Peace through superior poetry

Ryan Tong and Kosal Khiev are on a mission. Part of new arts collective Studio Revolt, these Asian-American activists – one a youth worker, the other a former refugee and convict recently deported from the US to his native Cambodia – are using poetry to teach orphans the delicate art of self-expression. Ninety kids aged seven to 16, who survive by scavenging from Phnom Penh’s dump sites, are embarking on a voyage of self-discovery through spoken word at local NGO A New Day Cambodia.

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Jerry Joseph: Natural Born Thriller

Hard rock has long been known for its diabolical associations, from Jimmy Page’s devout following of ‘The Great Beast’ Aleister Crowley to Keith Richard’s obsession with the occult. But only one man can lay claim to being the inspiration for ultra-violent serial killer Mickey Knox in Natural Born Killers, Oliver Stone’s frenzied study of the relationship between the mass media and mass murderers.

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Orchestra of hippies plays homage to musical nomads

A merry crew of gypsies, the Phnom Penh Hippie Orchestra offers melodic tribute to the ‘make love, not war’

In its purest form, the word ‘gypsy’ – which refers to Europe’s Romani people, who trace their origins back to the Indian subcontinent – evokes an intoxicating blend of mystery and romanticism. Forever strangers in a strange land, this vast ethnic group originally migrated to Persia between 224 and 642 AD. By the 15th century, some had reached Western Europe. By the 20th century, others had made it as far as North America.

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Introducing Jaguar Skills: ninja master of the mix

Bastardising music is nothing new. From the jazz tradition of reinterpreting standards to the DIY ethic of punk, the art of assembling new songs from purloined elements of existing tracks has been around since music was first recorded. But a certain breed of DJ is jacking up the creative bar – and then some.

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