Mr. Devo is Black & Technicolored

UK Riots - Solution

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 14:30:00 +0000

A lot of the analysis and debate sparked by recent events has unfortunately suffered from one fatal error rendering most attempts futile and meaningless.

People have attempted to address and package the issue as if there were one archetypal rioter:

Some claiming it's a "black issue" - where are the role models/fathers? Let's blame Hip-Hop and rap music!
Others claiming it's a "class issue" - it's the underprivileged, "deprived", downtrodden, all lashing out.

Truth is, people who have fallen into this trap could not be more wrong. The events over the past few days are a evidence of a moral issue. People from all walks of life, all ages and shades have been caught on CCTV, are turning up at court and are occupying prison cells across the country. However, the one thing they all have in common is a damaged or non-existent moral compass.

So how do we address this? I would propose a compulsory enlisting of all offenders into aid agencies and charities and that they serve their sentences with them, or face triple the time in a prison, with weekly positive social-cognitive rebuilding therapy sessions as mandatory, if the placement is not acceptably upheld or abandoned.

Learning to help others and seeing the direct benefit that personal sacrifice and positive action can have on other people WILL assist in preventing future transgressions, the nature of which we've seen this week. This would probably be the first time in many of their lives, experiencing the phenomenon of doing good for nothing in return and changing other people's lives for the better; a shocking, but paradoxically unsurprising likelihood.

My proposed solution is one size and would fit all. I challenge anyone to find a better and more progressive solution.

- Mr Devo

UK Riots - West Lodon - Nottinghill area

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 03:40:00 +0000

Much was said about the alleged destruction in the Nottinghill area, here's what we saw on the streets.

Sloane Square Money Exchange

Hugo Boss in Sloane Square

Office on Portobello Road

There were a couple of stores with smashed windows (at random)

Minimal damage in the Bayswater/Queensway area - Best One

Office on Queensway

All-in-all, the reports ~~hearsay~~ of major havoc in the Nottinghill area, was largely overblown. The streets were dead, bar a few small groups of children who were allegedly "tooled up."

Really glad the damage in the area was minimal, really feel for those less fortunate. Regardless of the anger/frustration/lack of connection these people ~~animals~~ feel, shattering the lives of your neighbours and destroying your hometowns will make life worse for everyone*

*As I wrote this, I realised perhaps, this is subconsciously exactly what they want...

But regardless of the motivations behind the destruction being dished out, the fact remains that good, innocent people are suffering as a result, and that is unforgivable.

- Mr Devo

Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:36:00 +0000

I'm surprised by anyone who says they didn't see this destruction coming. You thought tuition fees were an issue for the young people in Britain? The people causing this destruction weren't there because they didnt believe they had University prospects - be serious - and after the protests failed and the fees rose, they believe it even less. This is what happens when the rich get rich and the poor get poorer.

- Mr Devo

Mother Father

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 20:15:00 +0000

MOTHER FATHERED ME. SHE'S TWICE THE MAN MY DAD WAS, BUT HALF THE FATHER I'LL BE ONE DAY, THANKS TO HER LOVE, SUPPORT & STRENGTH.

~ Mr. Devo

Thought of the day

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 17:13:00 +0000

"Same day different shit. Same chains, different whips."
- (@jonisms)

Although I wouldn't describe myself as a pessimist, I wrote that when I was 13. To be fair it was in reference to the worship of celebs and the blind pursuit of fame pedalled by western society and particularly in "Hip-Hop culture". Seems in 2011, not much has changed.

This comment I read on a BBC article today says a lot of what I'm thinking right now:

EazilyGrizly

IMO The increase in mental illness is more a symptom of the illusion of how much control we are told we have in our lives. We are given expectations of success, health/employment/life, to find that reality may fall short and there is little that you can do. As success is reflected by ownership, the threat of the loss of ownership is hard/impossible to comprehend (be it physical or emotional).

- Mr Devo

Pina 3D - An unassuming visual masterpiece

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Wed, 18 May 2011 08:48:00 +0000

Whether you're a dance fan or not, if you're a fan of beautifully crafted visuals, this is definitely something worth seeing. I went to see this at one of my favourite cinemas, The Gate in Nottinghill and I was simply stunned throughout.

The movie's director Wim Wenders, effortlessly weaves through some of the most sublime and magical scenery ever to grace the big screen without the use of CGI.

The film poses itself as a documentary about award-winning dancer and choreographer Pina Bausch, and the documentary aspect is perhaps the only weakness of this wonderful film. Much of the documentary elements feel after the fact, and shallow - appearing more like add-on tributes to the late great Pina, rather than a well thought through piece of documentary work.

However, these elements are small blips in what I would only describe as a ground-breaking, spine-tingling, emotive masterpiece. Definitely worth a butchers and the 3D aspect of the film is some of the best use of the technology I've ever seen, far from the merely gratuitous and increasingly cliche 3D shots typical of Hollywood-style blockbusters; Wim Wenders, 3D producer Erwin M. Schmidt and the 3D Supervisor François Garnier do a fantastic job of utilizing the technology to push the boundaries of 3D and truly add to the visual experience.

Pina 3D is a rare gem, check here for listings.

- Mr Devo

The Barber's speech - One of the most inspiring movie moments of all time

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Sat, 07 May 2011 00:13:00 +0000

I'm sorry, but I don't want to be an emperor. That's not my business. I don't want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone, if possible, Jew, gentile, black man, white. We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other's happiness — not by each other's misery. We don't want to hate and despise one another.

In this world there is room for everyone. And the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way. Greed has poisoned men's souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical. Our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.

The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men, cries out for universal brotherhood, for the unity of us all. Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world — millions of despairing men, women and little children — victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people. To those who can hear me, I say — do not despair. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed — the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people and so long as men die, liberty will never perish.

Soldiers! Don't give yourselves to brutes — men who despise you — enslave you — who regiment your lives — tell you what to do — what to think and what to feel! Who drill you, diet you, treat you like cattle, use you as cannon fodder. Don't give yourselves to these unnatural men — machine men with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men! You have the love of humanity in your heart. You don't hate! Only the unloved hate — the unloved and the unnatural!

Soldiers! Don't fight for slavery! Fight for liberty! In the 17th Chapter of St. Luke it is written: "the Kingdom of God is within man" — not one man nor a group of men, but in all men! In you! You, the people have the power — the power to create machines. The power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure.

Then, in the name of democracy, let us use that power! Let us all unite! Let us fight for a new world, a decent world that will give men a chance to work, that will give youth the future and old age a security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power, but they lie! They do not fulfill their promise; they never will. Dictators free themselves, but they enslave the people! Now, let us fight to fulfill that promise! Let us fight to free the world, to do away with national barriers, to do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men's happiness.

Soldiers! In the name of democracy, let us all unite!

---

I hope you can relate, if only we could all act on these words.

- Mr Devo

I'm still here, just often elsewhere....

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 23:27:00 +0000

Keep in touch, I've been up to a lot of awesomeness, I'm sure you have to, let's share!

[UPDATED] Homeless man Ted Williams with the golden voice - Inspirational

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 16:28:00 +0000

WATCH THIS:

Ted's story is phenomenal.

Within 24 hours, Ted had received 100s of work offers, then came this -
Audio of Ted being offered a job AND A HOME by the Cleveland Cavaliers:

This is precisely the kind of story and experience I live to see and capture. Remember what I wrote in my end of year post:

"Don't write anybody off, amazing people come in all shapes and sizes, give everyone your best shot."

Ted Williams' story is a prime example and I sincerely hope he continues to stay clean and improve his situation. Be inspired. I know I am.

[UPDATE]

Ted Williams interviewed on CBS, more appreciative of life and planning on visiting his 92-year-old mother to show her that he finally got himself right. Warning, its emotional

- Mr Devo

1-1-11 The Numbers: What do they mean??

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 18:27:00 +0000

Tweets and fb statuses all over have read 1-11-11, shorthand for today's date. But what do the number's mean?

Numerologist Patricia Kirkman, the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide Numerology Workbook says that the repetition of the number one drives home the connection the number has with new beginnings, but believes the year is the most important feature of today's date. Kirkman told Voice of America's Suzanne Presto: "When we add that to what's going on around us, 2011, it's the 'two' first. 'Two' is about partnerships, emotional, the peacemaker, or hidden secrets."

Kirkman referred to 2011 as a "four year" (2 + 0 + 1 + 1 = four) and believes that the number four will have a big influence on everyone in 2011. "Four is square. Four is the box. Four wants everything done right. And so we are now going into a universal year that says, 'I don't care what you did last year. It doesn't matter anymore.' Now we've got to take a look at building a stronger foundation."

I'm student of history and when I was thinking about today's date, I remembered a passage from one of my favourite reads. In the bible (Ecclesiastes 1:1-11) reads:

1:1 The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem: 2 “Futile! Futile!” laments the Teacher, “Absolutely futile! Everything is futile!” 3 What benefit do people get from all the effort which they expend on earth? 4 A generation comes and a generation goes, but the earth remains the same through the ages. 5 The sun rises and the sun sets; it hurries away to a place from which it rises again. 6 The wind goes to the south and circles around to the north; round and round the wind goes and on its rounds it returns. 7 All the streams flow into the sea, but the sea is not full, and to the place where the streams flow, there they will flow again. 8 All this monotony is tiresome; no one can bear to describe it: The eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear ever content with hearing. 9 What exists now is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing truly new on earth. 10 Is there anything about which someone can say, “Look at this! It is new!”? It was already done long ago, before our time. 11 No one remembers the former events, nor will anyone remember the events that are yet to happen; they will not be remembered by the future generations.

Those of you who know me, know I'm not religious, but I appreciate interesting and inspiring stories wherever I find them. That passage reads to me as: "Here today, gone tomorrow."

Both Kirkman and Ecclesiastes provide us with some valuable things to think about going forward. Each day we have a chance to make things right, to try something new, to do things differently and what better reason to act on what we feel than the reminder of life's fragility and finite nature?

On this first day of the new year, I'll be baring in mind the "messages in the numbers". It's kind of building on what I said in my end of year post - treasure with your actions what you treasure in thought and get a move on with it!

- Mr Devo

Image provided by freeimageslive / creator

This aint no Year End Review

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 22:02:00 +0000

So 2010 is at its close, Africa held its first World Cup, Michael Jackson released an album from the grave and Tron made a come back!

This time last year I was feeling particularly positive about the year ahead, 2009 had been tough and I'd taken steps to make some significant changes. The biggest change was getting into University and leaving full-time work. By December 2009, I had completed two terms and I was struggling to adjust, but after trudging through my January exams this year, I settled and I haven't looked back since.

This year has taught me a lot about myself, other people and about the dynamics between us all. Although I'm only half way through, deciding to challenge myself and actually going to University is the single best decision I've made in my short life so far. More than the degree, the experiences and people I've met have been absolutely, irrefutably priceless.

If you've come across this ragged collection of thoughts and likes that I call a blog before, you will have caught a glimpse of some of the awesomeness that has occurred this year. I'm not going to reel off individual things as I think it would be boring to read, self-gratifying and quite cheesy. However, what I will leave you with is a set of questions and actions I've asked of myself all year.

Challenging myself on these questions and their resulting actions has opened doors to experiences I never imagined I would be fortunate enough to see in my life time and I hope, if you take them on board, they will do the same for you:

What are the barriers to your goals?
- If it's a lack of skill, work on yourself, relentlessly
- If it's an obstacle, work out who has created the obstacle and work with them, communicate with them openly to remove it
- Demonstrate your value to a task at hand and persist to be involved

Who supports and loves you most?
- Support and love them better
- Tell people you care, show them you love them! To honour someone more highly in death, than you do whilst they're alive is a dishonour to the life they led

Understand respect and humility
- Respect the sacrifices that your loved ones have made to bring you to where you are in this world by respecting yourself and not allowing anyone to continually disrespect you
- Don't write anybody off, amazing people come in all shapes and sizes, give everyone your best shot
- Screw being arrogant, focus on writing the script and creating positivity, and if others so choose, let them sing your praises

I think that's all, I try keep these things in mind always and if I forget myself, now that I've shared, feel free to remind me.

I have a good feeling about 2011 to, I'll see you on the other side.

- Mr Devo

The gift of song on Christmas day: Bradley.A4C drops debut album as FREE download

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 01:04:00 +0000

Bradley Musiq, one of London's best kept music secrets drops his first album today as a FREE Christmas present to everyone who has supported him so far.

The album, titled Incomplete is furnished with intros and interlude's and is packed with rich smooth, harmonies, heartfelt lyrics and rich melodies. All written, produced and recorded in Bradley's home studio set up. There's also a host of Hip-Hop talent featuring on various tracks, like the candid 'Think about' me + a freestyle over a classic J.Dilla beat.

While most artists these days tend to "leak" snippets, tagged tracks and drop "mix-tapes", Bradley's put his heart and his time into this first effort, and after a listen through, it's definitely paid off. Incomplete is a mix of sultry and mid-tempo R&B music with a refreshingly original sound. Comparable to the likes of Tank, Marques Houston and Trey Songz, Bradley's Incomplete is equipped with solid vocal performances and production from a home grown talent that has everything to play for and a bright career in music ahead of him if he wants it.

Download Incomplete for FREE here, get your copy before all the links are down!

For updates follow his twitter and keep an eye on his Facebook.

For more info, contact: reachbmusiq@gmail.com

He can also been found in these places:

www.twitter.com/bradleymusiq
www.facebook.com/bradleymusiq
http://www.last.fm/user/bradleymusiq
http://soundcloud.com/bradleymusiq
www.youtube.com/bradleya4c

Merry Christmas!!!

- Mr Devo

Two of a kind - Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:31:00 +0000

The two of them were cast as rivalrous sisters in The Other Boleyn Girl. Johansson a vivacious second coming of Monroe, complete with platinum crown and delicious "deep-throat" voice. Portman, the epitome of delicacy and refinement.

I was reminded about a shoot and feature the two of them did for W magazine back in 2008 to promote the film, and I still absolutely love it. These women inspire me and this shoot demonstrates exactly why:

Photography by Steven Klein
Styled by Alex White

- Mr Devo

Q. Why did Nick Clegg cross the road?

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 20:33:00 +0000

A. Because he said he wouldnt.

Kanye West - A beautiful dark twisted fantasyNew Album out November 22nd

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 08:27:00 +0000

I'm not going to mince my words, Kanye's new album: "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" bangs like bad breath GOTT DAAAAMN!!!!!

A man that simply doesn't know when he's beat, after scandal upon scandal, Ye's output of sturdy and stirring music has been consistent for the past 10 years.

His latest offering is no different, MBDTF is a return to Ye's College Dropout edgy and raw Hip-Hop sound, something many Hip-Hop fans will certainly celebrate after many heavily criticised Kanye's autotune-laden and melancholic 808s and Heartbreak.

From the first track MBDTF is monstrous,with the production provided by Wutang Legend RZA. Kanye seems to be fighting to reaffirm his credentials reminding everyone who said he'd be "black-balled" after his notorious MTV outburst against country sweetheart Taylor Swift,

"...the same people that tried to black ball me forgot about two things - my black balls."

With features from Rick Ross, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj (Obviously), Jay-Z, Swiss Beats, John Legend, Raekwon, KiD CuDi, comedian Chris Rock (That is not a typo) there's few criticisms I could lay against this album. Perhaps a few of the songs are too long, and there's still some fragments of 808s towards the end but on the whole this is the hottest release in Hip-Hop this year.

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is scheduled for release next week November 22 with the deluxe edition releasing on 29 November 2010.

If I was you, I'd be making a purchase, but I already got me a copy, its nice to know people who know people ;P

- Mr Devo

Lib Dem Counsillor says fees rise is not a burden

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 14:54:00 +0000

Photo: Liberal Democrat Councillor Duwayne Brooks

Lib Dem Councillor encourages dodging Student Finance repayments as a solution to the expected “crippling” hike in tuition fees.

Duwayne Brooks, Councillor for Lewisham urged young people from low income households and single parent families not to fear the prospect of increased student finance debt as it is “unlikely” they will ever have to pay it off.

Comparing the options some young people from poorer backgrounds face of staying in education or turning to a life of crime, Brooks revealed in an interview: “I can go to university and come out with a debt of £36,000, I’m never going to get bailiffs knocking on the door, I’m never going to have anyone chasing me down for the money.”

Suggesting that most graduates will never earn enough to pay back their tuition fees and loans, so therefore, they should stop complaining.

Challenging the mentality of some young people who would rather earn a living through illegal means instead of choosing higher education with the burden of inherent debt, Brooks added: “Do you want to continue selling drugs or do you want to show your children in the future that they can be successful [through legal means]?

“You’ll never get asked to pay the money back, how is it a burden?”

Coming from a Liberal Democrat party member, after the party turned shy on its pre-election promise to oppose tuition fees all together will be a cynical pill for the parents and the wider public to swallow.

Many share Brooks’ opinion however, as well the government who says that the lowest-earning 25 per cent of graduates will pay less than they currently do. Including half of all graduates who will not have paid off the full amount after 30 years, by which time the remaining debt is wiped out anyway.

Following the Browne report in October the government put forward proposals to remove the current cap on tuition fees at Universities across the country, which will see some intuitions charge up to £9,000 per year. These proposals will almost certainly come into effect in September 2012, and has already got some young people and their parents concerned.

A-level student Julia Victoria, 17, said: “I’ve got to consider seriously if it’s worth me still considering university or not, if I spend the next five years working my way up I’ll be in good pay anyway and without huge debt hanging over my head.”

The uproar from students and parents could however be hiding a far greater issue. If a large number of students are, as the Lib Dem Counsellor Duwayne Brooks believes, unlikely to ever pay it all back, how will raising the fees make any positive difference to the economy? If the money will “never” be paid back, leaving the state to foot the bill, why not raise fees to £20,000 or £100,000?

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's The World at One show, Lib Dem MP Stephen Williams, who spoke for his party on higher education before the election, told the programme last week that his party wanted to move away from Labours’ fees system to a fairer system – and that the new system is fairer.

Q&A with Levi's ShapeWhatsToCome.com Ambassadors

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 12:47:00 +0000

Earlier this week, Levi's had a launch party for a new online community they've created targeted at young creative women, with an online BETA launch scheduled for this Monday 18 October.

The aim of the site is to provide a platform for collaboration and mentoring on a global scale, with 20 female ambassadors – all twenty-somethings and trailblazers in their chosen fields – to provide webcasts, posts and take part in online discussions to inspire and help the community.
At the launch six of the ambassadors were at the Levi’s store on Regent Street for a chilled out Q&A session where they shed some light on the sacrifices and secrets behind their current success.

Belfast-born Kathryn Ferguson, a self-taught filmmaker whose work has premiered at institutions including the ICA and the OnedotZero and Birds Eye View film festivals. Kathryn has also been featured in the likes of Vogue and SHOWstudio

London-based Kristin Knox, the American author and founder of fashion blog theclotheswhisperer.co.uk. Kristin regularly lectures in art and fashion colleges around the UK.

Acclaimed DJ and songwriter Ikonika, a young Londoner who is crafting her own unique musical sound with unusual hooks influenced by dubstep.

Art director Anna Murray, founder of design agency Patternity which specialises in the application of pattern to furniture and fashion, and textiles designer Grace Winteringham.

Social change campaigner Justice Williams, the youngest black woman in the UK to be awarded an MBE.

Here are some of the questions and answers that really stood out for me:

Q. If you could give your younger-self one bit of advice, what would it be?

A. Justice Williams – Try not to do everything at the same time, somebody once said to me: ‘If you focus on one thing, you can give that project 100 per cent. If you focus on two things you can only give them 50 per cent each and the more you do, you split that percentage even more.”
So I decided to forget everything else and focus on one thing at a time, I did that for four months and my magazine was born. That was one of the key things for me, sometimes you can do more than one thing at a time, but if it’s a big project try and focus in on one thing first and as it progresses build on that one thing with something else. I waited three years for a breakthrough and I could’ve done it in three months if I’d focussed.

Kristin Knox – At 21, I wasn’t happy doing what I was doing, so I would say if you were like me and unsure of what it is you want to do, put yourself out there, say yes to all the opportunities that come your way because you never know what’s going to be beyond the next collaboration.

Anna and Grace – Don’t be afraid to ask for advice, everyone has something to offer.

Kathryn Ferguson – Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, I was always looking at what other people were doing and how much better they were doing than me and doing that completely froze me, it meant that I didn’t get to create anything of my own.

Q. What’s been your biggest challenge and how have you overcome it?

A. Anna and Grace – The biggest challenge is getting started, your idea is one thing but you’ve got to be disciplined enough to make it happen, you have to be realistic and patient.
It’s taken us a year and a half to grow the business and over that time, the concept of the business has changed and developed, we had to build the brand.

Ikonika – I was trying to picture things before the internet, I was lucky enough to get signed though the internet. I had to put in the work online, use forums and be active in getting my name and my music out there.

Kristin Knox – For me the hardest thing to do is to turn a blog into a business, if you really take it seriously, blogging is a full time operation. Brands and companies want to reach out to new audiences via the web and the blogosphere, but they don’t know what the monetary value of that is just yet, it’s part of our job as bloggers to educate the brands. It’s an uphill struggle but it’s starting to change, even if you’re Susie Bubble; we all struggle.

Q. It’s amazing that there are seven female entrepreneurs on the stage yet no one has mentioned feminism. How do you feel you’re gender has shaped what you do, is it important to you, is important to your business, your customers?

A. Justice – I celebrate woman hood and I want to give back to other women and inspire them but I don’t look at it from a feminist perspective because what I’ve created is a business which serves women, but men read my magazine as well. Something they [men] can get from that is they’ll become more in tune with women’s issues and interests. I think it’s important not to shy away from the fact that we are women but I don’t consider my gender as the main thing behind my business, we’re just entrepreneurs who are passionate about what we do and we’re proud to be women.

Kristin Knox – What I think has been really great about the blogosphere is that it’s given a voice to boys who love fashion. I have lots of male friends who have fashion blogs because previously, it was something they couldn’t really engage with. Fashion such as conceptual and Avante Garde fashion – which is primarily women’s wear – women can go out and buy that stuff and rock it out, most boys couldn’t. But now boys have a platform and a voice within fashion, where they didn’t really have one before and it’s straight and gay alike.

Q. What’s the biggest sacrifice you’ve made and has it been worth it yet?

A. Kathryn – I had to take a massive cut in my earnings to pursue film but I figured would I want to do it when I’m 45? I’d rather be skint in my mid-twenties. Up until last year, I was really poor, but now I’m earning a living.

Ikonika – You have to invest in something you really believe in, I weighed it up and I quit my job for what I believed in.

Kristen Knox – It’s called the champagne and canapé diet, which means you have to make a choice and if you’d rather live off fashion than off of food, then you make sacrifices and every penny goes into maintaining your site and being able to go to places where you can get content. I save up all year so that I can go to the fashion weeks because I can’t expense a single taxi. It’s a lifestyle working in fashion and being a blogger, there are events with food and drink every day of the week, so I don’t go out on the weekend and spend £40 at the bar because I can go out for my work and have glasses of champagne with other bloggers who are now my colleagues and my friends. I haven’t had a rest from frozen food, champagne and canapés for the last year and a half.

Justice – When I started I had to sell my car and use my savings because I had bad credit so I wasn’t getting a bank loan. My friend and I shared a house and we lived on Jam, Toast and Tea for six months, then when I started the magazine I slept on the floor in my sister's front room.
Doing what you’re passionate about means more than going without and if it doesn’t, you’ll struggle to get far. I’ve been abroad for business and exhibitions but I haven’t had a holiday in six years. I know those things will come in the future, but for now I have to create a platform.

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All round it was a pretty damn inspiring talk, hope you got something out of the Q&As I picked out for more information on ShapeWhatsToCome.com click here.

- Mr Devo

Banksy + Simpsons = most epic Simpsons intro sequence ever?

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 10:54:00 +0000

Check it for yourselves

Discuss

- Mr Devo

Black and White

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 14:46:00 +0000

With the gift of sound eye sight we are privy to a world of colour, but that doesn’t take away from our appreciation of the black and white image. Black and white imagery can evoke a range of emotion and convey a sense of history and mystery that the full spectrum of colour somehow robs us of. Here are a few of my black and white work that demonstrate this, I hope you like:

- Mr Devo

The greatest action movie ever made - The Expendables

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:58:00 +0000

Remember when you first watched Commndo? Enter The Dragon? First Blood? or if you're new skool: The Matrix, Ong Bak or even Gladiator. After watching those films you felt empowered, tougher and ready to taken on the world right?

Well last night I saw what can only be described as the best action movie made in over two decades. In a hark back to the good ol' days of old, Sly Stallone has managed to pull together some of the biggest names in Hollywood action history. What happens over the next 103 minutes is total awesomeness.

Muscles:

Firepower:

Fighting skills:

Big mean baddies:

Car chases:

Explosions:

Hotness:

I left the cinema with a new walk, feeling untouchable, singing Michael Jackson's "Wanna be starting something'" in my head and thinking: "Why don't people ever pick fights with me when I'm in this mood!?"

Sylvester Stallone delivers, giving you everything you'd want from a classic action movie - well everything except a cheesy Jean Claude Van Damme sex scene. The cinema audience clapped, cheered and whooped throughout the film and I would recommend it to any action movie fan as a "must see".

- Mr Devo

Instrumental for growth

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 18:47:00 +0000

(ADVISORY – Press “play” on the link before you start reading this)

Shoulder Kiss by canonjon

Increasingly, as I get older I’m finding myself listening to instrumental music over anything else, or if I do listening to music with words it tends to be very minimal or in a foreign language.

I’ve always been a huge fan of supreme producers and composers whose music simply stood alone, with out any lyrical accompaniment – producers/Musicians like Flying Lotus, MF Doom, RJD2, the late great J.Dilla and epic composers like Ryuichi Sakamoto and Hans Zimmer. These craftsmen create a world for their listeners to dive into and immerse themselves in. They’re music gives you a platform to explore and experience your own stories as you journey through with their sound as your backdrop.

Although until recently it hadn’t been a conscious decision for instrumental music to dominate my listening tastes, when I was thinking about it last week I stumbled across a possible reason for my shift from songs with words to songs without.

As I’m beginning to experience the world, comfortable in my own skin as an adult, I’m less concerned with the “same old” stories and agendas of others. You know how it goes when you listen to an album; you have the “I’m back, bigger and better” song, the “Can we hook up/get down/or whatever” song, the “Better off without you/thanks to the haters” song, and the infamous “Party track” or “Club” song.

Well no longer do I want to be told how to feel when I’m listening to music, I want to find something in each piece for myself. Very few song writers can put words to music that allow for that kind of space and freedom, hence my leaning towards instrumentals.

After complaining for much of the past decade that “music isn’t what it used to be” my faith in music was once again restored when I discovered Question & Freddie Joachim’s “Study Guide”, which was actually released last year. If you haven’t heard it, I highly recommend you get on freddiejoachim.com/store/ or head down to your nearest good record store and make a purchase. The album is a smooth and soulful blend of Hip-Hop and Jazz, minus the predictable “conscious” Hip-Hop verses pasted over the top.

Each time I listen to an instrumental I get something new out of it, a new mood, a new instrument/melody/sound will pop out and catch my ear. In the same way that a single image can say a thousand and four things without the need for a caption, I’m attracted to music that possesses that same magic.

Here’s an image I captured last week that for me, has that impact:

- Mr Devo

RIM fights back with a new Blackberry!

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 20:22:00 +0000

Following the release of the iPhone 4, as their market share continues to rocket, who can hold a torch to Apple right now? HTC? Samsung? Well, enter RIM's latest offering - the Torch 9800.

Research in Motion (RIM) is set to recover lost ground in the battle of the ultimate mobile phone handset with its newest family member.

The Blackberry Torch 9800 looks like a Blackberry, but with a slight difference. Not only does it have a touch screen (vogue for smartphones these days) it also has the familiar QWERTY keypad, which should please traditional Blackberry fans whilst satisfying the gadget goons obsessed with everything they can touch, flick, pinch and double tap. Think of it like this: If the Blackberry Storm and the Bold 9700 had a child, the Torch 9800 would be it.

The screen is a humble but respectable 3.2 inches with a native resolution of 480x360. The Torch boasts a 5MP camera, complete with flash. Unfortunately, the video recorder on the phone only records in VGA, so it won't be able rival the HD video recording quality of the iPhone4.

But if you're like me and won't require the bells and whistles of HD video recording, perhaps the speedy 624MHz processor of the Torch (faster than the iPhone 3GS), improved web browsing and new Blackberry OS 6 - which includes device leading features such as "Universal search" - will be enough to entice you towards the Blackberry Torch 9800.

The Torch was released in the US today and will hopefully be coming to the UK in the next few weeks with Vodaphone looking like the first carrier to offer it. US release price of the Torch 9800 is $199.99 on a $15 a month basic contract, no word on UK prices though.

I've had my upgrade since last month and I waited for the iPhone4 before considering jumping ship. But with RIM's timely release, perhaps I will remain a Blackberry customer after all...

Watch this space!

- Mr Devo

South Africa and the World Cup through my eyes - Link finally up!

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:56:00 +0000

Hello again,

As promised here is a link to my photos taken during my journey in South Africa, I hope - accompanied by the pieces I've written previously on the experience - that these images will give you a glimpse into the wonderful, inspiring and moving place that is South Africa.

Click here to see the images.

Please enjoy. If you wish to use/share any of the images please contact me via email at:
canonjon@blacktechnicolor. com

Using images without permission will leave you open to prosecution.

- Mr Devo

Still with the rainbows, but this time...

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 11:30:00 +0000

Apologies for not posting for a little while (feels like I'm talking to myself again) but I've been trying to clear my mind after an intense six weeks.

I have a few things I'd like to share, thought-wise, and I promise I will once they're a little more fluid. I also have a ton of images from South Africa about to go up on Flickr which I will share the link to shortly. Any ways, here is what I'd like to share for now, this brought tears to my eyes and made me smile so I hope, if you haven't seen it before, that it does the same for you:

"What does this mean!?!" - Yosemitebear

- Mr Devo

My farewell to the rainbow nation

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Devo) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 06:49:00 +0000

It was often said before the World Cup that South Africa is the world's best kept secret. Well now, after successfully hosting one of the most exciting and memorable World Cup tournaments in history, its safe to say - the secret is well and truly out.

I've tried to regularly share my experiences and observations whilst being here and I hope - if you're not familiar with South Africa - that my ramblings have given you some valuable insight and sparked a little intrigue.

To come to a place like South Africa and allow what you've heard to control your actions and poison your perception is a crime, it defeats the purpose of your journey (unless you're here purely on business). In reality, very few things in life meet your expectations, whatever they are - for better or for worse. In South Africa's case, in my experience, this place has been positively so much more than I could have wished for.

If I was expecting to have a torturous time, dodging bullets, running from machete gangs and ballsing my valuables - I can near enough guarantee that at least one of those delightful experiences would have been granted to me.

Instead, I came here with my arms wide open and surprise surprise, the majority of people I met here greeted me in kind. Granted - I wasn't dripping with diamonds and holding an iPad in one hand and a Blackberry in the other - but do that in London's Liverpool street or New York's 5th street and you're simply courting trouble.

There are areas of South Africa where people are desperately poor, living in Townships and squats where their comforts are tin roofs and roadside fires. Many people know about these things (from a far) but you've got to see it with you're own eyes and breathe in the smoke.

Damning and avoiding a whole country (in many cases - the whole continent) in ignorant fear of the millions of people who are living in dire conditions is not going to help anybody. I sincerely encourage you to travel to places all over the world that you may have unjustly formed a negative opinion of, challenge your perceptions, get your hands dirty and open a dialogue with the people who actually live there. If you have no opinion there's less excuses and even more reason to get involved and form one.

I've always been curious about South Africa and I'm exceedingly thankful for the opportunity I was given to be here. My only regret is that I waited for an opportunity and didn't make it my business to be here sooner.

Alas, this brings my South African journey to a close, next stop?

I hear there's a well known football tournament happening somewhere in South America in a couple of years...

- Mr Devo