GET DOWN WITH THE SICKNESS

SOOOO I just finished catching up with Gnarlitude's blog. Haven't visited the fiesty Jen in quite some time. She posted something about a metal band. I like me my occasional gothic/symphonic/heavy/black metal, so I definitely clicked on the link to watch the documentary on Gaahl, from the black metal band Gorgoroth on VBS TV. And well, she's fuckin' right. Jen is R.I.G.H.T. You really gotta watch this video, man. ALL of it! To the END! Do it. Now.
Because I can't be bothered to get into specifics myself, here's Jen's satisfactory synopsis:

"In what might possibly be the best episodes I’ve yet to see on VBS TV, legendary and amazing photographer Peter Beste and crew headed to Norway to meet up with Gaahl from Gorgoroth on his release after a short stint being locked up for some gnarly shit (you have to watch to find out.) They go to his home which no reporter has ever been to. Traipse around the town he lives in while trying to no avail to get a word from the townspeople on Gaahl, who they are all to frightened of to say anything about. Described as the most hated man in all of Norway, Gaahl is gripping on the screen and once you think they are getting close to him, well, just watch the very end to see just how amazingly creepy dude can get."

I thought I might add this YouTube clip for effect...

...BUT that's not what I think the actual VBS documentary portrays. He raises good points in it; just in a sinister way. I just want to make sure I get it clear that I don't support Satanism. Actually, fuck what you think haha.

I especially like Gaahl's quote (somewhere around part 3 of the VBS docu., after showing us his artwork), something like"It's like a painting; you won't stop until it's finished." However, the context it was dropped in made it uber bone-chillingly creepy. I say undergound TV series with like...a BAZILLION seasons. Pretty. Please. With a bloody lamb's skull on top. Watch it here.

WHAT'S THIS?

Well kids, this is what you call masterful.

OH PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!

...Let me have a love interest for my 20th birthday. A romantic nook atop my new favourite hang? Yes, please! This is the coolest place EVER(!) , which is why I may have to reconsider my heading to Japan for Seijin No Hi on my 20th. This way I'd actually have friends around and wouldn't be burning too big of a hole in my pocket.
I hang out at the Troubadour from time to time when I feel like a motivated bedhead sexy and chic writer...and when daddy's little girl's allowance rolls in at HSBC. A bit steep for a student, but I never act like one anyway (for example no. 2 on this list). I finished up the last of my essays there eating vegetarian breakfast at 2pm (serves 'til 3). After that, I just shifted into lunch time and ordered a dessert. Sipping my superb hot chocolate, I scanned the noticeboard and saw they offered a yoga class some mornings in their Gallery! Yes, they have an art gallery too; and a club GOD KNOWS WHERE, that's featured acts in the past such as Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix! One of my new faves The XX is playing there on June 20th...when I'll be interning in Dubai (mopes inappropriately since I'll be working for a major fashion magazine and have seen them perform twice, AND plan to see them on the 23rd).


Plus the interior of the place makes you feel so god-damn slick just to be sitting in there. It's like a vintage indie version of TGIF's decor what with the hanging trinkets all over the walls. Very shady...like a hangover den! ha! The windows are crowded with colourful rusty watering cans, and a pitchfork on the wall threatens to puncture some diner's head below. Awesome. And not that you'd need it once eating there, but there's a Starbucks five paces away. I love me my 'bucks...Perfect for the morning after though!..staying at their suite. OOOOHHH! SO EXCITED!


Anyway, I also decided when I come back from the break that I will just apply to do barwork there. They are constantly looking for people. And I think as a yoga buff, new art and music enthusiast, with a penchant for being surrounded by alcohol, and already having bartending experience, this is kind of effing perfect for me :)


P.S. Walkabout tonight!

IS MUSIC YOUR HOT HOT SEX?

So, my friend started this quarterly magazine called The Dap. Just spreading the love:

WANT TO WRITE FOR 'THE DAP'?

Ok so its easy:

Step 1-Find a band/ album/ single/ live gig you really really liked or hated...

Step 2 -Write up to 200 words at the most all album/ single reviews

500 words for any band profile/ interviews and live gig event

Step 3-Email The Dap at: thedapmagazine@hotmail.co.uk...

If it doesn't get into the magazine , then we will try our best to put it on the website when thats fully up and running.

(I TOTALLY know my first feature)

THE TEN THINGS: EXCEPT CUT IN HALF

1. EMAILSSSSS! I get the coolest emails nowadays. Well, not so much from letting agents. But Joe from bookofjoe totally thinks I'm a babe. He's sort of a blogosphere celebrity in my book. (thanks for the feature!). He gave me some blogger tips too:

"Dear Kara,

I'm so flattered about how you view me: for the longest time I've thought of myself as "a legend in my own mind."

Nothing you could do could annoy me: I mean, come on, you're smart + a babe, that's an irresistible combination in my book.

I wouldn't call myself a professional, in that I don't do it for money or anything, but I sure spend far more time and energy on bookofjoe than any other aspect of my life.

I got popular by doing a few simple but not as easy as they might seem things:

1) Posting regularly. Daily, without exception, no excuses. Even if it's only a word or a phrase or a sentence, your audience can be certain there'll always be something fresh on your site. The internet loathes stasis.

2) Being yourself. Kara Martin is a unique combination of experience and attitude: show them to us. The more your essence comes across, the closer the bond, albeit virtual, that extends between you and your audience.

3) Pick a good name for your blog. thelonelylondoner is superb, you're there already.

That's more than enough.

Keep on being Kara, I say.

Yours,

Joe."

Also, The Look magazine is putting on this uber event that I simply must attend. And The Lonely Londoner gets what she wants:

"Hi Kara,

We've reserved a ticket for you, just turn up and give your name to the person on the door.

Thanks,

Tai."

Can you say 'baller'?

2. I won't be a lonely londoner for a few days because....FRIENDS ARE COMING! My honey Andrew from Trinidad and Tobago is coming up on Friday to begin his Eurotrip and we're going to do a little Caribbean damage about the town. We're actually both discussing how to get to the International Students House on messenger as I type this. Also where we're going to get drunk first, naturally. (FUN FACT: He was my high school prom date!...and he's going to absolutely hate me for digging this up)

3. Heinz 'Mac n Cheese' in a can is significantly more horrible than that prom photo.

4. My big floral hold-all from Gap is a lifesaver when you are trying to be eco-friendly and one of the plastic bags you HAD to take because you bought so much bursts on you on the sidewalk. Worthy of my shoulder all summer, no?
5. Because I have to be black at some point (sorry about my pigeon-holing, but I am such an Oreo, you would not believe), I confess, I cannot get enough of Snoop Dogg's semi-new song 'Sensual Seduction/Sexual Eruption(?).' I heard that out clubbing last night and it's amazing the things my body did in response on that dancefloor. The video is also LAUGH OUT LOUD ridonculous. Acutally, I LOVE everything Snoop does. Sometimes he even has better hair than me (CERTAINLY NOT in that video though) , but that's okay. 'Nuff respect'.

LES SAVY FAV

So, I'm going to see this fat ass and company perform tomorrow night at the Works for my friend Anant's birthday. I think I'm in for a killer night...except I'm still waiting on my ticket in the post...

LES SAVY FAV:

['AWW COME ON!' FACEBOOK UPDATE: Today 5:07pm]

Just got an email, Les Savy Fav have had to cancel cos they cant get work permits in time - should still be alright tho! 'We are the Physics' are still playing - and they're good! Also,because they've pulled out, it means tickets have gone down to £4, so we can claim £2 back on the door! nice!

(At least £2 means an extra pint! YARRRR!)

THE 8AM ICON

How 'rockin'-it-without-words' is Siouxsie Sioux? For some reason, I never finished Interview with the Vampire and started listening to their epic tunes (yes, the allnighter is still under way). It makes me so mad that Limewire doesn't have 'Forever'

I go to Youtube to hear 'Forever'. So weep-worthy.

DIRTY PRETTY THINGS

I sense a growing interest in fetish illustrations. I'd like to think it's not because I'm sex-starved but due to the discovery of the amazing Coilhouse blog (a true cyberpunk/goth/alternative culture haven), as well as perusings through the Sex in Art blog and the Baby Art Blog. This is probably also down to the fact that I am scheming to become an uber glam gothic hot mess of a punkish bitch. Ever the new phase with me. You just gotta keep up. Whether you want to become a U.G.G.H.M.P.B or not, please go through those last two blogs for all manner of beautiful perversion. And don't tell me you don't want to. You SO do.

Itsuki Takashi's work reminds me a lot of the Malady Charlotina work that South West Londoner Christine does that I found on the Coilhouse blog. As she lives so close by, I think I'm going to make it my business to interview her...and her many pets.


I am SO buying the red prints and this last Rasputina-esque one. Anyone listen to Rasputina? The 'Mystikally Cellorific' trio?

[Album cover]

AND THEEEENNN...they in turn reminded me of an exhibition I went to at Shunt by Beatrice Pentney. She had this space set up like an old attic that only about 4 people could go into at a time; with flying dusty toy ships on strings over your head, opening and closing umbrellas, old frocks, rusty bits and bobs hanging everywhere, and the eerie sound of a tiring music box...which kinda TOTALLY reminded me of this Raputina song 'Gingerbread Coffin':

Okay so...how many tangents did I go off on?

se XX y

Hi-O!
It just took me like an hour to load all of this week's photos on Facebook. Yeah, I saw all those bands in my essay week. BUT, even though I trudged home way after essay week curfew, with crippled feet from all the stomping, dodging and jumping in the mosh for Defenders of the Faith, I woke up this morning and worked for two hours on the last of my work due in Tuesday. Can I get a 'yay!'? I think so. Now I'm sick, and resting in bed in my new oversized Opeth t-shirt-cum-grungy dress. Wore it out today for 2pm breakfast at Troubabour, my new favourite hang. Will tell you more about that place some other time.

I'm sick because at the concert I got spit on by the performers, drenched in flying beer, and bottles of water that was sprayed into our mouths (and frequently hit our face instead) by the stage security. They were the nicest stage security I have EVER encountered.

I love how without fail, even though there were big-ass signs saying 'no crowd-surfing', like 5 kids rolled over my head and got caught by security(excluding the anorexic chick who fainted), and all just before and in the middle of the main acts, which I'm sure they waited just as long as we did in line to see. IDIOTS! The line circled the entire Carling Academy building. My friend Mathew and I thought, while we were in it 'Hmmm, I'm hungry, there's Nando's across the street. Maybe one of us can go in and grab something. Nah, it'll take too long and be too expensive.' Then, like 45 minutes later, security is collecting our tickets and we meet up with Nando's again. Anyway, the flu, the waiting, the hunger, getting crushed against the fence, ripping my stockings and the frizzy hair that was flat-ironed to perfection just last week, was all worth it. 'The Akerfeldt was sexy (AND FUNNY! WHO KNEW? MY KINDA BRUTAL SARCASM!) as always.

So, as you can also see from my past posts and from the gig pictures, I got to see HEARTSREVOLUTION perform after all, after missing them at their gig on Tuesday at Madame Jojo's because this happened. Naturally, it was fucking brilliant; a little too short, but brilliantly short.

But my favourite band that night at Moshi Moshi Night at Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen (check that place out) were newcomers The XX. I can't stay away from their Myspace page. MY GOD. Have you ever been to a show and just wished the crowd would SHUT THE FUCK UP!? Well, this is the first time I wanted to dunk people's wine glasses on their indie-coiffed heads in defense of an opening act performing. They are just...fantastic. My new favourite song EVER right now is from them, it's called 'Teardrops' (see their Myspace page and prepare to melt away and be cradled in their vocals and bass). IT'S THE BASS, BABY! That bass player cuts so deep it actually hurts to hear him play. I actually cried that night upon hearing that song for the first time.

The lead singer, a docile half-asian lesbian with bleached skunk tracks through her chopped hair, had the most soothing voice that you almost couldn't hear. She was so shy I wanted to go up and touch her face and tell her it was okay to sing. It's funny, everytime I day-dreamt when I was younger that I would lead sing in a band, we always sounded like them; I sang like her.

HEY! Also listen to 'Stars'. Close your eyes and listen to the guy's voice, and the lyrics. If you want depression, they'll give it to you. The guy's voice is the bass player, and my new crush. Sometimes, in the flashes of the stage lights he looks like Jonathan Rhys Meyers. I don't fancy Meyers much but I guess I would if he played bass and sang like that and wore that sweater that he did that night. I snapped a picture of him with my flash on, and as soon as I did that, his bass strap came undone. It was THE FUNNIEST thing! Okay, no. Actually I nearly got a heart attack. But he stooped and played on his knee while he fixed it. SAFE!

Anyway, listening to them is like...getting heart-broken by someone you're madly in love with and then you find some random person to talk to and next thing you know your lips are on theirs, but everything's happening really slowly, even the tiny saliva strings from your kisses are bursting slow, and you have hair in your face, and everything's blurry except for their face. That's what it's like okay....? So be careful lol.

Okay, on that note, I'm going to get some well-deserved rest and pray that my bread isn't mouldy yet so I can make cheese on toast for dinner because I'm too lazy to do pasta. Ciao!

THE WEEK IN GIGS

James Yuill, The XX, Florence and the Machine, HEARTSREVOLUTION, 3 Inches of Blood and Devil Driver (both not pictured), Arch Enemy and Opeth