Our new online shop will be available soon! If you can't wait for the shop to arrive then Avalon Designs are carrying some limited stock of prints and T-shirts. Visit the site and contact them by the provided email and they'll make arrangements for you to purchase TLP merchandise...
A week in the home of cutterlery working at the Meadowhall Shopping Centre. BENCH had brought TLP in to paint an installation or two in their new store. By evening it was all beers and smiles with the likes of Swainey, Oaky and the Edna massive all pointing me in the right direction for ales and social justice. All i had to do was try not to mention West Ham and that incredible Tevez goal at Old Trafford last season. Sorry, did i just mention that???
Lets face it, when you have the likes of Flying Fortress, Rinzen, CHU, Sender, Nico Stumpo, Two things, Wayne Horse, Will Barras, Mr.Jago, Miss Van, Sinboy and millions of others in town there's something for all the family! Painted bikes, BMX madness and lots of grown men on teenage chopper bicycles made for a strong festival at the Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam west.
Last summer Rienke Enghardt and the HOPEBOX project took TLP to the trouble-stricken state of KOSOVO. We began to request permission to make giant murals in Kosovar and Mitrovica. We are still waiting to hear back as the countries newly formed independance has created a consistant state of tension between the Albanians and Serbs. It was a moving few days in an amazing place. Omnipresent UN, police from many countries, roadblocks, barb wire round churches and strong separation between races all created a sad feeling of mans inability to live together. We were lucky enough to meet friendly people from both sides and i acheived a true understanding of the difficulties facing everyone.
Our hope is we can create ART/MUSIC events for young people in places like this. We dare not assume we can preach peace in such a complicated state of affairs but we hope we can add some positivity. My camera ran out of batteries after about 5 minutes of arriving so i have my friend MAYDIE to thank for the few photos.
Sunday 01 June 2008
Summer updates - After a stagnant, updateless few months its finally time to try and catch up again with some quick reports including the end of the Kspray tour, quick visits down-under to Australia and New Zealand and finally back to European soil for a Balkan bonanza in Croatia. If everyone is different, why are all economy seats on aeroplanes the same size? Royal apologies to the world for our recent carbon footprint the size of King Kong. We're off to plant a forest as we speak...
Dobar dan Hvratska and hvala ljepo for knocking England out the Euro championships. Lets face it, no-one wants to see Frank Lampard pick up any more medals. Jasna and Lea 'just the basics' Lasics booked TLP and the talented TONKA MALEKOVIC for a cheeky early summer show in Croatia's capital. Good vrijeme, bottles of Karlovačko and Slavonian sausage paved the way for a successful campaign in Zagreb. Big ups to all the vanilla face geezers: LUNAR, BOONIKA BOYS, FILJIO, the all girl crew who booked the show and of course the incredible MINIVILA. Osijek girls do it better...Massive disrespect to The HOTEL ILICA whose unrequested wake-up call was an old geezer cutting metal with a chainsaw outside the window at 8.30am. we wouldn't stay there again if Angelina Jolie came free with the room. Živili! Lets go for burek.
In supposedly the cleanest country in the world we got our hands dirty for another show at THE GALLERY WITH NO NAME just off K-Road in Auckland. Thanks must go out to Elliot, Libby, Gary and Dora for the chance to get the new gallery rolling. Absinthe, Korean BBQ aplenty and massive girls that looked like Jonah Lomu's sister all blended nicely together for another 6 days of revelry and justice. God bless 'The International Food court' round the corner from the gallery. Jango Fett is a Kiwi.
G'day mate! The Australian customs gave us a warm welcome so we were glad we left the giant teddy bear full of heroin back in Tokyo. Top Sheila 'Sam' had given Flying Fortress and TLP the opportunity to extend our tour into the southern hemisphere with a week long show at PER SQ METRE gallery in Melbourne. We had heard amazing things about the vast country of Australia and we made the most of this opportunity by never really seeing more than 2 streets the whole week. Johnson and Brunswick we salute you. Deep in 'Chopper' territory we enjoyed the coldest beers in Collingwood, the fine company of YOK and Mrs.YOK and the inspiring spectacle of a hometown EVERFRESH CREW show. After the whirlwind tour of Asia it was back down to earth with shit food and plenty of 'Get a dog up yer, y' pommie b#*tard'.
Lets merge Taipei and Tokyo together as im sure we've all seen enough picture of TLP,PEZ and FF doing nothing but drinking with the occasional drawing on a door. Lets have a round of applause for REACH, his Taipei crew and all the expats who showed us Taipei nights. An overwhelming response at the show saw PEZ address the whole country on the main TV station. with the strong words- "Dont worry, I'm happy" Onto the madness of Tokyo , where one can easily get 'Lost in trainstation' or see businessmen lying around in the street at night. A huge Domo Arrigato Goziamashtaaaa etc to Choko, Yoney, Yohko, chippy, Aiko and Aiko. We are also grateful to all the nightclub doormen for believing Flying Fortress and PEZ were the Chemical Brothers and letting us in for free. Thanks once more to Daisy and Jimmy for choosing us for such an incredible time.'Bu yao' going home. Xiexie, Arrigato, Kamsahamnida and Thankyou to everyone we met on the tour.
Monday 26 November 2007
If you have the chance to visit anywhere in Asia TLP can only hope that the new asian updates of Shanghai, Hong Kong and Seoul only serve to moisten your appetite. Don't be put off by stories of dog sandwiches and men who look strangely like women. Talking of men who look strangely like women (but with musketeer style facial hair) there's also some cheeky GALO sightings in the mix and some news of a few upcoming events in the USA, so light up a whole box of menthol cigarettes for 10euro cents and lets get shanghai.
We all know there's a Galo machine out there somewhere pumping Galo's out into the world on a daily basis. Here are some recent sightings in San Francisco and London. Don't be shy to send your Galo sightings to lads@londonpolice.com.
I'm definitely a Seoul man! South Koreas capital city was the next stop on the Kspray 3 tour. As usual it was amazing BBQ dinners, alcohol fuelled trips into town and another show of three white monkeys drawing on traditional Korean doors. Don't worry, 'its just crapitty'.
Lacking in space, Hong Kong is built upwards with towering skyscrapers and crazy neon-lit streets. A few days to digest the strange foods and wander the bizarre markets meeting tons of wierd and wonderful people. Our hotel minibars took a daily beating and I think we had an incredible time there...
Next stop on the kspray tour was Shanghai. Home to last years TLP dogshow and some of the worst driving in the world. Taxis were cheap, but that's probably because you're almost asking to die if you take one. Old friends and new blended together for some streetpainting outside the spraypaint shop and more door painting at the 'Source' store. Thanks to all the guys in the stores for an incredible few days. Always a friendly atmosphere in Shanghai and, apart from the bloke who was stabbed to death outside our hotel, it was smiles all round. Big upskis Arnaud, Hector, 'source' geezers, 'matey' who owned the spraycan store, Helen, Sam (chelsea scum), Lin Lin and Tango.
Thursday 18 October 2007
A cheeky update this middle october as we freshen up the canvai section - new works on cloth for all to look at with their face. My good friend David Beckham pulled a few strings and got me back to back shows in LA and then Singapore. Theres full reports on that so relax that frown, unfasten a beer and enjoy.
Twas a fortunate thing to be picked as performing artists on the Kspray3 tour of asia. We were treated like 3 sultans of Brunei and the events were well attended by the enthusiastic asian youth . TLP painted with PEZ and Flying Fortress. Singapore was hot and spicy but safe and clean. Almost everything is illegal and they cut your arms off for doing graffiti. We even saw someone arrested for 'thinking' about chewing gum. Large Thanks to Killer Gerbil and all the guys who took us painting in a thunderstorm on the last day. Singapore me a beer!
The sun in March doesn't exist in Amsterdam so it was off to the city of angels in California to unsuccessfully work on suntans and to make an installation in X-Large store, Hollywood. Thanks to all the massive geezers and geezesses who came to the show including - Justin Kees and Rachael, Joel Starr and Christian, Miss Vanessa and The Elfstrand, George 'The man' Hernandez, Logan and Kristen, Shephard, Amanda and Vivien, Random and of course Gary Parkin' who bit his tongue which only bled for the next 48 hours. Of course theres also The Paul Kim Massive to thank for the gig and countless Korean BBQ's plus Hayden, Joffrey and all the XL crew.
Wednesday 24 September 2007
Borning everybody. As we continue on the quest to bring the TLP website up to date, we find ourselves crossing paths with Hawaiians and New Yorkians before action from last Christmas' Dandy Warhol/live drawing extravaganza. There's also a couple more gems in the Ouch section, some more news and another mural at Amsterdam's Cafe Belgique.
Thanks to Marc and Sara for the opportunity to be part of 'Wooster on Spring street'. I only had 5 or 6 hours to make something before I left the city. It was the first piece to go up so when I returned 6 weeks later for the show opening it was amazing to see the energy/artwork created for the show and surrounding the show. I wish i'd had more time to create something more than I did, but to have participated in such a project of justice, I was as proud as an Olympic gold medalist's father.
Another mission at Cafe Belgique fuelled by Belgian Chouffes and strong spanish cigarettes with big faces like Morky Boy Troubles, Wayne horse, Abner Surprises, Lil' Shy, Nico Stumpo and Imtek who did a fine job destroying the airconditioning system by painting it fluorescent orange and then never coming back. Happy days!
Another mission In Buenos Aires. I managed to get a nice shot of the Argentine version of an Ice Cream Van - a Giblets Truck. Makes you wonder why anyone would be a vegetarian!
A Few weeks before Christmas 'The Dandy Warhols' invited TLP, Jeremy Fishes, David Shoes, GALO from the GALO crew and Sam Flores to get together for their Christmas hometown show 'A meeting of bigger geezers'. They did the music. We made art. It actually worked!!
So let's see what all this Hawaii business is about then. Bruce Chin , Erica Apana and Bear Apana-Chin-smiths invited us over to Hawaii to swim with dolphins, wear necklai of flowers and get us addicted to LOST. We found out that LOST was filmed on the island and I had half a mind to go and find 'The Others' so I could give that wheaty geezer BEN a slap. Instead we lived in the CHIN family house on a hill, enjoyed the island, painted with local geese, visited the hypersquad dance studio and arranged to make a live drawing with all the hawaiin youngsters in SPLIT OBSESSION; the shop belonging to Bruce Chin, Erica Apana and the four legged Bear-Apana-Chin-smiths.
Wednesday 15 August 2007
Welcome to THE LONDON POLICE new website. It's a bit like Willy Wonka opening up his factory for the first time in ages after being closed for so long. I've even limped out my room this morning only to do a roly-poly in front of the computer and walk normally! Theres enough sweet photos and textual treats for everyone. So, why not crack open a tin of soda pop, slip some 'Genesis' on the stereo and lets swim together down the river of new websiteness. We will try to update the site as consistantly as possible with special TLP reports on Asia, USA, Austrailia and New Zealand already warming up in the wings for the next update. Dont be shy. Watch this space! Enjoy.
All hail Lars of Picto and Peter of Plasma. If i caught those two Berliners in bed with my sister.......i'd tuck 'em in and make 'em comfy! At The Pictoplasma Character Design Conference I had a chance to see some old faces and snap some old pieces. Even more respect that I got invited back this year even though I know less about design than Dustin Hoffman in 'Rainman'.
Theres nothing like your favourite bar letting you and your friends decorate the wall outside. CAFE BELGIQUE in Amsterdam is just that place for us. Many different artists have passed through and left their mark. The likes of GALO, FAILE, MORKY, WAYNE HORSE, DADARA, ABNER PRIZES, MINIVILA, SENDER, AIKO, JOSKA, ROBOT INC, IMTEK, THE BOGHE, LIL'SHY, BOB GIBSON, PEZ, KENOR, SCHOOL OF CHRIS' SLUGNATION, PIXEL PANCHO, LUNAR, ANGEL, LOOMIT plus others - I dont remember the names of everyone - have all come and gone and hopefully the wall will continue to evolve until the end of time. Plus the bar has over a couple of million different strong beers.
After Vevs and Oles cleared away 10,000 blackberry bushes it was always going to be a satisfying days work with Mworcky Bwoy and Kent 'The Norseman' Hensley. The biggest character wall in Holland. Thanks to the Rotterdam boys for inviting us. You can see the wall from the train (just before Schiedam central station if you were travelling from Denhaag) just behind a couple of hundred trees.
Thanks to the big Doffing, Jeremy "could you skin?" Fish, Martin 'the sponsor' Olives and all the crazy crew from the Hotel for the opportunity to paint one of the last rooms at the Hotel Des Art in San Francisco. When I first walked in the room the walls were a colour i can only describe as yellowy-greeny-brown; and, together with the window view of other inward facing hotel windows in a dark shaft, the room had a suicide-inducing feel to it. Here's hoping I saved a few souls with my TLP creation. A simplistic black and white attack with an all-colour alternative window; full to the brim with thoughts and jokes and drawings and random crap. The room also guest stars the likes of Galo, David Shoes and Rob Reger (Emily the strange). With different characters aplenty there's something for all the family. So leave the razor blades at home, give the sink a good rinse and enjoy yourself a bargain-of-a-lifetime stay at San Francisco's Hotel Des Arts.
This is the time when I was invited to Abner Prizes studio for this over-whelming banquet. Let's start with a game of spot the table before we discuss how many food groups haven't been represented. At least there's a choice of two similar mustards. The World needs to see this.
One of my best friends in the world ,Rienke Enghardt, just happens to be one of the nicest people in the world (except when shes driving!) Somehow she managed to get TLP , Shake, Lunar, Angel and LOOMIT into a maximum security prison (a bit like the one the A-Team escaped from) to paint a huge wall. It was all in the name of Piece for Peace, a project set up by Rienke. You can find more on her website www.hopebox.nl We got shown around the prison, the games room, the solitary confinement room etc, Milosevic's cell and it was completely disturbing. Anyone would go crazy in there. i was bored to death just walking through. Still, i did manage to sell a rock hammer to one of the inmates telling him it was pretty much like the one Tim Robbins used in Shawshank Redemption.
popped into Utrecht for a few days to hook up with Romeo Pocamassive from the Pocomassive massive. Drew a piece in their new shop and nipped around the streets for a bit.
Unfortunately their new shop (situated at OUDE GRACHT 209) is now already their old shop! No idea if the piece is still there but I do know the Pocamassive massive have a new shop - EL CHUPACABRA, address - LOEFF BERCHMAKERSTRAAT 30. Don't be scared.
