In the forties and fifties , James Stewart, also known as Jimmy, was the epitome of “the salt of the earth,” a figure of decency and goodness in American culture. His film roles centred around standing up for the little guy, whether It’s A Wonderful Life, Harvey or Mr Smith Goes to Washington.He embodied theContinue reading “No More Mr Nice Guy: How Hitch Turned Jimmy Stewart Nasty”
Category Archives: Pop culture
The Notorious JT
From the late nineties onwards, the blistering prose of JT Leroy captivated many, many readers all across the world. Like a cross between Kathy Acker and Dennis Cooper,his fiction resonated, weaving high art from low places. In person,too, Leroy bewitched the literary establishment, a taciturn, androgynous and socially awkward figure in shades, wig and hat.Continue reading “The Notorious JT”
Her Master’s Voice: Nina Conti Says Goodbye
The brilliant, gifted ventriloquist Nina Conti may be better known these days for the ritual humiliation of audience members, as she gets people up onstage, slaps weird masks on them and makes them say ridiculous or filthy things, but back in the day, her act was much, much darker: a kind of psychological cleansing thatContinue reading “Her Master’s Voice: Nina Conti Says Goodbye”
Barbara Kruger’s Legacy
What a forward-looking lady. Barbara Kruger was, making huge scale graphics and photography when the YBAs were babies. She still is. You can’t ever dilute the spirit of people like Kruger. Having cut her teeth working with luminaries like Diane Arbus, inspired by the likes of Walter Benjamin, Kruger creates unflinching, anti- capitalism work inContinue reading “Barbara Kruger’s Legacy”
What ‘While We’re Young’ Got Right… About Gen Z Narcissists
*Contains spoilers* Who are the real cultural custodians? Generational discourse masquerading as rom-.com , While We’re Young, which was written and directed by Noah Baumbach, is a really intelligent, funny and thoughtful film. Josh and Cornelia (Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts) are a middle-aged couple, both working in film, whose marriage is getting moribund. EveryoneContinue reading “What ‘While We’re Young’ Got Right… About Gen Z Narcissists”
Tina : Goddess
Born Anne May Bullock, in 1939, she’ll forever be the force of nature that is Tina Turner. A fiery fusion of soul, rock and blues, we all know how she survived the abuse of first husband Ike Turner, and had a second career as a solo artist in her own right, aged 44, but sheContinue reading “Tina : Goddess”
Benny and Joon: Raisins
Benny and Joon from 1993 is a flawed but likeable film. Sure, it doesn’t really depict mental health problems in a subtle or realistic way (apart from June’s meltdown on the bus) and it’s all resolved far too easily, but it’s redeemed by beautiful performances from Mary Stuart Masterson as June and Johnny Depp asContinue reading “Benny and Joon: Raisins”
The Peel Sessions: PJ Harvey
John Peel was the first DJ (as was so often the case) to play PJ Harvey, and she recorded some of his favourite sessions for him over the years. The compilation -from 1991, to his untimely passing in 2004- has some of her best work, completely raw and unadorned. There’s a cheeky cover of theContinue reading “The Peel Sessions: PJ Harvey”
Preview: Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow
Few designers epitomised the spirit of the sixties like Dame Mary Quant. The iconic British fashion designer, who passed away last month aged 93, heralded a new freedom from the stultifying previous generation, representing the UK as the new leaders of fashion. Her work was exciting, colourful, bold and youthful, symbolic of the young personContinue reading “Preview: Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow”
Bye, Bye B52s
With their wild wigs, wicked wig-outs and smarter than they seemed lyrics, the Athens, Georgia legends The B52s are doing their farewell tour (at least, for now). Rock lobsters are (possibly not) provided. But before we say “Ciao”, here are a few examples of what made them so great: those killer harmonies, sci-fi sirens, surfContinue reading “Bye, Bye B52s”
Hit The North 