Quench - Issue 43

FEATURES INVESTIGATE SURF CULTURE

QUENCH.GAIRRHYDD.COM > VOL 4.43 > OCT 16 2006

IAN ARD GU DENT ST U A Z I N E G MA THE OF R YEA

Q U E N C H

EVERYBODY’S SURFING

SURFIN’ USA MUSIC GIVES YOU CALIFORNIA SOUNDS

SURF’S UP PLUS: OTP > DEBATE > INTERVIEWS > GAY > FASHION > TRAVEL > FOOD > REVIEWS AND MUCH MORE...

the gair rhydd magazine Best Student Publication 2005

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Best Student Magazine 2005

OTP: A snail trail Debate: Let’s shoot those fat cats Interviews: Gives you the lowdown Features: Rally, steady, go Fashion: Your summer wardrobe Travel: Be a Mongol on your holiday Food: Smoothie operator Gay: Enter Exit Reviews: Walk men, walk Music: Californication Arts: Tomorrow, tomorrow...

Film: Dearly departed Books: Here to terrorise you Blind Date: Hall of shame Going Out: Cock your tail Cult Classics: Metal mouth Tunnel Vision: A string to your bow

Editor Sophie Robehmed Executive editor Perri Lewis Assistant to the Editors Elaine Morgan Arts Kim O’Connor, Rebecca Child Blind Date Olivia Mordsley, Rosanne White Books Daisy Beare Columnists Gareth Paisey Cult Classics Tom Brooks Debate Caleb Woodbridge Fashion Liz and Matt Features Amy Harrison, Ben Bryant Film Ewen Hosie, Ryan Owen, Si Truss Food Joanne Grew Gay Deen Lloyd Going Out Kayleigh Excell, Rachel Clare Interviews Amira Hashish, Nicola Menage Music Mike Richards, Sofie Jenkinson, Will Hitchins OTP Grace De Ville Photography Adam Gasson, James Perou, Will Dean Travel Chris Rogers, Jim Whiteley Proof Readers Kate Dobbs, Catherine Gee, Chris White, Elise Kirke, Beth Herdman, Rory Barclay, Jun Kochi Contributors Swithun Dobson, Gerald Blee, David Frayne, Tasha Prest-Smith, Sara Watkins, Em Baker, Jimmy Interpol, Adam Rees, Jim Finucane, Harry Shiel, Will Dean, Richard Lombardo, Simon Eckstein, Deen Lloyd, Richard Williams, Tom Woods, Emily Kendrick, Matt Hitt, Ria Poole, Fionnuala Coombs Cover design Sophie Robehmed Thought of the week: Can snails survive without their shell? We really need to know. Of course, we could just look on Google.

QUENCH@GAIRRHYDD.COM

QED

EDITORIAL

B

eing a (half English-half Lebanese) Devonshire maid, living close to the sea (and riding my tractor everywhere, of course), I feel that I should be somewhat qualified to comment on a ‘surf culture.’ But is this by any means a straightforward critique? I’m not so convinced.

I’ve realised that I am locked in this circle of reciprocated mockery that doesn’t stray beneath the surface of such a way of life that my wave (ba dum tsh) of surfing friends exist within. I’m used to quipping ‘oh yeah, that’s a sick 180’ and ‘rad duck’ to highlight the hilarity of how very ridiculous they sound when they are dehydrating from salivating upon their raw enthusiasm and conviction on the subject. Before you think of me as cruel, you have to rationalise this: they’re not talking life-saving surgery but essentially the implications of long-shore drift, (which was extremely dull during GCSE Geography, I think you’ll find).

But equally, they’re cracking a rib and are concerned about their reputation as ‘hardcore surfers’ when I bring a foam body board on a jaunt. Fair enough, it was a river on Dartmoor but it was to stop me from breaking my neck on the silt-covered rocks. And ok, I was naïve to think that we might stumble upon some rapids too. But regardless, see what I mean, they take this apparent culture very seriously. And every time these trippy surf videos are pencilled-in as obligatory viewing, I feel such an impostor commenting on the specifically ‘phat waves’ that my amigos have travelled as far as South America and Indonesia to catch (I suppose I’ll always have Cornwall).

Anyway, another side-effect of Quench being surf-inspired this week is the necessity to voice the observation that this mighty magazine certainly gets its approximately A5-self about. Now, I’m not in any way suggesting that it is ‘loose’ but geographically, I assure you, it gets around.

We’ve recently brought you Hollywood and now, wouldn’t it be nice (why yes, yes it would Beach Boys), to bring you the sounds of California. OK, so it might be the same sunny state, but you should still be enthralled nevertheless. Your student rag is bringing you places that are more than a stone’s throw away. And no, I’m not talking about the dizzy heights of Newport.

Unless you are referring to The OC, and then yes, I suppose I could be. But then I should probably warn you that those waves are for pussies. Seriously, dude.

THREE

ONE TRICK PONY (OVERRATED) SNAILS Sometimes I used to lie awake at night wondering whether a snail could survive if you ripped its shell off.

It made a refreshing change from my recurring fear of sweetcorn, but as time went by the problem began to perplex me somewhat. I've since discovered that although they can repair minor damage to their shell, severe damage can be fatal. I've also been told that most snails are right-handed hermaphrodites; a trait they share with a proportion of the human population of Derbyshire. Surely snails are just glorified slugs, no? As far as shelled animals go, I'm more of a tortoise fan. I've been told that they have the ability to climb ivy-clad walls using only their teeth. This could be a lie. Who knows?

I perhaps harbour a secret grudge against the snails that ruined my only foray into self-sufficiency many moons ago. They callously destroyed my radishes without a second thought and I've never as much as sprouted a broad bean since. How utterly spineless.

CRUMPETS There's no feeling quite like the satisfaction you get from making your own crumpets.

Granted, it may take the best part of a day and cost about ten times as much as just buying some from Lidl for 30p, but it sure is fun.

How can something resembling a loofah be so darn tasty? They may soak up butter like Bounty kitchen towels soak up kitchen mess but somehow no healthy balanced diet is complete without a crumpet or two once in a while. I bet Gillian McKeith stuffs them down her trap all the time, the greedy little pig. If you're after an exotic yet simple and fast snack, why not lightly braise some snails in garlic and herbs and serve over a bed of steaming hot crumpets?

(UNDERRATED)

FOUR

Legend: Andy Garcia

T

his edition's winner of the highly coveted Legend award is the lovely Andy Garcia, who in 1995 was chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history.

Now, I'm sure many of you are bowled over by his smouldering Cuban charm, but he makes my grade this week for more bizzare reasons. You may or may not be aware that Mr Garcia was born with a tennis-ball sized parasitic twin conjoined to his left shoulder. The twin was successfully removed (or so they say) and all that is left of this brother or sister is a small scar and a distinct feeling that the twin would have been a better actor. I'm also digging the beret collection he sports with such panache - trés chic.

Graham Tosser:Alexander Bell

A

lthough our lives have undoubtedly benefited from the advent of telecommunications, if Alex had sat his illustrious ass down and envisaged a future where people could contact each other ALL THE TIME then perhaps he would have chucked his yoghurt pots and string in the bin and walked away with some dignity remaining.

This is the man responsible for a chain of technological advances that resulted in a grey amphibian with a micro penis

topping the music charts. I'm not sure Bell would have appreciated being called at seven in the morning at the summit of Mount Fiji halfway through a life-changing meditation session with a renowned shamen to participate in a “Customer Satisfaction Survey,” would he?

And hands up everyone who has drunkenly texted/called someone and utterly regretted it?

I rest my case - sometimes you just don't need a phone. Letters are better.

BELL: Ashamed of your mobile?

ONETRICKPONY@GAIRRHYDD.COM

ONE TRICK PONY

The Secret Diary of G. de Ville aged 13 years and 11 months A gainst my better judgment, I have written in the same battered old diary for aeons. It was originally purchased as a somewhat robust 1998 year planner, but is still half empty almost nine years on.

This is mainly down to the fact that I can only be bothered to write in it about three times a year, and partially because I no longer want to spoil its optimistic, youthful tone with the drudgery of adulthood. The best thing about this weighty gem of a tome is that it has absolutely no chronological order whatsoever. This started as a security measure to confuse prying eyes, but it's surreal when each turn of the page fast-forwards or rewinds several years of my life. The only thing that seems to have changed during the course of documenting my life is that that I now 'fancy' boys above the age of consent and don't feel like my life will implode without Atlantic 252.

The frustrating thing about diaries is that I only feel compelled to write in them when something momentous is occurring. How refreshing then, to manage to piece together this delightfully mundane week in 1999: Sunday 21st March 1999 It was dead good at Rollerworld1 last night. Jodie (slag) and Jenna and Hayley didn't turn up so that was good. Kerry fancies Liam and I think she's going to see him behind Anneka's back which is a BIG mistake coz they are dead good friends.

Anyway she had her eighty quid trainers nicked so I think that karma has got her proper. Mum and dad are pissing me off - can't they get a life?

B*Witched are number one.

Tuesday 23rd March 1999 Crap day. Basically I threatened to leave home but I didn't. “?” [Illegible scrawl] wasn't at school but I saw him after school with Charlse2 [sic]. Why

does he hang round with a physco [sic] like Charlse [sic] who kills swans etc.? I went swimming tonight and Nob and Mellor kept spitting in the pool - ERR!! I must try harder at school or I'll never leave this town.

See ya.

Friday 26th March 1999 Dear Diary, Went to town today - brought [sic] some clothes for my birthday pressie.

Went to the market and had my ear pierced in the middle3 again and mum will go mental if she sees it but it looks DEAD cool. Then later on today me and Sarah chilled outside the Kabin till NINE PM which was cool.

Grace de Ville *Not actually her

1 This was the coolest Roller-Disco in the whole of Derby, I shit you not.

2 I remember this vile specimen.

Rumour has it that he killed one of his ferrets and fed it to his other one. I also vaguely recall him turning someone upside down and shaking them to see if they had any money stashed in their pockets. If he's not in prison now, I'll eat my hat AND my scarf. I never did pull my socks up at school.

3Not long after this entry, my ear went septic and started oozing masses of pus.

My dad started describing my hole-ridden ears as “tea strainers.” I still think it's cool to 'chill' outside until nine at night.

ONETRICKPONY@GAIRRHYDD.COM

FIVE

Money Matters

DEBATE

The best economic system: individual struggle for wealth, or public control for the greater collective good?

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“Capitalism is the most moral economic system”

Gerald Blee

Swithun Dobson

F

reedom is capitalism: capitalism is the fairest, best and most moral economic system around.

ILLUSTRATION: JAMES PEROU

Capitalism provides the best way of managing scarce resources in relation to human needs, through mutually beneficial voluntary exchange. Imagine you have a computer which I value more than the money you are asking for it, while you value my money higher than the computer. The transaction is made, and everyone's happy. If I didn’t want your computer more than my money, we wouldn’t make the exchange. So it’s impossible to exploit anybody where all contracts are voluntary.

Where things go wrong is when property rights aren't recognised and enforced. For example, the poaching of elephants: since no one owns the land, it is “publicly” owned, no one has any interest in conserving it for future production. People just poach as many elephants as possible, leading to a dramatic fall in numbers. This problem was solved in Zimbabwe by denationalising the ownership of elephants: they were sold to various tribes, who protected them since they were now their property. The result was a massive increase in the numbers of elephants.

Capitalism also supports individual liberty: you can do as you wish as long as it does not violate anyone else’s property rights. This promotes personal responsibility; since the State will not bail you out, you have to bear the full cost of every decision. Does this make society irresponsible? No, because people then have to depend on each other rather than the state, in particular on the traditional family unit, which best affords the financial stability needed for bringing up children. Far from promoting an irresponsible society, capitalism supports social cohesion.

Finally, we don't live in a truly Capitalist society. The state takes individuals’ wealth to intervene in all areas - health, education, welfare provision and so on - replacing voluntary exchange with coercion. Only when the state retrenches to the sole enforcement of property rights will we break through our current yoke of slavery and establish a truly free society: a Capitalist society.

DEBATE@GAIRRHYDD.COM

”

“Socialism is not only possible, but necessary”

T

he two most common questions I've been asked since I started getting active in the socialist movement are: “What is socialism?” and “Is socialism possible?”

Firstly, Socialism means publicly owned and democratically run services, an end to the imperialist wars, free education for all, decent living standards and a fair wage. Socialism is a rejection of the privatisation programme of New Labour, and a rejection of top-up fees and tuition fees.

Secondly, Socialism is a necessity, not just a possibility. Today in the capitalist world 356 people have 40% of the world's wealth and over 3 billion people live in abject poverty on less than $2 a day.

Socialists recognise the fundamental contradictions of capitalism, which is driven by short-term profit. For instance, the crisis of overproduction, inherent in capitalism, leads to stockpiling of surplus goods. This is why in the West you get vast warehouses filled to the rafters with food whilst in the poorer countries people are starving to death in their millions every week.

Capitalism is run in the interests of the few at the top of the economic hierarchy, at the expense of the masses. We really can fight back and win victories for the masses. In 1945 the Labour government introduced the NHS, a huge victory. The poll tax was defeated in the 1980s. Smaller scale examples are plentiful too.

However, unless we fundamentally change the way society operates then these victories will be lost. This is evident in the NHS privatisation policies of New Labour. Education too is on the same dangerous path towards total private control.

Some objection that Socialism is utopian and that hierarchy in society is unavoidable. But if our government didn't spend billions on wars for cheap oil and tax cuts for the super-rich then lots could be done. Public ownership and democratic control of the major companies would mean lots of extra cash for the masses. It would also mean our services, like transport, being run for need and not to make profits. Socialism is both possible and necessary for the good of all, and not just the minority at the top.

SEVEN

INTERVIEWS

Funny folk

“

Nizlopi first came to our attention at the end of last year, when their single The JCB Song shot to the number one spot.

Since then, the lives of Luke Concannon and John Parker have become increasingly hectic. Numerous TV appearances on iconic shows, including Top Of the Pops, as well as encouraging reviews from critics have secured the double act a positive position in the music industry. The pair have been writing music together since they were thirteen years old. Now in their late twenties, they are travelling the UK and Europe as part of their busy touring schedule.

Their quirky vocal and instrumental skills make them a

EIGHT

must-see live act. Whether you are a fan of their music or not, it is hard to find fault in their improvisational performances.

They do not really fit into a particular genre and that is probably what makes them so unique. There is no denying that this band has something special to offer.

Luke Concannon, the lead singer of Nizlopi, is effortlessly friendly and outgoing. His laidback attitude makes him easy to converse with but, as is the case with most artists, he does have opinions and he is not afraid to voice them. The vocalist tells Amira Hashish about the eccentric but rather endearing world of Nizlopi….

W

e have just finished touring the UK. It went really well. We did a hell of a lot of dates. It took its toll but in a good way. I sound a bit like Louis Armstrong at the moment though.

We are touring Europe with Jamie Cullum now. Jamie is a really cool guy.

I do enjoy being on tour but I also like penning the tracks. It’s a balanced thing. If you are getting time to write good songs and rehearse together and be creative but then take those tracks out and perform them then that’s great. If we just spend all our time on the road and don’t have time to write or rehearse we start getting a bit fed up. We played St David’s Hall in Cardiff a while ago and it was one of our best dates. It doesn’t usually happen that a seated audience starts standing up and dancing and clapping for a support act but that is what happened when we came to Cardiff. We have had good experiences in Wales.

It seems that whenever we play there something really good happens. We have played in Swansea in the Monkey Café a few times. I’m sure we’ll go back there next year as well.

We have the freedom to do what we want because we are signed to our own label. My folks have always been supportive though and when we were writing these songs and started recording the album they said that they would really like to set up a record label together. John and me both come from musical families.

John’s dad plays the guitar and always plays the Beatles and my dad plays the trumpet and Irish pipes.

We grew up in Anglo Irish families with an interest in African American music and folk music so our musical interests have always been quite diverse. We have been making music together since we were thirteen. We started off writing songs. We have evolved our own style of music and our own interests and passions.

Having our own own label means we have been allowed to develop something quite different.

INTERVIEWS@GAIRRHYDD.COM

INTERVIEWS

I write the words to the songs and John writes the music. We go to this tree at the end of our garden and we knock on it and a little bird comes out and we write it down. When we were writing the JCB song I had a feeling that it was a strong song. It has a sense of humour but also depicts a world of being 5 in the 80s. It’s emotionally honest as well.

It is a true story about my dad. It seemed that this could be a song that could relate to a lot of people.

The single was also on our debut album, Half These Songs Are About You. The ‘you’ is a girl called Katy Edwards who I loved. Our new minialbum ExtraOrdinary incorporates folk, hip-hop, soul and celebratory music. There is a lot of joy in our music and I don’t think there is enough of that around. We love playing music and want to express that.

There are poetics and politics on the album too. It is very different from the last one. It has been four years since we recorded Half These Songs Are About You. When we started out John was the world’s only beat-boxing, scratching double-bassist mad man. He has really stepped into that since then. I was more of a folk, soul singer. Now I like a lot of hip-hop and rap too.

We have been going up this house in the Breacon Beacons to make the music. Our mate lives there. This new sound naturally evolved there.

A sound I really like at the moment is Immortal Technique’s. It is hardcore reality hip hop. He is extremely good. The guy’s a genius.

I’d like to get in contact with him but I think he’s in demand.

I think it is really important to

INTERVIEWS@GAIRRHYDD.COM

draw attention to issues through music. We live in a culture that shies away from things that really matter. The world is organised in an unjust way. We wage wars against innocent civilians.

Mainstream acts really shy away from saying that this is wrong. The only people that can create change is you, me and everyday people. We can’t wait for anybody else to do it, especially not people who have vested interests like those in politics.

Music has many uses. It can make a statement or be a form of relaxation. Music should chill you out if you get it right. You have to relax to play really well. We relax by taking time out too. We had a week off not so long ago and me and my girlfriend went to Pembrokshire. I love Wales. Wales, Cornwall, Scotland and Ireland. They are such friendly places. There is something about the west coast of Wales that is beautiful.

”

Album review “Extraordinary’

This collection of songs and collaborations tells an honest tale of life, love, politics, communities, sexual politics, the meaning of being a young man in this modern age and the realities of careerism. The result is quite unlike the last album and has an acoustic, rootsy feel, with more beat boxing.

Verdict

The chemistry between John and Luke is working its magic. Definitely a worthwhile addition to the record collection if you are looking for something that little bit different.

AND THAT’S NOT ALL THE SINGER HAD TO SAY. CHECK OUT THIS WEEK’S INSTALLMENT OF ‘THE VIEW’….

THE LOWDOWN with Amira and Nicky

The latest celebrity updatesNG BELLS FOR David nods ‘Hoff’ at interview and makes claim that Knight Rider car was gay T he a c tor, re c ently promoting his new single in the UK, sho c ked students when he c ame out with a c omment a bout his on-sc reen c a r Kit t during an appea r an c e a t T rinity C ollege in D ublin.

"We have some f airly X - r a ted out t akes on Knight Rider. Kit t was c onst antly asking, ' D o you want me to t ake you home Mi c hael?' in tha t very c amp voi c e o f his."

T he f ormer B aywa t c h st a r also d ropped o f f during a c ommer c ial break while f ilming an appea r an c e on G M T V on Sund ay. Produ c ers have denied c laims the 54- yea r -old a c tor passed out be c ause he was d runk.

In contrast with her- ‘diva’ image, Rod Stuart praises Paris for being an “extremely polite” girl.

■ Jonny Depp is roumered to marry Vanessa Paradis in a small ceremony next summer.

■ 16-year-old actress Keisha Castle, the youngest ever nominee for Best Actress Oscar, is pregnant with her 19-year-old boyfriend.

■ Chris De Burgh has been branded "deluded" for claiming he can heal people with his hands. The Lady In Red singer recently claimed he has healing powers like Jesus and insisted he had even cured a man who could not walk.

■

NINE

INTERVIEWS

The View Interviews get personal with Nizlopi front-man, Luke Concannon, on records, romance and bad habits

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Luke on: Music

T

he first record I ever bought was a single. I thought it was by a man. It was a song that went, “you got a fast car, And I’ve got a plan to get us out of here” [singing]. I thought it was amazing. I told my mum that whatever guy sang that song had a beautiful voice.

We went to Woolworths to buy a copy and realised that it was sung by a woman, Tracy Chapman. I’m quite proud that ‘Fast Car’ was my first single purchase because it is a wonderful song. It’s great when you sit in a darkened room and play it. It’s what soul music is all about and I

On strange habits

On first dates

. .

“

My first date was with my friend, Freya. We went into town and walked around. Then we went to the park and were extraordinarily shy about it all.”

On being a fly-on-thewall “I would like to go to the White House and see what really goes on there. I’d love to check all that out. Then I would have a little bit of a fly around and go wherever the wind took me.”

e and John never wear shoes on stage. We started performing barefoot a long time ago because we wanted to be quite relaxed and at home on stage.

The trend has carried on. Even when we have played in venues that are covered in broken glass and stale beer, we still jump into the audience with bare feet to play acoustically for everybody. It’s amazing we haven’t had too many injuries in the last five years.

We’re grateful for that.

”

On food

“

”

I am a good cook in a kind of ready steady cook way. If there are ten cans of tin tomatoes I can plonk them in the saucepan. I am one of those people that can make something out of anything. I am quite an Indian type of chef so I would say my best meal is a curry with chick-peas. Maybe a Middle Eastern dish would be nice to cook as well.”

”

On favorite people “I suppose I’m going to offend

everybody else I know. But my favourite people would be John, my folks and my girlfriend. Also my nan, Eileen, is one hell of a woman. She is a wicked fan. She came along to one of our gigs recently at Portsmouth.”

TEN

”

INTERVIEWS@GAIRRHYDD.COM

INTERVIEWS

What Kate does Amira Hashish talks business and pleasure with singer, Kate Havnevik

Y

ou have heard of the phrase don’t judge a book by its cover. Let’s adapt it to another form of art. Kate Havnevik will teach you that you cannot always judge a musician on its music; well not if you are only listening to the surface of the music anyway.

On first impression, the singer is not at all as you might expect after listening to her compositions. She is cheerful, friendly and approachable but is the first to admit that her lyrics are ‘a bit on the dark side.’ “Even though I can be very chatty and smiley, a big part of me is the dark side,” she says. “There is more to write about than with happy lyrics. It has more substance. That’s partly why I like to write music, because I get to write about issues that effect me.” The writing process is a big part of Havnevik’s music making. “There are lots of different things that inspire my music. I usually sit down and brainstorm and write whatever comes to my mind. Ideas can come from the news, things I read in books and so on. I do like language very much and I like playing with words.”

Her multi-cultural background is also a big influence on her music. “I am half English and half Norwegian. I speak Sweedish too,” she explains.

“I definitely think it effects my music.

Your music can get more wordly.” In fact, Havnevik would encourage anyone to get involved in different cultures. “I think it is really important to learn about new cultures and languages. I think everybody could do with living abroad for a year or something. You end up looking at your own country with a different perspective which is always very interesting.”

The singer’s musical roots run in the family. “My parents are classical musicians and my step mum is a violinist. At a very early age I was asked what instrument I wanted to play. I played the flute in the beginning and then I decided to play the guitar. I rebelled a little bit.”

INTERVIEWS@GAIRRHYDD.COM

Indeed, at the age of fourteen Havnevik joined a punk band.

Surprisingly, her parents were not so adverse to the idea. “I never lived with my dad. I always lived with my mum. She always trusted me and let me do what I want. She really liked classical music but was also a fan of Nirvana. She is very open to all sorts of things. My dad is into Kate Bush.”

This is something the musician has in common with her father. “I really admire Kate Bush,” she says.

“She produces everything herself. I also really like David Bowe, Radiohead and people who produce their own things.

Havnevik insists on being original and experimental and that is what makes her music so unique. She was so keen for artistic independence that she decided to set up her own label. “I just wanted artistic control and stay in my own ship,” she insists. “Being with a major label might have been great as well. A lot of people think that is the best way to do it. But you might be slightly moulded into something they would want you to be because that is what they put their money into. Major labels have to guarantee records sales.”

“

“I just wanted artistic control and stay in my own ship” She would encourage other artists to follow in her footsteps. “All artists should try and look into setting up their own label because there are a lot of unwritten rules with major labels and it is not really that fair if you are not aware of them. People have been accepting them for years because that is how it is. It is really good to have a look at the business side and see what is going on. You don’t have to be a business person

though. You can always get someone else to team up with you to do that because it can be too much to take on.”

The business lady makes setting up a label sound easily. “Basically, you need to have a product; the album. Once you have made the album you need to set up the label as a company. You do deals with other independent companies like independent, distribution and marketing companies. You don’t have to do all the work yourself then. You just pick who you want to work with.”

Havnevik is a lady with a lot of drive. She has been focused on her career since childhood. “I knew I wanted to be a musician very early,” she explains. “My friends told me I was lucky that I knew what I wanted to do. I had a brief flirtation with acting too. I went to an acting school for a year and I loved it. But I did feel that I had more to offer in music. I like to be in charge of what I do. I could try acting again but it will never be the main thing.

She is no stranger to the silver screen though. Her music has featured on shows including the OC and Grey’s Anatomy. “A few months ago I started contacting music supervisors to test the territory. I got really good feedback. When I got my album ready my agent got people to take interest in it. She set up the OC and Grey’s Anatomy deals.” Despite featuring on the soundtracks her hectic schedule prevents her from following the storylines. “I would like to be able to follow the shows but I just don’t have the time. I want to get the Grey’s Anatomy DVD and watch it from the first episode because I don’t know what is going on.”

The new album, Melankton, is released this week. When asked to sum it up in three words, its creator calls it, “Dramatic, beautiful, euphoric.” Maybe Havnevik’s music is not so different from its maker after all. *Melankton is on sale now.

ELEVEN

FEATURES

The rise and rise of surf culture Ben Bryant looks at why so many people signed up to the surf society this year

O

ctober, and summer’s definitely over. Time to lose the bikini and stick your windbreaks in the cupboard for another year. But wait a minute, what’s going on?

Boys and girls with sun-bleached hair, tanned skin and surf-branded shirts, shorts and flip-flops are padding about the streets of Cardiff.

And, what, another hundred members signing up for the surf society this year? All from READING?… So what is this ‘surf culture’ thing, and how did it get so big so quickly?

The cliques might have been around for a few years now, but in the last five years or so, mainstream interest in surfing has increased dramatically. We’re definitely at least a decade away from the old British mainland take on surf culture: a muddled, Californian collage rooted in Baywatch, the Beach Boys, Fat Willy’s Surf Shack and stupid slang (‘Cowabunga!’). As far as surfing in Britain goes, up until the early ‘90s it used to be regarded with a mixture of wonder and bemusement – enig-

matic,kind of kooky, and kind of cool.

But that was ten years ago; a lot has changed since then. British surfing has emerged from the fringes and firmly planted itself in the realm of the cool. Retaining the best bits of US ‘60s surf culture – VW vans, Brian Wilson and a dubious ‘counter culture’ - and skimming off the rest – tacky clothes, tackier postcards and hippy lifestyle - beach culture has been brought firmly up to date.

Now O’Neill sits alongside Jasper Conran and John Rocha in Debenhams, Quiksilver shops can be found in any major city, the annual Surfers Against Sewage ball attracts the biggest of festival headline acts, and even major fashion designers want a cut. That’s right: Gucci have designed surfboards. Surfing was always cool, but this is cool gone mainstream – all on the back of an activity so ambiguous you can’t even call it a sport. So what exactly is it about surfing that makes it so desirable?

Learning to surf in Wales: puts hairs on your chest

TWELVE

Quiksilver Peugeot, anyone?

A (very) brief history of British Surf Culture There was a time when, believe it or not, girls would swoon if you said you were a surfer. Not that anyone really had any idea what that meant; the image of a man on a wave was romantic enough (for whatever reason) to get girls interested.

And yes, throughout the 20th century, surfing in Britain has always been male-dominated, shrouded in the kind of superhuman mythology usually reserved for He-Man. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that, as a purely visual spectacle, the impression that you’re witnessing someone walking on water carries a pretty rich cultural resonance…

But it was a handful of smart executives in the ‘60s and ‘70s who set the wheels in motion for making surfing mainstream. Current market leaders Billabong, Quiksilver, O’Neill and Rip Curl all started out making surfboards and/or wetsuits, but quickly discovered a niche in the market for people who wanted to be a part of surfing without necessarily taking part. [Realising that there was little money to be had in their fringe market,] together they made surfing stylish, marketable and up-to-date.

As ever, people aren’t just buying bright clothes; they’re buying into an image - and this image has been cultivated through years of clever marketing and business tactics. The mystery of an activity with no (formal) rules, and no indication of what makes it so satisfying paints an enigmatic picture for the observer,

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FEATURES which privileges surfers to an atmosphere of exclusivity. This exclusivity was tapped into, to great success,

by Billabong, who adopted the tagline, ‘Only a surfer knows the feeling’ to accompany their adverts. And then they promptly sold bucketloads of clothes.

Over time the big surf companies evolved and grew, and they tended to focus less on boards and more on clothing and sponsorship. The clothes became more expensive, more stylish and therefore more exclusive. Brands pushed the ‘counter culture’ of their clothing, to parallel the non-conformity of the kind of surf lifestyle epitomised in the magical surf film The Endless Summer.

This was reflected in clothing that is distinctive in its opposition (or claim of opposition) to high street fashion. The youth were targeted and hooked by brands like O’Neill, Quiksilver and Volcom. The latter, especially, has cashed in on the ‘counter-culture’ of surf brands by making it particularly explicit. Volcom isn’t fashion; it’s ‘anti-fashion’. It’s a clever, self-conscious contradiction, and it makes them pots of money.

The move to the mainstream Image in place, surf culture was attracting a particular breed of affluent, middle-class youngsters. The demand was there; all that was needed was the right breeding ground for a peculiarly British take on surfing: out with California beach bums riding around in Beetles; in with executives nipping down to Polzeath for their weekend fix. Out with Blackpool rock, skimpy trunks and Mr Whippy; in with Oakleys, boardshorts, bikinis and Organic Cornish gelato in waffle cones.

The gradual development of the coastline has also played a major part in raising the profile of surfing.

OK, so the tack hasn’t completely disappeared – Newquay is still the epicentre of the universe for stag and hen parties – but the British coastline is trendy again, and caters to a proper cross-section of society.

And the point is, that however tacky Newquay is perceived to be, it continues to attract Britain’s youth because it’s cool. Surf culture plays a big part in this.

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You surf like a girl Surfing is unique in that it is an activity that proved immensely popular and fashionable for many years without ever emerging into the mainstream. But its emergence was only a matter of time. So what is the single biggest factor effecting surfing’s emergence into the mainstream?

Girls.

The development of the coastline was matched with an explosion of surf schools and, more importantly,

“

The clothes became more expensive, more stylish and therefore more exclusive

the message that anyone can surf.

Especially girls. Girls are responsible for the real breakthrough for surfing into the mainstream. And why not?

For about twenty years, Quiksilver sold just mens’ clothing, introducing their Roxy line in the early nineties.

Now Roxy massively outsells its parent company.

It is the explosion of surf mythology that is finally enabling surfing to go mainstream in Britain - not just as a brand, but as an activity. Numbers haven’t just risen at Fistral beach either, Wales has seen a big rise in the number of surfers bobbing about in its chilly waters. People don’t just wear the clothes; people are actually getting in the water. It seems like, for now, the crowds are here to stay, as nouveau surf couture takes hold: laid-back, but not too scruffy. Casual, but stylish.

Surf companies still tend to portray girls out of the water as much as girls actually surfing

THIRTEEN

FEATURES

Chaos Krew When Xpress Radio’s Kid Syd heard about a Student Gumball Rally he grabbed his car keys and his Khaos Crew and sped off for the autobahns and freeways of Europe.

The Rally

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love driving, I love cars, I love being a student, so five months ago when I saw an advert for the first ever Student Gumball Rally I gathered the troops and booked our place.

The premise was simple; over 150 teams….500 students….all competing for a £1,000 prize on a six day adventure across Europe. At the end of the 1,500 miles journey lay the mother of all parties in the Croatian resort of Zadar.

It sounds easy, yet with the route snaking through the major cities of Cologne, Prague, Budapest and Zagreb, this was to be as big a test of man and machine as a student was ever likely to face.

Day one At 6am on a Sunday morning we met three other teams in a local pub car park. Together, in convoy, we headed to registration in Dover. This was the start of our first challenge, finding registration. We were told it was in the town hall, but where was the town hall? And where were the signs?

After a few frantic searches we came across a few more lost teams.

After putting all our minds together we decided it was not the time to be masculine, and asked someone for directions. Eventually we came across a car park full of flamboyantly decorated student cars.

Every make and model of car was present, from a tatty supermini to a well polished German saloon, yet for novelty value the hearse, black cab and 6-litre Lincoln Town Car had the others licked.

FOURTEEN

With registration over and Student Gumball stickers applied, it was time to hit the road.

The journey started with a 250mile dash through France, Belgium and Holland into Germany for the first stopover in Cologne.

With no drama to delay our progress we were soon nudging the city's outskirts and contemplating a night sleeping in the car.

We'd failed to book accommodation and as we went from one fully booked hotel to the next, our blasé approach to planning was proving idiotic in the extreme. Teaming up with another car, we finally found a bed in a hostel towards the outskirts of the town. A quick shower and a tram back into Cologne and we're soon partying with the rest of the student travellers.

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We had a phone call from another team 'police, speed trap, slow down' Day two

As morning broke, the reality of the 400-mile journey to the Czech capital of Prague kicked in. Equivalent to driving from London to Edinburgh, for this bunch of weary travellers the task was mammoth. Little did we

Kid Syd and his Chaos Krew know this would also be the most eventful day of the trip.

After getting lost for an hour in Cologne, we eventually found the right road and headed out, unfortunately we had lost most of the pack due to our poor navigational skills.

After putting our foot down for a few hours we came across a gumball team. After getting exhausted, due to shouting through the windows, we picked up the megaphone and attempted that, little did we know they had a present for us.

With windows down, driving at high speeds we decided to perform our most daring stunt yet, passing walkie-talkies between cars.

Thankfully it was a success, we then discussed our journey plan and headed to the Czech border.

On the way we stumbled across a big pack of convoying cars at a petrol station. All of us then headed in a convoy of around 15 cars to the Czech Republic.

A few minutes later we had a phone call from another team 'police, speed trap, slow down'. It was the guys from the other two cars who had discovered its location the hard way. 121 kph in a 70 kph area meant that by the time we got there the speeders had been relieved of 190 euros, led away to the local police station and had their car impounded for the night.

We were then informed by another car that the border patrol were not

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FEATURES

Hit Europe best pleased with us all and were searching cars. We decided to dump our 'beer trophies' and drove slowly to the border donning our afro wigs for comedic value.

Half expecting to be pulled over, to our 'disappointment' the guards just laughed and waved us through. Why did we lose our 'beer trophies'?

Compared to the cheery, wellgroomed face of Cologne, Prague by night wears a pockmarked scowl that demands caution. A few cars from the convoy decided to follow us to the accommodation, little did they know, we didn't have a clue!

When we finally arrived, the party was in full flow and stories were shared: leaking petrol tanks, cars abandoned at the roadside and a team having to drive all the way from Cologne to Prague with no windscreen. It was an eventful day for everyone.

Day three With Prague now a speck in the rear view mirror, it wasn't long before we were well on our way to the Hungarian capital of Budapest.

However before we got there, we got stuck in a traffic jam, with cars almost at a stand still. We took this to our advantage, having picnics on top of our cars, air horns a-go-go and such like tomfoolery.

Eventually we got moving and after stopping in Bratislava for a late lunch we continued through to Budapest.

behind the flashing neons of a police escort, kindly arranged by the Minister for Tourism, we felt like kings. And with the authorities happy to set the pace at twice the legal limit, we pointed the Audi at Zagreb and floored it.

We arrived at our destination, a motorway services with a campsite, at around 6pm, only to discover we were on the wrong side of the motorway.

We were now stuck with a dilemma, do we walk over the bridge carrying our stuff (5-10mins max) or do we try and drive over to the other side. I decided to be lazy, 'drive, drive, drive'.

3 hours later, after getting lost, we arrived at the campsite! I was the navigator and had been drinking, so I believe I may have been to blame, but I didn't mind it just gave me more time to drink in the car!

Day five As we savoured the final leg of the journey it wasn't long before the resort of Zadar loomed into view.

It had been described by some as the Ibiza of the Adriatic - but the reality was a charming seaside resort with wealth oozing from the port hole of every moored yacht and offshore luxury cruiser.

Relaxing in the warm waters of the Adriatic after five days on the road, there was time to reflect on a jour-

ney that had taken us from one side of Europe to the other.

There had been so many highlights, so few low points. The camaraderie and team spirit amongst the 500 students was unlike anything I had seen before.

The eventual winners, 'Maximum Craic', were not the team who crossed the finish line first, they were the team who stopped at every opportunity to tow and repair more than a dozen stricken teams along the 1,500-mile journey. The £1,000 prize was rightfully theirs.

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It felt like we’d been on the road for a month Day six

With the batteries recharged it was time to head home. Having said farewell to good friends, strangers only six days earlier, we plotted our course and hit the road.

From Dover and back to Dover, 11 days, 3300 miles and 14 separate countries. Drained of energy, lacking in sleep and needy of a decent meal, we were all exhausted, but we'd just enjoyed one of the best weeks of our lives. Student Gumball 2007 can't come soon enough.

Day four The morning of the fourth day soon came and as we peeled ourselves from our beds it felt like someone had been messing with the spacetime continuum. Was it really only 96 hours since we were in the shadows of Dover's white cliffs?

With so much driving and partying crammed in to that short space of time it felt like we'd been on the road for a month.

We were blazing into Croatia

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Pitstop by the roadside

FIFTEEN

FASHION Fashion Desk on how to look hot next summer

On Trend

H

ere at fashion desk we’ve sifted through the Spring/Summer shows at London, New York and Milan fashion weeks to bring you our predictions for the biggest hits of next summer. After all, it is important to be one step ahead of the crowd.

s r u o l o C c Chi Fail-safe monochrome is still the easiest way to look chic this summer, but for the colour- loving among us there is a great palette of vibrant shades to choose from.

Fuchsia pinks were shown at Diane Von Furstenburg and Tuleh, lemon yellows at Derek Lam (below) and Sari Gueron and rich peacock and midnight blues at Oscar de la Renta .

p u t i s s e r D

LEFT: Dian Von Furstentberg delivers a shot of bolf colour.

RIGHT: Luella works its monochrome magic

SIXTEEN

The dress is still big news for the summer, with gorgeous babydoll styles filling the catwalks and hemlines on the climb. The main shapes to look out for are 60s shifts, structured strapless styles and sexy voluminous dresses.

For those of us who don’t do dresses, the trouser choices still lean towards the skinny side, with punky straight legged, slightly higher waisted styles being shown at Luella.

If, like most of us, you are beginning to tire of the skinny silhouette, there were also some wide legged masculine trousers, teamed with sexy heels at Burberry Prorsum.

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FASHION

Print Exotic, bold prints are a key look for the summer; ranging from feathers and palm leaves at Basso and Brooke, to the more subtle star prints at Biba. The key to wearing print this summer is to make a statement; just make sure it doesn’t go horribly wrong by mixing prints or clashing colours!

es p a h s y e K The good news is that if, like most of us mere mortals, you don’t have a physique like Lilly Cole, there are still tons of shapes to choose from. Volume is still top of the list, but with more definition on the waist. If a relaxed drop waist is more your cup of tea, there are going to be some great 1920s flapper styles in the shops too.

r a e w s n e M Trouser legs remain long and lean, with sharp tailoring at Dior Homme and cheeky v-necks at McQueen.

The palette is mostly subtle shades of monochrome and pale pastels with lashings of grey. There was a refreshing lack of horizontal stripes and some more interesting plaid patterns at Paul Smith, so hopefully we can say good-bye to those terrible striped polo shirts that have haunted the male wardrobe for far too many seasons now.

FASHION@GAIRRHYDD.COM

SEVENTEEN

TRAVEL From East to West, this jounrney offers a true experience of cross-cultrue travel says Chris Rogers

The Trans-Mongolian railway adventure

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he Trans Mongolian links Beijing to Moscow, stretching across Mongolia and Russia.

It is a journey of epic proportions in terms of sights, distances and experiences. I decided to embark on this journey during my gap year with my two equally inexperienced travel companions. We felt like we may have jumped in at the deep end a little with this being our first venture away from mummy and home, but that was what we wanted.

Our journey began in Beijing. We arrived at the train station in not too

high spirits after a late night and mad rush to the train station. To make matters worse my friend had taken his weekly dose of malaria tablets which led to vomiting, moaning and an altogether foul mood.

However, after a delightful train station take-away in which the cardboard packaging was more nutritious than the meal itself we were happy and ready to board.

The scenery is the first thing that hits you. When you have left Beijing and are approaching Mongolia you will notice how large the sky has

grown and how blue it is. With few clouds and nothing but flat yellow fields the sky looks both beautiful and menacing. The blue soon makes way for a blinding orange which turns to red as the sun descends down from the centre of the sky to the distant horizon. Then night arrives and so does the vodka!

In France you have some wine with your meal, in England maybe a lager, but in Mongolia and Russia it’s vodka. You will have it before, during and after your meal and for breakfast the next day.

After a night of drinking and meeting fellow travellers you will wake up the next morning to be reminded where you are by the scenery outside. You can see nothing for miles.

Only a huge expanse of flatness and yes, that big blue sky again. You will

With few clouds and nothing but flat yellow fields the sky looks both beautiful and menacing EIGHTEEN

TRAVEL@GAIRRHYDD.COM

TRAVEL take your obligatory sip of vodka and prepare yourself for a day of staring out the window at the truly amazing sights yet to unfold in front of you.

The scenery at times becomes dotted with cattle and small settlements, desert turns to forest and forest turns into cities. It is ever changing and ever dazzling.

Boarder crossings are interesting.

‘Interesting’ being a word of fairly ambiguous meaning that can be interpreted as fascinating, terrifying or annoying. The Chinese / Mongolian boarder involves a very long wait whilst the train carriages are lifted into the air in order for the wheels to be replaced so the trains can run on the smaller Mongolian railway tracks, or something. This allows all the passengers to stick their heads out the window, wave at other travellers and take photos of the procedure taking place.

The Mongolian / Russian boarder is signified by a loud rumble at your cabin door. If you are unlucky like we were this will be in the early hours of the morning. When you are awoken by the intolerable banging you automatically assume that the world is caving in on itself. However you will soon realise what is going on when you hear the booming voice of a grumpy, butch woman shouting “PASSAPORTA CONTFFFROLL!” It doesn't

t

’ Upon Don s arriving in Mis Beijing on the TransMongolian or Trans-Manchurian, (not to be confused with Mancunian) railway, you could always proceed through China into Laos, then through Thailand and Indonesia, where you could catch a flight to northern Australia if you really wanted to.

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get much better when you slide your cabin door open either. Your room is entered, mattresses upturned and you have to tiredly confront the bearer of the awful, husky voice. Yes, the Russian boarder control lady! Expect to be scowled at, you and your passport photo - she doesn't like either of you! Eventually the beast will leave you alone and you can return

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You automatically assume that the world is caving in on itself to your beds and be left to hope that all Russian women are not like the one you have just encountered.

Making stops is a good idea, not only does it break the journey up, but allows you to gain an actual experience of the places you are travelling through. One popular stop off point is Ulan Bator (Capital of Mongolia).

You can explore this intriguing city and arrange trips to the stunning Gobi Dessert. Another good place to stop is Irkutsk, which has a wonderful history and is situated next to Lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world.

Trans--Mongolian tickets can be purchased through travel agencies or simply at each station you stop at.

The latter option being much cheaper. Visas are required for China, Russia and Mongolia. These can be obtained through a travel agency or by visiting the relevent embassies.

So after my experience of the Trans-Mongolian railway, would I ever do it again? No. Would I recommend it to anyone? Yes. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity, one that deservedly appears in those: “20 things to do before you die” Make sure you do it. Oh and most Russian ladies are actually lovely! - so I'm told.

PEEPSHOW: A chance to oogle at other passengers at the boarder crossing

NINETEEN

FOOD

Smoothie operator

Make the most of the last few sunny days by indulging in a smoothie. Joanne Grew finds out why we love them so much, and gives some easy recipe ideas to try.

S

moothies are not only a healthy and delicious snack, they are incredbily easy to make too. Packed with all the vitamins and nutrients you get from fruit, why not try blending in yoghurt, milk or even crushed ice?

They are simple to make, all you need is a blender, fruit and if you wish, milk, yoghurt and ice. Fresh fruit works well, but so does tinned.

When the weather's hot, why not try frozen too? With smoothies you can’t go wrong,so make them according to your taste.

What do you think?

Joanne Grew

Three classic recipes The cherry one Ingredients: 1/2 cherry yogurt 1 cup of pitted cherries 1/2 banana 1/2 cup milk Directions: Blend the milk with the banana and yogurt on high for 1 minute. Add the cherries and blend on low speed for 30 seconds.

The strawberry one

I love smoothies because not only do they taste great, they are healthy and easy to make too.

Ingredients:

6 large strawberries 1/2 cup of yogurt 1/2 cup of vanilla or strawberry ice cream 1/2 cup of whole milk

Aled Schiavone

Not only are they delicious, they’re good for when you are in a rush because they have all the healthiness fruit has in them.

Directions: Blend the strawberries and milk together, then add ice cream and yogurt and whip for just a little bit so smoothie remains thick.

The banana one Ingredients: 1 banana 1 cup of milk 1 cup yogurt 4 strawberries Directions: Blend the strawberries and bananas with the milk and yogurt until a smooth creamy texture is formed. Add crushed ice.

FOOD@GAIRRHYDD.COM

Leah Turner The best smoothie is banana with strawberries and orange juice.

It’s a great way to feel healthy and doesn’t make you feel so bad about all the alchol consumed the night before!

TWENTYONE

GAY

Being Scene Have a ‘Gay Old Time’ with Quench’s guide to the best of Cardiff’s gay venues

W

hile not as big or renowned as the gay scenes of London or Manchester, Cardiff’s scene still proves its worth with various vibrant lesbian and gay friendly venues within the city.

Coming to university is all about meeting new people and while our heterosexual counterparts have a mulitude of traffic light parties and trips to ‘Vodka Island’ to look foward to, it can be hard for gay students to

get the most out of the Cardiff nightlife.

But now you can cast away your Creation flyers and enjoy something a little more your style, as Quench guides you through gay Cardiff.

Club X

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Club X: Meat Market

Be prepared to perspire like you’ve never perspired before PHOTO: SARAH DAY

ednesday tends to be the most popular evening for a night out in Cardiff, with many clubs targeting students. This is no exception for its gay population. For anyone lucky enough to start late on a Thursday morning we are keen to recommend Club X to you.

The club has undergone a large refurbishment and has introduced a ‘free bar’, a concept which brings a warm feeling inside to most with ten pounds entry (eight pounds with NUS) allowing you to have up to seven drinks, at no extra cost.

Club X plays variety of music, ranging from popular chart and dance to the cheesiest of the cheese and also offer a hard-house dance room, if that’s your cup of tea.

The entertainment in X is exactly what one would expect from a gay club, with a cabaret section containing bitchy drag queens and oily strippers. There’s also a nice area outside with plenty of seating if it all gets a bit much downstairs.

Club X is open until 3am on Wednesdays and until 6am on Saturdays. Be prepared to perspire like you’ve never perspired before

The Entrance to Lush

Lush

S

ituated on Caroline Street and opposite to Kings Cross, Lush is a much needed touch of class to Cardiff’s gay scene.

It stays true to its name, with (very!) comfortable sofas, dangling chandeliers and exposed

TWENTYTWO

brick walls all contributing to the atmosphere.

In general, Lush is the perfect place to go for a few drinks before moving on to Charles St and especially good for a quiet mid-week drink… or date.

Bar Icon

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ituated on Charles Street, Bar Icon sits snugly in the gay epicentre of Cardiff.

However walking past it you would, perhaps, not stop to notice that it is a gay bar.

That is the great thing about Icon, it doesn’t strive to be anything other than a comfortable, swish and friendly bar. Icon is free from the ‘attitude’ you may get in some of Cardiff’s other gay venues refraining from drag acts and crowded dance floors. What Icon does give you is relaxing, yet cosmopolitans surroundings and the perfect place to enjoy a ridiculously large amount of flavoured vodkas and some classy cocktails downstairs by the bar or upstairs in the cosy lounge area.

Bar Icon is open from midday everyday and is the ideal place to lunch after a hectic shopping spree on Queens Street or for a few preclub drinks in the evenings.

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GAY Exit

PHOTO: JAMES PEROU

T

The Golden Cross: “Isn’t that bloke in a dress?”

The Golden Cross

T

he Golden Cross is one of the oldest pubs in the city and has been described as “literary a cornerstone of the Cardiff gay scene.”

Situated on Hayes Bridge road, The Golden may seem a little far out from the centre of Cardiff’s pub and club culture but the classic Victorian exterior means that The

Golden really can’t be missed.

Every night sees top entertaiment ranging from quizzes, karaoke and cabaret all hosted by some of Cardiff’s favourite drag acts.

The Golden Cross is also renowned for its hearty meals with its Sunday roasts becoming a Cardiff gay community favourite.

he Exit Club on Charles Street is a firm favourite of Cardiff’s gay scene.

With three bars, two music rooms, an outside area and reasonable bar and door prices (entry always £3 or under!), Exit is always a safe bet for a good night out.

Unlike Club X, Exit never tries too hard to please and it doesn’t have to. It provides a friendly atmosphere and gives everyone who walks through its door what they want: a fun night out.

Downstairs is a great place for a dance or three, especially if your thing is flashing disco floor tiles and up-to-the-minute tunes with some housey dance tracks thrown in for good measure. If camp and cheesy meets your requirements upstairs is the place to be, especially when Sunday’s cabaret act is in full swing!

Once it all gets a bit too sweaty for you, the garden area’s a great place to cool off and catch up with friends. Exit is open every night from 8pm, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays being the most popular nights.

Kings Cross

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nother student favourite and it’s easy to see why!

Brilliant drinks deals and a good time in general.

Scene staple Miss Kitty is regularly on hand to provide first class entertainment be it cabaret or karaoke along with any of the multitude of guests on show throughout the year. Cabaret on Wednesdays is a definite must and is always a great laugh. If Cabaret’s not your thing, Kings Cross tries to deliver to everyone and succeeds.

On Mondays it’s Kitty’s very own version of ‘Deal or No Deal’ with cash prizes up for grabs.

Thursdays see the cheapest bar prices Kings has to offer bringing party tunes and ridiculously cheap drinks together (dangerous mix!).

Finally, Sunday sees the ever popular Kitty’s Karaoke taking place with cheap drinks and an open mike proving particularly entertaining!

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Miss Kitty: Not Noel Edmunds

D

on’t forget that Cardiff also has its very own Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Society (LGBT). The society is free to join and has meetings every Wednesday locat-

ed upstairs in the union. The LGBT is a great way to meet new people, offering invaluable social support to its members. If you have any queries you can email them at lgbt@cardiff.ac.uk.

TWENTYTHREE

REVIEWS

IN REVIEWS THIS WEEK

!"Music check out everyone’s favourite, Los Campesinos! (right) !

Film critics the new 9-11 film and all manner of other cinematic delights " Books look at London’s underground culture !" " Arts come over all !" " Next week: the new-and-improved Digital section foreign and funny !"

PHOTO: JAMES PEROU HARCOURT: Lanterns

TWENTYFOUR

quips.

As the set bores deeper into the soul of a man who writes seemingly heartbreaking songs about being beaten to shit, influences and passions combine in a swirl of Buckley comparisons and late night tales.

Darkly tinged sentiment and wine soaked lust infest the edges of beaten out songs, his eyes the windows to the overflowing inspiration he is attempting to harness.

“

PHOTO: JAMES PEROU

T

his blissful Sunday night finds Ed Harcourt in the softly lit, plush surrounding of the Glee Club in Cardiff, on the second night of his tour. Spots of disco ball light reflect off the musical zoo built around him like a fortress. Piano check! Xylophone check! Drum selection check! And most importantly a shit load of highly complex self-looping equipment...check!

Opener Something In My Eye showcases the incredibly affective use of looping Ed over Ed in a sort of contemporary one-man band type affair. This is something that became increasingly popular after the emergence of the Tunstall’s tricks and gadgets. Despite the fact she was probably the last to do it, in the brutal reality of this media driven world Mr. Harcourt actually ended up supporting her (sigh).

Clearly this opening spectacular tires the poor man out, leading him to seek solace his ivory keys for the next few numbers. Song after song of childlike melody weaved through its thoroughly grown up instrumental elders. After a pleasant and cohesive mixture of old gems and fresh young ditties comes wit as sharp as the music, stories of detoxing and retoxicing fill the room with laughter, “It’s better to be an extremist!” he

a swirl of Buckley comparisons and late night tales A beautiful and delicate performance of Musicbox leads into another awe inspiring loop; hand on guitar, xylophone over xylophone, driving drum beats and gentle riff’s, which set up the base for a gut spilling rendition of I’ve Become Misguided.

The contrasting nature of his awkward manner, wonky humour and at times, classy style of musicianship is not always easy to marry, but works surprisingly well. “My jokes are too crude for this setting. I only know nice jokes about animals... ducks mainly.” Taking a sip of his deep burgundy wine, grabbing his vintage broadcast microphone and launching into a 20’s style balladry with one hand tinkling the dimly lit ivory, he quickly puts Aguilera’s recent attempt to shame.

It’s a very forced forum which is easily atmospheric but not easily magical; complete silence and staring eyes throughout bring the shyness out in even this accomplished perfomer. The encore brings requests and a trio of classic songs and rarities, including Apple Of My Eye and Those Crimson Tears. His heart might be in a dirty burlesque bars somewhere with no lights and he might feel like a lemon here amongst lounge lamps and disco balls but it’s a perfect setting for such a stunning set.

Sofie Jenkinson

HARCOURT: Xylophonic

An Ed-ucation FIVE HARCOURT TRACKS NOT TO BE MISSED

APPLE OF MY EYE: A typically

and anashamedly sentimental love song, the type that fill a Harcourt album. Upbeat and wonderful.

THE MUSIC BOX:

Heartbreaking though i’m not sure why, this song muses on the origin of a lone dusty music box found in the writer’s attic.

GOD PROTECT YOU SOUL:

A riff-heavy, rock-filled, low down and dirty little number, full of that feet stomping feeling.

ATLANTIC CITY: Originally a

Bruce Springsteen song, this is a one hell of a cover telling of police corruption in, yep, Atlantic City.

VISIT FROM THE DEAD DOG: First single from his latest album, the Beautiful lie, this is another happy, hoppy tune. Beware phantom canines. WH

REVIEWS@GAIRRHYDD.COM

MUSIC LOS CAMPESINOS! Dempseys 16th September

I

t’s all adopted surnames here as Gary ‘Twisted’ showcases the local bands that Twisted regulars adore. Little My sweeten, Shake My Hand intensify and Porchlight…well…pop things up.

Team Campesinos! enter, with the half-naked Ollie Campesinos! intent on smashing his drums to bits.

The smouldering Ellen Campesinos! induces goosebumps through her bass lines throughout No Tetris, whilst Neil Campesinos! erratically attacks his guitar in a hypnotic Curtis-like fashion.

In a similar vein, the captivating

Tom Campesinos! hacks incisively at his strings during Sweet Dreams Sweet Cheeks, and later shows particular fingerplay that is fantastically perplexing.

Simultaneously, heartbeats are skipped as retro chic Harriet Campesinos! descends upon her violin in an enchanting manner, while Aleks Campesinos! beams, singing with utter enchantment. The lack of space doesn’t stop hotty singleton Gareth Campesinos! intensely writhing on the floor in a fun fit. And why not. The sublimely introspective lyrics in It Started With A Mixx and the ever ambiguous Sweet Dreams Sweet Cheeks give good reason to.

The best fun you can have with your pants on. Otherwise there’s always naked bedroom dancing...

Ryan Owen and again...

CLWB IFOR BACH

T

here are many people of late who are trying to make out that this type of affair is ‘new’ or ‘nu’ or whatever. But they are wrong; this is where it has always been at. Cool House know it and always do it well.

Annie Mac not only ‘presents’ this night here in the Great Hall but dominates it Rummaging in her heavy record box of accomplished and tasty knowledge, striking gold every time.

Never one to falter, she conquers all.

A slightly thinner and more jaded crowd meet Erol Alkans’ early morning assault on the senses. Less of Mac’s immaculate wall of electro-fied nuggets and more of a melting pot of guaranteed floor-bashing poplets. An impeccably timed Killing in the Name Of proves that Erol does indeed keep (80s) kids dancing.

ARCHIE BRONSON OUTFIT Barfly 29th September

6th Oct

O: OT PH

Los Campesinos! have visited this clwb stage before. But it’s a more acomplished gang that grace it with their presence tonight. None of the magic lost but oodles of stage experience gained means it’s happy faces and dancing feet from the off. Wicked! SJ

A AD

M

GA SSO N

CAMPESINOS!: Bubbalicious

FROM THE STREET

M.R.B: Wet

PHOTO: JAMES PEROU

It’s a very moist day the day the Mike Rosenberg Band choose to play to the masses on the streets of Cardiff. Sandwiched between Wally’s delicatessen and Spiller’s records the band set up camp on a crimson red rug, yet to be worn by the dirty ground.

MUSIC@GAIRRHYDD.COM

They spin tales of childhood through gin soaked sentiment to each passer by, over the rain splattered cobbles of their cosy nook.

Recent single Philadelphia is a ghostly lament roooted in folk, driven by unusual beats and insightful insrumental layers. It smacks of life and musical experience alike, with echoes of contemporary/friend Tom McRae. This is the kind of experience that can make you believe in music at a base level again. A stripped down 5 piece centered on fabulously delicate vocals educating drainpipe clad, eyeliner-slathered teenagers on every corner. At the end of the day great music is just that, it breaks down barriers. Sometimes you just need reminding of that. Sofie Jenkinson

I

t is a noticeable trait of Archie Bronson Outfit albums that they sound as if they were recorded at the bottom of a well. Tonight then, it is somewhat apt that their exhilarating blues-rock rumblings, splintered by the cracked voice of front man Sam Windett, should reverberate around the pokey dungeon that is Cardiff Barfly.

Much of the ABO sound is driven by galloping, relentless drums, coupled with menacing bass, which lend the feel of a thundering to runaway train to songs such as Got To Get (Your Eyes) and Kangaroo Heart.

However, it is the despairing, rawthroated calls of a man lamenting such classic blues preoccupations as women and trying to hold onto one that leads us to believe that maybe it is in fact Sam’s sanity which is on a course for destruction.

Truly absorbing, this is aggrieved, rock-led Delta blues at its most riveting. If the lessons of life and love allow for such a furiously magnificent reproach as this, then bring them on I say. Jim Finucane

TWENTYFIVE

MUSIC THE WALKMEN The Point 25th September

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he Point is as damn fine a venue as you’ll get in the ‘Diff with acoustics to make any band sound one step short of apocalyptic.

Tonight, the headliners have stabled their steeds to be the four Walkmen of the aforementioned World-end event. Before they get here (walking is healthier but it does take longer) we are entertained by Texas’ The Soundteam. There are

moments when The Soundteam get their bounce on and it all starts working, but then the not-as-good-version-of-The-Walkmen vibes come through and worry sets in, under different circumstances The Soundteam could steal a show.

Then here they are, the men themselves roaring through songs from all three albums with clamorous urgency. How frontman Leithauser manages to keep up this sort of throat-raping for a whole show, let alone a tour, I will never know.

Three songs in and they roar through their biggest hit The Rat, saving standout album tracks like What’s In It For Me for the encore.

There is a refined swagger about The Walkmen which some songs fail to

HIDDEN CAMERAS The Barfly 26th September

TWENTYSIX

justify, but when they hit the nail on the head you have to hand it to them, they can rustle up a mighty fine din.

Harry Shiel

LMS SPOT LIGH Ever y Mo

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D

o you believe in the good of life? The Hidden Cameras, Canada's premier indie-gay–folk-pop collective certainly do.

Joel Gibb's band first became famous – ok, infamous – when their second album, The Smell Of Our Own was hailed for tracks like Golden Streams which referred to… well we'll let you guess – but you wouldn't discuss it with your mother.

Their reputation precedes them though; the middling crowd at the Barfly hardly raise the roof when the eight (current) members of the troupe squeeze onto the tiny stage.

It changes when Gibb carelessly kicks off proceedings, wrapping his North American baritone round the highlights from new album Awoo.

Gibb provides the perfect foil for his bandmates who punctuate each song with manic strings and wiry bass. He stares listlessly into space while everyone else jumps around like a five-year-old on e-numbers. His New Balance don't even lift from the floor. The Hidden Cameras are more fun than one ought to have on a Tuesday in wet and windy Wales and, as if we haven't realised this, the band invite anyone who wants to onto the stage to play tambourine. If only more gigs were like this.

Will Dean

THE WALKMEN: Eating bees

HIDDEN CAMERAS: Voyeuristic

R/ROADTHE ANSWER STA CF10 r 7th Octobe

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t’s Saturday night and CF10 is teaming with the Rocking and Rolling type. It’s been about a year since Northern Ireland’s The Answer graced our happy home and Rocked-up The Barfly.

And the anticipation of their return was made clear by staggering volume of Led Zeppelin t-shirts bopping around the venue. It would be foolish to try and portray an accurate account of The Answer’s set without mentioning Led Zeppelin. Page, Plant and co. have influenced an uncountable number of bands over time, but in parts The Answer could almost be a

nday Facto n unsig r y LMS pu ight at Fun t n room. ed band inon a live This w eek w the side as: May C Punk ontain Nu t r penchockers wit s: ha ant fo boogie r . Fasta and f un

cover band. But don’t get me wrong; this is more of an observation than a criticism.

High-energy blues swirl about the room and whip the crowd into a frenzy. Paul Mahon’s ripping solos are as fun to listen to as his powerstances are to watch. It’s just good, honest old school Rock and there are few better ways to spend a Saturday night than that.

Then Roadstar take the stage.

They’re vibrant, well rehearsed, but most noticeably very snappy dressers. Unfortunately their powerpop seemed tame at the best compared to the ballstothewall grooving of The Answer.

A large lad with dreadlocks who was standing in front of me astutely summed up the performance: “It all sounds a bit like my little sister singing My Sharona.”

Mike Richards

MUSIC@GAIRRHYDD.COM

MUSIC ALBERT HAMMOND JNR. Yours To Keep Rough Trade

Like Aids

I

t seems that even when Albert Hammond Jnr. is drenched in regret or trapped in a box labelled lament there is an element of hope wrapped in his jingle jangle world.

This solo effort from the strokable Mr.Hammond is a surprisingly refreshing assault on the music industry, scaling the walls from an incredibly fascinating angle. Opener Cartoon Music For Super Heroes smacks of a Wilson-esque sidestep away from Beach Boys, all sunkissed and Californian.

A myriad of emotions smudged into one another like an inspired artist’s palette, each song so relaxed in its conception that there’s a danger of floating away.

Call The Ambulance shows of Hammond’s strength as a singer/song writer, while the pain soaked Blue Skies borrows a 70s atmosphere. At times the childlike melodies, patterns and song titles makes it an experience akin to that of a multicoloured ball pool. With only In Transit seeming to jump back to the safety of The Strokes.

A thoroughly enjoyable experience, reminiscent only of musical influence and life at the pace of an entertaining sloth. 8/10 Sofie Jenkinson

BONNIE “PRINCE”BILLY

The Letting Go EMI

Baddy “Prince” Bully

D

omino folk mogul Will Oldham takes a short break from his heaving phonebook of modish music friends to bring us The Letting Go. Immediately it seems that 15 or so years in the business has paid off, in flawless production, a show of real sensitivity for creating original arrangements without a hint of jarring or obtrusiveness and lovely comforting voice.

While sadly a lot of the collection

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despite its neatness becomes monotonous, tracks cold&wet, brazenly tipping its hat to pre war bluegrass, and the brooding The seedling, loaded with exciting strings, stand out against some twee-ness, the result of unrelenting Celtic style harmony. Big mistake.

This addition to an already intimidating back catalogue, the Letting Go is a grown up though subsequently no surprises collection of sweet country flavoured folk music.

For those who dabble in that illusive field, this means the prince’s latest offering is no Banhardt kooks carnival, rather it might slot happily into dad’s collection. Assuming dad really liked lentils.

5/10 Fionnuala Coombs

FOUR TET REMIXES/DFA REMIXES 2 Yours To Keep Rough Trade Mix You

O

o! What’s this?! A veritable smorsgasboard of remixes from the inspired, to the unexpected, to the sublime? Why yes, so tuck in.

First off we have the masterful

Four Tet. Masterful in the sense that everything is a bit suprising and often doesn’t sound deliberate, much like the Jazz that influences him. Masterful in the sense that everything is a bit suprising and often doesn’t sound deliberate, much like his Jazz influences.

Compared to many of his contemporaries Four Tet offers a refreshing form of remix, although due to the lesser-known nature of many of the tracks it can often be difficult to determine whether the genius lies in the original track or its reinterpretation. Highlights include Bloc Party’s So Here We Are and Radiohead’s Skttrbrain amongst others. On the whole it is a pleasant and educating journey.

DFA on the other hand posess a much more deliberate and recognisable style. Add to this their more popular choice of track’s and it’s a fairly banging little package. From the Neptunes, to the Nine Inch Nails, over to Goldfrapp and back again; the choices are spot on, varied, an assest to the mixtape creators of the world.

The unmistakable dirty bass that drives DFA remixes is a tried and tested method of creating ravenous dancing urges. However, with most tracks over 7 minutes it’s definitely one for those who particularly enjoy the sound when the DFA lightening strikes. 7/10 Sofie Jenkinson.

oes G c i s u M accordion we are instantly thrown Quench back to a moment in the movie. Be vies o M it when our young beautiful heroine e h t to Amelie searches for her love

F

rom sunrise to sunset the sound of accordion floats sweetly across the stairways and stairwells of Mont Matre, passed the vagrants and vagabonds, prostitutes and proletariats, ladies of the night and impoverished artists, and where does this sound stem from?

A young Yann Tiersen gently playing away on his second hand concertina. Or that’s how I’d like to imagine it. With the soundtrack for Jeune Pierre Jeunet’s Amelie, by creating a score so perfectly fitted to the movie, Mr Tiersen has crafted one of the most memorable scores of recent years. With every note he plays on the violin, piano, organ or

beneath the shadow of the Sacre Coeur, or when they are ultimately united and ride together through the streets of Paris on an old rusty pedal bike.

The score is as gay and uplifting as the movie itself, with countless variations on the same original melody. Recalling the music of early twentieth century Paris, the second French renaissance, a solitary Toulouse Lautrec frequenting brothels, absinthe in one hand, paintbrush in the other, the Moulin Rouge, the Can-Can girls of the Folies Bergeres, the drugs, the sex, the music. The genius of this Yann is re-creating this world; and he wasn’t even alive then.WH

TWENTYSEVEN

MUSIC THE WALKMEN A Hundred Miles Off

Beggars Banquet

Record Collection Train drivers

B

reakthrough single, The Rat was an explosive, rip-roaring affair and rightly catapulted the young gents of The Walkmen to great prominence. The problem? By and large, The Walkmen are not a singles group, and the latest full length, A Hundred Miles Off, is an album’s album in an age of instant musical gratification.

The Walkmen have taken their sullen grey New York mist, and have added the carnival roar of New Orleans, like on the upbeat Lost In Boston, or the hauntingly beautiful All Hands and the Cook. The new pervading influence on the Walkmen’s sound; Bob Dylan with a punk tinge is surely no bad thing.

Admittedly, this record isn’t the huge step forward in quality listeners of Bows and Arrows may have hoped for, still, the new scope of A Hundred Miles Off, suggests further triumphs for this group, though maybe no more hit singles.

7/10 Richard Lombardo

DUKE SPECIAL Songs From The Deep Forest V2

Gump: Special child

T

EMI

Hair Bear

Non-renewable

T

o my mind, Coal by Devastations, calls forth images of long-haired spandexclad metal tycoons clawing noise from their twelve string guitars with a bow.

Devastations are not this. With a sound set somewhere in the void between Johnny Cash and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds they crowbar sorrow and yearning into an uplifting whole. They decamped to Berlin after the success of their self-titled debut, which received plaudits from all corners, including Karen O of Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

From the guitar screams of Take You Home to the beautifully crafted piano intro and nuance of What’s a Place Like That Doing in a Girl Like You? This album should be able to conjure some heavy emotional poundings from the coldest of hearts. Even the artwork’s childlike edge gives way on closer inspection to bloody smears and smiling fights.

Devastations do not do exactly what it says on the tin.

6/10 Richard Williams

E

veryone’s favourite brummy RnB songstress is back with her third offering.

Walk With Me sees Jamelia return to a more urban sound with slinky beats and snappy melodies. This doesn’t prevent the album being a lot more mature sounding than her previous efforts. The single Something About You opens the album and is followed by a plethora of catchy, sexy and upbeat tunes.

Jamelia has also joined the ‘ingenious sample club’ this time round with an incredible use of Depeche Mode’s Personal Jesus on Beware of the Dog, which simply just has to be lifted as the next single.

Unfortunately her use of The Stranglers Golden Brown threatens to be a bit of a disappointment showing itself to be a low point in the otherwise faultless album.

Walk With Me, which ends with the fantastic Diana Ross-esque finale Hustle, puts Jamelia strides ahead of other contemporary RnB artists, not just in this country but overseas too.

8/10 Dean Lloyd

“

Something About You opens the album and is followed by a plethora of catchy, sexy and upbeat tunes Jamelia

he dreadlocked Northern Irish pianist/singer Duke Special has a pretty lofty name to live up to. His self-styled “Hobo Chic” sound has led him to performing with people playing egg whisks and banging wardrobes. However, a sound bite name and a penchant for cutlery and furniture is not all the Duke has to offer.

Songs From the Deep Forest displays lyrics that are melancholic and romantic in equal measure without any of the usual clichés of this love and loss-tinged poetry. The odd macabre line is thrown in now and then to reveal a dark sense of humour brooding underneath the Duke’s vaudeville styling .

All of this is delivered in a lilting Northern Irish accent and with an accomplished sense of melody.

The only drawback to this often achingly good penmanship is the somewhat hectic and overcrowded music hall sound that can be a bit overpowering. However whilst Duke Special may not be a Duke, Songs From the Deep Forest’s lyrical and musical sincerity proves he really could be something pretty special. 7/10 Simon Eckstein

TWENTYEIGHT

JAMELIA Walk With Me

DEVASTATIONS Coal

The Rumour Mill

Despite a brand new album, the sharp-eyed of you will have noticed that Audioslave have not announced any tour dates. “Ooh. Strange” you might think. But word on the street is that Morello, Wilk and Commorford have teamed back up with Zack de la Rocha and recorded two tracks under the name The Machine. And if that’s not enough to get you dancing about the room like a loon, then the talk of a Soundgarden reunion might. Fingers crossed kids. e-mail any rumours to: music@gairrhydd.com

MUSIC@GAIRRHYDD.COM

MUSIC SPARKLEHORSE

Slept for LightYears in the Belly of a Mountain

Capital Horseplay

F

ive years since his last release, Mark Linkous shows no signs of cheering up. This long-awaited LP broadcasts the introverted musings of a man who was pronounced dead in 1996 (he got better) and a collection of his friends.

Far from a hindrance, this is the key to Sparklehorse’s greatness.

Featuring the creative flair of Tom Waits, Sol Seppy and Dangermouse, DFLYITBOAM at its best is a beautifully sculpted knife through the heart. The electronically-fuelled ambience of Morning Hollow is almost traumatising, yet it maintains the ability to gently rock you to sleep.

Alternatively, there are lighter, poppier moments such as Some Sweet Day, which could be a hômage to the Beatles were it not for the consistently pining vocal that Linkous produces.

At times, things do sound overworked, and the occasional forays into rock are pretty forgetful, but Sparklehorse will always be worth pursuing for the moments when they leave you breathless. Turn the lights out for this one. 7/10 Tom Woods

LIAM FROST AND THE SLOWDOWN FAMILY Show me How the Spectres Dance

Lavolta Records

Jack Frost and his snowhusband

S

inger/songwriter Liam Frost has been likened to Badly Drawn Boy, praised by Elbow and hailed as the UK’s answer to Bright Eyes. Fortunately, on his debut full length, he hasn’t let anyone down.

There are more than a few highlights on here including opener The City is at a Standstill and the beautifully orchestrated The Mourners of St. Paul’s. Unfortunately though, as most songs have the same orchestration or tell similar stories of sorrow and lost love, there also seems to be a lot of fillers on here, which

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blend into one another.

Chances are though, if you’re into the ‘Nu-folk’ sound that Frost is apparently pushing, then this CD should prove inoffensive and generally enjoyable. This may not be the break through album of the year, but if he lets his influences drift a little father from his train of thought, then exciting things could come from the young Manc. 7/10 Matt Hitt

BATTLE

Back To Earth Transgressive

Only human, eh

B

attle promise blistering lyrical and instrumental integrity but fail to deliver in their longawaited debut. The words are questioning and embellished with a kind of hollow passion that sounds too jumbled.

Pretension is the buzzword here; so many of the lyrics are concerned with inverted angst grating against mid-range vocals and a predictable rhythmic drive, notably in One More Night and Wicked Owl. Bavanandan and co strive for the samepost-punk invigoration enjoyed by Bloc Party but their closest offering to an anthem is the previous single Tendency, which is a beauteous tune where they finally show they can allow a song to breathe with melodic infusion.

Similarly, Isabelle starts promisingly enough, but drifts into the mediocrity of the remainder by the bridge.

Perfectly surmising. the album Easy To Listen To (does exactly what it says on the tin) but is uncomfortably an album you can feel overly familiar with after the briefest of plays. 4/10 Emily Kendrick

MY BRIGHTEST DIAMOND

Bring Me the Workhorse Thrill Jockey Shiny

I

t seems like I’ve been waiting for this album for so long; the empty space in my music collection taunting me like a lone piece of cake left on the tray. A female

vocalist of such wonderful ability that it makes me wonder how I survived without her.

My Brightest Diamond, one of Sufjan Stevens’ many backing singers, has produced a record which rivals anything the man himself has done. Think delicate, dark, haunting, beautiful vocals underpinned by brooding guitar and baselines full of foreboding. The album begins as it means to go on with first track, Something of an End, reaching almost astronomic heights of perfection. It has everything an opening song should have, grabbing your attention straight away, pulling you in like a helpless mackerel caught just off the bay.

In the post-PJ Harvey world, there will of course be comparisons, but it is right to utter the two in the same breath. With Bring me The Workhorse, MBD has created an album to be heralded up there with the best of the female vocalists, and indeed, the male ones too. 9/10 Will Hitchins

THE VEILS

Nux Vomica Rough Trade

I

Bridal headgear

hope you never lose your way in a churchyard with this on your iPod, or you may find yourself communing with the afterlife.

With more than a hint of cloaked night-rider Nick Cave, The Veils are as theatrical as ever on this album, which is their second offering on Rough Trade.

Nux Vomica is Paradise Lost masquerading as Wuthering Heights.

Ten hypnotically gorgeous, lyricallydriven tracks carry you away on a dismembering charge through the majestic dream-scape. Stand-out track, Jesus for the Jugular, epitomises Finn Andrews' tormented vocal strain, and the raucous dissonance of its syncopated chords illuminates the band at its sexiest and most forbidding.

For the most part, Nux Vomica can be both intensely dark and wistfully uplifting. Beneath its exterior of moody sophistication lies a collection of songs bearing raw, heart-felt emotion; burn incense at its altar.

9/10 Ria Poole

TWENTYNINE

MUSIC

singles singles singles singles singles JOHN LEGEND Used To Love U

AIR TRAFFIC

Oh John, why do you hurt me so, with your deft piano fellatio and bornin-heaven beats? You’ve skilfully avoided spelling ‘you’ correctly. I love U John Legend, I really do.

3/10 HS

This addictive new single from Air Traffic has all the makings of a riproaring, dance-floor filler. It's pianobased indie-rock with a super-catchy chorus. These guys are set to rocket! 8/10 R.P

Columbia Records

JAMIE T If You Got The Money Virgin Records

Yes! It’s another amazing song by street-poet-cum-semi-chav, Jamie T. More tales of Lahn-don Town and other gorgeousness ensues. Is it gay to have an erection while listening to this?

9/10 MH

BADLY DRAWN BOY Nothing’s gonna change your mind EMI

This latest offering from Badly Drawn Boy is uninspiring and simply regurgitates a string of overused and dreadful romantic clichés. Avoid at all costs. 3/10 JC

Baked & Bladdered

16

Monday JAMES DEAN BRADFIELD at Solus (£12.50 adv.)

[The wonder returns after his new highly accalimed album]

20

Never Even Told Me Her Name EMI

THE LONG BLONDES Once and never again Rough Trade

Punky, poppy, shout-out-loud single that showcases Kate Jacksons’ husky voice. Strangely likeable and oddly compelling in a 1950s high school kinda way. 8/10 LH

THE KLAXONS Magick Polydor

A spookily simple arrangment of hyperactive key bashing vs. raging circular guitar attacks, all served with a slice of understated vocal.

Not the best offering from these boys but alright still. 6/10 SJ

24

Tuesday DECADE at Barfly [chees y spewtum tunes. But oh, so fun.]

THIRTY

EMI/Capitol

A beautifully delicate song, showing that Lennon certainly deserves to be recognised as an artist in his own right. 8/10 SE

LOVE IS ALL Make out. Fall out. Make up.

Parlophone

The childlike singalong chants of Love Is All echo off one another. This is super weird and fun. A unique anthem for the morning-after-thenight-before (post-headache). 8/10 SJ

ED HARCOURT Revolution in my Heart EMI

A rousing song celebrating city life and its seedy underworld. Not one you gently tap along to, but instead you’re more likely to find yourself heavily stomping your feet and ‘na na na-ing’ as loud as you can.

7/10 LH

So, freshers’ week is over and term has begun. Fear not, there is plenty to get your teeth into the next two weeks. Amazing gigs, wicked DJ sets and great regular club nights galore. Here’s a few:

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Tuesday JAMES YORKSTON at The Point [from some angles, he looks like Chef Ramsey]

21

Saturday BASS INVADERS in JAMIE T is doing an instore at Great Hall [Get you the r filthy Spillers 5pm and later plays d’n’b dancing shoes on with Barfly.

Pendulum, Andy C & Rahzel]

Friday

SEAN LENNON Dead Meat

25

Wednesday THE SOHO DOLLS at The Barfly [Filthy, dirty mistresses of electro.]

18

Wednesday POPSCENE at Clwb Ifor Bac h [three floors, six ceilings and over a hundred walls]

22

Sunday Barfly presents THE LONG BLONDES at CF10.

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Thursday GUILLEMOTS play So lus.

[Our very own Union.

Big and red.]

19

Thursday BREAKFAST CLUB at Clwb Ifor Bach £3 [Synthpop, Electro and Hi Energy classics from the 80s.]

23

Monday THE AUTOMATIC play the union. Coxon, (of Dreams), plays the Coal Exchange.

27

Friday THE DUDES ABIDE at Clwb Ifor Bach [Indie trouser-snake fun.]

MUSIC@GAIRRHYDD.COM

MUSIC

C a l i f o rn i a L o v e

Quench take a metaphorical trip to the Sunshine State and pine over the music scene, past and present...

T

he music scene of California always has been, and still is, arguably the most varied in the world. Go to New Orleans and you’ll find jazz, Manchester and you’ll find Brit Pop, but the Sunshine State has it all.

A quick flick through the history books and you’ll see why. Artists ranging from The Doors to The Red Hot Chili Peppers to Dr Dre have chosen the savage LA scene to display their wares. LA is regarded by many as the toughest scene to break, with most clubs expecting the performers to pay for a set.

But the scene isn’t confined to Los Angeles. California’s favourite sons, The Beach Boys, refined their beautiful harmonies on the rolling waves of the Pacific Ocean that wash up on Hawthorne. Youth culture in 1961’s California was all about parties, muscle cars and surfing all day.

Brian Wilson and his musical counterparts knew this better than most and songs such as Surfin’ USA filled the ears and hearts of a generation.

And many more to come.

But the surf scene wasn’t locked in a room with Wilson and his LSD and it evolved from suits and harmonies to long hair and guitars. Now the scene includes a range of styles including the funky Hot Rod Trio and the stoner kings Fu Manchu.

“

Youth culture in 1961s California was all about parties, muscle cars and surfing all day Athough not surprisingly, the California scene isn’t all surfboards and bongs around the campfire. The world of Gangster Rap emerged from the shadows in the early 90s: “To a kid lookin’ up to me, life ain’t nothin’ but bitches and money.” So say brother Ice Cube, and his partners in crime (literally) from NWA, the board of governors of Gangster Rap, and the men who started it all. Arriving on the LA rap scene like a bullet (perhaps one that would years later

wipe the smile off 50 Cents face), their debut album Straight Outta Compton changed rap forever and showed that it was as commercially viable as any genre out there. With what was essentially an album fuelled by anger, NWA rapped against the backdrop of Crips and Blood gang warfare, and it worked, and with it came the aforementioned bitches and money; lots of it. Skip ahead 5 years, NWA have internally combusted, ICE Cube, Snoop Dogg, and Dr Dre have all been established as best-selling artists in their own right and the rivalry between East and West coast rages strong, but it is 2pac who rules the day, but not for long. BANG. Say no more.

All is somewhat more settled now, rappers no longer live in the hood or beat female journalists up at award ceremonies, there’s a new breed of uninspiring MC’s from LA, but it continues to sell more than any other type of music in the chart; and it all stemmed from Compton.

Mike Richards and Will Hitchins

Califoria’s most valued exports The Beach Boys Pet Sounds

Widly viewed as Wilson and co’s masterpiece, Pet Sounds was written in order to compete with The Beatles’ landmark Rubber Soul.

Wilson was famously never truly satisfied with the record, but it satisfied the musical appitites of millions over the world. Wilson composed most of the record with collaborator Tony Asher in December 1965 and January 1966. The album then went on to be released on 16th May 1966.

Mike Richards

MUSIC@GAIRRHYDD.COM

NWA Straight Outta Compton

There’s perhaps no better compliment of this album than the fact that it reached double platinum sales without any commercial radio support. It is the blueprint of a gangster rap album, anger, guns, sex and 187s on a motherfucking cop. Title track Straight Outta Compton and police bashing Fuck the Police, inevitably inspired huge outrage but of course this only acted to help publicise. It is the Gangster rap record.

Will Hitchins

The Red Hot Chilli Peppers Mother’s Milk

The first Chilli’s album since the tragic death of legendary guitarist Hillel Slovak and the departue of equally legendary drummer Jack Irons. John Frusciante and Chad Smith were drafted in to fulfil the respective voids. The album is a funk medley and includes a classic cover of Jimi Hendrix’s Fire. Despite only reaching 52 in the billboard charts after its release in 1989, Mother’s Milk has secured itself as a classic amongst Chilli fans.

Mike Richards

THIRTYONE

MUSIC

And the A-Ward goes to...

Will Hitchins Meets Portland-based Folk Troubadour M.Ward

S

itting in the reception of the city hotel I overhear a band manager with a thick cockney accent who obviously thinks far too much of himself saying to a young wide-eyed American indie band “you do your thing lads and stick with me” he pauses for effect “I’ll get you where you need to go.”

Wherever it is that this place may be, it is safe to say that M.Ward is already there. Hailing from Portland Oregon (as are so many wonderful artists at the moment) and recently releasing his fourth record Post Ward, M. Ward (the M stands for Matt) has established himself as one of the true voices of modern folk music. The first thing that strikes you when you hear an M.Ward record is his voice, it has all the delicacy of Jeff Buckly mixed with the gravel of an early Bob Dylan making everyone who hears it stop, take a step back and listen. It’s just one of those voices.

Like all great artists its difficult to put M.Ward into a box, he’s an anomaly, his songs sounding like they should be heard through an old transistor radio, the sound drifting sweetly through the air, across the front porch, while Old Grandmother Ward sits kintting on her rocking chair, weaving both wool and fairytales as her grandchildren sit at her knee’s and listen attentively.

Although strictly speaking it is folk music there’s far more to his sound than can be defined in one genre.

But Matt finds it no easier to describe than I do, “Its hard for me to categorize what I’m doing because I don’t have any perspective on myself, people outside of myself

THIRTYTWO

have a much better vision into what it is that I’m doing, you just play and see where the muse takes you and see where fate leads you and see what you’re most interested in.”

Even though he is far from a household name, Matt’s popularity is gradually rising, commenting on crowd size he says “everywhere just gets a little bigger each time; the more you work on something the more return you get.” Although growing up in California, Matt isn’t quite descended from a Wainwright-esque musical dynasty as one might expect, “my mum did a little piano, and my dad sings a bit, they just do it as a hobby.”

“

No. I never crossbreeded those things M.Ward

So where does his musical ability come from I ask him? Does he think it is it an intrinsic talent some people have? “I think it has to be a combination of genetics and then also

how willing you are to maybe sacrifice your normal life to spend time alone with the instrument, learning other peoples songs, the biggest thing is being a good listener, if you’re a good listener you’ll probably end up being a pretty decent artist.”

M Ward is certainly a good listener, like all great artists his songs draw on influences from the whole panorama of musical history and this has given him his truly unique style and with it respect from many.

(Earlier this year he produced the latest Jenny Lewis album). When asked who his influences were Matt simply answered “there’s so many people, I can’t really name just one.” And it makes sense, with such a varied sound influenced by the entire sphere of folk blues and Jazz it would be impossible to name one major person. However it seems those Liverpudlian ragamuffins McCartney and Lennon had an important influence “I learnt guitar by learning Beatles songs, by reading the books.”

Before becoming a musician Matt taught children and adults with learning disabilities to read; did he ever sing songs to help, perhaps some folk-blues hybrid of the alphabet song, or even I suggest, produce a CD; Ward sings the Nursery Rhymes? “No, I never cross breeded those things.” On stage he is incredibly shy, always wearing a grimy baseball hat pulled so low down it almost entirely obscures his face, but when he starts to sing it is so delicate and mournful and at the same time uplifting we forget this and just listen. Some people need to jump, strut and fly around the stage, others just need to sing. No prizes for guessing which category M.Ward falls into.

M.WARD: Edible Wrists

MUSIC@GAIRRHYDD.COM

From Australia to Edinburgh: it’s a hard-knock life E

ARTS

ED BYRNE

Sherman Theatre 3 October

YANAGAI! YANAGAI!: Civilisation?

YANAGAI! YANAGAI! Sherman Theatre 5 October

Tribal warfare

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ive actors alone were sufficiento capture the sense of the primitive, raw, yet beautiful lifestyle and landscape of the Yorta Yorta Aborigine tribe.

The play’s scenery was suitably ethereal, with stark, silhouetted trees, a snaking river running the length of the stage, and rippling, translucent sheets to represent a creek. The pervading scent of wood smoke was an effective sensory touch.

The furs, spears and facial hair of the natives were overtly contrasted with the upright, stern, imposing white man, complete with his clinical white suit and gun. And naturally,

What’s on George Blacklock

BayArt Gallery: 14 Oct - 11 Nov Composed of layers of rich colour,

ARTS@GAIRRHYDD.COM

there was the archetypal anti-hero, the frowning, wigged judge, who eventually denies the tribe of their right to the land.

Like all good dramas that denote unhappy changes to a community, this piece did not wallow in misery, but celebrated Aborigine culture and even included some comic elements.

There was a simple tranquillity suggested by the fishing scenes, which rubbed shoulders alongside more harrowing scenes, such as the drowning of a girl.

Some parts were quite disjointed or abstract, with snippets from the courtroom slotted between outdoor scenes. However, the defiance and prowess of the people were easily recognisable. What really enhanced the drama was the concluding slideshow, featuring black and white photos of the tribe, firmly grounding the piece in historical reality.

Tasha Prest-Smith George Blacklock’s work is bold in movement and form. This exhibition reveals Blacklock’s fascination with the iconography of religious painting and sculpture and its effect on his own art.

Burning down the house

d Byrne is a man who makes a living by seeing the ridiculous in everything. He arrives jovially on stage and easily holds our undivided attention as we are guided around his warped worldview.

The material is largely made up of observational rants, Byrne dryly comparing his endeavours with those of Michael Douglas in the cult Falling Down. It’s not deep stuff – jokes about nagging girlfriends and Daniel Beddingfield – but it’s delivered with irresistible charisma and a natural ability to tell a good story. He’s a charmer, and he has to be because it’s the only way you can mime out a wanking joke and get big laughs.

Byrne’s immensely talented support act - the baby-faced Matt Kirshen - deploys a similar innocence to keep us with him while he traverses more controversial territory (the strains of rehabilitating paedophiles on Halloween) and is equally well received.

As the night goes on, Byrne slates everything that a self-respecting young person could wish to hear slated, his disdain lightened continuously by his amiable Irish drawl. He often comes across like a freshly showered Dylan Moran, whose sour deliveries begin to seem quite gimmicky in comparison. Byrne is pleasantly bitter. It’s a winning combination and, most importantly, he hates James Blunt. David Frayne

ED BYRNE: He’s drawing you in

Thalidomide!! A Musical

Chapter Arts Centre: 20 - 21 Oct The irreverent and totally un-PC story of a man with very short arms looking for true love in a long-armed obsessed world.

THIRTYTHREE

ARTS EDINBURGH & BEYOND COMEDY TOUR 2006

ANNIE

New Theatre 3 - 7 October

St David’s Hall 3 October

Tomorrow: it’s only a day away

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Monks with skateboards

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resh from sell-out shows at this summer's Edinburgh Festival, four comedians ventured to St David's Hall as part of the Edinburgh & Beyond tour.

Compere Russell Howard was obviously distressed that the event didn't take place in the theatre itself (the bar area became a make-shift stage for the evening). He arrived at the conclusion that it probably had something to do with Ken Dodd killing old ladies with laughter - but how fantastic to die with a smile on your face. Just how Russell Howard's mind works could provide psychologists with a lifetime's worth of material: his act appeared almost completely improvised and he took inspiration from everything from the lawyer in the audience, who had a lot of dwarves hidden somewhere, to his recent journey to “probably the best hole in the world.” Whatever he's on, it's marvellous stuff.

Also on the line-up were Steve Hall and Marek Larwood. Hall's stand-up began with an account of his trip to a sexual health clinic, which turned out to be a fitting description of his comedy: dirty in a bad way.

Marek Larwood was wonderfully bizarre as his alter-ego, Doug. Doug is on a 'reach out - but don't touch' rehabilitation scheme and wanted to try out his film pitch on us. It was all going well until Doug wanted to 'stroke' a lady's hair and realised he'd stumbled on one of his 'bad words'. Doug was quite a philosophical chap: “If you like looking at yourself naked in the mirror, well, then maybe you'll think that other people will like looking at you naked too, and then, if they're looking at you in the street or whatever and you're naked, why don't they get done for being perverts?”

Chris Addison was headliner for the evening and didn't fail to deliver, although he did have the unenviable task of trying to steal the funnyman crown from Howard. A seemingly endless digression, Addison's set was delivered with healthy amounts

THIRTYFOUR

“

nnie is an optimistic, rags–to–riches, feel good musical. Characterised by blithe, cheerful humour and a buoyant musical score, Annie is an entertaining show that can be enjoyed by old and young alike.

Annie tells the tale of an elevenyear-old child, who is desperately trying to escape the brutality of her orphanage headmistress and find her real parents. When a regional billionaire, Oliver Warbucks, agrees to house an orphaned child for Christmas, Annie finally finds herself showered with the love and affection she has always craved.

Wales’ own Ruth Madoc was excellent as the dastardly Mrs Hannigan and added a comic dimension to the the show. David McAlister, as Daddy Warbucks, was also fantastic and delivered consummate professionalism every second he was on the stage.

Annie’s powered by evocative melodies and, supported by a full live orchestra, enraptured the audience throughout. The young orphan chorus were well received by the audience, as from their first entrance harmonising to ‘A hard-knock life’, to their return in the last scene, these spirited youngsters sang their hearts out and danced up a storm.

Annie has delighted audiences for generations and is a heart-warming, optimistic tale that all will enjoy.

Rebecca Child

Just how Russell Howard's mind works could provide psychologists with a lifetime's worth of material of quick wit and dry humour. His forays into the varying quality of news channels and the evolution of language added an intellectual edge to the evening's proceedings and rounded up a brilliant night of comedy.

Kim O’Connor

ANNIE: Is that Tiffany?

ARTS@GAIRRHYDD.COM

F I L M

N E W S

FILM film@gairrhydd Ryan Owen Film Editor

W THE PRESTIGE: Batman vs Wolverine

CHEAP PARLOUR TRICKS

The humble biopic is a genre that has seen a resurgence recently, with the success stories of Ray, Capote and Walk the Line.

It is hoped then that the announcement of a film regarding the life of Harry Houdini that is in production will hopefully ride the crest of a potential trend established by Chris Nolan’s upcoming The Prestige and Edward Norton starrer The Illusionist, both of which delve into the lives of enigmatic stage magicians.

The film, which is provisionally entitled Death Defying Acts, focuses on Houdini (Guy Pearce) and his relationship with Mary McGregor (Catherine Zeta Jones) and is being filmed in Edinburgh.

M ORE

CORBIJN LOSES CONTROL

Famed photographer, docunetarian and filmmaker, Anton Corbijn, is currently in post-production of his Ian Curtis biopic.

Film Ewen is said to be off his tits with anticipation as to how it will turn out as he likes to Joy-Division-itup at least twice a week for the good of his health in a buttoned-up, collared shirt and epileptic swagger.

Sam Riley, Leeds-based singer of band, 10000 Things, will be stepping into the pointy shoes and overcoat of the great morbid bastard himself, while the ever-reliable Samantha Morton is to portray his wife, Deborah.

Adam Sandler has been able to show in the past that he has a versatility and range. This is most evident in PunchDrunk Love, P.T.Anderson’s eulogy to the Hollywood romance which allows his acting to shine.

Adam Sandler

Adam Sandler also starred in Little Nicky, a film which makes me hate life.

More recently, his production company Happy Madison released Click, a comedy so painfully unfunny, it only elicits laughter in its eventual attempt at pathos.

L ESS

Coming soon Designed to get you sweating at the mere thought of their arrival: The Prestige (10/11/2006) Chris Nolan’s period piece about the increasingly bitter rivalry between two luminary stage magicians (Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman) has left us with fevered anticipation for what could be a truly innovative thriller.

Adam Sandler The Magicians (27/04/2007)

On DVD: The Deer Hunter: Special Edition ! Garth Marenghi’s " Derek Acorah’s Ghost Towns ! Blade Runner: Darkplace !"

Director’s Cut ! The Marx Brothers Boxset In cinemas: ! Click ! Neil Young: Heart of Gold ! The Departed ! World Trade Centre

FILM@GAIRRHYDD.COM

ell, what joy, I get to write my first editorial but alas I am still engulfed at my happiness over a certain film just released.

So yeah, The Departed delivered on all counts and I’m a happy bunny. As if that wasn’t enough for my grey matter, I can’t wait for Cardiff Screen festival which will be happening Novermber 8th till the 18th. The cream of the crop will be coming here...yes, Cardiff, that’s right.

Our next issue will feature a spanking saturated issue with superfluous colour and shiny pictures all about this oustanding event. So please keep your eyes peeled for that.

Also, Halloween is soon upon us and we are avoiding the typical horror movie feature bigging up The Evil Dead, and instead, we choose to write about the worst films we’ve ever seen.

That’s horrific enough. This is where you guys come in To get your name into print, send 100 words on the specified to our email address above.

Peep Show’s David Mitchell and Robert Webb star in this comic tale of two rival stage magicians who are forced to compete against each other. A fitting comic flipside to The Prestige’s morbid dramatics.

THIRTYFIVE

FILM

Where the line

Quench recommends A few of our favourite crossovers...

Westway to the World

Filmed and directed by legendary punk film maker, Don Lets, this documentary about The Clash set a standard others can only aspire to.

Si Truss goes on a journey of discovery to where the worlds of music and film collide

loudQUIETloud: A FILM ABOUT THE PIXIES Dir: Steven Cantor, Matthew Galkin Starring: Charles Thompson, Kim Deal

The Filth and the Fury Julien Temple’s documentary about the whirlwind rise and subsequent crash of the Sex Pistols is invigorating filmmaking, and stands its own against Alex Cox’s dramatisation, Sid and Nancy.

Stop Making Sense Jonathan Demme’s crowning moment amongst his various music docs (most recent of which is Neil Young: Heart of Gold), reviewed this issue.

The Wall Alan Parker’s surreal interpretation of Pink Floyd’s epic double album has Gerald Scarfe animation mixed with an anti-totalitarian theme.

THIRTYSIX

Out Now, 85 mins

I

t's not uncommon, in these days of extensive multimedia possibilities, for the paths of filmmakers and musicians to cross from time to time.

In fact, some of Hollywood's hottest directors, (see also: Spike Jonze), started their careers in the world of music videos. Yet these flights of film-making fancy into the world of the musician don't always work out for the best.

Led Zeppelin's 1976 cinematic outing, The song remains the same, is a prime example of the kind of self-serving tripe you can end up with. Even more disturbingly, when bands open themselves up to the all seeing cameras of the documentary maker, things can resemble the antics of Spinal Tap just a little bit too much. Take Metallica: Some Kind of Monster as an example of interband issues being brought to the forefront by the presence of the cameras.

Fortunately for alt-rock gods, the Pixies, they just about manage to make it out the end of new documentary loudQUIETloud with their dig-

nity intact. But it is a close call.

The film, co-directed by Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin, focuses on the band's remarkably successful 2004 comeback tour, from their first rehearsal in ten years to the tour's triumphant climax a year later.

What's so impressive about the documentary however, is that it provides such an in-depth and personal look at the immensely curious personalities that make up a famously press-shy band.

It's worth noting that Pixies frontman, Charles 'Frank Black' Thompson, protested about the film's release, claiming that it provided an inaccurate portrait of the band. It's nothing suprising though, as Thompson comes across on screen as a man who hides some major self-esteem issues behind an often arrogant and cocky front and it's this personality that clashed with bassist, Kim Deal, back in the 90s leading to the Pixies initial break-up.

Deal's relationship with Thompson and, in fact, with the rest of the band make up a running theme throughout the film, as the bassist, who is recently out of rehab, spends most of her time in her own little world with her sister and Breeders’ band-mate, Kelly.

The most intriguing story though is that of drummer David Lovering, who, after the Pixies implosion in 94, gave up music to, as the documentary tells us, “focus on his hobbies, which include magic and metal detecting.” When halfway through

FILM@GAIRRHYDD.COM

begins to blur

FILM

ZIDANE: A 21ST CENTURY PORTRAIT Dir: Douglas Gordon, Philippe Parreno Starring: Zinadine Zidane Out Now, 95 mins

the tour, his father dies of cancer, and Lovering begins to become dependent on alcohol and antidepressants.

One of the most amazing moments in the movie is when Lovering has an apparent breakdown on stage and fails to stop playing at the end of a song. In comparison, guitarist and family man, Joey Santiago, seems very normal.

It's almost, but not quite, enough to make you forget about the music.

Fortunately, the live footage, which includes innumerable classic songs and footage from the band's intimate first comeback show, is incredible, and it's this which allows you to overlook the fact that they are a band with obvious personality problems.

Musicians it seems, aren't happy merely being in front of the camera, not that that's necessarily a bad thing. One of the cinematic highlights of the last year has been The Proposition, a film penned and soundtrack by dark crooning legend Nick Cave, who's transition from music to film was far less vomitinducing than Bruce Willis's journey in the other direction.

Mogwai, it's pleasing to know, is a band who know their strength lies in music and their latest deviation into the world of film is to provide this strength to soundtrack the new art/footy pic, Zidane: a 21st century portrait. As anyone who's heard the contribution of Yann Tiersen sound tracking on Amelie will know how blissful a good sound track can be.

Zidane is definitely a work of art more than anything else; the film that is, not the player himself, (although he does have a lovely and

FILM@GAIRRHYDD.COM

MOGWAI: Scottish post-rock band/ball of fluff shiny head.) Absent of any kind of real plot, the film instead focuses 17 cameras on the French captain for the full ninety minutes of a standard game.

“

“...he does have a lovely and shiny head.”

Quench presents the five worst actor/musicians Sting -

5. Dune

Zidane’s greatest weapon

Rather than any focus on the action, the film keeps a close eye on the player's facial expressions, bringing to the forefront his lack of communication with his team mates and his general deadpan attitude to the excitement around him. The Mogwai soundtrack plays a major part in the piece.

As a film, which essentially lacks any real dialogue, it's the highs and lows of the Scottish post-rockers music that talks on behalf of the silent stars. The most surprising thing about the film is that French directors, Gordon and Parreno, manage to pull it off and keep it interesing to watch for over 90 minutes.

Dylan 4. Bob Hearts of Fire 3. Madonna Swept Away Dog 2.Snoop Half Baked Minogue 1.Kylie - Street Fighter THIRTYSEVEN

FILM Christopher Doyle Infernal Affairs Andrew Lau and Siu Fai Mak’s 2002 film, Infernal Affairs, ignited a spark for Eastern crime dramas told with an esoteric flair and originality.

Examples of such films spurred on by the release of this picture include its stylish prequel (confusingly titled Infernal Affairs Il), Fulltime Killer, an existential tale of two battling assassins, stylish Korean revenge drama A Bittersweet Life and the excellent but little seen One Night in Mongkok; a Mann-esque action romance.

The central performances of charismatic Tony Leung Chiu Wai (Hero, In the Mood for Love) and impressive Andrew Lau (House of Flying Daggers) resulted in an impact equivalent to the De Niro/Pacino Heat pairing in the West, and sparks flew on screen.

Chris Doyle and Yiu Fai Lai’s keen eyes resulted in a stylish, modern Hong Kong rarely seen to a cinema audience, and brought the vast city an echelon of cool that had previously been relegated primarily to wu xia kung fu films.

Now a successful trilogy, Infernal Affairs, is a benchmark of Hong Kong cinema and world cinema in general, and, contrary to most butchered Hollywood retreads of innovative Asian concepts, has a worthy successor in Scorsese’s, The Departed.

Ewen Hosie

The Departed is a glorious feast for the eyes; a visual and visceral assault.

Scorsese is a director at home with violence and he juxtaposes a wonderfully theatrical performance from Jack Nicholson with a powerhouse performance from future muse, Leonardo DiCaprio.

The dynamic use of the camera could be considered a supporting player in the story, so visceral is it in response to the actions onscreen. This is particularly evident when a main character is executed in a religiously connotative manner, splayed Christ-like in his death throes. To many filmmakers, this could be considered a potential folly, but in Martin ‘Last Temptation’ Scorsese’s hands, it becomes luminous in its excellence.

Similarly, his use of sound and bold application of diagetic popular music, is as well-timed here as it was in Goodfellas. The opening shot featuring The Rolling Stones’ Gimme Shelter as Nicholson’s monologue playing out is one of the finest character introductions since Mickey Rourke’s Marv tore up the streets of one Basin City.

It stands out from Andrew Lau’s original as an altogether lesscaged beast.

Ewen Hosie

The Departed

C

hristopher Doyle H.K.S.C is something of a mythical figure in the heady world of cinematography, famed for both his cultural ambiguity, (with a firm grasp of both Western and Oriental cinematic language), and his apparent fondness for setting up shots while under the influence of alcohol.

Known for a strong visual style that makes bold use of bright hues and high contrasts to establish mood, Doyle's work on Infernal Affairs was essential in establishing Hong Kong as a viable locale for gritty crime drama.

He is also famed for collaborations with the powerhouse directorial talents of Wong-Kar Wai and Zhang Yimou, which resulted in the poetry in motion of romance, In the Mood for Love, its sci-fi semi-sequel 2046 and the wu xia epic, Hero, respectively.

In Western cinema, Doyle has left an impact through his contributions to Philip Noyce’s RabbitProof Fence and The Quiet American and it is perhaps not coincidental that their collaboration resulted in two of Noyce’s best films. More recently, his eye for detail was put to good use in making M Night Shyamalan’s disastrous Lady in the Water almost watchable.

Michael Ballhaus, (Bram Stoker's Dracula), cinematographer of Infernal Affairs remake The Departed, lives up to Doyle's reputation with a style that is more dynamic and less painterly than Doyle's own.

by

Ewen Hosie THIRTYEIGHT

FILM@GAIRRHYDD.COM

FILM

THE DEPARTED: Like Face/off sans face-swapping are often over-used but here this acutely used diatribe induces goosebumps, and is certainly a guilty pleasure.

Dir: Martin Scorsese Starring: Damon, Sheen, We see this all through Scorsese’s camera that’s constantly DiCaprio, Wahlberg, Winstone, Nicholson, on the move and bravely continues to sweep during dramatic scenes such as the introductory meet of Out Now, 149 mins Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) and Dignam (Mark Wahlberg).

The shoot-out scenes are typically visceral with blood spewing from A re-interpretation of Andrew Lau’s most orifices, and the recently classic 2002 crime drama Infernal deceased are viewed from a nonAffairs, The Departed is a tense discerning camera.

Doubt was formed when the inithriller involving a mole for the Irish mafia (Matt Damon) within the tial cast list was released, but Boston State Police Department and Scorsese is no Richard Kelly and an undercover cop (Di Caprio) who is can extract strong performances full infiltrating mobster Frank (Jack of charisma from the unlikeliest of Nicholson) Costello’s gang to which actors. In doing so, DiCaprio puts in his best turn since Critters 3 as do Damon’s character belongs.

Damon in Rounders and Wahlberg in …Huckabees. All the oldies such as Nicholson, Sheen, Winstone and n recent times, Scorsese has Baldwin are reliably great and as made films that seem to have charismatic as ever. Thoroughly baflost the spark that makes one fling performances all round. smile at his work.

But by going back to the streets, Scorsese seems to have retained some of the original authenticity that made his earlier work so memorable. Indeed, directors seem to get worse with age, relying more on infinite studio crews to do the work for them (ahem...Lucas). But here, his voice surpasses all the likely Every department seems to have meddlers, and his minions have done their job perfectly. The art reproduced what was intended. direction, lighting and cinematograFrom the get go, we hear phy are outstanding and supposedly absolute clarity from an almosthave to be, considering Christopher whispering Frank Costello (Jack Doyles’ involvement on the original.

Nicholson), as he releases one of This is quite an achievement for those monologues that we’ve heard Scorsese and not to be confused so many times before. But the crux as a return to form, moreso a of this is a mixture of reality through a character that is inherent- return to what he knows best: the mean streets. ly truthful and a character that we Ryan Owen know instantly. These monologues

CLICK

THE DEPARTED

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“

DiCaprio puts in his best turn since Critters 3

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Dir: Frank Coraci Starring: Adam Sandler, Kate Beckinsale, Christopher Walken, David Hasselhoff Out Now, 107 mins

Stressed architect Michael Newman’s life takes a bizarre turn as he discovers a remote control that allows him to skip into his future and reflect on his past. The situation takes a turn for the worse when the control starts overruling his decisions.

P

laying with conventions of the time-travel subgenre, Click fails in its attempts to make a mark with any sense of grace.

The gimmick of its 'universal remote control' which allows protagonist Michael Newman (Sandler) to fast-forward the dull routine of his office job and trying family with a selfish glee is a clever one, with the obligatory catch stemming from he fact that he cannot rewind or undo the events that have occurred in his physical absence. This leads to much moral posturing as Newman learns that the remote's control on his life turns him first into a general non-entity to his family, then a corporate monster and finally just monstrously overweight.

Smirks can be found in the off-kilter casting of Christopher Walken (paying the bills) as a re-hash of the Dean Stockwell character in Quantum Leap, and David Hasselhoff as Newman's smarmy boss, but overall Click represents a misstep that doesn't allow the cinemagoer to rewind their lost two hours.

Ewen Hosie

THIRTYNINE

FILM WORLD TRADE CENTRE Dir: Oliver Stone Starring: Nicholas Cage, Jay Hernandez, Maria Bello Out Now, 128 mins

Oliver Stone’s drama set around the September 11th bombings. Following a firefighter into the rescue operation where he then gets trapped.

T

he big problem with Stone’s take on such a historical event is that he at no point tackles the event as a whole.

Instead Stone settles for basing a dull and unoriginal drama in the background of what is one of the most shocking days in living memory. It seems the director is determined to tread carefully around any danger of offending people that he avoids making a film with anything more than a predictable plot.

Si Truss THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE BEGINNING Dir: Jonathon Liebesman Starring: Jordana Brewster, Taylor Handley Out Now, 91 mins

A prequel to the recent remake of the same-title film.

WORLD TRADE CENTRE: now a film, not just a concept NEIL YOUNG: HEART OF GOLD Dir: Jonathan Demme Starring: Neil Young Out Now, 109 mins

Concert film by Jonathan ‘Silence of the Lambs/Stop Making Sense’ Demme, which focuses on two nights of his recent tour.

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corsese’s No Direction Home. Temple’s The Filth and the Fury. Demme’s Stop Making Sense.

All are films that chronicle the

musical journeys of artists that are both generational icons and social commentators.

Jonathan Demme, a director oftassociated with music film (Springsteen, Talking Heads) now does justice to Canadian legend Neil Young in beautifully shot but low-key concert film Heart of Gold, filmed in Nashville’s Ryman Astoria. Demme shuns capturing the spectacle of Young’s audience, instead focusing more intimately on his performance.

Focusing on Young’s admittedly fine newer material, highpoints include performances of classics such as the titular anthem and Old Man. Neil Young: Heart of Gold is a worthy experience for purists and newcomers alike.

Ewen Hosie

T

he remake was atrocious and the problems with that seem to have resurfaced here.

Here, pretty girls and boys are slaughtered (obviously made-out to look dirty) within a script that is nonexistent and characters commit actions without due motivation.

Characters are under-written or stereotpyes, or in most cases, both.

Logic is ignored and the aesthetic is predictable if not shit. There are frequent theatrical performances that are unwarranted and R. Lee Ermey again is the only worthy mention.

Apart from that this is concretely dog fucking awful. Watch Tremors instead. Or better still watch the 1974 original.

FORTY

NEIL YOUNG: Legend

FILM@GAIRRHYDD.COM

FILM

dvds

new releases THE MARX BROTHERS BOX SET (8 DISCS) Out October 16 ontaining eight Marx Brothers films, including Animal Crackers, Monkey Buisiness and Duck Soup (arguably their best film), the latest in a series of Marx Brothers DVD collections offers fairly decent value for money.

However, the absence of Night at the Opera and Day at the Races leave noticable gaps, making this far from a definitive collection.

Still, most Marx Brothers films are good enough on their own to leave a large smile on your face.

Even now Groucho is still far and away the undisputed master of one liners (“three men and one woman trapped in a house, send help. Failing that, send two more women”) and the last 20 minutes of Duck Soup is probably worth the money alone.

Unfortunately, Horse Feathers and Love Happy are both at the more forgettable end of the brothers repertoire and are unlikely to get more than one or two viewings Nice box though.

Si Truss

C Bateman’s best

GARTH MARENGHI’S DARK PLACE Out Oct 16 arth Marenghi. Some call him a dreamweaver (true). Some call him a best-selling novelist (scientific fact). Some call him Rick Dagless M.D., a maverick doctor battling against the evil forces lurking in a standard-sized hellmouth underneath a hospital in pre-apocalyptic Romford. That one may be a lie.

Let’s put aside what people may think of 80s sex icon Marenghi. Instead, what about his work, you may ask? Well, Garth describes it as “too subversive, too dangerous [and] too damn scary.” Whatever people may say is neither here nor Norwich, but …Darkplace, filmed in the ‘actual’ 80s in Romford, (house prices rocketed after filming) can be described in one word: a work of undeniable genius.

Ryan Owen

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re-releases BLADE RUNNER: THE DIRECTOR’S CUT Out Oct 9 n appetite-whetting re-release of Blade Runner, presenting an R2 equivalent of the R1 DVD that has been available for yonks.

Until the upcoming release of the special edition, however, this release should be confined to the diehards or the uninitiated. The story of future-noir PI Deckard (Harrison Ford) and his hunt for the android ‘replicants’ (standout: the phenomenal Rutger Hauer as Roy Batty) is possibly the greatest sci-fi film of all time.

Ewen Hosie

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special edition THE DEER HUNTER: Special Edition October 23 here was a time following the release of The Deer Hunter where Michael Cimino was being heralded as an American cinematic saviour.

This claim held water until the furore surrounding the failure of his operatic Johnson County Wars-set Western Heaven’s Gate in 1980.

In the pantheon of Vietnam war films, The Deer Hunter stands out as being the one that uses the war sparingly as a crux in the lives of simple bluecollar workers in small-town America. Robert de Niro and Christopher Walken deliver standout performances, while the Russian roulette scene retains its power.

Ewen Hosie

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FILM@GAIRRHYDD.COM

DEAN LEARNER: Garth is the most significant artist that I've worked with and I've worked with Lulu and four other people, so we’re talking crème de la crème.

tv boxset DEREK ACORAH’S GHOST TOWNS: SERIES 2 Out October 16 amp Liverpudlian Derek along with spirit guide Sam have swapped the screeching Yvette Fielding (Most Haunted) for Daniella Westbrook, and have jumped aboard the ‘ghost truck’ and set out on an adventure, travelling from town to town searching for the paranormal.

Ghost Towns is as realistic as Rent-a-ghost, and as scientific as Scooby-Doo, yet it is high in entertainment value, with Derek’s authentic possessions and the psychic energy that guides him to ‘random’ homes to solve any paranormal problems the inhabitant is having. Yeah, go Team Derek! What did we do without you?

Sara Watkin

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FORTYONE

BOOKS Welcome to Books!This week we have some scary stuff when Em Baker checks out the seedy underbelly of London in London Noir, the Rock’n’Roll stars who have died ‘for their music’ are under investigation when Mike Richards digs into Number One in Heaven, and Books looks into the new novel from John Updike, Terrorist.

A horrifying and at the same time, dangerously alluring account of passion, mutilation, filth, love and corruption, once you’ve tapped the surface, as you will during the book, you’ll want to see more. One thing’s for sure though, as the Publishing News advises, “this is a London it’s best to read about, rather than experience first hand,” and I’ll never go out alone again.

9/10 Em Baker

TERRORIST

John Updike

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LONDON: Full of crooks

LONDON NOIR: Capital Crime Fiction

Cathi Unsworth Ed. Serpent’s Tail

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ave you ever felt the lure of the city? The glamour and the gloss, the quirky eccentricity, we rummage for hours to find in Camden and parade as our own. I know I adored the place, that was how it went, graduation…London, and then I read “London Noir”.

This sinister collection of short crime stories violently rips off the city’s “filthy veil” of neon lights and West End musicals, to expose the dark, raw, and terrifying world that exists below. A world “policed by villains,” where life counts for less than a few ounces of coke and where love, will quite literally, tear you apart. So successfully compiled, London Noir takes you down into the shadows of the “Big Smoke” with

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Penguin

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here are a lot of books written about terrorism at the moment. It is inevitable.

Takes you down into Updike named his novel Terrorist, a the shadows with the clear and to-the-point title, suggesta strong gritty view on the influwhores and junkies, ing ences and beliefs of suicide suffocated and sick bombers. However, the novel falls short of such expectations.

The long descriptive passages are the whores and the junkies, suffocat- broken up by bad punctuation and ed and sick. are in need of some desperate editHere, London is the scene of the ing. The supposedly gripping story of crime, its cause and perpetrator, a a schoolboy targeted by his local slithering, writhing, nauseating organ- religious leader and eventually influism that doesn’t just house, but enced enough to become a suicide breeds its inhabitants. “The people bomber saunters slowly through the in the street have grown to look just pages, swallowed up by like the buildings, the way peodescription and lack ple start to look like their of dialogue. The dogs.” The London of characters’ lack “London Noir,” it seems, of depth never runs intravenously, and seems realisonce you’re in, you’re in tic and the for good. With 13 of the reader must 17 authors living or havremain dising tanced with no lived in London themempathy for the selves, these stories are characters. more than fictitious; they’re a UPDIKE: Quirky looking gent So much to say true-life allegory to the drug that I they just can’t be without.

BOOKS@GAIRRHYDD.COM

BOOKS didn’t really care what the final outcome would be for our anti-hero Ahmad. He is as unattached from any of the central characters in the book as the reader is from him, and therefore the full characterisation is lost. For a central character, he is extremely un-explored.

“

The story saunters slowly through the pages, swallowed up by description Updike has tried to remain true to his theme. He denies the usual trend of setting the event five or ten years in the future to provide a safety net for the author if attacks do or do not happen, instead choosing to set it in present day New Jersey, around the anniversary of the Twin Towers attack. This small attempt to create realism and highlight the ease of influencing young men into carrying out such attacks is the only highlight of the novel. Through Ahmad’s long-winded thought process you can definitely feel the change in his state of mind, but it is not explored in any great depth.

However, Updike also avoids the temptation of writing from the victim’s point of view, therefore providing a new perspective, but this is a small compromise for the lack of depth to rest of the novel.

I can understand that Updike is commenting on some very controversial issues, therefore his unwillingness to scratch away the surface of the intentions of the people involved is understandable. But surely, if you are prepared to combat this type of subject matter then you must be ready to give reasonable and understandable reasons for the actions of the suicide bombers. In this way then Updike fails. This book would be the kind you would take on a train to show how up-to-date with world issues you were. However, it would also be a striking sign of your ignorance. Give me the illustrated 9/11 Commission Report any day, then you might look a fool looking at the cartoons, but at least it does what it claims to do.

3/10 Avalyn Beare

BOOKS@GAIRRHYDD.COM

HENDRIX: Bored to death...

NUMBER ONE IN HEAVEN: The heroes who died for Rock’N’Roll

Jeremy Simmonds Penguin

‘

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nce you’re dead you’re made for life”. Jimi Hendrix expelled lots of wisdom in his time but this, one of his most famous little gems, is as poignant as it is true. It is also a perfect opening quote for Simmonds’ extensive volume on those who died for the greatest cause of all.

He begins in January 1965 and unearths the often unbelievable demises of those musicians who shaped music over the past 40 years. Simmonds doesn’t pretend that his list is exhaustive, but I’ll challenge any one of you to find a rock’n’roll grave that isn’t celebrated in this book.

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tle close to the bone ( the caption under the photo of Marc Bolars fatal car crash being ‘Tyrannosaurus Wreck’ hmm.)

The biographies detail the musicians’ lives, their achievements and their usually quite spectacular deaths. Simmonds makes a point of including information that you are unlikely to know, encouraging the reader to consider all aspects of the musicians’ life.

But perhaps just as interesting as the biographies of the sainted rock’n’rollers are the crazy array of stories of those who narrowly avoided Death’s cold harsh clutches. But this book isn’t really about them. It’s for those who lived fast, died young and left beautiful corpses.

9/10 Mike Richards

The layout is clear and easy to reference, full of wit The layout of short biographies is clear and easy to reference, full of wit and a sense of humour without making you cringe too often. Well, the photo captions are perhaps a lit-

DIMEBAG: Shot on stage

FORTYTHREE

Girlfriend-shaped hole in your life? Got the boyfriend blues?

Little Miss Blind Date

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his week, Little Miss Blind Date has been noticing more and more the true nature of the phrase, “don’t shit on your own doorstep.”

Only the other night, our discussion turned to whether the next door neighbours, (a house of guys), should be invited to our impending house party. My housemate’s certainty that “when” you have shacked up with one of them, it would make it awkward for the entire year, which suggested that it wasn’t a very wise idea after all.

This conversation led to memories flooding back from our first year in Talybont when the one-night-stands between members of our house during Freshers fortnight could have read like a who’s who of 6 degrees of separation. The fact that the hot guy from Flat 2 on the 3rd floor was so irresistible during the dying notes of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody in the Union does not bode so well when you bump into him 2 days later on the stairs, both of you hungover, (or still drunk), on the way to your 9 o’clock lecture. It seems that the first few weeks of university are confusing enough without having to deal with situations like these.

Do you pretend not to remember?

Do you laugh about it? You could do either of these but Miss Bllind Date considers a third option. She has noticed, quite significantly, that a high number of couples stay together for the duration of university after the initial Freshers Weeks fumblings.

In a true Carrie Bradshaw type moment, I couldn’t help but wonder, was my future husband among us, in the house just next door, or had he slipped through my fingers when we were in our Talybont house? Maybe I will invite those boys next door to our party.

And plus, one of them really does have a very nice car.

FORTYFOUR

Don’t suffer in silence.

Little Miss Blind Date is here to help you.

Email: blinddate@gairrhydd.com to find out how Quench could save your life. Or at least, salvage your love life back again.

You never know, you might just find the love of your life when Miss Blind Date searches for your perfect partner...

www.quench.gairrhydd.com www.gairrhydd.com

BLIND DATE

BLINDDATE@GAIRRHYDD.COM

GOING OUT

A Degree in Mixology Fancy something a bit more glamorous than the pub? Kayleigh Excell and Rachel Clare take a look at some of Cardiff’s top cocktail bars that offer a night out with a touch of class

Bar Ice

Churchill Way Bar Ice is popular among students with an ultra trendy glass and chrome bar and resident and guest DJ's. The bar has a chic feel playing hip-hop, retro pop, drum and bass and chill out. The cocktail waiters are known for their expertise at mixing vodka and rum blends.

Funky Buddha Lounge Woodville Road A close to home option for all you Cathay's residents. As well as its diverse restaurant menu the Buddha Lounge also have a delicious cocktail menu including; White Russian, Midori Melon, Zombie and Minty Mudslide. With funky chill-out sounds and comfy sofas Funky Buddha Lounge is a great place to relax with friends.

Henry Africa's Hothouse St Mary Street (opposite the brewery quarter) Henry's is an American New Orleans style cocktail bar that first launched in Bristol and was so popular that they opened one here last year. The cocktail list is extensive with over 70 different varieties – you are spoilt for choice! They have all the favourites; Sex on the Beach, Cosmopolitian, Screaming Orgasm and Long Island Ice Tea. We recommend Raspberry Collins!

The cocktail waiters, or mixologists as they are known professionally, are really friendly and experts at passionately mixing together the cocktails from the extensive list, bit more impressive than pouring a pint!

Prices are reasonable, especially dur-

GOING OUT@GAIRRHYDD.COM

ing happy hour when cocktails start from £3.25.

The bar itself is comfortable, dimly lit, with an appropriate American feel. The only downfall has to be the lack of seating. There is also a club upstairs which host student nights, a nice alternative to Bounce on a Thursday Night. Henry's has to be the first-stop for anyone wanting to experience the sophistication of a real cocktail bar.

Soda Bar St Mary Street

This is a sleek and modern bar that hosts resident DJ's and live acts on occasion. You can sometimes even catch a photography exhibition in this sophisticated minimalistic bar.

Unlike Henry's, Soda Bar does not have an extensive cocktail menu, in fact it is quite limited. However, they mix all the favourites such as, Sex on the Beach, Tequila Sunrise, Sea Breeze and Soda Yoda, and they come in cocktail jugs which start from £10.00. A bit of a money saver for those who can't afford to splash out.

A quick guide to the top six cocktails Manhattan The Manhattan is a strong one, a cocktail of whiskey, sweet vermouth (fortified wine) and bitters often served on the rocks and garnished with a Maraschino cherry.

Long Island Ice Tea Five white spirits mixed with Cola, not a drink for the light weight!

Bloody Mary The perfect hangover cure, apparently! A fiery blend of vodka, tomato juice and Tabasco.

Singapore Sling Created in the early 20th century

by Chinese born Ngiam Tong Boon at the lounge bar in Raffles Hotel Singapore. It’s a base of gin which is fortified by cherries and spice.

Sex On the Beach A bit embarrassing to ask for!

This cocktail is a fruity mix of Vodka, peach schnapps, orange and cranberry juices.

Cosmopolitan (pictured left) Made famous by Sex and The City, the Cosmo is a mix of berry's and citrus fruit, a modern day classic!

Moloko

Mill Lane, City Centre Moloko is a bar for the Vodka lover with over 50 brands of shots or fresh fruit cocktails. The resident DJ's play hip-hop, disco and retro pop.

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BACK CHAT

Highway to hell Grow your hair and ready the leather, Cult Classics is about to go Heavy Metal mental!

This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

Master Of Puppets (1986)

Director: Rob Reiner

Band: Metallica

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challenge. Describe ‘This Is Spinal Tap’ without quoting it.

Not easy. This film was the Napoleon Dynamite or Anchorman of its day, quoting is near impossible to resist.

The inspired creation of Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer and Rob Reiner, this ‘rockumentary’ was a loving look into the world of Spinal Tap, an ageing British rock band promoting their new album ‘Smell The Glove’.

At the time, the world was firmly trapped in the spandex hold of hair metal. The genre was ripe for satirising and that’s exactly what they did. The clothes, the shows, the egos, nothing was safe.

Many heavy metal fans felt it was an unfair portrayal of the music they loved, but anyone who saw Metallica: Some Kind of Monster would realise how accurate it was. The film also spawned several CDs and a tour, upping the farce to a new level and prompting many people, including a young Mr Liam Gallagher, to believe they were in fact a real band.

This all added to a film that has left an enduring legacy, rightfully regarded as one of the funniest of all time. So whether you’re a heavy metal fan or not check it out and turn the laughter up to 11. Damn.

Jimmy Interpol

TAP: Heavy

ith such a vast history, it’s hard to pinpoint the definitive Metal release.

However, ask around and a few words will frequently pop up: Metallica; Master; Puppets.

Taking the down-tuned groove of Sabbath, the technicality of Maiden and the the speed of hardcore, Metallica hurtled out of Californian thrash scene of the early 80s. After becoming the biggest band in the underground with their first two albums, their third, 1986’s Master Of Puppets, took Metallica to the forefront of their genre.

The blistering riffs, dizzying solos and huge hooks were present, but with them came new levels of melody, poignant subjects, orchestration and confidence. From the opening acoustic intro of Battery to the savagery of closer Damage Inc., Master Of Puppets stands out as the most peerless gem in the decorated Heavy Metal crown.

If you think of Metal as macho noise, you clearly haven’t discovered the grandiose, discerning power that Master Of Puppets delivers in spades. A great place to start your Metal journey and a cornerstone by which all Rock albums are still measured. Faultless, epic and heavier than a concrete elephant, it is a masterpiece and very likely Metal’s finest hour!

Adam Rees

cs Cult Classi ds n e m m o c e r FORTYSIX

Hell Bent For Leather: Confessions of a Heavy Metal Addict (2004) Author: Seb Hunter

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he city of Winchester isn’t known for producing rock gods, maybe one if you count the drummer from Razorlight. But this wasn’t going to stop Seb Hunter, a young man determined to carve his name into heavy metal history.

His journey from nobody, to a nobody in a band and back to a nobody with a book deal is chronicled in great detail. The gigs, the girls and the awful, awful songs are dealt with a self-deprecating wit that makes this a must read for all music fans, metalheads or otherwise.

“

He lived the dream and loved every minute Hell Bent For Leather also serves as a handy rock guidebook. Hunter frequently breaks off from his own story to explain, amongst other things, why ‘keyboards suck’ and the differences between ‘speed metal’ and ‘grindcore’. Useful things to know, although frankly if you didn’t know by now there’s no hope for you.

Whilst overall being a humorous depiction of pursuing that career in music we all secretly long for, Hunter emphasises just how important this was to him. Heavy metal was his life, sometimes it helped him through the rough times and sometimes it made the rough times worse.

But whilst the stadium tours he dreamt of may not have materialised, he lived the dream and loved every minute.

Tom Brookes

BOOK: Sound of the Beast by Ian Christe FILM: Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster ALBUM: Reign in Blood by Slayer

CLASSICS@GAIRRHYDD.COM

BACKCHAT

T unnel Vi s i o n TV Si Thank you, please

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his week is the week in which I have discovered, the hard way I might add, that the golden rule of watching TV in a student house, is never let your flatmates get their filthy, evil little hands on the remote. I mean seriously, it’s my TV, that should give me some kind of legal right to turn off any piece of shite I find them watching.

Unfortunately, we live in a crazy mixed up world where other people’s opinions count and not just mine, and that’s why, this week I found myself being forced to endure the vile, turgid, carcass that is the new BBC rethink of Robin Hood. I mean, sorry if I sound like I’m being a little harsh but it really was bad.

For one thing, I’m pretty sure a man couldn’t outrun a horse. If the makers had had the wisdom to put this little misconception to bed in the first scene then Robin would probably have been brutally murdered then and there, and everyone involved would have been saved a whole lot of their valuable time.

“

[Keith Allen] comes across like a cheap, rip-off of the fat hobbbit from Lord Of The Rings... if he was in The Goonies Although it wasn’t actually Robin I had too much of a problem with. He was just about bland enough to be inoffensive, unlike his infinitely des-

TELEVISION@GAIRRHYDD.COM

Keith Allen: a cheap, rip-off

picable comedy sidekick, who comes across like a cheap rip-off of the fat hobbit from Lord Of The Rings... if he was in The Goonies.

And then there is Keith ‘my daughter’s shit’ Allen, as the Sheriff of Nottingham. The only good thing in the history of Robin Hood was Alan Rickman’s Sheriff, and Keith ‘Vindaloo was a rubbish song’ Allen is about as threatening as a misused spatula. The only thing that kept me holding on was the hope that, when she arrived on screen, Maid Maron would prove to be aesthetically pleasing enough to allow me to forget everything else. Needless to say I was let down. Two words: disappointing moose.

If that wasn’t enough, this week I got my first taste of the depressingly un-raunchy Hollyoaks In The City.

I couldn’t be bothered to keep track of the plot so I made up my own episode in my head, this is what happened: That dark haired guy who always looks puzzled was in the police station after being caught revealing himself to animals at the zoo. In the meantime the blonde girl who’s breasts seem to get bigger each time she is on screen, found some secret documents hidden under her pillow that reveal she is really just a proto-type, talking, inflatable sex doll developed for the army and

the knowledge of this makes her instantly implode. That Australian guy gets caught by the home office and gets packed off to Guantanamo Bay on dubious charges and the closet gay school teacher gets caught teaching kids about ‘water sports’ and gets fired. Out of a cannon.

Then I fell asleep.

Thankfully when I awoke World’s Most Amazing Videos 2 was on and everything was right with the world.

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