edenland: Street Talk: Ross From Knucklehead Shipping Co.

Friday, 30 May 2014

Street Talk: Ross From Knucklehead Shipping Co.

This Street Talk happened completely by accident. Last Saturday night Dave and I had some time to kill in Paddington so we walked up and down the shopping strip, wanting EVERYTHING. We saw a sign saying "Knucklehead Shipping Co" and I said well we have to go into a shop with a name like that.

We walked in and there's this really smooth cool guy standing next to a mounted moose head. Inexplicably and without thought I said,

"Good. You've been waiting for us under the moose."

Silence. I died of shame when the bearded guy eventually told me that it was actually a deer. Dave laughed and I wanted to leave the shop immediately, but the guy with the Ned Kelly beard just started to talk to us like we were old friends.

"Actually, I'm not even supposed to BE here. I woke up in the Central Coast this morning, and get a phone call from one of my staff saying they were sick and couldn't come in today. So I drove all the way in. It was full-on. (Motioning to his thick leather chairs.) We had a live band playing so I interviewed them, I always ask the same five questions to all my bands. I'm just packing up now .... my girlfriend's on her way with a burger because I've had a few drinks and I'm STARVING."

The three of us then launched into the best, most vibrant conversation. Travel and art and social media and interviewing people off the street. Ross is originally from Perth but moved to Melbourne, and now Sydney. He founded Knucklehead Shipping Co off his own bat. The shop stocks incredibly well-made shirts, jeans, jackets, trucker hats. His team are musicians, managers and designers drawn together by a desire to see men’s fashion return to its former glory .... "to a level of excellence fit for a Bond villain."

I asked him if I could take a photo of him but he said only if it looked like the deer antlers were coming out of his head.

He tells us about all the artists on his record label, including Xavier Rudd.

"I love Xavier Rudd!"

He tells me to wait while he goes upstairs, then runs back down with Xaviers full back catalogue, for us to keep!

We bid goodbye because our movie was about to start. He said he can't wait for his whopper burger and I was all, Ross, fuck Hungry Jacks you have GOT to get yourself to Mr Crackles!

We stood there for a bit, followed each others Instagram, promised to keep in touch, and said goodbye.

(Ross I didn't actually asked if you wanted to be my Street Talk person so I hope you don't mind. Truth is, I fell off that saddle after the suicide of my beautiful baby brother last October. Meeting you has piqued my curiosity all over again and now I can finish what I started. Thank you so much - give us a call when you're in the mountains. PS I still think it looks like a moose.)