The Cutthroat Journal Issue #9 by The Cutthroat Journal

B A R B E R

$14.95 AUD $16.95 NZD

ISSUE #nine Autumn 2016

T R A D E

J O U R N A L

// m e n ' s

c u l t u r e

in this issue

COnTenTS

20 Mi llion dollar Beard

26 New Beginnin gs

B L E E D I NG E D GE

Jimbo's Ramble

PRO D U CTS

JAMES Holder - editor-in-cheif THE CUTTHROAT SYDNEY BARBER WARS WAS A MASSIVE WEEKEND AND A MASSIVE SUCCESS. I’M STILL BUZZING! THE OTHER BIG NEWS IS A SLIGHT RESHUFFLE HERE AT THE MAGAZINE. YEP, IF YOU LOOK UP THE TOP YOU’LL SEE MY TITLE HAS CHANGED TO EDITOR IN CHIEF, BECAUSE COOPS IS HERE FOR THAT DAILY STUFF THAT I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR. I’LL

THE REGULARS 0 6 Bleeding Edge Products 6 9 Cutting Culture

STILL BE HERE ANYWAY, MAKING SURE HE DOESN’T BREAK ANYTHING.

b ad, b ad J ackii B r o wn

I gave Coops’ powerful ginger bush a trim while we recapped Barber Wars. Coops: Why do you want to see those guys?

70 Lo w n' slo w B BQ

Jimbo: I think there’s a perception of competitions as being pretty ruthless environments, and maybe that’s true of other barber wars. But that’s not the case with what we’re doing, or the people who are coming along. It’s actually a really supportive space. Iron sharpens iron, y’know? The people that were there were there to learn and that

meant they weren’t shitting on each other. Next year I want to see the guys who may not have that ‘personality’ side, but deﬁnitely have the skill set to win. Coops: What are you looking forward to this year? Jimbo: Working with you, mate! Nah, I’m looking forward to recovering from my ﬁrst family holiday Stateside, and maintaining chaos with the boys back in my shop. And the 2nd coming of those Scumbag Barbers from Rotterdam. Phew! And remember, don’t be a stranger.

ISSUE 09

LET’S STAND UP AND SHOUT OUT TO ALL WANTING TO BE AN

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ARTISAN BY USING THEIR

James (Jimbo) Holder jimbo@thecutthroatjournal.com

HANDS TO WORK WITHIN A PROFESSION. THE NEW

EDITOR

WORLD IS PUSHING EVERY

Ben Cooper Phone +61 488 088 530 ben@thecutthroatjournal.com

YOUNG KID AT SCHOOL TO BE AN ACADEMIC, MAKING THEM BELIEVE THEY NEED

PUBLISHER

HIGHER EDUCATION TO BE

Sean Edwards sean@thecutthroatjournal.com

ACCEPTED IN LIFE AND TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

ART director

Joey Dable Twominds Creative joey@twomindscreative.com.au Business manager

B e H i N d

THE

S C e N e S

Sean Edwards - Publisher of the CUTTHROAT JOURNAL

ho is going to do the manual work if everyone is sitting behind a computer? And worse, who is going to cut our hair? If you are a barber, let’s start to encourage those kids that want to get amongst it by learning your trade. The world has changed and where you once would follow your father’s career choice, kids now aren’t steered in that direction and need to be shown and introduced to the beneﬁts of being a tradesperson: they can discover how rewarding it is to do a physical day’s work, as well as learn more about the role of a barber. I hear many barbers complaining about how many of the young barbers they meet are unskilled and badly trained – maybe it’s actually an opportunity to guide such younger professionals? Developing such relationships can only be useful for the ‘real business’ and inner cra s of barbering.

I had the opportunity to visit Auckland, New Zealand again recently and, I must say, I was pampered in every barbershop I visited. Embarrassingly, I had three diﬀerent style jobs in a week and upset my wife by becoming the centre of attention. Well, I say ‘lucky me!’ During my times in the chair I had some good chats with the leaders of this very developed market, and found out NZ’s barber businesses rock because of long established training systems that ensure high quality. This in turn raises the expectations of the customer, who knows they are guaranteed a quality service on entering most stores. I had a quick chat again with Jacqui at Mr Barber training school which was abuzz with new trainees learning the ropes of the trade. She explained the school is getting busier as more people want to enter the trade and most graduates are getting good placements or taking their new skills travelling around the world.

I have been very lucky to have a job that takes me to all corners of the world where I get to visit hundreds of barbers. The biggest topic of conversation consistently revolves around good staﬀ, and I’m o en asked how to get them. My answer is “create them!” I can see the artisan side of the trade struggling because of the lack of dedication by barbers to do in house training, and this is something happening all over the world. The Barber Vibe is huge but what I don’t want to see is the cool vibe of the barbershop being reduced to a passing trend. Many men still go to hair salons in larger markets like the US, and trends could swing back in that direction if barbers become complacent with their market.

I am now back in the US and excited about travelling to Atlanta, visiting some pretty cool stores and looking at more traditional and historic barbershops. I love to hand out the latest issue of the magazine and watch the excitement when people ﬂick through the pages as we know they will all love the spotlight on their beloved trade, and most like the pages of new products available in the global barber market. Please enjoy this issue as we try to bring you the best of Barbering from around the world - our aim is to help you become a better business person and when I walk into your store you can tell me your personal story about why you chose to be a skilled artisan. 5

David Stark Phone +61 411 655 411 david@thecutthroatjournal.com Gr aphic Designer

Roxanna Chan roxanna@thecutthroatjournal.com PHOTOGR APHy

Michael Marchment info@the-mil.com Cover courtesy of Brock Elbank Mrelbank.com Media

info@thecutthroatjournal.com

Contributors Sean Edwards Fi Mason Roan Sajko Kathryn Wilson Roddy Donegan Rachel Morton Adam Johanson Jo Burgess Ben De Campo S T A Y

C O N N E C T E D

No part of this publication may be used, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written consent of the publishers. DISCLAIMER: A large portion of original material is created by Cutthroat and its contributors, including text, fonts, photography, and art work - content used from public domain like social media sites we agree are not the property of the Cutthroat Journal, and in all cases media permission has been sought via electronic or verbal agreement. The content and views expressed in this journal by individuals and the Cutthroat Journal are provided in good faith as information only. No guarantee is made of the accuracy of the information provided. The Cutthroat Journal takes no responsibility for any action taken by others as a result of the content of this site.

BLEEDING

George Wolfenbea r Bea rd O i l

EDGE

George Wolfenbear has set out on a journey to deliver the urban Australian Beardsman and Barber; a fresh new range of all natural artisan products and apparel which encourage the growth and tailoring of the distinguished masculine man. Check out the website or contact enquiries@georgewolfenbear.com to become a stockist.

WWW.GEORGEWOLFENBEAR.COM

I nstant Rockstar Hard Matte Rock Instant Rockstar’s newest product has been formulated and ﬁlled in the Melbourne laboratory with the help of key local barbers and hairdressers.It’s hard hold, matte ﬁnish, water soluble and lasts all day. It’s an everyday bench stock item and a staple for your gentlemen. RRP only $23.95 Follow : @instantrockstar WWW.INSTANTROCKSTAR.COM

Hanz de Fuko quick sa nd David Beckhams product of choice. Hailed by US GQ Magazine as ‘the secret goop behind David Beckham’s hair’. This groundbreaking formulation adds amazing texture and hold with zero shine, breathing new life into oily, slept-on hair. One part styling, one part dry shampoo. The gritty formula contains diatomaceous earth, a so , granular rock similar to pumice that sucks up excess oil on the hair and scalp. Rub a small pinch between your ﬁnger tips then apply to second-day hair to add li and texture or to damp hair (with the use of a blow dryer) to achieve gravity defying volume.

Ja ck the Sni pper O ri gi na l bea rd oi l Handmade in Australia, JTS Original Beard Oil is full of goodness for your beard. Infused with manly Essential Oils, on a base of Hemp + Jojoba Oil to keep your beard and skin healthy. The perfect combination of Cedarwood, Mandarin + Black Pepper will have you feeling dressed in no time.

SALES@BARBERBRANDS.COM.AU U

WWW.HANZDEFUKO.COM

WHI ST L ER B ARB ER CH AIR Introducing Comfortel’s new plush style barbers chair tailored to perfection. The perfect look of old meets new, this compact barber chair is met with the highest grade of durability and of course maximum comfort - nothing is more important! With the special introductory price of only $990 (Normally $1199), why not treat your barber shop to a touch of class.

WWW.COMFORTEL.COM.AU

K ING BRO WN M AT T E PO M ADE The 3rd offering in the KBP line, this dry hold matte clay is specifically formulated for short hair, textured styles and the ‘all natural’ look. Again presented in their iconic tin but this time in a unique matte print finish. Containing natural waxes blended with premium ingredients it’s smooth consistency spreads easily and distributes through the hair freely to provide a light-medium pliable hold with zero shine. Masculine scent notes of leather, basil, vernal grass and timber complimenting the earthy characteristics of the pomade.

WWW.KINGBROWNPOMADE.COM

BLEEDING

Milkm an Razor Rail Sh ave Oil (50 m l ) Milkman shave oil is perfect for safety razors and electric shavers, and a Godsend for professionals using cutthroats. Barbers have told us it “makes for some of the smoothest glide of the straight razor our barbers have experienced” and it “is the shaving solution combo I’ve been waiting 30 years for.”

EDGE

Clubma n Tr a di ti o na l Ta lc Grooming generations for 200 years, Pinaud Clubman Talc in Flesh Tone is made of the ﬁnest talcum powder. Flesh tone color World famous since 1810

WWW.IRSALTD.COM WWW.MILKMANAUSTRALIA.COM

T HE B LUEB EB EARD S REVENGE B ROAD SWORD ST R AIGH T R AZO R Bring a whole new level of manliness to your morning shave with the stunning ‘Broadsword’ Straight Razor from The Bluebeards Revenge. Manufactured with pride by the experts at Ralf Aust.

Wei rdy Bea rdy Co mbo Pa cks Combine a generous 50ml bottle of beard oil with a tin of Beard Buﬀ and take the compliments as they come available.

SALES@BARBERBRANDS.COM.AU WWW.WEIRDYBEARDY.COM.AU

Su avecito H AI R Pr e mium POM AD E This premium Hair Pomade contains nourishing ingredients like Lanolin Oil, Coconut Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil and Lavender Oil to make your grooming experience a healthyy and enjoyable one. These ﬁne NATURAL ingredients were carefully ly researched and picked to not only keep your hair in place all day,, but to nourish it as well with a healthy hold and healthy shine.

M orga n's Styli ng Po ma de Extr a Fi rm H old

WWW.UNIVERSALBARBERSAUSTRALIA.COM

Morga ns M o usta che & B eard Crea m This cream will so en, o en, moisturise and condition whilst leaving your ur moustache and beard smelling great. Contains aloe vera vera, wheat germ oil and virgin olive oil to nourish the hair. Best Seller. WWW.MORGANSPOMADE.CO.UK

An extra ﬁrm hold pomade that allows you to achieve a slick look with long lasting hold and precision. Water soluble and easy to wash out. With our signature fragrance of bergamot, jasmine, sandal and patchouli. Original vintage style jar.

WWW.MORGANSPOMADE.CO.UK

The baddest woman in town

ou’ve been a barber for more than 17 years: why do you think you’re starting to blow up now? I’ve been lucky to work with incredible photographer who has taken some powerful portraits of my work. So I’m very grateful to him. Oh, and working with Chisholm Institute has probably helped too. What’s the Chisholm gig and how’d it come about? Chisholm Institute of Tafe are in Frankston, Victoria and will begin teaching Australia’s first accredited certificate three barbering course next year. It was actually after Barber Wars that I decided to join Chisholm and pass on my passion. It’s my dream to become a strong vocational education and training practitioner in barbering, so last year I completed a certificate IV.

to cut their hair so often we learn the little corrections needed on each scalp, as well as how each client likes to wear their hair. What’s challenged you most about barbering? There’re the long hours and occasional difficult customers, but you get that in any job. I’ve honestly only been challenged once, and it led me to almost give cutting away. After being a friendly ear for so long, I decided to study marine biology because of my love for scuba diving, but my passion for cutting was just too strong. I shifted the clippers into gear from part time to overdrive and I haven’t stopped since. And the most rewarding part of the journey thus far? Getting on board with Chisholm Institute, and competing at Barber Wars. Clients have always

There’s no one quite like Jackii Brown from Victoria, Australia. That fact was obvious at Sydney’s Barber Wars, where she was a finalist with a style and a presence all her own. She brings stunning amounts of passion to her trade whether working with professional athletes, visiting international businessman or those needing a fade or other styling who book fortnightly throughout the year. We know she has a passion for education, so our ears pricked up when she said she had ’big news’. Turns out, it’s beyond huge: we could soon be seeing Tafe-accredited apprentice barbers in Australia. On social media your name is ‘Jax the Girly Barber’ – what should people think of that? Probably ‘never underestimate the power of a woman with scissors, clippers and a cutthroat razor’. During my years of cutting I have had countless customers refuse to sit in my chair simply because I’m a girl. That’s why the industry needs more ‘chick barbers’ because gender doesn’t dictate a good cut from a bad one. Besides, what guy doesn’t love a woman’s touch? What is unique about barber service? Consistency. Barbers are known to have the ability to guarantee a maintainable, stylish and classic cut each time their client visits. We also build a rapport with our guys to the point where many ask for ‘the usual’ – that connection is a powerful thing that shouldn’t be underestimated. We tend

supported me, but to be privileged enough to stand and deliver with other master barbers was something else. It gave me a gauge of where I stand among my peers, as well as just meeting a cool group of cutters. It wasn’t my time this year, but I’ll be back and chasing a top three spot next time. Give us your top tip for surviving a shitty day. More than half of my life has been barbering. I look out for those few seconds when each customer, no matter how hard or rough their day has been, smiles because of my work. That’s a game changer that you just don’t get with anything else. CODA: Read more about Chisholm Institute’s Certificate III in the next issue.

Photography by Carl Neumann 9

NEW

Release

W a h l F in ale This is not a shaver. This is the Ultimate Finishing Tool, a device designed in the future but arriving among us now. It lets the modern Barber take care of business from ďŹ nishing and blending bald fades to cleaning up hair and neck lines, eliminating stray hairs and creating bumpfree shaving. It features a lithium-ion battery, rotary motor, 80 minute run time, can run cord or cordless and has hypoallergenic gold foil. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth mentioning the Finale gets continuous power from its lithium ion battery, therefore cutting performance is stronger and more consistent while the cutter bar does not vibrate as much as the superseded Wahl Shaver Shaper.

WWW.WAHL.COM.AU

Barber brands international is all abouT barbers

Back row: Daniel, Mari, David, Michelle, Andrew Front Row: Rachel, Soﬁ, Annie, Christine, Cassius

AS AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND’S LEADING IMPORTER AND DISTRIBUTOR OF PREMIUM MEN’S GROOMING PRODUCTS, WE AT BARBER BRANDS INTERNATIONAL OFFER 24 OF THE WORLD’S MOST PROMINENT BARBER BRANDS AND WELL OVER 500 INDIVIDUAL ITEMS.

e believe that we offer unmatched support to the industry. Barber shop owners don’t work 9 to 5, ﬁve days a week and neither do we. Our team is available to chat with barbers about their needs from 8am to 10pm, seven days a week.

COMMITTED TO PERSONALISED SERVICE AND ADVICE We are a passionate team. Barber shop support is our heart and soul. We are not like any other distributor of barber brands, not only in Australia, but in the world.

Barber Brands International is all about service and we work one-onone with barbers to customise their oﬀering of items and brands. Every barber shop is unique so we oﬀer a tailored service.

We’re diﬀerent because we oﬀer barbers a choice from a wide variety of brands developed exclusively for men. We don’t have a retail shop or online business to distract us, so we can totally focus on being the best wholesaler we can be.

No minimum orders. No request is too small.

It’s all about customer service and the business needs of barbers.

YOUR

BARBERSHOP

BUSINESS

Each day my inbox is filled with a wealth of information on optimising websites, developing social media channels or how to ‘win’ at online marketing. For barber shop owners, having a high number of followers is good for profile, but you can’t deliver haircuts online and you can’t effectively sell retail to followers that live in Timbuktu.

through the eyes of a discerning client. There is no bigger let down than dining at a dirty restaurant and clients will apply the same critical eye to your shop and facilities. Here’s what we do to ensure client safety and to communicate the right message:

Good hygiene practises will change perceptions of your business and a solid retail approach will improve your bottom line. Building a successful business is about putting a thousand pieces together to make the masterpiece, nothing is truly eﬀective in isolation. Through this series I will share what works for us and what has helped us grow our business in quick time.

• No food or drinks in the front of house. • Change your Barbicide daily and use genuine dark blue, hospital grade disinfectant. • Use Clippercide disinfectant spray on your clippers. • Wash or disinfect (antibacterial gel) your hands in front of every client. • Implement a clean ﬂoor policy (including neck strips, rubbish bins). • Clean high use surfaces daily & dust regularly. • Remove hair from the chair before every client. • Ensure your mirrors are spotless. • Floors are cleaned multiple times a day. • Disinfect your tools between clients.

ver the last year we have built six barber shops in Auckland. Although we do have a social media presence we have decided to focus ﬁrst on the basics of service and retail delivery before we spend too much time on ‘likes’ or ‘followers’. Paying customers is the ultimate scorecard and if you can get the basics right, you will build your business, regardless of your social media strategy.

HYGIENE COMES FIRST – I have visited too many barber shops that don’t live by this philosophy. I challenge you to look at your store

• Use neck strips. • Organise your cutting station(s) and tools. Avoid tangled cables and a sprawl of combs and scissors it slows you down, looks untidy and disorganised. If you are disorganised, hide it well. • Make sure staff are aware and responsible for their personal hygiene. • Use scented candles when necessary. • Use only disposable blades. • Control the shop temperature so your staff and clients aren’t sweating. • Use clean capes. We ordered a number of branded white capes so we can swap out regularly and our clients can see they are clean. • Ensure you have a clean and clear (glass) disinfectant jar. • Write a dress code. We also use barber aprons to protect staff and demonstrate we are a team. • Have a process and the tools to deal with any cuts or injuries.

DEVELOP YOUR RETAIL – the barbering trade performs poorly in this area and I am yet to visit a barber shop that does this perfectly. At the end of the day, we are spending our time in return for money and despite all of the excuses I have heard, barber shops have the best opportunity to sell premium grooming products to men. With a captive audience and transactional volume, here is what we do to leverage this: • Think about the range you are promoting and the market you are in. Don’t bother selling premium product if you are not in this space with your service offering. • ‘Stack it high and watch it fly’ – commit to fewer variants and hold deeper stock otherwise you risk confusing your staff and clients. • Don’t run out of stock. You will lose sales. • Develop and use process in service delivery, otherwise you’re just winging it. • Make recommendations, don’t sell product. • Implement a VR (vendor refill) system. We use an auto-replenishment process where re-order

happens twice a week, every week. I have seen many shop owners sit down and cost out an order and make decisions this way. Get serious. If you’re selling it, you should be ordering it.

• At the point of sale, ask for the sale I’ve heard many times a client apprehensively say, “Do you mind if I take one of those?” Be proactive and don’t make your customer ask to buy from you!

• Think about your product display and how you present your range. We use internally lit,

• Provide expert advice to your clients even if you don’t have a product solution. Build credibility and be a professional, once your client trusts you, they will listen.

A T T H E E N D O F T H E D AY, W E A R E S P E N D I N G O U R TIME IN RETURN FOR MONEY AND DESPITE ALL OF THE EXCUSES I HAVE HEARD, BARBER SHOPS HAVE THE BEST OPPORTUNITY TO SELL PREMIUM GROOMING PRODUCTS TO MEN.

product display units. If your retail looks like an a erthought, it is one. • Make a product recommendation to every client. You can’t sell to everyone so get over the fear of rejection and recommend only suitable solutions. • Finish your services with your best products and talk about why you selected that product, use this opportunity to demonstrate how the client can get ‘the look’ each morning.

• Don’t pretend to know what your client can or cannot aﬀord. There is no way to accurately judge this or their spending habits. • Don’t be afraid to mix up and/or change your range sometimes.

Although it can look challenging to implement and maintain, remember that every journey starts with a single step. Challenge yourself and take something on, ﬁnd an area you are most passionate about and start right there, today! Good luck and get in contact. Adam Johanson is CEO and Founder of Barber Shop Company and can be contacted @ adam@ barbershop.co.nz

J i m m y N i g g l e sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; w o r l d f i r s t

Photography by Brock Elbank 20

Jimmy Niggles has upped the ante and his antics for Beard Season, the movement that uses beards to save lives. y now, most people have heard of Jimmy Niggles, the boy from the beaches who decided to do something when his mate Wes Bonny died from melanoma in 2010. He has taken his beard around the planet and there are now tens of thousands of Beard Season Ambassadors, all of whom spread the message in over 20 countries to get checked for melanomas.

to keep a stiff upper lip, regardless. It’s also why he decided to work with Niggles when he met the young Australian as part of photographer Brock Elbank’s Beard exhibition at London’s Somerset House last year. Notable names including actor John Hurt, model Billy Huxley and tattooist Miles Better featured, but it was ‘Niggles’ and ‘Fawcett’ that were to make the biggest impression.

But what few people know is that Niggles has the most valuable beard on the planet.

The goods Out of their meeting, the adventurous duo decided to create The Million Dollar Beard Oil for the Captain Fawcett Signature Series. It’s crafted with fresh oceanic oils and earthy resinous notes, topped with an enchanting floral citrus and finished with flakes of 23 carat gold.

Superbeard Beard Season has raised money and awareness since being launched, but its founder has decided its time to go HAM. He has promised to shave his beard off for the princely sum of $1 million, the proceeds of which are to go to melanoma research. #MillionDollarBeard marks Beard Season’s shift from building awareness to raising actual funds. And he’s working with a special collaborator to let others know… The combo Englishman Captain Fawcett knows about the genuine article. It’s why his emporium has become the destination for those men searching for the tools

The shoot To get the word out about this potent drop of class, Niggles was fortunate to again enlist the assistance of photographer Elbank. The London-based artist returned to his home country recently and shot Niggles at Bondi’s QT Hotel. The results, as you can see, are stunning. Unfortunately for most of us, it’s as close as we’ll get to the world’s most valuable beard. Unless someone has a spare million lying around…

T h e

b a r b e r

a n d

t h e

b i l l s

h e

m a k e s

Chop shop Mister

SO LET’S FACE IT.. NO ONE BECOMES A BARBER TO BECOME RICH RIGHT? WELL I THINK IT’S TIME WE CHANGED OUR THINKING, INDUSTRY WIDE ON THIS IDEA. WE’RE TRADESMEN TOO AND SHOULD CHARGE ACCORDINGLY. ou do your 3 year apprenticeship (4years when I started), you gather your personlised kit consisting of some pretty expensive scissors and clippers (mine’s about $4K), and then you study every current trend and old skillset there is to become a master of your trade… And a er all this, you end up doing 20-30 dollar cuts, whilst living at home with the folks and catching the loser cruiser to work or driving some clapped out old shitbox.

Wow…was that your life dream? Wasn’t mine. Then there’s your mate. He’s a plumber, $150 per hour, paying oﬀ his house and driving a nice work truck and guess what – he did a 3 year apprenticeship too. So why are we so under valued? We could blame price wars from other shops for keeping our prices low but reality is it is us and only us that dictate what we are worth. A haircut is a necessity, always has been and is more so nowadays with the massive increase in social media and the value in self-image. A haircut

is a need and is something that can get you a job, get you laid or generally just change your day. (Haven’t had a plumber do that for me)

Do your clients come to see you only? A good barber will have a following and this means you are valued by your clients – charge more!

So as a ‘need’ our services should be subject to the simple laws of supply and demand, which states that a necessity carries greater value.

If not, does your shop have a lineup out the door and down the street? – charge more!

We need to change. We need to be proud to be a tradesman and stop cheapening what it is we do. Forget doing home haircuts for your mates. You wouldn’t go to your dentist’s house and ask them to quickly extract your molar, would you? Be a professional! Wake up people… One of the greatest thing we have going is that we can’t be automated like so many other industries so our value must go up. Could you ever imagine your skills and talent being replicated by a robot? Being programmed and plotted through a computer?? Exactly! It will NEVER happen. Nothing can replace human intuition when it comes to haircut. So…a little easier said than done you say. Is it? Ask yourself a few questions.

As an owner, your taxes, rent, freight etc etc is all subject to price rises every year – charge more! Are you now spending hours running your social media outlets such as Facebook and Instagram? – charge more! If you don’t have a following, your shop is not busy, your absorbing all price rises and you have no social media to advertise what it is that you do…well I can tell you that keeping your price low isn’t the answer. Add value, gain better skills, ask for help, read this magazine cover to cover and get new direction. Times are progressing and you can probably tell by the tone of this blurb, I am 25 years passionate about my industry. We need to leave the dark ages behind and charge accordingly. A haircut shouldn’t be a cheap service and our dedication shouldn’t just be their convenience.

Grooming Generations for 200 Years

www.irsaltd.com

24 FFacebook.com/clubmanaustralia

clubman_aaustralia

SCUmBaGS ARE BACK

After taking the country by storm in late 2015, Haircare Australia and Reuzel are bringing Schorem Barbers, Leen and Bertus back this May for their inaugural education tour. he pair more commonly known as the Scumbag Barbers of Rotterdam made their Australian debut in October 2015, with the Cute and Cuddly Creators Tour, which showcased exactly what it is that makes Leen and Bertus such distinctive talents within the industry. This time, the boys are here to get into the nitty gritty of barbering with live demonstrations and intimate workshops. Visiting New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Perth, the duo will be educating the Australian barbering fraternity on barbering according to Leen and Bertus; a unique approach that has the barbering CONTINUING FROM THE SUCCESS OF THE 2015 SCHOREM LIVE SHOWS, THIS SHOW community captivated worldwide. WILL CAPTURE THE ESSENCE OF THAT FAMOUS LITTLE BARBERSHOP IN ROTTERDAM This education tour focuses on the I N A N E N T E R T A I N I N G D E M O N S T R A T I O N O F S K I L L A N D P E R S O N A L I T Y. boys’ skills as barbers, showcasing the knowledge they have acquired from over 25 years in the industry. shows and demonstration. The showcasing of the success of the 2015 Schorem Live shows, Through demonstration and practical these products is designed to help the barbering this show will capture the essence of that famous workshops, barbers around the country will community of Australia maximise their skill-set as little barbershop in Rotterdam in an entertaining have the opportunity to learn advanced cutting barbers and provide their clients with world-class demonstration of skill and personality. techniques and skills that can be easily translated products. on the barbershop ﬂoor. While away from the touring circuit, Leen and

In addition to the demonstrations and practical workshops, the Scumbags will also be holding a Schorem Live show, providing the barbering community of Western Australia the chance to indulge in the world of Schorem. Continuing from

Bertus have extended their world-famous product line to include a host of new products including; tonics, shampoos and a conditioner. These new products have been developed exclusively with barbers in mind and will take centre-stage at the

If you want to see Leen and Bertus in the ﬂesh and take your barbering game to the next level, book your spot now. haircareaust.com/education 1300 437 436 ext. 4

THE BarberShop n e w b e gi n ning s at b ar ang ar oo

YORK STREETâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S THE BARBER SHOP HAS BECOME A FAVOURITE FOR CLASSICALLY AND EFFORTLESSLY COMBINING BARBERING, COCKTAILS AND GIN. NOW, SOMETHING NEW THIS WAY COMES AND WE WERE THERE IN SYDNEY FOR ALL THE ACTION AT THE OPENING OF THE BARBER SHOP AT THE STREETS OF BARANGAROO.

ike Mike: It’s no secret Mike Enright is a modern gentleman of some inﬂuence. Just last year he was named the seventh most inﬂuential bartender in Australia, and you can tell why a er stepping into The Barber Shop at the Streets of Barangaroo. ‘Classy joint’ could be understatement of the year for Enright’s latest venture, which is actually much more of a classic barbershop than his existing York St premises.

The gent: Enright told us master barbers run the second barbershop, all of whom use vintage tools for contemporary precision cuts as well as traditional barber services. “The focus at this new location is about creating a tranquil environment in a nostalgic setting in the same tone as our York Street location for gentlemen who need to escape a demanding and busy life.” The twist: Unlike the ﬁrst barbershop, The Streets of

C L A S S Y J O I N T ’ C O U L D B E U N D E R S TAT E M E N T O F TH E Y E A R F O R E N R I G H T ’ S L A T E S T V E N T U R E , W H I C H I S A C T U A L LY MUCH MORE OF A CLASSIC BARBERSHOP THAN HIS EXISTING YORK ST PREMISES.

Simple stuﬀ: The launch in early April saw celebrities and media descend on Enright’s new venture. There’s an intimate selection of gin and whiskey with hand cut ice and boutique beers, but the real features are the hot towel shaves and beard trimming enjoyed while laying back in this vintage industrial space.

Barangaroo shop only oﬀers beverages with a barber’s service such as a shave or haircut. We’re big fans of this move by Enright et al as it puts the focus back on the trade: there’s nothing wrong with combining alcohol and barbering, but this new barbershop reminds men what matters most. 27

of BARBERING { TO BE UNCOVERED}

B THE SHARPEST NEW EVENT FOR BARBERS AND WOULD BE BARBERS IS COMING TO AUCKLAND IN MAY, SHOWCASING THE LATEST TRENDS IN MEN’S GROOMING AND CELEBRATING THE CURRENT RESURGENCE AND REVOLUTION OF THE BARBERING CRAFT.

arberCra was initiated by HITO, which is responsible for New Zealand qualiﬁcations and apprenticeships in barbering, to celebrate the achievements and progress of barbering around the country. It will highlight the big changes to the industry in recent years – the reinvigorated, creative and service oriented businesses springing up,

world of the barbershop, not just to the barbering profession, but to men and women considering becoming barbers, as well as all the potential clients and those who have an eye out for the latest look and future trends. ‘But most of all, it’s going to be a real celebration. There will be competitions for barbers to enter, demonstrations, displays, some special events including an opening night

I T I S A FA N TA S TI C O P P O R T U N I T Y TO P R O M OT E TH E C H A N G I N G W O R L D O F T H E B A R B E R S H O P, N O T J U S T T O T H E B A R B E R I N G P R O F E S S I O N , B U T T O MEN AND WOMEN CONSIDERING BECOMING BARBERS, AS WELL AS ALL THE POTENTIAL CLIENTS AND THOSE WHO HAVE AN EYE OUT FOR THE LATEST LOOK AND FUTURE TRENDS

and the transformation of more traditional businesses to blend old with new. HITO Board Member and owner of an Auckland barbershop, Julian Maloney says it’s going to be an exciting event and a lot of fun for all. ‘This event will open the door on a whole new world for a lot of people,’ Julian says. ‘It is a fantastic opportunity to promote the changing 28

social event and some other surprises we’re working on, but it will all be pretty relaxed for everyone too.’ Barbers are encouraged to register, enter the competitions and promote the event to their clients. BarberCra will be held 14-15 May in Shed 10, Queens Wharf Auckland. See www. barbercra .co.nz for details.

Mindofabarber BRICKS

JOSH ‘CUTTHROAT’ CORKHILL IS A YOUNG BARBER WITH A VERY SPECIAL PLACE IN OUR HEARTS. HE’S BEEN PART OF THE FAMILY SINCE BEFORE THE MAGAZINE BEGAN, AND HAS MADE THE BIG MOVE FROM REGIONAL AUSTRALIA TO THE SMOKING BIGNESS THAT IS SYDNEY. EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVELY FOR ONE SO YOUNG, HE HAS STRUCK OUT ON HIS OWN BY RECENTLY CONSTRUCTING THEN OPENING CUTTHROAT’S BARBERSHOP & SHAVING PARLOUR IN BEAUTIFUL BEACHSIDE COOGEE.

emember when you were very small and you would be playing in the backyard by yourself? Then you’d hear this ungodly screech from your mother, bellowing out your full name at the top of her lungs. You would sombrely trudge up to her wondering ‘what could have I done wrong?’ with clammy palms, knees shaking and heavy breathing. Take all the emotion of that flashback, the nerves ahead of the anticipated flogging, add a spate of sleepless nights and you have the exact sensations of what it feels like to open a business. BACK TO SCHOOL The past 15 weeks have taught me more about life than any of my floundering years of schooling. I’ve spent weeks destroying, building, plastering, tiling, calling, answering, running and sitting in a dark room comprehending the seriousness of my decision to renovate and open the shop. SUPERFRENZ What started as a five week fit-out escalated into a 10 week gut-and-rebuild

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renovation. I have been beyond lucky to have such great support from my peers, friends and family: their forthcoming advice is what helped me power through. Such good guidance meant I never le like I was being lead down the path alone, and will be the only reason any young barber has the strength to open their own doors. WISE WORDS People don’t generally ask for advice from a 21 year old, but perspective is a powerful attribute and one I gained plenty of recently. For every mistake I made – and some of them might have nearly killed me – I learnt an invaluable lesson. I’ve been told that Thomas Eddison said something like “ I have not failed 1,000 times trying to make a light bulb. I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways to NOT make a light bulb.” Hopefully I’ll see you soon at Cutthroat’s Barbershop & Shaving Parlour, also known as the Cutthroat Social Club. Who knows, you’ve probably got a handy bit of advice to pass on to a young barber, and I’ve got all the ears for listening.

PEOPLE DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T GENERALLY ASK FOR ADVICE FROM A 21 YEAR OLD, BUT PERSPECTIVE IS A POWERFUL ATTRIBUTE AND ONE I GAINED PLENTY OF RECENTLY. FOR EVERY MISTAKE I MADE AND SOME OF THEM MIGHT HAVE NEARLY KILLED ME I LEARNT AN INVALUABLE LESSON.

M E N ' Z S y d n e y 's

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W o rl d - c l a s s m e ns g r o o m i ng s to r e MEN s B I Z , ren own ed f or t hei r delux e ra n ge o f s ha v i n g a nd g ro o m in g p r o d u c ts , h a s o p e ne d th e i r f i rst Sy dn ey f la g shi p b out i que i n t he i co n i c St ra n d A rcade.

ounded on the philosophy of ‘a better life through better grooming’, the men’s emporium showcases a carefully curated selection from the most prestigious and talked about grooming brands from around the world, assembled exclusively in the one location for the discerning gentleman.

Solingen double edge razors; Dovo Solingen cut throat razors and manicure tools. Showcasing a portion of their meticulously curated range, the store will boast over 1000 products arranged by category to enhance ease of shopping. The MEN’s BIZ exploratorium also oﬀers a vintage barber service that specialises in luxurious hot towel shaves, haircuts, and beard and moustache trims.

Collaborating with Interior Designers Studio Esteta, the sleek store design lends MEN’s BIZ a sophisticated yet masculine style with dark hues and warm timber tones that wrap from ﬂoor to ceiling providing a restrained yet dramatic back drop to the array of products on display. The rawness of the timber is oﬀset by contemporary black steel and brass accents creating a modern day experience with prominent reference to the past.

unrivalled opportunity for hands-on contact with the truly extensive grooming range.

For more information, visit www.mensbiz. com.au

Originally launched as an online store in 2006, MEN’s BIZ quickly developed a cult following and With aesthetics demand and a traditional D E T E R M I N E D T O R E M A I N C U T T I N G E D G E D E S P I T E I T S T R A D I T I O N A L FO C U S , for their culture T H E S E R V I C E O R I E N T E D B O U T I Q U E O F F E R S I PA D S O N W H I C H S H O P P E R S C A N rare and paramount, the A C C E S S T H O U S A N D S O F O N L I N E C U S T O M E R R E V I E W S A N D P R O D U C T R AT I N G S highly choosing of the V I A T H E M E N ’ S B I Z W E B S I T E , E N S U R I N G F U L L S AT I S FA C T I O N P R E P U R C H A S E . coveted Strand Arcade product was highly range soared, filling a void in the market strategic and representative of what MEN’s A true innovator committed to offering an for effective, specialised men’s grooming BIZ is all about. First opened in 1892, the unrivalled experience in the world of retail, products that deliver tangible results. iconic retail arcade was the last of the five the MEN’s BIZ flagships strive to enhance the Created by visionary innovator Nathan arcades built in Sydney during the Victorian consumer experience, allowing clients the Jancauskas, who saw the need to create era and is the only one remaining in its ability to interact with the luxury brands on a niche retailer that rivals the women’s original form today. offer by trialling the products with an in store high-end cosmetics and toiletries industry, shave or style prior to purchasing. It is partnerships such as this, together with MEN’s BIZ is a throwback to the golden age of its exclusive brand partners, both on trend Determined to remain cutting edge despite grooming, shying away from the disposable and established, that set MEN’s BIZ apart. its traditional focus, the service-oriented razor and bringing products that are Never content, the retailer continues to seek boutique offers ipads on which shoppers can historically acclaimed, many of which boast out the best-in-class products worldwide, over 100 years worth of rich ancestry. access thousands of online customer reviews constantly adding and refining its product and product ratings via the MEN’s BIZ website, Since its inception, clients have received mix to create a beautifully tailored interactive ensuring full satisfaction pre-purchase. The unprecedented access to the finest brands customer experience. store will also contain testing sinks for an globally, both traditional and modern, with products including Jack Black skincare; Geo. F. Trumper shaving creams and brushes; Merkur

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REINVENTION HANZ DE FUKO MEANS ‘FOR THE ARTIST IN ALL OF US’, CREATED BY TWO CALIFORNIANS PUSHING PEOPLE BEYOND THE MUNDANE TOWARDS LIVES OF REBELLION.

For local stockist enquiries/ 1300 764 437 info@sabre-group.com @hanzdefukoausnz Hanz de Fuko Australia & NZ /user/HanzdeFuko

riginals David Alfonso and Christopher Kent are bringing the world their men’s products made from the highest quality, most eﬀective certiﬁed organic ingredients and natural plant extracts. But where did it all begin?

could continue pushing the envelope, something that allowed people to live life in the most rebellious way. “We seek originality and innovation in everything we do, with our heart and creative spirit as the driving force behind our growth and not capital gains,” Davis says.

‘No right way’ “That’s the ﬁrst thing I learned,” David says, “and if you come from a very structured environment it can be tough to learn there is no right way to do things.” David was inspired by his brother Daniel, who became a hairstylist from their parent’s garage and was soon on a reality tv show. This gave David’s childhood friend Christopher Kent an idea and the duo’s vision began to take shape.

Stand apart The legend of Hanz de Fuko is set to swell as demand for a hair product unlike any other grows. At the core will be the entrepreneurial spirit and creativity of its two founders, two men with a ﬁerce commitment to high quality and organic product. And they’re not taking anything for granted. “It’s the level of intensity and ‘never give up’ attitude we both have that allowed us to lean on each other during the struggle, and for us to be doing what we love.”

Rebels The duo created a brand so they

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Cu s t om ba rber prod ucts

T uc k e d a wa y i n t he pi ct ure perf ec t v i lla ge o f B owra v i lle N S W , C r a i g a n d A n n i e o f B ella my S k i n c a re ha v e b een dev elo pi n g a ra nge o f p ro duc t s f o cusi n g o n B a rb er a n d Ha i r S t y li s t i n dus t ri es.

YEWWWWW! HOW GOOD IS THIS GEAR? WISH I’D THOUGHT OF IT!

ellamy Skincare is able to make and label a range of products with your Barber Shop logo adding value to your brand and highlighting your shop to your customers. All our products are Australian made, natural, using quality ingredients and are competitively priced. “The response has been amazing with every barber shop we have approached placing an order” said Craig. One of our biggest supporters is Jimbo from Jimbo’s Barber Shop at Port Macquarie, “Yewww! How good is this gear? Wish I’d thought of it!” Bellamy Skincare’s expanding range of customised products can be made with ﬁve

individual blends of essential oils, adding character to your range of products. Their products include a Hemp Beard Oil, Extra Hold Moustache Wax, Beard Conditioning Balm, A ershave Lotion with Marine Collagen, Pre Shave Oil and Buﬀalo Milk Face and Body Bars. “We are continually developing new products and welcome any requests” said Annie. If you have always dreamt of having a quality range of men’s and women’s grooming products totally branded with your shop’s details, you can contact Craig and Annie from Bellamy Skincare at www.bellamyskincare.com.au.

B A R B E R

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Barbers groom room The Groom Room is one of my favourite barbershops, and is located in the upstairs lo above iconic menswear store Barkers. This Auckland fixture is an institution for the savvy businessman looking for new styling or great male retail therapy. Barkers has barbershops in house in Auckland and Wellington, with plans for more barbershops in their future stores. Business manager Vea and master barber Gary kindly invited me for a trim and a cutthroat shave, which I happily accepted without any hesitation as I was in the need of some new style and inspiration. Barkers Groom Room has been stylishly fitted out with most of the space occupied by the stretch of a long bar, which forms the perfect lace to perch while waiting for your turn in the chair. This bar somehow gives the guest an ideal height to sip the complimentary top shelf spirit – again, very tempting on that relaxed a ernoon and like so many other New Zealand gentlemen I indulged just to get into the groove. This shop gets very busy with all the barbers consistently engaged which added to the theatre and the ambience of a space defined by

V i n ta g e H a i r G a l l e r y

quality marble and wood fixtures. Embracing old school quality so completely creates warmth in the barbershop, putting the your head in the right space instantly by warming you for the anticipated pampering. I was very happy when got my turn in the chair and Vea expertly transformed my travelling mop into an impressive, presentable format that I was proud to sport around on Auckland and Waikato that week. Following the trim I was steered into the shaving parlor section of the shop, where I was steamed and lathered up ready for the cutthroat. English barber Gary took amazing pride in his blade skills and talked me into some moustache styling that looked pretty, pretty cool. All modern men visiting Auckland should make an advance booking for the experience of a styling session at Barkers Groom Room, finished off with some retail styling downstairs at Barkers. Plus you can grab a great espresso at Barkers Burrs and Gring, supplied by Ponsonby’s Eighthirty Coffee Roasters. At long last, all the good things in a man’s life are finally in the one space.

It was like I’d walked into a scene from Coming To America with Eddie Murphy: a room full of African American barbers spinning the jokes as they wielded their scissors in perfect time. This barbershop is a precision machine of jovial cra smen. History I was lucky to find one of the oldest running barbershops in the southeastern United States of America right at the start of my search. Owner Herb has three barber shops all on the same block: a traditional barbershop called Vintage, an classy salon and a studio where he does regular photo shoots and make overs. Strange visitors Vintage is a very cool barber business, fitted out with great relics from the past and having six barbers cutting at a dedicated vintage station. I reckon I startled them as I trudged through with my family - it was definitely a place where white girls are not o en found. But once I shared some copies of the latest issue, we were accepted with joy and handshakes.

1 HIGH ST, AUCKLAND CBD, AUCKLAND 1010, NEW ZEALAND +64 9 379 9296 WWW.BARKERSGROOMROOM.CO.NZ

Classics Herb’s three businesses are located in the old Healy Building, which was the last major skyscraper built during the ﬁrst great burst of multistory commercial construction preceding World War I. Where once it only housed oﬃce and retail, now businesses occupy it as well as upmarket condominiums. The original barbershop was located in the foyer area of this prestigious building: there are strong echoes of the past with Vintage’s fulltime shoe shine station which was always a part of a traditional barbershop. In demand Each of the barbers working at Vintage were renowned throughout the state for their high end skills, with customers travelling from across Georgia to get specialist styling. This is a must see business if you are travelling to Atlanta, a fascinating city that combines being known as the birthplace of of America’s civil rights movement with a staggering amount of amazing BBQ joints.

57 FORSYTH ST NW, ATLANTA, GA 30303, UNITED STATES +1 404 521 1451

Get the gear, Get noticed

Distributed in New Zealand by www.barbershop.co.nz

hair expo's big reveal. finalists announced in sydney

The prep It’s Jimbo’s fault. He’s the idiot who convinced me I could grow my hair long. I’ve got ridiculously thick hair – as a child my mother had to supply her own sheep shears when dropping me oﬀ for a clip – and the hair either hasn’t heard Jimbo or is ignoring him. Maybe I should follow its lead.

IT WAS ALL ABOUT HAIRDRESSERS, AND A SMIDGEON ABOUT BARBERS, WHEN COOPS FOUND OUT THE AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND HAIR EXPO AWARDS FINALISTS AT A FANCY DO IN SYDNEY’S HISTORIC TOWN HALL.

To get my mid-length locks to slick back I had to use numerous gels, pomades and waxes. The hotel bathroom looked and smelled like an apothecary. Most of the products were open and in my hair and yet I couldn’t get this one section to stay in place. Damn you, Jimbo. The do Thing I learnt: Town Hall is very schmick inside. Starky and I had ﬁrst tried to enter via the ‘front’ door which is right on George St and where hobos sleep/defecate. Turns out it’s not a real door. Once inside, it quickly became apparent 2016 Schwartzkopf

Professional Hair Expo was eager to understand and welcome barbering. There was an entire feature wall dedicated to photographic exhibits of barbers’ work, and more than half the salons/interior spaces up for awards were strongly inﬂuenced by barbershops’ styles. But the awards were undoubtedly mostly for hairdressers, who have been the traditional power holders. The challenge The ﬁnalists for barber/men’s hairdresser of the years were announced as Sydney’s Fred LeMarche, Joe Ribera and Mary Alamine along with Uros Mikic from South Australia and New Zealanders Brad Lepper and Jock Dobson. The winner will be announced at the awards in Melbourne in June, which we will be at to report on. My strongest impression from the announcements’ night, though, was of the divide between barbering and hairdressing. The two trades have a tough challenge ahead if they want to work together meaningfully.

Measure twice.

CUT Once.

OUT OF EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY, DAD IS THE ONE PEOPLE TURN TO FOR ADVICE, WHICH HE HAS A KNACK OF OFFERING UP AT THE MOST OPPORTUNE MOMENT, WHEN IT WILL RESONATE THE MOST. WHEN I OPENED THE DOORS TO MY VERY FIRST HAIR SALON BACK IN 1991, AT THE TENDER AGE OF JUST 21 YOU DO THE MATHS , DAD OFFERED ME A LITTLE PEARL OF WISDOM THAT HAS STUCK WITH ME ALL THESE YEARS.

t’s something I find myself mulling over at the end of a tough week or if I’m not sure which way to turn. And it’s something I think anyone with an interest in business or who has a little entrepreneurial flair can benefit from. His advice? No matter how stressful things get, always remember that reality prevails. If you’re anything like me, chances are you’ve dabbled in a few different projects and constantly have your hands in a few different pies. Some of these little ventures will come to nothing, some might even fail spectacularly, but one might just prove to be the lucky charm that will secure you a comfy retirement. One of the most challenging things about owning a business is all the different hats you have to wear. Sometimes you just need to be a risk-taker. Sometimes you need to be a creative-type. Sometimes you need to be a strategist, and sometimes you need to be a details guy. Sometimes you actually need to be all of the above, and more. Over time, you find yourself becoming a pseudo-expert in things you thought you’d never even attempt – you become your own publicist, your own fundraiser, your own graphic designer, your own bookkeeper. For me, getting involved in the numbers game is what scared me the most. I loved dreaming up new ideas and ways of working – but, to

my 21-year-old self, spending hours crunching data seemed like the purest form of torture. I would much rather have spent my time talking to people and cutting hair than wrapping my head around my numbers.

what those ﬁgures were telling me, everything started to fall into place. I found that in business, as in life, reality prevails. If your clients are spending less each time they visit, you can ﬁnd ways to upsell. If the industry as a whole is experiencing a bit of a temporary lull, you will know not to stress too much. If your year-on-year revenue has dropped slightly, you’ll be able to put the right strategies in place to bring it back up again.

Dad, being Dad, was there a with few words of practical advice. While I was trying to balance the books and figure out if I would ever turn a real profit, he sat me down and said to me: “Jo, stop worrying about the numbers. It doesn’t matter what they are – you just need to Measuring my results of this has really helped know them so you can start making informed contribute to my decisions. The rest successes over the will take care of IF YOUR CLIENTS ARE SPENDING LESS itself.” years, even through EACH TIME THEY VISIT, YOU CAN FIND some precarious This little gem WAYS TO UPSELL. IF THE INDUSTRY AS situations when I has stuck with me A WHOLE IS EXPERIENCING A BIT OF through the years, thought things could and it really has really start to go A TEMPORARY LULL, YOU WILL KNOW gotten me through pear shaped. If you NOT TO STRESS TOO MUCH. a few rough times take things one little when I might number at a time, otherwise have been tempted to throw in the you’ll be able to dig deep, rejuvenate your towel on my goals and aspirations. In a few thirst for business, and keep on soldiering on. words, Dad taught me that it’s fine to concern Not sure which KPIs you should be tracking? yourself with something, but worrying is a Watch my video: www.shortcuts.com.au/quickfix complete waste of energy. When it came to knowing my numbers, Dad was so right. I soon discovered that if I kept my eye on a few key KPIs, and made a few little changes to the way I worked according to 40

Jo Burgess is a co-founder of Shortcuts, the world leader in technology for barbers and salons. She has led the development of innovative so ware solutions designed to take the stress out of managing a business.

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ųå±ƋĜƴå åĹåųčƼ ĵååƋŸ ĀåųÏå ÏŅĵŞåƋĜƋĜŅĹ over three days when Hair Expo Australia brings together the industry’s top artists and brands, all showcased in education sessions, exhibitions, stage productions and evening gala spectacular shows. Whether you come to visit or you would like to showcase your products, it will be worth the j journey tto M Melbourne. lb

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42 Hair: Dmitri Papas. Photography: Andrew O’Toole. Makeup: Kylie O’Toole. Colour: Justin Pace.

FAMILY

TIES

“I JUST DON’T KNOW HOW YOU DO IT, IT CAN’T BE HEALTHY” HE SAID AS HE BIT INTO A DOUBLE CHEESEBURGER AND SIPPED ON HIS FOURTH PINT THAT AFTERNOON. MY MATE HAS A WIFE, KIDS, MORTGAGE AND A STEADY CAREER THAT STARTED SHORTLY AFTER HE FINISHED HIS BACHELOR DEGREE AT UNI. “I MEAN, IF I WORKED THAT CLOSELY WITH MY WIFE WE’D FIGHT ALL THE TIME”. e had a point, a very commonly held one. I was not in a position to argue. It isn’t easy working in a business as a husband and wife team. The occasional work-related tiﬀ is far from uncommon.

It got me thinking, obviously I’m not the only one that’s made a business partner out of their life partner (or vice versa for that matter). I’m sure plenty of them have managed the balance between work life and family life but I’m also pretty certain for many it doesn’t end well. Thankfully for my wife Jackee and I, cofounding Milkman Grooming Co has to date been awesome. An adventure, a challenge, a very high maintenance baby – but it’s our baby and that counts for a lot. Having said that, it isn’t always smooth sailing and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t concerned that one day there’d be some massive adverse event that places a ri between us. I’ve seen what divorce does and it isn’t pretty. I don’t want to go through that if I can help it and whether you have a life + business partner or just a plutonic business partner here are the top 5 things I found helpful to reduce the risk of bad blood.

1. Allocate turf based on capability – If you can both agree that your partner is better at sales and you’re better at product development then stick to your area and don’t try to micro-manage theirs. With any luck you can broadly divide each of the key areas of the business between you so there isn’t too much second guessing which is going to increase the risk of tension. 2. Tolerate mistakes – If you’re human then sooner or later you’re going to stuﬀ up and so is your partner. If you dwell on those mistakes too much and rub your partner’s mistakes in their face it will punish them even more than they’re already punishing themselves and resentment will build. The best thing to do is work constructively together to avoid similar mistakes in future. 3. Communicate – Could you imagine an emergency on a commercial ﬂight being dealt with properly if the pilot & co-pilot never spoke a word to each other? It’s important that you both touch base on what each of you are doing to make sure you’re pulling in the same direction and not working against each other, which could cause frustration later on. 4. Savour the wins – So your partner just 43

landed a huge client, got the business some amazing PR or came up with a fantastic new offering for your customers. Make sure you let them know how fantastic they are and how much their work means to you. When you work closely together it’s easy to overlook simple things like saying “thank you, that was a great job”! 5. Never lose respect – Again, when you work closely together and especially when you have a relationship together it’s easy to remove the filters that you may have in place when dealing with a friend or aquaintance. If you say mean things in frustration that you don’t really mean, you’re effectively signalling to your partner that you don’t respect them enough to have a constructive conversation and basically just want to hurt / punish them. If you wouldn’t act like that with a complete stranger then why do it with someone so close to you? So that’s my advice, do with it what you will. Just remember I take no responsibility for the long term well-being of your relationship with your partner, I’m too busy trying to keep mine from running away with the Milkman as it is. Dr Ben De Campo – Milkman Grooming Co

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IF ANYTHING CAN PROVE THAT BEARDS ARE STILL IN FASHION IT IS THE LAUNCH AND RESPECTIVE POPULARITY OF NEW BEARD BALMS ACROSS THE MEN’S GROOMING BOARD. owever the man behind his homegrown hirsute accessory has changed from the unkempt hipster, to the suave gentleman. A top quality beard balm, such as Captain Fawcett’s latest or that of new Australian brand Burly Fellow, is the perfect product for a beard as it both conditions and styles your pride and joy. If you care for yourself and loved ones, you should already be using beard oil to smooth your bristles, and a beard balm now gives you the opportunity to make your so beard ﬁrmer.

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Whenever I speak to a new barbershop I ﬁnd that they are o en overwhelmed with the sheer number of professional

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products out there. Of course there are some magical brands like Layrite, whose reputation and high quality make choosing a range simple. For the most part however, I recommend thinking about what look and vibe you want your clients to see and feel. Do you want your punters to feel as though they have stepped back in time to when barber shops were full of whisky, timber and tobacco? Or are you catering for the more modern and polished gentleman? Perhaps the rockabilly 50’s is what you are aiming for? Regardless of your personal barber shop style, there will always be a premium brand that will perfectly cater to you and your valued clientele.

Let 'em eat Bagels M o r e

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hey can’t be stopped. The international march of the New York’s ﬁnest bready necessity has continued with bagels taking over Australia – in the country and in the cities men are hankering for something more than just bread. They want something sustaining that’s doughy, dense and delicious. They want bagels.

A MAN HAS TO EAT, AND EVEN BETTER IF HE CHOW DOWN ON SOMETHING THAT WILL HOLD HIM FOR A GOOD WHILE.

Prep matters Teenager Chuck Edwards, owner/operator of Baos & Bagels, says his favourite food stands (ahem) apart because of its preparation. Most recipes involve some variation of the dough being mixed, the bagel formed, proofed overnight, brieﬂy boiled and ﬁnally baked. In the cities Perth’s Uncle Joe’s Mess Hall are renowned for their piggy-in-the-middle cola pulled pork bagel (publisher Sean still raves about it) Brisbane’s Scout does a mean aioli, rocket and cucumber with provolone and an eight-hour slow-cooked beef brisket bagel. 46

w i t h

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Melbourne has serious game, and history, when it comes to the humble bagel. The Balleau brothers have innovated a favourite from New York’s Lower East Side by consistently serving up chunky helpings of corned beef and pastrami in the style of the famous Katz’s Deli, while less than a kilometre away the recently opened Mile End serves up Montreal-style bagels. These have a larger hole than New York’s finest and end up tasting slightly sweet a er being dipped in honey water and cooked in a wood-fired oven. Growth That demand has seen Edwards open a bagel factory in the NSW mid north coast town of Port Macquarie. He can produce 10,000 bagels per week and currently supplies businesses from Newcastle to the Queensland border, a distance of some 700 km. It’s a huge challenge for one so young, yet Edwards is on a mission. “The bottom line is people love eating bagels because they’re delicious, they fill you up like nothing else, so why shouldn’t everyone be eating them?”

Main Photograph by Connie Chan from brooklynboy.com.au

WORTHY&SPRUCE FOR

THE

RESPONSIBLE

GENT

W o r t h y & S p r u c e i s A u s t r a l i a’ s l e a d i n g online boutique for the modern dapper gent who likes to look good and shop responsibly.

hey pride themselves on curating the best quality men’s grooming supplies and accessories from throughout Australia and New Zealand. Moreover 10% of every sale goes directly to support the fantastic work of White Ribbon; Australia’s campaign to prevent men’s violence against women.

Established in early 2014, Worthy & Spruce have always been

packaging to minimize irritation to the planet as well. From beard care to shaving supplies, and pomades to pocket-squares, Worthy & Spruce partner with the best of the best of local business to shine a light on great Aussie brands like The Bearded Chap, Milkman Australia, and Uppercut Deluxe. They also stock an excellent range of goodies from heroic New

MOREOVER 10% OF EVERY SALE GOES D I R E C T LY T O S U P P O R T T H E F A N T A S T I C W O R K O F W H I T E R I B B O N ; A U S T R A L I A’ S C A M PA I G N T O PREVENT MEN’S VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN.

about ethical shopping. Aside from the charity partnership, they’ll also go to great lengths to ensure that the products, the packaging, and the processes are all great for you; the customer, and great for the environment too. That can mean no nasty parabens, sulphates, or silicones to irritate your skin, but also the use of recycled and recyclable

Zealanders; Triumph & Disaster and their fantastic range of Beard Care and Shaving Toolkits is worth the price of admission alone. Worthy & Spruce have a simple, unifying principal governing everything they do and that is to ‘Look Good, Doing Good’. Now there’s a message we can all get behind.” 47

Cruising Vietnam's Central Highlands Biker Style with fi mason

easy

n so

iR ding In Is s u e 7 w e m e t L eeds-v i a -Sy dn e y’s F i Mas on, who took us ins ide what’s it like to b e a 's h ei l a ' i n t h e ba r b er t r a de . Sh e’s s i n ce take n her s how on the r oad to S outhe as t A s ia w h ere s h e tel ls a ta l e of 9 3 0 k i lo m e t r e s of ope n r oad , dir t and r ub b le , two ine xper ie nced ri ders , o n e s or t - of En gl i sh spe a k i n g g uide and a hell of a lot of clos e calls !

EACH DAY BROUGHT NEW CHALLENGES FROM THE BURNING SUN, TO NEEDING TO STOP AND AMUSE THE LOCALS WITH YOGA STYLE STRETCHING OR THE INEVITABLE PANIC STOPS WHEN NEARLY BEING HIT BY A TRUCK.

If you’re into safe, relaxing holidays, don’t enjoy walking like a cowboy or would prefer not to use roadside long-drops overlooked by water buffalo then look away now...or read on and thank your lucky stars you chose two weeks in Hawaii. Five days on the back of a motorbike driving through the mountains of Vietnam, through banana and coffee plantations, round cliff edges and over what I can only describe as bridges built for one- legged goats has to be one of the most dangerous yet exhilarating things I’ve done (and I’ve jumped out of a plane backwards before). Forget the health and safety guide, Vietnam didn’t get round to writing one and that’s what’s so damn good about it. Social niceties and norms go over the cliff with the rest of the unwanted rubbish. If someone wants to drive the wrong way down the highway, or transport two fully grown, wriggling pigs on the back of a moped, then that’s what they will do, and no one will bat an eyelid. A er only one minor roadside crash within the first hour, my new American partnerin-crime Norma and I felt that for two novice riders we did pretty well. Hopefully not irritating our affectionately named guide ‘Chunk’ too much, we endured kilometre a er kilometre of uneven and unpredictable road. Each day brought new challenges from the burning sun, to needing to stop and amuse the locals with yoga style stretching or the inevitable panic stops when nearly being hit by a truck. Five 49

days soon passed and we became used to the stares and waves of the locals, I felt like some sort of fake celebrity driving through the villages. When travelling many people visit with expectations created by Instagram, Trip advisor or National Geographic. In Vietnam – yes, there are rice paddies and bamboo hats everywhere and yes, beer is 30 cents a glass but it’s the unpredictable that got me. You may not speak the same language or have any common life experience but boundaries are overcome to share in unforgettable moments of humour. From slow dancing to Vietnamese- dubbed Christmas carols with a roadside coffee hawker, to using mime actions when requesting use of the toilet. Really, who needs words? Vietnam is rich. The coffee is rich, the food is rich, perhaps not in monetary terms but the people are rich in love for their homeland, family and for life itself. I don’t mean to sound like a hippy, but you can’t replicate those moments or the insights gained from just living it. These sorts of trips are rare in their value for being completely sensory. When riding you have to take mental photos, you take in the smells and sounds and instead of being sidetracked by a photo of someone’s breakfast, you live a little. My advice - get out there and try it, you may scrape your knees but the memories you will gain far out weigh any risk. It’s the element of danger that makes it. Maybe just make sure you have a map and a good cushion for your backside…just something to filter out that pain.

EDUCATION E DUCATION

SCHOREM S CHOREM 2 2.0 .0 WORKSHOPS W ORKSHOPS Experience Expe Ex p ri pe r en e ce ﬁ ﬁrsthand rssthan th han and d from from fr o tthe h S he Scumbag cumb cu m ag mb Barbers Barb Ba rber erss th themselves hem mse elv l es h how ow to to ta take ke yyour ourr ou barbering barb ba rb berin errin ing g wo work r to rk to a ne n new w le level. eve el. l. 23 M May ay / QL QLD LD 24 M May ayy / NS NSW W 25 M 25 May ay / VI ay VIC C 30 M May ayy / WA W

SCHOREM S CHOREM LLIVE! IVE! SHOW S HOW Leen Le een e & Bertus Ber ertu t s are a e ba ar back ck tto o ra rais raise ise is e he hell, ell ll,, cu ccut ut so ome m h airr an ai and d talk ta alk lk a bout bo utt tthat hatt fa ha famo mous mo us llittle itttl ittl te some hair about famous barbershop b rb ba rber ersh er shop hop in in an entertaining ent nter erta erta er tain inin in ing in g show sh how ﬁ ﬁlled lled ll e with with llaughs augh au g s and gh and Schorem Scho Sc hore ho rem re m st stories. tor orie ies. ie s. 27 7M May ay / Ba Babuska B busk bu ska sk a / P Perth erth er th

BOOK B OOK N NOW! OW! Online O On line a li line att ha h haircareaust.com airrca c re reau reau usstt.ccom o or call cal a l 13 1300 300 04 437 37 4 37 436 36 6 (ext.4) (ext. ex xt. t.4)

THE BLOODY HILLARIOUS BROTHERS WITH LUSH BEARDS

NeùĀj T wins

T h e N e l s o n T w i ns a r e k no w n w o r l d w i d e f or b ri n g i n g t he la ug hs wi t h t hei r b ea rded doub le a ct . They f irs t s h o w e d u p o n A us t r a l i a’s G o t Ta len t i n 2 0 12 , a st ra t eg y t hey a dmi t t ed a t t he t i me wa s u sed t o s e c u re s p o t s a s e x t r a s o n P a c k e d to t he Ra f t ers. Whi le t hey di dn’t get t o st a n d n ea r Reb ecca G ib n e y a t l u nc h , t h e d u o h a ve a c h i e ve d fa me si n ce t hrough t hei r wo rk i n s cho ols a n d a ppea ra n c es in a d v e rt ise m e nt s . W e l o ve ’e m be c a us e t hey’re b loo dy hi la ri o us a n d ha v e st upi dly lush b ea rds.

irst things ﬁrst, why did you two grow beards? Justin: We did it to hide our neck, our rugby coach doesn’t allow them.

Chris: Justin just copied me. But which brother has the better beard and why? Justin: That’s a good question, I think we’ll have to measure them now. Damn, looks like you win, Chris. Chris: Deﬁnitely me, I can hide more things in mine. What’s the strongest reaction you’ve had

What’s the Nelson Twins’ take on the profession of barbering? Are the two of you ever found happily ensconced in a barbershop? Justin: It’s a tricky one for us: we certainly have huge respect for the profession, but I can’t see us sitting in the barber’s chair anytime soon.

Justin: Hopefully we’ve learned to be funny.

Chris: Could be dangerous - a barber would make us look handsome and respectable, not a chance.

going?

Do you two use beard and/or hair products? If so, what’s your preference

Or that the pay is really bad. Chris: I’ve learnt how to ﬁx my brother’s mistakes for 10 years. I am now a proud expert. Why did the two of you develop an education program for schools? How’s it Justin: We developed the Stand Up And Be Counted program in our last year as school teachers. We’ve always thought that having the conﬁdence to speak in public is a

WE DEVELOPED THE STAND UP AND BE COUNTED PROGRAM IN OUR LAST YEAR AS SCHOOL TEACHERS. WE’VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT HAVING THE CONFIDENCE TO SPEAK IN PUBLIC IS A VALUABLE SKILL SO WE BASICALLY SHOW THE KIDS HOW WE DO IT. WE HAVE A GREAT LAUGH WITH THE KIDS ALONG THE WAY.

to your facial hair while travelling the world as bearded gents? Justin: We once made an Albino in Norway so jealous he attacked us with a pair of scissors. Chris: I had a lady in London stroke my beard and tell me it reminded her of her pet cat. That was a little weird. What would happen if one twin shaved? Justin: We wouldn’t be much of an identical twin act if only one of us had a beard, so I guess the other would have to shave to or grow the beard back really fast. Chris: I’m never shaving; I’m taking this freak show to the grave.

Next issue

TWIN Trim

and why? Justin: We generally don’t worry about our hair but we have been using a beard product called ‘Barbers Choice’. We love it ‘cause it makes your beard smell good. Alright gents, let’s be real for a moment: would the two of you accept a triplet? As in, if one turned up and had nowhere else to go, would you house that triplet? Justin: A triplet would be fantastic, and then I could replace Chris.

valuable skill so we basically show the kids how we do it. We have a great laugh with the kids along the way. Chris: The program is going great for me. Not so for Justin. He is ﬁnding it tough because all the kids are smarter and funnier than him. He is really wasting his time on this one. What’s next for you hirsute fellows? Justin: I’m a dad now, so it’s all kids and comedy.

Chris: Good luck with that, champ!

Chris: I’m in the middle of writing the world’s

What have you learnt over a decade in the comedy game?

rudest joke. More updates to come.

The boys reckon it "could be dangerous" to get them into barber's chairs, so that's exactly what we'll be doing in the next issue. There will be trimming and it might even end up slimming them, but not enough to piss oﬀ their rugby coach.

BEATS M u s i c

n i g h t l i f e

Don’t care if you’re black, purple or green: the music brings us together.

NM I O GVHE TS

Kendrick Lamar repeated this mantra during last month’s sold-out Australian tour, whipping up swirling masses with his gripping mix of West Coast hip hop, free jazz, funk and soul. The tour had no name, included only one show each in Melbourne and Sydney plus a small turn headlining day two of Bluesfest.

There a few things more fun than standing at a gig with a tin in hand and bass notes rattling through your chest. ell, except for the sight of Dad politicians getting a shellacking on social media for disabling the live music scene Thus it was for NSW Premier Mike Baird when he got on Facebook earlier this year to justify his government’s lockout laws, strategies to curb violence that opponents have blamed for killing Sydney’s live music culture. Sydyeny digital media artist Roan Sajko, who performs as Roan Psyko, reﬂects on being an active young creative whose generation may be shut out of their own scene. Restrictions to grow Well, this is bullshit. It appears Queensland will follow its southern cousin’s lead with July’s planned introduction of a 2am last drinks call statewide and an extended 3am call for nightclubs in certain precincts. Their lockout at 1am will be even harsher by half an hour than Sydney’s. It sounds like a small amount and it won’t be introduced until February next year, but every minute counts when businesses that primarily host electronic acts until the early hours are operating under restrictions. What about down south? Meanwhile, Victorians do not have lockouts as they were tested and scrapped in Melbourne and replaced with more policing and better public transport services at late hours. Yep, that’s right, it didn’t work

in Melbourne so they nixed it for strategies that do. What refreshing thinking! Catch 22 Sydney and Brisbane’s cultures a er dark are now stuck in the tricky position of needing more support from people who have fewer options, and potentially less incentives, to go out. It’s an impossible situation and one that doesn’t bode well for the development of the electronic music scene or the careers of young artists. Future Kids As an artist, I’m consistently blown away at how quickly artists take hold of the public ear. The scene is growing but development must be possible for everyone. New artists push the boundaries of what electronic music can bring to the masses, and each artist that generates income for many besides the individual. We have a scene where it’s possible for less known artists such as Basenji to be exposed to millions of people, but the problems with Sydney and Brisbane’s evening economies mean it is becoming harder and harder. International electronic artists do still want to visit Australia, it’s just we haven’t got much to offer them in terms of possible venues, time slots or cultural flexibility. That’s a big problem for them and for local artists that must be fixed soon, because otherwise supposedly global cities will be le behind.

It was a peak career move, one triggered by a recent swag of wins at the Grammys which included a politically and racially-charged performance for the ages. But the kid from Compton saved his best move until a little more than a fortnight later, when he unexpectedly dropped Untitled Unmastered and the Internet went crazy. For those who came in late, Lamar has released three LPs since 2011 and each has gained enough momentum to shi him from the undercard of Eminem, which is where he was on his last Australian tour in 2013. He’s now got the kind of momentum that means less than 12 months a er his huge To Pimp A Butterfly was declared record of the year by every magazine that matters, and almost immediately a er shoving his blackness in America’s face at the Grammys Kendrick can release eight unreleased demo tracks with confidence. Or without it. That’s kinda the point. Right now, it doesn’t matter whether he’s selling you on his politics, sending all the critics giddy or causing others to dismiss him as a fad. He is the only person on the planet challenging Taylor Swi for pop’s heart, and he manages to do it while popping down to the southern hemisphere to headline Australia’s biggest music festival for baby boomers. Kendrick confuses with his heady brew of meandering creativity, political fire and powerful determination. He’s bringing people together and he isn’t going anywhere.

M o v i e

r e v i e w

M o v i e

THIS IS A FILM SO HOPEFULLY EXCELLENT ITS TAGLINE REALLY DOES TELL YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW, ‘WE HAD 20 YEARS TO PREPARE SO DID THEY’. JEFF GOLDBLUM’S BACK AS SCIENTIST DAVID LEVINSON, THE CHARACTER WHO BROUGHT TWITCHING BRILLIANCE/JEFF GOLDBLUM BACK INTO FASHION. ritically, Judd Hirsch returns as his lovable pop along with Vivica A. Fox as Smith’s widow, plus a bunch of newbies played by acting royalty with surnames like ‘Gainsbourg’ and ‘Hemsworth’.

The plot? The right kind of person really only needs to know Golblum’s gonna kick a bunch of alien butt, probably using an unexpected weapon and a witty turn of phrase. Sure, Will Smith isn’t in it, and he was inarguably one of the best things about the ﬁrst ﬁlm. Who didn’t lose their shit when Captain Steve Hiller piloted that alien cra out of the exploding mothership, screaming along with him and Levinson as the aliens ate it? I may have been nine years old, but dammit if I didn’t have an abiding desire for several weeks to chomp cigars and punch aliens. But Smith’s kinda lost it these days. There’s the Scientology, the 20th Century Fox

THE FOURTH FILM IN THE BARBERSHOP SERIES IS A LESSON IN FRANCHISING. SIMPLY PUT, THE NEXT CUT WAS GOING TO BE A SUCCESS REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT WAS ANY GOOD.

alleged affair and then the choice to make the insultingly bad A er Earth with his son, Jaden. In fact, the ghost of that filmic bomb seems to have kept him out of this sequel with director Emmerich telling Cinema Blend “In the very beginning, I wanted to work with him and he was excited to be in it but then a er a while he was tired of sequels, and he did another science fiction film, which was his father-son story, so he opted out”.

It comes down to groundwork. Barbershop opened in 2002 and introduced us to the motley crew at Calvin’s (Ice Cube’s) barbershop on Chicago’s south side, who must save the business using their swi wits, faster mouths and hearts of gold. It’s so safe a formula that the producers

of great invention, so if we’re being honest we’re here for the beautiful visuals of Calvin’s barbershop and the hilarious characters within. There are new characters, but their details don’t matter to the ﬁlm’s success as much as the names playing them. Nicky Minaj, Common and some punk called Tyga all

H I P H O P, A N D H A V I N G C O N S I S T E N T G E N R E B I G NAMES, GIVES THE SERIES ITS ANCHOR, ITS AUTHENTICITY AND ITS SUCCESS.

Emmerich also told New York’s Daily News that Smith was “too expensive” and “too much of a marquee name”. And that’s likely because of budget constraints involved in securing Bill Pullman’s beard for the sequel. The last 20 years have been damn good to the man – he’s sporting one of the lushest clavicle ticklers seen on screen – and its easy to see why there wasn’t any cash le for Smith, who is at best a moustache man. USA release: June 24

r e v i e w

have trotted it out three times since, making profits with such surety even the ill advised Beauty Shop spinoff in 2005 banked a tidy $13 million. In the new film we’re back on the south side, reunited with characters we fell in love with more than a decade ago. There’s Cube playing Calvin and Cedric the Entertainer as the cussing old Eddie, while Eve reprises her role as the only female barber Terri. The story is no mystery MGM / Warner Bros

Photography: CineMaterial 55

star this time, beeﬁng up the hip hop credentials established in the original. Hip hop, and having consistent genre big names, gives the series its anchor, its authenticity and its success. The genuine article is all that matters in the worlds of the barbershop and hip hop, and the series’ producers recognised that long ago. It’s why it doesn’t matter if the fourth ﬁlm is any good: it just has to be real. USA release: April 15

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all about design here at Cutthroat because we know barbers and men are ruthless in their pursuit of the latest style, whether it be purely functional or a splash of the creative.

Photography by www.memphis-milano.org

athryn Wilson has to keep ahead of the game as a graphic designer for Australian powerhouse record label Dew Process, home to internationals Dropkick Murphys and London Grammar as well as locals including Jebediah and Tkay Maidza. She’s a graduate of Sydney University and Enmore Tafe’s advanced design program, so our interest was piqued at her obvious excitement when asked what’s generating the most buzz in the design world right now. BOX JELLYFISH! Does the sight of a sphere next to (but not touching) a triangular prism cause your body to freeze with anxiety? Do you experience nausea at the sight of clashing primary colours with black and white geometric patterns? Do you have a sense of impending doom whenever someone mentions the 80s? If you answered yes to any of the above questions you may have been bitten by a box jelly ﬁsh and require immediate treatment, or you have inadvertently encountered the resurgence of the Memphis Design aesthetic.

WHAT IS MEMPHIS DESIGN? It’s most easily described as looking like the set of a Saturday morning children’s television program. Historically, however, it was the result of a meeting held in Milan by industrial designer Ettore Sottass in 1981. Sottass gathered together a dozen designers and over some drinks, they decided to create an art movement that converged the geometry of Art Deco with the colours of Pop Art and in doing so, to stick it to the functional minimalism of Modern Design. ‘SUP WITH THE NAME? The movement’s name had nothing to do with Elvis or the Ancient Egyptians – the designers just happened to be listening to Bob Dylan’s ‘Stuck Inside of Memphis With The Memphis Blues Again’ and Memphis Design was born. HOW’D IT GO? The response to the movement’s designs were mixed. While they were embraced by youth and popular culture they were written oﬀ by design snobs as being “a shotgun wedding between Bauhaus and Fisher Price”. Sadly, an aesthetic as colourful and chaotic as that of Memphis Design could not survive the oversized plaid t-shirts and black lipstick of the 90s and only a decade later, the shapes and squiggles were laid to rest. That is, until now.

THE RETURN! Next in the long list of anachronistic design trends of the past decade, it is finally Memphis Design’s turn and no sector of the design world is safe from its squiggly grip. However, before you start rummaging through your medical supplies box for a valium to wait out this trend, take a moment to appreciate that circular, light grey, marble chopping board you were Instagramming yesterday. Think about that copper cylindrical lamp shade you were eyeing off last week. You might not know it but you are already under the influence of nouveau Memphis Design. The aesthetic has been pared back, elements have been separated and neons and pastels have replaced primary colours. The squiggly and geometric patterns have become an illustrator’s paradigm for symbolising shadows, textures and architecture. Where Sottass and his co-founders’ main aim was to disrupt design trends, today’s proponents of Memphis Design are seeking to reinterpret their designs into something more suave palatable. So if you find yourself feeling repulsed by the return of the 80s aesthetic, remember the original Memphis aesthetic embodied experimentation, irreverence, non-conformism and freedom. These are all concepts essential to the progression and development of society – unlike the box jelly fish which contributes nothing and yet is still allowed to exist.

{ C U T T H R O AT }

MAN SPACE

Baldies B A L D

M E N

F O R

T H E

B A L D F A C E D

‘STUDY FINDS THEM ‘MORE MASCULINE’ A recent scientific study found that men with bald heads are perceived to be more masculine, dominant and strong. So if you are bald, don’t worry about it: embrace it by shaving your hair off and whatever you do, according to the study, do not wear a toupee, comb it over or try hiding it. The study argues women will generally perceive men with a shaved hair as more confident. The numbers According to the American Hair Loss Association, two thirds of men will at least lose some hair by age 35, whilst by the age of 50, 85% will have experienced a significant amount of hair loss. There can be psychological issues if men lose their hair if they’re younger than 22. Luckily, our society has accepted the trend that bald men shave their hair off completely, with most men who start losing their hair commonly encouraged to shave it off completely at the very first signs of thinning.

The theories There are various theories explaining women’s attraction to bald men. Women looking at a man’s face usually notice the hair first, however in the absence of hair women look at the eyes instead: first impressions count the most, thus men with a bold visage draw attention to their eyes first and are able to make a greater impact. Another theory states that women might associate men with a shaved hair with babies with connected mother instincts then kicking in. Facial hair? The study also reported indicating their references for facial hair on men. Most women were split, with some saying they loved men with a short beard and others preferring cleanshaven men. And all agreed that whatever facial hair style men choose they should look groomed and hygienic, so taller and scruffy beards are out of the question. This article originally appeared on FirstMalta.com

W I N

L I E S !

NEW EDITOR COOPS WITNESSES THE BALDNESS What’s this business, ey? Some ‘study’ has come out the USA alleging women find bald blokes more attractive and dominant or somesuch? Well, of course they do. Have you noticed all the pics accompanying the spate of recent articles about the study were all of some stud in a suit? A stud who happened to, also, be bald. The truth, dear friends, is all attractive people look good in suits. Unattractive people look good in suits, and they look outta sight in good suits. And Vin Diesel crushes in everything. I reckon the study’s real revelation is how much the public perception of bald men has them in suits. Let’s be clear, I’m not saying bald men are unattractive. Some of the finest, most handsome examples of our sex haven’t got a whisker up top. But I think we need to be very skeptical of this latest study. For example, surely the responsible and scientific thing for the American Hair Loss Association to do was ask how women feel about strawberry blonde men with full red beards?

BOYS TOYS

{ FERRARI}

THE FERARRI 488 GTB

Best of all The Ferrari 488 GTB provides track-level performance that can be enjoyed to the full even by non-professional drivers in everyday use. Its response times, nimbleness and on-the-limit driving guarantee a unique sense of exhilaration and unparalleled driving pleasure.

THE PRANCING HORSE REVEALS THE NEWEST CHAPTER IN FERRARI’S EIGHT CYLINDER HISTORY, 40 YEARS AFTER UNVEILING THE FIRST MID REAR ENGINED V8 MODEL IN THE 308 GTB.

The new berlinetta brilliantly encapsulates Ferrari’s experience in both F1 and the WEC, where the 458 GT holds the World Championship title and has won its category in the last two editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The new model also exploits to the full the know-how gleaned by Ferrari technicians over the last decade through the XX programme which makes extreme track-only cars available to gentleman test-drivers. The data yielded has made a signiﬁcant contribution to the reﬁnement of the electronic and vehicle control systems so that drivers can make the most of the incredible performance of this new car. Powertrain The Ferrari 488 GTB’s new 3902 cc V8 turbo is at top of the class for power output, torque and response times,

making it the new benchmark for this kind of architecture. The engine unleashes 670 cv at 8,000 rpm along with 760 Nm of maximum torque in seventh gear and a response time to the accelerator of just 0.8 seconds at 2,000 rpm. These figures are sufficient to allow the 488 GTB to accelerate from 0-200 km/h in an astonishing 8.3 seconds and, when combined with the radical innovations introduced on all aspects of the car’s performance, lap the Fiorano track in just 1’23”. Dynamic The car’s aerodynamics also made a pivotal contribution to performance: its 1.67 efficiency figure is a new record for a production Ferrari and is the fruit of 50 per cent more downforce than the previous model and reduced drag. The greatest challenge was achieving these two goals simultaneously. Several innovative elements were specifically developed to do so, not least a double front spoiler, base bleed side intakes and, at the rear, active aerodynamics coupled with a blown spoiler. This is the vessel of modern speed and sophistication. Extreme thrills await.

THE FERARRI 488 GTB

COMPETITION AMONG THE NOBLEST PROFESSION IS NOTHING NEW, BUT BARBER WARS IS A WHOLE NEW CONCEPT THAT ARRIVED IN AUSTRALIA RECENTLY AMID BANGING TUNES AND SPINNING SCISSORS AS THE BEST AND THE SHARPEST MADE THEIR MARKS ON THE INDUSTRY.

lundestone’s Barber Wars took over Homebush’s Olympic precinct on February 13 as part of the inaugural Meatstock, a weekend dedicated to cooking and living low and slow.

The challenge for the barbers was set: 90 minutes to complete three styles including razor fade, freestyle and traditional cut.

The cruelty of the ticking clock mucked with some contestants whose nerves impacted the all important time management. “I was really impressed by one poor bastard who was so overcome by the occasion he was shaking at the start, but he managed to pull himself together and got on with it,” Jimbo said. “He didn’t do too badly, either.”

A diverse array of people ﬁlled the seats surrounding the large space where the top 14 barbers from Australia and beyond went up against each other.

The toughest gig belonged to the judges who were forced to split the ﬁeld.

Master of ceremonies Jimbo the Barber praised the crowd, saying they made the day for the competitors.

“One of our barbers did a motif of Jesus on the back of someone’s head, and I still don’t know how he did it.”

“We just had people ﬂowing through throughout the day, checking us out,” he said. “They gave everything this constant buzz which was great.”

Third place went to England’s Chris Green, Newcastle’s Jake Putan claimed the silver and the top gong went to Reunion Island via Perth’s Fabien Maillot.

The focus for the barbers may have been on competition, but the day also drew in those less familiar with the industry all of whom were treated to Jimbo’s quick wit and powerfully bearded presence.

He works at Uncle Joe’s Barber in the city, where he says he “brings a mix of diﬀerent cultures” to his work. His motto is simple: “I am here now, so now I will learn”. An education was demanded of him in Sydney.

Some of them even got to hear his infamous true tale of woe involving a man’s mistaken sizzling of the ‘wrong kind’ of sausage.

“Everywhere I go, I learn something,” he says, “that’s why I don’t feel like I’m the winner – I learnt so much over there from barbers from

“The top six were really hard to split down into a top three,” Jimbo said.

Sydney and Melbourne. I met some good people and I was really tested.” Plans are in the pipeline for the competition to become an annual fixture, but one that visits a new capital city each year. Maillot has said he is “definitely in” again and Jimbo says he is preparing to be astounded by his peers even more in 2017. “I think on a personal level, I learnt that the industry is in really good shape,” he said. “That should give some confidence to barbers out there, but there’s no room to stand still or get sloppy. Wartime is coming.” Prizes: 1st place – $2000 + WAHL Package including Legend Clipper, Balding Clipper and Detailer + pair of MIZUTANI Scissors + Uppercut Deluxe skateboard deck + Barber Wars Winner’s Trophy. 2nd place - WAHL Package including Legend Clipper, Balding Clipper + pair of MIZUTANI Scissors + Uppercut Deluxe skateboard deck. 3rd place - WAHL Balding Clipper and + pair of MIZUTANI Scissors + Uppercut Deluxe skateboard deck.

Barber Wars 2016

BOOTS FOR THE AGES

A GOOD PAIR OF BOOTS CAN’T BE COMPARED TO OTHER SHOES. A GOOD PAIR OF BOOTS CAN BE CHUCKED ON AT A MOMENT’S NOTICE, READY TO GO ANYWHERE. THESE BOOTS CAN’T FAIL OR MAKE THE WEARER STUMBLE THESE BOOTS HAVE TO HANDLE ICE AND SAND AND DRIPPING CONCRETE AND GALLERY FLOORS. THESE BOOTS ARE THE ORIGINALS, THE REAL DEAL. THESE ARE BLUNDSTONES.

he story It was a huge rush to walk into Sydney’s Barber Wars this year and learn the history of one of Australia’s oldest and most iconic companies. Back in the 1870s a couple of cobblers started up shoe businesses in Hobart, Tasmania. A few years on, one of the cobblers bought out the other, but decided to keep the name for the business. That

leathers in its tribe. But group marketing manager Greg Findlay told us what really makes the company stand apart is how much they’re part of their community – their support for their community and charitable works. “We deﬁnitely pride ourselves on it, and it happens because we’re still a family owned business. That’s how we stay engaged, how we keep our family feel.”

materials and engineering used in their most rugged safety boots are built into their lifestyle boots. “The boots are made on the same machine – they just don’t have the steel toe. We use top end leather so the boots will stand up to the same tough environment as a general work boot. The shock absorption built into every pair helps heaps, meaning you can put them on straight out of the box and

OVER THE YEARS BLUNDSTONES HAVE COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES FOR MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN ON WORK SITES AND AT PLAY. THEY’VE GOT GUMBOOTS, STEEL CAPPED WORK BOOTS, BRIGHTLY COLOURED PIECES AND MANY MORE.

name was Blundstone. Today the same family owns the business. The boots Over the years Blundstones have come in all shapes and sizes for men, women and children on work sites and at play. They’ve got gumboots, steel-capped safety boots, school shoes, and the classic Style 500 loved the world over now has a range of contemporary coloured elastics and

Family feels “It’s very much an open door place: Blundstone’s owners know everyone here and they’re genuinely interested in what’s happening. There’s not too family businesses like that any more.” Future boots Findlay explains modern Blundstones are diverse and the company puts the know-how of 146 years of cra ing safety footwear into its casual range. The same

they’ll stay comfy throughout that whole ﬁrst day.” Blundstones have evolved to be the perfect pick for the modern punter, Findlay says. “They’re great boots for a music festival. They look good and you can stand in them for days – they’re deﬁnitely moshpit-ready.” When it comes to hard-working clobber perfected over almost 150 years, you can’t ask for much more than the best. And that’s Blundstone.

A fresh take on an icon.

New styles out now at blundstone.com @blundstone

@BlundstoneAU

facebook.com/BlundstoneAU 68

cutting

Culture a r r i v a l

o f

t h e

f i n e s t

Europes lea di ng producer of menswea r , Ja ck & Jo nes, fi na lly a rrives i n Austr a li a thro ugh M yer a nd The Ico nic.

Denim Traditions Interpreted With New Technology

M e at s t o c k 2 0 1 6

Low ‘n Slow WOOD FIRED OR CHARCOAL BARBECUE HAS TAKEN OVER MANY BACKYARDS IN RECENT YEARS WITH THE FORMATION OF THE AUSTRALASIAN BARBECUE ALLIANCE ABA , A KEY BODY FOR THE PROMOTION OF ‘LOW N SLOW’ STYLE BARBECUE IN AUSTRALIA. THE ABA’S CO FOUNDER AND GENERAL MANAGER, ADAM ROBERTS, TELLS US ABOUT THE GRADUAL BIRTH OF A MOVEMENT. ow n Slow barbecue, like the name suggests, sees large cuts of meats – usually fattier or tougher cuts such as pork shoulder or brisket – cooked over coals on low heat for a longer period of time. The meats are usually cooked within or on a barbecue smoker which can come in various shapes and sizes and can range in price from pocket change set-ups to second mortgage-size contraptions with endless shine.

Some slow-cooks can take more than 12 hours, and over that time the fat breaks down to reveal an o en very lean and very moist ﬁnished product that sets oﬀ one hell of a party in the lucky eater’s mouth. Throw in some pork ribs, a chicken and various cuts of lamb and you’ve got a pretty wide range of options to throw onto the barbecue.

BBQ

Co-Founders Jay Beaumont, Jess Pryles and myself formed the ABA in 2014 off the back of the successful inaugural Blues & BBQ Festival, an event which saw Port Macquarie become the unofficial birthplace of American style low and slow barbecue competition in Australia. The 3rd annual Blues & BBQ Festival broke all previous records with 84 teams competing for national pride and honours in what is arguably the largest barbecue competition outside of the United States. This year’s festival saw women competing alongside men and the first all-Australian all-female barbecue team who proved to have serious skills behind the smoker’s lid. They took out 5th place in the Chef’s Choice category and beat more than 50 teams in their first competition. In support of the competing teams there were also 84 pre-trained official judges tasting 36 servings of barbecue goodness across six categories of beef, pork, lamb, pork ribs, chicken and an open chef’s choice category. The progression of competition barbecue in Australia has been rapid and widespread and has also led to the coming together of a genuine barbecue industry, which was also one of the aims of the ABA. 71

In recent years the ABA has sanctioned many more barbecue competitions including events in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth with a full calendar of around 15 competitions in 2016 alone. All of these competitions form part of the Australian Barbecue Championship series that will see the crowning of Australia’s first National Champion Barbecue Team with all competing teams receive a national ranking at the series’ end. May through July of 2016 will see five ABAsanctioned barbecue competitions attached to some of the country’s most exciting festivals and events including the Bundaberg BBQ Battle, Just Smokin @ Gloucester, the Rockhampton Brahman BBQ Battle, Brisbane BBQ Festival and the Burleigh BBQ Championships. A new wave of barbecue competitions for the back-end of 2016 are yet to be announced and will include Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. The ABA encourages first-time competitors to grab some friends together, guys or girls, and get involved in one of the most friendly, supportive and tasty sports around. For more information on upcoming events or on the ABA can be found at www.ausbbq.com.au or by contacting adam@ausbbq.com.au

BOYS TOYS

{ H A R L E Y- D AV I D S O N }

Photograph by Matt Prattley

The return of the golden age of motorcycle riding ANTHONY MUIRHEAD INDULGES HIS PASSION FOR ADVENTURE AS A MARKETEER AT THE FORE FRONT OF THE MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY. IT’S A GIG THAT MEANS HE HAS HIS HANDS ON THE THROTTLE OF THE INDUSTRY AT ALL TIMES.

ver the last few years there has been an explosion of motorcycle communities and communal workshops around Australia all oﬀering something distinctive from Melbourne’s The Kustom Kommune to all female groups such as Throttle Dolls.

One of these groups is called ‘The Custom Collective’. The group was established earlier this year with the goal of bringing together young Harley Davidson riders. I thought I’d investigate a bit more. “The people within The Custom Collective meet up through posting on social media, then we meet up at a pub or something and go for a ride,” the group’s

Kahtsy told me. I decided to call in and joined the collective on one of their nights out to experience what it was all about. It’s important to note the social club is only in its infancy with less than 50 members. Even so, there were 10 people who showed up at Balmain’s East Village Hotel on a Tuesday for a burger, a beer and a ride. It was a fascinating mish mash of characters. You simply COULD NOT have nailed down any of the guys that were there just by looking at them. We had it all from mechanics to business owners, blokes that were brought together by their passion for riding. I pulled aside one of the founders and asked 72

why he started the group. “I met one of the guys at the pub one night, and he had a Death Collective shirt on. I had just moved to Sydney and didn’t really know anyone in the area, so I thought it was a good way to bring together people who share the same passion.” If you want to get involved keep an eye out on the Facebook or Instagram pages of the Collective, or on any others that may have sprung up since I penned this yarn. I won’t have time to monitor it myself, I’ve got a burger and beer to chow down before I head out to the Hunter Valley for a brap with the crew.

2016 STREET BOB FXDB • • • • •

MX BARS BAR ARS S BIKINI FAIRING HEAVY BREATHER TWO BROTHERS EXHAUST SCREAMIN’ EAGLE STAGE V TYRE SHREADER SHREADE KIT

SALES@BARBERBRANDS.COM.AU | @BARBERBRANDSINTERNATIONAL

FinaL CUT

The Barbering industry is booming right now - here and across the globe. Barbers everywhere are plying their trade, dispensing their wisdom and wit like only barbers can. We are a unique bunch of people and I feel blessed to be a part of our ever growing family.

was thinking about how I love barbering and what were my favourite parts of what we do. For me right now I love the unique cuts we can do and with so many guys keen to look a er themselves, keeping on top of trends has never been easier. It’s hard to go stale in an industry bursting with enthusiasm. I’ve listed my top 5 cuts because I want to share them with you:

1. The Fade An old classic. A graduated style with the length of the hair at the side of the head getting shorter and shorter the closer you get to the hairline. For the fade to be performed correctly use clipper over comb and make sure that you fade the hair from the hairline up to the top of the side giving the impression of a fade. 2. The Flat Top This is a timeless style that has lasted generations. Clipper the back and sides and using clipper over comb again bring the length of the top down close to the scalp making sure not to round oﬀ the edges. 3. The Hard Part 75

Otherwise known as a side part pomp. Clipper the back and sides generally taking the clipper directly to the partline unless you are incorporating a fade in which case you wouldn’t take the clipper as high up. Razor the partline in and edge up the client’s hairline to make it pop. 4. The Pompadour This has seen a resurgence in the last few years with Rockabilly styling firmly in vogue. A scissor cut with a clean tapered finish. Style the hair up from the hairline and quiff the fringe. 5. The Buzz Cut I can’t forget this one. The cleanest cut of all. Choose a number and go for it. One number or incorporate a blend of 2 lengths. Edge up the hairline to pack a punch and make it sharp. Roddy Donegan is owner of Crackers Barber Shop one of the oldest barber shops in NSW and is founding director of Barberco, Australia’s leading online barber wholesaler. www.barberco.com.au

{ CHRISâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; BALANCING ACT}

Photography by Grant Treeby

THERE IS A SAYING IN THE CIRIELLO FAMILY: “’SLEEP WHEN YOU’RE DEAD,’” LAUGHS CHRIS, KNOWN OUTSIDE THE FAMILY FOR HIS STRENGTH AND POWER ON THE WORLD’S HOCKEY PITCHES.

THE ‘BIG DOG’ REVEALS HOW HE HITS THE SWEET SPOT

AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIAN AND SWISSE AMBASSADOR CIRIELLO IS ONLY JOKING ABOUT SLEEP, KNOWING FULL WELL THE IMPORTANCE OF BALANCE IN ANY LIFESTYLE ESPECIALLY THAT OF A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE. “GETTING YOUR PRIORITIES IN THE RIGHT ORDER IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU CAN DO,” HE SAYS. he Big Dog Ciriello is a huge presence in person, somehow looming larger than his 180 cm and 84 kg specs suggest. He’s done it all in his chosen sport from notching up almost 200 caps for his country to playing professionally in Europe and among the excitement of Hockey India League. But it wasn’t always like this for the elite athlete.

Early days Ciriello’s father and grandfather both played hockey as young men, with his grandfather actually playing for India. All things considered, their progeny was a good chance to follow them onto the short grass at just four-years-old. In 2004 ,still a teenager and working in a music store, Ciriello lost 35 kg while studying natural medicine and training six times a week, including twice some days. “It was just go, go, go,” he says, “but you love it anyway because you’re young and right in the middle of it.” Medal haul He’s not quite the young tearaway any more, but that hasn’t stopped him being right in the middle of the action. Ciriello has claimed nearly every prize since making his debut for Australia eight years ago. He has taken home gold from the 2010 and 2014 Commonwealth Games, won the Men’s Hockey Champions Trophy twice and claimed bronze at the London Olympics. These achievements are testament to Chris’ impresive skills, determination and hard work on and oﬀ the ﬁeld. Training at an elite level was nothing new to Chris, but something he was accustomed to from

his background as a personal trainer. “That’s always been a really big part of my life, and something that I continue to work hard at,” he says. Since gaining his personal training qualification, Ciriello has started a PT business that he is constantly updating with new programs based on specific client needs. He also works with Fresh Start Recovery Programme, a not-for-profit helping those on society’s margins. “We work with a system that is based around fitness helping people. It really brings me back to earth, seeing these guys who are so tough on the outside and everything they’re going through.” Balance It seems a tall order for this professional athlete to balance his sporting and social ambitions, and yet it’s a balance he has struck. He refuses to take credit, Citing the support of the team around him that includes his wife, family, friends and those that keep him running like his partnership with Swisse. “Apart from Swisse being a really good company,” he says, “I like what they do and how they support people. As an athlete, it’s great to have inspirational and energetic people around who want the best, and who only want what’s natural and healthy.” Wanderer’s life That success has translated into a truly international life. When he speaks to Cutthroat, Ciriello is training in the heat of a Perth a ernoon and recalling how he spent the first two months of the year in India. The fourth professional season of the competition saw his Punjab Warriors winning the tournament against the Kalinga Lancers on February 21 before 5000 fans. “It’s similar to the Indian Premier League, just without as much

money,” Ciriello says. From his base in the northern city of Jalandhar, he and the team travel to cities throughout India plying their trade. “We did something like 27 flights across the country this year, always on the go.” Each team in the competition is allowed eight foreign players, and seven of the Punjab Warriors were Ciriello’s countrymen. One occasion they did have to rest was the on Australia Day. “We got to spend the day together, having a bit of fun wearing short shorts and listening to triple j’s Hottest 100 countdown.” Did they accurately predict the winner of the world’s biggest music poll? “Only the top songs, but at least that’s a few we got.” Nickname Ciriello laughs when asked about the origin of his nickname, Big Dog. “That one actually came about because of Ric Charlesworth, the former first-class cricketer who was my coach for a while. The guys were all standing in the huddle one day and it just came out from Ric, and as soon as he said it everyone started laughing. It’s just one of those things that stuck – some of the boys still think it’s hilarious.” The challenge The laughs will be few on the pitch as Ciriello approaches his biggest challenge yet at this year’s Olympics in Rio. “I’m a list maker and that’s how I’m approaching everything at the moment – taking on the biggest and hardest thing first.” It’s an approach he believes will bring him that one thing he hasn’t won, Olympic gold. “Rio has put a few things on the backburner. But winning a gold medal might open a couple of other doors down the track, so I guess we’ll just have to wait and see…”

Chris Ciriello Australian Olympian, VIS Athlete & Swisse Ambassador

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Photography by Nick Servian, Shane Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor, Mark Servian

RI CH AR D B A R B E R

C H A N G E S

M U S I C A L

O'BRIEN

W O R L D

MANY PEOPLE HAVE HEARD OF THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW IT IS ALMOST CONTINUAL THEATRICAL PRODUCTION, CROSSED OVER INTO FILM AND HAS ACHIEVED THE SAME POPULARITY AS CLASSICS GREASE AND MISS SAIGON BUT FEW KNOW A BARBER WROTE IT.

kept ‘ship shape and Bristol Fashion’ as a result of its owner’s service. His young apprentice took advantage of the shop’s location to watch B-grade double features next door.

STROLL THROUGH HAMILTON’S YORK ST ARCADE ON NEW ZEALAND’S NORTH ISLAND AND YOU’LL COME ACROSS A MONUMENT TO THE WHO BARBER CHANGED MUSICALS FOREVER.

THE BOY Richard O’Brien was born Richard Smith in Cheltenham, in England’s West Country, and emigrated to the Land of the Long White Cloud as a young child to live on a Tauranga sheep farm. In the early 1960s, Hamilton’s Pat Osborne, an old school barber who began his trade more than thirty years earlier and honed it during navy service in World War II, took him on as an apprentice. THE BARBER Osborne’s shop was inside York St’s now-gone Embassy Theatre building, and it was always

Inspired by these films, O’Brien used his rare quiet moments to work on his homage to those films’ spirits of fun and transgression. “I wrote a musical I would like to go and see,” he told Britain’s Express newspaper last year. “Did I think it would be as successful as it has been? No, not at all.” FAME CALLS He kept working and completed his apprenticeship, returning to England in 1964 to pursue a career in show business. He dropped his surname and adopted his mother’s because there was another actor known as ‘Richard Smith’ at the time, met director Jim Sharman (Jesus Christ Superstar) and by 1973 Rocky Horror had begun its unending musical march of success. O’Brien’s distinctly boney face and frame became even more famous two years later when he and Sharman successfully adapted the musical for film. Sharman directed and cast O’Brien as the freakish handyman Riff Raff. Of course, there were two other relative unknowns who blew up because of the film, by the names of Susan Sarandon and Tim Curry. O’Brien’s theatrical and film career grew, culminating in the role of a lifetime as the voice of Lawrence Fletcher, the title characters’ father in children’s program Phineas and Ferb.

THE STATUE The Riff Raff statue itself drew criticism when it was proposed, then protests as it was built and a er being unveiled in 2004 it received the backing of NZ television personality Paul Henry. That should have been its death-knell, yet it continues to grow in popularity every year. People flock to take selfies and send messages to those watching online through the live Riff Raff cam. If it wasn’t so absurb O’Brien might have appreciated the irony when six years a er unveiling a statue built in his honour, the NZ government refused to let him move back because he was deemed ‘too old’. But the process played out on appeal, with O’Brien and his third wife Sabrina Graf granted citizenship in late 2011. It seems unlikely O’Brien will be taking up his first trade again any time soon. He appears to have the theatre bug for life and last year played the part of the narrator in his musical at London’s The Playhouse Theatre, culminating in a celebrity-stacked gala performance on September 17 that was broadcast live to cinemas across Britain and Europe. O’Brien announced in a Facebook video last month that he would join his local amateur theatrical company’s production of the musical, probably permanently putting to bed any hope of him returning to barbering. But when it comes to ‘The Time Warp’, you just never know…

BMW X1 delivers premium performance and practicality

BMW istory In 1999 when BMW launched the X5 with its innovative blend of outstanding on and off road handling, interior space, versatility and luxury features, it created an entirely new market segment as the world’s first sports activity vehicle. Since then, BMW has extended its X model range to also include X1, X3, X4, and X6 models

occupant comfort, particularly in the rear where passengers benefit from substantially increased legroom. The redesigned interior delivers a fine balance of driver focused design with premium quality materials and finishes to ensure a luxuriously elegant ambience. Tech Indicative of BMW’s leadership in connectivity

to emergency services in the event of an accident. Other connected drive features include teleservices to provide automatic transfer of service data, real time traffic information and internet services. Experience As well as the driving experience control offering three modes of operation depending on driving conditions or preferences, the X1 is now also

BUT BEING TALLER, WIDER AND SLIGHTLY SHORTER THAN THE ORIGINAL, THE NEW BMW X1 OFFERS MORE INTERIOR SPACE FOR GREATER OCCUPANT COMFORT, PARTICULARLY IN THE REAR WHERE PASSENGERS BENEFIT FROM SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED LEGROOM.

to deliver the same appealing features to a broader range of customers and with the arrival of the all-new second generation X1, BMW has redefined its premium compact SAV. Fresh ride Designed by Sydney-born Calvin Luk, the all-new X1 maintains its rugged, powerful and athletic styling. But being taller, wider and slightly shorter than the original, the new BMW X1 offers more interior space for greater

and driver assistance systems, the new X1 incorporates standard features including rear view camera, park distance control, driving assistant with various warnings for lane departure, forward collision and pedestrian alerts, and the innovative parking assistant that enables hand-free parallel parking. The navigation system is part of BMW’s renowned connected drive suite of features that includes an automatically activated call

available with dynamic damper control and variable sports steering to further sharpen the sports handling. With its new styling, extensive increase in features, and advanced technology for comfort, driving dynamics and efficiency, the new X1 remains the benchmark for premium urban allround performance and practicality. With thanks to Shane from McGuigan BMW.

A TEST RIDE ON THE LEARNER LEGAL STREET ™ 500 ISN’T FOR EVERYONE. THE LIQUID-COOLED 500CC REVOLUTION X™ ENGINE, NARROW FRAME, NIMBLE HANDLING, CAFÉ-INSPIRED WINDSCREEN AND NEW STOP-ON-A-DIME BRAKES LET YOU CUT THROUGH THE URBAN GRID. THE LOOK IS PURE DARK AGRESSION.

BOOK YOUR TEST RIDE TO FREEDOM NOW AT H-D.COM.AU/FREEDOM © H-D 2016, Harley, Harley-Davidson and the Bar & Shield logo are among the trademarks of H-D U.S.A., LLC