Old City

What I'm listening to

The Avett Brothers- I and Love and You

Perfect song to listen to while you look at old photographs and think about what your life good have been. Or a perfect song to listen to while you drink with old friends and you laugh at old photographs and you don't worry about what could have been.

I haven't decided if this song should make me happy or make me sad and for that reason I think its amazing.

Best to listen to during a road trip while you mindlessly and longingly gaze out your window....

Sample Lyric:
Ahh Brooklyn, Brooklyn take me in.
Are you aware the shape I’m in?
My hands they shake, my head it spins.
Ahh Brooklyn, Brooklyn take me in.

The Rural Canada Advantage- Don't haunt this place
Awkward rhythmy, lazy vocals, harmonizing female vocals and a cello equals the soundtrack to a night of jack and cokes. This song is on the verge of trying to hard and not trying hard enough. Perfect mix...

Reminds me about being uncertain and confused and believing every decision made had a better option.

Best time to listen to after a night of drinking and you need to settle your lonely heart and you need a good sing-a-long song.

Sample Lyrics:
Your heart beating slow as it beats out a pace,
West side apartment grows lonely and dark,
West side apartment is two more empty hearts.

Hall and Oats You make my dreams come true

Because its fun and if this song doesn't make you smile then you have no soul

Best to listen to after watching 500 days of Summer and then run around outside and smile at random strangers

Sample Lyrics
What I want, you've got
And it might be hard to handle
But like the flame that burns the candle
The candle feeds the flame

University City

Music

My new favourite blog...http://soundonsound.tumblr.com/

It is authored by Dan Yemin. For those who do not know that name...shame on you. Danny is one of my heros and has been is two of the most influential bands in my short life, Lifetime and Paint in Black. He is a local Philadelphian and I've seen him and talked to him a couple times around the city and he is one of the nicest people I've encounter.

Getting off subject in my rambling praise of Mr. Yemin. So, Mr. Yemin has recently started a blog,about parenting and music, after his first child was born In it he discusses his worries, challenges, and possible solutions to raising his child as well as the different music his has introduced his child's young ears to.


And with each musical selection he writes a brief summary about the importance of the selection and why he choose why he believes his daughters' young ears should be exposed to it.

I love reading things of this nature because I think our generation has lost what makes music important.(Which I'm sure every generation before me has said the same thing)

Music is one of the greatest, simplest and most popular art mediums ever created. Everyone listens to music from the children to our grandparents. but the reasons for why we listen to music is so varied. A simple question to people is why do you listen to a specific piece of music?

We should each be able to listen to a song/record we like and articulate the importance of it. And if you can't immediately you need to look interopectively about what moves you about that specific type of music. And if you still can't do that you should stop listening to that music!

Blizzard of 2009

These pictures were taken from 7:00AM-7:00PM AND from 1.5 inches to about 12-14 inches of snow. And the new total for snow fall for the day was 23.5 inches. One of the best days I've had in Philadelphia!

This is my city and this is my life!

Paris to London!

This film looks amazing!

LONDON TO PARIS from Amazing Grace on Vimeo.

Cadence Winter Collection

Hopefully everyone skipped consumer slavery day or as people refer to it as black friday. Now that you can think for yourself head over to Cadence for Dustin's winter collection. If you are buying gifts for someone special this holiday season spend that hard earned money at a great DIY company. I'm really digging some of the new pieces he put up!

I like!

Gaslight Anthem mural painted in LA.

I wish i was in San Jose

For all you track riding heads...SJ fixed is having a little Gold Sprint Comp today...Should be a fun party with some good ol fashion pedal to the metal racing. And grand prize is a 20 lb TURKEY!!

A little late...

but this is so gnarly i had to post it

Joel Weston from MACAFRAMA on Vimeo.

Funny as Shit

What a difference a day makes

Yesterday 45 and raining

Today 70 and sunny

Philly to Valley Forge 1...2...3...go!!!!!

1...2...3...go!!!!!!!!!!!!

50 miles, 1 gear, 0 brakes, 1 cliff bar break on a cold/raining Philadelphia Fall afternoon.

Oh Lawrence Arms you make me smile

This is why I love this band with songs titles like this "The Slowest drink at the saddest bar on the snowiest day in the greatest day"

It makes me want to drink a Jack on the rocks by myself in Chicago

Look at my boys!

Restorations playing "strange behavior." Check out the right up at http://www.punknews.org/article/35969.

Restorations - Strange Behavior from If You Make It on Vimeo.

I love this picture!

Fall in Philly!

Now I'm Pissed

I just heard about this ride and it sounds amazing. But, I have a clinical education class all weekend so I fucking suck and I can't do it. But if you ride fixed and live in Philly definately check it out.

Just signed up for my first Triathlon!

Philly Tri!!! Looking at a Portland date as well...I need to start training!

Matt Lingo keeps putting out great edits

Hopefully this one won't be taking off the interweb...I love watching people riding and bombing hills over freestyle clips...

San Francisco to Seattle from Matt Lingo on Vimeo.

Emi and jason!

Two cool Vids in a row!

Emi and Jason from Matt Lingo on Vimeo.

MASSAN!

Another video of Massan crushing a SF hill...Mother fucker is a smooth criminal

Massan from Matt Lingo on Vimeo.

Robert Bradley and the Blackwater Surprise

Really enjoying this song

Where is Philadelphia?

Once again Philly disappoints! Not even in the top 10! The big surprise was that the Twin Cities are in second, what the FUCK?! Its cold as fuck up there but they are still still smashing bikes. Good for them.

Portland here I come!!!!!!!!

This looks cool!

New Video feature some of the best and well known riders from around the world, traveling from London to Paris to meet Lance Armstrong at the end of the Tour de France.

LONDON TO PARIS from Amazing Grace on Vimeo.

New Dead to Me!

Dead to Me follow up record African Elephants is coming out November 11th, 2009!

This guy USED to be my hero!

Now he is just...well you decided.

Restorations at Space 1026

Friends and Music this friday! Come hang out!

Crack Ceiling? or Shanky Foundations ?

These buildings are birthed
From the ashes of the fallen
And everything else is forgotten
They Scream for attention
But only the ghost hold out for applause
They plead "Forgive me for my rust, but I bleed orange and brown"
But their pleas go unnoticed like my presence in this room

Look Up!

I think people biggest mistakes when navigating this city is that no one ever looks up at some of the fantastic buildings we have in philly. The architecture is very unique and you can spot some really neat things that you do not see in these new (and boring) modern buildings.

I thought this was funny

If I ever do this to my son... someone please shoot me!

HOLY MOTHER OF FUCK!!!

The frame of my dreams is BACK!!! The famous pista concept frame is once again ready to be released upon many happy track bicycle riders.

This frame was not produced last year and previous years of this bike frame were so hard to come by that shitty as people were selling them for big $$$$$ on ebay.

But, now they are ready to be sold and from what I'm told is a reasonable price and when I say reasonable I mean "fucking expensive."

So what should I do...let my dreams go by or go more into dept????

What I'm Listening to

Remember this album? I haven't listening to this record straight through in a long time but today I was cleaning my Apartment and decided to put this on and boy did I forget how good Alkaline Trio's S/T record was/is.

I know most will praise Goddammit as their best record but you just get the deny this amazing record either. This album is why I fell in love with the trio during my early high school days.

..."somehow the singer showed the fireside exactly how I feel"

Pretty!

Click on picture to get a better image!!

Bikes Rides and thinking equals more bullshit

You ask for answers
While I only provide questions

You tell me how it is
I can tell you how I want it to be

Stopping in the middle of a sentence because I'm afraid of what I'm going to say
This may not come out right, I may say the wrong things

You want problems I got thousands of them
But please do not ask my for the solutions, I've yet to solve level one

Simply amazing!

One of my favorite bands The Bronx just released a new album of Mariachi music, yes Mariachi music!

The bronx are one of the most poppy hardcore bands of all-time. And yes hardcore music is hard to make poppy but some how these guys mix the two genres nicely.

So, after mastering that realm of the music world, I guess they believe Mariachi music would present a good challenge to them. And just like before they rock the shit out of some mariachi with some great songs. Check out their single "cellmates"

Mariachi El Bronx - "Cell Mates" from thedude on Vimeo.

Fun on a saturday

It was a beautiful day in Philadelphia so my roommate and myself decided to go bike riding and do some recording

MASSAN + MACAFRAMA= A HUGE SMILE ON MY FACE!

Massan has recently joined the Macaframa crew and they posted this video of him bombing down a gnarly hill in SF where he just misses getting crushed by a shitty city bus.

His flow is sick and his lines are super clean. I can't wait till i see more! keep up the good work guys!

Massan from MACAFRAMA on Vimeo.

SAD, SAD Day

One of my most beloved bands have just announced sound news. Dead to me has just posted that Jack Dyrmple will not be on the new record because he has opted to spend more time with his new born son. Even though his actions are great for him and his family has absence will know leave a void that will be difficult to fill.



Good luck to Jack and his new son Jack. We will miss you!

My new WHIP!

Just picked up my new bike

Components:

Handmade Custom Torelli Corsa Pista Frame
All City Crank
Red Chris King Headset
Nitto Riser Bars
EAI Cog with Phil Wood Lock Ring
Torelli Stem with black Soma Seat

Custom Wheels built by Bicycle Revolutions
Black B43 laced to Red Phil Wood Hubs

Ladies and Gentleman...Mr. Frank Turner

For those of you who didn't get the visual from my poorly written description of the show here is a video. The video pretty much explains my words much better.

Frank Turner is South Philly!

Last night can only be described as epic. I was riding my bike over to the Titan House in South Philly and I was still in shock that Frank Turner was going to be playing a house show about 10 blocks from my house for FREE! For those of you who do not know Frank Turner, he is a folk/punk singer from England and is currently opening up for the Offspring, yes that Offspring.

Before I go any further I have to describe the weather which in an odd way made this night so memorable. Sunday was one of hottest days of the summer. And in this tiny house with no central air the heat made for a great atmosphere for a sweaty, sticky, and overall wild night.

As I made it to the house the empty PRRs and 40 oz beverages were already scattered around the living room and the sweat was already pouring from my face and seeping through my shirt. After 3 great opening sets by great local bands: The Ruins, Restorations, and Mezingers it was Mr. Frank Turners time.

He opened the set with "Worse things Happen at Sea" and from that point the house was a blaze with sing-alongs, stair diving, and hand clapping. As he played we sang and danced as if we were part of a 50 person band. Sweat continued to drip through our pours and with the bodies so closely packed together in this tiny living room made you appreciate every chord, every note and every word he screamed through the microphone. About half way through his one hour set you yelled "this is the craziest show I have ever played" and a second later added "And the hottest show, so I'm taking off my shirt and you guys should too!" And just like your parents giving you permission to finally do something you'd been wanting to do for hours everyone ripped there shirts off and the sing-alongs continued with no pretentiousness, no egos, no rockstars just a bunch of friends listening to a great musician playing great songs on an acoustic guitar.

I want to thank Mr. Frank Turner for taking a break from 16,000 people shows to play for 50 kids in philly who actually appreciate music. Lastly, I want thank John Murphy who was so kind with his house.

What a beautiful night!

20th and Walnut

These buildings are so old
They make me shake
This city burns me a little more
With every other passing eyes
How did everything so real become a disguise

Every inch confiscated
Every corner raped

These buildings are so old
They make me crumble
They let me know in oh such a subtle way
How insignificant these lives are
But it doesn't stop me from enjoying this day

Holy SHIT! MACAFRAMA is coming

Macaframa is finally ready to be shipped. Its been a long, long, long wait and the delay has left many rich white hipsters up in arms. But, now all the kids can chill out, stop complaining, get off the internet and get back on their bikes.

Can't wait till my copy comes!

My New Bag!

Just picked up my new messenger bag from RE-LOAD. I want to thank Gerik for hooking it up with bag, shit looks clean.

From some reason I'm on a promotional binge and I might as well continue...so if you are in need of a bag check out RE-LOAD for your custom bag needs.