Issue 26 of the famous Cream International Lifestyle magazine is out now, the first issue of 2008. Cream is well known for being the best magazine for flatland coverage. The cover is a silhouette shot of a girl modelling with Ferris wheel in the background, Cream covers the lifestyle of BMX better than any other magazine, indeed Alain Massabova’s editorial in this issue, discusses the idea of his magazine “We are not a bmx magazine anymore (traditional aspect), but we see the bmx in its whole thing, a general concept, cultural and diverting, trash and wonderful”.” Where you might normally be greeted by a Haro advert upon opening a traditional bmx magazine, with Cream you have A Bad Thing advert, with double page photo of their new frame, and already Terry Adams is featured posing in suit with the other members. Flatland wise in this issue: Pictorial of the Interbike show in Las Vegas, shows the products from Quamen, Suelo, Odyssey, Macneil, etc. The first main article is about the best photographer in Bmx today, Emmanuel Sanz, there’s great shots of Nathan, and Chase, this guy over the years has helped make Cream what it is today. Another contributor, Lotfi Hamadi, remember him from “Infinite pieces” at Jumelins spot? He has an interesting article about his day, riding in the hood of Paris, and generally chilling in coffee shops, as Alain has said this turned away from being a regular bmx magazine which is very refreshing. Matthias Dandois covers the Field Control contest in Portugal, a good story of parties, local riding level and particularly of praise for Jesse Puente “He never stops, not a second, and comes up with a revolutionary idea every 5 min, all these things with the double of my age. Respect, sick bro!” Organiser of the Red Bull Circle of Balance Andy Zeiss has an interview, with some cool riding photos, I was unaware that Andy still rode, so that was cool to see. Martti Kuoppa has an “indepth” article about his “coaching” trip to Thailand, which makes for a very interesting read, I had heard a few stories from the main man himself, but this is a read and a half, a guy trying to kill him after meeting/hooking up his ex girlfriend….There’s always a ton of Japanese coverage in Cream, this issue has the Special Elements contest covered, great shots of Yammer and Akira. There’s an interview with the Japanese version of Cory Fester, Akihiko Takahashi, yes you guessed it, a backwards master, great photos from Green G, its a very insightful interview about how he sees his backwards riding. There’s a small review of the KOG final to round off the Japanese coverage. So what else is in this issue:
There’s a look at the Dominican Republic scene.
A look at a rider being operated on a broken leg, the pain a bmx rider goes through..
A fashion shoot with a girl in the centre of Paris, as seen on cover (not much bmx clothing).
A look at the illustrative work of Jerome Coste, he’s the artist who made the cream logo.
Music reviews (The Deadly seven)
A portfolio of Tattooed riders.
La Gazette (almost like a newspaper format at back of a magazine, covers a female camp in Switzerland, Bmx war jam in Costa Rica, and so on).
Pictorial of the Rebel Jam.
Portfolio of Finnish photographer, Kai Kuustisto, with great photos of Erico Melo, Martti Kuoppa, Girls, landscapes, its all here, its Cream magazine, it covers everything.
That’s it for issue 26, I thought I should do a lil review of this magazine, I think of this as more as coffee table book, its something I treat with respect, I look at the images over and over, I try to work out the French translation, Cream is always interesting, if you dot get this magazine, maybe you should subscribe and support someone who’s doing it right. This is the best magazine after all.