GREY - London Skateboard Magazine.

Areet lads 'n' lasses...

Slight new aesthetic for the blog here - wanting to have a big push this summer and the photoshopping required for the magazine cover shots - although simple - was really getting on me wick and draining the fun so I've given it up and we'll now be seeing the mags in a more 'still life/available light' guise.

Anyhoo, I love skateboarding... I'm really crap but I love it. I love the people it brings together, I love the skill and dedication required to be good and I love the creativity it fosters and engenders. Grey is a good example of that.



It's been hot here, and I've had a chance to ride out again - spending a bit les time turning cranks and a bit more time on the board. I popped into NOTE (Manchester) for some new bushings and this was on the desk so I slung it in me bag.

It's great.

Skatemags are rarely that good (Especially since we sadly lost Document) - for me they always focus too much on the big pro's and handrail bashers... and that isn't the reality of skateboarding... not everyone's a tosser who says 'rad' too much. Grey focuses on the London scene and spots - some familiar and some less so. "Less emphasis on the gnarliest most grounbreaking skateboarding. Instead Grey will show you new spots and lesser know skaters" - in their own words.

It's printed on great stock - the type that gets heavily saturated in a matte finish and smells good when you open it (if you're a print-head like me anyhoo!). It's small too, a feature I really liked and befitting it's understated style.

The photography's ace - much of it is as good as any other skatemag but some is really excellent and composed in much more of a 'photography' style as opposed to a 'here's-a-pic-of-this-guy-doing-this-trick' style. You get the gist.



The interviews are sound and discuss skateboarding without degenerating into in-jokes or just asking them to tell us about a time they cocked about. Plus Mike Manzoori's in it - and who doesn't love Mike Manzoori.

There's a work of fiction at the end which I really enjoyed, and things like this are what skatemags (and skateboarding as a whole) needs - it's what keeps us a culture not a sport.

This is a simple, beautiful and well designed package, and really mirrors the feel of british skateboarding.



Nice one.

Check it out here: greyskatemag.com

POCKO Times

Good Old Fashioned Print is Back!

Busy Busy Busy new job meant quite a lot fell by the wayside but time is now on our side!

Anyone, went and had a rummage for a few new mags today - need to pick up some more tomorrow - and of course I've still been buying and reading whilst the blog's been on hiatus so I'll post some stuff from the 'archive' when I've not got owt new to write aboot.

So this is the new issue of POCKO - apologies for the poor cover photo... I couldn't avoid the 'flash splash' even with the hood - it's that red ink on the paper stock. Shiny.

Another great edition - focuses mostly on collages, inspired by the 'Museum of Small Things' apparently. For me collage can be a bit hit and miss, and such is the case with this. I really like some of it though - particularly the centrefold (pictured) by Are Mokkelbost - really like the use of animal drawings. Happily (because it's the centrefold) I can put this one up on't wall too!



POCKO is of course all about exposure, so if there's a particular artist in there you like, it's worth checking them out.



It's also worth mentioning the poem. POCKO has a poem running along the bottom of each page, spaced thoughtfully with the images. It's great, and worth savoring each line with it's corresponding image.

Good Mag.



www.pocko.com

FILE Magazine

Second entry today!

Now I know I'm a little bit behind BOOOOOM! on this one (right number of O's in that?) but I don't get freebies (hint!) so had t go pick it up.

The mag's a bi-annual jobby called 'FILE' and like Pocco Times discussed a few weeks ago it comes on newspaper stock. Now I'm never sure how t feel about newsprint stuff as normally image quality suffers but 'FILE' gets away with it pretty well.

Anyone's who's ever read Specialten will be very familiar with FILE's format - A DVD containing mostly short films and art films plus some music videos with a visual arts aspect to them, articles about said media in the magazine's main body and a free print at the back.

It's good stuff too - The articles are great and give good background to the films, I watched the DVD first the read up and watched again and it was quite a different viewing the 2nd time around. Now I know that strictly speaking this blog's about printed material but the 2 are so interconnected that you cant separate them.

I particularly enjoyed 'The Archive' - what a fascinating and sad story (what I wouldn't give for the couple of million he's asking...) and also really enjoyed the planetarium of the soul. I was dissapointed by 'Lost and Found: Jim Lee' though, as I'd already read about this project and had high hopes but I found it a bit shallow in the end, and the editing really got on my wick.

I really like the print - it's gone straight in my 'To Be Put Up When I Move' collection. It's by Geoff McFetridge, a californian artist well know i the graphics community - I strongly suggest you check out his other work here : championdontstop.com

(As an aside, he get's even more props because he did some stuff for Whitest Boy Alive, who I'm a big fan of)

The printed element of the mag is well laid out, clean and sparse. Cracking. It looks to only be run by 2 staff - Editor and Publisher Fabio Sebastinelli, plus Design and Art Directors - Thorbjorn Ankerstjerne and Mr Sebastinelli again.

For more info see file-magazine.com

I picked mine up at Magma as is often the case, but there's a good bit on the FILE site showing lots of places to grab it so keep an eye out.

Chris Bourke Lino Prints

So this tatty envelope arrived in the post and I couldn't for the life of me reckon what was in it. When I opened it I realised it was a set of postcard prints I'd ordered from my favourite lino cutter (and cracking skateshop owner) Chris Bourke.

They're great - hand printed small lino cards on a rought stock - they really appeal to the DIYscenester in me!

They where only a fiver too, so get yourself over t' his page and get some ordered. The one below is one of my favourite pieces. This wee one will have to do me until I can get a real print. I think that can be a treat for the new house....

chrisbourkeart.com

+1 - Issue 11

Watcha! I thought I'd give the new +1 a write up again, though I must admit I did pick it up a few days ago.

First of all, I LOVE the cover! It's got the now heavily bearded, ex-Bill actor Jeff Stewart (also a percussionist doncha know?!) in some cer-azee get up! It's an excerpt from the Issue's fashion shoot, which is exceptionally shot and all good fun.

As with all the other +1's this issue carries on in what intellectual types have started to call 'post-Document' style, all light-hearted quips and positivity. It's a great read yet again.

The 'Surf and Turf' article about a film currently being produced named 'God Went Surfing with the Devil' is great - a nice conversational interview and some cracking pics from said film. Can't wait t see that.

(You can read more about that procject in +1 and also here: godwentsurfing.com)

Big up on exposing yet another great photographer - Ross McDonnell (no web link though?) in this case - I hope this continues every issue... and when I submit my portfolio I hope you remember these glowing reviews!

Although now condensed to one page, I laughed out loud yet again at the Overrated/Underrated section (yer not wrong about Belle and Sebastian lads!) and the Going Postal and new 'Cookery' section are a good giggle too. There's also a pretty interesting article on the burgeoning independent (I'm loathe t call it 'indie') craft scene in which my girlfriend and I have been known t dip our toes. Small world.

There is a BUT though - this issue has more adverts, and although many are skate related, a few are frankly shit... and seemed to be aimed at a pretty condescending 'alternative' market - might I suggest you boot them or at least get them t tidy up their artwork. I know you've got t pay for it somehow but what on earth is that 'Urban Industry' advert - "Wow let's appeal to the kids by doing a lomo-esque photo of a train station" - I almost gipped.

Anyhoo, very minor gripe aside, it's another great read exposing some really interesting people and a having a good laugh too. Keep on keepin' on gang.









plus1mag.com

The Ride Journal - Issue 2

It's back!

So after realising a few weeks ago that the first one wasn't a one off I've been waiting with baited breath for the next one. And worth the wait it has been too!

It kicks off with another great cover illustration from 'Mark and ilovedust' and follows the same layout as the previous issue -basically a page of writing and musing from someone touched by cycling on the right page faced by a piece of artwork - -often by the writer, sometimes not.

Highlights for me this time are the 'Going Down the Hub' article by Mike Duff (how much do I want to visit 'Mud Dock' in Bristol now?!), the '74 Mountaingrove Road' photoessay by Robert Sargent, 'One Track Mind' by the mighty mighty Hoy and the chance to discover Eric Reagan's photos on flickr. It's just as beautiful as the last issue though - a heavy tome with all the writing very well written and by some surprising names and people I've never heard of, with really great artwork.

It covers the full spectrum of bikes and cycling again, so there's bound to be something to interest you. The main point however is that it'll make you want to keep reading but also put it straight down and jump on your bike, and meet other people on their bikes and talk about being on bikes... and that's surely the best thing about it.

Nice on guys.




Again I got mine from Magma in Manchester but check the website if you're stuck - theridejournal.co.uk

C'mon Photoshop...

A nice shiny new computer is sat on my desk, and there's a beautiful set of pics of issue 2 of a certain journal sat on my camera - so after this weekend's photoshop retrieval mission there'll be a nice shiny new post!

See you then