David Bowie Is - leaving Melbourne soon!

#sketch of #costume at #davidbowieis from his 1979 Saturday Night Live performance of #themanwhosoldtheworld resting on my David Bowie Is catalogue. There are worse 24 hour earworms to have - I'll have to buy the album to scratch that itch!
#drawing #drawingfromlife #davidbowie #acmimember #avantgarde #avantgardefashion — at ACMI.

For those interested, you can see my other drawings from David Bowie Is, as well as my other creative output, on my instagram here. I don't always do Follow for Follows but I try to make the time to Like for Likes :)

You can download a free David Bowie album from a selection of about 6 with your ACMI​ David Bowie Is card. Okay. I should have expected that I couldn't fill some of the gaps in my collection with a free download of The Man Who Sold the World, Lodger etc. You want me to buy those Bowie? That is fine! I completely understand. I've been twice and a nice couple - who said they have all of his albums - gave me theirs so I had four to redeem.

Or so I thought.

You can only redeem one album this way per Google Play account. Oops. I chose Earthling. Well played, sir. The promotion cards claim that 'David Bowie is all yours' but clearly he isn't! It's more accurately 'David Bowie is pimping his new album and bumping his less popular works up the Google Play charts' or more simply 'David Bowie is savvy'.

'I'm Afraid of Americans' is an epic song. It's in my top ten of favourite Bowie songs. I friggin' LOVE it. I saw the clip for the first time on Monday and thought that was clever too. A pity about the rest of that album - I am not a fan of drum-and-bass, it sounds a bit samey after a few songs IMHO - but maybe I'll grow to like it!




As for the exhibition itself:

No photography permitted, is not just signed but verbally instructed to every visitor. I have seen some sneaky mobile phone images online because some take this as a challenge to rise to rather than respecting Bowie's wishes. Why take a crappy pic on your phone to share on social  media when the catalogue is filled with beautifully shot images of all the artifacts (and a very interesting collection of essays to boot)? Why not just enjoy the experience rather than have proof you were there in a selfie? If it means that much to you, buy the book/postcard.

It took me all afternoon to visit the show on my first visit and I had _no_ intention of drawing that time! As you can see above I did do some drawing as an artistic challenge on my second visit. I read every label, listened to everything sound bite, watched almost every clip! Luckily that was on a Wednesday a couple of weeks after it first opened with few other people. On Monday there was quite a few people, with lines to view artifacts, so I didn't worry about consuming everything. I had to be considerate about where I placed myself to draw. What I love about drawing is that it makes you really look at things. You appreciate the form and detail of a thing to a level you would not absorb if you merely looked at it. I thought I knew his face but it was only after drawing from one of his life cast masks - they are dotted on seemingly random mannequins throughout the exhibition - that I knew it best.

It was wonderful to see so many iconic, unique costumes and finely designed outfits in the fibre. To think the great man himself once wore these and defined a moment in time was awesome... 

I had no idea he was such a talented mime, that he was so involved in all parts of his output, such a diligent, organised individual. I love that he kept all of these things, because either he's an organised hoarder or he knew that one day they would be of interest to other people. Probably both! It was a special treat to see the creative process in the material form of Bowie's song writing, on all sorts of paper with corrections and ch, ch, changes.

With almost constant sound and vision - I turned the sound down, took my head phones off or unplugged them because it was sometimes too much - it was an intense experience and I needed a nap after both visits!

Thank you to David Bowie for having the foresight to keep all of these things carefully, the wisdom to engage a collection curator to catalogue them, and the professionalism to approach the V&A Museum with said catalogue and offer free reign to tell your story in the best possible way through The David Bowie Archive. It was not wanting in detail or breadth!

Franz Ferdinand and moshing

Franz Ferdinand at The Forum wasn't as exciting as I hoped. Perhaps I built them up too much.

A while back I read that Franz Ferdinand got together to create music to make girls dance and not have just have a bunch of guys moshing. The area closest to the stage was not a lady friendly zone - it was a mosh pit. I saw other women with slightly anxious looks on their faces as the guy/s closest to them bounced fiercely up and down like demented Masai warriors. I saw women back away and others try to make their partners stop moshing.

I don't mosh. It's intimidating being in the middle of it. Guys think it's alright to keep bumping into you. When I told one guy "Get off me!" because he sort of leaned and draped over me, he told me "Relax, it's a concert". His friends were pushy pricks too.

Saying that it reads like other fans spoiled FF for me doesn't it? Well they did. It went against what I had expected from such a gig. I think I would have had 100% fun if I could have gotten closer without being jumped on.

Heads Will Roll

Listening to: Lucid Dreams by Franz Ferdinand from Tonight.

I saw this clip for the first time this morning and I couldn't take my eyes off it. I like the homage to MJ with an edge and especially the use of red confetti. It's a really catchy tune as well. I shall have to check out more of the YYYs because I liked the last clip* of theirs I saw on TV and am unsure as to how much of their stuff I have actually already heard!


I'm loving...
...Franz Ferdinand's Lucid Dreams from Tonight.
The outstanding, punchy, bass heavy synth arrangement, particularly in the instrumental at the end of the album track really does it for me. I found a live version on You Tube but it lacks the synth [pout]...

...Ladytron's Runaway from Velocifero
Quite a contrast to the YYYs' clip for its lack of colour. It's funny how geometric black lines can still resemble the slow flow of blood.



*Zero which is also from It's Blitz!

An Honest Mistake

Listening to: Human by The Killers on You Tube

The Bravery's, An Honest Mistake video features a complex Rube Goldberg machine. It's a well written, catchy, dancable song* and the punchline at the end made me chuckle. What more do you need?


*IMHO their best song!

Hot production by Timbaland on Red Carpet Massacre

How good are the Timbaland produced tracks on Duran Duran's Red Carpet Massacre? I was driving along listening to the album for the first time thinking, 'meh' when along comes Nite Runner, then I'm like 'Yeaaaah this is HOT stuff!' and chillin' while I flew along the freeway. I don't care for much of the rest of the album although I think the second half is better than the first.

Zoom In (DD/Timbaland/Nate Hills) reminds me a bit of Ladytron a little - not that it's a bad thing.
Right now I'm a bit/totally addicted to;
Nite Runner (DD/Timbaland/Nate Hills/Justin Timberlake),
Skin Divers (DD/Timbaland/Nate Hills),and
Tempted (DD/Nate Hills/Jimmy Douglass).
I reckon with a bit of persistance from a DJ any of these could really fill a dance floor. Gotta love that throbbing, grinding bass and the popping electronic punctuation. I hope DD keep going in this direction.

Oh yeah and kudos to The HorseMuseum for playing Kingdom, one of Dave Gahan's new solo songs at Blitz. I was the only one dancing but those other punters just didn't know what they were missing. :)

Music to Drive to

Going by my list of favourite tracks to drive to, good driving music is often good dancing music. Here's some of what I had on my On-the-Go list on my i-Pod.

For a sunny day, especially past trees and greenery
My Baby Just Cares for Me - Nina Simone
Girls and Boys - Blur
Ticket to Ride - The Beatles
Day Tripper - The Beatles

Through undulating urban streets, or on the freeway
An Honest Mistake - The Bravery
Train of Thought - The Sharp
All I ever Wanted - The Human League
Strict Machine - Goldfrapp
Pulse - Covenant
Relativity - Grafton Primary
Dance Little Sister - Terence Trent D'Arby

With the windows down, sweeping past traffic going the other way which adds a sound effect, complementing the track
Peek-a-boo - Siouxsie and the Banshees
Horror Show - Birthday Massacre
Suffer Well - Depeche Mode

Cruisin' in mah vee-hic-cal
It's Like That - Run DMC Vs Jason X
It's My Prerogative - Bobby Brown
World in My Eyes - Depeche Mode (Cicada Remix)
Fame - David Bowie
Fashion - David Bowie
The Way I are - Timbaland

That said, something by Vivaldi can be nice and calming as well, aiding concentration.

Keane - Under the Iron Sea: Reviewed

Veteran readers of the previous incarnation of this blog will know that I enjoyed Keane’s debut album, Hopes and Fears. Fortunately it did well enough for them to have a second album, Under the Iron Sea.

The cover art - by Finnish artist Sanna Annukka - is cute and funky. You will have to buy the CD to fully appreciate it since it folds out to 6 panels in total. Starting at the surface of the iron sea is a mixture of good and bad equine waves. Underneath is a fairytale seascape featuring among other creatures a giant octopus, a whale, and a squirrel! Visit their website or Annukka's to get a taste of it.

Atlantic sets the tone, evoking the wash and rhythm of the sea with soaring, sweeping vocals and piano. Beautiful, it’s my favourite track.
Is it any wonder? opens with a heavy, U2esque bass before mellowing into piano. This album overall has a greater emphasis on the bass. Compared with their self-titled debut album, which was built around the piano/synth, this has a more of a rock feel to it.
Nothing in my way, is a piano based ballad. Lead vocalist Tom Chaplin has either improved his breathing technique or his gasps for air at the end of each line have been produced out – or a combination of both. His breathing was clearly audible on the softer or more passionately sung tracks from the previous album.
Leaving so soon? and A bad dream both feature longer notes yet they contrast nicely with each other. The first is a strong song of defiance and independence while the latter is a ballad about exactly the opposite sentiment. A bad dream has particularly lovely soaring and layering.
Hamburg song has an organ rather than a piano sound and feels more like a hymm. It isn’t clear why it has this title. Soulful, but depressing if you’re already sad, it’s feelings laid bare.
Track 7, Put it behind you ends at about 3:30, as a song but appears to have a secret piece within it. An atmospheric bass, synth and strings instrumental sweeps in then fades out 3 minutes later - another favourite for me.
Crystal Ball is an upbeat track though lyrically or musically not one of their strongest. The album title is derived from a line in this song.

There are other tracks. The first album was less than 50 minutes and this is another shorty at just over 50 minutes. Quality not quantity. I have not felt the compulsion to skip any tracks except Hamburg song and only when I was feeling blue.

Overall there’s a nice balance of light and shade, ballads and upbeat tracks. The heavier use of bass, more complex vocals, and stronger, tighter production works well. It took a few listens but it has grown on me. I recommend it to anyone who enjoyed their first album.




Websites of the Day
Keane's Official Website
Sanna Annukka's portfolio, which includes beautiful art for all the the singles from Under the Iron Sea

Playing the Angel

Listening to: ‘Precious’ by Depeche Mode

The above luscious song is on high rotation. I won the album at the ‘Playing the Angel’ launch night @ Dream on Friday. Love it and ‘Suffer Well’. Every time I listen to those two I bliss out :) The synth and vocal arrangements remind me of ‘Violator’, which is one of my favourite DM albums. Now own 7 out of 11.



‘T was the best night I’ve had at Dream since the last pirate night. Great music, new atmospheric lighting/effects set up on the dance floor area, fine company…[happy sigh] Could have requested any DM song I wanted but I went blank. The next morning it popped into my head: ‘Question of Time’. Such a good track for dancing to. I’m surprised it isn’t played often. Not sure I’ve danced to it at a club before actually. Wish I’d put some thought into it during the week! It would have been the first time I requested something at Dream.


In other news…
Woke up and my first thought was that I missed M. He’s away in Sydney right now.

My day was ho hum: hanging up the family wash, hand washing my long gloves and red bustier from Friday, calling up my clients, going through some magazines and books my brother got from a dumpster the other day, pottering about on the computer for my business stuff. Then they arrived.

It’s our 3 month anniversary. M is so lovely and thoughtful. He had flowers sent to my house.