Here’s one for the ladies…and the fashionable fellas…
In January 2010 Henry Holland and Debenhams launched a competition to find some fashionable faces to be included in a one-off exclusive print to be used on a clutch-bag and scarf in the new H! by Henry Holland collection available in Debenhams (more info here). The ‘faces’ bag and scarf will hit 60 stores across the UK in July and comprise part of the Autumn collection devised by the 26-year-old fashion designer in an inspired collaboration between the department store chain and his House of Holland brand.
Henry has now selected his chosen few and a sneak preview of the print is below…and that’s me in the top right corner! Woot!
Yes, yes, save the ‘I always knew you were a bag’ jokes…
The slogan heavy, purple, black and white newspaper style is classic, quirky HofH style and I’m sure that the final pieces will look fabulous, particularly if the current H! by Henry Holland collection available in Debenhams is anything to go by. The items are very reasonably priced and I guarantee that you will fall in love with something in the clothing/shoes/accessories range, no matter how eccentric or conservative your fashion taste is. And those of us who share Henry’s initial will welcome a clothing range plastered with brightly coloured Hs! Here are some of my favs so far…
Love the little flash game ‘Run, Jesus Run!’ from Molleindustria (for download here). You have 10 seconds to cure some lepers, perform a few miracles, gather your apostles and redeem humanity. Hit space bar to begin!
A little 8 bit blasphemy can do no harm, eh?...*braces for lightning bolt*.....here's a speedrun of the game...
Profuse apologies for the flying visit tonight, but I couldn’t resist sharing this with you all before visiting Morpheus. Adorable indie duo Pomplamoose have covered Lady Gaga/Beyonce’s latest single ‘Telephone’ in their own unique, wide-eyed, cutesy style. If you haven’t encountered Pomplamoose before, you can find more at http://www.youtube.com/user/PomplamooseMusic and http://www.pomplamoosemusic/. Night all!
Many thanks to everyone for their huge support for Glitter Hearted Hero, my entry to the Dave Stewart song writing competition (see blog post here). After over an hour of nail-biting deliberation last night, Dave finally announced that it was ‘a close tie’ between two entries. Then came the shocker:
“OK phew it was hard , the winner is Chris Taylor very close second is Helen Ingram YEY” (Source: http://twitter.com/DaveStewart)
Wow, now that was a surprise!! Not bad for two hours on a lazy Sunday afternoon with a notepad, a few creative brainwaves and a laptop mic, eh? Yes, I admit that I am gutted that I lost out on the chance to have Dave record the track, especially since I greatly admire his work and there was only one point between us on his scoring system! (see scoring sheet below). But the experience has been priceless. I’ve always been a keen writer, both creative and academic, and I desperately love making music (most of you will not know that I am a grade 8 pianist, a saxophonist and violinist). Maybe the obvious has been right in front of me all along: I should combine the two and try my hand at songwriting…? This is my first attempt at putting pen to paper (or lyric to note, rather) and I realise that it is a huge business and I have no idea where to begin, but I enjoy a challenge and Dave Stewart has certainly provided the motivation and inspiration for me to pursue the goal. Thanks again to everyone for their support and showing their love for the track – and watch this space!
Freezing rain and the perils of rush-hour, city centre traffic did little to dampen the excitement of the die-hard fans waiting outside the O2 Academy in Birmingham to see Finnish rockers HIM on Friday night. Having staggered wearily through two below-par albums, namely Dark Light (2005) and Venus Doom (2007), the band have placed the allegiance of their fans under considerable strain recently and the release of their seventh studio album Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice in February this year and subsequent tour would prove to be do-or-die for many a HIM devotee. And yet they waited faithfully outside the venue like a mini, black clad army huddled together under umbrellas to give the band one more chance to prove their undying loyalty.
The support band was an inspired choice and pitched perfectly at the average HIM fan. I was unfamiliar with Los Angeles-based goth rockers Dommin before hearing their set, but they are certainly one to watch out for. Their material was very accessible and there is a richness to Gary Numan-eque vocalist Kristofer Dommin’s voice that is almost mesmerising. A cover of 80s hit I Just Died In Your Arms Tonightwas an immediate icebreaker and the bouncy rhythms of Dark Holiday had the crowd clapping along within mere seconds (I believe that I witnessed an ordinarily aloof security guard bobbing along with that one!). The incidental music played between songs interrupted the flow a little too much for my liking but they were clearly intent on creating a romantic atmosphere and endeared themselves with the many women in the venue by sporadically throwing roses into the crowd.
Unfortunately judging by the number of women pressed feverishly against the barrier and the piercing screams that filled the air each time a figure stirred in the shadows off-stage, even Kew gardens could not have provided an adequate supply of roses for the predominantly female crowd. HIM clearly vehemently retain their reputation of being a lady-killer outfit and this showed from the very second that the lights went down. The stage rapidly descended into a Santa’s grotto with balloons, bras and all kind of paraphernalia winging its way stagewards throughout the night and it was difficult to hear vocalist Ville Valo’s rumbling chatter over the myriad of marriage proposals being screamed at the poor Finn. Fortunately Ville was in a playful mood and locked horns with the crowd with his tongue firmly in his cheek, babbling nonsense in his typically delightful way and at one point stopping to recite an extract from Tim Burton's The MelancholyDeath of Oyster Boy and Other Stories. He is always at his best when he has a swagger and mischievousness to his demeanour and I must confess that even I felt my oestrogen levels surge on those low baritone notes.
Most bands with a large back catalogue have difficulty selecting songs to accompany their singles, but HIM fared pretty well with the set list. There were the usual crowd pleasers scattered throughout the set for the die-hard fans such as Right Here In My Arms, Join Me, Poison Girl, Wicked Game, Your Sweet 666, Buried Alive By Love and The Funeral of Hearts. Soul On Fire was a last minute replacement for The Sacrament in the encore, which suggested that Ville was in the mood to rock-out rather than fawn over a ballad. Wings of a Butterfly was the only appearance from Dark Light and Killing Loneliness surprisingly didn’t make the cut. Kiss of Dawn, the only offering from Venus Doom, was a mood killer and even Ville looked bored as he painfully plodded through the lyrics to the final chorus. Maybe Passion’s Killing Floor or Bleed Well would have been a better choice. Both Wings and Kiss seemed little more than an obligatory nod to two albums that had been greeted with general apathy from the fans. Thankfully, material from the new album Screamworks punctuated the set list and picked up the pace considerably. Like St Valentine is a fantastic opener and it is rapidly becoming my favourite track on the album (but why so far down the track listing, guys? Surely this is an album headliner?). Heartkiller, Katherine Wheel and Love The Hardest Way will hopefully become stalwarts of the live set and Scared to Death and Disarm Me lulled everyone into a meditative state when the barrier burn got too intense. One voice in the crowd commented that Screamworks is the album that Dark Light should have been and I genuinely hope that it signals the band’s resurrection from the increasingly stifling quagmire of Ville’s personal life over the past few years and heralds a return to the dark, heavy riff driven Love Metal days. Hallelujah, at last!
Unfortunately I momentarily forgot my HIM stage orientation and positioned myself at the front ‘stage-left’ barrier side which resulted in spending the entire gig listening to the back of Ville’s beanie (note to HIM noobs: Ville always sings to ‘stage right’) and catching only glimpses of Linde’s pained concentration during the awesome guitar solos. There were minor sound issues throughout the set and twice during the final encore (The Funeral of Hearts) Ville stopped singing to berate the sound tech and insist that the hi-hat audio problems were ironed out. It was heartening to see that he cared so much about our enjoyment of the sound quality, especially since it was the last song of the night and the crowd were clearly oblivious to any technical hitches. And it’s also heartening to realise that Ville was sober enough to notice the problem. It wasn’t that long ago that he could barely remember the song lyrics by the end of a set let alone pay attention to the sound levels. However, although the vocalist may well be winning the battle with on-stage sobriety, I couldn’t help noticing that his usual lean physique looked a little more emaciated than usual. I can’t be the only person in the venue who wanted to nip out and buy him a pizza…?
But, my sense of direction and Ville’s own techy criticisms aside, the gig was everything that I had hoped it would be. Yes, it was the same, carbon-copy set that we are subjected to on every HIM tour, but what’s wrong with that? The fans clearly still enjoy making the pilgrimage out to see the live shows, the new material is still flowing and I suspect that most women in the audience would still book their ticket if Ville Valo appeared on stage with a ventriloquism act. Complacency is never a good thing, but why change when you have found a winning formula? Keep the albums coming guys, stay healthy and we’ll see you from the pit the next time round…
Oh and one more thing. I was slightly puzzled by the fact that When Love and Death Embrace appeared as ‘Mubbel’ on the set-list. Is this some kind of weird acronym or a Finnish translation of the song title? Curiouser and curiouser….
Everyone knows that dressed-up dogs are funny (not cute, as some would have us believe), so the ancient law of shits and giggles dictates that dogs dressed up as Lady Gaga are bound to be hysterically funny…
Kudos to fine art dog photographer Jesse Freidin for his fantastic The Doggie Gaga Project, a photographic collection of pooches dressed in Lady Gaga inspired outfits. Very, very amusing. And he has even managed to recreate that distant, spaced-out look on their faces. Wonderful!
Brace yourselves for the inevitable follow-up: The Kittie Beyonce Project…
This week I discovered that the most elusive thing in the world isn’t love, happiness, unicorns, the perfect mascara or Osama Bin Laden. It is the simple 60 watt light bulb.
I have spent hours, nay days, searching for a pretty, bright bulb for the new light fitting on my bedroom ceiling only to discover that there is no longer such a thing. Instead the shelves in my local DIY stores are populated by lots of green boxed, energy saving, eco-friendly bulbs. Now I’m as environmentally conscious as the next person (I’m trying not to burn the place, honest) and I’m happy to do my bit for energy conservation, but I found myself getting a little ‘ranty’ about the current light bulb situation…
First there is the light issue. Isn’t the purpose of a light bulb to light a room? Apparently not. The room isn’t half as bright as before and I’m stumbling around in the semi dark trying to get dressed each morning. And by the time it ‘heats up to full beam’ I’ve finished my activity and left the room!
Second there is the aesthetic issue. I settled for a 40 watt weird looking twirly thing that makes my gorgeous new antique-looking light fitting look a bit...errr...well, modern. A candle bulb would have suited perfectly, but instead I have a Star Wars energy cell. Great. Please, environmentalists, don’t make me compromise on style in order to help you out. Plus, you make me feel guilty when I choose the pretty-but-frying-the-earth option instead. Why can’t energy efficiency be stylish too?
So if I fall out of a window or down the stairs over the next month or so, please direct the coroner to this blog page and tell him/her that the light bulbs killed me. I was trying to save humanity but the light bulbs had other ideas. They are part of a world-wide light bulb conspiracy to rid the planet of humans by causing countless household accidents. The human race will die out and the planet will be in peace. Hmmm, maybe they are environmentally friendly after all…
Yesterday afternoon I received a tweet from theheliocentric setting me a challenge. Dave Stewart, the musician and record producer, has challenged his followers on Twitter to write the lyrics for his new track. My mum was a huge Eurythmics fan when I was young and I blame/thank them for my fondness for 80s pop rock, red lipstick and sharp tailoring...so how could I resist?
Now I’m a musician and I love writing songs but I’m no great singer, so this *really* was a challenge. Nevertheless, it’s surprising what you can pull off with a laptop mic, some crappy graphics and few spare hours on a Sunday afternoon. So here is the result - ignore the vid (that’s just to distract from the shoddy vocals) and enjoy!
Lyrics
Four in the morning and she’s watching the screen
The new fascinations on the worldwide scene
The fake and the fragile, the naked and real
The lambs to the slaughter of the magazine deal
I know how it hurts her in the cold light of day
To watch as the rich and the amorous play
But she’s better than the fakers, the liars and crooks
An infantile obsession with counterfeit looks
She’s a glitter hearted hero with a fairy-tale frown
She paints hot pink nails when she’s feeling down
She’s a delicate flower with a bullet punch
If she knew that her fears were only a hunch
Four in the morning and she’s watching the screen
The latest medication for the hype machine
They kill their own young, they flounder and tease
And they beg for your diamonds when they’re down on their knees
I know how she clambers for the sequins and grease
Drowns in the scent of the latest release
But the cracks are too deep and the defects they bruise
A pale imitation of an unworthy muse
She’s a glitter hearted hero with a fairy-tale frown
She paints hot pink nails when she’s feeling down
She’s a delicate flower with a bullet punch
If she knew that her fears were only a hunch
So turn off the TV and go out on the street
Parade yourself proudly to the creatures you meet
Dishonor all your superstars and feel no shame
Pour ice cold water on the fires of fame
Take off your heels and grow your hair wild
Steam clean your soul with the charm of the child
Lay down your demons with a perfumed kiss
And give it up, honey, you’re better than this
She’s a glitter hearted hero with a fairy-tale frown
She paints hot pink nails when she’s feeling down
She’s a delicate flower with a bullet punch
If she knew that her fears were only a hunch
And she'll smile to herself the very second she learns
That the girls and boys they share her concerns
They’ll tell her that the effort isn’t worth the returns
That obsession it deserves all the heartache it earns
That beauty dies and the limelight burns
They say that anticipation can bring huge disappointment and, boy oh boy, had I been waiting to see Lady Gaga for some time. But, thankfully, I was far from disappointed at the LG Arena in Birmingham on Friday night. On the contrary, I’m a very happy and contented little monster…
I must admit that it all started pretty badly. For instance, the support bands were clearly in the wrong order. Semi Precious Weapons rocked out, strutted, flounced (and even cartwheeled) their way through their set, demanding the attention of the entire arena and whipping up the crowd for Gaga’s appearance (they may well have found a new fan). Alphabeat were equally entertaining, but their sedate set poured cold water over the raw adrenaline that SMP had stirred up. Gaga took her time backstage before gracing us with her presence and we had to endure one hour of Michael Jackson’s greatest hits before the show opened (a quick side note to American singers/bands visiting the UK – Brits don’t take kindly to being made to wait before a gig starts, they tend to start whistling, stamping and throwing bottles at the stage...). Then a fat, drunk chav and her bingo buddy blocked my view (block 4, you know who you are) but that’s no-one’s fault except her mother’s…
But just when the audience was starting to flag, the lights went down and the video wall fired up and everyone was forgiven. Lady Gaga put 200% into the entire evening, dancing like her dress was on fire and belting out crowd pleasers with a costume change for each song (sometimes even changing outfits mid-song!). The set-list was a mix of chart singles for the general pop fan (Paparazzi, Poker Face and Just Dance) and every track from the Fame Monster EP for the die-hard Gaga fan. Dance in the Dark was an excellent choice for an opener and such an elegant way to establish an on-stage presence. Monster, Alejandro and Speechless (rapidly becoming my favourite Gaga track) worked particularly well and the ‘monster’ finale set piece was superb. In fact, the set pieces were so extravagant throughout that I hardly blinked when the piano set alight midway through! Even the bizarre interlude videos were very entertaining and didn’t break the flow between songs. Overall the ‘LG arena’ lived up its name – it really was the ‘Lady Gaga arena’ for the evening. Clips of the tour can be found at Nicola Formichetti's Blog.
Watching Gaga’s set was like being presented with a child’s painting. Not because it was bright, fun and cheery – it was all those things too - but because so much thought and well-intentioned effort had gone into the whole show that it is very difficult to criticise it in any way. But I couldn’t help but be troubled by a few things:
a) The very complicated plot line. There was so much going on that it was hard to follow the plot and it moved quickly like listening to an out-of-breath, excitable child trying to tell a story (’and this happened and this happened then that happened *big breath* then this happened’…you get the picture). I would have preferred just a standard ‘friendly chat’ with the crowd. A live gig is the artist’s opportunity to connect with his/her fans and build their fanbase. Look them in the eye and ask them how they are, don’t leave them feeling that they’ve just watched a live action version of your videos…
b) Gaga seemed a little shy and almost afraid of the audience, but that’s certainly not intended as a criticism. She comes across as a lovely, lovely person, just lacking a little in confidence and stage presence at the moment. It was difficult to marry up the sexy vamp ‘free bitch’ Gaga that danced and grinded on stage with the softly spoken, fan loving Gaga that spoke in between the tracks. I would like to see her drop the cutesy, American-pie Gaga and muster a little more aggression and self-confidence, but without developing the ego that most artists have. It’s a difficult balance, I know…
c) And finally, please ensure, Lady G, that the glamour doesn’t drown out the music. You’re a genuinely talented musician but sometimes it’s hard to see that through the dance routines and the fabulous outfits. Make sure that your fans – and especially your critics – appreciate your musical talents as well as your unique style.
I have the feeling that the Haus of Gaga is still gathering momentum. It’s already a killer combination of high camp, high fashion and behemothic chart toppers but give it a few more years, a few more miles on the road, inject a little more confidence and the result will be an unstoppable monster. And the unassuming, amiable girl in the driving seat deserves all the recognition that she has worked so hard to achieve.
For those who have yet to encounter Lady Gaga, her kooky-sexy-creepy-cool style and love of her fans was summed up in one interlude video called Manifesto of Little Monsters. Watch it and you’ll know instantly why so many people love her. Fellow monsters, show me your paws…
This is the Manifesto of Little Monster
There is something heroic about the way my fans operate their cameras
So precisely, so intricately and so proudly
Like kings writing the history of their people
It’s their prolific nature that both creates and procures what will later be perceived as ‘the Kingdom’.
So the real truth about Lady Gaga fans, my little monsters, lies in this sentiment:
They are the Kings.
They are the Queens.
They write the history of the Kingdom and I am something of a devoted Jester.
It is in the theory of perception that we have established our bond, or the lie I should say,
for which we kill.
We are nothing without our image. Without our projection.
Without the spiritual hologram of who we perceive ourselves to be, or rather to become, in the future.
By popular demand, the Star Wars burlesque sensation with over 150,000 YouTube views in less than three weeks (see here) is set to take a bigger stage at The Music Box @ Fonda in Hollywood. On Friday, March 12 at 9pm, Courtney Cruz’s Devil’s Playground presents Star Warz Burlesque & Cabaret, recapturing the inspired galactic interpretation that earned worldwide acclaim in G4's "Attack of the Show," LAWeekly, SpikeTV, Esquire.com, BoingBoing, PerezHilton.com, SciFi Wire, AnyGuey.com and more.
If you’re a Star Wars fan and you think you’ve seen it all, get ready to go an entirely new galaxy with Devil's Playground on March 12. Courtney Cruz is working closely with creative director and costume designer Carlos Flores to assemble her most popular burlesque artists for their most elaborately-designed production to date. Star Warz Burlesque & Cabaret will surprise and delight fans of Star Wars, burlesque, or anyone who just likes to have fun on a Friday night.
What: Devil’s Playground Presents Star Warz Burlesque & Cabaret
The Devil’s Playground is a monthly instalment of themed, theatrical burlesque entertainment and variety acts. The second Saturday of every month Devil’s Playground Creator Courtney Cruz produces and performs with her group of sexy dames in Los Angeles. From Star Wars themes and Batman characters to Video Game girls, Courtney and her lovely ladies will always leave you wanting more. The Devil's Playground can be found at http://www.courtneycruz.com/, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/courtneycruz and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/trueburlesque.
