On February 17th 1995 police found Richey Edwards’ Vauxhall Cavalier abandoned at the Severn View service station. They reported that there was evidence that The Manic Street Preachers’ guitarist had been living in the car.
As for the car’s owner, well nothing has been heard from him since. There have been alleged sightings in Goa and Lanzarote, while there are those believe that he took his own life and jumped off the Severn Bridge. I guess we will never know.
Edwards, however, wasn’t the first rock star who decided that they had had enough of their old life and wanted to start anew. Various members of Fleetwood Mac disappeared in the late 60s and early 70s to be discovered in the cradle of slightly iffy religious groups.
There are others too and I have rounded up five stories of musicians who, for one reason or another, completely disappeared. Some, like Richey, are missing presumed dead, others are just keeping an incredibly low profile while working on that magical next album. Then there’s the tale of Rodriguez, a singer whose life was shrouded in mystery before a film was made retelling his amazing tale.
The other thing about all five is that each of them has created some wonderful music, which in four out of the five cases, deserves to be much better known.
Perhaps the most dramatic tale of a musician going AWOL ever the Jim Sullivan story still intrigues everyone who hears it. The story has an added poignancy as the album that Sullivan released in 1969, UFO, is a special one that has recently been championed by a new wave of folk stars like Laura Marling. Anyway back to the story. In the late 60s Sullivan was a talented singer songwriter in need of a break. He got one when an actor friend of his, Al Dobbs, decided to fund his album. That record, UFO is minor classic - a perfect mix of dusty folk and Gothic country, yet with some strong pop undertones. Dobbs had ensured that only top notch musicians played on the album including several of Phil Spector's legendary Wrecking Crew band of session hacks. It really is quite an astonishing listen. Take Rosey, a delicate, gently picked ballad taken to new heights by pizzicato and then soaring strings. It sounds like the sort of track Lee Hazlewood would have written on a very good day. Most intriguing of all is the title track UFO, where Sullivan shares his obsession with aliens in an eery way that some believe was a psychic prediction of the fate that was soon to befall him. Sadly the album stiffed - it has been reissued by Light In the Arric Records and these days is hailed as a classic of its genre - and Sullivan went back to playing bars and busking for a living. Then in 1975 he decided to leave his wife in California and head eastwards to start a new life a session musician in Nashville. He never got there. His car was found abandoned in the desert while all his possessions were left in his hotel room. The last time he was seen was on the ranch of a family with mafia connections. The case is still unsolved, but there are some folk who believe that the UFO watcher's dream finally came true and he was whisked away by aliens. Others take the view that he may have been murdered and the body never recovered. Either way Sullivan left behind one superb album and an enduring myth which one day really ought to be turned into a film.
We are big fans of the Farrell brand. In case you haven’t come across them yet they are an quirky English indie with ex-Burberry fella Ben Dickens at the helm and Robbie Williams, yes him, providing some of the inspiration.
They also have a blog that sometime can be laugh out loud funny.
And they have just unveiled their spring summer collection and we really like a lot of it. There’s a lot of navy and white, some very classy lightweight rain coats, striking knitwear and more. There’s a whiff of the 1950s about it, especially that bowling shirt.
Here are five of their items which caught our eye. You can view the whole collection on their website.
This looks really classy. It is a light cotton jacket in Navy which sports one button at the front. There are some neat touches too likes the fully functioning cuff buttons.
It is now getting cold- seriously cold. Not just an odd breeze ruffling your hair, but full on Arctic howlers accompanied by temperatures that are dipping well below freezing. And let’s be honest that flat cap that has served you well through the autumn – even if it does make you look like an extra from Billy Liar – won’t cut it anymore.
Its is time to go beanie – or even bobble.
The bobble has been making a bit of a comeback in the last few years and now are the hat of choice of many a hipster. As for beanies, well every man really ought to own at least one.
You probably don’t need me to tell you but you really need to avoid hats made from cheap scratchy wool. Not only are they massively itchy they just feel very uncomfortable. It might sound ridiculous but an investment in a Cashmere hat – provided you can keep the moths at bay – is well worth it and you’ll have a hat that will last several years.
Here are five to look at from cheapies through to £50 beanie handmade by artisans in the Himalayas – I kid you not.
Ok, so it predicted snow and all London got was a very light dusting, but if the forecasters are right – and they are never wrong are they?! – there should be more snow on its way.
So now is the time to get yourself a sledge. If you order it now it ought to be delivered in plenty of time for when the real dollop of the white stuff happens later in the month (That is provided the postie can brave the snow to get through to drop it off .) Here then are five great sledges to choose from and The Beatles giving a masterclass in how to use them.
If you are feeling flash then this sledge is a Porsche. Yep it is designed by the same people who put the cars together and comes with a logo to prove it. It is made from very sturdy aluminum and has a fake leather seat. There are however two bits of bad news. One, it is priced like a Porsche and two, it is second hand only, they do pop up on ebay from time to time.
This 60s style shirt is in navy with white dots. It has a mod cutaway tailored collar with buttons underneath as well as two tone buttons to the placket and cuffs.
Guide London
Polka Dot shirts never really seem to go and in out of style. However at the moment there does appear to be a bit of mini renaissance with a number of High Street stores offering them alongside specialist labels and heritage brands. Maybe it is because, as we have been told, 60s Op Art looks will be big this year.
Anyhow here then are a selection of five of the best. They are all dark with white dots and range from classic 60s Mod styling through short sleeve summer wear.
This is ideal for afternoons spent watching football on the box, it basically keeps you totally up to speed with what is happening in games across the globe. The push notifications are lightning quick and there's more than enough data to satisfy your inner Statto.
Got yourself a new tablet this Christmas. Chances are that you, or some in your home has taken delivery of a new iPad, iPad mini, Galaxy Tab, Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD or one of those cheapo models that we like so much.
The big question is then what apps should you download first? We have put together a list of 30s apps that we think are absolutely essential. Some are games, some books, some enable you to watch TV, all are very useful and entertaining.
The app falls into several categories. There are genuine tablet apps- eg those created especially for say the iPad. Then there are those which are made for smartphones which will work on tablets in a slightly different way.
The only problem with the Android tablets is that not every app works on every tablet, so for example while Sky Go happily plays with the Google Nexus 7 it won’t work on the Amazon Kindle Fire.
Anyhow most of these apps will work on most of the tablets. And a good percentage are free too – so what are you waiting for?
After giving your wallet a post-Christmas womping, updating your wardrobe for Spring/Summer 2013 can often take a backseat while waiting for that January pay packet to land. Thankfully, cheap-as-chips high street chain Primark are on hand to deliver some on-trend staples at pocket-money prices, revealing their SS13 menswear lookbook. Scroll down for a sneak peak at what’s set to hit their stores in the coming weeks.
Plenty of tropical and camo prints feature (that camo bomber jacket will serve the fleeting trend without breaking the bank at £25) while statement caps and acid washed jeans are also on the way.
Primark may not be the most desirable name on the high street, but if you’re considering diving in on a risky on-trend look, you can take a chance without feeling that empty-wallet regret a few months down the line once the look has passed.
Good news for Elvis, it appears that blue suede shoes (and leather ones too) are enjoying a bit of a mini revival. I saw that Clarks had added navy to its range of classics this year and they are not alone. You can also buy blue suede and leather brogues and loafers too.
Of course you have to be a little careful about what you wear them with – especially if the shoes are more navy than blue. They work well with jeans, chinos and grey suit trousers, but black trousers are obviously a no.
One for the summer? Based on the original Clarks Desert Boot, the Jink was first introduced in 1983. It is lightweight, low and has suede uppers with a leather ankle trim.
End Clothing
It seemed a pretty much done deal last night that Tour de France/Olympic Time Trial Champion would win the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year. So in this parish at least it was as much about the suit he chose to wore as it was scooping the award.
Wiggins plumped for a bespoke velvet (very on trend) double-breasted suit made by Soho tailor Mark Powell. Wiggins has worn a lot of Powell’s clothes before – at the GQ awards in September, for example, he wore another Powell double breasted suit this time in grey.
Powell is a London-based tailor who has made bespoke suits for among others – George Clooney, Harrison Ford, Mick Jagger and David Bowie. Powell has worked with brands in the past including M&S and has recently launched a collection of eyewear. He says of the eyewear
‘My new ready-to-wear range, comprising 12 styles, is very retro but with a contemporary twist. A lot of designers are doing this at the moment, but mine is a nicer version.’
But then he could say that about his suits too.
If you do fancy one Powell has a ready to wear range, including some rather lovely double breasted jackets here.
There are two very good reasons to love Farrell Menswear. Firstly they have some of the most stylish, classic menswear in the UK – in their own words think ‘the perfectionism of Savile Row tailoring, the practical elegance of Michael Caine’s Harry Palmer, the straight arrow modernism of Paul Weller.’
Secondly they have one of the best websites (and its accompanying blog) in UK style. The brand is currently running a Festive Survival Guide which teams up some clothes to get you through some tricky siuations from Christmas parties to post hangover breakfasts.
Our favourite though is the ‘A Naval Touch for The Night Bus from Hell’ which is featured above. It includes the brand’s classic Pea Coat, a striking, and incredibly warm looking cable knit cardigan and a rather lovely pair of wool grey trousers which oddly enough I can’t find on their website. I’ll pass on the tech though (old school BlackBerry – no ta) and I think I might be a bit big for the knickers.
Farrell do have some really gorgeous things in their current range. Here are a few of them. Oh, and the third reason to love them is the video below of their founder which always makes me smile. Details of all the products (and that blog too) here.
In some ways Duffle Coats are now classics that in theory anyone should be able to wear at any time. However unless you buy a smart one you run two risks. 1 You might end up looking a little too much like Paddington Bear. 2 Cheap ones can look a bit scruffy and won’t do for anything approaching a formal occasion.
However for long winter walks with dog, fidgeting on cold seats at football grounds or just posing by the South Bank they are ideal. In the gallery there is a section of five rather cool Duffle coats, but before we get there here are a few things you may or may not know about them.
1 They date from WW2 where they were standard issue to much of the Navy mainly in tan rather than black.
2 Their popularity in the 1950s largely stems from the huge number of coats that were bought from military surplus stores.
3 Gloverall, a firm originally set up to sell the army surplus coats, started making their own in the late 50s and what we know today as a Duffle Coat – think leather fastenings and Buffalo horn toggles with a double faced checkback fabric – stems from their original designs.
4 They were ubiquitous on the CND marches of the 50s and early 60s worn largely by students and teamed up with French cigarettes and trad jazz records. I am sure Ian Carmichael wears one in the film Lucky Jim, but I can’t find the pic to prove it.
5 Although they have always been available they have had brief period of being very fashionable in the 80s check out the priceless pic of Harriet Harman wearing one) and the 90s (mainly thanks to the Gallagher Brothers).
6 These days they are often associated with Scottish bands – think Belle & Sebastian and Franz Ferdinand.
Pics from PA Images and Gloverall (check out their site for some more amazing Duffle shots!)
This is the original, and IMO the best Duffle Coat. Aftre the last war Gloverall bought a load of Duffle Coats from the MOD and have them in stock ever since. This has the classic buffalo horns and leather fastening, shoulder yoke panel, storm flap, side pockets, standard hem, interior pocket and hood with adjusters. And of course the tartan inner lining too. It is made from rich wool.
Gloverall
Menswear has traditionally taken a background role in the world of fashion, letting women mode reign the catwalks, column inches and shopping baskets. But over the last couple of years something has been brewing and these days menswear is as interesting – if not more – than the apparel made for women.
Leading the leading the pack are brands that come from the North – no not Newcastle, not even Scotland. We’re talking about brands that hail from the Nordic countries, the countries of snow, darkness and ingenuity. But why is Scandinavian menswear proving so popular on the isles known for their traditions?
Why are Scandinavian brands so popular among British men?
Anyone who has spent some time scouring the high street and internet for interesting menswear will have taken note of brands from Denmark, Norway and especially Sweden.
As a born and raised Scandinavian who is now living the life of an expat in my adopted home town of London – a modern day Viking, without the violence – it is fascinating to see the Scandi influence on British menswear these days. I won’t go into much detail about how amazing Scandinavian culture, lifestyle and designs are as this could be considered rude of me (but they really are).
But something of the Nordic minimalistic design has captured the interest of British men. Perhaps it is the focus on functionality (never underestimate the power of the humble fleece jacket when it’s minus 25 degrees outside!), as knitwear and weatherproof garments are seeing yet another season of popularity, combined with style and comfort.
The Scandinavian way of life
Of course the influx of Nordic flavour in all areas of life in recent years will have helped put the Norse firmly on the map: TV shows (The Killing!), furniture and housewares (Ikea is a favourite), music (think First Aid Kit and Sigur Ros), and not to forget the food and drink (meatballs, salmon, reindeer, sickly sweet cider).
It also helps that the hipsters and stylish geeks in London (and other cities) have embraced what us Norse consider practical mountain wear to be part of their uniform. Who doesn’t like a Fjellraven backpack for city hiking to the summit (read: riding a fixie bike to Dalston).
Whatever the reason is, as a Scandi expat, one thing is certain: Britain is starting to feel (even more) like home…
If you’re after some inspiration on which Scandinavian brands to include in your wardrobe, check out the gallery below. Just be warned, as with most Scandinavian things they also come with the price tag to match.
Ever wanted a pair of sunglasses that can shoot video? A USB based hand warming system? Or even a cushion that can moonlight as a remote control? Nope me neither. But I sure love reading about them.
Here then are 2012′s weirdest gadgets. Some are actually quite cool, others are borderline useful, but all are just plain weird.
Ok, it might just look like a black T shirt with a pretty naff design, but this is actually one of the hottest bloke gifts this Christmas. That's because that guitar print is (kind of) a real guitar which lets you play chords and strum along to your favourite rawk tunes. It even comes with a mini amp that apparently goes up to 11. If you are more Hot Chip than Van Halen there's also a drum machine kit in the range too.
It will very shortly be the party season and chances are you will be soon be an inebriated state confessing all to Tim in accounts about your cunning plan to later trap Susanna from sales with a sprig of mistletoe.
That probably won’t go to plan unless you are looking your best and that of course means the classic Christmas patterned shirt. So it is best to ignore the cheap ones, anything with reindeers and patterns that look like someone has vomited all over it and get yourself a classic.
It seems to be pretty much open season in men’s shirts with paisley, floral and all points in between still very much in vogue. Here are five classics. Stockist details underneath.
Everyone should own at least one Paul Smith shirt. This slim fit floral shirt with button up front closure. This shirt also features polka dot fabric on the reverse side of the cuff.
There was a point somewhere in the 1960s when The Rolling Stones were arguably the best dressed band on the planet. They mixed traditional Saville Row threads with flamboyant shirts, cravats and scarves better than anyone. They were the epitome of pop art cool. Check here for evidence.
But then the coolest of the lot of them, Brian, went swimming, Keef got strung out on heroin and Bill grew his hair out. And from a sartorial point of view things went downhill.
Never mind though because there was always Mick. Trouble is that somewhere around 1969 Mick’s style compass completely went AWOL. Probably about the time he wore that white dress in Hyde Park (sadly our pic agency doesn’t have that image!). Throughout the 70s and well into the 80s, he strutted across the stadiums of the world wearing an increasingly bizarre series of onstage costumes. Maybe that’s the point, they were different, daring and bit camp – just like Mick. Sadly like most of the Stones 80s output they looked pretty crap too.
So please don’t get me wrong I really love the Stones and always will, but I still take great pleasure in presenting you with Mick Jagger’s top ten crimes against fashion. Enjoy. I only wish that we could have shared this one with you too.
And if you want to read about some under rated Stones albums go here. Pics copyright PA
On February 17th 1995 police found Richey Edwards’ Vauxhall Cavalier abandoned at the Severn View service station. They reported that there was evidence that The Manic Street Preachers’ guitarist had been living in the car.
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