Section: Mickey Finn's Corner

Greetings from Lippy Land,

Sorry I missed you last week but I was in Houston for the Halloween & Party Expo. The show was great and our new packaged costume line “Costume Vault” was a huge success!! We made our mark standing out with our 15 unique designs in true LS style! The line consists of Sassy Sailor, Maid of Lace, Troop 666, Gangster Vixen, Roaring Flapper, Major Mayhem, Teachers Pet, Molten Metal Devil, Night Nurse, Officer Vice, Wonderful Alice, Queen of Hearts, Black Panther, Midnight Vamp, and Captain Blackheart. Much of the Halloween industry, surprisingly, were exposed to Lip service for the first time, and it became clear that our company has a bright future in the costume world.

I mean, who knows better then the fashion freaks at LS about playing dress up in sexy style!!!

I had the chance to walk the show a bit and made many new friends, one of which was David Running from Scarecrow Vampire Fangs. They really have the best Vamp Fangs in the world and he hooked me up with a pair of killer real silver fangs that I absolutely love! (hehe). I visited tons of booths with great props, giant fury spiders, wiggling life size zombies, special effects make up and the overall atmosphere for a Halloween baby like me was nothing short of amazing!!

I made it back home in time to head out to see DJ Sisen’s from Japan’s new project Seileen with GPKism at the Bootleg theater. The show was great with both bands decked to the T’s in elaborate wardrobes. Sisen’s vocalist with a flowing white gown, white feather plume headdress and an operatic voice that was hypnotic set the stage for the night with GPKism’s slightly heavier goth sound and vocalist dressed in black gown with a deeper voice rounded things out nicely. My only complaint about the club was the lack of club lighting with only white overhead lights that really didn’t set the vibe properly. The crowd were was good looking and myself, Angelic, and Kynt and Vyxsin, handed out Lip Service goodie bags to the best dressed of the night which included, crazy Cyber Ravers, Victorian Goths, and some kids in fuzzy animal costumes! I presented both bands with gifts from Lip Service and everyone headed down to Das Bunker to continue the party after the show.

My Sunday was spent with Jim and Mich from Plastic Hassle Productions filming a video for my band, Cold Blue Rebels, on location at the Comedy Store, who have a great stage and generously let us come in to film. We then headed out to an industrial area to film more scenes with our Hearse and a couple bad ass hot rods with the lovely Angelic starring as our goulish hottie for the song “Cold Blue and Beautiful” her body was airbrushed blue and, with hairstylist Anita’s help, she was transformed into the psychobilly dead girl of every boy’s dreams!! Decked in Lip Service midnight blue vinyl from head to toe, we filmed all of her scenes including being laid to rest in a coffin finishing up at sunset. The video is being edited as I write and I’ll keep you posted as to when it’s online. Big thanks to all who worked a full day on Sunday to make this possible.

This week finds us scrambling to get ready for the London Edge trade show, where we will debut our Summer and Fall 2010 lines. We leave for London on Thursday and return the following week. It’s cold and rainy there but, still, it should be a fun trip. What can I say … it’s a rough job but someone’s gotta do it!!

Have a great week and remember life is short so go shopping!!!
Fashion+Music=Life
Mickey Finn

Halloween & Party Expo and DJ Sisen show:

The Cold Blue Rebels’ video shoot of “Cold Blue and Beautiful”:

Wow what a weekend!!

Another chapter in the “I love my life, you should too” story! After wrapping up another long week, I decided to get out of town and get some fresh mountain air! So I packed up the snowboards and my snow bunny, Angelic, and at the crack of dawn Saturday morning I headed up to Snow Summit at Big Bear. I know, I know, I hate getting up early on the weekends but for certain things it’s well worth it, and what can I say I’m a speed junkie!! Great fun, great day, back home for great food and great … yeah, well. you fill in the blank!

Sunday after pleasantly sleeping in I got a visit from my bro Voodoo from FastLane Tattoo in Corona (1426 W.6th st. #208 92882) who drew up a sick design for me and we got to putting that sucker on my leg in the comfort of my own house! Few hours and a couple 12 packs later the Rebels came by and we headed up to Newhall for our C.B.R. Gig at the VU Bar, which I’m told was an old trading post and holds the oldest liquor license in LA. Good vibe and cozy club with a fireplace and smoking patio. It was a rockabilly night and we were the only Psycho band that played but everyone was cool and we made some new friends and played a great show. Hard to go back to work on Monday………..unless you work at Lip Service!!

This week we welcome our new team member Maria Santilena, who comes to us from mega company “Leg Avenue” to help us lunch our new packaged costume line and manage the sales department. I enjoyed my first day with her, she has a great vibe and I feel will bring a lot of good experience to our family! Maria will accompany us to the Halloween & Party Expo in Houston this weekend. Our packaging with the hottest models and sexy as hell costumes is sure to blow people away at this trade show!! We also began assembling/building, the trade show booth for Magic in Vegas which we update and customize to have a unique and different booth for every show. The other sales reps are currently in Hong Kong for our first trade show there, and word is so far its going great!

Crazy weather this stormy week! Hail in Hollywood, Tornado warning in Long Beach??!?! WTF?!? I love the rain and storms though. Its a nice break from our otherwise consistently mild LA weather. It’s a good week to hit the movies, or just stay home and cozy up with your favorite kitty. And don’t worry we’ll be back to sunshine and non-stop parties soon enough. And as soon as I get back from Houston in a week I’ll be back up to Big Bear for some of that fresh snow that’s piling up all week!! Yehaw!!!! Life is good in LA!! Gotta love it!

‘Til next week

Peace Love and Freaky Fashion !!!

Fashion+Music=Life

Mickey Finn

The year is 2010 and a group of cyber circuit renegades have taken over the internet……….

Ok, maybe not, but can you believe it’s 2010!! Did anyone else think there would be flying cars by now?!?

Well, not yet, but we do have a whole slew of futuristic gadgetry that we sometimes take for granted! My new DJ Hero for Xbox 360 being one of them!!! (thanks sweetie luv ya)!! Even after Dj-ing in the DnB club scene for 10 years and being capable of scratching and beat juggling for real this game is still fun as hell and extremely challenging!!

Oh well bottom line is another year is gone, and a fresh new start for all of us just beginning, my mind reels with all the promise this year holds and the goals I have ahead of me. Anyone make a resolution this year?!? I did not as they don’t seem to work for me. I think setting realistic goals is a better way to approach it.

So I hope you all had an amazing NYE and managed to stay out of trouble, DUI’s jail, ect.

I definitely did with my bands show at Bar Sin on Saturday being the crescendo of my week vacation from Lip Service! Big thanks to Tricia, and Vicky for making it possible and thank you also to everyone who came to check out the Cold Blue Rebels!! It seemed like we won a lot of new fans and we put on a hell of a show with our zombie dancers, on stage coffin antics and make up to accent our Blood, Guts and Rock n Roll approach to Spookabilly!! Our sexy ass zombie rebel dancers handed out Lip Service goodies and C.B.R. cd’s which disappeared into the crowd in seconds! Also big thanks to Jim and Michele from Plastic Hassle who came out to photograph and video our show. Some of the photos are up already (see gallery links below!) with more coming soon, and the video is being edited now and will probably be up on Youtube by the time this week’s column is listed so be sure to check it out!! (webmistress note: Here it is, straight from the Cold Blue Rebels’ You Tube channel!)

We have been asked to submit a song for and upcoming Socal Psycho/Punk compilation album, more on that later!!!!

Sunday was not enough time to recuperate from days of partying and so as of today I am still hurting and struggling to make it thru the day. But the show must go on with the most hectic 2 months of the year happening in January and February. My coworkers, the other 2 sales reps, will be leaving for a fashion trade show in Hong Kong a week from Wednesday, and I will join one of them in Houston for the Halloween and Party Expo the following week so its crunch time getting all of our samples in order.

I just came out of a meeting in which I saw samples for our first latex group which will be 7 styles total, very unique and not your typical latex designs. Also the new fishnet (which will come in white) and new matte veggie vinyl designed by one of our new assistant designers Michelle Uberreste way to go Michelle! and a group tentatively called “Cyber Sniper” designed by our newest assistant designer who has just been officially added to our team after an impressive trial run as an intern. Congratulations to Michelle Moon, who will also accompany myself and sales rep Wendi McDowell to the Halloween show to debut our new packaged costume line which she was involved in designing. This first round of 10 costume styles will be sure to impress and give retail stores another option to dress up there boring “Leg Avenue” filled walls!! You know Lippy will do it better with more and more styles added each season.

That’s all for this week fashion freaks, Drew just cracked the whip and I must now JUMP!!!
Fashion+Music=Life
Mickey Finn

Check out the stage photo galleries from the Cold Blue Rebels show!

Check out the Lip Service event photos:

More Cold Blue Rebels show photos!

This is a special edition of Mickey’s Corner, for all of you who couldn’t be there at the Cold Blue Rebels show at Bar Sinister Saturday night. Here’s a taste … There are a LOT more photos, as well as lots of video. We’ll go through them all to get them out to you as soon as we can. Keep your eye on the ‘zine this week for more updates!

Check out more info about Cold Blue Rebels and new tracks at their MySpace page.

Check out the Lip Service event photos, too!

More Cold Blue Rebels show photos!

Hello to all my online friends, hope you all survived Xmas!! Mine was good, cooked a turkey and went to Big Bear where I busted my ass snowboarding, (great fun but still sore).

Well, the holidays are almost over with the best saved for last!! NYE promises to be a great one this year with too many fun, fashionable parties to count!! I’m enjoying my week vacation before the craziness starts again with next years fashion trade show and travel schedule, and hopefully a lot of you have a 4 day weekend also!

Here are my recommended party choices:

Wed.
The Dwarves @ Viper Room
or Reverend Horton Heat @ House of Blues

NYE
Dress in your most sinful LIP SERVICE outfit and head down to Bar Sinister for the Bondage Ball, then find a raging after party and don’t quit till sunrise when its time to climb into your coffin and coma-sleep, (Actually I might not sleep till Sunday)!!

Fri.
Das Bunker

Saturday
Have a big breakfast at Canters on Fairfax (probably my first meal since NYE), and get a quick nap before you start to make yourself beautiful for another party night at Bar Sinister for my band The Cold Blue Rebels!!!! I know its twice in 1 week but its such a great and comfortable place to come out hang with all the fashion freaks and check out a great band!! I promise we will amuse you with the best Spookabilly show on earth!! Coffins, the zombie rebel dancers, blood guts and rock n roll!!!!
To sweeten the deal even more I will be giving away FREE LIP SERVICE goodies all night with 1 lucky person winning a gift certificate for our retail website!!!
(a note from the webmistress: If you haven’t already, you absolutely want to check out the new Cold Blue Rebels tracks on their MySpace page. The WebMaster and I have been rocking out to them through the holidays and can’t wait to go to the Bar Sinister show! We’ll also be shooting video and lots of photos for the Lip Service webzine, so come on out for some kick-ass music and a killer time and see yourself immortalized next week!

Here’s a little sample, to give you an idea of what I’m talking about. These guys kick ass!)

Not much LS gossip as I am on vacation, but a I’m told the design team is working on our first Latex fashion group!!!! Did it just get hot in here?!?!?

I hope to see you out this week/NYE/weekend!!!!!
LS Rules!!
Fashion+Music=Life
Mickey Finn

Hey Kids, and happy Ho Ho Hum,

Holiday shopping got ya down? Hit the Lip Service close-out section of the retail website, where Drew is constantly adding new styles at blow-out prices!! Also come on down to the warehouse and check out our sample store area Monday thru Friday from 10-5.

Well, everyone around LS headquarters is pretty stressed out with the shipping dept. working overtime and designers trying to get samples together for the onslaught of trade shows that start first thing next year. We begin with the Halloween & Party expo in Houston, where we will debut our new packaged sexy costume line, then back for a week and on to London for the London Edge trade show, back for the weekend and off to Vegas for the M.A.G.I.C trade show.

So, the design team has their hands full whipping up the goods for Summer, and Fall 2010 seasons. The Spring Calendar/Catalogs will be in this Friday, as well as the new Service menswear catalog. Photo shoots for the sexy costumes Featuring Metal Sanaz, Lippy regular Brittany, and Britanya from Rock of Love are HOT!! And we have Vyxsin coming in on Saturday for more hotness!!

I am looking forward to a highly anticipated few days off around Christmas for some gigs with my band and some great parties!

Speaking of, my band “Cold Blue Rebels” have just finished recording an EP titled Blood Guts & Rock n Roll. Tracks we recorded at 4th Street Recordings in Santa Monica (We had a great time at the legendary studio!) can be heard on our Myspace page. We are playing this Saturday at The Old Town Pub in Pasadena with The Rocketz, and more, and will appear at Bar Sinister on January 2nd.

I did the Xmas tree thing with my lovely girl this weekend and, of course, adorned it with some skulls and pumpkins. Since it’s the first one I’ve had in many years, it brought back childhood memories of good times past, which I now get every time I walk in the house and get a whiff of that piney good smell!!

So keep the Scrooge away and try to enjoy the holidays, as I know they can be hard on some of us. Life only comes around once and its too short to waste one day being grumpy! Its a good time to put bullshit aside, make up with family and friends and just have fun with a great excuse to PARTY!! (as if any of us need an excuse).

Hope to see you this weekend or down here at Lippy HQ, I’ll be in the sales office so don’t be shy, say hi!!

May Your darkest Dreams come true!
Fashion+Music=Life
Mickey Finn

Hello Lippy lovers, hope you all had a great weekend! Mine was extraordinary (as always, don’t hate).

I received a call Friday afternoon from LA Derby Dolls promoter Dawn Laureen to fill a last minute slot at the championship roller derby game half-time show on Saturday! After a quick call to the boys, the Cold Blue Rebels were confirmed to do the gig. I have worked with quite a few Roller derby teams across the country, supplying Lip Service clothing, and we also attended as a vender for the OC Roller Girls in October.

After rehearsal Saturday morning and a quick trip to 4th Street recordings in Santa Monica, where we are set to record our debut EP on 12/14, we headed down to Echo Park for load in and sound check. As soon as I walked into the building I knew the night would be a blast! If you have never been to a Roller Derby, you owe it to yourself to check it out. As a first timer, I found the atmosphere totally cool with festive alternative-minded people ready to go crazy cheering on the girls to complete roller carnage! Half the building houses the banked track and grandstands, with the other half the band stage, concessions, bar and vendors selling jewelry, clothes and knick-knacks.

The opening band was an 80s new wave cover band who, although good, was maybe not suited to the raucous mood of the night? We blasted through our set at half-time to hoots and hollers of a stoked, rowdy, inebriated crowd. They stop serving alcohol at after half-time, I’m sure to prevent aggressive craziness, but it seemed everyone was mostly in good spirits as Tough Cookies took the win from The Swarm.

Big thanks to Dawn and the LADD organization for doing a great job promoting an awesome up and coming sport, I am hooked!!

Back to LS this week and loving the rain, but disappointed to see it go away so quickly :( With our friends at Plastic Hassle, we put the final touches on the Service menswear catalog and sent it off to the printer today and also began our model photo shoot for our new packaged sexy costume line, featuring models Metal Sanaz, and Brittanya from season 3 Rock of Love! With more models and shoots scheduled, these should be some of our sexiest photos ever!

Don’t forget the LS sample and retail store is opened Mon-Fri. 10-5 for all your Holiday shopping.

And I’ll mention again Mr Arturos Coffin Furniture is very cool. I’ve included some photos this week and we have 1 on display here in the retail store. These can be made to order in various sizes, styles and colors. Contact me here for orders 323-260-7308 ext.214

I had a visit last week from Gretchen Bonaduce and her man Kevin Starr drummer for her band Ankh and also the target=”_blank”>Lords of Altamont. They did some shopping and I hooked ‘em up phat! I know Kevin from the musician world and Gretchen was very nice and seemed like really cool person. The next day Jake, singer for Lords of Altamont, came by for more goodies for himself and the rest of the band. These guys are a great band in the Iggy Pop, Mc5 vein of dirty rock! They have been busy with tons of European tours but do frequently play LA, so check em out!

If you’re looking for something different this weekend check out the SO Cal Zombie walk this one takes place in Pasadena where a bunch of Zombie-loving freaks dress up and … well … walk!! Great fun! I have done several and it’s always a blast.

That’s all for this week. Stay cool and remember, it’s the Holiday season, so don’t drink and drive or ya might spill your drink!! No, but seriously, take a cab and live to open your presents!! Not to mention, DUI’s suck ass!!

Fashion+Music+Life
Mickey Finn

Hello fellow clothes hoarders!

Have you seen the new reality/documentary show called “Hoarders”?!? Kind of sad but I can totally relate! My G-friend and I are quickly outgrowing our spacious 2 bedroom apartment, with every closet, cabinet, and dresser overflowing with clothing that we cant seem part with. Not even the old and ratty, or outdated piece!! Every time I try to go thru and make a pile to sell on Ebay, I wind up finding things I forgot about and then enthusiastically resurrect leaving maybe a small pile of a t-shirt or 2 that I still cant seem to bring myself to part with! Anyway such is the life of a Fashion Whore!

I hope you all had a great stuff your face day. I know I did, followed by partying all weekend, which included getting Tattooed with my brother and my dad (who just turned 70 and got his first ink)!! And then the debut show for my band “Cold Blue Rebels”. The show was great, with a packed house at The Bordello Bar, and all the bands were great and super cool! The Zombie Rebel dancers jumped off the stage and into the crowd after our second song to hand out free goodie bags courtesy of Lip Service and people grabbed em’ up like they were hundred dollar bills! Me and the guys sported some of the new “Service” line t-shirts and jackets, and spread the word to all the “Bro’s” to be ready for this line to blow up this spring at a store near you. For anyone interested you can catch us again 12/19 @ The Old Town Pub in Pasadena with The Rocketz, Faraway Boys, Inazuma, The Arkhams, and Season of Nightmares.

In Lippy news, The new rock n roll group, “Ghost Town” just arrived and is being inspected for release later this week, also our new dagger socks for girls and guys. We are adding even more offices on the receiving side of the warehouse with a new upper deck being installed as I write. These will house our production team to make it easier to work together since as of now they are scattered around in different areas. And I just finished a meeting with 1 of our new designers Henry who is working on a mens line for fall 2010 for the “Industrial/goth” guy. 2 pants 1 kind of cargo with some straps and hardwear, and 1 full blown with tons of details straps zips and hardwear. Don’t want to give it all away but the group looks great with 3 shirts, 3 jackets and a hoodie.

So here we are in the midst of the dreaded holidays again; whether ya love em’ or hate em’ its exhausting! I’m sure I’ll be a last minute shopper like every year. Maybe I should wise up and just go thru my closet and kill 2 birds with 1 stone!!

Till next week fellow Fashion Freaks and Clothes hoarders
Fashion+Music=life
Mickey Finn

Hey Fashion Freaks,

I hope you’re all getting ready for a weekend of hard partying to work off the extra pounds gained by the gluttonous gorging Thanksgiving brings! After some bargain brawling on Black Friday, hit the town for one of the many dance parties happening, Clockwork is a fun one I like to hit every so often.

Then, on Saturday, don’t forget to check out the debut of my new band “Cold Blue Rebels” when we will dish out our brand of Psychospookabilly for Tiger Mask events with Igor Spectre and Experiment Perilous @ The Bordello Bar downtown! The Rebel Dancers will be handing out freebies courtesy of Lip Service thru out the night!!! So come have a drink with us and don’t be afraid to hit me up for the latest inside dirt on the Lip Service world. (After I’m drunk is a good time!!).

In other band news my, Rock n Roll outfit JETBOY are currently auditioning drummers, and bass players for what promises to be a busy 2010 following the release of our new record on Rocket Science Records. Interested parties should contact the band via myspace, or the official band website.

Anyone who has been down to the LS warehouse in the last 10 or so years might have noticed my friend and co-worker Mr Arturo, working as our receiver, fork lift driver and the everything “go to guy” around the warehouse. He has started a business making Coffin shaped furniture and does and awesome job! I have 3 Coffin shelving units in my house and a 7’ long Coffin Reptile cage that he made for my 12lb. Lizard Malakai. He also does wall cabinets, nightstands, jewelry boxes, coffee tables and will build customs to order for your imagination and hearts desires! Interested clients can contact me here at 323-260-7308 EXT. 214.

I just came out of a long meeting to discus and see some early samples of next years Military themed group from the famed Division LS. Awesome stuff as always, this time will be a poplin and cracked, semi gloss Vinyl, with custom made buttons and dark colored metallic chains.

Holiday styles have been arriving this week and the and the feedback from customers on the “Caged” group is that it’s a big hit already! Ghost Town is a big hit with our Rock n Roll crowd and should be in and shipping by the end of the month.

Well gang I hate to be brief but I’m off to a production meeting, and then out of here to search for the biggest turkey I can buy along with all the fixins’ for tomorrows feast! Have a happy one and don’t hesitate to “eat too much” cause next week its back to the grind and starbucks for breakfast! Enjoy it while you can then dance it off this weekend!!

Hope to see you at Bordello on Saturday!
Work hard, play Harder
Music+Fashion=Life
Mickey Finn

Greetings from Lippy land, another great weekend has passed with lots to tell!

I took a day trip down to Hawleywood barber shop (at 2234 4th st) for the true old school experience! This men-only sanctuary offers the best in rockabilly and classic cuts but also caters to guys like myself who know the meaning of, “It’s not just a hair style it’s a way of life.” Hot towels, straight razor shaves and barbers who dress like gentleman gangsters gives this place I vibe that has to be witnessed to understand! I decided it was time for a slight change and chopped the back of my Mohawk, going for the classic “shark fin” angled sharp and tight! Jimmy hooked it up and I was stoked with the result.

4th st has a cool strip of Vintage and alternative shopping that’s worth a trip, and I was soon cruising for new Lip Service accounts, meeting some great folks, making some contacts, then heading back to Hollywood for a night at Clockwork, drinks dancing and good times!

Saturday I hit the Redwood Bar downtown for the Chop Tops from Santa Cruz, a great little bar with an old school “Barbary Coast” vibe that also hosts a great Sunday afternoon country/rockabilly scene. The Chop Tops raised the roof with their brand of revved up rockabilly and I got a chance to meet and hang with them before and after the show. At one point Sinner, their towering singer drummer, helped break up 1 of 2 fights (one a girl fight) out front before their set. I think it just pumped him up, as he was a madman on the stage, and everyone left sweaty, and stinkin’ of PBR!

Dragged my ass out of bed early Sunday morning and took a road trip out to Big Bear for an early season day of snowboarding! Had a blast and me and my girl Angelic brought our friend Reptyle from Hawaii, who got to see snow for the first time on his birthday!! Great day! Cant wait for the season to really kick into gear.

Back to the adventure this week finds me hard at work with the Plastic Hassle team designing the new Service menswear line catalog. I went from sales, to model, to writer, and back to more sales by the end of the day. Had another meeting today, where the graphics artist Jason Redwood unveiled the next batch of Service designs. I’ll keep you posted when the first 4 designs are up on the retail site and, let me tell you, the next 6 are badass!!

In regular Lippy news, we are preparing for a trade show in Hong Kong, then going back to the Halloween & Party Expo in Houston Jan. 23-26th. The Expo is a great costume and Clubwear show we have not done for at least 5 years. We are getting ready to introduce our new packaged costume line, that we will feature at the show along with our classic costume and dress-up styles. After that, Magic in Vegas, then on to London for the London Edge trade show. Sometimes looking at the calendar can give me anxiety but then again its exciting and all part of the adventure we call LIP SERVICE!!!!

I threw in a couple photos from my band Jetboy’s gig with Alice Cooper which I finally got today courtesy of Danni Valdez at Shutter to Think photography and as always he did a great job capturing the moment.
Have a great week, and remember…..
Fashion+Music=Life

Mickey Finn

Don’t forget to check out Mickey’s hot, new band, Cold Blue Rebels, at Bordello Bar on November 28th!