Okay so this is the 2nd Rockin the Sneaks posting of Knicks related sneaks in three days, the first being on Sunday the Original Adidas Attitude Ewing’s. The way I figure it, the more positive mojo we put up here harking back to the glory days of the Knicks, the better chance we have of hitting the lottery again.

For this second Rockin the Sneaks post dedicated to the Knicks I bring you the Puma Basket 70’s Champs NYC .

Here is the description of the release:

Straight from the Puma archive in 1971 comes the Puma Basket ’70s Champ. This was originally the leather answer to the Clyde, but the distinctive look combined with the clean and simple design gave this shoe instant entry into the sneaker hall of fame. The Puma Basket ’70s Champ series pays homage to the three cities that won NBA Championships in the 1970s: New York City in 1972, Boston in 1975 and Seattle in 1979.

(Of course we only care about the Knicks ones though...)

Oh and by the way Undrcrwn has made a really cool limited edition Knicks lottery shirt too..

You gotta believe……

Due to the fact that new Knicks President Donnie Walsh has decided to hire Mike D’Antoni as the next coach of my beloved Knicks (they will come around, I believe in Donnie Walsh!). I bring to you the Original Adidas Attitude Ewing, first issued in 1986. These are the originals, which were made in France.

Maybe we can have another draft miracle this year like we did back in ‘85. One can only dream….

(All pictures courtesy NiceKicks)

For this week’s Rockin’ the Sneaks we are kicking it old school and bringing to you the work of MAG who is the man behind the website and company punkyourchucks. If you have not yet seen MAG’s artwork and website, we highly suggest you make your way over to his site and see the mastery that he has accomplished with everyones favorite sneaker, Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars aka Chucks. If you don’t know what Chuck Taylor’s are well then you are either too young or need to learn right now!

Classic Converse Chuck Taylor All Star

RD - How did punkyourchucks get started MAG?

MAG - I have been an artist all my life and it has always been a dream to make money doing what I love. My wife came up with the name punkyourchucks after thinking about having me paint on Chucks. She bought me a pair and told me to paint on them. The next day, I gave them back to her completed…she freaked out! She put them on E-Bay and within a few hours they sold with a “buy it now”….and now here we are!

RD - We always hear and read about people painting sneakers like Nike AF1’s, why did you decide that your canvas (literally) would be Chuck Taylor’s?

MAG - When I was a kid, my mom couldn’t afford to buy me Converse All-Stars, so I had to wear the $2.00 “Skippy” specials….the Woolworth brand look-a-like. I guess I have always had a visual attraction to Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars.

RD - How did you get started in art in the first place?

MAG - I am an urban/graffiti artist originally from New York City. I started my love for painting/sculpting/sketching in the cultural chaos of the 1970’s Five Boroughs (Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island). I ran wild on the streets. My playground was the subways, parks, rooftops, alleys, museums and zoos, the Hudson River, New Jersey’s Palisades…I loved NYC and I went everywhere and did everything!

RD - Was it a clear-cut decision that you made at some point in your life that being an artist is what you wanted to as a career? Also what formal training did you have that prepared you for this?

MAG - Art was an outlet for me. I had a very neglectful upbringing…(I have been talking about my childhood on my Blog)….I spent a lot of time tagging walls, sketching, murals, etc. I needed to let out all this anger and frustration I was feeling. My creative outlets gave me some of what I needed. I missed a lot of school in my elementary to middle school years, but spent an amazing amount of time in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Museum of Natural History…kind of my own personal Master’s Degree in street curriculum education.

RD - Are you where you expected to be at this point in your life?

MAG - What really freaks me out everyday is…after all the schools I went to and didn’t go to, careers I’ve had (that’s a story in itself…I’ve kissed Tigers, been attacked by baboons, attacked by a 10-foot Boa, US Air Force, welding schools, etc.), dreams of what I wanted to do…I find myself doing what I have wanted to do since childhood….I wanted people to pay me to create/replicate art! I wish I could say that I have been trained in art….to this day, I am bothered by the fact that I did not take art classes (sometimes it shows in my work)…..but, I do have a deep love and appreciation for all types of art/sculpting, as well as, an internal passion for God’s creations -nature, animals, oceans, etc.

RD - How is your company doing? What are your plans to grow and expand your name, art & company?

MAG - punkyourchucks has been slowly growing since we started it a couple of years ago. We want to take it to the next level, though, and have been thinking about getting an investor. We think things would go gang-busters if we had national exposure, maybe even a store in NYC (downtown Manhattan). We have been getting the attention of the entertainment industry.

RD - We have to ask, who can be see wearing punkyourchucks?

MAG - Some of the celebrities that are wearing my Chucks are: Tommy Lee, Lukas Rossi, Alexa Ray Joel, Dr. Jeffrey Wigand (of “The Insider” fame), Will Smith, Brad Gethard (BMX Biker) and Kelly Clarkson.

RD - Are hand painted Chuck Taylors the only art you make and sell on your website?

MAG - I also punk out Vans, Nike AF1’s, Denim Jackets, Tote Bags. I am looking into doing T-Shirts and more!

MAG - Finally, someone is asking me about my musical tastes…I am a Billy Joel FREAK, so anything Billy Joel…..also, his daughter, Alexa Ray. I love old Zebra (no one remembers them), but they were so great! Van Halen, Def Leppard, RUN/DMC, Metallica, Old R&B, anything 80’s, Mozart (we are both misunderstood, yuck, yuck), Elton John….

MAG - We can be found at www.punkyourchucks.com …on our site you can fill out a custom order form and tell us what you would want on a pair. Let us know the color you want, your Men’s or Women’s size…send us a graphic or two or just tell us what you would want to see. We will take it from there. You can get a great pair of freehand custom Converse for anywhere from $135 up to $200 and up, depending on the detail. Custom Vans start at $170 and Nike AF1’s start at about $300 and go up from there (they have to be stripped of their factory coating…it is time consuming). Totes are around $60 and Denim Jackets are around $270.

Alexa Ray Joel in MAG’s Chucks

MAG with Tommy and Lukas of Supernova

Serengetti

Little Mermaid

For this Rockin’ the Sneaks we are featuring an interview with renowned sneaker artist Steven Cedre Jr aka Sole Junkie.

In your bio on your website it says that you got into painting sneakers only after some friends and family told you about some folks in Harlem painting sneakers (not well) and making money off of them.

RD-How long did it take you to “get it right” and figure out the key to painting the sneakers to the point where they accurately reflect your art?

SJ-I don’t think I have it “right”…lol
Its all work in progress. The day you think you mastered something …you should just give up.
I like to challenge myself with every shoe..even if its just something minor.

RD-What was the first thing you painted on a pair of sneakers?

SJ-I painted a pair of AF1’s with the image of Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos (a Puerto Rican Leader and Hero of Mine) with machetes and hibiscus flowers. These were in mostly red with monochromatic portraits. I did these for myself. Put them online to show to my family and friends…and here we are today!

RD-How many different designs have you done to date and how long has it been since you painted your first pair?

SJ-Great question….Shit I don’t know how many designs I’ve done? I lost count a long time ago.
I can remember every single one…but never took the time to count.
Its been around 3 years now. I started out saying that I will just do kicks for friends and family as a hobby…but now its my life and lifestyle!
All I do is think about kicks and what I can do next!

RD-I see that your sneakers have been commissioned for / collected by people like Bobbito Garcia, Talib Kweli and Mrs Yancey (The late J. Dilla’s mother) can you tell us what designs you did for them?

SJ-Bobbito was the first…its not like you can’t have a conversation about shoes and not bring this man up! lol
I did a replica of the first pair of kicks the Albizu AF1’s in baby blue and red on all whites.
Talib’s joints were portraits of the super talented man…in warm browns, black and red accent on all whites.
Mrs. Yancey’s kicks were a range of pinks on all white AF1 Mids of her late son…the Legend…J DILLA.
They had two different portraits of him with the Shinning logo on the outer parts of the toes. I tried to capture him as best as possible…she said I did a great job! Sometimes money ain’t everything…that meant alot! I also wrote something for only her somewhere on the shoe…she and I know what and where.

RD-What design is the one you are most proud of?

SJ-All of them…lol
If I had to pick it would be my Latin Gold series…Tito Puente, Big Puns and Roberto Clemente’s.
I did these with portraits and real 22k gold and on the Tito’s real diamonds! These people don’t have to mean shit to anyone but me…I felt they left a great impact and were great. So I did these to appease myself. Turns out that there were a bunch of other people who liked them too.

RD-Is there a person who has commissioned / collected your work that made you say WOW when you found out?

SJ-I would like to say GOD… himself came down and was like: “Yo! I need a custom pair of Sole Junkie kicks!” lol
But seriously, everyone who’s ever purchased a pair from me deserves my respect and gratitude. I can’t thank one person more than the other…that’s not fair to them. I can however, thank them all for supporting me, my art, my passion, and most of all my family for letting me do what I love. Paint!
So yeah…thanks to everyone who’s ever supported me and copped some kicks from me!

RD-Your canvas work which can be seen at Gallery 33 East in Long Beach Ca mostly reflects your hometown…New York City. Why did you decide to focus on NYC themes such as graffiti, subway stations and Harlem streetscapes?

SJ-I focused on these themes because they are what I missed out here in California. It made a direct tie or connection to life outside “The City”. I can’t say I miss everything about back east, but there are certain things that I absolutely miss. So my paintings let me bring some of that with me.
The funny thing is that my paintings were void of any figures…and now I paint portraits on kicks! Go figure?

RD-What upcoming paintings/projects do you have in the works that you can tell us about?

SJ-Well I have a few things cooking…
I have my own paints! SOLE JUNKIE CUSTOM PAINTS! A major step for me. I used to get more emails about what materials I used than sneaker requests. Media was supposed to be a industry secret…I said…why not help another artist and myself at the same time? Its a win win situation and the world can always use more art! Who knows…maybe I can get big enough to where I can sponsor artists! Thats a goal I always keep in mind.
I have a book that I’m working on. It will be a small press and limited run on my art. I will try and keep my writings and verbal usage to a minimum. lol I want to show some processes on how an artist thinks, how I create and maybe a few things about me so you don’t feel like some crazy dude who likes to paint on shoes made a picture book!
I have a T-shirt line that will hopefully expand and open more doors.
Lace Locks and Inserts coming soon. Everone else has some type of crease prevention product…why not me? I figure if you invested this much money with me I want your kicks to last. Stay fresh forever!

In regards to paintings…I paint everyday on shoes. I haven’t been able to really concentrate on my canvas work.
In regards to commissions…no major stars or athletes on the horizon…they get so much for free….they forget people outside of their tax bracket still need to pay bills. Thats why I am exceptionally thankful to the few stars and athletes that bought from me so far! Thats big.

RD-What kind of music do you listen to when you paint? Who are some of your favorite artists?

SJ-I listen to HIP HOP, SALSA, REGGAE, REGGAETON, minimal Rock n Pop and SPANISH HIP HOP and REGGAE (yes there is a difference between that and Reggaeton!)
Wow that list is huge and ever evolving…
I’ll give you a few:
Talib ( I was a fan before the kicks and still am.)
Nas
Rakim
Joell Ortiz
Tego
Voltio
Bob Marley
Beenie Man
Buju Banton
El Gran Combo
Hector Lavoe
Ismael Rivera
Frankie Ruiz
Gomba Jabari

Damn …to many to name!

RD-How can people buy a pair of your hand painted sneakers or canvas work if they are interested?

SJ-First a little info…
Price point will match quality…in other words you get what you pay for.
So if you do decide to make that investment expect to compensate for your request. Kicks alone are a $100…so it will be more than that! lol
But I will answer all serious inquiries. Thanks

Man…there is no way that you CANNOT get a hold of me:

www.solejunkie.com

www.myspace.com/solejunkie

www.solejunkiecustoms.com/blog

(The Blog and Myspace are updated quicker than the website…Flash sites are more delicate. lol)

Or you can just do a plain google on my name should do it! lol

Thanks and I look forward to any and all emails!

Peace, respect and kicks!

SOLE

This week’s rock sneakers are designed by De La Soul and come in high and low versions. Each pair have a hologram on the heel which was from their album cover of “3 Feet High and Rising” with hits like, Me Myself and I. They were released in November of 2005. I like these lows they should let the bands design more often.

Remember Dinosaur Jr? Well, they broke up. If you didn’t know this abstract music fact don’t worry they got back together in 2005 and are working on a come back album for this spring. In celebration of Dino Jr 2.0 last month Nike released their Nike SB Dinosaur Jr Dunks.

Dinosaur Jr. Nike Dunks SB Detailed Photos 

Live Nation and Motley Crue?? Motley Crue and Nike?? Is Crue going corporate??? Well…yes and no.

Motley Crue is not signing a massive, Madonna-like deal with Live Nation, at least according to a strong denial by bassist Nikki Sixx. The heavy-selling group was rumored to be entering into a multi-year, mega-million dollar pact with the live concert giant. “Motley Crue has not signed any deals,” Sixx countered in a MySpace blog. “Any information reported to the contrary is false and misleading.”

However, Nike has created a very unique pair of sneakers as part of the Nike Dunk High Pro SB Metal Rock Pack. The “Dr. Feelgood” SB’s feature a combo upper of suede, reptile skin, pebbled leather, and smooth leather on a tonal green and red upper. The Nike Dunk High SB “Dr. Feelgoods” are scheduled to release during the Spring of 2008.

I can’t figure out any correlation to the song expect if you were to hurl on a pair of sneakers after feeling too good they would look like this…..

Check out all the Rockin the Sneaks features!

Nike SB November Rain Dunk Mid

November Rain by Guns N’ Roses is the band’s last Top 10 hit. The original version was 25 minutes long, and the song was edited down to 8:57 making it the longest Top 10 in history. On top of that Slash has the longest guitar solo ever in a Top 10 single. One more little interesting fact Shannon Hoon from the group Blind Melon sang backup. Hoon, who died of a drug overdose in 1995, was Axl Rose’s cousin.

This past November Nike released their version of November Rain. The Dunk Mid includes a black/gray/red upper and extensive detailing on the tongue, a rarity amongst most sneakers. The insole has a graphic of a girl in a coffin (ala the video for the song.)

I can’t believe I’m going to write this on my own music blog but in other Guns & Roses related news it seems that Chinese Democracy is done for the 67th time. Classic Rock Magazine is reporting that Axl Rose’s Personal Assistant Beta Lebeis has confirmed that the long awaited Guns N’ Roses album ‘Chinese Democracy’ was completed before Christmas.

In celebration of the U2 announcement that they are releasing their first digital 3D live concert film I’m featuring Nike’s version of one of U2’s biggest songs. U23D is the entire concert from Buenos Aires in 2005 during the Vertigo tour and opens on January 23rd in select cities. Now on to sneakers….

I really debated whether or not to feature this pair for two reasons. I think they are the ugliest pair of sneakers and I also think the concept design by Nike is in very bad taste. The sneaker is inspired by the U2 song, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” with a mixture of leather, patent leather, and velvet. The song is one of U2’s signature songs which spoke against the violence and hatred in Northern Ireland.

The red shoelaces and velvet are supposed reflect the blood from the violence in Northern Ireland’s civil unrest….sneakers influenced by violence??? Nike?? You be the judge.

Update 1/21: U2’s 3D Concert Film Debuts At Sundance 

Stay tuned for the Guns & Roses design next week…..

Nike has created a SB Dunk Low sneaker made out of brown leather, with pink fur lining and brown laces. The sneakers are modeled after a vintage Gibson guitar case which was made by Lifton from 1947-1960 and referred to as “the California girl.” They were used to encase most 1958 Sunburst Les Pauls and had a rich brown outside (like a tanned California girl), and a very plush and rich pink inside. The Gibson sneakers are clearly not the average Nike and are being released in 2008.