Some of your early remixes and bootlegs really helped get your name out there, especially with other DJs. What do you think your biggest boot was and what inspired you to put it together?

Tony Arzadon: This is a funny story. Back in 2008, I did a bootleg of Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance” back when she wasn’t on the radio map. I only played it during my DJ sets and shared it with a few friends, but somehow it surfaced on the net and landed in the hands of BPM Radio on XM Satellite. One year later, A&R reps from Interscope picked it up and made it official!

DJ culture these days has been heavily defined by party DJing that goes hard right out of the box, as opposed to the slow-burning sets that typified the mid-’90s house and progressive scene. You throw down a mix of both. How do you stay true to that long-form style and still appease those crowds that are so used to hands-in-the-air atmosphere right from the needle drop?

Tony Arzadon: It depends on what environment I’m in. I know right away how the night will be once I set foot in the room. In today’s music, the shelf-life for any song is a lot shorter than it used to be because of quick and easy access online. So now with DJing, the crowd’s attention span is a lot shorter. During my sets, I play a variety of special edits and acapellas of certain songs, and I incorporate a lot of loops and crazy build-ups to kick the crowd’s adrenaline in and out. I control the music and the crowd at the same time.

So what’s up next for you?

Tony Arzadon: I finished up one vocal track called “Moments” that features a girl that lives out here named Nikki Kay. She had gone through a horrible break-up and wrote this song, and I connected with her and gave her this melodic track that I’d put together a few months back. That’s gonna be due out on Juicy Music in February.

TONY ARZADON’S FIELD GUIDE TO CHICAGO

Portillo’s
“If you’re in Chicago, you’ve gotta have a Chicago-style hotdog, and they pretty much put everything on there—jalapenos, onions, pickles, the whole nine. Their Italian beef sandwich is one of the big sandwiches you can eat in Chicago. They’re like the size of my forearm.”

Giordano’s
“Everyone loves deep dish pizza in this town, with the heavy toppings. The best place for me is Giordano’s. I’ve loved their cheese and spinach deep dish pizza since my early childhood. Very cheesy!”

The Beer Bistro & Third Rain Tavern
“I live in West Loop, which is known for having the best sports bars and food. Plus the United Center is down the street, home of the Chicago Bulls and the Blackhawks. These two spots serve the best food and always have daily specials.”

Gramaphone Records
“A lot of them have closed, but this one’s been around for years on Clark Street in downtown Chicago. I used to shop there way back when I started DJing in the early ’90s. You’ll find all those great deep house records in there; that really soulful house. A lot of the house DJs I know still go find their records there.”

SpyBar & The Mid
“If you want to hear electronic music in Chicago, both of these clubs book all the famous acts on a weekly basis. They keep the scene alive.”

OLD SCHOOL CHICAGO: AN ESSENTIAL HOUSE MUSIC PLAYLIST
1. Farley Jackmaster Funk feat. Darryl Pandy – “Love Can’t Turn Around” [LISTEN]
2. Steve “Silk” Hurley – “Jack Your Body” [LISTEN]
3. Julian Jumpin’ Perez feat. Kool Rock Steady – “Ain’t We Funky Now” [LISTEN]
4. Kool Rock Steady – “You Ain’t Nobody” [LISTEN]
5. Frankie Knuckles – “Your Love” [LISTEN]
6. Bad Boy Bill – Bangin’ The Box [LISTEN]

If you’re looking for a few of Tony’s tracks to play out, Beatport is the way to go, with over 100 tracks available for purchase. He’s also got each of his “Boom Box” podcasts available for free on iTunes. And if you’re looking to sample some of his latest fare—including a teaser of the forthcoming “Moments” (featuring Nikki Kay)—you need to hit up his Soundcloud.

Words by Rich Thomas (@TheLandfill).

The film is interspersed with unusually candid and extremely eloquent interviews with girls and boys, ages twelve to eighteen, in order to ram home the personal side of Feminist philosophy and media’s role in it. Adding a solid degree of objectivity are multiple jaw-dropping statistics and interviews with prominent social figures, including former U.S. Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice, news anchor Katie Couric, and actor Rosario Dawson.

What kept me entertained was that Newsom’s film does not become a deluge of facts or an attempt to indoctrinate us. Filled with numerous contemporary media images, her ideas resonate; they are not pulled from our parent’s high school textbooks. The film communicates a reasonable demand for sincere, even uncomfortable, self-reflection on our part as an audience; this vibe of: “Decide whatever you want about the issue, just have the guts to genuinely consider it.”

The film debuted to rave reviews at Sundance as well as many smaller film festivals. Currently, you can find a public showing near you or hold private screenings by contacting the filmmakers at www.missrepresentation.org.

“[Feminism is] a socialist, anti-family, political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism, and become lesbians.” (Pat Robertson at 1992 Republican National Convention). Time to take out your proverbial baseball bats and step up to the plate. What kind of world do you want your daughter, your wife, your sister to live in? You decide… just have the guts to consider it.

Words by Ariel Maccarone

New arrivals to the Zoo were treated to a variety of talent which spanned several genres over the course of three days. Co-founder of the New York based Fools Gold record label, Nick Catchdubs, broke the seal on the Red Bull Riverside stage, where a highly innovative stage design was ready to be shown off. The Red Bull Riverside stage, which was now a repeat visitor to the Zoo, played host to many artists whom have worked alongside the Red Bull Music Academy in the past, including Kid Sister, Egyptrixx and SBTRKT to name just a few. The French model of a current renaissance man, Busy P, was set to lead into one of the most anticipated sets of the weekend, the US debut of Ed Banger label-mate Sebastian’s LIVE set. Adding his own live instrumentation and visuals to the already impressive stage set, Sebastian’s LIVE set was greeted with a packed and anxious tent.

The cream of the dance music crop made appearances over the weekend. With the recent bleeding over of dance producers to the pop music arena, acts such as Benny Benassi, David Guetta, Afrojack, and even Diplo were able to play their recent popular productions, that when combined, include contributing vocals from Chris Brown, Beyonce, Akon and even fellow Electric Zoo performer, Snoop Dogg.

If a 12 hour party was not enough to satisfy your musical palate, official after parties were scheduled for each of the three days at the premier New York hotspot, Pacha. When Fatboy Slim, the UK electronic legend which Q Magazine listed as being one of their “50 Bands To See Before You Die”, is booked as an after-party headliner, all conflicting time and/or sleep constraints seem to disappear. A rarity in the US, Fatboy Slim played to a Pacha full of those who found themselves wide awake and ready to keep the party going until the sun forced them out for day two of Electric Zoo.

Skrillex, the poster-child of a growing demand for Americanized dubstep, joined fellow producer 12th Planet on stage during his packed Red Bull Riverside performance Saturday. Bringing an aspect to his live show that was inevitably made popular by rock music fans, 12th Planet surprised the first few rows with an intimate crowd surfing session. Add in fellow dubstep producers Excision & Datsik and your bass music fix for the weekend was met.

Stylish electro rockers Chromeo made their mark on the Sunday main stage. Sporting attire from a recent trip to Paris, P-Thugg and Dave 1 changed the gears of the main stage with their unique blend of funk and disco infused music. When asked about their upcoming tour and production agenda, Dave 1 revealed that they would be touring nonstop until entering the studio sometime in January to begin writing their follow-up to the 2010 album, Business Casual.

Closing out the Hilltop Arena on the final day of the Zoo, a back-to-back helping of Diplo and Boys Noize left a lasting impression on those who would set off back to reality once the day was over. Diplo, the DJ and producer who has produced acts ranging in sound from metal to k-pop, played a set heavy on familiar classics and introduced several exclusive tracks to which we can only hope they see the light of day. Boys Noize was up next and he proved once again as to why festivals all over the world have him close out their stages. His extensive catalogue of original productions and remixes allow for a new and exciting set every time he steps behind the CDJ’s. Towering above the crowd on a gigantic LED wall, Boys Noize seemed to be hypnotizing the dancing crowd into a nonstop mass of flesh and neon colors.

Words by Alexander Rose. Photos by Sam Allen

Tutu gives us an insider look at tracks off the new album and discusses his latest show at the Santa Monica Pier, growing up near the chaos of Venice Beach, and almost getting his arm cut off alongside “The Rock” in The Scorpion King.

You just had a big show at the Santa Monica Pier. How was that?

It was great. I used to go there since I was a little kid and I finally got to play it. It was a great feeling.

Being born in Venice, were you exposed to a lot of the crazy street performers growing up?

Yes I was.

Did that at all influence some of your wanting to get into music yourself?

Not really. I was into music because of my parents. They were both very artistic. My mother is a folk singer/songwriter and my father is a musician and so is my brother Te’Amir. I’ve always known I was going to do music.

You have a really crazy background. You started as a photojournalist when you were just 6 years old?

Yeah. I traveled all over the place taking photos and interviewing people and that really opened up my mind. Both me and my brother got to do that.

How did you get into that?

There was a man named Bingwa and he organized this group for the youth of a small community in Venice. My brother started first and when I was about 6 or 7, I got involved in it and was able to travel. It just kind of happened.

And you were also in the movie “The Scorpion King”?

Yes I was. I’m also an actor. I was the little kid who almost got his arm cut off. I’m glad I didn’t get it cut off because I’m a piano player and that’s how I write my songs!

Do you still do a lot of acting?

Yes I do. I do commercials and whatever comes my way.

Anything we would have seen you in recently?

I did a Chase commercial and a Target commercial that was probably a few months ago. Music is my love though. That’s what I’m gonna do you know.

You started out on the trumpet. Would you say the piano is your instrument of choice these days?

I did start out playing trumpet but I love the piano especially for writing songs. I love writing songs and telling stories through my music.

What are most of your lyrics inspired by?

Different kinds of stories. All my songs are pretty much complete stories. I have a song called “Mr. Rosalow” and that song is about a good teacher that is with horrible students and he kind of just leads and the kids basically want him back over this other teacher that is horrible. I have another song called “Fairy Tale” and that’s about basically living in a fairy tale. I tell a story completely in a song. The whole goal is that I want to do some really amazing music videos because my music definitely needs visuals. I feel almost incomplete without it. My songwriting is very 60’s-70’s Beatles kind of vibe – pop rock with a little reggae spice.

When are you planning to release your debut album?

I just actually finished it. You know we recorded half at Red Bull Studios and mixed it there and mastered it. Right now I’m gonna start talking to labels and I’m getting ready for another tour. I’m going to be going out in the beginning of September and opening up for Aloe Blacc and the Grand Scheme.

The title is still London Knight?

Yes!

What is the story behind the title?

That’s a good one. The piano that I have, the model, it was made in London. I wrote the whole album on that piano. Also the first time that I had a show playing my own music and being an artist was at the Red Bull Music Academy in London so it kind of made sense to name it that.

Have you and your brother always been playing together since you were little?

Yes. We have been playing together always. He has an album out as well. It’s called “LA Soul.” He’s the drummer for Aloe Blacc so they are all over Europe right now. I’m actually iChatting him right now. I’m looking at him.

What’s the craziest thing you ever witnessed growing up in Venice?

That’s a really had question because there were lots of things. There are some pretty amazing characters that are out there. Drive-bys and crack heads. Those were a big part of our childhood. Back in the day Venice was pretty bad. That was definitely a part of growing up. Music definitely saved me and my brother and we just focused on that, not the negative things. No crack for The Brothers Band.

What’s one of your favorite shows that you’ve played?

On the last East Coast tour that we went on, we played in DC. It was a bad club and bad sound. The sound was going out and everything. We have so much family over there and they just came out and it was so good to see everyone and it was such great energy. It was a really good feeling.

That’s fun to turn a shitty club gig into one of the more notable gigs that you’ve played.

Oh yeah for sure.

Do you remember the first gig that you ever played?

Yes I do. We played this little club called Footsies in Highland Park. They have this thing every other Wednesday of the month called Soul in the Park and they asked us to play and we played the gig and rocked it. I got this whole band together and this thing to go in and record this album. All these songs were just stuck in my head. Everything’s been kind of happening and moving and it just feels right.

Words by Nicole Pajer. Photos by Sidney Bensimon.

Red Bull EmSee’s innovative battle format challenges MCs to bring the true freestyle spirit back by adding a twist to the conventional head-to-head clash. During the competition, MCs are posed with a variety of challenges designed to showcase their technique, creativity and dexterity. In addition to spitting flows over beats and a capella, MCs are challenged to come up with hard-hitting verses straight off the dome based on visual cues and inspirations.

“The format of the challenge forces you to stick to the true essence of freestyling, which I think gives it freshness and definite authenticity,” said reigning Red Bull EmSee National Champion, Fowl.

WHO: Host: Bun B
Judges and Special Performers: Too $hort, Casual and Crooked I
DJ: B-Mello

Competing MCs include: Illmaculate, 9dm, K.R.U.E., Mic Phenom, Billy the Fridge, Bishop I, Justis, and KI Design

WHERE: The Crocodile
2200 2nd Ave
Seattle, WA 98121

Doors: 9pm
Show: 10pm
Ages 21+
Tickets: $8 pre-sale at www.thecrocodile.com or $10 at door if not already sold out

For information on other Red Bull EmSee tour stops, please visit www.redbullusa.com/emsee.

Drake’s Passage, a six-episode original travel series, premieres on Monday, August 15 at 10 p.m. ET/PT during FUEL TV’s “Raging Mondays” programming block. Produced by Red Bull Media House North America, Drake’s Passage takes viewers to iconic cities around the world and showcases them through the eyes of Drake McElroy, who is one of the most stylish, cultured and respected riders in the freestyle motocross world.

As a judge for the Red Bull X-Fighters freestyle motocross world tour, McElroy visits several amazing locations where the competitions are held – Mexico City, Cairo, Madrid, Moscow, London and Rome. While on the road, there is no such thing as downtime. When he’s not in the judging booth, Drake hits the streets to see what some of the world’s largest and most dynamic cities have to offer. He explores what makes each location unique, including art, music, food and sports, as well as venturing off the beaten path.

In addition to soaking in the local flavor, McElroy immerses himself in the culture of motorcycles in each country, where despite their cultural differences, riders share one common bond – the love of the motorcycle. “I have been able to shine a light into parts of the world that were only shadows in my brain,” explains McElroy. “Our goal is to keep it off-the-cuff and in the moment, and I’ve found going into situations with no expectations yield better than expected results. It’s a sheepish riot. You may laugh more times than you have phalanges to count. Tune in, you might learn something.”

This is not your typical travel show. This is Drake’s Passage.

Drakes’ Passage starts Monday, August 15 at 10 p.m. ET/PT

The Mean Jeans are a good ol’ fashioned, party hard and get rowdy on stage, punk band from Portland. The trio, consisting of Billy Jeans (guitar/vocals), Jean Wilder (drums/vocals), and Howie Doodat (bass, vocals) recently played the Dark Horse (formerly Bordello) in Los Angeles.

After finishing up on stage and toweling off the sweat, Billy Jeans and Jean Wilder “attempted” a serious interview with ChinaShop. The guys told us all about how they are able to create such a powerful sound with only 3 members (a lot of it, according to Billy Jeans, comes down to the fact that they are too lazy to search for additional members), as well as discussed filling up swimming pools with Red Bull plus Jager and amazing parties they don’t quite remember.

What bands do you most associate your sound with? Are you greatly influenced by The Ramones?

BJ: Our new album sounds like Rick Springfield.

JW: In fact we are trying to change the name of the band to “Rick Springfield” but we’ve hit a few snags with the legal department over at Epic/Columbia. If all else fails we can still fall back on “Chris P. and the Crunchiez.” The Ramones are good too though, but I don’t think they are around anymore.

It sounds like you guys like to party and make that a pretty regular hobby. What are some of the more memorable partying experiences that come to mind?

BJ: “more memorable partying experience” is sort of an oxymoron, but when we were playing on a boat in Stockholm during the week the sun never sets I was reportedly seen walking on water in a jester hat with Jager shots balanced on my shoulders.

JW: Well he wasn’t exactly walking on water because I was riding a giant tuna underwater and holding him up by his feet. It all ended badly for me because I accidentally filled my oxygen tank up with Red Bull and Jagermeister. I keep those right next to my oxygen tanks so it was an honest mistake.

Who is the craziest in the band? Why is that?

BJ: Howie Doodat lives life like there is no tomorrow. We’re talking jet skis, prison, inhalants, bass solos, danger.

JW: I’d have to say the freshly recruited sax player, but you don’t know about him until a couple questions down from here, so just ignore this answer.

What is your favorite thing about being on stage?

BJ: Sometimes people bring us shots while we are on stage, which is awesome. Last time we played the Tonic Lounge in Portland I took an unnecessary amount of shots on stage, they were just handed to me. I fully blacked out, but someone said we were good I think.

JW: Honestly my favorite part of being on stage is being able to forget all of my problems in real life such as: paying off my loans that I used to open another Applebee’s in Portland, returning all the trophies that I’ve amassed from the various Pancake Eating Contests now that they’ve discovered that I cheated, paying off the $420 in late fees that I’ve accrued at Blockbuster Video because I lost their VHS copy of “House Guest” in the couch for a couple months, etc. etc. You know how it is.

Where’s your favorite place to play?

JW: Fast food chains, bowling alleys, bounce houses, IMAX movie theaters, in your dreams with special guest Freddie Krueger and anywhere with the White Wires.

What’s the best thing about living in Portland? Do you fit into the indie music scene there?

BJ: Tuff question. Probably the Jager bombs. Mean Jeans get in where they fit in.

JW: Yeah, the Jager bombs at Applebees are only 4 dollars after 10 pm. Anyway, we could get sponsored by Red Bull and Jagermeister and/or maybe secure some sort of lifetime supply of Jager bombs? We can discuss that privately if that’s more comfortable for you. But yeah I don’t think we are associated much with the indie scene over there.

What was the inspiration for the song “Steve Don’t Party No More?”

BJ: At first, we were literally raging together all day, every day. We’re talking jet skis, Jager bombs, whip-its, unemployment, the whole nine. Bros for life. Then one summer Steve stopped texting me back, I was like “dude I can’t believe you aren’t coming out tonight.” And he never came out ever again. To this day, I still can’t understand it.

JW: Yeah he obviously hasn’t taken the advice that is clearly laid out in front of you on the place-mats at Applebee’s: “Text your crew.”

What is the strangest thing that’s happened to you on the road?

BJ: One time we were partying really hard, I don’t really remember where, probably an Applebee’s, but I twisted it all the way around until it faced the front again. It was nuts.

JW: Strangest thing I’ve noticed on the road is that sometimes people actually come to our shows…

Have you always been a trio? Is it more of a challenge to create such an intense sound with just 3 members?

BJ: We were originally a 2-piece guitar and drums band. The addition of a bass helps, but in all honesty, every time I am ripping one of those annihilating guitar solos on stage, I hear like 55 harmonies in my head that would probably make the songs even more ripping. But we’re lazy, so we’ll probably just keep it to 3 dudes.

JW: Actually I don’t know about that. You see, I’ve been vacationing in San Diego since we played in LA, and I’ve slowly been filling up my parent’s swimming pool with Red Bull and Jagermeister. Anyways, to make a long story stupid, my dad called in the pool guys to come see what was up with all the discoloration and whatnot. The pool guys turned out to be complete party animals so I went ahead and invited them to join the band. So now there are approximately 69 of us in the band, including a soprano sax player named James Earl Jeans.

Is there any preparation involved in your on stage attire?

BJ: Howie Doodat rocks FUBU head-to-toe in his day-to-day life. I ain’t with that, so we dress him up like a punk when we hit the stage. We like to keep it tight. Always loose, but really tight – like a policeman in JNCO’s or the pope in leather.

JW: I generally try to align my multiple Aerosmith t-shirts so that it looks like just one 3D Aerosmith shirt. I tend to get a lot of comments on my Aerosmith t-shirt/vest combo after our shows…. those comments generally being: “Dude, get out of my face before I kick your ass”.

Words by Nicole Pajer. Photos by Dustin Downing.

On July 10th, teams of inventors, makers, and hackers will head to Brooklyn, New York where they will embark on a 72-hour anything goes build-a-thon. The event, known as Red Bull Creation, will challenge teams to push their imaginative limits and “create the future.” Upon arriving in New York, contestants will be given a theme, taken to a creative build space, and unleashed on the streets of New York city as they scramble to acquire materials and seek inspiration for creating a potentially winning masterpiece. After being judged in front of a live audience, the winners will go home with a load of cash and tools to support future projects.

16 teams are officially in the running, with six deemed as wild cards. Among the wild cards is the all female team of Zorah and Tirzah Rodgers, Laura Leva, and Sarah Kihls who call themselves “Effin Ladies.” The ladies bring a twist to the contest, as unlike many of the contenders, they are scattered around the United States and until July 10th, have never collaborated on a project as a unit. They haven’t quite lined all their ducks in a row but come contest day, the Effin Ladies plan on bringing the heat.

ChinaShop tracked these ladies down to pick their brains on their backgrounds as artists and to nab some insider secrets on how they are preparing for the big day.

How did you all become involved in this project?

Zorah: I am a flight attendant for Virgin America. I was flying to San Francisco from NYC, JFK airport when a friend I met through Tirzah, John Taylor AKA Parts, was on my flight. We got talking about the project, when it was just in the beginning workings. He asked if Tirzah and I might be interested in being part of it. I said maybe. I was interested, because it sounded fun. I said that there would be no way for me to set up a team that was local because Tirzah lives in Portland. He said that we wouldn’t have to do a qualifier since he and his people were inviting a few teams and not every team had to be part of the qualifier. A few weeks later I got word that it was actually in the works and to start looking for a full team.

Tirzah: My sister and I were asked by John Taylor to put together a group of ladies to compete against a bunch of nerdy dudes. I guess JT wanted to weaken the sausage stew a bit. So we said “What the hay?!” and started hunting for our group. We asked only the best and brightest of friends and this is what we came up with.

What are your individual backgrounds as artists?

Zorah: My back ground as an artist, is mostly limited to what I do for friends, my family and myself. In high school I had a drawing go to state but since then I have focused on things I can really sink my fingers into. From sewing, to stain glassing, to refinishing old furniture and ceramics. Tirzah and I have collaborated and made a few sculptures out of old telephones. While on the Grace, with Laura, we worked on a lot of metal projects together for the ship. One item we worked really hard on was making a specialty tool (wrench) for the fire hydrants around the ship. We made the wrench look like a long stemmed flower, we thought it would be particularly funny since mostly men worked on the ship; just the thought of a big tough guy carrying a frilly flower around was enough to inspire us. I have not gravitated to any particular form of art, but have found that I need to combine different types of mediums to express myself. I love making functional art. I need my art work to work for me.

Tirzah: I am a metal fabricator and artist. I like making art from found and re-purposed metal. I trained in England and Los Angeles to produce shows. I’ve done everything from stage-managing to prop making and set building. I worked with the robot performance group RoboChrist for a few years in Los Angeles as well as with Lt. Musteredseed. I was a metal fabricator for Burning Dude for 5 years. But the earliest memories of Zorah and my art, aside from our Crayola masterpieces, was working in mixed media making collages.

Sarah: My experiences in blacksmithing, and carpentry ranging from home building, restoration, set building, and fine woodworking, as well as scenic painting, faux finishing, costuming, rigging, lighting, film and live entertainment leads me to my most recent focus. This project is a series of manually operated mechanical performances designed to showcase storytelling potential through innovative puppetry techniques and set design. My aim is to succeed in the construction of this project being comprised of mostly unwanted, recycled materials. My latest project completion was the painting and collaborative assembly of GE’s solar powered carousel.

Laura: As a high schooler, I always wanted to be an artist. I did a lot of painting, sculpture, and set design throughout the years and then decided to go to engineering school instead. I was a recruit for the US Merchant Marine Academy because I play the tuba. I have participated in a number of parades around the country, including President George W Bush’s first inauguration. Also in college, I built and designed the sets for every band and chorus show through my four years. With my career being what it is, the only “art” I get to create is fabricating for the machinery spaces onboard the ships. I design t-shirts at home using many different processes, have done crafting of all varieties, and still do the occasional murals on the walls in my house.

The hackerspace location is still a secret and you aren’t given the contest theme until you arrive in New York… What guidelines have you been given?

Zorah: As I understand it, we, my team and I have 72 hours to design, plan, and build a piece of art out of recycled materials found through out NYC and come up with a winning design that causes shock and awe. It’s a chance to display and express our creative/ innovative side.

Tirzah: All we know is that we are picking out of a junk pile and making some beautifully awesome art. I can’t wait to find out the theme. I can’t keep from collecting random metal and putting it together to form other wonderful sculptures with or without a function.

Sarah: I’ll familiarize myself with those before I leave Austin.

Have you figured out what role you will each play in the contest?

Zorah: Tirzah is a welder and artist, as is Sarah. They both have made their living creating and designing. Laura is the planner and also super smart. She’s going to be the one to animate it with power. I’ve taken on the role of cat herder/ leader, doing my best to get everyone going in the right direction. I am the person to get shit done, finds what needs to be found and helps stay on course, though Tirzah is really good at all of this too. In the shop I’m the lackie type, some one who preps metal, or collects the needed items from here and there. I’ll take orders and fill in where they need me, but I’ll take control, if we start to loose focus. I’m coming prepared to do what ever needs to be done. This will be the first time all of us have worked together. So we will find out what each of our strengths really are on the fly.

Where are you in terms of contest preparation?

Laura: We have officially booked flights. We are now listed as a “wild card” team on the website. Now we are working on collecting the things and the tools that we want to incorporate into our creation. And I guess I ought to start packing soon too, eh?

Zorah: There is a 200lb. limit on what you can start with. So we are deciding what we have, what we need and what to look out for. We are also getting our friends in NYC involved, as we will need help if we need anything shipped or picked up.

Do you have any ideas for what you will be creating yet? Have you experimented at all?

Zorah: I know that we will probably have moving parts and it’s going to be Effin awesome! I don’t want to say too much, because we really don’t know where to start without the theme. But it is definitely mechanical, with moving parts, or so I assume.

Sarah: I think individually we’ve all done a bit of brainstorming and have touched base with each other on some of the results we’d like to go for but really, I think we’ll be going off of creative impulse on this one.

What is the prize that’s at stake?

Laura: We will win $10,000 plus an entire workshop full of awesome tools that no normal person can actually afford.

What would you like to accomplish with this contest?

Zorah: I want us to win! However, I would be totally happy just representing for all the ladies out there and having some fun. Being an artist has always been about feeding my soul and being able to create something beautiful, or crazy or fun myself. I am going to enjoy this experience.

What’s been the greatest part of the process so far?

Tirzah: We have compiled a team of kick-ass ladies, put together our brains for ideas and options and agreed to enjoy the ride.

Zorah: I can’t stress enough that we have never worked together, some of us have never met before or only met once. But our strength is in our collaborative experience and background. I trust we will do great, make some cool stuff and have fun. I can’t wait!

Click here for more information on Red Bull Creation

Words by Nicole Pajer.

OK, pause the launching of the poor birds for a second and turn your attention to an app with a more inspired type of shooting. The Red Bull Illume iPad App, fresh from the makers of all things kick-ass, is an inspiring showcase of imagery which illuminates the top 250 action and adventure sports images submitted to the Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2010.

Red Bull Illume 2010 was the renowned contest entered by over 4,000 photographers who submitted some 22,000 photos from 112 countries. It was juried by 53 expert photo editors from all over the world who were tasked to narrow it down to just the top fifty, which are currently touring the world as a unique outdoor exhibit. “All of the photos traveling are displayed in this wonderful back-lit manner which to me just lent itself to the iPad,” reflects one of the app’s directors Rainer Plank This app features all 250 of semi-finalists images wonderfully back-lit by that Alien fairy dust behind your screen.

We’re not just talking wallpapers here kids. “You can hear the top 50 photographers speak about their images and explain their concept, process, and what technical issues it took to create the images on the screen,” allows Art Director/Designer Bill Kamphausen. One of the tenets he followed in the design process was to keep it as minimalist as possible. The focus was to keep the emphasis on the photography while providing those stunning downloadable wallpapers showcasing the spirit of the athlete straight from the app to keep it lean. And don’t fret phone phreaks, a palm size version is on the horizon.

“The imagery is amazing. I feel that everyone that sees it takes something with them which inspires the photographer in all of us.” -Rainer Plank

Words by Dustin Downing

To celebrate the U.S. launch of The Red Bulletin magazine, New Yorkers and famous athletes flocked to District 36 to party down with July’s cover girl and two-time World Champion Hurdler Lolo Jones, along with the Boston Celtics’ Rajon Rondo, Red Bull Racing NASCAR driver Brian Vickers and Dahani Jones of the Cincinnati Bengals.