The Gothic Beauty Subscription Box 54 was such a treasure to come home to on a cold, rainy December night after shooting a show on the Bowery. I positively cackled at its delightful contents, swaddled in charming skull paper and purple confetti. What macabre marvels awaited this elder darkwave dame?

A full-sized LashyDoodle eyeshadow palette in Halloween colours galore – doesn’t matter if your mood is Strawberry Switchblade, Steve Strange or Siouxsie Sioux; there’s something for everyone to play with, in stunning, bright pigments. It blends effortlessly in a rich powder that does not flake. 

They didn’t skimp on the LashyDoodle eyeliner, either: you’re not only covered with the full-sized eyeliner pen, which glides over your peepers beautifully – but comes with a darling bonus: a spiderweb stamp. Give yourself a beauty mark to draw admirers toward you, asking in hushed wonder, “Is that a spiderweb on your face?” 

“Yes – several, in fact,” I’ll respond with a sinister gleam in my eye. “I went…a little mad.”

If you need concealer or highlighter to bring out a more ghoulish complexion to entice a vampire lover, you get a small tub of Dark Asteroid Pretty Pale White Shimmer Creme. It glitters, glistens and glides over your skin with soft matte ease, making you look otherworldly AND fresh-faced. 

For fragrance lovers, there is a perfume roller from Spooky Spirits in a delicious Blood Orange Clove Autumn scent. It’s intoxicating, mysterious, and sure to attract abundance with its potency. Purists will love that it’s 100% steam-distilled jojoba, clove and orange oils – nothing yucky there to hurt those with sensitive skin.

Eerie Baubles also contributed two spooky little items: a fun bat necklace that can adjust between choker length and something less asphyxiating; and one of two rings. The one I received was a darling sterling silver cat-shaped pinky ring with tiny paws hugging your finger, and a heartwarmingly simple kitty face. 

Need a “stiff” drink? They also sent along a Castle Murk silicone ice cube mould for making skull-shaped ice. Serve your guests the chill of Death, or treat yourself to an iced coffee that really gets you. It’s also suitable to craft skull-shaped candy, sure to be the hit of the horror d’oeuvre tray!

It’s chilly in the Big Apple, so it was wonderful to uncover a lovely set of FootClothes socks to pair with your creepers and Docs. This well-made, sturdy hosiery is cozy and stylish: mine had a nice haunted cathedral emblazoned on them, perfect for chasing spectral organ players who dwell in the catacombs of the opera house, or lurking in the rolling hills of Green-Wood Cemetery.

A few more goodies were thrown in there, including a Lip Service sticker and postcard offering a 10% discount, and a sticker from Gothic Beauty Magazine. 

This would certainly make a good Christmas gift, whether you are new to the scene, or a Goth parent.

Pick up your Gothic Beauty box here!

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In the cryptic art gracing the album cover of Joy Division’s “Unknown Pleasures,” we’re privy to the traces left by the pulsar named CP1919+21— the very first of its kind to be noted. A pulsar comes about through the rather dramatic exit of a star considerably heftier than our modest sun. These grand stars, rather than fading gently into that good night, erupt in what they term a “supernova explosion.” This leaves behind a nearly flawless sphere with a diameter of about 10 km known as a neutron star. With their swift rotations and a magnetic allure a trillion-fold mightier than Earth’s, the cosmic dance of these celestial wonders beam with the persistence of a beacon. After a rather extensive voyage through the cosmos, CP1919+21’s radiant bursts make their presence known here, punctually every 1.34 seconds.

Student Jocelyn Bell Burnell stumbled upon this pulsar in 1967 amidst the ivy walls of Cambridge University. Much like a beacon in the vastness of night, it sends forth electromagnetic whispers that our radio telescopes eagerly snatch up. Each streak you discern represents a singular pulse. These pulses waver ever so slightly, given they’ve traipsed vast cosmic distances, occasionally hindered by the universe’s meddling interruptions.

A scholarly fellow by the name of Harold D. Craft Jr., upon the submission of his 1970 dissertation titled “Radio Observations of the Pulse Profiles and Dispersion Measures of Twelve Pulsars,” happened to be engrossed in his work at the Arecibo Radio Observatory nestled in Puerto Rico.  Craft sketched the radio oscillations of CP 1919 and sent them to an illustrator friend at Cornell University.

The image made its appearance in The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Astronomy in 1977. A young graphic arts student named Bernard Sumner happened to be in the library on his usual lunch break, thumbing through their science and art collections, and chanced upon the image. It deeply resonated with his synth tinkering and love for 2001: A Space Odyssey. Two years later, as his band Joy Division prepared to unveil their inaugural album, they sought the expertise of the Factory Records graphic artist Peter Saville to implement the image in the cover.

Imagine the surprise Harold Craft felt when he wandered into a record shop and happened upon his own illustration! He immediately purchased the album plus a matching poster. Decades later, millions of CP 1919 shirts, albums, totes, tats, memes, parodies and even embroidered tributes bear those waves- an image conceived by a student, representing a deep-space radio…transmission.

Now, Joy Division announces a collaboration with the design team at Midnight Hour, introducing a new limited edition collection of clothing bearing those famous pulsar waves and more. The officially licensed clothing puts a modern spin on the classic style, taking it into the realm of cloaks, leggings, track jackets, jumpers, mesh tops, and blankets. In addition to the artwork for “Unknown Pleasures,” there’s the cover photo of the iconic single “Love Will Tear Us Apart” and the band’s second studio album, “Closer,” adorning select items in the collection.

 

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Midnight Hour started in 2014 as a wholesale brand to retailers. Based in Los Angeles, CA, it was founded by husband and wife team Akiko and Danny.

“Joy Division had a tragically brief presence, but their impact on music is inarguable. Their combination of raw emotion, atmospheric instrumentation, and poetic lyricism resonated deeply with listeners and artists alike, and spawned a wave of innovation in the scene.

We’re honored to collaborate and memorialize their legacy with a few special release items.”

Peruse the fashionable offerings here.

Follow Midnight Hour:

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Peter Saville’s legendary design for the Unknown Pleasures cover for Joy Division has had numerous parodies over the years, but thanks to NYC’s indie darlings The National, his minimalist cover for New Order’s Substance now has its day in the sun.

New Order T-Shirt is now available to the masses in both in song format and an actual garment; the former the lead single from The National’s ninth album, First Two Pages of Frankenstein, due out in late April via 4AD. The wistful, pensive track, with a lovely visualizer of black and white photos of the band on tour, is a simple reminiscence of New York memories of an era that has faded into memory. The lyrics namecheck a few stereotypical early 2000s hipster-era accoutrements, so their shirt is a cheeky nod to that dormant whimsy of the time. The sentiments behind the song itself, however, reveal a touching encomium to fleeting, fading youth.

“To me the line ‘I keep what I can of you’ means something about everyone I’ve ever known or loved,” Aaron Dessner said in a statement. “There’s a simplicity to ‘New Order T-Shirt’ that reminds me of our earlier records, but with the full maturity and experience we have now. It feels like a really important song for the future of our band.”

Listen below:

To promote the single, The National partnered with New Order for the limited-edition T-shirt, with a portion of the proceeds going to an as-yet-unannounced charity chosen by the bands.

The limited edition shirt can be pre-ordered in white or black here.

The National is set to go on a US tour starting in May with appearances from Soccer Mommy, Patti Smith, and her band, Bartees Strange and The Beths. They’ll kick off the tour in Chicago, working their way through DC, Boston, LA, Philly, Detroit, Denver, Madison, and more before wrapping up at Madison Square Garden in August. Their second leg commences in Europe in September, starting in Dublin, with stops in Leeds, London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Madrid, and more, and landing in Lisbon in October.

Full dates are below:

• 05-18 Chicago, IL – Auditorium Theatre *
• 05-19 Chicago, IL – Auditorium Theatre *
• 05-20 Chicago, IL – Auditorium Theatre *
• 05-21 Chicago, IL – Auditorium Theatre *
• 05-23 Washington, D.C. – The Anthem *
• 05-24 Washington, D.C. – The Anthem *
• 05-26 Boston, MA – Boston Calling Music Festival
• 05-28 Napa, CA – Bottlerock Festival
• 05-30 Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre *
• 06-02 Troutdale, OR – McMenamins Edgefield *
• 06-03 Troutdale, OR – McMenamins Edgefield *
• 06-04 Redmond, WA – Marymoor Park *
• 06-05 Burnaby, British Columbia – Festival Lawn at Deer Lake Park *
• 08-01 Philadelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia ~
• 08-02 Philadelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia ~
• 08-03 New Haven, CT – Westville Music Bowl ~
• 08-07 Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit ~
• 08-08 Madison, WI – The Sylvee ~
• 08-09 Minneapolis, MN – The Armory ~
• 08-11 Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom ~
• 08-12 Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom ~
• 08-15 Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater ~
• 08-16 Atlanta, GA – Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park ~
• 08-18 New York, NY – Madison Square Garden &
• 09-21 Dublin, Ireland – 3 Arena *
• 09-23 Leeds, England – First Direct Arena *
• 09-24 Glasgow, Scotland – OVO Hydro Arena *
• 09-26 London, England – Alexandra Palace *
• 09-27 London, England – Alexandra Palace *
• 09-29 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome ^
• 09-30 Berlin, Germany – Max-Schmeling-Halle ^
• 10-01 Munich, Germany – Zenith ^
• 10-04 Madrid, Spain – WiZink Center ^
• 10-05 Porto, Portugal – Super Bock Arena ^
• 10-06 Lisbon, Portugal – Campo Pequeno ^

* with Soccer Mommy
~ with The Beths
& with Patti Smith and Her Band
^ with Bartees Strange

The post The National Wrote a Song about a “New Order T-Shirt” and Release an Actual New Order T-Shirt appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

British fashion icon Dame Vivienne Isabel Westwood died peacefully today, surrounded by her family in London.  She was 81.

Westwood grew up working-class in Derbyshire. She briefly studied jewelry making at the Harrow Art School, but left after one term, saying: “I didn’t know how a working-class girl like me could possibly make a living in the art world.” For a short time she made a living as a teacher, creating her own jewelry designs and selling them on the side on Portobello Road. She had a brief marriage and a son Benjamin, but left this path of life after meeting Malcolm McLaren.

Westwood and McLaren moved in together and had another son, Joseph Corré. Westwood continued to teach until 1971, creating clothes of McLaren’s design on the side. When McLaren began managing the Sex Pistols, the band wore Westwood’s and McLaren’s provocative designs, and Westwood’s notoriety as a designer skyrocketed.  Her rebellious spirit led to truly memorable collections throughout her career, as she married the grunge of punk subculture with traditional feminine themes as a means to promote socio-political change.

She and McLaren also created an innovative boutique: SEX, located on Kings Road. The shop had already undergone a few incarnations since 1971 (Let It Rock; Too Fast To Live, Too Young To Die), but their distaste for the Swingin’ 60s and hippie looks was clear from the get-go. The punk style they created was based more on 1950s subculture: Teddy Boys, biker gangs, BDSM gear from forbidden magazines. Finally they just settled on one word: SEX, which became a hub for the London punk set who feasted upon their selections of fetishwear, bondage gear, leather, latex, safety pins, lace, and studs.

Their slogan? “Rubberwear for the office.’

Westwood’s and McLaren’s vision helped clothe an entire generation of late boomers ready to disrupt a tired musical, social, and political scene as it encompassed an innate understanding of the importance of fashion to music.  The Slits’ Viv Albertine wrote: “Vivienne and Malcolm use clothes to shock, irritate and provoke a reaction but also to inspire change. Mohair jumpers, knitted on big needles, so loosely that you can see all the way through them, T-shirts slashed and written on by hand, seams and labels on the outside, showing the construction of the piece; these attitudes are reflected in the music we make. It’s OK to not be perfect, to show the workings of your life and your mind in your songs and your clothes.” Westwood’s signature pearl necklace with its orb logo has remained a highly popular fashion statement since its creation in the late 1980s.  A hybrid of the Sovereign’s Orb and the rings of Saturn, it is peak Westwood: combining established iconography with something unusual – in this design’s case, outer space. Westwood’s orb logo symbolized taking tradition into the future.

Her first runway presentation, Pirates was staged in 1981. She continued to create more collections: Savage, Buffalo Girls, New Romantics and The Pagan Years. She gained further traction designing for the Sex and the City movie.

Westwood eventually expanded her boutique empire around the world, selling an increasingly varied range of merchandise, some of which promoted her many political causes such as climate change, civil rights, PETA and vegetarianism, and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. Her political alliances shifted over the years due to bureaucratic frustrations, but she finally settled on the Green Party.

“I make the great claim for my manifesto that it penetrates to the root of the human predicament and offers the underlying solution. We have a choice to become more cultivated, and therefore more human; or by not choosing, to be the destructive and self-destroying animal, the victim of our own cleverness. To be or not to be…” she wrote in her manifesto, Active Resistance to Propaganda.

In 1992, Vivienne Westwood was awarded an OBE from Queen Elizabeth. At the ceremony (to the Queen’s alleged amusement), Westwood wore nothing but sheer tights with reinforced bikini top under her skirt. “I wished to show off my outfit by twirling the skirt,” Westwood reflected. “It did not occur to me that, as the photographers were practically on their knees, the result would be more glamorous than I expected.” She was given the title Dame in 2006 for “services to fashion,” and was a three-time winner of British Designer of the Year.

Westwood’s husband and creative partner, Andreas Kronthaler, said: “I will continue with Vivienne in my heart. We have been working until the end and she has given me plenty of things to get on with. Thank you darling.”

The post Fashion Designer and Punk Icon Vivienne Westwood Passes Away at 81 appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

A special capsule collection is now available to celebrate the album’s enduring appeal and dynamic artwork and album design. Heaven collaborated with Cocteau Twins, 4AD, and graphic designer Paul West to create a limited range – the first of its kind with this band.

The exhibit features never-before-seen original art and memorabilia, open at the Heaven Fairfax LA store through 12 December 2022. Included is the original artwork designed by Paul West. The capsule will consist of a baby tee, a mesh skirt, a slit top, an album logo hairpin, and an album logo ring.

Items are available at the Marc Jacobs site here, Heaven Fairfax, and Dover Street Market in NYC, LA, and London.

Prices range between $35 – $145 USD.

The post Cocteau Twins Collaborate with Marc Jacobs on Heaven or Las Vegas Inspired Collection appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Carly Sioux, formerly the front woman and drummer for cult favorite Brooklyn noise punk trio Wild Bore, documented the mid-2000s NYC music scene as a noted film photographer and video artist. In 2016, she desperately needed a change of pace, and relocated to the Big Easy. Three years later, she launched NO ERA.

Carly Sioux’s unique stamp comes directly from lavish 1970s interiors, and the streetwear of Milan and NYC; experimental No Wave cinema, and – rather unconventionally, her passion for the ZE Records roster of the late 70s. 

“NO ERA is actually a direct reference to No Wave, my favorite genre in music. It’s sexy, sassy, has big attitude, and is essentially danceable and fashionable punk music,” she says. It also, of course, references her adopted city of New Orleans itself.

The concept behind her design mission is simple: sustainability, through sourcing vintage and antique furnishings – yet transcending stylistic periods. 

“NO ERA is layers of eras, no limits!” she says. “Exceptional pieces are chosen, across a broad spectrum of time, seamed together through bold color stories to create a sense of drama. This then sets the stage for these objects to occupy the same space and time.”

To promote her findings, Sioux directs wildly creative and clever short films about the retro-tinged tableaux. Blending Super-8 style footage, post-punk music, unique performance art, and visionary art direction, she often personally interacts with the objets d’arts to weave a story: dancing to post-punk in sexy Bond Girl-style vignettes; wandering slowly through a sleepy Southern backyard; zooming in on interesting details to create a cinematic vibe.

 

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In Sioux’s eyes, still life becomes main character. This approach brings these antiques to life – and moreover, creates a personality behind the objects. She assembles soundscapes for her visuals with music from bands like The Birthday Party, Portishead, The Sleepers, The Slits, Bush Tetras, ESG, Slim Twig and Dirty Beaches.

“Most social media creators use the same viral/trending songs, and I find it to be boring, unimaginative and often cringy,” she says. “There is such an opportunity to create some cool, unique and compelling content with almost any song you can imagine. Not enough people are taking full advantage of this feature.”

Sioux, who jokes that she is “low-key goth,” collaborates with complimentary businesses, such as vintage fashion sellers, to create more synergistic content. She prefers to drop these new short films late at night; or, as she puts it, “a kind of midnight matinee.”

 

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“At the moment I am working on designing a short-term rental in The Marigny with a Mid Century Gothic, vampire theme,” she says. “I’m so fortunate to have interesting clients who trust my vision and allow me to create an authentic experience for their guests, instead of the same old tired, touristy caricatures of the New Orleans experience. Only in New Orleans could Regency Goth even be a thing!”

True to her punk roots, Sioux also ran an edgy, anti-consumerist Holiday Campaign last Christmas season called NO HOLIDAYS.

“Instead of fueling the capitalist machine to mindlessly consume, I asked my audience to Buy Nothing (New) this holiday season. Always a play on the word NO.”

It’s always a treat to see how she displays her showcases – and bonus, it’s a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and assert your individuality in the home and on your body. “I feel very fortunate to be able to incorporate the music I love with some of the coolest vintage furnishings, and to be able to create experimental video art and photography. And the best part? I actually get to be myself. No Fucks given!”

Sioux’s work takes her up and down the Eastern seaboard and Deep South, working with various vintage retailers. She hopes to expand the concept, as well as clientele and offerings. Keep on rockin’.

Wild Bore channeled Sonic Youth, X, and Pixies; mixing spoken word from a wellspring of female rage. A recently unearthed track from their archives, FaceMelt, is out now for the first time – although recorded half a decade ago, it still perfectly encapsulates the zeitgeist of current female rage. Carly Sioux’s primal shrieks and drumming is anchored by a sinister bassline and hypnotic guitar.

If you’re feeling the burn, friends, shift the energy of your home with feng shui and a good old fashioned spring cleaning. You’ll never know what treasures you will unearth. Happy Full Moon.

Follow NO ERA:

• Website
• Facebook
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• Eleanor Bolero Silver Cape: Leslie Courreges
• Leopard Print 80’s Dress: Brooklyn Vintage Company
• Black Patent Leather Belt: FYI (Fuck You Industries) by Dani Read (Wild Bore)

Interior photos by No Era

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Sofia Coppola’s film examining the Chanel Fall-Winter 2021/22 Haute Couture show will be revealed on July 6th at 3pm, Paris time. In the preview released by the fashion house, we were treated to the familiar strains of an interesting choice: 1984’s “Dazzle”, by Siouxsie and the Banshees, the second single from their sixth studio album, Hyæna.

“Quite a lot of this…came from visiting Israel for the first time,” Sioux told Melody Maker in 1992. ’The sea of fluid mercury’ in the lyric, is the Dead Sea.”

Set in the Palais Galliera, actress and model Margaret Qualley (daughter of Andie MacDowell) is highlighted by Neo-Renaissance architecture. Dazzling, indeed.

And watch the original video for Siouxsie and the Banshees’ “Dazzle” below:

The post Siouxsie and The Banshees’ Dazzle Featured In Sofia Coppola-Directed Chanel Campaign appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Yuck. NYC dance-punk queen Leah Hennessey is, quite rightly, pissed off. Hennessey’s latest release, 8 Men, is a fiery call-to-arms, hi-tempo protest song, name-checking the Bastions of Greed hoarding the planet’s resources. Part electroclash, part Bertholt Brecht, part ZE Records, Hennessey rips their material from the headlines and fuses topicality with sharp wit and a very real passion for the betterment of humanity.

The release is verily crackling with synchronicity, dropping mere days after a Wall Street scandal where savvy Redditors brought devious hedgefunders to their knees and exposed the utter sham controlling the economy. Synth artist EJ O’Hara and guitarists Noah Chevan/Malachy O’Neil, sharing duties, bang out tasty hooks over Leah Hennessey’s droll delivery of a call for wealth redistribution. She paints a cosy picture of a calmer world with simple joys and equality for everyone.

Eight stinkin’ men, friends. Out of 7.8 billion Earthlings.

“The brutal fact of that insane wealth inequality can sometimes make any kind of faith or hope feel futile: how can I believe in ideals of fairness and equality when things are so corrupt and distorted and beyond the repair of revolution?” She wryly adds, “I’m too poor to have a dog, let alone ever dream of owning property! But it’s funny. The song is funny.”

It certainly is, but despite a call for the guillotine, the song reflects an exasperation bordering on the absurd, felt by multiple generations hitting wall after wall.  “But Bill Gates paid for my high school” is an especially poignant lyric. Selective philanthropy to ease guilty consciences, exploiting vulnerable populations with free software in a thinly-disguised push for brand loyalty. We could all have high school. We don’t need to be bribed into technological slavery. But as the homeless population soars in her hometown, a direct correlation to corrupt values and Profits Over People, as the pandemic has forced millions of young unemployed back home with parents, as dreams lay dormant and dying, the words of 8 Men hit our weary souls hard. And really, all she’s doing here is reciting the news to a high energy backbeat.

Hennessey, daughter of legendary New York Doll David Johansen, carries on the family tradition of trashing the status quo with persistent hopes of a brighter future. An artist through and through, she frequently collaborates with a collective of intellectual, creative minds (including Ruby McCollister, who contributed to the video), fusing together performance, visual art, avant-garde theatre, fashion, and Absurdist influences. 8 Men is no exception: the video was also shot as a collaboration with designer Lou Dallas.

The accompanying video, directed by Max Lakner and filmed at The Freehand Hotel, is a fabulous pisstake on  the glamour and artifice of fashion magazine shoots celebrating the 1%.  Headshots of über-billionaires are torn to pieces between shots of the trio posing hammily for the camera as one would for Vogue.  The messages are constructed like sinister ransom notes…indeed, these eight men have the entire world held hostage. Band members wear shirts emblazoned with “Think Otherwise,” riffing off of the long-retired Apple slogan, “Think Different.” The track is smart, snarky, and a welcome anthem of hope and justice for all.

Tear that shit up, Hennessey.

The single is out now via Velvet Elk Records.

The post Hennessey Tears Apart The 1% With “8 Men” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

What are your predominant memories of 1990s London and its music scene?

Back then, London was an explosion of rock and roll and a melting pot of competing subcultures. People wore their music taste on their sleeves, defining their tribe through their street style – be it goths, punks, indie kids, clubbers, or rockabillies. It was such a vibrant and exciting time and a photographer’s dream.

What is the story behind your rise as a music photographer?

Following my move to London, I began studying photography and film at London College of Printing and subsequently The University of Westminster, with a stint at RMIT in Melbourne, Australia. At the same time, I was exploring the London music and club scene, and started shooting gigs and bands. Soon I was pitching my work to magazines and getting commissioned as a freelance photographer for print publications such as X-Ray Magazine, Clash, NME, The Guardian, The Independent, The Stool Pigeon, and Vogue. I also became the official photographer at ‘Trash’, Erol Alkan’s infamous club which combined guitar music with electro, and regularly hosted performances of legendary bands and artists including Jarvis Cocker, The Slits, The Kills, and Phoenix.

Artistically, how would you compare photographing with an analog camera to shooting digitally?

My Dad gave me his Nikon FM2 when I first started taking pictures, and I still use it to this day. I love shooting analog with black and white film, I adore the sharp results, the strong contrast, and the vivid black and white nuances. I do miss working in the darkroom – its stillness, the focus on the comparatively slow film development and printing processes, and of course the endless experimental possibilities. Some of the world’s most iconic images were born as a result of darkroom experimentation such as Lou Reed’s ‘Transformer’ album cover. However, a huge freedom comes with the potential of digital photography. I believe that ultimately the art of photography is less about the equipment employed and more about having a good eye and distinctive creative vision.

Tell us the concept behind your most recent book ‘Berlin Reflections – Antlitz Berlin’.

Arriving in Berlin, I had the desire to visually document the female underground scene of the early 21st Century. This photography project focuses on female creatives and encompasses international and homegrown artists, illustrators, musicians, and performers. Whilst raw, gritty photography is currently very fashionable, my portraits are elegantly glamorous and proudly beautiful. The book’s foreword is penned by Oscar-nominated actress Candy Clark, David Bowie’s co-star on The Man Who Fell To Earth. Candy was in Berlin at the time playing the lead role in a theatre production and it was wonderful to have the opportunity to take her portrait for my project.

What artistic projects are you currently working on?

My next photo book project delves deep into my music photography archive, featuring many of the bands and artists I’ve shot over the years including Primal Scream, The Cramps, Suede, Amy Winehouse, The Kills, Iggy Pop, The Cure and Sonic Youth. The hardback book will feature unseen photographs from my collection as well as unpublished band interviews conducted by artist Mark Fernyhough. Aside from the ‘Rock n Roll’ archives, there is also a new portraiture series in the making entitled ‘Dogs of Berlin and their Humans’, of which a selection of photographs have recently been featured on Italian Photo Vogue.

Which bands and artists do you have particularly fond memories of photographing?

Shooting Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth at Berlin’s Tempelhof was a particularly fantastic experience as she’s a female icon of mine. I also once photographed Gary Numan at his English countryside manor for The Stool Pigeon music newspaper. Living a rock n roll life out there in the wilderness, I remember him posing with a collection of antique swords and recounting stories about the haunted house he was living in, in particular phantom dinner parties occurring in uninhabited rooms of the building. Afterwards, he treated us to a local pub dinner with his wife Gemma, raising eyebrows with the locals. Finally, shooting Suede’s Brett Anderson and Bernard Butler at my house in Keystone Crescent, Kings Cross for a fashion magazine cover was also very memorable.

What have been some of the most exciting live shows you documented?

The Cramps were always great live. Luckily, I had the chance to take photographs at the London Astoria during their final tour in 2006 and they were fantastic. Jane’s Addiction at Brixton Academy was a pretty provocative performance too. Most memorable to me are the intimate shows bands would play before becoming more well-known. It was always a pleasure to see and photograph bands play these smaller venues, such as Interpol at the Camden Monarch on their first UK tour or Franz Ferdinand at Electrowerkz in Angel, London.

With the current pandemic, live music photography seems almost exotic in nature…

As a photographer, you try to freeze a moment in time. Similarly, live music photography is an attempt to translate the excitement and energy of a particular moment to the viewer – to be experienced now, in twenty, fifty or one hundred years time. Looking at these live images of musicians and audiences during the 2020/21 pandemic, a time without live shows or crowd gatherings, feels positive whilst conjuring up feelings of longing and hope for better times.

Website: www.luxrevolver.com

Instagram: heike_schneider_matzigkeit

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