ON & BEYOND

The following statement may strike as being rather austere, but it is inexorably true: it’s good to surround yourself with people who can help you somewhere down the line. Which is fitting because, I was lucky to have great people around me ever since I walked into the room. Guys like Paul made me want to be a photographer, and others like Jeremy made me aspire to be a graphic designer. Both were essential figures in my professional upbringing, making my arsenal of creative assets more versatile and compliant; picking up a camera when I was 16 and learning about the adobe family when I was 17. Which leads me to the matter at hand: the two colluded their specific fortes on a book, and I’m flattered to be the designated photographer of the book and its illustrated content.

The Books are now available Here And Here

Book One – Ice-T Shot Me In The Face & Eleven Other Stories Rap Music.

Forget reading that four line blog post about Lil Wayne for a minute, and direct your attention to the first book from
Toronto based freelance music journalist Luke Fox. This is perhaps the furthest thing from the inane, regurgitated
micro-posting that music writing has become, with 12 feature length stories centered on some of raps finest,
complete with subtle illustrations by Jeremy Wirth. Fox narrates up close and personal encounters with Kool G
Rap, Ghostface Killah, Nas, Kanye West, Common and more, capturing their personalities with a well informed wit and style.

After spending 10 years as a staff writer and editor for Pound Magazine, Fox stockpiled a wealth of interviews with
emcees, producers, and DJs, experience that shows in his fluid and confident writing. Ice-T Shot me in the Face
& Eleven Other Stories About Rap Music is first and foremost written by a fan, offering a refreshingly hearty
helping of edutainment, and a welcome departure from the new world of fast food music journalism.

Book Two – Turfizm: The Selected works of Jean “Turf One” Labourdette

In this handheld photo-essay featuring some of the imaginative creations of Turf One, Paul 107 presents a brief
portrait of the artist in a collection of beautiful, full color photographs. Turfizm: The Selected works of Jean “Turf
One” Labourdette, focuses on some of the intricate so-called “pop surrealist” works that reflect Turf’s acute
attention to character detail, and an almost playful fascination with life and death. The Sun Shines In: A few
days in the studio with Jean Labourdette, is a study of his creative process, offering a quiet look into the studio
environment where most of these elaborate works are created over time.

Since moving to Montreal from Paris in 2001, Jean “Turf One” Labourdette has become a quietly revered,
internationally known talent, evolving from his grafitti-based roots into a skillful and dedicated multidisciplinary
artist, currently concentrating on painting. This book is one of the many collaborations between Turf and writer/
photgrapher Paul Labonte and/or Paul 107, steeped in mutual respect and real friendship.

INTERVIEW with Paul Labonté

1. What is SecondHand projects, can we call it your official occupation?

The SecondHand Projects is my full-time side project. Answering the phone is my full time occupation.

2. Did you always know you wanted to work in print media? What sparked the interest ?

I wanted to be a morning man on the radio, then I wanted to make movies. Then it occurred to me that I really just want to tell stories that how I fell into all this stuff.

3. How did or did writing books and creating a publishing house transcend your love for photography or career as a photographer? In other words, do you enjoy one media as much as the other?

All those things are kind of separate in my mind. Writing and taking pictures is kind of the only thing I do alone. Everything else has other folks involved that work with me. I’m not sure if i answered your question just now. I like making stuff. I have control issues I can’t make movies too many people too many moving parts. Books, magazines, packaging for a product, a hang tag, an Ad campaign those are all things I can do effortlessly that i like doing.

4. You’ve published two new books that are set to release this next week, can you give us a brief description of what we’re expecting?

The first book is called TURFIZM. The first half of it is a selection of Turf One paintings from the last 5 years. Turf is Jean Labourdette. He is  a painter from Paris who now lives in Montréal. He is part of what the critics call the “Pop Surrealist” movement. Anyways the second half of the books is a photo essay I did of him painting at his atelier. I got to witness the  process over a few days I also wrote a short piece about being in the studio with him.  So its a book about a painter.

The second book is by a journalist named Luke Fox. The book is called Ice-T shot me in the face & 11 other stories about rap music. It’s basically 10 years of his feature articles and interviews about rappers and there albums. It’s a look back at the music from like 1999 to now. It’s a trip down memory lane.Conor and I did the design and we got Jeremy Wirth to do pencil drawings of the artists for each story. I’m stoked it’s a pocket book size. Like put it in your coat and read it on the train and please dog ear the pages kind of book.

5. What are we expecting in 2010 aside from the 2 previously mentioned books?

More photo essays, more books. I’d like to put out The Cost of Living book out soon. But we’ll see about that.

6. You also have a project called Sometimes, can you enlighten those who aren’t completely aware?

Sometimes is another side project. Sometimes is an excuse to make more stuff and help other people make stuff. Things that aren’t books. I know it sounds vague. I’ve  been working with Dylan Adair on that. He did a tribute John Hughes in the fall and some T-shirts for Brakeless last summer. We also did some whiskey glasses. So it’s basically make things, help people make things, and help them get it out. Ohh yeah its also a webstore of sorts.

7. Last thing, when does OnandBeyond do something with Paul 107/SecondhandProjects?

I’m up for whatever/whenever.
Just has to be fun.