Interview with Australian singer/songwriter Jen Cloher who is currently touring with Laura Veirs. How’s 2007 started off for you? ‘It’s been a little scary actually. Apocalyptic smoky skies from raging bush fires in Tatong and rolling blackouts due to power shorts. It was eerily quiet on the streets of Melbourne yesterday, even though traffic lights had shut down during peak hour. There is an unspoken, edgy feeling that the earth is rebelling’. Were you ever tempted at any stage of your career to perform under an exotic pseudonym? ‘I’ve always liked the mystery of a pseudonym but I also like the intimacy of knowing someone’s name’. What’s the key in your opinion to writing a really memorable song? ‘Songs that stay with me usually have a strong melody and a strong intent’. If I gave you an acoustic guitar right now, what would you play for me? ‘I learnt a Laura Jean song and a Liz Stringer song which we played at a recent show in Melbourne. I loved learning their songs and committing to playing them live because I got some insight into their process as well as the energy behind their writing. I like getting out of my own head and I find covers are a great way of doing that. They are both hugely talented songwriters and performers. We have a wealth here in Melbourne town, lucky devils’. [see also Carla Werner]
Also by ZOLTON
Maths explains the origin of superhero characters
I love the colours and simple reasoning in this clever series by Scottish illustrator Matt Cowen, which uses basic maths equations to explain how certain pop culture icons came to be. Read more
Star Wars Uncut: a fully crowdsourced version of Episode IV
The project of creative technologist, Casey Pugh, this full length version of the George Lucas masterpiece was created from multiple 15 second segments recreated from the original movie and submitted by thousands of Star Wars fans, which were then spliced together by editor Aaron Valdez to form the final product. Genius, as both a commentary on contemporary pop culture trends (there are references to LEGO, stop motion, memes and the like) and on the power of tapping your audience for quality material.
Filmmaker creates LEGO stop motion to propose to girlfriend
Now, this is one for the ages: back in 2010, Atlanta film-maker Walter Thompson created a jaw-dropping LEGO stop motion to propose to Nealey Dozier, his girlfriend of four years. The video took 22 hours of shooting and some 2,600 pictures to splice together, a small sacrifice to pay for years of happiness together. Right? Right! Oh, and she said yes. Bonus.
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I fell in love with Anthony Goicolea’s wonderful drawings and photographs a few years ago when I stumbled upon his show at Postmasters Gallery in New York. His world is both arousing and disturbing, as visions of childhood nostalgia and innocence intermingle with darker more abusive subject matter. Read more
Known for his unique scratchboard style and vibrant colors for The Simpsons magazines, Edwin Vazquez is influenced by the history of New York City and pre-Columbian art, while Matt Groening, Ed Roth, Shigeru Sugiura and Suiho Tagawa are a few artists that he gathers inspiration from. Read more
Oh man! If I was twenty again, a jumble of nerves and a well of electric energy, I’d be in the front row for every damn MGMT gig. Read more
Berlin-based artist Ralf Schmerberg built this igloo out of 322 refrigerators to comment on the energy we waste on a day to day basis.
Our friends over at SNAP!, Montreal’s only free and independent arts and lifestyle magazine have just released their fourth issue in which they look back and celebrate the faded beauty of past eras, grandmas and grandpas, Polaroids, antique finds, old wisdom and vintage style. Yeeha! They also remember the best of 2008 in Montreal arts, with a variety of writers and photographers giving their take on their favourite cultural discoveries.
Killola is three boys and one girl, making rock music out of Los Angeles, California. The band’s style of garage pop (often described as ‘Blondie for the 21st Century’) has received more than 1.5 million MySpace plays from over 80,000 friends, many of whom add the band’s ‘K))’ symbol to their screen names as a show of allegiance. The band recently self-booked its own UK tour — 12 shows in 12 days — and American Tour — 27 shows in 32 days. Oh, and their latest album is available for free download. Viva la independence!
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The divine By Marlene Birger was as charming as ever at Copenhagen Fashion Week, merging delicate feminine fabrics with the indie street cool that Western Europe is infamous for. Read more
WE'RE POSTING / SOME OF THE BEST
Nerd-attack! Man, this TARDIS zipper robe is so much cooler than any Star Wars crap people are hawking this days. This is for the true gangsta nerd.
Michelle Blade’s psychedelic artwork
Michelle Blade’s washed out paintings are deceptively simple, her washy acrylics creating psychedelic textures and conjuring ghostly figures from the past. Read more
Mathematics? Leave me out. Fashematics? Now you’re talking! This gem of a site is a runway equation that adds up to a whole lot of wonderful.
Matthew Dear’s Black City album totem
Our friends at Ghostly International are releasing Matthew Dear’s Black City album as a limited edition ‘totem’. A what? A totem – a limited edition metal bar used to access a private music chamber. Cool! Read more
How ’bout this Jose Manuel Hortelano-Pi guy, huh? Quite the illustrator, yessiree Bob. From Spain, too. Spain is great! Read more
A tribute to the movie trilogy Back to the Future and that childhood fantasy, the Hoverboard, and designed in the style of a vintage comic book ad that promises the earth but delivers very little, this sexy five colour screen printed t shirt is by New Zealand-based label Cuppa t shirts. Read more
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