John Grayson and Cat Atomic Collab Show News

Join Rob and ChrisRWK as they have John Grayson and Felix (Cat Atomic) Martinez on the first of 2 shows this week. Listen as these 2 give all the details on their upcoming collaborative show this weekend in Philly!! So sit back and enjoy as we bring you yet another ForTheMassesMonday!!!

Available on iTunes under The Blind Box Network or www.blindboxpodcast.com

Thanks as always for your support!!!

ForTheMasses Episode 7 featuring MCA

Join Rob and ChrisRWK as they spend a fun filled time talking 90's sticker trading, zines, toys and even a special guest drops in. And then Rob butchers the names of every artist ever born!!!

You can listen to the podcast on the ForTheMasses website and on iTunes under The Blind Box Network.
For sponsorships please email forthemassespodcast@gmail.com

Klim Kozinevich Interviewed on Adventures in Design Podcast

Our friend Klim Kozinevich of Bigshot Toyworks is interviewed by Mark Brickey on the AMAZING Adventures in Design podcast. They talk toy design and development, working with clients, managing development projects and the evolution of Klim's career... all the dirty details, from tendonitis due to days of sculpting by hand, to the early moment of desperation that led Klim to don a homemade monster suit and hand out resumes outside of Toy Fair.

REALLY fun to hear the backstories of "the dude behind the dude." He's come a long way since then, stacking up some of the biggest brands in the world as his clients. Listen here on the AID website where you can play the track via SoundCloud or iTunes.

For the Masses Podcast by Suburban Vinyl's Rob Lumino Launches on Blindbox Network

 

 

 

For the Masses illustration by Xavier Alvarez aka @inprimewetrust

Rob Lumino (owner of the recently closed Suburban Vinyl art toy shop in NJ) is an industrious guy. Like me, he has always held down a few jobs at the same time, launched new ventures while running other ventures. He knows a thing or 2 about a thing or 2, and frankly, if I were as smart as he is, business-wise, Tenacious would probably go the same way as Suburban Vinyl. But no, Tenacious soldiers on into insolvency and Rob Lumino has already leveled up to the next great renaissance in art toys: podcasting!

Here's his quote on For the Masses, his new podcast on the Blindbox Network:

With Suburban Vinyl closing its brick and mortar, I needed something to do. So to make a long story short, I decided to do a podcast focusing on artists and try to bring them into view as much as their artwork is.
As I was deciding this, GM over at the BlindBox Network, and host of the Blind Box Podcast, asked me if I'd like to host a podcast.
Well great minds think alike and psychopaths do also.
So somewhere in between there is GM and I. (Or me and GM. This ain't a grammar podcast who cares.)
So debuting this week is For The Masses!!! ChrisRWK is our first guest and it's an hour of me getting Chris to talk about his life to this point and he's just beginning!!!
I'd like to also thank our sponsor for this first episode, Boundless Brooklyn (www.boundlessbrooklyn.com).

Send inquiries to: Forthemassespodcast@gmail.com

 During his time running Suburban Vinyl, Rob has met and done business with nearly every working artist in the lowbrow art & art toy scene. It's no surprise that his first guest is someone with a bit of clout: Chris of Robots Will Kill, possibly the most notorious graffiti art / underground art crew in NYC.

Tune in to Rob's new show. I guarantee it'll be a show less about abstract speculation, and more about getting to know the people that make this whole scene vibrant and fun. Follow @forthemassespodcast on Instagram for updates!

Adventures in Design Podcast - Episode 377 - The Collection with Huck Gee - Part 5: Ferg of Playge

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN! Adventures in Design Podcast site is here.

The Collection is back and this time Huck Gee and Mark Brickey bring you a man who was part of the new school even during the heyday of the old school. Ferg spearheaded the DIY designer toy game and has always taken matters into his own hands from his very first toy all the way to present day where he created Playge and developed the multiple toy lines within it. Once the bubble popped, many designers fell to the wayside while Ferg saw an uptick in his bottom line since his production and distribution means were always something he controlled. Ferg's story is one of self reliance, unbridled creativity and doing what you love on your own terms.

Talking Points:

• Huck returns from his homeland and ToyCon UK energized and ready to go.
• The popularity around social media and how it ties into your creativity and ego.
• How The Collection is bringing down the curtain on the toy industry, where its going and who will be players in it.
• The similarities between all creative markets and learning from the successes and failures of each.
• TSA and the 80lb. duffel bag and Mark's Blood Sugar Vest.
• The evolution of the blank and its variations.
• Strategizing on who you want to work with in your industry.
• The return to Gold Life.
• Finding a scale where characters remain true to size.
• Determining price points based off exposure and production in America.
• The Huck Gee Vannen Watch Giveaway
• Doing the new school model back in the old school days and how to avoid losing control of your product.
• Starting with the sqube.
• Moving away form cutesy designer toys.
• Ferg's entry point into the world of toys.
• Making clothes for very small things.
• Making a living selling direct to consumers.
• Unrealistic standards for selling out a product.
• Readjusting your ego and predicting the end of hype.
• Assembly as a Build A Bear for Squadt.
• Inventing the Third Eye and using visual tricks that engage your audience.
• Drawing inspiration from the illustration techniques of the skateboard industry.

Ninja Interview 001 - The Sucklord

The Sucklord. Likely the most outspoken and brutally honest player in the Designer Toy game over the last decade. A smooth pimped out hustler who knows how to get his. He maintains integrity even through the trials that would turn lesser artists to quitting or selling out to the man. Even when he fails he does so spectacularly, maintaining dignity and respect, coming out on top anyway. Often imitated but never diminished.

Here we drop the first exclusive on Tenacious Ninja, an interview looking into the current state of the Suckadelic Universe!

Is this your first interview of 2016?

No, probably my Third. They come at me fast and I usually do them all. This is the first one since I started the SUCKHOUR, so you got your exclusive there. For now.

So you started the new SUCKHOUR weekly video podcast show. 52 shows in a year, that’s ambitious! How’s that going so far?

Currently going 4 shows in 4 weeks, so I guess a good start. Some money has also come in, and that’s encouraging. Keeping it up at this rate for a year may be challenging, but who am I to not completely overload myself with constant busywork day after day after day. I need shit to do.

Do you have plans to take The SUCKHOUR on the road at all? Maybe to conventions?

 Yeah, sure. In theory anyway. It needs to get a little more up to speed for that to happen. But Yes, there are plans to make plans. Live shows etc, with a DJ.

Have you played New York out and have you considered living anywhere else for a while?

 No not yet. It’s heartbreakingly awful to see the way giant chunks of the city are being consumed by trendy hotels and outrageously expensive condos, and seeing the demographics switch from a multi-Multi cultural place to a wasteland filled with corny artificial white people. Everything strange and cool about NY is fading fast, But I still hold my freaky little corner down and I intend to hold the line as long as I can. I still love it here and get a lot of energy from it. My family is here, so no, I’m not done yet. It’s a goo place to be to make money, But Someday I will leave, most likely to the West Coast to do TV stuff when that finally comes to fruition.

SUCKHOUR Episode 4 - Made Men

EPISODE 4: MADE MEN. The Sucklord Soft-Peddles his associates from the Toy world, BILLIONS McMILLIONS and HEALEYMADE. Meanwhile, Swag officer NASTY NEIL and Computer Girl JCORP zap their brains with Electricity in the name of better mental Health.

ONLINE HERE: LINK

THE SUCKHOUR BEGINS!

EPISODE 1: MEET THE SUCK PARENTS! In this Episode, THE SUPER SUCKLORD grills his parental units, taking them to task for creating a monster! It gets REALLY Personal! Simeon Lipman and Nasty Neil look on to the debacle in total disbelief! WARNING: EXPLICIT MATERIAL!

Online HERE: SUCKLINK

Frank Kozik Interviewed on The Blind Box Podcast

I don't usually listen to podcasts but this one I made an exception for: there's podcast called "The Blind Box" which is sort of a mystery podcast- same hosts each time but different guests and topics. Fortunately for us, one of the hosts is into designer toys, so he is familiar with our scene and likes to discuss it. In Episode 92, Frank Kozik is the guest. Frank discusses in quite a bit of detail his plan for Kidrobot, how things are moving along, plans for future releases, product mix, etc etc. All the juicy stuff you wanna hear about. Give it a listen, if you're on a Mac or iPhone you can click right through to iTunes here, otherwise you can just listen to it right here on their website.

Here's their synopsis of the Kozik segment:
Kid Robot Fan? This is for you. Episode 92 we have a very special guest.  Frank Kozik, Kid Robot's Creative Director & long time artist stops by to talk about the future of KR. Frank talks about his current position, the myth of "Kid Robot Vs. Funko", & a whole slew of new products on the way from the new & improved Kid Robot team.  We talk why licensing seems to work for multiple reasons, if we should be looking out for the return of Kid Robot stores in your city, as well as Bob Burgers, Home Movies & price drops in the near future.  Frank also takes some time to talk Clockwork Orange, Labbits being inspired by Hello Kitty! & running a record label in the 90's.  Seriously, if you're a fan of past or present Kid Robot, you need to hear what they have planned for the future.