Wear Many Hats Episode 72 — Josh Madden — MDDN
Hey everyone it’s Rashad and this is Wear Many Hats presented by Dahsar where we talk about your main gig then we talk about your side hustle.
Josh Madden is a Creative Director, Chief Creative, stylist, DJ, hiker, and lives at the intersection of art, music, and fashion.
The 2 brands is the creative director of is X-Girl and X-Large, two legendary streetwear brands that have been around since the nineties.
Now Josh is the CEO + Chief Creative over at Alternative Press.
Josh started MDDN Co. with his two brothers Benji and Joel Madden of good Charlotte. MDDN Co was created by artists for artists to share their knowledge, experience and relationships, to protect and nurture their careers while mentoring them. The artists on their roster include Architects, Good Charlotte, Antiflag, Badflower, and my current favorite, Eyedress.
He has a podcast called First Person with Trent Vanegas.
Josh also launched Nylon’s Men Magazine.
We’re not going to be talking about Good Charlotte.
Please welcome Josh Madden to Wear Many Hats.
What’s up?
When I was in LA I saw all these MDDN wheatpasted posters on the sides of telephone polls and traffic poles, it was a reminder to hit you up.
I saw that post of you saying who’s trying to pull up and drink Topo Chicos at MDDN. I was like I’m in there. All I drink now is Topo Chicos.
We would talk about art, Steve ESPO Power artworks.
I hear you have a sick vintage tee collection. You gave friend of the pod Dan De Lara a Fugazi tee. He says to ask you about any scene or time in music in the last 40 years, you were probably there somehow haha.
What was your favorite music scene?
I know you have stories My favorite era was the TRL era and you’ve been to a couple live tapings right? You’ve mentioned you love how an artist goes throughout their journey, whatever style they had back then and how their style develops and wherever they go in their musical journey. You are similar as well. You’re journey isn’t that different and you should be proud of all your accomplishments.
You have previously talked about respecting previous generations and how we owe it to them and what we are going to do for future generations. We’re the ones that have to pave the way for future generations. So what should we do?
What’s your favorite vintage tee in your collection? All I wear is vintage tees now and then fancy designer pants and shitty shoes.
I mean when I think of you I think of your brothers and then I think of me growing up in the weird EMO-Punk-Pop Punk Hot Topic, Warped Tour scene. I was every type of mall rat.
Isn’t crazy that pop punk is back full force than ever? I’m talking All Time Low no Michelle Gun Kelley.
All Time Low collaborating with indie pop bands like Pale Waves.
What’s your take? I love that Travis Barker is just on every pop singers track that wants drums.
Did you ever want to be in a band?
Creative Director for Streetwear
So you were the creative director over at X-Girl and X-Large, was that your first time working with streetwear brands?
It seems you’ve always loved streetwear since I see you with a FUCT hat. Very OG. Very Dave Grohl circa Nirvana 1990s.
You really repped for X Girl and X Large, posting people in their clothes or even getting people to wear them in their videos like your brother.
How does it feel to work with legendary streetwear brands such as them?
CEO and Chief Officer over at Alternative Press
Leaving the streetwear world now back into working with bands, even though you already worked with bands before. Comes full circle to being the CEO over at Alternative Press. How does it feel?
I love that you’ve mentioned that magazines were literally like the Quran or Bible. It really meant that much for you.
I used to have magazine collages on my wall. I’m really digging deep into my past. Lots from Alternative Press.
Painted Flowers
With your expertise in working with brands, now you have a brand with MDDN Co and Tadaaki Wakamatsu called Painted Flowers.
How is that new venture?
I love the Bolos. It seems that everything is made in Japan.
Hats OFF
Hats off to you on all these things that you do, for some Wear Many Hats Dahsar solutions we would love to work with MDDN Co. on
Ending
If you were to get a chest tattoo quote in olde english what would it be?
Plug your socials where can people find you?
Till next time this is Wear Many Hats presented by Dahsar and I’m Rashad Peace!
