Co Bappe is a creator: At his day job, Co is a graphic artist who makes screen-printed apparel for major retailers, and in his free time, Co taught himself how to build board-track racing motorcycles inspired by those of the 1910s and 20s. After countless hours spent watching instructional Youtube videos and studying friends who were certified welders, Co began to draw 1-to-1 scale mockups of motorcycles on butcher paper. Instead of downloading and copying schematics for older bikes verbatim, Co’s designs are all original. Co combines an Art Deco aesthetic with his childhood recollections of the Rocketeer on his latest build while staying true to form by utilizing parts (like a Briggs and Stratton tractor engine) that model the technical aspects of his turn-of-the-century predecessors. When Co Bappe sells a motorcycle, it is only for enough money to buy the parts and raw materials that he will need for his next build. Simply put, Co Bappe is a creator. He is someone whose purest joy and love of life can be seen through the small window in his welding mask. Co Bappe’s motorcycles are true works of art, made to be marveled for their beauty and grace as much as their power and function.
The Shaky Shrines project is a similar labor of love; like most musicians, we all have day jobs and busy lives outside of this band. However, that sentiment is not the point of this: Rather, it is our intention to highlight those around us who may not have the opportunity or good fortune to step on stage in front of a supportive crowd any given night of the week, or pack all of the tools for their trade into a van and travel city-to-city doing what they love. Playing music for all of you is an awesome and beautiful thing for all of us, and we hope that you can help us extend and share that sensation for Co Bappe and his “ROLLING ART”.
Rolling Art - A Documentary from Josh Lopata on Vimeo.