Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Todays been
...A very good day. To start off, i found my EMA contract, again thank you Emily. And now i'm gonna be able to get my EMA money which makes me very happy as they owe £120 already, oh yeahhhh. And also my mom's just came home and told me shes passed everything on her uni course so now she going to be a real proper midwife!! So she's treating us all to a chinese which is also good. So in all, a very good day i'd say!! And i just had to let you all know =)
Monday, 9 November 2009
Jay-Z
I don't read many interviews really, too much writing tends to put me off reading it, i tend to just scim it, see if theres and good bits, and lose intrest pretty quickly. But this interview had me hooked from start to finish.
So, Jay, how’s the retirement working out?
“The retirement? That’s been up three years now. I’ve been gardening, in the solarium…”
Did you honestly think you weren’t going to come back, or was the whole thing just a publicity stunt?“
I really did because all the signs pointed to that. I’d been offered the Head of Def Jam, and this was the next level of my life. It just shows that artists can ascend to the executive ranks and not just go away or be ‘where are they now?’ specials.”
Was ‘The Blueprint’ always going to be a trilogy?
“Yeah, I just never had a reason to do the third one before. I thought it was time to lay a blueprint for the next generation because everyone’s making this type of music to fit onto radio because the sales are so bad, so everyone can’t play around. People are being concerned about their career so they’re making songs to fit the format and I thought it was a great time to lay down the blueprint and be fearless and make music just because it sounds good. That’s why I put out ‘D.O.A.’ first, because it was more of a challenge, a call to arms, like ‘come on, let’s go!’ People took it as I was putting the younger generation down but I’m not, I’m really challenging them to make great music. I want them to be great, that’s not a bad thing.”
You’ve been delivering the new album personally to media playbacks, playing it from your personal iPod – are you that worried about piracy?
“I like to present my music one way, I don’t want it to leak. I know that’s the way of the world and when it happens it’ll happen but the further I can delay it the better because I still look at music as one piece. When I’m making the music I think about you, right, and how you listen to music, when I’m sequencing an album. So it won’t be a slow record then a fast one then a slow one, it’s a gradual thing.”
Indeed, you only allowed your last release, a concept album based on Ridley Scott’s movie American Gangster, as a full-album download - are you an album purist?
“I made a movie in my mind and directors don’t sell scenes of their movies, they sell entire movies, so I sold an entire movie. And ‘D.O.A. (Death Of Autotune)’ was my way of telling artists ‘no, it’s the other way around, you make music and iTunes come and get it, you don’t make music for them.’”
You discovered Rihanna - what was it about her that grabbed you?
“She was a star, immediately. She never had an album or a record out before, and she walked in the room and the room moved. The funny thing is she had this big-assed record and a lot of people would have been happy - I was concerned. I thought the record would crush her. The record’s too big for her. And then I looked and I was like ‘she’ll do it, she’s that much of a star that she can get away from this record’.”
One track on ‘The Blueprint 3’ seems to suggest you don’t feel you deserve the adulation you get.
“That was being sarcastic. It’s called ‘Thank You, You’re Far Too Kind’. Ha-ha!”Do you find it embarrassing?“All the time. I get out of it with a joke, Having the President, on this campaign run, dust his shoulders off [referencing one of Jay-Z’s lines] in front of the whole world. It’s like ‘Did he just do that? Does he have dandruff on his shoulder?’”
Have you thought about moving into politics?
"I get that question now and it’s really baffling to me from where my background is. In political circles they like to pretend you have to be perfect, you’ve never done anything, you can’t say this. There’s more perception, and I’m not into that. I’m gonna say a lot of inappropriate things and a term is four years! Imagine how many politically incorrect things you’d say. Forget about it!”
Have you been affected by Obama’s win?
“Yeah, I think he’s restored hope not just in America, but all around the world, which is all we can ask for. That’s why we wake up in the morning, that’s what pushed you and drives you. I’ve been moved and affected by it, absolutely.”
What’s your problem with (popular vocal-tuning software) Autotune?
“I don’t have a problem with Autotune, I think it’s really cool, but when ten people use it, not one thousand. It’s like ‘c’mon, I heard that record already, I don’t wanna hear the same thing’. I would have a problem with speed-rap if everyone was dibeddy-dibeddy-dibeddy, it would drive me insane.”
Wouldn’t you rather have attractive people who can’t sing in the charts than ugly people who can sing?
“Yeah, but ten. Too much of anything is bad. If I ate apple pie every day my teeth will rot, and I love apple pie.”
Are rap beefs put on to sell records?
“You’ll probably find nine times out of ten it’s more misunderstandings.”
Which beef meant more, Nas or Noel?
“I guess Nas because it comes from hip-hop. It was a great time in hip-hop, a great battle. Noel, that was pretty cool too. That felt more like me progressing and knocking down a different barrier more than a thing with me and Noel. I think it was more about [Glastonbury], we were arguing about that, not arguing with each other. He was ‘I wanted it to be like I always saw it!’ And I was like ‘no, the world is changing’.”
Would you do Glastonbury again?
“Absolutely. I rank it as one of those moments like when I first got a Grammy. It felt like a cultural shift. It was a moment in time, it was a breaking down of barriers. And the people were ready for it, as we see as soon as I walked out, right? The people wanted it, the people was like ‘no, we like Jay-Z and we like Noel, we like both of you guys’.”
What’s the worst thing another rapper’s said about you?
“Typically when guys invite you to their private… it’s a little out of bounds. I think that’s the worst for me. There’s rules in battle and you don’t do that. You don’t do that and as a man you don’t ever tell another man to… you know.”
No, I don’t know.
“You really don’t know what I’m saying? You don’t invite another man to your dick. You don’t say ‘suck my dick!’ You don’t do that.”That’s not on?“That’s outside of the line. That’s everyone’s first thing they say.”
Lil Wayne claimed you were too old and in the way – is hip-hop a young man’s game?
“Hip-hop’s pretty young so we’ve never seen anyone with a career, consistently, for thirteen albums or whatever - I forget the number with all the side albums I’ve done. This is the first time, so people are like ‘that’s odd, that’s not supposed to happen, it’s three years and then that’s it’. But it should be this way.”
What did you think of ‘The Grey Album’?
“Incredible. I thought it was fantastic. I was very happy to see that because I wanted everyone to know that this is the way of the world, this is how kids listen to music, this is what it is now. I really believe hip-hop has done so much to improve racial relations. Racism is taught in the home, you can’t teach racism in the home if your kid loves Jay-Z. It’s hard to say ‘that guy is beneath you’ – no, that guy is a hero! Now people are listening to the same music, going to the same clubs. There were black clubs and white clubs before, now people go to a club.”
How did you get to be mates with Chris Martin?
“We met at a charity maybe five or six years ago and became real friends. We visit each other’s homes and really hang out, he’s a really great guy and a brilliant musician and I respect his craft and how he approaches it. How he looks at it is exactly how he should be looking at it. He wants to be the best in the world but he’s willing to put in the work. He really cares, I love his passion for what he does.”
You’re supporting Coldplay on their forthcoming stadium tour - do you have any special plans for supporting an indie band?
“Yeah, I’m trying to tailor-make it for the audience. I might steal a couple of his songs. Nah, I’m joking.”
Have you ever considered following your wife into acting?
“I think I’d be a horrible actor. I think I’d get in the way. There’s certain things that I won’t do. I’m not gonna fake fight with someone. In order to be a great actor you have to step aside to let the character come in. Until I can officially do that then I can only play myself in a movie for ten seconds. Jay-Z as himself.”
Are you and Beyonce competitive musically?
“No, we’re not in the same space at all. Not even a little bit.”
You’re competitive at Connect 4, though.
“She wins that hands down. She might be the State Champion ten years in a row.”
How did you propose?
“I can’t talk about that.”
If you could own anything you don’t already, what would it be?
“A boat, which is a terrible investment because the water tears it away but I really like being on the water. I didn’t grow up a swimmer, I never could swim until a couple of years ago but it’s really relaxing for me, I really enjoy it.”
What’s the most essential thing on your tour rider?
“There’s all kinda things on there but I think peanut butter and jelly, because that’s a good, nice snack. Peanut butter is protein, for the stage and everything. You don’t want to eat to much because you get bloated, you can’t move around.”
Cricket or baseball?
“I just can’t watch cricket because the guy could be up an hour, right? That’s weird to me. I think it’s more of a social game. I think people go there to drink and talk more than watch the game. I can’t imagine watching someone for more than one hour. Baseball is slow, by the way, it’s a very slow game, it’s nine innings, people are calling that slow, I’m saying ‘man, you’ve never seen cricket’.”
What’s the secret to being a successful entrepreneur?
“Nerves. Be fearless. You have to not be afraid to fail. I’ve definitely failed. We had a thing called Wash-House in Roc-A-Wear which failed, a thing called Teen Tock which we’re gonna start over again which failed the first time.”
What’s your greatest achievement?
“I guess my longevity. To be relevant for so long, album after album after album. Ten Number One albums in a row, what is that?”
So, Jay, how’s the retirement working out?
“The retirement? That’s been up three years now. I’ve been gardening, in the solarium…”
Did you honestly think you weren’t going to come back, or was the whole thing just a publicity stunt?“
I really did because all the signs pointed to that. I’d been offered the Head of Def Jam, and this was the next level of my life. It just shows that artists can ascend to the executive ranks and not just go away or be ‘where are they now?’ specials.”
Was ‘The Blueprint’ always going to be a trilogy?
“Yeah, I just never had a reason to do the third one before. I thought it was time to lay a blueprint for the next generation because everyone’s making this type of music to fit onto radio because the sales are so bad, so everyone can’t play around. People are being concerned about their career so they’re making songs to fit the format and I thought it was a great time to lay down the blueprint and be fearless and make music just because it sounds good. That’s why I put out ‘D.O.A.’ first, because it was more of a challenge, a call to arms, like ‘come on, let’s go!’ People took it as I was putting the younger generation down but I’m not, I’m really challenging them to make great music. I want them to be great, that’s not a bad thing.”
You’ve been delivering the new album personally to media playbacks, playing it from your personal iPod – are you that worried about piracy?
“I like to present my music one way, I don’t want it to leak. I know that’s the way of the world and when it happens it’ll happen but the further I can delay it the better because I still look at music as one piece. When I’m making the music I think about you, right, and how you listen to music, when I’m sequencing an album. So it won’t be a slow record then a fast one then a slow one, it’s a gradual thing.”
Indeed, you only allowed your last release, a concept album based on Ridley Scott’s movie American Gangster, as a full-album download - are you an album purist?
“I made a movie in my mind and directors don’t sell scenes of their movies, they sell entire movies, so I sold an entire movie. And ‘D.O.A. (Death Of Autotune)’ was my way of telling artists ‘no, it’s the other way around, you make music and iTunes come and get it, you don’t make music for them.’”
You discovered Rihanna - what was it about her that grabbed you?
“She was a star, immediately. She never had an album or a record out before, and she walked in the room and the room moved. The funny thing is she had this big-assed record and a lot of people would have been happy - I was concerned. I thought the record would crush her. The record’s too big for her. And then I looked and I was like ‘she’ll do it, she’s that much of a star that she can get away from this record’.”
One track on ‘The Blueprint 3’ seems to suggest you don’t feel you deserve the adulation you get.
“That was being sarcastic. It’s called ‘Thank You, You’re Far Too Kind’. Ha-ha!”Do you find it embarrassing?“All the time. I get out of it with a joke, Having the President, on this campaign run, dust his shoulders off [referencing one of Jay-Z’s lines] in front of the whole world. It’s like ‘Did he just do that? Does he have dandruff on his shoulder?’”
Have you thought about moving into politics?
"I get that question now and it’s really baffling to me from where my background is. In political circles they like to pretend you have to be perfect, you’ve never done anything, you can’t say this. There’s more perception, and I’m not into that. I’m gonna say a lot of inappropriate things and a term is four years! Imagine how many politically incorrect things you’d say. Forget about it!”
Have you been affected by Obama’s win?
“Yeah, I think he’s restored hope not just in America, but all around the world, which is all we can ask for. That’s why we wake up in the morning, that’s what pushed you and drives you. I’ve been moved and affected by it, absolutely.”
What’s your problem with (popular vocal-tuning software) Autotune?
“I don’t have a problem with Autotune, I think it’s really cool, but when ten people use it, not one thousand. It’s like ‘c’mon, I heard that record already, I don’t wanna hear the same thing’. I would have a problem with speed-rap if everyone was dibeddy-dibeddy-dibeddy, it would drive me insane.”
Wouldn’t you rather have attractive people who can’t sing in the charts than ugly people who can sing?
“Yeah, but ten. Too much of anything is bad. If I ate apple pie every day my teeth will rot, and I love apple pie.”
Are rap beefs put on to sell records?
“You’ll probably find nine times out of ten it’s more misunderstandings.”
Which beef meant more, Nas or Noel?
“I guess Nas because it comes from hip-hop. It was a great time in hip-hop, a great battle. Noel, that was pretty cool too. That felt more like me progressing and knocking down a different barrier more than a thing with me and Noel. I think it was more about [Glastonbury], we were arguing about that, not arguing with each other. He was ‘I wanted it to be like I always saw it!’ And I was like ‘no, the world is changing’.”
Would you do Glastonbury again?
“Absolutely. I rank it as one of those moments like when I first got a Grammy. It felt like a cultural shift. It was a moment in time, it was a breaking down of barriers. And the people were ready for it, as we see as soon as I walked out, right? The people wanted it, the people was like ‘no, we like Jay-Z and we like Noel, we like both of you guys’.”
What’s the worst thing another rapper’s said about you?
“Typically when guys invite you to their private… it’s a little out of bounds. I think that’s the worst for me. There’s rules in battle and you don’t do that. You don’t do that and as a man you don’t ever tell another man to… you know.”
No, I don’t know.
“You really don’t know what I’m saying? You don’t invite another man to your dick. You don’t say ‘suck my dick!’ You don’t do that.”That’s not on?“That’s outside of the line. That’s everyone’s first thing they say.”
Lil Wayne claimed you were too old and in the way – is hip-hop a young man’s game?
“Hip-hop’s pretty young so we’ve never seen anyone with a career, consistently, for thirteen albums or whatever - I forget the number with all the side albums I’ve done. This is the first time, so people are like ‘that’s odd, that’s not supposed to happen, it’s three years and then that’s it’. But it should be this way.”
What did you think of ‘The Grey Album’?
“Incredible. I thought it was fantastic. I was very happy to see that because I wanted everyone to know that this is the way of the world, this is how kids listen to music, this is what it is now. I really believe hip-hop has done so much to improve racial relations. Racism is taught in the home, you can’t teach racism in the home if your kid loves Jay-Z. It’s hard to say ‘that guy is beneath you’ – no, that guy is a hero! Now people are listening to the same music, going to the same clubs. There were black clubs and white clubs before, now people go to a club.”
How did you get to be mates with Chris Martin?
“We met at a charity maybe five or six years ago and became real friends. We visit each other’s homes and really hang out, he’s a really great guy and a brilliant musician and I respect his craft and how he approaches it. How he looks at it is exactly how he should be looking at it. He wants to be the best in the world but he’s willing to put in the work. He really cares, I love his passion for what he does.”
You’re supporting Coldplay on their forthcoming stadium tour - do you have any special plans for supporting an indie band?
“Yeah, I’m trying to tailor-make it for the audience. I might steal a couple of his songs. Nah, I’m joking.”
Have you ever considered following your wife into acting?
“I think I’d be a horrible actor. I think I’d get in the way. There’s certain things that I won’t do. I’m not gonna fake fight with someone. In order to be a great actor you have to step aside to let the character come in. Until I can officially do that then I can only play myself in a movie for ten seconds. Jay-Z as himself.”
Are you and Beyonce competitive musically?
“No, we’re not in the same space at all. Not even a little bit.”
You’re competitive at Connect 4, though.
“She wins that hands down. She might be the State Champion ten years in a row.”
How did you propose?
“I can’t talk about that.”
If you could own anything you don’t already, what would it be?
“A boat, which is a terrible investment because the water tears it away but I really like being on the water. I didn’t grow up a swimmer, I never could swim until a couple of years ago but it’s really relaxing for me, I really enjoy it.”
What’s the most essential thing on your tour rider?
“There’s all kinda things on there but I think peanut butter and jelly, because that’s a good, nice snack. Peanut butter is protein, for the stage and everything. You don’t want to eat to much because you get bloated, you can’t move around.”
Cricket or baseball?
“I just can’t watch cricket because the guy could be up an hour, right? That’s weird to me. I think it’s more of a social game. I think people go there to drink and talk more than watch the game. I can’t imagine watching someone for more than one hour. Baseball is slow, by the way, it’s a very slow game, it’s nine innings, people are calling that slow, I’m saying ‘man, you’ve never seen cricket’.”
What’s the secret to being a successful entrepreneur?
“Nerves. Be fearless. You have to not be afraid to fail. I’ve definitely failed. We had a thing called Wash-House in Roc-A-Wear which failed, a thing called Teen Tock which we’re gonna start over again which failed the first time.”
What’s your greatest achievement?
“I guess my longevity. To be relevant for so long, album after album after album. Ten Number One albums in a row, what is that?”
This hand...
...is my hand, this hand is your hand. Oh wait that's my hand! No wait, it's your hand!
Joey quote of friends for those of you who aren't quite as sad as me and don't like know all the episodes off by heart, i couldn't resist. Anyway, for the title 'photograph 50 of one thing' i choose to photograph hands. This is because i think people express themselves through there hands alone, as there part of the body so regually seen. Everybodys hands are different, and we 'decorate' them is many different ways, with rings, braclets, bands, nailvarnish and so on.
All the pictures are people from my live, whether there familyor friends, old or new.
Many people didn't really understand why i wanted to take a picuter of there hand, mainly because i was usually pretty drunk when i was asking them and didn't explain it very well, so i think alot of people now must think i have a hand fetish or something. But anyway, i think it makes a pretty good montage. Hope you do too, as it took me a while to do and my eyes are starting to go wierd from staring at a computer screen for so long.
Sunday, 8 November 2009
So...
Last night i didn't actually go to bed till about half 2 in the morning and i had to be up for 5am, so as you can gather i didn't get much sleep, and unlike any normal person, instead of going back to bed after i'd finished my shift at 10am and getting a couple of hours kip before my next shift at 5 in the evening, i did even more work on my blog. And now i have finished my secound shift of the day, and i have come home to.... you guessed it, blog some more. And now it's 10 past 2 in the morning and i'm starting to think that i've actually turned nocturnal. Oh and just to let you know, i didn't fall asleep at the tills =)
R.I.P
I read this in the paper today while i was at work, this lad had the most great out look on life. You need to read this!
Hello its me, this is gonna be hard for you to read but I write this knowing every time you thinks shits got to much for you to handle (so don't cry on it MUM!!) you can read this and hopefully it will help you all get through.
For a start SHIT I got hit!! Now Iv got that out the way I can say the things Iv hopefully made clear, or if I havent this should clear it all up for me.
My hole life you'v all been there for me through thick and thin bit like a wedding through good and bad. Without you I believe I wouldn't have made it as far as I have. I died doing what I was born to do I was happy and felt great about myself although the army was sadly the ending of me it was also the making of me so please don't feel any hate toward it. One thing I no I never made clear to you all was I make jokes about my life starting in the Army. That's wrong VERY wrong my life began a LONG time before that (Obviously) but you get what I mean. All the times Iv tried to neglect the family get angry when you try teach me right from wrong wot I mean to say is I only realised that you were trying to help when I joined the army and without YOUR help I would have never had the BALLS, the GRIT and the damn right determination to crack on and do it. If I could have a wish in life it would to be able to say Iv gone and done things many would never try to do. And going to Afghan has fulfilled my dream ie my goal. Yes I am young wich as a parent must brake you heart but you must all somehow find the strength that I found to do something no matter how big the challenge. As Im writing this letter I can see you all crying and mornin my death but if I could have one wish in an "after life" it would be to stop your crying and continueing your dreams (as I did) because if I were watching only that would brake my heart. So dry your tears and put on a brave face for the rest of your friends and family who need you.
I want each and everyone of you to forfill a dream and at the end of it look at what you have done (completed) and feel the accomplishment and achievement I did only then will you understand how I felt when I passed away.
[To his brothers:] You are both amazing men and will continue to be throughout your lives you both deserve to be happy and fofill all of your dreams.
Dad – my idol, my friend, my best friend, my teacher, my coach, everything I ever succeeded in my life I owe to you and maybe a little bit of me! You are a great man and the perfect role model and the past two years of being in the army I noticed that and me and you have been on the best level we have ever been. I thank you for nothing because I no all you have given to me is not there to be thanked for its there because you did it cause you love me and that is my most proudest thing I could ever say.
Mum, where do I start with you!! For a start your perfect, your smell, your hugs, the way your life was dedicated to us boys and especially the way you cared each and every step us boys took. I love you, you were the reason I made it as far as I did you were the reason I was loved more than any child I no and that made me feel special.
Your all such great individuals and I hope somehow this letter will help you get through this shit time!! Just remember do NOT mourn my death as hard as this will seem, celebrate a great life that has had its ups and downs. I love you all more than you would ever no and in your own individual ways helped me get through it all. I wish you all the best with your dreams.
Remember chin up head down. With love Cyrus xxxx
This is a letter written by Cyrus Thatcher, he was one of the youngest lads aged 19 to have unfortunately died over in Afghanistan. It was written to be found in the event of his death. Cyrus died doing something he loved, he lived his dream and he was not the least bit bitter about dieing for the course. A truely inspirational letter.
Hello its me, this is gonna be hard for you to read but I write this knowing every time you thinks shits got to much for you to handle (so don't cry on it MUM!!) you can read this and hopefully it will help you all get through.
For a start SHIT I got hit!! Now Iv got that out the way I can say the things Iv hopefully made clear, or if I havent this should clear it all up for me.
My hole life you'v all been there for me through thick and thin bit like a wedding through good and bad. Without you I believe I wouldn't have made it as far as I have. I died doing what I was born to do I was happy and felt great about myself although the army was sadly the ending of me it was also the making of me so please don't feel any hate toward it. One thing I no I never made clear to you all was I make jokes about my life starting in the Army. That's wrong VERY wrong my life began a LONG time before that (Obviously) but you get what I mean. All the times Iv tried to neglect the family get angry when you try teach me right from wrong wot I mean to say is I only realised that you were trying to help when I joined the army and without YOUR help I would have never had the BALLS, the GRIT and the damn right determination to crack on and do it. If I could have a wish in life it would to be able to say Iv gone and done things many would never try to do. And going to Afghan has fulfilled my dream ie my goal. Yes I am young wich as a parent must brake you heart but you must all somehow find the strength that I found to do something no matter how big the challenge. As Im writing this letter I can see you all crying and mornin my death but if I could have one wish in an "after life" it would be to stop your crying and continueing your dreams (as I did) because if I were watching only that would brake my heart. So dry your tears and put on a brave face for the rest of your friends and family who need you.
I want each and everyone of you to forfill a dream and at the end of it look at what you have done (completed) and feel the accomplishment and achievement I did only then will you understand how I felt when I passed away.
[To his brothers:] You are both amazing men and will continue to be throughout your lives you both deserve to be happy and fofill all of your dreams.
Dad – my idol, my friend, my best friend, my teacher, my coach, everything I ever succeeded in my life I owe to you and maybe a little bit of me! You are a great man and the perfect role model and the past two years of being in the army I noticed that and me and you have been on the best level we have ever been. I thank you for nothing because I no all you have given to me is not there to be thanked for its there because you did it cause you love me and that is my most proudest thing I could ever say.
Mum, where do I start with you!! For a start your perfect, your smell, your hugs, the way your life was dedicated to us boys and especially the way you cared each and every step us boys took. I love you, you were the reason I made it as far as I did you were the reason I was loved more than any child I no and that made me feel special.
Your all such great individuals and I hope somehow this letter will help you get through this shit time!! Just remember do NOT mourn my death as hard as this will seem, celebrate a great life that has had its ups and downs. I love you all more than you would ever no and in your own individual ways helped me get through it all. I wish you all the best with your dreams.
Remember chin up head down. With love Cyrus xxxx
This is a letter written by Cyrus Thatcher, he was one of the youngest lads aged 19 to have unfortunately died over in Afghanistan. It was written to be found in the event of his death. Cyrus died doing something he loved, he lived his dream and he was not the least bit bitter about dieing for the course. A truely inspirational letter.
LBD 60's style
So in first year fashion, out first project brief was to make a LBD that had been inspired by the 60's. And to make this a little more intresting, it was made into a competition. We worked with Centerpiece, who are a company who design jewellery. So the outcome for this dress was for it to be worn on the Centerpiece catwalk along with the jewellery being modelled. 10 dresses out of around 30 were going to be choosen to go on this catwalk and the winner and 2 runners up would also get a cash prize! I can't remember how much this was as it was a while a go but yeah. Anyway, one of the 10 dresses choosen to go on this catwalk was my own garment that i had made, which was inspired by 60's neck scarfs. Here's a picture of Sarah modeling it, as it wouldn't actually fit on any of the models at the show =( Bad times. But i was still well happy it got shoosen and we also got to go to the catwalk show and drink free champagne, which is always a bonus!
You can so tell this was a while ago, look at my hair, It's long and curly! Not a good look.
Saturday, 7 November 2009
Let's design....websites
I've know Sean for around 3 years or more but only recently learnt he that he designs websites. Around a few months ago i bumped into him in town, and after making him buy me shoes for my birthday he told me all about his company he set up with his dad. Who are from London have great accents, but anyway. They also have a blog that i'm going to post the link to because i think it's actually a useful to blog, tells you about all sorts of different things for your computre such as how to speed it up for free, how to use spotify, how to remove spywear and many other things. So if your a bit rubbish with computers like me, i'm sure this blog will come in handy. http://www.roxbourne.com/blog/
I'm going to show you the website designed for pragmatic productions, which is a company that specialises in vidoegraphy, working with clients in performing arts, music and local goverment. Sean himself, co-founded this company and is actually how i met him while he was filming local bands in lichfield. So not only does the Roxbourne company offer web design and website grapic design but many more things such as vidoe production and editing, leaflet and poster design, online design and corprate branding, PR and many more things.
A company that they worked with which they did many of these things for was Metalbone rock concerts, which had uk bands performing such as Inferno, Die So Fluid, Slipnot, DiaboliKIll, Multi Purpose Chemical and Evil Scarecrow. Here are the compain posters that they designed.
Like what you see? Check them out! http://www.roxbourne.com/index.html
I'm going to show you the website designed for pragmatic productions, which is a company that specialises in vidoegraphy, working with clients in performing arts, music and local goverment. Sean himself, co-founded this company and is actually how i met him while he was filming local bands in lichfield. So not only does the Roxbourne company offer web design and website grapic design but many more things such as vidoe production and editing, leaflet and poster design, online design and corprate branding, PR and many more things.A company that they worked with which they did many of these things for was Metalbone rock concerts, which had uk bands performing such as Inferno, Die So Fluid, Slipnot, DiaboliKIll, Multi Purpose Chemical and Evil Scarecrow. Here are the compain posters that they designed.
This is another website that they designed for Citroën DS Hire, for this they used auto-loading flash animation on the front page by filming a video, this enabled the client to have a good look at the product.
Like what you see? Check them out! http://www.roxbourne.com/index.html
It's...
5 past 1 in the morning and i have to be up at 5 to go to work and yet i am still wide awake and doing my blog, as i've had so many ideas for it that if i don't get them all down tonight, i wont remember them tomorrow, so if i fall asleep at the till in the morning and get a disciplinary i will be blaming my blog, and college. But i still have yet another idea for a post so i'm gonna have to atleast start it before i go to bed!! As i don't fancy pulling another all nighter before work again, not fun.
IKONicon
Yes i know the IKON is a gallery, but as there is no rules to how we respond to these titles we've been given by college i'm going to take the oppertunity to tell you about my icon. The definition of an icon is of the following 'One who is the object of great attention and devotion; an idol', among others.
My icon is someone very close to me, I would say they are my best friend. Someone who i admire for how strong they are. They truely are a great role model, who has excelled in the subject area they love, spending nearly every free minute they have trying to get further and better at it, while also running a houshold and taking care of a family, and still coming out top of the class. If this is not something to admire and try live up to, i don't know what is. But theres more, i can tell anything to them, and if i'm down or have a problem there always know what to say, and when there is nothing to say, they know how to make me atleast smile. They tell me the truth, they tell me if something going to be difficult, but if it is they be there to help. People have always told me that i am lucky to have this person, and i know i really am. And i know they will always be there for me, they always are. Helping me with whatever life throws at me. I am who i am today because of this person.
My icon is someone very close to me, I would say they are my best friend. Someone who i admire for how strong they are. They truely are a great role model, who has excelled in the subject area they love, spending nearly every free minute they have trying to get further and better at it, while also running a houshold and taking care of a family, and still coming out top of the class. If this is not something to admire and try live up to, i don't know what is. But theres more, i can tell anything to them, and if i'm down or have a problem there always know what to say, and when there is nothing to say, they know how to make me atleast smile. They tell me the truth, they tell me if something going to be difficult, but if it is they be there to help. People have always told me that i am lucky to have this person, and i know i really am. And i know they will always be there for me, they always are. Helping me with whatever life throws at me. I am who i am today because of this person.
Street performer
I know i've alreay responded to the heading that is street style but this lad has more street style than anyone i can think of. Firstly i'm going to reccomend that you all check out his blog, it's actually really inspiring, well worth a read, http://www.thoughtsofanalchemist.blogspot.com/. His blog is rather thought provoking and i'm sure you'll all enjoy it. And now i'm going to tell you why i have choosen as 'street style'. He is a street performer, performing magic, and he has kindly let me have a short video of him performing on the street, make sure you give this a look.
Now for most people this would be enough reson to choose him fro street style but he also does Parkour, which you all must have heard of. But just incase this is a description in his own words; Parkour (L'art du deplacement) is moving from point A to point B as fast as efficiently as possible. It's exploring different ways to move through, past and around objects. It's making your own path from point to point; it’s the freedom of movement. It's breaking the limitations that society tries to put on your mind, if you watch the way an adult and then a child walks from one place to another see the difference, 9 times outta 10 the adult will walk in as straight a line as possible, keeping their feet firmly on the ground. Where as a child will walk on walls, climb over stuff etc. Because children are oblivious to such limitations. And being a Traceur means seeing past those limitations and exploring other ways to get around.It makes you feel free and gives you the feeling of being liberated. You’re breaking the mould and being yourself. Despite what other people may think of you. It also teaches you to surpass mental barriers, not only in Parkour but in every day life. It teaches you too overcome what you feel your limitations are. If you feel you can’t accomplish something at work, Parkour teaches you to overcome such obstacles.
As it seems i can't get the links for the video's to wrok so please follow these links and have a look.
http://vimeo.com/5361270
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE4eh7S-CE4
And i know i still haven't told you his name, It took me a long time to learn his real name, and even now, i don't call him it. Instead, as a performer he's referred as 'The shadow' and that's what we shall call him.
Now for most people this would be enough reson to choose him fro street style but he also does Parkour, which you all must have heard of. But just incase this is a description in his own words; Parkour (L'art du deplacement) is moving from point A to point B as fast as efficiently as possible. It's exploring different ways to move through, past and around objects. It's making your own path from point to point; it’s the freedom of movement. It's breaking the limitations that society tries to put on your mind, if you watch the way an adult and then a child walks from one place to another see the difference, 9 times outta 10 the adult will walk in as straight a line as possible, keeping their feet firmly on the ground. Where as a child will walk on walls, climb over stuff etc. Because children are oblivious to such limitations. And being a Traceur means seeing past those limitations and exploring other ways to get around.It makes you feel free and gives you the feeling of being liberated. You’re breaking the mould and being yourself. Despite what other people may think of you. It also teaches you to surpass mental barriers, not only in Parkour but in every day life. It teaches you too overcome what you feel your limitations are. If you feel you can’t accomplish something at work, Parkour teaches you to overcome such obstacles.
As it seems i can't get the links for the video's to wrok so please follow these links and have a look.
http://vimeo.com/5361270
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE4eh7S-CE4
And i know i still haven't told you his name, It took me a long time to learn his real name, and even now, i don't call him it. Instead, as a performer he's referred as 'The shadow' and that's what we shall call him.
What's going onnnnn!
Well as it was halloween a few days ago there have been numerous firework displays all over the area, i have been to one already at beaudesert that jamie snook me in for free as he works there, this was a little bit of a fail and many people went who i did not care to see attended. A few of my mates went to one in lichfield went to one on friday, which i was told wasn't pertically good either and i shall also be attending one on monday hopefully which i shall up date you on later. Lets hope this one is better than the others. Oh and this year there isn't a firework display being put on at burntwood rec! Which in burntwood is quite big news as they've had one every year since i can remember so this was wuite sad as we all wanted to re live our youth this year and go to it =(
Something else that i found that is going on is that IKON eastside is having a closing down party on the 12th of november which has been inspired by the binary proposition of Ryoji Ikeda's work. For this they have a dress code of black and white, and lights and atmosphere will be 'suitable monochrome'. Theres going to be music by worridaboutatan, who i have listened to and are... intresting to say the least. this event is free to attend and starts from 7.30 and is on till late.
More to come ......
Something else that i found that is going on is that IKON eastside is having a closing down party on the 12th of november which has been inspired by the binary proposition of Ryoji Ikeda's work. For this they have a dress code of black and white, and lights and atmosphere will be 'suitable monochrome'. Theres going to be music by worridaboutatan, who i have listened to and are... intresting to say the least. this event is free to attend and starts from 7.30 and is on till late.
More to come ......
Travel 7 stops, 7 one stops that is.
So we've been given the heading 'travel 7 stops' to respond to on our blogs, now if you say that to most people they think of hoping on a bus and litterally traveling 7 stops, but say the word 'stop' to me i think one stop, as that is where i work, so i thought, travel to 7 different one stops. This was a harder task than I thought as there is only 6 one stops in my area, 2 of them that are within 5 minutes of my house and less then a mile from each other, and the rest i had to ask a friend to drive me round to them as there were a few miles a way. So for the 7th one stop i thought i would go to the actually depo for one stops as thats only in brownhills, and may not be a one stop shop, but is a one stop. So off i went (after a lot of begging as i have no money to pay for petrol for my mate to drive me round) on the oh so fun task of photographing 7 one stops. Jamie, who was taking the pictures of me infront of the one stops to prove i went to them got really quite embrassed as he didn't quite get why i was doing this, would refuse to take the picture if anyone was around watching so it took a lot longer than planned. We also got rather lost, even though we had 3 phones with google maps, a sat nav and a 'A to Z' in the car, as we completely forgot about these, and even when i realised we had these items to help us, the lads thought they knew better and decided it would be a better idea to trust the insticts and drive round aimlessly till we found what we were looking for. This did not work, and i had to get out good old google maps. We finally found all the shops we were looking for, but one of them i wasn't aloud to get that close to as it was all tapped off for some reason, i also found a really cool looking fish on a fish and chip shop next to one of the one stops that i just had to take a picture of. Oh and inside one the one stops i decided to start trying on the reduced halloween stuff, untill my own manager came out and told me to stop it!!! In all the day was quite funny, and was better then sitting at home doing nothing, but the moral here would be, don't listen to guys who think they know where there going, take a map!
I have the street style
So on wednesday i went to help the first years studying fashion at birmingham mett college with there assesment week project. There project was to create a background for the college stand at the clothes show live this year. The idea they had for this was to photograph someone wearing garments of students past and present off of the fashion course and then cut out the firgure and put it on to the background of a street so it looked as thought they were walking down the street in the garment. I was asked to model for this and thought why not, i ended up wearing one of Nush's dress which i loved and Kasha's garment she made for flotsem and jetsem which actually looks really nice in the pictures =) i'm still awaiting final pictures with the street background and i hope to get them by tuesday, but i've been told theree looking rather good and i can't wait to see them.
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
Samuel Johnson
I live in a place called burntwood, most people haven't heard of this place, this is because it is a small town where nothing has ever really happened and has to be one of the most boring places to grow up. The neighboring towns are also just as boring and dull. However there is one thing that the area i come from has to be proud of, Lichfield is the birthtown of Samuel Johnson. Not know who is? Well neither did i, and i've lived here for 18 years. Infact i thought he was some sort of doctor as there is a hospital named after him. But actually he wrote the first English dictionary. And in Lichfield there is a Birthplace museum and bookshop dedicated to him, this building is right in the middle of town and yet somehow, i have never seen it before. So as we have been given the task of visiting and exhibition outside of Bimingham i thought this would be the ideal place to visit and would also be a chance for me to learn a little about where i come from as i seem to be oblivious to it. So me and Sarah took a trip to the museum, something we didn't really have high hopes for, but actually turned to be a fun afternoon. The museum was full of funiture, books and belongings from Samuel Johnsons house's both in Lichfield and London and also had little set up scenes of his life. There was also load's of quotations around such as 'You can never be wise unless you love reading' and 'Sir, when a man is tired on London, he is tired of life: for there is in London all that life can afford'. There is 5 floors to the mesuem and when you reach the top there are Victorian costumes for visiters to try on and of course me and Sarah would never pass up on the chance to dress up! This was probably the best bit, i would never of thought that there was something like this where i live, and if someone had said to me 'Hey, you want to go to the Samuel Johnson museum?' I would have said no, but actaully it was pretty fun and it was free and i even learnt a little bit. There was also a cute little shop, which sold the cutest chocolates in the shape of ladybirds, fruit and umbrellas. I just had to buy some, although i don't think i'll be ble to eat them as they just look too cute! In all, a good day.
Monday, 2 November 2009
My design ethos
Wearable but uniquie, this is how i design. I don't want my designs to be just suitable for a catwalk and i don't want my designs to look like every other thing in topshop. I designs clothes that are able to be worn in everyday life but still turn heads. I want my designs to be repersent how poeple feel, how people want to express themselfs, for that time in their life, that day, that moment in time. Because clothes do repersent us, they are how we express ourselves and you can tell alot from what someone wears. This is the very purpose i design for.
Halloween in Manchester
For halloween me and my friends we're all invited to an event over facebook for one of our friends birthdays who lives and goes to uni in manchester, so naturaly we went to party in manc! Although halloween night it self was spent wondering round in the rain trying to find poeple we'd lost and getting terrifed by everyones outfits and masks before ending up in a rock club, the weekend it self was one of the best ever. Manchester is an amazing city, with some amazing things to see, two days was no where near enough time, although i don't think its somewhere i could live, i would end up spending every penny i earnt on shopping in the best vintage shops i've ever seen. A truely fantastic weekend.
This Is Me.
Most people would think this was a strange choice of picture to portray myself, but in this picture, i am truly having fun, laughing and joking with old friends and new. This is what i'm about, i think every moment should be lived to the fullest. And never should you be restircted in what you want to do because of what someone else may think of you, don't hold back because of someone else's opinon. Don't let them stop you from what ever it is you want to do, what ever 'it' may be, at that moment in time or in life. It's your life not theres, so be brave and just do it yeah? And thats what i try to do, this is who i am, This Is Me.
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