DE LA SOUL - Barbershop Talk

Man, when you meet someone for the first time you usually say Hi, In this case when I met DE LA SOUL, I said "It's an honour to meet you's, I grew up on your music!" Damn is that something your supposed to say????

None the less the boys are down to earth and one of the pioneers of Hip Hop, and will always have that status in our Hip Hop genre.

We in Sydney Baybeeee!!!

Damn it's been a while since I've blogged.... I apologise peeps.

So I guess this Blog is going to make up for the past 6 months and what's been happening.

I guess the 2 most significant things have been the opening of our new Sydney Store & the Floods.

Our Goodna store is 2 weeks away from being rebuilt!!! But the boys are still cutting from Goodna....Yeeeooowww

The Sydney Store has gone from Strength to Strength being able to retain & attract new clientel. Sydney is one 'HECTIC PLACE' lol!!! There's so much more opportunity down here and networking is insane, but in the same token there's twice as much competition, but we're definately making noise and alot of ppl notice.

I will give you an example of Sydney, and how it was last week.
Monday - Issac Luke - Sth Syd Rabbitohs, Tuesday - Stan Walker, Wednesday - Shengo Deane - Kim Kardashian, Aussie Bodyguard Boyfriend, Thurs - American Import - Pat Sanders from the Sydney Kings NBL, Sun- DE LA SOUL!!! and that's an average week here at FADEZ Sydney.

Before Christmas Lloyd Banks from G-Unit popped in, but I guess in the scheme of things it's the people of Sydney that keep us going, without them we are nothing!!! Having celebs come to us, from either TV, Sports or Music is a compliment in what we do, but also a way of giving back to our customers and the community.

Never has a Celeb walked through our doors brush our customers away.... coz if they ever did they'd get a kick in the arse and be told to never come back.... It's our locals that make us, the celebs come to us for the same reason.

I will never forget when one of our customers sat down for a haircut, unknown to him Stan Walker was sitting next to him.....after a while it dawned on the guy that it was Stan. He then turned and said 'OMFG!!!! Honest to who Stan Walker gets hooked up at my Barbershop' and the whole store bursts out in laughter.... but he was a massive Stan Walker fan and was star struck.

or when

The kid I spoke to, he came in for a cut only to be met by a huge crowd of ppl at FADEZ.....He thinks 'Man there's alot of ppl here, but it's FADEZ it's always like this' the then walks past the counter and Lloyd Banks is standing there. ' He then turns to Lloyd Banks and says 'Dude What the F..K your Lloyd Banks', Lloyd then gives him a smile, signs an Autograph and says 'Here you go my man'. The look on this 17yr olds face was priceless, and I know it meant alot to him.




Summerbeatz was another promo we did. Paperchase Touring got a hold of FADEZ and that we were in town... and one thing lead to another. We did an onstage Promo in front of a crowd of 12,000, ACER ARENA, Sydney Olympic park.... We had the privlige of meeting the likes of AKON, Flo-Ryda & even hooking Ja-Rule up with a Fade.




But if I could finish this blog on this final note.....' We ain't nothing without the ppl of BNE & SYD'

FADEZ.

Hayne, Mateo, Inu & Tahu make FADEZ no.1

Along with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Canterbury Bulldogs, Manly Sea Eagles, the Parramatta Eels have made it a ritual to visit FADEZ every time they play Broncos in Brisbane. These NRL teams aren’t alone in visiting FADEZ when in Brisbane. Both players in the NRL and Super14 from teams such as - Melbourne Storm, St George, Newcastle Knights, Nth Qld Cowboys, Roosters, Canberra Raiders, NZ Warriors, NSW Warratahs, Western Force, Waikato Chiefs, Wellington Hurricanes & Auckland Blues.....we’ve even had International for Rugby Union the Australian Wallabies, NZ All Blacks and Rugby League the Kangaroos & NZ Kiwi’s. On a more local level of course we have players from our beloved Broncos, Qld Reds and Titans that almost visit weekly for a fade.

My point is we get a hell of a lot of professional players through our doors!!!!!
However, a team we’ve always held close to our hearts are the Parramatta Eels and share a special bond with them....why I hear you ask?? Two and half years ago they were the first NRL players to walk through our doors, it was then people really started to take notice of our haircuts, and even gained media attention from the Courier Mail and Channel 9.....Channel 9’s NRL show the ‘The Sunday Roast’ did a feature on the Parramatta Boys cuts. This was a real turning point for us because it spurred an influx of players and customers through our doors and continues even more so to this very day.

When we caught up with the boys it was funny to see them as they’ve come such a long way, Feleti Mateo and Krisnan Inu were up and coming stars, where Jarryd Hayne had just established himself by making both NSW and the Kangaroos.

Feleti Mateo has made it his ritual to get tracks on one side of his head every time he plays in Brisbane and has been doing it for 3 years running now... When asking Feleti if he would get them this time he said “I’m a really superstitious person when it comes to my preparation before a game, so I rock tracks when I play in Brisbane”..... Feleti ended up bagging ‘Man of the Match’ on Friday night for his performance against the Broncs.

A cruel but on-going joke we have with Feleti is if he gets knocked out during a game and gets carried off by a stretcher, that he at least turn his head the right way so the TV Camera’s get a good shot of his tracks. I told you it was cruel.

Kris Inu has always been the gentlemen and someone that will give anyone the ‘time of day’, funny as hell and just your typical larakin. Never grows tiered of talking, signing autographs or taking photos for fans. Inu even organised a trip up to Brisbane with Feleti Mateo for our 1st Bday Charity fundraiser in 2009 and man Inu can dance.

Inu also has tracks that he gets every game he's in Brisbane. It's the letter 'i' in the back of his head standing for Inu.

Jarryd Hayne just lives in the fish bowl syndrome and finds it hard to get about without drawing a crowd or media. “Bula” or “Freshie” as he’s known to the boys is one of nicest people you could come across. Bula’s a fierce competitor on the field, but off the field is just like one of the boys. Jarryd has been a Fadez fan from day one, and has always supported us.

Also a big shout out to our boys Timana Tahu, Justin Horo, Taniela Lasalo & Jonno Wright..... We coming Sydney Timana!! Good luck boys.

Kris Inu & Timana Tahu

Timana Tahu & Taniela Lasalo

Vincent & Justin Horo

Parramatta & Fadez Boyz

FADEZ hits Billboards with Australian Wallaby - Digby IOANE

When a friend recently said to me 'You ain't nothing til you have a Billboard' it really made me think, whether their was any merrit to what he had to say, or was it just a G up!!! I always knew that big ticketing marketing such as TV, Radio & Billboards were very bold & effective.


It wasn't just a business status move, but a strategic marketing move....however when doing my homework on Billboards I sooned learnt that it was very rare, and almost unheard of for any Barbershops to do any sort of marketing of this type... If anyone knows us well, will know that if it hasn't been done before were likely to do it!


When I received calls congratulating us about the Billboard, we knew were on the right track. I must admit the first time we saw our name up in lights, it was a overwhelming and humbling experience.

Celebrity Photographer Kevin Ou @ Fadez Barber Shop Brisbane

Kevin Ou All The way from LA!!
Check out some of his work @ www.kevinouphoto.com or kevin-ou.blogspot.com

Celebrity Photographer to Chris Brown, 50 cent, Snoop Dogg, Sean White, Rihanna + heaps more

The Game & Dr. Dre

When some of the worlds biggest celebs want a photo shoot, theres one name that comes to mind......Kevin Ou.... If you haven't heard of him before you've probably seen his work. I can sit here and go on all day about who he's worked with but check it out for yourself.

During his holiday in Queensland he wanted a cut from best in the Barbershop game, and not some Hair Dresser Hair Salon! Don't get me started.... and of course when he asked around there was only one name that kept coming up..... FADEZ... one thing I've learned is that the 'Best' love to be with the 'Best'. Check out some of Kevin's work!!! Catch up soon Kevin.

Barber Nate & Kevin Ou in the Brisbane Store

50 Cent

Kevin Ou & 50 Cent

Elijah Wood

Verne Troyer - aka Mini-Me

Mario Lopez

Kevin Ou & Christina Milian

Anthony Carmello, Ludacris & Rob

Snoop Dogg

Jabbawockeez

Chris Brown

NSW Warratahs / Australian Wallabies

A 'Promo' is usually a word that FADEZ staff associate with when we go out and cut hair at exhibitions, festivals, or when we do something with some of the celebs that come through our stores. It usually requires alot of behind the scene work....what I'm trying to say is, that we usually know ahead of time when celebs/athletes are coming through our stores.


Slowly but surely that trend is changing and players are rocking up unannounced, and when you have 2 Australian Wallabies in Wycliff Palu & Tatafu Palota-Nau show up on your front door you can't help but notice......these guys are some big friggin human beings!!!!! lol

Besides the fact that these guys could slap me and I'd probably die....so you feel a little bit of added pressure, when cutting there hair...... but in all seriousness they're actually the some of the nicest & down to earth blokes I've come across in a long time.

I've always been a big fan of Tatafu Palota-Nau, but when he freaked out and told me that he had finally come to FADEZ and talked about how alot of people knew about us in Sydney, and he was over the moon to finally meet the FADEZ Barbers...... I don't know who was more star struck, but I think Tatafu was just being nice......

The boys came through the night before their big grudge match against our beloved Qld Reds!!! The very next day Kurtley Beale & Drew Mitchell (NSW Warratahs & Australian Wallabies) came through the city store in the morning to get hair cuts.....Nate, Charlie & Chris are all massive fans of both boys, so big they were caught up and forgot to take photos.......arrrrggghhhh!

Indigenous / NRL All Stars Haircuts

When Business is good! it's good! I've been a huge believer of when you look after people, and they will look after you. Karma is something you don't want to mess with and when FADEZ customer and Gold Coast Tintans Skipper Scott Prince called me and said he's bringing the boys through i was over the moon.

I knew instantly it was another opportunity for FADEZ to showcase it's product on a stage where it will literally be exposed to millions over night....George Rose's tracks even rated a mention by Rugby League Legend Andrew Johns whilst commentating.

When Scott Prince, George Rose - Manly Sea Eagles, Nathan Merrett - Sth Sydney Rabbitohs, Yileen Gordon - Canterbury Bulldogs, Cory Paterson - Newcastle Knights, Travis Waddell - Canberra Raiders, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs - Canberra Raiders, came into our Gold Coast store the boys felt at home straight away, probably the most humbling thing for us was that they had already heard about us, despite being from down south NSW/ACT.

I must say it was a humbling feeling being apart of something so historic and important particularly for the Indigenous people of Australia, and something we contributed to even if it was small.

Cogratulations and Thankyou to the Indigenous All Star Team from FADEZ Mens Barbershop.

Gold Coast Titans @ Fadez - Southport Store -30 Nerang St

Scott Prince & Joe Tomane- Two More Celebrities @ their Favourite Barbershop
You Never know who you might run into!

Joe Tomane

Scott Prince

Fadez Brisbane Store 4/79 Elizabeth Street, Brisbane City

Fadez Barbershop- Israel Folau in again for another Cut