Entry #625 Friday, November 9, 2007 If you're in Philly tonight, a really cool art opening's gonna be poppin' off around 7PM at the Chapterhouse Cafe (620 s. 9th st. philadelphia). The lineup's super solid and features some of the area's best including Michael Miller, Tim Gough, Becky Schmidt, Gina and Matt, Jude Buffum & Jon Krause. And as an added benefit, Chapterhouse is one of the independent coffee shops who are donating a portion of all beverage sales to Habitat for Humanity, so come out, view some art, drink some java and help build some homes, holmes. And did I mention Spindrift's returning home to the mother land (ie: Delaware) and will be playing Mojo 13 Saturday night? They've been getting some major airplay on Steve Jones' Indie103 show, which is awesome. They definitely deserve it - Kirpatrick's been working hard at it for, what - 15+ years now? Dude's in it for life. Anyway, it's been a hot minute since we've done a Mighty Top Five, due mainly to the fact that I never get around to actually, you know - asking people to do one. But every now and again, someone comes through and just takes the initiative and says "hey, bro - I know you're lazy so look, just run this, slacker." Well, folks, that guy's name is Tim and he's one of my oldest friends. Yes - the same Tim who fronted bands like Swingline, Invasion and the Joy Poppers. So, yeah, my work is done for me - take it away Tim. Tim's Top 5 Fun Things to Say "Uranus".. One from the 8th grade lunch table. If you think it's immature, you try using it in a sentence without smiling. Pick-up line best left unused: "If I were a moon, I'd wanna orbit Uranus." Or to somebody launching sphincter stinkbombs around you, "I think the most gaseous planet is Uranus". Machu Picchu. I've heard 3 year olds say it without any prompting. They might've tried to say something else, but it sure sounded like this ancient Mayan city in Peru. Machu Picchu. It has latent political tendencies. Wear a military uniform, wave a red flag from a stage or balcony in front of a crowd of people and shout, "Machu Pichu!" Shia LaBeouf. Young actor who played the same role in "Transformers" as he did in "Disturbia". I'm probably pronouncing it wrong, so I won't try to rhyme it with anything. But at first glance it sounds like a young girl related to Zsa Zsa Gabore wearing a beret and a pink turtle neck sweater. I may say it wrong, but I could say wrong it for hours and hours. Shitaki! A mushroom that sounds like a Japanese battle cry, only more ridiculous. I could see somebody using it as an expression of disbelief, like"Shazam!", or "Holy Shmokes!" Better yet, I could see a bunch of guys with mushroom cap hats dropping out of the ceiling on ropes shouting it as loud as they can. "Bush is an idiot". Doesn't make up for his undermining of the world's working classes. Doesn't ease the pain of hundreds of thousands around the globe who are victims of his greed-driven militarism. Doesn't excuse him from being a devil's tool. But man, it does help relieve a tiny bit of the stress. Feels good just saying it whenever more bad news resulting from his decisions breaks. Not nearly as good as if he'd never been president, but you gotta take what you can get. Thanks Tim - I'll be sure to strategically drop all five of these in random spurts of conversation over the course of the evening. That's it for me - have a great weekend everyone. Entry #624 Wednesday, November 7, 2007 Well, things are slow here so, until I think of something interesting to type, amuse yourself with this classic Tom Waits interview from the early 90s. And if you haven't checked it out yet, our buddy Royce recently got together with a couple of friends and started a music blog called Girl About Town and it's a pretty good read. Definitely worth checking out. Entry #623 Tuesday, November 6, 2007 I've been working on a new painting - I call it Self Portrait with 2 Hats. As usual, click the image above for the bigger picture. Speaking of art, I keep reading that much-admired-though-extremely-mysterious graffiti artist Banksy was caught in the act on film (well, technically it's a digital photograph but that doesn't sound nearly as cool or suspenseful, does it?). Anyway, I hope it's not true - it'd be like seeing Kiss without their make-up on - and we all know how well THAT went down. And since I've been on such an Ian Svenonius kick lately, here's a cool clip of him reading from the Psychic Soviet in Seattle. Listen and learn my friends Entry #622 Thursday, November 1, 2007 I spent most of the early evening yesterday greeting trick-or-treaters dressed like this, while Roky Erickson's Burn the Flame played in the background, surrounded by 6 or so candle lit jack-o-lanterns and a pair of witches legs stuck in the door. Most kids just looked really confused. Click the thumbnail above for the full view. I recently became addicted to Ian Svenonius' new interview show (Soft Focus) on VBS.TV. So good. The Ian MacKaye episode was a personal favorite. For those unfamiliar, Ian was the frontman for The Make-Up and Nation of Ulysses, among others. I've hung out and chatted with him backstage a couple of times and the guy's always down for some amusing conversation. Anyway, the new season finds Mr. S. traveling abroad to interview some of the UK's most influential musicians, including Shaun Ryder and Bobby Gillespie. I can't wait. For real. Do yourself a favor and check it out here. Entry #621 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 No time to post today - I've got mad bags of candy to pass out to the local ghouls. In the meantime, be on the lookout for Astro Zombies. Consider yourself warned. And for all you "older" punk rockers looking to get down tonight, the reformed Walleye's playing a special horror-filled Halloween night at the Khyber in Philly. And for the more "gothic" element, The Collingswood are doing their annual All Hallows Eve bash at Mojo 13 in DE. Both shows should be a good time. Happy Halloween everyone. Entry #620 Tuesday, October 30, 2007 Well, I rolled outta bed yesterday morning, gave the ole' peepers a good rub, took a look out the bathroom window, then did a quick double take but no, unfortunately, my eyes weren't deceiving me - there it was - another dead possum lying next to the pond. For those with score cards, the backyard body count is now at 5. And for those about to rock, we salute you. Anyway, I recently finished another preview video for one of Please Touch Playhouse's theatre performances. This one was for a play entitled Gram Adel. You can check out the clip here. And just a quick update on the Frightland situation (see entry 616): Jen got pissed, then got active, writing a letter of complaint to Frightland's owners as well as their sponsors. After receiving two rather rude responses from certain to-remain-nameless-sponsors (and nothing but silence from the folks in charge), the head office of 7-11 in Dallas called, heard the story and were outraged. Apparently they contacted the owners and threatened to pull all ticket sales and advertising from their stores if the racist execution scene wasn't changed, which must have shaken things up over there because she was assured that it would be. Way to go Jen - I'm sure Public Enemy would be proud. And big up's to 7-11 for taking a stand and making a difference. Entry #619 Monday, October 29, 2007 The first thing that hits me as I walk into the Hammerstein Ballroom is the overwhelming smell of Red Bull. I mean, it was like getting smacked in the face with a pillow full of Kool Aid. What's up Manhattan? I thought the whole RB & V thing was over. Anyway, Morrissey and the band take the stage, and four bars into the first tune a fight breaks out between the two urban cowboys to my right, presumably over who loves Morrissey more. The band seem to be really gelling lately, much more so than in Atlantic City a few months back - Morrissey even dusted off some of his old tambourine moves during The Loop, bringing back some of that old '91 tour energy. The set list was amazing, filled with gems like Death of a Disco Dancer during which Moz tinkled the ivorys in the outro, just like he did on the record. I don't know - may have been the best show I've seen him do. I also realized that the first time I saw Morrissey live was 16 years ago, which made my imaginary arthritis flare up. Here's what the NME had to say about the gig. Anyway, the train ride home became over run with mobs of Bon Jovi fans, including one guy who sat behind me who was bleeding from the bridge of his nose and had a hard time putting sentences together. My diagnosis was acute trauma from random head butt during havy metal headbanging. For those who are interested, here's the set list: Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before Billy Budd All You Need Is Me Irish Blood, English Heart Shoplifters Of The World Unite Ganglord That's How People Grow Up Tomorrow I Just Want To See The Boy Happy Death Of A Disco Dancer The Loop Jack The Ripper The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself? Sister, I'm A Poet One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris Stretch Out And Wait Life Is A Pigsty How Soon Is Now? First Of The Gang To Die Entry #618 Friday, October 26, 2007 Well boys and girls, it looks like tomorrow's Wilmington Skate Project's Spare Change Skate Jam will most likely be postponed due to this blanket of rain that's been covering the mid-Atlantic area for the past three days. Feels kind of nice though - cooler air and a light drizzle makes me want to curl up on the sofa with a blanket and a bar of chocolate and watch bad 80's movies. Anyway, the skate jam will most likely be rescheduled to next Saturday, Nov. 3 so stay tuned for more info. In the meantime, check out this recently unearthed footage of Gonz, D. Way and J. Lee in Europe filming for Video Days. Apparently it will be included (with other never before seen footy) on The Man Who Souled The World DVD, which is going to be sick! And don't forget, those of you in the vicinity of Northern Delaware, Agent Orange plays Mojo13 this Sunday night. Bloodstains, speed kills, fast cars, cheap thrills. Check out the flier I did for the gig here. Anyway, I'm off to see Morrissey again, this time at the Hammerstein Ballroom in lovely Manhattan. Hopefully he'll play this little ditty. That's it for me - have a great weekend everyone. Entry #617 Thursday, October 25, 2007 Well, after two pretty longwinded posts, we're keeping in short and sweet today. This new Wristcutters film looks pretty interesting. And I'm always up to check out anything with Tom Waits in it. And it's good to see that little dude from Almost Famous making another flick instead of popping into rehab like so many other child stars. It's all happening.... And here's a nice little animated rant (interview) from design guru Paul Rand. He's a legend, you know. Entry #616 Wednesday, October 24, 2007 Random Notes From the Weekend Part 2 We went to Frightland over the weekend - you know,that haunted house complex off Rt 13 in Middletown, DE that has the huge corn silo skull - and had an absolute miserable time. Worst haunted house ever and I've been to most of them in the tri-state area. Forget, for a second, that one of our crew is a complete scaredy cat who can't even read the word "boo" without screaming and is too afraid to walk down the horror isle at the local Blockbuster, didn't even eek out as much as a whimper of terror the whole night. And forget the fact that we walked through a whole haunted cornfield only to be greeted by two "ghouls" who jumped out on Laz and screamed "Scared yet?" to which he deadpanned "Somewhat?". We waited in line for 3+ hours to have to sit and watch a fake electric chair execution of a man in Muslim garb ignorantly named Mohammed Mohammed Mohammed who was under arrest for stealing candy from children. Can you get more racist than that? I mean, why not seal the deal and put a slurpee machine in his hand. Forget what the media or your country or your neighbors are telling you - not all Musilms are terrorists. Please remember, employees of Frightland, that when you promote such racism, you're only reinforcing the stereo-type that people below the canal in lower "slower" Delaware are nothing but ignorant, white trash rednecks - which we both know isn't true. Prejudice is a vicious cycle and you have a chance to make a stand - please man-up and rethink that scene. You've got a lot of impressionable kids running through your turnstiles, throwing down their hard earned dollars, who deserve better than what you're giving them. Entry #615 Tuesday, October 23, 2007 It's been a hot minute since my last post (sorry, but I've been on the move.) Here's Random Notes From the Weekend Part 1 1) Sean Penn really hits the mark with Into the Wild - just an all around powerful and moving film. (note - If you don't know the ending - stop reading and skip down to number 2) First off, the cinematography was stunning, breathtaking landscapes and National Geographic-esque footage. The story was told with proper respect given to both sides and Emile Hirsch really threw down in the lead role - I mean, those last scenes when he's practically skin and bones are tough to watch. And the Eddie Vedder music really added another emotive level to the overall picture. The death scene, though, is genius and will no doubt be discussed for years to come in university film classes - it's extremely moving and will stay with you long after you leave the darken confines of whatever multiplex you see it in. I must say, though, I think his downfall wasn't his bravery - it was his naivety coupled with a lack of respect and understanding of the power of nature. He was a victim of his anger, which got the better of his overall judgment. So tragic. And I know a lot of people will say "But wait, man, he lived more in 24 months than most people live in lifetime" but, personally, I don't buy it. A life is lived on many different levels and when you're flying solo, it's like listening to music in mono. 2) Saw Billy Bragg in Collingwood, NJ, (of all places) at the Scottish Rite Auditorium, which houses a beautiful, vaudeville era hall with stained glass ceilings and mohair seats. A nice vibe, great acoustics and not a bad seat in the house. Mr Bragg was spot on, mixing his usual amusing stories and antidotes with tracks from his upcoming album as well as a few updated classics. And hey, the guy was onstage before hand setting up his own gear so you know his ego's in check. Just him and his guitar. Sexuality. The Great Leap Forward. Greetings to the New Brunette. For those who missed it, here's a clip of his cover of Dylan's Don't Think Twice, It's Alright. 3) Apparently, the only existing live recording of Woody Guthrie was discovered about five years ago, and was so old (1949) that it was recorded on two long pieces of wire instead of magnetic tape. Well, after five years of research and trying to create the correct technology to access the recording, Nora Guthrie recently released the performance on CD earlier this year, entitled LiveWire. Yes, these are the kinds of things you learn at a Billy Bragg gig, which is pretty rad. Entry #614 Thursday, October 18, 2007 The White Stripes now have their own signature Lomo-cameras and, well....I just don't get it. Kinda lame if you ask me but then again I'm probably just jealous. Anyway, here's a classic Rollins Band clip - still one of the best shows I've ever seen. Totally intense. Entry #613 Wednesday, October 17, 2007 Our good friends The Sky Drops are back with a new video out for Hang On which, personally, is my favorite song of theirs. Word on the street is the dynamic duos been back at the bat cave layin' down tracks for their debut long player. Check the new video out here and catch the band live as they tour the dirrrty south. Well, I finally watched the Jason Jessee film and, while it's definitely insightful and entertaining, it's also a little sad. The guy's obviously got some delusions and an unhealthy dose of paranoia but everyone around him is just like "whatever, it's funny." Parts of it were a little hard to watch especially after checking out his fam life growing up, you can easily see where a lot of his issues come from. Anyway, it's still a good watch. And I really liked some of the metal sculptures he's been working on - very nice. Entry #612 Monday, October 15, 2007 We hit the beach for a few days for the ol' 365 - here are a few random notes: 1) Finally saw La Vie En Rose and it was stellar. Seriously epic and powerful - just drew me in the whole time, even with subtitles, which is rare for me. And Marion Cotillard deserves an Oscar for her portrayal of Edith Piaf. Made me want to seriously think about visiting Paris. 2) Daptone Records is bringing the funk back with a vengeance. I picked up the new Sharon Jones disc, which in itself is awesome but it was the bonus mix disc of Blinky Griptite's Ghetto Funk Power Hour that really got the party started. Seriously - it might be totally retro and all that but, bro - they do it to it and keep it right and tight. My feet couldn't stop movin. I may be dippin' into the savings to pick up their back catalog with a quickness. 3) I've been drinking so much java lately I can't pee without smelling like a large coffee. Seriously, I think my urine could keep the average person awake for a week it's so caffeinated. Might have to hit cold turkey this week and stick to the green machine. Quote of the day: I've never seen a holy war waged in the name of Satan! Glenn Danzig in a recent Spin Magazine interview Entry #611 Monday, October 8, 2007 Agent Orange is coming to Mojo13, Sunday October 28th, and I was honored to get the opportunity to design the gig poster. As a dirty young skate rat, AO were a huge favorite and I still consider Living in Darkness to be pretty classic disc. In the early nineties, Nero (then unfortunately known as the Obese Pharaohs of Funk) even went so far as to record a version of The Last Goodbye for Switch Skate Shop's Switchstance compilation (which, I'm sad to say, I don't own a copy of anymore - if anyone out there has it, please let me know and I'll post it online.) Anyway, yeah, I'm looking forward to the gig and hope to see you all there. Click the above thumbnail for the larger poster. And, yes, I did do the illustration for it. No clip art here bro. And speaking of old school skate action, this kid just recreated Guy Mariano's classic part from Girl's '97 vid, Mouse, on the new EA Skate game. If you've never seen it, here's the original part for comparison. Pretty impressive, but it did leave me thinking, "damn, dude needs to get out more." Entry #610 Wednesday, October 3, 2007 Addendum to Random notes from a top secret, covert and on the DL weekend in NYC:(see Monday's post) 5) Going to the bar at the Chelsea Hotel for a drink might sound like a good idea - I mean, who wouldn't want to soak up some of that legendary bohemian Warhol/Sid Vicious/rock-n-roll vibe, right? Well, sorry to disappoint you but they've turned it into a cheesy, velvet rope guarded dance music spot complete with bad DJ's and zero ambiance. Majorly disappointing. Anyway, I recently finished an illustration for a mural at Please Touch Museum's new space at the International Terminal of the Philadelphia Airport. Be sure to check it out next time you jet set overseas bro. For the rest of us, just click here for a bigger picture. And for all of you out there who've been wondering what D$'s been up too - he's returning to the live arena with a brand new band called The Standard Model, who will be playing their debut gig this Saturday night at Crash Mansion in NYC. So get off the couch and check them out. Entry #609 Tuesday, October 2, 2007 Well, once again Jen picks up the slack and drops two new blog post - click here for the Freemont troll and here for a story about some really tall trees. Both were editors picks over at Real Travel so, you know, I guess you can call them critically acclaimed. And to catch up on some of her past posts, click here with a quickness. Anyway, Radiohead once again proves why they're the coolest band on the planet by releasing their long awaited new album a few months early and letting fans pay what they think it's worth. Apparently, when you order In Rainbows off their site, the price field is blank and you just fill in what you want to pay. Insane for sure but hey - they're without a record label so they can do what they please. You gotta respect that. And I know I owe a lot of you out there emails and I'm doing my best to catch up. Apologies for the delay. Look for your inbox to be blowin' up soon (metaphorically, of course). Entry #608 Monday, October 1, 2007 Random notes from a top secret, covert and on the DL weekend in NYC: 1) Rocco's in the Village makes some of the best desserts on the planet. and homeboy, the coffee is just as nice. Good luck trying to pick just one. 2) The NYC flea markets, much like NYC rents, are extremely overpriced. For once, you're better off on ebay. 3) The 2007 NY Art Book Fair was great and filled with all tons of well done indie zines and books and random artiness. Well worth checking out next year but, again, like Rocco's - good luck trying to decide what to buy 'cause there's a lot to choose from. And big ups to the folks behind The Journal, who were extremely pleasant and friendly. 4) All those road hours must be paying off for the Sky Drops because they sound tighter and tighter every time I see them. Migrate south for the winter and catch them live as they tour the southlands this November. And speaking of NYC, Nick P. rolled through town today, stopping in to grab a bite to eat on his way to his new home in the beautiful borough of Queens. That's right, the rocketman himself has left chocolate city for the bright lights of the Big Apple. Can the 5 nights, 5 boroughs Karaoke tour be back in effect this fall? Entry #607 Thursday, September 27, 2007 Epic'y Later'd comes through with another tight episode, this one featuring footage from the Emerica Wild Ride tour. Attention all you sweet tooth tigers, chocolate vampires and general sugar addicts, the nice folks over at Kinetic skate shop are hosting a bake sale this Saturday to help raise money for the Wilmington Skate Project. The feast runs from 1 to 5 so bring your appetite and dig deep for some sweets. Remember, the more goodies you can shove into your pie hole, the closer we get to laying down some concrete. And if any of you bakers out there would like to donate some goodies for the cause, please let us know. We need all the food we can get. Click here for the flyer. Entry #606 Wednesday, September 26, 2007 Attention all you sweet tooth tigers, chocolate vampires and general sugar addicts, the nice folks over at Kinetic skate shop are hosting a bake sale this Saturday to help raise money for the Wilmington Skate Project. The feast runs from 1 to 5 so bring your appetite and dig deep for some sweets. Remember, the more goodies you can shove into your pie hole, the closer we get to laying down some concrete. And if any of you bakers out there would like to donate some goodies for the cause, please let us know. We need all the food we can get. Click here for the flyer. And speaking of skateboarding, this trailer for the new Skate game is pretty hot. I'm not usually one to go gaga over video games or anything but I'm looking forward to checking this one out for sure. Entry #605 Tuesday, September 25, 2007 Well, while I've been slacking of and skipping posts, Jen's been on roll lately over on her Real Travel blog, dropping not one, not two, but three new stories from her recent travels. Click here for Mount Rainier, here for Palm Springs and here for Albuquerque. Good reads for sure. And if you get a chance, leave her some feedback. Unlike me, she loves to know what you think. And speaking of reading, here's a public service announcement from the dark lord himself, Glenn Danzig, on some of his favorite page turners. Damn, bro, does homeboy ever wear a shirt? And while we're at it, this one's for you Metal James. Crank it loud, punch some air and, I don't know, sacrifice a baby goat or something. Entry #604 Wednesday, September 19, 2007 You know, I never really cared much for The Eagles (the band, bro - not the sports team. I mean, I don't wanna get lynched next time I'm strolling through South Philly or anything). I always thought they were extremely overrated, watered down and dull. Well, I just found out that their new studio album (their first since the 70's) will be sold only in Walmart stores so whatever little respect I did have for 'em just went down the toilet. Way to support the little man, boys. Anyway, we watched Dark Days the other night, which is a pretty rad documentary about (and filmed by) a group of people living underground in an abandoned section of the NYC subway. Pretty intense, for sure. I mean, some of these people lived beneath the streets for 8+ years, tapping into the grid for power while scrounging above for food and water. And how a guy with no money, no camera and no film experience went on to create a Sundance award winning doc is beyond me, but props to Marc Singer for going the distance. If you've never seen it, it's well worth checking out. And the bonus documentary about the documentary is almost as good as the film. On the other hand, though, we also rented The Year of the Dog, which was just awful. Seriously - it did nothing for me. Entry #603 Tuesday, September 18, 2007 Well, I know a lot of you have been thinking "damn, Castro's been sleepin' on his updates lately" and all I can say is life's been hectic with lots of projects in the works but, hey - life moves on right. Look for posts to be sporadic from here on in, bro, as we're trying to walk the walk rather than talk the talk. Quality, not quantity as always. Anyway, last week was Create-A-Thon, that yearly benefit where a group of New Jersey and Philly based graphic designers donate a straight 24 hour block of time to create marketing materials for deserving non-profit organizations. This time out, I pulled Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia, who recently worked out a deal with a group of Philly independent fair trade coffee houses (including one of my personal favorites, Mug Shots, (happen who make a great vegan whoopie pie, by the way)) where every time you buy a cup of java, proceeds go to build someone a home. And best of all, Habitat's been going Green, which is an added plus. Anyone who knows me will tell you this is right up my alley. So please make sure you get your caffeine fix from participating shops this fall. Click here to peep the poster, one of seven pieces I designed for the campaign. And yes, the little house is made out of coffee beans. What a nice smell to come home to, 'eh! Entry #602 Friday, September 14, 2007 This world is full of people who Spend their lives in shoppin' malls Let's go drinkin' on Highway 9 We'll get smashed and have a wild time This world is full of people who Think a lot about bowlin' balls No one will ever fall in love with a Nitro burnin' funny car No one will ever have lunch with a Nitro burnin' funny car The Situation should have covered a Dead Milkmen tune - it could've been classic. Entry #601 Wednesday, September 12, 2007 When I was, I don't know...a junior in high school maybe, I had a friend named Skip who was obsessed with the film Get Crazy and we spent the summer stuffing our faces with junk food, drinking Mountain Dew and just watching it over and over. If you've never seen it, it's kind of like Rock-n-Roll High School on steroids - totally over the top, offensive to all and funny as hell. Well, at least it was when you're 16. Anyway, the highlight had to be Lee Ving of Fear's cameo as Piggy, the ultimate punk rock animal. Unfortunately, no one's had the guts or brains to release it on DVD so it's kind of hard to catch but luckily I found this clip of Piggy's cover version of Hoochie Coochie Man. Enjoy it my friends. Good times, good times. Entry #600 Tuesday, September 11, 2007 We had some sort of Mocha flourless chocolate cake bomb from that much hyped Naked Chocolate place in Philly the other day and holy cocoa leaf Batman, that thing was no joke! Maybe 4 inches round and weighing 2 pounds, it was rich like Rockafeller. Damn good. The kind of chocolate you'd trade your big toe for. Seriously - in my top five for best dessert ever. Anyway, Slap's got a great interview with pro-skater-turned-artist Jason Jesse. Dude's a little on the abstract side for sure. Still haven't seen Pray For Me yet but hope to get the DVD soon. Entry #599 Monday, September 10, 2007 Saw Rob Zombie's Halloween the other night and, yeah, it's pretty bad. Worse than I expected, actually. I'm starting to think that music videos have really ruined a lot of the newer directors. I mean, the cinematography kind of reminded me of an old Tool video, or Nine Inch Nails or something. So many of these films look great but it's all style, no substance. Should've known right? Anyway, every once in a while random people will ask what I've been listening to and honestly, lately, I've been going back to the classics. Eddie Cochran and the Stax box set have both been on heavy rotation as well as the random Tom Waits album. And speaking of music - Morrissey the musical? From the writers of Balls of Fury no less? Please tell me it's a lie 'cause that joke definitely isn't funny anymore. Entry #598 Wednesday, September 5, 2007 Sometimes it's best to just keep things simple and drop a dope clip of some classic Fugazi, live in DC. Enjoy. Entry #597 Tuesday, September 4, 2007 Driving to the beach late Friday night, we saw a meteor blaze across the sky in a two second ball of flame, extinguishing almost as quickly as it appeared. In my mind I just kept hearing that Billy Bragg song, A New England: I saw two shooting stars last night I wished on them but they were only satellites Is it wrong to wish on space hardware? I wish, I wish, I wish you'd care Definitely one of the coolest things I've seen in a while. Anywy, did you know Kevin Costner's from Compton? No joke son - Cos' roamed the same hood as Easy, Cube and Dre. Original Gangsta for sure. I mean, he was in The Untouchables and everything. And for those in the 302 area this weekend, you're invited to help the Wilmington Grand Prix enter the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest bike parade this Saturday, September 8th. The Wilmington Skate Project is working to amass a large group of supporter because, if the WSP is the non-profit with the largest turnout, they'll receive $5000 to help build the Wilm. Skate Plaza. The entrance fee is $5 and the ride starts at 11:00 AM which means you can even sleep in a bit. So grab your bike (and your helmet) and help make the skate plaza a reality. Click here for more information and to register. Entry #596 Friday, August 31, 2007 I just finished this illustration for Please Touch Museum's 2007 Halloween events - click the thumbnail for the bigger picture. You know, every once in a while you see something an artist does that makes you go "damn, now why didn't I think of that. ." Anyway, this guy just created a large Ray Charles mural entirely out of post it notes. Looks pretty good, I think. Not as good as Mike Sanchez's Sammy Davis Junior Mints, though. That's just classic. Saw Blades of Glory last night and, yeah, it was pretty spotty. Will Ferrell came through with some classics but, overall, it's pretty flat. I just don't get all the hype around Jon Heder. Personally I thought Napoleon Dynamite (like Borat) was hugely overrated. Epic'ly Later'd comes through with yet another great episode, this one on the legendary Pat Duffy. The guy definitely helped push skateboarding into the insane level it's at now. If you don't know, now you know. Anyway, yeah, um....this week kind of got away on us didn't it? What can you do, that's life bro. The next should be better for sure. Enjoy the three day weekend everyone. Entry #595 Wednesday, August 29, 2007 I watched a bird yesterday land in our pond and die hours later, bringing the backyard body count up to four now (for any of you keeping track on the info superhighway.) It's practically a pet cemetery back there. This guy recently built a large boat out of paper, full on origami style and set sail across the water. Seriously, I don't know what else to say about that but I am impressed. And this is for sure one of the best signs I've seen in a long time. Whatever street artist thought that up is genius. Entry #594 Wednesday, August 22, 2007 Apparently this guy from Brasil is in the Guinness Book of World Records for being able to pop his eyeballs from his head the farthest. Tell 'em, Large Marge sent ya. Anyway, I spent the past 24 hours driving to and from the Catskills to a small town that consisted of little more than a diner and a grave yard. Saw both. And even though the circumstances were less than ideal, it was still nice to get out of town and breath a little mountain air. Entry #593 Tuesday, August 21, 2007 Random Notes from the weekend: 1) Whitewater rafting is the business and serious fun for sure. Can't wait to go again, hopefully nocturnal next time. 2) Bamboo roots are super tough and cut about as easy as bone. Digging up a bamboo plant is about as much fun as trying to remove your own tonsils. And the tip of the roots are sharp like arrow heads and break through concrete like it was pudding. Seriously, bamboo can't be contained. And yes, Castro's getting a green thumb. 3) And if you are going to spend 7 hours trying to hack out a large patch of bamboo, don't spend the night before with good friends and a couple bottles of Vino. Instead, spend it drinking milk or eating power bars or something. But if you do it anyway, and the waitress offers the whole table a free shot of Sambuca because, after ease dropping into your conversation most of the night, she really enjoys all the various rants and soap box chants about life and whatnot spewing from everyone's wine stained gums, just pass on it. That stuff is nasty. 4) Chris Haslam's skating is on a whole other level, just totally insane. And his new United By Fate part is killer. Entry #592 Friday, August 17, 2007 I saw an alarm clock on TV today that, when it goes off, it releases a small helicopter that flys around your room and that annoying buzzing sound from the alarm won't cease until you capture the chopper and return it to it's home base. Kind of sounds like a Rambo movie, doesn't it? I'd give it three days before that whole unit'd be smashed against the pavement outside my bedroom window. Anyway, if you've been reading this site for a while, then you've probably heard mention of a mysterious man who travels under the moniker of D$ and seems to be front and center at every cool Brit-rock-pop show happening in the Philly/NYC area. Over the years I've known Mr. $, he's always shown a knack for tracking down his favorite musicians for a quick chat, a brew and maybe a photo. The guy's pretty dedicated when it comes to music and you may have seen him over the years sitting behind the drum kit, either keeping time with Areovox or maybe Starter Culture. Well, his week's Mighty Top Five is all about the music, so may I present to you: D$'s Top Five Moments With Some of His Favorite Musicians 5. Rose Dougall of The Pipettes - Luna Lounge Every fan of The Pipettes has a favorite and mine happens to be Rosay, the raven haired siren usually found on stage right during performances. After witnessing their first show in America, I managed to catch up with her to chat a bit; give her a hug and kiss and wished her best of luck in the States. 4. Tom Smith and Russell Leetch of Editors - Rothko Had just heard of Editors when two club shows in the NYC area were announced. I was lucky to get last minute tickets and headed up not knowing what to expect . The band came on, rocked eight songs off their debut along with a b-side and left the stage to a well receptive crowd. We hung around a bit afterwards for a drink and to gain some perspective on what we just saw when we happened to run into two members of the band relaxing at the bar. Very cordial guys and in good spirits as you can see by the photo. 3. David Ford - World Café Live David's set opening for Richard Ashcroft at Webster Hall blew me away so upon returning home I immediately purchased a ticket for his show a few nights later opening for K.T. Tunstall. After his set, I skipped out on K.T. and ended up bumping into him in the WCL lobby. Super nice guy ; he offered me a free copy of his debut album I Sincerely Apologize for all the Trouble I've Caused which was one of my favorite albums from 2006. 2. Starsailor - Full Band - Irving Plaza After an emotionally charged performance in NYC, I met up with them following the show at a bar around the corner for Coronas and smack talking on some of the U.K.'s biggest and brightest stars. During the course of the next hour or so we discussed topics including Tom Chaplin from Keane's rehab stint, will the Stone Roses ever reunite and how bad the Arctic Monkeys suck. 1. The Charlatans - Full Band - Theatre of Living Arts The crowd may have been sparse at the TLA that night but the Charlies were on fire delivering a 20 plus song set of old favorites as well as tracks from their newest album Simpatico. A bunch of us headed to the Irish bar next door for some drinks and were soon in the company of all five members who for almost two hours were very gracious to all their fans that stuck around signing autographs and snapping pictures. I immediately bonded with drummer Jon Brookes and even admitting to pinching his drumbeat from the song Then for an Aerovox song that never saw the light of day. To this day I still can't believe I got to hang out with one of my favorite bands ever! Thanks D$! Like Neil Young always says - "Keep on Rockin' in the Free World" Well, that's all I got - have a great weekend everyone. Entry #591 Thursday, August 16, 2007 Thor sent over a link to this excellent UK-made doc called The Origins of Hip Hop. It's got tons of classic break, graf and rap clips as well as interviews with all the heavys (Kool Herc, Bambatta, Flash, Fab 5, etc.) . But be warned, though, it's 2 1/2 hours long so pack a snack B-boys and girls. And speaking of TV, Ryan Sheckler's become the latest pro skater to get on MTV and, after watching this preview, I think they just sounded the death toll for skate culture. Sheckler's becoming to skateboarding what the Eagles were to rock-n-roll - safe, clean cut, boring and predictable. I mean, to each his own and everybody has to take their own path or whatever but, personally, I think his looks absolutely horrible and I'm glad I cancelled our cable. Entry #590 Wednesday, August 15, 2007 Chris Pastras and the boys at the Stereo Sound Agency have posted a new sneak peek at their Journey Through Sound video and, judging by what they have online, the full video's gonna rip. No word yet whether J. Lee will have a part but either way, the sound track sure to be groovy. Don't sleep on Stereo homeboy. Well, my man Fat Marc recently returned from a three week bike trek through the great Northwest, helping to spread the word about The Conservation Alliance. Judging from his recent blog posts, it sounds like the trip was insane. Hell, my legs started to hurt just reading the damn thing but all I could think was, "Damn, with that much time logged in on that bike seat, homecan's sperm count must be, like, 2." Not that it matters to me or anything. Anyway, you can check it out for yourself here. And don't forget - tomorrow marks the 30th anniversary of the death of Elvis and so grease up that hair and rock some rhinestone covered jump suits in honor of the King tomorrow. Personally, I wish I was joining these folks down in Memphis - with that many Elvis nuts down there it's gonna be a party for sure. Entry #589 Monday, August 13, 2007 First things first - Letters from Linda #31 is up so get reading. Ok, finished? Good. Then let's move on, shall we... Well, when not editing his first feature length film or recording another The Way It Is album, hard working Michael Sanchez has been busy making waves in the Chi-town comedy scene - check out this clip from his recent set at The Underground Comedy Show. Damn Mikey, why were you never that funny when we used to ride the DART bus together? Entry #588 Friday, August 10, 2007 Went to the Phillies game last night but, unfortunately, they lost. I blame myself. I mean, I wasn't cheering loud enough, that's for sure. I think I was just distracted by all the french fries and ice cream cones. Ok, let's be honest - I'm not the hugest baseball fan but I still like to hit a live game once a year or so. But you know what, I never understood when people talk about their teams and say "Yeah bro, we won last night." or "Yeah, we tried hard but couldn't put it together in the fourth quarter." I'm sorry, were you on the field or something homeboy? Waterboy at least? I mean, I don't go to see Morrissey and say "Yeah, we really rocked last night", know what I mean? Anyway, it's Friday so the Mighty Top Five is definitely on for sure. This week, we're bringing back the Thomahawk, aka Mr. Jean Coureaux, and one half of the Apes in the Aviary music project. Word on the street is that my man's taking the fam and checking out of the system, Walden style, to live the simple life and start a farm, which is pretty rad. So, on that note, here's Thom. Thom's Top 5 Favorite Early 1980s Movies About New York 1980: Blank Generation (Ulli Lommel) - There's a story here somewhere, but it's obscured by a needle-full of New York punk nihilism, still simmering from the cooking spoon. There's over an hour of Richard Hell not giving a shit before Andy Warhol's cameo. 1981: Downtown '81 (Edo Bertoglio) - Trade in your copy of Julian Schnabel's "Basquiat" for the real thing--Jean-Michel wandering around Manhattan, just trying to get by. 1982: Smithereens (Susan Seidelman) - If after watching Blank Generation you're in the mood to watch Richard Hell not give a shit for the length of another movie, this feature has nothing whatsoever to do with the band "The Smithereens." 1983: Wild Style (Charlie Ahearn) - Real life writer Lee Quinones plays Zoro, who is torn between his love for the art form and the opportunity to parlay his pieces into a career, at the expense of his street cred--an ageless ethical dilemma set to music by Grandmaster Flash, Grand Wizard Theodore, Busy Bee, and the Cold Crush Brothers. "You can't beat that with a stickball bat." 1984: Beat Street (Stan Lathan) - This movie often gets a bad "rap" as a Hollywood version of Wild Style, but it has all three necessary elements of a great story. Plot, setting, and character? No. Breakdancing, graffiti, and DJs. Featuring Melle Mel, Doug E Fresh, Kool Moe Dee, Jazzy Jeff, Kool Herc, and Rocky Steady Crew vs. New York City Breakers at the Roxy (none of that lame L.A. Breakin' shit). Thanks Thom, and best of luck with the big move. Well, that's it for me. Have a great weekend everyone. Oh wait - I just got an email that former Factory Records head and Manchester music icon Tony Wilson passed away. Damn. I mean, Joy Division, New Order, Happy Mondays, Madchester - the guy had a hand in all of it. If you've never seen 24 Hour Party People, then do yourself a favor and rent it. This is a loss for sure. Rest in peace, Tony Wilson. Entry #587 Thursday, August 9, 2007 I got the new issue of Graphic Design USA in the mail and was happy to see two pieces I worked included in their Inhouse Design Annual. Thanks for the props GSUSA. We picked up some kind of crazy aromatherapy soap yesterday that's supposed to relieve stress while boosting creativity. Anyway, I used some this morning but, honestly, it didn't help with this post 'cause it's stinkin' like week old gym socks and trying to type something up is stressing me out like for real. Maybe I'm using it wrong? Well, when all else fails, just show the Hillbilly Bungee Jump. Totally insane. Entry #586 Tuesday, August 7, 2007 Beware, kids, of the magic pencil. Especially when in the hand of a Jackass. Very clever. Entry #585 Monday, August 6, 2007 The latest issue of Tric recently hit newsstands and, once again, it features a collage by yours truly. Which one? Well, you'll just have to pick up a copy for yourself to find out (or, if you truly are lazy or landlocked, you can cheat and view it out online) And Out and About finally published their story on the Wilmington Skate Project in their August issue. I say finally because I was interviewed for this sometime back in January so it's been 7 months in the making. These stories don't write themselves bro. Anyway, that also means that some of the information is slightly dated, as you might suspect. Overall, a good article, though. Entry #584 Friday, August 3, 2007 Arabella (from Elephant Stone) recently started a weekly ritual where every Monday she posts three different pieces of artwork (sketches, old drawings, studies, etc.) online and sells them on a first come, first served basis for one crisp Washington. That's right bro - one dollar. 100 cents. 4 quarters - whatever, it sounds good to me. Anyway, I just purchased this drawing last week and am pretty stoked on it. So check it this Monday morning and get yourself some art while supplies last. You know, I've got mad respect for artists who create just for the love of their medium, who are uncomprimised, who work their ass off trying to get sh*t done, who aren't just sitting around, complaining about how they can't get things going, etc. and who, most importantly, don't just do it for the money. I've always loved the whole DIY mentality and work ethic. Anyway, this weekend, filmmaker and Collingswood frontman (and Freakshow! alumni) Chris Malinowski is getting ready, after years of work and a lot of creative fundraising, to finally premier his newest short film, Alms You Say, which he insisted on shooting on film, regardless of cost. So, this week's Mighty Top Five comes from the man of the hour himself, Mr. Chris Malinowski. Chris Malinowski's Top 9 Smart Things to Keep in Mind While Shooting a Low-Budget Picture 1. Shoot ON FILM. Avoid Video or Hi-Def. Take your vision seriously. 2. Have your post-production chain-of-work organized before you shoot. Hire a film lab, an editor, a negative cutter, a sound editor, and a post-sound mixer before production begins. 3. Make good friends with your film lab. Be nice, when addressing a processing issue, and they will deliver with respect. 4. Storyboard every shot, including shots involving simple coverage. Have the film edited on paper before production begins. It can always change in the editing suite if new fire blooms while sorting through raw takes. 5. Make sure that your camera house takes you seriously. Some camera house employees may be disgruntled filmmakers with no money well out to give you a hard time for not being with a "legitimate"/industry-oriented team (or because you're doing something they wish they were doing). It's always wise to have a cinematographer with a bad temper with you when dealing with certain smartasses handing over camera bodies and magazines, as some need a hearty tongue-lashing. 6. No matter who tells you not to, acquire five or six credit cards before production begins. This is an amazing safety net. If you are not willing to go into debt at least somewhat, don't make a film. No one can ever take your film away from you. Make the film your top priority no matter what the cost... money, friends, family... it has to mean THAT MUCH to you, honestly. 7. If you can't hire a professional crew, work with folks who have gone to film school (and done well) and who deeply understand and care about your process. Feed all of them really well, and drink with them at night. 8. If someone offers you money for your production, take it. Don't feel badly. 9. Write a script for which you have an undying passion or you will lose interest during the shooting process. Never lend a care to eventual audience response. Make only what you wish to see and hear. Thanks Chris. Hats off to you brother. And for those of you interested in attending the premier shindig, it takes place this Saturday night, August 4, at 7:00 PM at the John Clayton Hall of the University of Delaware. For more information as well as directions, click here. And for those of you in the First State vicinity tonight, the Wilmington Skate Project's having a benefit art reception and auction tonight at the Louis L. Redding City/County Building (800 N. French Street, Wilm, DE) from 6-9 PM. Exclusive, one-of-a-kind art will be auctioned off, free wine will flow and a DJ will keep the vibe flowing. Stop by and support the cause. For more info, click here. Well, that's it for me - have a great weekend everyone. Entry #583 Tuesday, July 31, 2007 You know, I've heard theories that God is a woman, but this Satan being a lesbian thing is totally foreign to me, bro. I guess I need to read more. Anyway, I was listening to a little GIl Scott-Heron yesterday, and there's a track on the Winter in America album called The H2O-Gate Blues which, although it was written sometime in the seventies, could easily be applied to today's political climate. It's like the names have changed but the BS stinks the same, know what I mean? And the music scene badly needs another Gil Scott-Heron, Bob Marley or Joe Strummer to tell it like it is and light a fire up under America's bloated posterior. Where's the voice of the younger generation? Entry #582 Friday, July 27, 2007 Since most of the talk around the virtual water cooler this week seemed to be about Morrissey's recent tour, we decided to do it up old school and resurrect the Mighty Top Five in honor of his recent Philly/Jersey performances. And who better to get this party started than self-admitting Moz super fan and editor extraordinaire, Ms. Christina. Take us back to dear old Blighty please. Christina's Top 5 Moz Moments From Philly and Atlantic City 1. Front-row perspective: Seeing the man in all his glory, with an unobstructed view, is worth all the money, time spent queuing, and pushing and shoving necessary. 2. 59 shows on this tour multiplied by 4 shirts tossed into the audience =236 designer shirts destroyed. Watching the piranha-like frenzy ensue once the shirt lands in the crowd is an sight you will likely not see at any other concert. 3. Borgata security threatening would-be stage invaders with arrest. Those people hell-bent on touching the Man paid no mind and got up anyway. All bully tactics; no arrests were made. 4. Not having Mann tickets on-hand leads to slight panic attack when Darren contacts us to say he's stuck in standstill traffic in North Jersey. With our tickets. Linda and I pass time listening to the country station being blared out of some meatheads' truck a few spots away. 5. Morrissey denies shaking my hand or Linda's. Anita scores big with two handshakes. Linda and I deduce Morrissey must not like us. Thanks Christina. And not to rub it in, but D$ also got to clasp Mozzer's hand for a well clocked seven seconds. But you know what they say - the more he ignores you, the closer he gets. Well, something like that anyway. That's it for me. But let's leave on an upbeat note - in honor of Moz's brief flirtation with rock-a-billy (aka Your Arsenal), here's a classic Eddie Cochran clip for you to dig on. Have a great weekend everybody. Entry #581 Thursday, July 26, 2007 I recently completed another little video project - this one's a short, 60 second preview of Please Touch Museum's new theatre show, From the Sea to the Sky - click here to check it out. The performance, like the museum, is designed for children ages 1 through 7, and is free with museum admission so bring your nieces, nephews, sons, daughters, whatever to 210 North 21st in Philly and check the show out before in closes on September 9 Anyway, if you read this site on the regular, you may remember a painting I finished recently entitled Take it With Me. Well, it's been featured on the online Cat Art Gallery. Apparently, felines are a major muse on today's art scene. Who knew right? Anyway, it's always cool to get some props so click here to check it out and, if you feel inclined, leave a comment. Entry #580 Wednesday, July 25, 2007 He croons the line "someone you physically despise," and moments later ole Mozzer's channeling the spirit of Hulkamania, ripping his shirt off and tossing it across the barrier to the adoring masses who proceed pummel each other for a good ten minutes, each trying to hoard just a swatch of it's cologne and sweat drenched fabric. He strikes a pose, then darts off into the darkness of the backstage, looking more than a little like naked Will Ferrel streaking through campus in Old School. Say what you want, though, the man's still got his charisma. I overheard many young women in the audience screaming "You're as sexy as ever Stephen." All kidding aside though, a great set once again by Morrissey. Top form. He even dipped into the Smiths back catalog and pulled out a few gems, including one of my all time favorites, The Boy With The Thorn in His Side, a song I spent many hours painstakingly trying to figure out on the guitar when I first started playing. Many people ignored the Borgata's stern "Get on stage and you will be charged with trespassing" warnings and went for the glory anyway. About 12 or so made it to the stage during the last song. And he band was on top of things as usual. Anyway, for those who are curious, here's the set list. For more info, check out morrissey-solo.com. Panic First Of the Gang To Die The Youngest Was the Most Loved All You Need Is Me You Have Killed Me In The Future When All's Well Let Me Kiss You Whatever Happens, I Love You Girlfriend In A Coma Everyday Is Like Sunday Disappointed That's How People Grow Up The Boy With The Thorn In His Side Irish Blood, English Heart The National Front Disco I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris I Just Want To See The Boy Happy Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want How Soon Is Now? Last Of The Famous International Playboys (encore) Entry #579 Tuesday, July 24, 2007 I just got word last night that the zombie beer commercial I appeared in was awarded first prize at the Dogfish Head Brewery Short Film competition. I've been told the film will premier at the Rehoboth Beach Film Festival in November but, hopefully, we can get a clip before then. I know I'd love to see it. Anyway, short post today. The Moz-man calleth so I'm off to the Borgata in scenic, downtown Atlantic City. For the rest of you who are stuck at home tonight, you'll just have to make due with this video for Suedehead, which is probably my favorite. And, yes, I did drive around Fairmount, Indiana - alone and 21 - with this song on cassette blasting from the rent-a-car's tiny speakers. Entry #578 Monday, July 23, 2007 We were out at Da Chen last night and, after quickly inhaling some seriously delicious Sesame Tofu, I cracked open my fortune cookie and here's what it said: Damn, can't a brother catch a break for once? Couldn't I get "hey - dine and dash tonight - the coast is clear " or something? Anyway, I figured at that point I better throw down some loot for the table. To disobey the cookie is bad juju, you know. Well homeboy, Roberta sticks it to the man (aka a few politicians) once again in Roberta Goes Off #8 and throws in a little apocalyptic foreshadowing for good measure. What did the five fingers say to the face? Anyway, we saw Talk to Me over the weekend and damn, it's awesome. Once again, Don Cheadle demonstrates why he's one of the best actors working in film right now (so versatile) but, in all honesty, the whole cast is stellar. And the soundtrack is just classic - soul, funk, Stax Volt, you name it. - just top shelf all the way. Definitely the best film I've seen so far this year. Seriously, cough up the clams and see it while you can. And no, I'm not getting paid to say this! Entry #577 Friday, July 20, 2007 I'm been working on a couple video projects lately, and recently finished a clip of footage shot at the Wilmington Skate Project's Go Skateboard Day Skate Jam on June 21st. You can watch the much preferred a higher res version here or, if you don't have Quicktime or maybe youtube is more your style, the lower res youtube version. Either way, I hope you enjoy it. And yes, there is some retro-style super 8 film footy in there for all you old heads. Anyway, the song in the clip is called "Million" and was recorded by our good friends, The Sky Drops - special thanks to Rob and Monika for giving the thumbs up. Good looking out. The dynamic duos' been putting in some serious road time lately, so be sure to catch them next time they roll through your town. Entry #576 Thursday, July 19, 2007 Once again, the folks behind the Simpsons movie prove they're marketing geniuses. Looks like a trip to Cerne Abbas might be in order. Anyone with access to a plane and a few days off, hook a brother up. Entry #575 Wednesday, July 18, 2007 Word on the street is Sput-Nick P. was in America's hometown (AKA Moorestown, NJ) over the weekend, lurking about some sports field and testing some sort of McGuyver super rocket constructed from a long tube, a plunger, a piece of Hubba-Bubba and a few rocket engines. Look for film footage sometime in the near future. He was last heard muttering "No way am I wrecking my car for this Castro. It took you 6 months to finish the music for my movie." And in honor of Michael Moore's verbal spanking of Wolf Blitzer that we posted on Monday, here's a classic clip of Dylan sticking it to Time Magazine. As true now as it was then. Entry #574 Tuesday, July 17, 2007 I took a walk through Love Park today, and caught some homeless dude hanging out, chilling on a bench with his hand down his pants, probably just contemplating the lunch time crowd or something. Lucky for him though, he wasn't playing pocket pool with a skateboard under his feet 'cause the cops would've been all over him, Pee Wee Herman style. Anyway, if you've never seen it, I recommend checking out this documentary on the history of skateboarding in Love Park. It's super good. Entry #573 Monday, July 16, 2007 What better way to kick off the week then with Iggy and the Stooges. Better than that first cup of Sanka for sure. Damn, you gotta love this footage of Michael Moore sticking it to Wolf Blitzer. There's nothing better than watching the national media getting called out on live TV. Still, listening to Michael Moore speak about health is kinda like asking Gary Coleman how to slam dunk a basketball. I don't know - Mr. Moore looks like he's about two breaths away from Heartattack and Vine, which is probably why he's so upset about health coverage. Still, the guy's right on the money once again with this one. Entry #572 Friday, July 13, 2007 I finally finished a new painting and I think it might be my favorite one so far. As usual, click the thumbnail above to go big. And if you get a chance, let me know what you think. Ok, so I know today's, like, Friday the 13th and it's a big deal or whatever but what about Saturday the 14th! Aw yeah, remember that flick? They used to run it on loop back in the 80's on HBO along with other classics like Arthur and Flash Gordon. And speaking of classically bad cinema, Blobfest is going down once again this weekend in Phoenixville, PA. If you've never been, the Colonial Theatre is where they filmed the famous movie theatre scene in that Steve McQueen classic, so every year, the towns people show the film, reenact the "running from the Blob" scene and generally throw down and parade around town. Good fun for sure. The party runs from Friday to Saturday bro. Well, that's it for me - have a great weekend everyone. And happy birthday to Jason Voorhees. Entry #571 Thursday, July 12, 2007 I was in the studio last night, painting away, and I stepped out for some fresh air and, damn - everything was so peaceful. The air was still, the block was eerily silent and the passing storm had left it's misty sheen on the midnight sky. So I snapped this photo and thought "Man, it's great to be alive." Click on the thumbnail for the large view. Anyway, I was driving around town today with my "permanently on random thanks to a smashed screen courtesy of airport security" iPod when The Sex Pistols EMI came blasting through the speakers like a slap of fresh air to the ole' eardrums. It was my favorite Pistol's tune for the longest time and I'd forgotten how much it rocks. I just love the statement - pure attitude. So here's a live clip. and while we're at it, here's yet another classic Johnny Rotten interview. And will someone please bring danger and excitement back to rock-n-roll? Or maybe some passion and real feeling. Or maybe just some guts? And while you're at it, hip-hop needs an overhaul as well. It's beginning to sound like rock music in the seventies - all style, no substance. Get to it kiddies. Entry #570 Wednesday, July 11, 2007 The infamous BaTuuta (aka Jason C.) has been hard at work custom painting a series of skateboards to help raise money for the Appalachian Skate Kommission. Each board is a one-of-a-kind piece of art and is being sold for the low, low price of $40 (which includes shipping), with all profits going toward the construction of the skate park. Mine recently came in the mail (click the above thumbnail for a full frontal shot) and I couldn't be more pleased. For more info, visit the A.S.K. website or contact BaTuuta directly. C'mon, you know one of those planks would look pretty sweet hanging up in your crib, bro. And speaking of art, a few months ago, there was a call for artists to submit work for the Bob Marley "People's Festival." So I sent over a photo of the Bob stencil I did a while back and, apparently, I was named runner-up in the contest and will be featured in the event program book. It's on July 28th at the Tubman Garrett Riverfront Park in Wilmington, De. Ky-Mani Marley's headlining - that's about all I know. And we just got word that the Philly and Atlantic City Moz shows have been rescheduled and will be going down July 23 and 24 respectively. The crew will be poppin' off in AC for sure. And word on the street is Linda (yes, of "Letter's from Linda" fame) recently got a little "Viva Hate" ink on the forearm. Be sure to check it out next time you catch her rockin' Guitar Hero at Best Buy son! Entry #569 Tuesday, July 10, 2007 You know, there's been a lot of talk lately about skateboarding becoming an Olympic event in the 2012 games. Occasionally, people ask how I feel about this and are usually a bit surprised when I tell them that I'd like nothing more than to see skating kept as far away from Olympics as possible. The way I see it, skateboarding is an art form, not a sport - something akin to a post-urban ballet (if only that didn't sound so corny.) There are no rules - you just kick, push and do whatever you feel. It's about the rider re-interpreting their surroundings and expressing themselves through four wheels on a piece of wood. There's no points, no scores, no winners, no loser. Sure, you can have a contest, where judges rate the riders on maneuvers pulled off in some sterile environment but, in the end, it's a lot like a Battle of the Bands - it's a question of personal taste and style. Trying to decide if Jamie Thomas is a better skateboarder than Rodney Mullen is like comparing Led Zeppelin with The Smiths. They're two totally different approaches. Much like hardcore and early hip-hop, skateboarding was an activity created by the kids, for the kids and, because of this, most older people have a hard time understanding it, which leads to fear, which leads to a desire to control and regulate and, better yet, to exploit, water down and profit from it. Skateboarding allows too much creativity to be a sport - no two skaters will skate, say, a parking block, the same way. I mean, when was the last time you saw someone try something really different with a javelin, or maybe get creative on the discus throw or something. The last thing I want to happen is for skating to turn into something soul-less and robotic like ice skating. So, please, Olympic committee, please keep your mitts off skateboarding - the culture doesn't need your validation. Anyway, there's been a petition going around to keep skateboarding out of the Olympics - feel free to add your name here. Entry #568 Thursday, July 5, 2007 I finally got around to posting some picts from our recent Seattle trip - click the above thumbnail for mucho image madness. Well, this is possibly the greatest marketing ploy ever undertaken to promote of a feature film - 7-11 turns a handful of their stores into Kwik-E-Marts. Just brilliant. Damn, a road trip to DC might be in order. And former Stone Roses guitarist John Squire recently posted some new paintings online in preparation for his solo show in London. His artwork keeps getting better and better - I wish I could say the same thing for his tunes but, unfortunately, unless a third Roses album drops, I think he's done. Keep your fingers crossed but don't hold yer breath. Entry #567 Tuesday, July 3, 2007 So, following 24 hours of re-routed flights, bad airport food and a surprise overnight layover in Denver, I finally touched down in Seattle around 9:30 AM PST. I make a call, the hotel shuttle rolls up, and I climb it's stairs to be greeted by a bus full of dwarfs and midgets. Apparently ,the Little People of America conference was going down that same weekend at the Double Tree, which made the lobby look like a scene outta that bad 80's movie, Under The Rainbow. The hotel seemed to do a great job, though, accommodating the 2200 attendees and even installed little step ladders at the concierge desk. Waiting for my room, I definitely felt like the minority, being probably only one of four who crossed over the 4 foot mark, which was a bit of a reversal for sure. Seemed like a great event 'cause there were smiles for miles. Very cool. Anyway, I'll probably be posting some photos from the trip in the next day or so. Stay tuned. And I just got word that ole Mozzer had to cancel another string of dates due to a throat virus, so Thursday's show at the Borgota is now postponed, which means you'll more than likely see me at the Zero/Mystery demo that Kinetic's hosting over at the Chichester skatepark, which should be complete madness for sure. Apparently, the whole squads gonna be there, and the demo will be followed by the premier of the brand new Mystery flick. Starts at 5:30 PM bros. Entry #566 Wednesday, June 27, 2007 Christopher Malinowski recently announced the world premier of his long awaited film, Alms You Say. The party takes place Sunday August 4th at Clayton Hall in Newark, DE, and includes a Q&A with the cast and crew. And yes, the flick will be shown on glorious 16mm film. Word on the street is The Verve are back together and working on new music. Hope for the best 'cause Ashcroft needs a return to form. Maybe a little something to bring back that old intensity. Regardless, it'll be good to hear Nick McCabe play again. Anyway, I'm off to Seattle tomorrow so we're cutting things a bit short this week. In the meantime, feel free to amuse yourselve with some Welcome Back Kotter reruns or something. Have a great weekend everyone. Entry #565 Tuesday, June 26, 2007 Thanks to everyone who sent an email or left a birthday message on the machine yesterday or over the weekend - they were very thoughtful and made my day! Hopefully, I will see each of you soon. Anyway, people always ask, "Yo, like, what do you want for your birthday dude." Well, like most of my fellow countrymen, I want one more Rambo movie and, lucky for us, it looks like Stallone threw done hard and came up big. Check out the trailer here - it looks as ridiculous as it is enticing. See you in the front row, bro. And the Wilmington Skate Project is at it again with yet another fundraiser, although this time all you have to do is show up and drink, which is standard Thursday night fare for most of you anyway, so you might as well swing by and throw a couple back for the skate plaza fund. Celebrity bartenders will be on hand, including Lyman Chen (from The Departed), Michael "No Joke" Stewart, and a whole posse of Wilmington Ruff Roller GIrls slinging suds on skates. So, yeah, this Thursday night at Kelly's Logan House in Wilmington, things run from 6-9 and the cover is $5. Click here for the flyer, put it in your blackbook or however you roll and support the WSP! Entry #564 Friday, June 22, 2007 Thanks to everyone who came to the WSP's Go Skateboarding Day skate jam yesterday - turnout was strong, the weather was beautiful and the skaters went off and threw down. Epic for sure. Hopefully we'll have some photos and video clips up in the near future. To be honest, though, I have to say I was extremely disappointed with the new Element video. Don't get me wrong - the skating was great, the filming was great but the music just killed it. The whole thing was 45 minutes of new-age, drone-y, instrumental music that just dragged on and on and put you to sleep - definitely not something to get you stoked on skating. Sorry but a total buzz kill. Anyway, apparently the US military spent a few million dollars trying to create a "gay bomb", that, when dropped, would make enemy soldiers sexually irresistible to each other and unable to fight, which is pretty rough, especially since gays still can't get married in this country. And if one of our boys gets in the way of some friendly fire, is it still a don't ask, don't tell policy? So, yeah, this is where your tax dollars are going folks. What an outrageous nightmare. Is it 2008 yet? And speaking of politics, can we please just hold Cheney accountable for once? Even better, can we just wish him away? The whole thing just makes me sick to my stomach. Word on the street is that former Libertine Pete Doherty recently published his diaries, which cover his life from his early twenties in London up to his current state of mess. No word yet if Meme Chris Tucker makes an appearance though. We'll just have to wait and see I guess. Anyway, I'm off to the beach for a little cuban coffee and some R-and-R. Have a great weekend everyone. Entry #563 Thursday, June 21, 2007 Look amigo - why are you wasting your time reading this post when you know you should be hitting up the streets in honor of Go Skateboarding Day. And if you're in or around the 302 area code, be sure to stop by the Wilmington Skate Project skate jam at 2:00PM. 11th and West fool! Entry #562 Wednesday, June 20, 2007 Ante up, sukkas 'cause Letters from Linda #30 is on the table. From the street cousin, you know the drill. Anyway, Lil' bro Mike recently threw his laptop into the blog-o'sphere and started posting some ramblings of his own. Check 'em out here. And while you're at it, take a gander (yeah, I said it) at Tom's site as well. Damn, all we need now is Ken-bro to throw down and we can tear through cyberspace all Four Horsemen style. And since we're pluggin' the bro-blogs and all, Fat Marc's back in action and posting again, and we go way back like Trapper Keepers and fat crayons, so he's practically family. Read up, read up. Entry #561 Tuesday, June 19, 2007 Just in case your face stopped hurting, here comes Roberta with another slap to the ole' pie hole - yeah, that's right, bro - Roberta Goes Off #7. Well, Michael Moore's back, and this time he's taking on drug companies and the American health care train wreck in his new flick Sicko. All I can say after watching the trailer is "Damn right - it's about time somebody said it." This one's gonna burn for sure. The only problem with his films, I'm afraid, is that he's become so in-your-face over the years, that people either love him or hate him, so the folks that end up seeing his films 9 times out of ten are already fans and are already on the same page so it's kinda like preaching to the converts. I mean, I doubt many congressmen are gonna be lining up in front of the cineplex to drop $10 clams for this one, which is a shame. Personally, I'm looking forward to it. Entry #560 Monday, June 18, 2007 So, if you happened to be relaxing at the Wizard World convention Friday afternoon, patiently waiting for the Spiderman panel to get started, and, right before his introduction, you heard panelist Tom Brevoort's cell phone go off - wel....yeah, that was me, bro. I know, I know - talk about bad timing, right. And honestly, that's probably the second time I've ever called that number. We did manage to meet up for a nice breakfast at Sabrina's in South Philly though, which was as tasty as everyone always says it is. And it was good to see big brother, as always. Anyway, we later hit up the the flea market near 11th and Pine and met a woman who was selling photographs that were all shot with disposable camera, which got me really excited, because, as some of you know, for the last few years I've been working on putting together a collection of disposable camera photos myself. I just love how the cheap lenses distort the image slightly, the colors are always over saturated and that there's no real trick to it - just point and shot. No telephoto, no focus, no light meter. - just the moment. Anyway, her name is Elizabeth Santry and she does some really cool work. I's always nice to meet a kindred spirit. Check out here some of her stuff here. Entry #559 Friday, June 15, 2007 If anyone's up for spending Halloween in Dracula's Castle, let a brother know. I can't imagine airfare to Transylvania being very cheap though. I mean, it's not exactly a hub city or anything. Anyway, I finally saw the preview for the new Smiths documentary, Inside the Smiths, where Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce let loose and spill their guts on life, uh.....inside the Smiths. Well, I must admit, I got so excited after watching it I immediately reverted back to my teenage self and spent the next two days in a giddy frenzy watching old Moz clips on YouTube. For those who can't wait, here's a pretty cool Smiths piece that aired on the BBC a while back. They're still my favorite band of all time. And finally, Justin's been posting a slew of cool photos over on his slowmotiontracks flicker page - many from his recent travels and road trips. Do yourself a favor and take a peep, son. There's some good stuff in there. Anyway, that's all I got. Have a good weekend everybody. Be brave. Entry #558 Thursday, June 14, 2007 You know, it's like they always say - it's all about being in the right place at the right time. I guess when you're the only band on a whole continent, there's not much competition. Anyway, the folks behind the Wilmington Skate Project are hosting a Go Skateboarding Day skate jam in Wilmington, DE next Thursday, June 21. If you're unaware, GSD is the day when everyone's supposed to skip work, school, prison, whatever and just go skate. The session will take place at DuPont Park (around 11th and West Streets) at 2:00 PM and will be immediately followed by the area premier of Element's latest skate film, This Is My Element, around the corner at Theatre N. Their teams got, like, what - 40 skaters now? Vallely, Muska, Darrell Stanton, Tosh Towned - no doubt it's gonna be sick. So please help spread the word and please come out and show your support for the WSP. And click here to view (or download) the poster I designed. Entry #557 Wednesday, June 13, 2007 Letters from Linda #29! For real, for real. Entry #556 Monday, June 11, 2007 So Lee "Scratch Perry" walks on stage last night, dressed like his own personal burning man, hub-caps on his sneakers, a gun site on his mic, the whole bit. The first song drops, and he starts dubbing it up, feeling the vibe and mumbling to the faithful "My piss, my piss, I bless you with my piss" while dousing the front row with the contents of his water bottle. Yeah, it was that kind of night. Good show though. And his backing band, Brooklyn's Dub Is A Weapon were fierce. Stole the show. Anyway, in honor of last night's gig, Laz sent over this clip of the man himself being interviewed b Andrew WK And honestly, after the last three shows I've seen (Stephen Marley, KRS-ONE and Lee Perry) I don't think I can go back to watching some indie rock band doing their best to look bored onstage for a small flock of pretentious hipsters too afraid to dance for fear it might crease their jeans. I'm over it. That said - there's no way I'm missing the Morrissey tour this summer. Entry #555 Thursday, June 7, 2007 Welcome to the first slap of the summer: Roberta Goes Off #6. Nick P. checked in recently, fresh off the set of the new Get Smart flick, and here's what he had to say: "Get Smart was pretty good. Anne Hathaway is extremely hot in person and is taller and bustier than I thought." As you can see - his dedication and work ethic is second to none, son. And the artist formerly known as Jason C. (who, much like Cassius Clay, recently dropped his name and is now going by BaTuuta ) recently uploaded a bunch of newly recorded tracks on various myspace pages, including an homage to insanely good and extremely entertaining professional skateboarder (now recovering from a nasty brush with death motorcycle wreck) Ali Boulala, entitled Ali Boulala's Coma. I really enjoyed the new tracks - very gothy in a late 80's kind of way. BaTuuta's also been working on getting a new skatepark built in the Appalachia region - for more info, check out the A.S.K. website. And no, the man doesn't sleep because sleep is the cousin of death. Entry #554 Tuesday, June 5, 2007 Here's something you don't see everyday - Tom Waits stuffing a live fish down his trousers. Anyway, for all you old-head-skate-rats out there, Tommy Guerrero's playing a live music set at Johnny Brendas in Philly on Go Skateboarding Day (June 21). If you've never heard TG's stuff before, it's super nice, kind of groove oriented instrumental soul music - and yes, it's as smooth as his board style. And speaking of skateboarding, these little twins are insane! They remind me of little Danny Way, all skinny and ripping at 13 in Powell's Public Domain video. Entry #553 Monday, June 4, 2007 The Onion hits the myspace nail over the head. F'in classic bro. We saw Children of Men over the weekend and, damn, a movie hasn't kept me that much on the edge of my seat in a long, long time. A total gripper and highly recommended. The bonus documentarys on the sorry state of modern life are a bit of a downer though so be prepared. And speaking of films, for all you slackers out there - Cracked saved you some time and just posted the Cliff Notes version of The Karate Kid. Yeah Johnny - get him a body bag! Entry #552 Friday, June 1, 2007 Sorry it's been a while since I last posted but it's been full steam ahead here lately. Here's a little of what's been gong on. I finished a new collage recently - click the above thumbnail to peep the whole thing (or stop by Linda's house 'cause it belongs to her now). I also designed two flyers for some upcoming Sky Drops performances - one at Mojo 13 on Friday June 8th, the other at The Fire in Philly on Saturday June 9th. Definitely try and catch at least one of those shows if you're in the area. And we've been planning a lot of summer events for the Wilmington Skate Project - including a downtown Go Skateboarding Day skate jam, followed by the premier of the new Element video. Stay tuned for specifics. Other than that, I've just been working hard at home, sweating in the attic and blasting the hell out of Rockabilly Radio on iTunes. And I finally got to play Guitar Hero and I think I'm hooked. I mean, who can resist rocking out to Thin Lizzy's Bad Reputation? Now if I could only rock a mean fro like Phil Lynott, I'd be in business bro. Well, that's it for me. It's hot, humid and hellish here on the east coast so I'm about to pick up a water ice and kick the weekend off proper. Have a good one everybody. Entry #551 Friday, May 25, 2007 Before I forget - Sub Zero's hosting a skatejam tomorrow at Whitehall. I believe it starts at noon. Anyway, the KRS-ONE show Wednesday at the World Cafe was incredible - just totally old school hip-hop insanity. I'm talking like one DJ, two turntables and 20 breakdancers going off onstage during the set. From the moment KRS walked out and dropped South Bronx, the crowd went bananas and they didn't let up one step for two plus hour set. It was kind of like this. At one point, he was picking cell phones out of the crowd and dropping freestyles on voicemails, the next moment he's rhyming You Must Learn over a piece of classical music, then he's picking up the monitor and pointing it right at Buck Shot, who got on stage and dropped four or five tracks. The legendary Bizzy Bee was there and DJ Cash Money even hopped onstage and did some turntable magic. Seriously, it was like being back back at some basement punk show - it had that same kind of energy. It was magic. Anyway, that's it for me - I'm off to enjoy the official kick-off to summer and, I don't know - maybe grill up some seitan or something. Have a great Memorial Day everyone. Entry #550 Wednesday, May 23, 2007 MoveOn.org has a new petition circulating the 'net - they're working to make gas price gouging a federal offense. Well, this one's a no brainer so do us all a favor and sign here - then spread the word. Anyway, back to this past weekend - we headed down to the Northbrook Canoe Company Saturday night, where the geniuses behind West Chester's Guerilla Drive-In were showing a 16mm print of Meatballs in all it's glory. You know how when you listen to music, and the environment you're hearing it in affects how you interact with a particular song (exp: headphones on the subway vs. driving through the dessert in a convertable with the top down, etc.) Well, seeing Meatballs outdoors and smelling the warm spring air, leaning against a stack of old canoes and munching on some candy really brought the movie to life and made it more of a multi sensory experience or something. Regardless, my man shows his films from a motorcycle with a projector welded onto the sidecar - need I say more? I mean, how badass is that? I was in heaven. I'll definitely be checking out their future showings I gotta run - I'm off to see KRS-ONE. Entry #549 Tuesday, May 22, 2007 Sorry for the lack of updates but, believe me, life's been hella busy lately (but super good as well). I blame it all on spring fever. Anyway, I got to see the realization of another dream over the weekend when I had the opportunity to play a zombie in an upcoming beer commercial. Since it's still in production, I can't really say too much but I was able to sneak off a few shots on location. Hopefully we'll have a clip to post in the next few weeks. In the meantime, click the above photo for total zombie madness. And I think it's safe to say that Nick P. won the MJC.com Best Facial Hair Award this year hands down. Look out Magnum PI - I think my man's about to steal your woman. D$ and Justin - stakes is high, so if you want to throw down for a shot at the title, you might have to bust out some lip rogaine or something. Again, click the photo above for further stash documentation and a little skateboard madness. The weekend update continues tomorrow bro. Entry #548 Friday, May 18, 2007 Well, it took a while but I was finally able to score a High Def video camera so I could upload this short piece that Fuel TV ran on the Wilmington Skate Project's "Some of My Best Friends Are Skateboarders" Benefit Art Show. It originally aired on "What's Happening with Chris Pastras" back in May 2006. Overall, I think they did a great job - and Nick P. even managed to somehow steal some airtime. Go Figure. Check it out here. And speaking of Nick P, my man's got a new photo posted on the Jpeg Magazine site - click here to check it out and, if you like it, please vote for him. If he gets enough votes, the photo gets published so help a brother out. For more of Nick's work behind the lens, click here. And believe it or not, the mighty KRS-ONE and Marley Marl are playing this Wednesday night at The World Cafe Live in Philly. Now, honestly, I don't think 'XPN has ever played a KRS track in the history of the station, but, whatever - this show's gonna be hot. And Arabella called me out on her blog recently and TAGGED me, which means I'm supposed to write 10 things on this site that no one really knows about me that are either interesting or juicy. Well, it might take a little while to dig through all those skeletons in my closet but it'll happen sometime next week. Stay tuned. Anyway, that's it for me. Have a great weekend everyone. Entry #547 Wednesday, May 16, 2007 I was mowing the lawn this morning when all of a sudden this beautiful robin flew down from a tree and landed on the handle of the mower and I thought to myself, "Damn - this is why I love livin' in the 'burbs!" Of course the water bottle filled with urine that I found stashed away in one of our front bushes two minutes later woke me up from that dream like a slap in the face. Anyway, for those of you landlocked out in the mid-west, be sure to catch The Sky Drops live and loud as they treck across the heartland for two weeks worth of shows. Click here for dates and info. Entry #546 Monday, May 14, 2007 This is quite possibly the greatest hip hop beef in recent memory - Lady Sovereign vs. a donut! Damn, I really wish the cops arrested homeboy because the site of a dozen coppers trying to cram an enormous donut into the paddy wagon would've been priceless. Anyway, I stumbled outta the TLA well past midnight Saturday, drenched in sweat but light on my feet after what was easily one of the best shows I've seen in years - Stephen Marley. Every song, the band just kept taking it up knotch after knotch. The energy in the building was so blinding I honestly can't do it justice. A third of the set were tracks from his debut, plus a third's worth of Papa's back catalog and, for the final blow, he brought out brother Damian for some Jamrock tracks and the place exploded. They closed the show with a 10+ minute version of Exodus/Move that tour the place down. If they come through again - don't miss it. Seriously. And, as a side note - Stephen's claiming First State status . That's right bro - he was born in Wilmington, DE back in '72 so he sent a shout out to the place of his birth and even sung a few bars from Night Shift about Bob's gig at the Chrysler plant. And if that wasn't enough, kicking things off was a rapper named K'naan, who I'd never heard of before but by the end of the night had blown the wig off anything within earshot. K'naan on lead vocals, a guy pounding a large African drum, a dude on acoustic guitar and a back up singer - that's all they came with and they blew doors on the place. K'naan grew up in war torn Somalia and most of his song read like the Hotel Rwanda story on CD. I felt like I was watching the future of hip hop - stripped down, raw, primitive and pure street. No tape loops, no plugs, no cables, nothing - the power could've went out and all of South Street could've gone black and they still would've turned it out. I've checked out his album and, while it's decent, it doesn't do him justice sonically so see him live if you get a chance. In the meantime, here's a live youtube clip. Entry #545 Friday, May 11, 2007 5Boro recently posted a new promo on their site, featuring DE's own Willy Akers, who is easily one of the nicest skaters I've ever met - just real laid back, super friendly and down for skating. And if you've never seen his part in New York, you need to - click here for some education. Well, apparently, some people really can see into the future. Who knew. Anyway, since we've been on a bit of an old school soul kick this week, I'm gonna end with two clips of the late, great David Ruffin. The Temps were never quite the same after he left. Here's Common Man and Blood Donors Needed, straight from The Soul Train. Damn, listen to homeboy's falsetto scream! It's the real deal for sure. Viva Don Cornelius! Enjoy. That's it for me - have a great weekend everybody. And don't forget to give Mom's her p