Month: April 2015

Tim Armstrong signed ride

Tim Armstrong signed ride

Signed /500 Tim Armstrong Guitar Repeater

We hesitated before posting about the Tim Armstrong skateboard collab with /500. It seems we’ve been mentioning the Rancid singer/guitarist a lot recently. While it might appear that we’re on the punk rock payroll, it’s more a matter that buddy has been involved in a lot of cool stuff lately. Case and point the Signed /500 Tim Armstrong Guitar Repeater.

The 29” vehicle encompasses @TimTimebomb’s passion for design, guitars, ska and skateboards. Oi yeah, can’t forget punk rawk.

The /500 Tim Armstrong Guitar Repeater is a mid sized cruiser with a 7ply maple top and a 15.5” wheelbase. Each board comes with a hand-printed number hang tag. A nice touch that speaks to the authenticity which flows through everything Armstrong does. Small points deduction on the name, Guitar Repeater? But all in all a sweet ride.

The first 100 Tim Armstrong skateboards ordered come signed and certified. You can find them at 500skateboards.com

Neon Blur

Neon Blur

Blur’s Magic Whip by Tony Wong

The beauty of a Blur release is that it doesn’t stop at the music. Damon Albarn has certainly ensured that everything he touches digs deep into imagination (google Gorillaz). Meanwhile Coxon and Co. have never let the bells and whistles eclipse the music, but they don’t let the creativity stop at the mix. The glaring neon lights of Blur’s new cover shines a pretty big spotlight on all of the above.

Created by Japanese Artist Tony Hong, the idea behind Blur’s Magic Whip cover was to capture the initial sessions which gave birth to the album. Continue reading Neon Blur

Record Store Day Thrills N Bellyaches

Record Store Day Thrills N Bellyaches

The Original Pills Thrills N Bellyaches

An undeniable superiority of the vinyl 10″ over compact discs and certainly any digital consumption of music is the landscape for the album cover art. Each year, Record Store Day gives us some cool new pieces to stare at as the wax spins, but to tell you the truth we haven’t seen much that’s worth more than an A side of your attention. There is the feature Happy Mondays Pills Thrills N Bellyache which is being re-released on it’s 25 anniversary. Now this being one of the coolest Record Store Day covers is sad. Not because it’s 25 years old, but because it stands out and it’s a watered down version of the original art work.

The Original cover by Central Station Design was a montage of popular children’s candy wrappers. Upon the album’s 1990 release it received complaints and the record company soon had it changed to the less provocative cover featured. Continue reading Record Store Day Thrills N Bellyaches

Add your pen to the Marley mystic.

Add your pen to the Marley mystic.

Marley poster design submission by Clave D.

Marley brothers Ziggy and Stephen are inviting artists to design a gig poster for their upcoming Roots Rock Reggae: A 70th Birthday Celebration at the Hollywood Bowl. The riddim drops Sunday August 16. The show and the poster contest are part of the ongoing events (see hype) surrounding what would have been Bob’s 70th. Bobmarley.com is never lean on merch and reissues and this year they’re rolling out more Marley than ever.

Never has an artist’s legacy been so vigilantly carried on. The family has produced everything from music to fashion to coffee. The coffee is a bit of an eye-roller, but the initiative has brought jobs to Jamaica. And thanks to the Jamaican Blue Mountains, it’s a great cup of joe. All in all it’s a legacy that owes everything to a body of work which has proven to be remarkably timeless.

One could take issue with the family milking their father’s legacy, Continue reading Add your pen to the Marley mystic.

Why the Ringo drum kit belongs in the Hall of Fame.

Why the Ringo drum kit belongs in the Hall of Fame.

Vintage Black Oyster Pearl Ludwig

On April 18, 2015. Ringo Star will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist. He’ll be the last Beatle given with the honour. Whether he deserves it is a point of contention. Ringo’s career as a solo artist isn’t exactly groundbreaking. Some would say the fact that he has a solo career at all is solely due to the fact that he was in the Beatles.

The influence of the band and its drummer, however, can’t be understated. Just ask anyone at Ludwig. When the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 the instruments they were playing were given Superbowl advertising exposure. Continue reading Why the Ringo drum kit belongs in the Hall of Fame.