CUB 548 by CUB Magazine

CUB

ISSUE 548

4 8 19 25 31

LONDON

ARTS

FEATURES

MUSIC

STYLE

37 39 45

PHOTOGRAPHY

TRAVEL

COLUMNS

ISSUE 548 - Editor’s Letter

Wilkommen Bienvenue Welcome Something I have been incredibly proud of whilst compiling this issue is the way in which the expression of ideas has been achieved. This is a safe place to explore issues which touch all of us, whether that’s examining events from half the world away to the things people write on Facebook. It’s also a way of exposing us QM students to the events happening right here on campus, as well as in London. This issue we’ve picked our upcoming things to see at The Royal Court Theatre, compiled a list of the ultimate music venues of East London and interviewed a Haiku poet IN haikus! Make sure you don’t miss our Q&A with Kate Nash, who took time out of her current world tour to chat to us. Eyes wide open – there’s a lot in store this year. Lauren Cantillon.

CUB Presents

Poppy Turner... Words: Hannah Ballard Inspired by William Blake, Carol Ann Duffy and her native Yorkshire environment, Poppy writes poetry as she ‘enjoys it as the perfectly encapsulated form for expressing an idea or an image.’

Earlier this year Vivienne Westwood, in partnership with youyou mentoring, put out a call for young poets to help her enact a climate revolution as well as revive the lost love of poetry.

Poppy read her climate change poetry at Keats House on 19th October but if you couldn’t afford the slightly unstudenty prices for a ticket, below is poem she wrote shortly after moving to London, published exclusively for the first time.

One of the five 18-21 year olds to be selected is a second year English student at Queen Mary: Poppy Turner.

Photo: Lee Bailey/flickr

Learning to love you (Ode to the Yorkshire moors) Your large expanses form a contrast To the stark white sky onto which you open yourself. You are the chair of an exclusive club, Seat of the heavens, Home to wild horses, to Cathy and Heathcliff, Dog walkers, writers, and early risers. You are beautiful, but unforgiving. It takes effort to reach your heart, Tearing the clothes from my hot skin Only to clutch them tightly again As the cooling sweat raises goosebumps. Instead of braving the gradients I was content to grow restless in the valley, Awaiting my escape into the big busy world. But despite myself, I miss you. I miss the unforgiving wilderness And the wind shocking the pink into my cheeks. You’re wild and wily You got deep under my skin. And like a nagging, itching feeling, You’re calling me home.

Illustration: Alice Harry

LONDON

London editor Anna Thornton reveals her highlights of East London

serves great coffee

and delicious locally

to page 32 for more

Rich

Mix:

sourced food.

information.

Turn

4: Llamas Pajama:

9: Columbia Road :

without

the

flower market - Turn

best charity shop in

to page 12 for more

East London, it is a

information.

doubt

hippy treasure trove for

any

shopping

10: Alibi: a basement club with an always-

junkie.

free-entry policy, they

5: Indo: a scruffy but

host DJs, film nights

charming

and kitsch karaoke.

bar

with

delicious pizzas and a great atmosphere

11: Hoxton Square Bar/Kitchen: relaxed

6: Freedom Press:

bar with back room,

hidden down an alley

check

behind

listings for an eclectic

art

Whitechapel gallery

bookshop

has

this an

unparalleled selection of politics, philosophy and theory books all at a reasonable (nonprofit making) price.

1&2: Victoria Park:

with a beautiful view

7: Whitechapel art gallery: known for

this

of the boating lake.

its

huge

park

was

the first of its kind and

ever-changing

collection

contemporary

warrant a walk around

3: Zealand Road café: a short walk

it at any time of the

from

and

also run free events

near to Victoria Park,

such as film viewings

Zealand

and lectures.

pretty

year.

The

enough

pavilion

café has great food

university Road

and

avant-garde art, they

café

their

event

mix of music events.

DIVERSITY Unless you’re a crazy fascist Oswald Mosley type character you’ll probably be grateful for the diversity that London life provides. Variety, multiplicity, dissimilarity and difference

are what make our city so interesting and accessible. Living in London is an eye opening experience; for some it completely changes and enhances their lives. London embraces

people’s differences and that translates onto campus. We want to fill you in on the places and people that will make this possible, so here are four of our very own QM societies that are celebrating diversity with us:

“QM LGBT Society is a welcoming, safe space for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender students to meet and socialise with like-minded people. The society is open to anyone: those who have been out for years, those who came out last week, or those who are questioning their sexuality or gender identity. We are not only accessible to gay students, but we have an equal focus on supporting transgender students and those who have alternative gender identities. We are passionate about making sure that the ‘T’ in LGBT is not silent, and have committee members who identitfy as L, G, B, T and Queer. We are also very welcoming of LGBT Allies attending our socials. I see the LGBT society as an essential of university life. So many students want to truly be themselves and express themselves in a way that they perhaps didn’t feel able to at school during their university careers. The LGBT Society always has loads of great socials on! We are also teaming up with the newly formed QMSpectrum group this year to start discussion groups: topics have included “What Is Identity?” and will be having more in the upcoming weeks.” - Alex Samuel, President of LGBT society “After the successful launch of the QM Indian Cultural Society last year, we have now become one of Queen Mary’s biggest, most vibrant and popular societies! We welcome not only Indians, but anyone who is interested in Indian culture! Our aim is to promote and celebrate Indian culture. As a part of that we also want to offer you opportunities that add flavour to your university experience and make these days memorable! Our events cater to a diverse crowd, so there is something exciting for whatever type of individual you are! We have many upcoming exciting events, so get your diaries ready now!” - Sneh Vaswani, Co-President of Indian Society

“Coming soon is an extremely exciting, seemingly controversial but completely friendly, India vs. Pakistan paint balling match! Also, if you think you are hot and spicy and can handle the heat, we have a chilli eating competition around the corner... so prepare your taste buds for a sizzling experience! ” - Shameelah Khan, Co-Founder of Indian Society “QM Equality is a feminist society through which we aim to address sexism on our campus, defend our rights, educate people about women’s struggles and continue the fight for women’s liberation. We advocate intersectional feminism. Intersectionality is the theory that gender, race/ethnicity, class, ability, sexual orientation and nationality intersect to create particular forms of oppression therefore all oppression is interlinked and cannot be examined separately from each other. People should get involved because in despite of women having equal rights in the eyes of the law there is a lot more to be done to make that supposed equality a reality. We organise events that include discussions, protests, open-mic nights, panel debates and the yearly Festival51. We welcome people of all genders or non to our events and it doesn’t matter how much or how little you know. The first half an hour of committee meetings are for self-identifying women in order to provide a safe space where women can speak in confidence about anything they want to. We are a support network for women on campus so please always feel free to contact us outside of meeting hours if there’s anything you need to discuss. We also have a black/ minority/ethnic rep, lesbian and bisexual rep, trans rep and ability rep that may be able to help you.” - Amberine Khan, QM Equality/Black/Minority/Ethnic Rep “QMSU Ability is a student society focusing on improving the welfare and social integration of disabled students whilst campaigning on related issues. We welcome all students who enjoy getting together and having fun to become members. Alongside this we regularly run campaigns to raise awareness of issues affecting disabled students. Our main aim is to ensure no student is ignored and there is equality for all. Ability works with the DDS and the Disability Students’ Representative to ensure that the needs of disabled students are met, whilst aiming to continue and develop social inclusion for all and to improve disability awareness.” - Daniel Holt, President of QM Ability

LONDON

“I’m really proud of how diverse our Campus is; we have one of the most socially diverse campuses in the city and our society structure exists to support and enhance it to the fullest. We have over twenty five cultural societies for people from different communities, over fifteen faith societies and more arts, political and interest societies than I can even count! So there really is something for everyone. We’re also always open to ideas for new societies to be added to our community at QMSU, and you can do that by going to the societies page on qmsu.org and clicking on the link to set a new society up. The community of societies is one of the best things about Queen Mary.” – Sarah Sarwar, QMSU President

A FORGOTTEN CLASSIC Stoner: The Quietly Beautiful Novel As my second year came to an end, and a holidayless summer loomed, I turned my attention to finding work experience within the publishing industry. It was at one of these placements that I was handed a copy of John Williams’ novel Stoner.

a few weeks ago, the first thing I saw was a large table piled high with copies of the book, supported by a quote from Ian McEwan.

Having never heard of the novel before, I was unsure what to expect. The title didn’t give much away, nor did it pertain to any expectations of a classic, sounding more like a modern Melvin Burgess novel for teens. I left it on my desk untouched.

‘So why have I never heard of this book?’ You cry. I’ve thought hard about this and have come to the conclusion that it’s because the story is so simple. In a nutshell, Stoner is about a man who becomes a teacher of English Literature, marries a woman who doesn’t truly love him and after living a fairly quiet and cramped life, dies. It is a novel which eludes the dramatic, the overwrought and the exceptional.

However, it was the next day during a departmental meeting that my interest in the novel grew. Publicists began to talk about the book and its recent success in the Netherlands. I couldn’t help but get drawn into the curious story surrounding Williams’ novel and found myself turning page after page of it on the tube journey home.

Stoner, beautifully and extremely quietly, portrays life and love. The book explores the thin and obscure line between love and hate. It shows us how one man falls in love with literature and falls out of love with his wife. How a person can do the wrong thing in an attempt to stand by their morals, to stand up for what they believe in even if it ruins their career. In its uniquely unobtrusive manner, it is a book brimming with subtle yet poignant scenes. Scenes which will stay with a reader for a long time

First published in 1965, Stoner gained some positive reviews yet soon fell under the literary radar and was out of print within a year. It was only in 2006, after a staggering forty years, that it was reissued in America and thus began an international resurgence. Rather surprisingly, it became a massive hit in the Netherlands in 2012 and has since also sold in its thousands across Italy, France and Spain. With a little help from Tom Hanks, who named it as one of his top five books in a Time interview, Stoner is now also experiencing popularity in America and England. Walking into a London Waterstones

Stoner tells more than the story of just one life. In its unexceptional manner, it speaks of millions of people, who most days just plod along doing their own thing. Despite being set in the early twentieth century, the events in William Stoner’s life are relevant and will continue to be relevant to men and women for years to come. It is this insight into everyday life which is creating a new following for the novel. Whilst many people will be struggling to get through their required course materials, let alone have time to read something for fun, I would still recommend picking up a copy of Stoner. If you’re looking for something truly different, an honest insight into the everyday, then this is the novel for you.

Wo r d s : A l a i n na G e o r g i o u

P h ot o : L a u ra B l a i r

Developed as a collaboration between Rage Productions Mumbai and the British Council, The Royal Court brings us a play that examines the realities of conflict, and what the consequences of growing up in such an environment mean for children. 18th October - 9th November 2013

Brand New Ancients Kate Tempest A tuneful performance by spoken word artist Kate Tempest that looks to explore iconography in the modern age. Performed as part of a national tour, the production received a Herald Angel Award after showing at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 14th - 16th November 2013

Let the Right One In Jack Thorne Based on John Ajvide Lindqvistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s critically acclaimed novel and film, this play is set to provide a new dimension to a loved bestseller. Charting the brutal yet sensitive relationship between a Vampire and a young boy, this is a must see new piece. 29th November - 21st December 2013

Not I / Footfall / Rockaby Samuel Beckett Artist Lisa Dwan performs a series of monologues in a one woman Samuel Beckett trilogy. The three works combine to create an intense performance, one not to be missed for those studying his work. 9th - 18th January 2014 8

Wo r d s : B e l p h o e b e N e w

Coming Up at THE ROYAL COURT

ARTS

The Djinns of Eidgah Abhishek Majumdar

GOODNESS or COWARDICE? ‘The Ritual Slaughter of Gorge Mastromas’ at the Royal Court Theatre

The Ritual Slaughter of Gorge Mastromas is a modern

be faced, and unsurprisingly it proves less entertaining

day tragedy set against a backdrop of capitalism and

dealing with them than it was committing the crime.

personal relationships. The question

Helped

of goodness or cowardice encapsulates

haunting lighting the second act is largely

the concerns of this play, creating

a series of duologues set in poignant

with

locations as Gorge faces accountability. A

devastating effects. Under newly instated

claustrophobic yet desolate atmosphere

artistic

is created, but it lacks the edge and

spiralling

writer

tale

director Dennis

of Vicky

Kelly

morality

Featherstone, demands

that

electronic

screens

and

momentum which drove the first act.

we ask ourselves this very question. Elderly Gorge faces potential murder as Kelly is of course best known for the

he sits in his abandoned mansion, but as

fantastic family-friendly Matilda, but this

the running time reached three hours,

new work is a strictly grown-up affair. The

much of the audience’s capacity for

playful darkness seen in Kelly’s previous

emotion has been depleted. The closing

creations is blown wide open in this fable-

scenes attempt to evoke emotional

like production which touches on the

intensity, but I struggled to channel

economy, sex, paedophilia and deception.

anything except exhaustion. A play with such bold themes and direction promised

The play rests on the capable shoulders

something startling, but instead the fable

of the nine piece ensemble, who spend

simmers on far longer than necessary.

the first half hour sat in a line describing Gorge’s childhood years. It’s an attention-

Despite this, Pippa Haywood is utterly

grabbing scene, set beneath a mystical

believable in her scene-stealing turn

gauze of the night’s sky, which prepares

as the devilishly charismatic business

us for a darkly humoured and enjoyably

woman who converts Gorge to total

unconventional piece of story-telling.

selfishness.

Tom

Brooke

steps

admirably to the task of embodying The first act teeters on the brink as

the

we follow pivotal moments of Gorge’s

balancing the complex layers of lies

life, the play succinctly commenting

and reality which resonate in Gorge.

on his moral inclinations as he moves

And to round it off, Tom Scutt’s stylish

from morally sound to ruthlessly bad.

and versatile set is wonderfully slick,

There is a grotesque fascination in

and its creativity serves to compliment

exploring just how far a man could

the direction rather than overpower it.

ill-fated

protagonist,

delicately

go to manipulate those around him, and

clearly

Vicky Featherstone has clearly made

possesses a limitless capacity for lies.

Kelly’s

lead

character

an impact with her first piece in her new role at the Royal Court Theatre,

Gorge’s sinister plan unfolds in a

and despite being overly long and

spectacularly effective scene set in a

indulgent it can’t be denied that The

hotel room, where in order to seduce his

Ritual Slaughter of Gorge Mastromas

colleague he takes advantage of the sexual abuse she

hangs a question mark over the concept of morality

suffered as a child. It is here that the production plunges

staying with you long after leaving the auditorium.

into the very depths of human nature. However, consequences ultimately have to

Words: Imogen Atkinson Photos: c/o The Royal Court Theatre and Manuel Harlan

ARTS

James Bran

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(@ajamesbran) was a runner

up in the London heat of the BBC Radio New Comedy Award; his performance can be found on iPlayer. James also hosts The Patchwork Club, a

variety evening mixing comedy, poetry, music and a whole lot of messing about. It is re-launching on

H: D A d id you oct wa or, nt Wa to b as sp pa oet e the cema n, o dre r am ?

Wednesday October 16th in Camden.

J: T hey Is t he sou say br evi lo ty I’m f wit, als pre o tty laz y

H: Wh a An d m t insp ire ade com dy yo edy o hai u thin u, ku. k, I m

J A m : I wa n ale exo ted to Bu tG tic be od wa dance sn’ r ust t wri kin d te

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H: Me Tin d J: H De ym spa itatio ai om no ir a do ent ku ar r ta you e s th key sta at w about rt w boar , e sh Co d: h riti me are ow ng? dy is t oo J: K H: Gra eep y H ou ba Jap ow do pen r eye a so y and pen the nese p ou m lea ake Liv , del oem ve e ive s firs the ma s fu ry? t, w ll nn h o y; rite u sec se ond J: F H: r In 5-7 “It’ ank C Giv a s th 5 ea e w rson w hai Th ay ku e st oul I te defi ate ds ll e n of y He m’” ay our ing vot bu ed life UK t . IP J: L Ha H: ife vin Wh is w gs at a giv aid ond e to dvi tha erf ce me the tI Low ul, wo , to do per uld e hav hel x fec you pec pm th e t a aik tio ew u. ns rite H: Ha So iku J: De wh Alo s at d sa ngs re n pite a oy ide Pai ppe ot j ou T nt wri h do u ara ey pla tin hav st thr nce tes gh , ee e tw aik wh lin u, ite oc hap es and ter blu s e? H: J: I Let ’ve So s fi Wh jus for nis ich t bo the of y h on on ugh nex hig aft t tm h, er y our h All ont FIFA a ou els die iku w e is h or s ill l . o on ive hol [No d .28 -T han ks for Co ld S H Th und aving e p ay Me Sup har mo ] pos ma rni cy ew ng is c ek los eep ed it? Words: Hannah Ballard Photo: c/o James Bran

PARTY

New to London or just looking for somewhere different to go? In this issue, Cub Arts is giving a rundown of 4 of the best places to watch, make, eat, sleep, play and buy art.

The Book Club

The Social

100-106 Leonard St, EC2A 4RH

5 Little Portland St, W1W 7JD

www.wearetbc.com

www.thesocial.com

Think of your old arts and crafts class at school

If you’re feeling a bit adventurous and fancy

... Now stain your memories with a splash of

heading out to Central, it’s worth checking out

alcohol and some alternative music, surrounded

The Social. Just a short walk from Oxford Circus

by other like-minded ingenious individuals and

station, the Social has a side street speakeasy

you are in The Book Club. The epitome of quirk;

vibe and oozes cool with its poured concrete,

this restaurant-come-nightclub is open 7 days a

stripped

week and pinpoints the most exciting location

bulbs. It offers a packed calendar of events for

to pour out your creative juices in the East End.

any taste; recreate Notting Hill Carnival with

Whether you fancy Crap Film Club, life drawing,

Hot Wuk Wednesdays, drop some beats at hip

brainy talks on literature releases, or a Make Your

hop karaoke on Thursdays, or pop in anytime

Own Clutch Bag event, The Book Club is bound to

throughout

have something up your street. Not only does this

culture dose. It’s worth grabbing one of the free

venue rebrand the London art scene by fusing it

member’s cards, as these will get you 2-for-1 on

with social partying in a way never done before,

a range of selected beers, wines and cocktails

it’s just a stone’s throw away in neighbouring

before 8pm.

Shoreditch. Complete with a moderately-priced

check out one of the best arty bars outside the

menu to tantalise the taste buds, TBC is certain

East End then the Faber social events should

to provide a innovative environment best shared

draw you out. Hosted by one of the last great

with a handful of your wackiest companions over

independent publishing houses in London, the

a couple of your favourite cocktail concoctions.

bi-monthly night has previously hosted names

HS.

such as Jarvis Cocker, Owen Jones and John

wooden

the

boards

month

and

for

exposed

light

arts/music/

If those aren’t enough reasons to

Niven, and with ticket prices cheaper than most cinemas, it’d be rude not to. HB.

ARTS

Arts Print - the social image courtesy of Carl Gosling, Arts print - the book club - image by yukino Miyazawa, Arts Print - Columbia road market - by shootingjaydred/flickr

Spitalfields Market

Columbia Road Market

Spitalfields, E1 6EW

Columbia Road, E2 7RG

www.spitalfields.co.uk

www.columbiaroad.info

Just up from Brick Lane, and a 5 minute walk

If you’re stuck for something to do on a Sunday

from

Spitalfields

and your new flat needs a little sprucin’, then

market is most definitely a destination that

Columbia Road Flower Market is a distinctly

should be on any East End explorer’s agenda.

easy on the eye option. You’ve probably been

Being undercover, this market is not weather

told that Brick Lane is the Sunday market of

dependant, and features everything from retro

choice, but Columbia Road is a slightly softer

clothing to handmade jewellery, fashion and

option for the person who likes a bit more of

crafts. In addition to the daily Trader’s Market,

a ‘Mumford and Sons’ vibe. Though slightly out

the stalls in Old Spitalfields change regularly:

of the way, it’s about a twenty minute walk

Thursday

Style

from Bethnal Green station or a short ride on

Market, and a record fair on the first and third

the number eight bus. Not just a flower market,

Friday of the month. The busiest day is a Sunday,

the road is filled with achingly quaint craft shops

and as it is so close, I recommend incorporating

which will immediately have you decking out

it with a trip to Brick Lane market. The market

your imaginary London penthouse in no time.

itself is surrounded by independent retailers and

With a slightly different atmosphere than the

a selection of restaurants, so whether you fancy

rest of East London, it’s easy to see Columbia

a coffee break at Patisserie Valerie mid-shop,

Road through rose tinted glasses, and whether

or some tapas and cocktails after a busy day

you’ve a liking for gardenias or hydrangea, you

rummaging, you are sure to find something that

will inevitably leave with a wide selection of floral

takes your fancy.

décor.

HM.

BN.

Liverpool

Street

Antiques

Station,

Market,

Saturday

Words: Hari Mountford, Hannah Sargeant,Hannah Ballard & Belphoebe New.

CUB RECOMMENDS The CUB Film team have handpicked some upcoming movies we think you’re going to love. So sit back, relax and read some of the most exciting new releases as previewed and reviewed by your fellow QM students.

BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOUR

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS

UK General Release: 15th November One

the

most

controversial,

critically

acclaimed and highly anticipated films of the year, Blue Is the Warmest Colour paints a beautiful and uncompromising portrait of a love story between two teenage girls. Based on ‘Blue Angel’, a graphic novel by Julie Maroh, the film is an important work in contemporary LGBT cinema. The combination of Abdellatif Kechiche’s

bold

direction

and

UK General Release: 18th October

devoted

We already know director Paul Greengrass can do intense action-drama very well (United 93, The Bourne Supremacy), but his new film looks set to be a very tense edge-of-your-seat affair. A dramatization of the real-life hijacking of the ‘Maersk-Alabama’, Captain Phillips sees Oscar-winner Tom Hanks literally at the helm on a ship attacked by Somalian pirates. Watch out for the critically-acclaimed performance

performances from Adele Exarchopoulos and

of Barkhad Abdi as the leader of the gang

Lea Seydoux collectively earned them the

who embark on a treacherous and dangerous

Palme d’Or at the 66th Cannes Film Festival,

mission to take over the ship. Captain Phillips

which was awarded to both the director and the

was the Opening Gala at the London Film

actors for the first time in the award’s history.

Festival this year, and is sure to attract some

RL.

attention come awards season. KT.

Words: Jennie Shearman, Catherine Bridgman, Josh Robin Thorpe, Katie Edwards, Robbie Laing, Kumari Tilakawardane

FILM

GRAVITY

CARRIE

UK General Release: 8th November

UK General Release: November 29th

3 Photos (right to left): c/o Murray close, Columbia Pictures Industries, Images.net

Director

George

With a release date perfect for a post-Halloween

Clooney and Sandra Bullock as two astronauts

Alfonso

Cuaron

places

slasher crowd, Carrie - directed by Kimberly

in space whose mission is compromised when

Pierce - is an up-to-date re-make of the cult

a Russian satellite is destroyed, sending debris

classic based on Steven King’s original novel

flying through space right at them. The mission

of the same name. The film stars Chloe Moretz

now: to survive. A pretty simple premise, but

as the crazed Carrie and Julianne Moore as

don’t let that deter you. The film promises to

her abusive, over-religious mother. Although

be a visual spectacle depicting space in all its

this film is perhaps unlikely to please die-

beauty and terror, immersing the viewer in

hard Carrie fans, this re-invention is set to be

the atmosphere of utter loneliness that the

the perfect flick for those who wish to indulge

characters experience whilst hurtling through

in some mindless terror for the Halloween

the darkness. It is being hailed as a cinematic

season. Classic horror alongside the timeless

experience and is surely one that should not be

story of Carrie guarantees good indulgent

missed.

entertainment, with some pretty faces thrown

KE.

in for good measure. JS.

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE

DON JON

UK General Release: November 21st

UK General Release: 15th November

With the massive success of the first film,

My first impression of Don Jon (a film about

Hunger Games: Catching Fire is set to be one

a guy with a porn addiction who dates Scarlett

of the major teen-based films of this year. With

Johansson) was one that raised my eyebrows.

new casting additions such as Sam Claflin

I am excited to see it because it gives the

and Jena Malone, the series will be heating

impression of not taking itself too seriously

up - not just in terms of Katniss’ tumultuous

– a film which is bound to attract attention. I

relationships, but also the state of affairs

think it will be interesting to see how Joseph

within the districts. Things are getting serious

Gordon-Levitt goes from the heroics of The

in the world of Panem and the 75th Hunger

Dark Knight Rises to handling the role of a

Games are set to be a competition like no other.

chronic masturbator whilst in a relationship

A series unabashedly political and emotionally

with the male audience’s sole motivation for

gripping, this sequel is set to make waves.

going to see it in the first place.

CB.

JRT.

So should we approach sequels and prequels as standalone films, rather than add-ons to other films? Do prequels and sequels add anything of importance, apart from plot development? After watching a prequel or sequel, do you feel fulfilled or just full of hatred? There are a few upcoming sequels and prequels to be excited about (Anchorman 2!). Here’s hoping we won’t be watching it wishing they’d left the original alone.

The Dark Knight

is far grittier and darker

than Batman Begins. The storyline is engrossing and runs without hardly any glitches. Heath Ledger’s

Joker

sublime,

Scarecrow

into

and

blows

cinematic

poor

oblivion.

It’s the little things that make the

MAKE OR

film brilliant: there’s so much going on, with several sub-plots. The Dark Knight

bound

entertain

and

surprise you no matter how many times you watch it.

BREAK

Anchorman

is just hilarious. Will

Ferrell being a complete idiot on film is all anyone could ever want. You can’t move for Anchorman-related internet memes these days, and I’ve honestly never met anyone who can’t quote at

The Dark Knight betters Batman Begins in every

least one line from the film. Anchorman 2 has a

possible way – plot, casting, action, special

lot to live up to – how can this film top Burgundy’s

effects... in this case, the sequel is surely better

flute-playing and the stand-off? And if you don’t

than the first. This is a good example, however

know what I’m talking about... YouTube. Now.

prequels and sequels can completely destroy the original movie’s legacy and completely alter

For all the good, there must be bad. And it is very

your opinion on a film you initially loved. And

bad. The poor Star

of course once a bad prequel/sequel has been

much to say on this matter really, apart from

seen, it cannot be unseen – you’ll never be able

don’t waste your time. Ugh. If you do attempt

to shake off the disappointing anti-climax of

to watch them though, make sure you’re either

watching a rubbish addition to a series.

drunk or in some weird self-torturous mood...

Wars prequels. I don’t have

Yet it can be done: The Hangover 2, The Godfather 2, Terminator 2 and Die Harder are just a few that have only enhanced the original film and triumphed as good sequels. These films have achieved what very few other prequels/sequels have – they’ve managed to capture the same level of entertainment as the originals, whilst still creating a completely different perspective for the film.

Words: Heulwen Williams

Photos (right to left): c/o Rotten Tomatoes, Lucie_Ottobruc/flickr

This past year has been brilliant for film, but more specifically sequels and prequels. We’ve seen Pixar answer the prayers of many a 20-year-old with Monsters University, Robert Downey Jr. don the metal suit again in Iron Man 3, and of course part one of Peter Jackson’s blockbuster The Hobbit. Sequels and prequels have a lot to answer for, from the viewers’ point of view – they make or break the series. Expectations are high, and if we’ve watched a film and loved it, the follow up has to be a heck of a film to come close. You have to be brave to attempt making such a thing: sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

FILM

MARION COTILLARD: from the beginning to Rust and Bone Blood Ties (2013), directed by Guillaume Canet,

well presented war scenes and the turmoil of

hits cinemas at the end of October. But before

WWI. The film was and is still greatly received.

its release creeps up on us, let’s take a moment

Known for many roles as the beautiful heroine,

to look back over the career and cinematogra-

or the desired target of male affection – here we

phy of Marion Cotillard and pluck out a few of

can note, partly in retrospect, Big Fish (2003),

what can be considered her greatest roles yet.

Moi et Toi (2006), as Billie Frechette oppo-

Born September 30th, this Parisian beauty

site Johnny Depp in Public Enemies (2009),

seems to have been thrust immediately into

as the haunting character Mal in Inception (2010), more recently and with a slight twist, in The Dark Knight Rises (2012) as Miranda. Contrary to this, La Vie en Rose (2007) sees Cotillard take complete centre stage as French singer Edith Piaf in a biopic of her life. The role shows Cotillard at her best. Director Olivier Dahan encapsulates Piaf’s life in achronological stages, the film building upon itself, holding back any form of catharsis until the near end. Fast-forward quite some time to the arrival of Rust and Bone (2012). This is one of the most emotionally juxtaposing and capturing films I have seen to date. Cotillard plays Stephanie, a professional killer whale trainer who looses her lower legs whilst performing. Alongside Matthias Schoenaerts – also known for his brilliant performance in the Flemish spoken film Bullhead (2011) – whose character, Ali manages to pull Stephanie out of a spiralling depression. Ali’s pitiless and ruthless attitude towards life, paired with an underlying loving nature, is what brings these two very different people together.

a life filled with creativity and talent. Her fa-

Writer-director, Jacques Audiard’s deep un-

ther was the impressive conglomeration of

derstanding of his own characters allows for

teacher, actor and mime, with her mother be-

the protagonists and the actors behind them to

ing a drama teacher and an actress herself.

propel forward dazzling, soulful performances.

Following in the families footsteps, Marion

There are, without a doubt, many films before

began acting as a child and continually played

and after Rust and Bone that are unmentioned,

parts in shorts and various televisions se-

yet remain extremely worthy and artful. Look-

ries. It seems that both her roles in Love Me

ing forward to films to come, we will see Marion

Guillaume

in a play-to-screen adaption of Shakespeare’s

Canet, and Big Fish (2003), Burton and Ewan

Macbeth alongside Michael Fassbender – date

McGregor, are attributable of a breakthrough.

to be confirmed. Whether you are an old fan,

Moving forward one year, we see the release

an undiscovered fan or not a fan of Cotillard’s

of A Very Long Engagement (2004). At 133

at all, I highly recommend first and foremost,

minutes, the films length in part serves the

Rust and Bone for its sheer brilliance, sec-

purpose of mirroring its title. We see the Jean-

ondly, A Very Long Engagement for it’s fan-

Pierre Jeunet of Amilie return with just as

tasy arts house qualities and finally, La Vie en

much whimsical fantasy-magic and romance,

Rose for pure, centre stage, Marion Cotillard.

You

Dare

(2003)

alongside

yet this time we are confronted with horrific, Words: Jessica Pratten

Who is James Franco? & WHY DO WE CARE? Words: Kumari Tilakawardane

The new trailer for Palo Alto raises an all too

In 2011 Franco added the title of professor to

familiar question – just who is James Franco?

his list of talents, leading a class on adapting

The

poetry at NYU. He has also taught at Columbia

35-year-old

label: actor, director,

almost

impossible

screenwriter, teacher,

College, Hollywood.

student, model, producer, author… The media is constantly in a frenzy trying to pin Franco

The Weekly Standard argued that “Franco

down with one of these titles, or else something

risks spreading his abundant talents too thin”

less

unlike

and went on to suggest he should pick one area

Franco’s persona, is simple: why do we need to

of interest and stick with it. I guess they’re

label him?

right – I mean who does he think he is to have

complimentary.

question,

interests and hobbies? Palo Alto marks a coming together of just some of Franco’s talents – the film is based on his

Along with the commentary on his academics,

eponymous book of short stories published in

Franco is hounded by speculation on his

2010 – and it seems that in Hollywoodland

sexuality. The Comedy Central Roast of James

you can’t have more than one area of interest

Franco aired earlier this month, featuring

without coming under incredible scrutiny.

a host of comic personalities including Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill and Sarah Silverman taking

Franco currently has 5 books on Amazon as

the stage to essentially taunt Franco with jokes

well as multiple film credits on IMDB: 89

lampooning his sexuality and artistic nature.

as actor, 20 as director, 16 for writing and a

Rumours on whether or not he is gay seem to

further 12 producing credits. He has appeared

have arisen because of some of Franco’s film

in numerous TV shows and is one of the

roles: Scott Smith in Milk, Allen Ginsberg in

faces of Gucci. Few will forget his distinctive

Howl and his own film about gay pornography

performance as Academy Awards host in 2011,

Interior. Leather Bar. come to mind.

the same year he was nominated as Best Actor for his role in 127 Hours.

Franco himself has played up to these rumours, apparently parodying the media’s incessant

Despite all his achievements in the world of

need to cast everyone in a specific sexual

performance, it is usually Franco’s academic

category. Recent (self-published) photos of

career and personal life that attracts the most

Franco kissing a man caused a big stir among

attention and derision in the media.

gossip-mongers, but the accompanying photos of Franco kissing a woman didn’t seem to

Franco, labelled by Time as “the 21st century’s

have gotten as many column inches. The

first great public intellectual” enrolled at UCLA

Roast dedicated a lot of time to calling Franco

in 2006, undertaking 62 credits per semester

gay, apparently ignoring his previous 5-year

(the normal limit is 19). After graduating in

relationship with actress Ahna O’Reilly, who

2008, he then enrolled in Columbia University,

also has a big role in his new movie As I Lay

New York University (NYU), Brooklyn College

Dying.

and Warren Wilson College simultaneously.

FILM and countless intrusive speculations? An artist, actor, Franco’s

own

apparent

disdain

for

director,

writer,

model,

producer...

the

James Franco is many things. Is it really

speculation around his private life demonstrates

necessary that he be totally defined as just one?

the gulf in culture between broader Western society and the society of celebrity – arguably

Check out CUB’s review of James Franco’s

general society has finally started the process

new film As I Lay Dying online at www.

become

cubmagazine.co.uk

accepting

towards

non-

heterosexual genders and sexualities, but the constant buzz around Franco’s sexuality in tabloid gossip columns only demonstrates that in Hollywood people are still judged and defined by their sexual preference. Throughout his career, Franco has not just blurred the line between gay and straight; the James Dean star’s entire professional life has been dedicated to challenging norms. Films on pornography, drugs, necrophilia, bondage and of course Oz: The Great and Powerful all go to demonstrate that this is not a one-dimensional human, as the rest of Hollywood tries to pretend to be. So all-in-all, I fail to see the reason for confusion or ridicule or the general sensationalist furore over James Franco’s choices. Surely it’s laudable for someone in an age so obsessed with the notions of ‘cool’ and ‘celebrity’ to be

following

their

own

path? And why is it so ridiculous and/or weird for someone to educate themselves and learn more about culture? So

someone

isn’t

seen with a different woman on his arm every doesn’t

night

and

yell

his

sexual preferences

Photo: flickr

from the rooftops – this

automatically

makes

them

the

target of ‘gay jokes’

DELHI GANG RAPE CASE. Words: Dandie Debieux

On the December 16th 2012, a 23 year old

In the programme a young British-Indian

woman and her male companion boarded a

woman travels to Delhi to try and understand

bus in South Delhi, India, heading homeward

exactly where this sexual objectification and

after spending a casual evening at the cinema.

subjugation of women comes from, and why

Not long after the journey began, six men,

it was that a young, independent woman with

including

so much potential was the price that had to be

the

driver,

commandeered

the

vehicle and subjected the pair to an attack

paid to get people to finally listen.

which was unspeakably brutal. For me, it was a comment made on this The young man was beaten to the point of

documentary by Manohar Lal Sharma, defence

collapse whilst his friend was repeatedly raped

lawyer of three of the men accused of the young

by the gang of six men. It is thought by Police

woman’s rape and murder, that got to the crux

that a metal wheel jack handle was used as an

of all this:

until the woman was in such a critical condition

“If she had been a respectable woman this would never have happened to her [...] she is responsible.” Naturally,

that she appeared dead, that the six men threw

myself and millions of other viewers were

her and her companion from the moving

appalled by Lal Sharma’s suggestion that the

vehicle onto a highway. Medical reports detail

young woman could be at all at fault for such a

that

horrendous ordeal. However, is it not true that

instrument for the woman’s torture. It was not

the woman’s lower internal organs were so damaged that she suffered cardiac-arrest, subsequently dying in

an unsettlingly similar consensus plagues the UK?

hospital two weeks later. The details of the case are sickening and sadistic in the extreme.

Now for some statistics. This year, the Ministry of Justice, the Office for National Statistics and

The news of the attack instigated uproar among

the Home Office clubbed together to release the

the people of India, and their protests for

very first Official Statistics bulletin on sexual

justice were heard across the globe, reaching

violence against women in England and Wales.

our ears in the UK.

It revealed that around 85,000 women are raped every year. 400,000 women

As a student only three months into her

are sexually assaulted each year. 1 in 5 women

programme of study and still very much

between the ages of 16 and 59 has experienced

rolling in the freshers lifestyle, I was guilty of

at least one incident of sexual violence. To put

watching too much early Noughties television

this into perspective, sit yourself in the centre

rather than the BBC News at Six. I heard, but

of a lecture theatre of two hundred seats; half

never exactly listened to what was happening

of the occupants are women. To your left, right,

in India. It was not until BBC Three aired a

north, south, ten o’clock and seven o’clock, is

documentary entitled India: A Dangerous

a woman who has suffered sexual violation

Place to be a Woman that I got my head out

and degradation. We need to step away from

of Monica and Chandler’s apartment and into

our assumption that the likes of the Delhi gang

the injustice Indian women encounter daily,

rape case does not happen here. It does.

whilst considering it to be

things.’

‘just one of those

who

our own cases of sexual violence, dealing with

participated in the rape and murder of the

September,

four

the

men

it only when it becomes an immediate danger.

woman on the bus were sentenced to death.

We might have this perception that women in

The victim’s father spoke on behalf of himself

the UK are able to dress and behave as they

and his family when he said they were “very

wish without repercussions but actually, Lal

happy” with the outcome and that

Sharma’s comments about what it is to be a

“justice

[had] been delivered.” This was a success

‘respectable’ woman are just as relevant here.

for the uproarious, mammoth protests that engulfed India – they helped to change Indian

Imagine this. It’s a hot day and a young woman

law so that the death penalty can be delivered

throws on a pair of shorts and a vest. As she

in the most serious cases of rape.

walks down the road, a group of men driving a car lean out the window whistling, and holler

I think anybody can empathise when I say

something along the lines of ‘nice arse’. The

that for the victim’s family, this sentencing

woman rolls her eyes in exasperation; she’s

was the very least that could be done to allow

young and attractive and almost expects this

them some kind of closure. On the other hand,

kind of thing.

whilst these particular individuals will never again pose a threat to the women of Delhi, will

Right there.

their punishment be enough to ensure that this unspeakable case is not repeated somewhere

That right there is what needs to be nipped

else? Director of Amnesty International India,

in the bud: the consensus on both the men

Tara Rao, thinks not:

and the young woman’s part that this kind of

“Sending these four men to the gallows will achieve nothing but short term revenge [...] While the widespread anger over this case is understandable, authorities must avoid using the death penalty as a ‘quick-fix’ solution,” she said in an interview with the

sexual objectification is acceptable and worse expectable. Because if we cannot realise that this kind of commonplace incident is the very underpinning of the physical sexual crime itself, how can we expect those statistics to dwindle?

BBC. Although I too feel anger towards the perpetrators, Rao is probably right. It is surely

Nobody can undo what happened on December

better to tackle sexual violence against women

16th last year, but what we can do is follow suit

at its roots.

with India, and begin to adopt a zero tolerance policy on the sexual subjugation of women. We

But then again, at least India is acknowledging

are an ever expanding, ever advancing world,

the issue and taking measures to try and

and these ancient attitudes to women have no

instigate change. In the UK, we are guilty of

place in its rotations.

QM Indian Society Comments:

perhaps overlooking what it is that underpins

In ancient India, women occupied a position superior to men. In Indian culture, the only words for strength and power are feminine - “shakti”. The problem in India is not that there is persistent patriarchy in the society, but that patriarchy is presumed to be female subjugation. The lack of education and empowerment of women has led the other sex to believe that women are weak. The recent Delhi gang rape case mustered mass public interest. The slum dwellers raped an innocent medical student while her accompanist was pushed out of the bus. The awfulness of the incident guaranteed the case publicity, however we find it hard to imagine that the same publicity would have resulted if the girl had been from a poor migrant family.

In any case, the atrocity resulted to public uproar. The question is: is the use of the death penalty the solution to the deteriorating condition of women safety in India? In our opinion, a criminal cannot be corrected by capital punishment. Recent studies show that each execution deters an average of only five murderers. Though the fear of death can make man act differently, it is not the solution for the heinous act that has already destroyed a life. A true change in social perspectives must begin with legal reform. With this in mind, our committee spear-headed an online petition on the subject in April 2013 and gained the support of over 1,000 students across the globe in just four days. Our proposal of political and legal changes was then hand delivered to the Indian High Commission based in London.

FEATURES

This

IT DOESN’T SEEM ALL THAT LONG AGO THAT KATE NASH EXPLODED ONTO THE MUSIC SCENE WITH HER FIRST ALBUM FOUNDATIONS, BUT THE BRIT AWARD WINNING SINGER-SONGWRITER HAS BEEN A VERY BUSY LADY SINCE 2007. (2007?!?!!!) NO LONGER JUST A RECORDING ARTIST, KATE HAS MADE HER MARK IN FASHION, EXPERIMENTED WITH ACTING AND BEEN APPOINTED AS A GLOBAL AMBASSADOR FOR FEMALE EMPOWERMENT CHARITY, PLAN, TO WORK ON THEIR BECAUSE I AM A GIRL INITIATIVE. SHE RELEASED HER THIRD ALBUM GIRL TALK EARLIER THIS YEAR, DESCRIBED BY KATE AS HER BEST WORK TO DATE. WE BAGGED THIS INTERVIEW WITH HER AFTER A COUPLE OF CHEEKY TWEETS, READ ON TO FIND OUT WHAT WE DISCOVERED... What inspired you to take a completely new artistic

Did releasing Death Proof on your own label provide

direction with Death Proof?

you with more space to experiment with your

It was what I was going through personally at the

music?

time. I needed a different outlet to deal with my

I made the record whilst still on the label and then

personal life.

I got dropped a few months later. I guess there’s been a lot more freedom post working with the label. I can work with who I want and decide what direction I want to take my career in. It’s pretty liberating. I’m disappointed that they didn’t communicate with me more about what was going on and it’s definitely been challenging. There are great things about being on a label, but I love the freedom and the control. I’m a bit of a control freak, so it’s working for me right now. You have done a lot of work in the past few years encouraging young girls to get involved in music. What would you say the biggest hurdles for women in music are? Probably image-based ones. As women, we’re expected to look great all the time and that’s hard. And if we don’t look great, then we get slagged off for it. I would also say that it’s harder for women to be taken seriously. It takes longer to get to a point where you feel like you are being respected.

exciting. I think it’s a funny, relatable story that a lot of girls will love. What

was

working

with

Sheridan Smith like? Sheridan is so so sweet and so talented. It was really cool to watch her. She is an amazing actress. She’s pretty hard on herself, but everyone around her is always really inspired. She was very welcoming and is down to earth and funny. I love Sheridan. Is acting something you would like to pursue as a full time career? Yeah, I’d love to do more of it. When I get time to do some auditions, I will. You must be super excited to have your music included in the new Broadway production Only Gold. Is theatre something you Your work as a Global Ambassador for Because

would like to get more involved in?

I Am A Girl is inspiring. What encouraged you to

I love theatre. It’s such a raw and brave way to tell

work with the charity?

a story. I’m very excited about being involved with

I like [the charity] Plan and I wanted to travel.

Only Gold. It’s a whole new world for me and I am

Working with them enabled me to do a totally

very passionate about the project. I’m also very

different kind of charity - going to Africa and

honoured to be working with Andy Blankenbuehler.

meeting people with a totally different life to me,

He is so talented and passionate and hardworking.

and being inspired by them.

He really inspires me.

Who are your feminist heroes?

You’ve been spotted at the recent London Fashion

Kathleen Hanna, my mum and Sarah Solemani.

Week shows,W is fashion another artistic avenue for you?

Your upcoming film Powder Room is released in

Fashion is fun and it’s an important part of being

November. What drew you to the film?

a musician. How you dress is a part of your show,

I liked the script and the fact it had been a show

even if it’s casual. If I have something really fun to

at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The all-female

wear, I feel better on stage.

CUB Q&A:

Kate Nash

Words: Camilla Bass, Lauren Cantillon, Sean Richardson and Tim Picton Photos: Alice Baxley

FEATURES

cast and female director was

Homes Away From Home Words: Bethan McAulay For a lot of students, moving to University is a big deal. Saying goodbye to friends and family is always a challenge; suddenly being 300 miles away is a big step compared to being three minutes away. Yet there are some students who take it another step entirely, making the choice to move more like 3000 miles away, all in the pursuit of education. To the pressures of making new friends and learning their way around a new city or campus, these students take up the challenge of learning to live within a new culture, possibly with a new language to contend with too. Obviously experiences vary depending where you decide to study - a British student heading to America is likely to have a much easier time than a European student going to study in Asia. Thousands of students make the change every year, so there must be reasons why people are willing to sacrifice their home comforts for a slice of foreign excitement. To explore the subject a little more (and to try and steal some tips) I spoke to two Queen Mary students about their experiences of studying abroad. Their insights also reflect on how being a student in London is a vastly different experience compared to anywhere else in the world.

There are a number of different ways to go about studying abroad if it’s something you’re interested in. There’s the option to take part in an international exchange for a year (or a semester) abroad at one of a number of American, Australian institutions as well a couple in Singapore and Korea. Many language courses allow students to complete a year abroad in a country in which their chosen language is spoken, as well as the ERASMUS scheme allowing for study elsewhere in Europe. And that’s just considering the things you can do whilst you’re still an Undergraduate, as there is plenty of choice for Postgraduate study at an international level.

Just make sure you do your research before you go! If you’re on an accredited course make sure that studying abroad still allows you to fulfil all the compulsory modules you’ll need for when you graduate, and don’t apply to the University of California/NYU because you want to live out 90210/Gossip Girl… You’re only setting yourself up for disappointment when you get there. 23

FEATURES

“[Studying abroad] definitely is a different experience school wise as schools here [in the USA] are definitely coursework based with multiple exams while many classes I took in London put a lot more emphasis on exams at the end of the year. As for living abroad, while it is fun to get to travel to other countries, embracing the one you’re living in is important, even though many people don’t think England is very dissimilar from the U.S. Being in London is completely different and not taking advantage of living in this city would be terrible. Sites like ‘londonist.com’ always have great things to do in London for people with all kinds of tastes. Just be sure to explore everything and take advantage of how wonderfully alive and fun the city is!” JEN AITA, from California QMUL ASSOCIATE STUDENT in 2013

Being a Palestinian kid who doesn’t have the ability to be in her homeland has meant that my family has always lived ‘abroad’ in a sense. I was born in the United States and then moved to Saudi Arabia at a very young age and was pretty much raised there. Having always been a student of international schools, it became a given that the most likely thing for me to do would be to leave the Middle East for university. I went to Boston for my first year and learnt that it was neither the environment nor education system for me. I had actually studied at a British school from age eleven, so the influence of that education style was quite strong. That’s how I ended up transferring to London. From an international student’s perspective, it’s not about just being ‘abroad,’ it’s about finding the right kind of ‘abroad’ to suit you. I chose QMUL for several reasons, but mostly because it offered Psychology as a Bachelor of Science, not Arts. That’s hard to come by, as traditionally it is approached as a social discipline. Here the focus is shifted, making for a unique, challenging and far more interesting degree! Other reasons include the fact that QM is in London itself, a city I truly wanted to live in, as well as the fact that it has a proper campus - something we all know is hard to come by in city based establishments! Many things that local students may take for granted are quite the daily joy for us international students, such as the tube and the rain! Two things my home lacks!

Photo: Vapour Trail/flickr

LYLA ELHINDI CURRENT QM STUDENT

MADE IN LONDON: The music scenes that were born in our city CUB presents analysis of three music scenes that were born and nurtured in the capital: British

Punk,

genres

were

Britpop all

and

formed

Grime.

and

These

cultivated

relatively small, cohesive musical communities their

fully

of the post-punk movement as future members

fledged

of Joy Division, The Smiths and The Fall were all in the audience. However, recent research

influence

has largely discredited this romanticized theory

decades.

of events. In any case, the punk philosophy

upon

the

music

the

irrefutable

artistic past

direction few

the UK :

has

permeated

can

contemporary

encountered

and

contemporary incarnations of punk include,

invention. Nonetheless, when it arrived from

noise rock, tropicali-punk and pop-punk and

across the pond in its ‘second wave’ in the

a myriad of other sub-genres that seem to

mid 1970s, the British scene stamped its own

invariably originate out of LA for some reason.

stylistic

intentions

types

culture

underpinning

ideology

and

numerous

the

Admittedly, punk was originally an American

idiosyncrasies

The Emergence of British Punk

art.

upon

it. London bands such as The Sex Pistols

manner possible, into the public consciousness.

e po

and The Clash fronted the UK punk scene,

However, Buzzcocks’ EP, Spiral Scratch, is

archy

into

these genres have had a hugely significant

movements.

popular

development

that

cultural

bringing the genre, in the most audacious

cene:

The Birth of Britpop The Britpop genre originated out of the Camden indie scene in the early 1990s. The early

widely recognized as the seminal punk record,

pioneers of the genre, namely bands such as

influencing the ‘DIY ethic’ that would become an

Blur and Suede, reacted against the impinging

integral component of the genre’s ideology.

hype of the transatlantic grunge movement to develop an alternative sub-genre of indie

The typical minimalist three-chord structuring

inspired by the British guitar pop music of

of punk music enabled it to be an accessible

the Beatles era. Britpop also provided the

platform for working class kids to express

foundations for the ‘Cool Britannia’ movement

themselves artistically. Punk gave a potent

and by implication is partially to blame for the

and

existence and the success of The Spice Girls.

meaningful

authoritarian

voice and

protest

anarchistic

anti-

artistic

movements and demonstrated that music and

Similar to most other musical genres, it is

politics were not as culturally disparate as

seemingly

they were previously considered to be. Punk

moment

transformed

impossible that

Britpop

locate

came

into

the

exact

existence

social

as a genre. A proportion of music journalists

nihilism of the era into two-minute songs of

pinpoint Blur’s release of the single ‘Popscene’

hurtling, insuperable momentum and energy.

in 1992 as its genesis. ‘Popscene’ offered an

the

swelling

anger

and

arty and angular critique of the vapidity of teen In June 1976, The Sex Pistols played the most

culture, satirising middle-class hedonism with

famous gig of the punk era, at The Lesser Free

the repetition of the lyrics, ‘Hey, hey, come

Trade Hall in Manchester. Their set on that

out tonight’. Postmodern social commentary

particular night purportedly inspired the whole

became

fundamental

component

the

Photos (right to left): scannerfm/flickr, Sarjao Carvalho/flickr, Kleuns/flickr

prior

MUSIC

Britpop style, perhaps most famously epitomized

features one of the biggest

personality cults in football,

Pulp’s

classic

single

However,

Britpop

was

‘Common in

fact,

People’. not

Emmanuel

Frimpong.

intellectualised and pretentious as I have made it sound. The genre also endeavoured to inject

The subject matter of the

a sense of fun and exuberance back into the

genre’s lyrical content has

alternative music scene. Consider nineties Britpop

been severely scrutinised

anthems such as ‘We’re Alright’ by Supergrass

and

and ‘Wake Up Boo!’ by The Boo-Radleys. These

condemned

are the type of songs that are likely to provoke

analysts.

disturbing

stark

memories

inebriated

relatives

some by The

cases cultural frequent

references

the

throwing shapes at wedding discos, sending

gangster

you into full-body cringe mode and ultimately,

drugs

providing

Grime music have proved

material

for

the

psychoanalyst.

lifestyle,

and

violence

sex, in

distasteful and repulsive to The pinnacle of the Britpop era occurred when,

some sections of society.

as a lucrative marketing scheme, bitter rivals

However, for fans of the

Blur and Oasis decided to release their respective

genre, the exploration of

new singles on the same date. The tension

these themes provides an

between the bands in the build-up towards the

authentic and social realist

L if e o

release date boiled to a disproportionate level

insight into contemporary

and the contest was focused more around a

urban

North-South class debate, rather than the actual

Grime’s bad name is mainly down to those

music. On the 14th August, 1995 after a huge

annoying kids who play it out loud on the

degree of hype and hostility, Blur’s single ‘Country

back

House’ triumphed over Oasis’ ‘Roll With It’.

and teeth-grinding of the other passengers.

Grime:

Arguably, the most pressing question for the

Bow’s Dench Urban Music Scene

Grime genre right now doesn’t concern its future

The Grime scene originated just down the road

in the music industry, but asks whether Wiley ever

from Queen Mary, in Bow. Reppin’. Artists such

got his Rolex back from that girl. Whilst I’m here

as Dizzee Rascal and Wiley were amongst the

I would also like to ask why Tempa T didn’t get

first pioneers of the genre at the start of the

voted in as Mayor at the last election after all of

millennium. Essentially, Grime music is a stylistic

his campaigning efforts.

culture.

the

PersonalIy,

bus

the

think

eternal

that

grimaces

hybrid of UK Garage, Hip Hop, Drum ‘n’ Bass and cheeky bit of Dancehall. If you want an example of a definitive Grime anthem, check out the song, ‘I Luv You’ by the aforementioned Dizzee Rascal. However, my personal favourite is Lethal Bizzle’s track, ‘Leave It Yeah Remix’, which

Words: Tim Picton

Mercury Prize 2013 Nominees: CUB’s Favourites The

21st

Villagers, have been shortlisted for the Mercury

birthday this year, being established in 1992 as

Mercury

Prize

Prize: in 2010, they received a nomination for

an alternative to the BRIT awards. It honours

their debut record Becoming a Jackal. Villagers’

the foremost contemporary acts in the British

frontman Conor O’Brien is Ireland’s answer to

alternative

winners

America’s folk genius Conor Oberst. {Awayland}

include Primal Scream, Franz Ferdinand, Dizzee

is saturated with angularly articulate lyrics and

Rascal and Alt-J. Whilst these bands are not

existential angst, recalling Bright Eyes’ 2005

totally obscure, the Mercury Prize recognises

release, I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning. The

the significance and invaluable presence of

salient single from the record, ‘Nothing Arrived’

independent artists in the music industry and their

moves with a sparkling iridescence reminiscent

endeavours to constantly innovate popular music.

of Belle of Sebastian despite its world-weary

music

celebrating

scene,

its

into new stylistic terrain, employing electronic

melodic

elements and wider instrumentation in tracks

electronica to post-punk revival, showcasing

such as ‘The Waves’ and ‘Earthly Pleasure’

the heterogeneity of British music. The humble

achieving a melodic equanimity and eloquence

folk at CUB Music have sifted through the

to match O’Brien’s soulful and mystical lyrics.

genres

being

represented,

from

shortlist and selected their standout albums. Naturally, there is also a sweepstake involved:

Nonetheless, O’Brien didn’t neglect his folk roots

whoever picks the winner gets a pint and a

in the song writing process of {Awayland} as

meal from Dixie Chicken paid for by the others.

he juxtaposes the grandiose electronic textures of the album with more traditional and subtle

This year’s nominees in alphabetical order:

melodic lines. It has been asserted by other

Arctic Monkeys- AM, David Bowie- The Next

music journalists that O’Brien was overambitious

Day, Disclosure- Settle, Foals- Holy Fire, Jake

and sophomoric in his crafting of Villagers’

Bugg- Jake Bugg, Jon Hopkins- Immunity, Laura

new album. However, I think it is refreshing to

Marling- Once I Was an Eagle, Laura Mvula-

hear an alternative folk record that transcends

Sing to the Moon, Rudimental- Home, Savages-

the genre’s conventions and avoids sounding

Silence

identical to Mumford and Sons. Villagers add a

Yourself

and

Villagers-

{Awayland}.

new dimension to the Mercury Prize shortlist This is the second time that alternative folk outfit,

this year, and whilst they are outsiders, their

Photos: Lee Gwyn, Tom Overlie, Passetti, Thomas Hawk

subject matter. With {Awayland}, Villagers move This year’s Mercury Prize sees a diverse range

MUSIC Words: Tim Picton, Nicholas Cleeve, Melanie Moran

new album demonstrates that alternative folk

computer guru James Blake. Although James

has at last been revived and reanimated. [TP]

Blake’s music and lyrics often put me into

Also appearing on the Mercury Prize shortlist

an extreme state of melancholy, his second

for the second time, Foals will be looking to

album Overgrown is definitely in my top five

actually take the trophy home this year. I think

albums of 2013. Overgrown is full of depth,

they have a pretty good chance - third album

pensive

Holy Fire is an absolutely masterful slice of indie

loneliness, sadness, yearning and depression.

melodies

and

lyrics

about

love,

rock. Built on multilayered melodies and a wide range of dynamics, the lads from Oxford make

Like the title of Blake’s second album may

sure that their work leaves a lasting impression

suggest, Overgrown is bursting with even more

by contrasting the album’s generally delicate

unique talent and dance beats than his first

touch with bursts of rough and gritty guitar.

eponymous album. Although Blake’s sorrowful sound is like Marmite (love it or loathe it) Blake

The diversity of Holy Fire is probably its strongest

has undoubtedly composed yet another fantastic

attribute; there is a world between the stadium

dance album, through his unique combination of

filling power of the endlessly building ‘Inhaler’ and

sub-bass, electro-pop, house rhythms and hip-

the melancholic ‘Stepson’. Album closer ‘Moon’

hop beats. Each carefully constructed melody and

takes yet another approach which might well

beat pulses through your ears and body, creating

be their secret weapon to win over the judges.

a beautiful escape into Blake’s inconsolable world.

Both the contemplative, gentle voice that singer Yannis Philippakis takes on and the warm,

Although James Blake is in a tough crowd of

synthesiser filled background of this song owe at

nominees this year, such as musical legend David

least a little to the minimalist dream pop of The

Bowie, Blake has really stepped it up a notch

xx - the band the beat them to the 2010 Mercury

with Overgrown and is a well-deserved nominee

Prize. The result is an incredible cadence to the

(and hopefully winner). However, sometimes I

album, the kind of mellow experience that you can

just wish I knew James Blake and then I could

shut your eyes and truly immerse yourself in no

give him a quick cuddle, rock him like a baby,

matter how many deadlines you’re juggling! [NC]

and tell him the world isn’t that bad. Maybe if Jimmy boy wins the Mercury Prize this year,

The Barclay’s Mercury Prize always nominates

his next album will be called ‘I Found Happiness

some unique British musicians, and it is no

in a Hopeless Place’? Stay tuned folks. [JB]

exception

with

their

correct

nomination

EAST ENDERS: East London’s Finest Venues It may be a shock to some Queen Mary students, but there are clubs and music venues in East London that aren’t Drapers. Although you can’t really argue with the £1.50 pints and great ‘indie’ anthems. I am here to open your eyes to the musical world of East London. Now, in order for you to get really in the thick of the great East London music venues and clubs you ideally need to move to Kingsland Road, and/or have ridiculous hair and fashion sense. Don’t forget to convey having loads of fun via not smiling, talking or shaking what yo momma gave you. Oh and you must love drinking Red Stripe lager and be prepared to sometimes pay £6 for a can. But East London is home to some of the best live music and DJs and it’s all just a hop, skip and a few tube stops away.

RICHMIX

THE NEST

35-47 Bethnal Green Rd, London, E1 6LA.

36 Stoke Newington Rd, London, N16 7XJ

(http://www.richmix.org.uk/whats-on/music-

(http://www.ilovethenest.com/)

and-live-events/)

If you like being in a shabby-chic club which

You might have only heard of Richmix as a

is just an intimate room with a DJ booth and a

cinema but this venue has also held some of the

bar, then you’ll love The Nest. The Nest is one

best live music I have ever seen in the East, as

of London’s most established clubs, which has

well as a varied clutch of other events including

housed some awesome acts like Moby, Erol

theatre,

Located

Alkan, Andy Weatherall, The 2 Bears, Toddla

about two minutes away from Shoreditch High

T, Friendly Fires, Jackmaster and more. The

Street tube stop, Richmix is kinda like East

Nest has a club ethos of not promoting acts

London’s response to Camden’s Roundhouse

that have ‘made it’- appealing to their super

in my opinion. The pick of November’s live

cool

events include a series of gigs which feature

in their showcasing some great local talent.

a wide range of world music. From Ethiopian

The guaranteed best nights at The Nest are

jazz to traditional Bengali fare, there must be

always their weekly nights Your Mum’s House

something that will capture your imagination.

(Thursday nights), and Lemonade (Saturday

comedy

and

exhibitions.

Dalston

hipster

crowd

and

resulting

electro, house and nu-disco. Also one of the best

(apart from it being super cheap) is that it is

things about this club being in Dalston is that

operated by a charity that supports the arts

the drinks are relatively cheap in comparison

and East End community. But the absolute

to places like Brick Lane. It ain’t no Drapers,

best part of this place is that every second

but beers and ciders start at £3.50 and the

Tuesday they hold a Ping Pong night called

real bargains are the sets of six Jägermeisters,

Pongathon where you can play ping pong on

tequilas or sambucas for just ten quid!

a backdrop of live visuals and DJ’s! You can buy a membership to Richmix for just £30,

For more ideas on where to go out, check out:

which gives you lots of yummy discounts

www.cubmagazine.co.uk

to lots of yummy music, films and food. Words: Melanie Moran

Photo: Joy Wamae

nights), where fun alternative DJ’s play a bit of One of the coolest things about Richmix

MUSIC Words: Nicholas Cleeve If you’ve been behind the Engineering building

online broadcast. This stream will be filled with

on campus you may have noticed the large

‘Specialised Programming’: a diverse range of

Quest

shows that will be created and presented by

Radio

banner

hanging

off

the

stairs A

students who are eager to share their passions

relatively new limb of Queen Mary’s flourishing

with the rest of Queen Mary’s student body.

student media family, Quest Radio have been

The changes for Quest Radio volunteers will

broadcasting a mixture of music and talk radio

be even more dramatic! A key target for the

online for the past couple of years. However,

station this year is to provide experience of

that

lead

their

high

altitude

home.

THE

QC OUN TEI N USE ST a

an authentic radio station environment to its

big change for our university’s student radio

presenters and technical staff. Their adoption of

operations - Quest Radio are going professional!

industry standard procedures will streamline the

this

upcoming

academic

year

will

mark

production of content, as well as making it easier If you’ve been behind the Engineering building

for budding DJs to become part of the radio

on campus you may have noticed the large

industry after their graduation. The station’s

Quest

membership with the Student Radio Association

Radio

banner

hanging

off

the

stairs A

will also support this by continuing to provide

relatively new limb of Queen Mary’s flourishing

volunteers with access to opportunities and

student media family, Quest Radio have been

resources that allow them to improve their craft.

broadcasting a mixture of music and talk radio

The other major benefit of being a part of the

online for the past couple of years. However,

Student Radio Association is that it makes the

this

station eligible for the Student Radio Awards,

big change for our university’s student radio

which are held every November. Quest Radio are

operations - Quest Radio are going professional!

taking part in this for the first time this year, so

that

lead

upcoming

their

high

academic

altitude

year

will

home.

mark

keep an eye on www.questradio.co.uk to see if “Last year we had an enormous amount of on-

last year’s volunteers have been deemed worthy

air talent but [lacked] cohesion and brand unity”,

of the public recognition they richly deserve. The

Station Manager Vuki Popovic explains. “Going

Awards are an opportunity for anyone who works

pro will enable us to utilise and direct all the

for a student radio station to acquire a very

amazing talent we have.” For listeners this means

tangible achievement, which will likely be useful

access to a whole new line up of shows, which

no matter what they plan to do after their degree.

are split into two broad categories - Daytime

and Specialised. Daytime Programming consists

If you missed Quest Radio’s stand at Fresher’s

of professionally produced shows such as ‘Urban

Fair but still want to get involved, all of their

Thursdays’ and ‘The Debate’ that will be designed

available opportunities are listed on their

to be broadcast in Student Union operated

recruitment site join.questradio.co.uk. This

venues across campus every weekday, as well

could be your chance to inflict your opinions

as being streamed online. After dark and on

and musical taste on the whole campus.

weekends the station switches to an exclusively

WOMEN’S FASHION EDIT:

Clean lines and pastel colours are key this season. A simple and well tailored trouser combined with feminine colour is the perfect juxtaposition for easy day to evening dressing.

Words: Daisy Murray

ck,

ne polo ther 9 Lea .9 £49 Zara

Pink sequin crop top, Topshop £35

Pink cropped trousers, Zara £29.99

Ov ersize wa d tch ,N Ga ast l £2 y 1.5 9

Pastel coat, Topshop £125 Earrings, Nasty Gal £11.10

STYLE

MEN’S FASHION EDIT:

Chose to embrace the new season with a selection of autumnal hues. Oranges, Greens and Burgundy all feature heavily. Select one or two colourful garments and combine them with basic pieces for a simple yet on trend look. Words: Harry Lawton Na vy ba AS ck OS pa £2 ck , 3

Grey crew neck tshirt, Topman £7

Gree n co rdur H&M oy sh irt, £19.9 9

Brown contrast panel worker boots, River Island £75.00

Burg undy skin Topm ny ch an £ inos 24 , Nepp cable knit beanie, Howick £15

On a cloudy afternoon in E3, we visited Matt Johnston; a third year English Literature student at his apartment. After a few glasses of wine, the sartorial exhibitionist was grilled on his thoughts and philosophies surrounding his inspirations, identity and style…

What do you try and achieve with your outfits? The way that you dress is about projecting your identity, I think you’d be foolish not to try and do something a little bit interesting or creative with it. There’s a clear sense of what I’m about; people can see items and think of me, that I could best pull them off. It’s about having your own style and for that to be something that you have crafted and made work over a period of time. What’s your opinion on people who don’t use clothes to express themselves? It’s really not for me to judge what anyone wears. By me wearing things that are slightly unusual I’m putting myself in a vulnerable position, but it’s a vulnerability that works both ways. I find myself in situations that I wouldn’t if I didn’t wear what I do. Strange, interesting people approach me in the street to invite me to parties, but equally I get people shouting ‘faggot’.This summer something quite serious happened as a consequence

MATT JOHNSTON

of what I wear – at Latitude two people definitely started a fight with [my friend] Jenkin and I based on our appearance. I feel like if after that experience I decided to dress plainly then I’d be letting those kind of people win. How would you describe the way you dress? People have described me as ‘regal’. I think that’s quite a good compliment to be paid. I used to be wilder and a little inelegant because I was trying to assert my personality through the most ridiculous patterns I could find. I like that now I’m more sophisticated, yet can still wear unusual things. I enjoy the tempered decadence of royalty. I think I have some elements of 60s psychedelia as well. I’m influenced by the things that I go to in London and the friends that I have. It would be hard not to mention Jenkin again: I’ve been friends with him since I was fourteen and we had a big influence on each other

growing up. Maybe when I was younger and more confused I felt like I was in Jenkin’s shadow. However, I realised that to move past that I needed to create something equally striking but to go about it in a new, personal manner.

different places and being influenced by different things, then putting those together to form a cohesive look. Once you get to a point where all of those things represent you, it’s easy to embellish that and add new things…this is getting pretty abstract.

Let’s talk about fur. I would consider myself morally opposed to the creation of new items of fur. Having said that, I don’t see the problem with wearing vintage pieces, because what’s the alternative? The hardcore activists would have them all incinerated, that would be a shame.The animal will have died for absolutely nothing. Obviously to become a jacket isn’t the best reason to die… but we’d be throwing away a beautifully crafted item. Has anyone ever got angry with you about fur when you’ve been wearing it? I’ve not experienced that; I’ve never had anyone throw paint over me. I think if that happened I would wear the fur a little more! It would be amazing to have a red paint stained fur coat. Do you prefer second-hand and vintage clothing to high street or branded items? It would be a nightmare to wear the same outfit as someone else! Vintage removes that anxiety. It’s also cheaper and I like the idea that it was worn and enjoyed by someone else. I do think that there’s a big waste in the commercial, high street industry. I subscribe to Vivienne Westwood’s manifesto: that you should just buy a few items that you love and wear them constantly rather than purchase loads of stuff for the sake of it. Have you ever been called a hipster? Yeah I have, but I think I’m kind of beyond that. Hipster is a negatively charged word that can be associated with a blind following of certain trends, whereas I’m kind of the opposite. I wouldn’t consider myself a hipster but I would rush to the defence of people who are called that as well. I guess the line is drawn between whether you’re doing things because you actually like them or because you’re following a certain trend. It’s about taking ideas from

To hear more of Matt’s words of wisdom check out an extended interview online at cubmagazine.co.uk and follow him on twitter @mattjohnston4real

Words: Lizzie Howis & Daisy Murray Photos: Abi Suggate

STYLE

WHAT’S THE ALTERNATIVE?

THE FASHIONS. Words: Eleanor Doughty

Because we’ve been apart from a while, time to recap. Its October, that awkward month – I like to think twinned with April, y’know, a bit like villages – where no one is sure what season we’re in. Though technically its autumn/winter 2013 now – can you just belieeeeve it! – for the last month, The Fashions spring/summer 2014 have dominated my life. Just the sound of 2014 makes me nervous. I got so stressed, I had to buy a polo neck. It’s a great one: Zara, twenty quid. Bargain. While I was buying my way into sixties staples, some major investing was happening elsewhere. The Fashions spring/summer 2014 were home to good home-turf news: mega-congloms Kering and LVMH snapped up Brit boys Christopher Kane and JW Anderson, for a few pennies more than twenty quid. For context, they own Gucci and Louis Vuitton respectively. We’re talking big money, y’all. I hear you: ‘But what does that matter!’ Apart from making London a serious fashion destination – not just somewhere for DIY headdresses, which are, as it happens, going to come right back this spring – it makes our city part of a special creative culture, and we get cooler by association. Imaginably by the time you read this, another brand will have been acquired; such is the nature of the Nineties buying reflux. It’s gone all Tom-Ford-Gucci-Group on our (furry) Birkenstocks. While deals were being done, Mrs Prada chose Britney’s ‘Work It’ for her soundtrack and Riccardo Tisci’s Givenchy had a car crash. For the world outside the shows, nothing changed.

Photos: c/o Christopher Kane

Christopher Kane S/S ‘14

Student fashion is a strange concept. It doesn’t really exist because it’s just fashion, worn by students. It’s not really a different thing, in the same way that student cookbooks aren’t a thing; food is food, just repackaged differently. So I won’t be patronising you with the same old boring ‘budget’ stuff because that isn’t necessarily a reality. A compromise: every week I’ll find you something special if you promise to spend wisely*. Got it? Okay.

STYLE

The Fashions had just finished at the time of writing; people were in mourning for Marc [Jacobs, following his Louis Vuitton swan song]. Or at least, The Famous Fashions were over: New York, London, Milan and Paris. Every man and his city have a fashion week now, even Forest Gate. I didn’t believe it either. It’s all very tiring, fashion month, but exciting too, for on those runways lie the foundations of your next summer’s wardrobe. Or at least, a snippet. But there’s an acute disconnect between Fashion Time and Greenwich Mean Time; spring drops in January (when it’s freezing) and hints of autumn dropped in July, when it was actually warmish. And that doesn’t make shopping terribly easy: where’s that fine knit you simply need in September? Oh, that’ll be sold out, because you got to Zara a day late. It is all extremely taxing.

Because that makes it confusing, we are often left asking what it all means. But whether you actively seek it out or disregard it, Fashion is ever present; knowingly universal. She walks, often on the other side of the street with her cool cousin Style. Fashion is like Bring It On, sexy, cute, and popular to boot. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be, er, fashionable. Style is a little more reserved. And here, we like style; your style, my style, the person reading this over your shoulders’ style. It is far more interesting than the clothes at face value. As my recent niche-world-problems have concerned Dolce and Gabbana, it’s easy to get caught up in it. At the end of it all, upon The Fashions’ finale, there’s a sigh of relief to be had. By all means go on Style.com and check out your future wardrobe, but I’m happy with autumn/winter right now – I get to wear all my favourite clothes at once. What a hoot! But spare a thought to the (working) front row the next time you’re in Topshop; it’s not champagne and canapés. A little bit of context never hurt anyone. * visit cubmagazine.co.uk/category/style for loadsa fashion chat Photos: Yannis Vlamos / Indigitalimages.Com

JW Anderson S/S ‘14

Every season, during The Fashions, the fashion vs clothes debate rears its immaculately preened head. It’s impossible, really. To call a collection ‘wearable’ is considered sacrilegious – an insult of the highest authority, but it has to sell or there will be no spectacle. Or at least the commercial collection you’ll find in stores has to sell. ‘Commerciality’ has been bandied around so much that one might think it were, ironically, going out of fashion. Collections are put together creatively, yet have to retain a pull for the consumer because the pounds and dollars reign over paint palettes.

PHOTOGRAPHY

For the first print issue, CUB’s photography editors bring you images from across the world, shot by one of their favourite Queen Mary Photography Society members, Andrew CK Low. A final year Astrophysics student, Andrew uses photography to document the different cultures of places he visits. Macau – China Gate of Understanding The

towering

monument high

twenty

measuring

year

forty

embodiment

old

metres Luso-

Sino relations. The monument and immediate area is now dilapidated, with tiles missing from a few sides.

Guilin – China Long Sheng Rice Terraces We see a local woman working on the terraced paddy field at sunrise. These paddy fields were built into the mountains by hand, mostly in the Ming Dynasty.

Paris – France Towards the Palais du Louvre The

Pyramide

Louvre

acts

the main entrance to the Musée du Louvre. The world famous museum is home to over 300,000 historical objects and over 30,000 works of art.

WILLKOMMEN in DEUTSCHLAND Ten days in the graveyard of one of the 20th century’s most damaging Dictatorships might not sound like everyone’s idea of the perfect summer holiday, but for me it was one of the best experiences of my life to date. Late August and the first few days of September found me in Bavaria, Germany – so beautifully put in that HBO classic, Band of Brothers, as ‘the birthplace of National Socialism’. (It’s episode nine if you’re wondering). Having wanted to go to Germany ever since I learnt the phrase ‘World War Two’, I was incredibly excited to finally be going - but also strangely nervous. Although aware I wasn’t going to find bands of Brownshirts beating up Orthodox Jews in the street, I couldn’t quite separate the country I’d read so much about from the modern reality. It was surreal to not have to hide the fact that I am a British citizen, and to have a laugh with the locals when they pretty much immediately guessed as much due to my shocking German accent.

Being in places like that makes you ask some difficult questions, with the issue of historical tourism rearing its questionable head. I struggled to watch people sit down and eat three-course meals in the Kehlsteinhaus restaurant, but you have to wonder without those sensationalists whether such a place would still be remembered today. An eerie example of such an iconic place being forgotten was the Zeppelinfeld, or ‘Zeppelin field’ at Nuremberg – you would recognise it from every History text book that deals with the Nazis, but due to budget restrictions the government cannot afford to carry out the huge structural work it requires to make it a safe site. It is still accessible, but I was one of only five people present when I stood inside. My visit to the Dachau concentration camp memorial site was incredibly moving. I had worried that it would feel more like a tour of a film set than anything else, but was very impressed at the tone the curators of the site had set. Something that is emphasised at Dachau is the importance of education in remembering the atrocities committed there; I would encourage all to go on the guided tour, as it provides a much more in depth look to the camp than expected. The majority of the site feels surprisingly spiritual, with the exception of the former crematorium area. I do not exaggerate when describing it as an evil spot – some things are not part of the natural world and therefore jar against basic human feeling. It is ironic that considering I spent the majority of my time visiting places related to human suffering, I found the country personally a very healing place. Germany does not shy away from its own past; the people are willing to engage and to help you answer your own questions. They are efficient, much funnier than described and kind. I am so glad that I loved my time there as much as I did – poetic justice for the people who couldn’t all those decades ago. Words & Photo: Lauren Cantillon

TRAVEL

I still can’t quite believe the places I managed to go to. I have stood metres away from where Hitler delivered speeches at the Nuremberg Rallies, watched tourists take photographs of concentration camp ovens, been in the Kehlsteinhaus, (aka, the Eagle’s Nest), and made the worst decision about venturing up a very tall mountain in the fog. (For the record, just don’t).

Palestine’s Most Misunderstood Restaurant. Quietly tucked away in one of the shabbier parts of

three tables and chairs makes up the entire operation.

Ramallah, there is a family run restaurant called Heba.

The room doubles up as the kitchen, not quite big

Squashed on the end of a small line of shops, the

enough for the two cousins to rapidly hand-make all

restaurant is a favourite with the locals - a complete

meals from scratch. In the midst of this enclosure, the

mystery when you initially compare it to the other

two members of staff (normally two of the owner’s

cafes and restaurants available in Ramallah. It does

nephews) battle it out to cook falafel and regularly

not feature in any of the guidebooks nor does it have

keep the individual salad trays filled to the brim.

any of the usual pulling factors

such as wifi, yet it

Much of the cooking is done whilst one of them is on

quickly became one of my most trusted haunts during

their mobile phone. Mid-culinary cigarette breaks are

my three month stay in Palestine. Not only is its food

frequently taken in the kitchen, allowing them to chat

surprisingly good, the restaurant also represented

to the customers outside, through the window.

what I understood it means to be Palestinian and living in Palestine.

Their activity in the kitchen is regularly disrupted as one of the guys usually races out to battle

Outside on the stretch of cracked tiles are two large

with the temperamental barbeque. Their English

tables, big enough for ten people. Parties of young

is limited to a couple of key phrases and they

and old Palestinians frequently spread along both of

regularly use the usual favourites like ‘welcome’

them, covering the tops in plates of hummus, bread

and

and barbequed meat.

important question comes last: they proudly

‘where

[sic]

from?’

However

the

most

ask a single word of great importance, ‘spicy?’ As a traditional family business, it is normal for a

Palestinians love their spice so it is wise to

member of the family to serve you from inside the

always reply timidly by asking for a little, rather

kitchen. Once you are beckoned inside you quickly

than face the prospect of being completely

realise how small the restaurant is; a single room with

overpowered by the flavours.

TRAVEL You might be wondering how did I find myself in the middle of the West Bank in the first place? I was working as a volunteer, teaching English conversation scheme

classes

called

through

International

volunteering

Citizen

Service

Once you have managed to successfully describe

(ICS). Funded by the Department of International

your order in a mixture of broken Arabic, English

Development (DFID), ICS enables 18 to 25 year

and elaborate hand gestures, you are left to sit

olds to work as volunteers with an organisation

back and watch the beginning of the show.

in a developing country. Prior to your placement you are required to do some fundraising, the level

Whilst you wait for your meal, your eyes focus

of which is dependent on your household income.

on the details of the kitchen,

which exemplify

My placement provided me with a chance to

the resourceful nature of Palestinians. A tangle

work closely with a variety of Palestinians from

of extension cords keeps the oven fired up and

a range of ages and backgrounds. By working

allows the best of Fayrouz to be continually

with the organisation, I was able to travel across

played on the radio in the background. Fayrouz

the West Bank and actively meet and help young

is occasionally drowned out by a family argument

Palestinians with their English skills.

between the staff, usually settled by one of them grumpily going off to take out their pent up

As you sit watching the chaos unfold in the little

frustration on a couple of innocent cucumbers.

kitchen, you come to appreciate what makes this

Chunks of salad and a few lonely olive stones are

small business so likeable and why it epitomises

lightly sprinkled on the floor. Tissues are stacked

life in Palestine. Palestine is generally portrayed

neatly into one of the lesser tiled parts of the

in a misunderstood manner by the media, which

wall, where a section of bricks have been left

for me was an important reason for choosing

out to create an innovative wall cupboard with

to volunteer there. It is viewed as war torn

a single flimsy shelf. Two large cardboard boxes,

and dangerous, with a population permanently

sagging with plastic forks are unevenly stacked

suffering from its long history of conflict. If you

and an assortment of metal nails and pieces

look beyond this stereotypical view you can

of power drills are all precariously balanced on

properly understand the progression being made

said shelf. There is something magical about the

there..

rustic nature of the restaurant, so far removed from the generic Western style found in most of

Heba

the outlets in Ramallah.

Palestine. If you only see the strange pink dyed

restaurant

embodies

the

nature

cauliflower going into your falafel and gasp From within the kitchen, what sounds like a small

at the kitchenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hygiene, you will not grasp

earthquake erupts. On closer inspection, the

what makes it authentic. There is something

old hummus maker has been fired up; shaking

wonderfully charming about its appearance, how

profusely, it gradually moves across the unevenly

its character resonates through the disorganised

tiled floor. The thick lava within begins to bubble

and

up to the surface of the machine, creating a

family

dome of creamy hummus which drips down the

through both the Intifadas, proudly persisting

side of the machine. Food hygiene tends to be

with the traditional style of a small scale,

a secondary consideration for the staff, who

family restaurant. From the outside you would

prefer to wipe their hands on their faded blue

assume you were more likely to get salmonella

jeans rather than the standard option of soap

than a good meal at Heba, but unless you give

and water.

it a chance and look beyond its flaws you will

dishevelled have

melee

continually

the

run

kitchen..

the

The

restaurant

not understand why it is special. Just like with the occupied territories - until you go there you will not see and understand the subtle beauty of Palestine. Words & Photo: Tom Wyke

The Spirit of the City: Nairobi Words: Joy Wamae

Photo: K. Gitamu

September was not a good month for Kenya. Hot on the heels of the Westgate Mall raid that lasted from the 20th to the 23rd of September, various international governments issued travel advisories that threaten to become the most enduring perception of Kenya. However, it has not always been doom and gloom in the green city under the sun. A long history of colonial rule and dictatorship has made resilience a hallmark of the Kenyan identity, best witnessed at this time through the crowds of people who turned out to donate blood, volunteer with first aid and raise money to support the victims of the attack.To celebrate this ability to rally after negative events that Kenyans do so well and to offer you, the reader, an enriching glance into the Kenyan standard of recreation, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to talk about three places around Nairobi I feel encapsulate the true spirit of the city and its people.

Habesha Let’s just get something out of the way: roads in Nairobi always resemble the traffic on the M25 on a weekday afternoon. Habesha is an Ethiopian restaurant located on one such road, about 30 minutes from the town centre in the suburb of Lavington. The highlight of the menu is definitely the sharing platter consisting of traditional Ethiopian flat bread known as Injera topped with servings of different kinds of Ethiopian stew. A regular hangout for many young Kenyans who live in the surrounding suburbs, the entire area is also home to a sizeable Ethiopian community. With all these elements converging at this restaurant, Habesha is a fun place to be on any given night. You could hardly get more Kenyan than when you are sharing a warm meal and a cold Tusker (Kenya’s favourite home grown beer) with friends. Well worth a possibly horrendous wait in traffic! Round it off by heading five minutes down the road to Divino’s Wine Bar for a quiet nightcap. Blankets and Wine Every first Sunday of the month the music event that is marked on every Nairobi resident’s calendar comes around. Once a month the blankets are rolled out under any given weather and the sounds of Kenya’s own brand of Afro-soul fill the air. If you are looking to hear the best of East African music this should definitely be on your list of things to do. However, Blankets and Wine is more than just a concert. It presents many people with the opportunity to express themselves through style: some like moccasins and a fedora, others go with full on kente outfits. And there’s all the stuff in between; a sea of color and a feast for the eyes.

TRAVEL

Nairobi National Park Nairobi has the proud distinction of being one of the only cities in the world to have a national park within its city limits. Perfect for a day trip or for a longer camping expedition, it encapsulates the wild and free attitude embodied by that famous phrase Hakuna Matata. The possibility of seeing the Big Five in action is often enough motivation for many residents to spend hours driving through the park enjoying the sights of giraffes, buffalos, zebras and the occasional leopard. A bit like fishing, a successful day of animal watching is driven almost entirely by luck, but it helps a lot if your tour guide is resourceful. After a long day of driving through the wild, nothing is better than a hearty Kenyan meal of chapati and stew served up at Rolf’s Place. Or if you prefer spaghetti Bolognese instead just ask; Rolf Schmidt is head chef and a real gem, the kind of guy who would probably say yes if you asked for something not on the menu. Located a few minutes south of the Park, atop a gorge with a seasonal river running below, this is the perfect place for sunset cocktails with good company.

The Great Gilby In the months of April and May, a time of struggle through revision and essay-writing, I remember finding some light amusement in the QM Spotted Facebook page. Sitting in the library with indecipherable notes, I sought refuge in the regular updates from people who I might know leering at other people I might know. The concept seemed harmless and was successful in providing light hearted relief.

Eden Gilby - Columnist.

QM Spotted offers a similar service; the things you’ve wanted to say to people but you have always been too embarrassed. The common theme seems obvious to me: surely it is cowardice? Things people are too scared to do. The enticing chance to say something that you would never say to someone’s face with no chance of repercussions. An opportunity to completely escape responsibility of your own actions.

When I thought of QM Spotted I thought of people Should we just be allowed to say whatever we want, like myself, being as distracted as myself and using any on whatever platform is easiest? Whether that be to excuse to procrastinate. One comment however made someone’s Inbox, someone’s me think differently. The profile or to someone’s face. person behind this predatory Is there even a difference? I jeer was sitting directly next to TO THE HOT GIRL WHO WAS assume cyber-bullies believe their target, a worryingly close that online attacks are a proximity for an unwanted SITTING NEXT TO ME LEFT. diluted version of real-life sexual presence. YOUR LOOSE SEE THROUGH TOP bullying, but I feel that a lot more thought goes in to My cynicism towards sites like bullying in cyber space. Every QM Spotted has only been WITH A BLACK BRA AND A NICE word has been thought about magnified in light of recent and looked over numerous stories in the press about TIGHT TROUSER HAS MADE ME times and the victims have to cyber-bullying. I can see how do the same once the message people would question the SO DAMN HORNY. NOW THAT has been delivered. Cybersimilarity between cyberbullying echoes across the bullying and seemingly YOU HAVE RUINED MY STUDIES busy playgrounds that exist harmless cyber-love-letters in everyone’s homes and posted on a Facebook page, WANA RUIN ME ALSO BABY. clings on to the defenseless but the common element victims as they are given no is the continuous danger of From QM Spotted opportunity to stand up for handing someone anonymity. themselves. Anonymity may not seem immediately dangerous, but in the context of the World Wide Web it is something that can be unthinkably violating. Conflict in a social situation is something that can be confronted and set straight fairly quickly, whereas the same attack via your phone or computer becomes something that can follow you around and creep into every private part of your life. Ask.fm has become infamous after a string of teenage suicides were undeniably linked to it. The site allows you to ask questions to others anonymously, appealing to some as a form of freedom of speech; the questions you have always wanted to know the answer to but have been too frightened to ask face-to-face.

It would be easy as an anonymous presence to escape any feeling of guilt, to convince yourself that it is harmless and lighthearted but in reality it is a far darker and more sinister way to knock someone’s confidence. Having no clue where the attack comes from forces you to think about it a considerable degree more than if you knew who was behind it. Hiding behind a nameless profile gives those who taunt the named the reward of blamelessness. In my opinion, sites such as Ask.fm and pages like QM Spotted encourage this notion that anonymity is a right that we have to make things easier. In reality, the anonymity that the sites have provided is putting people in danger in a way that society has not had to deal with before.

THE CITY AND THE NORTHERN GIRL

Becky Hipkiss - Columnist.

NORTHERN DICTIONARY

‘mithering’

(to mither) verb [my-thaer-ing, mi-tha-rin] 1) to keep bothering someone persistently e.g. “Stop mitherin’ me, will yeh?”

COMMUTER ETIQUETTE

our nearest chippy. There’s a

wired into Northern discourse

divide. A difference. Whatever

by the use of ‘pet’ and ‘love’,

I have become the dreaded

you call it, there is something

as our Southern counterparts

London commuter. All humane

distinguishing

the

look on in confusion at our

mannerisms

North and South of England. It’s

obvious affection for anyone

a given.

and everyone.

abandoned,

stride purposefully, head down, headphones

in,

between

completely

oblivious to those around me.

If you are a Southerner reading

We speak loudly, we speak

All I have on my mind is the

this,

quickly

destination and the rush to get

image

there. No time for a polite chat

being somewhat resonate of

at the bus stop or a casual smile

Coronation

to the man opposite me on the

accents, cobbled streets and

We abbreviate, h-drop, replace

tube. Just a swift sweep of the

lots of terraced housing - but

‘th’ for ‘f’ and usually just omit

carriage to determine who’ll

don’t

Especially

the word ‘the’ completely. And

be next to vacate their seat. A

since, according to a Guardian

if you do ever fancy taking

flicker of movement and it’s a

survey of regional attitudes,

the mick out of our accent,

battle to the finish to determine

that

just let us revert back to a

who

discriminate

Southerners’ singular inability

gets

it.

Personally

I’ve

you

probably

England’s Street

Brits

style tackle works wonders.

region.

and

definitely

don’t come with the option of subtitles.

strong

home

to pronounce the word ‘bath’.

wouldn’t

To date, not one has been

Cue smug looks to all those left

swap the chunky meat pies,

able to explain where the ‘r’ in

standing.

unrivalled

person’s

‘barrrth’ is.

Personally

Lake

NORTHERN ROOTS

North

admit

regularly

based

fooled.

found a quick dart or a rugby-

have

landscapes

District),

(hello,

Blackpool

illuminations, Rugby League, £1

Northerners are a rarity at QM.

drinks on student night - the list

Proper

goes on.

Not

Northerners

including

above

London

the is

mean.

‘anything the

North’

Let us not forget our crowning

belief by most of campus. We

glory;

can usually be found in the

distinctive in its own right -

local pub, looking in disbelief

think Scouse, Mancunian and

at the ridiculously over-priced

Geordie,

each

beer

its

personal

about

the

loudly lack

complaining of

gravy

that

own

Northern

coming

burr,

with

dialect

conquer. Friendliness is hard-

EDITORIAL TEAM THOSE WHO HELPED PUT THIS ISSUE TOGETHER

EDITOR IN CHIEF: Lauren Cantillon DEPUTY EDITOR: Yuet Ann Chan SUB EDITORS: Alice Harry, Tasha Mathur LONDON EDITORS: Anna Thornton, Samar Malik, Lucy Sutcliffe ARTS EDITORS: Hannah Ballard, Belphoebe New FILM EDITORS: Jessica Pratten, Kumari Tilakawardane FEATURES EDITORS: Dandie Debieux, Bethan McAulay MUSIC EDITORS: Tim Picton, Melanie Moran, Nicholas Cleeve STYLE EDITORS: Eleanor Doughty, Daisy Murray PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS: Laura Blair, Joy Wamae TRAVEL EDITORS: Tom Wyke, Alice Owen COLUMNISTS: Eden Gilby, Becky Hipkiss ONLINE MANAGER: Fazal Karimi ONLINE EDITOR: Sophie Lyddon PR & MARKETING: Sean Richardson, Hannah Sergeant, Camilla Bass