Rachel

So the Royal Wedding and sale of Olympics tickets stalled growth of the economy in the last quarter…

Correct me if I’m wrong, but were we not informed a couple of months ago that these factors would INCREASE the growth of our economy?!

I’m sympathetic to the family of Amy Winehouse, and it’s truly tragic what’s happened to her, but surely our thoughts must also lie with those in Norway who have lost children, parents, brothers and sisters in the massacre that occurred over the weekend.

I struggle to understand how people can show more compassion and value for the life of a person who blatantly disregarded her own life and took little responsibility for her own actions.

No matter how many people tried to help Amy Winehouse, she repeatedly refused the help offered by concerned friends and family, and it’s not completely surprising what has happened.

Before you say I lack compassion, please consider how sympathetic I am to the family she left behind. However, I also feel that those in Norway who have had their lives torn apart in the name of extreme religion; through no fault of their own, deserve as much compassion, if not more than a woman who cared so little for her life that she was willing to put it at risk daily in order to feed her addiction.

It may seem selfish to be more sympathetic to strangers in another country, but I doubt if Amy Winehouse felt any sympathy at all to the pain and suffering she was putting her family through every single day whilst she carried out her selfish actions and addictions.

May you all rest in peace, wherever and whoever you are.

Published in Ark Magazine, November 2010

If you’re interested in drum and bass music in Preston, chances are you’ve heard the name Kamakaze mentioned more than once. MC’s don’t usually get much of a mention in music magazines but this is an MC with a difference. Organizing and playing at events since the age of 16, Kamakaze is no amateur to music.

Coming from humble beginnings as a bedroom MC rhyming along to garage music, Kamakaze improved his style and his interest in drum and bass music began to grow. His friendship with drum and bass DJ B52 allowed him to develop his sound further and he was soon made resident at Decibel.

Three years of residency at this night gave Kamo the confidence and awareness to pursue his music career and as his reputation grew, he was approached by one of the biggest drum and bass events in the country: Hysteria. “That was where it really kicked off for me. I was playing with some of the biggest names in music, and that was the point where I started getting bookings in cities on a regular basis.” His residency at Hysteria opened up new avenues for Kamakaze, and he’s had several big opportunities since taking up the role. “Hysteria record all their nights and put the CD’s out, so you’ve got your name on records all around the country without even trying,” he says in a matter-of-fact sort of way.

Not only has Hysteria given him the platform to showcase his vocals outside of Preston, it has allowed him to perform with some of the biggest dance acts in the world, with one of his most notable achievements being a set with Original Sin. “I’ve played on some massive lineups for Hysteria, and it’s good because it’s not just in Preston any more. People are starting to hear me from all over the country.”

He has certainly made an impact in the drum and bass community. When asked about his most recent gig he merely replied that it was a last minute ‘thing’ in Ibiza. “I ended up playing at Cafe Paradis with Micky Finn. I introduced myself to him and he already knew who I was so he invited me into his set.” Not quite your average Saturday night out in town then.

With influences ranging from the likes of jump-up MC’s such as Trigger and Spider, to jungle artists like Dynamite MC, Kamakaze seems to have a level headed approach to music. “MC’s need to be easy on your ears, they need to know when to rhyme and when to just shut up. As an MC you’re there to compliment the act, not overshadow it.”

So with all that under his belt at the age of 24, what’s the next step for Kamakaze? “I’m interested in recording some tracks, I’ve been looking out for up and coming producers that can make decent tunes then I can get in the studio and sing over the top.” While his roots lie in garage and drum and bass however, he’s more interested in progressing into a new, more modern sound. “I don’t feel like I’ve got as far as I can in drum and bass because there’s certainly more of the ladder to climb, but I don’t really feel like I can progress much further than I already have. I’ve got a sound that I want to be on, an electro type drum and bass sound, maybe a bit more commercial.”

(Opening page for my portfolio submission)

“Noun: A current (constantly changing) trend, favoured for frivolous rather than practical, logical or intellectual reasons”

The ‘official’ wikipedia definition states that fashion is illogical, impractical and unintelligent. But is this really the case?

Sure, there are trends that are outrageous enough to make any sane person run a mile, but is haute couture designed to be taken literally or can it be favoured more towards the art form that it should really be given credit for?

For me, fashion is more than just keeping an eye out for the next big trend to come off the catwalk. It is the most significant, ever-changing and interesting aspect of everyday lifestyle. And it’s certainly NOT unintelligent.

Fashion makes people feel like they belong to part of a ‘tribe’, almost as though they are a significant part of the industry with which they have developed this obsession.

Fashion evokes a mood, in much the same way that music, art and architecture do, and yet it is still labelled as fickle and irrelevant. But when some of the world’s leading women (Michelle Obama for example) are constantly scrutinised for their choice of style, it is ignorant to suggest that fashion does not play an overwhelming part in the everyday lifestyle of women all over the world.

It is so integral to subjects such as politics, history and even architecture that fashion can no longer be labelled as a ‘silly obsession’ by those who do not understand its importance.  It is a means of representation, expression, but most importantly it is a means of individuality.  A personal style will never change, no matter what the political, economic or social implications.

So that’s what fashion means to me.