Sunday 16 March 2014
Saturday 11 January 2014
Feature: Mila Falls
Live photographs and interview with singer/songwriter Mila Falls
Location: Richmix Theatre - Video Release Party (10/12/13)
How did your musical career begin?
I
started DJ-ing garage and drum n bass on pirate radio when I was 14 in my
hometown Norwich Brighton .
I lived in Brighton for a bit, which was
amazing. I started doing live shows, sharing the stage with future superstars
such as Jessie J. It’s so exciting seeing people blow up, it is very inspiring!
... My
first taste of success was when I got my song placed in the film Bring it
On, ever since then I’ve thought “Ok! This is a real job now”, so I’ve been
writing, writing, writing; doing stuff for Universal Publishing alongside
writing tracks for my debut album and playing LOTS of live shows across the UK
How does writing for yourself vary
from to writing for others?
My
heart is on my sleeve when I perform my own songs live. Tonight I’m playing my
most heartfelt song Empire of Dirt which is about a horrific time in
my life. Hopefully it will showcase another side of me that’s not all Party
in the Stars, Spaceships and weirdness… As a songwriter I love exploring lots
of different genres, concepts and styles...
... I
like pushing my limits. I’ve written in so many different styles over the years
including pop-rock, r'n'b, hip hop, deep house and straight up cheesy pop! I'm
a high energy and fidgety type of person, I have to have fingers in all the
pies. One pie is never enough for me!
Do you play any instruments?
I
play keyboard and guitar but I get really nervous when I have to play and sing
at the same time on stage. I’d love to play piano on tour though, but I need to
practice a bit more. In the meantime I’ve got my band - Team MP. They are
called this as they all have the same initials “M.P” Milo Pascall, Marius Ptaz
and Mike Prince!, they are very talented musicians, I'm lucky to have them!
Are you nervous about your Video
release party this evening?
Tonight
is the first time I’ve showcased videos and all my new songs as a finished
product. It’s taken a couple of years to get to this point. It is definitely
scary to get out there and go “These songs are finished, now judge them!”
What are your plans for 2014?
My
plans for 2014 include releasing more music videos, making more music, doing
lots more live shows and radio sessions. My stylist Jemelia and I will be
working with loads of top international fashion designers and showcasing lots
of their brand new wardrobes. SO EXCITED!!!!..
... As for the live shows, I’m already booked up for
gigs until October next year, so there’ll be lots of live shows around the
country and hopefully Europe and America
For more information about Mila Falls
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MILAFALLS
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/milafalls
Thursday 7 November 2013
Feature: Meg Mosley
Location: Park Land Walk, Crouch End
What
inspires your art?
I am inspired by a fascination with the
everyday, with the absurd in the ordinary and with the routines and rituals
that groups carve out to make sense of themselves and each other. I am motivated to be seriously silly by the
inventiveness with which many women use the internet to perform, display,
socialise and overshare. I am captivated
by the connection between individual and communal identity and how these
interact and how they are being modified by our obsession with the internet.
Tell me more
about Megastar
I researched Megastar by visiting Las Vegas,
Nevada, in search of the glamour and extravagance that is used as a reference
point in my hometown. I intended to work as a participant observer but
something stirred in my psyche as I experienced just how much people were
willing to respond to the project and I was so inspired by their willingness to
join in the fantasy that I spent the whole trip dressing up for the occasion
and did a shoot at the Neon Boneyard in which I tried to capture the imagined
persona of a disenchanted show girl. I started to see the things I filmed as
‘events’ that could be manipulated and learned how to do things ‘for the
story’. Eventually, these insights evolved into the creation of my alter ego, Megastar,
a full-on Trow Vegas celebrity...
... Megastar is not a
character I’m acting out as such because it’s not switched off. Megastar has merged strangely comfortably
with me as a persona – meaning she’s
not a performance but an extension of myself mostly lived online and through
social media. She is a glamour girl
maybe from a slightly more bygone era of the 60s, 70s, 80s because she’s
influenced by personal ideas of family as well as popular culture. My mum wrote a book, ‘She Who Dares, Wins’ in
the 80s and my granny set up the first beauty school in London so I’ve been
formed by strong, bold, women who believe in looking glamorous. Megastar’s a kind of homage to my family and
to powerful women everywhere.
Tell me
about Trowbridge and recent art projects/exhibitions
Trowbridge has been the inspiration
for Megastar – the two can’t be separate.
The project started from my amusement at my hometown being called Trow
Vegas by so many locals, which is ironic because it really quite a dull place
with a bad reputation. I wanted to make
some artwork about this so I developed the story of a west country girl wanting
more glitz and pace against the backdrop of a place that somehow just can’t get
it right either...
... To make the tv series about #mylife in Trow Vegas, I needed to make relationships with local people. This led to all sorts of interesting and funny interactions as they wholeheartedly joined in and shared their own aspiration and personalities. The ‘Meg’ part of me remained a dispassionate observer but my ‘Megastar’ persona was the force behind all the glitzy events I filmed...
... It was intriguing to discover how far people who didn’t know me were willing to go along with Megastar. I met Vicky on twitter and she became my star struck protégé ‘Mini-star’ and worked with me on many events. I also found other locals dreaming up ideas for themselves with glamorous imaginations; I met 2 boys who have alter egos and many girls aspiring to be like Katy Perry. I discovered some local gym boys who thrived on becoming celebrity bodyguards at my Trow Vegas red carpet event. I worked with the local town crier who puts on his costume and becomes a different person. I even met one local guy who joined in my red carpet event and was so passionate about Trow Vegas he had a tattoo in homage to our hometown, which he photographed and made a video diary of his tattoo day!
Where did you train/study art?
I won a full MA funding scholarship from The AHRC for the Research Preparation Masters Scheme to study for a Masters degree at the Slade School of Art. As my course progressed, the themes of my work shifted dramatically from the personal to the communal and I started to get people involved in my work. My work became more sociable and began to include performative lectures and presentations related to the connection between individual identity and communal identity. How these interact became the premise of my dissertation and final seminar. This culminated into a large scale event I staged on the opening night of the Slade called Friends Family and Flowers. It was ethnographic, performative, playfully unconventional and defined all my subsequent artistic aspirations.
What does the future hold for Meg Mosley?
I am interested very much in being a digital native investigating the possibilities for exciting, female art that this era could engender. I want to be a part in that. As Megastar I’m still on a journey and I continue to strengthen her brand and see her into commercial and popular culture and potential television roles as a comedy character as well as using the persona to perform and I am receiving commissions to be Megastar in various art circles as well as interest in her commercially. This is a treacherous yet exciting balance to forge...
... I also have now teamed up with artist Sarah Maple a very funny and talented artist I admire and with director Ross McClure. We have launched ourselves as the #MeggyAndMapes show where our tag line is ‘the adventures of #MeggyAndMapes two girls on a gonzo mission into the heART of creativity which sees us a tv presenters investigating the artworld, the self appointed Ant and Dec of the artworld. This will be launching this Saturday 9th November 11.30pm at Rio cinema at a late night event ‘At Home With The Ludskis’
For
further details please check out Meg Mosley’s website: www.megmosley.co.uk
Follow
her on twitter: www.twitter.com/meggymosley
and
‘like’ her facebook page: www.facebook.com/megmosley
Info
about ‘At Home With The Ludskis’ event on 9th November can be found
here: http://grannyludski.wordpress.com/
Thursday 24 October 2013
The Mitch Daniels Band: Live at the Islington O2 Academy2 (Net the Bed)
SOUNDCHECK PHOTOS
On Friday 18th October, the Mitch Daniels Band played an
amazing headline show at the Islington O2 Academy2, and they raised a lot of
money for charity in the process. Here are some live photos from the show, plus
some exclusive pics from the soundcheck. I also interviewed Mitch Daniels after
the show to find out how it felt to perform at the venue, and what the future
holds for the band.
 |
| Mitch Daniels at the soundcheck |
How
did it feel to headline the O2 Academy2 Islington?
It
was an amazing experience. I had been planning it for over 12 months and it was
the whole reason I put The Mitch Daniels Band together in the first place. When
we walked out on stage the whole room starting buzzing and it felt incredible.
We were absolutely blown away by the amount of people there and the response we
got. I am still waiting for all the funds to be collected but I think we have
raised about £600 for "Malaria No More UK", enough to send 120 nets
out to Africa!
 |
| Julio Diaz |
Tell
me about the day of the gig?
We were up early to
pack the gear into the van and were in the venue from about lunch time. Setting
up was great fun but tense at times as to whether we would be ready in time.
Normally, "if something can go wrong, it does"… but we were pretty lucky
and it went very smoothly!
 |
| Michelle Bisceglia |
 |
| Tom Triggs |
What
are the future plans for The Mitch Daniels Band?
Well
we are due a couple of band meetings to discuss that, but I think the next step
will be an EP, hopefully before Christmas, and next year we are all keen to get
on tour!
 |
| Jesus Gomez Gutierrez |
How
can I get a copy of the live album?
I
would like to thank everybody who came to #NetTheBed or who has contributed to
the pot for "Malaria No More UK".
I
would also like to thank the boys in the band: Tom, Julio, Jesus and Michele. I
couldn't have pulled it off with them. It feels like we are on the cusp of
something very exciting and I cannot wait to start the next project with them.
They are all great guys and as I have said before… I wouldn't want to perform
without them anymore!
SUPPORT ACTS
 |
| Torben Tietz |
 |
| Kaitlyn Haggis |
GIG PHOTOS
Many
thanks for visiting this blog and please check out my previous photoblogs about
the Mitch Daniels Band:
Cheers
Samantha
x
Beside
the See Side
www.facebook.com/samantha.edgley.arts
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