TROG is an exceptionally badass underground comix artist based out of Melbourne, Australia. He works with “ink and markers / weed and lines…..” and makes no apologies for his lifestyle and muse, however illegal they may be. Today, LighterMate would like to feature TROG’s work and share some of his words with the Mate community:

Did you go to art school or are you self taught?
I’ve been drawing my whole life but officially started doing “Underground Comix” in ’91 or ’93 I think. I studied graphic design and multimedia in the mid to late 90′s. But as far as comix go -- 100% self taught.

How did you discover the underground comix scene?
Mainly through the art of Ben Brown. That led me onto ZAP and then Griffin, Mouse, Crumb, etc. I remember the first time I saw a ZAP COMIX, I was staying out back of Margaret River at Jimbo’s house surfing and he brought this box out and was like -- you’ll be into this stuff…

Who have you done artwork for?
Kush Expo, Kush Cup, Seattle Hempfest, Kottonmouth Kings, Hempcon, Slightly Stoopid, Hed PE, Kyuss Lives, Mr Keif Box, Goat Glassware… and the list goes on…

You seem to have a great deal of support from the stoner community. Where does that comes from?
Because I myself am a stoner and I get it. All my drawings are based for stoners and I never changed my style. I was told time and time again that if you want to make it, draw different stuff. Never listened, just got stoned and kept drawing my stuff….

Are the marijuana laws strictly enforced in Australia?
F#ck yer. That sh*t is banned everywhere… but you can get it everywhere.

Do you ever worry that being a vocal supporter of marijuana could get you into trouble?
NO. I’m an artist. If everyone sits back and is scared to stand up for what they believe in, then we aren’t individuals anymore.

Do you consider yourself a marijuana activist? 
I’m not an activist. I do fully agree with them and what they are doing is fantastic;  however, I’m just an artist who gets high. I don’t care if its legal or illegal; I plan to keep on smoking regardless.

Finally, we’ll leave you with this permanent display of TROG’s work. If this isn’t dedication to his art, we don’t know what is:

A few weeks ago, several thousand people descended on Nevada’s Black Rock Desert to build, attend and enjoy one of the world’s largest “no trace left behind” events. Burning Man has become the party of the year for fire-enthusiasts of all kinds, featuring large-scale fire sculptures, flaming art cars and fire performers, to name a few.

This year’s event officially ended on September 3. As attendees from around the globe packed up their RV’s, tents and costume trunks after an action-packed camping excursion, many remained unaware that several hundred workers stayed behind to clean up after the party. The Department of Public Works, affectionately known as the DPW, consists of the individuals that slave away under the summer sun building the city that became Burning Man 2012, only to tear it all down again. Additionally, the Restoration Team is comprised of the DPW members charged with the task of restoring the playa to its original glory; that means picking up every cigarette butt, wood chip and speck of glitter left on the desert grounds. Without these workers, Burning Man could not happen.

In the spirit of Burning Man’s Gift Economy, LighterMate wanted to show some love to the people that make this event possible. We sent dozens of LighterMates to give away  to DPW members, and word has it that these magnetic, water-proof fire starters are proving quite useful in the harsh desert conditions.

Here’s to the the DPW; we’re proud our LighterMates could fuel your burn.

Usain Bolt becomes recognized as the fastest man alive, Kayla Harrison overcomes a brutal past to win America’s first gold in Judo, and Oscar “The Blade Runner” Pistorious competes without legs, all accomplished with an abundance of passion. If you take anything from the Olympics, let it be to develop a fiery passion for whatever you do. You don’t have to throw a javelin 300 feet, just go after what you want harder than ever before. Passion is what makes this world work, and without it we have nothing. Get out there and show the world what you’re made of.

Upon arrival we were struck in awe by the house’s character, only to find out it was constructed in 1867. This rickety ol’ spot is nestled in a forested part of East Austin, allowing the bands to play on the deck to the masses.

The local lineup was as follows: Lord Buffalo , Shakey Graves, and Salesman, all of which killed it throughout the night.

Aside from the music, there were many attractions throughout the party. One of the most notable being a teepee constructed purely out of bamboo.

And while some were pow-wowing in the tee-pee, others were being anointed with warpaint. By the time the bonfire was sparked and the music started playing, everyone was ready to get down. Gracious harmonies and laughter filled the air, as the full moon shined down upon us all.

Towards the end of the night, the skies opened and the light of the full moon spilled down upon the audience. Salesman took the stage with the drummer, Guns, playing on the ground level.

At this point the war paint began to seep into brains, like Mercury into the Mad Hatter. The Full Buck Moon was good to us, and we were good to Her.

Huge thanks to the guys at The Farm for hosting us; to Lord Buffalo, Shakey Graves, and Salesman for some of the best live music Austin has to offer; and to Pete Longworth for capturing the experience.

We came, we saw, we howled to the moon.

Overall, it was a night that we will not forget/remember.

Beginning at 3 pm on June 30th, Austin will host their first annual Fire Fest Music Festival. This 24-hour extravaganza will include:

• 9 hours of live music on 3 stages (Click here to check out the lineup.)
• a variety of fire arts including glass blowers, fire spinners and more
• a massive fireworks display (That’s right, they got the permits!)
• an epic water balloon fight (Several 1,000 water balloons will be loaded and ready for ammunition.)
• free camping (The music goes till after 3 am, so pitch your tent and plan on crashing there.)

As if that weren’t enough, LighterMate will be there offering up customized Fire Fest lighters, Cannabis Cup award-winning grinders and more. Happy Hollow Glass will also be selling specialty glass pieces and Ballyhoo Betty will be serving as the resident headlining fire performer. Stop by the activities area and check out her Electric Box!

If you haven’t purchased your ticket for this amazing event yet, we’ve got a deal for you! Head to their website and use the promo code “reddit” for $19 off ticket price. That means it’s only $6 for entry instead of $25!

See you there, Mates!

Shea Freelove wears many hats in the circus industry, literally. Top hats, juggling hats, jester hats… You name it, this man’s likely worn it. (You should see his artillery closet!)

Shea has acquired such a collection on account of the never-ending list of projects and collaborations he’s involved with. He is a circus performer and producer, as well as the curator for both the traveling Circus Emporium Roadshow and the stationary Circus Emporium in Arcata, CA. His clown routine incorporates classic sideshow stunts, such as the human blockhead and glass walking, as well as juggling, balancing feats and more.

This performer does not confine his practice to the United States, either. He’s worked with Clowns Without Borders and is known as the Intercontinental Super Clown after taking his act through the Philippines, Thailand, Guatemala, Singapore, China, Malaysia, Kenya, France, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary and Germany.

On one such international journey, Shea met up with  Gora Fire Gear, a production company specializing in elaborate fire props in Hungary. Their custom-designed products include fire juggling swords, fire umbrellas and fire jump rope. Here are a few of their gems in action:

As if he didn’t have enough on his plate, Shea is an official retailer for Gora Fire Gear. To view their extensive collection of work, click here.

You can catch up with the Intercontinental Super Clown in Scotland this summer for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August. He will also be performing this weekend at the Kinetic Grand Championship in Arcata, CA, where he claims he will be be running, “around with a bunch of freaks trying to gross people out.” Last year, the prankster prematurely started the race by five minutes with a giant sound system that he’d carried to the top of a downtown building, where he sounded a recording of the familiar siren. We can’t wait to see what you have up your sleeve for this year, Shea Freelove!

Eric Odditorium has been a professional sideshow performer for over 20 years, with a wide-ranging repertoire which includes glass walking, bug eating and fire breathing, to name a few. He is best known, however, as The World’s Most Daring Sword Swallower on account of his outrageous and infamous stunts that include a 15-inch sword (fully dropped) while:

• Hopping on a pogo stick
• Doing “the worm” in a pile of broken glass
• Jumping on a trampoline

Don’t believe us? Check this out:

He’s graced the stage of Coney Island’s Sideshow by the Seashores and has toured across the country and back with troupes such as the 999 Eyes Freakshow, the Cut Throat Freakshow and the Circus Emporium Roadshow. This past week, LighterMate was able to catch up with the daredevil at the Humboldt Arts Festival where we were able to ask him a few questions:

Q. So Mister Odditorium, what is your favorite fire act that you’ve performed?

A. Recently, I performed at a gig were the audience suspected that I was going to do something with fire. I then attached a “fountain-stlye” firework to the handle of one of my swords. Without warning, I swallowed said sword and lit the firework, jumping around and flapping my arms like the wings of a bird. It got a good reaction!

Q. Where can people find you performing your craft?

A. You can check out my Facebook Page to keep up to date with my adventures. My homebase is currently Austin, TX, where you can find me performing regularly at the Museum of the Weird.

Thanks for your time, Eric, and best of luck on your travels!

Hermee The Clown is an “alternative balloon twister” creating a wide variety of cute, fun, vulgar, obscene, wild and obnoxious sculptures. You can often find him on stage with the Cut Throat Freak Show or the Circus Emporium Roadshow, providing comic relief among a slew of intense sideshow stunts. Hermee also recently performed in Arcata, California for the Humboldt Arts Festival, where LighterMate was able to catch up with the traveling clown for an interview:

Q. What’s currently your favorite balloon sculpture?

A. My favorite balloon sculpture is the monkey holding a heart and when the audience member kisses him, a large “boner” pops out.

Q. Where’s your favorite place on Earth to busk?

A. Oooh, probably a tie between Bangkok, Thailand and Portland, OR.

Q. Although you don’t normally work with fire in your act, do you have a favorite fire performance?

A. Watching Ballyhoo Betty perform her routine in Austin,TX.

Q. What’s the funniest, weirdest thing you’ve ever set on fire?

A. My toast.

Thanks to Hermee for taking the time to answer a few of our questions, and look for him on the road, Mates! If you see him, ask for that monkey. It really is impressive.

Thanks for the great work, Josh! We look forward to seeing more. To view Boulet’s other projects, click here.

Alright mates, SXSW is upon us once again and this year, we’re gearing up to give away all sorts of LighterMate swag. Today, we’re revealing the first of many SXSW viral promotions: Find the Fire Eater.

Austin’s own Ballyhoo Betty will be hopping around concerts, parties, food trailers and street corners, eating fire and performing other classic sideshow stunts. Along the way, she’ll be posting her location on Twitter and FourSquare. Track her down and drop the secret phrase,

“Excuse me ma’am. Have you seen the light?”

Miss Ballyhoo Betty will politely reply by handing you your very own LighterMate. Follow her social media accounts and check back on our Facebook wall regularly for updates.

Now, get ready for a week of fun, Austin!