Chris aka Gladz aka Coffinsyrup, also known by a few as ‘West Side Matt Pike,’ is a long-term friend and contributor of ours here at Brick + Mortar. A spray painter by trade, part-time illustrator, graphic designer, photographer, professional tweeter, ageing hardcore community member, and a burnout enthusiast. 

Gladz drew our first 90’s NYHC inspired logo in 2013, which is now known as our OG logo. It’s been printed in many colorways and variations, Gladz has done many other graphics for the shop since. He’s played shows at the shop with his band Broken and contributed photography for a few campaigns over time. 

We travelled to meet with Gladz at his workshop in the outer western suburbs of Melbourne to photograph him in the Chess Club pants and to chat briefly about his life. 

Gladz grew up around his dad’s original factory, repairing and painting motorbikes. He did an apprenticeship shortly after finishing high school and has been around bikes on and off for close to 20 years. When his father sold the business, Gladz was fired shortly after for trying to fight the new owner. After a few years out of the factory and carving his own lane, he gravitated back and linked up with his dad again to help with the new family business. 

We asked Gladz about the process that goes into his work; he basically said it's wildly specific to each job, “You get in and assess what needs to be done, and you make it happen. It can be a slow and time-consuming job with the attention needed on every detail. It's rewarding at the end of the day, though, and getting to work on some of the bikes we see through here is great.” 

Apart from day-to-day life in the factory Gladz likes to be working on; “Creating iconic t-shirt graphics, taking grim photos, sometimes putting these 2 together to make show flyers, catching rap tags and playing in some of Melbourne’s best metal and hardcore bands.”What's your favourite Brick logo? 

Apart from my OG logo + the Wrecking Crew graphic, probably the Funeral French design and Brendan D’s ‘Throwing Bricks’  design. Also, Droogs Don’t Run, if you know you know.What's your favourite Brick + Mortar Piece? 

The Hemp Chess Club pants!! Those things have been through the wringer over the last 12 months, from tours, sleeping in them on couches, to working in them every day, they’ve stood strong as fuck. Comfort is unmatched. I think 2 pairs were the only pants I took on our tour with Backtrack, haha. No tears, No holes. I have a pair for work and a pair of lounging. 

I’d also like to give an honourable mention to the OG Carhartt WIP beanie. 

Interview written by Brendan Parks.

PANTS TALK  

We originally designed the Chess Pant with a focus on comfort and leisure for those times off the tools, but we were pleasantly surprised to find out Gladz had taken the pants into a hands on rigorous environment, wearing them to work for over 12 months and still be in a wearable condition. Gladz pointed out and talked-up of the hemp cotton being a superior strength fibre uphold its durability when being put to the test over a long duration. After hearing of Gladz's love for the pant we wanted to photograph them in action and highlight their versatility and strengths of being more than just a pant of leisure, style and comfort.