Less kick/push, more coast...

Whilst I in no way condond this as a first choice of man(or woman, I'm very sensitive... ladies)-powered transportation, as that should always be a radical skateboard, these bikes are very choice. Being fully customisable, I've literally spent a few hours changing around the colour combinations on the base model to come up with something awesome before realising that I am horrendously colourblind. It's like the kid in art class that no matter how many times they try to paint the beautiful butterfly to prove he's special to mummy, it always ends up as a brown blob. The bad news is now that brown blob is the bike you just designed and bought, the one you though was super cool until you took it for its maiden ride and you see the vicious whispers start to spread. It's only a matter of time now until you hear the school bell ring and find your new ride in a tree while the kids on the lacross team yell 'pushbike pansy' while running laps around you like a human peloton. Man high school was rough.

But these rides are one way to avoid that whole (ficticious) situation. Republic Bike ensure that each model is hand assembled to your colour specifications, crank configuration (fixed or single speed) and delivered right to your door. A short period and little more than IKEA furniture building skills later you can be coasting along on your awesome new bike thinking; yeah,this is radical. Just try to design something better than the kid from art class.

The King of Cool

Long gone are the days when people would sit around and hear (tolerate) stories of old. Even the thought of an elderly person rambling "Let me tell you a story about my day" while settling into their favourite chair is enoght to make most people fake liver failure just to get out of there. But here's a free tip, some people's stories are well worth the time.

How about a kid who grew up on the streets, stole cars, spent a small time as a pimp, lost his virginity to a prostitute in exchange for baked goods, did time, then eventually made good in Hollywood and was dubbed the 'King of Cool'? Huh, what about then? Bet you'd listen wouldn't you. Have more respect for your elders.

To be honest old people are boring and deserve you proclaiming loudly "Get with the times grandpa, noone cares how the "wireless" (inverted commas hand gesture) works, geeze" before you go back to scrolling through songs on your iPod and blowing excessive bubbles with your gum. But god help you if you say that to Steve McQueen or else you'll have me (an anomyous stranger, yeah) to deal with.

I may be biased in my admiration/homage for Steve McQueen (see header photo) but a movie star dubbed the coolest man alive, with impecible styling, a love for motorcycle racing, and a colourful past, seems pretty hard to top. Written by Michael Munn, who took a road trip with McQueen in the summer of 1970, it'll be an awesome read about a radical guy. Get involved.

The book, coming September 2010, is "Steve McQueen - Living on the Edge". Trust me you could waste your time reading far worse material, like Dan Brown, or this blog. Go learn about how to be cool.

EDIT: Is it nerdy to speak about books 'coming soon' like you would with films? Maybe. Good thing I don't care about your opinion and go to sleep on a bed of naked models every night. Phenominal back support.

Soundtrack to my life

It's happening again. The sun has started to set betore you get home from a day's toil and the evenings are getting cool enough to warrant wearing sweaters around the house. People remark about the 'balmy weather' on days that weeks ago would have gone unnoticed, whilst saying how late 'winter' has come this year. Soon enough we'll all be parading around in peacoats and scarves pretending that Australian winter deserves the title.

In my mind each season has a soundtrack. Summer is the king of party tunes (house, trance, progressive, and 200 other variations I'm not cool enough to know about yet) with house parties and heaving festival crowds seeming stock standard. But coming into the colder months we want something else to sink our teeth into as we turn up our collars to hide from the winter winds. Let me throw some suggestions out there, just for a second, just to see how it feels.

Dropping his third mixtape at the end of August, Theophilus London has yet again given us something radical to get involved in. Between covering Marvin Gaye and collaborating with Ellie Goulding and Vampire Weekend you'll get the idea.

And just because he's a super bloke and thinks you're super neat, it's free. 'Where?' You ask. Just at This Charming Blog, good sir.
Now what do you say... Thankyou Mishter London

Speaking of men and their mixtapes (mine will drop right after I find some talent), Jay Electronica constantly reminds me of the idealistic days of listening to Mos Def , Talib Kweli, Nas, and pretending pre-teen me knew what they were talking about. Now I just sit on the train listening to music, nudge the person next to me and whisper "they're talking about sex", before doing a humping motion and nodding my head. Listen to his three part hip-hop chronicle released dropped toward the end of 2009.

Jay Electronica - Exhibit A --> Jay Electronica - Exhibit B --> Jay Electronica - Exhibit C

You know that feeling of loving every song on your iPod until you put it on shuffle, then nothing's good enough for your discerning tastes (why's that even on here?!). One tune I can never skip past is this little fella. Feeling warmer as the mercury drops yet?

Blu & Exile - So(ul) Amazing

Last but definately not least, a little flashback, and the song that gets me from the front door to the train station in the a.m.

People Under the Stairs - Acid Raindrops

Put on some comfortable kicks, grab your winter coat, put in the earphones, and step to the beat.

Radical

Skate, don't Hate - June 21, 2010

All the best decisions in life that bring us pure joy are linked to childish desires. It's the reason we get butterflies before a first kiss, secretly enjoy a good food fight, and relish activities that apparently we're "too old" for. It's the kind of enjoyment that is unsullied by the hassles and rigour of everyday life, and the realities of growing up. That's why I love this concept.



June 21, every year, just blow off whatever you got going on and go skateboarding, it's that simple! What could be better that throwing on your best 'killer penguins are forcing me to play drinking games with them, I can't possibly make it to work today' voice for the boss and going for a cruise. Live a litte, release the inner child. Check out the details on an event near you at http://www.goskateboardingday.org.

Go on, do something immure. I just sealed the cracks in my sister's bedroom and filled it with water. Uber nuisance or free pool. We'll see.

Luxury Lounging

It's 1am on a Saturday night, you've canvassed the clubs, been to that select house party which promised a 'choice array' of options, yet nothing has come through. The hour you spend talking to that new cute girl who you've been working seems wasted. You decide to cut your losses and head home, scratch the night and call it a loss, you can't win em' all.

All of a sudden the phone starts buzzing, and it's her, all is not lost.
You pick up and theres laughing at first, then the textbook slurring 'What you doing right now?'. Win.

So she's coming over to your place and you want to set the tone half way between the club and the bedroom, enter your ace new track pants to seal the deal.



These babies (from Joyrich) come in blue or black acid wash and I can't decide which I like more. Either way, check out their radical lookbook at joyrichclothing.com (and yeah, the blonde chick is suuuuuper hot, great minds think alike).

Nothing says I'm formal, but I'm also here to party like a pair of acid wash, form fitting track pants. And let's be honest, the next day when you leave the house in your favourite white T, with scotch stains from the night before, some big sunglasses, and your new purchase, people will argue in hushed tones "Is that someone famous or just another hungover idiot?".

Either way my friends, you're still the one wearing the pants.

Time to get FRESH

In many/all ways I'm like an excitable 12 year old when it comes to stumbling across fresh radical things. Every time I get super excited and declare that this is, hand down, the coolest thing i've ever seen. That being said, this time I mean it (at least until my next post) enough to implore people to buy me this new obsession as a present. Because lets face it, i'm not mde of money (more like impecable taste and sarcastic remarks).



The just released Chad Muska (a name that rings a bell for every kid who grew up in the 90s getting driven to the skate park by their mum) Blaster Watch is getting me excited. This timepiece, although not quite how you'll see the distinguished gentleman checking the time, is still both functional and a piece of wearable art. Because when you look this good, you don't need to know anything.



The sad thing is (cue 'gansters paradise', because its angry sad, not queer sad) is that I have very little faith that i could pull this off. Being in the well educated, white boy demographic I just dont see it happening. I'd be that guy who turns up for his first day of school in Harlem in suspenders and tries to join in the freestyle rap battle right before someone harshly pulls the needle from the turntables (because stereotypes have to come from somewhere). But one can always dream.

Check it out at http://caliroots.com/cali/product.asp?id=21839.

Until we meet again I'll be right here, jumping up and down on the spot like an insolent little shit until someone buys me the watch. Don't think I won't.

Not all wolves are good at Basketball

If you can't guess the movie you are retarded (industry test, not my own)



Illustration from Aled Lewis (aledlewis.com)

Ahwoooooooooo werewolves of london