Concrete issue 003 19 02 1992

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UEA's INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

IssuE THREE, WEDNESDAY 19TH FEBRUARY 1992, FREE

inside NEWS What happens to UEA 's £156.000

access fund Find out about our own 'cerebral campus crumpet' Mr. University here atUEA

Environmentalists

plan major UK bank boycott

UEA 's contribution to thl! NUS hardship dt!monstration in London

PHOTO: Gill Ft!nwick

FEATURES Find out who is on offer. See our Election Special

1be pre-historic monster down at the Sainsbury Centre No sex please, we're American Do sex and politics go together'/

A.RTS· An exclusive interview with top lndie band Lush Four pages of fllm, musi<; and other arts rc~views and listings.

SPORT Sweat crazed Subbutco players take the campus by storm Plus latest results from netball, bask!!tball and

American FootbaU

en wick reports n t e peaceful prot~st over hardship On Wednesday, February12, the National Union of Students held a National Demonstration in Central London.

The march was called to advertise, in Jacqui Mackay's words, "the most significant issue of our time, Student Hardship", and to protest at the lack of funding and inadequate resources in Education.

Some of the problems nationwide, which provoked the rally, are that Poytechnics and Universities in London have taken on 18,000 more students.

At Middlesex Poly, students have complained of lectures attended by over 300 people and seminars held in corridors.

Students at North London Poly, say that they are unable to find a seat in the Library, and complain of packed seminars and a student/book ratio of 165 to 1.

Over 20,000 students, from universities all over Britain, assembled in Battersea Park at 12 noon. Students, from as far away as Glasgow University attended, and as Shelley Wright said, "the sheer volume of the protest shows the solidarity of feel-

ing about the hardships students face 11 • Womble, a 2nd year, felt that "everyone was friendly, and there was a great feeling of camerarderie". Shelley added that "this is a force the government cannot ignore".

Only 100 UEA students attended, and many of them were dissappointed at the turnout, Womble commented, "it is a shame there were not more UEA students, considering there were 1,000 students from Birmingham" .

1he Demonstration led the students on a 2 hour walk across the Chelsea Bridge, through Sloane Square, and up Knightsbrldge, ending at Hyde Park.

The Demonstrators sang and chanted their messages to the Government. Ali llright described it, "the atmosphere was great, everyone was singing and chanting and waving at passersby".

Tina felt that it was "a chance to meet people with similar hardships from other universities", and Doh Graham summed up the

general feeling: "I thoroughly enjoyed myself".

The Metropolitan Police came out in force, and

probably outnumbered the students. However, in vain, there was no violence and no arrests, which most stu-

dents saw as an achievement, and they hope that people will now take them more seriously.

UEA condemns governments student charter

by Tom K1towland UFA representltlves of staff and students have been quick to condemn the government proposal to establish a students charter which would give students a say ln lecture's pay negotiations.

A "mlrarulously crass Idea" was the reaction ofJason Ions, Communications Off!cer,"What right students have In deciding what their lecturers are paid I do not know."

Under the proposa~ it Is believed that le et u rers would have a greater Incentive to Improve their teaching rather than concentrating too much time on research.

Such systems already operate in .Arrerlca. where students' views from ronfidential questionares are taken into account when deciding faculty pay.

Dr John Noble - Nesbitt, President of the Association of University teachers at UEA commented that there are already provisions for evaluation of teaching.

Students are Invited to fill in questionares at the end of each of their courses. ''I would have thought that Is the way fotwarcl rather than any direct Involvement In determining pay."

Jason Ions added that students are requested on School Boards and the SU has an Academic Officer who represents students' opinions. He called the Issue of pay scales a "red herring" and said that students can already have their voice heard directly within their departements.

The proposed charter also aims to Improve the provl-

si on of university services to students. In line with other Citizen Charter, students would have swifter allocation of grants, loans and residences.

Jason Ions saw this as a first step towards removing the power of the students unions, something that the tight-wing Conservatives have been keen to do for sometime.

"The Citizen Charter means that citizens, including the students', have the power as Individuals to fight their battles."

However he went on to say that If there was no Students Union then students might be ignored by universities because a charter would not be as powerful as a union ln guaranteeing students' rights.

2

Concrete_:_ Wednesday, February 19, 1992

NO LONGER EASY ACCESS

Dive in the Hive

by Toby A uber

by Polly Graham The closing date for th is terms batch of access funds has passed, but many people are still unsatisfied with the distribution oflast term's money.

UEA got £1 56,000this yea r as a part oftheGovernment' syea rold Access Fund. It is designed to help students who are hard up . They are given a sum of money that doesn't have to be repaid .

To receive the fun d, t he student must give details of all their outgoings- such as rent, bi lls and books.

Th e student's ba nk account and overd ra flare a l~o la ken Into consideration.

One of the main problems that has occured with the application system is that it is extremely easy to lie about how much money the student has.

The adminlstators are unable to check whether all the information Is genuine or whether the student has any hidden bank accounts.

Mrs Shepherd, Deputy Dean of Students, who is responsible for the administration of the fund said, "We do try and ask for a lot of back-up information, such as bank statements, but I do admit ltls st!ll possible to lie .

I like to think that students are honest; after all, it's other students that they are conning."

Damlon, an FNV student, who didn't get a loan this year although he Is In extreme financial difficulties said, ''Last year I got £216 and I wasn't poor at all, I just made u p so me rubbish ."

Last term over 700 students applied for the first round of Access Funds.

The average payment to an undergraduate was £128.

Many feel disattlsfied that they either didn't get any rroney, or that the amount they recleved was Immediately swallowed by the bank to temporarily alleviate an overdraft.

Gary Kerr, a stude nt fro m BIO, who recleved only £60 w as dlsatlsfied with the system. "T he money isn' t going to help my situ ation . It's • just taken a little bit off the overdraft. I can't actually get hold of it because it has t o be paid into my bank account and my bank will only allow me £30 a week."

The way the funds are organised this year means that every student can apply every te rm. If they don't recieve any money in the first round, Barfly in action they may In the seco nd o r th ird.

Mrs Shrpherd said, •rrhe problem A packed audience watched In the is that there just isn't enough rroney Hive as drink crazed students hurled to go round. My job Is extremely theln'lelves at a velcro wall-of-death. difficult and time consuming. The competing for the rra;t stylish manner Government has said that we have in which to humiliate themselves. to do it this way rather than increasDespite the considerable size of the Ing the st udent grant and we just do wall, many contestants failed to even our best In the circumstances." hit it, though they did get to wear the trendy tracksuits.

Even Tom Balls, the Bar Manager,

PHOTO: Sttphua Howard had a go at sticking to the wall saying, '1t' s great fun, but it's the worlds most boring spectator sport."

He denied rumours that he made a complete fool of himself. '1 did alright, I got upside down like you're supposed to."

The evening was a considerable success, as part of the ''Live in the Hive" weekly Tuesday events.

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£1.50 ADMISSION WITH STUDENT I.D.

Concrate, Wednesday, February 19, 1992

Tissue Bank to save animals and humans

by Polly Graham Last week the pressure group Animal Aid donated ÂŁ4000 towards a Tissue Bank for the humane research into human tissue.

UFA's school of biology is now in possession of a Tissue Bank that will enable human tissue to be stored at the required temperature for im}'ortant research.

Animal Aid were particularly pleased to fund this project to save laboratory animals from what they see as an unnecessary death.

The donation of the money is part of a campaign that Animal Aid has organised to encourage the use of human tissue in research, education and testing. as an alternative to animals.

Dr Robert Sharpe, Animal Aid's

Scientific Advisor, said that it is a very exciting project.

"This is good news for people too, as the results will be directly relevant to people .. .It's an important investment in humane research."

"We hope that the human cells will be taken up by other laboratories and that governments and industry will start to provide their own facilities as well."

Animal Aid have also launched the successful Human Research Donor Car, the purpose of which is to provide the source for human cell testing. Like the well known donor card people carry it stating that they would allow their human tissue to be used for research purposes.

The group see the donor card

as being a great success, with over 100 cards distributed nationally.

The donor bank will be put to use by Dr George Duncan of the School of BIO for his research Into cataracts. The eye tissue can now be stored for as long is required as well as being transferred to other laboratories.

Or Duncan said "Our main aim is to find out the mechanisms of the cataract. Once we've developed techniques to find out how cataract starts off we will be able to create drugs to prevent cataract."

Cataracts, that mostly effect the â&#x20AC;˘ old, are the major blinding disease in the world. Over 20 million people are blinded by it at the moment.

It Is thought that the use of PHOTO: Mark Mtrgltrll!uitt human tissue could actually be Fabian strutting hisstuff quicker in finding cures for disUFA student, Fabian Adama-Sandiford, was awarded aecond place in the Mr University competiton, held byChannel4' s 'The Word' on Friday night. ease such as cataract than with Although the judges- who included television presenter Annabel CUesusing Animal tissue. Dr Dun can chose 'Mr Bristol' as the top piece of 'cerebral campus crumpet', Fabian said, managed to beat other competitors, Including Mr Oxford and Mr Cam"In many other diseases, such bridge. as satitic vibrosis, which effects Entrants were made to complete an IQ test, fitness test, and had to model human tissue, it wasn't until the their swlmwear on live television. human genes responsible for this And when the results were announced, Fabian looked surprised but also tissue were cloned that one bevery pleased. gan to understand the disease.

The third year EUR undergraduate was chosen from 3 possible UEA This will be repeated in human contestants by students Clare Whipps and Mary Forsyth. cataract and a greater understandClare said: "Fabian seemed like the best choice, considering his notorious performance In UEA' s fashion show." ing will be formed ."

By Peter Hart

Mr University success

OCCUPATION: WHAT NEXT?

by Gill Fenwick

FIVE STAR TAXIS NORWICH

Students protesting outside the Tuuday Club muting Since the Sit-in on January 30- 31, the students involved have not returned to apathy.

Through weekly meetings and the set up of an Action Committee, the students hope to continue their campaign against Student Hardship.

A small demonstration outside the Council House, on February 11, where the Tuesday Club (the meeting between the sal:r baticals and the University officials) was held, conveyed this.

30 people with banners stood outside to show their support and to emphasize the

3

PHOTO: Clara

fact that they are not going to back down.

The meeting at 1 pm in the LCR of sympathising students, resulted in a decision for a deadline of Monday, by which time, the University officials have to have returned with a concession of one of the students' demands, a decision on surcharges.

Jenny Witt, said at the meeting, "structure is good but we need activity again".

If the deadline is not met by the University, further action will be taken on Tuesday, February 18.

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or 619289 or 619280

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4

Concrete, Wednesday, February 19, 1992

Reading SU in debt of £300,000 The Students Union of Reading have run up debts arrounting to £300,(XX).

It is now flgthlng for survival after last years over-spending.

The Unions financial manager who was appointed In 1990 was sacked In October when the extent of the debt came to light.

The union Is worried because they may have to make 50 or more redundancies amoungstthelr staff. These redundancies will result In the loss of many valuable jobs, such as welfare advisors, and entertainment organisers for the 8,000 students.

The University have offered a

£100,000 loan to be paid over a four year period on cond ition that they have more control over the Unions spending.

This comes when the Government are calling for membership of higher education student unions to be made voluntary. Critics claim that SU's are misusing state aid meant for higher education.

But many fear that with Student Unions recent bad press, because of student hardship derronstrdtion!l, the Government wlll go to some lengths to take power away from Students Union.

Polly Graham

Hu~nan

Rights • awareness ca~npa1gn

This week the Amnesty Society is running a campaign to raise awareness of the International Declaration of Human Rights.

This document forms the basis of Amnesty International's work. and was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on Decemoerl01948.

Despite being signed by the 154 member states of the UN, detailed evidenCE exists of the torture of prls-

oners In 90 of the 154 countries, 50 allow Imprisonment without charge or trial, 70 hold prisoners of conscience and 134 stlll retain the death penalty.

"Surprisingly few people seem to be aware of the exlstance or contents of the Declaration", says Society President Clare Field en, "So we hope to distribute as many copl!!ll as po~r sib le."

Polly Graham

UEA Lecturer fears state of Ozone Layer

by Tom Knowland Research by a lecturer In the School of Environmental Sciences lndlcatesthattheholelntheozonelayer may lead to widespread and lifethreatening illnesses unless we can adaptourbehavlour.

The ozone layer Is part of the atrrosphere which filters out harmful ultra-violet radiation from the sun, butt he release of chloroflourocarbons (CFCs) from aerosols has thinned this protective shield .

President Bush's recent announcement to eliminate CFCs by the end of the century may be too late. Even if CFCs were to be stopped now there is enough damage already done to deplete the ozone layer for years to come.

According to ENV'sGraham Bentham,. ultra-violet radiation can affect human health In several ways. It acts as an lmmunodepressant, weakening the body's natural defence systems and making us vulnerable to skin Infections.

Another possible consequence is an Increase in the Incidents of sight

threatening cataracts. Sun glasses may help reduce this hazard.

Another skin related problem Is the cancer, malignant melanoma.

This is particularly active In young people and is a very aggressive canCEr which spreads to other parts of the body quickly. It Is still quite rare in this country, but Is on the increase. 200 cases were reported in 1950, but over 10000 In 1990 and Its fatality rate Is exceptionally high with 4~50% of reported cases dying within 5 years.

White skinned people are particularly at risk and this risk can be affected by behavior. Graham Bentham argues that people who work out11lde thus acquiring a gradual tan are less likely to develop cancer than those who expose themselves to sunllghtforshortburstsoftlme, but who spend most oft he time Indoors.

Graham Bentham reconunends that a health message needs to be promoted encouraging sensible behaviour such as less prolonged sunbathing and avoiding the strong mid-day sun.

Bank boycott planned

by Faith Collier The Environmental Network group are calling for students to boycott Lloyds and Midland Banks who they say are the worst offenders of expoltatlon of third world countries.

They say t hat these banks could cancel the debts If they wished. The third world countries are unable to pay back the interest or loans which are borrowed from the lnd ustrlal world.

The group Intends to propose a • motion at the W6 UGM. Mark Slmon who Is organising the camMark Slmon also claimed that, paign alms to getthe Union to make "despite the amount of money we the boycott official policy. The mo- give to the third world, we still retion has already been successfully ceive more money back than we passed In twelve other universities give them In aid, In net terms." and polytechnics across the counThird world debt currently stands try. at $1,200bllllondollars and to make He says "People are dying because these repayments these rountries are of third world debt at the rroment ...I£ forced to cut back on health, educayou bank with one oft he four major tion and social provisions. banks then you are contributing to Lloyds bank believe that cancelling third world debt. And as was de- the debts Is not the answer, "It Is monstated by the Barclays boycott sometimes believed that If debt were In 1986, students are In a position to cancelled then additional revenues affect the banks." would be diverted Into vital invest-

Prayers more popular than sex

PHOTO; Gill Fenwick ment In economic and aodal programmes but there is scant evidence to suggest that this happens. "'Far from abandoning these countries, we and other major banks have sought to alleviate the Impact by participating In comprehensive debt restructuring packages."

Midland believe that the blame should be directed at governments, their spokesperson said, "the worlds very poorest countries owe most of their external debt not to banks but to governments In the industrialised world."

To vote or not to vote

The average American prays six times

by John Holmes a week, which Is three times more than they have sexual intercourse.

With April 9 being touted as This static was dlscovered by Father General Election day, Britain will Andrew Greeley, a socialogist at the be getting another chance to University of Chicago. confirm or deny the present He told the American Association Government. for the Advancement of Science, In Come polling day, however, Chicago, that there was a strong there will be many who cannot correlation between frequency of vote because they aren't regisprayer and marital happiness.

He also found a correlation be- tered. tween people who pray and people There will be some who want to who disagree with the death pen- avoid putting their name on the alty. Discovering that "those who register but more commonly, pray twice a day are twice as likely people have just been missed out. to oppose the death penalty as those The last possible date to get on who never pray." the Norwich electoral register in So for Internal happiness and a order to vote in April is Thurssuccessful relationship, get praying.

day 20th February.

Another problem associated with an election held at any time during vacations is that most students will be unable to vote in person.

They will have a choice between voting in their home constituency (if they're registered) or using a postal/proxy vote in Norwich.

Both Norwich North and South being marginal seats, votes will obviously count for rather more than in a 'safe' seat elsewhere.

Student wins £300 Third year student, Ross Pat rick. Is perhaps UEA's most reCEnt example of how lucrative accountancy can be.

In recognition of exemplarary resu Its In his second year exnmlno.tions, accountancy flrmKPMG Peat Marwick presented Ross with a cheque for £300.

Patrick Harrls, In charge of recruitment said, "KPMG Peat Marwick are always looking for high calibre recruits to accountancy and the prize is seen to be the most sincere expression of this sentiment."

Paul Grainge

Ross Patrick receiving his cheque

Concrete, Wednesday, February 19, 1992

5

concrete Features

Mandela Out, "Brucie" In room are all familiar words at UEA, but none reflects the growing importance of the entertainment world as a bench-mark of credibility.

One can only speculate as to what implications such as the "Brucle Building" and "Bully's Bar" will have to future historians, wishing to

Paul Grainge looks at the student obsession for naming their bars after game show personalities

probe the mind of the 1990s student. Whether it will betray increasingly apolitical sentiments or merely prove the devotion to a grimacing catchphrase, one cannot begin to guess. The only certainty is, that in the full existential sense, Britain's student population must take full re-

sponsibility for leaving its adherence to the infamous echoes of Nsuper, smashing. great'' and "didn't he do well" as its legacy to the future.

''GREAT, SMASHING, SUPER'' The ad that confirms Jim Bowen.s cult status Just as an Nx' quality is deerred necessary for a model to break Into the realm of su permodel, it would also seem a requirement for television personalities to break into the realms of student hero.

Jim Bowen is the most recent addition to an unlikely list of names which are beginning to echo down the corridors of the academia and inspire university and polytechnic bars to be named after them. Although the "Bullseye" presenter might not share the sarre Nx' as Naorrd.

Campbel~ Jlm perhaps feeling a little uncomfortable on a Paris catwalk, it must be noted that neither does Naomi Campbell have any drinking establishments narred after her within the British education system.

At present Jim is honorary president of the "Bully Bar'' at Durham University and hu recently been asked by Leicester Poly if they may call their bar "Bully's."

The extent of his influence does not stop here however.

Both Oxford and Cambridge

debating societies have been oompeting for Jlm's attendance as a guest speaker, Oxford managing to Induce him to appear three times.

In a Rasp magazine inter-

Jim Bowen is the most recent addition to an unlikely list view he said, "' think they quite enjoy me standing next to a statue ofGladstone with a Blackbum aa:ent," and perhapsthislsthe essence of his N)(' quality. The pathway from dustblnman to Ncult" figure is one that Is rarely trodden. but ]I m Bow en Is of the select few that have.

Another Is Bruce Forsyth, whose career has leapt from the early days as "Boy BruceThe Mighty Atom" (he was never a dustman) to Its present culmination of being In-

splration for the proposed name of Manchester Polytechnic's union headquarters.

Despite Bruce having a few difficulties (authorities at Manchester allowing the removal of Winnie Mandela's name, but hesitant about the student-elected alternative of the "Brucle Building"), he remains eloquent testirrony to the fact that students are becoming less inclined to find inspiration from such as the world of politics.

Indeed, Winnle Mandela's Involvement in the criminal exploits of the Mandela football club has caused no end of discomfort around the university campuses where she has been honoured.

Whilst Communications Officer, Jason Ions, concedes thatUEA'sown ~innie's"is a polJtlcal embarrassment, it ~mains the official name for what was once called "Lecture Theatre Five" and is now commonly referred to as the "Back Bar." ''lhe Hive", "Break.e~', "The BowY', and the "Steve Blko"

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The name plate declaring WiMies' in the back bar

PHOTO: Son B Huang

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6

Concrete, Wednesday, February 19, 1992

concrete Women

Post-modern or Pre-historic ?

If you go down tothewoodstoday, you're In for a big surprise. Well, a massive post-modern building actually.

The Sainsbury Centre for the Visual Arts (thats galley to you and me) Is very postmodern, very forward thlnking. Really? Step Inside this vast architechtural delight and surprise, surprise, you're back in the dark ages once again.

In fact you may as well, be in any other major British gallery. That's right, less than 1% of the artists represented in the Sainsbury' s collection a re women.

At the moment one painting by a woman is on display in the permenant exhibition (Berthe Monisot) and there are few examples of works by Germalne Rkhierin the reserve collection.

Last term,. the black woman artist, Maud Sulter gave a series of lectures at the Salnsbury Centre. She is an established artist of great talent which Is highlighted by the fact that he was Mo Mart artist in residence at

the Tate Gallery Liverpool in 199091. She is now the co-curatonal director of The Elbow Room.

She gave a lecture for two groups of students which was fairly well attended, due to it being run In conjunction w ith t heir seminars. The evening lecture was attended by no mo re than eight people, largely because of a lack of advertising.

Both lectures were o riginaL accessible a nd a refreshing change. So why doesn' t The Sainabury Centre make a point of acquiring w ork by Sulterand hercontempories?

Whilst ln residency at the Tate, Sulter produced a p iece of work entitled "Hysteria" . This work would have only taken up a small area of the Sainsbury Centre, yet no offer was made to exhibit her work.

It's not just the Sa lnsbury Centre collection that's suffering from m isrepresentation. Not 200 yards away the School of Art History has nineteen staff members. Only one of these is a woman. Jane Beckett has been with the School of Art History for a

number of years and the constant demands upon her time are many.

She only has the time and resources to run one semlnar a year on women artists, but nine weeks Is simply not enough time to lnvest in the topic of womens art history.

Jane Beckett said "The study of women artists g rew out of the polltics oft he womens movement. Unlike the growth of womens publishIng the space given to women artIsts In museums and galleries is still very limited." ''There have only been a few exhibitions and scholarly publications on women artists. In a sense t here has been a reticence to examine the work of women artists in depth ."

This sentiment Is echoed by a female student who wishes to remain anonymous . She stated : "It's outdated to view Art-History as a mans subject but In most classes here we are taught by men. and read books by men. It's like women never exIsted . Weird."

• It would appear that the high percentage of female students studying Art History does not affect what is taught.

E Jack.son, a second year Art Historian. clearly believes the problem lies with faculty. "With Andrew Martlndale as our Dean of School I think the hope of increasing the female/male ratio within the academic staff Isn't worth contemplatIng." Whilst talking to various female historians lt became clear that t he position of fema le students at the Sainsbury Centre Is not an equal one.

The Salnsbury Centre was designed

by Sir Norman Foster as a "gend er neutral zone"; certain students felt that lt was the most m asculine space in the university.

Helen Pratt, a third year Art H istorian said "Considering the high percentage of female students that do Art History it seems unfair that the female representation of tutors in the department is limited to only one."

Sowhoistoblame? TheSainsburys,

Guerrilla Girl Warfare In America the sexism of the art world Is even more rife and d lscrlminatory than Great Britain. Major galleries persist In operating a biased buying policy that often stretches no further than a few token women's (usually one black woman among the few) work.

The birth of the feminist movement In circa 1970 spawned many protest groups that attempted to a lter the status quo but still little or no notice was given to the rountless number of women artists who could not sell or exhibit their work simply because they received only adverse publicIty and no support from gallery owners.

It all looked pretty dire for working women artists whose work had to centre on protestation and 9 times out of 10 risk being labelled "femlnlne'' until somethlng happened that threw a spanner in the power structure.

Around April 1985 posters began appearing on buildings and galleries in New York.

These posters gra phlcally, statistically and wittily documented sexism and racism In

the galleries and museums of New York.

They named narr£'8 and pinpointed leading offenders.

However, when public lnterest was sufficiently raised the protesters revealed the~ selve~r--as an anonymous group of gorillas, or in actual fact-guerrillas.

The Guerrilla Girls employed tactics to correct the Imbalance of white, male, majority rule in the arts. They believe In taking positive action- not through traditional or violent means-but rather in a manner that has gained them publicity, support and, quite frankly, a When apfew stares: proached forinterviewsthe women would appear wearing gorilla masks!

This highlighted their name, protected their anonymity and caught the public's attention . As their campa ign stepped up action rumours spread as to who was Involved. It is now believed that women involved in all areas of the art world are members; from leading artists to critics, to gallery staff.

In actual fact the Guerrilla

Girls changes its core me~ hers every six months In order to protect anonymity and allow everyone to become Involved. The Guerrilla Girls continue to Hhit'' the major museums and leading private galleries (who are largely responsible for the success of a new artist) and it would appear that the tactics are working.

The buying/collecting poll-

des of major museums such as the Metropolitan and Whltney are changing and smaller private galleries are choosing to represent more women. In particular the Bernlce Stelnbaum gallery represents 53% women and Is responsible for showing new women artists. It is even rutroUred that Ms. Steinbaum herself Is a Guerrilla Girls member.

UEA Warfare A few terms ago a spate of posters appeared, over aperiod of several weeks, on the outer and inside walls of the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts . The posters seemed to be questioning the lack of women artists at the SCUA. Much to the annoyance of various male members of staff the posters used pictures by prominent male artists to highlight the underrepresentation of women artists, although the very first poster was a pastiche of the Sex Pistols' "Never Mind the Bollocks" album cover with ''Pollocks" (as in Jackson

UEA is just as backw ard as the rest in promoting women in art, writes Abi Patton

Pollock) substituted for "Bollocks."

We managed to track down a student Involved with the posters who wishes to remaln anonymous. She said: "The connection is not representative of a huge proportion of our society. When over half the students In the school of Art History are female it would seem logical to place a much greater emphasis on women artists, and women in the arts, in general." She also said not to rule out the possibility of other posters appearing at a later date.

for their Idiosyncratic collecting polIty? Or the Art History department?

It is difficult to say, but Jane Beckett believes that once a different art 'history' has been written- one that Includes all the women - then perhaps w omen w ill become more recognised in the Arts.

As u sual it is left to the women themselves to redress t he balance.

Jane Beckett said that female art historians are going to have to tackle t he p roblem of lack of representation themselves, as women ln other areas have tried to do already. "''n the broard field of cultural history women have looked at womens rep rese ntation and inv olvment ln populara.dturesuchasfilm, women's magazines and dress."

As an area rich in unexplored flelds the canon of womens art history is ready to tackled by a department with over 50% female students, many of whom obviously wish to learn more about.

IIOW MAIIY WOMEIIIIAD

--PERSOII EX-.notiS AT IIYC MUSEUMS LASTYUR?

Guaaenheilll 0 Meliopolitall 0

=' -·UBIKAUIIOIU 213 0fWUI'-IO. W01B AII11STS U11 OIU V3 OfWUI' A1111STS.IO. . ....... IC.....a. w(WoO( ·- --.u.-u i»«<DICl" "' f><l--.D

G~rrillagirl

posters hit UEA

The American a~rrilla Girls campaign

G"uerrtl!v&G ir}A

Concrete, Wednesday, February 19, 1992

concrete

7

Politics

Do students votes count?

Tom Knowland argues that they do in the Norwich constituencies.

Voting intentions Conservative 35% Labour 34% Green 7% Liberal Dem. 15% Don't Know 9% Two Concrete opinion polls show that the political thoughts of UFA students closely reflect those of the nation at large.

Voting intentions put Labour and Conservative more or less neck and neck with the Liberal Democrats and Green Party trailing behind.

He felt John Ma• • JOr was a prtme minister with whom young people could identify Malcolm Reid, a spokesperson for Norwich Labour Party said that Labour usually does well amongst the 18-25 age group

and that these results seem to follow the trend in the national polls.

Dean of BIO, Dr Ian Gibson, who is standing for Labour in Norwich North, compared the situation with 1987 when a UEA poll showed a "sea of blue" and said this showed a "fantastic move to Labour. At last the students are wakening up and thinking about the problems of being students and getting jobs and that is welcome."

Prospective Green Party candidate for Norwich North, Lou Betts, said the Green vote was "encouraging". He added that the Green Party do not take much notice of opinion polls, but contrasted the result with one at Hellesdon High School where they did "absolutely abysmally''.

With the party's national vote at about two percent, he said he

would be happy if they got most of their deposits back from the 250 or so candidates they hope to be fielding and had succeeded in keeping green issues on the political agenda.

Conservative candidate for Norwich South, David Baxter, said

With the party's national vote at about two percent, he said he would be happy if they got most of their deposits back he thought the election would be a two horse race as suggested by the poll. He felt John Major was a prime minister with whom young people could identify and that "there had been lots of encouraging signs among the student population" as far as supporting the Conservative party went.

All the parties said they would be running election campaigns at the university as soon as the date of the election is known.

Labour usually does well amongst the 18-25 age group and that these results seem to follow the trend

David Baxttr, ColtStrvativt PPC for Norwich South

As with all opinion polls these figures have to be treated with caution. The results are a snapshot of student opinion and do not consider where students wlll be voting. Norwich has twoMPs, John Garrett for Labour in Norwich South and Patrick Thompson for the Conservatives in Norwich North. John Garrett's majority is only 336 so the student vote may well be crucial in the general election when it is called.

John

Garr~tt,

Labour MP for NorwichSouJJ&

No sex please, we're American Jane Drake accesses sex, sludge and mud slinging in both British and American election campaigns Things are hottingup on both sides of the Atlantic as we enter the usual p~ledlon smear campaign period.

The Paddy Ashdown affair was, If anything, a poor excuse for mud slinging, having occurred five years ago, and has been condemned by both government and opposition.

The '\rlal by tabloid' ooverage fal1ed to address the real Issues, such as where the line between public and private life should fall, but initial reactions to Mr Ashdown's case appear favourable.

National polls Indicate no real loss of support and a UEA student poll indicated a similar view.

Of 46 students polled at Waveney Terrace the day after the story, sixty five perrent thought the affair would make no real difference to Mr Ashdown' selection prospects, and four percent thought it might even improve them.

Arkansas governor Bill Clinton might not fare so well.

Although a poll of American students at Waveney showed a sixty seven percent vote in his favour, following the news of his alledged affair with Gennlfer Flowers, the great American public may be less

forgiving.

Mr Cllnton who hopes to get the backing of Democrats to run in the November presidential election. faces his first major test at the New Hampshire primary on February 18th.

If he does badly at the first hurdle it may prove difficult to regain momentum, and he may suffer the same fate as Gary Hart whose bid for the 1988 Democratic nomination ended under slmllar allegations of infidelity.

While private behaviour which affects national security must always be condemned as in the Profumo affair, standing in judgement on other occasions is questionable.

If such behaviour is a real indicator of a person who should not be Invested with the trust of the electo~ ate. then several e!fedive politicians of the past have been guilty of the 'crime', including prime ministers and presidents.

The debate may be academic for GovernorCllnton whose campaign prospects looked increasingly bleak last week as he faced new allegations ofVietnamdraft dodging.

I '·

8

Concrete, Wednesday, February 19, 1992

The

t d

•

LIVEAT THE UEA £7.50adv

SUN 23 FEB

the AUSTRALIAN DOORS A band who epitomise the 60's,a tribute to the legend of the DOORS , faithfully recreated live on stage.

£5.00adv

WED 26 FEB

KINGMAKER a young indie band , following in the footsteps of emf carter, wonderstuff ... catch them early. next year it'll be stadiums .

£6.50 adv

MON 2 MARCH

RIDE a guitar four piece from oxford, on the road with their new album 'Going Blank Again'. tickets selling fast

£7.50adv

FRI6 MARCH

SOUTHSIDE JOHNNY & the ASBURY JUKES one of the US's greatest , his new album features collaborations with Jon Bon Jovt; Little Steven and Springsteen

£8.50adv

SAT 7 MAR

BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST Southside Johnny

25 years of their own distinctive progressive rock.

£4.50adv

SUN 8 MARCH

COMEDY NIGHT alternative humour featuring ARTHUR SMITH,(from tv's Paramount City) ,with MARK LAMARR and STEWART LEE

£7.50adv

FRI13 MAR

SHAKESPEAR'S SISTER currently no. 2 in the charts with their single 'STAY', they embark on a short tour to launch their second album

£7.50adv

TUES 17 MARCH

LOVE

I HATE

these american metal rockers return to the UK after a european tour supporting OZZY OSBOURNE, Kerrang's favourites sons

£6.50 adv

vVED 18 MAR

IAN McCULLOCH former echo & the bunnymen front man ian's solo career moves on with a new single 'l over,lover,lover.'

£7.00adv

FRI1 MAY

EMF Arthur Smith

a new e.p. in april ,an 8 date tour in may, an album in september; buy now don't miss it. plus support from SILVERFISH .

"• " I

• •

Concrete, Wednesday, February 19, 1992

Love in the laundrette Valentine's Day has become a day of depression and cynicism which has been going on for centuries, writes Simon Mann "Am I so replusive? Now that Valentine's day is coming, I am despaerately yearning for a girl. Doesn't anyone feel sorry for me? If 'u • want to send me flowers, please do soli" 1bis photocopied notice, complete with grainy photograph and a contact address, appeared early last week on a blank stretch of the campus laundrette wall, looking as lonely as its author seems to be.

Clearly not everyone finds St Valentine•s day an entirely happy occasion.

It is a viewpoint that was probably shared by the two St Valentines who gave their name to this modem lover's feast, since both of these early Christian martyrs found their way on to the liturgical calender via particularly violent and unpleasant deaths.

Interestingly, neither of them had any known connection with love or romance, and anyway, historians think that what has been passed down to us is two different stories of

the one saint.

Perhaps this confusion and, doubtless, unintentional deception has set the tone for the cynicism which seems to mark the day for so many.

"It's a day when everyone pretends to be in love, not

to · spend money. Speaking personally, I hate the bloody day; I haven't had a card in years."

Returning to tradition. the unfortunate Saint Valentine's feast day became the lover's festival, simply because it

just women" was one jaundiced females opinion offered in The Pub last week.

Another, male, viewpoint was just as scathing, "Speaking generally, I think it •s become just like Christmas - an over commercialised excuse to persuade us

coincided with the Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia.

This featured toga'd yuppies running round with goat skin thongs which they used for whipping any woman too slow to get out of the way, thus ensuring the luckless victim's fertility.

As time passed, ideas of love and romance became more prominent, and people found more sedate ways of celebrating the day.

The earliest greeting

especially disliked.

Nowadays there is a huge variety of gifts available to compliment the Valentine card. Besides such things as · ~ special rose deliveries and expensive chocolates, you can buy clockwork plastic hearts with outstretched hands and smiling faces, which march jerkily towards their delighted recipients bearing messages such as 'my heart is yours', or 'have a heart - mine', like imaginative adverts for organ donor cards.

And as for the Valentines, these run from the simply and happily obscene, through the oversized efforts featuring wide-eyed fluffy puppies and romantic verses like: 'My head's in a whirl, I'm on cloud nine, Now make it complete, Be my Valentine" to a range of explosive pop-up cards , a miracle in paper engineering, which open dramatically to reveal a fun-filled spray of paper hearts and roses.

The final word goes to an advertiser in last years Valentine message page in 'The Guardian'. For each advertisement, an advice card is sent to . the advertiser •s loved one. Last year, a male advertiser tried to get the paper to send cards to

" Now that Valentine's day is coming, I am despaerately yearning for a girl.

Doesn't anyone feel sorry for me?" cards were Valentines, dating from the early sixteenth century; by the Victorian period they had become very elaborate, featuring chubby cupids, and lace paper trimmed with silk.

The Victorians also developed a fashion for cynicism in their Valentine greetings, often sending extremely offensive cards to people they

five different women, for one advertisement.

Perhaps it is all you expect of a festival which

honours one, or is it two?, saints who .really have nothing to do with it. And if St Valentine's day was a wash out for you, at least you have a full year to design your own appeal for the launderette wall.

9

Concrete, Wednesday, February 19, 1992

•

[E

l

For what? For whom?

And why bother?

Polly Grahain sees what students think of sabbatical elections and finds out what they really are voting for.

This years sabbatical elections are upon us again. The campus is alive with election fever. The posters are already peeling off, with the sincere faces of this years sabbatical candidates shout~ ing 'vote for me!'.

Last year between 1200· 1300 students turned out to the elections, only a little under a quarter of the Uni· versity population bothered to vote for their Union rep· resentatives for 1991/92.

Last year the elections were almost comical with many Joke candidates such as the Mr. Normal Goblin candl· date for the post of Finance Officer, who dressed up as a Goblin for the hustings and wanted to buy a bag of gold with the Unions grant.

Or Jeremy Sandford, a Communications candidate, who if he won would have immediately resigned and sold his story to the tab. loids.

This year there are no joke candidates, the elections seem to have a more seri-

ous undertone to them.

With the implementation of the new constitution, and increasing conflict between the University and the Union over the issue of student finance, and the new tew term semester system just around the cor-

batlcals, you don't have people to blame at the end of the day when things go wrong."

The Sabbatical officers are often seen as power grabbing, CV fillers who fancy a year off. But Jason Ions reckons that there must

''If you don't have Sabbati-

cals, you don't have people to blame at the end of the day when things go wrong." ner.

The Sabbaticals take a year out to and are the representative for the student body.

They bridge the gap between the students and the University, sitting on University committees and in student council meetings.

Jason Ions, the present Communications Officer, sees the role ofSabbaticalsin a somewhat more down to earth light. '1fyoudon'thaveSab-

Is responsible for all academic issues, and has to co-ordinate academic policy, the academic services, and academic casework. This years academic officer is Nicola Sainsbury who has been very active in trying to make the implementation of the two semester system run smoothly, and has taken the students criticisms of the system .to the University working party

be simpler ways of filling your CV. '1 think it would be stupid to stand for your CV because you' re devoting a year of your life to something you may find out you don't enjoy. I think most people standing this year are standing for the right reasons, because they want to do something. The CV thing is a side line, it certainly wu

11

for me."

But do the Sabbaticals actually have any power to change the conditions of student life? Many see it as a fallacy that the officers can actually change anything.

Martin Donaldson, a second year AHM student, said it is for this reason that he will not vote this year.

"It's all the political hacks playing games. They think it's going to give them real power, but the fact is they have none at all. Nothing is ever going to change."

Jason Ions agrees that the Sabbatical officers have only a limited ammount of power, emphasizing that a lot of their job is to ensure that the adrninistraion of the union runs smoothly.

'1 don't think they have as much power as people believe them to have. It's a fallacy that people believe that the executive and Sabbaticals have all the power, they are in fact the people doing all the hard work."

As Academic Offla!r I will · results of these meetings. be spending much of my Sabbaticals also need to work time in the university meet- a.S a team to achieve the most ings. With the common fort he union. I believe that I wurse structure approach- posess the right skills and a ing students need someone fresh attitude that makes me who reflect thelr views and right for the job. wlll inform them of the NeilBamdm

This hard work doesn't go completely unrewarded.

The Sabbaticals are paid a wage of around £6000 a year, with the added benefits of a double room on campus for the price of a single and free entry into union events.

It remains to be seen whether this years elections, which are being held on Thursday, will provoke a bigger tu m out. Pete Fowler, a third year student sees little point in voting. He said, "It feels like it has nothing to do with us, it seems very

ENV studentwas adamant that she would be voting in the elections this year.

She said, "I don't want to see the same sort o~ people get in again. I want people who will do something, do what they are mandated to do."

When it comes to the crunch the Sabbatical elections are the.battle of pe~ sonalities. The politics get lost in the effort to be the most charismatic and popular candidate and after all if you've got a lot of friends,

''I don't want to see the same sort of people get in again. I want people who will do something, do what they are mandated to do." remote. I normally like to make a point of voting in national elections, but there doesn't seem much poinl" Marion Weeks, a third year

As you may know, I'm already Academic Offla!r at the moment. I have been working extremely hard on the common course structure, making sure that it's introduction is as student-frle.ndly as possible. It is now at a cudal stage, and I feel that it is important to have someone with experience to deal with it.l have manyother ideason

you're guaranteed to get a lot of votes irrespective of your political stance.

for example student feedback on courses, school board rep representation and the Alternative Prospectus. Another thing I would look at is increa&ing the Union's effectiveness on academicaffairshopefuUywith theemploym!nt ofstaff devded to academic affairs.

Nicola Sainsbu

Has overall responsibility for the Union publicity and all existing media. The post is also responsible for the co-ordination of the executive committee, has to liaise with NUS, and other outside organisations. The posts duties also involve the publication of a union newsletter. The commercial services are also under his/her d uristiction, as well as the running of union house. This years Corns officer, Jason Ions, was also involved in the implementation of the new constitution.

Holds the purse strings of the union finances.

Is responsible for the unions development, including the commercial services such as the bar and S U shops. Working together with the Unions managers, one of the major jobs each year is allocating the quarter of a million pound grant that the Union receives from the University amongst clubs, staff costs, campaigning and so on. This years Finance Officer is Chris Hall.

Cheifly co-ordinates the Union's Welfare services, including issues relating to accommodation. Sfhe also liaises with the university on all matters non-academic. The post also requires the Officer to represent special needs groups as well as having responsibility for University sport. This years Officer is Saleem Khawaja who was particulary involved in taking the demands of the students during the occupation to the University.

Communications is essen· tial to any organisation including the Union. It is vital that the Union has the means by which its members can voice their conce.m s an!iell the executive what · ey should be doing. F m tha the Union can then get its case acrosa to the University, the

government and other bodies.

Ef!edive conunJnicatlona are the cornerstone to this. The exerutive cannot sit in UH put'!Uing their own pet topiat and passing around scappy leaflets telling them what the sabbaticals have been doing for the past week.

I am a third year doing a Maths degree. I believe that Union development should be a priority especially w~ slderlng the projected 25"' increue in student numbers although te Union still has responsibility to keep

Its prices in Its wmmerdal outltts as low as possible. Its time the Union put profit second and students first. So there you go. Voteformeand don't eat yellow snow.

I am a 27 year old, second year SOC student. I am standing for Welfare OCficer because I believe that now the role of the Union Is now more important than ever.

I am not representing a political party. The Union should concern Itself with representing its members whatever government Is in

I believe that NUS has to stage a political, powerful struggle againstcutsfromany government. Sabbaticals have to organise that struggle around the membership, through Union

meetin811 and action- not through six people lobbying MPs and debating the issue seperately from the student body.

The Union a here to serve student& rm not going to make anyextravagent promises but I wUl look Into all areas of Union finance to see how they can be made more efficient.

Ourwelf~ enteJtainlrent

Jmrty Witt

Richard Hewuo~t

and club/society servicea must not be sacrificed in any cost cutting exercises.

AndyiAmg

Chri• Holli~tgworlh

office.

Ma1.1yofus are all to aware of the attacks on our living &tan· dards. University imposed chargesaffectusand willdfs... suade future generations from continuing their edcation. I would like to be given the chance to try and redress this situation.

Coli1t BroWiting

Iwllllalsewlththeuniverslty on C.A.S.H. iMues and work with Janet Peck.

I wlll demand a three year rent freeze, guaranteed accomodatlon for first years, and rent based access funds. For student parents I want an expansion in rurrent creche, late lecture cover and willsetupa local register of childcare centreS. I want bettersecurity

on campus especially for female atudenta for late nights.

I will demand an expansion in sports facilities in accordance with increasing numbers and building.

I will revise bar prla!S with a view to reducing them.

Iguaranteethatthe Union will work for students.

JoyEdwards

12

Concrete, Wednesday, February 19, 1992

ON DAY

15

Tombland Norwich tJR3 I I-IF Tel : 060'0 62 i 541

Tombland.

NO\"WIC.h tJ R~

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Te\: 0603 62 f541

UGARFREE NO ADOITI"ES

STARTS MONDAY 241" FEB

DAHIAN THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW

LIVE ON STAGE r - - - - - - . . .

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------- --- --

--

Concrete, Wednesday, February 19, 1992

13

•

en1n s. • • • Inter Varsity Folk Dance Festival coines to UEA Special report by Tim Shelley Prepare for a surprise this February 28 as Norwich's biggest folk event this year - the Inter Varsity Folk Dance Festival - wlll be exploding with life from the dusk of Friday, until Sunday afternoon More than 400 people will descend on UEA to indulge In a wide range of activities, Including tuition workshops, cellld~ and dancing displays. lntervarsity was first held in 1951, and it is traditionally a gathering of University-based folk societies, where they can display their arts and renew acquaintances.

It has come to East Anglia once before, back In 1979, and has, over the years, been all across Britain: universities from Edinburgh to

Southampton have hosted the event.

People will begin to arrive at UEA from all over the country on Friday night, and the bulk of Union House is prepared for what Is to follow.

As an lee breaker, the events kick off with a 'storming' ceilidh in the LCR from 8pm to midnight.

The featured band ls the highlypraised Happlsburgh Light Brigade, while Shlnanlkins will play at the John Inneslnstltute from 7.30 until 11.30pm. Both events will include Folk Dancing displays.

Saturday wlll begin with a variety of workshops, whilst Morris and clog sides will tour Norwich, culminating in a masss display at the Cathedral at 3.30pm. Both the Lord

Yart: Valley Morri~ in Norwich

Lush Interview Recovering from ·a party, erm, celebrating their "Spooky'' LP entering at no.7 in the charts, Emma Anderson and Chris Acland of Lush are in buoyant but subdued mood, despite the backlash they've been receiving from the music Press.

Now they're prepared to return the favour.

Chris: "We never believed all the good Press. When we were at early gigs and were reaaly bad, we were getting all this 1anguage'. In a way, people pinned all their expectations on

. .. . .. .. . .... . .. .

..

Mayor and the Town Crier will attend the event, which will raJse rroney for Oxfam.

Further workshops are held throughout the day, ranging from guides to Morris and Cajun dancing, to Irish and Rock and Roll.

For those who seek something unusual. they can try a seminar on juggling or the 'Bubbles' workshop, and all weekend a variety of craft stalls will be In Union House.

Since the urge to dance does not stop when the daylight does, attendees are given a choice of a ceilidh with the farrous Syzewell Gap band in the LCR at 8pm. or a Scottish Dance session at 7.30pm In the John Inneslnstltute.

For those who would llke a more relaxed evening, a concert in the GSA bar will feature Irish perforrrer, Steafan Hannlgan, and local bands: Jack Orlon. Spot the Cayote, Sld Kipper and Damlen Barbour.

Sunday presents another choice of workshops: Israel~ Thai, Egyptian.

Scottish, German, Cajun and Morris dancing will all figure, along with Instrument workshops, and an opportunity to join part of a Scratch Band, which will play for the 'Do Different' ceilidh finale, drawing the weekend to a close In the afternoon.

The festival is organised by three University folk societies this year: Country Dance, Yare Valley Morris and the Folk, Roots and Early Music Society.

Anne Devlson, a member of Yare

SldKippt:r Valley Morris, and IVFDF "92's treasurer explained what the weekend will be like: "'t's going to be the biggest, best folk event ever in the whole of East Anglia," she said.

HThere will not just be folk. but roots and all sorts of music- we aim to cover a wide range of activities from a broad international culture."

Indeed, there are dance groups scheduled tocomefromasfarafleld as Ireland and Germany.

Ed Meikle and Abi Patton talked to Lush when they played the LCR us."'

Emma: "At the end of the day, we're talking about the press in the world of the Press, but the Press is not everything. People think that we were invented by the Press and so, if they start slagging us off, then we could be destroyed. It's all bollocks."

Chris: ''With the Weeklies, they're constantly having to discover correct bands, and writing new things about new bands.

There's a constant turnover of fans that are new and fashionable and bands that are not."

. .. . .

. . .. .... ..... '

.

Emma: "I mean, if we listen to reviews ... are we supposed to do what they say?"'

Chris: "I don't think Lush is a particularly fashionable band at the moment. We're not Rock likeNed's, Carter or Nirvana.

"All that Scene stuff was basically a movement created to slag.

There was never a time when the Scene was like 'ah ..brilliant!'- it was basically 'lump them all together.' It became a media myth: it;s just easy for the Press to have things to refer to and compare with. It shouldn't be like that."'

.. . . .

'

Luslt,playedat UEA on February 9

Tickets for the entire weekend, incorporating the ceilidhs, dances, concerts and workshops are £6. A one day ticket stands at £4 for Friday or Saturday nigh!:, and a single ticket for the Scottish Dance Is £3.

They are available from Union House from 12-2pm. Monday to Friday, or by writing (enclosing an SAE) to 'Inter Varsity Folk Dance Festival. Students Union. UEA, NR4 71J'.'

14

Concrete, Wednesday, February 19, 1992

FILM

LIS'"fiNGS UEA, Lecture Theatres One/ Two,7pm Admission £1.75 (6-7pm, Ull foyer) FEBRUARY Thu 20: The Commitments Fr! 21 :Switch Sun 23/Mon 24: Henry- Portrait of a Serial I<111er Thu 27: Pump Up The Volume Fr! 28 : Prospero's Books

MARCH Sun 1/Mon 2: Edward Scis-sorhands

CANNON- Tel623312 Adm£3.40

UP UNTIL AND INCLUDING 1HURSFEB20 Screen 1 : Star Trek VI (PG) at 2.30, 5.30, 8.10 Screen 2 : JFK (15) at 2.05, 7.05 Screen3 : AddamsFamlly(PG) at 1.30, 3.30 Also Double Impact (18) at 5.50, 8.20 Screen 4 : Frankle &. Johnny (15) at 2.30, 5.40, 8.10

~·

'

Film Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country This Is thestory ofJames T.Kirk's last mission as Captain of NCC-1701-A, otherwise known as the USS Enterprise.

Following on from the rather poor Star Trek V, this final chapter promised much from the t railer, but does it deliver?

The answer Is an emphatic yes! This film takes the crown from Star Trek IV: The Voyage H ome as the best of t he Star Trek series.

With a strong p lot and superb special effects- even better than those In Terminator ll, this film has to be a candidate for sel-f! film of the year.

The story starts with the explosion of one of the Kllngon Moons- their main source of Energy.The destructio n Is caused by over-mining and pollution - carrying on the environmental theme

of Star Trek IV. This spells disaster fortheKI!ngons, causing them to come to the Federation asking for peace.

The Enterprise Is sent to escort the Kllngon Ambassador through Federation space to the talks ...

Spock becomes more Human, comIng out with a number of humorous comments, as does Chekov with the classic: "Guess whd s coming to dinne r?!"

U nfortunately, Next Generation followers will notice a few inconsistencies w ith recent episodes, but this does not devalue the film.

As this Is Ki rk's last voyage, what happe ns now? Who will be the Captain o n Sta r Trek Vll? The film Is cu rrently showing at the Cannon ctnema, Prince of Wales Road, Norwich.

UEA Films Preview

The Commitments

UP UNTIL AND INCLUDING 11-iURS FEB 20

Screen 1 :My Glrl (PG) at 1.20, 3.20, 6.00, 8.10 Screen 2 : Bill &. Ted's Bogus Journey (15) at 1.10, 3.00, 6.10, 8.05 Screen 3 : Snow White (U) at 1.40, 3.40, 5.40 Also For The Boys (15) at 8.20

CINEMA CITY· Tel622047 Adm £2.50 stdts, £3.50 Fri late

Andrew Strong as D eco, in The Commitmeltts

N O VERRE • Tel6301 28 Phone fo r prices

U ntil Sat Feb 22 : Valmont (15) at 7 .30, with Weds/Sat mat. at 2.30pm Mon 24 - Sat 28: Robin Hood Prince of Thieves (PG) at 7.30, with Mon-Fr! mat . at 2.30

L-------------------~

An eltterprising crew/

Ian Brown & Richard Ma y

ODEON- Tel 0426 932450 Adm £3.50/£2..50 stdts until6pm weekdays

FEBRUARY Until Sat Ll. : Toto The Hero (15) at 5.45 and 8.15 with Tues and Thurs mat. at 2.30 Frl21 : Fellinl 's Satyrlcon (18) at 11pm Sat 22 : Robin Hood -Prince of Thieves (PG) at 2.30pm Sun 23 :Canals &. Railways In East Anglia (U) at 2.30pm Also Richard Ill (U) at 5pmand The Draughtsman'sContract (15) at7.45pm M on 24- Sat 29 (not Thurs) :The Adventures of Mllo and Otis (U) at 2.30pm Also Me rei La Vie (18) at5.45 &.

8.15 with Thurs mat. at 2.30pm Fri28: Betty Blue (18) at llpm Please consult Cinema City leaflet for March listings

(PG)

Henry :Portrait of a Serial Killer For a low budget movie, this film is both exceptionally well acted and shot.

Loosely based on actual mass murderer, Henry Lee Lucas, the film pres-ents hi m as perhaps the most normal and balanced person compared with his ex-convict friend, Ot!s.

After serving a prison sentence for the murder of his prostitute mother at the age of 14, Henry has settled in Chicago with Otls.

The killings mount up, with Otls casually murdering a passerby, and, In one of the most dlstu rblng scenes of the whole film. a middle class couple and their teenage son are attacked.

The tension is Increased by the arrival ofOtls' slsterBeckywhocomesto st ay while she escapes her brutal husband .

What ensues Is far from tame, w ith the matter of fact explanations of the serial killer's lifestyle making this film a chllllng, yet challenging addition to the exploitative genre which it inhabMartin Highmore Its.

Adapted fromRoddy Doyle's novel of the same name, this film follows the ups and downs of Jlmmy Rabitte and his project, a working class soul band called the Commitments.

The band Is a glorious combination of such disparate elements as the foul-mouthed yet silver throated vocalist, Deco, and medical student Stephen on piano, with a touch of glamour from the back-up trio, the Commitmentettes.

The mix, lnclud lng other members, is complete with the arrival of the mysterious trumpeter Joey "the Lips'' Pagan, who rides a moped, boasts of playing on sessions with stars such

as James Brown and the Beatles, and is at least 20 years older than the other Commitments.

The film then follows this grovesome combo from their fumbling first gig to the dizzy heights of the Dublin pub circuit.

As they learn their craft and pay their dues certain off-stage tensions become evident, not least of these being Joey's success with each of the Commitmentettes and the jealousy that this inspires ...

The performances of the cast of Irish newcomers Is perhaps what makes this film one of the most infectious releases of last year.

Martin Highmore

Pump Up The Volume In 'Pump Up Thr Volume,' Christian Slater plays a high-school kid, who leads a double life.

Recently seen in the box-office smash. 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,' Slater Is, by day, the shy school kid, Mark Hunter.

But at night he locks himeself In his room. and becomes the pirate DJ, Hard Harry.

Harry Is a fast-talking, no-nonsense, sexual pervert.

So, he Is a pretty mixed-up kid, as are most of the other people at his school.

Harry finds this out when he begins taking phone-Ins. His message to the high-school kids, Is to be yourself, and not be Influenced by others. &.tbsequently, the kids rebel against p ressures from their parents and the corrupt school system.

Hard Hany Is anon)'ITUls of ax.~rse, although there Is the inevitable pretty girl, played by Samantha Malthis,

Hard Harry: 'A fast-tal Icing sexual pervert' who takes it upon herselfto find him out.

Predictably, they eventually team up to fight the hierarchy of the local town.

Without giving too much away, the story line is half sweet, half per-

verse, and perhaps goes a bit too far.

However, Slater's performance on the radio is extremely funny, and the film's d irector, Allan Moyle, clearly portrays the trials and tribulations of teenagers.

Gill Fenwick

Concrete, Wednesday, February 19, 1992

Music

MUSIC LIS'l'INGS

Moe Tucker - The Waterfront, Feb 11 Way back through the mists oftlme, there was a rather Influential New York combo called Velvet Underground.

Moving on 20 years, and 2 of this esteemed band were performing at the Waterfront, In front of probably less than 100 people.

Moe Tucker and Sterling Morrlson bcth looked exrerrely 'well preserved' for all their years In the music business.

Moe played both guitar and sang lr.ad vocals during thl! gig, with a voice extremely almllar to that of Klm Deal (the Pixies): a girlish, squawky tone, which was perfect for her lyrical tales of New York in alllts squalor and sadness.

The band purveyed a fiery brand of VU-style songs, mixed with plxlesesque rockabllly and guitar-based rock.

With Moe and Sterling being a part of one of the most renowned bands In rock history, lt was Inevitable that some VU songs were going to be

Mot

Tuc/c~r

played for the audience's delight.

A version of 'Pale Blue Eyes' was performed,and lt was very close to the original (and yet refined by Moe's forceful vocals).

The highlight of the evening was a 5 guitar lament for a dead paL dur-

lngwhlch the sound was very soulful and orchestral.

Hopefully 1992 will see the reformation of the VU, but for the meantime Moe Tucker and her band are a welcorre addition to the rn..tslc scene.

Mt~rtiK

Highmon

The Cardiacs

WAT'IiRPRONT- Tel6W17

& support

Pentangle & Danny Thompson Young Gods Martin Highmore reviews their performances With the lights down low, and the free form jazz and folk music. & support LCR .ldtted out with tables and chairs, They drew on influenres from many different rultures, and styles of rrusic, moving from one "'Hot Club Quartet" flavoured number to a dextrous Swedish polka.

But although the band's lack of percussion was Interesting at first, by the end of the gig I could not help wondering whether there shwld have been someone giving a snare a damn good thumping.

Also I cannot help but feel kind of betrayed bymusictanswhosayone thing and do another.

Danny embarked on a lengthy monologue about how false it was for bands to play encores.

But, at the end of the last song they went off, and after a bit of tumultuous applause promptly appeared back on stage!

Colourform, Orange & Scarlet

IEd Meikle reports from the Norwich Arts Centre I Something's wrong here,the best band are at the bottom of the bill.

Scarlet' a short story Is that they've been together for one month, this Is their first gig and the record companies are queuing up.

Tonight, people from the music business just aboutout-numberthe punters and they' re only Interested in one band.

Effortlessly mesmerising the crowd with tracks Uke "Bat song" and their finest, "Dead Meat'', this Norwlchbased 4-plece could well be on their way to in die cult stardom.

Forget yer shoegazers, for total sensory stimulation from a driving bass and smouldering riffs (and looks), Scarlet are going to blow away any opposition (Including Orange and Colourform).

The spirited soul that Is Orange has

little effect tonight.

Even so, cocktails of relaxed and then blisa!ring guitars and the croonlng sax provide a necessary comedown, massaging the aural networks.

But it's in vain.

Colourform fall to rise to tonight's challenge, only finding their feet well Into their set.

They've been together for sorre tirre now, and so, If the only thing I can say that Is remotely interesting about their latest set of songs Is that they now have a Didgeridoo player, providing sorre unusual bass lines, well, surely their demise Is Imminent.

This desperate performance demonstrated what an extraordinarily average band they are, their songs stumbling around the NAC, only saved by their dwindling number of fans who ought to know better.

FliBRUARY (all begin 7.3:1) Pri 21 : Manic Street Pr-=hers (£5 adv) Sun 23: New England (£3.50 adv) Thu 27 : ThOUNnd Y•d Stare (£4 adv) Pri 28 : Half Man Half Biscuit (£5 adv) MARCH Sun 1 : Buater Junes Band (£4 adv)

The Waterfront, Feb 7 N Anyone too proud to hold handsr' These hand-grabbing peare peddlars are The Moonflowers and tonight they're truly lost In space.

Bouncing around the stage, their attitude Is ambling Into every corner, the power of their bllssed-out groove spilling off the stage. leaving the crowd swimming In pools of contentment, man!

The Moonflowers might still be asking the crowd for a bed, but not for long, ao Indulge yourself soon.

But entering to Orb-like nolaea, The Cardlacs launch straight Into an anthem' of chanting and fist-wavIng, looking totally ridiculous.

As for the music, their confrontational jagged mix of guitars and banality goes nowhere and does nothing: the songs are performed with fearsome precision but it's all too pompous and bombastic to be considered any good, even on a oomic level.

The Cardlacs shouldn't be condemned, just committed.

d

it was time to experience the thor· oughly folk orientated Pentangle, featuring 5 of the British folk and blues scene's rrost renowned rn.t!JOS, Pentangle.

Heart-rending ballads from the 12th Century, nestled next to gruff-volred bluesystompers.

Notable features of the evening included the Knopfleresque country style guitar fills.

The female vocals were also enchanting, as were the warbling, fretle88 baMllnes.

A mere 2 days later, the Norwich Arts Centre was visited by ex-Pentangle member Danny Thompson and his band, Whatever.

Whatever' a music was for the most part and Inventive combination of

15

NAC - Tel 660352. (all besin lpm.

all ticketa: £3 conca) FEBRUARY Thu 20 : Marie Nl OlathuaJ&h OuiJ Newman

a.

Prl ~1 : Buahllre Thu 27 : Sun Cannon Pri 28 : Dade Krona Sat 29 : Jullan Joteph

UliA FEBRUARY Wed 19 : Tort Amo. (SOlD OUT) Sun 23: The Au.tralian Doora (J:7.3J Id V)

Tue 25: Jazz Nl3ht (Pree- Hive) Wed 26 : Kingmaker (£5 adv) Man 2 : Ride (.£5 adv)

tiklt

KingiTiaker

The Waterfront, Feb 14 Their engineer assured me that the first support band, Optimum Wound Profile, are 'seriously credible'.

Apparently their name Is derived from the OWP experiments the Government carried out during the Falklands war, where 100 sheep were experimented on with shotguns, to see how much damage they could do.

This at once expresses their antimeat and anti-Government stance.

Now, fair enough, the vegetarian cause Is one that rrost of us have alot oftlme for- buti cannot help feellng that it shouldn't mean a thing here.

The other support band, Milk (once of Norwich), also do nothing that I would particularly aspire to.

It Is all too self-reduced (rather than self-a pologetlc) and the Ironic thing Is that these 2 bands, both with a solid compliment of guitars, fall to fulfil the Inspiring potential that the Instrument allows.

Enter the Young Gods. There's only 3 of them (I lost count of the members of OWP) and yet, at the touch of one key, the synth player unleashes some of the most burning keyboard and guitar samples that the Waterfront will witness for some time. This band are seriously Rock and Roll.

Samples or not, The Young Gods make excellent guitar music, and singer (Franz Triechler), can croon as 'sultrily' as any of your Jaggers or Chrls Roblnsons.

That Is not to say their hardcore Industrial grind Is absent, and it Is between these 2 ends that the Young Gods move: from the experimental '50 soldiers' to tbe pure and unstoppable aggression of the final song,

KINGMAKER- the In die band promising to be 'big' this year- play the LCRonFeb26

''So Cold'.

You can debate the validity of sampling all you want, but this often despised medium allows the Young Gods to make a mockery of the so-called 'honest gultarlng' of their openers.

The Young Gods make muslc that throws you around your room by

your hair, and yet sorre say the 9wbs are boring.

They have shown us a way to the future. wheraa Milk will always drag it all back down to the floor.

My only hope Is that all the crustles, lndle kids and thrash-freaks there were able to tell the difference.

Young Gods- 'seriously Rock and Roll'

Jnry ShtldoK

16

Concrete, Wednesday, February 19, 1992

& the rest FEBRUARY Until Sat 29 : The Male Nud ~ (photo ~ hi b.)

Prl 21 : Ba by Baby (£3 cones) at Bpm Tue 25 : !tan Kahanl ( details tel .

592785) at Bpm

UEA DRAMA •• Salvation's Door

Paul Kilby, a cast member of this new play, writes a preparatory defence

MARCH Until Sun 29 : Toy Box (exhib.)

MADDERMARKET- Tel 626560 FEBRUARY Frl 21 - Sat 29 : loves Labours lost

UEA

Week 6 : Drama Exravaganza - see lhia page Frl Feb 28- Sun Mar 1 : Inter Varsity Folk Fe~~tival - see Happenings page

CO NTACT GALLE RY - Tel 760219 FEBRUA RY Until Sat 29 : Craft Show (Pree)

PUPPET THE ATRE- Tel 629921 FEBRUARY

Sat 22 - Wed 26 : Ondermouse. daily at 2.Dpm and Tues 11 am, 2.Dpm Thur 27 - Sat 29 : Magi c/Punch and Judy, times u above

KlNG OF HEARTS- Tel 766U9 FEBRUARY Prl21 : Miming the Bright (£3 cona) at

Salvation's Door : 'Art around a subjut that is artless .. .'

Martin X

"A play t hat explores the mentality of the aggresso r on the street of the suburbs?

"Who do we think we are, us safely shielded mid dle class students, to think that we can understand the attitude, the mindset of these aggressive, violent people?"

This Is a criticism that I hope will seem unjust to the majority of the · audience of 'Salvation's Door' when we present it In the Bill Wllson room at the beginning of w eek 6.

It Is always a tricky one: how do you create art around a subject that Is artless?

The yob, the nasty gutter-level bloke Is the focus of our attention In this production.

He would sneer at our self-conscious Ideas of what Is 'street-wise', what Is 'real', what Is 'just'.

So how do we presu me to explore him, re-create him,. put him on stage?

But we have all su ffered at the hands of hlm. .. and If not, maybe you are him,. o r were him.

And the victim does not necessarIly know so little about his antagonist.

He does, after all, know the yob's methods, and he knows what is coming next w ith a sickening anticipation.

With a grP.at deal of care, we have created three of these aggressors, and they are not nice lads.

It would be misleading to say that the play explores their mentality: it actu ally just presents it, and it Is nasty, vicious, sexist and offensive.

The stupid part Is they can still look like heroes.

But they are not. You know that they are not heroes because of the times someone like this Is kicking your head in.

We do not wish to glamourize the violence, or seem Involved in some sort of 'oh, If only we had been born on the other side of town' ego-trip.

It Is not pleasant to have to endure the bellttlerrent of the sort of characters we have created .

These are p eople who revel In humiliating. taunting, harassing: all w ith the safe knowled ge that you pose no physical threat to the m at all...

'Salvation' s Door,' by John Hales, ru ns fromMo nday 17th to Wednesday 19th of February in the Bill Wllson Room.

Tickets w ill be available on the door, or from A llson Gerrlsh's office In EUR.. room 0.67. Tickets are also available during lunchtimes In UnlonHou&e.

7.30

Open Theatre in "Mates"

Advice to a Daughter

Norwich Arts Centre, Feb 8

The Waterfront, Feb 4 - 6

Robert has a seemingly nonnallife. He Is married. has 2 children. and Is spendIng his vactation with his family at his father-ln-law'sseaslde cottage.

His wife, Loulse, Is concerned about the state of their marriage. "Let's go away together, just the two of us," she repeatedly asks, while her good friend, Jennifer, waits In the wlngs to listen and give advice.

Her hum. Another thirty-something angst drama?

Better believe not! The Open Theatre's production of Mates threw In a number of twists: Robert Is a hom:>sexual, and his Indifference to Loulse is not caused by his work, but by his jealous lover.

To make matters worse, Jennlfer's boyfriend, Adrlan, knows of the situ-

ation, and Is compelled to act as a gcrbetween, which makes Robert' s unseen lover even m:>re jealous.

The 2 couples spend the day at the beach together, all of this deception stewing under the surface.

What ensues Is a confusion of loyalties: should Jenni!er tell Loulse what she knows? Should Adrian tell Jennlfer m:>re? Shruld Robert be forced to confess to Loulse, whom (everyone agreees) should have known years ago?

Such dilemmas are resolved rather abruptly by a surprise visit fromRobert's lover.

Mates Is not a farce. Its most memorable moment was the

More UEA Drama

By Tony Sweeney ~eek 6 - 'Salvations Door' by John ~ales- See above report: 17-19 Feb, ~ill Wllson Room.

their darker side, In this student' a.sseg)Irent prod uctlon : S.ll Mar The Waterfront.

Not Quite Jerusalem' produced and :Hrected by Daren A bra hams :ollective adventures of the English 11broad - In a Klbutz : 20-21 Feb

Week 10- 'The Infernal Machine

by Jean Coctea u This Is the most extraordinary o Cocteau' s improvlsa tlons, developed from the classic 'Oedl pus' . Here he becomes a hero o fairy tale proportions, fighting < m:>nster and chasing his princes.< 18-20Mar Norwich Arts Centre

~eck 9 - Storytelling at the Waterfront t Is probably more than coincidence

hat fairy tales crop up towards the end Df term with particular reference to

riveting and emotionally evocative climax of the play, where Robert finally confronted Louise.

The emotional issues at stake were well-acted and palpable, even If (at times) the d lalogue was difficult to understand, due to lack of projection.

All the tension did get a bit tedious, however, and much applause belonged to the actor who so excellently played Jennlfer' s father, who kept the audience lau ghing (often thrrugh gritted teeth) when the jokes became sparse.

This said, Mates was an entertainIng and emotionally charged play. I would certainly reccomend not missing the next Open Theatre prcr duction .

Melisa Weiland

Loves Labours Lost AFTER the success of 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,' the Norwich players are turning to Shakespeare for their next production at the Maddermarket Theatre.

1.ove's Labou rs Lost' Is to be performed from February 21-29, and will include one of UEA's visiting students, Davld Schnlder.

The play Is the tale of 4 you ng noblerren w ho attempt to renounce the world and its temptations In favour of Intellectual pursuits.

Paul Grainge

Good q uality solo performances are becomi ng a regularity at The Waterfront, it would seem.

Just as Malcolm Frederick was superb In 'Splendid Mummer' 4 weeks ago, so Amanda Horlock was equally impressive In her own play, 'Advice to a Daughter.'

In her relentless and witty dramabased on 2 Eighteenth Century novels by Samuel Richardson- Horlock explores the role of women, as seen

by Rlchardson.

The tragedy of the play culminates with the martyr-like death of the character, Clarlssa, as she Is unable to come to t erms with d ishonour Inflicted upon her.

A potentially sinister plot Is dlf-

fu sed effectively and unnoticeably

by Amanda Horlock's well-scripted drama; and with the emphasis on humour- rather than horror- the play Is very entertaining.

The versatility of Horlock Is strikIng, as she portrays the 3 fundamental characters with equal flare, and her ability to Imply several characters on stage at once Is both clever and convincing, taking away any danger of tedium.

The audience's reception of the play was the most eloquent testlmon y to Amanda Horlock' s success.

H er obvious sense of wit and taste will assist her If she chooses to climb the theatrical ladder.

Paul Grainge

Stevie Starr- Unusualist

Appearing in The H ive th is Tuesday, February 18 is Stevie Starr r ltatin old fish to order!

Concrete, Wednesday, February 19, 1992

concrete

17

nter·view

The Days of the Norfolk Terrace B Block Commune Tim York speaks to UEA graduate and lecturer Dr Steve Cherry about the radical days, and asks if they're lost forever If your Image of a Trotskylst revolutionary Is a bearded, beret-wearing desperado. Dr Steve Cherry Is a major disappointment.

The softly-spoken. mild-mannered SOC lecturer Is a married man with three children. who, when I met him,. was wearing nothing more revolutionary than grey trousers and a sensible Marks and Spencer-type jumper. It was not even red.

I found Steve In his office, his back to the door, hunched over his desk, and from the door I could not see what he was doing. However, he left whatever it was, and overa cup of coffee we talked politics.

may not take too kindly to the likes c:J him taldng their power and wealth. and will put up a struggle to preserve lt.

He belteves there Is a difference between a violence that Is about changing things, and violence that Is about repressing things.

Steve argues that as it stands, our sodety Is violent anyway, because of the profit motive, that means that building workers are Injured on unsafe sites, for Instance.

So while bloodshed Is not an attractive Idea, he believes it Is not possible to change IOdety In the way he wantt without violence, u the

He was wearing nothing more revolutionary than grey trousers and a Marks and Spencer-type • JUmper

"I tinkered around with the Young Communist League •..and then anarchism for a while"

Steve arrived at the Socialist Workers Party via a trl p round the leftist houses. Born In 1949, he grew up In Penlstone, near Barnsley, where he attended what was In reality a Comprehensive school but still called a Grammar, apparently ln deference to local petite bourgeoisie sensibilities.

His first political awareness came from his Labour-voting parents, who would be driven to the polling station by the helpful lady from the Conservative party.

Latest Rei~.

PHOTO: Gill FefiWiclc

Steve Cherry, UEA studeflt 1967- 70 Then came a belief when he was about fourteen. that Marx must be "a very clever bloke" because he spoke several languages.

As a student at UEA from 1967-70, Steve "tinkered around with the Young Communist League," until the Soviet lnvulon of Czechoslovakia In 1968 made him disaffected enough with Conununlsm to "tinker around with anarchism for a whUe:' styling himself an anarcho-syndlcallst.

These were the heady days of the Norfolk Terrace B Block Commune, which he remembers as having Involved little more than the draping of red and black flags about the place.

These days Steve does his bit for Socialism within the SWP, whose members try to sell you newspapers that you do not want, and engage

you In debate you cannot hope to win, rather like political Jehovah's Witnesses.

Cheny agrees that they must seem a bit like that from the outside.

But In defence of their tactics he

"I thought Marx must be a very clever bloke" dres an old story from Lenin about a man seen from afar who Is hunched over and obscurely doing sorrethi~ 1t Is only by getting up close that you can see he Is actually sharpening a knife.

Steve's argument is with the system, rather than with the individu-

als that the system produces.

To him, Socialism Is a practical business, whereby working people can take control of their won lives.

The public refusal to accept the poll tax for Instance, he tees as an example of People Power.

His opposition to the tax Is because "'lt Is fundamentally unjust, and it favoured the wealthy."

The campaign against lt, led from the left, offered him a glimpse of how things could change.

It also demonstrated the shortcomIngs of the Labour Party, who shyed away from full opposition to the tax, for the sake of electoral respectabilIty. However, the den-cNitratlon against the poll tax In Trafalgar Square became identified with violence, an issue that Is a little dtfflwlt forSteve,, but he knows that the ruling class

police and army will Inevitably be uaed by thoee with property, to hang on to lt, or take it back.

If you would lJke to find out more about the politics of the Socialist Workers Party, or feel Inclined to tell them how foolhardy their Ideas are, some SWP members Ot cannot have escaped your notice) can be found selling their newspaper outside the Artt building on Thuraday mornIngs.

Steve Cherry is the one hunched over, engaged In knife-sharpening activities.

J ody Thompson looks at the latest from The Cult, Sugar Bullet, MC 900FT Jesus, Ian McCulloch and The Stairs

THE CULT "Heart of soul" (Beggars Banquet) Release date: 17th Feb

SUGAR BULLET "Dreaming'' (Virgin) Release date: 17th Feb

MC 900FT JESUS "The City Sleeps" (Nettwerk Europe) Release date: out now

IAN Mc.CULLOCH "Lover, Lover, Lovel"lndian Dawn Mix" (east west)- Release date: 17th Feb

TilE STAIRS "Woman Gone And Said Goodbye" (Go!Discs) Releue date: 24th Feb

Starts off with nice acoustic guitars which remain in the background throughout this track. This is a stomp rock track of a semiautobiographical nature, about being plssed In lots of different cities around the world. It's the same kind of sound you'd expect from a group like Bon Jovi, but with better vocals, typ:calAstbury stuff, you know, "Babeee.. ./Heart of soouul/Oowwww!". To think they come from Bradford, not LA. Daft schlock rock which won't offend anyone.

And very dreamy it is too. Sugar Bullet have mellowed out for this track, instead of being their normal frenetic selves, and sound a lot like Massive Attack.

From Glasgow incidentally, they have produced an impeccable sound here, Soul II Soul beat with parpir:tg saxes, a bassline that twangs and throbs lazily, topped off with the creamy vocals of Izzy Coonagh. I think that "Dreaming" could bring Sugar Bullet to the attention of those thick enough not to have listened to them yet.

Easily one of the best names in the winky wonky world of pop music. 1his is another mellow track, the twist being that the lyrics tell the story of a compulsive arsonist, apparently causing controversy in the States (quelle surprise).

A laid-back rap that sounds like it was recorded over the telephone, a distindy flared keyboard sound straight out of a pomo movie, and a few hip-hopstyletwiddly mixey bits. Interesting, but misses the mark despit the narrative comrtent bits.

Didn't like this at all when I first heard it, butl've got used to it.Mac covers one of Leonard Cohen's cheerier little numbers, and goes a little bit dancey.

Must admit, it does remind me of The Farm for some reason, maybe 'cos musically, the chorus is the only strong point. Mac's amazing vocal raises the song upwards though, cossetted along by swelling female harmonies over the continual electro-pop beat.

What a voice! He's great, but could probably do better.

This band are more like the Rolling Stones than the Rolling Stones EVER were, even in their R'n'B garagey phase.

Stuck In a 60s time-warp with a packed luoch and refusing to come home again, The Stairs breathe a blast of fresh retro attitude into the music scene. After all, if you're going to draw on the sixties, you want to do it as accurately as possible, right?They even played The Cavern recently, and sure look the part, Carnaby Street circa 1964.

A good track

~ ,

Publisher Stephen Howard Editor Polly Graham Arts Editor Peter Hart Sports Editor Keeley Smith Sub Editor Gill Fenwick Advertising Simon Mann Advertising Artwork Neil Bamden Contributors John Barton Tony Sweeney Simon Mann Faith Collier Abi Patton Jody Thornpson Toby Auber Jane Drake Unda McDevitt Kieron O'Grady Lara W Son B Hoang Toby Leaver Martin Hlghrnore Ed Meikle John Ranger David Moore Shaun Harley Katharine Mahoney Torn Knowland John Holrnes Tirn York Clara Jerry Sheldon Melissa Weildand Paul Kilby Michele Hutchlnson Ian Brown Neil Hopcroft Thanks to Prof Chris Bigsby Steve Sadd Thuy La Benders Keegan Concrete Is published Independently at UEA. Opinions expressed are those of the contributor, and not n<'cessarlly those of the Publisher or Editor (C) 1992 Printed by Eastern Counties Newspapers,

If you have anything that you feel strongly about, whether it is the content of CONCRETE, or something about the University which really gets you going, write to: The Editor, CONCRETE, EAS or bring it to Room 2.29, EAS.. If there is anything you think we should be writing about, drop us a note, or call us on Norwich 592799 (internal number 2799) Please include your na1ne, school and year on any material for publication - otherwise we will not be able to print it.

More noise, An embarâ&#x20AC;˘ this time at rasstng Waverney moment in Terrace UEA history Upon reading a letter printed In 'Concrete' on Feb 5th about the noise In the corridor at night, I must say that the probelm Is not only confined to Suffolk Terrace. We also have the same kind of disturbances In Waverney Terrace.

I just wonder why The Dean of Stdents, who was so keen In Informing us at the start of term that he would do his best to help the overseas students overcome all the logical difficulties arising when studyIng abroad .

However, he has done nothing to solve this problem which Is well known as the worst and rrost conuron problem which most foreign students face .

Serige Poisieur

End of University of Extreme Apathy And that was the end of that cracker 'UEA: Un iversity of Extreme Apathy'What seemed to be but an exercise in donkey-work (petitions, leafletting etc) with little hope of success miraculously transformed into UEA' s first occupation in six years, w ith 200 of us hanging rut in the Council Hruse's leather confines!!

28 hours In all might not seem long, but the real achievements are just becoming visible. It's broken the ice, former occupiers are now organising suhlequent mass mer.tlng11 to ker.p up nn d l nc re a t~e the pre11sure.

We are determin ed to use action again to push though our demands - keep letter writing. Vive la occupation! one of 200, Jenny Witt

The peaceful occupation of 'The Council House' to protest against student poverty, at UEA was an embarrassing moment In UEA history. What did these students hope to achieve? Surely the top two percent of the country could have realIsed that more effect and Impact would have been gained by occupyIng The registry or The Business Centre.lt Is no coincidence that 'The Council House' was left open after circulation of rumours of an!meding occupation.

'Radical' students gladly displayed registration, ID card s, a symbol of the authority they so righteously denounced, in order to gain access to The Council House" . Once safely Inside they caused little disruption to the every day running of the University.

One aspect of UEA life they managed to successfully disrupt was the collection of the rather more effective cure for student poverty, the student loan. Finding myself in a less than affluent state I attempted to gain this benevolent service, but was refused access and regarded with suspldon, that not even an oath of allegiance to the Vice Chancellor could allay. The delay In my application for the loan means I must suffer flnandally because of a student protest that is allegedly for the benefit of students.

Many students are suffering financially, I agree, effective protest should be taken. However the majority of students present at the occupation simply want lower beer prices and cheaper concerts. Creches and coffee prices are not iBSues of student poverty, starvation and homelessness are.

It Is these would-be radicals, who denounce the system, only serve it gladly in later years, that I object to. you may object to my seemingly callous attitude, but at least I' m not a hypocrite.

Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich.

Hannah Towns EAS2

'The big three eating disorders' While I was very pleased to see an article about Eating Disorders In the second issue of 'Concrete', I noticed an omission. The article failed to mention complusive eating, one of the 'Big three' eating disorders, and one of the most misunderstood and under-recognised.

Complusive eating, like anorexia and bulemla, Is dlanosable, but many women who have the d lsorder think they are merely lazy and suffer from a lack of w!ll power.

But complusive eating shares the

Hgullt, shame, disgust and selfhatred" which accompany anorexia and bulemia. Not all overweight people are compluslve eaters, nor are people who sometimes binge.

But when food becomes an obsession. an addiction and controls your life, you may be a compluslve eater.

The most important thing to realIze Is that compluslve eating Is a disorder and help is available.

The Eating Disorders Association in Norwich (tel: 767062) offers counselling and holds discussion sessions.

One of the best books which deals specifically with complusive eating is 'Breaking Free from Complusive Eating' by Geneen Roth.

It is not a diet book, but confronts complusive eating as a disorder and offers help and solace to sufferers. I urge every person who feels that food con trolls his or her life to seek help. Eating disorders are Indeed crippling, but not insurmountable.

Marlon Fragola VISEAS

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Concrete, Wednesday, February 19, 1992

NETBALL LOSE TO LOUGHBOROUGH

By Keeley Smith

19

TOURNAMENT PROVES A HIT John Barton

HE NETBALL Club' a hopes of progressing Into the semifinals of the UAUa were dashed last Wedneeday, when both team1 were knocked out of this year' a competition by Loughborough.

Despite a credible perfonnance from the firsts, in a home game with an extemely high standard of play, they were

beaten 52-26.

However, UF.A did have 50 goal opportunJtfea during the game, and putlnagood team effort in an attempt to with-

stand Loughborough's allround strength.

Coach Rachel Rosslngton said, 'Tm pleased that UEA got this far. Afterlast week's blinding game against Newcastle they deserved to."

Playing away at Loughborough, the UEA seconds also metwith aometough opposition. suffering a 72-9 defeat.

Two memben of the Loughborough aeoonda alao play for the England tqUad, which la an indication of their profe• sionallsm.

It was unlucky that both of UEA's teams came up against Loughborough at this stage of the UAUs, as they are undoubtedly one of Britain's best sportlnguniverslties. However, UFA was no easy walkover, and made their opponents work hard for their victories.

Despite losing out to Loughborough. the club did extremely well ln the competition, with both teams emerging from an original 88 entrleainto the laat 16; the best result that it hu ever achieved.

TI-iE weekend of the 8th and 9th of February saw the stagIng of the annual UEA open badminton tournament.

Over 130 people participated in the event, which kept the sports amtre buzzing throughoutthe two days.

The men's and women's singles and women's doubles were scheduled for Saturday, with the mens singles culminating In a thrilling final which saw Ron Yap triumph over PeteBryan.

The women's single~ despite a relatively small entry, produced some entertaining badminton. Sara Whlttaker eventually won through after

a close game against Mel Macleod. Met was later to have success when she partnered Sharon Stewart to victory over Allson Rennie and Susie Solway in the women's doubles.

Sunday was set aside fort he mixed and men's doubles, and large entries for both of these ensured a busy programme.

The men's doubles was a hotly contested affair, clfmaxing in an entertaining final in which John Barton and Nick Bazln triumphed over Pete Bryan and Mark Wldnall. The mixed final saw Pete Bryan In action again; this time on the wln-

Attbe junction of Yodc Street

11 - 11

SPORT IN BRIEF

SUN 12- 3

and

7 - 10:30

American Football: Pirates close season with away defeat

By Toby Lea'Der THE UEA PIRATES ended the 1991/2 season with an away game which saw them lose 24-8 against the Loughborough Aces.

Despite a lack-lustre first half, the defense shut the Aces out and put eight points on the score in the second half, with Mike Buchers scoring a touchdown,and a point conversion from Rob Grant.

Notable defensive performances came from Doug Pearson and Stuart Oifton-Smith, both returning interceptions for over 20 yards .

. . . . .. . . . . . . . . ..... . ~

nfng side partnerlng Sharon Stewart to victory over Ron Yap and Slu Lln Man. The parallel plate competitions provided the first round losers with an outlet for their unspent energy, which resulted In some competitive play.

The whole event wu acknowledged a great success by players and spectators. This was largely owing to the considerable entry, and the smooth organisation fron Oub President, Susle Solway, and other club officials.

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concrete, Wednesday, February 19, 1992

SUBBUTEO REACHES FEVE PITCH

by Simon Mann

II.,...

1HERE has certainly been plenty of exciting football so far this season,. with sorre nailbiting FA Cup action,. not to rrention the Rumbelows Cup and that most arduous test of a rrodem team's stamina, the Football League.

It Is In the league that some of the most dramatic matches have taken place; after dominating the early games, West Ham have been ousted from the top of the table by Crystal Palace, who are now three points clear.

Nottingham Forest are performing well In third place, being only five points from the top with a game in hand: and doing well just behind the leaders are Slough Town and Cameroon ....Cameroon 7 Just a minute, what are Cameroon doing In the League? Come to that, since when have West Ham been anywhere near the top of the League?

And how la it that these games

are being played Inside Suffolk Terrace 'A' block, right here on campus?

'Subbuteo' Is the one word answer to these questions; Matt Smith took time off from training for a cup-tie to explain how table-top soccer has rapIdly become a popu lar campus sport, for players and spectators alike. ''The Idea came from a general late night, alar hol-lnduced, kitchen session last term,. about the toys we had when we were kids- Action Man, Le go, and so on. Someone rrentloned 'Subbuteo', and as we live on an all-male floor, lt turned out that almost all of us had played it, and most of us still had a lot of the kit at horre; not just teams, but stands, supporters, floodlights, scoreboards, the lot."

Chr!s Green rontinued: "I said it was a pity to have all that equiprrent going to waste, and that we should bring lt here and use it, especially as some

of us hadn't reached our full playing potential when we were kids!"

So this term saw the arrival of Matt's pi tch, Chris's goalposts, Andy Hurst and Danny Edward's balls, and quite a few teams.

Many of the p lastic players were too battered for use, and a certain toyshop manager in Norwich was surprised, but pleased, to get a steady stream of requests from eager undergraduates for re placement teams In a variety of club colours.

The first game took place in 'A' 03's kitchen on Wednesday of Week One, and now fifteen players from all over the campus, are Involved in playing their way through a 400 plus fixture list In three comptetitlons.

Games now take place in one of the corridor's two double rooms, with up to ten spectators watching the action. The keener players wear their club

PHOTO: Son b HuQ/Jg

shirts for matches, and have separate sets of home and away colours for their teams.

The competition Is fierce, serious and skllfu~ sorre players sweat so much that they have to change shirts at halftime. And just as In the fullsized garre, both players and spectators occasionally criticise dubious refereeing decisions.

It Is a pity that betting Is Illegal, as it has been suggested that otherwise some InterestIng odds would be on offer; for example, 5-1 against Slough winning the League, and a generous 750-1 against Millwall pulling off the Double.

Mark Friar, Mlllwalrs playermanager, complained bitterly on hearing this; ''SOO-lls more like it," he claimed.

In the meantime, the games themselves provide quite tough entertainment In this all-male sport. "We asked several girls If they were interested In playing." saJd Matt Smith,. "but none of them were interested," Perhaps 'Subbuteo' is the last male stronghold on campus?

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PHOTO : Sort B Hoang lHE WOMEN'S basketball team emerged as silver rredal-

lsts from the final stages of the recent UAU Basketball Champ!onshi ps.

The last round ofthe championships, which were held at Salford Univl!rslly, saw UEA play four matches before reaching the final.

The first match in their pool A category saw them triumph 55-26 against Nottingham. followed bya62-41 win over Kent.

However, their third match ended In a disappointingly

close 57-58 defeat against Loughborough. Nevertheless, UF..A still qualified for the semifinals, where they beat winners of pool A Exeter University, with a 54-43 score.

In the finals UEA met up with Loughborough once again, who got through he semi's by knocking out Swansea. Despite an excellent performance by UEA. the game resulted In a 62-41 defeat.

However, the players, Rachael Woolston (Captain), SaskJa Rombouts, Agnes Dell, Phll!ne Graffron and Ellen

Mullvlhlll we-re well satisfied with their overall pladng, and commended new coach Julla L!ndley-French for pulling the team together under limited practice times.

Visiting student, Agnes Dell, put in such an Impressive performance, that the Loughborough coach, who Is a selectorforthe British Universities team,. has Invited her to represent Britain in an international competition at Belfast In February.

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