Urban Perk #4: Ryoji Ikeda's "Spectra"

Afternoon Everyone,

First of all I would just like to say that the

winner of the Pixies' Doolittle poster is:

ALEX CABRE

Thank you to everyone else who entered, there are some

more competitions on the way!

Secondly I would like to talk about something I found

yesterday...

So my Dad and I were leaving the cinema

after seeing Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes (which

I highly recommend!) when we saw a beam of light

shining up from the ground and onto the low clouds.

We decided to find out what it was and so we spent

the next 20 minutes or so tracking it down in our

clunky old VW. 

At first we thought it was coming from the Imperial

War Museum because as many of you know, yesterday was the

centenary of the First World War.

But driving towards the light we worked out that it was

in the wrong part of London. When we got closer we saw that

this was not one small light, but about 50 of them

beaming towards the heavens.

Upon entering (for free) the Victoria Tower 

Gardens you see these beautiful lights shining bright

and with purpose. On closer inspection people are walking in

and out the columns of light or lying on the floor and 

gazing up at the spectacular sight. A stunning atmosphere 

is created through an ambient soundtrack that swirls from the speakers and into your mind.

Inspired by the declaration "the lamps are going out all over Europe, 

we shall not see them lit again in our life-time",

said by Sir Edward Grey*, spectra is a stunning piece 

of art that unites the people across London and reminds

them of the hardships and sacrifices of the 

First World War.

spectra can be seen from 12 miles away (on a clear day).

The exhibition is on from dusk till dawn 

and will permanently fade out in the early hours of

 Monday 11th August.

Lest we forget,

Poppy x

*Sir Edward Grey was the Foreign Secretary during the 

outbreak of WWI

Interview with King Eider!

Hello People,

So the other day I was listening to a band doing a 

session for BBC London, I was captivated by their

combination of folk and rock as well as their

brilliant use of the violin and horn.

King eider are a five piece 'Edinburgh-based folk-blues band'

who use three part harmonies to create haunting and 

atmospheric music. They have been compared to the soulful

acoustics of Ben Howard and the foot stomping wildness of Arcade Fire. This is one of their latest songs 'Drink Me Dry'

And so I did what I do with bands that I listen to and love;

I got an interview with them!

Without further ado here is my interview with...

King Eider

1. Could you introduce yourselves and your instruments?

Reuben Tighe - Vocals,Guitar, Harmonica

Sam Chapman - Vocals, Drums,

Lucy Frankel - Vocals, Violin

Josh Casali-Bell Linemann - Vocals, Keys, Horn

Sam Palmer - Bass Guitar

2.Who are you influenced by and how did you discover 

your "sound"?

Our influences span a spectrum of genres and decades. 

Lucy listens to a lot of traditional country and bluegrass. 

Reuben takes influences from his mothers CD collection of 60's blues and rock and roll. Sam brings in more modern influences 

such as Arcade Fire and The Wild Beasts. We share our music

taste so that all of them influence our music 

to some degree.

3.When did you form as King Eider - what made you choose 

the name?!

We formed Early 2012, and were originally named "Zopa and the Shakes" (after Reuben's middle name). After deciding a name change was in order, we decided on King Eider. We were in an ale pub drinking a beer named "YellowHammer", (also the name for a bird native to the UK) and decided we liked the name. Since this was already a popular band name, we decided to research all other UK bird names. It transpires that the King Eider duck is a bird which migrates to the lake district every year, which is home to Reuben, Sam Chapman, and Josh, so the name seemed a good fit!

4. Describe your music in five words.

Hmmm....

5. What is the weirdest thing that has ever happened to

you before/after a gig?

Some one from the front row recently took his top off and 

attempted to lactate onto Lucy's shoes. That was pretty weird,

and somewhat aggressive...

6. State a fact that people don't know about you.

Two of us have Science PHD's

7. What are the top 4 songs on your playlist right now?

Wild Beasts - this is our lot

The Whitest Boy Alive - Islands

Supertramp - Bloody Well Right

Grizzly Bear - Ready,Able

8. What is the first album you remember buying?

 The first album which really had a musical impact on me was Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, self titled album. Peter Green still remains a big influence on me, the man is a genius.

9. Modern or Vintage Clothing? 

 No clothing is best.

10. What are you plans for the future?

After making the most of our album release, we intend to 

record a 4 track EP. We have been working on some new material

which we are excited to record, and intend to release it

some point early next year. Stay Tuned!

If you like the sound of King Eider then you can head to their

website here and check them out.

So long for now,

Poppy xx

Part I of Interview with The Majority Says

Hi All,

Here is Part I of my interview with The

Majority Says. You may not have heard of them before

but you might recognise them from the Lidl christmas

ad jingle "All these little things"

(http://youtu.be/APe7pHiWhnI)

1.Could you please introduce yourselves and your instrument? 

 We’re the Majority Says, I'm Axel, I play the bass, Timo plays the keys, Jonathan and Emil plays

 the guitar and Mathias the Drums. As you may know, Hanna does the lead vocals, all of the 

guys try to sing as much as we can as well, making nice 

harmonies and such, you know.

2. Where do you call "Home"? 

For now I think we all call Sweden home, something tells me we always will, we love getting back to 

Sweden, but we also like being on tour of course, Germany is a favorite.

3. What inspired you to name yourself "The Majority Says"?

Actually we just wanted to have a cool name, no real story behind it. We wanted a name that s

tarted with ”the”. Later we’ve found out if you puzzle a bit with the first letter in our first names 

you’ll get ”THE MAJ” Which is kinda cool.

4. How long have you been a band/known each  other?

Together, in this setup we’ve been playing for about 3 years, but some of us have known each 

other since we where kids, Jonathan and Emil have been playing together since 

they where about 12 years old.

5. Where do you find inspiration for your songs? (My favourite is Run Alone)

We find inspiration in many things, many of the songs of our upcoming album are about being 

from a smaller city, relations, being young and such things. We get inspired by

art, music, films & nature.

If you would like to hear some of Majority Says'

sound, I have uploaded a video of their song

"Run Alone"

Her soft voice, their harmonic, male voices and the

sounds of electro-pop form a wonderfully catchy and

uplifting song. A delightfully perky piece, go on- 

give it a go...

Love,

Poppy x

Ps. Part II will be available soon

Part I of Interview with "Great Caesar" x

Hi Everyone,

I really am sorry that I have neglected my

blog so much, no excuses!

I just wanted to say a quick well done to Naomi 
the winner of the Barry M nail varnish giveaway!!

I will be doing another giveaway in a few weeks,

so keep a look out.


Today I have for you Part I
of an interview with Great Caesar! A
bit of background info about them for those of you who
have not come across them before: Great Caesar are
a six piece chamber-rock band who currently reside in New
York. Their most recent single is "Don't Ask
Me Why" which can be found here!

Great Caesar Interview Part I

1. Could you please introduce yourselves and your instrument? 

(I say this because its so difficult to track down any info on Great Caesar :D)

John-Michael Parker (vocals, guitar) 

Adam Glaser (bass)

Tom Sikes (trumpet)

Mike Farrell (guitar)

Stephen Chen (saxophones)

2. Where do you call "home"? 

New York City! We've lived here for about 3 years now and love it, despite how dirty and hectic 

it is all the time.

3. How did you think up the name "Great Caesar"? Is there a reason why you chose it? 

It's a line from Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar;" Decius says it just before Caesar is murdered by the conspirators.  We've all found something meaningful in that play since reading it in high school, 

and that line has stuck with us over the years. It's pretty unique too, if a little hard to spell.

4. How long have you been a band/known each other? 

Actually, we've played music together since we were teenagers, as most of us are from the same 

hometown in Connecticut. 

5. Where do you find inspiration for your incredible songs - especially "Don't ask me Why"?!

As we continue to grow up and try to make sense of our lives and relationships, those feelings - and reflecting on how those feelings change over time - are a big part of what we write about. With Don't Ask Me Why we wanted to write about having big dreams and taking the leap of faith to realize them. We found inspiration in the film "Moonrise Kingdom," music by Beirut and Arcade Fire, and famous figures like JFK and MLK. And actually, we found a lot of inspiration from the high-school students John-Michael worked with as a mentor who had big dreams of their own. Inspiration is everywhere!

Great Caesar 

I will post the second half for you 
on Friday! 

See you then
Poppy x

Ps. Urban Perks from this point onward will be a
music and places-to-see in London kinda blog. Thanks for the
support :)

My Top 5 Books to Read for All Ages

Hi there, 

In the spirit of World Book Day I thought that I would 

give you a list of my top 5 books to read

this weekend, which is what I usually do if

I have some extra time.

The books I have chosen are suitable from 

13-100+ (although it is a matter of being 

interested in the topic of the book)

Let us begin.....

1.The Book Thief

This book is absolutely

amazing! It is narrated by death and although this 

may sound very daunting it is as light as

a marshmallow! Death follows a girl called Liesel

who lives in Germany at the brink of WWII, who 

is obsessed with books. A beautifully written book

that you'll never forget. On the plus side, the film 

has just been released! 

2.The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

At first, I struggled to connect with this book,

I felt that it wasn't headed anywhere and I didn't

like it very much. But then the plot became clear 

and the message too! Harold Fry is a retired man

who becomes bored with his routine, so when he 

receives a letter from an old friend he sees it as an

opportunity to do something new (and maybe even slightly

heroic!).

3.Paper Towns

Another quoted-filled and quirky story from best 

seller John Green. Everyone may be reading 

The Fault In Our Stars but this is well-worth

the read. Q is a high school student on the verge of 

graduating and after a night of fun-filled pranks

with his next door neighbour (Margo), he finds himself

searching for clues to her disappearance. But the

Margo he is searching for is not the one 

he expected. 

4. On The Road

A story of two men who travel across America

in search of knowledge and experience. Together

they experience the ups and downs of life and

freedom. The wonderful passages show Kerouac's 

love and passion for America. If you want a taste of 

freedom and self understanding, then this is one for you.

5. Birdsong

It 1910 and Stephen Wraysford has arrived in Amiens to 

stay with the extravagant Azaire family. Unexpectedly he falls for Isabelle, the unhappily married wife of Mr. Azaire but

WWI arises and causes their relationship to end. 

The story follows their separate lives throughout and after

the war. But will they ever find each other? 

I hope you find one to your liking! 

Love,

Poppy Valentine x

New Look Mini-Spree

Afternoon Everyone,

I'm sorry I haven't posted in so long I have

been so busy with homework and I haven't had 
my laptop to post from! 

I wanted to post a video of a tour of my room
but the format isn't compatible with blogger,
so I won't be able to! :(

However, I did just go on a mini-spree and
bought a series of items I'm very happy with!
(All from New Look) 

 

White Boxy Shirt £14.99

Black Gingham Skirt £9.99

Round Frame Sunglasses £4.99

Black Tie Dye crop top £12.99

Star Product: 

Blush Rose Garland £3.99

I love the Rose Garland because it's so easy to wear 

yet it looks effortlessly hippie-like. You

can buy them in a variation of styles, colours and sizes

so they're perfect for everyone and every outfit. 

I would encourage you to purchase one if you're hitting 

the festivals this spring/summer! ;)

Have a lazy Sunday! 

Poppy Valentine x

Redecorating (again!)

Hey Everyone, 

Just wanted to show you some pictures of my room.

I was redecorating yesterday (my version of therapy)

by adding some pictures and rearranging my stuff.

I bought some lovely mini prayer flags and stuck them

between to adjacent walls to create a cosy little atmosphere

in the corner where my desk is.

I also stuck some 7" vinyl in a 3x3 group on the

wall to add some colour and texture - it looks so cool!

Finally, the quote I created from pages of Q music

magazine. The quote is from a song that I posted 

on my blog a few days ago ("Don't ask me Why"

by Great Caesar). 

If you have any cool ideas or pictures of your

DIY decorating - feel free to comment below :)

Have a happy thursday,

Poppy Valentine xx

The Liebster Award

Hello All!

I am very happy to tell you that I have 

been nominated for the Liebster award by Emm,

for a link to her blog click here.

Here are Emm's questions:

Q)5 Words that define you?

A)Bubbly, Smiley, Weird, creative, Sarcastic(!) 

Q)Why did you start blogging?

A)I started blogging because at the time I was in love

with fashion and I was looking for a new hobby and then

I found it......Blogging.

Q)What is your favourite type of post (to read and write)?

A)I love posts about music that have loads of 

videos or posts with cool cartoons! I like reading 

tutorial posts for hair and creative projects. 

Q)Has blogging changed you? How has blogging influenced you? 

A)Blogging has definitely made me grow up

quite a bit, I've found the type of fashion and music I like. When I started as a Blogger I knew nothing about 

myself but blogging has helped me to find my 

creative side! 

Q)What do you think of your blog, and is there anything 

you would like to change from it? 

A)I'm really comfortable with my new clean look and it looks 

more professional and modern than before. Although I would 

like to have more of my own picture edits and to gain

some more followers/readers.

Q)Your style icon?

A) I love Twiggy's make up and hair but if we're

talking about clothes then I would have to say Emma Roberts.

Her fashion is effortless and really simple-and her 

new haircut is super cool! 

Q)Do you watch YouTube-What do you go to YouTube for?

A) I use YouTube for music. That's all; searching

up new artists, sourcing ideas from music videos and 

keeping up with new songs from artists I love.

Q) Your current favourite song? When you listen to it

do you listen to the music, or the lyrics?

A) My favourite song at the moment is Youth by Daughter.

I usually listen to the lyrics (they tell stories!).

Q)Last movie you watched and how was it? 

A) I watched this weird but wonderful film called The Royal Tenenbaums (a Wes Anderson film), it has really cool style and music - I thought the film was great!! 

Q) Best kind of cake, ever!

A) ANGEL CAKE!! It is amaaazing - you HAVE to try it!!

Q) LAstly, what do you think of Valentine's Day?

A) A bit cheesy, slightly cute but a bit of a rip - off?!

(That took a while!) 

Now here are my nominees: 
Runs With Scissors
Style and Beauty
Soph's Blog
Glow Getter
Live*London*Love
That Delete Button
Fashionaholic
The Simple Life of Fashion
My Life Box
"You get the Picture"
Beat of the Beauty

So, there you have it my 11 nominees! If you are one of the nominees then here are the rules: 

1. Link the blog that nominated you for the award
2. Choose 11 bloggers to nominate who have less than 200 followers
3. Answer the 11 questions (below) given to you
4. Let the people you have nominated know that you have done so 
5. You can't nominate the person that nominated you
6. Create 11 questions for the people you nominate to answer

Here are your questions:

• What is your favourite song at the moment, and why?
• Paste a picture of your favourite photo? 
• What would be your ideal Friday night in e.g. a sleepover, a movie, etc.
• If you could go anywhere in the world on Holiday this summer where would you go, and why?  
• What is the wildest thing you have ever done?
• What achievement are you most proud of?
• What is your favourite thing to blog about? 
• What is your favourite childhood memory? 
• What book are you reading at the moment, do you like it? 
• Name your favourite food.
• If home is where the heart is, then where does your heart lie? 

Okay, so there's your challenge! Hopefully it won't take you too long. 

Have a lovely evening and feel free to follow - I need

to get the amount to at least a 10! 

Have a wonderful Valentine's Day! 

Poppy Valentine x

Awesome Idea #4

Evening People,

This is just another quick hello! 

Thank you so much(!) to Emm for nominating me for 

the Liebster Award! 

I will answer her question and criteria in the 

next post! 

For now, here is Awesome Idea #4, I have to try

this out in the summer!! :)

Floating on Water ! 

Have a beautiful day tomorrow,

Poppy Valentine x