Bassline & Funky House

I like to think of myself as being on my game, when it comes to my music genres...I accept that I/We can't know everything...but I've just been schooled...HEAVILY, by my cuz [kinda via other cuz'z] more in it than I am. I'm talking about the UK street-music scene, split predominately between the North & South of it...
Spawning [I think] out of the Garage/2-Step/Grime scene, in the Blue corner, from the gritty North, you have...
BASSLINE! check out the sound
SubZero Featuring Sascha
DJ Q feat MC Bonz....You WOT?!
In the Red corner, from the multi-facted South....FUNKY HOUSE...
[this Vid is...MAD!]
Head, Shoulders Knees N Toes


Different sounds, but all listen too, by the the street-savvy British youth, from 12 upwards...with the Raves & Shubz, frequented by the 18-24yr...if you have the chance to reach one before I do...drop me a little line...Nice!

Still...Are Kase...the brit version of the Cool Kids?
Ray Ban Video

Wake UP!!

Wanna know about the world of Mr West...check his new blog...from Furniture to fashion...Videos to Vixens...kanYe may be arrogant, but he's fresh air in this game...

http://www.kanyeuniversecity.com/blog/

still... loving the Q-Tip The Renaissance album. Slite's album of 2008!! a sample of the LP here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlEHbdS6nDo 

video here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6mzS7lIFrc

The Shoppings

So my mate Pascal has 2 things going out, recording a new THE SHOPPINGS album, touring too, & a new issue of the fast food mag, Yummy...check em both.

here's a link;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5clqhvcMl3Q

http://www.myspace.com/theshoppings

Ironic

maybe it is a little, considering I'm saying this blog is about a glance at young european life, & my last 2 posts have been about Portland! still, I don't really know what the young do here, you don't really see them & when you do the clubs & bars close down at 2 in the morning!

 still, if you're looking for some place to go, to while away the daylight hours, as the night ones, leave A LOT to be desired, then check out CHANCE OF RAIN, described by my mate, as being like a cafe for the burning-man crowd! They do some great breakfasts...check them out on Myspace... www.myspace.com/chanceofraincafe

The coolest bar I've found so far is Valentines 232 SW Ankeny, tucked away behind the homeless neighbourhood, great music & Napoleon Dynamite-types... www.myspace.com/valentineslifeblood

FIGHT THE POWER THAT BE!!

I'm pissed...but there must be something in the air, cos there's a lot of people pissed here to! The HERE is Portland, & last night, I went to Mighty Mos Def, at the Roseland Theatre, on the corner of Broadway & 5th...I'm getting hip to the city!! but if I've got it wrong, here's a link to the website, it has some good headline guests!

[ http://www.doubletee.com/rose_schedule.html ]
Anyway, after getting buying a $28 ticket for $75 from a scalper!! [a ticket tout to us brits] I got in, to be greeted by a real array of Portland hip hop fans...
From 12 yr old skater boys, 17 yr old 80's fans, girly b-boys [can I say that?], Back in the Dayz stylers, Neo-soul diva lookalikes, sporting 'naturals' , I saw the most black people that I've seen in one place in Portland, [except outside the soup kitchen...what can I say, Portland has a LOT of crazy-ass crack-looking folk!].
Opening before Mos, were Portland own LifeSavas..& they kinda kicked off the theme for this blog, telling the crowd vote for Obama...& invited everyone to put their fists in the air & ask for CHANGE, Obama's mantra.

Then the killer for me. Now...to put this into context. I LOVE Mos, but when he was in Amsterdam in Dec, he was Terrible, so for me, this was his redemption gig. So I'm all geared up for him coming out on stage...camera at the ready, like a groupie. Then, as soon as his first lyrics, hit the foam on the mic, & I start filming...I get snatched up by security, & they DEMAND' by camera battery!!
'What!?' I give it up, cos he's on stage NOW! It's his REDEEM TEAM...NOW!
Then, 10 minutes into the show, security starts snatching up other devotees, but this time Mos notices & you know what he says to security?
'Yo, what you doing? stop that, you can't stop that! That's the future right there! If ya'll want to take pictures & put some of me on YouTube, go ahead...just don't take photos of me when I'm walking down the street..I need my peace too!!'
So the show continued, as he raced from Umi Says, to Travelling Man...interspersed with the orginal tracks from where he took his samples, & a reggae medley...A great performance! REDEMPTION was achieved. But he was right. The array of phones [how many people have iphones in Portland? Damn!] & cameras that were filming are great for him & any other perfrmer. WE are the medium, for them, WE are the artist's BEST press. Similar to any download, seeing a bad mp4 on YouTube, will NEVER substitute seeing a great live performer, but it DOES give you a preview...'hmm maybe I should go & see 'em in the flesh?' & just think about what else you'll see & experience there?
[but this clip's cool http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKBnKryoVZQ ]
Would I have met Tristan, the 17 yr old high-top fade wearer & his buddy behind him, or the 28 yr old breaker Illisa, who's photo's in Martha Cooper's We B-Girlz, or DJ Kid Skylo, who's putting on Juice Jam, a Hip Hop park Jam, Saturday Aug 30th, Obryant Square, in Portland
[ http://www.myspace.com/applejuicecrewpdx I hope he appreciates the free publicity, if anyone's reading this blog!]?
NO I WOULDN'T

CHANGE!

AMSTERDAM ACTIVISM/ ANDREA CREWS

for the uninitiated, you NEED, ANDREAS CREWS in your life. Their particular brand of fashion, is described as FASHION & ART ACTIVISM.
They bought this concept to Amsterdam International [really?] Fashion Week. The concept goes like this...take a pile of musty old clothes, make it into a mountain. Invite the local fashionistas to pay 5euros, to select 2-3 pieces, & to take them to the TRANSFORMERS, sitting at their lovely Singer sewing machines, who will make them into an exclusive piece of fashion, only for YOU.
Boiler suit or skirt as a dress madam?
To be honest it had a mixed reception here, since, as the crowd got bigger, & the transformers overwhelmed, they started churning out less than fashionable creations, but at least 2 people from the local Salvation Army, seemed bemused, but impressed!
If you're in Paris' Pigalle area, go & see Maroussia [lookig sultry in above in a blue dress] at the relatively new ANDREAS CREWS STORE.
http://www.andreacrews.com/SPIP/index2.php

HOOD RAT[ATOUILLE]S

yep...more cool Paris kids, this time sis & little brother combo

PRINCESS LEA

Next time you hit Paris [& if you are of the right age & connections] make sure you can check this...An uber-cool party called Madame Danielle, run by some of Paris' youthful, creative zeitgeist. To get that exclusive stamp on your wrist, for which you need to know the promoter, Princess Lea here [the beau of PM from The Shoppings www.theshoppings.net ]. If you get that stamp, then you're at the right place, Club Moune [54 Rue de Pigalle] at the Cabaret Feminin.

Madame Danielle [ madamedanielle@live.fr ].

It entertains Paris' cool/20 somethings, in the most unusual, but appropriate setting, a lesbian club. Everything was doable, from 80's, bleached-blond, nu-Romantic wedged cuts, on a black guy, to the coolest of Skateboard Ps. The music was mashed-up, rock, 80s, Paris electro-pop & hip hop, with amateur dj's contributing to its spontaneous, patched-up feel.

These city youngsters are shaking things up!

PARIS IS BURNING

What the hell's happening in Paris?!

It really seems like one of the flaming hotbeds of European cities at the moment, for youth subcultures. Yes, I guess that if you're already on the pulse, you know about Tektonik, so nothing special there for you.

But there is a feeling of optimism in Paris' Les Halles, that's encapsulated in Clark Magazine [ www.clarkmagazine.com ]

80's hip hop style is properly back. Check out the 3 fans of The Cool Kids below, with their Fresh Prince of Bel Air styling, & Ryan [17] & Germain [16] with their sports jackets, representing the suburbs.

Go to Les Halles & check out the small tucked-away corners & looked out for the police harrassed Tektonik boys & girls, expressing themselves without a care in the world.

Finally, go to Pigalle, to have a look at the [semi] new Andrea Crews store, which slashes Art/Activism/Ethics/Fashion/etc/etc www/andreacrews.com

The right & bright way!

DARYL van WOUW STORE

Over the last few years, we have been witness to a passing of the fashion torch, to another generation. That generation's leading protagonist, is Daryl van Wouw. 

Tonight was the culmination of many years of stressful but creative work, Daryl striding the worlds of sport, blurred with streetwear, blurred with street-couture, for tonight; at 6pm [despite the local police trying to intervene], he opened his first store, on the Prinsengracht. [address to come! sorry!]

With his distinct headphone-clad head logo in Delftesque blue, on pristine-clean-white tiles, all over the store, which clashed beautifully with brightly coloured clothes & accessories, the fashionistas of Amsterdam, blocked the road, & the store interior, to catch the first looks at the store.

The highlight for me, was the first floor, where he put the clothes into lockers. I know, maybe a bit obvious, but it works in the context of the store.

As Daryl really starts to build his brand, this is one hell of a risky but bold start, from someone who continues to out himself out there.

Make sure when you visit Amsterdam, that you go & see the store. It's where you'll find the young hipsters, who especially in Amsterdam, manage to mix sport, street & fashion together...some MUCH better than others!