Francis Macdonald and Harry Pye: "We Love Mike Love"

Last week work began on the video for an exciting new tribute song by Francis Macdonald and Harry Pye to Beach Boy legend Mike Love

(Below: a Mike Love on the beach drawing by Harry Pye)

(Below: Derek holds a Mike Love Collage close to his heart)

(Below: Karoline with a couple of platters that matter)

The Beach Boys have also inspired a painting which will be unveiled at The Solstice Show which opens on 21st June at London's Westbank Gallery and also features contributions from: Alison Jackson, Sarah Maple, Hayden Kays, Eine, and Mr.Brainwash.

Karparte Boat Party on Thursday 24th of April

Thom Driver's magnificent band Piper's Son are about to release their debut single: "Mining" in order to celebrate, for one night only, The Rebel magazine is teaming up with Klarita Pandolfi for a party on a boat. The legendary Vic Godard of Subway Sect will be joining Piper's Son on stage to pay tribute to the late Lou Reed. There will also be a screening of Geoffrey Taylor's ten minute film, "Close" (which features songs by Subway Sect on it's soundtrack.)

Last but not least our extra special head line act will be Mathew Sawyer and his band.

(Above image: headliner Mathew Sawyer).Tickets are an astonishingly low £5 (no concessions, no guest list) The address of the venue is: Bar&co - Temple Pier, Victoria Embankment, London WC2R 2PN (opposite Temple Tube or 5 minutes walk from Holborn tube) More info to follow. The Rebel magazine recommends the following albums:

1)30 Odd Years by Vic Godard

2) Sleep Dreamt A Brother by Mathew Sawyer & The Ghosts

3) The Roar From Behind by Piper's Son

Neil Innes & The Values featuring Bedders support Teenage Cancer Trust

Specialized 3: "Mad... Not Cancer" is a 40 track album sold in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust. Many great bands and singers have recorded a new version of a song either written or made famous by Madness. Yesterday Bonzo Dog and Rutles legend Neil Innes came to London to work with producer/arranger/guitarist Micko Westmoreland on a cover of Prince Buster's song "Madness" (from which Camden's finest band took their name.)

The new version of Madness is sounding fab. The super talented and sartorial Terry Edwards plays keyboards and trumpet, Paul Speare plays sax...

and the bass on the track is provided by Madness legend Mark "Bedders" Bedford!

More details to follow shortly. Here's a few more snaps from recent recording sessions at Micko's place...

Feedback on Sympathy For Jean-Luc Godard by Francis Macdonald and Harry Pye

Have you seen Sympathy For Jean Luc Godard by Francis Macdonald and Harry Pye? It's been getting a reasonable 100 hits on You Tube each day so far but that's not enough. Gordon Beswick filmed and edited the video and also took this photo of Francis and Harry's funsize artwork.

Lots of kind people left kind comments including: "Well done. Lovely music and artwork. Thanks for posting. Great singing on this video and well-written lyrics." (Adrian Bell)"Very sweet. A bon bon. Particularly surprising was that its 6m running time was v. effective. It maintained its dreaminess and standard.A crackeur!" (Paul Hamilton)"Dandy XXXX" (John Hind) "I love it, the song is so beautiful and so are the images. It's gorgeous, and hilarious too." (Clare Price) "Educational and entertaining - C'est fantastique" (Douglas T Stewart) More info available on the official website: francismacdonaldandharrypye.com Don't be a stranger

Parquet Courts Live in London

Parquet Courts are based in Brooklyn, New York. The band formed in late 2010 and consists of Andrew Savage (lead vocals, guitar), Austin Brown (guitar), Sean Yeaton (bass), and Max Savage (drums)

It was good to see their third UK show this year. They played 17 songs (half old half new) and the packed crowd loved them.

Above & Below are photos of their young fans who told me the show was "Awesome"

Camden Town's Electric Ballroom has been going for 73 years. Bands who've played their over the years include Joy Division, The Clash, Madness, The Smiths. http://parquetcourts.wordpress.com/

Q & A with Sohrab Crews

"Extra Life" is a 60 page book contains 25 recent monochrome drawings by the very talented Sohrab Crews. The book, which is available on Amazon, includes an essay and interview by Paul Carey-Kent. For more info: www.sohrab.co.uk

The Rebel: Has being an artist helped you be a better person or made the world a better place? Sohrab: "I'm not sure, it depends on what you mean exactly by a better person. My personal hope is that those who see my work gain some joy, pleasure or interest from it. Perhaps in a very small way the work can enhance peoples lives, though I don't think I'd say it makes the world a better place."

The Rebel: What was the last drawing or work you made that really excited you? Sohrab: "I think an artwork that particularly interested me was the 2012 sculpture titled "173 Jones, The Baby Moggy" (please see the sculpture page of www.sohrab.co.uk). For me it was quite an ambitious piece, a life size dancing figure surrounded by a collection of ceramic cats. What excited me about making the work was the fact that I was experimenting with structure, space, objects and colour. I tried to bring together these elements to create an amusing hybrid being."

The Rebel: What was the last exhibition you saw that inspired you? Sohrab "Perhaps an obvious choice, I would have to say the 2013 Biennale in Venice, parts of which were really fantastic. I also enjoyed and found inspiration in the recent Bronze show at the Royal Academy and the Postmodernism show at the V & A."

The Rebel: Does the best art come from looking at nature? Sohrab: "Yes, a huge amount of brilliant artwork is inspired by or abstracted from nature. Many have said that art is merely the imitation of nature. Art can come from looking at the man made. Pollock famously said "I am nature". The Rebel: What are your favourite books, plays, poems, songs and films? Sohrab: "I am currently reading Memories, Dreams, Reflections by Jung which I am enjoying. I like William Carlos Williams poems, African music and the film North by North West."

The Rebel: What parks or streets or places in London do you like to walk in - what are your favourite buildings in London?" Sohrab: "I like to walk in Hyde park and Kensington Gardens, Hampstead Heath. Probably an obvious choice but I would say St Pauls Cathedral."

Mikey Georgeson & The Civilised Scene LIVE Sat 15th of Feb

"This is the place to be to banish that post-Valentine ennui!" Mikey Georgeson will be playing live songs from his forthcoming (March 2014) album 'Blood & Brambles' with his band the outstanding Civilised Scene. They are ably supported by Simon Love & The Old Romantics whose new album is due out later this year on Fortuna Pop. Admission is free, but to support the amazing Kids Company charity we are having an Art Raffle. So far there are pieces from Mikey Georgeson, Eddie Argos, Lee Maelzer, Jackie Clark, Tisna Westerhof, Julian Wakeling, Kirsty Wood, Paul Good, Victoria Charlton, Daniel Lehan, Paul Tecklenberg, David Martin, Melissa Alley,Emma Edmondson, Sarah Sparkes, Joanna McCormick, and Calum F. Kerr. Action Painting Action-Man, and Team Beswick and Pye, More to be announced! All monies raised from this will go directly to the charity. As usual we'll have the pop-Z pop-up shop at the gig so you can buy Mikey's 'Candy Floss' single and maybe even a pre-release copy of the new album!!! DJing inexpertly will be Mac with expert DJing by Simon Love so groovy sounds shall abound. Tell your friends! Tell your enemies! We love everybody!! Time: 8pm Address: 114-116 Curtain Road, London, EC2A 3AH.

(ABOVE: Painting of Camila Batmanghelidjh by Team Beswick and Pye (2014)acrylic and enamel on canvas in wooden frame. just one of the amazing art prizes up for grabs.)