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Pulp Noir

Thrilling hardboiled tales and art from the dark & seedy underbelly of life!

Featured Work

Guy Sebastian by David Petranker

Guy Sebastian by David Petranker Guy Sebastian has found his groove. While his mates were listening to New Kids On The Block and Pearl Jam, Guy Sebastian would play classic soul tunes from the likes of Otis Redding, Al Green and Wilson Pickett. So it’s not surprising that Guy has opted to put his own stamp on the Memphis soul tunes that have helped define him as one of Australia’s top musicians. With many of the songs already part of Guy’s repertoire, ‘The Memphis Album’ is a record that Guy has been itching to make, showing off his take on soul classics like ‘Soul Man’, ‘In The Midnight Hour’, ‘Knock On Wood’, ‘Respect Yourself’ and ‘Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay’. Some of these songs have been covered many times over but Guy’s recordings, anchored by his amazing vocal delivery, have brought something new and refreshing to their sound. “These songs transcend all these generational differences; people still love and enjoy them,” says Guy. “I grew up with these songs, I had a taste for them when I was really young. I guess for me, doing a concept album, I didn’t want to be dressing up as someone else or being an impersonator. I just wanted to bring a modern take on the songs and yet remain true to the songs and retain an old school feel.” Guy, as many Australians would know, won the first series of Australian Idol. He has subsequently released three albums – ‘Just As I Am’, ‘Beautiful Life’ and ‘Closer To The Sun’ – and all have gone platinum or multi-platinum. As Guy continues to evolve as an artist, the young singer has found a perfect creative space with The Memphis Album. “This has been a musically emotional journey for me because I have found the musical DNA that I need to stick with,” Guy says. With a very clear idea of the album he wanted to make, Guy packed his bags and flew to the United States, spending time in Los Angeles and New York working with some of the industry’s biggest names. But it was in the soul music capital of Memphis that this album came together. Wanting to get it right, Guy gathered together top soul musicians Steve Cropper, Donald “Duck” Dunn, Steve Potts, Lester Snell, Dave Smith, Rick Steff, Jim Spake, Kirk Smothers, Scott Thompson and Howard Lamb. Many of these musicians wrote and recoded the original versions of these songs with the likes of Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Al Green and Wilson Pickett and were members of the MGs, playing with Booker T, and the Blues Brothers Band. Steve Cropper, who co-wrote ‘In The Midnight Hour’, ‘Knock On Wood’, and ‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay’, also produced the album with Guy. Despite this extraordinary calibre of musicianship, Guy rose admirably to the task at hand. “Initially I thought I’m going to get there and I’m going to freak out,” Guy says. “I thought I was going to feel so inadequate but I got there and something grabbed hold of me and I just knew this was my arena. If I am going to shine in any arena, it is going to be blues and soul.” Of course, soul music isn’t just a lyric with a nice tune. The genre has a deep history, developing from gospel music and rhythm and blues, and originating in the United States in the late 1950s and 1960s. “Back then church was an escape from slavery and the cotton fields and people used to travel down to Memphis and play the blues,” explains Guy. “It evolved into a lot of these guys coming out of church and playing in local bars and then suddenly someone would see them and they would get a record deal. For me the journey has been so different. Whereas they were discovered escaping slavery, I went on a TV show, which really marks the different times that we are living in.” Guy has included just one original track on ‘The Memphis Album’ in the form of ‘I’d Like To Get To Know You’. He wrote the song a couple of years ago but it didn’t fit on any of his previous albums. Even though it’s a new song, it has the perfect soul feel. It’s an exciting time for Guy, whose next chapter will no doubt be spent developing new soul classics. “This album just reminded me that this is who I am,” he says. “It was so much fun. I just had a ball.” www.guysebastian.com.au
Amongst the WEEDS by jacqleen

Hey Everyone… / Okay…THIS girl is a NEW ONE… so before thinking She is ME….I’m here to tell YOU that she is NOT :))) / but alot of you have bmailed me and have asked me how I get my lighting so good….. / Well, I shot HER just about 4 hours ago…and I still have all the info on the images…so I figured I better make a note of them…cuz I usually just erase everything right away :)) / I kept this photo shoot very simple….. / Shot all the images with my Canon 5D….with the 100mm fixed lens….and of cours with only AVAILABLE light..which was right around NOON..which YES, I know the worst time of the day to shoot ….but I had to do her make-up and hair…and dress her…so that took a while :))) OH yah…........and NO…she is NOT a real MODEL… / just another girl that I see at StarBucks LOLOL I hope you enjoy this series !! xoxo Tech.info :) I only shoot on M….and the rest are.. / ISO at 125…...1/1250 sec…with 5.6 f stop :)) I hope this HELPS :)) / xx
LOST without YOU by jacqleen

shot with Canon 5D
can't SLEEP without YOU by jacqleen

Shot with Canon 5D / 100 mm FIXED lens
Bitten Lips by Selkie

Self-portrait with enmongerated sound effects… Music – Bitten Lips, by Birds
Jimmy Barnes by David Petranker

Jimmy Barnes by David Petranker
Diner by CORA D. MITCHELL

my very good friend JOE. We went to the diner and had a blast this nite. December 2008 / Nikon d40x / edit
Room #2109 by CORA D. MITCHELL

model, Anita sitting in the hotel closet. / she comes up w/the coolest ideas…all I do is just sit back and wait til the right moment. re post** / Jan. 2009 / crop, edited / Nikon d40x

Recent Work

Writing

HOW IT USED TO BE…TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME
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DEAD WEIGHT…YOU LOVE ME, YOU LOVE ME NOT
LOST & FOUND AGAIN by KEITH R. WILLIAMS

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FORBIDDEN TEMPTATION…SOMETIME TEMPTATION GETS THE BEST OF US ALL
IDIOTIC by KEITH R. WILLIAMS

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Pulp Noir is a seedy joint for all your hardboiled, downbeat and plot driven fictional tales and artworks; where the twists are gut-wrenching, the excitement leaves you breathless and the art is awe inspiring. From crime to horror, sci-fi to erotica and all points in between, this is the place for all your darkest thrills, spills, chills and kills!

We want the writers to inspire the artists and the artists to inspire the writers. We are as much a community as a group, so you must be prepared to engage in the group.

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Please check out our first featured member of the week and read the interview. This is a great place to pick up some tips and get to know your fellow members!
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This is world of small time crooks, anti-heroes, cynical cops, world weary private eyes, seductive femme fatales, dark locations, smoky bars, rain soaked city streets, flesh eating zombies, unbelievable monsters, aliens from other worlds, distant planets, strange supernatural occurances, boys-own tales of heroism, evil wizards, dangerous dragons, shady cowboys, thrilling adventures, exciting explorations into lost worlds, bad sex and anything else you care to throw into this seedy underbelly of life!

We are looking for complete stand-alone fictional short stories of between 250 and 1500 words (no poetry please) or fantastic artworks that are full of all the above. We don’t want literary prose or stories without exciting twists or artworks that don’t fit the theme of the group

Gives us plenty of thrills, spills, chills and kills and we’ll all be happy.

Pulp Noir will run weekly, monthly and annual competitions and challenges, as well as encouraging constructive feedback, development for members, a genuine community spirit and, most of all, fun! Please read our general terms and conditions for our challenges and competitions.

Read here for a definition of pulp fiction and read here for a definition of pulp noir

Just remember your stories and artworls should be downbeat, thrilling, gut wrenching, exciting, amazing, creative and fun! Leave us breathless and gagging for more!

And remember…we also accept artwork that is inspired by the old pulp magazines of the 1920s to 1950s – or modern and contemporary interpretations of pulp noir! If in doubt, submit it and if it fits we’ll accept it!

See the group rules and join this group here