Spindle Magazine Issue 5 by Spindle magazine

I s s ue 5 // 2012 ‘ he ri t a ge ’

Issue 5 // 2012

Issue 5 // 2012 Photography

Kevin Mason @ Create

Styling

Heather Falconer jumper

Ekaterina

model

Angelica @ Profile

Illustration

Sarah Ferrari

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Cont 32

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80 52

ents 66

Issue 5 // 2012 Editor in Chief and Creative Director Heather Falconer heather@spindlemagazine.com 07719 528 622 Art Direction and Design Sarah Ferrari sarah@spindlemagazine.com www.sarahferrari.com Music and Commissioning Editor Amy Lavelle amy@spindlemagazine.com Contributing Commissioning Editor Thomas Dearnley Davison Events Co-ordinator Bee Adamic bee@spindlemagazine.com Arts Writers Kathryn Evans Lana McDonagh Film Writer Thomas Dearnley Davison Fashion Assistant Hugo Harris Contributing Writers Vanessa Austin Locke Nosmot Ghadmosi Shane Hawkins Hannah Swindon Thomas Spooner Lois Walker Photographers Kevin Mason www.welovecreate.com Jean-Luc Brouard www.jeanlucbrouard.com Christopher Hench www.christopherhench.com Karl Slater www.karlslater.com Wade Fletcher www.wadefletcher.blogspot.com Beth Steddon www.welovecreate.com LFW Photographers Kris Mitchell www.kris-mitchell.com Kai Narin www.kaicemnarin.com

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Lana McDonagh Heather Falconer Amy Lavelle Jean-Luc Brouard Hugo Harris

6 Shane Hawkins 7 Bee Adamic 8 Kathryn Evans 9 Sarah Ferrari 10 Thomas Dearnley-Davison

Photography (Cover)

jumper (Cover)

Styling (Cover)

Illustration (above & opposite)

Kevin Mason @ Create Heather Falconer

Ekaterina

Peter James Field

for more

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without permission from the publisher. The views expressed in Spindle are of those retrospective contributors and are not necessarily shared by the magazine. The magazine welcomes ideas and new contributors, but can assume no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations. Spindle is printed and published in the UK 4 times a year.

Illustrators Lilly Allen www.lillyallenillustration.blogspot.com David Méndez Alonso www.davidmendezalonso.com Adam Batchelor www.adambatchelor.co.uk Emma Brown www.emmabrownowl.com Laura Brown www.laulaulikes.blogspot.com Hannah Buck www.missbuck.com Marcel Cowling www.marcelcowling.com Nicholas Darby www.nicholasdarby.co.uk Philip Dennis www.philipdennisart.com Tim Drake www.timdrakedraws.com Mareike Engelke www.mareikeengelke.de

Peter James Field www.peterjamesfield.co.uk Daisy Gam www.daisygam.com James Grover www.jamesgrover.com Simon Heard www.sinagedesign.com Lewes Jillett www.lewesjillett.co.uk Kick Dirt www.wix.com/kickdirt/kickdirt Melissa Kime www.melissa-kime.blogspot.com Adriana Krawcewicz www.artianadeco.carbonmade.com Make Believe Collective www.makebelieveco.blogspot.com Billy Mather www.billymather.co.uk Sarah Maycock www.sarahmaycock.co.uk Tommy Nicholson www.tommynicholson.com Tyler Parker www.theartoftylerparker.com Alice Parsons www.owlstation.com Anais Pikture anaispikture@gmail.com Karolina Pyrcik www.karolinapyrcik.de Matthew Reay www.matthewreay.com Lisa Rust liska_rusty@hotmail.co.uk Patrick Savile www.patricksavile.com Steven Silverwood www.stevensilverwood.com Karin Söderquist www.karinsoderquist.com Hattie Stewart www.hattiestewart.com Nadia Taylor www.nadiataylor.co.uk Joel Wells www.joelwells.net Kayleigh Ann Witt www.kawcandraw.blogspot.com Hair and Makeup Kalvyn Celic Emma Hedges Web Design Sarah Ferrari www.sarahferrari.com Thanks to all of the interns who helped out with issue 5 Publisher Heather Falconer Sales and Advertising advertising@spindlemagazine.com Submission Email info@spindlemagazine.com Spindle Magazine is printed by Wyndeham Grange Ltd, Butts Road, Southwick, West Sussex, BN42 4EJ © 2012 Spindle What do you think of Spindle? info@spindlemagazine.com

Issue 5 // 2012

Welcome to issue 5 // The Heritage Issue. W-O-W issue 5 of Spindle Magazine, we’re getting old, and so the ‘Heritage’ issue certainly seems very apt. This issue has come out slightly later than scheduled, for many reasons, one being that we found that from previous issues that many of you read Spindle online, therefore we (our amazing art director and designer Sarah Ferrari) have spent time re-designing the website, so it’s as slick and sexy as the paper based counter part. Despite the delay, I believe that when you look over the 100 pages of beautiful illustrations, photography and witty words, then I’m sure it’s simple to see exactly how much work has gone into this issue – and it’s talent you cannot rush. As with every issue, everyone involved is extremely talented and I’d like to thank everyone for their patience with the launch of this issue. Philip Dennis, who designed our back cover for this issue is a prime example; he has just had a selection of his illustrations published in Phaidons’ Illustration Now and these were illustrations that Spindle commissioned him to do. (pg98). This issue’s theme explores how your cultural background affects the way you behave. What does heritage mean to you? On page 16, Lois Waller discusses whether Heritage is our ‘friend or foe’. This issue we introduce comedy and poetry to our Ones To Watch sections, in the form of Joey Page (pg9) and James Rippingale (pg8). We catch up with Flik Hall at her studio and film-wise, Thomas Dearnley Davison questions 3-D cinema and history repeating itself. We catch up with Baxter Dury, K Flay and Crystal Antlers. I hope you enjoy reading this issue, you can send us your thoughts and comments to: info@spindlemagazine.com and if you’d like to contribute to issue 6, The End Of The World issue, details can be found at: www.spindlemagazine.com.

Issue 5 // 2012 You’ve managed to achieve so much having only started your label a year ago. Did you always want to be in fashion? I am very grateful for all the positive feedback, but as you know, fashion keeps on rolling forward. I actually never dreamed I would find myself in the fashion business. I never was locked on any specific field early on – I wanted to be open to what I found along the way.

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Hugo Harris Illustration

Tommy Nicholson As your correspondent writes this, he is currently dressed in an orange, fluffy Angora wool jumper, his hair is the shade of an elderly lavender rinse and yes, none of this conjurs up his typical menswear exterior. Menswear as a term conjurs up stiff suits and restricted lines, uninspiring and repetitive. However there are numerous designers outside of the mass branded world tearing up the menswear rulebook and our One to Watch is no different. With heavy woollen knits and a deconstructed frame, Norwegian born Camilla Bruerberg proves that menswear can lie somewhere other than the realms of traditional structure or camp excess. Bruerberg has given us a new, ‘playful’ man, a look that is definitely a One to Watch...

You are often inspired by human interaction and the past, with your S/S 11 collection named after the prehistoric bird, Archaeopteryx. How important is heritage to you? Ever since I was little I’ve always found it very thought provoking when people wanted me to follow, conform or behave in a certain way because of tradition. It just didn’t make sense for me to do things just because they were ‘right’, or because it was traditional. But when I get to discover heritage and tradition on my own, by taking it apart and putting it together in my own context, then it can really be inspiring! I am currently working on a project right now together with two other menswear designers, one from Turkey and the other from South Africa, where we each represent very different cultures. The theme for the project is in a way heritage and how men relate to style and clothing from different societies.

The technique of knitting and the use of wool have continually played a part in the construction of your garments. What lead you towards such a traditional craft? Just being able to construct my own textiles was an important discovery. It gave me the tools to take control of what I wanted fashion to be. And wool is just the most awesome material: it comes in so many varieties; has great abilities; and is far more environmentally friendly to produce than most textiles. What other crafts would you like to experiment with? There are many things I would like to learn more about, such as weaving, leather works, colouring and shoemaking. It’s great for research and inspiration, but I think for me designing is the best part and I like to leave the heavy duty craft to the experts.

What lead you towards menswear, rather than designing for say yourself? I think I take on another mind-set when designing for men. Men have a different energy than women, more direct and you get to play with more strict and geometrical lines. I guess it’s a good contrast when you work with soft textiles. I would like to design for women too: one day I’d like to launch a kick ass brand with bigger sizes for women. Who would be the ideal Bruerberg man then? My ideal man is confident and playful with a soft side. And speaking of heritage, today I sent some garments to one of my childhood icons growing up. Unfortunately I can’t say who they are just yet, but they were definitely a big part of my own musical heritage growing up, so that felt a bit special. And they looked damn good! Well speaking of musicians, you have collaborated recently with the electro band Röyksopp. With that and the sending of secret parcels to musical icons, would you say music has inspired the way you work? Music is very important to me,

Issue 5 // 2012 I’ve also played for many years. Right now I find the idea of music very inspiring, especially the way a musician thinks and works when making music. In some ways it feels freer than designing. You’re our One to Watch, who would you say were your Ones to Watch? Definitely Nilhan Durmusoglu Johansen, who has just graduated from Oslo National Academy of Arts. With her brand, Sn.Dj she makes some delightfully whacky menswear. Also Jone Nilsen, another fashion graduate from Oslo. I am excited to see what he will do in the future! What three things can we expect from S/S 2012? More printed leather, new materials and do I smell fish? Where would you like to see the Bruerberg brand in 10 years? In 10 years the world could be very different. However by then I would like to be an experienced designer. I of course hope to be established in one way or another. Finally, what valuable piece of advice could you give to aspiring talent out there looking to be the next One to Watch? The mantra of “get some experience first” could be worth listening to. Think for yourself, but listen to advice. Don’t rush too much and find your voice before you start singing (or screaming). And make good designs!

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Everyone’s new favourite band, Let’s Buy Happiness, manage to combine beautifully tender, nordic sounding vocals together with delayed guitar soundscapes. The subtle fraility of their sound manages to draw you in and hold your attention. This barely legal five piece, hailing from Newcastle, came together when 21 year old Sarah Hall was asked to front her little brother’s band. Sarah joined alongside the others and together Let’s Buy Happiness began to distil their love of North American alt indie bands, creating a glacially cool and unique sound. Your sound has been described by others as sounding like “an ecclesiastical soundscape with a poppy spin” would you agree with this? Haha well its sounds lovely, so I definitely wouldn’t mind being called that! How are you guys? We’re super dandy, lots of writing being done at the moment and the weather is LAVLEY.

Sarah, I understand you direct all the videos and design all the artwork for the band; where do you get your inspiration from? I design all the artwork, but only directed the video for six wolves. For our latest single, the lovely Orestes Mitas was the director. My inspiration comes from anything and everything. I have the magpie eyes all the time and look for anything engaging, like films, photography, landscapes, people, songs, science, lyrics, dreams – anything that makes life seem a bit more colourful and unexpected. I especially like off beat beauty. How did the band form... and when? Ooh, It was about three or four years ago now. James King and James Hall were friends since before puberty, Graeme and Mark were friends, the two bromances met at a party and then my brother James invited me to practise and the rest is recent history. words

Bee Adamic Illustration

David Méndez Alonso

Issue 5 // 2012 Your sound is very Nordic and windswept, but you are from Newcastle – what’s the live music scene like up there? It’s one we’re very proud to be part of; it’s such an eclectic mix and caters to an extremely loyal Northern audience! What was 2011 like for you? Well, we’ve had a lot of fun playing all over Britain, staying on friends floors after gigs, playing festivals and writing new stuff. What other bands are you into right now? Chad VanGaalen, Real Estate, Warpaint, Bon Iver (probably a load more that I cant think of).

If you could do any cover as a band, what would it be and why? Rusted Roots – Send Me On My Way, because it reminds me of when I was about eight and got Matilda on VHS. I was convinced I could train myself telekinesis... That age when anything is still possible. What’s next for LBH? We’re excitedly looking forward to supporting We Were Promised Jetpacks on four of their tour dates, then Lay Lines Festival and Brainwash Festival, amongst other dates up and down our lovely island. We are also in the process of writing our album so watch this space!

Any funny tour stories to share with us? Apart from me (Sarah) being a super, dictionary definition light weight and being sick all over Graeme (guitarist), nope, nothing springs to mind... Yeah I’m that girl.

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Thomas Dearnley-Davison Illustration

Sarah Maycock Illya Klymkiw is one film maker that defies classification. Based in Toronto, Canada, he is a one-man-band comprising writer, director and actor, with influences ranging from Michaelangelo to Francis Bacon to Bill Cosby, his work is quite unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. Trust me. Broadly speaking, his films take place in nightmareish worlds constructed with shadowy images and jarring noises that evoke both film noir and the work of David Lynch. Imagine Sam Spade showing up in Lost Highway and you’re somewhere near the mark.

“I love David Lynch!” explains Illya. “Inland Empire shuts off my brain and batters my insides. I love it. And it’s been a bit of an obsession in the past few years to deconstruct the ‘hard-boiled’ detective character.”

“Visuals are stuck on the screen. They’re stuck in that box and you will never connect with them,” Illya explains. “With sound and music you can get much closer to a viewer, trigger instinctual reactions and guide them emotionally.”

Unsurprisingly, nightmares and dreamscapes are also a huge preoccupation for him. “It’s all about letting go of the ego and experiencing sounds, colours and shapes in an infantile way. It’s so pure and unbridled there. You’re never as happy, as in love, or as scared as you are in dreams.”

As for what’s next, Illya is planning to pitch a television project (“A near-future dystopian murder mystery. Blade Runner meets Twin Peaks,” – my spine is tingling already) and is working on a few feature-length scripts too.

Indeed, I must confess to having jumped out of my skin once or twice while watching some sequences and this was largely down to a skilful mastery of sound and visuals. Which is more important to him as a film maker?

“Physically, I’ll work anywhere I can. I could see myself easily living in Europe if I had the chance. I’ve been told that my filmmaking would go over very well in places like Paris or Berlin.” Well dear, Europe welcomes you with open arms… “…I’m open to any opportunities I can take”

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Self taught San Franciscan Artist Charmaine Olivia is a vessel of talent whose creativity covers the entire artistic spectrum. Not only has she been commissioned by conglomerates such as Urban Outfitters, but she has also caught the eye of queen of porn, sorry I mean pop, Lady Gaga, who selected her to be one of three artists to a design a poster for her album release... Tell us about your artistic back ground – when did you first realise you were a dab hand with a paintbrush? I started painting when I was around six or seven with my aunt. All I wanted to do was paint mermaids and weird sea creatures. I was a little clumsy with mixing paint but she was very patient with me and I just kept at it. I didn’t start painting more regularly or taking it seriously until my last year of high school, though. Do you find that being self taught has allowed you more freedom of expression? Well, I can’t be sure, as it’s the only route I know. But I do feel very free to express myself exactly however I choose to.

What inspires you? Everyone and everything! A gentle breeze, a new song, a strange dream, a hot cup of tea: it’s everywhere. You feature women, nature and tattoos a lot in your work; what draws you to these themes? They are all things that intrigue and inspire me.

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What other strings do you have attached to your creative bow? I used to be a musician before I realized that painting was my real passion. I grew up playing piano and I played clarinet for four years. I also used to write a lot of poetry. What has been the highlight of your artistic career so far? It’s all been an amazing ride. Seeing my work hanging in Urban Outfitters for the first time was a little exciting, not gonna lie. What’s next in the pipeline for Charmaine Olivia? Spill the proverbial beans… I have a big solo show in January at Shooting Gallery here in San Francisco, which I’m super excited about. I’m working on 10+ brand new works

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Lana McDonagh Illustration

Melissa Kime

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Lana McDonagh Illustration

Emma Brown During the wolf-hours of a string of nights, James Rippingale realised that the pieces of prose and poetry he was writing for a girl formed the best part of a book. He sat on it for a while, hacking and adding and, when he finished it, the same girl convinced him to enter a competition an Anglo-American publisher was running and the rest is, as we say, history. Winning saw the publication of his collection of poems under the title Tear Gas, which he humbly describes as “pretty lucky”, but we describe as ‘inevitable’. The London based poet is, well, a proper poet. Forget the contemporary ‘8 mile’ rapper-come-poet-

spitting-rhymes-about-life-in-the-urban-city, Rippingale speaks with raw emotion and candor; this wordsmith is a refreshingly traditional talent and, dare I say... deep!? He describes writing as, “A way to cross out what’s not important in life – to mute the background noise and explore what it is that you or others really do value.” At the root of it, he’s into, “the way that primitive drives” and how “myths and archetypal images find their way up through cultural memory and into modern life”. Apart from the girl that this collection is pretty much an ode to, Rippingale is a fan of Michael Herr (literature), Mitch Griffiths (art) and The Kills (music), although the latter is just a temporary investment until “someone invents a new drug, which is when we’ll start hearing new bands again”. He somewhat sarcastically tells me that, fashion wise, he cannot wait until, “Herve Leger is back in,” so unless he is into body sculpting and

bandage dresses, I guess it is still un-cool for ‘intellectuals’ to be even slightly interested in what clothes they back. Spilling the proverbial beans, he tells us two more poetry collections are on the way; “One entitled Zone/1 is a punk-techno lovechild of T.S Eliot’s The Wasteland and is centred around London. The other, Monte Carlo Blonde, is a collection of poems based on some time I spent in Monaco and Cannes, trying to decipher who’d had the most surgery and which mega-yacht owners were actually tourists who’d rented them by the hour”. He has also nearly finished his first novel – a love story based around the London bombings and the events of 7/7. He would also like to ask the world “why every single book advertised on a train or tube platform is a crimethrillermurderwhodunitt?” If anyone knows the answer to this, please be sure to PO Box it or something

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Lana McDonagh Illustration

Hattie Stewart

Are you bored of Michael fucking Mcintyre? Do you hate those T4 wankers who have yet to learn that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit? Are you dying to get your teeth into some fresh comedic talent? Well crave no more: Spindle have scouted a rising star shooting around the indie comedy circuit. He’s eccentric, kooky, quirky and other synonyms of weird, but, most importantly, he can make a 6ft alpha male giggle like a school girl. Like Russell and Noel, Joey looks more like a lead singer of a band than a man of rapier wit; he is definitely a member of the ‘new breed’ of rock’n’roll comedian who looks more Doherty than Doherty. His performances consist of nonsensical streams of consciousness rather than flat-pack jokes, which means audiences can gain great insight into his brain box, which is derailed to say the least. On a one-man-mission to make stand up ‘less boring’ and, having watched Reeves and Mortimer as a child, Joey’s humour is suitably mischievous and surrealist. His material is comprised of ‘flights of fancy’ and flits from one notion of excitement to the next... rather like a child who has eaten too many blue Smarties. As well as just finishing a month long run at Edinburgh Festival, he is currently working on an extras DVD for fellow oddity Noel Fielding’s new TV show, which he describes as, “absolutely berserk” and will shortly be featuring on BBC online, so eyes, stay peeled!

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Heritage, or “something that comes or belongs to one by reason of birth” – to me, that says it all. The word ‘Heritage’ can mean something different to many people, from all walks of life. Whether you are a law student, musician, care worker, homeless person or teacher, it’s all around us. With a country that believes heavily in its past and history, our Heritage is something that makes other countries envy our wealth of historic content and the fact we like keeping it. From the royal family, to St. Paul’s Cathedral, the old mining houses in Yorkshire, to Stonehenge, heritage is what makes us and is in many things we still do today.

With fashion, heritage can play a massive part in designing a new collection. With designers always seeking new looks, changing existing styles and experimenting, it’s obvious that fashions from our past are revisited and used for new trends and seasons. Designers from the UK such as Vivienne Westwood, the late, great Alexander McQueen and John Galliano all relish in the histories of our nation and enjoy reintroducing them into the modern world.

Moving from London to Essex (for the second time) was a major culture shock. Neighbours know each others’ names or even have your spare door key, dog walkers smile and greet each other and old people don’t mind stopping for a chat. Maybe it’s the cities and mixture of tourist, stranger and Londoner that makes us so guarded, but surely it’s better to say hello to your neighbour than ignore those who live 20 feet away.

But sadly not all pieces of our past are continued. Manners and politeness were something that were taught in schools, in the family home and were a social decency that just no longer exist. It’s as if we are just too busy or self involved to have time for our fellow man and the days of giving way to people, holding doors and gentle politeness have been thrown out the window. Even smiling or nodding to someone you pass in the street was a common thing, but now we barely acknowledge each other (unless somebody just stepped on your foot on the tube).

Above all, our heritage has got us through wars, bad politics and terrorism, so surely manners and a ‘hello’ can’t be worth forgetting? Maybe it’s better to mix with different people from different worlds but there’s nothing wrong with holding the door open for them either

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Lois Waller Illustration

Karolina Pyrcik

“now we barely acknowledge each other (unless somebody just stepped on your foot on the tube)”

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M y t h of t h e Br i t ish Br a n d The way we dress is the most powerful tool we occupy, reflecting everything that we are. From the way we think, to our political and social standing, our self-worth and ultimately our personality, all locked up between the stitches of the clothing displayed on our backs. Clothing without a body is a hollow shell, a dead body waiting to be revitalised and inside the corpse hanging in the wardrobe is a small tag containing all the same things as our personality: the brand. Branding is big business; with the right moves it can transform a designer’s creativity, a business’s history, into vast profitability. To do this, companies have had to tarnish and recreate history, thereby undermining its products and deceiving its customers. It all sounds very underhand, but it is right there, sewn to the seams of your t-shirts next to the 30 degrees logo, the country of manufacture. So why is it that we rarely stop and think, just exactly how British are our British fashion brands? Whether you’re a punk or a princess, British fashion is far more than frills and frolics: it encompasses every nuance of the masquerade and rebellion going on in British society at every level, from the late Alexander McQueen’s macabre Victorian punk styling, to Stella McCartney’s Olympic designs. Yet would it surprise you, dear reader, to discover that both the late influential Alexander McQueen and Beatle Babe Stella McCartney are owned by the Italian founded Gucci Group, which is in turn owned by the French holding company PPR? Surely all Anglo-maniacs out there will shake their heads in disbelief at the likelihood that the Duchess Catherine of Cambridge’s McQueen wedding gown was being shipped back and forth to the ateliers of Paris for its minute craftsmanship?

The sad but true fact is that very little is produced in Britain anymore. When asking the Curator of the Fashion Museum, Rosemary Harden, on the future of the British brand she stated that, “British design is still alive and well in our museum,” and perhaps that’s the cold fact, that amongst the displays of Regency costume and Bibb Gibb frocks, lies the remains of the British brand. Gone are the days when little Laura Ashley sat at her table potato printing teacloths, whilst factories in Wales pieced together Burberry Polo shirts. When Burberry was asked in 2006 by the Church of England, which has a $4.9 million stake in the company, for a formal explanation of their move abroad, they proclaimed, “We found the costs of producing offshore to be substantially lower.” My nostalgic thinking may be getting the better of me, but can the British heritage of a brand such as Burberry be creditable through sacrificing U.K production costs in favour of photographing Jourdan Dunn on Brighton Beach to echo its ‘Brit vibe?’ Does it even matter? Do we mind buying Vivienne Westwood shirts from Mauritius and bondage trousers from Italy? Paul Smith Jackets from Japan and Henry Poole, the traditional Saville Row tailors, from China? Perhaps not if the designs still make our hearts skip a beat, but what separates the Westwood shirt to the Topman one when they are more than likely coming out of the same factory? Buttons and a stitched Union Jack logo? Is that enough for a brand that proclaims and flaunts its Britishness? Britishness is still alive: it is mud covered wellington boots, Beefeaters and wonderland gin in tea cup madness that attracts Anglophiles all over the world to be a part of our heritage, but if our fashion heritage is becoming no more than a big business myth, what do we have left to give the fashion world besides an I heart London T-shirt, made in China?

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Hugo Harris Illustration

Laura Brown

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We fou n d the costs of produci ng of fshor e to be su bsta n t i a lly l ow er .

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Vanessa Austin Locke takes a look at the heritage of our most feminine fabric, lace. Lace is full of holes, whether old or new. It’s impractical. It’s beautiful. It’s arguably the most feminine fabric there is. It’s coy. It plays a tantalizing game of revealing and concealing. In short, it’s a tease. It’s bridal and funereal, it’s sexy and it’s pure. At its worst it’s depressed and made from red nylon in Anne Summers, but at its best it lies in a silk-lined box at my mother’s house, having escaped pre-war persecution in Russia, covered the head of a bride in Amsterdam and travelled on a crowded refugee boat to East London, England. As weightless and disappearing as it is, it’s heavy with stories. It is my heritage. History Bobbins have been found dating as far back as ancient Rome, which could have been used to make lace, but there are no records of lace having been found until around the beginning of the 14th century, in Flanders. It was only really used by Catholic Clergy initially, as part of various ceremonies and it remained consecrated until the 16th century when it became a popular fashion staple. Each country, or even each province, has it’s own kind of lace. This was born from what’s known as a ‘cottage industry’, where unique techniques were developed by people who didn’t travel much and so the craft stayed relatively unusual to that area and would have been passed down through generations, much like stories. In some countries, the lace

is exclusive to a specific town, for example in England, the town of Honiton was home to a community of lace makers. These artisans even have their very own patron saint, St John Francis Regis, who saved young lace maids from being sent to work in cities by establishing them in the trade. Technique There are numerous different types of lace, from Brussels lace, which is a more heavyduty pillow lace, to the fairy-delicate Mechlin lace, a Flemish variety, which lies in the silklined box at my mother’s house. The Royal School of Needlework was responsible this year for the handembroidered, bespoke lace on Sarah Burton’s wedding dress for Kate Middleton. The lace design and process was influenced by traditional Carrickmacross lace, which originated in Ireland in the 1820s. Carrickmacross lace uses an embroidery technique called appliqué. The lace is worked by applying organdie fabric to a delicate net background and edging each motif with fine, cord-like thread. Sarah Burton sourced a series of lace motifs to create a unique design, applied by the RSN and arranged to fit each part of the dress perfectly following her creative vision. Each lace motif (some as small as a five pence piece) was applied with minute stitches every two to three millimetres. Contemporary use A designer that’s caught my eye recently for his use of lace is Tim Rhys-Evans. What I like about the way Tim uses lace is that it’s

quite structural and dark. Lace is so often associated with ethereal romance, but for me it works best when that romance has a darker side. Our clothes should always tell a story, and any good story needs conflict. Tim’s designs hint at this, while maintaining elegance and romance. His A/W11 collection was based on the Elizabethan era and employed Chantilly lace, which lends itself well to the religious turmoil, high drama, strong femininity and luxury of that period. Tim is certainly sensitive to the heritage and implications that come with lace, “I think my general design style always tends to favour quite a gothic, avant-garde feel. I suppose it’s about working with a fabric and technique that has been around for hundreds of years, but designing to make it contemporary so that it’s desired by today’s market. I design very structured, tailored garments that make women look sexy and show off the female form. I used French Chantilly lace in my A/W11, that was intended to look like all over skin tattoos.” Heritage As Tim’s collaboration with Elizabeth II alludes to, lace encapsulates the strongest kind of femininity. It’s there, it’s gone, it’s subtle and flexible, it’s bold and it’s fragile, it’s seductive yet shy, it ‘s dark and light, it’s a contradiction and it’s fluid. Like a woman, lace keeps its secrets. My great grandmother’s veil is too delicate to be removed from its box now, but when I touch the fragile, frayed fabric, complete with liver spots, I’m instantly connected to the unrecorded female line of my family and I know everything I need to know

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Vanessa Austin Locke Illustration

Daisy Gam

photography

Beth Steddon

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Karl Slater Styling

Rickardo Mattocks Maxwell Make Up

Anna Wagner using RCMA Model

Josh Weatheritt @ D1 models Illustration

Tommy Nicholson

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Leather jacket: Bolongaro Trever Top and trousers: Henri Lloyd Chain: Icon Brand right

Quilted Leather Jacket: H by Harris Jumper: Joseph Okrah

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Khaki shirt: Beyond Retro Denim shirt: Polo Ralph Lauren Leather trousers: Jadien RVA James

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Jacket and shirt: Beyond Retro Jeans: Omar Kash Chain: Icon Brand Boxers: Modelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own right

Khaki shirt: Beyond Retro Denim shirt: Polo Ralph Lauren Leather trousers: Jadien RVA James Trainers: Henri Lloyd

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B O Y London, the brand that has given the world monochrome slogan t-shirts, leggings and shredded sweatshirts has come a long way since its days of selling Vintage 195 0’s clothing, Zootsuits and Jukeboxes on the 70’s Kings Road Market under the name Acme At tractions. When I think of BOY London, my brain goes straight to the pages of the biography, The Unfashionable Life of Vivienne Westwood. In it is written how BOY London founder, Stephane Raynor, bought all Westwood’s famed punk prints as she hit her first bankruptcy in the early 1980’s. In Raynor’s hands

it has been suggested that he is responsible for the world being littered with Sex Pistol prints as far as the eye can see; from Japan to your local H&M you can find a t-shirt emblazoned with ‘God Save the Queen.’ With the world wide selling of copied prints, vintage wears and now basic branded t-shirts that echo back to BOY’s attempt at 90’s Hip-Hop wears, I wondered if there was a heritage to this brand other than a fast fashion attempt to cash in on the youth movements of each prospective decade that BOY has tried to make its mark. When I posed this to Raynor as he hung out in his current shop SICK off Brick lane, his response was not to deny such a statement, but to suggest that, “BOY is not a fashion

label, as it is unique with being the only label that never set out to make money. It’s a life style that has been adopted by many movements.” Adopted is an interesting use of phrase, suggesting that each decade welcomed Raynor’s choice of aesthetics with open arms. As he told me, “There have been so many BOY individuals over the past 30 years. From artists, to fashionistas, pop stars to rocks stars and even models. Appealing to both the underground and the mainstream,’’ which, I must admit, is a heritage to be proud of, considering there was no desire to make money. It does make my fashion filled brain boggle as to what has kept Raynor to continue with BOY after so long;

perhaps for the love of design or a comfortable trade he feels happy in, yet my thoughts were silenced by Raynors statement that; “I haven’t done anything: BOY has a life of its own; it’s like a cockroach. I hate fashion. I strive for something more extraordinary; if anything I’m anti fashion. The most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives; some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t. My mum is still waiting for me to get a real job. I just believe that every great person of style should have at least one piece of BOY in their wardrobe.’ This was matched by his parting words, after I asked what was next for BOY London. His response, “World domination,” and with that the interview ended.

Issue 5 // 2012 Words

Hugo Harris Photography

Lefteris Primos hair

Mikey Kardashian Illustration

Nicholas Darby

“ I haven’ t done any thing, BOY has a life of its own, it’s like a c o c k r o a c h . I hate fashion. ”

I felt completely bewildered by everything that was said. World domination mixed with the lack of desire to make money. The wanting to be anti-fashion whilst maintaining a brand that appeals to everyone, including the many celebrities that can still be spotted wearing a ‘leave the BOY alone’ tee. Whilst the past 30 years Raynor has used fashion as a toy, a plaything until the man who’s in his 60s realises what he wants from life. Perhaps many designers used their creativity as a financial crutch until they realised who they wanted to be, but my mind wanders to the thousands of designers whose talent is dying to achieve the attention Raynor gets, for whom fashion is a food and not a 30 year old hobby for the ‘most interesting people.’

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Christopher Hench clothes

Mary Katherine Schweitzerr Designer assistant

Kiara Nalli Styling Assistant

Jaquelin Dianne Gasc Model

Alexa Johns @ Factor Models Illustration

Alice Parsons

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Words

Illustration

Photography

Styling

Make up

model

Hugo Harris Jean-Luc Brouard Suzi Dunne-Jones

Joel Wells

Heather Falconer Xintong Wang

s a child, I can remember my darling sister screaming for a golden ‘puffa’ jacket - an item so hideous it never left the wardrobe, but was no less idealised in her teenage mind. I had to have the best trainers for school; unbranded ones would be beyond tragic and depending on the right tick, stripe, silhouetted logo or laces, you could launch yourself from top dog on the playground to sitting alone on the sidelines. Personally, I got confused and forced my poor parents to buy me a pair of purple Buffalo platform trainers - cool on the Spice Girls, not so cool on the football pitch.

Take Adidas. If we bought their products on the principle of its heritage as a NaziGermany based brand producing boots for the Wehrmacht, it would be safe to say that very few sales would be made. However, placing the logo upon top athletes, giving it the Beckham ‘touch’ and a fashion kick with both Stella McCartney and Jeremy Scott at the helm, suddenly the brand seems fresh and tempting to all markets. Teddy Bear winged trainers never looked so appealing!

So what has made sportswear one of the must have items, where everything from the hideous to the chic to the downright ‘chavvy’ in some way permeates our wardrobes?

That is not to say heritage is not alive and well on the sports fields. Many brands, such as Fila, who this year are celebrating their 100th anniversary, are thriving on their heritage and Ellesse, with their archived 80’s inspired, brightly coloured prints, go so far past the taste threshold that they are beyond brilliant.

Profound and deep meanings can be claimed: sportswear reflects the desire to be a part of the physically elite, a lifestyle of health and fitness... But how many people can claim that they have a horse to go with the polo shirt and the secret shame that, in fact, tracksuits with an elastic waistband are more ‘lazy boy’ comfort than Olympic athlete? No, the secret lies in sportswear brands constant resurgence in their image, using everything celebrity, art and music has to offer, to keep themselves fresh and young despite the fact that most of the brands are pushing the big 100 year mark.

Taste is all a part of the fashion game and, for every time high end design filters down to the high street, so too does the street inspire the couture. Chanel, Dior, Gucci, you name them – all want to tap into the market that sportswear brands have created and successfully held onto. Skiing can no longer be done without Dior goggles and surfing is nothing without the Chanel surfboard, but nothing in my eyes can beat the real thing: shiny nylon and dirty rubber soles, the look that will forever continue, no matter what the trend

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Jacket: Evmorfia Rings: Imogen Belfield

Photography

Daniel Regan Styling

Sabina Emrit Make Up

Victoria Reynolds Hair

Vincent Silvester Styling Assistants

Akeela Bhattay & Hannah Jones Illustration

Tyler Parker

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Fringe top: Eleanor Amoroso Bodysuit: Aqua Jewelry: Imogen Belfield Shoes: Ted Baker

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Bra and trousers: Olivia Nanasi Necklaces: Stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own

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Dress: Edward Lord Headpiece: Her Curious Nature

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Elne

Styling

Sarah Nicholls Make Up

Michelle Dacillio Model

Greta Sidabraiter Illustration

Lilly Allen

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Fur jacket and scarf: Stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Below

Knitted crop jumper: Harnett & Pope Skirt: This Shop Rocks right

Sheer top: Sick All-in-one: Bless archive Pom pom necklace: Sarah Nicholls

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Blue kimono: Beyond Retro Red sheer dress: American Apparel Necklace: Stylist’s own Above

Black leather gilet: Barlow Cream skirt: Model’s own left

Blue Feather headress: Biba White feather dress: Thomas Sels Belt: Stylist’s own

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Having graduated from Central St Martins in 2008, Flik Hall has become a mistress of prints. Her eponymous label has gone from strength to strength since launching over a year ago, after working for both Henry Holland and Giles Deacon. As she busily prepares for her upcoming Spring/Summer 2012 collection, I managed to catch up with her to find out about her dreams, her Barbie dolls, her studio and, above all, her fashion heritage. What’s your personal story with fashion? My mum is an antique dealer and I would often go to work with her in my school holidays. I loved looking at all the different pieces from different eras she had. I was intrigued by how the styles were so different, from Art Nouveau to Art Deco. There were also a lot of beautiful but discerning women that came into the shop that I guess I was sort of fascinated by. I used to sit and draw people when I was there but change their clothes. That’s my earliest memory of starting to design anyway.

How has your style changed since you were a little Flik? I used to plan my outfits a lot more, now I very much get up and dress how I feel that day; to me it’s more important than dressing for an occasion that dictates what you wear. My label is an extension of me and my aesthetic and vision so I wear a lot of my own things. I think style is a continuous evolution, so if I was to attempt to categorize my style it would be an inaccurate description very soon. Doll limbs appear in necklaces and prints in your work; were there many headless dolls in your childhood toy box? Not really actually, maybe I missed out? I did have Barbies though. I don’t think I ever properly grew up; I collect dolls now instead.

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There has been a running theme of heritage in your work, of ghosts, your father and timekeeping. Do you feel it is important to look to the past as a designer? Yes, I am particularly interested in how impressions or original perceptions of things form - whether this is in the past or the present. I find it fascinating that we are drawn to certain things but we don’t know why. For example, I can’t properly explain why I’m drawn to certain imagery or fascinated by time. Augustine famously said, “I cannot grasp all that I am.” The gap between what our brain knows and what our mind is capable of accessing amazes me. I think that most of our experiences remain concealed from consciousness and yet produce a profound effect on us. I am also interested to what extent the impact of outer perceptions, such as sensory experience, and inner perceptions, such as mental experiences, have on us and how they form ideas. I find that sometimes I might not realise that something has inspired me at the time or even interested me, but it reoccurs as a much stronger idea. Favourite period in fashion? Seventies and forties’ glamour. Best fashion trend and the worst? I hate animal/leopard prints (insects are not included in this) apart from I like the panthers in the AW11 Givenchy collection, which I love. Optic Prints are my favourite. If you were stranded with only one outfit for the rest of your life what would it be? My Nicole Farhi jacket, vintage skirt made from a Victorian carpet, silk vest and some flat shoes. Oh, and my Icelandic fox scarf. But that’s me thinking if I was stranded I could use it for a pillow too. We have managed to get an inside peek at your studio, does it run as smoothly as the ticking of one of your father’s clocks? I’m getting there, I still have my manic days.

Three things you couldn’t live without in your studio? 1. The lovely coffee shop, the Hackney Pearl, round the corner. 2. My special heat press that I use for testing print ideas on leather. 3. Weekly visits from my lovely friend Lara Piras who helps me out. Pattern cutter or draper? Definitely draper. What do you listen to in the studio? I listen to pretty chilled music in the studio: Wye Oak; Beach House; Wild Beasts; Bon Iver; and Fleetwood Mac all the time. What can we expect from S/S 2012? Lots of dreamy, melting prints floating across the body, simple silhouettes and contrasting fabrics. There is a lot of printed leather this season, with some other intricate details which I won’t bear all about now. I started looking into aphrodisiacs, which led me to some rather peculiar but intriguing discoveries. The form of the octopus and its many mythological connotations became the focal point of the collection. Also I have collaborated with a very talented young lady for a separate accessories collection. We used real octopus tentacles to form intricate headpieces, rings, and other pieces covering parts of the body. From physically working with the beautiful material and experiencing its texture and flexibility, it became much more of a story unfolding for me. Do you dream? I try so hard to remember my dreams; I used to remember them all the time but now I rarely do. I do have a wonderful dream dictionary; I have been known to jump out of bed to look up something up when I have awoken from a dream. I believe perhaps there is a way to train one’s mind to filter parts of dreams back into our consciousness so we can grasp them

words

Hugo Harris Illustration

Simon Heard photography

Wade Fletcher

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Styling

Illustration

Kevin Mason @ Create Heather Falconer Model

Angelica @ Profile

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knit dress: Ekaterina opposite

Cardigan: Ekaterina

Ekaterina Steven Silverwood

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Tights: American Apparel Top: Flik Hall Shoes: Underground centre

Cardigan: Ekaterina right

Tights: American Apparel Top: Flik Hall Shoes: Underground

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Anushka Menon Styling

Emma Crosby hair & Make Up

Jeni Dodson Model

Gabby Young Scarf

Kundalini Arts Ring

Imogen Belfield Jacket

Alice Palmer

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Lois Waller illustration

Sarah Ferrari

Passion. Maybe not the first word that jumps to mind when you see Gabby of Gabby Young and Other Animals, but it is clear that she has tons of the stuff. Whether it’s her electric red hair or the projection she gives off on stage, this girl and her band are serious, hardworking people. So busy in fact that I had to catch Gabby in between countries and time zones for our interview (just glad I gave the poor girl some notice).

abby may not have had the typical upbringing of a music star, but she obviously had big ambitions and even bigger dreams. Growing up in Wiltshire with a heavy ‘horsey’ influence due to her mother’s career (ironically, very similar to my own childhood), Gabby was granted escapism with her piano and writing short songs with her sister. “As early as I could remember I wanted to do music. I always got excited about singing along to the radio and my sister and I used to write little tunes on the piano and charge my parents 50p to come and see a concert after lunch – of course they HAD to come: we were very persuasive!”

s music was a childhood love, was there never anything else Gabby wanted to do? “Not really. I was the manager of a dress shop which I loved and I have a serious DIY and gardening bug right now but music is my life: sounds cliché but it’s true.”

think now I can at least see where the fashion side of things would have come from. As fashion and music are so strongly linked, especially with artists such as Lady Gaga, does having a strong image help? “I think they work so well together because they are both creative and about expressing yourself and standing out from the crowd. The kind of fashion that really makes a difference to a performance is big, bold and original, which is what I always strive for, so I can really put on a show. I’ve just always loved dressing up and, now I have a job on big stages, I love playing with big dresses to fill them! I’m always trying new things and working on striking, unique looks with my wonderful hair and makeup artist, Jennifer Nash, and stylist, Katie Antoniou. Together, we always try and push the boat out and use up and coming designers as much as possible, as it is important for me to promote other people’s work. There is nothing better than hearing an audience member asking the designer I wore to design her wedding dress!”

nd this certainly can help when you look at the likes of Madonna, who started the mould of the fashion and music relationship. But does this always help? “Absolutely but the music has to come first. There are a lot of artists that I love the style of, but would never buy their music and I don’t think that’s necessarily the right way round! The industry is full of new artists, all begging for your attention and to be honest I think the most important thing is to do your own thing and just have fun with it and try to ignore what everyone else is doing .”

usical influences must at least have helped Gabby form her individual style, but who gave her inspiration? “Jeff Buckley changed my path from wanting to be an opera singer, Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan inspired me to teach myself guitar and write folk songs, Louis Prima made me want to have a big jazz band and David Bowie and Bjork influenced my style and wanting to do something other worldly.”

nd eras – were there any in particular that were best for music? “I love the Jazz era of the 20s/30s in particular: the performers really entertained the audience, got dressed up and made everyone dance, sing along and most importantly, made people feel good about life, which was really important then as it is now.’

s Gabby has been non stop since the dawn of her music life, what have been the highlights? “Lots of things… From my first proper headline gig at Bush Hall, to a fully packed room that made me cry on the spot and seeing my face on the front of the Sunday Times music magazine. Most of all though, is when a fan says that my music has helped them through a bad time in their life, as that is what really matters to me and that is what makes it all seem worthwhile, more than anything.’

o, what’s left of the path ahead? “I’m recording the second album right now and also gigging all round Europe. The festival season has begun over there so we’re all already stuck in. We just launched a charity single for Japan where many singers recorded the lyrics for my song. We’re All In This Together and all the profits are going to the Japanese Relief Fund so we’re busy working on making that have as much impact as possible. We also have tours in UK, America, Australia and lots more in Europe all happening. We’re off to Germany for the first time tomorrow and I really can’t wait!”

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"“ If I’m

even in today’s music scene I’d be

chuffed. ”

t feature a lot of female artists. It’s safe to

here’s no denying that we here at Spindle

we like a woman who can get down with a guitar or on synth, or who generally has a good set of lungs on her. We also like people who send us jam. Rarely these two fancies of ours converge; not many of these talented women folk send us jam. And that’s ok. We don’t expect them to. But Lucy Rose did. It’s ginger and rhubarb; she made it. So ta, Lucy. Husky voiced ingénue Lucy Rose has been mentioned in the same breath as everyone from Florence Welch to Laura Marling. Jack Steadman too, but for different reasons. The singer songwriter was first thrust into our attention when Bombay Bicycle Club chose her to provide the female vocals on their new album and join them on tour. “They’re all really nice boys and very supportive of my own music.” Ever since she’s been working the London circuit and hitting a few of the major festivals, busily establishing herself on her own terms

for her indie folk music that hints at many different influences yet refuses to conform to one specific sound; it’s all kinds of kooky and mysterious in ways that even she doesn’t quite understand. “It’s definitely still very acoustic based, but with additions. I find it really hard to describe my own music, or understand what it is.” Accompanying it are the devastatingly candid and expressive lyrics through which Rose airs all, refusing to shy away from even the most personal subjects. “I like to be honest and truthful with lyrics. I find it almost impossible to write anything unless I’ve experienced it. But of course there are some things I wouldn’t explore, but not because of people hearing my thoughts, but more because I won’t want to explore those subjects myself.” With her first releases solidify her unfailingly loyal and ever burgeoning fan base, of which Edith Bowman, John Kennedy and Mumford and Sons are just a few, we’re only just getting a taste of what’s to come. So what is exactly in store for the singer songwriter? “I don’t like to plan too far in advanced.” This girl will steal your heart

words

Amy Lavelle

Illustration

Nadia Taylor

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Her mum may still call her Kristine, but the rest of the world knows miss Flaherty as K. Flay. Not to mention as one pretty i m p r e s s i v e chick who s i n g l e h a n d e d l y raps, sings, plays guitar and creates beats, as well as making mix tapes c o m p r i s i n g remixed tracks overlaid with her own lyrics. She also knows how to bake a cake without flour. That’s a pretty cool skill to have. “To bake a cake without flour all you need is something that will allow it to rise and will give it that substance and in a flourless cake that’s just egg whites… Chocolate flourless cake is one of the best things ever.” The nickname she acquired at college – Stanford to be exact, which is also where she found her feet as an artist, getting involved in the Bay Area rap scene.

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“It was just kind of something I did, you know. I didn’t consciously think about what I was doing or even try to experiment that much with my sound.” But while she may have an affinity with hip hop, she doesn’t swear allegiance to any one genre. “There’s definitely a strong hip hop component in the lyrics and in sort of the structure of the songs and kind of the drumlines and a lot of the backbone of the beat. And then there are also some electronic components and the fact that I really use a lot of synthesizers for a lot of the melodic sounds in the songs. And then an indie component as well, I think, sometimes coming in through sample.” Her mashed up style and unique blend of sound is attracting all kinds of attention, getting her stage time with both Ludacris and Snoop, but she has yet to sign herself over to any one label. Her recent publishing deal with Sony though is nothing to sniff at. “I don’t have a label right now, I’m still kind of figuring that out. But it’s been cool because a big kind of component of what I’m doing too is production and writing, not just for myself but trying to do that more for other people too. So it’s cool to have kind of a support system.” This is one to keep an eye on

words

Amy Lavelle Illustration

Kayleigh Ann Witt

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It’s not easy being a band nowadays. The extravagant budgets and glamorous excesses of the 1970s are a distant memory as the world further descends into an age of austerity. And then there’s the Internet; a force that has simultaneously democratised the music industry and diluted the value of what artists produce. So how then does an honest, hard-working band like Californian noiseniks Crystal Antlers keep afloat? By running their own chimney sweep business for starters. “I’ve been running my own chimney sweeping company since I was 19 and most of the money I make right now is going directly to pay for record pressing and promo materials,” front man Jonny Bell explains. As much out of necessity as any idealism, Crystal Antlers’ approach to music is very much DIY. They make their own records: recording, pressing and promoting them themselves; exactly what they’ve done with their second album, Two-Way Mirror. Thankfully Two-Way Mirror is a success: a blistering array of swirling textures, from snarling distortion to surprising pop hooks to addictive surf guitar lines. It also marks a clear progression, showcasing more depth, diversity and production values. “Our approach with Two-Way Mirror was decidedly different... The plan was basically to go to Mexico in an attempt to re-discover isolation and just to try and let things flow freely.” In Mexico, the band found themselves trying out new material, alongside a few covers at a local bar in return for

meals. The album clearly benefits from this slower, more organic song writing process whilst still capturing the intensity found on Tentacles and the EP. “In the early days of the band, the songs were always on the verge of falling apart- we could barely play the parts we were writing, but there was strict underlying structure to the arrangements... We also figured out that if we changed the keys of the songs to keys that I could actually sing in it helped a lot.” Yet considering the album’s conception in Mexico and the band’s home of California, there’s a darkness lurking on the album that you wouldn’t expect. “I think the darker aspects of the record have more to do with our experiences over the last few years rather than our locations while we were writing. Though both Long Beach and La Punta Banda do have some pretty dark things going on,” Jonny explains. There is no doubt that Crystal Antlers are all about the music. The fact that they made a record as bold as Two-Way Mirror is a testament to their integrity

“ I n the early days of the band, the songs were always on the verge of falling apart” 56

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Tom Spooner Illustration

Karin Soderquist

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The artist behind the growled, baroque malevolence of Planningtorock is in fact Bolton born Janine Rostron. Now Berlin based, Planningtorock’s sound is a weirder shape shifter; many of the tracks on the latest album go from orchestrally moody to a danceable joyous sound. I was lucky enough to catch up with Janine, at the beginning of her tour, to find out how things were: It has been nearly five years since your debut album - why did it take you so long to release a follow-up? I wanted to spend time developing new production technics and getting deeper into my own sound, plus I was involved in a lot of other projects at the same time – the collaboration with The Knife and Mt.Sims on the Opera, Tomorrow in a Year and I wrote the soundtrack for a Bruce la Bruce play, The Curious Case of Melanie Klein, which premiered here in Berlin at the Hebbel Theatre. How has your sound progressed from what you began making to what we hear on the album W? The instrumentation has grown. I have always loved working with strings but this time I wanted to use the saxophone, both baritone and tenor – I love the humour and intensity in its sound and it’s a great sonic to manipulate with filters and effects. I also recorded a lot of percussion with the wonderful percussionist Hjörleifur Örn Jónsson in Iceland which was an awesome experience. In relation to the album title W... what does it mean/stand for? Firstly its a cool looking letter and I was attracted by the fact that when you say W its sounds like “double you”. I’m into doppelgangers and notions of the other. What’s your favorite track on the album to perform/listen to? Milky Blau.

words

Bee Adamic Illustration

Tim Drake

There is a lot of amazing string instruments on the album, what fascinates you about using these kinds of instruments? They hold an intensity that’s both melodramatic, moving and sometimes very comic. I especially love staccato and pizzicato strings and use them in a rhythmic way replacing traditional instrumentation for those roles.

So tell us a bit about how you ended up in Berlin? It was through an art project which I founded together with two artist friends. It ran for eight months and I fell in love with the city. Berlin enabled me to build my first sound studio and perform my early shows, which founded planningtorock. What’s considered a perfect day for you in Berlin - I’m off to the festival in September so am really excited as it’s been a while Coffee at my favorite cafe in my street, then a quick swim at one of the lakes, then the rest of the day in the studio – it should be still warm in September so swim at a lake if you can! Otherwise I recommend the Museum fur Naturkunde in Mitte and the Russian tea room on Unter Der Linden. What has been your most memorable gig? I think it must be LCD`s final gig at Madison Square Gardens. it was incredible and so moving. I love them. What was it like working with LCD’s Pat Mahoney, who I understand contributed some percussion to the album? Amazing – he’s a special friend and a formidable drummer – it was in the middle of summer in New York. Very hot and we recorded for three days. It was great to learn and observe the personal technics and preferences of recording a live kit; the single Living It Out is a special version and different from the one on the album, with Pat playing live drums!

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Amy Lavelle Illustration

Matthew Reay

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“ The first night we opened with Public Enemy and we had the governor from Strangeways prison on the phone complaining that he had 2,500 prisoners raving.”

The Warehouse Project opened the doors of its first venue, Boddington’s Brewery, in 2006 and ever since has carved out a new landscape in the Manchester clubbing scene, bringing the great and the good of international DJs and bands to lord it over its stages at one of the most influential club nights the country has seen. The Project was borne out of ennui with the same lineups appearing within the confines of the same four walls, prompting Sacha Lord Marchionne, Kirsty Smith and Sam Kandel to return to the ethos of the guerilla rave scene and put on a series of warehouse parties. “It felt almost like the late 80’s/ early 90’s illegal raves… We got a kick out of that. Initially we thought we’d only run a few and then this monster just appeared called the Warehouse Project,” Sacha explains. Since then, WHP has moved on from the Brewery to the current location of a disused air raid shelter on Store Street. But while they may have stayed true to their home city, never moving out of Manchester, their allegiance to the original ideals of constantly developing and changing remains strong and this interview comes in light of the recent announcement that they will once again be moving on: 2011 was the final season that WHP was conducted at Store Street. “We’ll miss Store Street. We’ll definitely miss it. But we don’t want to get stuck in a rut. It

becomes quite boring. As music evolves we want to evolve with the venue as well. We’ve taken Store Street to where we believe is the limit, we can’t take it any further than it actually can, fortunately selling out week after week. Just logistically we’ve done what we feel what is the best we can with our venue. We just want to keep it fresh and there’s no point staying still and staying stale.” So, with the grand finale now come and gone on NYE, what was Sacha expecting from the Warehouse Project’s send off to Store Street?

“ It felt almost like the late 80s / early 90s illegal raves…” “I think a few tears. Some people are quite gutted. I mean it’s a 17 hour marathon and we just announced today who the special guest is who’ll be closing the show: it’s Laurent Garnier. He also closed the last show we did at Boddington’s Brewery as well, so it’s quite apt. And then there’s all sorts of speculation flying around about what are we are doing next year. We do have a plan; it’s all top secret.” With the final season about to kick off when this interview took place, the tension was building as the end was nigh, with tickets to the final party selling out in less than 24 hours.

“The promotion guy at the office came to me today and said, ‘Do you think we should run an after party?’ Are you fucking mental? We’d be killing people! 17 hours and you want to carry on for another 5 hours? It’s impossible. I think I’ve just highlighted my age… I’d just like to close the doors to Store Street and then that will be it. We’re going to go into hibernation until we announce what the plan is.” Sacha wasn’t planning on joining the party though. “God no! I’m boring; I just stand on the door. Honestly! No, I refuse to go in there. I’ll go on stage just for the last track.” What the last track dropped was at the legendary venue is anyone’s guess, but Sacha has his own thoughts. “There’s a debate going on at the moment, obviously because Garnier’s closing, what will be the last track. I think most people are saying ‘Man With The Red Face’. I have a feeling that’s a bit too obvious for him… Id love it if he did something ridiculous like play Star Trek or a Chesney Hawk track; something really shit!” One thing’s for sure though, Store Street saw a proper send off. “Store Street was always our home. That cemented WHP.” As for the next era of WHP? That’s still a question mark. “It’s time to shake it up.”

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The degree to which I got excited about my interview with Texan rockers, White Denim, was verging on the unprofessional; gabbling all this excitedly over email to their tour manager probably didn’t help.

So you can imagine my expression when I heard that they’d missed their flight to England, would be late to The Great Escape and would thus need the allotted interview time to sleep off their jet lag. Balls. Would they still be performing? I asked, heart in throat. Luckily, it was a yes. Equally fortunate was the promise of a phoner with frontman James Petralli. White Denim have spent the last five years or so maneuvering themselves between soul, prog rock, pyschedelia, 60s garage and blues within any given album. In a lesser band, this attempt may have left them labeled as directionless and confused, but with White Denim it is this seemingly inexhaustible capacity to skillfully move between genres that continues to intrigue both critics and fans and, four albums in, that’s important. Their latest offering, D, sees a triumphant return to 70s psychedelia. It is also this album that had the trio add a fourth to their mix: guitarist Austen Jenkins. “Austin’s got a huge range as a musician: he can pretty much do whatever he wants with instruments, so he’s added a lot of dimension and his voice allows us to be a lot more dynamic on stage, so it’s been great,” James tells me. “I think he’s increased our potential by 25%.”

Skirting the queue of people snaking down the seafront waiting to get into Coalition to hear them play at The Great Escape (a true tribute given the clash with the headlining act in the Dome) with a shameless flash of my press pass, the benefit of adding a fourth member (not to mention sleeping off the jet lag) is obvious as they play with an intensity that must surely leave their guitar frets whittled down to toothpicks. It’s also easy to see where that irksome label of jam band comes from: they rock out on stage with seemingly all the pleasure of a band jamming in their own garage. “It’s a great honour for me to play with my band mates.” But ‘jam band’ is not a label that sits comfortably with them. “There’s a lot of stigma with the jam thing; I don’t think we particularly like having any label other than rock and roll. We’re not completely against it, but it’s kind of fun to have a go at the marketing people who are trying to set us into a kind of category... We definitely don’t want to be perceived as a kind of noodley, stoned out jam band, you know?” It is a label that they’ve addressed with a good attitude and taken in their stride though, recording a tongue in cheek cover in response. “Jam bands are notorious for doing really extended funky jams in like one key, so we’re always joking, well since the record company has said ‘Oh you guys are like a new jam band,’ (the US record company that is) we just kind of said, ‘Oh okay, we’ll give you something to work with there’ and just recorded a funky vamp that stays in one key the whole time and doesn’t really move around, just to have fun. We were in the studio and we thought it would be a funny joke.” If the last four albums have taught us anything, it’s to not categorise White Denim

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Amy Lavelle Illustration

Mareike Engelke

Issue 5 // 2012

“ We’re retards. Well I’m a retard, but I can play the guitar,” Die! Die! Die! front man Andrew Wilson tells me.

Noise punk trio Die! Die! Die! hurtled out of New Zealand in 2005 with their eponymously named debut. In the years since, they’ve released two more albums to critical acclaim, toured with everyone from the Pixies to Wire and have spent years at a time on the road. Now, talking to them at The Great Escape, they’re about to head back into the studio to record their fourth album. “We haven’t got all this planned out on a map so its gonna be really interesting what gets created,” Michael Prain muses. While this may be a much anticipated album for their fans, Die! Die! Die! are best known for their frenetic live performances, garnering the reputation of being New Zealand’s most exciting musical export. So how does that on stage chemistry translate into the studio setting? “Our first album we recorded there was this wanting to get an instant documentation of what we were like live, because I hadn’t really been to any recording studios so I was like, ‘I want to sound like exactly what I sound like now in one take’. I mean that’s changed a bit… It’s a lot more clinical environment being in a recording

studio; you don’t have that same instant excitement so you’ve got to recreate in other ways, which is kind of the most exciting thing about it.” It will be their second album to be released with their label Flying Nun, a relationship they once said they were taking a chance with; there’s no love lost when it comes to record labels. “They are all pretty much fucked and they have no taste and they don’t know what they’re doing and they’re all dying and it’s a fucking beautiful thing watching them shrivel on their turtle shells and feeding the air,” Wilson. Despite this though, the band have always been able to maintain control over their own sound and direction. “I remember once we had a manager that said we should try to write more pop songs on the next recording and she had a short shelf life immediately after that statement.” This fourth album will see more of the same. “It’s just gonna be straight up alternative rock!” Final thoughts from Die! Die! Die!? “Umm, record labels: I love!”

Issue 5 // 2012

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Amy Lavelle Illustration

David Nwokedi

Issue 5 // 2012

Why do you need Pony Pony Run Run?

You’ve heard the spiel: Pony Pony Run Run are the exciting new band to emerge from France; the Guardian used their sound as an affirmation that the French can trounce us at our own game when it comes to synth pop; and they make the kind of power pop that will make you want to get up and dance in public, even if your best moves fall at the feet of any middle aged father of two. Ultimately though, it comes down to one very simple reason: they’re cleverer than us and their wily mind games are the tricks of ad execs’ dreams. “If you keep repeating to someone, “You need me,” at the end he’ll maybe think he’s gonna need you. Clever, don’t you think?” All in all, it’s not bad for three men who learned how to play their instruments from scratch on forming the band, huh? “I did learn keyboard to play in the band, Amaêl was a guitarist, not a bassist and Gaetan had not sung for years. It was part of our excitation starting a new band with no experience playing our instruments.”

Pony Pony Run Run came together when brothers Gaetan and Amaêl joined forces with friend Antonin back in 2005 to create their foot tapping, shape cutting, synth driven, dance pop. “It’s a perfect triangle, like yes/no/maybe. We are very much complementary, kind of Darjeeling Limited characters. Now you can guess who’s who!” But while their marketing tricks may be cunning and wise, the music is a much more organic product. The decision to sing in English instead of French, for example, entirely inspired. “We didn’t make any plan or decision, everything came naturally: as we all listened to English speaking music there was no reason to sing in French. Also, for us, English is like a tool, like an instrument: we can play with it, or mess with it; there’s more freedom for a French to sing in English, more rhythm also in that language. For us, it’s the language of pop music.” Go on then, prove them wrong: turn up your nose at their debut album going platinum in native France; sniff at their slot supporting Katy Perry on tour; and keep that damn tapping foot of yours still. But let them leave you with this final argument for why you need Pony Pony Run Run. “YOU NEED PONY PONY RUN RUN!” You’re beginning to believe them too, aren’t you?

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Amy Lavelle Illustration

Lisa Rust

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“you need Pony Pony Run Run!” 67

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At what point does ‘not being that well known’ cross over to the league of having a ‘cult following’? Is it quantifiable in gig tickets sold or does it really come down to having a decent PR on your side to spin it properly? My point is, I’d like to say Brighton/Falmouth/Brighton trio, Tall Ships, fell into the latter category pretty quickly, without sounding like a complete pretentious wanker about it.

That’s not just to say that their mums and a few buddies thought they were pretty good. Their particular breed of math rock coupled with their insightful and thoughtful lyrics garnered them a fairly immediate following, making them favourites in cramped venues across Brighton and Cornwall and bagging them supporting slots on Tubelord tours early on. The initial hype was cemented with the release of their first EP, which finally gave the many music blogs touting them somewhere to direct people past their Myspace page, then started up all over again with the release of their second EP, which showed a direct progression in sound.

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“The first EP, they were just songs we’d written at university in a bedroom purely to be performed live, so I think that kind of comes across on the record. As for the second EP, we put a lot more thought into it about how we’re gonna play it live,” front man Ric Phethean explains.

“We do write the songs with the live performance in mind.”

But, while it sounds trite to say Tall Ships are a band at their best live, Tall Ships are a band at their best live, not least because of the instrument swapping that goes on mid set – nay mid song. Just ask anyone that’s ever seen them play. “We do write the songs with the live performance in mind. We write songs to perform because I think that’s when music is most powerful: as live performance,” Ric says.

Now the hype machine is whirring up again, with international tour dates booked in the band’s diary, where they shared the stage with the likes of Metronomy and Three Trapped Tigers, replacing the grimy student venues of yore and an album in the writing. It’s safe to say that whatever relative obscurity they may have been enjoying is now coming to a screaming halt

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Amy Lavelle Illustration

Billy Mather

Issue 5 // 2012

When it comes to discussing heritage, Team Ghost have a pretty hefty one of their own making, which is fairly hard to ignore. Front man, Nicolas Fromageau co-founded M83 with Anthony Gonzalez, before leaving the band in 2003. Moving from his native South of France to Paris, he formed Team Ghost in 2007 with Cristophe Guérin and Jean-Philippe Talaga (M83’s former manager). “We took a lot of time to find our sound and the right musicians. Now we’re five on stage, and we sound better than ever!” It took the band three years to hone their sound before they released their debut EP You Never Did Anything Wrong To Me, a record that combines the shoegaze electronica we’re used to with M83, with post-punk, krautrock and dark synth pop. “We try to make pop songs (ok maybe weird pop songs), mixing guitars and electronic

sounds. It’s a mix of all our influences: Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, Tangerine Dream, The Cure, Slowdive.” But it must be fairly irksome for a new band doing good on their own terms to be constantly compared to their former incarnation, however inevitable that might be. “I guess it’s normal, at least for the moment. We only released two EPs, and some songs do sound a bit like M83. I guess it will change when we’ll release the first LP, which will sound way darker and more “rock” than Anthony’s sound. Anyway, I’m ok with that because I’m still a huge fan of M83.” Then how about their National heritage? Asking about where they get the best

reception, either on native lands or further shores, I get a resounding: “England! It’s always a pleasure to play in your country; people are really into music. It’s a bit more complicated in France: the public is a bit colder I guess. In the UK, everybody is drunk so early, it’s easier.” With their first full length record on the way in the New Year, Team Ghost may be on their way towards disassociating themselves from their M83 heritage and establishing themselves on their own terms. “We just recorded our first album. It will be released in January 1st guess. I’m very proud of it, it’s gonna be HUGE!” In the meantime, “Thanks for your interest, cheers!”

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Amy Lavelle Illustration

Adam Batchelor

Issue 5 // 2012

Probably one of my new favourite bands this year, Real Fur manage to cross pollinate the worlds of indie and the jit of afro Caribbean pop. The London three piece came onto the scene with their flirty and joyful debut single Animal, with it tropical slice of tunefulness. However what’s really been turning heads is their choice of gig venues, swapping sweaty pub venues for soap suds and warm washing in laundrettes. I catch up with the trio in between launderettes:

You guys have only really been around since Feb - where was your first gig?

In a laundrette in Homerton in November. How did you meet again?

We were all in the same swimming team. Tell us how the idea for your ‘Safari Funk Parties’ began?

They came to Hamish in a dream, Hamish being our manager. What festivals did you play last year?

Just Farm fest and maybe secret Garden party. You are taking a bit of a break from gigging... what are you up to?

Mostly writing and recording... some of us are holidaying, others are building muscle.

When is the debut album likely to be out?

Just in time for the Olympics. Which bands are you into at the moment?

tUnE-YarDs, The Weeknd, Frankie Ocean, Boy Mandeville, Blood Orange. Tell us about your favourite gig moment

Seeing someone crowd surf off a washing machine in Edinburgh at the end of the laundrette tour. What’s in store for you guys this year?

Keep releasing! Tell us something we don’t know about you that we should?

It’s Safari Funk, not Safari Punk words

Bee Adamic Illustration

James Grover

Issue 5 // 2012

“ I am a product of the British music scene.” 72

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Baxter Dury’s heritage is a well-chronicled affair. Appearing on the album cover of New Boots and Panties!!, having the Sulphate Strangler as a babysitter and ending his first foray into the work force by burning down the building are the kind of nuggets made for a rock n’ roll biography. It would seem pretty inevitable that Ian and Baxter would join the ranks of John and Sean, Bob and Jakob and Elvis and Lisa Marie. It wasn’t always a given though. “I literally tried every job in the world for about ten years, bar being a sous chef… You could make a children’s book about all the different jobs I had. ‘Baxter today is on a building site’, ‘Baxter today is selling lamps’, ‘Baxter today is a dentist’. But I didn’t really prove that successful at much. So I had to find a way to be my own boss and be allowed to talk shit.”

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Regardless of whether you choose to flog your famous name like a dead horse in Dina Lohan style, or shy away from it and reject what came before in favour of forging your own path, there’s only so far a name can take you; it was always going to be necessary for Dury to prove his musical nads. With Happy Soup his third album he’s more than done so; the record is a no holds barred account of love affairs and sexual conquests on holiday.

“Yeah, well you’d rather have a nice one. I mean if I wrote a song about you and called your hair rubbish you’d be a bit pissed off wouldn’t you?” Yeah well, my hair’s great.

“I didn’t know what else to talk about really, it was either zoo animals or the heart. So I thought I might as well, really, it’s a classic subject.”

This latest release sees Dury continue his relationship with label Parlophone; the commercial label seems an unlikely home for Dury, which he has joked about before, housing the likes of Katy Perry and Tinie Tempah as his label mates.

Dury hasn’t been coy with his lyricism, candidly naming/shaming the girls. “They are the real names, yeah... I mean there’s one, there’s a silence between us. I haven’t spoken to her in a while but I don’t know if that’s just because I’m an idiot, which I am, or if that had anything to do with it. I don’t want to flatter myself... I did try to try and persuade her that it wasn’t about her, but her name was Claire and I did go out with her for a year... I think the other person is probably quite flattered.” Being immortalised in song is pretty flattering. “Yeah I think it’s quite nice. At least I made the effort. I mean she made a big enough print on someone’s heart that they wrote a song about it, that’s pretty flattering isn’t it. Unless the lyrics are really damning, then it’s not so flattering.” It’s every girl’s dream.

“Yeah well I know it’s great and that’s why you’re annoyed about it. But if I still wrote a song saying your hair’s rubbish and it went to number two in the indie charts you’d be well pissed off.”

“It’s quite nice to be basically made to feel special if you’re the kind of odd guy. When I was on Rough Trade, everyone on Rough Trade had like four nipples and drunk their own urine; you never felt that special. It’s quite good that there’s no one like that on Parlophone I think.” With Baxter’s own heritage a fairly exhausted subject, now the question remains as to whether Dury’s own son will make it a hat trick and join the family business. “You always overestimate your children but I think he’s got a real flair for composing; he can play the piano already. He’s the first really good looking Dury, you know, he’s pretty symmetrical; he’s lost the potato face Dury’s have been sporting for thousands for years. He might be all right.”

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Amy Lavelle Illustration

Anais Pikture

Issue 5 // 2012

“ It’s quite nice to be basically made to feel special if you’re the kind of odd guy.” 75

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clock opera do ‘chop pop’. what the sod is chop pop? “Our tracks start life as sampled instruments or anything else close to hand. Those samples are then chopped to smithereens and from these tiny parts we construct the basis of our tracks. Chop. I’m not really sure what ‘pop’ is, but in this instance it’s maybe a reference to the songs; that despite all the chopping they might become songs which form an emotional connection.”

Clock Opera are a band for whom the genius lies somewhere near, in, or around the madness. Not only have they had a fiddle with discographies of other acts, creating remixes for Yeasayer, Marina and the Diamonds and Bloc Party as well as remixing some of their own, but their practiced hands snip, cut and paste (in what is a much more profound and skillful process) each of their own tracks to create the finished result: melodramatic synth pop. “The chopping process is in many ways about discovering something different. New to us. And because there’s an element of serendipity to it there are no rules on what sampled sounds might inspire the next song.” Nor do they confine themselves to anything as conventional as the guitar/bass/drums/synth combo. Clock Opera are an equal opportunities kind of band, roping in household accouterments into the process. “Washing machines and drills deserve their chance.”

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A similar approach is applied to Connelly’s lyric writing. What may have started as a fairly comprehensive story or thought process is once again put through the shredder. And not one of those straight shredders that can leave you piecing documents back together at a push, but a cross cut shredder. The final product is a far cry from the original story that inspired it. “The lyrics are Guy’s and personal to him. But I can reveal that he draws inspiration from such places as his trembling heart, brain damaged people, bizarre magazines and bankers… I think songs like Belongings or Lifeboats (the B-side) are there to be understood. Other tracks are perhaps more elusive, but it’s healthy to have your own experience of lyrics. We certainly don’t like to say too much about meanings beyond the lyrics themselves.”

“ rather like guy’s beard, it doesn’t wear thin.”

This method in turn inspired me to chop up this interview and leave it in jumbled fragments for the reader to piece back together, as a tribute to Clock Opera’s shredded lyrics and dismantled chop pop. But that’s the kind of stupid idea that leads you to getting done for libel. I will say this for it, though: “Rather like Guy’s beard, it doesn’t wear thin.” Which was actually an answer to a question concerning the tendency for the credit to be laid at front man Guy Connelly’s door instead of the focus on the band as a whole, but it was apt. “Guy started this, discovered the process, wrote many of the songs and single handedly made all of the remixes to date. And he’s the front man of course. I’d say he deserves some focus. Clock Opera is very much a band now, though, and the music is increasingly created by all of us. The live show, artwork and even this interview are an expression of the fact we’re all in this together.”

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Amy Lavelle Illustration

Make Believe Collective

Issue 5 // 2012

The term ‘heritage film’ is not, as you might be thinking, the discussion of cinematic history. Rather, it is a genre in its own right. The term has only come about in the last two decades or so and is used to describe films we would normally term ‘period dramas’ or ‘costume dramas’. A sigh, a groan. Yes, I know, bare with me. You’re thinking bonnets, country houses, horses and carriages, and Maggie Smith saying things like, ‘But Miss Honeysuckle cannot possibly entertain the idea of courting Sir Henry Poncemby; she has already pledged her troth to sweet Mister Hangflanger, and her dear late Father, Lord Arseingly, would be aggrieved to hear of such impudence.’

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Thomas Dearnley-Davison Illustration

Hannah Buck

would you bother attempting to plough through literature that doesn’t feature sexy cryptographers and boy wizards? Without film adaptations of these great works, they would almost certainly be forgotten.

Indeed, the term ‘costume drama’ itself is completely derogatory; it suggests that these films are all about veneer, lacking in any depth and made solely for the purpose of easy on the eye Sunday night entertainment. But heritage films serve a greater purpose.

Of course there are clichés of the genre. Heritage films can be slow and stately and nearly stifled by their own bonnets. And detractors point to the idealised, romanticised view of England’s past that is portrayed in most productions, surely only to sell a picture postcard view of Britain to the Americans – but if you’re not going to go and see the film then they’re going to have to make sure that someone will!

Most of us are familiar with the plots of great novels such as Dickens, Oliver Twist, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice – yet how familiar would we be without the film musical Oliver!, or if Keira Knightley had not starred in the recent film of Austen’s novel?

Heritage films preserve the great stories and characters of our rich history. These movies transport them across time and continue to be re-invent them – think of the countless adaptations of Shakespeare and Dickens, and ask yourself, which is my favourite? And why?

Reading takes time and effort and in a world where Dan Brown and J.K Rowling dominate bestseller lists, why

So sit back and revel in our glorious past. And the bonnets. Never forgetting the bonnets

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Thomas Dearnley-Davison Illustration

Patrick Savile

Issue 5 // 2012

Ah, the 3-D film viewing experience. Either it’s a vastly enhanced, mind blowing, multi-sensory experience that allows you to enjoy movies like never before, or it’s a vastly expensive folly that will give you a headache or make you feel sick and does nothing to distract from the fact that it’s just a cumbersome pair of glasses standing between you and the gaping plot holes of the film. Wherever you stand on this issue, this is ‘the future’, we are told.

The next revival came in the early 80s. The release of ‘Jaws’ in 1975 heralded the age of the summer blockbuster and teenagers suddenly dictated what ruled the box office. With the help of IMAX, films such as ‘Amityville 3-D’ and ‘Jaws 3-D’ cashed in on the craze. However, participants on both sides of the camera soon found that 3-D was too difficult to produce and exhibit, for many of the same reasons as before. Such short memories – do we ever learn?

But is it the future - or merely history repeating itself? It is a truth universally acknowledged that the film industry and film audiences have astonishingly short memories. Film trends come and go, they adapt, they alter, are recycled, rebooted, remade and re-released. And most people fail to realise that 3-D film making has been around since the invention of motion picture itself. But it wasn’t until the early 1950s that the genre really came into its own and the reason is simple: cinema was in trouble. The new medium of film had seemed unstoppable until the late 40s, when, due to the post-war baby boom and the meteoric rise of television, people simply weren’t attending cinemas anymore. So, studios had to think quickly and come up with something that would lure people back. Thus, the 50s would become a decade of cinematic gimmickry. Many epic horror movies such as The House Of Wax and It Came From Outer Space were exhibited in 3-D and even Alfred Hitchcock’s classic Dial M For Murder was originally shot in WarnerVision 3-D. At the same time, other new cinematographic processes were developed so that great biblical epics such as The Ten Commandments, shot in Vistavision, and The Egyptian, shot in CinemaScope, could tell their stories on vastly expanded canvases – thus creating ever greater spectacles for newly demanding audiences. The 3-D fad eventually came to an end because of the difficulty in exhibiting these films. Two projectors were required, and if they were out of sync then the film could not be viewed in its proper manner. Vistavision and Cinemascope also became obsolete by the late 50s with the arrival of Panavision, which is still used to this day.

And so to your local multiplex, where 3-D film is making yet another comeback. But part of the reason this is happening is that cinema is once again ‘in trouble’. The dark shadow of piracy combined with a crippling worldwide economic downturn means that major studios and independent film financiers are panicking about diminished box office returns. 3-D films are pirate-proof, so studios naturally want to roll them out across the board. Thus, we have a greater divergence in the mix of films being exhibited. Films such as the Harry Potters and Avatar in 3-D make absolute sense, and the impending re-release of Titanic in all its 3-D glory means that you too can experience the Ship of Dreams like never before.

‘

the 50s would become a decade of cinematic gimmickry.

So, is 3-D here to stay? Based on previous cinematic trends, it seems too early to tell. Certainly, the difficulties that were faced in previous years have been eliminated, making 3-D films much easier to produce and view than ever before. 3-D movies guarantee huge box office returns – ‘Avatar’ made $1 billion in just seventeen days – so I wonder to what extent the 3-D revolution will affect smaller, traditional films. Will it drive them out of the multiplex altogether, or will we be seeing ‘Pride and Prejudice: 3-D’ in a few years time? Well, the future is always on its way. Maybe it won’t be too long until the next Judi Dench costume drama is exhibited in 3-D. And I don’t mind admitting, I’m actually a little bit excited

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The Rebellion of

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Kathryn Evans Illustration

Tim Drake

Art History and Other Tales

Who or what makes art history? Is it photography, dealers, collectors, critics... the artists? Anya Gallaccio has sculpted her practice around disrupting the archaic structures of the art industry, to test a view of history that lives and breathes. She is famous for her use of nature and decay, but don’t let the flowers fool you, her artwork is far from romantic.

When thinking of the heritage of art, instantly you conjure an image of dimly lit gallery rooms housing the great masters, placed at an appropriate distance from the viewer to prevent their breath from creeping into the canvas, causing it to spontaneously combust. Or there are the dusty old libraries with row upon row of heavy reference books, sandwiching photographs between the artefact and the corrosive presence of the art lover. Then presiding over this merry little picture, pulling the strings and printing the books, is the circle of elders: the dealers, curators, critics and collectors.

Anya said: “It wasn’t like an inanimate thing was going to come in a box and people could do what they wanted with it; they’d have to engage in some sort of dialogue with me...”

So where is the artist? Seemingly the most important part of it all, in the above scenario, he/she is branded a commodity and at the whim of the elders. Enter the rebellious Anya Gallaccio, who realising that, “A good dealer can sell anything...” decided to place herself in the centre of the round table discussion. She did this by making work that perished, thereby removing the object to be passed between the authoritative hands of the industry.

Artist present. Who are we missing now? Of course... the viewer, the lifeblood of art. As Anya and her artwork is alive and present so too should be her audience:

Making work that decays is an ingenious way to disrupt the commercial side of art, where Anya declared: “It was like the artist disappeared.” The work would need to be remade in situ for each exhibition, thus pushing Anya to the foreground of each transaction between the elders, where previously the artist’s presence wasn’t completely necessary.

“When I left college most of the art I had experienced was through photography, reproduced in books and magazines. I wanted to try and make things that required looking at, that could not be consumed by

a single shot. My impulse was to create something that, even if you saw it in a photograph, you knew you were missing part of it, by not being with it. As a way of demanding that you actually engage with the object,” said Anya. And engage you must, in order to experience the physical impact of the material and scale of her work. The smell of her flower and chocolate works lie tantalisingly beyond a photograph. An image of an artwork such as, As Long As There Were Any Roads To Amnesia And Anaesthesia Still To Be Explored, 2002, (pictured) only stands as an invitation to walk amongst the trees, to sense their towering strength now felled and controlled. Interestingly, these pieces have been well documented, despite the artwork being as incomplete as a photograph. There is a simple reason for this and one that may have shaped art history more than we would like to realise: as a separate entity to the artwork, they make attractive photographs.

Issue 5 // 2012 If an artwork doesn’t take a good picture, then it is much less likely to receive the press coverage it may deserve. This simple fact could axe whole disciplines of art out of the history books and away from a mass audience. And likewise an over documented artwork, seen through the lying lens of photography, can loose its impact in the flesh. “I remember the disappointment of seeing my first Fontana, it was kind of faded and a bit dusty looking. I had gone to search it out, and had somehow imagined it pristine and bright as the images in the catalogues. This experience solidified my initial impulse to try to be in the moment. By making the work new each time it isn’t an artefact, it’s not a historical entity, it’s now, even though it may have been conceived 10 or 15 years ago,” said Anya. Her approach to art has created a history that never ceases to be in the present. But when discussing these issues in relation to heritage (without wishing to be morbid) it begs the question: What will happen when she is no longer available for discussion? As Anya herself admits: “I don’t know how this works as a longer future.” She told me of times when she came across her work reconstructed not as she would have liked and without her knowledge. The request having gone to the legal owner of the work, who ends up buying what Anya describes as being, “Like very complicated recipe books”. This in a time when Anya is very much alive. Having firmly written herself into the history books, it will be interesting to see how the history of art must morph to accommodate her practice in her absence. Can we write a history unbiased by photography that lives eternally in the here and now? Or must we accept, as with the natural cycles seen in Anya’s artwork, some things cannot be preserved? bottom top

As Long As There Were Any Roads To Amnesia And Anaesthesia Still To Be Explored (2002) © Anya Gallaccio Courtesy of Thomas Dane Gallery

Issue 5 // 2012

Back in 2007, a report by the Work Foundation (a not-for-profit organisation that aims to improve the quality of working life) found that economic growth in Britain relied just as much on the creative industries as traditional ones. In an article published by The Independent, the chief executive of the Work Foundation said: “[The creative industries] profit from creativity, cultural meaning and symbolism. We need better understanding about the mechanisms through which creativity generates value, both within the creative industries themselves and in the wider economy beyond.” In Britain today, creativity is big business. However, this is a recent development – the focus has shifted from manufacture. Let’s go back 160 years to The Great Exhibition, or to call it by its proper title, The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations. The purpose of the exhibition was to display the newly created products of the industrial age. However, this was no mere trade show; Britain had an agenda. We wanted to be the height of modernity and technical prowess. Some strategic curation helped this. A country that presented raw materials, like cotton, was considered under-developed. On the other flipside, a country that exhibited machinery to weave the cotton was seen as more advanced. It was in this way Britain created an ambience of a modern, high status country. Fine art wasn’t a major player at the exhibition; the decorative arts were far more celebrated. As the industrial age progressed, new methods and techniques were developed that could be applied to the decorative arts, like the application of gold onto base metals such as lead. Fine art, skilful though it might be, was not merely as impressive as something bashed out with a hammer.

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Hannah Swindon Illustration

Lewes Jillett

So, how did the creative industries become the powerhouses they are today? A major factor is how art evolved over the last century. The birth of photography meant art was no longer burdened with the responsibility to represent the real. Nor was it limited by skill in the conventional sense. It was the idea that made art Art. The use of readymade objects is possibly the most influential development. The artist does not physically create the object so skill is eliminated. The most famous example of the readymade (and perhaps the first) is Marcel Duchamp’s ‘Fountain’ – a urinal placed on a pedestal with his signature. If you want an ideas man today, turn to Damien Hirst, the great marketer. A team of studio assistants create his pieces, yet he is the Artist (and the person who cashes the cheques). As Sir Alan Sugar repeatedly told us in the last series of The Apprentice, he is a ‘products man’. Millions can still be made making and selling tangible stuff. However, the thinkers are arguably the greater movers and shakers. Look at advertising – remember the Guinness advert with the domino rally? That was part of a campaign that cost £10million. What would you rather have done, brewed the pint or come up with that idea?

‘The birth of photography

meant art was no longer burdened with the responsibility to represent the real.

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Nos Gbadamosi Illustration

Kick Dirt

But no, despite a penchant for mischief and a passion for art history he is extremely happy doing what he loves best – stencils. Having studied an MA in Art History and another in Renaissance History, his works are littered with classical references – often due to his marked style and highly detailed stencilling recreated from photographs of everyday people. “I studied art history because I loved art and wanted to understand as much as I could about its evolution. ”I would love to be really influenced by classical painters, but my classical painting culture is unfortunately still very thin. Last time I went to the Louvre, I went out crying, “ says C215.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that French artist Christian Guémy aka C215 was a tortured soul. After all his portraits feature the most marginalised in society. Plus, it’s not very often you hear a street artist uttering romantic painters like Delacroix and contemporary moderns such as the late Lucien Freud and Yves Klein under the same breath. 86

Born in Paris, he chose stenciling as a medium rather than paint on canvas because they “are the best tools to place something detailed and small, quickly in the middle of the city, without asking for authorisation.” The old masters chose a paintbrush because it was the best tools of their time, he argues. “I smile by guessing most of them would do graffiti if not stencils right now. It follows that each period of culture produces an art of its own which can never be repeated. Efforts to revive the art-principles of the past will at best produce an art that is still-born.” Despite this, Caravaggio remains one of C215’s biggest influences and a recent show at East London’s Signal gallery saw him explore the imagery of the Italian Renaissance painter. Pieces such as David and Goliath and Saint John the Baptist unapologetically juxtaposed urban culture with classical art and religion. They provided a fresh context for these images that audiences could relate to.

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Caravaggio was a good reference point to mix up graffiti and classical imagery. ” “Caravaggio was the master of [the technique] chiaroscuro. His vision of mankind is very dark and he was presenting human beings like sadistic animals, turning saints into ordinary people and ordinary people into saints. Completely modern and subversive as well.” Prior to the show, C215 also spent some time bombing Rome with these images. “I met my girlfriend Alice Pasquini in Rome a year and a half ago, and coming back more and more often to Italy with her I decided to set up a contextual and cultural project dedicated to her country. Caravaggio was a good reference point to mix up graffiti and classical imagery. “Rome is the most beautiful city in the world, you can find art everywhere from its architecture to its paintings, the city being a cultural lasagne full of beautiful aesthetic layers. In Rome you feel very small since you have to compete with Ancient Masters like Raphael or Michelangelo. This is a very unfair game, lost in advance, but I enjoy it,” he says. “I want to add that Pignon Ernest had already worked on Caravaggio in the streets of Napoli in the 90s.” Considered to be the founder of street art in France, artist Pignon Ernest is another of C215’s great icons. In the 70s, he lined the stairs of the Sacré Coeur with silkscreen prints depicting human corpses. “He completely created the rules of modern street art in the 70s and 80s and the works of Blek Le Rat, who was his early admirer and [whose work] would not exist without him. I could say the same for WK Interact.”

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Revolutionary artists from the 70s are now rich and famous, well established and credited. Art is reflecting society and the period.” C215’s works have taken him further afield than Rome. His stencils are as likely to be seen in the streets of Casablanca, New Delhi and Dakar in Senegal as they are in London, having travelled expansively throughout Europe and parts of Asia and Africa. “I believe in a global cultural influence than just a few references guiding your inspiration,” he says. “You have to travel to experience new contexts. Most street artists put art in the streets of Western capitals because there is money, galleries and collectors there. It is sometimes good to do things for the sake of art. Graffiti consists in leaving tracks behind you, anywhere you go.” In the past three years he has been mercilessly travelling across the globe from Bratislava to São Paulo leaving his artworks behind the urban sprawls that provide him with so much inspiration. “Morocco has been influencing me a lot. For the first time I experienced complete freedom of painting there, Brazil has been important for colours, Brooklyn for the rough mix up of tags and stencils. Each place has been contributing to my experiences and tastes. “ Being naturally shy, this way of working had instant appeal, “Graffiti has a certain ‘art of being absent’; your works left behind saying you were here, but you’ve gone. This is a complete opposite to gallery openings, which I hate, where you have to stay next to your piece and wait for people to come… who are usually really nice by the way.”

Issue 5 // 2012 When asked whether street art has lost its edge or whether it’s true that quite a few street artists lack technique, C215 is quick to defend his fellow artists. “Whatever tool you use, brush, spray stencil or something else, you need a certain level of skill, or not. Basquiat was not a technical artist. Some stencil artists have no spray can technique; some others have a lot. Some stencil artists cannot draw; some are very good at drawing. The public is not educated enough [on art techniques] to distinguish who is able to paint and draw from the others, this is the problem.” “Revolutionary artists from the 70s are now rich and famous, well established and credited. Art is reflecting society and the period. Politics is nowadays vanishing slowly, crushed by an exclusive worldwide dominant ideology - capitalism. People get the art they deserve, something commercial and light, easy to understand, something that is “cool”, as we used to say. Sad but real.” He remains hopeful that street art can still make a difference. “If street art consists in placing human feelings in the centre of the city, then it can be a new humanism. But if street art is only a way for graphic designers to advertise, and not something that brings poetry into the streets then it will change nothing.” “I see many people doing the same thing without evolving for a long time, and I find it boring. Pop culture is like this. I see many young artists popping up at the same time, bringing new styles, new visions, already evolving, a lot like Vhils is doing. So I have positive expectations for the future. I only hope that the whole thing will not finish exclusively with huge murals, as is the trend now, because it reminds me of stalinism and fascist culture, where people have to feel small in front of a huge painted wall. I hope the poetry of small ephemeral things will be kept and continued.”

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T h i s i s ju s t t h e b e g i n n i n g a nd b e g i n n i n g s a r e b e aut i f u l… -I a m h au nt e d by t h e s pac e w it h i n T h e g ap s b e t we e n ou r s e r e n ad e A g h o s t o f you e m pt y a nd d e s o l at e wa l k s pa s t -I c ove r my e a r s a s t h i s w h it e n o i s e b e c o m e s d e a fe n i n g. T h e p e r s i s t e n c e o f m e m or y we i g h s m e dow n. Tap. Tap. Tap… I pu l l at t h e fa br i c o f my s k i n a nd t i g ht e n mys e l f a r ou nd my n e c k. I h ave b e c o m e h au nt e d by t h e l o s t. T h e Gh o s t fad e s i nt o t h e d i s t a n c e, a s I b e c o m e ba l l a s t. -words

Lana McDonagh photography

Greg Allum

Illustration

Lilly Allen

I e x i s t i n a worl d o f c ou l d b e. O f m ayb e s. O f e nd l e s s u nt ou c h a bl e p o s s i b i l it i e s. A f l e e t i n g g l i m p s e o f s o m e t h i n g u no bt a i n a bl e. T h e Gh o s t I ye a r n d i s app e a r s out o f s i g ht. --

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Issue 5 // 2012 Te l l u s a b i t a b out you r s e l f a n d you r c r e at i ve b a c k g r ou n d ( i .e h ow you r c a r e e r b e g a n, w h at yo u do, p a s t pr oj e c t s e t c.) My first camera was given to me when I was 23 and staying in New York; the lover who gave me this gift got sectioned about two weeks later. It was a rather intense time of my life. I promised myself I would do something amazing with what knowledge she had given me. It really motivated me to learn more about photography, in a way to make her proud of me and to know that her gift wasn’t a waste. 10 years later and I’ve been on such a creative rollercoaster with photography. From shooting musicians such as Melody Gardot to Supergrass, to being shortlisted for awards in London and New York. I’ve also been lucky enough to have self published two books in the last three years. The Sail & The Night Shines Like Fireflies E x p l a i n t o m e w h at A s e r e n a d e t o T h e G h o s t i s... A Serenade to The Ghost is a series of photographs that sit alongside a lucid poem. Dealing with the loss of a lover, this emotive series harks back to the evocative writing of Edgar Allen Poe with unique portraiture inspired by artists such as Francesca Woodman and Edward Munch. The photographs delve deep into the inner psyche of a man trying to come to terms with the death of a partner. These translate into images that evoke emotions such as separation, closure and how we move from this life to the next. T h e ph o t o g r aphy i n t h i s pr oj e c t i s t r u l y b e aut i f u l , h ow d i d you c o m e a b o ut f i n d i n g t h e p e r fe c t m o d e l / l o c at i o n e t c ? Around the autumn of 2010 I was at an odds with my photography; I felt like I was shooting photography by numbers. That I was on autopilot. I had become a parody of myself with my black & white portraiture. It was then I decided to fly over to Oslo and stay with a model who eventually became the ‘Ghost’. The days spent over there truly expanded my

creative horizons. It seemed that all my years of experimenting with different formats, styles and processes finally came into focus and A Serenade to The Ghost fell from the heavens and into my lap.

opposite. I see them as a melancholic sigh. They always have hope and belief that love is all, that things will pass. The theme of this particular project and my previous one The Sail are ones that people can associate with.

T h e f i r s t p i c t u r e i n c l u d e s yo u a s a g h o s t l y ap p a r i t i o n ; i s t h i s aut o b i o g r aph i c a l ? A n d i f s o, h ow do you fe e l b e a r i n g yo u r s o u l for all to see? Personally, I believe every artist draws from his or her experiences. Be it negative or positive, they are expressed in your creations, be it poetry or photography or music. Or I believe every artist should. The debate of whether art can be taught or whether it is born inside from moments that are uniquely yours could probably go on forever. I like to believe that I am influenced and inspired by not only other great artists but by lovers, by friends and by watching people discover or even lose themselves in moments.

These creations I believe are here to say, ‘Look, shit happens, we lose love, we lose partners, family members… but it gets better, we learn to accept this and become stronger because of these experiences’

What inspired this particular project? The photography is a massive thank you to Francesca Woodman. I summoned the ghost of her and let her take the reigns. The writing has rhythmic inspirations that I discovered in Edgar Allen Poe’s writing. D e s c r i b e yo u r c r e at i ve pr o c e s s... The process really, truly is collaboration between muse and photographer. I try not to use models these days but melt creatively with one other person and work over a period of time. Ideally, it builds its own life force, its own momentum and then I just follow wherever it takes us. Technically, I still am a traditionalist shooting solely on black & white film in 35mm or medium format cameras with only natural light. You s e e m t o b e d r aw n t o t h e d a rk, p o s s i b l y t r a g i c s i d e o f l i fe. D o yo u t h i n k you w i l l e ve r p ut o n a p a i r o f r o s e t i nt e d s h a d e s a n d m a ke a ‘h appy’ pr oj e c t ? I’m really glad you asked that. I don’t see any of my projects as ‘unhappy’, quite the

Te l l u s a b o ut t h e e xc l u s i v i t y d e a l yo u h ave s i g n e d w i t h T h e Por t m a n G a l l e r y. James Robinson who runs the gallery approached me at the beginning of the year. He has curated in the Martin Summer’s gallery for years, hosting shows for such artists as Picasso, Warhol and Basquiat. Plus he is also a patron of The Royal Academy of Arts. So not a bad CV. The Portman Gallery initially signed up 15 artists, I believe 14 were from St Martin’s or The Academy and then there is me – I consider myself the runt of the litter; the mongrel they dragged off the streets. They have an exclusivity deal till around autumn and then we will review it, hopefully after a solo exhibition in London and possibly Brighton. W h o a r e yo u wat c h i n g o ut for i n 2 01 2 ( M u s i c, A r t , Fa s h i o n, L i t e r at u r e ) ? At the time of writing this well I am in love with The Antlers new album ‘Burst Apart’ W h at a dv i c e wo u l d yo u g i ve t o S p i n d l e r e a d e r s w h o m ay b e bu d d i n g ph o t o g r aph e r s / p o e t s ? I’m stealing this directly from the amazing Italian poet, Cesare Pavese. The Only Joy Is To Begin. W h at i s n e x t for G r e g A l l u m ? I’m busy working on a couple of ideas for my next series which has a working title of The Death of Cat Valium and deals with iconic imagery from the music industry, the rise and fall of a ‘Courtney Love’ type musician

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“ 19th Century culture was defined by the ‘novel’, 20th century culture by ‘cinema’, the 21st century will be defined by the ‘interface’” Aaron Koblin (Data/Digital Artist)

From the canvas to the screen, Art has always reflected the era in which it was conceived. In our ever growing cyber community, artists are putting down their paint and brushes, turning their backs on institutions and pledging allegiance to the interactive. Art in its new electronic medium is at the forefront of much current debate, we cannot seem to decide whether it is friend or foe, helping or hindering creativity. Much like the transition of music onto the web, this new cultural trend has been plagued with criticisms – is interactive art actually art or just another soulless robotic endeavour? Like Hockney, I am willing to argue its case. Contrary to what some people may think, the inception of interactive art could mean positive progression; using the internet as a virtual gallery means that, unlike the V&A and Tate, there are no closing hours. Online art is accessible 24/7 and it is sure to attract wider audiences due to the various formats it appears in; limited not only to the pictorial, interactive art is now being used in music videos and films – Arcade Fire’s video to Neon Bible in which you can control what Win Butler does with his hands and face by clicking the screen is just one of many collaborations. Where once art was for your eyes only, wherein the interaction of the spectator was merely a mental event, interactive art allows you to be a part of the fun, the creativity and goes far beyond purely psychological activity. With its narrative at your disposal you can experience ultimate consumer engagement. It also provokes a sense of online community; in one such project put together by

data/digital artist and pioneer Aaron Koblin and director Chris Milk, participants are invited to create a drawing that is woven into a collective tribute to Johnny Cash, set to his song Ain’t No Grave. The idea was inspired by the song’s central lyric, “Ain’t no grave gonna hold my body down,” and represents Cash’s continued existence, even after his death, through his music and his fans; a virtual resurrection if you like. The work continues to grow and evolve as more people participate. Koblin is the man about town when it comes to ‘artfully visualizing our humanity’, other projects he has lent his hand to include Bicycle Built for Two Thousand in which 2,088 voice recordings from online workers were collected and assembled into the song Daisy Bell – the first example of computer synthesized vocals. Each individual was prompted to listen to a short sound clip and then record themselves imitating what they heard without knowledge of the final task. It makes sense that in this computer orientated world we have started to incorporate humanity within technology; like the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz interactive art is giving heart to what is usually a mechanical process. For those somewhat perturbed by this rising digitalization never fear: although technology is bound to change the world of media quickly and irreversibly, Hockney believes drawings, like songs will always be with us – it is only the means of making and delivering them that will change. This is definitely the beginning of a great evolutionary phase in artistic history, with HTML5 changing the face of the internet drastically, it is more than exciting to think of the possibilities that await us

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Lana McDonagh Illustration

Marcel Cowling

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e l d n pS i g n ci u d rt o

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photography

Jean-Luc Brouard

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words

Lana McDonagh

All Illustrations

Philip Dennis

His career is just getting started but illustrator Philip Dennis does not fit well within fledgling brackets, his work reflective of someone who has spent a millennia with pen in hand. In fact this could not be further from the truth, after graduating he fled from British confines and found himself in Japan feeding off new experiences – ones which did not involve illustrating. Upon his return to the Big Smoke three years later, he found he did not have a relevant body of work anymore and so spent some time developing and articulating his aesthetic. Finding inspiration in the organic, he confesses to having a ‘borderline addiction to nature documentaries’, natural forms and patterns never ceasing to ‘amaze and bewilder’. He considers the visual stimuli he was exposed to through his childhood as making an impression in his subconscious; themes such as ‘80s cartoons, imperfections in cheap printing, hatching styles, and moiré patterns’ are reoccurring. Dennis’s work has a strong base in drawing; he works firstly as a draughtsman but then proceeds to add a textural element by adding instinctive, expressive marks.

He has had illustrations in issues two to five of Spindle Magazine including the back cover of this issue and has also done live painting at one of the ‘Spindle: Introducing…?’ events, so we thought it was time we got to know one of our own ‘emerging talents’. Everything is scanned into the computer, where the marks are cut and collaged into the drawing. There’s a lot of play with parallel lines in his work, which is an extension of the hatching. Having had aspirations to join the ranks of comic book illustrators as a youngster’ his drawing style is deeply rooted in hatching techniques and layering, with an emphasis on high contrast. He started to feel restricted by the ‘linear, monochrome nature of hatching and line work’ and so decided to try and develop a technique to incorporate colour. Earlier attempts included painting the lines in acrylic, using a ‘RIDULOUSLY fine brush’ but at the moment he is sticking to using pencils, pens, markers and piecing everything together digitally. Keeping his cards close to his chest he does not want to reveal much about his future endeavours but there is some hushed talk about a possible connection to a new agency launching in the spring… we better keep our ears to the ground! www.philipdennisart.com www.apeonthemoon.com

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Opposite page

Ice Cream far left

Illustration for Wired Magazine left

Illustration for Spindle Magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Northbrook College supplement. Below

Nyree

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Amy Lavelle

OTW

Illustration

Adriana Krawcewicz

There’s something to be said for keeping an air of mystery about you. Chances are you have no idea who YAAKS are, how they formed or which one plays the tambourine; just that they make the kind of music you want to dance to. The previously elusive band have been good at keeping shtum and letting their music speak for itself. Which it does. Brewing their tropical electronic pop in Eastbourne bedrooms, the like-minded men came together to form YAAKS – so called because front man Thom’s relative owns a bar named ‘The Dirty Shame Saloon’, which happens to be near the Yaak River. “We liked the look of the word and stuck an ‘S’ on to make it plural. That’s the absolute truth.” But let’s go back to ‘The Dirty Shame Saloon’.

“Thom is really embarrassed about his relative owning a bar called ‘The Dirty Shame Saloon’, so we’d appreciate it if you’d publicise this as widely as possible.” The Dirty Shame Saloon. The brooding dance music’s preoccupation with Rousseau is another quirk of theirs that has left people wondering. “It was a measure to inspire thought in people, something we try to mirror in our music. Rousseau was one of the chief inspirations for the Romantic Movement, which was the origin of modern day poetry and therefore of introspective song lyrics.” Keeping people guessing is a tried and true method, but behind the head scratching and glaring question marks, YAAKS have the goods to back it up. The boys have been getting all the right kind of attention for all the right kind of reasons

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