In 2003 I had a solo show in Marsellies, France. Abi, Kim and I bought last minute tickets to France to attend my opening. It was one of the best decisions we ever made. We had an amazing time together and the best part was the few days spent in Paris. One day Kim and I randomly wandered into one of the oldest and most elegant tea salons in the world, Ladurée. I was vegan at the time but there was no way I could resist the rose petal adorned pastries and floral scented teas. ahhhhh…
Marie Antoinette (2006) directed by Sofia Coppola
…and our ears had never before, heard anything this beautiful.
Rocket’s Tail
by Kate Bush
That November night, looking up into the sky,
You said,
“Hey, wish that was me up there–
It’s the biggest rocket I could find,
And it’s holding the night in its arms
If only for a moment.
I can’t see the look in its eyes,
But I’m sure it must be laughing.”
But it seemed to me the saddest thing I’d ever seen,
And I thought you were crazy, wishing such a thing.
I saw only a stick on fire,
Alone on its journey
Home to the quickening ground,
With no one there to catch it.
I put on my pointed hat
And my black and silver suit,
And I check my gunpowder pack
And I strap the stick on my back.
And, dressed as a rocket on Waterloo Bridge–
Nobody seems to see me.
Then, with the fuse in my hand,
And now shooting into the night
And still as a rocket,
I land in the river.
Was it me said you were crazy?
I put on my cloudiest suit,
Size 5 lightning boots, too.
‘Cause I am a rocket
On fire.
Look at me go, with my tail on fire,
With my tail on fire,
On fire.
Hey, look at me go, look at me…
I get real emails with these kinds of headlines, no joke:
“Our whole house has scarlet fever, Victorian tea party cancelled!”
The Orphanage (2007) reminded me of
some of my favorite films The Others, The Omen,
and The 6th Sense.
Look at their beautiful official movie site.
Christian Lacroix Spring/Summer 2008
Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2008
Nina Ricci Spring/Summer 2008
STRANGE ORCHESTRAS
From My People Were Fair And Had Sky In Their Hair…(1968)
M.Bolan
Saw a face in a conical of lace, it was a strange orchestra
Mannikin skin pounding on a bass-drum, strange orchestra
Lilliputian, evil in the eyes of the man with the leaf harp
He lusts for the urchin hiding under mountains of moleskin
A big cat like t-tyrannosaurus going to Lilliput
The ensemble make a tiny rumble, the celloist solos
The sky blackens and the bass string slackens and they stand statuesquely
Then they giggle and they wiggle through the door in the big dark oak tree
Chateau in Virginia Waters
From My People Were Fair And Had Sky In Their Hair…(1968)
M.Bolan Broken English words cracked the air like a bell
She had a chateau in Virginia Waters
Free from all those culture vultures
Her silver car a silver cloud cloaked the air in a shroud
Her pearly author’s teeth tore the seasoned cedar coloured pheasant Her one rich wish is to write a book about
A venetian mother’s problems on a barge in little Venice
She peers at the portrait of her poetess grandmother
Who’s theatrical in character
Wise just like Socrates
She sinks her nails into the aged canvas
But the power from the wordster’s head was cool and shrill and frightening
Miss Drag is intermingled with the powder-blue chaise lounge
She types some acid words to her hairless havana art dealer
Her one rich wish is to write a book about a chateau in Virginia Waters
Free from all those culture vultures
Ah, the beautiful queen of darkness and light continues to re-invent herself and returns! Siouxsie, punk rock goddess, icon, and amazing artist is aging gracefully. I can’t wait to see her perform.
www.siouxsiemantaray.com
SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES – U.S. TOUR POSTER, 1986
Cushway Litho. Art by Victor Moscoso. 22″x30″
(ah their music keeps my soul warm)
Tear Garden – Romulus And Venus
everything you gave me lies within a trunk, within a drawer
I burned one hundred photographs or more
I fled across the ocean wioth another face, another name
Nothing but my soul remained the same
But still you came with cases I was forced to let you stay
You bought the locks, the box in which I lay
I tried to get away from you
I tried to make a break
You always see right through me, there’s no escape
I can still remember you with coronets, white horses
I would run behind you’d flash a sign I’d dive
Just to serve you
Night time’s turned the lady to a girl again, you’d slip away
You tried to kiss my tears away, pretend there was no day to take me down
Nightshade, blades, Niagra falls – I tried them all six times
You would always run behind me
And you’d find me
Keep me on a leash, on a line
I’m uncomfortably resigned
There’s no release till you untie me
Deny me
