The Captains Post: March 2012

Thursday 29 March 2012

Welsh Brothers Racing

Hey All

As you may or may not know
we here at the Captains Post have deep roots in BMX & Mountain Biking (Downhill & Free Ride none of this XC nonsense).

And it has come to our attention a couple of great lads need a helping hand.

Christian and Wes desperately wish to travel to the one and only brazil and have a crack at winning the masters world cup along with its rainbow jersey. It will be a long journey but I personally believe they have it in them to take it home with two podium results, just its impossible to say in which order because their racing is so tight.
With differing styles on the track its always exciting to watch them ride.
With wit as fast as their race runs they manage to keep an air of respect and professionalism about them at events, yet they still know how to have fun on their bikes. keeping them down to earth with a fearless passion and honorable dedication to the sport.
I couldn't possibly think of two better ambassadors for New Zealand.

Brazil won't be the same.

Wes

You can find their Face book page HERE.
along with a brief bio:

We are 2 brothers from Wales who moved to New Zealand in 2000, we started riding bikes a few years ago and other than our families, it has become our lives. We got into riding for something different to do but once we started racing and going to some beautiful locations and meeting some really cool people, it has become a lifestyle not just a hobby. We both give work 100% and all our spare time and money goes into training, maintaing our race bikes and racing, to help get us to our goal of the Masters World Downhill Champs in Brazil this year. We are looking for help/support to get us there. A big thanks to LK TV, Watsons Racing and
Fenwicks for your support so far.

Christian

Any way Have fun Out There

MCMC

Tuesday 20 March 2012

Nick Raven & the "Happy You Hippy Me" E.P.

Hey team sorry about the wait

I was lucky enough to meet up with local musician Nick Raven the other weekend.
He was opening a great little gig at the Lucha Lounge featuring other local bands Ghost Wave, High Society & Headspins.

With his Ukulele at the Lucha Lounge.

Surviving my wonderful gift of being most uncoordinated, empty pens, and terribly pressing questions he turned out to be a super nice lad with Im sure a bright future.

At the age of 18 he has an impressive record. This South Aucklander was 6 years old when he got his first guitar.
Move on to the age 13 and he's entering the Smoke Free RockQuest. A competition which his band "Razor Fox" went on to win the "Schick Style Award" in 2010, in result a video for the song "Take Off Your Shoes" was funded.
Even as a youngster Nick has played at the home of many a wild nights the Kings Arms as support for "Made in Japan" when he was all of 15.

Playing at the Lucha Lounge.

Move on to present and Nick is ambitious as ever. Still a current member of Razor Fox he has also begun dabbling in a solo project. Signed to Power Tool Records who help by organizing tours and production of his E.P "Happy You Hippy Me" which is available in the New Zealand Alt section at Marbecks & Real Groovy for $9.
Nick loves touring and giging, He is currently playing full-time and recently traveled the country on a national tour for his E.P playing all over the show.

Happy You Hippy Me. Nick Raven.

Inspiration for his music strikes at any time and his influences include the Psychedelic Movement, Neil Young and Flying Nun Records amongst others which truly shine through his music. Funny as he collects Flying Nun vinyl.

When asked what 5 songs would be on his iPod if stuck on a deserted island he truly struggled but managed to commit to these after many a deliberation and mind changes.

Red Hot Chili Peppers- Californication
Neil Young- Old Man
The The- This is the day
Metric- Opium for the people
Led Zeppelin- Ramble On

Mid Song.

Being a multi instrumentalist I asked how he learned it all, He can play basically anything with exemption of wind instruments. In response it turns out he believes strongly in self teaching as it is a more healthy way to learn in comparison to formal training. Fair enough comment as his future plans include releasing more raw unpolished recordings featuring only the basic instruments.
He also believes in "total freedom in life and everything, people build their own oppressors". Deep.

Upon the end of our chat before setting up for his set I asked whats your favorite moment been?
Quick to reply, casually, oh playing a Bob Dylan song with this homeless dude out side my school we both had guitars and had a jam. Legit!.

Thanks Nick
Check his latest E.P Here

Until next time
Have fun out there

MCMC

You should definatly check his music out some time.

Wednesday 7 March 2012

SHINE DARLINGTON.

Hey sorry about the little delay in posts
Slacker its true

Today I have a Auckland local to share with you.

He goes by the name of Shine Darlington (real name Simon Darlington). A name given to him around 1987 when he ventured in to Auckland graffiti scene.

Shines graffiti as apart of a production

Even as a kid he was drawing apparently he just couldn't help it. Being told he was one of the easiest children to look after "get me a pack felts and a wotta jotta and I was happy" he received much praise and encouragement from his peers which kept him practicing.

Shine

Then he progressed to graffiti. Spending many
years spraying his name "SHINE" over walls
and sinking deeper and deeper into Graffiti culture. A time he feels may have slowed the development of his art.

"you just fall deep into the culture, I had to break the chains so to speak, I had to start re drawing again without automatically do a graffiti outline/sketch."

In his 20s to 30s while working all sorts of average jobs he was doing pastel drawings for friends and just giving them away. Partially due to the fact he believed he could simply reproduce them but mostly due to his years of graffiti. Never getting precious about his art was natural and all apart of the lifestyle, "you do a piece one day and then the next it's gone".

So knowing he needed a change he got to work creating a new style for himself to chase. Mixing his previous years of experience he started using acrylics and enamels on canvas and board rather than spray and walls to create a style of his own. A mix of street art and 80s culture.

"I worked on developing a style/ a character. mixing robotics with human parts. I know it's been done before. but everything has been done before I just wanted to put my angle on the idea. I miss doing graffiti, I really do want to paint with my old buddies but it's like the Mafia I'm trying to get out but it keeps trying to pull me back in."

Shine/ For sale from his site

He enrolled at Unitec and graduated with a Bachelor of Visual Design in 06. With a new view on his art he saw the worth of it and believes it should be respected, If not by others at least by him.
We can quote the 39 year old artist in saying "my art keeps me young" which is a good thing as his works are influenced by his youth.

"many of my influences are from my days as youth, ie 80's television like buck rogers, cartoons and those weird wheel stickers.. graffiti became a big part of my life and anything to do with New York from style wars to beat street and hip hop/rap like PE and LLCoolJ"