classic influence. contemporary style.
Amy Winehouse Fred Perry's designer laureate Caro Emerald Jewel of the Dutch Crown Lord Dunsby Drawing Inspiration from the Past Tallulah Rendall Pledging her Future to Music
Retro Magazine Inspired Awards
We showcase our favourite people and products of the year
Issue Six
RETRO
editor's letter
44
amy winehouse
Happy new year from the Retro team.
4
inspired awards
T
here’s a new year on the horizon so what better time to dig into Retro Magazine’s goodie bag and hand out our Inspired Awards to the products and people who’ve made the world a sparkling place in 2010 (page 4). We also feature some brand spanking new talent on the scene with Robbie McCallum, a BAFTAnominated script writer, who has just released his debut, yet already critically acclaimed novel, ‘I’ll Be Your Dog’ (page 80). We chatted with Tallulah Rendall, a creative tour de force, who has funded her second album with donations from her growing army of fans. Smar t girl (page 84)! We also met up with Dutch singing sensation, Caro Emerald, whose first album has been at number 1 in her homeland for 27 consecutive weeks (page 54). And if that wasn’t enough we’ve got the awesome Amy Winehouse on the front cover and we showcase her exclusive clothing and accessory range, designed for Fred Perry (page 44).
in this issue Opening the envelope we can announce the winner of the Inspired Awards 2010 is…
44
Amy Winehouse’s new exclusive range with Fred Perry.
54
Dutch char t-topper, Caro Emerald, blows us away with her jazzy style.
68
Lord Dunsby explains why he’s a massive fan of the 60s.
76
Stunning proper ties that have become life-projects for their owners.
80
BAFTA-nominated Robbie McCallum’s first novel delivers one hell of a bite.
84
Tallulah Rendall pledges to stay loyal to her paying fans.
90
The latest inspired products due to be released in 2011.
76
caro emerald
68
retro interiors
54
lord dunsby
4
Retro magazine inspired awards 2010
Welcome to the Retro Magazine Inspired Awards 2010 where we celebrate the most inspired people and products of 2010. At Retro Magazine we’ve just passed our first year anniversary, and with it nearing Christmas, we thought we’d take this oppor tune moment to spread the good vibes. So after much deliberation, and a massive thank you to our readers for showering us with nominations and category suggestions, we’ve arrived at the award presentation. Enjoy!
AS&P stadium design, Qatar 2022 World Cup bid Qatar’s World Cup 2022 bid was tagged with the slogan of ‘Expect Amazing’ and the task facing German design company AS&P (Alber t Speer & Par tner GmbH) was nothing shor t of Herculean. A country with a population of just 600,000, an average temperature in the mid 40s, no real spor ting heritage and with only three stadiums reaching anywhere near FIFA requirements, it’s an understatement to say the bid was audacious. AS&P, in association with two other German companies, planned all the details for the bid – including a new and effective metro system – but it was AS&P’s breathtaking designs for eight of the nine new stadiums (which include the world’s first carbon-neutral stadiums which ensure temperatures don’t exceed 27°C) that secured the tournament. And, with the surplus stadiums to be broken down and shipped to developing countries when the FIFA circus leaves town, these retro-futuristic stadiums are, in our opinion, ‘beyond amazing’. A wor thy winner. www.as-p.de
most inspired de
esign of the Year
Retro magazine inspired awards 2010
Š design: AS&P - Alber t Speer & Par tner GmbH / Visualisation: hhvision, Cologne
festival of th
he year
Vintage at Goodwood Vintage at Goodwood launched this year celebrating British cool from the 40s through to the 80s with a jamboree of DJs, bands, vintage fashion and vinyl stalls from each of the decades. Retro Magazine can confirm it was one hell of a par ty with standout performances from the Noisettes, The Buzzcocks and founder Wayne Hemmingway DJing in the jammed soul tent (the highlight being when he ripped a record off the decks, halfway through a track, and announced “I’ve put the wrong bloody side on!”). This is some seriously glammedup old skool fun, and makes Vintage a great addition to the festival season. Bring it on next year! www.vintageatgoodwood.com
Advert of the Y
Year
Moma Propaganda Feel transpor ted back to the future with this series of ads by Sao Paulo-based agency Moma Propaganda. Created for MaxiMídia under the campaign name of ‘Everything Ages Fast’ they give a glimpse of how 60’s ad agencies would deal with social media. Simple, ingenious and, as Mad Men’s Roger Sterling succinctly put it: “I bet there were people walking around in the Bible complaining about kids today.” www.momapropaganda.com.br
Retro magazine inspired awards 2010
promotion of t
the year
Toyota iQ Disco The iQ Disco looks like it’s fallen from the ceiling on to the dancefloor of Studio 54 with its reflective silver foil, added ‘scissor’ doors and 18-inch ‘platform’ wheels. The world’s first mobile glitter ball! And hats off to Toyota Germany who’ve pulled up to the bumper baby with this funky promotion. And, if we’re being honest, anything that livens up a car adver t is good in our book. Just for the record, the iQ Disco comes with a full professional DJ system which includes a two-channel mixer, a 15-inch subwoofer, two record players and a sound system that pumps out 1000 watts with a peak volume of 130 dB. Man alive, there’s gonna be one hell of a disco in that car! www.toyota.com
Retro magazine inspired awards 2010
steampunk’d o
Retro magazine inspired awards 2010
Steampuffin Steampuffin specialises in Steampunk innovations, inventions and gadgetry and this bike is from a collection of unique Steampunkinspired architectural salvage and antique items created by Bruce Rosenbaum in Massachusetts. This bike is, for Retro Magazine, the standout piece; awesome-looking with unbelievable detailing and it goes 0-60 in 6.8 seconds (okay, that’s stretching it!). Bruce sells to Steampunk enthusiasts, home restorers and designers around the world.
www.steampuffin.com
of the Year
model of the Year
Clothing by Mother of London (latex leggings in collaboration with Blacklickorish Latex) Hair/MUA: Ulorin Vex Photographer: Allan Amato Copyright: Allan Amato
Ulorin Vex Ulorin Vex specialises in alternative and avant garde fashion, ar t, nude and hair modelling; describing herself as a model, ar tist, sometimes performer and designer, as well as a hair-dye enthusiast, high-heel fetishist and 80’s fangirl. For good measure she’s got a Bachelor’s degree (with Honours) in Natural Sciences, and plans to complete a master’s. Luckily for us she is concentrating on her modelling career and 2010 was a signature year, with outstanding shoots with Steampunk Couture, Miss X Cosmetics and photographer Allan Amato. Her por tfolio por trays an extraordinary range of looks, styles and products, and Retro Magazine is delighted we can strike a pose and award Ulorin with ‘Model of the Year’. www.ulorinvex.com
As lead singer of the Noisettes, who have a platinum album and the smash hit song Rhythm Girl tucked firmly under their belt, Shoniwa cut a sar torial dash through 2010. She featured prominently, and elegantly on the social scene, but the band consolidated their success by releasing a cracking cover of ‘Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)’ by the Buzzcocks to celebrate Dr. Mar tens’s 50th Anniversary and ‘Never Forget You’ was used by Vodafone in an adver t featuring Francesco Totti. This combined with standout live festival performances at Vintage at Goodwood and at Malawi’s Lake of Stars means Shoniwa has been on the rise throughout the year.
www.noisettes.co.uk
look of the Year
Shingai Shoniwa
Retro magazine
designer of the Year
inspired awards 2010
Manish Arora Described by Hilary Alexander of the Telegraph as “The John Galliano of India” Manish Arora has been a jewel in the crown of the fashion scene since launching his eponymous range in India in 1997 and tearing up the London Fashion Week with his debut in 2005. 2010 was an outstanding year for him and included a showcase of his collection throughout India in collaboration with Mercedes. This range firmly establishes him in the A-list of the fashion world and Retro Magazine loves the effor tless way in which he captures fashion statements from the past and reinvents them for today. And we’re not the only ones, stars like Paloma Faith and Katy Perry have been seen at award presentations and celebrity bashes in Manish’s rather splendid attire.
www.manisharora.ws
lingerie of the Year
Chantal Thomass Chantal Thomass is a must for luxury lingerie lovers and when you buy their products, Chantal believes you will enter a “very special universe defined by: femininity, sensuality, chic, glamour, luxury, seduction and imper tinence”. Delivering on just a couple of those definitions sounds like money for value and with the spring/summer 2010 collection featuring luxurious boudoir looks that will appeal to a wide variety of women (and men), we know we’re on to a winner. Sophisticated naughtiness.
www.chantalthomass.fr
Mathiole Brazilian illustrator Mathiole blends traditional painting techniques with digital design to create pieces with distinctive, dream-like imagery. His striking colours and tongue-in-cheek illustrations have been used for all manner of products, from t-shir ts and bracelets to a specially commissioned piece for Nike. We here at Retro believe this colourful character has a bright future ahead of him.
www.mathiole.com
artist of the Y
Year
Retro magazine inspired awards 2010
Retro magazine inspired awards 2010
A timeless classic. The Teac SL-D96 is a replica of radios that appeared in nearly every kitchen or bathroom in the post-second world war era. It comes with all the bells and whistles you’d expect in a modern day stereo and it’s the CD player which steals the show with a 20-track programming and shuffle play function, which means you can create your own custom soundtrack or mix up your selections to sing along to in the bath. A bit of ‘In the Mood’ by Glenn Miller followed by Motorhead’s Ace of Spades’, anyone? www.teac.co.jp
MINI Rocks Sonoro This is a great collaboration between sonoro, a German design and engineering company who specialise in topend audio products, and MINI. The result of the par tnership is an internet radio that combines urban chic with a ridiculous choice of radio stations (18,000, sonoro has estimated). You can take the sound quality for granted so it’s the classy little touches like original spor t stripes and a MINI key ring which make this mini stereo mega. de-en.sonoro-audio.com
stereo of the Year
Telac SLD96
Ghost of a Chair by Valentina Gonzalez Wohlers The Ghost of a Chair is made by Valentina Gonzalez Wohlers, a Mexicanborn product and interior designer, based in London. The chair is handmade out of 4mm transparent polyester sheets draped over a Louis XV chair, with each chair unique and unrepeatable due to its unusual manufacturing process. The material conducts the light, can be customised in any colour and is made to order. www.valentinagw.com
chair design o
of the Year
Retro magazine inspired awards 2010
a close second Nixie Desk Clock by BDDW
BDDW is known for their heirloom-quality wood furniture, traditionally joined in select domestic hardwoods with finishes hand-rubbed with natural oils and lacquers. Tyler Hays, a painter and sculptor, is the company’s founder and creative genius; in this piece he’s used Nixie tubes, the dominant display service from the 50s to the 70s which were supplanted by LEDs, as the focal point of this beautiful, classy clock. www.bddw.com
Retro magazine inspired awards 2010
clock
“RE_Vinyl” Wall Clocks Pavel Sidorenko is an Estonian designer, who aims to create fun yet functional products that retain simplicity, and interact with their environment and user. We think he’s got the balance just about right with these quirky vinyl wall clocks. The range features simple designs, which Retro Magazine believes will become timeless classics. www.pavel-sidorenko.com
k of the Year
Retro magazine inspired awards 2010
motor of the Ye
ear
Mini E Scooter
BMW revealed the Mini scooter – under supermodel Agyness Deyn’s bottom – to much applause back in October. It ticks all the eco boxes with zero emissions as the lithium-ion battery is linked to an electric motor which drives the 11-inch rear wheel. You can even charge the bike directly from the mains in your house with a rather handy retractable cable. It looks the business too, with wing mirrors the size of Prince Charles’s ears and enough chrome to dazzle a rocker’s eyes on a summer day in Brighton.
www.bmw.com
Retro magazine
accessory of the Year
inspired awards 2010
Alexander Wang for Linda Farrow Sunglasses
Linda Farrow produces luxury glasses for a whole host of the world’s leading designers. This collaboration with Alexander Wang for spring 2010 was Wang’s first sunglasses collection. Wang was recently recognised by his peers as the winner of the CFDA Swarovski Women’s Wear Designer of the Year and he can now add the Retro’s Best Accessory of 2010 to his collection!
www.lindafarrow.co.uk
Retro-Futurism Watch Carson Leong’s watch is a retrofuturistic masterpiece. He describes it as “celebrating the magical proper ties of fused fibre-optics” – when the watch is turned on a pattern is projected to the top surface of the fibre-optic. Tiny sections of the output are visible from the sides, making the entire watch a 3-D kaleidoscope. The watch has its top glass replaced by fused fibre optic with 12 facets, each representing an hour of the day. So when it’s turned off, the watch becomes a unique fashion accessory, with the black gem as the feature. www.yankodesign.com
watch of the Year
dÉcor must-have of the year
Stamp Rugs With Kate and Wills tying the knot next year, rug makers couldn’t have planned the release of these patriotic rugs better. The company was officially granted a license by Royal Mail to manufacture this exclusive collection which fully captures the iconic design of Machin’s Royal Mail stamps. Whether you use as a conventional rug or hang on a wall, these must-have beauties are handmade from 100% New Zealand wool in the Kathmandu valley, Nepal. Outstanding! www.stamprugs.com
Retro magazine inspired awards 2010
drink of the Year
Root Root traces its heritage back to the 1700s in US when colonists were first introduced to the Root Tea that Native Americans would drink as an herbal remedy. As colonial settlers passed the recipe down from generation to generation, the drink grew in potency and complexity. But with the onset of the temperance movement, its straight-laced (and non-alcoholic) offspring, root beer, was born and the drink became a hazy, hedonistic memory. Retro Magazine welcomes its return and tips our glass as we add the bottle to the office drinks cabinet. Hic! www.artintheage.com
www.umbro.com
re-release of the Year
New York Cosmos Shirt New York Cosmos – the legendary, almost mythical spor ting organisation that unsuccessfully tried to ‘break’ soccer in the States in the 70s – are back! And Umbro have done the new team proud with these awesome, 1977-inspired shir ts, that spor t the original crest. All they need now is to get Pelé out of retirement, sign up David Beckham and get The Special One in as manager and they should pull a similar A-crowd to the one that watched them back in their heyday.
headphones of the Year ZUMREED Headphones Tokyo brand ZUMREED branched out in 1998 from ZAKKA after they noticed the fashionable women outside their office windows were wearing only black or silver headphones. They subsequently launched the first colourful range of headphones in the world and with this unique new mirror range they’re once again pushing the boundaries. With great sound quality these headphone will definitely reflect your great taste. www.zumreed.net
Retro magazine inspired awards 2010
album art of t
Best Art Vinyl 2010 Here’s our selection of the most-inspired covers from a competition shor tlist put together by Ar t Vinyl. Their judges include Matthew Cooper, who has designed sleeves for the Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand, and Gerard Saint, who has designed for Goldfrapp and Basement Jaxx, and it’s a spectacular array of sleeves. We’ve gone for Scissor Sisters, Night Work (Polydor Records), with the photography by Rober t Mapplethorpe. For a band that is tight, cheeky, with a lead singer who’s never hit a bum note in his life, this has to be the perfect album cover. The Ar t Vinyl winners will be announced in the new year so keep an eye on their site. www.artvinyl.com
the Year
Sweet Perr
ry & FineWine
Amy Winehouse has designed an exclusive, one-off clothing and accessory range for Fred Perry. Bruce Hudson looks at whether this is the perfect match
F
red Perry is Britain’s greatest tennis player. He won eight Grand Slam titles in his career, including the Wimbledon title on three consecutive occasions. In over 70 years no British men’s player (including Greg Rusedski, Tim Henman, and Andy Murray) has managed to win a Grand Slam title. That’s right, not one. Fred’s unique, unbeatable achievements mean every year at Wimbledon his name is banded around by optimistic spor ts journalists, who hope to see another Brit follow suit. However, it’s his clothing range, – originally launched at the club and today worn by an army of fans – that keeps the Perry name alive in the home of tennis. The collaboration with Amy Winehouse comes with a cer tain risk for Fred Perry. There’s no doubt if Amy’s singing prowess matched her tennis ability she would have already have won a series of Gland Slams, an Olympic Gold and been the world Number One but it’s her off cour t temperament that means she probably would have broken more tennis rackets, had more arguments with linesmen and more code violations than John McEnroe, to get there. Fred Perry has always selected opinionated, cool, intelligent pop stars to collaborate with (Paul Weller is not exactly a wallflower) but Amy is a walk on the wild side!
Halter-Neck Gingham Shir t Dress £ 90 Leather Belt £65
Cropped Trench Coat ÂŁ275
As the box office goes, you don’t get much bigger than Amy. But as any marketing depar tment will attest, aligning your brand with a star opens the possibility of a monumental cockup or melt-down. Amy’s career has been littered with ‘off her head’ live performances where she has forgotten lyrics or walked off stage. She’s been known occasionally to lamp a fan she doesn’t see eye-to-eye with, and there is also her long-standing relationship with drugs.
Argyle Longline Sweater £90
So why have Fred Perry, the brand, taken the risk? In one word: talent. Amy is an awesome talent and as a brand that was star ted by a spor ts star they understand that talent is everything and everything else is forgivable. Fred Perry, the spor tsman, wasn’t averse to a bit of controversy and media scrutiny himself. In his pomp he dated Marlene Dietrich (romancing her while giving her tennis lessons); was engaged to English actress Mary Lawson; and was described by the Observer’s tennis correspondent Jon Henderson as being “6ft tall, weighs around 12 stone; sculptors declare his physique perfect...women fall for him like ninepins.” Henderson also quotes one commentator as having said at the height of Perry’s success: “When he goes to Hollywood, male film stars go and sulk in Nevada.” Fred Perry had the talent but he was also box office and today the brand continues to align themselves with stars that have both.
Amy Bowling Shir t£60 Shor t Pencil Skir t £80 Leather Belt £65
Pop stars and spor ts stars have always lived by a different set of cultural rules, and have been subjects of idolisation and hero worship. Score a goal, hit a great backhand, write a great pop song and everything else can be brushed under the carpet. In football the game is littered with idols such as Paul Gascoigne, George Best, and Tony Adams (to name a few) whose addictions were positively encouraged as long as the results – and performances – remained. What the teetotal Fred Perry would have made of the excesses of modern stars such as Amy is anybody’s guess, but one thing he would have understood is the unbelievable talent of one of the UK’s finest pop singers. As BBC commentator Dan Maskell noted about Fred Perry “He was not typically British; there was an aggressiveness and dedication about him that was out of step with the contemporary attitude towards spor t.” Undeniably, the same could be said of Amy’s approach to music. It’s why Fred Perry HQ chose her to design this range and, in terms of talent, why she and Fred would have made an unbeatable par tnership. Game, set and love! To see the full collection visit www.fredperry.com
Knitted Silk Shir t £70 Shor t Pencil Skir t £80 Leather Belt £65
diamond in the r The sultry, sexy tones of Dutch-born Caro Emerald herald a new beginning for jazz. Her dramatic rise to fame in Holland this year happened via word of mouth with her debut album staying at number 1 for 27 weeks. Her debut single, ‘Back It Up’, with its feisty, sassy, xylophone-infused Americano sound, sets the crowded dance floor scene for the rest of the album’s rich pool of neo-swing, jazz and scratch. Julia Brandon met the suitably suggestive Caro Emerald. How would you describe your music? I’d say that it’s a mix between very modern beats and old-fashioned sounds from the 40s and 50s.
song, and it just came naturally to sing like that. I realised that I was good at it, so I looked for singing lessons, and eventually went on to music school. It was at the Conservatorium in Are you influenced by any Amsterdam (a Dutch academy of music) where I met the producers artists in particular? I love the energetic, jazzy vibe of that I later on ended up working big band performers, such as Gene with. I made a demo with them, Krupa, and I’m really into film music and they cultivated my love of oldfashioned records – that mix of old from earlier eras. and new. What is it about music from the So a few years later you 40s and 50s that you like? I’m not really sure, because I wasn’t received a phone call from brought up listening to it! I was Dutch producer, Jan van raised on classical music, but that Wieringen and his colleague sound really didn’t interest me David Schreurs inviting you – I was always in my own little to sing ‘Back It Up’ and that world as a child. I think my first changed everything for you? recognition of the type of music Well I’d been working with Jan on I liked came when I had to sing a and off ever since I met him. If he solo in the school play. It was a jazz ever called needing help at the
studio I’d go as I really enjoyed the experience. Through him I met David, and he brought a very different sound that I clicked with immediately. When I finally recorded the demo for ‘Back It Up’ I was completely in love with the song and felt so proud of it. I knew it was going to be a hit. You mentioned when you were performing on stage in London that each song tells a story like a movie – tell us more about that. Well that comes from Jan and David too. It was their idea to have a consistent style that connects all the songs on the album – to write them in a cer tain way. They’re both very knowledgeable about movies, the aim was to watch old 40’s and 50’s movies for research and inspiration. It’s a way of writing so that the songs tell a story.
rough
Do you write all your own songs? I did co-write around four songs on this album, including ‘You Don’t Love Me’ and ‘The Other Woman’. It’s the first time that I’ve had the oppor tunity to really do that. I was surprised that they wanted to co-write with me! But it was a great experience, and I worked on all the vocal arrangements at home – it was a chance to discover a lot of ideas. The addition of a DJ in your band is a fantastic mix, are you responsible for putting the band together? Well we reached the stage where all the demos and songs were finished, so we needed a band to showcase the music to a live audience. And it was tough getting everyone together, as we were trying to create a really special sound. We didn’t want to produce something that seemed old-fashioned – we needed to be really modern on stage, and at the same time not like other retro bands that were already around. So we came up with the idea of having a DJ instead of a drummer to give it some kick. I called some musicians that I knew, and we all set out on an adventure together!
has happened still doesn’t sink in. I get recognised on the streets of Amsterdam now and I don’t like it! When you’re all dolled up on stage and performing it’s great for people to know who you are, but when you’re just going grocery shopping in your jogging bottoms and not feeling your best, it’s really hard to know how to act!
Is there anyone you’d like to collaborate with? It’s hard to say, but Lady Gaga comes to mind, because she’s so different. She has her own musical empire – her own style and music – and that’s what I want for myself. My own signature style. She’s someone that I look up to, because she made it happen. What’s next for you? The whole of Europe! We’ve toured in France and the UK already, and ‘Back It Up’, which became our debut single, is getting more and more airplay. We share the same PR company as Katie Melua, so we’re planning on touring with her to Germany, Italy and Belgium. It’s going to be fun!
What’s your favourite track from the album and why? I think that they’re all special, but ‘The Other Woman’ is the song that I feel most connected to. It contains a large chunk of my Your album stayed at number original lyrics, and it was written one in the Dutch album charts from personal experience – but for a record breaking 27 my version had a different topic, weeks, how easy do you think I’ve not been the other woman! it will be to repeat this success? I like this version though. It works. I don’t think you can repeat success because every situation or ‘Deleted Scenes From The scenario is different. London felt Cutting Room Floor’ is available Your success in The like home when we performed for download at Netherlands has been there, as it has a similar vibe and www.caroemerald.com impressive and swift – were culture to Amsterdam, but it will you expecting to be received definitely be hard to break any more records! so well? Not at all, and I still don’t know how to deal with it! We’ve had Have you always wanted to no time to think about it because be a singer? we’ve had such a busy schedule. Yes, I have – always. I became I just concentrate on what I’m fanatical about singing once wearing, and preparing vocally I star ted taking lessons, and for each gig. Even on my days I realised my dream by studying off though, the reality of what at the Conservatorium.
wheels in motion
“
We call ourselves a collaboration of artisan scooter enthusiasts. After years of riding classic Vespas and Lambrettas, overdosing on bitter coffees in roadside cafes, we realised the glamour of scootering had disappeared. Our project is to rediscover the lost charisma and inject it back into todays scene. ,
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The Mozzino Ar t Collective was launched in 2010. The project was conceived on a ride to a scooter rally in nor thern Malaysia in 2008 with a well-known scooter club from Singapore. The scene in Asia was an unknown territory for most scooterists back in Europe, but having witnessed the scale of a PSK rally in Kuala Lumpur, Mozzino founder Tobie Anderson soon realised that the world of scootering was a global phenomenon.
The search for a motif linking scooter enthusiasts grew into a photographic ar t project. A chance meeting with a photographer and model from Vietnam led to the first calendar shoot on the beaches of Hoi An, Vietnam in June 2009. The next shoot was in the urban streets of Vietnam’s capital, Ha Noi, then on to Singapore, and finally the old Por tuguese por t of Malacca, Malaysia. The first in a series of calendars featuring three Asian countries was complete. Each photo references the past era of scootering, giving a contemporary insight into today’s riders and their scooters, using the Vespa and Lambretta of local club members at each shoot location. The graphic style was based on a retro look inspired by the 1969 Piaggio service calendar, and to ensure the quality of the finished product echoed that of 50’s calendars, pages were printed on 170gsm paper using a lithographic press.
Mozzino’s future plans are to design a series of cafÊ bars which will unite garage cool with classic glamour. The bars will provide a platform for new ar t projects in photography and print, and also for the 2012 Mozzino ar t calendar which will feature the UK, Spain, and the motherland of all scootering, Italy.
For more information, or to buy Mozzino’s 2011 calendar, visit:
www.mozzino.com
The ART o
Steve Millington is a Mancunian illustrator specialising in art and design with a retro twist.. Influenced by the fashion and music of past eras, Lord Dunsby (as Steve is often known) , has carved out a creative niche by revamping the old and leading with the new
(
of CULTURE
Steve Millington aka Lord Dunsby who is Lord Dunsby? ? Lord Dunsby is basically just a nickname – it comes from a tailor’s shop that a group of friends and I once used. We’d get lovely, 60’s style, sharp, slim-cut suits made there back in the 80s when Joe Public had mullets, wore bolero jackets and snow-washed jeans. Our little ‘gang’ of mods became known as ‘The Dunsby’s Crew’, and I suppose the name stuck!
done in the past that I was over the moon with at the time. I find that the pieces of mine that I love and the ones that other people like are rarely the same ones.
What was the first piece of art that you produced that you were truly ? happy with?? It’s hard to say really; I’m never truly happy with any work that I’ve done for very long. I always find fault there somewhere. I’d never consider myself a perfectionist but I do wince at some work I’ve
Much of your art has a cheery satirical tone to it - is this a reflection of you or the genre that you choose to work in?? A mixture of the two. I’m quite a sarcastic, grumpy old man by nature, though hopefully with a thread of humour there too.
You have developed a rather distinctive method- of drawing where did the style come from and how did it evolve?? ? It’s constantly evolving, but I’m not sure where I’d say it evolves from – it’s a bit like handwriting Where does your creative interest in a way. There are different mediums and come from? Is art your only outlet?? ? techniques that I love to master, and at the I’m not sure where the interest in being creative moment I’m obsessed with Warhol’s blotted line comes from, but as far back as I can remember technique that he used on his very early works I’ve always loved making things, whether that be as an illustrator – it gives a truly beautiful quality drawing or painting. I suppose you have to be of line. I suppose the distinctive style comes from passionate about drawing to be any good at it. surrounding myself with images, books, records I love music – although I’m not very musical – and objets d′art from the mid 20th century. It and dancing and cooking too, though not all at soaks in by osmosis and drips out the end of the the same time! pen nib.
I find the illustration styles around today to be a bit po-faced and serious, where as mid 20th century stuff is generally witty, and a bit more clever in its conception.
Who else have you collaborated with, and on what projects? I recently worked with Ben Sherman on a range of T-shirts, and Vans skatewear for their girls’ A/W range for 2011. I’ve got a collaboration with A lot of what you do is based on Herb Lester coming up soon on one of their fab a retro theme - where does this maps – lovely stuff that’s well worth checking out. come from?? ? Growing up in the 80s; fashion and style hit rock Who are your heroes? ? bottom during that period. I hated the music I’m not really one for hero worship but people and loathed the styles around at the time – truly I admire? Ronald Searle, Kenneth Townsend, hideous! I just couldn’t bring myself to wear it or Sasek, Charley Harper, Jim Flora… I could go have anything to do with it, and had to go two on all day, but they are the illustrators at the top decades earlier to find an era that suited me. of the list for me. Fortunately enough, plenty of other young people felt exactly the same way. We had a thoroughly What are you currently working on?? ? good time living in the 60s throughout the 80s! We I’m currently working on an LP cover for a Spanish/ just ignored the popular culture of the time, and Italian jazz musician based in Barcelona. Other when you go through something like that at such than that I’ve got a couple of private commissions, a young age it stays with you for life. and I’m currently looking for a decent agent! You describe your illustrations as If you could exhibit anywhere in the
''looking back but always with one world, where would it be? ? foot firmly going forward' - how easy Well an exhibition that I have a piece in has just
is this to achieve? ? I think that living in the past is okay up to a point, but you have to join in and converse with the rest of the planet sooner or later. Your work has to have some relevance to the rest of society, and hopefully my work strikes a chord with people no matter what their background, interests or tastes.
Do you think there has been an increase in demand for retroinspired art,, and has this influenced the type of art that you produce? ? Definitely, though over the past few years ‘retro’ seems to have become a bit of a buzz word for anything earlier than last week. People in the same breath will talk about things being ‘ironic’ without seemingly understanding the meaning of the word, such as ‘ironically retro’ — what does that mean? How do you choose what subject matters to draw or focus on? ? That’s a very difficult question! Whatever pops into my head I suppose – sometimes eating too much cheese at night can help! But in all seriousness, I find my best ideas come to me at bizarre times of the day.
started in London after finishing in Sheffield, and will hopefully be travelling on up to the Biscuit Factory Gallery in Newcastle next year. At the moment you can catch up with it on www.thedesignconspiracy.com/gallery but I’d love to have my own show and exhibit in any of those places. And I’d love to exhibit in my hometown of Manchester. Modern, abstract art : unskilled rubbish or genius? ? [Laughs] It’s not a black and white issue, though my kneejerk reaction is to say unskilled rubbish, though I’d be wrong. That’s the sarcastic, grumpy old man showing through again!
' work visit To view more of Steve.s
. www.lorddunsby.co.uk . .
house of lord L ordship Park is a four-floor Victorian house in nor th London. Originally four separate flats, the owners Sarah and Brian bought each flat over a period of twenty years. They’ve designed and decorated it themselves with a mixture of finds from junk shops, auctions and eBay. The interiors range in style from Louis XV
panelled rooms with tapestries and magnificent candelabras, to a groovy, all-white 60’s nightclub with curved futuristic doorways, an 8ft-long white sofa, a bar and a stunning collection of 60’s European lighting. Sarah says about the proper ty: “Wherever we are, we’re always on the lookout for interesting
things for the house. We could never settle on one look. Our most spectacular finds have been: four ornately embellished panels from France, an oversized, double front door from a house in Amsterdam and a 70’s chandelier from a London casino. In our bedroom we designed a panelled wall that a set-builder made from beaten
ds
copper. We found a 70’s bed with a beautiful headboard housing a radio, venetian-glass lights and drawers for everything – very Barry White! We made a fireplace from some tree trunks we got from a forest in Norfolk and then papered the walls gold. There are two gigantic gold pineapple lights from an auction, sitting on the vintage sideboard either side of a spooky por trait painted by Brian. Sounds bonkers, but it works – I think!”
For more pictures of the house go to
www.lordshippark.com
To view Brian’s paintings go to
www.brianayling.com
G
Googie Boogie This pre-war bungalow in the nor th of London has been the subject of a 13-year-long renovation to give a Californian Googie/mid-century modern feel. The furnishings, fittings and décor are all authentic 40s and 50s. Although the house isn’t complete – the kitchen, (an original 50s metal English Rose suite) still needs the cupboard doors to be fitted – it does have a great overall period feel. The atomic, populuxethemed kitchen/lounge/diner is open plan, while the bath and shower room has a classic 50s pink, turquoise and black colour scheme. A spiral staircase leads from the master bedroom into a fitted dressing room. The proper ty is finished off with tropical landscaped front and rear gardens with split-level decking. For more information about the featured visit www.locationworks.com Images © Olly Hewitt Olly@photos.f9.co.uk
proper ties
“ Regret is the most useless emotion. You lose things
(even the car keys)
for very good reasons – usually to grow, develop, and
move on.”
pause for
Robbie McCallum was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He has won numerous writing awards, including a BAFTA nomination for his film script ‘Rank’. He divides his time between homes in Brighton, UK and the City of Mindelo, on the island of São Vicente. His first novel, I’ll Be Your Dog (Ingram £7.99), has just been released and is available at: www.amazon.co.uk
r thought You’ve had a BAFTA nomination for best short film. Is the writing process for a novel similar? Creatively, yes. Practically, no. Writing’s about focusing your attention on the idea, characters, and story, and just recording what comes and presenting it in the most compelling order. Practically, however, a screenplay must accommodate creative input from producers, the director, and cast and crew. A novel only allows room for the reader. To write do you lock yourself in a darkened room… or transcribe to a secretary Barbara Cartland-style? I need silence to concentrate. In the attic, I have a hammock beneath the skylight, an old mahogany desk in the far corner, and a solid oak cover over the hatch.
Old school typewriter or state of the art computer? Good old pen and paper for creativity and inspiration: teetering piles of notepads jostle for position across the floorboards. For editing and delivery, however, it’s a state-of-the-art Macbook Pro. Life experience or fantasy world? Both. My life’s been ‘eventful’ and my early experiences certainly had much turmoil and heartbreak. That said, when I write about those times it always comes out as black comedy; it’s the prism through which I’m looking. The more pain you’re in, the more you need the laughter. As for fantasy, the whole process of writing is one of utter make-believe, lies, and the suspension of disbelief, but the spirit of the thing rings true and that’s why we go back, again and again, to the storyteller.
This is your first published novel. Is there crumpled paper of failed attempts littering your home?
If you can’t have both for ‘I’ll be your Dog’ would you choose critical acclaim or a best seller?
No. There’s an angry mob of well-turned manuscripts vying for my attention and demanding liberty.
Best seller every time. Time’s the only critic without an axe to grind.
Have you got a follow up novel planned? I’m currently working on two other books. ‘Hips, Lips, and Fingertips’ is a black comedy set in the 80s about a pickpocket chancer How did you get a publisher? I played blackjack with the Devil – and lost. who dreams of opening London’s first lap dancing club. ‘Smiling out Loud’ is a travel The book is set in Louisiana. book about my comical experiences living Were you living there when you and working in sub-tropical Africa. wrote it? No, Africa, but that gave me some crucial Ever picked up a book in a shop critical distance. I worked and partied in New and read the first 100 pages? Orleans and absolutely love the city. It’s so No. I’m more of a library lizard. I opened unique yet still Stars ‘n’ Stripes American. I Audrey Niffenegger’s ‘The Time Traveler’s don’t think the particular set of circumstances Wife’ by chance and had to put my life on which unfold in the story could happen in any hold for two days. other part of the States. What was your favourite book What was the inspiration for when you were 13? Jack London’s ‘The Call of the Wild’. I was a the novel? I was working as a scriptwriter in Dallas, skinhead at 13 and in a gang and this story Texas. After one gruelling shoot, we had a affected me so much I had the confidence to party and my producer bought me a tarot card read aloud in class. I loved it and I threatened reading from a street vendor. I should explain the other kids to keep quiet when we read it we were thoroughly soaked in tequila and I’m out loud in class or else they’d get grief in the not a believer. She told me never to go to New playground. Orleans. Never. The next day I got a job offer on the Times Picayune. I left immediately, and What’s your favourite first-line during one long, hot Louisiana summer met from a novel? the extremely colourful bunch of characters He was born with a gift of laughter and a sense that now populate the book. that the world was mad. ‘Scaramouche’ Rafael Sabatini. Whose work is your work What books are on your comparable to? It’s not for me to say. I don’t have a TV so bedside table at the moment? I read widely but my influences are pretty ‘A Man of the People’ by Chinua narrow. Laurie Lee for visual brilliance, Alan Achebe; ‘The Maltese Falcon’ by Dashiell Sillitoe for heart and honesty, and Jack Hammett, and ‘The Loneliness of London for sheer force of writing. the Long Distance Runner’ by Alan Sillitoe. How long did it take to write? 7.30 ‘til noon, every day for two months.
If you had to choose one novel Which career would you have to read on your death bed what most likely have followed if would it be? you weren’t doing what you ‘Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant are today? Messiah’ by Richard Bach. It would put me But for one key decision at the end of perfectly in the zone for the next journey. University I would have certainly remained an engineer. What’s your favourite vintage/ retro shop? What’s your favourite street Afflecks Palace in Manchester. I first went market? there in 1982 when it opened with my older, The Barras in Glasgow’s East End. and incredibly trendy, cousins from Salford. We’d drink this exotic Italian coffee (now the What’s a song to get the party common latte), work out what to wear, and started? And one to chill to? how many parties we could be seen at on a To crank it up it’d be ‘Sacred Child’ by The Saturday night. Great days. Silencers, and to wind down: ‘The Sweetest Decline’ by Beth Orton. Have you ever lost anything What has been your proudest that you really regret? No. Regret is the most useless emotion. achievement? You lose things (even the car keys) for very Fatherhood. ‘Look Sue, we made an ear! We good reasons, usually to grow, develop, and made a little button nose…’ move on. And is there one thing you want to do before your pen What’s your favourite drink? Caipirinha – Rum, crushed lime, sugar and runs out of ink? ice, no mixer – 180 million Brazilians can’t A book called ‘Million Man Me’ keeps barging be wrong! into my consciousness and demanding to be written. I haven’t got a clue where to start. What’s your favourite building It’ll be my next big leap of faith and that excites me. and why? The Eiffel Tower. I went to university in Paris in my 20s and spent many a night cuddled up beneath it watching the clouds silently zip by. Something the Gendarmes wouldn’t allow these days. Who or what has been the biggest influence on your life? Who: Sue, my wife. What: The realisation that words are thoughts wrapped in sound (or ink). What’s your favourite TV show? Mr. Ben. I used to skive off school to get home in time to watch it.
RETROSPECTIVE
“
I dressed up in an enormous furry elephant costume to barter with a guitar shop owner.
”
Tallulah Rendall is a London-based, half-Australian, half-English singer-songwriter. She has just released a new single, ‘Blind Like a Fool’, from her second album, ‘Alive’, which will be out March 2011. The album sees Tallulah collaborate with artists including painters, animators, jewellery designers and dancers – who have used each track as a starting inspiration for an exclusive piece of art. The album was funded with the support of Tallulah’s ever-growing fanbase through the Pledge music website, which enabled fans to contribute towards the production of ‘Alive’ in exchange for a host of unique experiences including private gigs, backstage access and handwritten lyric books.
If you could choose one person to collaborate with in the future who would it be? Josh Homme from Queens Of The Stone Age.
What do you collect? People. Sounds a bit dark doesn’t it. But I love collaborating; I love ideas and people who are unafraid to follow their own ambitions. So much of what I Where do you prefer to live? Australia, the UK or do is so insular that I guess it’s that other extreme somewhere else? that balances it all out. The only things I spend money I have always been pretty nomadic. Whenever I tour on are guitars, books and music. I recently bought a in Australia I write albums, but my band is based in 1964 Fender Coronado II. I dressed up in an enormous the UK as is my life, so I am always drawn back here. furry elephant outfit in order to bar ter with the shop I love Berlin as well, so to be honest I am not sure. It’s owner, much to his complete bemusement. Oh and an ongoing dilemma. I choose all three. shoes…I have a bit of a fetish for them but after music there are never many pennies left for things like that. Where did you have your most memorable meal? Do you have a 20th century hero or idol? On the 45th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan I have many: Patti Smith with her wild freedom, Government Building, on the last night of our Japanese Andrew Logan with his limitless creativity, Jeff Buckley Tour. Cellist Joanna Quail and I sat in this weird for his beautiful voice (and face!), Billie Holiday, Nina Grecian-style restaurant drinking Prosecco looking Simone. There are many writers; to name a few: F. out to Mount Fuji. I can’t remember what we ate but Scott Fitzgerald, J. R. R. Tolkien, John Fowles, Gabriel I remember everything else! Garcia Marquez and Ernest Hemingway.
tallulah rendall
What is your favourite film of all time? Oh god. I find it really hard to pick just one. So I guess there is the cool choice, Mulholland Drive, and the honest choice... hmm [pauses], Pretty Woman or Lord Of The Rings! Who is your all time favourite actor? Johnny Depp for all round fulfilments! Daniel Day Lewis would win my best actor nomination – I recently saw The Age of Innocence, written by Edith Whar ton and directed by Mar tin Scorsese, and was mesmerised by his performance. What was your first job? Working for a theatre. What are you reading at the moment? Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda, by Lt. Gen. Romeo Dallaire. It is the most hear tbreaking book I have ever read. Do you have a favourite song. Why? This week I am torn between Blood Bank by Bon Iver and The Devil Spoke by Laura Marling. Blood Bank has beautiful harmonies and a warmth that is irresistible. The Devil Spoke makes my toes tap. Give us a record to get the place jumping, and one record to chill to. Shoot To Kill by AC/DC. Pink Moon by Nick Drake. If you had to go to a fancy dress party what would you wear? Glitter and lots of it. What’s your favourite street market? It used to be Spitalfields.
What’s your favourite vintage/retro shop? My mum’s attic. Have you lost anything that you really regret? A couple of drummers. What’s your favourite drink? A free one. It’s a rum & pineapple juice if you’re buying! What’s your favourite building and why? The Sydney Opera House – I would love to do a gig there. I have just been told that makes me egocentric!
Records. Recording my first album Libellus with Marius De Vries. Releasing my record in 2009 as a book with paintings alongside each song. Writing my next album. In 2010 teaming up with Pledge Music and raising the money to record and manufacture my second record ‘Alive’ by selling copies in advance to fans. Then giving each song from this album to an ar tist and asking them to run free. Each one returned with a piece of ar t. I had an idea and somehow through sheer stubborn determination I have made it happen, so yes I am proud.
If you could live in any decade, which one, and why? From 1963 to 1973. My favourite bands Who or what has been the biggest were performing and musically it was a time when boundaries were pushed and influence on your life? the mainstream was not saturated with My family. crap. There was actually something honest, original and inspiring about the mainstream What is your favourite TV show? I don’t have a TV but I am a sucker for cheesy musicians. The music they were writing and the lives they led. It riles me that in this American stuff like Brothers & Sisters. decade all the good music is suppressed in Which career would you have most place of utter **** and what we get to likely have followed if you weren’t doing listen to in the UK is dominated by reality TV shows. Signed ‘Angry from London!’ what you are today? Explorer; troubadour; Fluffer… Have you ever ‘splashed’ the cash on Can you remember your first boy/ something big? girlfriend’s name and are you still in GUITARS!!!!! The only thing I ever spend money on. contact? Yes and yes. We still tour and write together. Is there one thing you want to do before What has been your proudest you depart the stage?! I feel like I have only just begun. There is a achievement? Setting up my record Label, Transducer life of power slides to be had.
Tallulah starts a tour of Australia on the 29th December 2010. For news of this and other information go to www.tallulahrendall.com
POOL
has never been s
COO
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WWW.ROCK8ROLLER.CO.UK
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NEW FOR 2011
EcoSmart Fire, £5,995 www.ecosmartfire.com Yeah baby, the Retro fireplace is a throw back to the swinging sixties with a contemporary twist. Constructed from durable weather-resistant materials including fibreglass, stainless steel and toughened glass, it’s fuelled by denatured ethanol, an environmentally friendly, renewable bio-fuel. The fire is por table so doesn’t require a flue or any other utility connection. Seriously groovy.
Takayanagi Miluria, £47,600 www.miluira.com The Miluira is a single person, electric vehicle, produced by Japanese company Takayanagi, who are currently taking orders for a March 2011 release. The car has a range of 35 km, with a maximum speed of 37 mph and a recharge time of 12 hours. Coming in at around £47,600 it’s not cheap, but Retro Magazine likes the idea a company has Steampunked a golf car t, but who’s got the hear t to tell them they’ve forgotten to put a roof on.
Redman Emerald Cocktail Shaker, Martini Jug, and Martini Glass, £195-£775 www.davidredman.com This Redman cocktail shaker and Mar tini jug and glasses will leave you shaken, stirred and proud as punch. The shaker and jug are made from cased emerald crystal and cut to emulate the shape of the Tanqueray No. 10 bottle, with hallmarked English sterling silver tops. Both vessels have a 1-litre capacity and retail at £775 each. The Mar tini glasses are available to purchase in pairs and retail at £195 (per pair). A stylish addition to any drinks cabinet.
TDK Boombox £230-£360 www.tdk.com TDK, that’s right the guys who made cassettes, have relaunched themselves as a modern tech brand, and staying with their retro roots they’ve launched this cool twospeaker boombox.. There’s also a three-speaker version which has a 15W subwoofer channel in between the 10W speakers. The two-speaker will set you back £230, the three-speaker £360. Available in the early par t of 2011, there’s only one thing that would make this hi-tech bit of kit perfect. A cassette-player, of course!
www.theretrocollective.com