Love songs about drugs...errr...drug songs about love?

English Don in Indy

Yesterday I got a chance to visit English Don's new shop here in Indianapolis, Intensity Cycles.

I was a bit overwhelmed and didn't snap any pictures. However, I found him to be a very charming English gentleman and the experience was a pleasure. Don took some time to show me the Babylon Taxi II under construction and expand on some of his future plans.

His shop is just one exit down the freeway from me. I look forward to hanging out with him in the future.

Funny enough, I have been friends with Chris Pfouts for years.

He was my editor when I was freelancing for International Tattoo Art. He roomed with Indian Larry in Williamsburg, Brooklyn during his tenure at Bayonet Brothers, a partnership with English Don.

Larry actually built the motor for Chris's dual Linkert '46 Indian Chief chopper around the same time. I mentioned it to Don and course he remembered the bike, right down to the unorthodox handlebars.

I feel privileged to know both guys and have them close by, neat stuff.

Johnny Suede

I got accused of answering a question like Johnny Suede today. Yeah...sure...I dunno...

Top 5 reasons why I ride motorcycles.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Herb Alpert

I heard that the The Most Interesting Man In The World was based on this guy:

VH: That was then, this is now

Rulers of the world:

Old has been bastards:

Please stop. This video makes the Van Hagar era look brilliant by comparison.

Michael Anthony was always the coolest cat of the bunch. It's probably best he got canned.

Beware the scene killers

In the last year people in our scene have been ripped off by Paul Teutel, jr (Falcon), Full Throttle Saloon (Born Free) and Levi's Strauss Signature (Ardcore Choppers/Nate Spainhower). I expect a certain amount of larceny from people with big budgets and small imaginations. After all, what are we gonna do? In a way it is flattering, but also heartbreaking at the same time.

After being involved in several different music scenes over the years I have felt the glow of living through the salad days and the golden age. But things always have a way of crashing back down to earth, usually at the hands of someone seeking to exploit the passion of others for their own benefit, ie "Scene Killers".

Take for example this shirt for sale on Chop Cult by Omega Red, aka Mike French:

It seems innocent enough, the song title of an old S.O.D song reprinted on a t-shirt meant to appeal to old punks who ride v-twin suicide machines with a hint of Frankie Goes To Hollywood. Cheeky.

But dig a little further into his classifieds and you see he is selling his copy of the recent Street Chopper which featured this shirt by Loveless 68:
Not to mention the designer was giving out "Kill Yourself" stickers at Born Free 3. This isn't a faceless, greedy corporation cherry picking the ideas of a little guy. This is outright theft for personal benefit and reflected glory, cheap, dirty and low.

I hate this shit. It is what kills scenes; petty thievery leads to choosing sides and disintegration. It is the opposite of brotherhood and inspiration. There really ought to be no room for this, or maybe this is the beginning of the end. Ugh...