I'm guest feature on the blog of inspirational designer Jed Phoenix!
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Monday, 14 March 2016
Jed Phoenix
Rosie Garland is a creative talent and wearer of a JPoL tie. She's a singer, poet, performer and writer who has experience of the rock n roll lifestyle and been on Radio 4's Women's Hour. She has won awards and secured book deals. But it hasn't been all plain sailing. There have been many bumps along the way.This blog post, will go into more detail about:
· Rosie Garland, singer, writer and performer
· Rosie Garland in the face of adversity
· What's next for Rosie Garland

Rosie Garland, singer, writer and performer
It is hard to deny that Rosie Garland embodies elements of the dark side in her creative endeavours. To quote from her Facebook profile "I've always written about outsiders; whoever they might be. I'm interested in character who won't (or can't) squeeze into the one-size-fits-all template they have been provided, and the friction that occurs when they try. I know that comes from always being an outsider myself. I celebrate it, proud in the face of the overwhelming sludge of "normality"". During a talk at the British Library on the subject of "Goth: The scene that wouldn't die", Rosie states that being "outside" suggests that there's a mainstream "inside" that people want to be in. Rosie, perhaps drawing from her associations with queer culture, asserts that she's just different. She doesn't even care whether people think she's goth or not. She cares more about whether her audience like her lyrics, poetry or novels. Despite current fashion trends that wish to emulate the glamour and style of the scene, goths are often sneered at. Rosie quotes from Tank Girl - The Oddessy, Issue 3, during a talk at the British Library "The fact that I've paid absolutely no attention to what goths wear is an even bigger insult to them and their turdy culture" - Jamie Hewlett.
Rosie Garland was born to a teenage runaway, so perhaps being an outsider is in her very DNA. She went to Leeds University in the early 1980s and came out both as a post graduate and as a singer in post-punk/gothic rock band The March Violets, with whom she's toured the US, UK and Europe. Her alter-ego Rosie Lugosi, the Vampire Queen, appeared on a multitude of stages as "A truly unique performer and one that straddles the literature, SM and queercore scenes with ease" - Designer Magazine. As a cabaret performer, Rosie Lugosi was able to bring her poems to life and be Queer for Britain. In the late 1980s, Rosie was inspired by the Roszika Parker book "The Subversive Stitch: Embroidery and the Making of the Feminine", which interwove the history of embroidery and the history of women. With an enthusiastic group of Manchester-based women, Rosie formed a group called Spinsters. Together they wrote a show called Tailormaids, looking at the history of unmarried women and how that tied in to the textile industry. Rosie and her fellow Spinsters pooled a range of talents: film-makers, theatre technicians, visual artists, singers, performers, researchers, musicians, fundraisers and writers. The sum was, as Rosie states, definitely greater than the parts, securing Arts Council funding to tour the show around art galleries and performance venues.
In 2013 Rosie Garland signed a book deal with Harper Collins and The Palace of Curiosities was published. A series of readings and book signings up and down the country were followed by the release of her second novel Vixen in 2014. But, like many subversive creative talents, Rosie Garland's success has been hard won.

Rosie Garland in the face of adversity

Rosie left The March Violets in the mid 1980s as the band, riding on a wave of good reviews and indie chart success, introduced more pop-sounding members. Rosie ploughed her energy into teaching for a couple of years at a sixth form college in Sudan - a far cry from the ever-increasing commercialisation of the band.
Between touring with Spinsters/Subversive Stitch Exhibition in the 1990s, establishing Club Lash in Manchester and continuing to perform as Rosie Lugosi, Ms Garland worked on her writing craft. She had an agent, submitted short stories and poetry to competitions, and offered up her take on the life and adventures of the outsider in the hope that they'd be published and promoted to as wide an audience as possible. For over a decade, Rosie Garland's agent told her that her style, her subject matter, her background wasn't flavour of the month; that there weren't any publishers willing to take a punt on her. Yet she continued to write and perform, just as Van Gogh continued to paint before folk other than his brother took a punt on him by buying his paintings. To be creative even though you face rejection after rejection takes passion, discipline and commitment . And those are traits that Rosie Garland seems to have in spades.
In 2007, Rosie Garland teamed up with Simon Denbigh and Tom Ashton again for a one-off gig in Leeds with The March Violets. The reception to the gig was fabulous and the band were invited to play at a number of venues and festivals around the UK and Europe. Plans, however, were interrupted by the news Rosie received at the beginning of 2009. She had throat cancer. For some, being a singer with throat cancer would have tipped them over the edge. But Rosie channelled her emotions into her solace - poetry. The effects that this consuming disease had on Rosie's femininity and connection to others is expressed in Dignity:
"Tolerating strangers who whisper 'You're so brave', And resisting the urge to deck them. Going bald. Watching your tits shrivel to the size of peanuts, And your arse go as flat as a burst paper bag. Remaining polite When the close friend disappears off the face of the earth When you tell him your diagnosis.....
...Standing up And saying 'I've got cancer' Without need, Without self pity. Standing up And saying 'I'm clear'"
Rosie had to learn how to sing again. And she did just that, taking to the stage at the O2 Academy in London for The March Violets Reunion gig in November 2010.

What's next for Rosie Garland

Rosie continues to perform with The March Violets. Following a Pledge Music campaign, they spent a month touring the East Coast of America at the end of 2015. The Pledge Music campaign was a roaring success, with the project fully backed within two weeks. 10% of the money raised after the goal was met went to Macmillan Cancer Support. Their Mortality album is due out this year.
Rosie's reading and speaking gigs see her travelling the UK. Earlier this month, she was guest lecturer at the University of Surrey as part of the "Cultures in Contact" seminar series. Coming up, she's on the panel of a discussion about "A Portfolio Career: When One Genre Isn't Enough" at the Surrey New Writers Festival on May 14th 2016. Rosie will also be a special guest at the Chorlton Arts Festival in Machester on May 24th. Just around the corner, however, Rosie will be returning to Bar Wotever at London's iconic Royal Vauxhall Tavern on Tuesday 15th March to help celebrate everything Goth, Bi and Fabulous!
Rosie Garland truly is a creative force to be reckoned with. She is warm-hearted and humble, talented and deep. If you haven't already read The Palace of Curiosities, Vixen, Everything Must Go, Things I Did While I Was Dead or any of Rosie Garland's other books, then do. Her writing captivates you and takes you on a journey into a visual and a visceral world. She also makes amazingly tasty plum jam...

The Vixen paperback launch continues!

Thanks and gratitude for the wonderful welcomes and enthusiastic audiences so far.

That's Bar Wotever (London), Manchester Waterstones, The Book Case (Hebden Bridge), Booka Books (Oswestry), the WI Manchester & The Arvon Foundation at Lumb Bank!

Coming up - Word at the Y (Leicester), Waterstones Bradford, Polari at Huddersfield Literature Festival, INCITE (London), Watford Central Library for Herts Litfest 2015 & Literary Death Match in Shoreditch, London. Check the gig list page for details...

Oh yes - I've never had an entire window painted in my honour before - thanks to the amazing artistic skills of Louisa Jones at Booka Books in Oswestry!

'Vixen' is out in paperback!

Launched in London on 10th February at Bar Wotever, and in Manchester on Friday 13th February (lucky for some!). There are many more launch events and readings coming up in February / March 2015... check out the Gig List page for details of one close to you.

Thank you to all the wonderful folk who have already turned up to the readings. Your support is incredible!

Photo sessions at Bar Wotever, The Royal Vauxhall Tavern, London UK

Photo of Rosie Garland taken at Bar Wotever, Royal Vauxhall Ravern, London - photo credit, Arcane Sin

Royal Vauxhall Tavern
372 Kennington Lane, London SE11 5HY
United Kingdom

Rosie Garland / Rosie Lugosi is back!! We pledged her via March Violets Crowdfunding!
+
Jonathan Collins, Stand Up!

It will be a night celebrating everything Goth, Bi and Fabulous!!!
Bar Wotever Host in March: Dusty Limits

ROSIE GARLAND
Rosie Garland is an all-round cuckoo in the nest. Novelist, poet and singer in post-punk band The March Violets, she also appears in cabaret as twisted alter-ego Rosie Lugosi the Lesbian Vampire Queen. She has toured internationally, including the Edinburgh Fringe, Polari and Antwerp Queer Arts Festival. She's just returned from a tour of the USA. Her latest novel 'Vixen' was longlisted for the Green Carnation Prize 2014.
http://rosiegarland.com/

JONATHAN COLLINS
Jonathan Collins is a 20 year old Bisexual Transvestite Gothic Metalhead who engages in Polyamarous relationships; Already making him a rarity on the circuit. He has been described by promoters as "Metallica meets Monty Python" and "Leaving the men in the room questioning themselves and the women hating their legs." Topics of material include Gender & Sexuality, Getting out of fights by singing Queen songs, and questioning the norms of society.

http://woteverworld.com/events/

Queerest of the Queer

Venue: Coronet theatre London 19 sept
Coronet Theatre
28 New Kent Road London SE1 6TJ

Click here to buy tickets!

12 HOURS

1 NIGHT

1 Killer line up - including ROSIE LUGOSI on the Cabaret Stage!

Drown out the corporate spectacle of PRIDE with a TWELVE HOUR ACID MASHUP of #punk #diy #GLAMOUR & so much more!

Click to visit website

Bar Wotever
Royal Queer Variety Show
Tuesdays at RVT
Royal Vauxhall Tavern
372 Kennington Lane,
London, SE11 5HY

Doors: from 7pm, Stage program from 8.30pm – 10.30ish. Then DJs play until we close at Midnight
Entry: £5 / £3

Writer, performer and Wotever favourite Rosie Garland joins us to celebrate the paperback release of her stunning second novel 'Vixen' – two days before it hits the bookshops! She'll be discussing the writing process and answering any questions you may have. We loved her debut 'The Palace of Curiosities', which was nominated for the Polari Prize and was voted Cooperative Respect LGBT Book Of The Year 2013. Rosie has managed to follow it up with a novel that's equally strange and compelling.

+ a Timely Wotever Talk - Bisexuality Isn't Magic
For LGBT History Month, something a little different. Marcus Morgan is cross about the way people talk and think about bisexuals as if they're ninja unicorns – mythical and invisible.

Plus we have two Open Mic slots up for grabs this exciting evening!

This is a night for friendly and open minded people who know how to pay attention.

Click to go to Bar Wotever event page

Wotever Sex

Show starts: 19:00

Doors open 30mins before the show

Wotever World returns to the Hot August Fringe each Tuesday to present the ever-popular Wotever Sex series. This year we explore the topics of Lust, Love and Death.

Chirpy topics that fluff about... but what is IT ALL about?

For the Forth year running we take part in Hot August Fringe with fresh, thought provoking and amazingly sexy stuff. We invite some of our favourite Performers and give them free hands to work within our theme, and this year it is:

LIFE - what is a good life, what sort of Queer Life do we strive for? Are we happy? Life Skills for QueerBrains.....

LUST - my lust, your lust everyBODY lust? Lust that scare and lust that hurts, in lust we love and trust...

DEATH - one thing that is so human. We are all gonna die. What is death, how do we celebrate the ones who died. Straight Death vs Queer Death. Bed Death and Beds Alive...

Three Tuesdays that are connected and clever, Different and Diverse. Erotic and Potent. Queer and Normal.

Buy tickets here!

www.rvt.org.uk