What is the greatest album cover ever created?
words Alan Woods While the music on an album is of upmost importance, the sleeve that holds the record gives artists a space for artistic expression. This has always been the case; from the first microgroove long-playing phonograph that was released in 1948, through...
Vulgarians – Best of Hull bands release ‘Hands around the Waste’
Have you ever been in a taxi and had a torrent of words from your taxi driver that just messed with you head? I’m sure we’ve all been there – I certainly have. Well Hull band, Vulgarians, have penned their latest single 'Hands around the Waste' after just such an...
We are X film – The rise, fall and resurrection of X Japan
A new film charts the rise, fall and resurrection of X Japan, one of the world’s biggest bands. Directed by Stephen Kijak who won an Oscar for Searching for Sugar Man (also Stones in Exile’ and ‘Scott Walker: 30 Century Man) We are X tells the dramatic tale of a band...
Mexrrissey – Our bequiffed Mexican heroes unite and takeover
Mexrrissey at The Ritz Manchester just seemed too good a gig to miss. The venue is well known and loved in the city and was part of the history of The Smiths as well. The idea of seeing a Mexican take on Morrissey there then gave me all sorts of pangs of nostalgia and...
Wood carving in South Tyrol – Italy’s hidden artisans
Words: Neil Geraghty The woodcarving valleys of Italy’s South Tyrol region are home to a wealth of vibrant artstic talent. “If Michelangelo had a 3D scanner I’m sure he would have used it”, says Aron Demetz, an internationally acclaimed wood sculptor. We’re staring at...
Chinese New Year at Hakkasan – a feast for the senses
Nothing introduces you to a foreign culture quite like a feast. Good company brought together in celebration of the people’s most prized cuisine - it’s the perfect way to immerse yourself in another country’s way of life. Hakkasan clearly relish hosting a feast in...
The black body in art – Kerry James Marshall: Mastry at the Met Breur
In a 2014 lecture at the Portland Museum, artist Kerry James Marshall spoke about the importance of images: “The image is everything. Most of what we believe is based on things we see. And the things we see the most establish in our consciousness a paradigm of what’s...
Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes – Wild Flowers
Sometimes you get a creative meeting of minds that just grabs you and this is one of those moments. The idea that you get one half of the Turner prize nominated contemporary art duo Jake & Dinos Chapman to create your latest video is one thing. The fact that the...
Women in Converse: How All Stars became a fashion staple
When you think of a “cool and collected” fashion sense, Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars probably make an appearance. The shoes are a staple for any fashion sense; they radiate a sense of coolness, whether dressed up or down. On average, women over the age of 18 have...
Make every holiday an experience
You know you’ve had a good holiday when you don’t want to leave, when you dread having to board the flight back home because you’ve fallen in love with the place you’ve visited. We think holidays should always feel like this. Yet sometimes we waste our time away from...
Escape to New Zealand – the secret luxury destination
When you think of some of the world’s top luxury destinations New Zealand might not even feature. It’s funny how we pigeon hole certain countries with some very narrow attributes. So New Zealand is seen as a land to enjoy greenery and wilderness. New Zealand though...
Graubünden, Switzerland’s rural masterpiece
Rain and sunshine take it in turns to chase me upwards as I journey away from Zurich, each one making a surprise comeback just as I think the other has well and truly claimed the day. With each shift – stomach-jolting precipices giving way to forests that in turn...
The Eagle Huntress film – The girl who defied tradition
The urbanised western world filled with cityscapes and driven by the engine of capitalism is far removed from the sparse life in the shadow of the Altai Mountains, Kazakhstan. It is a place British filmmaker Otto Bell describes as, “the most remote part of the least...
Changing tides: Exploring Indian contemporary art
Changing tides: Exploring Indian contemporary art - words Alan Woods Indian contemporary art is renowned throughout the world for its complexity and depth, reflecting the incredible diversity of India itself. Within the flourishing art scene of the past century,...
5 ways to instantly update last year’s winter wardrobe
5 ways to instantly update last year's winter wardrobe - words Alexa Wang If you open your wardrobe to see last year’s winter clothes looking as drab as the weather outside, you’ll be pleased to hear that there are some simple ways to bring it all up to date. Last...