Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Evel Knievel And The Historic New Year's Eve Jump

Evel Knievel mid flight with the historic jump over Caesars Palace fountain in 1967
Back on New Year's eve of 1967 Evel Knievel jumped into history with his launch on a Triumph over the fountain at Caesars Palace in Vegas. Tall cans in the air to conquering more in 2014 and doing it the right way, through pure determination and balls to the wall attitude.





Throttle Roll 2013

Beautiful Harley Flathead from down uner
Throttle Roll 2013 - A celebration of custom motorcycles and kulture. Cafe racers, bobbers and classics.
Music By: The Snowdroppers
White Dress
From the album “Moving Out Of Eden” out now through FOUR | FOUR
snowdroppers.com
Main Sponsors - Sydney Cafe Racers, The Projects/The Vic Enmore, Captain Morgan, Motorcycle Accessories Supermarket, tomwall.com & MY Media Sydney.
facebook.com/throttleroll


Throttle Roll 2013 from Australian Cafe Racers on Vimeo.

Friday, December 27, 2013

New Illustration For Crafters Metal Fabrication

Final illustration for Crafters Metal Fab new tshirt graphics

Everything has to start with a core idea and I always try to find a different perspective for something that may have been told already many times over. For this new illustration I wanted to work up a design for a friends metal fabrication company without just showing an anvil and or fire relating to the centuries old context of a metal worker. Adding in a cow skull with soon to be added rivets and metal banding, the machinery from the shop juxtaposes the setting and gives it a different vibe. Ol' Randy looks to be pounding in a railroad spike into the skull and gives the viewer the idea that maybe its just more than metal work going on at Crafters Metal Fab.

Initial sketch after mocking up several ideas that didn't quite make the cut

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Hank Williams III's Vinyl Collection - Crate Diggers, From Fuse TV

Hank 3's vinyl collection on Fuse TV
"In this episode, Hank Williams III talks about the hundreds of metal records his mom burned, a rare Hank Williams recording that's never seen the light of day, and his punk rock rebellion. Crate Diggers profiles people with extraordinary vinyl record collections, with owners displaying and telling the stories behind their collections."

Monday, December 23, 2013

5 Questions With Yattie Westfield, Husky Burnette's Amazing New Drummer

Yattie Westfield is now drumming with Husky Burnette - Photo by Eddie Hade

1. How long have you been playing drums professionally?

   22yrs

2. Husky mentioned you played drums for Col. Bruce Hampton and Derek Trucks early on. Who else have you played with and what kind of impact did that have on your career?  

Well I played with Bruce and Danny Matrazoo for a few shows when he named the group after a bad baseball team and he kept saying Dr. Dan was from Fiji thus the "Fiji Mariners". Bruce had me play the hi hat snare and ride.lol! Derek joined us I. Chattanooga I think he was 13!

I'd have to say Oteil Burbridge huge influence on my playing early on.I was a kid jamming with him and jimmy herring when they were around. I learned a lot from them and count Mbutu Oteil's Rhythm and Grooves sent me on a journey. Really all of those guys from A.R.U. and Derek.

3. Did you have an interest in playing blues before hooking up with Husky? If so, who are some of your influences?

My great grandma told me she stalked B.B. King lol yes I loved blues since I was a kid. B.B King, Muddy Waters, R.L. Burnside, John Lee hooker. Lately I've been digging Gary Clark Jr.


4. Playing drums and guitar at the same time is quite the talent. When and how did you start doing this?

This started when I was 18  in my practice warehouse with my cousin flip who was a rapper id do that and he would flow over it.not something I thought much about until I did it in front of a crowd and they went crazy! We never had a guitar player so I tried to do both. lol

5. We're excited to see you working with Husky and think you're a great addition to his band. What do you think the future holds for you guys together?

Man me and Husky are like butter and bread... You can do a lot with that! The future better do dome push ups cause we gonna be a lot to hold! Lol

Buell Land Speed Racer Build - Part 1

Brand new supports tack welded in for the new tail section which will house all the electronics
Dreaming big is something I am sure that all of us enjoy on a daily basis. Whether it be winning a lottery ticket and never having to work again or thinking up ways to improve our daily existence. Well folks, my big dream for the last five or so years has been to race on the revered salt flats of Bonneville, Utah. 

My quest for speed keeps me awake at night thinking on build ideas and ways to redesign my beloved 2000 Buell M2 Cyclone. Many regarded these Buells as just the spare parts for a chopper but that comes from a severe lack of understanding about how well this bike performs. Erik Buell designed one of the greatest sport bikes in existence and many of his designs are now the norm. 

The older tube frame Buells are without a doubt one of the best city bikes you could ever ride and even better on back country roads. The deep roar of the torquey motor and how they dive into turns begs you constantly lay on the throttle. These bikes were made for an area such as San Francisco and the surrounding hills and proved to be an amazing asset when lane splitting through the never ending six lanes of traffic on the freeways.

What yall are seeing is phase one of my "Buella" rebuild. This bike has been on the shop table for a few years it seems to be and has had to wait her turn to fully go under the knife with so many other projects taking precedence while growing the music label portion of Rusty Knuckles. Now that we have many areas free and clear, we are aiming for a test and tune at the ECTA Ohio Mile on May 3 & 4th weekend in 2014 as the first open runway course for land speed racing. 

Getting ready for track is no easy feat and there is a plethora of machining, welding and fabrication to be done in order to pass tech inspection. Plenty of updates will be reported on and showcasing the progress. 

The 2000 Buell Cyclone is getting an overhaul to its frame and sheet metal then onto all mechanical aspects

Out with the old cast aluminum swingarm and in with the new tubular steel design to be race ready
Randy of Crafters Metal Fab has a heavy piece of round steel pipe used for dump truck bushings to cut down to size on the lathe and get set up to add as the main axle within the swingarm.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Carolina Stil - Full Live Set From Lexington, KY

Carolina Still live on stage in Lexington, KY
Carolina Still full live set from their stellar show with Fifth On The Floor, Jayke Orvis and the Dirt Daubers at Buster's in Lexington, Kentucky in December 2013.

Husky Burnette Is Bound For The Big Time

 
Husky Burnette continues to prove that he is bound for the big time


Real, powerful “Tales from East End Blvd.”

"A DEADLINE IS A MARVELOUS THING. IT FORCES A MAN TO discipline himself, to organize his thoughts and notes and to tackle the work at hand with single mindedness of purpose in a timely fashion. That is, unless you are THIS man. 

For me, a deadline is a thing that hides away in a dark corner, minding its own business—until late in the night before it comes due. That’s when, with all the squealing enthusiasm of a toddler playing peek-a-boo, it boldly proclaims, “Here I am!” The ensuing chaos usually resolves itself in an alarm being set for an ungodly early hour and the coffee pot being set up so that all I have to do is turn on the burner. 

I needn’t have bothered this time. The first thing I did after telling the alarm what I thought about its mother was to crank up Husky Burnette’s latest album, and after that the coffee became unnecessary.

A good deal has already been written about Husky and why not?  He’s one of the most recognizable figures in Chattanooga music, a perennial player who always seem to have a gig somewhere. Big or small, grand ballroom or greasy spoon, if they’ll let him in the door, Burnette will play there. 

When it comes to playing music, he is “the working man.” That being the case, we’re going to dispense with the minutiae. I don’t know his favorite food or color. (I’d guess beans and cornbread and, I don’t know, periwinkle?)  What I do know is that 2013’s Tales from East End Blvd. is a phenomenal collection tunes. It’s no wonder, then, that it has rapidly become his most popular and successful offering to date.

Blues can be a tricky genre. As a musical style it is, in its basic form, easy to learn. Almost anyone can do it, which is why almost everyone does at one point or other, and that means that a fellow really has to have some serious chops to stand out. Burnette has the chops. 

First and foremost is his voice. Part Dr. John, part Dr. Teeth, wrapped in a big ol’ Billy Gibbons burrito, Burnette’s voice is what blues is supposed to sound like. Calling it guttural or growling is watering it down too much; it is raw, real and powerful. It is a voice with character. On tunes like “See-Saw” and “That Liquor,” it evokes the image of a big man with a permanent scowl plowing 40 sun-baked acres in the Mississippi heat; and while his voice drives the operation, his guitar is the mule pulling the plow—mean, ornery, ready to kick you in the brains given half a chance.  
And there you have it, a cheesy metaphor but an accurate description of the relationship between Burnette’s singing and playing; they complement each other so well it’s hard to think of either individually. 

He can sing and he can play and for many artists that is enough, but Burnette is a triple threat, bringing considerable lyrical talent to the table as well. It was during his stint as lead guitarist for Roger Alan Wade that Burnette first discovered his own penchant for “the words.” 

Arguably it was this tendency that served as the impetus for his own solo career, one not driven by any particular message or agenda so much as a fervent desire to keep alive an authenticity in music laid down by the likes of Merle Haggard, Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt.

So, Burnette is a blues-voiced storyteller with a mean guitar, a holy trinity that blazes from the 12 tracks of Tales from East End Blvd. There is depth here, and range.  “Come on Carolina” takes a break from the juke joint and settles in barefoot on the front porch with a languid banjo and harmonies that channel the ghost of Jerry Garcia. Toss in a baying hound dog and the tune would fairly fart magnolias. 

It would be remiss to mention the touch of Jerry here and not point out the dash of Jimi Hendrix in “Coonie Hill.” That’s really what makes the album so damned delightful. It is blues, yes, but every tune has some hook, some unexpected nuance that makes the whole package very palate pleasing. There’s no boredom or redundancy here.  

I have only one complaint: This album NEEDS to be on vinyl. I mentioned this to Burnette when we spoke. He agreed and said that initially that seemed unlikely, but after 16 weeks and counting as the featured album on i-Tunes Blues the record label is taking notice and it may not be long before the brilliant little blues album comes to a turntable near you. 

I don’t often make predictions; that’s a fool’s game generally, but I feel confident in making this one: Tales from East End Blvd. is going to be remembered as the album that made Husky Burnette. The man is on his way to the big time and this is how he’s going to get there. Check it out on Spotify, download it from i-Tunes or best of all, pick up a copy from Burnette himself."

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Red Fang - Blood Like Cream

Red Fang screen shot of new video - Blood Like Cream

Music video by Red Fang performing Red Fang - "Blood Like Cream" (Official Music Video). Directed by Whitey McConnaughy 


The One Motorcycle Show - Portland, Oregon

The 1 Motorcycle show - Portland, Oregon
Get all the info on their site

"5 years ago when we hosted the first One Motorcycle Show, we wanted to get people together for an event centered around the idea that the greatest bikes were the ones built, restored, re-worked, re-invented and re-imagined for a reason. We wanted to bring the builders and bikes together, give them a place to tell a story, and make some friends with other like-minded folks. A motorcycle show for motorcyclists by motorcyclists.

We’re particularly excited about this years show. It has been our simple and always challenging goal to make each show twice as good as the year before. With that in mind, we listened to the comments and suggestions from last year. The overwhelming consideration was that we had outgrown the space. Over 120 custom motorcycles + 6-8,000 attendees a day... we need a bigger space. We’re very excited to announce that we have a new location about a ½ mile away with twice the amount of space. It’s the building of One Show Dreams.

We are very pleased to announce once again that the show is FREE to exhibit and to attend. This show is the culmination of the hard work volunteered from everyone involved, and the sponsorship from brands and companies who see the value in an event like this."

Monday, December 16, 2013

Get To Know A Baker Drivetrain Through Process Assembly Video

Baker transmission coming together through assembly
Great step by step process video showcasing how a manual motorcycle transmission is assembled for a v-twin motor. Gotta love American made engineering and high quality products from Baker Drivetrain.

Some Days I Just Can't Enough Of This Track By Dax Riggs

Dax Riggs performing a live in studio track for "Say Goodnight To The World"
"Dax Riggs performs "Say Goodnight To The World" live in-studio for HearYa.com. The session was recorded in downtown Chicago at Shirk Music + Sound and sponsored by BEER NUTS Brand Snacks. Download the entire session here:

Gettin' Clucky In Kentucky, On The Road With Carolina Still

Carolina Still warming up during sound check at Buster's in Lexington, KY
A great thing is going down in this whole underground alt country music scene right now. The bands that are out there working their asses off are starting to get the recognition they deserve via relentless touring and creating great music. These days, you have to fire on all cylinders in order to compete, with so much competition and other genres of music garnering for attention. 

Huge thanks to Justin Wells of Fifth On The Floor for calling Carolina Still and putting them on the big showcase holiday party they put on at Buster's in Lexington, KY along with Jayke Orvis and The Dirt Daubers. Could easily wax poetic and talk on all the good times that were had and great conversations that carried throughout the night, but photos can paint a better picture. Really stoked to see a solid plan coming together and all four bands were on their A game for the whole show. Hopefully more events like this will go down in the near future.


Packed house made it an amazing time at Buster's in Lexington, KY
Carolina Still brought the heat to Kentucky
Rollin' through Charleston, WV in some nasty weather

Slick roads up in the hills of West Virginia and Virginia made Old Time Fiddler hit the bottle
Fifth On The Floor warming up at band rehearsal on stage at Buster's in Lexington, KY
Always read the writing on walls in your local club's bathroom

Always dig seeing what bands toured through a club

Ohio has a Posse and it comes in the form of Stoney, Tyke and Pizza Dave along with myself

Fifth On the Floor brought on an amazing show and can't thank them enough for inviting Carolina Still to join the party

Good times at Buster's in Lexington, KY

Jayke Orvis and Justin Casey of Carolina Still joins Justin Wells of Fifth On the Floor

Backstage after a few rounds of drinks with Lauren and Parsons of Fifth On The Floor
Show flyer for Fifth On The Floor, The Dirt Daubers, Jayke Orvis and Carolina Still

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Scratch The Surface, New Life Through Engraving

Old Indian head nickels are ready for engraving

Scratch the surface, serve a purpose" Sick Of It All is ringing true right now as we prep up some of our pirate coin snaps for our belt loops.



Rusty Knuckles belt loop with engraved Indian Head nickel snap

Rusty Knuckles Wrench Knife Logo Merch

New Rusty Knuckles Wrench Knives logo tshirt and prototype leather wallet we have coming out in a few weeks.

Every day is a new adventure. Would like to thank everyone on Etsy for the huge response to our custom leather guitar straps, so here is a sneak peak at our next offering in the custom leather department. 2014 is going to be a great year and we will be having pop up shops at numerous motors and music related events.

Our brand new embroidered patches ready for 2014

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Shooter Jennings' "The Other Life" Limited Print Released


"Print Released To Benefit Amann Family: The "Shooter Jennings' The Other Life" print, below, designed by tattoo artist Josh Bodwell (who tattooed Shooter's back and my arm) has been released via The BLDG and Posters & Prayers:  Curated by The Friends of Mike AmannAll proceeds from the print go to the family of our friend Mike Amann who worked first hand on the print.  It's the least we, as a creative unit, could do for someone who was and still is so inspiring to all of us. See  the official press release below along with how you can purchase one or the complete set.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Posters & Prayers is proud to release a series of unique posters created for Shooter Jennings’ short film “The Other Life”. These amazing prints were illustrated by Josh Bodwell and printed by our Mike Amann in March of 2013. Signed by Blake Judd (Director), Shooter Jennings, and Josh Bodwell (Artist). All proceeds will go to the family of Mike Amann.

ABOUT MIKE- Less than a year ago, when Lesley (Mike’s wife) was eight months pregnant with their first child, Mike was diagnosed with stage four high-grade neuroendocrine cancer — despite being an otherwise healthy 33-year-old. Mike passed away November 10 after fighting for nearly a year.

The prints will go on sale Tuesday, December 10 around 8AM.

$25 for each print or $60 for all three color ways.

You can buy here: http://bldgrefuge.com/shop/

Thanks for all you've done for, and will continue to do for us Mike!"

  - Blake Judd


Monday, December 9, 2013

"Would You Die For Love" Relates How A Turn Of A Phrase Can Change Your Entire Life, By Stevie Tombstone

Stevie Tombstone video for "Would You Die For Love"
"This song really means a lot to me because it symbolizes a point in my life where i needed to hear those words. They have carried me all over the country and led me to meet many more folks of a like mind. It was the Fall of 2010 and I was leaving Austin for the last time, discouraged and basically overwhelmed with my new responsibilities as a father and trying to make it in the entertainment industry. My wife Melissa in her infinite wisdom suggested we go to the Ozarks and get ourselves in a better spot and spend time with each other away from the rat race and ingenuine climate of the hipster grind. We had an invitation from some friends there and accepted, tying most of our belongings ( except our 2 year old) on the roof our car. We left Texas behind (which I still love dearly and consider my other home) and headed for solace and higher ground. I recall it being dubbed the "sour grapes of wrath era".  Just part of the journey.



One of the folks that invited us to stay was an old buddy and sometimes personal shaman of mine. Lets just call him Bill for anonymity's sake. I was in a bad space after several small failures and feeling like life had dealt me a raw deal.  I wouldn't listen to anyone... except Bill. This man had seen life on all levels. He had lived through some hard times and come out on top in a metaphysical sense. A child of the Depression, the Vietnam War, incarceration and homelessness led him to trek on foot across the country to study under a Zen master and then to settle in the Ozark Mountains. Or so the story goes. He had a way of making you see the truth in things and thus answering your own questions. That was magic in my book.



We were working together outside in the garden one day, speaking of parenthood, personal failures and what a full life we'd both led up to this point. Despite all, I was still in a negative fog of self defeat. He looked at me from beneath his coolie hat under the Ozark sky and said one simple phrase that knocked me off my feet and changed my whole perspective. Would you die for Love?



My immediate answer was yes, but the multitude of thoughts that ran through my mind took me to the same answer on so many levels.Sometimes we just don't see the truth even when its right there in plain view. It was a hazy moment of self realization in the midday sunshine.

Self sacrifice, honesty, and the inevitable peace of having it. Verbal Manna. That phrase stuck in my head for quite a while and shaped my outlook for some time to come,that we really can make a difference by putting others before ourselves. Realizing that's the best thing we can do, and being honest about whether we can or not is a great barometer at the very least.
Stevie Tombstone zoned out after the video shoot for "Would You Die For Love"
I wrote this tune about two months later. It was a country-blues narrative with an Ozark beat. I wanted it to be reminiscent of early buck dancing and appalachian folk music fused with Delta blues from our mutual childhood and parallel existence in the Deep South.
Jerry Jones added the most soulful harmonica lines I've heard in some time, capping the recording off. I mixed the track down with some percussion down from a single microphone recording I had done a few months earlier in my mobile home near Devils Dive, nearly in Missouri.This tune ended up on the Slow Drunken Waltz EP and was released in 2011 on the Farmageddon label. Now under my new label ALTCO, we decide it merited another push and video treatment. Ralph Miller shot this video with an iphone during an east coast tour in the swamps near Raleigh, North Carolina.

Fuel Magazine Releases Issue 15

Fuel Magazine releases issue 15 detailing an interview with Los Angeles based photographer and car nut Magda Wosinska

Every issue that pops up from Fuel Magazine is well articulated and put together with fine precision. Their high level design, photography and writing never fails to disappoint and helps to show us on the other side of the Pacific, just what they have cooking down under.

Fuel Magazine, number 15
Andy Colalillo’s stunning ’34 Roadster.
Dave Mucci‘s latest custom build
Mikael LugnegÃ¥rd‘s cool digital hot rod concepts
Michael Morris’ Chevrolet custom
Melbourne based Gasolina‘s latest custom build, ‘Sub Zero’
1972 Challenger

Jay Berndt and The Orphans Team Up With Narragansett Beer

Jay Berndt & The Orphans will play the 123rd Anniversary Birthday Party of Narragansett Beer on December 27th 2013

So you reside in the north east and need a great show to get out to on December 27th? Well hell, get out to see Jay Berndt & The Orphans at Narragansett's 123rd Anniversary Birthday Party. Yep, 123 years of great beer brewing in Rhode Island.

Do yourself a favor and check out some great albums with Jay Berndt






Jay Berndt & The Orphans will play the 123rd Anniversary Birthday Party of Narragansett Beer on December 27th 2013

Husky Burnette Lampooned On AvClub.com

2013 The Year In Band Names, from Avclub.com featuring "Husky Brunette" aka Husky Burnette
All we can say is that press is press sometimes and to see Husky Burnette being lampooned as "Husky Brunette" just about made our day. Comedy is one of the elixir's to the soul.

"Each year, The A.V. Club encounters thousands of bands, 97 percent of which we won’t remember. What makes a band memorable? A good sound? Sure, that helps. A persistent publicist? Also helpful (or harmful, depending on the number of messages we get). A bizarre name? Definitely. In the many years that we’ve been doing our annual “year in band names” story, we can still rattle off some of our favorites. Who could forget Here Comes Old Vodka Tits? Or Happy Mothers Day, I Can’t Read? Gay Witch Abortion also belongs in the hall of fame. No matter how good the music is, these bands make the world a more interesting place. Here are some more fighting the good fight."



2013 The Year In Band Names, from Avclub.com featuring "Husky Brunette" aka Husky Burnette