SEPTEMBER SOUNDS HMWYRS ISSUE #3

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MUSIC >> FASHION >> PHOTOGRAPHY >> MUSIC UNIVERSE

SEPTEMBER SOUNDS-HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK: ISSUE #3

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ON THE RUNLondon hip hop

inspired music duo on the rise

talks wildest storiesand big breaks!

SAM SURE & gIACOMO

www.thecommonroomonline.com

>> BECOME A FACE Calling all aspiring modern & creative entrepreneurs! PG40

AZEKEL CHI CHILOU

THECOMMON ROOM

ULAWIZNEROWICZ

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CONTENTS

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Cover: Sam Sure & Giacomo

TCR MOJO THIS MONTH: RYTHHM NATION

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HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK ISSUE #3

5The Common Room is a free publication distributed online. For any information on advertising, getting involved with any of TCR Projects or

general enquiries please email: [email protected]

THANK YOU TO: Sam Sure & Giacomo, Azekel & Josephine PR, Yingzhi Luo, Ula

Wiznerowicz, 14th and Lorenzo Guerrieri for making this issue what it is!

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

TCR MOJO THIS MONTH: RYTHHM NATION

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Bookworm Jim

The Sound of Indie-Pendence

The PRS Music Universe

FEATURE: Sam Sure & Giacomo

SEPTEMBER SOUNDS: 14th & Azekel

FASHION: Chi Chi Lou

PHOTOGRAPHY: Ula Wiznerowicz

HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK ISSUE #3

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&CAREER

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INDUSTRY

BOOKWORM JIM

Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick: Issue #3Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick: Issue #3

Career & INDUSTRY

TCRS RECOMMENDED READS

Get Some Headspace (eBook): 10 Minutes Can Make all the DifferenceBy Andy Puddicombe Andy Puddicombe, founder of the much publicised Headspace, is on a mission to get people to take 10 minutes out of their day to sit in the here and now. Here he shares his simple to learn, but highly effective techniques of meditation. Accessible and portable, these powerful techniques promise amazing results. Quiet the mind, feel less stressed, less tired and achieve a new level of calm and fulfilment. By following the daily exercises you will start to experience literally life changing results.

Tycoon By Peter JonesDragon’s Den star Peter Jones will demonstrate how anyone can become successful -- you just need guts, determination and ideas. In Tycoon, Peter offers his personal insight into the qualities and skills he believes every successful entrepreneur possesses. His Ten Golden Rules provide key building blocks for turning your ideas into successful businesses. He shows how to road test your ideas, create momentum behind a project, inject investors with enthusiasm for your ideas, and how to have the courage to risk failing in order to see your vision become a money-spinning reality.

INDUSTRY

BOOKWORM JIM

www.thecommonroomonline.comwww.thecommonroomonline.com

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Clutching on to the last few rays of the September sun, remnants of the festival season drift away -leaving

us with nothing more than memories of sore throats, muddy boots and the majestic parties in the open sky. No sooner as we wave goodbye to the outdoor sounds, screeches of all sorts can be heard from indoors. Yes, it’s X-Factor season. The marmite of all UK TV programmes (you either love it or hate it) chimes in just in time as we sync back into either work or study.

There is no doubt that music is a giant amongst giants when it comes to the entertainment industry and programmes like the X-Factor and even internet giant YouTube, show us just how many wannabes are keen to throw themselves in front of the camera. So where are the hundreds of thousands queuing up to work behind the scenes where most of the yacht money is made?

Millionaire moguls Russell Simmons and Simon Cowell should be enough for even the “averagest” of Joes to realise that.

Alas, getting your foot in the door can be more exhausting than the 100 metre sprint around a main stage. But how do you get started? First pick a sector #simples. The next page featuring PRS Music Universe is a perfect place to start. If the reality show route is not for you as the budding star you are, this is great for you too. The PRS website www.prsformusic.com is brimming with information on the music industry. The Music Education Directory is also great when it comes to finding the right music course for you. Visit www.bpi-med.co.uk for more information.

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THE PRS MUSIC UNIVERSE

The PRS Music Universe provides you with the widest scope of the music industry. Use it as either an informative guide to picking the right course or industry sector...Taken from www.prsformusic.com

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THE PRS MUSIC UNIVERSE

The PRS Music Universe provides you with the widest scope of the music industry. Use it as either an informative guide to picking the right course or industry sector...Taken from www.prsformusic.com 11

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BLIND MINDEDPhotography by LORENZO GUERRIERI

For more information please contact:[email protected]

www.lorenzoguerrieri.comlorenzoguerrieriphotography

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1414Unzip Your Potential Issue #1“ What’s been your biggest break so far?

Giac broke his ankle once...

SAM SURE & GIACOMOHIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK

15”What’s been your biggest break so far?Giac broke his ankle once...

SAM SURE & GIACOMOHIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK

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FEATURE

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Fresh from the BBC Introducing Reading and Leeds 2011 stage, dreaming about music whilst waiting tables and working on building sites may only be nothing but a

distant memory for Sam Sure – one half of the funky energetic group Sam Sure & Giacomo.

Originally from Canterbury (now based in London) SS&G started gigging two years ago, after making music together for six years. TCR caught up with the “unorthodox hip hop” duo’s volcalist Sam Sure to talk about what else?... MUSIC.

How did the artist/band get their name?Well... ‘Sure’ was my graffiti name growing up and it kind of stuck with me. Giacomo’s just lucky cos that’s his actual birth name.

What’s the sound of Sam Sure & Giacomo?Bright, heartfelt mid 90s influenced hip hop.. With big choruses! That’s this week... It’s an ever changing thing.

Thinking back to Sam Sure & Giacomo as juniors - what was your first musical experience? What song do you remember most as a child?Well for me, there was always music being played in my house. In terms of one song... Everywhere by Fleetwood Mac takes me straight back to my childhood. Me and my brother would dance around to that.

What was the first song that you ever performed live? What was that like?I sang Man in the Mirror a cappella in front of my primary school... lol... For Sam Sure and Giacomo it was a song called Slowly Going Nowhere. I have rapped over records in clubs to big crowds but that was the first SS&G song we performed with live drums and stuff. To be honest I knew there was no going back after that. It changed my musical

Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick: Issue #3

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FEATURE

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FEATURE


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ambition cos you get a completely different reaction to a live band set up and I loved it.

Why did you want to pursue a career in music?Still ask myself that from time to time.

What can people expect to see at your live performance?I’d like to say energy... I can guarantee you’ll see me at my happiest cos I love gigging and I give it all I got.

What type of things do you sing about?All sorts really, everyday, mundane bullshit and try and say something profound in the middle of it somewhere! The subtle things that sneak up on you and change your life.. Love.

What’s been your biggest break so far?Giac broke his ankle once.

What has been the biggest challenge for you or the group?Surviving without money.

Who or what has been your greatest support system on your musical journey so far?Well I would say my older brother. He has pushed the project forward a lot. He produced and recorded loads of our music but also just helped us be gutsy when writing hooks and made the whole dream of doing music full time seem a real and achievable

goal.

But also our drummer Jay Gifford. He has been there from the beginning. He’s incredibly talented, and I would say we wouldn’t be where we are if he hadn’t been so dedicated to our live sound.

Do you have your own favourite type of music and is it any different from what you play now?I’ve got a really eclectic taste in music. I still love classic US hip hop but I listen to a lot of folk and blues music. And for the last month I’ve just been bumping the second Kings of Leon album super hard.. I love the way you can’t understand what he’s (Caleb) saying but when you work it out the lyrics are amazing.

Tell us about your most embarrassing moment if you care to share it with us?I jumped off the stage to dance with the crowd once and realised I was more into it than anyone else.. That was a low moment... but it was a freshers ball and buy 1 get 2 free at the bar which probably caused the problem but also helped me forget it after.

What is your wildest story with the group?We played a bowling alley once.

If you could perform with anyone in the world either, dead, alive, or broke-up who would it be? Why? (Name your top three (as a group))

FEATURE


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A Tribe Called Quest- for the feel of their tunes. Howlin Wolf- the voice. Chris Martin- the song writing.That would be a sick group trust me.

If you could have written/performed any song out there –what would it be and why?There’s so many!! Day Old Blues by Kings of Leon... But that’s this week.

What’s the plan for the next five years as a group? I try not to think too far ahead... Just wanna make the best music I can and get it to the ears of the most amount of people I can.

What are your up-to-date performance plans? New releases? Tours? News?We’ve got a lot of material ready to be released and we are just deciding how we want to put it out. But something will be available very soon.

To find out more about Sam Sure & Giacomo, tour & gig dates vist/follow/listen:www.myspace.com/samsureandgiacomowww.samsureandgiacomo.tumblr.com/twitter.com/samsureandgiacsoundcloud.com/samsureandgiacomo

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THE FLEUR ESTELLE

DANCE COMPANYComing soon to www.thecommonroomonline.com

AN INTERVIEW WITH...


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ENTERTAINMENTTHE ARTS

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ENTERTAINMENT & THE ARTS

& AND




ENTERTAINMENTTHE ARTS

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South East/West duo Tom Barber and Tracey Duodu make up the musically colourful 14th. With a sound described as an “underwaterspaceparty” this group defines the term “the

future’s bright” - I might add flavourful, electric and funky to the list. Definitely one of TCR’s bumping September sounds.

Catch up with all things 14th:

www.youtube.com/14thMusic

www.soundcloud.com/14th

www.14thMusic.com

SEPTEMBER SOUNDS

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ENTERTAINMENT & THE ARTSWhat was the first song that you ever performed live? The first song we ever performed together was a song called Chimes. It’s about exploitation, deceit, betrayal and basically getting mugged off by someone you properly trust and love - but it’s more of a celebration of this discovery rather than a sob story.

What can people expect to see at your live performance?Tom: I don’t know many other singers that put as much into their performance as Tracey does, she definitely doesn’t suffer stage fright - or if she does I haven’t noticed. We don’t have any dance routines yet unfortunately, lol but we welcome the audience to bring their own.

Do you have your own favourite type of music and is it any different from what you play now? We both have really wide ranging tastes in music, some of which sounds completely different to what we play, but it would be impossible to choose one favourite type of music. We love so many different sounds ranging from the Beach Boys to Erykah Badu. At the moment our music’s quite electronic based, with elements of UK garage, funk and hip hop but who knows, in a couple of years we might have turned into goths.

What has been the worst/wackiest nightmare for the group? Tom: Tracey gets quite a lot of attention at gigs. We once had a stripper come to one of our shows that basically tried to lap dance at Tracey during the set.

If you could perform with anyone in the world, either dead, alive, or broke-up who would it be? Why? Hot 8 Brass Band - we love brass bands, and these guys are amazing. We’ve always said we’d like to play with a massive brass band and string section. They’re from New Orleans but we’d be willing to travel. Talking Heads - Because Tom has quite a strong sentimental attachment to them, and we generally think they’re great. Busta Rhymes - because playing live with Busta would be insane. He brings mad energy, his flow is ridiculous, his shows bring the party, and we love a party.

Catch up with all things 14th:

www.youtube.com/14thMusic

www.soundcloud.com/14th

www.14thMusic.com

Photography by Shan Phearon

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AZEKEL

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SEPTEMBER SOUNDS

East London artist Azekel’s track New-Ish (which we can only listen to at the TCR camp if it’s on SUPER LOUD) is what you call “bumping” music. Singing for four years and rapping

over a year ago, this September Sound favourite has an EP we expect to be explosive.

What can people expect to see at an Azekel performance & What’s your favourite sound?Energy! I give my all into my performances; I try to take the audience to another place into my world... I love too many different kinds of music and have been influenced by too many artists of different genres to have a favorite one, what I perform and produce now is more of a combination of the all the genres of music I listen to. The music industry can be considered to be getting a little crowded, (with tools to promote oneself becoming more accessible) how do you set yourself apart from the rest and keep the buzz around your name and music?Totally right! Every artist has a Facebook page or a twitter, a blog or video blog, everyone knows about it. What I’ve learnt is that once your music is amazing, and fresh, it will set you apart. Keep a buzz around you as an artist...So the best way really is make sure your music is as individual as you!

If you could perform with anyone in the world, either dead or alive, or broke-up who would it be? Why? (Name your top three)James Brown, Prince and Kings of Leon simply because each in their own right are legends and have heavily influenced me. The musical style and flair is something that I respect and adore.

What are your up-to-date performance plans? New releases? Tours? News?I’m performing at loads of venues this year; I’ll also be releasing my EP “BassFashionFaithPassion” later this year and I’ve just recently been featured on the official Mercedes Benz mixed-tape 40 this year. I’m also song writing and producing for a lot of artists.

For more info about Azekel log on to:

www.azekel.com.

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East London artist Azekel’s track New-Ish (which we can only listen to at the TCR camp if it’s on SUPER LOUD) is what you call “bumping” music. Singing for four years and rapping

over a year ago, this September Sound favourite has an EP we expect to be explosive.

What can people expect to see at an Azekel performance & What’s your favourite sound?Energy! I give my all into my performances; I try to take the audience to another place into my world... I love too many different kinds of music and have been influenced by too many artists of different genres to have a favorite one, what I perform and produce now is more of a combination of the all the genres of music I listen to. The music industry can be considered to be getting a little crowded, (with tools to promote oneself becoming more accessible) how do you set yourself apart from the rest and keep the buzz around your name and music?Totally right! Every artist has a Facebook page or a twitter, a blog or video blog, everyone knows about it. What I’ve learnt is that once your music is amazing, and fresh, it will set you apart. Keep a buzz around you as an artist...So the best way really is make sure your music is as individual as you!

If you could perform with anyone in the world, either dead or alive, or broke-up who would it be? Why? (Name your top three)James Brown, Prince and Kings of Leon simply because each in their own right are legends and have heavily influenced me. The musical style and flair is something that I respect and adore.

What are your up-to-date performance plans? New releases? Tours? News?I’m performing at loads of venues this year; I’ll also be releasing my EP “BassFashionFaithPassion” later this year and I’ve just recently been featured on the official Mercedes Benz mixed-tape 40 this year. I’m also song writing and producing for a lot of artists.


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29WILDSUGA.COMDollTHE NEW 2011 COLLECTION

Nomadic, Recycled,Dreamy.

Fashion inspired by all things vintage

and handmade.

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CHICHI LOU

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2011 women’s wear graduate Yingzhi Luo, better known as Chi Chi is solidifying herself early in her career. Drawing since aged five and

continuing her expression towards her university years, she finally chose fashion design as her subject.

How long have you been designing?I don’t remember how long I actually been designing. But I do remember when I was young, I got a little sewing machine which I usually used to make many clothes for my Barbie dolls. How would you describe your style of design?My style combines artistic, fun, high quality and casual.

FRESH FASHION MONSTER


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Who are your fashion influences?My friends who surround me influence me a lot in fashion. We listen to each other, share details on what we like and what we need… They inspire me to do more design, which shows our tastes. They are not only my friends, but also my fashion influences, my muses.

Your recent collection is filled with vibrant and bold colours matched with striking woven like details... Tell us more about the collection and it’s influence.This Spring/Summer collection is inspired by my trip to Tibet in China last summer. The colour palette is based on photographs, which have taken by myself during the trip. The selected colours are bright, vivid, and energetic, which represent Tibetan people’s kindness, boldness, faith and passion to their religion. I bravely play with these colours, and get lots of unique results by using different hand dye techniques.

The silhouette of this collection is based on what Tibetan people are wearing, which inspires me to do lots of draping through this collection by using flexible fabric, such as silk chiffon and silk jersey. I then draped and layered them up, to create a new look for Tibetan people. I was inspired by Tibetan women’s braided hair. I transferred this idea on to part of my clothes by developing to

complicated handcraft techniques such as macramé and knotting. That is why you can see lots of amazing macramé pieces in this collection. Also there are many colourful wooden beads at the end of each rope on macramé, which symbolized the beautiful Buddha prayer beads.

What are your aspirations for this collection?I wish I could sell my collection at a gratified price to help Tibetan people. Vogue UK has noted you as “Best in Show” – one of the graduates that stood out for 2011, you’ve been shortlisted as a finalist of WGSN Global Fashion Awards 2011 for ‘Most Creative Student Collection’, what’s that been like for you? And how do you feel about your work being recognised early on in your career? For me, they are the compliments of what I have done in the past - my final year at university. So they actually belong to my graduate collection rather than myself. I am really pleased that my work is being recognised early on in my career, because it not only gives me more confidence, but also give me the ‘warning’ that I have to work even harder to improve myself.

What advice would you give an up and coming designer who is about to step out into the world of fashion?Please try hard, do your best, believe yourself, keep working, don’t be lazy!


Taken from www.individualism.co.uk

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CHICHI LOU2011 Collection

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Creative Direction: Rob Phillips Photographer: Sean Michael

Model: Anna Michaux @ Select Model Management London www.selectmodel.com


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You are about to step out into Fashion world: fashion is all about changing, trend, and following up, so if you are lazy then you will fall behind.

What’s your favourite thing about fashion?For me, the favourite thing about fashion is sharing. I really enjoy the feeling that my friends and I are sharing what we think fashion is, what we wear, what we have currently bought with each other.

Who’s your favourite designer(s)?Haider Ackermann, Nicolas Ghesquière and Matthew Williamson

What can we look forward to in the future from your designs?I hope my designs in the future would be more fun, more mature and more surprising.

You can find out more about ChiChi Lou by visiting:My blog: http://chichiluo.comMy Showtime profile @ London College of Fashion: http://showtime.arts.ac.uk/chichiluo

Photographer: Timothy Hill http://timhilltheotherland.blogspot.com

Model: Olga Verdis @ IMG Model Management www.imgmodels.com


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Photographer: Timothy Hill http://timhilltheotherland.blogspot.com

Model: Olga Verdis @ IMG Model Management www.imgmodels.com



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Are you an aspiring entrpreneur on the road to

success?Are you motivated? Are you driven?

Got your 2011 goals mapped out?

The Common Room are looking for

innovative people to feature in a series of

mini documentaries, which aims to support

and promote creative and modern minds in

business.

COULD THIS BE YOU? INTERESTED?

Submit a 50 word bio about your venture,

website links and contact details to:

[email protected]


BECOME A FACE...

THE COMMON ROOMwww.thecommonroomonline.com

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ULAWIZNEROWICZ

PHOTOGRAPHER PROFILE

BEHIND THE

CURTAIN

“ I can’t say I remember the first photo I ever took, but I do remember the first time I used an analogue camera. It was a B&W portrait

of a small girl sat in front of me on a bus.My photography journey began at The

College of North West London, where I did a painting and photography course because it was there I discovered one of my most magical hiding

places - the DARKROOM.

I still remember the smell of chemicals, the texture of the paper and the feeling of excitement

while watching a print slowly materialising in the developing tray. At this point I knew I wanted

photography to be part of my life.

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4343” www.thecommonroomonline.com

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Since your graduation in 2010 your career has has taken off. Take us through your journey

from graduation to being featured at the D&AD Exhibition, then as a finalist for the Channel 4 and Saatchi Gallery.The year after my graduation was very exciting. Everything started right after being awarded the photography prize at the D&AD New Blood 2010. My work was noticed by an Italian art lover and gallery owner, who then organised a solo exhibition of my works in the picturesque Italian town of San Candido. In the meantime I received great news that I had been chosen as a finalist of Channel 4 and Saatchi Gallery: New Sensations 2010 Prize, which commissioned a new project, exhibited later at The House of the Nobleman in London. All of

these things happened within a very short period of time and just when I thought things were slowing down a little an article about my work was published in the 2010 November issue of the British Journal of Photography Magazine.

As a photographer, someone who’s always capturing life from behind the camera, what was it like for you to be in front of the lens to film your short documentary for the Saatchi Gallery?I never liked being photographed; probably that’s why I always hide away behind the lens looking at people through the viewfinder. I must say that being watched and followed by a filmmaker for a few hours was a very stressful experience, especially when he was holding the camera very close to my face while interviewing me at


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the same time. Despite this, it was very exciting actually to be able to see myself on a television screen later on.

Please tell us about the inspiration for your work entitled Behind the Curtain.The series Behind the Curtain was a one-year process of photographing in and around the Polish village I grew up in as well as researching the medical aspects of alcoholism. I also interviewed alcoholics, their families and specialist doctors. I was inspired to start this project by one of my parents’ neighbours, who has a recovering alcoholic for the past 6 years and has proved that there is a path to a sober life. Having grown up in this area, this narrative is all too common and is something I wanted to explore.

Your timeline and photos show what great skill and talent you have, what type of character do you have to be to stand out in such a demanding and competitive industry?In order to be successful at photography, or anything else for that matter, you need a healthy dose of determination and passion for your craft. I’ve also found that people enjoy working with you if you’re honest, personable and easy to get on with. When times are slow, you’ve got to be a bit dog minded and trust that the next break or great idea is just around the corner.

As mentioned before, you’ve had a great jumpstart with your career since graduating, what’s next for you?I’m really excited about my next solo exhibition, which will take place


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at the POSK Gallery (the main Polish community cultural centre in the UK) in Hammersmith in November. What is your favourite that you’ve ever taken?It is difficult to choose one picture, especially because I’m very indecisive. Sometimes I like one set of pictures and sometimes the other. Everything depends on the mood.

Who or what would be your dream thing to shoot and why? I can’t really say I think in terms of dream projects as I’m always intensely focused and engaged in whatever I’m working on at any given moment. That being said, I have always wanted to return to Brazil to focus on the life of the Favela, as I was beset by technical problems on my last visit.

What’s your favourite thing(s) to shoot and why?I’m very interested in social documentary and portraiture. Through my photography I seek to document my own personal experiences. I try to capture in an image the vision of reality I feel at the moment I trip the camera’s shutter. I try to explore the visual poetry of the commonplace and capture the ordinary things through my own gaze upon the world. I have chosen art as a powerful tool to express myself emotionally. I’ve always liked the saying ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’.


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To find out more about Ula, log on to: www.ulawiznerowicz.com.

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If you weren’t into photography, what field would you have been likely to end up in?From an early age I remember that I was always drawing or painting on whatever material I had and on every occasion, so I guess that would be my direction If I didn’t choose photography.

What advice would you give to photographers who are just starting out, maybe those who have just picked up a camera for the first time?I would advise them to try traditional techniques, such as shooting on film, to get a feel of working in a darkroom as it is an unbelievable experience. I’d recommend reading all sorts of books on photography theory, viewing work of other photographers and going to different shows and exhibitions... but mainly shoot all the time, experiment, follow your feelings and don’t forget to have fun in the process.To find out more about Ula, log on to: www.ulawiznerowicz.com.

50ADVERTISE WITH THE COMMON ROOM.

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SEPTEMBER SOUNDS HMWYRS ISSUE #3

Documents

rhythm stick issue

sam sure giacomo tcr

chi chi louphotography

inspired music duo

prs music universe feature

ula wiznerowicz

contentscontents tcr

outdoor sounds