GIGANTIC.

Sorry for the late-morning update, but I’m still recovering from the Pixies‘ show last night at the Palladium.  This tour commemorates the 20th Anniversary of their “Doolittle” album.  Perhaps not my favorite album from the Pixies, but some of my favorite tracks are in there (”Debaser,” “Here Comes Your Man,” “Monkey Gone to Heaven,” “Hey”).  Plus, as usual with the opening night in L.A., they stuck around for a couple encores, the second with the house lights on, to perform some other favorites.  Although we didn’t get “Where is my mind?” like the Wednesday night show, the Thursday show did end with “Caribou,” my personal favorite Pixies song.  Winner.

There’s my old friend Zach and the Pixies’ publicist, Heidi Ellen Robinson Fitzgerald.  Heidi is THE rock publicist. There is none higher, I  promise you.  She’s handled Van Halen, the Beach Boys, the Sex Pistols’ only US tour in ‘78, the Deftones, Rod Stewart, the Lollapalooza festivals in the ’90s, etc. etc….  Right now, she handles Rick Rubin, Anthrax, and Slayer.  In fact, the last time the 3 of us were all together was at the Slayer album release party in ‘01, midnight at the Hollywood Forever cemetery.  I’ll never forget that night, walking over graves to get to the party in the mortuary… but also because the following morning happened to be September 11th.

Anyways, the Pixies are one of my favorite bands and it was a real pleasure to see these guys live. They’ve added a 3rd LA show for tonight, and I do believe they’re doing Conan O’ Brien as well.  I’d really like to see a new album out of them, as most Pixies diehards, and rumors are..???  Regardless, if you’re not into the Pixies, there’s nothing more I can say.  If you ARE, then I don’t need to tell you anything.  So just enjoy the photographs and I’ll shut up now. Here Comes Your Band…

by bobbyhundreds

THE OFFICE.

This morning, I paid a visit to Cash and the rest of the crew at ibeatYou, over at their new offices.  For the unfamiliar, ibeatYou is an online competition website, where millions of users worldwide upload videos, photos, and texts of themselves.  Considering the term “sports” is applied to any competitive activity governed by a set of rules, I’d say that ibeatYou is essentially the most interactive sports site on the net.  It basically turns the entire world into a football field, or boxing ring, or chessboard.

Buzz buzz buzz, like bees in a hive.  Everyone was still waking up by the time I got in, but already on that grind.

This is also homebase for Verso Entertainment, which produced the Bloods & Crips documentary, MADE IN AMERICA.

While I’m hardly working, Chad’s hard at work.  And there’s Cash next door.

We were talking about the Pixies “Dolittle” tour that’s running through L.A. right now.  Cash’s assistant Abigail was at last night’s show and claims it’s the best concert she’s ever attended, and that includes her Radiohead experiences.  I’m in for tonight, and I think Cash might go tomorrow.  Anyways, where is my mind??

Trading one Korean for another. On my way out, writer/director Danny Lee strolled in.  Maybe I’ll just move my office in here.  Is that cool, guys?

by bobbyhundreds

DOGGONE IT.

Who is Wallace?  Why does he always end up on the blog?  Why do we dedicate entire t-shirt graphics around him?  Moreso than Adam Bomb, Wallace is the true mascot here at The Hundreds. Ben picked up the world’s #1 pug within months of us starting the brand.  So he’s as integral to TH than any human being.  Lately, he’s been graying a bit, going for that sophisticated, distinguished look. Still as handsome as ever.  He’s like the George Clooney of pugs.

Arsen (Hall of Fame) swung through the HQ.  We used to work right next to this guy every single day, so it felt like old times having him around to chop it up.  One of our favorite collaborations was with HOF (the upside-down Adam New Era).  We’re figuring it’s time to work on another project, perhaps?

Looks like Charlotte is working on a project of her own. That’s Ben’s snippy Frenchie.  She’s more pugnacious than the pug.

There’re dogs all over this building.  Terriers, pitbulls, I brought my lab in here a couple times before she laid presents all over Jon’s office (Looked like someone had a mudfight in the room that day)..  but perhaps no one loves their dogs as much as Corgishoe loves his.. corgis.  Bubba and El-A.  Philip Lumbang did this custom portrait of Corgi’s best friends.

I mean, Drew even made thousands of his own Bubba & El-A sticker, with official The Hundreds back-crack peel.  You’ll soon see these plastered all over Los Angeles, confusing people everywhere.

Kimiya loves being on camera. Doggone it.

by bobbyhundreds

HINDSIGHT.

We have these photographs up around our office that chronicle The Hundreds’ story.. 6 years’ worth.  This is one of the photographs hanging in Ben’s office below.  It’s a shot I took outside our first real office years ago. What, 4 years ago?  We were working late that night, and it was just me and him really.  I was probably piecing t-shirt graphics together in Photoshop while Ben was locking up Sales calls.  Scotty was shipping out orders for us, and I’m not sure if Alex had started interning yet.  You may recognize the frontage because I’m standing on Rosewood Ave., and that’s the same space that our first flagship store is now located here in LA.

Over the years, we’ve gone through our ebbs and tides.  Dealing with successes and even more failures.  Sometimes we’ve called trends, other times we were the last to know.  We started out this game acknowledging the toils of the forefathers, and struggling alongside 25-30 other new independent streetwear brands who were all chasing after a dream.  People ask us all the time how to succeed with a clothing brand.  I don’t know if we’re considered “successful,” but what I do know is it’s not easy.  It takes hard work, and a little bit of luck also.

I read 2 interesting stories today from friends of ours who have traversed their own tortuous journey through streetwear brand-building.  First is Yoshi and Chad at Foreign Family, a label based here in LA who we’ve had the pleasure of working alongside over the years.  On their blog today, Yoshi drew up a funny, but pertinent, illustration depicting their struggles as a small company, and what they’ve learned in the process.

Second is Rick Klotz, who you see me talk about from time to time here on The Hundreds blog. Rick is one of a handful of iconic godfathers in streetwear, and he had a front-page story in the Los Angeles Downtown News Tuesday, chronicling the rise, fall, and subsequent climb of his brand Freshjive.  It’s a great read, and if you’re interested in building your own independent brand, there is much to be learned from Freshjive’s story.

Either way, I would never discourage anyone from pursuing an apparel brand. Just remember to maintain your PASSION for the project, instead of following any of the other distractions that can ultimately lead you astray.   So that even if it fails in the world’s eyes, the fulfillment and edification you personally achieved through the experience was more rewarding than any payout or glory.

by bobbyhundreds

ITOGRAPHY.

Here at The Hundreds, we have the good graces of being surrounded by a lot of talented photographers.  My man ITO is another one to add to the mix.  The NY resident was recently out here for his exhibition, EVERYBODY SOMEDAY, which is now viewable online.  Prints can be purchased as well. Ch-ch-check it out.

photography by ITO
by bobbyhundreds

OVERHEAD.

Rob Heppler and Travis took a break from their duties at Chiat\Day to visit us last Friday.  It was still Halloween season, which explains Travis‘ disguise (I think).  Otherwise, this would be a fairly creepy shot, right?

Heppler. That’s not a costume.

by bobbyhundreds