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Creative Inspiration

On Rotation Vol.06 – Wall to wall bangers

It’s been a while since I’ve put together a studio playlist but these tunes have been on heavy rotation. There’s no real rhyme or reason to it. They’re either old faves, something I’ve Shazammed (is that a verb now?) or something Apple music has rammed down my through enough that it’s stuck. Anyway, these are on heavy rotation in the studio and have been providing mucho creative inspiration. Enjoy!

Track Listing

  1. HighLife ~ Chris Valentine
  2. Ultraparadíso ~ Gilligan Moss
  3. TV Set ~ HANDSOME
  4. Trouble (feat. Jennifer Hudson) E ~ Iggy Azalea
  5. Don’t Challenge Me ~ Makers
  6. Butterflies (Jean Tonique Remix) ~ MAX & Ali Gatie
  7. Mo Money Mo Problems (feat. Maße & Puff Daddy) ~ The Notorious B.I.G.
  8. Catchin’ the Vibe ~ Quasimoto
  9. Purple Hat ~ Sofi Tukker
  10. Make a Difference ~ Steve Arrington
  11. On My Block ~ Scarface
  12. The Ballad of Johnny ~ KaiL Baxley
  13. Family and Loyalty (feat. J. Cole) ~ Gang Starr
  14. Gold ~ Kiara
  15. You Could Be (feat. George Riley) ~ Anz
  16. San Francisco Knights ~ People Under the Stairs
  17. Acid Raindrops ~ People Under the Stairs
  18. Funky Sensation (feat. Gwen McCrae) ~ Disclosure
  19. Like Sugar ~ Chaka Khan
  20. Cascada ~ Konx-Om-Pax
  21. REEL IT IN ~ Aminé
  22. Selfish (feat. Cleo Sol) E ~ Little Simz
  23. Feeling Blue ~ Jakatta
  24. Baby I’m Yours (feat. Irfane) ~ Breakbot
  25. Blood To Give ~ Karl S. Williams
  26. Quiet Dog ~ Mos Def
  27. Good Day G ~ Nappy Roots
  28. Lady and Man ~ Khruangbin
  29. Lying Together ~ FKJ
  30. Lost In Paris (feat. GoldLink) ~ Tom Misch
  31. The Circle E ~ Ivan Ave
  32. Be Honest (feat. Burna Boy) (Acoustic) ~ Jorja Smith
  33. Roses (Imanbek Remix) B ~ SAINt JHN
  34. Turning ~ J.Lamotta
  35. The People (Ensemble Entendu Remix) ~ Photay
  36. Time of Our Lives & ~ Pitbull & Ne-Yo
  37. I’m Not Ready for Love ~ Promise
  38. This Girl ~ Kungs & Cookin’ On 3 Burners
  39. Of Wonder ~ Parra for Cuva
  40. This Is Your Night ~ Heavy D & The Boyz
  41. Wish You Were Here ~ The World of Birds
  42. Baby I’m Yours (feat. Irfane) ~ Breakbot
  43. Beach ~ San Cisco
  44. Waves g ~ Joey Bada$$
  45. Marinade ~ DOPE LEMON
  46. Fire In The Sky ~ Anderson.Paak
  47. CUT EM IN (feat. Rick Ross) E ~ Anderson .Paak
  48. You ~ Mk.gee
  49. BAD LIKE RIRI E ~ Jesswar & Erica Banks
  50. Can’t Do Without (My Baby) ~ Cosmo’s Midnight
  51. Places & Spaces ~ Donald Byrd
  52. Money E ~ Leikeli47
  53. Esperar Pra Ver ~ Poolside & Fatnotronic
  54. Doin’ Our Own Dang ~ Jungle Brothers
  55. You Could Be (feat. George Riley) ~ Anz
  56. seaside_demo ~ SEB
  57. Pretty Lady ~ Tash Sultana
  58. Protect Ya Neck (feat. RZA, Method Man, Inspectah Deck, Raekwon) ~ Wu-Tang Clan
Iron Maiden commemorative stamp design

Definitely Disruptive Design & More

10 Things I’ve enjoyed this week

Bikini Kill. Hard, Fast, Fun, Punk Rock from the 90s

Bikini Kill – The Singles [Full Album] – YouTube

So Rad. So Angry. So Fun! Enjoy

Martha Cooper Grafiti Photographer

1UP – ONE WEEK WITH 1UP – THE SHORT FILM – YouTube

I love this so much. I had the Subway Art and Street Art books as a kid. I used to pour over them tracing them and trying to develop my own styles. It’s awesome to know that Martha Cooper is still running and gunning and capturing true writers getting up. This shit is amazing. The “at station stop” whole car they destroy at 6 minutes is INSANE!

PRENDS L'AIR - Self care website design

Accueil | Prends l’air – Beautiful Design Aesthetic!

Beautifully crafted french website to do with mindfulness and self-care. While I can’t read the text I lo9ve, love love the aesthetic.

Iron Maiden commemorative stamp design

The Iron Maiden Royal Mail stamp design is first class

I think it’s ace that even with a Tory government, there is room to celebrate Maiden on National Stamps. Another thing I loved as a kid was Eddie T. Head. I can still remember my Power Slave poster.

Power board design idea

Nexen Electric Bar System- How to Use Video – YouTube

I have long thought that the power plug standard is due for disruption. Don’t get me wrong, Standards are good. But the powerboard/plug standard we have settled with is lame!

Ethical Design Practices

Loving Humane by Design

Writings on ethical design practices when creating digital products and websites. Particularly feeling the piece on intentional design and the long-term effects of our design decisions.

Dumb & Dumber.

Inversion: The Power of Avoiding Stupidity

Avoiding stupidity is easier than seeking brilliance. Rather than thinking about how can we foster innovation in our brand, you might look at the problem by inversion, in which case, you’d think about all the things you could do that would discourage innovation. Ideally, you’d avoid those things. Sounds simple right? Love it!

1950 British Bomb Site Playgrounds

How 1950s bombsites became adventure playgrounds for kids

A very different kind of play than the sterilised, rubberised concrete versions of playgrounds we have today.

Beastie Boys Exhibition

Juxtapoz Magazine – The Beastie Boys Gave Us Permission to Grow, and EXHIBIT Tells the Story

It’s OK to not be the same person today that you were when you were younger. A different kind of Growth Mindset. Looks like a rad exhibition. Wish I could go 🙁

Iggy Pop's Mum

Iggy Pop on his mother’s love – Austin Kleon

Mums are the best. This short piece is a nice reminder to be a rad parent.


Big Love 2023!

Pete

Creative inspiration – Rad things 09.01.2023

Flipping typical: preview text & compare your fonts easily

Created by Stuart Robinson way back in 2009, Flipping Typical allows you to explore the different font options on your computer. It’s easy to forget how much gold you have on your own machine. Better than the font visualisation in Adobe, or Font book, that’s for sure. 

The Butcher Shop

Awesome online art supply store in Australia. Their selection of Markers is next level. And super affordable. $10.00 for a Krink Mop is just crazy!

Tools for better thinking | Untools

A collection of thinking tools and frameworks to help you solve problems, make decisions and understand systems. I haven’t dug too deeply here. But will definitely be spending some time over the coming weeks lookijng at where I can polish up my problem solving and design thinking skills. Noice!

‘My Duduś’. A woman and a squirrel

Super touching short film about a woman and a squirrel. Worth your 8 minutes. 

Heavy-duty e-bike for the win

I’m not really an e-bike fan but this mad piece of utilitarian design looks like it would be an awesome addition to city streets. Allowing small business to easily manage deliveries of a more bulky nature. And it looks rad!

Defender-style minivans are awesome

Speaking of looking rad! DAMD convert Japans most popular mini-van into a post-apocalyptic, defender-style, camper. It looks so hawt! Not sure how it would go off-road but I love it. And still want one. I wish I could understand the video on the page also. It looks wild!

The future of Electricity?

This looks like a step toward becoming a Type A civilisation. Although, the soundtrack on the demonstration video is a touch creepy. Kind of puts me in mind of Matrix/Terminator-style AI’s developing their own power systems. But you know that’s probably just my overactive imagination.

Burning the eggs

Loving this idea for a candle. Via swissmiss

Listening to

Another tight mix from Paul at Jervis bay Brewing Co. One of my favourite clients made even sweeter by incredibly similar tastes in music. Check out all their mixes on Spotify.

Watching Colin from Accounts

Another awesome piece of Australian TV. Thoroughly enjoyed this and smashed it in two or three sittings. Worth a watch

Too much screen time

I know I’m always worried about how much time the kids spend on their screens but let’s be honest, some video games are amazing. This is one from a few years ago that I missed. It’s beautiful!

It’s made by Shapefarm their website is pretty nice also.

Creative inspiration – Too Black, Too strong

Artist Stuart Semple has developed what he believes to be the world’s blackest black ink. He calls it Blink, and you can buy it for $16 a bottle. Intended for calligraphy, pen art, or just a very impressive handwritten letters, Blink brings a super high contrast pigment to a medium anyone can handle. Via Fast Company The full article is worth a read.

Creative inspiration – Watching. Succession

Thoroughly enjoyed the first three seasons of Succession. Blackly funny. A debauched, bunch of anti-heroes stabbing each other in back to rule the world. You know it’s good when you find yourself rooting for the billionaire to beat the Government. Get in!

A walk down memory lane

Had plenty of these. I remember buying 3 packs in cigarette-style cellophane. Waiting to press record and busting out bangers on the car stereo. Enjoy! Tapedeck.org

Creative inspiration – Hell Yes!

Watched Cruella at the cinema last week with the family and it’s a cracker. Thanks, Disney! I loved this. Everything about it was next level. Performances, Art Direction, Fashion, Villians, and F*ck me the soundtrack was off the hook! And… Emma Stone is well fit!

Creative inspiration – Massive Waves of Dead Wood

Loving these sculptures, we have an artist locally who does no too dissimilar work, I’lll look him up and post about him next week. I think these are most definitely the radness. I wan’t to stumble upon this artwork in the bush. Via Colossal

Creative inspiration – Watching Creamerie

Enjoying New Zealand based, dark comedy, post-apocalyptic, speculative fiction show called Creamerie. Not too dis-similar a vibe from Hand Maids Tale but funny and without all the extreme close-ups of June. It’s on the always awesome SBS. Check it.

Creative inspiration – Dark Stories

I love reading books in the Australian voice. I picked this one up at the library last week and smashed it in a couple of sittings. Fast-paced, big action, pretty grim mystery. Nothing too dense (except the scrubland, see what I did there). Good fun. Go visit your library. (Be warned, it starts with a mass shooting).

On rotation 11.06.2021

Turns out I’m a bit of a Chance the Rapper fan. It’s the Gospel piano Vibes that I’m really into. Have a listen.

Creative inspiration – A proper DADAist

Am absolutely loving the work of Katie Burnett. Proper DADAism in photography. This work makes me feel like my excited art student self from 25 years ago. Christ on a bike time hets away from you doesn’t it.

Creative inspiration – Vinyl Sleeves

I’m not sure how I found this and there’s no real about info but Gramobal is a mad tumblr of you guessed it, Record sleeves. Sadly, it hasn’t been updated for six years, but… What is there is amazing. Enjoy!

On Rotation 24.05.2021

Feeling the old-skool vibes on Muzi’s Interblacktic. 90’s piano with a 2000’s Wiley vibe. Will be spending some time on his Soundcloud.

On Rotation 21.05.2021

Still so rad after all these years. Introduced the kid’s to Mr. Cave this week. Was impressed to see them both get into it, despite how menacing this album is. They’re 10 and 11. Epic storyteller. Enjoy!

Check it out on Spotify

Creative inspiration – David Shrigley

Have been loving the work of David Shrigley this week. Here are some things that I particularly like. You can see more of his work here. Or you know, if you wanted to buy me a gift or anything you could get something at Third Drawer Down.

Creative inspiration – Mad Max AF!

For those who like their burning man a little more post apocalyptic there’s Wasteland Weekend in the Mojave desert. You know, if that’s your thing.

Creative inspiration – Stickers!

Japanese artist Yukino Ohmura uses sticker dots to make these mad city scapes! Full story at: spoon-tamago.com. Lock up your stationary cupboards!

The worst swear word in the world

Copied verbatim from The Guardian. I remember reading this in the paper 14 years ago and it still makes me laugh today. I’ts a cracker.

“Sometimes the mystery is better than the knowing, wouldn’t you say? Sometimes the journey is better than the destination”Jon Ronson Sat 28 Jul 2007

My eight-year-old son, Joel, comes into my office to ask if there’s a worse swearword than fuck. “No,” I say.

There’s a silence. “You’re lying,” he says.

“There’s none worse than fuck,” I say.

Joel narrows his eyes. “I know you’re lying,” he says. He leaves the room.

On Saturday I take Joel to Chessington World of Adventures. What a crappy theme park! None the less, we have a wonderful day together.

“You’re a great dad!” Joel says as we drive home.

“And you’re a great son!” I reply with a magical twinkle.Advertisementhttps://afa4abef6d09f2c8d8c8e474d1dbd65b.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html

We smile lovingly at each other.

“There is a worse swearword than fuck, isn’t there?” says Joel.

“Yes, there is!” I say, still with a magical twinkle.

“What is it?” asks Joel.

“It’s c…” I begin. I stop. “Uh,” I say.

“Tell me,” says Joel. “I swear this is just for me. I’ll never use it. I just need to know. I will never use it on anyone. I swear. Just tell me.”

I feel clammy and hemmed in. “And you won’t tell Mum we had this conversation?” I say.

“I promise,” says Joel. “Mum will never know.”

There’s a silence. “I can’t tell you,” I say.

“Tell me,” says Joel.

“I can’t,” I say.

“Then why did you almost tell me?” Joel yells.

“Because I wasn’t thinking responsibly!” I yell. “I was swept up in the magic of the moment.”

“You have to tell me,” Joel says. “It’s only fair.”

“Uh,” I say. “I, uh… I…”

I look around the car. For some reason we have an old can of Italian lemonade down on the floor.

“It’s limone,” I say.

There’s a silence.

“Limone?” says Joel.

“That’s the worst swearword of all,” I say. “Limone. But I’m holding you to your promise that you will never use it. OK? Never.”

“Limone?” says Joel. He seems disappointed.

“There’s nowhere to go after limone,” I say. “Limone is the Everest peak of swearing.”

Joel looks out of the window.

“You know,” I say, wisely, “sometimes the mystery is better than the knowing, wouldn’t you say? Sometimes the journey is better than the destination. Anyway, don’t tell Mum.”

We reach the house. Joel rushes inside.

“Mum!” he yells. “Dad told me the worst swearword of all! I know what it is! Limone!”

My wife, Elaine, appears at the top of the stairs, an inscrutable expression on her face. I shrug, anxiously.

A month passes. We go for a weekend away. At the hotel, a boy on a tricycle crashes into Joel.

“Limone,” mutters Joel under his breath.

Another month passes. Joel has a friend round for a sleepover. At 11pm I hear them talking. They’re saying, “Limone” in awed whispers.

“I feel terrible about this,” I say to Elaine. “I’ve tricked my own son. I’m going to tell him that limone isn’t a swearword, and is in fact the Italian word for lemon.” I pause. “I’m going to tell him the actual worst swearword in the world.”

“You are not!” says Elaine.

“I’d rather he was foul-mouthed and accurate than see him like this,” I say. “All because of my stupid, stupid slip of the tongue in the car on the way back from Chessington World of Adventures.”

“You are not going to tell Joel the worst swearword in the world!” Elaine yells.

And so I don’t.

Today, Joel comes into my office. “Hi,” he says.

“Hi,” I say.

There’s a silence.

“Anyway, I’ll see you later,” says Joel. He goes to leave. Then he turns around.

“Oh,” he says. “Cunt.”

Creative inspiration – Lego

LEGO has released a three-and-a-half-hour playlist that can serve as relaxing background noise while you play with their build sets. What’s even more interesting is that all seven tracks—each 30 minutes long—were composed using LEGO bricks instead of traditional musical instruments. For instance, “Searching for the One (Brick)” features the noise one makes when digging through a pile of LEGO pieces, while the track “The Waterfall” mimics the rumbling sound of water with LEGO bricks being poured from a container.

Creative inspiration – Science accidents. Yes!

Mayonnaise is a miracle.

Employees at Israel’s National Sea Turtle Rescue Center are treating endangered green sea turtles affected by a devastating oil spill that has coated Israel’s coast with thick black tar.

The spill, which Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority has called one of the country’s worst ecological disasters on record, has coated most of Israel’s 120 miles (195 kilometers) of Mediterranean coastline with sticky tar. It has caused extensive damage to wildlife, including sea turtles.

Workers have been removing the toxic substance from the reptiles’ airways and found a creative way to flush it out of their digestive tracks.

“We continue to feed them substances like mayonnaise, which practically clean the system and break down the tar,” Ivgy said. The recovery process is expected to take a week or two, after which the turtles are expected to be released back into the wild.

Guy Ivgy

Fuck Yes!!!

On rotation F#cking Menacing

Brisbane rapper Jesswar is my new favourite thing! Soo dark. Rough Nasty! Loving it!
Savage is another mad track (extreme language warning) checkit!

Vale Double K

This makes me sad. I fucking love these guys! I saw them in a shitty, forgettable venue in Melbourne 20 years ago and was hooked. Their Aussie tunes are The Shit! Go well Double K.

Creative inspiration – This speaks to me

We all love a good Jigsaw. I like this one a lot! Available at: Genuine Fred

About the artist

Wayne White is a multi-media artist born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He has worked professionally as a cartoonist, illustrator, painter, sculptor, set and puppet designer, and animator in New York and Los Angeles. He won three Emmys for his art direction on Pee-wee’s Playhouse. His thirty years in television production includes designing Shining Time Station, Beakman’s World, Peter Gabriel’s “Big Time” video and “Tonight Tonight” for The Smashing Pumpkins. Since 2000, he has shown his paintings and sculptures in galleries all over the world. In 2012, he was the subject of an award winning  documentary “Beauty is Embarrassing.”

Creative inspiration – Toys of my dreams

Just can’t get enough of flying cars, none of these look like they will be helping me drop the kids at school anytime soon and the video voiceover is a bit naff but at least people are trying to make the future.

Creative inspiration – Listless Pandemic TV

Awesome short series on ABC iView and the Beeb probably too.

Pity the poor actors with nothing to do. David Tennant and Martin Sheen try to rehearse a play via Zoom during this whole COVID Rubbish. Tennant just nails it! This one goes out to the people in. Victoria / Melbourne. Hope you’re doing OK.

Other good pandemic TV on ABC is At home alone together. I’m a big fan of the Vibe Designer. And Ray Martin, you’re OK! Anyway. Enjoy!

Creative inspiration – Speaker design

Dieter Rams AF! This Bluetooth speak is a super HAWT minimalist Boombox. Can you imaging the objects Dieter would make today given that everything is wireless? Anyway. Enjoy. The video at the link is disappointingly twee. All a bit Suntory time really.

Feeling nostalgic for the mixtape days? The Teenage Engineering OB-4 taps into the tactile joy of recording + playback using an endless loop recording.

Source: Teenage Engineering OB–4 Dials up the Nostalgia of the Mixtape

On rotation. Ear Candy from Steel City!

An Oldie but a goodie. I used to have this on heavy rotation we we lived in London. Played it to the kids yesterday. Their response. Your music’s weird Dad! Then they turned on their Minecraft songs. Jump up Sheffield!

Creative inspiration – Cold AF for dancing

I’m totally the lord of the dance this week. But there a lot of mad shit going on and these people are just killing it. Human form, at it’s finest, set against epicness! Enjoy!

Set against a snow-sprinkled mountain range in Iceland, composer and pianist Hania Rani plays meditative sostenutos on a lone piano in an enthralling new project. Directed by Paris-based filmmaker Neels Castillon, F Major begins with Rani and a figure in the distance before turning its focus to thre
Source: A Trio of Dancers Brave Icelandic Temperatures in a Stunning New Music Video for Pianist Hania Rani

Creative inspiration – Choreography & VFX

An amazing piece of Choreography for an incredible story. Rad visual aesthetic.

In a powerful interpretation of Elizabeth Eckford’s historic walk to school in 1957, dancer Kendi Jones moves gracefully along a sidewalk. “The First Day” is shot in black-and-white to mimic the iconic photographs of Eckford as she passed through crowds of angry White students, teachers, and co

Source: A Moment of Stunning Choreography and VFX Shares the History of the Little Rock Nine through Dance | Colossal

Creative inspiration – More Lego Awesomeness

The Brooklyn-based artist Sean Kenney works with LEGOs to build amazing life-size animal sculptures. Their pretty awesome, but it’s the pixelation on these two that I love. It’s like they’ve stepped out of an 80’s video game into the real world. Or they’re having their identities obscured to protect the innocent. Either way. Mad Skills.

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