Just months after it’s opening in 1966, Vans introduced their model #44 shoe that we’ve come to know and recognize as the ‘Slip-on’. Skateboarders, surfers and BMX bikers alike all took to the slip-on for its comfort and utility. Decades later, the Vans Slip-on continues to be one of the most shamelessly copied styles when it comes to its design. To commemorate its notoriety, Vans is re-issuing the Slip-ons for Spring / Summer 2012 through their Vans Vault project in their original colors (all four), materials and details for the first time — underscored by small touches such as the Vans logo in blue instead of red. Check out more of their original styles, designs, and inspirations in the Vans Vault.

via FreshNGood

So you’re going to be a demi-god at the next rave amongst all the sixteen year olds in hot panties and go-go boots when you pull out the Stealthvape. It’s matte black, mistakeable for a limited edition Vicks Vapor Inhaler, under 4″ long and sure to steal a discrete hit while illuminating the butterfly-winged multitudes and eliminating the most toxic byproducts of your desired inhalation. For $100 the stainless steal health-conscious gadget works with a single rechargeable Ni-MH AA battery (included), good enough catapult your favorite leafy green to the vaporizing temperature of 482 degrees Fahrenheit in seconds — the perfect temp to percolate the THC without inhaling all the burnt stemmy residue. After all, it’s 4:20 somewhere on Earth.

One more look at the Stealthvape Discrete Mobile Vaporizer after the Jump…

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The AUDI Julien Dupont-tested electric bicycle made its debut at the Wörthersee tour in Austria just a few days ago. The lithium-ion carbon fiber-reinforced polymer frame is specially designed and trickery, and utilizes the ‘AUDI ultra blade’ design of broad and flat spokes allowing for maximization of pedal power. The bike has five gears three of which — pure, egrip, and pedelec — allow the rider to choose from just pedal power to just electric power, to a combination of pedal and electric. In addition to achieving record breaking speed, the AUDI e-bike has special features such as an on-bike touch screen computer that alloys smartphones and in-helmet video cameras via WLAN.

More pictures of the AUDI E-Bike electric bicycle after the Jump…

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Skateboarding brand etnies is partnering up with Trees for a Future creating an environmentally-minded one-for-one initiative for their Summer 2012 ‘Eco’ shoe line. Similar to the TOMS shoe-for-shoe social activist platform, for every pair of The Jameson 2 Eco shoes purchased (above) or Caprice Eco for women, a tree will be planted in Brazil’s endangered Atlantic Rainforest. So far etnies is planning to plant 100,000 trees, which will be a major help considering there’s a mere 7% of the rainforest’s original cover left today. The sustainable shoes are made of hemp with a recycled rubber sole, nothing but a win-win situation here. Do your good deed and get your new shoes through etnies online.

What are two superstars to do when they find the perfect Roadie? Write a song about him, of course. After interviewing Sebastian (Danny McBride, also known as KENNY FUCKING POWERS from Eastbound & Down), and hearing his list of kick-ass credentials from working with AC/DC to Van Halen and even promising an awesome laser show during the set, Tenacious D knew they’d found the ultimate roadie. After a few complications however, the guys find out that maybe Sebastian wasn’t their smartest hire. Get low-down on the down-low in the video below, which is NSFW… but did I really need to tell you that? Don’t forget, Tenacious D’s phallically covered album Rize of the Fenix is out tomorrow.

Parisian fashion legend Louis Vuitton is preparing to release a hardcover book, 100 Legendary Trunks, highlighting its foundation as a luggage company in 1894 all the way up to its most recognizable piece: the Trianon canvas-covered flat-bottom trunk. The history of the French luxury brand is rich, and the book aims to illuminate its century-old story by singling out its best pieces. In conjunction with the book’s release, Louis Vuitton has developed an iPad App using the book’s title, allowing customers to take a further look into the 100 detailed, historical trunks. The 100 Legendary Trunks book is due out next week, but you can browse the App now through iTunes.

Although not a name well known outside music nerd circles, Amon Tobin has lit the interwebs aflame with his recent Coachella performance. We were among those that were there, and were properly dazzled. The Brazilian born, London-raised, Redwood Forest-dwelling electronic music maverick has always been two steps ahead of his sonic contemporaries. But with his latest album, ISAM, and its accompanying live show, Tobin looks to elevate the art of production — and live concert presentation — to the Next Level. This is the third and final installment in our feature with Amon Tobin — to start at the beginning, go HERE.
All photograph by Steven Taylor.

“It was quite a challenge making this record trying to figure out a way to perform it, because when you have an electronic record you have this problem: there isn’t a band involved, so how do we present it to people without turning it into something it isn’t? Without having MCs running around on stage, or people playing instruments trying to re-create the record?” Instead of embracing the elements of their own music, electronic artists for decades have been dressing up their live shows in the tropes of rock n’ roll: low slung guitars, bombastic histrionics, massive drumkits and stacks of unplugged Marshall amplifiers. Mindlessly jamming a guitar cord into an MIDI interface. And that emulation was the impetus for Tobin to conceive the massive ISAM stage show. “This false representation [of electronic music] is apologetic in a way that I feel is really unacceptable, because I don’t think we should apologize as electronic musicians for making the music we make,” argues Tobin. “I like bands, but I’m not a band so I’m not going to pretend to be a fucking band. So the idea was to integrate me into something much more visually engaging so I’m not the visual focus of the stage, but was still relevant to the music. Because what’s really important to me is not diluting what I’m doing to make it palatable to an audience.”

The ISAM Live spectacle centers around a stunning 25′ x 14′ x 8′ multi-dimensional/ shape-shifting art installation which envelopes Tobin and acts like an enormous Tetris-like projection screen. A film is then projected onto the white blocks, meticulously digitally mapped onto the various shapes and protrusions of the installation. The result is a 3D-like experience for the audience who are sonically immersed in Tobin’s soundscape world while being simultaneously absorbed into the visual spectacle’s storyline — one which sees Tobin acting as the musical conductor of a large spacecraft navigating through a surreal visual narrative. The project was a massive undertaking, requiring four studios and production houses to collaborate. Vello Virkhaus worked closely with Tobin to storyboard and animate the visual journey the audience will see. Vitamotus designed the actual structure, working closely with builders Glasshouse in order to ensure the huge stage could be broken down and transported by plane. Lastly Leviathan digitally mapped the animation onto the obtuse, angular structure, a time consuming ordeal that required the creation of new software. As nothing of the sort has ever been built for touring, everything was the result of much trial and error, sifting through many a lightweight material before settling on the very hefty — yet sturdy — combination of steel and wood.

Hit the Jump to continue reading the 3rd & final installment of “The Next Level: LIAS Interview with Amon Tobin?…

“I’d be lying if I said I make music for the audience… I feel like artists should be artists and do what they believe in, and people should be into it if they’re into it…”

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Art & culture site BOOOOOOOM! assembled this mixtape of live Beastie Boys performances in tribute to the late great MCA. Unlike a lot of tribute mixtapes surfacing, this is all live performances which makes it well worth popping in your soundsystem — as anyone who’s seen the Beasties perform, they were ne plus ultra. As BOOOOOOOM! explains:

“I put this mix together from some of some of my favourite live performances by Beastie Boys. I wanted to include ‘Somethings Got to Give’ specifically because MCA used to always preface it by talking about non-violence so when I think of him I think of this song. Turn this up LOUD, and put two fingers in the air for MCA…”

Check out the R.I.P. MCA: “Best Of Beastie Boys Live” mixtape below, and hit the Jump for full tracklisting…

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