X-Ray's Ignited Russia's Love Affair With Vinyl Records, How Bone Records Helped To Keep Rock N' Roll Alive

Photos via Jozsef Hajdu and Ksenia Vytuleva

Music as a medium permeates all cultures on earth and we definitely consider it to be the heartbeat of the soul. Watch the transformation of an audience when witnessing their favorite band taking the stage or to be lost in the middle of a song. It's a transformative moment and something to which our actions during that exact time period can be quite hard to define. 

Now imagine if your government forbade you to listen to certain types of music. Would this bring out a form of rebellion within you? Would this make a certain music genre more interesting to seek out? These few ideas could be thought about as a huge amount of what if's, but this is where things get interesting. Read on below to find out exactly how young Russians only a few decades ago were listening to forbidden music from the west. 

Scenes From The Latest Motobunny Photoshoot

Scenes From The Latest Motobunny Photoshoot

In the midst of their recent photo shoot the Motobunny crew is steadily filling their calendar with tour dates and lining up appearances to unleash their sonically charged garage riffage to the masses. Damn great things are happening with Motobunny and preparations are in effect for their full length album due out in 2015.

Rory Kelly Covers Charlie Daniels, The Devil Went Down To Georgia

Rory Kelly Covers Charlie Daniels, The Devil Went Down To Georgia

Storming out of Black Mountain region of Marion, North Carolina, Rory Kelly, Billy Miller and Mike "Pops" Kelly have taken a well known song by an esteemed player from the low country area of the state and injected it with their own brand of thundering rhythm and infectious guitar tone. Covering a song that has become such a pop culture staple as this amazing hit by Charlie Daniels, shows the prowess that the fellas have perfected over the last few years and the hundreds of shows they have toured together shredding through, blood, sweat and beers.  

Check out more great music from Rory Kelly

Rusty Knuckles Custom Belt Buckles From Soda Etching

Transferring the art for the buckles onto the aluminum plate

Hardly a day goes by when we aren't trying to up the ante on our craftsmanship and products offered. Have a look at a new product in the development phase, with our soda etched aluminum belt buckles. We have been wanting a quality belt buckle for quite a long time and didn't want to spend a certain amount on minimum orders from large manufacturers so we opted to read up on the process via many online resources such as this one on Instructables or this one for a guitar pedal

Our initial etchings are a bit rough as we are testing papers and dialing in our production process. The next steps will be to then finish out the existing designs with a perfect etch, TIG weld on the back the pieces needed to attach to a belt and then polish to perfection and be ready to ship. We will be offering up quite a few of these for the bands we work with in limited runs and then to also have batches of one off designs created in limited editions. 

Once our aluminum buckles are perfected we have also been building our new kiln to start pouring molten bronze buckles through sand casting. If any of this were easy and a few quick steps we would have all of this done quickly, but of course quality takes time and that's the best way to operate.

A Poetic Journey To Watching A Custom Beretta Shotgun Being Assembled

Craftsman at Beretta gazing upon a piece of burled wood for the buttstock of a custom shotgun

"Human Technology is an artistic short movie celebrating the uniqueness and the distinction of every Beretta premium gun. This movie by Ancarani Studio, under the creative direction of Paola Manfrin, reveals through the minutia of the manufacturing process, the genesis of a luxury Beretta shotgun. A poetic journey through sterile robotic rooms is blended with five centuries of Beretta’s history, culminating in the final assembly by the gunsmith, ever the wise guardian of the art of manufacturing."

Find out more on Beretta Firearms


BERETTA "Human Technology" from Paola Manfrin on Vimeo.

Black Eyed Vermillion Releases Never Shed A Bloody Tear

Black Eyed Vermillion Releases Never Shed A Bloody Tear

Gary Lindsey of Black Eyed Vermillion has served up one hell of an album with his latest batch of blue eyed punk rock soul. BEV won't be hitting the road outside of Austin and maybe a few other select Texas cities until late spring of 2015, so get over to Itunes and download the new batch of material. Have a listen to one of the brand new tracks below.

Pirates Press and GZ Media Unveil Brand New Vinyl Record Pressing Machine

Pirates Press and GZ Media Unveil Brand New Vinyl Record Pressing Machine

Getting vinyl records made can be a game called, hurry up and wait. When we are producing vinyl records we do our best to keep bands, fans and customers all up to date on when an exact arrival time might be and it can be quite daunting. Crazy to think, but at one time the exact color we were needing was out of stock far and wide and red vinyl was on hold until more pellets could be produced. Another time, we got so far behind as the manufacturer put our project behind another larger one, causing a full month delay. 

The headaches can go on and on as vinyl records are a tedious process, so it is great news to hear about Pirates Press doubling down and further developing their production process. We can thank them for the stupendous work on our picture disc on the GG Allin / Antiseen record. They are great to work with and have very competitive pricing.

Tyrolean's Off To These Orchestral Craftsmen

Tyrolean's Off To These Orchestral Craftsmen

Sound by definition, are the vibrations that travel through the air or another medium and can be heard when they reach a person's or animal's ear. What constitutes those sounds and to what we hear and discern from them are all based upon our own preference. 


What makes one band better than another? What gives a guitar a certain warm tone? Many of these elements come into play with the materials that make up the instrument or the way an individual uses a certain skill set create the soundscape with the tool at hand. 

Tyrolean's off to these orchestral craftsmen who use a simple and effective sheet metal tool box to create a cacophony of sound that is pure rhythm and absolute utilitarian. Next time you blame your gear for acting up, maybe you should just get back to the basics.

The Big Lessons of Sturgill Simpson’s Success, From Saving Country Music

The Big Lessons of Sturgill Simpson’s Success, From Saving Country Music

Damn is it great to see Sturgill Simpson doing so well with all the accolades from his latest album. The bigger elements come from a few simple ingredients that he figured out how to mix up into a tasty stew. If you ever had the chance to see what he had cookin' in Sunday Valley, then you know the depths to which his catalog can traverse. Read more from the great write up on Saving Country Music below.

Legalize Lane Splitting For Motorcycles In All 50 States, Sign The Petition

Legalize Lane Splitting For Motorcycles In All 50 States, Sign The Petition

If you are a motorcyclist or have friends or family that ride, do yourself a favor and sign up the petition to make it legal to split lanes in all 50 states. As a former lane splitter in California for a number of years, I can tell you first hand how much it helps with traffic flow and commute times. When traversing heavily trafficked areas in urban sprawl, being stuck on an air cooled motor in not only physically taxing but hard on your machine. This helps with safety of each biker by being more readily able to maneuver in and out of tight traffic situations that could save lives. 

Sign the petition

Legalize Lane Splitting For Motorcycles In All 50 States, Sign The Petition

The Oddities Collection of Ryan Matthew Cohn

A Kapala skull is a sacred human skull that has been decorated in semi precious stones and metals and used in tantric Buddhist rituals. The skull cap opens and is meant to hold ceremonial offerings such as blood.

Ever check out the show Oddities on the Science Channel? One of the recurring cast members Ryan Matthew Cohn always had a great collection of bones and skulls from the work he creates in osteology. These photos are from his instagram page and many more can be found there and over on his main site, have a look.

The Photography of Vanessa Moselle

The Photography of Vanessa Moselle

Shooting a picture is as easy as breathing. Not too far long ago, when an individual would expose a transparent sheet of plastic film covered with silver halide crystals to a light source, a physical reaction would occur. This process involving apertures, film speed and an artistic eye was once a highly regarded art form and still is, yet a bit of the mojo is lost due to the proliferation of camera technology readily available on our smart phones. What strikes a chord though is when an image is created, that is timeless. It could have been taken from a digital camera, cell phone or even a vintage camera and it makes the camera as a tool emerge entirely full circle. Each picture evokes a story and whatever type of camera used is inconsequential. Seeing the photography of Vanessa Moselle on flickr is a window into her artistic eye and we thank her for it.

Jimmy DiResta Creates 15 Custom Boxes For George Dickel Tennessee Whiskey

Jimmy DiResta Creates 15 Custom Boxes For George Dickel Tennessee Whiskey

The process videos that Jimmy DiResta creates over on his youtube page are eloquently spartan in their narrative and scope, but the magic comes from his technique. The blurring of sound and action coming together as saw blades buzz, sharpies squeak across a surface and the cacophony of a hammer tapping wood, nails and rivets into place feels like a a blue collar orchestra in all it's glory. In the spirit of Jimmy's videos let's drop the floral language and hit the nail on the head. These videos are just damn cool to watch and seeing a true craftsman at work is better than any damn scripted show could ever be. Three cheers to all tradesmen world wide.

Hellbound Glory - Streets Of Aberdeen Is The Sleeper Hit of 2014

Leroy Virgil's songwriting for Hellbound Glory's - Streets of Aberdeen, feels as if it's torn straight from the dialogue of a gritty HBO series and the characters are about to walk directly into your life. This sense of immediacy, purpose and emotion scratches at the fragility of the human condition and we listen attentively for an affirmation of our own reality. Hellbound Glory is up for Song of The Year on Saving Country Music, so do them a favor and go share your opinion about how great, Streets of Aberdeen truly is. This is a sleeper hit of 2014 and needs to be heard by the masses. Huge Congrats to Leroy for continuing to refine his craft.

Link over to Saving Country Music

Husky Burnette Debuts Brand New Track - Amazing Grace

 
"Amazing Grace was the only song I'd sing along with in church when I was young, it was my favorite. I never cared much for hymns but this one always hit me right. When I worked up this version it was probably 2010 or 2011. I never did anything with it and it fell by the wayside. Then not long ago I got some bad news about a friend, Kathleen Fiedler, who had passed and got asked to play this at her memorial service. One week later, my first drummer and very close friend, Allen Tate, passed as well. This tune is in memory of those two special people who will never be forgotten. I guess you could say it's also my way of giving back something that was given to me years ago. Enjoy. - Husky Burnette"

Photo by Connie Shelby Brandt

1936 Harley Davidson Barn Find

1936 Harley Davidson Barn Find

TRUE barn find!!! And "yes" the engine does turn. This bike has been kept in a barn for 30 years+. It is 95% original from what i can see. It has the following original parts, Frame, Fenders, Handlebars, Engine, Dash, Speedo (Corbin) very expensive, springer front end, Horn, Headlight (cycle ray), Primary cover, Tool Box, Seat, Floor boards, Rims and Tires (Firestone), they even seem to be original and from the looks of the wear on the floor boards, it doesn't seem like it was ridin much i reckin'. I've seen these bikes go for 30-40K restored and not with this many original parts. And the icing on the cake is that it comes with a 1936 California Title. Buyer is responsible for shipping and a $1000 deposit is required at end of bid. It is "BUY AS IS" Or it goes to the next bidder. Buyer is responsible for all shipping arrangements, my ZIP CODE is 92501.

Bid on this great find now

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1936 Harley Davidson Barn Find ready for a new home

Detail on the 1936 Flathead Harley

Vintage Corbin Speedometer on a 1936 Harley Flathead

The Rolling Bones Hot Rod Shop Feature Video

The Rolling Bones Hot Rod Shop Feature Video

Film maker Brian Darwas currently produces feature length documentaries on Hot Rod and Motorcycle Culture. All of which have gone on to win awards, and have been well received. He's now changing things up a bit, making a handful short films that anyone can share freely.

"I feel it's important to our scene that high quality moving images, which can both awe and inspire, are available to anyone at anytime. My goal is to reach the younger generation. The generation of people who grew up on the Internet, and turn to it as a source of new ideas and inspiration. I'd like to instill in them the notion that hot rods, motorcycles, and building stuff by hand is still cool and relevant." ~ Brian Darwas

Marc Geiger Keynote Speech From Midem 2014

Marc Geiger Keynote Speech From Midem 2014

Opinions vary far and wide about what the future of the music industry will be, but one thing to keep an eye on are the key players on the business side of things. Marc Geiger is one of those key figures who is the global head of music with William Morris Endeavors. Listen to some of his opinions on where the future will be along with a panel discussion at Midem 2014 with a panel of industry veterans.

Spotify Reveals It's 2013 Financial Report And What You Need To Know As A Musician

Spotify Reveals It's 2013 Financial Report And What You Need To Know As A Musician

Revenues from music sales are dwindling yet more music is being created and played than ever. If you listen to music industry insiders such as Marc Geiger, you will hear him consistently praise the streaming networks as they are the foothold into the future. Can streaming music sales be the true catalyst for change and a way to monetize all of your hard work? Time will tell, but here is what's for certain, hard work can trump talent any day. You may write great songs and be a prolific musician, but if you aren't connecting with fans, there will be no one to buy your music. Make life happen and get out there and promote yourself!

Reno Divorce Debut Brand New Song - California

Reno Divorce, Full Throttle Mile High Punk Rock & Rocll

Reno Divorce Debut Brand New Song entitled, California. Dive in and listen and then head over to their page to download

Building A Gravity Race Cart From Scrap Parts - Time Lapse

Building A Gravity Race Cart From Scrap Parts - Time Lapse

A challenge is something we personally enjoy, so we decided to build a gravity racing cart from two scrap bicycles and one old go cart. It all started when a co-worked at an old job asked all of us to be part of a community event and we had to build a gravity racing cart to be a part of it. Needless to say, my mind started to run rampant with ideas and also how to do it on little or no budget.

As I researched about what the hell gravity racing actually was, I really started to immerse myself into the ideas and focus on a plan of attack. We needed it to be relatively easy to build and also low to the ground using bicycle tires and rims as they would give us our speed and be readily available.

Finding a decent used go cart frame wasn't too hard either with the help of craigslist so then it was time for the fabrication to start. After buying some steel for the axle fabrication and employing my scrap parts pile, along with the salvaged bikes, things progressed quickly and this here race cart is ready for action. The amazing aspect is that it one every single battle on race day and I can be fully satisfied in knowing that another scrap parts puzzle is completed. Long live DIY folks everywhere!

Watch our time lapse video below

Mopar Rob thinking on front end mock up

Getting the steering knuckles in place

Basic shape of the cart is in place for rear axle setup

Hard to believe that the old bike parts worked so well

Salvaged and scrap parts Cart ready for paint

The final look of the gravity racing cart

Old BMX bike about to go under the knife for surgery and amputation