XakD Incraporated

Here is some art by me. Real life, digital and I might even talk about some ideas and stuff and junk. Yep

ObsesSession

I just recently finished Mick Foley’s 3rd wrestling-ography: Hardcore Diaries. It was pretty good. It was supposed to be a diary kept my Mick from his 2004 comeback til 2007 or so. While it was chock full of entries with old stories mixed in; it also had a lot of filler. At any rate that in turn made me go on the hunt for old ECW stuff. For most of the book talked about Mick’s ECW: One Night Stand match. I watched the two “ONS” and then a bunch of old stuff. ECW is actually the first wrestling I had every really sat down and watched all the way through. I’d watch WWF  sometimes but not really ever know what was going on. I was very young during those days. Then I’d sneak watch wrestling because, my mom made it to where I couldn’t watch for the violence. I watched it anyways, standing right in front of my TV so I could change the channel if my parents came in my room. I didn’t have a remote so I had to be ready. Anyway I was over at a friends house when I was 10 or so and his step dad was watching a ECW PPV. Barely Legal to be exact. Me and my friend were playing He-man. He had Castle Grayskull, it was awesome. When I heard ECW. Then I remembered seeing RAW a while back and seeing some crazy longed haired guy (SABU) jump off of the RAW sign and the Vince McMahon saying “something, something ECW”. So I guess it triggered that. The crowd started chatting “Fuck you D-Von” so naturally being young and just recently learning about cursing, my eyes were fixed. Then I saw the intro for the PPV, which had people doing crazy stuff; flying through tables, doing flips and what not. Throw in some random shots of scantily clad women and you have a recipe for greatness to a young boy. I had been back into wrestling for about a year because I got a phone call from a friend saying: “Dude Hulkster’s a bad guy now”. So I had been sneak watching WCW for a bit. So seeing all this stuff was way more than I was “supposed to” see, so it was great! I watched the rest of the PPV sitting on the floor and it had me hooked! The crowd was just so into whatever was happening and what ever was happening was very shocking. After that wrestling got REALLY popular and my Maam naturally let me watch it. So all this week I have been reminding myself of the ‘good ol’ days’. One of the videos I found to be most memorable is the match between John Cena and RVD for the WWE title. This was the second One Night Stand and the beginning of what seemed like the rebirth of ECW. Also it was the first time they had WWE story lines mixed in for the show. The match was pretty good but, what made it even better was the just sheer hatred for John Cena. He usually does his thing then throws out his shirt and hat to a crowd that wants them. Not this time as they preceded to throw everything back no matter how Cena tried. It was great. Like I mentioned before, the crowd is what made it. I think that’s pretty much always the case. With the chants and reactions, a good crowd makes a match seem like you wish you were there to see it in person. A crowd can really make or break the whole show.

I got beanie art too! Pretty much if it can be painted on and then worn, I’m gonna “fux wid it”. Anyways, let me just start off by saying by today’s AWESOME weather it looks like we won’t need these types of garments for a while. YAY! It seems that Spring is here, or atleast that’s what my sinuses are telling me. But I do infact “art” on other types of hats aswell. This one in particular, I found at a local ATL venue called The Masquerade(raise the roof!). Don’t worry I washed and stuff. It had a hole in it conveniently right where one of my eyes are when I pulled it down. So I was like “ski mask time!” I cut another hole for the other eye and voilà! Then I thought about putting something on the front, like a face. I was like “yes this is a great idea!” Side note: a few days after that, I was in the mall and saw the marvel beanies with hero faces on them, so much for that. I had no idea of what type of face I wanted to put on it. I thought about, if I were a goofy robber I want to be scary. So I put a monster face on it. For some reason when I think of ‘monsters’, I think green. I think dinosaurs are the reasoning behind that. I had a bunch of dinosaur toys when I was a kid. It was before Jurassic Park came out so they were a little less accurate. Plus they were cheap and solid green is the cheapest way to go while staying in the realistic spectrum, I guess. I used a white fabric paint base and then went to town with various types of markers. I realize I didn’t really talk of the medium on the hat last week. Sorry, I’m new at this. It was very fun to make and I will be doing more in the future.

I got beanie art too! Pretty much if it can be painted on and then worn, I’m gonna “fux wid it”. Anyways, let me just start off by saying by today’s AWESOME weather it looks like we won’t need these types of garments for a while. YAY! It seems that Spring is here, or atleast that’s what my sinuses are telling me. But I do infact “art” on other types of hats aswell. This one in particular, I found at a local ATL venue called The Masquerade(raise the roof!). Don’t worry I washed and stuff. It had a hole in it conveniently right where one of my eyes are when I pulled it down. So I was like “ski mask time!” I cut another hole for the other eye and voilà! Then I thought about putting something on the front, like a face. I was like “yes this is a great idea!” Side note: a few days after that, I was in the mall and saw the marvel beanies with hero faces on them, so much for that. I had no idea of what type of face I wanted to put on it. I thought about, if I were a goofy robber I want to be scary. So I put a monster face on it. For some reason when I think of ‘monsters’, I think green. I think dinosaurs are the reasoning behind that. I had a bunch of dinosaur toys when I was a kid. It was before Jurassic Park came out so they were a little less accurate. Plus they were cheap and solid green is the cheapest way to go while staying in the realistic spectrum, I guess. I used a white fabric paint base and then went to town with various types of markers. I realize I didn’t really talk of the medium on the hat last week. Sorry, I’m new at this. It was very fun to make and I will be doing more in the future.

Ahh Daft Punk. How can you not like these guys. Anyway, I first saw this late on a Saturday night on Toonami (remember that? *sigh*) and it blew my mind. At the time i was hugely into Dragonball Z and anime in general. Also I had no idea I liked house or techno or any of that stuff. I have always been a fan of Static-X and they borrow elements from that style, so I guess I always did like that kind of stuff. Also I had been only playing drums for a few years when I saw this and the straight forward pulsing beat inspired me. Not to mention the artwork and concept were super inspiring. See when I see something that really impresses me; it doesn’t inspire me to do what that thing is. It inspires me in a very general way. It gives me ambition fuel to go and do the things that I love. So people ask me what inspires me, I say “anything and everything” because, it is very possible to be inspired by all things. Now influences, well that’s a different story…

“It’s a small world after all…” Yep. This is a very true statement. Through out the years of playing music I have met alot of people and that might be my why world is so “small”. I can’t honestly tell you the last time I met some one; I talked to them for a minute, then found out we know the same people. Its not that the literal earf is small. Its people’s respective “worlds”. A projection of a perspective if you will. “This is my world! MY WORLD!” Agent Smith, The Matrix. The Matrix was never Smith’s literally but, the way he saw it made it his. Honestly I think the earf is actually swelling if you ask me but, that’s for another time. So the world is not small no. But MY world gets smaller and smaller everyday. I have a theory that when someone dies their energy goes back up into the this energy atmosphere and when people are conceived they barrow some energy from this “cloud”. Sometimes people get pieces of the same energy so in turn they are connected. Well, wow I got pretty far out with this one. Anyway this shirt is inspired by …all of that stuff.  

“It’s a small world after all…” Yep. This is a very true statement. Through out the years of playing music I have met alot of people and that might be my why world is so “small”. I can’t honestly tell you the last time I met some one; I talked to them for a minute, then found out we know the same people. Its not that the literal earf is small. Its people’s respective “worlds”. A projection of a perspective if you will. “This is my world! MY WORLD!” Agent Smith, The Matrix. The Matrix was never Smith’s literally but, the way he saw it made it his. Honestly I think the earf is actually swelling if you ask me but, that’s for another time. So the world is not small no. But MY world gets smaller and smaller everyday. I have a theory that when someone dies their energy goes back up into the this energy atmosphere and when people are conceived they barrow some energy from this “cloud”. Sometimes people get pieces of the same energy so in turn they are connected. Well, wow I got pretty far out with this one. Anyway this shirt is inspired by …all of that stuff.  

SKULL SPIDERS I HATE SPIDERS! Like I can’t even look at pictures with out squirming a bit. And I can pretty much pin point the reason. The movie Little Monsters. Great movie, don’t get me wrong but, there’s this one scene where Ben Savage’s character and his friend are in his room and the friend is telling a messed up story about an axe murderer cutting off all the arms and legs of this girl. That’s scary enough right there. Then Fred Savage’s character starts to mess with them by reenacting the “bump, bump” noise from the story. Anyway he goes down to his room right after and there’s a glowing light coming from his closet. He had one of those blinds, shutter door type closets, exactly like the one I had! So he opens the door to find a TV playing this terrible scene from some old movie where an old lady is screaming “help me” in a very high pitched creepy voice. She’s covered in webbing and of course a GIANT SPIDER comes into frame to EAT HER! From that moment on I have been deathly afraid of spiders. I even had educational books with pictures of spiders and I would tape those pages together so I would never see them. I don’t know what it is about late eighties/early nineties kids movies. They were seriously messed up. Go and check out The Nostalgia Critic or James Rolfe they will remind you. That’s why I think my generation has always been memorized by things that are “wrong”. We were trained that way. So this design is kindof like a “face my fears” or putting a face on my fears is more like it. That’s what the skulls are. To show how scary I think spiders are and skaters can stomp on the damned things all day long!

SKULL SPIDERS

I HATE SPIDERS! Like I can’t even look at pictures with out squirming a bit. And I can pretty much pin point the reason. The movie Little Monsters. Great movie, don’t get me wrong but, there’s this one scene where Ben Savage’s character and his friend are in his room and the friend is telling a messed up story about an axe murderer cutting off all the arms and legs of this girl. That’s scary enough right there. Then Fred Savage’s character starts to mess with them by reenacting the “bump, bump” noise from the story. Anyway he goes down to his room right after and there’s a glowing light coming from his closet. He had one of those blinds, shutter door type closets, exactly like the one I had! So he opens the door to find a TV playing this terrible scene from some old movie where an old lady is screaming “help me” in a very high pitched creepy voice. She’s covered in webbing and of course a GIANT SPIDER comes into frame to EAT HER! From that moment on I have been deathly afraid of spiders. I even had educational books with pictures of spiders and I would tape those pages together so I would never see them. I don’t know what it is about late eighties/early nineties kids movies. They were seriously messed up. Go and check out The Nostalgia Critic or James Rolfe they will remind you. That’s why I think my generation has always been memorized by things that are “wrong”. We were trained that way. So this design is kindof like a “face my fears” or putting a face on my fears is more like it. That’s what the skulls are. To show how scary I think spiders are and skaters can stomp on the damned things all day long!

ObsesSession

 Okay so for this whole week i have been on a “find super heavy music” kick. And I have found some bands through listening to The Acacia Strain Radio on last.fm; here are some of them:

THY ART IS MURDER - Mixing new school with old school, these guys are pretty awesome. The ideas and symbolism they use are enough but, the way they project skinless, cannibal corpse; even morbid angel. Yet still have a new school edge with the breakdowns and dissonant chords etc. Most “metal” fans are turned off by that second part but, not me. The satanic/atheistic artwork and lyrics alone make them metal enough. Plus their drummer is super duper fast and tight. So I’m biased.

The Contortionist - Djent done with a bit of deathcore and math. That’s the best way I can describe these guys. They rip apart song structure with weird time signatures and strange scales but still manage not to lose you. Then they bust into a very traditional “djent” melodic part, with syth mind you and it all makes since together. I hate when bands do a part just for the sake of making their songs impossible to follow or just to be “different”. This band is genuine.

Slice the Cake - This band I actually found on facebook when it was posted by a friend. The song I heard is a brand new one. It starts out with a very black metal intro with “acoustic” sounding guitars and violins. Then it slowly decays into a halved timed type groove that progresses into a “showing of their stroke”. The music is very techy and he vocalist does almost mocking birdesk vocal to show his whole range in just a couple of words. Upon doing further research most of their songs deliver to this caliber and that’s the way it should be.

So all and all it has been a good week in new music for me. Lately I have been all but enthused for new music, specially metal. Everyone just seemed to be following trends. Although these bands may pay homage; that’s all it is. They use their influences as a launch pad to musical innovation. I believe that’s the only way you CAN be innovative in this day and age. Most of everything GOOD has been thought of and done. So taking a few parts from things you like and are inspired by is the way to make great music. Because most people are afraid of everything these days and new music is at the top of that list. Either it be from the economy or just the humans getting lazier(probably that one). People need some sort of familiar territory to stand. In closing this week has made me optimistic about metal. I will leave you with the seed of my ObessSesion this week:

The Acacia Strain - Tactical Nuke

This is another form of art that I delve in. A very very important part of my life. I have been playing music for about 13 or so years now. Everything I’ve been through and all the big events in my life can be pin pointed using which band i was in at the time. Most of my big events and drinking days were spent in my old band Last Day To Fall. Even though I’ll be 4 years sober this summer, I wouldn’t change one bit of those days. Also if not for those days I wouldn’t be where I am today. Koskee is the band I am most proud of and still am. I think I have found the best chemistry with these fine gentlemen and we plan to take over the world. 

This is the video for our song “Powers ‘Out’ Boothe”. It’s a mash up from our “homecoming” show at Jonnie MacCracken’s. A bar that is a second home to us. It still is one of the best if not the best show we have played to date.

Thank you to ALL of the people that have supported and still support this band. None of this would be possible if it weren’t for you. And you know who you are!

One of my most priced pieces. I was watching Saturday night live best of Chris Farley. And one on of the “Da Bears” skits they have double billed hats. One side the bears. Other side the bulls. So I thought “I’m gonna make a dang double billed hat!”. So I did. Lots of time, glue, thread, and patients. All hand sewn. I took a Ziljian hat and a hat that my maam got me that had my old band embroidered on it. I tried to make it look as though the black hat is ripping out of the camo one. The kanji on the bill is from Street fighter. It roughly means “a thousand hits in an instant” and “godlike man” in the middle. While I don’t know the Japanese language(Gods willing if I had the frakin’ time I would). I am very obsessed with the Street Fighter games. I had ‘2 turbo’ on SNES. These symbols appear on the screen when my favorite character Akuma does one of his super combo moves. The Raging Demon is what it’s called. And even though you don’t get to see the move happen because, it’s such an evil move that it can’t be seen by human eyes i guess. But is it one of the most devastating moves in gaming. I’ve just always loved the Akuma character. I have never really thought about my shear elation when it comes to evil. Maybe it has something to do with rebellion? Maybe. Well demons are quool and so is this hat.

One of my most priced pieces. I was watching Saturday night live best of Chris Farley. And one on of the “Da Bears” skits they have double billed hats. One side the bears. Other side the bulls. So I thought “I’m gonna make a dang double billed hat!”. So I did. Lots of time, glue, thread, and patients. All hand sewn. I took a Ziljian hat and a hat that my maam got me that had my old band embroidered on it. I tried to make it look as though the black hat is ripping out of the camo one. The kanji on the bill is from Street fighter. It roughly means “a thousand hits in an instant” and “godlike man” in the middle. While I don’t know the Japanese language(Gods willing if I had the frakin’ time I would). I am very obsessed with the Street Fighter games. I had ‘2 turbo’ on SNES. These symbols appear on the screen when my favorite character Akuma does one of his super combo moves. The Raging Demon is what it’s called. And even though you don’t get to see the move happen because, it’s such an evil move that it can’t be seen by human eyes i guess. But is it one of the most devastating moves in gaming. I’ve just always loved the Akuma character. I have never really thought about my shear elation when it comes to evil. Maybe it has something to do with rebellion? Maybe. Well demons are quool and so is this hat.

OH haha. DEEZ. A word/phrase I have always loved. It’s just so hilarious. I’ve always gotten a kick out of any kind of slang. If a chance to say ‘these’ presents itself, I say ‘deez’ instead. I mean most of my electronics are identified as DEEZ. My Flash drive: DEEZ; my phone: DEEZ; my whole below the belt area: DEEZ. I’m laughing right now as I’m typing this.  I can remember back in middle school. I would go around and ask “Do you like CDs or tapes?”. 9 times out of 10 people would say “CDs” and I would retort “Well…’C’ DEEZ NUTS IN YOUR MOUTH!”. Oh man. good times. Even if people said “tapes” I would just say “TAPE DEEZ…” you get the picture. It’s always funny to me to see how obsessed kids are with rebelling in some way shape or form. In this case most of the kids in my school experience would curse as much as possible. Why? I don’t know really. I guess it’s because we weren’t supposed to, is what I’m getting at. Either way I guess this design idea is a little bit of nostalgia. But if you see me out some where I may just ask you the question:”Do you like DVDs or Blu-ray?” 

OH haha. DEEZ. A word/phrase I have always loved. It’s just so hilarious. I’ve always gotten a kick out of any kind of slang. If a chance to say ‘these’ presents itself, I say ‘deez’ instead. I mean most of my electronics are identified as DEEZ. My Flash drive: DEEZ; my phone: DEEZ; my whole below the belt area: DEEZ. I’m laughing right now as I’m typing this. 

I can remember back in middle school. I would go around and ask “Do you like CDs or tapes?”. 9 times out of 10 people would say “CDs” and I would retort “Well…’C’ DEEZ NUTS IN YOUR MOUTH!”. Oh man. good times. Even if people said “tapes” I would just say “TAPE DEEZ…” you get the picture. It’s always funny to me to see how obsessed kids are with rebelling in some way shape or form. In this case most of the kids in my school experience would curse as much as possible. Why? I don’t know really. I guess it’s because we weren’t supposed to, is what I’m getting at. Either way I guess this design idea is a little bit of nostalgia. But if you see me out some where I may just ask you the question:”Do you like DVDs or Blu-ray?” 

RAWR! Skateboard Deck.

RAWR! skateboard
RAWR! by Xdecks
Browse Skate Skateboards
Here is the first of many deck design ideas. I’m using Zazzle.com to make these. I wish it weren’t so much but its the only decently priced site I could find. Since I don’t have the money to just go out and buy a bunch of decks and stickers, this is a nice alternative. I wish I could just give them to skaters I know or see out, then go from there. Anyways here it is.
I was inspired to do this when i was just looking at blank t-shirt pix and i came across this one of a guy standing in a white shirt, screaming. And I was like “hey, he kindof looks like a lion”. So i put a lion head on him. Then I really wanted him to say RAWWR! but, a shirt seemed too small of a canvas or too short. A deck was always the obvious choice.