Does anyone else write frustrated/angry emails that you know you probably won’t send? I’ve written a few in my life, and admittedly, one today. After that, I did this painting:
You guys remember that screamo band, Grade (like, circa ’99)? I think your friend Matt was into them. Anyway, if you don’t know Grade, don’t bother, but this one came on iTunes while I was emo-painting and I was taken back to high school. YEAH MAN, LIKE, I SO IDENTIFY TO THAT.
“This is a time in my life where everything is falling apart,
and at the same time it’s all coming together.”
— Grade; A Year in the Past, Forever in the Future
SHWING! Which, for one thing, means more bike rides and looking out for new music with a bikeable quality! CSS ‘s album “Cansei de Ser Sexy” was a favorite of mine back in LA. Here’s a cut:
…And I don’t know about the “bikability” of FREE ENERGY, but spawned from the ashes of one of my favorite groups, Hockey ♥ Night, it’s worth mentioning that I can’t stop listening to their debut album, “Stuck on Nothing.”
Have Gun’s album is out now! They’ve gotten some good attention from their review in Tampa Bay’s alt-weekly newspaper, Creative Loafing. Read the album review.
Quality photos unfortunately don’t exist in my life right now, but here are a couple crummy pics of the final CD artwork.
Tampa Bay 10 morning crew loves my packaging designs!
Matt Burke, next time you call me your “layout person” at least give my URL a plug. ;]
And there’s 2 other videos of Have Gun, Will Travel from Studio 10 here.
Nothing beats designing the album artwork for one of your favorite bands. Hailig from Bradenton, Florida, I first worked with Have Gun, Will Travel back in 2008 for their release of “Casting Shadows Tall as Giants” and was lucky enough to be invited back to design their upcoming release “Postcards from the Friendly City.” We went with a 4 panel digipak and 8 panel insert, which was a really fun format to be able to work with to seamlessly show off the photography. And as always, front-man Matt Burke is truly a dream to collaborate with. Also, thanks to the dudes down at Imprint for taking such good care of the CD manufacturing. I LOVE IMPRINT(.com)!
I cannot wait to hear this album in it’s entirety.
HGWT, I love all you guys and miss your shows. West Coast Tour 2010!
COVER CONCEPT:
FINAL:
Photos will be in my portfolio section as soon as I get a copy. :]
I recently had the pleasure of working with Leslie and the Badgers on designing their September residency poster at The Echo. The music makes you smile and her voice just makes you fall in love.
A couple years ago, I met a cute guy on the subway late at night and we traded iPods for the ride home. We didn’t even really talk, but his tunes sang to my twee phase, so I gave him my number. This was the song he played me:
We went on a date later that week at a restaurant I couldn’t afford in Boston’s South End. After about 20 minutes of listening to him gloat about his chef job and other superficial BS I couldn’t converse with, it was clear that his good looks and our musical compatibility was not going to be enough to get us through this dinner.
So instead of smiling and nodding through a free dinner, I did what most people would not; I started telling him all kinds of extremely personal stories.
I found it entertaining to watch someone get so uncomfortable with me talking about the most emotionally real moments in my life. I pried inside his Mr. cool-guy walls too and along with some nervous laughter I was able to get some semi-sentimental, stammering explanations out of him. I hope there to be a real person hiding inside of every douche bag. We cleaned our plates, split the check (dammit), shook hands, and said goodnight. I was certain from the 20 minute mark that this would be the last time I ever saw him, so whether I left him completely freaked out or a little more introspective, at least something real had happened.
This story reminds me of part of a conversation I documented on an airplane (around the same time as the date) with a kid from Tennessee I also never saw again. My question was basically whether it was reckless to burden a specific uncomfortable situation with honest feelings or to just play it cool. I’ve thought of this thing he said so many times and never called him to say so. I’ll leave the digits in the doodle in case anybody wants to call and say hi. Let me know if it’s still in service.
Art walk party downtown last night. Me rockin' Rancid hoody. Will rockin' panda.
For a while after high school, I was too big of an 31337ist to admit that Rancid is my all time favorite band. I fell in love with their music and a dreamy skater boy named David in middle school, and 13 years later when I listen to their songs I still can’t get enough of what they’re doing.
Funny enough, David is also still one of my favorite friends.
When I was 14 and “Out Come The Wolves” came out, I listened to it so much that my older sister wouldn’t come in my room unless I changed it. Last year in San Francisco, I dusted off my pit moves when she told me she’d like nothing more than to see them with me in the Tenderloin, Tenderloin, Tenderloin (in San Francisco).
The show in the TL was was rivaled only by the awesomeness of their Boston show (at the now defunct Avalon Ballroom) with my long time Rancid-loving cohort, Demetri, in 2006. Here we are resting after starting an EPIC circle pit.
Everyone loves a good circle pit. Seeing Rancid always makes me feel like I’m 14 again.
Bathroom wall at Gilman St. Berkley, CA
They sing songs about stuff I’ve come to know in my own life, especially since moving to California. I find myself in locations that I’ve sang along to in their songs when I had no idea what I was even singing about. Yesterday, Rancid put out their final farewell album, “Let The Dominoes Fall.” I downloaded it (because I’m a jerk) and I’ve only heard a few of the cuts— but they’ve still got it. This song almost brings a little tear to my eye. I’ll love them forever. Nuff respect.
Going to China tomorrow for 2 weeks! I sure am gonna miss my little Ruby SoHo.
Ya know when you mindlessly learn all the words to a song and then years later actually listen to what the words are saying? That just happened to me three times this week:
Is “Better Off Dead” by Bad Religion about an abortion, or am I taking this too far?
A friend of a friend recently hooked me up with this catering gig at Oakland Arena for WWE’s Monday Night Raw. It was my first event in both catering and wrestling. I left with 2 free, delicious cakes and the understanding that wrestling fans are what make the sport so totally awesome.
On the way home I was so excited about loving wrestling. Then, #54 (see above) and I met a guy who didn’t love it as much as everyone else on the train. I wrote this poem about my interaction with him.
Hot Chip has some wrestle-wisdom as well. They are tight.
Tonight I made a flyer for my friend Garrett’s dance party and then went to an opening at Million Fishes and saw some of Ryan De La Hoz’s new work. Saw some of my old roommates and it’s always so rad there. Here is what the show and Garrett’s flyer looked like:
Garrett says “Avant Garde” is club kid slang for a fitted fashionable dress code. He’s 17 so I believe whatever he says. I made this logo in about 60 seconds for his new party-hosting endeavors in the OC. Gotta have branding!
Last, I think Lil Wayne’s new rock single is a complete joke– the lyrics, the auto-tune, the ending, the everything. The more I listen to it, the more I’m convinced. Weezy no fool; best rapper alive.
