Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy Birthday!

Paul Westerberg of The Replacements turns 50 today!


The Replacements, clockwise from bottom left:
Paul Westerberg, Chris Mars, Bob Stinson and Tommy Stinson.

Wikipedia: The Replacements

A fansite: twintone.com/mats

Video: The Replacements - I'll Be You - live 1989 - youtube

Blogload: The Replacements - Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash - rockgoster.blogspot.com

Husker Du - Everything Falls Apart

On this date in 1982, Husker Du released their debut studio album, Everything Falls Apart. No singles were released from the album. The Minneapolis, Minnesota band initially gained attention as a hardcore punk band but their music slowed down with time. They disbanded in 1987. The Minneapolis scene also produced The Replacements and The Suburbs, among others.



Wikipedia: Husker Du

Blogload: Husker Du - Everything Falls Apart - punknotprofit.blogspot.com

Happy Birthday!

Andy Summers (born Andrew James Somers) of The Police turns 68 today.


The Police, left to right:
Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers

Wikipedia: The Police

Official Website: thepolice.com

Video: The Police - Bring On The Night - live - 1980 - youtube

Blogload: The Police - Live At Zellerbach - 1979 - vivalesbootlegs.blogspot.com

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

The Belle Stars - Sign Of The Times

On this date in 1982, The Belle Stars released their sixth single, "Sign Of The Times". It was backed by "Madness". The A side appeared on their self-titled debut album. The B side was a non-LP track. The single reached the #3 spot on the U.K. singles chart. The London all-girl new wave band formed when The Bodysnatchers disbanded. Sarah Jane Owen, Stella Barker, Penny Leyton and Miranda Joyce were The Bodysnatchers who formed the new band. The Belle Stars disbanded in 1986 after one album. They have occasionally reunited to perform.



Wikipedia: The Belle Stars

A Fansite: thebellestars.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

Video: The Belle Stars - Sign Of The Times - on Top Of The Pops - 1983 - youtube

Blogload: The Belle Stars - debut album - rho-xs.blogspot.com

Camwhoring

Decided to put on some blusher, lipstick, and dot some fake freckles on to camwhore with the new camera!!

Three pictures only lah... I think not bad though! I like my L10 more now! Please stop saying shit about it!



With flash



With flash



No flash


Think the fake freckles a bit fail but still, must try new things!!!

Lower lashes are drawn on (except in last picture, forgot to put), top lashes are extensions. Not wearing contacts. Photoshopped brown. And yes I know the left eye's lashes are drooping. I need to get them fixed!

Off to play mahjong! :D

Happy Posthumous Birthday!

Robert Quine of Richard Hell and The Voidoids would have turned 67 today. He died of a heroin overdose on June 5, 2004.


The Voidoids, left to right:
Ivan Julian, Robert Quine, Richard Hell and Marc Bell (later known as Marky Ramone)

Wikipedia: Richard Hell and The Voidoids

Video: Richard Hell and The Voidoids - "Blank Generation" and "Love Comes In Spurts" - live - 1977 - youtube

Blogload: Richard Hell and The Voidoids - Blank Generation - idontcareaboutsleep.blogspot.com

Happy Birthday!

Patti Smith turns 63 today!



Wikipedia: Patti Smith

Official Website: pattismith.net

Video: Patti Smith - "Horses" and "Hey Joe" - on Old Grey Whistle Test - 1976 - youtube

Blogload: Patti Smith - Land - a compilation - mussiqa.net

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Happy Birthday!

Jim Reid of The Jesus And Mary Chain turns 48 today!


The Jesus And Mary Chain, left to right:
Steve Monti, William Reid and Jim Reid.

Wikipedia: The Jesus And Mary Chain

Video: The Jesus And Mary Chain - Just Like Honey - 1985 - youtube

Blogload: The Jesus And Mary Chain - 21 Singles - a compilation - musicalmente.info

The Three O'Clock - Baroque Hoedown

On this date in 1982, The Three O'Clock released their debut EP, Baroque Hoedown. It was a five song record that contained "With A Cantaloupe Girlfriend", "I Go Wild", "Marjorie Tells Me", "Sorry" and "As Real As Real". No singles were released from the EP. The band began life as The Salvation Army and released a record under that name but was forced to change their name by the real Salvation Army. The Los Angeles power pop band lasted until 1988. Their Salvation Army debut album was later re-released under the name Befour Three O'Clock and retitled Happen Happened.



Wikipedia: The Three O'Clock

Myspace: myspace.com/thethreeoclock

Blogload: The Three O'Clock - Baroque Hoedown - and more - digivinyltal.blogspot.com

The Unknowns - Dream Sequence

On this date in 1981, The Unknowns released their debut EP, Dream Sequence. It was a six song release, The Los Angeles power pop band released one album and an EP before first disbanding in 1982. They re-formed in 1990, performed, released a new album and have continued on since then without founder Bruce Joyner.



Blogload: The Unknowns - Dream Sequence - drfaustroll.blogspot.com

Department S - Is Vic There?

On this date in 1980, Department S released their debut single, "Is Vic There?". It was backed by "Solid Gold Easy Action" in the U.K. The single was released in 1981 in the U.S. with a different B side, "Put All The Crosses In The Right Boxes". The single reached the #22 spot on the U.K. singles chart. The London new wave band, during its short lived career released three singles and no albums until a 2003 compilation, Sub-Stance, was released. The department was closed in 1981. They released new material in 2007 without, of course, lead singer Vaughan Toulouse who died in 1991 of complications from AIDS.



Wikipedia: Department S

Myspace: www.myspace.com/departments

Video: Department S - Is Vic There? - on Top Of The Pops - 1981 - youtube

Blogload: Department S - Is Vic There? - a compilation - commercialzone.blogspot.com

Scritti Politti - Work In Progress

On this date in 1979, Scritti Politti released their second EP, Work In Progress. It was a four song offering of recordings from Peel Sessions. The tracks were "Messthetics", "Hegemony", "Scritlocks Door" and "OPEC-Immac". The Leeds, England post-punk band was founded by Welsh-born Green Gartside. He was its only permanent member. The band continues on. The Leeds, England post-punk band was founded by Welsh-born Green Gartside. He was its only permanent member. The band continues on.



Wikipedia: Scritti Politti

Blogload: Scritti Politti - Work In Progress - and more - anniesanimal.blogspot.com

198 Seconds Of The Dils

On this date in 1977, The Dils released their second single. They called it 198 Seconds Of The Dils. The A side was "Class War". The B side was "Mr. Big". The Carlsbad, California punk band was led by brothers Tony and Chip Kinman and a number of different drummers. They were extremely influential on the Los Angeles punk scene. While neither song appeared on an album by their breakup in 1980, the songs have appeared on a couple of Dils compilations since then. Brothers Chip and Tony Kinman went on to form cowpunk band Rank & File.



Wikipedia: The Dils

Blogload: The Dils - 198 Seconds Of The Dils - 7 inch (both tracks) - kbdrecords.com

Single Lens Reflex

Just bought a new DSLR yesterday at $1,200!!!

(From this point on I shall refer to my DSLR as SLR coz I can't be bothered with the D and nobody really buys SLRs anyway don't be nitpicky and stupid)

Welcoming the Lumix L10 to the family! Which includes just another Lumix, the awesome LX3. Oh and my lousy blackberry camera. LOL

Ok here's why I bought it.

I've been wanting to get a good camera for a long time now, especially coz whenever I do advertorials that require camwhoring, I realised that it's super duper hard when I am alone at 3am at night shooting myself!!!

The pictures I post are of course the best of the lot so you don't realise how utterly horrific the others are.

Here's the embarrassing way I do it:

I put the LX3 on a tiny $3.90 (from mustafa) tripod, and precariously balance that tripod on my swivel chair.

Then I sit on the floor in front of my cupboards (to make a nicer background), and I turn on the self-timer. Then I smile like an idiot for 10 seconds.

It is extra loserish coz i'm like trying to act sultry/chic/funny whatever at 3am while alone in my room with some products.

The first few photos will have me half out of frame, or funny objects in the background, or the product out of the frame.

It's really incredibly frustrating and a totally waste of time.

I know these problems still have nothing to do with an SLR, but I'm getting there.



So one day, I saw that Lumix has an SLR...


DIGRESSING!! That Lumix I was talking about is an SLR only loosely speaking. It's a micro four thirds.

Confusing right? BLOODY PHOTOGRAPHY JARGON. Wait, I'll explain in simple terms.

I asked this simple question that day on twitter and all I got were photography jargon. WHAT IS AN SLR???

Or rather, what makes an SLR QUALIFY to be an SLR?

Is it weight? Coz they sure are all heavy. Is it ugliness of the camera? Coz most of them are really hideous too.

But no.

It's 2 things:

1) SLR = Single Lens Reflex. I'm gonna be corrected by photography know-it-alls, but basically this refers to a mirror inside the camera which reflects what your lens is capturing into the viewfinder (thing people put their eye at in the past. Remember film cameras??)

2) SLRs have removeable lens. You can buy new lens and fix them on the, erm, camera. Is it still a camera if it doesn't have lens? Don't ask me.


End of digression!!



So basically that day I saw a Lumix, and it's only loosely called an SLR coz they removed the mirror thingy to make the camera smaller. But same functionality lah.

This Lumix is RED!! A nasty, brownish red. But red nonetheless among black cameras!!

For those shutterbugs who do know, this camera is the Lumix G1.

So I asked the salesperson to let me take a look. He seems to be pretty friendly so I thought I'd give it a try and CAMWHORE!!!

Took the camera up, was ready to snap when the salesman said, "Hold on, see, you can do this, much easier!"


AND THE FELLOW SNAPPED THE SCREEN OPEN TO FACE ME!!




IT CAN SWIVEL!!!!!!!!!!


It took about 5 secs for me to realise how much easier this will make my life and I erupted into tears of joy!!

So, at that point, I decided one of the criteria for my SLR will be to have a swivel screen!

One of the best inventions EVER or what?

So.

After a lot of research, came to the conclusion that the only newer SLRs with swivel screens were Panasonic G1, Gh1 and Nikon D5000.

And out of these, the GH1 is the chioest. Comes in GOLD:




Still ugly coz the sides of the lens are still black but a vast improvement nonetheless.

Combined with the fact that I LOVE the soft skin mode function on my LX3 (checked and it's available on the GH1), I decided on the GH1.


*************************


Couldn't sleep. Dreamt all night of the GH1. Reached Sim Lim in uber excitement. Found a shop that sells it.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.


BUT IT WAS $2,230.



Good god.

I almost fainted. (And just for comparison other SLRs are as cheap as $699)

The only reason why it's so expensive is that it's "HD" lens and it can take HD video, which I honestly cannot give two hoots about. So high quality for what I'm also not shooting MTV! That and that it can zoom pretty far, which I also don't care about! I wanna use it to camwhore!

I just couldn't bring myself to pay so much extra for something I didn't need. It's $1,000 more than other equally-good-for-photography SLRs!


So. Very disappointed and confused.

Shopkeeper introduced me to the L10, which is about 1 year old and one of the last Lumix SLRs to use Leica lens!

(Leica lens are famous for being mad awesome)

The newer Lumix SLRs stopped using Leica lens... I presume coz it's too expensive? GH1 doesn't use Leica lens.


The L10 is a lot bigger, and black, and sadly enough no soft skin mode coz it's not invented yet, but selling for $1,200.

The cheapest standalone Leica lens in the shop were selling for $1,300, so I thought it's a pretty good deal!

He also assured me Leica lens take better photos (this part wins the Nikon D5000), so I was already half convinced.

On top of that he took a photo for me OF me in the shop and it's MAD chio!! SO I BOUGHT IT!!!

Too bad that picture is in the shop's SD card.



But soo far... Not too impressed with it. The flash, hoisted on top of the camera, casts a shadow on the bottom frame of photos coz it's blocked by the lens, which are too long!

And lao niang's surely not gonna change lenses coz my lens is a good one!! I guess I'd have to buy one of those external flashes but I don't want it too bright either! Grrrr why like this?

I have not camwhored with it yet so I dunno lah... Maybe it would take awesome photos of me, which is the MOST important. LOL. I'm lazy to put make up to take pics lah!

Here are some sample shoots I randomly took of things in the house:



Room + daybed















A pic of unwilling Mike... See the shadow cast by the flash? Tragic.







Mike disbelieving my "flash casting a shadow" theory, somehow testing it out with his leg. LOL... Sexy!





That's it! Think I'd snap more tomorrow.

Learnt a nifty little photoshop trick from Priscilla (I can never spell this name) that's why the colours are so mad chio!!! The original photos don't look like that but I hate posting ugly pics so there.

How do you think the photos compare to the LX3's?

As the Year Winds Down..

Greetings lovely ladies,

It's the end of the year and as the new year approaches it means one blindingly glaring thing for me beauty-wise; a strict no-internet-buy/swap period for me until stash pictures are complete (Unless UD AIW BOS is released, as it was NOT released yesterday as previously rumored. The exact release date is unknown...though my guess is that at the very least it'll be after UD's wonderful free shipping offer ends..it'd be too kind of them to let us have it with free shipping...now wouldn't it? But I digress...)

Anyways..I slipped up just a bit this weekend and made a couple of orders online (some Korres...due to arrive Jan 6) and a possible order for the Px Holiday Eye and Cheek palette in Warm from Nordies. I ordered the 2nd one by phone from a store and by the time I asked the SA to place this order, it had already been removed online, so we'll see if I get this (I hope so, but if not, whatever..I saved some money). So stash pictures will be somewhat later than expected. Unlike last year's photos I plan on labeling everything too..so this will be a pretty big project...let's hope I'm lucky enough to have some non-overcast days.

On to other news...What's everyone's beauty resolution for the new year? And what was it for this year? How did you do?
For the new year, my resolution is to finish at least ONE of my face powders. (It shouldn't be too hard as the middle of my Chanel pressed powder gave out in the middle and I lost maybe 1/3 of the product (I have two like this...the first one I thought it was just because I depotted it to put in the compact but the 2nd time it wasn't a depot so I'm wondering if the middles of these are just weak?)

My resolution for this year was to start wearing sunblock on a daily basis.
How I did: I stopped wearing sunblock maybe around July of this year altogether, and was irregular about it starting in maybe April. Altogether it failed miserably...I couldn't stand the itching anymore (I have some bad sensitivity to sunblock...Shiseido's is the only one I've found so far that I can wear without breaking out badly or getting rashes..and even then I don't particularly like the feel of having sunblock on..I prefer keeping my skin bare). I'm thinking of possiby trying again this year, but it won't be my main focus beauty-wise. I'll probably post a couple of NOTDs before the new year, but for the most part I think that my next makeup related post will be stash pics. I guess the question is... Do you guys want me just to post makeup stash pics or do you want makeup AND nail polish? (Either way it'll be massively pic heavy. Leave a comment below with your opinion.

Anyways, that's the scoop on what's up here...I hope you guys have a great deal of fun at whatever you guys decide for NYE!

Much Love,
ESA

The Last - She Don't Know Why I'm Here

On this date in 1977, The Last released their debut single, "She Don't Know Why I'm Here". It was backed by "Bombing Of London". Both tracks appeared on their debut album, L.A. Explosion!, though they were re-worked. The Los Angeles power pop is still performing and recording.



Wikipedia: The Last

Blogload: The Last - L.A. Explosion! - powerpopoverdose.blogspot.com

Monday, December 28, 2009

Web love: F-Stop Magazine

The other day, trying to find my DVD of Doctor Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog (more on this later!), Levi went "Em? Why do you have three cameras in your bag?".

And I thought, INDEED. Why do I? I have the Lomo fisheye camera I bought in London (and, sadly, only just finished my first roll of film about two months later, which I was told will cost $50 to get developed! Stupid slide film), the disposable camera we bought in Windsor when we realised that someone (probably me) forgot the digital*, and my digital camera.

*This one made it safely out the back of the camera shop with minimal fuss. I shall pick it up tomorrow :D

So considering I don't really take a lot of photos, that seemed a bit illogical. But I actually do really like photography, so I found this photography magazine again last night and luckily they have a superb archive so I could find my FAVOURITEST EVER series of photos!



Pierre Javelle and Akiko Ida were the featured artists in the Jul/Aug 2006 issue and I love the detail in the pictures!







More things of theirs can be found here, and F-Stop magazine is available here

Sleek Palettes-- Storm, Original, and Safari

For the last few months I've had these Sleek palettes sitting around waiting to get swatched. I was lucky enough to get a CP of these. Sleek palettes are decently priced palettes available at Superdrug in the UK. I don't actually remember what they retailed for, but I think I paid under $10 each for them. They're all super pigmented and soft.

The Originals palette is a nice, colorful palette full of colors that all work on me for the most part. The colors don't lose to Urban Decay's and I think are actually more vibrant without all the chunky glitter that UD loves putting in. They are all shimmery though except for the black shade.



Sleek Storm is a gorgeous palette capable of creating a variety of neutral or smokey looks.


Safari was a LE palette released over the summer I believe. It's actually my least favorite out of the 3 I own, but only because the colors in it aren't as nice as the other two to me.



I really don't have much to say about these except that they're a good buy for the price. I like them, but they sort of sit around unused in my stash..mostly because I'm a brand whore. My only gripe about them is that there's a black shade in every one of the palettes. I don't need multiples of the same black shadow. Past that, they're great

Fad Gadget - For Whom The Bells Toll

On this date in 1982, Fad Gadget released their eighth single, "For Whom The Bells Toll". It was backed by "Love Parasite". Both tracks appeared on their third album, Under The Flag, though the A side was a re-mixed version of the song. The London, England avant-garde band was actually Frank Tovey and an ever-changing group of musicians. Fad Gadget broke up in 1984. Frank Tovey passed away April 3, 2002.



Wikipedia: Fad Gadget

Official Website: fadgadget.co.uk

Video: Fad Gadget - For Whom The Bells Toll - live - 1982 - youtube

Blogload: Fad Gadget - Under The Flag - and more - lunchmeataphobia.blogspot.com

Rhoda With The Special A.K.A. - The Boiler

On this date in 1981, Rhoda and The Special A.K.A. released a single, The Specials' first single after the split of the band (when Terry Hall, Lynval Golding and Neville Staples left to form Fun Boy Three). The A side was "The Boiler". The B side was an instrumental version called "Theme From The Boiler". Rhoda was Rhoda Dakar, ex-member of The Bodysnatchers. This was not the first release under the name Special A.K.A. The band that was to become The Specials released their first record, "Gangsters" (a split 45 with The Selecter), under the name The Special A.K.A. back in 1979 as well as a few other releases under that name. Neither side of "The Boiler" single appeared on an album. The single reached the #35 spot on the U.K. singles chart. The ska band formed in Coventry, England. The Specials re-formed recently and did some touring. Jerry Dammers did not join them.



Wikipedia: The Specials

Official Website: thespecials.com

Blogload: The Specials - Stero-Typical - A's, B's & Rarities - marcoonthebass.blogspot.com

Crass - Stations Of The Crass

On this date in 1979, Crass released their second album, Stations Of The Crass. It was a double album consisting of three studio sides and one live side. No singles were released from the album. The album reached the #1 spot on the U.K. indie albums chart. The Essex, England punk band released five albums and several EP's and singles before disbanding in 1984.



Wikipedia: Crass

Unofficial Website: southern.com/southern/label/CRC

Blogload: Crass - Stations Of The Crass - ferryconnor.blogspot.com

The Pork Dukes - Pink Pork

On this date in 1979, The Pork Dukes released their second album, Pink Pork. It contained the singles, "Bend & Flush" and "Telephone Masturbator". The London punk band's lyrical content made Sex Pistols look tame in comparison. They disbanded in 1979 after two albums and several singles. The drummer, Bonk, went on to join The Rezillos (as Rocky Rhythm). They re-formed in 2002



Wikipedia: The Pork Dukes

Official Website: porkdukes.com

Not Pink Pork but...
Blogload: The Pork Dukes - Telephone Masturbator - 7 inch (both sides) - shortsharpkickintheteeth.blogspot.com

Sunday, December 27, 2009

The boys of the NYPD choir still singing Galway Bay...

Ok, technically its not Christmas anymore, but its still the Boxing Day public holiday, so I am entitled to rock out some Pogues lyrics for my title.

SO. Christmas was excellent, I got very spoilt by my family and friends (like Sian, who gave me two gorgeous necklaces AND a mix CD AND some candy canes :D). I don't have any photos yet because a) I'm lazy and b) the average startup time of computers in this household is horrendous, and my computer is so old it actually won't support the camera software so I have to use Dad's which is even slower and its all quite a kerfuffle.

I also went through all my facebook pictures and it is horrendously disproporitionate, how many pictures I am pulling a pose similar to this:



Actually, this photo is one of my favourite things EVER, yesterday we set Levi's 42" monitor to a picture of his friend Felix. For funsies. Its quite creepy sitting in the computer chair with a gigantic Felix staring at you.

Also, I need a haircut. Suggestions?

NARS Day and Night Palette

Today's post is another short one; it's for the NARS Day and Night palette. The Day and Night palette was released with NARS's 15th anniversary collection and comes in the same packaging that the 6 pan palettes have all come in; except that the NARS lettering on the palette is in red instead of white. As usual, the palette contains 6 eyeshadow shades from the permanent line and retails for $50 at Sephora or on NARS's webpage. I forgot to mention this in my last post, but there's currently a 20% off code on NARS's site with $60 purchase or more. (CP9H1211) which expires 12/31/2009.

Here are the shades:
Abyssinia- This shade is also in the Pleasures of Paris palette. It's a nice shimmery beige color. For some reason I feel like the Abyssinia in my Day and Night palette is smoother than the one in the Pleasures of Paris palette
Sugarland-I'd describe this as a sparkling bronzed peach I guess. The texture's slightly gritty, but it applies just fine
Fathom- light pink with silver microglitter. This has a drier texture and the payoff is kind of poor. It makes a good base though I think.
Cleo- shimmering seafoam green in the pan, this one shows up nearly white on my skin with a green tinge.
Underworld- shimmery deep blue with some grey tones in it. Passable as a crease color, works nicely as a liner shade
Night Breed- Black with silver glitter. Unlike the majority of the Night Series shades, this one isn't chalky. I'll still probably never use it.

My overall thoughts on the palette are that it isn't bad, but it isn't great. I don't feel it's worth the $50 really. It's not a particularly versatile palette and I bought it when I was in my nude wash of color + colored liner phase so I'm okay with keeping it as I can find a couple of looks to do with it..unlike Modern Love which I couldn't work with that well. I do recommend Abyssinia as a single though..it's nice