Diary
It's a Family Affair.... 09 November 2011
I was very proud of my oldest friend, Patrick Wolf for headlining the Roundhouse, last Friday 4th. If The Roundhouse was an oyster then Patrick was it’s glittering pearl – quite literally in his sequin top!
My favourite moment was when his father, Derek, donning a black trilby, joined him onstage for the encore which included recent hits such as ‘The City.’ Derek gave it loads of welly on the saxophone, while Patrick jumped up & down like a hyper-active child. Oh wait – he was!
Patrick then informed the audience {quite rightly} that Saxophone was a punk instrument is the 30s. He got the loudest cheer as he ranted about ‘C*nts like Duran Duran,’ who made the Sax cheesy in the 80s. Atta Boy!
photo by Pippa Brooks read her review:http://www.madamesays.com/2011/11/08/madame-says-bishi/
I had the honour of supporting Baby Dee at Cafe Oto, last Saturday. We met after her show for Frieze Projects 2010. Dee had a feeling we would work again soon & here we were in trendy Dalston. Dee’s new album, ‘Regifted Light,’ was produced by Andrew WK, whose sofa I was sleeping on over the summer, courtesy of his wife Cherie Lily. Hey folks -It’s a small world!
Originally a church organist, Dee told me about developing an act, within a month of learning the harp, dressed in a bear costume. Dee also played Harp on a high unicycle, where she would apply her make up with a magic marker pen prior to each performance. It’s astonishing to think that Dee only started writing songs 12 years ago, as they breath of such a timeless magnificence.
Dee was also joined onstage by Marc Almond & David Tibet of Current 93, a personal hero of mine! It was great to see Marc again, after having shared a stage back in April for The Great Folk Jukebox. Here’s a version of Dee’s, ‘Idumea,’ from the Current 93 album, ‘Black Ships Eat The Sky.’
The premiere of ‘The British Guide to Showing Off,’ by Jes Benstock, was a documentary charting the history of Andrew Logan’s Alternative Miss World Beauty Pageant. The film included an all star cast which included Brian Eno, Grayson Perry, Divine, Stepehen Jones, Leigh Bowery, Matthew Glamorre, Zandra Rhodes, Molly Parkin & Andrew himself!
A pissed up crowd of dress ups, freaks & show offs congregated at The Prince Charles Cinema, whooping & cheering manically throughout the film. There was even a section of me singing, my song ‘Indian Skin,’ at the 2009 Alternative Miss World. I was so thrilled to be included in the film & relieved that I didn’t want to vomit at the sight of myself on the big screen. Yay!
I felt the most important thing about, ‘The British Guide to Showing Off,’ is its achievement as an historical document, that could stand shoulder to shoulder with the likes ‘The Cockettes’ & ‘Paris is Burning,’ documentaries. It will educate & inspire generations to come. Bravo to all involved.
Photo by Honey Manko.
The revelers then continued onto our party, Kashpoint, which we brought back for it’s 9th Birthday. Many Thanks to Jim Warboy for helping us make it happen. The party was so debauched, I have spent two days recovering in bed from a weekend of very special Ladies… Thanks to all who came out in support.
Until next time….xxx
Girl About Town - A week of openings 13 October 2011
The unveiling of the Tacita Dean’s new work for the Tate Modern felt more like a psychedelic love in rather than a conventional Art Opening. It certainly was an iconic piece of work.
It’s a vertical film collage of simulating abstract images. The film is driven by mutating images that invoke feelings in flight rather than a conventional narrative.
I loved the work both as a piece of art & a fellow analogue enthusiast. Off course there IS a massive difference between Analogue & Digital. Analogue gives you an entire spectrum of emotions that Digital is not capable of & that was so evident in this inspiring piece of work.
The Opening of the Frieze Art Fair is one hot ticket & coincides with a brilliantly curated programme of events, by Sarah McCrory of Frieze Projects.
This year Frieze Projects has invited Lucky PDF to run a TV channel, especially for Frieze. The public are invited to can engage with the channel at the fair or to watch remotely on the internet.
I was lucky enough to catch their 1st performance of the fair. Love the references to Tony Wilson’s, ‘So it Goes.’
I then swanned off to Lancaster House on my 1st outing as An Official Ambassador for ‘The Diana Award.’ The event was so inspiring. It was so wonderful to meet many amazing young award holders & hear their tales of courage & bravery.
I was also over the moon that my shoulder piece by Ada Zanditon fit in so well with the Lancaster House furnishings. Yay! Check out me & Fashion legend, Zandra Rhodes.
Please go to www.diana-award.org.uk for more info about the charity & all their wonderful work. I look forward to my working closely to spread their message.
And finally Here is Pierre Huyghe’s remake of Brancusi’s ‘Sleeping Muse.’
in the secret back room at The Frieze Art Fair. I loved the crab hiding inside the Brancusi head.
Behind the Scenes of the 'Dia Ti Maria,' Shoot 28 September 2011
These, my friends are some of the stills from the ‘Dia Ti Maria,’ shoot yesterday. I had such a good time on set & such a GREAT team, I can’t stress that enough. The ‘Black Narcissus,’ meets Laurie Anderson fantasy is well & truly alive.
May I just take this opportunity to thank, Matthew Hardern, Christian Landon, Maria Papadopolu, Peter Gomes, Beau Scott, Noriko Okaku & Gemma Drummond for all their sterling work yesterday.
I was definitely vibing a bit of Sister Wendy Beckett on set yesterday & what a tough gal she was. Watch her here defending Andres Serrano’s, ‘Piss Christ.’
It was also a delight to have artist & filmaker Peter Gomes on Camera yesterday. He showed me a film he directed in collaboration with the Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company. It was right up my strasse. Check it out here:
You can watch more of Peter Gomes’ work at: http://www.vimeo.com/mutantfilm
NUNZITA!