Dear Kulture readers,
With the royals safely tucked away for the time being, this edition of Kulture brings you a delight of distractions. From becoming involved with your community, to planning another party season, it’s all here. As your purse strings are tightened after the last two weeks of partying, that’s right kids… The festival season is coming! Worry not as we aren’t shoving them down your throats but just broadening your horizons to a certain Kent field. This edition has been a pleasure to construct as ever, meeting new people and our little minds being filled with fun summer ideas. Thanks for reading. Kate Stewart
Coming Up...
Kulture Interviews Southern Fried Record’s brainchild KASHII.p3 We speak to Sean Williams about Zeitgeist blog and how it’s about to hugely evolve.p5
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Coming Up... Give It Up! We discuss the benefits of volunteering.p7 Take a peek at our graffiti picks of the month.
See what festival’s got fruity and has got people picking fights!
Ain’t no party like a Megabooth party!
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Introducing KASHII On a rooftop with sun bursting through the clouds, Kulture catch up with Southern Fried Record (SFR’s) newest additions. Home of Armand Van Helden and The Whip, this little friend of ours has been picked up by the sweetest progressing label for club bangers. The man is only 22 but has been a part of so many outfits. Now he’s honed his skills with this lone ranger act and has got signed to SFR as Kashii. Working at Dance2 Records in the day, Kashii (real name Gary) has set up life in Brighton pretty successfully. With his rooftop garden, a shed load of records and approaching summer, he’s moving on to even bigger and better things… Originally based in Hertfordshire, Kashii’s been part or parcel of Party Shank, Frankmusik and Appi Music, then as he moved to Brighton, became DJ partners in the group,
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France, where they’d play at the NME club nights. He explained to me how he has been into music ever since he was around 12. “You start writing little tunes, then you start a band with some friends. I got into the production side of things when I was about 15 and I started properly listening to dance music.” Kashii’s experience comes through in his manor as although he’s young and living a rock star life style, with his sunglasses on and Rock and Roll tattoo across his chest, this boy is not trying to impress anyone, he just does. There’s no arrogance, just an honest, hard-living attitude. He shows he’s knowledgeable about the industry and sounds like he’s got his head screwed on. “I have been in a few bands that were either doing really well or went on to do really well”…”I’ve learnt a lot about the
industry during my time in these bands.” He goes on to explain how this helped him have enough gumption to look after himself in his solo project. He’s also picked up on new influences with the progression of House and Dubstep music into the charts and this has influenced his work into what SFR describe as ‘FuGary chilling at Dance2 Records, Brighton. Photo by Kate. ture Garage.’ After covering his past and a couple of cold beers, we move on to future and fantasy. The way to make it in the industry now being collaboratbattered and sing along to them ing with other artists and sharing for hours!” This mix of electro and fan-bases. When asked whom he’d brit-pop displays an eclectic taste ideally collaborate with in a visual between two mainstream mile-stones way, he told me Chris Hopewell from and here at Kulture we’d like to be at Collision Films. Chris made RadioKashii’s festival. head’s ‘There There’ video and won Leaving fantasy behind we knuckan MTV award for ‘Best Art Direction’ led down and focused on what was in 2003 for it. Some people may to come for him. He let us into how know him from skate zines, pirate he’d sent demos to SFR and they radio, being a graphic designer for liked what they heard. The guys magazines such as New Musical told him “if you can keep bringing Express (NME) or for one of the many us tunes like this then its all go!” other famous videos he’s produced. In just over a year he’s released 2 Radiohead’s video shows the band EPs with various remixes on people walking through an eerie wood such as Crookers’ releases. He also with a mixture of stills and video to went on to explain how he had a create a surreal feel. Kashii said, “I lot of exposure from big DJs such as just love the style and quirkiness of Eddie Temple-Morris. Looking on to the video, it would be interesting to the summer, Gary’s creative hub is work on something similar with one working on 5 collaborations with of my tracks as its a totally different other producers and people such as vibe.” Art is all well and good but Marco Del Horno, Hybrid Theory and we need to know what this musical Kill Light. He’s also going to have mastermind would have as his very another Kashii EP out in the summer. own line-up! “I’d say I’d love to play With more exposure from his collaboalongside Daft Punk because they rations, EPs and with him already beare heavy and I’ve never seen them ing booked to play Glastonbury and live! I’d also like Blur to play, so that Secret Garden Party, this boy is set to once I’ve finished my set I can get make a lot more noise.
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A new blog is sweeping the webis so strong that we’re going to do it ways, relentlessly introducing new anyway” spirit. This mantra and the talent from everything from bands passion of the people involved made to bruschetta. It features culinary the blog accelerate “quicker than delights, tracks down muralists (Williams) could have ever imagand gives spotlight to their talented ined.” Why is the Editor anonymous acquaintances. From a family of you may ask? Well, she revealed that friends frustrated with not getting she feels many magazines can be anywhere, to a growing, official, lead by the Editor’s own motives and cutting-edge network of talent, Zeitbecome an ego-trip. geist is taking it’s time but pulling This Magazine is purely for the peoit’s punches revealing new artistes. ple by the people. It’s a platform for Founded in August 2010 by an emerging talent and to let everyone anonymous Editor character and know that “for every Damien Hirst, Sean Williams, now Creative DirecKings Of Leon, Rankin, Lady Gaga, tor, the idea had “...For every DamienBanksy, Marc Jacobs or formed in 2007. Their whoever, there’s someHirst”...”there’s one just as talented out network of friends was frustrated as many someone just as there, often pushing the of them are or know further, but talented out there, boundaries extremely talented it’s going unseen” says and dedicated artists, often pushing the Williams. Showing that musicians, photogra- boundaries further.”being backed by a major phers, fashion designlabel doesn’t have a ers, stylists and writers. Nobody was direct indication of talent. Although finding the breaks they needed from backing underground and extremely press or careers, which wasn’t helped quirky artists, they try not to alienby the financial turmoil of the counate readership and keep their eye try. It didn’t make them stop their on mainstream talent. The message creativity, but made people more de- therefore being wether you’re an termined to get themselves out there underground performer or writer or as everyone realised nobody was goa signed pop artist, as long as what ing to come to them. Williams said it you do is virtuous and entertaining, was built on a “we’re not getting the you could well fit in with the Zeitgeist success our talent perhaps merits but movement. Providing that you’re our belief and love for what we do interesting! A favourite example of
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Above: Miss Cakehead’s shop. All photo credits to Nathan Pask. Words by Katherine Stewart
Zeitgeist’s wonders is Miss Cakehead. For Halloween, she launched the World’s First adult’s only cake shop and has even created a pop-up shop for the Japanese Earthquake where all of the cakes look like sushi! The Running of Zeitgeists hasn’t been all easy going as it’s run by a couple in their twenties’ and cash isn’t exactly abundant these days! Even so, lenders can’t see values as easily on websites as they do on conventional businesses if you can even get anyone to lend you anything. The producers have too little hours in the day as they want to cover so many things. The Editor is the backbone of the company and even designed and built the website. Apparently she is quite the techno-magician whilst Sean helps out with everything else and helps tie all of the little bits together. There are over 50 contributors and section editors and they hope to get bigger and start making more of a business out of it. People are always submitting ideas and Williams is constantly looking for new features as Press Release journalism
doesn’t really cut it for this unique pair. They like it hot off the press and as fresh as Miss Cakehead’s pastries… This is where Future Zeitgeist comes in. They are people who have really stood out so deserve an extra little platform. It’s a showcase of talent they feel more of a bond with that they can nurture and even go on to put on club nights. At the moment they focus on singer LeeLou, The Lysergic Suite and The Black Dove Experiment. Although these are musicians, they aren’t limiting this section to only music. More marketing and more events is the obvious way to go for Zeitgeist. But this will take time and need followers. In comparison to other blogs of it’s kind, it’s quite unusual and I can see it becoming into a more concise, grown-up version of Don’t Panic. It is like a creative or clubber’s guide where you flick through to find a new interest, band or just some inspiration. We hope you keep your eye on the blog and see some exciting new things unfolding.
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Give It UP!
Why giving your time to art or community projects can work wonders.
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even used pubs and shop fronts as galleries or subject matter. The council can easily grant this as they desperately want to make the towns look less affected by the recession. Years ago I attended a Graffiti course in the backstage area of The Gordon Craig Theatre. It was over a weekend and I nervously attended with no idea of what lay ahead. Luckily some people from my evening photography class were there and we spent the whole weekend getting to play with different textures and learning about spraying techRemz1’s community project. Photo Kate Stewart nique. Having been denied this In a time where many “It’s an ‘everyone experience at GCSE are unemployed and level numerous times, it’s hard to get your wins’ kind of ex- it was such great fun foot in the door, why perience where it and we decorated a not get involved in a wall with characters project? It can enhance inspires people to created and you C.V, portfolio or use different tech- we’d got to keep all of the just your inspiration. niques” work we made. This From drama, to art, to was free and the people graffiti workshops, all of these who ran the course were governcan be used as portfolio opporment funded. It’s an ‘everyone tunities and can incorporate the wins’ kind of experience where community. With more disused it inspires people to use different shops than ever, people have techniques in their art and to get
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out there and make friends, while photos or make responses in our own work. As much of the work it can create jobs. revolved around Liverpool and A year on and I heard a fampeople’s roles in society and the ily friend of mine, Stephen AKA Remz1 was hosting a weekly night community, we came up with the title of ‘Occupation.’ After many in Chelmsford. Here he would have huge boards where him and meetings and communications through blogs and facebook, his friends would get to graffiti we managed to assemble all of legally and others could come our work from our various posialong and give it a try. He also tions around the country over asked DJs along and it created a the summer! Helping with the great atmosphere. culmination of information and When approached at University hanging of the work with thanks by Dr. Cian Quayle to become to gallery supervisor, Patrick, was involved in a project run at the Open Eye Gallery, I jumped at the theory-based group member, Zainab. It showed how theorists chance and haven’t looked back. practitioners can We called ourselves the “I jumped at and easily collaborate and Young Creative Collaborators and are still the chance and we needed her to give haven’t looked an outside perspective. in touch today. We Before we could realise, were shown a collecback.” the gallery opening tion of images given night was upon us. Us, a group of to the gallery from past exhibistudents had, with help from ex tors that had not been widely Tate Liverpool Educational Curadisplayed. We used this as intor, Naomi Horlock, curated and spiration to either display these
All Photos and words by Katherine Stewart
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Volunteering Continued
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spoke about having a graffiti day as I’d benefited from one before Photos & Words. and a lot of them were interested Kate Stewart. in tagging and graffiti. Naomi publicised a fantastically varied invited a friend of hers, Barney yet brilliantly professional exhibiDoodlebug along and he intertion. acted so well with the kids. We A new term brought new projects taped up the floor and he showed as we started planning meetings them projections of graffiti videos at Connexions and a to get them inspired in school for children with “How honoured the backroom. I was behavioural difficulties. we felt to have quite amazed to see With Naomi’s organithem all sat still and been a part of sation, we planned quite for a long amount this.” out sessions and manof time! The rest of the aged to keep their day was spent doodling around attention through photography their proposed frames and learnworkshops. It was a challenging about what looks good. It ing experience. Having got them was a great success. With a few together to take photos or be the sessions of planning, workshops subject of photos, we had to rely and then more planning, we had on the limited sessions we had done it again. This is a letter from where their attendance would the school’s Head Teacher...(See be unreliable. Having chosen the letter on the right hand page....) work to be displayed and proHow honoured we felt to have duced it, we thought about how been a part of this. We’ve gone to display their work and have on to plan more sessions and more of their personality in the now when applying for jobs I feel exhibition. We came up with the this has enhanced my C.V greatly. idea of letting them loose in the I am so grateful to Naomi for givgallery as it would be the final ing us hard-working youngsters a show in the current premises. We chance to get our feet in the door in a more meaningful way. Another case of such success is from a fellow student at the University of Chester in which she visited a prison. Katie Badman and her drama students would go to acting sessions to talk
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about different aspects of theatre in Styal Women’s prison, Manchester. When asked what kind of offences the women had committed, she only knew of one who had attacked sex offenders, but she was quite sure many of them would be in there for a long time. Again, Katie’s work had been rewarded when a woman told her “when we do this, I forget where
Kate’s exhibition at The Open Eye.
I am for an hour.” This is priceless to a prisoner and can be useful in rehabilitation. Around cities and towns everywhere, people are volunteering and helping. With David Cameron’s idea of the Big Society, whether you hate him or tolerate him, I hope this inspires you to make your own society.
Barney Doodlebug helping out the kids.
Hi Naomi, Many, many thanks for involving our school in The Open Eye Project! The impact has been phenomenal - the pupils were so, so proud of their work and the finished project was amazing. Other pupils are quite jealous and are asking when they can be involved in a similar scheme! It was fantastic to watch the pupils blossom - from reluctant and nervous to becoming fully involved and immensely proud of the work they produced. Please pass on my thanks to all involved and be assured you have all made a significant impact on the young people in our school, who have so many complex needs we often find it difficult to inspire them. You did this and we are all extremely grateful. Once again, many thanks! I do hope we can work together again! Elaine Indris. Above: letter from the Head of a school the team helped.
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This Week’s graffiti gallery is from Brick Lane. Photos by Kate Stewart. See her online gallery @katiness
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FRUITY FESTIVAL
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There’s a vicious wildfire crossing the Kent countryside of an unruly festival organiser. Late night music? Tales of debauchery? It’s all true. And there’s plenty more where that came from explains David Hillier, the man behind the controversy. This debut festival, Apple Tarts has been conceived by David Hillier and Chris Barret. They have been approached by BBC news and Kent’s newspapers explaining to the nearby inhabitants that all will be well on this one night of fruitiness… Why Apple Tarts you cry? Hillier explains how it all began with a spark of an idea for a club night… “After 48 hours of no sleep and too much of everything else at Standon Calling Festival last year me and Chris talked about putting on a night back in London. After seeing some local boobtube floozies hanging out at the train station I called them ‘suburban tarts,’ Chris said that’s what we should call the night and we put the first event on about a month later after drafting in Chris’s girlfriend, Leah as we are both organisational liabilities.” Their idea to create a unique night every time was successful and they have since run six events. Becoming disillusioned with what seemed constant commercial line-ups and a lack of lust for any other festivals, they decided to create their own. They could fill their festival with the magic and intimacy they wanted. Hillier says “...most memorable moments from festivals are individual moments.
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Sunrise conversations, high-fives with strangers, impromptu singalongs of songs not being played on the stage. We wanted to try and create a place for this to happen with our friends, with the Suburban Tarts ethos.” The adventure began as they searched for suitable venues when Dave’s dad said he was involved with a field at Brogdale farm, Kent. To test the waters of their festival, one might call it ‘bobbing apples,’ they had a successful New Year’s Eve Party with 250 guests to The Victory pub. Raring to go they set off advertising their event. They wanted a private party vibe as it would be more magical. With a bus setting off from Dalston to take the urban folk to this rural setting, what more could be thought of? They have bands, a sports day, music videos being filmed, a set up of the original Victory Pub, Granny Smith’s Tea Rooms and a short burlesque performance. The surrounding neighbours have been launching a surprise attack as they have picked up on a raunchy vibe of the festival. Bringing in the bi dogs of BBC and complaining about the lat night music license, these neighbours are real rotten apples. On a sweeter note, the license can’t be rescinded. This one night extravaganza falls from the tree on May 28th and will be a onenight jamboree! With games and frolics until 2am, the guests should be pleased as pie and tickets are running out fast! Words by Kate Stewart, Poster from Suburban Tarts.
After Kate and Wills have jetted off and we’re all back to work the only thing we have to look forward to is the summer! Well nobody wants to be relying on England’s weather but the ‘staycation’ is in full swing as this year’s spring has been a scorcher. If you’re planning a party, festival or business event, the only party accessory to have this year is The Megabooth… With social networking taking over and instant photos at your fingertips, these portable photo booths are the perfect balance between stunning online imagery, and affordable memories to physically take away. This can be useful after one too many Pimms. It’s a set of photos taken like a photo booth but you sit in a beautifully decorated car backdrop while it’s being taken. With the recession hitting against shelling out for over-priced portraits, yet everyone wanting to be a celebrity, these pocket-sized bundles of fun are just what this hostess ordered. The wonder woman behind this idea’s conception is Rachel Posner. This time last year she came up with the idea and it’s blossoming into great things. The first creation was a hippy-style mini covered and filled with ultimate flower-power. Then came Crazy Taxi adorned with fake grass seats and flooring, butterflies, birds and squirrels. The outside is in a fantasy wildlife
style and is graffiti. The next step back inside was an LED photo booth, designed for customers who couldn’t fit the cars in venues. Then there’s the wedding taxi, which is a classier yet still unconventional affair with black interior and cream exterior. The mastermind decorates her cars from every nook and cranny of vintage to pound shops. Sometimes customers request their own designs and Posner recalls still fitting the taxi carpet as they were driving to the event after promising to change the taxi to black and silver themed! The photos can all be personalised and can be black and white or colour. This decision was posed at an 18th birthday party in Essex to a couple kissing in the back when the man replied that his fake tan would be a waste if they were in grey scale! With many more funny stories to be experienced with Megabooth, it’s got big plans such as expanding their fleet and perhaps setting up a franchise overseas as they’ve had American interest. Keep this in mind when planning your summer parties and make sure we get an invite! Words and design Kate Stewart. Original images Lomo and Megabooth.com
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