Portsmouth wall helps Southampton artists While shooting an avant-garde rock video, a south-coast production company that mixes art with business has unearthed an ironic difference between Southampton and Portsmouth. Southampton based Still Moving has recently started employing painters and artists to create images and navigation for company web sites. "It is very important for us to be ethical in our approach to business and using an illustrator not only gives websites a unique look and feel but also helps support an artist," explained Still Moving's co-founder Martin Davis. "Following the reaction of our clients we're convinced the paintbrush is mightier than the mouse."
http://genero.tv/watch-video/10194/ "This challenge is an ideal way of introducing art into the 'Moving' aspect of our plan," confirmed the other half of Still Moving, Isabel Amber Ewen (pictured left), "and although there are many great street artists in Southampton, once we saw Nova's skull designs we knew who we wanted." Southampton street artist Nova (pictured wearing a mask) uses stencils to spray multi-layered images on walls. Recently he was invited by the Portsmouth art collective P.A.M to add his creations to the alley-ways around Fratton Park.
The designs around the stadium have become so respected that Portsmouth football club is planning to invite P.A.M to create murals inside the ground. With every creative aspect of this production based in and around Southampton the irony of shooting in Portsmouth is not lost on the video's co-director Xan Phillips. "Although Southampton is famous for it's walls, the city's street artists have no where so public to express themselves. Everyone who walked past Nova told him how good the art he and P.A.M have created. It definitely inspires rather than repels." Although the 'Band of Skulls' video competition has a £3000 cash prize and global exposure Isabel, who shot and edited the whole promo, is ambivalent about winning: "Every element of the project slotted into place so well that we're already delighted with our achievement. The win would be very helpful but this video is already a great demonstration of how local art can work as a promotional device." Watch the video and vote here: http://genero.tv/watch-video/10194/ |
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An Irish book has been causing marital divisions across the UK leading some wives to ban it from the bedroom. Belfast born Eamon Nancarrow didn't expect his autobiography 'Holywood Star' to cause such ructions seeing as the climax of his rock career was a disastrous tour of Scotland during a bleak winter. But the singer's tales of rock and roll misadventure have sent beds rocking with uncontrollable laughter leaving many partners irritated and awake. 'It would start with Michael's shoulders shaking,' said bank manager Angela O'Sullivan (49) of her husband's reaction to certain passages, "and then turn into a belly laugh." As a resident of Holywood, County Down, her irritation was needing to know what, and more importantly who, in Eamon's adventure was making Michael laugh so much.
This reaction has spread to the mainland with Rhian French (37), a copy writer from Andover, Hampshire, suffering the same fate. Although her wound was self inflicted as she bought the book as a Christmas present for her husband Alan (right), another struggling musician. "I had to ask him to stop making so much noise. Every night he was having a bit of a snort and if it wasn’t an outright guffaw there would be a lot of giggling and more snorting. It's a bit worrying when someone is having so much fun on their own in the same bed." Her solution was simple: "He had to read it downstairs before he came up to sleep."
"It is never great to cause friction in the boudoir, especially when there are nylon sheets involved, and it was never my intention to set marital sparks flying. The book was only supposed to make people laugh and that seems to be the crux of the problem." If this is another calamity to befall Eamon Nancarrow at least he's used to it. From the horrors of his first perm in the early 80's to the moment a misplaced stage pyrotechnic almost curtailed his parenting capabilities, he has still been able to see the funny side of life. However, in some bedrooms around the country, there is only one side of the bed laughing. Holywood Star is available in paperback priced £9.99 (Showcase UK) from Amazon, WH Smith and www.showcaseuk.tv
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This is what the readers think Amazon.co.uk... "In
short I can't recommend it highly enough, a brilliant read." "Never
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Their latest collaboration is an entry to a competition to make the video for 'Fires' the next single by Southampton rock group Band of Skulls: the most recent south-coast act to gain major recognition in Europe and America.
Eamon's Irish eyes might be smiling at the thought of bringing laughter into some people's lives but the negative aspect is beginning to concern him: 
