Week 15

Hey chicky pickies!
Extremely distracted by the IT crowd so will make this brief. Following last week's epiphany we've had an epic week of spontaneous adventures including, but certainly not limited to: singing songs about anal in the kitchen, russian accents, riding about town on lovely bicycle, ploughing through 7 bottles of wine in one evening (not alone though, thank god, that would be really sad), seeing the Forgotten Spaces exhibition at Swiss Cottage library, discovering the horrors of the Cornish pasty, chats until 3am every single night and getting hit on by a chav called Albert.
All in all excellent progress.











Ended up making five of these babies. Never want to look at the stencil again. But if you happen to desperately want another person's inside joke printed on a t-shirt, send us a message and whoever gets there first and will be sent one.

This week we love...

This here is our very first interview. It involved Soho Square, frozen yoghurt, the recorder on my shit Nokia and the very lovely Harry Harris, singer/songwriter, university student and effortless romantic.



- So Harry, how would you describe your music?
- I'd say it's...folk music, rooted in folk traditions and story telling but I also really like rock n roll and rootsy Americana stuff so it's got a bit of that in it as well.

- In 5 words?
- soulful. theatrical. classical. simple.bawdy

- Because there are so many singer/songwriters out and about, what do you think makes you stand out?
- I've got a pretty good name...In some ways I don't want to be too different, because I know that musically it's all already been done so I'd much rather be recognized for doing something that people actually enjoy rather than just because it's radical.

- But is there anyone you're aspiring to music-wise?
- Yeah, lots of people: Bruce Springstein and Counting Crows and also Hold Steady, they have a lot of real life references in their songs and repeat names of characters and locations throughout all their albums so you get this overriding sense of place. That's something I'd really like to incorporate into my own music.

- What projects do you have lined up for the near future?
- I'd very much like to do a UK tour and a repeat of the Italian tour I did in April which was amazing. I'd also like to record an album of songs based around London which I'd title 'Little Blue Plaques'.

- What are your favourite places in London?
- The Southbank, especially the big green chairs they have outside the National Theatre at the moment, Camden Market, Borough Market because it's really busy and exciting. Edgware Road, because it's so unpretentious. It is what it is and it always smells really good of shisha and food. I also really like ANgel, especially Camden Passage because there's the Breakfast Club and the amazing chocolatier next door where I bought a Pimms truffle. Amazing.

- Other than you're surroundings, is there anything else in particular that inspires you to write songs?
- Bob Dylan once said that he only ever wrote 4 songs but he wrote them over and over again. But 4's a lot! I've only got 2: songs about me and songs about other people, the latter being much more satisfying because it can be really good without seeming like an exercise in self-indulgence. I used to write in little bursts but now I just carry a notebook around and if I hear a narrative I like or see something interesting I can write it down and use it later.

- You've obviously written plenty of love songs, but if you had to serenade a lady with someone else's song, what would you choose?
- There's this great Chaka Khan song called 'Love Me Still' which would be really really good. Or 'Love Minus Zero/No Limit' by Bob Dylan.

*trying to think of a good last question but only came up with this*

-If you had to write a love song to a character from Eastenders, who would it be?
- Wollard, Robbie's alsatian. Without a doubt.

Harry Harris will be performing on October the third at Notting Hill Arts Club but for more gigs and to have a peak at his songs just click here.


Harry Harris- Self-titled

Saw this lovely young man perform at the Portobello Acoustic Sessions a couple of weeks ago and may I say I don't think the expression 'don't judge a book by its cover' has ever seemed so appropriate. Harry Harris is an incredibly funny but understated Welshman with a penchant for jumpers but then he opens his mouth and out comes the sound that every young girl's always wanted to hear outside their bedroom window. Completely effortless but with beautiful lyrics it's music for quiet driving at dusk or for your first evening alone. Personal favourites include 'Rings' and 'Salt' although I think that'll change once I hear the new album. Well done Harry Harris.


Me and You and Everyone We Know- Miranda July

Earlier this week Emelie Jolie and I went and saw The Illusionist at the cinema. It was a beautiful animation with incredible music but depressing beyond words, so we left the screening feeling a tad disheartened and only vaguely excited about the creme brulee we were about to eat at l'Absinthe. Feeling of gloom carried on to the next day until Emelie dropped this bad boy off and just from seeing the front cover I knew I was going to be just fine. 'Me and You and Everyone We Know' is a hilarious and kookily romantic take on modern relationships starring a lonely shoe salesman and a struggling performance artist/cab driver. Their relationship is strange and fragile but heart warming, because you know that while you might sometimes feel lonely and weird, it's all going to be ok. Some scenes are a wee bit shocking but it's great seeing other people act out things you've thought about but would ever dare do yourself. The colours are absolutely beautiful and the entire soundtrack was composed on a modified Casio SK-1 so vair cool. Favourite part has to be when one of the sons buys his neighbour a teddy to go in her trousseau: 'It's for your daughter'.
You'll see, it's just lovely.


The Cloth House- 47 & 98 Berwick Street W1F

While I'm usually more inclined towards stationary shops The Cloth House has held its position as my favourite browsing spot for the last few months. It's just one of those places that you can go into and know that it'll make you dream, and I'm not even particularly good at sewing. The layout is perfect, lighting soft, background music always spot on and the staff are absolutely lovely. Oh and the fabrics are heaps nice. If you're not really into sewing but happen to be in the area just stroll past their window display and I guarantee you that you'll want to go in. And then you'll realize that actually you could really do with some vintage buttons or a reel of reclaimed lilac ribbon and that while you're at it you should probably buy a scrap pack to cover your school books with. And a bit of felt because it's bound to come in handy some day. Crack's got nothing on this shit.

Also...


Tiny gifts from great friends. Makes the world go round.