BabMag. Issue four. Winter 2016

Birmingham and beyond.

Issue four Winter 2016

Bab Mag. Kate Hook Zooki Bikelife Alexander Rhys Provide Musical Youth GVNMNT Laura Tinald And More

Image: Alexander Rhys

2017 EVERY FRIDAY & SATURDAY 5PM-LATE OPENING WEEKEND 27TH & 28TH JANUARY

Unit 2 & 3, Lower Trinity Street Birmingham B9 4AG

Full story at

liquiproof.co.uk/pages/ridedry

Credits

006

Introduction

John Bryan - Editor in Chief Callum Barnes - Art Director Joe Miles - Art & Lifestyle Editor Holly Rackham - Arts Editor Jack Parker - Music Editor Holly Hollister - Music Editor Lap-Fai Lee - Food Editor Matt Ryan - Lifestyle Editor

008

Kate Hook

018

Zooki

028

Liquiproof

Contribution

032

Bikelife

Danil Baparai, Tom McElroy, Alex Luc, Gift Gwambe, Kate Hook, Alexander Rhys, Henry Ling, Dennis Seaton, Morgan Tedd, Laura Tinald, Ccoward & Corina Esquivel

046

Alexander Rhys

056

Provide

066

Franklin Armstrong

068

Vital

073

Inside Chinatown

078

Musical Youth

088

GVNMNT

096

Laura Tinald

Contact contact@babmag.co.uk www.babmag.co.uk facebook.com/babmaguk twitter.com/babmaguk instagram/babmag Boxxed 104-108 Floodgate Street Digbeth Birmingham B5 5SR

Many of the manuscripts, visuals and promotional materials shown in this publication are sent to us anonymously and they are used only for the purposes of documentation. The views expressed in BabMag are those of the respective contributors and not necessarily those of the staff or the brand. This mag contains graphic material in the form of art.

joyeux noël Feliz Navidad Fröhliche Weihnachten Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Welcome to issue four.

Issue four and our final issue of the year with all seasons now covered. We have had the honour to feature some of our heroes and inspirations, uncovered some amazing artists and sampled some of Birmingham’s finest cuisine. It’s been a great year and we have been able to build an incredible team of writers, photographers and contributors and look forward to what is in store for us in 2017.

In this issue we explore Birmingham’s reggae roots and its rich history with a feature on the Grammy nominated, chart topping Musical Youth; a group who exploded on to the scene in the ‘80s with some help from musical pioneer John Peel. We talk to the lead singer Dennis Seaton about the group’s past, present and future. To celebrate the issue, we have released a limited edition t-shirt in collaboration with Provide, taking inspiration from Musical Youth’s vinyl sleeve.

Other features include abstract artist Alexander Rhys, who we chatted with about his explosively colourful canvasses and how art serves as therapy. From bicycles and crossers to squad bikes we caught up with the wheelie popping guys from Bikelife, exploring the booming subculture that divides opinions.

Birmingham Mail and the Police hate them so that means we dig them right?

We also take a look at the new collection from Birmingham born and bred clothing brand Gvnmnt, fine artist Laura Tinald and her inky ladies, Kate Hook a photographer with a unique process and style and an OG graffiti writer who’s been bombing the walls of Birmingham and beyond for 30 years, Zooki. Last but not least, our food editor gets to expose the food of his heritage with a guide to Birmingham’s Chinatown.

The BabMag Team.

007

Kate Hook Kate Hook is a 26-year-old photographer based in Birmingham, currently studying Film & TV Production at Staffordshire University.

Working across film and digital practices, she has built up an eclectic body of both portrait and architectural photographic work, and her most recent project is a vivid, eye-catching affair that indicates a new direction.

Kate took the time to discuss her creative process and influences, photography as a coping mechanism and the future.

Words: Danil Boparai

Images: Kate Hook

Hi Kate, could you tell us a little about your creative journey into photography?

My family were creative types, most weekends my older brother and me were taken to art galleries in Birmingham and around the West Midlands, so from an early age I knew I wanted a career in the arts in one form or another.

It wasn’t until I was about 14 I gained an interest in photography.

I’d go out on these “photo missions” around Digbeth with my friend Dan Alani, taking pictures of our surroundings. At first I’d use my Dad’s Canon AV-1 SLR, but admittedly I didn’t really understand how to use it or how film worked! So I used this little manual Fuji digital compact camera and taught myself the basics of photography.

I did go to Art College to study the subject, but I didn’t really get much out of the course and my Mother died right before I started my 2nd year, so as you can imagine I wasn’t at all interested in the subject at that point. A year later I bought a Mini Diana, after my best friend Ally Standing told me I needed to get back into taking photos. With that I started to experiment with film photography and soon after I got my first DSLR when I began working on freelance projects.

Could you tell us about your workflow?

It’s very rare I go out without a camera; some of my best pictures in the last year have come from a standard trip to the shops! A 5-minute trip can turn into a half an hour photo taking session. My friends and me will stumble upon something eye catching, such as the demolition of the old Birmingham library for example and hang around for ages taking photos.

Photography is about life, whatever grabs my attention, I have to capture and create from it.

If I want to do an actual series, whether portraits or architecture, I’ll plan ahead in terms of equipment but then run wild with the rest. ‘I’ll see what I can do when I get there’ is normally my thinking. Over planning can be stressful, I more or less go with the flow when I take pictures. It seems to work for me!

How would you define your style?

Dreamy, whimsical, perhaps child-like? Pablo Picasso said ‘it took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.’ That sum’s up what’s been going on with my style, I evolved into a professional digital portrait photographer in the space of 4-5 years. But now I’m more focused on actually creating a photograph, as well as just taking it. For me it’s all about the art of “play” with my imagery. Light, shadows, shapes, and movements are the main elements I play with.

011

You mentioned Pablo Picasso as an inspiration, which other artists and photographers have inspired your work?

Photographer Gjon Mili and cinematographer Benoît Debie are most definitely my biggest influences. Mili’s use of light and movement, and Debie’s use of colour have had a big impact on how I create my photographs. Painting and acting are two main creative mediums that have played for inspiration for my work in the last couple of years too, from using the camera like a brush to capture the light, to creating characters with portraits. Those mediums influence the emotion that is sometimes seen in my work.

Earlier you brought up the cameras you used whilst finding your way into photography, what do you carry around these days?

Primarily I use a LC-Wide and a Nikon FM2, both of which have a multi-exposure function. The LC-Wide is good to keep in my bag as it’s small and pretty easy to use. With the Nikon I have more control over the focus and exposure. Sometimes I still use my Dad’s old Canon AV-1. Most recently I got a Nimslo 3D camera, which literally makes my photographs come “alive”!

013

What is the one thing you wish you knew when you started taking photos?

At first it was hard to understand how important every element is! Digital has made it a bit too easy to point and shoot, then fix it in post-processing. Everything from aperture, shutter speed, ISO, even the lenses you use all play a major part in the photograph you take. Figuring all that out is part of your individual photographic journey.

Do you prefer film or digital?

Film, all the way! You can download all the plugins, presets, actions and apps all you want, but you can’t ever truly replicate the look and feel you get with film. Don’t get me wrong digital is great to learn with, but shooting on film is a real discipline. If you call yourself a photographer who doesn’t dare to touch film, then I just think you’re a good editor with a camera kit.

What kind of tools do you use for post processing/editing?

None! I’m actually quite bored with digital editing; it often feels like a pissing contest with other digital photographers. I may crop a film picture for an Instagram post, but that’s as far as it goes with editing. Everything is incamera and sometimes I soup the film too with fruit juice or washing up liquid.

Let’s talk about the photos featured in this month’s issue of BabMag. With such a vibrant use of colour they have a very different look compared to some of your previous work?

I feel that I’ve evolved a lot artistically.

5 years ago I was more bothered about being as good as any other photographer, doing what everybody else was doing, but it left me feeling so unfulfilled. I did think I should take down a lot of my “old” photography work online, but I want to leave it up there to show the change and development in my work.

When my Father died in 2013, I was thrown into this dark pit of misery, something I thought I escaped after my Mother died. Around that time I started to use my Dad’s Canon SLR, taking pictures of my world and surroundings, like I did when I was a teenager. I started messing with the film, winding it back after shooting on it, and shooting on it again. When I got these photos back from the lab I was stunned, I loved what I created.

As a result I started going out more and more, exploring, creating and living through these little light boxes. I focused on the light to get myself out of this darkness I was living in. The pictures you see represent the vibrancy and beauty of life, something that has saved me from darker times.

On your site there are quite a few portraits but also shots of architecture

in New York and the Grand Central Station construction, is it easy to pin down your favourite work so far?

My New York pictures hold a really special place in my heart. It was the first time I travelled anywhere without a DSLR, which was partly due to me not wanting to look like a tourist!

All I had with me was my Canon AV-1, my LC-Wide and my iPhone. Looking back, that trip made me brave with film photography and start to help define my work artistically. I came back from New York to Birmingham with a new perspective renewed love for photography. My other favourite photographs are ones I’ve taken with friends exploring the city. I love being able to capture the change Birmingham has been going through. I’m evolving alongside my home city and capturing it all in the process.

What’s next for you and your practice?

Sometime ago I decided to put what I’ve learnt about digital photography into videography, now I’m on my second year studying Film & TV Production with Staffordshire Uni. In the last decade Digital Cinematography has made moving image so limitless for creatives. I feel like it’s a great skill to learn, hopefully one day I can move onto film cinematography once I get enough experience.

Right now I’m combining digital videography with film photography by starting a YouTube channel, called Film Freek, where I show some of the techniques I use for my photography.

The film photography community is growing on social media faster than ever, and there’s already some cool channels on YouTube, so for me it’s a now or never kind of thing! I’m really happy with how I’ve been progressing with photography and I’m excited to see what happens in the future.

Zooki

Words: Joe Miles

Images: Henry Ling

037

For three decades Zooki has been a major part of the Birmingham graffiti scene, helping to shape it into what it is today. If you know about Birmingham graffiti, then you will know about this man. His abstract letter forms have evolved over the years into a very distinctive style that are often accompanied by his unique style of b-boy characters. I linked up with him down one of Birmingham’s many canals to drop a piece and have a bit of a chat. Zooki is one of the most humble and positive artists I have had the pleasure of hanging out with; it is always good to see a writer that’s been active for many years still dropping and enjoying painting burners on the regular.

Would you like to introduce yourself?

My name is Zooki, I started in ‘86. I was down with TSK, The Style Kings, DSR, UBA, FKS, SFX, yes, yes. Oh and TWC, UGF. I was down with loads of crews. Like all of us down south side it’s all been one crew anyway because we all bounce round together. We were always together. That’s why we kinda started SSM – South Side Mafia ya know. It united us all.

I like it when a crew continues growing.

Adding new writers that’s the way it should be. It’s good.

It’s fresh. Fresh creation.

So we did the painting last week…

Wicked painting.

We were having a chat whilst we were painting and we were on about how you never used to get photos of your older

paintings. Is this something you regret not doing now, looking back?

Totally. I totally regret not taking photos of paintings to be honest. I don’t know… I was very one minded when it came to graffiti. I was like you bomb it, you piece it, don’t need to take photos. It’s gone. It was only supposed to be there for that amount of time. I’ll just move on to the next one. But I do… I totally regret not taking photos of my pieces.

So these days, when a piece pops up on Instagram or Facebook that you haven’t seen for 20 years, I bet it’s a pretty good feeling?

For sure. Most of the time it’s like, what’s that nasty thing. But you know, one will pop up and I’ll go bloody hell. I didn’t even remember doing that painting. In a way, not taking photos when I was younger was a good thing because they pop up every now and again and it’s like wow, did I really do that?

Or shit, I did that.

To be fair, there was a lot of them Joe because back in the days, we were all bombing, it was more bombing. Every weekend we’d go out painting, but them were the developing days, where you could just throw all kinds of stuff in there.

You started with some of the greats like Zed and Goldie?

Goldie started way before me. Goldie was probably one of the greatest inspirations for us. I didn’t just used to look up to him. We’d go down to Heathtown… Zed used to take me down there. I think the first day we went down and met him, I had to go down a couple more times. He didn’t become just the person I was looking up to, more a friend. He would proper school us up on things you know.

He was a good friend What was it like watching him rise to fame through the years with films and fucking all sorts? We also had him in the first issue, it’s madness man.

That was just nuts. That was like mind-blowing. I remember because I used to buy loads of records and this was Angel… Goldie’s record called Angel Synthetic and this record just blew my mind. I remember running down to Selly Oak Park with this record going to tell everyone, ‘yo look what my man’s doing’. He’s just gone from strength to strength.

You’ve seen a lot of writers come and go over time. Is there anybody from back in the day that you’d love to see comeback?

Oh yes. There are a lot of friends of ours who have passed away who I’d love to see… obviously I’d love to see all those boys come back. Guys like Peb, Jinx is another, 16, 18 when they passed away.

Through graffiti, just living their dream. They were mates and unfortunately, Peb got hit by a bus, just crossing the road, didn’t see it. Jinx was caught bombing on a roof overhang in town, fell through a skylight. But yes, there are loads of writers that I’d love to see back writing again. I always love when you see an old face re-emerging and start painting.

You’ve got like Mode 2 as well. I’d love to see Bando. I’m sure he still paints, but not like before. I did see something; I think it was on the news maybe. I seen there was a 3D piece from ‘83 and it had a Mona Lisa background and I think it was a 3D piece. It looked to me as if, to anyone who didn’t do graffiti back in the day, if you didn’t know 3D, you’d think it was Banksy because of the Mona Lisa piece in the background. So he must have been heavily inspired by 3D. Standard isn’t it?

I’d love to see Korsa painting more. Come on Korsa. We want to see Korsa painting more.

023

I’ve been lucky enough to have a read of your piece in a new book that’s coming out, Smashin Brum and in that you talked about your short stint in prison?

Her Majesty’s… I think the whole thing is shot to pieces man. The way they treated us back then was disgusting. It’s a shambles. For writing, graffiti people get locked up for years. It’s just stupid. It’s a waste of fucking money. It’s a waste of someone’s talent, what’s the point and it don’t accomplish anything.

It’s stupid. From fucking painting on a train…

But they don’t understand. A graffiti artist doesn’t always think about themselves, we’re supplying jobs for people. There is a whole network of people that have got jobs because of us. Haha.

Back in the day there was no CCTV or surveillance.

There was nothing like that back in our day. You could take your time. You wouldn’t have to worry.

You wouldn’t even get helicopters up in the sky till the late 80’s. When they first brought the cameras out here, because we used to hit the buses heavily… we’d sit on the bus, you couldn’t look anywhere for space. You’d go on certain buses, it would just be bombed out inside and out and when things got on top… when they started to crack down, they introduced the cameras on the bus. That’s the first kinda CCTV I ever seen. They put a camera at the front of the bus. But the joke of it was they weren’t even fucking real.

There was the Timesaver line that went from Birmingham to Coventry or to the Airport. So the tourists or people who were coming off the plane from their holidays would get a clean bus into the city. You might get one in there. The rest of them were all dud. In the mid-90s, that’s when they started really. I noticed the cameras then really picked up.

I bet the buses looked amazing, all bombed to fuck.

I started when I first ventured out to do graffiti in ‘86, that’s when I thought, this is what I gotta do now, I wanna do graffiti. But you have to remember, it was all hip-hop back then. So if you went to school, hiphop would be everywhere. If you went to the park, you’d have a dance or people would be breaking with ghetto blasters everywhere. So as a kid you’re trying to find how can you play a role… what’s your part in all this?

Were you arty before or was it just graff?

I used to love drawing. I’d spend all hours a day just drawing, all day long. I was drawing all the time. As a kid my old man, one day he came home with loads of wallpaper. He could decorate the house. But he didn’t decorate the house, not straight away. We was going to but he left it under the stairs and I got them out. I obliterated them. I just would draw all over them, all over the wallpaper. He was like, what are you doing? Haha, so I was always creative as a kid. I would just stay in all day drawing. Good days.

025

Do you spend time doing canvas and stuff now. Do you enjoy all that as well?

Yes, it’s just another element to graffiti. It’s still graffiti; we’re just doing it on a canvas or whatever medium we’re using. I always believe that if you want to be good at anything, you’ve got to work out… I don’t think no one can just get straight up and say ‘yo I can do this, I can do that’. You’ve got to work in there. So for me, graffiti you’ve got to be drawing. So I’ll be drawing all the time. Not so much when I was a younger graffiti writer, but then when I got to about 30.

When I think of Birmingham graffiti, you and Korsa are the top boys.

How important do you reckon he was to what we now know as Brum graffiti?

Well with hand on my heart, I think he kinda saved graffiti in Birmingham in a lot of ways. He inspired a whole generation. Definitely got me off my backside to start painting again because I almost dropped out of doing graffiti altogether, just becoming a rave head. I’d go down the road, I’d see Korsa tags everywhere. He absolutely held the city up to ransom and I talked to that guy straight off.

Do you think Brum’s style has developed from him?

Yes, definitely. I wouldn’t say developed from him but he’s definitely one of the most iconic graffiti artists in Birmingham. Say in the U.K full stop.

Just to finish up, any words of wisdom to any young writers?

Just believe in yourself, be passionate. It’s not easy to make a career out of graffiti but it will give you a happy life. I wouldn’t want them to expect much out of it, just enjoy the journey because it is a fantastic road and you get to meet some good people, and develop so much and you’ll blow yourself away.

One thing I really love is looking at the Birmingham scene now, a lot of the younger guys: Gypsy, Tempo, Cofie, Paser, Ziner, Voms these guys they work hard, they’re all young guys, they all hold down a job, got Mrs’s, but once a week they’ll meet and they’ll go do a piece. That kinda thing inspires me, I think that’s how it has gotta be dropped. And just big up Birmingham! All Birmingham crews big up.

I’d like to give a shout out to Tec 269, Zed, Dez and Flake TWC, Sneak TBL, Zomby DDS, Korsa, T Bone, Hoaks FKS, Sketch TSK, Coast (RIP) and Sneak TBR. I haven’t mentioned some of the guys from Birmingham, our city, who have inspired me. There were loads of them guys that don’t get the recognition that they truly deserve, like: Prize NTC, Chase UBA, Atiske UBA, Setone DSR, Fab 392, Astro UBA, Wez, the Resistance Crew, there’s a whole heap of these guys that I have to take my hat off to them and thank them, because without these guys I wouldn’t be here.

Most of all I want to thank my beautiful wife Sarah.

May

STICK UP KIDS B R E A K D A N C I N G E X H I B I T I O N S A U G M E N T E D R E A L I T Y L I V E M U S I C + S O M U C H M O R E

027

The Liquiproof Life

029

Take a peek at the awesome new concept and work space where BabMag homies Liquiproof are redefining protection for sneakers, clothing and more.

Liquiproof started as a one man band in a small storage unit, but today boasts a staff of 11 with a warehouse, large office and flagship retail and social space in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

The company, which started out with a liquid repellent spray for footwear that works like nothing else on the market, brings together high spec nano technology coatings with a fresh and cool brand vibe.

Liquiproof’s product range now includes fabric and leather protectors for all items, not just footwear. And there are new offerings on the way including an ecofriendly all-purpose cleaner, and protector sprays for wood, stone and glass.

The Liquiproof philosophy is simple. They make it easier for you to do the things you love. Whatever you treat lasts longer, so you clean and replace less, which means more time and money for you to enjoy life.

Words: Matt Ryan

Images: Callum Barnes

Bikelife Over the past decade or so, social media has allowed for niche, isolated subcultures to go global, and Bikelife is no stranger to this phenomenon. A scene that began with young men riding vertical through the unforgiving hoods of early nineties East Coast Baltimore, has pulled a metaphorical wheelie around the globe. Inventing its own catalogue of celebrities, content, social movement, transatlantic bonds and controversy, before returning horizontal in the Midlands. The scene, its pioneers and followers are immersed in an oil-stained, adrenalin fuelled, often misunderstood culture, focused primarily on riding anything with wheels; portrayed by the media as a nuisance, but with untapped potential for good.

In memory of Tom Brett

There’s no denying that as a subculture, Bikelife is controversial. Nobody could be blamed for buying into the Birmingham Mail’s portrayal of the riders as “nuisance biker gangs”; young men riding bikes and quads, performing gravity-defying wheelies and acrobatic stunts, sometimes, but not always, in large groups. And some, but not all, on the public highway, to the annoyance of some drivers.

Just as social media poured the petrol, the wider media undeniably lit the match that fired Bikelife global. A 2013 documentary following the infamous ’12 O’clock Boys’ as they wheelie away the hardships of living in Baltimore’s bleakest hoods, paved the way for number of parallel features by Vice and the BBC focusing on riders in the UK, few of whom were painted in a positive light. However you perceive it, there’s something captivating about a formation of machines, front wheels bobbing between flat and upright amidst a dramatic rumble and hazy smell of 2 stroke mixture. It’s undeniably exciting and remarkably raw in equal measure.

As the saying goes, there are two sides to every story, and there is no exception to the rule where Bikelife is concerned. As with any subculture the UK adopts from across the pond, influences are borrowed, adapted and distilled with a British twist. However, unlike Mods in the sixties or hip-hop in the eighties, Bikelife hasn’t inherited any of the violence or negative aspects that accompanied either. Discard the one-dimensional stereotype created by the Birmingham Mail and the reality is entirely paradoxical. Terminology is powerful, and whilst the newspapers use of the word “gang” plants connotations of rivalries and violence in the readers mind, Bikelife is very much focused on unity and progression. A recent charity ride-out in Birmingham saw hundreds of teenagers from different areas, most of who were strangers come together to raise money and show support for a friend who is suffering from cancer. History informs us that gangs from rival areas do not get along, and although the ride out made it on to public roads, it doesn’t take a genius or a journalism degree to conclude that waves of teens uniting for a cause is rare, and a positive in today’s climate.

As mentioned, the scene is woven together inextricably through social media, with Instagram existing as the most important link in the chain. Riders and crews with incredible followings, such as the Go Hard Boys (GHB) utilise hash tags like #bikesbringbonds and #bikesupknivesdown, linking together Bikelife ambassadors from every corner of the globe and promoting peace and solidarity on a local and international level.

Formed in Harlem in the late nineties, GHB is more like a family tree than a gang, whose branches have reached exotic locations all over the world, Birmingham included. In this sense, Bikelife as a culture is an anomaly; a crew, who you might find giving out turkeys in their New York

ghetto at Christmas now boasts members in Chelmsley Wood, alongside international superstars such as Fetty Wap, who recently released a tune titled ‘Go Hard Boyz’ which includes the lyric ‘bikes up guns down.’

In terms of Brum based Bikelifers with international connections, you need look no further than Picky. As a respected member of GHB, the Chelmsley Wood lad is a strong advocate of all things Bikelife and a shining example of a rider with impressive skill and good intentions. Having ridden alongside some of the scenes most respected names across the Atlantic, Picky has seen the potential for good that Bikelife has outside of the UK, and aims to continue that direction in his native city.

035

So how did you get involved in riding and then what led you to join GHB? I used to ride when I was younger; I think my first bike was a little KX85. I had that for two weeks, sold it and went halves with my mate to a YZF450.

So you’ve always been hungry for it?

Yes, always rode and then with GHB, my mate just came round and said to me one day, oh I’ve been speaking to these lads from Harlem. They’re all sound and that. Start an Instagram and just add them all up. So I did, and from that, I got really close to Shae who is like the CEO. Basically, that’s how I ended up pushing it so hard, because I’ve seen his view and his vision and I just loved it. I thought, yes, I love that.

So were recently over in the US. What did you get up to? What’s Bikelife like over there compared with the UK? It’s a lot different. Wherever I went I met up with E-Money, he’s from Yonkers in New York. He took me and my boy Daz to a strip in Connecticut where they had a BBQ cook out with a DJ and they gave us a quad and a bike to ride. The police allow them to ride on that strip, from twelve o’clock to half six. So that was good. And then I went to meet Dirtbike James from GHB, I went to his lock up to seen all his bikes. He’s like a proper OG over there. Everybody loves him over there, it’s mad. And then Shea, he mainly looked after us, he gave me GHB clothes an that. He made sure we had like taxis everywhere and took us out for breakfast every day. We had our own little taxi driver.

So they looked after you just from having met on Instagram?

Yeah, just off talking on Instagram. I went to Queens, Harlem, places like that you can’t just go. You have to be invited or be with people that are certified if you know what I mean? I went to Harlem, Queens, Connecticut. I went Delaware and met Wheely Wayne. He’s from Baltimore. He’s a proper top rider. He’s been out there for years, from the start. At the MX Awards, I met Wink 100.

He done ‘99 Problems’ video with Jay Z. He’s the original Rough Rider. He started the Rough Riderz, another big crew. I done quite a bit over there. I met Fetty Wap over there. Got taken to his house, he showed me all his quads and his bikes. I was watching White Men Can’t Jump with Mont from Remy Boyz. That was funny. I met Fetty Waps wife. His wife’s lovely. Like I say, if it weren’t for Shea… it’s mad. Over there, the bike scene is massive. When you get over there you don’t understand, you’re like a celebrity. I’m in a club in the Bronx in the after party and I got massive geezers coming up to me, going ‘oh look Picky man, you’re from the UK, right?’ and I’m like ‘yeah, yeah, yeah’. They’re like ‘come on, let me get you a drink’ and they’re buying me and Daz drinks and I had to say to them in the end ‘right, that’s enough now, you’re going to get me drunk’.

@mr_ghbuk

035

#bikesbringbonds So I’ve seen #bikesbringbonds and #bikesupknivesdown everywhere on social media. How do bikes bring bonds and how important is it for bike life culture? Is there any beef or is it all love?

Nine times out of ten it’s love. You do still get people who have disagreements with people, but like I say, nine times out of ten they’ll put it aside just to ride. Like we did a ride out for a lad who is 16. His name is Tom Brett and he’s got leukaemia and we had people from everywhere. We had people come down from London, Wolverhampton, Walsall. We had people from everywhere really. Say if you’ve got lads from Handsworth and lads from Nechells or Lozells and stuff like that, they might have trouble with each other but on the ride, it’s different. It’s for a cause to raise money so they all came together as one and showed that bikes do bring bonds. I go anywhere. I can ride anywhere I want, I could ride in Moss side. I could go down Brixton, anywhere. As long as you’ve got your bike, you’re all right, people love it.

@daz_ghbuk

There’s a lot of negative press in the Birmingham Mail about riders in Brum, do you agree with any of this or what sort of positives do they miss out?

The Birmingham Mail, all they want to do is just push bad stuff. They don’t push the good stuff.

Like I say, they just put negative stuff out. They wanted to get in contact with us about Tom’s ride and all they were asking is ‘oh, what gang do you represent?’ They didn’t ask anything about Tom or how he was or what his condition was. All they wanted to know was what bike I ride and which gang do I represent. But like I say, there’s not a gang. It’s a family because I can go to America and they look after me. I can go to Dirt Bike James’ Grandma’s house and have food, stay on the settee. Gangs can’t do that; do you know what I mean?

039

Obviously, there’s a lot of potential for positives to come from Bikelife, especially where kids are concerned. Is the goal to get somewhere legit for people to ride in Birmingham and if so, how do you think this would work with regards to riding and the Council?

Well, hopefully at the start of next year, me and a couple of the lads have got a few things planned. We’re going to do some events and try and raise some money to put towards a strip or if we can find an investor to put money down, because I know I could get 300 people down to ride on a strip. If they all paid £30 each, it’s a lot of money. So it’s a good opportunity for someone who has got a lot of money that can invest. If a potential investor wanted to make some money, all they’d have to do is set a strip up. It would stop a lot of people riding on the roads because people ride on roads just to feel free.

But you can’t ride on strips. You ride on a strip and the police come and they’ll move you on.

They push you on to the streets to chase you so they can arrest you and they can do stuff like that, when really, they should just make somewhere for the lads to ride, stop some of the chases. There was a video on Instagram not long ago and the police tried to ram one of the young lads off his bike. He never had a helmet on. He was riding a little 85 and they tried to ram him. He went up the curb quickly and the police went up the curb as well but they missed him.

So potentially getting a strip would make some money for someone and could also get a lot of kids out of riding on the streets?

Yes, definitely. You can make loads of money, it’s unreal.

It seems like riding gives a lot of kids a purpose. So getting them on to a strip could also get them doing other stuff as well?

I get loads of kids messaging me. I walk up the road and I get people shouting ‘Bikelife, Bikelife’ and I turn around and they’re loving it.

I’ve seen this one lad when I was walking, he’s seen me he’s like, ‘are you Picky? I said, yeah, yeah. He was like ‘I follow you on Instagram’, I’m like ‘no way’. He was like ‘Bike Life’ and then as he walked off, he messaged me on my phone. So I followed him and liked a few of his photos and I think it made his day because he was like, ‘I can’t believe I’ve just met Picky’.

He’s following me, and I’m just a normal lad, but to some of the kids, they look up to me.

It’s mad.

I suppose in that way, it’s kind of keeping them out of shit that they could be doing?

Yeah, it is, definitely. That’s it. I don’t know if you’ve noticed as well but since all the Bikelife and everything like that, all I see is little kids wheelieing their pedal bikes up the road, up the paths. I see them everywhere. I mean, it’s like the new trend that everyone wants to be a part of and that’s why bikes bring bonds so much, because it’s part of the bike culture.

What’s next for Bikelife in Brum?

We’re going to do a couple of events to raise money to make a strip and push forward.

Hopefully we can get GHB proper, get our own clothing line going, things like that, just to help make the strip. Because if we get a strip or something like that, it just changes everything because instead of riding to somewhere or riding around places, you’ve got somewhere to ride where people are going to want to show off their tricks. I can do this better than you, well let’s see it then. Let’s do it. That’s what hopefully we want to try and do.

Sweet. Thanks for taking the time to chat to us!

Just appreciate you giving me the chance to talk about stuff like this. I’m very thankful. Not many people understand or can see what it means to people just to ride a bike. You can have the worst problems at home. Once you get on that bike and twist the throttle, you’re gone. That’s it man. Everything just leaves you. You’re at one with your bike.

041

If you come across the Birmingham branch of GHB on Instagram, you’ll know about it; their logo is adorned proudly on their garms in the same fashion as their American cousins. If you come across them in the flesh, they’ll be the ones flying past with the front wheel hitting 12 o’clock. But remember, they’re more approachable than some would have you believe, so don’t be afraid to say ‘what’s up’.

With Thanks Birmz is Grime: facebook.com/0121BirmzisGrimeTV

Ccoward @ccoward_

Alexander Rhys

Words: Holly Rackham

Images: Tom McElroy

Mike Skinner

077

Alexander Rhys is bringing the abstract expressionist movement back with a bang, his vibrant canvasses explode with colour and invite us to delve deeper into his psyche. His style captures the autonomous, spontaneous strokes of his predecessors, whilst managing to change it up for new audiences. Alexander deliberately leaves his works unvarnished, leaving a raw finish to his pieces. He studied Fine Art after dabbling in photography, but the rigid and controlled nature of academic study caused him to break away and find his own path. Despite being an emerging artist Alexander has exhibited across the globe and is currently supported by the Prince’s Trust. Alexander now has a sense of who he is and where he fits into the system, even if that means not being a part of it at all.

BabMag visited Alexander’s studio in Minerva Works, Digbeth to drink cider and get an exclusive sneak peak of his latest collection. We spoke to him about how his mental health affects his works, life saving decisions and current projects.

049

What inspires you to create your works?

My work has many inspirations. As I studied photography before BA Fine Art, I see constant links between the two. I attempt to use the aspects of composing and image or creating a structure that I have learnt when shooting with my camera in paintings. University was great; learning about different ideas, concepts and history of art but after a while I became so bothered if my art ticked this box or that, I just did what I wanted! Surely art is about freedom after all. I also have a couple of mental health issues that make me see everyday banal things like ashtrays or abandoned objects in a way that reveals their own beauty and narrative.

How does your OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) affect your work?

Painting for me is a sort of therapy. When I paint I don’t feel anything! It’s all spontaneous movements and just being at one with the canvas. I could get really pretentious and say all my anxiety and subconscious thoughts get released onto the canvas and that they are self portraits, but everything we do is a self portrait anyway.

So you don’t have specific meanings that go with your paintings, they are more about evoking a certain feeling, left up to the viewer to decide?

No concepts – just look at one of my pieces, if you like it you like it, if you don’t you don’t. It’s all about that initial visual impact. I had enough of making up things and trying to justify why I put a colour or marking somewhere when I was at University. I’ve stopped going to art galleries now as you spend more time reading the concepts and idea of the piece rather than looking at the piece itself.

You worked with the Prince’s Trust, how did that come about?

I have to be honest, the Prince’s Trust saved my life. I always felt a bit misunderstood and the only thing I have ever been half good at is art. I am so grateful that they see my passion and enthusiasm for art – it really hit me when they gave me funding as I finally had the opportunity to do what I love.

I get to see my mentor every couple of weeks and he’s been great! I have also sold some work to outdoor advertising company Clear Channel for their new HQ in London through the Prince’s Trust.

My work is now hanging in their boardroom and I had the opportunity to have a tour around their building and meet members of their team. It was a great day.

Can you tell us what you are working on at the moment?

I am currently working on a series of paintings that are full on expressive. I went through a phase of trying to use a minimal colour palette and I was thinking too much about where I should place or arrange the colour around the canvas – I felt trapped doing this as painting for me is all about expression. Expect lots of colour and lots gestures.

053

Do you exhibit your work?

I have sold pieces and had work published in Chicago, London, Berlin and Amsterdam etc. but recently I have really tried to bring it back home, as I feel that Birmingham has so much to offer. I’m actually in conversation with a couple of quirky places in Birmingham to have some exhibitions. I got offered to exhibit in Egypt the other week! Unfortunately, I had to turn down this opportunity due to other commitments.

And finally, what do you love most about Birmingham?

Birmingham is such a diverse place with people from all over the world, wonderful smells and food and the different languages you can hear as you walk through town make me proud to be from the area. As an artist it is great to have all of these different influences around me, I could never lose inspiration living here in Brum. I have a studio in Digbeth and spend a lot of time wondering around the backstreets armed with my camera – you never know what you are going to find.

Provide Best of Brum

Words: John Bryan

Images: Corina Esquivel & Alexander Luc

Following his time at The Custard Factory, Provide had a short stint in Birmingham’s latest independent hotspot, the Great Western Arcade alongside retailers, booze connoisseurs and coffee shops such as The Liquor Store, Projekt21, Loki Wines and Sushi Paradise. This popular parade for commuters, shoppers and culture vultures had provided a one stop shop for all things indie. Now at the end of 2016, Provide exists within a collaborative space with like-minded individuals at the Jubilee Centre located in Birmingham’s Southside. Joining forces with artists such as BabMag featured satirical artist Imbue and architectural forward thinkers space_ play to create a self confined hub. By the time you are reading this the Provide ‘Best of Brum’ pop up shop will be back in the Great Western Arcade; not only a place to pick up unique Christmas gifts or a locally screen printed t-shirt that resonates in Brum culture in the ground floor shop, ‘Best of Brum’ will also play host to exhibitions, book signings and a certain magazine launch for issue 4 will be taking place in the upstairs gallery space till the end December. Provide is doing exactly what is says on the tin; we have only one piece of advice on this independent juggernaut, use it or lose it...

Best of Brum pop up, Great Western Arcade

In Birmingham, business success lies within finding a niche and providing a service that fills a void.

In 2012 Matthew Nation, fresh from completing a degree in Product Design for Fashion at London College of Fashion and after spending time in the Big Apple cutting his teeth in one of the industry’s most pioneering cities, decided it was time to support Birmingham’s creative publications and independent brands by providing a home and championing other creatives, designers and start ups. Provide was formally housed in The Custard Factory, an area once dubbed the Brick Lane of Birmingham albeit a little far from the truth, it is a testament to Provide’s business model that the store bloomed whilst housed there.

067

Matt Nation

Why did you move from The Custard Factory?

When I opened Provide at the Custard Factory in 2012, it was a great place to start my first ever business in a city where I didn’t know anyone. The rent was cheap, the landlords were willing to work with me as a relatively inexperienced kid in his mid twenties, and the local community was quick to welcome me with open arms. But after three years there, I felt Provide needed to step up a gear, and anyone who ever visited that first space will remember how tiny it was - there’s only so much that’s possible in a single room that size, so I took a break clause in my lease and started to look for other sites.

How did your original vision and idea for Provide differ and evolve to what we see today?

Back in 2011 when Provide was just an idea, my dream was to take over an entire building and house a full service creative community under one roof, from desk space to art gallery, cafe to photo studio and retail too.

However the dreaming only went so far, and I lacked both the experience and capital to do anything on this scale. The retail side of things excited me the most, hence the original version of Provide at the Custard Factory, which was a great step in the right direction. Today though, I think Provide is closer than it’s ever been to the original concept, especially because of its involvement with 212 Space and all the other people who are doing their thing there. Not being stuck in a shop all day is allowing me the freedom to explore more exciting possibilities including events and collaborations, all of which are in line with the original idea of providing a platform for creative people to make and share work.

061

212 Space, Jubilee Centre

How was your time at Great Western Arcade?

I had met with the landlords at Great Western Arcade while I was still in Digbeth, but at the time there were no suitable units available. When they heard that I had a firm date for leaving the Custard Factory but had not lined up a new location, they were keen to work something out, even on a temporary basis. So I took on a space there which was going to be empty for a few months while the incoming tenant sorted out the finer details of their lease. City centre rent is a huge jump from what I was paying at the Custard Factory, and the customer base is much more varied, too. I enjoyed being in a busier environment and during those five months was able to introduce a great deal of people to the brand.

However, as the pop up came to an end, it was clear to me that traditional high street retail was not the way forward for Provide. With the constant pressure of such high overheads, there was very little time for creativity or collaboration, both of which are central to the brand’s purpose.

What are the benefits of your current space and working with fellow creatives at the Jubilee Centre?

My friend Imbue was helping me to pack down the pop up shop after it had closed, and mentioned he was going to check out a potential new studio space later that day. We walked over to the Jubilee Centre together and talked about how Provide needed to switch things up; to still have a presence in the city but not be a slave to high rents. That discussion and the subsequent viewing led to the establishment of what’s now known as 212 Space.

Along with the architects at Space_Play, we spent a month doing up the shell of a unit and building a work space and showroom to accommodate a number of local artists and designers. 212 Space turns 1 year old in the spring, and it’s already proving to be an amazing place where collaboration happens naturally and people are able to develop new products and ideas alongside each other. The studio is a testament to what’s possible when creative people with very little budget but plenty of enthusiasm are determined to make something happen.

You have spent time in influential cities such as New York and London. How does Birmingham differ from these?

I lived in Brooklyn and worked in the Lower East Side for a year when I was 20, with a menswear company called 3sixteen. My time there was hugely influential, on both me as a person and on Provide as a business. I don’t think there’s anywhere in the world like NYC, so you can’t really compare it, although when I moved to Digbeth from London all the warehouses and factories around my flat did remind me of certain streets in Brooklyn. I love walking all over Birmingham and taking in the industrial architecture, which has shaped the city over the last couple hundred years.

063

Before New York, I arrived in London in 2005 and stayed for about 5 years in total, with a couple of breaks in between. Like New York, it’s an incredible city, but since I first moved there it’s changed beyond recognition, in my opinion for the worse. Everything, from rent to beer is so expensive, and for anyone who wants to set up something on their own, it’s just not sustainable. London does have an incredible history of youth led, world-changing art, music and fashion, but I think that’s what it is; history.

The city has become a playground for the rich, which is pretty disgusting when you look at how it’s been allowed to happen, but what that does mean is that other cities now more than ever present a competitive alternative for people who want to make an impact and try something new. That’s why I came to Birmingham in 2012, and that’s why you’ll continue to see thousands more young people arrive here over the next few years. And what those new arrivals will discover is that Brummies are incredibly welcoming, supportive people who recognise when someone does something new with good intentions, and are fiercely loyal in getting behind those things.

Current products, whats your favourite item in store at the minute?

Web: provideshop.com

Social: @provideshop

Best of Brum is open throughout December.

We’ve just taken delivery of some crewneck sweatshirts with a really subtle tonal logo embroidery - black on black and grey on grey. It’s so simple, but they look amazing. I’m now wearing one of the black ones almost every day of the week...

Franklin Armstrong

2016 has been a phenomenal year for rap music. The speed that bright young things have been able to release music, make noise and gain a global fan-base has accelerated at a rate that is hard to keep up with. America’s scene has exploded in a flurry of snapping trap beats, whilst the UK has seen a wider audience listen in on the micro-universe of grime once again. Someone who seems to have taken no notice of this is East Birmingham based artist Franklin Armstrong. When you listen to the tracks on his Soundcloud page; a visceral, real portrait of a young man’s life living in the second city is painted. His sound is so wonderfully far removed from the boisterous self-validation of grime and the exaggerated excess of trap. His tunes resonate a humble hum; the lazy way that Birmingham’s city life rolls by is encapsulated in his raps.

Most of the tracks he has self-released this year and the sound comes across as the product of a tight group of friends making music by pouring out all the thoughts, hopes and worries that swim around their minds on a day to day basis. Franklin Armstrong alongside rapper Khalil Greens, producer Gruff, rapper Loonique and singer/rapper Afro Queen operate under the collective Zootonium. They all move refreshingly low-key; dropping music whenever it feels ready and playing to packed rooms of nodding heads across Birmingham. Gruff’s trademark productions help to drive Franklin & co.’s flows forward with beds of dusty, shuffling drums with the occasional flourish of bleeps and warm chords. When members of the collective collaborate, their flows ping back and forth and sound exactly how lifelong friends would sound.

Don’t make the mistake of lumping them with the tag of a boom bap throw back, these kids aren’t longing for the past. Their sound is rooted in the here and now even if they don’t exactly fit fully in with the current rap climate. Comparisons to the wisdom and wit of recent break out star Loyle Carner might prove to be unavoidable since they supported the man himself on his recent Birmingham date to a rammed room of hip hop heads. The sounds reverberating from the bedroom based beat -labs of the Zootonium collective will prove to be a world worth delving into for anyone who likes their rap wise and wordy. Franklin Armstrong represents all of the clued-up kids in the 0121 without even trying to reach out to anyone in particular.

soundcloud.com/franklinarmstrong

Introducing

Franklin Armstrong

Words: Jack Parker

Images: Gift Gwambe

Introducing

Vital

Vital

Words: Jack Parker Images: Gift Gwambe

The conditions of inner city life can often turn the hopeful into the hopeless; a viewpoint shared by most people, unless you are Wolverhampton based grime artist Vital. Wolverhampton is one of the best kept secrets in the West Midlands and hidden away inside the city are well kept musical gems. Vital is and always has been at the forefront of the West Midlands’ underground subcultures, from grime right through to dancehall, Vital remains relevant in every scene. He has the gift of a multi-track mind; at the same time as pushing his own music, he’ll be tipping people off about brand new artists, proving he is quite the taste maker.

His work ethic is that of a hungry rapper destined to break out of his surroundings. Dropping new music for his fans is a monthly, often weekly tradition and across various platforms a bread-crumb trail of tasty drops can be discovered. Vital hits his stride when rapping within the realm of grime but likes to show off different sides with poppier, dancehall bangers thrown out here and there. Effortless just about sums it up; he’s just as comfortable gassing up a garage joint as he is tearing down a grime instrumental. The unrelenting passion for creative craftsmanship runs in the family, Vital’s brother operates a one-man music video production company that is currently thriving under the name ReadTheTitle. Everyone from Phundo Art to Jinx Touchwood has gotten Title to shoot their videos.

With his mind-boggling rate of track-drops, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Vital simply sits back and lets the plays rack up. Not one to rest on his laurels, Vital regularly jumps up on stages up and down the UK to shell down on anyone and everyone in the room. 2016 has seen Vital perform at Radio 1’s Big Weekend and Birmingham’s MADE festival as well as tearing up sets overseas in the USA. Vital is more than just a man, he is slowly building his presence online with clothing, radio-show hosting and teaching all under his belt. He takes his music stone cold serious but when it comes to social networking, the playful and downright hilarious side of the rapper comes out on full display.

The rebirth of Birmingham’s grime scene has felt with success stories from Lady Leshurr and Jaykae. It only seems right that Wolverhampton is next in line. Powerhouse performances from Vital are now becoming a regular sight at grime raves and club nights, it won’t be long before he’ll have more than just the ends whistling; the world will be watching.

soundcloud.com/vital0 069

ALTERNATE WEDNESDAYS FROM 9PM

BRUMRADIO.COM FACEBOOK.COM/BEFORETHESOL

JOIN US AS WE CELEBRATE OUR 1ST BIRTHDAY SATURDAY 18TH FEBURARY 2017 LOCATION TO BE ANNOUNCED . SAVE THE DATE

THE ILLUSTRATED LIFESTYLE

HUMMINGBIRD PART OF THE ETHICALLY PRODUCED SS16 RANGE AVAILABLE AT THE COLAB STORE OR ONLINE

WWW.FABLESSUPPLY.COM

Inside Chinatown Chinese food, you’re probably getting bored of it by now.

Takeaway sweet and sour pork comes way down the fast food list after curry, Nandos, KFC and new wave “streetfood”.

Going out for a meal? Sesame prawn toast, chow mein, lemon chicken, shredded crispy duck and all the other anglicised Chinese food is seen as the safe option for a crowd with fussy eaters. But it doesn’t have to be like this. The Chinese food that I know has never been like that anyway. With

more and more mainland Chinese folk living in the city, the options are expanding beyond the watered down Cantonese fare we all grew up eating in the UK. Fiery mouth numbing dishes from Sichuan, mutton skewers from the North, hotpots and hand-pulled noodles. Never let them show you the English menu ever again. I’ve written guides about the great mainstream food you can get in Birmingham’s Chinatown but for BabMag here’s a guide to get really under the skin of Chinatown.

Words: Lap-Fai Lee Images: Lap-Fai Lee

Pepper Chef is an oddball, serving up pan-regional Chinese dishes like Rou Jia Mo (Chinese hamburgers) and grilled skewers of every description. You can see them cooking in the open glass fronted kitchen right in front of you. If you order a bowl of noodles you’ll also see one of the chefs making the noodles, pulling or cutting them to size. Not everything on the menu is great but through trial and error I’ve hit upon my own winning combination of spicy dandan noodles, mutton skewers and delicately flaky durian pastries. It’s a complete meal for one and always deeply satisfying.

If you’ve never tried the notoriously stinky durian fruit then the pastries here are a good introduction to their heady aroma.

Hand pulled noodles and stinky durian at Pepper Chef Unit 1B, Southside, Hurst Street

You already know that the triple roast rice is the single best value dish you can get in Birmingham, that both Peach Garden and its splinter Look Inn serve excellent examples of this for less than the price of a cinema ticket. What? You didn’t know this? You need to get yourself familiar with a plate of perfectly cooked rice topped with a mound of crispy belly pork, sweet BBQ pork and roast duck cooked. It’s cooked fresh every day of the year and for around £7 it makes a nonsense of every fast food joint and so-called artisan streetfood vendor in the city.

Every Monday and Tuesday lunchtime something even better happens, both these roast meat specialists roast a suckling pig. If you’re lucky enough to arrive before it’s sold out then for around a tenner you could be eating suckling pig with perfect crackling and sweet tender meat. The only catch is it sells out quickly, sometimes within half an hour, so get ready to eat elbow to elbow with throngs of Chinese people.

Suckling pig at Look Inn and Peach Garden 6 Ladywell Walk and 34 Ladywell Walk 073

For a thousand years Vietnam was part of China so there’s been some influence on the food culture. On the other hand, Song Tuoi has been in Chinatown for less than one year.

If you’ve never tried Vietnamese food you’ll notice some crossover; spring rolls, fried noodle and rice dishes. You have to stick to the Vietnamese menu here because there’s also a world food menu. Punjabi mixed grill and pizza sit alongside authentically fresh and delicious Vietnamese dishes. Prawn and pork papaya salad is bursting with fresh juicy prawns and crispy shredded papaya, the chilli fish sauce dressing pulling everything together. It’s worth coming for this plate alone, but if salad seems too healthy then order the grilled pork noodles and fried chicken wings to help balance it out.

Song Tuoi doesn’t really know if it’s a bar or a nightclub or a restaurant. Let alone whether it’s solely a Vietnamese restaurant. If you treat it so then you’ll be rewarded with the best Vietnamese food in town.

World of food at Song Tuoi 155 Bromsgrove St

The decor in Tasty Restaurant hurts my eyes. Dark surfaces punctuated with bright red flourishes. The buffet style food at the entrance looks intimidating, unidentifiable organs, other bits of animal and a chest freezer of sliced meats for hot pot but I always steer clear. Hot pot is the popular Asian way of cooking your food by poaching it in a cauldron of boiling broth set in the middle of the table.

However I recommend never ordering it because the a la carte Sichuan dishes are the best I’ve had in town. The cooking here is a cut above the rest. Evidenced by the dry fried chicken and chilli dish that comes with a mountain chilli and mouth numbing Sichuan pepper but also the daintiest carved sparrow. The chilli beef tripe will turn those squeamish about organ meat into connoisseurs of the fifth quarter. Perfectly fried green beans and garlicky aubergines balance the fearsomely spicy meat slices in chilli broth. This is food that dampens the brow and makes the pulse flutter. A match for any curry in Birmingham and Beyond.

Spicy blowout at Tasty Restaurant 55 Station St

081

For all intents and purposes Family Restaurant is just another typical Chinese takeaway. It’s just big enough to seat half a dozen people if you wanted to eat in. So why would you bother?

Well I know that the chef here can really cook.

He used to be the chef at the late lamented Manchester Seafood restaurant where I’ve had some the best meals in my 30 years of eating in Chinatown. When someone like that opens even a small takeaway you need to take notice.

The menu here floats around Cantonese and Sichuanese dishes. Excellent braised pork and pickled mustard greens, perfect beef slices and tripe in chilli oil, the expertly sliced raw potato salad confirms you’re in safe hands. Do not expect any frills here or any kind of cohesive service. Just good food. Welcome to China.

Welcome to Chinatown.

Hole in the wall, Family Restaurant 78 Wrentham St

Musical

Youth

“Pass the dutchie on the left hand side…” lyrics impossible to say without singing the number one tune from 1982 by Musical Youth. The band who reached worldwide recognition haven’t had the easiest time but have always stayed true to their 0121 roots. BabMag spoke to Dennis Seaton, the lead singer, who is still representing the Birmingham reggae scene to this day.

Their most successful song was born out of struggle and poverty; the dutchie (a patois term for a cooking pot) was shared around and the five boys sang “how does it feel when you got no food.” 1 in 8 people were unemployed in the UK in 1982 and the West Midlands was particularly hard hit by Thatcher’s cuts and factory closures.

So familiar was the Unemployment Benefit Form no.40 that another Birmingham band (UB40) named themselves after it.

Music became an important outlet and a way to combat boredom for those without a job. With no sign of work or the daily routine that came with it, people would meet at West Indian community centres to battle the monotony of life and try to stay afloat.

The centres around the country provided an important space for black communities, artists and in particular for reggae. They meant artists could tour the country and get their music heard nationwide by both playing live and having their records spun

by DJs through the sound systems, a whole culture introduced to the UK with the mass immigration of Jamaicans in the 1960s and 70’s. Musical Youth didn’t know it at the time (aged between just 10 and 17) but these spaces were where they needed their music to be heard, for their growth, for the political debate and for those who didn’t have places to go.

Gigging was good fun, but when the music tastemaker of the time John Peel got wind of their songs and had the group on his Radio 1 show, things really took off. Major

record labels picked up on them, A&Rs got in touch and Musical Youth moved from their home at local label 021 and signed a deal with MCA, now Universal Music Group. Dennis reflected on the importance of Peel and this moment, “it’s only when somebody passes away that you realise the influence they have, but if you ask me now, at this time in my life, who had the biggest influence, probably he did.

Everybody wanted to get on John Peel and the beauty was, Peel played who he liked and what he liked. He couldn’t believe at the time Kelvin was 10, it just blew his mind.”

The boys topped the charts with “Pass the Dutchie”, however the bravado and travelling that came with the stardom never really affected them and they took it in all their stride; their roots, culture and music was what was important to them.

They would rehearse every day after school and at weekends making sure they were the best that they could be. Of course the fame came with all the trimmings and they were invited to the MTV studios to be interviewed. This was not only a turning point for the band but marked huge progress in the acknowledgment of equal rights for black people within the TV and music industry. Dennis explained, “it wasn’t til after, when people looked at it and went hold on a minute, Michael Jackson never went on MTV. Michael Jackson was played but we actually went into the MTV studios for an interview and they just played our video without even thinking about it.”

Words: Holly Hollister

Images: Musical Youth Archive

081

Dennis Seaton

Despite the Houses of Parliament sitting majestically in the background of the video that accompanied their number one single, Dennis has never aligned himself with the capital. He is proud of Birmingham and its reggae heritage, “I’m not a Londoner. I haven’t got a London accent. I’m a Brummie and everywhere I travel I’m from Birmingham. When I’m in the States, is it Birmingham, Alabama? No Birmingham, UK.” He went on to explain that Birmingham has produced a lot of fine reggae artists; “UB40, Steel Pulse, they won one of the first reggae Grammys.

Then you’ve got Pato Banton, Apache Indian. Some of the biggest reggae artists came from Birmingham, Bitty McClean.”

their second album was not as successful which led to the group disbanding and in 1993 Patrick Waite died aged just 24.

However, the passion for reggae that runs deep within Dennis has not burnt out, “first and foremost, I’m a reggae artist, so I’m a reggae man. I left school doing this and it never really left me.” Comparing Musical Youth to other successful Birmingham bands he admitted “I’m a bit envious because obviously we can’t come back together as a five piece because Patrick’s passed away and Junior is not well enough to play. So therefore we just have to accept that there’s two of us in the band now. So as the saying goes, then there were two.”

Asking Dennis what’s special about the city he speaks fondly; “in Birmingham, you can travel from the south to the north and everybody would be like, it’s just Birmingham. I think we’re a bit friendlier [than Londoners]. It’s not a harsh city. You could come here and enjoy a good way of life and that’s why I stay here and that’s why I’ll always live here. Apart from when I get older, I’ll leave to the heat and then come back when it’s sunny!”

Dennis Seaton and Michael Grant have perhaps found a surprising home for their reggae music in Central Europe. After touring the West Coast of the U.S. with fellow Birmingham artists, Apache Indian and Reggae Revolution as the Birmingham Reggae Explosion, (or the British Reggae Explosions to avoid confusion) the duo made their second visit to Slovenia. Their first encounter with the country was when Dennis recorded a song with Andrej Sifrer, the man behind the unofficial anthem of Slovenia and ended up with Dennis singing the song in Slovenian on live TV (which he can still recite!) “The Slovenian’s were loving it. So we went out and spent a week there in the summer, I just loved the place. It was one of the first European cities I’ve been to and said, you know what, as much as the language is foreign I could live here.”

In the decades between their debut album The Youth of Today and 2016, Musical Youth and Dennis Seaton have had some highs and some lows. Dennis recounted spending his 21st birthday in Los Angeles, recording with Stevie Wonder and playing football every week with Rod Stewart and Andrew Ridgely of Wham. They’ve had their fair share of heartbreak too,

“first and foremost, I’m a reggae artist, so I’m a reggae man. I left school doing this and it never really left me!”

Adam Regan

- Dennis Seaton

055

The Slovenian theme slips into Dennis and Michael’s next release too, a compilation album celebrating when Reggae was King. Bar one track which Andrej wrote and they want to release with Slovenian parts, the album features covers from much loved artists: John Holt, Dennis Brown, Toots and the Maytals, Jimmy Cliff and Gregory Isaac to name a few. It’s an album that reflects on the years when indeed reggae was king, “for a decade and a half, every year between ‘72 and right up until ‘82 when we started our career, there was always a reggae song in the Top 40. So that’s why we’ve done this album, it’s more like a comeback album. When I say comeback, just to let people know, look, this is what we’re doing now. It was a conscious decision to have a themed album. Now, the next one, that will be originals and covers that people don’t really know.”

The album has already been well met; their cover of a Bob Marley track that was sent to his publisher for approval got them singing their praises. Recorded in Birmingham and released themselves, Dennis explains there is “no need for a label, or record companies anymore. They [artists] have to go on the road otherwise they aren’t going to work and that’s what it was like for us, when we came in to the industry everybody played live. But after the 90s, up until the noughties, they didn’t have to. But now, they all go back on the road because the records aren’t doing what they used to do.”

Michael Grant

Musical Youth’s contribution to reggae and their outspoken politics are still being heard today. “Pass the Dutchie” has just been sampled on “Dis Generation”, a track from A Tribe Called Quest’s recent and critically acclaimed album. They had better keep drinking their age defying elixir if they want to keep resonating with the youth and achieve what Dennis has in mind; “I’ve got a target because my father-inlaw played his last gig at 94. Okay, he wasn’t singing, he was a saxophonist but you’ve still got to have the balls. I hope I can still sing as good at 94.”

April 1st 2017

EDITION 10

www.sneaksandpeaks.com

GVNMNT Born out of Birmingham’s inner city, GVNMNT Clothing Co’ encapsulates the struggles of the second city in anarchic fashion. With a constant middle finger up to the people in high places, Gvnmnt never hold back on their message. Bold graphics, political slogans, urban and gritty look books are just some of the signature attributes. The guys have come along way since 2013; many startup street wear brands never get past the t-shirt and beanie stage, but GVNMNT are leading the way in the Midlands, their cut n sew outerwear wouldn’t look out of place sitting alongside the industries elites, and with the addition of designer mregfx to the GVNMNT ranks, we can only see this brand setting the bar higher.

Their latest AW16 collection comes with a look book shot by Morgan Tedd in a broken down warehouse.

Words: John Bryan

Images: Morgan Tedd

What does GVNMNT stand for, what’s the ethos that runs deep through the brand?

GVNMNT stands for the misrepresented youth culture in Britain first and foremost. We wanted to give the youth as well as the whole population a voice, when so often the people that are being affected most by our government’s decisions get little or no say. A kind of power to the people vibe was the original idea. We also take a look at current affairs and try to incorporate our take on social commentary in our designs.

What’s the history behind the brand?

Me and an old friend were always interested in fashion and it kind of just went from there. We toyed with the idea for a while at the end of 2012 because we were over seeing our culture being misrepresented. If we were going to do it, we wanted there to be a strong message behind it. There’s a fair few meaningless brands out there and we didn’t want to be one of them so GVNMNT was what naturally came to us. We found our feet after about a year or so it started to move in late 2013. My old partner ended up leaving to pursue another career, so I started a new partnership with my designer Ash and the rest is history I suppose.

Tell us how your latest collection differs from previous?

In this collection we focused on some extra outer wear pieces - as the only thing you can guarantee through the British winter is bad weather! We also paid extra attention to fabric choices and detailing because we want the pieces to be hard wearing to see our people through to the spring. We pride ourselves on quality and want the people wearing our brand to feel like they are getting the best materials for their money.

S.H.D.D Tee (Burnt Orange) S.H.D.D Hooded Rain Coat

091

What are the pros and cons of building a brand within Birmingham?

It’s not as frantic as the London scene - I feel like you can take more time on your designs and refine them and you can focus on what you want to do as a brand and stay authentic rather than following fads. I feel it’s given me the space and the social backdrop to build a strong brand where although the designs may change the message is still the same.

I think anyone will say as a brand you do miss out on the networking and promotional opportunities that London can offer. Don’t get me wrong Birmingham is my home and I love it - I think there are really big moves being made here right now, but it has been potentially a slower process than if this was a London brand.

Stripes Pocket Tee

093

GVNMNT England Hood GVNMNT England Sports Cap

How can Birmingham step up and support independent fashion brands and designers?

As I have said, I’m hugely proud to be from Birmingham and I think recently it’s stepping up its game as the second city; with the investment in infrastructure, great new nights out and some incredible independent places to eat and drink. I think the only place it hasn’t noticeably pushed is its platform for small and independent clothing businesses.

More events dedicated specifically to clothing would be a good start, and more support and collaboration opportunities for pop ups. I do feel like it’s starting to happen and I’m looking forward to seeing the Birmingham fashion scene grow.

Where do you look for inspiration?

Most of our inspiration comes from our environment and current affairs. The hypocrisy and propaganda we see on a daily basis from politicians, the press and “celebrities” plays a large part in our design process. There’s inspiration literally everywhere, you’ve just go to open your eyes and see it.

What moves can we expect from GVNMNT in 2017?

Moving into next year we have a couple of collaborations planned with some brands and artists from Birmingham and further afield. Our branding and message is strong so we will still design and deliver high quality and thought provoking pieces that comment on the social and political madness going on around us every day.

What public figure or icon would you most want to see rocking GVNMNT? Man that’s a tough one... There are loads of people that have influenced me and I see as icons. I grew up listening to Mike Skinner and as a local guy I would love to see him wearing some pieces. I’d like to see someone in the U.S. rocking it to show the parallels between the “democratic experience” in the UK and the insane shit that they have to live through right now. Hip-hop and rap music were a big inspiration in the beginning - Kendrick Lamar has a lot to say about how he sees the world so I think he would be a great ambassador to rep GVNMNT.

095

Laura Tinald

Words: Holly Rackham

Images: Laura Tinald

101

Laura Tinald is a hot young thing with an inky paintbrush. Her illustrative style is influenced by iconic drawers such as David Downton and Quentin Blake as well as classic figurative painters and vintage Hollywood films. Favouring Indian inks on Fabriano hot-press watercolour paper, her unique ladies sport big bushy brows and sparkling eyes that pop out of the page. BabMag met up with Laura to discuss her influences, the female form and dogs.

Laura started scribbling with an art foundation at Bourneville College before relocating to South East London to study Fashion Promotion and Illustration. We asked Laura what is was that drew her back to her roots in Birmingham, ‘everyone’s your mate! Even if someone doesn’t know you, they’re friendly. I’ve lived in London where there is so much to do and see, but you have to admit that Birmingham has really stepped up its game; it’s evolving and I love it. Birmingham gets a lot of slack, but it has so much to offer; art galleries, architecture, communities, history, restaurants and independent cafes and bars. You can drive for twenty minutes and you’re in the countryside with a plethora of National Trust places to discover. The architecture in the centre is stunning and as resident Brummies, we definitely take it for granted. Places like Moseley and Harborne are like little microcosms just outside the centre, brimming with creativity and community. BMAG holds a special place in my heart too.’

099

Of course people have been sliding cars around for years, but the roots of what most of us refer to as drifting today start in Japan. Back in the late 60s and 70s street racers were starting to take notice of the driving techniques of a legendary racer named Kunimitsu Takahashi. This man would enter into corners faster than most and would intentionally slide the car through the corner instead of slowing down for it. With careful balance and precision this made him a very fast driver and to racing fans it looked spectacular. After seeing Takahashi’s techniques street racers started attempting what they’d seen on the mountain roads they raced on themselves. Obviously street racing was already dangerous and illegal, but heck, why not spice it up a little. One street racer by the name of Keiichi Tsuchiya had begun making a name for himself within street racing circles for attacking the mountain roads with this technique, so much so it led him to enter the world of professional racing and begin a very successful career in it. In 1987 Tsuchiya released a video with the rather odd name of Plupsy Documents. In this video (which you can find on YouTube) there is over 20 minutes of Tsuchiya drifting on a winding mountain road in his AE86 Toyota Corolla. This video became very popular and influenced many of the street racers and drifters that watched it. Plupsy Documents eventually led to him getting his racing license suspended, as street racing or drifting was not looked upon too highly in the eyes of the law let alone his race sponsors. Despite his temporary ban from racing, the video and his driving helped him to become known as the new “Drift King” and drifting rapidly started to grow in scale.

The drifting techniques that he used were being copied by street racers as a way of showing off car control instead of setting faster times or beating rivals. Soon enough organised events began happening at circuits around the country as a way of pushing driver skill and by also giving somewhere for people to practice legally and safely off the streets. Drifters would put their skills to the test through a selection of corners that would be judged with the criteria of how fast, how much angle, smoke, and style the driver would display during their runs. It was an odd way of approaching motorsport, but it worked much like competition skateboarding or other judged extreme sports.

Laura’s work has gone from strength to strength in recent years having had the opportunity to work with Sally Wood (the wife of Rolling Stones Ronnie) who featured her colourful illustrations of Shakespeare’s leading ladies on a range of chocolate bars sold in Selfridges. Laura says the collaboration came about after Sally happened to see one of her paintings in an independent cafe in Moseley (Maison Marci) in 2011. ‘She’d contacted me to say she liked my work, and we exchanged a few emails here and there.

When she decided to launch Sweet Theatre, she got back in touch and asked if I’d like to illustrate the wrappers. The project was just my thing - it involved illustrating ladies.

It was so much fun working with Sally; hopefully we’ll do another line one day.’ This collab caught the attention of art publisher Washington Green, who chose to represent Laura and create limited edition prints of her work, now available at Castle Galleries across the country.

Laura thinks of herself as primarily a drawer with a particular love of eyes, ‘if I see an old photograph of an interesting face, I have to draw the eyes. The rest of my painting or drawing follows on naturally from that. I always exaggerate the eyes though; I think they’re the best feature to channel emotion, and I must admit, most of the women I draw end up looking slightly formidable, or sad.’ We constantly hear that women are told to “smile more” and it seems these less than ecstatic gazes fight back at the notion that to be feminine you must be exclusively soft and vulnerable. Laura doesn’t see this as intentional but rather a spontaneous reaction when she starts to draw ‘I will have an idea of the composition but then I let the ink and paint guide me. I rarely paint within the lines and enjoy using “loose” media, such as Indian ink or liquid acrylics. I love that ever-so-slightly undone and unfinished look.’ She says that the work develops from the initial reference photo or film still, ‘ love the faces of old Hollywood, more often than not I will use a found-image, which I might manipulate or crop, depending on what feature I am focussing on (more often than not, the eyes). Whilst the reference image is the starting point, much of the portrait develops from my imagination and the chance involved with using ink, which has a life of its own. I exaggerate the eyes and lips, and just suggest much of the face and hair. I like to leave elements to the imagination of whoever is looking at it.’

101

It’s not only iconic women that Laura draws; she’s also proved she has a heart of gold - drawing dogs in order to raise money for Manchester Dogs’ Home. The home was subject to a horrific arson attack in 2014 that left 53 dogs dead. ‘What can I say - I really love dogs. I love all animals, actually, but the canines are my favourite. When I found out about the arson attack on Manchester Dogs’ Home, I was so sad. It was a particularly cruel and callous thing to do. I wanted to help in some small way, and I know that people enjoy my dog doodles, so thought it was the best way I could try to raise some money.’

Laura has been inspired by great masters of portraiture and fashion illustration and you can see these elements in her work; she says, ‘for me, the masters are Dante Rossetti, Alphonse Mucha and David Downton. You’ll see that I generally paint women, and I love the way in which these artists represent the female form. There are so many other artists I adore though such as Rene Grau, Stina Persson, Ralph Steadman, ER Hughes and Edward Bell whose portraits of Bowie are incredible. (INCREDIBLE.) I’m also inspired by vintage cinema posters (the handdrawn kind), Disney animation and the beauty of screen sirens past and present, such as Sharon Tate.’ Sirens, silver screen goddesses, heroines and femme fatales all feature here; with classic poses and dramatic lines moulded with contemporary auras of subjects who gaze back at us. We can all appreciate a hardy stare from an aesthetically pleasing entity and Laura gives us just that.

Laura’s original artwork and limited edition prints are currently available to buy at Castle Galleries www.castlegalleries.com

103

Bab Mag. How to contribute. contact@babmag.co.uk

Want to advertise? advertising@babmag.co.uk

We’re online. www.babmag.co.uk

2017 EVERY FRIDAY & SATURDAY 5PM-LATE OPENING WEEKEND 27TH & 28TH JANUARY

Full story at

liquiproof.co.uk/pages/ridedry

Unit 2 & 3, Lower Trinity Street Birmingham B9 4AG