Flush Magazine

CULTURE

MUSIC

FASHION

TECH

Blek Le Rat: The Godfather of Graffiti

The Cast of Cheers: When everyone knows your name

Una Burke: Hell For Leather

Sweet dreams: The Science of Sleep

MAGAZINE WIN! An Orla Kiely Digital Radio and iLuv Professional WorkStationTM

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06 The Hotlist 08 SuperArtist Andreas Englund

38

12 Dedicated follwer of fashion Citroen DS3

Raising the bar The Cast from Cheers

16 Have camera, will travel Stevie Decanay

22 Vintage homeboy Wayne Hemingway

22 Vintage homeboy Wayne Hemingway 26 Numero Una Leather sculpture from Una Burke 35 The Godfather of Graffiti Blek Le Rat 38 Raising the bar The Cast from Cheers

54 Better than paradise?

Conrad Rengali Isaland

40 In Music What’s hot in 2012

35

The Godfather of Graffiti Blek Le Rat

77 Competition Win an Orla Keily Pure Digital Radio

Cover Stevie Dacanay

26 Numero Una Leather sculpture from Una Burke

>>>

74

Star Waver Nik Kershaw

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ISSUE

WELCOME Welcome to the new Flush magazine. Our first ever ‘0’ edition features an interview with the man Bansky describes as the Godfather of Graffiti – Blek Le Rat. Plus a musician just as handy with a tripod as he is with a guitar pick, Buckcherry’s Stevie Dacanay.

We drive the new Citroën DS3 and catch up with The Cast of Cheers. No, not Sam, Woody and Diane, the band from Dublin making waves across the country.

Hannah Duncan pinpoints five acts to look out for in 2012 plus we go to sleep in the name of science.

There’s tons more to discover including an 80’s legend, paradise on earth and some leather clothing definitely not suitable for work.

Thanks for stopping by.

43 Coming of Age Fifteen restaurant 46 Food Donkey Kong banana beignets 50 An LA state of mind Canters Deli 53 The bald and the beautiful 54 Better than paradise?

Conrad Rengali Isaland 58 Surviving the suburban Australian BBQ 62 Four adore Porsche Panamera 64 The science of sleep 66 Gaming Rayman Origins & Need for Speed

Pete Graham, EDITOR

69 Music sampler Latest Flush tracks 70 Musical haunts The Bitter End, LA 72 APP of the month Pulse 76 Star Waver Nik Kershaw

CONTRIBUTORS Amanda Penlington Hannah Duncan Matthew Copper Chris Ball Luke Lavelle Henry McMunn Lizzy Spit Ian Garland Nicholas Williams

Vanessa Valentine Richard Ounsworth Kim Vernon Alan McKenzie Edward Jacobs II Eleonora Collini Phil Mottershead Steve Clarke Melissa Heywood

78 Competion Win an ILuv Professional WorkStationTM 79 Competition Win an Orla Keily Pure Digital Radio 81 Contacts

THE HOTLIST THE STUFF OF LIFE

Your face or mine?

Available from mid February the new Olympus SP-620UZ has a 21times wide angle optical zoom lens and records stunning video in 720p HD. It has Shadow Adjustment Technology, Automatic Face Detection for up to 16 people, and best of all a built-in manual. £179.99

WIN!

Dream Pod

Pioneer of electronic music Jean Michel Jarre has just spent the last two years developing a beautifully crafted iPad/iPhone dock called Aerodream One. The most powerful loudspeaker in the world, it stands 3.40m high weighs 395 kg and boasts 10,000 watts of pure power.

It’s not cheap though and will set you back €399,000 or £342,979.

For that price we would expect it to at least have a radio!

A Pure Evoke Mio ‘Orla Kiely’ Abacus Edition DAB Radio See page 76

Twin Peeks

The Sony Tablet P has a cool hinge and dual screens that can be used together or independently of one another. You also get the latest Android OS and access to a global catalogue of over 10 million songs via Sony’s ‘Music Unlimited’. The best part though, is that you can play your Playstation games on it.

And you can’t do that on an iPad!

Back to the Future

This classic Sky Blue Westinghouse “wide-fi” 633T5A is just one of many unique radios restored by those wonderful people at 3Ryan Radios. There are no digital channels, but you can connect your iPod/MP3 player for the ultimate in future/retro chic!

Price: $415 http://3ryan.com

Ear Candy

The AKG K550 headphones combine the advantages of closed-back headphones (no sound leakage for a truly private experience) with the open sound of open backs, making them ideal for both home and street use.

RRP: £249.99 available from http://uk.akg.com/akg-k550-uk.html

iLuv Professional WorkStationTM WIN! An iPad carry case, complete with built-in detachable Bluetooth Keyboard.

See page 77

SuperArtist

Andreas Englund Andreas England is a Swedish artist based in Stockholm.

He’s just finished a series of pictures depicting the universal problem of growing old, but from the perspective of a Superhero...

How long on average does each painting take?

Coming up with the right idea to start with can be very time consuming. Sometimes I do a lot of work that never gets painted. Then sketching in general takes me on average about 20-30 hours, once that is done the ďŹ nal painting is then another 40-50 hours.

Do you work from photographs to get the facial expressions right?

I work from a retouched combination of photos. Most of my motifs capture a split of a second moment so to try and have a model standing still in those kind of poses would be extremely difďŹ cult.

Did you study painting at college?

I actually thought I would become an industrial designer so my studies were all theoretic at ďŹ rst. Then it turned out I wanted to become an Art Director. Communicating and storytelling has always fascinated me. I did a lot of art courses during my education when becoming an Art Director. For me it has always been two careers, living in symbiosis both with the common themes of story telling and communicating.

There is a mischievous element to many of your paintings, does this come from your personality?

Ha ha! Yes I guess It does. I think there is a lot of me in all my paintings.

Who is your favourite superhero?

I think Spiderman, I like his cocky personality and his movies are always very cool. Then I have other favourites like Simon Bisley’s Lobo and ABS Warriors. Also Hergés Tintin, but they are not what you would call classic superheroes.

Your work reminds me of Roy Andersson’s (arty Swedish film director) films, are you a fan of his?

He’s done a lot of great films both commercials and movies, I’m not a big fan especially, but I do like his way of creating his scenes almost like paintings.

Who are your favourite artists?

I love Anders Zorn for his amazing technique in both watercolour and oil. Dennis Hopper was also big influence for me, I also like Simon Bisley and his wicked comic series.

Are your paintings for sale?

Yes. At present I sell them by myself. Eventually I will also have prints but it’s work in progress.

What’s next?

My next exhibition will be in Venice L.A. this coming spring. wwww.andreasengland.com

This 5 speed manual HDi 90 limited edition version of the Citroën DS3 was produced in association with Irish fashion designer Orla Kiely – well known for her hats and handbags.

It’s a regular DS3 under the bonnet, but has some nice limited edition styles and features inside and out. The one we tested was ‘Polar’ white with orange wing mirrors, which, when sitting in the drivers seat, made you think the whole car was orange. Great on the French Riviera, but slightly less glamourous stuck in traffic on a wet weekend in West Bromwich.

As Range Rover have shown with the Evoque, the interior designed in conjunction with Victoria Beckham, a creative outsiders

perspective can sometimes breathe fresh life into car design.

The Orla Kiely version has some funky coloured headrests and ‘sensuous Mistral Claudia‚ leather seats’ that are really comfy, and you sink into them like you would an old armchair.

Kiely’s acorn motif is prevalent throughout, and, like the Fiat 500 the dashboard has a cool, slightly retro feel to it. I was a bit disappointed with the radio/cd interface, fiddly to get to grips with and not as intuitive as others I have tested.

A touch-screen all singing, all dancing control centre would have been a nice addition, but overall, the quality of the interior

finish is high, right down to the intricate stitch detailing and floor mats.

There’s space for 5 people, but if you’re like me and over 6ft the drivers seat will severely limit leg room in the back, making it more practical for 2 or 3 on longer journeys.

On the outside (Orla Kiely extras aside) Citroën have succeeded in giving the car its own personality. It’s modern without being bland, and it cuts a sophisticated, eye catching figure on the road. I especially like the LED lights and the shape of the rear windows. It’s a car that looks proud of itself.

On the OC edition a choice of roof designs featuring the acorn motif are available together with tinted rear windows complete with stencilled pattern (and a cool badge too).

The DS3 drives very well without excelling or failing in any one area, making it a great all round car for everyday use. There’s a small amount of body roll into corners at high speeds but overall the ride while firm is good both on the motorway and on the potholed streets of your town.

The 1.6 litre engine will reach 112mph and while you might not always be the first one away at the lights, with a 0-62mph (100km) speed of 11.3 seconds, the gearbox has a fluidity to it. This means there is more than enough acceleration in 2nd and 3rd gears to make overtaking a confident option in the

right circumstances.

With a combined figure of 68.9 mpg the car is also exceptionally good on diesel. Urban 57.6 and Extra-Urban 78.5mpg respectively.

Emissions are just over the 100g/km threshold – at 107g/km, so you would have to pay the congestion charge in London, but luckily your tax will be next to nothing. Not to mention the good it will do to your ‘green’ credentials round the dinner table.

It won Top Gear’s ‘Small Car of the Year’ and ‘Car of the Year’ awards in 2010 and although it shows some resemblance to the C3 it feels like a ‘new’ car.

The Citroën DS3 Orla Kiely limited edition features are quirky, and they inject a bit of fun into an already excellent vehicle. Whether they are worth the extra money or not depends on your budget.

Being the manly male I am, I’d go for the testosterone fuelled DS3 Racing version, but it should be pointed out that all my female friends made admiring comments about the Orla Kiely car, and it ticked all the right boxes for them.

For me I think the acorns were just a teeny weeny bit too girly. Now where did I put my Jean Paul Gaultier Man-bag?

The Citroén DS3 Orla Kiely limited edition is £16,100 on the road.

For more info visit www.citroen.co.uk

38mm Brownsville Brooklyn

Photographer: Reed Young

GLOBAL YODEL

Travel Through a Local Lens www.globalyodel.com

HAVE CAMERA WILL TRAVEL Stevie Dacanay

Aside from playing guitar in multimillion selling rock band Buckcherry, Stevie D (Dacanay) is also a talented photographer. His photo journals while touring the world show a keen eye for capturing the candid, strange and beautiful. If he hangs up the guitar strings a career in photography awaits.

http://steviedacanay.tumblr.com

VINTAGE HOME BOY

Wayne Hemingway

The son of a Red Indian Wrestler, Billy Two Rivers, Wayne Hemingway and his partner Geraldine took Red or Dead from a small stall on Camden Market selling second hand clothes and shoes to a worldwide fashion brand in less than 10 years.

In 1999 the Hemingways sold up and moved on, this time the goal was more ambitious. Staiths South Bank, is an 800 property mass market housing development built in a particularly run down part of Tyneside in the north of England. It was designed by the Hemingways in partnership with Wimpey homes.

It’s aims were simple, to create a living environment full of individuality and stimulus that people enjoyed living in. Greenery and cycle paths replaced car parks and concrete, a place the residents could care about while encouraging the local community to be just that, a community.

Since Staiths, they ’ve been regenerating parts of Lothian, Manchester and Dartford with affordable housing schemes in addition to a wide range of creative and charity projects.

Not content with saving the world, the pair also organise probably one of the best festivals in the UK. The Vintage Festival runs from 13th - 15th July 2012 at Boughton House in Northamptonshire.

It’s a celebration of all things vintage, from music and fashion to film, art and design from the 1920s to the 1980s.

We spoke to the Blackburn Rovers fan about the festival and some of his other projects...

Are you proud of The Staiths South Bank project, and did you learn a lot from the experience?

It’s the project Geraldine and I are most proud of. We really proved that affordable housing can lift the spirit. We learnt that there are no excuses for mediocrity.

What is the main problem with the current social housing?

There are plenty of problems with social housing at the moment and most are not

financial problems. Social housing doesn’t lift the spirit, in many cases it doesn’t feel like home, and is just something functional that keeps people dry and warm – but there is more to life than that.

What are you up to at the moment?

We always have tons of projects on the go at the same time and we are working on some very stimulating projects – from our social housing projects, to all our product ranges, and of course our Vintage Festival.

Are there any ‘current’ fashion designers you like?

There are loads of good designers – many work on the High St at places like Cos. In terms of big names I have enormous respect for what Vivienne Westwood has achieved.

Do you think having no ‘formal’ training was an advantage with Red or Dead?

It allowed us to be free and to have no boundaries. Learning on the job was also stimulating.

Do you still feel like an outsider?

Click here to download

I was an outsider when I owned Red or Dead, it was the best way for me and the brand. And of course I am an outsider today because most of our work is outside of the fashion industry.

Do your kids think you are cool?

Yes, just like I know they are!

What would you take on a fashion version of Desert Island Discs?

Guess what... musically... Fashion... turn to the left (Bowie) and She’s in Fashion by Suede...

I would wear my trusty old 50’s army shorts and 60’s M&S short sleeve shirt that I have had for 25 years.

Were you surprised at how popular the Vintage Festival has becomer?

Not really, we knew that the demand was there, we knew that the idea is good and we worked damn hard to make it a great event and to get the word out.

Is it easy for you to prioritise your time between work and family life?

No, but when the kids are as interested in our work/our passions as us then life works.

Where is your favourite place in the world?

Home. Round the dinner table with all the family at home.

This year the Vintage Festival will take place over 3 days, 13th-15th July 2012, at the stunning Grade 1 Listed Boughton House, Northamptonshire.

If you could go back to an era (and be in your twenties), when and where would it be?

The 70’s were fantastic for me – Bowie, Northern Soul, Disco, Punk, wow!

Were you ever tempted to follow your father into wrestling?

No thank you!

What is the secret to a good work/play relationship with your partner?

Love, great kids, a shared vision, tolerance.

www.vintagebyhemingway.co.uk www.hemingwaydesign.co.uk

NUMERO UNA Leather sculpture by Una Burke

BLEK LE RAT

The Godfather of Graffiti

IN THE LATE 1970’S AND EARLY 80’S, WHILE THE STREETS AND SUBWAY TRAINS OF NEW YORK WERE BEING EMBALMED IN GRAFFITI ‘TAGS’ BY THE LIKES OF FAB 5 FREDDY AND HIS ILK, A YOUNG FRENCHMAN LIVING IN PARIS NAMED XAVIER PROU BEGAN HIS OWN KIND OF ‘GUERILLA ART’.

In contrast to New York graffiti’s connection to Music and Breakdancing, Blek Le Rat’s work was politically charged and used stencils to create his images. It was seen by many as statements on subjects ranging from war to homelessness, and by doing so took ‘street art’ to a new place. He made people stop and think.

Fast forward 30 years and the ‘Godfather of Graffiti’ is now a successful artist on and off the streets, his influence wide reaching across the world of street art.

Banksy famously said: “Every time I think I’ve painted something slightly original, I find out that Blek Le Rat has done it as well, only twenty years earlier” We spoke to Blek in his Paris studio...

WHO ARE YOUR HEROES?

Heroes are for kids, sorry but I don’t have any more heroes in my life. When I was a kid in the 60’s/70’s my heroes were rock or movie stars like Mick Jagger or James Dean... I was inspired by David Hockney, Warhol of course, I love the Italian Renaissance period, comics books and music inspires me a lot as well.

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE A PIONEER OF STREET ART?

I don’t go out very often except for working.

I never go to the galleries opening show and have only few artist friends, so it is difficult for me to explain how do I feel as a pioneer.

The moment I feel it it is when I have a show and then people talk to me directly on that subject and I have to admit that it’s made me feel happy and proud of what I have done in my life.

www.singaporeair.com

WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE KIDS TO PAINT ON A WALL OR GO TO ART SCHOOL?

Both of them, I think it is also important to study art and history of art because it is a pleasure to learn of how artists in the past have worked.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE PIECE OF ART?

I love it when I leave a piece of my art in the street. Last week I was in San Francisco and I left some pieces in the streets of the city.

BLEK LE RAT

The Godfather of Graffiti

IS IT HARDER TO MAKE ART NOW YOU ARE MORE WELL KNOWN? Yes, it is much harder now because now the police are hunting street artists. When I started in 1981 the police did not care at all about street art.

When they saw me painting in the streets they used to ask if it was a political statement that I was doing.

I answered them that it was not but only ‘art’ and they said “OK it is beautiful keep on the good work!” I assure you it is true!

WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR RECENT WORK?

My son Alex is a great inspiration in my recent work. I have done his character in San Francisco in Mission.

At each time it was a kind of climax when I finished painting them.

DO YOU FEEL ANY RESPONSIBILITIES TO BE POLITICAL WHEN YOU PRODUCE A PIECE OF ART?

Everything we do in the life is political, so yes it is political. But I have to say that I don’t have any political statement to say to the people. It is political in terms that it is a window for people to access art. In the past only an elite set of people had an access to it.

Through street art everybody in the city has an access to art, so it is a huge change!

DO YOU EVER WAKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WITH THE URGE TO GO OUT AND DO A STENCIL? No, Working in the streets needs some preparation and organization before starting otherwise you can go straight to the police station!

BANKSY ACKNOWLEDGES YOU AS A MAJOR INFLUENCE ON HIS WORK...

HAVE YOU MET EVER HIM?

I have never met Banksy, but he sent me a piece of work and emailed me, so that was nice.

WHERE ARE YOU HAPPIEST?

I love my family, so when I am with them.

AFTER A NIGHT ON THE STREETS, WHERE SHOULD I GO FOR BREAKFAST IN PARIS?

French people don’t have good breakfast compared to British or American people.

French just have a coffee and croissant for breakfast and any kind of ‘Cafe’ in Paris is a good place to go in the morning.

YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BLEK LE RAT, INCLUDING HIS UPCOMING SHOWS ON HIS WEBSITE WWW.BLEKLERAT.FREE.FR

Raising the bar

The Cast from Cheers

The problem with a brilliant name is your band have to be even better to live up to it.

Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction would have been massive had they been called Motorway or Iron Horn, but with a name like that the expectation was too great and they crumbled under the pressure.

The signs are good for The Cast of Cheers, their music is one of those ‘love at first listen’ things, and sounds better every time you listen to it. Ask DJ Zane Lowe, he can’t stop playing it on his show.

last summer. So it’s been almost a constant. Conor usually has new songs or ideas ready for practice, it keeps things quite fresh.

We’re all very excited at how the second album is shaping up!

We caught up with the band before they become too famous, moody or drunk for their own good.

What has been your best experience in the band so far?

How long have you been together?

Too long! Kidding, of course! We started playing together as The Cast of Cheers in October 2009 but we’ve been in and out of bands together for years now.

Are you still based in Ireland?

We’re still in Ireland at the moment. We’ve been throwing around ideas about moving abroad but no solid plans as of yet.

Where was your record ‘Chariot’ recorded?

We recorded on weekends because we were working full time so it took about four months, a lot longer than we had hoped! Great little studio out in Blanchardstown, Dublin called Trackmix.

What is the thinking behind giving away the album for free?

It made sense. Nobody knew us and we didn’t expect anyone to pay for an album from a band they hadn’t heard of, we hadn’t even played live!

Giving it away seemed like the quickest way to get it to as many people as possible.

What are your songs about?

Zombies, love, and more zombies. I know Conor took lyrical inspiration from books like The Road and World War Z so the Apocalypse is certainly sprinkled throughout Chariot.

Are you writing new stuff all the time?

We’ve been writing for the second album since

It’s hard to name just one.

We’ve played some amazing shows and met a ton of lovely awesome people over the last year but for me personally it’s probably supporting Two Door Cinema Club at Brixton Academy.

We’d never played to such a big crowd, the buzz was unreal! Amazing! It’s a complete cliche but it’s hard to put into words. It’s a bit of a blur looking back, I know we had a lot of fun. Two Door and the their crew are awesome at what they do, it’s inspiring.

Do you encourage Groupies?

Who doesn’t? To be honest, I haven’t met any! I have met some enthusiastic fans but I wouldn’t have considered them groupies (What is the definition of a groupie? Sexual favours or homemade t-shirts?). If you find any, let us know.

Do you have many gigs / festivals lined up for the rest of the year?

At the moment, we’re trying to focus on the second album so we don’t have too many shows lined up, we were at the Electric Picnic in Ireland in September though!

Who is your favourite band?

Way too many to name but I’ve had The Police, Friendly Fires and Battles on fairly regular rotation these last few weeks.

Where is the best place for breakfast in Dublin?

Around at me Mams!

So there you have it. Listen to the whole of their ACE Chariot record or visit The Cast of Cheers on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/thecastofcheers

Trailer Trash Tracys

Niki & The Dove

2011 was THE year of über talented couplings (The Civil Wars, Slow Club, Summer Camp) and providing someone keeps The Ting Tings firmly locked in a cupboard, Niki & The Dove will be adding to the indie duo legacy this year.

A touch of sexy battiness about Malin Dahlström (think Bjork and Liela Moss have spliced their genes to create a new breed of performer) makes her reign supreme. There’s something beautiful and unhinged about watching her perform. nikiandthedove.com

6 Music’s well respected DJs are playing them, Kings of Leon’s Jared Followill is telling people on his twitter to listen to them, supporting The Maccabees and The Vaccines tours through January and a debut album released this week will be keeping this London quartethectic and our attention keenly held. Lo-fi dreamy shoegaze tunes will be my soundtrack of Spring finally breaking. trailertrashtracys.com

Sissy & The Blisters

Remember the good old days, when we all liked a bit of rough, the unfinished, unpolished article? Sissy & The Blisters herald those better days, when it was all about the noise you make and not the clothes you wear on stage. A must see live, they were raw and frenzied when I saw them at The Bull & Gate in London last year.

They make ‘The Horrors’ look twee. sissyandtheblisters.com

What’s hot in 2012 by Hannah Duncan

Damien Jurado

You may have heard of Damien Jurado from Casa Recordings, his mid 90’s (cassette only) Seattle based record label. At the turn of the century he released Postcards and Audio Letters on the legendary Sub Pop label, a brilliant record complied partly from old cassettes, audio letters and answering machine tapes found in junk shops and thrift stores.

His new album Maraqopa, released on February 20th

by Secretly Canadian, is a continuation of his work with producer Richard Swift, and from the sneak listens we’ve had promises to be something quite special.

Think of Wolf People jamming with Beck and The Doors and you will be somewhere close to his vibe. Stunningly Brilliant! damienjurado.com

Duologue

Already touted by Flush The Fashion way before they cropped up on a lot of peoples radars. Talented raggedy bunch of musicians create a sound that Thom Yorke and Beck would sit up and listen to. Not instantly accessible, at times gothic and brooding, but worth your time and attention if you can open your ears. Intelligent music (brain is the new sexy). logbook.duologuemusic.com

Zulu Winter

Give me cowbells until... well, until the cows come home. Zulu Winter had my ear buds at the first clang, before the crooning even started. I couldn’t tire of ‘Let’s Move Back To Front‘ last year, and then unexpectedly ‘Never Leave‘ followed, a nod to 80’s synths. They will be THE band to see at festivals this year despite playing few gigs. zuluwinter.blogspot.com

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FIFTEEN Coming of Age It’s hard to believe that it’s over10 years since FIFTEEN first opened it’s doors in London...

FIFTEEN Coming of Age

For those of you not familiar with Fifteen, the restaurant was set up by super (is he still Naked?) chef Jamie Oliver in an attempt to give students from disadvantaged backgrounds a chance at a proper apprenticeship and to guide them forward towards a career in the food industry.

The first fifteen chefs, hence the name, were filmed as part of a successful TV programme and every year since then, the restaurant has opened its doors to more students hoping to make something of themselves.

Such has been the success of the project, since the first restaurant in London, Fifteen has expanded to open further restaurants in Amsterdam and Cornwall.

Flush the Fashion spoke to Angela Morris at the restaurant to find out what life is like inside the famous kitchen.

How many students have passed through the doors of Fifteen since opening?

Close to a 100 in total at Fifteen London.

Fifteen takes on 18 young people every year as part of a unique apprentice programme for young people, in need of a break in life.

At the time of being recruited they are not in education or employment.

How many people apply for an apprenticeship each year?

It can be up to 300. We try wherever possible to help those that don’t make it on the programme and usually we can suggest suitable alternatives.

Has anyone gone on to open their own restaurant after finishing their training?

Most apprentices are still in the early days of training but we do have one amazing success story. Tim Siadatan is one of Fifteen’s first

graduates and was named one of Europe’s top 10 chefs according to Wall Street Times.

His restaurant Trullo has opened to great acclaim in late 2010 and is based in Islington.

Has the restaurant been affected by the recent economic climate?

Most restaurants have been affected in one way or another but it’s a case of tweaking the offer to suit our customers.

We’ve refurbished the restaurant, moved from a tasting menu to A La Carte, and created a great value set lunch menu and wine offer.

As a result we’ve not been impacted in terms of trade through the door but customers are mindful of how much they spend.

Does Jamie still have time to take an active role in the restaurant?

Wherever possible but he’s extremely busy. He’s not in the restaurant on a day to day basis but he’s instrumental in both the restaurant and Apprentice Programme.

He has a fantastic eye for details and will always want to have a final sign off where possible, be it a menu, new restaurant feature, website or retail product.

Where do you source your produce and ingredients?

A range of UK and Italian suppliers – UK where possible and Italian for more regional ingredients such as certain cheeses, cured meats and mustard fruits for example.

How easy is it to find good local farmers and produce in London?

It’s about developing partnerships; visiting the farms and suppliers, tasting the ingredients and doing the research to ensure their credible suppliers who deliver premium product.

Our Purchasing Manager is in charge of working with the Executive Head Chef to make sure our food policy reflects the food ethos and sustainable practices of Jamie Oliver i.e. using free range eggs or pork, using diver-caught scallops to name a few.

Where do the profits from Fifteen go?

To the Jamie Oliver Foundation, it is a registered charity (number 1094536), which funds the Fifteen Apprentice Programme. We’ve

also created an extensive retail range and all profits go to the charity, see www.fifteenshop. net

Are there any plans to expand Fifteen in any more cities?

Not at this stage as the charity has recently taken on a bigger remit and now includes some of Jamie’s other campaigning activities.

So our focus is to work closer with the other activities.

Fifteen (London) is located at 15 Westland Place, London N1 7LP, just under 600m from the Old Street roundabout. For a table call 0044 203 375 1515.

by Vanessa Valentine

Thanks to Donkey Kong, bananas have become one of the most popular foods in gaming history. Ever wonder what did he do with all those bananas? Did he ever get bored of eating bananas the same way every single day? Or did he give his fruity meals a twist once in a while?

I have my theories and the following recipe is, I believe, one of the possible solutions Mr. Donkey found to bring some culinary variety to casa Kong!

Banana Beignets are easy and fast to prepare. Their apple version might be more popular nowadays, but it’s time banana beignets get all the attention they deserve. Serve them warm with some ice cream and you’ll be in the presence of a perfect dessert!

Click here for more recipes

Ingredients: 1 1⁄2 cup flour 3 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon nutmeg (optional) 1 cup milk 1 egg 3 bananas Oil for frying Confectioners’ sugar for decoration (optional)

An LA state of mind

The Canters family moved from New Jersey to LA with just $500 and opened the original Canters restaurant in 1931. They moved it to it’s current location on Fairfax Avenue in 1953.

Since then it has become Kosher central...

2: The most popular dish on the menu is Pastrami

sell “Weover

Canters Deli: The Lowdown 1: Their food is great!

You don’t become a famous restaurant without good food and Canters doesn’t disappoint, their Monte Cristo sandwich was voted “one of the best sandwiches in America”.

400 dozen bagels a week!

There is much debate as to whether New York or Los Angeles has the best and most authentic pastrami sandwich (But really experienced deli go-ers know Canters has the best corned beef of all, and that is what they order).

“

Through the years everyone from Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Woody Allen, to Madonna and The Red Hot Chilli Peppers have hung out at the legendary Canters Restaurant and Deli on 419 North Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles.

Canters has ‘starred’ in tons of movies, with Entourage and Curb Your Enthusiasm just some of the shows they have filmed here recently.

As well as the Restaurant, the Canters Bakery is a well oiled machine, Canters cook all of these twice daily – Cheesecake, Babka, Apple Strudel, Sour Cream Coffee Cakes, Rugelach, Mandelbrot, Black and White Cookies, Tea Cookies, Chocolate Cakes, Brownies, Bagels, Rye Bread, Pumpernickel and Challah.

You don’t need to dress up to get down at Canters, and there are customers from every slice of LA life, young and old, rich and poor.

Canters have recently expanded and now have a couple of other restaurants, one at the Treasure Island Hotel in Las Vegas, and a mobile van.

3: They sell over 5000 bagels a week

To give you some idea of it’s popularity, since Canters opened 80 years ago they have sold (approx) 9 Million Pounds of Corned Beef, 10 Million Matzo Balls, 20 Million Bagels and 24 Million Bowls of Chicken Soup.

4: It is always open.

Canters is open 24 hrs a day and closes just 2 days a year so it’s perfect for a late night people watching or early morning breakfast. There is also the famous bar, the Kibitz Room, a bar and live music venue, so its good for eating and drinking too! This is where Slash and Steven Adler first met Duff Mckagan when putting together Gun’s ‘N’ Roses.

Here’s to another 80 years of Canters!

Canter ’s Fairfax Delicatessen and Restaurant 419 North Fairfax Avenue Los Angeles, 90036 Tel: (323) 651-2030

www.flushthefashion.com

THE BALD & THE BEAUTIFUL According to the latest survey most British woman think bald men are more distinguished, intelligent and attractive than their thick haired rivals. In homage to this great news, for me anyway, Flush magazine has put together a Top 5 of bald guys.

Larry David If there are two people left, the Seinfeld co-creator and Curb Your Enthusiasm star will always pick the bald guy. It’s just Larry ’s way of redressing the follically challenged backlash suffered by ‘his kind’ over the years.

Karl Pilkington You may think the Ricky Gervais whipping boy was short up top in the brain department but take a closer look, Karl (who has recently become the The Alan Whicker of the X Factor generation with his ‘Idiot Abroad’ series) wears his baldness with pride.

carpet, Andre Agassi has stepped into the ‘bald’ spotlight and become even more popular for it. Andre’s parallel universe means the less hair he has, the more popular he becomes. Only exposing himself in Time Square while smoking crack could further boost his social status further.

Bruce Willis

Nicolas Cage

From the early days of Moonlighting, Willis has grown out of his hair (or is it the the way around) in such a subtle way that his baldness has been an acceptable part of society since 2003. Should the part call for it Bruce has no problem ‘wigging up’ if necessary.

Andre Agassi If you (literally) brush those mullet years under the

Winner of best performance from a haircut in Spike Jonze’s 2008 film ‘Adaptation’ Cage has been bald since the age of 16. Only clever use of ‘pieces’ and camera positioning have enabled Cage to live a normal life.

Now if only bad skin and goofy teeth could be included then that would be really something!

Conrad Rangali Island Maldives

Better than Paradise?

There are some places in the world that are extra special. They can be special for lots of reasons, the weather, the food, the people, Rangali Island in the Maldives is one place in the world that ticks all of those boxes.

The Conrad Rangali resort has some of the most stunning over-water accommodation in the world.

The Sunset Water Villa has glass floors to view the fish and coral reef down below, a rotating bed to track the setting sun from your room, a TV that drops out from the ceiling at the touch of a button plus a personal butler with speedboat to take you across to the other island.

Possibly the most amazing thing about the Conrad Rangali is the underwater restaurant. And if you can handle the dirty looks from outside I hear they serve a pretty mean fish and chips.

For more info visit http://bit.ly/conrad-rangali

Surviving the suburban

AUSTRALIAN BBQ While the UK is gripped by cold weather, down-under it’s a different story. When the sun is out there is nothing Australians enjoy more than a summer Barbecue. Written by Morse

ESSENTIAL GUIDES

If you’re spending time in Australia over the summer months, it’s quite possible you’ll be invited to a barbecue, often with people you hardly know. It’s important that you observe the correct etiquette, so here’s a traveller ’s guide to the suburban Aussie barbecue.

Popular culture paints a picture of Australians as being keen surfers who like nothing better than to crank up the barbecue as soon as they get home from the beach.

For this we can thank soap operas and Paul Hogan (of Crocodile Dundee fame) for his (in)famous “shrimp on the barbie” quote from tourism ads of the 1980’s.

The harsh reality is that we don’t all live on the beach, we don’t all know how to surf, and most Aussie barbecues are about two things: Beer and burnt sausages.

DESSERT

More beer. If someone serves pavlova, you’re probably in the right country but at the wrong house.

COOKING

The man of the house will always be the chef, and he will nominate a mate or two to stand alongside him to talk about sport while the snaggers are burning. The mates will take over watching the snaggers burn when the chef goes for another beer (“cracking a tinnie”). Unless clearly invited, never ever touch another man’s barbecue.

Also make sure you stay in the garden, the inside of the house is off-limits during a barbecue. If you need to go to the toilet, wait until you get home.

DRESS CODE

FOOD

The host will provide sausages (‘snaggers’ in Aussie vernacular), stale hot dog rolls, butter with streaks of Vegemite in it and a crusty bottle of tomato sauce (not ketchup, that’s too fancy). The snaggers will be burnt on the outside and possibly uncooked in the middle so be sure to check or face the dire consequences.

More ambitious hosts might choose to burn some steak and onions as well. The wife of a male host may make a salad, but feel free to ignore it because everyone else will.

Side note: the common ‘barbecue’ sausage is a variety that can be found in all Australian supermarkets alongside the pork and beef – don’t ask anyone what is in them because they won’t know and you don’t want to.

DRINK

Beer. Bring your own, but don’t bring really good beer otherwise you may find others wanting to swap theirs for yours, or (depending on the crowd) you may be singled out as being posh. Cheap beer may not be very nice but it won’t offend anyone, and you’ll be respected if you defend your choice to the death.

XXXX is only drunk in Queensland, and no-one drinks Fosters. You may wish to invest in an Esky, a local brand of insulated food and drink cooler.

After attending several barbecues you will become adept at negotiating your way through a sea of these while drunk.

If you don’t drink beer, you have no business at being at an Australian barbecue.

Anything that goes with thongs, although thongs are optional. And that’s “flip-flops” to you other-worlders.

Whatever you do, don’t turn up at an Aussie barbecue wearing a thong or a mankini.

ACTIVITIES

Sitting around drinking and talking about nothing in particular is a great Australian pastime. Younger male guests may attempt to start a game of football or cricket.

If you are in Victoria, Western Australia or South Australia you may find yourself caught in a confusing discussion about Australian Rules Football (AFL). You may also be offended by the average Australian’s view of soccer – and whatever you do, don’t call it football…

I hope you found this guide helpful. As a rule, Australians are very hospitable and will often invite you into their home after having just met you. Just don’t break the rules and you’ll make it home in one piece.

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80% of the UK population suffer from lack of sleep in one kind or another, can technology come to the rescue?

Last week I tested the ZEO Sleep Manager, a device that allows you to monitor sleep patterns and help to improve the quality of your time under the covers.

Fitted to a headband, during the night it measures the amount of time you spend in the 5 different stages of sleep. It transmits this information in real time via bluetooth to a dedicated application on your iPhone or iPad. To simplify things the ZEO Sleep manager splits these 5 stages of sleep into 3 phases.

LIGHT SLEEP (STAGE 1, STAGE 2) STAGE 1 is where your body drifts from wake to sleep, this period usually lasts for 5-10 mins. If someone wakes you during Stage 1, you won’t really feel like you’ve been asleep.

STAGE 2 is where your temperature starts to slowly decrease and your heart beat will also slow down at this point.

DEEP SLEEP (STAGE 3, STAGE 4) During STAGE 3 your brain starts to produce ‘delta waves’, and it’s a transitional period between light sleep and a very deep sleep (basically you are out like a light).

STAGE 4 happens just before REM sleep, (NOTE) this is when you are most likely to wet the bed or sleepwalk.

REM SLEEP (STAGE 5) This is thought to be the stage when the brain assimilates recent information and filters out the stuff you don’t need. EG you might remember the great film you saw that day, but not what pair of socks you put on. It’s also when you have dreams.

In the morning you are able to see the amount of time you spent in each sleep stage and are awarded points accordingly (see below). These are added up to give you a ZQ total for the night.

Basically, the higher the ZQ number, the better your sleep.

If you get one, DON’T PUT IT ON TOO TIGHT. I woke up with thick red line marks across my forehead on the 1st day that took several hours to disappear. You will look like you’ve been playing kinky sex games, and a strange sight at the 10am shareholders board meeting.

Your data is automatically updated to the Zeo website where it can be analysed as

daily graphs, weekly grids and any number of comparison charts. A ‘J ournal’ function allows you to enter information related to how you were feeling/what you did – before and after your sleep, it’s quick and easy, and allows you to make sense of the data.

There is also a huge resource of info available on how to improve your ZQ Score.

Luckily I’ve never had trouble sleeping.

My first nights ZQ score was 79, followed by 78,80,77,78 then 79. In fact, although the time I spent in the various stages of sleep varied, my ZQ score was pretty consistent all week.

Probably because I went to bed and woke up at similar times.

The average for my age is 74, so I was above that, but my ‘Deep Sleep’ (the time when your body does most of its regenerative repair work) time was lower.

There are some ZEO fanatics out there who try and beat each others scores, by, from what I can make out, staying in bed all weekend (apparently anything over ZQ100 is Zen-Like).

Not drinking alcohol or caffeine a few hours before you sleep, having a quiet room, not watching TV in bed, these are all things we know we should do to have a good nights rest, but the problem is, we don’t always do what is best for us.

If we did we’d all be tucked up by 10pm every night.

In addition to this, factors such as kids, noisy neighbours, or traffic mean despite the best intentions you can’t always get the sleep you require, even if you wanted to. As the week went on I got used to wearing the headband, but I’m not sure how long I would

continue to use it in normal circumstances.

The Zeo Sleep Manager DOES make you realise how important sleep is in relation to general wellbeing, although it’s hard to forget when you have something similar to small miners lamp on your forehead. For people with genuine sleep disorders, the device and resources can be very beneficial in finding an answer to their problems.

However, to see any real benefits you’ll have to invest some effort into the solution, as it can only help with the diagnosis and point you in the right direction. The rest is down to you.

Goodnight!

We tested the Zeo Sleep manager Mobile £89.00 For more info visit www.myzeo.com

GAMING

Rayman Origins Rayman, one of the kings of late nineties platformers, is finally back after a long period of Raving Rabbids spin-off titles taking the forefront, much to the relief of his long-term fans‚ and what a way to return.

‘Origins’ isn’t just a nostalgic romp through platforming past, it’s a stellar title that’ll challenge you and delight you in equal parts.

With the characteristic, hand-drawn 2D graphics, ‘Origins’ is a beautifullooking game, and its art style strongly reflects its tone. Light-hearted and joyful throughout, however hard its Sonic-esque speed and momentum and tricky platforming puzzles might push you, it’s never enough to infuriate.

It could be said that it is, essentially, a kid’s game, but that takes nothing away from the sheer quality of its design, or its high ‘skill ceiling’.

You can play the game simply, breezing through it merely to enjoy its aesthetic merits, or to go for the perfect scores, which involves racing against the clock and requiring perfect execution at dodging enemies and traversing the wacky and diverse environments.

Also particularly worthy of praise is Rayman Origins music which, if it weren’t too late, I’d argue is easily worthy of the award for best game soundtrack of 2011. Changing dramatically from area to area, it ranges from smooth jazz, to samba, to endless variations of world music when appropriate, and its composition is catchy, fitting, and has startlingly high production values.

Criticisms of Rayman Origins are scarce, and even in frustrated moments of tackling its hardest sections, there was no way I could attribute my annoyance to ‘bad design’ or ‘poor developing’. It was only my constant desire to overcome the brilliantly crafted trials it offered.

This is surely a game that is a master of its genre, and is not afraid to bring back a classic style in its truest form, and a must buy for anyone able to enjoy the lighter side of gaming.

Review by Henry McMunn Published by: Ubisoft ® Developed by: Ubisoft Montpellier ® Rating: 7+ Available On: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii

With the characteristic, hand-drawn 2D graphics, ‘Origins’ is a beautifullooking game

Need For Speed: The Run Need for speed: The Run is game 19 in the NFS Franchise.

Amazingly it‘s been over 17 years since the original title was released. Your goal in ‘The Run’ is to drive across the US from San Francisco to New York in a special ‘Cannonball Run’ type race, battling against various gangsters and characters in order to claim first place and win the cash.

Many driving games involve racing round and round tracks, but this east to west coast journey takes in different landscapes and environments along the way. From the bustling grimy city streets of San Fran to the breathtaking scenery of Yosemite National park, almost each section offers a new challenge and visually stimulating vistas. I know technically it’s the same thing but it makes you feel like you’re moving forward all the time, and it’s a great motivation to keep playing.

The graphics and gameplay are excellent and I think it’s the first time in a driving game I’ve ever been blinded by the sun.

While there is a small plot, it never gets in the way of the driving, which is ‘fast and furious’ as you may expect from an NFS game. There are also a couple of short ‘out of the car ’ scenes,

usually these involve escaping from a crash, or running from the police. I would have liked a few more of these as the game does get briefly repetitive in the middle section as you head through Nowheresville USA. If you are familiar with the NFS franchise you will know it’s less simulator, more arcade (fun) than most driving games. Brakes are for wimps and the difference between winning and losing can often be the thickness of a layer of paint.

Once you’ve completed ‘The Run’ there is plenty of action to be had online, and as your driving experience grows, so does the proficiency of your online opponents. Bonuses are awarded for completing various milestones which range from icons and images, to driver xp points and bonus limited edition NFS cars.

Search for a game in progress and you may find yourself having to enter a three stage competition halfway through race two, but you can create your own custom race if you want to avoid this and wait for players to join in. The Leaderboard also allows you to see how good or bad your friends are at each section of the game.

If you like racing games, this

is definitely one to add to your collection, although I’m not sure how many times you would want to repeat ‘The Run’ part of the game once you have done it. The cut scenes blend into the gameplay almost seamlessly but this leaves you waiting a few extra seconds for things to load.

As the game finishes, the door is left open for a sequel and I had an idea of where to go next. What about NFS: The UK? They could start the game in the Scottish Highlands, with their amazing natural beauty, head through the winding roads of the Lake District, join the M6 in the Manchester and from then on battle your way through traffic jam after traffic jam, as you crawl your way to the finish in London.

The final leg could be a complete circuit of the M25 with all major roadworks and contraflow systems exactly replicated.

Hmm maybe not such a good idea after all!

Published by: EA Developed by: EA Blackbox Rating: 16 Available On: Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii, iOS, 3DS

If you’re bored with all 15,000 of the songs on your iPod we have some brilliant new music on Flush the Fashion Music Sampler to blow away the cobwebs.

TRACK 3

No room for heroes Coastal Cities

Having spent the last 2 years honing their talents in a garden shed, someone opened the door over the summer, and after a series of local live shows and an EP ‘Transgressions’, the band (all still under 18) now have world domination in their sights.

For more info visit www.myspace. com/coastalcitiesband

Push it Duologue

TRACK 1

Give Me a Chance The Miracals

First up is the title track of the Californian quartets brand new five track EP. It’s rammed with sweet guitar melodies, perky beats and harmonious vocals that evoke long summer days and nights spent with High School friends and childhood sweethearts.

Read the full review by Amanda P

TRACK 4

TRACK 2

Manchester band City Reign have the fire of indie gods in their bellies. With a small dash of Idlewild and a large spoonful of their own magical potion the band are attracting strong radio play from the likes of Steve Lamacq.

Look forward to great things from the band in the near future...

You can read our interview with them HERE

Wake Up Old Olympians

Two feet in London, two feet in Norwich, Olympians are one part Weezer, one part brass band, one part Proclaimers, and one part Alan Partridge. Actually they are none of these, but they are great.

Look out for an interview with the band on Flush the Fashion very soon. In the meantime visit www.onwardolympians.com

TRACK 5

Making Plans City Reign

Not a cover of the Salt n Pepa ‘classic’ but a brilliant new track taken from the recently released EP entitled A – B (Wild Game Records). Shades of Moloko, Radiohead, The Infadels, and Foals, mixing electronic music with guitars can be a tricky thing to get right. Duologue have not only mastered the art, they are leading the way forward.

You can read Hannah D’s live review of Duologue HERE

To download CLICK HERE www.flushthefashion.com/ music/flush-the-fashionmusic-sampler-dec-2011/

Musical Haunts

The Bitter End, NYC

Lizzyspit takes us to The Bitter End, New York City – a stand-out venue steeped with rich, rock n’ roll history.

When I toured NYC in 2009, there was one venue I was desperate to play – The Bitter End. Located at 147 Bleecker Street, Greenwich city. The ex-ice cream parlor now in it’s 50th year has seen some of the most iconic artists, (and some not so wellknown artists including me) grace it’s stage.

Electric, eclectic – you can spot it a mile away.

Eager queues form early under the vintage awning, excitedly chatting as they wait to enter the redbricked palace. There is always a crowd. Once through the door, a musty, beer-soaked smell hits you. Breath it in – this place has musical ghosts, their sounds ebb through the walls.

Before the 60’s, you’d go there for a sundae, not rock n’ roll. In 1968, the End met song-plugger Paul Colby – who fast became the club’s driving force. Colby started at Benny Goodman publishing back in the 50s. Working up the ranks, he built relationships with artists like Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington through to Bob Dylan (pictured below at the venue in 1961), Curtis Mayfield, Joni Mitchell and Nina Simone – many of whom played at the Bitter End. In 1968 he took over as ‘chief booker ’ and became owner in 1977. By now, it was a fullyfledged music venue, boasting an impressive list of acts. Over a period of 40 years, he and his little black book, turned it into one of NYC’s most individual venues. All this, AND he also became a successful interior designer too!

Many artists have used the venues intimate atmosphere to record live records. Curtis Mayfield’s first live album was recorded here, as too were records by The Isley Brothers and Randy Newman.

In addition to the live music seen and heard at the club, The Bitter End has played an important role in New York comedy history. Everyone from Lenny Bruce to Joan Rivers, Sandra Bernhard and Woody Allen used the venue as a testing ground for their early routines.

And if rock (or comic), royalty doesn’t interest you, even without the history, the place has character. Colby ’s interior touch is there – the quirky decor and brick walls contribute to it’s vibrant, beating heart, alive with music and frisky fans. As always, he places emphasis on exceptional up and comers – those who, based on his experience, are firmly on the road to ‘making it big’.

As an artist, the history is enough to entice. As a music-lover or night-lifer, you can expect a night different to any other across the city. Carefully chosen, lovingly crafted, a night at the Bitter end will be tattooed onto your mind, no matter how much you drink.

Dylan At The Bitter End

147 Bleecker Street (between Thompson and LaGuardia) New York City, NY 10012 Voice: (212) 673-7030

Horizon Lines Sejima, Kanagawa, Japan

Photographer: Alessio Guarino

GLOBAL YODEL

Travel Through a Local Lens www.globalyodel.com

PULSE

Pulse is a great way to read new content from all your favourite websites in a clutter free, easy to digest format. In the last 12 months it’s gone from 1 million to 12 million users and comes pre-loaded on the forthcoming Kindle Fire. Like all the best things, its success lies in it’s simplicity and ease of use.

Here’s how it works:

1

Install Pulse onto your smartphone or tablet.

2

Grab the RSS feed URL (link) from the website(s) you wish to read (look for the orange RSS logo on the homepage).

The Flush the Fashion RSS feed is www.flushthefashion.com/feed

3

Copy the Feed URL into the Pulse App.

Now, when new content is published, it becomes available to read using the Pulse App. There are also great ‘packs’ of content built-in to get you going, covering a wide range of topics from Gaming and Lifestyle to Politics and Current Affairs. All can be tailored and fine-tuned to get exactly what you want, a bit like Google Reader, but without the ‘Goo’. The interface is so simple a 5 year old could use it, and best of all it’s totally free.

For more info visit www.pulse.me

OF THE MONTH

CHECK YOUR

Nik Kershaw:

Star Waver Millions in the bank. Every girl wants to be with you.

Every guy wants to BE you. Travelling the world with the best table at every restaurant. I’m not talking about me!

I’ve just gone back in a time machine to 1985 and I’m sat next to Nik Kershaw, he’s just performed at Wembley Stadium as part of Live Aid and is a proper ‘pop star’.

Nik’s career began in his native Ipswich, and he spent several years honing his musicianship in local bands performing at pubs and clubs in the area. The hard work paid off in 1983 when he landed a major recording contract with MCA and set about writing some of the best chord progressions of the 80’s.

Top of the Pops and major stardom followed, but when the fickle hand of fame swiped him away he took a back seat and continued doing what he loved best, writing songs.

He wrote worldwide hit ‘The One and Only’ for Chesney Hawkes and collaborated with some of the biggest names in music including Elton John and Gary Barlow.

In recent years he’s continued to write and record new material, and as last years stripped back ‘no frills’ record showed songs such as ‘Wouldn’t it be Good’ and ‘The Riddle’ still resonate today as well as they did first time around. Plus, let’s not also forget his tireless work promoting early versions of the mullet.

What are you up to at the moment?

Currently working on my 8th studio album. I still venture out for the odd gig or two.

Do you enjoy touring as much as writing and recording?

I don’t do much touring, as such; just brief ‘sorties’ every now and then. I’m enjoying the gigs much more these days. Less pressure than in the past. It’s a much more immediate and visceral experience than recording, but my comfort zone is the studio.

Do you still like playing the older hits?

I went through the stage that every artist goes through.

I used to really resent playing the old stuff. Nobody wants to be defined for something they did nearly 30 years ago. Now I’m much more relaxed about it. The new stuff is never going to attract the same kind of attention. The oldies are great things to have in your armoury. They’re like stepping stones to be placed throughout a gig. Play them a couple of new ones then slip an old one in when their eyes start glazing over.

What is your favourite song to play live?� I’ve never felt the urge to tamper with ‘Wouldn’t it be good’. I’ve always played it pretty much the same as the record. I still get a buzz when the audience reacts to those opening few chords.

Do you have your own studio, if so what is the set up? � ‘Studio’ would be overstating it somewhat. I have an outbuilding with some gear in it. Technology is a wonderful thing.

I can do 90% of the recording there. I used to be a Protools man but I’ve recently gone over to the dark side (Logic). Most of my ‘keyboards’ are software models. The guitars are real though!

Away from the stage you have written songs with lots of different people, do you find it easy to write songs with other people?�

sense of responsibility you have towards you co-writer. You feel a duty to come up with something and you usually (not always) do. The other thing is that you’re quite likely to learn something new about songwriting.

Is there anyone out there you would like to collaborate with?� Most of the artists I respect and admire are pretty much self contained and not known for their collaborating. I’m quite a control freak myself.

What advice would you give to any up and coming songwriters looking to get into the business?� Don’t give up your day job. Seriously, I know plumbers who earn more than most writers. Other than that, keep knocking on those doors. If one closes, knock on the next one. And don’t let the business make you forget why you write songs. You love music, right?

I don’t find it easy to write songs, full stop. Co-writing is a completely different process. By definition, the end result is a compromise (although that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s no good). The good thing about co-writing is the

If you could be in any other band for a day who would it be?

It would probably be one of the super groups from the 70s. They were my formative years and that was such a golden age for me. Genesis, Deep Purple? I actually sent an audition tape to Deep Purple when Richie Blackmore left (I was 17), I’ve still got the rejection letter somewhere!

What would you have done if the music industry hadn’t worked out?�

Who had the best haircut you, Paul Young or Howard Jones?� Paul King from King. He put the rest of us in the shade… literally!

When can we hear a new Nik Kershaw record?

Currently aiming at May 2012.

MAIN PHOTOGRAPH: LISA KENT

I’m pretty much unemployable. I’d probably still be in the civil service (I worked in an unemployment benefit office for three years). Either that or I’d make quite a good Pope. I’m very good at waving.

WIN The iLuv

Professional WorkStationTM

Those nice people at iLuv have come up with the Professional WorkStationTM, an iPad carry case complete with built-in detachable Bluetooth Keyboard. It means you can update your website on the train, take notes at meetings, write proper emails, you know, all those things you would do on a regular laptop (but cooler).

What’s even better – we have one up for grabs!

To enter our competition visit www.flushthefashion.com/tech/win-an-iluv-for-your-ipad

Good luck!

Usual competition rules apply, we don’t send spam, one entry per household.

Alternatively email your name and address to iluvcomp@flushthefashion.com.

Closing date is 28th Feb 2012. Editors decision is final.

For more information on more iLuv products visit iluv.co.uk

WIN

A gorgeous limited edition Orla Kiely Pure Digital Radio Designed exclusively for Pure by Orla Kiely, Flush the Fashion has a brilliant competition to win this gorgeous Evoke Mio DAB Digital Radio.

In addition to crystal clear reception, the Radio is compatible with your iPod or MP3 player. It even has an alarm and timer, perfect for adding a touch of 50’s style to your kitchen.

To enter our competition visit www.flushthefashion.com/tech/orla-kiely-dab-pure-radio Usual competition rules apply, we don’t send spam, one entry per household.

Alternatively email your name and address to puredab@flushthefashion.com.

Closing date is 28th Feb 2012. Editors decision is final.

Good luck!

CONTACT Editor: Pete Graham pete@flushthefashion.com Art Director: Dawn Li dawn@flushthefashion.com Advertising Manager: Nicola Schooling nicola@flushthefashion.com

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