Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
The holidays are already here, and it feels like January 1st, 2013 was only yesterday. The high points of the year are plenty for me and like in the past, my life is always tied into Giant Robot. 1 January first is always special. In 2013, it was another spectacular Japanese feast. It’s called Osechi ryori, which is another word for New Years food. They do mix into a blur, but it’s been great enough where I know that January 1 starts off special. Maybe that’s why it’s a big deal in Japan. 2 January at the shop featured Adam Pfahler from Jawbreaker who did a nostalgic talk about being in a legendary band that everyone loves. It was perhaps the best way to open up a year. He mixed his effervescent humbleness with storytelling. He said it was his first time doing any kind of public talk and it was much overdue. (Pfahler at GR , also some Video here) 3 The Los Angeles Times featured the Giant Robot Biennale on the front page of the Calendar section with a huge photo and an in depth article. That was amazing coverage for the exhibition and JANM. I almost forgot about this major piece of press. If it were only about press, then I’d be satisfied, but no! Here’s that article (LA Times) 4 Jessica Lum passed away this year. Imagine, a gnarly form of cancer, she undergoes experimental treatment, slowly gets better, then goes to grad school and achieves some of her dreams and tells her story. I’m glad to have known her and was part of her life. (Jessica Lum Obituary – GR) Also later in the year, Columbian Journalism Review wrote about her (CJR - here) and they reference GR a couple of times. 5 Artist Friends Video series for Ashton Kutcher’s Thrash Lab YouTube channel. I’m glad I was able to feature six more artists including Shizu Saldamando, Luke Chueh, David Horvath, Edwin Ushiro, Rob Sato and Sean Chao. It was a pleasure shooting and directing the videos which means I got to spend time with them. The series began as a “for fun” project where I directed, shot and edited six pieces including Ray Sato from Balconi, Ako Castuera, Goh Nakamura (who provides all the music), Jeni Yang, Hitotzuki, and Ito Jakuchu. Fun times with filmmaking. (Videos here) 6 White House visit for Asian American Heritage Month – and also helping get some artists to visit as well just a week later with Michelle Obama. It’s a grand opportunity to visit the POTUS in his house. The “once in a lifetime event” happened again and just a week later, a small crew of GR related artists had the chance to visit as well. It was fun giving tips on things to check out while they’re in there. (Story at GR)
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We get to see some pretty rad shows here in Los Angeles. Of course, the thing is that you have to leave your house on cold (about 50 degrees, for us) winter nights and sometimes it even drizzles. Yeah, it’s rough. But how can I not see a rare show by The Muffs when they’re playing about two miles away just on the other end of the Silver Lake Reservoir?
We get to see some pretty rad shows here in Los Angeles. Of course, the thing is that you have to leave your house on cold (about 50 degrees, for us) winter nights and sometimes it even drizzles. Yeah, it’s rough. But how can I not see a rare show by The Muffs when they’re playing about two miles away just on the other end of the Silver Lake Reservoir?
Congratulations to my friend Eddie Solis on his 100th episode of Los Angeles Nista. I was already a big fan of his heavy-as-hell skate rock band, It’s Casual, when he started the Internet radio show, Los Angeles Nista, in November 2012. Of course, the program is all about his hometown–the neighborhoods, the subcultures, the public transportation of L.A. I was honored to be an early guest, on the heels of local heavyweights such as Keith Morris, Chuck Dukowski, and Ed Colver. A couple of weeks ago I was on the show once more, with the mic still warm from Tony Alva and Lee Ving. How did I crack a rotation like that, anyway? It’s a big deal that Eddie broadcast his 100th episode last week, with topics that include food, history, art, and tourism as well as punk rock and skateboarding. And on top of that, It’s Casual is headlining a free show at the Troubadour on Monday, January 6. Sounds like a good time to catch up with the man. (Photos courtesy of Adam Murray.) MW: You recently passed your 100th episode. Did you treat the milestone as something special or is just another show? ES: I treated it as a milestone. I had to hit it out of the park. My in-studio guest was Hunter Burgan (bass player of AFI) and Ryan Seaman (drummer of Falling in Reverse and I Am Ghost). The co-host is Efrem Schulz (Death by Stereo). MW: What are some things that you’ve learned or ways that you’ve grown as a host since the first episode? ES: Don’t be so rigid. Be intuitive. As Bruce Lee says, be like water. And research, share, and find commonalities that connect people. MW: Now that you have this sizable body of work, do you recognize any categories or trends?
ES: Good question. Yes, the categories of los Angeles nista are geography, destination and a curriculum on how to be car-free in Los Angeles, California. The trend being everything is connected. MW: What’s your secret to cranking out this many episodes this quickly, without burning out or running out of ideas? ES: This is my secret: I come from the world of skateboarding. It’s not a team sport. You draw inspiration from within. You get up every morning, create a vision, and then take the necessary steps to make that vision a living, breathing reality. You create your world. I apply these ideals to everything in life. A past in-studio guest, Salman Agah, professional skateboarder and owner of Pizzanista! and calls it the “skater’s advantage.” You don’t rely on others to motivate you. Everything you do is out of a passion and love for it. You cannot do things with such conviction, confidence, and authority unless you love it. The passion and love lead to endless motivation. The motivation leads to a full tank of gas. That’s how I keep it fresh and full of ideas! MW: The topic of Los Angeles can go on and on....
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Congratulations to my friend Eddie Solis on his 100th episode of Los Angeles Nista. I was already a big fan of his heavy-as-hell skate rock band, It’s Casual, when he started the Internet radio show, Los Angeles Nista, in November 2012. Of course, the program is all about his hometown–the neighborhoods, the subcultures, the public transportation of L.A. I was honored to be an early guest, on the heels of local heavyweights such as Keith Morris, Chuck Dukowski, and Ed Colver. A couple of weeks ago I was on the show once more, with the mic still warm from Tony Alva and Lee Ving. How did I crack a rotation like that, anyway? It’s a big deal that Eddie broadcast his 100th episode last week, with topics that include food, history, art, and tourism as well as punk rock and skateboarding. And on top of that, It’s Casual is headlining a free show at the Troubadour on Monday, January 6. Sounds like a good time to catch up with the man. (Photos courtesy of Adam Murray.) MW: You recently passed your 100th episode. Did you treat the milestone as something special or is just another show? ES: I treated it as a milestone. I had to hit it out of the park. My in-studio guest was Hunter Burgan (bass player of AFI) and Ryan Seaman (drummer of Falling in Reverse and I Am Ghost). The co-host is Efrem Schulz (Death by Stereo). MW: What are some things that you’ve learned or ways that you’ve grown as a host since the first episode? ES: Don’t be so rigid. Be intuitive. As Bruce Lee says, be like water. And research, share, and find commonalities that connect people. MW: Now that you have this sizable body of work, do you recognize any categories or trends?
ES: Good question. Yes, the categories of los Angeles nista are geography, destination and a curriculum on how to be car-free in Los Angeles, California. The trend being everything is connected. MW: What’s your secret to cranking out this many episodes this quickly, without burning out or running out of ideas? ES: This is my secret: I come from the world of skateboarding. It’s not a team sport. You draw inspiration from within. You get up every morning, create a vision, and then take the necessary steps to make that vision a living, breathing reality. You create your world. I apply these ideals to everything in life. A past in-studio guest, Salman Agah, professional skateboarder and owner of Pizzanista! and calls it the “skater’s advantage.” You don’t rely on others to motivate you. Everything you do is out of a passion and love for it. You cannot do things with such conviction, confidence, and authority unless you love it. The passion and love lead to endless motivation. The motivation leads to a full tank of gas. That’s how I keep it fresh and full of ideas! MW: The topic of Los Angeles can go on and on....
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