Happy Birthday Malcolm McLaren! The guy had his faults but he still stands as one of the most influential music and fashion innovators this country has ever seen. He brought punk, hip-hop, vogueing and world music to mass culture, as well as the utter gem that is Something’s Jumpin’ In Your Shirt (*sound ON!*) and the classic Double Dutch video (I’m desperate for an Ebonettes tee)…
Never not buying books about 1970s New York! Here’s a brilliant one on the New York downtown scene by Blondie’s Chris Stein. Point of View: Me, New York City, and the Punk Scene looks like a time capsule of New York at its run down, romanticized best, encompassing legendary characters (William Boroughs, Iggy Pop, Andy Warhol) amongst city streetscapes and New York nightlife. (more…)
“I made the police an offer, ‘you have a problem with illegal raves; I have the solution: make them legal. Give me an all-night licence and you can stop the ravers from panicking the Daily Mail readers of Middle England.’”
This old article about the Brixton Academy found it’s way into my Pocket (my favourite app for bookmarking articles). It’s a few juicy recollections from Simon Parkes, the founder of The Academy and was part of the promotion for his memoir, Live at the Brixton Academy. (more…)
“I feel like the internet has killed culture and subcultures because it’s made everyone separatist, no one goes outside of their comfort zone. Facebook and Instagram are not reality. Of course everyone you like is going to like the same shit as you. That’s the world we live in now, it’s one big echo chamber. The culture I come from you had to bring something. You had to have a personality or a talent. You had to bring something to the party instead of taking something away.” (more…)
