I haven’t looked at any of these prints in decades because in a way it pains me that I gave it up. But I gave it up to be around for my boys and provide them stability after 15 years on the road. Life moves fast and you will never get that time with your kids back once they’re grown. I didn’t even get into the earlier surf skate snow or any of the modeling stuff, but I reckon one of these days….
In the process of doing research for the book, I‘m very fortunate to get my hands on historic, rare and influential print media, which is pretty much a DREAM as a creative head who is attached to print since the childhood days. This magazine, Bluetorch‘s MXRage, emerged in 2000 right when the FMX movement was disrupting action sports. It was led, written, managed and produced by @kirkbender@nciotti and @cameron_steele16 along with the Bluetorch team, next to some guest writers and columnists. Fun fact: None other than The General @briandeegan38 started writing his column in this mag, it was called 'Death before Dishonor'. 26 years later and those magazines still feel core. Ciotti’s and Bender’s photos still blow your mind.
It saw the light of day shortly before MXMachine came up and took FMX print media to another level. It seems like those three magazines were the only ones being published. So far I couldn’t find any information on whether or not there were more issues. Even Vol. 3 was still unknown to me until I randomly found it in Bender‘s archive. Thanks again Kirk for lending me Vol. 3! And big thanks to the legend @billywalls924 for lending me Vol 2, you‘ll get it back soon!
Covers:
Vol 1: @twitchthis8 , shot by @kirkbender
Vol 2: @mikemetzger , no photo credit (probably Bender or Ciotti)
Vol 3: @hartluck , shot by @ltseligman
#thebookoffmx #mxmachine #freestylemotocross
I’ll save you all of the boring installation video and just show you all of the bitchen LED’s we installed today for @dreamscapedesigngroup Only took 14 hours in the scorching heat, but the end result is all that matters. #dirtyhandscleanmoney #ledslightmyfire
The past two days have been intense, here’s why: I was fortunate to meet one of the godfathers of FMX photography, Kirk 'mind' Bender @kirkbender . If you are a lover of both this sport and magazines like me, there is no way you haven’t noticed the names BENDER and CIOTTI before. Within the world of photography, they built the lifeline between the riders and the world. And while I had a very special encounter with Nick earlier that I’m gonna share later, Kirk was the next appointment on the list.
So I pulled up to his house and thought, maybe I could scan SOME of his stuff. Turns out, he got mountains of analog photos stored in transparents that are clipped into binders. As you can see in the following images, there are hundreds of transparents that hold 20 slides each, so that number goes into the thousands.
I had limited time that day so I asked him if I could just take the remaining stuff with me to the hotel room to go through everything before I have to leave the country. He said yes so I did. The following two nights I wouldn’t sleep more than 5 hours in total. The last image tells the story. No going out, no sightseeing, just staying in the room for hours and scan the shit out of the archives. I wouldn’t even get tired first because my excitement took over and got me into auto pilot. This morning I finished it all and we quickly met again at a random parking lot so I could give him the boxes back.
Thank you Kirk for giving me the chance to preserve your outstanding work and soon shed some new light onto it. Be sure that I take great care of it.
#thebookoffmx #mxmachine #freestylemotocross
Freedom isn’t free! And the respect I have for not only the brave Americana’s currently serving, but the proud Men and Women who raised them is immeasurable. From the bottom of my heart, I am eternally grateful to each and every one of you 🙏🏼🇺🇸
Finishing my little fireplace project in “Micro Cement”. After years of designing and building to make other peoples dreams come to life I’m excited to finally be working my magic on my own home remodel.
Yesterday I had three different people reach out to tell me that drinking has led them to a dark place and they “feel” that they would be better off without it. No major adversity like what led me to sobriety, they just feel like they would be better off without it. So for everyone out there that is hearing their inner voice tell them the same thing I hope you listen to what I’m about to say, because honesty I didn’t. I listened and agreed with them, but I don’t know that I truly believed it.
When I first started my sobriety journey every single person that I talked to who had time would tell me the same five words “IT JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER”! Now I think I know it all and would say to myself, I’ve already got 3 months or 6 months or 9 months it’s already so much better how is being sober going to improve my life any more going forward. Well when I hit a year I thought about how much better my life had become and I broke it down like this….
Everyday I don’t drink or use I make no less than three better decisions. That might be to get up earlier and start grinding, that might be to skip the lunch with friends that I know will lead to beers and hit the gym rather than spend $$. Or more importantly maybe just skip the bar after work and get a couple precious hours with my kids before bed. Not saying those were bad decisions I’m saying that I made “better decisions”.
So at a year of 3 better decisions a day that equals 1000 better decisions and you’re right, there is no possible equation where that doesn’t lead to a better quality of life.
But then there’s more! The improvements that come with the mended relationships, the money savings, the personal growth began to multiply like a butterfly effect or some crazy Ponzi scheme year after year and I am so grateful 🫶🏻
If you’ve been following or have known me this transformation and growth has been clear as day. I post about my recovery because I’m trying to lead by example.
And I know AA says “attraction not promotion” but that was written long before SM so I’m here to promote how much better your life can be through sobriety. And nothing warms my heart like seeing people recover so LFG ‼️
