I have never been in the habit of reading Hot Metal magazine. But for some reason this page of Letters to Kurt came into my possession. It’s one of those pieces of paper that appears whenever I’m looking through my bookcases for something else. I’ve read it many times, though not quite enough to be able to quote the poems off by heart.
Here I am overlooking Brisbane in 1997 as a goth tourist.
The good news is that I’ll be back in Brisbane very soon, to launch Ninety9 – as part of ZICS. The launch is at 1pm on Sunday 1st September, at The Edge. Expect some 90s snacks, a mini-zine of 90s notes and a some stories of the past.
An important moment in my life was the first time I read a Sylvia Plath poem – this poem – in English class in high school. In the lunch break afterwards I immediately went to the library to borrow The Bell Jar, which has become the book I’ve read more times than any other, and if I had to nominate one book that changed my life, it would be the one.
I took the photocopied page home after class and stuck it on my wall, near my bed, where I could read it over and over. It gave me an eerie, excited feeling about how the strangeness of life could be put into words.
Some photos from the launch on Wednesday – by the fabulous Georgia Blackie.
In Newtown somewhere, in 1996 sometime.
My first consideration with the launch was: what was I going to wear? I’d have to forsake my usual style for a return to the past, back to the days of tie-dyed slips, band t-shirts and big clompy boots. This is what I came up with.
I was particularly happy with my choice of handbag, although it did feel somewhat strange to walk around with a plastic bag all night.
If you know me, you know I like to generate ephemera – here are some of the things I made for the launch.
Grunge Speak lanyards. Don’t be a lamestain, get with the lingo.
Also part of the Activity Fun Page was the Pulp Questionnaire, based on this NME Material World questionnaire.
Here are my answers:
Thanks to everyone who came to the Midnight Special for the launch last night – it was lots of fun and I hope you enjoy reading Ninety9.
Much pored-over article about Siouxsie Sioux’s home. I love the photo of her shaving her armpit!
With 27 functions! “Has the Sony Walkman grown up? Or have I?”
Ad from a 1992 Rolling Stone.
“It’s okay to hate people – just make sure they like you!!”
Printed off the internet some time in the late 1990s, unknown source.
The Encore was on Devonshire Street, where the Gaelic Club is now – it was also known as the Third Eye cinema. It was the place to go to see 3D movies and classics – Dr Seuss films for the comedown on Sunday afternoon.
Koyaanisqatsi showing at the Valhalla seems to me a quintessential 90s event (carrying over from the 80s…see comment) – I’d blu tack the Valhalla posters that came out every few months to my wall and stare at the names of the films as I lay in bed. Altogether I must have spent hours staring at the words Koyaanisqatsi and Powaqqatsi.
And, by popular demand, the Mandolin:
Ninety9 Notes 