Writen by Brian at Problem Child Kustoms
Whipped cream…
…and salsa. Salsa?!
I know what you’re thinking. “Where is he going THIS time?!”
I like looking at things from a decidedly different angle, and am often
inspired to seek out the inspiration behind a trend, or a particular
style… I’m a fan of mixing and matching themes, styles,
whatever…and an even bigger fan of just having fun with whatever I’m
doing, and often seek out things that reflect this attitude. Whether in
friends, books, movies, or music. Occasionally, this leads me to seek
out stuff that’s a bit off the beaten path. Such was the case here in
the studio once again.
(Yeah, it’s gonna be another musical jaunt… and it’ll all wrap up
nicely, as usual, with cars. Stay with me, I think you’ll dig this
little side trip.)
Anyway, I got to thinking, of all things, about Herb Alpert (not Marv
Albert. That’d be weird.), and gave a listen to “Whipped Cream and
Other Delights”… A far cry from what I was listening to a week ago,
to say the least…. and by far much stranger cover art (if not quite
risque’, considering its 1965 release date):
Granted, this album was released before my time (in this dimension,
anyway… there may be another me in some other dimension, hanging out
in a lounge…), but man… how cool were these cats? If you’re not
familiar with the Tijuana Brass, here’s a quick history lesson:
Herb Alpert was a trumpet player who developed a unique sound that was
a mix of south-of-the-border, mariachi and distinctly lounge-y sounds,
probably best described as “Ameriachi” (as I learned from a few
sources). If you’re really lost here, think of the theme from the TV
show The Dating Game, called “Spanish Flea”, which was a Herb
Alpert/Tijuana Brass tune, and you’ll have an idea… or their version
of “The Lonely Bull”.
Anyway, the ‘Brass cranked out a few albums in the ’60’s (even a cool
Christmas album! Find a copy, and mambo your way through a Christmas
Wonderland…)until Alpert called it quits, and took his (and business
partner Jerry Moss’) record label A&M, and signed some heavy
talent, releasing a few albums of his own along the way (out-selling
Michael Jackson in the late-’70’s! Says a lot for that era, I guess),
before selling the company to PolyGram in the late 1980’s.
So what’s this got to do with cars? Think traditional lowriders.
Bellflower custom style(named after the city in LA county where the
look spawned). A mix of the lowrider and custom car, and you’ll see
where I’m headed.
Consider Watson’s Caddy:
It is the embodiment of the Bellflower look… the low stance, simple
(if often ANY) body mod’s, the bold, yet somehow understated paint
technique (much like his T-Bird that came before), and those killer
pipes. The East LA style, mixing elements from two cultures (like the
Tijuana Brass did!), and coming out the other end with a clean, cool
style. It’s all about class, luxury, and style. Just like a lowrider,
but with custom roots.
Lowriders embodied Mexican tradition. Cruising in a decked-out ride to
impress the ladies, and show off your skills was more than just about
the cars. Cruising may be traced back to the “paseo”, where singles
would walk around in the central plaza of the village, basically
checking one another out. The idea here was to impress. Put these kids
in cars, and it sure looks a lot like cruising… Which brings us
forward a few years to the end of the second world war. Hot rodding was
booming as young men returned from military service, eager to make
creative use of their new mechanical skills. On the other end of the
spectrum, the Mexican immigrants were making their cars look luxurious.
It was style over speed… lowered stance, different hubcaps, an
accessories like spotlights, skirts, pipes… many items shared in
traditional customizing.
Fast-forward a few more years, and combine this look with the growing
custom scene, and well, you got some clean, mild cars that made the
most of the new styling coming from the factory… Apply it to a luxury
car, and you’re well on your way to a crossover look beyond compare.
Imagine in late 1957 (coincidentally, the same year Bellflower was
incorporated as a city), a young Larry Watson cruising into the Clock
Drive-In in his panel-painted T-Bird…
I have a soft spot for this look… A couple years back, I sketched up
a modern take on the look, combining it with the pro-touring look —
note pinstripe whitewalls on a 5-spoke as a nod to the classic
“Supremes and pinners” look (OK, and a mild chop, extended quarters,
relocated and shortened trim…):
The idea behind the Bellflower look is clean lines, cool, vibrant and
rich colors mixed with just enough chrome to keep your eyes
happy…Make use of some ‘flake or pearl, some striping… In other
words, think mild custom, but dressed a notch higher. It’s a fun style,
to be sure, much like Herb’s band of session musicians belting out
“Ameriachi” cover versions. Take one thing, and spice it up with
another influence, and man, you can’t help but feel the vibe, and nod
your head approvingly as you smile.
And that’s how my mind works: From whipped cream to salsa, stopping in
between for some quick history, and leaving you to consider mixing up
some styles on your project…
Brian is a super talented artist and designer with a nutty sense of humor. I’m gonna steal everything he writes and post it here (except for his crazy rants… f*ck lighthouses you say?)
You can see his work at his website: www.problemchildkustoms.com or in his garage here at MyRideisMe.com: PCK’s Garage
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