14 生活時尚 S T Y L E WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2008 • TAIPEI TIMES

Don’t call me eccentric

She has been an icon of British style for four decades, but Vivienne Westwood breaks off from work on her new gold bodysuit to reveal she never wanted to make clothes

by Emine Saner The Guardian, London

  photos: ap

lease don’t write that I’m eccentric,” says a dragon snaking its way around it,” she says. It looks human nature and what makes us happy. She says: “Sorry because we have a strict time limit, it’s a bit of a battle Vivienne Westwood, who is dressed in a worryingly unfinished, given that it needs to be ready in if I take rather a long time to explain things,” then: “Hang because Westwood wants to talk about art and ideas and, holey black dress with what looks like bits four days, but Westwood doesn’t look concerned. on a minute,” when I interrupt. She steamrollers over me, boringly for her, I’d rather talk about the punk years and “ of flesh-colored tights woven in and out of The idea for the dance, she says, came from a book talking slightly faster and louder, sometimes putting her why she didn’t wear knickers when she went to collect her it, a pairP of scruffy old trainers and a knitted hat pulled about alchemy, and what follows is a 10-minute monologue head in her hands, as if nothing will stop her getting her Order of the British Empire medal (if she’s wearing a dress, over her hair, which is the color of clementines. She has about the subject, delivered in an accent so soft and Alan point out. She has a lot to say. On the destruction of the she never does, apparently). drawn her eyebrows on in red pencil. “It’s always, ‘aah, this Bennett-esque that it makes you think of tea and crumpets. planet: “We have to save the rainforest or else we’ve got “I’m not interested in talking about little anecdotes eccentric woman.’ I’ve heard that story so many times.” “I won’t go into any more details,” she says, finally, then: no chance. Can you imagine the warlords, and the rape about things that have happened to me,” she says, not She pauses and looks out of the window of her office. “I “Yes I will actually, because it’s really great. I won’t be a and pillage, and the mass migrations and the hunger? The unkindly. I suppose her past has been gone over so much suppose I don’t mind, I have to take it as a compliment in minute. So, the dance. I took one of these metaphors from human race has looked never before on the apocalypse and that it is threadbare. Westwood grew up in the Pennine an age of conformity.” an alchemical book. The male is horrible — he is absolutely I do believe that is what we’re facing.” village of Tintwistle, where her father worked in the Westwood’s office, in a building in Battersea, south beautiful, a sensation, but he’s totally cold and he doesn’t On politics: “I’m [UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s] Wall’s sausage factory and her mother was an assistant at London, which seems to have hundreds of young people care about anything. The female is incredibly ugly but she’s worst enemy. I hate that man. I hate his cowardice, the fact the local greengrocers. After art college, Vivienne Swire busying themselves in corners, is crammed with papers, attracted to him. Eventually, they lock together and they that he just acquiesced in everything the horrible, disgusting married Derek Westwood, a factory apprentice, and their ideas and sketches pinned on walls, and rails crammed can’t separate and it’s a sort of strange love affair. They [former UK prime minister Tony] Blair wanted to do. son Ben was born. The marriage didn’t last, and when with clothes. She shows me a gold bodysuit she is working become one substance. Anyway, that’s the end of it. It’s [Conservative Party leader] Cameron doesn’t seem to have Westwood met Malcolm McLaren, she fell pregnant with on for a ballet performance next week by dancers from the incredible how it works, I love the choreography.” much to say, and the Liberal Democrats are following the her second son, Joe, almost immediately. Royal Ballet, alongside a fashion show of her fall/winter Another speech follows — and I’m not sure how we got government ideas. They are all old-fashioned thinkers.” collection, in aid of the NSPCC (the National Society on to this — about how she doesn’t think science is the You could probably choose any subject and Westwood, for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children). “It will have answer to everything because it doesn’t take account of a voracious reader, would have something to say on it. But continued on page 15

[ c d r e v i e w s : t a i w a n ]

Various Artists Katncandi x2 (棉花糖) Europa Huang (黃建為) Panai (巴奈) Ultimate Metal Vol. 1 2375 Come to Me A Piece of Blue (那片藍) Ultimate Music (奧特曼音樂事業) Self-Released Wind Music (風潮音樂, Ring of Fire Music blog.pixnet.net/katncandix2 www.windmusic.com.tw) (www.soundsoftaiwan.com/) panai-pah.com

hanks to groups like Chthonic “freedom” to what he calls Taiwan’s infantile-looking girl wrapped in hair that school and received his occupational overcoming personal hardships. listeners in with its lilting acoustic (閃靈), who have started to “hybrid society” (混合社會). looks like cotton candy and floating in a therapist certification, Huang completed The universality of emotions seems guitar sounds and quiet, warm electric T cultivate a global following, Anthelion (幻日), who organized sea of clouds. his newest album, Come to Me, a set to interest Huang the most, which guitar riffs that hint at Hawaiian music. heavy metal has taken root in Taiwan. the compilation, offers the album’s The title track tells of a desire to of thoughtful folk-pop tunes about sometimes makes this album seem like Panai sings this tune in Mandarin with Chthonic’s success has inspired a most mature-sounding tracks. Rapid find “one’s own home,” which in������ the relationships and growing up. a musical version of “chicken soup for a speech-like cadence and sounds small but thriving metal scene, a slice Disillusionment (急遽–幻滅) plays like intro lead������������������ singer Ball (小球) says can be Huang sticks with familiar song the soul.” But his earnestness and sharp detached yet soothing. Brief chirps from of which is showcased on Ultimate an epic, from the melancholy piano “real or imagined.” Thankfully, the song forms — baroque pop, 1970s folk, a songwriting sensibilities means listeners a gecko partway through the song add a Metal Vol. 1. introduction to the nightmarish turns is more sentimental and wistful than hint of Mando-pop — but does so with are able to read between the lines. sublime touch. This compilation features up-and- between chorus and verse. The band overly cutesy. Ball sings in a whispery aplomb and sincerity while managing The album draws from a variety of coming bands from northern Taiwan, arrangements are meticulous and, one soprano, backed by the crystalline tones to be original. He has a keen sense of ight years have been worth the musical styles, and it sounds like Panai representing various “extreme” metal could even say, elegant, with lead vocalist of acoustic guitars. harmony and a tenor voice that jumps wait for singer-songwriter Panai’s makes the band arrangements work for styles. Untrained listeners will hear, Code’s well-timed guttural screeching. The mood shifts quickly with the smoothly to high falsettos, which he E (巴奈) second studio album, A her, rather than the other way around. if not feel bombarded by, strident Even though the album’s makers upbeat ballad x2, which comes across as displays on the nostalgic opening track Piece of Blue (那片藍). The 37-year-old She sounds right at home in the Brazilian electric guitars that provide both hesitate to play up their sub-genre niche, heavy-handed with its air of innocence; The Birds of Youth (青鳥). chanteuse appears to have used her folk-tinged Talaluki and navigates rhythmic texture and the main melody; their compilation will likely appeal most the song’s saving grace is the carefree On the title track Huang wears time well, crafting new songs around smoothly through the reggae number Me drums that belt out beats at machine- to death-metal and black-metal fans. In and funky electronic drum and keyboard his heart on a sleeve. He sings this lyrics written by friends at a songwriter’s and Myself (我和自己), which features gun speeds; and vocalists who croak, keeping with the spirit of fringe genres, arrangement. On Your Strength (你的力 song in English, and with lines like workshop in Taitung County’s (台東縣) excellent backup from Paiwan musician screech and scream. this compilation does not seek to attract 量), Ball’s voice sounds more natural and “Oh Baby you and I we both live in Dulan Village (都蘭). Red-I and his band, the Riddim Outlawz. As one might expect, occult imagery new listeners — it’s simply waiting for its mature. The piano grounds the song with pain/You know I will stand by your Panai, who is of Puyuma and The production values also deserve and fantasy themes abound in the fans to arrive. a sense of intimacy, while the sampled side,” one can’t help but brace for a Amis heritage, teamed up with area praise. The recording’s well-balanced lyrics and stage costumes. These basic The album includes songs by Beyond string arrangements summon romantic sappy resolution. But a pleasing, quirky musicians to create an album with a mix conveys warmth and intimacy. The elements are shared by the bands Cure, Vulcan, Demise (薨) and Sin of grandeur. Her honest delivery makes refrain and George Harrison-inspired relaxed, dreamy feel that conjures up backing band is subtly mixed around appearing on the album; the stylistic Aeon, and is on sale at the bands’ shows. it work, and credit should also go to guitar riffs reduce the urge to press the scenic beach and mountain scenes Panai’s vocals, with each instrument differences are left to connoisseurs to Ball’s musical partner and guitarist Shen skip button. around Taitung. The sound of acoustic coming through clearly. The ambient identify and argue over. atncandi x2 (棉花糖) is an acoustic Sheng-jer (沈聖哲) for his composing. Part of Huang’s charm is his guitars, saxophones, keyboards and sounds of nature sprinkled throughout But this album is not about singer-songwriter duo that entered directness and a yearning to connect. hand drums sets a carefree atmosphere, the album, such as sounds of the ocean presenting different styles, but rather K Taiwan’s indie scene last year. newcomer to Taiwan’s folk scene, His lyrics, mostly sung in Mandarin which balances nicely with her rich, and crickets chirping, enhance instead of bringing young bands together, says Bull The pair’s debut EP, 2375, is a set of Europa Huang (黃建為) raised — there are two English tracks — take melancholy-tinged voice. detract from the music. Tsai (蔡文甫), the bassist for Desecration, vignettes about a daydreamer-type who A eyebrows with his debut Over the on a colloquial feel, staying away from Through much of the album, Panai’s Panai has outdone herself with Piece which contributed two tracks. The scene gazes at her world in wonder and hope. Way, which he made during college. The flowery poetics. Tomorrow’s Affairs vocal delivery is understated, which of Blue. Each song sounds thoroughly is still small, he says, but Taiwanese The album cover art, rendered in album earned him the Best Newcomer (明天的事), a song inspired by working works to nice effect on the slow and inspired and driven —a likely sign that bands are unique in that they “can mix pastel pinks and blues, offers visual accolade at the last year’s Golden with clinically depressed patients, offers hypnotic Me (我), in which she sounds she managed to remain true to her different metal styles.” Tsai likens this images of the dreamer: a wide-eyed, Melody Awards. Soon after he finished solace instead of definitive answers to serene. Sea Return (海歸) draws artistic instincts. — David Chen