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The problem with change is that it is uncomfortable. (like trying to put on a pair of skinny jeans in a changing room or meeting an ex with their newest toy) At first glance I suppose it is the unknown elements that accompany change that makes it uncomfortable. If you do not change, then others will and if you do make a change, you can never really be sure of what is going to happen next or even if you can handle it, (unprotected one-night stands) or even that you will want to handle the consequences.(your paternity tests prove 99.9% positive) Although it seems to be that the bigger problem with change is not the unpredictable, but something that is very predictable...take 'Fame' for example and not those floppy haired fools trying to jump over a yellow taxi in NYC but actual public recognition which brings with it many changes and most of them are not for the better either... a perfect example is when a band or artist becomes famous after getting signed and starts to do well for themselves getting airplay and gaining media exposure when all of a sudden they are then cast as being 'commercial' or accused of 'selling out' by not-so-famous and unsigned artists who they were previously friendly with. This change or threat of change results in intense paranoia and either rival factions have ongoing spats or they create huge entourages for themselves of 'ex-haters' and 'yes-men' to protect them from the changes that are invariably going to happen (as the rappers of the 90's used to often wax lyrical about sensing hatred or reaching the end of their careers and ultimately their lives) This is one of the predictable elements that accompanies change but it's also important to keep in mind that there is always one person affected by any change that you make. That person is you. I believe the self-doubts that we often experience when we make a deliberate or conscious change are part of whatever the old behavior was, it was familiar. It was predictable and it felt safe. Any conscious change that we make causes us to temporarily give that familiarity up, and that loss will result in our feeling uncomfortable until we can adjust to the change. The most effective way to get through this problem with change regardless of whether the pressure to change back comes from ourselves or from others is to have rationally considered the available facts (not gossip or whispers) regarding maintaining the status quo or changing, being extraordinary is changing from the ordinary.
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Jilly St John & Masons Bar presents...
A night the city of Derry has been longing for! Masons Bar and Jilly St John (No Mean City) have teamed together to bring you Derry's only alternative indie&electro disco combined with the creme de la creme of the live music scene! LAUNCH NIGHT kicks off on WED 3RD NOV 2010 and introduces Belfast act 'THE KICKS'!!! These guys have been lyin low perfecting their sound and act and now under new management they are ready to take us by storm! A must see by all means and when they hit it big you can say you saw them here first!
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Metamorphosis...
By Adele Smyth Kennedy
Now in it's 6th year, West Coast Cooler By FASHIONWEEK Adele Smythmade its return this month and took the city by storm...
Kennedy
Opening night saw Belfast's fashionistas out in their droves, as their heels clattered down the escalators to the unlikely venue of...the Victoria Square Underground car park. Paparazzi snapped lucky ladies and gents (all two of them) on their way in, while West Coast Cooler plied the rest with bottles of sparkle. The car park turned out to be a great setting for such an event - edgy, urban and the perfect blank canvas for head fashionista herself, Cathy Martin, to create a fashion masterpiece. After the lights were turned down and the music turned up, the crowd sat back to enjoy an array of looks from the Autumn/Winter 2010 Collections. Wednesday showcased the best of Victoria Square, with stores such as Cruise, LK Bennett and Reiss taking to the runway, along with House of Fraser. Biba at House of Fraser brought us fabulous fulllength leopard print trenches and a range of jackets in both feathers and fur, a la Lanvin and Roberto Cavalli A/W 2010. Similarly Mango and Lipsy showed a variety of feathered gilets, and the fur trend was continued with coats in every shape, print and shade from everyone from Urban Outfitters to Reiss. Maxi dresses aren't to be put into storage yet, as they continue on from summer through a variety of prints and fabrics from Biba and Coast, and were seen on the runway of Felder Felder earlier this year. Tommy Hilfiger did what they do best, sending the boys out sporting their classic preppy style in rugby jerseys over layered pastel coloured shirts, and graphic hoodies over checked shirts. Aviator jackets made an appearance a number of times, inspired by the Burberry Prorsum A/W Collection. As beautiful as they are, with Burberry starting at ÂŁ1,895 you could save just a tad by opting for Exhibit's distressed version at just ÂŁ38, which looked great when paired with an animal-printed chiffon dress.>>>
Rio Brazil
Cruise was the biggest treat of the night, and when they'd finished ripping down the runway like a designer tornado a few audience members had to wipe the drool from their mouths. We were left lusting after beautiful military style pea coats from Burberry Prorsum, hooded caped coats and silk tartan dresses from Vivienne Westwood, chiffon blouses and feathered dresses from Dianne von Furstenburg, not to mention a bounty of bodycon from Just Cavalli, with doeskin trousers (!) and a plethora of handbags from Prada. If that coupled with unlimited West Coast Coolers didn't quench your thirst, I don't know what will. Also important to note if you're after any of the above pieces, they opened Victoria Square until 10pm on the night of the show for us fashion addicts, so I'd get there ASAP before it's all gone! The only outfits that didn't please my eye were those from Monsoon, whose paisley printed boho looks are outdated and done to death. Save it for summer Monsoon, winter boho is a no-go. Thursday brought the boutiques, showing the best of Northern Ireland's independent retailers. Threads from the Sarah Jane Boutique to Candy Plum and Jourdan to Blush were whipped out to provide a multitude of styles, with everything from Sass & Bide to Hermes taking to the the runway, proving that you don't have to leave Northern Ireland to get your hands on designer threads. Save your pennies spent on flights to London and trains to Dublin and spend them locally instead, with some true investment pieces at arms length, such as the Vivienne Westwood coats from Rio | Brazil, or the stunning leopard print Hermes twinset from Jourdan. Rio | Brazil | BT9 sent out a long list of designers with bang on trend looks. Starting with yet more fur coats and gilets they hit the bullseye of the Autumn/Winter trends, and continued to send lust-worthy clothes down the runway from the bejewelled bodycon dress from the Australian design pair Sass & Bide, to the beautiful
Rio Brazil
black military jacket from Yoana Baraschi, in line with the jackets from Burberry Prorsum, at a slightly more affordable ÂŁ450.Other notable wear came from See by Chloe with the beautiful version of the old wardrobe staple, the boyfriend blazer, and their must-have winter warmer, the knitted jumper dress. The look which stole the show was made up of exactly the kind of luxurious pieces we have come to expect from Rio | Brazil, with a beautiful beige satin dress by Malene Birger paired with a ridiculously fabulous fur jacket from Who Am I, not cheap at ÂŁ550, but a snip in comparison to the offerings from Lanvin and Cavalli. Candy Plum provided some of the most amazing pieces from some lesser-known but equally as great designers. Boat loads of bronze and camel coloured knitwear caught plenty of attention, but it was the lashings of leather that strutted up and down the runway which stole the show. Black leather, brown leather, PINK leather, leather with leopard print, leather with fur, it was almost too much to handle. The Supertrash 'Cognac' leather came in tan, with cape style shoulders and rouched sleeves, a gorgeous fur collar and was belted in the middle for the perfect silhouette. The Maurie & Eve leopard print jacket with leather sleeves was breathtaking, and the Saint Tropez black leather biker jacket would make the most wonderful of wardrobe staples. And who knew sequined knits could be cool? Candy Plum did. The Manish Arora sequinned sweater with velvet hareem pants brought the style right up to date, whilst the mini dress in the same style was just made for the party season. As fabulous as the clothing from the designer boutiques was, it was local designer Una Rodden truly stole the show. Her wonderous black bodycon and white lace creations, contrasted with bright floral brocade and structured shouldered jackets far outshone the pieces from the international designers. Both Balmain and Alexander McQueen >>>
have showcased brocaded pieces and tapestryesque fabrics in their A/W 2010 lines, but Una more than squares up to them with her extravagant yet extremely wearable line. Slouchy leather trousers paired with white organza blouses, floor sweeping 'melba' coloured evening gowns and cape sleeved dresses made for mouthwatering viewing. With the party season quickly approaching, Rodden's designs will no doubt be snapped up fast. As if you needed any reminding, it seems our own homegrown talent is something to seriously look out for. Friday spotlighted the High Street with stores like French Connection, Blue Inc, and Marks & Spencer hitting the catwalk. The show opened with Karen Millen, and it was a tough act to follow as they showed all of this seasons trends with the kind of elegance hard to find elsewhere on the high street. The stand-out pieces included the gorgeous leopard print pony fur trench - yes that's right, leopard AND pony in the same piece of clothing - a stunning camel coloured cape in line with those seen at Michael Kors and 3.1 Phillip Lim this year, black bodycon dresses to pair with statement jackets, beautiful bright strapless numbers for parties, and finally, the most amazing black pony fur coat. Hard to go wrong when it's all done so right. Blue Inc gave the boys something to talk about, and despite what you may think there were actually men present at the events. True to form, one sitting front row on Friday night had managed to sneak in two pints of Guinness and a packet of crisps, and had he not been at the other side of the catwalk I probably would have high-fived him for his efforts to remain macho. Blue Inc kept him and the rest entertained with a variety of looks to suit all occasions. Black double-breasted coats and highwaisted slacks contrasted with the wonderfully styled casual wear, with layers upon layers of comfortable looking hoodies, man cardigans and shirts. Chunky knits? Check. Distressed jeans? >>>
Check. Checked shirts? CHECK. Marks & Spencer was the real wild card of the evening. Those who don't venture through the doors in fear of leaving dressed as a Granny may fear no more - their Autumn/Winter collection is right on trend and positively chic. Between fur stoles similar to those by Jill Sander, black bodycon dresses, velvet jumpsuits and floral lace dresses, Marks and Spencer has done a 180 from the days when you had to be dragged in to buy your school uniform. Truth be told, it's a little more reserved than Topshop or River Island, and you won't find bumskimming mini dresses in abundance, but it's perfect attire for the true ladies and gentlemen of the social scene. The Fashion Souk was a great addition to the line up. Trading on their 'fair-fashion' ethos, the Souk is a monthly market that takes place in Belfast and aims to promote local designers and talent, with a heavy emphasis on the 'reduce, reuse, recycle' mantra. Although showcasing mainly jewellery and accessories, which came black, feathered, and bedazzled, there were a few very extravagant pieces from Baraka, and some very nice Little Black Dresses from local designer ZoĂŤ Boomer. Definitely worth spending a Sunday or two at. Firetrap seems to be catering directly to the rock chick in everyone this season, with black, black, a bit of gray, and some more black. Not that we're complaining, the grunge look is sticking around for the forseeable future, and Firetrap has added a glamourous edge to make it a bit more feminine for those of us who aren't ready to go full on tank-girl just yet. They brought even more leather, pairing it with beautiful, delicate and flowing knitwear, and black and white graphic tees adorned with sequins. The true beauty of the Firetrap collection was the high-waisted leather skirt, which could have come directly from the runway at Hermes A/W 2010, so save yourself a few thou and head to Firetrap.>>>
West Coast Cooler FASHIONWEEK was one of the biggest and most glamorous of events on the calendar this autumn. Expecting a crowd more pretentious than my last name, I was pleasantly surprised the array of people attending. The only downer is that I was hoping Una Rodden would take to the stage on a bicycle à la Betsey Johnson at her show in New York in September. Maybe next time? A consumer fashion week is great for to raise awareness of the local industry in Northern Ireland; sometimes we don’t know what’s on our own doorstep until it’s parading down a runway in front of us. Opening Victoria Square until 10pm so that the audience could shop immediately for the looks on the runway was a brilliant idea, if not dangerous for those of us suffering from spending problems (note that I purposefully left the AMEX at home that night). I'm sure that after seeing the amazing array of pieces from both international and local designers available in boutiques around Northern Ireland, nothing that appeared on the runway at FASHIONWEEK will be hanging on rails for very long in any boutique. Catering to every style and every budget, FASHIONWEEK really pulled out the stops to showcase all of the finest looks available in stores this Autumn/Winter in Northern Ireland. Who needs New York and London? It goes without saying that if you really want to be top of the style list in Belfast, in the words of Project Runway's Tim Gunn, you'll "make it happen". And judging by the clothes coming down those catwalks, it won't be that hard. Stockists:
Biba and Mango are available at House of Fraser, Victoria Square. Clockwork Orange Firetrap Candy Plum Jourdan Rio | Brazil | BT9 Una Rodden The Fashion Souk
www.belfastfashionweek.com
CHAANGES
ALL CHANGE. All the time. That’s fashion for you. Just when you thought you had enough checked shirts, or as many pairs of skinny jeans as your already bulging closet can handle, it’s over. Time to move on. But this is the essence of fashion. How can you be mesmerized by something you’ve seen year after year? Or how can you want to rush out and buy something you’ve seen in every store for the past three seasons? This is the beauty of fashion. Its constantly changing, reinventing, reusing, recycling. Of course, there are only so many fabrics and colours and patterns to go around. Of course, things get recycled and regurgitated onto catwalks. They’re called ‘vintage’. You should note that you will never keep anything around long enough for it to become vintage. Just as you convince yourself that the hideous camel coloured winter coat your great aunt wore for sixty years is never going to come back into style and you donate it to Oxfam, it’s on the front cover of Vogue. In case it slipped your mind, fashion is not just something to put on and prance around in; it’s a multi-billion-pound industry that survives by creating this season’s ‘must-have’ items. Companies wouldn’t make any money if you walked into a store and decided not to buy anything because last year’s winter coat would ‘do you just fine.’ It’s in their best interests to change. To be fair, we also all need different clothes from season to season. Unless you’re a regular at The Box, I doubt you’ll be wearing a chiffon miniskirt in the depths of winter. Different weather calls for different clothing. If you’re a true follower of fashion, then you’ll see this as a great thing. Why? New clothes and new styles give you yet another chance to pull those new looks together first, stand out from the crowd and be one step ahead of the pack. And judging by the size of models’ waistlines at any given fashion week, us fashionistas are a hungry pack…
By Adele Smyth Kennedy
Jewellery by Jessica K is a collection of gorgeous and unique handmade jewellery created and designed by myself. Every single piece is created with the utmost care and love ♼. Jewellery by Jessica K is an alternative to mass produced high street items, letting you and your style stand out in a crowd. We house a variety of necklaces, bracelets, brooches, rings and much more. From Rock Chic, Kitsch and Girly, to Vintage, Quirky and the Ăœber Cool, you are sure to find something to suit your own style. However, if something catches your eye, be quick to grab it first. As the majority of these pieces are one offs, they may not be able to be replicated. Add a little something extra to any outfit, by simply adding something from Jewellery by Jessica K.
www.jewellerybyjessicak.co.uk
TREND-O-SAURUS Of all the trends gracing the catwalks and streets this season, there are a few that stand out. These are the must-haves of the winter months, the staples that will take you from Autumn to Spring, and you should invest now while they still have your size! Fur, fur, and more fur. Fur real. Burberry did a fur pea coat, Bottega Veneta showed a long plush belted one, Dries Van Noten did it in leopard print. Gucci and Lanvin are a little more adventurous with shaggy cuts and cropped-length jackets. It's not all bad news for PETA members though, the high street and even some designers are offering the most fabulous of faux. Even Karl Lagerfeld (and one can only assume it’s due to some kind of concussion or other head injury) decided to faux-up from the floor up, with everything from boots to coats sporting the fake stuff in the Chanel A/W 2010 line. So vegetarian or not, you have no excuse to look anything other than fauxbulous, especially with Biba and Marks and Spencer selling the most wonderful of fake fur at a fraction of the cost of the real thing, and Topshop stocking everything from boleros to hats. It’s time to get leathered. But you can put the drink down, I’m talking about clothes. Cavalli. Hermes. Celine. Prada. Where does it end? Luckily for you, it doesn’t. Everyone from Moschino to Givenchy is using leather with no limit, the latter in the form of a hard as nails biker jacket, whilst Zadig and Voltaire give us studded and cropped. From jackets, to shorts, from bustiers, to hats. You name it, they have it in leather. Celine and Prada do it best in high-waisted skirts, whilst Galliano gives us slim trousers, and Hermes, the most daring of all, gives us…the leather jumper. Belfast’s own Clockwork Orange has plenty of leather for us all, the most sought-after piece is the black cropped-length square studded jacket from One Teaspoon available there now. Firetrap also has a beautiful high-waisted knee-length skirt in stock too.
Next on the menu for Autumn/Winter 2010 is the camel coat. Moschino came out tops with a belted version, Trussardi fired out a cropped-sleeved style and there are wonderful oversized coats available from Chloe and Hussein Chalayan. Gucci and MaxMara are showing boyfriend style versions, whilst Tommy Hilfiger and Joseph opt for cape styles. Either way, the colour goes with everything, and it’s one of those classic investment pieces that might actually survive more than a few seasons. If you go for the boyfriend style, leave it open for a casual look, or button up and belt it for a more sophisticated one. Uniqlo and Oasis are selling versions at a snip of the designer prices. Big shock, knits are back. Imagine, wool in the winter? Groundbreaking. Maybe not, but the colours, textures and patterns are. With deep red from Prada and knitted playsuits in camel shades from Chloe, multi-coloured stripes and colourblocked cardigans from Kenzo and Marc by Marc Jacobs, this season’s knitwear is anything but bland. In texture, Julien MacDonald stands out with his outrageously chunky knits, and Pringle has done what they do best and whipped up some beautiful Aran jumpers in cream. On the high street, Topshop is offering beautiful oversized Aran sweaters and cardigans complete with leather-covered buttons. Best of all, D&G have offered up reindeer print knitted leggings and snowflake printed cardis! Let the inner child in you out to dress up in over-priced knitwear! Everyone from H&M to River Island have replicated these looks, so no excuses. And there you have it. The main wardrobe staples of the season. Stick with these and you’ll look fabulous all winter long.
Dare to Bare? Elaine Barbie Bellingham Make-Up Artist Available for shoots, weddings and much more. elainebellinghammua@hotmail.com
Make up like any other element of fashion changes from time to time . The Egyptians were the first to use it (men and women) as protection from the sun. They eventually started to make it an art. The silent movies in the 20s and 30s brought make up to the public eye.The 1950s started the make-up addiction that many of us have today. Colour movies were in production and everyone wanted to look like a movie star. Until then make up was considered only for actresses and royalty. Icons like Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor had exploded onto the Golden Screen and have shaped make-up styles still visible today. Make up does more than change how we look, it can change your entire persona, and gives you confidence that I know I definitely would not have with out (sad but true) Its called war paint for a reason! As we all know ladies are very competitive when it comes to their looks. Whether we like it or not we live in a very visually competitive world, and we are predominantly judged on out appearance, women who wear make up and make an effort with their appearance do better in the boardroom and the bedroom! And ladies, how many times have you heard a man say he prefers women with no make up? Lies, how many mingers with spots and bags under their eyes do you see getting chatted up at the bar? Of course some do go to extremes, for example Jordan, none of us would recognize her without her “oompa loompa� foundation and her trademark huge lashes but really if we keep it real with make up it really does work wonders. P.s Your lip gloss so isn’t glossy anymore ;-)
“THERE'S NO REASON WHY NOT, I'VE GOT ARMS AND LEGS LIKE THE NEXT MAN - IT'S ALL DOWN TO WHAT'S UPSTAIRS.”.Crowd
..
favourites usually adhere to certain characteristics: The plucky lad who came from nothing, or the practical joker, or the enigmatic genius with a weakness for booze and women. Occasionally though, one comes along that breaks the mould. Guy Martin ticks all the right boxes - lad next door, joker, raconteur, prodigious talent. But what’s this? No scandal? No self-destruction? No. Just a lunatic virtuoso with skill beyond his years and unflinching courage in his convictions.
Pretty fly for a white guy... www.REDTORPEDO.COM
Born: 1981 Lives: Lincolnshire, England Best bike Col's 1996 ex-Honda Britain RC45 or John Simms’ Rob North Triumph T150 triple Best race The best track is the Isle of Man TT, but the bet meeting is the Southern 100 on the Isle of Man. Best Band The Stone Roses Best film Jackie Brown or Donnie Brasco Best book Enemy Coast Ahead by Guy Gibson Best win The Lincolnshire Poachers’ Pre-65 Classic Trial two weeks ago (clubman class, not expert). The Southern 100 championship race 2009. Best advice Measure twice cut once, better looking at it than looking for it. Hero Ghengis Khan or Winston Churchill Dream woman 1907-1915 Amanco open crank stationary engine. I’m sure it would need less maintenance.
Guy Martin
www.REDTORPEDO.COM
www.ash-official.com
Since forming 18 years ago (when most of us were still in primary school), the powerpop threesome - then foursome, then back to threesome again – have played in cities all around, so much so that Tim struggles to think of a continent which the band haven’t visited. “We’ve never been to South America,” he says eventually. “I love to play there.” It seems that despite a lifetime spent performing (Tim has played in a band for the past 20 odd years and Ash have five Top 10 albums, 16 Top 40 singles and countless storming gigs under their collective belt), Tim still has a craving for further recognition...
L-R Mark-Bass,Rick – Drums, Tim - Vocals/Guitar
Having recently moved to New York, along with bass player Mark Hamilton, it seems logical that making it in America might be part of the band’s ambition. “It’s always been a dream to really crack it in the States,” Tim confirms, although he admits that for the moment, US audiences remain cautious. “It’s like a cult following at the moment, but we’d like to break through to wider audiences. We’ll see how it goes.” One way to do so could be to impress American fans with some rock ‘n’ roll hedonism, and having become famous before he’d even got his Alevel results (famous enough to open said results live on Radio 1’s Steve Lamaque show in any case),
I wouldn’t have put it past a young Tim to have run a bit wild somewhere along the way. Especially given that he’s in a band called ‘Ash’ with a chart-topping single called ‘Burn Baby Burn’. “I guess there is a minor pyromaniac streak in me,” Tim laughs. “I’ve never torched a building, but I set a piano on fire once and I’ve got a guitar I used to set on fire too.” Any other rock ‘n’ roll moments? “I tried to throw a TV out of the window in Iceland but it didn’t fit. That felt pretty lame!”Antics with fellow Northern Irish bands aren’t unheard of either. Though “really proud” that Snow Patrol have been so successful thus far, Ash couldn’t help but play a prank on their melodic
support act on the ‘Free All Angels’ tour. “On the last night of the tour we were playing some student university gig and we went in their dressing room and wrote on the walls, ‘All students are wankers, love from Snow Patrol’. Tim never quite made it to university; he applied to study Business Studies and French but ‘Girl From Mars’ came out and musical success and celebrity took over before he got the chance to go. “I had this deferred entry thing to keep my parents quiet, but I finished my exams [A-levels] and then three days later played Glastonbury!” he grins. “A year later we had a number one album and I started getting these letters from Glasgow University saying ‘We are looking forward to seeing you in September,’ and I just said, ‘I can’t go, I’m a pop star now It seems that lately however, the band might be adopting more of a mature outlook, which is perhaps reflected in Ash’s recent decision to stop producing albums.... Read the rest of the interview by Susannah Birkwood at www.student-direct.co.uk
“I borrowed my mates 1210′s”
eys l y Harson Pa
To be a DJ is is what some consider a dream, but to actually push forward into the mainstream and achieve the respect and admiration of the industry takes unparalleled effort and determination. Hayley Parsons is one such DJ who has spent years pushing herself into contention and gaining respect among the community – and it was through her determination and desire that has led to her success. “I first used decks when I was house sharing in Kingston in London 2007, I borrowed my mates 1210′s but the only vinyl he had on him at the time was hard house so I practised with that, I then borrowed my mate Pauls Pioneer CD decks, the ones with the jog wheel and plus and minus buttons for a few months – they were tricky. Beginning on 2008 I brought my own pioneer CDJ’s, locked my self away for a few months and in March 2008 played out for the first time.”
www.hayleyparsons.co.uk
Locking yourself away for months might sound a tad extreme, but in times when everyone and his mate is a DJ to set yourself apart really does require a sure display of unrivalled passion. Nobody gets to play at the legendary Gallery clubnight by being halfarsed, perfection is the only way forward. So how did Hayley get to this point? “I had always been a massive fan of house/trance”, she says. “I grew up on trance really from 1998 onwards, was a bit of a raver, went to Ibiza for the first time in 2006 and I LOVED IT, came home and decided I wanted to get behind the decks. I first used decks when I was house sharing in Kingston in London 2007, I borrowed my mates 1210′s but the only vinyl he had on him at the time was hard house so I practised with that, I then borrowed my mate Pauls Pioneer CD decks, the ones with the jog wheel and plus and minus buttons for a few months they were tricky. Beginning on 2008 I brought my own pioneer CDJ’s, locked my self away for a few months and in march 2008 played out for the first time.”
A lot of DJs and producers that are breaking new ground today had a strong musical interest before they moved into dance, Mat Zo is setting the Trance world alight with his classicallyinspired masterpieces. Where you come from, and how you grew up, can have a massive influence on how you develop your style as a DJ. For Hayley, it was more the radio side of DJ’ing that first grabbed her attention. “I’m orignially from Southampton but have lived in London and now sunny Cleethorpes. When I was moving I found some old tapes that I had made with my friends with house and trance anthems on from when I was about 13 years old with me pretending to be a radio presenter, so funny I had phone in’s and requests, prize give aways, the full works!” And it’s not just where you live and how you grew up that can create that spark of interest, those pesky creatures we affectionately know as parents can influence our music tastes and styles. “My parents love Motown so when I was really young I mainly listened to soul, but when I turned 12/13 I got more into dance music, loved trance, Paul Oakenfold, Sasha and Digweed, Tony de vit, Alex Gold, Chicane, Agnelli and Nelson I was also a massive fan of Moby (Play album being the best) and Massive Attack.”
And, just like a lot of DJs, Hayley has since cast her eye of production, and has two tracks coming out on Audiodamage in the near future. “The first track is Called ‘Phase my Beat’, it is a remake of the Blaze track ‘To my Beat’. It’s more on the tougher side of house with a few techy elements. Judge Jules has played it a few times on Radio One which is really exciting, thank you Jules! Fluke is a remix that I have done for Fran Cosgrave, Ethan Project and Christian Davies. Given is a slightly more electro progressive feel, similar to a Wolfgang Gartner production with all the added little effects and heavy baseline. Judge jules is already supporting this track as well which is ace. I think this track is due for release next month.” “I used Cubase SX3 for Phase my Beat and Cubase 5 for Fluke, really loving the sound Cubase 5 allowes you to achieve, the mixing seems a lot better on it. I have also just got a load of new plugins which look like they are going to bite me so need some of youtubes friendly advice.” Read the rest of the interview at http://www.maxumi.co.uk/2010/ 06/18/hayley-parsonsexclusive-interview/
Old Man Hotrod's Place Change, much like Gozer the Gozerian, can come in an infinite number of forms. Good or bad, it can be at times inevitable, unstoppable, unreasonable. At other times it might be avoidable, desperately sought or fantastically welcome. Some changes unite thousands of people in a common goal - see recent Cuts protest in Belfast City Centre - whilst others divide sworn allies, for instance George Lucas deciding to even further degrade poor Indiana Jones by re-releasing him in 3D... Some changes couldn't have been predicted (at least by me anyway), such as the relatively recent popularity of jeans so skinny they practically have to be painted on. As a gentleman of the slightly huskier persuasion, I now have a rather tough time shopping for new troos without spending a considerable amount of time writhing in agony on changing room floors, desperately trying to force my way in and out of those denim jaws. Actually that's a bit of a fallacy, I wouldn't be seen dead in a pair of those man-leggings, although I have heard multiple horror stories (tis the season) about friends having to ask shopkeepers for their assistance in breaking free from their skin-tight castrating clutches. And don't get me started on pre-ripped jeans! If I've got a hole in my jeans it's either because
By Hotrod Mc Caughan
they've worn through, or I've damaged them during some kind of manual labour. Or maybe because I've fallen over like a damn fool. But never because I bought them that way! You might wonder why this irks me so much. So what if manboys want to squeeze their way into such trouser atrocities? So what if they want to reveal half their underpants and/or arse out the top? And, hell, what business is it of mine if they want to pop on a pair of thick-rimmed glasses with non-prescription lenses to finish off the look? None, you cry. No business at all. But yet, I can't help but get at least a bit ticked off by how asinine it all is. Why? Well, that leads me onto my next point. As it happens, I have a perfectly good reason, and that reason is the change to end all changes: I'm getting old. Well, I'm at least getting oldER As are we all, >> >
of course, but I've recently started to feel it moreso than normal, and it's not just the damn jeans. One evening a few months ago I found myself in a drinking establishment I used to frequent as a student (a brave wee while ago now), but haven't been to so much since. After some initial giddiness and an ingrained desire to sink vile shots at the bar subsided, I stopped and had a look about. Myself and my compadres had to have been a good decade older than the rest of the clientele. Depressing. The straw that broke the camel's back was when I went to the WC, to find two be-fringed teens in the cubicle 'doing' mephedrone, only to be met with a scowl and (genuinely), the sentence, "I bet you don't even know what this is!". I politely informed them that I didn't want any of their goddamn plant food, and that I was there to use the cubicle for its pre-ordained purpose. Well, maybe I wasn't so polite. But I left the bar that night feeling somewhat dejected.
Was it really going to be that long before local children were pointing in fear at my front door, whispering in hushed tones, "Don't go in there! That's Old Man Hotrod's place!", daring each other to ring the doorbell and run away? However, after a few days pondering this a friend (let's call him Jake, because that's his name) offered me some advice which cheered me right up, and that's what I'd like to leave you with: "You are old. But don't worry about it, embrace it. Ask the people in the shop to turn the music down. Audibly sigh with disgust at people who wear Ed Hardy T-Shirts. Enjoy being an old fart, because you can still get away with it being an amplified aspect of your personality put to comedic effect to make yourself (and your contemporaries) feel better about your advancing years. After all, there will come a time when you are an actual old fart, and nothing on earth will make you feel good about it."Wise words indeed and ones that I have certainly heeded myself. Oh, and to whoever is ringing my doorbell.... next time I'm going to come out there and burst your football. Or your face.
http://poll.kerrang.com/vote.aspx?category=best+new+band&ref=nf
IRL V's URL
If you like No Mean City then all you gotta do is go to http://poll.kerrang.com/vote.aspx?category=best+new+band&ref=nf << that link and type 3 words ("No Mean City") and press vote. It's that easy and only takes two seconds to vote click here: http://poll.kerrang.com/vote.aspx?category=best+new+band&ref=nf you can also vote for the sexiest female (jilly) http://poll.kerrang.com/vote.aspx?category=sexiest+female and vote for the sexiest male - ( Joe Coyle, Paul Monk, Paul (Alfred) Palister) http://poll.kerrang.com/vote.aspx?category=sexiest+male
www.REDTORPEDO.COM
Their EP is called 'Soundtrack to this city' and basically is every song recorded under the old line up. These songs won't be getting played for much longer live so they thought it was about time they got them released somehow and thankfully they've had the lovely folk over in the States at Death to False Hope records who were happy enough to put it out for them. The songs are free to download and you can also leave a donation. The link to download the EP is : 路路http://www.deathtofalsehoperecords.com/downloads/dtfh063.html their second piece of news is for those in Belfast. They have been confirmed for what is going to be an insane show at The Limelight on the 8th of December. Get the gloves out and mark it on your calender. Third little piece of news is that they will be organising tour for the beginning of 2011. Jan/Feb is when they should be hitting the UK & Ireland once again with force. they have started demoing some of the songs which we believe will make it onto the album 'Songs to get Lost to.' Some clips may be uploaded in the next few weeks...
Team Laser Explosive are a 4 piece instrumental finger bashing. Influences "I really like your sound - you're like ASIWYFA and Battles fighting for supremacy in tanks." John From Bruised Fruit Promotions Sounds Like A night on the town with Genghis Khan.
Sneijder is one of the nu-breed trance producers ! Having only been producing just under 3 years, He has already received overwhelming support from A list Dj’s and seasoned producers .. With forthcoming Releases on Infrasonic, Goodgreef Global and Goodgreef Digital and remixes on Spinnin/Reset .. 2009/2010 looks like its going to be massive for the Irish Talent ! ….Recently Sneijder has been tipped by John O’ Callaghan as one of his recommended artists and has had massive feedback from his debut tracks from Armin Van Buuren, Paul Van Dyk, Above & Beyond, John O Callaghan, Gareth Emery and countless more ! … With His tracks already snatched up by Armada for a forthcoming compilation album and more original productions and remixes planned in the coming months .. Sneijder will be a breath of fresh air for the global trance scene …. Over the coming months Sneijder will be hard at work in the studio working on new productions and various remixes, ready to take his sound to the masses, With confirmed gigs in Ireland, UK & Poland in the coming months .. Be sure to watch this space ! http://www.myspace.com/sneijder09
Marina And The Diamonds is just one woman - a woman dealing in dainty but heavy, light but dark, challenging but accessible pop music. Having grown up in Abergavenny and spent some time in Greece, Marina Diamandis moved to London at just 18 and proceeded to drop out of four universities and audition for West End musicals. She even ended up in The Lion King. But that wasn't for her. "I was never massively musical," she says, "but since I was about 15, I've known I had to be a singer." Setting to work on her own material, she composed and produced her first work on a laptop
Using Garageband.Those recordings became a demo which came to the attention of the influential Neon Gold label of New York. Obsessions/Mowgli's Road came out in February 2009, followed by The Crown Jewels EP in June 2009. Mowgli's Road is to reappear in November 2009 as her first single for 679 Recordings, a subsidiary of the massive Warners label. Her debut album is being recorded with Liam Howe of The Sneaker Pimps.
T O N I AM A
"I feel like I was meant to do this... I wouldn't
ROBOT
have embarrassed myself so many times if I didn't think I had a contribution to make. I think you should go where your instinct takes you in life. "I've still got family in Brynmawr and Abergavenny and I used to get back about three times a year but it has been more difficult lately."While it would be very easy to draw a parallel between her work and that of other current female songwriters with a penchant for the leftfield, she's adamant she can stand independent of journalistic shorthand: "When Britpop was at its peak, all the bands were lumped together. But I do my thing; I write songs, I perform and I couldn't give two sh*ts about what X, Y or Z are doing. "If 15 girls rise to the top this year and they're all supertalented, brilliant. But good music is good music; who cares if you're male or female?"
Books provide many solutions. One day, I looked in my underwear drawer with the new perspectives I had gained from all my reading. What did I see in there... It was a giant mess that looked like it had been stirred together with a big spoon. What was there? The Pastâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; wear-once frilly items and racy, lacy numbers from my Ann Summers Days. A Life Stage--maternity underwear! We are blessed with two wonderful children, and we are not so young any more. Comfy items--stuff your Ma would tell you not to wear in case you were hit by a bus. And, finally, Guilt--two children and several years later, I wasn't the same size I used to be, and the, uh, smaller items in my drawer made me feel guilty every day. So I took a deep breath, I could do this! In ten minutes, I had removed these aspects of my underwear drawer and organized the remainder. Magic. and so I went on to apply the philosophy of removing things that no longer applied to my life. Next stop facebook...
YO U A R E W H O YO U T H I N K YO U ARE...
There is a short supply of heroes these days. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no wonder then why so many young people are uninspired and unmotivated to change. There are few good role models for them to look to for the encouragement they need. As a result, they look to super-hero characters produced by Hollywood and rock star idols who will fill the void. If you are thinking that you cannot be a hero, think again! . If you have a big heart, if you truly care about others, then you can be a hero
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Rose-Kelly-Photography/163443980344269
BELFAST COMEDY Big Laughs Belfast is a stand-up comedy collective based in Northern Ireland. We run a number of different comedy clubs and open mike nights throughout Belfast.Currently, we run three regular stand-up comedy events in Belfast: the fortnightly ‘Big Laughs’ Comedy Open Mic Night’ at the Pavilion Bar on the Ormeau Road; Big Laughs at the Black Box runs every month; and the last sunday of every month sees Sunday Night at the Grin Palace in Laverys.
ALTERNATIVE COMEDY IN BELFAST
Yes, it exists! For those of you into the more “unusual” side of comedy, you can try Marcus Keeley’s “Voicebox Comedy Night” at The Safehouse Art Gallery where just about anything goes. Really. Past nights have featured such performers as Edna Muldoon all the way from Dublin, Joe Lindsay from BBC Radio here in Belfast, Scott and Stacey from Austin, Texas and Gary Croft
from Larne! At the same location as the Voicebox, we also hosting a monthly film night at the Safehouse Arts Gallery that showcases the best in classic exploitation movies, forgotten art films, and lost classics. We hope to be screening home grown Belfastian movies soon.
OPEN MIKE COMEDY IN BELFAST Think you might be the next Peter Kay? Then why not try your hand at one of our open mike nights? Just fill out our handy online form and we’ll get right back to you with details about your world comedy premiere!
www.nicomedy.com
WWW.TEAMFRESH.BANDCAMP.COM www.marinaandthediamonds.com
Photos by Stephen Lockhart
www.hava
Just days after Sony announced that the cassette Walkman is history , another all time icon of the audio world has been put out to pasture. After months of rumors and speculation, Panasonic officially announced the end of Technics SL-1200 production in a statement to the Tokyo Reporter. Coincidentally, both the original Sony Walkman and the Technics SL-1200 MkII hit store shelves in 1979, but while the Walkman evolved and changed repeatedly, the SL-1200 MkII you could buy until today was virtually identical to the 1979 model. Technics first made an SL-1200 in 1972, but it was 1979's MkII version that really caught the imagination of DJs, coinciding with the birth of hip hop and scratching. The sturdy 1200 was just about the only turntable rugged enough to withstand the abuse DJs would throw at it, and it soon became the only turntable any serious DJ would consider. In the 31 years that followed, Technics introduced several subtle refinements of the original recipe, but is was the basic MkII that remained the
1200 sales are now only around 5% of where they stood just 10 years ago.
most popular. A Panasonic representative was reluctant to put a number on it when I asked a few months ago, but rumors are that over 3 million SL-1200s have been built. Some claim that the 1200 is being killed off because the tooling is starting to wear out, and the bean counters say that a new set would not be economically practical. In light of the numbers, that makes sense, especially when you consider that 1200 sales are now only around 5% of where they stood just 10 years ago. As more and more DJs switch to using CDs, or even (gulp) iPods to play their music, those still spinning vinyl will be looking at brands like Stanton and Numark, or snapping up the few 1200s that remain in the various sales channels.
An urgency to portray the real Anguish and betrayal
Inspiration.Size 16x20inches. €300. This photo as stated before was used under permission of Deirdre Mcging. She copyrights all her photos via watermark and therefore, I asked her permission.
Greed of Humanity. 12x16inches. €150
Jessie Ní Leacaí facebook.com/JL.ArtDesign
The Visionary Man.16x20inches. €350
If you're a first timer, weekend warrior or aspiring world champion, fine tune your surfing skills this year with TK surf school. Our range of learn to surf programs and training sessions, combined with our unprecedented surf industry knowledge of 20 years makes it easy to choose Portrush surf school... Let Irish Team Surfer Martin Kelly and his team of professional instructors show you how it's done!
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