Exposed Magazine June 2020

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RHYMES OF OUR TIMES Carnall’s otis mensahbaCk with another Christmas takes the miC CraCker bubba 2000 // pete hill // migration

matters // DeaD// women poets DoC/FestFestival // honeyblooD migration matters////tom blaCkwaters simongrab reeve soCiety j newell // City // exposeD awarDs

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32 32: Otis Mensah “I’ve always got this whispering voice in me that’s saying I need to cut through the noise of everything else that’s going on.”

We catch up with Otis Mensah, Sheffield’s first Poet Laureate, on his new project #OtisMensahExists which sees the artist collaborating with MCs and local creatives to probe our increasingly integrated relationship with online existences.

top brass Phil Turner (MD) phil@exposedmagazine.co.uk

Nick Hallam (Sales Director) nick@exposedmagazine.co.uk

contributions from Mark Perkins Elliot Lucas Eloise Feilden Cal Reid

16: Migration Matters Proudly being the UK’s first official City of Sanctuary, Migration Matters Festival is naturally an important date on the Sheffield social calendar. This year the celebration of the positive impact from migration and refugees has moved online – bringing together a global audience – with a wide number of streaming events available to participate in.

18: Dead (Women) Poets Society

cover image Marc Barker

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The views contained herein are not necessarily those of Blind Mice Media Ltd and while every effort is made to ensure information throughout Exposed is correct, changes prior to distribution may take place which can affect the accuracy of copy, therefore Blind Mice Media Ltd cannot take responsibility for contributors’ views or specific entertainment listings.

Resurrecting Dead (Women) Poets throughout the UK, one live literature event at a time. Eloise Feilden discovers the innovative ways in which a group of written prose enthusiasts are keeping the female/non-binary canon alive.

38: Pete Hill Renowned music photographer Pete Hill captured some of the Steel City’s most iconic musical exports during its thriving 80s era. With lockdown providing a perfect excuse to trail back through the archives, we spoke to Pete about being at the frontline of a famous era in Sheffield’s cultural history. www.exposedmagazine.co.uk | 7

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upfront: kick off

From Grenoside to the Stars

image: Anne Purkiss

Last month marked the 29th year since Sheffield’s Helen Sharman made interstellar history, becoming the first Briton to go into space. Elliot Lucas takes a closer look at the journey undertaken by a Steel City legend...

In May of 1991, if you were to survey the milky black void of space, dipping and diving around ice giants, and asteroid belts, eventually you would stumble across the Mir Space Station. An ugly thing.

A sideways-long tin pot protruding with bits and bobs and scientific instruments, floating above our humble, blue marble of planet. And in that tin pot, twiddling with knobs and dials, performing rigorous tests, you would find Helen Sharman, the lass from Grenoside.

Born and raised in Grenoside, Sheffield, Sharman went to Meadowhead school (then Jordanthorpe Comprehensive), before pursuing a BSc in Chemistry at the University of Sheffield, and finally a PhD from Birbeck, University of London. Armed with these qualifications, Sharman would become a chemist for Mars Confectionery, working with the flavourant properties of chocolate (leading the media to eventually dub her the ‘Girl from Mars’).

Sharman’s big break came after she answered a radio advertisement calling for applicants to be Britain’s first space explorer. When asked why she was chosen, from a pool of over 13,000 applicants, Sharman shrugged: “I was physically fit, good in a team and not too excitable, which was important.

You can’t have people losing it in space. I think it was just my normality” (Guardian 2016).

With that, Sharman was whisked off to Star City, Russia, where she spent 18 months learning fluent Russian, studying mathematics and astrology, and learning to deal with the physical stress of space travel.

On May 18th, 1991, Sharman and fellow cosmonauts Anatoly Artebartsky and Sergei Krikalyov finally departed for the Mir Space Station. The station was notoriously shoddy, as space-faring technology goes. Sharman complained of regular power failures, which would plunge the crew into total darkness (indeed, just ten years later, in 2001, the station was retired for good). While Sharman was there, she spent her days performing medical and agricultural tests, as well as bantering and fostering camaraderie with her Soviet colleagues, before returning to earth on May 26th.

Dr. Helen Sharman has spent the years since communicating science to the general public, and especially trying to inspire generations of schoolchildren to follow in her footsteps. She has been rewarded for her achievements with an OBE, as well a star on the Sheffield Walk of Fame. helensharman.uk www.exposedmagazine.co.uk | 9

Image:Craig fleming

upfront

the show must go on

Sheffield Theatres announce plans for outdoor events Last month, Sheffield Theatres announced that, subject to government advice, it hopes to bring Shakespeare to Sheffield’s outdoor spaces later this year.

However, the theatre complex has also confirmed that the Crucible, Studio and Lyceum Theatres will remain closed for the time being.

Shows that were scheduled to take place through to 20 July have been cancelled or postponed and customers with tickets will be contacted in due course.

Artistic director Robert Hastie commented: “We want to offer the city some joy and find a safe way to bring people together to experience live performance again. The last few weeks have reminded all of us here that theatre is what we do, not just the building where we usually do it. As long as we can make sure that everyone involved is safe, we can still be creative and make some great theatre happen for audiences around the city. If you can’t come to us, we’ll come to you.

“We’ll be making these shows with

the same bold energy we always do, telling Shakespeare’s timeless stories with passion and humour, so that families, students and theatre-lovers of all ages can share in the joy of live performance.”

Sheffield Theatres will continue to liaise with Sheffield City Council and monitor official guidance on outdoor gathering as part of planning its ambition to bring Shakespeare’s plays into the city’s green spaces. Further information will follow when further government advice is available.

Due to the length of the lead-in time for producing and touring theatre, some shows which were due to visit Sheffield in the autumn have postponed or cancelled their tours. The Theatres’ website (sheffieldtheatres.co.uk) provides up to date information on what’s on, as well as the ability to book tickets for future productions and discover new content and links to theatre that’s streaming now and activities for children and young people.

Ready, set, action: Drive-thru cinema heading our way Quirky pop-up cinema experts The Village Screen are launching their own drive-thru cinema this summer in a number of secret and special locations across Sheffield and beyond.

The Village Screen team have been delivering sell out, intimate and quirky cinematic events for the people of the north and across the UK for the past five years. They have screened films in caves, historical swimming pools, hotels, monasteries, woodland areas and more.

The drive-thru cinema will be just as original, with live music and DJ entertainment delivered to your car, as well as street food and drink deliveries available, all whilst following social distancing rules to keep everyone safe.

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Audiences will be able to choose from a number of cult classics, all of which will be screened in the evening using state of the art projection and proper cinema screens, with sound being delivered straight to your car.

The Village Screen will be donating a number of free tickets each night for key workers, too. You will also be able to thank key workers by buying and donating Hero tickets. Dates and tickets to the drive-thru events will be released soon.

Sign up for more information and first access to tickets via their website via thevillagescreen.com/drive-thru-cinema.

upfront

Be A Local Hero Be A Local Hero was set up by a group of furloughed workers who wanted to ensure their favourite places would still be there post-lockdown, with a growing number of UK-wide businesses now signed up to the initiative.

A statement taken from the website sums up the approach: “This site allows you to buy products and vouchers from local

independent businesses, that can be redeemed when they reopen. We take no commission on payments and only want to see the businesses, that we know and love, live to fight another day.”

It’s entirely free and straightforward for businesses to register – simply head to the link and submit your details to open an account.

For people looking to support local, there’s an explore your community section to help find gift cards in your local area. bealocalhero.co.uk // @bealocalherouk

Image:marc barker

Image:marc barker

A website has recently launched offering customers the chance to support independent businesses by purchasing commission-free gift cards to use when lockdown is lifted.

A Change of View New visuals of the rooftop bar terrace in ‘Block H’ in the council’s Heart of the City 2 development were released last month.

The strategy for the block is to create a new ‘cultural heart’ between Wellington Street, Carver Street and Cambridge Street, combining existing and new architecture to provide a destination which is uniquely Sheffield.

For an overview of the full plan for the area, and the chance to have your say on the latest planning proposals, head to www.heartofcity2. com. www.exposedmagazine.co.uk | 11

up front

picturing lockdown Following a public callout asking people across the country share images documenting their lockdown experiences, Historic England announced the 100 public submissions that would make their Picturing Lockdown archive, now freely accessible online.

Charles Smith, Acting Regional Director for the North East and Yorkshire at Historic England, said: “The fascinating response to our Picturing Lockdown call-out sheds light on our collective and individual experiences of lockdown and provide a snapshot into this unusual time that will be accessible for future generations to see and learn from. Our thanks go out to all who submitted their work who have produced an inspiring range of images.”

The collection, whittled down from thousands of submitted images, features three from Sheffield including Climbing the Walls by local photographer and climber Jody Cliffe. The other two selections include a stark image of a boarded up Frog & Parrot brightened up with positive messages to NHS frontline Staff by Tim Dennell, and a special version of that typical Sheffield home comfort – a homemade pie – taken (and baked) by Jill Ingle.

Browse the archive at historicengland.org.uk 12 | www.exposedmagazine.co.uk

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up front: CHILDREN’S HOPSITAL charity

Sheffield Children’s supports COVID-19 research As part of the national response to COVID-19 Sheffield Children’s is supporting important research being led locally and nationally to understand more about the infection and its impact.

Eight clinical research studies into COVID-19 are now underway at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, as researchers join the international effort to understand and manage the virus.

Sheffield Children’s already has an extensive research programme through its Clinical Research Facility and is currently focusing its efforts towards the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Urgent Public Health COVID-19 studies.

By delivering these vital national studies, the Trust is helping to build understanding about the infection and its impact.

The Research team in the Research and Innovation

Department at Sheffield Children’s have done fantastic work in organising research into COVID-19 efficiently and effectively as NHS Trusts are being asked to prioritise research studies that have been badged as urgent public health studies.

Here are some examples of the projects being undertaken: • Coronavirus Infection in Primary or Secondary Immunosuppressed Children • WHO Clinical Characterisation Protocol for Severe Emerging Infection • Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy: the RECOVERY trial • Psychological impact of the Coronavirus (COVID19) pandemic and experience: An international survey The Children’s Hospital Charity has launched an

emergency COVID-19 appeal to help support Sheffield Children’s, its staff, and the amazing children being cared for through this time and beyond.

By donating what you can, or by fundraising at home, you can support those who need help at this most critical time as well as those who will still need help once this crisis is all over.

For more information on how you can support the hospital please visit www.tchc.org.uk

IF YOU CAN HELP PLEASE HEAD TO WWW.TCHC.ORG.UK, CAll 0114 321 2470 or text sheffchildrens to 70085 to donate £5.

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up front

“A Global Celebration of Sanctuary” Sheffield’s Migration Matters Festival moves online for 2020

There’s a popular festival with a hugely important message now entering its fifth year here in Sheffield, Migration Matters. We’ve covered it before, and primarily it aims to celebrate sanctuary, migration and solidarity, uniting people through music, dance, drama and spoken word. Clearly, with the current Covid-19 situation still posing a significant health risk, events scheduled for mid-June are not going ahead as planned, but the organisers have moved online to bring us at least a part of what we would otherwise be missing. It takes place from June 15th to 20th this year. In the past events have been centred around our newest performance hub, Theatre Deli, but this year, it’s all going online. Each year it is timed to coincide with Refugee Week, which as you might expect, aims to celebrate our ability and willingness to care for refugees; something that Sheffield can be truly proud of. We became the UK’s first City of Sanctuary in 2007, and we continue to take pride in welcoming those in need of shelter and support.

Previously the festival has welcomed the likes of

Benjamin Zephaniah, Lowkey, Moonlight Benjamin and Linton Kwesi Johnson to the event. Not surprisingly, our recent mayoral superstar and keen advocate of social justice Magid Magid will be taking part this year, leading a panel discussion. Our very own poet laureate Otis Mensah will also be returning to showcase a hip-hop event and there will be live streamed gigs. Our refugee and sanctuary seeking community will also be taking part with performances and examples of their many and varied artistic talents, alongside community workshops, led by Ignite Imaginations and Maya productions. On top of all this, the University of Sheffield have commissioned three new works, especially for the event.

The festival has always been a fantastic way of bringing the people of Sheffield together, but the Covid-19 situation actually provides the opportunity of extending the invitation to the whole world to participate. Whilst events are free, to promote the maximum possible access, they are still seeking voluntary donations. Any money raised will be distributed between

refugee and asylum seekers charities, South Yorkshire Refugee Law and Justice & Lesbian Asylum Support Sheffield.

Sam Holland, the festival’s director, told us: “The past few months have been a challenging time for so many, and those who have felt marginalised before this are feeling the impact more than anyone else. We are therefore proud and grateful to put together a programme which will inspire hope, entertain and celebrate the importance of migration even at a time when this is on hold.” www.migrationmattersfestival.co.uk

Donations can be made via: https://www.migrationmattersfestival.co.uk/support-the-festival

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www.exposedmagazine.co.uk | 17

Feature

Join The Seance Words: Eloise Feilden Words: Eloise Feilden

Dead [Women] Poets Society are a collective of women and non-binary poets passionate about resurrecting the work of their predecessors through live events and literary seances.

After beginning their UK tour in Sheffield this January, the Coronavirus pandemic forced them to postpone upcoming events until later in the year. However, this delay has not succeeded in putting out their creative fires and I was able to catch up with co-founder Jasmine Simms about what D[W]PS have got coming up in the pipeline, as well as a little look back at how the group started and their journey to where they are today.

18 | www.exposedmagazine.co.uk

I wanted to start off by asking you about what the coronavirus crisis has meant for Dead [Women] Poets Society and how you are dealing with it creatively. I read up about the virtual seance you launched on your website, so I was hoping you could tell me a little bit more about that.

We’ve had to postpone some of our upcoming tour events, but we still wanted to be interacting with people during this time so we’ve come up with the idea of a virtual seance. I don’t want to give away too much, but it’s going to be an interactive permanent fixture on our site made up of responses from our followers to a few call-outs.

We’ve already put out the first one where people send us audio recordings of themselves reading their favourite poems by dead women and non-binary poets – something we always have as part of our open mics. Our next call-out is going to be something around illustration, and then it will all be launched with a virtual seance event. It’ll be like a version of our usual tour events but hosted online, so hopefully people will be able to tune in.

You mentioned integrating illustration into your Virtual Seance event. Have you always been interested in going beyond poetry in your creative practice, or is that something you’re learning to integrate now?

We’re interested in doing more and more interdisciplinary stuff, and we’ve done quite a lot in terms of responding to dead women poets through music and through song. This idea of interdisciplinary collaboration is big for us; we want people to be discovering the dead women poets through other mediums, not just through reading them.

What we are trying to do is create poetry events that don’t feel like typical poetry events. A huge chunk of our audience is made up of people who have never been to one before, so we try to package them to be more accessible and feel a bit different. We always have a poetry lucky dip when you arrive, and a shrine near the entrance.

It’s supposed to feel like a seance with the poets

binary

poets into our collective, either for a commission or as a guest poet at an event, and each time we bring someone in we don’t stipulate anything to them about who they resurrect. Basically as long as they’re women or non-binary and as long as they haven’t been resurrected before, they’re fine. At this point most of the big names like Plath and Sexton, they went quite early on, so people are getting more resourceful. Very often now when we have an event we’ve got people hosting poets I haven’t heard of before.

performing resurrections, and a big part of it is finding new ways of responding to the dead woman poet.

How did the group originally come about, and what made you want to create a Dead [Women] Poets Society?

We’re almost five years old now, amazingly, and when we first set it up as undergraduates at Durham we were all quite angry about the fact that there were just no women on our syllabus, so a big part of it was just about uncovering the female canon.

Sometimes it feels like we are discovering poets from the canon that nobody in the room has really heard of before, and sometimes it can feel more like we’re hearing poets that we thought we knew but looking at them with new perspectives.

More and more we’re adding women and non-

How do you think things have changed since you started in 2015? And have any social changes influenced the way that you relate to poetry through your events?

One thing that I can say has definitely changed is that when we founded the organisation in 2015 it was the Dead [Women] Poets Society and it was about resurrecting dead women poets, and now it’s about platforming and resurrecting women and non-binary poets. We tried to move with the times and be more expansive and inclusive about how we think about gender, which is something I would like us to do more of. We’ve talked about having gender expansive events dedicated to looking at dead poets who are transgressing the gender binary, and likewise a lot of the poets we work with now are trans and non-binary. So that’s definitely one thing that I can say has been a definite shift, which I think reflected a cultural shift between 2015 and now.

Illustration: Lily Arnold

www.exposedmagazine.co.uk | 19

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Feature

Since starting out as young undergraduates five years ago, have you learnt anything since then about what makes a successful poetry event?

So much. We learn from every event, and each one we come away from I think about what worked or what didn’t. The importance of the open mics as a space to hear some unheard voices has been coming up a lot. Initially, not all our events had open mics, but now we would never consider doing an event without one. In terms of promotion as well, we do have a brand that we capitalise on a bit, which is maybe not so common in poetry – it’s kind of a brandless sector sometimes. We’re also really lucky to be Arts Council funded right now and we’ve had the opportunity for some brilliant partners on our tour – The Writing Squad, which I’m on the board for, The Poetry Society and Spread The Word.

Having attended one of your most recent events in Sheffield a few months ago, I wanted to ask why you begin every event with the poem ‘We Shall Not Escape Hell’ by Marina Tsvetaeva?

It’s probably my fault that we do that – she’s one of my favourite poets of all time and one of the main inspirations for the whole project.

I just remember discovering Marina Tsvetaeva and thinking ‘wow’. She’s huge in European poetry; she’s like the Russian Sylvia Plath, and I remember thinking how have I done most of an undergraduate degree and not heard of this poet before! She kind of ticks a lot of boxes in terms of common experience, and she had all this trauma but was writing this incred-

ible, beautiful poetry. You get the sense that she had the feeling that she wasn’t writing for the present, that she was writing for the future; that someday someone will read this poem and understand the perspective she was speaking from. A lot of stories about abuse and violence come up in our events, and maybe this is the time that she was talking about; the time has come where people are ready to hear the perspective that she was speaking from and writing from and to understand it.

e are What wg o tryin et ate do is ctrry poe that events f el don’t iecal like typry poet . events

And we just love the poem ‘We Shall Not Escape Hell’. We think it kind of encapsulates a lot of what we’re about, and there’s a little bit of fuck-it spirit to the poem too, you know.

We wanted to have some kind of ritual that we would perform at the beginning of every event, and that’s the poem that we settled on.

And finally, seeing as you clearly know a lot about female poets of the past, if you were hosting a dream dinner party which dead women poets would you invite?

I think Stevie Smith would actually be hilarious to have at a dinner party – she’s really really witty. And maybe to counterbalance that I would have Marina Tsvetaeva, ‘cos I imagine her to be kind of heavy. And then as a third poet… maybe Mary Oliver. She only passed recently, but I feel like she’s definitely a poet for these times. I found myself re-reading some Mary Oliver this past week, and she gets a lot of stick, I think because there’s the stigma attached to women writers who write about things like relationships and wellbeing and being in tune with each other. The simple stuff of life. But I feel like she would be a nice person to have around. www.deadwomenpoets.com

www.exposedmagazine.co.uk | 21

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lost landmarks

lost landmarks Iconic landmarks define a city, and many continue to enjoy a legacy long after they’ve gone or changed form. Here Elliot Lucas takes a closer look at the story behind some of Steel City’s most recognisable structures.

Originally part of the coal-fired Blackburn Meadows power station, these towers were a relic of a bygone age. The power station had been built in 1921 to support the steel industry in the Lower Don Valley. For safety reasons, the two cooling towers proved difficult to demolish, and as a result were left standing for a full 30 years after the power station itself was closed down. Even younger readers are likely to remember idly gawking at the towers through their car window, on the way past Meadowhall.

What happened to it?

The inevitable. The towers were finally demolished by controlled explosion in 2008, with onlookers watching from Meadowhall parking lot. With that, another remnant of Sheffield’s history as an industrial powerhouse was destroyed.

hole in the road

Underneath the roundabout in Castle Square, this network of underpasses and shops came to be known affectionately as ‘Oyl Int Road’. Each branch of the network was home to different kinds of stores, from little shops (GT News, Thorntons, Tobacconists) to entrances to street level department stores (Walsh’s/House of Fraser). One of the most unique features of the place was a large fish tank built into one of the walls, containing over 2000 gallons of water and over 20 kinds of fish including carp, goldfish, bream, rudds and roaches.

What happened to it?

Over time, the area became dilapidated. It became a less popular shopping destination and started to become a loitering spot for the homeless. In 1994, the hole was filled in to make way for the new Supertram network.

Where is it now?

The former site was filled in and is now part of the tram tracks in the city centre. If you weren’t alive to see the hole for yourself, you would never know there was anything there but concrete.

PHOTO: ©Berris Conolly from ‘Sheffield Photographs 1988-1992’. dewilewis.com

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PHOTO: Ackers72

the tinsley towers

the egg box

This extension to the Town Hall was built in 1977, and immediately divided public opinion, its unique appearance earning it the nickname ‘The Egg Box’. I trawled some internet forums to find out if nostalgia had warmed people on the Egg Box since it was demolished, and the answer was a resounding ‘no’.

PHOTO: s dumpleton

What happened to it?

The extension was constructed to last at least 500 years, due to concerns about the integrity of other concrete structures put up earlier in the decade.

Despite this, the extension was demolished in 2002, just 25 years after its construction, to make way for a new attraction.

Where is it now?

The former Egg Box has since been replaced with the more aesthetically pleasing and universally popular Winter Gardens.

Castle Market opened in 1959, while Sheaf Market Hall was constructed in the 1970s. Together these markets were the beating heart of the City Centre for a long time. Older readers may still remember the Sheaf Markets, which thrived in the 1970’s and 1980’s with stores like Copelands, or the Granelli’s sweet shop which lives on in a nearby location to this day. Almost all readers will remember the Castle Market, with its vibrant colours and sounds, and the smell of fresh meat and fish from the butcher’s and fishmonger’s which seemed to dominate the place.

PHOTO: stephen richards

sheaf market and castle market

What happened to them?

Where are they now?

The former Sheaf Market has now been replaced by office blocks near park square. The former Castle Market site was excavated in 2018 in search of a castle where Mary Queen of Scots was held prisoner. Since the Market disappeared, the Castlegate area has been less popular and vibrant than much of the City Centre, home to few shops. However, the area is set to experience a transformation as part of the councils ‘Grey to Green’ scheme.

24 | www.exposedmagazine.co.uk

PHOTO: stephen mckay

Sheaf Market was the first to fall. The Market spent a few years as a dilapidated eyesore before being demolished in 2002. Castle Market closed down in 2013 as things moved to the newly opened Moor Markets instead.

PHOTO: Dave pickersgill

park hill flats

The post-war housing estate was groundbreaking for its time. Often derided by its critics as ugly, the values of post-war Britain are reflected in the architecture. Brutalist and practical, the organisation of the estate reflects the spirit of community and the desire to live together. The flats were built in a block formation, rather than vertically (like many flats at the time) with wide external hallways, known colloquially as ‘streets in the sky’, making it an easy environment for engaging socially with neighbours. It was hoped that the estate would be a model for a new way of living and organising communities in Britain.

The Ski Village

First opened in 1988, the site boasted a sports shop, bar, restaurant, a ten pin bowling alley, quad biking, laser tag and a downhill biking track, in addition to an extensive range of ski slopes. It was believed to be the largest artificial ski resort in Europe at the time. The village quickly became a very popular place for young people to hang out, including the ‘Sheffield Sharks Ski Club’ a group aimed at promoting children’s skiing, who met at Sheffield Ski Village on Saturday mornings and Thursday evenings.

What happened to it?

A run of bad luck. Between 2012 and 2018, the site was destroyed by a series of fires. The first fire, in April 2012, was ruled to have started accidentally, and destroyed the main building of the Ski Village. This was followed by a series of 50 arson attacks which destroyed the oncebeloved village beyond recognition.

Where is it now?

Recently, the council announced plans to revamp the former slopes.

Skyline, a New Zealand-based extreme activity company will form of part of the revamped ‘Parkwood Leisure Complex’.

PHOTO: salt street productions

What happened to it?

Over time, the flats became dilapidated and seen as an a undesirable place to live. The site was saved almost certain demolition when developer Urban Splash took over in 2004 and began the slow process of regenerating the estate.

The site is now becoming a jumble of houses available for rent, private sale, and student accommodation. But with prices for the renovated flats starting at well above the cost of similar properties, some have criticised the renovation as defying the original spirit of the properties and as a form of ‘classcleansing’.

Where is it now?

The former site was filled in and is now part of the tram tracks in the city centre.

If you weren’t alive to see the hole for yourself, you would never know there was anything there but concrete.

www.exposedmagazine.co.uk | 25

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lost landmarks

Don Valley Stadium

gatecrasher

Gatecrasher started life in 1996 as ‘The Republic’.

The club developed a devoted cult following among ravers and trance fans, who developed a unique way of dressing (often in daring neon) and even their own slang, referring to themselves as ‘crashers’. For a long time, Gatecrasher was the number one trance nightclub in the country.

What happened to it?

Just like the iconic ski village, Gatecrasher was lost to fire. I’m starting to think that were it not for fires, Sheffield would be up there with New York and Tokyo as an international tourist hub by now. After the club set alight in 2007 (nobody was harmed, fortunately) structural engineers declared the nightclub to be beyond repair, and the building was demolished soon after. The demolition was met with outpourings of

grief by the Sheffield clubbing community, who spray pained the words ‘Gatecrasher will never die’ on the wooden panels that fenced off the destroyed site. Another laid flowers with the message ‘The music, the lights, the spirit of the people.

Where is it now?

The former site was filled in and is now part of the tram tracks in the city centre.

If you weren’t alive to see the hole for yourself, you would never know there was anything there but concrete.

For a long time, this iconic space was the largest athletics stadium in the UK, before the London Olympics Stadium nabbed its title in 2012. The stadium was first constructed to house the 1991 World Student Games, and since then has been home to all sorts of activities and events, from rugby and American football to athletic events and concerts.

The stadium is also where Sheffield’s own Olympic gold medallist Jessica Ennis-Hill trained in the run up to the 2012 Olympic Games. In the final years before its closure, the stadium served as a football ground, with Rotherham United hosting their ‘home’ league games there..

What happened to it?

The stadium started to struggle financially, and became a burden on the public budget. Despite strong opposition by many Sheffielders (there were over 6000 signatures against it), the stadium was closed down in 2013.

Where is it now?

The site has since been redeveloped into the Olympic Legacy Park: a sports hub which triples as a research centre, sports centre and educational facilities for local universities. It is currently the home of the Sheffield Eagles Rugby League Club.

www.exposedmagazine.co.uk | 27

STREET LIFE

interview

Exposed catches up with Sheffield-based street artist Bubba 2000 – recently spotted paying homage to the country’s frontline NHS workers with a striking mural on Upper Valley Road, Meersbrook.

Words: Elliot Lucas How did you get into appreciating and creating art?

Long story, but as a kid, I used to get bullied. So I’d go home and draw little pictures of myself as a superhero, beating up people *laughs*. I would show the pictures to people and they would say “Wow, that’s pretty good.” So I started to think, huh, I’m alright at this.

Then, starting out in the mid-90s I used to draw comic books, and from there I went and did some storyboards for films and music videos, stuff like that. And I was always sticking up my own art, because back in the day, illustrative art wasn’t seen as art. I remember back in like 96-97, I remember going to coffee places, and saying “Hi, can I exhibit some artwork?” and they would say “No, that’s not art.” So I used to make photocopies and go stick them up. It’s just grown from there really.

And that has something to do with your choice to use graffiti, rather than more traditional mediums?

Well, I never have seen myself as a ‘graffiti artist’. The only similarity is that I use spray paint. But that’s like saying that Picasso is exactly the same as Van Gogh because they use oil paint. Graffiti artists don’t like what I do, the same way that ‘proper’ artists don’t see what I do as art either. So that’s why I’ve just found my own niche and do my own thing.

I just like the spontaneity of it. If you’ve got an idea, or a message that you want to put out there, it’s the most democratic way of putting a message out there. Like with the NHS piece I did, I wanted to show some appreciation, so I thought, right, I’ll go and stick it on a wall. That’s what I like about street art: if you’ve got something to say, anybody can put it out there. I get people messaging me saying, ‘but I haven’t got the right equipment and this and that…’ and I tell 28 | www.exposedmagazine.co.uk

them to use what they can get your hands on. I used to use stuff you can get from a poundshop. If you want to say something, you’ll go and do it. Its easier to make an excuse not to do something, than to get off your arse and do it.

Is there anywhere that you wouldn’t consider placing art?

Anywhere that has nature, parks and so on. And also, somebody’s house – they’ve paid good money for it. Just don’t take the piss, you know?

With the NHS piece, I had been commissioned to put something there. When the lockdown came about, I thought about what I could do to show some support.

Tell me a little more about the relationship between the art and the locations you choose. Do you think a lot about who’s going to see each piece?

Sometimes I leave what I like to call easter eggs. If you think urban landscapes are blighted by graffiti, they’re even more blighted by adverts for Coca Cola and McDonald’s. That to me is more of an eyesore than what people call graffiti. So I like to put up little easter eggs. Little characters here, there and everywhere, that wouldn’t be spotted unless you really had your eyes open.

So yeah, I definitely think about placement. I like to set things up so that when you’re looking at a piece, you’re not just looking at the image. For example, I did a little sad boy on Hunter’s Bar roundabout, so you’re not just looking at the boy, you’re using everything else in the environment to frame it up.

Why do you think people don’t pay attention anymore to their environment?

Because we live in the age of self-entitlement. We’re making idiots

famous. Someone who can flash a bit of skin on a reality TV show can earn over a million pounds a year. We’re rewarding stupidity. I think everyone has created an inner filter, because there are so many people out there starving for the oxygen of publicity, that we’ve just developed this sort of built-in ad-block filter.

People don’t understand why someone would go out and give everyone something for free. That’s what street artists do: we’re showing that the world can be a fun, beautiful place. It doesn’t have to be all about advertising and self-entitlement.

Are you hoping that when lockdown ends, people will more attention to their environment, since they’ve been stuck inside for so long?

On some level, this isolation is what we’ve all been living in for years already. And this has given us a taste of how things could be, the sense of community, the appreciation for the outdoors and so on. Of course there’s still people that wanna go back to getting their McDonald’s and shopping at Primark, etc. If that’s what they wanna do, good luck to them. But I think a lot of people are now realising, actually, this is alright, we don’t need all this materialism.

What art are you planning after lockdown ends?

The big plan was, before lockdown, I was gonna announce a show called Exit Through the Thrift Shop – a little play on the Banksy thing. I was gonna announce it on April 1st so everyone thought I was playing a joke, and then it would have opened a few weeks ago today.

The plan is to still do Exit Through the Thrift Shop when everything gets back to normal. In the meantime, I’ve got a few little street pieces that I’m gonna be doing that should be pleasant surprise to everyone. @bubba2000art / facebook.com/BUBBA2000 www.exposedmagazine.co.uk | 29

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express yourself Exposed shines a light on the latest project from Sheffieldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Poet Laureate Otis Mensah

Ahead of the release of the first single from his new collection #OtisMensahExists, last month Eloise Feilden got chatting to Sheffield’s Poet Laureate Otis Mensah about the fresh project and how he’s holding up as we move through a time of socially distanced art and performance.

Photography: Raluca de Soleil Artwork: Jim Spendlove So you’ve got a new project coming up called #OtisMensahExists. Do you want to start off by just telling me a little bit about what it is and how it came about?

I found that all the songs that I’d created fell under a similar sound aesthetic and they all touched on the same concepts or came from the same vein, and I envisioned it like a TV series with an episodic nature.

The creativity that brought about all the songs came from a place of claustrophobia and ‘millenial solitude’ – this idea that it’s just us with the universe we create for ourselves through the internet and through our own curated sense of reality. I felt they all fit well under the same umbrella, so I thought I would create it as a series. I reached out to a Sheffield-based illustrator called Jim Spendlove, who I’ve been a fan of for some time.

It’s quite obvious that his work has been impacted by hip-hop; he’s done dedications to J Dilla, to MF DOOM, and just beat culture overall, so I was quite fascinated with his work and wanted to see if we could collaborate. I had a few different visual ideas for each song and I put those forward to him and that became the collaboration.

So is the visual aspect of it is really important as well as the music?

Yeah, I think so. I feel that often when I’m writing or when I’m sitting back and looking over a piece of work I’ve got a whole world of visual ideas running through my head. My writing is not always easy to follow because of a strong sense of narrative, but I hope it helps because with the imagery that it creates, and the creation of individual worlds throughout one verse.

Why did you choose to call the project #OtisMensahExists?

In many ways I think it’s an acknowledgement of the fact that we’re all linked to our integration with the virtual world, especially in quarantine, and we’re all trying to work towards proving our existence.

I often think about how my art will be perceived when I’m no longer here, or how it will survive, so this is my introduction to the world to say, ‘Hey, my name is Otis Mensah; I do exist, I’m here, and this is a piece of my story.’ I also hope for this to be an introduction to my album that will come later on down the line, to let people know about my existence before my album comes out. www.exposedmagazine.co.uk | 33

N OW AVA I LA BLE FO R D E LI VER Y V IA C IT Y G R A B , O U R WEBSI TE A N D A WA LK I N TA KEAWAY S ER V ICE

cover story

Can you talk us briefly through the inspiration for the first episode, ‘Breath of Life’?

‘Breath of Life’ came from an exploration of fear and linking to the overall theme of claustrophobia, being locked in, and trying to create a sort of theatre play out of our anxieties. I think in doing that it’s somewhat therapeutic and cathartic, because I’m able to create something tangible through something that puts me through angst, adorning my experience overall. It sends the message that whatever it is you’re going through in life, hopefully you can enhance your experience somewhere down the line.

How did you come to collaborate with Hemlock Ernst who features on the track?

Hemlock Ernst is one of my favourite MCs. He put out an incredible album called Back at the House with producer Kenny Segal, and I came across that and was instantly a huge fan. Having heard his collaborations with some of my favourite MCs, I knew of his voice and his prolific poetry, and then after discovering his album I became a fan.

After that he followed me on Instagram, or I followed him, and I let him know that I’m a big fan of his work and that it’s an inspiration, then later down the line I reached out to him because I created ‘Breath of Life’ and I just thought his voice, his cadence, his poetry, would fit like a glove on the song.

He gave me nothing but pure poetry, so it was such a blessing to be able to collaborate with one of my favourites.

How do you think that this project differs from things that you’ve done in the past like your previous EPs Rap Poetics and Mum’s House Philosopher?

I think that in Mum’s House Philosopher and Rap Poetics there’s more social commentary and satire to the way I’m commenting on my personal experience of society. Whereas with this the songs feel very visceral, and like diary entries in many ways. It feels very true to life, and though both of the other EPs also do, I think there’s less social commentary in

this and maybe more self exploration.

It’s really therapeutic to have a piece of art finished and to say this was a documentation of this moment in my life, so it’s really cathartic to see that. It almost gives me control over that period of time and makes me feel that it wasn’t a waste. It’s a sort of way of proving that I’ve not wasted my time. Perhaps it’s just another feather to the bow of proving myself as an artist or proving my existence as a human being in the plethora of voices out there.

And how do you think your background as someone from the North, from a working class Sheffield background, has influenced the way you make music and poetry?

I think I’ve got a bit of a chip on my shoulder when it comes to writing and my ability to make music and rap. I’ve always got this whispering voice in me that’s saying I need to cut through the noise of everything else that’s going on, to work twice as hard and put up twice as much content and be twice as profound. I feel like I have to work overtime in order to prove my ideas, and I don’t think that’s necessarily a positive thing. A lot of artistic freedom can come from the privilege of not worrying about getting your art heard, and that can be easier if you’re in a circle that’s well connected or you’re in a very well-established scene. Often I feel alone in creating. Not to say that there isn’t

a great network of artists to reach out to in Sheffield because there is, and I’ve had incredible advice from people like KOG and Matic Mouth, but often growing up in Sheffield and trying to put out art that’s not inherently reminiscent of what people would consider to be British, given that a lot of my influences are MCs from LA or Chicago, I often have this feeling of solitude in my creativity.

As someone whose art merges poetry and hip-hop together, what has the response been like from those on the more traditional side of the poetry community?

Amongst performing poets and people interested in spoken word who actually have a true love for language, they are forced to, or

www.exposedmagazine.co.uk | 35

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to be someone who truly wants to represent and add to the culture and be culturally envelope pushing, you have to be a poet to do that.

probably already do, recognise the poetry that exists in hip-hop and how potent and effective it is. I think that people who understand poetry and language on a nuanced level will tell you that. However, when you have people who buy into the snobbery of poetry or the institution of art, often you get the impression that they think hip-hop isn’t poetry, but I think people who really understand it recognise it as such.

When you first got interested in music and making music, have you always made the link between music and poetry? Have you always described yourself as a hip-hop poet combining music and poetry, or did that develop afterwards?

I think it developed as a means to acknowledge that what was going on in hip-hop was poetry for people who refused to see it. First and foremost I see myself as a musician and a hip-hop artist, but you have to be a poet to be a hip-hop artist. I don’t think you have to be a poet to rap or to contribute to a more commercially viable means of hip-hop, but I think to be someone who truly wants to represent and add to the culture and be culturally envelope pushing, honest and authentic, I think you have to be a poet to do that.

People seem to be talking a lot at the moment about this idea of a new normal as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak. How is COVID-19 affecting you as an artist, and can you foresee anything that you think is going to have to fundamentally change in the art industry as time moves on?

I dont know, I’m very perplexed by the whole

situation. I just pray that there is a new normal.

We know that this is going to be really hard for independent venues and independent businesses, but the hope is that they will see through these hard times and this will bring a resurgence to or refocus on independent venues and local artists, and maybe give voice to the artists who aren’t packing arenas and aren’t doing worldwide tours. I always act under the philosophy that the room might be small but the vibe can be big and strong, and I would like to see a focus on artists that work on a small scale and give them a chance.

The launch of #OtisMensahExists seems to be coming at the perfect time in the sense that it’s an online experience, and despite the fact that no one can get close to each other, this can reach people within their own homes.

Was the release of the series at all influenced by that kind of thinking?

Before all of this happened I had the idea of doing ten songs with ten animations, but I think the whole pandemic really shook what I placed my security in. I’ve never been a fan of building a career on the internet; I’ve always sort of absconded from the idea of building an internet presence and an internet persona, and I always thought the internet could shut down at any moment. These companies like YouTube could suddenly decide that they’re not supporting independent artists anymore, so I’ve always had this sort of nagging feeling in the back of my mind saying don’t give too much attention to that sort of stuff, and focus on real life. But I didn’t ever account for real life actually

shutting down. It came at the perfect time that I had this idea of the animations and how well they could exist through online platforms, but it wasn’t preconceived, just very convenient in that sense.

‘Breath of Life’ featuring Future Islands’ Hemlock Ernst is out now – the first episode of a new series titled #OtisMensahExists. Head to otismensah. bandcamp.com and search for Otis Mensah’s YouTube Channel for more.

www.exposedmagazine.co.uk | 37

INTERVIEW: PETE HILL

PICTURE

38 | www.exposedmagazine.co.uk

PERFECT To this day, Sheffield’s 1980s music scene remains a revered era for the city with a cultural impact that can still be observed today – a period of innovation, economic insecurity and sticky nightclub floors where the younger generations moved to the pulsing sound of synths in iconic venues like the The Limit.

Out of the bands prominent during this time – Human League, Heaven 17, Cabaret Voltaire, ABC, Pulp and others – there aren’t too many who didn’t find themselves between the lens of photographer Pete Hill at one time or another.

With lockdown providing the perfect opportunity for Pete to continue digitising his treasure trove of a collection, we got in touch via the newly ubiquitous journalistic medium of Zoom call to discuss what it was like being in the thick of one of the Steel City’s most exciting musical periods.

Tell us a bit about how you first discovered photography?

I got my first camera when I was 15 and pretty much taught myself from there. I suppose I was partly inspired by some of the old street photography I’d see through my subscription to the Time Life Library of Photography Books – bustling shots of 1920s New York and the like. I started by going out onto streets like Abbeydale Road and just taking pictures – not quite New York, but close enough. I’m a big fan of brutalist architecture and Sheffield had plenty of interesting buildings and places to shoot. I’ve been using the lockdown as a good excuse to start digitising my collection and you do realise how much the city has changed over the years.

Those images have really stood the test of time. It has been said that the impact of street photography has died a bit now most of the subjects are looking down at phones.

Yes, I know. But maybe they’ll be saying the same in 50 years again, you know? The perceptions of these things change over time. People might be looking at phones and stuff now, but imagine the technological distractions there might be by then.

It must have been a nostalgic experience going through your collection during lockdown.

It is interesting when you come across some of the gems you kind of forget about. Just the other day I was going through some negatives and came across a bloke I vaguely recognised laid on the floor of my mate’s flat with a cat, and I was trying to figure it out for a while. Turns out it was Nick Banks, the drummer of Pulp.

www.exposedmagazine.co.uk | 39

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interview: pete hill

Which moves us nicely onto the music scene during the 80s, where you shot some of the city’s finest bands during a bit of a golden era for Sheffield. How did you come to get involved?

I just fell into it really, through going to gigs with mates, meeting people, taking pictures. It was none of your ‘press pass’ to get in sort of stuff back then; I’d just walk in with my camera, start shooting, and the bands might take three or four shots off me later. I had a small studio in Sheffield city centre, which was an old little mesters workshop. For some venues like Sheffield City Hall I’d have to sneak the camera in through my jacket but was usually alright once I got inside. There wasn’t much live photography taking place then so most bands just seemed happy to get the exposure.

called ‘Slide’ at The Limit, which is just an incredible bit of music – all percussion and really intense.

There were a few bands such as Artery who were huge on the local circuit but seemed left behind when the likes of Human League, ABC, Pulp etc., started to gain national fame.

I think John Lake from The Extras summed it up when he told the story about the band heading down to London on the M1, and the music journalists from London passing them on their way up to Sheffield. The city was starting to be

ere Artery w ic to fantastt heir shoot; were shows like a littleing watch nce a perform ly. l art rea

Which venues were popular back then?

The Broadfield was a popular live music venue, and I remember going to see The Extras perform there quite a lot, packed into the small side room. I later read that they were the house band there. Of course, The Limit was another very popular place, dark and a little bit grimy, with a floor that you couldn’t help but stick to.

Which acts were the best to shoot from an aesthetical point of view?

Artery were fantastic to shoot; their shows were a little like watching performance art really. I was actually one of the first to get a camcorder so I could start recording footage of gigs, and I managed to film them live performing a song

www.exposedmagazine.co.uk | 41

ber 80s is often seen one of the most influI remem ays The w l a ential eras for Sheffield music and by many s i v Jar the birth of the electronic pop movef being asment.

Did it feel like something special kind on e h t d was going on at the time? arou e Yeah, I think a lot has been said about how in groundbreaking that era was, and of course fring s r e i l some fantastic music came out of it. But I’d r a e e th , be lying if I said we really realised it at the h g u time – for me, it was more a load of mates days thto o find looking for something to do, and that was g n i y r t music and going to gigs with friends. I don’t ... think there was necessarily a conscious his place wider feeling to it all.

Nelson Mandela Building.

recognised as a place to discover new music. I guess it’s just one of those things really – some bands just didn’t make it.

I spied a couple a youthful Jarvis Cocker amongst the online archives, in a early Pulp shot of yours. How was that?

Yes, I shot Pulp a bit later on, when they’d already achieved a bit of fame. I was really happy with how the pictures came out. I remember Jarvis always kind of being around the fringes in the earlier days though, trying to find his place and get it right I suppose, which obviously he did in the end.

Did you have any personal favourites from that era in terms of bands?

I liked Vice Versa, who would later become ABC of course. I was a pop fan at heart, so the more avant-garde stuff wasn’t musically really my thing. You know I think I only saw the Human League live once during those days, down at the Poly, which would later become the

42 | www.exposedmagazine.co.uk

Another thing that’s often touched upon is how the Thatcherite politics of the 80s and the impact on post-industrial cities like Sheffield created fertile ground for the birth of creative music as escapism. What are your thoughts on that?

Again, yeah, things were certainly a bit bleak and the music certainly did provide some escapism for us all; but I think there’s a slight element of people over-analysing things and filling things in later when it comes to that. It didn’t really feel like a political movement to me, but maybe some things don’t at the time.

See more of Pete’s work at petehillstock.co.uk and petehillphotography.co.uk

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Bringing together an exclusive selection of independent eateries, takeaways, farm shops, specialist booze purveyors and more, City Grab has become one of the must-have apps for Sheffielders keen on supporting their favourite businesses during these difficult times.

Last month we spoke to a number of businesses that have been using the platform to continue trading, asking how they’ve adapted during a difficult few months for the hospitality industry and seeing what their future plans as lockdown begins to ease.

44 | www.exposedmagazine.co.uk

SRI LANKAN SPICE

Colombo by Ayubowan Colombo by Ayubowan opened its doors on Eccy Road last summer, bringing a taste of Sri Lanka to the area. Where did the inspiration to open the restaurant come from and how were things going before we entered into the coronavirus pandemic?

Sheffield is such a vibrant and lively location, so it was difficult to say no to the city. We also noticed there wasn’t any solely Sri Lankan cuisine around the area, and wanted to bring a taste of Sri Lanka to the people. This is actually our third restaurant; we have two other sibling restaurants in Glossop, ‘Ayubowan’, and one in Tansley, ‘Colombo by Ayubowan’, all run by close family. When we first opened in Sheffield we had such a warm welcome from the locals, many who had either visited Sri Lanka or even had their honeymoon there; they were so happy that to experience a part of being in Sri Lanka without the long flight, and we were delighted to be able to provide this. The summer

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How has the business since adapted?

Our service hours have dropped drastically, due to the sit-on restaurant, bar and lunch with coffees options being unavailable; so we are open now for five days a week instead of 7, due to staffing limitations.

However, we have adapted and are currently running as a takeaway service on multiple platforms and also giving collection customers 25% discount, whilst still following government guidelines as safely as possible. We appreciate the regular support and custom that we have received so far in this difficult situation.

What can you tell us about the staples of Sri Lankan cuisine and the menu on offer?

We offer an overall taste of Sri Lankan cuisine, from street food to curries made from mumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s secret recipe. Some dishes are traditional whilst others may have a contemporary twist. Keep an eye out as the menu is getting an update soon!

Moving forward, what sort of potential plans are

you making for reopening?

As lockdown starts to slowly ease off we are looking at how we can potentially open, with our main priority being ensuring that our customers and staff are safe. With it being great weather at the moment, we are looking at opening up our outdoor seating for a limited number of people, who can come and grab a drink and have a snack without having to enter the building. This is in the works and will be updated on our social media accounts when we are certain it is a safe system in place. colombosheffield.co.uk // @colombo_restaurant_sheffield

Did you know?

Colombo is know for its Kothtu dishes, found in street food markets in Sri Lanka, made with shredded godamba roti, stir fried vegetables, eggs, spices and curry leaves.

www.exposedmagazine.co.uk | 45

pellizco

MEXICAN STREET FOOD DIRECT TO YOUR DOOR via

From travelling the North of Englandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s street food scene, to delivering to your door. We bring our own style of Mexican inspired street food, including fusion flavours, world wide cooking techniques and hand pressed tacos.

Head to www.pinchnpull.co.uk to find out more about 2021 wedding packages, our delivery service including reheat at home taco packs, ready to eat Mexican street food delivered by City Grab and keep an eye on our Instagram for our post-lockdown plans.

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MEXCELLENT!

Pellizco by Pinch N Pull It can’t have been an easy few months for Pinch N Pull, which has recently undergone a rebrand into Pellizco. How have you adapted to the current climate?

Unfortunately it hasn’t. We have adapted, however, reopening our doors as a takeaway and delivery service based on the end of my drive! We’re also serving through City Grab and food is available for collection. This hasn’t stopped us planning for the future, though, and as you mentioned, we have just finished our rebrand that will see us moving more into Mexican cuisine – so we decided we should look the part with a new unit, logo and name, ‘Pellizco’. From 18 June we will be taking up a semi-permanent residency at the Steelyard in Kelham Island, joining a number of vendors already pitched up there. So it’s the same concept and same ownership for us, just a new look and a brand new trailer.

Tell us what you guys are all about.

Our aim is to provide a combination of some classic Mexican flavours, using specialist ingredients that are not so readily available in this country.

We combine that with our own twist on things, using cooking techniques learned from years in the professional kitchen, locally sourced ingredients and worldwide flavours.

What first turned you on to the idea of Mexican fusion food?

Funnily enough, it was a trip to Liverpool that set things going! We were already operating Pinch N’ Pull, but at the time kind of bouncing from concept to concept but never sticking with one. I ate at a Mexican restaurant called Lucha Libre with my girlfriend and we fell in love with tacos, and from then on I just said this is what I want to do.

Could you let us in on the secret to the perfect burrito?

Our burritos aren’t what I would call traditional, in that we don’t use rice, but I find ensuring the fillings are well seasoned, balanced with plenty of salsa, and finishing off on the grill to crisp the tortilla makes the world of difference.

What else can people find on your City Grab menu?

Mexican fried chicken! Our latest dish is the MFC Burger, marinated in achiote, fried in our own recipe batter using masa harina – the same Mexican flour used to make tacos – and served on a toasted brioche bun with pickled pink onions, chipotle mayo, coriander, crispy lettuce and finished by melting applewood smoked cheddar over the top. We also serve it as tacos, burritos and as a side. The best part is that using a combination of masa harina and corn flour makes it completely gluten-free. pinchnpull.co.uk // @pellizcouk

Did you know?

Pellizco is Spanish for ‘pinch’ – a homage to the company’s roots as Pinch N Pull, which was founded by owner Daniel Pinch and made its name catering at events all across the UK. www.exposedmagazine.co.uk | 47

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SUN’S OUT, BUNS OUT

Smokin’ Bull Burger & Grill

Hey Smokin’ Bull, we’ve missed you guys! How’ve you been coping during the lockdown?

We’ve been OK. All of the team are constantly talking in group chats and have been really supportive of each other. We’re a small, tight group of people who look out for each other. Not to say this has come without its challenges, but you have to remain positive with how you look at things and knowing that it will come to an end eventually.

Until you can open the doors again, how can people still get their burger fix?

It’s a completely new area for us but we’re now available for deliveries on City Grab and Deliveroo. We’ve implemented strict measures indoors to ensure we can operate as safely as possible whilst still providing the best quality food we can. We’ve also built a temporary counter at the front of the restaurant to allow for collections.

For the uninitiated out there, tell us what Smokin’ Bull is all about?

Our aim is simply to provide the best quality food as reasonably priced as we can, all whilst giving a great restaurant service. All burgers come with freshly cooked skin-on fries and start from as little as £7.95. We’re locals ourselves and independent, so we try to use as many local suppliers as possible. We’re a firm believer in supporting others. We have vegan options, including desserts, and the majority of our menu is gluten-free simply by switching out the burger bun.

Moving forward, what are the current plans looking towards reopening?

We’re confident that we will reopen when the time is right and when it is safe to do so. We have plans in place already based on current information, which is is subject to change of course, but we will be ready. We’re ready with a brand new menu once we reopen, which is exciting for us, and we’re introducing a new range of burgers. We’re also exploring new areas such as breakfast offerings. Watch this space... smokinbull.co.uk // @smokinbullsheffield

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SIMPLY DOWNLOAD THE APP AND TUCK IN

OR COLLECT! CALL: 07988 264965 TO PLACE YOUR ORDER

SHEFFIELDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FINEST PIZZA WWW.URBANPIZZACO.CO.UK | PHONE: 07988 264965 Urban Pizza Co. Steel Yard Kelham, Bardwell Rd, Neepsend, Sheffield S3 8AS @URBANPIZZACO1

HAVE A SLICE DAY

urban pizza co New(ish) kids on the pizza block in Sheff, eh? What’s the story behind Urban Pizza Co? Hey Exposed, lovely to catch up! Urban Pizza Co is a project we’ve been working on for many years. Obviously, our love for pizza certainly helps with that, but we’ve wanted to open a pizzeria that offers a more social environment. The idea is to sit alongside our Urban Entertainment brand, which includes outdoor cinemas and events (www.urbanentertainment. co.uk).

Could you take us through the menu and pick out some doughy highlights?

Our aim is to provide an Italian-inspired menu using only the finest ingredients, but still maintaining the freedom to experiment. We’ve got a few classics on there like our nduja, salsiccia, goats cheese and caramelised onion; and of course a Neapolitan-style margherita etc., but we will also be

introducing some signature pieces we’ve been working on that we think people will love – from our chicken tikka pizza made with in-house tikka sauce, fresh raita and fragrant red pepper spring onion salsa. The Mexican, made with our in-house beef chilli, mozzarella, guacamole, sour cream and lime wedge. We’re also really excited about our Nduja Special, which has gone down amazingly well! I think we have done something to that one which I’ve not seen before, using a combination of sweet and spicy ingredients and honey glazed sesame and chilli flake crust. But what makes this so good is the dipping sauce that we’ve created to accompany it.

You’ve joined the exciting new retail hub down at the SteelYard Kelham on Bardswell Road. What interested in this location and how is it all coming along down there?

We’ve had SteelYard Kelham in our sights since we first spoke about the project around three years ago. We saw the huge potential then when speaking with the developers and thought it was exactly what we’d been looking for. We’ve turned two empty shipping containers into something we are very proud of, and although we are the only unit to open so far, the response and feedback has been amazing.

We will also have a few more neighbours opening up over the next few months and cannot wait to be part of a unique community.

The Coronavirus pandemic has caused significant distress to many independent businesses, and it must be especially difficult for those who’ve only recently opened. How have you adapted?

We actually officially opened the same night as the lockdown, so I think it could have been the shortest launch ever! However, we were ready from the off to start delivering via City Grab the following week and the first night of reopening we sold out in under three hours, which was unbelievable.

Any big plans moving forward to share with us?

We have some very exciting plans! As mentioned briefly above we also specialise in outdoor cinema, so with our amazing outdoor space we will be bringing movies nights to the venue, as well as live events too.

Watching movies under the stars with pizza and drinks – what more could you want? urbanpizzaco.co.uk // urbanpizzaco1

PAR-TEA TIME

Jameson’s Tea Rooms Jameson’s is of course something of a local institution, especially when it comes to afternoon tea. How would you sum up the brand’s ethos?

We pride ourselves on offering our customers a greater experience than just a tearoom. We offer a high standard of customer service and attention to detail is a priority; everything from locally sourced produce, daily baked cakes, food preparation, presentation, to the silver Sheffield cutlery, vintage crockery, crisp white linen tablecloths and live music every day. The aesthetics of the tearoom is one of contemporary elegance and you’ll see that from the staff uniform to the newly installed ambient tearoom lighting.

How has the business managed during a difficult few months?

Yes, a difficult and unexpected time for all small business owner. The weekend prior to lockdown rules we were fully booked and had a live event planned to celebrate Mother’s Day. We quickly adapted to offer a takeaway and delivery service over that weekend in conjunction with City Grab, which has been fantastic. We closed everything down on Sunday 22nd March for seven weeks during the lockdown period, and due to shortages

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EXPLORE NEW PASTA-BILITIES

north town deli & kitchen North Town arrived on Abbeydale Road early last month. For those that may have missed the news amidst all of the recent distractions, what do you hope to bring to the table?

In my earliest childhood memories, I remember tugging at my nonna’s apronstrings while she tirelessly cooked deliciously fresh food for the whole family. North Town Deli & Kitchen is a homage to that heritage.

Our small and passionate team are dedicated to bringing home-style, hearty Italian fare to the people of Sheffield. We’re all about cooking fresh, from the bread we bake in-house to the authentic pasta sauces we whip up from scratch.

What is the story behind the business?

None of us could have imagined this scenario as we started 2020. Lockdown has been difficult for us all, especially those of us who have felt isolated or alone during these challenging times. Fortunately, good food has always been what unites us as communities, which is where the idea for North Town came from. Bringing a little slice of Italy to the city during this time is our way of reaching out and staying connected!

It must have been difficult opening during the current crisis. How have you approached the matter?

Of course, opening up during the crisis has presented challenges. However, thanks to the likes of City Grab and customer collection, we have been able to share our wholesome food with the Steel City. So far, we’ve been thrilled with the response we’ve had and hope people will continue to enjoy it!

People can of course sample your wares via delivery on the City Grab app or for collection. What sort of fresh Italian delights will you be serving up?

Every week, we’ll be cooking up fresh pasta, pizza, and authentic desserts. We’ve got everything from classic marinara and picante pizzas to spaghetti puttanesca.

We’ve also got a variety of deli delights including an antipasto box, sundried tomatoes, homemade pesto and passata. If you’re looking for a snack on-the-go, you can stop by and grab some fresh paninis too.

However, the star of the show has to be our deliciously sweet cannoli! Filled to the brim with Nutella and tiramisu cream, it’s the perfect addition to your next coffee break.

We have a few bundle deals too. As a weekend treat, we are offering Friday Night Feast Boxes on pre-order. Plus, when it’s sunny, we have a Picnic Bundle featuring two summer antipasti pots, two fresh rosemary focaccia, two Torta del Giorno, a pot of olives and two drinks! northtown.store // @northtownkitchen

in supplies such as flour we were unable to reopen until we could hold a decent amount of stock. On 8 May we reopened to offer a limited menu as takeaway and delivery and now our customers can enjoy the Jameson’s experience at home with the ‘Jameson’s in a Box’ offer.

Can you tell us a bit about what else you’re offering customers on the City Grab app?

Our menu is condensed version of our tearoom menu. We have afternoon teas, sandwiches, bagels, salads, toasties, Ploughman’s, cheese platter sharers, homemade cakes, celebration cakes, hot and cold drinks – it’s all on there.

All going well as it can on the public health front, how are things shaping up over the next few months at the café?

We are continuing to listen to the advice from the government with regards to being able to reopen fully, but for now we are committed to continuing to offer our customers the Jameson’s experience out of a hamper box. jamesonstearooms.co.uk // @jamesonsabbeydaleroad www.exposedmagazine.co.uk | 51

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city grab

HAIL THE ALE

Triple Point Brewery + Bar We should be sitting outside Triple Point enjoying a couple of bevvies in the sunshine, but unfortunately coronavirus had other ideas! How have the last few months been for you guys?

It’s hard to complain because compared to many others we’ve been blessed. However, it’s been a challenge. We were very much focused on draught beer, both in our brewery bar and other pubs around Sheffield, so when all of these had to shut down due to Covid-19 our sales almost totally dried up. As a new business we hadn’t built up any sort of reserves, so at that point it was very hard to see how we could survive. We just had to try everything we could think of to get our beer out. And hope!

Overnight, quite literally, we turned the brewery bar into a shop and started to sell Fresh-Beer-In-A-Box and we got fantastic support. Initially from locals, but then also from people further afield. We even had people offering to buy vouchers now that they could cash in later, which we declined because we weren’t sure we’d still be around to repay them. But all this support really kept us going.

Then we worked out how to get beer to people’s homes, improved our packaging and are now offering delivery

nationwide as well as getting beer to Sheffielders super quickly via City Grab! We have also done a hell of a lot of canning and more recently we have added 5L Mini Kegs to our range, which are more robust for shipping and enable us to make the beers a little “livelier”. We are now experimenting with putting our lagers into min-kegs.

Thankfully we can still get a taste of the good stuff via the City Grab app. Can you tell us a bit about what you’re offering?

At least 3 of our fresh cask beers – straight from the tank into 5L mini-casks and hopefully very soon also a choice of lagers and keg beers filled straight into 5L mini-kegs.

Also, a range of cans, including some great mixed packs for those who like a bit of variety. And on the theme of variety, we are also offering some bundles including Lilley’s cider (including mango) in Bag in Box and bottles, so check these out before heading off to socially distanced mini gathering!

Any particularly exciting brews you could recommend?

Yes, many! Our Gold and Cryo ales and our Helles and Zatec lagers are all fantastic for a summer evening. We can’t miss a chance to shout about our Champion Beer of Sheffield, Debut IPA (available in mini-casks) and we are very excited by the advance tastings we’ve had of its “big-brother” X2 which is about to be released. The X2 is quite literally Debut * 2, with double the hops and an increased ABV. In my view, this might be the best beer we have done thus far. But I will let all of you decide that.

We’ve also got 2 other new beers that are about to be

WONDER-DAL

Pics: Kat Hopkins

Ajanta’s Vegetarian Can you tell the story behind Ajanta’s?

We’ve been open around a year and four months. The recipes are from Ajanta’s grandmother and come from the Punjab region, and things like the chana dal chickpeas and lentils are big parts of the family Punjabi recipe landscape. We’d go to family parties with our own food and people would be bowled over; so much so that one friend half-jokingly asked us to stop bringing stuff as it showed theirs up! Comments like that did start to plant the seed a little, and we saw that we could provide a home-cooked style of Indian food, completely vegan and not as heavy as you might usually get from a takeaway, but more delicious and with an emphasis of doing a few things really well when it comes to the menu, rather than a hundred things not so well.

Any super popular dishes on the menu?

released. A hazy Neipa called Dyad and new world Belgian Tripel. A new and stronger lager is also on its way.

What are the plans looking like for the bar itself over the next few months? Will you be looking at reopening with social distancing measures perhaps?

As soon as we can safely and legally open, we will. We’ve spent a lot of time working out the safest and best way to open and we have been tending our beer garden! Fortunately we’re blessed with a lot of space at Triple Point and with the help of Richard at the Dorothy Pax, we’ve procured loads of extra outside seating. Twisted Burger are back open and able to supply you all with banging burgers to go with your Triple Point beers. We’ve got loads of new beers, loads of socially distant seating, and a cracking food offer, we just can’t wait to welcome Sheffield back to Triple Point!

Triplepointbrewing.co.uk // @triplepointbrew

I’d say the dal is probably the main one, made using the family’s secret recipe for the sauce.

People have responded really well to that. We’ve had a few people ask us how we make it and we’ve had to turn them down. It’s something that seems quite simple but there are a few secret elements behind getting it right.

Obviously, the coronavirus pandemic has been a tricky time for the restaurant industry.

How have you managed to adapt to this?

Customers can collect from the restaurant if they order ahead, but City Grab has been really good for us and I think people really appreciate how it supports the local infrastructure and economy – the businesses and the taxi drivers.

What are the plans for Ajanta’s moving forward if lockdown continues to ease?

I think we’ll remain primarily a takeaway, but perhaps in a couple of months as lockdown eases we’ll have the option for people to safely sit in as well. We really like getting to know our customers and building up those relationships. facebook.com/ajantasvegetarian // @ ajantasvegetariansheffield www.exposedmagazine.co.uk | 53

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Boom Chicka BAO BAO

Deckards Hey guys, we’re missing the bao! How have you been getting on during these strange times?

We’ve pretty much adapted and pivoted our business model towards a takeaway business, so that the people of Sheffield can still get their hands on our bao!

For those not yet familiar with the beauty of bao buns yet, can you fill them in?

Bao buns are soft and fluffy Taiwanese steamed buns. They are the memory foam of the bread world – the perfect vessel to be filled with either meat or veggies. We pack ours with Korean brisket, buttermilk fried halloumi and cherry cola glazed pork belly, to name just a few tasty fillings.

What are your hopes for the future once we get on top of all this?

We just can’t wait to get back to trading at street food events, working alongside all the different traders and being apart of that buzz of people all having a good time. Same goes for Barrowboy! We are looking really forward to the bar being back; it doesn’t feel the same without the staff, the regulars, or the beers and cocktails flowing.

We might not be able to hang out with you at Barrowboy or Peddler, but at least we can order in some soft ‘n’ fluffy action. You’ve also been dabbling with a few other bits on the menu too?

Ah, we are definitely missing the hangouts! We really miss interacting with our customers and all the other traders. When lockdown happened we were given the gift of free time, which is a rarity in our line of work! As of such, we’ve been experimenting in the kitchen and trying new stuff to bring to the menu, and one area we’ve focused on is the dessert menu. We’ve been trying to find that mix of American-style food that invokes nostalgia, but adding our signature Asian flavour profile. We’ve got a few things jotted down but one that we really love has to be the yuzu meringue pie. Oh, and we’ve just started to make our own ice cream as well, which has been a lot of fun – and just in time for this glorious lockdown weather! facebook.com/deckardsfood // @deckardsfood

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ALL UP IN THE GRILL

firepit rocks

FirePit’s been keeping busy during a testing few months. Can you tell up a bit about what you’ve been up to?

Firstly, as soon as the lockdown was announced, due to the safety of staff we closed the venue for deliveries/takeaways. Any food worth salvaging was sent to the Food Shelter in Hillsborough rather than throwing it away.

We kept an eye on the spike announced by the government & waited until there was a decline before opening with safety procedures in place for deliveries again, which has been going well.

Firepit also got involved with Open Kitchens and pledged to raise £22,000 to proved meals for vulnerable people in Sheffield. We are in this together after all. Each meal costs £1.85, which provides a balanced nutritional meal with both meat and vegetarian options available.

And what about the foodie offerings you’ve brought to the City Grab app?

We’ve heard the wings are pretty special…

Ah! We miss our Wing Wednesday like you wouldn’t believe, and it will be back with a bang once we’re able to open safely. But with City Grab it’s our burgers and ribs that are proving a bigger hit! We’ve tried to keep the majority of the menu on the apps where we can, along with adding alcohol to the list as well. You can also place collection orders through our website: www.firepit. rocks/takeaways.

How are things looking moving forward for Firepit? Any plans in motion towards reopening?

Plans are steadily getting under way, but as is the same for most, it all depends on the rules we have to follow. We serve food until 4am, so would the government allow this when we open again as we’re a restaurant also?

Obviously, there’ll be some changes with social distancing involved as well.

Events-wise, with any luck we’ll get the August Bank Holiday to celebrate, which we’re working with Elevate Promotions on currently, and then we reach Freshers Week. Hopefully everyone follows the rules and society and our industry can go back to normal. If we open before the football season ends, we will be showing all the games live during our opening hours. firepit.rocks // @firepitrocks

how to get involved

City Grab is available on the App Store and Google Play Store. Download the app, browse the menus on offers, pop in your address, and the food will be on its way! You can also keep up to date with the latest news and offers by following City Grab on Facebook (search “citygrab”) and Instagram (@citygrab).

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Now available on CityGrab for home delivery Downoad the app or visit www.citygrab.co.uk

We offer a large range of pork produce from our on site butchery.

The animals are specially selected to ensure the meat is succulent and tender.

• Hand Cured Bacon • Handmade Sausages • Hand Cured Ham • Pork Roasting Joints • Steaks, Ribs, Cubed and Minced Pork To order simply download the app or to find out more information about or products please visit our website

www.mossvalleyfinemeats.co.uk or telephone (0114) 239 9922 / 07976 434206 Povey Farm, Norton Sheffield S8 8BG

58 | www.exposedmagazine.co.uk

Now available on citygrab and for takeaway. Pre-orders welcomed.

Please allow 48 hours notice for full cakes. Afternoon tea orders to be received 24hrs prior (latest 2pm day before order required).

Opening days: Thursday - Sunday Opening Times: 11am-4pm

Jamesons Fine Things

Our beautiful gift shop Jameson’s Fine Things is located just across the road from our Sheffield Tea Rooms.We sell a wonderful selection of carefully chosen Gifts, Cards & Antiques

JAMESON’S ABBEYDALE ROAD, 332 ABBEYDALE ROAD, SHEFFIELD, S7 1FN EMAIL: EMQUIRE@JAMESONSTEAROOMS.CO.UK | TEL: 0114 255 1159 | WEB: WWW.JAEMSONSTEAROOMS.CO.UK FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THE LATEST UP-DATES if www.exposedmagazine.co.uk | 59

Step into the Swingin’ seventies

LOCKDOWN PLAYLIST To keep your tabs occupied during the lockdown period, Exposed music blogger resident music blogger Mark Perkins invites you to join him on an auditory journey through some of his must-listen albums – one influential decade at time.

The Seventies was really my era. I started to have money to be able to buy LPs and singles, and began to build up a record ‘collection’.

With lockdown, I now have time on my hands to listen to almost as much music as I want, so my Seventies playlist will be influenced greatly by what I bought back then, but I’m trying to use this time to also discover things I’d overlooked at the time, or not paid enough attention to. So, let’s see where this takes us.

In about 1973 I used to read the NME from cover to cover and if there was one single event which changed the way I listened to music it was the day I discovered Todd Rundgren. I wasn’t looking forward to having to choose just one of his albums from the Seventies, so I can easily dodge that bullet by opting for the recent 11 album reissue, Todd Rundgren: The Complete Bearsville Years, which covers his entire output from that decade. The third track of his very first album, ‘We Gotta Get You A Woman’, confirms the pop genius of the man. At that time he was an unknown singer/ songwriter, selling almost no records, and earning a living as a producer for Bearsville Records. Just like George Martin had discovered before him, he knew the studio was the most important member of the band, when it came to making records. By the end of the decade he was so good at what he did he had produced (and bankrolled) one of the best selling albums ever in Bat Out Of Hell – but don’t let that put you off. His early albums will take you on a dizzying ride, each one of them different from the one before, sometimes quite drastically. Every album is written, engineered and produced by Todd, and more often than not, he played every instrument himself. He’s still playing live shows. I saw him in London last summer, where he played music from most of these records.

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The Beach Boys: Surf’s Up

It seemed to be over for the Beach Boys when they released Surf ’s Up. The press had turned on them as being increasingly irrelevant as the Sixties drew to a close. Brian Wilson’s drug use was causing problems and the newspapers were more interested in their friendship with Charles Manson than writing about their music. With nothing much to lose, and with their previous album selling fewer than any they’d ever released, they were free to do pretty much as they wanted. With Surf ’s Up they produced some of the most sublime music of their career. The final three tracks are among the most complete and beautiful they ever recorded. There’s nothing as instantly appealing as their early sixties, 3-minute classics, but it’s an album you’ll never get over.

Cat Stevens: Catch Bull At Four

You’d be forgiven for thinking Cat Stevens peaked with ‘Morning Has Broken’, but for me the most interesting stuff came later. Like several acoustic artists before him, in an attempt to break out of a rut, he played electric guitar on some tracks, and widened the band of musicians he worked with. There were still vestiges of his old folky, acoustic music here, but it had an edge that hadn’t been there before.

Some fans thought he’d gone too far, and in those days, stepping out of your chosen musical bubble wasn’t really approved of, but I loved this album more than any other he ever did. The second side in particular has a pessimistic, and at times apocalyptic feel to it. No more riding on the Peace Trains or gentle wistful lovelorn lyrics. This was a much more raw and forceful Cat than we’d seen before.

photography by danny norton

Neu!: Neu! ‘75

After leaving an early line up of Kraftwerk, Michael Rother and Klaus Dinger, together with the ‘unsung’ member of the group, producer Connie Plank, created what they called the ‘motorik’ beat. It informs and permeates this album, and was a major influence on the postpunk movement that followed in later years. This is the last of their three albums, none of which sold many copies. I never heard it until some years later, but listening to this again, it’s still as exciting as it was when I finally got a copy. After completing it, they were inspired to do what all rock‘n’roll innovators should do after making a classic album – split up and never record together ever again.

lou reed: berlin

In classic Lou Reed style, he followed up his commercial mainstream breakthrough album, Transformer, with a disturbing slab of an album. It sealed his fate as a one-album hit wonder in many eyes, and it was savaged by the critics. But those who ‘got it’ loved the album, and while it doesn’t have the immediate appeal of its stripped back, radio-friendly predecessor, it went on to influence a whole swathe of musicians. Ian Curtis and Joy Division made this type of sound and conjured up similar dark imagery in the Eighties, and were rightly adored for it. Poor old Lou, was destined straight for the remainder bin. It is the almost inevitable fate of an artist who never wants to record the same album twice. Way ahead of its time. www.exposedmagazine.co.uk | 61

LOCKDOWN PLAYLIST Tom Waits: Small Change

I can still remember the student bedsit I was in when I first heard this album. Surely no-one sounded like this deliberately – was he drunk? If you only listen to one track off this album listen to the opening track, Tom Traubert’s Blues. It sounds like some tramp has wondered into a Harry Nilsson recording session. The whole album evokes a downbeat, hopeless, loser’s life as well as any film or novel ever has. Tom Waits was to some extent living the life he depicted in the song - a world of low-life losers, deprivation and alcoholism.

If you’re not a Jack Daniel’s drinker when you start listening to this, you’ll sure as hell want to be one by the time it’s over. He has made other albums with more acclaim, but this is where it began for me and will never lose its impact.

talking book - stevie wonder

Chic: C’est Chic

In my teenage years clubbing referred to something very painful.

I spent my Saturday night at a disco! Chic, with Nile Rogers on guitar (oh, Tramlines, how we danced), Bernard Edwards on bass and drummer Tony Thompson created a sound that has never been equalled. Nile is given most of the credit these days, but he’s never less than humble in acknowledging that their success was in equal parts due to the late Bernard Edward’s bass guitar sound. Together, they perfected Seventies dance music. Their legacy will be the classic singles, but its worth taking time to listen to the lesser heard album tracks such as ‘Happy Man’, or ‘Funny Bone’, to appreciate what they could do, and what some dismissed at the time as mere dance music.

It’s difficult to pick one Stevie Wonder album, but it was always going to be from the golden period where he released four classic albums in a row, of which this was the second. He had grown up with the Motown ‘hit factory’, and, although he was still with the label, he brought in his own musicians and producers. Talking Book was his most intimate album, where he really opened up his heart. What he gave us was a slice of funk, pop and ballads the like of which he’d never really produced before. His heart was broken, following his split form Syreeta Wright, and this was never more evident than on the beautiful ‘Blame It On The Sun’. This track alone is worth the price of admission. There’s hope in sight, however, with the final track, ‘I Believe’, ending on an upbeat note.

In my view he lost his way when he started to produce his own albums, which was never more evident than on Songs In The Key Of Life, where some judicious editing would have made such a difference. Less is more, Stevie, old lad.

Gong: Camembert Electrique

Virgin put out ‘albums for the price of a single’ in the mid-seventies, when their label and shops were just starting. That was 48p for anyone not around at the time. The fact that one of the albums was Gong at their finest was too much to comprehend. Trippy, psychedelic, stoner music may not have started here, but it did for me. It was intended to promote Gong, who had signed to the fledgling label, and had released the second ever album on Virgin Records, the first being Tubular Bells. Camembert Electrique came from just before the guitarist Steve Hillage joined, and if this gets you interested, you’ll want to check out the three albums featuring Steve, known as the Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy, which showed how the Virgin label was at the front of left-field and progressive releases when Richard Branson was a nipper.

10CC: Sheet Music

When this album came out, I’d discovered the delights of listening to music on headphones. This was what I listened to and it opened my eyes, and ears, as to what a band can achieve if they have their own studio. The lyrics were clever, witty and varied, and the four members of the band were at their creative peak. At this point they seemed to bounce ideas of each other, unlike later on where they started to fight for control. It wasn’t long before Godley and Creme left to go it alone, but nothing any of them did apart ever came close to achieving music this good.

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Brian Eno: Ambient Music For Airports

The term ambient music didn’t really exist before Brian Eno coined it for a series of releases in the mid seventies. As he put it in the liner notes to this album, ‘music must be able to accommodate many levels of interesting attention without enforcing one in particular. I must be as ignorable as it is interesting’. Now that’s quite a statement. In other words, this music doesn’t have to, and in fact is designed not to, grab your entire attention. He famously came up with the idea after being in bed all day following an accident. He was unable to reach the record payer which was on repeat, and only working through one speaker, with the window open. The changing mix of background noise, and partly heard music as it drifted over him led him to formulate these ideas, and to record several similar, low-key albums. I often play these quietly, sometimes in another room, while I get on with something else.

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culture: My Jukebox

Tom J Newell Words: Jack Kidder

The ‘My Jukebox’ feature is a chance to get up close and personal with the record collections (we live in the 21st century, so Spotify discoveries are happily included alongside physical collections) of some well-known Sheffield faces.

First up to share his collection is the highly-acclaimed artist Tom J Newell. Tom has produced hugely exciting work for a long roster of illustrious national clients, yet his unique and intricate hand-drawn images are synonymous with local audiences. You will see his work around the the Steel City, and often in collaboration with some of our favourite hangouts such as Bear Tree Records, piña and The Great Gatsby.

He has continued to support the local community through lockdown by participating in the piña ‘Hope is Strong 100’ challenge team, running 100km over 10 days in aid of Sheffield Hospitals Charity and raising nearly £8,000 to support their efforts in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

Thankfully, Tom took some time out of a busy schedule to talk us through his extensive vinyl collection. Without any further ado, come and step inside the artist’s personal playlist with us…

What was the first record you bought?

It was ‘Beat Dis’ by Bomb The Bass on 7”, and I bought it with pocket money from Hudson’s record shop in Chesterfield after hearing it on the radio and loving it. The cover art also helped spark my interest in Watchmen and graffiti art.

What records make you happy?

My wife Helen and I love the song

‘Today’ by Jefferson Airplane.

When we got married a few years ago, our friend Benjamin Cockayne, who puts out music under the name Communal Vice, recorded a beautiful cover of the song for us. There was a vocal version played at the reception and an instrumental that was played at the service.

Last year I had the tracks lathe cut to 7” record by the Sheffield-based Do It Thissen Records for Helen’s birthday. A run of five copies, with one for Ben and the others for other family and friends, but definitely the most limited and special record that we own.

‘People… Hold On’ by Eddie Kendricks is another record that makes me happy because we play it to our baby son, Eddie. We’ve played it to him since he was born six months ago and he immediately recognises the sound of it when it plays now.

What records remind you of home?

Captain Beefheart and John Martyn records remind me of my parents’ home, and since I’ve inherited many of these records from them, they now remind me of my home too. Most of John Martyn’s albums, but particularly

‘Solid Air’. With Beefheart it’s a couple of songs on the ‘Clear Spot’ album: ‘Her Eyes Are a Blue Million Miles’ and ‘My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains’.

What records do you work to?

I don’t always listen to records when I’m working. Sometimes it’s podcasts talking about records like ‘Dad Bod Rap Pod’ or ‘Heat Rocks’ but instrumental Madlib albums are a favourite of mine on the studio turntable.

What records get you on the dancefloor?

These two records I’d use to get other people on the floor with, but I’d probably get out from behind the decks to join my friends for ‘I Want To Thank You’ by Alicia Myers and ‘Soul Makossa’ by Manu Dibango.

What records have you been listening to in lockdown?

I’ve been enjoying a couple of new albums that I got delivered from Bear Tree Records – ‘A Western Circular’ by Wilma Archer and ‘Ohms’ by Trees Speak. I ended up chatting to both of them through social media about the records too, which has been great. I’m working on some artwork for ‘Trees Speak’

right now, and that came out of just reaching out to them and saying I dug the record.

Favourite song and a favourite record of all time?

This is impossible to answer as there are favourite songs and albums I have for specific moods and even a top ten would be constantly changing. However, for the sake of the question and for this moment in time, I’ll say ‘The Rip’ by Portishead for the song and ‘Donuts’ by J Dilla for the album.

‘The Rip’ is perfect and has meant a lot to me through different moments in my life, and when the track switches up it’s one of my favourite moments in music ever.

‘Donuts’ is an unrivalled masterpiece, which still reveals something new every time I hear it. I’d recommend this album to anyone, and when you’ve listened to it a few times, I’d recommend reading up on the making of the album. It’s heartbreaking, life-affirming and absolutely awe-inspiring stuff. @tomjnewell For more musings, reviews and playlists, head to eartotheground20.blogspot.com

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fi l m

25th Anniversary

Heat (1995)

Happy

Anniversary Exposed Film reviewer Cal Reid marks his 25th year with the pick of his fave films...

As this is my 25th year of being alive on this planet, I thought it a good opportunity to knock up a special film anniversary list, counting back 25 years and then adding ten from the year of my birth. These pictures, whilst being award-winners in some categories, didn’t take the Best Picture Oscars, but for my money they were just as worthy of that honour and well worth checking out in lockdown.

Champagne toasts at the ready and let’s begin with the young’uns…

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Michael Mann’s crime epic remains one of the best cops & robbers flicks ever put to celluloid. Any film in the same vein is inevitably measured against this. Several decades on and we are still getting films that try to emulate the atmosphere, style and action (see Gerard Butler playing Russell Crowe playing a cop in Den of Thieves, which sounds weird but is actually a thing).

Acting opposite each other for the first time since their separate performances in The Godfather Part II, Al Pacino and Roger DeNiro play cop and thief respectively. The film reveals the impact their lifestyle has upon their personal relationships against the backdrop of a sexy neon-lit Los Angeles, all the while bubbling towards an inevitable, but no-less bittersweet, finale.

film

35th Anniversary

45th Anniversary:

Nine years after directing the Revisionist Western classic The Outlaw Josey Wales, Clint Eastwood returned to his Man with no Name motif in this supernatural take on the genre.

The story is familiar: a band of ruthless railway mercenaries attempts to drive prospectors off their rightful land. The daughter of the settlement’s leader prays to God for a miracle; thunder cracks, and from out of the snow-swept hills rides Eastwood as the titular saviour and avenger. A reference to the book of revelations, Eastwood projects otherworldly menace in one of the best westerns of all time. The haunting soundtrack and action sequences are topnotch, but the real draw is watching Eastwood play an invincible angel of death.

William Friedkin’s 1971 classic is one of the best films of all time.

Coming in the wake of harder-edged cop-thrillers in the late-60s like Bullitt, Madigan and Coogan’s Bluff, The French Connection gave us that immortal (unauthorised) car chase and Gene Hackman as Jimmy ‘Popeye’ Doyle – a cop even dirtier perhaps than Dirty Harry.

Four years later Hackman reprised the role in this cop-out-of-water thriller that sees Popeye hunting the titular French Connection in Marseilles. Only this time Doyle is out of his element, sometimes infantile and quite vulnerable.

Pale Rider (1985)

French Connection II (1975)

Hackman delivers a tour de force performance, adding to an already perfect character. John Frankenheimer’s tight direction ensures the action in the streets of Marseilles is adrenaline-pumping and hard-hitting.

As all top sequels do, the film ends up being a great film in its own right, taking its own direction in style whilst respecting the groundwork of the original.

55th Anniversary:

The IPCRESS File (1965) This was a tough pick, as ‘65 was a great year for movies. Some well-known like Thunderball and The Sound of Music, as well as some lesser-known but equally brilliant such as Sands of the Kalahari and Operation Crossbow.

But in my eyes, the spot for the film-of-the-year goes to possibly the coolest spy flick ever made, outdoing even 007.

Michael Caine is Harry Palmer, a man equally as cultured and good with the ladies as Bond, but proudly working class and firmly anti-establishment. His assignments are no less dangerous and even more opaque in a very bleak 60s London, constantly overcast and humdrum.

Adapted from Len Deighton’s fantastic novel of the same name, the film manages to capture the exciting action of a Bond film, whilst delivering the political nihilism and immorality of Le Carré.

It picked up a BAFTA for the Best British film, and in 1999, it was made the BFI list of the 100 best British films of the 20th century.

Quite right.

65th Anniversary:

The Night of the Hunter (1955) If your greatest movie villain goes to Darth Vader or Hannibal Lecter, then you ain’t met Robert Mitchum as Reverend Harry Powell, the original wolf in sheep’s clothing. An Old Testament fanatic with a passion for knives, and a hatred for women matched only by his greed.

Charles Laughton in his only directional role for the screen, creates a stagelike look for the film which exemplifies it as one of film noir’s best. Two children in the depression-era South, must stay one step ahead of Powell who infiltrates their family in order to get his hands on their deceased father’s stolen money. Never has one man sent so icy a chill down one’s back recounting the story of good vs evil with his clenched hands.

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fitness

BRING THE GYM TO YOU Looking to get back into shape now that lockdown is easing? Nick Screeton, founder of LEP Fitness, is a Sheffield-based personal trainer with over 10,000 hours worth of coaching experience and the expertise to help you achieve your goals.

For anyone interested in taking things up a step with a personal training regime, Nick outlined a few promises for anyone signing up.

MORE THAN A PERSONAL TRAINER…

To my mind, a personal trainer is a coach, a person who is your friend, and someone who cares about you.

I have the knowledge and experience to help, thanks to taking hundreds of people through their journeys.

I’ve worked with a vast range of people, ranging from fitness fanatics to professional Ice Hockey Players, to people who have never even worked out before or stepped foot in a gym.

All that matters to me is that you have the right attitude and that you are 100% committed to improving yourself. I will take care of the rest, teaching you everything you need to know, and showing you exactly what to do. I will provide you with a step-by-step road map that is guaranteed to get you the results you want.

MY PRIORITY IS YOU…

Getting YOU results is my number one mission.

As well as our personal training sessions, I will also

spend time creating you a custom workout and nutritional plan (to follow outside of your sessions) – which will help speed up your results.

I will also spend time outside of sessions supporting you: via email, text, Whatsapp (whatever method of communication you prefer!). I’m on hand seven days a week, and there’s never a question too BIG or small that I won’t help you with.

I will do whatever it takes to help you achieve the results you want. If I have to wake up at 6 am on Sunday (which I often do!) to design you a new plan, then I will do it, as your results and progress matter to me.

MY COMMITMENT TO YOU…

When I am not helping others, I am either training or educating myself. I continue to invest time in my learning and education so that I can provide the highest quality of coaching and service to LEP members.

Alongside my Sports Science degree, I’ve read hundreds of books on human anatomy and performance. I’ve also studied psychology – as this plays

Find out more and make the first step at lepfitness.co.uk

68 | www.exposedmagazine.co.uk

a KEY role in your transformation. I listen to new podcasts and audiobooks every week and attend multiple training courses each year to ensure that I’m on top of my profession.

LET’S DO THIS TOGETHER…

I would strongly encourage that we meet in person so that you can be your own judge of my passion and knowledge, and participate in a free consultation.

We will sit down and gain clarity on exactly what you want to achieve, and then should you wish to proceed, I will formulate a plan of action that is guaranteed to get you amazing results.

I will help you succeed, and I promise to SUPPORT YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY…

Colours of Sheffield

The Perfect Match Providing some uplifting splashes of colour during what has often felt like a grey few months in lockdown, Mary Tear’s on an aesthetically pleasing mission to match up various pieces of Steel City with her selection of Pantone cards. Last month we spoke to the Colours of Sheffield founder to hear about how it all began…

Hi Mary, could you introduce yourself the Exposed readership?

I am a Sheffield University graduate who has lived here since 2012. I am originally from Beverley, East Yorkshire, but I have fallen in love with Sheffield. I live in Crookes and currently work as an anti-trafficking caseworker for a charity in Sheffield full-time – and manage the Colours of Sheffield project on the side.

ally and that my print can help bring back their colourful memories.

Out of all your matches so far, do you have a favourite shot?

My new favourite match are the houses on Stannington Road, which you can see from Clough Fields in Crookes.

I took that on Saturday last month and it has become my new favourite spot for daily walks and isolated meetups!

Tell us a bit about how the Colours of Sheffield project However, before that shot, I loved my Park Hill match – because it’s such an iconic building and one of my first started?

I started Colours of Sheffield in August 2017, when I matches. saw designers on Instagram using Pantone colours and Photoshop to match famous places (@tomlowe is a Colour-wise, the pink of the vintage shop Vulgar on personal favourite). I didn’t know how to use Photoshop Division Street was absolutely spot on. That photo took but I loved the idea of matching the cards, so I ordered me about two seconds. Normally it takes a lot longer to a pack of 100 postcards and took them to the streets search for the right card, then figure out how and where of Sheffield. This made me take notice of the beautiful to hold it as lighting can really change whether the card colour around us that goes unnoticed everyday, giving matches or not. me a new perspective to the city I had fallen in love with.

Sheffield can often be portrayed as very grey but this Do you tend to find the locations yourself or do you project has made me completely disagree – it is full of get tip-offs from followers? beautiful colour. When I originally started matching my I tend to choose the locations myself depending on coffee cups to pantone cards, I couldn’t have imagined where I’m walking that day, or where my weekend where the project would take me, but I’ve been able to brunch plans are situated! However, sometimes I ask for do some great things: a Sheffield University Instagram inspiration from my followers, who send me great ideas, takeover, challenging local architecture firm Paul Testa, and sometimes I am approached by artists or local busipromoting Sheffield Theatres plays, doing a talk at inde- nesses suggesting I match them, which I try to do when pendent creative company Jaywing and being asked to I have time. be involved in the promotion of the new Monki store in We love the Colours of Sheffield totes and prints availSheffield. able online. Are there any plans to add new merchanRecently I have expanded into making prints to show- dise at some point? case some of my favourite places through their colour. I’ve got lots of ideas for expanding my small business, People seem to love having a little bit of Sheffield in I’ve actually got a new print on the way, which will be their houses, especially now they are unable to visit their available by the end of the month – watch this space! favourite places. In the first month of selling these, I’ve sent prints to Japan, Denmark, USA, Spain – it’s lovely @coloursofsheffield // to see the city has touched so many people’s hearts glob- coloursofsheffield.etsy.com 70 | www.exposedmagazine.co.uk

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Pic: Giles Smith

tramlines.org.uk.

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Pic: Simon Butler Pic: Giles Smith

Usually we’d be dedicating a good chunk of this magazine to Sheffield’s biggest party of the year – Tramlines Festival. Not to mention also starting work on programmes for the official fringe festival and putting the wheels in motion on the Tramlines Times paper we produce over the weekend. It’s possibly our busiest – and certainly most enjoyable – time of the working year.

Alas, last month the inevitable was sadly confirmed as coronavirus put paid to yet another exciting event on the city’s social calendar. Seeing first-hand the huge levels of graft that goes into the event year in, year out, and having the pleasure of documenting the joy it brings to you lot each year, made the news a particularly tough pill to swallow. Safety naturally comes first during these difficult times, but that still didn’t prevent the gutwrenching feeling when it became clear we wouldn’t be spending the final weekend of July living it up in Hillsborough Park with our loved ones, or cavorting around the city centre’s venues seeking our live music fill.

Yes, there’s a big Tramlines-shaped hole in our hearts this summer, but rest assured it’ll be back once it’s safe again out there. Lord knows we need it.

In the meantime, to pay homage to the UK’s finest innercity music festival, here are some of our favourite Tramlines shots over the years. In the meantime, stay safe and don’t forget to #BeMoreNulty.

Pic: Joshua Atkins

We’ll Meet Again

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