The Edit >> The Progession Issue

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PROGRESSION


contents 04 – 07 The Edit team / Contributors 08 – 11 NEWS Man Takes GTA too far Philippines conference makes an impact 12 – 16 FEATURES Progression in The Edit An Autumn Morning GCU has an empire state of mind A life as a childult 18 – 26 ARTS & CULTURE Filth premiere The progression of cinema The politics behind James Hunt A night out

27 – 37 MUSIC Interview with.... Sub Focus Gav Liz: a rapper reborn Radio Caley’s Accoustic Night Knock On Effect jumping to success 39 – 50 FASHION Online shopping made easier My ode to novelty knits CALEY CAMPUS STYLE 51 – 57 SPORTS “Money” Mayweather bails us out A champion to be proud of There’s hope for us yet 58 – 63 GALLERY

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Illustration: Magdalena Werner

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team & contributors

Editor

deputy Editor

pr manager

photo manager

Mandy Thomson

Phoebe Inglis-Holmes

Siobhan McDade

Christopher MacKay

mandy.thomson4319@gmail.com

phoebeinglisholmes@yahoo.com

smcdad12@caledonian.ac.uk

send2chrismac@gmail.com

section editors

news

features

arts & culture

music

fashion

sports

Caroline Armou

Hayley Parr

Rhiann Fowlds

Lorne Gilles

Katie O’Hara

Danyiall Qazi

carmou12@caledonian.ac.uk

hayley.parr@outlook.com

designer

designer

Magdalena Werner

Michael Long

magdawmail@gmail.com

rhiannfowlds@hotmail.co.uk

lornegillies@yahoo.co.uk

kohara15@caledonian.ac.uk

dqazi10@caledonian.ac.uk

mlongcreative@gmail.com

contributors Ryan Bounagui, Gemma Clark, Eden Thomson, Mark Donachie, Ellis Hawthorne, Holly Lennon, Kieran Thomas, Adam Hughes, Ross Crae, Alistair Bennett, Andy Skinner, Claire Swan, Martina Stefanova, Dalia Kvedaraite 03

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Editor’s letter Progression. A word full of hope, excitement and strength. As we welcome a new term we progress into the next chapter of our uni career, and think about what we hope to achieve. As the new team have taken over The Edit and this was my first issue as editor I feel extremely proud of the work that has went into it. With articles about new iPhone apps, up and coming bands and Scottish celebrities, this issue highlights that hard work and commitment can pay off in the long run. And could we ask for a better message as we get stuck into uni work after such a long amazing summer? This year we hope to continue to bring you a magazine full of student talent, and articles that you the student are interested in writing and reading. With more contributors than ever before, we are confident The Edit will continue it’s progress from last year. Winning the NUS Scotland award for Best Student Media in April was the best end to the academic term we could have hoped for, and now we are excited to see what we can achieve this year.

mandy the editor

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What changes would you like to see in the uni?

What are you saying?

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Andrew Russell, 18 I would like to see more parties organised in the student association once it gets its license, to make it feel like more of a place for nights out.

Ryan Rowe, 18

I would like to see a proper union or bar set up downstairs in the students association.

Stacey Sim, 22

I would like to make myself the head of the uni, and then I would change the exam timetable back to before Christmas.


The student loans are no longer means tested do you think this is a good or a bad thing?

Katherine Harris, 21 It’s good in the sense I have access to more money, but it’s bad because I was too tempted to take it all, and then I have more money to pay back. I’m already worrying about getting a better paid job when I graduate to pay it all back.

Martin Le Blond, 18

It’s a good thing, because it means my parents weren’t as involved in the process, so don’t know how much I’m borrowing. I was able to decide myself how much to borrow.

Steven Brown, 33

It’s good. I think people should have their own choices, as everyone is old enough to be responsible for their own money. However the bursary has been cut, and if it hadn’t been I wouldn’t have needed as big a loan.

Photography: Christopher MacKay

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Ne ws


Man Takes GTA Too Far By Gemma Clark

So you think you’re an extreme gamer? Think again. A man in Batton Rouge decided to take it upon himself to make his favourite video game a reality.

yours and drive through parked cars while accidentally kidnapping someone – don’t.

Zachary Bugess, 21, was arrested for recreating a scene from Grand Theft Auto. At approximately 2:30am he jumped into a truck that had been left running outside a bar not realising there was already a woman inside. Proceeding to smash the car into the many parked cars in the area in a bid to flee the scene he forcibly held the woman in the truck while causing thousands of dollars worth of damage. The woman was able to jump out of the window and Burgess was arrested. He was charged with “theft of a motor vehicle, nine counts of hit-and-run and simple kidnapping. His bond was set at $80,000”. His excuse? Well, word for word, here is what he told the police on the scene. “I wanted to see what it was really like to play the video game Grant Theft Auto.” Yes. Really. Next time you have an urge to jump into a car that isn’t

Photography: Christopher MacKay

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Philippines conference makes an impact By: Ryan Bounagui

A month after their fully funded visit to The Philippines ten GCU students are preparing to present to the university’s executive board, explaining what they gained from the experience and why other students should be given the chance to go on similar trips. Hosted by Humanitarian Affairs, a charity working to help the world’s poor, the 4th Annual Scholars Leadership Symposium was a week-long global student conference held in the country’s capital, Manila. The event enabled students from across the world to meet, network and discuss humanitarian and social issues. They also got to hear from several world-renowned humanitarian speakers and were given the chance to speak to them and ask questions. Organised and run through the Careers Service, ten GCU students from a range of academic courses and year groups were given the chance to 09

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make the trip to Manila. Nicholas Hamilton, a second year social sciences student, explained why he went: “I’ve always been a keen traveller and I’ve already done a fair bit of travelling around Asia. As well as that, humanitarianism is something I’m really interested in and when I heard about this trip and what it was all about I felt I just had to go.” Roisin Houghton, a fourth year physiotherapy student, expressed her gratitude to the university for making it all happen. “The Symposium was an incredible experience, one I’ll keep with me for the rest of my life, but I really do owe it all to the University for making it happen. It must have been really, really expensive to send us all the way over there for an event like the Symposium and for that I’m so, so grateful.”


Photography: Christopher MacKay

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fe at ur es


Progression in The Edit By Siobhan McDade

“Pro-gres-sion: the act of progressing; forward or onward movement”. And what better an example of the above than The Edit itself. Last year saw the magazine build on the foundations that its predecessors created: being a voice for students through informative articles, showcasing GCU’s talent through photography and having a brilliant creative design and layout. To move upwards and onwards the team knew we needed to make our own mark on the magazine and this saw the introduction of three new student friendly sections, illustrations and a new handy bag sized version of the magazine. The revamp paid off and The Edit kept moving up the ladder of success month by month and issue by issue. But before we ‘progress’ any further this year (and trust me the team have a lot of ideas!) lets reflect on The Edits top three moments from last year; 1. NUS Scotland Best Scottish Media Award. Of course number one has to be The Edits triumph at the NUS Scotland Awards this year. Humbled by even being shortlisted for the awards, it is safe to Photography: Siobhan McDade

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say Mandy and I were ecstatic when we heard the words “and the winner is…The Edit” boom to our table at the ceremony back in March. It was a great reward for the hard work and a symbol of the team’s progression that year. 2. T he Edit and Radio Caley Media Week We paired up with Radio Caley last year to bring you our annual Media Week, a week full of informative talks from some of the big players in the media industry. Seeing rooms filled with eager students, just waiting to be inspired, made the week a very successful one. 3. ‘?’ Issue Probably my favourite issue from last year, it gave free reign to all our contributors to decide themselves how they interpreted the theme and the variety of articles we got in was amazing…plus who can resist that cute panda on the front cover!

go go THE EDIT Team!

The list could go on and if you ask me again this time next year there will probably be another 10 to add to it. One thing is certain that progression only happens with hard work, which The Edit team is all about, so with that in mind who knows how far the 2013/14 Edit could go!

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Photography: NUS


An Autumn Morning By Eden Thomson

As I struggled to see vividly through the glass of the door, I turned the key and unlocked the view of my back garden. With morning condensation no longer in my way I could see, smell and hear the morning air. It has been a long time since I have seen my breath before me and looked closely at the melting frost on rooftops. It’s fantastic. I love it. The sun is peaking through golden trees and air is nipping my face gently. The dew on long blades of grass dripping away carelessly and there is not much sound to be heard apart from the wakening of birds from their sleep.. so peaceful. It is a truly magical time of year, for this is the first glimpse of Autumn. The hope of one who has endured enough Summer and who longs for a taste of cosy Winter nights and oh so fresh mornings like the one I witnessed is blooming. When not rushed, morning is my favourite time of the day.. without a doubt. It’s fresh, clean and promising. The start of the daily routine where no mistakes have had a chance to wake up and the exciting prospect of what lies ahead.. a blank canvas if you will. It’s funny how such simple experiences can alter your look on the world for just a moment and how the changing of seasons can release new life as another chapter in time is starting to begin…

Illustration: Magdalena Werner

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GCU has an empire state of mind By Hayley Parr

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Over 3,000 miles away from the home campus of GCU lays a new base for the University in no other than New York City. No stranger to setting trends GCU is the first British University to open a base in the big apple- a city considered the most cultural and metropolitan in the world. Students will now have the chance to study, live and be inspired in the global power city at the heart of business, technology, fashion, art and more. The campus will stand in the upmarket Lower Manhattan area of SoHo among the homes of many artist’s lofts, art galleries, designer boutiques and prestigious NYU buildings. Plans for the NYC campus were unveiled at a reception hosted by GCU’s Chancellor, Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus on September 26. Known globally for his pioneering world in micro-lending and alleviating world poverty Chancellor Yunus announced the arrival of GCU New York to around 250 people at a reception in the Stephan Weiss Studio. Some of the key figures who attended the launch included UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister with responsibility for North America, Mr Alistair Burt, and DR Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and an honorary graduate of GCU. Alistair Burt said: "I am honoured to share in the excitement of launching Glasgow Caledonian University’s new campus. The campus will initially offer a range of non-credit and non-degree related executive education programmes and master-classes in fashion business, luxury brand management, and

Photography: GCU Press Office

finance and risk management. GCU New York will offer a variety of postgraduate programmes also. GCU New York is the university’s second satellite campus. It joins its London campus that opened in 2010, which in three years reached its maximum capacity. The Principal and Vice-Chancellor of GCU, Professor Pamela Gillies CBE, said: “GCU New York will provide an important opportunity for us to work with new academic and business partners; will significantly raise our international profile; and will offer valuable exchange opportunities to students and staff on both sides of the Atlantic.”

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Life as a childult By Rhiann Fowlds

When can we define ourselves as adults? I’m nineteen. I am legally old enough to drink, smoke, have sex, get married, buy a candle that is also a sparkler… yet I’m still trying to discover when I made the progression from being a teenager to being an adult, or in fact if I’ve even made it yet. While I definitely feel that I am mature enough to class myself as an adult I have always had education to protect me from the ‘real world’.

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When can we define ourselves as adults? I’m nineteen. I am legally old enough to drink, smoke, have sex, get married, buy a candle that is also a sparkler… yet I’m still trying to discover when I made the progression from being a teenager to being an adult, or in fact if I’ve even made it yet. While I definitely feel that I am mature enough to class myself as an adult I have always had education to protect me from the ‘real world’. While university doesn’t offer you the same amount of ‘protection’ as primary school and high school the financial aid of SAAS helps me pay my tuition fees, rent and other necessities. One thing I would say is that I’m not sure if I’m ready, or even want to be an adult yet. Although it’s a semi-crime to quote this, Britney Spears did once sing: “I’m not a girl, not yet a woman.” And that’s exactly how I feel, and I’m sure many others do too. Many of us spent the majority of our childhood wishing we were older. We spend so much time wishing our childhood away. We want to look older, do things that older people do and we have all lied about our age at one point in time.

Photography: Mark_Donachie

Yes we have bought chocolate cigarettes, lied to nightclub bouncers and plastered make up on our faces and ended up resembling coco the clown but I must ask, do we actually want to enter adulthood, or do we just think we do? For me adulthood seems to represent a point in which you can never turn back. You can always grow up and become more mature but you only get to do this whole ‘being young’ thing once. After all we are longer adults than children. Yet as the days of my teenage years dwindle away I am beginning to accept that my childhood is well and truly behind me - as resentful as I am about it. I don’t want to sound too negative about it though. While I remain at university I still have the best of both worlds. And the ‘real world’ can’t be so bad – can it? I suppose I will find out soon enough, but for now I will continue to live life as a childult. Urban Dictionary definition of a childult: A person who possesses the qualities of a child and an adult and is between the ages of 18 and 30 years old.

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Arts and Cult ure


Filth premiere by Ellis Hawthorne

The premiere of the unshy about that when I read it. ignorable, in-imitable and But when it actually came to do outrageous FILTH came to it, it felt horrible, just absolutely Glasgow’s Cineworld on 24th horrible.” September. The adaptation of To get in to character, McAvoy the Irvine Welsh novel sees said: “I drank a lot of whisky, I Drumchapel born James McAvoy was going through about half a starring alongside other Scottish bottle a night just to make me greats such as Gary Lewis (Billy feel hungover. And also whisky Elliot) and Shirley Henderson makes me quite angry so it was (Trainspotting). very useful.” The clue is in the name with Being from the same writer as FILTH as it follows alcoholic, Trainspotting means there will bigoted, bipolar cop Bruce undoubtedly be comparisons Robertson trying to earn a in style and in success. McAvoy promotion and win back his spoke about its likelihood to estranged wife and daughter. reach the same iconic heights as The film is hallucinogenic and its sister film: raw throughout with some truly “They are very different films. uncomfortable scenes. That was a film about youth I asked James McAvoy what was and this is a film about adults. the most skin curling scene to That was a film about forgetting film: naivety and this is a film I don’t “Making a fifteen-year-old girl think you can forget. But in give me a b*** **b, she wasn’t terms of quality and audience fifteen but she looked fifteen. reaction? Yeah I think I’m not shy about anything I had it can.” to do in this film and I wasn’t 19

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I spoke to acclaimed grit novelist Irvine Welsh about his plans for Trainspotting’s sequel novel PORNO being adapted next: “The next stage is to get a really good script. Everyone wants to get back together but the decider is always going to be the script. You wont get people back working just because they like each others faces.” “I always think that a sequel should actually be better than the original so it’s a very tall order to follow.” Welsh is pleased with the outcome of FILTH: “It’s what we’ve been waiting for in this country for a long long time. It’s deep, challenging and there are a lot of layers to it but it has a lot of mainstream entertainment in it too.” FILTH trips into cinemas in Scotland on the 27th of September.


Photography: Holly Lennon

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The progressio cinema: from c superheroes By Adam Hughes

Growing up with a father who was obsessed with Western films, I’m no stranger to the gun-slinging adventures of Jon Wayne. During the 60s and 70s these films were a very popular choice for movie studios, you couldn’t go to a cinema without there being a new cowboy film playing. It seems that today the case is the same with superhero films. Now, growing up as a boy obsessed with somehow obtaining the ability to fly or move an object with just my mind or cling to walls, I’m definitely no stranger to the masked vigilantes either. It looks like they are poised to become the next big thing in cinema; you could say they already are. Marvel has their own studio, which has allowed them to turn their perhaps most famous team: The Avengers into their most successful film yet. DC Comics have just released their Superman reboot Man of Steel, which was incredibly successful, however not as successful as the Dark Knight Trilogy both of which were headed by Christopher Nolan, who has been hailed as ‘The Godfather of DC’. Back in the day, kids would run down to their local cinema with a tuppence in hand to see what new adventure pitted the cowboys against the Indians.

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These days, kids don’t so much run down themselves but rather have their parents drive them to the cinema, with a credit card in hand in order to get their tickets and snacks to see the superheroes pitted against the super-villains. Although there are a few superhero movies scattered throughout the past few decades, going back to 1978 including Superman (incredibly successful at the time) and of course many batman movies, it was probably during the 90s that things really started to pick up. Not only were there a few more batman films but James Cameron was also working on his very own Spider-man film, which never came to fruition. In 2001 Spider-man got his big debut, as did the X-Men, and things kicked off for Marvel on the big screen. It could be that in 20-30 years my children will be sitting through their 100th run of Batman begins. Who am I kidding? That’s exactly what will be happening. Regardless, if you’re not a fan of the caped-crusader, prepare for a difficult decade.


on of cowboys to

Illustration: Magdalena Werner

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the politics behind James Hunt By Kieran Thomas

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James Hunt, a playboy, a world champion, a warning. The rivalry between British playboy James Hunt and Austrian realist Niki Lauda in the 1976 Formula 1 season is one of sport’s greatest stories. Last week Ron Howard’s interpretation of this story was released as the film Rush. James Hunt the heavy drinking, smoking and partying playboy is a personal hero of mine but watching Rush I felt a sense of uneasiness admiring such a man. The film concludes with Lauda commenting that he was not surprised when he heard the news of his death at the age of 44. He said it, not with sadness or pity as you might expect, but with condescension. Luada bears the mark of the one day he acted as recklessly as Hunt in the form of severe burns to his face from a crash during the 1976 season and I think he learned something about men like James Hunt that day. It was pondering this idea of what made Lauda speak of Hunt’s early death with a sense of vindication when I read about the recent reelection of German chancellor Angela Merkel and I realised something... It’s our culture to admire men like Hunt and that’s exactly why the Germans have become such a dominant power in Europe.

Photography: Christopher MacKay

We British, even with our sophisticated reputation, love mavericks, simply look at the huge popularity of Boris Johnson despite the hatred of his political party. The German people value results and effectiveness over charisma and charm in their politicians. The British, Italians and basically the rest of the EU however prefer a charismatic leader making bold promises of a glorious future. However, the countries who admire men such as Boris Johnson and Silvio Berlusconi are all in financial and political crisis with high youth unemployment. What I think Lauda learnt as he sat in a burning car moments away from death is that in life, being truly successful, you can’t rely on good looks or charm you can only count on being ruthless, efficient and effective. I think as a nation we need to change how we view politics, not dismissing effective politicians simply because they are uncharismatic. We should learn the lesson from Blair and Thatcher that Lauda learned from the flames, because at the moment, like Hunt when he died, Britain feels over-thehill, bankrupt, alone and that’s it’s heart might give out at any moment.

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A night out

I can feel the repetitive music going through my veins, straight to my brain and disarming it. My heart’s not working either. And something gets to me. I go straight to the middle of the dance floor, suddenly forgetting all the people around me, shooing off my shyness. And I start dancing, eyes closed, and hands in the air. I know he is watching me. I can feel his eyes piercing my back, then my bare neck, and my hair, after I released it from my grip. I can feel another pair of hands, male hands; but not his. I turn around and see a stranger. I don't want him to touch me, so I tell him to back off. He doesn't. And then someone is standing beside me. It’s him.

We stop at the corner of the street. I can barely breathe, but I hear myself laugh. My hand hurts, my hair is all over my face. That was not at all how I wanted this night to end. It was like he reads my mind. - You know, it doesn’t have to end. I look at him, encouraging him to continue.

-Hey, leave her alone.

- You want some ice cream?

The stranger just laughs; a terrible sound I never want to hear again.

- Where are we getting ice cream at 3 in the morning?

- You don't have to… - Oh, I do. But then a hairy, sweaty hand holds mine, my legs are getting weaker, as the stranger tries to drag me in his direction. - Hey!!! I turn towards him and mouth "Run". Then, with all my strength, I punch the stranger in the face. And we run. 25

Marty Stefanova

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- I know a place. - is all he says. And we eat ice cream. Then we walk home, even though he lives an hour away in the opposite direction. And then we stand in front of my door. I still don’t want it to end. He reads my mind again, but doesn’t say a word. He just sits on the stairs and taps the ground for me to join him. And we just stand there, watching the sky change its colours, and the street come back to life. My hand doesn’t hurt anymore; because he is holding it. We say nothing. And it feels good.


mu sic


Interview with… Sub Focus By: Gemma Clark

What do you do after spending five years becoming the hottest wire on the Electronic music scene? You go underground and blast their speakers for five more and return to show the new kids how the pros put on a real light show. The new single from Sub Focus, ‘Turn It Around feat. Kele Okereke’ (Bloc Party) was released on September 23. The collaboration with DJ and Dance producer Nick Douwma was one of his favourites so far in his return to the main stage, he explained.

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“This one was really exciting for me. I’d been a big fan for years and his voice is super emotive so it sounds great on the track.” Elements of house, dub step, electronica and modern dance synth sounds reflect where he is at musically, getting back to the undefined roots of where dance music came from. Stripping back the set to use only modern kit, sound pads and motion activated, custom built synth machines, he puts on a visually arresting show, keeping it old school without a live drummer or vocalist, as is becoming the norm. All this, rather than distracting the audience with gimmicks. No stranger to festivals he has headlined the Dance music stages several times for the BBC, as well as taking the top slot three times at Glastonbury this year. Festivals, he says, have a huge appeal to him but there are a few particularly special ones.

took the top spot on the dance stage at Reading and Leeds. Being another favourite location for its deeper connection to the fans, this was a summer highlight and gave him a chance to warm up ahead of his 10 stop October tour, ending at the O2 in Glasgow on the 29. Now you might think that with all his newfangled, high tech gadgets, he would have something of an inflated ego. But the Guildford lad remains modest about the shows complexity. Laughing he says “Well I wouldn’t say I’m more skilled than anyone else out there, not at all. But I am proud of how we’re breaking new ground in terms of instruments. I guess it’s technically a lot more challenging than what a lot of people are doing right now.” The single ‘Turn It Around’ is out now and the new album ‘Torus’ is available on September 30.

“I love a festival that has a bit more to it than just the music,” he admits, “Bestival is definitely like that. It’s about the people and what they care about as much as it is the artists. I played on a smaller stage there [Bestival] a few years ago and we played right the way through til sunrise… It was incredible!” Not content with his upcoming tour Sub Focus

Photography: Christopher MacKay

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Gav Livz : A Rapper Reborn By: Ross Crae

Gavin Livingston, a.k.a Glaswegian rapper Gav Livz, has returned from a five year hiatus with bold intentions – he wants to hit the charts. Armed with a natural entrepreneurial spark and a new repertoire of self-taught business skills, he feels he is ready to take his musical career to the next level with his new independent hip-hop label ‘Scheme to a Dream’. He explains: “In the charts there is a Scottish producer in Calvin Harris, a Scottish rock band in Biffy Clyro and a Scottish singer in Emeli Sandé. Where’s the Scottish rapper? “The first thing I decided to do was to go down south and see if they’d ever even heard of a Scottish rapper – they hadn’t and I figured I needed to help contribute to change that.” The release of his Gav Still Livz Vol.2 mixtape on September 13th and his music video ‘Bucky Bottle’ a fortnight earlier are just 31

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the first tastes of what is to come from the rapper described as “the Rabbie Burns of hip-hop.” Playing up to the stereotypes of Glasgow neds, the ‘Bucky Bottle’ video is certainly eye-catching. With over 16,000 views on YouTube since its release, the daring but hilarious video is set to go viral. “I’m very proud of the video,” Gav says. “I played four different parts; a policeman, a wee ned and another wee fat ned as well as myself. I suppose I used to live that life when I was younger!” Gav may admit to the video being a play on his past life, but his slick and meticulously planned re-launch shows that he has come a long way since then. Read the full interview on The Edit blog. Gav Still Livz Vol. 2 is available as a free download from www.gavlivz.com & “Bucky Bottle” can be viewed on YouTube.


Photographs: Stuart Campbell The Edit

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Radio Caley’s Acoustic night By Mandy Thomson

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Photography: Mandy Thomson

Week one of the term got off to a great start with Radio Caley’s annual intimate, full-of-talent Accoustic Night. The annual fresher’s event showcased the talents of five local acoustic artists: Steffi Rollo, William Freeman, Matt Scott, Erin Todd and Matt Homely in GCU’s Student Association building. The young acts arrived at the venue before the gig for a quick interview with The Edit before they took to the stage. All genuine and happy to be part of GCU’s fresher’s event, the musicians told us about their successes so far, and why they were keen to be a part of the night. 18 year old Steffi Rollo, with a background of musical theatre, got the evening off to a good start with a cover of her role model, Taylor Swift’s Fearless. Steffi said when she started she wanted, just like Taylor, to be able to play her own instrument and write her own songs. She said she ‘could sing before she could talk, and dance before she could walk, so she was always going to be in music, there was nothing else’. William Freeman, from the Channel Islands, plays with his friend Colin, said he is most influenced by Lucy Rose and Coldplay’s first album, among other acoustic artists. Originally created at school, the band have come a long way and are now available on iTunes. South African born Matt Homely is a busker the Radio Caley team approached whilst he was singing on the street in Glasgow, in the hope he would sing at their event. The down to earth singer said he loved the community atmosphere around GCU, and wanted to play to share his music with as many people as possible. He told us the first time he went busking he didn’t know if he could get past the nerves, well, you would never know, his performance was great, and everyone was singing along. Matt Scott, described himself as a mix of blues and folk, and Americana. An ex GCU student, he was pleased to be back to play for the first time at Caley, not being a fresher and just to enjoy the music. He said it was ‘refreshing’ to be able to play his music at

an intimate acoustic event, and not be worried about being blown out the water by louder bands. Erin Todd gave us an insightful look into women in the music industry, and said it’s important to be clear about who you are and what you believe in musically, instead of your image. She is in the middle of writing and recording her album at the moment, and we can’t wait to hear it. Highlights of the night were Steffi Rollo’s renditio of Imagine Dragons ‘It’s Time’ and Matt Homely’s cover of Passenger ‘Let Go’. These two acts played a similar style of music that was heart felt, honest and a joy to watch and listen to. William Freeman’s band was more electric and alternative sounding, which gave a more lively atmosphere to the gig. Matt Scott and Erin Todd were the last two acts to play to a busy audience of students, providing them with cool, creative music before they headed out whatever fresher’s event they were headed to next. To see live videos of the performances and to find out about future events go to www.radiocaley.com. The Edit

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Knock On Effect is taking the music scene by storm after the release of their first EP Jump the Gun. Sitting in a small Gourock pub three fifths of indie rock band, Knock On Effect is waiting to get interviewed. Not long after the release of Jump the Gun and a knock out performance in Glasgow’s iconic King Tuts Wah Wah Hut, where the godfathers of indie rock, Oasis, were first signed after a gig, the band are making their way to a bright future. Knock On Effect formed in 2011 after the boys met at school, parties and football with each member doing their own thing – singer Mick McLennan and guitarist Scott Lever working together, guitarist and vocalist Scott Beaton having individual success before joining, bassist Liam Bryce had never played bass in front of anyone, and drummer David Hughes was in another band. The five piece decided to join forces – one practice session created Knock On Effect who secured their first gig one week later. Scott Lever recalls that: “[they] just started jamming and it all came together”. Their most recent four track release Jump the Gun, aptly named after the bands tendency to get things done quickly, has three original songs that were played during their first practice even if they “sound a lot different now”, recalls bassist Liam, the EP draws on musical influences from bands including Stone Roses and Dundee kids The View, mixed in with the talent and own musical twist of Knock On Effect. As an unsigned band Jump the Gun was recorded using savings and in a bid for perfection was recorded twice. Scott Beaton said: “We can’t afford to go recording again” when asked if an album is next on the cards, “we recorded the EP twice. The first time we didn’t like it so we scrapped it and went to record it again.”

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The attention to detail can be heard on the EP, and their progression since forming is evident through their song writing and performances. The five piece are not only ambitious and strive to be the best they can be but have learned to work well together. Liam said: “We’re a better live band and our songs are getting better, more complicated and advanced.” Songs are inspired by wild nights out, friends and daily experiences, making the EP an honest reflection of the band and, although the demos are something the boys would like to forget, it is obvious in the music that as a band they work well together to make memorable music with the talent that runs through the boys – even if some of the songs have no meaning at all. Scott Beaton laughing said: “Words Were Weapons’, it’s quite funny because it doesn’t mean anything to me at all…when you see people singing along you’re like ‘this doesn’t mean anything to me so I dunno what it means to you’. Playing King Tuts has spurred the boys on to attempt to organise more gigs for an EP tour around Scotland’s music scene but the dream of performing to a sold out Wembley crowed is one the band all share, with no hesitation when asked if they would give up their daily routines to be able to perform their music worldwide for a living. Scott Lever said: “Even the guys in King Tuts said it was the rowdiest crowed they had seen in a long while. Hopefully they’ll have us back.”


Knock On effect jumping to success

Words: Lorne Gillies

Photography: Caroline Armour The Edit

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fa sh ion


Online Shopping

Made Easier by Katie O'Hara

Having a smart phone and access to online banking means you can feed your spending addiction at any given time, without having to even venture outdoors. But with so much more to sift through, it can be easy to find yourself overwhelmed at the sheer amount of options available, and not all of it to your style. Thankfully, online shopping is about to be made easier. Mallzee, a new fashion-savvy app, launched on September 13th and is set to reform the way we online shop.

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of tabs open on his computer. He says: “The internet has got bigger and we’ve never had this level of choice before but it can be overpowering. Mallzee helps you discover great clothes from your favourite stores with a swipe of your finger. It’s like having a personal stylist in your pocket.”

Users of the app can choose over 200 stores that include major retailers such as ASOS, Topman, Urban Outfitters, Forever 21, French Connection, Boohoo, Miss Selfridge, Oasis and many more.

Mallzee uses a unique recommendation engine that finds clothes suited to your personal style and not just specific style criteria. The engine will also record your fashion taste, enabling your favourite clothes to come directly at you, without having to spend hours searching.

Mallzee’s 25-year-old Edinburghbased founder Cally Russell was inspired to launch the app after trying to buy clothing online and struggling to find something he liked, despite having countless pages

The smart phone app came out on the 13th September, and with the full iPad version becoming available later this year, it’s time we can all indulge in some stress-free retail therapy.


Mallzee, a new fashion-savvy app, launched on September 13th and is set to reform the way we online shop.

Photography: Mallzee

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My Ode To Novelty Knits by Katie O’Hara

Autumn. Trees are getting golden. Nights are getting darker. The air is getting crisper. And it’s finally socially acceptable for me to indulge in my biggest guilty pleasure: the novelty knit. Whether it’s my gran’s hand me downs, vintage shop finds, or a TopShop number, I love jumpers of all shapes and sizes. While many may mourn the end of the sunshine, summer dresses, sandals and sunglasses, I can’t wait to be reunited with my fluffy friends. There was once a time where huge, chunky, patterned knits were reserved for your gran or crazed cat spinsters, but now they can be found on every high street store, parading down catwalks and adorned by bloggers, fashionistas and celebrities.

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Comfy and practical (ideal wear for hangovers, or cold lecture halls); the novelty knit is a staple piece for any student’s wardrobe. So if you’re a cat-lady or horselover, an owl admirer or a dog worshipper, you’ll be able to find the perfect jumper for you. If you’re struggling to find your favourite member of the animal kingdom in knit-form, then I recommend checking out Joy the Store, New Look or the H! by Henry Holland collection at Debenhams for the best selection of cosy knitwear. Or, if you’re fancying something more unique then head to the vintage stores of Great Western Road, or get raiding your gran’s wardrobe now!

if you’re a cat-lady or horselover, an owl admirer or a dog worshipper, you’ll be able to find the perfect jumper for you.


Photography: Christopher MacKay

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C a l e y C a m p us S t y l e A selection of Caledonian's most stylish students ' welcome to Campus Style ! Be sure to look out for The Edit team as they snap pictures of the most fashion forward outfits and you too can be featured in the next issue! Photography: Christopher MacKay

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What are you wearing?

jacket t-shirt jeans shoes

scavenged from parents’ loft GAP H&M River Island

Calum Morton 3rd year Media and Communications

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jacket dress shoes bag

Ellis McLaren 1st year International Fashion Branding

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zara american apparell asos River Island


What are you wearing?

jacket top trousers shoes

sisley top man zara h&m

Jacopo Gratti 3rd year International Fashion Branding

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jacket dress shoes

Yajun Deng Master MA in Multimedia Journalism

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topshop clothes shop in whitby quiz


What are you wearing?

jeans top shoes bracelet watch

topshop h&m primark nicole frame skagen

Amy Russell Interior Design

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What are you wearing?

dress, jacket and shoes bag

Heather Lower Nursing

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topshop h&m


Sp ort


‘Money’ Mayweather Bails Us Out by Daniyall Qazi

Just a few years ago not even the most ardent boxing fans among us could claim that the sport was in anything but a downward spiral in terms of relevancy and competition. There didn’t seem to be many big names left in the sport who weren’t called Mayweather or Pacquiao, and what few others there were did not seem interested in fighting anyone who actually stood a chance of beating them. Despite that fact, the blame for the drop off in interest in boxing worldwide could arguably be placed on the shoulders of its two finest, then at least,

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practitioners, Mayweather and Pacquiao. Almost anyone with even a fleeting interest in the sweet science will no doubt remember when the two very best boxers in the world, who also happened to have the biggest following in the sport, couldn’t come together to make a fight that would have undoubtedly generated more money than any other fight in history. Months of speculation went by, with talk of profit that could have benefitted fighters to the tune of tens of millions of dollars, and yet, now years later, that fight still hasn’t taken place.

Neither fighter seemed to want to face the risk of losing and neither promoter was willing to let their cash cow die. What happens when fans begin to think that the competitors care more about the money than the sport? They stop caring. Years passed, Manny Pacquiao was knocked out, losing his last two fights in a row, and Floyd Mayweather was sent to jail on domestic abuse charges. Fewer and fewer stars began to emerge in the sport and interest continued to wane. There were some fighters though who weren’t afraid to put on the


biggest and best fights they could make and you could arguably say that UK fighters were chief among these.

for one night, when Mayweather took on Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in what was unquestionably the biggest fight that could be made in boxing.

then that the show broke payper-view records? It’s still too early to tell whether this fight card will rub off on the rest of the sport, but surely with so much interest and money being generated by this event, fighters and promoters will have to take notice?

The name that clearly stands out is Nottingham’s Carl Froch who has fought a gauntlet of the very best fighters in his division and continues to do so even as his career winds down.

Not only did those two stars meet on the 14th of September, but so too did light welterweight kings Danny Garcia and Lucas Matthyse.

Fighters like Froch gave fans hope that one day the best fighting the best would once again become the norm in the sport rather than a surprise akin to finding money on the street.

Last month’s night of boxing was made special not just by the quality of the fights, but by the precedent it looked to set by having the very best come together against one another.

One interesting bit of news that has come out of the aftermath of the fights has been the rumour of a possible next opponent for Floyd Mayweather after he picked up his win over Canelo: Manny Pacquiao.

Then last month that hope was finally fulfilled, even if it was just

These are the types of fights fans want to see and is it any wonder

It couldn’t possibly happen... could it?

Photography: Christopher MacKay

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A Chapion To Be proud Of by Alistair Bennett 52 The Edit

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o

Ricky Burns is the ultimate Scottish sporting success story. While it was always clear that Andy Murray was going to be an elite tennis player, Burns’ route to glory was more unpredictable. Boxing world champions often quickly rise through the ranks and see off the domestic competition with little fuss, but it took a while for the Coatbridge boxer to establish himself at that level. He was defeated twice when he stepped up to fight for the British super-featherweight title and it looked as if the story had already been written about him – he was a good domestic level boxer who was unable to make the step up. However, Burns kept working hard with his trainer Billy Nelson and put together a 13 fight winning streak, capturing the Commonwealth title in the process, earning a world title shot, against the highlytouted WBO champ Roman Martinez. He got knocked down in the first round in front of a hometown crowd at the Kelvinhall in Glasgow. But that still wouldn’t stop Burns. That wouldn’t be the full stop at the end of his story. He rallied and dominated Martinez for the rest of the fight, winning a unanimous decision to win the World title. It was an outstanding achievement but he didn’t stop there.

He successfully defended his super-featherweight title on three occasions before moving up to lightweight and attempting to become one of Britain’s few twoweight World Champions. He was a slight underdog against Michael Katsidis but he won the title in front of a deafening Glasgow crowd and cemented his place as a Scottish sporting hero. In his most recent fight though, a very tricky title defence against Raymundo Beltran had most spectators wondering if he had actually deserved to draw that he did, to retain his title. In fact, it turned out that Burns had broken his jaw early in the fight but still managed to battle through 12 tough rounds, putting his heart on display, even if not his best performance. That doesn’t make his achievements any less spectacular though. Burns is the ultimate Scottish sporting success story as he proved that hard work and dedication can take a fighter from relative obscurity to the World Championship.

Photography: Christopher MacKay

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There’s hope for us yet by Andy Skinner


Dignity is an important sensation in any workplace. Confidence can be the difference between a task being delivered efficiently or otherwise. Scotland manager Gordon Strachan inherited a side grossly bereft of such a feeling in January. The Scots sat bottom of their World Cup qualifying group when Craig Levein was removed from his post last November, having lost away to Wales and Belgium, and drawing at home to Serbia and Macedonia in games where victory was considered crucial. It was clear that in new boss Strachan’s first two games in charge following his appointment after the turn of the year – the return legs against the Welsh and the Serbians – confidence was particularly low. Scotland lost both games to become the first among the 53 European nations to be mathematically ruled out of qualification for next year’s FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The sinking ship had hit extinction, and at the hands of Strachan despite him having no control over what had been damaged before him. In August though, thousands of Scots made the trip to London to watch their side’s first game against England since 1999. There was no justifiable way of calling a clash with the “Auld Enemy” a friendly, given what it meant for the supporters to travel home with pride and dignity still intact. A heavy defeat would have left them distraught. Scotland twice took the lead at Wembley, showing the admirable type of character, belief and battling spirit that personifies Scotland teams in the eyes of their fans. Although eventually going on to lose the game 3-2 to the English, there was a widely-held consensus that it would have been much worse had the game happened twelve months beforehand, given the progression made since the previous regime.

Photography: Michael Long

Scotland went down fighting, having given it their best shot. Even though Scottish qualification for the World Cup has been impossible for several months, there is a growing sense of expectation upon the approach to inconsequential group fixtures still to be played. There is a demand for Scotland to abolish the notion they are merely fulfilling “meaningless” games, and true enough there has been a noticeable movement away from that initial fear. Victories away from home against Croatia – ranked fourth in the world – and Macedonia, have demonstrated the kind of dignity Scotland have been craving on the pitch in years gone by. Furthermore, positive results will continue to do wonders for the team’s self-belief. That applies whether three points are at stake, or it’s a friendly worth none. Regardless of whether the game is against England or against San Marino, dignity must always underpin the emotion felt beneath that Lion Rampant. So maybe, just maybe, with a renewed sense of confidence, Scotland might just find itself back on the biggest stage in the world come Russia 2018.

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Dalia Kvedaraite

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Michael Long

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Claire Lesley Swan-Liddell

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