PARTNER: Hell Yeah BFFs- James Straker, Trouble Maker
Edited by The Fashion Web
James Straker is a main-stay in the Brisbane music/ tattoo/ anything kitsch and cool scene. Infact we’d have to say, he’s a pop culture icon in our horse n cart town. James knows everyone and anyone- from the young emo cuties in the mall to the burlesque strippers at Love and Rockets, graf writers, musos, freaks and geeks- and even calls celebs like Jess from the Veronicas and Fat Mike from NOFX his mates….
“I owned a bar/restaurant called the Alibi Room in Brisbane Australia. I used to run a club called Monsterland, i also did Monster Joe’s and the Depot. had a TV pilot for MTV once. I have lots of tattoos and plans for many more. I played in a band called Roshambo. A really long while ago I played in a band called the Melniks. A long while ago, I managed bands.I have pretty severe ADD.I have a motorbike, two pushbikes and around 30 tattoos.I have fucked up more things than i can probably count…but havent actually died yet, so it cant be all bad can it?
well except from the brain haemmorage/stroke…that kind of sucked..” says James.
Well can you tell me what brizo bands you were in?
I was in the very first incarnation of Custard called Custard Gun. I only lasted four shows..I got a phone call from David the singer, saying, “we are having band practice tomorrow. You dont have to come…” It broke my heart at the age of 16…I then joined The Melniks for a bunch of years…then played for around ten years in Roshambo.
Your fave gig you ever went to?
Can i have a top three?? Dinosaur jr, Magic dirt and The Melniks at festival hall in brisbane..maybe 1995 i think??? My favourite overseas band, my favourite australian band and my band all on the stage where The Beatles played..pretty fucking cool.
The Bronx and Mariachi el bronx…Just a magical life changing night of music.Every person who plays in a band should watch The Bronx live, just fucking incredible.
NOFX – thebarton theatre, adelaide. I got to play “the decline” live onstage with NOFX, one of my favourite bands of all time.
What you love about pop culture…
Wow, that’s an essay answer right there. I love how disposable pop culture is, and how it manages to become a part of human history. I used to run a collectables store years ago and just adore how much people are into it what they collect…
You have an awesome collection of toys and kitsch stuff…Your favourite pieces???
Shogun warriors – huge fucking plastic robots from the 70s (like two feet tall) that had fists that fired off and threw ninja stars…they are from the golden age of toys that could actually hurt kids.
Smash em up derby cars – pull zip powered destruction cars that came with ramps so you could make them jump through the air, hit each other and explode!
AT AT – the big four legged walkers from “the empire strikes back”
N64 – I know it’s a computer game console but im calling it a toy as well…I will never ever ever ever get tired of Golden Eye or Mario Karts on this machine.
Paper Planes – I know it’s not really a toy, but I play with them and make them and once filmed one flying for almost four minutes..I threw it off the top of a high rise hotel at the gold coast.
You have a gorgeous daughter who is almost an accessory with you when you’re out around the city/ valley. Hell Yeah even photographed you and her for a shoot in Issue 2. Frankie Trouble- what’s behind her name?
Yeah i wanted to give her a name that would let her know she didnt have to be the same as other kids, but at the same time calling her “trouble” as a first name would be akin to child abuse. I also really like guys names for girls..she was either going to be Frankie or Max.
James and Frankie in Hell Yeah Magazine
Tell us about your love of tattoos…
I have really severe adhd and I pretty much wake up every morning and go “hey check out my tattoos…awesome” but if I had to name a favourite it would probably be my jar jar binks tattoo which is a work in progress by Link or my “knuckles” knuckle tattoos by Loz at Seventh Circle. The Jar Jar just shits people to tears and that’s funny in itself and the “knuckles” got onto ‘lol tatz’ which made me proud. Probably not as proud as my mum was…..
What’s up with the Airwalk tattoo??
It’s a big airwalk logo on my lower back..when link first started allstar tattoo we were trying to work out ways of getting free pubicity. i was sitting talking with the marketing manager of airwalk and she was “it would be awesome if we could find some idiot to get an airwalk tattoo” and i just watched my hand go up “i am your idiot”. It ended up being a full page ad in a bunch of sports/surf/skate mags..it was pretty cool. I’m not a really shirt-off guy so it’s not like anyone even sees it. I also have a Ralph magazine logo but that’s another story..
Tell us 3 things that make you go hell yeah?
Hanging out with my daughter, shooting guns with Averil and drag racing my motorbike with Dr Danger.
So what James owes some people money, is crazy and he’s one of those mates I wouldn’t wanna date although one Hell Yeah BFF has- he is a bloody interesting dude, always up for fun, positive and supportive of the creative arts and drums to his own beat- and for that James, we salute you!
LINK LOVE:Hell Yeah BFFs- James Straker, Trouble Maker
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