psychedelic – Madeleine Swann

A Few Bizarre, Gothic, Psychedelic Or Paranormal Full Length Shows From 90s British TV

Published on October 8, 2015 by Madeleine Swann2 Comments

Pip pip, what what and other meaningless phrases. Here are a few full length episodes of ‘documentaries’ from my distant memories. It seems to me that the 90s developed an obsession with the odd in all it’s forms, from Fortean Times to sun, moon and star decorations (which of course I had as wallpaper). Perhaps my memory is biased because I lapped it up like a crazy cat, but here are my favourites IN FULL!

Sacred Weeds. There were four episodes in this series: Blue Lily, Henbane, Salvia Divinorum and Fly Agaric Mushroom. They were fascinating for a couple of reasons; firstly for the study on natural drugs, secondly for the stubbornness of the scientists who very rarely if at all change their minds and thirdly for the sheer oddness of suited men and women questioning people tripping their tootsies off. Here’s the Henbane episode, thought to have been taken by witches:

For an added treat here’s Salvia Divinorum

BBC Weird Night. Back in 1994 the BBC had a ‘weird night’ which became legendary in my mind, partly because there’s almost no information on it and the programmes were never shown again. It will always have a special place in my mind as a defining moment of weirdness setting me on a particular path with my fiction. I personally don’t believe in the paranormal anymore, but it’s still a fun watch if only to bask in 90s tastic weirdness. Also of note, follow the link above to see which films, including David Lynch, were shown after the programmes.

Fortean Review of the Year (1994)

The next was WSH, The Myth of the Urban Myth. Urban myths are fascinatingly grotesque, and this show weaves drama with genuine experts discussing them from all angles:

Weird Thoughts. Continuing Weird Night, here’s a gathering of ‘experts’ in the bowels of Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum discussing the meaning of weird. I love this because the London museum was the destination of mine and Bill’s second date:

This is slightly cheating as this programme was first broadcast in 2002, but the image of a kitty cat drug orgy was burned onto my retinas. Here’s Weird Nature, Peculiar Potions:

Pip and Pop’s Fantastical Psychedelic Rainbow Candy Fashion Runway

Published on May 1, 2015May 7, 2015 by Madeleine SwannLeave a comment

Australian artist Pip and Pop, aka Tanya Schultz, creates installations and artworks out of candy (sweeties), plastic and all kinds of bits and bobs. Just one look at a piece by her is enough to melt both your eyes and half your nose. It’s worth it though.

These pictures (and video) are what happened when she collaborated with fashion label Romance Was Born in 2013 for the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Australia:

The Changing Face of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland

Published on April 21, 2015July 16, 2015 by Madeleine SwannLeave a comment

Today’s pretentious book picture is brought to you by The Mad Hatter’s Tea Room in Southend. May you also stare intellectually into space whilst sampling their seriously amazing cakes. Honestly, I mean it, go.

Alice in Wonderland has meant different things to me at different times, much like it has throughout history. When I first read it as a child I hated it, it ‘didn’t make any sense.’ Slowly I was drawn back in and I remember my excitement when I realised my imagination was free – cue many stories in Primary school where the teachers probably thought I’d had some sort of breakdown but were afraid to ask.

The first filmed version in 1903:

Then, of course, I re-read it as a student, this time aware of Carroll’s possible opium use (not unusual for the time, it was sold freely in shops) and the links to psychedelia owing to homages such as this:

Incidentally model/Warholite Edie Sedgwick was keen to make an underground film version in the mid sixties but sadly it was not to be.

Recently I entered Wonderland once again, this time with all kinds of knowledge (though not as much as I’ll have in the future). I’m aware now of the possibly disturbing relationship between Lewis Carroll and the real Alice (see the documentary below, also featuring writer Will Self among others).

However I’m also aware that it unlocked fantastical and unrestrained worlds in my own brain and doubtless did for many other creative types. The pace is quick, the dialogue fun and the characters iconic. I’d like to see a new film version of the original story done well, but for now I’m perfectly happy using my own imagination when reading the weird words of Carroll.

Documentary The Secret World of Lewis Carroll. Keep watching to see the eerie discovery towards the end:

The Velvet Underground and Jefferson Airplane

Published on August 15, 2013 by Madeleine Swann4 Comments

These two bands essentially reflect two sides of the same late sixties counter culture. The Velvet Underground of course were moody heroin addicted speed freaks and Jefferson Airplane believed psychedelics had the power to make everyone cuddle forever. Two good bands from a fascinating era.

Here’s Velvet Underground’s Waiting for the Man:

And as an added bonus here’s a very short clip of them playing Venus in Furs live while Edie Sedgwick and Gerard Malanga frolic in the background (beginning might hurt your ears, careful):

And here’s Jefferson Airplane doing White Rabbit:

The Chelmsford Fling festival

Published on July 16, 2013August 26, 2013 by Madeleine SwannLeave a comment

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:

It's me on a bench! — It’s me on a bench!

A play in a tent

The view from the screen in the Psychedelic Movie tent

Member of local burlesque troupe Hell's Belles — Member of local burlesque troupe Hell’s Belles

A lovely lady who had apparently been on Britain’s Got Talent

A lovely lady who had apparently been on Britain's Got Talent — Member of local burlesque troupe Hell’s Belles

A lovely lady who had apparently been on Britain’s Got Talent

A man on stilts - I liked him, he reminded me of a Neverwhere character — A man on stilts – I liked him, he reminded me of a Neverwhere character

An oddball’s tea party

Published on March 7, 2013September 24, 2014 by Madeleine SwannLeave a comment

I’m obsessed with tea parties, probably because I don’t really drink anymore. But, of course, no boring parties for me. Here’s a few unusual things you could bring to proceedings:

First off I love psychedelia, not sure why I just always have. Why not get some mugs to match, or for an extra boost of weirdness how about one of these Day of the Dead sugar skull mugs? I’ve got mine!

Or if you prefer drinking vessels that are even spookier, how about these surprisingly sinister mugs?

And let’s not forget there will be those that don’t like tea (weirdos). Here’s a quick how to on serving blacklight lemonade.

Of course no mad hatter’s psychedelic party would be complete without rainbow cupcakes, get the recipe here.

If something a little more disturbing is your thing, and let’s face it why wouldn’t it be, try these. First up is a savoury centre piece treat, Zombie Head Cheese.

Next is a recipe for melting witch cookies. Rather timely with the release of this new Wizard of Oz movie.

And lastly my favourite recipes from Halloween Culture. First is the oreo spider web cookies, and to decorate all those cakes here’s a how to for edible glass sculptures.

Super happy fun times!

Me, a sugar skull mug and a skull onesie. You wish you were me

Fungi, drugs and bugs – The surreal and disturbing side of nature

Published on December 5, 2012December 5, 2012 by Madeleine Swann2 Comments

It occured to me the other day how nature remains beautiful even when it’s being downright disgusting or bizarre, and I would like to honour that achievement.

So, today we shall look at the inspiration behind many people’s art: the Weirdness of Nature.

First let’s ease you in gently with some cute kitties on catnip, taken from BBC series Weird Nature:

Second is a series I find quite amusing (and very odd), Sacred Weeds. Shown back in the 90s, two test subjects take a natural hallucinogen (different in each episode) while men in suits ask questions and stare:

This is a rather sweet, inoffensive clip of mushrooms growing from the series Planet Earth (with some music added). I defy anyone not to chuckle at the willy shaped ones:

Back in March New South Wales, Australia was blighted by floods. The locals were evacuated and, desperate to escape the water, these spiders moved “onto higher ground” leaving an entire ghost town engulfed by webs. Story (and creepy pictures) here.

Next up I saw a lot of fairly grim things during the BBC series Life in the Undergrowth (creepy crawlies), but for some reason this made me go all funny:

And these leaopard slugs are beautiful (in a slightly grim, surreal way):

Anything deep sea is like visiting a hostile alien planet (just watch the BBC’s The Blue Planet). In the meantime here’s a little vid with some music:

I’d have loved to find a clip of vampire bats, particularly from the documentary that shows one creeping up on a pig. Unfortunately there isn’t one on youtube that doesn’t have a hokey American voiceover and I just can’t bring myself to do it. So you have to imagine it instead, which is probably good for you.

Penultimately have a look at series The Future Is Wild, where scientists hypothesise in a Walking With Dinosaurs kind of way on the direction the animal kingdom might go millions of years after we’ve disappeared.

Lastly is the one I find most amazing. It has all the elements: it’s beautiful, it’s disturbing, it’s insidious, it’s science fiction in the natural world; the cordyceps fungus, as shown on Planet Earth:

A lovely list of psychedelic movies

Published on April 2, 2012June 26, 2015 by Madeleine Swann3 Comments

In order to celebrate the brilliant Mad Men’s entry into 1967, I decided to share with you some of my favourite psychedelic/hip/groovy movies.

Some good, some great, others just bizarre, feast your eyes on this list of eye-wateringly colourful (except for the black and white one) offerings. If there’s any I’ve forgotten, please add in the comments:

1. The Trip. Directed by Roger Corman, written by Jack Nicholson (I know?), Peter Fonda takes acid, is victimized by a man with a chair, drinks with a dwarf, watches painted boobs jiggle around and visits some seriously psychedelic houses. Dennis Hopper wins award for the amount of times he fits the word ‘man’ into one single speech:

2. More. Rather more downbeat, I like the European feel of this one; the director and main actor are German. He meets a lady in England and they go to Spain. She’s a hippie but she pulls him into heroin addiction. She also wears great clothes.

3. The Strawberry Statement. Rather sweet and funny film about a student slowly getting involved with the protests. Harold of Harold and Maude (Bud Cort) also makes an appearance.

4. Psych Out. Very silly romp through late sixties San Fransisco as Jack Nicholson (again?) helps a square deaf chick look for her brother and plays in a terrible band. Groovy:

5. Joe. Dark look at one man’s bitter take on the free love and drug scene. The screenplay was by Norman Wexler, the man reputed to be the insane Mr X in Bob Zmuda‘s biography on close friend Andy Kaufman.

6. Smoke and flesh. Nothing happens in this film. I really mean it. I think one of the main reasons I like it though is my endless nosiness for what people might get up to behind closed doors.

Basically, a bunch of groovy swingers have a party, wait for the weed to arrive, get stoned, talk about stuff and then complain about the bikers who arrive later. One of them spikes a biker with acid, which I think is a bit mean.

7. Performance. Part film part art installation, gangster James Fox goes on the run and finds himself staying with Mick Jagger and his two hippie girlfriends. Sex, drugs and identity crises ensue:

8. Magic Trip. One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest author Ken Kesey went on a road trip in 1964 with The Merry Band of Pranksters, Neal Cassedy (inspiration for Dean Moriarty in On the Road) and a few attractive ladies, and this documentary was born.

Whether you like them and agree with them or not is irrelevant, this is a slice of life and history which also includes Kerouac, Ginsberg, Timothy Leary and the World’s Fair.

So there we are, my list is currently at an end though I’m sure there are more to be added. I shall leave you with a song, swinger-tastic nineties offering Mr Excitement by Tipsy:

Easter arts and crafts (and zombies)

Published on March 9, 2012September 24, 2014 by Madeleine Swann4 Comments

At easter when I was small my sisters and I would make a scene of hatching chicks using cotton wool, paint and real egg shells. Its bizarre to think that the girls who would sneak off to raves in the middle of the night would also spend time with me making things.

Anyway…spring and easter are looming and that means three things; chocolates, hormones and arts and crafts. And apparently zombies. Four things. Click on the links for how tos or to purchase these seasonal lovelies.