Video: A look at ALL THIS MAYHEM (Tas & Ben Pappas Documentary)

VICE documentaries’ All This Mayhem is a searing account of what happens when raw talent and extreme personalities collide. An unflinching, never-before-seen account of drugs and the dark side of professional skateboarding that stars brothers Tas and Ben Pappas. Chronicling the intense bond and charisma that took the siblings from the pinnacle of their sport into a spiraling world of self-destruction; All This Mayhem at its core is a film about what happens when raw talent and extreme personalities collide.

Utilising endless handicam footage taken at the time, paired with interviews from Henry Sanchez, Lance Conklin, Dom Kekich, Bill Weiss and others, director Eddie Martin, who has ties to Exit The Through the Gift Shop and Senna, touches upon the brothers’ revolutionary style, feuds with Tony Hawk, their ferocious appetite for mood-altering substances and where it ultimately landed them.

If you haven't seen the film and have an interest in the subject matter, really try and do so. And given we live in the age of the internet you can stream the film online HERE for a reasonable price. But if you still need some convincing or perhaps just want to know a little more before jumping in, check out the 20 minute video below where those involved talk a bit more about the project.

Video: Epicly Latr'd - Elissa Steamer

I usually shy away from posting older material on the blog or at least save it for Throwback Thursdays but that’s the great thing about being your own boss, you can decide the rules, and today I figured I’d do just that and throw up one of my favorite episodes of Epicly Later’d, 2012’s Ellisa Steamer profile.

I’ve probably watched most of the Epicly Later’d’s multiple times over the years and Elisa’s episode is no different in that it’s a great watch. So why highlight after the fact? I guess this is my way of aiming the spotlight on an issue that’s probably more relevant today than it has been in years, feminism.

Something in the air has changed, maybe for the first time in a long time woman are starting to celebrate each other without the approval of men and I want to believe that most people think that’s great. Woman most certainly don't need my help championing their various achievements and contributions to society but what I can help shine a light on are the woman of counterculture, those who are a minority in a scene made up of minorities.

Hopefully readers get the sense that I do this anyways without the need to highlight it these last three plus years but as always there will be unsung heroes.

For every prime- time news report on the Kacy Catanzaro’s out there there are woman doing equal or greater things with no fanfare what so ever. No division 1 athletic advantages, no sponsorships, and most certainly no support from the mainstream media. Even the powerhouse feminist forums like Jezebel tend to focus on the most vanilla of vanilla in their pop culture reporting, offering a much needed woman’s point of view on topics that unfortunately are as tired as the stereotypes they fight to break. Do we really need another blurb on Beyonce? Speaking for myself I don’t and while some fight to get a female led superhero movie made I’d prefer to see interesting things come out of the movement rather than female driven versions of tiered “men’s staples.” 

So with that here is Vice’s Epicly Later’d profile on skater Elissa Stemaer, watch it, get inspired and go do something interesting and different from your norm.

Part 1 looks at the first female pro skater ever, speaking to her from her home about her Toy Machine years from Jamie Thomas, Mike Maldonado, Brian Anderson, and Chad Muska.

 

In Part 2, we hear more about what it was like for the best girl skater in the world to hang out in an all-dudes world.

 

In Part 3 we find our heroine fully confident in her role as a pro skateboarder. When she was not breaking boards, she was breaking hearts, as illustrated by the love ballad a young skater penned in her honor. Elissa also decides to leave Toy Machine and joins the controversial, but talented, Bootleg team.

 

In the last part of the Elissa Steamer Epicly Later'd series Elissa explains what "life after skate" is like and how surfing may actually be the key to her future.

Video: OFF! – “Hypnotized’

Hardcore supergroup OFF! are gearing up to release their new LP Wasted Days on April 8 via VICE. The band dropped a new Chris Grismer directed video today for a song called “Hypnotized” and it stars my personal hero, David Yow. The clip see’s the Jesus Lizard frontman as a crack-using superhero who faces off against his rival, T.S.O.L.'s Jack Grisham. Awesome!

Video: Epicly Later’d – “Ed Templeton Part 1”

Vice’s Epicly Later’d has been one of my favorite series from ever growing multimedia company and the latest episode is an inside look at skate (and art) royalty Ed Templeton. In this first part Ed speaks on his life growing up in Huntington Beach and the beginnings of his skateboarding career, specifically key influences and the people and places that left a strong impression.  We also get some guest appearances from the likes of Jason Dill, Dave Carnie, and Justin Regan among others and some rad 80’s and 90’s video footage of people who went on to be massive in the sport. 

Listen: Daft Punk - ”Random Access Memories”(Full LP) + Collaborators Series Paul Williams

Daft Punk's highly anticipated new album, Random Access Memories, is out in one week via Columbia. We have shared the first single “Get Lucky” along with videos under the Collaborators series project including Nile Rodgers, Pharrell, Giorgio Moroder, Todd Edwards, Panda Bear, Chilly Gonzales and DJ Falcon.

Now, you can finally hear the album itself, in full, streaming over on iTunes. (Go to Daft Punk's artist page on iTunes to hear it.) After the first listen I’m initially surprised to hear how mellow it is, ith the easy favorite being "Doin' It Right" what says you? Be sure to also check out the latest in the series of Collaborators videos below with the legendary Paul Williams who discusses his views on anonymity and fame amongst other things and who 's collaboration on R.A.M. track"Touch" is an album highlight .

Video: Daft Punk Random Access Memories Video Series Episode 7 – DJ Falcon

Another day and another episode of Daft Punk’s Meet The Collaborators series. Episode 7 features child hood friend of the robots DJ Falcon. Of course Stéphane has a long rich history with French house music and more specifically Daft Punk having worked with Thomas Bangalter when they formed their band Together. Coincidentally Stéphane is also a cousin of Onomatopoeia favorite Alan Braxe. Falcon discuss' this rich history and his work on Random Access Memories track “Contact” which is due out on May 21st. Check out the video below as well as a decade old “demo/prototype” version of the song which centers around a sample of Australian band the Sherbs' "We Ride Tonight."

Video: Daft Punk Random Access Memories Video Series Episode 6 – Chilly Gonzales

Episode 6 of Daft Punk’s Meet The Collaborators series was released this morning and features Canadian musician Chilly Gonzales who’s work you most certainly know from his collaborations with Peaches, Fiest and Buck 65 to name but a few . In the nine minute video Jason speaks of his love of Harmony, the type of work he did on the upcoming Daft Punk LP, and his chosen approach when doing collaborations. Jason even goes on to actually play some of the piano pieces that will appear on Random Access Memories which is due out on May 21st.

Video: Daft Punk Random Access Memories Video Series Episode 5 – Panda Bear

Episode 5 of Daft Punk’s Meet The Collaborators series was released this morning and features Animal Collective’s Panda Bear, aka Noah Benjamin Lennox. In the eight minute video Noah talks about trying to collaborate with the robotic due on several occasions only to be shot down over the years, until that is they contacted him and let him know the time was finally right.  Noah comes from of a space where he composes his music from a very rhythmic place so his contributions to the new LP should be both interesting and a natural fit, although thinking of both bands' musical output one might not arrive at the same conclusion. Random Access Memories drops on May 21st.

Video: Daft Punk Random Access Memories Video Series Episode 4 – Pharrell Williams

This blog is rapidly turning into an all Daft Punk all the time type of place and we are more than ok with that. “Meet The Collaborators” returned today with episode 4 this time featuring Pharrell Williams who goes on to speak about meeting Daft Punk at a Madonna party which eventually lead to his working with the Parisian duo on the tracks "Get Lucky" and "Lose Yourself To Dance" off their forthcoming LP, check it all out below. Random Access Memories drops on May 21st.

Video: Daft Punk Random Access Memories Video Series Episode 3 – Nile Rodgers

Daft Punk's “Meet The Collaborators” series is picking up steam having already dropped an episode on Monday, focusing on Todd Edwards, we get a second one not four days later, featuring Chic guitarist and disco legend Nile Rodgers. Rodgers talks about his own legacy, some of his famous collaborations (of which there are many,) working with “the robots” and even treats us to a little piece of music that he seemingly might have contributed to Random Access Memories which of course drops on May 21st.

Video: Daft Punk Random Access Memories Video Series Episode 2 – Todd Edwards

We got the second episode of Meet The Collaborators Behind Daft Punk's Random Access Memories and this one features Todd Edwards who you may recall collaborated with Daft Punk on their second LP, Discovery with “Face To Face.” Todd talks about working in California with Daft Punk and their desire to draw influence from the sound of 1970’s LA rock and Sound City.  On a side note it’s worth noting that Todd is wearing an After Dark 2 shirt which of course is not out yet and only leads me to believe it’s got to be coming fairly soon. 

Video: Daft Punk Random Access Memories Video Series Episode 1 - Giorgio Moroder

With the HIGHLY anticipated release of Daft Punk‘s new album Random Access Memories coming out on May 21 we are starting to see and hear more and more info about the project. With that the robotic duo, along side the Creators Project, have announced a new video series which will shine a light on some of the big names they’ve collaborated with on the LP including Chic frontman Nile Rodgers, legendary songwriter/actor Paul Williams, Animal Collective’s Panda Bear, and Chilly Gonzales to name but a few. The first episode features disco legend Giorgio Moroder talking about his own early work, the evolution of house, his admiration for Daft Punk, and their time in the studio together. Watch the video above. And prepare to get even more excited than you already where for this release if that’s even possible.

Video: Thom deVita Profile for Tattoo Age Part's 4 & 5

In the final two episodes of the Thom deVita Tattoo Age series we get to explore the neighborhood in which Thom live and worked, the Lower East Side of Manhattan.  We also get to see the types of tattoos Thom did, and what it took to talk someone into getting tattoos that were a little out of the norm. Episode 5 explores the days before people wore gloves while tattooing, to the odd folks that frequented deVita’s store including customers, apprentices and colleagues, finally rapping things up with Thom's current state as an artist.

Featuring interviews from the likes of Ed Hardy, Nick Bubash, Scott Harrison, Angelo Scotto, Robert Ryan, Bubba Reeves, photographer John Wyatt and New York artist and historian Clayton Patterson.

Video: Thom deVita Profile for Tattoo Age Part's 1-3

Something quite inspiring and different in the latest profile from Tattoo Age featuring Thom deVita. Even though Thom has been tattooing and creating art for almost 50 years, there is not much in the way of information on him, now in his 80’s and suffering from Parkinson’s disease Thom is still doing his thing and influencing other artists. 

Thom began tattooing in the mid 1960's in New York City's Lower East Side (tattooing was illegal from 1961-1997) and quickly began to forge his own style. 

He drew influences from everything from Puebla indian designs to Lord and Taylor shopping bags for his tattoos designs, he also is one of the few artists who approaches tattoos as a collage of sorts implementing layering like you might see with billboard wheat paste’s, new images on top of older with bits and pieces poking through. Thom also began to form relationships with other tattooers around the United States who were revolutionizing tattooing as art form by bringing in influences that went far beyond the usual array of images found in most American tattoo parlors at the time. 

Featuring interviews from the likes of tattoo royalty like Ed Hardy, Nick Bubash, Scott Harrison, Angelo Scotto, Robert Ryan, Bubba Reeves, photographer John Wyatt and New York artist and historian Clayton Patterson we get a peek at Thom's incredible story.

In the second part of the Thom deVita Tattoo Age series we focus on the touching and often hilarious relationship he has with Nick Bubash. Thom and Nick met in the early 1970's and soon after Thom started to tattoo Nick, he also started to teach him how to tattoo. Over the past 40 years their relationship has gone way beyond tattooing, or even art for that matter, but they still continue to create together.

In part 3 of Thom deVita's epic Tattoo Age series we take look at his personal history, past jobs, and how he came into tattooing. We also hear from tattoo legend Angelo Scotto on the history of tattooing in New York City including a time when they were illegal and had to deal with police raids.

Check back for the final two parts in the profile in the upcoming weeks.

Video: M83 - "Wait"

M83 just dropped the video for “Wait”, which acts as the final episode of the Sci-fi trilogy, and visual collaboration between M83 and Fleur & Manu that has been ongoing throughout 2012, including the videos for "Midnight City" and "Reunion".

Fleur and Manu’s vision for "Wait" was brought to life with the support of The Creators Project.

Video: Mutsuo Profile for Tattoo Age – “Part’s 2 & 3”

Here are parts two and three of the Mutsuo profile from season 2 of New Era and Vice’s series Tattoo Age. Part two focus’ on the Japanese artist’s personality and the origins of his entrance into the tattoo world and working at Three Tides Tattoo. We hear from Mutsuo, Chris Garver, and Masa Sakamoto, who is a rare example of a tattoo parlor owner who doesn't actual tattoo himself.  We get some insight into how western-style tattooing gained ground in Japan after the 1999 Tokyo Convention. We also hear about all the guest artists who have contributed to making Mutsuo the artist he is today.

In part three Mutsuo wraps up his Tattoo Age series by taking a little trip to his hometown where he provides a brief tour of the local temples and a visit his house where we meat his mother and father.  Mutsuo also provides his philosophical take on what tattooing means to him.

Video: Mutsuo Profile for Tattoo Age – “Part 1”

Here is the latest video in season 2 of New Era and Vice’s series Tattoo Age focusing on artist Mutsuo who tattoos in Osaka, Japan at the world famous Three Tides Tattoo.  Mutsuo went from being one of the shops first customers, to the shops first apprentice, and now he is the most senior tattoo artist there.  While at the shop he learned from the many American tattoo masters that visited Three Tides to work, and got what Chris Garver says, "a 90's style tattoo education."  In-between footage of Mutsuo working on clients he shares stories of his working relationship at Three Tides Tattoo with his fellow artists and vice versa as well as some history on the shop. Featuring interviews with Nami, Masa Sakamoto, Hiroshi Hirokawa. 

Video: Valerie Vargas Profile for Tattoo Age – “Part 3”

In the 3^rd and last part of Tattoo Age’s profile on Valerie Vargas we get a closer look at the tattoo power couple that is Stewart Robson and Valerie Vargas via stories on how they met, working together, inspiring each other’s work and more.

Video: Valerie Vargas Profile for Tattoo Age - Part’s 1 & 2

Tattoo Age is back with season two and they start things of with artist Valerie Vargas. Valerie grew up in Scotland, but has lived and worked in London for the last five years. You can find her at Frith StreetTattoo in SoHo, where she's known for doing the prettiest "lady heads" in the world. Valerie has only been seriously tattooing since 2007, so she's proof that talent and hard work will never fail you. In part one we are introduced to Valerie and get her back story featuring interviews with her fellow Frith Street artist and boyfriend Stewart Robson as well as Stafano C and shop owner Dante DiMassa. Valerie briefly discusses some of her influences hailing from not only the tattoo world but also from her childhood love of Disney.

In the second video we get a closer look at Frith Street, Valerie also gives us insight into what it took to develop as a tattooer, and why London will be home base for the foreseeable future. Check back for a third and final video in the near future.

Video: Sébastien Tellier - "Russian Attractions"

Sébastien Tellier is back with another fantastic video from his recently releases LP, My God Is Blue.  The kaleidoscope visuals were produced by Vice with the help of Air and directed by Meredith Danluck.

“We took the idea of falling in love with a stranger, and considered the fact that love itself is a stranger. There's a reason we use the word "fall" when referring to love. Because when its pull becomes too strong to resist, you lose your balance and what happens next is an unknown beyond our control. Although scary, the unknown is also undeniable attractive.”