8 Editor’s Letter 11 How The Web Was Won
38 The Hundreds x The Punisher
72 Natural Selection The Hundreds Winter 2012
12 Survival of the Fittest The Hundreds Fall 2012
42 The Hundreds x Cool World
22 Dope Gear
82 Pizzanista!
84 CBG
49 Flat Out: F/W ‘12
86 White Arrows
24 Iwan Smit
55 Three of a Kind: Fly Girls
96 90s Mixtape: Bethany of Best Coast
28 Andy Jenkins
98 A Week in the Life: Jay Maldonado 102 Flagship Stores 34 Benny Gold
62 Just a Girl: Rita Ora
104 Stockists
THEHUNDREDS.COM
5
TABLE OF CONTENTS
7 Contributors
MASTHEAD
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE VO LU M E 4 , I S S U E 1 Fall / Winter 2012
PUBLISHERS Benjamin Shenassafar Robert K. Kim
THE HUNDREDS LA Umi Wagoner, Red, Hopa
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bobby Hundreds
7909 Rosewood Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90048 (323) 807-1754 thla@thehundreds.com
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Ben Hundreds
THE HUNDREDS SF Micah Davis, Bryan Gabbac, Geo, Roxy
MANAGING EDITOR Chelsea Green
585 Post St. San Francisco, CA 94102 (415) 817-9912 thsf@thehundreds.com
ART DIRECTOR Hassan Rahim
THE HUNDREDS NY NA, Mone, Sammy Da Joo, Christian, Danielle
CONTRIBUTORS Natalia Mantini, Jenn Klein, Ethan Scott, Jason Yim, Jan Willem-Ploegers, David Black, Bastien Lattanzio, Joy Sauvage, Kathryna Hancock, Jay Maldonado, Jessica Willis
96 Grand St. New York, NY 10013 (646) 558-3114 thny@thehundreds.com
THE HUNDREDS SM Nelson McClintock, Bonnie Lalich, Rahmin Vaziri 416 Broadway Santa Monica, CA 90401 (424) 268-3905 thsm@thehundreds.com
6
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
THE HUNDREDS HQ Ben Hundreds, Bobby Hundreds, Scotty iLL, Jon Hundreds, Benjie Escobar, Baby D, Patrick Hill, Vito Nguyen, Switch, Brien Mo, Kimiya Ayubi, Maria, Robert Velasquez, Lil’ Mike, Wallace, Charlotte, Ashley Nichols, Tal Cooperman, Mike Enriquez, Elizabeth Yoon, David Cooper, Joanna Santos, Bill Cramer, Chelsea Green, Greg Morena, Dorian Hood, Tide, Vernon Easingwood, David Dyer, Carl Yet, Logan Miller, Heavy D, Mahtab Ahan, Chris Cammarano, Meghan Rother, Priscilla Murillo, Brice Waller 1729 S. Wall St. Los Angeles, CA 90015 thinfo@thehundreds.com
WWW.THEHUNDREDS.COM Published by Mixed Media Productions, a division of The Hundreds is Huge, Inc.
CONTRIBUTORS
Clockwise from top:
Kathryna Hancock
(Photographer: Rita Ora)
Kathryna Hancock is a fashion photographer currently living and working in the city of Los Angeles. Coming from the rainy North, she’s inspired by and seeking anything loud and colorful: loud music, loud people, colorful clothes, and bright sunshine.
Jenn Klein
(Writer: Rita Ora)
Jenn Klein is the lovechild of Master P & Stevie Nicks. Shortly after being born, she was looted out of a San Francisco hospital during a riot. She was later sold for two cartons of Kools and a tub of chocolate frosting to some pretty awesome people. Her love of music, fashion and family have taken her on adventures all over the world. She currently calls Los Angeles home, where she often stops time and space to raise a superhero on love, good food and skateboards.
Natalia Mantini
(Photographer: Three of Kind)
Natalia Mantini is a photographer born and raised in Los Angeles, California and runs the blog thehundreds.com/meow. She enjoys taking photos of pretty girls, awesome shows, children, and buying cute shoes. She lives off of sushi, Parks & Rec, and caressing her baby blanket while reading about the right side of the brain. She is heavily influced by boss-like females such as Beyoncé, Ellen Von Unwerth, Daphne Guinness, and The Virgin Mary.
Jessica Willis
(STYLIST: Rita Ora)
Jessica Willis is a fashion stylist currently residing in downtown Los Angeles’ Arts District. Her idols include Catherine BaBa, Alexander McQueen and Marina Abramovic. In her spare time she scours through thrift stores on the hunt for vintage designer labels, which she collects and often likes to include in her work.
Jason Yim
(Photographer: Benny Gold)
Jason Yim resides in the Mission district of San Francisco, California. When he’s not working at Benny Gold, he’s riding his bike around the city, taking photos, and working on his website, extrabigger.net. Yim’s got a Boston terrier named Banyan and can survive off of a diet of #16s from Tu Lan for the rest of his life.
Bastien Lattanzio
(Photographer: Dope Gear)
“I am a French fashion photographer who loves cats and taking pictures of beautiful girls.”
Jay Maldonado
(Photographer: A Week In The Life)
“I met Jay skateboarding during the early ‘90s. He had long hair then, killed it skating and was an authentic New York local, born and bred. It wasn’t long after meeting Jay that I moved to New York where I’ve seen him evolve from an influential skateboarder to an established photographer. Jay’s work speaks for itself, but I can tell you first hand that his passion for documenting the people, the city itself, and his comfort level of pointing his camera at the scenarios that pop up within it is something only a true New Yorker shooting New York can capture.” -Mark Nardelli
THEHUNDREDS.COM
7
EDITOR’S LETTER
EVERYTHING SEEMED BETTER BACK THEN. We all have this thing where we long for the past, we sentimentalize our history, we weave this idealized sense of nostalgia through memories. How perfectly good was mid-20th century American culture in our selective memories, with the Beaver Cleaver poodle skirts, and soda pop fountains? How easy is it to also forget the rampant racism and sexism and homophobia that underlined that era?
It takes a bumper of a couple decades to get that feeling back. The ‘80s were a response to the ‘70s, yet infatuated with the ‘60s. The ‘90s were embarrassed of the ‘80s, but how about those dazed and confused ‘70s? And so on.
Given that distance, we’re yearning for the 1990s now. It popped a few years back with the flannel revival, and then bubbled over with the tech sneaker revival, the Kurt and Courtney flashbacks, the snapbacks and so on.
The ‘90s were an important period for Ben and I, because it was the generation by which our adolescence transitioned. We found our footing in subculture and music and fashion, in skateboarding, in art, in life. These were all seeds from which The Hundreds would one day blossom and refer back to.
Plus, the ‘90s WERE better. This was pre-popular-Internet, when social skills mattered, when relationships were real and tangible. This was before our beef with the Middle East boiled over into unretractable tragedies. This was before Seinfeld instilled irony into our GIF’d comedic psyche. Skateboarding was all but dead, so only the true and dedicated lived, and survived. Tupac and Biggie… ‘Nuff said.
Welcome to the ‘90s issue of The Hundreds Magazine, dedicated to the greatest hits, the highlights, and collective inspiration that our pre-Y2K universe fostered. Whatever, yadda yadda yadda. Get jiggy with it.
©1998
Peace out,
bobbyhundreds
8
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
HOW THE WEB WAS WON
Bobby HUNDREDS’ favorite TWEETS
Eli Braden @EliBraden Someone left the lights on in their parked car & the doors are locked. Should I also slash it’s tires? Clifford Myers @Cliffalus Do you think Jack White and Jack Black are completely opposite on purpose? Michael B. @Burgee66
If one door closes & another door opens, you’re probably in prison.
Patrick Ryan @patrickmarkryan Sorry I haven’t tweeted all day, I was ending a phone call with my mom. Ike Barinholtz
@ikebarinholtz Congrats to my dog for having shitty crust in his eyes for 4,239 consecutive days. You did it, buddy Elif Celet @Elifcello Being dyslexic means never having to say you’re yrros.
Jesse Federman
@jessefederman I think I’m getting better at analogies, like a horse who’s getting better at analogies. Guy Endore-Kaiser @GuyEndoreKaiser Tug-O-War got its start in 1609, back when America only had one rope.
Tim Siedell @badbanana I bet karate experts have a tough time convincing their enemies to lie down flat between two cinder blocks. Rachael Leigh Cook
@RachaelLCook Lot of divorcees on Real Housewives. Let’s get clear on the rules here.
Alex Baze @bazecraze Why would anyone ever want 5 hours of energy? John! @OuterJohn After porcupines attacked me I looked like a porcupine. I wish Japanese schoolgirls would attack me next!! Mike Wrong @Mike_Wrong According to this voicemail, my grandmother has been at the airport for 5 months. donni @donni The key to good safe sex is a really horny safe. Sophia rossi
@sofifii I need these cable companies to stop fighting and making commercials about it, it’s very divorce parents of them.
Flaptain Oinkstar
@oinkflap These dry cleaning bags claim they’re not toys, but the kids in the other room have been playing with them quietly for hours.
Tyrannosaurus RACKS @antibammerLSD I had a mexican ask me today if chinese and koreans were the same. I think my answer might have been more racist than the question. Megan Amram
@meganamram Bad news for women: there’s a glass ceiling. Good news for women: that’s one more thing you get to Windex!
Judge Mental @osigat Twitter is where you ask an actual question for help & get nothing but stars yet you tell a joke with a question mark & everybody answers.
THEHUNDREDS.COM
11
SURVIVAL OF THE
FITTEST T H E H U N DR EDS FA LL 2 012 P H OTOS BY BO B BY H U N D R E D S
12
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
THEHUNDREDS.COM
13
Beanie in Purple, Paradise Woven in black, Dinner Henley in Turquoise, Nothing Pant in Black, AND VALENZUELA LOW IN CREME. Beautiful Woven in Red, Dodo Tee in White, Kruger Pant in Multi-Camo, AND VALENZUELA LOW IN ZIP HOOD in Blue, Pretend Woven in Khaki, Nothing Pant in Brown, AND johnson mid IN BLACK.
BLACK. Dinosaurs
FROM LEFT: Team
Creative Director: BOBBY HUNDREDS / PRODUCER: PATRICK HILL / STYLIST: CHELSEA GREEN / Models: chris leacock, mike barajas, steven castillo.
TITLE CARD TEE in Black, FACTORY JACKET in Olive, and ARCO BEANIE in Black.
14
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
Beat Snapback in Black, Factory Military Jacket in Black, and laurel DENIM .
THEHUNDREDS.COM
15
16
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
FROM LEFT: garden
zip-up in Black, laurel denim, trade snapback in khaki, johnson mid in electric blue suede. factory military jacket in olive, kruger pant in multi-camo, arco beanie Bag in Black, johnson low in grey suede.
THEHUNDREDS.COM
17
Agriculture Anorak in Multi-Camo, Two Oxford Woven in Black, laurel denim, AND VALENZUELA LOW IN WHITE. Team Beanie in Charcoal, Got Jacket in Khaki, Years Woven IN CAMO, Nothing Pant in Black, AND johnson mid IN CHarcoal SUEDE.
FROM LEFT:
18
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
Agriculture Anorak in Multi-Camo.
THEHUNDREDS.COM
19
20
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
THEHUNDREDS.COM
21
from left: gone
cardigan In athletic heather. eve pocket tee IN turquoise. nothing pant in blue. evacuate duffle in blue. valenzuela low IN WHITE SUEDE. center: start-over jacket in black, pit tee in white, classic DENIM, riley high IN BLACK hood in blue. birds woven in khaki. richie pant in olive. johnson MID IN CHARCOAL SUEDE.
LEATHER. right: smiles
DOPE GEAR
T H — F / W ‘12
How did you spend your time between 1990-1999? Kicking your friend’s ass on your brand new Nintendo 64 console? Maybe you were getting in trouble for playing with your Pogs during class, eating Pez until your stomach hurt, or ignoring your mom and listening to your mini-disc player in the backseat of your family’s station wagon. Whatever it was, The Hundreds hopes this photo will put everything back into perspective. P H O T O BY BA S T I E N L AT TA N Z I O / S E T D E SI G N BY J OY SAU VAG E
D O P E G E A R : P R E -Y2 K N O S TA L G I A
T H — F / W ‘12
IWAN SMIT wo r d s by C h e l s e a G r e e n / p h o t o by Ja n W i l l e m - P l o e g e r s
Iwan Smit hails from The Netherlands; Rotterdam to be exact. Known for his strong and colorful graphic design abilities, and his quirky handmade sculptures, there doesn’t seem to be much that Iwan Smit can’t do. We caught up with Iwan to get a feel of who he is and what inspires his art. Read on to learn a little bit more about a dude who helped create a super rad The Hundreds line set to release later this year. How would you describe your art for someone who may be unfamiliar? I would like to describe my work as a colorful world, where beauty and balance are complimented by a constant presence of fear, loss, and woe. What inspired you to pursue art? Early on in my childhood, I started to realize that authority was something I did not cope with very well. Also, I was always busy drawing superheroes, Garbage Pail Kids, and characters from Nintendo. In fact, my first memory is that my parents and I came home from an outing and I took a pen off of the kitchen table, walked to the stairs and started to draw a giant carnival on the wall. As I grew a little older, I came to find that when drawing and making things, I could escape rules and even make up my own. I think that was the moment I knew I wanted to be an artist.
24
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
So this has always been a passion of yours? The drawing thing has been there literally as long as I can remember, and later on it evolved into painting, digital drawing and even three-dimensional work like sculptures and installations. So, yes, I think the urge to create is rooted pretty deep. How did you get started? My friend and I won a contest at an art exhibition held in a small bar in the center of Rotterdam, and the prize was a coupon of 1,000 euros at the local art supply shop and to show at an additional exhibition at the Centre of Visual Art. That first exhibition was both a giant leap forward, and an eye opener for me to start taking things to the next level. What is your favorite medium to work with? It changes from time to time. Some periods, all I do is paint, while others I’m busy illustrating digitally. I prefer working with my hands and with the material beneath them, which could virtually be anything. What inspired your line with The Hundreds? What I tried to do for this line was to create images that did not necessarily respond to each other by context, but told a story apart from each other. The color scheme ties the line together. The problem sometimes with an overlapping theme is that the images start to blend into each other. I really wanted to avoid that, so that’s why I chose
ARTIST SERIES : IWAN SM IT
25
THEHUNDREDS.COM
T H — F / W ‘12
to go a different direction. I don’t like pre-chewing the content of the illustrations, and I find it hard to answer the question of what the story is behind the images. I like it when people let their own imagination tell the story.
What music do you listen to when you work? That ranges from Bon Iver and Lil’ Wayne, to Bob Dylan and everything in between. If I would have to choose two albums to take with me to my desert island, it would definitely be both of the Bon Iver albums!
What was your favorite part about working on the line? I think adding a bit of me to the infamous Adam Bomb logo was a very cool thing to work on. Working on the designs altogether was great!
What are you doing when you’re not painting and drawing? The great advantage of living in a city is a great disadvantage simultaneously. There is always a party, an opening or some other fun thing to do, so that’s what I do a lot. My guilty pleasure is playing Magic the Gathering once a week. Beats out all the game consoles in the world!
Are there any recurring themes to your work? I can’t seem to get enough of naked girls, but then again what man can’t? I’m also drawn to the mythical and it’s symbolic nature, which you may often see in my work. Who do you look to for advice? Do you have a mentor? I don’t really have a mentor but there are definitely some people I go to to discuss my work from time to time. How does living in the Netherlands inspire you and your work? It doesn’t really. I think that in order to know what inspires you about a country, it’s important to have traveled around to understand the similarities and differences each country offers. I have not traveled enough to compare, but I do intend to soon! I would love to travel to the U.S., see the big cities and travel along the coast. I’d have to conquer my fear of flying first. Has there been any occurrence or situation in your life that has shaped your art and how you see things today? Next to some little psychological conditions, I have this terrible fear of dying. In a way, this affects everything I make. Somewhere in my head it gives me peace knowing that, when I’m dead and gone, my work will still be around immortalizing my life.
26
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
If you could partake in a dream project, what would it be? I can’t come up with something without it being completely ridiculous... Some of the artists I admire and would like to work with are George Condo, who is a brilliant painter and a living legend. I admire what he did with the Kanye West album cover and I would be honored to one-day paint with that man. Damien Hirst is another— not even the sky is the limit with that guy. Crazy. I think he fullfilled a lot of the things I have only dreamed of. Parra, because I love his work and I think he is one of the hardest workers around. His work pops up everywhere. And Hidde van Schie, in my opinion, is one of Rotterdam’s finest painters. His work constantly motivates me. Do you have any big plans for 2012? I’m currently working on another solo exhibition, and will partake in some cool group shows. I’d like to come out with more clothing under my own brand, Black Stock. And work with everyone who makes beautiful things happen. What do you have planned in the long run? What do you want to be remembered by? In the long run I want to keep evolving as an artist and reinvent myself from time to time. If I succeed at this, I will be remembered for it.
ARTIST SERIES : IWAN SM IT
27
THEHUNDREDS.COM
T H — F / W ‘12
ANDY JENKINS wo r d s by C h e l s e a G r e e n / p h o t o S by ETHAN S C OTT
Andy Jenkins, aka “Mel Bend,” is a name that is synonymous with ‘90s skateboarding. He is responsible for “Wrench Pilot,” a well-known comic that graced the last page of every issue of Transworld Skateboarding Magazine between 1989 and 1991. Andy is not only a wonderful artist and the creator of one of the coolest skateboard comics around, but he has run the art department at Girl Skateboards for the last 20 years. That’s a pretty epic resume. The Hundreds is excited to have teamed up with such a skateboard legend, a guy who shaped the way kids see the industry as a whole whether he knows it or not, by creating a line of tees featuring his self-described “Mel Bend” style artwork. In order to get a better idea of what Andy’s been up to over the years, we sat down with him at his home in San Pedro, California to discuss Wrench Pilot, his day-to-day as the art director of one of skateboarding’s biggest companies, his friends and colleagues in the Art Dump, and what inspires him to create the work that we’ve all come to know and love. I wanted to talk to you about growing up with skateboarding and being involved in the culture, and how you think it has had an effect on you, your artwork and what you do now. It’s had a pretty big effect because I’ve been around it for so long. When I was really young, I had a plastic California Freeformer board back in the mid-70s. I didn’t even know about skateboarding, I just had a skateboard—I think everybody did back then. My dad was in the Air Force so we moved around a lot and I forgot about skateboarding for a while. We eventually wound up in Wyoming. There are not a lot of places to skate out
28
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
there, so we spent the time riding dirt bikes and racing motocross and stuff. My dream was always to come to Southern California where the skate scene was—everything was here. As soon as I got out of high school, I went to art school in Denver and then came straight out here. I had been BMX racing and that’s how I got the job out here at a BMX magazine. When that fizzled out, I jumped right into the skateboarding industry because I had been doing different graphics for different pros, then my friends [Mike Carroll and Rick Howard, Megan Baltimore and Spike Jonze] started Girl and that was that. It’s been almost twenty years now. So to reverse that question, what influence do you think you’ve had on skateboarding? Oh boy. Um… I don’t know. That’s probably something somebody else should answer. I’ve been doing a lot of skateboard graphics over the years and a lot of them are out there, but what’s funny about skateboarding graphics is that they don’t last. You get them on a complete setup and they wind up scraped off on curbs and ledges. What would you say your day entails as Art Director of Girl? Basically, there are now eight different artists working under one roof. It used to be just me for a few years, and it was a super overload of work. We started to get bigger and we started hiring artists, and we call ourselves “the Art Dump.” It was kind of a de facto name because it was one of the email addresses we had back in the day. Once a week, twice a week, we’ll have meetings and the whole Art Dump will get together. We’re kind of a cooperative effort, though the brands have specific art directors. We get together and we move around through all the brands, all the guys do different things. A lot of the guys will do board
ARTIST SERIES : ANDY JENKINS
29
THEHUNDREDS.COM
T H — F / W ‘12
graphics for Girl or Chocolate, and I’ll do t-shirts for Four Star or Lakai or a shoe for Lakai. On a typical day I’m working with those eight guys on whatever projects come through—anything from board graphics to advertising, to store promotional stuff. Now it’s stuff for the video that is coming out. When’s the video coming out? It’s gonna hit later this year. What’s it like working with your friends and peers in the Art Dump? Are they artists you had admired in the past that you got on the team? For sure! The Art Dump’s consisted of a few different people throughout the years, and a few of them have left naturally and gone to do their own thing. Progression. So there are people like Jeff McFetrich who had worked for Chocolate for a while, Kevin Lyons, Bucky Fukumoto, Johannes Gamble… All of whom I really have a great appreciation for. Michael Leon is another who is doing his own thing now. I had a big hand in hiring most of these guys. I hire them because I really like their aesthetic and them as a person. It’s really important that there is not some overpowering ego. We really do keep egos in check at Girl. Everything works out really well because people understand the process and no one gets their feelings hurt if something doesn’t get picked. I have a great appreciation for the Art Dump guys - each and every one of them for different reasons. Taking it back to the Wrench Pilot days… can you explain the comic and if it was influenced by anyone you knew? I started that in probably 1989 for Transworld Skateboarding, but originally it was for Thrasher Comics. The character himself, Lettus Bee, is basically me, but skates much better than I ever skated. He can skate switch or regular at will, it was nothing I could do for sure—It was like my fantasy-self. So all the situations that he got embroiled in that weren’t completely fantastical were situations that I had kind of been through, or ones that I had fictionalized a bit to make them funny. What about your pen name? When I started working at the BMX magazine I was probably about 19-years-old, and I was really into skating and punk rock, and different things that the magazine I was working at wasn’t covering. They weren’t really doing lifestyle stuff, so I did a punk rock noise ‘zine and I called it “Bend.” The name Bend kind of stuck, and I used to wear this bowling shirt that had the word “Mel” on it. My friend Todd Swank just started calling me Mel, and Mel Bend just kind of came to be as a pen name. But I used the pen name in order to do the ‘zine on the sly because I didn’t really want the office guys knowing that I did it. I was using their Xerox machine and paper and everything. What about your collaboration with the Hundreds? I was really stoked that they asked me to do it. Basically, it’s Mel Bend style illustra-
30
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
tions. There’s a couple of the t-shirts and hoodies that have the characters on them doing different things. I was pretty psyched to do that! What about just in terms of your art in general? What sort of mediums do you like to work in? Besides doing pen and ink stuff for Wrench Pilot, which I recently restarted again, I like to do multimedia collage stuff. I’ll start with a piece of wood or piece of cardstock, and just start applying paint, found papers, polyurethane, tape and everything I can find. I’m kind of a pack rat as far as collecting old notes, papers, receipts and parking tickets, and those things wind up in my pieces. It’s real personal stuff, but it hopefully has a wide appeal as far as the aesthetic of it goes because I really enjoying doing it. What about your publishing endeavor, Bend Press? Bend Press was an offshoot of the ‘zine itself. I started the ‘zine in ‘86 and then did issues here and there. Each issue got more and more elaborate as I went, they would have cutouts or silk screened covers or pullouts. It finally came to the point where I wanted to publish a book. I didn’t have any contacts in the book industry and I was kind of a DIY guy myself so I decided, “lets just do it.” I did a book that was really a compilation of all the letters I had received from different people over the years, from like ’86 to ’95 or something—pre-email, when it was all snail mail. I have a really interesting group of friends that I met that way, through touring around the country and skating. Pen pals? Yeah. Trading ‘zines, that was a major thing for me. I’m still friends with a lot of these guys that used to do the ‘zines back in the day. It culminated with that book which came out and was called, “I Only Check The Mail When It Has Arrived.” It’s all letters and postcards, a block of documentation of this specific group of people over, like, a ten-year period almost, which is kind of cool. It did pretty well and sold out of its first printing. I never reprinted it. It was like a yearbook. Yeah, a real creative one. After that I did a novel for a friend on Bend Press, a writer by the name of Mike Daily who I was really into. He did this unique novel called “Valley,” and we published his novel together. That was pretty much the last book. We did two books for Bend Press, and it’s just online now. It’s completely switched over to digital. I’ll still pop a ‘zine out every once in a while, but as far as publishing goes, I probably won’t go there. It cost me a lot of money to do those books. I never really made it back. What about the rest of the year, what do you have planned? Any special projects? Right now I’m heavily into Girl and the movie stuff for Girl, which is a pretty big deal. Over the next few months we’ll probably be putting together all the packaging and posters and movie titles. Hopefully we’ll get the Art Dump out of the country for a show sometime, too.
ARTIST SERIES : ANDY JENKINS
31
THEHUNDREDS.COM
T H — F / W ‘12
BENNY GOLD wo r d s by C h e l s e a G r e e n / p h o t o s by JASON Y I M
The Hundreds teams up with Ben n y G old to bring you t h e Ben n y G old Joh nson Low Benny Gold is a San Francisco-based designer known for clean lines and paper planes. His motto in life is to “Stay Gold,” and it basically applies to anything you put your mind to. The Hundreds was lucky enough to team up with the renowned designer on the Benny Gold Johnson Low, a shoe inspired by the Golden Gate Bridge landmark that spans the bay. Benny Gold is a friend, father, and passionate artist who is doing what he loves and living his dream. Read on to see what Benny has to say about his brand, the advice he has for future designers, and why he feels so lucky to be doing what he loves in such an inspiring city. If you’re ever in San Francisco be sure to check out his flagship store at 3169 16th Street. How did you get your start designing? I went to art college and studied design, because my mother would not let me move to California to go skateboarding. Luckily she did, because I fell in love with graphic design and it brought me out to San Francisco. Now I still get to skate, do something I love for a living, and support my family. It’s a blessing! What finally allowed you to branch out and create your own brand? I never really had a master plan to start a brand; I was always putting out products randomly—a sticker here, and a shirt there. It was nothing serious until I started working with Huf on the brand. Keith Hufnagel suggested that I start a sister brand to what he was doing, and put out Benny
34
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
Gold branded products consistently. The first few season were distributed exclusively through him—thanks Keith! Does San Francisco inspire your designs? And if so, how? San Francisco has been inspiring me for as long as I can remember. I used to watch all the skate videos coming out of the city and dream about living there. I would collect Bay Area rap music and use all the slang that I heard in those songs in my hometown. My friends thought I was strange, and couldn’t understand what I was talking about. As soon as I graduated college I couldn’t wait to get to San Francisco, and I’m still here 15 years later. You don’t just focus on apparel at Benny Gold, what other products have come into play? The graphic t-shirt will always be at the core of the brand. I got my start designing them for other brands, and it’s definitely a passion of mine. I think the Benny Gold brand is bigger then that though, and not confined to it. It’s a lifestyle brand based on graphic design, skateboarding, and a youthful street culture. We make unique products that cross genres, like natural soaps, candles, paperweights and anything else that interests us. I also find housewares really intriguing and challenging. Is there a backstory about the Benny Gold logo? The paper plane icon came about when I was working a corporate design job and losing sight of the reasons that I moved to San Francisco. I moved here to skateboard and pursue a creative design path, but I found myself stuck in a 9-5 job
C O L L A B O R AT I O N : B E N N Y G O L D
35
THEHUNDREDS.COM
T H — F / W ‘12
designing for corporate America and I was over it. I didn’t skate as much as I wanted to, and the design project that I was working on was uninspiring. The paper plane was a sticker meant as a reminder to not lose sight of the golden things in life that we love. I posted the stickers up around the city on my days off. It’s a youthful symbol that, when put in motion, represents growth and progression—which is important! You get old and die when you lose touch with your youth and stop progressing.
design work that you possibly can; the rest will fall into place. I also can’t stress the importance of personal projects enough—I would not be doing this interview if I didn’t start the Benny Gold brand as a side project to my full time job. It was started to creatively challenge myself. Personal projects can really unlock your creativity because you are not confined by what the client wants. Make yourself the client!
Where did the phrase “Stay Gold,” originate from and what does it mean to you and your designs? “Stay Gold” was part of the original paper plane sticker. It helped to push the message behind the stickers. As everything progressed and what I was doing naturally turned into a “brand,” I needed something more personal. I dropped the “stay” and added my name to it, much like the punk bands I looked up to as a kid. It felt reminiscent of Joey Ramone, Kevin Seconds, Ray Of Today, and all the others.
Who do you look to for advice and guidance? Do you have a mentor? I always turn to my friends from design school for advice. We have continued to push each other to do the best work possible long after we graduated. Hersk and Dave Taylor always tell me what they honestly think about my work and help me push it further. Thanks guys! As far as mentors go, Keith Hufnagel has definitely helped make sure that I am on the right path with business. Jim Thiebaud has become a great friend and mentor over the years. He really knows what it means to put your heart into a project.
Tell the readers about your collaborative shoe with The Hundreds. I was lucky enough to work on a few great shoe collabs when I was working with Huf. I loved how they represented the city we were from, and had a story that people could get behind. When The Hundreds asked me to work on a shoe with them I took the same approach. The shoe is based on the iconic Golden Gate Bridge—one of the many aspects that make San Francisco so great. I hope this shoe is as close to memorable as the bridge that it is based on.
What are some of the things that have helped get you where you are today? Following your dreams and not being afraid of failure really helped get me to where I am. I sent out a million resumes with design samples when I first got to San Francisco and nobody called me in for an interview. I didn’t let that stop me, and sent out a million more until I landed my first real job. The rest is a blur and that first job set everything in motion. What would have happened if I gave up after nobody called me back?
What was your favorite part about working on the project? The best part of any project is always working with friends! Ben, Bobby, Scotty and Benjie are great people and I am proud to call them friends.
What do you hope to accomplish in the end? Any long-term goals? My goals have always been the same—have fun doing what I’m doing, and put out great work!
Do you have a funny anecdote or memory involving Ben, Bobby, or anyone at The Hundreds? Oh man. Those guys are all crazed, especially Scotty. Did you know that Benjie used to be a well-known rave DJ? Let’s leave it at that…yikes.
What do you think sets Benny Gold a part from other skate and street brands? Honesty and passion. We don’t fake anything, it all comes from the heart. I also hope that my story and path helps people realize their own dreams.
What is your advice for those who want to break into the design industry? Do it because you love it, and are focused on putting out the best
Big plans for 2012? My daughter just took her first steps. That makes 2012 huge for me already!
36
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
C O L L A B O R AT I O N : B E N N Y G O L D
37
THEHUNDREDS.COM
T H — F / W ‘12
THE HUNDREDS X THE PUNISHER wo r d s by b o bby h u n d r e d s
The Hundreds joins forces with artist DAV e CHOE to bring you T HE HUNDREDS x t h e pu n ish er For a few years now, we’ve been harboring the opportunity to collaborate with Marvel Comics on an entire library of potential character properties. So when we finally decided upon The Punisher to be the franchise we champion, we had to ask David Choe to be involved. The street artist-turned-art world darling is the most obsessive, fanatical Punisher fan we know, so he gladly offered a tweaked, visceral interpretation of the classic comic book vigilanate as only Dave Choe could… Where is Dave Choe right now? Who is Dave Choe right now? This kid wrote to me on my blog: “I know that you love comics. If there’s anything I’ve learned after all these years of reading Batman, Iron Man, Black Panther, Moon Knight and Duck Tales, it’s that the best super power to have is to be super duper rich. Now that you ARE super rich, can you please stop painting mediocre to shitty paintings and become a super hero? You seem weird enough to actually do it, and what the world needs right now is a real hero, not another eccentric weird billionaire faggy artist. Do what’s right. Do what needs to be done.” I thought it made a lot of sense so I’m actually considering it and going over costume and vehicle designs. Yesterday while I was eating breakfast in Indonesia, I saw a lizard the size of me crawling on the beach. I immediately chased after it, wanting desper-
38
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
ately for some type of companionship or someone to wrestle with, but it was too fast. Next, I swam out into the ocean as far as I could until I had nothing left, and realized I was going to drown in a watery grave. It was a really dirty ocean and there were many plastic bottles floating around. I grabbed two of them and sort of floated for hours until I regained my strength, and limped back to shore. I ripped across the countryside in my pro-type Batmobile on the wrong side of the road going 200mph and picked up my first hitch hiker. I bought him $100 worth of snacks when he told me he wasn’t hungry at all, and he punched my leg when I wouldn’t slow down. I wanted to flip the car with us in it, but his tears softened me up—I’m immune to a whore’s tears but I guess old hobo man tears still work on me. After flirting with death twice in one day, I’m in the middle of orchestrating the largest worldwide treasure/scavenger hunt the world has ever seen. It’s going to make all three Indiana Jones movies, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and all the drug dealer code-breaking the Baltimore cops had to do in “The Wire” look like child’s play. I’m going to send you to hell and back to win these precious jewels and treasures. I’m going to change your life, maybe not necessarily for the better. Beware… Besides that, I’m super into fried rice right now. Can you explain who The Punisher is for those who don’t know? The Punisher is New York’s superhero and every Korean’s super-
DESIGN SERIES : DAVE CHOE X THE PUNISHER
39
THEHUNDREDS.COM
T H — F / W ‘12
hero who worships revenge. You can’t go to a corner t-shirt shop in New York City and not find a Punisher shirt. The Punisher is Frank Castle, a man who became an insane killing machine in Vietnam. He came back home to his wife and two kids, and tried to go back to a normal life. One sunny day in Central Park during a family picnic, mobsters were chasing a rival gang through the park and accidently gunned down Frank Castle’s entire family. Frank was also shot but he lived and was re-born The Punisher, a man who only lives to punish those who commit crimes against the innocent. Over the years, his moral compass becomes loose. He has no special powers but has been shot, stabbed, broken and bruised, and has killed thousands. He has managed to survive and avoid jail. With only help from his sidekick Microchip, who is a closet fat nerd psychopath, he gets Frank all the tech and weapons he needs. In the end, Microchip ultimately betrays Frank and Frank is forced to kill him. The Punisher brutally murders killers, rapists, pedophiles, and drug dealers with no remorse. He is a brutal psychopath, he only lives for vengeance and to kill—it’s the only motivating force in his life. A true killer. This is the commonly known original story of The Punisher, but if you ask me, he is a man that loved killing from the moment he started in ‘Nam. There was no way he was ever going to be a normal member of society so a part of him must’ve actually been relieved, if not happy, the day his family was killed. Now he had a purpose and reason to be what he was always meant to be, a mass murderer. A huge part of why New Yorkers, including cops, love him is because he is a vigilante and he does things we would never do, but wish we could—kill everyone. The best Punisher art that was ever made was by Frank Terran, Mike Zeck, Frank Miller and Jim Lee. The best writing that was ever done on the series that really explored the character was by Garth Ennis. Why do you like The Punisher so much? Well, I am Korean and we are an angry, vengeful race who hold onto grudges for eternity. I used to live in New York, and New Yorkers are like that too. I hold grudges tighter than I hold my dick. My older brother Jimmy still won’t watch Denzel Washington movies because Denzel wouldn’t say hi to us at the Shakey’s salad bar 15 years ago. He will never get to watch the “shit pushed in” scene from Training Day. I dream of killing people, I have a mass murderer living inside me. I am also a huge fan of irony, and there are so many levels of irony in this Marvel Punisher project. For instance, I know The Punisher has killed people he caught doing graffiti on occasion, and by that logic The Punisher would kill me, yet I praise his name and draw his effigy. Also, about 15 years ago I was banned from Marvel Comics, so by drawing The Punisher for The Hundreds, it’s my way of coming in the back door and butt-fucking Marvel, and getting my revenge Punisher style. I hate people; I want so many of them to die. But on occasion I do like some people. How did you feel about the Dolph Lundgren movie adaptation? I love Dolph Lundgren. He has the perfect build, face, and voice for this role—the movie was like, whatever. I don’t understand why the iconic skull symbol was not present on his costume. The only memorable part of the movie was when Dolph is in the sewer, greased down and butt naked with his back to us asking God, “Come on God, answer me. For years I’m asking you ‘Why?’ Why are the innocent dead and the guilty alive? Where is justice? Where is punishment? Or have you already answered? Have you already said to the world, ‘Here is justice! Here is punishment!’” How about the more recent movie adaptation? I will go ahead and say they were horrible without seeing them. When I lived in New York I went to my brother’s house and asked him if the new Punisher movie was any good. He said, “These are the only parts you need to see,” and
40
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
he fast-forwarded to the scenes when a bunch of punks are roof hopping, doing backflips onto people’s roofs, Punisher shoots a bazooka rocket at one of them and they explode in the air. In another scene he grabs a guy and punches his fist completely through this guy’s head. That’s all I know about the new movies, and those parts were awesome. The entire movie should’ve been mindless violent scenes like that. Man on Fire, “Dexter,” and Taken are better Punisher movies than The Punisher movies. How did The Punishirt come about? My little brother Paul, who lives in New York, was the first one to notice you could buy a Punisher shirt somewhere in New York at any hour. So instead of the classic black t-shirt with white logo skull, he flipped it – he used the negative space and made a white t-shirt representing the entire skull, using black shapes for the nose, eyes and teeth. He named it “The Punishirt,” printed 100 of them in Chinatown, and sold them out of his backpack at Comicon in San Diego. The shirts sold out in one day. Ninja from Die Antwoord begged him for one and wore it onstage. Why do you think the Punisher didn’t “blow up” the way his fellow Marvel peers did like Spiderman and X-Men? Because he kills, he has probably killed more people than 9/11. He is pushing close to 60-years-old and still killing. I don’t know if any mass murderers in history ever “blew up” in the mass media market, but I guess anything is possible. With the right writers, artists, actors and directors, anything can happen. How did you get into comic books? This Persian kid, Hootan—he hit puberty five years before anyone else, brought his older brother’s adult comics called “Cherry” to school, and we all popped little boners looking at them at recess. In between some of the sticky issues was a one-shot comic called “Donatello.” He was a teenager, a mutant, a turtle, and most importantly a ninja. As a child of the ‘80s, nothing was more important than being a ninja. It’s what I was for Halloween five years in row, it’s all I wanted to be when I grew up. The art in this black and white comic was so dense and detailed and like nothing I’d ever seen. In the story, a comic book artist ties a magic crystal to his pencil and everything he draws comes to life. It was fucking awesome! So between my baby boner and Donatello, I went to the comic book store every week (when they used to cost 75 cents). All I would do was shoplift all the turtle comics, GI Joe comics, and some Garbage Pail Kids and that was it. I was blind to all the other comics until Jim Lee, Todd McFarlane and Rob Liefeld came to town, and all of a sudden Spiderman, X-Men and New Mutants started to appeal to me. The art was what got me into comics. I saw it, needed it, wanted it so bad – I knew I had it in me, and so I went after it. To date, I’ve only done one comic called “SLOWJAMS.” It’s about masturbation and being a creepy stalker. I gave my last copy to Channing Tatum last year and have never heard back from him. Comics are my drugs; they’re my escape. For the last 30 years I still go to the comic bookstore every week on New Comics day, Wednesday. Who are some of your other favorite comic book characters and why? Razorback, because I like underdogs and he is by far the lamest character ever invented. He is a truck driver named Buford Hollishe and he only appeared in 2 issues of Spectacular Spiderman—he was killed in his second appearance. His costume was a stupid boar’s head and his super power was the ability to drive any vehicle. I also like Longshot because he has a mullet—Art Adams mostly drew him. His super power was probability manipulation, which basically means he has the gift of good luck. And of course, how could I forget my favorite character… Harry Kim.
C O L L A B O R AT I O N : DAV E C H O E X T H E P U N I S H E R
41
THEHUNDREDS.COM
T H — F / W ‘12
THE HUNDREDS X COOL WORLD wo rds by B O BBY H U N D R E D S
The Hundreds teams up with PA R A MOU N T ST U DIOS to bring you T H E H U N DR EDS x COOL WOR LD The notion of combining animation and live-action in a motion picture wasn’t exactly revolutionary. 1988’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit? probably did it best, but the style had been practiced since the inception of film. Donald Duck’s The Three Caballeros, Mary Poppins and Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and even Friz Freleng’s You Ought to be in Pictures, are all great examples of the tradition. So when Cool World first debuted in 1992, it wasn’t the format that titillated audiences. In fact, Ralph Bakshi had already established a name by merging the two worlds of filmmaking with Heavy Traffic in 1973 and Coonskin in ‘75. It was the content that raised eyebrows; again, something that Bakshi had grown accustomed to doing. The controversial animator and director had dominated the ‘70s with alternative, adult-themed cartoons that shockingly flipped the traditionally childhood-oriented medium. After all, his debut, Fritz the Cat, was the first animated film to be rated X. And then Bakshi pitched Cool World to Paramount. He sought to direct the gritty murder mystery, revolving around sex as the conduit
42
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
to travel between the animated and real world. The movie starred Kim Basinger as the nymophomaniac sexpot, Gabriel Byrne as a cartoonist jailed for murdering a man he found in bed with his wife, and a young Brad Pitt as the detective cop trying to keep the two worlds separate. In a turn of events, the film’s producer scrapped Bakshi’s original screenplay mid-production and had it secretly re-written behind the director’s back. Much to his dismay, what Bakshi had initially intended as an R-rated “comedy horror” amounted to a PG-13 cartoon that virtually flopped in the theaters. There were rumors of Bakshi punching the producer in the mouth, and the aftermath that ensued was a critically devoured movie that was legally forced upon the director, hardly resonating with the mainstream, and turning off even the most loyal Bakshi followers who had his back. Cool World, however, has continued to live on and flourish amongst cult audiences, fascinated with both the behind-the-scenes and onscreen stories. Just as the movie intended to portray, the collision of the two worlds which are never to intersect, were what ultimately immortalized its legacy.
C O L L A B O R AT I O N : C O O L WO R L D
43
THEHUNDREDS.COM
T H — F / W ‘12
44
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
FLAT OUT: BACK TO SCHOOL F/W ‘12 p ho t o s by Sco t t t u r n e r / s t y l e d by C h e l s e a g r e e n
2 F L AT O U T
1 3
10
4
9 8
5 7
6
1
UNLOADED JACKET in dark Green / 2 COVERED WOVEN in KHAKI /
3
HOOPS SNAPBACK in DARK GREEN / 4 RICHIE PANT in KHAKI /
5
GRASP ORGANIZER CASE in OLIVE /
6
ROCKSTEADY BI-FOLD WALLET in DARK GREEN /
7
ADAM TRI-FOLD WALLET in GREEN /
8
JOHNSON LOW in CHARCOAL Washed SUEDE /
9
LIT BELT in BROWN /
10
KAI CARABINER in OLIVE
THEHUNDREDS.COM
49
T H — F / W ‘12
F L AT O U T —
2
1 3
5 4
7 8
9
6
1
BEAUTIFUL WOVEN in RED / 2 EVE pocket t-shirt in red + ATHLETIC HEATHER /
3
standard DENIM in rosewood 2 / 4 LIT belt in BLACK /
5
RATION PENCIL CASE in red / 6 NORTH BEANIE in BLUE /
7
GRASP ORGANIZER case in red / 8 TEAM SNAPBACK in MAROON /
9
JOHNSON LOW in NAVY WAXED CANVAS
50
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
T H E H U NDREDS F/ W ‘12
F L AT O U T
2
1
3
9
4 5 6 8
7
1
factory jacket in multi-camo / 2 DRAWING LINES TEE in CHARCOAL HEATHER /
3
JON BACKPACK in OLIVE / 4 ADAM TRI-FOLD WALLET in BLACK /
5
SAM 3 WALLET in NAVY / 6 Valenzuela Low in OFF-WHITE washed SUEDE /
7
BUD SNAPBACK in CAMO / 8 RICHIE PANT in OLIVE /
9
DIVISION BEANIE in black
THEHUNDREDS.COM
51
T H — F / W ‘12
F L AT O U T —
2
1
3
4
8 5
7
6
1
PRETEND WOVEN in KHAKI / 2 BON TEE in BURGUNDY /
3
BUD snapback in KHAKI / 4 FAKEY SOCKS in KHAKI & BLACK /
5
slim DENIM in laurel / 6 JON BACKPACK in RED / 7 JAGS BELTS in PURPLE /
8
RILEY LOW in khaki waterproof SUEDE
52
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
T H E H U NDREDS F/ W ‘12
3 F L AT O U T
2
1
6
7
4
5
1
LAWNMOWER woven in BLUE / 2 ERROR SLANT CAMO tee in WHITE /
3
FIRST DOWN snapback in NAVY / 4 WILDCAT PARKA in KHAKI + NAVY /
5
standard DENIM in classic / 6 VALENZUELA HIGH in BLACK WAXED CANVAS /
/7 EVACUATE DUFFLE BAG in BLACK
THEHUNDREDS.COM
53
T H — F / W ‘12
F L AT O U T —
3 4 2
1
5
6 9
8 7
1
YOUNG WOVEN in GREY / 2 LAYUP tee in BLACK /
3
VALENZUELA LOW in BURNT ORANGE SUEDE / 4 NORTH BEANIE in BLACK /
5
RELOADED 2 JACKET in BLACK / 6 WRONG PANT in BROWN /
7
JON BAG in BLACK / 8 SAM 3 WALLET in BLUE /
9
ROCKSTEADY BI-FOLD in POP GREEN
54
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
THREE OF A KIND: FLY GIRLS wo r d s by C H E L S E A G R E E N / P H O T OS BY NATA L I A M A N T I N I
There are underlying tones of the 1990s everywhere you look. Whether it’s today’s current fashion trends, music, or design, ‘90s nostalgia is in full effect. SO The Hundreds threw together a throwback shoot inspired by the decade’s most prominent styles and celebs (PAGING Aaliyah, Selena, and Courtney LovE!) and recruited Lauren Avery, Kasey Elise, and Alexa Demie to pose for photographer Natalia Mantini. Feel free to rip these pages out and plaster them all over your bedroom walls. That’s pretty ‘90s, right?
THEHUNDREDS.COM
55
KASEY ELISE
LAUREN AVERY
ALEXA DEMIE
Th e
N ew St u d e nt at th e
S c h o o l o f R o c Nati o n w o r d s b y J E N N K LEI N
/
p h o t o S b y K A T H R Y N A HA N COC K
VINTAGE JACKET, scratch board zip up BY THE Hundreds, Biker shorts stylist’s own, Shoes BY Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony, NECKLACES BY JuJu gold (“RITA” NECKLACE ARTIST’S OWN), Glasses BY JEAN-PAUL Gaultier.
R
emember the new girl that showed up one day, out of nowhere, to your same boring school filled with the same boring people, and the flutter of chaos she caused? The new girl that peaked everyone’s curiosity, had her own unique style, always had a smile on her face, and had a little bit of bad girl mystery to her? She was the kind of girl other girls wanted to hate, but just couldn’t because of her genuine charm and undeniable talent. Rita Ora is that girl. She just burst in to this lackluster algebra class, also known as the pop music industry, and has shaken things up a bit. At 21-years old, Rita has scored two number one singles in the UK, signed with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label, worked with Drake and toured with Coldplay—not bad for the new girl. This is just the beginning. Singing in clubs and bars around London just three years ago, today she is fast becoming a household name with the help of her chart topping song with DJ Fresh, “Hot Right Now.” Two singles from her debut album have since risen in the charts worldwide, “How We Do,” a nod to Biggie’s “Party and Bullshit,” and “R.I.P.” And though her album has been several years in the making, she describes it as a coming-of-age process. Rita writes her own songs (with the exception of “R.I.P.” which was written by Drake) and defines her songwriting process as a journal of sorts. “I basically just write what I feel. I don’t force it. When I force it… it comes out really wrong. I go through things, experiences, and talk about what I feel in my songs,” Rita explains. For the magnitude of pop stardom she is slated to reach, Rita is refreshingly non-diva and very down-to-earth, qualities which she attributes to her family. “My sister handles my day to day, she is basically the light vein in my life. She keeps me grounded, but you know… quite honestly it’s up to you to keep yourself grounded. If you don’t know your team and your team isn’t tight, it’s really easy to lose,” Rita explains. Born in Kosovo and raised in the UK, Rita describes her childhood as “free spirited, easy going, open minded, inspired and happy.” She realized she wanted to be a performer around the age of 10-years old. “That’s when I really started to understand music. I used to sing Celine Dion karaoke with my dad. I was bit by the bug and that was it,” she says. In addition to family, she has had great influencers in the process of getting to where she is today. She describes Jay-Z as “my boss and my mentor,” and during the recording of her new album, The-Dream, Drake and Coldplay’s Chris Martin offered advice and feedback. Although a lot has happened in a short amount of time, Rita is not an overnight success. There were years of struggle, countless shows in small venues with sparse attendance, and a lot of empty promises from people in the industry. It wasn’t until she was discovered at a small gig in Camden, UK, and her demo was sent to Roc Nation, that she felt it was the right fit. By the time she met Jay-Z, she finally felt that someone understood her. As a businessman, he pushes Rita to work harder, but because he is also an artist, he is very honest and allows her to grow all the while doing her own thing. The support Roc Nation offers Rita was just what she was looking for.
After a whirlwind number of years to sign a deal, record her album, and tour, she manages to maintain a demure yet driven disposition. With Rita, confidence is in abundance but does not come across as ego. There is a playful spirit to her, almost as if she knows much bigger things are on the horizon so she might as well have fun with all of this while she can.
“My advice for anyone is to just know yourself. You are you. Confidence gets you a long way. I feel like if you are confident no one can touch you.” she says.
Of course, as with any new pop artist, there are already comparisons floating around, and perhaps they’re not far off— Beyoncé, Gwen Stefani, Rihanna, even a young pop version of the legendary Etta James. But Rita is Rita all her own, backed by an incredible voice surging with passion in her lungs. One can feel the love that Rita has for what she does, performing for her affection of music, not just for show. With her glowing platinum blonde curls bouncing all over the stage at a recent showcase at the Viper Room in LA, it is easy to see why she is quickly becoming everyone’s favorite songstress. From the minute she enters, the venue becomes warm and electric. She smiles, laughs and speaks to the audience as if they are great friends watching her perform in the living room. And that infectious energy comes across in her performance, carrying through to her band, and eventually to the crowd. Despite her young age, the artist’s stage presence begets that of a seasoned vet who has been doing this for decades; Speaking of comparisons, one can’t help but be reminded of an early Gwen Stefani, a likening that doesn’t bother Rita one bit. “I love musicians and artists. I am influenced by anyone that really doesn’t give a shit about what anyone else thinks. I mean, they stand by their point and are very confident. I admire that about people like Jimi Hendrix, Prince and Gwen Stefani.” She continues on to explain her love for No Doubt’s lead singer; “Gwen Stefani is a huge influence. She is why I dyed my hair and why I wear the lipstick I do.” Rita may take core style tips from Gwen, but she has perfected it in a way that makes it completely her own. Often seen in a well accessorized combination of t-shirts and cutoff jeans, Rita will always opt for a pair of Jordans over heels, describing her style as, “mixing skate with high fashion.” Her wardrobe speaks to her overall energy, down-to-earth yet fearless, and comfortable in any setting. During the The Hundreds photo shoot Rita had everyone on set laughing along with her, and requested music ranging from trap hits to dancehall. It was a great afternoon filled with gossip magazines, music, In-N-Out and Rita dancing around while picking out accessories. This is what she had to say about a few roadworthy must-haves, dream festival line-ups, and career defining moments:
overlap Beanie BY THE Hundreds, k7 Shirt BY THE Hundreds PUBLIC LABEL, Jeans Stylist’S own, NECKLACES BY JuJu gold (“RITA” NECKLACE ARTIST’S OWN), LEATHER PIN BY CAST OF VICES, SUNGlasses BY Thom Brown, Shoes BY Opening Ceremony.
Custom JACKET BY Virgo LA, forever slant Shirt BY THE Hundreds, Custom SHORTS by James Phlemuns, NECKLACES BY JuJu gold (“RITA” NECKLACE ARTIST’S OWN), VINTAGE SUNGLASSES BY YVES SAINT LAURENT.
What is the biggest challenge being a young woman in this industry? You’re just getting started, this is the crazy part and you’re not to the point where you can just call the shots… Oh, yeah, because I don’t even know yet, you know what I mean? I’d say it’s learning to say, “no.” I’ve always been like that though; I always care so much for the feelings of the people around me. I need to learn how to say “no.” What’s one thing you can’t live without while on the road? Tabasco. Hot sauce. I prefer Tabasco but anything hot. I travel with my own little bottle. I had someone bring me some Tapatio in an interview earlier because they knew how much I love hot sauce! I just had it with my In-N-Out and it’s really good! If you could create your own dream festival, who would perform with you? To start the day, Wolfgang, then I would have A$AP Rocky, Azealia Banks and headline with No Doubt. Oh! And Drake! Yes, that would be perfect! What has been the most amazing moment in your career thus far? I think when I sang “Say My Name” in front of Beyoncé. It was surreal. Oh, and also when I gave my “How We Do” single to New York radio station Z100 with Jay-Z. We brought it in and they played it right then. It was definitely a moment. It was huge for me because I never had a song play on the radio in the U.S. What’s in your iPod? SBTRKT, I listen to a lot of SBTRKT. Little Dragon, they are a Swedish band. There are just far too many to mention… What is your current guilty pleasure song? (Rita bursts in to an acapella version of Carly Rae Jepsen ‘s “Call Me Maybe”) ‘Hey I just met you and this is crazy so here’s my number call me maybe.’… I forget who sings it, but I love it. I’m always singing it. Ok, so you get to pick one of these for a dinner date: Prince, Bob Marley or Michael Jackson? Oh wow! Ok, I think it would be Bob Marley. I just want to know what he was thinking. I feel like I know Michael more than I know Bob, and I love his dreads. I just think he is so attractive! Stranded on an island with only a solar powered record player, what 5 albums would you take? Thriller, Purple Rain, Eric Clapton & BB King’s Riding With The King, Lauryn Hill’s Miseducation album, and No Doubt. What is the hardest part about traveling? I don’t know when to say no to packing my clothes! I have a lot of suitcases that I don’t need. I can’t say no and I do the, “What if?” like… What if I need that? What if I need this? What’s your perfect day off? Not getting dressed. Not even jammies, just a knickers and bra day, with the laptop and a TV. Recently those days have been really hard to come by. What do you want your legacy to be? That I put a smile on faces and my albums made people feel good. I love art and I love visions, and I love making an impact through entertainment. It’s clear that Rita Ora is very happy where she is right now in her budding career and she has every reason to be. Surrounded by amazing people, with a solid team on her side, tremendous talent and self-assured grace, it’s clear why Rita’s name is popping up everywhere. When asked what the hardest part about her newfound fame is and what part of it she wishes she could do without, she simply states,
“There is nothing I wish I could do without. Right now, I’m good. I love it all.”
pins Hat BY THE Hundreds, platt jacket BY THE Hundreds, Vintage Guess SHORTS, Shoes BY Jean Paul Gaultier , NECKLACES BY JuJu gold (“RITA” NECKLACE ARTIST’S OWN), Glasses BY Barton Perreira.
ART DIRECTOR: HASSAN RAHIM Stylist: JESSICA WILLIS Hair + Make Up: KRISTEN CASTELLANO Sunglasses provided: by Gogosha Optique LA & Hotel de Ville Eyewear.
VINTAGE JACKET, HOODY BY THE Hundreds, Biker shorts stylist’s own, Shoes BY Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony, NECKLACES BY JuJu gold (“RITA” NECKLACE ARTIST’S OWN).
NATUR AL SELECTION T H E H U N DR EDS W I N T ER 2 012 P H OTOS BY BO B BY H U N D R E D S
ABOVE, FROM left: the
hour jacket in tiger stripe, richie pant in khaki. reloaded 2 jacket in black, wine woven in gradient camo, richie pant in black, johnson low baG in olive. opposite, FROM LEFT: the hour jacket in tiger stripe, richie pant in khaki, somehow beanie in black, johnson low in navy waxed canvas, jon bag in red. reloaded 2 jacket in black, richie pant in black, johnson low in dark brown premium leather, evacuate bag in olive. in dark brown premium leather, evacuate
Creative Director: BOBBY HUNDREDS / PRODUCER: PATRICK HILL / STYLIST: CHELSEA GREEN / Models: chris leacock and steven castillo.
TOP LEFT: the
WINE WOVEN in tiger stripe, howl pant in tiger stripe, tore snapback in black, johnson mid in black washed suede, jon bag in black. top right: two riders jacket in khaki, the line flannel in maroon, centinella denim, division beanie in black, johnson mid in light brown waxed canvas. bottom right: wildcat parka in khaki/navy, nate snapback in navy, earth flannel in red. bottom right: princes jacket in purple/brown, centinella denim . opposite page, top right: the hour jacket in tiger stripe, richie pant in khaki, somehow beanie in black, jon bag in red, johnson low in navy premium waxed canvas. opposite page, top right: reloaded 2 jacket in black, richie pant in black, evacuate bag in olive, johnson low in dark brown premium leather. opposite page bottom right: wildcat parka in khaki/navy, nate snapback in navy, earth flannel in red, finley denim . opposite page, bottom right: drink woven in black, out of here tee in red/athletic heather, rosco pant in dark khaki, bandana in red.
ABOVE, FROM LEFT: Watchtower
PUFF JACKET IN khaki, dig FLANNEL IN moss green, CENTINELLA DENIM, Jon BAG IN black, Relief Sweater line flannel in off-white, Howl PANT IN olive. OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: Two Riders JACKET IN khaki, THE LINE FLANNEL IN MAROON, Centinella DENIM, johnson mid in light brown waxed canvas. OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM: the WINE WOVEN in tiger stripe, someway tee in black, howl pant in tiger stripe, johnson low in black suede. IN black, the
OPPOSITE, FROM LEFT: Watchtower
Puff Jacket IN khaki, dig Flannel IN dark green, howl Pant IN black. Relief Sweater IN black, The Line Flannel IN off-white, Howl PANT IN olive. ABOVE, FROM LEFT: Reloaded 2 JACKET IN black, Wine WOVEN IN gradient camo, richie pant in black, johnson low in dark brown premium leather. The HOUR JACKET IN tiger stripe, Relief SWEATER IN athletic heather, Richie PANT IN khaki, valenzuela high in charcoal premium leather.
THIS PAGE: Plowmen
WOVEN IN athletic heather, Howl PANT IN black, johnson low in dark brown premium leather. OPPOSITE: Princes JACKET IN purple/brown.
T H — F / W ‘12
TH E H U N DR E DS VI S ITS —
PIZZANISTA! wo r ds by C h e ls e a G r e e n / p h o t o s by S C O T T T U RNER
Pizza. It's one of the most universal, not to mention easiest (and best) meals around, and Pizzanista! has got to be one of the tastiest pizza parlors in all of Los Angeles. One of skateboarding's most iconic personalities, Salman Agah, opened the doors in 2010 and has been churning out slammin’ pizzas from scratch with unique, organic ingredients, ever since. So when it came to creating Ben Hundreds' dream pizza project, who better to team up with than Salman and the Pizzanista! crew? Introducing the "Persian Pizza" by The Hundreds and Pizzanista!: a unique take on the homecooked meals that both Ben Hundreds and Salman Agah grew up on, and a step-by-step guide on how to make it yourself... Bon Appetit!
Ingredients: · Tomatoes · Ground beef · Onions · Fresh basil · Dill Yogurt · Salt · Pepper · Turmeric · Sumac
Overnight preparation: Combine ground beef with grated onions, eggs, salt, pepper and turmeric, and refrigerate overnight for a sticky consistency the following day, in order to hold on kabob skewers. Also, prep pizza dough and dill yogurt to your liking and refrigerate.
Step 1: Chop onions and basil, mix together in a bowl. Step 2: Take prepped ground beef out of refrigerator, drain any excess liquid, and prep on skewers to bake in oven. *If the meat isn’t sticky enough to apply to skewers, add egg, breadcrumbs, and more ground beef.
Step 3: Sprinkle kabobs with Sumac seasoning before cooking in oven. Step 4: Slice tomatoes Step 5: Prep pizza dough with flour to bake Step 6: Apply sliced tomatoes to pizza dough, brush crust and tomatoes with olive oil to bake. Step 7: Apply kabobs and let bake again. Step 8: Apply onion and basil mixture to baked pizza. Step 9: Drizzle dill yogurt on pizza. Step 10: Let pizza cool and enjoy!
82
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
T H E H U N D R E D S V I S I T S : P I Z Z A N I S TA !
83
THEHUNDREDS.COM
T H — F / W ‘12
FACE S OF TH E H U N DR E DS —
CBG wo r d s by C h e l s e a G r e e n / p h o t o s by ETHAN S C OTT
Today’s hip-hop game is full of characters, but there doesn’t seem to be anyone that remotely comes close to the Chill Black Guys. CBG, for short, hails from Los Angeles, California, and it shows in everything they do. Between the weed smoking, smooth lyrics, and their live shows exuding that “house party”-type atmosphere, it’s no wonder everyone wants to be a part of what they’ve created. Who doesn’t want to be friends with a self-proclaimed Chill Black Guy, anyway? The Hundreds spent the day with Jay Ughh, Young Hawaii Slim, and Corzillah—running around Mid-City Los Angeles— skating, grubbing on chicken and waffles at Roscoes, and wreaking havoc on “the block,” aka Fairfax Avenue. See what they have to say about their influences, pre-show rituals, and what they’ve got coming out for their fans to enjoy.
How’d you guys all meet in the first place? HAWAII: They [Jay Ughh and Corzillah] grew up out here in LA. JAY UGHH: We grew up skating and went to Hamilton together. I met this guy [Hawaii] in the Bay Area, though… fuckin’ wylin’ out. Hawaii: Yeah, we both moved up there and met through a mutual friend. We’ve just been tight ever since. Jay Ughh: We liked the same music, fucked with the same shit… What kind of music is that? Hawaii: Everything from The Smiths, to Mac Dre and System of a Down. Jay Ughh: Eventually we made a song together. Hawaii: Yeah, we made “CBG.” I was doing songs and making videos by myself. Jay Ughh was in town and I was like, “you meet me here, we’re gonna do a video for this song ‘CBG’ because everyone fuckin’ likes it.” We made a video for it, and then I just sat on the computer for a year saying, “watch our shit, watch our shit.” It just took off and people were like, “Yo! When’s the tape comin’ out?” We just made more songs and videos and I was like, “Yo, we gotta put a tape out.” So, we got all of our tracks, put out a tape, made “Nope,” and then people were just really feeling it. So, what is a chill black guy? Jay Ughh: Well it’s just a guy that’s not too rowdy. Not too crazy. Mellow? Jay Ughh: Yeah, people usually act too cool and I hate that. Growing up, there were always the cool guys that thought they were better than everybody else. Everyone liked me because I skated. I just wanted to be chill, a little below the radar. Straight up. If somebody were to say, “I want to go to a CBG show,” what would they be in store for? What do you guys bring? Describe the typical show. HAWAII: They’d be in store for a lot of fun. Every member of the group brings a different element. Jay is too chill, Corey—mister suave suave 84
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
FACES OF THE HUNDREDS: CBG
flexin’, and I’m more your turnt up Flocka-type motherfucker. If you come to our show it’s an experience. CORZILLAH: It’s something that you should just really be prepared for. We don’t wear shit out that we like because we party. When you party, there are technicalities that happen. People step on your shoes and get rowdy. Don’t wear anything that you like and care about. JAY UGHH: Spillin’ cranberry juice on your white tee, that’s just part of being chill—acting accordingly, being comfortable with yourself, and just being out having fun. Chillin’. Do you guys have any preshow rituals? HAWAII: I like to take a shot before I go on stage. Believe it or not, Hawaii gets nervous. JAY UGHH: You? HAWAII: Yeah, if you’ve ever noticed me, I get super quiet before the show. Everyone’s like, “oh, the calm before the storm.” I’m fuckin’ nervous every time, no matter what. Whether it’s 200 people or 20,000 people, I’m always nervous. Any funny stories at any of your shows? HAWAII: Oh man, we were doing a show at The Roxy and this black girl just summersaulted onto the fuckin’ stage with us. She stayed during our whole set. CORZILLAH: She got up and got down. Like boogie. JAY UGHH: This other time, security was fuckin’ assholes at one of our shows and wouldn’t let anyone in. It was pretty much all of our homies at the show, like maybe a hundred of them…. At the end of the night the homies were fed up and just started beating up security, took the fire extinguisher and sprayed them down. As they were getting sprayed, security couldn’t even do anything because they were choking and shit. Shout out to those folks. Security’s worst nightmare. It was some Call of Duty shit. What would you say is your favorite part of being a group? HAWAII: Going to Texas together, because we’ve only done shows in California. We’ve gone from the bay to LA but we haven’t done anything outside of that other than Texas. I can already tell that traveling is gonna be the tightest. Just to go places and see shit with my team is amazing. I’m going out, doin’ shit with Kreayshawn, and that’s amazing. I’ve seen her come up. That’s one of my best friends. But to do it with my crew is real! Would you say LA influences your music? CORZILLAH: I think LA is responsible for a lot of shit. LA and New York are trendsetting cities. And just to be bred and really be from that place? These are places that people gravitate to. If you look around now, everybody is from different places. This is a city that people come to. But this is where we are from. I think LA breeds a particular type of person. Like, you have a different kind of ambition. You have a different kind of platform to stand on. It’s tight as fuck. JAY UGHH: A lot of people from LA don’t realize how lucky we are. CORZILLAH: Really. Our common, average shit is so foreign to other people. JAY UGHH: Like hot girls on the beach. HAWAII: Like good-ass weed! What’s 2012 bringing you guys? JAY UGHH: More music, more shows. HAWAII: I wanna tour America. I wanna do a show in New York, Chicago, Miami, Seattle, Portland, Houston, and Honolulu. I just wanna take over America first, then I’m trying to be like the Romans. Build a fuckin’ empire. Any last words? JAY UGHH: Peace, love, and CBG.
THEHUNDREDS.COM
85
T H — F / W ‘12
FACE S OF TH E H U N DR E DS —
WHITE ARROWS wo r d s by C h e l s e a G r e e n / p h o t o s by ETHAN S C OTT
If you keep up with current music, then you’ve definitely heard of the White Arrows. If not, here’s your chance to expand your music knowledge! Not only does the burgeoning rock band frequent venues in and around the LA area, they’ve performed at practically every epic music festival across the country over the past few years. That being said, it was pertinent that The Hundreds track the dudes down and ask them some hard-hitting questions. We got reeeeeeal Barbara Walters-like and grilled them about everything from what can be expected at their live shows to describing the intergalactic music they play as “psychotropical.” The White Arrows are groovy. No, really - lead singer and guitarist, Mickey, has an out-of-this-world Hawaiian shirt collection that never ceases to amaze. And with Mickey’s younger brother, Henry, on drums, JP on guitar, and close friends Andrew and Steven on keys and bass, the band’s full line-up provides ears with a full-blown trippy and very much enjoyable sound. With a global tour coming to a town near you and the release of their first full-length album, 2012 is the year of the White Arrows. Let’s just hope the world doesn’t end… We met up with the guys at their house and took a little hike through the trails of Runyon Canyon. Read on to see how the band got to where they are today, and what they have planned for tomorrow.
Can you tell me a little bit about how you guys got together? MICKEY: Henry and I have known each other our whole lives because we’re brothers. JP, Henry, and I pretty much grew up together via family. We [Andrew] met in space, above the atmosphere. We were just floating around and I just kind of brought him down to earth. And Steven… Steven just kind of happened upon us. We’ve all been friends for a long time. How would you describe the music that you play? I know “psychotropical” has been thrown around. Is that what it is? MICKEY: Well... yeah. People have said that. JP: Paul Simon in space. MICKEY: People have said that, too. And the Tarzan soundtrack on acid. JP: That’s my favorite. That is a good one. What would you say your first full-length album sounds like? MICKEY: I think our EP that we released is a good portrayal of what’s to come. They are three songs that are going to end up on the full length, and I think it is cohesively a collective. 86
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
FACES OF THE HUNDREDS: CBG
And what’s the name of your full-length? MICKEY: Dry Land Is Not A Myth. How’d you come up with that? MICKEY: It’s just what it is. It’s kind of an ancient proverb. And it just embodies everything that is this record. Do you write all the music? MICKEY: Yeah. Andy and I wrote a lot of the stuff that’s on this record. How did the name “White Arrows” come about? MICKEY: The name actually existed before the band existed. When I was living in New York, studying shamanistic ritual, I went on a journey with my advisor and teacher Barnaby. It all came together when we were thinking of band names. A couple of other names were thrown around, like “Bougainvillea.” ANDREW: Mister E and the Belly Aches. JP: Jonathan and the Taylor Thomas. That’s a recent one. So now that you guys are all located back in LA, where can we find you when you’re not playing music? MICKEY: Here. We recorded the record right inside [my house]. When we’re not recording music, we are mixing. HENRY: Or sleeping or eating. MICKEY: Or talking about the record, or practicing new songs from the record. Steven and I liked to go surfing for a while—pretty much that kind of stuff. ANDREW: JP likes to build and take apart amps and musical instruments. What about your live shows? If someone hasn’t seen you before, what can they expect? MICKEY: We like to have it be a visceral experience, some place where you can turn off your brain and have an unintellectual experience at the show. It’s a lot of sensory overload. JP: Yeah, I liken it to a combination of Apocalypse Now and Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo. Add way more fog and confusion. That would sum up our live experience. Any plans for the rest of the year? STEVEN: We’re really busy! We’re touring Europe with White Denim, which is our first time really travelling in Europe, and we’re all really excited about it. We’re touring with this band called Beat Connection, after. We’ll be doing the rounds through the United States and Canada. We’re looking at the possibility of going out to Australia, too. MICKEY: Our record also comes out this summer. What would you say your favorite memory or experience has been as a band? MICKEY, STEVEN: Playing Sasquatch last year. HENRY: Yeah, but there is a bunch. South by [Southwest] where you get to meet bands that you actually look up to—like White Denim, for example. I was a fan before we got to play with them. We’ve played a couple shows with them, and then they actually happened to come out to one of our shows. I just think that’s so awesome. STEVEN: Sasquatch was a great one, though. We played out in Washington at that festival at The Gorge. Our time slot ended up being really great because all the other bands on all the other stages had just finished. After a couple of songs, seas of people came in, and the next thing we knew we were playing for like five or six thousand people. It was definitely our biggest show to date. Any last words? MICKEY: We love you guys.
THEHUNDREDS.COM
87
TITLE
DIGI-ErRor C AMo DISRUPT PATTERN MATERIAL SCHEMATICS DATE JUNe 28, 2011 DESIGNED BY ARt DEpT. DRAWN BY B.N. JAY REVISIONS AUG 25, 2011
SHEET NO
TITLE
GrADIEnT C AMo DISRUPT PATTERN MATERIAL SCHEMATICS DATE SePt 22 , 2011 DESIGNED BY ARt DEpT. DRAWN BY B.N. JAY REVISIONS NoV 3, 2011
SHEET NO
TITLE
MUlTI C AMo DISRUPT PATTERN MATERIAL SCHEMATICS DATE JULY 05, 2011 DESIGNED BY ARt DEpT. DRAWN BY B.N. JAY REVISIONS SePt 06, 2011
SHEET NO
TITLE
TIgRe StrIPe C AMo DISRUPT PATTERN MATERIAL SCHEMATICS DATE SePt 20, 2011 DESIGNED BY ARt DEpT. DRAWN BY B.N. JAY REVISIONS OC t 18, 2011
SHEET NO
90s MIXTAPE:
T H — F / W ‘12
BETHANY Cosentino of If you haven’t taken note of the underlying theme of the issue so far, it’s all about the ‘90s, so who better to ask about their top favorite ‘90s albums than Bethany Cosentino of Best Coast? As a kid growing up in the age of Nirvana and Hole, it’s no surprise that Best Coast’s music and lyrics echo influences of that time. The LA-based band boasts sunny sounds and diary-like lyrics fit for a bright California afternoon. Imagine yourself at a summertime BBQ with the boombox blasting the best ‘90s mixtape… sit back, relax, and read on to see what would appear on Cosentino’s quintessential compilation.
BEST COAST p h o t o by Dav id Blac k
9. TLC - CrazySexyCool I think TLC is the first girl band I ever got really obsessed with—them and the Spice Girls. But TLC was way cooler than the Spice Girls. I had my haircut like T-Boz for like four years. I was very dedicated.
8. Portishead - Dummy This is one of my favorite albums of all time. I wish I could make music that sounded like this.
10. Lauryn Hill The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill She is one of my favorite female artists of all time. I remember seeing her in “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit,” and completely falling in love with her voice.
96
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
7. Nirvana - Nevermind My dad was really into this record. I remember hearing “Smells Like Teen Spirit” when I was thirteen and thinking it was the coolest song ever. I mean, are you even allowed to be a child of the ‘90s and not be into this record?
9 0 s M I X TA P E : B E T H A N Y O F B E S T C OA S T
3. Green Day - Dookie I basically learned how to play guitar listening to this record over and over again. It reminds me so much of being a teenager and driving around in my mom’s car.
2. Blink 182 Dude Ranch
6. Metallica - Metallica This is a record I learned to love later on in life, but I think it’s one of the best to come out of the ‘90s. I know it’s like, a total cheesy power ballad but “The Unforgiven” is one of my favorite songs ever. Such a good jam to drink to!
5. Hole Live Through This
This band really defines my adolescence. Whether it’s cool or not, it’s true. This album will forever remind me of being young, and it’s still, to this day, such a classic album. I know every single word to every song, and I can play most of them on guitar. We did a cover of “Dammit” once, and it was the most fun I’ve ever had on stage.
Courtney Love was my hero when I was a teenager. Maybe not the best hero, but her style and everything about her were so badass to me. I wanted to be just like her. I think subconsciously, this record really inspires the music that I make because I listened to it so much growing up.
4. Descendents Everything Sucks I remember hearing Descendents for the first time on a Punk-ORama compilation I bought from a record store called Tempo. My best friend Jessica and I used to listen to it a million times in a row—I think eventually until the CD wouldn’t play anymore. This record is one of my favorite punk records of all time, and I love how angsty the title is. That’s some total teenage vibes.
1. Oasis - (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? This record is in my top 10 favorite albums of all time, such beautiful melodies. I listen to this a lot when I’m driving, and sing along. This record kind of defines the ‘90s to me—moody and dark, yet really pretty and uplifting. The best of both worlds.
THEHUNDREDS.COM
97
JAY MALDONADO Welcome to a week in the life of New York-based photographer, Jay Maldonado. Having gained his start in skateboarding, Jay quickly found his passion in photography – particularly regarded for his ability to capture raw street culture in and around New York City, and for that matter, the world. In the meantime, Jay’s branched out into video and television, bringing to life the realness of his hometown. Born and raised in the heart of The Big Apple, Jay Maldonado’s photos tell a story that only a true local can. You can check out more of Jay’s work online at jaymaldonado.com.
I GOT THIS.
@#$%^&*(* I told you not to (*$#%^ with me!
IT’S JUST AS FUN FROM UP HERE.
IT’S A LONELY CITY.
A WEEK IN THE LIFE:
TH — F / W ‘ 1 2
THERE STILL IS SOME STRANGE SHIT IN NYC.
A WEE K I N THE L I F E : J A Y M A LDON A DO
THEY’RE NOT GAY JUST HAPPY. WILL ALWAYS BE MY PLAYGROUND.
JOHN IGEI.
SOMETIMES WE GET LUCKY.
THEHUNDREDS.COM
99
T H — F / W ‘12
F LAGSH I P STOR ES
THE HUNDREDS LOS ANGELES
7909 Rosewood Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90048 (310) 807-1754
Hours: Monday – Saturday: 11AM – 7PM Sunday: 12PM — 6PM
THE HUNDREDS SANTA MONICA
416 Broadway St. Santa Monica, CA 90401 (424) 268-3905
Hours: Monday – Saturday: 11AM – 7PM Sunday: 12PM — 6PM
102
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE
FLAGSHIP STORES
THE HUNDREDS SAN FRANCISCO
585 Post St. San Francisco, CA 94102 (415) 817-9912
Hours: Monday – Saturday: 11AM – 7PM Sunday: 12PM — 6PM
THE HUNDREDS NEW YORK
96 Grand St. New York, NY 10013 (646) 558-3114
Hours: Monday – Saturday: 11AM – 7PM Sunday: 12PM — 6PM
THEHUNDREDS.COM
103
T H — A / W ‘12
STOCK ISTS 158 Surf & Skate
Installation
Prototype
Espionage
Doublepark
Duck, NC
Boulder, CO
Honolulu, HI
Sydney, Australia
Mong Kok, Hong Kong
510 Skateboarding
Just Be Compound
Rare Footage
Laced
Manhattan Closet
Berkeley, CA
Portland, OR
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Brisban, Australia
Tokyo, Japan
Abakus Takeout
Jugrnaut
Shoe Gallery
Sure Store
Donoban
Philadelphia, PA
Chicago, IL
Miami, FL
Melbourne, Australia
Osaka, Japan
Active Ride Shop
Liberty Boardshop
Skatepark of Tampa
Beyond
After Note
Southern California, CA
Anaheim, CA
Tampa, FL
Perth, Australia
Shinsekai, Japan
Attic 2 Zoo Inc
Major
Sneaker Bistro Boutique
Panthers
Pinnacle
Buena Park, CA
Washington, DC
Patchogue, NY
Brussels, Belgium
Apgujung, Korea
Beatnic
MIA Skateshop
Sneaker Junkies Thayer
Flesh and Bones
Premium
Fullerton, CA
Miami Beach, FL
Providence, RI
Aalst, Belgium
Hongdae, Korea
Belief
Moda 3
Social Status
Group Seven
Specimen
Astoria, NY
Milwaukee, WI
Pittsburgh, PA
Calgary, Canada
Incheon, Korea
Black Sheep
Motivation
Sole Brother
FOOSH
Revert
Charlotte, NC
Ann Arbor, MI
Norfolk, VA
Edmonton, Canada
Haarlem, Netherlands
Boarders
Next
Soles Fly
NRML Clothing
Sole Service
Glendale, CA
Cleveland, OH
Miami, FL
Ottawa, Canada
Oslo, Norway
Bodega
NJ Skateshop
Southside Skatepark
Pauls Boutique
Urban
Boston, MA
New Brunswick, NJ
Houston, TX
Surrey, Canada
Oslo, Norway
Cal Surf
Oneness
St. Alfreds
Capsule
Badlands
Minneapolis, MN
Lexington, KY
Chicago, IL
Toronto, CANADA
Tromsø, Norway
Concrete Wave
Persona,
Tradition
Livestock
Tommi Gun
Worcester, MA
Nashua, NH
Westlake Villiage, CA
Vancouver, Canada
Barcelona, Spain
CRSVR
Pharmacy
Triumph
Rezet
La Plaza
Santa Barbara, CA
Palmdale, CA
San Rafael, CA
Copenhagen, Denmark
San Sebastian, Spain
Elite Boardshop
Phenom
True SF
Cali
Imagine Shop
Fairfax, VA
Minneapolis, MN
San Francisco, CA
Helsinki, Finland
Zaragoza, Spain
Epidemic Skateshop
PLA Folsom
Turntable Lab
Beamhill
Hollywood
Palm Desert, CA
Folsom, CA
Brooklyn, NY
Helsinki, Finland
Gothenburg, Sweden
Fast Forward
Platform
Ubiq
Select
Streetlab
Austin, TX
Pomona, CA
Philadelphia, PA
Aix En Provence, France
Malmö, Sweden
FICE
Politics
Unknwn Miami LLC
Starcow
Cali OG Store
South Salt Lake City, UT
Lafayette, LA
Aventura, FL
Paris, France
Stockholm, Sweden
KINGS
Premier Skateboarding
Vertical Urge
Abaka
Candy Store
Montclair, CA
Grand Rapids, MI
Raleigh, NC
Nice, France
Birmingham, UK
Got Sole?
Premium Goods
Wish ATL
Zebra Club
5 Pointz
Indianapolis, IN
Houston, TX
Atlanta, GA
Berlin, Germany
Bristol, UK
Homebase610
Primitive
Word
TX Sports
Urban Industry
Bethlehem, PA
Encino, CA
Bellingham, FL
Nurnberg, Germany
Eastbourne, UK
Index Skateboarding
Proper
Zebra Bellevue
WIND
Wood
Hurst, TX
Long Beach, CA
Seattle, WA
Saarbruecken, Germany
Manchester, UK
104
THE HUNDREDS MAGAZINE