Spoke And Stringer

Kristian Crews' Spoke And Stringer, one of our Bristol stockist finally has his own cafe shop after a run of pop-ups. Down on the waterfront opposite the SS Great Britain. Propper coffee, and chilies in the chocolate Brownies YUM! The pintxos tapas menu is especially impressive. BP

Timeless

Metalheadz label founder Goldie is coming to Bristol this Saturday to play his seminal 1995 album Timeless, in full, outside on the harbour side, with a classical orchestra. BP

Spoke & Stringer, Bristol

Spoke and Stringer is a new Café/Bar/Shop on Bristol’s Harbourside and stocks Sideburn magazine.

Cop Magnet

"Daddy why is that man pushing that gold motorbike?" I'm taking the kids swimming in the car, 500 yards away, obliquely to my left, on the top edge of the park there is a man sweating it out in the daffodils. "Huh?!" It does look 'interesting' so I do a quick detour to cut him off before he escapes the undergrowth.
It's a 1956 US import Thunderbird forced through a funk mangle. Alvin has just assembled it and was pushing to the local garage to get an MOT so he can get it registered with a UK plate (then it won't need another MOT - or road tax, as its of such a venerable age. And no it doesn't legally need lights either). BP

Peaty's Bonanza Snaps

Thanks to all those who came by the Sideburn stand to say hello last Sunday.

Kevin Radical spinning 90s classics Bently Rhythm Ace and ilk.

My show favourite, Richard Baybutt's (work-in-progress) gravity bike.

Grey skies and illness did not keep the punters away. BP

Peaty's Bike Bonanza

Remember, we're going to be at this in Bristol tomorrow.

Peaty's Bike Bonanza

Advanced warning of a mountainbike jumble in Bristol next month. I am a pedal head as much as a petrol head, and have been invited to have a stand. Beyond motorcycle tyre kickers, Sideburn seems to have drawn troops from BMX and skateboarding disciplines. The cross-over of inspiration is always heathy. There is not a lycra-only door policy. I will have a full range of Sideburn mags and limited stock of T-shirts. If there's anything you specifically want from our stock leave a message. BP

More info on the Peaty's webite

Moo-Tech

Cut-down plastic milk bottle drink rack on my OM Flyer. 50 Acre Wood trails. BP

Papersmiths

Papersmiths is a new Sideburn stockist in Bristol. Just opened on Boyces Avenue, Clifton. Born of Kyle Clarke and Sidonie Warren. We join an impressive rank of new independent magazines from around the world.

All things bright and beautiful.

Don't be fooled by the delicate hanging terrariums, Sidonie is a self-confessed stationary fetishist. The selection of pencil sharpeners, stripey rulers, fountain pens and designer scissors are enough to make a grown man cry.

If any of my Aunts that normally give me unwanted self-knit socks for Christmas, are reading this, please give me any one of the art books, or prints that they also sell. BP

Biografikation

The Here Gallery is now stocked with SB#18 - apologies to a couple of people who had already been by ahead of me to pick up the latest issue.

I always revert to kid in a sweets shop syndrome when there. This time I picked up Biografikation, published by Nobrow Press. A German collective of the illustrators Ana Albero, Till Hafenbrak and Paul Paetzel.

Abba receive a visitation from a genie wizard, Eddie Murphy makes a female alter-ego in his science laboratory, man-eating pizza and other such skewed scenarios. I thought my kids would like it but it does contain adult themes and language. BP

Giant Water Slide

Tomorrow, Sunday 4th, there will be a 300 meter long giant waterside laid down the 1:10 incline of Park Street in the centre of Bristol. Now thats what I call public transport.
96,573 people applied for the free tickets, but its been limited to only 360. More info from the artist Luke Jerram who came up with the bonkers idea here. BP

Stamina

Last Saturday, me, Mrs P, the littluns and some old friends cycled the 14 mile Bristol-to-Bath old railway cycle path. Bristol has previously been crowned 'Britain's Capital City of Cycling'. Hogwash. But this is a great leisurely day out, with plenty to see en-route including a proper toot-tooting steam train. When we arrived in picturesque Bath there was a Rugby match on at the rec so we received a rousing roar from the crowd. Having left home at 11 we were just in time to catch the 5 o'clock intercity train back to Temple Meads which took all of 11 minutes. The adults were showing signs of botty fatigue but the small people were still bushy tailed, I was well proud.

The official route website is rubbish, but all you need is a regular A-Z. BP

The Stags

Tonight in Bristol! i'll be there. BP

Big Day

ike lines up for his first ever Moto at the local BMX track, Patchway Bristol. A few jokes were made by rival Dads of his enormous AMA superbike style numberboard - and they weren't more impressed when I said it was made from a 20p charity shop place mat. It was miserably icey weather but more than 100 riders turned up.

Pippa, also first timing, borrowed a proper helmet complete with scene-correct stickers. BP

Bristol Bike Show Snaps

Trikes and field-drag mono-bikes are pretty popular in Bristol.

There seem to be a lot of first generation Mods on immaculate Lambrettas.

And a few younger riders on chopped ones.

This XS650 has two 19" front wheels so it can run Maxxis DTR-1. Smart.

Rob organized a good expo inside the old Guild Hall with it's 17 courtrooms and now EU out-lawed jail cells in the basement. Here is the VonZeti family who make very tidy cafe racer tanks and seats.

And a great company car. I Love it when someone dares to use an old banger for all-weathers daily business.

Adi Gilbert and company.you can also buy Sideburn commisioned prints from his webshop

Martin Squires on deft hand.

Lovely screenprints by Ben Mesh Cheshire.

As well as Sideburn merch I dug out some original Mean Fuckers photographs. Printed on defunct Hungarian made Forte Polywarmtone fibre paper. It's a strange thought how many hours I used to spend, back in the early '90s, underground like a mole, inhaling chemicals in the darkroom, dodging and burning to achieve the perfect print and now its just RSI-inducing computer work. BP

Oil Based Show, Bristol

Sideburn BP, Adi Gilbert (his work above), Tom from FT Photos and others are all exhibiting at the Oil Based Show,  TOMORROW organised by Rob of Oily Rag.

Saturday, 10-4. Free entry.
Guildhall, Small St Arts Centre (in the old court house (backside of the new one) center of town near St Nics market, Bristol BS1 2EL

Oily For A Day

In the middle of Bristol on sat 17th of Aug. I will be organising an exhibition of cool shit. 'OILY FOR A DAY' is an exhibition that runs in conjunction with the annual free Bristol Bike Show in the St Nicholas Market back-streets. There are a handful of very skilled artists that will be all gathered together in an old courtroom. Entrance is free but pleese feel free to throw some coins in a bucket for the Prince's Trust. Outside in the street there will be bands and hundreds of shiny bikes. Inside the only shiny paint will be on canvas.
Adi Gilbert will be exhibiting his work.

Tom Whiting will be there with his gritty photos of battles on the race track.

Ben Cheshire of Mesh - creator of mindbendingly cool screen prints will be there.

Ben Part- racer of Orange XS650 speedway chopper and Co-Founder of Sideburn will be there with very nice photos, SB merch' , his chop, and friendly up for most things attitude. [this photo Sam Christmas]

There will also be Cooper a local sign writer painting things infront of your very own eyeballs.

And of course I will be there, creator of the wierdest Triumph (with a blown head gasket)

and rider of a totally inappropriate Ducati race bike.

There is a dedicated Facebook page please share it on your blogs as well.
Make sure you are free on that day. Come and support a group of people that are getting of there arses and doing something just because it can be done.
Cheers Oily Rag Rob