SpaceCadetz is pretty stoked to get the inside scoop on this new vodka brand that is taking the nation by storm. It’s called Bong Vodka and as you can imagine the bottle is shaped like a bong - that’s how crazy this vodka brand is. And there’s definately more to Bong Vodka than just the bottle, so I caught up with the designer behind it all, Jimi Beach, to find out more. Cheers!

Mr. Jimi Beach, it’s a pleasure man! Thanks for taking the time out of your hectic schedule to do this interview with SpaceCadetz.com. Please introduce yourself to the readers and tell them a little bit about who you are and what you do.

Sure…Basically I’ve been an artist and a naturalist all my life, from being a touring musician (Vans Warped Tour, Ocean Aid) to starting a water art trend (BLUWORLD USA, jimibeach.com), to club design (Rhythm and Flow, Pulse) to now with the launch of a new spirit revolution (bong vodka)…. I’ve basically spent my life figuring out what is fun to me…then crafted a product or company around it so that others could enjoy it too. I mean, if someone else would have developed Bong Spirit Vodka…I would be right there supporting them…it’s going to be a movement…you watch.

So let’s talk about the history behind Bong Vodka. How did did you come up with this crazy fresh idea?

A couple of my partners in the nightclub industry came to me and said, “we’ve just met somebody who can produce vodka for us…all we need is a concept and a bottle”…. And Eureka! A lot of hard work later…a super premium vodka that has been taking the scene by storm. We get calls from liquor store owners saying that they’re not just selling bottles….but selling cases to people. Apparently people are flying in from the states were it’s not available yet and buying it. It’s really amazing.

What is the concept behind Bong Vodka, other than of course the cool name and bottle design?

That’s a great question, because we actually do have a “concept”. Try asking that question to most of the popular brands out these days and they would be like, ”errrrr….you mean other than selling vodka?” Bong Spirit Vodka is only the first product of our new collaborative, the BONG SPIRIT COMPANY. Bong Spirit is a lifestyle that represents self-expression, individuality, with a big nod to the creative arts. It’s about hanging out, listening to your friends perform, spinning records, landing big maneuvers, meeting new people, traveling to new places…all in the name of having fun. Bong Spirit means different things to different people, but when you attend one of our events…you’ll walk away feeling like part of the tribe.

The vodka market is very competitive and consumers have a lot of choice when it comes to what brand they drink. What in your mind sets apart Bong Vodka from the rest of the pack and will keep people coming back for more?

The answer is tribal of sorts…contributive society…we promote the talents of the people that drink our VODKA. We offer opportunities for other artists to put their work on our bottles, our cartons, our t-shirts…giving them full credit and hopefully launching a few careers in the process. We won’t have to wonder if the community will dig our designs and merchandise, because guess what?….it was designed by the community. Once again…fun stuff.

Obviously people are going to love the Bong Vodka bottle and throwing one away is simply not an option. Other than its shape, what else makes the bottle special that people might not know about?

You wouldn’t believe all the work that went into this project…I’ve got to high five the entire team for that. The VODKA in the bottle comes from a Dutch family that has been producing spirits in Holland for over 150 years. They never distributed it outside of Holland. When we discovered its silky smooth flavor…we fell in love with it and licensed the worldwide rights to export it. I designed the bottle in 3D and had the first models made with clay and wood…then the artisans we hired in Milan, Italy made the first glass prototypes. Every bottle today is still made in this beautiful Italian city, individually numbered and produced with crystal flint glass. There’s no doubt it’s one of the most artistic bottles out there…then when you consider our collector artist bottles coming out….watch out!!!

Clearly a part of your job is throwing great parties to promote Bong Vodka. Can you tell us what went down at the Bong Vodka VIP Mansion Party in December of last year, and maybe at other subsequent events?

Let me just say…the party hasn’t even started… Sure we blew the roof off Mansion with the “Bong Girls Stage Show” we produced out of New York, but trust me…don’t feel like you missed the party because chances are…Bong Spirit is coming to your town…and if not…then maybe you could meet us halfway. It will be worth it.

As an entrepreneur, what has the process of creating a vodka brand from scratch been like? For example, what are some of the ups and downs, and challenges you’ve experienced thus far?

Well…I’m an extreme entrepreneur…it comes kind of natural for me…ups, downs, sideways, it’s all part of the love to create things. Most of the challenges we faced came not from the actual creation…but from my often impossibly high standards…or at least that’s what those close to me tell me…ha. But that’s the art.

How has public reaction been to Bong Vodka so far, and if it’s not in a certain area yet can we expect it soon?

It’s been overwhelming, really…but for real…we’ve only just begun. The product has already made its debut in Florida and Texas and we’re making brothers and sisters in every town we visit. Next up for August and September is New York, California, Vegas, New Jersey, and Arizona. Bong Spirit will be huge in these markets, with so much talent to explore. We have a tour bus we call the Bong Lounge. It’s a rolling nightclub that will pull up to your house and disturb your neighbors, or your money back.

What’s an average day in the life like for Jimi Beach?

Work, work, play, work. That sounds about right. We’ve got a 30 foot stage in the Bong Spirit studio in Orlando. We get plenty of time to jam out while planning world domination. And actually I just returned from a surfari in Central America (see picture). Honestly though…it’s A LOT of work to do what we do. But, if we weren’t doing it…it would be a shame, this product is going to unite a lot of people, with widely diverse interests, into a single nightlife mega force…I’ve seen the future…and it’s in a weird shaped bottle.

The late Sidney Frank of Jaegermesiter and Grey Goose vodka fame recently passed away. Many know him as one of the most successful liquor industry entrepreneurs ever. Has he been an inspiration to you as you try to build Bong Vodka? What/who else do you count as your personal inspirations?

Certainly. Although I never met him personally, there’s no doubt that he was a visionary in the industry. He set a goal…and over achieved it. Hats off. Inspirations huh? I get inspired by everything man,…good movies, the discovery channel, mad instrumentalist, the wind blowing through the trees…. People often catch me staring at things…no I’m not having a flashback…well, at least I don’t think I am.

Are there any upcoming promotions/events/new products from Bong Vodka that people should be on the lookout for?

Oh yea bro….big time stuff to watch out for. Artist designed collector bottles, Bong Spirit clothing line (big news to release soon), the Bong Lounge tour, tons of music, a short film, and guess where I was earlier in the year…a little city called Mexico…that’s right man, Bong Tequila is in the works. Este va a ser el mejor Tequila que has probado.

Any shoutouts?

I shouldn’t start…I’ll never finish….but one person NEEDS a shoutout…My man Trigger Gumm, who crashed yesterday while attempting to break the world’s longest motorcycle jump, a record which he already holds. Get well brother… http://cbs2.com/topstories/topstories_story_204230241.html

Who knew it was this simple? Chris Angel reveals all in this video clip….

Are you a fan of the fishes? Well along with the multitude of other businesses that have a presence on MySpace, there is a fish store that sells all kinds of fish tanks. TropicalFishStore.com has been in business since 1988 and specialize in fish tanks, aquariums, aquarium furniture, and various aquarium supplies. They’ve got a ton of cool stuff in stock, even things that will appeal to beginning fish owners. Check out their cool BiOrb, a European-designed self-filtering acrylic globe aquarium.

MySpace Profile Link

Let’s keep the ball rolling with these truly odd MySpace groups. Here we have Diapers For Pleasure Rule!!, which has to be one of the more odd groups I’ve ever come across. These people wear diapers for fun, and as far as I can tell it’s 100% for real. People in here organize diaper parties and talk freely about wearing them to the movies, work, etc. It’s simply unreal. I have one thing to say: Grow the fuck up, people.

MySpace Group Link

This is a reminder that if you are in the Southern California area, there will be only one place to be on Friday night, and that’s at the Sneaker Pimps LA Show!! There will be live music by QBert and Lupe Fiasco and live installations being created on the spot by Dave White, irakny, and Dave Kinsey. There will be literally hundreds of rare and custom sneakers on display for you to drool on.

Many thanks to Rod Hunt for putting me on to this one. Thumbtack Press is a new company that helps artists sell their work to the public! The way it works is, once your art gets accepted (not all submitted art makes it) then you send over a print-ready file and Thumbtack does the printing for you. The advantages are that Thumbtack manages all the printing, shipping, and other hassles normally associated with maintaining your own online store. On the customer end, you can also request mat and frame for your print as well. It’s a one-stop shop for everyone!

Currently prints are available from artists like Bob Dob, Rod Hunt, Greg “Craola” Simkins, and many more. Visit ThumbTackPress.com for more info.

MySpace Profile Link

This will be the first of two videos today. Yeah, kind of cheating in terms of content, but the entertainment factor is high so I don’t want to hear any whining. Anyway, here’s a video that Sage Francis posted on his MySpace blog of him dance battling an employee at his record company. You know the man can rock a mic, and now you know he can rock the dance floor as well.

Don’t know what cosplay is? No? Good, that means you’re not a freak of nature. For the uninitiated, Cosplay is basically a Japanese subculture that involves dressing up as manga/anime/video game characters. Sounds fun huh? Yeah, well there are tons of these dorks in the MySpace cosplay group. Check out this one guy below…at least he knows he needs to get out more. Sheesh. It’s times like this that MySpace gives me the heebie geebies.

Cosplay MySpace Group

Here’s the Nike commercial clip called Touch of Gold. It shows star soccer player Ronaldinho putting on his new Nikes and doing some insane shit with a soccer ball, including kicking it right at the top bar of the goal 3 times in a row. The general consensus seems to be that it’s fake, but who cares. Check it out for yourself.

Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble can be efficient and feature the lowest prices, but they definately lack the personal touch that old school independent book sellers have. Atomic Books is one such bookstore, and their slogan is “Literary Finds For Mutated Minds!” which should tell you plenty about the literary gems that you can find up in this place. Some of the categories include Comix, Conspiracies/Disinformation, Death & Torture, Lowborw Art and Design, and Scams/Pranks/Revenge. Not your typical Amazon.com fare, eh? Atmoic Books has a frequenty updated blog and a cool webcam set up in the store so you can see what’s goin on in real time! Take a look at their bestsellers list and pick something out to show some support for this independent book store.

MySpace Profile Link