Friday 27 February 2009

The best interview ever

If people aren't into style they're just not worth talking to.



Note in the credits Wes Anderson and Jason Schwartzman's sexy flowing hair is attributed to God. Classic.



EC - As stylish as Chuck Norris is tough

Sunday 22 February 2009

Project Excelsior / Dayvan Cowboy

On August 16, 1960, American Air Force Officer Joseph Kittinger jumped out of a helium balloon from 102,800 feet (31,300 metres). He fell for 4 minutes 36 seconds, reaching a speed of 988 kilometres an hour. During the ascent pressurisation in his right glove failed and his hand swelled to twice its normal size. He set records for highest balloon ascent, highest parachute jump, longest drogue-fall and fastest speed by a human through the atmosphere - all of which still stand today.

Kittinger went on to serve three combat tours in the Vietnam War, flying a total of 483 missions. On May 11, 1972, he was shot down over Thai Nguyen. He was captured as a Prisoner Of War and tortured.

After the war he made a gas balloon world distance record in 1983 before completing the first solo Atlantic crossing in an AA10 category balloon in 1984. Talk about an over-achiever.

In 2006 director Melissa Olson used actual footage of Kittinger's freefall from space in the filmclip for Scottish duo Boards of Canada's ambient track 'Dayvan Cowboy'. Just beautiful.



With love from BJ 'The Godfather of Chi' Cole.


EC - Style is a Language

Tuesday 17 February 2009

Frock and Roll

We're pleased as punch to announce that the classy folk at F.rock Fashion are currently featuring Eleventh Commandment in their designer spotlight.

F.rock Fashion is a style institution that is involved in some exciting upcoming projects. To wander over to their sexy site and get the scoop on us flick this bean here. It'll be well worth your while.



Everything's coming up EC

Friday 13 February 2009

Artist profile: Johnny Elizondo

We at Eleventh Commandment are pretty lucky to be surrounded by some ridiculously creative people. And while it's tempting to keep them all to ourselves, we thought it might be time to start sharing them with you by sitting them down and asking five simple questions.

For the first instalment we could think of no one better than an obscenely talented artist that we've been friends with since waaaaay back in the day - Johnny Elizondo.


EC: Explain a bit about what you do.

JE: Well it is a bit of a mixed bag really, ranging from pencil sketches, paint, photography and lately mixed media. Any medium that strikes me at that time. Due to travelling a lot for work, sketches are easier as I only need a pencil and some paper, but while I am home everything else comes into play.


EC: How did you get started with your art and what ideally would you like to achieve with it?

JE: It all started for me back home as I was growing up. I was pretty lucky, always being surrounded by artists in my family (my brother and sister). I think they're better than me!!! Hehehe (they are going to love that). From there I just kept on the creative process or tried to at least. It all pretty much blew out once I went to University to do a Bachelor of Visual Arts. My art is therapy for me, it grounds and relaxes me. I have always struggled with the commercial aspect of my art making, although of late I have had increasing interest in my art which has made me reassess my view on putting a dollar value to it. I’m learning, but it is definitely a humbling experience. Through my art all I ever wanted was to express who I am and how I see my world.


EC: Explain a little of your creative process.

JE: Creative process? Let’s see... I pretty much have an idea and sketch it out initially. Sometimes it remains a sketch, other times it manifests into different mediums. Some days the old camera gets whipped out for random images, primarily while I am away on the road for work. There are some amazing things to be seen while you are on the road.


EC: Do you have specific inspirations? i.e. literature, film, philosophy, dreams etc?

JE: Inspiration comes day to day in everything the world decides to throw at me, be it friends, family, complete strangers, rainy days, sunshine, my partner Michelle especially, day dreaming and any social encounter. I have so many ideas inspired by so many things that I still haven’t used for any artworks. Damn... there just aren’t enough hours in my day!!!


EC: What’s the best thing about being creative?

JE: Being creative to me is not restricted to the canvas, I try to approach each day ‘creatively’ to get the best experience I can and learn something about myself and all around me. To me this is so important and the most positive way in approaching life, you just do not know what or who is around the corner. So being creative I can also say is being flexible and adaptable to anything.






To get yourself a bigger fix of Johnny Elizondo remove one item of clothing and click here.

EC - Style is a Language

No Rain

It's been raining all day, which is a welcome relief from the heat we've experienced lately. But for some reason I can't get Blind Melon's 1993 folk-rock ballad 'No Rain' out of my head. So just to infect you all with the same melodic nostalgia here it is.



Blind Melon were a band famous for their one hit and their aversion, it would seem, to haircuts. The band came to a premature demise with the death of lead singer Shannon Hoon, who died from a cocaine overdose on October 21, 1995. Having previously joked about becoming a member of the notorious '27 Club', Hoon narrowly avoided induction by dying less than a month after his 28th birthday.


EC - 'I like watching the puddles gather rain...'