Live funk life drawing

(click to enlarge) 

At Troybar, London.

London on a shoestring

I love a bargain. I'm a bargain hunter. And finding a bargain in London is like finding the ultimate bargain, the bargain of bargains! The Indian YMCA, where I was taken to the for a meal last Sunday, is such a treasure. At first I thought it was just a wacky name for an Indian restaurant, but no, it turned out to be a real Y! It has been in London since 1920, to provide Indian students "a safe have, a home away from home".

We paid £6 to a lady in the foyer for a meal ticket and made our way to the dining hall, where no frills and unassuming were the only words that sprang to mind to describe it. As it was a Sunday they had a set meal, with just one dish (with a vegetarian version as well) on offer. Plus chutney, plus pappadams, plus dessert. As much as you'd like! There were jugs of water on the tables, or you could get a soft drink from the vending machine. Or bring your own bottle of wine (no corkage!). They are open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and during the week you can choose from various kinds of curries and dhals, all for bargain prices (mango lassi for a quid, 2.65 for a chicken or fish curry, 1.25 for a dhal for example). 

YMCA Indian Student Hostel, 41 Fitzroy Square, London, W1T 6AQ (nearest Tube stations: Great Portland Street, Warren Street, Goodge Street).

Cheerful and lighthearted

I've smelled it, it's not just here yet, but it's coming.. Spring! It makes me all merry and jolly and cheerful and lighthearted. And it makes me listen to music that is merry and jolly and cheerful and lighthearted.

François & The Atlas Mountains - Les Plus Beaux.

Bristol based Frenchman. Definitely going to check out this guy and his Atlas Mountains live on May 9th!

 

Regina - Unessa. Sort of a  Finnish version of Stereolab (first part of the song) slash Blonde Redhead (latter half). Sort of.

 Hospitality - Friends of Friends. The video that reminds me a bit too much of Friends episode (blegh). Nice cheeful tune though!

PUB CARPET CRAWL #2

After a truly EPIC first edition, it is my pleasure to announce Pub Carpet Crawl #2!!!!

On Saturday March 31st we will set out for the area of Roath in Cardiff. The route looks promising, with pubs ranging from charming locals to 'interesting' dives... 

We'll meet up at 18.30 at the pub with the swankiest toilets in Wales (really a must-see, despite having no carpet!): The Ernest Willows on City Road. There's a bit more ground to cover this crawl, so please come early!

Find the Facebook event here.  Have a look at all the carpets I've collected so far on Flickr.

Jazz Gallery Cardiff

In collaboration with studio mate Daniel Hamilton I've created a logo and poster for the soon to launch Jazz Gallery Cardiff.  

The Jazz Gallery is "a new jazz club that has been set up by musicians, for musicians, to help expand the ever-growing Cardiff jazz scene. Based at A Shot in the Dark café, we are providing a platform for musicians in and around South Wales to perform their original music to a new audience. In association with contemporary music group SN Jazz and in addition to weekly jazz gigs and a monthly jam session, we are offering an opportunity for local artists to exhibit their work on the walls of this venue".

So stay tuned for an exhibition at A Shot in the Dark soon! Join their Facebook group to stay informed on upcoming gigs and exhibitions.

Can Your Monkey Do The Dog

Who would have thought a book fair could be so much fun! Over 60 lovely artists sold their (handmade) books and zines at the Ffotogallery in Penarth last Saturday. Lots of people came down, the place was heaving all day! I played records on my portable record player (the Fidelity), which went down really well I think. And I had the pleasure of ending the already brilliant day with a packed dance floor at the afterparty at 10ft Tall!

Especially for this fair I made sort of mini-zine titled Can Your Monkey Do The Dog, based on the song by Rufus Thomas. Besides monkeys dancing The Dog there are monkeys Footstompin', Vogueing  and Shaking A Tail Feather.

I've got a few left that I'm selling through my website (click here), where you can pay  the  £2/€2,50 (that includes postage!) using PayPal or your creditcard. Or simply send me message and we'll sort it out. Download the soundtrack below (right click/CTRL+click and "save as") and get your hips shaking too!

 

Rufus Thomas - Can Your Monkey Do The Dog. Download it here.
 

Jackie Lee - The Duck. Download it here.

 
Dee Dee Sharp - Do The Bird. Download it here.

The Five Du-Tones - Shake A Tail Feather. Download it here.

 
Madonna - Vogue. Download it here.

The Flares - Footstompin'. Download it here.

My Dansette ♥

So about two weeks ago I bought a vintage portable record player on eBay: a Fidelity HF45, built in 1971. It's a great little machine; very reliable, running smoothly, recently serviced and fitted with a new earthed plug (and cleaned with an awful smelling sort of formaldehyde!). I was very pleased with my purchase when it arrived, but it wasn't until long before I got this yearning feeling for a bigger, better, louder and more beautiful example (my Fidelity is very boringly grey). The search on eBay was on again!

I spotted a beautiful hot pink/salmon colored Dansette Conquest Auto. Dansettes were a very popular brand of portable record players in the UK in the 50s and 60s, famous for their stylish designs and colors. There were many different models, and the Conquest was somewhat more advanced because it has control knobs for bass and treble and two speakers.

This beauty was 'pick up only', which was good because it usually means the price is lower. It was located about a 2-hour drive away, so not too ridiculous. I don't have a car, but when I showed it to a friend of mine she loved it so much she kindly offered me a ride - I am eternally grateful and forever indebted to her!! As it would be a bit of a pain to pick it up I didn't bid too much. It made the bidding process absolutely nerve wrecking, because I really wanted this gorgeous object to be mine! And it was!! 

The Dansette turned out to be with an elderly couple in the petite village of Kinver. They  had bought it in the early 60s and it had been in their loft for about 40 years! Oh they were so adorable and so disappointed we didn't stay for tea and biscuits. I'm ashamed to say we went straight off to MacDonalds. Then again, in our defense: we were on a proper road trip!

I am absolutely smitten with my Dansette. I can't stop looking at it! Cosmetically it's in excellent condition, just some slight wear due to its age. After these pictures were taken I've painstakingly cleaned it with a toothbrush and some toothpaste (!!), so it's no longer a dirty shade of salmon.

 ∧ Look at that grill!

As you might expect after being stored in a loft for 40 years it is in need of a little bit of TLC. Still I'm amazed at how well it operates, clearly this has been made in an age where things were made to last. It has a valve amplifier, which produces a beautiful sound and a characteristic hum. It even has a certain smell, that lovingly reminds me of my vintage Quad amplifier (another piece of quality British hi-fi equipment). It has an auto changer, so you can stack multiple records and it will automatically play them one after the other. It's all so nifty! ∨

There are some slight crackling noises when you turn the knobs, and the volume is a bit temperamental. And it runs a tad slow, especially on 33⅓. I've been scouring the net for advice on how to service  a record player and to whether or not replace the stylus, and found a wealth of information on the UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum. Probably the grease has gone all gooey, so one of these days I'm going to open it up and carefully clean it and grease the parts that need greasing. Oh yes the geek inside me has been unleashed!