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Harmony Studios - Launchpad

Ari Rothstein vibrated his way through PS 54. Known as the most hyperactive kid in midtown Manhattan, he was remembered everywhere as "that crazy hyper guy." Always moving, talking, gesturing, jumping, twitching, spazzing. The kid was a manic ball of non-stop excitement. He had a magnetism about him too, people were drawn and attracted to him, girls especially. Ari's mom died when he was a little kid so he lived with his artist father in a loft a few blocks from Penn station. His dad didn't force too many boundaries on Ari's life, so he would literally be running around the city at all hours. He and his rat-pack of friends would skate all through the city and hang over at their favorite spot under the Brooklyn Bridge. Ari's energy levels were bordering on insane and he would skate the same spot for hours, pushing his tricks further and further, amping super hard, all sweaty and frenzied, getting in his friends faces and exclaiming "HOLY SHIT THAT GRIND WAS SICK I JUST WANT TO HIT THAT NOLLY VARIEL OVER THAT RAIL HOLY SHIT TURN THAT FUCKING MUSIC UP FUCK YEAH!!! For hours and hours and hours. When Ari and his crew turned 16 they started going to punk shows and got deep into the NYC industrial and metal-edged punk movement. Ari would just go ballistic on the dancefloor. He was a little guy so he'd be flying through the air all over the place. Leaping off the second story balconies, getting up and singing into the guitarist's microphone. Just going out of control. He fucking loved it. Soo.. that Christmas he asked his dad for a bass guitar. Soon he and his friends were practicing till the wee hours in his dad's art studio. At first just three-chord punk songs. But soon it grew.

In school all Ari could talk about was music. He was fanatic. He wanted his band to be legit, not just another group of "wanker punk pussies." So he started hounding the best musician in school to come join his band. Noel Spur also grew up in Midtown. He was a quiet, studious kid with exceptional musical talent. He played first saxophone in the prestigious school jazz band, but was also known to shred some wicked fusion guitar. After much coaxing Ari got Noel to come to a practice. The practice went poorly. Noel was annoyed that the other guys could barely play their instruments. But he did like the fact that a bunch of girls were hanging out at the studio. Soo.. he came back for more practices and eventually taught the guys to play. For about six months Launchpad practiced their asses off. Then they began playing shows.

The first show was at a grimy little club in the East Village. Five bands were due to play and Launchpad was the opener. There were about 20 people in the crowd and Launchpad blasted off into their first insano song called, "Rip Your Eyes Out!" The kids in the crowd were ready to dance and Ari was literally vibrating off the floor with his energy and conviction. He also had this really distinctive voice. It was cutting, shrill and high-pitched, but also melodic and flowing. And he would bark these anthem-like phrases that got the people bouncing around in the crowd.

Six months later Launchpad opened for NOFX at the Trocadero in Philly. Kids were packed to the gills into this classic little club. Ari, still only 18 years old, was running around backstage churning himself into a blind frothing psychopath. Launchpad came out, fired into their opening song and the kids in the crowd started going ape-shit. A huge circle-pit formed, humming with the primal force of the music. Hundreds of kids all moshing and bouncing and rampaging. Ari was screaming the lyrics as kids were leaping off the stage and getting sucked into the pulsing pit of dancers. The energy was thick and visceral. The club was sweaty and dark. The volume was ear-splitting. Raging and pulsing and destroying. Manic.

-------------------------

(Jeff Chamberlain sent this in)
niceness

photos from surfermag.com

Now come on - please play nice today.

No more silly squabbling...

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 10:18 AM

Oh and I am off to check out the waves. And I WILL be taking my camara.

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 10:19 AM

is that kind of like a camaro?

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 10:20 AM

Nice left off the freighter!

Posted by: loco ensenada local at January 31, 2006 10:27 AM

freighters and shipwrecks are both rights

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 10:32 AM

and that pic isn't either of them

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 10:33 AM

milk was a bad choice

Posted by: bbr at January 31, 2006 10:58 AM

nice boat and wave theme e

Posted by: bagel at January 31, 2006 10:59 AM

Goes left and right...

Posted by: bitchin' at January 31, 2006 11:01 AM

Is it my imagination--or is there a surfer standing up in the curl on that first pic?

Posted by: amigoism at January 31, 2006 11:01 AM

Knowers know that there is a left off a freighter in Southern Baja.

Posted by: Mexi at January 31, 2006 11:02 AM

Ship not freighter..

Posted by: Mexi at January 31, 2006 11:03 AM

Does this count?

Posted by: dano at January 31, 2006 11:05 AM

nice beastie boy's meets the movie "kid's" plagiarism E!

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 11:08 AM

Critic Alert!
Speak up some more, get your damn windows waxed.
Locals are hostile and have scratchy balls. They don't take kindly to dot commie critics.

E, nice flow with the pics today.

Posted by: Booo Hoooo at January 31, 2006 11:13 AM

I worked at APL (grounded ship) for 9 years. It was a cool job.

Posted by: R3W at January 31, 2006 11:13 AM

Posted by: Haight Ashbury at January 31, 2006 11:16 AM

My folks bought me a bitchin' Camaro
With no insurance to match
So if I happen to run you down
Please don't leave a scratch

I ran over some old lady
One night at the county fair
And I didn't get arrested
Because my dad's the mayor

Posted by: blakestah at January 31, 2006 11:21 AM

My old camaro was this year, 1980, 4 barrel carb and 350 cu in.

Posted by: blakestah at January 31, 2006 11:24 AM

Brian:

Son. Please son. I know Don (anon name for your step-father) has been good to you even though he's a rabid alcoholic. Son. We will always be white trash - don't you get it? Sure, you live in a beautiful house now but don't forget your roots here in Arroyo Grande. I love you son. Hey - here's a coincidence - that G-money guy is a surf bud of mine down here iat Pismo we rule the left side!
Son. Please don't be in denial - I'll write again soon. Until we get it right - Be good Brian...

Posted by: D.A.D. at January 31, 2006 11:28 AM

Blakestah - always welcome here:
www.blackhole.org

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 11:30 AM

Posted by: Harry Carey at January 31, 2006 11:31 AM

Posted by: Doughnuts on your lawn at January 31, 2006 11:36 AM

Nothing screams: "I'm a val", like a Camaro.

Posted by: 3to5setsof7 at January 31, 2006 11:42 AM

Posted by: KFC at January 31, 2006 12:08 PM

What about the neon wettie and Vuarnets? with the Op sticker on the front and the bad boy club sticker on the camaro?

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 12:08 PM

pretty cool story about dude who regained his hearing while skiing

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 12:12 PM

e- something about shipwrecks and waves freak me out...my grandmother had a house on the cliff in Aptos by seacliff beach and as I child I frequented the pier to which was attached a rusting WWI freighter. You could fish off the first half of it but the rest was closed off , home to birds and seals. It fascinated me while giving me nightmares at the same time. You could look down into the hull and see dark dirty water and imagine the sea monsters that dwelled there. Since then surfing and shiprecks have always been a source of "surfmares" ( nightmare having to do with surfing courtesy of Surf seeker 7)
peace

Posted by: antman at January 31, 2006 12:15 PM

Posted by: huh?? at January 31, 2006 12:24 PM

I just recently swam around cement boats. It's OK.

Posted by: ew at January 31, 2006 12:27 PM

ya, what is that thing? (sharkbite nose womanly hips board)

Posted by: bagel at January 31, 2006 12:29 PM

The "Palo Alto" in Aptos is actually cement not metal. There have been times when the elements align and good sandbar has formed off that thing. Haven't seen one in awhile. I've got some fond session memories about surfing that spot when it happened.

Posted by: 3to5setsof7 at January 31, 2006 12:31 PM

he's an attenton whore like all the niceness posters with fancy names like rapestah, bagel etc....

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 12:32 PM

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 12:35 PM

www.lukechueh.com

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 12:42 PM

the boat is made of concrete. cement is just gray dust. but cement is an ingredient of concrete that when combined with water, creates a material that structurally bonds aggregate together to create a structural material - concrete.

The boat is actually reinforced concrete, which means there is steel embeded in the concrete. To use fiberglass as an analogy, the concrete is the epoxy and the steel is the fiberglass. Together a strong material capable of resisting both compressive and tensile forces but seperate, not really effective as much.

Posted by: concrete dude at January 31, 2006 12:46 PM

i never said i wasnt an attention whore.

Posted by: pre lunch bagel at January 31, 2006 12:47 PM

YOU TALKING TO ME CONCRETE GUY? CUZ I GOT SOME SHOES FOR YA.

Posted by: 3to5 Gambini at January 31, 2006 01:00 PM

its curious to me that some of you like to refer to your local crews as if they are honorable cohesive units to be celebrated, skilled and knowledgable in the cycles and abundance of the coastal life. your local crews are worthless. your local crews cannot even live off the land or harvest from the sea, supporting your people and living in harmony with all as a true community. they are like tattered and scared coyotes expelled from the grace of the creator, picking and pecking at the crumbs of the disconnected world. only by sharing with the other crews of the coast are you able to truly partake and celebrate in the true harvest of a life in harmony with the ocean. only then is your culture worthy of celebration. only then is the fruit of the harvest the sweetest. only then is your lifestyle authentic.

Posted by: Chumash Local at January 31, 2006 01:15 PM

Chumash Local FUCKING nailed it!

Posted by: I testified at January 31, 2006 01:19 PM

yeah, but everyone calls it cement boats.

Posted by: ew at January 31, 2006 01:23 PM

Image hosting by Photobucket

Posted by: My Gawd! I see understand the grand scheme of things! at January 31, 2006 01:25 PM

Next Topic- WINDSURFING SEASON

Posted by: Next Topic- WINDSURFING SEASON at January 31, 2006 01:26 PM

Chumash local is utterly and hopelessly obsolete and fucked, e's local crew has learned to live quite well off of the abundant bay area stock options and billable hours, and the abundant harvests of the whole foods salad bar. So much nicer and more harmonious than prying abalones off of rocks underwater or whatever.

Posted by: Authentic Stock Option Lifestyle at January 31, 2006 01:26 PM

Local crews tend to be worthless and failures in all aspects of life.

Posted by: I left my needle in the sand at January 31, 2006 01:29 PM

Posted by: whoa dude at January 31, 2006 01:31 PM

Oh Shit, Chief's fucked up on jimson weed and fire water again.

Posted by: How ya'doin',How ya'doin', at January 31, 2006 01:31 PM

Chumash go home!

Posted by: Costanoan and Esalen at January 31, 2006 01:41 PM

Here's something I found when searching for info on Chumash and coyotes. Given the context of the post I thought this was pretty funny...

"Coyote's escapades and adventures ranged far and wide through the lands of the Chumash, involving more than his numerous exploits with women. On an occasion when some fishermen insulted Coyote, he initiated a war of retaliation against them, that involved "companies of men from Ventura, La Purisima and the Tulare." In another episode, while in a fit of boredom, Coyote walked the hills behind Ventura, and "defecated everywhere," permanently ruining the water quality there."

Posted by: R3W at January 31, 2006 01:50 PM

Stirred not shaken

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 01:52 PM

Watermen
http://www.oceansonline.com/chumash.htm


Posted by: Chumash Local at January 31, 2006 01:52 PM

I was wondering when someone was gonna call Chumash Local out for being a San Luis O'Dago tranny. ;)

Posted by: Jimmie at January 31, 2006 01:59 PM

I have nothing to contribute to this place other then this.....

Better yet, I have no energy to contribute much else....

Posted by: Kaiser at January 31, 2006 02:22 PM

Posted by: Home is where the heart is at January 31, 2006 02:31 PM

he makes a valid point(s)

Posted by: KIX at January 31, 2006 02:34 PM

eyebrow chick's got some serious toe

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 02:38 PM

toe chick's got serious some serious eyebrow

Posted by: 3to5setsof7 at January 31, 2006 02:51 PM

Wicked weasel website really embraces the toe. Its incredible.

Posted by: tucker at January 31, 2006 02:56 PM

more lunchtime photos!

Image hosting by Photobucket

Posted by: ansel bagel at January 31, 2006 03:08 PM

oh my god that looks fun!

Ocean Beach right?

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 03:13 PM

i'll never forget, no way, they sold marcus garvey for rice

Posted by: Atari at January 31, 2006 03:18 PM

http://www.pbase.com/chucklantz/image/55110728

He he bvb gets friendly with a sponger

Posted by: bvb at January 31, 2006 03:36 PM

I know where that right is, Ansel Bagel, and please don't tell anyone. ;)

Whenever the "local" vibe starts getting out of hand at Fort Point or anywhere else in the City, I just sing this song out loud and it makes everyone in the lineup want to hug me: http://www.geocities.com/mattgiusto/southpark/bestfriends.wav

Posted by: Bitchass at January 31, 2006 03:38 PM

Is that Hanalei bay?

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 03:41 PM

WIth three guys on it? I wish. More remote, that's all I'll say.

Posted by: Bitchass at January 31, 2006 03:44 PM

Chumash Local you better beat feet back to your own territory with that hippy crap.

Posted by: Rolling 50s Coastal Miwoks at January 31, 2006 03:44 PM

Kind of looks like Hanalei, but the bay is too wide in the photo...hmmm...looks nice

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 03:55 PM

that's in indo

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 04:21 PM

think another ocean.
If my memory is correct i surfed it for the first time last year. mmmm tasty.

Posted by: jonno at January 31, 2006 04:22 PM

jonno? Is that you? Porter, 2nd floor, A dorm

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 04:26 PM

jeez-does the image address help you guys. c'mon now...
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e360/nathanstapley/monkeys11.jpg

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 04:27 PM

Porter, nah.

Posted by: jonno at January 31, 2006 04:30 PM

BVB dropping in on the same sponger

http://www.pbase.com/chucklantz/image/55110737

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 04:30 PM

I would trade my left nut to surf that wave right now.

well, maybe not. but you get the idea.

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 04:32 PM

just for general purposes it would appear. cool

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 04:34 PM

bagel is nathan stapley?

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 04:39 PM

Certain chord progressions seem to express tonal function - some of the chords appear to be active and unstable and seek resolution, while other chords seem inherently passive, stable and resolved.

A cadential progression is one in which the tonal function of each of the chords involved is clearly audible, and which also resolves onto a chord of rest and resolution. This final chord gives a sense of closure and completion and it is known as the tonic triad.

Posted by: distracted from work e at January 31, 2006 04:42 PM

i wish!

Posted by: bagel at January 31, 2006 04:47 PM

this one's for Kaiser
SRC="http://forums.surfingthemag.com/photopost/data/506/013006-bonus1.jpg

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 05:11 PM

I really like that painting up there with the black bunny getting into the white bunny. :)

Posted by: Brian at January 31, 2006 05:11 PM

we are all just energy condensed to a vibration
trembling between nodular globs of glistening nectar
upon which ethereal waves of pixidust emanate
out into the greater whole
passing through each and every one of us
initiating psychadelic spasmodic ecstasies
like when the beat drops in a hypnotic trance mix
while thick clouds of ganga smoke drift ever upward

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 05:12 PM

One more time....
picture

Posted by: sd rider at January 31, 2006 05:13 PM

Where can I find some fine, loose women drinking in SF?

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 05:17 PM

Come on over.....We might not be loose but just give us booze.

Posted by: The Marina Girls at January 31, 2006 05:19 PM

Are you fine?

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 05:21 PM

The reason why I ask is that my wife is out of town and I'm ready to party

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 05:28 PM

im a hot drunk loose woman

Posted by: Brian at January 31, 2006 05:43 PM

low....lower....

Posted by: blog health meter at January 31, 2006 05:47 PM

that parabolic board looks pretty funky but it worked for ski's.

and BVB bought it so it must be cool.

Posted by: who let BVB hold a child? at January 31, 2006 05:51 PM


Posted by: this board is suffering from Brian damage at January 31, 2006 06:09 PM

Bagel, are we going to get some more paintings of yours posted soon?

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 06:10 PM

watchin the tide roll away bitches.

Posted by: Otis at January 31, 2006 06:34 PM

yeah bagel getting off on that art work
is that otis or wilson?
wicked weasel rules
no way thats hanalei, cliff to the right is steeper beneath the princeville hotel
nyc in my humble opinion sucks
so cal is party on
see you out there, in the line up, as soon as the poo factor diminishes

Posted by: otf at January 31, 2006 07:28 PM

goddamn. i have a sore throat and can't surf. anyone got a magical remedy?

Posted by: Aaaggh at January 31, 2006 08:16 PM

Gargle with Niceness.org but try not to gag.

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 08:18 PM

Bagel and E preparing for what will be unbeknownst to them at this point a Fort Point Beat Down by now less than 10 locals all seeking vengence for words written against the order of good men.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/541401927/1541426805061496857qldzNL

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 08:27 PM

Smokin' way to start it off today E! Love the ocean vessel surf shots. There is nothing better than surfing a funky, weird wave for the first time and those pics made me feel it for a bit. At the right tide and swell, a wave has to be firin' off sometime in the first pic. The second pic explains how freaky waves are so fun to surf.

Keep it irie and surfy and listen to blackark.

Posted by: Hb at January 31, 2006 09:38 PM

insult the locals and exploit their beach.
keep shouting them down. but is it right?
and what will you then say when confronted?
we are going to test you. if you believe the ocean is for everyone and you deserve to play in and exploit ocean beach, we are going to test you're resolve. let's ee if you really mean it.
I don't think you do. Because I never see you sitting on the peak.
Now we will find out if you are willing to make your case. We welcome you. Please come soon.

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 10:27 PM

yeah, you're right. i never sit on the peak. i guess because kelly's cove is pretty much a shit wave.

Posted by: at January 31, 2006 10:59 PM

my cooter is ready for you.

Posted by: at February 1, 2006 12:11 AM

we have all sat on the peak and surfed it.

Get over it. Locals do not rule at OB.

With your attitude your time isbv done.

Like your country the people who live there are the new locals.

You know you will never speak up in reality when you see someone on "your peak" - so let it go - you will find it a liberation I promise you.

Posted by: at February 1, 2006 12:21 AM

this blog needs an interjection of raves:

I met this girl tonight from a dating website. She is 22, i'm 32, and she is smoking! Woo hoo! 2nd girl I met online this year and both are CUTIES! Wooo hooo! Better than a dry barrel.

Posted by: rave at February 1, 2006 12:27 AM

Please come soon.

Posted by: at February 1, 2006 06:36 AM

sorry guys, the new "locals" are here. your "protection" of the local breaks has expired with the advent of the Oneill Physco III.

stop picking on e, he just posts a blog of his writings and reproduced pictures of chile. your aggression is totally misguided.

i know it’s easy for a group of cowards to single out one man and try and intimidate him – we’ve all seen it throughout our lives. Bullies and cowards, one in the same.

If you guys were real, intimidating, well-organized and connected locals – we wouldn’t even be having this conversation. Don’t you realize that? You lost. Its over – and its not e’s fault. He has nothing to do with your shortcomings as a local crew.

e, I commend you on your steadfast pacifism, you are a brave person.

I don’t know e, but all I can say is that if I’m out there and see any bullying in the water, I’m abandoning my usual neutral (and cowardly) stance and will be stepping in to intervene and calling these cowards out.

This behavior is reprehensible.

Posted by: big at February 1, 2006 08:14 AM

What peak are we meeting on then?

hello hello?

Posted by: at February 1, 2006 08:36 AM

big,

what's more reprehensible...?

> people leavin' trash on the beach

-- bottles, needles, cans, etc, nails, etc

> people dying at ocean beach in the winter because they don't have the ability to surf it and got the false impression that it was okay to paddle out because you whining bitches shouted the "locals" down (note this is not a hypothetical, some guy bit it just last week)

> residents of a break letting it degenerate into utter chaos so that NOBODY has a good time, or people get hurt with regularity due to to collisions etc -- read up on da hui & the wolfpak for more on this angle


don't confuse trash-talking haters with locals who care about a place, maintaining some semblance of order, and preserving its environment, big.

you come out into a lineup with a "i'm just going to confront the first person i see regulating" attitude of your own, and you will get sent back with a busted face and a busted stick, i guarantee you.

--

Posted by: g at February 1, 2006 08:38 AM

I paddled out yesterday in a spot I was pretty much new to. Good sized swell and difficult take off. A bunch of 'locals' - they clearly knew what they were doing, were taking in turns catching waves.

I waited a while a took off - got dropped in on. That's fine...

Then worked my way into the group and certainly didn't get as many waves as them - but that was OK since they were far better. After a while everyone was fine and smiling. And I caught more than enough rides and didn't feel they were trying to limit me at all, and I made sure I didn't screw up their session in any way - and they returned the favor.

In reference to G's comment - I don't have any problem with this kind of thing. These guys deserved some respect since they knew a difficult spot and were darned good.

And also it is a system that works fine (on a point break - on a big day at OB the whole conversation is not needed).

But I do have a problem with people crying about pics and whining about spot naming when I will have just come back from a OH++ session and the entire coast was deserted - yet they still senselessly whine about comments leading to overcrowding.

It is out of wack. I always offer competant (i.e. people who surf a break better than me) locals the respect I feel they deserve - and I don't have a problem with that at all.

But please for gods sake stop the constant stream of non sensical internet whining - it's not even grounded in reality anyhow.

Posted by: please make it stop at February 1, 2006 09:03 AM

Hey big, do you seriously think you're doing e or anyone any favors here? What are your motives? By throwing gas on the fire you create problems for everyone and as usual you do it from the safety of your keyboard.

Posted by: at February 1, 2006 09:14 AM

Posted by: dolphin appriciation day at February 1, 2006 09:37 AM

Posted by: at February 1, 2006 09:39 AM

This Blog is so full of talkers. It is so easy to "regulate" from behind a keyboard.

Seriously, when was the last time anyone has seen more than a dirty look at the beach? How can you "guarantee you?" In reality crowds are only a problem on nice days or weekends with swell. That has been the rule on those days for 15 years.
YOu gonna bust up some 13 year old girl that is at your beach on crowded sunny day?

Get real. About half this blog is a bunch of people getting off being tough once they are safe at home or at work. You all front like you are bad. In reality you are just getting off by being someone you are not. The state of the beach and lack of "regulation" proves this. You all are like some dirty old man getting off on the internet.

Lets remember this is "niceness"


Posted by: Your all talk G at February 1, 2006 09:48 AM

Why don't other sports, like skiing and fishing have this kind of bad vibe?

They are both sports that are highly territorial and depend on good conditions and local knowledge.

why is that?

Posted by: why so much hate at February 1, 2006 09:56 AM

Hug Hug

Posted by: teletubbies at February 1, 2006 09:56 AM

there is nothing wrong with 'getting off' on the internet

Posted by: at February 1, 2006 10:02 AM

Posted by: at February 1, 2006 10:03 AM

Posted by: at February 1, 2006 10:04 AM

Posted by: at February 1, 2006 10:06 AM

Posted by: at February 1, 2006 10:08 AM

I still say locals typically tend to be losers in all aspects of life.

Posted by: I left another needle in the sand at February 1, 2006 10:13 AM
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