G u a r d i a n
O f
B r a v e r y
PetPunk Alessandro Z Simonetti DJ Sasha FRM-KID Mash SF AutoKratz Erik Otto New Era B. Obama
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Issue 1 Editor In Chief/Publisher Joseph L. Gaitan Senior Editor Sharon Gaitan Art Director/Design Christian Gaitan Contributing Editor/Marketing Stephanie Nget Creative Designer/Advertising Sarah Piseth Intern Marcus Johnson Cover FRM - KID Correspondence Email letters to info@gobmagazine.com or mail to PO box 931 Long Beach California 90801. Copyright 2009 by GUARDIAN OF BRAVERY. All rights reserved under GUARDIAN OF BRAVERY. Reproduction in whole or in part with out written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.
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contents: Kevin Tong - 8
CONTRIBUTORS: MARCUS JOHNSON
Adrian Mealand - 11 Extraverage - 12
Contributed with page 24.
Emanuel Kabu - 14 PetPunk - 17 Alessandro Zuek Simonetti - 22 J-Rod 28 AutoKratz - 33 FRM-KID 36
CHRIS WILLMORE
Erik Otto - 42 Mash SF - 44 Travel - Cambodia - 46 Macaframa - 52 DJ Sasha - 54 Nosaj Thing - 56 Culture - B. Obama - 58 SoundWalk - 62
Contributed with page 52 and 53.
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Kevin Tong A very prolific illustrator based out of Los Angeles, California. Kevin has illustrated for OC Weekly, Fourth World Clothing, Tegan and Sara, The Shins, Rilo Kiley, Silversun Pickups, Nada Surf, Wolf Parade and other great clients. What was the start of your drawing career? The start of my drawing career. Wow, that brings back memories. I started writing and illustrating a children’s book called the Earth Machine, to be published by a company called Red Cygnet Press Inc., back in the old merry days of 2005. I was still a student at California State University Long Beach at the time. I drew most of it at the Starbucks were I worked, on lunch breaks and off times. That was the very first illustration contract I ever signed into. The publisher held a national open submission and I beat out over a hundred other students for a publishing deal. It took about two years from its inception to publication in 2007. How long have you been drawing? I drew all the time, from when I was a little kid, during class, and all the way into high school. I always tried to make my own comic books. I didn’t really take a career interest until college, because it wasn’t until then that I realized it was possible to make a career out of art. If I had to slap on a date on the bad boy, I would say it started at 5:32 am, Wednesday, June 2, 2003. You have been showcasing your art/illustrations in galleries lately, how have people reacted to your work? It’s hard to tell what people are really thinking, because when you’re standing right there, they just compliment you. I wouldn’t mind an honest critique every now and again. In the last few shows I have been in, I have sold more and more, so I guess the response has been getting better and better.
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Do you consider yourself an ambitious person? I consider myself goal oriented. I always have things I want to accomplish and so little time. My art can always be improved, I can always expand into other areas, try new techniques, meet new clients, make new friends, and investigate new ideas. Personally, I don’t understand how someone could have nothing to do or ever be bored. What has been your inspiration to draw? I don’t think there’s an answer to that. Maybe other artists have inspirations, but I don’t. Drawing is just a part of my life, it’s something I
do. If I’m alive, then I am usually drawing. It’s something I feel like I can’t help, like tapping a foot or finger. Ultimately there’s no deep reason or purpose to any of it, I just do what I like doing. Sorry to disappoint anyone.
What is your dream project? Since I haven’t really accomplished all my goals and new ones keep popping up, I feel like I have hundreds of dream projects. I guess the one that has stuck with me has been an idea for a comic book that I plan to make in
the years to come. Publishing my comic book idea is my dream project, because I literally dream about it day and night. You have done various posters for bands; which bands have you collaborated with? Tell us more about the experience of working with these musicians. I don’t really work with the bands, I work with people associated with the bands, like the venues, management, and promoters. The band that I worked most directly with is probably the Shins, but I never made contact with them, just messages and notes passed along. I do occasionally go to the shows and go backstage after the performances. The bands sign the poster for me and I get to hang out. They are always appreciative and cool. I have never met a band of jerks. Sometimes they really let loose after shows. www.tragicsunshine.com by Joseph L. Gaitan
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Adrian Mealand
Adrian Meadland is a professional photographer from Mexico City, Mexico. http://www.flickr.com/ photos/mexad/
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Extraverage
Graphic designer; Karoly Kiralyfalvi (from Budapest, Hungary) has a portfolio to share with us. As being a member of the Keystone Design Union and founder of Extraverage, Karoly (AKA Drez) has designed commercial works for some of the most profitable and successful companies in today’s world market. Some of his freelance work includes working with Converse, HBO, Intel, Coca Cola, The Keystone Design Union, Hugo Boss and other great brands. Drez is inspired by music, graffiti, other art forms, and of course; every day life. Drez is able to keep his style very simple, pure, and fresh. Drez has provided some of his work to share with you‌ www.extraverage.net
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ORISUE
Reeves
09 Styles
Reeves
orisue.com
Reach
grnappletree.com
GRN APPLE TREE
Arbres
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Emanuel Kabu
15 metal band is growing... GOB: How do you describe your drawings? I can describe my drawings as a psychedelic mix between humans and animals or natural elements.You’ll find lots of textures and particularly eyes, mouths and teeth, for which I have a natural attraction. I usually draw using black ink without pencil. GOB: What do your drawings represent? What inspires you to draw these illustrations? I take elements from the past and from the present, from reality to imaginary. Sometimes I want to communicate a theme and sometimes I just want to obtain a particular visual effect or shape. GOB: Looking at the “Heads Falls Silently” video, I can see a bit of exploitation of natural resources in the video. What does the video actually portray or mean to society? “Heads Falls Silently” is the first of a series of videos in which I’m trying to investigate some aspects of humans’ madness. In the video you see some humans that lost all their emotions they had, like men that have been made by a production line. Overall, a big monster eats all that these humans lost. Like the “less-head” man of the video, I often feel myself powerless concerning a society that is growing around money and production despite human emotions. GOB: Do you make the sounds for the videos as you make the video? Tell us more about the process of making the video and the sound for it... Except for the music video clip, I always work on the music. I played music since 1997, first as a singer in a hardcore-punk band. Then I started to make some experiments with electronic music using sampler, synthesizer and computers. Music is always an inspiration. For example, the music in the video “Murmur” was the starting point. When I think of creating a new video, I also think about what kind of music will be good for the images of that particular video, and for the mood or sensation I want to communicate. When the images are finished the music and the noises are clear in my mind. GOB: Where are you from? What city and country? I live and work in Belluno, a small city in the north of Italy, very close to the mountains. Sometimes it is the best place in the world for me because I can reach a big amount of natural places in just five minutes. Sometimes I don’t feel good living in Belluno because it’s like a “zombie-city”; nothing happens here it is always the same. GOB: How and when did you start drawing and making videos and sounds? I was a graffiti-writer from 1993 to 2000. It was a really good time for me, I spent lots of nights with friends painting trains and walls and it was a lot of fun! After 2000, I stopped creating graffiti and I started to do other stuff like posters and stickers but nothing really important because I was totally into music at that time. In 2004, I started to draw and make videos more seriously, and I never stopped. With music, as I said before, I was a singer for a hardcore-punk band from 1997 to 2000. Then the band broke-up and I started the experimental electronic duo ENT with Michele Scariot. That band is currently alive. We released lots of tracks and we played lots of gigs. Now, I released something with my solo project called GreenMine, focused into noise-ambient music, and a new experimental black
I really don’t know the reason why I started to do drawings, videos and sounds. It’s something I feel inside me and it’s something I need to do. I make stuff not only for other people but first of all for myself. www.emanuelekabu.org
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PetPunk
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We interviewed Gediminas Šiaulys to find out more about PetPunk, a company that takes art into interactive designs. PetPunk has done projects for PassItOn, a company which creates short films through the collaborations of different designers, directors and animators. The short film designed and animated by PetPunk for Passiton, call Fracas Giant America, shows a really fascinating process that Gediminas explains on question number three. You can catch this short film and see how the designs and animation took place, on our blog at www.gobmagazine.com 1. What programs do you currently use to make visual communications, interactive designs and photography? After Effects, SoftImage, Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, Bridge. 2. Did you direct the MTV video “FRIDAY”? Please tell us more about the project... How you came up with the ideas, direction and designs for this project... We had commission from MTV to create Friday prime time shows wrap. Our idea was to catch the spirit of Friday in an urban atmosphere; when the hard week was over, jobs were done, people began to relax, and you could smell this chill in the air. For a first production phase, we went for a walk to shoot places, people, and details. A very important thing for us is the sound to catch the spirit for a video. In this case it was Smoke City’s “Underwater Love”. Then when we had photo footage, visualizations started to appear in our minds. We began to draw over photos, to get deeper into situations, character and mood. Artboards gave us an idea about motion effects, camera movements and rhythm. Also we added some creatures floating in the city, to give it unrealistic feel. 3. The PSST -- PassItOn 2 Video is very intriguing. Tell us more about the process of this video using your FLICKR photos. The most challenging thing in this video was creating a “Giant” monster, even though it only appears for a few seconds on the screen. First of all, we did a research on ants, then doodle rough sketches. Then we started to collect all kinds of things that could be lost by people and found by ants. We searched through our childhood stuff and flea markets. We made 4 limbs, a body and a head out of all this stuff. All parts were shot separately on green screen. The final character was modeled and moved in After Effects, joining all his parts together. A heart and special effects, like beating, was modeled fully in After Effects. www.petpunk.com
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Alessandro Zuek Simonetti Photography GOB: How did your photography career start? And what inspired you to start taking photos? My Family was really close to arts and my home was surrounded by photographers as well. One, in particular, was a reporter of the daily news in my little town of North East Italy. The reporter would let my sister and I play with his equipment, some Nikon with BW films... This was about how I got in touch with photography. I never went to a photography school. Since then, I started to paint graffiti and hanged around with a crew of skaters. Photography became a need to document my life of adolescent. I started to collaborate with skate and graffiti magazines and brands as well. At that point, photography became something more than just a media. GOB: You have collaborated with great brands, such as 55dsl, Zoo York, Carhartt, Evisu and Bjules. Tell me more about how you have collaborated with these brands. Is there a brand in particular that you would like to work with? Sometimes brands let you do a work very close to your style. It has happened with some of them where they involve you in their creative process. I created a good relationship and a great feeling with some of these brands. With B’jules, in particular, it was like a personal affair -- it’s a long story! And, no -- there is no particular brand. I would like to work with any brand. There are a lot of brands that I like to wear. Some of them are from Sweden. I love their simple and good style!
GOB: What equipment do you use to capture your images? I like to shoot with every kind of camera from the 35 mm to the medium format, with an expensive camera and with a cheap camera as well. I like to shoot in film, mostly BW 400 ISO-pushed. I usually carry these cameras in my backpack: Nikon F100, a 35 mm traditional camera (I use for my documentary). Basically, I fit only BW 400/1600 ISO films, Nikon F90x, my war camera, Mamiya bioptic 330c professional (its a medium square format with a 80mm 1.4 that I use for portraits), and a Polaroid mini portrait (I got years ago to start a project about people). I just got a Nikon Ti35, which is always on my neck now.
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Stefan Hoechst
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Mission bicycles http://www.missionbicycle.com/ Mission Bicycles 1260 Pennsylvania St. San Francisco, CA, 94107
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Jrod
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GOB: How long have you been drawing? Where are you from?
GOB: What is your favorite way of exposing your art?
I have been drawing my whole life, but started really getting interested in doing art and painting in 1991. I grew up in Arizona and now live in Montana.
I paint because it is in me, I show my work and share it with the world in a hope to be able to make a living and keep on painting. It is my love and passion, I can’t think of anything else I would rather do. I have shown in a variety of venues, and it doesn’t really matter where you are -- there is always something special when making the connection with a collector or someone who appreciates the work you do. It’s like any relationship; you get out of it what you put into it. Life is art.
GOB: Why Rhinos? You use them a lot in your work; please tell us more about it... I used the Rhino for a show about broken hearts to symbolize honesty and integrity and they have stuck with me ever since. I try to use traditional and non-traditional symbolism in my work to get across a sense on connection and possibility.
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GeekHouseBikes
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AutoKratz
We got the opportunity to speak with Russell and David from AutoKratz. They are both from England, Russell is 22 years old and David is 29, they both have an outstanding talent in the manipulation of analogue sound modules and are signed by the creative label Kitsune. GOB: How did you hook up with Kitsune Label? “Kitsune is a great label”. Russell – It was the old fashioned way actually…started off doing some shows in grotty East London warehouses, and as we started to get noticed we got a demo onto their desks. David -- Kitsune was THE label we wanted to be on. The creativity within the label is something I have never seen before. From music to art and fashion, it’s really exciting to be around. The thing that strikes me is the diversity, which again is what makes the label special. They don’t pressure us at all with expectations of a certain style or anything, more of a “as long as its amazing” attitude. Russell -- They were very open and trusting in the directions we chose. But we also love their input as at Kitsune you have a group of people who have been central to some of the biggest electronic projects ever; like Daft Punk, and some of the most creative people I have ever met in music. They’ve just got a passion for new music which I find inspiring; always wanting to move forward, and not merely finding a sound and monopolizing it like so many labels do nowadays. I think the Indie labels whose reputation stands the test of time are those who move forward with new directions; such as Factory, Warp and Mute; people who are compelled to support new things. GOB: What are you favorite machines(s) modules? Russell -- I like Nord keyboards, I love my Nord lead 2x, I like MS 20s for a lovely warm sound, and Moog Voyagers make amazingly rich bass sounds.... GOB: How did the name AutoKratz come about? David -- The name was given to us by the ancients of mu mu.... via the KLF of course.
34 Russell - The name holds a dual meaning for the band; combining a shared fascination with the future as seen by Orwell, with the idea of a musical autocracy. AutoKratz being the result of two people who are tyrannous over the music they create. GOB: Any plans to tour the United States? David -- We will probably hit the states in early 2009. Very excited about it indeed GOB: How did you meet each other? Russell -- We met in a scuffle outside a nightclub when I felt really worse for wear, and ended up vomiting hysterically onto an innocent bystander’s new shoes, and that was David. In an understandably hostile response, he raised his fists and poised for a brawl. I was cowering, bracing myself, until in a rare moment of good will; David paused and calmed himself having noticed my Devo t-shirt. We got talking about music, and realized that we weren’t so different in what we liked, and more importantly what we wanted to make. GOB: Where do you get your creativity to create these great beats? What inspires you? Russell -- In terms of music idols, I really love The Fall - I actually booked them for a party of mine and would have to describe when Mark E. Smith (a particular hero of mine) slapped me across the face as my proudest moment to date. For a man so mad to make consistently fantastic albums, and at the quantity he gets them out, is pretty remarkable. Another massive influence of mine is Devo; I love the depth of what they do, the movement they created for themselves, the amazing combination of electronics & guitars and how it all still sounds so fresh and exciting now. Recently, I’ve got right back into all the shoegaze stuff of the early/mid 90’s in a massive way. Stuff like My Bloody Valentine, Chapterhouse, Ride and Slowdive. I really love all that wall of sound guitars and subdued, calming vocals. And we’ve started using some spacey guitars, in a couple of tracks and especially in the live show. But how all these influence the music we make; I really don’t think they do, as we don’t try to emulate anyone. David and myself need to make music we find interesting and original or we couldn’t do it. We don’t set off with any purpose in mind, we just write what we write. I suppose Daft Punk, early Underworld and Kraftwerk are the most relevant reference points, but we really don’t try to sound like anyone. GOB: What is an AutoKratz live show like? David -- A crosshair aiming right between your eyes. Russell -- It’s a full on rock and roll show, but with electronic music. We work to make our live shows unlike any other electronic act you have ever seen. We use machines, guitars and vocals, and play with more of a rock and roll approach. I think it’s vitally important, live, to express energy and drive, and that’s something essential to reach an audience. I’m bored of watching electronic musicians stuck behind banks of machines on tables, faceless pressing buttons. We both properly go for it on stage, because we really want to show the energy in the music.
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Hufnagel cycles
www. Hufnagelcycles.com Hufnagel Cycles 721 SE Madison Portland, OR 97214
What type of welding machines do you use? (GMAW, MIG) I braze all the frames I make with an oxy-acetylene torch. I don’t actually weld anything in my shop.
What type of metals are used to construct your bikes? I use high grade steels.
Do you use lugged frame techniques? I do a lot of lugged frames as well as fillet brazed frames.
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FRM-KID
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Pawel Borkowski: known as FRMkid or Form. GOB: How do you create most of your art? By programs, graffiti or drawing them?
GOB: How did you obtain your drawing skills? At what age? And how old are you now?
Drawing is always the very first record or the idea. Then I scan the image and play with it by using programs. Recently, I’ve done a lot of silk screens and I think this medium is very compatible with the aesthetics of my work. If I had more free time, I would have done more murals. Street pieces remain the minority of my art.
I’ve always drawn. As a 2 or 3 years old kid, I was interested in “decorating” my parent’s apartment walls. Every wall was signed by my crayons at height that I managed to reach. Then I went to high school with art profile. And finally, I got an MA at Academy of Fine Arts. I’m 26 now.
GOB: What do you incorporate in your art? Any messages or ideas that you want people to know when they see your art on a wall or a t-shirt?
GOB: What inspiration drives your work?
My images are usually very personal, but I also like to play with form and graphical context. I’m interested in form as an art medium and also as form in a general, universal point. I don’t want to determine my art by making it unequivocal. I want people to get something personal from it. I try to avoid brazen rhetoric and moralizing. If we concern my illustration, I should say that the word “grotesque” describe my works well. Illustration is a medium which must be usable, work with the context of music, text or so… I try to adjust my work in that way, as good as I can. And finally - if the Freud’s words, “artists are neurotics who cure themselves by making art”, are true then I’m a little bit of that kind of artist.
I’ve always been interested in graphic design and graphical language which use intelligent ideas, like good posters. Old polish masters of illustration are also inspiring for me (for example Daniel Mroz). But, generally, inspirations can come from everything which I find attractive - from folk art to logo which I noticed on the street. There’s no one source of inspirations.
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Erik Otto
43 Born and raised in the South Bay Area, graduated from San Jose State University with a BFA in Illustration in 2005. Erik, a 28 year old illustrator, has collaborated with Timbuk2, Felt bikes, Urban Outfitters, Jansport and among other well known companies. GOB: What are your hobbies? Riding my bike, anything outdoors, traveling, playing drums, and making things from scratch. GOB: Tell us more on how you have collaborated with Timbuk2, Felt bikes, OM records, Reebok, and Adidas... What project(s) did you do for these companies? More and more companies are seeking out the talent of artists to create products or campaigns that appeal to the new generation of consumers. Many times, starting out as any artist, art sales alone doesn’t pay the bills. Since the beginning of my career, I have utilized my growing list of connections to get work from companies who are interested in the aesthetic I am able to create. Currently, I spend half my day working behind a computer as a designer for VESL Studios -- a design collective I recently started as a way to join forces with other talented artists and designers I know -- and the other half, dedicated to creating artwork or planning for a show. I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to work with some great companies, mostly creating artwork that goes on their products. Too many to list…and at the end of the day, its work to make money, so it’s not something I put at the forefront of who I am. I will always be most proud of the artwork I create out of the passion to create. GOB: What motivated you to start New Leaf Clothing? Around the time when I came up with the idea to start New Leaf Clothing, I was noticing that only a select few are able to purchase my paintings and gallery openings seemed not to be for everyone. I have also always had an interest in working collaboratively on a company idea with the main message of spreading positivity. I felt all the clothing I saw didn’t speak to me. I wanted to do something that I liked, hoping other people felt the same way. To put it quite simply, I wanted to create a business model that everyone could feel like they are a part of. GOB: San Francisco is a very artistic city with a lot of talents. As an artist, how do you view SF that is really different from other cities and the world? I see the real SF -- the disgusting and the beautiful. It’s a great place to visit, but a really difficult place to make it as an artist. The high rents leave your option to only living/working in the poor and unsafe pockets of town. It feels like everyone here is an artist and we are all competing for the same small profit to go around. Then again, the same reasons that make it such a tough place to live are the same reasons why the people here create such beautiful work. It’s such a small community of highly talented people, and everyone inspires each other to work hard. GOB: You are a busy guy- how do you keep up with VESL, Personal Website, New Leaf Clothing and your personal life? Time management and discipline is the key in this line of work. It also helps that everything I do, works together in some way. My artwork inspires my design work which then inspires my client work. There will always be more work to do, so I set times to relax and enjoy life as well. GOB: What new things can we see from you within the following year? A few shows outside of SF, new designs and product for New Leaf Clothing, and the official launch of the VESL Studios collective.
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MASH SF. by Joseph Gaitan
Skidz, fast riding, and interactive motion recording… Mash SF is, by far, one of the most viewed companies of fixed gear cyclists in the world. Riding a fixed gear bike without brakes in the hills of San Francisco takes more than courage and passion for this sport.
been part of. It really opened the doors for others to produce similar formatted street fixed videos by us paving the way, networking world wide, face to face, and creating a global community of all these riders. We have seen the same support system help Fast Friday, Bootleg Sessions, and Macaframa since. We are grateful these hook-ups keep the scene grounded and moving forward in a positive way. 3. What has helped Mash SF to influence the world about your products and style beside your videos?
If you ask me to ride down the San Francisco’s hills, I would say nope, not even if anyone would offer a good amount of money. It’s way too dangerous, that’s why they are who they are – Mash SF. They ride with great style and make riding look easy.
Traveling was a big part of spreading the word early on. We went to LA in ‘05 and there were only about 40 fixed riders there - the downtown messengers for sure, and some new faces. Each year we would revisit a city. The impact was clear, and the new growth was the proof. Tokyo was another clear example of this - from 50 to 300, and to 1000 riders over the period of a few years. It’s really rad to see it come full circle.
1. Who are the members (riders) of Mash SF?
4. Tell us about an unforgettable experience while riding in a different city, state, country away from SF?
The original project had 16 riders in it. They were all people we were riding with, and were psyched they all wanted to be in the project. Since then, it has been a revolving door. We have tried to support riders who want to ride, or tape, and people we admire for craft, speed, control etc… We were able to get 10 riders new Cinelli frames for riders. But we wish we could’ve done more… it’s hard to hook up a huge group. We do what we can with very little. We have received small support from companies along the way, whether it was help to put the book out, or to set up a premiere.
2. Who started Mash SF? How did the idea of starting Mash SF established? In Spring ‘05, I began taping with some friends, and that was the beginning. Ben introduced me to Gabe, and from then on it was really pushed. We showed short videos in the bicycle film festival in 2005 and 2006. Then we hosted our own screenings of the full length project with the support of riders and organizers worldwide. It was the most tangible grass roots effort we have ever
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At this point, we have said “no” to bigger deals because we felt it did not fit with the original effort of doing this as friends, for friends. In the future, we will need to grow and position ourselves differently because loosing money only works for so long before there are hard feelings. Cinelli is a very small deal, and we passed bigger deals from bike brands that would have given us more wings. We chose to work with them for a few reasons. They are very small as a company, and they have a rich race history. We also wanted to make a product our friends could afford, and Cinelli has been expensive in the U.S. in the past because the dollar is weak. I think people will be happy when they see the price point for this ‘09 frame.
Every city has its highlights for sure. SF is the hills, NYC is the traffic, LA is the distance, Chicago is the weather, in Japan - it’s all backwards, Denver is the altitude, Miami is muggy, and so on… Learning to ride in any condition is really good for you as a rider. Jonathan and Garrett just got back from riding 1000 miles from Berlin to Milan in the rain.
MASH SF
45 Not to be too sappy, but an overwhelming feeling that was experienced early on with these bikes was its natural ability to create community. It was clear you had something in common with some rider you would meet on the street because there were only 5 of you doing it. It felt like the early days of skateboarding, and the friends that came from those circles. These same communities have developed worldwide, and I feel like you can show up in almost any city now and find riders. That beats the crap out of Facebook any day.
5. Who is (are) charge of the motion recording for Mash SF? What products do you use to capture the interactive capture while riding? Gabe and I are both career photographers, and both worked on skate videos in the past. We would always take out 2 video cameras and often 2 still cameras as well. We both use the Panasonic HVX 200 HD video camera, with lenses, and MIC options. We both use Cannon 1DS mark3 - 22 megapixel still cameras for our day jobs, and all the Mash photo archive we have created together. 6. What new projects should we see soon or in the near future? We are not heavy product based. We produced some shirts originally for a few reasons. To help raise some money to get the video out, and people wanted to support the project that way. We have been able to produce small pieces along the way and sell some. In return, we can give some out to riders and help riders host their own races worldwide. We “sponsored” 36 races in 2008 by sending as many products as we could. We had to say “no” sometimes, but we did as many as we could. It’s cool to look back now and remember a few internet haters back
in the day who could not see how Mash could help develop and mature cycling communities world wide. But since we now have time on our side to look back, it is all very clear that those comments are null and void. In February, we are taking some riders on the tour of California - an 8 stage race here, in California. We will get some sponsors to help with hotel and a support car. We hope to produce a cycling kit for this event. It has been really humbling to see these riders we have around us, that came from skate and BMX backgrounds - to see them fall in love with these track bikes on the street, then ultimately see them fall in love with cycling in return. We ain’t afraid of no spandex!
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MY RENDEZVOUS AT CAMBODIA sarah piseth actual event photographs
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My Rendezvous at Cambodia
hand made years old temple that is resided in Siem Reap —one of the fastest
by Sarah Piseth
growing cities in Cambodia. Luckily, as a Cambodian, I can enter the monuments free of charge; they would charge others twenty dollars. Before I made my
Imagine you’re in a hotel room-- the size of a one bedroom apartment,
way through the entrance, a middle age lady with her beat up bicycle holding
air conditioning turned at seventy degrees Celsius, and you just got out of the
miniature pineapples (the size of apples) said, “Miss, miss, pineapple?”
shower nice and cool. As soon as you stepped out of your hotel it was an instant
I asked her in my native language, “How much?”
Sauna. Remember, you just showered and now you are drenched in sweat.
I looked around the busy streets and compacted buildings, the people
from the way I dressed compared nothing like the citizen. She replied in her
here were wearing long sleeve shirts and pants as if they were not aware of the
native tongue, “2000 real” which was equivalent to 50 cents American dollars.
exhausting hot air that I was breathing in.
I looked at my mom and she said yes with her eyes. I told her I would like one
My one and only convenient transportation was a motorcycle attached
and she was so happy that I bought a pineapple from her, it was like she was the
to a cart called “Tuc Tuc.” The reason it got its name was because it would actually
sale associate at a car dealership and she just sold a car! It was just a pineapple!
make the “tuc… tuc… tuc” sound when it sped off. Tuc tuc is half the size of a car
At least she was working and selling versus begging for money, that was why I
so it can squeeze through almost any road; however the ride was exhilarating,
appreciate her intentions. Least was I expected it, my mother decided to buy all
bumpy, and dusty at the same time. That is why I always wore my painter mask
the pineapples that she had. Her eyes filled with tears and she kept giving my
to prevent from inhaling all the particles flying everywhere. But dust still went into
mother and I praises over and over again. “Thank you, you are two angels. I go,
my eyes at times, which I should have brought my goggles because sunglasses
sometimes, without days selling anything. I have to feed five children at home.
weren’t good enough.
My husband works 15 hours a day.” Her eyes said nothing but the truth, she told
Now, my next destination is the Angkor Wat , which is a 12 century th
She looked surprised as if she didn’t know I was Cambodian, perhaps
us that her bike had a flat tire and she rode from her village to this area to sell in
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order to make some money and the trip was 7 kilometers which is equivalent to
times, she stood for hours trying to sell pineapples or whatever she could make
4.35 miles. The road in most parts of Cambodia, especially near the Angkor Wat
to sell. My mom gave her five dollars for the 4 pineapples we bought, which
is not stable; it’s like riding an old bike through the jungle. There are rocks, cracks,
would last her and her children a week. When I tasted it, I realized I never had a
dips, and gluttony of cars and bikes everywhere. Imagine her trip‌ It probably
pineapple that tasted so sweet. . .
took her at least a couple of hours. She continued saying that my mother and I
were kind-hearted people and it was rare to see people like that these days. At
more buildings, hotels, casinos, bikes, cars, people, and especially tourism. It
The country of Cambodia had progressed so much within the decade,
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took me 15 minutes to walk over two blocks because I was afraid of getting run over. Supposedly, I hear that the average in Cambodia, Phnom Penh , death due to an accident because of congested traffic is one a day. And 80 percent of that is a motorcyclist; 90 percent of the regular transportations were motorcycles. If I were to help the country with something, it would be the roads; the bumpy and broken roads, the narrow spaces, the debris, and the excess of cars and bikes. I saw a whole family of five squeezing on a motorcycle at once. I was appalled, the dad was the driver, he had a child in front of him, behind him were two of his other children, and then his wife. I don’t want to even imagine would happen if there was an accident. God forbid! It was an everyday thing to them, it was normal and it was fine for the people of Cambodia to ride carelessly without any precautionary—plus, it was all, most can afford. However, despite the malicious roads that I love to complain about… I fell in love with the people and the country. Most were gracious in hospitality, so warm, and so collective. Their values had not change and they would strive for better freedom and living every single day, whether it’s just surviving day by day or to provide a decent living for their family. No matter how much I woke up, drenched with sweat, awaiting my adventure outdoors; I was eager to continue my day with Cambodia’s restless warriors and re-discovering my culture as well as one of the world’s most artistic countries.
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53 MACAFRAMA GOB: How often do you guys ride? Most of the crew rides everyday since it’s their main mode of transportation and they all love to ride. GOB: How did the name Macaframa come about? Just something Colin and I came up with a few years ago for our little crew that rode together. Wasn’t expecting it to turn into what it has. GOB: What should we see from Macaframa within next year? Well as soon as we get the music right, we will have the DVD out followed by the Blu-ray copy. Colby Elrick, Colin Arlen, Jason Yim, Phill Cheng, Josh Hayes, James Newman, Rainier Schaefer, Steve Brezovec, Nate Gogol, Kia Karimi, Keo Curry, Dustin Klein, Jason Maggied, PJ Wiebusch MACAFRAMA PRODUCTIONS is a dynamic duo comprised of aspiring filmmakers Colin Arlen and Colby Elrick. Together they managed to form a diverse group of track bike riders gathered from various locations throughout the West Coast now recognized as simply “MACAFRAMA”. They then went on to create a fulllength, high definition film that showcased the progression of track bike riding on the streets of San Francisco. With several premieres already down, countless showings on the way, numerous shorts displayed in film festivals throughout the world, popular YouTube and Vimeo favorites, and an HD DVD due out this winter. Photos: Chris Willmore
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DJ Sasha: Tours, upcoming Music, & on Digweed by Sarah Piseth, GOBmagazine.com
First and foremost, I must say that after tracking DJ Sasha’s huge celebrity profile; surprisingly, his bio says that he’s still shy at heart and doesn’t like small talk or being put on the spot… Well, his shy hearted nature brings out his generous personality and a fun conversation. His thrilling music communicates cutting edge progressive/electronic sounds since the late 80’s to listeners world wide & continues to awaken the public! DJ/producer Sasha (Alexander Coe) was born on September 4, of 1960. He partnered with fellow DJ John Digweed in 1993. Sasha has produced multiple UK-charting singles and has remixed tracks from artists such as Madonna and the Chemical Brothers. In 2007, he formed a record label with Renaissance Records called emFire, which will be an exclusive with his new music. We went back in time asking about his experience in The Hacienda of 1988. Finally, we closed on the aspirations of what we look forward to from Sasha in 2009. We held a phone interview with Sasha in New York from Los Angeles, California. It was October 20, 2008 about 11:30 A.M. Pacific Time. And it began:
GOB: Hello Sasha! How are you doing? Sasha: I’m okay. GOB: Great, great. I just want to let you know we’re from G.O.B magazine and I’m one of the writers. I just want to thank you for having time for us to interview you. Sasha: Cool, no problem. GOB: Just to let you know a little about our history. Our first issue is coming out in January. We’re based on visual communication, interactive design, fashion, street culture, global tech, and such. I would like to know how long did it take you to put together the Involver 2? Sasha: I guess we were brought together in a studio and spend about 7 months working on it, but it was kind of spread out over the course of the year because I was involve with DJ-ing the middle of it also. GOB: I see, and how would you describe your inspiration from this CD? Sasha: Well, I was just looking at the source of Involver recording and most of the track came from the track that I had from my record box. You know… things that I would play out. GOB: How was the motivation you felt in 1988 at the Hacienda Manchester? What got you started with electronic music? Sasha: Well, it was that venue really. I mean I used to go there when I was like 17 or 18 years old, I used to go there when the DJ would play there. That was when house music first kicks off. Hacienda nights probably wrote a role book on how to run a club, really. The design of the club, the way they design all their outwork to promote their night. They have a very special vibe about it. They were very particular about how they run that place…very, you know, their quality and everything had to be done just right. Pretty much, it wrote a brief how to grow a club like that. It was just inspirational to be part of the whole scene. You know, I didn’t get to ever have resident there, but I got to play there a few times, it was my home for a long time. GOB: How did you and Digweed meet? Sasha: John and I met through a club that I was a resident of and we started to play together after that. GOB: I would like to know, for you and Digweed, how did you guys learn to communicate together in music and spinning so well? Sasha: We just start it off with a lot of the same music, but we definitely had our own style, quite different style. I just think that it works very well when we’re both together and it’s funny, even though we don’t play together for a few months.
And usually, it takes a gig or two before we know what to do. I don’t know, we don’t ever really talk about what we really going to do or we don’t really rehearse things. We don’t talk about music or listen to music together. So it’s kind of interesting, I guess. GOB: And for the Delta Heavy, it was the most intense electronic tour. Would you ever do it again? Sasha: Um, I don’t know… maybe. I mean, besides of the productions of that tour, the way we did that tour, probably not. Um, I don’t know. (It sounded like he really wasn’t sure) GOB: (chuckles) Sasha: John and I are always up for playing together. GOB: I would say your fans would look forward to it, including me. It was a really awesome show. And have you checked out any new or upcoming DJ’s or producers? Sasha: Um, yeah . . . I can’t think of any right now. (Laughs) GOB: Moving on, I would like to close my question with this one: What can we look forward from you for 2009? Sasha: Oh! 2009. Um…Well, I’m not really sure to be honest because this year has been a really heavy year for me. You know I spend the first half of the year working on the album and then the second half of the year I’m touring like a crazy man. So when I get to January I’m going to take some time off and then access what to do, really. I got a tour in South America and I’m looking forward to that in April. Other than that, I don’t really have any plans for 2009 right now. I’m definitely going to be down back at the studio working on some more music! Sasha will be touring in Japan, South Korea, South Africa, and more for 2009! Check out his upcoming tours: www.djsasha.com
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ON SCENE WITH a gifted noise illustrator, DJ NOSAJ THING: by Sharon Gaitan
Los Angeles base DJ/producer, Nosaj Thing (Jason Chung), creates electronic sounds that attract crowds of people. With electronic sounds mashing with underground hip hop beats and live module machines, Jason is to be recognized as the most reviving, fresh producer. He creates smooth transitions and surprising unique sounds with the best of electronic/hip hop elements.
Your music has a different sound and vibe... How do you describe your beats? “I write songs based on how I feel at that given time. Most of them start with experimenting with sounds and chord progressions. I guess I can describe it as electronic/ experimental/beats.”
Tell us more about the computer you obtained from your father. What motivated you to start producing music? “When I was 13, my dad upgraded to a new system and he gave me his old PC that was based off an old Celeron chip. The Celeron is like the Geo Metro of micro processors. I couldn’t make a song with more than 7 parts because of its limitation.” “Top 40 Hip Hop in the 90’s and early 2000’s, being in the music program at my schools, and computer software motivated me to start producing music. A friend of mine hooked me up with a couple music production programs when I was in high school. It caused hundreds of tardy slips.”
You are a gifted noise manipulator. Do you have any musical training/education? “I’ve been in various music programs since the 4th grade. I started with the Sax, then the clarinet, and then joined the drum line in high school. My family had a piano and guitar in the house that I’ve often messed with. After high school, I took as many music classes as I can at a community college.”
That’s a really cool Tee that Stussy and Turntable Lab created for that event. How was it playing along with Free the Robots? Are you guys making a track together or will you? “The Stussy/Turntable Lab Beats was definitely a dope project. Touring with Free the Robots was the best. We had a lot of laughs. We aren’t working on a track together but we’re remixing each others tracks.”
What is in the future? “My first full length is in the works. Remixes for Flying Lotus and Free the Robots is on the way as well. My goal is to create synchronized visual show to go with my live set...Hopefully that will be ready by the time I start touring the record!” Jason Chung (Nosaj Thing) Website: http://nosajthing.com Myspace: http://myspace.com/nosajthing
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60 A New Era -- 2009 by Stephanie Nget
overseas. His foreign policy will be based on energy independence. He plans to make negotiations with Mexico and China and will develop a financial plan that will restore Wall Street investment banks.
In the course of history Until today, we have seen how democracy continues to be established into a “more perfect union”. It was in 1787 when our forefathers signed the Declaration of Independence that freed us from persecution. Over the centuries, we compromised the issue of slavery and the discrimination of races and gender under harsh times. Now that we’ve reached the election of 2008, we see a new face for the presidency and for the future of the United States. However it will be a continuous struggle where changes could only be moral (good, beneficial). Slavery was one of the prominent issues during the 1600s through the 1800s. Although we had ratified the Constitution in 1787, blacks that were slaves were not given equal rights. The period of slavery was one of the first practices of discrimination. There was segregation in schools where blacks and whites were divided within acceptable territories. Public services and places were restricted to races of color as they became demoralized to the population. Within the colonies, opportunities were limited to the color of your skin and judgments were hasty. Soon enough a gap began to form that would take centuries to fill. As the wealth of the United States became accounted by the labor of slaves, women’s rights were also neglected. However, women began to agitate the movement for suffrage. The right to vote was the opportunity for an equal voice in government. It was not until the 1920s, that the Constitution ratified the 19th Amendment and gave women a step toward equal rights. Other social movements for women’s rights were engaged in fair wages, the right to own property, to education or to serve in public office. Despite the flawed Constitution written in the early years, citizens were able to reason and fight for justice to narrow the gap of race and inequality. War created a shift for opportunities. In the Second World War, men left their homes to defend the United States. Slaves, despite their unequal status, were enlisted into the war as a soldier. Women began to join the war effort and leave their domestic lives. They worked the machineries for support of the war. This shift was a mark for the gap narrowing, as we became a more united country.
Obama is advocating for the people. He wants to pay taxpayers their money and help the middle class. We have had 8 years of failed policies where the wealthy becomes richer as the poor become less fortunate. Businesses have become a crucial part of the economy to help circulate stability in the financial world. In order to help businesses grow, low-cost loans will be given to hire and pay workers. They will stay open to help the economy further. Tax credits will be given to businesses when they hire new employees in the United States. Obama wants to encourage a future with opportunities in jobs for ordinary people trying to make a living. Energy independence has been one of main focuses of today. We spend billion of dollars a year depending on Middle Eastern oil. Moreover, the environment is affected by global warming due to harmful carbon emissions. There is a positive correlation of the temperature rising every year. Obama wants to reverse those effects by eliminating our dependence on foreign oil and convert to energy efficient solar, wind, or bio-fuels. Car companies would begin to develop fuelefficient cars made in America. It would create clean energy jobs. Education is also an important issue. It provides a foundation for developing intellectual minds. Obama’s plan includes higher salaries that will be given to teachers with higher standards. It will ensure professional and accurate teaching. Tax credits will be given to cover tuition costs and college education will be affordable. Obama presses on other extensive matters that promote change. He offers hope through these tough economic times. He states, “Hope is not blind optimism. It is that thing inside us that insists something better awaits if we have the courage to reach for it, to work for it, to fight for it”. Everyone can be inspired to see that America can be restored. History is being made everyday. Our country has come a long way, and electing an African American president is noteworthy to see that we have room for growth and change.
United we stand
A Time for Everything
We continue to see the pattern of the gap narrowing in the present day. In the last decade, we have had natural disasters and foreign attacks that incidentally made us more united. People responded with aid and support during tragic times. Schools raised money, donations were taken up from various organizations, and strangers were comforting families. The United States flag, especially during the 9/11 attacks, was shown its true meaning as it hanged across the 50 States.
There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for
We see that it is not until something bad happens, where we come together united. Now that we have come to face these tough economic times, we are able to put asides issues of race and judgments to provide hope in the economy.
Peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
The mark of historical significance: Barack Obama On January 20, president elect Barack Obama will be inaugurated as the 44th president. This event will be historically significant because not only will he be the first African American president, but also, he has united everyone to believe in hope for the future. We have crossed a milestone by putting away our pride in race, class or ideologies. Attracting the most first time voters, young voters, and Republicans, Obama has become an inspiration to those who want change for the better. In these hard times, Obama has presented a comprehensive and strategic plan to solve the economic crisis. We will move away from socialist threats and war