Cyrus Shahrad
A street hustler’s journey to world-renowned tattoo artist
Physical graffiti — As OBE1, Josh Peacock tagged the streets of Cambridge and dealt weed on the side. Then heroin and homelessness upended his life. But through the healing power of tattoos, he has reinvented himself as a different kind of artist.
Written by: Cyrus Shahrad
On the road with the Merry Pranksters' strange acid trip
Keep on keepin’ kool — The psychedelic '60s were ignited by Ken Kesey, a gang of misfits and a bus-load of drugs... but the experiment is far from dead.
Written by: Cyrus Shahrad
London's young Muslim rappers know the power of verse
Holy lyrics — Across Britain, a new generation of outspoken young rappers are interweaving Islam and hip hop to create a lyrical tapestry that’s all their own.
Written by: Cyrus Shahrad
The man who eats roadkill
Waste not, want not — Arthur Boyt likes to forage for his food, shunning the supermarket shelf for what lies beside the road. Could his unusual lust for roadkill be a lesson in subsistence?
Written by: Cyrus Shahrad
The Twin Peaks Playlist
Damn Fine Sounds — Cyrus Shahrad compiles the definitive Twin Peaks playlist.
Written by: Cyrus Shahrad
Can the Twin Peaks fire be rekindled?
Thoughts and fears from a die-hard fan — Cyrus Shahrad wonders if Twin Peaks can be convincingly recreated 25 years after the red curtain came down.
Written by: Cyrus Shahrad
Spencer Murphy
Sony World Photography Award Winner 2014 — From award-winning portraits to post-apocalyptic worlds, Spencer Murphy's ability to dance with light often borders on ethereal. But as lifelong friend Cyrus Shahrad explains, there's meaning in the mist.
Written by: Cyrus Shahrad
Female Bodybuilders
Macho, Sexy Girl — Society has long told us what real women should look like, and female bodybuilders break every rule. But this gender-bashing sport could be under threat, as competitors face a new pressure to ‘bring sexy back.’ Will the patriarchy ever stop telling these chicks to do it for the lads? Maybe. Maybe not.
Written by: Cyrus Shahrad
Jim Rippey
Heavens Above — Remember Jim Rippey? The pioneering pro whose daredevil antics and silky smooth style pushed nineties snowboarding onto a progressive plateau? Well, he’s still around. Only now he answers to a higher force.
Written by: Cyrus Shahrad
Bangladesh Surf
Breaking Bangla — Off the coastline of the world’s longest sandy beach, a break, some boards and a few pioneers are transporting the wave-riding reveries of Hawaiian Kings to the jungle-lined shores of Bangladesh.
Written by: Cyrus Shahrad