Santa Barbara Film Festival This Saturday!
by: Travis | Thursday, January 31, 2008
etnies is sponsoring two great surf films (Sliding Liberia and One California Day) which will be shown at the Santa Barbara Film Festival and features: the Malloy brothers and surfer/artist/etnies team rider Chris del Moro. If anyone is up for it, there is an after party with some pretty sweet bands and dj’s who’s music was featured in the films...
For more on Chris del Moro and his art check his website.
Last Chance To Win Marie-France's Faves!
by: Alex | Thursday, January 31, 2008
Today's your last day to enter to win Marie-France Roy's top picks from the current line of etnies shoes. The winner of Marie-France's Faves will receive THREE pairs: the Shift, Missy and Torque. You have until midnight tonight, at which point this blog will self-destruct. The clock is ticking...
ENTER HERE!
Club Tattoo's Chester Bennington Interview, Pt 3
by: Alex | Thursday, January 31, 2008
An interview with Chester Bennington of Club Tattoo (Cont'd from Part 2)
RB: How old is your, is it son, you have a son?
CB: Yeah, I have four boys.
RB: Four boys.
CB: Got a litter of kids!
RB: What’s the oldest, and the youngest?
CB: My oldest is 11, and his brother is gonna be 10 in November. And I have a 5-year-old, and my youngest just turned one, a couple weeks ago.
RB: So throughout all this, like the music career, the rock star, the everything, how does fatherhood affect that, as far as whether it be creating music or . . .
CB: No I think I’ve really figured it out. I figured it out that I wasn’t always the best dad, you know what I mean? My kids love me, I love my kids, but the reality is that my career always took front seat for a long time. And so I really kind of figured it out, like how to balance being a dad and running a company, and trying to create new companies, and . . . I have another company called Level 7 that is a music and technology-based company, and people will start hearing about that in the next couple of years, but that’s been also a lot of work too, building that, recruiting people for that type of thing too. So it’s been a lot of work too. But, it’s interesting, because somehow I figured out how to do it all. I don’t know exactly when it happened, but I spend more time with all my kids than I ever have. I’ve been married for, I’ve been with my wife for a little over two years. I got divorced a couple years ago, but it was interesting because I spend more time with everybody now. Like, I spend more time with my band, I spend more time with my wife, spend more time with my kids, and I spend more time working than I ever have.
RB: You just figured out the balance?
CB: It’s really weird, dude, I don’t know when it clicked, but it somehow all the gears just kind of. . .
RB: It’s a good thing.
CB: (Laughing) I’m not gonna be able to write any kind of self-help book, tell anybody else how to do it though. . .
RB: So I asked Sean and Thora to give me a good Chester story, like a funny story, and they told me about the RJ Reynolds show.
CB: Oh, dude, that was awesome!
RB: And that was an amazing story, so I wanted to ask you if you had a good, funny Sean and Thora story or. . .
CB: Well, Thora’s pretty awesome when we uh, we throw parties for Club Tattoo every year. We started about four years ago, right after started expanding into multiple shops. We decided our clients were kicking ass, and they gave us a lot of things to be thankful for, so let’s throw a party and invite them all. And so we started doing that every year, and it kind of escalated into this party everybody looks forward to every year, and we have bands come out. Thora freaks out, dude. From the second we start, dude, she’s on a thousand miles an hour. And she’s nervous, and she’s sweating and she doesn’t know how to, she’s like, “How do you talk to all these people?” and it’s kind of funny. And every year I have to take her aside, and kind of calm her down and tell her to chill out, and it’s all cool, and to just have a good time, and she doesn’t have to – cuz she wants to be sure everybody’s having a good time, and, you know, when there’s 4,000 people there, that can be quite a hectic position to put yourself in. It’s like, “Dude, relax, and just enjoy the party.” But it’s pretty awesome. I guess it’s something that you might have to see, in order to appreciate, but nervous breakdowns are pretty spectacular. Cuz she doesn’t do that, she holds things together pretty well, most of the time. And Sean, dude, there are so many Sean stories I have . . . there was this one time when we were in Grey Daze. And we drove out and we were doing some shows and a photo shoot. Photo shoot and a show, out in San Diego. We might not have done a show during this time. But we went out and did this photo shoot and we ended up staying overnight, and I had been married to my ex-wife, and it was a pretty fresh marriage. And so I’d just gotten into, you know, cuddling with someone, you know what I mean? And we had to share a bed. And so Sean and I were in the same bed. And Sean had really long hair, like really long hair, like down-to-his-ass long, and so I woke up in the morning, and I was like this around Sean. (Demonstrates cuddling.) And he was like, “What the fuck are you doing, dude?!” I was like, “Uhhh, nothing!”
RB: Yeah, how do you come out of that one?
CB: You just kind of like that, “Uhhh, nothing!”
RB: And move on?
CB: Yeah, you kind of hope that the flashlight wasn’t hanging out of your pants or anything like that, but, it was pretty embarrassing, dude. That was a good Sean story. I wish I could think of a better one. . .
RB: That’s like that scene in Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
CB: The “dirty pillow” scene? Yeah, it was pretty similar. It was our own little “dirty pillow.” Dude, there’s so many stories, most of them are incriminating, so I won’t go into them. (Laughs.)
RB: Fair enough. I read somewhere that I guess, Sean or someone was saying that grips of people come here to get the same tattoos as you, like on your wrists. . .
CB: (Laughs) Yeah. . .
RB: I was just wondering how you felt about that, is it flattering?
CB: Well, imitation is one of the greatest forms of flattery; it’s a compliment. But at the same time, there’s a lot of people with flames on their wrists, it’s not like I was the first dude to get fire on my arms. But I specifically got, like, I went to this dude, who was really good at the hot rod thing, and I was like, just make them unique and really cool so they don’t look like little flames or tribal thing. He was like, “Alright, dude, I’ve been working on this new one!” And he actually had been working on this new flame style, and he’s like, “I’m gonna do it!” so he drew them on, and I was like, “Awesome!” And I loved how they were really long and kind of flickering up my arm, and it didn’t really look like the typical flames, and that’s what I liked about it. So, when I see kids come up and say, “Dude, I got your flames!” I’m just like, “Aaaah!” Now they’re not mine anymore, now they’re like somebody else’s. But, you know, that’s part of the tattoo world too, you’re gonna see something that you like and you’re gonna go, “Dude, I like this. I want that.” You know? But, it’s cool, dude, no one’ll ever have exactly what I got. That’s kind of dope.
RB: And this is where you walked in, before, I was asking Sean and Thora, what was your first tattoo, what’s your favorite, and if you have any that you regret or sort of laugh about?
CB: My first tattoo encompasses two of those things. My first tattoo I got when I was 18, and there was a girl here that worked here, and I thought she was just smokin’ hot. She had this rock-hard body, and tatted from her neck all the way down to her feet; like almost every inch of her body was tattooed. And I thought she was a goddess, so I was like, “I want her to tattoo me.” So she did this tattoo over here; it’s Pisces. I was like, “I want Pisces like this,” and then she drew a quarter sleeve on. It goes from here all the way up to here. It’s kind of crazy. So I was like, “Alright.” And I did it, sat there for five hours and got the outline done-- which is a really long time, by the way, to get an outline done. And she had a really heavy hand; it was not the best experience. And she drew these little alien faces--let me see if I can pull my sleeve up. She drew these little alien faces on the fish, you see that? It’s like, it’s kinda, it looks like a girl did it, right?
RB: Uh huh. . .
CB: Yeah. So, needless to say, I was stoked cuz I felt like I was tougher or something, I got it done, but it’s not a tough tattoo, you know? And then she bailed, she didn’t finish it, cuz she just did the outline and bailed, I paid her for the whole thing, and so eventually--Sean’s cousin works here and he ended up coloring it in for me. It was just. . . it was a nightmare.
RB: So that was the first and the regrettable?
CB: And the most regrettable.
RB: And then how about your favorite?
CB: It’s kind of hard to say, cuz my back piece is probably the most involved and there’s so much of it that I love. But I think I like my elbows the best. I love the, it’s more of a traditional piece, but it’s kind of done in a non-traditional way, which I really like about it. And my pirate. I think the detail on his face is just amazing. But, ever since this tattoo, I’ve kind of made it a point not to get tattoos that suck in my mind. You know, other people can think that they suck, but like, I drew the koi on this arm, which was kind of a special thing. I was pretty proud of myself that I drew it. I’ve got the Hybrid Theory tat, cover here. I have a dragon on this side that’s pretty dope, and my back piece, I just think it’s . . . I love it, it’s cool. And I have this crest across my chest that has my initials, my wife’s initials and the initials of my boys underneath it. And it’s right over my heart; I think that one’s my most sentimental piece. I love it. It’s really simple, there’s not any color; it’s just black and greys. It means a lot to me. . .
RB: Right on. . .This is the last question. Other than all these other projects that you’re doing, the bands, the clothing, and the Club Tattoo, the Linkin Park. . . what are you kind of into that maybe people don’t know about? Or, maybe in the future, when all this stuff’s over, is there something that you want to accomplish? Like Sean said he wanted to be a pilot . . .
CB: Yeah. . . I’m working on this company called Level 7 and our goal is to completely change the way the music industry is run. And I can’t really--I wish I could tell you more about it, but I can’t. My goal, I’ve accomplished everything I’ve ever wanted, more than I ever could have dreamed of accomplishing with Linkin Park, you know? And we do things that just blow my mind. But I want to contribute; I want to be known as someone who contributed in a positive way to everybody in the business, that helped to give artists control of their careers back. And put the power back into the hands of the fans and the hands of the artists, rather than in the hands of some fucking dude who doesn’t even know how to write a song. I think the people who really make the business possible, the artists and the fans are the ones that are taken for granted the most. And I really want to try and help that, and try to change that, and hopefully with what we’re doing with Level 7, we’ll be able to accomplish that.
Need more of Chester, Sean and Thora? Check out the complete Club Tattoo Blog
Sheck in the NY Times!
by: Brink | Thursday, January 31, 2008
Have you seen this article in the NY Times about Ryan Sheckler yet?
Show Us Your Supercross Photos!
by: Cropley | Thursday, January 31, 2008
- Photo: cwpodsquad
We have set up 1 huge Supercross photo gallery to handle the entire 2008 Supercross Series! We're going to add a bunch of photos of our own (bottom of the page), but we're asking you, the etniesmotox.com reader/Supercross fan, to contribute your own Supercross photos to the gallery.
You're probably wondering how you can get your photos in. Don't worry, it's easy. Get a Flickr account. Upload photos. Tag them with SUPERCROSS. Need more info? We have step-by-step instructions for ya.
Now get out there next time Supercross comes to town and show us what ya got!
More From the 2 Wheel Tour!
by: Cropley | Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Round 3 of footage from the etnies 2 Wheel Tour...Motocross.com yo!
Lion vs. Hyena = Regular vs. Goofy!
by: Travis | Wednesday, January 30, 2008
The first time I saw this video I thought how sad and terrible for the Hyena's, just like how sad and terrible it's gonna be for the Goofy team.
In defense of the Goofy team, it does look like there are twice as many Regular riders as there are Goofy riders entered for the contest. What's the old saying, "Quality over quantity"?
Frbruary 23, Snow GvR. Mark your calendars.
MFR Named Snowboarder Mag's Rider of the Year!
by: Alex | Wednesday, January 30, 2008
etnies Featured Rider of the month? More than that, Marie-France Roy is Snowboarder Magazine's 2007 Women's Rider Of The Year! The well-deserved award comes as no surprise to anyone who's ever seen MFR in action. The girl's got skills. Pick up the March 2008 issue of Snowboarder Mag--available February 1st--check it out, read on up, sit back and dream of one day being that cool.
Don't forget to enter to Win Marie-France's Faves!
D Day for Trestles
by: Travis | Wednesday, January 30, 2008
If there was ever a time to show up at one of these hearings to help save Trestles this is it! Yes this is worth taking half the day off of work! I’ll be there, so be sure to rally the troops, carpool, and tell AAAAARNold to shut it!
Where:
Wyland Hall located at the Del Mar Fairgrounds
When:
Wednesday, February 6th 9am
For more info Check This!
Happy Birthday Evelien Bouilliart
by: Alex | Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Top 5 greatest things to come from Belgium:
5. The Smurfs
4. Belgian Waffles
3. Belgian Chocolate
2. Stella Artois
1. Evelien Bouilliart
Here's wishing our Belgian beauty a very happy 18th birthday!
Adam Baker Bike Check!
by: Brink | Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Ride BMX has a new bike check with our boy Adam Baker!
Ronnie & the New Blind Trailer!?
by: Brink | Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Have you seen the new teaser from Blind featuring Ronnie Creager? Speaking of Ronnie, have you tried his etnies new pro model yet? Super comfy... the Flo Tongue feels amazing!
Eric Geiselman Sequence!
by: Travis | Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Eric's got moves for days. What do you call this trick? I can't tell, the shots move way to quick.
ThirtyTwo Partners with Bear Mountain!
by: Travis | Tuesday, January 29, 2008
ThirtyTwo presents the exclusive Bear Mountain Boot and presents etnies GvR Snow. Ghostface Killah will also be laying down the law at GvR, so be sure to witness the Killah!
This winter, ThirtyTwo collaborated with Bear Mountain to create an exclusive park staff-only colorway of the Lashed boot.
This boot is so mind boggling that we wanted to drop a line to make sure that witnessing this boot doesn't make you forget about etnies GvR Snow contest at Bear Mountain. We will be bringing the best professional snowboarders aligned by stance, Goofy and Regular, together to battle on February 23, 2008! Ghostface Killah, an original member of Wu-Tang Clan, will be performing at the base of Bear Mountain on the sun deck at the end of the contest.
etnies Girls Winter X 12 Round Up
by: Alex | Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Last weekend Aspen Snowmass hosted what's now being touted as the biggest party to hit the slopes. Well, it's only being touted by me, but if you ask the athletes of Winter X Games 12, it's evident there were plenty of good times to be had.
The biggest news from the etnies camp? Our girl Spencer O'Brien placed 3rd in Women's Slopestyle! Featured Rider Marie-France-Roy wasn't far behind in 5th after a big fat 900 attempt. And finally, Leanne Pelosi finished 10th, and while she didn't have the highest scoring runs, she did have what was quite possibly the best 'stache.
EXPN.com has the full WX12 report including thrills, spills and a mustache gallery.
Deegan's Cribs!
by: Brink | Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Be sure to catch MTV Cribs tonight, January 29th, at 11pm EST, as The General Brian Deegan will be showing of his luxurious pad and training compound in Temecula, CA!
Help Find Dane!
by: Brink | Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Dane Williams from the Hurley Marketing Dept. has been missing since Friday night at ASR (Action Sports Retailers Tradeshow). He was last seen Friday night at close to 2 am by the Hard Rock Cafe outside of the Marriott Gaslamp in San Diego.
We are worried because no one has had contact with him since then. If you have heard from him or seen him, please contact the San Diego police department or call:
Amy- 714-553-4375
Jessica- 714-330-6952
Danny-714-613-2369
Or his parents Jim and Valen- 714-960-1341
Simpel Session Aftermath!
by: Brink | Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Morgan Wade took 9th. Aaron Ross chilled and did some nose wheelies. Not much else you need to know from us...
- Yeah, Morgan's got bike flips...
- He's got inverts too...
- Aaron Ross riding the nose.
- Aaron Ross lurking the scene.
Rune Burns Out!
by: Brink | Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Rune Glifberg joined some buddies for a trip to Black Pearl in the Cayman Islands recently, and Thrasher's got the coverage here, and then here, and finally here. Check it.
GvR Snow - Fight Like an Animal!
by: Travis | Monday, January 28, 2008
Can you imagine coming across these animals? It would almost be as cool as going to see Regular bludgeon Goofy to death at this years GvR Snow, this February 23.
Do Something with The Take Action! Tour
by: Alex | Monday, January 28, 2008
In support of youth empowerment, etnies hooked up with the good folks at Hopeless/Sub City Records to sponsor this year's Take Action! Tour. The annual charity music tour kicks off this February featuring Every Time I Die, From First, The Bled, August Burns Red and The Human Abstract and will benefit Do Something, a national not-for-profit that gives teens the means (to the tune of $500 grants) to improve their world. Empowered by MySpace Impact, the Hot Topic Foundation and Hopeless/Sub City Records, the Take Action! grants will focus on Poverty, Music, Education or any other cause young people are passionate about. Instead of telling young people what cause they should get involved with, Do Something asks them “What’s your something?” and then gives them the information, resources and grant-money to make change that matters to them.
Keep checking back here for official etnies tour updates, coverage, pics and more!
2008 Take Action Tour Dates:
2/14/08 Detroit, MI - St. Andrews Hall
2/15/08 Milwaukee, WI - The Eagles Club (The Rave)
2/16/08 St. Paul, MN - Station 4
2/17/08 Chicago, IL - House of Blues
2/19/08 Kansas City, MO - The Beaumont Club
2/20/08 Englewood, CO - Gothic Theater
2/21/08 Magna, UT The Great Salt Air
2/22/08 Boise, ID The Big Easy Concert House
2/23/08 Spokane, WA The Big Easy Concert House
2/24/08 Seattle, WA El Corazon
2/25/08 Portland, OR Roseland Theatre
2/27/08 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues
2/28/08 Anaheim, CA House of Blues
2/29/08 San Diego, CA House of Blues
3/01/08 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues
3/02/08 Tempe, AZ Marquee Theatre
3/03/08 Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theatre
3/05/08 Dallas, TX - House of Blues
3/06/08 Houston, TX - Warehouse Live
3/07/08 McAllen, TX Cine El Rey Theatre
3/08/08 San Antonio, TX White Rabbit
3/11/08 Port St. Lucie, FL - Mojo Room
3/12/08 St. Petersburg, FL Jannus Landing
3/14/08 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall
3/15/08 Norfolk, VA Norva
3/16/08 Baltimore, MD Ram's Head Live!
3/19/08 Toronto, ON Phoenix Concert Theatre
3/20/08 Clifton Park, NY Northern Lights
3/21/08 Worcester, MA - The Palladium
3/22/08 Philadelphia, PA - The Fillmore at the TLA
3/23/08 New York, NY The Fillmore at Irving Plaza
More information at takeactiontour.com.
Jason Lawrence Wins San Francisco Supercross!
by: Cropley | Monday, January 28, 2008
- Photo: Racer X
- Photo: Racer X
Congratulations to Jason Lawrence on his first ever Supercross Lites win over the weekend in a muddy San Francisco race! Lawrence was putting down lap times no one could touch (including most 450 riders!) in conditions that most guys were struggling just to stay on 2 wheels. Racer X caught up with Lawrence after the big win for a little interview...check it.
Just as impressive was Motosport Xtreme Team Green Kawasaki's Tommy Hahn scoring the #2 spot on the podium in San Fran! etnies riders going 1-2 makes us happy!
Supercross Lites Results
1. Jason Lawrence etnies
2. Tommy Hahn etnies
3. Brett Metcalfe
4. Daniel Reardon
5. Austin Stroupe
SALLY, that girl!
by: Alex | Monday, January 28, 2008
Last Saturday etnies Australia surfer Sally Fitzgibbons competed in and won(!) the Roxy Surf Festival at Australia's Phillip Island. The competition is one of only six in the world with a WQS 6-Star rating, the highest in the World Qualifying Series with the most possible points toward overall standing. The HUGE win means yet another 1st place victory for Sally, a $4500 prize, 2500 points AND a current 1st place standing in the WQS ratings! Sally... that girl.
CONGRATULATIONS SALLY! More details at aspworldtour.com.
Random Rune Footy!
by: Brink | Monday, January 28, 2008
Filmer Mike sent some random Rune Glifberg footy in that he had floating on his hard drive... enjoi.
Random TWS Photo Galleries!
by: Brink | Monday, January 28, 2008
Check TransWorlds's site out for a few random photo galleries of the Zumiez 100k and the Reptilian Ramp Jam! In there you will find Sheck, Arto and Rune!
Log On To Chat With Leanne TONIGHT!
by: Alex | Friday, January 25, 2008
Live and direct from Winter X Games 12!
Where will YOU be? Log on!
Jamie O'Brien Photos!
by: Travis | Friday, January 25, 2008
Looks like Jaime is doing well for himself.
TWS Riders' Choice Awards!
by: Travis | Friday, January 25, 2008
Transworld Snowboarding Announces Readers' Choice Nominees.
The world’s top pro riders have already chosen who will be crowned with snowboarding’s highest awards at the upcoming 9th Annual Transworld SNOWboarding Riders’ Poll Awards. Meanwhile, thousands of the magazine’s readers also got a chance to vote in the Reader’s Choice Awards for their favorite riders online at transworldsnowboarding.com.
The nominees are:
Men's Readers' Choice
Kevin Pearce
Joe Sexton
Andreas Wig
Women's Readers' Choice
Marie-France Roy
Leanne Pelosi
Jamie Anderson
Congratulations to all the nominees!
Euro Team Video: The Final Chapter!
by: Brink | Friday, January 25, 2008
Over the last month or so, we've been blessing you with a ton of video from our international riders. Sorry to say, these two are the last of the bunch. Boo Hoo! Enjoy Alessandro Magnani & Willow!
Club Tattoo's Chester Bennington Interview, Pt 2
by: Alex | Friday, January 25, 2008
An interview with Chester Bennington of Club Tattoo (Cont'd from Part 1)
RB: What’s your role in Club Tattoo, maybe it’s not on a daily basis, but overall, what’s your role in it?
CB: Well, I’ve actually been more involved now than I probably ever even imagined. It’s interesting. Because of the success with my band, I have the opportunity to kind of raise interest in Club Tattoo in ways that are gonna reach more people and have more impact than if Sean or Thora called up Rolling Stone and said, “We want you guys to cover a story on Club Tattoo.” They probably would be like, “Yeah, whatever.” Not to take anything away from anything Club Tattoo has done--in the tattoo industry we can call up any tattoo magazine and say, “We’ve got a story if you guys are interested,” and they’ll come out and do a story on Club Tattoo. But I travel all over the world, I talk to a lot of different people and I have the opportunity to expose the brand to people outside of our region. And so that’s one of the things that I bring to the table. The other thing is that I do have a lot of experience in marketing things because of the group. We’ve gained quite the education on how to keep in contact with people that you want to target. It’s kind of crazy to talk about bands or clients that way, but there is a need for that. And also, I contribute a lot with the designs, I knew [Jed? 19:50] knew kind of what I wanted to see and that [Brodie? 19:55] and the rest of the crew here on which designs we actually liked the most. Clothing-wise, I don’t really have time to sit back and create graphics, but I do have a lot of input on how the clothes look and how being thrown around here a little bit.
RB: I probably should have asked this earlier when we were going through the history, but when Sean came up with the idea for Club Tattoo, back 12 years ago, were you kind of like, “Oh, that’s crazy,” or were you like, “It’s not gonna work,” or were you like, “Let’s do it!”
CB: Actually, I was surprised, because I always thought Sean was gonna do something in business, cuz he was always a very business-minded guy. But it was strange he chose to open a tattoo shop, cuz none of us had any tattoos. We didn’t know anything about any part of the whole world at the time, at least from what I remember. It just seemed like a big risk, but I was like, “Fucking cool! Tattoos are awesome, and now I have a place to go.” (Laughs.) But, yeah, it struck me as interesting because it wasn’t what I would have thought he would have done. And now that I see, this is Sean’s life and this is Thora’s life, and they breathe this place 24 hours a day and it turns out that he is probably one of the best at the business side of the tattoo enterprise. He gets it. It’s a talent.
RB: How about Sean and Thora as a couple? How do you see them, how would you describe them, or what are views of them as a couple?
CB: They’re pretty awesome, they’re really a great couple together. They fit, and they work this place well. They both bring different things to Club Tattoo, but together, they’re pretty funny. It’s pretty awesome to hang out with them. Thora’s a riot.
RB: She’s funky.
CB: Yeah, she is. She’s a firecracker; she’d punch you in the face. And smile. (Laughs loudly.)
RB: How many of your tattoos have been done by Club Tattoo people?
CB: I’d say probably 70% of my work has been done through Club Tattoo. I have had some pieces done--I had some work in Florida done; I had some work in Ireland done; I had some work in California, but most of my work has been done by artists that have worked at Club Tattoo.
RB: Are you still into getting tattoos? Or have you not been really getting a lot of tattoos lately?
CB: I’ve been actually getting a lot-- a back piece I’ve been working on—I took a little break for a while cuz I got a lot of work done really fast, and dude, the back is brutal. I mean, they all hurt, I’m not gonna lie and be tough guy and say “Oh, that one didn’t hurt.” But some places hurt worse than others (chuckles). But I have a back piece, and I just actually got one of the other dragons colored in--most of it colored in--so, probably another 20 hours or so of work left in it. And when it gets done, I’ve got some other skin that needs to be filled in, and I want to just leave the full sleeves, and some more work here and here. I’ve got a piece across my chest that I want to tie in, some work to kind of give myself a tattoo cake (laughs). And I have work on my legs, you know, I’m just gonna keep going until I just feel I’m done. I pretty much decided that this is gonna be a life-long journey.
CB: May 15th it comes out.
RB: So I’m imagining things are gonna get just super hectic for you?
CB: Yeah, dude, it already is, it’s kind of crazy!
RB: I guess, just maybe walk us through that a little. You were telling me earlier you’re doing all this stuff.
CB: Yeah, for the last couple weeks, we just finished mixing the record, and mastering the record, and we started doing all this press and everything, and I think last week alone we did 70 interviews internationally. We went to New York and launched the shoe, also, and then came back and I’ve done press all this week, every day, and now I’m out here doing this photo shoot here. Tomorrow I have off, but I’ve got phone interviews to do, and then I leave for Southeast Asia on Sunday and I’ll be gone for 10 days doing promo and press out there. And then come back and I have about five days off, four of which I’ll be rehearsing and then we’re gonna go out and start performing shows the 22nd of April. And then we come back, do Bamboozle Festival, Saturday Night Live, that’s on the East Coast. And then Jimmy Kimmel and the Weenie Roast in LA, and then we’re off to Europe for a month doing all the big European festivals. And we’re doing some other shows, like the Pearl Jam stuff out there, that aren’t festival-driven, and then we kick off the summer tour (chuckles) in the US, and after that we are probably gonna either go back to Europe or out to Southeast Asia. And then, get home, do Christmas. . . (laughs) and go back out as soon as possible, another, probably, back to, depending on if we go to Southeast Asia, we might go to Australia, and we want to do South America, South Africa next year around this time. I’m already into next year already (laughs) so this is gonna last for the next two or three years.
CB: We’re launching a clothing line, a premium clothing line, too, at Club Tattoo, we have a premium clothing line called VE’CEL that we’re launching in August, so I’ll be doing the shows and on my days off, between tour dates, I’ll be flying from this place or that place, so we can launch the clothes, which is kinda like “Psht [similar sound 27:06].”
RB: So the act of – let’s eliminate the recording process or whatever – the act of putting a record out, with the tour included and the promotion, becomes sort of a three-year commitment?
CB: Oh yeah, yes. A lot of bands go out, like the average cycle lasts about a year and a half.
And our cycles last about two, and we’ve always stopped around there, cuz we felt like we had to go back and do a record. But I think that was always the peak. It felt like every time we stopped, we were at the peak of our touring, so I think we might push for three.
RB: Well, you guys have been on sort of a hiatus for a while.
CB: Right.
RB: It’s been the longest gap between records and whatnot.
CB: Right. . .yeah, and I’ve got a record I’m gonna be finishing while we’re gonna be touring cycle.
RB: Another Linkin Parker?
CB: Well, we’ll be doing that as well, but I have another band called Death by Sunrise.
RB: Oh, okay.
CB: It’s kind of like my solo, I guess you can consider it like the solo thing, but I like to look at it more like a band, cuz we’re all working it together; it’s exactly the same way we work the Linkin Park thing. I have a little bit more of a dictatorship, but it is not as much as a democracy as Linkin Park, like I have more control over it. But I’ll be finishing that up too, so when the LP record’s winding down, I’ll probably drop that one and have to tour that as well.
RB: It just dawned on me you guys, didn’t Bucket of Weenies ??? play GVR? Was that your band?
CB: Yeah, we played GVR last year. Or the year before.
RB: Yeah, ’05. So, with all that work, that commitment to not having a free day or hour to yourself, once things sort of do wind down, are you bored in a way? Or sort of desensitized to relaxing or do you bask in it?
CB: No, it’s interesting. Most of the time I feel like there’s something I’m forgetting and I should be doing and if I don’t do it something really bad’s gonna happen. So I get kind of this anxiety, kind of “what am I forgetting?” or “what am I blowing off?” But there are times where I realize that even if there is something I’m blowing off, I kind of need to, cuz if I don’t, then . . . I enjoy doing what I do and I enjoy all the different things that I’m involved in, and I don’t ever want to get to a place where I’m like, thinking, “What the hell did I get myself into?” (Laughs.)
GvR Snow Fuel TV Commercial!
by: Travis | Thursday, January 24, 2008
Sneak a peek at the etnies GvR Snow commercial, featuring a new Ghostface track. Don’t forget, GvR Snow is February 23 at Bear Mountain!
Log On & Chat With Leanne Pelosi At Winter X 12
by: Alex | Thursday, January 24, 2008
Live Winter X coverage straight from Leanne's Lips! Log onto EXPN.com to chat with Party Pelosi live from Winter X Games Pipe Finals. So that's the Live Athlete Chat tomorrow--Friday--night, at 7:45pm. Don'tcha just love the internet?
And don't forget to tune in Saturday to ESPN or ABC and watch our girls tear it up in the Women's Slopestyle Finals!
JP Confirms For Snow GvR!
by: Travis | Thursday, January 24, 2008
JP Walker is confirmed. He’ll be throwing down for Regular at GvR Snow, which goes down this February 23. Make plans now to come up and see the snow acrobatics at the FIRST EVER GvR Snow.
New Cooler Mag Website!
by: Alex | Thursday, January 24, 2008
Simpel Session Webcast Is Coming!
by: Brink | Thursday, January 24, 2008
Be sure to check out the Simpel Session BMX contest January 26th & 27th live on Freecaster from Tallinn Estonia. The etnies team was ruling so watch it live!
Hannu Cools BEL
Javier Ortega SPA
Tony Watkinson GBR
Josh Stricker USA
Morgan Wade USA
Brian Kachinsky USA
Aaron Ross USA
Danny Hickerson USA
Ruben Alcantara SPA
Dave Freimuth USA
Taj Mihelich USA
Luke Marchant GBR
Ronnie Creager SKATE What If? Remake!
by: Brink | Thursday, January 24, 2008
Looks like someone got busy with Ronnie Creager's What if? part on EA skate! This is what rainy days and technology are for, kids...
Are you Ryan's Ideal Girlfriend?
by: Alex | Wednesday, January 23, 2008
So, it's obvious you girls love you some Sheckler; however, if you're "relationship" is ever going to progress beyond fantasy daydreaming and obsessive blogging slash commenting, you probably need some reciprocity. Start by checking out Seventeen Magazine's February issue wherein Ryan talks about his ideal girl...
StepChild Saturday with Simon Chamberlain!
by: Travis | Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Transworld Snowboarding is featuring the Simon Chamberlain, StepChild Saturday session on their website.
Simon gets super tech with his skills while teammate, Joe Sexton, throws down some stylish moves of his own at the jib friendly Bear Mtn. resort.
Head on over to see the video!
Ryan Sheckler Phone Update #3!
by: Alex | Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Ryan Sheckler recorded a third cell phone update to keep us up to speed. Let me summarize it for you... blah blah new season of Life Of Ryan... blah blah blah Zumiez 100k party... Colorado... blah blah a ton more skating... trying to be a gentleman... giving back... the Sheckler Family Foundation...
Need more? Go get it at RyanSheckler.com!
etnies & ThirtyTwo Riders at Winter X Games 12
by: Alex | Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Set your TIVOs and DVRs for Saturday, January 26th. You won't want to miss our featured rider Marie-France Roy along with fellow snow steezers Leanne Pelosi and Spencer O'Brien representing etnies and ThirtyTwo. Slopestyle Finals start at 12:15pm! More info at EXPN.com.
Two Wheel Tour - Part Deux
by: Cropley | Monday, January 21, 2008
More etnies Two Wheel Tour awesomeness courtesy of Motocross.com!
Ghostface Killah At GvR Snow!
by: Alex | Monday, January 21, 2008
Mark your calendars for the FIRST EVER etnies GvR of Snowboarding on February 23rd! We're heading to Bear Mountain and bringing the best pro snowboarders to face off according to stance--Goofy vs. Regular. AND, as if that wasn't enough reason to check it out, we got Ghostface Killah for a special post competition performance! My prediction: Ghostface will be playing the Goofy Foot victory party. Regular's boring; go Goofy!
Fletcher Kills Tampa Am!
by: Brink | Monday, January 21, 2008
No no no, he didn't win or anything, but that doesn't matter, does it? Especially with moves like this nollie inward heely. Contests are cool and all, especially Tampa, but the streets is where it's at, son!
Eric Fletcher rips... Especially front feeble stalls on Tampa hotel parking blocks!
Stay tuned for more of Fletch from Tampa, as well as a few other surprises...
Another Win: Sally Fitzgibbons Just Keeps On Ripping!
by: Alex | Monday, January 21, 2008
etnies Australia rider and World Junior Champion Sally Fitzgibbons just keeps on ripping. Two weeks ago Sally claimed the ASP World Junior Crown in Sydney, and without missing a beat she took 1st at Saturday's Ozmosis Nova Pro Junior! The huge win at Australia's Gunnamatta Beach translates into $1000 in the bank and 1500 points on the board! ASP News has more details. Congratulations Fitz!
Follow Sally this week to Phillip Island, Australia where she'll meet up with fellow etnies surfers Leilani Gryde and Serena Brooke for the Roxy Pro Women's Surfing Festival. Check back for updates all week long.
Good luck Ladies!
Marie-France Roy in Snowboard Canada
by: Alex | Monday, January 21, 2008
Rollin' 10 pages deep! What's all the fuss about etnies Featured Rider Marie-France Roy? Find out as she lays it down in this month's issue of Snowboard Canada Women's Annual. Or get the full interview here. Thought you knew...
All New Shoe and Apparel Line, For You!
by: Travis | Sunday, January 20, 2008
- You could be in this shirt!
What does your heart desire? All of your answers are to be found with our new Spring '08 line of footwear and apparel.
Men's Fitness etnies / ThirtyTwo Spread!
by: Travis | Friday, January 18, 2008
We just received an advanced copy of the February issue of Men’s Fitness. Guess what? We are in it! That's right our boys rocked the mountains of New Zealand and took along some of MF's fitness guru's to see if we were legit.
This is what the first paragraph in the article has to say “…ThirtyTwo, a leading manufacturer of snowboard boots, invited MF to check out the action on a trip to New Zealand with its pro team of elite riders: Wille Yli-Luoma, Simon Chamberlain, and Markku Koski.” - I think the word "elite" is fitting, don't you?
This article is a must read, so do yourself a favor and pick up a copy when it hits shelves.
MFR in Aspen Peak
by: Alex | Friday, January 18, 2008
Let's face it, winter weather can be pretty harsh on your skin. That's why Aspen Peak Magazine caught up with some pros--pro snowboarders, that is--for some beauty boosting tips. How does etnies Featured Rider Marie-France Roy stay pretty on the slopes? She keeps it simple and keeps it real. Read up!
Club Tattoo's Chester Bennington Interview, Pt 1
by: Alex | Friday, January 18, 2008
An interview with Club Tattoo's Chester Bennington by Robert Brink
RB: So, I just want to go back from the history of you and Sean’s [Dowdell] friendship, and how everything started.
CB: Well, Sean actually met--I’d been playing in my friend’s garage, with them and, like, jamming out. And we had this other kid that we’d play, [unintelligible 3:39], drums, so we’d go over there every once in a while, screw around and play cover songs and stuff. His brother was in a band, locally, and they were starting this new band, and they invited me to come down and sing--to audition for the band. And so I thought it was pretty cool. And so I went down and auditioned for these guys, and Sean happened to play drums. We were all still in high school; Sean was a few years ahead of me in high school. So, anyways, it happened to be that we were from different parts of the city. Basically, when we say Phoenix, you’re pretty much saying Phoenix, Scottsdale, Glendale (laughs), you know, Tempe, Mesa--like everywhere is Phoenix pretty much. So we didn’t go to the same schools or anything. But what ended up happening was they took me in the band, but they didn’t take the other dude that actually invited me down, for whatever reason. And so we started a band and we just became friends at that point. Sean became pretty much like a big brother to me, and we’d always hang out, and he’d take me to parties, and it was pretty cool. . . keep me out of as much trouble as possible.
RB: So, then you guys were in a band together for a while?
CB: We were in a band; we were in Grey Daze with each other for a lot of years. We were in a band from the time I was about 15, until I was almost 22--so, about 7 years or so.
RB: And during that time he was already getting the ball rolling on the Club Tattoo thing?
CB: Yeah, during that time. We opened up the doors to the first Club Tattoo twelve years ago, so I was about 19. 18--I was about 18 years old when we opened up the first shop. That was just kind of like a way for us to make money--well for Sean to make money cuz he invested money so it was his shop. But it was a way to make money cuz the band was only doing really well locally. You know, sometimes the shop would carry the band--like pay for the band’s rehearsal space. And sometimes the band would pay to get new equipment or whatever for the shop. The Club was doing really well since it opened.
RB: So, you were 22 when you were. . .
CB: We broke up around that time, yeah.
RB: And then where does Linkin Park come in?
CB: During that year or so--it was a year, maybe a couple months or whatever--that we hadn’t been playing together. And I got a bunch of these packages from these bands all over the country. I had no idea that anyone was even paying attention (laughs), other than people here in our local area. I’d met some people that we knew in the entertainment law side of things that were trying to get Grey [Daze] a deal, and he met up with this guy in Texas, at SXSW. And this guy was talking to this band that needed a singer and had great potential but just couldn’t find the right guy. He was like, “Dude, I know this guy that would be perfect for this if he was interested.” So they sent me a package, on my 23rd birthday actually, and cut the demo. The band was called Xero at the time. I got it and within two or three days, you know, I went in and recorded the demo on my birthday which is a Saturday. The next day I called up the dude that was representing Xero and said, “Can I come out?” and played him the demo over the phone. He said, “Well, when can you be here?” So I was in LA Monday morning at Zomba Music Publishing at 9 am.
RB: So did you take a sort of Club Tattoo hiatus, like the Club Tattoo stores were opening…
CB: I basically took a hiatus from everything in Arizona. I was just focused on music. And it wasn’t until about four years ago or so, when Sean was like “I want to expand and I’m really not interested in a partner but I want to be in business with you.” So we basically started expanding the business together and opening other shops. And it kind of escalated ever since then. The shop has always been really well respected, and had a great reputation in the tattoo world. And we just kind of wanted to elevate the shop. Our goal was to make it the industry standard, basically, of how things should be done: how we treat our clients; and how we treat our employees. And we wanted to share it with as many people as possible. So. . . world domination is the goal. (Laughs.)
RB: I was just gonna say you got brought back into it after having the exposure of Linkin Park, and I was gonna ask you, you’re so busy, you’ve got so much going on, what is it about Club Tattoo other than that Sean’s a friend, obviously, from back in the day. But, what keeps you interested and passionate about doing it?
CB: Well, I’ve always had a soft spot for this place, you know; I helped paint the walls. This particular store has evolved so much since we opened the doors. I mean, it’s gone through probably 50 face-lifts since then and it’s expanded. I actually enjoy being part of something that’s part of my hometown and keeps me involved, and Sean and I--it didn’t work out musically, but we get to work together and be creative. I love art and tattooing, and body art is probably at the top of my list as far as artistic expression. I think the artists in the tattoo world are some of the best and some of the most innovative, simply because of the medium they have to use, to put their art on. Technology for tattooing has grown so much and the different colors--and you can literally do anything you want on a body, and it’s there forever. And that person--it’s unique because that person, it’s theirs; and they take it with them. Whereas like a painting, you can kind of pass it down from generation to generation. So it’s really an amazing, personal, unique experience, and that’s kind of like the way it is with music, too. So it just felt like this is something that was natural, you know? It wasn’t really just because Sean is my friend. It helps, but it’s always something that I wanted to be part of. Even when we opened the first store, I wanted to be part of it and it was cool to be able to do that.
RB: So, this was the first store?
CB: This is actually the first store.
RB: So you built it by hand, you helped?
CB: I helped, yeah, we were--well, this area we’re in now actually is part of what used to be a T-shirt store, with posters and band stuff, kind of like a Hot Topic-y type of thing, you know? And the original store--where all the tattooing gets done, which is next door--it used to be a tanning salon. So we thought it’d be a great place to open up the shop because you’d have artists in there working out of booths that were personal, but you could shut the doors if you wanted to. You know when women get tatted in certain areas, you don’t want your ass hanging out in front of everybody. And it was cool, take the bus up here, hang out at the shop, go to rehearsal and shows. We’d play next door a lot and over time the shop began to grow and we had the chance to take over this place. And so we knocked the wall down and expanded.
RB: Did you ever envision it as successful as it’s become? Like, back then?
CB: It’s always been our goal, but if you would have said, 15 years ago, “You’re gonna own the tattoo scene in Arizona and it’s gonna actually be a really great business to get into,” our parents and everybody, probably including us, would have been like, “Yeah, right, whatever.” I don’t think in general people view the tattoo business as a profitable enterprise, but it really is. I mean, if you think about how many people actually have tattoos now, you’d be really surprised. It’s a huge number of people and it’s a part of a lot of different scenes--music, sports, the art scene-- and everyone from executives to young punks, pretty much.
RB: So how about the opportunity to come work with etnies came about, and as far as you’re concerned, what is it about etnies that makes it a worthwhile collaboration?
CB: Well, the reason we were drawn to etnies, primarily, was because it’s a company that started exactly the same way Club Tattoo did: with a dream and a pocketful of money and dedication. You know, Pierre [Senizergues] put his whole life into etnies and Sole Technology, and it’s kind of crazy, but those are the kind of people we want to do business with--people who understand what it takes, dedication it takes, that are tapped into the people that they’re catering to. In a lot of ways, we’re very similar. So we felt that it would be a really good match, especially after we met with everyone over at etnies, how excited they were. It was really cool to be part of a company that kind of like, to see how a company kind of works. Even though they’re on a much larger scale than Club Tattoo, it’s a very family-oriented kind of vibe. It was just cool, it felt like the right fit. We didn’t want to go with anybody that was overly corporate or have to jump through hoops. It wouldn’t have felt right.
RB: Yep. I mean, this is a loaded question, but when you were younger, did you have etnies?
CB: I did, yeah. I grew up skating and I was never really that good, but there’s a couple years where I was actually surprising myself and I was catching air on a half-pipe or something. I was like, “Holy crap!” Every time I did it I was like, “I can’t believe I just did that.” It’s kind of crazy, but I can almost remember when etnies hit the scene when I was growing up. There was very little to choose from, especially out here in Arizona. When something actually came along, where you could wear a shoe and it wasn’t gonna destroy the top of your foot--that was always the big deal, you know--wearing ‘em down cuz you ollie so much. And when you try and pull some crazy trick and the board karate-chops your fucking foot in half. It was cool, I can remember that.
RB: So, of the designs of the Club Tattoo shoes, which ones do you like the best?
CB: It kind of depends on my mood. I think if I’m kinda wanting to feel funky or if I’m wearing primarily black, I’ll add a little flavor and throw on the slip-ons. But overall I think the Bernie’s my favorite.
Sheck, Rune, Ronnie!
by: Brink | Thursday, January 17, 2008
Here's Volcom's footage of last weekend's Reptilian Ramp Jam, featuring Rune Glifberg! Here's some footage of Ronnie Creager, courtesy of Blind. You read about Sheckler and his Range Rover donation deal, now check this.
Last Chance to Vote!
by: Cropley | Thursday, January 17, 2008
Voting for the etnies Racer X Photography Contest ends on Monday, so this is you last chance to vote for your favorite photo!
The winner will receive a spread in the 10th anniversary issue Racer X Illustrated and a ton of free etnies junk! So, head over to the voting page, check out all the photos and vote for your favorite one.
etnies Guest Appearance On Mtv's Life Of Ryan
by: Alex | Thursday, January 17, 2008
Okay, so we were more like extras than guest stars, but we're still stoked to see etnies in a Life Of Ryan episode! The season two episode aired January 15th but if you missed it (yeah right), catch one of the encore airings January 17th, 18th or 19th.
You'll notice Ryan skating in his Sheckler 2 and later chilling in the Calli-Vulc. Ryan's dad and bros also proudly sport their etnies... but let's face it, you're really only interested in what Ryan's doing.
Check it out...
Win An etnies Ebay Auction Valued at $450
by: Alex | Wednesday, January 16, 2008
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Winter X Games PacSun Lounge: B4BC Auction
Girls Learn To Ride (GLTR) and Pacific Sunwear of California, Inc. (PacSun) are pleased to announce the launch of an eBay online auction from Jan. 14-20, 2008, benefiting Boarding for Breast Cancer (B4BC). The auction will feature unique, one-of-a-kind packages from top action sports brands, including several limited-edition items that can't be found in stores. Each package will also feature a PacS