By Charlie Darling

Paisley & Charlie Scrapbook - the final photoshoot - Battle,...

Sun, 05 May 2013 22:45:33 +0100

Paisley & Charlie Scrapbook - the final photoshoot - Battle, Sussex …

Paisley & Charlie Scrapbook - as Detox Cute & the Beauty...

Sun, 05 May 2013 22:43:22 +0100

Paisley & Charlie Scrapbook - as Detox Cute & the Beauty Junkies at Popshow, Madame JoJo’s, Soho …

Paisley & Charlie Scrapbook - 60’s record sleeve cover...

Sun, 05 May 2013 22:37:46 +0100

Paisley & Charlie Scrapbook - 60’s record sleeve cover - Wandsworth Common …

Paisley & Charlie Scrapbook - filming ‘Radio...

Sun, 05 May 2013 22:35:42 +0100

Paisley & Charlie Scrapbook - filming ‘Radio Days’ video at the Bluebell Railway steam train - dressed in 1940’s garb …

Paisley & Charlie Scrapbook - Paisley outside The Tea Cosy,...

Sun, 05 May 2013 22:33:17 +0100

Paisley & Charlie Scrapbook - Paisley outside The Tea Cosy, Brighton … so beautiful, it hurts …

Paisley at Lord’s filming Pop Trash TV … I was listening to...

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 22:42:10 +0100

Paisley at Lord’s filming Pop Trash TV …

I was listening to Helen Love today and it reminded me that I was obsessed with her music just prior to the time I met Paisley.

The basis of Detox Cute & the Beauty Junkies very much identified with Helen Love’s pop junkshop punk discoteque …

It was a time of optimism and hope for us as a band, as individuals and as a special relationship …

We would go onto to better things as ‘Paisley & Charlie’ …

I miss you … so much it hurts …

tona001: An outfit idea with stuff I have (keeping it aimple...

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 22:32:03 +0100

tona001:

An outfit idea with stuff I have (keeping it aimple this time)

tona001: back to one of my favourite outfits(I’m doing this...

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 22:31:36 +0100

tona001:

back to one of my favourite outfits

(I’m doing this just for fun, needed a break from something I’m working on or I’d end hating it)

'Secrets for Paisley' by Paisley & Charlie

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:00:26 +0100

'Secrets for Paisley' by Paisley & Charlie:

From the album ‘Arguments and Musical Differences’

We all keep secrets in our hearts …

(You) Thrill Me (To Death) by Detox Cute & the Beauty Junkies

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 16:55:50 +0100

(You) Thrill Me (To Death) by Detox Cute & the Beauty Junkies:

From the album ‘Pop Trash’

A little bit The Primitives, a little bit T-Rex … this was supposed to be an antidote to bland, pop puppets and their 6th rate Swedish scientist produced Top Shop pap … we didn’t care about their pointless mutterings or insipid covers of new wave hits …

'Colourburst' by Detox Cute & the Beauty Junkies

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 16:50:25 +0100

'Colourburst' by Detox Cute & the Beauty Junkies:

From the album ‘Pop Trash’

Silly, daft pop song that despite it’s ridiculous, throwaway nature actually caught the ear of A&R folks!

The music business puzzles me …

'My Secret Bronski Life' by Detox Cute & the Beauty Junkies

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 14:43:37 +0100

'My Secret Bronski Life' by Detox Cute & the Beauty Junkies:

This video is cut together from ‘The L-Shaped Room’ - Bryan Forbes’ classic 1960’s kitchen sink drama, starring Tom Bell and Leslie Caron.

I adore this film (as does Morrissey) - it’s a beautiful, poignant yet hopeless love story played out against the bitter realities of a working class life.

“I have a rule you see. I fall in love first and then find out about people afterwards. That way I always get hurt…”

‘My Secret Life’ was written after watching too many old Ultravox videos - I wanted a moody, gothic, European feel to the song - with typical mysterious/meaningless/6th form poetry lyrics.

A friend heard an early version of the song and suggested ‘Smalltown Boy’ by Bronski Beat might fit over the top.

Eagerly I sampled the ‘runaway’ chorus, changed key and time-stretched to fit and it worked perfectly.

We performed this for the one and only time in Berlin - a suitable tribute I think to the song’s origins …

'Crush' by Detox Cute & the Beauty Junkies

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 10:27:37 +0100

'Crush' by Detox Cute & the Beauty Junkies:

From the album ‘Pop Trash’

I love simple sentiments - ‘I’ve got a crush on you’ is so delightful to hear especially when it comes as a pleasant and welcome surprise.

The idea behind the song is that of youthful exhuberance - not wanting to get a job or study hard at school, but to stay out all night and sleep in all day … and experiencing the kind of feelings you have when you meet someone special … all you want to do is spend as much time with them as possible - the rest of the world can wait …

‘All The Right Noises’ (Gerry O’Hara 1969)...

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 15:36:47 +0100

‘All The Right Noises’ (Gerry O’Hara 1969) Olivia Hussey, Tom Bell, Judy Carne

I’m not really sure quite what the ‘three card trick’ Tom Bell’s character Len refers to is while he’s desperately trying to justify in his own mind why he’s cheating on his beautiful wife Joy (Judy Carne). Apparently Joy always falls for this trick, as well his behaviour which consists of making ‘all the right noises.’

Len isn’t sure he should be married but he is convinced that he loves his wife, he loves his two kids and he also loves the youthful, almond-eyed schoolgirl Val (Olivia Hussey).

However, Len is worldly-wise enough to know that despite Val’s protestations that even though she will meet other boys in the future, he will always be what she wanted, she is the kind of girl who will always use her looks to get what she wants.

It is perfectly clear that Len and Val have genuine feelings for one another and given any other time or under different circumstances they would have made a very loving couple.

But, and this is where it mirrors my own life, the timing was wrong for both of them - marriage, age, society - we sometimes make our life choices without ever knowing what chances lie ahead. Perhaps we think we have already found true love? Perhaps we are ready to accept what we have? Perhaps when someone explodes into our hearts we aren’t ready for it.

The reason ‘All The Right Noises’ is my all-time favourite film is that a simple, silly little story that was largely ignored at the time of release and virtually unheard of by the majority of film goers touches the heart in the way few blockbusters with their sfx, explosions and gunfire ever can.

This is a story of human emotions, love, suffocation, kindness, sadness and regret … things I am only too aware of in my own past relationship … no, I don’t have long sideburns or a wife and children but I have fallen in love with someone who declared ‘I wish I’d met you earlier’ … before choices had been made.

The pain you feel is heartbreaking - Val and Len adore each other - but instead of happiness they are doomed to carry on their lives wondering ‘what if?’

Something I know only too well …

Pop Trash (revisited) by Detox Cute & the Beauty Junkies

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 14:17:52 +0100

Pop Trash (revisited) by Detox Cute & the Beauty Junkies:

Re-edited video from Woodies Diner, Hove and re-mixed track from the album ‘Pop Trash’

‘Pop Trash’ (revisited) by Detox Cute & the...

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 19:01:00 +0000

‘Pop Trash’ (revisited) by Detox Cute & the Beauty Junkies

A jukebox noise calling outside
It’s got no reason to come in
It could be yours or it could be mine
Watch it scratch under my skin

And it’s like nothing’s happened
Art into pop went someway to begin

What’s that noise?
Call it ‘Pop Trash’
Suffering toys call it ‘Pop Trash’

Soapstar queen smiling faces
Rip it to shreds before my eyes
Empty lives in magazine pages
A shallow heart a second prize

'The Girl With The Paintbrush' by Les Bicyclettes de Belsize

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 10:03:51 +0000

'The Girl With The Paintbrush' by Les Bicyclettes de Belsize:

feat: art by ‘Tona’

December 2012 Sometimes you read things that another person has...

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 20:29:24 +0000

December 2012

Sometimes you read things that another person has written, or hear a song lyric, or see a scene in a play or film that sums up, quite perfectly, your own emotions about someone.

Today that happened …

I have been struggling for over a year to deal with a delicate and personal issue and now I realise that I was actually hurting for a long time before that.

Hurting, yes, when I thought I should be happy.

The pain does not go away friends.

There are not plenty more fish in the sea.

I refute the claim that I have not yet met the right girl.

I wish I could put into words my feelings but in a strange way I am glad that someone else has done it for me - even though they don’t know it xx

tona001: Dec 22: Readying the Birthday Party

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 19:52:44 +0000

tona001:

Dec 22: Readying the Birthday Party

December 2012 I haven’t posted much lately - my thoughts...

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 15:08:20 +0000

December 2012

I haven’t posted much lately - my thoughts have been elsewhere - I’d been busy working on a project since August that now will remain incomplete because yet again I put my trust and faith in someone and yet again I have been let down.

My temper is not at its best right now - my patience is stretched to its limit - my heart is weary - but sometimes I see or read something wonderful that brings tears to my eyes for the right reasons.