Cowling & Wilcox to the rescue
23/10/08 18:14
South london art gods. Thank you.
Largest art supply shop south of the river, went there for
cardboard and found sleeves. I don't mean to go on but when you
phone about 5 different shops which should stock them (LGC,
Silverprint, Wyvern etc) and then find tons about 5 mins cycle from
your house, it's pretty funny. All that for one extra page! But
least I have spares. BORING
Went up ITV tower yesterday - great views. It's right by the eye but we weren't as high. I like my job a lot.
Tuesday night was awesome as well! Stu and I went to Bromley ski centre for the LG bag tour. Yeahhh. Fully expected it to be a bit lame but it was so much fun. haven't been on my board since the moto trip and it felt so good. Pulled a flip on my first proper go and then set about learning the japan grab flips a'la Muller. As you can see from the (bad) photo, I'm looking the wrong way! no wonder I didn't land 100% Anyway - so much excitement. Had a slide around the main slope after that which was just as scary as it was the first time on a dry slope. That stuff is brutal. Loved every second though.
Today was the ski show which pretty much sucked. I don't have a spare £400 for a banana board and there was health and safety going on a bit much at the big air. no flashes in good places - no good photos. Ev. James from Sputnik was there though and it was cool hanging out with him. Plus I got After Lame, Endless Summer and one other DVD for £10. Yes.
That's about it but the real news is that Simpson has put us forward for the Etape du Tour next year. The mag can't resist "Tom Simpson conquers Ventoux" headline so we're riding the stage a few days before the pros. WTF. 172km with a (literally) killer climb at the end. Can't wait but it's going to be the hardest work of my life. Have a read of the old Simpson tale - very moving.
We might try lucozade rather than brandy though.
Watch this space.
Peace & grease.
RB
Went up ITV tower yesterday - great views. It's right by the eye but we weren't as high. I like my job a lot.
Tuesday night was awesome as well! Stu and I went to Bromley ski centre for the LG bag tour. Yeahhh. Fully expected it to be a bit lame but it was so much fun. haven't been on my board since the moto trip and it felt so good. Pulled a flip on my first proper go and then set about learning the japan grab flips a'la Muller. As you can see from the (bad) photo, I'm looking the wrong way! no wonder I didn't land 100% Anyway - so much excitement. Had a slide around the main slope after that which was just as scary as it was the first time on a dry slope. That stuff is brutal. Loved every second though.
Today was the ski show which pretty much sucked. I don't have a spare £400 for a banana board and there was health and safety going on a bit much at the big air. no flashes in good places - no good photos. Ev. James from Sputnik was there though and it was cool hanging out with him. Plus I got After Lame, Endless Summer and one other DVD for £10. Yes.
That's about it but the real news is that Simpson has put us forward for the Etape du Tour next year. The mag can't resist "Tom Simpson conquers Ventoux" headline so we're riding the stage a few days before the pros. WTF. 172km with a (literally) killer climb at the end. Can't wait but it's going to be the hardest work of my life. Have a read of the old Simpson tale - very moving.
We might try lucozade rather than brandy though.
Watch this space.
Peace & grease.
RB
Talk about hooking a brother up!
19/10/08 20:17
Evening. How are you doing?
The neighbors opposite must think I'm a right saddo - sat in front of the screen all day long. Rubbish. Anyway - it's all good. Bought a new box of Hahnemuhle and desperately printing as fast as I can before I have to give the machine back. If you did want a print, now is the time! Oh yeah - big thumbs down to the London graphics Centre... After spending an exorbitant amount on a leather book and some plastic sleeves, they decide not to stock the sleeves any more. Actually it's less the fault of the LGC but rather than the company who make the sleeves who've decided to discontinue the line. So I'm stuck with a lovely leather book and no way of getting any inserts. I can mount with bare pages but they'll get trashed, or I can take it all back for a refund and re-do my entire folio. What a bummer. Anyway - that's my problem. Don't worry your head about it.
Had a fun couple of weeks. Travelled about to some pretty depressing offices on behalf of EDF Energy. I got told off for walking and talking on my mobile at the same time - health and safety gone absolutely crazy. All we wanted to do was break the rules - put that many in front of you and it changes how you see them. Wasn't all bad - I learnt a lot more about bicycle polo, where the hipsters drink on a wednesday nights and polished off a tasty steak and pint of ale up in Retford.
On Thursday I met Michael Sheen (who we all wanted to call Martin) on another epic Mark Harrison job. That afternoon though we shot a pretend Stig and all had a go at dressing up. Lots of fun. And no, I've no idea who he is. Or she is...
Friday was pretty epic also - worked with the music photo legend Dean Chalkley who is a super nice guy. He was shooting Robert Smith from The Cure down at their studio in Battle. Can't say I'd listened to a lot of their music but really getting into them a bit now. Liked pretty much everything so far so might be a trip to HMV for the greatest hits... Don't think I'll be growing my hair and wearing makeup though. Really nice guys and good fun shoot - even though we got back home at 9:30am after only a couple of hours kip. Sleepy!
Spent some more time at the garage on Sat - again. Did I say the bike is LOUD now. Well, it's as loud as a 250 can get but sounds good. The neighbours love it I'm sure. It really does make riding more fun. Thanks again Ben. The new seat is on too so just need to get myself to a powder coaters and get that tank greened up. Someone said it looked cafe yesterday but I was hoping more bobber flattrack mix. I need to get another bike! One is not enough.
So anyway - set for an evening pretending to watch Strictly and actually dreaming about snow and get a call from Peckham legend Terry who has two guestlist places to Hot Chip for me and Fera at the dome (still can't call it the O2)! Heavy. Talk about a hook up. The night was the Moshi Moshi lable party so we saw a raft of bands including Slow Club. Then I bumped into Lulu in the loos (they're mixed - we weren't in the wrong ones). What a small world. Fera and I had a good boogie (dancing with your girl is great) and a dodgy burger on the way home. The motorbike is the best way to get home at 4am. Hot Chip were amazing - you'd never guess they're a rock band though. Look like a bunch of accountants at an end of the tax year party. "Drums of Death" is possibly the coolest drummer I've ever seen too. Like a phantom.
That's about it. Had a great weekend hanging out with my friends. Not groundbreaking news but it's mine and I like it. Got myself a very good family. As DC said recently, "you don't have to be blood to be my family"
Big love
RB
The neighbors opposite must think I'm a right saddo - sat in front of the screen all day long. Rubbish. Anyway - it's all good. Bought a new box of Hahnemuhle and desperately printing as fast as I can before I have to give the machine back. If you did want a print, now is the time! Oh yeah - big thumbs down to the London graphics Centre... After spending an exorbitant amount on a leather book and some plastic sleeves, they decide not to stock the sleeves any more. Actually it's less the fault of the LGC but rather than the company who make the sleeves who've decided to discontinue the line. So I'm stuck with a lovely leather book and no way of getting any inserts. I can mount with bare pages but they'll get trashed, or I can take it all back for a refund and re-do my entire folio. What a bummer. Anyway - that's my problem. Don't worry your head about it.
Had a fun couple of weeks. Travelled about to some pretty depressing offices on behalf of EDF Energy. I got told off for walking and talking on my mobile at the same time - health and safety gone absolutely crazy. All we wanted to do was break the rules - put that many in front of you and it changes how you see them. Wasn't all bad - I learnt a lot more about bicycle polo, where the hipsters drink on a wednesday nights and polished off a tasty steak and pint of ale up in Retford.
On Thursday I met Michael Sheen (who we all wanted to call Martin) on another epic Mark Harrison job. That afternoon though we shot a pretend Stig and all had a go at dressing up. Lots of fun. And no, I've no idea who he is. Or she is...
Friday was pretty epic also - worked with the music photo legend Dean Chalkley who is a super nice guy. He was shooting Robert Smith from The Cure down at their studio in Battle. Can't say I'd listened to a lot of their music but really getting into them a bit now. Liked pretty much everything so far so might be a trip to HMV for the greatest hits... Don't think I'll be growing my hair and wearing makeup though. Really nice guys and good fun shoot - even though we got back home at 9:30am after only a couple of hours kip. Sleepy!
Spent some more time at the garage on Sat - again. Did I say the bike is LOUD now. Well, it's as loud as a 250 can get but sounds good. The neighbours love it I'm sure. It really does make riding more fun. Thanks again Ben. The new seat is on too so just need to get myself to a powder coaters and get that tank greened up. Someone said it looked cafe yesterday but I was hoping more bobber flattrack mix. I need to get another bike! One is not enough.
So anyway - set for an evening pretending to watch Strictly and actually dreaming about snow and get a call from Peckham legend Terry who has two guestlist places to Hot Chip for me and Fera at the dome (still can't call it the O2)! Heavy. Talk about a hook up. The night was the Moshi Moshi lable party so we saw a raft of bands including Slow Club. Then I bumped into Lulu in the loos (they're mixed - we weren't in the wrong ones). What a small world. Fera and I had a good boogie (dancing with your girl is great) and a dodgy burger on the way home. The motorbike is the best way to get home at 4am. Hot Chip were amazing - you'd never guess they're a rock band though. Look like a bunch of accountants at an end of the tax year party. "Drums of Death" is possibly the coolest drummer I've ever seen too. Like a phantom.
That's about it. Had a great weekend hanging out with my friends. Not groundbreaking news but it's mine and I like it. Got myself a very good family. As DC said recently, "you don't have to be blood to be my family"
Big love
RB
PS
06/10/08 22:37
Oh and I'll get back to taking photos
soon and all!
RB
RB
Scrubbin' the taps
06/10/08 18:38
Uh oh - nearly a month 'tween
updates... Getting slack again. Actually - we've been so so busy it
doesn't even register on the busyness scale.
Since the 6th of Sept - we've moved house. I wrestled a bear, sorry an old transit, for the weekend and in 3 trips back and forth to 101 we finished up at 60b. Awesome. Thanks so much Stu - couldn't have done it without the red devil. Three point turn - feel the burn. Thanks too to ma and pa B for the heavy lifting. 101 was practice for 'house living' rather than 'box living' and within a week we were settled (with a military trip to Ikea - bar the 45 mins looking at curtains - we still don't have any. ) The house is amazing. I have an office with a window and everything. Big shelves for my books, tools, camera, bike bits, mags etc. Honestly - it's the best thing. We were donated a HUGE telly and found a cool chair up the road. My desk has space and the kitchen gets the evening sun. Fera has a walk in wardrobe (under the bed - not a 'short joke' she actually does) and our kettle whistles. Come over for tea anytime - no really. You'd be hard pressed to get us out of it at the mo.
Saying that, matt and Maanelie came over from the states (for the best two weeks of weather we've had all year) and we raced around and fitted so much in we we're hardly at home. We hit up Abbey Road then Sheffield for pizza, shepherds pie, scones and jam & chicken casserole. Mum is the best cook. Matt and I rode the legendary Bolehills (forever) with boy wonder DC in the blazing saturday morning sunshine. Joe lent me his 24" and I had literally one of my favorite sessions there for such a long time. Cleared the back three with no cheaty pedals - on a borrowed bike - and loved every lap of Jim & joes pump track modification. DC was on top form putting on a big show for the guests. So good. That afternoon we rode a penny farthing and a bmx with a shopping caster for a front wheel at the Dev green festival.
We also hitched a spin on a 7 seater bike with 3 of the roughest sheffield lads ever (shirts off, bulldog tat on one arm, 'sheffield' tat on the other, fag in mouth, can of stella) So glad Matt met some good Yorkshire folk. Anyway - we needed one more seat filled and one of the guys shouted to the closest person available who happened to be a young woman pushing a lady in a wheelchair - "aww luv, hop on, ain't like shez gonna run away!" Woah. Our driver hit the curb under my seat and somehow how no-one lost a toe in the mincer of cogs below us.
That eve we visited 51jr for a beer or three, headed to the Lescar for jokes and a stella (for the lady) then off to town for a dance to Toddla T; who we didn't know was going to be there! Amazing. Was like an extra flake in your 99. Couldn't believe it. Fera had been up cleaning (whilst drunk) till 2am the night before Mattelie arrived and when I said she had been scrubbing the taps, I meant literally. They thought I meant she was on the sauce and the phrase was an english euphamism for having a good knees up! haha It is now. Elifs and hangovers and a good walk over Stannage to round off the weekend. Always the best to see Joe, DC, Alec, Coops, Warren, Lulu, ma & pa, BH, the Peaks, the town, the neighbours - all of that.
We missioned the Nissan Note back to 60b via all the london at night sights. Dodged a bus and woke up Pugh. No bother, we were nearly home!
The following week was a blur of work and nursing a poorly Pugh. Went back to Sheffield on Tuesday to shoot Tony Christie with Michael Clement. Dad came along to say hello (weird but so cool) and Tony was not a disappointment in the slightest. We fitted in a trip on the Eye and a visit to Greenwich, a housewarming and more scrubbing of the taps. Dr Pete and Nurse Hanna came to visit which was ace. They witnessed the chaos of Camden on a Sunday. After they left we walked along Bond St and as Matt pointed out, we saw pretty much the highest and lowest of London shopping within one hour. That'll do for me. It was such a cool visit - pretty sure the yanks (and I mean that in a nice way) had as great a time as us. Daft stuff was a treat - like fish supper at the Cod Father. We're very lucky.
Talking of luck, landed in Nice on Monday. Shot Bradley McGee riding the new prologue course for next years TDF in Monte Carlo. He's such a good guy and we got some ace shots. Day 2 & 3 were spent digesting chewy steaks, 8 sausages, lots of coffee and some great hills. Ed and Lionel rode the last 50k of Milan - San Remo and I gave chase in a fiat 4x4. So much fun. Had the 1ds on the passenger seat and I felt like that dude from the beginning of Crocodile Dundee running from the Columbians! Nearly got into a scuffle up Lance Armstrongs training hill but the beard scared him off. If you're gonna swear at crazy french drivers, make sure to use the v sign as you'll not have say 'pardon' and correct yourself when he gets out of the car. I foolishly used one (american style) and that led to the 'pardon' followed by the two fingered salute. I'll tell you what, he wasn't impressed. (I wasn't impressed with his driving so I guess we're equal)
Sure I've missed out about a million things we've been up to as it's been such an important month but I'm sure you'll get over it. Thank you to everyone who has employed me, fed me, helped carry tvs and stacks of old Vogues, lent me bicycles, bought me a beer, laughed at bad jokes and made me laugh at theirs. I have some amazing friends, I'm living with one of the best and am very very happy for things carry on like this for a long time. It's all good.
Gotta go meet my girl - it's dark and she's walking home alone!
laters.
RB
OH Yeha - the MOTO piece is out in the new Document Snowboard mag (or so I'm led to believe)....
Since the 6th of Sept - we've moved house. I wrestled a bear, sorry an old transit, for the weekend and in 3 trips back and forth to 101 we finished up at 60b. Awesome. Thanks so much Stu - couldn't have done it without the red devil. Three point turn - feel the burn. Thanks too to ma and pa B for the heavy lifting. 101 was practice for 'house living' rather than 'box living' and within a week we were settled (with a military trip to Ikea - bar the 45 mins looking at curtains - we still don't have any. ) The house is amazing. I have an office with a window and everything. Big shelves for my books, tools, camera, bike bits, mags etc. Honestly - it's the best thing. We were donated a HUGE telly and found a cool chair up the road. My desk has space and the kitchen gets the evening sun. Fera has a walk in wardrobe (under the bed - not a 'short joke' she actually does) and our kettle whistles. Come over for tea anytime - no really. You'd be hard pressed to get us out of it at the mo.
Saying that, matt and Maanelie came over from the states (for the best two weeks of weather we've had all year) and we raced around and fitted so much in we we're hardly at home. We hit up Abbey Road then Sheffield for pizza, shepherds pie, scones and jam & chicken casserole. Mum is the best cook. Matt and I rode the legendary Bolehills (forever) with boy wonder DC in the blazing saturday morning sunshine. Joe lent me his 24" and I had literally one of my favorite sessions there for such a long time. Cleared the back three with no cheaty pedals - on a borrowed bike - and loved every lap of Jim & joes pump track modification. DC was on top form putting on a big show for the guests. So good. That afternoon we rode a penny farthing and a bmx with a shopping caster for a front wheel at the Dev green festival.
We also hitched a spin on a 7 seater bike with 3 of the roughest sheffield lads ever (shirts off, bulldog tat on one arm, 'sheffield' tat on the other, fag in mouth, can of stella) So glad Matt met some good Yorkshire folk. Anyway - we needed one more seat filled and one of the guys shouted to the closest person available who happened to be a young woman pushing a lady in a wheelchair - "aww luv, hop on, ain't like shez gonna run away!" Woah. Our driver hit the curb under my seat and somehow how no-one lost a toe in the mincer of cogs below us.
That eve we visited 51jr for a beer or three, headed to the Lescar for jokes and a stella (for the lady) then off to town for a dance to Toddla T; who we didn't know was going to be there! Amazing. Was like an extra flake in your 99. Couldn't believe it. Fera had been up cleaning (whilst drunk) till 2am the night before Mattelie arrived and when I said she had been scrubbing the taps, I meant literally. They thought I meant she was on the sauce and the phrase was an english euphamism for having a good knees up! haha It is now. Elifs and hangovers and a good walk over Stannage to round off the weekend. Always the best to see Joe, DC, Alec, Coops, Warren, Lulu, ma & pa, BH, the Peaks, the town, the neighbours - all of that.
We missioned the Nissan Note back to 60b via all the london at night sights. Dodged a bus and woke up Pugh. No bother, we were nearly home!
The following week was a blur of work and nursing a poorly Pugh. Went back to Sheffield on Tuesday to shoot Tony Christie with Michael Clement. Dad came along to say hello (weird but so cool) and Tony was not a disappointment in the slightest. We fitted in a trip on the Eye and a visit to Greenwich, a housewarming and more scrubbing of the taps. Dr Pete and Nurse Hanna came to visit which was ace. They witnessed the chaos of Camden on a Sunday. After they left we walked along Bond St and as Matt pointed out, we saw pretty much the highest and lowest of London shopping within one hour. That'll do for me. It was such a cool visit - pretty sure the yanks (and I mean that in a nice way) had as great a time as us. Daft stuff was a treat - like fish supper at the Cod Father. We're very lucky.
Talking of luck, landed in Nice on Monday. Shot Bradley McGee riding the new prologue course for next years TDF in Monte Carlo. He's such a good guy and we got some ace shots. Day 2 & 3 were spent digesting chewy steaks, 8 sausages, lots of coffee and some great hills. Ed and Lionel rode the last 50k of Milan - San Remo and I gave chase in a fiat 4x4. So much fun. Had the 1ds on the passenger seat and I felt like that dude from the beginning of Crocodile Dundee running from the Columbians! Nearly got into a scuffle up Lance Armstrongs training hill but the beard scared him off. If you're gonna swear at crazy french drivers, make sure to use the v sign as you'll not have say 'pardon' and correct yourself when he gets out of the car. I foolishly used one (american style) and that led to the 'pardon' followed by the two fingered salute. I'll tell you what, he wasn't impressed. (I wasn't impressed with his driving so I guess we're equal)
Sure I've missed out about a million things we've been up to as it's been such an important month but I'm sure you'll get over it. Thank you to everyone who has employed me, fed me, helped carry tvs and stacks of old Vogues, lent me bicycles, bought me a beer, laughed at bad jokes and made me laugh at theirs. I have some amazing friends, I'm living with one of the best and am very very happy for things carry on like this for a long time. It's all good.
Gotta go meet my girl - it's dark and she's walking home alone!
laters.
RB
OH Yeha - the MOTO piece is out in the new Document Snowboard mag (or so I'm led to believe)....