The Opium Den

This Is a Public Service Announcement

2045-09-27T21:36:00.000+01:00

These are the words of Amanda Mae Steele. Opium Den Madame, and voice of no reason whatsoever.
Sometimes I may ramble and you will wonder why you stumbled across these pages, other times I may surprise myself and come up with a gem.
These words will be conflicting - an arguement with myself and a fight with the world.
Some narrative will be passionate and other will be maudlin.
I write for myself and allow the anonymous to read it.
I may confess many sins and then be saintly. I am a contradiction.
I walk amongst the scum and the rich and I belong to them all and to none.
These are MY words.

I make no apologies for them.

Amanda Mae

2010-06-02T21:09:00.001+01:00

Amanda Mae
Originally uploaded by The Double R Club

Taken at the Double R club by Alicia Clarke.
A one off act made specially for the lovely people at the Double R who take Lynchian dreams to new levels.
I was honoured to be invited to play and this was a very bizarre tribute to "Lula's Ma-ma" in Wild at Heart.
However bizarre people found my act though.. there was weirder to come. And boy was it worth the watch (though my fingers)
I'll be returning to the Double R Stage on the 17th June for the Twin Peaks Beauty Pageant Special.
Do NOT miss it
For more info on the Double R Club check out their Facebook Group
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=110711636457

BUTTSHAKER

2010-05-24T18:12:00.001+01:00

BUTTSHAKERPOSTER copy
Originally uploaded by amandamaesteele

On the 18th June 2010, Revelator and the Opium Den are joining forces to bring you BUTTSHAKER.
A night of nothing but music to dance away to. No burlesque, no cabaret, no bands. Just a dance floor some hot hot hot DJ's playing music to dance to.
From dirty Rock N Roll and Rhythm and Blues to Reggae, Hip Hop, Rock Metal... good grief we are just going to play the best of the best including stuff you all know and love to stuff you've yet to hear and are going to love.
All this for only 4 of your English pounds!

Apathy - Killing the masses since the year dot

2010-04-02T23:33:00.001+01:00

I did not speak...

"First they came for the Communists ;
I did not speak because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews ;
I did not speak because I was not a Jew.
Then they came to fetch the workers, members of trade unions ;
I did not speak because I was not a trade unionist.
Afterwards, they came for the Catholics ;
I did not say anything because I was a Protestant.
Eventually they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak ..."

Martin Niemöller,Pastor
Dachau, 1942.

I first read these words as a school girl. It was in relation to the apathy that lead to millions of people being killed for no other reason than their beliefs.
It could never happen now.

Only it does. Every day. On a small scale. On a grand scale. Apathy is killing thousands every day. It is fuelling injustice. Not just in places far flung where education is poor and wealth to you is the ability to wake up everyday having made it through the previous day alive. It is happening here - in your living rooms, while you look for escapism in your tv sets, selling you sofas and designer clothes.
Who cares about social injustice when DFS are having a sale.

I've been accused of being preachy. Hell no one wants to face up to the fact that actually - some parts of life are pretty fucking shit.
But my question to you, dear reader, is this - is knowing you sat by idly doing nothing making you feel good.
Or does somewhere in your Soap Opera addled brain cringe when it hears of something that should be spoken out about?
Do you feel a nagging guilt when you ignore the atrocities of war and speak of new shoes and who snogged who at so and so's party?

When you flick past the news that an innocent person was racially abused and beaten by the very people put in place to protect them so that you can read what Mary had for her dinner last night on Come Dine With Me do you think - bah more depressing shit - it won't happen to me so what do I care?

Don't get me wrong. I don't think for a second any one should give up the right to be shallow. It's needed in order to cope with the bigger issues.

But being shallow is a luxury. And it's a luxury that people are denied EVERY day. If you have the luxury of an easy life - perhaps taking some time out to use your voice to try and change the views of the people, the laws of the land and the poverty that is surrounding all of us will make your luxuries seem all the sweeter?

You may prefer to be blinkered and ignore what is going on. But I don't think for a second you are comfortable with it.

You may say - I am only one voice. But one voice speaks out and others follow. It happens in the negative way all the time. So why not change it to a positive. If you feel strongly about something - SPEAK.
If you think that there is a way to help solve a problem - TRY IT.
If you think that you may face a battle - FIGHT
Many people did so that we could have our luxuries. Don't we owe it to ourselves and others to follow suit.

2010-01-21T23:36:00.001Z

Sometimes something happens and you cannot ignore it and you cannot sit back and do nothing while it occurs.
Victimless Voodoo is the result of knowing that while the people of Haiti were suffering there was something we could do to alleviate that.
A small idea has turned into an amazing event being organised to make sure we can contribute towards the vast amount of money needed to rebuild Haiti and take care of its injured, homeless and helpless after the awful quake that shattered the very infrastructure of the country.

Here are all the details of the night. Please do attend, spread the word or just donate. All the links are here to do just that.
No one but the people of Haiti are making a penny from this.

Victimless Voodoo - Help for Haiti
Boston Arms, Tufnell Park, London N19
SUNDAY 24th January 2010
Entrance is £5

Boston Arms have kindly let us use their venue to organise a phenomenal night of Music and Cabaret to raise money for Haiti.
Haiti has been hit by a devastating earthquake that has seen an already impoverished and deprived country brought to it's knees.
It has not been given the help it needs with any great speed although finally aid is reaching those who really need it.

All the people involved in this gig have given their time, products and performances for free. EVERY SINGLE PENNY MADE IS GOING TO HAITI.
The kindness, speed and help that each person has already given is phenomenal and we hope that this will prove to be a wonderful night that will bring in a lot of money to help those people who need it so desperately.

We have decided to give all the money to Action Aid as that will ensure that ALL funds go directly to the Haitians.

As the ONE movement state themselves - Where you live should not dictate weather you live.

http://www.myactionaid.org.uk/amandamaesteele/victimless-voodoo-help-for-haiti
(Donations page for those who want to donate but maybe cannot attend on the night)

Raffle tickets will be £2 each.
They can be purchased in advance here
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=11338117
or from Vivien of Holloway, Holloway Road

Websites

http://twitter.com/#/list/ONECampaign/haiti-news

Up to date news feed of what’s currently going on in Haiti to aid the people caught in the crisis.

https://support.actionaid.org.uk/store/checkout_donation.asp?prod_id=247

Action Aid – charity that has been in Haiti since 1996 to aid one of the poorest places on earth,

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So without further ado - here is the line up for the gig. Of course with everything being done in such a short space of time things are subject to change but we will let you know and hope that it will not put you off helping towards such a good cause.

D.J.’s
DJ Scratchy - http://scratchysounds.co.uk/
DJ Simon B-Movie

Performers
Rose Thorn – Elephant Man act
http://www.missrosethorne.com/

Lydia Darling and Amanda Mae Voodoo
http://www.lydiadarling.com/

Bands

Loyalties - http://www.myspace.com/theloyalties
Voodoo Pins - http://www.myspace.com/thevoodoopins
Nick Marsh - http://www.myspace.com/nickmarshmusic

Raffle Prizes

Hat from Lily- May Hats
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?tab=4#/group.php?v=info&gid=5799228489

£50 Vivien of Holloway voucher
http://www.vivienofholloway.com/

Skincare products from WuChi by Macs
http://www.wuchi.co.uk/

Two Teeshirts from Haunted Tattoos
http://www.myspace.com/hauntedtattoo

£35 voucher for half ahour massage at City Sports Massage
http://www.citysportsmassage.com/

Free Day at The Museum of Pinball
http://levelselect.co.uk/pinball-museum/

£25 Gift voucher for Lady Lucie Latex
http://www.ladylucie.com/

a painting from controvertial Stuckist artist Jane Kelly!
http://www.stuckism.com/KellyJane/index.html

Two tickets for a Saturday night at Last Days of Decadance
http://www.thelastdaysofdecadence.com/

Gift voucher for Lulu and Lush
http://www.fairygothmother.co.uk/blog/index.php?cat=38

Rare art print from Adele Elizabeth
http://www.digitaldatacorruption.com/

Painting by Ella Guru
http://www.ellaguru.org.uk/index.php

Painting by Gurdish
http://www.gurdish.com/

Delicious Scented Voodoo Cupcakes from Hostess Elizabeth
http://hostesselisabeth.etsy.com/

Books from Black Springs Press
http://www.blackspringpress.co.uk/

Two tickets to Gypsy Hotel
http://gypsyhotel.co.uk/

Urban Voodoo Machine album
http://theurbanvoodoomachine.com/content/

Miracles on a Friday night

2009-01-30T20:10:00.001Z

Some of you may be aware my grandad has been seriously ill over christmas and that I had to make a mad dash to Preston over new years as it looked like we were about to lose him.
Shortly after that he had another stroke and the doctors said he would only have six weeks to live.
My grandad has been the father that my own father could not be. So to say I was terrified would have been the understatement to end all understatements.
My grandmother insisted that I only come up if the worst was to happen because my grandad wanted me to stay with Vince. He has been selfless even in dire times and was more concerned that we were well than weather we wanted to look after him.
However
My grandad is stubbon.
And he has a 50th wedding anniversary in November this year. So he's decided he's not going anywhere fast and despite being a devout and honest christian, has decided that God can wait a little longer before he goes to serve.
He's currently being rehabilitated on the stroke ward and has been walking with the aid of a zimmer frame and recovered in one week faster than many do in months.
Regardless of what you believe in friends, i know this. My grandfathers faith in God and his love for his wife of 50 years has kept him here and kept him alive.
My grandad is a miracle and I am truly blessed to know he's still on this mortal coil.

What this means to me

2009-01-26T20:57:00.000Z

Its been a recurring topic recently. How important the Sex Pistols were to many but yet not to me.
There was always another band that from being as young as I can remember always seemed far more important.
Now don't get me wrong, I understand the reasoning for the love of the Sex Pistols.
For anyone angry, aware and disillusioned with modern life, here was something that kicked back snarling and full of rage and energy, rarely seen even in this day and age.
Hence why they are still popular and many peoples first lesson in that there was something more out there in music than saccarine sweet pop music pursuading you that everything was great and groovy.
But having been born and raised quite literally into a punk scene that emerged in 77 and was not quite dead in 81, I never really felt the need to outright shock people. I did that enough just being who I was.
But there was another band that I heard from being very little - understanding the rythm before I understood the words, appreciating that everyone that a small child knew back then loved this band for reasons not nessaccery to explain but completely understood as she aged.
This band were the Clash.
This band that sang about things as if it had been written about your life. The band that watched what was going on and put it to music. The Clash were and still are the band that meant the world to so many people.
Musically they encompassed so many sounds, drawing heavily from a black music scene that still suffered discrimination. And in a rare turnaround gave back so much to.
And the thing that really meant the world.. in the years that followed, they still believed that.. and still encouraged everyone else to believe it to.
Joe's Mescaleros produced such beautiful music that still moves. And 6 Years after his passing theres still that spirit. That energy to do something. Whatever that something was to do it positively.
There was anger aplenty in the Clash's music but there was also a humility that is rare in any music. The band that forever symbolised the path of the common people; and that is why they forever will hold a place in my heart that would never be replaced.

A Historic Moment

2009-01-20T20:01:00.000Z

Regardless of what is to come, today is an historic day.
Something that even in my lifetime I did not think could happen.
And yet it did.
Now many people have already begun with the cynasism and doubt. They have good reason. We have had many things that have crumbled. But this man is not a miracle worker. He is a man that is allowing people from all over the world to believe that they to can make a change.
The message recieved loud and clear today was that we CAN improve on things. But only if we can WORK TOGETHER.
I believe without a doubt that this man will strive to improve things in the best way he can. Its the hardest job in the world and the only way we can improve on things is to BELIEVE that we can.

People are claiming that miracles can't happen. But one already has. So whos to say that many more may follow.

Faith. It's a simple thing to have. But it can and it HAS already changed the world.

And a reminder - change can only happen if everyone continues to push forward.

These Anniversarys

2008-12-16T00:39:00.000Z

It's been 17 years today since you went your own way.
I'm the same age as you were then. I've often wondered if I'd get this far too.
I have, but its proved more difficult with time.
Though I have this determination that I don't believe you had back then.
A desire to prove I'm capable of more that what this mind allows me to be.
In recent months I've allowed myself to be put into a situation thats gone against so many of my principals in the hope that it would make me "fit in" belong to the "norm"
In the hope that that would prove beyond measure that I was capable of being what you aimed to be.
I have come to realise that this is not what you would have wanted for yourself and without a doubt it is not what you would want for me.
These years have been spent in anger and in grief. In pride and in envy..
In love and as hard as it is to say,,, in hate.
It's been propelling me to where I am now.
Still learning who I am.
Discovering I know less now than I ever did.
Is this what you meant for me. Is this part of some great plan. Or just an aimless path I;ve wandered down for so long that I'd be lost trying to retrace my steps.
If I could find them in the mud anyway.
It's been a poignant day. The things that have kept me going today have been disappointing when I've got to them. They have left me feeling empty.
Is this how you felt? Or had you felt something better? Had you found peace? From some angles you had it better than ever. But will I ever know if you were happy.
There are so many unanswered questions. They continue to grow while the answers grow fewer.
Tonight dear Father I ask you for guidance. It's a gesture left hanging in the air knowing that there will be no answer.
But perhaps it will make me search deeper for my own answers.
17 years ago you left me alone to make my own way in the world.
Perhaps when I've reached wherever it is I'm meant to be I'll discover the answers..
There isn't a day gone by I haven't wished you by my side through it.

Silence

2008-12-04T22:04:00.000Z

A thousand different direction to go in.
A thousand different ideas and a million different beliefs.
I wonder which of these paths do I follow. And do I go in blindly being lead by those whose eyes never saw even when they could see.
In my heart of hearts I know this current path isn't the one I belong on. I'm out of my depth dealing with people who have none.
Perhaps I'll find the strength and courage. Though I am scared that I have none.
I am not what I always believed myself to be anymore.
But the silence. The Silence is welcoming. And though the manic voices echo around my ears the silence inside is keeping me sane.

Heaven Knows I'm In Love With You

2008-09-27T22:11:00.000+01:00

Theres something about you that everytime I leave you I'm happier than ever to return to you.
You may not be the prettiest in the world and sometimes you're just damn right evil and cruel.
You've destroyed the strongest of men and made Kings of fools.
But you're mine and I love you and you'll always be a part of my heart.
For every time you seem bleak and unfriendly you reveal a part of you that yields so many riches.
The tramp that sleeps under the bright lights of the theatre stage door is now walking tall in Mayfair. She isn't a hero but shes stronger becuase of you. You killed my father and many times over killed me and yet given the both of us life.
So many hopes and dreams are made and broken by you. So many of mine being those.
You make every man equal and thats why I love you. Tonight I feel like I'm Queen and you are mine to rule. With your flashing neon 24 hour lights and dirty streets you make a grown woman weep.
Ah sweet filthy London I wish everyone could love you like I do.

Confessions of a Condemned Woman

2008-09-27T22:09:00.000+01:00

A few months ago a very talented lady approached me and told me about an idea she had for a new project. Now when this lady has a project it always gets me excited. Always.
This one however is very special.
Lady has an Electric Chair that takes up residence in her living room. This chair intrigues and repulses people that come to visit. Many have longed to sit in it and others are horrified that it is there.
It's what it represents.
It is a DEATH chair.
Now there are many indecent proposals out there and some this would be one of them.
For me however this was a challenge I could not refuse.
If I had one chance to confess before they pulled the switch what would it be. One last chance before dying.
Would I bare all and how would I do it...

I will not divulge how it is to pan out.. that is for you to anticipate..
But for now I leave you with this trailer.. and will leave you to make your own decisions.

Check out this video: Death Chair Confessions Trailer