Paul Gorman

2020s

At the Groovy Fayre signing and selling books, maps and Barney Bubbles jewellery next weekend

I’m really grateful to Lizzie Walker for inviting me to be part of her Gnostic Sonics presence at the Groovy Fayre being held next Saturday (November 14) at Stoke Newington’s Mildmay Club.

Lizzie is handling sales of my Granny Takes A Trip book and I’ll be signing and selling copies of The Life & Times of Malcolm McLaren and The Wild World of Barney Bubbles as well as my Herb Lester guides The Look of London and the maps of the lives and careers of David Bowie, The Clash and the Rolling Stones in the capital.

We’ll also be making available for the first time in public the limited edition jewellery pieces based on Barney Bubbles designs.

The Mildmay is at 33-34 Newington Green, London N16 9PR. Doors open at 9am for early birds who have paid £10 for entry; after 10am it’s free.

Drinks and food will be available throughout the day and a music quiz starts at 7pm with dancing from 9pm.

More details here.

And… I’m back!

Well, it’s been a while but I’m posting here again with takes on the usual, unusual and out-there from the world of visual culture.

There’ll be some changes made over the coming months and also some exciting announcements in regard to new projects but meantime here are two events to which I’m contributing in the next couple of weeks.

Tomorrow (Wednesday 16 September) I’m taking part in Facade Charade, a conversation about the relationship between architecture and fashion with writer/curator Priya Kanchandani and architects Sheila O’Donnell, of Irish practice O’Donnell + Tuomey, and Zaha Hadid’s Melodie Leung.

And on Sunday 27 September I’ll be in conversation at the annual countercultural fest Convenanza with publisher Lee Brackstone, major domo of the towering White Rabbit Books imprint, about the Granny Takes A Trip book we produced together last year as well as my earlier book The Look, which was admired by Convenanza’s figurehead, the late Andrew Weatherall.

Details on the Activities + Events page.

Japanese edition of The Life & Times of Malcolm McLaren out this month

‘This book solves the mystery of a spell that was cast on a time that won’t fade away’

Hiroshi Fujiwara

2024 has got off to a good start with the news that the Japanese edition of The Life & Times of Malcolm McLaren is going to be published by East Press on January 26, four days after what would have been the great provocateur’s 78th birthday.

This translation includes a new photo selection, the above cover quote from Japan’s style guru Hiroshi Fujiwara and updated text, including much new detail on the visit McLaren made with Vivienne Westwood and Gerry Goldstein to Andy Warhol’s Factory in New York in the summer of 1973.

The Life & Times Of Malcolm McLaren Japanese edition is available to order here.

A night of conversation, music + libation to celebrate Totally Wired at Reference Point

Next Thursday (August 3) I’m going to be in conversation with the prominent writer and photographer Mark C. O’Flaherty at central London’s library/bookshop/bar Reference Point.

//Mark reminisces about his time at Boyz in Totally Wired//

We’ll be talking about the music press – the subject of my book Totally Wired, which is out now in paperback –  it’s history in relation to LGBTQ+ communities and Mark’s experiences working for such magazines as Melody Maker and Boyz.

Afterwards I’ll DJ a vinyl set of music-press-related sounds.

Bag your spot here.

//Totally Wired paperbacks in the Tate Britain bookshop//

Copies of Totally Wired are widely available, including from bookshop.org

My playlist for the Fandangoe Discoteca opening at Canary Wharf next week

//Annie Frost Nicholson with the Fandangoe Discoteca. Pic courtesy of anniefrostnicholson.com//

Next week sees the opening at London’s Canary Wharf of artist Annie Frost Nicholson’s Fandangoe Discoteca, the mini-disco installation where we can shake out our grief and help maintain daily mental health – the programme covers all intersections of grief from bereavement to climate angst to political rage to break-ups.

The design of the kiosk was inspired by De Stijl and Ettore Sottsass and holds up to eight dancers at a time.

Continue reading My playlist for the Fandangoe Discoteca opening at Canary Wharf next week

TON: Paul Reeves’ Wiltshire farmhouse – A Collector’s Dream

I have known the Arts & Crafts connoisseur, collector and dealer Paul Reeves since the early Noughties when I approached him for the second edition of my fashion x music book The Look; Paul’s previous career as a designer took in such important 60s and 70s labels and boutiques as Sam Pig In Love, Alkasura and The Universal Witness.

From the off we got on like a house on fire and became firm friends; he was a major contributor to my Tommy Roberts book and the ever-generous Paul has often hosted Caz and I at his wonderful Wiltshire farmhouse.

Continue reading TON: Paul Reeves’ Wiltshire farmhouse – A Collector’s Dream

TON: Dave Baby’s Temple of Desire

The new interiors magazine TON – the first issue is out now –  has two pieces by me on very different but equally extraordinary homes.

TON’s founder and editor-in-chief Jermaine Gallacher – who works with art director Rory Gleeson and editorial director Ted Stansfield – commissioned me to write about Dave Baby’s apartment close to where we both live, in south London’s Stockwell.

As I write, ‘this otherworldly space represents a bewitching realm of desires, sexuality and esoterica with Dave at the maelstrom’s centre, a still figure dispensing wily wit and charm’.

Continue reading TON: Dave Baby’s Temple of Desire

Talking Barney Bubbles x Hipgnosis at Stroud’s Pop Up festival on March 26

I’m looking forward to appearing at Pop Up, the subcultures festival being held in the Gloucestershire town of Stroud next month.

I’ll be comparing and contrasting the work of Barney Bubbles with that of his rivals Hipgnosis in the 70s and 80s with Mark Blake, author of the new book about the British music design studio and Pop Up organiser and writer Ben Wardle.

//Front Cover, Peter Gabriel, Charisma Records, 1977. Design: Hipgnosis//

Continue reading Talking Barney Bubbles x Hipgnosis at Stroud’s Pop Up festival on March 26

Talking Totally Wired at the Write Idea Festival on Sunday

I’m talking about my music press history Totally Wired at this weekend’s Write Idea Festival at east London’s venerated Bethnal Green Library.

The library is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year and I’m lining up with such authors as crime writer Ajay Chowdhury, historian Panikos Panayi, writer and publisher Shahida Rahman, performer Vivi Lachs, architecture specialist John Grindrod, comedian Tez Ilyas, former BBC correspondent Nick Higham and journalist Siobhan MacGowan.

I’ll be in conversation with festival organiser Neal Smith about the rise and fall of the music press from 4pm on Sunday (November 6). Tickets are FREE here.

Full details of the Write Idea line-up here.