mitch abshere PhOtOGraPhY thOmas camPbell raenoptics.com
The product you’re holding has been tirelessly pieced together and printed following endless emails, missed phone calls, procrastinating and other bullshit that comes with putting together a work like this. It’s somewhat cliche, but we the makers honestly can’t measure the thanks we have for the talented people that provided their artwork, photos and stories to Here To Fame - your creativity has inspired an entire magazine. Our first instalment comprises the wordly works of Nic Gossage, Lachlan Hansen, Luke Shirlaw, Luke McMahon, Nick Simpson, James Adams, Morgan Massen, Chris Piascik, DJ Butcher and Darren Pearson, alongside some contemporary journalistic pieces on this, that and the other. We hope you enjoy our first volume as much as we enjoyed making it. - Team HTF.
here to fame i s s u e
o n e
contributors design and layout adam hayes & jeff levingston editor & proofing aaron dwyer contributing writers adam hayes, jeff levingston, mitch payne, aaron dwyer, james adams contributing artists/photographers lachlan hansen, nick simpson, luke shirlaw, chris piascik, nic gossage, jeff levingston, morgan maSsen, James adams, DJ Butcher, Luke Mcmahon, Darren Pearson, Thomas Oberwallner cover image by keegan gibbs thekeegangibbs.com contact info@heretofamemag.com www.heretofamemag.com here to fame would like to thank all the contributors for letting us use their work in the magazine (free of charge, no less). also, a big thanks to the companies who advertised with us and to the shops who carry the magazine.
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WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE THINGS/EVENTS/ ALBUMS/SHIT WE FOUND ON THE STREET THAT WE’VE BEEN ‘FEELIN’, AND THINK YOU SHOULD BE ‘FEELIN’. YOU ‘FEELIN’ ME?
THE VIGNELLI CANON
the vignelli canon massimo vignelli This has been sitting on my computer for ages, but I only got around to reading this little gem the other day. If you’re a designer it’s a quality resource, and best of all it’s free. The book is written by typographical design master Massimo Vignelli and covers all the fundamentals of functional design. Get it here: www.vignelli.com/canon.pdf
The World’s Best Ever 1990’s hip hop
the world’s best ever
Before rappers were using auto tune and rhyming This is one of the best blogs I’ve come across in a about Twitter, they used to kill people and sell long time (and trust me, I waste a lot of time looking drugs. Ah, the good old days! at blogs). I especially enjoy their ‘Reminisce Over This’ section, which is full of hip hop videos. Mostly classics from the early to mid-nineties. Go to: www.theworldsbestever.com for more.
sneak and destroy Sneak and Destroy is a fairly new and swanky sneaker, clothing and toy boutique run from Mermaid Beach on the Goldy. The owners are doing a fucking great job, stocking brands like The Hundreds, Mishka, DGK and a super stash of snap-back Starter caps. Go visit the store at 2577B GC Highway, Mermaid Beach
Jps fresh bread If you like the looks of Sneak and Destroy then you’ll definitely be into JP’s Fresh Bread. JP’s is a street culture blog that gets updated daily with all the latest info on drops from Kid Robot, Alife, and local brands such as Grand Scheme and Iamnone. www.jpsfreshbread.com
enter the magical mystery chambers A mash of The Beatles and Wu Tang might not sound like the best musical amalgamation, but it honestly comes off sounding pretty awesome. It’s basically the same deal as Jay-Z’s Grey Album (Black album tracks with beats made from the Beatles White album samples) except the production on this is a million times better. Go find it on the Internet and download it now.
eye on springfield If you’re anything like us, you were brought up on The Simpsons and love it like your mother. ‘Eye on Springfield’ is a retrospective library of Simpsons hilarity spanning from seasons one to nine (after that it kind of went a little downhill; we assume Conan O’Brien left after season nine). The blog gets updated fairly regularly so go check it out at http://eyeonspringfield.tumblr.com/. You’d better run, egg!
THAT’S NOT A PEN This is a pen! It’s a pen that has an RGB colour sensor that scans anything you point it at and produces the sampled colour. Red, green and blue is all you need to make the colours of the rainbow, folks. Though just like all fevered dreams of a madman, this is only a concept, but a damn good one. Don’t throw away the old four colour BIC just yet.
The HIGHWAY MAN John Cadoret used to work in a bank for five years before he thought, “I can’t do this the rest of my life”. So John bails the “normal life” and sticks to the outback highways on foot for the past 30 years. He lives off what people throw out of their cars and seems to be doing alright. Fuck yeah, John. Keep it up you hellman.
Malibu’s Most Wanted If you reckon you can cop a little mindless bullshit, or you’re stoned off your face and anything’s funny, then feast your eyes no further than the shithouse production that is Malibu’s Most Wanted, directed by all-time moron John Whitesell. Plot: A senator arranges for his son (an aspiring white rapper from a wealthy background) to be kidnapped by a couple of black actors pretending to be murderers; thus obstructing his laughable aspirations. Rating: negative three.
2015 HAT
COVER BY KEEGAN GIBBS SNAKESALIVE.TK Cameras and travelling go hand-in-hand; so do ‘Hundreds and Thousands’ with bread and butter. Aaron Hoffman has been from Hollywood to Guatemala and run amok all along the way. Just looking at his works, Hoffman evokes a sense of immediate realism, like you’re actually there with him. Make some time to check his photos and catch the travel bug at www.snakesalive.tk
Book Worms After a few emails we were lucky enough to be sent a photo from Keegan Gibbs. Mr. Gibbs is a photographer from the US residing in Malibu and New York intermittently. He’s also a director of photography and worked on Ozzy Osbourne’s documentary, Wreckage Of My Past. We’re consistently blown away by Keegan’s work, so it made sense to give the bloke our cover. Now you can be blown away too! Here’s to hoping we can extract an interview from him for the next issue. Check his work at www.thekeegangibbs.com or www.keegangibbs.com
The library: it’s not only for cheapskates, students and learned doctors. Go pick up a book on how to shred a guitar from your local library and win the hearts of females far and wide. Four bones for a library card with free net entitlements, and all the seasons of Seinfeld and National Geographic you’ll ever need.
Sure you’re thinking, “Damn, that’s a fine Marty McFly hat. Give me one of those right fucking now”. Well, if you can justify spending $150 for one of these bad boys then by all means lash out and buy an extra one to send our way. Though, rumor has it an imitator is bringing out a mock of these hats for only 20 bills, or someone got hold of the DeLorean.
It’s only recently I feel I’ve started to understand money. For most of my years I lived off my parents’ good will. And good will it was. Those home-cooked dinners made with love and affection. Birthday cakes on your birthday. Washing cleaned, ironed and folded. Ah, the days of old. After saying that however, living out of home and on a budget does have its vantages. A) There’s no chance Ma will ever catch you having a pull. B) You can drink milk from the carton. And C) waking up on your own floor after a night on the drink will always beat the walk of shame back from some bird’s house out on exit 107. It’s certainly not for everyone, especially not pompous old buzzards, but here are a few tips I’ve learned to living as a tightfisted 21-year-old out of home: ALDI: Call me Scrooge McDuck; call me what you like. ALDI has some killer deals. Buy in bulk and save. There’s no checkout chicks, so that sucks, but who really wants to chat at the checkout anyway? Pick up a brand new toaster, washing machine, or any other household appliance dirt-cheap. Give it a crack and I promise you’ll convert. CREDIT CARDS: Avoid these nasty pieces if you can. Sure they’re handy for Net shopping and the like, but rack up a bill of money which isn’t yours and the shit storm will hit you head-on. Always meet your minimum monthly repayments, if not more. Forgetful souls like myself get hit with the late charges. PETROL AND AUTOMOBILES: Filling up to the brim saves you coin, but I realise throwing 60 skins down the tube isn’t always a pleasing expense. Hardly need to say it, but Tuesday’s are always cheaper. Also, learn to service your own car. Mechanics charge a dime, but you can perform basic maintenance on your ride (like changing your oil filter and oil) quite easily. Super Cheap Auto always has the bargains, and comes highly recommended from my mechanically enabled uncle. Better yet, sell your car, ride a bike and save the environment.
ATTIRE: Op shop shit always looks rad and costs peanuts. Hack away at some Grandpa’s long-sleeve vintage shirt, and now you’re rocking new-school Charlie Sheen get-up. Flannelettes are choice for scabs; pick up a freshy from your local Woolies or Coles for under five bucks. Kill two birds with one stone and do your groceries and clothes shopping at the same time. THE FAST FOOD TRAP: Sure, it tastes delicious. Sure, when you’re tanked it seems like there’s magnets drawing you to the Golden Arches. Resistance is bliss. Waking up with a wallet fisted with fifties is far better than spending a morning on the can wondering if girls shit as much as blokes. FREE FUN: Surfing is the best fun you can have for free, in my opinion. All you need is the set-up. Same goes for skating and so on. Get a hobby that doesn’t rape your bank account and you’ll be living large. Start up motor-X if you’ve got A) a wealthy parent, B) a death wish, or C) no brains. NET BANKING: Really helps one to gauge their expenditures and whereabouts they’re blowing it. I’m not sure about the various branches and banking institutions, but I know Commonwealth online provide a comprehensive budget planner for students, idiots, the money-hungry… their customers.
Photo: Nic Gossage
In a typical sense, Nic Gossage suits photography and photography suits Nic. And that’s not implying he’s got an ugly rig or some random shit. No, Nic is a bit of a perfectionist and finds solace in things and expectations going to plan – as is apparent in his photographical works. Following a recent move from his Gold Coast home to Brisbane, Nic’s focus has shifted from predominantly surf photography to more abstract and urban inspired pieces. Wanting to know more about his developing inspirations and notions, the Here to Fame journos set out on a mission. Luckily Nic has always been a creature of the night, and wasn’t too hard to find for a good, stern quizzing. The following ensued:
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You flagged surf photos? Why’s that? Living out of home, bills, work, uni, getting drunk. Then waiting for payment from whoever takes months and puts you out when you most need it and also some of the people. Trying to juggle it in between the other fun and hassle. I think that I might have just got lazy also gave up too easy.
Worst place to take a photo? Nightclub, Pub, Mirrors with a camera above your head of your own reflection.
Favourite animal? Cats and Dogs and Cougars.
What do you want to shoot more of? More studio stuff but would like to go to the southern parts of the USA and Europe and just shoot what I see.
Rice or pasta? Both of them are so good and you can use them in any meal. But pasta is easier to cook and nothing beats the old spag bol. So pasta it is. Where would you like to see your work in the next 5 years? Be great to be earning a living off photography. I would be happy to see my work anywhere. Really unsure at this stage. Still finding my way through photography and what direction I want to go towards.
What was the last note you broke and what was it for? $50 for an $8.00 train ride of boredom and bogans.
Best location/scene you feel most comfortable shooting? Anywhere by myself or with my friends doing whatever. Are you a $1 scratchie guy or set for life scratchie guy? It’s hard to win anything on the set for life so $1 scratchie ‘cause its cheaper and you have more luck of winning $2 and getting another 2 scratchies so you feel good about yourself, but then not ending up winning and coming out with nothing knowing u have only spent $1 can still satisfy somehow.
Persons photo you want to take but haven’t? Alison Mosshart Best place to take a photo? During the afternoon at Straddie, South Oz, West Oz,street skating, streets, deserts, landscapes, Woodridge people anything that interests me I guess.
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Do you plan to backpack around Europe for six months when you finish and then settle down? That’s the art student thing to do I guess. No plans for Europe as yet, but running away with the circus is still on the cards. Where did you get your idea from to draw the upside down couch deer? I did a lot of acid from the ages of 7 to 12; a bad flashback is not an uncommon occurrence. One day I was eyeing Dad’s taxidermy collection when it all just fell into place three of my favourite things intertwined into one: couches, venison and women. How magnificent. Perth or Gold Coast? Gold Coast, but you just can’t seem to get a good flanno there though.
Have you ever looked at any relatives in a sexual way? I haven’t, no, but my uncle looks at me quite unsettlingly.
Will you ever buy any clothing article from a store or five-finger discount? Stealing is for Christians. Worst and best movie you’ve seen? Best: Jurassic Park. Worst: The Cable Guy. Quote something funny? I’m way too cool for your lame cliche. The talented Luke would never really respond in the fruity manner he did here, but ultimately he was too lazy to reply to the questions. So this is what he got. Check out his work at www.thecallouswest.blogspot.com
GE
What’s your next car you’re doing up? I was thinking of buying a Silvia, but I think all the rage is skating to TAFE now. Think I’ll play it safe on a Z-Flex with rims.
PA
What was it for? Christmas.
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When was the last time you withdrew a greenback? A Christmas card when I was 13, I think.
B E
Why did you choose to study design? Like every kid, I drew up thousands of tattoo designs and people with animals for limbs while watching the hours tick past at school. One day at lunch, a kid showed me a photo of a personal computer. I think the lingo in those days was a “PC”. I learned the art of drawing without a pencil or the use of paper. “Wow,” I mused. I still love the sound of a power button being pushed.
What’s your best money-saving tip this recession? Eat your young, get hosed down in a riot instead of showering, and make love using a shower cap over more traditional contraceptive methods.
THI S
Can you tell us a little about yourself and how this interview came into fruition? The morning my agent rang me and told me those fateful words, “I’m sorry, Bonds underwear just are not interested in your face for the next campaign,” I was at a crossroads, you know? So I figured fuck it, and jumped ship from my home in Perth to the Gold Coast and enrolled in graphic design. That’s where I met the creator of this very mag. Now I’m living back in Perth where I’ve decided to chase the catwalk again. Graphics is still my passion, but using my body to make some feathers is more appealing.
So, Butcher, first things are first – Dunks, Jordans or Air Forces? As much as I love my Jordans at the moment, my first pair of Nikes were Dunk Lows. I also had a rare pair of Ray-Gun Dunks I bought from Japan a few years ago that I wore to death. They’ll always be on the top of my list.
closely followed by The Crate Creeps debut release “It’s About That Time” around late April/May (both are currently finished and awaiting mastering/pressing). Both albums are on that straight hip-hop vibe; so we are expecting to put these albums in hip-hop stores around Australia and potentially in JB Hi-fi and on iTunes, so make sure you cop ’em!
I guess that hasn’t aided our readers in getting to know you any better, has it? Can you please give us a little intro about yourself? My name is DJ Butcher; I produce hip-hop with a crew called, The Crate Creeps. I DJ for a number of hip-hop acts around Brisbane including Pure Product, Eloquence and Truths & Rainman. I also have a lot of feature spots on a lot of albums. Born, bred and still residing in the suburb of Beenleigh (between Brisbane and Gold Coast), I got into hip-hop at about 12-years-old through graffiti. I made my first beat around that time; started scratching on my 18th birthday some four years ago now. I like digging for records, but never pay more than $5. I use a shit mixer with upgrades to scratch and a shit audio editing program with plug-ins to produce. I think that basically covers my entire life.
Future’s looking good man, I’m super keen to hear Eloquence and Truth’s full length and excited to see how Born Fresh comes along. Later on in the mag we’ve got a section about travelling with a few top 10s (travel tips etc) so maybe you can give us your top 10 things to take on tour?
A day in the life... Wake up around 8-8:30am and go to work (non-music related and about a foot away from my bed). Check my emails, reply to all emails, go back to bed or get to work on my money making career. Whilst working I’m always listening to music that can be sampled so in the event I find a gem, I stop working and make a beat. Come 12ish, I eat something, go for a skate to the post office and check my mail. Once I get back I usually slum around for an hour or two watching TV or some shit. At about 3pm I’m sick of working and I scratch for an hour or two everyday. Once the clock hits 5pm, I put the answering machine on and start making beats or watch TV. For all those who are confused, I run my own company separate from music, so I am my own boss and work from home. If only I could quit that shit and make a living off music – stupid hip-hop! Haha! What’s in store for the future? When can we expect The Crate Creeps and Eloquence and Truths L.P’s? Well, there is A LOT happening in the near future. Myself, along with Crate Creeps & Eloquence and Truths have started a record label called Born Fresh. It won’t be your generic hip-hop label, and we are planning to release a book every six months (yes, a book, not a magazine) compiled quarterly by a group of extremely talented street artists. We are going to incorporate a small clothing label of limited edition print shirts, and also run the music distribution and publishing for Eloquence and Truths and The Crate Creeps. More info about Born Fresh will come out VERY soon. As for releases, the Eloquence and Truths full length album will be out April 2010 very
1 Serato (fuck lugging around records, I did it once and it SUCKED!) 2 Deodorant (VERY important) 3 LOTS of shirts 4 At least two pairs of shoes 5 Thongs (essential) 6 Board shorts (one that I have only figured out recently) 7 iPhone/Music player 8 Laptop 9 Baby powder... Chafe’s a bitch haha! 10 Sunscreen/Sunglasses (somehow I get super sunburned every time I go travelling regardless of weather) And to just to keep on the top 10 theme; what are your top 10 hip hop albums? 1 The Awakening - Lord Finesse 2 20/20 - Dilated Peoples 3 The Big Picture, Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous - Big L 4 The Infamous - Mobb Deep 5 Born Again - Notorious B.I.G. 6 Illmatic - Nas 7 Enter the 36 Chambers - Wu Tang 8 Midnight Marauders - Tribe Called Quest 9 Between a Rock and a Hard Place - The Artifacts 10 Golden Years (1989-1998) - DJ Premier
here to fame 25
We were going to go with your everyday, stock standard, runof-the-mill we’ve
Q&A
already
for
writer
flogged
come
that
dead
artist horse
Lachlan so
Hansen,
much,
it’s
but like,
“Hey, man! Stop flogging that dead horse”. Instead we opted for the military-issue, ‘tell no lies’, word association game. The subject Hansen was kidnapped from his establishment at 0500 hours. He was bound and gagged, but resisted; squirming, screaming, kicking and crying all the way to our West Burleigh interrogation room. We initiated the Chinese drip therapy at 0530. At approximately 0800 the word association began. the next few pages are what we wrangled from the shell of a man.
here to fame 27
graffiti rap taggin’ tupac thug life kevin rudd bonus girls trouble stevie nicks the mac
KFC rotting bird carcasses sesame street dave chappelle skit pirates frilly neck shirts photoshop frustration eric koston chomp on this
apple strudel freddy mercury flamboyant the colour red incorrect spelling bourbon woodstock blue the bible thrasher
bert newton moonface michael jackson kiddy thriller paper, scissors, rock ’n roll proceed to flickr.com/cantsleepstill for more
here to fame 29
PHOTOS AND
A NS WERS FROM
Not only is his name way cooler than yours, but Cali kid Morgan Massen possesses an envious affinity for liberating the spirit of each moment he carefully captures. In a developing digital era his cultured works are proof the age-old adage ‘a picture’s worth a thousand words’ is still an unconditional truth. And, in spite of knowing less about the character than his sophisticated snaps, Here to Fame tracked down Morgs to wrench his thoughts on this, that and the other.
So you’ve been to most parts of Australia, can you enlighten us on how it differs from home in California? Australia is so much rawer than California. As soon as you leave a city in Australia it feels like you are in uncharted territory; just empty beaches and land. Australia’s oceans will forever have me drooling – California suffers from endless pollution and poor sediment, so there’s rarely a day when you can shoot a photo underwater. The three reasons I stay in California are point breaks, family, and Mexican food.
“I always have sentimental pangs of guilt when a company buys or publishes my artistic work; for the sake of the shot being linked to something else.”
What’s your favorite place in Australia and why? I blew my mind on the beauty, peace and waves of Yallingup. Sydney is also an amazing metropolis – so functional, clean and prosperous. Do you like Vegemite? I’ve never been partial to toilet grout. How’d you start out in photography? I’d been making small films for several years between high school, work, and surfing, with no general interest in taking photos at all. I basically viewed it as another way to keep me from surfing. It was hard enough not filming when the waves were good, which is rare where I live. However, my Dad has shot photos since he was a teen, and my family decided to surprise him with a new digital rig for his birthday; four days before mine. Within a day I was hooked and on my birthday my parent’s gave me a lens to match the body I’d bought myself. What are your thoughts on making money from photography? Do you submit many of your shots to surf mags in the hope of making money? I haven’t submitted to any mags except for Tracks, after meeting the editor. Right now I’m shooting photos for passion with no financial motivation, but I would like to see a relationship work out with one magazine. I enjoy making money (obviously), but I always have sentimental pangs of guilt when a company buys or publishes my artistic work; for the sake of the shot being linked to something else. Could you stand not living near the ocean? What else would you do? I go crazy; not so much when I can’t surf, but when I can’t see the ocean. I have all sorts of passions outside of the water – skating, snowboarding, biking, art and the like – but living landlocked is torture to me. The ocean has been such a constant in my life
Film VS digital…? I shoot mostly digital for the sake of affordability, but nothing is more divine than shooting film to me. The patience; the thought; the calculations that go into shooting one photo make digital seem like a toy. Ditto to shooting motion film; nothing is more special than a shot made on Super8 or 16mm. I shoot film whenever I can; I always have my old 35mm Minolta and 50mm on me. I filmed my whole trip through Australia on Super8, and the film is being developed as we speak! What’s your take on the global economic condition? The superpowers are hurting because of pathetic Republican management over the United States government; directly affecting most other countries with any economic clout. I personally don’t worry too much about it as I feel the world will rebound shortly. Whose works are you into at the moment? Andrew Kidman, Brian Beilmann, Ray Collins and Scott Soens are my greats. I’m equally in awe of the many obscure young cats on the net that have yet to make it or can’t escape school! Have you got any plans for a lengthy career in photography? Or is it simply a long-time passion? I hope to juggle photography with my other passions: filmmaking and art. I dream of a career and balance exhibited by Andrew Kidman or Thomas Campbell. Any plugs or shout outs? Big shout out to Brandon Smith and Trevor Gordon – they’re the best company in the surf anyone could ask for (with or without a camera). Ryan Lovelace rocks hardcore. And also a special thanks to my parents, friends and everyone else for the support, help, and even hate! It all helps!
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So I googled your name and the only relevant info that came up was a link to a poster for the Ninelives show you shared with Jared O’Sullivan, and your myspace. Could you give the kids at home a little extra about yourself to get them up to speed? Um, I’m twenty and have lived in Brisbane for three quarters of my life. Pretty happy with how everything’s gone so far. I haven’t disabled myself yet so that’s good, right? Did two years at TAFE as well – visual arts. That did me well. A lot of people rag on art school, but it helped me so I’m happy I did it. Speaking of the show at ninelives, how did it all come about? Have you and Jared ever collaborated on a piece? Ah, well, I had a couple of pieces in the opening show there back at the end of last year. It’s a great space in there so I was psyched when they said they were keen for a full show. Jared’s a great mate of mine too so that was fun teaming up with him. We’ve done a few collabs, hey. If you had to explain your work to a total stranger, how would you describe it? I struggle with that question. I just stumble over a few words about my imagination and my ignorance about technology and people and the world. I guess even my paintings are like illustrations cause they’re not very painterly.
Your pen work is especially excellent when contrasted with some water colours, it reminds me of someone. not to the point where you’re biting someone else’s style, but I just can’t put my finger on who it is. Who are some of your major influences? Thanks man. First I’d say authors influence me like Russell Hoban and Miranda July ‘cause they write in such a creative way. The way they look at life is so unique. Artist wise I’d say Porous Walker, Josh Keyes, Alex Pardee, REAS, Adam Cullen. There’s a whole bunch I like to look at that’s just a few of them.
Also, according to google, you wrote a grade 12 Maths B textbook. was this just to get you through a rough period when art wasn’t paying the bills? Hahaha yeah. But nah, that’s funny I’d forgotten about that, I think I had to use that one for my class. Maths is gay. But seriously, how did the show go? Man, the show was sick. We had a good turnout and sold some pieces. It was a mission getting everything up on the walls, but well worth it in the end. Aside from art, what else do you spend your time doing? I dunno, I’ll watch movies and downloaded TV. I can’t understand how some people don’t watch films. It’s such a good way to wind down your time on the earth. But yeah, the TV show Breaking Bad is killin’ it at the moment so I hang out for that every week. I like goin’ out too. The Valley’s fun. I try to get to West End as much as possible to eat the wonderful food there. Lebanese kebabs: $3.50. Where to from here? I go to England for six weeks soon and when I come back I’m gonna try to get a job on a cruise ship so I can earn shitloads of cash with nothing to spend it on. Then I can sit in my cabin at night with a sketch pad and make hundreds of drawings. So to wrap this whole interview business up I thought I’d throw a few quick questions at you. Last beverage: Sambuca shot, I’m pretty sure. I woke up this morning and had to go back to a stranger’s apartment to try find my pants! First concert: I think it was Blink 182 at the Entertainment Centre. That was fucking fun. Kinda weird that they’re back together again. Last fight: That was last night as well. Not really a fight, but I was wrestling my mate ‘cause he hadn’t finished a book I’d lent him ages ago. He had to tell me about that today ’cause I can’t remember doing that. Favourite pre-1995 video game: Kid Icarus was sick. I used to live in Switzerland right, and we’d drive to England for summer holidays my sister puking from motion sickness next to me in the back of the car. That game copped an absolute flogging on the game boy! Lily Allen - Yay or nay? Yeah man! For more of Nick’s work check his blog at nicksimpsonart.tumblr.com
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Interview by Jeff Levingston
So, Chris, tell us what you’re about, man? Work. Haha! But seriously, it’s always something!
What do you reckon is after this catchy blog stage of things? The Ablogalypse?
Did you study art at school or was it an out of school decision? I went to the Hartford Art School (at the University of Hartford) and I received a BFA in Visual Communication Design.
Have you travelled much? Unfortunately, I haven’t traveled much of the world yet. But that’s only because I’m broke! Hopefully I’ll get a fancy show in Europe and things will change!
Are you into street art? I definitely like a lot of street art although I don’t follow it too closely.
What frightens you? My student loan bills. I hate you Sallie Mae.
Were there any artistic people in your family? Did you inherit your creative genes? Not that I am aware of. I was told my grandfather drew from time to time, but I never met him and I haven’t seen any proof.
What does money mean to you? Money usually just stresses me out, but I think that is only because I have never had quite enough of it.
As far as critics go, do you have an inner-critic or do you think, ‘Fuck it, that’ll do’? Ah, the inner-critic is usually very harsh of my daily drawings. It has gotten a bit better since the beginning, but when I started doing the daily sketches I’d end up redrawing often. I slowly trained myself to just let them happen and not worry too much. Usually I’ll like them better after not seeing them in a while anyway. What was your first shit-kicking job? My first job was mowing tiny, mobile-home yards in the complex where my grandparents lived. How much do you enjoy your current job? I currently work at Alphabet Arm Design [alphabetarm.com]. When I was a little kid I would take apart album packaging and remake my own. Now, I get to do that as my job! Aside from music related design, we do heaps of other branding and print design work. It’s always something new and that keeps it fun and challenging. I’ve seen some of your groovy coloured bikes, do you exercise much? Sort of, I ride my bicycle everywhere and I try to remember to stretch.
Do you think too much? If so, what about? Of course, I think too much about everything! I often over-think my work, which has influenced my random, improvised style. When I can’t come up with a solid idea or direction I’ll just begin with a shape or scribbled outline and take it from there. What do you find difficult? Keeping track of all my random projects. I email myself lists multiple times a day. I also have a very difficult time getting a proper amount of sleep! What worries you? Money; the state of the world; impending doom. You seem to have a knack at creating and inventing fonts. Have you always had a thing for typography? Thank you! As a graphic designer my job is to obsess over type. When I was a kid I spent countless hours redrawing my favourite bands’ logos. I started drawing type a lot more due to my daily drawings though. As I started to run out of ideas for things to draw, I started illustrating crazy quotes I heard on the news.
Do you like looking for inspiration, or just draw what you feel like? Sometimes I do like looking for inspiration, but more often than not I start my drawing very late in the evening. In those situations I need to get straight down to business! What’s your favourite movie? Hmmm, either Tommy Boy or the Disney version of Robin Hood. I just saw that new Pixar movie UP and that was quite good. What’s getting thrashed the most on your iPod? I really like the St. Vincent album and The Misfits have been a weekly staple since I was about 10-years-old. What’s your favourite book? I remember really liking Catcher in the Rye as a kid. I have read good books since, but don’t think the feeling has matched up yet. Maybe it was just the childish wonder because, to be honest, I don’t remember that much of the story. Haha. What condition will the world be like in 50 years? 50? I am just hoping it’s still here! Where do you ride that purple bike of yours? And does it hit mach 10 speeds? I ride my purple bike everywhere; it is by far the fastest and most fun way to get around Boston.
Tell us a bit about your company, Print Brigade? Print Brigade was started with my friend Vaughn Fender while we were in art school printing posters together. Through the years it evolved to be mostly t-shirts with the assorted bag and art print. At this point I do the majority of designing. Although Print Brigade is still very small scale it is finally at the point where it is barely supporting itself. Any partners in crime? I have a girlfriend (Kristen) of three years. We’ve been doing the long distance thing for most of that time, though we see each other on the weekends. I guess at this point it meshes well with my chronic workaholicism. I mentioned my Print Brigade partner Vaughn, but there is also Jamie Murrett. He has been my best friend most of my life; he does much of the marketing for Print Brigade. I also jokingly refer to him as my manager. Maybe one day I’ll be successful and make that official! Any plugs? I just added some new prints to my Etsy store: chrispiascik.etsy.com — go buy them!
luke shirlaw p h o t o g r a p h er
m arke t i ng
di re ct or
p u b li s h e r
|
interview
by
adam
h ay e s
So, for anyone that may not have heard of you before, can you explain a little about the evolving process of your work - how you grew up, how you got into graffiti art, and then subsequently got into design, publishing and photography?
I grew up in Townsville, North Queensland. Well, actually, for 17 years I was living on an acre of land about 30 minutes drive from Townsville. I spent a lot of time riding BMX bikes and exploring the local bush land. I was always into drawing and I can remember from a young age that I wanted to make my own clothing label. Graffiti came early in high school when a friend suggested that we need to make up a ‘tag’. I had no idea what I was doing for a long while and it wasn’t ’til I was 15 that I started to realise there was more to graffiti,and I attempted my first piece. After that I was hooked. All I wanted to do was graffiti. I failed high school lacking focus. Design was a natural progression. My brother showed me the internet and I took an interest in building a website to showcase my graffiti. Fast forward a few years and as I was getting ready to depart the ‘ville for Brisbane, I wanted to start a graffiti magazine. Artillery was born. From that, TKOSM (The Kingdom of Sad Machines) evolved into a design studio with my friend Joel and we started another magazine called Death Before Dishonour. Because of graffiti, I always had a (35mm) camera, but I really think it was my friend Linz who showed me the importance of documenting one’s life outside of graffiti; especially while travelling. I don’t actually remember what made me get my first SLR, but I was taking photos with it for a long time before I ever dared to consider myself a photographer. What a does a regular day for you involve?
I hit snooze on my alarm for around an hour, wake up later than I want to, skip breakfast and jump out the door. I catch a boat to the office and then spend the next 10 plus hours trying to navigate my ‘to-do list’. After that I go home and either do more work, watch TV with my lady or go to a party/concert and take photos.
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How did the kingdom of sad machines come about, and how long was it before you guys were bringing in regular work?
Again, it really happened naturally. All it was initially was a name I could use to publish Artillery. By the end of Artillery #3 I was hanging with Joel a lot and he rocked the outro spread of the magazine. From there I asked him if he wanted to join TKOSM and we started to work on projects together; eventually he moved his computer into my (bedroom) office and we were officially a studio. It took a while to get any kind of “regular” work, but it was always a struggle. Out of all the work with TKOSM, what were some of your favourite projects to work on?
I’m working with Ironlak doing all things marketing, design and photography. I’ve worked with them since the beginning, but when I was in Europe with them this year I felt it was time to step it up. It’s my first day-job since I quit Billabong. And that was what, four-to-five years ago? Joel is doing well with The Amity Affliction, and as I type this, is somewhere in the UK on tour. He also runs a new studio called Umbrella CS where he continues to produce better, and better work. Yimmy is in Sydney working out of China Heights as a freelance design guy. I haven’t seen Lochlan in a while, but I can only assume that he is still tearing it up playing amazing music. Damien just did the layout for a new magazine called Hell Yeah and is on the freelance design grind.
The Amity Affliction cover was one of my favourites. I always enjoyed working on the magazines though. Every single issue was a huge achievement.
I’ve noticed recently that your photography work has been getting a lot more exposure; how long have you been into photography?
And on the other end of the scale, were there any pure nightmares of jobs that you worked on?
I’ve always dabbled, but I’ve only really taken it seriously for the past couple of years. It’s now one of my favourite things to do.
The magazines, ha. As much as I loved doing them, the hours that went into each issue were insane. Sleeping on the floor of the office for an hour after working for 20, then waking up; smashing some Red Bulls and getting back into it can be pretty harmful. Especially when you do that for a week or two.
What’s your relationship with ClaudIO Kirac? It must be pretty awesome to know, and be able to work with a dude like that.
Any news on another issue of artillery?
Working on it right now. I want to get it out by Christmas but we’ll see how that goes. It’s an uphill battle for sure. And on the topic of artillery have you ever gotten into any trouble with it? In terms of police asking questions about writers that have appeared in the mag?
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What are you and the other kingdom of sad machines dudes up to post-TKOSM?
Never been directly contacted. But our magazines were confiscated in some store raids in Sydney a couple of years back and submitted to the Board of Classification. All was okay in the end.
I met Claudio when I started working at Billabong. We hit it off straight away. He is one of my favourite people on this earth, but I don’t get to see him much anymore even though we only live an hour apart. We are just both so busy. He has certainly been an inspiration to me in a big way. Now that I think about it, it was Claudio and Amber B who inspired me to take photography seriously. He is a genius.
What’s your view on the art scene in Brissy at the moment? I know that with the opening of the nine lives gallery it must’ve given it a real boost and provided a lot of opportunities for young artists/ photographers etc.
Nine Lives brought a really good thing to Brisbane when they opened. Brisbane needed it. It’s nice to see regular, interesting artwork that you otherwise wouldn’t get to see here in Brisbane. I think there are more opportunities here now than ever, but it’s got a long way to go. Unfortunately I feel like people still need to leave to really “make-it”. This is kind of a lame question, but I know a lot of people would be nerding out hard like me who are some of your big influences? In terms of photography as well as graff, art and design.
Hard question. I’m always looking at stuff, so it’s hard to really pinpoint key people. I think the real inspiration comes from those that I’ve been able to build relationships with and they have inspired me through their creativity, work ethic, ideas and general outlook. Some of those people are: Elana Mullaly, Mike Giant, Ben Pobjoy of Switzerland, Claudio Kirac, Amber Bignell, KC Ortiz, Dmote, James Hartley, Ed Woodley of China Heights, Tristan Ceddia and my people’s at Hobogestapo and Ironlak. I must also give an inspiration nod to Roger Gastman, Kenneth Cappello, Patrick Hoelck, Richard Branson and the AWR/MSK crews. Any upcoming projects? What can we expect from you in the near future?
Man, I’m really just going to try and simplify if that’s even possible. Ironlak, Artillery and photography and that’s it. I wanna find more time to just kick it with my friends. We’ll see.
For more on Luke check out:
www.yoblooddiamonds.blogspot.com www.hobogestapo.com
55
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e om
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How else to figure out what goes on in the mind of such a diverse American than a word association game. By Jeff Levingston
ds an
DESIGNER / PHOTOGRAPHER / LIGHT PAINTER / FILMER
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DARREN PEARSON
I’ve never been backpacking, but it’s something I’ve always envisaged myself doing
10
the top
non-essentials you’ll need anyway
– sweating, stinking, partying, getting arrested in a tiny German town for indecent exposure. So I made a bucket list of hot spots where any sort of mischief and wonder seem plausible. Once I’m done with being a poor uni student I plan to see the real world. Perhaps you’ve had the same idea. Conscientious and determined, I set out to research and debate the ins and outs of lugging your shit ’round the countryside. And here it is, a list of the 10 most-popular countries for backpackers, an essentials and non-essentials guide, as well as a few websites to kick-start your own backpacking dream:
10
the top
destinations to visit with a backpack:
10
the top
essentials for backpacking
Photo: Nic Gossage
1 Australia. 2 Thailand and Laos. 3 Amsterdam. 4 Prague, Czech Republic. 5 Nicaragua. 6 Morocco. 7 Indonesia. 8 Greece. 9 Nepal. 10 Guatemala. 1 Map. 2 Compass. 3 F lashlight/headlamp (be sure to pack extra batteries that fit). 4 Extra food (enough for one extra day). 5 Extra clothes. 6 Rain gear (jacket and pants; always carry rain gear even if the sun is out). 7 F irst aid supplies (include an extra day of any meds you might need in an emergency). 8 Pocket knife. 9 M atches or butane lighter (stored in a water tight container). 10 F ire starter (can be candles, chemical fire starter, backpack size fire logs).
10
the top
websites worth a look
1 C amera (what’s the use of going on holiday if you forget the best moments?). 2 Passport (hold onto this baby for your dear life, lose this and you’re fucked). 3 Money (good luck getting anywhere without some of the local currency). 4 Condoms (prevent an unwanted, inferior version of you appearing with the apt protection). 5 Mobile phone (make sure you enable roaming, otherwise it’s as good as useless). 6 Aloe Vera lotion (sunburn sucks, rub some Aloe on and feel the relief). 7 Water purification tablets (may come in handy at the most unexpected of times). 8 Notepad and pen (for handing out your digits to chicks, boom!). 9 Towel (Attach your wet towel to side clips on your pack this way it won’t wet everything and gets a chance to dry). 10 Leak proof containers (pour your shampoo into a Coke bottle and end spillages). 1 w ww.smartraveller.gov.au/tips/backpacking.html (tips and travel info). 2 www.twohikers.org/Gear/TenEssentials.html (gear, guides and essentials). 3 www.backpackaround.com.au (everything you need to know about backpacking Down Under). 4 www.the-backpacking-site.com (over 3000 listed hostels listed worldwide). 5 www.bugeurope.com (the Backpacker’s Ultimate Guide to Europe). 6 www.webjet.com.au (arguably the cheapest airfare search engine going ’round). 7 www.travelindependent.info (an all-encompassing digital journal on backpacking the world). 8 www.studentflights.com.au (cheap, honest airfares for studious students). 9 www.lonelyplanet.com/au (the experts on worldly travel). 10 www.beargrylls.com (the website of ultimate survivalist and Pommie SAS hell-man, Bear Grylls).
All photos taken by the man himself; James Adams.
Basketball Shot: A Frenchman and an Englishman I met in our cluttered hostel joined me for an expedition into the heart of Toyko in search of the “red light district”. All we found were way too many game arcades filled with businessmen on their lunch breaks and this ghetto basketball court that was dominated with the only semi-tall people we spotted in Japan. Bum Reaper: This was a Hobo I spotted living beside the Basketball court pictured. He had the wildest teeth set-up I’ve ever seen. His mouth was a fucking booby trap so I felt obligated to ask him for a photo. I soon met the angriest man in Tokyo. He yelled jibberish (or Japanese), hissed and spat at me. After a few minutes I figured, he is homeless so money is like gold. I offered him some coin, not much but he shouldn’t be a chooser, and he replied the same. All I got was this shot of him as I walked away. Fucking bum. Dog: I planned to see more of Japan than just Tokyo but there is an endless amount of stuff to do and see. One of which things was the fish market. It starts really early and being a fish market, it smells of fish. Stupidly I left it to my last morning to experience it and typically I was drunk/hungover and hadn’t slept. I believe some of my best shots have been taken in this state but this shot was just something to do to take my mind off the fish smell.
Man On Bike: I arrived in Tokyo solo, at midnight and with zero Japanese language skills under my belt. This made it difficult to find my home for the next 2 weeks. Once I did the sleep was insane, coma-like. I woke with the late afternoon sun in my eyes and with groups of foreign people speaking weird languages around me. Out of pure confusion and excitement I grabbed my camera and started to explore the hostel. I ended up on the roof where I shot this man riding home from work with the groceries. Girl With Crazy Eyes: Harajuku bridge is where I was told to go to see freaks. I went there and there were freaks. But I couldn’t understand why they give up their days to dress up and have photo’s with strangers. Is it fun or awkward? There is no financial gain so I’m completely lost as to why they do it. It weirded me out so I could only take a few shots before I ran away feeling completely uncomfortable. This is part of one of three girls posing together. Two Girls Dressed Up: As I ran away feeling uncomfortable I spotted these two ladies getting ready to stand around dressed up like princesses for no reason. I may sound like a creep but watching them get ready interested me enough to shoot a photo of them. I love this photo. It’s one of my all time favorites.
roku juu san
Bum Smiling: While aimlessly wandering the streets of a new part of town I ran into this interesting character. Unlike the previous hobo this guy was a keeper, definitely one to take home to the parents. He smiled at me before I even approached him, he tried to speak some English and was more than happy to force out an over enthusiastic smile. Proves that not all bums are angry at the world. Good egg he was. Wave: This is the only non-Tokyo photo. It was in Malibu, California at the time the whole state was on fire at the end of 2007. Being hungover I was rolling on the sand with my camera waiting for this moment. I couldn’t believe that exactly what I wanted to happen, happened without me getting up and moving. That never happens. Not long after this wave was captured we were evacuated because the fires were getting hectic. Governor Schwarzenegger even got on the radio and declared a state of emergency. It was hilarious. Rooftop Runner: After first discovering the hostel roof, I decided it was my breakfast spot. One particular morning our neighbour was going to town with his exercises. I pretended to be shooting all different buildings but deleted the rest so I could get a shot with his hot body in it. Job done. Parade: I stayed in a suburb on the outskirts of the city. It was semi-ghetto but I kinda liked seeing all the locals going about their day to day business. Walking home from my favourite eatery one night I could faintly hear chants and bells in the
roku juu si
distance. After a few minutes, the sounds grew closer and closer until the parade marched right past me. They caught me off guard but I still had time to whip out my camera and shoot some of the antics. Was pretty festive for a deserted street. People On The Street: After a full morning of rain, the dust had been cleared from the air. I went walking again and before crossing a street I looked up and could have sworn this scene had been set up. Everything just looked in place for this kind of photo so before the green walking man appeared I snapped a scene with nothing going on but so much to look at. Bike Girl: On any photo related trip it is a must to get some photos, any photos in the vault asap. It is like a safety net in case absolutely nothing interesting appears for the remainder of your time there. On my first morning I took to the streets with this idea in my head. I wasn’t sure how the Japanese would take to having a stranger photograph them but most of them didn’t seem to mind. This is one of millions donning the “swine mask” and tackling the streets via bicycle. Fish: I’m not sure why, but I thought I’d get some shots of fish while in Japan. I also thought I’d get my best fish shots from the fish markets, but I captured this image at the local corner store. They had an incredible variety of all sorts of fresh seafood. I would have purchased some but I didn’t have the amenities, skill or keeness to cook anything like that.
STARTER CAPS
Back when I was at primary school, if you were rockin’ a Starter cap you were pretty cool. If you don’t remember (or, unfortunately weren’t old enough to remember) Starter caps were the classic snap-back caps made for every major sporting team in the States. I had a Lakers one and it was my pride and joy. However, one fateful day said Lakers cap was blown clean off my head during some heavy winds on a boat in the middle of a freezing lake (fuck you Queenstown, NZ). I’m pretty stoked that these caps are making a comeback, and I don’t mean to blatantly plug Sneak and Destroy again, but if you’re keen to get one then do as 2Pac said and “hit ’em up”.
Alex Kidd in Miracle World
Alex the Kidd was the in-built game in the Sega Master System 2 which was pretty cool because it was actually one of the best games of all time for the Master System. I guess Sega kind of shot themselves in the foot by giving everyone a free game that was so awesome. Anyway, this has kind of the same premise as Mario Brothers; some evil dude has kidnapped a princess and it’s your mission to rescue her. There are some slight differences though, such as punching things with your massive fist (WTF), as opposed to jumping on things to open and defeat them as in Mario Brothers. Also, you are able to go to a shop on certain levels and buy motorbikes or helicopters. These are useful for total destruction. The fact that you defeat the boss at the end of the level by playing Paper, Scissors, Rock once again begs the question: what the fuck?
Saved By The Bell
Saved By The Bell was a teen sitcom that attempted to deal with real life issues like taking responsibility for one’s actions, homelessness and financial issues. These things totally went over my head because I just saw it as a thoroughly entertaining TV series. SBTB is set in a high school within a fictional town of California, and follows a group of friends (Zach, Screech, A.C, Kelly, Lisa and Kelly) as they go about their weird and wonderful daily lives. Most stories are centred around Zach and Screech; Zach being the charming, schemer-type-dude and Screech as his goofy sidekick. There isn’t really anything around these days that compares (mostly because TV these days sucks) so I guess the closest you might get would be the OC (if the OC was any good). Anyhow, word on the street is they’re doing a remake of it, which I doubt will be as good as the original. But, better that than another season of Australian Idol, right?
The Sandlot Kids This movie is all time; even if you’re not into baseball. It gets you amped to round up some mates, buy a pair of PF Flyers and point your finger skywards just like the Babe. It also reminds you of how fucking good the summer holidays were: eight weeks of stupid shenanigans, sweat, swimming and hatching sneaky plans to scale your next-door neighbour’s fence and retrieve the lost baseball. If you haven’t seen this movie you better go hire it or burn it, and if you have seen it, but not for a while, you should probably do the same. Also, don’t waste your time with The Sandlot II; it really is a Barry Crocker
pogs
As cool to collect as NBA cards and just as fun to play as marbles. Kids these days have really missed out on some cool stuff, iPhones haven’t got shit on this!
67
+ PHOTO: Thomas Oberwallner thomasoberwallner.com
+ RIDER: Tobi Hildebrandt + location: Zugspitze, Germany
+ PHOTO: JAMES ADAMS + model: rhiannon hough + make up: ness falzon
+ PHOTO: MORGAN MASSEN
+ PHOTO: JEFF LEVINGSTON + SKATER: Toby Dawson
. . . . Y R A STO S
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p n a simply s tree factory, d out to be on mbling out tu e a s rn tm re tu s fo ri o Ch wh , be orkers, service to his w g community tin comple t unknown. and gh ri y servo b into a nearb r’s drive m o fr u e lf werad . I was an ho d myse ed a Po th I grabb to do the ma runk, I affirme the most d n e sat dow e. Still slightly d foot would b d along e n m from ho s were shite a rt. Idiot. I walk ing for a hik po se s h u n c b a it t tr h a f th ode o eeway e island. Half fr m e e n v ti la c effe eightively e of th e of an lete other sid r and aggress I’d the sid p e ge v m o o ta c s ll u e is p th police eeway. By th ’ new ride to e th r r late the fr ankin the an hou get off ld feel my sp moving u d that I deman the wall. I co to my feet. Re s revealed it k in h c almost ylor’s ripping the bloody so ever seen. y e Ta Chuck d peeling awa ng blisters I’v ile puss and sti an wh u g in is k d s t f shoes s o layers est, mo the hug l was missing -sized holes. e in e o h c as Each ut the alleys w ozed o e back xt blood o th e n n e w o th d I spent orth. I driving o s rd d ta n s gn e, a e ba ther sid hop e stinkin Not on to the o ng towards th y Davidson s out d e d a e e li rl n h b a w m H ro tu a s th f o as urs five ho ugh the doors ctions, but w t and saw a ire ro burst th demanding d hiff of my swe e door. w th ad s a e t rd -d o a lf g a w h owners et leading to e th n e wh dy fe of mud the trail
r ipped o l I fell, tr ont of a ti n u d e fr alke t for wha th out th d and w I walke nto the footpa tly fell asleep re the fo n o e be slipped r joint. I accid f inutes et out o a t two m rent-a-c ve been abou out yelling, “G obo… h a g h ie in k would e storm fuckin’ smac up. After er cam manag fuckin’ bum... until he shut her six n u furt here yo I woke and ra reeping for a s c stadium ff!” Fuck o tumbling and dges, slums, port ir s ri a , walking er and over b the Honolulu te nd at bru hours u ays I arrived nal wall with ew d fi rother b y m and fre it the third an a call to ore (who Ih in t re u e p h h w S p. I gave u e North y sped force. I e mates on th laid) and the on a s g u ep in and ho d gotten gett partially asle tional e t I’ rna m h g te g u in in o th nd the scue; fi nge of to my re the arrival lou at bench ly bsolute l. in dillac a term a the Ca y. After f o k c e ba nerg d into th acon ; zero e I floppe cking wasted ut delicious b u b the , F y e t. s v n a e gre sp e dro down a t and w wolfing ll I passed ou me. ro ho inutes ’n’ egg hours g 40 m in in a than 24 rem – more stion lasted m p 0 at 4.3 exhau d home dly left. The r the rest of e I arrive it fo c rf x u e s to e’d ig, red, since w I was unable . I still have b s were d rs oe n h te a days my blis els and the s t for e due to u h o ip y tr m m e e n th th ircles o uldn’t throw c d e rr sca I wo in that so worn ar and a half. , and e y ur hours over a enty fo tw t a et th ver forg peat it.” I will ne I will never re lly hopefu