Artist of the Day

Emily Haines of Metric.
Here's a single from Fantasies, released earlier this month. Tour Dates

I think honesty is the best things about art.

it's Nudie country music day!

Nudie Cohn was born in 1902, as Nuta Kotlyarenko, in Kiev and immigrated to the states and eventually NYC ~ via California and Minnesota ~ where he and his wife designed, crafted and sold G-String's to fancy ladies of Times Square, taking sole responsiblity for the first whale-tail sightings in America. A legend is born.

Returning to LA in the late 40's, Nudie roped 'ol Tex Williams into buying him a sewing machine, which was the traditional first anniversary present for manly marriages in California at the time. Nudie then set up shop designing and selling Hollywood western wear ~ as featured in photo above ~ until his death in 1984. He donned eccentricities on his feet as well, wearing two different boots to remind himself that he was color blind for most of his life and what did he care.

So began Nudie's Rodeo Tailors of North Hollywood. Nudie's original use of extensive rhinestones on his garments would forever enshrine him in the sparkly acrylic accouterment hall of fame. Unfortunately for him, his SP.A.A.H.O.F. induction ceremony was posthumously held. He would have loved it.

However, while alive, he outfitted some of the biggest names in country and western entertainment and a single suit would fetch upwards of $20,000. The gold lame number worn by Elvis on his 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't be Wrong album, which was mysteriously produced sans rhinestones... personally, I see room for more decadence. Nope? Well, it's one of his more famous concoctions.

From the 1950's to the mid 70's Nudie also donated time and money to the less fortunate of the greater LA area. He would drive to slums and ghettos in his self designed cars ~ he also worked with GM at the time designing and customizing many a moto ~ and hand out dollar bills with a sticker of himself over Washington's famous profile.

These autos were fashioned with silver-dollar-studded dashboards, pistol doorhandles, longhorn steer horns on the hood and were equipped with hand tooled leather saddles for the young cowpokes to ride on. Nader would have frowned.

Nudie's protege and former son-in-law, Manuel Cuevas designed the suits for The Beatles’ Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, Johnny Cash’s black suits, and the roses and skeletons logo for The Grateful Dead. Manuel worked with Nudie for fourteen years in LA. He's since moved to Nashville, continuing to outfit the country folk, opened Manuel's Exclusive Clothier's and apparently attends the tents in Bryant Park. Here he is:

A wee bit hobbitty... a long way from 'ol Nudie. I'll take the Nudie suit anyday. Any. Day.

Oh. That's him with Gram Parsons of The Flying Burrito Brothers. Enjoy.