A little something I drew for you

A few nights ago, while I waited for my meal at some achingly hip Tribeca eatery, I asked one of the models for a sketch pad and some charcoal so that I could try to express my boredom more artistically. I was in a "state of flow" as we call it now.

To my surprise she brought me a crayon and said I could draw on the the tablecloth.

Anyhow I quite like the outcome. I'm considering showing it to my shrink.

The Dude

"I don't know anything about music. My job has very little to do with music. It has more to do with taste and culture and balance."

Rick Rubin is a music producer behind some of the best rock, metal and rap of the last two decades or so and his contribution to the likes of the Red Hot Chili Peppers is immense and different.

I like the idea that what makes his albums successful is the creation of what is in effect a high bandwidth link between the marketplace and culture, and the artist and their creative music making process. His understanding of the General Vibe allows him to produce music that is not just a novel creative package or original just in a musical sense, but relevant too. Creative and relevant music is a combination that is hard to beat. His ability to blend moments of straight-up good music with references steeped in the present makes for ever more remarkable musical moments of consciousness.

He's so good in fact that he got his photo taken by everybody's favourite lesbian, Annie Leibovitz. This is him at home, accessing his shit for your and my listening pleasure.

Hello Monday

You need to watch this

...if you haven't already.

A while back, my sometimes very inspirational mother sent me the transcript from J.K. Rowling's commencement address at Harvard in 2008. I really love a great speech, and this is way up there.

I've read and re-read it a number of times, and it still makes me mushy inside. I actually feel honoured to share a birthday with her!

This is the video. Full transcript here

Blazing good conversation

Had a great chat with Iwan the other day after a spot of longboarding down the windy paths of Prospect Park. We just chilled on the grass and let rip with the craziest ideas for a good two hours. You know when all your shit is in sync - philosophy, creativity, similar viewpoints in life... A conversation like that really does wonders for your wellbeing. Need more of those.

New York rocks

Two reasons:

1) It looks like this when you enter a nightclub:



2) Even in the height of summer, if you turn the cold tap on you get actual cold water.

Dam-age.

My housemate John is Burmese and he struggles to say "dammit" if he stubs his toe or sees a hot woman in the street. Instead he says Dam-age..! Pretty hysterical, especially when he's referring to the latter. If you take a cruise around Soho on a sunny Sunday you will understand the damage being done.

Taglines

Imagine a world without taglines.

How would you judge brands?

Firstly, you would be forced to judge them by their names. A great brand name is a gateway to all manner of brand success (and I will definitely be sharing more of my thoughts on that). Secondly, you would be forced to feel brands - feel the unique composite of their vibe, and not be limited by only verbal communication.

So often a perfectly reasonable 30 sec TV spot has whatever decent message it just tried so hard to get across replaced by a perfectly rubbish few words flashed across the screen right at the end. A picture is worth a thousand words? Well the word equivalent of 7500 frames of genius cinematic production has just been replaced in the viewer's mind by, wait for it...

Ford. Drive One.

Why not just shut up?

Taglines are one of those things that people feel forced to create and compete on because the next guy just did it. And now we have a whole new sub-medium where the primary call to action is a fear that a competitor might occupy the same territory if one doesn't grab it first.

Anyhow, in terms of brand personality, judging a person by their actions and not their words is regarded to be better, and one would normally avoid making judgements of a person by what or who they say they are. Especially if they babble the same sweet nothings at you every time.

Really?

HP – Expanding possibilities
AMD – The smarter choice

Way decent:

Virginia is for lovers
Alaska - B4UDIE
Scotland the brand
South Africa - Alive with possibility
Nike - Just do it
The Independent - It is, are you?