Listening to: Oh! You pretty things by David Bowie
Digging: 0 David Bowie's Hunky Dory, esp. current track which I haven't heard before owning this album. Life on Mars has always been a favourite for the dramatic, sweeping strings and vocals in the chorus. 0 Homemade, Japanese Slippers (about 30ml each of Cointreau, Midori, lemon or lime juice shaken with ice).
Work was nuts this afternoon. SOOOO BUSY! Understaffed by one person. We coped but had to take a deep breath now and then. Went on autopilot at about 10am and stayed on that for most of the day.
Over six months later and I deliver as promised! Click here to read scene relevant material from when we first got home. Be aware that this is written from the perspective of Australian Goth who had previously not been clubbing overseas at all. What I have to say may be standard for other parts of Europe.
It’s expensive! We have it good here let me tell you, cost wise. Your entry usually includes a free drink. You mix your own mixers. They give you the glass with spirit, ice and a bottle of whatever you wanted mixed in. You pour that part yourself.
It appears that the Goth scene is bigger in Madrid than in Barcelona. There are more clubs and clothing stores. According to a fellow clubber at Club 666, several new clubs and stores opened in February.
Club 666 website – we enjoyed it but get there at 10 because it closes at 1am! There’s a hotel next door to it. Ah the universal language of music. The goths were friendly :) An English speaker was helping out a German couple after the club had finished and we were outside so we got some info off him as well. Flyers were being given out at the end of the night for other clubs, one of which we walked and went to.
New Order Club website - as fun as it sounds, lots of synthy stuff. The venue is shared with another club. Small dance floor with video screen.
There was a goth clothing shop we discovered in our explorations off Calle Fuencarral, next to a fetishware shop. Unfortunately it had weird opening hours that they didn’t keep to. In the 3 times we were in the area it was closed.
Touch Me clothing website – 5 Calle Colon had friendly staff and some nice stock. They were just opening a new store around the corner (27 Calle Fuencarral)that month with more men’s clothing. Style wise there isn’t a huge difference in what is available in Spain compared to Melbourne. You may find less to no Victorian influence including corsetry, and a few more black items with little buckles and strappy bits.
Black lace fans are not a part of Spanish Goth club accessories. I guess it’s a cultural thing. You won’t see much of a Victorian influence in the fashions. If you want a fan there are more to choose from in Madrid than Barcelona. I got both of mine from souvenir stores for less than E8. Have a look around and see what is available before actually buying one. My burgundy, layered with black lace fan was from a souvenir store opposite the Prado museums and the GPO.
We went to one club in Barcelona and didn’t spend much time there. Sanctuary Club website – heavier music, annoying strobe light going all the time, weird floor layout. The venue is made up of several levels of floor but overall is actually only two levels with steps and sunken floors. This breaking up of the floor results in several impractical, small spaces.
There are a few stores in the side streets off La Rambla selling jewellery, accessories and clothing that would appeal to Goths.
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.
Quite a few hits to this website are meerkat related, probably due to my user name and blog title since there is very little here about meerkats. I feel obliged to provide a little meerkat info if only to make that hit worthwhile and talk about one of my favourite animals :)
1. Google this: 'emo meerkat' I don't know why anyone would but someone did, and look what happens! Weird :P
2. It is my understanding that there is now a full meerkat group at the Melbourne Zoo. Last time I went a few years ago there wasn't. The matriach had died. This caused so much in fighting that the remaining group was relocated to join an existing group at Werribee Zoo. At the time when I visited there was a solitary meerkat on display. Not a natural situation since they need to have someone on sentry at all times. I watched this little fellow eventually nod off, asleep on a log. Cute, funny and a bit sad too. Aww.
3. Meerkats are not totally immune to the poisons of their prey. With scorpions they will nip off the stinger. With snakes it may look like they've taken a hit but in fact they've dodged it. As those of you who have been watching Meerkat Manor know, a meerkat can survive a bite but not without some suffering in the meantime. I suspect the ingestion of enough poisonous prey may provide some immunity. As long as there are no internal lacerations for the poison to enter the bloodstream it is safe for a meerkat to ingest it.
4. Meerkat Manor quotes the Cambridge University study as being 10 years long. It's actually older, starting in 1993. There was an article in National Geographic, September 2002 about the study in which the University of Pretoria is also involved. Why study them? To provide insight into the evolution of mammalian cooperation. Meerkats are the very model of this.
5. You can buy one as a pet in Madrid for E1000. I very much doubt you could own one in Australia. Apparently you have can't have a pet hedgehog here either. [pout] I wouldn't mind a hedgehog :)
Bauhaus in Barcelona Peter might be old and losing his hair but he rocked as did the rest of the band. Daniel plays a mean axe. Fine showmanship and camaraderie between Peter and Daniel. Highlights were when Peter paced around Daniel throwing rose petals at him, She's in Parties, and their encore performance of Ziggy Stardust. They are not a band I am particularly familiar with but it was well worth our while.
Concert Etiquette
Though I doubt the people who need to read this sort of thing would here 't is anyway. I wrote this back in early March while my annoyance was still somewhat fresh though not palpable ;)
O No big hair. Save the mohawk and any other kind do that increases your perceived height for elsewhere. O If you have long hair, tie it back so people don’t have to look through/past your hair. Tie it back low so that it doesn’t go in the face of the person behind you.* O Take photos if it's permitted but show some restraint and have some consideration for those behind you. I don’t want to watch some of the best parts of the concert through your f@#$ing mobile phone/digital camera because it’s blocking my view** O If you’re 6ft tall don’t stand in the middle near the front. It’s f@#$ing selfish - particularly if you’re built like a bouncer.*** O Do NOT show your appreciation by sticking your fingers in your mouth and whistling loudly at the end of EVERY song.**** O Dance by all means but respect others’ right to see the concert without having your head come in and out of their view. ***** Don’t sway your head/body while moving from foot to foot. You take up twice the visual space. Bounce in your place, tap your foot, nod your head, jiggle, whatever.
Bauhaus concert in Barcelona, February 2006 ink on paper *Chick just in front of me, kept leaning back which put her high ponytail in contact with my face several times
**Same chick
***His saving grace is that he was bald, so no big hair. I have a vivid recollection of the shape of his head
**** My ears hurt! The music was loud enough without this git doing that.
*****Several people. WTF?
I made it over time at work, from bits of packaging and written off products. It's held together with sticky tape and PVA glue - a rough assembly made for fun, to kill spare time and bring a bit of silliness to the workplace. It inspired me to make at home, a shrine-like sculpture .
Caroline the Ladybug's Shrine card, paper, plastic, wire, cotton thread, mirrored glass, holographic film
It started off with the ladybug then grew outwards and upwards. Note the Albert Einstein, Mata Hari and a corgi combo at the top!
The mainstream media would have you believe otherwise but believe me, we are NOT the same. To the very casual observer there are similarities. Emo is commonly believed a spin off from goth. Not quite true. Rather than wax lyrical on what goth is - we like to navel gaze - here's a couple of links for those who would like/care to know the difference. The goth definition is comprehensive, by no means definitive, and reasonable in its breadth. The Emo one isn't quite so long but it will give you a basis for comparison so you can see we are different. Wikipedia on Goth Wikipedia on Emo I haven't included a picture of a goth because there is a huge variety of styles. Personally, I lean towards Victorian goth favouring lace, ribbon, frills, long swirly skirts, and a corset.
Ever been waiting to go into, then driving, in a roundabout while 'Spin me 'round (like a record)' by Dead or Alive was on the radio? I did, today! It was fun :)
...after reading another LJ user's interests I noticed they were into 80's music. I am also into that but I had used 80s music. Apparently the the correct way to write this is 80's music as this is a case of something being possessive. Whereas This music is from the 80s does not describe possession but a period in time. You don't put an apostrophe for the unseen 19. Source for this information here.
These aren't mine but to illustrate our apostrophe class:
Wrong but could also be a good album :)
Right but judging by the listed tracks, possibly a bad album (too much mush!) ;)
I bothered researching this because when I looked at my dozen or so 80's compilation CDs I found three different ways of writing it which wasn't very helpful. I bothered writing it up because I like sharing knowledge. It will help me remember it better as well! So there you go for those who didn't know. You learn something new every day :)
She has a serene yet cold beauty about her. I like how he's used the body of a male peacock to create a female siren. The blues and greens in this work are lovely. There's a certain naivety in the representation, yet there is also great technical artistry. Like a well illustrated children's book.
Welcome to Meerkat Clippings, the reincarnated version of Lady Meerkat's Unadventures. It's a bit like the original blog. AS you can see it's still at the same address for existing readers and linkers.
What has changed? The look obviously. I've played around with it a bit to reflect the change. It's a bit more me. The content. You won't read about my personal life here unless it's in the archives. I've got an LJ for that! Expect more reviews, opinions, recommendations, tips and curious clippings.
From the 'Favourite Childhood Books' thread on MGF.
I have a small collection of beautifully illustrated children's books, all bought as an adult from op shops :D I don't own any of my childhood books except two. The rest were op shopped away.
I think I was in grade 5 or so when Animalia came out. 'Our principal, Mr Tidy, is Graeme's uncle', we were were told as the librarian settled us down to read it to us. I was blown away by how intricate the illustrations were. I didn't own any of his books as a child but bought some as an adult. I love Graeme Base's illustrations. It's interesting to see how his style and technique has evolved since Animalia.
Green Eggs and Ham - my hard back copy was held together with tape as I recall, it was such a favourite. The Wizard of Oz - Golden Book version. The Hungry Caterpillar - beautiful colours and those holes through the pages were such fun! Books by Jeannie Baker - tactile collages, photographed for illustrations. I'm still in awe of her work. Fantastic Mr Fox The Magic Faraway Tree - I had a collection of hardback Enid Blyton on my bed head shelf. The Silver Crown by Robert O' Brien. Snuggle Pot and Cuddlepie by May Gibbs. World Tales - This is an enthralling collection of stories from around the world, a brief description of their history, interspersed with illustrations by a wide variety of artists, including Brian Froud (Labyrinth, Dark Crystal ). My parents gave this to their 'little book worm' :} back in 1984 or maybe 1981 I think, and I still have it. It's a book I'll always treasure.
Is it a good or bad thing that when typing 'freedom' into google.com.au, search Australian sites only, that Freedom Furniture comes up first? It was what I was looking for.
My brother Mark, and I went to the printers yesterday to submit the file for our exhibition invites. We got some proofs printed up and it looks as good as I hoped. Am rather chuffed with my work in Illustrator. My choice of fonts, layout and selection of artwork from each of us, gels so well.
We'll be distributing invites at various stores and cafes in the Melbourne CBD, Footscray and Fitzroy areas for those who are interested.
You scored as Romantic Goth. You are a romantic goth, better known as a tradtional goth. You are probably quickly identified as a goth by outsiders. Black lace, bats, and moonlit cemetaries are just a few of your favorite things.
