The Revolutionary Way of Andy Warhol

You’ve heard the name on countless occasions. You’ve seen the mundane Campbell Soup cans instalment worshipped by contemporary culture. Although, have you really grasped the influence of Andy Warhol? Campbell Soup cans and striking pop art aside, the repercussions of Warhol’s creative output in the fifties to sixties can still be felt to this very day. It might be trite to say a revolutionary figure broke the rules but one could say this cliché arose out of Warhol’s endeavours. Here was an artist that completely immersed himself in the newfound atmosphere of stardom and popular culture of the fifties, and harnessed it to not only comment on the vapid substance of said period but to also make a statement on materialism and fame that has maintained relevance to this day. As such, here are three ways Andy Warhol revolutionised the arts as we know it today.

1.    Multi-disciplinary

Part of why Andy Warhol inspires me personally is his lack of restricting himself to one art-form. Having begun as an illustrator, Warhol soon extended his artistic prowess to painting, physical installations ala the soup cans, photography, film and music. As someone who strives to do various creative things, the way in which Warhol dabbled and succeeded in an array of different mediums has not only inspired me but laid the groundwork for decades of multi-disciplinary artists to come. Recent examples of such an artist include the illustrious designer Tom Ford not only writing but directing two critically acclaimed films and Kanye West designing a fully-fledged label that is five seasons into its life already.  

2.    Music

Although Warhol himself wasn’t a musician, he is significantly responsible for one of the most influential bands of all time: The Velvet Underground. At the peak of the burgeoning art scene and The Factory in the East Village of the 1960’s, Warhol picked up the band to dip his toes in the music scene. Assuming what is officially titled as the producer for their seminal self-titled debut, Warhol took more of an art director role with the group as he oversaw their look and added German vocalist Nico to the group. In this day and age, the Velvet Underground’s sonic influence is evident throughout the alternative scene, and while Warhol himself wasn’t responsible for their sound he most definitely played a vital role in their exposure and subsequent cultural relevance.

3.    Style

Just like his impact on music, the irony of Warhol’s stylistic influence lies in his lack of never designing clothing. Nevertheless, Warhol’s wardrobe staples continue to be rocked by the masses to this very day. Key pieces such as the striped tee shirt or black turtleneck pared with simple black denim haven’t aged at all since Warhol’s time, nor has his knack for wide-eye statement sunglasses. Although Warhol by no means was the first to wear said outfits, it cannot be denied that his cultural status in the New York art scene certainly affected the permanence of these pieces.

A Glamorous Bloodbath: Tarantino’s Top Five Stylish Characters

The beauty of Quentin Tarantino’s filmography lies in his exceptional fusion of style and substance. While his notorious dialogue and plot bring the films to life, it is Tarantino’s overall aesthetic where he truly solidifies himself in the pantheon of filmmakers. This attention to detail and general eye for the remarkable is exhibited in no stronger aspect than costume design. Although I personally wouldn’t recommend the life of a hit man or assassin, I can definitely recommend taking their style ques.

Vice Chic- (Jackie Brown)

Costume design should be an extension of the character; an objective thoroughly achieved in the styling of Samuel L. Jackson’s character in Jackie Brown. Nailing key trends like the revere collar, pastel colours and even a beret, this drug dealer demonstrates how to mix and match preppy pieces with casual garments that could be found at a second-hand store.

Foreign Espionage – (Inglorious Bastards)

 A black tie event has always had its stylish restrictions, and what better way to stand out than to rock an all-white ensemble. Brad Pitt’s character exemplifies this style perfectly in Inglorious Bastards, as he pulls off the statement outfit with neat accessories like the pocket flower.

Floral Arrangements - (Pulp Fiction)

Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction is one of the significant cultural touchstones to come out of the nineties, and as such it is no surprise to see its characters rocking key nineties styles. Take Tim Roth for instance, with a timeless floral shirt layered over a basic tee and classic blue denim. A floral shirt will never go out of style and pared with an understated albeit classic norm-core outfit can really improve the shirt’s statement.

Sporty and Lethal – (Kill Bill)

Sportswear has never been more fashionably relevant; however, Uma Thurman flawlessly executes it a decade prior in the Kill Bill series. With major labels like Adidas and cult brands like Palace and Gosha Rubchinsky all bringing the tracksuit to the forefront of streetwear, one only has to look to Uma for glamourous inspiration.

Black, White, and Red (Blood) All Over – (Reservoir Dogs)

 When you first see several suave criminals strutting down the street in the opening of Reservoir Dogs, you will never look at the black and white suit the same. Free of its business connotations, Tarantino’s debut film sees the black and white suit splattered with blood and spotted with bullet holes. Nevertheless, the film depicts the classic outfit in another context and thus offers brilliant inspiration for adding some formal flair to an everyday outfit. Note, rock some Clubmaster style shades to truly complete the look.

A Beginner's Guide to A Tribe Called Quest

In this reoccurring feature, I break down the discography of some of my favourite artists and recommend where to start with their music. 

A Tribe Called Quest have, and always will be, my favourite hip hop act. From their smooth jazz-sampled production to the entertaining back-and-forth between primary members Q-Tip and Phife Dawg, these New Yorkers are synonymous with the expressive spirit of hip-hop in the nineties. Following the release of their final album in wake of Phife Dawg’s passing, there is no better time to review this seminal discography.

First Listen: Ten Songs to Spin  

10. The Space Program – (We got it from here… Thank You 4 Your Service, 2016)

This excellent track opens Tribe’s final album with a brilliant back and forth between Q-Tip and Jairobi before giving Phife Dawg the posthumous outro verse. Hearing Phife after his death is just as eerie as it would appear, particularly when you consider the stark political climate that he and the others rap about.

9. Show Business – (The Low End Theory, 1991)

Tribe had a troublesome relationship with Jive Records throughout their career, with the label even blamed for their initial break-up. As such, this funky track from The Low End Theory sees the gang ramble about their interaction with ‘show business.’

8. Keep it Rollin’ – (Midnight Marauders, 1995)

With the renowned Large Producer’s smooth Roy Ayers-sampled production behind Phife’s superb intro verse, this track immediately gets the head nodding. Even Large Producer himself gets the final verse, where he names Nas’ dominance following their collaboration on Illmatic in 1994.

7. I Left My Wallet in El Segundo – (People’s Instinctive Travels & the Paths of Rhythm, 1990)

A Tribe Called Quest are nothing if not creative, and this isn’t demonstrated stronger than in this standout track from their debut record. Although Q-Tip stands solo, he holds his own as he details his escapades in California. Simply put, this idiosyncratic gem is a required listen in Tribe’s discography.

6. Hot Sex – (The Love Movement, 1998)

This funky tune has a somewhat confusing existence. First appearing as a single from the soundtrack of Eddie Murphy’s 1992 comedy Boomerang, the track appeared in European editions of Midnight Marauders in 1993 before being released generally in the deluxe edition of The Love Movement in 1998. Despite its sporadic release, the track is Tribe at their best: funky, wry and angry.

5. Bonita Applebum – (People’s Instinctive Travels & the Paths of Rhythm, 1990)

Many acts never make a bona-fide classic, much less from their first album alone. Nevertheless, Bonita Applebum became one of Tribe’s greatest tracks as Q-Tip once again goes solo to confess his love for what is supposedly a girl from high school

4. Conrad Tokyo – (We got it from here… Thank You 4 Your Service, 2016)

Pair a posthumous Phife Dawg ruminating about the socio-political climate of years past with a legendary feature from Kendrick Lamar dissecting the perpetuation of class hierarchy and you get what is arguably the strongest track from Tribe’s final album. Note, the distorted guitar outro is performed by none other than Jack White; as if the track couldn’t get any better!

3. Check the Rhime – (The Low End Theory, 1991)

Although the reoccurrence of a funky jazz sample behind Q-Tip and Phife Dawg trading verses sounds awfully formulaic by now, no track sounds the same albeit as excellent as Check the Rhime. The rhythmic horn sample immediately gets the track bumping before Q and Phife go back and forth on the tracks smooth bass line.

2. Jazz (We’ve Got) – (The Low End Theory, 1991)

As the title suggests, this track is the epitome of jazz rap as a glorious trumpet sample is used sparingly over the chorus. Phife is the true standout on the track, as his flow soars over a crisp snare beat. Additionally, the track’s placement as the outro for The Low End Theory is even further proof of its significance.

1.     Electric Relaxation

Electric Relaxation is a masterpiece. Not only does this song encapsulate A Tribe Called Quest for me, but the spirit of hip-hop itself. The ebbs and flows of the slick production allow Q and Phife’s mesmerising lines to shine. One of Tribe’s brilliant characteristics is their unorthodox approach to the structure of verses, with one member after another dropping in and out with a few bars in between. This is exhibited in no greater song of theirs than in Electric Relaxation, as Q and Phife weave in and out of one another to develop their greatest track in a phenomenal discography.

Comprehensive Retrospect

The Low End Theory (1991)

Although it should go without saying after running through Tribe’s top ten tracks, The Low End Theory should be the first stop on any first timer’s journey into this group’s discography. After a brilliant debut record, The Low End Theory finds the crew at their best and continues to stand as a hallmark jazz-rap album.

We got it from here… Thank you for your service (2016)

This album was shrouded in hype from being Tribe’s final release alone. When you add Phife’s passing with the development of a contentious socio-political climate in recent times, it is safe to say that this album had expectations out of this world. Nonetheless, this album provided a fantastic farewell to Phife’s legacy and Tribe as a whole and is thus a required listen.

Live

A network television debut cannot be greater than this. In wake of releasing The Low Theory, Tribe took to Letterman to showcase their funky single Check the Rhime with an exceptional live band in place of sampling. To add to the greatness of this performance was the reveal years later that Phife was struggling with the severity of his diabetic condition during this very performance. It only takes one look at the clip to see no signs of such suffering- a testament to his strength and gusto on and off the stage.

One only has to observe Arsenio Hall’s unbridled excitement as he announces Tribe to predict where this performance of Scenario will go. This performance is energetic, to say the least, as each member gives it their all for what I believe is Tribe’s greatest act.

As a standout track from Tribe’s later discography, this performance of 1nce Again is a lovely reminder of how Q and Phife can nail it with a simple beat and timeless flow.

A Conversation With: Whitney Castree

Following her travels from festival to festival to beach to beach, Whitney’s Instagram and accompanying blog is one favourites to go back to. As such, we were delighted to chat with Whitney about her own creative endeavours and what it takes to make it in 2017.

Hey Whitney, thanks for chatting. Firstly, introduce yourself! How old are you, where are you based and what exactly do you do?

Hello! I'm 20 going on 21 in July, I’m based in Melbourne!  I'm a creative based freelance artist, hard to explain but I love creating content for other people to indulge in and collaborating with brands.

Your blog captures a life many would want to lead; filled with travel, fun and festivals. What led to you creating the site?

It all started after I got back from a trip, I was feeling super super inspired and I wanted somewhere to stay active, creative, productive and connected but also my brain was going to burst if I didn't find somewhere to lay all my thoughts down. Worked in my favour well because now it's my job!

What is required of an artist to make a living in 2017?

I think you have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone and box that you're in. Being original is a huge key as people love seeing new talent and something they haven't seen before!

Who or what has inspired your work?

Cheesey but my friends and the way they're all so open minded and adventures, they work so hard to do what they love and it's so eye opening.

Do you have a particular camera setup...

Read the remainder of the interview in Extraordinaire Vol. One

A Conversation With: Daniel Edwards

Daniel’s Instagram caught my eye when I came across his brilliant fashion photography. His photos somehow felt fresh in a saturated medium. As such, I was delighted to talk to Daniel about his work and gain an insight into his creative process.

Hey Daniel, thanks for chatting. First of all, how old are you and where are you based?

 Whats up! I’m 19 years old based in Brisbane.

What sparked your pursuit of photography?

Not sure if I’ve really had a conscious moment where I’ve felt that spark. I remember I used to be obsessed with skate magazines as a kid and that ended up being the first thing I took photos of so maybe that was it. It’s kind of just always been there for me to express whatever I’m interested in.

You’ve taken some brilliant portraits, what draws you to this style of photography?

Thank you! I used to be really into candid street photography and photojournalism around 2013-14 until I went on a trip around Europe with my family. All the places I went to were so interesting and beautiful so when I came back to Brisbane everything seemed a little bland and I guess I went into a little bit of creative depression and lost pretty much all interest in photography but 6 months into my hiatus I started to get into fashion and street style and that burning feeling started to come back again so I went and bought a Fuji XT-10 and here we are!

Are you strictly film or digital? Or do you tend to vary between the two?

I shot a lot of film when I was doing street photography but I like the reliability and creative control you have with digital for most of the stuff I’m doing recently. Definitely want to start shooting more film though.

If you could photograph for any brand, who would you shoot for?

My sister’s a fashion student at the moment, I’d love to shoot for her brand or label one day.

Any major sources of inspiration behind your work...

Read the remainder of the interview in Extraordinaire Vol. One