Is this the end of TheUrbanShop?

There’s been a story to tell that I have been dying to tell for months now and I wish it was better news but here goes.

In 1999 I was employed by Headstrong Ltd to help set up and run an online men’s clothing website. Shortly after joining they dismissed my immediate manager and put me in his position as top dog.

Now lets zoom on a few years, the guys that owned Headstrong Ltd were niceish people far to much money and very busy making more, they would not really let me run Headstrong and so it never did develop as a viable business. So in 2003 the one owner remaining came to me saying hat they were closing down headstrong and offered me another position in telecoms company he owned. I love Headstrong and the whole business I had been running with a passion and so agreed to take Headstrong of his hands and run it.

Lets zoom now to 2006, I was still friendly with the owner of Headstrong Ltd and maybe foolishly I would give honest answers to how the business was doing, after all I was very proud of what I had turned Headstrong into it was now a viable business and in the first year of owning it I had increased sales by 500%. So here’s the crunch I didn’t actually own the domain name and asked that it be transferred to my name but that was not to happen. Headstrong Ltd realised that there was a buck to be made and instead of giving over the domain or indeed selling it they offer to rent it to me for 5 years for the sum of £250,000 yes that’s not a misprint.

Hello theurbanshop, we basically changed the name over to a domain I owned rebranded the site and after 6 months were back up and running and all lived happy ever after, er no that only happens in fairy tales. Because of our previous experience we though ok this time we will trademark our name and since 2006 with have been in a legal battle with a Chinese ladies fashion manufactures called “Urban Shock” who say there could be confusion between our names.

This battle has raged for 3 years and twice we have won but yesterday the judgement was overturned and we lost, with barristers at £3000 a pop (that’s day to you and me) we are not sure if we can continue has this judgement means we will have to change our name again. So it’s easy running an online shop isn’t it?

We have options, appeal, change our name and rebrand, give up(not really in our nature) but with the financial climate as it is right now we may have no choice.

Anybody want to offer me a job?

CTRL SS09 now in

HuuRaa for Royal Mail we thought they had lost half of our CTRL order but no it's now arrive a tight collection of killa t-shirts and off center hoody design check it out you've nothing to loose.

Ping Pong Forum Podcast 11

Thxs to RedFireWalker here's another forum Ping Pong Podcast number 11. A strange mix of diverse tunes on this one but that keeps it fresh. have a listen and any thoughts pass them on


John Martyn - Big Muff
Depeche Mode - Big Muff
Freestyle - Dont Stop The Rock
Michna - Swiss Glide
Gong - I Never Glid Before
Anubian Lights - As Seen In 822 A.D.
Astral Projection - Dancing Galaxy
Suicide - Rocket U.S.A.
Orchid - Impersonating Martin Rev
Fat Freddy's Drop - Cay's Crays (Kalbata rremix)
Aquasky vs. Masterblaster - 777 (Lucky Strike Mix)
Paul Murphy - Seven Samurai

You must join the form to listen but we dont use your details or Spam you so dont worry
Ping Pong Podcast number 11

Joey TPA Exclusive radio Interview

Exclusive interview with Joe DeRoche from the infamous TPA graffiti crew, circa '72, & the founder CEO of Street Level Nine clothing. RawCore Radio will be talking graffiti politics & fresh threads, while we bring you those classic Hip-Hop gems from yester years.

Listen to Joey TPA

Bristol Grattiti @ Royal West of England Academy

Fifty of Bristol's graffiti artists were given the chance to spray the main gallery at the Royal West of England Academy.

SS09 Zoo York now in

AS you are all aware SturbanClothing is one of the oldest if not the oldest online stockiest of Zoo York in the UK and sping /summer 09 ahas just arrived. Mainly a collection of new Zoo York t-shirt design plus some classic design in fresh new greens and purple. There should be something there to please everybody from the minimal Block City T-shirt to the gang related script Vandal T-shirts there's something for everybody.

Obey wins Brit Insurance Design of the Year

Illustrator Shepard Fairey aka Obey who's famous poster depicting a moody, mystical Barack Obama gazing into the great future, won the Brit Insurance Design of the Year, picked by a panel of greats and goods including Alan Yentob and Paola Antonelli, curator of architecture and design at New York's Museum of Modern Art. It was, apparently, chosen as "most innovative and forward thinking design of the past 12 months".

S/S 09 CTRL now in

Not completely true has some is either still in transit or lost in transit but you should really check out CTRL if you have never seen them. Streetwear, fashion, urban wear what ever you call it CTRL is ahead of the game, far far ahead of the game so if you are looking for something different and a fresh approach in men's clothing then CTRL is for you

Obey gets South Parked

Shepard Fairey’s Obama poster has just been given the South Park treatment. It appeared in the recent super hero parody, most noticeably Bat Man and The Watchmen were the focus of the episode.

We're throwing a Party

Thurs 2nd April 09 We're throwin a Party! (along with some friends inc our mate sNOOk) at View2, The Barbican in Plymouth. Tunes will be from Dub / Dubstep / into Drum n Bass on a 5k+ Sound Rig (SUBHEAVY), and its all homegrown local talent!

We've got FREEBIES galore lined up (1st come, 1st served), Ooh did we mention a DRINKS promotion?

State of the art VISUALS by G-Force on a big screen mixed in with sk8 vids etc...
If you're after midnight you can bribe us with £2 and you're in. See you there :)

Do you wanna get Dirty Smart?

Check our Dirty Smart the latest brand to hit SturbanClothing super fresh t-shirt designs created by Dj's for people into the clubbing scene and supported by some of the biggest dj names in the business including Funkagenda, Utah Saints, Hoxton Whores, Kelevra, Bass Weazel, Bodyrox, Trophy Twins and Jay Stone

SturbanClothing Drum N Bass podcast

Does Tricksta ever sleep? Just the other week he did us a great Funk podcast or ‘The Funk Cast’ as Tricksta called it! LOL. Well Tricksta is back with a great 80 minute mix of old skool drum’n’bass. This podcast mix and sees Tricksta on the 1’s and 2’s for a quality super funky, uplifting, dubby, jazzy roll out! It’s something that’s great to sit down and chill too.

Mistical - Inside My Head
Calibre - Trust
Roni Size - Strictly Social (Roni Size Remix)
Marcus Intallex and S.T. Flies - How You Make Me Feel
Mathematics - Drowning
The Insiders - Music
Calibre - Hypnotise
Influx Datam - Back For More (High Contrast Remix)
Aquasky - In The Zone
Roni Size - Keep Strong
Mistical - Mistical Dub
Calibre - Fire and Water
Mist and High Contrast - 3am
Cold Fusion - Return Of the Ugly Son
D'Kay - It's On The Way
Special Forces - Miracle
Makoto - What To Do

You can listen here but you will need to be part of SturbanClothing Forum and we are looking for feedback.

Did you like this podcast?
What did you think of the selection, would you have linked others in?
What do you think of the podcasts in general?
Is there a genre you would like to hear more of?
Would you like to produce a podcast?
or would you like to submit a drop (a little urbanshop advert)

Eleven Streetwear now in

I absolutely love Eleven it's so fresh and ahead of the game. Eleven originally and set up to make quality, original snowboard outerwear and then realised that their supporters also want streetwear they could rock off the slopes and that's the bit we buy the Eleven streetwear range. Eleven isn’t for everybody it's not a clothing brand many people will immediately recognise and few will be rocking so if you like some different, something fresh and ahead of the game then check out Eleven.

Just in check the vibrant Green Dotted Crew or Black, Pink and Yellow Meta Two full zip hood, if you're looking for something more conservative check out the Logan or Kasey jackets and both have matching shorts, sweet

Pharrell Williams gets on the ethical fashion tip.

Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes is redefining hip hop's involvement in fashion. He is working with ethical textile company, Bionic Yarn, to produce fabrics made from recycled plastic bottles.

Pharrell, has been involved in luxury fashion for years. In 2005 he began his clothing line Billionaire Boys Club / Ice Cream, luxury street wear brands that he co-owns with Nigo, the Japanese D.J., fashion designer and founder of the clothing line A Bathing Ape.

"I have to think about the future of this planet," said Pharrell, adding that he plans to use the ethical fabric in his own clothing lines, although there are not yet any designs in the works. "I love quality," he said, "And quality with environmental benefits is the cherry on top."

Obey Graffiti Vandalism Charges

Shepard Fairey of Obey fame was arrested in early February as he arrived at the opening of his retrospective exhibit at Boston’s Institute for Contemporary Art and then imprisoned overnight, Fairey entered a not guilty plea yesterday in municipal court as he faced multiple charges based on allegations that he posted images and mounted posters on a railroad trestle, Massachusetts Turnpike Authority property, and traffic signs in the Back Bay neighborhood. The Boston Globe notes that the police have acknowledged that they did not have eyewitnesses or surveillance films of Fairey mounting any of the materials. Fairey contends that the images used are available for downloading on the Internet and could have been posted by anyone. According to the Times article, the artist issued a statement Wednesday in which he asserted that his prosecution represented an effort to punish him for advocating that public spaces “should be filled with more than just commercial advertising.”

www.SturbanClothing.tv

The new blog as bandwidth expands new media fills it up. You can again join the site upload video’s link in YouTube video using the YouTube embed code, set up a profile, form and join groups and comment of videos. Again exclusives are all the better even if it is a am or pro at the begging say and here’s blar blar for SturbanClothing.tv.

What the full list of what you can do:-

* Members can upload, manage and share their own media files

* Members can organise and add media files to their list of favorites

* Connect with other members and subscribe to their media channel

* Private message friends and/or other members (with the ability to block)

* Members can create groups, share their media files, and create a community within your community around their interests. Groups can also be set to private so only friends get access.

* Comment on media files and interact with other members.

* Visit other users profiles, leave comments, view their favourite media and make new friends

* Private Media - Ability to create a private groups so your uploaded files are only shared with friends

* Request other members to be friends. Members are then notified of friend requests and have the option to approve or deny the request.

* History - keeps track of the media you have been viewing

* Profile Views - allows members to see who's been viewing their profile

* Sent and received friend request management area

* Friends list - displays everyone you are friends with and allows you to edit as necessary

* Your members can easily add any media file to their favourites list with a click of a button

* Share Media - Have your members driving even more traffic to your site by sharing their favourite media with their friends & family by email

* The "Flag" feature - will have your members working for you and saving you time. It lets your members tell you about inappropriate media, thus allowing site admins to delete this unwanted media with a click of a button keeping your site nice and clean.

* Media rating system gets your visitors involved and interacting with your site. Highest rated media is then displayed under "Top Rated"

* Visitors have the ability to add media to their website or blog as an embed code. Take advantage of this feature by having every video branded with your site URL. Just like YouTube does. (this can be disabled from admin)

* Related media is displayed beside media being viewed resulting in more activity and clicks on your site

* Video commenting system that will bring your community to life.

March 8 Podcast and Boom Monk Ben is back

Boom Monk Ben recently recorded a mix for Glasgow's Subcity Radio. It gives a taste of what the kids of today want from tomorrow's parties but with the best of yesterday to round things off....

1. Aaron La Crate - Kids Stuff (Part 1) (Delicious Vinyl)
2. Diplo - Must Be A Devil (feat Marina Vello) (Mad Decent)
3. Diplo - Mary Jane (Solid Groove Remix) (White)
4. Duke Dumont - When I Hear Music (Turbo)
5. Proxy - The Raven (Kazey and Bulldog MPC Reverse Remix) (Unreleased)
6. Underworld - Ring Road (Fake Blood Remix) (Underworld)
7. AC Slater - Jack Got Jacked (Jackbeats Remix) (Palms Out Sounds)
8. Timbaland - Love To (Crookers Remix) (Unreleased)
9. DJ Blaqstarr - Blaw! (Neo's Let The Attack Begin Edit) (Unreleased)
10. Ooft Drum Trax - Why Don't You B-More Fun? (Unreleased)
11. Debonair Samir - Samir's Theme 2 (Unreleased)
12. A-Trak - Say Whoa (Kitsune)
13. Bobby Evans - Freak-A-Zoid Robotz (Rmxlgy Theme) (Delicious Vinyl)
14. DJ Technics - Everything (Beatdown Mix) (TandA)
15. Yo! Majesty - Club Action (Stanton Warriors Remix) (Domino)
16. Mix N Blend - Champion Sound feat Bakaman and EJ Von Lyric) (Unreleased)
17. DJ Blaqstarr - Shake It To The Ground feat Rye Rye (Drop The Lime Remix) (Mad Decent)
18. Bingo Players - Get Up (Diplo Remix) (Music Man)
19. Busy P - To Protect and Entertain feat Murs (Crookers Remix) (Because Music)
20. Radioclit - Divine Gosa (Switch Remix) (Counterfeet)
21. LFO - Freak (Warp)
22. Awesome 3 - Don't Go feat Julie McDermott (Kicks Like A Mule Remix) (XL)


This link takes you to the forum which you will need to join to get the link from there you can comment and select tracks or just lurk, we wont Spam you
Boom Monk Ben SubCity Show

Elwood Joins SturbanClothing

We've just added a selection from Elwood Clothing to the site Elwood released its first collection of jeans, shirts, knitwear and t-shirts in 1996. Elwood has since earned worldwide respect as a clothing brand that represents a higher standard of quality streetwear for men. In the detailed construction of its garments Elwood utilises sustainable fabrics such as organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, recycled yards, selvedge denims.



Elwood have long been a cool minimal brand producing quality clothing but also supports a full skate team including Dan Drehobl, Kenny Anderson, Silas Baxter-Neal and John Rattray amongst others.

Channel U in Liquidation

The big news hitting us today is that UK Hip Hop and Grime supporters Channel U's parent company Video Interactive Television plc has gone in to voluntary liquidation. Not sure what that means for the Sky Tv channels but it doesn't sound like good news to us.

How's your week been?

You know sometimes you just have one of those weeks. Last week it was Shrovetide which in our little town is a big thing, they play this mad football game for 2 days and everything shuts down so far as they board up shops and most locals take the week off to recover from the game and talking about the game whilst imbibing the local beverages. Personally I see this as a time to get away have a rest catch some sun and do some thinking, so that’s just what we did, unfortunately there was only little sun and not much rest or time for reflection and thinking but that’s another story.

So back to my week or last 5 days since my return.

Sunday, Plane was delayed due to strike action however this was only 30 mins. We get back and turn on the BIG computer that runs the business I had been in contact with my laptop whilst away. Nothing the damn machine wont turn on so check the connection and fuse nothing, take the side off look inside, there’s not much to see inside a pcL. Anyway my mate Mouse works for her brother who is a computer system breakers and repairer so I ask her to take it in, “Blow Motherboard” she says within 2 mins OK repair it. So I end up having new motherboard, power supply and think whilst it’s there may as well update the ram.

Monday computer comes back and works. Anyway I’m sorting my holiday stuff and think good time to put my I-pod back into my dog walking jacket, whoops missed the pocket and I-pod drops in mop bucket full of water. I’m sure many of you will remember my last I-pod and the water episode well this ends up the same. Broke. Also pick dogs up from kennels.

Tuesdays and all is going well except we have a water leakage so we call out the plumber, whilst he’s got his head under the sink I remove the dogs to the living room. Spud bless him does get a bit confused first few day back from kennels after being able to cock his leg anywhere and goes about marking his territory which include the VCR. More electrical equipment down the swanny. Anyway we decide to go for an Indian its bring your own booze so off to supermarket first, that’s when we notice the chip shop below is in darkness but think nothing of it. Wine in hand we return to Indian and notice that too is in darkness, so retire to car to think about it. Give it 10 mins must be a fuse, then we notice the whole of that side of the street is out and I start to think that I aint getting any tea. Well there was a power cut and there’s only 2 Indians in our town, so we give it up and go home for an egg sandwich.

Wednesday I call this the day everything changed so off to warehouse to check up and kick ass, well may be check up, it’s on an old converted farm in the back waters of nowhere, so I’m driving along and last nights shopping is still on the back seat then bang and I’m thinking to myself that’s a bottle of red wine smashed on my carpet. However the gods were on my side and this sorry tale ends on a good note that the wine did not smash.

So how’s your week been?

Graffiti at The Royal West of England Academy

Traditionalists might claim that graffiti is vandalism rather than art, but this month Bristol's celebrated street artists will invade the city's grandest gallery for a six-week exhibition.

The Royal West of England Academy (RWA) will play host to Crimes of Passion – an exhibition that will see some of the city's street artists painting on the walls of its 150 year-old building.

With work by artists such as Bristol-born Banksy selling for hundreds of thousands of pounds, the development of street art is now an internationally recognised phenomenon.

The RWA exhibition will be the first show of new work by the city's most successful street artists since the Arnolfini's show in 1985.

Felix Braun, one of the exhibition's curators, said: "Crimes of Passion shows the quality of talent in Bristol. In terms of street art there is a flourishing scene.
"There are a lot of very successful artists living and working the city, many of whom are internationally acclaimed – perhaps not on these shores but certainly abroad and as far away as Los Angeles and Tokyo.

The exhibition will feature work by around 45 of Bristol's best-known street artists.
Some will use canvas and installations as well but other will paint as directly on to the walls.

Mr Braun added: "By painting directly onto the walls you have the impact that comes from street art. Imagine walking around a corner and seeing a piece of art which seems to have appeared overnight and brightens up a grey space. In this case, we'll achieve that same impact but instead we're brightening up a white space.
"People who don't recognise graffiti as art or classify it all as vandalism need to grow up and move into the 21st century.

"The term graffiti can range from scratching your name into a bus shelter to a piece of work done by 20 different artists working together to produce a beautiful, vibrant piece of art. It's all about terms of reference."

The exhibition, which includes a programme of talks and educational activities, aims to show how graffiti can regenerate communities and be entertaining

Graffiti was brought directly to Bristol from America by artists and musicians who travelled there from New York City in the early 1980s. Graffiti artists active on the Bristol scene at that time included Banksy, Nick Walker, Inkie and Robert del Naja, or 3D, of Massive Attack.

Damien Hirst vrs Supreme

OMG can you believe madness in the first degree, I want one. Everybody knows that any piece of art produced by Damien Hirst is a big deal. So you know when Supreme gets Damien Hirst to design a line of skate decks for them, it’s really a big deal! The decks are super fresh and would be great to just hang on a wall. No price has been released but there should be an announcement soon.

Fly53 Spring 09 Clothing Range now in

If you wanna look fly this spring 09 check out the new streetwear range from Fly53

SturbanClothing Sponsors Dj Switch

Anthony Culverwell aka Dj Switch isn't the kind of DJ you're likely to have seen before. As a four times national champion - and crowned 2008 WORLD DJ CHAMPION - his shows contain a repetoire of visual tricks so quick you'd think he was stuck on fast-forward, technical skills that leave have the crowd with their jaws dropped, and musical selection that leaves the other half dancing till they drop.

With a list of appearances from TV shows as diverse as Blue Peter to BBC Breakfast to MTV, radio shows from his own local appearances all the way up to Ras Kwame on Radio 1 and MistaJam on 1Xtra, he certainly gets around. At the age of twenty, Switch has headlined in several countries, from all over Europe to China, least of all spinning all across his own country. Also managing to support old school artists like Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash, DJ Q-Bert & Public Enemy, through to the new school rostra of Aquasky, Kentaro & the Scratch Perverts.


BATTLE STATISTICS:

DMC WORLD BATTLE FOR SUPREMACY CHAMPION 2008
DMC UK BATTLE CHAMPION 2006-2008
"BIONIC STYLUS" DMC TEAM CHAMPIONS 2008
West Midlands DJ Champion 2002
Youth Music/Homelands Mixtape Champion 2005
DMC Derby Champion 2005
ITF Nottingham Champion 2005
DMC World Supremacy Semi Finalist 2006
DMC Birmingham Champion 2008
3rd Place DMC UK Final 2008

Retreat Clothing in Front Magazine

It's nice to see the mainstream magazines support the UK underground and here's Retreat Clothing getting a full page in a the latest issue of Front.

Battle At The Berrics

After nearly four months, 32 skaters, 16 games of SKATE, one Legion Of Doom, and a case of the Chicken Pox the first Battle At The Berrics finally came to a close on Saturday, February 28. More than 300 invited guests showed up to The Berrics to witness the final matches between Benny Fairfax, PJ Ladd, Mike Mo Capaldi, and Billy Marks. Guests were also treated to a surprise redemption bracket battle between Mike Carroll and Eric Koston.

After a heated semi-final round, Fairfax and Mike Mo advanced to the final match. Their game was very close, but when the smoke cleared it was Mike Mo who brought home the win. For his victory, Mike Mo was awarded 10,000 buttery ass dollars from DVS.

New Banksy work in Hackney

The creation, in Gillett Square, Hackney, shows a child dressed in urban clothing, carrying a boombox and a teddy bear.

It is the first work attributed to Banksy since October last year and the first in the UK since the anonymous artist painted the words 'One Nation Under CCTV' in central London in April 2008.

March 1st Podcast

Well if it can go wrong it will and last week there was no podcast due to a technical problem, funny really has last week would have been our first year anniversary anyway I'm stuck in another airport lounge at 5am sorting it out so here's last weeks podcast enjoy.

2009 and our boy TRICKSTA is back with another superb radio show exclusive to sturban clothing. This month he has gone all old skool and funky on us… have a listen, if you got soul you’ll love it, if not then maybe reach for your Whitesnake, Kiss or AC/DC album instead!

SturbanClothing Jan 09 Radio Show

01 - Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band - Apache
02 - Kurtis Blow - The Breaks
03 - Big Daddy Kane - Raw
04 - The Jimmy Castor Bunch - It's Just Begun
05 - Booker T & The MG’s - Melting Pot
06 - Eric B & Rakim - I Know You Got Soul
07 - Kid N Play - Do This My Way
08 - Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd St Rhythm Band - Express Yourself Pt. 1
09 - NWA - Express Yourself
10 - Rhythm Heritage - Theme From S.W.A.T. (extended 7 version)
11 - Public Enemy - You’re Gonna Get Yours
12 - Booker T & The MG’s - Soul Clap 69
13 - Chubb Rock - Treat Em Right
14 - The Sequence - Funk You Up
15 - King Bee - Back By Dope Demand
16 - James Brown - The Payback
17 - Tone Loc - Funky Cold Madina
18 - Parliament - Up For The Down Stroke
19 - EPMD - So Wat Cha Sayin
20 - The Fatback Band - Keep On Steppin'

SturbanClothing Podcast March 1st