock has slowly slipped down a fragrance lubricated slope from punk rock to pop punk. Taking massive influence from early Emo, such as Rites of Spring, or later punk rock such as Saves the Day or Yellowcard. This album is a punch little number, with enough angst to disrupt at least a few years at a high school, and shape nearly all of their juvenile romances. Clever lyrics, rolling drums and catchy riffs make up the entire album. A massive improvement on early Wonder Year records, which always sounded a little weak and unfinished. This is fully rounded and ready to take on a generation. Sounds like: Four Year Strong, The Story So Far, Man Overboard Stand out track: Chaser Rating: 9/10
Thee Oh Sees – Floating Coffin Peter Salter
Roaring guitars and crashing cymbals kick this album off with a bang and there is very little in the way of respite from from there on in. Thee Oh Sees guitar work is all brawn and frenetic energy and their percussion akin to fireworks being let off in a saucepan factory - and this, is a very, very good thing. Floating Coffin seques between reverb soaked garage punk, psychsdelic synth pop and stoner rock, and juxtaposed it all with the sugary vocals of singers John Dwyer and Brigid Dawson, creating an eclectic, roller coaster of an album. ‘Toe Cutter - Thumb Buster’ is the pick of the bunch, sounding like Queens of the Stone Age at their most rock and roll, while album opener ‘I Come From The Mountain’ will have even the most uptight of listeners leaping round the living room, air guitar in hand. This is a tremendously fun record that might not suit all tastes, but will definitely appeal to anyone with a penchant for summery punk rock. Even if the album art is the stuff of nightmares. Sounds like: Metz, QOTSA Stand out track: Toe Cutter - Thumb Buster Rating: 7/10
Daft Punk- Random Access Memories Joe Eynon
This was perhaps the most anticipated album of the year. It had a massive amount of media attention before it was released, even sponsorship of a Formula 1 team! Once it was released though it faded away pretty quickly. Random Access Memories is very different to previous Daft Punk albums. If you were having a house party you may put old Daft Punk on, it would be a part of your playlist. This album, bar the odd track, would not. A lot of people will listen to this album with a closed mind, and because it is not as catchy and the tempo is slower than Discovery, or tracks like Robot Rock, they will dismiss it. I think this album is a slower and more mature album but nevertheless it is great. Tracks like Get Lucky remind you of previous Daft Punk work but with a classic electropop feel it requires you to sit down and take it in slowly. Sounds like: LCD Soundsystem, Le Knight Club, Stardust Stand out track: Get Lucky Rating: 8/10
Queens of The Stone Age- ..Like Clockwork Joe Eynon
The lead singer of QOTSA, Josh Homme, once said that his band produced Robot Rock. A type of music that gets repeatedly pounded into your head. This album certainly does that. With the instantly recognisable bass lines mixed with Homme’s almost shoegaze style vocals you feel like your entranced by the band and have entered a QOTSA misty mind set. Tracks such as Kalopsia given you a small break from the pounding but the majority of the record would not be advised for the migrane sufferer. QOTSA have continued building on their excellent back catalogue with another brilliant album. Sounds like: Kyuss, Eagles of Death Metal, Them Crooked Vultures. Stand out track: My God Is The Sun Rating: 9/10
The Lock and Keys- Late Nights, Good Friends Joe Eynon
This debut album from Leeds quartet The Lock and Keys reminds me of when I first listened to the Polar Bear Club. An instant hit with me. Too many bands recently have tried to come out with a sound similar to this band, just to brush the edges as they are too scared to leave the comfort and popularity of the Emo genre. Late Nights, Good Friends is a pure and simple punk rock album. There are not enough bands like this and its a gap in the music scene that needs filling. The Lock and Keys could easily do that. The lyrics are ones that we all can relate to, about what is important in life and screwing what isn’t. With interest from Daniel P Carter amongst others lets hope this band can continue to deliver. Sounds like: Polar Bear Club, Frank Turner, Make Do and Mend Stand out track: Route to home Rating: 9/10
Phosphorecent- Muchacho Samantha Eynon
If there is one word I could pick to describe this album, it would be beautiful. After you have listened to this album all the way through, you will feel like you’ve been on a spiritual journey, which is fitting as it sounds like Phosphorescent’s Matthew Houck was on one himself, after touring his ast album he was exhausted and he holed himself away in, Tulum, a small community in Mexico. Here he said, I just checked out of my life for a while.” This is where the album began to take shape. It has a feeling of fragility and redemption. Houck’s wavering, reedy voice, adds to the poignancy of the album. Sounds like: Night Beds, Youth Lagoon, Wild Beasts Stand out track: Song for Zula Rating: 9/10
Regular | Earworm
Streetlight Manifesto- The Hands That Thieve Samantha Eynon
This album has been a very long time coming, and many wondered if it would appear it all. The release date was pushed back several times, leaving fans to despair, but here it is, and it does not dissappoint. It is full of fast paced punk/ska with great horn sections. Being lumped in with Ska/punk often means you are not taken seriously, but Streetlight Manifesto’s lyrics are much more intelligent then some of the better known bands and their music more complicated. If your not normally a Ska/punk fan give it a listen, and try not to tap your toes! Sounds like: Mad Caddies, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Less Than Jake Stand out track: Your Day Will Come Rating: 9/10
Frank Turner- Tape Deck Heart Samantha Eynon
Frank Turner has been around for many years now, starting out in the hardcore band, Million Dead. We saw him several years ago supporting the Gaslight Anthem, and were taken in by his charisma and fantastic ability to tell you a story through his songs. This is a skill that has certainly not dulled. This album is packed full of what seem to be very personal confessionals, shot through with humour. It all feels very intimate. Like he is sat with his guitar in your living room, and you’re the only one there to listen. Sounds like: The Gaslight Anthem, Billy Bragg, Chuck Ragan Stand out track: The Way I Tend To Be Rating: 8/10
Jimmy Eat World- Damage Samantha Eynon
Being a big fan of JEW- Praise Chorus and The Middle being two anthems of my teenage years- I always wait for each new album with baited breath, hoping to be blown away. Unfortunately with the last few albums this really hasn’t happened. Big Casino delivered a few full blown ear worms, Invented, not so much. Let me make it clear, however, that this is not a bad album by any means. It is a good solid effort. It’s just that JEWs earlier work spoke for a generation. Their music is still as heartfelt as ever, and it seems clear that Jim Adkin has had his heart broken a fair few times. There are some great pop songs on this album, but I kept waiting for it to pick up a notch. Sounds like: Dashboard Confessionals, Jacks Mannequin, Semisonic Stand out track: I Will Steal You Back Rating: 7/10
Sigur Ros- Kveikur Joe Eynon
With a bigger and more atmospheric sound to it Kveikur appears to deliver more than previous Sigur Ros albums on a first listen. The album opens with Brennistienn with a backdrop of electronic stepped beats and crashing cymbals. The use of alternative sounds is greater in this album thank no other with what sounds like bottles breaking and all manner of metallic sounds echoing throughout the first few tracks. Lyrically it’s the same ghostly Sigur Ros we have become to love or hate, and that’s the problem with this album. One can either love or learn to suffer Sigur Ros in a way with many other non-English language musicians. I feel this album is haunting and thought-provoking with a great use of acoustics and amplified sound. Sounds like: Jonis, Explosions In The Sky, Radiohead Stand out track: Rafstraumur Rating: 8/10
The National – Trouble Will Find Me Peter Salter
Seemingly growing in ambition with each new album, The National have established themselves as one of the top names in today’s indie-rock scene. 2010’s High Violet was an enormous success and saw the group crop up toward the top of festival line-ups as far as the eye could see, so it was with due trepidation that fans awaited the release of the much-promoted latest album from the Ohio fivesome. They needn’t have worried however, as Trouble Will Find Me is a crushingly beautiful demonstration of what The National do best; dramatic indie pop songs throbbing with self-deprication and sadness, perfectly put across by the heavenly, woody voice of singer Matt Berninger. The arrangements are slightly simpler and more stripped back than on High Violet, but if anything, this only adds to the impact of Berninger’s moving, intelligent lyrics. High points are ‘Graceless’ and ‘Sea Of Love’, both of which start barrenly before swelling to goosebumps-inducing crescendo (another thing the band do often and well), and ‘Don’t Swallow The Cap’, ‘I Should Live In Salt’ and ‘Humiliation’, which all pick up where High Violet left off. As with the last couple of albums, Trouble Will Find Me takes a few listens to really appreciate, but it’s an investment well worth making as this is a gorgeous, deeply satisfying record. Sounds like: Arcade Fire, Grizzly Bear Stand out track: Don’t Swallow The Cap Rating: 9/10
Vampire Weekend- Vampires of The City Samantha Eynon
Vampire Weekend are back with a gem of an album here. Their first album burst forth with such force, and sounded so fresh and exciting, that everyone wondered how they could keep it up. They stumbled a bit with follow up Contra, but are back with an album that is confident, clever and full of tracks that are either, catchy, toe tapping tunes or dark and full of meaning. Sounds like: The Vaccines, Peter Bjorn and John, Metric Stand out track: Unbelievers Rating: 9/10
Regular | Earworm The Postal Service- Give Up Samantha Eynon
An album that is always in my top 10 list. A product of a collaboration between the musical genius that is Benjamin Gibbard (of Death Cab For Cutie fame) and producer Jimmy Tamborello (of Dntel fame). The bands name came about because of the way the sounds were produced. Tamborello would write the song and perform instumentals, he would then send the songs to Gibbard who would edit the songs and add his vocals, before sending them back to Tamborello via the Postal Service. Several songs on the album feature guest vocals from Jenny Lewis, (Rilo Kiley). The product was an album of electro-indie perfection. The songs are simple, mainly consisting of Gibbard’s soft, almost fragile voice, laid over electonic beats, but are beautifully crafted. Most songs on the album sound happy in tone, until you concentrate on the lyrics, such as in ‘We will become Sillohettes’, with lyrics like “the air outside will make our cells, Divide at an alarming rate until our shells, Simply cannot hold all our insides in, And that’s when we’ll explode” A song apparantly about a the fallout from a Nuclear Hollocaust, yet as you sing along you feel quite upbeat! The album spawned many covers, by the likes of The Shins and Ben Folds, and even more remixes. There have obviously been many calls for a new album, which has not been (and probably never will be) forthcoming, but they did release a 10 year edition with extra tracks and go out on an anniversary tour. The two new tracks are good, but cannot recapture the moment in time that the orginal album did. ‘Turn Around’ is very repetitive, and lyrically not as clever as other songs, ‘A Tattererd line of Strong’ is very Pet shop boy esqe. Two likeable songs, and great to hear some new material, but they do make you feel that perhaps The Postal Services legacy should stop with this one brilliant album.
Sounds like: Styrofoam, Dntel, Ms. John Soda Stand out track: The District Sleeps Alone Tonight Rating: 9.5/10
We’ve also been listening to: King Charles, Miles Kane, Mallory Knox, Passenger, Howlin Wolf and Ghostpoet
Photo Focus | Wide 5
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1- Bacon Cheese Burger- dudes-factory.com 2- The Shit- theshitonline.com 3- Rangefinder Classic - dodgeandburn.com 4- Ask Me About Meth- Crazydogtshirts.com 5- Fight For Your Right- dirtyvelvet.co.uk 6- Boom Box Bear- seventyseven.co.uk 7- Octopus on a bike- darkcycleclothing.com
words: Sam Eynon
Photos: Joe Eynon
Show Report | VoWo 2013
O
k, so one of the things you’ll have heard about, or thought about, this years Volksworld Show, (being British and all) was that it was a bloomin’ cold and dank one. In stark contrast to last years bizarely hot, sun drenched one. We camped (luckily in our camper, not in a tent), but we were well prepared, coming armed with hot water bottles and two extra blankets. We were deternined that the weather would not get in the way of what is always a superb show, and it didn’t! As ever the Volksworld Show set the bar ridiculously high, we were absolutely surrounded by truely awesome vehicles and fantastic people. The Vintage VW showroom, that had been set up, was
stunning, with a spotless Rometsch Beeskow owned by Christian Grundmann. Brilliant that at one show there were two Rometsch’s, the other one a Patina delight, owned by Adam Townley, that I’m sure you won’t fail to spot at one of the shows this year. Both of these vehicles were in the top 20 best in show.
Van Beek’s, Green Westy. The car that won the best of show, was Wayne McCarthy’s stunning 1963 Ruby Red Beetle. It was certainly well deserved, though it must have been a difficult one to judged with so many beauties about!
The show seemed to embrace Patina vehicles even more this year, with the rise of their popularity. There was a great staged display of Si Medlicott and Jess de Sousa’s awesome splitty and Dave Eadon’s 1972 Beetle, that we featured in issue 7.
If you didn’t wuss out, and stay inside the whole time, there was also a superb range of club stands outside, including The Lower Class, RestoWagen, RSVP and DTA. Another highlight was the appearance of the iconic Lightning Bug 2, with the Schley Brothers in attendence to sign things and answer questions.
Another great set-up in the show hall was the Westy display, that Niels Timmerman helped put together, and included his partners, Marieke
As ever the show was a really great way to start the show season off, and get us all rearing to go for the year ahead.
Show Report | VoWo 2013
Show Report | VoWo 2013
Show Report | VoWo 2013
Show Reoort | VW Nationals
words and photos by Kat Hawke
O
n May 26th, a gathering of devoted Volkswagen owners & fans congregated yet again for the annual “Volkswagen Nationals Show n’ Shine” at Fairfield Showground in Sydney’s west. The event was on par with, if not better than previous years, with the collection of vehicles stepping it up another notch (no pun intended!) from 2012’s show. The spread was bountiful with 22 air-cooled and 16 watercooled categories, and many vehicles in each group. In addition to the usual cohort of Kombis, Beetles, Type 3’s Ghia’s and Golf’s, it was great to see the Thing/Manx/Fridolin contingents making an appearance too; it
was a real family affair. There were so many spectacular examples on show; it is impossible to single out just a few, although I must make comment on the growing collection of ratrods on display. Whether they’re your cup-of-tea or not, you have to give those guys props, there were some seriously impressive piles of rust there! The category winners were all deserving of their prizes, with the “Peoples’ choice” & “Car of the day” both going to stunning Split-screen Kombis. The atmosphere was buzzing, the spectators were eager and the owners keen for a bit of au-
tomotive banter as always! The race for the swap-meet goodies was intense as usual, but hey, you’ve got to get in early if you want the good stuff! Overall the event did not disappoint, with everyone having a great day surrounded by likeminded enthusiasts. A huge thank-you to Club VeeDub Sydney, and all the volunteers for making such an awesome event possible for another year, and of course; all the owners for giving up their time and vehicles for others to enjoy. I don’t know about all of you, but this little dubber is keen for next year! Happy Dakkin’.
Show Reoort | VW Nationals
Words: Edd Thorpe
Feature Car | Charger
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Air Monkeys 2013
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