So you're cruising down the road, surfing the radio waves when all of the sudden you get hit by this massive bass line that nearly shatters your windows, and a rhythmic wonderland fills your ears making you feel like you're flying through space on the back of a galloping stallion while little ferries are prancing around in your head. How did that happen? What in the world could cause such a sensation? REASON CAN!!
Reason is a musical software that has become a staple in the industry for creating beats of all kinds. It would normally take a warehouse to store all of the world's best sounding instruments, processors, slim jims and rinky dinks - but now they can all be housed within one computer. Beethoven and Mozart would have the time of their lives using this program to create massively intricate compositions of the highest sound quality.
If you're a music lover and have ever wanted to thank the person who created that amazing beat...why don't you start by thanking Propellerhead - the people who created that amazing software called Reason.
Check out out super limited edition(only 100 printed) shirt we made for Propellerhead, showing how Reason can turn you into an evil beat-making genius...thus bringing more great sounds to my ears!
Here are some sketches that show our design process for the Reason shirts. The Evil Genius was the favorite, but if you like the Monster design, let us know!
So we met a young guy a while back who goes by the name of Sqoll (sounds like Skwall), who has lived a pretty tough life...tougher than most of us will ever have to live. Through all the hard times, the one thing that really helped him keep his head up and stay focused was his passion for music. From what I know of him, he's a chill dude and down for whatever...but when whatever's done, he's back to the lab again and making beats on Reason. We asked him a couple questions, and as I'm sure you can tell, he's got a pretty gnarly history...but he kept his answers relatively short and to the point, so if you want to know more you can hit him up yourself. So here's the mini interview...
LC: Describe your background in a nutshell.
Sqoll: I grew up in foster care from birth to the age of 19 years old. My mother was a drug addict and my father was gone. When my time was done in foster care, I found myself squatting in abandoned buildings, on sidewalks and in and out of hotels and shelters in Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, and San Francisco.
LC: How would you describe your musical style.
Sqoll: My style is all around dark and melodic. I love to keep it as heavy as possible and very cinematic.
LC: What's your take on the current music scene?
Sqoll: The music scene of today is very regurgitated, ingurgitated, and regurgitated again. It looks like things are going down hill and people are losing the true creative human inside of them and following the wrong crowds. The music scene of today is vomit on America.
LC: Tell us about your experience with Reason.
Sqoll: I first got Reason 2.0 for Christmas I think in 2002 from my foster family. I looked at it and said, "Nope! Nice, but I'm not ready for this." After two months, I found myself intrigued by the many different things one can do with it. I heard about 2.5 and got all excited, like I would if Linkin Park or Korn just came out with a new album. 3.0 was, as well, also very exciting to get. The mastering suite is ridiculous, and it took me permanently away from other programs. I have learned to mix and master on Reason, and learned everything I might need to know about synthesizers from messing around with Reason 4, tweaking the crap out of the Thor.
Reason is an angel who prefers glow sticks, bandanas, and tattoos instead of halos and wings. It's still powerful and different at the same time.
LC: What are some of your hopes and dreams?
Sqoll: This year I have no other choice but to start my first album. I held it off for too long, trying to improve one more thing that I felt could use some work. I hope that this introduction album gives people hope, that there still is good music in the world. The highest I'd like to go in my music career is writing cues for movies and be a top selling author. I have a sick idea on how to improve the homeless situation that I want to get off the ground as well.
LC: How can people get in touch with you or check out your music?
Sqoll: They should just hit me up on my Myspace page, and they can listen to some of my music too. It's www.myspace.com/sqoll1382.
LC: Anything else you want to pass on to someone who's reading this?
Sqoll: "Heed the orphan and carry the heaviest feather!" -Sqoll1382
And to the people at Reason: Let's have a better phaser/flanger/chorus, and let's have some more options in the piano roll. Slice tool for piano roll notes, and note helping tools. Just a suggestion...
Allow me to introduce Elkana, the first little guy to benefit from the hard work that we've benefitted from. He's 4 1/2 years old and he lives in a community in Kenya that's been severely affected by the HIV/AIDS crisis. Unlike many kids his age who have been orphaned by [unfortunately] common deadly diseases in Africa, Elkana actually lives at home with his two parents and his one sister.
Right now, Elkana's the only child that we're sponsoring, but as time goes on we're planning on starting a big ol' African family, full of healthy kids. We believe that "to whom much is given, much is required", so being able to give some of what we have in order to help those less fortunate is a privilege, and yet a great responsibility at the same time. We're still figuring out exactly how to structure our giving, so until we work it all out, Elkana is our main man.
Kick a soccer ball for him, will ya? He'd love that.
Monday through Friday - homework, playing, food, sleep...that all came secondary to gettin' my Reading Rainbow on for 30 minutes each day. If there was one reason to come straight home after school, it was to see LeVar Burton's smiling face tell me all about the next cool book I should read. He would always have cool people like Run DMC, Flavor Flav, Bill Cosby, and Hulk Hogan come on the show to talk about how important it was to read and take education seriously. I'm not sure how much of that stuck with me through the rest of my years in school...but nonetheless, one thing was for sure - Reading Rainbow had it's way of keeping my eyes glued to the TV screen, pumping me full of corny jokes, and making me think that reading wasn't just for the uber smart kids that sat at the front of the class.
We were so stoked to be given the opportunity to make shirts for Reading Rainbow. There was so much great imagery to work with, but none of the art was "shirt-ready", so all the artwork on these shirts was all carefully recreated by our art department. They did a pretty darn good job, if I do say so myself.
There are a handful of things that really bring me back to the good ol' days, and Reading Rainbow is definitely one of them. Take a look at these super cute shirts we made for all you ladies, and check out the videos below and be prepared to take a trip back in the day.
Ladies and gentlemen, please stand to your feet and give a big round of applause for the most sought after man in the world, the one who smiles in the face of fire-breathing dragons and who never breaks a sweat(or changes his clothes), that's right - Mr. International himself, WALDO!
Although he's still traveling around the universe, he took the time to stop by our office and drop off some pictures of himself that we could use as material to put on our t-shirts...
Ok, so Waldo didn't stop by our office, but these are official Where's Waldo? t-shirts that are all limited edition, so if you're down with Waldo then you better get these before they're all gone! And just a little piece of knowledge for you...we (Local Celebrity) are the first company, ever, to make Where's Waldo? t-shirts. Pretty cool, huh?
We recently threw a red carpet pool party at the famous Standard Hotel on Sunset in Hollywood. It was insane! We had great sponsors like 944 Magazine, Paris Hilton’s new Champagne “Rich”(unofficial debut), Crunk Juice, Barracuda(an ultra-hip hair salon in Hollywood), and more. The crowd was full of cool people, some celebrities, record execs, members of the media, cute little dogs, and those 3 old ladies who I have no idea how they passed through the ropes. We had catered food, full bars, and incredible music thanks to some of the best DJ’s in L.A. and San Francisco that came out to party with us.
At the height of the party, we had more people packed into that place than the hotel had ever seen before. We actually had to start turning people away at the door because good ol’ Fire Marshall Bill laid down the law. Despite it being incredibly hot and crowded, the combination of cold drinks, cool people, awesome music, and a nice pool - it was more than bearable and an absolute blast! Everybody who got in was hooked up with a Local Celebrity gift bag packed full of good things like limited edition Local Celebrity t-shirts, an awesome Local Celebrity “Cocaine Blows” beach towel, custom koozies, free MMA(mixed martial arts) classes at the world famous Legends gym in Hollywood, Joy Rich sunglasses, Shutter Shades, and more!
So, if the picture hasn’t been painted clear enough for you, below is a little clip from the party, and if you want the chance to be at our next party, make sure you get on the A-List.
If you took a glimpse at my life in the early nineties, you would undoubtedly see my older brother sneaking up behind me while I was watching TV and busting me upside my head with a homey sock. While I’m yelling for mommy, he’s beating me and yelling even louder, “Homey don’t play that!”. I’m still in therapy…
In Living Color was created in 1990 by brothers Keenen and Damon Wayans, and was aired on Fox for 4 years until all of the Wayans brothers peaced out because the show was being censored too much, and it became Fox's baby and not theirs anymore. But in those 4 years, the show catapulted a few of the most recognized faces in Hollywood like Jim Carrey(James Carrey at the time), Jennifer Lopez(Fly Girl), all of the Wayans brothers, David Alan Grier, Jamie Foxx, Chris Rock, and more. Not only did the show have tons of talent, but the writing was brilliant and hilarious...and in my opinion, ahead of its time…so it’s really cool to be able to collaborate with them.
There is a ton of great material from the show and we’re definitely planning on bringing you more designs and exclusive colors…it’s just a matter of time. So, if there is a shirt you would like us to make using some of the other In Living Color characters or sketches...let us know and we'll see what we can do. These t-shirts are all limited edition, and will be future collector’s items, so get yours before they are gone!
Also, we posted some hilarious In Living Color videos below and on each shirt's product page. Check it!
