100 years ago today...

Here.

Robert Doisneau was born.

Maybe this is a rather lame admission, but I first encountered the beautiful photo above in what is still one of my favourite movies.

The trailer does it no justice at all.

And as Steve Dunn suggests, love should always be like that photo.

I later saw an exhibition of Doisneau's work at the Side Gallery in Newcastle, and fell even more in love. The Kiss at the Hotel De Ville, cliché as it may nowadays be, is still on my wall.

"I formulate infinity, And store it deep inside of me."

18 years ago today, Kurt Cobain took his own life.

And rather than risk sounding like a sycophant, or as if I'm celebrating suicide, I'd prefer to remember his creativity.

These recently revealed paintings are similar to those I'd marvel over when I first discovered Nirvana; a disturbing fusion of grotesque figures and vivid colours. They were apparently painted around 1993, during the recording of In Utero. See a couple more here (along with an article that, like so many, verges on sensationalist, leading to an onslaught of critical comments).

Nirvana - Unplugged in New York - Oh Me

This was the first album I bought. It still moves me as much as it first did.

Sunday Soundtrack - Grunge Goodness (& Winning A Giveaway!)

I never win anything. But I just won this beauty from Dear oh Deer and am utterly delighted. Spring colours most certainly putting a spring in my step this Sunday afternoon.

Can't wait to post about it properly at some point in the near future...

Mother Love Bone - Stargazer

Throwing Muses - Not Too Soon

So into all of this right now. (I was born two decades too late, blah blah blah).

Sunday Soundtrack.

Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream - Soma

I think I must have listened to this entire album about 4 times straight through over the past couple of days - the delight of rediscovering beloved records. Siamese Dream is almost too good to be true.

P J Harvey - Uh Huh Her - It's You

Gritty & delicious.

Radio Rats - Into The Night We Slide - ZX Dan

Still hooked on them since coming back from South Africa.

I should be working on essays. Or packing to go home for Christmas tomorrow (!) Or at least doing something productive. Instead I have stayed in bed, peeked out at the frosty grass from my window, drank tea, and read.

Caramel Apple Crumble & Alice in Chains; preparations for my first Thanksgiving.

This will (hopefully!) turn out to be a Caramel Apple Crumble, my contribution to my first ever Thanksgiving dinner, hosted by a couple of American coursemates. Isn't it so hard to photograph food attractively? (Well, especially when you're using a webcam). I admire people who can capture food looking appetising on camera...

Thanksgiving in North Yorkshire. I'm excited.

As an aside, Alice in Chains Unplugged is an excellent album to cook to.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

With Love & Grunge.

Reading the Independent's article about how London Fashion Week was disrupted by models having to go to Milan, I was delighted by this picture of dancers from Meadham Kirchoff's show. They're pure 90s babydoll grunge glamour.

Naturally they have named Courtney Love as one of their design heroes. I love the silky textures and clashing pastels, but most of all I love how they bring to mind my favourite Hole album, Live Through This (oh, the irony of fashion week coupled with a crying beauty queen album cover.)

And of course, today is the 20th anniversary of the release of Nevermind, one of the albums that indelibly shaped my musical taste, and, at the risk of sounding cliche/saccharine/"who cares what she thinks, she was only a year old at the time", my taste in general. There has yet to be a genre of music that I identify with as much - everything about it, from the crunchy distorted guitars, to the dry dark vocal delivery, right down to the style (as I write this, I am wearing a snagged/shredded navy blue jumper with a white round-collared shirt, and faded old jeans). While my musical taste has diversified over the years, I think grunge will always have a hold on my heart.