5 Minutes With David J

David J, is a British alternative rock musician. As well as being an accomplished solo musician he was the bassist for the gothic rock band Bauhaus and Love and Rockets. He has also appeared on releases by Porno for Pyros and Jane's Addiction.


Q1. What was the first record that you owned that really had a life changing effect on you?

DJ : T Rex - 'Hot Love'. It came out in 1971 when I was 14 and hit me like a lightening bolt. I was in a hospital ward when I first heard it on the radio. I had a badly broken leg and torn cartilage, the result of a vicious two legged flying tackle in a soccer match. That music made the pain go away. The effect was only intensified when I saw Marc Bolan and his band on Top Of The Pops. From that moment on I was obsessed!



David J "Candy on the Cross"

Q2. You describe 'Not Long For This World' as an ‘accidental concept’ album about the Grim Reaper. You raised funds to finish this project via Kickstarter (over one and a half times the original goal). I loved the ‘pitch’ video you made for this-do you think the online community has created a viable future for funding all creative endeavors in this way?

DJ : Yes. People really like the sense of involvement and personal contact that results from that kind of patronage.
It also encourages the artists to be creative in the way that they garner that support. We're all in this together, let's make magic happen!



Q3. The album has a very ‘filmic’ quality and lyrically contains a lot of dark humor, particularly ‘Dress Sexy At My Funeral’. When did you start piecing together these songs into a concept and could you see this being turned into a film narrative?

DJ : The genesis for the album was a two night stand that I played at a wonderful little subterranean theater called The Cavern in LA.
I came up with the idea of having a theme for the shows which was 'Bouquets, Wreaths and Laurels' ( The title of an old song of mine ) The set was divided into three sections. 'Bouquets': Love songs, 'Wreaths': Death songs and 'Laurels': Songs of glory. Following the shows I recorded some of the death songs and gradually realized that I had a little concept album on my hands. ( The Cavern shows were filmed and a DVD will be released later in the year. )

I know what you mean about the album being 'filmic' but I would prefer that those movies just play in the listener's imagination.



David J. and Rene Halkett - Nothing


Q4. The limited pieces of original art hand-made art that you created to commemorate tracks of the album are fantastic. What is the medium that you created them in and have you always had a parallel life as a visual artist?

DJ : They are basically collage pieces based around a kind of painted rorschach. I did them all at the same time. Moving from one piece to another. They were created very quickly. In a couple of days. Yes, I've always made visual art. Until music took over ( Hello Marc! ) I wanted to be a painter.



Bauhaus - Ziggy Stardust : Old Grey Whistle Test.

Q5. I met you in the tiny dressing room of a very sweaty club in Leeds in late summer 1980, with your cohorts in your first band (and you were all very friendly towards me, despite possible post gig dehydration). At that time did you imagine that a long career of creativity lay ahead of you and what advice would the David J of today give to your younger self if you could beam back in time?

DJ : From as far back as I can remember I knew that I would be some kind of artist.

I would tap that rather intense young chap on the shoulder and advise him to loosen up and not sweat the small stuff.

http://www.davidjonline.com/

5 Minutes with Anne Cecil - Director of the Design & Merchandising, Drexel University.

As Director of the Design & Merchandising program, Anne Cecil has taken a lead role in expanding student's opportunities for inter-disciplinary course work, the international study program and the global classroom. An avid researcher, Anne Cecil Chairs the Punk Culture Area for the Popular Culture Association where she has consistently grown area participation and is spearheading an effort to legitimize punk research in the academic arena. She is also honored to be Exhibitions Editor for the Australasian Journal of Popular Culture.



Rolling Stones-Ruby Tuesday Live 1967, Rare Scenes.

Q1. What was the first record that you owned that had a life changing effect on you?

Anne Cecil: This is a tough one because I had a considerably older brother and sister so I shared their albums at an early age. At 3 years old I used to sit under our dining room table and sing Ruby Tuesday by the Stones and even then I prefered the Stones to the Beatles. I never gave up on loving the bad boys. Bowie was huge for me from the get go and Debbie Harry from the Parallel Lines cover, Joan Jett and Chrissie Hynde were my role models in my teens.


Q2. How did you become involved in education?

AC: A mentor put me forward for a teaching gig at a proprietary trade school. I took it and found the classroom a perfect fit for me. I'm a Leo, so "All the World's a stage".



Q3. You received wonderful accolades for your presentation at POPCAANZ in Sydney. Can you talk a little about your presentation and tell me a bit about POPCAANZ and 'Punk Rock Women Alive and Well in South Philadelphia' ?

AC: Punk Rock Women... Is a six part project that covers a group of old school women punks in South Philadelphia who have adopted a punk lifestyle. I believe punk is about far more than the music. The music scene is the meeting place, but the lifestyle is deeper. My perspective is that punk lifestyle is about BRICOLAGE, DIY/Failure, And Transformation. It is also about Family (not biological). Most of the women I know from the scene are still living it while many of the men have moved on. I think one reason for this is that many of the women are single and they need the support system to survive.



Q4. How do you think the online community has affected youth culture and subcultures in general?

AC: So many subcultures came out of a common love of music and now I think that is pretty much gone. People experience music in a different way with the computer. I remember waiting in line to by new records, hanging at the independent record store and spending hours lying in someone's room listening to music. It was a communal experience. Today it is mostly a solitary experience. I still see a strong Skate subculture that is more traditional and I think there is a huge gaming subculture that happens online and in person. Online cultures don't necessarily manifest through fashion and media and frankly, I think today's youth is more interested in fitting in rather than standing out.

Q5. What is the greatest challenge for today's graduation students?

AC: With a down economy, the first challenge is finding a job. In some ways, they are lucky because the only real responsibility most of them have are student loans, as opposed to spouses, children and houses. Overcoming this challenge will help them build their skill sets and resourcefulness. On the flip side, This generation of new employees have quite diffent expectations and needs so preparing them for work is a challenge for them and educators. It certainly keeps things interesting!

MADONNA COMIC BOOK

Official Press Release:

MADONNA COMIC BOOK IS SET TO HIT SHELVES.

Bluewater is pleased to announce a special comic book project featuring one of the most accomplished and well-known figures in the history of American pop culture, Madonna.

“Female Force: Madonna” will be released in August 2011 and have a cover price of $3.99. The bio on the pop icon's life will be written by CW Cooke and drawn by Michael Johnson.

Madonna is arguably the most influential figure in the history of American music. This comic book will focus on her humble beginnings and the incredible events that led to her eventually becoming one of the few people in the world recognized by only their first name! Though she has paved the way for many female pop stars that came after her, from Britney Spears to Lady Gaga to Beyonce she is unique in that while many are compared to her, she is never compared to anyone else. There is still only one Madonna and even today, in her fifties, she remains culturally relevant. This comic book shows the influences on her music and style that in turn have influenced every pop star who aspires to not only make songs that people will always remember, but have an impact on society.



The “Female Force” comic series offers a broad examination of strong and influential women who are shaping modern history and culture. In past issues, the monthly series has featured, Hillary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, JK Rowling, Ellen Degeneres, Sarah Palin and others.



Bluewater's Vice President Jason Schultz said, “Our goal is to show the little-known events and influences that resulted in Madonna becoming the phenomenon she remains to this day, more than a quarter-century after she burst upon the scene. A visual medium provides perspective that is not only accessible but more relatable to the average person without losing any of the information involved”.



Rock N Roll Comics Madonna Special (1993) comic books.

This 32-page comic book will be chronicling this saga, “Female Force: Madonna ” will explore all sides of this inimitable talent, from her live performances, ever-changing musical tastes, to her being a leader in fashion and her charity work, Madonna has made positive contributions to her fans' lives and society at large and how, despite numerous controversies she remains beloved by more fans than ever. Through it all, she always remained true to herself and appeared to be genuine. What you see is what you get with her. That - and her remarkable talent is what has made her an enduring legend. Madonna is quite simply one of the most powerful women in the history of entertainment.



"Most pop stars owe everything to this woman. It's amazing all of the things that she's done in her lifetime, and I have a feeling that this is still only the beginning", says Cooke, who said he had fun scripting the Material Girl's life story.

Material Girl - Macy*s Collection

Material Girl - Collection 2011 with Kelly Osbourne.



Madonna - Material Girl Collection (Behind The Scenes) [2010]



Madonna & Lourdes Leon Live on MG launch in NYC.



Madonna - Celebration.

5 Minutes With Charlie Green.

Make Up Artist Charlie Green.



Q1. What was the first record that you owned that had a life changing effect on you?

CG: 'Diamond Dogs'-Bowie. The Album artwork, the lyrics, raw rebellion, early anarchy. I was at school and played it on vinyl and cassette! To this day I love it and dance around doing air guitar always.



Q2. How did you become involved in the beauty business?

CG: By default. I was working in fashion for a clothes designer and met /boy George and wanted to paint faces after that. I started in London then moved to Paris where I was lucky enough to work with mind blowing photographers, beautiful designers and amazing stylists and models-hard work but they could encourage creativity and individual style.



Q3. You've worked with many music industry icons. How different is creating beauty looks for a performer as opposed to editorial looks for fashion?

Models are Chameleons and morph into different looks daily thanks to the clothes, different make up, hair and lighting. Some performers have an image they need to stick to; others love to change. We work according to their wishes, it's always a team effort.

Q4. You were the mentor for Lifetime television's 'Blush: The Search for the Next Great Makeup Artist' alongside Hal Rubenstein and Vanessa Marcil. How close was the show in portraying the reality of the beauty industry?

CG:Blush was a blast to work on and shoot and I met some very creative people on both sides of the camera. However the nature of TV is essentially entertainment and not real life at all. I think the public are swamped with so-called 'reality' shows and forget that a 25 minute episode is the product of 48 hours of shooting many varied situations and very careful editing, to result in an episode contrived to capture your attention and is more about sensationalism than the truth. Having said this I conclude 'Blush' to be a better representation of the beauty industry than other heavily advertiser orientated fashion/beauty TV shows.



Q5. Any good celebrity stories that you can share?

People sit down in my make up chair and spill their secrets.-it's maybe because we work so close to them that they feel secure, then there are no boundaries. I have seen some salacious behavior from a 'variety of people' such as a classless 'super model' who was too lazy to walk to the bathroom when on set and insisted in pissing in paper cups that the poor studio assistant had to pick up and dispose of...and my personal favorite is the legendary rock star who arrived at our shoot strung out and 9 hours late (no big deal) and snorted "powdered asprin" continuously . But the best line was when the hair dresser spilled a bottle of powdered dry shampoo and the rock star eagerly chopped it up into a line and snorted it!

The Passenger - Iggy Pop

The Passenger - Iggy Pop : Manchester Apollo 1977.

5 Minutes with Nancy Garcia - Fashion Producer : 24 Hour Catwalk

Nancy Garcia is a Fashion Industry maven, whose credits include working as a fashion producer on top reality television shows, fashion show production, brand strategy and management for fashion companies. She is also Keanan Duffty's business partner, which is a reality show in itself.

Nancy Garcia - Photo: Marco La Conte.

Q1. What was the first record that you owned that really had a life changing effect on you?

Nancy Garcia: Though I’m a New Yorker, I grew up in a Colombian household, listening to all this great Latin music that my Dad had on vinyl record sets he brought back from the Old Country. I always loved the boleros best, those slow romantic songs - they were hot!
I remember my parents were mystified the first time they went to an “American” party – they didn’t understand why the guests sat around and just talked all night, and no one danced. Music is an inspiration for dancing in Hispanic culture, and a lot of it is judged by how easily it is to move to. So, even though kids listen to Reggaeton today, which I love, Hispanics still love to slow dance and smooch to the “oldies”.






Q2. You were the Fashion Producer of Isaac Mizrahi's The Fashion Show, and 24 Hour Catwalk, with Alexa Chung. What does a 'Fashion Producer' do?

NG: I get hired on television shows as a consultant and producer, but it’s kind of a generic title that encompasses many areas. On a show, the production and creative team come from a television background, not a fashion one, so I’m usually the only producer that has a fashion and design background.
Even though these shows are “reality” TV, the challenges, content, rules and sets are created in pre-production first, before filming starts. I consult on things like the feasibility of challenges, I create challenges, and I have a team of assistants that source all the materials to make them happen. I also oversee the creation of the workrooms and sewing rooms on the set, which have to be professional and fully functional (and include machinery of all types, dyeing stations, and all materials that contestants could possibly need). If needed, I bring in partnerships with companies for supplies and services like Singer, Swarovski, fabric sources, etc. Many companies in the industry like the exposure that a fashion reality show brings to their business.
I also over see the fashion shows, which is one per episode. Many people don’t know that TV episodes are shot back to back, so we’ll put on 10 fashion shows in 5 – 6 weeks. I’m often involved in casting, as designers must have some level of sewing expertise, and of course, design skills. And I cast the models for the runway shows.

It’s really fascinating to work with lighting and camera experts to create say, an “underwater” show, or a neon lights out show, or something very unique. On TV, things have to be really big to stand out, and it’s super fast (especially on 24 Hour Catwalk, where designers have to create an entire collection in, you guessed it – 24 Hours), so it’s very different then the fashion industry.


Q3. What are the Top Five Tips you can give to would be Fashion Reality Show contestants?

NG: We all know what people say about fashion reality TV, but the truth is that it’s a fun, guilty pleasure for millions of viewers! And, the other truth is it can offer an emerging designer an incredible amount of publicity, exposure, and if they win – cash!
I’ve seen literally hundreds of contestants try out for shows.
So – if you think you have what it takes – think again – this is what it really takes:

1) STAND OUT.
Reality TV is not for the shy, weak of heart or retreating type.
Yes, you can be bitchy, back -stabbing, cranky, crazy, loopy, super chatty, narcissistic, insane or by contrast, super nice; yet it must be BIG, and you need to do it in front of the cameras. And you must have an angle. Are you a super sweet, southern gay boy that talks alot – sounds good!
A self involved, crazed mother of five who knits bodysuits? Great. Want to start your own line but your Mom’s a crack Ho and you don’t have the money? Fantastic. A Belgian intellectual designer who mumbles to himself ?–not so much. If you bore us within 30 seconds on your casting video, you are O.U.T.

2) STAKES.
Stakes are very important on reality TV. This means – how much do you need it? If you’re a rich girl who has everything, and it doesn’t matter if you win, you just want fame - it doesn’t matter if you are the next Phoebe Philo, you won’t get cast. Broke with student loans? Have a medical condition? Need to prove your self to the fashion world or just plain hate them? All of these are things that will motivate someone to compete – and of course, it is a competition.

3) YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO SEW - IT'S NOT THAT IMPORTANT TO SEW.
You will probably have to sew some of your garments on these shows, but you are almost always allowed to bring blocks (slopers), because of the time constraints. However, some shows provide experienced seamstresses to help you. They are mostly off camera, but on 24 Hour Catwalk, they are on camera – and fierce!

4) YOU WILL BE SEQUESTERED.
If you are cast, you will report to the film studio, have all your electronic devices taken off you, have people go through your luggage ( for illegal stuff; i.e, your favorite book by Diana Vreeland, which will be confiscated), and from then on, you will not be allowed to take one step alone. A cast wrangler will be glued/assigned to you, until you leave. Oh, and no one on the production is really allowed to talk to you. This varies per production, but the cast is always sequestered. You get use to it, really.

5) IT'S LIKE DOING A TRIATHALON, BUT HARDER, AND FOR LONGER.
You will be woken up at dawn, taken to weird locations in the snow or 110 degree weather and have to act happy and surprised when Iman or Alexa Chung tell you your next challenge is to create a ball gown out of a swamp.
You have to sketch, design and choose fabrics at lightening speed, work all night, answer a million interview questions, do model fittings when you’re not ready to, oh the list goes on. Sleep? forget it. Coddling? In your dreams. This makes your senior collection project feel like winning the Ecco Domani. One word: prepare.


Diana Vreeland.

Q4. 'Downton Abbey'- Discuss.........

What can one say about the delicious sibling back-stabbing, the drawing room scheming, and the noble sentiments of the aristocracy, led on the “upstairs” side by our favorite, diva dowager, Maggie Smith?
And the “downstairs” drama!
A handsome Evil gay footman, the gut wrenching love saga between lady’s maid and wounded valet, and dead foreign aristocracy turning up in the most inconvenient places.
All set in a genuine stately home, (the yellow Labrador, is the home’s real dog) –and – the backdrop - the war, always the war. Which of course shaped British culture and created it’s indelible backbone. J’adore!


Photo: Juergen Teller.

Q5. Who is your ultimate Fashion Icon?

It’s always Vivienne Westwood for me. She is one of the few designers who has maintained her individuality and vision, without compromise, and without fear. She is a rebel in the true sense of the word - I’ve looked many times at her new collections and scratched my head, only to see versions of what she’s done seasons, or even years afterwards. She doesn’t give a fig about what anyone thinks, and in this age of self-conscious navel gazing, she is still refreshing. This is my favorite photo of her.

http://www.nancygarciafashion.com/