OBSESSION: BJORK

My first post in the obsession series just has to be on Bjork. I have been fascinated by her for years. She is well known for her original thinking, which has played a massive role in producing her music. Bjork has been in the music business for over 30 years and I admire how she still pushes so many boundaries.



Punk music has played a starring role in Bjork's inspirations. At the age of 14 she was in an all-girl punk band called Spit and Snot. She then dabbled in a bit of jazz before being involved in another punk band which was amazingly titled, Cork The Bitches Ass. The name was coined from a saying which one of her friend's fathers said when something really worked - I wonder how he came to that conclusion? She moved from punk to gothic rock, where she developed her trademark singing style in the band KUKL, which was later named The Sugarcubes. And for the past twenty years she has been pursuing her solo career. Her music has mellowed me out on many occasion, with its electronic-orchestra sound and soaring vocals. I love her confusing lyrics, as it gives everyone the chance to interpret her music differently.

Biophilia, Bjork's latest music project has been so revolutionary that a documentary has been born from it. She has recently collaborated with David Attenborough to film a documentary on The Nature of Music. Aswell as showcasing the Biophilia project, it will display the evolution of music in both the human world and the animal world, demonstrating the importance of music in other creatures' lives. 



 
I feel her quirky sense of humour, her cookiness and her open-mindedness has amounted to her great success. Her personality is matched by her unusual futuristic-animalistic-colourful style. One of her famous moments was the outfit she chose to wear to the Oscars. She wore a swan dress which she stuffed with six eggs so she could lay them on to the red carpet. Bjork describes her sexual relations with men and women is like choosing between eating cake or ice cream. She wanted to help her cat to learn how to fly so it could be with the birds her cat loved to chase. I could list the eccentric things that she has said or done forever and ever. This is probably why I have always been so obsessed with her. She is my reason not to care when someone tells me that I am weird.

AMY JAYNE
@disguisedzebras

OBSESSION: JIM MORRISON

The subject of my obsession this week has to be the lizard king himself, leather clad lothario, Jim Morrison. A member of the notorious ‘27’ club, the American poet created some incredible music with that perfect balance of insanity and talent. It also helps that he was a complete bastard; a key trait for any heartthrob. I’ve heard people attach ‘overrated’ to a lot of bands from 60’s, The Doors included, but in my opinion, they deserve all the acclaim.

I highly recommend that you to give any of a number of biographies written on Morrison a read. It’s pretty evident that the man was ever so slightly unhinged, based on lyrics alone, but if you fancy getting a closer look at the notorious bad boy, ‘Strange Days: My Life With and Without Jim Morrison’, written by Patricia Kennealy Morrison, makes for an interesting read. She gives some reference to his childhood, various turbulent relationships with those closest to him, and her own experience of the man behind the façade.

Unsurprisingly, it’s awash with anecdotes of sexual violence and generally the kind of lifestyle we’ve come to expect from that epoch. The glimpses into his psyche which I found the most interesting were the tales from his youth. Unlike some rock stars that have all the pretence of near insanity, his early poems indicate he was the real thing, making me that little bit more fascinated with him. His lifestyle was never one that would end in a long life, but maybe that adds to the image. It’s probably not the kindest thing to wish death upon anyone, but there are definitely a few musicians who have continued past their peak. I’ve always been sure that, given the choice I’d prefer to go out on a high. It’s never enjoyable to witness the demise of a hero. I’ve seen one too many egos destroying their image and their own music by refusing to bow out gracefully.

Morrison is a prime example of a musician putting their soul into the music, living fast and dying young, if that’s not worth recognition I’m not sure what is. “It may have been in pieces, but I gave you the best of me.” Jim Morrison.

Sophie
@sophgallagher
 

RELIVING KET.

Last week I met a guy who recalled his last experience of doing ket to me. After a couple of lines or four, he was stuck to a wall at a local psy-trance night thinking about crazy things. "So the ket you have been doing is good?!" I asked in disbelief. He reassured me by saying the K that he's been buying is from a pharmaceutical company of some sort. So it must be the real deal?

Image: Space Cadet ~ Speth

Two summers ago there was loads of ketamine raids in the North of England. You couldn't find it anywhere. In a way, it was a good thing, as many people I know were doing far too much of it. With barely any ket around, there came in the 'legal' unclassified version of the stuff, methoxetamine. It shared the rubbish affects of ketamine; it numbed your legs, slowed down your reactions and left you with nasty tasting grains embellished to your teeth. Unlike real ket it left you feeling like shit. What I love about ket is that it sends you into another dimension without no feeling of shitness (hangover/comedown) afterwards. With little hallucinogenic properties, I totally lost interest in it.

Real Ket took me from colourful place to colourful place via a pod (my mind's version of a bus). I chilled on Jupiter many a times. Eating KitKat Chunkys was a challenge, but an amazing experience. My legs alternated from fat to thin. Over emphasising the start of words, with a feeling of making everyone understand what you're thinking or what you've worked out. Calling my friend's dad 'babe', a word which I never used at the time. Sitting on a toilet thinking you are weeing on your friends girlfriend cos you hear her voice from the next room. Feeling like you are inside a song, that your every movement is connected to noises in the track. Listening to my friend telling me he was a piece of chocolate getting stamped repeatedly with a design in a chocolate factory.

Image: Intent Blog

Being aware that clean ket was around, I had the chance of reliving weird but incredible experiences I had two years ago. I decided to give it a try. Knowing that I was going to write a piece on it, when I was under the influence I described a couple of events taking place on my phone. 

"I believe on spinning circles andy grandad and nan. Spinning round in Circles it doesn't matter how high you go. Fiine will. Phone. It feels like Breaking through black plastic boxes like its 50/50"

From what I remember, walking in the nightclub was like breaking through plastic boxes or joined up shapes. Kinda like an assault course like the children's TV show 50/50. I was also spinning round in a huge spinning top with my nan and grandad. A weird concept them being in a nightclub with me when my nan and grandad are both in heaven. They told me that they're pleased with what I am doing and that they are looking after me. I went home soon after this and danced & sat down with my boyfriend listening to old skool Caspa & Rusko and Benga. It was a beautiful venture. It feels like the experience has helped me straighten out a lot of sketchy things I've been thinking about lately. This is maybe due to it's anti-depressant properties. For those of you who like me haven't been able to get hold of any, ket is most certainly back.

AMY JAYNE