GOOD LUCK Y'ALL!

Said goodbye today to Jenni, Rachel and Calum. They set off on Monday for Thailand. They all aim to keep me informed as they travel around South East Asia. Nine Trades goes Global! I explained that the Nine Trades magazine will soon be underway, and that as soon as it's published, i'll send them a copy. 

Rachel said she's intrigued to see the outcome of my visits to the Salon. I reckoned she's come up with one of the best ideas of the project so far; to have her visit to the surgeon for a cataract operation filmed, along with soundtrack of piped music into the theatre. Unfortunately we were too late in seeking permission for this idea to materialise, but nonetheless, I loved that Rachel saw the potential in this, imagining it within the gallery environment. A client of mine once told me that the highlight of her son's recent promotion to a head surgeon's position was the fact he got to choose which music was played during operations. True fact. 

RACHEL IN THE STAFFROOM

Jenni has been quite emotional all week, as staff and long-standing clients shower her with farewell gifts. She said she'll be in touch via her Facebook. I think, after a slightly bemused initial reaction to an artist being in the salon, Jenni has been happily engaged with the project. She said she had found the humour in 'Comment of the Week' refreshing and that it made her think differently about what 'real art' is. Jenni was also quick to tell her many clients about the project, and heard divided opinions about the work displayed on the salon floor. A client this week, for example, thought the piece,'HARD WORK/WORK HARD' not very encouraging for new recruits to the hairdressing industry. Jenny defended the straightforward depiction of the realities of salon life as an message to dissuade wannabe 'superstar' hairdressers. Cheers Jenni!!

JENNI(LEFT)AT DISCO INJURIES NIGHT

Calum has been enthusiastic throughout the first six months of the project. From his Django Reinhardt t-shirt travelling round Europe with him, to the infamous 'Lick My Wound' image at the Disco Injuries Show, Calum has been an inspiration! Never questioning the validity of any of the ideas, always adding to the process with his own unique vision. A true artist. Have a great year away! Ya lucky bastard!

 

CALUM SOMEWHERE IN SPAIN OR FRANCE

Wishing you all the best. Have a great time!

LEAVING DO

Jenni, Rachel and Callum head off on their world tour next week! A night out in the local pub is planned as their going away party. All bar meals for the event have been pre-booked.

 

Exactly what is 'Supreme of Chips'?

I was thinking about the gang's world tour as I watched 'A Perfect Getaway' the other night. The 2009 movie starring Milla Jovovich has that everything's a bit tense and fucked up in Paradise feel to it - a bit like Danny Boyle's adaptation of  Alex Garland's book, 'The Beach'. I'm not going to suggest they watch either of the above movies before they go...

I hope to maintain contact with the group as they travel round South East Asia and beyond, and i'll definitely be sending them the Nine Trades magazine when it's complete.

HARD WORK/WORK HARD

This week's comment seemed to go down well with the staff. A short piece about what it takes to become a successful hairdresser. No fakin' it! Laziness will not be tolerated! Everyone agreed about the misconception that hairdressing is a glam craft, and that the industry is blighted by fast-track wannabees; those who followed Lee Stafford's trajectory from guy next door to prime time television and thought that a two year NVQ course would pave the way to untold riches/attention. I mentioned that I saw parallels to this in my experience of the art world so far, with many young artists looking for that media inspired 'next big thing in the art world' title. The quantum leap from art school into Charles Saatchi's outstretched arms. 

Time to think about the longer game.. The steady gathering of knowledge, augmented by technique and modest notions of success free from overbearing narcissism and hype. All the best hairdressers and artists I have encountered think a bit like this.

As the rapping feminist poet, Ursula Rucker once said, ' Hold on, slow down. Don't let them fuck you around.'

HAIR ACTIVIST

My older brother, Brian, works as a hair stylist in New York, and has had an idea about setting up a website called "HAIR ACTIVIST". He asked if I could help design a logo for the website. I thought it might be a good idea if the staff at Nori could help with the logo design . I emailed Brian and asked him to outline what "HAIR ACTIVIST" was about so I could give the staff something to start with. Below is Brian's reply:   

Hi Alan,

Thanks for your e-mail and the suggestion.

HAIRACTIVIST was born out of the idea that i had observed many internet sites/Facebook pages&multiple blogs about professional hairdressing,but no one appeared to be challenging the industry!!!!

Fundamentally what HA is going to be about,is using it as an ACTIVE platform to conduct interviews with top icons,major manufacturers,gurus and not least, the small independent stylist/salon owner to give them a voice.

The mission statement of HA is;  " SHARING THE VOICES OF THE INDUSTRY "

I hope this gives you an insight of where i intend to go with HA. I am sure many other components will be added along the way.

I would like to offer up a prize for the best logo design,if that is the way it is going to go!!! Let me know your thoughts on that idea???

Thanks for your interest in this project Alan. I look forward to some great energy from Dundee and hope a great trans-Atlantic partnership is born.

Kindest regards, Brian.... HA

TREVOR SORBIE'S GUIDE TO BECOMING A HAIRDRESSER

Becoming A Hairdresser

What skills do I need to be a hairdresser?

To be a hairdresser, you have to really enjoy communicating with people. I think you have to have people skills, I think you also have to be somewhat creative, because hairdressing is a very creative job, and I think you have to have a very good sense of fashion. These are the three most important skills you need to be a hairdresser.

What qualifications do you need to be a hairdresser?

To be honest you actually don't need any. I have been hairdressing for 42 years and I have no documentation to say I'm a qualified hairdresser mainly because in those days you didn't need any qualifications you just learned as you went along, but now a days you can go to a college or school and take what is called MVQ. and there is 3 grades. 1st year, 2nd year, and after the 2nd year you can actually be called a hairdresser. You can actually physically work cutting peoples hair and the third level is almost like an advanced stage like an advanced driving course you just take it to the next level and obviously it will improve your skills which in turn will make you a better hairdresser. So 3 years is usually I think the best training

Is it best to be trained at a college or a hair salon?

The difference between a hairdresser being trained in a college or a school versus a hair salon is, for me, the hair salon's the best way to go simply because you're on the floor every day. You are working in a hairdressing environment. You are dealing with paying customers. So I think that's an experience that you don't get so much learning hairdressing in colleges. And also you can customize how often you want to do the NVQ in hairdressing. You can go in for five days a week, or you can go for one day a week. Obviously, the more time you put in, the quicker you're going to learn to be a hairdresser. So I still think that the salon is the better route to learn to become a hairdresser because I think you'll get more one-on-one education as well.

Do you need to be up to date on all the latest fashion trends?

You do need to be up to date in hairdressing with the fashion trends, simply because it's a very fashion orientated business. It's a very young business, in terms of hairdressers are usually very young, excluding me, but I was once, and at the same time, fashion leads and hair follows fashion. So you have to know exactly what's happening through the media, television, films and, obviously, magazines. It's a very important part of being a hairdresser, knowing the trends, because if somebody comes in and says I want my hair cut like Posh Spice and you haven't seen her or read about her for the last six months, you'll probably give her the wrong hair style because she's probably changed it, knowing her. So, yes, very important to keep up with the trends.

What makes a successful hairdresser?

The main component that makes a very successful hairdresser is firstly the passion. You also have to have staying power and very importantly not be afraid of hard work and probably equal to passion, I would say, the main component in being a successful hairdresser is to be the best you can and not be money motivated, if you have this quality and can invent a hairstyle in this day and age you are going to be an incredibly successful hairdresser. If you can design a haircut that the world will wear tomorrow you are going to make a very big name for yourself in hairdressing.

What advice would you give to an aspiring hairdresser?

If you want to get to the top, you never stop learning. After forty-two years of being in this business, I am still learning things that I don't know. And I'm actually one of these people, I'm not that interested in what I know, I'm very much more interested in what I don't know, and so therefore it's ongoing. And my advice to any hairdresser is, the minute you stop learning, is the minute you stop growing.

NEW JERSEY

.. from Paula's collection of bad hair photos, a pattern emerged. Hee Hee. A fine selection of knitwear, guaranteed to create more static than a Van de Graaff generator. 

CHA'MONE!! MO! FO!

Thanks to salon owner, Norrie, I was given access to the legendary Blue Glove. Symbolising the work of the Dundee Dyers, part of the Nine Trades Association, the Glove is worn by attendees of the annual Dyer's Christmas Dinner. A convivial affair, acknowledging the traditions of the association, the yearly event is an opportunity for members to convene and non-members to be inducted. All present take time to sign the ancient 'Lockit Book', thus recording their involvement with the famous association. Winston Churchill has even signed this legendary tome!

'The Glove', although not a blue one, appears in the above drawing, located in the bowels of Dundee City Archive. This glove probably pertains to the Glover rather than Dyer Trade, but is still a lovely single glove, a-la Micheal Jackson, so it still counts. This sketch, on tracing paper, was a preparatory drawing for a banner to be hung in St. Andrew's Church in the City. The Church has a fine selection of stained glass windows, many inspired by The Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee.  If you're into stained glass, having a pint and the Nine Trades, check out the Trades Bar on the corner of Union Street or check my 'Happy New Year' post. Ch'amone! Motherfucker!

Cheers Ange!

Fellow Nine Trades artist, Ange, kindly sent me a couple of snaps(above) featuring haircuts from one her projects. It got me thinking about artists and hairdos. Scotsman, Douglas Gordon, is one of my favourites with his Kurt Cobain/Andy Warhol look.(see below)

Check out Ange's  Nine Trades Blog here.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year! Just catching up on events since breaking up for festive hols.

Christmas week, I went on my work's night out with my pals from Bullet. Destination, Caird Hall, Dundee, to see local songsmiths/scamps, The View. They were home in Dundee after recording their new album in Manchester, and were making this hastily arranged, one-off gig their Christmas night out too. The View's last album, 'Which Bitch' is one of my favourites of last year, along with Weegie Electro wizz-kid Hudson Mohawke's brilliant 'Butter'.

We spent a couple of hours before the gig bevvying in The Trades Bar. The place was heaving. Check out their windows: