Songsterr

Andy McKee

At one end of the spectrum there are those guitar players — the ‘social players’ — who’ll share a few chords round the campfire every once in a while and then pop it back in the cupboard until the next gathering. At the other end, there are those who sit in their bedroom throughout their adolescence grafting away at a Van Halen solo until their skin is grey and their fingers are worn to the bone. But that sort of dedication can pay off, as this piece of superhuman virtuoso-ing demonstrates.

John Butler Trio’s Oceans

This is a fantastic piece of guitar playing. The John Butler Trio have been tearing up the roots scene Down Under for years now, and you can see why. He looks like your average nu-age folk singer-songwriter, but his obvious deep-rooted connection to the guitar — as demonstrated by his staggering sense of rhythm and chord structure — are pretty exceptional.

Tallan Latz, eight year old guitar whiz

Six years of playing down the line, and I only recently nailed my first Clapton song. The joy and relief it brought to me and my parents, who forever politely smiled as I destroyed tune after tune, was palpable. So, it was with bitter jealousy that I watched this kid, eight-years-old, doing nothing less than laying waste to the fretboard. He’s already playing major venues, and they predict he’ll be an international name within a few years. Little s**t.

Chris Berens

Hailing from The Netherlands, Chris Berens works predominantly with ink, varnish and acrylic. Although, by his own admission, his paintings are not made with a particular message in mind, he works from recollection to create his very personal and intimate images. ‘I treat every painting as I would a diary’, he says, ‘in which I paint my thoughts and feelings’.

Paul Smith limited edition Fisheye No2 camera

Are you into wide angles? Then you might want to check out the new Paul Smith limited edition Fisheye No2 camera. Paul Smith collaborated with Lomography cameras to make this special item, which has a 180 degree wide-angle view and amazing fish-eye barrel distortion. Included is a bulb setting for long exposures and a switch for multiple exposures on the same frame. You also have the ability to use hotshoe flash or the built in flash. The body of the camera is attractive in a fashion sense with its metal accents and the Paul Smith signature multi-colored stripes.

Speck fitted case for iPhone 3G

Here’s one for all you tech savvy fashionistas. Outfit your iPhone 3G in form-fit style with a case from Speck. The lightweight, snap-together design lets you instantly make your iPhone 3G a fashion statement, while the soft fabric provides added comfort and extra grip in hand. Personally, I’m digging the plaid. But maybe that’s just because it’s getting chilly outside.