Features RSS

By Jeff Alexander Dirty Donny remains a strong presence within kustom kulture thanks to his relentless dedication and versatility. Vibrant colors and imagery pay homage to the trailblazers, yet Donny elevates classic themes of hot rods and monsters to keep his work fresh while working to carve out new audiences. His work with Metallica, Aerosmith, and Stern Pinball has kustom kulture appearing outside the recurring parameters. “I was never good in academics so I worked to create my own school, so to speak. I was always into music but really focused on the art and imagery. When I lived in...

By Jeff Alexander Josh Allison proves that a brief moment in time can be powerful enough to help change your life. Hailing from Colorado, Allison received an online message in 2017 from Paul Teutul Sr. complimenting one of his recent builds and inquired if he was interested in meeting and discussing opportunities with Orange County Choppers, the business famously depicted on Discovery Channel’s American Chopper series. “I had my business Crybaby Cycles and was primarily building classic-styled choppers. I was very surprised to receive a message from him because there’s a lot of weird and fake b.s. online so I wasn’t sure if it was really him. I called...

Photos and story by John Mccartney Model Tara Murphy Over his historic career Ed “Big Daddy” Roth created many iconic and famous pieces of art in many forms which came in all shapes and styles. Whether it be any of those crazy car creations or his cool artwork. Perhaps one of his most famous creations was his very iconic Rat Fink that crazy cool character that was and still does stand the test of time in the hot rod culture world. With that thought in mind if Ed “Big Daddy” Roth was still around today he would no doubt be...

Photos and story by John McCartney Model: Jen Lix Over the years there have been many people, places, and things that have earned their own special place in the history of car culture. Way back in the late sixties and throughout the seventies, the crazy cool world of car shows took their place in history. Fans were able to take a trip into another world once inside the car show scene. What made these shows so special was the out-of-this-world creations that graced the showroom floor. It always seemed like the crazy and off-the-wall builds attracted the fans' attention the...

By Jeff Alexander For guitarist Ron Emory, TSOL’s 40th anniversary allowed him the unique opportunity for introspection. The group was a trailblazing force in the world of punk but their notorious antics led to blacklists, violence, and ultimately, implosion. Crafting dark melodies amidst fiery tempos that are hallmarks of Emory’s unique style, TSOL were largely responsible for merging first wave hardcore punk with gothic themes, complemented by singer Jack Grisham’s sensual vocals.  TSOL has weathered storms of substance abuse, incarceration, violence, and tragic death and their 40th anniversary further reinforces the group’s collective passion and resiliency to continue creating, no...