CUB ISSUE 543 by CUB Magazine

CUB ISSUE 543

cover and contents photo by Tom Flatman

ISSUE 543 NOVEMBER

London Anonymous

MUSIC 20

ARTS 4 6 8 9

Grimm Tales: Emma Parker gives us the lowdown on author Philip Pullman’s latest work Starships, Revolutions and Gingerbread Cookies: A look at the upcoming events at the Southbank Centre Introducing: The Queen Mary Review This Month in Arts...

FILM 10 The Worst of The Oscars 12 The Cinematic Stigma: Are you being judged on your

cover and contents photo by Tom Flatman

cinema choices? 13 Prince Charles of Nostalgia: A look at what exactly the West End cinema has to offer

FEATURES 14 POLITICS: South Africa

Lauren Blackburne- Tinker shares her experiences of protests in Cape Town 16 POLITICS: United Kingdom Patrick Ford looks closer at UKIP 18 POLITICS: Youth Why young people should get involved in politics

22 24

What The World Was Waiting For? Music Editor Edward Clibbens looks more closely at the recent trend of ﬂashy comebacks Pop Is Dead The Art Of Rap

FASHION 26 28 30

What’s In Your Closet? QM Tom Grace opens up his wardrobe to CUB Fresh Prints This season’s best patterns CUB Creates Rejuvinate your old jumpers with a chic elbow patch

TRAVEL

32 The People’s City

QUPID

34 Couple Three: Saad Akhtar and Rachel Rigby

‘The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.’ - St. Augustine

TWITTER: @cubmagazine GET INVOLVED: editor@cubmagazine.co.uk

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LONDON

LONDON ANONYMOUS

Confessions of the modern citizen

photo by Pippa Khan CONFESSION 1: A few years ago during the winter I was by the Thames path, with a friend. There was snow on the ground and we were inspired to toboggan down the stairs on a piece of old cardboard. It turns out making ice takes a lot longer than the cartoons depict. We decided to kill time and get a cup of coffee to warm up. Returning an hour or so later we found an ambulance at the steps. The paramedics were assisting two old ladies from the now icy staircase into the ambulance; one had facial cuts and a black eye whilst the other appeared to have broken her leg. We casually asked someone what was going on before nonchalantly making our way back to Starbucks. In hindsight, perhaps tobogganing wasn’t such a great idea after all. CONFESSION 2: Earlier this year I found myself inside the Reform Club, one of the many private members clubs along Pall Mall. I was met by an older man, and after being awestruck by the ladies’ cloakroom, he bought me a drink and told me some of the history. Ten minutes after learning that Around the World in Eighty Days was written in the library here and that Prince Charles was denied membership; I found myself downstairs in one of the many study-cum-meeting rooms, taking

off my skirt, tights and underwear. For me the price of entry to the establishment was 15 minutes worth of being spanked with a hairbrush. Besides the £100 I got out of it, the pain was worth the story I now have to tell. CONFESSION 3: I was recently introduced to Tube Crush in one of my lectures. A website where bored or otherwise rather strange women can photograph ‘hot guys’ on the tube (on the sly of course) and anonymously upload the images to the site, with a cringe-worthy caption about how they want said hot guy to keep them warm on a winter’s night. There I was a couple of days later, in a packed central line carriage, sitting opposite an attractive bloke; I found myself thinking - why not? I was bored, anonymous and would be getting off soon. I sneakily arranged my phone so that I could take a photo without anyone realising, and took a snap. A second later I felt a tap on my shoulder. It turns out his girlfriend was sitting by me and had seen the whole thing. She then proceeded to snatch up my phone, wave the photograph in her boyfriend’s face and audibly inform him - and everyone else around - what I had done. I ran for it at the next stop, and caught the next tube.

‘As the nights draw in and the smell of Christmas is in the air, there is nothing I like more than walking along Regent’s Canal. No longer do the cyclists infuriate me with their bells; even the bicycle ‘bell-ingers’ might be deemed festive. Not totally annoying and arrogant. Festive. Most of my walks come to a very beautiful and chilly end at Victoria Park where I’ll ponder some of life’s biggest questions – does never filling out a council tax form really matter? And what should I put with my pasta tonight? Yet sometimes, when I’m feeling particularly decadent, I will stop off at Zealand Road Coffee, my favourite little place at the end of Zealand Street. The café is tiny but perfectly formed; it serves the most delicious food and gives you proper, big marshmallows with your hot chocolate. These marshmallow delights are always very well received, and because I’m such a vocal fan, sometimes I get given two. Amazing. This place, with its mismatched furniture and its really very affordable home-made bakes is a little slice of home comfort. Home comfort that is oh so welcome after incessant Drapers-ing and too much time failing to work in the library… Thus it is to Zealand Road Coffee that I raise my non-existent hat and proclaim that they really have got it just right. They are the perfect place to visit with friends when you want to pretend to be ladies (or gentlemen) who lunch. And yet going alone is never awful because the baristas are all just as beautiful to look at as the local art that they have for sale on their quaint little walls.’ END.

‘To know London, is to know a city in a constant state of flux. The commute you make from your home to Queen Mary may, from one day to the next, change completely. Your favourite little bar? Now a Tesco. The man who would always politely wish you a good morning? No longer there. London has been in a perpetual state of change for hundreds of years and it will continue to be for many more. For London is not a static city; it is a vessel for change, absorbing and adapting as time travels onwards into infinity. I became acutely aware of this recently while pouring over a collection of old photographs of Edgware. Taken in the late 40’s and the early 50’s, they show elegantly dressed men and women parading along the streets, perhaps popping into a shop to purchase tobacco or stopping abruptly to speak to friends. The town is alive in these pictures. To think that six decades later it would be the deserted, depressing place that it is now, would probably have been unthinkable to those in the photos. Alas, that is the nature of London, both inner city and suburban. It is never static. A friend of mine’s Father worked on the planning committee for Shoreditch Council in the 70’s. Back then, neither for love nor money would anyone be dragged to Shoreditch. It was a desolate wasteland, the East having not yet benefitted from the extensive redevelopment it has now undergone. No one would have thought it would eventually be a popular Friday night destination. So consider all this when thinking of your favourite places. They are temporary. In twenty years, Dalston may have become so gentrified that you won’t even be able to order a coffee without someone asking if you’d prefer a ‘chai’. Somewhere else will have taken over; it may be sad but it is necessary. Progression and change breed innovation and prosperity.’ END.

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BEBE PRICE:

LONDON

LONDON THROUGH THE EYES OF... ALEXANDER SARYCHKIN:

words by Emma Parker photo courtesy of Philip Pullman Press Images

ARTS

grimm tales: PHILIP PULLMAN AT KINGS PLACE

However sumptuous the setting though, it is obviously Pullman who has drawn the crowd this evening. A controversial author who successfully shattered the boundary between children and adult fiction with his Dark Materials trilogy, only to question the origins of the story of Jesus with his 2010 book The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ. Dryly he refers to the latter achievement onstage, along with the ensuing controversy it caused in religious circles, as ‘my Jesus book’. Tonight however, there is no attempt to ruffle the Vatican’s feathers. He begins by simply reading us a fairy story. But there are no fairies, or indeed anything supernatural in this tale; we are left with the image of a band of murderers ‘dragging a poor girl with them screaming and pleading for mercy’ who then kill her, strip her, and fling her body into a fire. In Pullman’s deep emphatic tones, this story resonates through the plush lecture hall. His sparse treatment of the stories heralds an often unknown dark side to the Grimm’s tales. This is a world where weddings and executions collide. Where blood, guts and deep dark forests spill across every page.

On paper the tales are repetitious; women are ‘beautiful’, men ‘handsome’, forests ‘dark’ but, in the hands of a master storyteller, this only adds to their suitability for being read out loud. Pullman’s treatment of the rhymes littering the tales has been praised in all critical quarters, and rightly so. The repetition used in both rhymes and adverbs points clearly to the origin of these stories in the oral folk tradition. The Brothers Grimm originally collated their 200 tales from a spoken tradition, and the transition from oral to literary is a clear point of concern for Pullman. He remarks on how he was tempted ‘for half a second’ to print his own stamp clearly on the narrative of the tales but notes that ‘it’s Grimm, not Pullman’ on the title page. Despite this dilemma of authorship he notes ‘they’re very democratic things, these folktales’ due to their obscure origins and ever shifting forms. Pullman is undoubtedly a man of the modern world. He gives out advice happily to budding writers, imploring them to ‘read obsessively’. He jokes that his book should be called ‘fifty shades of Grimm’ and that his main concern, aside from being pigeonholed in either the ‘adult’ or the ‘children’s’ bookshelves, is whether ‘my books are on the table labelled best sellers’. He has given the Grimm’s tales the retelling that they truly deserve and does so with the intention that we will retell them in our own fashion to our own households. END. The Guardian Book Club takes place once a month in Kings Place, upcoming events include live Q&A’s with authors Colm Toibin and Richard Ford. Tickets are £9.50

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‘There was once a miller who had a beautiful daughter’ begins a bespectacled Philip Pullman, gazing down at his audience. This promotional lecture for his latest work, Grimm Tales, takes place within the shining Guardian mothership that is Kings Place. Describing itself as ‘a hub for art, music dialogue and food’ (its upcoming events calendar is impressive, boasting everything from Silent Film Sundays to London’s Guitar Festival) its several glistening floors are a nirvana for anyone choking for a chai latte and an after-office-hours literary event.

STARSHIPS, REVOLUTIONS AND GINGERBREAD COOKIES The ever-reliable Southbank Centre has got some real treats in store to keep you entertained as the days grow colder, the nights grow longer, and the dreaded ‘C’ word fast approaches (hint: presents, sherry, and a very fat man). Wrap up in your snazziest scarf and check out some of the following highlights:

ARTS CHRISTMAS MARKET 14.11.12-24.12.12

AFRICA IN SCIENCE FICTION 20.11.12

See, it really is that time of year again! The winter market is a haven for festive delights, including candles, food, jewellery and clothing... there’s something for everyone. Perfect for some early gift shopping (or, if you prefer to live life dangerously, a chance to nab some last-minute bits: it’s open on Christmas Eve).

This is a real gem : two events, over the course of one evening, on the relocation of genre tropes within an African setting as explored through fiction, poetry, and film. A must for lovers of literature and film buffs alike, the events will look at the juxtaposition of African ancestral traditions alongside the canons of ‘Western’ Science Fiction, via cosmology and futuristic worlds, whilst exploring an exciting new generation of film-makers using Africa as a setting for science-fiction narratives. It’s free, too - you just need to book from the centre itself!

SAUL WILLIAMS’ LITERARY MIX TAPE 24.11.12

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The acclaimed poet and musician Saul Williams introduces a ‘chorus’ of 100 new voices in street poetry, drama, and fiction. The night promises a mash-up of talent, with artists straddling spoken word, graphic design, poetry and prose polemic.

ZLAVOJ ZIZEK 24.11.12 The outspoken contemporary philosopher will be discussing his new book, The Year of Dreaming Dangerously: his analysis of the riots and revolutions that swept the world last year. In a discussion of Utopia and modernism - another vision of contemporary ‘science fiction’ played out in real-world politics - Zizek will be focussing on the Arab Spring and the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ movement. One to watch.

words by Phoenix Alexander photo courtesy of Africa In Science Fiction Press Images & Phil Bartle

‘The Queen Mary Review publishes original poetry, fiction and literary journalism by students at Queen Mary, University of London. Run by students, for students, it provides a platform for creative and compelling work.’ So says the website of Queen Mary’s other publication, not funded by the SU like yours truly but by a grant from the Westfield Trust. But we won’t hold it against them (mostly because co-editor Gabriel Gonzalez-Acosta described us as ‘extensive and thriving student media’). Founded last year by the ever-elusive Comparative Literature lecturer Dr Manning (who has since disappeared under mysterious circumstances), the responsibility of the Queen Mary Review was quickly taken up by a bunch of enthusiastic students who have not only organised the publication of the review but sourced interviews with stars of the literary world, including the former poet laureate Andrew Motion, and put on an excellent spread at their launch event at Drapers. The content was pretty good too. After the success of their first printed issue back in March 2012 the annual publication is looking for creative and committed first and second years to join the Junior Editorial Team for Poetry, Fiction and Features (sorry third years, you will be too busy taking the real world by storm to be of much use). If you think this CV boosting opportunity is for you then send a little bit about yourself and your literary interests to either qmrpoetry@ gmail.com, qmrfiction@gmail.com or qmrfeatures@gmail.com (depending on which role you desire) with the subject ‘Junior Editor Application’. If that all sounds like far too much hard work then never fear, there is still hope for you. QMR is also looking for contributors for its second offering in the Spring term of next year. Whether your interest lies in writing poetry or prose, QMR want to hear from you by December 13th 2012. For more details and examples of previous work as well as the reviews extensive online content visit www.qmreview.co.uk. words by Millie Jefferies photos by CCAC North Library & Museum of London/Wellcome Images.

THE HATPIN - BLUE ELEPHANT THEATRE The true-ish story of one of Australia’s most shocking trials, The Hatpin tells the story of povertystricken Amber Murray who is forced to give up her illegitimate baby to what she thought would be a better life but, in fact, lead to his murder along with several other infants at the hands of baby farmers. Perhaps not the most light-hearted play you will see this autumn but well worth a look in.

SEDUCED BY ART: PHOTOGRAPHY PAST AND PRESENT - NATIONAL GALLERY The National’s first major photography exhibition explores the influence of historical art on the medium of photography and how and why the medium has often felt the need to translate fine art into the modern world. Works by the likes of Degas and Constable can be expected alongside photographers such as Martin Parr and Richard Billingham. A modern twist on a slightly more classic day out in London, the National only charges £6 for students and entrance to the main galleries is free.

CUB 5423.9

100 WORDS... my favourite cultural destination

THE DANCE ATTIC STUDIOS Converted from a Roman Bath house, Dance Attic Studios, Fulham, is an unlikely gem set at the heart of the dancing world. Hosting a variety of affordable classes, the studios welcome and cater to all abilities. Their renowned rehearsal spaces are favoured by names such as JLS, Will Young and the crew of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. If you’re not a dancer then the café alone is worthy of a visit, where they serve homemade food under a huge and beautiful mural hand painted onto the wall by another regular Dance Attic guest, Rolph Harris. EMMA SHONE

ARTS

THIS MONTH IN ARTS...

THE WELLCOME COLLECTION ‘A free destination for the incurably curious’, The Wellcome Collection on Euston Road offers one of the best programmes of exhibitions and events of any museum in London. Based around the private collection of Sir Henry Wellcome, the permanent exhibition ‘Medicine Man’ has artefacts from around the world relating to our obsession with health and the body (if you have ever wanted to see Napoleon’s toothbrush or a Japanese sex aid then this is the place for you). The Wellcome collection consistently delivers a fascinating insight into whatever topic it chooses to explore and their latest offering, ‘Death: A self-portrait’, will hopefully be no exception. MILLIE JEFFERIES

THE WORST OF THE OSCARS

1990

In my mind, 1990 will always be remembered as the year Goodfellas (one of the best gangster films ever) was unfairly snubbed for every major award. Ray Liotta’s powerhouse performance as Henry Hill was not even nominated for Best Actor. Furthermore, Dances with Wolves beat Goodfellas to the best director, best picture AND adapted screenplay awards. (Dances with Wolves is a very average western, culture-clash film which did not deserve as much recognition as it got). To top it off, Whoopi Goldberg beat Lorraine Braco as best supporting actress for her role in that soppy, overrated mess of a film Ghost. Baffling.

1995

It’s Oscar season once more. Studios are sending out the big-hitters in preparation for February’s award ceremony, but be sure to take them with a pinch of salt (how many times can Tom Hanks’ weepy face sucker-punch you into a cinema ticket?) Saad Akhtar examines ﬁve instances when the Oscar’s got it very, very wrong.

Although Kevin Spacey rightly won best supporting actor for his role in the incredible The Usual Suspects, the film missed out on best director and best picture. A travesty considering it was arguably the freshest, funniest and most enthralling crime caper to come along since Pulp Fiction.

Bill Murray captivated in a subdued yet absorbing role in the fantastic Lost in Translation. However, he was beaten to the best actor award by Sean Penn in Mystic River. Penn is undoubtedly a very capable actor but he over-acted a lot in this particular film and it didn’t help that Kevin Bacon alongside him stole the show. So it seems rather silly that he won the award, it seemed sure to be Murray’s year. Especially considering he had never been nominated before, despite the buzz surrounding his earlier role in Wes Anderson’s Rushmore. END.

FILM

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1997 1998

The best actor award went to Robert Benigni for Life is Beautiful, a decent film and a reasonable performance from Benigni. However, when one considers other options, it is an absolute joke. Edward Norton springs to mind for his performance in the incredible American History X. Norton’s character is deeply realistic (he’s surprisingly convincing as a Neo-Nazi skinhead) and his performance is one of the best of the decade, let alone the year. Tom Hanks deserved some recognition for his role in Saving Private Ryan (a performance which warranted an Oscar even more than Forrest Gump, which he won Best actor for). Finally, the fact the Jim Carrey wasn’t even nominated for his deeply moving and dynamic performance in the excellent The Truman Show is beyond belief. Who on earth allowed that to happen?

2004

Good Will Hunting deservedly won an award or two in this year, a stunning film in which Matt Damon (in an earlyish role) and Ben Affleck absolutely smash their performances. However, the fresh-faced Damon somehow failed to nail the best actor award. And who did he lose out to? Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets. An average film, at best, in which Nicholson, one of the best actors of his generation, didn’t even come close to reaching the quality of acting we have seen him display with ease in the past.

words by Saad Akhtar photo by C.A.D

THE CINEMATIC STIGMA We are all being judged... Socialising and getting to know your fellow Freshers is a big part of first year. It’s all pretty standard and we all know how it goes; you ask their name, where they come from, what they study and so on. Then you get into the particulars, like taste in music, food and most importantly, taste in films. What we don’t realise is that when answering questions about our preferred films our answers say a lot more than we intend them to. Your choice defines you to others, whether you like it or not. For example: you meet your flatmate for the very first time. You’re not sure whether or not you like them, first impressions and all that. You get talking and they reveal that their favourite film is The Green Mile. You love The Green Mile. You launch into this enthusiastic speech about how awesome Tom Hanks is and how tragic the death of Michael Clarke Duncan was and how OHMYGOD I cried for hours afterwards, did you?! To your delight, your new best friend totally agrees with all that you’re saying. Okay, so maybe that’s just a coincidence. But imagine if they’d said something like The Avengers or The Dark Knight Rises and you absolutely hate superhero films. Conversation killer right there. I’m not arguing that your mutual (or not) taste in what you watch on the big screen is the only thing that ties you and potential friends together. We can’t argue against the fact though, that film does define us socially. We have some sort of film hierarchy that each of us goes by, be it the ‘100 Top Films to Watch’ list on IMDb, or an article from Empire or some other film magazine. If no one in your new circle of friends has seen your all-time favourite

film, your almost natural instinct is to spread the love and make sure it’s noticed by raving about it and banging on to your pals that they have to watch it until you’re red in the face. Film was never intended to be used as a form of social construct. Or was it? We judge whether or not a person is compatible with our personalities by the movies they chose to love or hate. A genre of film equals a genre of person. You have stereotypes as well, just like any other form of identifying people. A lonely, single girl may watch sappy, over-romantic films like The Notebook or Gone With the Wind. A slightly nuts guy who loves blood and guts may watch slasher and murder-mystery films like Se7en and A Nightmare on Elm Street. I have a friend who is the biggest American footballer ‘lad’ and yet he genuinely loves a night in with Mean Girls, and I hate to say it, but I was surprised when I first learnt this. We put ourselves into boxes as well, by restricting our film list because we don’t think we’d enjoy something because it doesn’t sound like ‘our cup of tea’. Although our taste in films says a lot that we might not necessarily want to disclose to others, I think we should embrace it. So what if you love completely weird and bonkers anime films? You like it, and that’s that. It doesn’t matter that you might be frowned upon for still loving Disney films. Truth of the matter is, I bet there are more closet Disney lovers amongst your friends than you might think. We shouldn’t be afraid to openly love the genres of film we choose, it does define who you are, and you should be proud of it. END. words by Heulwen Williams photo by gimmeahighﬁve

FILM It turns out that there are more films than The Hobbit to look forward to this winter. For those of you who enjoy the occasional walk down memory lane, the Prince Charles Cinema is a place that you’ll probably want to look up. It is true that Genesis, with its recent facelift and student-friendly prices, tends to all of our cinematic needs. But if we dare to venture past Queen Mary’s cinematic safe hold, there’s an entire world beyond Stepney Green to discover. I recently got my hands on the winter programme for the Prince Charles Cinema, and it looks pretty darn exciting. When it comes to showing new releases it’s like any other, slightly overpriced cinema around Leicester Square, but when it comes to glancing back at older films, Prince Charles is doing something quite special. The cinema serves up a lovely mishmash of films throughout the year, from various genres and traditions. Everything from timeless classics like Casablanca, to wonderfully feelgood films like Amelie, and horror like Return of the Living Dead are on the programme. They also show the, well, less critically renowned film The Room on a monthly basis. Thus, we are allowed to frolic in films that we love, or even love to hate. And for those who shamelessly enjoy shouting or quoting along with films, they provide numerous singa-long events spread out across the season. Nostalgia is key, and there is something quite special about seeing older films on the big

screen. So, as a child of the 90’s I can’t but admit that my inner 8-year old is leaping with joy over the fact that Jurassic Park is being shown. The winter season will also provide us with a Tarantino all-nighter, a Batman allnighter (á la Christopher Nolan of course), an Alien all-nighter, and – wait for it – the Back to the Future trilogy. There will also be a Shakespeare inspired double bill in the shape of Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet, alongside 10 Things I Hate About You. Exciting times are ahead! You’ll find the full programme online. It’s not terribly expensive to pay a visit to the Prince Charles Cinema, but in relation to the prices at Genesis, anything over £3.50 can feel a bit of a push. Evening shows cost £10, but the special events are a bit pricier. However, if you choose to invest in a yearly, or even life-long membership, you can save quite a few pennies. All in all, the Prince Charles isn’t really the place to turn to if you’re looking to fine dine your way through cinematic history, but it is an excellent place to pay a visit if you want to re-live a gem or two from the past. END.

words by Frida Runnkvist photo by Zilupe

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PRINCE CHARLES OF NOSTALGIA

A SOUTH AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE words and photos by Lauren Blackburne-Tinker

Prior to this resurgence in political unrest in the UK, I revisited South Africa, having grown up there between the ages of seven and eleven. I went to report on a township newspaper in the heart of Cape Town, The Daily Voice. During my time with the publication I was privileged enough to be taken by the reporters to the many township areas where tourists are advised to not visit due to safety concerns. It was only under their protection and through their guidance that I was able to build a more complete picture of the country – here was a South Africa I would never have seen if I’d had stayed inside the world of electric gates and cars with tinted windows. On the 30th of July 2009 I was taken to a protest march through the streets of Cape Town and witnessed first-hand what can happen when a peaceful protest becomes truly ugly and horrifying. The residents of the Masiphumelele township walked peacefully through the streets with placards asking not for free education or union rights, but for housing, electricity and water. If this was not a harrowing enough message, alongside chants, they also sang old apartheid songs deceptively melodic and pleasant considering their deep underlying message. As the residents made their way back to their shacks near Fishhoek a group of them, approximately 300 people strong, were ordered to disperse by the ever increasing police presence. Whether they were unnerved by the armoured police vehicles, or dissatisfied with the outcome of the march, these people were not dealt with by the police in a peaceful manner. The clash began with throwing stones and smoke, burning tyres and arrests. It ended with a shattered community, rubber bullets, a woman on her own porch bleeding from a leg

On the 9th of May 1994, Nelson Mandela made an Inaugural Address and quoted the now famous phrase ‘a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world’. I would agree that world boycotts and UN imposed economic sanctions are long gone; South Africa is an accepted member of the global community, filled with a colourful variation of cultures and races. I would argue, however, that it is in no way ‘at peace with itself’.

FEATURES

wound and a man wrestled to the ground by his own neighbours after starting a knife fight.

Just under two years after my visit, the London summer riots of 2011 occurred. Starting for a wide variety of reasons, the riots were then picked up and continued by a small and misled minority. These riots saw front page coverage not only in Great Britain, but around the Globe. Compare this international coverage to the township protests I witnessed in May 2009? Oh wait, you can’t as they barely touched the news. Our South African friends mocked and ridiculed our small proud island, and our supposedly peaceful and perfect morals, jesting whether we had any loot for them. You cannot help but laugh with them, when you consider the sorry point that while we riot for televisions, laptops and mobile phones they do so for the right to housing, electricity and water. It is sometimes hard to get perspective, but harder still to remove yourself from what is immediately in front of you. To be inspired to grasp at a sense of integrity and social justice is by far the hardest thing to aim for, but not impossible and certainly not out of reach. It seems to me that although this globe is united in a community that has the freedom to travel and learn, it is still a community with the inability to take an emotionally and mentally charged stride towards understanding what is outside the flimsy confines of their own nations. As for South Africa, I feel a great personal loyalty and gratitude for what it has shown me, and a great hope for its future in the generations to come. What I resent are the rosetinted glasses we wear, so naively portraying South Africa as a nation realms away from apartheid and the wounds it has left. END.

POLITICS: South Africa.

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Protests and riots, demonstrations and sit-ins. We’ve had our fair share of them in the last two-years, ranging from members of Unite using strike action to students protest marching through the capital, angry about the increase in tuition fees. Some were for good, while others have proved only humiliating to our society. It is hard to believe that our own country’s public outcries are scorned and chuckled at by much of the rest of the world due to their comparative sense of ‘non-issue’ – talk about first world problems.

A FRESH LOOK AT UKIP? In a political environment dominated by parties of repeated failings and broken promises, a call for change is being sounded across the UK. Patrick Ford tells CUB why he thinks the UK Independence Party could be that something which Britain so desperately needs. This September in Birmingham, a slightly buffoonish but much-loved household name, famous for his charismatic persona and passionate speeches clambered out of a car and into his party’s annual Autumn Conference. He didn’t walk into a media scrum, and he wasn’t mobbed by passers-by. He didn’t stress his loyalty to David Cameron. In fact, no headlines were created at all. It can’t possibly have been Boris Johnson, so who was it? Why, it was none other than the leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party, and perennial man-on-an-anti-Europe-mission Nigel Farage.

that has prevented UKIP from fully capitalising on the disillusionment with the traditional political parties since at least 2003. Up against a fundamentally biased media – especially at the BBC – Farage is a brilliant communicator who has transformed UKIP from an unsavoury irritant in the political backwaters to the second-largest party at the last European elections. But in the eyes of many, UKIP is a party dominated by one issue – Europe – and one man – Farage. This needs to change if the party is serious about replacing the Liberal Democrats as the third-largest party (in terms of total votes cast) in 2015.

Like all shrewd politicians, Farage transcends party boundaries and divides opinion like few others. He’s the High Priest of Common Sense to his supporters, and Lord Fruitcake of Nutterville to his enemies (Mr Cameron included). His speeches are watched by people in their millions on YouTube and his comical, colourful depictions of the bloated shambles of bureaucratic Brussels life have won him a place in the hearts of many. Who could forget the time when he described the President of the European Commission, Herman van Rumpoy, as a man ‘with the charisma of a damp rag, and the appearance of a low-grade bank clerk’? (and, when ordered to apologise, directed his contrition towards offended bank clerks). So why isn’t UKIP bigger? For all its strident, populist pro-democracy rhetoric, the party has no Members of Parliament in the House of Commons and owes its three voices in the House of Lords to defections from its estranged big brother, the Conservative Party. It has been this problem more than any other

UKIP has an in-built image problem in that they are often cast as reactionary right-wingers, with a membership base that is largely over-50 in age and ‘backward’ in areas ranging from gay marriage (they do not see the need to change from the current civil partnership system) to pulling out of the world’s largest single market, the European Union (they favour more trade and closer ties with the Commonwealth). The Party has its headquarters and its strongest roots in the South-West, an area favoured by retired people and largely untouched by the multi-ethnic influx of immigrants in London and other large cities. Yet whilst these stereotypes may occasionally ring true – the party Conference had its fair share of crusty, bow tie-wearing geriatrics – there is increasing evidence that the demographic is shifted and that Young Independence, the youth branch, is growing at an unprecedented rate. Besides, Labour and the Conservative Party struggle with the di-

FEATURES

CUB 543.17 nosaurs in their parties, too. UKIP has made gains in the North East, picking up councillors and MEPs, and have a larger share of the popular vote than the SNP, yet are severely hindered by our unfair voting system. Politics is a dull topic to debate if people haven’t done their research. But have a read of UKIP’s manifesto for the 2010 General Election. Whilst it’s a party in need of some innovative thinking in areas such as defence, their policies on education, welfare, immigration, bringing back democracy and our wider relationship with Europe are as modern, robust and aspirational as anything else out there. With the Conservatives unable to force through their agenda and paralysed once more over Europe, and with Labour yet to win back trust or demonstrate economic literacy, it will be UKIP and not the Lib Dems who benefit the most in Europe in 2014 and at home in 2015. And, as we pay our respects to the dead in

the 94th Remembrance Day since the end of World War One, it is important to remember what Britain stands for as a country: patriotism, democracy, pluralism, tolerance, innovation… these are not just meaningless buzzwords but the threads which bind us together in Britain’s moral and historic tapestry. So for a party to stand up once again against an autocratic Europe, and to reclaim our own destiny and democracy means that their sacrifices will not be in vain and that there will always be some corner of a foreign field that is forever glad for UKIP. END.

words by Patrick Ford photo by Karen Eliot

POLITICS: United Kingdom.

THE FUTURE’S OURS Carmen Sekulic explains why it is crucial that young people become involved in politics. Recently, I attended an event with former Defense Secretary Dr. Liam Fox MP in Parliament. He articulated rather well the reason why young people should get involved in politics when he said; ‘the dreams of the previous generation were paid for with the hopes of the new generation’. This academic year saw the implementation of £9,000 fees for the first time. No, this is not an article about the fees and whatever opinion I may hold in regards to them, I have simply chosen to mention it as an illustration of a hot topic that has resulted in an apparent political mobilisation - of students especially. Whilst this constitutes political interest in one sense, it differs from traditional political activism in another. It is focused on a limited range of topics, such as the aforementioned tuition fees and relating to that, the spending cuts in general. It is a form of grassroots lobbying exercised through protests and other forms of campaigning. The efficiency is debatable, and the protests tend at present to be more left wing inclined, but non-party based. At Queen Mary the far left is very much present in the political sphere and they seem to compensate for the fact that there is, as I have previously pointed out in an article in QMessenger a silent majority. Whether they are apathetic, or just wish to keep their politics to themselves I wouldn’t possibly know. However there is an increased interest in groups such as New Turn, an organization that aims to empower people with the tools to form their own, possibly party-independent, political views On the other more traditional side the political activism spectrum we have Conservative Future, the youth wing of the Conservative Party, which has at least 15,000 members. As a CF member I have observed that people do

FEATURES get involved in CF because they want to have a say and they also enjoy the social scene of youth politics. However, the main problem with CF, in addition to internal conflicts, is the fact that it has no policies, so exists as a campaigning machine for the Party. In my experience, university societies in London, QMBL Conservatives amongst them, try to fill the policy void. We know we cannot change the policies of the party but we at least attempt to represent a forum for Conservative values.

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I was asked to comment on why young people get involved in politics which brings me back to Dr. Fox’s point: people should get involved because it concerns our future. Whilst everyone may not agree with what Dr. Fox has to say, the basic idea is that it matters; I believe the underlying aspect of it is that we want a say in the development of this country. The more recent development indicates to me that everyone might not feel adequately represented. I will not digress too much onto that topic, but I do believe it signifies a possible shift away from traditional politics; if the CF does not change drastically it will become irrelevant and consequently aid this shift away from party politics in the center-right political scene drastically.

dreams of the pre“The vious generation were paid for with the hopes of the new generation.

”

The big question is what will come next? I think you will get different answers depending on whom you ask… END.

words by Carmen SekulicI illustration by Alice Harry

POLITICS: Youth.

WHAT THE WORLD WAS WAITING FOR? Comebacks of retired bands are slowly beginning to dominate the music scene not just at festivals, but at venues accross the country. Music editor Edward Clibbens investigates whether this is helping or hindering the music industry’s development, and whether or not the bands’ motives are entirely musical...

I think it’s fair to say that the most important musical happenings of the year have been the reunions of Manchester heroes cum inspirers of a generation, The Stone Roses and age-defining legends The Rolling Stones. The Stone Roses’ return has been, thankfully, a triumphant one. Their three homecoming shows at Manchester’s Heaton Park became

the fastest selling gigs of all time with 225,000 avid fans, young and old, attending over the weekend. Such an event raises questions over why bands reunite like this. Is it for the love of the music? For the fans? To save the music industry from manufactured pop Armageddon? Or is it, to paraphrase IQ-depleting chart pest and general numpty Jessie J- all about the money, money, money?

One such renowned speaker of sense is Paul Weller. Recently he’s said that bands reuniting drive him ‘potty’. His main qualm being that the recent trend of nostalgic reformations, from Suede to Pulp to At The Drive In, is detracting from new music and young bands. He feels that the bands he grew up with and loved made it their business to try and push boundaries, something that seems to be lacking these days. Coming from a man who’s constantly rejecting the chance to reform his legendary band (The Jam, if you’ve somehow missed that) whilst consistently producing top drawer solo records, it seems a very valid argument. The other obviously questionable element of reformations is the lucrative financial benefits that come in tow. It’s fair to say that the members of The Stone Roses haven’t been doing all that well for themselves, other than Mani and his time with Primal Scream. Ian Brown’s solo career has been in steady decline since he released F.E.A.R.; John Squire suddenly, and probably wrongly, decided art was a better career path and Reni simply dropped off the face of the earth. The same can be said for the vast majority of reforming bands, save for maybe Blur. The evidence isn’t all that strong if they want to convince us that it’s ‘all about the music, maaan’. Moreover, The Rolling Stones’ reunion tour takes money grabbing to a whole new level. Regardless of how good they are and how pleasing it is to have the chance to see them live; charging £106 as the cheapest ticket to see their gig at the o2 Arena is, frankly, robbery. For a band with fame and wealth the size of a

What then, does this say about the health of music industry as a whole? In the last two years, major festival stages have been graced by Pulp, Suede, New Order, At The Drive In and The Libertines (who were reportedly paid £1million to play Reading, hmmm), as well as high profile reformations from Refused and The Happy Mondays, plus Primal Scream performing their 1991 album Screamadelica in full. All sounds rather nostalgic to me. Like The Stone Roses, members of these bands haven’t really been up to anything useful since their initial demise, but does it matter that much if it’s just shameless money grabbing? The vast majority of these bands’ comebacks have been well received, and attracted huge interest. I too have enjoyed seeing the majority of them over the last couple of years, yet it does make you wonder if we’re missing out on something fresh. It’s all very well a band doing a high profile comeback tour; you finally get to see them, it’s a special experience you’ll never forget, yay. But when it ends up with them playing the festival circuit for more than just the one year, with no new material, it begins to lose that magic. Surely it’s time we let the new breed step up? Just look at what main stage headline slots did for Arctic Monkeys, Muse, Arcade Fire and (unfortunately) Kings Of Leon. It’s about time the music industry got its sense of adventure back and the new breed of bands bucked up their ideas. END. words by Edward Clibbens photo by alterna2

MUSIC

large moon, they and their pricing scheme can p*** right off. It’s fine if you can afford it, but what about those who can’t? Those who can’t just splash hundreds of pounds, or us student types… Just because the gigs sold out so fast that time went backwards, doesn’t mean that Mick ‘I’ll barely realise I’ve even got any more money because I’ve already got so much’ Jagger and Ronnie ‘with your hard earned cash I can buy my girlfriend who’s half my age even more stuff, not that I couldn’t already afford it, hahaha’ Wood, have the right to limit who can even afford to try and buy them.

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The shows themselves have been fantastically good. Ian Brown’s often hilariously poor vocals have been, for him, absolutely spot on and the band sound somehow better than ever. Northern men around the world have shed tears at the sight of their idols returning and young folk like me have finally had the chance to see the band that our parents and journalist types have lauded for so long. After their disastrous gigs in 1997 as a shell of a band, this year has surely been their redemption. Some renowned speakers of sense though, believe that reunions are just shameless money grabbing and/or the result of a lack of imagination.

POP IS DEAD... AND WE KILLED IT

Have you not heard the story of the madman? He runs into a crowded club late one Saturday night, the place is packed with heavily made up girls, and leering men, whilst the music remains a cacophonic onslaught of a tasteless, unimaginative, repetitive, auto-tuned dirge. The man longingly cries out ‘where is pop?!’ The crowd turn to him, laugh and retort ‘pop is dead and we have killed it’. Is it true that pop music is unimportant now? Is it true that good music is drowning in the sewage of Cowellian manufactured drivel? Is the pop industry so meaningless that people must acquiesce in the malaise of uninspired, abrasive insert-name-of-latest-female-pop-sensationhere mundane continuity? These questions do not warrant an answer, for it is striking us in the face, rather the answer is needed to the following: what happened? Just consider the situation, becoming a teenager in the 60’s; a day in the life, if you will. Drugs are legal until 1967, so have some fun with that, and the recent invention of birth control and socially acceptable polygamy prove an exciting recipe. As for music, well The Beatles are about to change the face of music by creating pop, and then they’ll do it again later through experimentation and creativity ushering in the era of psychedelia. The Rolling Stones are on in the meantime, and they’re doing a free gig in Hyde Park (1969 – 100,000 people attended). So for now, why don’t you indulge in the Utopian hedonism and truly believe that music is important. Nowadays, I hope you like auto-tuning because here comes the X factor. But rest assured, if you want to see the Rolling Stones you can easily buy a ticket, prices ranging from £451 to £21,500. Pop music is lazy now; we’re getting a raw deal, being spoon-fed by Simon Cowell who salivates insipid drivel into our charts, we’re being cheated by pop artists. Beyoncé has between 17 and 24 different songwriters, yet claims to write all her own music, and con-

sider one of her latest tracks: ‘Run the World (Girls)’. Whilst I applaud the optimistic sentiment, the track has the melodic range of chronic flatulence. Lady Gaga has always insisted she will never cheat her fans, she will never mime to her songs live, but in a recent gig, she threw up whilst performing, and yet the singing miraculously continued whilst she was hunched over at the side of the stage. I’m sure I am preaching to the converted when I say that the X Factor is a circus of talentless youths perpetuating the demise of eccentricity and innovation in music, but remember this: X factor is about to regurgitate its ninth pop star onto the radio-waves. If you include Pop Idol, Pop Stars, Fame Academy, that’s sixteen. If you include the American series its twenty-four, and if you include the X Factor world-wide we’re into triple figures of ‘artists’ who owe their success to a conveyor belt with Simon Cowell at the controls. The emergence of holograms of artists going on tour is definitely a cause for concern – the falseness of pop music has become literal! These days it’s quite in vogue to lambast against Justin Bieber and Jedward, but I hardly think they are worth the column inches, and they are only symptomatic of a larger problem. Of course, bad pop music has always existed, enduring from The Wombles and ‘Disco Duck’ in the 70’s through Rick Astley to ‘The Fast Food Song’, then moving through the boy band wave of the 90’s, Crazy Frog, and The Cheeky Girls to land squarely on the quiffs of Jedward. And now, these hydra-headed pop phenomena are on the rise. It seems there is more drool in today’s charts than on a toddler’s favourite toy (probably a Justin Bieber doll). You may disagree. If you do, make sure you do it Gangnam Style. I’m not going to suggest for a minute that good music does not exist; there are bands out there who play their instruments (honestly, I’ve seen one), think of meaningful lyrics, are

MUSIC creative in their exploits, who put thought into their sound. I’m not saying let’s go back to the sixties, but some people seem to forget, forsake or just frivolously dismiss this illustrious history of music, and it is this aversion that is damaging.

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Now I know this will not appeal to everyone, most young listeners are too far gone. We can’t save them as they trudge glassy eyed into some god-forsaken club called Ministry or Fabric or Curtain or whatever they’re called. Filled with so many chemicals, that they involuntarily writhe to the thumping from the DJ, who threatens to play worse and worse music unless you dance like a Neanderthal, until you drown in your own sweat and £9 beer. And if you refuse to dance, then the moronic crowd will lift you up screaming ‘one of them! He doesn’t appreciate the heavy beats’ before throwing you out covered in the perspiration of hundreds of strangers. At least I assume that’s what happens, I’ve never been. I am appealing to those, who go to a house party looking for Sergeant Pepper, Arnold Layne, Ziggy Stardust or even Mr. Shankly and emerge each time disheartened at their continual absenteeism. The cause is not lost, pleasingly dubstep seems to be on its way out; don’t thank me, thank Skrillex. But be vocal in your opinions, mostly likely they will be more melodic than Beyoncé. Do not sit back and allow David Guetta to consume the party, never be a spectator to mindless music. If you get a thrill from an inspired chord progression or melody, an excitement from a clever lyric, a compulsion to turn the volume up at a particularly virulent musical section, then make yourself known. Reclaim the charts and proclaim yourself to be part of the good music preservation society. END. words by Bradley Smith photo by Thuany Gabriela

THE ART OF RAP During my formative teenage years I never understood the hype surrounding rap. I was mostly disillusioned by the constant talk of money, cars and women. Mainstream artists such as 50 Cent and Timbaland never appealed to me and ‘rappers’ like Lil Wayne and will.i.am only entrenched my early dismissal of the genre. I didn’t have the patience to sieve through the mountains of s**t despite being into old funk and soul grooves from the likes of James Brown and Kool and the Gang, whose work has been sampled by several rappers. Kanye West (pre auto-tune) and Outkast aside, I just wasn’t interested. This all changed two years ago. The colossal amount of free time I’ve enjoyed at university has allowed me to listen to a wider range of hip-hop and re-evaluate my opinion of rap. The soundtrack to my first year was provided by south coast heavyweights, Cypress Hill with anthems like ‘Dr Greenthumb’, ‘L.I.F.E.’, ‘Make A Move’, ‘Get ‘Em Up’ and ‘K.U.S.H.’. Exposure to Cypress Hill led me to delve into the back catalogues of artists such as Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mos Def, The Notorious B.I.G., The Pharcyde, Jurassic 5 and A Tribe Called Quest. Songs like ‘Bonita Applebum’ and ‘Excursion’ by A Tribe Called Quest, ‘Mathematics’ and ‘Definition’ by Mos Def/Talib Kweli, ‘Boss’ Life’ and the entire Doggystyle album by Snoop Dogg have since been rinsed on my iTunes. A few months ago I even had the pleasure of witnessing Cypress Hill at the O2 Academy in Brixton and it was difficult to understand why I was so easy to dismiss the genre when there is some absolutely amazing material out there. That was until a few weeks ago when I watched the documentary, Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap, directed by Ice T. The slickly produced documentary provides an insight into the world of rap as it takes you on a journey through its history, visit-

ing the key personalities and individuals who shaped the genre and focuses upon the attitudes and beliefs associated with the art. The documentary is essentially a defence of the genre as genuine art (as opera and jazz are considered to be) and does so convincingly – but doesn’t force it down your throat. Ice T argues that rap is more than ‘the jewellery, the cars, the money, the girls… it’s a powerful craft which saved my life, blew my mind and requires skill’. He adds that unlike other forms of music, an MC‘s ‘personality and status is on the line every time his pen hits the page. He’s going to be judged for knowledge, flavour, style, presentation and gift for word play’. These claims are supported throughout. Q-Tip states that it’s all about ‘substance and presentation’ and that his voice is a large part of his style. The respect culture associated with rap and the impact it can have is expressed by Bun B and Eminem. Bun B explains that rappers have the ability to document the daily struggles of those ‘surviving off the game – when the drug dealer goes home, what actually goes down?’ Ice T acknowledges this as ‘the B side of the game that only real hustlers know about it’. Eminem emphasises that rap gave him ‘a voice, an outlet’ and the opportunity to show people ‘the other side of the tracks’. So far you might be thinking that this documentary will be a ninety-minute propaganda film, full of biased accounts that illustrate the so-called ‘art of rap’. It isn’t. The overriding reason to watch this documentary is to witness some incredible freestyles (of which there are about forty) - from Kanye West to KRS ONE, and Nas to Rakim; they’re all pretty impressive. My personal favourites are from Joe Budden, Grandmaster Cass and Kool Moe Dee (all available on YouTube – check them out). Nevertheless, whilst watching the documentary it all clicked as to why it took me so long to

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CUB 543.25 need to learn how to listen to it in the right way’. This makes perfect sense to me now but my fourteen year-old self didn’t possess the required level of patience and interest to fully appreciate rap. Unless I had a mild form of attention deficit disorder, there must be others who dismissed rap at an earlier age and not given it another chance. If this applies to you, listen to some of the artists I’ve mentioned and watch the documentary. I’m not claiming to be an expert for watching one documentary. In fact, I’m still somewhat wary of the genre – especially mainstream rap and even some old school artists such as 2Pac (an unpopular This was a mistake, as outlined by Cheryl view, I know). Still, there’s definitely a lot to James (‘Salt’ of Salt-n-Pepa): ‘when someone be appreciated and understood from rap, so tells me “I don’t listen to the words”… are you give it another go – you might just love it. END. serious? We agonise over the words and you’re missing half of the song if you don’t listen to words by Ryan Ramgobin the lyrics’. DJ Premier supports this view: ‘you photo by Jason Persse recognise the qualities of the genre. One of the most important MCs, Ras Kass, explained that rap forces people to think and the only people who have enough time to learn are ‘people in college and ni**ers in prison… those are my fans.’ This statement is directly applicable to me. I believe to fully appreciate rap, one has to reach a certain level of maturity and possess the time to analyse and consider what is actually being said. Years ago when listening to rap, I never paid much attention to what was said, concentrating solely on the samples, instrumentals and production of the record.

WHAT’S IN YOUR CLOSET? TOM GRACE Daisy Murray and Laura Blair take a close look in Tom Grace’s wardrobe

INFO...

COURSE: 2nd year Law AGE: 19 ICONS: Thom Browne, Alex Turner & Michael Pitt/his dad Andrew Grace SHOPPING HAUNTS: mrporter.com, norsestore.com & openingceremony.us BARNET ENHANCER: Murray’s Pomade SCENT: Wonderwood, Commes Des Garcons MOTTO: ‘reassuringly expensive’

TAKE ME THROUGH WHAT YOU’RE WEARING... All Saints Shoes, Nudie Jeans, Loft Jumper, Marc Jacobs Jacket. THAT’S A PRETTY GOOD MIXTURE OF NAMES... Yeah, it’s much more impressive when you can mix expensive with less expensive in your outfit. YOUR DEFIINITION OF EXPENSIVE... £150 plus on a shirt, that kind of range…well I’m spending more money each year. Like. Oh my god, since getting my student loan this term I’ve already spent 500 quid on clothes. DOES HOW MUCH YOU SPEND DEPEND ON THE PIECE OF CLOTHING? Oh yeah. And also, I know this is going to sound pretty sad, but designer’s names will mean a lot to me- it makes it all a lot better if it’s from a designer you know and love. YOU SAID YOU LIKE DESIGNERS, DO YOU KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THEM? Definitely, I always keep in touch with those designers I love, check out their new seasons. Also been trying to keep up with more and more blogs- brands like Supreme always sell out so fast, so these things let you know in advance when they are coming out and then you can actually get a hold of them without paying extortionate prices on E-bay.

FASHION

CUB 543.27 ARE YOU MOST INSPIRED BY BLOGS, BANDS OR MAGAZINES? Well, actually it all sort of filters through, it’s just whatever. It’s a lot to do with bands, looking at what they wear. FOR EXAMPLE... My beanie hat obsession is from the guy from The Maccabees, he wears a beanie, which looked really cool and I was like, ‘I wanna try that out’. YOU SEEM VERY AWARE OF WHAT’S NEW - DO YOU TAKE MUCH INSPIRATION FROM THE OLD, LIKE VINTAGE SHOPPING? I do go vintage shopping, I like the clothes. But quite frankly I don’t have the patience to do that kind of shopping. I don’t like when you go to like f****** Rokit or something and everyone’s like, kind of getting in your way, trying to pull this s*** out. I just very much prefer buying online- I like my own time, having things nicely laid out, seeing these nice things without people getting in your way.

WHAT SEPERATES THE SECOND HAND/HIGH STREET TO THE DESIGNER? I think what drives me to buy these high end fashions is that I have something that other people aren’t going to have. I once saw a guy wearing a hat I got at opening ceremony and he looked like a knobhead and I was like ‘how did he get hold of one?!’ IF YOU SEE SOMEONE WEARING SOMETHING YOU LIKE, WILL YOU TRY TO FIND AND BUY IT? I guess, but I really don’t like the idea of copying from someone else, I mean I don’t want to be called a hipster. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT LABEL? I find it quite funny. I think it’s just referring to anyone who’s better dressed than you. HAHA AND THAT SONG... ‘I love my life as a d***head?’ yeah I get that said to me a lot. END. words by Daisy Murray

Fashion Editor: Lucinda Turner Fashion Assistants: Alina Weckstrom, Alisa Krayeva, Zenobia Bharmal and Anum Ahmed Hair and Make up: Sarah Harrison Photography: Eleanor Doughty Model: Inga @Leni’s Model Management

(1) Jacket, £34.99, Shorts, £19.99, both New Look, Boots, £30, Simmi, Necklace, Stylist’s Own. Jacket, £25, Trousers, (2) £18, both Matalan, Boots, £35, Simmi, Neckalce, £10 Freedom @ Topshop, Ring, £7.50, Dorothy Perkins. (3) Jacket, £69, Pret-a-portobello, Dress, £16.99, Boots £24.99, both Internacionale. Necklace, £10, Dorothy Perkins, Bracelets, £12.00 for 6, Freedom @ Topshop. (4) Jeans, £22 Matalan, Blouse, Stylist’s Own, Jacket, £55, Topshop, Ring, £7.50 Ribbon and Asher @ Dorothy Perkins.

FRESH PRINTS

YVES SAINT LAURENT PARIS BY HEDI SLIMANE Or, something like that.. If you’re not aware, PR is the part of the fashion industry that makes it tick. From organising which celebrities should be attending the designer’s fashion show to controlling the flocks of bloggers and people trying to get in at the shows - PRs have a tough time of it. But sometimes they just do not help themselves. Very recently, the quintessential French fashion house Yves Saint Laurent recruited Hedi Slimane as their Creative Director, stealing him from rivals Christian Dior’s menswear line. With rumours spreading and speculation rising about the controversial move, Slimane finally went. Why controversial you may ask? Slimane is famous for his menswear, it being the only thing that he has ever done on a commercial and economically huge scale. Being recruited to design his debut women’s collections at such a huge brand as YSL therefore, created vast dubiety amongst industry critics. Since his appointment, Slimane has managed to persuade the execs of the brand to change their name. Yes YSL has undergone a rebrand and everyone, even the PRs, are confused. Firstly, why would you change the name of such a heritage brand? Second of all, why the hell would you make it as complicated as it has become? Here’s what I mean... Saint Laurent Paris is the name that was first announced to take over the classic YSL. Then I received an email from their PR on further instructions on the official nomenclature, as if I wasn’t already confused enough:

Lisa Armstrong, fashion editor of The Daily Telegraph, wrote in her review of Slimane’s debut show; ‘Judging by [Slimane’s] apparent fear of any kind of objective criticism, however, I fear I won’t be allowed back.’ Armstrong is not the only journalist struggling in this apparent battle with Slimane; Cathy Horyn, credited fashion journalist at the New York Times, has received what is arguably arrogant and unjust treatment from Slimane. He has not spoken to her in five years since she apparently criticised and mocked him in an article. As a result Horyn didn’t receive an invite for the most recent YSL show. So the problem we face is this: if well-established journalists are fearing the worst and not being able to speak their minds, then what can younger journalists be thinking? Margaret Sullivan of the New York Times put it succinctly in her writing on the Slimane commotion; ‘Criticism by its nature, cannot make its subjects happy at all times. And fashion designers are a temperamental lot. The combination is likely to result in a Parisian contretemps now and then — but not one that should change the critic’s approach.’ If YSL and other brands go down this road, then they’re not going to have anyone showing up at their shows. Now wouldn’t that be something? END.

‘The House is referred to as Yves Saint Laurent. The ready to wear collection by Hedi Slimane is referred to as Saint Laurent. Saint Laurent Paris is only used in the logo. Collection credits can be referred to as Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane.’ As you can see it has become incredibly complicated to now reference the brand, and trust me, if you get it wrong you will be told to change it.

words by Matthew Burt photo by Queen Bee

CUBCREATES

HEART ELBOW PATCH

Fashion Editor Sarah Harrison shows us how to wear our hearts on our sleeve with this handy and very simple DIY idea.

WHAT YOU NEED & HOW TO... A jumper, Felt (or any other material you want to use to create the pads with), Pins, Needle, Thread, Scissors, a Heart shaped template.

1. Use pins to mark where the heart patch needs to be placed.

2. Pin the template onto the material to create your patch and cut out the shape. Repeat.

3. Place cut-out heart in the position you marked out earlier and sew patch into place.

THE PEOPLE’S CITY Many of the cities in the Middle East have nicknames. Beirut is often referred to as the ‘Paris of the Middle East’, Jerusalem is the ‘Holy City’ and Damascus is the ‘city of Jasmine’. But for many young travellers Amman doesn’t appear to have much to offer. Having been criticised for its tame nightlife, its uninspiring buildings and a lack of tourist sites. Even the impressive Roman amphitheatre and the imposing citadel are sometimes wrongly disregarded as distinctly average. There is however, much more to Amman than its bricks and mortar. What makes the city worth visiting is the diversity of people who have flocked into Amman over the years, providing the city with a truly unique blend of cultures. Palestinians, Iraqis and Syrians make up a large proportion of the residents, particularly in Downtown Amman. Downtown Amman is usually regarded as the poorer area, lacking the plush housing and tidiness of upmarket West Amman. Yet this supposed ‘backwardness’ is what makes

Downtown so attractive. Its honesty and friendliness radiate from the people as they graciously welcome you into their homes. Walking down the street you are proudly greeted by locals, all of who seem genuinely interested in knowing why you are visiting and what you think of their city. At night the locals pull up old chairs onto the pavement, settling in for an evening of shisha by the main road. You quickly find yourself inundated with friendly offers to join them, whilst cups of tea are given in abundance. Such attitudes of kindness are not new to the Arab world; it is engrained in their culture. Arabs pride themselves on their longstanding tradition of offering hospitality to strangers and, when it comes to hospitality and friendliness, the Jordanians excel. On my outbound flight I got chatting to a Jordanian and four days later I found myself cheering on the national football team with him. The fans arrived some five hours before kickoff, turning the Amman International Stadium into a cauldron of passionate chants

JORDAN

As a student travelling on a budget, I found Downtown Amman easily the cheapest and most exciting area in the capital. With nearly all the budget youth hostels situated there, Downtown draws in a great crowd of likeminded travellers. You quickly find similar travellers who have tapped into the secret philosophy of what makes Amman interesting. Downtown provides an honest depiction of an Arab city. It might not have the smart skyscrapers like those found in the Gulf states, or the monumental landmarks, but its humble residents are what makes the city special. Jordan is certainly worth a visit even if you intend only to visit the main tourist sites. The much-publicised beauties of the Dead Sea, Mount Nebo, Petra and Wadi Rum should be visited if you decide to visit. If however, you wish to stray away from tourism’s beaten track, Amman is different; if you are prepared to be open-minded and look beyond the material limits you will unlock the true value of the city. This isn’t a city of magnificent natural beauty like Petra or Wadi Rum, but rather it is a city of modest, human beauty.

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and flag-waving. The old-school terraces were heaving with the united Jordanians, decked out in the colours of the National flag from head to toe. During the game a few fanatics scaled the wire fences, orchestrating the cacophony of chants and united scarf waving. Great clouds of concrete dust billowed up during the unison foot stamping. The discarded remains of pistachio shells crunched under foot as fans bounced up in union whenever there was a moment of drama, and hostile hisses from the Ultras greeted the Australian players whenever they bore down on goal. To the delight of the home crowd Jordan beat Australia 2-1 and a night of celebrations went on well into the early hours. Despite having attending many football games in the UK, I have never seen such passion and joy as displayed in Amman that memorable night. A football match is one of the cheapest and easiest ways of homing in on Jordanian culture.

TRAVEL

destination:

After arriving back in London, a brief conservation with a stranger on the train led to the subject of travelling around Jordan. ‘Oh yeah, Jordan, I’ve been there. I went to the Dead Sea, spent a morning wandering around Petra, a night in Wadi Rum and did some diving at Aqaba,’ the stranger proudly told me. ‘Did you go to Amman?’ I asked. Slightly taken aback he replied; ‘Amman? – Oh I went there to catch my flight home, but there isn’t anything worthwhile there...’ For some, Amman will remain a ‘passthrough city’ in the Middle East, but for me it will remain the ‘people’s city’, the meeting place of the Middle East. END.

words by Tom Wyke photos by Tom Flatman

Third date in and another success story! These two are both so sweet that I knew they would have a great time together, in the end they had a night laughing non-stop, and eating so much that they both felt sick by the time they parted ways!

QUPID

COUPLE 3: RACHEL RIGBY AND SAAD AKHTAR

‘Rachel is the best good time gyal I know!’ - Jade French ‘Saad is a quiet and timid guy who is afraid to show his feelings... He is also hung like a fish! - Ashley Smith

Initial thoughts after ﬁrst setting eyes on your date? S: Initially another girl (the photographer) was there too so I thought ‘three way date? Not sure I can handle this’. But when I realized it was just her, I was pleased. I recognized her face from around uni but had never spoken to her. R: I think I was quite pleased I didn’t really know him. What did you choose to eat? S: Marinated chicken. It was nice, but the sauce got a bit sickly after a while. We both decided to have quite big starters so neither of us could finish our main. R: We shared starters (romantic) and then I had a goat’s cheese tart. Best parts of the date? S: Can’t put my finger on one moment so just the whole damn thing (criiiiiiinge!!) R: I think..maybe when we agreed on the Rosé..I was anticipating that being an issue because I don’t really like red or white wine that much.

…and worst? S: At the very start when the photographer decided to do a mini photo-shoot when we’d barely even said hi to each other, that was a bit awk. R: Probably when it was a bit awkward at the beginning, but it wasn’t really that bad. Or maybe when he told me he has an issue with people not squeezing toothpaste from the bottom. I feel that may have been a low point of conversation. Any sexual tension? S: None to be honest. (this is going to be a bit embarrassing if she writes that there was loads!) R: I mean I’m going to say no, I talked for a long time about how I used to live above a really rank kebab shop so if there was anyway I think I definitely killed it with that. Out of ten? S: After carrying out a careful analysis of the date and taking everything into consideration... I’d give it about 9.75. R: I had fun, I’m going to say 9.9 - minus some for the toothpaste comment. Qupid is patting herself on the back once again. Tune in next month for round four, I have another delightful pair in the pipeline, and I have some high hopes that these guys are going to be all over each other!

photo by Eleanor Doughty

WANT TO BE THE NEXT QUPID COUPLE? to get involved send an email to qupid@cubmagazine.co.uk

CUB 543.35

Were you nervous? S: To be honest I was. Only because I was worried I was going to be set up with some absolute weirdo! R: A bit, I was scared it would be someone that would laugh at me or drink all the wine…

EDITORIAL TEAM THOSE WHO HELPED PUT THIS ISSUE TOGETHER

EDITOR IN CHIEF: Anna Matheson SUB EDITORS: Emma Shone, Alice Harry, Jemima Chamberlain-Adams, Jessica Anne Ormrod & Edward Clibbens PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS: Laura Blair & Eleanor Doughty LONDON EDITORS: Bryony Hannah Orr & Lizzie Howis FEATURES EDITORS: Lauren Cantillon & James Deacon MUSIC EDITORS: Edward Clibbens & Ryan Ramgobin ARTS EDITORS: Millie Jefferies & Phoenix Alexander FASHION EDITORS: Lucinda Turner & Sarah Harrison FILM EDITORS: Harry Foster & Catherine Bridgman TRAVEL EDITORS: Megan Morrison - Sloan & Tom Wyke QUPID EDITOR: Rosemara Mather-Lupton