UK hip hop producer Ghost is set to release a new single in 2008.
It’s All Love, which is backed with Ying Yang, will hit the shops on January 14th through the ever trustworthy Breakin Bread label. You can check out It’s All Love by clicking here.
If you’ve had the good sense or luck to witness Turbonegro in the live setting, you’ll most likely agree that there’s no spectacle quite like that of Hank Von Helvete and his motley crew in action. They’ve made some pretty spectacular records, too, so hats off to those folks at Cooking Vinyl for re-releasing the band’s entire 90s back catalogue.
1996’s’Ass Cobra‘ (the band’s third album) may have arrived after seemingly no end of line-up changes and various other troubles, but it showed that the band were truly beginning to hit their stride. Essentially a punk rock record at heart, the likes of ‘Sailor Man‘, ‘Denim Demon‘ and – of course- ‘I Got Erection‘ remain live favourites to this day, all resplendent with fuzzed-up guitars and brilliantly dark humour. The sleeve’s parody of the Beach Boys’ ‘Pet Sounds‘ is just the icing on a very hard-rocking cake.
Two years later, the band released their magnum opus, ‘Apocalypse Dudes‘. Described by Jello Biafra as “possibly the most important European record ever”, it marked an evolution of the band’s sound into a slicker but no less hard-hitting cocktail of glam, metal and 70s punk rock, which they termed ‘deathpunk’. More confident and diverse than ever before, songs like ‘Selffestructo Bust‘ and ‘Prince Of The Rodeo‘ see the band truly stamping their own warped identity onto proceedings, and the result remains their finest album to date.
If you’re not yet familiar with Norway’s finest musical export, then these two records are the ideal starting point. But first, check out them links above.
Alex Gosman
As wrongly reported yesterday, the competition we are running for our Crossfire Xmas Jam is actually for tickets to the Jam at Bay Sixty 6 featuring the Osiris team, no the afterparty as first reported.
Moose has since been fired for this cock-up and the revised competition is up on our competitions page
Chet Childress, the crooked arm ripper from Nike and Black Label managed to squeeze in an interview literally moments before legging it over to the Nike video premiere recently. Moose talks to him about beers, albinos, Michael Jordan and living the dream.
Words: Moose
Photos: Big thanks to Jon Humphries
Chet Childress, Welcome to Crossfire, how’re you doing?
Good man, thanks for having me here
Are you enjoying today?
It’s weird, I’m a skateboarder, all this crazy media bullshit really isn’t me but it’s a good experience you know what I’m saying? It is what it is, sometimes you gotta work. 2 weeks out of the year I guess I gotta work. It’s cool talking to people and coverage is awesome.
The rest of the time you just get to skate, as your job.
Yeah, I just get to ride my board on the street in traffic
Proper questions time..How did you hook up with Nike?
It was a collaboration of them looking for riders and going for some different styles other than pain and just lottery ticket shit man. You know, I got a good scratch card and it worked.
What were your first skate shoes ever?
First skate shoes ever? Converse, Chuck Taylor’s. I come from a pretty poor family, thats all my mom could afford.
The cheap ones are always the best ones though….
Yeah, you can feel your board. Duck tape on ’em the second or third day!
Growing up as a kid, did you ever think skating would take you this far?
Hell no. I thought by now I would be working a job. I never thought I would be 32 sitting six stories up in some fancy building, giving you some fucking interview! I knew I was going to skate for life. The day I started skating I knew it was fucking on until I die, you know what I mean, but it was like I never knew life was going to get this good. I always used to look at the magazines and think “I’d like to do that, that’d be cool” but I never thought I would be doing it!
Is your crooked arm a skate injury?
No, I was born like that. Two bones fused together into one
Does it help or hinder you in life?
Oh it helps man, it’s something to fucking crack on. Jokes baby jokes!
Anything else crooked?
Cock. It goes long. It goes up in girls guts. Deep yo deep.
If you had to take Michael Jordan on a trip, where would you take him?
We’d go to Spain and smoke hash on the beach.
Do you think you could get more air than him?
More air than Jordan? Oh man, black people can jump hella high. You know what I’m saying, black people got pop! Thats hard to beat.
How long have you been filming for the video?
2 years. 2 years of derelict living, you know what I’m saying?. It’s kinda hard because I skate different spots than alot of the dudes, so alot of the time I’m waiting around twiddling my fucking fingers thinking “Is it my go now? Is it my turn? Can I film?”
What was the hardest part to film? The hardest trick?
Waking up
Did you have any surprises on Nike’s behalf with regards to making the video?
Yeah I had alot of surprises, Nike blew my mind. Travelling the world, the way I live. It’s all just mind blowing shit man you know? I never seriously knew life could be this sick. Travelling the world, drinking champagne, staying at hip hotels, eating good food, hanging out with my friends. I’m telling you, it’s like the best college degree you can get.
How far do you reckon you can push the Nike tab?
Pretty damn far. As far as my crooked arm can sign!
Would you consider ‘Nothing But The Truth‘ a skate video or a movie? Are you a film star or a skater?
Man, I’m a skateboarder. We’ll see, you tell me at the end of the night. You decide.
What if Steven Spielberg rings?!
Hey man, if some people want to put me in Hollywood and give me a bunch of money to be me, then I’m down fool. Get a regular job? Fuck that, you know what I’m saying? If I can get paid to be an idiot then I’m in!
How many boards can you chop in half with your hand?
Erm? None. I’m a pretty soft individual.
Yeah? You look pretty hard man?
I’ll try. I don’t know man, I’m a lover not a fighter dude.
Where did the name Ludacrooks come from?
I made it up man. Ludacris, you know, hiphop? I always get given a new name every couple of years and that one just kinda stuck. I was like yo Ludacrooks, that sounds neat.
Why are the birds you draw always beer cans?
I don’t know, it’s just something like, beer cans with wings seems pretty cool. It’s just my little character y’know.
Booze makes you fly then?
Booze makes you fly, I don’t know, I just got A.D.D. I can only draw certain lines and those lines seem to work.
Which beer makes you fly? Branding time, go on, plug it….
Corona, I’m albino Mexican so I prefer Mexican beer. Anything with lime and salt doggy.
What’s your favourite part in the video?
Omar Salazar. He skates good! He skates fast and furious. He is crazy.
What’s next then for you?
Erm?….Try to grow up, try and get my life together, try to straighten up. Film for this next Black Label video. Live life, grow old. Maybe learn how to surf some big ass waves?
Black Label, Jason Adams, back on. How do you feel?
Happy, I always knew he was coming back. He had to go away, spice it up a little. There is always time to leave home, but you’ll always come back.
Last thing, your part in the video, are you happy with it?
Fuck yeah, because Nike gave me a chance to be me. They gave me 100% and they let me edit my part and they don’t give me no rules. They let me be me every day of my life. They let me be in a team with all of these guys, Brian Anderson…are you fucking kidding me? Lottery ticket shit.
Alright man, any last shout outs?
Shout out to the world man, skate dudes I love you. You skaters are the sickest individuals. Without all you skaters I would be working at Maccy D. Just remember, skate, be yourself and have fun. Don’t be a fucking jock. Keep skating out of the Olympics and all this contest ESPN bullshit. Peace.
Gnarls Barkley are back with a new album for 2008.
The follow up to last year’s St. Elsewhere is being worked on right now and is set for a spring release. Producer Danger Mouse recently said of the album:
“It sounds like we’re more comfortable with each other and just as uncomfortable with everybody and everything else.”
The Flaming Lips will headline Camp Bestival event.
The event, which takes places over the weekend of July 18th-20th 2008 will take place at Lulworth Castle in Dorset. Chuck Berry will be another headliner for the event which will also feature Billy Bragg, Scroobius Tit [sorry, Pip] and The Cuban Brothers.
The Futureheads set to play a Student Union tour in early 2008.
The dates are:
January
16th – Union of Brunel Students
17th – University of Hertfordshire Students’ Union
18th – Warwick Students’ Union
19th – Loughborough Students’ Union
21st – Hull University Union
22nd – Liverpool Guild Of Students Stanley Theatre
23rd – Preston 53 Degrees
24th – Strathclyde Students’ Union
26th – University Of Sheffield Union Of Students
27th – Leeds University Union
28th – Norwich The Waterfront
29th – Bournemouth The Old Fire Station
As you my have heard by now, Harrow skatepark is in need of you help.
Show your support by joining the Save Harrow Facebook group, and by bombarding the Harrow Times with as many letters as possible.
Power in numbers…
The Plan B UK tour footage is now live on their website, so go have a butchers at what P-Rod, Pat Duffy, PJ Ladd and the crew got up to on their travels across our fine land.
www.planbskateboarding.com/features/england/
Blueprint have roused some troops together to invade the Crossfire Xmas Jam on Saturday, so expect to see things laid down from the likes of Vaughan Baker, Nick Jensen, Danny Brady and Neil Smith
Click here for all the details of the event that will send Santa packing, unless he can do nollieflip crooks on Rudolph’s antlers.