Love for Lesvos / Hope for Paris.

[archived]

25% of all print sales towards supporting refugees in Lesvos

My good friend Breezy, (singer and mother), is travelling to the Greek Island of Lesvos this week, to support the thousands of refugees that are there living in terrible conditions. I could not go myself but really want to help also – the photos and stories I’ve been reading in for example, facebook groups like Refugee Child are shocking and very sad. So for this week 25% of all print sales will be donated to Breezy and the group of women who are going there to help.

Paris is a former home of mine and I am feeling the weight of recent events there but like many I am trying to focus on the beauty that is Paris – among the images for sale is this one of a rainbow next to The Seine – it can be interpreted as representing hope. I like the idea that sales of this and the other prints can go towards helping people in another part of the world. Love is the only way forward. xxx

Hello Lovely Humans! so it is now a few days until i go to Lesvos and truth be told i’m feeling nervous about what i will see and experience when i am there… but your kindness and the kindness of the other volunteers is giving me strength and hope in humanity! so far I have raised £722.22 which is fantastic and i’m so thankful to those who have donated or sent messages of support! Obviously these horrible attacks that happened over the weekend have prompted more fear and suspicion of refugees but please remember that these attacks are exactly what these men, woman and children are running from in the first place! I believe that Love and compassion is the only way to stop the violence, whereas closing the borders and treating these innocent people like animals will only leave room for more hatred to breed… If you can donate then please do paypal.me/breezylee and if you can’t then show love and compassion wherever you can. The world needs it!

– Breezy.

[Archived] 28th November – Live from Alexandra Nurseries…

Being compelled to share GREAT music is how Drumz Of The South began; -then, posting photos and words about music that was getting right into my system led me to organise events at Brixton’s Plan B, a tent at Antic Banquet festival and many, many events in and outside of Crystal Palace’s Antenna Studios. I am now taking up the baton from Katherine & Charlie Hannah (Itchy Teeth) and organising the next Live from Alexandra Nurseries event on the 28th of November.

It will feature talented friends Breezy Lee & The Spaceshipman, Duke Bradley (and band of more fantastic musicians) & Alain McLean (Moine Dubh), playing Blues, Soul & Rock n Roll.

Alexandra Nurseries is a family-run & community oriented garden & vintage home-wares shop & cafe in Penge, South London. This year it was deservedly featured in both Vogue and Time Out. The music will play outside, under the canopy, framed by plants, pots & fairy lights. It’s a magical and unique space in which to listen to music and socialise and I am proud to organise an event there.

For further information – contact me via hello@georginacook.net

Runnin’ the Café Thing @ Antenna Studios…

Antenna Studios has been in my radar since South London Press newspaper days and as a resident of the Upper Norwood / Crystal Palace area, it has been a consistent go-to for a range of music and art happenings, some of which I’ve blogged about over the years.

So, it was with delight that I was offered the opportunity to manage the new Café Thing at the studios upon my return to South London after 2 and half years in Paris.

The café was built upon an idea of providing a comfortable space for the musicians, dancers, actors, photographers and artists who use the studios, and of course a refreshing space for the local community to sit and chill, work, collaborate and network. It’s working name the café thing has stuck, because clearly, it’s more than a café and because in Scandinavia (where the owner of the studios originates), “thing,” means meeting place.

The past 7 days of running the café thing have proven to be joyous, exciting and chatty. Having only ever been behind a bar one once before (while documenting Converse’s log cabin at Pitchfork Festival), I’ve come to realise that the role is an abstract mix of hostess, counsellor, child-minder, publicist and curator (& welcoming a fair amount of musicians & superheroes). It’s pretty much my dream job.

People come in for a coffee and before you know it, they’ve either told you their entire life story, a story about Crystal Palace’s rich local history, what they’re growing in their garden or which band they’ve seen recently. A guy called Brian’s initial visit for a coffee which involved the names of the houses on the street, cricket bats he’d bought at Bambino’s, trips to Paris and more, was proceeded today, with a thank-you for a winning horse that’d he’d betted on called Dancing with Georgie.

It’s a nice place to be, made nicer by the fact that people genuinely appreciate our no fuss approach to coffee which here, is quite simply, strong, Colombian and filter (often served with a bowl of Icelandic chocolate raisins). Also appreciated is the fact that it’s somewhat of a hide-away from the Crystal Palace triangle, which as lovely as it is, is also the prime place to be spotted by EVERYONE when you’re looking like death-warmed-up crawling along the pavement in search of hangover grease.

We’ve just issued our first Antenna Connexion newsletter with details of our forthcoming events which commence tomorrow evening (Friday 17th of August) with my girl Breezy (pictured above) and her Spaceshipman.

Next month I will be showing some photos as part of our new photography & film event.

Check our TUMBLR and give me a shout if you would like to get involved with the café musically, artistically or otherwise!

Louisubsole feat. Breezy Lee – Say Her Name

Above is the artwork I shot and designed for my South London homies Louis Subsole & Breezy Lee. You can listen to the track here:

(via Louisubsole feat. Breezy Lee – Say Her Name (Preview) by louisubsole on SoundCloud – Create, record and share your sounds for free)

They’re both ex-Brit school like the best of them. Hope to be hearing more of Breezy’s incredible voice over club tracks following her departure from the 8 piece funk band Size 9 after 8 years together.