One of the most bizarre things I came across this morning, here is a post on actor Peter Wyngarde’s (mostly forgotten) album released in the 70s.
The song available to listen to is called…oh God…Rape. And it’s very silly (in a bad way). Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Where can you make things out of clay, or sew your own toy, watch a two person short play and a monologue about the Marquis De Sade before toddling off to the Cabaret tent to watch burlesque? The Chelmsford Fling in Essex, that’s where! Have a look online here. And the best part? No children!
In the cabaret tent Desmond O Connor (who’s popped up as MC for Bizarre Magazine’s Ball more than once) serenaded us with increasingly rude songs on the ukelele and Ginger Blush engaged the crowds in burlesque bingo (like normal bingo but with corsets), all punctuated with lovely ladies dancing about and removing items of clothing. Oh, and one man, he was quite nice too.
Elsewhere in the Make Do And Mend tent you could create your own toy, or watch two professional actors in a short play in the Storytime tent. If that’s not enough you can make things out of clay or your own hat if you don’t mind looking really stupid, or watch experimental films whilst drinking refreshing smoothies in the Psychedelic Film tent. Oh yeah, and somewhere there was some live music playing.
Obviously it’s already happened this year, but make sure you get to the next if you can and buy advance tickets as the price goes up considerably on the door. Now here are some pictures to highlight the experience:
I’ve had to interview various unusual and creative ladies for magazines and it got me thinking about a few that people may not have heard of, but would like to.
I’m on some pretty heavy painkillers (have a read of my post on endometriosis) so forgive me if I don’t make much sense…
The first two are musical. I like ethereal music ladies such as Bat For Lashes and CocoRosie, and two singers/musicians I came across in the last few years have caught my interest.
Anneka Snip lives in Brighton and has collaborated with electronica artists like Milanese, Blue Daisy and Ital Tek.
Kid A (or Annie T) is an American lady who is currently on tour with Scroobius Pip. Have a listen:
Next up is a cabaret artist known as Missy Macabre. A one woman vintage burlesque freak show, I interviewed her about a short comedy/horror film she appeared in called Annabelle’s Tea Party. Have a look at her in action:
Next we have comedy burlesque performer Fancy Chance. I was sent to review The Fire Tusk Pain Proof Circus and she was very entertaining:
In the same show was Lucifire, the lead stunt woman. Amongst other things she ate glass, walked on it and made me chuckle (the gentleman onstage is her husband and fellow performer Professor Tusk):
Just as an added bonus here’s Bat for Lashes doing Horse and I at Shepherd’s Bush, London:
I listen to music while I write and I made a CD of songs that would make amusing performances at kareoke. Well, you’ve got to pass the time somehow and god forbid you should do it actually writing.
These include:
He Hit Me (and it felt like a kiss) by Hole. It was originally by the Crystals and that’s good too, but I like early Hole:
Beetles by Aphex Twin
Waiting for the Man by the Velvet Underground
Gloomy Sunday by Billie Holiday (otherwise known as the Hungarian suicide song):
Picadilly Palare by Morrissey
Scream thy Last Scream by Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd
Put me in a movie by Lana Del Rey
Old Fashioned Morphine by Jolie Holland
I am the Walrus by the Beatles
Dead Dogs Two by Clouddead and Boards of Canada:
Poisoning pigeons in the park by Tom Lehrer
Here is the chance for me to show off and go, ‘ooh, look at me and the cool stuff I like, don’t you just wish you were me?’ I was inspired by an advert I saw the other day called ‘The best album to worship to…ever,’ and it got me thinking about the way I use music.
If I’m writing I tend to listen to a single album on repeat until it makes me so nauseous I could throw it out the window, and then I pick another and do the same. Because I’m usually writing something a bit odd, such as an accused witch going mad (more on that later) or my surreal comedy sci-fi/fantastical series (more on that later too), I listen to things that get the old brain in that frame of mind. So here is a list of albums in case you need something a bit unusual:
Ital Tek’s Midnight Colour
Broadcast The Noise Made by People
Martina Topley Bird The Blue God
Leila Blood Looms and Blooms
Coco Rosie Noah’s Ark. I’ve not heard their new one yet, ‘Grey Oceans,’ but I’m sure it’s very good
Flying Lotus Los Angeles
Thom Yorke, anything . I need to hurry up and get famous so that when he finds me hiding in his room he won’t be so frightened.
Madeleine Swann 