PHILADELPHIA!! Tonight I’m spinning @ G Lounge and incredibly sexy and intimate club in Rittenhouse. Get there early as the weather is nice and the venue is supposed to be packed early!! LETS GOOOO PHILLY!

Written by The Capts
The good folks at Better Than Yours asked The Capts to do a 2011 wrap-up. At the end of much pontification and discussion, we opted not to bore the masses by rehashing what did and did not occur, many of it kept behind closed doors and much bordering on the illicit. A more appealing exercise for us would be to display some of the items we picked up in our travels during the year, certainly a more intriguing read to those on the fringe of the nightlife industry and beyond, yet still interesting to those entrenched in it.

At least we hope that’s the case.

If nothing else, the following allowed us to revisit and relish in some of the things which have brought us joy in the last twelve months, and will continue to do so until somebody turns the lights out on this small planet.

And while we can respect the fact that some might not appreciate these ten items, the coincidence that they are included on a blog called Better Than Yours is certainly not lost on us.

Gucci Pipe Holders

Anybody who has visited Graham’s abode or traveled at his side has witnessed his use of fine briars and cavendish, a practice he has enjoyed since graduating secondary school, when his paterfamilias gifted him his first pipe, an accessory that many of his forefathers donned. Experts like Alfred Dunhill and Carl Weber will attest that pipe smoking is a hobby, not a habit; and why shouldn’t an accessory of such high esteem rest in a cradle of fine craftsmanship whilst not in use? Finding one Gucci pipe holder was a task in itself, yet three were secured during the Year of our Lord 2011, a testament to perseverance and preservation, reverence, interest, and resource.

1974 Ferrari Dino 308 GT4
In keeping step with Graham’s possession of a 1987 Chevy Monte Carlo SuperSport Aerocoupe (which was recently bequeathed to another DJ who prefers to remain anonymous), Stone completed 7 years of avid searching by acquiring a rare automobile of which there were only 76 manufactured, and the European model at that, arguably the desired version among Ferrari enthusiasts as it is considered the purest form of the car. This one was located in Indiana, after a nationwide search that included visits to Connecticut, New York, Florida, and all over California. And in complete defiance to the weekend warriors of the vintage car realm, Stone turned a section of his home into a workshop, rebuilding and finessing its innards and fixtures towards full restoration, an effort not lost on valets at the Beverly Hills Hotel during our frequent jaunts to the legendary Polo Lounge.

MCM Shoes
During a quick stop in Hong Kong, Graham decided to make his way to Kowloon Bay in search of an establishment called the Bottom’s Up Club, as featured in “The Man With The Golden Gun.” With Francisco Scaramanga certainly being in contention for one of the best Bond villains, this seemed an obvious destination, but it was the awning of the MCM store that caught his eye first. Having archived an impressive MCM wardrobe over the years, one item that had never materialized was footwear, but that looming dilemma was soon solved for a wad of HKD. Money well spent, as people like DJ Ross One and Corey Shapiro might agree.

Brass Unicorn
The legend of a horned white horse has survived the era of Ancient Greece, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, so The Capts had no choice but to purchase this sculpture as the pièce-de-résistance for their Las Vegas headquarters, a shining beacon of purity and grace within the chaos of Sin City. It was unearthed in a large antique mall, surrounded by tchotchkes, kitsch, and bric-a-brac — hardly a suitable resting place for such a mythic creature. It is interesting that when The Capts’ home was burglarized in November, the thieves didn’t touch it, opting for bullshit like flat screen TVs and Playstations, reminding us that respectable criminals don’t rob houses…only lowlifes do. So fuck you and have fun at the pawn shop.

The Andre Agassi Challenge Court Collection
The Capts play tennis for recreation, though find the current state of the sport stagnant. Gone are the days of the individual, replaced by professionals who are more concerned with protecting their endorsements than making a statement on the court. Andre Agassi suffered not from that problem, and the interesting line of Challenge Court gear that Nike supplied for him and his fans stand as a manifestation of that ideal. Whenst stepping onto the clay, we choose to continue that legacy with our appearance, much to the dismay of a slew of coaches who have been fired for raising opposition.

The Tom of Finland Collection
Taschen often has interesting subject matter, though much of it is wasted sitting upon coffee tables around the world; Not the case for The Capts. And while we certainly push the envelope in that gray area of what the population en masse considers hetero and homosexual, nothing is left to the imagination if one were to crack this tome, a frequent source of reference and inspiration. Chances are that those perusing our words here will never crack the cover of this book, though we encourage any that find themselves faced with the opportunity to put aside trepidation and have a gander.

The Mozart Cane
While The Capts were traipsing around Austria in the Fall, we found ourselves in Salzburg, a wonderful place with equal parts heritage and modernization, ancient castles alongside futuristic aeronautic hangars. It is also the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and upon visiting his home, Graham secured a walking stick adorned with composer’s visage, a useful tool to assist with the onset of gout, a condition attributed to heavy consumption of scotch and filet mignon, which is why it’s called “the King’s disease” or “the rich man’s disease.” Carrying a cane is also handy for knocking on doors, driving home a point, and braining n’er-do-wells.

Chevy Chase Headshot
This image frequently pops-up during Google image searches, yet there is only one in existence, as far as The Capts know. It was a birthday gift from Stone to Graham, a defining gesture as many hours had been spent discussing the many ways in which a simple phrase like “Funny yet handsome” speaks volumes. Rest assured that locating the item was no easy task, overshadowed only by the promotion of that age-old expression that “a picture speaks a thousand words.”

Gold Sperry Topsiders
Paul Sperry, an avid boating man, developed the iconic design in the 1930s, its unique non-slipping sole inspired by the sure-footed pattern of his cocker spaniel’s paws. It became a must-have for those in the nautical realm, though the appeal of the shoes certainly stretch far beyond men of the sea, and are found on the feet of yuppies, yacht clubbing land lubbers, and the business casual. And the 2011 release of GOLD versions was like the Sea Sirens calling out to Odysseus in The Capts’ opinion, the maiden voyage causing quite a stir while visiting the Beverly Hills Tennis Club during the Summer season.

A Peter Lik Photograph
As the years progress, men of means look beyond accumulating possessions and focus on investments and acquisitions. This certainly fits that bill, serving not only as a wonderful way to decorate one’s den, but also as a symbol of the idea of adventure, which Peter Lik definitely embraces. This adorns one wall in Stone’s Hollywood home, the first thing a visitor sees upon entry, and said visitor’s merit is certainly measured at that time, depending on whether or not they choose to take a moment in admiring the piece and/or inquiring about it. As a side note, the possessions surrounding the print are 1) a Harry Allen piggy bank cast from a real piglet which Stone received as a Christmas gift from Graham, 2) a quilted Captains of Industry blanket presented during Stone’s 30th birthday, and 3) the infamous Jean Pierre animatronic monkey head, which the illustrious DJ Five delivered as a housewarming gift upon purchasing the Las Vegas domicile.

Quick flip of the new Justice single “On n On”. I actually started this without knowing that Justice was making this their new single with a video and remix EP as well. I’ve been running this in clubs for about a week now and its been getting good response and is a great way to start the year production wise for me. Feedback is encouraged and appreciated.

On n On (Jerome Baker III Hollow Snaps Edit) by betterthanyours

Interview Mondays kicks off with the bol Excel as he talks growing up in Philly, the most difficult records to find and what his favorite sneakers are.

BTY : Growing up in Philly what influenced your taste in music and sneakers?

Excel : East coast fashion & music is amazing. I was really lucky to have been raised with all that around me. It still influences me today. My friends, the music, strangers i’d see on the train or on the streets, all of it plays a major roll in my life. I love people watching & seeing how some of my friends put shit together.

My Uncle Mike jaded my image of kicks at an early age. I remember him taking me to Passyunk Ave for my 1st pair of Nike’s. They were either Legends or Sky Tops. We both had the same pair in white & grey. He told me Nike was the best sneaker you can have, it’s the only shoe you need. It was 1984. From that point on, I was a “Nike Head”.

Where were the dope spots you shopped at for records and sneakers back then?

Record shopping/digging was just as much fun as sneaker/clothes shopping. Still one of the only things that bring me joy.

I used to have a list of all the spots. We’d get off the bus & just make the rounds until the day was done & then head back home. Always had fun diggin’ around the city.

What sneaker and record did you chase after hard and what lengths did you go to to acquire them?

I probably had to chase vinyl down harder than I did sneakers. I was pretty fortunate to have all the right friends at the right time when sneakers meant the most to me.

It wasn’t until 2 years later that a good friend of mine, who was also a record collector, gave me the 12″ (II). I was so happy to finally own this record. It reminds me of my teenage years so vividly. I remember playing this in my walkman on the train over & over. SO ILL!!!!

Whats your favorite sneaker and why?

This is a question that I can’t answer. I don’t have 1 favorite pair. It always changes. I go through phases with my kicks. I have a pair or get a new pair, & those are my favorite for a week or so, & then i put them away & move on. From jordans to air maxes to dunks to AF 1’s to vans to Ice creams to Bapes and whatever else that’s in my closet & storage.

Happy Born Day KJ! Time to get it!!

I’ve always liked the funny DIY spirit of Odd Future. This shirt is ILL.

Devin Lucien #2012 FOR YOU.

sunDance 2012. A mix by Mick Boogie and Terry Urban, perfect mix to kick off festival season.

MJ says only Kobe Compares to him. If you ask anyone in my circle, its plain to see that there is only one Michael Jordan. What do you think?

#betterthanyours & E Major are proud to presents…

E Major Is…better than yours : TOP TEN Edition

On April 18th, 2011 E Major & #betterthanyours released “E Major is better than yours”, an album that combined underground hip hop sensibilities w/ E Majors on point flow and everyday life observations. With many of the beats being created by E Major himself and a team of producers that helped created a cohesive sounds, E Major is…better than yours went on to be named the 9th best album released in Baltimore by the Baltimore City paper. Definitely appreciative yet hungry for more, E Major decides to release E Major Is….better than yours : TOP TEN EDITION to bring the focus back on the project, how ill it is and show how far E Major has grown since the release 9 months ago.

The lead single Top Ten is just ill. It finds E spitting over a dark sample and beat, and while appreciative of the accolades he receives, explains that is needs to lead to more. Something we can all relate to, the struggle of being an artist with underground acclaim vs commercial success and what doors may be opened, and closed, as a result of that.

However you feel about that, PLEASE listen to and DOWNLOAD E Major Is….better than yours : TOP TEN EDITION. Its a great album that we stand behind 100% and we are grateful to be able to work with E Major on the project.

LETS GO!!

Diplo. Wesley Pentz.

A year and a half later and this might be the best mini doc about an artist we’ve seen in a very long time.

We suggest you check it out as well.

Above is a very lasting opinions on race relations and MLK - Public Enemy expressing their disgust with the state of Arizona, my home state, for taking extremely to long to honor Dr. Martin Luther King with a state holiday. I remember my mom would always take us out of school on this day, unless we had a basketball game then we’d do the half a day thing and come back to hoop. Arizona in the late 80s/early 90s was a hot bed for racial tension - it was all good to be friends with people thru elementary and high school, but I remember in high school things taking a decidedly racial turn - all my of “friends” who hung out together, without race being an issue, were no longer doing so as the pressure and influence from other kids/groups took its toll. I clearly remember the yard in my high school being segregated amongst lines of “black”, “white”, “hispanic” and then you might have a few other random kids. Shit was sad, because outside of school it would be all good, but during the day we’d wave at each other from across the yard.

The picture below is of the little duns aka the illest kids in the world at the MLK memorial here in DC. 2012 has afforded them a different MLK experience than what I had 20 years ago, but it is still important none the less. The memorial was full of people of every race and age, all celebrating a man and his ideas, some of which are as pertinent and necessary today was they were in the 50s and 60s. Ideas of racial equality and unity are great, but open honest discussion, as with any topic of such fervor, is necessary to confront issues between races and ultimately put an end to them. Growing up in Arizona was a great experience because from day one you were the minority, and were reminded so through playground action, comments from friends parents, and the segregation of high school. I’m thankful for that because it helped me see the real world at any early age and prepared me to deal with it as such. I can only hope the Little Duns grow up in a world that judges them by who they are as people and not their skin color - I really do.