WestWorld #4 by Dulcie Horn

W E S T W O R L D ISSUE 4 2014 highlights Mos def don majors jim noir & more

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Featured Artists

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WESTWORLD 004 / FEB 2014

INTERVIEWS BY EMMA FARR

New year, same old us. But don’t worry, we have big big plans. We know all of you guys make resolutions that you can’t keep, but we’re be pretty sure we’ll keep our one of delivering the best selection of arts, music, films, plays, pictures and everything else you enjoy. This month’s issue casts one eye back towards 2014, whilst simultaneously keeping another eye in 2015. And believe me, that’s not easy, try it yourself. Anyway, flick through our pages to find what we loved about last year, our new favourite artist of this year and events you can put in your diary for 2015 plus much more as always.

If you would like to be one of our featured artists in the future get in touch with westworld@westerneye.net with some examples of your work. We’re looking for artists who work in all mediums.

Lily Willow Smith

I grew up in the wildness of West Wales, spending most of my childhood playing in the woods or on the beach. Along with my 3 siblings, I was home educated by my parents. This early education gave me the freedom to be very creative in my learning.

Happy New Year! Christian @WestWorld_UWE

Editors Dulcie Horn westworld@westerneye.com Mădălina Ciobanu assistantwestworld@westerneye.net Christian Northwood music@westerneye.net Portia Lyons musicassistant@westerneye.net

My mother, who is an artist, always inspired me to be creative. I can see how a lot of my work has been influenced by her, and also by the abundance of nature that I grew up around. I love to paint, a lot of my work starts with a drawing and I develop it from there. Recently I have been experimenting with textiles; creating designs inspired by cellular structures. The cycles of life and death fascinate me and most of my work is influenced complex forces of nature. I chose to study at UWE because the course 'Drawing and Applied Arts' intrigued me, and also because I fell in

love with Bristol the first time I came here with its vibrant multicultural qualities and many like-minded people living here. Artists that influence me at the moment are Peter Randall Page, whose sculptures and drawings are beautiful, and Sky Kim, whose paintings echo the same fascination that is in my work. Over the Christmas break I have been working on my Business Plan, the equivalent of a dissertation on my course. I hope to become a community artist and devise projects for young people to get involved in. After I complete my course I would really like to work as an apprentice to a silversmith. I love traditional craft, and jewellery making is something that I would love to master.

Contributors Emma Farr Lily Willow Smith Emily Leonard Ellie Harffey Charlotte Elliott Lottie Bazley Caspar Ash Charyl Agei Stephen Levene Auguste Chocuanite Jahdine Milosevic Ash Garrett Scandar Gino-Silva Payne Stephen Levene Sam Walker

Creative Direction & Graphic Design Dulcie Horn Cover photo is Ash Garrett, styled by Jahdine Milosevic and photographed by Scandar Gino Salva-Payne for our Don Majors feature on page 6.

I’m originally from Bristol but have lived in Australia and Devon. I started out on Fine Art before making the switch to Drawing and Applied Art half way though my first year. Fine Art was too concept based for my practice; I feel much more at home in DAA. I primarily draw with pencil charcoal and ink. But I am also a printmaker focusing mainly on screen print. I took a gap year between my first and second year to work and do some internship. My favorite was working with Gifford’s Circus as a set and props assistant; living in a

tent with all the circus acts. I have been inspired recently by the Egon Schiele exhibit at the Courtland Gallery. I thought it was a great showcase for the value of drawing as a practice. I’m currently applying to MA courses in London and Bristol. I hope to go on to develop my printmaking and eventually enter the creative industry as a designer in some capacity.

Emily Leonard

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A day of elves & pirates audience. Unfortunately Carpet had been left behind on his own to run his parents shoe shop. He’s a boy with a flair for 80s dance music but little knowledge on how to fit or make shoes. Enter the magic elves, who every night using their own brand of rhythmic-gymnastic-magic, built the pairs of shoes to order and bailed Carpet out. Complete with disco dance opportunities at the end of the performance, “The Magic Elves” was a lovely psychedelic Christmas treat for families, although not necessarily aimed at the student population.

PHOTO CREDIT SIMON ANNAND

The Bristol Old Vic press day opened with a performance from the charmingly named, “The Magic Elves”, a loosely based adaption (and I can’t stress the word loosely enough here) of The Elves and The Shoemaker by The Brothers Grimm. Performed in the Old Vic’s Studio theatre, I quickly became aware this performance was aimed solely for children and that I rather stuck out one of the only adults in the audience who were there without children. From the outset the performance was interactive, with Kid Carpet (yeah you heard his name) immediately engaging with all the children in the

mini single reviews

After a break for complimentary tea, coffee and biscuits we were ushered up into the inner workings of the Bristol Old Vic to hear about their upcoming season, which sounds promising, diverse and extremely exciting to say the least. Kicking off the next season, The Old Vic are delving into “The Life and Times of Fanny Hill”. Adapted by April de Angelis and based on the book by John Cleland, which was infamously banned from sale soon after its publication in 1748, it follows Fanny’s life and her fall into the ironic profession of prostitution. Starring Caroline Quentin, who seems extremely enthused by the project, and directed by Michael Oakley. It promises to be a witty and charming look at Fanny’s life. Here’s hoping it has some backbone and substance behind the story as well, but looking at the passion of the creative team I have no doubt it will be something I shall book tickets for. Another project that caught my eye, as being a new student, was Bristol’s “Ferment Fortnight” an event The Bristol Old Vic have coined

as “an artist development factory… where the first whiff of a storyline, a character, a placed or poem, is coaxed and coached into something more fully formed”. A fortnight for emerging artists that offers glimpses into where the next generation of theatre makers are going to take this art, Bristol once again cements itself as the place to be for people wanting to get into the creative industries with constant opportunities. Following another break for complimentary dinner and wine (in case you hadn’t noticed free food and alcohol did a lot to endear me to Bristol Old Vic) we sat down to watch the main event in the main

“You are transported back to those days where you could imagine and play for hours on end...” theatre; “Swallows and Amazons”. Back by popular demand, “Swallows and Amazons” follows the exploits of four children during their summer holidays, in particular their excavation to Wild Cat Island on their boat Swallow. The real beauty of this production is how the children’s imagination is fused with reality so seamlessly you yourself are no longer aware what is real and what is fiction; and more

THE WOMBATS/Greek Tragedy

TRUST FUND/Cut Me Out BY CHRISTIAN NORTHWOOD

The first single from Trust Fund’s upcoming album combines singer Ellis’ fragile semi-falsetto with lyrics full of angst and stripped back punk guitars. Basically creating the perfect song for the emotional teen in all of us. “I am a fragile idiot” Ellis whispers to you. Aren’t we all Ellis, aren’t we all.

BY PORTIA LYONS

It's been well over a year since we have heard anything from The Wombats but it's well worth the wait. In their usual energetic style this song progresses from a floaty riff intro to the sound of distorted drum beats. However the much darker concept may appear daunting as the first taster of "Glitterbug", but the lyrics are somewhat genius.

BY ELLIE HARFFEY importantly you no longer care. You are transported back to those days when you could imagine and play for hours on end without anything but what you find in the garden to amuse you. The production takes the limitations of theatre and turns it into its biggest strength using a versatile chorus that are constantly switching between musician, stage hand and actor; a feather duster and some garden clippers become a parrot, a piece of long blue ribbon held taut, rippling in the breeze becomes the ocean and what you see through a circular frame held up becomes what the children are viewing through their telescope. Indeed the chorus themselves would have been my favourite characters had it not been for Roger, played by Tom Bennet who flawlessly portrays the frustration and charisma being the youngest child of four. “Swallows and Amazons” presents a world of limitless imagination, the imagination you leave behind in your childhood that if we could only access now would be our most precious commodity. You almost wished the play would make more emphasis on the dissolution and loss of innocence and youth, yet to do so would be to betray what being a child is; carefree and unthinking of the future. The simplicity of the plot is perfectly complimented by a flawless production and musical score making “Swallows and Amazons” the timeless piece of theatre that will keep audience’s begging for it to come back again and again.

SOPHIA GRACE/Best Friends

BY DULCIE HORN

Eleven-year-old Sophia Grace known primarily for her adorable Nicki Minaj covers on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, has ditched her silent sidekick/hypegirl Rosie and gone solo. In this catchy tune Sophia Grace extolls the virtues of the sisterhood singing ‘stupid boys come around… me and my girls shut ‘em down’ over a catchy beat… She may barely be in secondary school but this is an undisputable pop banger.

WESTWORLD 004 / FEB 2014

best fashion trend

BY CHARLOTTE ELLIOTT

As the days got colder and colder at the end of last year, I found myself failing to consider how fashionable I looked as I left the house each morning to go to University. Lots of layers, jumpers, and a 10 ft. scarf wrapped round my neck pretty summed up my ‘winter look’. However one of the huge fashion revivals this season are turtlenecks. Whether this is a jumper or a top they’ve been bang on trend this cold winter season, and combine practicality with fashion perfectly. The great thing about turtlenecks is the variation in style and usage. One day I can wear it under a crop jumper for extra warmth giving my outfit an instantly smarter look, another day I can whack on a slouchy oversized thick knit turtleneck and other days I can layer it underneath an old summer dress with a pair of thick wooly tights! I love doing this, as reincorporating summer clothing into your winter wardrobe is very satisfying indeed. All of a sudden a thermal item of clothing from Marks and Spencer isn’t frowned upon- who would have thought it!

best breakthrough artist

BY CHRISTIAN NORTHWOOD

All the best music is made by weirdos. Without them, no one would push boundaries. So it’s a good job that my pick for best breakout artist of 2014 is a doo rag wearing, white 18 year old from Minnesota, with a baby head and angelic voice. Despite having more name changes in 2014 than mixtapes (3 name changes and 2 mixtapes), Corbin aka Spooky Black aka Lil Spook has managed to take over the internet armed with a collection of the smoothest, most heart-breaking R&B ballads you’ll have heard from an 18 year old.

Best Single

BY LOTTIE BAZLEY

The reasons why are three-fold. Firstly, I love Paloma Faith. Usually when an artist is labelled ‘quirky’ and ‘eccentric’, it’s code for ‘irritating’, but not with Paloma. And when an artist’s talking voice is an ugly antithesis of their singing voice it’s a huge disappointment (no offence, Adele), but not with Paloma. She somehow makes it work. Secondly, the song itself is just great. The track is an obscure mix of styles; a jazzy brass bass-track accompanied by violins and drums, with backing vocals reminiscent of a 60’s girl group, and yet it’s still somehow an

almost hip-hoppy power ballad.

And finally, the vocals. If the melody wasn’t catchy enough to cement this as my favourite single, lyrics like ‘Love is torture, makes me more sure, only love can hurt like this’ take me back to my days as an angsty teenager, where singing loudly about the agony of love was a favourite past time of mine. Paloma’s sultry voice, evocative of Amy Winehouse at times, makes these words even more powerful.

BY CASPAR ASH

With a notorious reputation and a face that looks like an aborted Klingon, you could be forgiven for being wary of the one we call Anklepants. From Berlin to Bristol he is the king of controversy, dividing opinion like the second coming, when I heard Anklepants’s first English tour date was happening at Start the Bus, I knew one thing...it would be wrong not to go! Before the show there was much discussion between friends, some thought “he’s doing something refreshing and arty”, while the majority said him and his animatronic cock nose were stupid! Having seen

highlights of 2014

We present to you the WestWorld team’s personal picks from 2014. From music to art they’ve covered all the bases. Don’t agree with some of their selections? Let us know what you would have chosen over on our twitter: @WestWorld_UWE

I have no shame in declaring this the best single of 2014, and after a couple of listens I’m sure most, perhaps secretly, will agree.

best/wierdest gig “Are you ready to become adults, are you ready to become better people?”

If none of this has swayed you yet, go online and watch the video to his breakout song ‘Without U’. Start with your eyes closed, letting his beautiful voice wash over you, before opening your eyes to see his turtle-necked, doo-ragged big blonde head. Let’s hope 2015 gets even weirder.

TURTLENECK IMAGE MILLY TILLSON

With the plethora of great music that has been released this year and all the brilliant new artists that have appeared, I understand that my Radio 2 approved song might ruffle some feathers when I declare it my ‘Single of the Year.’

His Sampha like baritone coupled with spacey, trippy production, brings to mind another 18 year old whose love of bizarre headwear and emotional honesty has propelled him to the top of most peoples end of year lists: Yung Lean. Corbin is essentially The Weeknd to Yung Lean’s Drake.

what a spectacle laid ahead of me, I wasn’t sure what to think. Truth is he’s just giving the kids what they want, with an extra adapter they didn’t even know they needed. In short it was amazing! Transcending genres smoother than Beck in MartyMcfly mode, we are treated to a Smorgasbord of naughty noises and visceral visuals. The man’s got err… nose control like no other and that’s not even what he’s about! The real talent is controlling, singing and looping sounds with his personally built voice modulating microphone. So whether you like house, bass music, techno, hard-tek, 80s powerpop or all of the above rolled into one, Ankletrousers wont disappoint, I mean pants won’t let you down.

best film

Looking back on last year’s cinematic world it is without a doubt that Martin Scorsese's "The Wolf of Wall Street" is world class. Containing scenes of sex, drugs and a whole lot of cash. The on screen chemistry between Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill literally makes this film! Two amazing actors in one film means there is no other place for this film but the top. They just bounce off each other so well. The casting of this film is spot on. Goodfellas was my all time favourite film until I saw this. It's a modern version of a classic gangster film,

BY PORTIA LYONS swapping guns for cash. It's got all the usual characterises of a Scorsese masterpiece and much more. What I love most is the comic timing shown throughout, especially when the "Naomi" boat is capsizing and DiCaprio's says, "get the ludes", absolutely brilliant! Leo's performance is outstanding; it's shocking he didn't claim an Oscar for this role. “The only thing standing between you and your goal is the bullshit story you keep telling yourself as to why you can't achieve it.” What a great motto! This is just one of many quotes from the film, need I say more. It was rated top of the list for pirated films in 2014, it certainly was film of the year!

WESTWORLD 004 / FEB 2014

best exhibition If I wanted something immersive I wouldn’t typically go to an architecture exhibition, but a fullscale architectural experience is a different story. It led me to a new world away from the busy, soul-less streets of London. Sensing Spaces was experiential, there’s no direction and few facts are given. Instead the installations begin a process of unlearning, of turning off our rational mind and getting back in touch with our core senses. With light, smell, sound and texture to help with the main visual stimulant of finding your way through the maze of spaces. This exhibition has given architects the chance to reawaken the visitor’s sense of their own space. In one room you see this majestic plywood form akin to a castle working within the original nineteenth century embellished room. Seemingly endless spiral stairs take you right

BY EMMA FARR up to the ceiling so you can see the gloriously hideous gold angels that adorn the room’s pillars. In another area bright straws were provided to add to an igloo, the public was to embellish this otherwise monochromatic cocoon of plastic and holes with an everchanging cloak of multi-colour, the piece will only be effective on the reliance of engagement, interaction and adding your own effort to the piece. The experience was surreal, people gathered like bees preparing, attaching and fixing the sculpture while others left and joined. This experience has inspired me to get involved with festival installations, maybe even build a mezzanine floor into my own space! I left feeling elated but sad that I would never be able to return to this ethereal palace.

saddest band break-up When an established band breaks up it’s obviously crushing, but when a band breaks up just before they hit the big time, the feeling of missed potential is crushing. Bristol’s Towns fall into this latter category, splitting mere weeks before releasing their fantastic debut Get By. Managing to perfectly blend psychedelic guitars, baggy bass-lines and massive choruses, Towns could have packed festival tents. But alas, it was not to be, with the band breaking up with a note to their fans thanking them for their support. Luckily for us, their label still released the album. It was a masterpiece, with highlight “Everyone’s Out” brilliantly summing up their intense, trippy but fun sound. R.I.P Towns, definitely not forgotten.

If you know me will know that I’m a hip-hop head. I pray and study at the old school temple and I swear by it. Therefore it may come to a shock to some that my favourite show of 2014 is not a hip-hop gig. Instead it was Prince Fatty and Horseman at the Attic Bar. The gig couldn’t have come at a better time. University had just broken up for Christmas, the cold winter had settled in and I was itching for some escape. Prince Fatty’s excellent selection of warming, uptempo reggae and dub records was the perfect solution. Playing hits

BY CHERYL AGEI On the 11th of September the red carpet was rolled out as The Royal Opera House in London opened their 2014/2015 season with a special performance of the glitzy opera ‘Anna Nicole’. Already a student favourite with their free Student scheme, The Royal Opera House took it a step further by offering up its auditorium exclusively to students and under 25s with tickets starting from as little as £1. The Opera tells of the brief life and sad death of the glamour model Anna Nicole Smith and her attempt to achieve ‘The American Dream’. Despite the ultimate tragic ending, the opera included dazzling designs, scenes of parties, and even a poledancing aria, with musical themes ranging from a combination of jazz, blues, traditional opera and musical theatre. In three words: Opera meets Broadway. What’s more impressive is that The Opera House had been transformed into an ‘Anna Nicole

BY CHRISTIAN NORTHWOOD

BY STEPHEN LEVENE

best THEATRE SHOW

best album best gig from his acclaimed “Survival of the Fittest” album and collaborations with Mungo’s HiFi and Nostalgia 77 the vibrations made you forget the time of year and sent you to sunny Jamaica. Horseman’s mastery of the ceremony was also great, keeping the crowd focused with some fast flowing riddims whilst also humorously protecting girls from predatory men by publically humiliating them. The Attic is also one of my favourite venues. The degrees of Jah infused dancing increasied the closer to the stage you went. Of course I was right at the front. A fantastic way to bring 2014 to a close.

Session Victim have tended to always be the bridesmaid but never the bride. Although revered and respected in the world of house and electronic music, they always seem to get recognition without real reward. And although it is true that most people would rather be underrated than overrated, See You When You Get There takes the talented German duo of Hauke Freer & Matthias Reiling one step closer to being whisked down the aisle. See You When You Get There sees Session Victim maintain their electronic roots while expanding on their current repertoire by dipping their creative toe into a genre laden musical bath. From the ethnic drums at the beginning of Stick Together to

Wonderland’, complete with pink balloons, a red carpet rolled out with paparazzi, a selfie station, disco balls hanging from the ceiling, free beer, and a live Jazz band. The auditorium looked even more impressive with the famous red velvet stage curtain transformed pink, while photos of a smiling Anna Nicole graced every fixture. As a Student Ambassador of the ROH, I was lucky enough to not only be involved with the setting up for the evening but also to meet so many students excited for the night ahead and to feel the buzz and hum of enthusiasm and chatter breathing a new life into the Opera House. Through events such as this, The Royal Opera House continues to prove their success in reaching a younger audience! For more info on the free student scheme, visit www.roh.org.uk/students

BY SAM WALKER the funky bass in the beautiful Hey Stranger, this album has understated flakes of many different genres sprinkled over it like hundreds and thousands. This album, the follow up to 2012’s ‘The Haunted House of House’, is the “difficult second album”. As we all know, this can see some artists fall by the wayside and in some cases, struggle to come back. It can, however, see artists thrive. And although Session Victim are not that well known outside of the electronic bubble, this album could well see them being appreciated on a wider scale. But as their modest musical personas attest, they might just want stay as the bridesmaid after all.

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HOW DID I GET HERE?

[Don Majors]

In this month's 'how did I get here?' feature Jahdine Milosevic goes behind the scenes at Cheltenham Road's very own vintage leisurewear specialists Don Majors. You’ve been endlessly rummaging around charity shops all day. You’ve mashed up your new trainers in the rain, the other half is whinging, and all you’ve bought so far is a weirdly oversized ashtray. Then you spot it. An original Burberry shirt priced up for a fiver. Your eyes widen with excitement and your friends are fuming that they didn’t lurk that end of the rail first. Now imagine that same magical moment, without any of the longness. Don Majors has done all the hard work for you. Situated along Gloucester road in Bristol, the store specialises in the finest 90s vintage sportswear. The shop contains a range of retro classics, ranging from Kappa, Reebok, Ellesse and Tommy Hilfiger. Also supporting up and coming designers, such as TAPT, Feral Pleasures, Neat Frontage and UWE’s very own Rudecat clothing, we spoke to shop owner Squincey about his journey. Stepping foot in the store, there is an overwhelming sense of character and originality. The hip-hop blaring from the speakers compliments the local graffiti artwork for sale hanging on the walls. It comes as no shock that Squincey has a heavy background in the free party scene. He reminisces about how deeply fundamental it has been to the Don Majors journey. “When we used to have our rig, Armada, we were known for wearing stupid clothes and outrageous leisurewear. It started as a joke, but kind of became us.” Ideas began flowing, and organically evolved into a potential business plan.

Interview and styling by Jahdine Milosevic, model Ash Garrett and photography by Scandar Gino Silva-Payne. See more image from the shoot on www.westerneye.net and visit Don Majors yourself at 223a Cheltenham Road.

The ball started rolling in 2012, when Squincey bought a jacket on Ebay for 99p. “It was ridiculously good. I remember thinking, I could make money out of this. I was finding a lot of Ralph Lauren shirts in charity shops as well. I decided if I stuck it all in one place, it would look alright”. Around the same time, his friend was advertising cheap gallery space. Jumping at the opportunity, Squincey began renting the space for £100 a month. In need of some professional guidance and investment, he researched his options. “Someone mentioned the Princes Trust, and that they give you a grant or whatever. We went down there, and within a few weeks we did the course and they gave us great business advice and loads of mentors. They basically gave us the kick up the arse that we needed.”

Upstairs is home to Maggie Scratchers, a renowned retailer of new and used vinyl, specialising in the very best of reggae, hip-hop, jungle, breakbeat, garage and dubstep. The diverse collection of music perfectly encompasses how much the free party scene has influenced this amalgamation of underground culture and fashion. Squincey talks about how his experience of buying and selling records has led him to meeting music legends. “A great highlight for me was selling Daddy Freddy a Ralph Lauren shirt! And Buggsy bought a Schott bomber jacket. It’s always great when artists come in the shop. Music has been such an important part of the Don Majors journey.” This is evident, as his background in the free party scene has resulted in some majorly beneficial links that have contributed to the success of his business. Don Majors is exclusively the only stockist of MiniRig in Bristol. How did Squincey manage to sort that link? “We used to party together basically. They started up as a 12 volt battery powered party sound system, which gave birth to the concept of the MiniRig. “ Following the store’s success, Squincey used his network of links to open up Don Majors stalls at festivals such as Boomtown and Glastonbury. “Fashion at festivals is big. One year at Glastonbury, we were selling these sportswear brand tie dye t-shirts. The drummer from Alt J bought one of our T-Shirts. From then, kids were coming in and buying us out of stock, we had to get the guy to make up a load more and bring them in. There was an article in The Guardian talking about mental tie dye fashion at Glastonbury that year.” Having established a well-deserved reputation in Bristol, Squincey gives us some advice on how to set up a thriving business. “Have a look around, cost up prices. Just ask. If you see any empty shops that you think you can do something in, just find out, because a lot of the time, rent will be a lot cheaper than you’d expect for a shop.” In preparation for Summer, Squincey is offering all you music lovers an opportunity you won’t want to miss. If you buy 2 Mini Rigs and a Sub, he’ll give you £20.00 off your overall purchase.

WESTWORLD 004 / FEB 2014

The word ‘mighty’ often gets used when it is undeserved. If you ever get the displeasure of tasting McDonald’s ‘Mighty Wings’ you will find they are definitely not mighty. My old primary school used to have a school anthem where we’d call ourselves the ‘Mighty Mighty Hazelwood’. Again, we were hardly what one would call mighty. However, there is one hip-hop artist who came to Bristol in late November who is very deserving of this title. The mighty Mos Def, who came to the Bristol O2 Academy to grace fellow hip-hop heads with his presence, has earned his place amongst the best in the scene and his show was proof.

The Mighty Mos Def BY STEPHEN LEVENE

O2 Academy Bristol November 27th

As mentioned above the O2 was the venue of choice. I often question the decision to host hip-hop heavyweights at an establishment such as the O2. The vibe of the venue always seems a bit too clean, a world away from the raw energy you expect hip-hop to provide. Yet, judging by the turnout it was obvious why. Every nook and cranny of that dark, dimly lit space

was packed with fans. After all these years Mos Def is still very relevant. Mos Def started strong and finished even stronger. Mainly playing jams from his 1999 debut album Black on Both Sides (my personal favourite) Mos Def expertly captured all the energy you’d expect from a debut album and released it again 15 years later. Opening with a track appropriately titled “Hip-Hop” the crowd erupted with a roar mimicking the volcano of Pompeii. The sampled horn section thundered over our heads from the commanding sound system. Hit after hit followed. “Mathematics” locked in the crowd who knew every word, hands and heads nodding in unison. Lesser known tracks were woven in between classics, and when it seemed the crowd was losing its focus Mos Def brought it back with his smooth persona and his dominating stage presence. This wasn’t just a rap show. This was a fully blown hip-hop conducted by a real MC.

Between the meaningless and the meaningful BY AUGUSTE CHOCUANAITE “I am not interested in making things that are difficult, complicated of full of meaning. And I love that because to make something out of a lot of meaningless stuff and turn it into something meaningful is the most bizarre art you can make,” claimed Alan Roberts aka Jim Noir, who finished his tour around the UK here, in Bristol on 21st November last year. The tiny stage on the upper floor of Louisiana was packed with both people in their 50’s and young hipsters, who were looking for something new and avant-garde to add to their music collection. When four chaps with white doctor gowns went up on the stage and started tuning their instruments with bottles full of beer still in their hands, the crowd went wild. Alan Roberts, creates impeccable neo-psychedelic electro pop music, with amazingly simple lyrics and superbly catchy tunes. For instance, the band’s most famous song ‘My Patch’ has only 17 words, which hypnotise the listener subconsciously raising his craving to keep listening to the tune over and over again. What is the story behind one of the most successful Jim Noir songs? The artist himself answered the question: “I am not a really good song writer so I always repeat a lot of stuff. I needed to create something as fast as I could because when I sent my little demo to a record label, they asked me if I had more songs.

I said no as we literally had 4 tunes recorded. Something had to be written in one weekend. So I came up with ‘My Patch.’ To be honest, it probably took me 15 minutes to create it,” admitted Jim. However, Alan Roberts is not entirely satisfied with the hit’s success: “It is hard to be proud of it when I did not work that hard on it. I have put way more efforts into other songs and nobody likes them. I am not sure why other tracks do not get that many views on Youtube. Is it because they are bad songs? As an artist, you cannot help but wish for everyone to like everything you do. It is definitely an ego thing,” he claimed. With a rich history of appearing on the commercial platform, Jim’s songs can be heard on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and ‘Life’, not to mention the Adidas World Cup advertising in 2006, where they used the ‘Eanie Meany’ remix. The band released 5 albums, some of which were recorded in the basement of Alan’s parent’s house in Manchester. The beginning of

Jim’s music career was not easy. “At secondary school I would go to the guitar shops on the way home and sit there for a couple of hours playing the guitar as I could not afford to buy one,” he remembered. Alan had no idea what his future was going to look like so he followed his friends who have decided to develop themselves in the music college. That is where it all began. Atlantic Records introduced Jim Noir to the world and the band’s name has been getting more recognisable on a daily basis since then. Nevertheless, things have changed after they released the first album. “They essentially rejected my second CD so it was them who dropped me. I did not write what they wanted me to write. However, we decided to do it ourselves and recorded 3 albums since,” said Jim Noir with ironic smile on his face. The band has had its ups and downs and Alan has decided to share one of the most disastrous stories from 3 or 4 years ago. “We were supposed to support Sean Lennon on his tour.

We did our little round of gigs in America and planned to meet the guy in Canada. We did one show with him and we were supposed to finish the tour together, yet we got deported from the country. They interrogated us for 12 hours and we had to go back home. The next night was going to be in New York,” recalled the lead singer. However, Jim’s music, strongly influenced by the Beatles, might have come to an end. Their 5th album ‘Finnish Line’ is probably the last one the band will ever make, “I think this is it. Why? Because I have been doing it for 10 years and I am still banging my head against that enormous wall of people trying to do the same thing.” By harnessing the art of turning meaningless to meaningful, Jim Noir put on an unarguably great show that night. Full of youthful energy and innovative sounds they have helped hundreds of music lovers to reach catharsis.

The talent Mos Def has is hard to put into words. He rapped, he sang, he played soul records, funk records, performed acapellas, and sang in Arabic. Mos Def has it all. Despite the diversity, every segment of the performance seemed to flow into the other seamlessly. He played Aretha Franklin until the track reached the sample “Ms. Fat Booty” uses and effortlessly switched the soulful vibration back to the hip-hop plan. After an hour of charged and energetic hip-hop, Mos Def finished on a newer track called “Travelling Man.” He poured every bit of energy into before singing ‘I'm leavin’ and abruptly vanishing as if by magic. A powerful ending from the mighty Mos Def. Oh, I forget to mention that Jackie Chan fight scenes were playing on a screen behind him the whole time (yes, he is that cool).

WESTWORLD 004 / FEB 2014

Arboretum & the British Wildlife Photography Awards

BY EMMA FARR

Arboretum and The British Wildlife Photography Awards Royal West of England Academy Tues-Sat 10–6, Sun 11–5 Free with student card Ends March 8th

Arboretum: The Art of Trees Everyone likes trees. They age gracefully, they put up with all of the English weather without any complaint and even supply us with oxygen. This exhibition is a good reminder of how important trees are and how they are more than just a resource. This series starts an environmentally focused programme at the RWA to celebrate Bristol’s first year as European Green Capital. Arboretum intertwines art and environment, highlighting how trees have gradually been domesticated and the ecological issues surrounding them. Our ‘trees, like ruins, embody history’ and for many are a symbol of the fragility of our environment. Hannah Maybank’s epic textured surfaces are constructed out of layers of paint over latex; these layers of peeling paint are suggestive of a vast history entombed underneath. Royal Academician Anthony Whishaw aims to capture what he refers to as a general ‘treeness’. The piece looks like punctured metal or wood grain from afar but of closer inspection its

acrylic and collage with elements of sand, soil, ash, metal. Upon reading you realize it’s the reflections of foliage in the water. This exhibit features the works of founding members of the Arborealists group alongside RWA Academics, the Arboretum follows the success of Under the Greenwood: Picturing the British Tree in 2013 which was a twopart exhibition. The St. Barbe Museum and Gallery website has a beautiful archive of this double exhibition which investigates mythology and religious symbolism, the longevity of trees and the seasonal cycle and how man has exploited them for timber, food and fuel. These are a great resource with examples of many great historical and contemporary artists. Arboretum is an interesting grouping of ideas and there may be an account of the tree that appeals to your taste, or maybe your tree isn’t there and it will inspire you to make your own version. Or at least think about.

THREE POLLARDS, JULIAN PERRY, OIL ON PANEL, 2004

DOMINO, CELLA DE SERRA PENCIL ON STRATHMORE, 2014

British Wildlife Photography Awards Exhibition 2014

This is a journey into an unseen world of overgrown phone boxes, secret habitats, spectacular natural colour spectrums, macro close-ups, characters of all sorts and amazing sights of British nature. These colour environments are inspiring for refining your own palette.

THE TOURIST, LEE ACASTER, BWPAWARDS.CO.UK, 2014

The British Wildlife Photography Awards exhibition showcases over 100 images and videos; those featured are the winners from thirteen categories including Portrait, Black and White, Botanical and Habitat. The awards were created to showcase the talents of wildlife

photographers working in Britain and highlight the diversity of our country’s natural history. So anyone passionate about protecting and preserving wildlife will be inspired by this exhibition, which in its fifth year has done more than any other to raise the profile of British wildlife. If you haven’t got time to make the trip, there’s a nice collection of photos available on the British Wildlife Photography Awards website, and if after that you want to have a go, you can enter the competition from February onwards.