The Dirtbombs, a garage punk band going on 20 years in the game, played at Gramecy Theater this weekend alongside White Mystery. The event was sponsored by Sailor Jerry (offering $6 Sailor Jerry’s with coke or Ginger Ale…..they were free at CMJ :/)
If you’ve never heard of White Mystery think The White Stripes in reverse with a more raw sound. Miss Alex White (guitar, vocals) and brother Francis (drums) are a sister/brother rock group from Chicago. They have already performed at SXSW this year and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them there again.
White Mystery had a pretty good set! Alex’s onstage antics were so entertaining and they’re music kicks ass. Take a listen to how they closed they’re set here
Next up were The Dirtbombs. The Dirtbombs are a Detroit based band have been rocking since ’92. They’ve opened for act such as TV on the Radio, Black Lips, Be Your Own Pet, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Keeping company like that you better believe they did not disappoint!
The crowd lost their minds during the band’s performance of Ever Lovin’ Man (one of the bands most popular song in recent years)
If you want to find out what inspires a person to wake up and do something that they are so passionate about, you get a little insight on their lives. That’s what I’ve decided to do with some people I know that inspire me. People who took a chance on a dream and never looked back. My first interview is with a good friend of mine Kendall Scott. I met Kendall about 3 years ago and I had no idea of the greatness that was gracing my presence.
Kendall has started his clothing company Random Consumer from nothing, and it has already garnered some buzz in the internet community. Not to mention, almost every shirt Kendall makes is handed out…randomly among the streets of New York.
So I asked myself “what would make someone give 80% of their product away?” Then I asked myself “what’s the whole idea behind Random Consumer?” Kendall, eager to give me an answer, led me to Fredrick Douglas Houses in Manhattan. The walls, plastered with graffiti, served as a training ground of sorts. Kendall honed his artwork and spread the message of the Random Consumer for the first time as he explains in this clip.
After our adventure through the projects, we went to Central Park for a sit down interview where I not only had a chance to catch up with Kendall, but also talk Random Consumer and future plans. CL: So…Who are you??
KS: Kendall Scott. Owner and creator of Random Consumer. (laughs)
CL: (laughs) Ok…So Kendall, If someone were to ask you “who is Kendall Scott?” what would you tell them?
KS: Previously, I would’ve considered myself to be a skateboarder. Skateboarding was what I was very passionate and into at the moment, and it actually opened my mind up and helped me realize that I can do anything, even as far as creating goes. 2 years ago, I would’ve considered myself a skateboarder, then after I became a graffiti artist, and now I am an artist artist. (laughs)
CL: So tell me about the beginnings of your company, Random Consumer….Tell me about how did Kendall Scott make the transition from skateboarder and graffiti artist, to a graphic designer and owner of a company with a lot of promise?
KS: Well, it started through graffiti. I considered myself a graffiti artist and that’s what kind of…opened my up to everything. Before I was drawing on paper or producing t-shirts…..I was drawing on people’s walls. (laughs)
I was doing this (graffiti) for about a year and a half. Going all over Manhattan from L.E.S to Fredrick Douglas Houses (where I actually had a chance to see of Kendall’s graffiti artwork). Just hitting many buildings in many different outside areas and just putting myself out there everywhere.
The image I was using at the time was a dead thought bubble. The reason I was doing it was because I felt that we only consciously like things due to the fact that someone we look up to was wearing it, or holding it, or eating it, or just using it in general…as a result, I felt like we longer thought about anything , so I started putting dead thoughts everywhere (thought bubble with an “X” over the eyes, you know, squiggly mouth and stuff) because I felt that we had no conscious ideas for ourselves anymore, we only just follow. So that’s kinda how the transition happened.
CL: Cool! So, I saw your interview with Broke.Rich.Brooklyn. It was a pretty awesome interview, I enjoyed it a lot.
KS: Thank you very much. Thank you very much.
CL: and, in the interview, you said that it’s everyday people that inspire Random Consumer.
KS: Yea
CL: So, what exactly is it about people that inspire you? And do some people inspire you more than others?
KS: Well, what inspires me in about people in general are the interactions, and how we communicate with each other. Like, we can love someone and hate someone at the same time…or at least that’s what some people say (laughs).Which is kind of amazing to me in general. Whether it’s good or bad it amazes me because of the way our feelings react and the way we treat one another.It’s just amazing to me.
As far as people who inspire me more than others…I guess artist inspire me more than regular everyday people. I mean, everyday people inspire me the most, I should say, but artists have the ability put things on canvass, or paper. They’re able to express their feelings onto a material, so I guess I can relate more, but people will ALWAYS inspire me more, because you know I deal with them every day. I live with them, I eat with them, and I sleep with them.
CL: Do you think branding you clothing as art helps it get viewed differently from other brands?
KS: I would hope so, truthfully speaking, because I create everything with a conscious idea and a message behind it. I just make stuff JUST for it to look cool; you know….no Daffy Duck with a snapback (laughs)
CL: What!? (laughs) I HAVE to Google “Daffy Duck with a snapback”
KS: Haha yea….but I don’t make stuff just to have something that looks cool. It’s like “that’s dope” but that’s not speaking about anything, that’s not gonna help someone, that’s not gonna expand someone’s mind, that’s not gonna help them appreciate themselves more, that’s not gonna open their minds to different ideas. So, I figured making conscious art is better, and I feel people actually see it that way too.
CL: Any other influences in your art…and do you ever find yourself inspired by yourself?
KS: Mostly people. People always influence my creations but I DO influence myself sometimes, mainly through my creations, I surprise myself! But not much through the actual process. It’s actually crazy just seeing where I’m at right now, I’m very proud of myself.
CL: Besides T-shirts, will we be able to see Random Consumer artwork on any other forms or canvas?
KS: Yea. Not only are you gonna see some new prints, but you will also a few jewelry items, hoodies, and a lot more stuff (weather permitable of course)
CL: Now…we know you love to keep your company and the relationship built through it very personal.
KS: Yes
CL: We also know that you go out to a lot of different places around the city and hand out t-shirts to a lot of….random consumers (no pun intended). So tell me that feeling you get when your in the street, and you hand someone that Random Consumer t-shirt, and you see their face just light up.
KS: It’s an amazing feeling! It’s great when someone appreciates something you give them. It’s great when someone considers you an artist. It’s great when someone acknowledges you. It’s the reason I started making stuff. I could always have my art but I felt that people needed this more conscious message. I love that people actually share the same ideas that I have. They feel that this is art
CL: Like “I’m not alone”
KS: Yea, exactly.
Like “wow, you ACTUALLY understand this”, “You like this.” I’ve had people break my stuff down meticulously and I’m like “wow, that’s crazy. We share the same brain.” But it’s an amazing feeling. It’s what drives me, what keeps me going.
CL: Tell me about some of the interactions you’ve had with people because of Random Consumer
KS: Yea, it’s been crazy. I’ve gotten the chance to meet individuals who have had their products worn but by Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Diggy Simmons, Amber Rose, the list goes on. And it’s great because now I get to associate with them through my art.
The best part about it is that we all relate because we’re all individuals who came from nothing. Making it ourselves, promoting ourselves, and slowly starting to build an empire. The only separation between the person that has it and the person that doesn’t is that one person wants it more.
CL: Random Consumer has been around for a year and a half, it’s beginning to generate a following, your meeting A LOT of people, and your doings things that you could honestly say you weren’t doing last year.
KS: Yea. Definitely
CL: with all these new experiences, do you think you’ve learned anything this year that’s worth mentioning?
KS: Stay hungry and keep trying. That’s the biggest thing. Nothing comes overnight; it’s just time, effort, and work. That’s the biggest thing I’ve learned, you just gotta keep doing it and keep pushing it. Regardless if you’re a spiritual believer or not, whatever you put into the universe and whatever you put effort into will show some kind of effect and will return it. You just have to put a lot, whatever you put in shows. You just gotta keep going, it’s trial and error.
CL: What are you plans for 2012?
KS: Just to promote myself as much as possible. Do as much art as I possibly can. Just to stay hungry and keep going. It’s my job as an artist, with this talent I was blessed with, like anyone that talented. Whether you’re a musician, an artist, an architect, whatever.
You have this gift and it’s your job to use it for the greater good. So I’m just gonna keep going, that’s the best way I can say it. Stay hungry and keep promoting. Be me.
I thank Addictive Kaos for bringing my constructs to life.
Lito's Life 