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24 September 2010

23 September 2010

A lomo, by George!



Shots taken during the photo shoot for Sweet Tooth's album artwork at the George Tavern in Commercial Road.

16 September 2010

nature boy

“The greatest thing, you’ll ever learn.
Is just to love.
And be loved, in return.”



Nat "King" Cole's rendition of the song 'Nature Boy' would have to be my favourite recording of all time.

A big statement, I know, but I stand by it. The lyrics as a whole tell a story that’s magically bewitching. And the refrain about love encapsulates my philosophy of life in one, wonderfully simple, line.

I’ve heard this song countless times - from listening to it with my mama when I was a little girl, through to it being a constant edition to any mellow play-list I make. Nat’s soothing voice, combined with the lilting strings and simple, haunting piano line, never fails to make me stop in my tracks and really listen, rather than let it just float by.

But it’s only recently that I discovered what an intriguing story is behind the song’s conception.

The strange and fascinating American songwriter ‘eden ahbez’ wrote the song in 1947, and his life was one of long-haired hippies with flowers in their hair, long before the Peace movement became populist in the 1960s. His real name was George Alexander Aberle but his close friends knew him simple as ‘ahbe’ - a beatnik poet in a full beard, long, flowing white robes and sandals, with a predilection for outdoor living (camping with his wife and young son in L.A’s public parks).


This lifestyle seems to have begun for him in the early 1940’s, when he moved to Los Angeles and supported himself by playing piano in the Eutropheon, a small health food store and raw food cafĂ© owned by German immigrants. It was here he began to live by a ‘Naturmensch’ philosophy that advised only eating raw fruits, vegetable and nuts (which, considering ahbez lived to almost 90 and even then died in a car accident, could perhaps teach us all something?). It was also here that he changed his name to ‘eden ahbez’ - the lower-case letters purposefully avoiding the capitalization he claimed could only be attributed to two words worthy enough: ‘God’ and ‘Infinity.’ See, I told you he was a little strange!

Quite how he went from health-food shop to acclaimed song-writer is wonderful. In 1947, ahbez diligently loitered outside the stage door of the Million Dollar Theatre, in the hope of approaching Nat “King” Cole with his song ‘Nature Boy.’ After many tries, he was able to get it to Cole’s manager and shortly afterward Cole began to perform the beguiling song live and saw how it touched his audience’s hearts. In order to release a recording of it, however, Cole needed to track down the author and arrange the publishing rights. And here’s where the story gets its magic, as a great search ensued and ahbez was finally discovered living underneath the first ‘L’ of the Hollywood sign (I kid you not!).

The gorgeous recording shot to #1 on the Billboard charts (remaining there for eight consecutive weeks during the summer of 1948), and once the PR’s dream of a story got out, the ensuing media frenzy saw ahbez covered in Life, Time and Newsweek magazines. Stars like Frank Sinatra and Sarah Vaughan later released versions, ahbez continued to supply Cole with songs, and also wrote hits for artists including Eartha Kitt and Sam Cooke (two more of my favourites!).


Just wonderful, hey? Learning the song’s history has made me love it even more so I hope it’s had the same effect on you. It’s always held a slightly mystical quality for me, and this has only increased knowing it was written by a true ‘nature boy,’ camped out under the Hollywood sign.

“Very wise was he” indeed...

x

9 September 2010

everybodywantstobeinlove

Some of you may have already heard about this (if you’re on Facebook), but I thought this little happening was too special not to share it again here.

A few weeks ago, sat in a subterranean carriage as it wound my way home, I was privileged to witness a young, besuited, ‘average Joe,’ engrossed as he jotted this down on a notepad:

"I'm on my way back to see you. 
I'm excited, and smiling like a loon on the Tube. 
Smiles are so rare these days, yet I feel like I've been in a London bar that sells passion, 
and I'm greedy for more..."

It totally made my day.

I felt a little guilty spying on his scribblings, but he made no effort to hide them so I do hope he didn’t mind.

I’d love to see what Brooklyn-based artist Sophie Blackhall would do with this. Her ’Missed Connections’ prints transform ‘message-in-a bottle’ classifieds messages into whimsically beautiful illustrations.

This is just one sweet example – check out her blog for more (or Etsy to purchase):



































Tuesday, October 6, 2009
-m4w (L train to Manhattan)
You were reading Catch-22 on the subway this morning. I have never seen such a beautiful profile. I wanted to say hi, but then you’d turn towards me and I wouldn’t be able to look at your profile anymore. You were so into your book, I don’t think you noticed me falling in love with you. But I thought I’d ask, just in case.

Blackhall told the New York Times that her illustrations have “recurring themes of love, loss, regret and hope. Even the most grim postings have this little kernel of unflagging hope which is just so lovely and optimistic. I think that is what appeals to other people, too.”

Have you ever found a note, or stolen a snippet of a conversation, that turned your mood around, even for just a moment in time?

x

8 September 2010

The sweet smell of success?

How fun would it have been to write the soundtrack to this short film for Dior Homme by Guy Ritchie starring Jude Law? Hope we get the call next time... Guy(s)?

7 September 2010

the good fairy


The Good Fairy is an antiques emporium on Portobello that I often pass on my way to the wonderful vintage clothing market further down the Road.

Though I’m sure the store holds some lovely treasures, it’s the name which grabs my attention, as from a young age I was completely and utterly obsessed with fairies. I wore my little costume until it pretty much fell apart (see pics below). I used to leave messages for the elves I just knew were in our garden. And whenever we did creative writing at primary school I would add another bloom to the series of ‘Flower Fairy’ stories that I was the proud author of.


Did this innocent childhood interest enamour me to my peers and teachers? It most certainly did not. “Fairy Fleur” became the name they used to tease me mercilessly (I marvel now at the cruel twist children could add to a seemingly sweet nickname). And my mother was incredulous reading worries about my “lack of imagination” in teacher reports, referring to my stubborn focus on one topic for story writing (bear in mind this was the school that praised my high reading age but refused to let me borrow more challenging books from the library).


Now I have to say that my infatuation with fairies hasn’t particularly carried on into adulthood (bar a brief period where I donned wings at raves and granted revelers ‘wishes’ in a cloud of glitter – all photographic evidence of which has since been destroyed!). What I do love is the fact that what set me apart at school is something that I now think of fondly as I wander down Portobello Rd – no doubt it began my adoration of vintage clothing, and that same “lacking imagination” is now what feeds my performances, writing and day-dreams…

Do you have a quirk (past or present) that you’ve decided to embrace with open arms? Care to share? We’d love to hear them (and you’ll help test our comments function - we're still feeling our way around this blog!).

x

6 September 2010

so long, summertime

It's pouring with rain here in London town, and though we've only just slipped into September the balmy evenings and sunny days seem to have packed their bags and migrated south for the winter.

This quirky little video just cheered me up though (and not just as we're obvious fans of the cut-out clip, here at Sweet Tooth Towers!).

Summertime - Billie Holiday from Amos Mulder on Vimeo.


This burst of sunshine found thanks to the wonderfully reckless daughter of Don Juan...

x