Pay up Pal
There has been an awesome response to the new tees and lots of requests to purchase them.  You can send $20 (that will cover postage) for one shirt and $15 for each additional shirt, via Paypal to posie@charter.net  and I'll ship them out. Please specify size.  thanks!

  I was fortunate enough to visit the Beautiful Losers art exhibition in Cincinnati a couple years ago.  It was a full-on museum exhibition of artists from the skateboarding community, people who have influenced me more than I can put into words, my people, and it was incredible.  There were drawings and wall paintings and paper zines and skateboards and sculptures and wooden installations by people like Mark Gonzales, Andy Jenkins, Chris Johanson, CR Stecyk, Raymond Pettibone, Ed Templeton and Neil Blender, among dozens of others.  If you google some of those names and check out their art, you just might declare Deliverance a total sham.  The first time I went to the exhibit, it was crowded and there was a skate demo going on.  I wanted to see more.  I was back in the area a month later and went again, by myself (the only way to take in such a spectacle, in my opinion).  I felt moved and inspired and even a little bit proud.  I'm not on the level of these people, but I am involved in it.  I have some of the skateboards, some of the art and even  a couple of the zines from the 80s.  I have it all in my head and it comes out in sharpies and spray paint.  There is a movie about it all, and you can check out the trailer here.  

     The new Deliverance shirts are here.  It's been over a year since there has been a new shirt design.  Some clothing company I have going here, huh?  Hence the change to "Project".   Every shirt, hat and sticker that I've done in the past, when I first see the finished product, I immediately find something (or lots of things) about it that I don't like.   You are your own worst critic, you know?  I've learned a lot over the years and beyond that, have a really good printer now, in American Icon (same dudes that print FBM, Animal, Shitluck and tons of others).  I couldn't be happier with how these came out.

Never Surrender

All I know

      The "Never Surrender" graphic is one of the very first designs I did for Deliverance, back in 2002.   I cleaned it up and straightened it out (it was really lop-sided) and added the motto at the bottom as a kind of celebratory statement regarding five years of existence and a lifetime of giving a shit about this stuff.   The "All I know" design I scribbled on the back of an envelope a long time ago.  My friend Todd Britton asked more than once if I was going to use it for a shirt.  Sometimes I overlook the obvious, I guess.  I like the asthetic and the "This is all I know" part is lifted from Robbie Morales in Road Fools 2.  I always think of that line.  When my wife saw the shirt she said "that's appropriate".  Ha ha. I'll have to send Rob-O a shirt.

 

 

Worst video yet

I've reached a new low in video production.  The following riding, which is amazing work by Dave Moon at Kzoo, was filmed with my cell phone.  Noah and I were there watching and I got the big idea to film some clips with my phone.  Just keep the window small and it's bearable.  Dave is amazing...Moon Patrol

Joy Division
I love Joy Division.  I might even be a little obsessed (this is just part of my shrine)

The obsessed Joy Division fan is the gloomy goth nerd in me that rarely shows on the surface (and definitely not in my dressing habits).   The emotion and vibe of their music evokes a fondness and intensity that I can't describe.  There is a movie coming out about the band and life of it's late leader (he hung himself on the morning of what was to be their first US tour), Ian Curtis, called Control. 

  For some lighter viewing, go here...Russian halfpipe
 

Pool service
Now Playing: Jay Z: Change Clothes
Chris Hollyfield found this pool a year ago.  He, Dan Closser and Fro dialed it in.  I was made privy of it's locale and was invited to a session.  The pool was located in a abandoned hotel by Detroit Metro.  It was very eerie and unnerving to be there.  The pool was somehow uprooted and elevated above the floor.  You could see down underneath it and it was very surreal.  The day I was there, it was insanely slippery.  I only took a couple runs, but Chris and Fro were ruling it...

Haz mat clean-up

Chris, over the light.

Fro, up in it.  This shit was sketchy (in twenty different ways).

 

 

 

Zaxxon
Now Playing: M.I.A.: Paper Planes
Catfish is one of my favorite people ever and this video confirms that he is much more than just a pretty face with a sharp tongue and rap skilz.

 

Good will krunking
Now Playing: Limbeck: People don't change

Dang.

         I was playing pool with Noah (like in the video-we don't use cues) and thinking about how I never knew how to do anything when I was a little kid.  I remember playing softball and with help from my dad, got a hit and took off for third base.  I had no idea what to do.  I didn't know any rules of any games (except maybe pool, ironically).    I remember being amazed in kindergarten, watching a first grader kick a ball super far.  No one showed me how to do any of that.  I'm not bitter or resentful, I figured things out myself, but I want my boys to understand how things work so they don't feel like idiots all the time like I did.  I taught myself to ride a bike.  It was my sister's bike and had a flat tire.  I mean totally flat, with the tire rolling off the rim.  I just posted up on this hill and kept taking roll-runs down it until I decided that I could pedal it.  No training wheels, no one holding on.  Sounds heroic, right?  I was six  years old!  

      As an adult, I realize that this "non-training" really helped me.  BMX was so new (and later, skateboarding), that you kind of had to figure it out yourself.  No one else around here knew much more about BMX than I did.  I suppose that it is why it is still so dear to me and such an important part of my life.  Sappy, I know.  Here are a couple pics from last night in the barn.  If anyone thinks we bought a house with a polebarn just so I could build ramps in it, this photo should confirm otherwise.

 

I got a shipment of next season's work samples last night.  That mountain of boxes is just part of it and it all came at once.  Thanks to Sean for helping me carry them in and then doing a feeble on the weird quarter, then taking this pic of me...

 

 

 

 

 

duhhhhhh
Now Playing: Limbeck: People Don't Change
I've been back and forth across the US twice in the past two weeks and I'm pretty burned out. 

I  turned on my phone (don't tell the FAA) to take this pic as we came over the shore of Lake Michigan.   Traveling wears a mother out.  You know you're flying too much when you get on the shuttle bus and the driver remembers what kind of car you drive.   In Utah last week, I won a runner-up "Rep of the Year" award, which is pretty awesome.

I made trophies like this for a Kzoo jam a couple years ago.  I didn't win one of those though...  I guess I'm better at selling shoes than riding bikes.  I hope not.   I did get to snowboard once, which was fun, but I would have liked to have gone more.  Here's the view from the chairlift.

Utah is kind of a weird place, but the mountains are beautiful.  Dan Closser sent me a link to some great photos from his recent travels.  Homeboy just returned from Europe.  There pics are of he and Beeler Van Orman...

Looks like an amazing time to me.  I spoke to Dan today.  He, Chris Hatchetfield and Fro Ardelean were on the way to Chenga 57.  I'm envious.

   I'm excited about the new Deliverance tees, which should be here this week.  I'm also stoked to ride the barn some more as soon as I shake this cold (third one in two months!).  I'll post pics of both as soon as I can produce them.

  Here's a shot of my old pal McGoo, having a good time on one of his latest creations (stolen from the Biltwell site)...

 

 

 

 

The King is Dead
Now Playing: Built To Spill: Traces

Long live the King...

 

 

   I was in Portland on Friday and got an e mail from my friend Ben that said "RIP Evel".  Oddly enough, Ben lives in Portland, but didn't know that I was there (typical of me, I suppose).  I called him right up and confirmed the bad news.   Ben and I hung out that night for a bit and toasted to the King.  Evel lived 40 years longer than he should have.  He was the toughest motherfucker ever.  To me, he was an inspiration and an idol.   The obsession of a young boy that led to the lifelong obsession with riding bikes and jumping them through the air.   I could go on and on but I won't.  I'm sad, but Evel Knievel will live forever in my heart.

        Dan's Comp has set up a fund for Jimmy Levan and are offering a super rare Shitluck frame, amongst other goodies.  Jimmy is facing huge medical and rehabilitation bills, so if you can donate, please do.

 

 

 

born in a barn
Now Playing: J Church: Where the Trains Go
Don't you hate those old dudes at the skatepark with their full-face helmets and chest protectors? 

Ramps are in effect.  One standard four foot quarter and one mini-TRP bank quarter/sub replica.

Luckily Sean Newton and Levi showed up just as I was about to start on the sub part, we collaborated on this design and it's really fun.  I can't tell you  how stoked I am to have stuff to ride at my disposal.  Time is at an all time premium and if I can get 45 minutes in at the end of the night (like tonight), I'm golden.  If I don't get to ride, I get very cranky.   Just ask my wife.

      I've been talking about it for awhile, but two new Deliverance tees are officially in production.  I'm pretty excited to be doing some new goods.  

     Props 67 is out and it's awesome.  Best issue in awhile, I think.  If you haven't donated to the Stephen Murray fund or helped out Jimmy Levan via the Empire fund, try to do so.  Both of these guys are up against some huge expenses (beyond incredible physical challenges).  I'm not going to lie, I just donated to both today, but it's never too late to help out.   I forgot to mention that FOD Jason Burton ponied up big bucks to buy one of the FBM custom frames for the Stephen fund.  That was a cool project and awesome of Jason to step up.  The frame is a work of art, too....   I stole this pic from the Veteran site.  You can really see the frame, but this is Jason.