Roving Reporter . . . Beyonce Fever!

OMG how cool is this, Beyonce fever is definitely sweeping the UK and I am loving these leotard ladies!

Roving Reporter . . . Escala front new Pretty Polly campaign

Escala are fronting the new Pretty Polly campaign, shot by Tom Kembery. 

Escala showing off their long legs ahead of their awaited album release.

Gorgeous!

Picture from The Telegraph

Photography: Tom Kembery

Hair: Noel Gibbins

Roving Reporter . . . Fashion Music Style Party

Thursday afternoon saw me head to The Monarch, in Camden to have a little chill out session. The mini magazine that is the fab 'Fashion Music Style' - FMS, launched its third issue with a cool gig session from some of the magazines unsigned acts. This was a great opportunity to see some fab bands, drink some free drinks and relax in the fabulous North London. My favourite of the night was 12 Dirty Bullets, but everyone did a great job, all I have to do now is find a place to wear my goodie bag Kangol hat.

Roving Reporter . . . The Fashion Show Week 4

Quick Fashion Show Roundup:

* This weeks challenge was inspired by shoes. The designers got to pick some fancy footwear and use it to inspire an outfit for this weeks runway show.

* Reco was his usual cocky self, finishing early and going for a nap, in between this he made an LBD and indulged in a bit of Daniella bullying. He is so cocky I simply await his fall from grace.

* The whole room bitched about Andrew and how he ripped off the pleating from a previous episode and designer. Yes, obviously, because pleats hadn't been invented!?!

* Daniella came up with a fabulous black and aubergine coloured dress with silver washers as surface decoration. It was divine and true to her own design aesthetic.

* Lidia's dress was hideous, 14 hours is not enough for her - I agree, 14 hours is only enough for Reco.

* The show was the best yet and Angel's shirt dress was surprisingly popular, i thought it was horrid.

* Reco one, while Angel and Daniella both were praised highly, while Andrew and Lidia were in the bottom two.

* Sorry Andrew we are just not buying it, bye bye darling!

Confessions of a Sales Assistant . . .

The store and the sales assistant shall always rename nameless, can you guess where it is?! High street retailers beware, we are live and undercover.

RR: So Undercover Sales Clerk what do you have for me today? . . .
How Petty Do Some Stores Get With Their Staff?

USC: A colleague of mine today got investigated for an action that is considered by 'The Company' as breaking the rules.

RR: Oooooh do tell . . .

USC: She was leaning against a rail by the fitting room for a brief minute. She got investigated today as to why she had done such a thing. She had been wearing heels for an 8 hour shift.

RR: Flipping heck that's mad! Anything else today you want to share?

USC: Oh yes, you will like this one. A customer tried to return a dress today, claiming she had bought it in the condition it was, ie dust stains. I turned it inside out, it had period stains.

RR: OMG I think I'm going to puke! Why, why, why, would people do that! eeewwwwwwwww.
Goodness, that's enough for today, keep taking note of any funny ones please, try and get them less gross!

Roving Reporter . . . Adding a new writer to FASH-PACK

I personally feel there is never enough gossip, so I have managed to con another, poor, hapless, fashionista into spilling their secrets to you. Introducing . . . Confessions of a shop assistant!

Having chatted to said assistant, I was astonished at the stories he told me! People do and say the funniest things, so welcome to the first installment of confessions! If you have a fabulous shop floor story please send it in!

xx

Roving Reporter . . . Shooting, South of the River

You should be pleased to know that today, I finally had some work to be getting on with! I headed to South East London (apparently it's the other side of the River) to shoot a menswear spread for EM magazine with the gorgeous Alex Prinz, photographer - Joseph Sinclair and Sandra Bermingham (MUA). We were going for the classic, male, 'James Dean' shot with a phew cheeky, playboy stylee shots thrown in. It was a quickie and by lunch time we were back on the soggy streets of S.E. London trying to find our bus back. Not a hard task you would think . . . but as it happens, Sandra and I walked and walked . . . walked some more and once we were sufficiently soggy and in the depths of the Blackheath Suburb we just flung ourselves on a bus in the wrong direction in sheer desperation. Don't get me wrong, it was gorgeous round there, but I'm definitely a North London girl and I couldn't help but wonder if the entire community had simply settled there because they couldn't find their bus back to the tube?
We eventually got back to North Greenwich and by the time I had made it back to my neck of the woods I managed to bust my suitcase - the second to lose its handle in a month! Some feat!

Roving Reporter . . . Partying with Puma

PUMA PARTY:

Then on to the evening! Tonight was Puma's press party for their 'Past / Present / Future' collection. Re-inventing the retro styles of trainers and classic brand pieces for a new generation. The party was held in their concept store on Carnaby Street and when I arrived the party was in full swing! There was fab tracks being rocked by the DJ and the main swarm of people was concentrated around the Mixologist bar at the back. Having queued for many moons for my drink I was pleased it was pretty damn potent and the tequila shot balancing in the half lime on the top definitely added to the strength perfectly!

The CROWD: Uber cool fashionista's here. Though there were some Topshop stylee chicks around, overall there was a really awesome, eighties, retro, sports vibe. This was shown in body con styles, squared off baseball caps and chunky gold hoops. It's odd, really there was a lot chavtastic stylings going on, but somehow this crowd carried it off and the hoodies and trainer brigade became less 'Clapham' and more 'Couture'.

The mixologists on the Puma inspired red bar mixed up some potent tipples, 1 tequila, 2 tequila, 3 tequila . . . floor.

(DJ playing some fab tracks)

The goodie bag was pretty sweet, I left with yet another canvas print bag to add to my obscene collection, containing a free pass for Movida (remember how I feel about that place, words fake bake and cake spring to mind), a poster of the latest Puma shoes (loving them!), a 35% discount card for the whole year and last but not least, a free pair of sunglasses! Yipee! Best goodie bag in ages!

Who knew PUMA did such lovely jeans?!

Lovely shoes . . . I want!

(love the school girl style, may use my lovely discount on them!)

(The fab Puma, Mixologist, red bar!)

Roving Reporter . . . The Joint Music Rooms

The other week I told you how I went to watch the latest up & coming band at The Joint Music Rooms in Kings Cross. 

The band 'Eddie' - hailing from a mixture of (mainly) Brighton and a dash of London have now played their first gig in New York! and are proper good mates with us here at Fash-Pack, that is why we bring you this exclusive video from that day at The Joint, attended by the likes of your truly and Orange Unsigned competitor Bo Bruce. Watch this video, then check out the bands myspace, while being Pop rather than Indie, I guarantee that these infectious tunes will have you singing along in no time - they are just so bloody catchy!

EDDIE MYSPACE

Roving Reporter . . . Diversity Rock

If you didn't see Diversity on Britain's Got Talent, then shame on you! But catch it here and now!
I was astounded by their story telling and creativity, they truly are the most genius dance act ever! I could watch them all day long! Will definitely be spending my pocket money on phone voting for Diversity in the final!

Roving Reporter . . . The Fashion Show Week 3

Part One: Setting the Scene:

Another week, another episode. Slowly the poor designers are being cut down and slung out and the stronger players are coming to the forefront. It's taken me a while to get to grips with who I'm loving and who I'm, in the words of Issac Mizrahi 'Just not buying'.

JP is definitely being under-estimated, there is something very London about his ideas. Always creative and thinking outside the box, even the judges constantly assume he is not going to cut it, only to find that he wows at the shows.

Reco is getting on my nerves! Seriously there is confidence, then there is cocky. He is bashing his team mates and becoming too controlling, he shouldn't of cut their patterns for them, let them work on their own, as you will see it didn't make him the winner anyway. Yes he is good and yes the judges and the audience like his design, but the whole 'it's so wrong for one man to be this talented' is just bull! I have watched many a new designer in my time and quite frankly he just isn't that impressive. If he really was that good he wouldn't need the fashion show to make it. After all, London designers are constantly working without money.

Daniella, she is still where my loyalties lie, but I just wish she would put her claws away fora little bit. Though sometimes with good reason, she needs to become a bit more of a team player especially in the early stages! - Still the best designer there though.

Part Three: The Show:

When facing the judges, surely you should put a guard on what you say! Daniella's team won, the correct decision I thought as the whole collection was cohesive and delicious but when she told the judges that Andrew's design was her idea I nearly died! Head designers are constantly feeding ideas to their workers and taking no credit, she should've just relished in the fact that she was a strong leader who got her team to win, but I think her reaction is purely to do with age and she hasn't got to that point where she can just let it go! However that move will not in-dear her to her fellow contestants and in the early stages you need friends as well as competition! 

Two Losers - only one elimination!

Haven - Why dig a whole for yourself! - Having said that I didn't hate the design that much.

Markus - You can't sew, which Fashion School did you go to? 

Both very poor pieces!

Roving Reporter and Flats . . . Together in one post!

Having pranced about London checking out gigs and parties, we decided that what we really wanted to do was curl up on the sofa with hot chocolates and tell you all about it!

So off we went back to my pad where I cracked open the Cadbury's to make us hot chocolate. 

Tonight we went off to see Sam Loaker play in Camden. We love Sam! He was fabulous and funny - plus he gave me a free CD so I could sway to his crooning at home. Though he did seem nervous, his humour shined through and he entertained the crowd with not only clever and witty lyrics but also cute and entertaining stories to match them too!

He is definitely one to watch . . . We will put up pics and video of the gig tomorrow, until then feast your eyes on his myspace! SAM LOAKER

Roving Reporter . . . Fashion Fab vs Fashion Drab!

Im not a massive film buff, don't get me wrong, I love a moving movie or an action packed thriller as much as the next chick, but to me Cannes means one thing . . . Red Carpet Looks. 

Keeping an eye on the rich and famous, here is my Fashion Fab vs Fashion Drab . . . 

What do you think?

FASHION FAB - Angelina Jolie is absolutely stunning in this draped Versace number. The nude tone is bang on trend for this summer and it encompasses everything that is good about red carpet dressing. Flattering, glamorous and sexy, I am one jealous fashionista!

FASHION DRAB - This dress just makes me sad, Asia Argento, in Armani Prive, there is nothing good about this look. The print overwhelms her, the cut is unflattering and quite frankly she looks like a flower vase! Not a good look though certainly noticeable, for all the wrong reasons!

(images: style.com)

Do you agree? . . . 

Roving Reporter . . . Pick of the Day

www.boohoo.com

This online retailer is so underestimated but is actually doing some fabulous pieces right now!

I love this little skirt with the bow on the front! So cute for the summer and it comes in blue too! Wear with a fab tee or vest tucked in to show off the high waist!

Roving Reporter . . . Shooting and Star Spotting (or not)

Goodness me . . . it's nice to finally put my feet up! Today I took Brogues to help me style a shoot for Mayfair Fashion Magazine, the relatively new publication that is keeping the trendies up-to-date with the must see, must know and must haves of the Mayfair scene. 

We shot in the Flemmings Hotel, which as Brogues described it . . . 'so nice and so clean, I feel like a hobo'. We made our way up to the suite, half expecting to be escorted off the premises we made our way round the winding corridors and up to the second floor.

I had managed to pull some awesome wardrobe so was super excited to get going, but not quite as excited as I was by the hotels lift! Look its made of books! It's ridiculously tiny, but it's made of books!

Having just about got over the lift (books!) I got comfy and as usual removed my shoes, I love shoes, I'm totally a shoe girl! I don't earn in money I earn mentally in footwear but for some reason I never wear shoes on shoots! However this was the sort of establishment you should really wear them . . . Ooops! Here are my feet as a we make a mad dash to give my lovely couriers everything to go back to the PRs!

The wardrobe for the shoot consisted of Matthew Williamson glitz and glam, fabulous fur, Graeme Black, Pringle, Paul and Joe to name a few. The fur was everyones favourite though, as you can see everyone wanted a good stroke! We shot it over a gorgeous sequin dress.

Here is Brogue's in our favourite lift, shockingly we manage to fit in some work in between coffee (I had many), tea, chocolate . . . Oh and taking some photos, wardrobe changes.

Here she is, our gorgeous model . . . Striking a pose . . . how hot is her look!

Paul and Joe shoes . . . a hot tip for A/W 09, sparkly and so tran-seasonal.

As if today hadn't been hectic enough, with sorting couriers, dressing, steaming, drinking coffee and staying on the ball, we found out some hot gossip! 

Our model has been spending huge amounts of time in the US and it seems she has brought back a bit of America with her as she is now dating Nadine Coyle's (Girls Aloud) ex-boyf . . . Jesse Metcalfe. To top it all off, not only did she tell us . . . he came down to the shoot to see her! OMG star spot! Unfortunately, there is no picture and to make it even sadder I was so caught up stressing about my couriers that I didn't even him notice come in! He literally swung in and out but said hey to everyone . . . Where was I! I'm gutted! HOW? How? HOW?

Roving Reporter . . . The Fashion Show Week 2

Fash-Pack are still obsessed with the Bravo's 'The Fashion Show'.
We are still championing Daniella as the the brightest start on the show, her eye for cute and edgy design is set to take everyone by storm and the catty comments make this show so fab! I love the drama, G-d Bless Americans!
Comment of the week has to be from Haven . . . 'I don't like the red tulle . . . It's just UGLY!' and Jonny flying off the handle at the judges, telling them to send him home as he isn't a sewer! HELLO! Having lost one person last week and another quitting at the beginning of this weeks show there is plenty of pressure and personality clash! I won't ruin who won, but make sure to watch the fashion show (episode 4) and tell us if you think the right team / person won!

Roving Reporter . . . Britain REALLY does have TALENT

OMG THIS GIRL IS AMAZING! BEYONCE PACK YOUR BAGS AND GO HOME, THIS KID IS SO PUTTING YOU 'TO THE LEFT'



Aidan Davis - So Cute, so well dressed and such a good dancer!

Roving Reporter . . . Shooting again!

(Amber-Rose adjusting Ellen's incredibly crimped up hair) - see videos below too!

Yesterday was one busy day!

A few weeks ago at AFW, (alternative fashion week), Flats and I came across the designer for the maybe soon to be Topshop stocked brand - New York Couture. This lady dresses all the stars, with Katy Perry recently sporting a pair of her sequined pants!

Anyway . . . She told us that wearing purple and black together was bad luck, which perhaps explains my entire life! Alternatively she is talking rubbish and for some reason I decided that today would be the day I tested the theory!

(the epic Jack - Make up marvel - pouting AGAIN).

So I left the house in several shades of purple and black in order to finally break the spell . . . well so I thought. The morning started with me pulling the handle of my suitcase, already packed with my stuff for the shoot, having swapped over suitcases, I promptly dropped it on my foot, before ending up at the wrong train station (as I forgot which one I was meeting my assistant - Brogues at!) 

(Brogues and Ellen in between camera card changes)

This so far is sounding pretty bad only to be compounded by finding out our original model was sick so we had to wait for a replacement . . . an eleven o'clock start found its way to 1.30 and with our first shot being taken at around 3.30pm, I was beginning to think that purple and black is not such a hot combination.

However the shoot looked amazing! We used some stunning Afshin Feiz dresses in a multitude of sherbet tones and bound the models legs in ice cream coloured chiffon, creating an ethereal beauty. 

We wanted the dresses to fly, spin and float, this required a mixture of wind machines and Jack (the fabulous make up artist) wafting the models dress! I spent most of the day on the floor creating just the right angle!

Jack at one point found himself under the dress, holding it up, this was my angle, as I was sat on the floor with the giant and extremely strong fan! But from the front Jack was unseen!

Ellen in between shots. We wanted to have the feeling of movement in the shots and so bound the legs to give a ballet feel.

Show us some leg!

Wind machine in full force! I love the fact that she looks so glam but the behind the scenes is so revealing. 

Touch up time!
Photographer Mark and MUA Jack doing boy things (carrying and technical)

One final shot of our ethereal beauty! Check out the videos below!

Roving Reporter . . . A few Vids for you!

I will relay you with tales tomorrow, but for now . . .
Sorry they are the wrong way round, I haven't learnt how to flip them yet! - See how unglamorous a shoot really is and how we achieve it all!

Roving Reporter . . . A few Vids for you!

I will relay you with tales tomorrow, but for now . . . 

Sorry they are the wrong way round, I haven't learnt how to flip them yet! - See how unglamorous a shoot really is and how we achieve it all!

Roving Reporter . . . Little Boots does a Fash-Pack fav!

Manjit Deu has been a huge crush of ours at Fash-Pack for a long time! 

In fact Roving Reporter was invited to his MA show by the sequin king himself and has been wowing me ever since. I was one of the first to champion the sparkly one and have not stopped on my crusade to tell the world!

He has since had editorials with the NY based, original, online, glossy, ZooZoom and the, coolest editorial magazine, 'Random', and tonight made the singer 'Little Boots' looked good enough to eat! 

(This is the only pic I have found so far of Little Boots from last night, check out those sequins!)

Fashion and Music come together and we love it!

(Manjit Deu - Sequin Vest)

(Manjit Deu - Archive Camouflage Beaded Jacket)

Luke Pasqualino (Freddie in Skins - wearing Manjit Deu)

Roving Reporter & Flats . . . Just Chilling

(Bleu with her hot new Blue accessory!)

Well today, Bleu and myself had a chill day . . . sorry I mean an official blog meeting. Well the truth is Bleu and I are rubbish at having serious meetings with one another. Mainly because we tend roll off on to tangents and funny stories. We decided to ditch Shoreditch on this occasion and head over to may spiritual home of Camden. Having scoured the vintage shops for brown, ankle boots to fit Bleu's enormous, clown proportioned feet, we finally settled for a drink and chips in the Lock Bar, so we could pretend we were on holiday and wave to passing canal boats!
Whilst in Camden Mollie and I also almost (literally) walked into Kate Moss's boyfried Jamie Hince, see Camden is cool!
Following Camden, we headed to Soho and popped into Nico-D on D'arbly Street to say hey, where Bleu and Nico tried to get me into a wet-look playsuit, seriously I love it, but on me hun? No way. See I feel Nico was being genuine in his belief I could carry it off, where as Bleu was just doing it for pure amusement . . . I declined!

Bleu and myself have big plans for this blog and with an exclusive Kings of Leon interview this weekend and a chat with funny man Matthew Horne still to come, you know that you are tuning in to the hottest blog around!
The colour has changed again and there maybe a bit of deja vu when I re-post the Zane Lowe interview (its to get us linked so we can keep getting bigger and better) but all in all Fash-Pack is developing and you lot are so part of it!

xx

Oh and I forgot! We were having coffee in Kingly Court at the cute cupcake place (sometime much after Camden) and who should sit behind us but Matthew Williamson! I nearly died! I was tres excited, but sadly too shy to go up to him and confess my love! ahhhh another day!

Roving Reporter . . . Shout Out!

OMG! Bleu and I love this blog, we talk about it to each other and whoever will listen to us 24/7!
What we didn't expect is that others would love it too!

Thanks to Dom and Sam and the Queen Mary crew for reading it all the time, we hope we keep you entertained - don't you have work to do - exams?!

I jumped up and down with excitement when Bleu rang me to say you had 'spotted' her and come to say hey! So here is to you lot! HEY!

Roving Reporter & Bleu xxx

Roving Reporter . . . The Fashion Show

How mean is the lady from Harpers! So RUDE!

Watch out for the girl in lavender with a beret, I went to uni with her!

Daniella is so right! I love navy and HATE Merlin! BOOOOO!

Roving Reporter . . . Get The Look

TOPMAN

With the growing partnership between fashion and music, I have decided to bring you regular music styling tips. Each week I will take one music style or act and then one (sometimes more than one) store and show you how to re-create the look! This week I have gone to ye-old faithful Topman to bring the boys some Indie Styling! So if you fancy yourself as a Maccabee or would love to look the part of a Blighter, then take a peek at this!

The jean: Trouser shapes have become as complicated for guys as girls, but the out and out winner for this division is definitely the SKINNY jean. Though blue and black work perfectly well and this obviously depends on the colour of the rest of the outfit.
BRANDS: Cheap Monday, Acne, American Apparel.

The Hoodie: This look is only complete with a hoodie! This can be sleeved or sleeveless, of any colour and weight. Lighter ones work better to allow for tees and shirts to worn too! In the coming weeks I will be showing you how to customise a cool one for yourself, I've already made Bleu Flats one! 

BRANDS: American Apparel

T-Shirts: No band can complete a look without having the best tee's in town. There are two obvious choices when compiling this look. The first is the statement t-shirt, this can either be comical print one, like the blue one below, or if your one for rummaging, check out your local vintage store for retro prints.

BRANDS: There are tones of good printed tee companies. Check out Lazy Oaf or websites like More T Vicar.

Your second t-shirt option is to go for a block colour. White is always a safe bet and right now I'm loving the button down t-shirts from Topman, the tiniest detail just adds a bit more style.

BRANDS: Not on this one, go for simple, clean and well made.

Shirts are also an Indie Kid staple, no more so than the check shirt. Now this look is NOT about 'farmer chic' so stay away from anything too country. Worn open over a tee-shirt, the layered look is simple and stylish. 

BRANDS: Levi Strauss, Diesel, Fred Perry

Shoes: There are 2 main choices here. Either go for a totally de-jour high-top trainer, or a cool indie boater. Boater shoes are totally traditional and English public school, but have recently been scene sported by boys and girls a-like of the fashion/music world. Champions include Mark Ronson and Alex Chung.

You can't help but love a high top, my favourites are REEBOK's 80's style collection, Nike's and Gola's.

All items from a selection at TOPMAN

Flats talks to . . . Jamie Delaney from Blighters

I head to the back of a little pub, totally indie’esque to find a skinny jeaned boy and pot of tea awaiting me.
With my usual hour delay, the first time ever the band or for this instance Jamie (singer and guitarist of 'Blighters') is on time, I find him, waiting, sitting comfortably, for my grilling.
To me he is quintessentially a totally English boy; I first saw 'Blighters' play at the waterfront in Norwich several years ago, when they were then called 'Monroe’s'. They have a great sound, of which many of my musical friend rave about.
Bleu: So what have you been doing with yourself recently? With the band that is? As I can clearly see you have been shopping he he.

Jamie: Oh well, yes, I went charity shop shopping today I bought an amazing jumper!

Bleu: Wow that’s awesome. Anyway so what have the band been doing?

Jamie: We are solidly writing at the moment, stopped being in London so much and moved back to Norwich now spending loads of time recording with Mike Crossly.

Bleu: Who do you think the best British band is at the moment?

Jamie: God that’s hard, there’s so many and I flick between a lot, um .... I love 'The Magistrates’, and 'The Virgins', who we played with a while back, they were really cool.
Bleu: If you could pick anyone, who would be your mistletoe kiss? (Random but all boys I’ve asked normally say another boy or band member!)
Jamie: In that case, it would totally be Lenny (the drummer)

Bleu: God no! Pick another!

Jamie: He he ok, um Ramallah, she’s an actress I filmed a movie with a while back, I don’t know why, but it would be her.

Bleu: Oh I forget your an actor in your spare time.

Jamie: Yes I really enjoy it, I had my first proper speaking part recently in a film. I really would like to do more.

Bleu: Who are your musical influences?

Jamie: It's always evolving, from the past and changing. But Michael Jackson and, at the moment, (after searching through his shopping bag he finds some Mj records –B-F) Late David Bowie is a definite, Japan and Abc.

Bleu: What influences your sound and lyrics?

Jamie: Well I take influences for lyrics from different places. But we changed our band name a few months back and that was because our sound had changed and 'The Blighters' felt like it met our new material well.

Bleu: What are you hoping to achieve this year as a band?

Jamie: Hopefully do a couple of festivals in-between recording and writing. Get an album out and get a really good single from it to.

Bleu: How did you find your manager?

Jamie: He kind of found us, came to a gig we were playing and it all just started from there.

Bleu: Lucky you, most bands strive to find a good manager. If you were an object what would you be and why?(he looks totally confused) so I give examples? Sofa, a camera etc. (a table? - RR)

Jamie: A pillow so I could smother you. (Funny of scary?! - RR)

Bleu: Oh cheers love, I'll remember that when I do a review on you!
If you could spend a day doing anything what would you do?

Jamie: That's so hard, many things (he sits thoughtfully thinking through so many ideas). Lots of things, but one would be bringing back the musical geniuses from the past, e.g. Freddy Mercury etc. and make a record with them.

Bleu: Would you invite rest of your band?

Jamie: No I'd be selfish, just me.

Bleu: What’s your favourite snack? (It's just a filler question . . . I assume it will be haribo as he’s been tucking in to a big bag)

Jamie: Today it would be haribo.

http://www.myspace.com/blightersmusic

Flats talks to . . . Francis and Louis

Bleu caught up with Francesca from Francis and Louis:

Bleu: So, what's your inspiration, as far as the lyrics and the sound are concerned?

F & L: Personal experiences mainly. From being stuck in a car on the way to Spain (never do it), to a lover being unfaithful.
(Lucy is the lyrical genius behind Francis and Louis.)

Bleu: I love it! There's never a right way to form music, yet always an interesting way.
How long have you been together? How did the band come about?

F & L: It will be 2 years this summer that we've been together. It started in the summer of 2007, after Lucy was bought a guitar for her 15th birthday. We used to sit in her bedroom for hours playing songs we loved. Then the idea of a band seemed right.

Bleu: Bedrooms seem to be the place where all deep, subconscious, moments happen they say.
If you were a super hero, what would be your super hero name and why?

F & L: I'd be called Night Hawk - soaring through the sky at night capturing (or rescuing - RR?) innocent victims of violence under my Mama Duck wing. Lucy would have to be Super Legs and her legs are truly cracking. Even the Dutch think so.

Bleu: Legs she does have! and I bet you would have a mean mama duck wing!
What record could you drift of to sleep listening ?

F & L: Oh God, there are too many. I have a play list on my iPod called 04:59. It consists of around 200 songs I could fall asleep to easily.

Bleu: But out of all those...

F&L: Scott Matthews - Earth to Calm, Modest Mouse - Perfect Disguise (BBC Radio Session), or a song by a local band Vanilla Kick called 'The Escape' www.myspace.com/vanillakick - They are beautiful.

Bleu: Who is your fav British band at the moment ?

F & L: Bombay Bicycle Club, or Metronomy. Though, I'm concerned about the departure of Gabrielle from Metronomy. I'm not sure what's in store for them. Another upcoming talent has to be Peggy Sue (formally known as Peggy Sue and The Pirates) We'll be playing alongside of her this Friday in Norwich.

Bleu: If you were an object what would you be an why?

F & L: That's such a hard question. There are too many objects in this world. But I think I'd have to be a camera, I'd see so much.

Bleu: Where are you hoping to go with your music this year? Any plans?

F & L: We're planning on recording a new EP this summer, which will consist of 5 brand new tracks. It'll include a full band, unlike our previous EP.

Bleu: Where can we catch you playing?

F & L: This Friday! Come holla down to Wensum Lodge, Norwich, where you can catch us playing with Peggy Sue. Or July 6th at Norwich Arts Centre, as part of the Hot City Sounds week.

Bleu: Who is your music icon? and who is your fashion?

F & L: Nick Drake and Lovefoxxx.

Bleu: I'll leave you to decide which is which.

http://www.myspace.com/francisandlouis

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Flats Tells Us . . . The Maccabees & Mumford and Sons @ Electric Ballroom last night

This just a more detailed review of last night with some pics too!

With a last minute rush over to Camden, I met Kie Kie (Roving Reporter) at Camden Town tube. All we had to do was follow the mass of indie kids heading over in their checked shirts and plimsolls to know we were in the right place.After picking up our very “Important”, press, guest list tickets we headed inside, to have a little snoop and wander around to see what was going down. The Venue itself wasn’t really, shabby chic enough for me, but was a good, big, gig space regardless. After grabbing a beer and heading to the main area, we got a good spot up front, to see support band 'Mumford and Sons'.They are actually incredibly good, with old school, mixed with bizarre instrument choices, their sound was amazing! I loved it! I would go and see them again most defiantly. 

(Ben from the Mumford and Sons! - bad shirt, fantastic face! - RR)

The lead singer had a sort of folksy style, indie voice, and deep, meaningful lyrics, it was so perfect. (I felt like I was in a cool barn dance - but cool, really cool! At perhaps a slightly wacky boarding school - RR).

Look who we met in the loo! - she was sooooo nice!

With Ben Lovett on the keys, he was really going for it! But the geek chic instrument of 2009, has to be the double bass! I have never seen anyone rock one before!
We headed outside for a sneaky fag before the Macs played and grabbed a quick chat with Matt Horne about his latest escapades, he promises us an interview soon. 

We spot Felix sneaking behind us for a quick sing along to the support. I grab Land for a second, forgetting to mock his bad choice of headwear! I just got a quick peck and wished good luck for the set, after (finally -RR) introducing all to Kie Kie “your kooky curly haired friend” (is that really my description?! - Not sure if honoured?! - RR)  We settle back into our spot ready for The Maccabees to start. 

Within about 5 seconds of them walking on stage, the sold out crowd were going crazy! 

Most indie bands, really don’t have such great voices, but this band are different in so many ways (you are such a groupie - RR). 

Not only are the songs catchy and well written, but Orlando’s voice is incredible, Felix pours his passion for music onto the floor every time he walks onto the stage, and his solo escapades, fronting the band are becoming more regular. As Felix (shyly) sang his heart out, me and Kie Kie whooped crazily in support (I felt silly, I should drink more, it was however VERY good and worth a good whoop - RR). 

They are, genuinely, an amazing band to see live, even listening to the record, you can feel the buzz . . .

 “We want the record to sounds like the best live gig you could go to” said Felix.
I loved it, Kie Kie loved it, the huge crowd loved it! 

Yet again an unforgettably great performance from them!

Kiss Kiss Bleu flats x