Sky Salt split up in 2007. You can still purchase their CDs but when they're gone they won't be repressed. I think they have MP3s available on the usual sites.
I found a couple of old Sky Salt interviews. This one was done around the time of the release of the Off the Ground EP) www.sithspit.com/SkySalt/Interview.htm and this one was done around the time of the release of I Believe in Fairytales www.sithspit.com/SkySalt/XeniaChat.htm
I haven't been able to find out what happened to the other band members, only Xenia and Mark. They were playing with Voltaire and his New Wave group The Oddz occasionally. Xenia also released another CD under the name Doe Deere called Supernatural (which is 80s influenced electro pop).
http://www.doedeere.com/
They are no longer doing their club night Maskara and Xenia is not designing clothes anymore, instead she has been concentrating on her make-up range, Lime Crime (best known for its bright colours) which is now stocked in Space NK stores among others.
http://www.limecrimemakeup.com/
She also has an online blog where she posts make-up tutorials and more at http://www.doedeereblogazine.com/
and she's on Twitter www.twitter.com/limecrime
Saturday, 24 April 2010
INTERVIEW. SKY SALT.
Sky Salt are a New York based band who are attracting rave reviews for their brand of melodic alternative rock combined with a striking visual image. The band comprise Xenia on vocals, piano and guitar, Mark AD on guitar and Lillie Charlotte on bass. Xenia is also a talented fashion designer and make-up artist. Their debut album is called I BELIEVE IN FAIRYTALES and you can check out Xenia's make-up tutorials on http://www.limecrime.net/
How would you describe your music? I think your image (particularly that of Mark AD and Lillie Charlotte) is quite Gothic influenced but the music less so.
MARK: I usually say "fairytale rock." I think the music is definitely dark, but not so much "gothic". I'd call it guitar driven, kiss and tell glam, flirting with metal and indulging in a little alternative introspection and irony. That's all summed up as "fairytale rock" for me.
XENIA: We coined the term "fairytale rock" because we felt that we didn't really fit into existing categories. We could say we play "modern rock" but we tend to be a bit more inventive than Nickelback (not offence to those guys). We could say we are a Visual K band but the closest we've come to being Japanese is having a half Japanese bassist. We are pretty dark but wouldn't exactly make Siouxsie proud. So yeah, Fairytale Rock!
LILLIE: I'm --- not really sure what I call it. I say "Come to our next show and see for yourselves."
You called your album I BELIEVE IN FAIRYTALES. What is your favourite fairytale and why?
XENIA: I write my own! I enjoy Master and Margarita (Bulgakov), Harry Potter and the Brothers Grimm.
LILLIE: I like Alice in Wonderland, cheesy as it may be to state so, for many reasons. It was written by a madman to begin with, and I've always seen myself as an Alice-like character. Misplaced in my own everyday "wonderland."
Xenia, how do you think your Russian background is an influence on your music (if indeed you think it is)?
XENIA: It's hard to say. I lived in Russia for 17 years but mostly listened to English-speaking bands. My "secret" Russian influence is this quirky band called Agata Kristi. They sing about everything from murderous clowns to glorified drug use in the 1920s and instilled in me the love for creepy music boxes.
You play the piano and guitar. What do you think are the particular qualities for each instrument (as in how they differ from one another, would you prefer to use one for a sad song, for instance)?
XENIA: Piano is my first instrument which I have been playing for as long as I can remember. I am classically trained on piano and music theory. In my late teens I rejected piano entirely as an instrument as "too lame for rock 'n' roll". That was when I picked up my first guitar and discovered songwriting! Today, 80 % of my songs are written on guitar. I turn to keyboard for certain effects and textures (like the Fairy Tale intro) but guitar is definitely a more universal songwriting tool for me.
What is your favourite song on the album and why?
MARK: Beautiful --- it just rocks hard and it hints at our love of Alice in Chains without aping their sound completely, which is very easy to do if you're not careful. It's the essence of fairytale rock and is the defining track of the record in my estimation.
XENIA: That changes every day! One day I'm digging on Beautiful, the next I'm all over 2 of a Kind, and the next find myself playing Low on repeat.
Lillie Charlotte has been the newest member to join. This is for LC --- how did you come to join Sky Salt and what do you like most about the band?
LILLIE: You'll hear many variations of how I joined Sky Salt, let's suffice to say --- it just sorta happened. I like the visual style and musical style, since they are both rather similar to my own project.
If you had to do a cover version, which song would you do and why?
MARK: We actually do mix covers into our live set. One old standby is Ozzy's "I Just Want You", love that for the epic Ozzy-ness of it. It's a lighters in the air kind of tune without being cheesy. We add some piano stylings that make it our own. It becomes a F'Tale anthem.
We've also done a stripped down version of the Beach Boys classic, "In My Room" which is very haunting with Xenia's voice and altered lyrics about dolls and other elements of her childhood.
The whole band has a very stunning and distinctive style. What other musicians' style do you admire?
XENIA: Anyone with a strong presence and a penchant for rock star antics. Marilyn Manson, Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper.
MARK: I tend to love guitar intensive metal and hard rock . Zakk Wylde, Alice in Chains, Lillie recently turned me onto to Dir En Grey and I can dig it. I love violin music --- especially Pagannini. But at the end of the day, kick ass guitar music gets me going. Slash, Dimebag (RIP), Van Halen.
LILLIE: Sonata Arctica totally owns me but I'm a sucker for over-the-top theatrics like Mana's bands Malice Mizer and Moi Dix Mois. My biggest influences are probably the bands from the now defunct Key Party record label such as Noir Fleurir, Noi'X, Aliene Ma'riage and Missalina Rei.
As you're such a visual band, I'm really looking forward to seeing any videos you might make for your songs, what sort of imagery would you like to use?
MARK: Scary little girls in cute dresses a la "The Shining" seems like a good start.
XENIA: Ditto! I am an extremely visual person so I think about video representation of our music all the time. Imagery varies depending on the song but for the most part it's either ethereal little girls (huge fan of Nightmare on Elm Street) or over-the-top rock star shit like white doves flying out of a black Porsche. "laughs".
LILLIE: They say the camera adds twenty pounds so I'll wear a dress that won't make me look fat!
Xenia, you also design and make clothes for your own fashion label, Lime Crime. What other fashion designers do you admire?
XENIA: Oh man. Too many to name! Betsey Johnson, Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, Issey Miyake, Heatherette and my friend Yana aka Supayana.
What's been your most memorable gig so far and why?
XENIA: Tribeca Rock Club --- because it sucked! Everything that could go wrong did, but we ended up having fun nonetheless. But oh man, it was definitely one of the most embarrassing shows we've ever done! Mark offered nudie pics of himself as part of the compensation to the audience but figured it would only add insult to injury. "laughs".
MARK: The most memorable show? I'd say MASKARA! Because we organise it and it's great to see everyone dress up and have a good time! It's good to take some of the elitism out of the fashion industry and share the stage with other bands we respect and admire.
From the MASKARA website: MASKARA is just what it is: a Legendary Festival of Deviants. Call it the most disturbingly real fashion experience you'll ever have or a debauched Bacchanal for freaks and drag queens, one thing is true: no matter what you've heard about it, no words good or bad, can convey the impact this party has on the city that never sleeps.
What are your future plans --- will you be touring Europe/the UK soon?
MARK: In terms of touring we want to explore North America a bit but Europe is not safe from the Fairy Tale infection by any means ;)
XENIA: My future plans include fully transforming myself into a man and touring Europe with a cucumber in my pants. I think Lillie and I share the same vision.
THIS INTERVIEW WAS DONE BY E-MAIL IN MAY 2005. ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER 2005.
ALL PHOTOS OF SKY SALT FROM THEIR ORIGINAL WEBSITE. FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: XENIA, LILLIE CHARLOTTE, XENIA, MARK AD.
NOTE: Sky Salt have now split up but check the tags on this blog for an update on what they're up to now.
How would you describe your music? I think your image (particularly that of Mark AD and Lillie Charlotte) is quite Gothic influenced but the music less so.
MARK: I usually say "fairytale rock." I think the music is definitely dark, but not so much "gothic". I'd call it guitar driven, kiss and tell glam, flirting with metal and indulging in a little alternative introspection and irony. That's all summed up as "fairytale rock" for me.
XENIA: We coined the term "fairytale rock" because we felt that we didn't really fit into existing categories. We could say we play "modern rock" but we tend to be a bit more inventive than Nickelback (not offence to those guys). We could say we are a Visual K band but the closest we've come to being Japanese is having a half Japanese bassist. We are pretty dark but wouldn't exactly make Siouxsie proud. So yeah, Fairytale Rock!
LILLIE: I'm --- not really sure what I call it. I say "Come to our next show and see for yourselves."
You called your album I BELIEVE IN FAIRYTALES. What is your favourite fairytale and why?
XENIA: I write my own! I enjoy Master and Margarita (Bulgakov), Harry Potter and the Brothers Grimm.
LILLIE: I like Alice in Wonderland, cheesy as it may be to state so, for many reasons. It was written by a madman to begin with, and I've always seen myself as an Alice-like character. Misplaced in my own everyday "wonderland."
Xenia, how do you think your Russian background is an influence on your music (if indeed you think it is)?
XENIA: It's hard to say. I lived in Russia for 17 years but mostly listened to English-speaking bands. My "secret" Russian influence is this quirky band called Agata Kristi. They sing about everything from murderous clowns to glorified drug use in the 1920s and instilled in me the love for creepy music boxes.
You play the piano and guitar. What do you think are the particular qualities for each instrument (as in how they differ from one another, would you prefer to use one for a sad song, for instance)?
XENIA: Piano is my first instrument which I have been playing for as long as I can remember. I am classically trained on piano and music theory. In my late teens I rejected piano entirely as an instrument as "too lame for rock 'n' roll". That was when I picked up my first guitar and discovered songwriting! Today, 80 % of my songs are written on guitar. I turn to keyboard for certain effects and textures (like the Fairy Tale intro) but guitar is definitely a more universal songwriting tool for me.
What is your favourite song on the album and why?
MARK: Beautiful --- it just rocks hard and it hints at our love of Alice in Chains without aping their sound completely, which is very easy to do if you're not careful. It's the essence of fairytale rock and is the defining track of the record in my estimation.
XENIA: That changes every day! One day I'm digging on Beautiful, the next I'm all over 2 of a Kind, and the next find myself playing Low on repeat.
Lillie Charlotte has been the newest member to join. This is for LC --- how did you come to join Sky Salt and what do you like most about the band?
LILLIE: You'll hear many variations of how I joined Sky Salt, let's suffice to say --- it just sorta happened. I like the visual style and musical style, since they are both rather similar to my own project.
If you had to do a cover version, which song would you do and why?
MARK: We actually do mix covers into our live set. One old standby is Ozzy's "I Just Want You", love that for the epic Ozzy-ness of it. It's a lighters in the air kind of tune without being cheesy. We add some piano stylings that make it our own. It becomes a F'Tale anthem.
We've also done a stripped down version of the Beach Boys classic, "In My Room" which is very haunting with Xenia's voice and altered lyrics about dolls and other elements of her childhood.
The whole band has a very stunning and distinctive style. What other musicians' style do you admire?
XENIA: Anyone with a strong presence and a penchant for rock star antics. Marilyn Manson, Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper.
MARK: I tend to love guitar intensive metal and hard rock . Zakk Wylde, Alice in Chains, Lillie recently turned me onto to Dir En Grey and I can dig it. I love violin music --- especially Pagannini. But at the end of the day, kick ass guitar music gets me going. Slash, Dimebag (RIP), Van Halen.
LILLIE: Sonata Arctica totally owns me but I'm a sucker for over-the-top theatrics like Mana's bands Malice Mizer and Moi Dix Mois. My biggest influences are probably the bands from the now defunct Key Party record label such as Noir Fleurir, Noi'X, Aliene Ma'riage and Missalina Rei.
As you're such a visual band, I'm really looking forward to seeing any videos you might make for your songs, what sort of imagery would you like to use?
MARK: Scary little girls in cute dresses a la "The Shining" seems like a good start.
XENIA: Ditto! I am an extremely visual person so I think about video representation of our music all the time. Imagery varies depending on the song but for the most part it's either ethereal little girls (huge fan of Nightmare on Elm Street) or over-the-top rock star shit like white doves flying out of a black Porsche. "laughs".
LILLIE: They say the camera adds twenty pounds so I'll wear a dress that won't make me look fat!
Xenia, you also design and make clothes for your own fashion label, Lime Crime. What other fashion designers do you admire?
XENIA: Oh man. Too many to name! Betsey Johnson, Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, Issey Miyake, Heatherette and my friend Yana aka Supayana.
What's been your most memorable gig so far and why?
XENIA: Tribeca Rock Club --- because it sucked! Everything that could go wrong did, but we ended up having fun nonetheless. But oh man, it was definitely one of the most embarrassing shows we've ever done! Mark offered nudie pics of himself as part of the compensation to the audience but figured it would only add insult to injury. "laughs".
MARK: The most memorable show? I'd say MASKARA! Because we organise it and it's great to see everyone dress up and have a good time! It's good to take some of the elitism out of the fashion industry and share the stage with other bands we respect and admire.
From the MASKARA website: MASKARA is just what it is: a Legendary Festival of Deviants. Call it the most disturbingly real fashion experience you'll ever have or a debauched Bacchanal for freaks and drag queens, one thing is true: no matter what you've heard about it, no words good or bad, can convey the impact this party has on the city that never sleeps.
What are your future plans --- will you be touring Europe/the UK soon?
MARK: In terms of touring we want to explore North America a bit but Europe is not safe from the Fairy Tale infection by any means ;)
XENIA: My future plans include fully transforming myself into a man and touring Europe with a cucumber in my pants. I think Lillie and I share the same vision.
THIS INTERVIEW WAS DONE BY E-MAIL IN MAY 2005. ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER 2005.
ALL PHOTOS OF SKY SALT FROM THEIR ORIGINAL WEBSITE. FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: XENIA, LILLIE CHARLOTTE, XENIA, MARK AD.
NOTE: Sky Salt have now split up but check the tags on this blog for an update on what they're up to now.
REVIEW. YEAR OF THE WHORE --- VULGARAS.
Vulgaras are a New York based band who blend elements of disturbing performance art and burlesque with metal/Goth/blues influenced music. Their second album showcases the formidable vocal talents of lead singer, Velocity Chyaldd whose vocal range and raw emotion bring to mind performers like Diamanda Galas. Musicially, the band do tend to stick within the metal/grindcore genre presenting songs that are brutal slabs of powerful guitar riffs and ferocious drumming. Bands that fall under the "shock rock" label often tend to focus too much on the shock element and not enough on the rock front but Vulgaras manage to deliver on both fronts and come across as genuinely interested in exploring transgressive ideas and pushing boundaries --- not for some kind of cheap thrill but to reach a deeper emotional truth. Velocity (who has worked as a sex worker for a number of years in NYC) has said in interviews that she wanted to explore the darker side of life, forcing people to confront ideas of sexuality and overcome the shame society places on the genuine expression of sexuality, both male and female.
I would have liked to have had a lyric booklet with the CD especially as they're hard to make out in some of the songs due to the overpowering music or Velocity's vocal style. I wouldn't have it any other way though as I wouldn't want them to water down the the viscereal impact of such amazing music. The last 2 songs (Hooker Barbie and an unnamed bonus track) do offer a change of pace as they go in for disturbing spoken word pieces set to slightly less heavy music that's reminiscent of some of Lydia Lunch's work. Since this album was recorded, Vulgaras have had another change of personnel and are currently working on a 3rd album.
Vulgaras strike me as an intense and intelligent band who are driven to provide an emotionally powerful experience, both in their recorded music and performances, to inspire people with a truth that can be as frightening as it is beautiful, as poetic as it is scary.
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN MAY 2008.
I would have liked to have had a lyric booklet with the CD especially as they're hard to make out in some of the songs due to the overpowering music or Velocity's vocal style. I wouldn't have it any other way though as I wouldn't want them to water down the the viscereal impact of such amazing music. The last 2 songs (Hooker Barbie and an unnamed bonus track) do offer a change of pace as they go in for disturbing spoken word pieces set to slightly less heavy music that's reminiscent of some of Lydia Lunch's work. Since this album was recorded, Vulgaras have had another change of personnel and are currently working on a 3rd album.
Vulgaras strike me as an intense and intelligent band who are driven to provide an emotionally powerful experience, both in their recorded music and performances, to inspire people with a truth that can be as frightening as it is beautiful, as poetic as it is scary.
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN MAY 2008.
Friday, 23 April 2010
INTERVIEW. UNSKINNY BOP DJS (RUTH/TAMSIN)
Unskinny Bop is a monthly club night in London. It has promoted itself as an attitude-free alternative to many of the image obsessed nights on London's alternative scene. It is a queer run club night that welcomes everyone regardless of looks/size, sexual persuasion or gender and that diversity is reflected in an eclectic playlist. They also occasionally produce a mini zine loosely based around the topic of body image/fat phobia featuring contributions from the likes of Charlotte Cooper and Bill Savage and cartoonist Lucy Sweet.
The 2 girls that run it, Ruth and Tamsin proudly proclaim that they are "for batties and fatties --- providing disco dancing opportunities for girls, gays and misfits." And perhaps most revolutionary of all, they say AS IT IS AT THE DISCO, SO IT SHALL BE IN LIFE.
How did you start out as DJs?
I think really the origins of deejaying for both of us was in being obsessive mix tape makers and realising that the technical skills come second to the main criteria of having a good record collection and knowing when a song will sound good next to another one. Before we met we had both been doing bits of deejaying here and there, Tamsin at Debbie's Smith's various club nights in London, Ruth at Poptastic in Sheffield and Manchester.
Do you have any tips for anyone wanting to be a DJ/run a club night?
DJing: 1. Listen, think and talk about music non-stop and always be on the lookout for new great songs.
2. Don't get too hung up on genre --- if you think a song is good, play it, people will come along with you (there are some exceptions to this, I was shocked when I played MmmBop by Hanson at the Bop and didn't get a round of applause much less a heaving dancefloor).
3. Go out a lot and dance. It's always good to know what other nights are doing and what songs feel good on the dancefloor.
What do you like/dislike most about DJing?
Best thing definitely is creating dancefloor magic, playing some crazy mixes of songs that seem to only make sense in your own head or dancing in your bedroom and having the kids go wild. Worst thing is serial requesters who never even dance to the songs they have hassled you into playing!
What's been the most memorable night so far?
Probably the Halloween special featuring Zombina and the Skeletones and The Priscillas. The venue was absolutely packed with a queue down the street, almost everyone dressed up in amazingly creative and scarey Halloween costumes, we had Delia from the A-Lines and Schla La La's as guest DJ and we had two of our most favourite bands in the world playing. Shame we were too stressed out to fully enjoy it!
You sometimes do themed nights like the Dolly Parton/Kenny Rogers one --- what themes would you like to do in the future if you could?
It is possible that we will do a Summer Fun night at the August Bop but that depends on our powers of organisation in advance, the next fully themed night will be a Divas special featuring a dress up as your favourite diva competition and a countdown of the official Unskinny Bop Top Ten Divas. I would also really really like to have some Karaoke going on but not sure if it will be feasible so can't promise anything --- We haven't set a date for this yet but it will be fully advertised on our website etc.
You also sometimes put on bands like The Priscillas and Zombina and the Skeletones. Who would be your dream bands/singers to have at UB that you haven't had yet?
We only do gigs occasionally as it is hard hard work, and the Bop is definitely more of a disco than a band night. That said we are both currently completely obsessed with The Long Blondes and have been fantasising about having them play for us.
I know that you do an occasional mini zine as well to go along with your club night which I really love. Do you have plans to do anything else like a bigger zine or an Unskinny Bop compilation CD?
We will definitely be doing another zine at some point but not sure about a compilation CD --- I think making a compilation should be as much about the recepient as the person making the CD so I think it would be quite hard to make one for general use. Also we are both quite square and good so would be worried about being sued for infringement of copyright etc. The good people of Homocrime did mention the possibility of us curating a CD-R compilation release of songs by bands we know and love, so we might give that a go at some point.
Unskinny Bop has a very diverse and eclectic playlist even for an alternative club. I think that's what appeals to me most, that you don't just play all indie music and that I get the feeling you play stuff because you genuinely love it not because you think it's "ironic". Is there anything in particular you would recommend indie purists should check out that they've maybe not considered before? Anything that you've played that people have loved and they maybe wouldn't have thought they would have done.
We would never dream of playing something ironically which is why the whole idea of "guilty pleasures" as a musical genre is annoying --- why be guilty about liking something just because it is perceived to be uncool? I don't think it is in any way weird or wrong that I love listening to Girls Aloud as much as Girls At Our Best. I don't have anything against indie purists as they tend to be so obsessed and obsessive about music that they have got enough stuff to be going on with without checking out the new Usher single. What I object to is casual rock fans who devote masses of time and energy on criticising Avril Lavigne for being a fake --- she's a popstar, she doesn't have to be real!
In terms of recommendations, hmm, I think that most indie purists are essentially in love with a particular strand of pop music and that it is a real shame that they are blinkered to pop in its other guises. I blame the NME, who wouldn't? In my experience, unfortunately, (straight, white, male) indie purists are reluctant to accept music recommendations from fat lezzer Dolly Parton obsessives but I would encourage them to listen to other stuff with an open mind and not be so hung up on credibility.
I read on your website that you said one of the things that inspired Unskinny Bop was the increasing feeling that even alternative clubs were becoming more fashion conscious and body fascist. Do you think the London scene has changed and why do you think this is?
Basically we set up Unskinny Bop based on our experiences of 8 odd years of gay, indie, and gay indie clubbing in London and the regions. In the old days the notion of a gay indie club was very subversive and cool and fun, but after a few years the music policy of the principal clubs didn't change with the times and it's got very stale and boring. Around the same time as we were getting disillusioned with this scene, electroclash happened and was immediately adopted by the gay and straight alternative scenes, which drove all the fashionista types into what were previously 'our' places. Where before you would get wrecked on Red Stripe and happily flail around the dancefloor, now you had to queue up and meet a particular dress code (read: body size code too) just to get in. Once inside, there was no joy in the new music, just blankness and moral voide. It sucked ass.
So, empowered by Ladyfest, we just decided to do our own thing, play music from all genres motivated only by our love and passion for the songs themselves and the desire to create a happy, inclusive atmosphere where all were welcome. Since then electroclash has died a bit of a death so we can be less antagonistic but our raison d'etre remains the same.
What made you decide to promote Unskinny Bop on the positive body image front and what kind of feedback have you had (positive and negative)/
It basically came from feeling that Ladyfest was a good platform to feature something to do with body image as obviously it it such a massive issue for so many girls and women but we didn't want it to be all po-faced and Mein Kampfy, we just wanted to have a big old celebration of chubsters. Our mainstream culture tends to measure success in terms of how much money one has and how thin one is, and the best way to challenge that assumption (we thought) was for us to host a massive free party honouring our podgiest of popstars.
Also we just thought the phrase 'Unskinny Bop' would be a good name for a disco for fat people! Apparently though it refers to having sex with a circumised penis. Anyway. Since the first Unskinny Bop the explicit pro-chub focus has diminished a bit, as we aspire to be a haven for all sorts of misfits whatever their size, but we hope the fact that the club is run and DJ'ed by fat lezzers helps encourage an inclusive, accessible and fat-positive atmosphere.
How would you describe Unskinny Bop to those of us who've never been and why should we all come along?
Best. Disco. Ever. It may ruin clubbing for you forever though as nowhere else you are likely to go will be a as good.
What are your Top 5 songs at the moment?
Lust in the Movies --- The Long Blondes.
Gypsy --- Fleetwood Mac.
Zombie Hop --- Zombina and the Skeletones.
Diamonds (Remix) --- Kanye West featuring Jay-Z.
Baby I'm Burning --- Dolly Parton.
http://www.unskinnybop.co.uk/
THIS INTERVIEW WAS DONE BY E-MAIL IN JULY 2005. ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER 2005.
UNSKINNY BOP ARTWORK FROM THEIR MINI ZINE.
The 2 girls that run it, Ruth and Tamsin proudly proclaim that they are "for batties and fatties --- providing disco dancing opportunities for girls, gays and misfits." And perhaps most revolutionary of all, they say AS IT IS AT THE DISCO, SO IT SHALL BE IN LIFE.
How did you start out as DJs?
I think really the origins of deejaying for both of us was in being obsessive mix tape makers and realising that the technical skills come second to the main criteria of having a good record collection and knowing when a song will sound good next to another one. Before we met we had both been doing bits of deejaying here and there, Tamsin at Debbie's Smith's various club nights in London, Ruth at Poptastic in Sheffield and Manchester.
Do you have any tips for anyone wanting to be a DJ/run a club night?
DJing: 1. Listen, think and talk about music non-stop and always be on the lookout for new great songs.
2. Don't get too hung up on genre --- if you think a song is good, play it, people will come along with you (there are some exceptions to this, I was shocked when I played MmmBop by Hanson at the Bop and didn't get a round of applause much less a heaving dancefloor).
3. Go out a lot and dance. It's always good to know what other nights are doing and what songs feel good on the dancefloor.
What do you like/dislike most about DJing?
Best thing definitely is creating dancefloor magic, playing some crazy mixes of songs that seem to only make sense in your own head or dancing in your bedroom and having the kids go wild. Worst thing is serial requesters who never even dance to the songs they have hassled you into playing!
What's been the most memorable night so far?
Probably the Halloween special featuring Zombina and the Skeletones and The Priscillas. The venue was absolutely packed with a queue down the street, almost everyone dressed up in amazingly creative and scarey Halloween costumes, we had Delia from the A-Lines and Schla La La's as guest DJ and we had two of our most favourite bands in the world playing. Shame we were too stressed out to fully enjoy it!
You sometimes do themed nights like the Dolly Parton/Kenny Rogers one --- what themes would you like to do in the future if you could?
It is possible that we will do a Summer Fun night at the August Bop but that depends on our powers of organisation in advance, the next fully themed night will be a Divas special featuring a dress up as your favourite diva competition and a countdown of the official Unskinny Bop Top Ten Divas. I would also really really like to have some Karaoke going on but not sure if it will be feasible so can't promise anything --- We haven't set a date for this yet but it will be fully advertised on our website etc.
You also sometimes put on bands like The Priscillas and Zombina and the Skeletones. Who would be your dream bands/singers to have at UB that you haven't had yet?
We only do gigs occasionally as it is hard hard work, and the Bop is definitely more of a disco than a band night. That said we are both currently completely obsessed with The Long Blondes and have been fantasising about having them play for us.
I know that you do an occasional mini zine as well to go along with your club night which I really love. Do you have plans to do anything else like a bigger zine or an Unskinny Bop compilation CD?
We will definitely be doing another zine at some point but not sure about a compilation CD --- I think making a compilation should be as much about the recepient as the person making the CD so I think it would be quite hard to make one for general use. Also we are both quite square and good so would be worried about being sued for infringement of copyright etc. The good people of Homocrime did mention the possibility of us curating a CD-R compilation release of songs by bands we know and love, so we might give that a go at some point.
Unskinny Bop has a very diverse and eclectic playlist even for an alternative club. I think that's what appeals to me most, that you don't just play all indie music and that I get the feeling you play stuff because you genuinely love it not because you think it's "ironic". Is there anything in particular you would recommend indie purists should check out that they've maybe not considered before? Anything that you've played that people have loved and they maybe wouldn't have thought they would have done.
We would never dream of playing something ironically which is why the whole idea of "guilty pleasures" as a musical genre is annoying --- why be guilty about liking something just because it is perceived to be uncool? I don't think it is in any way weird or wrong that I love listening to Girls Aloud as much as Girls At Our Best. I don't have anything against indie purists as they tend to be so obsessed and obsessive about music that they have got enough stuff to be going on with without checking out the new Usher single. What I object to is casual rock fans who devote masses of time and energy on criticising Avril Lavigne for being a fake --- she's a popstar, she doesn't have to be real!
In terms of recommendations, hmm, I think that most indie purists are essentially in love with a particular strand of pop music and that it is a real shame that they are blinkered to pop in its other guises. I blame the NME, who wouldn't? In my experience, unfortunately, (straight, white, male) indie purists are reluctant to accept music recommendations from fat lezzer Dolly Parton obsessives but I would encourage them to listen to other stuff with an open mind and not be so hung up on credibility.
I read on your website that you said one of the things that inspired Unskinny Bop was the increasing feeling that even alternative clubs were becoming more fashion conscious and body fascist. Do you think the London scene has changed and why do you think this is?
Basically we set up Unskinny Bop based on our experiences of 8 odd years of gay, indie, and gay indie clubbing in London and the regions. In the old days the notion of a gay indie club was very subversive and cool and fun, but after a few years the music policy of the principal clubs didn't change with the times and it's got very stale and boring. Around the same time as we were getting disillusioned with this scene, electroclash happened and was immediately adopted by the gay and straight alternative scenes, which drove all the fashionista types into what were previously 'our' places. Where before you would get wrecked on Red Stripe and happily flail around the dancefloor, now you had to queue up and meet a particular dress code (read: body size code too) just to get in. Once inside, there was no joy in the new music, just blankness and moral voide. It sucked ass.
So, empowered by Ladyfest, we just decided to do our own thing, play music from all genres motivated only by our love and passion for the songs themselves and the desire to create a happy, inclusive atmosphere where all were welcome. Since then electroclash has died a bit of a death so we can be less antagonistic but our raison d'etre remains the same.
What made you decide to promote Unskinny Bop on the positive body image front and what kind of feedback have you had (positive and negative)/
It basically came from feeling that Ladyfest was a good platform to feature something to do with body image as obviously it it such a massive issue for so many girls and women but we didn't want it to be all po-faced and Mein Kampfy, we just wanted to have a big old celebration of chubsters. Our mainstream culture tends to measure success in terms of how much money one has and how thin one is, and the best way to challenge that assumption (we thought) was for us to host a massive free party honouring our podgiest of popstars.
Also we just thought the phrase 'Unskinny Bop' would be a good name for a disco for fat people! Apparently though it refers to having sex with a circumised penis. Anyway. Since the first Unskinny Bop the explicit pro-chub focus has diminished a bit, as we aspire to be a haven for all sorts of misfits whatever their size, but we hope the fact that the club is run and DJ'ed by fat lezzers helps encourage an inclusive, accessible and fat-positive atmosphere.
How would you describe Unskinny Bop to those of us who've never been and why should we all come along?
Best. Disco. Ever. It may ruin clubbing for you forever though as nowhere else you are likely to go will be a as good.
What are your Top 5 songs at the moment?
Lust in the Movies --- The Long Blondes.
Gypsy --- Fleetwood Mac.
Zombie Hop --- Zombina and the Skeletones.
Diamonds (Remix) --- Kanye West featuring Jay-Z.
Baby I'm Burning --- Dolly Parton.
http://www.unskinnybop.co.uk/
THIS INTERVIEW WAS DONE BY E-MAIL IN JULY 2005. ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER 2005.
UNSKINNY BOP ARTWORK FROM THEIR MINI ZINE.
REVIEW. MOTHBURNER --- THE LOUD SONGS/THE QUIET SONGS
Shirin from Mothburner kindly sent me 2 demo CDs, divided into loud and quiet songs. She and her partner Finn have been working as Mothburner for about a decade now.
I found it quite difficult to categorise their music but that could be becase I don't listen to enough bands that sound like Mothburner. If indeed there are any other bands that sound like Mothburner because I do think they have an uncommon sound. Shirin has an amazingly beautiful voice, it is very pure and high with a vibrato effect (which I liked but might not be to everyone's taste) which does remind me of choral or classical music. But then Finn's musical backing echoes the lighter end of Goth like All About Eve or The Cocteau Twins and the occasionally strong drumbeats remind me a bit of Celtic folk like Clannad. The music acts as the perfect setting for Shirin's voice, allowing it to take centre stage without over-dominating the songs. The loud songs weren't that much different to the quiet songs in terms of tempo, they just had slightly heavier beats and more prominent drums which worked well on songs like Polly The One or My Little Girl Come HOme and shows some variety in their styles.
Some music can only come from a certain place (I would say Cristina's album reviewed elsewhere in this issue was very much a product of 1980s New York) and so Mothburner perfectly evoke the isolated beauty of their surrounding Cornish coastline. This mood of fragile perfection is further epitomised by an absolutely stunning cover version of Acker Bilk's Stranger on the Shore (an old jazz standard).
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER 2005.
NOTE: Mothburner have now split up. They do still have a My Space but it hasn't been updated in ages.
I found it quite difficult to categorise their music but that could be becase I don't listen to enough bands that sound like Mothburner. If indeed there are any other bands that sound like Mothburner because I do think they have an uncommon sound. Shirin has an amazingly beautiful voice, it is very pure and high with a vibrato effect (which I liked but might not be to everyone's taste) which does remind me of choral or classical music. But then Finn's musical backing echoes the lighter end of Goth like All About Eve or The Cocteau Twins and the occasionally strong drumbeats remind me a bit of Celtic folk like Clannad. The music acts as the perfect setting for Shirin's voice, allowing it to take centre stage without over-dominating the songs. The loud songs weren't that much different to the quiet songs in terms of tempo, they just had slightly heavier beats and more prominent drums which worked well on songs like Polly The One or My Little Girl Come HOme and shows some variety in their styles.
Some music can only come from a certain place (I would say Cristina's album reviewed elsewhere in this issue was very much a product of 1980s New York) and so Mothburner perfectly evoke the isolated beauty of their surrounding Cornish coastline. This mood of fragile perfection is further epitomised by an absolutely stunning cover version of Acker Bilk's Stranger on the Shore (an old jazz standard).
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER 2005.
NOTE: Mothburner have now split up. They do still have a My Space but it hasn't been updated in ages.
Thursday, 22 April 2010
ARTICLE. SINCE YESTERDAY --- A TRIBUTE TO STRAWBERRY SWITCHBLADE
The 1980s were the pinnacle for perfect pop music. And one of the main reasons for that was the fact that genuinely creative and weird people made brilliant pop music. These days pop music seems to have turned into a conveyor belt of boy band wannabes and porn influenced fembots churning out soulless pop. Which is not to say there wasn't some crap back then but there were also bands like Soft Cell and Adam and the Ants who weren't afraid to step out of their art school ghettoes and make popular music for the masses. IT WAS FABULOUS.
A perfect example of this was Strawberry Switchblade, a duo of Glaswegian girls, Jill and Rose, who'd met up on their home town's burgeoning punk scene and bonded as much over their outrageous appearance as their love of music. They were best known for their love of polka dots and their look seemed like a home-made forerunner to the Gothic Lolita style now popular in Japan. They had back-combed hair adorned with long ribbons, thick black eyeliner, loads of cheap jewellery and polka dot dresses which only seemed even more strangely asexual when combined with the skyscraper stilettos and fishnets which the girls favoured. They resembled cute Kabuki witches. Nobody else could have invented that look and only they could have perfected it.
Their music was every bit as striking --- bittersweet pop music that produced a strangely unsettling effect while never distracting from some beautiful melodies and harmonies. Although they released several singles and one album, their only big hit was Since Yesterday. However, it was a UK Top 5 hit and bizarrely enough, this was all it took for the girls to keep Band Aid (the charity single that went on to be one of the biggest selling singles of all time) off the cover of Smash Hits (then the biggest selling pop magazine in the UK). But sometimes that one moment of pop perfection is all you need. Some bands will go their whole career without ever reaching that pinnacle. I don't care if Strawberry Switchblade never had a string of number ones or won awards, I think they're an amazing band.
Fast forward nearly 20 years and Strawberry Switchblade are a sparkly sequin in my memory of the 1980s. All I'd ever heard was Since Yesterday but that was enough to convince me of their genius. I managed to track down a Japanese CD reissue of their album and I wasn't disappointed. Who could forget their plaintive ode to agoraphobia, Trees and Flowers or jaunty pop numbers with an underlying threat of menace like Let Her Go or Jolene. I think the internet has been the saving grace for bands like Strawberry Switchblade. Before it existed obscure bands would be easily forgotten and there was no way for fans to easily share what resources they did have. Ebay and Amazon have made it easier for people all around the world to obtain rare and out of print items and programmes like Napster meant people could trade music files. And people were able to set up fan sites that people could access and interact with from anywhere in the world.
I think Strawberry Switchblade have one of the best fan sites I've seen on the Internet. It's easy to navigate and has a pretty design that reflects the band's image. Merrick (who set it up) has done an amazing job in finding loads of press cuttings and rare music downloads as well as loads of photos, lyrics and more. But the most amazing thing on the site is an in depth interview with both girls and some other people associated with the band like Bill Drummond (later of The KLF) who was their manager. And when I say in depth I really mean it. But God, what a story! I don't want to spoil the surprise but it makes fantastic reading from Rose discussing her childhood growing up in violent slums and the death of her brother to Jill talking about how agoraphobia affected her life covering their rise to fame complete with violent stalkers leading to their eventual breakup amidst accusations of Nazi sympathies and occult obsessions. I wish more people could read it as it's such an interesting story and Merrick has done a good job in getting everybody to talk about the various issues so openly.
http://www.strawberryswitchblade.net/
ALL IMAGES FROM THE STRAWBERRY SWITCHBLADE WEBSITE.
ORGINALLY PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER 2005.
A perfect example of this was Strawberry Switchblade, a duo of Glaswegian girls, Jill and Rose, who'd met up on their home town's burgeoning punk scene and bonded as much over their outrageous appearance as their love of music. They were best known for their love of polka dots and their look seemed like a home-made forerunner to the Gothic Lolita style now popular in Japan. They had back-combed hair adorned with long ribbons, thick black eyeliner, loads of cheap jewellery and polka dot dresses which only seemed even more strangely asexual when combined with the skyscraper stilettos and fishnets which the girls favoured. They resembled cute Kabuki witches. Nobody else could have invented that look and only they could have perfected it.
Their music was every bit as striking --- bittersweet pop music that produced a strangely unsettling effect while never distracting from some beautiful melodies and harmonies. Although they released several singles and one album, their only big hit was Since Yesterday. However, it was a UK Top 5 hit and bizarrely enough, this was all it took for the girls to keep Band Aid (the charity single that went on to be one of the biggest selling singles of all time) off the cover of Smash Hits (then the biggest selling pop magazine in the UK). But sometimes that one moment of pop perfection is all you need. Some bands will go their whole career without ever reaching that pinnacle. I don't care if Strawberry Switchblade never had a string of number ones or won awards, I think they're an amazing band.
Fast forward nearly 20 years and Strawberry Switchblade are a sparkly sequin in my memory of the 1980s. All I'd ever heard was Since Yesterday but that was enough to convince me of their genius. I managed to track down a Japanese CD reissue of their album and I wasn't disappointed. Who could forget their plaintive ode to agoraphobia, Trees and Flowers or jaunty pop numbers with an underlying threat of menace like Let Her Go or Jolene. I think the internet has been the saving grace for bands like Strawberry Switchblade. Before it existed obscure bands would be easily forgotten and there was no way for fans to easily share what resources they did have. Ebay and Amazon have made it easier for people all around the world to obtain rare and out of print items and programmes like Napster meant people could trade music files. And people were able to set up fan sites that people could access and interact with from anywhere in the world.
I think Strawberry Switchblade have one of the best fan sites I've seen on the Internet. It's easy to navigate and has a pretty design that reflects the band's image. Merrick (who set it up) has done an amazing job in finding loads of press cuttings and rare music downloads as well as loads of photos, lyrics and more. But the most amazing thing on the site is an in depth interview with both girls and some other people associated with the band like Bill Drummond (later of The KLF) who was their manager. And when I say in depth I really mean it. But God, what a story! I don't want to spoil the surprise but it makes fantastic reading from Rose discussing her childhood growing up in violent slums and the death of her brother to Jill talking about how agoraphobia affected her life covering their rise to fame complete with violent stalkers leading to their eventual breakup amidst accusations of Nazi sympathies and occult obsessions. I wish more people could read it as it's such an interesting story and Merrick has done a good job in getting everybody to talk about the various issues so openly.
http://www.strawberryswitchblade.net/
ALL IMAGES FROM THE STRAWBERRY SWITCHBLADE WEBSITE.
ORGINALLY PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER 2005.
UPDATES/LINKS. THEE HEAVENLY MUSIC ASSOCIATION
THEE HEAVENLY MUSIC ASSOCIATION
As far as I can tell they haven't split up but then they haven't done anything else since their 2004 debut, Shaping the Invisible. The album should still be available from Amazon/CD Baby/other record stores and they have MP3s available on the usual sites.
Unfortunately YouTube doesn't have any live footage or music videos but there are a couple of their songs up on there including my favourite, Alain
As far as I can tell they haven't split up but then they haven't done anything else since their 2004 debut, Shaping the Invisible. The album should still be available from Amazon/CD Baby/other record stores and they have MP3s available on the usual sites.
Unfortunately YouTube doesn't have any live footage or music videos but there are a couple of their songs up on there including my favourite, Alain
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