When I was growing up in the 1980s, it was nearly impossible to think about sharks without thinking of the movie JAWS.  Although the original film was actually released in 1975 -the first 80s sequel wasn’t until JAWS 3D (1983)- it was such a groundbreaking cinematic accomplishment and it permeated our culture to such a degree that it was difficult to see imagery of a shark swimming without instantly hearing that infamous John Williams tune doom-thumping through your skull.  JAWS helped launch Spielberg‘s career and has even been credited as the father of the summer blockbuster.  The film transcended the horror movie genre in such a way that the idea of a killer monster shark not only felt like a plausible storyline, but it also felt as it were a real life inevitability.  Those of us who were not marine biologists -especially, those of us that were incredibly young- accepted the idea of JAWS as the quintessential interpretation for the cartilaginous fish and often internalized it as a reality.  What it taught us was that, completely unprovoked, a shark will eat your ass whole.  Even more, they just might jump up onto your boat or simply bite the goddamn thing in half.  In 1987, the Discovery Channel began airing their annual shark week series to help us regular folk gain a wider respect and understanding for these majestic animals of the deep, which had been striking unwarranted fear into the hearts of so many for so long.  It’s fair to say that, over these last 2.5 decades, leaps and bounds have been made in the way of remedying the PR disaster which began for shark kind in the mid-70s, but logic and fear can not always co-exist on the same plane and it can still be difficult to shake off the impact made with those original negative impressions (not unlike with the HYUNDAI EXCEL).  In reality, humans are a great deal more of a threat to sharks than they have ever been to us and many species of the animal have become increasingly endangered.  According  to NOAA Fisheries, “over 100 million sharks are killed each year” by humans, both accidentally, as well as intentionally.  Fortunately, organizations like PangeaSeed have been erected to help reverse this trend and, in association with San Francisco‘s SPOKE ART, they are presenting a new group art exhibit with the hopes of raising some money to help aid in that endeavor even further.

Based out of Tokyo, PangeaSeed is a non profit organization who’s mission is “to bring to light, and eventually an end, to the cruel practice of global shark finning.“  To raise money for the cause, the organization has produced and curated a new group exhibit called SINK OR SWIM, which will be opening tomorrow night in San Francisco.  Hosting the event will be the Spoke Art gallery; masterminds behind such highly successful exhibits as “BAD DADS” : A Tribute to the Films of Wes Anderson and “Quentin vs. Coen” – An art show tribute to the films of Tarantino and the Brothers.  As could be expected by any Spoke Art event, PangeaSeed has recruited an impressive list of talent to be a part of SINK OR SWIM, each of whom is contributing new original works or prints to the exhibit.

Here’s the full list of contributing artists:

Dave Kinsey, Josh Keyes, Jeff Soto, Jim Phillips, Rhys Cooper, Brad Klausen, Natsuki Wakita, Shark Toof, Akinori Oishi, Mike Stilkey, Rah Akaishi, Faunagraphic, Tim McDonagh, Clint Wilson, Mario Wagner, John Fellows, Spencer Keeton Cunningham, Matt Dye, Yoh Nagao, Wrecks/Nao Harada, Cupco, Paul Chatem, Skount, Koji Harmon, Jessica Ward, Michael Glinski-Gale Hart, Skinner, Claudio Ethos, Alison Sommers, Nathan Spoor, Dan May, Roland Tamayo, Ingri Haraldsen, Jen Lobo, John Malloy, Josh Hart, Kaitlin Beckett, Ben Wilson, Serge Gay Jr., Tapecat and Kevin Earl Taylor.

And here are the specific details about the event:

EVENT:

SINK OR SWIM – A Benefit for Sharks and Oceans

OPENING RECEPTION:

Friday September 23rd
6:00pm -10:00pm
(show will be on view until Sunday, September 25th.
Times: Fri 6PM – 10PM, Sat and Sun 12PM – 7PM)

LOCATION:

Spoke Art Gallery
816 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA

For official Facebook event page CLICK HERE.

Below is a selection of sample works from the exhibit, selected for preview specifically to show the variety and quality that this exhibit has to offer.  All works are available for purchase with all proceeds going to the PangeaSeed non profit.  All sales are on a first come first serve basis, so attending the opening and/or visiting the exhibit this weekend is the best way to insure that you get your hands on any piece that you might have your eye on.

*Following the opening weekend, remaining original works and prints will be available through PangeaSeed, so please be sure to sign up for their mailing list for more info and updates.*

Make sure to visit Spoke-Art.com and PangeaSeed.com for updates.

To inquire about purchasing a particular piece, whether listed below or featured on the Spoke Art website, please use the following contact information:

EMAIL: SpokeArtGallery@gmail.com
PHONE: 415-796-3774

[click images to enlarge]

Alison Sommers

“Herd”

WEEN is one of our all-time favorite bands and, whenever we need anything, the folks over at the WEEN camp have always been exceptionally generous with helping us out.  Now, one of their dear friends and a fellow New Hope, PA musician, Mt. John, is in need of surgery and WEEN is hoping that their generosity mixed with the generosity of their fanbase will be enough to offset at least a portion of the medical expenses.

WEEN has been doing what they can to raise money in their home town of New Hope, but to stretch their reach a bit further, they are now utilizing the power of ebay with 2 separate auctions.  For those who don’t know, WEEN guitarist, Mickey “Dean Ween” Melchiondo is an avid bass fisherman.  He even has his own fishing show/site, “Brownie Troop“, the logo of which was designed by my “homie for life”, Thea Wolfe.  Now, anyone who has the loot to back it up, has the opportunity to win a fishing trip for two out on the Atlantic with Captain Mickey himself.  Also posted is an auction for a pair of passes to the sold out Jan. 26th Crystal Ballroom show in Portland, Or.  Not only is the Crystal one of my favorite venues in the NW, but these are more than just tickets to a sold out performance for an amazing show in an amazing theater.  The winner will actually be guest listed courtesy of the band themselves!

Here are the auction links and corresponding text/details.
If you can afford to throw down on these, please do:

AUCTION #1  (LISTING LINK)

Ween Fishing Trip for 2 With Dean Ween Spring of 2011

“Hi guys…Up for auction is a gift certificate for 2 for a striped bass fishing trip on the Atlantic Ocean with non other then Captain Mickey Melchiondo..also known as Dean Ween!!!
This fishing trip will happen in either may or june 2011…This is good for 2 people and your capt. Mickey…This trip takes about a half day…and you can check out Mickey’s website for more info on Mickeys guide service…www.mickeysfishing.com..This trip is valued at over $600.00…
Our dear Friend from New Hope,Mt. John, is in desperate need of surgery.He has been playing music in New Hope for more then 20 yrs.We have been having our own benefits here and to help,Mickey has offered to take 2 folks fishing in the ocean, and donate all money to Mountain Johns surgery. Because here in New Hope…we really take care of each other. Please check my other auction,as WEEN has also generously donated a chance to buy 2 tickets(actually be on Weens guest list for 2).for the sold out jan 26th Portland,Or. show at the Crystal Ballroom!!.our friend needs your help…and you need to catch some fish with Deaner!!

** you will receive a gift certificate, and then have to schedule with Mickey..you cover all traveling costs**
boognish provides…xo“

AUCTION #2  (LISTING LINK)

WEEN 2 tickets Crystal Ballroom Jan 26 BENEFITS Mt John

“Hi guys…Up for auction is 2″tickets” for Weens Jan. 26th show at the Crystal Ballroom.in Portland,Oregon..This show sold out within an hour or so…
Our dear Friend from New Hope,Mt. John, is in desperate need of surgery.He has been playing music in New Hope for more then 20 yrs.We have been having our own benefits here and to help,Ween has offered to put 2 folks on the guest list, and donate all money to Mountain Johns surgery. Because here in New Hope…we really take care of each other. Please check my other auction,as Mickey *Dean Ween* has also generously donated a striped bass fishing trip for 2…our friend needs your help…and you need to go see a kick ass Ween show…

** you will not be receiving tickets for this show..you will be placed on the guest list from Ween themselves!**
boognish provides…xo“

*Both Auctions end on NOV. 22nd, 2010*

You may not recognize the man in the image posted above, but his name is Micheal Larsen.  If you don’t recognize the name “Micheal Larsen“, it’s probably because he was better known under his moniker “Eyedea” and as the mc-ing half of the hip hop duo Eydea and Abilities.  Wearing a T-shirt, cardigan and converse, along with his unkempt mane and facial hair, he often resembled a variation of Kurt Cobain more than a highly gifted battle rap champion and underground hip-hop icon.  Unfortunately, Larsen suffered a similar fate to late Seattle-based legend, losing his life far too early.  On the plus side, the similarities don’t end there, as he was also able to leave a huge impact on the world before his untimely demise at the tender age of only 28 years old.

Last Sunday October 17th, tweets and facebook posts stating that Larsen had passed away began popping up everywhere.  These yielded two separate reactions from those that read them.  The first was the obvious shock and remorse that anyone would have when a respected artist and/or peer passes away.  The second, however, was a different kind of disbelief.  In the past, Larsen’s been known to wear black T-Shirts with the phrase “EYEDEA IS DEAD” printed on them in white text.  This raised some confusion and a great deal of hope that the announcements of his death may, in fact, have been a hoax.  Of course, as we all know now, the late vocalist/writer/artist’s expired body was found by his mother, with an official cause of death yet to be announced or determined.

We don’t usually post press release straight up and “as is”, but, this is one of those rare exceptions.  After receiving 2 nearly identical press releases from the publicists for Eyedea‘s former label Rhymesayers Entertainment, it’s clear that the amount of information provided through them is both necessary and already formatted in the best possible way.  Along with details about Larsen‘s public wake, there is also  information regarding donations and tributes.  The end of the post also features various statements about Micheal‘s from close friends, label mates, and collaborators, including his mother, P.O.S., Brother Ali, Murs, Abstract Rude.

Before all of the somber details and information, we’d like to help introduce those unfamiliar with EYEDEA to a sample of the man’s life and work through the following 2 videos.  The first is an interview conducted with Larsen by the website FreestyleMadness.com back in 2008.  The second is a video of the song “Smile” by Eyedea & Abilities, which I feel really showcases the way that Larsen lived his life and highlights where all of the positive statements below originated from.

There has been way too much similar news this year and our positive wishes go out to his friends and family.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Remembering Micheal “eyedea” Larsen

On Saturday, October 16, 2010, Rhymesayers Entertainment  lost our beloved friend, family member and artist Micheal “eyedea” Larsen at the age of 28.  Eyedea, who was most notably known for his music with Eyedea & Abilities, Oliver Hart, Face Candy and Carbon Carousel, was an artist in its truest form. He will be deeply missed, but never forgotten. In the days to come, we feel the focus should be on Micheal’s life, music and legacy.  Let’s celebrate his life, remember his music and never forget what he has given us all.

We miss you. We love you. And, you will not be forgotten.

Micheal “eyedea” Larsen 11.09.81 – 10.16.10 R.I.P.

All donations can be directed to Micheal’s Mom, Kathy Averill:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=JV8PPC8RE66MU

Public Wake:

Micheal “eyedea” Larsen Memorial

Date: Thursday, October 28, 2010

Public: 7:30 – 10:00PM

Location: Crowne Plaza St. Paul Riverfront, Minnesota Grand Ballroom

Address: 11 East Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55101

Sending Flowers: If you are interested in sending flowers for the memorial, all deliveries must be made to arrive on Thursday, October 28, 2010. Please make deliveries to arrive prior to 12:00PM CST.

Send to: Crowne Plaza St. Paul Riverfront, Minnesota Grand Ballroom, c/o Micheal Larsen Memorial, 11 East Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55101.

A Celebration of the life of Micheal “eyedea” Larsen

Date: Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Location: First Avenue Mainroom, 701 1^st Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55403

Doors: 5:00PM

Ages: All Ages

Donation: $20

Tickets will be on sale: Monday, October 25, 2010 at 5:00PM CST

Tickets will be available at Fifth Element, 2411 Hennepin Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55405. For those of you that are not in the Twin Cities area; a limited amount of tickets will be available online at Etix.com.

There is no guest list. All donations will go to the family of Micheal “eyedea” Larsen.

RSE Radio Tribute:

Join us this Saturday, October 23, 2010 at 9:00PM – 11:00PM CST on RSE Radio to remember our dear friend and brother Micheal “eyedea” Larsen.  We’ll be playing music and sharing memories with some of Mikey’s peers.  We would love to hear from all of you that loved and supported Mikey’s art over the years as well.  If you would like to share a special memory or experience you had please leave them at: www.twitter.com/rseradio , www.facebook.com/rseradio or radio@rhymesayers.com and we will be randomly selecting your comments to read on the air throughout the night.

You can tune into RSE Radio at 90.3FM in Minneapolis, 106.7FM in St. Paul or online at www.rhymesayers.com , www.facebook.com/rseradio or www.kfai.org

Quotes:

Dear Son,

Always remember that where ever you go and what ever you do my love will always be with you.  I knew before you were born that you were going to affect the world. I didn’t know how or with what gift, but now I do.  You have given me the most joy, trouble, happiness, and pain. Now it’s time for the rest of us to step up and be the humans you know we can be.  All my love,

-Mom

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Mike was the closest friend I ever had. He was as caring as he was brilliant and was a true prodigy. I am honored to have been in his life and to have created with him and help spread his messages. He was a great human being and he will be missed.

-Gregory Keltgen (Dj Abilities).

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I met Mikey when he was 14 and he was so full of energy, but so focused for his age. I have always been amazed at his knowledge and thirst for life being so young.  On more than one occasion, I have had to remind myself how young he really was while we were all coming up.  He was such a special individual, he mastered everything he touched and wanted to touch everything.  He was the most free person I have ever known and he approached life like a scientist, wanting to dissect all of her meanings so he could share them with others.  Mikey had an amazing spirit and a truly gifted mind and all of us who were blessed to experience this immediately became better people.  This life couldn’t contain my friend and so he’s moved on to his next journey, but I know he’ll forever be in our hearts and minds pushing us to live life to the fullest, be better and be free.

-Brent Sayers (aka Siddiq aka Stress)

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My friend, my brother. I do not know who I would be without your influence in my life. You challenged me without tearing me down. You pushed and encouraged me to be a better person. You had my back even when I didn’t have my own back. Your words, thoughts, and ideas impacted me in ways that I probably haven’t fully realized yet. You made me laugh and cry. You made me look and question. Thank you for everything. I love you Mikey.

-Sean Daley (Slug)

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I traveled many places for the first time with Mikey, and always remember how he would wake up in the van and say, “Man, this looks just like St. Paul.” All those first tours, Mikey was under 21, and the only way I knew it was the “X’s” on his hands each night. He was always older than his age to me. When I moved to Minneapolis to work with Rhymesayers 10 years ago, Mikey had a huge impact on my decision to make that leap of faith. He gave me the courage and a purpose. There were many days away from home that we spent together, and those times have helped define who I am today.  He always inspired me, challenged me and made me laugh. Anytime, I’m on the road and drive into Columbus, St. Louis or Pittsburgh, I’m going to think, man, this looks just like St. Paul.  I will always remember, always love and always miss Mikey.

-J-Bird

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I never thought that I would become best friends with the person I looked up to the most, but I did.  When I first met Mike, he asked me what I was doing with my life and waited with open ears for my response. Although my answer was unclear and although I was unsure, he wasn’t and he made sure that one-day I would see in myself what he could already see in me.  I vividly recall his rollercoaster metaphor. He always said, “regardless of what labels you use to define yourself and no matter what you do with your time, you will always experience the same ride.” Micheal had more influence on me as a human being than anyone ever has and I assume ever will. He taught me how to listen to myself and to others. He taught me how to acknowledge my true desires and to face my attempts to escape. He taught me how to express myself.  He pushed me, but never too hard; he was a gentle friend.  He was never too busy to just be there with me when I needed him.  Of all the questions I still have for him and for all the unfinished business we will never get to complete together, I know one thing. I know that he wanted everyone to hear his message and I will make sure that that happens. I love you Mike .  May your love live through me.

-Christopher Keller (Kristoff Krane)

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Eyedea – One of the hardest working people I know. From breaking to rapping, playing the piano, guitar or freestyling, it didn’t matter he put his entire soul into it. He taught me a lot about being a musician.

-Felipe Cuauhtli

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I started performing with Eyedea & (DJ) Abilities as their ‘hype-man/back-up vocalist’ in 1997 when we were all still in high school. I was hugely influenced by such talented and passionate artists and even back then I knew that Mikey was special and would leave a lasting impact on music or whatever he decided to do with himself. Mikey always pushed the boundaries of what was accepted as truth and commonplace and was always reaching for something greater. He made everyone around him better because he had such a confidence and charisma about him that it was infectious and impossible to ignore. The only comfort I can take in his passing is knowing that where ever he is now, he’s doing just fine because he never had trouble making friends or finding his own path.

-Alexei “Crescent Moon” Casselle (Kill The Vultures, Roma Di Luna)

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Eyedea was a precious soul. We’re better artists for working with him and better people for knowing him. He added so generously to our lives and his passing leaves an empty space in our hearts. His spirit will forever be entwined in our life changing moments. Thank you, Mikey for sharing your light with us. We love you so very much and your music, insight and laughter will never leave us.

-Brother Ali

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How do you sum up the career and life of a brilliant writer and musician in three sentences. I can do it in one word, Mikey.

-Casey O’Brien (Bassist in “Carbon Carousel” and “Face Candy.”)

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Miss you Mikey like I miss being a kid. You’re one of my favorite people ever and I can’t thank you enough. I promise to hold your brave, humble, searching, empathetic, hilarious spirit infront of me and press it back into my chest when it feels empty. Sleep tight brother.

-Jeremy Ylvisaker

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I was always inspired by Mikey’s focus. I always knew he was a true artist, one to be revered. He was constantly pushing boundaries. He was the kind of artist that always made me wonder, what’s he going to come up with next. I will always love and remember Mikey for being my friend. No one made me laugh like he did. I truly enjoyed his presence and I’ll miss him dearly.

-Sab

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Mikey was the 15 year old kid sleeping on my couch at Scribble Jam, slaying MCs 10 yrs older than him. There was nothing anyone could do. I’ve never met a more supportive mother in my life than Kathy. Kathy is the shit.

-Mr. Dibbs

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Mike was always himself. He taught me how to be more myself. I’ll always remember him.

-Joe Horton

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Micheal is one of the most supportive, encouraging, and positive people I’ve ever met. He is a creative genius who has accomplished so much in his career; but that is all secondary to the fact that he treated people with such kindness and fun energy. He is an optimist, who lived his life being extremely considerate, thoughtful, and generous to those around him. Micheal will continue to be a roll model to me for those reasons.

-Michael Gaughan

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Eyedea was the purest artist I have ever met. An all around amazing human being. Great rapper. And a better friend.

-Murs

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I was able to become good friends with one of my heroes. As the years went by I started to forget him as a famous musician, and grow to love him as my friend. From time to time I was reminded of his impact on the world through him interacting with fans all over the country. A lot of people are going to miss “Eyedea”, one of the most important hip hop musicians ever. I will too. But more than that, I will miss my friend Micheal.

-Michael Stangler

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As only Mikey could, he found a way to burn a candle on three ends. As a friend and as an artist he pushed every boundary he walked, and did not hesitate to show you who he really was underneath his skin. I will sincerely miss him, and would not trade all the riches in the world for all the conversations and experiences I shared with him. Artist and Friend,

-Louis N. LaPierre

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I will always remember laughing constantly whenever he was around.  He had a great energy about him that didn’t allow you to take yourself too seriously, ever.  If you were spazzing out about something really minor or trivial, he was the kinda dude that wouldn’t really react to it the same way. He might just start laughing or crack a joke to break the tension and make everybody else laugh.  Then you would see that you were over-reacting and calm down–without him ever really telling you to calm down.  I always admired that quality about him.  He never got caught up in the stream, no matter how powerful it was. He always did his own thing.

-Blueprint

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Mikey was an artist in constant transition. If you blinked and missed a moment of brilliance he’d be sure to fill you in on what you missed. Now that he can’t be here to do that we will gladly do it for him. With the heaviest of hearts.

-Sage Francis

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Micheal was sincerely the most inspiring and extraordinary person I have ever met in my life. His fearlessness in expressing himself so authentically in so many different ways has profoundly impacted me as both as an artist and as a person. I will always love you and miss you, Mikey, thank you so much for believing in me.

-Cody Foster (Sadistik)

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Eyedea helped me become a better musician and Micheal Larsen helped me become a better person. He will be missed by family, friends, and fans. The beauty of his life is that many of us are all three.

-Cole Policy

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Mikey was a challenge. To everyone. And to himself. His challenges seemed to bring him great joy and give his life meaning. If challenge is what life is all about, he lived several full lifetimes in the short while he was here. Mikey certainly challenged me and I’m eternally grateful to him for that. He was one of my favorite people in the world and I’ll miss him very much.

-Rich Terfry (Buck 65)

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Lets say you’re standing outside of a bar with a circle of friends having a cigarette before the next band starts.  You might be approached by someone who’s been dealt a difficult hand in this life, and they ask you for change.  Maybe that day, hard as you usually try, you can’t muster the energy to engage with that person, to be present. To my knowledge, Micheal Larsen never had that day.  Maybe he didn’t have change, but he always had an open smile and treated anyone he met, no matter how briefly, like a human being… with as much right to life and basic human respect as he held for himself.  I miss you, Mikey.  I promise I will carry the fire.

-Michael Lewis

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Micheal Larsen was the best teacher and friend I’ve ever had.  He was a living muse.  He inspired countless people to become bigger and better individuals.  He is the only person I know that has dozens of people who say he is their best friend and those people went on to create beautiful things hoping to make him proud.  I am proud to call him a best friend and proud to have created art with him and for him.

-Austin Dufault (Puppy Dogs and Ice Cream)

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In life we are blessed with opportunities to cross paths with individuals whose souls are greater than what the body can contain. From this body is pure inspiration. The motive to do. The sheer will of desire to get from point A to Z, and all points between. We have lost a great body of being, however, what we had and what has always been is an energy that will live forever.

-Will Jenkins

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Eyedea was a brilliant visionary who wore his soul outside of his body and kept his heart on his sleeves at all times. He was on a constant evolutionary quest for truth, justice, love, peace, and the overall existence of life and our roles in it. In the spirit of John Coltrane or Malcolm X he wasn’t afraid to change trajectories mid flight despite what anyone said embracing contradictions and tension like a lost but found soul mate. To him the process and the product was the same, he was creative expression personified. I didn’t always understand him or his vision but I always felt him. He has returned to the essence in a more powerful form helping us think outside of the boxes we place or are placed in front of us. He taught us what freedom really meant and what it looked like in action and for that I am forever grateful.

-Chaka M’Kali (I Self Devine)

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Mikey, thank you for all the help, honesty and insane laughter. I will read every book you told me to. Thank you for the constant inspiration, whether to be the best, or destroy best as a concept. You never stopped progressing. You lived as art. You were a good friend, I miss you.

–Stef Alexander (P.O.S)

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Mikey always struck me as a person that said exactly what he felt like saying in a well thought out way.  Be it in the battle scene, on his albums, or in regular conversation.  He’s one of the few people I saw start a conversation with a stranger on a plane and talk to them comfortably for hours.  He will be extremely missed.

-Toki Wright

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Eyedea was definitely thee MC from the Midwest (other than Juice) who earned our (the West Coast’s) respect for the Midwest indie rap scene thru battling in the underground circuit and shining on countless freestyle sessions heard live on stage, on nationwide radio and in street circles…I witnessed it, having had the pleasure to compete against him in Scribble Jam, watch him slay the HBO Blaze battle, then tour the USA with him on the same bus having freestyle sessions every night with some of the best MCs – his rise was true…his impact on Midwest indie rap was and still is enormous…we all saw him evolve musically from just a dope battle MC to a full fledged heart pouring artist with Abilities at his side; as an artist, i’ll always remember him as having a true passion for exploring the bounds of his creativity; but most of all, as just Mikey – he was a great friend to have, to talk to and chill with, and he always ALWAYS showed mad love, respect & acknowledgment for the Goodlife / Project Blowed family so it’s nothing but eternal love for our friend and brother from another mother…rest well my friend…rest well….

-Abstract Rude

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Anyone who carries leadership qualities always has my utmost respect. I truly feel he was a leader. So many others were so much closer to him to already know this firsthand, but if I could sense it from a distance, it must’ve been so potent to those up-front. In the few days after his passing I can tell what a dent he has left in people’s hearts by the amazing words written to describe his genius ways on & off the mic. I salute you Eyedea.

-Evidence

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I first met Eyedea in 1997 when he came through a radio show I was working at. He was just 15 or 16 then, but already seemed more passionate and creatively curious than most.  In the years to come, it was my privilege to call him a friend. Mikey had a great sense of humor, an unshakable confidence in his art, and a mind that was always looking to push forward.  He worked unbelievably hard, constantly trying to find new ways of expressing himself in the most honest and spontaneous way possible.  I’m so proud to have known him, and I’m heartbroken to have to say goodbye so soon

-BK-One

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You never expect to hear that a friend has passed. Not someone so young, so talented, an artist at heart. I can still hear the enthusiasm in his voice, the passion for what he was doing. He is a true inspiration to anyone struggling to find their own voice, and then speak.

-Skye Rossi

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To be idle is a short road to death, and Mikey was never idle, so it is with great distress to me that my friend is gone. To think of him as a new ancestor, an old friend and a brilliant artist is appropriate, and that is what I’ll do.

-Psalm One

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He was fearless, groundbreaking, hilarious, and a warm…true friend who I had a GREAT respect for. 1 of the people who paved the way so others could do what they do. All love from me to him & K. Can’t say RIP cuz to me he’s still here, just in a higher form.

-Onry Ozzborn

Earlier today, I noticed a substantial jump in site views for an old article that I wrote a little over 2 years ago.  The post was about the notorious UK street artist, BANKSY and an animatronic pet store that he had set up in NYC and made available to the public during that time period.  Not unlike his other work, the project was a remarkable and innovative effort, charged with abrasive tongue-in-cheek social commentary.  Sure, it was a fascinating endeavor, but why all of the interest now?  Why today?  I didn’t know myself, until the latest episode of The Simpsons aired and the introduction had BANKSY‘s name written all over it (literally).

According to a post today on Wooster Collective, the artist is responsible for both storyboarding and directing the intro.  In BANKSY‘s typical irreverent fashion, the elusive stencil-master utilized this “unheard of” opportunity to design one of the most legendary opening sequences in television history to take jabs at the program itself.  References regarding heartless and unapologetic capitalism/consumerism are addressed through biohazard containers, a sweatshop unicorn, and kittens in a woodchipper.  Serious subject manner?  Yeah… but, BANKSY‘s strength has always lied in his ability to fuse these loaded topics with light-hearted humor and biting wit.  Judging by our own search stats alone, seeing BANKSY‘s name on Matt Groening‘s program was enough to intrigue unfamiliar viewers and set them off on a Googling mission.  We’re sure that this latest platform will result in some additions to the graffiti hooligan’s fan base, but we’re also confident that it will, undoubtedly, rouse up quite a few more haters… as usual.  He seems to have that  polarizing effect on people.

Click here to view the embedded video.

For additional info on BANKSY and to view footage of the Village Pet Store & Charcoal Grill CLICK HERE

For a solid chronicle of information and images from BANKSY, we highly recommend picking up a copy of the hardcover book,  BANKSY Wall & Piece.

Every year there seems to be at least one ridiculously alarming Halloween costume being pushed on the public. Last year we featured a post about Walmart offering a plastic surgery costume and marketing a birth-defect themed ensemble for the children. Of course there are always the “clever” outfits that are restricted to current events each year, as well. Such topical targets have included figures like Sarah Palin or that wacked-out Ashley Todd dame who falsified a politically-motivated assault/robbery claim with the accusation that someone carved a backwards “B” for Obama onto her face (printable Ashley Todd Halloween Mask HERE). This year we’ll probably see some Bristol Palin costumes and a few of Bethany Storro, the Vancouver, Wa woman who falsified an assault claim that someone doused her face in acid (drain cleaner Bethany Storro costume available HERE). There have always been costumes ideas like this over the years, but with the internet age and sites like Youtube giving birth to instant “celebrities” and consistently spreading memes all over the place like electronic venereal diseases, a whole new level of vacuous undeserved hype has been created; making each 15 minute span of fame more potent than ever in history. In less than a week, it will be October, which means that Halloween is sneaking up on us again like a calculating rapist climbing through windows in the Alabama projects. Don’t worry folks, this year a site called Brandsonsale.com is microwaving and reheating the iron before it completely cools off, by offering a costume based on, none other than, internet super-meme Antoine Dodson.

By this point, you have probably caught a glimpse of Dodson‘s untamed hair and bandana-clad image, even if you don’t know the full story behind why it’s been appearing everywhere. The answer to that question has a few aspects to it, but the honest, and incidentally most fucked up answer, is that the whole Dodson craze originally stemmed from the attempted rape of Antoine‘s sister, Kelly in the Lincoln Park projects of Hunstville, Alabama. A subsequent interview with Dodson, regarding him intervening and chasing the attacker away from their home, was conducted and televised by local station and NBC affiliate, WAFF-48. Although he was clearly irate and emotional about the attempted physical attack on his sister, Dodson‘s flamboyancy mixed with the wording that he used during the piece came across as comical to a lot of people. After the clip was posted to Youtube, it spread like AIDS-fire, yielding millions of views. Those of you who were still completely unaware of this story are probably saying to yourself, “YIKES! That’s what this is all about? Our society is pretty fucked up?“… and rightly so. Still… you are also probably interested in seeing the clip and are even likely to crack a smile yourself while watching it.

Here is the original footage to catch you up. After this, we can move forward…

Click here to view the embedded video.

As with anything that begins to gain a solid amount of hype these days, imitators began popping up to ride Antoine‘s nuts like a remora and siphon a little bit of that sweet second-hand internet fame for themselves. You could probably stay on Youtube for an entire day straight and still not view all of the pathetic attempts by aspiring amateurs trying to get noticed by riding the backs of this newest craze/catastrophe. One of the most “legitimate” Youtube channels to consistently capitalize off of current events is Schmoyoho, run by The Gregory Brothers. Under their regular project known as “Auto-Tune the News“, the family of musicians and viral video producers have been successfully pumping out manipulated footage of news broadcasts for years now. The basic idea being for them to lay a simple music track under actual news footage, while processing the audio through the auto-tune pitch correction effect that has over-saturated “hip-hop” over the last half-decade or so. Of course their inventive parodies have spawned endless more sub-parodies of their own but, as the “originators” they still tend to produce the highest quality and most creative work in this mutated genre. After working their editing magic on the original Dodson interview footage to create “The Bed-Intruder Song“, the Gregorys managed to extend the life of this meme even further. According to the Washington Post, the resulting track has even “sold thousands of copies on iTunes and appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 list”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Clearly, this Halloween costume idea is just the latest attempt to cash in on the attempted rape of Antoine‘s sister but, compared to the custom-made Antoine Dodson doll that sold for $103.51 on ebay last month, it isn’t exactly the most surprising. That doesn’t mean that it is any less ridiculous, however.

The $24.95 costume, which is essentially just a red bandana, a black wife-beater, and a nappy wig (shown in header image), is sold under the title of the “Bedroom Superhero Costume Kit“. I guess that “bedroom superhero” is a better marketing angle than “rape victim’s brother” the same way that “bed intruder” has effectively put a more innocent spin on the term “RAPIST“.

The following text comes directly from a screen grab on the costume’s product page.

This isn’t the first time that black folks from Alabama have been exploited by local news stations and gained international internet fame via Youtube. Anyone who’s a fan of the classic Mobile leprechaun footage already knows this. Shit, I watched that video like crazy for a while and we even posted it on the site ourselves at one point. The reason that this situation feels sketchier than the leprechaun footage is because it involves an attempted rape, instead of references to crackheads and tiny mythological Irishmen. I can claim that the fact that this particular meme is in severely poor taste as one of the reasons that I’ve never really cared to address the situation before, but in reality, the fact that it is watered down, milked to death, and becoming increasingly played-out is a much larger factor.

Still, the reality remains that, by simply posting this article, we are addressing it and feeding into this meme and what it represents. Furthermore, we are helping to direct increased attention towards everyone from the costume peddlers and creators of parodies who are supposedly working to “exploit” this entire fiasco. This warrants more than a few questions about where the line of decency regarding this situation actually lies and what, if any, level of “exploitation” is actually occurring. Arguments can be made on every side, but I have come across one more video that I feel exhibits a side to the phenomena that most people probably haven’t even considered. To determine how the whole craze is really effecting the original victims, the most appropriate method to take would be to ask THEM. Among others, CBS news took it upon themselves to speak to Antoine directly and find out his views.

What resulted was an interview that CBS has disabled the embedding on, so we can’t post it here. If you want to watch it, however, here’s THE LINK.

While CBS‘ actions have prevented us from posting the clip here, I did find Antoine‘s footage of the exact same interview, from his side of the Skype in his apartment, and it is even more revealing. The CBS video was edited but, if you want to start strictly from the limited footage that they did choose to post in their above link, then just start the video below at the 5:12 mark.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Based on this interview, a few things seem clear to me; the most important one being that Antoine has a great attitude about everything and is actually pretty on top of his shit. I’m sure that the interviewer, Shira Lazar would probably argue that, even if Dodson doesn’t feel exploited, it’s just because he’s too ignorant to realize it. I, on the other hand, think that perspective is a load of shit. He’s an adult man, not a spray-tanned toddler in a fucking beauty pageant. Lazar, on the other hand, is pushing a holier-than-though journalistic approach with the intention of coming across as a respectable journalist and a compassionate observer. “Tsk, tsk, folks! He’s a person. One that’s too stupid to know what’s good for him, but a person all the same.” In reality, Antoine is actually making money from the success of his song and is using it to help his family move into a better neighborhood. On top of that, his original intention to bring awareness to the crime and prevent it from getting “swept under the rug” has become more successful than he had ever imagined. The footage that was edited from the beginning of the video, further proves these concepts. It feels as if the idea to exploit Dodson by displaying him as an ignorant buffoon, was utilized by CBS as much as anyone else, if not more. That was the direction that Lazar entered the interview with and one that she seems hell-bent on sticking with, even as it begins to collapse around her. It’s as if she were saying, “You play the role of the poor ignorant hood-rat that’s been taken advantage of and I’ll be the social worker with the heart of gold that reaches out to your leper hand, ok?! I’ll play Sandra Bullock and you… well, just play the black guy.” At least when the general population has enjoyed the viral videos over the last month or so, they have done so without any backhanded intentions or apologies.

Shira Lazar comes across as someone who wants to be considered as a respected journalist, instead of just some young hot chick, but she’s only forcing the interview into a direction that will fit her narrative, as opposed to being focused on discovering the “truth.” Overall, she represents herself as much more of a bumbling mess with her rack hanging out. She even fucks up her own webcam and tries to pass the responsibility off on the easy going Dodson. Seriously though… you work for CBS news and you conduct your interview while looking like a college girl in a tank top?

…which brings me back full-circle to my original point about this shitty Halloween costume. Both Antoine and Lazar are wearing black tank tops, but it’s fairly easy to tell the two of them apart. Unless you are already a skinny black man, you’re probably gonna need more than a wife-beater and a bandana to look like Dodson. Either way, you can probably pick those items up cheaper at one of those corner stores that inexplicably sells crossbows and hunting knives behind the counter.  Just make it your damn self or, even better, come up with something more original.

UPDATE:

(12:27 am Sept. 26th 2010)

In the very short period of time that this article has been published, we have already received contact from the agency which owns Mr. Dodson’s image.  Although we had no reason to believe that the janky “Bedroom Super Hero Costume Kit” was endorsed by Antoine in anyway, we now have official confirmation to verify just that.

One thing that we were not aware of is that there is actually a “Bed Intruder Costume” in the works which is “Officially Licensed” and endorsed by the overnight celebrity.  If you do have plans to purchase an Antoine Dodson Halloween costume this year, we encourage you to buy that one.  Generally, we wouldn’t give a fuck but, in a situation such as this, the view is slightly different.  It’s not as if purchasing an imitation costume is taking sequin-encrusted cock-shaped pancakes out of the mouth of Lady Gaga or undercutting Disney’s ability to devour one more human child’s soul, this time.  At least, by purchasing the “officially licensed” Dodson costume, you will know that the man himself with get a share of the profits.  His family was victimized in the projects and those tragedies were, subsequently, mocked internationally.  The positive is that minor things like these licensed product are actually helping to remedy the poor conditions that they’ve been forced to endure.

Plus, by purchasing the official product, you’re getting the added benefit of being guilt free.  So, if someone says something to you like…

“Who are you supposed to be, that poor bastard whose sister was almost raped?  That’s fucked up!  You are a terrible person!“

You can respond to them with…

“Actually, by purchasing this ensemble I have actually helped to put money directly into the victims’ pockets and to offer much more support than you do through your snide comments.  In other words, eat a dick.”

To pre-order the offical “Bed Intruder Costume” visit: http://www.bedintrudercostume.com/

Let’s say that you’re Canadian and a couple of your pals have come over to visit, bringing with them a deego of beasters to smoke you oot with.  You’re feasting on some poutine, but the one thing that they didn’t bring was the booze.  What the fuck is that aboot?!  You could be getting pissed.  You should jersey these hosers for not grabbing a couple of forty pounders or a two-four before coming over.  You collect some loonies from these fools and head out to pick up some alcohol.  The store is only a few clicks away, so you put your runners to the metal and rock out to the radio jams until your toque falls off.  “Sheena is A Punk Rocker” by the Ramones is blasting through the stereo of your red semi truck and you’re so into it that you don’t notice the little boy running through a meadow and chasing his kite into the middle of the street.  Oh shit!  You try to react, but you can’t deke the kid until its too late!  “…. what?  Nothing happened?  Oh beauty!  It’s just an illusion, drawn out confusion style like that guy with all the 3-dimensional chalk images, of internet fame.“  Whew!  That’s a relief, but it’s still kind of a fucked up hoax.  “No fair… no fair…”

No.. but, seriously… Canada has started a campaign to help prevent reckless driving and the pedestrian casualties that they can be responsible for.  To “help” in making such reductions in tragedy a reality, an illusion of a young child has been placed in the road to frighten the shit out of people bring awareness.  There’s a claim that it’s been “carefully tested“, but it still seems a little questionable and like it may actually have the potential to create more damage than it prevents.

Here’s are the details accompanying it’s promotion:

“Marking the back to school term, Preventable together with BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation and the District of West Vancouver have launched an optical illusion geared to making drivers slow down at high-risk intersections.

The optical illusion of an illustrated girl chasing a ball has been placed on the road northbound at 22nd street in West Vancouver. There are signs leading up to it saying “you’re probably not expecting kids to run out on the road” to prepare drivers. The installation is meant to draw attention to the risk of children running into the street and was carefully tested before being put in place. It is in place for a few days only and is being monitored as a pilot to ensure pedestrian and driver safety are not risked. The illusion rises up gradually from about 100 feet away as not to surprise drivers, and it fades away by the time a driver approaches.“

Now, watch the video of the illusion in effect:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Regardless of how much you test it and what you “discover” there is at least a potential for danger with something like this.  At one point or another, somebody is going to drive over that thing high or drunk on something and it’s gonna register in their minds a little fucky.  I’m not convinced that creating images of children that you are expected to drive over is necessarily the best method to help train people NOT to drive over little girls with toys.  This would likely prove especially true, if you swerved to avoid one the first time you saw one and it forced you to roll your car.  It’s probably not too safe to have people pulled over to the side of the road trying to inspect what they had just encountered, either.  This is the type of shit that people call in, claiming that some kind of “vandalism” or “street art” nearly caused them to front end their Aries K into a creek.  If you really think about it, by placing multiple campaigns like this out there , you would probably become more likely to encounter one of these fake kids in the street than a real one.  After a while, that real kid that gets laid out will be a simple result of the toddler who cried, “Please don’t run over my oblivious and unattended little torso” too many times.

If you want to find out more about this campaign, go to http://www.preventable.ca

STEP ONE:  The Ride

A week before the festival,  friend/artist, Thea Wolfe (creator of the WEEN coloring book) had a farewell party before her big move down to the Hollywood area.  Unfortunately, this meant that we wouldn’t be kicking it during the WEEN set at the festival, as planned.  On the upside, I met someone at the party who offered to give Kim and I a ride up there.  This actually worked out remarkably well, but I will refer more to that later, during the actual day by day reviews.  The main point is that carpooling isn’t necessarily a bad avenue to take.

I was a little concerned about traveling with people that I didn’t know too well, primarily because they seemed really nice and I can be a critical asshole.  I think that the trick to traveling with strangers might be to make sure that the people that you are riding with have the same goals in mind.  If you are only attending the festival to go to a big party, roll with the cats with the mardis gras beads and the keg.  If you’re trying to sling rock and pimp out chicks, catch a ride with some fools that are strapped with glocks in a Cutlass.  I was going for the artists and I think that the reason that my trip worked out as well as it did wasn’t only because I traveled with people that made the music a priority, but also because we generally wanted to check out the same acts at the festival.  I feel that two people that are both really psyched about checking out Pavement have a better chance of a blind carpool working out than if one person’s favorite act is Fallout Boy while the other’s is Ornette Coleman.  The benefits of the carpooling are obvious; savings on transportation costs.  There is off-site camping but, if everyone plans to camp in the “official” campground together, you can also save on the camping fees.  The camping rates have gotten ridiculous, but that’s something that will also be sporadically referenced throughout the later coverage as well.

STEP TWO: The Ticket Game

The next big step was to obtain another weekend pass.  With fees, full-on weekend passes went for a price of about $180 originally, while individual day passes were about $75-80 themselves.  These tickets were sold out.  This meant that, about a month before the actual event date, weekend passes on Craigslist and Ebay were averaging out between $300-450 and single day passes were going for a hundred plus, easy.  The last week, Craigslisters were still holding onto the dream, but it was clear that the script had flipped and that the supply had then severely outweighed the demand.  Just because everyone was asking 4 bills a piece doesn’t mean that anyone was actually still getting it.  I won’t play into schemes like this and will hustle up to the last minute, if necessary, but to insure that Kim was covered, we didn’t push it by showing up to the gates empty handed.

I found a weekend pass on Craigslist from someone in Chicago and was able to get the price down to $200.  Due to a severe lack of regulation, it’s a terrible idea to conduct any transaction on Craigslist that isn’t done face to face.  Keep in mind that this is the last week and time is a factor.  The seller lives in Chicago and will not be attending, while I need these tickets in hand fast.  This worked in my favor as I was able to convince the seller to post their tickets in a “Buy It Now” auction, which included free overnight shipping.  This meant that I was dealing with a regulated system and that, if something went bunk with my transaction, Paypal would return my funds.  The seller was even willing to take on the Ebay fees to make sure that they weren’t sitting with their unused tickets.  Sometimes you have to cut your losses folks, and that’s true on both ends.

If you see a Craigslist posting for someone out of town that requires you to work through an “Ebay Agent“, they are full of shit.  I repeat:  “IT’S A FUCKING SCAM!“  If they refuse to use Paypal but claim to be working with Ebay, you need to ask questions, because that shit doesn’t make any sense.  Another thing to make sure of is that you are purchasing what is referred to as “hard tickets“.  Ticketmaster offers the buyer an opportunity print out their tickets in the form of a paper “E-Ticket” at a reduced service fee.  There’s a bar code on them and it’s perfectly legit if you actually plan to go.  However, if you might need to resell them later and especially, if you are in the market to buy, avoid these like the plague.  Actually, if you are a shady asshole and you don’t give a fuck about screwing others over and/or getting bit in the ass, I guess that you could actually go ahead and get them.  Think about it, it’s just a piece of paper, which means that an endless number of copies could be printed out and, after the first one has been scanned into the show, all of the rest of them are void.

STEP THREE :  The Flip & Recoup

I am an inherently unsatisfied person.  I get that from the Jewish side of my family.  Even though we already had Kim‘s tickets covered, I continued to keep a Craigslist web-tab for Sasquatch tickets open, which I would refresh fairly regularly throughout that last week.  I had friends that still needed tickets for various days but, even once their needs had been met, I couldn’t help myself.  I was still interested in seeing the evolution and de-evolution of this tickets fiasco.  Plus, I had a feeling that there might be some last minute hustle that I might be able to pull off and I was right.  I’m pretty sure that I get that from the Puerto Rican side of my family;  my grandfather use to be a fence in Watts.

On the Friday night before the festival, I found an ad for someone that was trying to sell two weekend passes for only $100 a piece.  I texted her to confirm that I was reading the ad right and it seemed that I was, so I arranged a meeting.  The deal was that I would have to take both sets.  I didn’t really have the money and I was pushing it with the time, which put me in risk of having to take 6 extra tickets into a possibly over-saturated market.  Remember, it’s only a deal if you can use whatever you’re purchasing and/or get your money back.  Once my bus hit downtown, I sent out a text letting the seller know that I would be wearing a green coat like “Puerto-Rican Gumby.”  I got a response that said, “I’ll be playing the role of the pink lady“.  Soon an older woman arrived, a little bit animated, sucking down cigarette smoke, and wearing a carnation pink coat.  She handed me a stained envelope.  I looked inside at the tickets and noticed that there were 3 pair (each stapled together) and each with a ticket price stamped on them of $0.00.  “These are comp tickets?” I asked.  “I got them from (107.7) The End” she said.  “I just wanted the Honda.“  So, they were won as part of a radio contest… that added up.  Plus, Kim had worked for Ticketmaster years ago and verified that they had issued comps that had been stapled together in the past.  The tickets seemed to have the correct reflective design behind the print, but I told the woman that I still wanted to check them with heat to make sure that they were legit.  Although she didn’t seem to understand what I was talking about, she didn’t seem to have any issues with the idea either.  Ticketmaster tickets are printed with a thermal paper, which means that, if they are heated from the bottom, the paper will darken and turn black.  That’s why if you keep a ticket stub on your dashboard or in your wallet they will often darken.  I borrowed her lighter and carefully lit one of the sets from under the bottom.  I made sure to avoid the details and the barcode which, if unreadable, could void them out.  The ticket turned black and she asked if that was “good“.  I said yes and told her that I’d take them.  Then, she asked for her lighter back, because I had accidentally pocketed it.  The woman further explained that she had offered them to her 20 year old nephew but he had 3 papers to write.  Then she added how disinterested she was in going to the show and seeing Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros by saying, “I’d rather cut my tits off“.

We had gotten along pretty well so she even told me that I could pay her what I could afford instead of the entire $200.  I pointed out that, although I didn’t need all of these tickets, it was still a really good deal and that I did have the cash on me.  “Why don’t you just give me 160?“  she said, so I did.  I was so happy to get the tickets for only 100 a piece, that I keep forgetting that I actually saved another $40 on them on top of that.  Every time that I remember this part, it makes me happy all over again, because it’s like a little hidden surprise in my mind.  When I got home, it was already 10 o’clock.  I called my friend Joel, who was looking for Monday tickets and told him not to worry, because I had him covered.  Then I checked Craigslist and saw that someone was looking for 2 Sunday tickets for $180.  I responded to the ad and met them at a grocery store parking lot down the street.  My investment was covered and, with the profit going back towards Kim‘s original ticket price, the total cost of the trip was back down to $180.  Joel had driven me to the store and I gave him both of the Monday tickets for a total of 80 bucks.  He had offered me a lot more and people were offering $200 on-line for them, but it’s not cool to get too greedy and he’s a friend.  With Joel‘s money, Kim‘s total ticket price was now down to $100.  I also posted my own Craigslist ad, letting people know that I had 2 Saturday tickets available and to make an offer.  When I returned home, someone had already answered with an offer of $160, so I told him to swing by because I would be up packing.  By 12:30 all of the tickets were gone and, factoring in the price of Kim‘s tickets, we were now up $60.  With us chipping in $15 a piece for gas and $15 a piece toward our share of the camping pass, the basics of our trip were completely covered without us having to spend a dime.  It was already a half-hour into the actual kick off day of the festival, but I was set and able to relax when I finally went to sleep that morning.

The Break Down

Sometimes, there are ways for everyone to come out pretty well.  The woman in Chicago who sent the original tickets got her investment back and wasn’t stuck anymore.  The woman who had won her tickets from the radio station and didn’t even want them or want to deal with them, came away with a $160 profit when she needed to dump them off at the last minute.  The people who got the tickets from me all paid around face or less and were able to avoid everyone on Ebay and Craigslist that was trying to force them into taking the shaft.  People are greedy as all fuck and, just like the art of war, it’s easy to use their own force and greediness against them.  Some people would rather walk into a show with extra tickets or just leave them on their dressers unused, before ever hooking anyone up with a deal that is even moderately reasonable.  From what I’ve heard about past Sasquatch years, it is often possible to get tickets for as little as $10 on the last day, because people are leaving and even scalpers have made their money are done haggling in the blazing heat.  There are always costly aspects and random obstacles but, if you are down to put in some effort, there are usually ways around them.  I’ve traveled around this entire country getting into concerts for free.  I did an entire PHISH tour one year and, beyond a trade or two, my only ticket price involved a $10 bill that I slipped a door man in Atlanta.  I’m pretty sure that he thought it was a Twenty, but that only reinforces my point.

I have been given more free tickets in my life than I could possibly count, but I have also given away quite a few.  In fact, I thought that I was probably going to wind up kicking down any extras that I had, until they disappeared so quickly.  It’s a little new-age and corny, but I feel like if I respect the balance and feed into it occasionally, I will usually come out well in the end and open opportunities for myself in the future.  I didn’t make a profit, but my trip was incredibly cheap.  It’s important to know when to fold ‘em on both sides.  If you have a fancy job and/or some money and don’t have a problem paying full price for a ticket, then the obvious move is to get your tickets early and avoid the mark ups.  If you are rarely in a spot where you can afford to pay face for these expensive festivals, then you’re gonna have to work the scene the way that we do.  I have an incredibly difficult time bowing out to strong-arm price-fixing.  In other words, “I don’t play.”  If you try pushing your passes for “$450 Firm” until the last minute, then you get what you deserve, especially if you are from out of state.  The main point here is that, you’re not stuck and you don’t have to respond from fear or panic.  Everyone else is panicking anyway so, if you aren’t, you’re already ahead of the game.  Just know a few tricks, like how to play the odds and how to weigh them.  Know if your tickets are legit and make sure that fact is equally important to you if you plan to sell them.  Limit the likelihood of yourself to get raped and stabbed, by meeting strangers from Craigslist transactions in public places.  Tickets being sold later in the day may have already made their way in and out of the gate, which means that they’ve been scanned and are worthless.  If you want to take a risk, that’s fine, but know that you’re taking one and be ready to deal with the consequences.

Some people have money and want to go to the festival, so they buy themselves tickets and pay for their trips with money from their high-end jobs, parents credit cards, or drug income.  Some folks don’t give a fuck about the festival and their only goal is to make you pay a shitload of money.  This post, as well many of our posts, is targeted more towards the people who want to experience the art but can’t always afford to do so.  Hopefully, we are able to give you a few ways to avoid being dumped on too hard and, for those of you who were unable to attend this specific festival and/or are wondering about attending next year, I hope that the the rest of the Sasquatch coverage will provide you with a solid and accurate representation of what it’s truly like to be there.

I spent a good part of this morning unsuccessfully looking for an old black & white Halo Benders promotional photo from the mid 1990s.  I’ve been working the same type of hustle that I am now for half of my life and, when I was in high school, I spent the majority of my focus on getting companies to send me free shit for my marketing program’s “trade show” projects.  The Calvin Johnson founded, K Records was one of the most helpful and provided me with tons of merchandise and materials, including that Halo Benders photo, which was intended to hype the group’s sophomore effort, Don’t Tell Me Now (1996).  Two years prior, when Johnson (Beat Happening) first started the side project with Doug Martsch (Built to Spill), I had begun hearing the song “Don’t Touch My Bikini” on the local community college radio station.  Both keeping with and ending their pattern of dropping a new album every other year, Halo Benders released their final album, The Rebels Not In, in 1998.  That release contained “Virginia Reel Around the Fountain“, a song that is still a regular feature on Built To Spill set-lists to this day.  Calvin hopped on stage with BTS for a few random cameos throughout the following decade and the group reunited with a slightly altered lineup for a pair of shows in Boise, Idaho.  There have even been some random non-confirmed rumors of a possible new album and/or comeback but, for all intents and purposes, The Halo Benders were a Nineties band.  At one point or another during that initial run, the side-project even made an infamous, yet rarely seen, appearance on a quintessential 90‘s television program.  Thanks to today’s technology, the footage from that fiasco is just one more thing that has managed to resurface in our current times.

The ’90s were fucking weird, but that probably has a lot to do with the fact that I spent my Jr. High and High School days during them [every decade is fucked up and crazy in one way or another].  Still… Punk returned, but it wasn’t really punk.  Ska broke through, but it wasn’t ska.  Almost as soon as it was coined, the term “Alternative” lost all meaning and became as mainstream of a style of music as possible.  One thing that still held meaning in the ’90s, however, was “Indie Rock“.  It wasn’t until around 2000, when I moved to the Olympia, Wa, (birth place of K Records and Kill Rock Stars) that I truly realized how many other people were familiar with the independent artists and music that I had been exposed to and stumbled across as a teenager.  This was also about the time that I began hearing about The Halo Benders‘ brief run in with the law, that had been documented on the program Real Stories of the Highway Patrol.

A lot of people credit shows like The Real World with spawning the “reality show” craze that we have today, but, before “reality” was used to describe methodically edited footage of carefully selected people placed in extraordinary circumstances, there were already shows like The People’s Court and documentary-style programs like COPS.  Capitalizing off of the popularity of COPS, Real Stories of the Highway Patrol ran from 1993-1999, approximately the same span of time that the Halo Benders existed themselves.  Over the years, the band’s appearance on RSHP had, somewhat, become a part of urban lore.  Although many people knew of it’s existence and the details of a marijuana charge, it seemed as if few of them had actually ever seen the episode.  In an old interview for what appears to be a now defunct website, one person did get an official answer from Doug Martsch after asking about the validity of the legendary television clip.

Q: “…did Real Stories of the Highway Patrol really pull your van over when you guys were on tour as the Halo Benders?”

A: “Oh…it did happen. Yeah. But I don’t really want to talk about it. But…someone got in trouble. It wasn’t me. It wasn’t Calvin. Well, Calvin got in sort of trouble for smarting off. I never saw the episode. To me it was just a dramatic, bad situation. To some people it’s funny, but to us, it was a bummer.“

Thanks to the power of Youtube, the original video has finally resurfaced for all of us that have been waiting to see it.  I first found out that it was available in March, via a Facebook post by my friend Benny P., but have completely slacked on getting it up until now.  Unfortunately, Doug Martsch was right about the video, because it’s not as “funny” as I had always been led to believe and it actually is a “bummer” to see another example of how shady law enforcement can be.  This is especially true for those of us who have been in similar situations with “the man”.  The Highway Patrol officers in this video are from Utah, which may not come as a surprise for many of you.  In 2008, a Utah man by the name of Jared Massey successfully sued the UHP for $40,000 after having the shit tased out of him, when he questioned a speeding ticket, and, as recently as last month, another lawsuit was filed against Utah law enforcement who actually managed to tase a man to his death.  A stun gun wasn’t busted out on the Halo Benders, but they did handcuff Calvin and they definitely put the kibosh on their Freedom Ride.

[Video below, after this MP3, taken from the debut album, God Don't Make No Junk.]

Click here to view the embedded video.

The monstrosity pictured above is the latest slab of liberty being offered from the Pepsico spinoff, Yum! Brands Inc.  The terrorists can’t frighten us anymore folks! (not after this)  Until now, KFC‘s Double Down sandwich has strictly been available in the test markets of Omaha and Rhode Island, but now it’s crawling it’s way to your neighborhood… and fast.  Since no deaths have been traced directly back to the consumption of this product, it looks like those of us residing elsewhere in the good ol’ U.S. of A. will be having our sweet, sweet freedoms extended as well.  By “freedom” we mean the freedom to gamble on our coronary healths with a whole new shape of grease.  And what’s the point of “gambling” if you’re afraid to DOUBLE DOWN motherfucker?! 

The Double Down is 2 pieces of chicken sandwiching cheese, bacon, and something that goes by the name of “colonel sauce“.   That little number in the corner of the picture above is KFC.com‘s version of a doomsday clock, so you have just about a day and a half left before you can sink your face into one of these beasts.  Only time will tell if the drive-thru or the bathroom line’s will be longer.  [My money's on the latter... In fact, I'd "double down" on it.]  If the creation of this new innovative product surprises you, then you must have completely missed KFC‘s introduction of the famous bowls.  Somehow they may have actually trumped that one, which is a pretty remarkable feat in it’s own right.  For now, this is the closest thing that we’re gonna see to them simply searing the beaks off of a pair of chickens, twist-tying their wings together around a block of lard, and dipping the whole thing in a fryer, but we can dream.

Some Pros & Cons:
Although I’m fairly positive that this isn’t what Robert C. Atkins had in mind when he invented his famous diet (especially, since it promoted low consumption of saturated fats as well as carbs) it doesn’t really matter.  Atkins also proved that, even after dieting excessively for years, you can still just die by slipping on ice and cracking your head on your way to work anyway.

More than just a “food” product, this grimy meat-brick version of a back alley coat-hanger may actually take the place as a tastier alternative to eating poinsettias and/or black cohosh.  Depending on whether you are pro-life or pro-choice, the following could be categorized as a positive or negative. (Please consult your doctor before consuming anything from this franchise… ever).

In all honestly, I feel that the real issues here have absolutely nothing to do with health and that more of a focus should be placed on investigating Yum! Brands for child labor usage.  Who else could possibly invent this type of shit, if not a group of pre-teens wrecked out on a 1/2 oz of the chronic?

The following video from MSNBC‘s Zeitgeist, fully explains the new product in detail.  Sure, there’s an actual commercial advertisement for the Double Down, but we feel that this video expresses the overall concept a lot better.  Plus, unlike this following clip, KFC‘s ad never utilizes the term “greasy ass” as a descriptor.

Click here to view the embedded video.

For good measure, here’s an old clip of Patton Oswalt addressing the introduction of the KFC Famous Bowls.

Click here to view the embedded video.

UPDATE:

Good news!  You don’t have to wait for it, somebody already went big and made the Quadruple-Down

“Hey everyone! Monster Fresh made this group for me, and I think it’s rather ingenious. It worked for Betty White and SNL. I mean, I can picture myself as Slimer, Moranis’s son, the new Stay Puft… Become a fan and pass it on!“ -Har Mar Superstar

BECOME A FAN

I conducted an interview with musician/writer/actor Sean Tillmann (aka: Har Mar Superstar) back in January, in which we spoke of the rumors behind a new Ghostbusters film (now confirmed).  I then asked Tillmann if it was something that he would be interested in being a part of, to which he responded:

“Oh, to be in Ghostbusters 3? It would be amazing. Yes, of course! Are you casting me?”

Of course I was not, but the plan became to get the concept that he was going to be cast out into the ether with the hopes that it would manifest itself into reality.  That didn’t exactly work, but now that I’ve brought up the possibility of such dreams, it’s time for a little follow through.  Since, these days, it has become perfectly clear that the only way to efficiently make a point or to get anything accomplished is to create a FACEBOOK page, here it is.

You loved him in Whip It!, in his Crappy Holidays film shorts, and as “Dancin Rick” in Starsky as Hutch.  With your help, perhaps we will love him in Ghostbusters 3 as “Moranis’ son or like… sidekick?” or something…