Mystic Negro dot Com / Kranky

Lip Tricks?Freestylin’

Nobody loves me, so I don’t have a copy of the Freestylin’ Book. But, since Krt Schmidt is a cool guy, he posted up the link to where you can download the whole thing via PDF. I’m reading it now, you should too.

Things I don’t think I knew, Rodney Mullen was RL Osborn’s roommate. That all sorts of awesomeness in TWO SPORTS under one roof right there.

Olympics Non Pay Per View

I just caught a bunch of highlights from the Olympic BMX races on pay per view. It was actually free, which is cool. So, if like me, you can’t stay up until 2am to watch tv, check to see if you have Olympic highlights in your PPV menu.

-from my phone

Olympics BMX Picture By Vincent Laforet

We Mine Deeper had these pics from Newsweek photog Vincent Laforet. All I can say is nice. It’s actually interesting to see what someone who doesn’t shoot BMX does with BMX. My initial reaction is “go in tighter” but then I have to remember that a 100% crop of these pictures would likely cover the side of your wall.

Also, seriously, those kids from ~~Latveria~~ Latvia are insane.

Pictures 2

..Or “Don’t Post Something That Requires Memory While You’re Working on a Project Plan, Because Project Plans Make You Hate The Universe and You’ll Forget Something.”

David S. Lang is a photographer based in Vancouver and Singapore (I don’t understand it, but there it is). If you’ve checked out the Macneil website or have seen any photos of various Red Bull events you’ve probably seen his work. The guy is really good.

He has two websites, David Lang Photo dot Com and We Mine Deeper. The first contains his portfolio and a blog where he’ll sometimes dump some old photos or tell you where some new work has shown up. We Mine Deeper is just straight up links to other photography, design and visual arts related sites. It’s kinda like Defgrip without BMX.

Anyway, I’ve been meaning to give him a shout out in “You Should Be Reading” for a few weeks, but I was too busy trying not to gauge my eyes out with a spork when I wrote the original post this AM to include him.

This is a picture of Harrison Boyce that David shot that I don’t have any permission whatsoever to use, but I’m going to scream “fair use!!! FAIR USE!!!!” and see how far that gets me. Eh, if he doesn’t like it he can email me and ask me to take it down.

Pictures

I stumbled across 20″ Negative because whenever someone comments on Mystic Negro and they have a website I check it out. This time it was Bone pointing out that Kenan Harkin should stop claiming invention of the 360 back flip. Anyway, 20″ Negative is kind of like a British version of Kranky, only less cranky. A guy who used to ride started riding again and also likes to take pictures of folks in, around and coming through his hometown. Check it out.

AtlantaBMX is officially dead, in it’s place is A Life Unseen (although, truthfully, I always liked “Simple Machines” as a name, that’s still a bit BMXy). Jason Williams takes a LOT of pictures and he’s throwing one or two up a day. A lot of good stuff here. Jason’s constantly said that the best piece of camera equipment is a plane ticket and he shows he’s not afraid to leave Atlanta.

Speaking of equipment, Canon China apparently (accidentally) threw up the full specs of the upcoming EOS 50D. It’s a baby step from the 40D, but if you have a 30D it might be worth your while. Better still, 40Ds will have a good drop in price, and 30Ds (which many places still have new in box) will be on sale for pennies. The handfull of NiB 20Ds out there will likely be given away for free (many pro photogs, includding what seems like everyone at Ride, still use 20Ds, three generations old or not).

And, again, if the idea of spending several hundred to several thousand dollars on a camera makes you afeared, check out this guy. He made his cameras out of trash. Yes, trash.

You have no excuse.

Racing

Jake put this link in the comments. for those of you who don’t read the comments you can watch the Olympic Semi-Finals by clicking here. You have to download MS’ Flash competitor, Silverlight, and promise that you have cable.

Funny thing about watching the races is that I notice that nobody in BMX hits the apex of any turn. I wonder if it’s just too hard or if nobody’s ever really tried.

Either way, the finals got rained out last night and, supposedly, will be on tonight. Who knows when.

Also, seriously

I’m not sure when that happened, but apparently it did.

Also, everyone should read Kenan’s agency bio. It’s awesome (he shares representation with his ex-roommate)

Dew Tour

So, apparently the Dew Tour is this weekend.

Seriously? Which genius scheduled this? How much TV coverage do you think NBC will honestly dedicate to The Dew Tour DURING THE CLOSING WEEKEND OF THE OLYMPICS!

I’m just saying, this may rank up pretty high on the bonehead move list.

Oh well, it’s not like I watched the first two stops, either.

Getcha Pull

Cowboys From Hell
Psycho Holiday
Cemetery Gates
Domination
Mouth for War
Walk
This Love
No Good (Attack the Radical)
I’m Broken
Five Minutes Alone
The Great southern Trend Kill
13 Steps To Nowhere
Revolution is My Name
We’ll Grind That Ax For a Long Time

A little early with the playlist this week. If you drink, have a black tooth grin for the man on his birthday. Rest in Peace, Dime.

Olympic BMX, Oh Hell

Rained out.

OH COME ON!!!!!

Maybe tomorrow.

Olympic BMX

It was supposed to be last night, right? ‘Cos I flipped back and forth between NBC and Eureka (it ended pretty much the only way it could, didn’t it?) a bajillion times and I saw plenty of Track and Field but not a lot of guys on little bikes.