Too busy skating to write.

Juno, the ultimate poser.

I haven't taken the time to write in here for ages - more than a month!

After a black hole of news stories due to my ankle's encounter with a Canadian player, things got pretty hectic at such a sustained pace that I didn't have the time to report them.

Okay, let's be honest, I didn't TAKE the time to do so, because first I was too busy being depressed by my gimpy leg, then I was too busy working out to chase the wrong karma away, and last I was too busy skating to make up for those months of deprivation! (Obviously.)

Here's a little chronological catch-up on the main events of those last two months!

My 'Teenage Tunes' on SoundCloud

"These songs were written by my teenage self some years ago. I thought that they would probably be better out here than shun away into music notebooks."

I started writing songs when I put an end to my music training at the Conservatoire - a complete classical package with violin, music theory, choir and strings orchestra. I was in my high school years and I wanted to have more time for my growing passion: SKATING. Looking back, I am sad I quit a few months before taking my final exam but I am also glad I bet on the right horse, given where skating has taken me, so far!

But I missed music right away so that I used my extra free time for learning the rudiments of piano and I started writing songs.

Lettering by Frednetik / Photo by Lightpunk

My first live performance as a singer-songwriter was for the annual Christmas Charity Concert organized by my litterary class in high school... I found myself singing a love song at a grand piano, in a crowded chapel (I was in a Catholic school), with my poor piano technique and my teenage voice. Quite an atypical and moving first time!
Especially the end bit with the standing ovation, which I'm just recalling as I'm writing those lines. I guess sincerity paid off...

A couple of years later I entered the world of electro-rock and drum'n bass by getting the singing part (and later the writing part too) in my band Akouphën.

But at about the same time, I got real skating opportunities and I moved to Paris, once more to focus on sports at the expense of music (that's cyclic).

The Beekoz "True Colors for Florida"

Despite all appearances this is not a cover of Cyndi's song. Or maybe it is. But with new original lyrics written by the Beekoz themselves!

No doubt that the BEEKOZ are going to create a stir in 2014! The band of two, made of Bee Fattal and Kozmic Bruise, has just released its first single "True Colors for Florida". That natural-born hit is part of "The Heat is On!", a charity compilation aiming at sending the Berlin Bombshells to the Beach Brawl (and at organizing the debut tour of the Beekoz in Florida)! 100% derby, 100% self-made.

The Beekoz...

The Heat is On! Charity Compilation

...recording their first single

The third track of the charity compilation, featuring the BEEKOZ, is now available in free streaming, joining the first and second skits by BONEZITA ("A Real Rollerderby Diva") and PAULINA POCKET ("Swears like a Sailor") on the Berlin Bombshells' THE HEAT IS ON Youtube Playlist. More is soon to come!

Note: If you feel like donating to help us / reward us for our creativity / compensate us for our lost pride / etc. go and visit our IGG CROWDFUNDING PAGE and get goodies in return for your generosity!

Peace out,
The Beekoz

RELATED POSTS: Make it rock, Make it roll (Not) Sorry

RELATED PAGES: The Heat is On! on BCRD Website IndieGoGo Crowdfunding Project

2013 WFSC World Champs UNCENSORED

For more journalistic write-ups on the competition itself, check out the REPORT TRILOGY on worldslalomseries.com by yours truly:

• 2013 WFSC DAY 1: Speed Slalom & Pair Classic
• 2013 WFSC DAY 2: Freestyle Classic
• 2013 WFSC DAY 3: Freestyle Battle
• 2013 WFSC DAY 4: Slides & Medals SOON
  

MIXING WITH THE ARTISTIC WORLDS

speaker to the left of me, stage to the right,
here I am, stuck in the middle with food ♫

The 7th WFSC were held in Taipei from November 5 to 8, 2013, at the second level of an arena also hosting the 58th WORLDS of ARTISTIC SKATING at the first level. We were treated to a common OPENING CEREMONY, or should I say : We were tolerated, on our third day of competition, to attend the Artistic's opening ceremony, which was convenient as we added national flags to their list of participating countries. All the freestyle banners had been previously removed and no freestyle VIP was invited to get on the stage where were sitting the Artistic officials.

We also had the opportunity of sharing a COMMON BUFFET at dinner on our first day of

competition... which turned into a shameless (or shameful, depending on the end you place yourself) karaoke night for artistic skating VIPs. The least to say is that the shock of cultures was hardcore. Nevertheless, it was an interesting insight into the various levels of socially acceptable behaviours according to the different cultures. More practically, having to endure 60-year-olds bellowing Asian songs out of tune and wiggling on a stage 2 meters from me and my plate tends to put me off my food.

FMyLife #12: Jammed Finger

 

Fate had it that I was having this conversation yesterday at lunch, watching volleyball on TV, about me not being into ball sports, because when I was a kid and teenager I was a violonist (like for real) and couldn't take the risk of jamming a finger...

 

GUESS WHAT HAPPENED AT THE EVENING DERBY SESSION?

I ran my straight finger into a random back during scrimmage. *and on try-out day*

FML.

Freeskate Mashup Video: Making of

As mentioned in a previous entry where I presented the teaser, a new video is coming! I am proud to present you FREESKATE MASHUP, my latest video, released last Thursday as part of the UFO Urban Freeskate Online contest organized by Online-Skating.com.

"A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY REPEATING"

Let's keep it very simple. The point of the UFO contest was to re-boost a long-gone skating video genre which saw the light in 2002 with the mythical ROB video, and was followed by many others as soon as 2003, thanks to yearly contests organized by late RollerFR.net. Other websites followed the move, especially CSK (now Kompakombo) with slalom video contests, the first edition dating back to 2005. That auspicious period for freeskate and old school freestyle online videos ran out of steam by the end of the 2000's.

Ich bin eine Berlinerin

After a three-month break that turned into a five-month break in Bordeaux, having left our Parisian appartment in early May, we have finally reached our final destination and our new home for a while: BERLIN.

HOW DID WE COME TO THAT?

A wind of change had been blowing on us for some time and we finally yielded to it earlier this year, feeling it was time for new adventures. At first we had set our minds on Montréal but it proved to be a bit tricky and quite a huge move for a first home out of France. Indeed I'm used to travel a lot around the globe, but I'd always had a French pied-à-terre -- until now.

Then I had a conversation that aroused my attention during my trip to the 2013 Eroc... Thinking it over and together with Wonka (and Deven the cat) we found that it was an excellent compromise, not too far but not too close, a little exotic but not too much, new but known... and we immediately launched our organization program:

Make it Rock, Make it Roll

"Make it Roll" is the brand-new music video of my band Akouphën!

Its making of was epic and the video experienced a 14-month gestation period! Most of the footage was symbolically shot on November 11th, 2011 (11.11.11), on the release of the album the track is from, entitled "ΣLΣVΣN".

With all my injury problems it took me months to get the rushes back, and months again to find the time to shoot the missing scenes (the introduction basically). It took me quite a long time too to get used to the editing software and understand how to improve the lighting, the colors, the encoding and all...

I know it is not perfect, I am just an amateur, but we are quite satisfied with the final rendering!

Thanks again to all the people who took part in the making of of this video, and thanks in advance to all of you who will be willing to SHARE it!

A little click is a big help ;)

 

"LET'S GONNA TAKE CONTROL

MAKE IT ROCK, MAKE IT ROLL

PEOPLE"

The lyrics are quite simple.
I am aware that it is not totally idiomatic but:

1. We are French and
2. It has a good rhythm in it.

Akouphën.fr

The album is available in its CD version on the AkouStore of our website.
And if you are more into MP3s, we are registered on iTunes and CDBaby!

RELATED POSTS:

• Akouphën's "(Not) Sorry"
• Akouphën's "Shit Talker" Cheap Clip
• Akouphën's 2nd album: "ΣLΣVΣN"

Who's Next: Snow (Hey Ho!)

The winter 2013 Who's Next fashion and ready-to-wear show was held on the occasion of the Parisian Fashion Week, at Porte de Versailles, just like this summer.
For a thorougher description...

The Winter version of Who's Next was indoors only, contrary to the Summer version where we were treated with bales of straw... which was +1 for the summer atmosphere but -10 for the slipperiness!
This time, snow was covering the whole city outside, while a strong tropical climat hung heavy inside thanks to the heating and the spotlights. Those same carpeted grounds with conceiled sewer drains underneath would make us trip at random, but hey ho! We knew what to expect!

LesAutresMondes: Akouphen Press Column

LesAutresMondes.info is a French webzine supporting women in music (a very noble cause), and is mainly specialized in Rock, Punk-Rock, Metal and Electro styles.

It lists lots of bands with at least one woman taking part, offers interviews and album press columns. It also has a calendar with upcoming events and reports on past events. And of course it is equipped with a forum.

All the articles are written with great care, and their reflexions and comments are not void or empty. No political cant here. Only passionnate people sharing worthy information.

The webzine had already contacted us for my band's first album entitled FACE.A and had written a nice column about it.

We naturally contacted them again for our second album ΣLΣVΣN and they treated us with a very detailed and careful column covering most of the songs of the album. Actually, I feel very flattered!

www.lesautresmondes.info

"Après une longue pause, Akouphën reprend du service et sort aujourd'hui son deuxième album, "ELEVEN". Pour ceux qui auraient besoin de se refraichir la mémoire, Akouphën est un duo formé par Kloë et TBJ, proposant un Rock Electro très disparate. TBJ (Jean) est chargé de la composition instrumentale, de l'enregistrement et du mixage. Kloë (Chloé Seyrès) s'occupe de l'écriture et du chant. Pas d'instrument chez (...)"

continued here...

USEFUL LINKS:

• Order ΣLΣVΣN
• Akouphen's Website
• LesAutresMondes Webzine
• Official music video "(Not) Sorry"

Skating-Music Interview on TÊTUE.COM

The title speaks for itself. I was contacted by the French gay magazine for an interview as 1) the singer of a band and 2) a world-renouned skater.

Akouphën's last music video having been in their music video selection of the moment, they came back to me after a couple of days to ask me for extra information! The interview was out a couple of days ago and it goes back on the history of the band and my history as a skater and it is illustrated with various (cool) videos.

... Fame, we're coming!

AKOUPHËN:

"Today, being a lesbian artist is trendy!"

Thursday July 12th, 2012

 

Being a gay magazine, they obviously exaggerated that part of me, but how could I bear the grudge against them for that...?

RELATED PAGES:

• TÊTUE TV Akouphën et sa chanteuse out ne sont "pas désolés"

Freestyle Patchwork

I MADE IT!

I made a presentation video edit of Chloe Seyres.

... Oh wait, that's me!

I was always worried when asked "show me what you do" because I did not have any representative video material. Then I was forced either to put my skates on and "do my stuff" or show various videos for the person to get a general overview of what freestyle slalom is.

One or two years ago, Seba gave me great hope when he told me that I was going to have a profile edit. But I was soon disappointed in seeing the result: I had ordered something like this and I received something like that, which in my opinion severely lacks editing talent. Unrefined, slow, lacking details and video material, crucial shots cut and useless shots inserted... and last but not least it does not match the music rhythm! It is a shame because it was the first time I had the opportunity to get such a quality of image...

Then, in addition to the slow-motion failed profile, I would show some nice edits such as Around the 20 which is the exact opposite: great editing but poor content, a fan video shot during a winter session, and a couple of competition videos...

This week, I found the long-awaited motivation to gather youtube material and make a compilation, as I had promised to rest after my 4-week rehab stay and my weekend of rollerdance demos. I set my mind up in watching the edit of a b-girl that I met in the rehab center. It was exactly the kind of breathtaking punchy video that I wish I had.

Of course, the quality of image sucks... you cannot ask too much of youtube!

But yet the edit is dynamic, and it even makes ME want to slalom again.

If you want something done, most of the time you'd better do it yourself...

(Not) Sorry

I'm aware that I'm being opportunistic and I'm (not) sorry for that, but let's seize the occasion of Music Day to go back on my band's brand new music video!

In a previous post I had warned you about lots of new exciting things coming for my band Akouphën. Fortunately, they all happened (and on time!)

1. First of all, our second album ΣLΣVΣN ©2011, digitally issued last november, has finally been PRESSED and is now available in its CD version with a great record sleeve full of pictures and lyrics. 
2. And secondly, to celebrate the long-awaited release, we have made a MUSIC VIDEO for one of the hit songs of the album: "(Not) Sorry".

Directed by Louis Moncouyoux of Vanksen communication agency, the video was shot in March in a disused roller-rink. You should know by now that I ALWAYS arrange things so that there is a reference to skating somehow!

We wanted it sober and professional and I'm satisfied with the final result.

I had sad feedbacks from some people who deplored that I was not on wheels but (again) I could hardly go down stairs at that time!

Anyway if you really want to see me skate to my music, you can have a look at my 2010 Slalom Profile!

Enjoy the video and feel free to share!

BONUS: Discover the Acoustic version of "(not)sorry"

RELATED POSTS:

• (Not) Sorry - Acoustic Version
• Akouphën's "Shit Talker" (Cheap Clip) 
• Chloé Seyrès's 2010 Profile "Falling Up"

• Chloe Seyres's band Akouphën: "(not)sorry" music video in Online-Skating.com
• "(Not) Sorry" in Les Clips les plus TÊTUE du moment, june 22nd 2012
• Akouphën's 2nd Album "ΣLΣVΣN"

• AkouStore on Akouphën's WebSite

Akouphen's "Shit Talker" (Cheap Clip)

Another unjustified post in this derby diary? Not at all: It's not just about music, it's about skating too!
I convey that it's not exactly about derby, but in my defence I will just remind that before being a derby girl, I'm above all a skater (... including a derbygirl, you got it right).

Now let's get back to the point! 

http://akouphen.jimdo.com

Our second album is finally entering the last phase of the process: being pressed! The issuing of the real CD will be coupled with that of a videoclip (nope, I will not give away the title of the chosen song).

ΣLΣVΣN was born virtually last november, on the 11.11.11 of course, but now we're getting ready for its coming into the real world.

In order to ease the waiting of all those great things coming, here is a cheap clip illustrating the song "Shit Talker" which I already talked about in a post about old women who fuss with you for no other reason than you having your skates on.

The episode, based on a true story (sadly enough), is more about being a typical example of the constant bullying skaters suffer from than being a fit of anger at that poor old lady who, unfortunately for her, happened to be the last straw.

Rollerdancing in a Pig Sty

Seems that it is the series of music video clip publications! Springtime is inspiring...


Here is the clip of the song "Pig Sty" by the Kid Bombardos, a band from Bordeaux, staging my rollerdance crew in a street basketball court remembering the previous night's party.

I must say that I'm a bit sad not to have taken part in it because they look pretty badass!


You may have recognized some of them from other music clips here and there... but this new one is my favorite by far!

 

Aouaneugaine Amistoufly

Yeah... That's the title of the song by Fishing With Guns, the video clip of which some of the Paris Rollergirls took part in a year ago.

In september, I had already published the teaser, which is short but worth being watched too, in that post.

Enjoy the fight!

Roller Derby explained by PRG

Most leagues have their own explanative video describing what roller derby *really* is. Now the Paris RollerGirls have one too thanks to the awesome job of our Media Committee.

The video is made of selected footages from bouts of the last season illustrated by a voice-over as sweet as professional explaining the basic rules of roller derby for neophytes. And on top of it you can enjoy the amazing soundtrack by Fishing With Guns and Akouphën!

WATCH THE VIDEO

on the Paris RollerGirls Website

2012 Visual Identity for the Paris RollerGirls

What better way for starting the year than unveiling the official shots of the PRG players? 30 girls, 30 personalities, 30 different stagings.

The displayed photos on the website are full length but there are complementary head shots for the rosters... be patient!

Enjoy the browsing HERE

All shots © Carole Dodeman

Let's not kick the habit of talking about ME, because this is my space and I say whatever I want in it! I chose to be represented reading a book about Janis* because she rocks, with my headphones around my neck because they just live there -- and for the record, with my mp3-player in my pants because my clothes were too tight and without pockets. I painted the logo of my band Akouphën on my shoulder because there's no reason why I can't proudly display my tattoos like everybody, and let kicked cones lying on the floor because I kind of broke my slalom-skating chains with success thanks to derby!

* A book that I strongly recommend by Jeanne-Martine Vacher entitled "Sur La Route de Janis"

Akouphën's 2nd album: "ΣLΣVΣN"

It's got (almost) nothing to do with derby, but I cannot just go on as if nothing had happened:

I'm glad to announce you that my band's second album is out today. That's the way it had to be: ΣLΣVΣN was meant to be released on the 11.11.11.

The title stands for lots of things, the most obvious being that we're in 2011 and that it's the 11th anniversary of the band.

At first Akouphën was a crew intermixing different artistic fields, but as time went by it focused on music. I joined the band in 2005, we made a good bunch of concerts and we issued our first album "Face.A" in 2007 with Ozore Age/Pias. A great first step which I was very proud of, although I was aware that our sound was still a bit young and needed to mature.

I left that very year because I had to move for skating reasons, and I dedicated the next couple of years to my Freestyle Skating career. I put an end to it in 2010 -- switching to derby, and going back to my second passion: music.

"Black Velvet, if you please..."

Words are missing in moments like these.

"After silence,

that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible

is music."

Aldous Huxley.

...In loving memory of Velvet Bagheera, 7.7

Who the fuck is gonna call me 'Evil Goblin' now?!