Friday Feature - The King Left

This week's Friday Feature is The King Left, a 'defunct' indie rock group from New York, USA. The King Left was one of those sad cases of a band that split up before it ever made it big however thanks to the power of the Internet their music lives on for anyone to listen to. Their music was brooding and at times down right angry but never in a shouting way - they never needed to lower themselves to that when they had the ability to make their instrumentals and vocals seethe and sneer - however just when you thought you knew their sound they'd throw in a gentle, melancholy ballad. Their music was like listening to a fierce argument between lovers who were wrong for each other everywhere but in the bedroom: the anger, the venom, the depression, the acceptance, the passionate make up, the promise to never get that bad again...only to end up doing it all over again the next day.

Where will I have heard them before?

I found them on Deli Magazine's Best of NYC Fest playlist via Music is Art so if none of that sounds even slightly familiar you probably won't have heard them HOWEVER Corey and Graham formed current band ohnomoon who maybe you might have encountered.

Featured Song: Storm in a Teacup

Where can I hear more?

Proving that though a band may split up its music never dies, you can download The King Left's EP 'Homemade Machines' and album 'Perfect Without People' for free via their website. There are another two EPs also available for download on iTunes (once you get the new iStore working - it keeps freezing my computer!)

What is their website?

http://thekingleft.com/

Next week: ohnomoon

Writer's Block

Every so often I read something about writing I just have to share with as many people in as many ways as possible as it rings so true to me I know it must ring true to someone else too. Today it is Rookie's guide to getting over writer's block. Rookie may be just an online magazine for teenage girls but I can promise you as a twenty-something wannabe screenwriter I found this article very helpful and reassuring!

Read it.

Read it now.

It has Joss Whedon in it!

Sasssquatch's Kawaii Wreath

I had a go at making Sasssquatch's Kawaii Christmas Wreath D.I.Y (whilst watching Dawn of the Dead) and here are the results:

It was really easy and fun so I recommend it however here are some extra tips:
- Don't play with the pipe cleaners whilst wearing something that easily catches - the ends are sharp!
- Instead of wrapping each pipe cleaner around separately attach them to each other to create one long pipe cleaner - you can cover the bumps where the pipe cleaners connect (see below) with pompoms.
- Big things (such as the reindeer head) require super sticky glue. I used PVA for the pompoms and a combination of PVA and spray-tak for the head and flower. Careful! Spray-tak is super sticky! (See below).
- If your bigger things have a flat base, no matter how sticky the glue, you'll need something to hold them in place on the curved wreath whilst it dries. I tied the reindeer head in place using a spare pipe cleaner. I also hung the wreath when it was drying (instead of letting it dry on something flat) so that the head would dry in the right position.

Edit: check out my second 'Little Cyan' wreath here!

Rail at Newark

I'm fantastically honoured to announce that the short NFTS graduation animation I wrote for Jack Tilley, 'Rail' is currently screening at Virgin Atlantic's new Newark Clubhouse - check it out if you're flying through!

You can read more about the clubhouse experience here.

Friday Feature - Foxes

This week's Friday Feature is Foxes, aka pop princess Louisa Rose Allen from London, United Kingdom. She's pop for grown ups with serious, often heavily electrified instrumentals and a diva-style voice (much larger than he small frame) which fits her flowing vocals perfectly. The result is something like the power of a Leona Lewis ballad meets the instrumentals and topics of a Marina and the Diamonds song.

Where will I have heard her before?

Foxes released her first song 'Youth' for free download last year with Neon Gold. Since then she has been working on building her reputation and her repertoire, releasing EP 'Warrior' in May though you'll probably know her from her latest single 'Echo' which has received radio play and has just been released to buy this month.

Featured Song: Echo

Where can I hear more?

Unfortunately 'Youth' is no longer free to download from Neon Gold's soundcloud however Foxes does have her own soundcloud for you to explore and where you can download for free 'White Coats' and 'Let Go For Tonight'. Both 'Warriors' and 'Echo' and easily available for download.

What is her website?

http://www.iamfoxes.com/

Next week: The King Left

Pictures from Paradise

The main personal project I've been working on this year is a script called 'Paradise' - a fantasy detective romantic comedy. My friend Gina is always telling me to write a graphic novel so here are some pictures I drew up of characters. I would love your views on the matter. Do you think I should have a go at drawing one of my scripts as a graphic story with the intention of getting it published? If I did try I'd need lots of encouragement not to give up...but then I'd try and share the process with you.

Anyway...some pictures (click on them for bigger versions):

 

Designs for main character Susan's outfits

Detective, spirit and love interest Everard Paradise

 

Everard's sweet lolita personal assistant Angelique

Fox spirit and cabaret singer Iris

Snake Twins

 

And here is a photo of the building that inspired the setting (The Grand on the Leas Cliff, Folkestone, Kent, England):



Bloglovin

I've finally worked out what Bloglovin is and have added a link to my blog blurb. Luckily someone already added me so I didn't mess up setting it up (thank you - feel free to say hello if you haven't).

Please do add me if you use Bloglovin.



If you don't know what Bloglovin is, it is a website that collects all the blogs you follow into one place (like the Blogger Reading List or Google Reader). If you are someone who does read a lot of blogs you might want to check out using a blog reader. Reading all your favourite blog posts in one place really does make things much easier and more fun!

Also I think it's hilarious that Blogger's spell check doesn't think 'blog' is a real word XD