New York-based indie rock group Fun, comprising of Nate Ruess, Andrew Dost and Jack Antonoff, have very loudly and very proudly brought rock music back.
Their awesome single 'We Are Young' featuring Janelle Monáe topped the global music charts soon after being sung on on Glee (by Rachel and Finn) and being featured during the Super Bowl...
This song makes me wanna have FUN!
"Tonight, we are young, so let's set the world on fire, we can burn brighter than the sun..."
On Tuesday night I attended Heather Kerzner's star-studded fundraiser for Marie Curie Cancer Care. Marie Curie Cancer Care is best known for its network of 2,700 nurses, who provide vital and free end of life care to patients with terminal illness in their own homes, or in one of its nine hospices.
The beautiful ballroom at Claridges, filled with celebrity florist Rob van Helden’s heavenly pink peonies and red roses, looked almost as stunning as the glamorous guests, including Kate Moss and Jamie Hince, Ronnie Wood, Yasmin Le Bon, Holly Valance and Nick Candy, Tamara Beckwith, Geri Halliwell, Sarah the Duchess of York and Princess Beatrice.
Above: Wearing a Nanette Lepore velvet dress and turquoise Chanel shoes. Below: (clockwise) David Bailey and Sarah the Duchess of York, a rocking Ronnie Wood, Holly Valance, Richard Dennen and Kelly Eastwood, a papping Kate Moss, Matthew Freud with Heather Kerzner, Kate Moss and Jamie Hince. Photographs by Christopher Jackson.
During the lavish dinner, Heather Kerzner and model Saffron Aldridge movingly expressed their own personal gratitude to the Marie Curie Cancer Care nurses. Matthew Freud followed, cheekily referring to his infamous scuffle with Hugh Grant (“it’s nice to attend one of Heather’s parties and not get punched… although the night is still relatively young!”) went on to introduce ‘When I Die: Lessons from the Death Zone’, an intimate short film (below) he co-produced about his friend Philip Gould’s final days.
An auction followed, led by the charismatic Lord Harry Dalmeny, that raised over £620,000 for the Marie Curie Cancer Care. The amazing lots included an opportunity to have your portrait taken by David Bailey, a private party at Annabels, and an absolutely stunning George Pragnell Diamond Daffodil ring. The ring, shown below, in the shape of a daffodil (the Marie Curie’s emblem) was designed by the jeweller’s grandson, Charlie Pragnell, in recognition of Marie Curie’s outstanding work. I was allowed to wear the stunning ring, with its rare and glittering orange-yellow diamond centre for around five minutes before I was reminded I had to give it back... They were a happy five minutes. ‘My’ beautiful daffodil ring was later auctioned off for £50,000. Parting is such sweet sorrow...
Kate Moss took to the stage to model a last minute donation from Ronnie Wood; a painting of Rod Stewart by the Rolling Stone himself. The piece was auctioned off for £12,000 after Lord Harry Dalmeny managed to push the bidding past £10,000 by saying that Kate Moss wouldn’t even get out of bed for so little… Reaslising he’d got his supermodel’s mixed up (“Oh, no, that’s not you – that’s the other one!”) Kate went on to confirm that she would indeed rise from bed for less than £10,000. Damn recession.
We were later entertained by the legendary Grammy award winning R&B artist Sam Moore, who was joined on stage by Ronnie Wood in a surprise set that included 'Stay With Me' and 'Mustang Sally' (which was directed at Wood’s new girlfriend… Sally!)
My place at the front of the stage allowed me the perfect view of Ronnie Wood’s studded Louboutin loafers, and in what must be the most glamorous mosh pit ever, I spent a good part of the evening dancing next to Kate Moss. Just your average Tuesday night…
After a hugely fun and successful night, Heather Kerzner commented, "I am so impressed by the work of Marie Curie Cancer Care it was natural for me to lend my support. People don't like to talk about death, but we all have to face it and I wanted to help bring money and attention to this incredible charity whose nurses, like angels, bring peace to terminally ill patients and their families during this devastating time."
Below: In the Marie Curie Photo Booth with Katy Wickremesinghe and with Charlie Pragnell (wearing the stunning George Pragnell Daffodil Diamond ring he designed.)
The official UK Olympics song, Mark Ronson and Katy B, 'Anywhere In the World,' was released yesterday here on iTunes. Expect to be hearing this A LOT soon!
Mark Ronson travelled around the world, recording young athletes, and the individual sounds of their sport, to mix into the track, including a table tennis paddle, an arrow hitting its target, and the sound of an Olympic runner's heartbeat at 120 BPM.
With tickets being likened to gold dust, I was lucky enough to recently visit The National Portrait Gallery‘s Lucien Freud exhibition. Showcasing more than 100 of Freud’s portraits, the vast range of paintings are divided into different time periods, allowing visitors to follow the progression of his style through the revered artist’s legendary 70 year career.
Having not been too familiar with Lucien Freud’s work before this exhibition, which was curated with the help of the artist himself before his death last year, I feel I have now had the best of introductions.
I was really amazed at Freud’s ability to produce almost tangible portrayals of his sitters by using an enormous amount of paint to create a magnificent 3D, structured effect. The artist’s merciless love of human flesh is also clear to see and there is, what seems to be, room after room of creamy, contorted, lifeless, and thickly applicated painted bodies. I did eventually find the enormous and iconic portraits of Leigh Bowery and Big Sue’s swirly, fleshy and mountainous naked bodies a little, for want of a better word, over-baring.
Left: Reflection (self portrait) 1985.
Below: Lucien Freud was the father of some fourteen children and my favourite portraits displayed in the exhibition were those of his pregnant girlfriend Bernadine, Pregnant Girl, 1960-61, and of his new born baby daughter Bella Freud, Baby on a Green Sofa, 1961.
With art lovers flocking to see this show, more than aware that they are unlikely to ever see another exhibition of Lucien Freud’s portraits as good as this, a new record has been set for visitor numbers at the National Portrait Gallery. The exhibition closes on May 27th and the gallery has just announced that the show will remain open until midnight from May 24th-27th to help cope with the demand. Tickets are on sale today only - here.
Above: An unlikely friendship blossomed between Lucien Frued and Kate Moss after he painted a life-sized nude of the supermodel whilst pregnant with her daughter, Lila Grace, in 2003. Kate Moss later described the artist as ‘the most interesting person’ she had ever met, while Freud moaned about how the model had aaalways been late for her sittings. This photograph was taken of the two friends in 2010 by photographer David Dawson.
I am loving this beyond catchy debut single, filled with romance and regret, from The Lumineers self titled album released earlier this month.
Denver folk-rock trio (Wesley Schultz, Jeremiah Fraites and Neyla Pakarek) were formed after the death of a Fraite’s older brother, “out of sorrow, powered by passion and ripened by hard work.” After a fantastic performance at this year’s SXSW, The Lumineers are set to become ma-hoosive with music that has a nostalgic reverie and videos which leave you itching to join in with all their foot stompin’ folksy fun. Mood officially lifted.
"I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweetheart..."
I recently went to the Hayward Gallery to visit the David Shrigley exhibition, 'Brain Activity.' This exhibition extends much further than the humourous, witty drawings he is best known for, with 240 works also including photographs, sculptures, paintings and animations.
I have always been a big fan of Shrigley’s random, dead-pan, scratchy doodles and there is a whole wall dedicated to these. I also really enjoyed the animations and photographs on show – yet more examples of his one liner humour which has you laughing out loud.
Shrigley’s sculptures (including a headless ostrich and a stuffed Jack Russell puppy holding a placard that says “I’m Dead”) seem less engaging and slightly more novelty.
Walking around the gallery you may question whether anything you are viewing is, or even should be, considered ‘art’ but what you certainly don’t question is how compelling and undeniably funny Shrigley’s work is. I am particularly fond of the animation below...
'Brain Activity’ at The Hayward Gallery is on until May 13th 2012.
30 year old Lissie (Elisabeth Maurus) is a Mississippi raised folk rock artist living in LA. Described as having ‘Laurel Canyon prettiness stewed in campfire and bourbon’ this blonde and freckled singer has a remarkable voice and her debut album, ‘Catching A Tiger,’ is both powerful and honest, “I'm direct, I'm not hiding anything… I don't really know what or why or who I am... but I don't know how to not be how I am."
‘Everywhere I Go’ showcases Lissie beautifully and I find the video incredibly powerful… this is obviously helped somewhat by the enormous elephant faithfully following her.
Whenever I feel a little helpless I find this song to be really comforting… That despite any overwhelming circumstances, I’m never truly alone. I soon feel my spirits lift and smiles always follow. It also reeeally makes me want an elephant. Enjoy this – it’s a special one.
'Angels will follow me now everywhere I go...
Angels will call on me and take me to my home'
Below: I am sure that by now you have heard this song by Gotye (pronounced like the designer Jean-Paul Gaultier.)
Reflective and intense, the song is about the end of a passionate love affair and in baring all emotionally, the music video shows the singer’s body also bare, slowly being painted with geometric shapes until he blends into the patterned wall. You then hear an intimate verse sung from the woman’s perspective, by Kiwi singer Kimbra.
Below: Little known Canadian Indie band, Walk Off the Earth, recorded a captivating cover of the song soon after Gotye’s own release, and became an instant YouTube phenomenon mainly due to it’s five members all playing the same acoustic guitar… See it to believe it; Instrumentally impressive and just extraordinarily cool. They have subsequently earned a record deal.
Gotye’s reaction? "It's like a throwback to the Sixties where a local act could pip the original artist to the post in their market. I wish them all the best with the song - it's a clever, novelty cover. But I won't deny there's a part of my ego that really doesn't want their version to eclipse mine."
Currently, Goyte’s video has 107,865,288 views and Walk Off the Earth has 71,032,066…
Which do you prefer?
Madonna chose to wear customised Markus Lupfer’s S/S’12 Intarsia Jumpers for the cover of her new single ‘Give Me All Your Luvin.’ The designer joked, “It's a star for a star!"
Madonna will debut the song, which features Nicki Minaj and MIA, during American idol on the 2nd February.
Left: This super soft and super pouty Markus Lupfer 'Oversized Smacker Lip Tee' is available just in time for Valentines Day....
RRP. £70.83 at Austique.
Move over Simon Cowell, Alice Temperley is now searching for Britain’s Next Big Thing…
Each season, the celebrated British designer of all things ethereal, will invite an emerging creative (model/musician/artist/actor) to showcase their talent alongside the latest, and more contemporary Temperely range, Alice By Temperley, collection in a short film which will be shown on their website.
Alice explains, "I am always on the lookout for new talent and love being inspired by unique skills and meeting artisans with passion for their craft… It was appropriate to dedicate space and time to promote emerging talent through the platforms and audiences we have available to us, supporting the future icons."
In conjunction with the launch of the label’s pre A/W’12 collection, the project kicks off with unsigned singer/songwriter, Isabel, whom Alice heard at an impromptu gig at the Glastonbury Cider Bus last summer. Isabel performs her song "Kiss Me Madder" in a romantic music video (below) directed by two of the designer’s siblings, Henry and Matilda, shot in East London, the Golborne Road and the Somerset countryside.
Isabel models some of the pre A/W’12 Alice by Temperley collection in the video and unsurprisingly I’ve fallen for many of the clothes - some of my favourites are below…
If you think you know/are the next (*drum role) Temperley Talent, or are an upcoming artist wishing to display your work in an area of the London or Los Angeles Temperley boutiques, submit your work for consideration by emailing talent@temperleylondon.com
