Blog Archives
DJ Dexxx1
Some months ago INFX featured a short tribute mix by DJ Dexxx1 to the late Gangstarr MC Guru. This time we return to the turntable maestro (and beatboxer/ drummer) on a lighter note; to check out the skills our man was droppin‘ during a practice routine back at his place last night.
One of the true underground hip-hop DJs on the West Coast, Los Angeleno DJ Dexxx1 AKA DJ Dexterity is a keen fan of the late JDilla, and frequently drops Dilla‘s beats during his sets and routines all about L.A. Dexxx says of Dilla‘s productions that “the type of rawness on the beat among others shows you not only does Dilla have that Neo soul,The Ummah, SV type soul on lock, but he also has a dark rugged steez as well in his repertoire. Rip to in my opinion the illest beat maker in hip hop history...” and you can hear it as he tells it in this mini-routine right here:
VeinOne
INFX recently caught up with one of NYC’s great artistic talents: VeinOne. A member of the well-respected Bt (Bronx Team) Crew, Vein was raised throughout New York City, growing up in all 5 boroughs; mostly in Queens. Our main man Vein started getting up proper from 1995 and has gone from strength-to-strength ever since. Here we have the interview wherein we see the story told from the man himself:
INFX: You‘re a born and bred New Yorker -how did you start up on the graff scene?
VeinOne: I remember being in 4th grade [and] I would see a couple of my friends practising their throw-ups. At first, I really didn‘t take it serious because I was a toy and I didn‘t really know a lot of writers.
INFX: What do you think of the current generation of NYC writers?
VeinOne: I think most of the new writers are eager to paint but they have no one to guide them and teach them the history of this art. To the new writers I say everyone pretty much starts off toy but its where you take it from there. Keep doing your thing.
INFX: What are your main artistic motivations or influences?
VeinOne: I would have to say my crew motivates me. We are a family of creative individuals and we all push each other to produce some dope walls.
INFX: How do you see yourself within the “art market” as such?
VeinOne: I would love to make a living off my art, I hate being a starving artist.
INFX: What new styles are you picking up at the moment, and where are you heading in terms of style and the future in general?
VeinOne: Lately, I‘ve wanted to focus more on background scenery painting. I‘m always open to learning new tricks and techniques or anything that can make me a better artist. As far as my style, well I guess we‘ll have to wait and see where it goes because it‘s always evolving one way or the other.
So there you have it -And keep an eye out for VeinOne Bt hitting up the scene in a big way!
Secret Wars: Scale vs. Pierre Lloga
Last night brought the noise in the Melbourne Series 2 Semi-Final for Secret Wars.
Pierre Lloga this time went head-to-head with his sometime contemporary nemesis and the Round 1 champion, Scale. Despite the fact that the two share a notional bond with one another; Scale held no fear in depicting Pierre as pathetically imprisoned within his hand-written, pencil-pushing cell: A caricature buffeting itself with cat icons; typical of Lloga‘s work. In the meantime though, Lloga invoked a graveyard-inspired defiance to see to it that Scale in turn was illustrated as the last of the graffer; as encrouched upon by Pierre himself, with the aid of a chainsaw!
In all earnestness: This battle has exhibited the best of art I have witnessed in the series so far.
So without further adieu, please do visit a video of the late evening:
http://secretwars.com.au/melbourne
Joshua Wiffen
Drawing upon the graffiti artform, Josh hits his canvas with a depth of colour layers that are quite engrossing. His use of text calligraphy is striking as it brushes up against themes including societal quips, the female form, trashed pop iconoclasts and, perhaps flesh-eating disco zombies from outer space. Extra pursuits to his gallery works include aerosol murals, paste-up’s and the notional tag here or there. However, his creativity rises to the fore using an array of inks and paints on a fixed surface such as canvas or wood.
Wiffen’s visual style marks an awesome creative effort and his works prove themselves worthy of the modest sum that you would hardly expect to pay: that is, they’re a fucken bargain!
Next up, Josh is working on some further mural endeavours (such as that featured below) and he is co-curating major launch/ exhibition It’s Official from the 14th – 21st December 2010 at Gallery: 5 Crown Lane in Wollongong, NSW.
You can contact Josh for wall commissions and artist workshops at: wiffen.com.au
-RTB
Original Mould
This weekend heralds the Original Mould Emerging Artists’ Market. The event will take place at 1000 Pound Bend on Saturday the 6th of November 2010.
This is a truly Melburnian arts feast; featuring the hottest creative minds in a showcase ensemble that is quite simply spectacular.
Original Mould provides a platform for young emerging artists to showcase their designs and the arts community are welcomed through the doors to critique, collect or mingle with the artists. The market begins at 1.00pm with an impressive outlay of contemporary mediums featuring (but not limited to) street art, fashion, design, fine art, printmaking and media arts.
• Saturday the 6th November 2010.
• 1000 Pound Bend located at 361 Little Lonsdale Street.
• Doors will open from 1.00pm to 7.00pm.
• Live Performances from The Adventure Spirit and by DJ Oakley.
1000 Pound Bend is an underground warehouse with a spacious yet cosy interior, accommodating up to 30 stallholders. The venue provides our patronage with a dynamic atmosphere, with room to have a drink and relax whilst celebrating the future of Melbourne’s inspiring artists.
The market features emerging artists and arts enthusiasts. It gives up-and-coming arts talent an opportunity to sell their merchandise, so don’t be shy to splash some cash.
The market provides a creative arena, bustling crowd, plus live performances from successful local band The Adventure Spirit and also a set spinning discs by DJ Oakley.
Don’t miss out on the insight and intrigue in experiencing Melbourne’s freshest new arts!
Witness the future of our newest artists with Original Mould: Emerging Artists Market.
Gil Scott-Heron
Hello Friends,
As part of my Remix Culture studies I have compiled a video to complement Gil Scott-Heron‘s classic track The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. The video is made up from old Drive-In theatre advertising film reels, in a nod to the postmodern advertising epidemic that is the subject of this track. The music itself is slightly modified, fragmented and mixed to epitomise the repetition of advertising.
Although I have removed nearly all of the companies from the adverts, one still remains: Winston Cigarettes. This particular advertising brand was saved due to the nature of the commercial, but also because of my affection for cigarettes.
-RTB
The Gift of Gab
Sunday night, Queen’s Birthday Eve.
We ventured into the Richmondia district to check this mad freestyle rapper and stalwart of Quannum, Blackalicious and various solo and collaborative projects. Although expecting an ensemble of guests and a setlist direct from the forthcoming Escape 2 Mars album, the disappointment dissipated somewhat when the Gab started to spit 2 times for your mind with some nice sounds thrown out from DNAEBEATS. The 2-Piece brought a host of classics including Paragragh President, Deception (Don’t Let Money Change Ya), and Make YouFeel That Way among other new hits Lightyears and El Gifto Magnifico from Mars that certainly rocked the crowd well.
Although the hour passed far too quickly; Here is a short freestyle that was bestowed upon an insatiable crowd:
-Rock The Boat
The Beat Invitational
Braving the storms of a previously excessive foray into the night until morning, I was joined by some outrageous and tender-hearted friends to check the Producers Showcase at Roxanne.
Although arriving after Cinderella got home from the ball, live art was still in effect by the “insanely talented” Otis Chamberlain and the mad bass of hip-hop fused dubstep was on the make. Featured producers included Dizz1, Sean Deans, Cosmo, Mike Kay, and Chopper whom were “showcasing their latest creations and unleashing their unreleased beats …the future sound of Australasia’s beat heads”
Obey, Ableton Live, and Jazz Crimes presented the freshest dope music-makers dribbling beats and boinks in an ensemble of the next musicological greats. Check the art below by the crafty and guilely Otis Chamberlain, complemented by breaks from ITF Champion and X-Ecutioners DJ Total Eclipse on the night:
-Rock The Boat
Please Come In
This Friday launches the Gert Gallery bonanza ‘Please Come In‘ -with 9 artists vying for visual supremacy at the humble 1800s Hyde Street residence, curated by Gert Geyer.
Your host appears among the artists in this smorgasboard of visual treats; encompassing themes of woman alongside refined skills from the featured visual arts set.
-Rock The Boat
Kid Koala
Yes,
It is Friday evening here in the Antipodes and although I’ve been quarantined amongst the Digital Cinema Compliance appendages, I have dug up a lovely musical event for you all to peruse and enjoy. Dim the lights, Maestro!
Kid Koala (AKA Eric San) is a native of Montreal; he writes graphic novels and narrates them with his scratch-sonic soundtrack. He’s a turntablist and producer, debuting on Ninja Tune with the 2006 release Your Mom’s Favourite Dj. He was integral in the production of Deltron 3030 alongside Del the Funky Homosapien and in Mike Patton projects Lovage and Peeping Tom.
He’s touring currently -playing in Melbourne this Wednesday night at The Corner Hotel in Richmond. He is presenting ensemble act THE SLEW; of which his website alludes to “a puppet musical about a robot who works at a cookie factory (complete with turntable orchestra pit), a quiet-time headphone / beanbag tour for the non-dancing listeners, and a hilarious Roller-rink tour which should be fun for the whole family” (kidkoala.com).
The Space Invader
Little is known about the Invader, but his intricate tiles depicting characters from 8-bit video games (i.e. Space Invaders) have found their way onto common surfaces all over the world.
Particularly prevalent in the West; I have seen these works in cities including LA, New York, London, Berlin and Hong Kong. There is also a grab-bag of these characters right here in Melbourne. Below are some examples that I encountered last weekend. Having taken the time to investigate these local instances, I felt I would share this story with you.
The Invader is a French street artist that is around 40 years old. He began working casually during the nineties in his home town of Paris; before his tiled assault went epic in 1998. From trendhunter.com: “The locations chosen for the Space Invaders mosaic are not done at random; in fact, they contain a specific order and plan. In Montpellier, for instance, the artist planned out many different locations for his pieces so that when you look at a map, the points take the form of a giant Space Invader character.“
Henceforth, he began taking the artform abroad, reaching over 35 countries in total, taking in all the cities mentioned above; and more. Recently, he has hit the Hollywood sign twice and has achieved higher notoriety after his cousin Thierry Guetta (AKA Mr. Brainwash) teamed up with Banksy to produce the film Exit Through The Gift Shop, which premiered in San Francisco last week. Below are a few examples drawn from the Invader’s stints in Melbourne and a map from the Space Invader website showing the locations that have been hit...
-Rock The Boat
RIP Guru
Vale to the late Guru; reputable MC for Gangstarr and hip hop visionary.
The rapper died a few days ago after a long struggle with cancer. He had been in a coma since late February this year.
Guru stands for Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal; a title that references the Nation of Islam. Guru (or Keith Elam) rocked the East Coast scene, ever since teaming up with DJ Premier and Mark the 45 King in 1985. Their greatest release Hard To Earn is an essential hip hop classic and Premier himself regarded as one of the best hip hop producers of all time.
Featured is a short tribute mix by Los Angeleno Dj Dexxx1.
MUTO
Here we have a breath-taking video, titled ‘Muto‘ which took something like a two and a half months to shoot and edit.
The work is by BLU, an Italian street artist who has been prolific since 1999; and he’s from Bologna (a very beautiful and happening city too, I might add). The video was produced in Buenos Aires and the artist has whitewashed every part of these walls as he went through creating this visual orgasm. He is well-renowned and has had many exhibitions globally, in cities such as New York, Berlin, London, Barcelona, Milan and in Palestine.
Music is by Andrea Martignoni and the painting was assisted by Sibe. Producer: Mercurio Film.
The clip has been doing the rounds on the internet and among those interested -for anyone else, here it is:
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-Rock the Boat
Element Omahigh
I am certainly a fan of the Hi-Top sneaker. Of which there are many -both good and bad. However, here we are witness to epic brilliance in regard to this particular model shoe.
This favourite is the Element Omahigh. These brilliant boots reflect all that is good for a pair of Hi-Tops; namely comfort, durability and aesthetic appeal. The Omahigh is inspired by Brent Atchley; one of Element’s sponsored pro-skater talents. The shoe comes in a range of colours and styles. Shown below is one of 3 limited edition releases: this being the SM Connect.
Personally, I have a regular pair of Omahighs that I sport on a regular basis. I’ve imported them from the US but they are still available around Melbourne -although the only colours I have spotted are white derivatives and lack the visual appeal of the many others on offer. Another one to avoid is the Kanji model, which is (luckily) one of the aforementioned limited releases that is almost entirely flourescent green -a shoe that will blind both your bank statement as well as your retina cortex.
Check out the SM version:
-Rock The Boat
Buffet 2010
This weekend is host to the Acclaim Magazine / Fashion Exposed Buffet street lifestyle industry showcase. It comprises 3 days of tradeshow, party, public expo and discussion forums. Your host took to the event to get a sneak peek at the latest streetwear and accessories trends and to chat with a few of the freshest up-and-comers in the field.
I caught up with Shelley from Super Special screenprinting -we had a chat about the grand possibilities that were available in regards to creating the freshest tee’s. This company has what I’d regard as the highest quality screenprinting for clothing anywhere in Melbourne. Their gold trimmed and detailed garments were certainly a sight to behold! Super Special of Spotswood (Spottiswoode?) are definitely one to contact if you’re after some custom made tee’s and no doubt they’ll hook you up with a competitive quote. e: info@superspecial.com.au
Next up, I checked out the myriad of international brands featured at Booth #15′s True To Life Clothing -purveyours of such fine goods as those of Diamond, 10Deep, Upper Playground, Zion and Society (among others). These guys know their shit, check: truetolifeclothing.com.au
Continuing on, I perused the New Era stand, rad designs by Sup (Singapore) and some excellent t-shirt prints from locals Quiet Riot (Thornbury). However, after a little longer wandering around I found an outstanding new upstart by Sydneysider Asher in his Sabotage label. Asher is a native of Manly NSW, from the Northern Beaches part of Sydney. His designs mirror that of some of his various tattoo’s in the Mitch O’Connell / classic tatts sense. I got chatting with Asher and he was a great fellow; eager to peruse my own INFX designs and always scouting for contributors. He let it be known that he wants the label to comprise broad tastes and to promote a lot of different styles; So if you have what it takes & are looking for an outlet with your off-the-wall designs, give Asher a holler at Sabotage: sabotage101@live.com
Utopia Now
During the past week I have visited the ‘Utopia Now’ media art exhibiton at the Black Box on Southbank a few times and cannot get enough of these profoundly sick-arse media arts exhibits.
The exhibition is composed of interactive and video imagery installations that both confound and amuse. And it’s FREE.
Upon arrival you are confronted with a giant dissected Michelin Man straddling the exterior. Once inside, a jungle of plants with hyper-sensitive electronic sensors greets you with jungle sounds when brushing your body against their plastic flesh. The sensors are triggered by the body’s own electric charge (or aura). Following is a plethora of viewing and touching and feeling material; with my personal highlights comprising the video shorts. The works include engrossing 10min film pieces by Patrick Bernatchez, Rowan McNaught and David O’Reilly that are certainly a-typical of what I like to think is “the shit”. Also, an interactive shadow and movement piece by Shilpa Gupta is quirky and very amusing. Go on, check it out (did I say it is free?) -the exhibition is on for another 3 or so weeks. And make sure you have ample time or return to the fold, as there is so very much to take in. Shitloads.
Check the website too if you like: http://www.experimenta.org/
-Rock The Boat
Projector Love
Last night was a real money maker. After throwing a few digital images around the bio box, I was able to whip up a stop-motion short involving 2 parts of a 100+ year old projector that has recently been decommissioned. The Bauer projector’s demise is a smirk on the face of the digital cinema technology that is becoming prevalent as the norm in cinema exhibition.
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A synopsis of the short film (Francais):
2 ont diffame’ des parties de l’amour qui est la rencontre de projecteur de film quelques anti-heroes de canaille qui essayent d’assassiner ces 2 individus. Le resultat est la creation d’un amour obcene et wonderous. Un conte epique du combat pour former un coeur de 2 a brise’ des morceaux.
-Rock The Boat
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