anika in london

Baby Or Papaya?
A film by Anika Mottershaw

SYNOPSIS:

What do you see when you look at a child? Innocence? Youth? The future? In this short film, we are confronted with the dwindling sanity of the main character who gives birth only to be in a state of delusion about whether or not she has given birth to a baby or to a papaya. The oft asked and rarely answered question of whether or not the human soul is actually a papaya is explored with new vigor through an inventive use of a meandering timeline and circuitous narrative.
- Brittney Bean

2011.
Thanks Rosa.

Made this documentary. It’s about ‘Disappointment’ -

I really like this website.

Lots of cool/creepy/weird illustrations.

Arbus, it’s prime time for you.

Book SHOP

Lovely Stephen at Rough Trade has put my books on display on the book counter in Rough Trade, so you can pick it up there if you’re in the ‘hood. Otherwise you can buy it exclusively online hither.

Happy Record Store Day! I took photos and hung out with my lovely friends and saw some bands and had a lovely day. I’ll post my photos up soon.

With my book comes a mix CD. Sorry to keep harping on about the book, but the tracks on the mix CD are pretty slammin’, so I wanted to write about them! I asked a bunch of my friends’ and people I admire’s bands if I could include their songs and they all said yes.

1. She Keeps Bees – Ribbon (Buy) (Listen)
Appears on ‘Nests’ [Names Records]

I love this song. I had to put it first on the CD because it’s the opening track on ‘Nests’. I’ve seen She Keeps Bees play nearly 20 times now and this song still puts a giant ear to ear grin on my face every time they play it. Also, I love Jess and Andy; they are great people.

2. The Antlers – Sylvia (An Introduction) (Download)
Appears on ‘New York Hospitals EP’

The comics in the book are mostly from 2009. I saw The Antlers play a lot that year. They are lovely guys and it made me really happy Peter let me include this track on the mix CD; it’s one of my favourite songs of theirs and the perfect prelude to the ‘Hospice’ album.

3. Parenthetical Girls – The Weight She Fell Under (Buy)
Appears on ‘Safe As Houses’.

I love this song and the way it conjures up such strong mental images. Parenthetical Girls are such a great live band; their live show is excellent. I caught them at the Luminaire last year and it was such a brilliant show, and I was thrilled they played this song.

4. Darwin Deez – Bomb Song (Buy)
Appears on ‘Darwin Deez’ [Lucky Number Music]

I love Darwin, his band and his label. It feels likes yonks ago I first met them all. Since then Darwin’s gone on to become a real popstar. He is brilliant through and through and it always makes me happy to see him and the band look so happy when they play live. The audiences are always so into it and it’s fantastic. What made me ask if I could used this song for the mix, was the way I remember hearing it live for the first time. The first time the band were here Michelle was playing the bass and I just loved the way her backing vocals sounded on the song, and the way her voice fitted so well with Darwin’s.

5. Sea of Bees – Wizbot (Buy) (Listen)
Appears on ‘Songs For The Ravens’ [Heavenly Recordings/Crossbill]

Jules is a wonder. She is amazing and I am so glad to have met her. All the songs on the album are brilliant and this is just one of them. It makes me super happy to include one of Jules’ songs on this CD. I love the harmonies in this song when she sings it live with Amber. I miss them!

6. Creaky Boards – Brooklyn (Buy) (Listen)
Appears on ‘Brooklyn Is Love’

Andrew is awesome. I love this song and the album. He writes such great pop songs. The music video for the song is pretty brilliant too; I love dancing in music videos. I didn’t expect to get to meet or see Andrew over here, but I was pretty amazed to bump into him on his first day in London with Darwin! He’s so great playing in Darwin’s band and it’s been a joy to watch him perform so many times in the Deez band now.

7. Dark Dark Dark – Celebrate (Buy) (Listen)
Appears on ‘Wild Go’ [Supply and Demand Music/Melodic Records]

Ah I love this song so much! I don’t know the band at all but I just think it’s such a brilliant song on such a brilliant album that I had to ask to include it, so it made me super happy when their manager Tom and label Melodic said yes. If you’ve not heard the album it’s one to pick up, and they’re a band to be seen live.

8. Woodpigeon – Home As A Romanticized Concept… (Buy)
Appears on ‘Songbook’ [End of the Road Records]

Awwww. I met Mark at the Slaughtered Lamb in 2008, before I had any friends yet. I had just moved to London a month or so before. I was sitting on the couch drawing comics by myself and he came and sat next to me and started chatting. He’s a super nice guy and has been really kind and supportive of me since I met him; he’s a great person. This is one of my favourite albums from the first Woodpigeon album I ever got.

9. Common Prayer – Us Vs Them (Buy)
Appears on ‘There Is A Mountain’ [Big Potato Records]

Jason and Alex are awesome. This song is so great! The band were here last summer and I got to see them play. They are sweet people and this song is brilliant live so I was really happy they let me include it.

10. Cryptacize – Blue Tears (Buy) (Listen)
Appears on ‘Mythomania’ [Asthmatic Kitty]

I love this song! I love Cryptacize! I saw them three times in 2009 and fell in love with that album. I dorkily told Chris and Nedelle how brilliant I thought they were after their set at Pure Groove, and Nedelle did a little email interview for my blog last year. Cryptacize aren’t really a band anymore, Chris and Nedelle have solo projects they’re working on. I didn’t hold out too much hope that I’d get to include it. I asked Nedelle and didn’t hear back for a while. Then I got a sweet mail saying she just got back from tour with Sufjan in Australia and yes I could include the song. So happy. Great song.

11. Tasseomancy – Healthy Hands (Listen)
Appears on forthcoming album ‘In A Glass, Darkly’ [Turf]

I am a bit biased here, but Tasseomancy are something special. I first saw Sari and Romy play over two years ago now and I think they’re brilliant. This song is from their new album coming out later this year. Watch out for that…

12. Scary Mansion – Go To Hell (Buy) (Listen)
Appears on ‘Every Joke Is Half The Truth’ [Talitres]

Scary Mansion! I love Leah’s voice. This was my first favourite song of hers. Scary Mansion are in the comics a couple of times. The first time is when I went to Paris to see the band play, and then they’re in the book later again when they’re here in London. Such a great live band. I would love so much to see them play again.

13. Wildbirds & Peacedrums – My Heart (Buy) (Listen)
Appears on ‘The Snake’ [Leaf Label]

This song had to go on the mix. I asked Ben at Leaf to see if Mariam and Andreas would let me include ‘My Heart’ on the CD. It was probably the song I listened to most in 2009, and is one of my favourite live songs ever. That album was such a big part of my year in the time I was drawing the book. Mariam and Andreas said yes and it’s the perfect song to end the CD. It’s at the end of ‘The Snake’ and they’d often end their sets with this. It is perfect.

If you buy the book I hope you listen to the CD and I hope you dig the music.

NME wrote about my book this week:

Thank you to Emily and Laura.

This has been a strange week. The book is out next week. I can’t even begin to write about how grateful I am to all my nice friends who said kind or sweet things. People like Emily and Laura.

I am a bit bad at accepting compliments so I tend to pick at my hand or stare at my shoe and get all bashful and awkward and change the subject. But really it is nice. Thank you.

For people not in London, you can pre-order my book on Rough Trade’s website. Otherwise you can get it in London at Strongrooms next week first, at the booklaunch with the lovely Peggy Sue and Laura Hocking and my pals Dalabella’s cupcakes and Lynn’s tiffins. Love all those people.

Here is what Rough Trade said in their blurb. It is jolly nice and makes me sound cooler than I actually am.

signed copies with free cd compiled by the author featuring darwin deez she keeps bees, cryptacize and more. anika mottershaw has gathered a strong following in the blog-o-sphere and here she forays into the physical realm. her blog turned website features anika’s adventures in the pits of london’s music scenes with the occasional trip abroad, all partnered by her photography. the massively talented mottershaw has now compiled a beautiful book of her autobiographical comic strips and surreal drawings. inspired by pop culture and shot through with a charming naivete, ‘anika in london’ offers a fresh view of the things us music lovers take for granted and a slightly slanted perspective on the things we don’t. stylistically there’s a hint of david shrigley in the one-off pieces, while the comic strips offer a lovely blend of magic realism mixed with down-to-earth indie enthusiasm.

Hi guys!

I have had a book of my comics and drawings published by the lovely Something In Construction (the record label that brings you Memory Tapes, Loney Dear and Air France).

It is titled, surprisingly, Anika In London and is a selection of comics and drawings from my first two years in London; 2008-2010.

We are holding a book launch at Strongrooms on April 12th from 7pm. There will be free cakes and drinks, live music and DJs.

My wonderful friends Peggy Sue and Laura Hocking will play sets, and my longtime pals TLOBF and Wears The Trousers are DJing. And my cakey friends Dalabella are making cake. It is free to come and you can RSVP here if you fancy.

The book will be available to buy at the launch and online after. There are 200 available to purchase. It also comes with a mix CD featuring some pals of mine. This is the tracklist:

1. She Keeps Bees – Ribbon
2. The Antlers – Sylvia (An Introduction)
3. Parenthetical Girls – The Weight She Fell Under
4. Darwin Deez – Bomb Song
5. Sea of Bees – Wizbot
6. Creaky Boards – Brooklyn
7. Dark Dark Dark – Celebrate
8. Wood Pigeon – Home As A Romanticized Concept
9. Common Prayer – Us Vs Them
10. Cryptacize – Blue Tears
11. Tasseomancy – Healthy Hands
12. Scary Mansion – Go To Hell
13. Wildbirds & Peacedrums – My Heart

Here is a picture I took of my copies on my (post SXSW apocalyptically messy) floor:

Any questions about it just drop me a line. Thanks for your interest!

Love, Anika.