GUARDIAN ANGEL

The curated niches we find comfort in aren’t underground they're clout-mined micro-trends absorbed by algorithms to hive-mind us into the icky oblivion of mass consumption. Is anything good in excess? Are internet friends real friends? How do we escape the echo chamber of clout and co-signs? Is the pursuit of relevancy just a gambling addiction? How do we exit the Matrix if we kind of like it in here? 

[TOPICS]

(00:00:00) The Devil Wears Rage

(00:04:30) Bret Easton Ellis In Excess

(00:06:53) Pure Gluttony

(00:12:18) Atlanta: The Seediness Of Fame

(00:17:15) ZVYN: The Gamer

(00:24:27) Gaming, Crypto & EDM

(00:25:44) Zack Bia: The Glorified A&R

(00:33:50) Are Internet Friends Real Friends?

(00:36:15) The Julia Fox Apartment Tour

(00:45:47) The Stuart Little Incident

(00:66:26) The Birth Of Ratgirl

(00:51:42) The Yves Tumorification Of Lil Yachty

(00:54:23) The Anthony Bourdain Effect

(00:56:17) Post-CAA How Long Gone

The Australian Open is in full swing so Harry and I head on an excursion to brandland to critique activations and observe the behaviours of execs, influencers and punters on-ground. As we desperately search for Oat Milk on-premise, we realise that Lavazza has a first-drop contract locked so we’re forced to down a soy cap as we A&R the next big social media stars of tennis. We watch Ben Shelton and Alexei Poppyrin win one for the boys and award outfit of the day to The Kokk despite losing a game against Andy Murray. Harry gets a taste for blood via a chance encounter with Karl Stefanovic as he revives his autograph-hunting youth. Game, set, match.

[TOPICS]

(00:00:00) Ground Pass A&R

(00:05:00) Jerry Maguire Roleplay

(00:07:20) Entering Brandland

(00:07:50) AO Metaverse & NFTs

(00:08:53) Inside The Content Farm

(00:11:00) Wimbledon Aspiration

(00:13:05) Inside The Beach Club

(00:17:37) Anxiety On The AirPods

(00:20:20) Skeleton Staff Salvation & Quiet Quitting

(00:23:20) LFG Hive & Go Off Gang

(00:24:32) Defining A “Rockstar”

(00:31:06) Dystopian Digitalism

(00:37:06) Kia Activation Review

(00:38:00) Chemist Warehouse Activation Review

(00:40:26) Bondi Sands Activation Review

(00:43:15) Beverage Activations Review

(00:46:44) Lavazza First Drop Contract

(00:48:58) Ben Shelton vs Nico Jarry

(00:50:37) When Harry Met Karl

(00:57:40) Alexei Poppyrin vs Taylor Fritz

(01:01:32) Tennis Style (Serena x Nike, Agassi x adidas, The Kokk x Cotton On, Federer x Uniqlo)

(01:08:00) An Update On The Fitzroy Boys

(01:09:15) Marble Shorts Analysis

Yung Lean was wrapping up his 'Stardust' tour in Melbourne, so we scurried back just in time for Harry to say 'Hej Hej' to his favourite Swedish cousin. How has the Yung Lean crowd held up after the second wave of 'Ginseng Strip 2002' virality? What differentiates a drainer and a sad boy? How much realtree camo does it take to become a forest? We perceive the fandom wildly, muse over minimalism vs. maximalism, and reflect on our evolving faith in the church of Lean. 

[TOPICS]

(00:00:00) Post-Lean-Hangover

(00:01:12) Venue Appreciation

(00:02:40) Hozier vs Ethel Cain, Imagine Dragons vs Nickelback

(00:04:06) Olivia Rodrigo vs Halsey vs Pink

(00:07:46) The #Prayingfication Of Fashion

(00:09:32) The Irony Of Virgil Abloh

(00:09:49) Zack Bia Type Beats

(00:10:46) Typography Talk

(00:13:16) Minimalism vs Maximalism

(00:20:50) Fit Checking The Yung Lean Crowd

(00:32:00) Vinyl Collecting Imposters

(00:34:11) Wildflower Wired Headphones

(00:36:05) Scandi Gorpcore

(00:38:00) Drainers vs Sad Boys

(00:41:00) Doing The Lisa Simpson Dance

(00:43:01) Mosh Etiquette

(00:48:08) Legit Fans or TikTok Stans?

(00:48:40) Haircut Guys and Rat Tails

(00:49:35) Folklorecore

(00:50:13) GarbageTV

(00:51:16) Rare Merch Flex

(00:51:41) Salem Hoodie: Real or Bootleg?

(00:52:43) Dark Throne

(00:54:27) The Deftones Guy

(00:54:57) In The Merch Line

(00:57:52) Live Show Analysis

(01:01:42) The Church Of Social Media

Harry and I have emerged from our post-Falls Festival cocoon as haggard butterflies with just enough flutter to bash out a pod. We're dishing out retrospective commentary on brand activations, lobster boys, festival fashion, and live music with ratings inclusive. Pitchfork, who? Suffer through our unsolicited performance feedback of Genesis Owusu, Anna Lunoe, DMAs, Amine, Lil Nas X, DJ Seinfeld, Mall Grab, Peggy Gou, Rico Nasty, Amyl and The Sniffers, Arctic Monkeys, and more.

[TOPICS]

(00:00:00) Post-Falls-Ramble

(00:00:42) Lobster Boys

(00:02:12) Brand Activations Breakdown

(00:06:46) Merch Analysis

(00:08:19) Genesis Owusu Review

(00:09:34) Fashion on the field (Byron classics, #fastfashioncore, Gods Favs, Edgy Afends)

(00:11:48) The Lynx Africa Pong

(00:12:55) DMAs Review

(00:14:40) Anna Lunoe Review

(00:15:50) Amine Review

(00:21:04) Lil Nas X Review

(00:22:08) Rico Nasty Review

(00:23:50) Shoutout Moktar

(00:24:06) DJ Seinfeld Review

(00:25:07) Gorpcore vs Dadcore and the Fitzroy Garage Doofstick

(00:25:52) Mall Grab Review

(00:26:56) Peggy Gou Review

(00:28:35) Jamie XX Review

(00:30:49) Pink Pantheress Review

(00:35:20) Amyl and The Sniffers Review

(00:40:23) Arctic Monkeys Review

(00:45:00) Media Pass Donations Welcome

The Fitzroy Garage Sesh has caused a global uproar among ex-hipsters and current vest lovers. Is this a reaction to the rise of Aussie narcissism or just another conversation about classism? How has the ~gentrification of vintage~ and the #baileysmithification of the mullet impacted our ability to read virtue signals? Skaters and DJs have always been the blueprint for jocks to buy into. What's changed? Harry and I unpack the TikTok video that became a Falls Festival doof stick.

Watch the TikTok vid: https://www.tiktok.com/@andydavie/video/7179823602588503298?is_from_webapp=v1&item_id=7179823602588503298

Read The Guardian op-ed: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/dec/27/what-is-a-fitzroy-garage-party-and-why-has-it-been-going-for-days

Hollywood is a cult, so the Nepo baby list holds no surprises. It’s the closeted Nepo babies that walk among us that you should worry about. They’re in your sharehouse. They’re at your local thrift store. They’re at your kick ons shouting the loudest about social issues they’ve seen trending online. You can’t choose your wealth, but you can distribute it. If you are a masked rich kid: EXPOSE YOURSELF. Own your truth, use your privilege and help out your middle-class mates. We need access, co-signs and hush money too. 

Glaze your eyes across the non-paywalled Nepo baby list: https://www.pedestrian.tv/entertainment/vulture-nepo-babies-hollywood-exposed/

Harry and I discuss the dystopian future of retail after The Fabricant posed the question: ‘Will physical fashion become obsolete?’, Australian department store David Jones is sold as a ‘Christmas Bargain’ for $150Million to private investors, and SHEIN is named the top brand of the year. Harry (The Economist) breaks down the bleak state of inflation reflected in alternative milk, coffee, and cinema prices and I (The Forecaster) expand on #customisationcore via Boba, Starbies, and Froyo. Will there be a referendum on napkin distribution and compulsory hankies? There is really only one way to solve this disaster: MAGIC. 

Learn more about the topics discussed:

WTF is Y2K? A hashtag that once swept the internet has infiltrated the real world and spawned countless subgenres of throwaway trends. Does anyone know what the millennium bug was? Who actually watched 2000s-era MTV? Why does everyone look so pristine at the club? What happened to hot messy trashbags? Jae and I revisit some of our cursed looks over the years and try to make sense of how we arrived in a world dominated by SHEIN. 

[ TOPICS ]

The Snapback Era, Dip Dye/Balayage, Primary School Looks, Bowler Hats, Creepers, Tumblr, The OC, Tween Boy Tragedy, Supre Headbands, Scene Mullets & Hairspray, The Cobra Snake, Makeup Looks, Legacy Denim (Sass & Bide, Bettina Liano, ROY), Thrifting For Designer, Chapel Street, The Balenciaga City/Dior Glossy Combo, The Rustic Boho Thing, Birkenstock Blunders, The Brassy Blonde Era, The Soli & French Tips, Havaianas, Red Stilettos & Ministry Of Sound, Supre Outlet & Valleygirl, Y2K Hairstyles, Ex Trashbags/Cool Mums, Laguna Beach & The Hills, The Hot Messy Era, The Sharehouse Diet, Tomato Sauce Phobia, Thesauruscore, Style Advice, Praying Twilight (Bag) Saga, Heaven, Influencers, Stylists, PR, Seeding, Diesel, Coyote Ugly, Bratz

Sean Monahan coined the term ‘Vibe Shift’ via his 8Ball substack in 2021 and suggested a return to rock. We suffered through the ‘Indie Sleaze’ headlines, fearful for the return of American Apparel galaxy leggings. Was his prophecy fulfilled? In The Guardian, Sean predicts a return to the real world. Is 2023 the year of logging off? Harry and I discuss the likelihood of social media death.

Read the article: 

https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2022/dec/19/how-can-you-spot-a-vibe-shift-that-transforms-popular-culture-ask-me-i-literally-invented-the-term