Dig BMX
Encyclopedia
Dig BMX is a bi-monthly BMX
lifestyle magazine currently based in both the UK and U.S. Started in 1993 by editor/designer Will Smyth, Dig BMX's beginnings were originally based in an attic/office in the Holy Land area of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It has since moved to Glasgow, Scotland, while also retaining a U.S. editorial base in New Jersey
, U.S.A. It regularly publishes articles (not limited to the BMX subject), BMX photography, interviews with professional BMXers, interviews with and reviews of musical groups, product reviews, and miscellaneous oddities. Dig has released 64 issues since its inception.
In December 2006, founding associate editor and photographer Ed Docherty left the magazine.
and entered into a deal with Chris Moeller and John Paul Rogers of S&M Bike Co. Based in CA, the two decided to sell ads for Dig, print and distribute the magazine, offering a wider U.S. based BMX scene a glimpse into Dig BMX's editorial. Issue 11 featured Josh Stricker on the cover, was a travel-based issue that focused on the unusual and outrageous circumstances of travel that had plagued certain members of the international BMX community. The issue sold well throughout the U.S., but was abandoned by Moeller and Rogers after just one issue, who instead decided to produce the short-lived BMX Action, which later became Faction BMX Magazine. After the dissolution of Dig's relationship with their only hopeful U.S. publisher to date, Dig was offered the chance to go bi-monthly by UK publisher Permanent Publishing in mid 1999. Starting with issue 12, which featured the highly influential Spanish rider Ruben Alcantara on the cover, Dig entered into a long and fruitful relationship with Permanent Publishing, home of Sidewalk Skateboard Mag and Surfer's Path Magazine.
For the next three years, Dig published under a bi-monthly schedule, offering exclusive and varied content on the worldwide BMX scene. Dig produced original content that spanned the globe, including Russia, Japan, Western Europe, the U.S. and Southeast Asia.
In 2003, Permanent Publishing offered Dig the opportunity to publish nine times per year (bi-monthly in the fall, winter, spring, monthly throughout the summer months). For the next two years, Dig operated under the cyclical nine issue schedule. In the same year, Permanent Publishing expanded to include a U.S. based office in California, employing U.S. ad sales managers.
In early 2005, Permanent Publishing and Dig BMX went separate ways. The two had produced 35 issues of the magazine in the six years together. The title was again bought by Smyth, who, along with the help of friends, self-published issue 48 in the summer of 2005 which featured Wethepeople rider Stephen Lilly on the cover. And then a new publisher came along from Dig BMX's main competition in the UK.
Ride UK, owned and operated by managing editor Mark Noble under the 4130 Publishing title, had been Dig's long standing main competition on the newsstands throughout the UK. In the fall of 2005, an agreement was reached between Dig and 4130 Publishing to publish Dig under the 4130 Publishing banner. Formerly competitors, Smyth and Noble were now partners. Noble and 4130 offered Dig the opportunity to pursue Smyth's original editorial direction without compromise. Ride UK would continue to cover all things BMX, while Dig could continue to pursue its undecided niche within the core of BMX riding.
The relationship endured for the next year and a half. Under the 4130 banner, Dig was sold on newsstands with cover-mounted DVDs, allowed to offer subscriptions that were affordable for readers worldwide and marketed alongside free t-shirts, stickers and assorted promotional items that its reader base longed for. Dig's time with 4130 also produced interviews with Taj Mihelich and Ian Morris, exclusive photography of Tom White and Edwin Delarosa from Barcelona and exclusive content from the making of the Etnies
video 'Grounded.' This period also included the addition of New Jersey based photographer Rob Dolecki as a full time editorial contributor and photo editor.
In December 2006, 4130 Publishing announced plans to merge with UK publishing magnate Factory Media, merging its four titles under the Factory Media name (which would come to include titles from Permanent Publishing and other UK action sports publishers.) Dig has since been allowed to continue publishing under the Factory Media title.
, Ian Morris, Tom White, Sean Burns (biker), Jimmy Levan, Josh Stricker, Brian Wizmerski, Bob Scerbo, Van Homan, Robbie Morales, David Lombard, Kevin Porter, Dan Price, Ryan Metro, Joe Simon, Mat Hoffman
, Conall Keenan, Chad Degroot, Leif Valin, Steve Crandall, Ruben Alcantara, Owain Clegg, Bas Keep, Jon Taylor
, Edwin Delarosa, Ricky Feather, Ralph Sinisi, Sergio Layos, Chase Dehart, Jay Miron
, Jason Enns, Brian Castillo
, Kris Bennett, Paul Buchanan
, John Heaton, Mike Taylor, Simon Tabron, John Dye, Chris Stauffer, Mike Escamilla, Dave Parrick, Zach Shaw, Stew Johnson
, Dave Belcher, Joe Simon
, Sean Butler, James White, Dylan Clayton, Ben Hennon, Chris Doyle
, Mike Ardelean.
BMX companies interviewed in Dig include: Terrible One
, WeThePeople
, Federal Bikes, Macneil Bikes, Fit Bike Co., Micreation, Little Devil
, Orchid Footwear, Lotek, Volume Bikes, Solid Bikes, Profile Racing, Kink Bikes, Hoffman Bikes, Fly Bikes, FBM Bike Co., Animal Bikes, Metal Bikes, Mutiny Bikes, Sunday Bikes, Tree Bicycle Co., Odyssey
, KGB
, Liquor Bikes, BSD, Twenty Bikes, Duffs, Mankind.
Bands interviewed in Dig include: Bluetip
, Fugazi, These Arms Are Snakes
, Roy
, Retisonic, Shellac
, Descendents
, Chris Leo, Ida
, Challenger, Jets to Brazil
, Jawbreaker
, Whysall Lane
, The Make-Up, The Redneck Manifesto
, Explosions in the Sky
, Joan of Arc
, Make Believe
, Owen
, The Evens
, Breather Resist
, Short Sharp Shock, Lungfish (band)
, The Dismemberment Plan
, Burning Airlines
.
BMX
Bicycle motocross or BMX refers to the sport in which the main goal is extreme racing on bicycles in motocross style on tracks with inline start and expressive obstacles, and it is also the term that refers to the bicycle itself that is designed for dirt and motocross cycling.- History :BMX started...
lifestyle magazine currently based in both the UK and U.S. Started in 1993 by editor/designer Will Smyth, Dig BMX's beginnings were originally based in an attic/office in the Holy Land area of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It has since moved to Glasgow, Scotland, while also retaining a U.S. editorial base in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, U.S.A. It regularly publishes articles (not limited to the BMX subject), BMX photography, interviews with professional BMXers, interviews with and reviews of musical groups, product reviews, and miscellaneous oddities. Dig has released 64 issues since its inception.
Staff
- Will Smyth - editor, designer
- Brian Tunney - managing editor
- Ricky Adam, Sandy Carson and Rob Dolecki - principal photographers, assistant editors
- Staff writers - Nick Coombes, Thomas Williams, Jamie DuncanJamie DuncanJamie Robert Duncan to James and Bertina Duncan, is a former American football linebacker in the NFL. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1998 NFL Draft. He also played for the St...
, Ryan Corrigan, Ryan Worcester, Lee Todorovich, Leland Thurman, Fred MurrayFred MurrayFrederick Anthony "Fred" Murray is an Irish footballer currently playing for Luton Town.-Career:...
, Allan Macnaughton - Staff and contributing photographers - Paul Bliss, Tomm Nunn, Fred MurrayFred MurrayFrederick Anthony "Fred" Murray is an Irish footballer currently playing for Luton Town.-Career:...
Ryan Worcester, Seth Holton, Georg Oberlechner, Dylan Markham, Pete ConwayPete ConwayPeter J. Conway was a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for five seasons with the Buffalo Bisons , Kansas City Cowboys , Detroit Wolverines , and Pittsburg Alleghenys . He won two games for Detroit in the 1887 World Series and followed in 1888 with a season record of 30 wins and 14...
In December 2006, founding associate editor and photographer Ed Docherty left the magazine.
Background
From 1994 through 1997, Dig BMX was published quarterly by Air Publications in the UK. In 1998, after the dissolution of Air Publications, Smyth bought the title back during a public auctionPublic auction
A public auction is an auction held on behalf of a government in which the property to be auctioned is either property owned by the government, or property which is sold under the authority of a court of law or a government agency with similar authority....
and entered into a deal with Chris Moeller and John Paul Rogers of S&M Bike Co. Based in CA, the two decided to sell ads for Dig, print and distribute the magazine, offering a wider U.S. based BMX scene a glimpse into Dig BMX's editorial. Issue 11 featured Josh Stricker on the cover, was a travel-based issue that focused on the unusual and outrageous circumstances of travel that had plagued certain members of the international BMX community. The issue sold well throughout the U.S., but was abandoned by Moeller and Rogers after just one issue, who instead decided to produce the short-lived BMX Action, which later became Faction BMX Magazine. After the dissolution of Dig's relationship with their only hopeful U.S. publisher to date, Dig was offered the chance to go bi-monthly by UK publisher Permanent Publishing in mid 1999. Starting with issue 12, which featured the highly influential Spanish rider Ruben Alcantara on the cover, Dig entered into a long and fruitful relationship with Permanent Publishing, home of Sidewalk Skateboard Mag and Surfer's Path Magazine.
For the next three years, Dig published under a bi-monthly schedule, offering exclusive and varied content on the worldwide BMX scene. Dig produced original content that spanned the globe, including Russia, Japan, Western Europe, the U.S. and Southeast Asia.
In 2003, Permanent Publishing offered Dig the opportunity to publish nine times per year (bi-monthly in the fall, winter, spring, monthly throughout the summer months). For the next two years, Dig operated under the cyclical nine issue schedule. In the same year, Permanent Publishing expanded to include a U.S. based office in California, employing U.S. ad sales managers.
In early 2005, Permanent Publishing and Dig BMX went separate ways. The two had produced 35 issues of the magazine in the six years together. The title was again bought by Smyth, who, along with the help of friends, self-published issue 48 in the summer of 2005 which featured Wethepeople rider Stephen Lilly on the cover. And then a new publisher came along from Dig BMX's main competition in the UK.
Ride UK, owned and operated by managing editor Mark Noble under the 4130 Publishing title, had been Dig's long standing main competition on the newsstands throughout the UK. In the fall of 2005, an agreement was reached between Dig and 4130 Publishing to publish Dig under the 4130 Publishing banner. Formerly competitors, Smyth and Noble were now partners. Noble and 4130 offered Dig the opportunity to pursue Smyth's original editorial direction without compromise. Ride UK would continue to cover all things BMX, while Dig could continue to pursue its undecided niche within the core of BMX riding.
The relationship endured for the next year and a half. Under the 4130 banner, Dig was sold on newsstands with cover-mounted DVDs, allowed to offer subscriptions that were affordable for readers worldwide and marketed alongside free t-shirts, stickers and assorted promotional items that its reader base longed for. Dig's time with 4130 also produced interviews with Taj Mihelich and Ian Morris, exclusive photography of Tom White and Edwin Delarosa from Barcelona and exclusive content from the making of the Etnies
Etnies
thumb|Picture of an etnies shoeEtnies is an American footwear brand based in Lake Forest, California, and owned by Sole Technology, Inc. In 2003, etnies, along with the city of Lake Forest, California opened etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest, the largest public skatepark in the state, with over of...
video 'Grounded.' This period also included the addition of New Jersey based photographer Rob Dolecki as a full time editorial contributor and photo editor.
In December 2006, 4130 Publishing announced plans to merge with UK publishing magnate Factory Media, merging its four titles under the Factory Media name (which would come to include titles from Permanent Publishing and other UK action sports publishers.) Dig has since been allowed to continue publishing under the Factory Media title.
Interviews
BMXers interviewed in Dig include: Matthew Wakefield, Taj MihelichTaj Mihelich
Taj Mihelich is an American Freestyle BMX rider. He is probably best known for his part ownership of Terrible One with fellow rider, Joe Rich until March 2006.He is currently sponsored by Odyssey....
, Ian Morris, Tom White, Sean Burns (biker), Jimmy Levan, Josh Stricker, Brian Wizmerski, Bob Scerbo, Van Homan, Robbie Morales, David Lombard, Kevin Porter, Dan Price, Ryan Metro, Joe Simon, Mat Hoffman
Mat Hoffman
Mat Hoffman is an American BMX rider considered one of the best vert-ramp riders in the history of the sport. He is nicknamed "The Condor" and owns the BMX Freestyle brand Hoffman BMX Bikes, based out of Oklahoma City, OK.-Bio:...
, Conall Keenan, Chad Degroot, Leif Valin, Steve Crandall, Ruben Alcantara, Owain Clegg, Bas Keep, Jon Taylor
Jon Taylor
Jon Taylor is a footballer who plays for Shrewsbury Town. Taylor's middle name A-Mos was not his birth name but a nickname given to him by friends because of his lackadaisical and mundane appearance....
, Edwin Delarosa, Ricky Feather, Ralph Sinisi, Sergio Layos, Chase Dehart, Jay Miron
Jay Miron
Jay Lawrence McNeil Miron is a retired Canadian BMX athlete and former owner of MacNeil Bikes. Miron has competed in several X-Games competition since 1995, compiling 9 medals, including the first ever X-Games gold medal for Bike Dirt. In addition, Miron is credited with inventing more than 30...
, Jason Enns, Brian Castillo
Brian Castillo
Brian Castillo is an American musician/producer, and photographer born in Tacoma, Washington. Best known for his work with The Living Jarboe and In Gowan Ring, sometimes in a musician role and sometimes as a producer/engineer...
, Kris Bennett, Paul Buchanan
Paul Buchanan
Paul Buchanan is a professional boxer, fighting out of West Denton. He turned pro on 31 January 2001....
, John Heaton, Mike Taylor, Simon Tabron, John Dye, Chris Stauffer, Mike Escamilla, Dave Parrick, Zach Shaw, Stew Johnson
Stew Johnson
Stewart "Stew" Johnson is a former professional basketball player. A 6'8" forward/center from Murray State University, Johnson was selected by the New York Knicks in the third round of the 1966 NBA Draft...
, Dave Belcher, Joe Simon
Joe Simon
Joseph Henry "Joe" Simon is an American comic book writer, artist, editor, and publisher. Simon created or co-created many important characters in the 1930s-1940s Golden Age of Comic Books and served as the first editor of Timely Comics, the company that would evolve into Marvel Comics.With his...
, Sean Butler, James White, Dylan Clayton, Ben Hennon, Chris Doyle
Chris Doyle
Chris Doyle is a multi-media artist who lives in New York. His major public projects have included LEAP, presented by Creative Time in Columbus Circle and Commutable, presented by the Public Art Fund on the Lower East Side , both in New York City...
, Mike Ardelean.
BMX companies interviewed in Dig include: Terrible One
Terrible One
Terrible One is a rad bicycle company founded in 1998 in Austin, Texas, United States, by BMX professionals Joe Rich and Taj Mihelich. It produces BMX frames, parts and softgoods. Over the years it gained high reputation especially amongst seasoned riders...
, WeThePeople
WeThePeople
wethepeople is a designer of BMX bicycles and bmx parts from Cologne, Germany. It sells complete bicycles as well as frames and parts. It is owned by former riders Klaus Dyba and Harry Schmid who took over the full rights to the company in 2000....
, Federal Bikes, Macneil Bikes, Fit Bike Co., Micreation, Little Devil
Little Devil
"Little Devil" is a song written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield and sung by Neil Sedaka. It was the title track of Sedaka's 1961 album Neil Sedaka Sings Little Devil and His Other Hits. It was released in 1961 and became a hit for him reaching #11 in the US Billboard Charts."Little Devil" was...
, Orchid Footwear, Lotek, Volume Bikes, Solid Bikes, Profile Racing, Kink Bikes, Hoffman Bikes, Fly Bikes, FBM Bike Co., Animal Bikes, Metal Bikes, Mutiny Bikes, Sunday Bikes, Tree Bicycle Co., Odyssey
Odyssey
The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad, the other work ascribed to Homer. The poem is fundamental to the modern Western canon, and is the second—the Iliad being the first—extant work of Western literature...
, KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
, Liquor Bikes, BSD, Twenty Bikes, Duffs, Mankind.
Bands interviewed in Dig include: Bluetip
Bluetip
Bluetip was a rock band from Washington, D.C. It was formed in 1995 by ex-members of Swiz, and released four albums, an EP, and a number of singles before splitting up in January 2002....
, Fugazi, These Arms Are Snakes
These Arms Are Snakes
These Arms Are Snakes was an American post-hardcore band that formed in 2002 and featured former members of Botch and Kill Sadie. The band was known for their intense live shows, which often feature vocalist Steve Snere crowd surfing and spending a large portion of the live performance in the...
, Roy
Roy (band)
Roy was an American rock band that formed in 2002. The folk rock group was composed of drummer Dave Verellen and guitarist Brian Cook from the then recently disbanded mathcore group Botch...
, Retisonic, Shellac
Shellac (band)
Shellac is an American group composed of Steve Albini , Bob Weston and Todd Trainer...
, Descendents
Descendents (band)
The Descendents are an American punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California. As of 2011, they have released six studio albums, three live albums, three compilation albums and three EPs. The Descendents broke up and reformed several times over the years, sometimes with different musicians...
, Chris Leo, Ida
Ida (band)
Ida is an indie rock band from New York City. They are known for their three part harmonies, sparse, minimal, often quiet arrangements, and for their three singer-songwriters...
, Challenger, Jets to Brazil
Jets to Brazil
Jets to Brazil was an American rock band formed in 1997. It was founded by Blake Schwarzenbach, former frontman of Jawbreaker. When Schwarzenbach relocated to Brooklyn, New York, after Jawbreaker had disbanded, he reunited with friend Jeremy Chatelain and the two began working on four-track...
, Jawbreaker
Jawbreaker (band)
Jawbreaker was an American punk rock band active from 1986 to 1996 and considered one of the most influential acts of the early-1990s emo movement...
, Whysall Lane
Whysall Lane
Whysall Lane was an American indie rock band based in San Francisco whose music combines elements of 1990s indie rock and classic rock with lyrics inspired by romantic obsession...
, The Make-Up, The Redneck Manifesto
The Redneck Manifesto (band)
The Redneck Manifesto are an instrumental rock band from Dublin, Ireland. Its members are Mervyn Craig , Richard Egan , Niall Byrne , Matthew Bolger and Neil O'Connor .-History:...
, Explosions in the Sky
Explosions in the Sky
Explosions in the Sky is an American post-rock band from Texas. The band has garnered popularity beyond the post-rock scene for their elaborately developed guitar work, narratively styled instrumentals, what they refer to as "cathartic mini-symphonies," and their enthusiastic and emotional live shows...
, Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc (band)
Joan of Arc are an American indie rock band from Chicago, Illinois. They formed in 1995, following the breakup of Cap'n Jazz.Singer Tim Kinsella has been the only permanent member of the group; he has also recorded as a solo artist....
, Make Believe
Make Believe (band)
Make Believe is an indie rock band, initially formed as a touring version of Joan of Arc. The band was initially composed of singer Tim Kinsella, guitarist Sam Zurick, bassist Bobby Burg, and drummer/keyboardist Nate Kinsella. After 3 months of touring as Joan Of Arc the quartet returned home and...
, Owen
Owen (band)
Owen is a solo project of Mike Kinsella, and part of the Chicago indie scene.Kinsella is one of the dominant and influential figures in the Chicago indie scene, having also led the band American Football, and played in the bands Cap'n Jazz, Joan of Arc and Owls .Owen is known for its soft melodies,...
, The Evens
The Evens
The Evens are a Washington, D.C. indie-rock duo, formed in the fall of 2001, comprising partners Ian MacKaye and Amy Farina...
, Breather Resist
Breather Resist
-History:Breather Resist formed in 2002 and recorded 8 songs, 4 which were on handmade demos. These 8 songs became their first EP, "Only in the Morning", released on Deathwish, Inc.. Their first LP, Charmer, was released on Jade Tree Records in October 2004, having been produced by Kurt Ballou...
, Short Sharp Shock, Lungfish (band)
Lungfish (band)
Lungfish is a post-hardcore band formed in 1987 in Baltimore, Maryland. All of their music has been released by the Washington, D.C. punk label Dischord except for their first LP, Necklace of Heads which was released by Simple Machines .Their line-up as of 2005 consists of Daniel Higgs , Asa...
, The Dismemberment Plan
The Dismemberment Plan
The Dismemberment Plan is a Washington D.C. based indie rock band formed on January 1, 1993. Also known as D-Plan or The Plan, the name comes from a stray phrase uttered by insurance salesman Ned Ryerson in the popular comedy Groundhog Day. The band members included Eric Axelson , Jason Caddell ,...
, Burning Airlines
Burning Airlines
Burning Airlines were an American rock band from Washington, D.C.. J. Robbins and Bill Barbot of Jawbox formed the band with Peter Moffett, formerly of Government Issue...
.
Tattoos
Dig BMX's logo, a black and white image of four hands crossed over a bike sprocket, has experienced widespread notoriety as a result of becoming a favored tattoo for BMX riders across the globe. Two pages of Dig issue 50 were devoted to the widespread placement of the Dig tattoo, featuring photos of riders tattooed with the Dig logo from both the UK and U.S. And new tattoo submissions can be found weekly in the news section of the Dig Web site.External links
- http://www.digbmx.com
- http://www.myspace.com/digbmxmag
- http://www.23mag.com/mags/dig/dig.htm
- http://www.sandycarson.com (Asst. editor/photographer Sandy Carson's photography Web site)
- http://www.qualiaphoto.com (Asst. editor/photographer Rob Dolecki's photography Web site)
- http://www.rickyadamphoto.com (Asst. editor/photographer Ricky Adam's photography Web site)
- http://www.assblasters.org (Managing editor Brian Tunney's writing blog)