Sunday, June 8, 2014

Louise Brooks asks: Anyone for tennis?

Louise Brooks asks: Anyone for tennis? (Photo circa 1928).


Saturday, June 7, 2014

LIke Louise Brooks

"Like Louise Brooks" by Sarah Azzara, from her superb 2000 album Revenge Of Danger Girl. (Available on CD Baby.)

Friday, June 6, 2014

Some pretty great bangs & bobbed hair: celebrating Ipso Facto & Theoretical Girl

Here is the 2007 video for the Ipso Facto single "Harmonise," directed by Tony Mines. This band sported some pretty great bangs and bobbed hair.


Ipso Facto were a goth-inflected, melodramatic psychedelic rock band founded in 2007 by Rosalie Cunningham (singer, songwriter, guitar), Victoria Smith (drums), Cherish Kaya (keyboards) and Samantha Valentine (bass guitar). They were based in London. Before Ipso Facto, Rosalie and Samantha played in the Southend band Theoretical Girl. (see videos below)

According to music writer Mark Deming, "In May 2007, Ipso Facto made their live debut opening for the Violets, and their first single, "Harmonise" b/w "Balderdash," was released by the independent Disc Error label six months later. Thanks in part to a striking music video and plenty of enthusiastic press, the single quickly sold out its press run, and Ipso Facto began receiving international coverage as they began work on their debut album in 2008."

After a couple years touring the UK, Ipso Facto split up, in 2009. Since then, they have gone separate ways. Rosalie Cunningham is continuing to write and record music with her new band Purson. Samantha Valentine has joined the band Romance, Cherish has gone to play keyboards for Florence and the Machine. Victoria Smith went on to be a touring member of MIA and is the current drummer in The Big Pink.

The band's AllMusic biography was written by the Mark Deming (my roommate in college, I kid thee not). He described them this way: "All-female foursome Ipso Facto are nearly as well known for their fashion sense as for their music -- they exclusively favor vintage monochrome outfits and sport hairdos that split the difference between Louise Brooks and Brian Jones -- though their stylish fusion of indie pop, garage rock, early goth sounds and psychedelia has certainly earned them a loyal following."


And below is a sweet outdoors live version of Theoretical Girl's "The Boy I Left Behind." To listen to the studio version follow this link.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Mischa Barton: Louise Brooks rock n roll

From a few years ago, film and television actress Mischa Barton dressed up to look like Louise Brooks. I love the "Louise Brooks rock 'n roll" identification. Be sure and check out tomorrow's blog, which features more LB rock!

              

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

An amusing 1926 cartoon strip



An amusing cartoon strip found while doing research. It dates from 1926, and is by Rube Goldberg.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Brooksie: The Jazz Age Musical


I wanted to let everyone know that Brooksie: The Jazz Age Musical is now available in the United States. A recording can be obtained through CDBaby at www.cdbaby.com/cd/brooksie   There, you can also listen to sample sounds of this enjoyable musical inspired by the life of Louise Brooks. Composed by Sandro Moreni, who lives in Switzerland, this is jazzy music from the Jazz Age, full of swing and interpreted by top European musicians. I would encourage everyone to check it out - as I understand the stage version has proven popular and has been performed in Switzerland and Austria, and perhaps Germany).
The composer's website is also well worth checking out. It can be found at www.brooksie.ch  The CD of the musical can also be obtained through such on-line European vendors as Huge Music and amazon.de

Monday, June 2, 2014

Blast from the past: Etch-a-Sketch

An Etch-a-Sketchist featuring Louise Brooks drawn on a Etch-a-Sketch. Isn't it nifty? I could never manage more than a stick figure or two on those things.

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