Stylists Over Substance?

Interesting few days, very busy at the moment.

I was invited to a charity event last night that was great. A really worthy cause. It's good to meet people from the music industry who are really into that kind of thing as you rarely meet anyone who isn't a decent type. Of course there are a few just wanting publicity dotted around but luckily I didn't meet anyone like that. I'm not sure I can mention any of the people or the charity as I don't like to without permission n that. But it was great to see the involvement. To the point where I now see one particular artist who I've previously hated in a totally different light.

After the event was an aftershow do with lots of uber trendy people. I am not cool, nor will I ever be. I wore a shell suit when I was a teenager (and had a flat top). I don't have the cool hair, defined fringe or girlfriend with lots of eye makeup. However, events like that are often a bit of a tw*t magnet. Again, luckily I didn't meet anyone nasty except a guy who took offence of me not standing on a table to get out of his way or something.

Anyhow, getting to the point of my babbling. This was a 'scenester' event. It was really easy to see defined subcultures in there, something I thought didn't really exist properly in London anymore. I figured everyone was simply a variation of the same theme, like Smarties. There was your 80's indie band sort of thing (imagine a really skinny Bon Jovi and you're there) your Camden alternatives (like goths but smell nicer) electro types (nice fringes, Devo without the stackable hats) plus a few more. I went for the geography teacher chic look I think.

Now really getting to the point of all this. I was chatting to an artist today who I'm really into. Now they're still in development, the songs are amazing, the live show great but they're overall 'look' and message of their promo material isn't very clear. Everything is a bit ambigious and you're not realy sure what they're all about. Now I was of the opinon of 'sod all that let's get on with music, getting it heard by the right people' etc. However, when getting it heard off the right people, they want to be perceived correctly straight off the bat. First impressions and all that. This is where I realised stylists do have a purpose and reason to exist. So I'm hooking them up with a friend of a friend to sort all this. It does remind me a little of when I was asked to start a label with someone and we spent weeks trying to get the logo right rather than getting on with the important stuff. But when having a narrow window of influence and the fact that misinterpretation of the act can mean missing out on opportunities I guess all this stuff is really important. So, it's going to be getting them to look right, good promo shots then a video I think.

I think I might actually get a night in tonight, the first in ages. It's going to be wonderful. I can do whatever I want and cook some food, wow. Shite, just remembered left the pots out from my last cooking session and haven't been home since. I probably have a post -it on my bedroom door by now. Ugh.

Anyhow, I will head home, play video games and eat some comfort food. :-)

Hope all is stylish n that with you

IB