Rule Britannia
Jordan in Derek Jarman's JUBILEE (1977)
I am in no way a flag-waving patriot and the type of national hysteria in evidence at The Last Night of the Proms makes me shudder, but the closest I've ever come to a sense of national pride is my long-standing adoration of Derek Jarman's 1977 punk opus JUBILEE. Of course, the attachment I feel is not to Queen & Country but to alt-muse Jordan, Toyah, Adam Ant and Jarman's brilliant art direction in this tale of a dystopian Britain to which Queen Elizabeth I, aided by elemental spirit guide Ariel and court physician Dr John Dee (Rocky Horror Show creator Richard O'Brien), pay an eye-opening visit. Wasp waisted killer vixens run amok, while a twin-set and pearls paired with warpaint never seemed so subversive. I've always wanted to respond somehow, and flushed with adrenaline on the back of Peaches Christ decided it was time to have another pop at the Umbro Industries Creative Grants. Third time lucky? Who can tell.
Midnight Mass: Kris Krug 2
Some more great shots from Kris Krüg of our Gore Couture costume competition entrants. Above is our ultimate winner tapping into a Tim Burton wet dream (congratulations Pascale!), with Sebastian and Tony close runners-up. Everyone looked incredible so thank you to all for taking part, including those not brave enough to step up to the stage - there were plenty more in the audience who feared some form of public humilation! As if. Instead, prizes were distributed, courtesy of Penguin Books, including copies of Hammer Glamour from Titan Books and exclusive merchandise from Peaches Christ Productions. Evil can give, as well as take away. And those miniature coffin hampers, that held the aforementioned goodies? I made those. My early art teachers would be so proud to know I was putting my imagination to good use.
Midnight Mass: Kris Krug 1
Monsieur, with these photographs you are really spoilink us (a comment wasted on anyone outside of the UK of a certain age who didn't grow up with the Ferrero Rocher advert, apologies). We were fortunate enough to count fashion, music and portraits photographer Kris Krüg in the audience for Midnight Mass who captured us in all our glory, including my dramatic Wagnerian posing (above right, clutching at our mistress in terror). More snaps from Kris are available on his Flickr stream, with further posts of our wondrous cast and crew to come. It's like Christmas come early!
Hey you guys!
Available from next weekend at Cornerhouse in honour of the 25th birthday celebrations and to mark my Scratch 'n Sniff Cinema presents The Goonies activity in Screen 1... Simon Misra's latest limited edition print is only £10! Previous signed editions of The Company of Wolves and My Beautiful Laundrette are still available (the latter also signed by actor Gordon Warnecke), so be sure to dig down the back of the sofa and support local creative mentalists who are saving the NHS ££'s by funneling our child selves into harmless fun-fuelled scenarios. Hope to see you there!
Midnight Mass: Neil Shearer
All images in this post courtesy of Neil Shearer Photography, who was in attendance at Midnight Mass in Manchester for Peaches Christ presents All About Evil and took some fantastic shots of our librarian protestors outside the cinema. The delectable Isla Blige of the Blige sisters, joined on the night by her sibling Sheela, proves herself to be a photogenic little miss. Whoo-eee, form an orderly queue fellas!
Isla Blige, Zsa Zsa Noir as Adrian and myself as a deranged usher. Tell it to the hand, honey!
Despite falling under the wheels of a bus on her way to the cinema, this member of the audience still managed to look absolutely gore-geous.
I especially love that that this random woman-with-guitar turned up and joined in the demonstration. Every little bit of weirdness is welcomed.
Sex on Wheels
image source: AND Festival
A few pictures and video clips to toast the arrival of the afterbirth now propelled in the wake of the International Premiere of Peaches Christ presents All About Evil at AND Festival, Manchester. What a night! Protestors, riot police, librarian lapdancers, walkouts and the blessing from above (or below?) that was a member of the audience ejecting their stomach contents thinking that the dixie cups distributed during the pre-show would contain the flow of vomit. It didn't. I also had to step in to the cast when we lost a monster in the process, although I'm glad that I did - I would have felt like I'd missed out on a unique opportunity otherwise. Huge thanks to everyone who made it possible. More when I've caught up on some sweet sleep...