“To you whom I may communicate with shortly through the smoke of Deaux-Deaux the rattlesnake whose forked tongue hisses pig Latin in silk and satin da-zaw-ig-day, may the gilded splinters of Auntie Andre spew forth in your path to light and guide your way through the bayous of life.”

For prime poetic mumbo-jumbo, look no further than the back cover text of Dr John’s debut LP Gris-Gris.

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Tags: Atco, Blue Valentine, Coco Robicheaux, Dr John, Exile On Main Street, Gris Gris, Harold Battiste, Heartattack & Vine, Let It Loose, Mac rebeenack, Plas Johnson, Professor Longhair, Richie Unterberger, Rolling Stones, Tchoupitoulas, Tom Waits

Now the exhibition is getting to the nitty-gritty; yesterday Lloyd paid particular attention to the area dedicated to his businesses Cockell & Johnson and Johnson & Johnson, which produced peacock dandy and pop art fashion between 1968 and 1974 in Kensington  Market. Above are the print shirts which will be displayed, below some of the detail – on the left a stockinged leg print designed by Jane Wentworth (then Wealleans), who has contributed to my Tommy Roberts book.

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Tags: Chelsea Space, Debra Welch, Down By Law, Faith, George Michael, Jabne Wealleans, Lloyd Johnson: The Modern Outfitter, Tom Waits

Lloyd Johnson: The Modern Outfitter – the exhibition about one of the greatest contributors to British street fashion and visual culture of recent times – is at London gallery Chelsea Space in the New Year, from January 24 to March 3.

The show will be centred on Johnson’s archive of garments, artwork, fabrics, ephemera and personal effects, augmented by contributions from customers and collectors from Tokyo to Sydney to LA.

For a taster here’s a trio of clips featuring Johnson’s designs:

Tom Waits’ boots (from 2.50):

Iggy’s jacket on The Tube:

George Michael’s jacket + boots:

More info on Lloyd Johnson The Modern Outfitter here.

Tags: Chelsea Space, George Michael, Iggy Pop, Lloyd Johnson: The Modern Outfitter, Tom Waits

The Life And Death Of Marina Abramović represents a melding of the visions of the subject and Robert Wilson into beyond bravura performance theatre.

Enhanced by Antony Hegarty‘s holy terror and held together by the carny physicality of Willem Dafoe‘s stage presence, the diamond-hard Manchester International Festival production at Salford’s Lowry Theatre offers a series of sublime tableaux, many preoccupied with Abramović’s monstrous mother.

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Tags: Antony Hegarty, Manchester International Festival, Robert Wilson, Salford, The Life & Death Of Marina Abramović, The Lowry Theatre, Tom Waits, Ulay, Willem Dafoe