gaming « StreetSquad

Ey yup cockers were back th’up north for another update of whats brill and top in Manchester. For this update im looking and the wonderful work produced for the The Disco Cave, Which was a three hour performance at Kraak galleries. The performance was devised and performed by the Volkov Commanders (plus a few friends).

Nine restricted costumes were made especially for the event which created 9 characters sent from the future to party like it was 2099. The event was strectched over a three hour period where surreal minimal music was played as the characters danced almost in sync restricted by there costumes as if they were in a ritual. The audience was almost invited to join in but you were always kept at arms length by the un earthly characters materializing and changing infront of you. Over all this was an experience not to be missed by a set of very exciting and talented artists and I would recommend catching them at there informal and experimental performances.

http://cargocollective.com/panoply

When I DJ with Hayley Caine we love dropping Aerosmith ‘Dude looks like a lady’ – you should listen to it whilst you read this..I have male friends straight and gay who wear make up so I thought I would delve into the world of not metro sexual male grooming but men that wear as much or more make up than I do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf0oXY4nDxE&w=420&h=315]

Louie by Louie

So you know Louie Banks fellow Street Squader. Let’s start with him.

Louie loves his clothes, his hair and his make up.

I have known Louie since he was 17 I think he’s beautiful and although he might be wearing lace gloves, rings that Henry the eighth would be proud of and 8 inch brothel creepers to me he is butch make up or no make up. Recently I walked down Brick Lane with Louie and Josh Quinton and they looked like two tropical birds of paradise. And everyone wanted their photo.

Admittedly I did Louie’s make up for the iD shoot and you can see the influence of the Rocky Horror Picture show which reminds me that I had a chance meeting in a posh car with fashion historian Amber Jane Butchart I love this quote from her blog.

“I can’t help it if the first moment that Tim Curry turns around in Sweet Transvestite is still one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.” – Amber Jane Butchart.

Josh without make up has something Michael Hutchins about him. I had a dream that he became the next Kate Moss, now that would be a wonderful thing.

Stephen Tennant wore make up in the 20’s androgyny was all the rage. Leigh Bowery used make up to transform himself into Indian gods and otherworldly beings. He famously covered himself in orange pokadots. Then we have Boy George the New Romantics, Lou Reed, David Bowie, Marc Bolan. They made it acceptable for a man to wear make up. Lou reed wrote a song called Make Up-

‘Rouge and coloring, incense and ice, perfume and kisses, ooohhh, it’s all so nice. You’re a slick little girl, you’re such a slick little girl. Now, we’re coming out,
out of our closets. Out on the streets…

Yeah, we’re coming out.’

When Louie wears make up he’s quite expressive and when Josh paints his lips black and colours his eyes in brows he just looks great. Girls wear make up to look great so what’s the difference. We’re conditioned in this day and age to think of make up as a girls thing, men frequently tell Louie, ‘the ladies are that way.’

I play in two bands with Oliver Martin (he goes out with Crystabel from Maria and the Mirrors from my Travel Sex blog) heres what he had to say-

Oliver Martin

ME: When did you start wearing make up?

OM: Around about 14. I think it started with black nail varnish and it escalated from there.

ME: Did anybody inspire you to wear it?

OM: I guess it was the bands I was listening to. I was a bit of a metal-head but not in the big beard, beer gut, Slayer sense (although I love a bit of Slayer). More camp-goth metal. Then came Bowie and Iggy. I was just a lanky kid in an all boy rugby school that really wanted to fuck with as many people as possible – it was hilarious how horrified people were.

ME: When do you wear it?

OM: Back then all the time. I would wear orange eye shadow that made me look very unwell. Now I usually wear it when I play live, though not as much as I’d like.

ME: How does it make you feel?

OM: Confident. It’s been a big part of my playing music to people over the years, and as such I associate it with getting out there and putting on a show. It’s nice to feel glamorous once in a while, otherwise I’m just a spotty drunk with a 5 o’clock shadow.

An interview with fellow Street Squad member Louie Banks

ME: When did you start wearing make up?

LB: I honestly can’t remember, since a very young age, on and off.

ME: How does it make you feel?

LB: That would depend on how its done, ones mood can be channeled through your makeup, for example dark bold smudgy eyes when ones feeling a little dark… using colours when happy, downwards slanting eye makeup and eyebrows for a more solemn look, so in the long run i probably feel how I look!

ME: Who inspired you/ inspires you to wear it? –

LB: Klaus Nomi, Tim Curry as Frank-N-Furter.

ME: Whats your favourite product?

LB: Liquid Metal by Illamasqua

ME: Do you wear it everyday?

LB: Far from…!

(He does wear a base though! I can tell )

Clifford Grant Drummer, DJ, Art collector musing about make up age unkown

Cliff

CG:I know that if I feel like doing something I shouldn’t worry what other people think about it. It is a bit of a rebel in a way. If I wanna put make up on, why not? That’s why I liked the 70s and the 80s we were blessed with great times, you know you’d get a rockabilly over there, a punk over there.

ME: So in the 80’s which male artist did you look at and think that looks cool?

CG: Dave Vanian out the Damned, Johnny Rotten All The Depeche mode stuff.

LW: Where you Djing then? What were you doing?

CG: I was playing in the C***ts. Then I realised I had left Edgar Winter and the whole of Prog Rock out!

Last but never least, here’s me having a chin wag with Josh Quinton..

ME: When did you start wearing make up?

JQ: Oh gosh! probably when i was about 8 or 9, I had a fixation my great nan, her hats shoes, jewellery but particularly her makeup drawer. then… I went to secondary school. and that sobered me up. i didnt really start wearing makeup again untill I was in my 20s.

ME: Did anybody inspire you to wear it?

JQ: Then I was little I was obsessed with making myself look as much like Mrs Doubtfire as possible! I was always dressing up as witches or clowns, – I haven’t really changed much to be honest I still dress like a clown and still end up looking like Mrs Doubtfire a lot of the time too! now I love 70s disco artists, Amanda Lear, Donna Summer.. Divine, Eartha Kitt.. films really inspire me too… Mars Attacks, Death Becomes Her, La Cage aux Folles, oh! Slaves of New York… amazing!

ME: When do you wear it?

JQ: Nearly every single day, I don’t seem to be able to go out the house without it now though I seem to often be told I don’t need it! I generally like to make myself to look as ill as possible

ME: How does it make you feel?

JQ: I’m constantly getting confused for a woman when I’m out, though I certainly don’t wear makeup to myself look like one! I would hate to be thought of as a tranny, I just feel like a boy… with a bit of with of lippy on.

Watch Josh and his friends get a bit fruity, sure to brighten anyone’s day!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbNZua809zU&w=420&h=315