So why write a fanzine? Why put myself through all the hours of work, not to mention the expense?  Well, after writing for a few other fanzines in the past, a friend of mine suggested I start my own. From that moment on, Vagabond Hearts was conceived.

I have always had a deap seated love of the goth, glam and punk scenes . For me, this goes way further than just musical appreciation - I love the whole concept - the image, the attitude, the lifestyle, the whole deal. I have always enjoyed writing and can think of no better way to promote the type of music I love.

Camera-shy - Me caught unawares at a
Quireboys backstage party

Two vagabonds together -Tyla and I enjoying a drink or several

So what band do I class as my favourite then? That's easy - The Dogs D'Amour without a doubt. In fact, I love the whole London, Hollywood & New York sleaze/punk scenes full stop.   Other bands I like are too numerous to mention but include (in no particular order) Faster Pussycat, Star Star, Quireboys, Crybabys, Soho Roses, Hanoi Rocks, Wildhearts, Vain, LA Guns, Last Of The Teenage Idols, Mötley Crüe, Last Great Dreamers, Lords Of The New Church, Gary Holton/Casino Steele, Sex Pistols, The Throbs, Space Age Playboys, Backyard Babies, The Damned, Pretty Boy Floyd, Kill City Dragons, Rachel Stamp, Endorfiends/Cookoo Jives, T-Rex, Rolling Stones, Nirvana, Aerosmith, Alice In Chains, Henry Rollins - I'll never be the stereotypical Rollins band fan but Henry just rocks :o) and so on - but you get the picture right?

Gothwise, the ones that spring to mind are The Mission, Bauhaus, Children On Stun, Dream Disciples, Nekromantik, Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Sisters Of Mercy, London After Midnight, Rosetta Stone, The Last Dance, The Newlydeads, Switchblade Symphony, Orgy, All About Eve, Nine Inch Nails and Apoptygma Berzerk.

On a more personal note, some of the people I admire most are the ones who aren't afraid to be different - individuality can only be a good thing.  As Johnny Thunders once said, "Rock n' roll is simply an attitude, you don't have to play the greatest guitar".  People such as Marc Bolan, Kurt Cobain, Stiv Bators, John Lydon, Sid Vicious,  Lemmy, Ozzy, David Bowie and Boy George  had the right idea ... sadly some of these talented souls are no longer around to prove it but they will always have my respect. I'm also partial to Gary Oldman, Ewan McGregor and Steve Buscemi who are all hugely talented actors - Ewan makes good eyefood too!

Spider helps me celebrate my birthday - we are both a little worse for wear in this photograph!

Rock n' Roll Junkies - a fluffy moment with
Riley Baxter - a fantastic tattoo artist, great
bassist and very funny guy!  A top bloke all
round!

So who and what is important to me? My family and friends must be top of this list. People who have stuck by me through thick and thin - that support will always be special. 

I have absolutely no time for two-faced, backstabbing, jealous people who are wrapped up in their own self-importance.  Unfortunately, there are too many of these time-wasting types around.  Another pet hate is the 'blue and beige brigade' - trendy shirts who insist on wearing beige trousers with blue shirts and vice-versa.  This seems to be the universal uniform adopted by narrow-minded prats. 

Briefly, other things that I like, some of which help to make up the ball of trouble that's me, include glitter, faux fur (especially leopardskin & zebra), PVC, rubber, lace, feathers, anything sparkly n' silver, killer platforms, chunky boots, sporty cars, candles, flowers, loud music, thunderstorms, sunsets etc.  One of the things that both keeps me sane AND drives me mad is my little dog, Sally!  She can always be relied upon to cause chaos where there's calm ... a bit like me!

Sally - my own dog d'amour!

Chillin' out in the Rainbow Bar & Grill

Do I have any faults?  Of course I have - this is the real world!  My indecisiveness gets on everybody's nerves (and my own), I'm not a tidy-freak and am always late!  I try not to be, it just happens ...  *blush* 

Anyway - enough of the bad bits!  I also have a warped sense of humour, a fun-lovin' sense of adventure and love to travel.  Every year, I try to make a pilgrimage to my own personal Mecca, Hollywood in the States.  Yeah, it's scuzzy, yeah it's sleazy, yeah I ADORE the place!

Back in Blighty, I can regularly be found out and about in Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, London, Nottingham, York and Manchester. When I'm in 'the smoke' (which I often am), you can usually find me in The Devonshire Arms at Camden (which is quite possibly one of the coolest watering holes in London) or Soho's Intrepid Fox, before stumbling round the corner to Decadence - the best glam club I've been to in a very long time! Some of the other clubs I like to frequent include Slimelight, The Wendyhouse, The Rig, Dissolution and Manchester Rockworld.  It all depends on what mood I'm in - glam, goth, punk or whether I have my 'rock chick' head on!

Down n' out in the Intrepid Fox!!

A sleepy-goth mood!

I'm also a bit of an 80s music lover too, especially the new romantic movement - growing up worshipping Adam Ant, Boy George, Soft Cell, Visage, Duran Duran, Human League, Depeche Mode, Strawberry Switchblade, Japan and Sigue Sigue Sputnik is hard, if not impossible, to shake off - even over fifteen years later!!  And lets face it, the worst of the 80s was a lot better than a majority of the 90s 'hits'.

If anybody knows of any cool 80s clubnights which concentrate mainly on the period '81-'86 (when the music was best!),

me and let me know!  Help my research!   Three of the best ones I've come across up to now are:

1: Laughton's Nightclub, Whitby (during bi-annual goth weekends only)
2. Sanctuary, The Rig, Nottingham (Thursday monthly)
3. The Leadmill, Sheffield (Wednesday weekly)

Right then, you lot can all stop noseying around now and get back to reading about Vagabond Hearts!  Order a copy ... y'know you want to!