ISSUE NO. 1
NOVEMBER 2014
INAUDITUM
Contents 1-4 RAIL
7 - 10 Slang Like This
5 - 6, 11 -12, 17 - 18, 23 - 24 Sound Waves
13 - 16 The Sound Of God 19 - 22 The Dawn Chorus
25 - 28 The Sound of Music
RAIL R
ail is the beating heart of Birmingham, connecting the West Midlands to the rest of the country. However it goes un-noticed every day. In the city centre we often hear the clunks and screeches of the trains going along the tracks however we never stop to listen and consider what those trains mean for the city, where are they going and who is travelling on them. They are the background noise of the city centre. They are a vital part of the city. I am about to delve into a typical rush hour journey and the history of Curzon Street Station, the world’s oldest railway terminus that resides in Birmingham.
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The doors open with loud bleeping playing as they do so. Everybody squeezes on. Personal space is invaded. The bleeping stops and the doors close. A woman’s voice without any hint of a regional accent addresses the carriage with the subsequent station stops. The train begins to move, just another morning on the 8:23 to Birmingham Moor Street. It’s standing room only as I embark on the daily commute into the city centre with people looking very serious playing temple run and angry birds on their phones. There is a real sense of anxiety as we approach the next station as everyone in the carriage is having the same thought “ How the hell are we going to get any more people in
here!?”. However the other commuters find a way of squeezing themselves into the overcrowded carriage and the journey continues. I can hear someone playing the Red Hot Chilli Peppers extremely loudly from their earphones, even though I am listening to music through my own earphones. We leave the final station before Moor Street and everyone is gearing up for the wave of briefcases and suits rushing off of the train. We get to Moor Street, the rush to get off begins, the doors open, I like many passengers is carried off the train by the wave of executives and the ordeal is over. Everyone goes their separate ways and gets on with their day. The same cycle will be repeated tomorrow morning.
08:23
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Curzon Street Curzon Street is the world’s oldest railway terminus. It was here at Curzon Street that Birmingham and London were first linked by rail. It is a grade one listed building. It was designed by Philip Charles Hardwick who also designed the Euston Arch which has since been demolished. It was a beacon of the industrial revolution and shows how Birmingham thrived at that time. It operated passenger services between 1838 and 1854. The station was used for goods traffic until the 1960s. The station closed in 1966. Plans for the HS2 development are due to begin in 2017. They include creating Curzon Street a railway terminus once more with a high-speed rail line that will mean getting from Birmingham to London within 30 minutes.
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Sound Waves
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lang like this’ as well as being a fantastic song by London grime artist P Money is an article looking at the variety of slang words used in Birmingham. Upon moving to Birmingham roughly amonth ago I was hit with the unwelcome reality that I was not nearly as ‘down with the kids’ as I thought, this horrible truth was made evident by the numerous array of slang words that left me baffled and confused. As well as a knock to my pride, this experience was the catalyst for an idea. To have residents of Birmingham from different hometowns tell me their favourite slang words from home and explain it’s etymology. Hopefully this little experiment will answer a few pressing questions such as: Why do people use slang? Is there an underlying theme to where thse words come from? And, is there any point to slang words?
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Slang Like This
Rayon from Oldham (photo below) also acquired his chosen slang word “fam” (which is short for family) through hearing it around. “I went to a predominantly white school to a sixth form with lots of Asians so I imitated them to take the piss and now I can’t stop saying it”. Dan (suited photo), from Northampton further perpetuated the notion that slang words are simply the product of copying your peers as his word of choice “butterz” (meaning unattractive) only takes it’s place within his vocabulary because “it’s easier to say I guess. You kinda just get used to it”. It would appear based on these findings that slang, supposedly used to differentiate ourselves from the lexicon of the masses and express our individuality, is actually just people copying what they hear other people saying. Thankfully, here to save the experiment from descending in to cynicism is Eden who is also from Heanor, Derby. In a friendly chirpy Northern tone (disproportionately Northern to the midlands) he tells me his slang word of choice is “Y’reet?” which is a contraction of “Are you alright?”. “Erm, I guess it was like a greeting but it’s like for quickness” According to Andre (photograph above) the answer is no. After photographing him I asked him for a slang word specific to his hometown which is Heanor, Derby. Interestingly I myself am from Derby but was surprised to find he was too since Heanor residents have a starkly different accent. I therefore expected to be blown away by an outlandish word that had been circulating on my doorstep unbeknownst to be for 19 years. After much deliberation he responded “I talk normally so there isn’t any”. To describe this as an anti-climax was an understatement. That being said, his response was something of a middle finger to my whole experiment and in that sense, I like his style. Chris has an accent that contrasts Andre’s in every plausible way. Hailing from Fleet, far to the south of England the stereotypical ‘posh boy’ accent does not seem like it would lend itself to urban slang. This was going to be an interesting one. “Spoony, it means weird” was Chris’ offering. Interesting, though in terms of etymology or his reasoning for use of the word all he could muster up was “I dunno, I just heard people say it. It’s like a slang word innit. You just hear it around”.
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And with that a small fraction of the slang words which immerse the population of Birmingham have been dissected. No thanks to Andre
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Sound Waves
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BRUM URBAN SLANG DICTIONARY Selfie: Taking a photo of oneself, usually through a front camera, to upload to various modes of social media. Gram: Taking a photo to upload specifically to Instagram. Bare: A lot of something. Hater: Someone who is negative towards you. Fiend: Someone who is addicted to something. Piff: Good. Pee: Money. Chunder: To throw up. Bae: An affectionate nickname meaning ‘baby’ or ‘babe. Peak: When something is unfair or mean.
The Sound Of God
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C
oming across a Preacher is common in the centre of Birmingham, as the city is one of the most diverse in Britain. With such diversity comes different religions and ideas. If you were to walk down the main shopping streets on a Saturday it would be likely you’d encounter a range of preachers, all with differing approaches and messages. It appears to be the general consensus that people do not want to have anything to do with preachers in the street, to hear what they have to say - especially the loud ones. To me however, the people that stand in the middle of the street and proclaim the faith they have in their God is empowering. Their dedication and devotion clearly advocates their message of showing love to your fellow man. Even if you do not agree with the message they are preaching, I believe we can all learn a valuable lesson from them. Picture this: Two women and three men, smartly dressed, windblown, standing in the freezing rain of Birmingham around a small table displaying leaflets. A sight so many of us walk past every day. People we walk past every day. Jehovah’sWitnesses.
Why Do You Feel It Is More Beneficial To preach In The Street Than In A Church? Without hesitation, she told me that to preach in a church is just to confirm the knowledge that the congregation already have. To preach in the street is to teach rather than reinforce, and there are many more people to spread the message to. Are There Any Negatives To Preaching In The Street? - She laughed about how morale can get a little low when it is cold and raining. Do You Ever Feel Like People Aren’t Listening?- She explained to me that although her faith is strong, she does often feel that it can be a bit of a lost cause, and that people aren’t really listening. Her faith in God however always brings her back out to do it again because she has the faith that someone will be listening.
Do You Ever Get Any Abuse or Rejection? How Do You React?- Just the other day she explained that a man stood in front of their table about ten/fifteen meters away and preached loudly against their beliefs to them. This was quite unsettling to the preacher, although she I asked one of the women a few questions to said positive could be drawn from how it got peoprovide me with more insight into her reasons for ple looking at and noticing them. preaching: Undeniably this woman is strong and couraWhy Do You Preach? - She said that she geous, with a faith in something so strong she preaches to help people improve their lives by will stand and tell whoever listens that it is true. educating them about the teachings of God. She I feel this is a quality so many of us lack and it is went on to explain that it gives her a sense of ful- ruining how we look at others. We need to have filment because if she manages to get through to faith. Not necessarily in a religious sense, but in just one individual then she knows she is helping the people we meet. We should appreciate more things get better and spreading the message of the kindness and honesty in others, or equally their capacity to change and be a better person. Jesus as he commanded.
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''A preacher can use uninspiring words but if he has God in his heart, his words will still get through to those who listen.''
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s I was standing in town I saw a man preaching in the street to a small gathering. He finished shortly after I’d started listening and walked over to the rest of his group. Another man within the group saw me looking over, and came over to introduce himself. He handed me a leaflet and asked me if I personally believed in God. I felt quickly welcomed and drawn in by this man. He preached in such a way that made me understand his passion and enthusiasm toward his beliefs. He spoke of his life before, and told me that he once was like me, without God in his life. He had reached a point in his life where he was struggling with money, maintaining relationships and taking drugs. He continued to tell me that one day, he came across a preacher in the street, and spoke to him. He told of how inspired he felt by this man who appeared to have the Holy Spirit flowing through him. It motivated him to allow
faith into his heart and that helped him improve his life for the better. With this, he explained that it’s not the preacher that will change a person but if that person allows God into their life, and how they channel that energy out into the world. We were then joined by a lady who told me her story. She described how she had ‘been saved’ by a preacher just as the other man had, but at the time she had no idea that she needed to be ‘saved’, as she grew up in a church community and believed in God. But this preacher offered her love in the form of Jesus Christ, and thats what she realised she needed. At that point in her life, she had strained relationships with her parents, but because the love of God started to flow through her she had the strength and help she needed to build those relationships back up again. The preacher also spoke about times years after when she was penniless and the rent was due. Because of her faith in her Lord, God performed what she would call a miracle because she received a £300 check through the post just days before she was to be evicted. A man with a buggy then chipped in to say similar things have happened to him through the power of God. He explained about how he had been jobless and struggling to get himself a place to live. He’d found an estate agent wiling to help him get a house for the lowest price. She called him up one day to say that she had found a suitable one and he can move into it straight away. However he hadn’t told her about the fact he had no job, and there would be no way he could afford it. Seemingly out of the blue he received a phone call for a job interview. I asked if he would call this a miracle and he said “definitely”. “Once you let God into your heart you he will perform miracles all the time and in everyday ways you would never expect”.
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''You don't need to practice religion to be saved by God, he is in your heart and he knows you and can see if you are faithful''
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Sound Waves
How often are you looking down at your phone rather than observing the world around you? How often are you ignoring the sounds of the city to read that text he sent you or that really funny photo she just posted? Maybe it’s time to look up and listen. The staggering facts : Ninety-three percent of people within the UK personally own a mobile phone. It is said that on average a person in the UK sends around two hundred and seven text messages a month. There are six-million active 4G mobile subscriptions in the UK.
On average a person in the UK spends just over thir ty-six hours on the internet on their PC or Laptop. Seventy-three percent of people in the UK use the internet on a daily basis. Access to the internet of mobile devices doubled between 2010 and 2013. Eighty-three percent of households (twenty-one million) had access to internet in 2013. Sources: ofcom.org.uk (Independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries), ons.gov.uk (Office for National Statistics)
The Dawn Chorus F
or years upon years our species have created a structure of concrete nesting’s to comfort our every need; these flow consistently providing the luxury of shelter, warmth, food and entertainment throughout, making up the city of Birmingham. Our needs are no different to the nature which surrounds us, but out ability is much more powerful, it is down to us, the people of Birmingham, to understand and realise the importance of the natural life which lives alongside us. The biodiversity of Birmingham is astounding, so why would we want to dilute something that is so remarkable? Without the role of nature our comfortable living on planet Earth would be no more.
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ach morning I am awoken to a peaceful city, and the distinct sound of birds chirping is clearer than ever; it’s truly fascinating to listen to, and to watch their behaviour as they go about their day along the city skyline. I’ve been blissfully unaware of the role a bird plays as I’m sure many of us have; Birds are known to be one of the important pollinators, they are drawn to the nectar and food that plants provide, and distribute pollen and seeds elsewhere spreading plant life throughout our city, some trees are unable to spread out unless pollinated by our working birds, which is vital in our quality of life. Insects which are known harmful to plant life are often made a delicious snack by our birds, who will feast upon them further protecting the plant cycle. Not only this, but by acknowledging their presence we are able to evaluate change in our environment, birds are a huge indicator of climate change so being aware of their behaviour and disappearance can help us evaluate any danger to our environment, So it’s safe to say that birds do more than take glorious flights through the sky and chirp a cheerful tune. A few of Birmingham’s most common birds would consist of the House Sparrow, Collared Dove, Blue tit, Starling, Blackbird, Wood pigeon, Goldfinch, Robin and Chaffinch.
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The fresh dewy mornings of spring soon arise along with the bees, and our insect friends are soon to greet us. You may assume they are simply breezing carelessly throughout the blossoming bursts of colour showering the plants, but they are working nonstop to fulfil the job nature has given them. Alike Birmingham’s birds our bees are also key pollinators vital to our food chain; without them one third of the food we eat would not be available; in the UK around seventy of our crops are dependent or benefit from the visits of the bees. We have also come to find use within the harvest of honey bees, their wax, honey, pollen and propolis all have nutritional, craft, manufacturing and medical applications. Birmingham is home to the Bumble bee, Honey bee and solitary bees and it is vital we keep this a welcoming place for the bees to fulfil their duties and help us sustain our way of living.
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Birmingham is no doubt bursting with nature and although known as an industrial City the mix is still strong, the kindness of humanity will hopefully be enough to keep it that way. Throughout our woodland areas and forests you’ll find foxes, rabbits, badgers, bats, birds, hedgehogs, frogs and toads, countless wild flowers and plant life, the list is endless and that’s how we want our vibrant city to stay. We may never truly understand the importance of the natural world which surrounds us, but I am ensured with some support, that won’t stop nature from doing its job to help keep our world running smoothly.
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Sound Waves
The Rag Market Shout Birmingham Rag Markets, opened in December of 2000, has over three-hundred and fifty stalls and attracts people from all over the city to their diverse range of goods including; fabrics, fancy dress and food. The atmosphere of the markets is incomparable, always raging with people young and old. They are one of the main attractions of Birmingham and something it is renowned for. The indoor and outdoor stalls are open four days a week with sellers who work tirelessly nine to five, shouting out about their competitive prices to the passers-by. They can be said to be one of the most important sounds of Birmingham, being significant and dominant in Birmingham Culture. Many people who visit these stalls point out over everything the ‘Great atmosphere’, the sellers ‘shouting and competing with prices’ and ‘the great Brummie sense of humour’* they encounter. It is important to note that the sellers are really what make an experience at the Rag Markets special. If you visit the Rag Market website you can even see that there is a blog that sellers can upload to, having their voice heard not only on the stalls but online too with an immense feel of community. Learn more about the rag markets at www.ragmarket.com, upload your experience and get involved with the Rag Market shout. *Sources: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186402-d1475167-Reviews-Birmingham_Rag_Market-Birmingham_ West_Midlands_England.html
The Sound of Music
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e s t h e r
Birmingham is the second largest city in England and therefore covers massive areas that are influenced by wide-ranging cultures and religions. Along with the innovative architecture, thought-provoking museums and art galleries, and the history of literature, theatre and performing arts, this city gives great significance to music. The city was the birthplace of heavy metal music that was soon made popular by Ozzy Osbourne, who first started performing with a band called Black Sabbath. Ozzy influenced the locals and was soon recognized globally. There was a gradual progress in the genre of music in Birmingham and it soon began to produce artists that played with different genres. Because of the history of music in Birmingham, there are several venues and pubs that promote new and upcoming artists that start off as buskers. These venues also organize concerts for popular artists and bands. On my first day in Birmingham, I noticed several street buskers performing as soon as I got out of Moor Street Station. A majority of them were well talented and sounded amazing. I couldn't help but notice that people were so oblivious to them, that they just walked past without giving them any credit. Street performers usually busk to promote their talent, but they also have hidden stories about their life that they speak about through their music. I was eager to learn about their stories so I went around Birmingham City Centre and got the opportunity to interview a few artists who were happy to share their stories and experiences with me. I got to interview performers that worked with different genres, including acoustic, jazz and
beatboxing. (Interviews on Page 28) I walked about New Street and High Street and a few areas around Digbeth and discovered many artists that had their own unique style of music. Most of them played the acoustic guitar and sang either the songs they wrote on their own or songs written by other artists, but there were so many other artists that came from all around the world and were influenced by completely different music genres and instruments. I stumbled upon an old Ecuadorian man who played the panflute, and produced distinctive sounds. He was disabled, and unfortunately lost his fingers in an accident. He wasn't very fluent in English so I couldn't ask him much, but his passion and dedication was obvious and moving. His strength was engaging and made a lot of people stop and listen to him play. Amongst the other street performers, I encountered artists that performed their regional genres. There were Indians and Sikhs that played the traditional instrument called "Tabla"; a Chinese man playing the "Kouxian", which is a brass musical instrument; and a Tibetan playing a traditonal instrument. The streets of Birmingam are full of diverse nationalities but they all collide with the sound of music that can be heard everyday. All of them have their own stories to share through their music. Music is one common language for the street performers as they use it to communicate with the people passing by them every single day.
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akin a n d y
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esther turner Esther Turner, (Image found on Page 25) is a 19 year old singer originally born in Birmingham. She writes her own music and has been performing since she was 12 years old. She started off as a busker and usually sings her own songs or covers of songs that were in the top charts.Her first gig was in October 2012 and since then she has been occasionally performing in pubs and other music venues. Even though there's a lot of competition on the street, she enjoys busking the most because she gets to perform for thousands of passersby everyday. Music means a lot to her and she tends to share her story through her songs. Even though there are a few people that ignore her and walk by, the ones that stay listen to her story just by listening to her. She says people walk by and hear her but don't listen, and that's what she wants to change about them. "I want to make them listen.", she says.
akin aka sidFX Akin, (Image found on Page 27) who also goes by his stage name SidFX, is a 21 year old beatboxer who has won the Birmingham Beatboxing Championship twice already. He is originally from Dudley and spends most of his time either Touring or performing as a busker. Akin's first performance in Birmingham was when he was 17 years old. He performed at New Street and fell in love with the enthusiastic crowd that cheered him on. This motivated him to visit Birmingham more often to perform as a busker. There aren't too many buskers that beatbox, so Akin has an advantage and always wins the heart of the crowd. He spent most of his time learning how to beatbox by watching videos on Youtube and he eventually starting teaching himself. Just like any other artst, beatboxing means the world to him and he appreciates the fan base he has got because of performing on the steet.
andy gale Andy Gale, (Image found on Page 27) is a famous saxophone player, and is known for his unqiue style of jazz music. He started playing the saxophone when he was 19 years old, and was so influenced by it that he decided to drop out of formal education. He was born and raised in Birmingham and started performing as a busker as soon as he dropped out. Andy has his own unique style that separates him from all the other jazz players. He has always been self taught, and this has always made him produce distinctive sounds. He has had the opportunity to tour around Europe, USA and Japan. Most of his music highlights social and political norms, therfore he loves performing as a busker. He thinks that his music is really powerful and can bring out a lot of deep feelings in people. His music is so exclusive, that it's difficult for passersby to just ignore and move on. They have to stop to listen.
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https://vimeo.com/111522583