Remembering “Bali Coffee”

The following are a few pictures from my holga.

Bali was a blur of memories that ranged between the most relaxed I’ve ever been in my life, to the most adventurous. It’s funny that achieving maximum relaxation doesn’t make for very good stories, isn’t it?

Upon arriving in Bali we rented a car. Although it’s cheeper than getting a driver, it’s not highly recommendable. Driving stick with your left hand, on the wrong side of the road is one thing. Matching the chaotic driving style of the locals may take years from your life but adds to the adventure!

No matter how crazy everything seems around you, the scooters with five passengers passing you on the outside or the way the edge of your bed seems to drop off the end of the earth and into the sea, there’s a feeling of… serenity? I’m not sure what exactly it is or how to explain it. But as I look through these pictures, I get that feeling back.

I once read a quote in a surf magazine that said, “An adventure is a vacation that’s gone terribly wrong.” If you’re looking for a quick adventure, just buy some crappy gas in a water bottle from this kid and drive as far away from civilization as possible!

My Friend is a Pro: Colby West & John Symms

Yeah yeah, I know, this video was released five months ago. I guess back then I was still laughing at the Saturday Night Live video, “I’m on a boat.”
So, why am I posting it now? Because it’s making fun of people just like me. The guy that’s texting his Pro friend after an X Games pipe run, asking for free gear, and constantly name dropping. But more than that, I absolutely love it when skiers make fun of each other!

For more fun, check out their website. myfriendisapro.com

Greg Stump: Elusive & Exclusive

Legendary ski filmmaker, Greg Stump catches up on some important topics such as where he’s been for the last decade, his facebook profile, his home in Victor, Idaho (AKA,Clockworks studios) and his new film “The Legend of Aahhhs.”

Greg Stump interview (Click here)

Check out the “Legend of Aahhhs” Trailer: Here

ASR Live: New age of guerrilla marketing

I was recently hired to shoot and edit a web series for Action Sports Retailers (the premier action sports industry trade show in San Diego,CA.)
The concept is pretty simple, set up an edit bay in the closest hotel room possible, shoot video all day and edit sometime between shooting and sleeping. I was able to shoot, edit and post over 31 clips in total over the span of about 4 days and have them posted to various sites (youtube, ASR, etc.) before people arrived at their desks on Monday.

Check out all of the clips by clicking the logo…

Here’s one of my favorites…

Week Sauce- JJ Thomas & Todd Richards

The third episode in a Death Cookie Ent. series that has no goals or plot except to video fun stuff all day and edit out the crap (or at least some of the crap).
This week in the sauce, it’s just another June gloom day of surfing in Encinitas, California with professional snowboarders JJ Thomas and Todd Richards.

JJ Thomas launches debut album

During part of my daily facebook session (AKA, “working off”) I came across a status update from JJ Thomas saying that his new album was not only finished and available, but that it’s also free for download! A week after download, I noticed that some of the hooks where still in my head! Eventually, I developed some questions that I wanted him to answer. So, I did what any professional journalist would do (not that I am one.) Did, I call him? No. Did I contact his agent to line up an interview? Na. Cup and string you ask? Nay!
I facebooked him, of course!

What’s MileHi all about?
MileHi is a two dude music group. It’s me and my friend (Jeff Cormack) I grew up snowboarding with and went to high school with. He’s was in a punk band in high school and then I started sending him songs that I wrote this last spring and he was like, “Here write one to this beat.” and then we just started going ape shit from there. Now we both write.

How would you describe your music?
I’d describe our music as electro/rock/rap/indie.

What inspired you to create and album?
We got inspired do to a 6 track EP because we became addicted to making songs, so we were like hey lets get six songs that we are cool with, then release them.

What was the reasoning for doing a free web release of the album?
The reason we are doing the download free thing is because we feel like we just want to get it out there and we figure if your downloading it now then your a friend of a friend or something so you deserve it free. Besides evrything on the web is free eventually so who cares right.

What else have you given away for free lately?
Last thing I gave away free was a pair of Oakley gloves to one of my coaches (Brady.)

Have you had any positive or negative feedback on the album you could share with us?
Yeah, we’ve had good feedback! The kids seem to really like it,and I notice people seem to like it when they don’t know its you on there..ha kinda funny. The worst I’ve heard is, “yeah its pretty good.”

You have a bronze medal for the men’s half pipe in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Does that count as “bling?”
Yes, a bronze medal form 02 does count as Bling. But really when I want to be ballin I wear out the sweet ring you get from the games. That’s about it though.

Are there any live shows in the works?
Yeah dude, the live shows are gonna be where its at, cause really it’s bass heavy music so its gonna slam at the bars or wherever we play!! We’re going to record 3-5 more tracks this fall when I get back from NZ to make our album official and then hopefully we book some parties. We just want people to shake some ass!

Will we be hearing any of the tracks in some of this years upcoming snow films? If so, which ones?
I reckon you’ll be hearing “Look Around” in the new Ride movie. I think it will be in Brennan Swansons and My part. Hopefully next year we’ll hear it in a big movie. That’d be sweet!

Appearing in a snowboard films soundtrack seems to help new artists move up in the music industry (i.e. Santogold, Trouble Andrew, etc.) Is that the intention?
As far as appearing in movies. I don’t know, I mean we just like to make music. It’s just pure passion so if someone wants to use a song that’d be an honor for us.

If a pro snowboarder wanted to use your music for their video part and you didn’t really like the guy, would you let him use the song? More importantly, who is this guy you hate so much and why?
Ha, well the good news is there are no pro shreds I hate but if it was a dude I didn’t care for much and he said, “Man, can I use this song?” then I’d say, “Of course you can.” and from that moment on that guy and I would no longer have a problem. We’d be homies for life!!!

With one of your main sponsors being vitaminwater, is there potential for a 50cent collaboration in the future?
Ha, 50 cent collabo!!! Thats funny! No, we’re too small for 50 but you know, maybe if we make it big my friends at vitaminwater would put in a word and we could get him for a verse. I dont know if he’s down with weird elctro tunes but who knows!!

Here’s your chance for shameless plugs… what’s your facebook, twitter, myspace?
This is us MileHi Sound
I dont know all our other stuff but if you go there you can download and it has links and when our other 4 tracks come out this fall they’ll be there as well!!

Oh, and what’s for dinner tonight? (Sorry, I just got hungry and it’s half off wing night!)
I’m going to eat pasta with chicken tonight probably because thats what we eat every night down here in New Zealand. Rock on and please come to our shows in cali this fall!!!!!!