Up and coming fashion designer Hana Hattori divulges her darkest musical secrets. She's at the front wearing the bunny ears and one of her own creations in the picture. If you want to find out more about her clothes and where you can buy them then have a look at her website, but for now sit back and get ready for a whole new world of music that is about to open up right before your very eyes. Over to you Hana:
I work in my studio everyday either making new designs, patterns, samples or constructing a garment, which gives me all day to listen to music.
I love to sing along when I listen and work. Out of all the music I listen to everyday, the group that's been played heavily on my ipod would be Linda Yamamoto, Pink Lady, (pictured below, check out the music video at the end of the article too!) and Rebecca.
I tend to listen to lots of Japanese group and bands from 60's, 70's and 80's. Most people would find these music "wacky", even my mom and friends think it's weird that I love listening to those music! But the "wacky" definition goes with my personality and, the fun part of wackiness goes into my designs, and what those songs give to the listeners are somewhat like what I hope the wearers of my designs would feel in my clothes.
They are very fun to listen and sing along to. And the 60's, and 70's I feel, has so much hope and joy in the unreal world that listeners create in their heads. I love the era, and the clothes they wore - what we'd call today "vintage".
Listening to this music while working on dresses always put me in a good mood, and makes me very happy, which, again is the way I want people to feel in my creations!
The enigmatic Shugmonkey managed to stand still for more than 2 seconds to talk to Vainzine. He is a wonderful artist / designer and musician and has rather a lot to say for himself.
On first meeting Shug you would be forgiven in thinking you just stepped inside a Dickens novel. The cocky, mischievous street urchin comes shining through and in a pub, club or house party you need only look for a group of bodies huddled around an energetic little character. Reeling off tales of near scrapes, insane adventures and good times had. The yarns told with a cheeky wit backed by animated hand movements and exaggerated impressions of the characters he's known over the years. His audience always left in stitches and with an image of a fiery little individual ingrained in the mind.Shug is always full of surprises and once you get past the naughty wideboy persona you enter a whole new level of character. His interests are vast. Lord Bryon, Byzantium, The 18th Century Underworld, World War One, the paranormal, 1920-30's gangsters and silent film stars to name just a few. His house is stacked with books, CDs and records. Obsessive collections of so many genres and to top that his music studio is crammed with all varieties of keyboards, drum machines and noise making equipment. Sketchbooks and paper are all around filled with ideas and doodles. You start to get an idea of what Shug is actually about.
In 1999 Shug graduated from art school with a B.A. (Hons) degree in Graphic Design/Illustration. While at art school he learnt about making electronic music from other students. Seeing the use of the computer as a serious tool in the future of art and music, Shug set off creating under the name of shugmonkey (taken from an East Anglian legend, the Shug Monkey.)Shug is known for his illustration. Blending old and new, East and West, he is at times hard to pin down for artwork. Working on his emotions and feelings rather than a production line approach, Shug often turns down commissions due to the fact that he ain't into to at the moment.
His music is also a varied pallet. World fusion, hip hop, techno, acid house and anything else he feels in the mood for. Adding his own distinctive take on all he does it's clear he belongs to no scene and is seriously underground."If someone suggested we do a track that consisted of a Romany brass band, Berber singers,Gamelan orchestra and a Mongolian throat artist doing the bass, I'd be up for that ha! You have to play around you know, it's creatively healthy but so many people worry about fitting in, they don't try other stuff out of fear of being rejected or some crap."Shug's list of admirers spread from the local Joe on the street to DJ's, fellow producers, bands, singers, dancers and actresses. His street, no messing about attitude has kept him down to earth and respected. Like the artwork, he has turned down opportunities in the music world he simply wasn't into. When he says it's not about the money, you truly believe the little big man.
Shug is constantly busy creating. He hooked up with world fusion giants Transglobal Underground last year to add a few vocals to a track from their latest album. From that, and with TGU member Hamid Mantu, the pair went on to produce a track for a Tribalbellydance compilation compiled by DJ Phil Meadley. The duo are currently working on a new track for another compilation.Shug is also making more acid and rave themed music which he grew up with as a teenager. His style gives a nod more to the oldskool while adding his own take on things."Some producers are doing some wicked stuff with Acid at the moment. Yeah ok with IDM comes a few rich blokes at times trying to be geezers but I'm old skool and am happy with that. Baby Ford, Bizarre Inc, 808 State and Altern 8, you now what I mean? To me that type of music was about having a good time out and forgetting the daily grind. That's what I like to think of when I make it but as far as the IDM vibe goes, big ups to the people mashing up the original format."
Although Shug's life seems to be taken up in a creative tidal wave more often than not, there is one thing that always remains. If you meet him and you get on and it's pretty hard not to get on with him, he will always take the time to stop and talk. He likes nothing more than a good laugh. He doesn't play the artist, he was born it and if anything he does play, then it's the fool, but makes sure we all have a good time in dong so. It's true in saying never judge a book by its cover.
Previous MusicalInspirations can be found by clicking the links below:
If you have had the misfortune not to have heard of Arabella Proffer, or feast your rather privileged eyes on her work then your suffering has finally finished and you can breathe a huge sigh of relief. The Fourth in the Musical Inspirations series sees Arabella enlighten us on the inspirations behind the two paintings featured as well as her wider aims and ambitions in her art projects. "The portrait series I've been working on as of late brings together my interests in fashion, decadence, rich paintings, and older cultures. Of course I like to make them my own, and always wondered what it would be like if goths and punks left proper portraits as part of some legacy. Most counter-culture fashions and movements are so widely accepted now, I thought about what it would be like if aristocrats and royalty adopted the fashion as well." Arabella told Vainzine the music that inspired her to create the two Portraits featured.
"In the beginning stages I always like to listen to something eerie or dark; for years and years I have had The Church 'Priest=Aura on loop for everything, as it has been aptly described as grand, goth and atmospheric. I found it very appropriate when tackling these two portraits at first." The course of true love, or in this case great art does not run smooth as Arabella professed experiencing during the Creation of the two pieces.
"But then, I had to change gears halfway through. I wasn't used to doing larger portraits and it was taking a toll on me physically and just draining me all around. So what better way to get through it and stay awake than with some glam riffs? Particularly the Velvet Tinmine (Pictured left) compilation. I also found it appropriate that while working on the tartan clothing, a band on the CD called Tartan Horde, does a funny little song called "Bay City Rollers We Love You". So, while I may have started out with The Church, I ended up with songs by Iron Virgin and Ricky Wilde. A strange turn, but hey, it got the job done didn't it?" So It is with great admiration and thanks that we bid a fond farewell, but not goodbye to Arabella who will be exhibiting in October for those of you lucky enough to live in the States. For more details visit her website, it will surely be an event not to be missed.
The first of Daniel's Musicalinspirations came from The Shins 'Caring is Creepy'. Vainzine asked him about the inspirations behind the drawing;
'I listened to The Shin's "Caring is Creepy" 47 times! After a while, I was going crazy. This piece was done with a theme in mind. Its for a book called Raise Up Vol 3. but I do have to say that the Shins really influenced me with this one. Especially the title "Caring is Creepy". What a great title!
Up and coming fashion designer Hana Hattori divulges her darkest musical secrets. She's at the front wearing the bunny ears and one of her own creations in the picture.
music "wacky", even my mom and friends think it's weird that I love listening to those music! But the "wacky" definition goes with my personality and, the fun part of wackiness goes into my designs, and what those songs give to the listeners are somewhat like what I hope the wearers of my designs would feel in my clothes.
