Two soft-bodied beasts wearing headphones hold onto each other tightly as sinister robotic-looking owls swoop over them. Two creatures – which look like giant armadillos with razor sharp fangs and claws – peer at the two lost souls with sleepy but watchful eyes. This fantastical world illuminated with shades of deep blues and pinks instills in them fear but their ipod drowns out the eerie sound of their surroundings; they have each other and that’s all that matters…
Having viewed all ten windows, which are pretty impressive in their entirety, my personal favourite was Pete Fowler’s. Call me a big kid but there is something incredibly sweet, romantic, childish and charming about colours and the characters, which made me want to break the window and join the beasts in a group hug!
I caught up with Pete, illustrator-and-monster-creator-extraordinaire, to find out more about the project and the inspiration behind those owls…
How did you and Hot Chip end up collaborating on this piece?
I’ve known Al (Doyle) from the band for a while so he’s quite familiar with my work. When this project came up, Al thought it would suit my style so he asked if I might be interested in coming up with some ideas, which I was chuffed about. We talked over a couple of themes and then I went off to sketch a few initial designs.
What were the key themes from the song that you used for inspiration?
To me, the record is an unusual love song about a couple being together, but the situation or outside world being against them. With the general design, I wanted to go with the idea of two beasts locked together in an embrace in a place where the surroundings were a bit scary but fantastical. I picked up on the vibrancy of the sounds and used mainly pinks and dark purples to create a deep-coloured palette to reflect this. I used some of the lyrics in the song to help me focus and visualise my ideas, which is where, somehow, the owls came in!
How many ideas did you come up with before you settled on the current display and were there many variations between the sketches?
I started with one initial idea which just evolved, but the basic concept remained pretty much the same. I was lucky that the idea was so well-received straight off the bat! Most of the changes were made once the image was worked up on the computer, which just involved adjusting the scale and positioning all of the elements that make up the window. Everything I do starts with a sketch – when I translate this onto illustrator, I can start to manipulate the drawing.
Sketch of Hot Chip’s ‘I Feel Better’ window display
What do you think this project is trying to achieve?
I think it’s a good move for a shop to be so open to the ideas of bands and designers. In this case, they allowed a lot of creative freedom and pretty much handed over their windows! Ultimately, I think it’s a positive move for them as all these bands are hot right now. I guess it has a lot to do with them staying in the loop and keeping up to scratch.
What other window displays did you particularly like and why?
I liked Empire of the Sun’s display as it’s got quite a flamboyant and cosmic-feel to which is reflective of their music. I also liked Dizzee Rascal’s display with the cartoon-style title background opening and the audacious insert of the video in the middle. It was very entertaining because the focus was all on him; simple and pretty much to the point!
Empire of the Sun – Walking On A Dream
Are there any other songs you’d like to add your own artistic slant to?
Something really long and cosmic perhaps. Maybe Space Woman by Herman’s Rocket or Lovemachine by Supermax from the 1970s. It would probably make quite a sleazy window though…
Monsters often feature in your work – why is this?
I’ve always been into supernatural things. As I was growing up, I definitely had a fascination with Big Foot, the Loch Ness Monster and the exaggerated characters found in comics, which I think have all influenced by work to some extent. I love the idea of strange beasts and monsters. I think it’s because there are no rules or limits when it comes to them; only those you set yourself whilst you’re playing god. It’s an environment where you can fit in all your quirks, interests and flights of fantasy.
What song best describes you?
The Great Egg Race (Theme) by Denton & Cook (that’s off the top of my head). It’s a bit weird, slightly geeky and a bit disco-y, with a smile on its face!
Pete Fowler’s ‘I Feel Better’ display in collaboration with Hot Chip and a collection of other song-inspired windows (see below) will be running until the 14th June at Selfridges, Oxford Street, London, W1.
Dizzee Rascal – Bonkers
Florence and The Machine – Cosmic Love
Marina and the diamonds – I Am Not A Robot
Paloma Faith – Do You Want The Truth, Or Something Beautiful
All photographs and videos courtesy of Tate Shots except where otherwise stated.
Back in 2002 whilst still a skint student, cheapest I started what was then my idea of a dream job: ticket seller atTate ModernandTate Britain. I got to see great art and even meet the odd artist or two. I remember Gustav Metzgerinsisting he paid to seeBarnett Newman, and Tony Ourslersuccessfully blagging a freebie to the Turner Prize. Bridget Riley even gave us a personal tour of her exhibition. Fast forward five years and I’ve landed a job helping Tate Media launch a new video podcast:TateShots. These days I produce and commission the TateShots series, in which we interview artists about the business of making art, and talk to famous gallery-goers about their favourite art shows. The job has given me the opportunity to nervously meet heroes of mine likeJeff Koons,Laurence Weinerand Martin Creed, as well as artists I’m less familiar with but who become firm favourites.
We’ve made 150 episodes of TateShots so far, and it now comes out weekly. This week we launched a new strand calledSound & Vision. The series took the films’ director, Nicola Probert, and I, all over the country to interview musicians who make art. Billy Childish,Lydia Lunch, Mark E Smith, David Byrne,Jeffrey LewisandCosey Fanni Tutti all helped us with our enquiries about where art and music collide.
Jared Schiller with Jeff Koons
Billy’s interview was probably the most memorable. We filmed him in a cramped bedroom he uses as a studio in his mum’s house in Whitstable, surrounded by stacks of paintings. There was hardly enough room for him to paint, let alone for us to film. Billy’s musical and artistic reputations arguably couldn’t be more different. As a musician he is cited by bands likeThe White Stripes as an influence – his dedication to lo-fi recording and performance make him the very definition of authentic. On the other hand, as an outspoken critic of conceptual art, his standing in the art world is a little harder to pin down. Because of this big difference, Nicola had the idea to get Billy to interview himself. So Artist Billy asked Musician Billy questions (e.g. “Do I have an influence on you?” Answer: “No.”), and explains how he went through a ten year stretch of only painting to the music of John Lee Hooker (almost). The whole experience made me think that it’s only a matter of time before Billy Childish is unmasked as the ultimate conceptual artist…
Going forward I would love to make more videos about pop stars with a taste for art. Before we embarked on this series we had already spoken toAlex James from Blur about Ellsworth Kelly, and John Squire from the Stone Roses about Cy Twombly. Apparently Jay-Z is a massive Richard Princefan, so perhaps he should be next on my list.
Jared Schiller photograph courtesy of Simon Williams/O Production
What Jared likes:
Places: Moel-y-Gest, a hill near Porthmadog in North Wales
Food: Pizza. My dream is to build a pizza oven in my back garden. It will never happen but I keep hold of the dream..
Drink: AnIslay Whisky is the perfect late night tipple.
Books: Currently reading ‘Then We Came to an End’ by Joshua Ferris. I mainly have a weakness for any kind of exhibition catalogue or artist’s monograph.
Film: I’m looking forward to Chris Morris’s ‘Four Lions’.
Shop: Alter 109 is a really good men’s boutique in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
Back in 2002 whilst still a skint student, order I started what was then my idea of a dream job: ticket seller atTate ModernandTate Britain. I got to see great art and even meet the odd artist or two. I remember Gustav Metzger insisting he paid to see Barnett Newman, ed and Tony Oursler successfully blagging a freebie to the Turner Prize. Bridget Riley even gave us a personal tour of her exhibition. Fast forward five years and I’ve landed a job helping Tate Media launch a new video podcast: TateShots. These days I produce and commission the TateShots series, viagra sale in which we interview artists about the business of making art, and talk to famous gallery-goers about their favourite art shows. The job has given me the opportunity to nervously meet heroes of mine like Jeff Koons,Laurence Weiner and Martin Creed, as well as artists I’m less familiar with but who become firm favourites.
We’ve made 150 episodes of TateShots so far, and it now comes out weekly. This week we launched a new strand calledSound & Vision. The series took the films’ director, Nicola Probert, and I, all over the country to interview musicians who make art. Billy Childish, Lydia Lunch, Mark E Smith, David Byrne, Jeffrey Lewis and Cosey Fanni Tutti all helped us with our enquiries about where art and music collide.
Billy’s interview was probably the most memorable. We filmed him in a cramped bedroom he uses as a studio in his mum’s house in Whitstable, surrounded by stacks of paintings. There was hardly enough room for him to paint, let alone for us to film. Billy’s musical and artistic reputations arguably couldn’t be more different. As a musician he is cited by bands like The White Stripes as an influence – his dedication to lo-fi recording and performance make him the very definition of authentic. On the other hand, as an outspoken critic of conceptual art, his standing in the art world is a little harder to pin down. Because of this big difference, Nicola had the idea to get Billy to interview himself. So Artist Billy asked Musician Billy questions (e.g. “Do I have an influence on you?” Answer: “No.”), and explains how he went through a ten year stretch of only painting to the music of John Lee Hooker (almost). The whole experience made me think that it’s only a matter of time before Billy Childish is unmasked as the ultimate conceptual artist…
Going forward I would love to make more videos about pop stars with a taste for art. Before we embarked on this series we had already spoken to Alex James from Blur about Ellsworth Kelly, and John Squire from the Stone Roses about Cy Twombly. Apparently Jay-Z is a massive Richard Prince fan, so perhaps he should be next on my list.
What Jared likes:
Places:
Food: Pizza. My dream is to build a pizza oven in my back garden. It will never happen but I keep hold of the dream..
Drink: An Islay Whisky is the perfect late night tipple.
Books: Currently reading ‘Then We Came to an End’ by Joshua Ferris. I mainly have a weakness for any kind of exhibition catalogue or artist’s monograph.
Film: I’m looking forward to Chris Morris’s ‘Four Lions’.
Shop: Alter 109 is a really good men’s boutique in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
SHIFT Encounters was put together by the organisation Cape Farewell. Founded by David Buckland in 2001, medicine Cape Farewell has sought to move beyond the scientific debate of climate change by involving artists in provoking and engaging the public. I like this approach; it seems to be a really important way to start thinking more positively about how we respond to climate change and look to the future. It is often so easy to be mired in the worrying statistics that we forget that the future is not set on a fixed, view predetermined path, buy information pills but is something that, with a little imagination, we can shape and plan. Artists can help us make this leap.Illustrations by Diana Boyle of Rooftop Illustrations
Last week I went to see the talk on architecture, bringing together practicing architects, lecturers and a technical consultant. The panellists were well chosen, each bringing to the table their own perspective and expertise so the discussion was refreshingly lively and the kind of group-think around an issue where everyone is already in agreement and no progress is made was happily avoided.
A wealth of arresting facts was presented. Any initial doubt about the importance of architecture when thinking about climate change was quickly dispelled with the striking estimate that over half of the energy used in the UK is through our buildings. Architects were keen to point to the importance of the users of buildings as well as the designs in achieving energy efficient architecture. Office workers have become accustomed to buildings using energy to maintain a constant temperature throughout the day (through heating and air conditioning) rather than regulating this themselves by putting on, or taking off, a jumper. So part of the change required is in people’s minds as well as the brick and mortar.
Perhaps most interesting were the personal stories told. One architect recounted how after an environmental assessment of their offices, he was shocked to discover that 60% of the energy use was outside of working office hours. This was due to the amount of energy required to maintain the servers which were left on constantly. Such surprising results show, I think, the usefulness of such assessments in getting our response to energy use in proportion. For example, we take care in changing light bulbs to energy efficient ones when perhaps we might be better off worrying about the massive amounts of energy needed to heat unused rooms.
The most enjoying part of the talk, however, was the audience’s contribution to the discussion. Once the debate was opened up, the focus quickly moved away from a preoccupation with the office environment, towards much broader questions. These were both more difficult and more exciting to attempt to answer. How is it possible to achieve the cultural shift required to reduce energy use in our homes? Should this shift be regulated by the government or is the only way through localised self organisation?
Provocatively, one disarmingly simple question was posed to the architects. Why talk about all these high profile new ‘zero-carbon’ building developments when what we need to do is not build more, but make the housing stock that we already have more efficient? I think this question cut to the heart of the debate and helped to illuminate some of the forces in play in trying to create more sustainable architecture. Whilst less glamorous than iconic new developments, and certainly a more tricky investment proposition, increasing the efficiency of the buildings we have already would surely be the most effective way of reducing the total energy use of our architecture.
Back in 2002 whilst still a skint student, cure I started what was then my idea of a dream job: ticket seller atTate ModernandTate Britain. I got to see great art and even meet the odd artist or two. I remember Gustav Metzger insisting he paid to see Barnett Newman, and Tony Oursler successfully blagging a freebie to the Turner Prize. Bridget Riley even gave us a personal tour of her exhibition. Fast forward five years and I’ve landed a job helping Tate Media launch a new video podcast: TateShots. These days I produce and commission the TateShots series, in which we interview artists about the business of making art, and talk to famous gallery-goers about their favourite art shows. The job has given me the opportunity to nervously meet heroes of mine like Jeff Koons,Laurence Weiner and Martin Creed, as well as artists I’m less familiar with but who become firm favourites.
We’ve made 150 episodes of TateShots so far, and it now comes out weekly. This week we launched a new strand calledSound & Vision. The series took the films’ director, Nicola Probert, and I, all over the country to interview musicians who make art. Billy Childish, Lydia Lunch, Mark E Smith, David Byrne, Jeffrey Lewis and Cosey Fanni Tutti all helped us with our enquiries about where art and music collide.
Billy’s interview was probably the most memorable. We filmed him in a cramped bedroom he uses as a studio in his mum’s house in Whitstable, surrounded by stacks of paintings. There was hardly enough room for him to paint, let alone for us to film. Billy’s musical and artistic reputations arguably couldn’t be more different. As a musician he is cited by bands like The White Stripes as an influence – his dedication to lo-fi recording and performance make him the very definition of authentic. On the other hand, as an outspoken critic of conceptual art, his standing in the art world is a little harder to pin down. Because of this big difference, Nicola had the idea to get Billy to interview himself. So Artist Billy asked Musician Billy questions (e.g. “Do I have an influence on you?” Answer: “No.”), and explains how he went through a ten year stretch of only painting to the music of John Lee Hooker (almost). The whole experience made me think that it’s only a matter of time before Billy Childish is unmasked as the ultimate conceptual artist…
Going forward I would love to make more videos about pop stars with a taste for art. Before we embarked on this series we had already spoken to Alex James from Blur about Ellsworth Kelly, and John Squire from the Stone Roses about Cy Twombly. Apparently Jay-Z is a massive Richard Prince fan, so perhaps he should be next on my list.
What Jared likes:
Places:
Food: Pizza. My dream is to build a pizza oven in my back garden. It will never happen but I keep hold of the dream..
Drink: An Islay Whisky is the perfect late night tipple.
Books: Currently reading ‘Then We Came to an End’ by Joshua Ferris. I mainly have a weakness for any kind of exhibition catalogue or artist’s monograph.
Film: I’m looking forward to Chris Morris’s ‘Four Lions’.
Shop: Alter 109 is a really good men’s boutique in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. All photographs and videos courtesy of Tate Shots
Back in 2002 whilst still a skint student, page I started what was then my idea of a dream job: ticket seller atTate ModernandTate Britain. I got to see great art and even meet the odd artist or two. I remember Gustav Metzger insisting he paid to see Barnett Newman, find and Tony Oursler successfully blagging a freebie to the Turner Prize. Bridget Riley even gave us a personal tour of her exhibition. Fast forward five years and I’ve landed a job helping Tate Media launch a new video podcast: TateShots. These days I produce and commission the TateShots series, viagra 60mg in which we interview artists about the business of making art, and talk to famous gallery-goers about their favourite art shows. The job has given me the opportunity to nervously meet heroes of mine like Jeff Koons,Laurence Weiner and Martin Creed, as well as artists I’m less familiar with but who become firm favourites.
We’ve made 150 episodes of TateShots so far, and it now comes out weekly. This week we launched a new strand calledSound & Vision. The series took the films’ director, Nicola Probert, and I, all over the country to interview musicians who make art. Billy Childish, Lydia Lunch, Mark E Smith, David Byrne, Jeffrey Lewis and Cosey Fanni Tutti all helped us with our enquiries about where art and music collide.
Billy’s interview was probably the most memorable. We filmed him in a cramped bedroom he uses as a studio in his mum’s house in Whitstable, surrounded by stacks of paintings. There was hardly enough room for him to paint, let alone for us to film. Billy’s musical and artistic reputations arguably couldn’t be more different. As a musician he is cited by bands like The White Stripes as an influence – his dedication to lo-fi recording and performance make him the very definition of authentic. On the other hand, as an outspoken critic of conceptual art, his standing in the art world is a little harder to pin down. Because of this big difference, Nicola had the idea to get Billy to interview himself. So Artist Billy asked Musician Billy questions (e.g. “Do I have an influence on you?” Answer: “No.”), and explains how he went through a ten year stretch of only painting to the music of John Lee Hooker (almost). The whole experience made me think that it’s only a matter of time before Billy Childish is unmasked as the ultimate conceptual artist…
Going forward I would love to make more videos about pop stars with a taste for art. Before we embarked on this series we had already spoken to Alex James from Blur about Ellsworth Kelly, and John Squire from the Stone Roses about Cy Twombly. Apparently Jay-Z is a massive Richard Prince fan, so perhaps he should be next on my list.
What Jared likes:
Places:
Food: Pizza. My dream is to build a pizza oven in my back garden. It will never happen but I keep hold of the dream..
Drink: An Islay Whisky is the perfect late night tipple.
Books: Currently reading ‘Then We Came to an End’ by Joshua Ferris. I mainly have a weakness for any kind of exhibition catalogue or artist’s monograph.
Film: I’m looking forward to Chris Morris’s ‘Four Lions’.
Shop: Alter 109 is a really good men’s boutique in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
SHIFT Encounters was put together by the organisation Cape Farewell. Founded by David Buckland in 2001, decease Cape Farewell has sought to move beyond the scientific debate of climate change by involving artists in provoking and engaging the public. I like this approach; it seems to be a really important way to start thinking more positively about how we respond to climate change and look to the future. It is often so easy to be mired in the worrying statistics that we forget that the future is not set on a fixed, predetermined path, but is something that, with a little imagination, we can shape and plan. Artists can help us make this leap.
Last week I went to see the talk on architecture, bringing together practicing architects, lecturers and a technical consultant. The panellists were well chosen, each bringing to the table their own perspective and expertise so the discussion was refreshingly lively and the kind of group-think around an issue where everyone is already in agreement and no progress is made was happily avoided.
A wealth of arresting facts was presented. Any initial doubt about the importance of architecture when thinking about climate change was quickly dispelled with the striking estimate that over half of the energy used in the UK is through our buildings. Architects were keen to point to the importance of the users of buildings as well as the designs in achieving energy efficient architecture. Office workers have become accustomed to buildings using energy to maintain a constant temperature throughout the day (through heating and air conditioning) rather than regulating this themselves by putting on, or taking off, a jumper. So part of the change required is in people’s minds as well as the brick and mortar.
Perhaps most interesting were the personal stories told. One architect recounted how after an environmental assessment of their offices, he was shocked to discover that 60% of the energy use was outside of working office hours. This was due to the amount of energy required to maintain the servers which were left on constantly. Such surprising results show, I think, the usefulness of such assessments in getting our response to energy use in proportion. For example, we take care in changing light bulbs to energy efficient ones when perhaps we might be better off worrying about the massive amounts of energy needed to heat unused rooms.
The most enjoying part of the talk, however, was the audience’s contribution to the discussion. Once the debate was opened up, the focus quickly moved away from a preoccupation with the office environment, towards much broader questions. These were both more difficult and more exciting to attempt to answer. How is it possible to achieve the cultural shift required to reduce energy use in our homes? Should this shift be regulated by the government or is the only way through localised self organisation?
Provocatively, one disarmingly simple question was posed to the architects. Why talk about all these high profile new ‘zero-carbon’ building developments when what we need to do is not build more, but make the shousing stock that we already have more efficient? I think this question cut to the heart of the debate and helped to illuminate some of the forces in play in trying to create more sustainable architecture. Whilst less glamorous than iconic new developments, and certainly a more tricky investment proposition, increasing the efficiency of the buildings we have already would surely be the most effective way of reducing the total energy use of our architecture.
They’ve already been creating quite a bit of buzz over here but it looks like 2010 could be the year of The Drums. Their EP Summertimeis already available to buy and they’re working on their debut album. This summer will see them touring with Florence and the Machine. We managed to speak with singer Jonathan Pierce about the band.
Andy Devine. How did you all meet?
Jonathan Pierce. Jacob and I met each other when we were very young. I think I was 13 and he was 11? I grew up in the same small town as Adam and I met him through just hanging out and being bored. We all met Connor last June. We feel very lucky to have met each other. We all share a lot of the same interests while at the same time we all bring a little something different to the creative table.
AD. You’ve been tipped by NME as a band to watch this year. Does that put alot of pressure on you to deliver?
J.P. We really have not felt any pressure at all, buy more about and if we do feel pressure it has not been enough for us to notice it. We just keep doing what we have been doing from the beginning and that is to write sincere pop music. Everything we do, information pills we want it to come from a place of purity and also a place of selfishness. If we do not believe in what we are doing, patient then how can anyone else really? This band started as a selfish endeavour and it will end that way. Only that way can you become vulnerable.
A.D Quite a few of your upcoming gigs are Sold Out, how does that feel?
J.P. It’s really wild for us to hear that all these shows are sold out. We would have never thought that a year after we wrote our first song in our tiny bedroom off the highway in Florida that we would be travelling across the UK and other parts of Europe in a tour bus playing sold out shows. It’s very strange.
A.D. Do you enjoy playing gigs over here, how do you find the audiences are?
So far it has been a cool experience for the most part. Everyone seems to be excited. We love playing shows over here. I remember the first show we ever played in London. It was a few months back at The Flowerpot. It was packed and sweaty and wild and we could not believe that it was happening. We could not believe that people cared this much.
A.D. Have there been any notable highlights?
J. P. Playing The Barfly was pretty surreal. There was so much hype and people outside trying to get in. It seemed like a movie, but it was really happening. It’s those moments that you have to just ask yourself “is this real”?
A.D.What do you do when you’re not playing in the band?
J.P. Well, since we stared the band, every minute of the day revolves around it usually. If we aren’t playing shows, then we are rehearsing, and if we arent rehearsing, then we are writing songs and if we arent writing songs then we are working on the album artwork or website. It’s very constant because we are such control freaks.
A.D. Finally, what are you most looking forward to doing this year?
J.P. Playing shows, putting out our album, and writing pure pop songs.
“To last you need to be real” – Edward G Robinson
“This is quite a departure for us as we usually do not exhibit commercial art, website like this but fine arts”. With those words Martin Tickner let me know what the Maurice Einhardt Neu Galleryis all about. Nestled in the heart of Bohemia land and Gallery street as Redchurch street and Old street/ Brick lane could each be called, ailment this exhibition space is more known for showcasing interesting alternative performance art and installations such as “Seen” by Sean McLuskyandMartin J Tickner. Those collaborations where an artist curates a group for a one-off show have in the past seen the high priest of gothic art, Matthew Stone– famous for his tableaux of shamanic rites of passage in the style of Caravaggio – join electro arrivistes S.C.U.M(named after Valerie Solanis’ 1968 manifesto Society For Cutting Up Men) who make music for the emotionally crippled, deficient and diseased. Bare Bones however still fits in the gallery’s motto. Published in the paper format but looking a lot like a fanzine with its black and white series of independent-minded designs, the second edition embraces the abused tabloid format and has many more contributors. Funded entirely by its creators, Bare Bones features no advertising and revels in not being associated with corporate shilldom. Featuring artists, photographers, writers, musicians and other beautifully wayward human flotsam, Bare Bones aims to provide an insight into the unexplored creative avenues being beaten out by its protagonists. Positioning itself as an alternative to the morass of mind numbing free press littering the brains and streets of London Bare Bones shoots to provoke thought and conversation. Whilst not always aiming to offend just for the sake of it, people who quickly jump to back-footed offence and ill conceived moral judgment only encourage ignorance and deserve to be appalled at least four times a year. Bare Bones seems to be on a quest for a stronger constitution.
The gallery space is small and two walls are covered with limited edition prints costing between 50 and 200. One featured artist is aptly named Heretic Printmakers with gem quotes such as “ Themes that run through our work are ancient symbolism, (…) the inner beast, sex bats, naked witches, demented cats, trees, paranoid owls (…) the freakily parallel cosmos of Mutinopia…”
BARE BONES was Neal Fox, Frank Laws, Hannah Bays, Billy Bragg, Amelia Johnstone, and has since added Hanna Hanra, Sam Kerr, Richard Gilligan and Jamie Putnam to its list. Russell Weekes fromlie-in and tigers is a previous Amelia’s magazinecontributor- his stricking and witty drawings are part of the work created by the motley crew of proud to be baiting misfits. See it all at your enjoyable peril! “To last you need to be real” – Edward G Robinson
“This is quite a departure for us as we usually do not exhibit commercial art, buy more about but fine arts”. With those words Martin Tickner let me know what the Maurice Einhardt Neu Galleryis all about. Nestled in the heart of Bohemia land and Gallery street as Redchurch street and Old street/ Brick lane could each be called, clinic this exhibition space is more known for showcasing interesting alternative performance art and installations such as “Seen” by Sean McLuskyandMartin J Tickner. Those collaborations where an artist curates a group for a one-off show have in the past seen the high priest of gothic art, seekMatthew Stone– famous for his tableaux of shamanic rites of passage in the style of Caravaggio – join electro arrivistes S.C.U.M(named after Valerie Solanis’ 1968 manifesto Society For Cutting Up Men) who make music for the emotionally crippled, deficient and diseased. Bare Bones however still fits in the gallery’s motto. Published in the paper format but looking a lot like a fanzine with its black and white series of independent-minded designs, the second edition embraces the abused tabloid format and has many more contributors. Funded entirely by its creators, Bare Bones features no advertising and revels in not being associated with corporate shilldom. Featuring artists, photographers, writers, musicians and other beautifully wayward human flotsam, Bare Bones aims to provide an insight into the unexplored creative avenues being beaten out by its protagonists. Positioning itself as an alternative to the morass of mind numbing free press littering the brains and streets of London Bare Bones shoots to provoke thought and conversation. Whilst not always aiming to offend just for the sake of it, people who quickly jump to back-footed offence and ill conceived moral judgment only encourage ignorance and deserve to be appalled at least four times a year. Bare Bones seems to be on a quest for a stronger constitution. The gallery space is small and two walls are covered with limited edition prints costing between 50 and 200. One featured artist is aptly named Heretic Printmakers with gem quotes such as “ Themes that run through our work are ancient symbolism, (…) the inner beast, sex bats, naked witches, demented cats, trees, paranoid owls (…) the freakily parallel cosmos of Mutinopia…”
BARE BONES was Neal Fox, Frank Laws, Hannah Bays, Billy Bragg, Amelia Johnstone, and has since added Hanna Hanra, Sam Kerr, Richard Gilligan and Jamie Putnam to its list. Russell Weekes fromlie-in and tigers is a previous Amelia’s magazinecontributor- his stricking and witty drawings are part of the work created by the motley crew of proud to be baiting misfits. See it all at your enjoyable peril!
Brooklyn quartet The Drums have hit everyone’s playlists hard (bit of a drum pun there for you), visit this site their infectious summer style is sustaining us through what looks set to be a typically wet and dark winter. ‘I Felt Stupid’ is emblematic of the 50’s/60’s surf-pop style sound that characterises their critically acclaimed EP ‘Summertime’, and much of the music from the summer just gone.
The difference with this band, evident in ‘I Felt Stupid’, is their unashamed love for bouncing, shiny melodies framed within bright, jangly pop music. With elements of synth- pop and new wave, on tracks like ‘Submarine’ I actually thought I was listening to The Cure, added to the milieu their sound is varied and not without texture. This original and emotive sound is even more impressive when you consider they have only been together for just over a year, starting in Florida and then moving to Brooklyn.
The lamentable lyrics of this song add another dimension to the music, if you were under the impression this was just another vacant beach boys-esque sounding band, it isn’t, there is real depth in the words. With crooned refrains like ‘have I lived my life too selfishly baby?’ and ‘your arms around me seem to be the only good thing that ever happened to me’ it juxtaposes the upbeat tone of the song with imagery of a summer love lost. For this reason this song, and this band, don’t get old, each listen reveals another layer. Lets hope the next offering from this band lives up to the high expectations set by this record.
We live in a haphazard world, ailment where one minute we can all feel like grotesque, all-consuming fat cats with an incredibly strong pound to suddenly joining the back of the JSA queue, lying to them about how many job interviews you’ve actually been to. There is a sprinkling of certainties in life that we can rely on however. For example, come daylight savings rollback when we are plunged into mid-afternoon darkness we know we are destined for up to six months of generally feeling a bit less enthused about our lives, especially when the Christmas decorations start to attack our high streets. Another is, when the latest compilation by Parisian cool label, Kitsune lands in your inbox – because let’s face it, we can’t rely on Royal Mail, so we may as well go digital – you know that you have yourself a ready-made electro-infused indie disco. Not of the ilk that plays Ash’s Girl From Mars on repeat either, the kind of soiree filled to the warehouse rafters with really stylish and beautiful people.
The French success story of a label has already discovered far too many ipod staples and festival headliners to mention here. Now on it’s eighth compilation, the chic and nice issue, Amelia’s Magazine would like to toast their brilliance. It’s almost like the release is named after us – chic and nice!
Like associations with Moshi Moshi or Ed Banger, the Kitsune seal of approval is big news. If you are in a band, when a sketch of your face plasters one of their record sleeves, you know your stock is on the rise. They possess the skill to bring songs that you had resigned to the mainstream, back into a respectable feature on your playlist. Think the red haired one. Think Phoenix. The French label makes chart tracks cool again and discover obscure myspace fodder that you simply haven’t got the time or patience for, then give it that fairy dust magic they do best.
With chic and nice, Kitsune unearth a fair few goodies I’d previously been ignoring as yet another new band of the day. Such as The Drums, which quite frankly, I’d decided was twee drivel, but a few spins in the Kitsune context, and you know what? I like it!
The fabulously wailing track by Chew Lips has been given a helping hand to the dance floor by Franz Ferdinand’s, Alex Kapranos. It’s nice to know he’s good for something in their “hit” hiatus.
A glorious track by Two Doors Cinema Club, who we chatted to yesterday, has its melodic vocals and soaring guitars messed with (in a good way) by the remixing talents of Moulinex. These chaps feature alongside fellow chic and nice entrants, Delphic, on a tour trying to encapsulate all that is good about the Kitsune brand with a live setting.
You’re not too late to catch the indie disco train, the tour lands in London this Saturday, stopping at Bristol, Nottingham and Birmingham along its tracks. Although, We’re not sure this hyperbole of a party can actually be achieved. No one actually has that many attractive and cool friends do they? Best get a copy of Kitsune 8 and let the indie disco come to you. You’re guaranteed a good time.
Check out the promo accompanying the package, it is well worth an ogle:
Amelia’s Magazine invites you to make your own dressing battle film and send it to us in a SAE. Although, given the aforementioned postal issue, you probably better off sending via email. Come to think of it, you may want to hold off until the summer months, when it’ll be warmer and you have your motivation back.
This compilation hits the digital (and other) shelves November 30th.
Written by Katie Weatherall on Wednesday October 28th, 2009 6:07 pm
Illustrations by Diana Boyle of 
