MOLLY PARKIN Style Icon Hits 80

This February the notorious Molly Parkin celebrates her 80th birthday. Her early life has been well documented, born in Wales, two marriages, two children, heaps of lovers and a career that has seen her explore life as an artist, a writer, editor and style icon.

Young Molly aged 29

Moving to London during the 2nd World War with her family as a child aged 7 she suffered both violent and sexual abuse from her fascist father recently documented in her latest book 'Welcome To Mollywood'. She then went on to gain a scholarship at Goldsmiths art college  at 17 and began her life as a painter.

She found herself a young woman of 22 and still a virgin, the damaged Molly married in 1957 but not before a stolen kiss with Louis Armstrong and her first love affair. By the 60's she divorced, gave up painting and became a fully fledged member of London Society of the time whilst painting and bringing up her family. Hanging out down the Colony Rooms with other artists and writers, developing a style that became her signature look and fast becoming a somewhat of a celebrity she lived life on the fast lane cramming in a myriad of  challenging creative outlets. Working with Barbara Halanicki creating hats for Biba, running her own shop and entertaining at dinner parties.

It seems Molly Parkin was a bit of a pioneer with her endevors, penning ten novels, poetry books, the fashion editor of Harpers & Queen, writing for Nova magazine and The Sunday Times, bringing up her two daughters - Sarah and Sophie and cavorting around town with her numerous lovers, Molly really somewhat of a force.

Working as an editor in the 60's (right)

I first saw Molly in the late 70's as part of London's creative set, she was working her turban based creations and was swathed in luxuriant cloaks of swirling pattern and design. Her presence was larger than life,  she turned up at drinking dens and social events mostly sloshed (I would imagine) her penchant for a tipple was well known. Nowadays she has given up the grog and the cavorting, nonetheless her presence today is just as engaging.

In the 80's she was well established for her saucy and explicit novels and sense of style, she says she's a product of the Welsh valleys she originated from, her grandmother was her role model and alcoholism seems to run in her family. Molly went onto a second marriage in 1968 which ended in 1980. She may have got over the urges of her decadent youth, (she's been sober for 25 years), and worked through her demons but she still finds inspiration in dressing for any occasion.

Her she is in her sheltered accommodation flat in Chelsea dressed up to the nines.

The 90's saw her take up painting once again and in the past decade Molly Parkin has kept busy with her pursuits, involved with various events and of course dressing in her own inimitable style.

                                                            Happy Birthday Molly

THIS IS JONNY WOO

Soho Theatre 

(Click on title to go to i-D Online for full review)

Band Round Up... Bo Ningen, Blue On Blue

Record launches over the last few weeks....

The amazing Bo Ningen topped the bill for the release of their latest single Henkan/ Jinsei Ichidokiri on Stolen Recordings at Camp basement on the 26th of October. Flinging their long locks with compulsive flair Bo Ningen create a psychedelic trauma with their experimental and artistic sound.

(Supporting them Blood Music, watch out for more on them - currently recording with Tim Burgess.)

Blue On Blue gave it up at an instore launch at Rough Trade off Brick Lane this week. Dee Sada and Billy Trivial create an atmospheric ambience of electronica and guitar. Smoothly wafting into ethereal vocal lines they are releasing a self titled EP on Tip Top Recordings.

Interview from iD Magazine

On the new band front Blue On Blue stand out as a force gently easing their way into a music neiché of their own, for the past year and a half they've been striking a chord with a devoted bunch of followers...  Core members Dee Sada, Billy Trivial have set up a calming dimension of music making that is as apt for both introspective moments as it is for a soundtrack to reflect on wilder times. Dee Sada says, 'From a writing perspective it's pretty self-focused and I only write about what I think will help ease issues on my mind or help me come to terms with things. So I have a personal audience of one.'  

They talk about and have a concienous streak to the way they relate to the intrcocies of life's up and downs, Billy's approach also takes on a personal slant, 'There's a quote in Slapstick by Kurt Vonnegut about how every successful artist creates with an audience of one in mind, and I think he's absolutely right in saying that. For me, it's one or two very close friends who's opinion and integrity I fully respect. I've never thought of an audience beyond that and I don't think it's healthy to.' 

Dee started out initially in Experiment On A Bird In An Air Pump, the overlap came in August 09, when she considered forming Blue On Blue as a side project, she explains, 'I was sick as a dog for 6 weeks and wanted to document what I believed to be the last songs I would ever write as I thought I wouldn't live to see the end of the illness. Most of these songs were bedroom demos from my death-bed.' Meanwhile Billy had been experimenting with his own solo endevours both bumping into each other on the London circuit. Dee continues, 'Billy came to the fold in January 2010 and then we became a live band, at the time we had drummers (Mark Abbot and when he left, Samir Eskanda from Flats). Billy and I really wanted to delve into a true musical journey so we decided to continue as a duo and mix in layers of sounds both natural and electronic.' 

The thoughtful conviction Dee and Billy have to Blue On Blue is apparent, when you see them play live they're not in your face, they seep into your subconcouness in very subtle style creating moods without being stropy. Dee says, 'I bring the bleakness and Billy brings the hope to our music. So we are somewhere in between heaven and hell; a constant state of purgatory.' It's a good balance, honest and reflective, infact true to life, Billy goes on to add, 'So many bands get stuck in having what they think is a 'mood' - and then end up churning out the same shit album after album. What's the point in saying 'we're a happy sunshine pop band' or something like that - when you end up excluding 95% of human emotion from your work. Its a creative constriction of the worst kind. No person is always sad, or angry, or ecstatic - and neither should any honest band.' They write from the heart, lyrically Dee takes a personal stance spilling her heart out, 'From a songwriting perspective, it's usually about myself and my life experiences. Unfortunately human nature tends to focus on the unforgivable so I tend to write about people that have been in my life and the madness and sadness that continues to haunt me. It's meant to be a therapeutic process but lately I've realised that each time I perform these songs, it takes me right back to the emotional place when I wrote them; the place I am so desperate to forget and run away from. So in fact, these songs are more like constant thorns in my side that are screaming to get out.' Billy backs up Dee's thoughts, his musicality compliments the set up, 'When it comes to writing for me, the most powerful songs come out of intensely personal experiences. I tend to be able to hold simultaneous conflicting viewpoints, which also comes out in the music.'

More recently they've supported The Charlatans which to all intents and purposes seems to have given Blue On Blue the impetous to become even more prolific, 'That was probably the most diverse crowd we've ever played to. It was a challenge as their fans all thought we were 'scary' and 'depressing' but we really enjoy playing out of our comfort zone. The fact that songs written in your bedroom are now making some kind of impact on people continues to fascinate me.'  In a sense their taking things as they come, there's no strict agenda or expectation, Billy explains, 'Thinking about stuff like that waters down music, and the pure intention of creativity. If we ever thought at any point that we had to have a particular drum sound to be played in clubs, or be compressed to fuck so it sounds good on radio, we'd be doing our work a great disservice.' The dreamlike quality they expel is at once captivating, soundwaves that envelope you, Dee Sada's softly sung vocal style comes from her utter conviction, 'Most of my songs have come out of hazy states of numbness so I think the dreamlike quality is intrinsic to the style of the song rather than just the production.'  I think the sounds we tend to gravitate towards are quite blurry, or smudged. I've always thought of our music as quite painterly in some ways. Having said that, in our most recent stuff there's a lot of precision - completely untreated analogue drum machines. I think Dee's voice is very ethereal as well, so maybe that has a lot to do with it.'

Blue On Blue are releasing an EP on Tip Top records and Tim Burgess from The Charlatans having produced some of their tracks which will be released on his Oh Genesis label.

Princess Julia

KABUKI DOES MAKEUP

Look what came in my in-box this week, the legendary makeup artist Kabuki sent me a message about a competition My Face Cosmetics (Kabuki's the artistic director) are running. I've always been a fan of Kabuki's work and this is a great chance to win some cosmetics and get a signed illustration of an original Kabuki drawing. I'm little bit jealous as I'd like one of his drawings myself. I interviewed Kabuki for iD magazine a while ago so for those of you not so aufait with him I thought I'd put it up... meanwhile here's the details of the Halloween competition, you can find out more by going to their fb page myface.cosmetics where you simply upload your looks to enter.

You were a “club” legend early on and now you’ve become

a “make-up” legend, tell me darling, what made you cross over

into piling make-up onto others rather than yourself?

"The crossover to professional make-up artist happened because Pat Field

called me up out of the blue and asked if I was interested in being the make-

up artist for a new TV show called “Sex and the City” that she was going to

start styling. I’d recently done some test shots so I had something besides

snapshots of myself to show the producers and Sarah Jessica Parker. Before

that happened, I’d had no career ambitions or plan. It all seemed beyond my

control. My interest in make-up was purely personal expression. I’d started

wearing make-up in broad daylight at age 14, before I moved to New York City. I

was the Naked Civil Servant of the redneck section of Florida.”

Who were your first subjects?

“I learned the most from painting myself because I could spend hours and

hours doing it. I had a club kid friend named Jodee Jingles. We’d go to Disco

200 together and she’d nag me to do her make-up. But I’d be so burnt out after

spending hours on my face, I’d just slap something on her in 5 minutes. Once

I painted her face white, then ringed her eyes in black liquid liner, then another

ring and then another, until her whole face was full. That night we saw Olympia,

the bartending drag mother/club legend. She was well known for always having

varied and theatrical make-ups. She screamed in excitement: “Let me look! I’ve

never thought of that before – the onion!”

Who or what inspired you initially?

“Erte, Boy George, Grace Jones, Oriental art, the New Romantics. My first make-

up inspiration was definitely Richard Sharah’s work in the “Ashes to Ashes” video

and his Zandra Rhodes stuff. I didn’t actually see the “Fade to Grey” video until

the late 90’s having been stuck in Kissimmee, Florida when it came out. I also

loved all the faces of Bowie, especially the cover of “Pin Ups” with Twiggy. I

was so occupied drawing and painting my own fantasy illustrations as a child.

There’s a video on youtube called “Kabuki Starshine on Kidsworld”. I would also

make dolls by painting faces on wooden spoons, so I guess those were my first

inspirations.”

Nowadays, you are constantly in demand and your work covers

a spectrum of sublime, beautiful and fantastical visions. What

keeps you enthralled with creating such concepts?

“What keeps me going is working with great stylists and photographers who, like

me, care, almost neurotically, about the standard of their work. I hate working

with lazy people; what’s the point? Also, I’m so lucky to have some very beautiful

and interesting faces to work on.”

So, the Mac master class tour, what’s it like? Do you find yourself

being quite technical about it?

“I think I made the right decision not to talk at all whilst working on the stage

and then have a full question-and-answer session afterwards. My partner/agent,

Chuck Fiorello, put the music together, which enhances the feeling of each of

the three looks I demonstrate. The music cues let me know if I’m on schedule

or running long. I start by demonstrating a glamorous smokey eye look taken to

an editorial level. Next I do the Kylie cd cover look. The last look is much more

intense and bizarre. I originally did this look on Karen Elson in Italian Vogue in

2004.”

What kind of projects do you find challenging? Do you have an

amusing story?

“Many of my jobs are very challenging, requiring a huge amount of preparation,

time and work. Occasionally, I have one that is so easy that I wonder “Why am I

here?” So I guess there’s no pleasing me. Usually the packing and the prepping

is more stressful than the actual day of the shoot or the fashion show. I’ve done

shows where I worked for three days without sleep. Manish Arora, Boudicca, if

you look closely, you’ll see my bloodstains on their clothes…”

Do you find yourself subconsciously picking up ideas for

new “looks” in really random places?

“Not subconsciously, really. I’m usually given a theme and then I take if from

there. When Manish Arora did his medieval themed collection, I designed a mask

based on a chastity belt to compliment the make-up look. I sent the prototype to

India and then I put the finishing touches on it Paris. That mask had a second

life after the show, popping up in Italian Vogue, Numero and on Kate Moss’s

Interview cover.”

What’s the most obscure, maddest place or person that’s inspired

you?

“I don’t know, Boy George is pretty mad…”

I heard there’s a trend for a “nude” look, which do you enjoy

applying most… a lot of make-up that looks like it’s not there or a

lot of make-up that most certainly is there?

“To be honest, I like both really. Variety is the spice of life; something’s got to

be…”

Personality or celebrity-wise, have you ever been in awe of your

subject?

“Once in a while but I get over it quickly. If I’m trembling, I can’t work. When you

meet someone famous, there’s the weirdness of thinking you know them, but of

course you don’t. I thought I might faint when I met Michael Jackson, but I didn’t.

I did two shoots with him and he couldn’t have been nicer.”

Talking fashion shows, which have been your most challenging,

surprising and favourites?

“The shows that are my favorites are the ones that are the least challenging

or surprising. My team shows up 3 hours before the show and I have to have

everything ready for them. If it’s too confusing, too weird, too far out of their

comfort zone or they simply can’t handle it, I have to run around fixing everything

like a demented bee. Thus, with the shows that everyone seems to remember

most, I’m up nights trying to push them out of my mind.”

When you’re not thinking about “make-up” what do you think

about?

“I think about getting my hands on Harper’s Bazaar’s from the 1910’s and 1920’s,

the ones with the Erte covers. I think about Liza a lot too.”

https://www.facebook.com/myfacecosmetics
http://www.myfacecosmetics.com/home

Jolly Good Fun at the Frieze Art Fair

Rushing down to this year's Frieze down in Regents Park last night for the grand opening with Vogue Fabrics Lyall Hakaraia was quite enlightening. Now 'art' is in the eye of the beholder and Frieze crams in a lot of varied stuff, as Lyall said, 'It makes you wonder'. We did a lot of wondering, round in circles peering in close, standing back for full impact of the sculptures, paintings and various installations.

Bowie having a slash

Look at these huge blooms, look lovely don't they. We were quite taken with them, if you were going to buy these where would you put them, perhaps not suitable for a home...

We went in search of the bar, (no free drinks this year!) it was pretty busy and bumping into people was most definetly part of the fun. Straight away we saw Philip and Brix from Start shop in Shoreditch.

We like these sort of sculptures that look like they might not be actually be sculptures at all. I once had a tutor who did a reduced size supermarket carrier bag and the cleaners removed it much to her dismay!

This really is a sculpture

Neat and tidy... is this really a sculpture?

David Shrigley... relate?

This guy David Shrigley (left) is pretty famous for his poignant doodles, wonder how much this one is, he's always ready with a quip it seems and this one is spot on for the ladies.

So anyway see this little horse, well there's going to be a bigger one made and it's going to be situated as an outdoor installation, gateway to Manchester? (something like that).

My little pony

Grayson Perry (of course, I do believe)

We were very taken with this gold shirt with suggestive conch shell peaking out down below at  Sadie Coles' space. The lovely Pauline in charge took us around the exhibits - but this was by far our fave. 

At Sadie Coles HQ Gallery 

Moody Marlene inspired

I'm really into this painterly stuff and I came across a couple of portraits on our travels, wish I had some money as I'd snap this one up for my art collection. 

Mommie Dearest!

Giant wire coat hanger, gave us a lot of ideas, I'm intriqued as to how this might translate to the interior at Vogue fabrics, very intriqued indeed... as also this big old shiny plant sculpture (below).

Giant hyper real fantasy plant

Oh art lovers, this Frieze show is full of inspirations indeed, but then bumping into DJ producer Trevor Jackson put a realistic slant on some of the er, funnier installations... er what are these strange statues? Sorry not to our tastes either.

Scary

Errie

Anyway moving right along and ever in search of inspirations... we came across this Fred Butleresque cluster of sculpted metallic poms poms. 

Fancy

What was the crowd like? I hear you ask, well we met some girls and they were on the lookout for some rich arty lads... think I found 'em here admiring this monkey sculpture...

Art lads!

Ok onwards and upwards, a few more bits and bobs...

Yoko/Lennon inspired

Yes, that's a real bird

Big shiny wall ball

And finally some classic stuff, tucked away in a corner I found a Tim Noble and sue Webster silhouette sculpture, they're doing a book signing on Saturday by the way...

Tim and Sues famous sculpture

Over at Lorcan O'Neills Gallery space, bloody hell a Richard Long mud circle!!!! Major dears....

Has to be seen to be believed!

Get down to Frieze Art Fair on till the 16th October... www.friezeartfair.com

PS... Later we went up to see Sarah Lucas installation up at The St John Hotel in Leicester Street, it's in the first floor bar.

PONYSTEP Issue 2

This fall Ponystep magazine releases a three cover issue featuring Elvira, Dame Edna Everage and Donnatella Versace. What an issue! The inventive Richard Mortimer and his team have put together a 'lady' themed mag that covers icons from Pete Burns to Julie Verhoeven, to fashion shoots and interviews that reflect a slice of our society with a stylish twist.

Donnetella by Miles Aldridge

Dame Edna by Alice Hawkins

Elvira by Matt Irwin

I'm well chuffed with the look of this, plus I was lucky enough to interview friend Pete Burns, an enlightening interview if I do say so! Currently available at the Dover Street Store....

My London Fashion Week Moments

This weekend I've been tearing around catching up with some highlights over London Fashion Week. Shows, party's and spot of djing I have to say there's been some amazing highlights. Giles Deacons show yesterday at the Halls of Justice topped it all off for me, totally camp, dresses with trains trailing (I want one), swan headdresses by Stephen Jones, sexy silver ensembles, 'm'lady' shapes and party puffs.

Giles Deacon s/s 2012

Prior to that I went to Todd Lynn's show (reviewed for i-D Online) a lovely collection of layered numbers in muted tones.

Todd Lynn s/s 2012

Up at the old Eurostar terminal, Waterloo... I'm a particular fan of Louise Gray who's gaining ground with her colourful and quirky designs. Part bag lady, part mata hari, her assemblage is quirky and original.

Louise Gray 'Trust Me' s/s 2012 

Louise Grays goodie bag

Downstairs (same place) Nasir Mazhar's installation of performers grabbed our attention, throughly on a ragga tip Grime MC's Lioness and Shystie gave it verve with a live pa. Nasirs 'must have' caps and bags are unique and stylish!

Nasir Mazhar s/s 2012

On sunday I alas missed Fashion East due to transport problems but I did get to an off schedule show- Blow Presents at St Lukes Church in Old Street. Four new designers showcased, Blow PR are striking out with a taste of what LFW is all about. I reviewed this show for Vice Style go and have a look for a full report!

Eleanor Amoroso

Liberum Arbitrum (Shinsuke Mitsouka)

Fanny and Jessy

Jane Bowler

One of my favorite shows on Saturday was the wonderful Jonathan Saunders at a space he used last season up at Paddington Central. A spacious 2nd floor venue with amazing views, Saunders used neons to light the space. Against a soundtrack of minimal beats his beautiful frocks marched forth. Completely ladylike, demure, just gorgeous. Great after party by the way at Gordon Ramsay's new restaurant at the Bread Street Kitchen, including a star turn from the top hoola hooper in the country Marawa!

Jonathan Saunders s/s 2012

Over at the official home of LFW, Somerset House on the Strand my mates from Sibling knitwear launched there debut ladies range 'Sister' with an installation in the Newgen sheds. Fresh and breezey knitwear in striking candy neo punk colourways, the pink fluffy bolero was a hit with me, I'd probably get it in black though!

Sister from Sibling s/s 2012

I did get a few glimpses of the Basso And Brooke show last Friday, lots of floaty prints, jazzy combinations and clever cutting.

Basso And Brooke 

Finally celebrating the launch of the latest issue of Gentlewoman I got to dj along side the lovely Pippa Brookes from Madame Says over in Mayfair on Sunday night...

And that my dears is just about it, although there's a chance I may go to mens day tomorrow to look at young men and... what they're wearing of course!