LeftLion January 2024 Issue 167

#167 January 2023

leftlion.co.uk/issue167 1

Credits

Featured Contributor

HustALer Alan Gilby (alan.gilby@leftlion.co.uk)

Editor-in-Chief Jared Wilson (jared.wilson@leftlion.co.uk)

Editor Sophie Gargett (sophie.gargett@leftlion.co.uk)

Assistant Editor Gemma Cockrell (gemma.cockrell@leftlion. co.uk)

Head Designer Natalie Owen (natalie.owen@leftlion.co.uk)

Web Developer Tom Errington (tom.errington@leftlion.co.uk)

Partnerships Manager Adam Pickering (adam.pickering@leftlion.co.uk)

Partnerships Assistant Lottie Murray (lottie.murray@leftlion.co.uk)

Fashion Editor Addie Kenogbon (fashion@leftlion.co.uk)

Akhila Thomas Originally from Bangalore, Akhila arrived in Nottingham in September 2022 to pursue her second master’s degree (yes, you read that correctly!). As part of last year’s magazine journalism cohort at Nottingham Trent University, she met our current assistant editor Gemma, and a close friendship blossomed throughout the year that they studied together.

During this time, Akhila was an avid reader of the LeftLion, and since interning with us throughout the summer of 2023, she has become a regular contributor. Based around her passion for travelling, photography, art and fashion, Akhila’s writing is inspired by exploring new cultures. From a brilliant interview with New Art Exchange’s Saad Eddine Said to chatting to Blue Monkey Brewery about their fifteenth anniversary, Akhila is a writer who can cover much ground.

This month, she chatted to Sugar Stealers, which you can find on page 22.

Stage Co-Editor Ian C. Douglas (ian@leftlion.co.uk)

Stage Co-Editor Dom Henry (dom.henry@leftlion.co.uk)

@akhilathomas99

Screen Co-Editor George White (george.white@leftlion.co.uk)

Supporters Screen Co-Editor Oliver Parker (oliver.parker@leftlion.co.uk)

Music Editor Maddie Dinnage (music@leftlion.co.uk)

Food Editor Julia Head (food@leftlion.co.uk)

Photography Co-Editor Fabrice Gagos (fabrice.gagos@leftlion.co.uk)

Photography Co-Editor Nathan Langman (nathan.langman@leftlion.co.uk)

Art Editor George Dunbar (art@leftlion.co.uk)

Literature Editor Andrew Tucker (literature@leftlion.co.uk)

Environment Editor Eleanor Flowerday (environment@leftlion.co.uk)

Distribution Dom Martinovs

Cover Louis Cypher Community Editor Rose Mason Writers Ali Bonsai Akhila Thomas Amelia Brookes Anthony ‘Pij Bass’ Robinson Bassey Beth Green Chloe Rodgers Dani Bacon

Finbar Ansbe Jay Sandhu Jack Wolff Jimi Arundell Lil Percoskett Louis Cypher Nadia Whittome Rachel Imms Sofia Jones Will Robinson Zach McCarthy Photographers Charlotte Reid Emma Ford

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Contents 16

23

36

Mixed Mediums We spoke to five Nottingham musicians and artists to see hear about their creative inspirations and struggles

Literary Canon Released in three separate parts, Cappo’s latest album Canon represents a leap forward in the maturity of his lyrical Hip Hop music

Gratitude Guardians Hidden in the cracks of walls, nestled in bushes, and sat on park benches, Gratitude Guardians are the benevolent creation of one Sherwood artist

12

Can You Hack It? Tucked away behind Sneinton Market in a Victorian factory building, Hackspace is a place for anyone who fancies trying their hand at making weird and wonderful things

28

Soaring High Since JT Soar stopped storing fruit and veg and started welcoming bands as a music venue almost fifteen years ago, it has maintained its DIY sentiment while growing in popularity

15

Jamming Out Ricky Jamaraz is only sixteen years old, still attends school, and makes all of his music from his very own childhood bedroom

30

22

Stealing the Scene Tucked away on the top floor of Fishergate Point Studios, with a curious name and doing fascinating work, is Sugar Stealers - a creative group powered by four women

Twilight Story Time We spoke to local filmmaker and producer Russell Noon who created Twilight Story Time, which combines animation, illustration and original stories for children

33

Sharing the Love I Don't Want To Share Your Love is the newest release from Nottingham-based A9 Films and we spoke to screenwriter and director, Alfie Rowley-Stone, all about it

34

Field of Dreams The Field, Strelley is a re-wilding project run by Rache Gravett and Keith Harrison, environmental advocates and the previous owners of Nottingham Climbing Centre

37

Blue Things After graduating with a degree in fine art from Loughborough University, artist Harry Mayston went on to have his work exhibited in Surface Gallery’s recent exhibition Vessel

25 27

Join The Party Director Aaron Trinder tells us all about Free Party: A Folk History, a documentary featuring Nottingham’s very own DiY Soundsystem crew An Outreach Worker in Notts Formed in 2001, Framework is an organisation supporting vulnerable people, with housing support, job hunting, mental health, and recovery services

Editorial

Leftlion in the wild Happy New Year to all of you lovely readers and welcome to January, arguably the most dismal month of the year, but never fear - we’ve got another issue of Notts related art, events, and other hijinks for you. This month we’ve delved into some of the grassroots creatives and collectives in our fine city, celebrating the DIY attitude that gets things off the ground and inspiring our world.

pages 16-18. As funding for the arts dwindles and schools are forced to cut creative classes, the slogan from American women's suffrage activist Helen Todd comes to mind: 'Bread for all, and roses, too'. Art, music and creativity provide opportunities to explore and celebrate being human, rather than merely working to survive, and they should be protected and valued as much as any other industry.

Check out Hackspace, Sneinton’s haven for inventors and makers on page 12, read about the history of Nottingham’s free party scene in the nineties in an interview with filmmaker Aaron Trinder on page 25, and on page 15 hear how Ricky Jamaraz, a sixteen-year-old Wollaton lad has amassed 5.4 million streams from music made in his bedroom.

I am also thoroughly of the belief that humans should integrate hibernation into our yearly calendar. As this month of long nights trudges on, perhaps you will be inspired to fill your evenings with dabbling creatively, making something for the love of making, and bringing your ideas into existence. Who knows what they might become or where your creativity will take you in 2024.

I have been having lots of conversations about creativity this month, spurred from chats with MC/artist Louis Cypher, who designed this month’s cover and has interviewed several people about working in both music and visual art on

Sophie Gargett

@handmadenotts A fresh delivery of LeftLion Tag us on Instagram @leftlionmagazine to feature in a future issue

LeftLion Ltd is a carbon neutral company, having reduced our direct emissions by 99% since 2018. We offset the rest via direct air capture from Climeworks. LeftLion Magazine is fully recyclable and compostable, made from recycled or FSC® certified (C015932) sources, and printed using renewable energy.

The emissions of this paper are offset via the World Land Trust.

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OVERHEARD IN NOTTS The Verruca Moment

ake it hope I m Child: “I t’s really old” a to fifty, th

“Ge t brow some 'a brow ns... Ye sh ah ns...

Wit , 'ash h an ' h'.. .”

t u go ?” at yo achnids h W r “ a t s n agai

“Nah m a some s n, you’re alad”

“Oh, th a that th t's the venue e isn't it boys went to ? Music , City”

it's ate, e it m it." v a e h “L got wort not it is. He's "Yes oes." h my s

hy acher: “Sir, w Children to te arer to school?” ne don’t you live u think I want yo Teacher: “Do s and t on Saturday to see you lo Sundays?”

“Ho n of c estly, I apit ’m alism sick ”

Pick Six

”

ars e’d d be w e ish cat “I w esti m o d

oom e on a Z Someon see you and I an call: “I c ou” y can hear on: “Say that rs e p e m a S again?”

“Th i deta s ear is m iled than uch m this ore ear”

Film Withnail and I - 'I'm Not From London' is a direct quote from the film while also being something I said a lot when I moved up to Nottinghamshire.

The film is about the end of an intense yet toxic friendship as two friends' lives take on new directions. I was living in a semi squat on Mansfield Road and we had a tree growing through our window, no toilet door or bannister with regular afterparties and uninvited guests from vagrants to actors. Finding out later that my friend Roxy Rob (RIP) was friends with Vivian Mackerrell on whom the character Withnail was based gave me an extra reason to love the film and it's easy to identify with the squalor and the comedy.

Notts Spot Naomi and I really like Newstead Abbey and the little secret park adjacent to Woodborough Park.

My son Vincent and I go Pokemon hunting and go to the market and cafe at the Sherwood Community Centre.

It's a nice place to play and to reflect.

Since we’re on the topic of DIY, we thought there would be no better person for our Pick Six than grassroots music aficionado Will Robinson of local record label and events promoter I’m Not From London.

Meal The Mayfair on Mansfield Road is a great family run restaurant and lets you bring your own booze in so we normally have our I'm Not From London Christmas meals there and are now regular aficionado's of succulent Chinese meals.

Overheard in Notts Volume Five: The Verruca Moment is available now at leftlion.co.uk

Book Wonderland Avenue, it's an autobiography from Danny Sugarman, starting from when he was a young middle class Jewish lad in LA. He has ADHD and starts hanging around with his older neighbour when he's about thirteen. The neighbour is a roadie for Jim Morrison who takes him under his wing and he starts interning for the label, eventually managing Ray Manzarak, The Jones and Iggy Pop who lived with for a while and managed along with his $500 a day heroin addiction. The story is about his life, his recovery and his work in the 1970s and 1980s music industry.

Song A Rainy Night In Soho, admittedly I might not have chosen this if it was not for me revisiting it a lot since Shane MacGowan's death recently. It's a melancholy ode to scarred love and it's very hard to even sing the song in the shower and challenge anyone to try it and not crack by the end of the line “You're the measure of my dreams.”

Holiday I just got back from New Orleans. I was invited over for my cousin Martin's wedding and my parents needed driving around. My friends Jason and Ben offered to drive as I don't and we rented a 1970s Ford Mustang which was epic until it broke down on the motorway on the way there. We made a 'Z' movie when we were over there, acting with people we'd met on the way, and the fact that everywhere that it looked like a movie scene really started to blend the reality and the film we were part of. It's like the Amsterdam of America.

We were over there around Halloween, it's a real party town. Even the muggers were friendly. leftlion.co.uk/issue167 7

Nottingham’s most opinionated grocers on...

People we lost in 2023 Bobby Charlton, what a true gentleman. Football just came naturally to him and you could see that by the way he played and the way he carried himself. Then there was Tina Turner, who had a good career but you can’t help thinking she was a poor woman’s Diana Ross. There was Shane MacGowan, although he’d looked like he was on his last legs for years. We’ve never heard of Jerry Springer or Matthew Perry. Are they American?

Everything that exists is someone else’s DIY

Euro 2024 Where is it this year? Germany hey? Well that ought to be exciting.

The German team hasn’t been very good recently, but they always seem to come good for major tournaments – particularly as they’re hosting. England ought to have a chance too - it’s not far to travel with a similar climate. We’ve been better under Southgate than we have been for years, although not as good as the women. So yeah we’ll give it a watch, it’s something to look forward to.

Godzilla vs Kong We’ve never watched any of their previous films, so we don’t know who will win this one. The idea of it sounds a bit silly to us. If we had to bet then we’d say Kong will win as Godzilla is bound to be the baddie of the two. Wasn’t there quite a famous actress in the original King Kong? Ah yes, Fay Wray. Will she be back to make an appearance in this?

words: Dani Bacon

UNDERCOVER ARTIST Hip-Hop artist and collage-maker Louis Cypher designed the cover of this DIY-themed issue of LeftLion. Here’s the story behind it…

As a Hip-Hop artist, sampling and remixing is something that is intrinsic to the art… but I’ve only started creating visual pieces in the last year or so.

My aesthetic is naturally messy and collage is amazingly analogous to Hip-Hop! It’s a new vibe for me, one I’ve been on since May 2023. Before then, the idea of me doing anything other than music seemed unfathomable. The concept that I would be sitting here creating a cover or writing about it was not even tangible at that time. Now, even as I write this, it seems surreal.

Creating collage has been cathartic, meditative, inspiring and actually made me a little bit of money, which music rarely has. It's also helped me deal with loss and helped me engage with my own creative temperament in new ways.

As new branches of creativity sparked, so did my interest in other people who have developed multiple artistic outlets. Listening to the likes of Rick Ruben and Blindboy during lockdown as I

watched the music industry essentially go down the pan, I craved other avenues for myself. I observed some of my friends make loaf after loaf of bloody sourdough bread or look glum on Zoom calls… on the flip side, to combat the monotony of lockdown, some were creating amazing art and new ways to work around the restrictions that were imposed on us.

Creativity is a part of me and the creative process, regardless of medium, is something that I find absolutely intriguing. It’s what draws me to a lot of people, to learn more about how and why they do what they do. So much so that I have blagged an article in this very magazine (find it on pages sixteen to eighteen) about an exhibition I’m organising in February. It’ll highlight the multidisciplinary skills of some of Nottingham’s finest creatives and people I’m proud to call friends… go check it out. @cyphersoreeyes

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Nadia on...

Rap

words: Nadia Whittome photo: Fabrice Gagos

How was your last year’s Spotify Wrapped? Mine, I must admit, was dominated by the Barbie movie soundtrack. Wings and Depeche Mode also featured, thanks to my Forest match day playlist. But, like most years, my most listened to genre was rap: whether that’s legends like Roots Manuva, younger favourites like Central Cee and Nadia Rose or Nottingham’s own rising star JayaHadADream.

In 2023, rap celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. Starting out as an underground movement, it has since become one of the world's biggest-selling music genres, and I’m glad to see it increasingly recognised as an artform. Rappers are headlining festivals, winning prestigious awards, inspiring fashion trends and influencing the language we use in ways we may not even realise. Nottingham’s music scene would be unrecognisable without its Hip-Hop icons: from MC Spyda and Jah Digga to newer artists such as Young T & Bugsy, Window Kid and Bru-C and DJs like Darkzy and Daseplate.

Song lyrics can be a form of social commentary, a metaphor, a fantasy, or an attempt to push boundaries and cause controversy, but none of this makes them an admission of guilt But despite being such a huge part of our culture, rap often gets a bad rep. It can still be viewed with suspicion, and associated with gangs, drugs and violence. These negative stereotypes not only put people off discovering great artists. They can be dangerous especially when the criminal justice system is involved.

Imagine you’re wrongly accused of a crime, and as “evidence”, the police play a song you wrote as a teen. This is not just a hypothetical scenario - it’s one that’s increasingly been playing out in courtrooms across the country. In the last three years, at least 240 defendants in the UK had rap lyrics or videos used against them. The vast majority have been young Black men or teenage boys. In many cases, the songs presented as evidence didn’t even mention the crime in question. Unrelated lyrics, sometimes written years earlier, have been used as proof of bad character and a disposition towards lawbreaking.

The Art Not Evidence campaign, which I’m proud to be a part of, was set up to challenge this trend. Launched in November, it aims to restrict the indiscriminate use of rap lyrics and videos in court. It has attracted support from lawyers and academics, anti-racist campaigners, a growing number of MPs and figures from across the music industry.

Art has always been used to tell stories which we know not to take at face value. We don’t accuse James Bond fans of being spies, or authors of murder mysteries of having committed murders themselves. Similarly, references to crime and gang culture in rap

songs are not evidence of wrongdoing. Song lyrics can be a form of social commentary, a metaphor, a fantasy, or an attempt to push boundaries and cause controversy, but none of this makes them an admission of guilt.

It’s no coincidence that specifically rap is targeted in such a way, even though so many other artists, from The Killers to Taylor Swift, have referenced crime in their songs. It is, after all, a genre associated with young Black men. The misuse of rap in court relies on the same racist stereotypes that lead to Black people being disproportionately likely to be stopped and searched, or to be wrongly labelled as gang members.

Black forms of creative expression have long been viewed with suspicion, stigmatised and suppressed. A century ago, the rightwing press would publish articles demonising jazz as immoral, and councils attempted to shut down jazz balls. In the 1970s and eighties, the infamous “sus laws” - allowing the police to arbitrarily arrest people on suspicion of committing a crime - were often used to target young Black people associated with the reggae scene.

Until recently, the controversial “Form 696” risk assessment created by the Met police asked venues to provide information about the genre of music they play and the ethnicity of the clients it attracts. Many Black artists ended up having their gigs cancelled, which led to allegations of discrimination. Following campaigns, the form was amended and, in 2017, scrapped altogether. However, concerns about the disproportionate policing of Black musicians and their fans remain, of which the use of rap in court is just one example.

The misuse of songs by the police and prosecutors not only stifles freedom of expression, but also risks miscarriages of justice. That’s why this year, working with Art not Evidence, I’m hoping to present a bill in Parliament that will seek to regulate the use of music in court cases - raising the threshold of admissibility to ensure that it’s only considered when it’s relevant and justified, and not indiscriminately.

Not only does making music not make one a criminal. By providing young people with a sense of hope, purpose and community, it can play a part in preventing youth crime. I’ve long been a huge fan of the Community Recording Studio in St Ann’s, which has helped so many young artists from disadvantaged backgrounds develop their talents, find new ways of expressing themselves and launch music careers. Having a creative outlet can transform lives.

Whether it’s stadium-filling hits or rhymes scribbled for fun on your phone’s notes app, rap is a form of art. It deserves to be celebrated - not criminalised. nadiawhittome.org

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Can You Hack It? interview: Amelia Brookes photo: Fabrice Gagos

Tucked away behind Sneinton Market in a Victorian factory building, Hackspace is a place for makers, inventors, tinkerers, crafters, board game enthusiasts, robot designers and, well, anyone who fancies trying their hand at making weird and wonderful things. Set over two floors, the building is home to all manner of machinery and supplies that anyone can access for a monthly membership fee. We went along to speak to members Aaron, Steve and Douglas to chat about the organisation’s history and how people can get involved…

Can you tell us a bit about what Hackspace is?

Aaron: It’s kind of difficult to summarise all of the things that happen in Hackspace, because that’s why we end up calling it the Hackspace. There’s a little 3D printing area, spaces for laser cutting, woodworking, metalworking, electronics… We’ve got different areas, like the craft room which has sewing and stuff.

We have a studio for crazy events, playing board games, etc.

Do you three have any favourite things to do at Hackspace, personal specialisms?

Aaron: Electronics is what I mostly do, but I love experimenting with different tools, doing some woodwork, which I’m terrible at. I have learned to use the embroidery machine, laser cutter, metalworking, I’ll try anything. It’s all fun.

Steve: I got involved with metalworking and I’ve also made good use of the laser cutter, the 3D printer, electronics, tools.

One of the things I’ve been doing recently is making combat robots, so those tools have been very useful for that.

Douglas: Yeah, I’m into CNC machining [computer programmed tools] and metalworking.

What’s the weirdest thing that someone’s made here?

Steve: There’s a child sized mannequin dressed up as an Oliver Twist urchin.

Aaron: He used to talk - you’d come in the door and he would start saying things.

Steve: Someone else made a talking donation box, and they were programmed to have arguments.

Aaron: This came out of a Crap-A-Thon event.

Steve: It’s basically a Hack-A-Thon for useless ideas. Andrew made a hover-toaster - a toaster on top of a hovercraft. I made a project downstairs that when you turned the lights off, it would make a ghastly cackling noise and flash the lights - that was a Halloween project.

Do people work together and end up making friends through that? Is it a community that maintains itself? How do you guys find it?

Aaron: I think it’s kind of a bit of all of it.

Steve: Some people just kind of like to do what they do on their own, that’s fine. Some people want to come here and do things as a group. We have a big group with the combat robots, we have people who do war games and board games, there are other groups of people who tend to come in and chat.

12 leftlion.co.uk/issue167 12

Douglas: We have a Discord as well, so if you want to get help or ask questions you can get communities online.

Some people just kind of like to do what they do on their own, that’s fine. Some people want to come here and do things as a group I think I heard about other Hackspaces across the country?

Douglas: There are quite a few dotted around.

Aaron: There’s a new one opening in Ashfield as well. It’s quite nearby. There’s one in Leicester, Sheffield, Manchester, Swansea, Cardiff… all over the place!

Back in October there was a battle robot fighting competition? I gather that was fun!

Steve: Me and Sam organised that, although mostly Sam. They were slightly smaller scale than the ones you see on TV… These robots are only about 150g, but still entertaining.

How do people prep for the competition - do they have a robot team?

Steve: We have gone to events in Sheffield and Bristol and other places, both with larger (1.5kg) robots, so some of us were panicking all day until about 10pm.

Douglas: The day before they’d always be there for the entire day.

Steve: 11am until 10pm, trying to get our robot finished, then we drove down to Bristol overnight and finished it off.

Definitely fun but also a bit stressy!

Do you come home with a mangled robot, though?

Steve: We did catch fire at the last two…

Douglas: I think that’s against the rules, though.

You run a tour every week on Wednesdays for people to come in and see the space. Do you also have seasonal events that happen around the year?

Aaron: Definitely at Christmas - in August we had a mini feast to invite people to bring food and share it and play board games or watch a film. That was really nice, we had a good time.

Douglas: Every two months people come in and work on

improving the space itself and that’s often a good community day, along with doing improvement work.

Being such a collective space rather than a traditional business - how did Hackspace get through the challenge of Covid and lockdowns?

Steve: Fortunately a lot of our members carried on paying, to keep the doors open, grants helped as well. One of the biggest trustees, who was around before my time, came up with a booking system like preparing stages for the opening slowly people could still use the space for essential purposes if they booked ahead, and gave a reason. Another group of people got involved with using the 3D printers and other tools like the laser cutter to make masks for people in our community there was a GoFundMe for that project.

Do you guys have any particular aims for this Hackspace or things you want to see happen in the future?

Aaron: I definitely want to see it still being here in a couple of years’ time and that’s always a challenge, because, especially in the current financial crisis, not everyone can afford to pay how much they think it’s worth.

Douglas: It’s important to invite new members as well - people move around, people aren’t members here forever, so it’s important that people know about this space and what it can offer.

Aaron: We have a membership team that does public tours on Wednesday nights, and we kind of take it in turns to go around and show people the space, and answer the questions by email as well. My goal is to see membership increase and see activity come back from what it was before Covid. The trustees will have different ideas of what they want to see happen.

Steve: I signed up as a trustee because I wanted to help us get back on our feet after lockdown.

Douglas: Covid was a kind of community schism, really, because after so long, the community kind of fractures, people don’t know each other quite as well.

Steve: We’re trying to restore a sense of community.

You can find Hackspace at Unit F6, Roden House, Roden St, Nottingham NG3 1JH and you can find out more by attending their weekly membership tour every Wednesday at 7pm @nottinghack

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words: Gemma Cockrell photo: Ricky Jamaraz

Jamming Out In 2023, Ricky Jamaraz’s music was streamed from 166 different countries, 5.4 million times on Spotify. To put this into perspective, this length of time equates to 29 years, which is roughly how long it would take to walk from the Earth to the Moon three times. Ricky’s jaw fell off when he saw these figures and it’s no surprise - he’s only sixteen years old, still attends school, and makes all of his music from his very own childhood bedroom. We spoke to the DIY musician about how he went about transporting his music from his bedroom to the world…

When listening to Ricky Jamaraz’s music, and looking at the sheer volume of music he released in 2023, you may automatically assume that music is his full-time job. But I am quickly reminded that this is not the case when he tells me he was on a school trip down to the Tate Modern in London the day prior to our phone call, and that he will be sitting his GCSE exams next summer. “I do try my best to do well in school and stuff, but it's just like I’ve got bigger fish to fry,” he laughs. “Music is like the leader for me, but I try to maintain a good education as well.”

It’s no surprise that his focus lies on his music when you take a glance at his streaming figures, but he remains grounded and unphased by these. “Even back in 2021, I got around 450 streams in the whole year, and I was like, ‘Whoa, look at me go’. It's still the same feeling, I suppose it's just bigger numbers. A lot of people say they don't really care about the numbers, but I genuinely don't. David Bowie said something like, ‘the day you start creating to please others is the day you make your worst work’ and I agree with that. I would still be happy creating music, even if only two people were listening.”

Hearing Ricky’s response to losing all of his Instagram followers last year as a result of his account being hacked proves that he is telling the truth here. “It was a sign,” he says. “I'm so glad it did. I had over 100,000 followers on TikTok but I ended up scrapping that account and starting again. For a month after Microwave blew up it became so annoying, because barely any of my followers cared about what I was doing, so I made a new account and told people to follow it if they were actually interested in what I was doing moving forward. That filtered out the people who didn’t really care, so I think it was quite a clever thing to do. My Instagram getting hacked was just the universe doing that for me.”

So, it seems that the Ricky Jamaraz from 2021 is vastly similar to the one on the other end of the line right now at the end of 2023. “In 2021, I started putting music on YouTube and a couple of my friends said, ‘Oh, this sounds pretty cool. Could you put it on Spotify?’” Influenced by

lockdown, Ricky was operating entirely out of his bedroom - the same place that he creates his albums from to this very day. “It's brilliant. It's so beautiful,” he says of the process of making a Ricky Jamaraz album. “I love every part of what I do. I sort of zone out when I do it. It's like clockwork.”

Many people may view Ricky as a prodigy from these remarks, but he doesn’t believe that’s true. “I taught myself guitar and how to write songs in lockdown, and I've gotten better at it over time. I'm not born with some sort of talent. No one will ever hear the voice recordings of me from lockdown - they sound like a goose being strangled!

But doing it a lot makes you better at it. I’m just lucky I have the motivation to do it as much as I do. It’s like free therapy for me.” He isn’t exaggerating here when he says he does it a lot - as I speak to him, his third album of 2023, titled Dec. 13th 1998, is about to be released, following Worst Album Ever, which was released in August, and Honestly?, which followed a mere few weeks later.

“That was the one that required the most amount of work,” Ricky says of Worst Album Ever. “I started working on it in December 2022, so it took a long time to do, because for the first half of 2023 I was in a bad place. The whole ‘Ricky Jamaraz show’ thing started with the track Starry Eyes, and then I thought, ‘How cool would it be if I sort of made the whole album like this?’ - a concept album, I guess.”

His following album Honestly? takes a more raw and emotion-driven approach. “That album was a mood board for how I was feeling for that first half of 2023. I just had to get that out. I knew some people might benefit from it, so they know they’re not alone.” Rather than announcing the album in advance, Ricky released it with no prior promotion or marketing. “I didn’t intend for it to perform well - that’s never the goal for my music. It was just me getting stuff out of my head. Since making it, it’s had a sort of magical healing effect. It was deliberately raw-sounding, almost as if it was recorded on a cassette or something, even though it was recorded digitally.”

In contrast, Dec. 13th 1998 is another thought-out concept record, based on a story that Ricky wrote during a sleepless night. “It's a story about a guy who runs away and moves to a city, doesn’t fit in, then finally finds some friends and falls in love with another guy. Then they die together, in short!” Ricky recommends that people listen to the album chronologically, since the lyrics of each song intertwine with one another, fitting together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

With his creative process meaning that he has full control over every aspect of his music, Ricky admits that he may be a bit of a control freak. “That's why I do it all by myself - I record everything myself, I produce it all myself, I don't really collaborate with anyone. I don’t mean to sound arrogant when I say this, but I'm really particular with how I want things to sound. So, I’d rather learn how to do it myself, then I know how to translate my own thoughts into my music.”

After releasing three albums in the space of five months, you may be wondering if Ricky is planning on taking a break anytime soon, but he shows no plans of slowing down. “There will be some sort of album in 2024, because I've got albums worth of songs just lying around, waiting to be recorded.”

One thing he does have set in stone for this year is that he will be experimenting with some new analogue gear. “I invested in a four track cassette recorder. I want to travel back in time and see what I can do with less advanced gear - you've only got four tracks to play with, so you've got to really think about what you're going to do. So, I think that'll be quite an interesting adventure that I'm going to embark on - a new quest for Ricky Jamaraz.”

Worst Album Ever, Honestly?, and Dec. 13th 1998 can be found on all good streaming services @rickyjamarazmusic

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words: Louis Cypher photos: Sophie Gargett and Steve Fisher

Mixed Mediums recollection of enjoying collage during my art GCSE.

"Simplicity can lead to unexpected creativity. When you have fewer elements to work with, you have to use them to fullest potential.” - Rick Rubin When COVID-19 hit and extreme anxiety became palpable in every avenue and street... That is when I first heard this quote. I watched the industry I've spent my entire adult life pursuing begin to fall apart before my eyes. Musicians could no longer perform, go to the studio, practise. Ninety percent of grassroots venues reported that they were at risk of permanent closure due to the financial impacts of the pandemic. And the effects continue, long after lockdown ended.

So a collage it was going to be. I remember being a bit embarrassed by my first attempt. As a joke, I told my mum that the real present I had given her was me feeling inspired to be creative again. She had always encouraged me though, so even the pretend present went down pretty well.

Put simply, this article is about creativity - and how we can diversify our talents, through choice or obligation.

In 2023 alone, fifteen percent of grassroots venues across the UK have been lost.

As a whole, the UK music industry has lost approximately £900 million due to cancelled events and tours. Beloved Brexit also did not help matters, increasing bureaucratic nonsense for touring musicians, cascading division and conflict across the country.

Slowly but surely, the fruits of my artistic endeavours improved - and I found that lessons I'd learned (or hadn't learned) from years working in the music industry to visual arts, were helping me along the way. I got better at accepting compliments and seeing my own worth - and I think one of the main things to do with this was that I was creating purely for myself.

The creative palette I was so used to was brushed away in one fell swoop. I had fewer elements to work with, meaning I had to unexpectedly diversify my creativity.

Although I would post some of my work to Facebook, I realised I wasn't really seeking validation. People started to talk to me more about art than music, and I was amazed by the way I could enter a flow state in a totally new way which was separate to how I had ever experienced it in my music career. My creative processes in music and art were both equally valid, but completely different.

It was at this point that I began to draw… badly. I was desperate to escape the oppressive nature of lockdown, so scribble and doodle I did, until my friend Jasper came to stay when lockdown was eased. He's an illustrator, full of creativity, positivity - and ADHD. It was my mum’s birthday and I had no money for a present.

“Why not make her something?" Jasper said, in his eternal optimism. Although my mum always nurtured my creativity, one of my terrible drawings was probably not gonna cut it.

It was then that I saw an issue of LeftLion on the table, I remembered the stack of National Geographics I had on my bookshelf and was struck with an albeit slight

I started to think of my other friends who had a creative "side hustle" - how did the need to make money affect their art, what were the differences in their creative processes, and did they prefer one over the other? Here's what I discovered…

In connection to this article, come along to an evening celebrating independent artists in Nottingham at the Old Bus Depot on Saturday 24 February, with live music, exhibitions and art stalls

Ali Bonsai I’ve always been a drawer, a maker, a fidgeter.

It wasn’t until a tutor at art school told me that what I was doing was ‘fine art’ that I decided to pursue it at NTU. In that sense I’ve tended to carry the shape of what I am making and adapt it incrementally to the environment it requires. As a result, I almost accidentally stumble into new things by way of feeling my way through, albeit with a nurtured naivety.

When the plague hit us, in hindsight, I was slowly drawing up the bridges that connected me to the outside world. Dead ends were realised and replaced with an ‘Okay, what shall I do next?’ attitude, rather than a retreat or on standby. I’ve always felt content in my own company but still needed a social fix. I gave up booze for a few years, joined a local poetry group (Gobs) and made strange noises in the corner of my room by making loops on my guitar and geeked out on a fetish for effects pedals for a while.

I created a system of making small pieces of art at my desk whilst listening to podcasts.

Writing, making music, walking and more podcasts. I made ‘nice things’. Pictures of bees and whales emerged. It was good, it served me well; a calming consistency fronting the ominous quietus ofevents. I felt creatively connected, if not socially. If something is taken away from us, we haveto try to replace

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@cyphersoreeyes

it somehow. We suffer if we go without. In the aftermath, the outcome was surprisingly a more ardent focus as a creator. My art has streamlined to a state of flow, where I am not trying to make good art, but something much more basic, a collection of instances not focused on skill, rather the absence of control, as is how I sense the world, yet in the same breath it becomes me.

It’s not something I need to make money from, it’s just something I need to do. And by inadvertently setting those terms, that language has focused my music and I am now home producing. I can lose hours being in that moment. The myriad half-ideas are coming into focus. I don’t require external validation and I ask more about others and their processes by which I am making closer bonds with people. The removal of many things I’d taken for granted has helped me focus on what’s important, it hasn’t been easy but it’s less foggy.

In the words of the great local warrior poet Miggy Angel, ‘When you eat a great strawberry, you don't ask ‘What did that strawberry mean?’ you say, ‘That was a great strawberry!’

Ali is currently recording music and making art that will be available early next year

@alibonsaiart

Anthony ‘Pij Bass’ Robinson I started my musical career way back in 1990 as a bass player. I was also a Foundation Art student at what was then called Trent Polytechnic. I wasn’t really a good student, to be honest. Not because I was crap, but because I was hardly there.

Things I remember? Hanging out in the Market Square, smoking cigarettes when I was supposed to be drawing the Council House. Meeting Joe Buhdha and learning to make beats. Getting drunk. A project on Expressionism, maybe?

To cut a long story short, I was more into music at that time, so I neglected the art. So since the 1990s, I’ve been in bands and production teams, playing bass, drums, guitar and anything else you don’t have to blow. I got to play with Harleighblu for about six or seven years around Europe and have recorded so much stuff it actually boggles my mind, when I think about it.

Daaammmmn, son.

Anyway, even though I stopped my artistic studies, I never really stopped doodling and sketching. I used to keep journals, more written stuff than sketches. I started really getting back into it when friends started asking me to do commissions for them, around 2010.

I’m a portrait/figurative artist, and most of my work has been commissions. I work in many different mediums, but at the moment I’m

Jack Wolff I learnt guitar on an old nylon string that my dad never picked up. My interests were always in Hip Hop, but I was a fan of some classic rock and my mum was really into disco and reggae.

In my teens I started collecting records and learned about sampling.

My early career was as a gardener/groundsman.

When I got to uni I landed a DJ residency at the Belgrave in Leeds. I studied Landscaping at BA, but did my Masters in Fine Art where I focused on sound and sculpture. I was hanging out with mural/graffiti artists and furthered skills that I developed as a child. Local rappers would come to my house to write to beats and I later put together my first band, the Dock Heist Unit.

On and off in life, one or the other required payment for me to stay inspired… admittedly, this isn’t a very ‘artsy’ thing to say. At my core, I was born a creative and it’s the only thing that’s followed me around the world as a consistent point of peace. I’m inspired to make sculpture when the moment feels right. Building large scale physical objects helps me feel strong in my person.

I suppose sometimes my physical art is functional; I built the desk I produced music on for a long time, out of wood that I cut and shaped myself. Drawing and painting has always been a reflection of ideas I’ve seen in my mind’s eye, which are a reflection of the stuff that inspired me as a child, like Dragon Ball Z and X Men, Lord of the Rings and general folk law/ ancient history or religious works.

I’ve always felt compelled to create and tend to get really frustrated at times of my life when I lack the time to pursue random ideas that pop into my head naturally. I have never lacked ideas to dive into for as long as I remember. I’ve been making animations, music and drawing comics since I was a toddler, and was told off in lessons at school for drawing or writing poems, or I would almost fall asleep in lessons.

It’s harder for a lot of folks to make a living from their own ideas regardless of which craft they pursue. But I’ve made a lot of money from original music, and I think a lot of that has to do with the approach to the craft, and the fact that I’m a producer/service person. Artistically speaking, my own thoughts and expressions have not been what has made me money, but I still enact the craft from the perspective of a person trying to express deep thought and emotion.

The same would go for visual arts… if I know how to do something someone needs, then they will pay me and that’s dope. I think musicians get a lot less respect than what’s deserved but at the end of the day, music is there to be shared, and nobody sees the time and effort that goes into becoming what is presented.

Both crafts have their ups and downs, and I was told to pick one or the other by a lot of dudes when I was coming up, but I’m still here and carved out my own lane in both, and I would highly recommend that anybody who feels the same should stay true to themselves. @jackwolff_

working in ink. My main influences are comic book artists, but I’m also inspired by the usual suspects (keeping this concise is HARD, fam!)

Creating art, by which I mean drawing and painting, is really quite different to creating music. I think the process of learning is similar, in that you have to learn your craft and find out what your thing is. But there’s a different impulse involved, and I’m really not sure if I can describe it. Having spent decades in the music business, I find the pace of being an artist more in tune with who I am as a person.

Financially, I think I do better with it, too. Or at least it’s easier and quicker to make money. I like negotiating price with the client, the uniqueness of each request. I also produce T-shirts featuring my ink art. I sell them like limited edition prints. You can buy a traditional print to hang on your wall, or a T-shirt to show off your excellent taste.

What is similar is that collaboration is good for growth as an artist. In the same way that playing with a musician from a different genre can extend your musical horizons, working with a creative from a different medium does the same thing.

To that end, I’ve been working with a writer called Adrian Reynolds on a short adventure comic bookstory… Talk about artist boot camp…

Another story for another time.

Lil Percoskett I've been into music for as long as I can remember. I started recording and releasing music in 2017, but it wasn't until 2021 that I really found my footing and started releasing on major platforms. My early albums were heavily influenced by punk, grunge, and proto-goth, and they shaped my perspective on life.

Punk taught me that you don't need fancy equipment to create something great, and I carried that mindset into my clothing brand, Drawpakk. Originally, Drawpakk was all about simple tees with hand-drawn slogans, paying homage to those DIY shirts.

When it comes to music, I create what I personally want to hear, without chasing trends. If people don't like it, it's not the end of the world for me. However, with Drawpakk, I do pay attention to current trends and get inspired by people's ideas for the brand.

It's important to me that the brand reflects what people want, so they have a say in everything and feel excited to wear the clothes. Music is more personal, while fashion is about involving and pleasing the people.

When it comes to music, I self-release my music through distribution services, so financially, there's not much happening right now. I do spend more on equipment than I make, but it's worth it because it's my craft.

In fashion, it's a bit different because I'm directly selling a physical product. With Drawpakk, we currently do everything made to order on a small level, so we don't have to spend as much on huge bulk orders.

We make a profit when someone buys a T-shirt. It's kinda like the old-school way of selling CDs, selling directly to the customer and stores but music isn't done that way anymore so it makes it harder financially. @lilpercoskett

Chloe Rodgers Making music is the most important creative outlet to me… it’s how I process everything that happens in my life. I like to depict the way I’m feeling not just through my lyrics and vocal delivery but through the soundscape and structure of a song. I love having different versions of my songs too depending on how big the band is for a certain gig, whether it’s the produced track or if it’s just me and my guitar. One thing I’ve been trying to work on though is writing music that’s not so close to my heart all the time and trying to have a bit more fun with it here and there. I’m hoping to start some more projects alongside my ‘Chloe Rodgers’ stuff soon.

In the past year and a half or so I’ve also been really enjoying working with wood; making jewellery, keepsakes, incense holders, chess sets, and small bits of (very simple) furniture.

Then I decorate it either by burning it or painting it. A lot of the time what I make just ends up being for me but it’s also become a bit of a love language for me; if I feel the need show someone that I’m thinking of and appreciating them, I’ll just spend a bit of time concocting something for them from sticks I’ve collected in the woods or something. It’s silly really but I find it therapeutic.

My process for the woodwork stuff is a lot simpler than with my music. My designs are simple and I’m not overly precious about them.

When I’m writing songs, I couldn’t be more precious . Each word and each second has

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to feel just right or it’s back to the drawing board. Sometimes it feels like the songs just flow out of me, write themselves just the way I want them to be, then sometimes I have to keep revisiting something until I love it. I don’t actually know anything at all about music theory - when I try to learn about it the bits I love about music seem to dry up - so it’s all just about the way it feels in my ears to me.

There have been a few instances where the record label I work with have made changes to my recorded songs and I find that so stressful and have to fight the urge to point out to everyone the parts that I didn’t intend to be there and explain how I really wanted them to sound. No one has that kind of power over the woodwork I do, but if they did it wouldn’t bother me anywhere near as much as it does with my songs.

It’s been quite a while since I earned any decent money from any of the creative stuff.

I had advances for my record deal and did vocals for an advert once and those were the best pay days I ever had but they were a long time ago. I used to be a carer and back then it was hard to find time to be creative, but I’ve been out of work since my dad died and I need to get a reliable job again in the new year. I need to write as much as I can before that. Earning has been inconsistent for me lately and I’m just lucky that my dad had life insurance really. Not looking forward to having to find that balance again! @chloe.rodgers.music

leftlion.co.uk/issue167 19

NOTTS SHOTS

Walking the dog rt2stee2 Stee Simons @a

Want to have your work featured in Notts Shots?

Send your high-res photos from around the city (including your full name and best web link) to photography@leftlion.co.uk or tag #nottsshots on Instagram .

Tunnel vision captured Lisa Cooper @coopsat

Ring of Fire Emma Wright @emmafwright

Hello Nottingham!

Nathan Langman @_meadowman2

20 leftlion.co.uk/issue167

Watching from the window Stee Simons @art2stee2

Pink wonderland Charlotte Reid @charloteswonde

rland

Lit up for Christmas ography en @natalieowenphot Ow e tali Na

Ride on by Emma Wright @emmafwright

leftlion.co.uk/issue167 21

Stealing the Scene

words: Akhila Thomas photos: Emma Ford

Tucked away on the top floor of Fishergate Point Studios in Nottingham, with a curious name and doing fascinating work, is Sugar Stealers - a creative group powered by four women who set out to inspire art and healing. We went over to chat with Tiffany Jade, singer-songwriter and project producer at Sugar Stealers, who shared the story of how the group came to be what it is today…

When Tricia Gardiner, Tiffany Jade, Anna Griffin and MollyMay Gardiner put the Sugar Stealers collective together, they not only created a nourishing ground where art and talent flourished but also established a safe space where people could both grow and heal. And that is what sets them apart the way this community specifically caters to the needs of its niche audience.

“Tricia Gardiner is the heartbeat of Sugar Stealers,” Tiffany explains. “She is quite well known in Nottingham for the work she does within the community and how she supports grassroots arts. It was her idea to combine arts, resources and the community to create a space specifically for women and non-gender conforming people.

“With Tricia being an artist herself who has also worked as a teacher, Molly’s expertise as a musical theatre actress and hypnotherapist, Esther’s work as a screenwriter and my connections as a musician, we aim to make the skills and resources in these fields more accessible to everyone,” she says.

Tiffany also plays a big role in bringing the projects to life by pulling the community in with digital promotions and posters that connect to the people they want to speak to.

Explaining the origin of their unique name, Tiffany shares how Tricia came up with it and how the name captures the very essence of what they do.

“Tricia is from Bolton where dandelions are called sugar stealers because they float around and land on sugar. This linked to the concept we were trying to create where dandelion seeds contribute to re-nutrifying the ground which leads to more of them growing,” she says.

“Applying this to the community, we wanted to push our resources and abilities to improve talents from the ground level, creating a fertile base for growth. Since we are all professionals in what we do, we can bring our connections to a level where beginners can access them.

“For instance, it would be close to impossible for an artist who has not yet made a name for themselves to put up an exhibition without having to pay for the space. Therefore bridging that economic gap has always been one of our biggest concerns,” she adds.

What started as a digital endeavour during the pandemic grew into an initiative with a brimming bimonthly calendar full of workshops and events.

“Initially we used to meet online for workshops focussed on activities like cooking during which all of us gathered with our cooking gear to make a traditional dish from a particular culture. It was all about bringing people together to do something creative,” she says.

“Slowly we began getting a regular group of attendees and as we moved offline and people met in person, something magical happened. It became a space where we could forget

everything outside, have a laugh and express our feelings.

You could just come in to cry or rant or even do cartwheels, with zero judgement.

“Like an incubator, it became a potent space where everyone understood each other, and it was beautiful because I feel it filled a gap in quite a few people’s lives where some may have been lonely or misunderstood,” she adds.

As a group led by women for an audience that is also women and non-gender conforming, the group became a platform to have difficult but important conversations, such as how there are certain societal expectations of what one should be doing at a certain age. There have also been discussions about feeling safe, arranged marriages and feeling disconnected from families due to one’s identity.

“Sometimes it is difficult to have these conversations when we don’t have the same kind of experiences as those talking about it. But it is often helpful to listen and be with them as they explore it, even though we cannot fix it,” Tiffany says.

These discussions also impact the kind of art that emerges from this space and it is reflected in the subjects, mediums and voices of representation. “We have had a beautiful project once where a woman whose mother passed away painted a portrait of her and showcased it alongside a painting by her mother. It was very evident how much it meant for her to show her artwork in the same space as her mother’s. Everything here is modelled according to what every participant needs. You wouldn’t get that anywhere else.”

We wanted to push our resources and abilities to improve talents from the ground level, creating a fertile base for growth This is evident in the way that mental health support is integrated into their programs, with Molly playing a pivotal role in designing these sessions where every individual gets one-to-one time with her.

“She created the foundation for me to build the life and confidence I have now. She helped me become more aware of myself, my body, my feelings and how they all come together within me. I honestly cannot recommend her enough,” Tiffany says.

She also highlights how these discussions are embedded into their projects so that they don’t feel as invasive. “They are spiritual and art-based and not very formal in terms of sitting down just to have these conversations. I feel this strips all that pressure and fear around mental health so that we can approach it as just something to accept and explore,” she says.

Reminiscing all their work so far, Tiffany spoke about one

of their exhibitions which was closest to her heart, The Dandelion Project. “The first one will always be special because we got to see all these people have their works put up for the first time in their lives. The showcase had such a diverse mix of people and I have never seen anything like that before. Hearing the personal stories was one of the highlights for us,” she says.

Making sure their work reaches the margins and underrepresented communities has always been the focus of Sugar Stealers and Tiffany explains how Tricia reaches across to people regardless of language barriers during her art workshops.

“You would find her explaining brush strokes to a crowd so varied in ethnicity, gender and even age, where there would be participants who are as young as eighteen up to 65 years old. It is like all the judgement, prejudice or any negative emotion that could prevent this from working gets left behind at the door,” she says.

As a group that is mainly led by creative output rather than commercial gains, Tiffany elaborates on their primary motive. “Ultimately, it all comes down to healing. When we started, our aim was to create a space where healing can happen regardless of what you are healing from. One of the reasons why we do not deal with it is because we do not have access to a safe enough space to do that, and that is what we are setting out to do - create that chance for people to heal.”

Starting from there, they have come a long way in helping people achieve their best in wellness, and creativity and become better versions of themselves. There is also the issue where creativity is misunderstood and undervalued, a change which Tiffany believes needs to take place at the school level.

“Conversations about creativity often take a negative turn, like you would not be able to make a career out of it, or that you should expect disappointment. That is a poor way to promote creativity - something that humans are built on,” she says.

“I feel creative subjects should be given the same importance as maths or science and we would be able to see a difference in the way more open and aware attitudes are shaped at a young age. It is this kind of a space that we have been trying to create.”

From helping people discover their creative energies, providing a safe space to explore and be themselves and promoting both personal and professional growth, Sugar Stealers has more than delivered on its goals. With healing and art as the driving heartbeat, they are definitely on the path to achieving many more beautiful things and touching more lives. @sugar.stealers

words: Akhila Thomas photos: Emma Ford

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Literary Canon

interview: Jared Wilson photo: Fabrice Gagos

Released in three separate parts (Pain, Escapism and Absolution), Cappo’s latest album Canon represents a leap forward in the maturity of his lyrical, literature-infused Hip Hop music. We speak to him about the process of creating the record with producer Kong The Artisan, his recently-completed PhD at Nottingham Trent University, and his collaborations with familiar Notts musicians and poets…

Tell us about Canon. What does this new work mean to you?

Personally, Canon symbolises my reaching a new level of artistic maturity. I can confidently say it’s my most technically accomplished and cohesive work to date. From when I first started working on Canon, I wanted it to tell a story about life in the Midlands. I think I have achieved that, even if much of the story is told from a somewhat narrow cultural and social perspective.

What advice would you give to musicians beginning their careers in this day and age?

Above all, value your work, and value yourself. Take your time developing your craft, and love the process. Speak about the things that move you, and believe in what you say. The rest will follow. Above all, don’t feel as if you have to be constantly present online as an artist. To quote David Joseph, Universal Music Group’s current CEO, allow yourself the space to be ‘occasionally brilliant’.

Canon is also a deeply personal record, covering themes such as mental health decline, the long-term effects of grief and trauma, my experiences of various forms of addiction, and how I have come to understand the concept of masculinity in the modern world, especially in relation to how I have chosen to raise my children. Above all, I wanted to make an album that really felt like Nottingham. I wanted it to celebrate the Nottingham scene through the art form of rap.

What’s coming up next for you?

The launch party for Canon promises to be a one-off event, with special guests Kong The Artisan (a DMC champion on the turntables!), Liam Bailey, Juga-Naut, Vandal Savage, and Midnyte and Rukus Regardless all gracing the stage during the night. I’ve also enlisted the help of an extremely gifted Masters degree student at Confetti, Supreme Eteng Eteng, to play acoustic versions of the more piano-based songs on the album. I would love for writers, poets, performers, artists, and musicians of all kinds to join us for the event. I want it to be a celebration of Nottingham City and its thriving creative scenes.

You’ve decided to release Canon in three parts. What made you want to release it like that?

I can’t claim any specific responsibility for that idea, although I did carry a long-term goal of making Canon’s promotion campaign a ‘slow burner’, in order to help increase its chances of being heard in today’s fast-paced music industry. The decision to release the LP in three parts, or ‘chapters’, was mainly down to Kong The Artisan, the musical producer of Canon.

His decision was mainly based on the lyrical and writerly properties contained in the album (the title alludes to ideas revolving around the literary canon, questioning what constitutes a canonical piece of literature), but on the other hand, I think he saw a theme or pattern starting to emerge early on in the projects development that related to three distinct topics.

These themes were my articulations of pain and latent trauma (Pain), my attempts to escape these issues through music/art (Escapism), and finally, my eventual acceptance of these issues as a part of my own life-long struggle, and coming to terms with them (Absolution).

You’ve been signed to a few labels in your career as well as self-releasing bits of material here and there. In this day and age what are the benefits of working with a label like them compared to releasing your music by yourself?

Speaking in terms of my most recent venture with Noel & Poland Records, I think the main benefit I get from working with a record label is being able to share the workload of releasing a full-length project, especially those aspects of the project I would deem as less creatively led. Having someone like Kong to speak to and share ideas about the release has been invaluable for me. During our time working together on Canon, I’ve come to trust in his vision for the project. Over the past few years I’ve come to realise the music that I have taken time to craft and curate deserves to be promoted properly.

Anything else you’d like to say?

Thank you, LeftLion for giving me the opportunity to promote my new work. You have always allowed me to share my artistic viewpoints through your pages. I greatly appreciate it. And thank you to all the people who have supported Canon, and my previous music releases over the past 25 years. I look forward to celebrating the Notts arts scenes with you soon!

To read the extended interview with Cappo, head to the LeftLion website Canon is out now and available to buy at noelpolandrecords.com The launch party for the Canon LP will take place at Rough Trade Nottingham on Friday 12 January @kafka_poe_bandini

You’ve recently completed a PhD at Nottingham Trent University entitled Nothing New Under The Sun. What made you want to do that?

The main reason I undertook the PhD was to discover more about my own practice in relation to rap music. For nearly twenty years I’d been fascinated with how rap artists draw power from each other’s words, techniques, and performances, in order to apply this power to their own work. I often engaged in this but I was unaware of what this technique was called, or what its place was in Hip Hop culture. As it turns out, it’s called intertextuality, a literary term coined by the semiologist Julia Kristeva in the sixties. I was able to produce a trilogy of LPs that served as the culmination of my thesis, and I’m very excited to release them throughout this summer.

You’ve been recording at Can’t Stop Won’t Stop with our neighbour Joe Buhdha. Is that for Canon or for something else?

Well spotted! Me and Joe Buhdha are working on a project, which I hope will turn out to be another full-length work. Joe has been a long-term mentor of mine, and we have shared a solid musical relationship over the years. He recently asked me to come to the studio, to vibe and listen to some instrumentals. When I got there, I was amazed by the material he played me. He had an abundance of really special tracks that I immediately responded to. The tracks aren’t Canon-related, but they are being penned in a similar fashion - they are being written to demonstrate my artistic maturity, and how I am utilising rap as a platform for my intellectual curiosity.

The music industry and its financial model has changed drastically since you first started. What do you do to pay the bills when you’re not making music?

That is a question that I’ve tried to answer many times in my lyrics during the making of Canon! For the past five years, I’ve been lecturing on-and-off with Nottingham Trent University and De Montfort University on behalf of the English, Creative Writing, and Media Departments.

I’ve also worked with Nottingham College, teaching Creative Writing to the community. This has helped supplement my career in music, and given me an insight into how best I can share the knowledge I’ve accumulated over the years.

Since completing my PhD, I’ve managed to land a role with Confetti, where I teach university students about music performance, and aspects of the music industry such as popular music history, and marketing and branding techniques. leftlion.co.uk/issue167 23

24 leftlion.co.uk/issue167

Join The Party

Free Party: A Folk History is a timely DIY indie film that follows the birth of the UK's free party movement from the late eighties and early nineties and the social, political and cultural impact it's had on our present times, with appearances from the founders of Nottingham’s very own DiY Soundsystem - but those of you who were lucky enough to go down to Broadway Cinema’s screening of the film back in November will already know this, of course. Director Aaron Trinder tells us about the process of obtaining footage for the documentary from a time before mobile phones and his own experiences of the free party movement…

Firstly, what was it that made you want to make this film?

Like a lot of creative people who make stuff for a living, I’m always trying to do my own projects - rather than just paid work all the time. I always had in the back of my mind that someone should make a film about free parties as it was a massive, exciting and influential moment in time which seems to have been largely forgotten - but I assumed someone would get there before me.

Here I am five years later.

For readers too young to remember the era, how important was the free party movement?

It’s a much ignored but extremely important moment in time. I think of it as the last great unifying youth movement just before the internet where music and culture mattered so much to people, they were driven to pursue it as a full lifestyle - outside of the mainstream and with no drive for profit or fame. 1994 seems to be a pivotal year politically, technologically and culturally as it was the point between the digital and the analogue age, and this film's story is just before that moment occurred.

What was your own experience of the free party movement of the era?

I was a big raver but also had some knowledge and awareness of the travelling, hippy and squat world, having had an early ‘psychedelic’ experience on Glastonbury Tor in 1988 at a free festival. So, it connected to two sides of me - and although I only went to a handful of the countryside free parties, the energy and sense of utopian potential of dancing under the stars is a pretty compelling combination.

Your film was paid for through crowdfunding. Is this something you’d recommend to other filmmakers?

I tried a few of the conventional means of raising money but as it's a counter-cultural story the mainstream organisations always passed on it, either deciding it was too niche or too controversial. After a few years, I realised that the only way I was going to get it to the next stage was to crowdfund. It was extremely hard work, but the communities were keen to have their story told. It's not easy, but I would recommend doing a crowdfunder as it not only generates funds, it galvanises a community of people to help get the film out there.

There’s quite a lot of amazing footage from the era. All of this shot at a time before mobile phones and when taking a video camera to a festival would have been quite an arduous task. How did you manage to get hold of it all?

It was not cool to have a video camera back in the free party/illegal rave era.

You were generally assumed to be

police/undercover and as people were living this lifestyle full time, particularly travellers, many of them felt oppressed and poorly represented by the press.

So, the people who did have a camera were either news crews (which is expensive to licence) or a few key individuals who were inside the scene and trusted. It took quite a while for me to discover people. I did my best to include all of them in the process, inviting them along to screenings, and exhibiting some of their work at an event we held.

For such a pivotal movement, there seems to be very little out there in terms of documentation. Why do you think this is? Is that starting to change?

I guess it's a thirty year thing, that people start to look back on that time and recognise that it was a pivotal and powerful moment. It is certainly about time for it to be remembered.

Mark [Spiral Tribe] and Harry [DiY Soundsystem] have been almost like collaborators or co-conspirators during the process as they were both completing their books and we helped each other with research.

The energy and sense of utopian potential of dancing under the stars is a pretty compelling combination A lot of promoters put on festivals as a business nowadays. What was it that made people in this era put on free parties? Why was it important they were ‘free’?

The concept was really borrowed from free festivals in the seventies and eighties. Bring what you expect to find - an anarchist utopian idea, of people gathering and making something for each other and themselves. Of course they weren’t always perfect - many of them were chaotic and occasionally a bit edgy. But as soon as a gate appears and a wrist band and bouncers, it's something else. It can still be lots of fun, but it's no longer an experiment in people's best nature - it's controlled entertainment within walls.

What were the logistics like for someone trying to put on a free party back then?

Ironically, word of mouth was very powerful back then, so many of the parties weren’t in any way ‘advertised’ or ‘promoted’ at all. Maybe someone left a message on a ‘party line’. Maybe someone did a black and white flyer, but peoples excitement to find these events meant they didn’t need to advertise them. But certainly a lot of love and care went into things like the decor, the sound system, the

environment where parties were held - mostly in common land or empty warehouses.

Nottingham’s DiY crew are quite pivotal in your film. When did you first come across DiY Soundsystem and what was it like working with Harry and Grace?

DiY are very important to the story, because they were one of the earliest ‘sound system’ crews to hook up with the travelling community. Both Harry and Grace are fantastic, alongside Jack, and Chilly Phil from the DiY/Free Party People cross over. Harry and Grace added a lot of humour to the film - it's been great working with them for the research, and also as guests on the panels of the various Q&As we’ve been doing for the film.

Do you think there could be a future for free parties again?

Many younger people who saw the film were very keen to tell me that there is still a strong scene. I think people will always want to gather, dance, meet and enjoy themselves, and although world is increasingly commercial, expensive and sanitised, young people will find a way, and doing it themselves for free seems like a pretty good option, despite all the draconian laws on gathering in common space, noise, and protest.

Is there anything else you wish we’d asked you? And why?

The film is about ‘free parties’ as much as it’s about the erosion of common space. The CJB seemed focused on Travellers and ravers, but it also focused on protestors, ramblers, wild campers, the right to roam and the latest laws (the Crime Sentencing and Police Bill and subsequent Public Order acts) have increased these restrictions dramatically, so ‘noisy protest’ can mean a year in jail, sitting on the road to block traffic can be multiple years in prison and travelling lifestyles are effectively illegal. This film is about the need to remember that space used to be free-er, and we shouldn’t take the increasingly commodification and restrictions of it lying down.

What’s next for you as a filmmaker?

I’ll be touring the film across the EU in 2024 including film festivals in about seven countries so far, aiming for some kind of general release at the end of the year, while producing a feature doc called Dirty Squatters on the band 2000DS with my collaborator Andrew Gaston as director - watch out for that one, it's a crazy tale.

Read the full interview with Aaron on the LeftLion website Free Party: A Folk History was screened at Broadway Cinema as part of the 2023 Doc’n Roll Festival @freepartydocumentary

interview: Jared Wilson photos: Alan Tash Lodge, Chris Liberator, Ixy Spiral, Glyn Stix, Debbie Spiral, James Parkinsion, Colin Dale, Harry Harrison, Steve Bedlam, Grace DIY

leftlion.co.uk/issue167 25

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interview: Beth Green illustration: Zarina Teli

An outreach worker in Notts Formed in 2001, Framework is an organisation supporting vulnerable people, with housing support, job hunting, mental health, and recovery services for drugs and alcohol. Their primary focus, though, is to try and get people off the streets, and into more permanent accommodation. LeftLion caught up with one of their street outreach workers, who explains the ins and outs of their day to day…

I start work early doors, at 5am, and there will be one other person with me. Once we head out, our job is to respond to referrals that have been made throughout the night. The referrals can come in a variety of ways, either self-referral, which is where someone who is rough sleeping will ring up the helpline themselves, tell us where they are and that they would like some help. Members of the public also sometimes call in, otherwise it could come from services such as the police or hospitals.

My job is to walk around the city and see the people that have been referred to us. We will do a welfare check of everyone on our caseload, which we will then check back on every two to three days. At the minute we’re really stretched; if the weather goes below zero, SWEP (the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol) gets activated by the council. They will put on extra services where we can refer people for an evening. It’s usually thirty camp beds, so it gets pretty hectic as we have way more people than beds. People will be non-stop ringing in, wanting a bed, often being placed on a waiting list in case someone doesn’t turn up. Alongside that, there’s an immediacy to check on everyone, especially those that are more vulnerable to the colder weather, to make sure they’re safe.

If it’s the first contact with a person, we then arrange to conduct an assessment. This can be done either over the phone or a face-to-face meeting with them somewhere appropriate.

The point of it is so we can find out as much information as possible about them; that way, I know that I can refer them to the right services and accommodation which will best suit their needs. By 9am I’ll come back to the office and have a morning debrief with the team. From here, tasks will be delegated, and the reports will be created, containing everything we’ve seen that day. They will then get sent to the commissioners and our partner agencies. Once 12:30 comes around, it’s time to go home before doing it all again the next day.

Nottingham Framework has four hostels that it can directly refer people into, or we can assist them to contact the council, who will do their own assessment. It’s great that we have the hostels, and even better that generally we don’t have an issue getting people into them. I find that one of our biggest challenges is that once someone is them, moving them on can be very difficult. Unfortunately, there’s a huge backlog with affordable housing, which means the waiting list is long, so people can’t leave. In the short term the hostel is obviously the better option than them being on the streets; long term though, it’s tough. Private renting isn’t an option for most either, it’s extortionate. It’s a lot higher than the Housing Benefit cap, which a lot of my caseload rely on to pay their rent, it’s just not attainable for most.

It’s no surprise that it affects me and the team emotionally; all of us work in this role because we want to help people. We want

27

to work with vulnerable adults, or people less fortunate and get them on the right path to recovery. The ones that really hit me hard are when there’s a wall, stopping us from helping them. It could be that they aren’t able to access certain services for a variety of reasons, perhaps due to Nottingham not being their ‘local connection.’ In simple terms, a person needs to pass five tests for the council to help house you, the local connection being one of these. The criteria states they need to have been in Nottingham either six of the last twelve months, or three of the last five years. Quite often I see situations where someone has moved on a short-term basis, to be with a partner, who they then split up from and are left in the city unable to qualify. The housing legislation is complex, and it puts a barrier between us and a lot of people. Ultimately, it’s just really sad knowing that we can’t help everyone that needs it.

If you see someone that is rough sleeping, simply talk to them and ask them how they are. So many have said to me that they feel constantly ignored or even considered less than Another way we may struggle to help, is when someone has severe mental health problems. There’s a shortage of specific mental health accommodation. When you have this, paired with the fact that their current state of mind may be in such a bad place they are refusing the help they need, it’s very difficult for me to help. In the last thirteen years, the waiting lists for people with support needs has rocketed because the provisions aren’t there, due to austerity cuts. Mental health services have struggled to catch up, leaving them with an accumulation of people they can’t seem to work through. It means that those with complex needs could worsen and their severity increases when they don’t receive the support they need.

Do I think rough sleeping causes mental health problems? I think it’s a real chicken and the egg scenario. It’s hard to know what came first a lot of the time. Are they struggling because they’re rough sleeping? Or are they rough sleeping because of the complexity of their mental health? I have people that are rough sleeping purely due to their mental health immobilising them to maintain a tenancy. However, is a person likely to struggle more mentally when they’re rough sleeping? The answer is probably yes.

It’s the same with those on our caseload that struggle with drug and alcohol dependency – what came first? I find a lot of people turn to misuse as a coping mechanism, whether they had issues before or not. A recurring theme I see is that a lot

of rough sleepers have experienced childhood trauma; drugs and alcohol are a way of self-medicating. We work very closely with the drug and alcohol team within Framework. We can put out a joint team to go on the outreaches, when we are targeting those we believe could benefit from both services. After that, they will join us in the assessment with the individual, working collaboratively. This is not only because we want to help them for their own wellbeing, but also because some accommodation won’t accept them until they are on track to sort their substance misuse out.

It can be hard at times to get people to be receptive to our help. Whether that’s due to their mental health or a mistrust of services due to previous experiences. They may have been involved from a young age, repeatedly let down by parents, teachers or social workers, all of which are supposed to help them. Some people take longer than others, so we focus solely on building up a rapport, until the walls start to fall down. On the whole though, people are really friendly, surprisingly even at 5am!

Of course, this job has its tolling aspects, however it is simultaneously incredibly rewarding at times. When I know I’ve been able to help someone directly and see their positive feedback from people that have been housed, there’s no better feeling. Sometimes a long time can pass by and then we have someone call in, sharing how much we’ve managed to help them and get them on the right track. Equally, when you make the call, letting someone know that they’ve been accepted for accommodation and that they can pick their keys up - their reaction is priceless. That’s why I do this job, first and foremost I want to help, it’s a real good feeling. My piece of advice to you, if you see someone that is rough sleeping, is to simply talk to them, ask them how they are. So many have said to me that they feel constantly ignored or even considered less than. It costs nothing to be kind.

The last thing I’ll mention is Beat the Streets on 28 January: a one-day festival featuring Nottingham’s best musical talent.

The day raises awareness on homelessness in the city, working directly with Framework to raise funds that will enable us to greater support rough sleepers. On top of that, it’s a great day to see some emerging artists fight the January blues, have fun and give to a great cause.

If you see someone who is homeless, please contact the Framework Street Outreach 24-hour hotline on 0800 066 5356 to ensure they are offered the necessary support You can buy a ticket for Beat the Streets at beatthestreetsuk.com frameworkha.org

leftlion.co.uk/issue165 27

Music

soaring high words: Maddie Dinnage illustration: Harry Batten

All the money from the gigs goes to the bands, and providing food for them. There’s not many places that can do that Since JT Soar stopped storing fruit and veg and started welcoming bands as a music venue almost fifteen years ago, it has maintained its DIY sentiment while growing in popularity and success. And going into the new year, the venue will be more accessible than ever, with widened entrances and doors and access ramps, among many other modifications. We chat to them about the importance of making the space inclusive for all, how they manage to give all of the money they make from gigs straight to the bands performing, and their important place in Nottingham’s DIY music scene…

As I sit across from JT Soar’s head honcho Phil Booth, we sift through a huge pile of gig fliers from over the years. Many of them are in the signature style of the venue, with their cut-and-paste flair and hand-drawn graphic lettering. Word-of-mouth and gig posters have been their main source of advertisement over the years and as the venue has become more successful, this practice has become less of a necessity and more of a tradition, keeping in theme with the space’s DIY-focused sentiment.

Despite choosing to preserve the original name of the space, Phil has seen JT Soar undergo a great deal of transformation since its creation. “I got into JT when I had a home studio in Sneinton. I was recording a band, and it was inevitably getting quite late in the day when the neighbour started banging on the door - we were probably interrupting Coronation Street or something,” he says.

“The band I was recording with at the time were rehearsing at JT, and there was a small room in the corner, so they basically invited me to move my studio into there. When they weren’t rehearsing, I’d be recording bands, and we started to put on a couple of small shows. It was very cosy compared to what it is now. It was a bit of an organisational nightmare, but we had such a good time.”

Much like the DIY music scene, the building itself possesses a rich history of its own. “We’re situated right near the historic Sneinton Market. Back in the day there would just be hundreds of people going and getting their fruit and veg, all of the stuff that is now available in the supermarket. The fresh stuff would be stored here and carted over to the market,” he says.

GOOD VIBRATIONS

“At one point mobility scooters were stored here, a roofer stored stuff too for a while. When we knocked the old rooms out we found what looked like a dark room setup, so maybe some photo lab. There's a sign out front that says taekwondo parking only so I guess some taekwondo. We decided to keep it up.”

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If you have ever been to JT Soar, you will recognise the iconic green sign which has pride of place in the live music space. Though it is much loved now, Phil

to go Beat The Streets One of our most well-loved festivals, Beat The Streets will return this month to raise money to help rough sleepers in Nottingham. Participating venues include Rock City, Rescue Rooms, Bodega, Stealth and Rough Trade.

Sunday 28 January, various venues

admits that he had attempted to remove it in the beginning - much to the sign’s annoyance, which stuck firmly to the wall in spite of his valiant efforts.

“I’m so glad it did stay up. We had a list of names for the place, and it was so corny, like The Space. Very Alan Partridge-esque.”

For seasoned gig-goers, JT Soar is known for its live music events, bringing local, national, and international acts to a performance space just a few minutes away from Nottingham’s city centre. But for independent bands such as Sleaford Mods, The Cool Greenhouse, Holiday Ghosts, and Haress, it is a one stop shop for all their music needs, since it is conveniently home to rehearsal spaces and a recording studio.

As a ground-floor venue and an all-ages space thanks to their bring-your-own-booze policy, JT Soar pride themselves on being accessible and inclusive. “We don’t have a bar here, so it's a very cheap night. Bring your own tea if you want! There’s always a kettle. You’re never too young to realise the excitement of music. Friends of mine would bring their kids along for their very first gigs here, it’s adorable.” The recording space has also seen the beginnings of legendary local bands, including Riot Grrrl punk-rockers Babe Punch, who were in their teens when they created their first record at JT Soar.

And thanks to some funding from the Arts Council, the venue has recently become even more accessible, with the introduction of a disabled access toilet, air-con, and widened entrances and doors. “I don’t see why there should be any barriers with this stuff. If I put myself back into being a fifteen or sixteen-year-old kid, if I knew music events were going on where I lived, I would be so excited. JT’s a great leveller, which is important in an industry with so many gatekeepers, whether that be age-wise, accessibility-wise, or monetary-wise.

It can be so tough, but it really shouldn’t have to be.”

As a city, Nottingham is extremely fortunate to have a venue which so strongly embodies the core values of the DIY scene. “I just want it to be seen as an open space for folks to do what they want to do. We're in a very lucky position that our primary business is the recording studio, so the

to listen Rob Green - Manhood EP Rob Green is a true experimentalist, a title he defends once again with his latest EP Manhood.

Despite his predominantly soulful vocal tone, Rob integrates a range of genres in this introspective collection of tracks. @robgreenmusic

gigs we put on are not about making money. It’s all about bringing cool bands over from wherever in the world. In the past few months, we’ve had bands from Brazil, America, and Australia. It’s about introducing new music to people. All the money from the gigs goes to the bands, and providing food for them. There’s not many places that can do that.”

It is no secret that independent venues confront some of the toughest financial and logistical hardships. In the face of it all, it is the DIY community which provides a supportive foundation for small-scale promoters and bands. “I feel like there's a really good community around us. There's loads of bands with a similar ethos and we all sort of chip in. Whenever we had any building or painting to do, I'd just put a post up and folks would be like yep, coming over!”

The best part is: you don’t need to be a builder or painter to support venues like these. “Tell pals that we’re here and buy tickets in advance. There have been nights where we’ve only sold ten tickets, but then thirty people show up on the door and it’s amazing. Those few hours before are so stressful, it’s causing me to lose my hair. If you want hair on your promoters, then buy your tickets in advance. If you like the sound of a band, or you think ‘I want to do something tonight’, it’s always better to discover something new than sit at home and watch telly. Be a ‘yes’ person, there’s nothing to lose - other than the very small cost of a ticket.”

There is a prominent feeling of community spirit and nostalgia in the room as Phil muses upon the importance of the DIY music scene. “DIY for me is feeding as much as you get out of it, back into it. I've always been looked after when touring, especially mainland Europe, so I try to pass that on when bands visit JT. As much as landlords raise the rent, or taxes go up, people will always be eager to discover culture. I can’t imagine a world without the pure joy on someone’s face when they encounter something new.”

You can find JT Soar at 2 Aberdeen St, Nottingham, NG3 1JB @jtsoar

to follow Yazmin Lacey This master of jazz and soul may very well be on her way to world domination, but we think it’s never too late to get in on the hype. After all, she started out by refining her sound in some of our favourite Nottingham haunts. @yazminlacey

Mary Magdalene (Walton-on-the-Hill) (Single) Nottingham singer-songwriter Simon Waldram has released single Mary Magdalene (Walton-on-the-Hill) alongside B-side Oil Rainbow, available on download and limited edition vinyl via Punk Fox Records. Psychfolk, pop, lo-fi… too many subgenres but none of them accurately portray Simon's great songwriting and sounds on both acoustic and electric guitar, accompanied by Isidora Novakovic on cello and Myk Budoff on keys. Mary Magdalene (Walton-on-the Hill) is fundamentally about not underestimating people - and you definitely shouldn’t underestimate Waldram. Bassey

Airport Dad

I Wanna Cry (Single) Local alt-indie four-piece Airport Dad bring fans to their knees with their latest single I Wanna Cry, a threeand-a-half minute track teeming with adolescent melancholy. The opening guitar melody is a familiar comfort, though when the drum beat kicks in at the forty-second mark, the listener is hit with a wave of nostalgia. Jesse Hodges’ lead vocals are hauntingly soft, with an elegance reminiscent of Wolf Alice’s Ellie Rowsell, though it’s the guitar melody which does most of the talking, serving as a grounding motif for the track. A grungy, emotive tune, best listened to on full-blast, driving alone down a solitary country lane in the dead of the night.

Maddie Dinnage

Music Reviews

Simon Waldram

Pretty Windows

Vinyl And Heck (Single) Nottingham duo Pretty Windows give us dominating guitar riffs, backed by electronic stripped back drum and bass beats and a vocal delivery that stays with you for days. Shafts of sound fall all around, leaving an almost whispering vocal delivery to fill in the gaps, and this all goes into making their debut single Vinyl And Heck a must listen. Singles rarely define a band but Vinyl And Heck has everything, lyrics centring around Nottingham folks and a deep love of what music means. Miss this band at your peril, because Pretty Windows are what Nottingham is all about. Bassey

Chloe Rodgers

If Only (Single) This deeply personal and vulnerable track is an ode to the singer’s own father, who tragically passed away.

If Only is intensely poignant, even on its surface level, but it is after multiple listens that all the nuanced manifestations of grief begin to surface. The song grapples with a question which many of us ponder in the absence of a loved one; ‘what would I tell you if only I had the chance to see you again?’ Chloe Rodgers gives voice to the unfathomable with her lyrical mastery. Maddie Dinnage

Penny Moon

Slow Down (Single) The sophomore single from this female-fronted, indie-pop band commences with a moody chord progression, peppered with a twangy string melody. The song melts together with the introduction of the lead vocals, which possess the same breathy yearning as the likes of Mitski. As the track progresses, as do the intertwining vocal layers, each voice delicately haunting its predecessor. Slow Down builds to an unexpected - but satisfying - crescendo, driven by a sudden, vital drum beat. This track teems with the influences of Wolf Alice, Boygenius, and Nirvana. Maddie Dinnage

1st Blood

Yak Face Syndrome (Album) Back with a bang and a brand-new twelve track album is 1st Blood, one of the best known names in Nottingham hip-hop. This exquisite LP has everything - live instrumentation, appearances from Liam Bailey, Opticus Ryme, Jay Hannah Thomas, Ty Healy and other major players on the scene, with a certain musicality that makes it accessible to newbies to the genre as well as hip-hop aficionados. Check out My Way for genius lyrics and an especially authentic Nottingham slant - “don’t act like I just said boo to a goose… abusing the trust of the nice good people… he’s a fiend, he’s addicted, not evil.” Rachel Imms

If you’re from Nottingham and want to get added to our list of music writers, or get your tunes reviewed, hit us up at music@ leftlion.co.uk

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LITERATURE twilight story time interview: Sophie Gargett photos and illustrations: Emily Catherine and Allan Buxton

With the new Central Library opening its doors last month, a new modern era of literature is set to blossom in Nottingham. We spoke to local filmmaker and producer Russell Noon who in a bid to combat banal children’s content created Twilight Story Time which combines animation, illustration and original stories for children…

First of all, congratulations on creating Twilight Story Time! How did you first come up with the idea for the project?

Thank you. I am a full-time filmmaker and producer, and I started writing short children’s stories in my spare time just before lockdown. I’ve always been a massive fan of Grimm fairy tales, films like Pan's Labyrinth and Beasts of the Southern Wild, and graphic novels like I Kill Giants, and these stories were initially intended to be short films for grown-ups, but from a younger person’s perspective. However, as I began to develop the ideas, they began to increase in volume, and I began to realise that I was writing them for a much younger version of myself.

the ogre that helps her realise that the monsters are all imagined.

This led to the decision to pull them all together and to try and write them for younger people in an attempt to create something meaningful that the majority of young people could have access to. But it was only when I began to read them out loud to my wife, Jayne, that I realised the stories could be something special.

These are just three of the films we intend to release on our YouTube channel this year, as part of volume one of Twilight Story Time, and we can’t wait for young people and adults to begin watching them.

The stories are told through animation - who have you got involved in the project and how did you work together to develop the idea?

Twilight Story Time is a collaboration between me, professional animator Allan Buxton and full-time illustrator Emily Catherine. I first spoke with Al and Emily about the project towards the back end of lockdown and I dubiously shared a handful of scripts with them. I was very pleasantly surprised to receive positive feedback, and we began to develop the look and feel of the illustrations, as well as the type of animation that would allow us to deliver a good quantity of films, whilst ensuring they were magical enough for them to stand out from the plethora of children’s content already available on YouTube.

We all felt strongly about wanting to present an alternative to (what we call) zombie content for young people, and deliver beautifully illustrated, well-crafted stories that not only entertain but offer tales of human experience to help guide our young ones. The process of developing each idea is very collaborative and we have always acknowledged that this project wouldn’t exist without the expertise and enthusiasm of each of us.

Can you let us in on some of the stories you have in the works?

We absolutely can… The second film in volume one will be Carrie-Anne Crogg, the story of a young girl who is afraid of the monsters under her bed, and

30 30leftlion.co.uk/issue167

Further down the line we have Of Alan & Aliens, the story of a young boy who is mean to another boy during a school camping trip. But when he meets a group of aliens in the woods, he comes to realise how it feels to be left out.

We also have Wanda & The Watchmaker, the story of a young girl who is desperate to become an adult and do all the things she’s too young to do. But when she meets a mysterious old watchmaker in a sleepy old town, she soon realises that she should slow down a bit and enjoy being young.

We all felt strongly about wanting to present an alternative to (what we call) zombie content for young people, and deliver beautifully illustrated, well-crafted stories that not only entertain but offer tales of human experience to help guide our young ones How do you come up with ideas for stories? Do you have a process for writing or a place you find inspirational?

For me, each story starts with the social scenario or dilemma I’d like to explore. This allows me to create a fantastical character or MacGuffin to metaphorically represent that scenario. From there I can work on the journey of the characters and allow them to draw the conclusions that we want the young viewer to walk away with.

I like to write at home in my spare time, whilst listening to original film soundtracks that I find inspiring. Music is a key part of bringing the emotion into the scripts and conversation with a wide variety of friends is key to generating the topics I try to explore.

The December screening of The Astronaut was a great way to introduce children to the wonderful new Central Library. What will future events look like, how long are the films and will there be regular screenings?

The Central Library is an amazing space, and our ten minute film will premiere [in December] in the gorgeous new immersive room. It’s a cinemaesque snug with a large screen and is the perfect environment for children to settle in and watch our new Christmas story.

At the moment we only have plans to screen The Astronaut at this location, but we’re open to screening each Twilight Story Time episode in locations throughout Nottingham. But with that said, it’s important to remember that this film, as well as every other, will be available for free on YouTube worldwide and accessible to anyone who has an internet connection.

The new library feels like a very welcoming and inspiring space, and it’s great to combine film and literature for children. What do you think the future will look like for libraries?

Let’s not forget, libraries are free to the public and need to be kept thriving in order to ensure that everyone has access to literature and learning outside of the educational system. Our films deliberately mimic a physical picture book, because whilst we are a film story company, we believe that print is not dead and that libraries are essential. We are trying to fill a gap in a market that ignores that.

Is there anything else you'd like to add or shout about?

I’d also like to say that I’m about to become a father for the first time. It’s an exciting but also somewhat daunting feeling, especially given the world that we live in at the moment. But I hope that this project will bring a sense of warmth and familiarity to a great many children throughout the world, and that they enjoy watching these films as much as we enjoyed making them.

Finally, we’d like to say a special thank you to all of our voice over artists as well as Susan Pennington and Drew Lawson at Spool, the Central Library for taking a punt on us, and yourselves at LeftLion for the feature. We love being from Nottingham as we’re surrounded by a wealth of talented and passionate people. Thank you.

To hear some of Russ’ stories, head to the Twilight Story Time YouTube channel @TwilightStoryTime1

words: Andrew Tucker photo: Perm Ghattaura

It’s been just over a month since the Central Library stacked its shelves and opened its doors.

Along with a plethora of books and cosy nooks to read in, there’s already plenty of events popping up too, hailing a new era in Nottingham’s literary lifestyle. The LeftLion team went for a midweek spin around Nottingham’s new ten million quid home for tomes to see what we could borrow…

words: Andrew Tucker It’s not easy to have a new idea. I’ve been sitting on a pitch for a medical/ fantasy drama show for a few years now, called The Chronicles of Hernia.

In the pilot, a gryphon falls off a ladder at work.

It remains, remarkably, untelevised.

Ideas were invented by John Locke in 1690, in his Essay Concerning Human Understanding. This was very difficult to explain to his mates. “Guys,” he said, “I’ve just had a…” but no word was immediately available. So he made one up.

Writing furiously, Locke was determined to assert that ideas aren’t things implanted within us from birth, but are all gained from our experience in the world. According to Locke, the empty room that is your brain (after a night in The Bath Inn) can be furnished with two kinds of idea: sensation and reflection. Sensations are our impressions of things that exist, like the massive art deco sarcophagus at The Bath Inn, and reflections are the ideas that are about the working of our mind, like remembering how you got to The Bath Inn in the first place.

Not everyone was a fan of ideas about ideas. John Locke’s contemporary Edward Stillingfleet, the bishop of Worcester, said that Locke’s ideas encouraged ‘ill men’ to take up the ‘new way’ and ‘promote scepticism and infidelity’.

But, ideas have persisted to this very day, and in the end J. J. Abrams had the idea to name one of his characters ‘John Locke’, in the head-scratching TV show Lost. It was a decent programme, but is it better than a gnome with a stethoscope? @andrewtucker.uk

The sociologist Ray Oldenburg suggested an idea of the ‘third place’: that we need to have rich surroundings away from work and home in which we can meet one another and be ourselves, places with no sense of obligation, where we can just exist together. Where else but a good library?

To our surprise, Dolly Parton appeared at the launch of Nottingham’s new Central Library to give it her blessing, albeit in video form. And realistically, who else could have done it?

Like that brazen redhead Jolene, the new space is ‘beautiful beyond compare’ Like that brazen redhead Jolene, the new space is ‘beautiful beyond compare’ - designed in part by Paul Smith, it’s bright white, open and welcoming - a combination of parallel lines and circles with an entrance overhung by a hovering chandelier. The future is now.

As well as free wifi and a well-buffed espresso machine, there’s a sensory room in which you can disguise yourself

glam slam words: Finbar Ansbe photo: John Smalley

Having won two years in a row, Nottingham played host to this year’s worldwide Slamovision poetry competition. Could we make it a hat-trick?

On a Tuesday this December, twelve of the world’s greatest poets come together to celebrate the wonders of slam poetry. The Slamovision competition, now in its fifth year, is a UNESCO Cities of Literature event, and its contestants hail from literature-obsessed cities from all over the globe.

We’re joined in the room with live performances from Nottingham’s finalist Annie Cross (of course) but also those from Exeter, Manchester and Vilnius, Lithuania… then, together on the big screen come the finalists from Ljubljana, Melbourne, Iowa, Reykjavik, Québec City, Tartu, and Kuhmo.

within a pod of whales (and about time too) and… oh yes, nearly 200,000 books.

LITERATURE

shelf confidence

In this brave new world, the library runs Friday night ‘Sound at Central’ gigs, and we popped down to the first, where Nottingham’s favourite working poet Henry Normal - whose work is quoted in silver on a new library wall - delivered a barnstorming set featuring the very applicable My Heart Will Not Be Shushed, before eclectic jazzy band Salmagundi brought nearly brought the ten million pound house down with a song called ‘The Market Economy Got No Soul’.

From cuneiform tablets to hardback memoirs, for millennia we’ve valued libraries as the places where our memories are stored, pigeonholed in scrolls and dossiers. But the new Central Library isn’t just for old memories, although we’ll treasure those. It’s a living building, a place for all of us, and it’s where we’ll go to make new ones, too.

Find the Nottingham Central Library on Carrington Street, Nottingham NG1 7FG @nottscentrallibrary

two years holding the crown, it’s only fair for Nottingham to send it up north for a bit.

But we still leave feeling excited. Annie Cross is most definitely one to watch. An NTU creative writing student, Annie writes heartfelt poems about her family and friends, magical short stories that are inspired by The Twilight Zone, and she’s currently working on her first novel.

Her heat-winning poem, Father’s Daughter, is an ode to her dad and the similarities they share. It was beautiful and sad the first time I heard her recite it, in a recording on YouTube, but when she performs it on the day, with her dad in the crowd, I can barely breathe.

There were also fantastic performances from last year’s winner, Abíọ́dún 'Abbey' Abdul, and standout music and verse from Notts artists Daudi Matsiko, Chris Oliver, Ben Macpherson, and Ioney Smallhorne. With talent like that, we know without a shadow of a doubt that the Slam will return to where it belongs.

Slamovision took place at Metronome on Tuesday 5 December 2023 @nottmcityoflit

I’ll admit, when the voting begins, I feel somewhat sceptical.

Art is subjective. How can someone be the best? But when the votes start coming in all doubts are silenced - every poem is at least one city’s favourite.

Every poem is at least one city’s favourite. That’s the beauty of poetry That’s the beauty of poetry. And even when there are only a couple of votes left to go, things are incredibly tight five cities are still in with a chance of taking home the Slamovision crown. Vilinius is the last city to cast their vote. As, one by one, the scores are announced on that big Metronome screen, I can see everyone trying to work the maths out in their head. Then: “Please, welcome to the stage, Esther Koch, our 2023 Slamovision Champion!”

A poet born and bred in Manchester, Esther Koch’s winning poem Taurean at the Nightclub, is an incredible exploration of trauma, astrology, tarot cards and nightclub culture. After

leftlion.co.uk/issue16731 31

food

Kellari Greek Restaurant We can’t get enough of Beeston, and with the addition of yet another fantastic eatery, we pay a visit to Kellari Greek Restaurant to fulfil all our Greek cuisine cravings…

You may have driven past this restaurant situated on Wollaton Road, home to the old Yiannis. Kellari has put their own stamp on the business and given it a facelift inside: you'll step into patterned tiles and archetypal pictures of Santorini on white walls; it's a no-frills restaurant but let me tell you, the food speaks for itself.

You'll find all your classics on the menu from gyros to moussaka. Of course, I couldn't say no to starting with a slice of spanakopita and a plate of fried calamari. I must note, the starters took a while to arrive. "They must be making the spanakopita from scratch," I cried into my wine. Was it worth the wait?

Yes. Did it taste freshly baked? Also, yes. It was one of the best I’ve had in some time, with lots of crunchy, flaky layers.

Our mains arrived shortly after that; a swinging chicken souvlaki skewer accompanied by triangles of soft pita, creamy tzatziki, crispy fries, and a fresh, Greek salad. The chicken easily slid off the skewer and was juicy and tender. We also ordered something a little different to our usual Greek fare; a steaming plate of traditional beef stifado: slow cooked beef casserole in red wine, shallots, and allspice, served with the creamiest of mashed potatoes. This was a delightfully warming dish: the meat was deliciously tender, and the sauce was rich. I would 100% have both dishes again.

We didn't feel that we had room for dessert, but we decided to share one anyway. Again, we ordered something other than our usual dessert of baklava.

Galaktoboureko: a delicate Greek filo pastry stuffed with homemade vanilla custard and soaked in honey syrup, served with a zesty citrus ice-cream. It was straight from the fridge, but I imagine it could be lovely served warm or at room temperature too.

It won't be long until we are back in Kellari to try one of the mezze sharing platters, and I wholeheartedly recommend adding them to your list sooner rather than later. kellari.co.uk 132 Wollaton Rd, Beeston, Nottingham NG9 2PE

Rudy’s Pizza You may be thinking, ‘doesn’t Nottingham have enough pizza restaurants already?’ - but when we got invited to Rudy’s, the latest pizza joint in town, we simply couldn’t say no…

Following a quick half-pint at The Bodega during happy hour, we headed on down to Rudy’s latest location on Victoria Street. After a lovely welcome they were quick to take our drinks orders - I went for a simple house lemonade, while others I was with opted for their array of wines and beers.

words: Gemma Cockrell photo: Julia Head

Taquero The long-awaited Taquero has finally opened its doors, gracing Nottingham with their mouthwatering tacos and Mexican dishes. Our Food Editor Julia Head managed to nab an invite to their launch party…

I haven't frothed for the opening of a new restaurant the way I have for Taquero. I've been painfully watching the updates all year - fourteen months to be exact - and the eventual opening announcement left me filled with joy. Finally! An independent Mexican restaurant in the city.

So, with a grumbling tummy lusting for a taco fix, I set off for the launch party of Bar Iberico and Iberico World Tapas’ sister-restaurant. I'm a huge fan of their Spanish tapas, so if those dishes are anything to go by, I had high hopes for their Mexican restaurant.

Located on Heathcoat Street in lively Hockley, the menu offers a feast of authentic loaded tacos, tequila

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To give a true review, we sampled one of their meaty pizzas, a vegetarian one, and a vegan one. I myself got a classic Margherita, switching out the dairy cheese for their vegan mozzarella option. The staff were more than happy to do this for me and made the process very simple and easy.

words: Julia Head photo: Julia Head

Anyone who has tried vegan cheese will know it can be very hit or miss… but it’s safe to say that it was a hit at Rudy’s. I could hardly tell it wasn’t regular cheese, and the cheese-to-dough ratio was perfect, making the pizza very easy to slice and consume without being too messy or difficult.

Meanwhile, the Cinghiale pizza was also sampled, which was topped with wild boar. While I didn’t try this pizza myself, having been a vegetarian for almost a year now (I have made exceptions at some points, but wild boar felt a step too far) I hear from my meat-eating friend that it was very enjoyable.

The final pizza that we tried was the vegetarian Capricciosa. With kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, and portobello mushroom, it was just the right balance of stringy melted cheese, fresh toppings and San Marzano tomato. The soft thin base made it light enough to eat the whole thing, while the crusts were perfect for dipping.

If you’re looking to sample every pizza place in the city, Rudy’s is definitely a worthy contender. rudyspizza.co.uk 6 Victoria Street, Nottingham NG1 2EW

& mezcal-filled beverages, and all the antojitos (small plates) you can get your hands on. The rustic space, resembling a taquería, has high ceilings, colourful, patterned tiles, exposed brick, and plenty of light and greenery.

The frozen margaritas were flowing all night, and I managed to grab two tacos to try: the 'Baja' with crispy fried market fish, chipotle mayo and curtido (like a pickled cabbage slaw); and the 'Mushroom Carnitas' with portobello mushrooms, avocado, onion and coriander.

The fish was as crispy as ever, and the mushroom carnitas were rich and meaty. All tacos are served with zesty lime to squeeze over and are deliciously authentic with proper corn tortillas. Beef birria taco fans, take note that they've got these bad boys on the menu too. And for the vegans, you'll be sorted with plenty of options.

Good to know: similar to Bar Iberico, they only accept walk-ins and no bookings, so expect queues out of the door. Tacos will set you back between £7-£10 for a pair of two. taquero.co.uk 6-8 Heathcoat St, Nottingham NG1 3AA

words: Julia Head photo: Julia Head

SCREEN

sharing the love interview: Sofia Jones photos: A9 Films

I Don't Want To Share Your Love is the newest release from Nottingham-based A9 Films - Sofia Jones speaks to its screenwriter and director, Alfie Rowley-Stone, all about it…

Alfie Rowley-Stone began A9 Films to put himself on camera, and subsequently created Time Keeps Ticking and What Have I Become - films he both directed and starred in. But, also interested in the filmmaking process in its own right, I Don’t Want To Share Your Love sees Alfie focus solely on his work behind the camera.

As soon as the film begins, we understand the dynamic, and it is a familiar one: a young couple spend a summer’s day together at the lake; Dan Poacher as Ozzy and Izzy Johnson as Emilia do a superb job as a couple in love - not gushy, not overwrought, but real.

The film’s setting only adds to this sense of believability, and is one Nottingham locals will recognise. A beautiful lake is surrounded by trees, greenery, and massive pylons: we’re in Hoveringham. The surroundings appear to reflect a feeling between them - they are the only two people in the world, and we watch as they slowly fill up their day.

Their flirting is a little juvenile, as they race one another in the water and play truth or dare. It feels as though, at times, we are being intentionally distracted by the film. Although they talk with ease and seem to enjoy their day, there is a feeling that something lies just beneath the surface. What is it that is being left unsaid?

You started by focusing on relationships in your film Time Keeps Ticking, and then to a story-led plot in What Have I Become. Now, it seems you’re focusing on relationships again. What was the choice behind that?

The first two I wrote as random stories. I just wanted to start writing and put myself on camera to have showreel content. I wrote the films, but it wasn't like I was in love with that type of film.

Whereas with this one, I wanted to write the type of film I like to watch - European romance. I took influence from those European films where nothing really happens; they're very slow and there’s no dramatic story to them. It's about having characters that you like, or characters that you want to watch.

Obviously, you have to have some kind of jeopardy in there to make a short film entertaining, but I’ll

happily watch films where they just lie about all day.

Are there any films you’re thinking of in particular?

La Piscine is one that comes to mind. I also watched a film called Y tu mamá también and there’s a beach scene towards the end of that film where the setting is nice - it could have been around that time that I had the idea. Although I was speaking to my mate in the pub after we showed it, and he said it reminded him of Call Me by Your Name - and that film is slow, you feel the heat.

At the minute I film everything in one day, because that’s what I can afford to do, but the next idea I have, it’s got scope to be lovely and in loads of different places In your first film, you said that you used a handheld camera to make us feel like one of the friendship group. How did your filming direction change in this film?

The more I make films, the more I love the close shots. You have to have the wide shots for builders and in the edit - technically, you always need the wider shots - but my favourite ones are always the close ones, because you can see everything, in terms of the character’s face.

Are there any moments you wish had, or hadn’t, been in the final cut?

When I watch it back now, there are lines I don't like. But I spoke to my friend Scott, who runs 4AM Pictures, and he was surprised how much of the film I’d used and didn’t have to cut out. To be honest, it all pretty much went in, bar like thirty seconds.

I read it, and I read it, and I read it, and I changed it all myself. After the auditions and I had all the actors, we had a couple of read-throughs and then I changed it again. So then, by the time we’re filming, naturally I know I like it already.

When writing lines with a couple that is already

established, it is really hard to make it entertaining, but also real. I had to think of little funny things, like the truth or dare. I wanted them to be a relatable couple, but then at the same time, it’s a film I want people to want to watch. So tying things into conversations was the hardest thing by far, and making it feel genuine - not cliché, but also nice to watch.

What was the process when finding actors?

I put auditions out and a fair few people applied.

It was weird being the person doing auditions, because normally I’m the one on the other side. I did the first round and got it down to eight - I think it started in the high thirties. It was lovely to know that people were just up for acting; they hadn’t even read the script. For the second round, what I did was - because I don’t have the budget to book a room all day - I had them all on Zoom and everyone just had to wait in the break-out room and I had to do chemistry tests with each person.

The chemistry needed to be right, because in the film you can really tell they’re good together. It’s my script, but it doesn’t feel like I made it. When I write the words, generally they’re okay, but I don’t like how they sound, then they say them out loud and it brings it all to life and I like it. They were so real, I wanted it to feel like they were really a couple that had been together for years - and Dan and Izzy did it perfectly.

What is next for you?

These films are totally self-funded, just because I love it. I want to try and get funding for the next one, and to get more people involved to make it a more polished project. At the minute I film everything in one day, because that’s what I can afford to do, we’re restricted by locations, but the next idea I have, it’s got scope to be lovely and in loads of different places. I’m not going to restrict myself to just Notts, but you better believe I’m flying the flag.

I Don't Want To Share Your Love is now screening on the A9 Films YouTube channel @a9films

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ENVIRONMENT

field of dreams

interview: Rose Mason photos: Rose Mason

The Field, Strelley is a wilding project run by Rache Gravett and Keith Harrison, environmental advocates and the previous owners of Nottingham Climbing Centre. A journey that began with tree planting, is now evolving into a fully fledged community organisation, creating spaces for both the wildlife and the humans of Nottinghamshire…

How did The Field begin?

Rache: We had a vision of having a bit of land that we could ‘rewild’ (although it's technically impossible to ‘rewild’ anything that small). We always thought it would be good to have an eco centre for children to come to learn a bit about the environment. We were telling somebody this, and they said “ooh there's a bit of land for sale.” I’m a biologist and an ecologist. I've been a teacher, but otherwise I’ve never really put it to practical use before. We've been amazed how people are moved by being outdoors and that includes us. It has a rejuvenating effect.

How long have you been doing the project?

Rache: Since spring 2021, that's when we first started planting trees.

Keith: We bought the field in December 2020. They forgot to tell us the purchase had gone through. We enquired, why the delay? And they said no no, it all happened three months ago!

What was the field used for before?

Rache: It was a hay field for horses. It sometimes had horses in it, but they also used to harvest the grass to make hay.

Keith: In order to make sure the hay was exactly right, they used to put pesticides and herbicides on the field every year so that the only thing that grew was the type of grass that horses eat. It was agricultural, as if they were growing wheat.

Rache: Obviously agriculture has its uses, like feeding us, but it'd be good if it was a bit less intensive.

Keith: Or more was done to encourage carbon capture and wildlife, because eighty percent of the insect population of Britain has disappeared over the last fifty years. When I started driving I remember having to stop to wash the windscreen to get all the insects off.

What’s been happening with The Field so far?

Rache: Our initial advice from the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust was to plant a row of trees from the top to the bottom to create a wildlife corridor. Also to make a pond, because there used to be a lot more ponds around, but then they were all drained for agricultural land use, and also to sow wildflowers.

That was their advice and that's what we've been building up over the three years. We've planted over 600 trees so far and we’ve also just won a Woodland Trust tree grant for 400 saplings to plant next spring.

Have you had a favourite part?

Rache: Getting people involved, really!

35 34 leftlion.co.uk/issue167

Keith: Our first school children visit was absolutely wonderful. The kids adored it and our son Matty gave an inspiring talk at the church across the way from our field and then did a very theatrical fall into a large puddle. The kids were all very interested.

They were ten year olds from a primary school in Derbyshire and they just loved the talk and they loved planting trees. They all planted a tree in groups and they were invited to name and label their tree so they could watch them grow. They can come and see how they're doing in 300 years when the tree is mature!

He said “watch this” and switched all the lights off. We sat still, put the lights back on and we counted the number of foxes we could see and it was six Has anything surprised you along the way?

Rache: We need to mow the whole field annually.

Because wildflower meadow management is very difficult, you have to get it right. And in fact wildflower meadows are meant to be rarer now than woodlands so that's become more of a priority than we thought it would be.

Keith: I'm not a biologist so I assumed if you planted a great load of wildflower seeds, then they’d sprout up and you’d have a wildflower meadow. Like in books about the countryside like Laurie Lee. Anyway it turns out if you just leave your field in two years it'll be completely covered with brambles, nettles and thistles. So we have to do weeding all the time, over the whole nine acres.

Rache: It's a balancing act because there's no such thing as a weed, is there?

Keith: No, it's just a plant that's in the wrong place.

What have you got planned for the future?

Rache: I think our focus has changed a bit over the years of wanting more community involvement because we see how beneficial it is to people. If we can get local schools and people to come and take part, we realise it has a good effect on them, as well as making them realise they can do their bit in helping the planet.

Keith: We’re hoping to be able to build an eco centre so that people of all ages can learn about nature and the difference between agricultural farming and natural habitats. Encouraging places where small mammals, amphibians and insects

can be nurtured rather than killed off to stop them interfering with food growth. We also hope that our eco centre would provide opportunities for community activities like crafts and gardening, growing your own vegetables, healthier eating, hobbies like woodworking and sewing and providing a place where people can come and meet others and gain personal satisfaction from what they’re doing.

What kind of wildlife have you found in the field?

Keith: When we mowed the field, the farmer said I'll be along at 9.30, and he meant 9.30 at night. So we got on the tractor and he mowed the whole field.

He said “watch this” and switched all the lights off.

We sat still, put the lights back on and we counted the number of foxes we could see and it was six.

They had noticed that the land was being cleared and thought “I'll be able to find some rabbits.” We've also seen deer, a wide variety of insects, butterflies and moths and stuff. The Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust put some little mats down near the ponds and under those mats they have found grass snakes, and a great crested newt!

Rache: We've seen a lot of interesting birds. Lots of insects, lots of grasshoppers, dragonflies, damselflies, lots of pond life; water boatman, pond skaters.

Keith: The amount of pond life that's spontaneously turned up is amazing.

Rache: We haven't seen any hedgehogs, or badgers.

Keith: Other creatures that we haven’t seen include elephants, we haven't seen moose. But we've seen a dog, our dog, he loves the field.

It all sounds wonderful. Would you like to share anything else?

Rache: We are very privileged to have got the land.

It's a small project, we don’t want to over-whatsit it, do we? But it's inspired us and we hope it will inspire others.

Keith: If it teaches young people about the importance of sustainability, conservation and nature and they can teach their parents about the importance of recycling, the relevance of carbon capture and reducing global warming then it will have served a purpose. Greta Thunberg says nobody is too small to make a difference, and that encourages us.

If you want to get involved, visit The Field, Strelley for their next volunteering session @thefield_strelley

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art

Gratitude Guardians words: Jimi Arundell photos: Sophie Gargett

Around the streets of Sherwood, something magical is happening. Hidden in the cracks of walls, nestled in bushes, and sat on park benches, these Gratitude Guardians are benevolently watching over us all and keeping you safe. We spoke to Paul Leatham, who has been handcrafting the cute critters in his garden studio for the past three years…

Simple yet elegant in design, the Guardians tend to be just 2.5 to six inches tall, with little more than a charming face, affectionate curious eyes, and a protective rune on the rear. Some are adorned with Aztec headdresses or twisted horns, whilst others have animal ears, bat wings, and even seasonal fur-trimmed yuletide coats. The unique mix of myth and folklore has proven popular, with Paul Leatham finding fans of his Guardians far and wide, and I was excited to meet the man behind the magic.

Brighton-born Paul, a photographer turned art teacher worked at Djanogly City Academy for seventeen years before retiring in March of 2020, just as Covid brought the world to a standstill. Retreating to his garden shed, now converted into his very own studio, he continued his passion for creativity with a special love of working with clay despite having no formal training. “Originally, I was making tiles, ceramic decorative tiles, but then I brought down a Guardian one day from the studio. And Jane, my wife, said, ‘That's lovely. Make more of them.’

So, I did. And that's sort of where they came from.

“We started off with the bigger ones. And then at our first market store noticed that people were really attracted to the small ones. So I made a few more small ones, and a few more, and it just like eventually, that the little fellas just took over.”

A self-described cultural magpie, Leatham takes his inspiration from a wide range of historic traditions and practices from around the world. “It's that idea that goes back as far back as society,” he explains. “People have this idea of investing some sort of energy into an object, or an idol or a thing, and it sort of grew out of that.” He compares them to the ancient Roman Lares Familiares, domestic shrines to little gods in the home to which you paid daily tributes to avoid disaster and keep bad luck at bay, and he sees his Guardians as a modern equivalent, like little helpers that help you find the lost remote control or prompt you to find some spare change down the back of a sofa.

“All cultures have it. We have brownies in England and Scotland. The brownies were half spirits, a little spirit of the home.” He reminisces how his grandparents in Ireland would leave saucers of milk to appease the spirits and other “weird things like that”, and how his parents would also fill his childhood home with images of the Virgin Mary and other Catholic iconography.

But rather than being religious or overtly spiritual, Paul is drawn more towards the aesthetic of mystic Scandinavian runes, and South American art. He even draws on pop culture too: “There’s bits of Star Wars in there. There’s bits of anime. I don’t know if you've seen Princess Mononoke? There's the tree characters in that.”

But whilst George Lucas and Hayao Miyazaki may go to great lengths to embellish their work, creating extensive backstories for their characters and inventing detailed worlds for them to inhabit, Paul is resistant to forcing a narrative of who they are and where they come from. He is far more fascinated by other people’s interpretations, allowing for the freedom to dream up their own ideas based on the purity of their simple yet elegant features. “I think because of their simplicity, they're just a circle with two dots, people look at them and they will project what they want onto them.”

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And he is adamant that there is no grand idea behind the Guardians who take a life of their own, almost beyond his control, saying, “I get people coming to the counter, and telling me what my work is about, which is perfectly justifiable because I've got no idea. I create these things. And people bring to them what they want.” It seems like the Guardians have magically chosen to come to him in the same way people have discovered them on the streets of Sherwood: “There were no sketches. I didn't sort of sit down and plan them. It was just working with the clay. And yeah, they appeared. And I'm glad they did.”

I get people coming to the counter, and telling me what my work is about, which is perfectly justifiable because I've got no idea. I create these things. And people bring to them what they want And after they appear to him in the studios, the tiniest of his range which he calls ‘The Ghosts’ begin to pop up on the streets and public spaces of NG5 a week before each Sherwood Market. These ‘Gratitude Guardians’, usually little more than two eyes and maybe some horns on a tiny body are hidden by the mischievous clay maker as his way of thanking the city that supports him. “I went around town, I just put all these little Guardians around. And in my mind, they were just going to stay out there and just form like a protective web over the community. I just posted on Facebook and said ‘Look, I just put these little fellas out there, as a thank you.’ And then suddenly, everyone was hunting for them.

And then people were so ecstatic when they found them.”

It's now become a bit of an altruistic tradition for Paul, with collectors young and old eagerly tracking them down. “I imagined in my head kids, but they're not, they’re grown adults who are sort of like just going crazy over these are essentially tiny little pieces of mud.”

This is how my fiancée and I first heard of them, and the discovery of our Ghost we affectionately call Fred on a traffic barrier on our street became the first of our growing collection of Guardians. I regale him of the story of how we found him, it’s one of many told to him at the stalls by fans who have also made lucky discoveries. “It’s one of the best things I do now” he beams, “I love it.”

Despite their diminutive size - the Ghosts are little bigger than a thumbnail - the response to the Guardians has been enormous and Paul has been contacted by collectors around the world, taking orders from as far as America and even New Zealand, and families sharing them with loved ones in Marseille and Hong Kong.

He marvels at the public’s reaction, yet remains modest about this achievement, reflecting, “It’s just funny when I sort of stop and think about them, and how these little things that started out as a little ball of mud up at the top of my garden are off there in the world. It’s just wonderful.” @studioleatham

ART

blue things interview: George Dunbar photos: Harry Mayston

After graduating with a degree in fine art from Loughborough University, artist Harry Mayston went on to have his work exhibited in Surface Gallery’s recent exhibition Vessel after he, by chance, was asked to give the team behind the gallery a tour of the Loughborough School of Design and Creative Arts degree show.

Following the exhibition, he tells us more about the nature of his piece Blue Things, which was made up of 76 cyanotype prints, and the plans he has for the future of his art practice…

You recently had an exhibition at Surface Gallery, can you tell us about the exhibition and the art you exhibited?

The exhibition was part of Surface Gallery’s 2023 East Midlands Graduate Project. The project consisted of a four-week residency using the top floor project space, followed by a public exhibition in the main gallery space which ran for two weeks and was intended to introduce recent graduate artists to the world of professional art practice. I initially found out about the project at the Loughborough School of Design and Creative Arts degree show, where quite by chance I was asked to give the Surface team a tour of the show, and eventually I ended up being one of eight people selected to take part in the project.

which develops the reacted cyanotype into a colour known as Prussian Blue, while also washing away the unreacted cyanotype. This is a slow-reacting form of photography, in direct summer sun it can take as short as two to five minutes to fully react, whereas in the winter it can take over half an hour.

The exhibition was titled Vessel, and I exhibited my piece Blue Things. With the piece I was focusing on human perception and interaction with water. It consisted of 76 cyanotype prints on paper, varying in scale arranged over the gallery wall, overlapping and appearing to float in front of each other. I was also particularly looking at the role of water in creation, thinking about how life is dependent on water, including the role of water molecules in the birth of stars.

In the imagery I created, I used ambiguous patterns that looked like refracting water just as much as it looks like skin, encouraging the viewer to think about themselves in relation to water and the ways we are connected to the world around us.

Can you tell us a bit about your art practice?

I have always been very interested in nature, with almost all of the photographic imagery being taken from near where I live as well as other locations throughout Nottingham and Derby. A lot of my work embodies the intricacy of nature, expressed through a focus on the patterns that emerge, such as the arrangement and the formation of Fibonacci spirals in leaf growth, known as phyllotaxis.

I was looking at the role of water in creation, thinking about how life is dependent on water, including the role of water molecules in the birth of stars What is cyanotype photography?

The cyanotype was an early form of camera-less photography meaning that images are made without the use of a lens or camera box, instead materials are placed directly on coated paper, and exposed to ultraviolet light (usually in the form of sunlight).

A cyanotype print starts with preparing the paper. Mixing in equal parts the chemicals ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide, which is then spread over paper and left to dry in the dark. Once dry you can place objects, like plants, flowers, or photographic negatives on top of the paper and expose it to light, the objects will block the light from developing the cyanotype underneath it, creating an inverse silhouette. Finally, the paper then needs to be washed,

The cyanotype has a history of depicting nature. Anna Atkins (1799–1871) applied the technique to illustrate algae and seaweed, which she published in Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions. This subject has transcended to contemporary work, with focuses on water and the coastline being a popular source of inspiration amongst current cyanotype artists.

Something I focus on quite heavily is building a way of making that directly reflects the concept that I am trying to embody in the image, even if it isn’t directly observable in the final piece. With the use of cyanotype, I found my own engagement with water in developing the photographs, directly reflecting the sort of connection I was trying to highlight in the appearance of the image. Previously I have also made and used biological inks in nature inspired compositions. That way I have been creating an image depicting and inspired by nature, whilst also being made from pieces of the world.

What plans do you have for the future of your art practice?

I have recently been looking into the politically ecological implications of my work. I have experimented with printing images of nature onto fragile materials, like tracing paper, and thin washi paper as a way of highlighting fragility, while also depicting an almost idyllic image of nature to communicate a way the world could be, free of pollution or destruction. I am looking into this as a way of awakening the viewer to a sense of loss when we step away from the images in cyanotypes and we are affronted by the reality of the world, and hopefully motivate a restorative action and protection of the world by fostering a love for nature.

You can see more of Harry’s work at harrymaystonart.com @art_harry.m

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BEST OF THE MONTH Jesus Christ Superstar When: Monday 8 January Saturday 13 January Where: Royal Concert Hall How much: £24.50 to £54.50 Timothy Sheader directs this mesmerising new production of the iconic global phenomenon, which comes to Nottingham for one week only! Starring Ian McIntosh as Jesus, Shem Omari James as Judas and Hannah Richardson as Mary, this was originally staged by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, and won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival, garnering unprecedented reviews and accolades.

Fabio & Grooverider and The Outlook Orchestra When: Saturday 20 January, 6:30pm Where: Rock City How much: £37.50 Following two incredible sold out shows at London’s Southbank Centre earlier this year and a handful of select festival appearances throughout the summer, Fabio & Grooverider and The Outlook Orchestra have announced three brand new live dates for January 2024.

Performing in Manchester and Nottingham for the very-first time as well as a huge London show, the godfathers of the scene alongside The Outlook Orchestra will present a very special score celebrating a history of jungle and drum and bass.

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Cappo “CANON” – Live + Signing When: Friday 12 January, 7pm Where: Rough Trade Nottingham How much: From £6.50

Winter Tree ID When: Saturday 13 January, 10:30am Where: Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre How much: £7.50

Local legend Cappo will be gracing Rough Trade with a one-off live performance and album signing. This unique event celebrates the long-awaited release of his new album Canon (Cappo’s first full-length release since completing his PhD on literary techniques in HipHop lyricism). Cappo will be accompanied on the night by Canon’s producer and former DMC DJ champion, Kong The Artisan and more special guests to be announced. Read our interview with Cappo on page 23!

Learn how to identify trees even when they are not in leaf on this guided walk where you will be shown the key characteristics to look for to identify trees during the winter months. During this time of year, you can spot some fantastic and unique features usually hidden. With the help of the walk leader, you can learn to identify a variety of tree species. The walk will last approximately ninety minutes, and they ask that you please bring suitable clothing and footwear.

Backyard Festival 2024 When: Saturday 20 January, 4:30pm Where: The Bodega How much: £8.50

Agatha Christie’s - And Then There Were None When: Tuesday 23 January Saturday 27 January Where: Theatre Royal How much: £15.50 to £40.50

Bringing you some of the most exciting Nottingham bands, Backyard Festival promises a night of huge tunes, with performances from Soaphead, Sex Toy Vending Machine, Marvin’s Revenge, Skitz Wizards, Bad Hand, Fakers, and PASTE. It’s all in the name of a good cause, the MacMillan Cancer Society, so make sure to head on down.

Ten strangers are lured to a solitary mansion off the coast of Devon. When a storm cuts them off from the mainland, the true reason for their presence on the island becomes horribly clear. Directed by Lucy Bailey, the full cast of this gripping thriller are Bob Barrett, Joseph Beattie, Oliver Clayton, Jeffery Kissoon, Andrew Lancel, Nicola May-Taylor, Louise McNulty, Katy Stephens, Lucy Tregear, Sophie Walter, Matt Weyland and David Yelland.

Sharp Little Bones ft Tony Kofi When: Wednesday 17 January, 7pm Where: Peggy’s Skylight How much: £8 - £12 Sharp Little Bones is the brainchild of bassist and composer Simon Paterson.

Joined by MOBO-nominated, multi-BBC Jazz and Parliamentary Jazz Awards winner Tony Kofi, they are a quartet of virtuosos playing brand-new compositions that are tight, energetic, catchy, and melodic. Well experienced in entertaining audiences, their sound has fresh, contemporary appeal: an eclectic audio melting pot of jazz, funk, blues, and bop.

Beat The Streets 2024 When: Sunday 28 January Where: Various venues How much: £10 - £30 Nottingham’s annual charity music festival is back to continue to bring the community together to battle homelessness and raise vital funds for Framework, with all proceeds raised from ticket sales, merchandise and bar sales in Rock City, Rescue Rooms and The Bodega going towards this.

Expect a line up full of breaking acts, local heroes and charttopping sensations. You can also read our interview with a Framework outreach worker on page 27!

We’re Jay and Zach, best friends since going to primary school together in Notts - we love the city and love finding the interesting, odd and exciting things happening around our hometown. Each month we’re going to be running around (sometimes literally) bringing you the best that Notts has to offer - starting at J and ending at Z… Jay: If I could describe Zach in two words, it would be a dyspraxic pacifist. Crashing through the world, with an acute disconnect between brain and body, barely in control of his four limbs.

Zach: This morning I needed to return a medium-sized parcel to the post office. Picked it up, took about four steps, walked into a wall, kept moving forwards, box hits face, tooth cuts lip open. Fight or flight? My natural instinct is to lay down, play dead and accept my fate.

Jay: So naturally, I decided to drag Zach to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I thought maybe those flailing limbs would make him a submission savant.

Zach: It’s a rainy Thursday night and with my warm, comforting, and most importantly, choke-hold free idea of a Japanese cooking class vetoed, I’m well and truly questioning my friendships and the life choices that brought me to be stood on the threshold of Gracie Barra in Arnold.

We’re greeted by Professor (title of black belt instructors) Simon who owns the school. Physically imposing, big beard but with warm energy and a friendly smile, which reflected the vibe for the rest of the night. He explained the history of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the Gracie family, Rollis who broke his arm in a competition and continued fighting, and Carlos Jr. who took the school worldwide.

Simon’s school has a safe and inclusive environment and is a social enterprise, doing lots of outreach around self-defence in the community. Rather than throwing you in at the deep end, classes are structured to introduce the fundamentals via drills and end with sparring sessions, allowing you to put what you’ve learned into action.

Zach: The result is that even terrified amateurs like me have a great time. I LOVED IT. Try and choke me from behind now, see what happens!

Jay: But only in one very particular scenario! The great thing was that I felt very comfortable coming back to a sport I’ve not done in years.

The hour flew by, and we both think we may have found a new hobby! The club itself is friendly and welcoming, with a genuine team spirit - we both felt like part of the group by the end of the session.

Each month we’ll end on some letter-based recommendations. Let us know yours!

Music: Food: Watch:

Jay - Jayahadadream

Jay - Jalibee (indian sweet) Jay - Justice League (animated)

Zach - J Cole Zach - Jerk Chicken (recipe on Instagram) Zach - Jackie Chan Adventures @fromJtoZee

words: Jay Sandhu and Zach McCarthy

Gargoyle Grumbles If you’ve bin rahnd as long as I ‘ave, you’ll know Nottingham in’t what it used to be.

Buildings thrown up, torn down, all glass and steel nowt like my lovely old mug being chiselled out these days to keep watch on things. I say we resurrect ole Watson Fothergill and get him to have a word with whoever's in charge, tell em us gargoyles are on the verge of extinction.

Still, got to have something to grumble about eh. And it’s alright where I live, I get me tabs tickled by all sorts from up ‘ere. Guess where I am and I’ll give one of you a book of other nonsense people ‘ave overheard in Notts. If you think you know, send an email to this lot at editorial@ leftlion.co.uk and you might be in luck.

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