music is my boyfriend.

Hello lovely blog readers.
Did you miss me?

I missed you.

I've been pining, like a sick dog missing its owner.
Getting annoyed at how far you've been away and, (like a dog, thinking of ways i can get my own back) thinking how they must enjoy the look on the owners face when they get back to find shit all over the house.

We have a dog in our house but it's the parents, and I don't like dogs, so refuse to feed it/walk it/pay it much attention.

APART  from one day when it snowed i took it up the hills because I wanted to go up and take sum snowy desolate looking pictures.

I digress.

In case you were wandering this blog was intended to be a check-out-this-music-blog. But i think I will ramble on a bit before I finally get to the music bit.

So i hear on the Radio that we are back in a recession! Yay.

oh how I've missed it.

You know like during the second world war old ladies used to say "There is a war on you know!" when someone was trying to persuade the butcher for a bit of extra sausage, oh er matron.

Now we can say, " Oh I've had no luck in my job search this week, applied for loads..............didn't even get any interviews. Well we ARE  in a recession after all."

Comforting to know we're all in the same boat at least. well MOST OF US anyway. the 99% anyway.

OH MY GOD.

THE RAIN!  when will it stop? totes bored of it now.
so are we still in a hose pipe ban? surly not?
according to the weather people we are in for the wettest may in a hundred years.  Cheer me up why don't you!

So as an unemployed person, I try to keep myself entertained between job searching and stuff. This best remedied by reading, going to the gym or listening to choons as I write these blogs.

I have nearly finished the book I am reading. This excites me as i haven't read a whole book in quite sometime (I've half read quite a few but for some reason nothing has grabbed me enough to keep me reading until the end.) I think i may finish this one tho.
I'm reading this:

I mean who doesn't love dawn french? exactly! Half of one of the best comedy duos of all time. Top bird. It is incidentally a very funny and often moving read. I do love a biography. Graham Norton's is very good as well.  If you see it anywhere buy it/borrow it, whatever. Its great. next on my list is one i have already started but fell into the category of great read but just don't have the concentration span to finish, is this book

For anyone who might not recognise this man, its Anthony Kiedis, front man of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.  He has had in interesting life. its a story full of ducking and diving in L.A drinking, drugs, debauchery. This man was DESTINED to be a rock star. But all the way through, even though he is a bit of a sod, he comes across at the heart of it as a really good solid, down to earth guy.

Musically i feel like spring has really sprung.

Lots to look forward to this summer in terms of new albums.

At the moment I am listening to allot of Rufus Wainwright.

His new album Out of the Game is DELIGHTFUL.this is his new video. 

                               
 For those of you who may not know, Wainwright is a Canadian singer song writer. He comes from a bit of a musical family his father Lauden Wainwright III and mother Kate McGarrigle are both famous Canadian folk singers. His sister Martha Wainwright is also a singer. He has a beautiful rich -sort of classical-sort-of-bluesy  type of voice. He sings a sort of baroque, sometimes operatic pop. If you're into that sort of thing.

Because i am an amazing blogger here is a link to my spotify play list for Rufus.


Also to come this year we have The Gossips new offering called A Joyful Noise. released may 14th.

Their new song Picture Perfect World, is pretty good stuff. This is the video if your interested (it really kick in about half way through and the video gets better so if ur thinking its going nowhere PERSEVERE!

 Also am muhos excite about the new Scissor Sisters album Magic Hour. Which is released  may 28th. Set to be a good one. Co produced by Calvin Harris and featuring female rapper Azealia Banks and Pharrel Williams. Gives you a good idea of where the music is going. Upbeat dancey electro pop. Marvellous.

First single of this album is called only the horses, god knows what's going on in the video. Its pretty but i just don't understand!

Hey ho here's the video

OK I'm nearly done.


Oh one more thing.


If anyone who likes a bit of vintage Madonna fancies something to put on their play list, (great for the gym or a bit of a house clean.) Particularly the gym. The track is something like 32 minutes long.

Hope you enjoyed that little lot.
If you did please subscribe and comment. And tell ur friends!

More to come soon

M. xxx

valley of the dolls......

When i started this blog i did so with the intention of writing about music and art and fashion etc. Championing the things i like which perhaps are not particularly part of mainstream culture but maybe had underground cult status. So this blog is about a particular person. With that in mind I have something to confess. *Takes deep breath*

OK here it is.

I have a very addictive personality
Obsessive!

Especially when it comes to music. Above everything else, all my other interests, ideas thoughts and inspirations, music is the centre of it all.

I cant pin point exactly when being a normal music listener developed into an obsession. I think its when i started listening to music out side of the mainstream. Having studied art for 4 years at college and university my tastes in culture developed ALOT. I became interested in fashion more. And i found something i hadn't been exposed to.

The Avant Garde. Including, punk, cabaret, performance art. This was around the time i was first exposed to the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Also burlesque fashion and music. Anyting different and with a possibly absurdest theatrical streak running through it. That's my taste.

So for this blog am going to write about a singer songwriter who embodies a lot of these sensibilities within their sound and performance.

The Dresden Dolls,

Amanda Palmer on the left              and Brian Vglione

aren't they cute.

I first heard the Dresden Dolls at about 2am on a mid week night in the year 2000. Probably on something like the Rob DeBank radio show. This was the first song i heard.

First off i was alarmed and impressed at the chaotic speed of the piano playing and lyrics. Amanda plays the piano and sings, and Brian plays the drums. After the song the DJ talked about this new band rocking the Boston underground rock scene, with their Brechtian Punk Cabaret.

 Many of the songs on their debut album "The Dresden Dolls" comprised of punk cabaret music, often sounding like stories, or punked up nursery rhymes, with twisted lyrics and whimsical melodies. Palmer's deep sounding almost German voice at first sounded like a male vocal.

The dolls dealt with an impressive array of sunbject matter, and their songs also differ in mood and tempo. Amanda's often comedic take on serious issues is quite the audio spectacle.

The dolls general stage uniform was in a cabaret/burlesque style, Amanda often wears corsets and big rocker boots or DM's brian in a bowler hat, often shirtless. Both with french mime style painted faces. Amanda shaves of her eyebrows and draws them on fresh every day in a series of intricate and elaborate designs like this;

Because i am really nice blogger have put together a spotify play list. Which contains work from the Dresden Dolls album and also Amanda Palmer's solo work click the link for audio treats.

http://open.spotify.com/user/1118317871/playlist/5nDhbGNIKiPSb2hOOdJzzW

Some of my particular favourites from this list are.

• Guitar Hero
• Mandy Goes To Med School
• Backstabber
• Mrs O
• Shores Of California
• Jeep Song

A pretty interesting bunch of songs.

I think for best results if you wish you could listen to the play list. This music is certainly different and maybe even a bit of a particular taste but i estimate that at least 50% of the people reading this would enjoy some of their stuff.

So Amanda Palmer has been a love of mine for quite some time, particularly since she has gone solo.

Amanda is now married to the best selling author Neil Gaiman.

Pic from ghetty images.

Marriage made in heaven? Neil wrote the original book Coraline which was adapted into a great animation film. So they share a dark and magical sensibility.

What i really like about her also is how i have made friends with another dolls fan. I met my friend Claire at a party in Folkestone, It was if i remember correctly supposed to be a fetish cabaret evening. I was dressed in some ridiculous garb. I walked past Claire who was using her phone and saw this as her phone background.

picture from Dresden Dolls website.

At least I'm pretty sure it was this pic.

Anyways i pounced on her and interrogated her and found out yes she like me was lets say an "enthusiastic" dolls/Amanda Palmer fan.  Its such an amazing thing when you meet a like minded person with whom you are on the total same wave length with. The joy of being a super fan WITH SOMEONE ELSE who doesn't think your a music nerd douche.

Claire introduced me to other bands who perform what she calls "malicious opera." These being in no particular order;

• Emily autumn
• Bitter Ruin
• The Jane Austin argument
• The Tiger Lillies (The holy grail god like saviours of avant garde cabaret musicality.)

Claire and i made a pact that the next time Amanda toured the UK we would defiantly get our organised heads on and book tickets to wherever she was playing. Eventually dates were announced and tickets were booked. The venue was audio2 in Brighton.

Going to Brighton ended up to be something of a musical pilgrimage for both of us. I conducted a plan. To add a new tattoo to my arm whilst i was there. Amanda is very popular on twitter. (@amandapalmer if u care to follow her.) She tweeted saying that members of the audience could contribute items of clothing for the bands stage outfits. The theme was sequins and shiny things. I took a pair of silver sequined leggings i bought at a festival the year before. The plan was that we would lend items for the show and they would be given back in the signing Que after the gig.

My plan was on the return of the troos I'd ask Amanda not to sign my merch but to sign my arm and do maybe an eye with an Amanda Palmer style eyebrow, which i would get tattooed on the day after.

Long story short the gig was TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTALLLLLLLLLLYYYYYY amazing. And in the que after i got to meet my idol and ask for a tattoo design. She was totally sweet and lovely. but still had on the sparky troos. i told her the only cost me a tenner and although i loved them would be honoured for her to keep them. Here are the signing pics.

Having a nice little chat and asking her for tattoo/ talking about the troos.

The signing of the arm.

Best hug I've ever had.

My arm once signed, afp stands for Amanda Fucking Palmer. (Stage name.)

Arm once tattooed.

How it looks now. I love it

Every time i look it it i smile.



Well i could talk bout this subject for hours but have been working On this blog for around 3 and a half hours now and i better stop it here.

I hope you've enjoyed this blog and hope you enjoy the music. Listen with an open mind. Be glad to hear your comments in the comments box.

Enjoy the choonage.

luv luv luv

M. x

PAWS UP BITCHES!

Today has been a good day.

A maaaaaaaaaaaaarvvveeeelllooouuussssssss day.

YEP she did it.
My fantastic friend Rosie got us tickets to see LADY FRIEKIN' GAGA!

*Wipes tear of joy*

Truly a reason to be happy to be alive.

September the 8th we shall be at Twickenham (is that how you spell it?)For the Born This Way Ball.

To say I'm excited is an understatement. It's going to be EPIC.

This does however beg the question, what does one wear to an audience with THE GAGA?

APPARENTLY the GAGA wants her little monsters (i.e the audience, well if the shoe fits!) to wear ball gowns. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm yea OK. Sounds cool. But i think something a little less bride of Frankenstein for me.

My immediate reaction to the ball gown idea is no, Purely because people will be trampling all over it mid performance. So alas no.

Anyone who knows me knows its any excuse to dress up. And i have done the gaga-esque mirror tiles before. See exhibit a.)

So shall i do this again? Maybe.

What I've always like about GAGA is well basically she is CLEARLY MAD AS A BOX OF FROGS. But then i like nuts people. The music is good and her voice is amazing and all that. But i do love a spectacle. I just think if your gunna get up there and sing a song then at least wear something you cant buy in top shop ay? GAGA. exhibit b.)

I love that in NO WAY  is that huge wig even trying to look real. Respect.


One of my fave films is PARTY MONSTER. Its about the new york club kids. Who made fancy dress into an extreme and often avant garde art form. Here is the trailer. Macaulay Cullin is in it and is totally hot. Bless him.

That film has some outfits i am waiting for an excuse to wear at parties. Exhibit c.)

 

Too much?

Now the worry IS. IF i were to wear this to GAGA, would the actually let me in?

Here's the back view.

God it's sooooooooooooo slutty isn't it. But looks like it'd be fun (if not a bit chilly) to wear out.

Its such a shame you cant wear this sort of thing and get away with it.I'd love to live in a world wear i could walk through my local high street wearing this



and come back alive! Oddly i do really like the haircut as well. But i think you have to be a prettier/butcher version of me to carry it off. Though another haircut added to the fantasy haircuts folder in the picture section of my laptop.


Although i did borrow the blue ear thing a couple of times and still enjoyed myself.

Thats me in my Andy Warhol photograph of Liza Minnelli t-shirt that my friend made me. Like it? For an affordable price I'm sure she'd consider doing a personalised t-shirt or vest for you too.

Comments and ideas welcome in the box below.

Enjoyed this blog? Then please subscribe and click the +1 google button below or tell friends.

lots of ideas for blogs over the coming months.

bye for now.

and remember as GAGA says "YOU'RE BORN THIS WAY!"

M. X 

well hello there!

Itttttttttsssssssss Marty.



Here i am sitting on the floor of my bedroom, trying to look interesting and demure. I failed. ha ha

I have decided, that I'm going to have a go at writing a blogg.

Which isn't bizarre in itself really. Its just i don't really know why i AM doing this. I like bloggs.

But there isn't really a GOOD reason why i should have one.

These are amazing reasons why this is a pointless affair;

• I am not famous
• I am not selling anything
• I am not advertising anything

Surely these are the best reasons for blogging.

So why do it?

I don't know. but i do have things to say. (I had a cup of tea and watched Britain's Got Talent whilst trying to decide what exactly it is, i have to say. Bad sign? Good sign?)

ALSO

I like writing, BUT it takes alot of time for me to write formlly, I have mild dyslexia. and always have to re proof-read everything. and i know my sentence structure is shot away. So lets just talk bout this now. I will try to keep it ledgible and spellcheck and mind my grammar. But if it is wrong dont harp on about it. This is just  bit of fun.

I Do not have a political agenda, and am not pushing any particulr beliefs. but i will be expressing mine. We all think differently so lets not bicker. lol

Now we're all back on speaking terms. So lets carry on.


David Walliams is glorious isn't he, bless him *sigh*

I digress.

I'm really into the visual arts, love it. Music videos, Art, fashion, photography.

So am going to be talking about my favourite things within those topics. And am going to be doing kind-of-sort-of-ish diary entries with a bit of social commentary thrown in as well.

I cant talk about the interesting things i see in the news and in the world around me. Friends of mine recently have been telling me how much they enjoy alot of my status updates. I always enjoy sharing anecdotes with friends and family. And i love telling stories. So am just going to do this and see what happens.

My initial plan is to do one a week. I'll see what happens.


O.k, so i just saw this on tele (am watching rude tube on some sky channel?)and thought it was amazing. I love his honesty. Never really thought about it before. But i think within the context of this am quite a catch!

________________________________________________________

Thanks for reading.

Stay tuned, More to come.

m. x