Masters of Reality return with their latest mind altered offering to master their, treat cialis 40mg well, reality.
Masters of Reality’s sixth and latest record Pine/Cross Dover is a welcome return of the classic American desert kings who have many rock and roll fingers in many Palm Desert pies. Although released in 2009, the record is making waves over in the UK now. Presented as two halves, the question is Pine/Cross Dover, their first record in five years, any good?
As a pretty big Queens of the Stone Age fan, I was keen to dip my toe into the pool of rock and branch away from my Tension Head (a track which has incidentally been on my top five records for the last decade), let my ears broaden their taste and listen to fellow desert rockers Masters of Reality, which although I was quite familiar with them I hadn’t fully appreciated. Main member and founder Chris Goss has produced many QOTSA records, and so it’s a clear lineage many make associating the two bands together. To my bountiful joy I was pleased with what I heard in the shape of Pine/Cross Dover, kicking off with King Richard TLH, epitomizing from the outset the classic chugga chugga desert rock sound in a nutshell. This song makes me want to get up to get down, swing my limbs around the room and air drum to the max. Which, after doing so left me injured, but on a futuristic trip through nostalgia at the cusp of the desert rocking it’s best.
Aside from the belting opener, stand out tracks include the blissful Always, pounding with its repetitive drum beats and guitar riffs commonly associated to bands in the Palm Desert scene. The instrumental Johnny’s Dream, broadens the sound and style of Masters of Reality to something more then what many have said to be within the realms of stoner rock. Johnny’s Dream is pure end credit music and an awakening to the bands’ previous explorations. Further tracks to download include Absinthe Jim and Me, and the juggernaut Up In It, with Dave Catching playing guest guitar on the former – a fellow member of the desert rock scene and collaborator to many Josh Homme projects, including touring with Eagles of Death Metal last year. Masters of Reality, who add a dash of dark riff house blues to complete their newest record, are for anyone who has overplayed their Queens of the Stone Age records (which does happen) and are after a darker and deeper foray into the light of desert rock at it’s best. Due to tour the UK supporting The Cult in early 2011, if you’re into psychedelic, desert rock and dirty riffs, this is a band you don’t want to miss.
Masters of Reality return with their latest mind altered offering to master their, price well, dosage reality. Their sixth and latest record Pine/Cross Dover is a welcome return of the classic American desert kings who have many rock and roll fingers in many Palm Desert pies. Although released in 2009, buy the record is making waves over in the UK now. Presented as two halves, the question is Pine/Cross Dover, their first record in five years, any good?
As a pretty big Queens of the Stone Age fan, I was keen to dip my toe into the pool of rock and branch away from my Tension Head (a track which has incidentally been on my top five records for the last decade), let my ears broaden their taste and listen to fellow desert rockers Masters of Reality, which although I was quite familiar with them I hadn’t fully appreciated. Main member and founder Chris Goss has produced many QOTSA records, and so it’s a clear lineage many make associating the two bands together. To my bountiful joy I was pleased with what I heard in the shape of Pine/Cross Dover, kicking off with King Richard TLH, epitomizing from the outset the classic chugga chugga desert rock sound in a nutshell. This song makes me want to get up to get down, swing my limbs around the room and air drum to the max. Which, after doing so left me injured, but on a futuristic trip through nostalgia at the cusp of the desert rocking it’s best.
Chris Goss – something of a character!
Aside from the belting opener, stand out tracks include the blissful Always, pounding with its repetitive drum beats and guitar riffs commonly associated to bands in the Palm Desert scene. The instrumental Johnny’s Dream, broadens the sound and style of Masters of Reality to something more then what many have said to be within the realms of stoner rock. Johnny’s Dream is pure end credit music and an awakening to the bands’ previous explorations. Further tracks to download include Absinthe Jim and Me, and the juggernaut Up In It, with Dave Catching playing guest guitar on the former – a fellow member of the desert rock scene and collaborator to many Josh Homme projects, including touring with Eagles of Death Metal last year. Masters of Reality, who add a dash of dark riff house blues to complete their newest record, are for anyone who has overplayed their Queens of the Stone Age records (which does happen) and are after a darker and deeper foray into the light of desert rock at it’s best. Due to tour the UK supporting The Cult in early 2011, if you’re into psychedelic, desert rock and dirty riffs, this is a band you don’t want to miss.
Masters of Reality return with their latest mind altered offering to master their, approved well, approved reality. Their sixth and latest record Pine/Cross Dover is a welcome return of the classic American desert kings who have many rock and roll fingers in many Palm Desert pies. Although released in 2009, the record is making waves over in the UK now. Presented as two halves, the question is Pine/Cross Dover, their first record in five years, any good?
As a pretty big Queens of the Stone Age fan, I was keen to dip my toe into the pool of rock and branch away from my Tension Head (a track which has incidentally been on my top five records for the last decade), let my ears broaden their taste and listen to fellow desert rockers Masters of Reality, which although I was quite familiar with them I hadn’t fully appreciated. Main member and founder Chris Goss has produced many QOTSA records, and so it’s a clear lineage many make associating the two bands together. To my bountiful joy I was pleased with what I heard in the shape of Pine/Cross Dover, kicking off with King Richard TLH, epitomizing from the outset the classic chugga chugga desert rock sound in a nutshell. This song makes me want to get up to get down, swing my limbs around the room and air drum to the max. Which, after doing so left me injured, but on a futuristic trip through nostalgia at the cusp of the desert rocking it’s best.
Chris Goss – something of a character!
Aside from the belting opener, stand out tracks include the blissful Always, pounding with its repetitive drum beats and guitar riffs commonly associated to bands in the Palm Desert scene. The instrumental Johnny’s Dream, broadens the sound and style of Masters of Reality to something more then what many have said to be within the realms of stoner rock. Johnny’s Dream is pure end credit music and an awakening to the bands’ previous explorations. Further tracks to download include Absinthe Jim and Me, and the juggernaut Up In It, with Dave Catching playing guest guitar on the former – a fellow member of the desert rock scene and collaborator to many Josh Homme projects, including touring with Eagles of Death Metal last year. Masters of Reality, who add a dash of dark riff house blues to complete their newest record, are for anyone who has overplayed their Queens of the Stone Age records (which does happen) and are after a darker and deeper foray into the light of desert rock at it’s best. Due to tour the UK supporting The Cult in early 2011, if you’re into psychedelic, desert rock and dirty riffs, this is a band you don’t want to miss.
Illustration by Faye West
Recently in the midst of London Fashion Week (S/S 2011 already I hear you say?!) I had the chance to interview a designer who’s no stranger to the bi-annual tradition, buy nor Amelia’s Magazine. Her last interview with us took place before Fashion Week in February when the Minna brand was early in its second year and we have since seen her A/W 2010 collection provide a culmination of gothic lace and textured velvet loved by many.
But this year Minna was back to show at Estethica again, view so it was time to catch up with her whilst eyeing up her S/S 2011 look.
Minna at Estethica. All photography by Jemma Crow
So you’re back for another season within Esthetica, illness how do you think this collection is different to your others and what are you hoping to offer to the customer?
Well this season we are going back to what we do best; hand finished and truly-vintage looking pieces. We wanted each piece to look like it was a ‘one of a kind.’ This is something we achieve by tea dying vintage lace and leaving the hemlines slightly frayed. The end result is a collection of beautiful feminine pieces that are designed to suit every shape and size. I’m very excited about this collection as we’ve put into good use everything that we’ve learnt about the customer and what she wants for the past two years.
Illustration by Antonia Parker
Sounds exciting. So what has been you real drive and inspiration behind the SS11 collection?
Well I love summer so designing this collection is always the easiest for me and is always lots of fun; the only problem is that I had too many ideas to put into work. I suppose the inspiration me and my team worked from was based around the ‘Alice in Wonderland’ movie of which my daughter is a huge fan (and Minna herself could watch all day long), both other inspirations came from laid back summer afternoons in the South of France where I spend a lot of time with my family. I think it’s the slow pace of life there and the beautiful architecture to see that puts me into a creative mood.
The A/W 2010 looks on the website are beautiful and very gothic. The Claudia dress especially is amazing and very inspirational. Who do you see as your customer and where do you imagine her wearing the pieces? Is it something that you bear in mind when you create the look?
In the winter I am always craving darker pieces so that’s what I love to create for my customer. I also a big fan of creating pieces that are functional and think dresses are the perfect mix of functionality and fashion; that’s the reason there were no tops in my A/W 2010 collection. I think I directed [the collection] towards a more mature audience and I think it’s apparent that as I get older so does my design style. But it’s about not being too serious; I think its important to pay attention to the little details and the collar on the Claudia dress (very Peter Pan-esque) adds just the right amount of playfulness.
Too right that they’re not too serious (and who in fashion should be?!). I have a bit of a crush on that piece right now to kick start my autumn winter look. And from a (recently) London girl what do you think of the style in our capital? How does it compare with the Finnish style you experienced at home?
What I love about the Brits is that they’re not afraid of breaking the rules; and I’m a big believer that the rules are there to be broken. People over here aren’t just following the trends, they have their own individual style that they translate into so many different looks in their outfits. I think you’re lucky to have the British High Street here as it’s the best in the world; its cheap and accessible but it also makes it very hard for smaller brands to compete with the Primark and Topshop’s of the world.
Finland is completely different and it’s a very expensive and tricky market to break into but if you can crack it then Finnish customers are amongst the most loyal I know. In fact you can probably count on one hand the number of brands in the market. Weather is also a big issue out there though and the Finnish need like their pieces to be simple and serviceable whilst still following the trends. They have to be functional and people have to have a functional winter wardrobe to get through the seasons.
Saying this I am surprised every time I visit Finland again as there’s a new generation of fearless fashionista’s emerging who but their pieces over the internet and aren’t afraid to experiment with fashion. After all, Fashion should be fun and that’s what I try to create with my pieces and what I hope the customer gets from them too.
Thank you so much, Minna. Sounds like a great philosophy to have when looking at a collection and SS11 sounds like it will be a great year for you. I’m looking forward to it already! And put me on the list for a Claudia dress too, as you say everyone needs a functional winter wardrobe. Thanks and congratulations for London Fashion Week.
Speakers Corner – By Alon Merron – Part of M&M! Curated by Daniel Charny.
Neville Brody‘s introductory rhetorical footing for the Anti Design Festival in press and in person circulates around a narrative of a “cultural deep freeze” that he perceives has lasted for twenty-five years. The inference of this could be that the arts were coerced into a greater level of financially independence under Tory rule in the 1980′s through different commercial approaches, tadalafil including major spaces charging for exhibitions and the diversification of additional commercial enterprise. Later, stuff generation yBa responded to sleaze and general right wingery by self-organisation and tendencies to push the limits of taste. Co-opted, case re-branded as part of Cool Britannia, British artists and creatives found themselves comfortably ensconced in opportunity and funding under New Labour.
“Created initially as a direct response to the pretty commerciality of the London Design Festival, the festival will shift the focus from bums-on-seats to brain food, and from taste and style to experiment and risk.” So say the Anti Designers.
ADF Entrance Poster
For me, creativity in its rawest form of production needs something to rail against, to bounce catastrophically away from, perhaps with New Labour we found a corrupting ally of check boxes and artistically compromising agendas, the prioritising of the accessible over the challenging, perhaps agents of culture saw the cash and lost a bit of their soul. And where are we now, where will we allow our new leaders to take us. The Tories and Liberal Democrats are duplicitous in their keenness to develop a US style Patronage of the arts. This culture, developed over a couple of hundred years, could make it difficult to separate the expectations of funders from the production of art works. In either state or patron funded models there are questions left unanswered about meritocracy, criticality and whether art can retain its ability to critique authority and the status quo. Yet the work desperately needs funds, it has the power to be a powerful economic driving force and a conduit for shifting social values, which without some agreed framework for the dispersal of funds could fall into nepotism and the closing down of opportunities to an even smaller cultural elite.
The Anti Design Festival (with its Arts Council funding), running from the 18th to 26th of September 2010, attempted to deal with some of these issues. The first space you encountered at the Anti Design Festival HQ at Londonewcastle on Redchurch Street, is haywire office space, replete with junked furniture former swivel chairs and stacks of filing cabinets. Every surface of this space is a space of exchange, computer desktops and screen savers, folders stuffed with print outs, secretive QR Code stickers that reveal secret messages once utilised. This is a space of exchange, an irreverent form of exchange where by crude diagrams and montages of genitalia are common forms of currency. Yet digging a little deeper you can reveal some intriguing moments of observational and design genius which are free for you to take away, possibly in exchange for a badly drawn penis.
ADF Front Space
ADF Front Space Detail
In another space, the RADLAB, the exhibition continues to change and evolve as the week of the festival progresses. It opens with a makeshift political notice board in ‘Open Spike’, a manifesto wall designed by Martino Gamper, quickly joined by a series of design lamps all made using the exquisite corpse process, carbuncles of high design and makeshift problem solving seem to articulate the festivals interest in the recycling of materials and pre punk cut up processes. Later a snow card future-planning event hosted by Research Studios tests the viewers concept of the future of world events, straw polling our collective tendencies shifting between ‘ANARCHY’ and ‘Apathy’ eventually culminating in a skewed sticker-book view of the world map according to the patrons of Anti Design.
Open Spike Manifesto
Exquisite Corpse Lamp – By Other Designers – Part of M&M! Curated by Daniel Charny
ANARCHY or Apathy – Research Studios
The final space in Londonewcastle contains a collaboration between my art group Charlesworth, Lewandowski & Mann and the BBC Research & Development Department. The space itself offers solutions and further problems in equal measure. There is a proliferation of post punk sigils, daubed expletives and bombastic graphic work stacked five images high covering two walls of the rear space. This salon hang has been generated through an open call process with artists turning up to show well into the middle of its install. There is a level of selection, those that don’t fit (quite literally) will be displayed on the ADF’s website, yet the eclectic make up of the works is remarkable. Viewers are offered a staggering and potentially baffling array of modes of production, aesthetic mannerisms, subject matter and inevitably quality; a flattening of design scenes and art worlds of establishment icons to those finding their voices. It is cathartic, confusing and un-precious, bold curating perhaps, but moreover a level of bravery on the part of the artist allowing work to be shown in a way that few will relish or be accustomed to.
Our work is the first version of a series of works called ‘The Cut-Up’, an interactive digital and sculptural work which, through user interaction, mashes and remixes video content related to the activities of Anti Design Festival participants, the content is then fed back through a series of visual displays, projection and through a 3D ambisonic sound space. This is our first foray into a work that requires a level of audience participation, in this case triggered by motion capture. As has been alluded to before now, there is a tendency among ADF organisers to site Burroughs and Gysin as influence and archetypes of a creative process which incorporates many of the anarchic and destructive creative values that the festival aspires to. The Cut-Up is indeed a direct nod to this in name and action, an attempt to represent some of the activities of the festival through a random montage of cut up videos, recorded and live footage, which in turn are chopped and fucked about with to an implausible level. The Cut-Up shows you a circular rotating form wrapped with video but as videos collapse one into another over and over again, moments of recognition and understanding become few and far between, you are surrounded in a roar of broken noise emanating from ridiculous plywood furniture and the projection of a squalling sometimes beautifully violent form. The surface experience is seductive but as with the rest of the ADFs agenda, it feels like something more malevolent lurks below the surface.
The Cut-Up, a CL&M// BBC R&D collaboration (Install view, detail view and projection view)
During the evenings, The Cut-Up’s content disappeared and the structure of the stage became the stage for a series of lectures, talks, debate, discussion, noise, music and performance curated by Cecilia Wee. Wee hosts a number of her own events and at times hands over the floor to other curators and hosts which again creates a shifting of agendas from evening to evening. I have rarely been to such a sprawl of events under one banner that can claim to be a space of engagement for such far-flung scenes and areas of interest. Events curated by Cecilia Wee, Richard Thomas (Resonance FM), Emily Wolf, Jon Wozencroft (Touch, RCA) and Yomi Ayeni, take on themes and mantles such as Obsessive Classification Disorder, Auto Destructive Art, Electro Magnetism, London’s forgotten sewer spaces, Hooliganism and Ludwig II of Bavaria.
I found a stand out interest Yorkshire based polymath Tom Badley‘s presentation on what his view of what art would look like in 50 years time was a striking and sombre moment for me. Tom didn’t go into details on how he had come to his thoughts, speaking to him afterwards he made the allowance that his lecture wasn’t based on anything but gut instinct, yet his revelations of a pseudo-scifi near future where art was accessible to all as a practice, where artists had nothing to push against and everyone could express themselves in black and white computer renderings similar to the concentric circles and patternations which look a little like crop circles, seemed to make sense to me. Yet Badley’s vision isn’t drawn out of a cultural relaxation that has been forged in our attainment of utopia, rather it is formed in the resigned belief that reality as we know it has been constructed as a hologram by a myriad conspiracy of global finance and government.
This seems like a place to stop, though there were many other great activities and performances, other shows in other spaces, but unpicking the interrelations between them all could take an age. The more I think of the whole festival, the more I have come to think it as a speech, a call to arms that appears to offer an answer but whose real agenda is to confuse, trip up and place the proverbial amongst the pigeons. This certainly won’t be the last you hear of ADF, it is likely to rise again and may even attempt to inculcate itself as the shadow of the mainstream culture industry. Its rogue, a loose cannon, its unpredictable and unaccountable. It may be just what we need.
Afterword:
The Cut-Up has been shortlisted for the 2010 NEM Art Award and will be shown at the NEM Summit in Barcelona from 13th – 15th October. Thanks to Jeff Knowles and everyone at Research Studios for providing the images for this article and content for The Cut-Up.
Categories ,Alon Merron, ,Arts Council, ,Cecilia Wee, ,Charlesworth, ,Dave Charlesworth, ,Emily Wolf, ,Jon Wozencroft, ,Lewandowski & Mann, ,London Design Festival, ,Londonewcastle, ,Martino Gamper, ,NEM Art Award, ,NEM Summit, ,Neville Brody, ,New Labour, ,RADLAB, ,Redchurch Street, ,Research Studios, ,Resonance FM, ,Richard Thomas, ,Tom Badley, ,YBA, ,Yomi Ayeni
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