Lockdown Lifted - Cabin Fever

As this week marks the fourth week of us stepping outside to cheer on our NHS, there is word of Lockdown being lifted in the UK.

It appears to be speculation at the moment, but with deaths in the UK still on the rise... are we ready to have the weight lifted?

As a nation we have been in Lockdown, officially, for 4 weeks and this Thursday we will find out more about our current situation, it has been rumored to last another 3 weeks, until 7th May.

The Lockdown has since been lifted in China and parts of Europe and I'm sure it would be a dream come true for the UK too. Summer is not yet here and so the weather is still slightly too cold to enjoy from our window sills or balconies and I doubt that I am alone in being concerned about what happens when we do finally step outside and expose ourselves for longer periods of time.

Surely our immune systems will be a bit off track, our bodies not as we want them, our energy levels will suffer during the day, maybe even our attention spans... with the death toll rising to 11,000 (717 in the past 24 hours) are we any closer to being out of the woods? 

...and how is everyone else Dealing with Cabin Fever?

On a lighter note we do have the option to have some mild composure to the outside world. We can have our 1 hour of exercise a day, plus we can walk the dog and go out for our essential shopping. As Spring gets into full swing and the sun shines through my window, these daily allowances of venturing outside seem less and less but we are all doing this together to safe each other. 

If we look on the bright side, that run, walk or trip to the shops can be a way to distance yourself from the person you are living/stuck with, I enjoy the company of mine but we can have too much of a good thing sometimes and that vital trip alone might be the best thing to clear the mind (I highly recommend a run or a jog).

Are you learning anything new? With the boredom along with the issues of going outside, we can make the most of our time inside. Baking, or cooking in general can be very therapeutic, maybe if you live with friends, family or partner you can go for your distancing/ time out run, or trip to the shops and then come back to cook with those that you are surrounded by (video calling can also make this a social event!)

Here are a few things that can be done throughout the day/week:

• We enjoyed a homemade Lasagne and it was the best!  
• Decluttered clothes and bagged up for charity
• Been for a run
• Sang along to Disney tunes 
• Cleaned the house
• Downloaded a course
• shared my thoughts through Blog posts
• reached the bottom of the laundry basket

Admittedly these things will not be done every single day, so we can space things out to keep ourselves occupied but at what other time would we have the chance to get these things done at our leisure. 

Do something that you need or want to do, create your process and you can do it at your own pace, I expressed my attempt at this in my last post "Quarantine Qualms". 

Writing a journal or a blog post/video diary can be therapeutic and sharing these things might actually help others feel not so alone, it can also make great reading at other times in your life and want to remind yourself how you dealt with something. A journal can be anything that you want to come back to; a mood and how you overcome that way you were feeling, a recipe and what went right or wrong. 

Use the weekend as time to catch up on what you miss during the week and then write a list for the following week of what you need to catch up on as well as new things that you want to get done. 

During these times we need to maintain routine and purpose.

As we move forward, I feel that we will come out of this more positive, more supportive to life around us. We can compare all day long people and their lifestyles but there are plenty of things here and now to put into perspective.

Whilst money can create choices, health and happiness cannot be bought, we will always find ourselves in situations that make us equal.

#staysafe #stayhome #savelives

useful links:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/coronavirus-lockdown-extended-three-weeks-21861425.amp

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-52266699

Quarantine Qualms - Surviving Self Isolation

So here we are in the midst of uncertainty with the latest health scare that is Covid-19 or Coronavirus. As we attempt to join together by staying apart and help save our NHS heroes, we find ourselves in other vulnerable positions than that we are striving to help and that creates a whole other frightening outcome.

Like with anything, we must have all gone through the novelty stage of treating it like a holiday or  'staycation' but as the reality hits in, we find ourselves feeling like prisoners in our own homes.

So, instead of succumbing to the sofa and the tantalising tales of daytime TV (it's so relatable right now), we must find the positive in the situation we are now in.

We are allowed to walk our dogs, take up exercise and go to the shops but what else must we do with the majority of our time inside our four walls?

As we embark on the unknown and self isolate, we could use this time for positive gains...

What will I do with all this free time?

What have I been wanting to do but not had enough time?

Now is THAT time to put up those shelves, spend time helping your children with their homework, going through your wardrobe, culling those items you feel you have no business wearing (although trying them on would be a great trip down memory lane as much as it would be a great ego boost).

Ever since we had the news of working from home, I must admit, at first, it was a bittersweet feeling. Christmas came and went and it was not all the festive fun I usually feel. Maybe it's a sign of growing up but since then all we have seen is the decline of life as we know it due to the current outbreak. So from a personal point of view, I figured this could be a great opportunity for me, albeit bleak and dismal at the same time, to try to learn a new skill in order to shine a fresh light on something long and dark.

I am making my trips outdoors only within the realm of what we are able to do in order to keep numbers down, and I am trying to make the most of what 'free' time I have to put to better use.

As more of a morning person, I wake up at around 8am, I then put on the morning TV to get the latest updates, whichever channel suits you best and yes TV is much better than looking at  phones as TV has the latest information and less irrelevant distractions of celebrity so called news.

I prepare coffee, the fresh smell of coffee drifting through the apartment in the morning is the best, once awake with the latest news and caffeine fix, I prepare my dog for his eagerly awaited morning walk. 

Walking the dog, I try to make use of different scenery, whilst remaining compliant to social distancing. We go along the main road, crossing over to avoid any kind of contact whilst taking any side street that brings us back around to the original main road and back across the main road to another side street that brings us back closer to our flat. This figure of 8 is not exactly the most exciting adventure for our lovely pooch but at first it is a mixture of the surroundings and smells for him to do his doggy business and it does feel like a much longer walk, or until he gets use to all the scents at least.

During the daytime, I have been tidying and sorting in order to declutter my life and living space, this is something that I have been meaning to do for some time and now adds great value to this trying time. 

If you have anything that you were longing to do around the house or in the garden, now would be the time to set the standard for how you want things.

Now, when I get back from the walk... I do have daytime TV on in the background as I have found that it can be a great part of the routine as its great to exercise to whilst also gaining some knowledge/inspiration for things to do. There are a few small masterclasses across the channels during the day.

After or during the work out make sure that some kind of routine is in place for hygiene, the family/house mates can take it in turns to use the bathroom as those that do want to exercise can get on with that.

Also if you have children, this would be a great opportunity to form and stick to a routine and after hygiene has been maintained get them to do their home work or set them chores or even a creative project to do together (remaining mindful of their health and safety). Maybe even from one of the daytime TV tutorials.

Going through laundry and organising clothes, relive those memories of trying on garments from a past life!

Thoroughly enjoyed trying on a navy blazer with a bicycle broach that I bought 12 years ago but last wore 10 years ago whilst getting a bit tipsy and climbed on top of a car!

Not just for the nostalgia but why not create some outfits, put together some clothes that look great in your mind take pictures on your phone and save for when you are next stuck with what to wear.

 If garments no longer fit or they now look tired then its cut to the cull... that's half the job done at least!

Set aside a pile of garments that's are no longer needed, in order to donate, There are bound to be people out there who are in need of clothes especially when things return to normal and we could all do with donating something instead of throwing it away. I personally enjoy browsing charity shops and have found great deals before so do not fear about creating new memories for your clothes!

If you are living alone then why not get onto one of the various video calling platforms and contact your siblings, your parents, your cousins, and/or your friends and have a trip down memory lane.

Those who eat together stay together! - a statement that is very true! 

Anyone who has ever enjoyed anyone else's company will know how true this is!

No matter who is the chef or who isn't... there is always a warming feeling coming together with your favourite people to enjoy a bite and their company. Eating together has created life long friendships with people I studied with and myself and my partner eat together on a regular basis which has proven a nice bit of normality during this isolation. 

Again this can be done via video calling if you want to include someone who doesn't live with you or if you live alone, we live in a social world nowadays.

As the day heads to a close, I like to treat this as the norm... by watching TV and again catching up on the news. I prioritise escapism at this time though by catching up on TV programmes/series as there are regular news updates throughout the whole day.

Escapism is good, watch a DVD, catch up on something that you downloaded or saved and still be mindful about the latest updates when they appear.

Survival in Self Isolation can be all about setting the standard for the norm!

Let me know what you think and how you are self isolating...

Remember:

Whatever you're doing and however you're doing it...

#staysafe #stayhome #safelives 

Mariah Carey - Almost Home Coming?

Just when this woman was facing becoming a 'has-been' for the second time in her career, she has not had a number one single in 5 years. Mariah Carey, 42, made a comeback last year with Triumphant (Get 'Em) too much disappointment to herself and more importantly her fans due to the lack of Mariah Carey on a 'Mariah Carey comeback record'. The comeback seemed to have been on a light simmer since with the release of the Obama tribute Bring It On Home which sank without trace possibly down to the song not being built up of a verse, Chorus, verse structure. Beside her craft of song writing apparently on the slide it was not exactly nothing new... but then nothing has been since the success of her 2005 US No. 1 We Belong Together. Flop after flop and then it was time for Mariah to take the judging panel on American Idol, luckily no one knew who Keith Urban was!

With herself perched back into the public eye it was time for another assault on the charts. This latest attempt came in the shape of Almost Home, a song for the new Disney motion picture 'Oz The Great And Powerful' which sounds more like a prequel for a spin off computer game franchise than some on-a-whim Wizard of Oz Prequel....

The song however, is possibly Mariah Carey Gold for the noughties in their difficult teen years! The song is nothing new in subject matter for the Mother of two but with the slightly modern musical backdrop and those signature polished pipes that she has kept very well hidden of late, someone has been very kind here when adding effects. This new slice of Mariah Carey Pop could easily sit up there with hits such as Make It Happen and Hero, however it does somehow sit in limbo quite comfortably... is it what to expect from her new album or is it just a sound for the movie. There have been so many attempts of late to make another comeback and Carey has not supplied a song for a movie since 1998’s Babyface penned Duet with Whitney Houston, When You Believe for DreamWorks animation The Prince of Egypt.

The verdict: Who cares? The song has a very punchy beat and great vocals with a positive message! Let's hope this puts the diva back on the map somewhere where she is safe from becoming the next Paula Abdul to American Idol or Dannii Minogue to X Factor.... a woman who needs to pay her bills.

Robbie Williams To Join Take That If Album Flops

There is no debate that Robbie Williams is an artist in his own right, despite his career never really recovering from 2006 flop Rudebox, Robbie has maintained 14 years as a solo artist. There is no argument that he is the most successful of the group that he emerged from; Take That.

After leaving the band at the height of their career, after Williams allegedly wanted a change in musical direction, the band split and Robbie Williams seemed to live on reigning with a successful music career as a solo artist and also a womaniser according to many tabloid stories at the time. However fast forward ten years as Take That are about to emerge without it's now 'most successful' member and Robbie Williams is set to release a new record believed to be packed with enormous talent, but as the lead single aired on radio station, one in particular radio station aired the song too early than arranged by the record label, there was a mixed reception towards the song and of course the album followed in the same suit and the project was branded a 'flop'.

So after the band have proven that they can make it as a four piece as well as a nostalgic five piece Robbie played both the most reluctant and then the rehab cards and then in Melanie C style admitted defeat and rejoined the band that helped make his name. Take That have sold around 10 million records with Beautiful World (2006) and The Circus (2008) both without Williams and the success of the five piece made (with Williams) Progress (2010) resulted in a hat trick.

Now the group have temporarily disbanded, Barlow is doing his X Factor thing and no ones really cares about the other two and Williams is attempting another comeback which is an apparent decision maker whether or not he returns to the group. Robbie Williams' intentions make sense for his flailing solo career but for a band that has already had it's day, the morale needs keeping up in order to keep the fans, old or new, coming back for more and he doesn't seem to be much of a team player so for a band that has proven themselves to be just as good without the so-called-successful one as they are with him, then do Take That really need Robbie Williams?

Leona Lewis - Glassheart

Cosmetic surgery aside, Leona Lewis returns with the follow to-no-so resonating last effort... Echo(2009) with Glassheart.
Since the release of the unpredictable Collide in 2011 the world (mainly Leona Lewis fans and Simon Cowell) have waited with baited breath to see what the fast becoming dreary X Factor winner would come up with to save her career. The result may well pay off, Glassheart is a decent Pop record that still manages to remain a Leona Lewis record. Glassheart is a fine mixture of uptempo magic and haunting ballads that should put Lewis in good stead in updating her sound.
The album is a jump on the old band wagon as throughout, the album is a tug of war between Alexis Jordin and Emeli Sandé which proves as no surprise since the same team behind Alexis Jordin and Emeli Sandé herself are among the albums credits alongside Leona's constant collaborator Ryan Tedder.
The album opens up with Trouble, which is the perfect bridge from what Leona is known for and where she is about to take her fans when it opens up as a typical slow song but then smashes into the chorus with it's descriptive plea for someone to back off or they will get hurt over it's heavy Hip Hop drum beat. The song is light to start with and the drum beat only emphasises the dark side to the song.
The slow songs on the album still manage to match up to that that Leona is famous for such as Fireflies which features a child choir, well it was only a matter of time, Fingerprint and Lovebird which the latter speaks of life after growing apart from another and 'flying away', which features a retrospective Leona showcasing her emotional verses just like in signature tune Bleeding Love. Glassheart sees the mid tempo tracks sticking to the same old safe formula such as on Un Love Me and Stop The Clocks being reminiscent of throw back tune Better In Time.
Another 'ballad' that may please fans is the other Emeli Sandé song Colourblind, which could easily have been a Sandé song just like Trouble but in working with Sandé, Leona seems to have found an excellent writing partner to create another shade to Leona Lewis' palette alongside Ryan Tedder.
I to You is an intriguing sound, it starts of with another heavy drumbeat that is very similar to Jay Z/Alicia Keys' Empire State Of Mind, with haunting vocals questioning what someone's part is in their lovers life touching on all the aspects of love such as compromise and hurt.
The more uptempo songs on the album are the standout tracks on Glassheart, without standing out too much that they make the signature sound obsolete, but the standing out is mostly down to the change of direction in sound. All the songs on the album flow perfectly with the next just enough that it never seemed unpredictable from Leona Lewis in the first place.
Come Alive and title track Glassheart erases the Leona Lewis the world fell in love with. With the repetition of strong vocals, some with effect, over a Dubstep backdrop, it is clear why it is important for Lewis to make a shift in her sound as she has managed to pull it off effortlessly. However she does run the risk of becoming another pop star cardboard cut out just like Alexis Jordin. The tracklist helps with the notion that Leona Lewis has possibly sold out and jumped on the band wagon as the Dance songs are so cleverly placed among the typical Leona Lewis tracks that by the time the next dance track comes around, it is refreshing and just rejuvenates itself and therefore the same with the sound we are used to from her as the album progresses.
Glassheart is a decent effort for a first attempt in change of direction, without it being too far a cry form older work.

Mariah Carey - Triumphant (Get 'Em) Feat. Rick Ross and Meek Mill

After the disappointment that was Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel, R&B Queen Mariah Carey attempts comeback number two.
After giving birth to twins almost 17 months ago Mariah returns with new single Triumphant (Get 'Em) Ft. Rick Ross and Meek Mill.
When the title was first anounced via the 42 year old star's Twitter a couple of weeks ago, fans went crazy for a preview. A collaboration like this does somewhat suggest a hint of her monster hit It's Like That which featured JD and Fatman Scoop in 2005, which also suggested that finally Mariah must have finally got her groove back. The artwork for the new song is very inviting and very reminiscent of 2005's The Emancipation Of Mimi which would have been in keeping with the original comback album she put out in 2005 had the song been up to scratch. Maybe someone, maybe herself thought that if she puts out such a heavy collaboration that she can gain the hype and in clude the 'Mariah only' usually titled 'Part II' as a so-called bonus track on her new album, it has worked for Alicia Keys, Empire State Of Mind and Rihanna, Love The Way You Lie to name a few. But this is Mariah Carey and this rubbish jsut will not suffice for a first single from a new album especially after a three year gap.
Now, Mariah Carey has always managed to make decent Pop/Hip-Hop collaborations, she pioneered it in the 90's with 1995's Fantasy ft. Wu Tang Clan's ODB respectively it has part helped carve a decent career for the girl from Long Island alonside that unbeatable Vocal range.
However, Triumphant (Get 'Em) did not prove worthy of the hype it was generating when it premiered on August 2nd 2012. The song would have possibly done Rick Ross and Meek Mill a favour so early in their careers as a guest vocalist but  if released around 2005 and probably would have been a hit right off the back off her album released in the same year. The song features not so much of Mariah as fans would have hoped and when she comes in, her vocals are so distorted by layering and effects, she aint no spring chicken anymore, that it is hard to fathom what she is singing. The attempts she makes at the big girl's parts i.e. the voice she is known for, are very much pushed to the back and kept behind the over produced chorus. Even her recent work has featured dominant vocal ability...by comparison.
The song is very much dull for a Mariah Carey song considering what Mariah Carey is known for and so for a comeback song, it is very much disappointing.
The song could have been marketed as a Buzz song or one of those sneek peek songs that is always disguised as a 'leeked track' but as a lead single from a highly anticipated album? Not so much.
Everyone was waiting for a Mariah Carey song even if she hired guest rappers, something with a Mariah only verse, chorus, verse, chorus structure with a rappers verse correctly in place would have been a good way to 'set it off'. She needs to not think about past efforts and stop keep trying to recreate them and start a new slate with her same approach as that is how she came up with The Emancipation of Mimi it was fresh and yet authentic of her Style of sound.
Every artist has to keep up with the trends to some extent but seriously this is just a waste of everyone's time including her own.

R.I.P. Whitney Houston 1963- 2012

After nearly 30 years showcasing her uncomparable talent and the past 20 years battling drink and drugs allegedly as a result, the ' Voice of a our Generation' Whitney Houston died at 48.
Houston was first introduced to her public by Clive Davis in 1983 when she wowed the world with her rendition of Home from The Wiz on The Merv Griffin Show. Since her introduction, Whitney Houston has sold over 170 million albums and has won 6 Grammys, has performed with some of the worlds biggest talent such as George Michael, Enrique Igleasias and Mariah Carey and also covered what is now one of the most famous songs ever due to her unbeatable vocal ability, on the Dolly Parton track I Will Always Love you which was also the theme for Houston's acting debut in The Bodyguard.
Houston spent the 80's wowing the world with songs such as I Want To Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me), So Emotional and One Moment In Time and spent the majority of the 90's starring in movies such as The Bodyguard, Waiting To Exhale and The Preacher's Wife all of which Houston was also committed to the movie soundtracks. The late 90's saw Houston take a break from acting and return solely to music with the record My Love Is Your Love and with this main return came collaborations with the biggest names in the business(at the time) such as Producers Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins (Beyonce, Destiny's Child, Lady Gaga, Spice Girls, TLC), Wyclef Jean (Lauryn Hill, Mary J Blige), Babyface (Shai, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston) and Missy Elliott (Aaliyah, Destiny's Child, Mariah Carey) as well as other stars who had made a name for themselves in the spotlight as well as behind the scenes Kelly Price, Faith Evans, Missy Elliott and Mariah Carey. 1998's My Love Is Your Love received seven Grammy nominations, one of which Houston won for Best Female Vocal Performance and the album went on to sell 10 Million copies to date, which will possibly triple now. Houston was untouchable, she had a successful movie career, a succesful music career and a strong family unit with her then husband, singer Bobby Brown and Daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown so at this high point in her career Houston and Arista records released Whitney The Greatest Hits, which to date has sold 10 Million copies worldwide and saw Whitney Houston collaborating with George Michael on If I Told You That and Enrique Igelsias for Can I Have This Kiss Forever.
Since the release of the Greatest Hits collection, the cracks were starting to show in Houston's life, it seemed she could not go anywhere without photo's being released documenting her deteriorating state,  some of the speculation was anorexia and then it was believed to be down to drugs. It was a performance on a 30 year tribute to the late Michael Jackson that sparked attention as Whitney appeared to perform Jackson's hit If You Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' where a frail Whitney Houston emerged and appeared to be out of breath throughout and it was reported that her state may be a result of her $730,000 drug habit, something that Whitney has never commented on when confronted.
In 2002 Whitney Houston had been working on a new album with Arista named Just Whitney, the album was made without the guidance of mogul Clive Davis as a declaration of independance and also a response to all the tabloid stories which is delivered in the lead single Watchulookinat, with the text message craze destroying grammar everywhere, this was a clear cry out for a wider audience as well as trying to remain inkeeping with a then modern R&B vibe that was acheived on 1998's My Love Is Your Love but the public had become more focused on the 'private life' of Houston and how that life was being depicted in the press as oppose to the story that Houston had tried to tell with this latest effort which contained some big ballads that saw Whitney tested at her attempts that made her famous, the songs were forgettable and the album did not prove a success which only worked against her, it was looking more and more as though Houston had, had her day.
Whitney Houston spent the next decade attending to her private life, still popping up in gossip columns all over the world as a drug addict, it was looking highly unlikely that Houston would ever return to music. A Christmas album, One Wish, was released in 2003 but seem to sink without trace, which given the track record of this extraordinary talent, should have been a major success and possibly will be now, but could have been had the concept been realised during the 90's when Houston had built up enough of a decent reputation.
In 2007 it was reported that Houston had filed for divorce against Bobby Brown and that she wished to return to music and in an attempt to clear the debris that the past decade had been left of her career, Arista released another Greatest Hits but wrapped in a bow of ' The Best Of...' in 2008.
In 2009 after the world had possibly written her off, Whitney Houston returned to music with a collection of brand new recordings as titled 'I Look To You', the world was waiting with baited breath.
Million Dollar Bill, written by Alicia Keys, was the lead single and Houston's vocals appeared to be in good shape. The Album included production from Akon, R. Kelly, Nate "Danja" Hills and Harvey Mason Jr and even saw some writing collaborations from Whitney herself, which has been rare.
I Look To You saw Whitney acheive the best first week sales of her career and was starting to look as thought Whitney Houston had got 'back on track'. A world tour was also on the cards the Nothing But Love Tour, which reportedly took $36million worldwide, however Houston did not receieve great reviews. Houston sang live throughout but her voice was not what it used to be, Whitney was very hoarse throughout her performance and even had to stop before the big and possibly best part of I Will Always Love You just to prove the pause did her no favours anyway as she was very hoarse and failed to hit the note. Apparently some fans were leaving before the show had finished.
After a bed reception both critics and her public Houston went a little quiet, possibly to work on her latest acting effort since 1997, a remake of the 1976 movie Sparkle which is still yet to be released. Houston made a few public appearances on award shows being serenaded by the likes of Kim Burrell performing I Look To You and Jennifer Hudson with I Will Always Love You. In 2011, after allegedly booking into rehab due to her returning to drug use, Houston looking healthy, also made an appearance at Prince Azim of Brunei's birthday party at his stately home in Leicestershire alongside Mariah Carey, Usher and Joan Collins. Rumours arose that Houston was planning to work on her eighth studio album and was looking to work with Wil.I.Am of The Black Eyed Peas. In February 2012 Houston was snapped leaving Kelly Price's pre Grammys party. They had been singing and the singer was intoxicated and had apparently started a fight with a young woman who was apparently flirting with her partner Ray J. Houston was caught leaving the party looking very dishevelled, her hair was wet and stuck to her face and apparently there were signs of blood down her leg, which could have possibly been red wine, the singer was however leaving to return to her hotel.
The next day, February 11th at 3.55pm, Whitney Houston was found dead in her Beverly Hills hotel room. The singer had apparently taken prescription drug Xanax which apparently calmed her nerves before performing and was due to perform at Clive Davis' pre Grammy party that night, it has been reported that she was found in the bath and due to the drug being a sedative, Houston may have drowned.

Madonna- Give Me All Your...Money?

What was once fast becoming an industry nearly owned by a certain Lady Gaga, Madonna returns to clean up the mess and to possibly protect her 'crown' and not just for the industry but for her own reputation. It has been three years since her last record, Hard Candy which did not quite succeed in out doing it's predessor Confessions On A Dancefloor in 2005. Hard Candy was an embarrassing jump on the band wagon at the time as the record saw Madonna attempting R&B/HipHop with the help of man-of-that-moment Timbaland, which brought us the unmemorable 4 Minutes, I literally had to google the track.
Now Madonna puts that record behind her and a divorce, adoption and a movie later (Madonna thinks she is a Director now) Madonna fans have been informed to sit tight and wait for Madonna's new record, 'cleverly' titled MDNA, the first single being Give Me All Your Lovin'. a collaboration with new man or woman-of-the-moment Nicki Minaj and MIA.
The song starts with a cheerleading chant

    "L.U.V MADONNA!"

I fail to fathom why Madonna felt the need repeat something that was never really her sound in the first place for e.g. Toni Basil's Mickey in 1982, nor when it was violently resusetatted by Avril Lavigne in her awful Mickey rip off, if such a thing, Girlfriend and more recently Mariah Carey's not so Christmas, Christmas song Oh Santa. Credit where it's due though, Madonna is not over doing it
 however it is still just as annoying. The years have been kind to the so-called 'Queen of pop' but while listening to Give Me All Your Lovin' it could have easily been a Debbie Harry tune, at least then it would have been ironic as oppose to desperate as Blondie's image is so far removed from the sound. But as a Madonna track? Give Me All Your Lovin' is a clear attempt to clear up the damage that Hard Candy had done. Had Madonna released this song instead of 4 Minutes in 2008, then maybe it would have fit with the time when Electro music returned to dominate and as an artist who started out in the original Electro decade, the 80's, then Madonna had the advantage to have owned the airwaves during the time of the genre's revival of crossing over to Pop. But now with the pollution of the over produced repetitive sound that is always David Guetta and more than likely Kelly Rowland, then Give Me All Your Lovin' whilst still very annoyingly catchy still sounds dated.
The new album MDNA, however may well just be in a league of it's own and suddenly cause Lady Gaga to sound obsolete. Madonna has always managed to strike gold with pretty much everything but playing at the superbowl and directing a movie, at face value, will not certify a place in her public's hearts for lead single Give Me All Your Lovin' and it's just the hard graft alone that feels accomplished...but only to her.

 I <3 Andy Warhol

Art can take many different directions, in the primary intentions of the artist, the critics or the audience’s perception of a piece of work. Art is not necessarily always about breathtaking scenery and the qualities of that same scenery captured in the painting by the artist, but also the intention behind what is depicted before the viewer. Irony perhaps or the intention to work against typical artistic rules and theories creating underground art and the ‘anti-art’ and ‘alogic’ conventions of art.

UMI Research Press, Andy Warhol’s Art and Films, Patrick S. Smith, 1986.

Artists such as Tracey Emin and Andy Warhol have used these approaches in expressing their art, for example Tracey Emin used an unmade bed, believed to be her own, with underwear and contraception packets surrounding the area. The realism within this piece can be related to by a wide range of its viewers therefore makes it more appealing to analyse its purpose and question its state of art, due to its simple form of creation, suggesting there may be more to read into.

Andy Warhol also took this approach before Emin, and also very different to her work used products of Mass Culture. The use of everyday objects that may be considered boring in the context of art or even artless but according to UMI Research Press, Andy Warhol’s Art and Films, Patrick. S. Smith, 1986, these paintings gained attention due to peoples speculation about what is in front of them, contradicting the traditional concepts of art, Warhol’s use of the object and what else lies within his interpretation of this ‘readymade art’ have created indifference causing the viewer to analyse further as to how it makes sense.

The viewer can possibly relate to Warhol’s work, pieces such as Dick Tracy, from the comic strip, read to him be his mother as a child and the Campbell’s Tomato Soup apparently his favourite soup, creating a form of nostalgia in his pieces but also something for the viewer to grasp and possibly identify with and or understand.

The viewer therefore will naturally incorporate their own relation/interpretation with the piece in order to understand what is in front of them, without any certainty.

UMI Research Press, Andy Warhol’s Art and Films, Patrick. S. Smith, 1986,

Fine examples of this are the urinal by Marcel Duchamp and the picture of Warhol’s Campbell’s Tomato Soup that was thought to have lacked uniqueness yet gained the

interest of the speculating public due to its indifference as it ‘lacked both good and bad taste’.

A commonly known version of this is Duchamp’s reworking of the Mona Lisa but with facial hair titled, “L.H.O.O.Q” however the meaning behind this is there to be interpreted as with his urinal piece named Fountain. Thought from both of these pieces can be provoked due to the functions brought forward; Fountain- due to the flush functions and what is associated with how it is used and what that can represent to an open mind, and the L.H.O.O.Q.; Duchamp has used the letters for when said sounds like the “Elle a chaud au cul” pun which translates as “she is hot in the ass”

http://www.studiolo.net/Mona/MONASV12.htm

Duchamp’s L.H.O.O.Q. and Fountain have been a clear inspiration to Warhol; this ‘readymade art’ has provoked thought due to its apparent simplicity but it is the intention behind or possibly the alternative meaning to what lies in the picture, for example like with L.H.O.O.Q. there is more to interpret than what is placed in the aesthetic; Mona Lisa with a drawn on moustache and what the initials represent as a whole. In Duchamp’s Fountain, at first glance there may be a urinal, but with the title it is what the functions of this device may alternatively represent. It is also the subtle approach to creating alternative meaning within something well known that symbolises something else.

UMI Research Press, Andy Warhol’s Art and Films, Patrick. S. Smith, 1986,

Due to Duchamp’s inspiration Warhol attempted imitating or recreating some of Duchamp’s work, such as Duchamp’s “Large Glass” Warhol then created “Glass-Handle with Care”.

Warhol’s pop art provokes thought at a glance with its use of objects from the media, for example in 1960 he used the coca cola logo in one of his pieces with abstract expressionist patterns in the background and also in his portrait of Superman, a take on the comic version shows superman blowing out a forest fire with the sound effects written as “Puff” to emphasise his powerful blowing, subtly  emasculating the original perception of the character, possibly in reference to Warhol’s own sexuality.

Along with Warhol’s Campbell’s Tomato Soup he created many other logos for consumer products with similar styles.

Warhol’s ‘readymade’ art containing well known objects and figures was believed by Warhol himself to be like an archive due to the abstract images that manipulated the original creating a new take on something iconic therefore caught peoples attention and disputed the work he did as art.

However this fuelled Andy more with his work and success. Andy Warhol was completely aware of the novelty of fame and the media and the effect it had on the public and how the public were like a machine as consumers these images were used in a way to cause individuality and quite possibly contradict that as at the time

“… everybody is always talking about that (being creative) and individuality. Everyone is talking about being creative”

UMI Research Press, Andy Warhol’s Art and Films, Patrick. S. Smith, 1986,

In a response to his analysis Warhol wanted to prove that everyone was the same despite people trying to be individual as everyone is exposed to the same media content (Marilyn Monroe, Superman, and Mickey Mouse) and products (Brillo, Del Monte, Coca Cola and the Campbells Tomato Soup) which Warhol’s work proves, despite any mixed opinions or confusion, that everyone can relate to the main body, or what appears to be the main body of the picture, may it be the alternative message; the reading between the lines or the well known character that is used.

Warhol used something simple and so well known such as Superman and Coca Cola, adapting his piece with images that caused the viewer to subconsciously analyse as there is something everyone can recognise and interpret their way, whether the response positive or negative, his work still gained attention which proved his theory of the world being like a machine

“Someone said that Brecht wanted everyone to think alike. I want everyone to think alike…Everyone looks alike and acts alike, and we’re getting more and more that way. I think everyone should be a machine. I think everybody should like everybody”

Andy Warhol in an interview with Gene Swanson

UMI Research Press, Andy Warhol’s Art and Films, Patrick. S. Smith, 1986,

Rihanna & Britney Spears - S&M

After turning your claim to fame around from being a singer to certified mess it only makes sense that when you go full circle, in this case, back to the music, that you leech on to something or, more so, someone that is actually raking in the cash.
I will admit, I like Britney, not her music now but I can accept her still trying. I did prefer her music during her crazy period but she milked that to death and now has to move on.
Her music since her 'meltdown' has been somewhat awful. Womanizer shown some promise but even that was tiring to listen to.
S&M has a very good musical backdrop and due to studio wizardry even Rihanna voice sounds less whiny making it tolerable background noise. However I was shocked when I heard the duet with Britney Spears, I had anticipated that it would be a good little pop tune. Both having awful voices and autotuned within an inch of their lives, I had assumed that they would blend perfectly, clearly Rihanna's part has not been touched since the original recording was finished but Britney has been cut and pasted in with not a lot left to desire.
The opening is just Rihanna for the

 "I like it, Like it" 

for the fairly decent introduction of Britney singing

"Nah, nah, nah nah, nah, C'mon"

when hearing this it's as though the song could have been Britney's, she could have owned it, it's almost nostalgic of a better, sexier Britney.

After Rihanna's first verse, which is that of the original record, Britney comes in to attempt a re-written second verse. The verse has been written in keeping with the song and also with the two stars on the duet just as much but after hearing Rihanna's original vocals (that of the original recording) Britney's part, in comparison, appears rushed, leaving it sounding seperate from the rest of the song, it seems a bit too forced, like she still needs to prove that she has still got it. Her vocals sound tired and aged, by comparison, and possibly due to writers block, or just plain laziness, Britney's verse features some silly pointless noises, which somehow makes rihanna look like the talented one as oppose to being on balance...Poor Britney.

The particular pairing is just as bad as that Madonna and Justin Timberlake duet 4 Minutes, although the age gap is not the same (poor Britney) the younger one still manages to make the older one look like they have had their day, despite how famous they may be.

The finished product leaves Britney sounding like she has passed it, unlike Rihanna's vocals, Britney fails to glide along effortlessly with the music and sometimes sounds like it was a mission for her to keep up.  Although the two blend perfectly on the later chrous and the ad libs such as "Nah, nah, nah", and almost sound like one mediocre singer that has been double tracked for a thicker sound as oppose to two of the most famous singers in the world collaborating, they clearly were not in the studio together.

Had they been two seperate songs then maybe Britney could have saved face with her own version or possibly featured Rihanna on that instead as oppose to Rihanna providing the safety net.

Tortoise Shell Tinted Glasses

Hang on a second folks let me just put on my glasses! I will admit that I do like the different styles of frames that are now available but as I have not yet been informed, by my body or an optition, that I need to invest in the beneficial equipment, then I do not intend to. However what is with all these 'costume jewellery' glasses?

Is it 'Right On' (sorry, had to get that in) to have a problem with our eye sight now?

Is that the new black?

When did Coronation Street's Deidre become such a fashion con?

When we are cold, we want to be warm and vice versa so in the long run the same will occur due to faux glasses?

I have been known by friends to be a bit of a consumer whore when it comes to fashion. One of which was wearing these 1970's style frames when I met them in 2007 but they were perscription, I made grandparent and Deidre jokes about the 'vintage' style and funnily enough this said friend told me

"...in a year these will be all the rage and you will wearing them just cos they are in fashion"

I laughed and called him ridiculous...how foolish I was to joke. I do however know my mind and knew I would not be donning the circus esque specs in order to be 'In'. A year later they did indeed come into fashion with the rest of the 'Preppy' look but it was not me who succumbed like my dear friend said, it was another friend of ours who decided he could not repress his urge to play partially sighted. The shame.

The first thought when seeing these victims jumping on the band wagon, from my own experience, is usually: Do you actually need those, or are you just a poser?

Then: Does the frame reflect your personal taste? as the fake high street range usually all look the same and therefore have not been picked out of a collection of many

What is it doing to their eye sight and are they really prepared to sacrifice something as important as their sight for the sake of looking ridiculous?

It doesn't make you look 'cool' or smart create your own identity folks come on! 

For those who actually benefit from the intention of the equipment, not the accessory and for those future users who are perhaps damaging their eye sight, there are some nice frames at the moment that do not appear on your average high street.

For this album Mathew, I will be... ripping off Madonna!

The apparently bonkers starlet Lady Gaga tries to tantalise our musical taste buds with the second taster from her second album Born This Way. Titled Judas, the song is about being torn between two  lovers; the good guy and the bad guy, with her heart forcing her to steer more towards the bad guy, this is Judas. The concept is hardly new. There have been numerous orgasmic cries from female vocalists about falling for these so-called bad men, the latest being Alexandra Burke with the discreetly titled and slightly catchy gay anthem Bad Boys, but surely everyone has a different experience of particular concepts.

The concept alone is not exactly fresh, the intro is desperately trying to recreate the intro to Bad Romance, here however the mention of herself in the third person does not fit with the rest of the vocalised intro as it did with the original attempt. It is very unnecessary as the repetiton of the song and love interest's name fits perfectly fine with the song but someone felt the need for it's exsistance as though we need to know that the name represents greatness. Throughout we hear a elements of watered down House music along a Hip Hop beat riding along underneath two verses that hold the same tune as that of Pokerface with the chorus taking us back to Bad Romance...yawn!

The video is not as controversial as many suggest but it is easy to understand why it would be and why it needs to be brought to our attention as just that.

There is a mixed race man playing the character of Jesus, a take on the mistaken identity of the character in Madonna's Like A Prayer Video? However, it is Lady Gaga's Mary Magadalene position in the video that is the clear attempt at controversy:

• Mary falls for Judas, the man who betrayed Jesus, going against their roles suggested by the bible. 
• Adultery, again going against the bible and committing sin.
• The eventual stoning of the Mary Magdalene character, a torturous ritual that is caused by the above.

The Video does contain a story but it is edited in a way which is very quick to tell. It cuts from certain scenes to others which bridge fine without requring no other story telling, but some scenes like the bathing scene just seem to happen. It does however let the viewer know what exactly is going on with the characters in this story and they cut to the bathing scene, Mary, Jesus and Judas bathing together, alongside the change in the music and the scene is quite explanatory in the 'behind-closed-doors' phrase as the three characters appear to be alone.

As far as the piece as a whole goes, both aurally and visually, it may be a successful formula as fans especially will find it shocking and will want to invest in that but it is not a track that is uplifting or patriotic or profoundly memorable as a song. Unlike Madonna's Like A Prayer as a song and most importantly Gaga's previous work. Judas relies mainly on the subject matter and the rules it may bend with a restraining concept like religon.