Alan Grieve

FINAL GATHERING

2010-08-26T11:41:00.013+01:00

Snip Snip! Alan Grieve will make you look good!

The Nine Trades Final Gathering at the DCA, where all nine artists on the project offered an insight into their collaborative efforts, was a busy, engaging affair. I spent the day in my mini-salon, cutting hair and chatting about my year at Nori Salon.

So, a busy day blethering to people and showing them the Masters at Work magazine. Fittingly, the staff from Nori worked their lunch hour on a busy Saturday so that they could pop down to the DCA. See photos below.

The Masters at Work magazine now sits proudly in the racks at Nori Salon, and will be distributed throughout Dundee hair salons in the coming month.

MASTERS AT WORK

2010-06-10T07:34:00.001+01:00

We had a busy evening in the salon. Staff were invited to bring along a model, to be styled and then photographed by Eamonn. Back in the day, members of the Trades Association would have to produce a 'Masterpiece' in order to become a Master of their Craft. This would then be judged by a panel of trade experts, X Factor style, and a decision made as to whether the tradesperson could join the elite of their craft. No such formality in Nori Salon. Just all the stylists mucking in, creating a happy, hard-working atmosphere and producing some great looks. All of the masterpieces created will be featured in the forthcoming publication, Masters at Work.

ROSIE

2010-06-09T06:38:00.011+01:00

Rosie

Rosie Philp has been on her work experience with me for a week. She is a third year high school pupil, and she is interested in working in the arts. Her contribution to the past few days has been brilliant, and she has agreed to become my apprentice for the Nine Trades Project.

Rosie pictured at a recent exhibition

Above is Rosie's drawing of Laura, who is now on maternity leave. We used the drawing for the comment of the week poster.

Rosie at work in the studio

Heading home on the train after a hard shift in Dundee.

Calum, Rachel and Jenni are still enjoying their world tour. Jenni is working as a diving instructor in Thailand, while Calum is now in North East Australia, working on a farm.

Before leaving South-East Asia, Calum managed to find the best barber's salon ever. (see above)

Calum pictured with farm worker sporting 'Nuggets' vest and moustache.

Life in the slow lane is fine with Jenni. (above)

Never far from the comment of the week wall is the main man, Liam Hansen. His most recent offerings on Facebook were worthy of a poster. "Just paid £205 for trainers." was one of his gems. I must see these trainers.

Liam

A TRUE PROFESSIONAL

2010-04-30T10:46:00.002+01:00

It is with sadness that I write to announce the recent death of my former boss, Frank Stevenson, at the age of 92. He was a consummate professional and master of his craft. His skill lives on in the hands of the many hairdessers during his long and illustrious career. He trained in his father's hairdressing business in Crewe, Cheshire, before spending six years of the Second World War abroad as a wireless operator in the RAF. On returning to England, he opened a salon in St Peter's Square in Manchester and enjoyed enormous success in the world of competitive hairdressing. This culminated in his becoming European Champion in 1949. In 1950, he moved to the Jaeger Building in King Street, also in Manchester where he stayed for the next 21 years. In 1956, he and his friend, Cyril Ashley, co-wrote the book Hair Design and Colour, which was reprinted for the next three. After his time at the heart of Manchester, he opened a small studio near his home in Alderley Edge in 1972. Despite its complete anonimity, his clients still beat a path to his door. He retired aged 70 and spent many happy days walking his dog in the Cheshire countryside and sailing in the Mediterranean sunshine.

Judy Ross, Hairdressers Journal, April 2010

http://www.hji.co.uk/Home/

TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL

2010-04-30T10:18:00.002+01:00

My brother, Brian, has been uniting Art and Trade in the Big Apple..

Brian Grieve Just been to see "VIDAL SASSOON" The Movie @ the Tribeca Film Festival in NYC. Totally BRILLIANT and INSPIRING...A must for ALL fellow professional hairdressers around the globe. Very emotional and evocative. Trully the GREATEST,the Muhammed Ali of the hair world.......

4 hours ago · Comment ·

FILM REVIEWS

Vidal Sassoon: The Movie -- Film Review

By John DeFore, April 29, 2010 03:33 ET

"Vidal Sassoon: The Movie"

Bottom Line: Appropriately stylish doc overpraises its subject, which probably won't bother its limited target audience.

NEW YORK -- Almost comically overconvinced of the importance of its subject -- one of its first sound bites suggests "it's impossible to overestimate his importance"; later interviewees describe his "epic level" creativity and compare his "war" against stodgy hairstyling trends to World War II -- "Vidal Sassoon: The Movie" is nonetheless entertaining and comprehensive in its account of the man's career.

Despite the hard pitch, the doc doesn't quite sell Sassoon as an integral shaper of the culture at large (it comes closest during his Swinging London years), though it does remind us just how ubiquitous the scissor-man was, and for how many years. As a result, it seems unlikely (outside fest bookings) to draw much of a theatrical crowd beyond hardcore fashionistas.

The stylishly made doc -- Vidal may be more dapper in his 80s than he ever was -- isn't distractingly fawning, but does occasionally feel like a feature-length promotion for the coffee-table book being assembled by Bumble and Bumble founder Michael Gordon, one of the film's producers. We return often to a studio where Gordon's team is assembling the book's layout, working chronologically through Sassoon's childhood in an orphanage, his work as a bike messenger on London's war-torn streets, his apprenticeship and then the stages of his long career.

The straightforward encomium doesn't delve too deeply into the man's psyche, but it offers a vivid picture of his working process, as a parade of former employees describes his perfectionism and the strict discipline of his salons. Viewers not inclined to take such things seriously will have exactly one opportunity to reconsider: As the film chronicles the radical cutting style Sassoon developed in the early '60s, someone points out the social impact of freeing women from their weekly primp-and-perm appointments -- cutting their hair in such a way that gravity did much of the styling work for them until time for the next cut.

Its talking heads come exclusively from the fashion/hair world, but the film benefits from long, likable interviews with the man himself. The worst thing is the possibility viewers will leave humming a jingle they may have managed to purge from their heads two decades ago: "If you don't look good / We don't look good / Vidal Sassoon!"

JENNY'S FACEBOOK PAGE (LIAM'S CLIENT)

2010-04-26T17:01:00.000+01:00

In this photo: Liam Hansen (photos)

Uploaded via Facebook for BlackBerry® smartphones.

From the album:
Mobile Uploads by Jenny Myles

WORLD TOUR PHOTOS

2010-04-22T21:01:00.007+01:00

Calum and Jenni keep the photos coming..

Calum's moved on to Oz, whilst Jenni and Rachel have remained in Thailand.

Jenni's poolside foot photo (below) inspired Jill (the beautician at Nori) to post a message on her Facebook page; "That's three months you've been away now, Jenni. Isn't it time you thought about a pedicure?"

NORI

2010-04-09T21:08:00.002+01:00

BYE NATALIE

2010-04-09T20:53:00.003+01:00

Natalie. Stalwart manageress of Nori Reform Street Salon, has decided it's time to move on after ten years with the company. Always professional, and always supportive of the Nine Trades Project, she preferred the quiet approach to both her responsibilities in the shop and her involvement with the project. Latterly, during a lull in her busy day, she expressed an interest in a portrait I had on the wall, and said she wouldn't mind one of herself in that style and she wondered if that would count as involvement in the Nine Trades Art Thing. Of course it was, I said, particularly that the portrait in question was painted not by myself, but by an amatuer artist named Judith who attends community art classes I run. So, I arranged for Judith to do the painting - this was not to be executed for free, either - I had to promise to fix her husband Ronnie's haircut in return for the artwork! Fair deal.

I am going to have the portrait framed as a leaving present for Natalie. Let Art and Trade Unite!

2010-03-15T10:58:00.003Z

February's calendar page in the staffroom featured the 'Heart Shape' look.

"The heart shape is a style for the girl with collar-length hair who wants to create a short look for those special occasions."

Liam's 'Dundee's Finest' poster sat nicely alongside a poster for the new Aveda product range.

Thanks also, to Fraser for emailing me a barber's gag:

Alright Alan, hope you're grand

Heard a joke you might want to fire onto your blog?

Q. How does the barber cut the moons hair?

A. Eclipse it!

HAIRSPRAY

2010-03-09T15:13:00.002Z

BLUE FLOWERS

2010-03-09T12:11:00.006Z

Dr. octagon, paramedic fetus of the east

With priests, I'm from the church of the operating room

With the strike support, scalpels since the holocaust

I do indeed in greed, explore meet the patients

Back to brooms with the nurse with the voodoo curse

Holding up office lights, standing at huge heights

Back and forth, left wing swing to north

East and south with blood pouring down your mouth

I come prepared with the white suit and stethascope

Listen to your heartbeat, delete beep beep beep

Your insurance is high, but my price is cheap

Look at the land...blue flowers!

Drawing by the purple pond, in the purple pastures blue flowers!

Drawing by the purple pond, yellow ink that flowsblue flowers!

Dr Octagon, aka Kool Keith. The ex-Ultramagnetic Mc's frontman, penned the above lyrics. An unknown member of Nori staff created the above blu-tac flower on the staffroom notice board.

QUICK CHAT WITH JENNI

2010-03-08T14:09:00.000Z

Alan

Hey Jenni! How's it going?

1:35pmJenni

pretty damn good thanks.hows things with u?

1:36pmAlan

Great! Where are you these days?

1:38pmJenni

We have been on Phi Phi island for the last week.Been having lotsa fun.needed the beach/part lifestyle after city life.Leave 2moro to go to Krabi.Spent the nite at Maya bay where the beach was filmed last nite.so nice

1:39pmAlan

I was at toys r us with Harris yesterday. It was a lovely retail park where they haven't filmed any Danny Boyle movies so far!

1:40pmJenni

haha sounds exotic

1:41pmAlan

It sounds like youz are havin a ball. I saw a couple of photies of you returning from your jungle trek. Are calum and rachel having a good time? Is calum behaving?

1:45pmJenni

yeah they r both good.Me and calum both fell onto the old bevvie/party/escapades wagon.fun times.need a few days recovery cos been on the drink for 5 nites now.jungle trek was great.We have lotsa photos but dont think we will get them up until Oz cos the compters r too slow here.howz everyone at work doing

1:48pmAlan

in nori, everyone's fine although norrie, liam and natalie were away last week at a jolly in paris with aveda. in dunfermline, all's well, although emma's been on the bevvy too. she had a big night last friday at the view in edinburgh and forgot to turn up for work on the saturday.hee hee.

1:50pmJenni

Oh dear naughty Emma.sometimes has to be done tho

1:52pmAlan

do you know when you're heading to oz?

1:54pmJenni

We wiil be flying to oz on the 1st of april

1:56pmAlan

don't know if you're planning on staying in the one place or what, but if you end up with a postal address, give me a shout so i can send you the magazine i'm making.

1:59pmJenni

Yeah will be at somepoint but prob not for about a month.Heading out onto the open road in the camper.will let you know wen we r settled.that would be great to see the finished article

2:03pmAlan

have you ever watched wolf creek? hee hee.

2:04pmJenni

no.Nat told me about it so i think i will pass on that.thay aint getting me

2:07pmAlan

anyway jenni, i'm going to have to head to ma work. it's been great chatting. tell calum and rachel I said hello. glad you're havin a great time! speak to you soon!

2:09pmJenni

ok doke.good chatting.say hi to everyone for moi.cheery bye

SWEENEY TODD AT DUNDEE REP

2010-03-07T20:18:00.002Z

Hey, Sweeney! Who ate all the hairy pies?

Starting 19th May 2010, Sweeney Todd, The musical. The Demon Barber comes to Dundee, and i'm hoping we can have a staff night out at this popular show.

JENNI, RACHEL AND CALUM RETURN FROM THE JUNGLE

2010-03-07T20:03:00.001Z

JENNI'S LATEST POST ON FACEBOOK

2010-02-20T21:08:00.001Z

Lovin it in Saigon.Up early doors today and went crawling through the cu chi tunnels.Claustrophopic!! Away for a snooze now.This heat just kills me.Still better than winter back home tho hahaha.

CALUM'S EMAIL FROM THAILAND

2010-02-10T17:17:00.001Z

Calum's settling in to his new lifestyle just nicely...

Re: world tour

Alright Alan.How's things?Just back from the jungle in chiang mai trekking for three days.Had an amazing time,scenery was beautifull, could'nt believe i was actually there.We spent the night with a hill tribe,totally surreal!fucking wilder beasts,piglets,dogs,cats,chickens and women with their baps out haha.A lot of the tribal people were refugees from burma.One of the elders was a shamen,which i thought was prity cool-i named him wullie the witch doctor haha although i was a bit suspicious of his wizard ways as he only seemed to break bamboo up and make a fucking mess.Yesterday we were on elephants,hated it-the guy on mine just nocked the shit out of nelly with i metal hook,not cool!
We had a great bunch of people in our group and all went out for dinner last night and think we are off to see some thai boxing tonight!

I'll be intouch soon mate, take care!

LIAM HANSEN - MASTER OF HIS CRAFT

2010-02-10T16:59:00.002Z

Liam Hansen is one of Nori's senior stylists. A very dedicated hairdresser, he is certainly a Master of his Craft. He offers consistent high standards with his salon work and client care, and is always looking at new ways to expand his knowledge of the industry.

CALVIN FROM HOLLYOAKS

2010-02-03T21:35:00.006Z

Whilst staff waited for new posters for the staffroom, someone decided that, rather than have bare walls, they would have a bare Hollyoaks hunk. Calvin in his Calvins. Woo!

LAURA'S NEW HAIRCUT

2010-02-03T21:23:00.004Z

As the Lower Foyer Gallery received a make-over, Laura took some time out from her busy curator's diary to have a haircut. With a bin bag (check it out Fraser!) for a cape and no mirror, I indulged in a bit of scissor-over-comb graduation and some over-directed layers. My friend's daughter once cut her fringe off to 'match her dress'. During our haircut smalltalk, I told Laura her new hair was inspired by her shoes.. Exhibitions expert Laura seemed very pleased with the outcome.

JENNI'S FIRST EMAIL FROM THAILAND (u better miss me!)

2010-02-03T21:18:00.003Z

Battling jet lag and sweaty Bangkok internet cafes, Jenni has sent her first message from South East Asia..

Hey u guys.well im safe and sound.just beginning to get my head round it all.Had a long nite.Think we suffered jet lag.Went to bed at ten then woke up at 1 and that was us for the rest of the nite wide awake/Made it to brekkie for 6.30am haha,must be a first!We ate loads and decided we needed to snooze it off.Got a couple of hours kip after that then attempted to go sight seeing.We made it to the top of the road and then after having a wee battle with the map in heat that was melting us we decided we were not ready for all that caper just yet and went and sat in a wee cafe with a cold drink then went to our pool and dangled our feet.much better idea.We then decided to brave bangkok again and headed to the grand palace only to be told no entry after two o clock and the nice gut then taught us how to say hello and thankyou in thai and grabbed us a tuck tuck driver to take us to the big gold buddha and tourist information cos he felt we would benefit from their help.Chauffer driven arond for the lastfew hours with the guy waiting on us in each place for quite lenghthy periods of time and only cost a couple of quid!The outcome of paying tourist info a visit is we have now booked our next three weeks travelling starting with leaving bangkok on fri and heading to chaing mai by train.One night then going elephant trekking and visiting the hill tribes for 3 days.Looks amazing then we will stay a furthe 3 nites bk in chaing mai bfore heading back to bangkok where we get off the train and onto a bus which will take us to Cambodia where we will be for about a week then bus to ho chi minh,vietnam.We will then possibly fly back to bangkok and head to the islands spending a longer time there than we had initially planned.After speaking to the very patient lady in tourist info our original route we had planned to take seemed a lot more full on than we thought we should be doing at this point,involving three days travelling on a boat staying over night on the land beside the mekong river in Laos where things are very basic and then a flight to north vietnam costing far more money than we wished to spend.The 3 of us just looked at each other in fear and said eh no maybe not and had a re think.So thats us sorted.Heading to khao san road tonite to do a spot of shopping at the market and get a bite to eat.Hopefully the food we eat will be better than last nites,we dont have a clue wot was on our plate haha.Realise if we had made the decision to turn right outside our hotel places were a lot nicer down that way oops! Tommorow we r going to the floating market early doors then for a Thai massage.We will try again for the Grand Palace then China town at nite.Pheew.This heat is going to take a bit of getting used to but have been told it is cooler in the North still 26 27 tho.Here it is about 35 36.Hope u r all good an will be in touch soon.Love from me.xxxxx

MFA TALK/HAIRCUTS

2010-02-03T12:41:00.002Z

Belated post.

In November, I spent two days in the Master of Fine Art department at Duncan of Jordanstone, talking with students about my practice since leaving Art School. The MFA studio soon became a makeshift hair salon, with informal tutorials taking place as students had their locks trimmed! In particular, I spoke about my involvement with The Nine Trades Project and the realities of conducting a collaborative project in a hair salon. Students were very interested in the many issues a practicing artist deals with i.e. money, rejected proposals, balancing work and home life to name a few. It was not all bad news of course, as I was able to talk about how my practice has developed through The Nine Trades and what a great opportunity it has been to meet new people both within the local art environment and beyond.

REALLY SERIOUS BARBER'S CHAIR

2010-02-03T06:30:00.005Z

GOOD LUCK Y'ALL!

2010-01-27T15:57:00.008Z

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

2010-01-26T12:43:00.008Z

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

2010-01-26T12:13:00.006Z

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

2010-01-19T17:08:00.002Z

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

2010-01-13T05:23:00.000Z

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

2010-01-12T14:26:00.010Z

.. 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!

2010-01-12T14:12:00.007Z

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!

2010-01-08T07:45:00.007Z

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

2010-01-07T15:56:00.015Z

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:

SOME OF THE WORK FROM DISCO INJURIES SHOW

2009-11-30T10:32:00.001Z

www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBKMO_cOK2o

With contributions from Norrie(missing tooth fiasco), Calum(streptococcus A infection) and Paula(temporary blindness), there was a hefty creative presence from Nori Salon at the Disco Injuries do. Cheers for that!

DISCO INJURIES SHOW - SOME SHOES

2009-11-26T05:37:00.000Z

Photographer for the evening, Graham, was suddenly gripped by the need to document every pair of shoes worn at the event. Of course, statistically, shoes are directly responsible for a large proportion of Disco Injuries, especially when combined with crazy shots and exotic cocktails..

MORE PHOTOS FROM 'DISCO INJURIES' NIGHT

2009-11-24T11:05:00.001Z

Fresh from Raffles Karaoke, the post-exhibition party moved on to Johnsons Cocktail Bar for some Jager Bombs and dancing to some middle-aged soul + R'n'B. Of course, this was appropriate considering I turned forty four at midnight. Bring on the arthritic moves. Did you know that the writhing disco-midget, Prince No-Name has had a hip replacement?

DISCO INJURIES SHOW

2009-11-24T06:57:00.000Z

A great turnout on Saturday night. Some of the staff from Nori came down to see their contributions to the exhibition. A fair squad left the show to finish off the evening at Raffles Saturday Night Karaoke (with cold buffet.) Superb!

MORE TOP PHOTOS FROM CALUM

2009-11-19T07:24:00.000Z

Calum sent me some snaps from his trip round Europe. Top dollar!

STUDIO

2009-11-16T22:02:00.000Z

I stuck some photos of my new studio in the staffroom. It's big enough for some kind of exhibition/shindig, and being in Kirkcaldy, it's accessible for the Nori party party bunch.

THANKS PAULA

2009-11-16T21:56:00.000Z

Among Paula's snaps of dodgy hair was this wee gem. Is it only Scottish folk that go in swimming pools with Bri-nylon jumpers on? Ya beauty!

PHOTOSHOOT

2009-11-12T17:31:00.000Z

The staff were all having photos taken for the new website. Lots of excitement in the salon as everyone viewed their mugshots on the laptop..

On the subject of portraits, Paula bravely produced a handful of snaps featuring an array of past hairstyles. Each bouffant evoked a certain time period. Every barnet inspired howls of laughter in the staffroom. See above for dodgy perm and little sister whose fate is sealed as a beauty pageant entrant.

Exhibition Next week

2009-11-10T20:39:00.001Z

PARTY AT THE READING ROOMS

2009-11-05T07:09:00.000Z

Next Wednesday, Calum plays live bass at the Reading Rooms along to the sounds of Old Man of the Forest - good name! - recently signed to Gamma Records. I'm going to head along with a couple of others from the shop. Now back from his trip to Europe, Calum gave me a disc full of photos taken during his time away. A man after my own heart, enjoying a keen sense of the absurd.(see below)

I brought in a few images as part of Comment of the Week. The image of the car in the Australian Outback(see below), taken by one of my art class students, stimulated lots of lively conversation. Natalie asked if anyone had seen Wolf Creek, and said it had influenced her travel plans when out in Australia last year. i.e. no way would she go on a camping trip in the Outback! Calum loved the image, particularly the car, saying that he'd much rather go on a road trip in a machine like this, rather than the cliched happy camper van.

EXHIBITION IN THE HAIR SALON

2009-11-02T11:28:00.001Z

We're organising a bus down to the exhibition for the staff at Nori, who are taking their lives in their hands for an evening in Dunfermline. Someone once described the town as " like Helmand Province with a Debenhams in the middle of it.."

Should be a good night, seeing as a few of Nori's staff have contributed work for the show.

SHOCK HORROR

2009-10-29T06:21:00.000Z

Mr Buckfast D.I.Y. Hairdo, whose portrait I placed in the staffroom last week, has been given a makeover by a mystery graffiti artist. (see above). "Don't do drugs" and "Talk to Frank" were among the words of advice scribbled for the young man with the scary Rhys Ifans look..

Comment of the week. Last week's discussion in the staffroom about shocking movie scenes led me to compile a short list of recently watched movies that contain some pretty nasty moments. Rachel (featured above in the poster), and Calum agreed that Irreversible, starring Monica Belluci and Vincent Cassel, was up there with the worst of them. (the movie's soundtrack was made by Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk.)

PISSED-UP ANTICS

2009-10-26T10:42:00.000Z

Continuing with the theme of nocturnal mishaps/dangers of the bevvy, comment of the week consisted of:

1.Images of DIY haircut, executed after a bottle of 'the tonic' (buckfast).

2.Drawings of inebriated dudes in a tangle with their seats.

3.Lyrics from ' Dundee's Finest', Kyle Falconer of The View.

Paula gave me a haircut. (see below) Superb! Thanks Paula. She also brought me some photos from her recent trip to Cairo, including her henna tattoo design which will soon be etched in Indian Ink. Forever. My favourite photo was her quick snap, taken from the bus, whilst moving, of a road sign mimicking the pyramid in the background. Also good to see Pacha finding it's franchise way to Cairo...

COMMENT OF THE WEEK

2009-10-20T12:55:00.000+01:00

Liam has suggested I have a dead short haircut, then not have it cut again for the rest of the Nine Trades Project, taking snaps of it as it grows. I think it would be a good idea if Liam, with his no holds barred, caustic wit, provides a short comment on the ever evolving hairdo. He is, of course, welcome to offer other observations on any subject.

So, from this wednesday, I hope to have Liam Hansen helping me compile

' Comment of the Week'.

Last week's comment of the Week featured Calum's email, sent while on his trip around Europe.

Jenni reckoned that Calum's featured email would have taken him at least three hours to compile, judging by the length of time it takes him to send even a short text!

Finally, I put a notice up regarding the forthcoming exhibition in Dunfermline. We hope to have a bus full of revellers for that.

DEAD ICONS

2009-10-12T15:04:00.000+01:00

One of my regular clients, Richard, appeared in the salon on Saturday, complete with photo of Patrick Swayze (and a short video clip on his phone, just to make sure) to assist me with the creation of his new look. Yes, Richard wanted that just off the dancefloor/surfboard rugged-mullet look. This is his third style inspired by sadly no longer with us iconic males. A pattern is emerging.. Who will be next? Micheal Jackson? Maybe not.(not rugged enough) or Jon Bon Jovi? Definitely not. (not dead enough)

COMMENT OF THE WEEK

2009-10-12T10:20:00.000+01:00

This week, evergreen raver Keith Flint and his double mohican were the talk of the shopfloor.

... in the staffroom, more Disco Injuries banter. I left some markers for the staff to add their own details to the posters.

NINE TRADES ON TOUR

2009-10-05T10:24:00.000+01:00

Calum's now in his second week of his journey across Europe. Seen above sporting continental lager and Django Reinhardt t-shirt. He's been sending some top snaps of his trip and keeping me up to date with his adventures by email.(see below)

alright alan.started off in valencia,hung out with an orthodox jew from canada,a turban wearing italian and shhtefaan the stereo typical german.not one of them could fucking understand me hardy har.valencia was ace,great bars and clubs!from valencia i headed up to barcalona as i heard there was a festival on up there!place was heaving!firework displays going on that made me think we were under attack from those crazy basque people further north!there were also stages all over the city with bands playing until four in the morning most nights,saw the hives playing in the middle of a scheme,just shhtefaan and me along with ten thousand catalonians,mildly intimadating,thankfully gerry spoke spanish haha.never met anyone new in barca so headed up to pamplona,bad move it was pishing with rain and my hostel was a shithole.i was sharing my room with two swiss guys who had walked all the way from switzerland,they said they were pilgrims and were walking to san tiago.impressive! room was fucking stinking though,they had all their smelly socks and boots all over the shop. boke!had a walk around but was'nt impressed.it seems apart from the bull run there is'nt much going on in pamplona-bit of a dump.maybe i was just in the wrong area but i decided to move on to san sebastion the next day.san sebastion was great,excellent beaches and great food!hooked up with a few ozzy dudes and a couple of irish guys, bad move,i woke after three days of drinking and had one of the worse eyeballer hangovers ever!tired and confused i headed for the train station and got the fuck out of there.i crossed over to hedain in the border of spain and france and from there to biarritz but in my drunken stuper missed my stop so got off in bayonne.by this point was getting a bit pissed off with the lone travelling,even though i was meeting different people along the way most of them had their own adjenda.i was getting bored!I found myself on the train up to paris with no real plan and arrived at 11.30 at night.walked around for a while and managed to get a cheap room quite close to the eiffel tower.i dumped my shit and had a wander about in desperate need of food-all the way to paris for a mcdonalds haha.been here a couple of days now and think i'll probably head home then do budapest etc in a week!
speak to you soon calum

DANGER OF DEATH!

2009-09-29T21:07:00.000+01:00

On my way to Nori Salon last week, I happened upon this stunning piece of Disco Injuries Public Art. Genius. My wife says the shoe's from New Look.

THOMAS HIRSCHHORN - IT'S BURNING EVERYWHERE

2009-09-23T20:02:00.000+01:00

Visited the Swiss artist's show at the DCA. No holding back here. No cool, calm and collected collection of artefacts here. Nope. A claustrophobic, calamitous assault on the eyeballs. Booyakasha!

The transcript of his interview with the DCA was great reading. Refusing to acknowledge the existence of 'shocking imagery' in his work, talking of art as a tool to confront reality, a tool to live within the time he is living. " I must work with what surrounds me, with what I know and with what affects me. I must not give in to the temptation of the particular - which always excludes." Go on yersel, big man! And a nice doodle explaining the 'Spectre of Evaluation', too!

Which brings me to the realities Nori Salon on Wednesdays, and all the fun of the The Nine Trades Project with our growing catalogue of Disco Injuries. Paula offered a unique angle on the concept of dancefloor dangers. Her incident happened before she even left the house to go out! After going through the usual routine of fashion crises, hair problems and what not to take in the handbag, Paula only had to apply the false eyelashes and she was offski.(see above) Only one problem. Turns out she's totally allergic to said spidery attachments. And rather than having peepers like Beyonce, her eyes look like Larry Holmes after his tussle with Mike Tyson. Nightmare. Pass the piriton, please.

COMMENT OF THE WEEK

For 'Comment of the Week' I opted for a 'rockstars with bonkers hair' theme. Who could forget Keith Flint of the Prodigy in the 'Firestarter' video. I always thought it looked a bit like that dude Mike Score's barnet from Flock of Seagulls, only with the bit in the middle missing. Not good. Crazy bloody twisted firestarter that he is. To his credit, he's still commanding main stage at the zillions of summer music festivals we are swamped with.

DISCOUNTS FOR STUDENTS AT NORI SALON

DISCO INJURIES - VOLUME ONE

2009-09-22T10:21:00.000+01:00

Anyone care to contribute to this publication with any of their dancefloor disasters?

FAVOURITE HAIRCUT OF THE MOMENT

2009-09-17T09:07:00.000+01:00

I asked the folks in the shop to do me a drawing of their current favourite haircut, and I was handed the above. A work of art fit to grace the cover of John King's book, 'Skinheads' - the man who also gave us 'The Football Factory'. Nick Lowe's movie of the same name stars Danny Dyer, the cocky actor deemed 'pretty hot' in a quick staffroom poll, held last week.

Next up was this enigmatic doodle of a laughing individual sporting a rampant bird's nest.

'I am not worried!' Cries the one with the anarchic barnet.

'You should be.' Replies the psychiatrist.

FLAMMABLE JAZZ ON TOUR

2009-09-17T08:54:00.000+01:00

Calum heads off this week on his month long trip round Europe. Going with him is his Django Reinhardt t-shirt. He'll be offering regular updates regarding his grand tour - available on this blog - featuring photos of Jazz garment and anything else of interest, particularly any shit graffitti he encounters along the way.

Experimentum Mundi

2009-09-11T08:59:00.000+01:00

On Tuesday evening, I headed along to the Experimentum Mundi performance in Dundee. Norrie from the hairdressers managed to make it along with his family. The concert was excellent and well attended. Lots of Italian workies giving it laldy with their assorted work tools under the watchful eye of a manic, frizzy haired conductor. A group of mature ladies provided backing vocals, with another chap narrating over the performance with lots of information/poetry about the various trades and their tools. Stars of the show for me were the burly Coopers and their muscular barrel - bashing. Sat next to me, Jenny agreed that the broad shouldered mallet wielding men were an inspiration! I was a bit disappointed not to see a hairdresser in there though, adding a wee 'snip snip snip' to this hearty percussive piece!

EAT THIS!

2009-09-07T10:43:00.000+01:00

The food theme continued this week in the staff room - my wife, Lorraine, baked a pile of chocolate chip temptations and I made a muffin poster encouraging staff to have a munch, diet or not. Jenni proved to be pretty resilient, in spite of the sweet aroma in the staff room. Whilst definitely not looking at the tray of muffins, she told me she had watched the movie I had brought in for her. Into the Wild, Sean Penn's film about outsider/traveller Christopher Mc Candless, seemed apt viewing for Jenni, what with her imminent World Tour. She enjoyed the movie, but felt a return to a steadier existence for McCandless may have been a better conclusion to the film, rather than his painful, lingering demise after eating some dodgy plant in the wilds of Alaska. I've always been a bit suspicious of salads myself..

Liam, whilst still on the subject of the movie, happened to mention the similarity between McCandless home in the movie - an old bus - and the vehicle in the horror flick, Jeepers Creepers.

I also made a couple of pieces in response to the sunglasses banter from the previous week.

SUNGLASSES

2009-09-01T21:23:00.001+01:00

COMMENT OF THE WEEK ETC.

2009-08-27T17:49:00.000+01:00

The debate rages on. How much is too much for new sunglasses? Is there something seriously wrong with someone buying new shades on the wettest day of the year? Can designer goggles withstand the pressures of a disco/festival environment?

Price preferences ranged from £1 - £200. I'd like to see the £1 glasses. Wonder if they're made of cardboard or something. Ecospecs. Everyone should be doing their bit, after all... Mind you, if we manage to avert Global warming, then it's very likely Scotland will have no sunshine whatsoever. Bye bye Aviators..

Anyway, Katie and Natalie ignored their detractors and went straight down Specsavers and took advantage of the 50% reductions on Designer glasses.

Comment of the week took on the theme of food, following last week's staffroom chat about cakes, crisps, chocs and calum's culinary skills.

When I was picking up the posters from the printers, the guy in the print shop was quite interested in the menu I had made. He asked me where this new Nine Trades Restaurant was and when it was opening...

COMMENT OF THE WEEK

2009-08-19T20:46:00.000+01:00

Another busy day in Nori Salon. I placed a new comment of the week piece out on the shop floor. Larger scale and in colour, it looked effective beside the shampoo areas, with many clients mentioning it and having a read. The piece was called 'The Boaby Stamper' which was the original name for a tattoo in Dundee. Calum had mentioned this in one of our conversations the previous week. Another thing we discussed was the idea of making t-shirts relating to the comment of the week. I showed Calum a couple of doodles and we agreed to go ahead with one based on his music hero, Django Reinhardt.

'Django Reinhardt: Flammable Jazz'.

Norrie spoke a bit about extending some of the visual ideas across the salon, showing me two or three new areas where we could potentially place work. There is a great wall space by the reception that could be utilised. Norrie is fully engaged with the project, seeing its potential to create a buzz amongst the staff. He suggested that once we had a bit more work together, we could use the salon one evening to have some sort of opening.

I also met with a client in the salon called Hazel whose hair I had cut many years ago in a salon in Dunfermline. Small world, eh? She is now up in Dundee studying textiles at Duncan of Jordanstone. She was extremely taken by the ideas behind the Nine Trades Project and we discussed ways in which she may be able to get involved.

Hazel, happy, with hair all done and dusted.

JACQUES MESRINE-WHAT A BELTER!

2009-08-16T20:55:00.000+01:00

Monsieur Mesrine; Ruthless French gangster, man of many identities, looks like he has paid a visit to Professor Auguste Balls. The esteemed academic ( When duty calls, you've got Balls!), was Inspector Clouseau's chosen disguise expert.

This photo appears at topfoto.co.uk

FACE OFF!

2009-08-16T20:34:00.000+01:00

A client of mine, Eileen, produced these two works of art from a chaotic, bulging handbag. Looking for a new style, but fearing the words, 'listen, I can change the hair, darling, but there's nowt I can do with the face.', she decided she wanted to avoid the strain of horrible comparisons with nubile supermodels. Out came the bic (pen not razor) and bingo, face gone!

DJANGOLOGY!

2009-08-13T07:35:00.000+01:00

Another day in Nori Salon, an opportunity to get some feedback about 'comment of the week'. The images and text inspired plenty of lively banter and generated a few ideas for the future.

Firstly, Jenni suggested that the Disco Injuries poster could be adjusted to include the hours between 3 and 7am! (this was followed by her revealing a nasty case of dancefloor elbow.)

Calum mentioned that the comment of the week images might translate well into a series of t-shirts. He then went on to talk about his interests. He was in a band for a while. The Heralds. They've got a few tunes on myspace: www.myspace.com/theheraldsmusic

Also, he said his dad was a professional musician, inspired by Gypsy Jazz and the sound of Django Reinhardt. He spoke about visiting obscure music festivals on the continent, watching his dad jamming with famous musicians. I asked if that music you hear on the holiday programme and Ibiza chillout compilations, you know, the guitar sounds of The Gypsy Kings, was anything to do with Gypsy Jazz. (well, they've got the word Gypsy in their name!) Calum was very patient with me, saying that it probably had it's roots in the Genre, but it wasn't strictly the sound developed by the disfigured Frenchman ( Django was badly burnt when his caravan caught fire. They reckon it was his wife's synthetic flowers that kindled the blaze.) Calum is a totally natural storyteller, going on to tell me about the many other creative people that populate his life. Graphic designers, painters, musicians, to name a few, and many still based in Dundee. He spoke of his friendship with the artist Graeme Roger and the many projects he'd seen Graeme involved in. Graeme recently moved up to Elgin, so he said he hadn't spoken to him in a while.

Graeme Roger pictured here whilst living in his hut as a hermit for the 2003 'Roadshow' Project.

Next up, I was involved in discussion with Liam regarding the ' Celebrity Smile', and just what it takes to maintain the old pearly whites. The perfect smile, short of extensive dental intervention, requires regular bleaching, I was informed. I expressed my reservations at slapping peroxide around my gums, but Liam said he had no sensitivity. A Lottery win, he said, would see him on the first plane out of here, straight to a Californian dentist for some top of the range caps. Jenni reckoned he had the early stages of body dysmorphia. I kept my yellowing, coffee stained gnashers hidden as I laughed.

STYLEBOOKS

2009-08-11T11:07:00.000+01:00

This image is from the sponsors of World Book Day, www.nationalbooktokens.co.uk

SKETCHBOOKS

2009-08-11T11:02:00.000+01:00

A client told me that, during World War Two, spies were regularly dispatched to hair salons around the UK to help Britain's war effort. Ever been guilty of earwigging a conversation next to you in the hairdressers?

JACQUES MESRINE- FAVOURITE MOVIE HAIRCUTS

2009-08-10T15:41:00.000+01:00

Vincent Cassel looks straight out of the Beastie Boys 'Sabotage' video, playing notorious French gangster, Jacques Mesrine. " It's pronounced MAY-reen not MESS-reen " says the arrogant robber in Jean-Francois Richet's acclaimed movie.

KINKY AFRO - RUBBISH HEADLINE

2009-08-10T15:39:00.000+01:00

COMMENT OF THE WEEK

2009-08-06T16:14:00.000+01:00

PICTURE OF HAIRCUT wee bit shorter layers?

2009-08-03T16:41:00.000+01:00

A client passed me this drawing she had made on an old envelope. This was to help me create a new look for her boyfriend. Looks like a drawing that the great outsider artist/singer/songwriter Daniel Johnston(www.hihowareyou.com) would be proud of.

UNLEASH HELL!

2009-07-30T19:41:00.000+01:00

NORI SALON

2009-07-30T15:46:00.000+01:00

My first day at Nori Salon. I introduced myself to my workmates and became familiar with the routines of the shop. Everyone was extremely welcoming and interested in the ideas behind the Nine Trades Project. As it was generally a quiet day in the salon, I had the opportunity to have a blether with all the staff members and it was not long before the conversations veered away from the formalities of my initial introductions into the areas of chat that really count - High Heels and Disco Injuries, Festival Anecdotes, Twisted Geography, Genealogy, Bombs on Buses, Bongs on Buses, Grannies Even Driving Buses! Tattoos, Translations and Trivia. A heady mix of personal histories. All ready to be absorbed and remixed into new narratives. The core material of what brainy Frenchman Nicolas Bourriaud would call 'Docu-Fiction'.

I've been reading Gordon Burn's recent book, Born Yesterday - the news as a novel. It opens with a quote from Milan Kundera:

" Man is separated from the past (even from the past that is only a few seconds old) by two forces that go instantly to work and cooperate: the force of forgetting (which erases) and the force of memory (which transforms)...

Beyond the slender margin of the incontestable ( there is no doubt that Napoleon lost the battle of Waterloo), stretches an infinite realm: the realm of the approximate, the invented, the deformed, the simplistic, the exxagerated, the misinformed, an infinite realm of non-truths that copulate, multiply like rats and become immortal."

DUNDEE'S FINEST

2009-07-30T15:37:00.001+01:00

Alexander Solzhenitsyn; Repressed Russian. Author of the harrowing Gulag Archipeligo. Survivor of the forced labour camps in the Soviet Union, said this of his fellow inmates and their body art - " They surrendered their bronzed skin to tattooing and this way gradually satisfied their artistic, their erotic, and even their moral needs: on one another's chests, stomachs and backs they could admire powerful eagles perched on cliffs or flying though the sky. Or the big hammer, the sun with its rays shooting out in every direction; or women and men copulating; or the individual organs of their sexual enjoyment; and all of a sudden, next to their hearts were Lenin and Stalin or perhaps both..."

Liam; Senior Hair Stylist at Nori Salon. Methodical master of his craft. Head-o-nistic party animal, had this to say of his decision to have "Dundee's Finest" tattooed at the base of his spine during a fortnight of debauchery in Ibiza - " well, I didn't have a clue what to have done when the boy asked me, so on the spur of the moment, in a drink fuelled haze, I chose this..( pulls up t-shirt, pulls down Calvin Kleins- bum nearly showing)

Liam says his next tattoo is going to be on his neck, where he plans to have the word 'Freedom' etched in Norwegian in homage to his Norse ancestors. I'm hoping that maybe I can help Liam come up with a design for his new artwork.

HACKNEY WICKED

2009-07-30T14:07:00.000+01:00

See an article HERE on an interesting 'travelling museum' based in the area they're re-organising for the 2012 Olympics in London.

MOUSTACHE!

2009-07-27T13:25:00.000+01:00

Check out some good facial hair on this blog:

tiremobigode.blogspot.com

BAD HAIR DAY

2009-07-23T10:08:00.000+01:00

RYAN

2009-07-22T17:36:00.000+01:00

" So these days I brave the barbershop. And I mean 'barbershop'. I don't do hair salons - especially futuristic hair salons where the staff themselves sport fashionable asymmetrical haircuts that make them look like the cast of Battle of the Planets. You'd have to be mad to subject yourself to that."

Charlie Brooker, Dawn of the Dumb 2007

Ryan (pictured) is my barber. We have an agreement - he cuts my hair in exchange for drawings. Ryan's living room looks like an Alan Grieve retrospective. He lives in the same street as Scots actress Shirley Henderson ( Trainspotting, Harry Potter).

Ryan loves football. Until recently, he played five-a-sides with notorious local side, The Kaiser Chiefs, helping them to consecutive Division One titles in the Thursday night Powerleague.

COMMENT OF THE WEEK

2009-07-20T16:26:00.001+01:00

Starting next week, I will have a 'comment of the week' wall in Nori Salon. Here, I will display various texts and drawings illustrating my thoughts and ideas each week. These thoughts and ideas are likely to be very random bursts of inanity, much in keeping with my method of working as an artist.

Favourite Movie Haircuts 3

2009-07-20T10:57:00.000+01:00

A pumped up Tom Hardy ( Stuart: A Life Backwards, RocknRolla), offers little in the way of hair style with his portrayal of serial offender Charles Bronson. One has to applaud the choice of facial hair, though. This, and his anachronistic wardrobe make great viewing. Look out for the scene featuring the Pet Shop Boys track, 'It's A Sin'...

Watch the trailer here.

Twitter Art

2009-07-20T10:52:00.001+01:00

http://www.guardian.co.uk/charlottehiggins

2009-07-18T21:40:00.000+01:00

Small Talk 101

2009-07-18T21:29:00.000+01:00

An old post from an Australian doctor..

17thSeptember2004

Hairdressing Small Talk 101

Categories : Culture |

It seems to be an almost universal thing amongst hairdressers - the gift of the gab. I wonder if they have a module in Hairdressing college entitled “Small Talk 101″ or something similar. It must get pretty tiring to have to maintain an endless stream of conversation with a succesion of clients all day long. In my job I have to talk to people all day, but it’s generally pretty focussed discussion on their health problems so it usually takes care of itself.

In case you were wondering what prompted this, I had my long overdue haircut today, the last weekday of my mini holiday. The conversation ranged from the weather, my hairdresser’s cousin’s legal education and mental health problems, her best friend’s health problems, her menstrual cycle and what contraceptive pill she’s on, tax and tax deductions, and the usual “so what are you doing this weekend?” I was pretty tired out by the end of it, and all I had to do was mostly just sit there and listen - she has to keep on like this all day long (hopefully minus the gynaecological elements for the rest of her clients.) So I tip my hat off to her and other hairdressers - there’s much more to that job than just cutting, combing, and blowdrying.

fringe 2009

2009-07-17T18:37:00.000+01:00

Snakebite Peter Wright

2009-07-15T22:20:00.000+01:00

In a sport renowned for it's stylish men, Peter Wright follows in the footsteps of blokes like Bobby 'Bobby Dazzler' George, and Jocky 'on the oche' Wilson as a larger than life Darts character.

His wife Joanne is a hairdresser, and the one responsible for the flourescent barnet created for last month's Las Vegas Classic.

The crazy mowhawk's interesting, but i'm having real difficulty deciding where the crass Hawaiian shirt stops and the tattoos start.

ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEE!

Favourite Movie Haircuts 2

2009-07-15T09:36:00.000+01:00

" Granddaddy used to handle snakes in church, granny drank strychnine. I guess you could say I had a leg up, genetically speaking." Max Cady

Robert De Niro as Max Cady in Martin Scorcese's Cape Fear, offers a slicked-back Demi Wave (the original soft perm - just wash and wear!). Don't be fooled by those beautiful tumbling locks - Max Cady is a tattooed psychopath, ready to seduce your daughter. Check out the swarthy madman here.

Something for the weekend, sir?

2009-07-14T23:52:00.000+01:00

I found this photo in the newspaper of a dude in the Sudan having his regular trim. As his barber is nomadic, appointments are a logistical nightmare.

Kinky Afro

2009-07-14T23:48:00.000+01:00

Favourite Movie Haircuts 1

2009-07-14T19:19:00.000+01:00

Javier Bardem sported what the Coen brothers referred to as a 'Bi-Historical' haircut in his role as Anton Chigurh in the movie No Country for Old Men. The Medieval Jester meets 70's pageboy for a big screen tonsorial masterpiece. Find out more about the man my wife loves here.

Exhibition in a Hair Salon

2009-07-14T11:39:00.000+01:00

Alan Opens Appointment Book

2009-07-14T09:47:00.000+01:00

Wednesday 29th July – Alan Grieve’s first day cutting hair at Nori Salon. To book call Nori’s on 01382 220870 and ask for a Wednesday appointment with Alan. Student discount on Wednesdays of 30%