#14. The Topping Up Issue
"You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." Maya Angelou
In last week’s intro I wrote about how inspired I was by my holiday but how quickly that inspiration can be drained by the grind of daily life. Well, this issue is about topping up that well of inspiration with advice from Einstein, heaps of new music and art #IRL.
Mooreish Words
So, Albert Einstein certainly knew a thing-or-two about a thing-or-two including, it seems, how to find happiness through creativity, which he shared with his son in this recently published letter from 1915: https://flashbak.com/albert-einsteins-guide-to-finding-happiness-through-creativity-in-a-1915-letter-to-his-son-451967/.
Mooreish Sounds
Not quite that long ago, the 90s in fact, I felt fairly clued up on things but it still amazes me how many bands I missed including Failure, who had a cult following of muso types most of whom appear in the trailer for a new documentary about the band’s influence. Best known for their 1996 post-grunge album ‘Fantastic Planet’ (apparently), I’ve had their 2015 offering ‘The Heart Is A Monster’ on repeat all week and it is indeed a noisy, guitar-driven monster!
The same year ‘Fantastic Planet’ was released, Singaporean indie-pop outfit Electrico formed…and they’re still going! Mid-way through last year they released a synth-tinged 4-track EP called ‘Left of The Century’ with some epic artwork that I can highly recommend.
Mooreish Visions
I’m quite proud of the fact that I have built up a decent collection of local music on vinyl and, like most vinyl enthusiasts, one of the reasons I go to the expense and inconvenience of this antiquated format is the artwork and liner notes. Over the years I have noticed one name crop up in those notes time and again; Leonard Soosay, producer and proprietor of Snakeweed Studios.
Snakeweed is like Singapore’s Abbey Road and Soosay its George Martin, without whom we might not have a music scene at all because, as Bandwagon noted in their recent profile of him; All Roads Lead To Snakeweed Studios.
Last month the studio revamped its YouTube channel and launched a new series of Snakeweed Sessions, live performances from some of its most cutting edge artists. There are five in total but this is the one that is living rent free in my head right now - just imagine being this talented for goodness sake!
Also can’t wait to see Sobs at Gateway theatre next month - get your tickets here.
For once we have a glut of cinema offerings that are NOT overwrought comic book films for overgrown children - YAY! If you find it pointless entering a cinema in the certain knowledge that, after some arbitrary hardship, the goody will end up in a no-stakes “epic battle between good and evil” that he/she is certain to win, try these instead:
Trailer #1: ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ with Michelle Yeoh
Trailer #2: ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’ with Nic Cage
Trailer #3: The original ‘Oldboy’ with the sickest (in every sense) ending of any film I have ever seen!
Mooreish Art/Happenings
And finally…
You may recall I wrote last week about making my zine (it’s underway), and this weekend, by pure coincidence, Singapore Art Book Fair is hosting some zine-making workshops in advance of the main event next weekend: https://singaporeartbookfair.org/2022-Fair-Programmes.
If the re-opening of Zouk this weekend doesn’t appeal to your age bracket then may I recommend the slightly more sedate La Salle MA Fine Arts Graduation Show? Always of a high standard this is where you’ll find Singapore’s art stars of tomorrow: https://www.lasalle.edu.sg/events/faraway-nearby-ma-fine-arts-graduation-exhibition-2022.
160 of Singapore’s most creative makers will be plying their wares a Boutique Fairs Singapore this weekend. One can imagine it’s been a tough pandemic for them with everyone relying on Amazon, Lazada & Shoppee so let’s show them some love down at the F1 Pit Building. See who’s there: https://www.boutiquefairs.com.sg/brand-directory-ss2022.
OK, now I’m feeling fired up I am off to create…stuff! Cheers, Nx