Fashion-forward

London’s Underworld

By Alissa Ordabai
(SugarBuzz London)

Pix of Spit Like This and Meady Rebel by Anastasia Verbina, pix of Gypsy Pistoleros by Moonshayde, encouragement and stimulation by Mr. Jack Daniel.

SugarBuzz Magazine

Rock is unimaginable without fashion, and today’s boom of creativity on the London scene is, naturally, not all about music, but also the way musicians dress. The mix of fashion styles that thrive on the underground scene is as eclectic as the music, with classic trends, new trends, and successfully recycled old trends all making heads turn when carried off with zing and confidence.

For those who want to know what rock styles are hot right now, the bar area of the Underworld, a renowned London venue, is the place to hang between sets. On the night of the LA Guns show on May 23, me and photographers Moonshayde and Anastasia Verbina got the feel of the on- and off-stage styles first-hand, while taking pictures and sharing laughs with musicians who wore cool clothes.

Vikki Spit and Lord Zion of Spit Like This (the band that supported LA Guns on the night), base their style on the traditional goth look, but rev it up with sumptuous touches of glam, arriving at a spectacularly singular look. We asked Vikki about the inspiration behind her style, she told us that her influences range from goth to burlesque to traditional rock chick to the rocky horror show. “I don’t have any limits on my style,” she said. “If I like it, it’s in. There are some things which are staples of pretty much anything that I wear – red lipstick, 4-inch stilettos and a bit of diamante. You’ll see these things regardless of whether I’ve cinched in my waist in a satin corset or gone to town in PVC and bondage tape!”

Vikki’s accomplice singer Lord Zion went for a more subdued look that evening, still making an impact with the mix of heavy metal accessories and a t-shirt design referencing vaguely humorous graphic novel imagery. When asked what influences his style, his answer was “Rock in all its glorious forms!” He told us that he likes elements of glam, sleaze and trash clothing, and certain elements of goth. “I kind of just take what I like out of that and combine it to make up my own style,” he said.

Asked about the differences between the on- and off-stage outfits, he told us that there are practical elements to think of on stage. “But, having said that,” he said, “I wear what I wear on stage when I go to the shops so there isn’t really an on and off, I just wear what I wear. I’ve been wearing the same style for more years than I care to remember!”

The tattoos that the pair sport add an extra layer of association to their image, propelling it into a realm of its own. Both Vikki and Lord Zion design their own tattoos, Vikki with the help of her tattooist Sophie, who draws up the ideas that Vikki describes to her. “I tend to live with an idea for quite a while before I get it done, after all, it’s going to be on me forever,” she said.

When asked about his tattoos, Lord Zion told us this: “The sleeve on my left arm is the story of my life from about a year before I met Vikki to 2005. Featuring deaths of loves ones, my own personal struggles, the forming of Spit Like This, some lyrics of mine and then just a few cool bits and pieces that I love, mainly pirate-related!”

Both Vikki and Lord Zion had their first tattoos done in 2000. Lord Zion’s were the “Fuck You” and “Fuck Me” on his forearms which he says he still loves. Vikki’s first tattoo was the snarling tiger, after which she says she became hooked and was back within a week to get more done. She says she has more tattoos planned, but jokingly adds that she may not have enough skin. Indeed, her frame is svelte, which adds to the striking contrast between her graceful femininity and the boldness of her tattoos.

Singer Lee J and guitarist Iggie of Gypsy Pistoleros, who also played that evening, attract instant attention with their classic glam style, which they pull off with absolute confidence and plenty of allure. The austerity of their topless look is brightened by the vividness of their tattoos, and Iggie skilfully punctuates his style with staple glam accessories. Lee’s look is starker, but his tattoos are intensely dramatic, mixing non-figurative tribal themes, some beautiful calligraphy and a pair of realistic-looking guns on his hips looking like they’ve been tucked under his belt.

Meady Rebel of Red Star Rebels, the up-and-coming UK rock band who last week have collected the Best Rock Act at INDY music awards in London, caught our eye with the understated and effortless way in which he adds a subtle hint of glam to the classic 1970s rock dude look. Meady’s style is laidback, but at the same time just as unerringly calculated as his trademark guitar solos, his music and fashion styles both displaying the same kind of offhand precision.

We asked Meady about his luscious lady-with-guitar tattoo, and this is what he told us: “I wanted a tattoo to combine two things I would never get sick of my whole life, and the only two things I could think of were women and guitars. The Forties and Fifties pin-up art style lends itself well to tattoos coz it's all about shapes, so hopefully the tattoo will still look like it's supposed to when I'm old and wrinkly, if I ever make it that far! I researched good tattooists in England and found Woody just up the road from me. He's won stackloads of awards and is the coolest guy! If you plan to get ink, he's the man.”

Oscar Wilde’s old observation that it is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances, is as true of today’s London as it was over a hundred years ago when the great writer, dandy and socialite first uttered it. Without even having to hear a single bar of music, anyone who was at the Underworld that evening would have understood that the scene is onto something new. This flourishing diversity of styles was appreciated by my partner in crime Anastasia Verbina, who belongs to the clubbing scene, and whose style looked casually simple on the night compared to that of the people she photographed.

No matter how disparate rock fashion styles are in London right now, what still unites them is the way musicians successfully avoid accidents of chance in their look, as well as how they manage to project individuality by using their own taste as their best judge. This, we thought, makes the London scene today vivid and complete, and radically different from what it was like just a couple of years ago.

Spit Like This recommend: Sophie at www.truewilltattoos.com

Gypsy Pistoleros recommend: Gary www.ringsandneedles.com and Bugs in LA.

Meady Rebel recommends: Woody at www.woodystattoostudio.com

Anastasia Verbina recommends: not drinking while on assignment

Lucky recommends going back to The Shug