Look at us through the lens of a camera

I was subject of a photo shoot last Friday. I answered a request by a photographer on the Crooked Tongues forum looking for people involved in the trainer industry to be photographed for an upcoming exhibition he's putting together.

Having seen Errol's Flickr stream, I decided to drop him a line. Not only do I have quite a big collection (in terms of normal people, but compared with other trainer 'collectors', mine is pitiful, but then I don't see myself as a collector, I just buy what I like the look of and wear them), I also write about trainers for N-SB.org.

Below are a selection of the pics taken. The rest should be up in The Sneaker Business section of Errol's Flickr soon. All pics copyright Errol, www.errolphotography.com, used with permission.

And it's over to the public vote...

At the risk of sounding like Simon Cowell, which is not something I would usually be worried about doing, I'd like to request you all to use your democratic right to vote. No, it's not to have 'Jedward' physically morphed into one using a car crusher, glue gun and someone with the surgical skills of that deformed tube-dweller from Creep, it's about skateboarding.

Having several day's worth of holiday to use up before the end of the year but no money to go anywhere, I've been forced to stay indoors by the weather. That hasn't been too bad because I've been working my way through a backlog of skateboarding DVDs I've bought but not found the time to watch – largely because they are one of the few things that actually require complete concentration when watching, so I can't keep one eye on the internet, looking at shoes.

First on the list was The Big Push 2009. For those of you who don't know, The Big Push was started by Percy Dean of the much-missed, sadly closed Document magazine. The concept is that the skateboard teams of different companies are given a list of places to visit and tasks to complete in different regions of the UK, but only a few days to do it in.

All participating teams film their progress and the final edits are compiled into an hour-long film. The DVD is currently available as a cover-mount with the November issue of Sidewalk magazine. Alternatively, you can watch them all on the Big Push site. You can also vote for the film section you like the best. I think you should all vote for the Nike SB team. Not only because it's really good but also because I know the guy who stepped up as temporary team manager for the competition and I'd like to help him out.

Let the music play

Fuck Buttons @ Heaven, 27.10.09

pic from www.thelineofbestfit.com

ATP Film screening/Les Savy Fav @ The Kentish Town Forum (yes, I'm aware of its new corporate name), 26.10.09

Pixies @ Brixton Academy, 06.10.09

I think I'll stick to writing.

It kicks like a sleep twitch

"If Ian Curtis had lived till New Order."

It's a statement that could not only be seen by many people as wrong, but is also of dubious taste. And could get an equal number of people quite angry. So that's why it's in speech marks – to show it's a quotation. A quotation from me. But I decided not to actually say it, hence it being a quotation. Still with me? No? Never mind.

In This Light And On This Evening is the new ablum from Editors. And it's brilliant. I've had a soft spot for this band for a long time, and not just because they were spawned from the same city I was. Their previous efforts might have been loved by the Daily Mail (you weren't expecting a link there, were you?), so it's understandable that a switch in style was needed. That's not to say their previous two albums weren't good. Actually, they weren't good, they were so much better than that. Anyway, electronic is the path Tom Smith et all decided to take. I know that 'indie' band (read: bands what use guitars) have been turning to the synth for a while now but Editors have proven that you don't need to be at the forefront of a movement to make it work.

I've been caning it on Spotify, but fully intend to buy the 'deluxe edition' of the album as it comes with an extra disc with additional songs. Oh, and I've got tickets to see them at Brixton in March next year.

This obviously isn't a review. It's just a rambling way to post a link to a great album.

Simpler times...

It's funny how old things crop up in conversation. A while ago I was talking to somebody and Where's Wally was mentioned. That reminded me of something from when I was much younger. I was sure than in a Where's Wally book I had as a young 'un there was a cheeky topless woman hidden on the beach scene page. So I went online to try and find it.

I found the official site, the annoyingly titled 'Find Waldo'. On a side note, I'm not going to get into the whole Wally/Waldo thing, there's plenty of that on t'interwebs, although it doesn't take long for the American to be put in their place (case in point here, in the comments).

Anyway, the beach scene was indeed one of the three scenarios included on the site. Imagine my surprise, though, when I found the woman's bikini top had been redrawn on her, instead of its original place on her towel!

Obviously, this caused me to worry about the memories of my youth that had apparently become quite disturbingly warped. But then I found the original book from 1988 at my parents' house. And my memory had served me 100% completely, absolutely, spot on right. Don't worry, I got a scan:

And, if needed, here's the proof that it's from the book.

Right, now I'm off to rewatch some Disney films to find the supposed hidden porn.

Sale away, sale away, sale away

I've decided to do it. I'm going to (try and) sell some trainers. I have always said I buy all the pairs I do with the intention of wearing them and I have worn some of these. But not for ages. So out they will go. I need the space and the cash would be nice too.

Here they are. If you're interested, get in touch with an offer. They should also be up on solemart.de, once the site its server trouble have been solved. Sorry for the rubbish photos.

Adidas Crooked Tongues adicolor Century Lo, with all tongues and laces, including the orange set given to users of the CT forum. Size UK8. 9/10 condition. The purple tongue has creases from wear and the light green laces are a bit dirty. The other tongues and laces are mainly unused.

Jordan Spiz'ike (Spike Lee collaboration hybrid). UK 8. 7.5/10 condition (just a bit of dirt).

\

Air Jordan XX, from last year's Countdown Pack. I'm not selling the IIIs that they came with though! Unworn deadstock. UK 8. These won't come with their original box.

Nike Court Force Basic, neon AM95-inspired colourway. UK 8. 9/10.

Nike Dunk High Vintage. From the 2007 quickstrike version of the Be True To Your School series. UK 7.5 (fit big though). 9/10. They look quite worn but that's largely down to them being a 'vintage' release – made to look old.

Adidas adicolor Superstar II G5. With all, unused, stripe colour strips. UK 9. 9/10.

Nike SB Dunk Low Pro. So-called 'Bic' colourway. UK 8. 8/10 (dirty midsole).

Adidas Vintage Promodel. UK 8.5. 8/10 (slight ripping on the tongue lace lock). They will come with an Adidas Promodel box, just not these Promodels.

More soon! (SBs, AM90s, Adidas Skate, Sal 23s)

What's in the box? (See whatcha got)

I received one of those exciting emails from the postroom at work on Friday morning, saying that there was a parcel waiting for me. It was this huge box...

... from skate shoe company Sole Technology's European HQ in the Netherlands.

That information gave away what could be inside. Last month, I wrote about the release of the Crooked Tongues and éS collaboration Foothills range and its launch party at Slam City for n-sb.org (and on here). A few days later, I was emailed by Charlie from CT offering me something from the range to say thanks for the coverage. I asked for a pair of the trainers. And that's what was in the box.

But that wasn't the only thing. Oh no. Also in there was the cap, backpack and jacket from the range. It was an extremely generous gift from Crooked Tongues.

Here's me looking like I'm going to apply for my first ASBO in the jacket. Yes, it's a bit on the large side but, with a price tag of £220, I can definitely live with that. Is it wrong that I really want the temperature to drop so I can wear it (outside of my flat)?

Modern love gets me to the church on time

I went to a wedding on Friday. "What," I hear you cry, "has (another) one of your loser mates managed to trap an unwitting life partner in the eyes of God?" Well, in about a year one will have, but that's another story. No, this wasn't what you could call a "real wedding". It was at Bestival. In an inflatable church. Between Zoe, who's boyfriend, Joe, was absent, and Tom, who, as he pointed out at the start of the service, prefers his partners to be a bit more "male".

I tried my hand at some amateur filmmaking during the service. Here are the videos (there should be three but I filmed the first one with my phone on its side and I can't work out how to rotate the film):

Talking of videos, here's a slightly more professional effort. It's the bonus footage from Debacle, Nike SB's latest skate film. Short and sweet but I love it.

And while I'm on the topic of things I like at the moment. I strongly recommend you give this Resident Advisor podcast a listen. It's Erol Alkan in his Disco 3000 guise. An hour and 20 minutes of great '80s-electro-tinged tunes. I can't find a tracklisting but when/if I do, I'll post it up.

Paved paradise

I went to Peckham for the first time on Sunday. To go to a carpark. No, not dogging. It was to go to Frank's Café, a pop-up bar on the tenth, top floor of said carpark.

Being very hung over from a 30th birthday party the night before, I was very excited about the prospect of eating at Frank's – I'd heard very good things about the food. Sure enough, when we arrived – eventually, after finding the bloody place – there were huge bowls of amazing-looking food laid out on some of the tables. The only problem was that they were for people who owned local restaurants and the kitchen wasn't open to the general public. Which was annoying. Very annoying. Until we discovered that no one actually knew each other or who was even meant to be eating the food. It was a tasty as it looked.

Despite the great views of east and central London, it's not just a bar up there on the roof. There's also Bold Tendencies III, a sculpture exhibition curated by Hannah Barry.

The bar and exhibition are there until 30th September, if they can't wangle an extension. If you want to pop along, which you should, it's out of Peckham Rye station on the left, over the road, then next to the cinema. The lift only goes up to the 6th floor but you can follow the car ramps up from there.

The toilets, though, along with mobile urinals at festivals, added weight to my argument that god was a man.