Now that we’re four here at Slutty Fringe, we’ve decided to spread our wings and include the ocassional guest post from some of our favourite writers. First off the blocks is Justin Quirk, the award-winning editor of House magazine, and a regular contributor to Esquire and The Guardian where he writes about everything from gruesome murders to geopolitics and puppets.

And, frequently, heavy metal.

He also DJ’s with Alex Rayner and has been a regular feature at our nights over the years, generally playing obscure Level 42 b-sides. Now sit back, get comfortable and enjoy this heroically epic post on the changing face of Iron Maiden’s mascot.

EDDIE   – A SELECTIVE HISTORY OF METAL’S GREATEST MASCOT.

Unless you’re some sort of hermaphrodite, you’ll doubtless be aware that this Sunday sees Iron Maiden playing at Sonisphere at Knebworth. I followed the band around on the North American leg of their Somewhere Back In Time tour in 2008 and I’m not exaggerating when I say that it was one of the greatest experiences of my journalistic career. After enjoying two hours of squaddie metal, involving walls of pyrotechnics, Steve Harris ‘machine-gunning’ the crowd with his bass guitar, an Anubis death mask, giant Union Jacks and a stage shaped like an Egyptian temple, it’s a little difficult to go back to watching some ‘hotly tipped indie band’, I can tell you.

Anyway, even if you’re one of that small minority of Soft Boy Walters who find it difficult to get with Maiden’s music, you could still feel the love for their career-long mascot, EDDIE THE HEAD. First realised as a pantomime blood-spewing head hovering above drummer Clive Burr onstage, Derek Riggs’ zombie creation has been through numerous guises. Here is the Slutty Fringe guide to his finest moments…

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Eschewing the notion that this scribe is an uncultured ingot, I’d recommend a visit to the James Hyman gallery in central London for their La Nouvelle Vague exhibit which contains some iconic photography of the French New Wave Cinema from legendary photographer Raymond Cauchetier.

Staged to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Godard’s A Bout de Souffle it’s a chance to immerse yourself in the essence of this cinematic movement with many stills available for the first time.

Additionally it means you can apppreciate Jean Seberg in her swoon inducing pomp before her tragic descent into tramp shagging alcoholic oblivion.

The Guardian wrote some prissy words here and the exhibit runs from this Wednesday until the 28th August – full details here .

Thanks to JimJam Graphics for sending this over, the internet’s premier creator of retina scorching visuals (and scary drawings of elephant cocks).

It’s one of those popular myths that Eskimos (is that a PC term these days???) have something like a billion words for snow. Actually that’s total bollocks, but what I can say for sure is that artist Rudy de Belgeonne has at least 1000 words for ‘Man’.

His new installation ‘Who’s The Man?’ at The Future Gallery is an attempt to define masculinity through the medium of 1000 beautifully hand painted tiles each one carrying one descriptive term or another.

Together create a giant 5m by 4m patchwork of Queers, Cowboys, Yardies, Jocks and Ponces that covers just about every possible facet of  male identity. It could make for a great form of alternative bingo.

Clearly appealing to another mail trait, that of the obsessive collector I have to admit there’s a certain Pokemon-esque ‘gotta catch em all’ quality to it, and if I had a few grand to chuck around, which sadly I dont, I’d be at them like a kid at a pick’n'mix stall.

Still if you do have a bit of spare change and are stumped for a Father’s Day present then head there over now I’m sure you’ll find something to please the old man.

Need to carry home a six pack of Special Brew but worried those gaudy gold tins will ruin your flossy new look. Never fear Garudio Studiage have just the answer with their All London Blue Bag Extravaganza series. The perfect chance to rep your postcode with pride.

In honour of the opening of my beloved ELL, i’ve chosen to illustrate this with the New Cross and Dalston efforts, which is handy as they’re also the best, in your face Notting Hill.

We’ve all been teenagers, hey I’m sure some of you still are, so we can all appreciate just how mindbendingly dumb that sudden rush of hormones and limited freedom makes us.

Thankfully most of us grow out if it and get to experience a fleeting moment of being confident, vaguely clued up and in control of our lives people before the crushing numbness of middle age sets in and we’re packed off to be recycled into food pellets.

This Thursday though you can relive the highs and lows of teenage existence  at an excruciating looking event, Cringe, at the Hoxton Hall. On the night those in attendence will be encouraged to stand up and read from their teenage diaries, baring their adolescent souls for all to marvel at (and mock).

Thankfully a long time ago I found my teenage diaries – packed full as they were with terrible gothic poetry and guilt laden allusions to masturbation – and fed them to the flames, so I can just safely enjoy other people’s humiliation.

The event is part of an ongoing project, Dear Diary, organised in support of the lovely people from youth charity Ctril.Alt.Shift. and as well as getting the public to embarrass themselves at the aforementioned night they’re holding an exhibition at Gallery Seven in Covent Garden.

On display will be a range of diaries from the cult (Kurt Cobain, Anais Nin, Laura Palmer from Twin Peaks) to the political (young journalist Dan Eldon’s visual diaries of his time in Kenya before he was killed in Mogadishu, Somalia at the age of 22), and the historic.

Finally whilst this all sounds great and we’d have probably covered it anyway, full marks must go to the, shall remain nameless, PR person who really went above and beyond the call of duty and sent us a scanned extract from her own diary (click image above for a larger pic). You’re a braver person than I and we hope your clients appreciate your work!

Having just witnessed the dying days of what will probably go down in history as one of the most rotten UK parliaments in recent times, the airwaves are again full of lies and bullshit as the forked tounged scions of Westminster try to convince us that, you know they listen to us and give a shit.

Anyway tonight should be interesting (I say should as I’ll actually be in the pub) as the leaders of the main three parties come together in the first of three historic Britain’s Got Talent style debates.

Of course no one will actually ‘debate’ anything but I’m sure there will be a few vaguely amusing soundbites and hopefully Brown will lose his notorious temper and go on a studio rampage like some wounded tartan Godzilla.

One of our friends Justin Quirk has taken time from his day job of writing about the likes of Iron Maiden and not turning up to any of the DJ gigs I book him for to take, what the papers would call, a satirical sideswipe at the ‘presidential style’ debates.

As is the way with things knocked out on the quick they really are funnier than they have any right to be and will probably eclipse his career for years to come. You can see them all here.

Andy Callahan should need no introduction.

His latest collection of work over on his new portfolio shows a true passion for well produced graphic design and print work. Featured above, Andy’s latest book sleeve design and typesetting of Todd Jordan’s novel and university project ‘Books by covers’ show truly wonderful art finesse.

Graduating with a degree in Graphic Design from Leeds this year, Callahan is now amongst the ever-growing outstanding talent this country has to offer.

Check out some new and past work from Andy over on his new site www.andycallahan.co.uk.

The fabulous Israeli born illustrator Noma Bar is putting on what looks to be a brilliant exhibition entitled “Bitter Sweet”, at the end of the month at Hoxton’s KK Outlet in Shoreditch. As well as featuring never before seen work including custom 3D wood pieces, screen prints and light boxes, you’ll also be able to purchase some of his work at the gallery – a must see for easter!

The exhibition opens Wednesday 31st March to 30th April, with the private view 7-9pm, 31st March – for more information head over to the KK Outlet site here.

On Thursday the 25th our good friends from South London, Off Modern celebrate the launch of their first full colour, risograph printed journal at London’s finest gallery the ICA.

The publication explores and illuminates the most exciting aspects of the ICA’s programme, and turns an inquisitive eye on the arts as a whole. It also showcases young creative talent and highlights emerging artists and creatives who are already shaping the cultural landscape and will definitely influence the way we see tomorrow.

Along with all the usual excitement Off Modern bring to the table, they’ll also be some deadly Dj sets from New Cross’s Nasty McQuaid, man about town Ronojoy Dam, collective Zineswap and the illusive Fervent Moon. So get down early, get yourself a limited edition publication and get your dance on.

For more information check out the event at the ICA website here or the Facebook event here.

Perusing the internet for some creative inspiration I happened to stumble across these beautifully intricate, yet remarkably simple, animated gifs by David Ope. Check his blog for what seems to be an unending transfixing experiment of monochrome movement.

dvdp.tumblr.com

Twitter, yep we all know what it is and whilst the vast majority seem to think the world has an interest in their outlet of insignificant verbal diarrhoea some, such as Liil, explore it’s creative possibilities. Known as twitclipart each post features a different lo-fi graphic pattern created within the character limit. Nice to see someone using the platform in a unique exploratory way…

twitter.com/l_I__I_l

To welcome in the new year for the Art & Design side of The Slutty Fringe, I thought I’d crack open some great new work from emerging Brighton born talent Joe Bichard. Currently breading in the wrath of Kingston University London, everything about Joe’s work is seriously exciting and promising.

With a growing collection of outstanding illustration and animation work there’s no doubt Joe is one to watch for the next decade.

For more of Joe’s current work and a few videos of his check out his blog here.