When did young people get so damn motivated, huh? What happened to paper routes and menial things like that. Why everyone gotta be so creative and connected and driven. I’m talking of course about 15 year old Chicago wunderkind Tavi Gevinson, who’s been doing her fashion blogging thing since 12 and is now in charge of tween-thought-catalog cultural superhighway Rookie. She’s got a new project coming out that involves Mishka friend Scott Cramer, who you may know from the CULT party.

Cadaver is a short animation starring Tavi, Christopher “Doc Brown” Lloyd, and Kathy Bates. That right there is a motley crew if I do say so myself. Looks like a fun short, and apparently it’s one of the few things that Neil Young has authorized to use his song “Heart Of Gold”, which instantly increases the quality of any project by several orders of magnitude. Kewl.

Do want. Mishka friend and artist Skinner (did you see that crazy amazing mural he did with Lamour and Alex Pardee?!?) has a new art book that just dropped today, and it definitely looks like a must have. Every Man Is My Enemy is out on Zerofriends, and features 250 illustrations and photos of Skinner’s badass artwork. It’s full of the hallucinatory and violent over the top awesome that defines Skinner.

Plus, if you happen to be one of the first 300 people to order the book online, you get a free signed print. Extras swag. But wait, there’s more! Well, if you live in Oakland that is. This Saturday, February 4th, Skinner will be at the Zerofriends store in Oak-town signing copies of Every Man Is My Enemy, along with free prints and a Butcher Kings Zine.

Saturday February 4th, 1-5PM
Zerofriends Oakland
489A 25th St.
Oakland, CA

Sad news for anyone who considered themselves part or fan of the countercultural music and art scene of the late 80s and beyond. Yesterday, landmark multimedia artist Mike Kelley was found dead at 57 of an apparent suicide. Though his work – whether it be in music, sculpture, film, installation, or more – often incorporated themes of loneliness and confliction with modern (especially domestic) life, it remains shocking and very sad to see him gone so soon.

Starting out as a member of the noise rock band/art collective Destroy All Monsters, Kelley parlayed his talent into a long and very fruitful career, emerging as one of the most distinctive and respected voices of his artistic generation. His most famous or recognizable creation may still be the dolls that graced the cover and liner notes of Sonic Youth’s 1992 album Dirty. He leaves behind a large hole in the fabric of the contemporary art scene. Total bummer.

Here is Karmaloop Tv’s latest installment of Behind The Lens, following me while I take photos of lovely naked ladies.

In this video you’ll see Justine Joli and Jiz Lee and I talk about how my models sometimes have real sex when I shoot them.  Its one very sexy video.  Check it out.

So I recently flew down to San Antonio where I was participating in the 6th Anniversary of Artslam. Artslam is a live art and music event that happens bi-monthly in San Antonio. Local artists are invited to paint live to a theme for the night while local bands and D.J.s fuel their creativity. It’s San Antonio’s premiere venue of artistic talent, and it’s organized by Robert Perez.

This year’s anniversary show had a unique back drop of a collaborative mural by Alex Pardee, Skinner and me, Lamour Supreme! We had approximately 5 hours to start and finish the mural before the end of the show. We Three Amigos quickly executed our talents and proceeded to paint this collaborative piece titled TexASS Centipede. This tri-torsoed fecal monstrosity features your favorite Cyco Simon, who of course got front ‘pede status. Check out a bunch more images after the jump.

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Cold Cave were responsible for one of the best records of 2011 with their stadium-filling sophomore effort Cherish the Light Years and while they hit the road for their veritable victory lap as just a tight knit trio of Wesley Eisold, Prurient’s Dominick Fernow and drummer Alex Garcia-Rivera, the band have gone ahead and booked a select series of six small club dates up the West Coast playing as just the stripped down duo of Wes and Dominck. The first of those sets was held on Friday the 13th at LA’s very own Slow Motion (formerly Killing Spree) and organized by our friends Zane, Gibby and N|GHTCH|LDE.

This very intimate set held at the former Killing Spree den Medusa Lounge, was packed to the brim with 300 0r so fans eager to find rejoice in our own little Underworld USA (to put this size in context, the last time Cold Cave played LA, they quickly sold out a 1000-capacity venue). Playing a brief set that included a special hometown appearance from former Cold Caver (and current member of Bleached) Jennifer Clavin to sing on set-closer “Life Magazine,”  the night was also kept well and moving by the Slow Motion brigade of DJs all night long. This intimate five-city tour continues Feb. 3rd in SF and moves up the coast to Seattle, Vancouver and Portland before closing in San Diego. Photos from the night by The Holloweyed.

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The Basedgod was the cover story in this month’s edition of UK based music magazine Wire, delivering another massive dose of the strange and arresting personality we’ve come to expect. The second I saw Brandon McCartney on the cover of a legitimate magazine, that thing was a sure thing purchase. His interviews are just as interesting (and strikingly similar) to his Based freestyles, though this one hit one some interesting stuff I hadn’t really heard from him before.

First thing’s first, you’ll definitely get all of the weird B you could want, with half-baked-or-maybe-we-just-don’t-get-it platitudes about knowledge, godliness, race, linguistics, lineage, and the rap game. Interesting, sure, but I coulda gotten that from BasedgodVelli or Rain In England. The really good part is the businessman side of B you get here, where he’s talking about contracts and how he deals logistically with producers and how he wants you to be able to buy his albums at Target n shit. I guess I just assumed he didn’t think about that shit. He also talks a lot about his upcoming “debut album.” Lol. Anyway, you should just track down the issue and read the article. It’s real based.

Ughhh why, why humans, would you create such a thing? Go away from me, demon silicone, begone with you to the negative zone! I banish you from my nightmares you frizzy haired, wide gummed demons with your band t-shirts and penance stares. Oh hey everyone! I was just talking to the subjects of this post. They’re hyperreal sculptural recreations of everyone’s favorite losers Beavis & Butt-Head.

Mike Jones pointed out that they look straight out of Gummo. I will happily cosign that assertion. The guy who did them, Kevin Kirkpatrick, does makeup effects for da moviez, including The Avengers. Perhaps these two will make a cameo in there, eh? Eh? Please?

Kings Of The Night Time World

Divine Intervention

Dropout

Eat Shit

FTW

Mike Jones’ No Time For Love, On Sale Now

Our Art Director Mike Jones‘ show No Time For Love is a hallucinatory trip through 25 years of pop culture fandom and creation, and now it’s available for you to purchase in our Online Store! Take home a piece of Mike Jones’ artistic genius and look at it every day! There are original drawings which are limited to one, as well as large size prints of pieces like “Divine Intervention” and “Dropout.”

There’s also a zine featuring all of the pieces from the show, which comes at the low low price of $8. Then there’s the coup de grace, the big spender piece, the knockout punch: the exclusive TMNT/KISS Action Figures. Now those are a true collectors item. Hurry up and buy something, because these are gonna sell like hotcakes!

Мишка
350 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY
718-388-1725

Wowee zowee, wasn’t the opening night of Mishka Art Director Mike Jones‘ No Time For Love a blast? What’s that? Not all of you were there?? Shame on you! As the many guests who were can attest, it was an amazing party full of friends, beverages, spirited games of Gin Rummy, art, zines, the comedic stylings of Earthworm Jim and much much more*.

Luckily, our photographer Tara was there to photograph the whole event so you can get a taste of what you missed, plus a bonus look at Mike Jones’ art, all of which (well, at least the stuff that didn’t sell on the spot) will be available on our online store, along with Zines featuring printings of all the pieces. There’s Mike Jones himself, cheezin’ in some plaid in front of his work, including the amazing KISS/TMNT figurines. There’s a full gallery of photos after the jump.

*some of those may be lies. Maybe not though.

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