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From The Desk Of Garbage’s Shirley Manson: Francesca Woodman

Garbage is back. And the band’s sound is the same—but different. Not Your Kind Of People (StunVolume) is the quartet’s first album since 2005, and the distance has got Garbage’s creative juices flowing in exciting ways. First single “Blood For Poppies” has the same driving drums, ripping guitars and biting lyrics as earlier LPs but a poppier hook, while “Battle In Me” is much angrier and, well, Garbage-ier. Not Your Kind Of People is a great fusion of the old and the new—and after seven years of waiting, we are pretty psyched the band is back. The quartet will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com for two weeks, but for those of you who need more Garbage, read our 20 Questions feature with Shirley Manson and Butch Vig.

Manson: With so few alternative female artists in music to be inspired by over the last few years, I’ve become increasingly obsessed with visual artists instead. In particular, with women like Louise Bourgeois, Frida Kahlo, Tracey Emin, Maya Deren and Marlene Dumas.

I was lucky enough to discover Francesca Woodman‘s photography by complete accident during a visit to the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art a few years ago to see Tracey Emin’s first major retrospective in the U.K., which was being held in my home city of Edinburgh. It was such an incredible exhibition and one that spurred me to write my first-ever fan letter to a public figure … But that’s another story entirely.

On my way out of the Emin exhibition, I was giddy with fan-girl enthusiasm and so had the curiosity and energy to take a peek at some of the other art on display in adjacent rooms. It was there I came across a small room of Francesca Woodman’s small, stark pictures. I had no idea at the time that she had committed suicide at the age of 22, but something about her work really took a grip of me. She’s not as well known as some of her contemporaries, which is why I am mentioning her here. If I had my way I’d rattle on about how obsessed I am with Tracey Emin, too, but like I said, that’s another story for another time.

Video after the jump.

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