Scorps Motorcylcle Posse invites you to a night of Mayhem. It's a great opportunity to showcase your dance moves, so don't half-step. Also, there will be a booby prize for meanest dog. So bring your Fila's & you K9's and let's get into it.

I stumbled upon this image & love it. Just wanted to throw that out there.
Good times.

Who has it better than Kevin? Surfer Magazine sent him to the North Shore of Oahu for 2 weeks to cover the beginning of the surfing season. He sent a few photos over & this one is my favorite. It really gets you into the spirit of what Hawaii is all about. Talk about simple beauty.

[ in the lineup with scott bass & sam george ]



The bro's over at Surfer Magazine had the web-cast of episode no. 3 today & it was epic! My long-time friend Kevin of Psylicyde & Surfer Magazine was good enough to bring me over to sit in live for today's show. Rob Machado showed up to show some love and talk about what he has been up to. Most recently, Rob had the opportunity to travel to the Maldives with Laird Hamilton & Mr. Pipeline - Gerry Lopez for an adventure.

Later on in the segment, Laird Hamilton called in from Kauai, where he just finished shooting a commercial for Davidoff cologne. The Hawaiian Islands are absolutely going off right now. Swells are forecasted in the 10'-15' range with good conditions. Laird is definitely having a ball over there. He has to be the most stoked person that I have ever heard speak. His energy definitely got everyone in the room pumped. Laird left the crew with the sure lesson of the day. This is a concept that I have been kicking around in my head for some time now: As a true leader, you must lead by example. He nailed it!

[ trestles - san clemente, california ]





California Myth No. 2: When a train comes blowing around the mountain at Trestles, you can bet that a set is rolling in.

This is the absolute truth. Perhaps this is a good segue into our 3rd piece of Cali folk lore: All people from California buy into myths. OK, so maybe that's a stretch, but I'm beginning to dig this superstitious behavior though.

On a side note, Kevin let me rock his twin fin today. I forgot how much fun those things are. Pete Arslanian shaped this board custom for Kevin. This board is fine like wine even down to the wooden skegs (which are outstanding)!

Tune in tomorrow at 3pm EST to the 3rd episode of "In the Lineup," Surfer Magazine's answer to weekly web-based radio programs. I will be making a special guest appearance and if that's not enough for you, Rob Machado will be in the place serving up all he's got for the listener's at home. Also scheduled to call in as a guest is Laird Hamilton. Tune IN!

[ lefty ]




Cali Mission: 8 days
Objective: Shred lips, destroy.

It's Day 4 and we scored solid 5' Middles at Salt Creek this morning. It had to be the most crowded spot ever. None the less, sick tubes went around for all. The water temperature was a smooth 63 degrees and the fog was dense. Local folk lore tells a tale of fog stopping wind dead in it's tracks, so as you can imagine, it was really clean.

I'm off to wreck the concrete at San Clemente Skatepark. After that, it's off to meet up with local shaper / ripper Pete Arslanian over at Hydroglas to talk about a new custom twin fin. Pete's shop is right next to The Victoria Skimboards factory and he hand-shapes custom skegs from the scrap they throw away from their projects. Way to be Pete.

More To Come Later!

[ Animal New York ]



The latest issue of Animal York is out and is available at select newstands. If you are stomping Lafayette, be sure to pop into Lafayette Smoke, [ 63 Sping Street ] you can cop an issue there. I did not make the party, but Vinny Peps said "it was all cashews and almonds!" Solid Vinny. Included in this quarterly issue is the Jeffrey A. Miron report. Print it out, it's a great read for the train.

[ photo courtesy of David Eschrich ]

Dave does it again. About a month ago, Dave, Pody & I took a trip out to Rockaway for a dawn patrol session. Waves were in the chest to head-high range and the winds were light. Pody & I sat on the jetty at B90th and scored some solid lefts. There were a couple of loud-mouths in the water heckling no one in particular. I remember thinking to myself, “man, these guys a really killing this vibe.” I couldn’t imagine how someone could even think of anything else that morning, but focusing on the near perfect conditions.

We ended the session and Dave had unloaded his camera. He really got some great shots standing on the jetty with his tripod. Pody and I got were checking out Dave’s flicks when the two loudmouths approached. “Hey did you get any shots of me?’ the first one asked. Dave responded, “yeah, I got a bunch of really good shots actually.”

To make a long story short, we all ended up at the loudest of the loud mouth’s home, Jeff Anthony, down the block eating breakfast sandwiches watching Fair Bits on his living room floor. After we bro’d out for a few, we made our way back to B91st and scored some smaller, but very fun swell. These dudes really were solid, stand-up guys afterall.

Here is a photo of the not-so loudmouth, but still making plenty of noise, Ron Shein.

I hooked-up with my friend Jessica from London on Tuesday and we had a blast. After a couple of cocktails, we shot up to Pier 63 for the 1^st Annual Surfrider Foundation Film Festival. There were some real talented film-makers showcasing unbelievable footage from around the world. If you didn’t make it this year, make it a point to be there next year.

Jessica gave me a copy of Aussie, Xavier Rudd’s Good Spirit, his first live album. You have to check this guy out. There is an irie quality to his presentation that is complemented by a harmonica. Such a wild sound.

My friend Dave is a really talented photographer. We have been traveling between Rockaway and Central New Jersey more often than ever and he is killing it with his camera. He snapped this flick on the Beach 90^th Jetty at far Rockaway. This was a fairly epic Friday session. We left the beach at sundown, hooked-up with Pody [ who just got in from HI ] and got back in the water for a Saturday morning dawn patrol [ more pics to follow ].

The style master Neck Face has collaborated with Baker Skateboards to drop a serious one. I slept on picking-up the last one he did for Mark Gonzalez, [ pictured below ] but I ordered mine this morning after the quick-tip from Tone.

Hats off to WK and his new book, Exterior-Interior: Act 2 [ Klanten, Robert & Hellige, Hendrik, 2005 ]. Take a walk over to his workspace and cop yourself one [ remember the weather is perfect ]. What a great addition to any art collection. You can find his studio at 101 Stanton Street, NYC. While you are in the neighborhood, definitely stop by Cafe Havana [ 229 Elizabeth Street, NYC ] for the grilled corn topped with butter, manchego cheese, paprika & fresh lime juice.

[ Above: Martial Arts, WK style ]

Here are a couple of very similar album covers from 2 very distant eras. I really admire the album cover design of classic jazz. It's very simple and typically incorporates great color. Note the similarities of the two shown above.


[ Left: Art Pepper, Art of Pepper Import - Aladd 1998 ]

[ Right: Jack Johnson, In Between Dreams - Universal 2005 ]

[ it's 4 a.m. i've got the dr. hfuhruhurr ale i've got nothing nothing to lose and so i'm pissing on the third rail ]






I dig the Garfield font as well as the layout and overall design. Well done.

[ George keeping his moth shut in 'The Secret Code' ]


One of my favorite monologues from the Seinfeld series occurs in the episode entitled "The Secret Code."

[ Episode no. 11, pc: 707, season 7, episode 7, Broadcast date: November 9, 1995 ]

George refuses to divulge his bank card PIN number to his fiance Susan. He explained to Jerry that "if you are in some situation where some fast cash will save your life, I'll give it to you."

Enter Kramer - Absolutely Classic:

[ "Ah, all right, yeah... Let's see... Well, we can throw out birthdays immediately. That's too obvious. And no numbers for you. You're a word man. Let's go deeper... What kind of man are you? Well, you're weak, spineless, a man of temptations. But what tempts you? You're a portly fellow. A bit long in the waistband. So what's your pleasure? Is it the salty snacks you crave? No no no no... Yours is a sweet tooth. Oh, you may stray, but you'll always return to your dark master... The cocoa bean! And only the purest syrup nectar can satisfy you. If you could, you'd guzzle it by the gallon... Ovaltine!? Hershey's!? Nestle's Quick!? ]

Do you know the answer?

[ Sick rendering ]

No Picnic [ dir. Phil Hartman, 84mins, 1987 ] is playing every night from now until Wednesday August 31st at the Pioneer Theater [ 155 East 3rd Street, between Avenues A and B - (212) 591-0434 ].



[ Ann D'Agnillo & David Brisbin in Phil Hartman's No Picnic (1987) ]


Go see this film. It is definitely a rare opportunity to see it & you will be supporting my friend James Murray and his dear friend Anne D'Agnillo as seen above. No Picnic will give you a snapshot of the lifestyles & gentrification of the East Village during the late 1980's. Monday or Tuesday will be the best bet as the forecast calls for showers.

Hats off to Marc Ecko for the successful show yesterday on the west side. Mock subway train panels were fabricated out of aluminum and used as canvases for a select few of the kings of the game who were asked to stop by. The permit for the event was rescinded because of the negative effects that graffiti has on communities as argued by City Council Member Peter Vallone and Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Marc nearly gave up. "We're not going to fight City Hall," he said. "We're not going to win. The case was taken to court:
05 Civ. 7335 (JSR)
Ecko Untld.Plaintiff
-v-
Michael R. Bloomberg
Mayor of the City of New York

The facts were assessed and after a 20 minute deliberation, Justice Jed S. Rakoff delivered his verdict. This was clearly a first amendment violation and the exhibit was given the thumbs-up. Way to be. Check out Lady Pink doing her thing in the image above.

[ photo courtesy of Michael Ragan, Cranberry Productions ]

Today I have a special dedication to the individual who posted the first comment on good times. This flick captures the work of one of the heaviest hitting all-city street stompers in New York City. Big Tone seen here making some noise and never excluding the exclamation point! Yeah kid, do it!

I was listening to Burning Spear: The Ultimate Collection the other day and I forgot how awesome it is. Last Summer I had the opportunity to see him perform at the Brooklyn Band Shell - an amazing show. The next evening, I was at the Jersey Shore and he did a show at the Green Room. What an excellent performance.

Definitely check out these tracks:

• Marcus Garvey
• Social Living
• Mek We Dweet

Here is a photo of him performing at the Brooklyn Bandshell last Summer for the Celebrate Brooklyn Festival:

Good ground-swell brings great body surfing at low tide. When it's too low to get in a session, a good pair of fins save the day. I prefer the Churchill Makapu'u fins. Get in early, get shacked. Check out this picture of Pody bodysurfing at Sandy Beach. Note that he has a disposable water camera in his lead-hand.

For those of you still tuning into the graffiti game, a big rest in peace goes for the Revs-Peek piece on Jay Street. This loss has the community shaken and asking, why?

I have got to check out the latest film from Thomas Campbell entitled Sprout. It was filmed entirely on 16mm stock and features a brilliant cast of unsung surf greats of our day including Joel Tudor, David Rastovich, Dan Malloy, Ozzie Wright & Skip Frye. The soundtrack includes skate legends Tommy Guerrero & Ray Barbee doing their thing type rocking.

Check out the quiver in the image above. Pretty inspiring.




How about that setup? Dan Malloy cutting the queso.

Welcome to the newest in new. Let's blast this off with one of the sickest photos out taken by my friend Pody at Sandy Beach on the east side of the island of Oahu. The picture was touched up by our friend Kevin McCormick at Surfer Magazine. Definitley photo of the year material for sure.