we had a surprise concert right outside our office today at noon – and guess who it was? twin shadow, who’s song you may remember from our january catalog video :) not too shabby for a tuesday at work!
thanks twin shadow!
tunesday: twin shadow
bonnaroo photo diary
somethin’ filled up
my heart with nothin’,
someone told me not to cry.
but now that I’m older,
my heart’s colder,
and i can see that it’s a lie.
children wake up,
hold your mistake up,
before they turn the summer into dust.
if the children don’t grow up,
our bodies get bigger but our hearts get torn up.
we’re just a million little god’s causin’ rain storms turnin’ every good thing to rust.
i guess we’ll just have to adjust.
with my lighnin’ bolts a glowin’
i can see where I am goin.’
– arcade fire
Nicole Vaughn
I actually first heard about Nicole Vaughn when Jolyn, a reader, commented on one of my music posts about her. I went to her website to take a listen and I loved what I heard. A peaceful voice, relatable lyrics, and emotionally charged melodies are what make up her tracks. It just so happens that the singer/songwriter is also a huge Free People fan! She sent in an FPme photo that we recently posted on the blog (she’s the third one down). It’s hard to believe she’s not already a huge sensation. Nicole is one of the music scene’s best kept secrets that needs to be let out of the bag.
Nicole gladly answered a few questions for you all to get to know her better. She’s also made her song, “Stuck on You,” available for free download to you all! (Thank you, Nicole!) Read up on our interview with the inspirational woman and take a listen to her music!
Where were you when you wrote your first song?
I wrote my first official song on guitar at 13, I was sitting on the floor of my room with my guitar and a notebook of some poetry (not very good poetry), and sort of just started to put the pieces together.
What is your favorite song off of your most recent album, “Say It,” and why?
I think that my favorite song off of album would be “Everything We’ve Built” or the title track itself, “Say it”. These are the most personal and soul-bearing songs on the album and are extremely raw and honest in their story-telling and how I felt about the subject matter.
What is your picture of success?
Success to me would be to continue creating quality music and lyrics that I’m excited about and playing and collaborating with talented musicians that I admire. If I get some fans and make people smile, feel, connect, or dance along the way, I am happy. I’d also like to open for Wilco or Mason Jennings one day, but that might be pushing it ;)
What’s the last album you bought? What else is on your iPod right now?
I recently bought Paul Simons greatest hits, Dawes’ new album, and Barrett Johnson’s album “In Case I went Missing”. Some of my iPod go-to’s are: Mason Jennings, Neko Case, Cass McCombs, Alexander, Rolling Stones, Lissie, Muddy Waters, Bon Iver, Emmylou Harris, Loretta Lynn, Arcade Fire, Patsy Cline, Wilco, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Randy Newman, Sharon Van Etten…just to name a few! I love it all.
What is your signature look?
I’m not even sure, I think I’d have to ask someone else, hah! I just wear what I like and I’m comfortable in. Fancy stuff when I’m on stage, but lately off stage I’ve been really casual. I just like jeans, plain T, some turquoise or native american jewelry, and some boots. I like simplicity more and more these days.
What sort of hobbies do you have besides your music?
I love reading a good book, surfing, camping, going to shows, road-trips, hiking, running, rock-climbing, spending time with my pups, anything adventurous and spontaneous. I like to keep life interesting and unpredictable.
What is your favorite book?
East of Eden by John Steinbeck. I’m a big fan of Steinbeck.
One thing you cannot live without is?
Guitar. Or my wonderful mom. Or my dogs. I mean that’s a pretty tough question. haha
What does Free mean to you?
Free means having a free state of mind, not being confined by status quos or trends-free of influence, loving what you love just because YOU love it! Doing what you want, because it’s what YOU want to do.
Listen to the rest of Nicole’s Music Here
bonnaroo bag!
in just two days i’ll be in the car on my way down to tennessee for bonnaroo! it is my favorite festival and i’ve gone several times but i have a feeling this year will be my last. it is the festival’s tenth anniversary and they are going back to their roots, bringing in lots of jam bands and bonnaroo staples. i am particularly excited for my morning jacket, buffalo springfield, dr. john & the meters, superjam ft. dr, john and dan auerbach, widespread panic and arcade fire…but there are so many amazing bands playing! i am camping and won’t have access to a computer while i’m there but i’ll take tons of pictures to share with you when i get back :)
bonnaroo style is very laid back…it’s all about staying comfortable while getting hot, sweaty and dirty! simple, versatile items are key. here’s a look at my ideal bag for bonnaroo!
from right: harley’s tie dye tee; summer love tank; faded flag scarf (can be used as a blanket or worn as a skirt!); birkenstocks; fp one plaid crop top; turquoise warrior necklace; cutoff denim shorts; sienna boot; boa sunglasses; silvie belt bag (can be worn as a crossbody or a belt!); motion stone rings; chevron leather bracelet; cala bead bracelet. and of course, good vibes!
anyone else heading to roo? see you there!
tunesday
time for another edition of “what are you listening to?”! this is my favorite way to get ideas on new music and good albums :)
vintage buyer
listening to: phish, getting ready for the show in bethel this weekend!
&
admiring the village people’s “macho man” album cover :)
last purchase: godspell, at the punk rock flea market!
(i had to include a photo of her awesome jacket)
assistant merchandiser
listening to: mumford and sons pandora station
(and rocking the nightcap lace bellbottoms!)
vintage intern
listening to: anything from “glee”!
last purchase: adele
senior web merchandiser
listening to: “i can’t stop listening to bob seger’s ‘night moves’! it’s the perfect summer song- and CSNY.”
last purchase: a van morrison live double album on vinyl
campaign specialist
listening to: wiz khalifa, “black and yellow”
store ops intern
last purchase: mumford and sons, “sigh no more”
left: visual merchandising coordinator
listening to/last purchase: thao & mirah, they just released an album and are playing in philly soon!
right: visual merchandising assistant
listening to: foster the people and langhorne slim
your turn readers! what are you listening to?? i need some new music :)
tunesday
inspired by an idea from our office coordinator, for today’s tunesday i decided to ask some people around the office what they’re listening to right now and what the last album they purchased was. it was so fun to see what different tastes in music everyone has!
office coordinator (left)
listening to: foster the people
last purchase: tv on the radio’s new album
senior graphic designer (right)
listening to: crosby, stills, nash and young
last purchase: kurt vile, “smoke ring for my halo”
interactive web director
listening to: dan black’s “symphonies”
last purchase: the “yes man” soundtrack, because of zoey deschanel!
graphic designer
listening to: kate bush
last purchase: jonny corndawg, “down on the bikini line”
senior designer, knits & beach (left)
listening to: guns n’ roses
last purchase: michael jackson’s greatest hits
knits designer (right)
listening to: girl talk
last purchase: “a whole new world” and other various songs from disney movies!
graphic design assistant
listening to/last purchase: thao & mirah
martha, model (left)
current favorite: my friend’s band “zambri”!
stylist (center)
last purchase: lcd soundsystem, “sound of silver”
stylist (right)
last purchase: the love language, “libraries”
all three listening to: yeasayer (what was on in the photo studio!)
tunesday
one of the things that i admire and respect most about musicians, is the fact that they are able to not only write music that is often intensely personal, but they perform it, on stage, in front of crowds – sometimes alone. that thought terrifies me… but it’s also incredibly inspiring. geron hoy, today’s featured artist, is not only a talented singer/songwriter but i happen to know him personally and he’s one of the most humble, thoughtful and hilarious people i’ve ever met. he inspires me because he is accomplishing his dream of putting out an album and because of the passion he shows for his music both on and off the stage. it definitely comes across when he performs, leaving you with the feeling that you just witnessed something very special. his debut album came out today on itunes and i have been listening to it all morning – his thoughtful lyrics and skillful guitar playing seem to have a wisdom beyond his years. oh and he also plays the harmonica – my weakness!
read on for an interview with geron to get a better idea of what he’s all about, and as you read, listen to the first single from his album, “lady crow.” it’s addicting!
when did you write your first song, and what was it called?
oh man… a pretty wretched little ditty called ‘near to you.’ god, it was awful. i knew three chords and i took a complete shot in the dark just to see what would happen. but some of the friends i had back then would sing along to it and ask me to play it. that was enough to get me to write another.
if your music was a place, where would it be?
there’s an image on the back of a record i have. i think it’s james taylor but i can’t be sure. i’d go look, but all my records are in a storage unit in texas. but it’s of these musicians jamming in a dingy room with a wooden floor, an old beat-up piano with a glass of whiskey on it, speakers hanging from the ceiling, the sunlight battling through the cigarette smoke. it just looks like the perfect environment. where i’d want to spend every day. and i remember pointing the photo out to friends and saying, ‘why cant we be there, right now?’
why did you decide to name your album “soldier”?
there’s a track on the album called ‘soldier.’ i recorded that song with my friends about four years ago in new york before i had a label, and it’s the song that got me signed because one of the owners of the label fell in love with it. the song itself is about fighting with everything you’ve got for something when you have no control over the end result.
is there a certain song you’re most proud of?
they’re all my babies and i constantly tell them to keep cool…
you’ve lived in a bunch of different places, is there one that has had the most influence on you personally and/or musically?
i went to new york when i was eighteen. that was my songwriting school. i probably wrote at least a hundred songs in the five years i was there. and kept fifteen of them. there was so much inspiration… living in the city was like being on cruise control at 300 mph.
what’s your favorite venue you’ve ever played in? and is there a particular venue you dream of playing in one day?
if i played at the beacon theater in new york i’d die a happy man. and my favorite place so far i think would be this small bar in the upper west side in new york where i used to play every thursday with some of my closest friends. it was in a basement surrounded by stone walls. we’d drink and play all night and the audience always asked for more. it was a great time.
if you could jam with any musician, dead or alive, who would you pick?
well, i automatically start sifting through all my heroes and i’m incredibly intimidated and awestruck by all of them. so i’m not quite sure who i would pick. townes van zandt? but what about neil young?? but what about mozart??!!! would i have to wear a puffy shirt?? i’d be down…
if your life was a movie what would the theme song be?
“changes” or “ziggy stardust”?, “space oddity”? pretty much anything by david bowie.
if you had a time machine where would you go?
2015 so i could ride a hover board with michael j. only four more years! i can’t wait for the self-drying jacket!!!
if you were deserted on an island what three things would you want with you?
a fire-breathing dragon, a saddle, and wilson.
tell me something most people don’t know about you.
i own a fire-breathing dragon named wilson.
the album, soldier, is available now on itunes – get it here!
and check him out on facebook or his website!
thank you so much geron!
fp fashion at coachella!
even though we didn’t get to go to coachella this year, we were still there in spirit, and in the form of these lovely ladies rocking free people at the festival!
i am in love with this look! our eyelet crop top looks amazing with a printed skirt, and bare feet are a bonus :)
left – our runaway lace kaftan is perfect for the beach or festivals; right – head to toe fp in the directions in lace maxi skirt and fp-1 bralette from our holiday book.
lovely lace! the dress on the left is a january item that’s currently unavailable but we will be getting more in june! the maxi on the right is a may catalog item – it has arrived in some of our stores and should be online soon :)
cute skirts and dresses look awesome paired with converse kicks.
this is one of my fave fp tops ever – i wore it all last summer! love how it looks with the polka dot shorts.
images via harper’s bazaar, refinery 29 and elle.
tunesday: stevie nicks
i feel like i’ve been hearing a lot about stevie nicks lately… maybe its because she’s touring right now so she’s at the forefront of people’s minds. even my boyfriend has a crush on her- which is totally fine, she’s amazing (the first concert he ever went to was fleetwood mac, isn’t that cute?). one of my friends posted this video on facebook today and watching it, i’ve got a bit of a crush on her too. so, since we could all use a little stevie every once in a while, here’s that video and some of my fave quotes and pics of her. she will always be one of those inspirations that never, ever goes out of style.
“She is like a cat in the dark
And then she is the darkness”
“Like a heartbeat drives you mad
In the stillness of remembering
What you had
And what you lost…”
“And it all comes down to you
Well you know that it does, well…
Lightning strikes…maybe once…maybe twice…
Oh and it lights up the night
And you see your gypsy”
“She broke down and let me in
Made me see where I’ve been
Been down one time
Been down two times
I’m never going back again”
“rock on, gold dust woman”
a bag for coachella
who’s going to coachella this weekend?! unfortunately we aren’t going this year but that doesn’t mean we can’t get in the mindset… here’s a look at what i would bring if i were heading to coachella…
i drew most of my inspiration from the two outfits pictured above. the outfit at far right is PERFECT- our little plaid cropped bralettes can be worn on their own, over a tank, or under some cute overalls like the puddle jumper romper! add the romana fest sandal and gorgeous rio brillante bag to complete the look. then the next day, wear it with some bright blue cutoff shorts and the embroidered mesh crop top like sasha pivovarova from our april catalog :)
packing lightly and being able to mix and match is key for music festivals – the sophia bikini top would look great with the overalls or just with the cutoffs as well! i would also bring a scarf to either sit on or cover up my hair, which would surely be a mess after dancing in the hot sun all day and into the night. the feather straw fedora and sunglasses would also be in my bag to keep the california sun out of my eyes. and in addition to the sandals i’d bring along some comfy kicks like the muddy waters sneakers.
when i’m at a festival, sometimes i don’t want to worry about carrying a bag so the artists and revolutionaries fanny pack would be ideal, and would hold my small journal and some sunblock. and i’m loving these candy-colored shades of nail polish by chanel! finally, i’m obsessed with the bag charms by the 2 bandits and the cute saba feather clips (on the straw hat and in sasha’s hair above)! clip ’em to your bag, hat, belt loop or right into your hair! the perfect festival accessory.
those are my picks, click here to go to our festival shop for more inspiration :)
another fun event – tomorrow at fp topanga!
C O A C H E L L A fashion show is finally here!!!
*Fashion show is April 2nd at 1pm sharp
*DJ in stores from 1-4pm
*Exclusive limited edition Free People Gift Bags with every purchase of $100 or more while supplies last (pictured above)
*Free People Feather Hair Extensions with every $50 or more while supplies last
We are so excited to have you attend our Coachella fashion show, it’s going to be a BLAST. Free People models, amazing music, and tons of new product, it doesn’t get better than that!
It’s also our store’s third BIRTHDAY so in celebration we are going to have light refreshments and tons of sweets:)
Don’t be camera shy either, we are going to have a photographer at the event to document the show for our Free People blog
Come early to the event so you don’t miss out!
Can’t wait to see you at the show :)
XOXO Free People Topanga
(818)716-8069
north star bar
last week my friend geron played a short set at the north star bar- it’s been a while since i’ve been to a show there, actually. i think it’s because of the location- it’s a little out of the way, over in the art museum area -but it’s such a great venue to see bands in before they get big.
upon entering the corner pub you’re met with the same bar that has been there since prohibition, mahogany bar top, wooden ceiling fans, tin roof and all. walk towards the back and go through a door on your right to get to the stage area, a wide open room with wood floors. the stage is covered with well worn oriental carpets and in front, a staircase leads down to a lounge area with bright green walls that could probably tell some great stories… i thought i’d share a few pics from the other night!
image 1; image 2; all others by me.
geron’s first single will be available very soon on itunes!