I am delighted to see that Jimmy’s Corner, my favourite Manhattan bar, features on the latest map from Herb Lester Associates.
Jimmy’s epitomises the map’s celebration of “old” New York.
From the vaults: Paul Smith on the threat to the High Street (Guardian 1988)
Publication: The Guardian Weekend supplement, Dec 3-4, 1988.
I have collected and kept magazines, newspapers, fanzines and all sorts of publications for decades.
From the launch edition of The Weekend Guardian, this was the first in a series of think pieces by prominent people on aspects of design.
Paul Smith could tell what was coming; the desecration of Britain’s High Streets – and thus independently operated, individual and often idiosyncratic retail outlets – at the hands of the giant chains of faceless stores.
Continue reading From the vaults: Paul Smith on the threat to the High Street (Guardian 1988)
Blokes Of Britain: Nick Abrahams
NAME: Nicholas Abrahams
RESIDES: London
OCCUPATION: Film-maker
Nick Abrahams’ work includes promos for Stereolab, Add (N) To X and sigur rós. More recently he collaborated with Jeremy Deller on the fascinating exposition of fan’s desires, The Posters Came From The Walls.
Among Abrahams’ current projects is Jayne County biopic Man Enough To Be A Woman. Judging from the rushes shown last year, this will be a doozy.
Last autumn Abrahams created the 30-minute Stooges film Doghouse. The installation at Tatty Devine included a portrait of our hound Rita.
Abrahams cuts quite a dash in any company; as I say below, I admire his ability to combine the edgy with the traditional without pretension.
Here he answers the Blokes Of Britain questionnaire, covering ground from Tiny Tim to gold teeth by way of Cordings, Trickers, Viv Stanshall and William Burroughs. Oh, and not to forget Edward Gorey’s fur coats, Joseph Beuys’ felt suits and Nick’s own creation: The Denton Welch safety bib.
How would you describe your sartorial style?
My girlfriend says I look like a straight bear (IE: a chubby gay man with beard).
Your Last Chance…Front Line II
Incredible footage here from 1977 doc Roots Rock Reggae of producer “Prince” Tony Robinson (working at either Joe Gibbs or Harry J, reggaenuts will tell me) as well as scenes shot at a JA pressing plant and the legendary Randy’s Records (“You Name It We Have It”).
Highlight for me: The Gladiators laying down the vocals for Jah Works, stand-out track on their album Proverbial Reggae.
Sleevenotes: Joe Strummer (Gonh Be Funky, 1980)
Sleevenotes make a vinyl record package complete.
When they appear with CDs they’re just too diddy; on a 12-inch sleeve they’re writ large. Like good sleeve design, the best text – whether scrawled or neatly arranged – enhances and delights.
This is Joe Strummer’s contribution to Charly Records’ rock-solid 1980 Lee Dorsey collection Gonh Be Funky, compiled by Cliff White (who was responsible for an incomparable run of reissues around this time).
Continue reading Sleevenotes: Joe Strummer (Gonh Be Funky, 1980)
Photography: Kate Simon
This portrait of David Bowie was taken by Kate Simon at Olympic recording studios in Barnes, west London, on January 14, 1974.
Simon’s photograph captures a man on the cusp; furiously occupied in the studio, Bowie was tying up loose ends ahead of his departure for America 10 weeks later. He hasn’t lived in Britain since.
Three days before this was taken, Bowie’s production job on Lulu’s version of The Man Who Sold The World was released as a single. Applying himself to finishing Diamond Dogs, Bowie also recorded such eventually unreleased tracks as Take It Right (to become Right, a “plastic soul” anthem on Young Americans) and a try-out of Bruce Springsteen’s Growin’ Up.
Sessions with vocal trio The Astronettes – including paramour Ava Cherry – had proved inconclusive, though an olive branch recently extended to erstwhile producer Tony Visconti soon bore fruit in the form of renewed collaboration.
A month after the shot was taken, Rebel Rebel was released ahead of the marathon US touring schedule over 1974/5 which marked the severing of business relations with Tony Defries and the faltering of his marriage to Angie.
I wanted to talk to Simon about the stories behind this image and others which deliver an emotional charge yet retain the reportage stance of the cool documentarist.
Woody Guthrie’s New Year’s Rulin’s
Woody Guthrie set out these resolutions for 1943. I don’t see one that doesn’t apply today.
Visit the fine Guthrie website here.
Club’s crowd-pulling cars (+ a chopper)
This feature on five owners of interesting automobiles comes from a time long before the banalities of Top Gear.
Letter from Ian Dury to Roberta Bayley
Ian Dury sent this letter to Roberta Bayley in May 1977.
As the late songsmith’s biographer Will Birch explains here, Dury was just a few months away from achieving nationwide fame.
Gore Vidal by Hedi Slimane
This is Gore Vidal’s Olivetti Lettera, one of a series of photographs of the great man of American letters, as well as some of the artefacts in his study, by Hedi Slimane.