Friday Ramble...

Fridays are normally the ramble day for me... I feel like as it is the end of the week I need a good amount of time to just go on and on about my adventures over the week. :) Fridays are just a relief for me, its nice to have two days of doing nothing and relaxing and this week I have been so busy that I needed a little pick me up.

Hooray for Lush! As per usual my love for Lush continues. I picked up the Flying Fox Shower Gel (100g £4.50) as my friend who works in Lush recommended it to me.

I am in absolute love! This morning's shower was extra lovely as I got to use this. I love the smell and feeling of this showegel. It contains Hungarian, English and Greek Honey. As well as Jasmine, Ylang Ylang oil, Burdock Root, and Jasmine flower. It is so nourishing and softening on the skin, I was pleasantly surprised! The Honey works so well against the skin it feels like the product is just gliding along. I never really thought about the Jasmine and Honey combination but it works so well and the smell lingers on for hours. I am calling this new favourite shower gel it just made my skin so soft and the smell was intoxicating, I feel like I need to buy the solid perfume just to have it on me at all times! I would say to everyone to try this if you haven't already...I don't know why I didn't do it sooner, I have been missing out!

So that was probably my product of the week.
I am still working on my Urban Decay post and it will be up soon...I just need to add in the pictures of the swatches. I am thinking of starting a UD Palette post, dedicated to all the eye palettes I own as I have reached the magical 10!


Also on the Agenda:
~ Vampire Diaries; Season 3 is just amazing, I watched last nights episode this morning whilst getting ready for work...(I am THAT determined) I loved every second of it, definitely one of my favourite episodes.
~ MUA Cosmetics; My mother has bought so many of their products this week, she like me, is surprised at the price and quality of their products...that Chanel Lipstick of hers doesn't look so awesome now... :P
~ Blink 182; Their new album is amazing, so glad to have them back in the world...my punky playlist in iTunes was looking a little bare.
~ Imogen Rose Solid Perfume from Lush; Not good, I initially thought that the smell was amazing..but in reality I do not like this...I need to find a way to return it now... what a waste of £10.
~ Weather; Ok I love the summer (sometimes) but why is it here at the end of September...?
~ Travelling; I may be going on Holiday soon...I am unsure on what to take make up wise...I don't wanna take too much!
~ The Black Keys; I bought tickets to see them live in London today..soo excited as they are one of my favourite bands of all time!
~ Autumn TV; All my favourite US shows are (nearly) back on air! Boardwalk Empire, Glee, Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, How I Met Your Mother, House, Chuck, The Walking Dead, Supernatural, Two and a Half Men, The Vampire Diaries, Cougar Town, and many others. My week nights are now busy again..
And Finally....
STRICTLY COME DANCING.
Soooo glad to see it back on our screens, I have missed the fake tans, tantrums, fake lashes, journeys, jewelled shirts, skimpy dresses, harsh judges and Sir Bruce Forsyth. I cannot wait to have something to look forward to on the weekend.

What are you looking forward to this weekend? :)

Happy Friday Everyone!
Ash xx

Another day, another time to haul. :)

Hello all,
I hope you all had an amazing weekend, mine was just too tiring and I had no rest :(

So let's get started, my shopping addiction continues as per usual. On Saturday whilst in Peterborough I managed to get the Red Suede flat pumps that I had on my wishlist for soo long! FINALLY a store that had them in my size. These were £25.00 but I got mine for £15.00 because I had a £10 gift voucher. I loveee these the detailing is lovely and the colour is so vibrant. :D

Today I picked up a few things from the Primark in Luton, my work is in Luton so today I had time to do a bit of bargain shopping. Things include: 2 leggings (one white and one black), some plain black socks, more socks, plain black pumps, 2 rings and a pair of earrings. Everything was priced £4 and under so I am happy with these purchases.

I also managed to find the Sleek Make Up Nude Collection Blush in Suede. £4.30 I couldn't find it in my local Superdrug but they had it here, I lovee this colour its the perfect nude blush and it suits every skintone! I normally don't go for powder blushes but this one was like velvet when I swatched it, so I decided to give it a try.

For my inner Grunge Girl I bought Nirvana's Special 20th Anniversay Deluxe edition of 'Nevermind' from HMV. I already have this album but I owed it to the band to buy the special one. I also picked up some Sony headphones as mine were going a bit crackly, I totally got the blue ones to match the 'Nevermind' cover...honest...

I got this my Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 4  Package in the post today, more will be said about this in my detailed post tomorrow. :)

Hope that you are all well. I might need to start putting my September Favourites list together...I have just used too much stuff this month!

Ash xx

Today's Haul.

Sorry that I haven't posted in a few days...I didn't have much to say! 

I had a day off work today, so I went shopping with my mum and picked up a few things!

Firstly I went over to TK Maxx for a quick browse. I feel like you really need time for this place, which most of the time I do not have. I just hate looking through every rail for items of clothing or shoes and it's not organised either so I try to avoid doing that most of the time. I did find a couple of things though.

Firstly the TIGI Rockaholic Groupie Texturizing Spray Pomade.  I got this for £3.00 in the Clearance. I wanted a texturising spray because my hair is naturally curly but the curls have become really lifeless. So I thought why not give this a try, I use a lot of TIGI products, from their dry shampoos to their Curlesque range. I love the smell of this spray, it smells like Piña Coladas :P

I also got the Sally Hansen Gentle Plumping Lip Treatment in Playful for £2.99 I really don't know why I bought this, but when I applied it, I felt an instant plump! So this will be interesting to use in the future, it doesn't really have a colour, even if it looks like it does in the tube.

I found this awesome Taschen Movie Icons book on Marlene Dietrich, for £1.00! I lovee Taschen books and this one is of one of my idols so I had to have it! :)

From Boots I decided to take up the 3 for 2 offer they had going on Make Up.

I bought two 17 Nail Varnishes from their New Collection in Sulk and Revenge. At £2.99 each.
I saw these in the store and picked them up instantly, they are really distinctive colours and I love the metallic finish to them! I have also seen that a lot of people have blogged about them too... I lovee Sulk it is a lovely peacock green colour and Revenge is a Pinkier version of Chanel Paradoxal. I am impressed with these colours because I only applied 1 coat and I had an amazing colour pay off. So if you are visitng Boots this weekend I recommend you check these out! :)

I also picked up a Prestige Cosmetics Lipstick in Beautifully Buff for £3.24 as well as being 1/2 price it was also in the 3 for 2 offer. This is another one of those Nude Pink colours I love so much. It is a lovely colour and so good for my work days :D I think I have an addiction going on....

Tomorrow I am off to Peterborough to visit some friends, it will be awesome. I love weekend adventures around the country...the bus journey is 3 hours though... :/ but it will be worth it. On Sunday I have to attend my cousins graduation party...so I might post a make up look on here...any thoughts to that?

Hope that you are all well...and FINALLY its the weekend! :D

Ash xxx




P.S. I was sorting through my make up/organising it and I came to realise that I own 9 eyeshadow palettes from Urban Decay.. NINE! AND I have just ordered the new Book of Shadows... oh dear...I think I need help... :P 

Karma Goodness.

Hello all, its a new week and a new post!

Today I am dedicating this entry to my new favourite soap.

I am absolutely in love with Karma Soap from Lush (RRP £3.95 for 100g). I got it for my birthday this year from my friend Matt, bless him he knows nothing about girls and for some reason he remembered me raving on about Lush products. So he got my the Good Karma Gift set which included a Happy Hippy Showergel and the Karma Soap.

This soap has the most unique smell, and its lame but I love the burnt orange colour! :P To me this smells like oranges and patchouli's. Its zingy without being too overpowering in the citrus zone. I love how the smell lingers on after using it, its fresh yet unique. I would recommend this so anyone who is just being introduced to things from Lush. For example, I gave my Auntie a collection of things from Lush including the Karma Bubble Bar and she went crazy for it, yesterday she literally spent over £50 on lush products including the Karma Shampoo Bar, Karma Soap AND the Karma solid perfume. The smell is THAT intoxicating.

I love how this soap feels on the skin, its light yet my skin felt smooth and hydrated. Most soaps end up drying out my skin but not this one. The Lush website lists the ingredients and these include:
Patchouli Oil, Sweet Orange Oil, Lavandin Oil, Pine Oil, Lemongrass Oil, and Gardenia Extract.
All and all lush goodness, and definitely something that I have never seen before....


What are you favourite Lush Soaps? Is there any that you would recommend to me?

Hope that you are all well on this dull Monday.

Ash x

Superdrug Haul..

I went into Superdrug today and I picked up a few things!

Maybelline Volum' Express Mascara: The Colossal Cat Eyes. £5.99
Superdrug were doing this on offer with £2 off the retail price so I thought that I would give it a go. I have almost run out of my Urban Decay Big Fatty Lash Mascara and I felt like I needed to go back to a high street brand just to compare them. I love the packaging of this one, although I have never tried a mascara with a curved brush so this was interesting. I tried it out and so far it looks pretty good, my lashes seem thickerand longer!

MUA Pearl Eyeshadow in Shade 12.  £1.00
I love the Make Up Academy range in Superdrug, everything is £1 and to be honest I was so surprised with the quality! This eyeshaodw looks really interesting in the pan and even more interesting when applied. Basically it is a dupe of MAC's Club but a cheaper version. I still cannot get over the fact that this is £1. Anyway this eyeshadow is brown red with a green/blue pearl sheen through it. It is a very interesting shade actually because it looks incredibly off with you first apply it but the light changes the colour throughout the day. This eyeshadow is so pigmented, I mean really for a quid its marvelous. I just had to give it a try!

MUA Intense Colour Eyeliner Pencil in Turquoise. £1.00
Again I love the Make Up Academy products, I don't own a decent turquoise eyeliner and I thought to myself, why buy this one. It is very highly pigmented and I love how it has a sharper in the lid, very useful!

MUA Lipstick in Shade 11. £1.00
So as I picked up the eyeliner and the eyeshadow I needed something else...and this lipstick looked really good in the swatch. It is a nude gum pink colour and I was interested in the texture of this lipstick. I have seen many people on YouTube talk about these lipsticks so I wanted to test them out myself. This colour is perfect for daywear and it hydrated my lips very well. I love how there is a little surprise pot of lipgloss at the bottom...most brands don't have that (well the brands that I know anyway...) For some reason the pictures show  a more red pink but I assure you that this is more a pink/nude than a red colour!

The top colour is the mini gloss in the tube and the bottom colour is the lipstick itself. :)


Impulse Body Spray in Loving Words (£1.19) and Batiste Dry Shampoo in Boho (£1.45)
These were on offer and I was running out of them. The Loving Words body spray was new in Superdrug and it smells good. But I still think that the 'Tease' body spray is my favourite. I have never tried this variety of the dry shampoo and I prefer the smell of this one to the original. Although the Brit one smells exactly like the Chloé Eau de Parfum. (What a rip off!)

 

On another unrelated note, I also picked up a huge 21oz candle from TK Maxx. It's the For Every Body range in the Apple Pie scent and it was only £5.99. It is sooo lovely and makes my room smell like pie and winter!  I am really into candles at the moment, I will probably go for a huge Yankee Candle after this one is finished. I love TK Maxx they have the most awesome candles there and at awesome prices. I mean 21oz of CANDLE its such a huge jar that I had to go and put it in my car halfway through my shopping because it was so heavy.

I hope that you are all well. I am just enjoying some Supernatural Season 4 on DVD. God I love Castiel! 

QOTD: What is your favourite drugstore brand? 

Happy Thursday everyone, the weekend is almost here! :) 

xx

Doesn't happen everyday...

It's not everyday that you go onto a website and find that there is a necklace named after you!

This is exactly what has happened in my case, my friend Becky has just started her handmade jewellery business 'Penelope's Trinkets' (well revamped it actually). And she sells one off pieces made out of semi precious stones, glass and wood etc... It's all individual and very beautiful. I suggest that you go and check out her website, she makes necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings. Every piece is one of a kind and she sells them at reasonable prices.
Becky named a necklace after me and I just had to snap it up! It is called the Ashington and it is made out of black and red glass beads with a lampwork glass pendant on the end. I love it so much! I cannot wait to get it and try it on.

I love that every piece is individually crafted which makes it that extra special.

Do check out the website, http://www.penelopestrinkets.co.uk/
It is pretty amazing and Becky works so hard on her jewellery. Plus I feel so special to have a necklace named after me!

On another note, Happy Birthday Amy Winehouse, gone but never forgotten. I hope that wherever you are peace is with you.

Hope that you are all good this Wednesday morning :)

Nails of the day..

So as it is September, in my books it is Autumn already. Today I am sporting Chanel 'Paradoxal' Nail Varnish. Yep. It is so last year. But it is still one of my favourite nail colours for Autumn, I have tried 3 or 4 of the dupes but the Chanel one is definitely the best! Well it better be after all it did cost £17.50!



I didn't do the best of jobs...but oh well. Love the colour nonetheless. Oh and I will also be trying to find and use a better camera wahey! :)

What is your favourite Autumn Nail colour? :)

Jewellery Wish List.

I love jewellery, I believe that you can never have too much and here are a few things that are on my wishlist.


1. Abataba Macaroon Ring. £13.00
This website has the cutest jewellery in sweet forms. I love the Macaroon ring, its adorable and a really lovely pink colour.

2. Supermandolini Oh My God! Shoes Earrings in White. €18.00
How AWESOME are these earrings? I love shoes and I love these. I prefer the White version to the Black ones...totally cute and totally worth buying in my eyes! :P 

3. Thomas Sabo Diamond Charm Pendant Key. £49.95
I love Thomas Sabo, I got a necklace and charm set for my 21st birthday and I want to add this one to my list. It is adorable and I love the fact that they can clip on anywhere. 

 

4. Swarovksi Hermine Bangle. £92.00
I love everything from Swarovski and I feel like I need this in my collection. I already have the Gold Bangle and I feel like I need a silver one to glam up any outfit. I love their quality and the designs. I feel like this should be on my birthday list for next year! :D

5. Zodiac Symbol Astrological Sign Necklace. £8.44 
I am a Leo and I really want this necklace! It is simple and cheap. Soo going on my list!

So here we have it, the five pieces of Jewellery that are currently on my wishlist.
Is there any Jewellery that is currently on YOUR must have list?

Happy Monday people. :)
Ash xx

Pointless Purchases that I regret...

I admit it, I have made a few stupid purchases in the past and I always kick myself for them. Here are a few examples.


1. Urban Decay Deluxe Eyeshadow in Adore.
This is possibly the most STUPID purchase I ever made from Urban Decay. I love their brand but this eyeshadow was just utter rubbish. The pay off was horrible...and even with a primer it left a blue tinge to my eyes after removing and cleansing. Eurgh it just looks to flakey and powdery when you put it on. I really don't think that the colour is that good either... I think that they have discontinued this colour too..good on them it't terrible.

2. Garnier Simply Essentials 2 in 1 Make-Up Remover.
This was a cheap and cheerful purchase, but this make up remover did nothing for me. The packaging was just stupid, a little too much pressue when trying to get the product out it would splatter everywhere. It would remove my make up but leave a residue and just leave my skin extra oily. I didn't realise that this was an oil based remover at first so that is probably why it did not suit my skin.

3. Lush American Cream Hair Conditioner. 
I feel like this conditioner did absolutely nothing for my hair. The smell was slightly sickening. Even when I used it, my hair did not feel conditioned at all, it just felt normal and slightly waxy. I just feel like the Jungle Solid Conditioner is ten times better and made my hair feel softer. American Cream however was another one of my pointless buys, I have a feeling that because my hair is thick and curly this conditioner did not suit it..but then again...I bought the conditioner because my lush girl advised me too. Hmm too late to ask for my money back I think...

4. Beyoncé Heat Perfume 50ml. 
ARGH I HATE THIS SO MUCH. And you know the worst thing.... it was a GIFT. I just hate the bottle, the smell, the price. I mean what was she thinking when she made this. I cannot even describe the smell but it makes me sick...but I feel so guilty because I need to use it to show my dad but I geuinely Hate it with a passion. The perfume shop describes it as this:

Heart notes: A sensual combination of almond macaroon, honeysuckle nectar and creme de musk
Top notes: A radiant floral bouquet of Magnolia, Neroli and Red Vanilla orchid balanced with a kiss of luscious Blush Peach
Base notes: A warm and sexy dry-down of giant sequoia milkwood, tonka bean and amberIt smells NOTHING like this to me. And I own...around...30-40 bottles of perfumes. So yeah really a stupid thing that I own. So not a fan of this.

 

5. Sleek Circus and Sparkle Divine Eyeshadow Palettes.
When I picked both of these up (at different times) I was in the I need every palette by Sleek because I just own every other one. But in reality, none of the colours are usable on my skintone anyway. The circus palette has some really weird colours that I would never wear and it is just sitting in my make up collection waiting to be used around halloween times. The same is for the Sparkle palette the reason I dislike this so much is because the darker colours leave a green tinge and just leave my eyes looking powder like.

6. Barry M Nail Varnish in Purple Mauve 313.
The main reason I bought this was because it was a Chanel Paradoxal dupe, but I was not impressed with it. The colour is good no doubt about that but for me this is one of the worst Barry M nail varnishes that I own. It was just thick, gloopy and didn't dry well. So another one of the products that I wish I didn't own! 

 

So these are just some of the products that I regret buying/using.
Are there any that you regret buying?

Hope that you are all well!
Ash

What's in my Bag?

I have been wanting to do one of those posts for a while...and thanks to Laura and buy now, blog later. I thought I might aswell go for it. Also Warning: I have WAAAAAAAAY too many things in my bag.

Bag: From the eBay shop bag-that-style-6. I lovee this bag, it wasn't too expensive and the colour is amazing.

iPod and Headphones: These are a MUST in my bag...no matter where I go I have my iPod on me. Currently playing Sonic Youth's Goo album. It is amazing. My iPod is only 30GB but enough for me! I can never have too much music on there. I like my headphones, they were about £6 from HMV and I love that they are orange and black...slightly halloween chic..which I love!

Tissues: I lost my tissue pack so I have just one tissue there...for some reason..

Deodorant: Nivea's invisible black and white travel sized spray. I just find this incredibly useful when you need a little fresh-up.

Hand Sanitizer: I keep this at all times in my handbag too...this is is from Carex and it smells like Lavender and Sandalwood...I just bought this because of the Lavender. Its pretty good though and long lasting...great for tube journeys.

Dry Shampoo: I keep this in my handbag for touch-ups during the day, my hair is really fickle and sometimes it needs a dry shampoo to perk it up. The Batiste travel edition is perfect for me. I will admit the smell is a little iffy..but most of them smell horrible to be honest.

Perfume: I ALWAYS have perfume in my handbag...even if I don't have anything else...perfume will be there. I like to change my choices from time to time. But today it is YSL Elle Eau de Parfum 50ml. It is one of my favourites for colder months...and the smell does last forever...plus I love the pink bottle.

Notebook and Pen: I mentioned this notebook before in an earlier post. It's from Paperchase and it was only £3.50 I got a white gel pen to match because I like to be different. This is useful for doodling, writing lists and messages from my friends to me.

Book: I have not converted to using a Kindle yet..I don't think I can actually...I like having a physical book with me...I have always been a bookworm since I was about 4 years old. This current read is called 'The Bolter' by Frances Osborne. It is a historical/biography type thing about Edina Sackville and her life during the 20s, 30s etc... I love everything on the 1920s so this was a must buy for me. It's pretty good so far..looking forward to see how it pans out.

Vouchers: I have a £5 No. 7 voucher from Boots and a £10 voucher from River Island..I am still trying to spend them on something worthwhile so I just keep them on me just in case.

USB: I have a little  2GB micro cruzer from Sandisk. These are SO useful to have on you at all times. I normally keep mine in my wallet..I mean they are good for work or if you need to save something from a friends laptop..etc...etc..

iPod Shuffle: I keep this on me for when I am walking around the Underground...I just find it hard to keep my iPod in my pocket sometimes and this is useful as it clips on anywhere. I also use it for the Gym and I keep my work out/ more dancey songs on there. Current playlist includes a bit of MSTRKRFT and Lady Gaga.

Sunglasses: I have owned 2 pairs of designer sunglasses and I broke both of them. Yippee! Even when they were in the covers. It doesn't matter how much I try to care for them I just cannot handle a nice pair of sunglasses. So I keep these cheapo £1 ones from Primark in my bag. I like them though..they are cheap, and the shapes suits me well. What more do you need?

Keys: Because we need them in our lives. Hahah I like the Union Jack Heart keyring that my friend gave to me and the little pink eiffel tower that I got from my auntie.

Wallet: I don't really like my wallet. I just have it on me because I cannot find a decent one..I am just as picky with wallets as I am with handbags. I bought this wallet like 2 years ago...and then it was in fashion and cool etc...but now I want a different one...I am saving up for something from Mulberry or Marc Jacobs so I hope that I will have a better wallet soon!

Pen: This is my special pen from Cross! I love it, my dad got this for me a while back and I like to think that for important meetings I should have a nice pen. I love that it is pink too!

Hair Elastics: You never know when you might need to tie up your hair...so I keep these on me at all times!

iPod/iPhone USB wire: I keep one of this in my bag for emergencies...I use my phone a lot and well it does run out of battery so it is useful to have one of these on you.

Camera: This is oldddd. I got this for my birthday as my previous one was stolen. Its just a Fujifilm one with 10 MP and all the basics. Of course its pink and awesome. I love my camera though, I use it all the time at gigs and it has a strap. I use it to take pictures on my travels around the UK etc.. and I use it to to film things too. I might need an upgrade soon but I so love this one. :)

Make Up Bag: I keep this on me at all times, I thought that I would mention this last as its full of stuff...

Mascara:  Urban Decays Big Fatty. I like this mascara...it gives me lashes enough volume and seperates well. I keep it in my bag because I want to finish it...I like trying new mascaras you see! :P

Lipstick: Rimmel's Moisture Renew in Coralicious. This is one of my favourite lipsticks and perfect for when I want a more dramatic lip.

Hairbrush: This is just the Denham Compact Hairbrush. Gosh I rememeber when these first came out they were so big! I'll admit I NEVER use the brush...I only use it for the mirror! I have curly hair you see and its not frizzy so I dont need to brush my hair...I might need to post a picture of my hair to prove why I don't need a hairbrush lolll

Wipes: I think they are an essential to any handbag..and especially good when you are make up swatching and the counter doesn't have wipes! Plus they can sometimes work better than hand sanitizer. I like the Pets Rock ones because A) The cat looks like Audrey Hepburn, B) there are mini wipes so perfect for travel and C) They smell nice!

Primer: Urban Decay Primer Potion. I have so many of the Urban decay eye shadow palettes that I have many of these little travel sized primer potions. It is by far the best one that I have used and it's good tohave one in your bag if you are running late for work and do your make up in the car/train/bus!

Eyeliner: I have two here one of them is the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Pencil in Zero. And the other one is the L'Oreal Carbon Gloss Liquid liner in black. I just keep these for touch up, you never know when might shed a tear and ruin your make up or walk into a water fountain thus ruining your make-up.

Lipstick: This is from the MAC Wonder Woman collection in Marquis'd. I like this as it is a lustre and the perfect pink nude for day times. I love the packaging, I know that some people dislike it but I like it.

Balms: Vaseline's Rosy Lips and Clinique Superbalm (which I got free from a magazine). I will probably add the Carmex in next time.

Eyeshadow: These are from the MAC Surf Baby collection in Short Shorts and Swell Baby. To be honest I regret buying these...they are not THAT good in texture and application but because I am determined to finish them I keep them in my bag. When mixed together they create a grey/gold which is good for a neutral look at work or anywhere really.

Tinted Moisturiser: Urban Decay's Urban Defense in Bulletproof. I like this moisturiser as it is easy to apply and gives good coverage. It is good for when I am on the go and it protects my skin. I notice a Urban Decay trend here...maybe I should do a favourite make up brand post?

Blusher: Topshop Blusher in Nutmeg. I like this blush because it is the right pinky rose for my skin. It's so easy to apply and use. I love the packaging and the price!


So that was that. I would like to mention that I don't have a handcream...even though I should but I am waiting to buy one from L'Occitane. I did have a travel sized hairspray but I forgot to mention it..aka lost it in my bedroom.

Oh and the my Phone is an iPhone 4  in Black 16GB if you really want to know. I just didn't have a picture of it because I took the pictures WITH it. I am currently writing this blog post in my break at work. So I have my phone all connected to my computer. Huzzah!


I would love to see your own versions and what kind of things you carry in your bag! :)
Comment below and link me to your own post :D

Music and then some.

So I was inspired by a post I saw on the Pixiwoo Blogspot, where Sam and Nic were going on about the Albums that changed their life/most important albums to them of all time. So I thought why not do my own version too. This is the most personal post on my Tumblr so far I think… So here goes… (in no particular order too and with YouTube links to all my favourite songs mentioned.)


1. Songs for the Deaf by Queens of the Stone Age.


I just had to talk about them first! After all they are my favourite band/artist of ALL TIME. This was the first Album that I heard by QOTSA. I was a mere young 13 year old when this came out. I really do love this album, I love the undertones of the desert radio station journey. I love the fact that the drums are so fucking epic. I love that there is an experimentation of songs from Go With The Flow to A Song For The Dead. I mean really this album is pure genuis. I think that it is often Under-rated in the mainstream (even though it won a Grammy) but it is still one of those albums that ‘changed my life’ - for the better of course. I dunno what it is about this record really…its one of those weird things where everything glued together…it all made sense. I love that you hear Mark Lanegan on the record, as well as Josh and Nick. I feel like if I didn’t have this album in my life I wouldn’t be who I am today…I would probably be sucked into that emo shite called ‘music’ these days…My favourite song from this album has got to be ‘First It Giveth’ I love this tune because of its simplicity…I love Josh’s vocals…I love the video and I love the fact that it all comes together in this song… If you haven’t heard of QOTSA and you are looking for something a little bit well known from their music than go for this album. If anything…it has Dave Grohl drumming on it. So that might sway you. I think by listening to this album…I came to the realisation that Queens of the Stone Age were a FUCKING AWESOME BAND FOR LIFE…yep. :D


2. There Is Nothing Left To Lose by Foo Fighters.

This was a really tough one. Mainly because I love EVERY album by the Foo Fighters…I would have chosen ‘The Colour And Shape’. But this album swayed me over…mainly because of the fact that it is the most played Foos album on my iPod and the fact that after watching the ‘Back and Forth’ documentary I felt that this was the most put-together album. So why do I love this album? Well first of all..I like EVERY SONG. I mean literally every song…I have played them over and over again and just cannot get enough. I feel like Dave wrote some amazing songs on this album…I mean just have a listen to ‘Gimme Stitches’ or ‘Learn To Fly’…they are just superb. I like that Taylor was in this album, he really bought the band to a next level in my opinion. I love how this album has the Raw songs like ‘Stacked Actors’ and then the more mellow songs like ‘Aurora’ (which apparently is Dave’s favourite song that he has recorded with the Foo Fighters). I really love Dave’s voice on this album, and from what I have uncovered from researching this album the band spent the whole time in Virginia in the laid back atmosphere and it totally shows. Let’s not forget Nate! I mean some of these songs have the most amazing bassline…I dunno how he does it really…Nate really doesn’t get enough credit for his bass-playing skills but I love him! My favourite song off the album is definitely ‘M.I.A’ it is so beautiful and meaningful to my life. Do check out this record if you haven’t already, it is purely fantastic. :)


3. Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park.

If it wasn’t for this album. I WOULDN’T EVEN BE LISTENING TO ROCK MUSIC. FUR REALZ. Seriously I was like 12 when I heard this Crawling for the first time. I went to HMV and bought this album. It was the only copy they had left and I was fucking glad. I played this album so much…that I scratched the CD so severely…I had to buy another copy. I had ‘heard’ of Rock music but not as much as some people I guess. I was just discovering myself, I had started Secondary School and I dunno everything was a blur before I started listening to Nu Metal. Linkin Park were the band before QOTSA that ‘changed my life’ ‘meant the most to me’ etc…etc..etc… I think for people around my age at the time…this album was just the one you know. It does mean a lot to me and always will. I loved every song on this album. I knew every line to ‘In The End’ even all the rap bits. I absolutely LOVED ‘Cure for the Itch’…I mean a DJ and a Rapper in a rock band? WHATTTT. But Nu Metal bought all of that awesomeness out. My favourite song is probably ‘Pushing Me Away’ Chester just sounds so amazing… Anyway, even though I don’t listen to Linkin Park as much anymore… I will treasure this album for everything really. It sounds so stupid but this was the one record that I listened to non stop for like a year..when I had a personal CD player. So yeah…it means a lot.


4. Shaping The Invisible by Thee Heavenly Music Association.

This is probably the most obscure band that I know of. Thee Heavenly Music Association are for most a Shoegaze band…with a bit of noise rock. I really really love this album. I came across it because I listen to a band named scarling. and THMA was on their page of influences. Anyway I gave them a listen…on MySpace haha but it was worth it seriously. I was just captivated by there sound…I mean I hadn’t heard anything like it. The distoration was the thing I think…I love how the guitars mush together and Helen’s vocals overpower them all. It’s weird but it took me a LONG time to find this album. No WHERE and I mean NOWHERE in the UK was selling it. Even though the band is supposedly from Manchester…In the end I found a copy on eBay I must have paid like £20 for it…but it was from a Library in the US and they were getting rid of their stock. I am so so glad that I bought this album…because without it I would not have been introduced to the wider world of Shoegaze. My favourite song has got to be ‘Trip Seat’….it is majestic seriously…I love the story behind it…I love the music…I love the layering. This album just HAD to be included.


5. So Long Scarecrow by Scarling.

Not only does this album have the best Album Cover in my collection but it is darn good too. I will be honest, after Jack Off Jill had disbanded I did not expect Jessicka to turn this leaf with music…but I am so glad that she did. Scarling are another one of those noise rock/pop artsy fartsy shoegaze like bands. I really love their music. This album is their second album and it is probably my favourite. I love the fact that this record took the more melodic route than the previous one. Jessicka’s songwriting has really been on top on this record. She talks about everything from Manorexic’s to a burning city. I love Jessicka’s vocals…it was a real shock to me that she could sing like that…mainly because Jack Off Jill were such a different band. My favourite track on this album has got to be ‘Like A Killer’..its just 2.50mins of pure awesome. I love the lyrics, voice and set up of this song. I even got my metal head friend to have a listen and he LOVES it. Seriously So Long Scarecrow is a fabulous album. It deserves to be in this list.


6. Clear Hearts Grey Flowers by Jack Off Jill.

Hello Mark Ryden Artwork Alert. I love love love Jack Off Jill. If you like angry girl screamo music then this is the band for you haha. In all honesty…I heard of JOJ when I was like 13 or so and I really don’t know what it was but I really loved them. Like I was an angry teen and JOJ where a bunch of girls making angry yet melodic and catchy music. So ta-dah! A match for me in my music collection. I could have chosen Sexless Demons And Scars..but I chose CHGF because I feel like it was the album that meant the most to me. Jack Off Jill really evolved in this album..it is just a shame that they had to break up… :( This album is a little less ‘angry girl’ and the concentration is more on the melody and lyrics in my opinion. Here I sensed that Jessicka’s vocals had more to offer than just screaming and cursing at the top of her lungs. My favourite song from this album is ‘Star No Star’ it is also the most depressing song..but I love it nonetheless. Anyway this album does mean a lot to me purely because it was one of those “self help” albums when I was going through a rough time. Thanks Jack Off Jill :)


7. Live Through This by Hole.

I am a really huge Courtney Love fan. There I said it.
I think she gets a lot of criticism and I find it slightly unfair… NO I do not think she ‘killed’ Kurt. NO I do not think that she is crazy…NO I do not think that Kurt wrote this album for her and she was just along there for the ride. It is MY opinion. But I don’t give a crap about her personal life. I love Hole as a collective band. This album is so important to me…it really was one of the first albums that I had heard of a female fronted band. For me this album is proof that Girls can do Grunge/alternative rock and mean it too. The lyrics behind all of the songs are so meaningful…for me they speak the truth and I can relate to them. Isn’t that what it is about? I mean being able to relate to an record is afterall the goal of the band yes? Look I think Courtney has been treated unfairly with regards to this album…Kurt dying, Kristen passing on after its release. Yet still she went on to write more music and tour the world. My favourite song on this album is ‘Credit In The Straight World’ I love how abrasive and angst-y this track is and the tempo of it gets me everytime. Anyway what is wrong with loving Nirvana, Hole and Foo Fighters? That is just who I am..and this album had to be in this list!


8. Start Something by Lostprophets. 

I was around 14 when I heard this album. I had initially heard of Lostprophets back in 2001 when they released ‘The Fake Sound of Progress’ but this is my favourite album of theirs and the one that has had the most impact. This album means as much to me as Hybrid Theory does. It was a point in my life where it changed everything…I mean I was going through some real Teenage Angst crap and this album was the guide of mine to help me…not that the songs were depressing or anything..just because this album was so damn good. And it still is. Start Something really got Lostprophets into the public eye…every song on this album is fantastic. I love Ian’s vocals he has a really unique voice, I love how the DJ element is still there and how Lee’s Lead Guitar cannot be at fault. I love how with this record…we saw the revolution of Ian Watkin’s hairstyles…it made me fall in love with him and the album even more. The songs are so bloody catchy as well. Urgh I just Love this album. Even after all these years I love it…I feel like it will be apart of my life forever.. Favourite song was a tough choice…but you know I will pick ‘Sway’ just because it was the most different of them all and Ian’s vocals were just dreamy. Much love for this album..even more when I saw them Live last month. Where would I be without Lostprophets?? :P


9. † by JUSTICE.

† (or Cross) is the only non-rock album on this list. This was the album that I loved in my Indie Phase. To be honest now that I think of it..why did I ever stop listening to rock? OH YEAH BECAUSE OF SCENE KIDS AND EMO KIDS. ARGH the music was so crap around 2006 for me and I just thought blahhh. I went onto listening to other types…well Indie which was OK but I hated the scene there too. Then one day I heard of a track called ‘We Are Your Friends’ by Justice vs. Simian…and I was like WTF THIS IS AWESOME. Hence the addiction to Justice and electro music had begun. I got this album as a 18th birthday present from the one and only Chloé…bless her she was on holiday and she bought me this…I have no idea to how she found it but I am so glad that she did. Not only is the record freaking AWESOME it opens out like a cross and the CD is like…black…I mean woah but the album is just pure amazing. I mean this album made me love French Electro in all it’s glory. I loved Daft Punk before but not as much as I love Justice. Favourite song from this has got to be ‘New Jack’…it is so funky and really showcases the talent of Gaspard and Xavier. Much love for JUSTICE and I thank them for making me love Electro music…without it I wouldn’t be AshingtonRave!!


 10. With Teeth by Nine Inch Nails.

I know this isn’t the conventional album by NIN that everyone would pick…however it is my favourite. I don’t think that NIN are given enough credit for this album…but anyway I love it because of the ‘industrial vibes’. As explained before I am a huge shoegaze fan…and this album has that essence with its slightly more industrial sounds. I like every song on this record and lyrically its fucking awesome. I love how Trent Reznor experiments with distortion and vocals on this album…that is probably why it had to be on this list. I forget how much I love With Teeth. For me this album is all about University…even though it was released in 2004 I didn’t listen to it properly until 2007 and I regret that actually…but maybe I wouldn’t have understood it as much aged 15? My favourite song from this album is ‘Sunspots’…no joke this is one of those songs that really does something to me…like to add the cliché it ‘touches my soul’ hahahahaa. I love it so much…I have listened to it hundreds of times and I still cannot get enough. So yeah With Teeth is an epic album. End of. =)
So that is my list of the albums that changed me life.


Others that nearly made it but didn’t are:
Friendly Fires - Pala
Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke
Mystery Jets - Twenty One
Air - Moon Safari
Vampire Weekend - Contra
The Black Keys - Attack & Release
Eagles of Death Metal - Death By Sexy…
And a few others I cannot remember…lol
So what are you favourite albums of all time/ the ones that changed your life/ the albums that make up the soundtrack of your life?