Makeshift Music Monday Playlist.

Thanks Cole.

Thanks Drew.

Thanks Dion.

Thanks Surfing Mag.

Thanks Rich.

Thanks Grammys.

FAM FRI

Howdy

Isn't life so tasteful? We win some we lose some. There is chaos and silence. But all in all we all manage to keep in line and stay tuned. I just want to thank all who have been following the blog so far. It is a good place to stay up and alert and to reflect on everything that is happening with our lives as college students and aspiring business dudes. This Friday, we are giving a major shout out to new Family member Dane S. Thompson (DST)!!

As Dane likes to put it: "DST is a newborn art syndicate ready to take the world by storm." He is a traditional and graphic artist currently living in Pennsylvania. His artwork is highly motivated by music, movies, and life experiences. DST's mission is to flood the streets with his graphic art until infinity. We dig Dane and his mission because it is simply a man allowing nothing to interfere with his goals. He is starting new trends and has serious talent. Check out some his works after the leap..

His work is influenced strongly with celebrity portraits with his own interpretation and perception on the personae of the celebrity characters.

We were lucky enough to get in touch with Dane and his movement over the past couple of months. We have a collaboration project in the works as we speak and are really pumped to see the project take off to infinity. Rich met with Dane at our Lehigh University iDex: Fashion show on Monday. When I spoke with Rich after the fashion show, he seemed more excited than ever that Dane was now a big part of the FAMily.

We are amped to see our brand growing through out the Lehigh Valley. It all wouldn't be possible if we didn't have insanely sweet artists like Dane take our ideals and joining on the efforts. Look out for DST in the near future because he is a man that won't stop moving.

Infinitely Strange

We'd like to thank you Wednesday

We would like to dedicate this Wednesday to Homebase Skateshop.

We are extremely thankful for what Andy Po and the 610 crew has done for us over the past 2 years. They really helped us get our foot in the door and have been a major crutch of our business and our success. Without the help we have received who knows if we would still be around!

It all started in the Spring of 2009 when we walked into Homebase Skateshop with the dream that our clothes would one day be on the walls. Homebase had just recently moved into their new location on 4th street and the place just had an aura to it where you knew great things were going on. We came to Andy with some of our first shirts and he dug the motto and ideals that our company stood for. He was also the first person to ground us and let us know about the real hardships of owning your own brand and gave us other helpful advice such as, the names of some local printers we could work with. He was def right about the hardships of owning your own brand but knowing it doesn't just happen over night was some of the best advice we have ever gotten. As we got to know Andy more and more, we really began to understand the gravity that he possessed in the 610 and the revolution of skateboarding he started in the Bethlehem community. If there was a Godfather figure for the 610 skate community it would hands down be Andy.

Not only does he manage Homebase Skateshop, but he also has been able to bring his idea for a Skate Plaza in Bethlehem from dreams to concrete . Literally the park is built with concrete. While only phase 1 of the Plaza project has been completed it is still a center skating in the Lehigh Valley and has gotten other towns, like Emmaus, to open their minds for skate plaza talks as well. Right now Homebase and Bethlehem are looking for more funding to build the rest of the plaza and anything helps!


We can proudly say that our clothes are being sold in Homebase Skateshop and its been a crazy 2 years. Andy Po and the Homebase guys have been nothing but amazing to us adopting us into the 610 family. Without their help I truly believe Simply Anti would be no where near the level we are today.

If you don't know about Homebase or have never been you are seriously missing out!
Check them out
Homebase
14 west 4th street | bethlehem, pa | 18015 | 610.866.0540

Always Thankful
Rich and Andy

Music Monday

I love goooollllldddddd

Santigold that is.

Do you ever hear a song when your watching tv and you are loving it while you hear it and then its gone. No clue what the song name was, dont really know the words, and can sorta hum the melody? Its just so frustrating because you know that one song made you so happy but now its gone like the scoop of ice cream that fell right off the cone.


This is how I found Santigold. I was watching Fuel TV , yes I am gnarly, and I heard an amazing song but it was gone so fast. Luckily when the Daily Habit came back on they announced that it was Santigold and were actually doing a special highlighting her accomplishments. Unfortunetly I was only able to catch her last performance but it left me wanting to hear more. After doing a little research I found out that shes way more then a one song artist and even more so she has an array of sounds ranging from an indie feel to dropping a heavy bass and adding lots of synth.


While you might not have known it you have probably heard Santigold considering she has been everywhere.
"Shas appeared in commercials for Bud Light Lime in the United States,^[26][27] and VO5 hair products in the United Kingdom. Similarly, "You'll Find A Way" was featured in the EA Sports video game, FIFA 08, with "L.E.S. Artistes" featured in some versions of its sister game NHL 08 and "Creator" featured in NBA 2k9. Her songs can also be heard in commercials for the Ford Flex. Her song Shove It feat. Spank Rock was Featured in the ending of the Gossip Girl. (wiki)

To top this all her single L.E.S. Artistes off she number two on Rolling Stone's Singles of the Year, behind Beyonces Single Ladies in 2008.



Here are a couple of my favorites check them out!









Happy Monday
Have a Strange Week

FAMiLY FRiDAY

Sherwood Macpherson Smith.......

Call him Woody

We are spreading our FAMily wings across the country and were told about Woody through a friend at Colorado College. Cant thank that friend enough because Woody down right rips!

Woody is from a little place called Telluride where I guess some people ski and has been skiing since he could remember. Currently he is in school getting some education in the graphic design field, which is dually sick because he will be doing some art for our Spring and Summer line coming out in late March/Early April!


Basically a home run since the first video I saw of Woody left me speechless wondering how he wasn't sponsored already? Then he sent over some stills and we couldn't be happier that he is riding for us!

Lucky enough he was more then stoked to squad up with our crew and is now riding for us getting clips and pics like its his job and def living the Simply Anti lifestyle.

Woody will be getting raw for a rail contest at Bear Mountain on the 26th of Feb so will will def have more news to come from our newest family member!

Woody is a great guy but check out our little Q & A to find out a little more about him!

Years snowboarding

19

Favorite set up

K2 Skis with Look Pivot Bindings

Last time you had a good sesh
Every day I get on the mountain is a good time

Last bone you broke

I broke my collar bone two years ago and have been dealing with ligament injuries more recently

Last good dance move

The Octopus courtesy of Travis Cliftion (T-Munz)

Last time you hated skiing

The last time I really hated skiing was probably at the Aspen Open last season, I had a separated shoulder and tried to compete anyways but my performance was not up to my own standards let alone any of the judges

Last hair cut

I went totally clean cut about a month ago during a freak out with my far to long hair

Last time you landed a new trick

I learned underflips off of rails about three weeks ago

List time you saw someone famous

I was just at X-Games so if you count those athletes than really recently. Other than that I saw Russel Brand this summer in outside of Grand Central

Last time you went on a date

I have not been on a real date in a fat minute but hopefully I can get my act together soon

Boxers briefs or commando

I prefer the hybrid Boxer-briefs

Favorite cereal

Favorite cereal has to be either Honey Bunches of Oats or Reeses depending on the day

Best pick up line

Hey you know what the best solution for warmth in a cold climate?.... Body Heat

Strange you must Stay

Wavepool Wednesday

Not many times in a sports history does it have the chance for a revolutionary change. Skateboarding had its revolution when the kick tail was first invented and flat land tricks became archaic. Snowboarding had its revolution when the materials and basic design of the board/bindings evolved. Surfing has mostly advanced with the addition of the 3rd fin which is still the most used fin set up in the world today. All three of these revolutions had to do with the actual equipment the riders used.


What if you could change the environment in which you participated your sport in?

Skaters have the natural terrain of the concrete jungle with live in and skateparks, Snowboarders have the mountains and snow machines, but what do surfers have? We have the ocean but its always different. There are so many variables that come in to play with the waves that its hard to surf without traveling all over the world finding the waves. No wave you surf is ever the same twice.

However, a new revolution is happening in surfing now that could bring the waves to us! A wave pool is a surf-park in essence where you could change the wave the same way you can modify obstacles in a skate park or a terrain park. Also it would provide a consistency with waves that doesn't exist anywhere in the world.

Now your probably thinking I'm talking about the idea of a standing wave which have been around for a while now and are more of a mix vert skating on water. The wave house

I'm talking about actual standing waves the same kind that exist in the ocean! Disney has one known as Typhoon Lagoon but its a small gutless wave that doesn't provide much fun and this is the trend for the wave pools that exist today. Typhoon Lagoon

It seems like creating a realistic wave pool is the next key to unlocking surfing's full potential. Beyond this it could spread surfing to parts of the globe that are landlocked creating a wider audience for the sport.
There are a couple waves that exist now but nothing like the type of technology that is surfacing now.

Kelly Slater has a very secretive wave project that he is working on. He definetly knows good waves and decribes the motivation behind the need for a wave pool.
There isn't much but check his webiste here.

The most promising technology is the Wavegarden in the basque country in Spain. They have created the tech to produce a waist high wave in teh middle of a field that barrels the whole way! This is in incredible and on the website it says they should have shoulder high wave by the summer. This could be extremely revolutionary and I cant wait to see the advancements that come with it this year.
Sign me up for one when they become available to the public!

Wavegarden (Short) from wavegarden on Vimeo.

Check their full website out here they have some epic stuff happening

Stay Strange friends
Talk to you in the future!

~*~musica~*~

My Musical Monday Makeshift

no explanations. no reasons. just a playlist.

/family friday/

Morning drowsy heads, cheers to another Family Friday!!

We are thrilled to announce a new member of the FAMily, RAY GURZ. We met Ray at Homebase Skateshop (details to follow) before the new year kicked off. If you have any interest in how much time is spent in successful start up businesses, then you should go get a burrito and a coffee with Ray. Ray has his own rad skateboard company called Lost Soul Skateboards that is based out of the Lehigh Valley. Here is a a short of Lost Soul's recent video "Modern Needs"-

When it comes down to it, Ray is a straight up businessman. When he's not working strange hours of the night for Lost Soul, he's practicing and performing with his two underground bands. One band is titled Tile. This band was started in the back of a tattoo shop in Allentown, PA, in 2006. Ray performs bass and locals while his two other bandmates take on

guitar/drums/locals as well. They have a few releases on vinyl and actually a HUGE following in FINLAND!?!?!??? When we asked Ray how this happened, he said he had no idea. WEIRD.

The other underground band is called Bad American and already has a release in the USA. This band provides more of an early punk feel. Both bands are straight up PUNK ROCK, and we dig the intensity of the music that drives Ray to excel in areas of Skating, Working, and Drawing.

If you think that its time to take a deep breath after briefly following Ray, then wait just a second. Richard and I were lucky to meet with Ray at his part-time job at Homebase Skateshop, where we found out two things. 1. Ray is a professional skateboarder. 2. Ray makes funky-ass art of animals and mystical creatures of sorts. When we heard this, we realized that we couldn't miss out on a collaboration opportunity with Ray. In May, Ray will be having an art show at Loose Threads located on 9 West Fourth Street in Bethlehem, PA (directly across the street from Homebase). Here is one of the works that will be shown in May.

Watch out in the near future for Ray Gurz and Simply Anti. Strange things of all shapes and sizes will appear. And if you need anything to really get your day boosted up, then please sit back, stay strange, and watch our friend Ray rip it on a board.

/wainforest wednesday/

After surfing the internet this morning to get my worldly news fix, I found something that was extremely catching. It was a new creature found in the Amazon Rainforest...


I have always imagined going to the Amazon Rainforest to find a new mystical creature of my own. I would name the creature after myself, and I would be all over wikipedia. But in all seriousness, there was an uncontacted tribe spotted from 1 km away. These photos were taken by Brazil’s Indian Affairs Department and show the tribe in amazing detail. The purpose of these photos are to help protect the native tribe from illegal loggers' invasion of the Peru side of the border. The pictures show that the tribe is healthy and thriving with fresh papaya and manioc from their fresh gardens. Soon the illegal loggers will push the tribe into Brazil and into forced contact with government authorities. Watch this video and you will be astonished..



Search for 'Survival International' in your common search engine and you'll be able to help out this tribe by protecting them from illegal loggers and allowing them to live the simple lives that they know.

Stay tribal

/music monday/

Good Monday,

Hope you are starting your weeks off with some good tunes. If you're ever bored of your music libraries and don't know where to go for some ideas you can always check out our blog or check Pandora.com, which I am very sure you already do. Before we reach our new artist, we want to give a shout out to team rider Ben Harmer for giving us a good midnight showing last Thursday on his skis and with the use of a broken futon frame for a rail.

This manic Monday we will feature CUT COPY. This band is from Melbourne, Australia and are known for their electropop genre with synthpop and post 80s punk sounds. This band reminds me of a modern version of Split Enz (with their famous and one of my favorites: 6 months in a leaky boat), also an Aussie and New Zealand band.

It's amazing watching musicians and bands from 30-40 years ago pave the way for most modern music. You can even notice Split Enz's influence on modern fashion in music.

Cut Copy started in 2001 by Dan Whitford and was single for a while before adding members Tim Hoey and Mitchell Scott on board. In Ghost Colours has been my favorite Cut Copy album thus far. In this album is featured 3 of my favorite songs:

Feel The Love

nobody lost nobody found

Hearts on Fire

Now with new bassist, Bennett Foddy, they are a four-man band and making serious moves. In the essence of timeliness, they are actually releasing a new album on iTunes tomorrow (February 8, 2011)! The album is called Zonoscope and they are expecting to hit the industry with great new sounds. Be prepared for Cut Copy to take a lot of hip in a few months...

Stay Strange and beyond

Just absolutely charging

I just needed to share with all of you a video of our new team riders Ryan Jaeger and Sherwood "Woody" Smith absolutely charging it. They are reppin' us from the Westish from Telluride, CO. Check out the vid here:

Skiing the Cool way

RAILS RAILS RAILS RAILS RAILS RAILS RAILS

Also check out our flier for the premier of the Simply Anti Winter 2011 Rail Jam!!!

And since we are so jolly we are offering a 15% discount on all products. Type RAILS into the discount code when ordering from our online store. So Have a good SUpper Duperbowl Sunday and stay strange.

Family Friday

This week we are proud to spotlight LEE WENZEL our teams only skater

We found Lee through a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend. Seriously though. But we are really lucky to have him on our team as he kills it on a piece of wood with four wheels.
Lee comes straight out Cali but now lives in Virginia and at this time is getting his study on at V tech. When we first got in contact with Lee we tried to look him up on facebook but Lee doesn't have one. The modern day rebel who chooses not to get on the worlds largest social media website is....Simply Anti. So we knew it would be a good fit.

After seeing some pics of Lee we knew we wanted him to ride for us and def wanted to see more. So we sent him a couple of tees and some stickies and this is what he sent back to us with in the week! Just a raw edit of Lee doing what he does at the local park in Blacksburg VA

Lee Killing it!

As with all of our riders we try to get to know them a little better by asking strange questions to see who they really are. Lee's responses didnt surprise us one bit.

Check them out and get to know Lee just a little better!

Name- Lee Wenzel
Years skating- Since 5th grade.. so probly 9 right now.. i dunno i dont have a
calculator on me
Favorite set up- A board with no chips and wheels with no flat spots
Last ollie you did- Did one last week on a snowskate
Last bone you broke- A finger, diving into a boat
Last good dance move- I like to dougie in my snuggie
Last time you hated skating- Last session which was like a month ago in the
snow.. got too icy n hurt my ankle
Last hair cut- 2 summers ago
Last time you landed a new trick- I got a tre flip 5-0 2 months ago
List time you saw someone famous- i skated with Justin Brock at the Blacksburg
park
Last time you went on a date- After the skate session Justin took me out to
dinner and we saw "The Other Guys" afterwards
Boxers briefs or commando- Commando, stopped wearin undies after all the wedgies
I got in middle school
Favorite cereal- Honeycomb
Best pick up line- "Hey you wanna come back to my place? My girlfriend's outta
town."

Stay Strange!

Whatever Wednesday

Snow is the greatest tool for the imagination!

I never really full grasped the idea that snow is the ultimate tool for exploring your imagination with the endless possibilities you could have.

After the crazy winter we have had in the Lehigh Valley we have had an abundant amount of snow and not being a winter sport participator I have always just thought about being a kid and going sledding or building snowmen. But this week that all changed.

With about 10 inches of snow on the ground and a Saturday with nothing to do my roommates and friends built a 10 foot ramp reaching up from our lawn to the top of our garage. Well this was an amazing feat that took 6 hours but was mixed in with music and beer was pretty enjoyable.

Nick dropping in

Getting back to my house and seeing this ramp just got the wheels of my imagination spinning and after much thought the idea of a quarter pipe on the other side of our lawn seemed to be the only logical step. 2 hours later this was completed but it was to dark to really test this idea.
The Qtr

The night was spent thinking how my friends who snowboarded and our sponsored skiier Ben Harmer would hit this set up. It was on the following night as a small box were built and a couple of flood lights were purchased to light up the night for a little action.

Well the quarter pipe was a little bit of a bust however, Ben came up with the idea for an up rail made out of a broken futon frame we had laying in our garage. 30 min later this up rail was built and ready for action. With this up-rail the nights action became much more exciting. The simple equation for higher risk = higher reward was put to the test. Team rider Ben Harmer and Nick Andlinger hit the rail for about an hour with some awesome success.Ben hitting the up rail

However the next day upon finishing class my roommate Dustin Clark and I went out to try and get a couple of clips hitting the rail with the light. What we got was one clip of Dustin really messing up his shoulder and heading to the hospital were he will find out today if he needs to get surgery! Dustin pushing it

With the ice storm classes are canceled for us and we can hit the rail all morning and get some more clips and make a quick edit.

We will be posting a full edit to come soon!

This terrain park in our yard has become the center of attention and has really made me want to learn to snowboard/ski. Snow has once again jogged my imagination like when I was a little kid and provided more then enough enjoyment in our own side yard. Its like have a fantasy factory in your own yard. Hopefully we get some more snow this year and get to keep creating, building, and destroying. I love the seasons!

Stray Strange
Rich