Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
My curated program of skate shorts had its third and final showing at the San Diego Asian Film Festival on Saturday afternoon, and it still hasn’t gotten old. Having skateboarding-related or -inspired videos made by friends alongside indie flicks like Daylight Savings and old-school kung-fu classics like Five Fingers of Death is not only cool but important. It puts a niche genre into a larger context, and hopefully exposes skate video junkies to other forms of moving pictures while turning on film festival folks to the energy and aesthetics of skateboarding. (Above, left to right: Me, Wing Ko, Tad Suzuki, Eric Matthies, Ben Clark, Willy Santos.)
While the duo of Best Coast has been famously touting the excellence and energy of Southern California through its post pop, the hardcore duo It’s Casual has been focusing on the more aggro side with its SST-informed blend of stripped-down punk and metal. The New Los Angeles II drops out on November 20, and is full of rippers about everything from the joys and challenges of public transportation to feeding the poor crappy food via EBT cards. I paid a visit to the singer, guitarist, and It’s Casual main man Eddie Solis to chat about the brand-new album and its message.