Dig This!

Right about now i should probably be promoting all my graduating friends full of talent and lust for work.. but instead im going to point you towards the ever elusive 'Diggy' a graphic designer but not as we know it. More illustrator than designer perhaps, she clearly has the skillz.

A decent Range

Spent a fun afternoon down at the local driving range with 2 of my favourite people today, and couldnt help but notice the wonderful little logos on the majority of the balls... i particularly like the Arnold Palmer brolly :)

And mine is... Casshern!

Ever since i sitting down to watch Casshern (then watching it through again, immediatly afterwards), ive been amazed by it. This live-action sci-fi movie based on a 1973 Japanese animé of the same name (Shinzo Ningen Casshân) is visually stunning, with my favourite soundtrack of any film (Theme song by Utada Hikaru)

In the future, in a polluted post-apocalyptic society called Eurasia after a war against Europe, the planet is devastated by the effect of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. The geneticist Dr. Azuma (Akira Terao) develops a technique called "neo-cell", capable of regenerating the body of human beings, the government leaders, guarding their own deeply entrenched powers, turn down the professor. Driven to complete his work, Dr. Azuma accepts a secret offer from a sinister faction of the powerful military. After an incident occurs in Dr. Azuma's lab, a race of mutant humans known as the Shinzo Ningen are unleashed upon the world. His son Tetsuya Azuma (Yusuke Iseya) dies in the war, but after an accident in the laboratory of Dr. Azuma, Tetsuya revives as the powerful warrior Casshern (using his neo-cell treatment that he claims can rejuvenate the body and regenerate humankind) Now only the warrior known as Casshern, reincarnated with an invincible body, stands between the Shinzo Ningen and a world on the brink of annihilation.

One of several films around the world that was produced almost entirely on a "digital backlot" (i.e. shot with the actors in front of blue/green-screens with all backgrounds added in post-production) This is considered a "live-action anime" and borrows heavily from standard anime techniques including camera angles, action backgrounds (i.e. lines indicating movement), acting styles, and plot elements. The film blends Japanimation and manga-inspired live action, resulting in a new kind of hybrid filmmaking that is both visually stunning and thought provoking. A wide range of animation techniques are also used, from state of the art to stop-motion. In places the movie also pays homage to the original anime, a 70s classic.

"Reincarnated with an invincible body to fight an iron devil. If Casshern does not do it, who will?"

Matryoshka

Props to anyone who got the title straight away... saw this awesome collection on my way to the barbers this morning and had to stop and snap it. You think he's glued them on? i love it!

Ewing

I AIN'T GOT NO SOUL is one of my favourite belongings.. its an 18" x 24" screen print by poster artist Brian Ewing, cost me about $65 and is one of a limited run of 200 signed and numbered pieces. Printed on black paper, it looks pretty rad! Unfortunatly its back home at the moment safely tucked away so i cant photograph it.. but when i ordered it i also got a few more Ewing bits, including this cool badge with detail from IAGNS..



and for all you smokers, 14 days to go!

Next up to buy from this guy is his awesome playing cards...

Free press

This guy in Falmouth clearly wants to warn the public about his woes...and in what style!
I love the gall of this guy, the dedication to his cause - and his awesome typography skills :D

Spot the difference..

Pelican's latest album 'City of Echoes' i posted about recently landed on my doorstep quite expectedly this morning - a gift sent by an awesome girl from back up north (Lucy:D)
Aside from being an excellent instrumental album its a thing of beauty and wonder to hold, designed by Aaron Turner, possibly the smartest man in metal. His label(s), HydraHead (he also owns a share of Tortuga), has become the benchmark for quality in the doom/metal community, boasting a lineup that includes Pelican and Jesu as well as my favourites Cave In (who totally shred live). His design firm, Feral Pig, consistently pushes the boundaries of good taste/personal freedom with its art-as-crime scene manifest. And then there's the little matter of his band, Isis, kings of prog-metal.
So anyway, here's some quick pics of the CD in hand, City of Echoes, with always-delicious spot UV on matt stock...

Howies

Howies are one of those rock solid brands i think we've maybe come to take for granted. Having just spent a good hour reading everything on their website i think its probably time to give credit where credit's due. They always produce quality items and their award-winning design, packaging and point of sale is second to none.

My then girlfriend Aimee bought me my first Howies tee - an awesome design im not sure they've managed to better before or since. In saying nothing it gives the opportunity for us to say so much..

Judgement Day

Well... thats it i guess! All over. 18 long years of education came to a happy climax this rainy falmouth afternoon.. Somehow i wangled a First so im pretty stoked about that(!) BIG congrats to everyone who got results today - i hope you all got what you wished for and deserved. Let the celebrations begin! :D

Patchy memory

My parents travelled much of America before i was born and in most of the States they visited mum collected patches ... i rescued these from the rubbish heap.

Post-emo

A number of musicians from influential early post-hardcore/emo acts have formed a new band dubbed House & Parish.

The band features Jason Gnewikow (Promise Ring), Brian Malone (The Gloria Record), John Herguth (The Love Scene), and Scott Winegard (Texas is the Reason). I have been listening to a lot of GOOD emo recently (Christie Front Drive, Mineral, Jawbreaker, Hey Mercedes etc..) so i am particularly happy about this news!

You can find four songs on their myspace page. and you can download some of them here, kindly ripped for your convenience.

le 65ism

Buck is back!! new album come September 18th (Situation) and a tiny tiny UK tour in July - anyone want to go to London to see him on the 20th July? i want to go soooo bad. For those reading this not in the know, Buck 65 is a Canadian Hip Hop artist, MC and Turntablist, (although recently he has moved away from Hip Hop in a stylistic context, now attributing more of his sound to Blues, Country, Rock, Folk and Avant Garde genres). That said, his new direction is seemingly still underpinned by an extensive background in abstract Hip Hop, his trademark rhyme-phrasing and lyrical presentation even evident in his altered timbre vocal exuperations displayed in more recent releases. He is also outstanding live and one of my all time favourite artists. I am soo stoked for this album, 'Secret House Against The World' was pretty hit and miss for me, so im hoping for a another blinder like 'Talkin' Honky Blues'

One lick..

I'm basically living on ice-cream at the minute (yes, obviously by choice) and so i thought this was quite appropriate...
(haha or not)

Amazing Stories!

Amazing Stories magazine, sometimes retitled Amazing Science Fiction, was first published in April 1926, thereby becoming the first magazine devoted exclusively to publishing stories in the genre presently known as science fiction (SF). It is regarded as the world's first science fiction magazine.

Created by Hugo Gernsback, with many of its covers by the legendary Frank R. Paul, it featured a much-imitated logo of the magazine name in ever-shrinking letters. Amazing Stories was filled with stories of "scientific romance". All totalled, his magazine covers exceed 220. Check out this website for a fairly comprehensive gallery of AS covers.

I flipping love the logo, if anyone knows anything about it get in touch please.

This Was England

"This Is England is a snapshot of an era and a life that seems very dated now. It's about sticking up for mates and beliefs"



I'm super excited about this film. Most of my friends seem to have watched a downloaded copy, one even saw it on a plane, but ive chosen to wait and see it in the cinema first. Shane Meadows is an awesome British talent and i am expecting good things. You can read a short interview in the Guardian here.

TEAiM

This is pretty old, i did it a couple of years back when TEAiM as an idea was coming together. My stencil making skills leave a lot to be desired, as do my hand-letting and sometimes photoshop skills - but who cares. At the time i thought it was pretty cool. I keep toying with the idea of producing some branding for TEAiM / TEAiMWORK / TEAiM TALK but i kinda like the fact its ideas led and is bigger than one logotype could ever be. Remember people, there's no i in team..

Zee Germans

At our house we've just had the pleasure of entertaining a couple of lovely German girls for a week. That doesnt really relate to this post apart from the obvious nationality connection, but i thought i'd tell you anyway. Check out how gnarly this guy sounds!

Cherry picking

Jon 'Chez' Cherry has fast become a very important part of my life. He's been a very welcome breath of fresh air to the Falmouth scene and he's fast made it his own...im glad people like Chez will still bring the fun once my lot has left. He is of course an outstanding photographer aswell as being an outstanding individual. Check out his various work here. Or if thats too much hassle just check out below my selection of his Lomo shots. Love you chez x

f80 >

Holga >

Horizon >

LCA >

LCA >

Colour Wheel

Sometimes we dont need a reason for doing things.

Comical

I love comics.
I love comic book superheros.
Gambit is my favourite X-men character. (incase you wondered)

PELICAN

Eclectic metal instrumentalists Pelican have launched a full album stream of their highly anticipated new full length. The record is titled City of Echoes and is came out on May 22, 2007. The Chicago-bred foursome is a perfect fit for their label home of Hydra Head Records, which is owned by Isis guitarist/vocalist Aaron Turner.

You can check out the whole record right here.

Hydra head also have a blogspot blog

clickit

Seiz Matters

My university years have brought me into contact with many colourful characters - and they havnt come much more colourful than Gui Seiz. The hairy monster has kept me inspired and entertained for 3 years, and i will always be grateful for the help he's given me along the way. From the Friday night Fight nights sat in his kitchen watching the Contender, to font and book swapping, to nipple tweaking on the beach - Gui is rad. He also shares in part my love of the badge and has created some beauties im sharing with you here now... check out his portfolio to see more outstanding work. I think this guy might just be the one from our year to really make it big...