The brilliant SPARES are playing a FREE Whitby fringe gig on Saturday 28th April.

For those who haven't heard them yet, Spares are a fabulous, female fronted punky goth band featuring ex-Children on Stun and Libitina members, and are hotly tipped as the next big goth thing.

9pm

The Resolution,
Flowergate
Whitby

Writing this at work.

Now I am actually an employee rather than a temp, and can spend my time messing around on the internet!

Hurrah!

My second day at work today!

Had sort of air con in the office, but still almost collapsing from the heat. I want to go back to Finland.

I am now officially a Civil Servant at HEO(D) grade in the DWP, and can already use a huge number of acronyms when taking about child support policy. And I have a final salary pension.

Not exactly rock'n'roll, but I like it.

And I get to buy lots of lovely work clothes and have two different wardrobes.

Not that I've actually been able to wear any of my nice smart work suits as it's too damn hot.

Went out for dinner in Covent Garden last night and got caught up in Italian celebrations..... It was one of the most fun, spontaneous things I've ever been involved in, huge numbers of people dancing and cheering in the streets, climbing on car bonnets and just experiencing pure, absolute joy at being alive at that moment. It was a terrible sham to have to go home.

Some reviews for Libitina's new album, 'Parhelion'. It's out now, and it's brilliant - don't take my word for it, ask these guys!

And while we're on the subject, you can hear these great songs live at Black Machine in Bournemouth on Saturday.
Saturday 24th June: Black Machine, The Portman Hotel, Boscombe, Bournemouth.
Libitina & Tin Omen.
Doors: 9pm-2am. Entry £5.

Lithium review
http://lithiumradio.net/Nucleus/index.php?itemid=329

The latest release by UK Goth group Libitina, titled Parhelion, is described “bleakly romantic” and, honestly I couldn’t describe it any better. Each track is about relationships filled with hate and disdain, but also an overpowering love that is destined to destroy all involved.

I was listening to the CD and it felt like my heart was breaking, I just couldn’t fathom that there were relationships like that. But, I guess I know there are. The tracks Breathe and Salvation epitomize the feeling the entire CD brings. It’s all just utterly brilliant. I mean, to bring these feelings to bear on a CD and actually have the listener enjoy it can be described as nothing less.

I highly recommend that you find this CD and buy it.

Ookie Spookie review

Over the years any gothic rock band that has surfaced has really had to go out of their way as to not be over shadowed by repetitive ebm. Many of the more traditional sounding bands have gone ebm in order not to be forgotten but the ones who have their heart into it have remained loyal. Libitina is one of those bands that over the years has released several really good traditional gothic rock albums.

Parhelion is the latest release by Libitina and Parhelion is their best album to date. There are songs on this album that just smoke and the band comes off stronger then ever. Between the shimmering wave of guitar and the wicked vocals I highly doubt any fan of the goth genre will feel let down by this release. Parhelion is without a doubt evolution and evolution is always a positive thing.

The music ranges from the aggressive to the emotional. ‘Geist’ which isn’t even sung in English is a song that just sounds mournful and moving. Then there’s ‘Endgame’ which is an almost perky number with some synth and some excellent guitar riffs. ‘Memento Mori’ is this song that comes off like a song one would play before storming into battle. ‘Salvation’ is another slower number and it’s a beautiful track. Every song on this album is infectious due to the beat and the way everything is just layered together perfectly. They’ve managed to combine the synth with what they were doing before on earlier albums to breathe new life into their band and it works very well.

This is hands down the best Libitina album to date and any goth who picks this album up will not have buyers remorse after spinning this one. If someone loves atmospheric gothic rock that is both emotional as well as aggressive they should own this album.

I've finally been given my posting at the Department for Work and Pensions! Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah, I have a job!
Now just have to get through the next two days of telephone researching for a temp agency.....arggh!

And thank you so much to the very lovely people at Inferno and Antilight for two fantastic give-aways of Libitina's new album, 'Parhelion'. Sorry we couldn't be at the Antilight party in person - we were falling asleep by half ten (despite the Eurovision caterwauling).

Will be blogging the new album more once I've recovered from the hell that is temping. And might actually phone some of you people soon too.....

In honour of the new LIBITINA album PARHELION

there will be a masked ball at INFERNO, The Electric Balroom, Camden, London on Friday 5th May.

There will be CD and t-shirt give-aways, and much masked fun......

For more information, please see:
www.libitina.co.uk
www.electricballroom.co.uk

Currently 'between jobs', so actually got some time to post something. I passed the Civil Service Faststream exams, which means I should have a job in the next few months. Hurrah! I've also submitted my thesis, and been working ridiculous hours organising conferences for a major think-tank. Plus a new Libitina album is about to be released. So a somewhat exhausting and over-achieving few weeks, now followed by blissful unemployment and much sleeping. To all friends I've barely spoken to for weeks, apologies, I might actually have a life now.

Oh God I've got my Civil Service exams tomorrow and Monday.

Help, help.

All positive thoughts appreciated.

Went to the Masquerade Ball in Oxford, enjoyed the ball tremendously, but found the hoe prety ghastly. No hot water, rude staff, terible service at beakfast (we never got any toast! The swine!).

Still haven't finished thesis....but I have got a new job, which is really fun and helping my CV along a lot.

Going to see Bauhaus on Friday, and then probably sleeping a lot as have to work Thursday and have Civil Service open day on Friday.

Will have something interesting to write again sometime soon, I promise.

Im really tired, I feel nasty, and I'm working this evening and I have to go to Lancaster tomorow night for a conference..... Still no job, not finished the thesis, and absolutely no money.....

But I did get loads of great presents for my birthday and Jamie was on TV!

'GOTHIC PEOPLE' ON THE BBC

Libitina will be playing their infamous club anthem 'Gothic People' on BBC 3 on Sunday 15th Jan at 8pm. This is part of the programme 'Pulp: The Story of Common People', and also includes an interview with the band about the history of the song.

Only William Shatner and Libitina have ever been granted permission to cover Pulp's classic. Unfortunately, William Shatner declined to appear on the programme... he was probably too busy filming cereal adverts...

www.libitina.co.uk
www.libationrecords.co.uk

It was my birthday on Wednesday, went out and had a lovely curry in Kentish Town. Got some really gorgeous presents from Jamie, and am meeting my parents tomorrow for dinner. Husband on the TV is a pretty good present too!

Happy New Year everyone.

I find this time of year very depressing and futile. And I actually have to finish my thesis and get a job immediately. So a happy new year of actualy having a normal life.

Will write something more cheerful soon....

Just back from a fantastic Libitina gig in Belfast - the band were absolutely brilliant, one of their best gigs, the club was lovely and the people really friendly.

Today is Jamie's birthday.

My dad sent me this fabulous link:
http://www.catherders.org/movie/herding.mov
Need I say more....?

Hurrah, just did the fabuolous 'which goddess are you test' Godgirl has a link to and came out as my favourite goddess and a pretty cool profile. Erudite, sensual and saturnine.... excellent! Still have a terrible terrible cold though.

Freya
Indeed, you are 79% erudite, 87% sensual, 41% martial, and 75% saturnine.
Freya, twin sister of Frey, is a member of the Vanir family, the Norse clan of Fertility Gods. Like her counterparts, Aphrodite, Isis, Venus, and Ishtar (Greek, Egyptian, Roman and Indian mythology), she concerned herself with sex and all that goes with it.
She was quite fond of cats, by the way. In fact, she was said to travel about in a magnificent chariot drawn by her two regal black cats named Bygul and Trjegul (Pronunciation? You're on your own...) that were rumoured to be possessed. After serving Freya for 7 years, the cats were rewarded by being turned into witches, disguised as black cats. Even many of her personal traits seem cat-like. For instance, she always wore a brilliant jewel studded collar symbolizing her authority over the fiery aspect of sexuality.

Besides being the Goddess of love, cats, the moon, magic, and of course sex, Freya was also skilled in a form of magic called "seithr" (meaning "sayer" or "seer") which consisted of putting oneself into a deep meditative trance so that the secrets of the future might be revealed. She also owned a feather coat which she could use to fly between the worlds.

Ops!

That should be Joseph's Well!!!!

Brilliant promotion on my part!!!

Got back from Whitby last Monday, a really good weekend.

Now back to complete nightmare amount of work, job interviews, exams.....arggh!

Libitina live dates:
Thursday November 17th, Jacob's Well, Leeds.
The Last Dance, Libitina, Zeitgeist Zero.

Saturday December 3rd, Belfast.

Hot on the heels of filming their debut TV appearance, Libitina are to be played on Radio One! The track 'Gothic People' is to be used in a halloween special radio show broadcast on Friday, 28th October at 3am - about the time usually get home from our first night out at Whitby.

We were also heavily involved in the recording of the program, taking the presenter, Danny, to Thunder and Cecile's 'I Can't Belive It's Not Malice' at the Fox and hosting a small gothic halloween soiree at our flat. Much humiliation for all concerned, I'm not sure who came off worse, us or the presenter. He had to 'become a goth' for the show, and we gave him advice/rubbished him/taught him to dance very badly.... He's a friend of mine, so couldn't really say no. The show isn't a freakshow, look at the stupid weirdos type thing, and also features an interview with Wayne Hussey, denying he is or ever was a goth.

The filming took place last night. It was quite a weird experience - four film guys completely taking over the Dev, elegantly arranging drinkers and waving a huge microphone around.

The band loved it, of course, although they were terrified before hand. After five takes they were reluctant ever to stop being filmed.... The song was fantastic. Thanks to the couple who gamely spent their whole night sitting immobile in front of the stage! We had it easy posing at the bar, although Twinkle Lemora was told off for slouching. The band were then interviewed, fortunately the mike was switched off two seconds before someone across the room screamed 'I love cheese' at the top of their voice....

Then off for a curry, at which point we encountered another film crew (filming a charity shop doorway at ten o'clock at night????) and contemplated crashing the set, thus being filmed twice in one night.

A fantastic evening, spoilt only by the rather pathetic individual at the Dev who felt a burning need to inform Jamie he thought the song (which he'd never heard before) was 'crap'. Thousands of DJs, punters, fanzines and friends across the world must be wrong then..... Whatever people think of music, it seems so pitiful to actually go out of your way to tell the band that. (Please don't send me thousands of posts saying you agree with him. I don't care, frankly, I love the band to pieces and the whole point of the song is that it's rather stupid, surely....).

Supposed to be at Dave Exile's new night tonight and Manuscript Tim's birthday tomorrow... and have a job interview on Monday. Arggh.

The BBC are filming Libitina playing 'Gothic People' live on Thursday 29th September between 4 and 7pm.