There once was a mysterious band of knights who roamed and raved their days and nights along the banks of the cool dark waters. Young and wild, they howled at the moon like the wolves, and on the clear days when the sun seemed to sparkle like diamonds on their faces, they stood sullen like statues of antiquity before cawing and cooing outrageously to their peers.
They sat watching the crowd waves roar; the boardwalk full of walking visitors, strange and new from far away places, that would all turn away in disdain from the boys of summer, sensing somehow their mighty position above it all . . .
They weren’t there for the sights and sounds, instead vying for an order of things far from the distressing quarrels of everyday society.
Simple positions shared amongst them all. One assigned to watch, another to distribute, another to discover, and the rest to play by the rules. No one over stepped a turn at the bottle, for each one knew that their last could be any day. Neville, one of the leaders, would say, ‘Never shy from your true colours’ and these they would display with unbroken pride.
Your honour was earned by the friendships you garnered and gathered.
Some say they had magic on their sides; magic powers taken from the ages, used to ensure their place along the sand dunes. Others say they made friends easily, but were actually ghosts playing games on the common folk.
Only one place in the world for them. A sacred fellowship that haunts us all to this day . . .
I like to imagine seeing them there every time I go back to the seaside. Guarding their little corner of the Earth, and protecting the small sliver of paradise they managed to claim as their own.
Sometimes I can hear them sing their favourite tune; a memory that wavers from faded dream to brilliant exuberance.
It was a familiar one made their own by one of their musically gifted initiates –
The Knights of the Sandcastle need your help reviving their unique spirit that has been suppressed by the ages.
With their help, you too can be free. We have lots of wicked vintage apparel in the {SHOP} today so make sure you take a look, and invite a friend while you’re at it!
Our {SHOP} on ETSY is stocked full of goodies, so take a peak before they’re gone. . .
Indeed, it was his bad ass boy brother Dennis who served as the true muse behind the vibe that would make The Beach Boys sore to meteoric heights, and ultimate icon status. But little do most people know that Dennis Wilson was a righteous pioneer of music in his own right!
In 1977 he released “Pacific Ocean Blue” which featured this – an all-time ultimate summer song entitled “River Song”, which showcases Dennis’ unique musical stylings and unending talent.
Sadly, Dennis Wilson would be found dead in the Marina Del Rey on December 28, 1983. To read more on this idol of style and life be sure to read our E.O.F. STYLE IDOL: Dennis Wilson {THE BAD BEACH BOY} for tons of content to muse and conjure the spirit!
“They say I live a fast life. Maybe I just like a fast life. I wouldn’t give it up for anything in the world. It won’t last forever, either. But the memories will.”
-Dennis Wilson
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This spring and summer we are all about Dennis Wilson, the infamous bad boy and drummer of The Beach Boys. The band brought the beach lifestyle to the forefront of popular culture in the 1960s , creating a romantic notion that still resides in the populous today. But without Dennis, the iconic boy band would have been lost.
It’s hard to think of that era without the The Beach Boys and their iconic sound, a mix of harmony, rhythm, soul, and blues all dedicated to Southern California youth culture of surfing, cars, and girls.
Hits such as Surfin USA, California Girls, and Good Vibrations, encapsulated the image we still associate with the notion of surf and beach living to this day.
Their music certainly came to define the dreams and musings of many who longed for the coasts and beaches of California, and the utopian recluse this magical land of surf and sun could provide (Don’t tell me it’s just us!)
Though his eldest brother Brian Wilson is accredited with much of the band’s creative and technical genius, it was the rebel bad boy drummer Dennis who lived and breathed the California that inspired the band in the first place.
+ + + +
“I don’t do much surfin’, no I don’t. Actually, I don’t even know how to surf, but one guy in the group is a real good surfer, he’s a lot better than any of us, actually, all of us put together. His name is Dennis Wilson, of course, he’s our drummer, and he’s actually the inspiration behind this whole sort of surfing image for the Beach Boys. He encouraged me to write a surfing song a couple, 2, 3 years ago which started the whole thing moving.”
Brian Wilson, St. Louis 1964
Perhaps you noticed, but Dennis certainly had a different presence and a certain swag, as they say, compared to the rest of the band. Even his eldest brother Brian, who created most of the music during The Beach Boys’ hit making days, knew that Dennis and his SoCal rebel lifestyle was the clue to the puzzle of making a name for themselves.
Dennis always seems a mystery, a part of his embodiment of the surfing rock n’ roll image, you could say. Definitely an archetype of rebellion, desire, and thirst for danger. Behind his eyes there are stories and thoughts completely untold.
There are not many rock stars today who truly live the fantasies they suggest in their music. Dennis was not only a surfer, but also a pro drag racer, sailor, movie star, and notorious womanizer. These are the stories and tales written into almost every hit breaking, chart smashing song produced by the band.
+ + + +
+
++”I wrest the waters, fight Neptune’s waters, sail through the sorrows of life’s marauders. Unrelenting, often empty, sail on, sail on, sailor.”++
-Sail on Sailors by The Beach Boys from “Holland”
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As much a piece of the puzzle to The Beach Boys’ success, Dennis never seemed to be able to stay far from trouble. As early back as childhood, Dennis was known for getting in fights, and failing classes. He married four times, and had developed a heavy habit for drugs and alcohol.
Most can definitely agree he had some demons.
Free-spirited Dennis would hit the ultimate heights of his notoriety when it was found out that he had housed Charles Manson and his cult for a time. Viewing the group as just a bunch of cosmically inclined free loving spirits with a itching for music, Dennis welcomed the “family” into his home, and housed them for several months.
+ + +
During this time Charles Manson and his groupies were hoping to become the next great music act with the help of Dennis. Dennis would indeed get some of their songs out there, but reworked for The Beach Boys, and in 1968 they would release the single “Never Learn Not To Love” written by Dennis, a reworking of a Charles Manson original.
Morbid, considering the message, and later the acts committed by the Manson Family in the Hollywood Hills…This attachment to the Manson family would always stain Dennis’ reputation, and only further instill his bad boy image in the public mind.
+ + +
His 1977 solo debut album “Pacific Ocean Blue” was a huge critical hit for the artist, which allowed him to demonstrate his very own unique and progressive point-of-view. Many fans and critics agree it is Dennis’ fearlessness, drama, and deep soul that almost eclipse The Beach Boys altogether.
These are the traits we admire in the man. The adventurer in all aspects. His music. His life. His soul. And the whole time, he wasn’t even trying. He just simply was the most pure form of himself at all times. He just was.
+ + +
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His style is almost the same. It is not pent up in being cool, it just is…sounds silly, but most of the time Dennis Wilson was just chucking clothes on. His wardrobe is simple, always comfortable, and fitted just right. Classic, but he shakes it up with his rough and messy sort of way about him.
Wilson’s body was found curled up in a fetal position at the corner of the dock that once harbored his yacht, Harmony – one of his greatest joys, as well as the scene for many dramas in his life. He had spent the afternoon drinking and diving into the waters finding objects he had thrown over his boat and into the water.
At 39, Dennis Wilson was already a legend in every right. He had inspired his band to create an entire persona around him, and with that they became America’s most famous and beloved band in history.
His devilish grin, and candid charm kept him a favorite of the group, and with a wicked ability to adapt and change, Dennis kept the band going during the band’s hardest times. Sadly, no one would be able to help carry him through his own.
Dennis Wilson was given a burial to sea, his favorite place on Earth, and an honor reserved only to members of the military. The perfect resting place for a restless, wandering, and beautiful soul.
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We love you Pacific Ocean blue
Yeah we love you Pacific Ocean Blue
Oh we love you Pacific Ocean Blue
Oh I we love you Pacific Ocean Blue
It’s no wonder the Pacific Ocean is blue
-Dennis Wilson, “Pacific Ocean Blue”.
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Experience it all yourself.
All it takes is a little guts and glory…bold, bad, and beautiful.
Here are some of the items at that can help inspire the look!
Those who know me best, know that I am obsessed with movies. Not just obsessed, but everything I think, or see, or do is always somehow manipulated by thoughts to do with movies.
Whether it be noting some likeness to a situation and a particular moment in a film, dressing a part for a day influenced by some fleeting notion of raising up fallen idols, or simply by getting lost in the assertion that life could somehow be better if only it really were a movie.
That’s what I’m talking about here, people! Is that pure crazy? I don’t think so.
What movies have taught me most in life is that it’s better to be bold than not to be, and it’s better to express your ideas in the richest most provocative manner possible! No one likes to sit through something stagnant and flat. Movies can provide an explosively sumptuous experience for the mind, body, and soul, and if you’re catching up with the right one, you’ll probably leave with new thoughts and inspirations.
So, with the New Year in full swing, we have compiled a list of our 10 Most Anticipated Films for 2013 –chosen for their unique and divine qualities, these are just our select few of the thousands of films releasing this year that seemed to provoke our spirit and promise to provide that je na sais quois.
10. MAMA{ Dir. Andre Muschietti, Starring Jessica Chastain }
Everyone recognizes Jessica Chastain for her long, beautiful, flowing red hair, but in this film she gets to show off her chameleon talents. Covered in tattoos and rocking a dark bob, this lady is not to be messed with. Chastain herself described her characters as a real bitch, but in this story of a young couple who must care for their niece who was left in a forest for 5 years, there will probably be enough twists and scares to break down that tough front.
9.ROMEO AND JULIET{ Dir. Carlo Carlei, Starring Hailee Steinfeld, Douglas Booth, and Ed Westwick}
Nothing is more classic than Romeo and Juliet, and you might roll your eyes (bore-snore) at the whole idea of another remake of the Shakespearean tragic romance, but look what it did for Leonardo Dicaprio and Claire Danes back in the 90s (1996 to be exact), and even back to 1968 with Leonard Whitley and Olivia Hussey (did they even do anything better, other than Hussey’s “Black Christmas” ?) in Franco Zeffirelli’s more traditional take – the story is told time and time again, because it’s the ULTIMATE! Too bad Shakespeare can’t be around to collect royalties . . .
This one stars the Oscar nominated Miu Miu muse, and teen style star, Hailee Steinfeld as Juliet, and young heart throb Douglas Booth as Romeo. Not to mention, fresh off the Gossip Girl series, Ed Westwick as Tybalt. Round that all off with a adaptation of Shakespeare’s work by acclaimed screenwriter Julian Fellowes (creator of Downtown Abbey, and Oscar winner for Gosford Park), it’s hard to imagine this film not making an impact.
Also, if James Horner is doing the score, the film is most probably legit. Too legit to quit. So keep your eyes peeled for this gem coming this Fall!
8. THE GRANDMASTERS{ Dir. Wong Kar Wai, Starring Tony Leung, and Ziyi Zhang}
“The Grandmaster” has been dancing about the scene for a while, and is finally making it’s way to the theatres here in North America (or so they say). Can’t go wrong with the reunion of stars Tony Leung and Ziyi Zhang for an epic martial arts film helmed by the director who first brought them together in 2004 for the incredible “2046“.
And, as with all Wong Kar Wai films ( “Days of Being Wild” , “Ashes of Time“, and “In The Mood For Love“), he is able to elevate the smallest moments, and add a most mysterious beauty to every image he conjures, making this film about the man who famously trained Bruce Lee, more than your average kung fu flick.
Look forward to beautiful period details, plenty of incredible slow-mo close ups, and some fine acting. Only peculiar thing is Kar Wai is not using his usual collaborator Christopher Doyle for the cinematography, though they have always worked together, creating the worlds that Wong Kar Wai is so known for. We will see . . .
7. THE DRUMMER{ Dir. Randall Miller, Starring Aaron Eckhart, and Chloe Grace Moretz}
God only knows what I’d be without Dennis Wilson, and the legend he has left behind for all of us to indulge. He was a misunderstood type of guy, and if you checked out our E.O.F. STYLE IDOLS & DIVINITIES, you will have noticed The Bad Beach Boy sitting pretty near the top of the list.
He is, after all, a true rebel spirit, with an impeccable sense of personal style, as well as a most talented musician. He is someone who went through heavy evolution throughout his life, but was left sad and lonesome by the end of it.
If this film can capture the spirit of the times, and really delve into the character of Dennis Wilson, there is no reason not to expect this film riding Aaron Eckhart towards a potential Oscar nomination. The film also stars Chloe Grace Moretz as his daughter, Jennifer. Very excited to see this!
6. ONLY GOD FORGIVES{ Dir. Nicholas Winding Refn, Starring Ryan Gosling, and Kristen Scott Thomas}
“Only God Forgives” is the second collaboration between director Nicholas Winding Refn and Canadian actor Ryan Gosling, who first brought to you “Drive” back in 2011. “Drive” was truly one of the great films of this decade already, and if that is any indication for what to expect in this upcoming film about a boxer involved in the underground crime scene in Bangkok, expect a helluva ride.
The film also stars Kristen Scott Thomas, as Ryan Gosling’s mother who encourages him to seek out revenge on his brother’s murderers. The film was shot on location in Bangkok, Thailand so expect a shit load of neon, some really cool street scenes, wickedly distressed interiors, some bad ass fighting, and probably some strippers too . . . Oh, and don’t forget – Ryan Gosling plays a Thai Boxer, so be prepared to sweat a little.
This is going to be classic stuff (as if “Drive” was not enough!), so look forward to this flick set to release this Fall.
5. THE GREAT GATSBY{Dir. Baz Luhrmann, Starring Leonardo Dicaprio, and Carey Mulligan}
“The Great Gatsby” was initially set to release this year, so it was such a bummer to hear it had been pushed back until Spring, 2013! But, what do you know, we’ve just begun 2013, and Spring is right around the corner, so I’m definitely excited to see this one. I mean, this is “The Great Gatsby”!! “The Great Gatsby”. “The Great Gatsby”!!!
This is a story that still rings true to this day, and with Baz Luhrman directing the deal, who knows what to expect! As for the production, it seems they have gone above and beyond to bring to life a drama and decadence that not even Clayton’s 1974 vision reached.
Where Jack Clayton chose to create a more romantic Gatsby with plenty of soft focus, and pastel colours, tones of beige, ivory and pearl; Luhrman seems to be drawn to a more electric vision of the 1920s, with plenty of sex, scandal, violence, and drugs dressed in bold, deep, and dark richness.
4. GINGER AND ROSA{Dir. Sally Potter, Starring Elle Fanning, Alice Englert, Annette Benning, and Christina Hendricks}
Beautiful Elle Fanning plays Ginger, a bold and brassy ginger-haired girl with a rebel spirit and independent mind, who finds friendship in kindred spirit Rosa (played by relative newcomer Alice Englert, also daughter of director Jane Campion). Amidst life in 1960s London, and the looming doom of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the two friends experience a coming-of-age.
Ever sine “Now and Then”, I have always loved a good coming-of-age film, and this one being set in the 1960s amongst the great changes happening in society, and Elle Fanning as a surprisingly convincing Brit, this film is one of my most-looked forward to. Just from the trailer, I am completely captivated and sold.
3. STOKER{ Dir. Chan-Wook Park, Starring Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, and Matthew Goode}
This is another one of those films that was supposed to be released in 2012, but was pushed back to 2013 (perhaps for Oscar politics: too many films running so they push it back) making me wait and wait, simply watching the trailers over and over, and trolling tumblr for cool gifs and clues into the film’s entire meaning.
I haven’t figured it out yet, but I’ll keep trying. Brought to us by the director of the Korean cult film Old Boy, this is Chan-Wook Park’s first English excursion, but hopefully won’t be his last.
Mia Wasikowska looks completely bad-ass and sinister (Her name is India, which I love, but is she a witch, or something? There were literally spiders crawling up her legs!!!), and I’ve seen Nicole Kidman mean, but not so cruel, tortured, and twisted; and as for Matthew Goode, I think it’s genius they are turning the usual good guy into such a dark creepy character.
They all have secrets, so it’s definitely going to be one of those nail biters, and is already a film many people are talking about.
2. KNIGHT OF CUPS{Dir. Terrence Malick, Starring Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, and Cate Blanchett}
Anything directed by Terrence Malick immediately makes the list. He is not the type of director to always be releasing movies (in fact, his third movie was not released until 20 years after his second), but perhaps off the success of “Tree of Life“, Malick is continuing to ride a particular wave of creativity that has him releasing more films than ever.
This one seems intriguing. Just the title is enough to get me thinking, and with an obvious Tarot reference (I mean, this is The Eye of Faith), how can I not be dying to see this, or at least know what it’s about.
Check out imdb and all you will find is six words to describe the story: “A man, temptations, celebrity, and excess”
I guess he will be exploring celebrity and judging from the Tarot reference, it will be a lot about destiny, and how that comes into play. It has a great cast (Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, Cate Blanchett – all Oscar winners, as well as some rumored names like Joe Mangniello and Frieda Pinto) and I never underestimate Terrence Malick.
In my books, he is God, and his work is Gold, so eagerly I wait for more progress!
1. CARRIE{ Dir. Kimberly Pierce, Starring Chloe Grace Moretz, Gabriella Wilde, and Julianne Moore}
This is kind of like the dream of dreams, right here. I mean, as soon as they dropped that they had cast Chloe Grace Moretz as the awkward, misunderstood, telekinetic teen, Carrie White, and Julianne Moore as her overbearing and fanatical Christian mom, with some serious psychotic notions of faith and morality in this remake of the Stephen King classic – the novel that started it all, “Carrie“!!!
The film is directed by Kimberly Pierce (“Boys Don’t Cry”), so my expectations are high, and after catching the first teaser the studios have released, I have no doubt that the film is going to be everything we could hope for and more!
Check out the official site: whathappenedtocarrie.com for more info! Looks like you can even try calling her . . . { (207) 404 – 2604 }
SICKENING!
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So, as we said, this is only a glimpse of some of the coolest films we are most looking forward to, but there are probably many more! If we’ve missed any that you think deserve a look at this 2013, let us know in the comments below!
Keep your eyes, because these are the films that are going to make an impact on the scene this 2013!
“They say I live a fast life. Maybe I just like a fast life. I wouldn’t give it up for anything in the world. It won’t last forever, either. But the memories will.”
-Dennis Wilson
+++
Since the summer started we’ve been excited to write a piece on Dennis Wilson, the infamous bad boy and drummer of The Beach Boys; the band that brought the beach lifestyle to the forefront of popular culture in the 1960s – a romantic notion that still resides in the populous today.
It’s hard to think of that era without the The Beach Boys and their iconic sound, a mix of harmony, rhythm, soul, and blues all dedicated to Southern California youth culture of surfing, cars, and girls.
Hits such as Surfin USA, California Girls, and Good Vibrations, encapsulated the image we still associate with the notion of surf and beach living to this day.
Their music certainly came to define the dreams and musings of many who longed for the coasts and beaches of California, and the utopian recluse this magical land of surf and sun could provide (Don’t tell me it’s just us!)
Though his eldest brother Brian Wilson is accredited with much of the band’s creative and technical genius, it was the rebel bad boy drummer Dennis who lived and breathed the California that inspired the band in the first place.
+ + + +
“I don’t do much surfin’, no I don’t. Actually, I don’t even know how to surf, but one guy in the group is a real good surfer, he’s a lot better than any of us, actually, all of us put together. His name is Dennis Wilson, of course, he’s our drummer, and he’s actually the inspiration behind this whole sort of surfing image for the Beach Boys. He encouraged me to write a surfing song a couple, 2, 3 years ago which started the whole thing moving.”
Brian Wilson, St. Louis 1964
Perhaps you noticed, but Dennis certainly had a different presence and a certain swag, as they say, compared to the rest of the band. Even his eldest brother Brian, who created most of the music during The Beach Boys’ hit making days, knew that Dennis and his SoCal rebel lifestyle was the clue to the puzzle of making a name for themselves.
Dennis always seems a mystery, a part of his embodiment of the surfing rock n’ roll image, you could say. Definitely an archetype of rebellion, desire, and thirst for danger. Behind his eyes there are stories and thoughts completely untold.
There are not many rock stars today who truly live the fantasies they suggest in their music. Dennis was not only a surfer, but also a pro drag racer, sailor, movie star, and notorious womanizer. These are the stories and tales written into almost every hit breaking, chart smashing song produced by the band.
+ + + +
+
++”I wrest the waters, fight Neptune’s waters, sail through the sorrows of life’s marauders. Unrelenting, often empty, sail on, sail on, sailor.”++
-Sail on Sailors by The Beach Boys from “Holland”
+
+ + + +
+ + +
As much a piece of the puzzle to The Beach Boys’ success, Dennis never seemed to be able to stay far from trouble. As early back as childhood, Dennis was known for getting in fights, and failing classes. He married four times, and had developed a heavy habit for drugs and alcohol.
Most can definitely agree he had some demons.
Free-spirited Dennis would hit the ultimate heights of his notoriety when it was found out that he had housed Charles Manson and his cult for a time. Viewing the group as just a bunch of cosmically inclined free loving spirits with a itching for music, Dennis welcomed the “family” into his home, and housed them for several months.
+ + +
During this time Charles Manson and his groupies were hoping to become the next great music act with the help of Dennis. Dennis would indeed get some of their songs out there, but reworked for The Beach Boys, and in 1968 they would release the single “Never Learn Not To Love” written by Dennis, a reworking of a Charles Manson original.
Morbid, considering the message, and later the acts committed by the Manson Family in the Hollywood Hills…This attachment to the Manson family would always stain Dennis’ reputation, and only further instill his bad boy image in the public mind.
+ + +
His 1977 solo debut album “Pacific Ocean Blue” was a huge critical hit for the artist, which allowed him to demonstrate his very own unique and progressive point-of-view. Many fans and critics agree it is Dennis’ fearlessness, drama, and deep soul that almost eclipse The Beach Boys altogether.
These are the traits we admire in the man. The adventurer in all aspects. His music. His life. His soul. And the whole time, he wasn’t even trying. He just simply was the most pure form of himself at all times. He just was.
+ + +
+ + +
His style is almost the same. It is not pent up in being cool, it just is…sounds silly, but most of the time Dennis Wilson was just chucking clothes on. His wardrobe is simple, always comfortable, and fitted just right. Classic, but he shakes it up with his rough and messy sort of way about him.
Wilson’s body was found curled up in a fetal position at the corner of the dock that once harbored his yacht, Harmony – one of his greatest joys, as well as the scene for many dramas in his life. He had spent the afternoon drinking and diving into the waters finding objects he had thrown over his boat and into the water.
At 39, Dennis Wilson was already a legend in every right. He had inspired his band to create an entire persona around him, and with that they became America’s most famous and beloved band in history.
His devilish grin, and candid charm kept him a favorite of the group, and with a wicked ability to adapt and change, Dennis kept the band going during the band’s hardest times. Sadly, no one would be able to help carry him through his own.
Dennis Wilson was given a burial to sea, his favorite place on Earth, and an honor reserved only to members of the military. The perfect resting place for a restless, wandering, and beautiful soul.
+
We love you Pacific Ocean blue
Yeah we love you Pacific Ocean Blue
Oh we love you Pacific Ocean Blue
Oh I we love you Pacific Ocean Blue
It’s no wonder the Pacific Ocean is blue
