Issue 3. Free
BURGUNDY BLOOD SUGAR RAY LEONARD ANDREW WEATHERALL ALTERNATIVE L.A.
BERGHAUS BARBOUR SPRING COURT GLOVERALL PETER STORM CHAMPION LEVI’S WOOLRICH PENDLETON WRANGLER RALPH LAUREN LACOSTE ADIDAS
PREMIUM VINTAGE CLOTHING 60 PORT STREET NORTHERN QUARTER MANCHESTER M1 2EQ @BIONICSEVEN
contents
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ART & CRAFTS: SEVEN DECENT AMERICAN BEERS
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LAST SHOP STANDING: THE RISE, FALL & REBIRTH OF THE INDEPENDENT RECORD STORE
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SUGAR RAY LEONARD
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INTERNET EXPLORER: UNDRESSING THE MYTHS OF ONLINE DATING
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TOUR DE LANCS
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DICK MULLENDER: INSIDE THE MIND OF A REAL LIFE HOSTAGE NEGOTIATOR
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BEATS, WINES & LIFE AN AFTERNOON AT ADAM’S FINE WINES
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BURGUNDY BLOOD
Read the digital magazine and get exclusive online content at www.halcyonmag.com
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OUTFIT
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NATURAL SELECTION
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PATRICK & PIGEONS
ANDREW WEATHERALL: MUSIC, METHOD AND HIS RETURN WITH THE ASPHODELLS
TOGS & CLOGS
ALTERNATIVE L.A. PLACES TO EAT, DRINK AND GET YOUR PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN IN LOS ANGELES, CA.
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FAIL TO PREPARE PREPARE TO FAIL
Issue 3 Halcyon HQ 4th Floor Elevator Studios 25-31 Parliament Street Liverpool L8 5RN Telephone: 0151 214 3237 Email: contact@halcyonmag.com Website: www.halcyonmag.com
Editor-in-Chief Daniel Sandison editor@halcyonmag.com
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Content Editors
Jonathan Turton jonathan@halcyonmag.com Ste Turton ste@halcyonmag.com
Business Development
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Art Director
Roy McCarthy
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FROM BRISTOL TO BASEBALL
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GEORGE COSTANZA
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HALCYON
ART & CRAFTS: SEVEN DECENT AMERICAN BEERS
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merican beer. It’s not all fizzy dishwater served in frosted glasses, and bestowing all the character of one of Adam Sandler’s more recent offerings. As of August 2012 there were 2,126 breweries in the United States, 2,075 of these being craft breweries. America is leading the way in terms of interesting, ambitious brewing projects, and to save you from embarrassing yourself at the bar we’ve picked out seven beers that you need to try:
Doggy Style Classic Pale Ale Flying Dog Brewery
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Goose Island Honker’s Ale Goose Island Beer Co.
Pabst Blue Ribbon Pabst Brewing Co.
Anchor Porter
Anchor Brewing Co.
Brooklyn Lager Brooklyn Brewery
Anchor Steam Beer Anchor Brewing Co.
Special thanks to: Brooklyn Mixer, Seel Street, Liverpool.
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ART & CRAFTS
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HALCYON
LAST SHOP STANDING THE RISE, FALL AND REBIRTH OF THE INDEPENDENT RECORD STORE WORDS: ADAM MCALEAVEY
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here is no soul to an MP3, no ambience. A record is all ambience. It’s got that warm, comforting aura you can feel, whether it’s still in the sleeve or playing through your speakers. There’s something ceremonial about listening to a record, an instant sense of nostalgia – particularly when you open up an old gatefold and find weed from the previous owners spliff. The sound quality is better; the ritual of placing the needle
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onto the black wax is far more rewarding, and even the record sleeve provides the perfect canvas for the album artwork, compared to the thumbnail dimensions of an iPod or CD case. Despite all of these qualities, the sale of records has been in decline (until recently) since the 1990s, with vinyl as a medium for playing music declared all but dead. Inevitably, with the supposed death of the record, came the daily closures of hundreds of independent record stores across the UK.
When Graham Jones published his book, ‘Last Shop Standing’ in 2009, he set out to sound the alarm for those independent record stores that were clinging to their last breath. Jones grabbed enough attention to eventually have the book turned into a film, a film that is as independent as its subject matter. Shot over twenty-eight days by Blue Hippo Media’s Pip Piper, driving across the country on a seven grand budget, Last Shop Standing gathers the views, opinions and heartfelt tales
last shop standing
of the characters who still run record shops; piecing together the rise, fall and rebirth of the independent store through their trials & tribulations. Many of those interviewed hark back to a seemingly simpler time, when tasks involved ordering the latest Elvis LP from the States or serving a young Johnny Marr, who like many from his generation, spent much of his youth in record stores. Many questions are posed during the film as to what (almost) killed off the LP & the independent music trade.
Last Shop Standing gathers the views, opinions and heartfelt tales of the characters who still run record shops. The finger is firmly pointed in the direction of the major labels, who effectively tried to make the record extinct by forcing the CD, with its poorer sound quality, onto the shelves ahead of vinyl; making bulk sales to supermarkets in an attempt to cut out the independent dealer. One owner recalls how he found it cheaper to buy his CD stock from a supermarket than order it from his distributor for their asking price. Despite the troubled past, what Last Shop Standing succeeds in doing is to document the current rebirth of vinyl. The film gives the stores a platform to show how unique it is to step into these indie treasure chests for music. The independent record shop offers an experience like no other and provides a place for music aficionado’s to unite, get their hands dusty and discover something they may never have heard before – something that no soulless supermarket or online download site will ever be able to provide.
www.lastshopstanding.com
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SUGAR RAY LEONARD WORDS: JONATHAN FREDERICK TURTON IMAGES: MICHAEL KIRKHAM
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rowing up in Palmer Park, Maryland, Sugar Ray Leonard is often associated with a middle class upbringing. In reality, things were much tougher. The fifth of seven children, he would search for food in dustbins as a child, and sought boxing as a form of salvation. ‘Amateur boxing is a poor man’s sport. It takes kids off the streets, like it did me, and makes you focus your anger and frustrations here, in the ring as opposed to outside the ring.’ For generations boxing has provided escapism and hope for youngsters all over the world. There’s more to it than two men punching each other in a ring, as Ray is more than willing to point out while speaking to Halcyon at the Golden Gloves ABC, Liverpool. ‘It’s such a wonderful thing. It gave me a sense of confidence, a sense of self-esteem that many of us need, as we
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don’t have much in our lives sometimes.’ The Toxteth based Gym has a number of members currently competing in amateur tournaments, just as the teenage Ray did, while finding his way in the sport. He would go on to win the US National Golden Gloves title in 1973 and an Olympic Gold Medal in ‘76. How did competing at amateur level impact upon the fledging contender? ‘It gave me belief. I mean, it was tough. The first time I tried out for the AAU Golden Gloves back in the States I lost. But it made me a better boxer, a better fighter, a better man. It made me more determined to succeed. The difference between amateur and professional boxing, really, is that amateur level is about making the mould of the professional boxer. In other words when we come here, to a gym as an amateur boxer, we learn our
discipline, our style. Everything is put together; everything is learned, here. How to protect yourself: offence, defence, the proper way to execute a punch. Amateur boxing is the feeder system of great, legendary boxers. But it can also just be a hobby.’ He comfortably interacts with the kids around the gym, holding bags; providing pointers and advice. Given all that he’s achieved in the sport, his modesty is incredibly refreshing. How does it feel returning to a gym like this, seeing kids at the beginning of their boxing journey? ‘I’m home. I’m back home. No matter where I go in the world, when I go to an amateur boxing gym I feel at home. This is where it all started for me. I was an amateur boxer. I trained, I perfected my style, my way of punching. From there I was able to win gold medals and world championships.’
SUGAR RAY LEONARD
After winning the Amateur National Crown, the telltale sign that an American fighter is ready to make the step up, Leonard chose not to turn professional until 1977. Why did he wait so long to turn pro? ‘After what I’d heard about pro boxers being taken advantage of financially, I had no desire to turn professional. They made a lot of money, but most fighters, legendary fighters, ended up homeless, broke and what have you. I didn’t want that to happen to me. I won the Olympic Gold Medal and then found out my dad was sick and needed money. So I turned professional to help pay the bills.’ The Hall of Famer overcame many challenges, in and outside the ring, to reach the pinnacle of his sport. What is it that makes a champion? ‘It takes so much. You’ve got to work hard,
have exposure. You’ve got to be a good fighter, have notoriety around your country, the world even. You’ve got to be special, different. Boxer, puncher, slugger, whatever. It’s a big commitment, not one that everybody can make.’ Regardless of whether young pugilists go on to achieve great things, boxing will always serve as a platform for self-development and self-discipline. Spending the day down at the Golden Gloves ABC, it’s difficult to imagine anyone objecting to this as a form of recreation. Boxing fosters life skills, frequently to the most deprived and at-risk youngsters in our communities. Whether you’re a fan of the sport or not, its ability to get kids off the street and into something productive warrants respect. Just ask Sugar Ray. Read more about
Sugar Ray in his book ‘The Big Fight’, available from Ebury Press
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TORO Y MOI ANYTHING IN RETURN OUT NOW
‘HIS SHARPEST ALBUM TO DATE’ 4/5 THE GUARDIAN ‘A WORLD OF DANCEY DIGITAL POP OUT OF LOW-SLUNG CALI R&B RHYTHMS, BLUNTED HIP HOP AND QUIRKY HOUSE’ 4/5 MOJO ‘AN ALBUM BURSTING WITH MASTERFULLY CRAFTED SONGWRITING’ 9/10 LOUD AND QUIET
internet explorer
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here’s an enduring perception that people who seek romance on the Internet are desperate, pathetic human beings. But in a world where we shop, bank and interact with existing friends on the net, why is it considered so ‘sad’ to pursue love, sex or companionship by the same means? As a social experiment, with the added incentive of intimate relations, I’ve signed up to a well-known site in order to explore the realm of online dating. I’ve selected my least offensive photos, created a profile, and like George Michael on Hampstead Heath, I’m ready to mingle.
INTERNET EXPLORER UNDRESSING THE MYTHS OF ONLINE DATING WORDS: JONATHAN FREDERICK TURTON IMAGES: AMÉE CHRISTIAN
The exercise aims to examine how good a method online dating is to find a partner. How does it compare to meeting a person in a bar, or on a bus? I’ve woken numerous times on a Sunday morning with a girl’s number in my phone, and a vague memory of her outline on a dance-floor. Surely meeting somebody on the Internet, sober, who can be preappraised, is better than taking home a Saturday night straggler? The prospect of seeing girls I know in the real world however, on this online dating site, fills me with dread. Even though the playing field is even, and they’re signed up too, why does it feel so embarrassing to be on here? Cliff Richard and eunuchs aside, it’s entirely natural to analyse the opposite sex, or the same sex if that’s your preference. Most singles are at it all day, every day. Why the shame of doing it in cyberspace? Online dating, I’m finding more than anything, is fun. There is a cavalcade of overweight nurses from Huddersfield called Bev, who are waiting to talk to you, which in all honesty is less than favourable. I’m finding the site gives me the opportunity to interact with girls I might not usually in real life. If you have a penchant for sexually deviant Goths, but don’t like hanging around skate parks, this is most definitely a place for you. Beyond the perverted, sometimes comedic voyeurism, lies a sufficient quality: a significant portion of pretty girls with good personalities, and at least a modicum of intelligence. So, I’ve selected three women to go on physical dates with. Here goes nothing:
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DATE No.1: MARILYN MONROE Naturally I’m apprehensive about the first meeting, it being the maiden online date and all. I take large, nervous gulps from my pint. I needn’t be. She’s a cute, well-traveled English teacher with a choice personal style and a good sense of humour. Marilyn is superdiscreet though and refuses to tell me her real name. She refers to herself only as the 1950s American pin-up, which gets thoughts racing. In a city centre pub the conversation ranges from the career of Cheryl Crow and the quality
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of the jukebox, to the advantages of learning another language - all very pleasant. Marilyn’s profile states that she’s ‘seeking an intimate encounter’. It’s getting late, maybe she wants me to fondle her? Surely not, she’s so nice. I opt out of any drastic moves. We have one more drink and I walk her to her apartment block, which is oddly only a couple of minutes from mine. My first ever Internet date is a resounding success.
internet explorer
DATE No.2: CANDY FLOSS Candy Floss is a strange one. She’s most enthusiastic during pre-date online exchanges, and owes her name to the bright pink hair she sports. She’s pretty with a great body, and appears to enjoy wearing tight PVC ensembles. There’s a downside however: she’s super shy. After a fair bit of cajoling she agrees to meet at a city cathedral, where there’s a café that sells excellent scones. I figure there’ll be plenty to
look at here to break the inevitable silences that surely would accompany a date with the female Morrissey. I wait patiently at the huge wooden door, a little longer, and a little longer still. No sign. After twenty minutes of looking like I might be interested in the contents of the donation box, I concede defeat. A plausible character in a David Lynch film/Eurotrash episode has stood me up. Gutted.
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DATE No.3: GEORDIE LASS After the disappointment of date number two, I’m relieved when this one arrives, albeit a little late. I meet the sweet Newcastle native in Manchester, where she currently resides. The venue is a psuedo Tiki bar that’s pumping shit, early noughties Hip-Hop out. Within minutes the conversation is flowing. We head to a gig just outside the city centre, where she unexpectedly produces a bag of MDMA from her handbag. This is going to be interesting.
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Within the hour we’re kissing. The Dan Deacon gig is outstanding, as is the date. It’s getting late and I’ve missed the last train back to Liverpool. An air of inevitability is setting in. We head back to her flat, smoke cigarettes, listen to Jim Morrison and get to know each other. Intimately... I get a cup of tea and a lift to the train station the following day. Ten-out-of-ten.
internet explorer
Reflecting upon my dates, I’m left wondering what the downside of all this is? Okay, so each of the girls I dated told me of random guys, regularly sending them pictures of their genitalia- Maybe it’s a different experience for women? However, the online dating website that I used, served as a fertile platform for talking to the opposite sex.
Reflecting upon my dates, I’m left wondering what the downside of all this is? Approaching somebody in the frozen section of Aldi, who you find attractive, just doesn’t happen these days. Most people aren’t Javier Bardem. Dating sites provide a comfortable and safe setting for flirtation, confident exchange and titillation. Online dating aficionados are often accused of presenting a ‘self ’ within their profiles, a favourable version with exaggerated credentials. But then this happens all the time in the real world too. You meet a girl in a bar; she acts all windswept and interesting, but back at hers she has a Paolo Nutini poster on her bedroom wall. Dating is always full of risk. In an ever-evolving, technologically defined society, the Internet should be considered one of many avenues to meet a potential love interest. In my opinion it is a legitimate avenue, equal to the workplace, a bar or chance encounter in a train station. It may not be the most romantic of methods (Leonard Cohen isn’t going to pen a song about your coming together), but it’s effective, economical and largely enjoyable. The more people that drop the ego and take the plunge, the more enriched the arena will be for all users.
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tour de lancs
TOUR DE LANCS Whilst Bradley Wiggins and the behemothic Team Sky gear up for another season at the apex of professional cycling, we headed to the adopted home county of last year’s Tour de France winner, to discover what cycling in Lancashire is really all about… WORDS: DANIEL SANDISON IMAGES: MICHAEL KIRKHAM
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Nik Marsdin Lancaster “I’ve been into cycling all my life, really. My grandpa was really into it, and he sort of showed me what it was all about when I was a kid. Growing up though, things change. Football and things like that got in the way, and there was also the fact that it just wasn’t very cool. I used to come home and watch it on Eurosport, but not tell anyone. It’s getting cooler now, which is great… it really is, but there’s also a part of me which, when someone goes ‘I’m into cycling’, thinks ‘Oh. Are you, yeah? Of course you are.’”
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Martyn Gordon Parbold “I’ve been riding for about three or four years, now. I ride with Middleton’s in Ormskirk. Usually we’ll get about forty of us, who’ll go out of a weekend, split up into a few groups and ride. More recently, obviously with cycling becoming more popular, if it’s a sunny day there can be up to seventy of us out on the road at a time.”
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DICK MULLENDER INSIDE THE MIND OF A REAL LIFE HOSTAGE NEGOTIATOR WORDS & IMAGES: JONATHAN FREDERICK TURTON
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e’ve all seen the films. Bad guy takes hostage and negotiator enters the fray. He asserts his authority, busts the suspicious looking baddy and everyone lives happily ever after. But is this a true representation of a hostage situation? Are international or domestic affairs ever this straightforward? Do good guys and bad guys even exist? Dick Mullender, international hostage negotiator, suggests things aren’t so black and white. ‘You always sit between two stories. Okay, someone’s doing something you wouldn’t, and it may appear to be bad, and the actions of the guys I deal with maybe are bad, most of the time. It may also be however, in their eyes, the only option left. They’re desperate. It’s too easy to say what they’re doing is wrong.’ Dick should know- negotiators talk with individuals who are considered the most contemptible men and women on the planetbut are they really so bad? ‘People believe in what they’re doing. My job is not to change their ways, or do anything like that. My job is to get them off the roof or get them free. As a negotiator your outcome is everybody safe, and that means everybody- in a hostage situation, both the hostages and the hostage takers. But it’s important to remember they wouldn’t be doing what they’re doing if they weren’t desperate. It’s a bit like the situation in Northern Ireland. Why do some Catholics hate Protestants and vice versa? Look at the whole situation before you start judging one side or the other.’ A calm, rational individual, Dick bucks the
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trend of the Hollywood arbitrator. It’s fair to say he’s not into grabbing collars or screaming down the telephone. ‘It’s the exact opposite in real life. There are times when you need to be assertive, of course. There is never a time where you need to be aggressive. The key phrase is compassionate assertion. Get your point across whilst understanding the way the other person is feeling. Negotiators are there to find a suitable compromise, that both parties come away from feeling they’ve achieved something. That’s what negotiators do.’ Do the personal beliefs of the negotiator ever play a part in the solution? ‘My belief system is of no importance at all. What I believe and what I value can sometimes get in the way, but you’ve got to take those beliefs and store them aside. You’ve got to work towards a successful resolution for everybody. I’ve spoken to people I don’t like- who cares if I like them? That’s not relevant. Can I save their lives and the lives of the people they’ve got captive? That’s what’s relevant.’ So the negotiators views don’t inform a situation. How do they become informed upon the scenario they’re entering? ‘We are led by the media. It’s naive to believe we’re not. We get told what we’re told. We pick up our newspapers and we read what they tell us, and we’re influenced by that because that’s just the way we are. One useful thing I do is to watch three different news broadcasts of the same story, from three
different continents. Usually Russia Today, Al Jazeera and BBC. It’s interesting to see how differently the stories are reported. Russia will say America is the bad guy whilst America tells you Russia is, or Iran. The more you watch the more it becomes apparent. ‘Oh, that’s how that looks from there, and that’s how that looks from there’. It won’t give you the full picture but it’s insightful.’ Given that news stories change from continent to continent, as well as beliefs, ethics and points of reference, are the actions of some extremists perhaps justifiable? ‘I don’t think so. Because I always think there is another way, a better way. I don’t think terrorism or hostage taking helps anything, in the long term. It doesn’t achieve anything positive. You can argue your case any way you want- what you can’t do is put other people’s lives at risk. The bottom line is that there’s got to be another way- find the other way. So little is achieved by killing people.’ Negotiation is an intense career choice. Does Dick ever wish he’d chosen a different trade? ‘Most people want to get up in the morning, go to work, come home, have their tea, have a drink and to go to bed. That’s their life and that’s all they want. They go on holiday two weeks a year, come home and tell everyone how good it was, and life’s good. What’s wrong with that? It’s kind of hard to argue with! It’s a funny one. What’s the best life? Who is better off ? It’s uncomfortable for me now, because I’m always asking myself questions. However, I have to know. There are people who live in this world, and there are people who live on this world. And I want to live in it.’
dick mullender: hostage dicknegotiator mullender
People believe in what they’re doing. My job is not to change their ways, or do anything like that. My job is to get them off the roof or get them free. 29
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BEATS, WINES & LIFE
AN AFTERNOON AT ADAM’S FINE WINES WORDS: DANIEL SANDISON IMAGES: AMY WALSH
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There are only a few things that I really like in life, outside of family and friends. I like music, wine, clothes and having fun” Adam Speechly tells us, shouting above the noise of a remixed Azealia Banks track that is rattling the bottles of his Wirral wine store. “I’m not qualified to do anything else. That’s all I’m good at.” In a back room, that a more traditional wine store would reserve for.. er, well.. wine probably, we are surrounded by paraphernalia from another world entirely. Scattered across a desk, between custom turntables and rare, limited edition trainers lie membership cards for Pacha, Cream and The Hacienda, tickets from Beastie Boys & De La Soul gigs at peculiarly small venues and a few thousand CDs. I’ve not met many wine experts in my time, but on first impressions alone I decide it’s a pretty safe bet that not many of them are like Adam. He explains enthusiastically, eagerly refilling our glasses with a white wine he describes as ‘fucking great’, how a DJ from the north of England, schooled in everything from Balearic house to hardcore rap could become a respected 32
and proficient wine dealer. Surely they’re two worlds that rarely collide? “Wine was just something that I found and immediately wanted to get deep into. Music and wine for me are things that go together, there’s a synchronicity between the two. I was quite late getting into it, my mum and dad always had it around, but it was my wife’s dad that got me really into wine. It’s like when people say ‘Oh, I don’t like reading’, that’s because they haven’t been given the right book. I don’t read a lot but when you give me a book about something that interests me, I’m voracious.” Whether discussing the finer details of his custom–built Technics turntables, the various merits of going on tour with Goldie, or talking sensibly and unpretentiously about wine, Speechly’s passion is always immediately apparent. After some time in his company, a Hip-Hop DJ from the Wirral who has forgotten more about wine than most will ever learn, ceases to be an odd prospect. It begins to click and I realize that I’m probably never going to associate the phrase ‘wine dealer’ with an image of Oz Clarke quaffing Merlot whilst
BEATS, WINES & LIFE
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James May tits about in the background on a quad bike, ever again. “I’ve got it to the stage with the shop now where people get it. They know about me and we connect. They’ll say ‘Oh, that mix CD you gave me at Christmas was great’ or ‘that red wine you gave me for my Mrs was superb.’ I don’t do this as some sort of swag-off merchant. I don’t have my trainers and records out to show off, it’s because I like to connect with people, that’s the ultimate.”
It works as well. There’s no stuffiness about Adam’s Fine Wines. It’s hard to be intimidated by a vast array of expensive wine, when the store owner spends his time discussing trainers and his favourite records. Underneath all of this though, behind the anecdotes and nonchalance, there is the comfort that he definitely knows his stuff, and you’re dealing with someone who will give you honest advice and prevent you from leaving with a £500 bottle of vinegar. “I’ve got to a point with wine, where I know enough and don’t want to go any further knowledge-wise. I don’t want to start getting equipment out, and measuring the sugar in the grapes. Fuck that. I’ll do that with music, and I’ll take it to the finest detail, but wine is one of those things where it just compliments music, and the two go perfectly. I really struggle with the formality of it sometimes. People think you should do and think certain things, they come in and say ‘I’ve got this bottle of 1970 something or other’ and I think, fucking hell mate that should have been drunk 20 years ago. I sell wine to people for them to enjoy it, and because I know I do as well.”
Adam’s Fine Wines is at 11 Albert Rd, Hoylake, Wirral CH47 2AB. For DJ sets call 0151 632 0507. We drank Inama soave Foscarino & listened to his remix of Azaelia Banks’ 212, available on his Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/ adam-speechly-aka-pooky 35
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BURGUNDY BLOOD
BURGUNDY
BLOOD WORDS: PATRICK QUINN IMAGES: MICHAEL KIRKHAM
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he beats and production fall somewhere between The Rza and Madlib, containing enough originality and flavour to avoid a nostalgic 90s hip hop pigeon-hole. There’s a lot of humour on offer, but this is certainly no Goldie Lookin Chain styled gimmick. There’s wit and word play, punch lines, eccentricity, awkwardness, politics and innuendo by the bucket load. Having recently finished their 12 part YouTube series/album “Season 1”, Burgundy Blood are already busy working through their follow up winter warmer entitled “Icicles of Blood” - a 6 track collection - set to drop on YouTube any time soon. The group is made up of seven
MCs, known individually as Burgundy Doors, Ahmed Capricorn, Pork Schwartz, Aluminium Piss, Floyd Grossman, Black Arian and Markus Tandy. They’re accompanied by Producer and film Director Roman Moses, plus Beat conductor Prince Richard Weedon. We grabbed a couple of bevvies with two of Burgundy Blood’s rhyming team, Pork Schwartz and Burgundy Doors, to shoot the shit and grab some Chinese groceries. Halcyon: How did the concept of dropping the album in weekly episodes come about? Were all the episodes and videos finished before the season premier, or was it a race against the clock ? 37
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Burgundy Doors: Erm the idea, initially, was just to do a video for each track on the album, just ‘cause we had ideas. Then we thought, to add a little intrigue, we’d drop a track per week, try and get some followers and momentum. It just seemed obvious then to use a series format, titling each episode from 1 to 12 and putting intro music on each one. I think we had music for episodes 1 to 3 recorded and episodes 1 and 2 filmed and edited. After that we just ran for our lives and came up with the rest of the album, tracks and videos on the go. It was a great way to work. We’d all worked on so much stuff before that had never seen the light of day, due to this or that bullshit. We decided with this album there’d be no procrastination; it would be made and put straight out. Pork Schwartz: Yeah we thought why wait? There’s no need any more. Nobody buys this shit anyway, so just give it away. Give the shmucks their rap on YouTube. I said to my wife before we started, I said ‘Valerie I’m going to do some more rapping and this time I’m gonna make a little film as well’. She said fine. Halcyon: There is a lot of humour involved; visual aspects, hidden identities etc. Are you looking to be seen as a comedy act? B.D: No. OK, it’s some funny shit to look at, and it’s supposed to be. To the untrained eye you could take it as a big joke, but don’t be so narrow son, listen to the tracks. Heads are so serious now with hip hop and ‘bars’ and this and that. We’re not fucking around, to us it’s just hip hop. But look, if you’re one of these internet forum nerds analysing the fuck out of your own asshole, rating rappers on their multi syllable rhyme schemes, then basically you can fuck off. Similarly, if you’re a purist, fundamentalist piss monkey who expects to take literally each record he listens to as the unquestionable word of hip hop law, then you also can fuck off. In fact, there’s a whole pile of people who can immediately fuckin’ do-one right now, because this shit is probably not for you. If you’re asking yourself too many questions then brother don’t let us hold you up, stroll on. But if you’re down, let’s fuckin’ party, get drunk and enjoy this hip hop shit! ‘Cause it’s dope shit SON! P.S: You don’t have to swear so much B, it’s good that you’re speaking your mind, but think of your family. Nobody needs all that bad language. (laughs) He’s right though!
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Halcyon: Tell us about the other members, do you all get on? There are many high profile examples of hip hop groups not working well together, is there any beef ? P.S: Beef ? Come on man there’s no beef, what do you want with beef ? No, we have a lot of characters and everyone is their own man, but there’s no conflict. We all stand under our flag. It’s “Kill Money, plan to fail” all the way! You know we’re not looking for a “co sign” on this - this is it. Burgundy Blood runs through our veins. It’s the dark blood, the stuff mixed with sweat and tears, the stuff that pumps when you’re walking with the wolves staring at the moon. No beef! Just some nice roast lamb on a Sunday afternoon. B.D: The other members, well there’s a bunch of different cats you know, it would be hard to give you their full CVs right now. Long story short, you got Me - I’m the Most Burgundy - you know reppin this team, I’m like the wise cat. P over there, Pork Schwartz, brings you that undeniable gentile flavour, he’s a gentleman first. Ahmed Capricorn’s real deep with the questions and all that. Aluminium Piss is on some sick flows, shooting bows and arrows shit, nomsayin? Floyd Grossman is kind of a dark ladies man, who likes his fine food. Marcus Tandy is on some crafty shit you never really know, but he’s a funny cat. Then you got Black Arian, the black sheep. He’s got issues but they’re mad focused. Halcyon: Episode 12 features an impressive posse cut. Do you guys have a favourite posse cut? B.D: I guess it’s between ‘Protect Your Neck’ and ‘Scenario’ which is funny, as I see those two groups as the ying and yang of hip hop. On one side you’ve got Tribe bringing you the light, with the mellow jazz, the thoughtful song subjects, the warmth and soul of great music; lovingly crafted into these feel good anthems, with a few bangers thrown in too. On the other, you have the dark power of the Wu with all its glorious gothic cinema and gory street wisdom. Together they kind of encapsulate all that is great about hip hop for me. ‘Winter Wars’ on Iron Man is a pretty sick posse cut too though, that 1000 bar verse by Cappadonna at the end is mind boggling son. P.S: ‘Live at the Barbecue’ of course. No contest. 19 year old Nas,the beat is so ill. On a par but possibly one that gives me more of a 41
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funk thrill is DWYCK; this track has so much funk. ‘Lemonade was a popular drink and it still is’’. Dope. Rest In Peace, Guru. Halcyon: Pork mentioned earlier Kill Money, it’s your slogan right? What’s the idea there? B.D: Well we just got totally fucking bored with rappers rapping about their shopping lists around 12 years ago to be honest. Money rap! I could go into one about money worship, Satanism and the pitfalls of extreme capitalism, but for now it’s basically lyric boredom. Same with the videos, fuckin boring assholes throwing money around, pouring expensive vodka on cheap prostitutes. I mean I like Rick Ross, his flow, voice, his style but he just keeps saying the same shit, same with all of ‘em. Boring! To be honest it’s getting that way with weed rap. P.S: I run my own business. In fact I’ve got my finger in a few pies between you and me, and I’ve got to bring home the bacon if you pardon the Big Pun! I’m not some crusty tree hugger looking for a free hand out. I work hard for my money but it’s not the money I want! No, no it’s what the money gets, and that’s quality time with my family. You see, that’s where your focus should be boy. A lot of these types can’t see the wood for the trees, chasing money here and there, but it’s not the money that makes you happy, it’s having time with your loved ones. That and a good piss up from time to time. With that poignant statement warm in our thoughts, we called an end to the interview and carried on drinking. Both Pork Schwartz and Burgundy Blood provided great company, discussion continued and the mirth and merriment lasted long into the evening.
SEASON ONE
You can view all the videos for “Season 1” and catch “Icicles of Blood” dropping soon at Youtube.com/killmoneytube
BURGUNDY
THE FIRST ALBUM FROM
BLOOD burgundyblood.bandcamp.com
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outfit
OUTFIT WORDS: JONATHAN FREDERICK TURTON
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iverpool art-rockers Outfit are really, really good, and like all (really, really) good bands they’re a bit odd too. So, instead of asking them about the first record they every bought, or where their favourite venue is, we spoke to them about disappearing.
Why are you interested in the concept of disappearing? To disappear would be the purest freedom. We’ve come close to disappearing during the making of this album, always in one room, in one place, not playing shows, not going out. I think that fragments of our personalities have probably disappeared and whether they’ll reappear remains to be seen. I think that to be this involved with something, something that’s so all consuming, you have to sacrifice parts of yourself and let them disappear. The problem will probably only reappear in middle age, during mid-life dysfunction, when you realise that you probably needed those parts of yourself you let go in your impetuous youth. Still, what would I know? I’m not there yet. To disappear is to cease to be seen: to vanish from sight. Would you do this to realise a creative expression, or to avoid paying your student loan? I think everybody flirts with the idea in their heads, not because they seriously want to disappear but just because it’s a possibility. It’s a ‘what if I...’ fantasy and I’ve certainly daydreamed about vanishing, leaving everything that I do, offering no explanation. It’d be exciting but ultimately lonely. Sometimes when I feel anti-social, I forget what it feels like to be around other people and how much I actually need that.
Do you think it’s possible to disappear and simultaneously have a successful music career? In a sense, yes. However it’s hard to have the spotlight, retreat from it and then continue with a successful career. But you can never appear and have success. Burial and The Residents are two examples of artists who have never revealed their identities and have huge, fanatical followings. Over the past couple of years there seems to have been a lot of focus on mystery or identity, almost as if it’s selling out telling people who you are. Stewart Lee describes people who use Twitter as ‘rats in an empty canal fighting over piss’. As serious artists, have you ever considered disappearing from the world of social media? Yeah I resisted Facebook for a long time but I like it now, aside from all the disgusting spam that’s been born into the digital maelstrom, we have become adverts without knowing it. Still, it’s good for sharing music and funny things. I think that the more ‘spammy’ it gets, the more people will become disenchanted with it and fall away. I’ve certainly had days where I’ve thought ‘oh my God, who are these people?’ and thought I should delete my account, but then I might miss out on a thread of laboured puns or keeping in touch with people elsewhere in the world. I understand Stewart Lee’s views on Twitter – it seems like a graveyard of people asking to be re-tweeted or sucking up to each other. It seems like more sinister networking than Facebook, an area more desperate. The individual is on the rise and he, she or it wants to go for coffee, complain about their day or boast about being drunk. That’s when I’d like to disappear.
Throughout history there have been some pretty interesting, high profile disappearances, Lord Lucan, Plane’s in the Bermuda Triangle, Alan Shearer’s hair. What’s your favourite disappearance? The disappearance and subsequent reappearance of John Darwin (the canoe man) was a blockbuster. It’s a story of love between two people, deception within a family and misplaced devotion. Darwin only returned because he missed his sons, who disowned him when they found out he’d not actually been dead for five years. Darwin had gone missing to save the life of his wife who was in deep financial trouble. She claimed the life insurance and went on without him, hoping to meet him in Panama. It’s a sad disappearance motivated by money, anxiety and love. The music industry has had some pretty high profile disappearances. Richie Edwards from the Manic Street Preachers, Glen Miller. If it all got too much for you, where would you disappear to? I think if I were to disappear it may be to a Nordic fjord or an Alaskan wilderness, although not as far out as Alexander Supertramp went. Somewhere where the world was peaceful and I could indulge in isolation. Last word: You lads aren’t planning to disappear anytime soon, are you? No, we’ve still got some appearing to do.
Look out for Outfit’s debut album, due this year. 49
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PATRICK &
PIGEONS
WORDS & IMAGES: JOSEPH W. SHARPE
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first met Patrick McGrory in 2010 whilst researching the once extremely popular sport of pigeon racing. I spent a lot of time with him over that year, and began to build an idea of not only his relationship with his pigeons, but also his love for the sport itself. Patrick is one of the last exponents of not only a sport, but an art form and a cornerstone of life in Northern Britain.
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new balance
NEW BALANCE 576 OG
25 ANNIVERSARY TH
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n 1988, Massachusetts-based footwear brand New Balance created the 576, a style that was hugely popular within the running community and designed specifically for the US market. Even though momentum and the initial awareness of the 576 were positive, it steadily slowed down and was finally dropped from production. That was until 1997, when it returned and instantly saw influential shops within cities like London, Paris and Milan stocking it for the start of the new millennium. As a tribute to one of the brands classic styles, New Balance now presents the 576 in all its
glory just in time for 2013, 25 years after the first release. We at size? have always been massive fans of the classic silhouettes that New Balance have produced, but these two colourways create even more of a nostalgic element that none of us can dismiss, helping them become even more desirable as a staple in our 2013 collections. The premium suede upper is complimented perfectly with a vintage styled ENCAP system integrated into the sole, and along with a coloured heel support, this legendary runner encompasses all of the original aspects 25 years later, without even breaking a sweat.
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ANDREW WEATHERALL MUSIC, METHOD & HIS RETURN WITH THE ASPHODELLS WORDS: JONATHAN FREDERICK TURTON
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ndrew Weatherall reached legendary status a while back. A purveyor of distinctive sounds, revered collaborator and central figure in a variety of significant, musical scenes- his reputation in the industry is bullet proof. A cherished component of the Acid House movement, and Cockney insider on the Madchester scene, his legacy is as colourful as it is unique. Over the years, stories have surfaced and retreated. A persona shrouded in mystery. Halcyon aimed to separate fact from fiction regarding this curious figure. His latest collaboration is with Timothy J. Fairplay, under ‘The Asphodells’ moniker, ‘Ruled by Passion, Destroyed by Lust’ proves Weatherall’s output is still in rude health. So Andrew, the new album - what inspired it and how does a collaboration like this come together? There was no day one with the album. Everything here is a continual process. Me and Tim have been making music together for a couple of years now - there’s no starting point because we never stop. I didn’t hold an artistic meeting where I said ‘right, listen to these records, this is what we’re going to be doing’. You start making tracks, and after a few months an interesting body of work begins to develop. Four or five tracks might shape themselves, then you create more to finish off the body of work. An album only turns into an album about half way through. Making music is more than just a day job to you? I count myself very lucky but it is a job, without trying to demean it. If you use the word ‘job’ in relation to art, sometimes people don’t acquaint the two - but it’s what I do for a living. I don’t have a studio in my house because I like to get up and go to work. If you have your gear at home you become lethargic - ‘I’ll do that in a minute’. Before you know it you’re fucking there, with Noel Edmonds in your front room opening red boxes. Whenever a wide variety of influences and styles can be heard on an album, it points towards originality. As a musician, how do you strike that balance between searching backwards and looking forward? 60
By not getting hung up on originality. You’re on a hiding to nothing if you sit there and think ‘I’m going to be original’. It’s not a good place to start. I make authentic approximations of music that I love and put it all together. Reviewing this album, The Wire said ‘with all these influences it shouldn’t work, it should be a mess - but it’s not’, and that’s because I’m not trying to do pastiche. That’s why I love Billy Childish, The Cramps, to a certain extent The Clash - bands that mix a variety of styles. Nothing dates quicker than a new sound. I’m more into timeless than futuristic or original. Start making your approximation and by default, you’ll become original because you’ll be out of time - they won’t be able to put you in any time span. Over the years, your music has traveled down a variety of avenues. Was it a natural metamorphosis or something that had to be worked on? I don’t think it has really. It’s evolved because of the new equipment I’ve gotten my hands on. I’m not the Luddite people think I am. I still like the same chord progressions, I still like the bass to be a certain way. I like the sound of certain drum machines that I always have done. John Lydon once said that he listened to Reggae with the bass up and the treble up, so I set the EQ on my record player like that as a kid, and just left it, that might explain quite a lot! What were you trying to provoke in the listeners mind with this record? Initially it wasn’t people’s mind we were thinking about, it was more about people’s feet to be honest! I think instrumental music gives the listener their own palate, and allows them to define the music. When you start introducing vocals you’re literally speaking to the listener, you’re kind of dictating what the images are, even if they get the wrong end of the stick. Some of the tracks have got peoples minds in mind - others, people’s feet! Your persona in the music industry is kind of mythological - bound to rumour and legend. Do you consider yourself a cult figure? Believe me my friend, the myth is far more interesting than the truth! But that’s how rock and roll works - you know what I mean? Contrary to popular belief I love pop culture,
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always have done, love the disposability of it, but then I’ve always liked something with heritage too. It’s two sides of the same coin. I’ve got nothing against pop culture, as long as you temper it with something a little more solid. It’s all about balance. Some people want that download that instant hit, but there’s enough people out there who want the antithesis of that - to maintain a career, be it a vinyl label or what I represent to some people, which is twenty five years of musical knowledge and being a part of musical culture. Has your career subterranean?
been
purposefully
I kind of created my own system because I didn’t want to end up hating music. That’s how I looked at it. When I started out I worked to live and didn’t live to work. I left school in 1981, would work my guts out on building sites or whatever, clothes shops. When music came along I thought ‘I’ll do this DJ-ing thing for a year, get into music, then do something else’. I wasn’t a careerist, that’s the thing. I treated it as a job and thought ‘well, if I’ve got a job and I’m not a careerist - I’m not concerned about getting the keys to the executive washroom - I can have fun whilst I’m doing it, same as I did on the building site’. From the get - go I figured I wasn’t going to do things I didn’t want to do. All of sudden a year goes by and I’ve got underground kudos, because I didn’t wanna kiss someone’s arse. I was a kid from the suburbs basically, who avidly read NME - ten years later I was a part of that world. But I never saw it as a career, I saw it as a job, and here we are ten years later. I still have no career but I have the same job. So you’re a lot less stubborn now? I’m a lot more easygoing my friend! It does do things, fame, notoriety - it can turn you into a bit of a dick! I did start to believe my own mythology to be honest with you. But you get to a point where you’re not arsed about proving anything to anyone. I care passionately but I’m not so hung up. Validation is nice - it’s nice to hear nice reviews about your record I won’t deny it. But I’m not unduly bothered about praise - I don’t think I’ve got too much to prove, really, which is quite liberating. I’ve not lost the hunger at all - I’ve just lost the hunger for validation.
You’re regularly asked about your associations with everything from Acid House, Primal Scream to the Happy Mondays. Why do you think people are so interested in your story? To me twenty years ago is last week, but to someone else, it’s before they were born - It’s difficult for me to put a perspective on it. Try and explain to me a day you had at work twenty-five years ago? Even if you were straight when you were at work you’d still have trouble - and I was out of my tiny mind. I couldn’t have told you what happened the weekend later, let alone twenty-five years later! It’s bad when you’re relying on books written by Hooky to put pieces of your life together. I love him to death but I’m like, fuck - really? Did I play there then? I do put big bits in the jigsaw of my life courtesy of Peter Hook’s ‘How Not To Run A Club’! When you’ve got so much going on presently, do you tire of talking about the past? If it’s a good interview, someone will mention something you’ve forgotten maybe - it depends how well the journalist has done their research. If it’s just ‘tell me some drug stories about Primal Scream’, you’re not going to get much out of me, but if someone mentions a party or a particular record, it might trigger off any number of memories, that may well include drug stories about Primal Scream! You don’t seem bored with music yet. What makes you keep striving forward? I’m running out of time - I’ll be fifty in April. Too much music, not enough time. There’s not only new music coming out but I’m still making threads with old tunes. Last year I read Rob Young’s ‘Electric Eden’ and that sent me on all kinds of musical journeys, again. All sorts of tributaries! It’s like when people ask ‘What’s your favourite record?’ - Well I don’t know, I probably haven’t heard it yet, y’know? There’s so much still to explore. I’m still passionate and I love the process of making art, whether it’s writing, music, painting - whatever. I love being in that moment of making something.
‘The Asphodells’ - ‘Ruled by Passion, Destroyed by Lust’ is available for download now. 63
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FROM BRISTOL TO BASEBALL BRANDING AMERICA’S PASTIME WITH
F
rom the ‘Clockers’ inspired Crooklyn Dodgers to Jay-Z serenading Yankee Stadium with Empire State Of Mind during 2009’s World series, baseball, hip-hop and street culture have long had a close, unofficial partnership. Select just about any rap, skate or B-boy film from the past two decades and you’d be hard pushed to not find a baseball cap, varsity jacket or another reference to the 144 year old game
that has become known as America’s pastime. Things are about to take a turn though, that unofficial marriage is being made legitimate via a collaboration between Major League Baseball and Bristolian graffiti legend Inkie. Since 1983, Inkie has been at the forefront of street-art, and along with fellow Bristol natives Banksy and Nick Walker has pushed graffiti into the mainstream consciousness. He explained how he plans to bring these two worlds together.
You’ve been working for almost 30 years now, how have things changed in terms of how your artform is respected, and how you go about it? I work as a designer on day to day projects and fit in my street work on the back of this. Having spent 12 years as head of design for SEGA I now have the discipline to apply this experience to my own work, as far as I see it, I’m living the dream!
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What was the initial spark that got you into graffiti, and is it still the same things that inspire your work as when you started? Subway Art the book, Wild Style the movie and meeting the original Bio TATS crew when I was 15. In the beginning was it a case of graffiti being inspired by more established cultures, music, sport, street culture etc & would it be fair to say now, that it’s a more established art form, these cultures are coming to people like you for inspiration? Nowadays the other cultures are looking to the street artists for branding and the urban feel of their respective products, this is not always a good thing though, and when it is done wrong it can backfire. Your work for MLB, an institution which has been around since 1869 and is directly responsible for the most popular sport in the United States, must seem a long way from graffiti being seen exclusively as a criminal activity, in both America and in The UK. How do you believe these two cultures can combine? Baseball imagery has always been part and parcel of the hip-hop and graffiti scene so it is only natural to use this imagery when customising bats and balls, plus hey they’re a joy to paint on. When looking at a project like this, how do you work? Does your inspiration come from imagery within the sport, or is it simply a case of bringing your own style to an existing brand? It is all about bringing my style to the brand. I like to have as much creative freedom as possible. Finally, with the respect people like yourself have garnered for the graffiti community, and projects like this one with MLB, is it inevitable that we’ll see more and more pre-existing institutions and cultures looking to graffiti for inspiration? Without a doubt. I am working with several brands in 2013 and hoping the trend continues!
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NATURAL SELECTION DENIM
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natural selection
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BRUISED
natural selection
BROKEN
BURIED
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Natural Selection was founded in 2009 by a multi-disciplinary collective of British creatives. The brand’s uncluttered and subtle British aesthetic is communicated through fit, cut and construction, focusing on uncompromising fabrications, finishing techniques and understated detailing. Natural Selection’s denim collection for Spring/Summer 2013 compromises of five cuts and four washes of selvedge denim. Woven on narrow-width vintage shuttle looms, the range includes classic design features such as original 1930’s Levi’s-inspired hidden rivets, coin pocket and chain stitched seats, the jeans hark back to an era of authentic, hardwearing American workwear. These carefully considered denim pieces slot effortlessly into the brand’s wider engineered collection of clothing.
www.nsdenim.com
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New Balance M890 £75
Carhartt Michigan Coat £110
Engineered from the ground up, this running trainer is a new kind of lightweight shoe, each part designed with purpose. The full ground contact outsole is just as compatible with midfoot and forefoot strikes as it is with a traditional heel strike. Innovative Diamond shapes, cut-in relief from the extradurable REVlite midsole, provide as much function as fashion and the coordinating Diamond motif on the outsole helps with grip and transition.
An absolute staple for any Carhartt fan. The Michigan Coat outlines everything that makes Carhartt so good; practical, durable, comfortable and all done with easy-to-wear style. Constructed from 8.9oz 100% Cotton ‘Hubbard’ Canvas in the aptly named ‘Carhartt Brown’. Finished with a Corduroy collar, branded metal buttons and woven Carhartt label.
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INVENTORY: TOGS & CLOGS
Vintage Colnago Fixed Wheel Bicycle £800
Armor-Lux 2297 Striped T-Shirt £49
1980’s single speed Colnago resprayed back to its original orange colourway. Lug lined in black with Campagnolo headset, Campagnolo crank and pedal arms. Brooks black leather seat. Original Cinelli bars and Cinelli stem with with brilliant vintage feel. New ‘old stock’ Colnago bar tape. New front black brake lever with Galli brake calliper. Deep rim black 700 wheels with black spokes black hubs. Sizing - Down Tube: 52, Top Tube: 54.
Constructed from Armor-Lux’s own knitted premium interlocked cotton which won’t twist when washed and will remain soft and strong for years. Featuring the Armor-Lux Anchor logo embroidered patch on the lower left of the piece. These are great quality classic long sleeve T’s that should be a staple of every wardrobe. Made in France.
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Lee 101 Everyman Shirt £125
Vintage Canon FTB £85
Lee 101 have been doing it for over 100 years and their collections always consist of high quality garments which will last and last. This shirt, based on an original workwear silhouette, is constructed from a lightweight printed Chambray Denim. Finished with beautiful button trims and subtle contrast stitching. A contender for ‘Shirt of the Season’ we reckon.
1970’s vintage Canon FTb SLR Camera, with Navajo leather strap, in superb condition. Single lens reflex still camera with manual focus.
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Brooklyn We Go Hard Parle Francais Jumper £90 Constructed from a wool/cotton luxury blend loopback fabric in Cream/Beige. Featuring the Multi Coloured Chenille ‘Brooklyn Parle Francais’ logo, the sweat is finished with Navy Blue Cordrouy elbow patches. These are very limited pieces.
INVENTORY: TOGS & CLOGS
Grenson Curt Derby Shoe £195 The Curt Shoe from Grenson is their take on a classic Derby Shoe. A plain fronted, cleaner style, but as elegant and stylish as any shoe out there. In polished Tan Brown Calf ’s leather, with Goodyear Welted polished sole, you can’t really miss with this one. Complete with unwaxed laces and finished with elegant Red leather inner-sole embossed with the Grenson flower logo, you know these shoes are a bit special and will last the test of time to boot.
Mads Norgaard Slean Oxford Shirt £100 Mads Norgaard specialise in the ‘classic with a twist’ idea that clothing doesn’t need to be reinvented, but just evolved. One of the best Oxford shirts we’ve seen, constructed from premium, washed, Egyptian cotton featuring a neat, button-down collar and jet pocket on the chest. The finishing and trims on this shirt are as good as you’ll find. Very limited numbers.
Converse Kids All Star-Hi £25 Navy Blue canvas upper with metal eyelets on the lace up and a vulcanised midsole. Finished with contrast stitching with a rubber toe guard and a branded badge on the side. Some serious street-cred for any little dude cutting around in these!
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ALTERNATIVE L.A. WORDS: DANIEL SANDISON
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erouac called it the ‘loneliest and most brutal of American cities’, Ice T called it ‘a microcosm of the United States’ and Steve Martin reckons ‘you’re really nobody in LA unless you live in a house with a really big door’. Everyone thinks they know Los Angeles, from the Kardashian infested hills to the grimy pavements of Hollywood. We linked up with ‘A Day In L.A Tours’ to lift the lid on some lesser known spots to eat, drink and get your photo taken, if you’re that way inclined.
DRINKS: Edison Bar, Downtown L.A. 108 W2nd St. Los Angeles, CA 90012 « Pictured, left. Looks like and old Thomas Edison factory/ train car/speakeasy. Prohibition prices on cocktails once a week, served by expert mixologists. Stick to the dress code.
Varnish, Downtown L.A. 118 E6th St. Los Angeles, CA 90014 Secret speakeasy in the back of Coles. Walk in and go to the unmarked door in the back. Sit at the bar and drink what they give you.
Speakeasy Seventy 7, Culver City 3843 Main St. Culver City, CA 90232 No password, no entrance. Rare whiskey and gin. Mixologists know what they’re doing, don’t ask for a Budweiser.
Bigfoot lodge, Los Feliz 3172 Los Feliz Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 9003 Taxidermy. Absinthe. Wood. Nerdy but hot hipster girls.
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FOOD: Big Deans Muscle In Cafe 1615 Ocean Front Walk, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Right at the base of the Santa Monica Pier. Giant beers and burgers. Great people watching from the front patio.
Farmers’ Market 6333 West 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Pictured, right » 30-40 Mom and Pop-type eateries jammed in one small area. Bennett’s Ice cream makes everything by hand from scratch. Get your haircut whilst you’re there.
Dukes 21150 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265
Right on the ocean. Affordable, good food on the bar side. Expensive, fancy food on the restaurant side.
The Malibu Cafe at Calamigos Ranch 327 Latigo Canyon Rd, Malibu, CA 90265
Awesome outdoor restaurant hidden in the hills. Great local wine list and food. Big pond that you can take paddle boats or a raft onto.
SupperClub 6675 Hollywood boulevard, Los Angeles, CA, 90028
Banksy art on walls outside Everything is white inside Awesome but expensive food Live sideshow-style acts/variety show while you eat.
Special thanks to: www.adayinlatours.com & farmersmarketla.com
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fail to prepare, prepare to fail
FAIL TO PREPARE PREPARE TO FAIL
C
arl Roland is just an everyday bloke.
He is about to embark upon the biggest challenge of his life. In association with Adapt Outdoors and T.E.A.M Fundraising, Carl is to trek to the North Pole as part of an expedition to raise funds for When You Wish Upon A Star, a charity that specialises in granting the wishes of children with life threatening illnesses. For 12 days, covering over one hundred miles, Carl will drag a 100 pound sled for ten hours a day. This unfathomably tough challenge has
required a gruelling training regime, a dramatic shift in diet and utilization of the combined expertise of a team of knowledgeable and experienced outfitters, who have provided not only his training gear, but will also kit Carl out for the expedition. Carl’s cardiovascular training for the expedition comprises of a 12 mile trail run in Delamere Forest. To combat the challenging, harsh terrain, he utilises the versatility and durability of Berghaus equipment:
To follow Carl’s progress & to donate go to: www.carlroland.com
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CARL ROLAND STYLED BY JOHN LLOYD & MATTHEW STAPLES BERGHAUS CLOTHING SUPPLIED BY ADAPT OUTDOORS
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UNLIKELY STYLE ICON
GEORGE COSTANZA WORDS: STE TURTON IMAGES: SCOTT DUFFEY
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he 90s, a difficult place to uncover any sort of style icon, even of the unlikely variety. With brands splashing logos all over their garments during the not-so-Cool Britannia movement, the era was awash with garish statements. There was however one New Yorker, who during a period of fashion meltdowns, managed to maintain an element of sensible chic with his wardrobe. Despite being one of America’s most watched TV personalities for eight years of the decade, the style of Seinfeld’s George Costanza goes criminally un-praised. It’s understandable; the understated Costanza collection was always going to struggle for attention, when competing with Kramer’s flamboyant shirts and Jerry’s bright white, iconic sneakers. We’d like to correct this oversight, and make ‘The Lord of the Idiots’ our inaugural Unlikely Style Icon. What’s not to like about George’s combinations? His twist on the prep look, made signature by replacing the boat shoe with Nike Cortez, is a stroke of genius. Those trademark plimsolls appear in virtually every episode of the sitcom, so the ‘short, stocky,
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slow witted, bald man’ should at least receive a slither of credit for Nike’s popular re-launch of the trainer in 2009. Nobody quite does smart- casual as effortlessly. He’s had his issues with formal attire, the super tight tux and discounted interview suit for starters. But even those ‘swooshing’ trousers were nothing more than a manufacturing malfunction - the three piece itself was incredibly dapper. When not ruining other people’s turtlenecks at parties, he does woollies well, with a penchant for cashmere and a fine array of cardigans, which perfectly compliment those plaid shirts and polo’s. Our man’s not afraid to accessorise either; the closet homes several dainty touches, including cream caps, suede gloves, a Russian hat made of pure sable-fur and of course those elegant, rounded, thin rimmed specs. When countering accusations of permanently dressing the same, George sums up his apparel perfectly; ‘within that basic framework there are many subtle variations, only discernible to an acute observer, that reflect the many moods, many shades, the many sides of George Costanza’. He may be disturbed, depressed and inadequate - but when it comes to style Jerry’s pal has got it all.
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