Wednesday 28 April 2010

Interview: Bombay Bicycle Club


Interview w/ London wunderkinds Bombay Bicycle Club. See the rest of their words 'ere.

LeCool Interview: Alex Noble - Lady Gaga's designer


This week's interview w/ London-bred fashion designer Alex Noble. Check out the weekly events o'er @ LeCool London

Monday 26 April 2010

Wednesday 21 April 2010

Bear In Heaven

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Caught Brooklyn band Bear In Heaven at East London's Rough Trade. Their album is AMAZING. Their live performance didn't disappoint!

Caribou Interview on skiddle.com


Check out the whole Caribou interview on skiddle.com

Tuesday 20 April 2010

Cocorosie Interview

Full interview up on This is Fake DIY

Have you started planning for the impending tour?
We know we’re going to have a beat boxer, a creole based percussionist, playing alternative instruments like pots and pans, and pianist Gael Rakotondrabe who’s been playing with us for three years. He was a big part of this record. All the piano you hear on the new record is him; drunk and blindfolded, being fed crazy music through ear phones. He was just completely intoxicated.
So no inhibitions then?
(Laughs). Well we wanted to challenge him. He’s like a prodigy pianist. He plays with so many musicians that we wanted this to be a completely different experience.
What would you have been if not half of CocoRosie?
A sheepherder.
Seriously?
Before I started this group that’s what I wanted to do. I was going to start in Switzerland; I found a guy who was going to let me apprentice starting with cows. Traditionally you have to apprentice for a couple of seasons. So they start you off with cows and then you move to sheep.
And are cows more timid than sheep?
I guess cows are less dangerous cause sheep can run away and get eaten by wolves.


CocoRosie - Grey Oceans Album Trailer 2/3 from Souterrain Transmissions on Vimeo.

Cocorosie's new album is unleashed in May 2010. Brace yourself. They'll be showcasing their work in London on 5 May at the Union Chapel.

Watch out for the interview up soon on This is Fake DIY!

Notte - Move over Lykke Li

Oh Sweden is there nothing your people don’t have? God must have been in a well good mood when he produced your lot. They’re genetically blessed, friendly and pretty good at carrying a tune/playing an instrument. There’s Royksopp, Robyn and now Lykke Li’s replacement Nottee. She’s 24 and has recently been honing her craft as bassist for her brother’s band Lofi-Fink. Not sure if you’ve heard of it? Course you ‘ave! The wunderkind has been playing guitar since the tender age of eight and her track ‘Control’ featured on the Kitsune Maison Compilation 8. Brace yourself for blonde, fair-skinned electro pop with angelic crooning, icy drum machines and housey piano. Wed 21 April she’ll be at Pure Groove at 1:15pm and HOXTON BAR AND KITCHEN at 8! /

Sunday 18 April 2010

Sketch Book hosts Amelia's Anthology


Last week I took a trip to Soho's Sketch Book Pop-Up Store to hear Amelia's Anthology founder and editor Ameilia Gregory tell the tale of her now internet based magazine.


Her 10 year = 10 issue journey in a nutshell:
Each year the number of issues went up by 1,000 issues. Ie. 1,000 copies were made of the first issue. 2,000 of the second etc etc.
Each year it cost her the number of issues printed. 3,000 issues cost her £3,000 etc.
She always made enough money to pay her dues and create the next but never any to be frivolous with.

With each issue she tried to add an extra/innovative element. Issue 9 saw her release a supplementary memory stick with a variety of music tunes. Along with the £9000 it cost her to print the 9000 issues she forked out another £15,000 for the memory sticks.

She became tired of seeking out advertisers and hence on of the reasons the printed version ceased to exist.

She is still paying off debts.
It's always enlightening to hear the trajectory of others who share a similar passion; however, because Gregory's ideals are quite different to mine I did not find her story that inspirational. I would have been willing to sacrifice some of my 'ideals' in order to make the publication a financially viable business. She created a concept which mainstream commercial investors were not too interested in and because she was not willing to compromise her vision she had to sacrfice a more 'successful' future. But kudos to her for not letting the golden $$$ persuade her otherwise!

The Sketch Book Pop-Up store will be around for a couple more weeks with a bounty of interesting talks to come.


The above drawing is just one of the many amazing illustrations by John-Paul Thurlow who is currently exhibiting his works at the Pop-Up Store.

Check Sketch Book's blog for more info!

Thursday 15 April 2010

Mos Def Live London Review - Skiddle.com


See the rest of Mos Def's 2010 London review here.

Monday 12 April 2010

M.I.A Disses Gaga


Like fellow UK resident Lily Allen rapper M.I.A never sits on the fence. An interview with music magazine NME shows the singer stickin' it to Gaga and her incessant publicity wheel.

Check it the NME interview.

Sunday 11 April 2010

Devendra Banhart x Natalie Portman

Nike's 'Cadencia' - Darren Bartlett's spirit of Brazil



Through Cadencia British director Daren Bartlett relives his past. Having spent three colourful years living in Rio de Janerio Barlett felt inspired to give something back. Bothered by the clichés and misunderstandings that cloud this beautiful city Barlett set out to expose the truth; that not so tangible character that lives within all Brazilians. His documentary explores the symbolic identity of the South Americans, through sport and culture; two vital elements that unify the community. Through vibrant visuals, honest interviews (look out for legendary 80‘s Brazilian football captain), and traditional kite and carnivale culture Bartlett channels the spirit of Brazil; its rhythm or ‘cadence’. In association with Cadencia the documentary Nike’s 1948 Shoreditch store will be exhibiting installations, art stills and a large scale video installation. The Brazilian spirit awaits!

Public Show: 25th March - 25th April 2010
Location / Exhibition: 1948, Arches 477 - 478, Bateman’s Row, London, EC2 3HH

Friday 9 April 2010

Nisennenmondai



Nisennenmondai is a Japanese psychedelic noise punk band. It's like cross between US experimentalists Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and UK noise punk machine Comanenchi. Nisennenmondai - three girls who like to rock out with their...It's repetitive as hell - which saves me from having to press repeat! It's angry sex music for the masses. LOVE IT!

Alex Noble x Lady Gaga

























Top photo: Noble's Carnival Muero head piece.
 
British fashion designerr Alex Noble indulges in the avant-garde. He's a left-field player who releases his inner being through painting, styling, designing and curating. 

It's been a very busy year for this 26-year-old Londoner and Lady Gaga is very lucky to have him on her team. Along with fellow creatives; Nicola Formichetti (Creative director for Dazed & Confused Mag), Fred Butler and Craig Lawrence, Noble has been busy contributing to the Haus of Gaga. Lady Gaga is no longer just one woman, she's a global brand held up high by many MANY international artists.

Gaga's sports Noble's white lace body-suit & shoes at the 2010 Brit Awards.
Gaga wears Noble's red bondage strap-suit for music video Bad Romance

I had a chat with Noble in his De Beauvoir studio about his childhood, work habits and the path that lead him to the busiest time of his life. Today welcomes Alex Noble; a man who at university was told he was 'more of a stylist than a designer' and in turn 'didn't do so well'. Today welcomes Alex Noble; a designer who is commissioned by stylists to create their visions.


Interview coming soon!

Also look out for Alex's favourite London haunts soon to be appearing in London's weekly culture vulture 'LeCool'. Sign up to receive it straight to your box.

THE DRUMS - Dummy Mag


Click here for the rest of the review

Monday 5 April 2010

Maluca - El Tigeraso



Women rappers will never die out because women ALWAYS have something to say. True dat.

Saturday 3 April 2010

American Apparel Rummage Sale Riot – London

Easter Friday kicked off a 3-day American Apparel 'Rummage' sale on Ldn's Brick Lane. It was closed down within the first 2 hrs. Was it just an outlandish publicity stunt by nefarious moustache wielding founder Dov Charney? Either way I'm quite certain he's very happy w/ the outcome.

Thursday 1 April 2010

The Drums Live Review @ The Old Blue Last - DUMMY MAG


Named after the signature instrument synonymous with every band Brooklyn rock quartet The Drums play like a beating heart. Simple, effective and as strong as a fist. In mid-2009 the 50s inspired musical endeavour was born. It would be a completely selfish venture set out to please only themselves and tonight’s Old Blue Last gig was to be the first of their six sold-out UK shows....

......On stage The Drums are more than a musical outfit. They’re a performance piece in which every member falls to the mercy of the energy and spirit of the live spectacle; all inhibitions are completely lost. Non-fussed in their approach to both the lyrics and the music; there are no chords and every song is constructed around the three-minute ‘verse-chorus-verse-chorus-end’, the Cali-inspired band offer instant gratification with catchy hooks and a straight-to-the point libretto......vocalist Pierce bellows down the microphone while happily indulging in his ‘trade-mark’ jerky spasmodic dance moves; angular in style. Guitarist Jacob Graham plays like a mini-hurricane; bouncing about the stage; spinning back and forth tambourine in hand. They’re instinctive, lost in their creation and completely self-unaware.

Their synth-laced tunes are reminiscent of bands such as New Order and Joy Division while their heartbreaking teen melodramatic themes reference 60s pop groups the Ronettes and The Shangri-Las. Their EP is good but their live show is better. The Drums are bookish types that make fast-uptight rock ‘n roll songs with 60s pop inflexions. Their vivid on-stage presence; wild yet refined, further justifies just what all the fuss is really about. They are the ultimate ‘generation me’ rock band creating music only for themselves and they are damn lucky the rest of us share their passion.

Full review up on Dummy Mag here!

LeCool Ldn April 1- 7





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The Drums - Bestfriend


The Drums - Best Friend on MUZU

Love this song by US quartet The Drums. It's a kind of clumsy song about mourning the death of a friend. It's no poignant poem, instead it gets right to the point. Blunt as a knife yet as sweet as a cherry pie.
"You're my best friend, but then you died. I was 23 & you were 25. And how will I survive, survive, survive, survive?" 

What are you looking at?

My photo
I am more than prone to monologues; however, this is solely due to the manner in which they compliment a witty anecdote and their ability to resemble concrete evidence when it is so obviously lacking. I often wish I could emulate that aloof character who coolly stands in the corner smiling mysteriously as if she has a secret. However, I fear resisting the temptation to involve myself in other people’s conflicts and responding through body language rather than verbose banter may come across as contrived and arrogant. And, I am not willing to take that chance.

Ye Faithful