I kinda like these not-your -average, run-of-the-mill one-piece swimsuits by Etsy shop thePussPuss. According to the write-up, they’re “Made in the EU with love using top quality fabric from Italy.”
Alan Govenar and Bruce Lane’s Stoney Knows How is a short and sweet look at one of the tattoo world’s great characters.
Stoney St. Clair started developing his craft at the age of 16. He learned the art of tattooing from some of the best skin pounders in the business, including Ted and Bob Liberty, Frisco Bill Moore and a stint with Charlie Wagner on New York City’s Bowery.
Stoney tattooed while using a wheelchair, which he called his “struggle-buggy.” It didn’t keep him from doing what he had to do, which was “to pursue my profession with intelligence and skill, wishing not to offend anyone, but instead, with my love of mankind, to do what good I can before I die.” Stoney passed away in 1980.
Director Bruce Lane describes his film:
Stoney Knows How is a visit with a master of the Oldest Art In The World - Tattooing. Disabled by arthritis since the age of four, confined to a wheelchair, his growth stunted, Stoney St. Clair joined the circus at 15 as a sword-swallower. A year later, he took up tattooing, and traveled with circuses and carnivals for 50 years. As we watch him at work, we see the determination which led Stoney to use his crippled hands in an art where mistakes are permanent, and we realize Stoney has overcome his handicap to heal himself and others with the magic of symbols. The film ends with a visit by New Age tattoo master Don Ed Hardy to Stoney, who gives him a souvenir tattoo.”
Here’s Stoney Knows How in its entirety. Cinematography by none other than Les Blank.
As if Victoria Beckham wasn’t already a living, breathing rail-thin symbol of how money can never really purchase class, the former “Posh Spice” turned “designer” has announced her new limited-edition Range Rover “Evoque.” The SUV—which was unveiled in Beijing at an auto show on Sunday night—will retail for $129,000, about twice the sticker price of a standard model Range Rover and will be chock-full of Beckham’s tacky trimmings (like mohair carpet floor-mats and rose-gold accents based on her favorite Rolex watch). Only 200 of the limited edition luxury vehicle will be produced and it’s aimed at the super rich of Communist China…
“I think that though women will drive this car, it has a masculine edge. I think it’s very cool,” she added.
Beckham, who admitted she had never done a project like this before, said she had learned “an enormous amount.”
“And the bottom line is, would I drive this car, like when I’m designing a dress, would I wear this dress? I love what I do. I consider myself so blessed to do a job that I love and this has been a great experience for me,” said Beckham, wearing a sleeveless striped dress from her own collection.
She said she searched for inspiration in many places.
“I did a lot of research and not just with cars, old and new, but boats, planes, movie stars, different locations,” she said.
“It would be hard to pinpoint exactly where the inspiration came from. It’s just what I like, that’s the bottom line. I don’t try to be too technical about it ... It’s what feels real to me.”
This feels, uh, like well, a joke to me…
The special edition “Evoque” features exclusive, hand-finished matt paint, the first for a Land Rover-type vehicle.
The vehicle also has rose gold accents on the grille and gloss black forged alloy wheels. Inside, the four-seat coupe includes vintage-inspired leather seats, rose gold-plated accents and features trimmings of black lacquer, textured aluminum and mohair.
In addition, the vehicle has bespoke luxury accessories, such as a four-piece leather luggage set and a hand-sewn leather wallet for the owner’s manual signed by (Victoria) Beckham.
Fuck me. The only thing more sickening than contemplating Victoria Beckham’s cringe-worthy tastes is the 200 ludicrous fuckwits who would buy something like this when it rolls off the production line in October. What kind of asshole would want a car designed by Victoria fucking Beckham? For when a “normal” Range Rover isn’t good enough? The Beckham-designed Evoque will really show the world WHO YOU ARE!
This is a car that cries out to be keyed viciously. If I was a bird, I’d make sure to crap on one.
Coming soon, no doubt, the Kim Kardashian designed all-angora interior Porsche “Luscious” with a 7.1 lemon meringue sound system, snakeskin-lined glove compartment and floor-mats made from the skin of homeless people. It runs on Midori, no doubt.
Ah, the joys of the box-set, the artfully designed collectible that allegedly adds value to your music collection. Of course, sometimes it’s a damn fine thing, especially when it includes lots of unreleased goodies. Or when the set is cheaper than buying the individual discs. Other times, it’s little more than a cunning scam to sell you something you already own.
Last year, Elvis Costello warned his fans off purchasing his box of delights, claiming he was “unable to recommend this lovely item to you, as the price appears to be either a misprint or a satire…” The price was $258.70 (£212.99) - ouch. Some bands are undeterred in extracting the cash - how many box sets have U2 released? (Too many?) While others see it as a way of celebrating their oeuvre - last week Blur announced the release of their mega box 21, out on July 31, this year. Yet, often the cost of these box-sets suggests they are really meant for the thirty-plus professional, who can afford to shell out the big bucks on such shiny trinkets.
Which brings me to Kraftwerk, who have announced the release of a limited edition black box set of their 2009 box-set The Catalogue. The main selling point here is it’s a “black box set” and it’s “a limited edition”, limited to “2000 individually numbered copies”. The box includes:
...all 8 remastered and repackaged albums in a 12"x12” box. To celebrate the 35th anniversary of their landmark electronic début, Autobahn, pioneers Kraftwerk re-release the digitally remastered of all of their albums. These include redesigned sleeves and all original titles restored. An absolute must for collectors and anyone with an interest in the electronic music culture. This edition also includes large format booklets and expanded artwork:
Autobahn (1974) Radio-Activity (1975) Trans-Europe Express (1977) The Man Machine (1978) Computer World (1981) Techno Pop (1986) The Mix (1991) Tour de France (2003)
So, if you’re tempted, then follow the trail here to find out more. Or, maybe you can hang on until the 40th anniversary of Autobahn comes around?
...those suspenseful moments when a sleeping loved one is a little too still for a little too long. Using an irreverent combination of comfort & fear the pillows parallel sleep & death. Project goal: taking ownership of morbidly intrusive thoughts through humor & play.
The pillows are 16 inch by 16 inch, and are made of silk, velvet and batting.
“The Great Slumber” or “Blood Puddle PIllow” is, as my dear friend Woody Mcmillan says, a “Must. Have.”
They tell me it is nice to play on – it looks touch sensitive and has a good action but it is designed for you to make many bum-notes. I could go on but I am sure you get the picture.
From the early 1970’s into the 80’s, Robert Abel and Associates were pioneers in the use of computer graphics in TV commercials. His style was clearly influenced by Peter Max, Yellow Submarine, Milton Glaser, Stan Vanderbeek, Fillmore poster art and psychedelic culture in general. In addition to commercials, Abel did special effects work for films like Tron, The Andromeda Strain and Star Trek.
Abel’s style was nicknamed ‘photo-fusion,’ the combining of still photography with video. In his 1975 7-Up commercials, Abel used back-light techniques called ‘candy-apple neon,’ a highly stylized type of animation that created a day-glo effect. In 1982, Abel used ‘candy-apple neon’ to create the look of Tron.
Here’s a selection of Abel’s trippy commercials. The 7-Up ads are particularly lysergic. In addition to the commercials, I’ve included demo-reels and a short documentary on Abel.
