Blustery Busfest: The Premier Experience

Brooding skies

With the horrendous news footage of Hurricane Irma fresh in our minds and a pretty iffy UK forecast in prospect, I was feeling quite relieved that we had taken the decision to book into Malvern’s Premier Inn for the weekend of Busfest.  

After the school run on Friday, we headed over to Malvern to join Gaz.  Thankfully, we dodged any thunder and lightning.  I must have been really awful in a previous life.  I hate driving when there is lightning.  I duck every time there is a flash, just as though I am anticipating being struck down by a thunder bolt.  Not the best approach when in charge of a moving vehicle.

Makeshift Flag

Under any other circumstances, it’s hard not to relax, driving along the Worcester Road - the vantage point being the stunning peaks of the Malvern hills.  However, Busfest is the world’s biggest VW Transporter show and attracts visitors from all over the globe.  You usually hit the ground running, fueled by adrenaline, conversation and coffee, until it’s time to pack away and then the wave of tiredness hits...  

Fortunately for Gaz, Friday had been a slow and steady day for trade, as the masses were busy arriving on site and keen to set up before the weather turned moody.

I had a walk around and caught up with Anna (IseaSurf).  We talked screen printing, coastal living and sinus infections (hope you’re feeling better Anna!)  

Of course, I didn’t leave empty handed and purchased a pair of funky mermaid leggings (third from right).  That’s the beauty of the festival season.  Even if you forget your suitcase, you can always pull together an individual outfit for a reasonable price.  

We spent the evening catching up with friends, but this time, when the air temperature became distinctly autumnal, we headed off to our luxury hideaway – a trading estate in Malvern.  Doesn’t sound very glam does it?  But it was quiet and the beds really are as comfy as Lenny Henry says in the adverts. 

Malvern digs

So, somewhat refreshed and distinctly perkier that we might usually be early on a Saturday morning, we headed back to the showground for an exceptional day’s trading.  Our neighbours, Retro Classic Clothing, had kept an eye on our stand during our brief morning absence as we were en route to the site.  It also gave them chance to exact revenge on Gaz (more on that later) after he initiated what I can only describe as “Sticker Slap Guerilla Warfare.”  In short, Gaz was slowly but surely re-branding their stand as Voodoo Street by covering every available surface with our promotional stickers.

We met the hardcore VW festival-goers and regular Voodoo Street visitors (always a pleasure), but also, being Busfest, encountered people from all over the world.  One of my favourite moments was during an unintentional music-off with the stand opposite.  We had Joy Division’s Love Will Tear Us Apart blasting our of our BruteBox; the opposition something very different.  They cranked up their volume a little more than was necessary, much to the irritation of one German visitor, who was clearly enjoying our song choice.  He was moved to poke his head through our gazebo to announce, in heavily accented English: “I love ze Joy Division!” and like the scene out of Sparticus, prompted several other voices to echo his sentiment. 

The Invisible Man

Gaz also had a bizarre exchange with a Mexican, who promised him that when he returned to Mexico, “You and I will do good things with Voodoo Street.”

By Saturday evening, we were fit to drop.  Gaz doesn't sleep well at the best of times (I on the other hand am usually out as soon as my head hits the pillow).  A visit to our neighbours camping pitch (complete with inflatable sofas) and another quick catch up with friends and we were off to enjoy the spoils of our visit to Morrisons (wine, cheese, vintage cider, crisps, brownies) and sit back for a night of terrible Saturday night TV in our hotel room.  How rock and roll are we?  If I could have, I would have thrown the TV out of the window, but we were on the ground floor, and the windows don't open.

Sunday morning was slow to start, a lot of day visitors being put off by the weather.  Caleb and I bailed at around 2 pm, personally escorted off site by one of the stewards.  Gaz held the fort until closing time. 

After we’d caught up on online orders and enquiries, we were enjoying a couple of drinks, when, in the midst of a conversation about the weekend, Gaz spotted that Retro Classic Clothing had sticker slapped his trainers.  He was so dog tired, he only spotted their handywork after he’d paraded around our local supermarket in them.  You guys!!!

Next weekend it’s Vdubs in the Valley and we are praying to the sun gods that the weather improves.  I’m hoping that it’s not a bad omen that Gaz’s offer of a fresh, hot pasty to a homeless person today was met with: “I can’t eat steak and ale.”  Until next time!

Top Hat and Tales

It’s Halloween and despite the unseasonably mild and sunny scene that I’ve just witnessed, All Hallow’s Eve cannot pass without a Voodoo Street blog. 

Halloween 2016

It’s our favourite time of year but not particularly for the commercial trick or treat traditions inherited from our American cousins. 

Our weekend Halloween celebrations had a uniquely British flavour; a night time steam train journey into the darkness with moonlit fields as the vista…

There's something out there!!  View from the Severn Valley Steam Train of Arley Station

Pagan decorations…

Pumpkins and my familiar

...and feasting on a menu courtesy of the autumn harvest (think pumpkin soup and apple crumble).  Of course no Halloween would be complete without an open fire (never mind that it’s 17 degrees outside – lose some layers!) and a ghost story.  So, today seems as a good a time as any to share the story behind our logo – specifically the top hat.

Special Edition Sugar Skull version of our Logo Sticker online now

 In the 1950s my long departed grandfather was given an aged leather bound bible and a top hat by an acquaintance.  The items had originally been discovered in an old hearse the acquaintance – a wheeler-dealer – had acquired.  As a father of six (five of them boys), he was always looking for ways to keep his family entertained.

It seems impossible to believe, but long before the days of console games and iphones, kids could find entertainment in a dressing up prop and the top hat fitted the bill.

The hat was passed around but pretty soon was relegated to the back of a dusty cupboard.

The family lived in a terraced house in Wordsley, which was then a village bordered by fields.  

Photo of Wordsley, credit:  The Francis Frith Collection

1950s Wordsley.  Photo credit The Francis Frith Collection

Pretty soon after the top hat arrived, unexplained happenings occurred.  The passage of time and fading memories have resulted in only a few clear events now being recounted, but I have grown up with these stories and no matter which relative you speak to, the stories are consistent.

One spring day the family were outside in the back garden.  No one was inside the house.  One of the upstairs bedroom windows was open.  The weather conditions were calm.  Taking a break and sitting on a bench, something caught my grandmother’s eye.  A glass perfume bottle rose up, framed in mid air by the window and then appeared to be tossed outside, as though thrown by some invisible hand.  The ledge was a good few inches below the window.

On another occasion, on a clear moonlit night, one of my boys heard someone knocking on the back door.  His bedroom window had a clear view of back door entrance, but as no one was outside, he lay down again, only to hear footsteps walking away.  Again, peering out of the window, there was no one to be seen.

In the ensuing weeks, there were other incidents, unexplained, but unremarkable; bumps in the night, things going missing.  That is until one particular evening.  It was a Saturday night and the family were asleep.  Around 4 am, the family dog, a very clever Poodle called Mitzi, began to howl.  There was then a deafening crash, which raised the roof, the family and the hairs on the back of their necks.  Running down stairs, a scene of devastation greeted the family. 

Credit:  Occultopedia

The damage has been described as the result of someone…or something…sweeping their hand purposefully in one direction across the wall and the fireplace below.  All of the ornaments and pictures on the wall above the fireplace were smashed or swiped to the corner of the room.  The dog was distressed, but there was no sign of an intruder.  My Mom still vividly remembers the scene when she visited her then boyfriend (my Dad) early the next morning and recalls how shaken everyone was.

In the clear up operation, the hat was discovered in a cupboard and thrown out with other broken or unwanted items…not out of superstition, just as part of a general sort out, but, nevertheless, there ended the supernatural activity.  

My Dad is a complete sceptic and this has been a bone of contention between us over the years, as his logic didn’t always fit with my youthful enthusiasm for all things unexplained.  However, he stands by this story to this day.

So when finalising our Voodoo Street logo, aside from the Voodoo connotations associated with a top hat, this story was instrumental in our logo’s creative influences. 

Happy Halloween and sleep well!

Dungeons and Dragons

Why is it when we have a packed calendar, we get the fear and yet the prospect of free weekends seems exciting but also daunting?  With freedom of choice comes indecision.  How will we fill our time?  Where will we go?  Somehow, passing the time doing anything short of amazing feels like wasted time, when so many weekends have been accounted for. Panic sets in. 

I call it “the comedown.”  Regularly engaging with our supporters/friends galvanises the feeling that we are on the right track with Voodoo Street, but take away that dialogue; the festival vibes and suddenly we feel cut adrift.  Out of touch. 

Processing orders online is anonymous.  As grateful as we are for them, it’s just not the same as engaging with a friendly face. 

T-shirts are T-shirts at the end of the day, or so you might think, but once you have been privy to a man’s 20 minute deliberation about whether the large or extra large tee “hangs” better from his neck, you realise that:

a)      It’s a myth that women are a nightmare to shop with and;

b)      Buying a standard fit T-shirt is obviously a more exact science than either of us ever realised!

So whilst receiving an online clothing order still offers the usual thrill of having been chosen, it’s now also filled with the trepidation of sending it out there and wondering if the neck will be ok! 

Touch wood, we’ve never had any issues with clothing sold online and love it when people take time out to photograph their purchases and tag us in them.  It makes it worthwhile.  Here are a few recent ones.

Photo courtesy of official_jr_skating

Thank god for Instagram and Facebook!  Those who choose to interact with us on social media may not realise it, but they are like co-workers – our own little cyber office.  By day, we’re beavering away in our dungeon, at Voodoo Towers and this contact with the outside world gives us a buzz.  (There’s only so long you can spend chatting to the postman without coming off as creepy J)

Lee Foulkes in his Voodoo Street Urban Army Cap

At this point, we’ve sold one of our stickers to nearly every corner of the globe at some point and have encountered some pretty “out there” surnames.  However, on Friday night a particularly familiar name popped up on an order of stickers.  After a little Internet research, we discovered that it was indeed the son of a certain Cypriot born member of BBC’s Dragon’s Den.  Not necessarily worthy of champagne popping, but definitely a talking point.  Another swiftly followed this order, from one Martin Kemp, although we’re doubtful that it was Spandau Ballet’s bassist.

Photo Courtesy of Steve and Cat Bath

Vespa Love

So, back to our free weekend.  What did we do?  Well, after a week of stock taking, updating our online store, washing rain battered odds and sods and reconciling a mountain of receipts, we were kept busy with family birthday celebrations on Friday. Saturday’s torrential rain and consequent flooding also made us grateful that we weren’t standing in the middle of a field somewhere, although the enforced time indoors did result in the beginnings of a new little project for Voodoo Street.  We also spent a little time on a design that we periodically tinker with.  (Hopefully we’ll be able to share these new bits and pieces with you very soon). We rounded off Saturday with a curry and beers with friends.

Can you buy grey jelly?

In other news, our favourite time of year - Halloween - is fast approaching and already, ghoulish Chinese tat is creeping into our house.  So far, we have some tea light holders, a jelly mould in the shape of a brain and 2 pumpkins.  There will be more.  This year we seriously need to up our game on the pumpkin front.  Both of last year’s gourds were hurriedly carved on Halloween and in all honesty would probably have looked better if we had taken a machete to them blindfolded!

Incidentally, in an update to my last blog, we discovered this sign nailed to a tree in the woods.  Our familiar outlook of tall woodland pines at the end of our garden (a view we fell in love with when we first looked at the house, which looks like a location from a Stephen King novel) is clearly not going to be around for much longer.  It looks as though their days are numbered.  Very sad.

Today marks the fourth sunny day in a row, which makes it hard to focus when I have a day of admin ahead of me.  Warm as it is by day, the temperatures seem to be plummeting at night in these parts and as we all know, the drop in evening autumn temperature marks the arrival of my nemesis – the spider.  I can handle zombies, ghosts and anything else Halloween throws at me, but I find these creatures truly terrifying.  I’m not a fan of insects in general; anything bigger than an aphid increases my heart rate and not in a good way.  We have had some roasters in our house: unnaturally hairy, too many legs, muscles ffs!  Gaz has to carry out a night time “sweep” before I go upstairs.  Maybe I should consider hypnosis.

An accurate artist's impression of a typical spider found in our house with frightening regularity

Anyway, onwards and upwards!  Til next time!

The Power of Three

Vdubs in the Valley:  The Trilogy.  A title like that kind of builds expectations doesn’t it?  Well, despite an earlier weather warning, the usual last minute stress and sheer exhaustion that accompanies back-to-back shows, “The Trilogy” delivered in ways some of it’s more corporate competitors failed to.

Take the site for example.  Thirty-four acres of level camping in rolling English countryside made for some stunning sunset photographs on both Friday and Saturday night. 

I managed to have the luxury of a night off on Friday and still failed to pack the right clothes.  With the sun kicking out record-breaking temperatures, I opted to dress entirely in black all day on Saturday, which only served as a magnet to the heat.  (Whatever Gaz and Hayley’s super power is as far as influencing the weather’s concerned, I’d love to know, but next year, I’ll be sure to book any staycations when they do!)  I also hit the ground running.  I can only apologise for the lack of photographs and general chitchat on offer from us this year.  We were flat out!

 

Photo credit:  Richard Harper

Vdubs show tees and stickers were flying.  A particularly tasty burrito was raised to my lips and placed back down again so many times, I gave up on it and as Gaz will testify, I can turn when deprived of my food!  Even Dr Jones stayed sulking in the van for much of the day, as neither of us had time to help him to his rightful place on his Lancaster Bomber toilet seat.

With BruteBox as our neighbours for the weekend, music was abundant (and a fair few cheeky Amarettos from the bike bar).

Usually it’s me who splashes the cash at shows, indulging my love of vintage, but with our regular neighbours Kinky Melon otherwise engaged, this time around Gaz kitted the P6 out with new plates.  What do you think?  He also mooched off to view a scooter and very nearly bought a klaxon.

No identity crisis for the Rover P6!

We also had an early Christmas present from Brutebox – a life ring bearing our name and now piled on top of the Rover.  Trust me, with the rain we’ve experienced at some of this year’s shows, a life ring has the potential to be a very handy piece of kit.

Gaz and Hayley Aulton and their crew (too many to mention – you know who you are!) pulled off a blinder of a festival, with visitors travelling from as far afield as Scotland.  There were no toilet issues – always a blessing, quality catering, including Little Retro Kitchen and the Bayked Potato Bus), a chilled out daytime musical line-up and some vaguely familiar and very animated dancing ladies kicking up a storm in their twilight years (thanks for the turban hat Charlie!)

There are no words.

  

Our downtime was spent chilling with friends, shooting the breeze over a few drinks and harvesting firewood with the generous assistance of Baz’s chopper!

Sunsets, sunrises (OK I didn’t witness the latter), sales and stupendous memories – that was 2016’s Vdubs in the Valley.

Run to the Hills

After a summer of thrills and spills, this week marked the come down.  A new school year, Monday blues, a frenzied and sustained house cleaning session, the filling of endless charity shop bags (again - where does it all come from?!), stock taking, admin and late night random cat rescue operations.  It was ugly. 

Relief came via a friend’s phone call, although even this was only temporary, as he happened to ask about plans for the weekend.  Only Busfest, the biggest international VW show on the calendar! 

Photo credit:  Simon Holloway

Obviously it’s been on the cards for months now, but I realised I had failed to rise to my own challenge, namely how to best display a batch of logo scarves we produced earlier this year.

Logo Cotton Squares - voodoostreet.com - £7.00

The design and quality are bang on, it’s just finding a way of presenting them at shows and festivals without making them look....well, flaccid.  I have all but given up hope of designing the perfect scarf prop, but our mate Vicky reminded me of a book I had gifted to someone, “50 Ways To Wear a Scarf.”  So now, I have set myself a new and totally unrealistic challenge – a demonstration of various ways to creatively don a 45 x 45 cm square of cotton.  Spoiler alert:  I won’t make it to 50.

First up – The Messy Bun!

Our recent visit to Camper Calling saw me hijack regular customer Gemma Nisbet when I noticed her wearing one of our scarves tied around her up do.  I felt unable to go in for the real close up.  No one wants that.  Ever.  Especially on a Sunday morning after one hell of a Saturday night!  Therefore, I have replicated the look for your viewing pleasure and vow to you that I will attempt to photograph a number of alternative looks during the coming weeks, for men, women, animals and vegetables.

So, as I mentioned, we’re running to the hills this weekend – Malvern to be precise.  We’re stocked to our tired and bloodshot eyeballs with fresh supplies.  Our urban army caps have proved such a hit, we’ve rolled out our understated label-only formula to some herringbone weave flat caps.

  

Vintage Style Flat Cap - £9.99 Voodoostreet.com

In terms of stickers, we’re embracing the Busfest zombie theme. Our new Zombie Camping Permit stickers will be available (alongside previous zombie inspired designs) with a cool little Union Jack tax disc holder for you to stick to your windscreens!  Plus we now have stickers for pretty much any type of VW bus.  Come and find us in A06!

I’m also strangely excited to see Dr and the Medics...although I doubt I'll manage to pull off a repeat performance of ABC’s Camper Calling set and secure a song dedication from the lead singer.

So, hopefully we'll see some of you at Busfest.  It’s not every day you get to sign off a blog this way, but catch you soon, assuming my grey matter hasn’t been sucked out through a straw by the living dead!

Crazy Cats

This week has been pretty cat-heavy.

Still in mourning for our dear departed Mowzer, I’ve been attempting to form a relationship with his look-a-like mate, who appeared like a ghostly apparition at our back door within days of Mowzer’s passing.

He’s pretty timid.  Even after 3 months of hard work, Michelin Star quality cat food and my own special human-to-cat eye blinking communication method, I’m lucky if he’ll touch my fingers with the tip of his nose.  However, a new cat on the block seems to be empowering him.  A voluptuous ginger queen is his new food rival.  I caught this snap of the two of them on our patio a couple of days ago and it’s clear that our little friend is going to have to man up if he stands any chance of competing for the daily Voodoo Street catch. 

The very fact that I took the time to photograph two neighbourhood cats is also giving Gaz concern that I am morphing into The Simpsons' Crazy Cat Lady!

Meanwhile, Gaz has been on a voyage of discovery locally.  We often head over the border into Shropshire in our free time, avoiding the West Midlands connurbation...and yet, our locality just got a whole lot more interesting after he discovered a new Tea Rooms fusing Vintage and Steampunk themes and the Black Country's answer to the Old Curiosity Shop - an endless rabbit warren of rooms housing everything from G-Plan furniture to vintage record players.  

Feeling inspired, we realised we’ve been neglecting our steam punk influences of late and so yesterday, we decided to re-visit some old ideas, languishing in cyber space. 

The results of our efforts are 2 new Steampunk inspired stickers, one bearing a Steampunk version of our logo...

...and the other a cathartic release of my cat obsession. 

 Note his Steampunk monocle and glassy eyes.  It’s worth noting that the cat’s eyes were inspired by a batch of prosthetic eyes acquired by our friend Yvette of Creative Curiosities, which she has since mounted in the clutches of crow claws. 

 This has haunted my dreams for some time now!

Yvette knows that we're big fans of her work (Dr Jones, our illustrated mannequin, is testament to that and she and I have a shared appreciation of taxidermy), so she won’t mind me saying that.  But clearly, I owe her a thank you.  They obviously penetrated my psyche!  Now it’s your turn.

Sleep well!

March-ing On!

Not sure whether you spotted us in the local press.  The Stourbridge News, obviously stumped for exciting news, featured us in last week's issue.  Inkeeping with Voodoo Street's underground image, we argued the case for donning masks (Point Break style), but sadly, the photographer insisted we reveal our identities to the folk of Stourbridge.  We guess it could've been worse.  The sun shone brightly that day for the first time in what seemed like months and we found a pretty cool graffiti backdrop!  

The photo which made it into the story was taken in front of the darker part of the graffiti, featuring a Slash-from-Guns 'n' Roses-style character, due to the intense sunlight bouncing off the wall and blinding the photographer.  But we managed to take this pic in front of the more vibrant part, which we think does justice to our new Vibe tee.  What do you think?  

As a result of the article, we've picked up some positive reviews of our new design and more new followers from the Dudley area, so it's all good!

Now Spring has sprung, we've launched our new 5 panel snapbacks in black and navy.  We decided to buck the trend of shouting from the rafters branding and have instead opted for a cool, more understated look.  

We're also continuing to develop new sticker designs, so any BMXers, skaters, car pimpers or stickerbombers, check out the website.  Our stickers now have their own category, to make the website more user-friendly.

We've also altered the category layout, so as well as having all the products available to view at one time, if you're specifically looking for men's tees, just click on "Men's" etc. etc.  This should hopefully save you all some time.

In other news, we're pretty excited to have got hold of tickets to see the BMX Supercross World Cup in Manchester next month. Anyone else going?  Look out for us and come say hi!

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6.02 pm

Anyone been watching Inside No. 9?  Each week there's a new darkly comic story.  Tonight's the final episode and, judging by this promo poster, the producers have drawn upon the same influences as we did for our Vintage "Haunting of Voodoo Street" women's hoodies!