Steelflame .45 Killbox
Just scored this killer bling from Derrick at Steelflame. It's a piece of sterling silver shot through with a .45 caliber round and mounted in a silver box. Insanely cool.
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Hells Angels Rally
I went to a Hells Angels rally today with my brother and nephew today. Great time, and I took lots of pics of some serious iron. Enjoy here.
Codak / Gaslamp Killer July 4th Party 2008
Warp Records artist Flying Lotus, live from his whip.
Codak and the Gaslamp Killer threw a sick party at their pad in Mount Washington. Appearances included Dimon D (Diggin' In the Crates) and Flying Lotus, who played live from the sound system in his car. Awesome Independence Day fun!
Check the gallery.
Enjoy! ©
Sick Work #1 - The Art of © and Cassandra Simon
Los Angeles artists typically have two choices when it comes to exhibiting their work: the mainstream gallery circuit or huge group shows with 50+ other artists. For the artist that wants to show a lot of work, and is willing to pay a 50% gallery fee, the mainstream galleries are an option. For the artist that only wants to show a piece or two, the group shows might be the answer. Unfortunately, for the artist with talents in multiple disciplines, neither of these options is ideal.
I thought that there should be another option for talented LA artists to exhibit their work with just one or two other artists, and without having to inflate their prices to cover an exorbitant gallery commission. Instead of featuring artists who do one thing over and over, what if artists were hand selected specifically for their ability to do sick work in multiple styles and/or media? Such an artist-centered project would also definitely need a space that was as inspiring as its artwork.
Thus was born Sick Work, a gallery dedicated to providing LA's illest artists with a superb venue to really showcase what they do on a grand scale, and to providing collectors with the highest quality cutting-edge modern artwork available in Los Angeles, unencumbered by pretense and ridiculous gallery fees. The gallery itself is a never-before seen space with beautiful hardwood floors, red brick, and 50' vaulted ceilings that will literally make your jaw drop. This grandiose space is located in a stunning historical building 5 minutes north of downtown LA, a couple of blocks from exits coming off of the 5 and 110 freeways, and a two minute walk from the Cypress Gold Line station. I have been to dozens of galleries and group show locations over the last several years, and nothing I have seen comes close to touching how cool this space is.
So here we are:
Pesky Humans, in conjunction with Flyer Property, proudly presents the debut event at the Sick Work Gallery on Saturday, May 31st. Sick Work #1 features the work of © and Cassandra Simon. Paintings, photographs, and limited edition prints and apparel will be available. For details, pictures of the space, directions, and links to the artists' work, please visit www.sickwork.com.
Peace. ©
How-to: dot matrix stencil / wood block print
I was recently working on a logo and wanted to employ a dot-matrix pattern, which made me wonder if there was a way to get clean, small holes in a piece of acetate such that it could be used as a spray paint stencil. I looked around and came up with this wacky project, which includes the making of the stencil, as well as a wood block print that is made using the backing board used in the creation of the stencil. These are just two types of hand printing, so I don't think it's too much of a stretch.
I get inspiration from really unexpected places sometimes, and I hope that this inspires somebody to get their create on in some way or another. Full step-by-step instructions and lots of images after the jump.
Continue reading "How-to: dot matrix stencil / wood block print" »
The Best and Easiest Grilling Recipe Ever - Santa Maria Tri-Tip
This was originally a post I did for LAist last year, but I thought it appropriate to re-post for summer 2008. Enjoy! ©
Labor Day has come and gone, signaling the "end of summer". But seriously, we're in Los Angeles, so what the fuck does this arbitrary marker have anything to do with altering our almost flawless grilling weather year round? In fact, I would venture to say that it will not even be ideal outdoor entertaining weather for another month or so, and if you are anything like me, you are willing to fire up the grill, drink beer, and talk shit in LA pretty much any night of the year. Maybe you will even take a bong rip, but who am I to judge. As Angelenos, this scenario is our inalienable birthright, and one of the best things about our wonderful city. Which brings me to the recipe at hand. In Santa Maria, California, there is a long tradition of grilling beef topblock over huge open pits of oak. So-called Santa Maria BBQ is certainly the most significant historical use of a grill west of the Mississippi. While not truly barbecue, which is technically a slow cooking method using indirect heat that produces smoke, a true Santa Maria pit is full of dried raw oak and features a grill that lowers and raises above the fire using a system of pullies. Using this system, the meat gets a slightly smoky flavor from the wood, but cooks in a substantially faster time than using indirect heat. By reversing this process, you can reproduce the amazing flavors of true Santa Maria BBQ in your backyard on a much smaller scale, using a 2-3 lb. tri-tip in place of a 20 lb topblock.
Looking to watch your urbane clique revert to their primal roots, forsaking knife, fork, and plate for fingers, bulged eyes, and wide smiles? Want to see your veggie and vegan friends split into groups of people either salivating because they want a taste, or are fully repulsed at such a carnivorous feast? Want to make something awesome, with $20, and at the last minute for a group of 4-5 people? This is your answer. Full step-by-step instructions with photos after the jump.
Continue reading "The Best and Easiest Grilling Recipe Ever - Santa Maria Tri-Tip" »
Wu-Tang spiked bat
A recurring urban combat weapon in Wu-Tang Clan lyrics is the spiked bat. Paired with the fabled bludgeoning power of a normal bat, steel spikes add an additional aspect of lethality that send a clear message - do not fuck with the guy wielding the spiked bat.
The spiked bat has also taken on a secondary meaning as part of a metaphor for hardcore hip-hop among some of my musically inclined friends. So much so, in fact, that it is difficult to hear something like Brooklyn Zoo or Triumph without picturing myself in a goose bomber, lumbering through a cramped hallway or under a bridge, and lugging a spiked bat - a scene reminiscent of many early Wu videos.
My dad returned from a business trip to Louisville with a personalized Louisville Slugger for me. This was a very cool gift that has now taken on another dimension, as the basis for a real Wu-Tang spiked bat.
Gallery with more pictures here.
Enjoy! ©
The evolution of the Studio © graffiti wall
I just uploaded a bunch of photos of the constantly changing graffiti wall in my studio. I am also including work done on the vertical notepad going forward. Here is one of my favorite new additions.
Enjoy! ©
My collection
I have been doing a lot of work lately. Here is a selection of pieces currently in the house.
Enjoy! ©
Porno Faces
My freakishly talented girlfriend has been using really old porno pictures as source material for some killer paintings. Inspired by this idea, I decided to do some close-up portraits based on porn, zooming in on the one body part that doesn't really get as much attention as, well, the other body parts. Galleries are here and here.
Enjoy! ©
Happy Little Mountain
This table was created by my father, and has since become the most loved and destroyed piece of furniture in my home. I have taken this table apart and re-assembled it more times than I care to count. Fred says I can pour gasoline on this table and then dance on it.
I believe him.
Although I have never completed its intended mission, I have painted, stood on, and covered this table with every possible art material known to modern man.
Palleting a roller on this table produced an unintentional Bob Ross-esque "happy little mountain". This is probably the most accurate representative painting I have ever made, and it was totally on accident. More pics here.
Enjoy! ©
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Ultimate Albums: Essential Listening
Squarepusher: Hard Normal Daddy
This record blew my mind the first time I heard it, and continues to kill me with each successive listen. I think this is the most accessible Squarepusher album and highlights the best of his skills, from micro-surgical beat programs to superhuman bass guitar riffs. Squarepusher's ability to make very emotional music with abstract sounds and programming makes him a member of a very select group of modern composers. (*****)Ice Cube: Death Certificate
A lot of heads say that Amerikkka's Most Wanted is Ice Cube's finest moment, but even though that is no doubt a dope record, Death Certificate is Cube's masterpiece. The combination of DJ Pooh's gritty 8-bit samples and Cube's prophetic lyrical stylings paint a poignant picture of early 90s Los Angeles. Ice Cube somehow managed, at this point in his career, to be both informative and funny at the same time - a major feat considering that most of the MCs of the time were going in the direction of either being very serious or totally goofy. This album hits hard from start to finish - the perfect soundtrack to a summer day in LA. (*****)Wu-Tang Clan: Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
No doubt one of the most influential hip-hop albums of all time, 36 Chambers established the Wu-Tang Clan as living legends in the game. Never before had so many talented MCs combined to form one group. More importantly, when a lot of hip-hop was heading in the direction of commercial crossover, the Wu-Tang Clan threw the rule book out the window and created an urban soundscape that pulled no punches. With each new verse on this record, the Wu blasts you with an uncompromising display of rhyme skills. The RZA's production on this record spawned an entire generation of imitators, none of whom has quote been able to capture the magic of his dark, piano soaked beats and visionary use of themes. Even though this album famously launched the careers of solo MCs that have since become household names, 36 Chambers still stands as the Wu's finest complete work. This is one of my top five favorite albums of all time. (*****)Daft Punk: Homework
Daft Punk's debut is probably not for everybody, but after listening to this album and discussing it with other music enthusiasts, I know there are a lot of people who are passionate about Homework. The schizophrenic French electronic duo creates everything from housey dance floor burners to hard, acid-singed techno, and everything in between. Some heads dissed Daft Punk because they had some popular success with the singles on this album, particularly Around The World, but the grooviness and staying power of this album are undeniable. This is another top 5 all-time album. (*****)The Orb: U.F.Orb
The follow-up to the incredible Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld, their first record, this seminal work cemented The Orb's place in the foundation of electronic music. U.F.Orb is characterized by rich, constantly shifting textures and dub reggae rhythms and effects. This is a truly beautiful collection of songs and sounds, as The Orb's keen sense of melody and ability to create a warm sound using electronic sounds shine throughout. I highly recommend getting the version of U.F.Orb with the bonus CD containing remixes of the superlative ambient work Blue Room. (*****)Black Dog: Spanners
I bought this album used from Aron's Records on Highland, listened to it twice, and simply did not get it. I was going through my CDs two years later and was floored. In my opinion, this is the best downtempo album of all time. The intense textures, creative sampling, and deep beats on Spanners make it a phenomenal record. (*****)The Avalanches: Since I Left You
I have recommended this album to everyone I know who is into music. Truly one of the most unique and effective uses of sampling in history, The Avalanches album melds diverse styles of music in a way that no other record has since the Beastie Boys' Paul's Boutique. This is a continuous soundscape with themes that appear out of nowhere and take you to another planet. A classic summer album, Since I Left You washes over you. If I had a pool, I would host a party and put this record on repeat. (*****)GZA: Liquid Swords
Besides being my favorite Wu solo joint, Liquid Swords is one of the top 5 hip-hop records on all-time my list. RZA's dark piano-infested beats marry perfectly with The Genius' cinematic rhyme stylings to create a simply earthshaking record. Swordsmen and Shadowboxin' are my favorite tracks on this ridiculous display of skill - but if you listen to any less than this entire record, you are only cheating yourself. "Do you have the cash? Twenty Thousand Dollars?" (*****)Cassius: 1999
This is unique and wonderful album for a couple of reasons. When 1999 was released, it was accompanied with a ton of hype - and actually lived up to it. Unlike so many other dance albums that have one or two good singles and a bunch of filler songs, the Cassius debut hits hard from start to finish, with some killer downtempo tracks as well as some of the best pop house tracks of its day. This is a house music classic that actually feels like an album. The funky tracks and incredible use of vocals makes for a delicious album with a super-sexy vibe. Throw this on at a local house party or bump it in your whip on a Friday night. (*****)The Beatnuts: Beatnuts
A decade after its release, the first Beatnuts LP holds up as well as any other album out there. Bombastic and often perverse lyrical blasts ride over a brilliant collection of sample-based tracks on Street Level. Humor is another major element of the Beatnuts' swing, and on this album it is meshed perfectly with the group's illustrative dark side. The Beatnuts are at once hilarious and brutal, and the result kills me every time. This album is a Monster. (*****)Beastie Boys: Paul's Boutique
This Dust Brothers treatment of post-Licensed to Ill Beastie Boys was a quantum leap in the use of samples, and the Beasties' best work. Using literally hundreds of samples in ingenius and often hilarious ways, the Dust Brothers schizophrenic and soulful production is a perfect mix with the still goofy and funny Beastie Boys. I couldn't get over this album and listened to it eight hours a day for about 3 months straight in 1998. You can hear this album a thousand times and still find something new that you didn't notice before. Truly amazing work and an all-time Classic. (*****)Sweatloaf
Butthole Surfers: Locust Abortion Technician
In my opinion, one of the best rock albums ever. Achieving the perfect balance of dirt, musicality, and imagery, this album is as disturbing as it is inspiring. This is some seriously fucked up listening material. AllMusic calls this "The aural equivalent of a nightmarish acid trip", which is in this case accurate, but does not speak to the beauty and sheer weight of this superlative recording. This album is superb from start to finish, and Sweatloaf is one of the 10 hardest songs in the history of music. (*****)Madvillain: Madvillainy
Madlib on Beats and MF Doom on the mic. Records like this restore my faith in hip-hop. This has been on repeat for a while now and it is simply a jaw-dropper all the way through. Check out All Caps and Rhinestone Cowboy. This record deserves every bit of critical jocking that it has received since it dropped last year. Not to be slept on. (*****)Prince: Sign o' The Times
Sadly, I never saw Prince and the Revolution during this period. This is Prince at a point where he knows he's the shit, but is then willing to flaunt it in the face of the general public like he still has something to prove. Stunning songwriting throughout, and the execution of the Revolution at their finest. If this album doesn't send you through the range of your emotions and make you come back more, then you had best check your pulse. This is the best double LP in the history of recorded music, and you can take that to the bank. (*****)- Angel of Death
Slayer: Reign In Blood
The definitive speed metal album - pure terror from start to finish. With this album, Slayer brought speed, technical skill and the imagery of death far beyond levels only flirted with by their predecessors. Reign In Blood has spawned generations of bands trying to match its weight, but all have fallen short of the album's realness and power. (*****)
Classics: Old School Techno
Everybody in the Place
Prodigy: Experience
This album had more popular exposure than almost any other techno record out at the time. I saw them at the Palladium (Hollywood) in support of Experience and Moby opened for them. Holds up extremely well more than 10 years later. Lots of incredible songs. A Must Have (*****)Window in the Sky
Acen: 75 Minutes
An odd record because it is basically 4 or 5 tracks remixed several different times. The remixes are so different that it works perfectly. Killer breakbeats and that huge rave sound. The monster rave anthem Close Your Eyes (Optikonfusion Mix) brought the house down in its day with one of the most wicked drops of all time. (*****)Halcyon + on +on...
Orbital: Orbital 2
Like William Orbit, Led Zeppelin, and Seal, Orbital has released multiple self-titled albums. The Brown Album continues the tradition of their previous work, creating beautiful soundscapes with electronic beats. Halcyon and Lush stand out as all-time favorites from this genre. Orbital showcases their versatility on this album - music that is as incredible on huge speakers with thousands of people as it is in your home. (*****)- Hold It Down
2 Bad Mice: Kaotic Chemistry
Some of the sickest, booming breaks ever. This is my favorite full record from this era of electronic music. Hold It Down, Bombscare, and Waremouse are super-sicko sub-shredding bass exercises. A Must Have. (*****) Chime
Orbital: Orbital
The first album from the techno / ambient legends Orbital. Chime is a beautiful example of early soul from techno artists using synths and drum machines. (****)- Acperience
Hardfloor: TB-Resuscitation
This is the definition of the acid sound, constructed mostly with Roland TR-808 and 909 drum machines and the TB-303 bass synth. Hardfloor, the German innovators of the sound, overdrove the wiggly basslines of the 303 and could take the machine from a very minimal, low undertone to a screaming, hi-frequency freakout. This is probably not for everybody, but if you are really into hard technobeats or crazy sounds, this is worth a listen. When I got this it was only on import from Harthouse, but I am sure there has been a re-print at this point. (****) - Dominator
Human Resource: Dominator
One of the more memorable of the 'Belgian Hoover' tracks. Classic James Brown sample. Made dancefloors flip off the chain in the early nineties. (****)
