I made a “Master Cluster” notebook. Check it out.
The Master Cluster consists of (L to R) Andy Jenkins, Spike Jonze, and Mark Lewman. I found this decaying old Dirt magazine binder in a box, trimmed up the cover, and bound it into this note/sketchbook.
I was introduced to the first of these three minds when BMX Action magazine ran a story on how to convert your race bike into a freestyle bike. They decided to perform this conversion on their new assistant art director’s loyal steed. That was Andy’s bike. That was in 1984.
Lew came on the scene after Andy had moved on to Freesylin’ magazine, Wizard Publications’ answer to the growing side-sport to BMX, the latter of which they’d been covering with BMX Action. Lew was the word man, and he headed up the zine-styled organization that would define late-80s freestyle: Club Homeboy.
Spike was hired at Wizard as a photographer right out of high school, and with his arrival the Cluster was complete (You already know Spike’s work since).
They’ve gone on to run more magazines — including the aforementioned Dirt (sort of a Sassy for boys) and the Beastie Boys’ Grand Royal — make commercials, TV shows, movies, zines, skateboards, etc. Andy’s currently at Girl Skateboards, Lew is a Nemo Design, and Spike’s Where the Wild Things Are comes out next year.
Anyway, that brief history doesn’t come close to doing them justice, and neither does this notebook, but their constant creativity and drive has been — and continues to be — an inspiration to me.