Dub Pistols release "Worshipping The Dollar"

Last night Dub Pistols launched their new album "Worshipping The Dollar" with a party at The Electric in Brixton.

Rob Da Bank, Rednek, Eddy Temple Morris, and High Rankin were among the many special guests taking part in the celebrations.

Dub Pistols singer Barry Ashworth (who is also boss of Westway records boss and an in demand DJ)recently tweeted: "The Electric is an awesome venue and the system is fat. The dressing room is too small though." The Dub Pistols formed in 1996. They recently won DJ magazine's best live act award. One of their many claims to fame is that they reunited Terry Hall with fellow former Fun Boy Lynval Golding. Terry Hall joined The Dub Pistols to record ‘Speakers and Tweeters'. And, while performing with the band at Bestival, Hall was joined by his ex-bandmate Lynval Golding for the first time in twenty years. Certain D P songs certainly have a Specialsy feel about them. I love "Armageddon" which deserves to be a hit and I recon is their best work to date. Mr Ashworth says: "There are a lot more statement songs, there's a lot of food for thought on this one.It's more uptempo, there's some drum & bass on it, but the lyrics are deeper and darker. It's more like our old stuff in a way." The title of the new album comes from a line in a track called West End Stories ("Living in squalor, worshipping the dollar, there is no flag large enough to wrap around the horror") The rest of The Dub Pistols tour dates are: Friday 18th May – Barrow In Firness Monster Monster Saturday 19th May – Hertford Corn Exchange Friday 25th May – Guildford, The Boiler Room Saturday 26th May – Southampton Cellar Thursday 31st May – Bristol Lakota (Sadly Dub Pistols had to cancel their appearance at The King Arthur in Glastonbury.) For more info: http://dubpistolsmusic.co.uk/

Alex Chappel's photos from Jasper & Harry's Other Other Art Fair

(Above: Wen Wu with Harry Pye)

(A fan of Julian Wakeling's photography)

(Simon Ould at the entrance of Jasper & Harry's Other Other Art Fair)

(A fan of Oscar Joffe's paintings)

(Above: A Joffe fan casts their vote)

(Above: Rose Turner with Harry Pye)

(Happy person)

("All the way from Lithuania")

(Above: August)

(Above: A fan of Aleksandra Wojcik's photography)

(Above: Alba Joffe)

Review of "In Comes The Black Dog" at The Underdog Gallery in London Bridge

There was a lot of love in the room for Carrie Rose at the 4 day fund raising event she organised at The Underdog Gallery. More than £1,500 was raised on the first of several nights that featured live music, DJs and a rap battle as well as an art auction hosted by Will Porter from Christies. Emer O’Neill, the CEO of Depression Alliance gave a thoughtful speach about the good work her organisation do. The title of the event'In Comes the Black Dog’, is of course inspired by Winston Churchill’s famous description of his own depression. Many believe it is time the stereotypes of mental health are swept aside and a new understanding begins, as more and more people come to terms with their own dark canine companions. Helping to change peoples’ beliefs and attitudes towards depression is a very positive pursuit - I wish them continued success. It was an enjoyable and well attended evening. I liked a lot of the works on show including prints by Billy Childish and Kate McMorrine.

(Above: Leonard Cohen was one of many artists and writers who had donated signed prints, photos and artworks to the cause.)

Carrie & Her proud father

(Some of the art)

(Above: Lucky art collector called Jake who went home with the painting of Russell Walker & The Moog below)

Chris Coombes Video Show on Thursday night and The Depression Alliance Art Auction on Friday Night

Don't miss out on these two events...
1) THE VIDEO SHOW curated by Chris Coombes
Time:7pm onwards on Thursday 26th of April
Place: 182 Stoke Newington Road, N16 7UY
2) IN COMES THE BLACK DOG (An art auction in aid of Depression Alliance)
Time:6.30pm till 1am on Friday 27th of April
Place: The Underdog Gallery, Crucifix Lane SE1 3JW

If you're an art lover who wants to help Depression Alliance help troubled souls come on Friday to The Underdog gallery (near London Bridge). You can buy artworks by all sorts of talented people including: Billy Childish, Leonard Cohen, Emma Thompson, and Harry Pye!
The Semi-Legendary D.J Alex Chappel is going to spinning platters that matter and there will be live music from some youngsters called "Drag Your Heels"

(The image above "I'm Thinking" is a portrait of Russell Walker by Harry Pye. It's acrylic on canvas, 91cm x 122cm and it will be available to buy on the night.

Meanwhile, fans of London's most exciting film makers: Team Beswick And Pye will be excited to learn that their masterpiece: "Harry's Haircut" will be screened at an art event on Thursday alongside films made by 24 talented chaps including: John Moseley, Julian Wakeling, Peter Walsh, Gavin Toye, and Uliana Apatina. Curator Chris Coombes says that the total running times of the films is 58 minutes. The event starts on the dot of 7pm. There will be 8 minute breaks for people to stretch their legs.

(Above: A still from "Harry's Haircut" (2010) a film by Team Beswick & Pye

Review of Secret Seven private view

(Above Image: A sleeve for The Cure single "It's Friday I'm In Love With" designed by Team Beswick & Pye which was sold in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust at The Idea Generation gallery in Redchurch Street).
More News and pics to follow

(Above: Andy Vella)

(Above: Gordon Beswick with The Cure's drummer)

(Jasper Joffe)

(Crowd)

(Above: Kevin the organiser)

(Above: Cure designer Andy)

Q & A with Zia Fukyana

You can see Zia Fukyana's work at The Other Other Art Fair:
10-13th May 2012
Ambika P3 Marylebone Rd NW1
Opening Hours:
Private View – Thursday 10th May 2012 – 5pm – 9pm
Friday 11th May 2012 – 11am – 8pm
Saturday 12th May 2012 – 11am – 6pm
Sunday 13th May 2012 – 11am – 6pm

The Rebel: I notice animals feature a lot in your work. Are you more of a cat person than a dog person?
Zia: "I like dogs but I love cats. I have an embarrassing amount of cat books and DVDs of nature programs that feature cats in my room. I never tire of watching documentaries or hearing stories about big cats. Last night I re-watched a show about the noisy courtships between leopards. Female leopards are only receptive for a few days a year so the courtship begins with the female calling loudly. Her signal attracts several males who then fight it out. Some fights end in death. The winner is often scratched a lot by the female too. It's only when she is really sure that she stops fighting and accepts his advances. When this happens he begins doing an awful lot of biting. Maybe it's his revenge? One of my few ambitions in life is to own an Abyssinian cat. The big problem is they need a home with lots and lots of space - which is something I don't have. These cats are a direct descendant of the sacred ancient Eqyptian cats and they have the same shaped ears. I guess what I love about cats is what everyone else does: the paradox that they are domesticated and yet retain a touch of the wild."

The Rebel: Is Zia Fukyana the name you were born with?
Zia: "Well Harry, you've known me a while and I believe you already know the answer to that particular question. I was born in London in 1989. The work I make is to do with untold histories, my DNA, and my family that resides in other countries. I can tell you that the original meaning of the name Zia is splendor or light. I hope my work sheds the light on certain things. I am here to make the best art I can and that's all that counts. I don't think it matters if my parents did or didn't actually name me Zia or not. Do you?"
Have you decided what work you're putting in The Other Other Art Fair?
"I've made several new pieces. I tend to get too close to my own work. I have a friend who helps me decide. Recently I've been making work based on an Egyptian sculpture I saw in the British Museum. Last year I went to lots of private views and art events but saw nothing that stayed with me after I'd gone. When I go to places like the V & A or The British Museum it's a different story. I'm really into a sculpture of King Amenhotep III (1390-1352 BC). The Egyptians were into recycling and royal statues in Egypt were sometimes taken over by later rulers. The normal procedure was simply to re-carve their name over the old one, but in some cases the physical features were also altered. In this statue the lips have been changed and made to look thinner. There's something in the look of his eyes and his smile that really disturbs me - in a good way - and it's inspired lots of drawings and paintings."

SPECIALIZED: A Modern Take on Specials Classics in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust

I recently re-read Fear of Music (a book in which Garry Mulholland raves about the albums he loves.)

Mr Muholland's take on The Specials is that "They're heroes who proved you can change the world with an unwavering moral stance and some of the best f***ing pop music anyone in this country has ever made."

I hope we won't mind me cutting and pasting some of his observations...
"'Just because you're nobody/Doesn't mean that you're no good'. What a line. Admittedly, at first glance, even first listen, it doesn't have the rapier wit of Lydon, nor the bravura word skill of Costello, nor the psycho-dramatic power of Ian Curtis. But this line from The Specials' 'Doesn't Make It Alright', sung by Terry Hall with a strength that reveals all the compassion behind it, is absolutely key to the extraordinary impact of what was, when you come right down to it, a ska revival band. The Specials made music about many things, but it always came down to one. The working class spent much of their time fighting each other. This is convenient for the ruling elite. So... stop. Divide and rule, racial difference, sexual distrust, bad environment and that good old 'no future' excuse were no excuse whatsover. Wise up. See that our similarities are far deeper than our differences. Look at the real problem. Unite. Simple.
'Blank Expression', 'Stupid Marriage', 'Too Much Too Young' and 'Little Bitch' formed a mini-opera towards the album's end, a discourse on the young working-class male's fear of women. Rejection, girl-as-property, marriage, teen pregnancy, parenthood and the middle class inspire comedy, compassion, anger, revulsion and a brutally honest questioning of where boy-meets-girl goes from here, prefaced by the date-in-dystopia nightmare that is '(Dawning Of A) New Era'. And guitarist Roddy Radiation's 'Concrete Jungle' took the band's courage a step further, owning up to being personaly scared of violence, of not being hard, despite how sharp and hard they all looked on that generation-definging monochrome sleeve.
Most of us feel like nobodies. The Specials understood that and convinced a generation that they were good. We still live in a world that this record helped to shape."

I agree with Garry's review and in my opinion the new charity compilation "Specialized" is a really positive new chapter in The Specials story. You can find out how to buy it by visiting www.thespecials2.com
More than 30 bands and singers who are either friends or fans of the band have got involved and have contributed a track to this special tribute album. A few 2-Tone legends like Rhoda Daker and Rico Rodriguez make guest appearances and Specials bass player Horace Panter has written the albums's sleevenotes. Every single penny made from sales of the new compilation c.d will go to The Teenage Cancer Trust charity. It's a great chance to hear brilliant new versions of all the old classics but also, by buying it you're giving money to an organisation who help young people whose lives have been turned upside down by cancer. It's a chance to let them know they haven't been forgotton about.

JumpUp Records in the USA are planning to release a 7″ EP on vinyl featuring four tracks from the Specialized album. The EP will feature...
King Hammond,The Values featuring Roland Gift, Lee Thompson, and Orange street.

(Above: Lee Thompson from Madness whose recorded a new version of the Prince Buster classic "Madness".)

Featuring

(Above: Roland Gift sings You're Wondering Now)
Also on the e.p
Orange Street give us their version of It Doesn't Make It Alright.
King Hammond (a.k.a Nick Welsh)re-works Friday Night, Saturday Morning.

Another single featuring Bluebird Parade and Prince Edward Island is to follow that.

(Above: Bluebird Parade (whose line up includes talented trumpeter Jon Read)have recorded a completely brilliant new version of Dawning of a New Era.
A very, very limited edition sceen print of The Specials will be given to the first few people to order a 7"

(Above the super limited A3 sized screen print is a must for people alive today).