Wave this book in front of your family as Mother’s Day looms or buy it for yourself – anytime – if you are at all interested in art and history
I say ‘book’ but Vietnam Eye – Contemporary Vietnamese Art – is a reference work highlighting one of the most fascinating contemporary art scenes in an area that has known war, and radical change – from a closed door policy to an era of globalisation.
The book showcases the work of seventy-five outstanding contemporary Vietnamese artists working across a variety of established and new media, from painting to sculpture, from photography to video.
Some artists’ work I didn’t like, but explored with interest, others, in particular, gave me pause for thought in this complex world.
A Partition of Chance by Tran Trong Vu as shown is interesting. Tran Trong Vu does not create paintings to be an end in themselves but as a means to seek his place as an artist outside the contemporary artist system. For me, it is a painting of stillness and repetition into which one can import one’s own theme.
Nguyen Trong Minh reflects the artist’s disappointment with the education system of his time, in which any deviation marked one as an outsider. The very stillness of the images, the rigidity, is thought provoking. I have just reviewed The Outsider, Frederick Forsyth’s memoir, and his life as an outsider was different: joyous, creative.
This work of Nguyen Trong Minh’s is equally creative, but internalised. For Minh the world needs to be paused, clarified in black and white, distilled. But into what: into work that gives him the ability to respond to life effectively. It made me want to see some of them in the ‘flesh’ but perhaps I can:
Vietnam Eye is published in anticipation of a major exhibition at London’s Saatchi Gallery in September 2017 so we must find the time to visit, having perused the catalogue.
Serenella Ciclitira has an honours degree in art history from Trinity College, Dublin and has worked extensively with artists and galleries throughout the world. Along with her husband David Ciclitira, she is the co-founder of Korean Eye and a member of its curatorial board.
Vietnam Art – contemporary Vietnamese art: pb £38.00 (amazon.co.uk)
The Soap Kitchen, based in Devon, is one of the top soap making companies in the UK and Europe. As well as supplying soap and candle making kits, the Soap Company also have a wide range of handmade soaps and toiletries available to purchase.
For a luxurious, bubbly wash why not try the Soap Kitchen’s range of foam washes. With exotic scents from Lavender and Snowberry to Orange and Neroli, these soaps should be on the top of your list for a Mother’s Day surprise. The Prosecco and Clementine soap from the foam wash collection is a particular favourite. Now you can enjoy Prosecco in the shower too!
Made with natural ingredients, the Clementine and Prosecco fragrance oil can be used for a facial or as a hand wash or even poured into a hot bath for a fresh and invigorating wash.
With Mother’s Day coming up why not treat your mum to a luxurious soap from the Soap Kitchen?
Band/Artist: Sterile Jets Location: Long Beach, California Styles: Noise Rock, Old School Metal, Punk, Post Hardcore Similar to/RIYL: Melvins, Sonic Youth, Fugazi, Butthole Surfers, Shellac CD: No Gods No Loss Release date: May 4 2017
The Arsonist
Rehabilitated Truth
Go Out And Bleed
Piss On Your God
Soliloquy Of A Heartbroken Loner
Fireside Drive (first single/video)
White Satan
A Sterile Existence
Free Pork Bougie
Olive Spoil
Sterile Jets make music that doesn’t conform to a single style or genre, with lyrics that mirror the struggles the band, and their fans, confront on a daily basis. The band – singer/guitarist Robert Bly Moore, singer/bass player Wm. Partnoff and drummer GS Bean – is a true democracy. They compose and arrange every song to bring out its best elements, delving deeply into punk, post rock, jazz and metal, with stimulating side trips into rockabilly, grunge and even pop. The result is a winning combination of noise and melody, romanticism and irony, love and anger that captures the complexities of everyday American life. Those looking for music steeped in the courage, honesty and energy of punk’s primal explosion will find it in the uncompromising sounds of the Sterile Jets.
Stoner Punk, Art Punk, “Rebel Noise Rock,” call it what you will, but there is no denying that the brand of caterwauling that STERILE JETS (SJs) produces is absolutely FUCK YEAH! Formed in year nine, after the break-up of Bass’r B. ILL’s former band Dynamic Ribbon Device, B. ILL set forth to start a band that would ultimately satisfy his artistic needs. He went straight to the to the Internet (Craig’s List to be more specific), to complete his conquest. After a few revolving members, the band became the complete trio, it is now, in 2012. The lineup includes: Robert “Bly” Moore (Lead Guitar/Vocals), Wm. “B. ILL” Partnoff (Electric Bass/Vocals) and Matthew Bean… “Bean” (Trap Set). SJs self describes their unsettling sound as if Sonic Youth fucked the Velvet Underground and had an unruly Black Flag baby. Other influences for the band are Rudimentary Peni, McLusky, Ponys, Husker Du and Dead C. Also, the band has covered songs from Fang and Flipper. SJs also take influences from the literature and art scene, such as Charles Bukowski, William S Burroughs and Raymond Pettibon. Drawing from life experiences, dive bars, drug abuse and the absurd hypocrisies of civilization, SJs music has been described as original, jarring, loud, noisy and weird. The current incarnation of SJs have been gigging in Southern California for nearly a year, focusing on the Long Beach and Orange County areas. Venues the SJs rocked include Fern’s Cocktails (Long Beach), Harold’s Place (San Pedro), the defunct Puka Bar (Long Beach) and The 2010 OC Punk Rock Picnic (Irvine).
No Gods No Loss was co-produced by Sterile Jets and audio engineer Bil Lane, a close friend of the band. “We wanted the raw sound of a live show,” Moore continues. “Except for the vocals, the album was recorded over a long weekend, with everything stripped down to the basics. We spent more time writing, arranging and refining the songs this time. Bil has a ton of expertise and a laid back attitude. He gave us the freedom to make the music sound how we wanted it to sound.”
“Fireside Drive,” the album’s first single, contrasts the band’s quieter, more melodic side with their love of distortion. Melodic bass and guitar introduce Moore’s playful, seductive vocal before flipping the switch into an interlude of grinding distortion. By alternating between quiet passages and jolts of noise, the band amplifies the passionate yearning of the lyric. The song builds to a beautifully chaotic climax, complete with a few random quotes from Voltaire about the exploitation of the working class.
“Rehabilitated Truth” opens and closes with screeching feedback from Moore’s guitar. Bean’s galloping drums play variations on a fractured samba rhythm that pushes the guitar and bass in all kinds of twitchy directions. Moore’s growling half spoken vocal plunges into a maelstrom of hopelessness that reflects the agony of a dying relationship.
“Olive Spoil” is a sonic assault drenched in grimy guitar overtones, free form bass lines and out of control drumming. Its random tempo changes, unexpected bursts of silence and rapid shifts between noise and melody suggests some unholy combination of Hendrix and Motörhead. Partnoff’s rolling, bluesy bass and Bean’s rock steady drumming support Moore’s mixed down vocals on “Free Pork Bougie” before the tone shifts with a slow, roaring avalanche of earsplitting distortion. The mood swings of the music hint at the tension between the 1% and the country’s working class. “We’re dealing with job loss, expensive or non-existent education and not knowing how we’re going to pay rent,” Moore says. “The rich and powerful are just playing a game.” Beat writer Charles Bukowski inspired “Go Out and Bleed,” a slow, straight-forward, metallic rocker with grim, surrealistic lyrics and an impressive display of Moore’s guitar pyrotechnics. Partnoff’s noisy bass opens “White Satan” as Moore’s guitar provides a shower of quiet, playful arpeggios before moving into sinister, doom rock territory. With the help of Partnoff’s descending bass, Bean’s ponderous backbeat, Moore’s massive power chords and Partnoff’s harsh, snarling vocal, the song shatters the tenets of the conservative agenda.
“Our inspiration comes from what’s going on around us,” Moore says. “This record was written during a point of collective turmoil. We were grappling with chaos, the death of close friends and toxic relationships. That uncertainty comes out on the record. The songs have more anger and darkness this time around, but we don’t write with preconceived notions of what it’s going to sound like. We just do our best to give you something that’s truly us at that moment.”
Wm. Partnoff was born in the LA suburb of Whittier. He was inspired to pick up the bass by Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris. After spending years playing in bands in the San Francisco Bay Area, he moved to Long Beach in 2008. GS Bean started drumming to combat his extreme ADHD, but didn’t get serious about music until he was 19. His love for politically and socially progressive bands like England’s Subhumans profoundly influenced his life and taste in music. After finding Partnoff through Craig’s List, the duo searched for a guitar player and found Robert Moore, who’d just moved out from Indianapolis. His desire to blur boundaries and play whatever he felt, as loud as he could, clicked with the newly formed band’s vociferous, anything goes outlook.
“If you listen to our last record, and compare it to No Gods, you can hear our evolution,” Moore says. “We’ve found our voice and gelled into a tight band. We’re always working to stretch ourselves, and do something different and No God sees us exploring new time signatures, new rhythms, new lyrical ideas. We’re constantly challenging ourselves to be better.”
Time to start thinking what we might like. I say we, because you never know, my kids could be reading this.
I have just read a belter of a novel out in hardback on 9th March, so put it on your list and do not forget.
The Little Theatre by the Sea by Rosanna Ley has a jacket which yells – sunshine. It covers adult daughter, and ‘life begins again’ parents.
Faye has just completed her degree in interior design, and is tempted to house sit for friends in Sardinia. Somehow or other, she is hooked into designing a theatre. How? Ah…
Her parents, toddling about in Dorset are feeling that they, too, could stretch their wings, and fly. Is there going to be a meeting of minds, or a clash? Give it to your mum and she can find out.
Much more serious but fascinating. Couldn’t put it down:
The Making of India: The untold story of British Enterprise by Kartar Lalvani
Not a beach read, let’s be honest, but a balanced and fair look at the British in India, a mile away from the banging and crashing and blaming that so often accompanies any look back at the British in the continent.
Lalvani explores how the subcontinent benefited in many ways, starting at the beginning, in the seventeenth century and moving on through the colonial rule. He discusses how the British unified and restored a fragmented country of many kingdoms. Of course, the Brits were not without fault, but this history looks at the institutional, political, and civil benefits embedded by us. Fascinating.
How about a frankly scary thriller by Sunday Times bestselling author of I am Death.
The Caller by Chris Carter is not one to read in bed, tell Mum. On the other hand, if she starts it in the afternoon there’ll be no tea for anyone, and she just won’t want to put it down after her Horlicks, or maybe she’s one of us, and we’re talking wine.
Tanya Kaitlin steps out of her shower prior to bed. The phone rings. The video call request comes from her best friend. Tanya takes the call. No, no, no. Because the nightmare begins.
Who wants to see images of their best friend gagged and bound to a chair in her own living room? Tanya doesn’t but must continue to watch or the predator will come for her next.
Not sure mum will be keen on answering a phone again, or flirting with social media. But she won’t be able to put this one down until she knows what’s what.
On a lighter note.
Cathy Kelly made me laugh in Secrets of a Happy Marriage.
With echoes of the aga saga which I gather is now a politically incorrect term, (for heaven’s sake – so use it I will), it is amusing too.
It’s all about a special birthday party. I had one of those, and arrived at the pub with my age roared out loud and clear on banners for all to know. It was not my best moment, as I have always skirted round the truth. Retribution I suppose.
Of course, with generations of Brannigans congregating in Cathy Kelly’s clever novel, some secrets are bound to emerge, some cracks in relationships might become hard to disguise, but… but… will something happen to bring the sunshine out on the whole proceedings? Ah… Give it to Mum and then borrow it and you’ll find out.
The Little Theatre by the Sea by Rosanna Ley. Quercus. pub 9th March. hb £19.99 and pb 1st June.
The Making of India by Kartar Lalvani Bloomsbury hb £25.00
The Caller by Chris Carter by Simon and Schuster. hb £12.99
Secrets of a Happy Marriage by Cathy Kelly Hb and ebook. Orion 9 March. £14.99
Author Nikki Moore tells Jane Cable why she never quite wants to give up her day job.
How much of your working life does the business of books take up?
The honest answer is, quite a bit, but not as much as I’d like. I have a full-time HR day job, so writing has to slot around that, as well as my children. Of course there’s also seeing my boyfriend, friends and family, housework, food shopping etc. I have the same commitments as everybody else. I’ve had to be very disciplined and maketime to write. I set several evenings a week aside and also write on weekends; I watch a lot less TV than I used to (although my boyfriend and I are newly addicted to The Walking Dead). When I’m working under deadline – 2015 was a busy year as I delivered five novellas and a 100,000 word novel for the #LoveLondon series – I write any spare moment I can, whether it’s during lunch breaks or into the early hours of the morning. As well as working on manuscripts, I also have to promote my books so I blog when I can, as well as tweeting and Facebook posting regularly.
I used to want to give up the day job to write full-time, but I’ve realised I need to be around people in order to write believable characters and compelling storylines, so now the dream is to scale back the day job to 1-2 days a week and write the rest of the time.
What’s your business model to earn a living from writing?
I’m not a best-selling author – I hope to be one day – although I’ve sold more books than I ever imagined I would when I started out. However, like many authors, I don’t earn enough to give up the day job yet; my HR career pays the bills. So my business model is to stay passionate and keep working hard to write the best books I can for my readers, get them published, earn good reviews, promote my books through as many forms of media as possible, interact with my audience including bloggers, build networks… and cross my fingers for luck.
What do you write and what do you consider to be your major successes?
I write romantic fiction and am hoping to move into women’s commercial fiction. In terms of successes, before being published I was a finalist in several writing competitions including the RNA’s Elizabeth Goudge trophy (judged by the fabulous Katie Fforde) and Novelicious Undiscovered. Some of the #LoveLondon novellas have been in the Top 100 short story charts on Kobo and Top 20 in the Amazon UK bestsellers Holiday chart.Having a short story in the bestselling RNA/Mills & Boon anthology Truly, Madly, Deeply alongside best-sellers like Adele Parks, Miranda Dickinson and Carole Matthews was amazing. My debut novel Crazy, Undercover, Love was shortlisted for the RNA Joan Hessayon Award and Valentine’s on Primrose Hillshortlisted for a Love Stories award. But there are other measures of success too; the thrill of a message from a reader telling me they stayed up until 2.00 a.m. to read my book and cried when it was over; being interviewed by my local paper; being asked to co-tutor a workshop with my aunt Sue Moorcroft at Purbeck Literary Festival last year. And sometimes, just finishing a book is a success.
Tell me about your latest project.
I’m currently finishing revisions on a women’s commercial fiction book I’ve been working on in the background for several years. I can’t say much, other than people who enjoyed Eat, Pray, Love or Me Before You, or The Fault in Our Stars may enjoy it. I’m also working on an outline for another exciting project. One thing is for sure; whether its revisions or writing something new, as long as I’m writing, I’m happy.
Nikki Moore is a Dorset girl and social media addict who loves reading and writing. Published mainly by HarperImpulse, she is the author of the #LoveLondon series. A member of the Romantic Novelists Association, she is a firm supporter of aspiring writers and is always happy to share her writing experiences. She encourages readers to get in touch too!
The Lock In by Joseph Cullen at The Vaults, London SE1
“ The atmosphere fizzes as people jostle to find the right theatre space…”
Waterloo Station is right above your head, but you wouldn’t know it – apart from the odd grumble of a train – because The Vaults, deep beneath the station, are just as busy. If not busier.
It is gloomy down here, the lighting reminiscent of a futuristic film, but there is a buzz. The atmosphere fizzes as people jostle to find the right theatre space: Pit, Cage, Crescent, Studio, Cavern, Jazz Bar, Network Theatre. Performances occur simultaneously in all the spaces and there is a frisson of controlled panic about the place.
We found the bar easily enough, but the queue was annoying. Funny how no one seemed to be aware there is another bar directly above – and it was empty! We could smell the food of the restaurant, but had no idea where it was. The Vaults have created a whole evening for the discerning public – a bit of theatre/music/comedy, a drink or three, a place to eat.
The Lock In was one hour long – getting kicked out of the space so another performance could step in. Its slot being 6.15-7.15pm. It’s a veritable Edinburgh Festival down here…
We were ushered into a wriggly line outside The Pit and, finally, the doors opened. A little confusion – adding to the event – as we sought a free bench. Then the brilliant music stopped to allow the ‘theatre’ to begin. It is immersive and in your face: it is St. Patrick’s Day and we’re all locked in the pub. Tipsy and over-friendly Eamonn tells us the forgotten Irish tale of Niall and the Nine Hostages, using members of the audience to represent a variety of characters. His journey leads him inevitably to more drink until, by the end, inebriated, he plays and sings with the band.
[Emmy Stonelake, Andy Burse, Rory Quinn and Ian Horgan in rehearsal]
Eamonn, played by Ian Horgan, is affable enough, but somehow lacked the twinkle-in-the-eye of the drunk Irish storyteller that he was aiming to be. His many lapses in concentration led him to openly admit he had no idea what came next – at one point asking the band to play a song to cover, which of course they did.
It all added to the rough and ready occasion. Because, at the end of the day, who cares? Sinead O’Callaghan’s relaxed direction allows it to be funny and informative. The sometimes improvised banter between the musicians and Eamonn felt genuine enough. Special praise here to Andy Burse, playing Dave, on percussion. His persistent, dim-witted but heartfelt interruptions were perfect. The aforementioned band also including poster boy Rory Quinn, Emmy Stonelake and Eddy Massarella created a wonderfully vibrant live Irish sound in the bricked and cavernous archway.
Over The Limit Theatre have been at The Vault Festival all week, presenting a Celtic Season. The Witch’s Mark and Siren being their other two shows. One has a feeling that it has all been thrown together at short notice, which brings with it a certain charm and energy. But it does make one wonder how brilliant it could all be with just a little more precision.
Venue: The Vaults, Waterloo Vaults, Leake Street, SE1 7NN
Venue Contact: www.thevaults.london
Over The Limit Theatre
Contact: Oran Doyle, oran.overthelimit@gmail.com or 07533431919
You’re likely to wear casual clothes among friends because people you know won’t judge you – they already know who you are. Casual clothing tend to be relatively inexpensive which gives you more freedom, when you’re wearing them, to do spontaneous activities without worrying that they will get dirty.
There are lots of options when it comes to casual clothing, depending on just how chilled out you want to feel. At one end of the spectrum there are joggers and hoodies and at the other end there are jeans and t-shirts. You’re more likely to go to the gym and do things around the home in your most casual state. However, you wouldn’t necessarily want to be seen out in the pub in your trackies but you can do just about anything in jeans and a t-shirt.
The beauty of going casual is that you’re free to do whatever you want without worrying. If your day does turn into a spontaneous night out, you might want to consider throwing a bomber jacket over your casual outfit to spruce things up and give your outfit that sharper edge.
Black gives the impression of an instant slim down and you’ll find it easy to piece together as you don’t have to match different colours. Try a leather biker jacket combined with a simple black t-shire and a pair of slim fit black jeans. Finally, to tie the whole outfit together wear some dark brown boots – voila you’re casual but suave and you can go anywhere from the sofa to the club and still look good.
Other casual go-to items include denim shirts and checked shirts worn over a plain t-shirt, this layering gives outfits a more interesting angle. GQ has recently suggested that the latest weekend shirt is the western version of a denim shirt – “worn with black jeans or smart trousers and lace-up boots has the same rugged appeal as a traditional denim or check flannel western shirt, without being quite so cowboy.”
Looking at celebrity style, David Beckham is the master of casual clothing, slightly aided by his great looks, Becks gets it right every time. One look that stands out is the all black everything, downtime attire you will sometimes see Beckham papped in. Despite his reputation for great style, Beckham’s fashion comes from buying clothes that he likes, as he once said, “I like nice clothes, whether they’re dodgy or not” it just shows that if you’re confident in what you’re wearing, you can pretty much pull off anything!
Frost loves Slydes – Functional and super stylish footwear for summer.
Spring may have just started, but the weather is getting better and summer will be here soon, dammit. So lets get excited and buy our footwear now. I have been reviewing these Slydes. They are comfy and they look fab. Founded in 2014 and launching its first collection for Spring Summer 2015, the SLYDES brand offers an exciting range of pool slides for the fashion forward. The pool slide, once reserved for the use of sporty types and swimmers alone, is now the ultimate footwear choice of the Summer. I tend to agree. Minimum fuss with maximum stylish. That is what we all need.
