THE BIGGEST FREE MAGAZINE FOR THE NORTH EAST ISSUE #2 SEPTEMBER 2012
Featuring
e, g d ri F e th y n o T , an M g in n n u R e h T ays d 0 3 in s n u R h rt o N at re g 0 3 g n completi
Plus
Dialect Films from Mars Michael Surtees Sunderland Pride The Sage and much more
WOW! Is it just me or have the Athletes taking part in the Paralympics just put every other able bodied sport to shame…in fact every able bodied person to be fair. They are a real inspiration to us all. Sticking with the sporting theme, it’s that time of year, the biggest event of the North East’s sporting calendar… The Great North Run. A massive well done to everyone who is taking part this year, helping to raise money for some incredible causes, an extra special mention goes out to this months cover star, Tony The Fridge. If you haven’t heard of him or seen him then around then check out his feature in this very issue, the guy is crazy but is without a doubt a local legend, Tony, we salute you! As always, drop us an email if you want to feature in a future issue of NE, after all, it’s you the reader who makes the North East what it is, an amazing place,
Ant Clennan
http://www.facebook.com/ant.clennan http://wwwsouthtynesidekettlebells. co.uk Website Greg Wyllie BA (Hons)
www.evocreative.co.uk info@evocreative.co.uk SPONSORS Cineworld Boldon
www.cineworld.co.uk The Sage Gateshead
www.thesagegateshead.org Ocean Beach Pleasure Park
www.oceanbeach.co.uk Quasar Elite South Shields
www.quasarsouthshields.co.uk For all queries or if you would like to feature or advertise in NE Magazine email contact@neonlinemagazine.com
Enjoy Wayne
EDITOR Wayne Groves wayne@neonlinemagazine.com DESIGNER Joseph Archer BA (Hons) archer.joe@neonlinemagazine.com
Unless stated otherwise all competition entries should be sent to win@ neonlinemagazine.com Plus you can catch up with us online for news, events, blogs, competitions and more at
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CONTRIBUTORS Elizabeth Johnson elizabeth@neonlinemagazine.com Ian Berry Photographer
www.ianberry.co.uk info@ianberry.co.uk John Shaw contact@johnshawdj.co.uk
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CONTENTS 6
THE WAITERS
10 TIMOTHY HODGSON 12 BROKEN GRAVITY 16 FEEL THE WRATH 20 DIARY OF A
FAT B*****D
22 GREAT NORTH RUN 28 SUPREMACY 4
30 SEAHORSE LIVE 33 SUNDERLAND PRIDE 2012
36 FILMS FROM MARS 44 GET FIT WITH
ANT CLENN AN
48 CHATTABOX OF DIALECT 53 THE SAGE
CLASSICAL SEASON
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Who are you? We’re The Waiters! A four-piece band made up of Dan Johnson, Adam Tait, Rhys Chambers and Martin King.
Where are you from? South Shields, just outside of Newcastle.
Who does what in the band?
INTERVIEW Photos by Halo Photography
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Dan – singer/songwriter and lead guitarist. Adam – Singer/ Rhythm guitarist Rhys – Bassist/ Backing vocals Martin – Drummer
Where did the name come from? It was one of our very first gigs and we still didn’t have a name. We had a slot with a local performing arts group that Dan and Adam worked for at the time. We had to dress smart as the show
was for the Mayor and together Adam realised we all looked like we’d just finished a shift at a restaurant! So here we are, The Waiters! (Ironically, Adam later went on to work as a Waiter in a restaurant!)
When did you form and how did it come about? We’ve officially been together for 8 months now since finding Rhys. We played with the idea of being in a band for a while but couldn’t find a bassist that was right for us. All four of us have been brought up with music in our lives so it just seemed right to form a band. We found Martin by chance after we went to a party and seen him playing the drums on Rock Band! Even after a few beers he was amazing so we got chatting to him about the band. After that he came to rehearsals and proved that he was even better on a real kit.
Are you a covers band or do you do your own material? We do play covers at gigs as they really get the crowd going but we’re all about getting our own material heard! We’re really lucky that we have Dan in the band because he came to us with material he’d already written and the stuff is amazing!
Our first track ‘Find You Someday’ was written and recorded pretty quickly and it got our name out there and our fan base began to grow. We’re now heading back into the studio in September/October to record another 5 tracks that will feature on our first album. We’re looking forward to letting our fans hear our new tracks as they really show off our skills and we’ve had a great reaction when playing them live.
Who makes up your fan base? Our fan base varies depending on the music we’re playing. At gigs, when we do covers we make sure we cater for all ages whether old or young. This therefore opens our fan base up to a wider scope of people. We play our own material to these crowds too and we always get a great reception. However, our original music is aimed more at a younger generation because they’re our ages and therefore relate to our songs a little more.
Give three interesting facts about each member. Dan – Wrote his first original song at only 11 years old! - Has played at the o2 arena in London! - Once swam into a wall
and split his head open! Martin – Has a third nipple! - Once shaved his body hair into zigzags! - Doesn’t like eggs! Rhys - Has played for the Queen! - Plays every instrument except the harp! - Once won a local talent show with The Waiters first single ‘Find You Someday’! Adam – Lived in India for two months helping the local community! - Bleached his hair blonde for his dads wedding and it turned ginger! - Can Bollywood dance!
What has been your most memorable moment to date so far? We’ve recently opened the show for Taking Hayley on their UK album tour at the o2 Academy Newcastle! After such a short amount of time together as a band this was an amazing opportunity for us! Taking Hayley have just supported Mcfly back in April 2012 so we’re really proud to have opened for them in our home City. Our fans have been really supportive of us and this was a perfect way for us to repay them by playing our original tracks at the gig! We played a new track called ‘Mr Impossible’ for the first time which was cowritten by Dan and Adam and we got a brilliant
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response from the crowd! It was amazing!
Who inspires you? The great thing about our band is that we’re all inspired by different artists, so we have a unique outlook on music which somehow works together! Dan is inspired by other great songwriters such as Tom Fletcher from Mcfly, whereas Rhys takes his inspiration from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers bassist Flea. Although they’re two very different bands, we all respect where each influence has come from and we hope to be an inspiration for others ourselves.
What is the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened at a gig? None of us have fallen over on stage or anything but Dan had a microphone fall onto his face at two different gigs! He was on a stool playing guitar and his mic just fell onto his face! He couldn’t move it because he was playing so it was just lying there! Martin was back stage so he stuck his hand out from behind the curtain and held the mic!
What advice would you give to anyone wanting to start up a band? That really depends on what you want out of it. If you just want a band
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as a hobby then look for people who want the same. We all wanted to take The Waiters forward to a professional level so we made sure we all had the same plan. If you’re serious about a band then don’t settle for something that doesn’t feel right. We auditioned 6 bass players before we found Rhys and in the 8-month he’s been with us we’ve gone from strength to strength. It’s also really important to listen to your band members. We always bring ideas to the table so that all four of us, and also our manger Chelsea can have a say. This way we get a better idea of what might work for the band and what wouldn’t. I guess overall though the main advice would be to believe in your band and aim high!
Why should people listen to you? The main thing for us is our original music. We work so hard on our tracks to make sure that they are perfect before they’re heard and the feedback we’ve had so far is incredible! Dan finds the feedback so important as he’s the one doing the majority of the writing, the music can only improve with the fans opinions. The Waiters songs are like the bands diary, they tend to be written about something that’s going on with the
band at that time and so they’re usually something people can relate to.
What are your aims for the rest of 2012? This year has gone so fast already! For the rest of the year we’re looking to get our new tracks recorded and get them heard as much as possible! We’ll be sending off to radio stations and record labels so look out for us! We will also be writing and recording the other tracks for our album that are not quite finished yet. Going into 2013 we’re then looking to get some more serious gigs to get our name out there! We’re currently thinking about going for Live and Unsigned as it’s a great way to meet people in the industry but we haven’t made a definite decision yet as we want to keep our options open.
Where can people follow you/keep up to date with you? Facebook and Twitter! We update our accounts with the information on the band all of the time and it’s great to hear from fans too! Information about future gigs and the upcoming album will be posted soon so like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ thewaitersofficial and follow us on Twitter @ TheWaitersOffic.
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INTERVIEW Name? Timothy Hodgson Age? 24 Where are you from? Based in Middlesbrough
Who do you play for and what position? I play for Kirkbymoorside FC and I play as a goalkeeper
How long have you been playing football and what got you started? I have been playing football since I was in primary school, so since
the age of about 6 or 7. I started playing football because my parents told me I had a natural ability to kick a ball and good hand eye co-ordination.
The Goalkeeper is the forgotten hero of the team, what made you want to be a goalie rather than a striker? As a matter of fact I joined my village team as a striker but found after the first season that my natural talent was to
be the rock between the sticks. Don’t get me wrong I loved playing as a striker but my natural hand eye co-ordination came in and goalkeeping just came naturally to me.
Which team do you support? I’m originally from North Yorkshire so I support Leeds United. Kind of been brought up in a Leeds household so didn’t have much choice haha.
Tell us 3 random facts about yourself? Love having a laugh. Have a beautiful model fiancé that I love so much. Enjoy coaching young talent in football.
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Who is your favourite player of all time? That’s a tough question as there have been many great players but I would have to say Tony Yeboah.
If you could play for any team in the world who would it be and why? I would have to say Inter Milan. I find the way they pass the ball to be inspiring and a great way to show how teams don’t have to play at full pace and the long ball all the time.
What do you think about the wages the pro players get compared to
other sports and do you think they deserve it, especially after being put to shame by the GB Athletes who do it for pride and not money? Some people agree with this and some people don’t. I say well done to the GB team. It does show that you don’t need the money to play. I have a lot of passion in the sport and the money isn’t the main purpose for me playing the beautiful game.
What are your aims for the coming season? My
and understand how my team mates play.
What advice would you give to young up and coming players? Stick at it. Keep playing to your ability and never think you can’t make it to a high standard. Set your goals high and achieve them.
Where can people keep up to date with you and your team? They can keep up to date on http://www. pitchero.com/clubs/ kirkbymoorsidefc/
aims for the season are to become a stronger player individually but also grow
YOUR TICKET’S A BARGAIN ON TUESDAYS Every movie, every Tuesday – just £4.40 *
*Additional charge will be applied for 3D films.
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Broken Gravity are a North East based rock band. Stu CurryVocals / Guitar, Jonny Martin - Bass / Synthesisers, Dave Robinson - Guitar, Chris Wold - Drums.We hail from South Shields (Chris), Chester-le-Street (Stu), Winlaton (Dave) and Seaham (Jonny)
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were called B originally la the trac ck Hill until k was wri Broken Gravity t a g r e e d t t e n . We a l l h that the ere and then directio name suited the n was hea that the band ding mus i we chan ged nam cally. So created e the logo s and .
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Feel The
T H A WR With
John Shaw
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Well a few Fridays ago everybody was going mental... going bonkers about the music, the atmosphere, the history and the quality. This was a statement of intent upon the nightclub scene and the world of dance music... no I’m not talking about one of my gigs at Passion unfortunately, I am talking about the Channel Four Friday session of documentaries and live DJs attributed to the world of clubbing. Idris Elba hosted one of the best, most informative documentaries I have ever seen. The actor / DJ / TV Presenter / Cockney Chap / clubber / Mr lover lover documented the 50 most influential events or contributions that changed the UK Club scene. We had music, clubs, club nights, Ibiza, DJs and Tony Blair... but what exactly was it that was the single most important thing that changed the way people enjoyed themselves? Yes you got it... Pills. Ecstasy was voted the number one that made the club scene what it is today. Now I did love Elba’s documentary, It did after all feature my personal obsession of Acid House music and The Hacienda. On that note have you read Peter Hooks book titled ‘How Not To Run A Club’ ? If you have not you must finish reading
this fantastic article and run down to WH Smiths and order it. You will never ever ever ever ever ever read a better book. Anyway, it did feature acid house and The Hacienda but there was one things / person missing from this show. A person who most of us, premier DJs included, credit with actually discovering Ibiza. Rumour
has it that long before the likes of Oakey and ramps were dancing to Teenage Kicks in Ibiza, this man was returning to the island for about the 3487thtime he loved it that much. We have a man who single handedly put the word Party back into Djing, without having to ACTUALLY play party music (Abba, Mr Blobby & Journey to you lot). This
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is a man who truly loves music, truly loves Djing and is probably one of the most lovable, famous and crowd pleasing DJ on the planet. I’m talking about the one and only Brandon Block. Surely these idiots who made the show could have easily got in touch with Blocko to get him on this show. To not have him on would be like doing a documentary on football managers without featuring Sir Alex, a show about tennis and not calling Roger Federer, a show about Big Brother and not asking Davina to come on. You simply can’t make a two hour documentary about the history of UK Clubbing and feature people like Orbital, Basement Jaxx, David Guetta (documentary about tits anyone?) and not interview Brandon Block. The guy attacked Ronnie Woods on LIVE TV with chop sticks for gods sake, he’s won caner of the Year Three times... YES THREE TIMES... the man is a bloody legend!!! OK I tell a lie.... he was actually on, but I bet every single person who watched it (apart from DJs and any doorman who worked at Chambers from 1999 – 2002) missed him. Did you? Well get your Sky Plus on and watch it again because Brandon is
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actually on it... there’s a bit about illegal raves and a very short but famous piece of footage where Brandon in raving his tits off with a whistle, but this short amount of time doesn’t pay homage to an absolute legend of dance music. All in all a pretty successful night for Channel Four, and I cant even begin to talk about the live house party afterwards because, like any other decent DJ out there.... I was working.
If there are any working DJs who wish to be featured on my page please drop me an email. I am all up for helping any DJs get extra exposure and to help spread their wings, so if I can help in anyway drop me an email to contact@ johnshawdj.co.uk and you can be featured along with your current top tunes and where you DJ. If we have any up and coming producers who wish to showcase their productions, send me a link and I can feature some of the best.
After a conversation with the world famous Jonny M, it was brought to my attention that some Premier League DJs are trying even harder to make even more money for playing other peoples records (or their own in Guetta’s case). Yes people, not only are these celebrity DJs on £1,898,113 a second but they are now negotiating a cut of the profit from booze sales. I nearly spat my champagne all over Jonny. A DJ of this calibre can be on anything from £20,000 to £150,000 per gig and they have the cheek to want 20p from every bottle of VK that is sold? They want a good slap is what they want!!! One band A DJ who has won DJ Magazine’s DJ of The Year award once or twice bans anybody from even discussing his fee. It is kept so secret you won’t read or hear about it. The world has gone crazy once again with DJs wages going through the roof. A similar situation happened at the turn of the last century and promoters decided to stand against them by boycotting certain big earners and it worked as fee’s came down. Maybe they should do it again and allow certain long haired French DJs to have a few nights out in Shields?
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DIARY OF A FAT B*****D
By Wayne Groves
Now the title of my column is not meant to offend anyone, it is really just how I feel about myself at this moment in time. Well last month I had just started on my journey into the world of Kettlebells and becoming a healthier person and boy is it tough! I have done various work outs like boot camps etc but I can hand on heart say nothing comes close to Kettlebells. I know I’ve had a work out afterwards, I have aches in places I never knew could ache, I leave the session knackered and so sweaty my top is soaked (the good side to this is that no one sits next to me on the bus home so I get a seat to myself, every cloud and all that) If anyone is wanting to get fit or lose weight I seriously can’t recommend this enough. I’m not expected to train every day, after all, you have to keep it up or else you will only put the weight straight back on, hence these celebs that are skinny for a few weeks after doing a weeks intense training, then they go back to once a week and the weight piles straight back on. I do 2 hours a week and I feel great, training hasn’t taken over my life, I don’t feel guilty if I have a treat day and in some perverse way, I’m actually enjoying it, plus seeing the results is a real motivator. Now, the one thing a lot of you will want to know is what results have I seen so far? Well I go to Hebburn twice a week, Monday evening and Thursday morning if you fancy joining me? Each session is an hour long and is a form of torture, doing everything from double arm swings to planks with loads of mad lifts I’ve never heard of, all working every inch of my body. I started on an 8kg bell and I’m now on a 10kg bell. I have been pushed to the point where I have been close to throwing up, but I keep pushing myself to go harder, faster, more reps, after all, what’s the point of going if you don’t push yourself? Ant will motivate you, but he won’t make you do the reps. Anyway, back to the results! In one month I have lost a stone and I’ve had to move up 2 notches on my belt, I’m even wearing t-shirts that I haven’t been able to wear for months. Yes I am watching what I eat so that is helping but I do feel so much better for doing it, I am getting fitter, stronger, more healthier, I’m not as tired and sluggish all the time, all in all I feel great, I’m just not looking forward to getting up at 5:30am for my next session, but, like they say, no pain no gain!
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If you would like to know more information please check out www. southtynesidekettlebells.co.uk or http://www.facebook.com/ant. clennan
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Tony Phoenix-Morrison 48, Hebburn, Tyne and Wear
I am attempting to run 30 Great North Runs in 30 days with a 40kg/6 stone Fridge on my back in aid of The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. Every morning for 30 days in a row I will set off from the start line of the Great North Run and run as closely as possible to the exact route. I will run the entire length of the Great North
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Run ending each day in South Shields. The plan is also to set off at 6am each day so that people can run with me if they want to or cheer me along. Obviously the 30th and final day will be the Great North Run proper which is on the 16th September. My challenge began in earnest in January 2012,
step 1 was diet, I cut out all caffeine, dairy and alcohol. I also cut out red meat eating only all natural healthy food. The detox of my system, I believe, is why I am able to endure extreme exercise and recover quickly. I also accept pain as a natural by-product of endurance and no longer become anxious when I’m sore and aching.
Where did the idea for it come from?
and I will finish it for them.
I saw a guy walking with a fridge in a marathon and wondered how hard it would be to run.
How much training have you done to prepare yourself for this?
Did you pick the charity you are running for and if so why? Like lots of people, I have lost people I love to cancer, and like most people I loved Bobby Robson and everything he stood for. I also believe that one day somebody will find a cure. Many people win the fight against cancer when it’s detected early.
By the time this feature comes out you will be nearing the end of your challenge, what has been the highlight for you so far? The highlight is the support I have received from the SBR Foundation, Liz Luff and the Robson family and thousands of people willing me on, believing in my cause and wanting me to succeed
I have trained for 15-20 miles per week every week this year.
What do you think about the people who don’t train and just turn up to do the GNR? I didn’t realise people did that, hopefully the experience would motivate them to train for the next one.
The GNR is a race known for the celebs taking part, who would you like to see running and why? Alan Shearer and the entire crowd would wear Black and white stripes on that day as well.
What is your target and how close are you to reaching it? I am not able to control what people donate so I am not going to worry
about it. Whatever it ends up being I will continue to fund raise for the Foundation.
When you are not running/training what do you like to do to relax? I love being at home watching movies with my wife and kids.
Where is your favourite place in the North East? Tyne Bridge I used to live in the little house next to the swing bridge it’s a very special place for me.
How can people sponsor you and/or follow you? My website is www. therunproject.co.uk http://www.justgiving. com/tonythefridge
What is next for you? Hopefully the Great Wall of China marathon with the fridge Next year I will run 10 great north runs in one day ending with the great north run itself.
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Luke Adams 24 South Shields Why are you taking part in this years Great North Run? I compete in races throughout the year for South Shields Harriers and I’m aiming to run quicker than 70 minutes.
How many times have you done it so far? I think I’ve done it 4 or 5 times – It’s the best race I’ve ever competed in for the crowds and atmosphere… and it’s right on my doorstep!
Some people enter for fun, some are serious, why have you entered? I entered as it’s my favourite race of the year. I do a few races each month but none of them compare to the
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Great North Run – It’s a HUGE event! It’s great as not that many people are interested in the local club races, and if you were to mention you did one… not that many people really care. But if you mention you’ve done the Great North Run – everybody is interested in it as it’s on TV and everybody knows somebody that is doing it.
What advice would you give to anyone that wants to do this or is doing it this year? It’s important that you enjoy the day. Take in the atmosphere, speak to new people, enjoy yourself, and test yourself.
How often do you train for it each week? I train every day – sometimes twice or three times. I do a lot of running, but this year I’ve focused a lot more on strength and conditioning to reduce injuries.
What do you think about the people who don’t train and just turn up? If I’m being completely honest, I think its very naïve and can be dangerous. There are a number of people that die due to exhaustion and plenty more get sick and get injuries during the Great North Run. However, it’s their choice and they should try to make a sensible decision.
It’s a race known for the celebs taking part, who would you like to see running and why? For me, this year is going to be the best ever. Mo Farah has just won two gold medals in the long distance events at the Olympics. There’s going to be huge crowds to come and watch Mo and to top it off - He’s going to be competing against possibly the greatest runner of all time, Haille Gebreselassie from Ethiopia. It’s going to be a great day!
What is your aim for this year’s run? I’m hoping to run faster than 70 minutes and finish in a higher position than previous years.
How can people sponsor you and follow you after the GNR? They can find me on facebook or twitter @ LukeyAdams I’m also working on a lot of running projects at the moment. I coach beginner runners in South Shields, and I’m also creating an online community called The Running Network – which will be ready in September.
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Mark Bell 34 Jarrow Why are you taking part in this years Great North Run? In 2007 I was made redundant, and for the first time in my life, found myself unemployed. I felt like the rug had been pulled from under my feet and really felt emotionally lost. I always had great admiration for Great North Runners who ran past my house every year, and always vowed to do it myself but never really got around to it. Something just clicked with me at this point in my life, and I felt inspired to enter. I knew if I entered I would have to see it through, which I did. I got a charity place in the July, which gave me about 2 and a half months
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to train for it. When I started I couldn’t even run to the end of the street without stopping... On the day, I completed the run without stopping in 2 hours and 7 seconds. I feel completing 2007’s Great North Run was a major turning point in my life, and would recommend it anyone, regardless of age of current fitness level.
How many times have you done it so far? The 2012 run will be my 6th consecutive Great North Run.
Did you pick the charity you are running for and if so why? I applied for a place running for the MS
Society. Multiple Sclerosis is such a horrific condition and my grandmother suffered with it for several years before she died. Over 5 Great North Run’s I have raised over £2500 for MS through personal sponsorship, and putting on charity music nights in Newcastle as an independant promoter. I’m sure everybody knows somebody close to them who has been afflicted by some disease, or has needed the help from a charity to care for a loved one, or even relative/friend of a loved one. It’s a great feeling to get involved with doing something charitable and worthwhile! I wholeheartedly encourage it.
Some people enter for fun, some are serious, why have you entered? I entered to prove a point to myself! I think if you can run from Newcastle to South Shields seafront, you can do anything, as long as you are prepared and ready! Running 13.1 miles is a hard task, but can be made easy and enjoyable by preparing for it properly.
What advice would you give to anyone that wants to do this or is doing it this year? Train as much as possible for the day, but have fun with it! The best thing about Great North Run day is to completely enjoy the experience. Time matters to a lot of people but the joy of being part of something amazing is what it really is all about. Plus, your first run can be used as a benchmark to improve on in future years. Great North Run day is my favourite day of the year, bar none... better than Christmas!
How often do you train for it each week? I personally start training for the Great North Run around April/ May time and try and get out running 3 or 4 times a week. If you can comfortably manage a distance of between 9/10 miles, 5/6 weeks before the run, you know
you’re going to have a great day.
What do you think about the people who don’t train and just turn up? The Great North Run can be a whole lot of fun, but the less you respect the challenge, the less likely you are to enjoy it. The key is to cross the finish line with a smile on your face, and a sense of accomplishment. If you don’t repect the challenge you are going to struggle or maybe cause yourself injury, and that’s not what the day is about.
What has been the best costume you have seen so far in the GNR? So many! I saw a guy running with a canoe wrapped around him! I saw a guy running with what looked like a fridge strapped to his back, several people in Borat style mankinis... the now famous sunflower man. It’s so hard to run around people wearing vests dedicated to lost loved ones and not want to stop and shake their hand. But yeah, as far as great, over the top costumes go, either fridge guy or canoe guy :D
at it deserve great repect... just as much as the none celeb runners. Nell McAndrew is a brilliant personality and ambassador for the running community. The Olympians that run the event are obviously so inspiring also... I cant wait to do the run this year and say I followed Mo Farah and Haile Gebrselassie to the finish line. I have ran past a few celebs over the last few years that clearly didn’t ‘respect the challenge’ haha, their names had ‘BEST’ remain anonymous ;)
What is your aim for this years run? (money raised or time to finish, or both) I am taking a year off from sponsorship this year as I got through the main ballot, and thought it would be nice to not pester my friends for money once again this year. I do however feel this year would be right for a personal best, so am aiming for a finish time of around about 1hr 45m.
Is there anything you would like to add? Again, to people doing it for the first time this year, just enjoy it!
It’s a race known for the celebs taking part, who would you like to see running and why? I think the celebs that do run it, and do well
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which means great exciting fights.
The North East has a lot of other shows, how do you feel about there being so many?
Michael Surtees 41 from Seaham Harbour
So what is Supremecy FC and how did it come about? Supremacy FC is one of the top events in he UK, it followed on from the old named show Strike and Submit that I used to run, the name change came due to personal circumstances so it’s the same show etc, just with a different name.
How long have you been a promoter and how did you get started as one? I’ve been promoting for nearly five years now it just come about at first as a hobby but then grew and grew into an awesome name and brand.
Why should people come to Supremacy FC rather than another show? People should come to supremacy for the simple fact it’s atmosphere is always electric and the match ups are equal
It’s tough more so now there are shows popping up everywhere. I know we have the best quality so yes it’s getting harder but it doesn’t phase me.
If you could have 1 fight on your show featuring anyone in the world who would it be and why? One fight id have on would be Ian Freeman v Frank Mir. Ian, a local guy, kicked his ass once and would do it again I’m sure, I was there the first time (UFC 38) so it would be great to see him do it again lol.
What is the biggest problem you encounter as a promoter? Biggest problem at the moment is time wasters and last minute pull outs, it’s a bad subject with me and a nightmare but I mainly feel for the guys they are matched with. After training dieting for weeks to have this happen last minute must be a nightmare.
So what have you got lined up for the rest of 2012? 2012 will be business as normal. I’m looking forward to exciting match ups plus we will be supported by Bad Boy MMA clothing which is gonna be awesome and show some changes in the look of future events. Also I’m starting to manage fighters which I’m looking forward to.
How can people follow you and keep up to date with Supremacy FC? They can keep up to date with supremacy by following my Facebook , cage warriors and website www. supremacyfightchallenge. co.uk
Is there anything you would like to add? Just a big thanks to all fighters and the team behind the Supremacy FC show. Without these people there wouldn’t be a show. Thanks for support and we look forward to loads more top MMA events.
Tell us 3 random facts about yourself? Fact one. I’m an ex Paratrooper. Fact two. I can still do a 6min 30 mile at 18stone. Fact three. I hate bulls**tters.
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Keeping it Live at the Seahorse It’s a little more than four months since a change of management at the Seahorse Pub in Blyth, Northumberland led to the launch of Seahorse Live an initiative to promote live music in the area. Hot on the heels of the appointment of new manager Ken Woods came the first event in the Seahorse Live calendar in the form of a weekly Open Mic night hosted by Blyth based musicians Pete Shaw and Dave Cowan. Ken explained “Pete and Dave had worked very successfully with me in another pub
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I’d managed, so I was confident that they were the right people to help me rebuild the Seahorse’s reputation as a live music venue”. The early signs were certainly encouraging as the launch of the Open Mic night saw more than 20 performers play to an audience in excess of 80 people. The number of performers each week has consistently remained in double figures and with more than 70 different performers attending overall so far, it has ensured that the audience don’t get bored with the
same old faces singing the same old songs. In fact the evening is nothing if not eclectic, regularly featuring Classical Guitar pieces, Northumbrian Pipes and folk songs, original contributions from local singer/ songwriters, interesting and well- crafted cover versions featuring, rock, pop, indie, country, Americana, classics. Having firmly established the Tuesday Open Mic as one of the most popular on the local ‘buskers’ circuit it was decided to extend Seahorse Live to establish a more
formal Acoustic Sessions night under the banner of Friday Live. As Pete Shaw explained “there has always been a lot of live music in and around Blyth at the weekend, but not many opportunities for the very many fine Acoustic musicians to perform, particularly those who showcase their own material, or for an audience to enjoy a quiet evening out, enjoying Acoustic music in a pleasant relaxed atmosphere”. Friday live presents the best in local Acoustic music alongside Regionally, Nationally and Internationally
acknowledged performers in a format that would normally see 4 artists each performing for 3040 minutes. Additionally Friday Live features Blues Live once a month as Pete explained “we realised that the local Rock & Blues Club were having issues finding a suitable venue, so we’re working in collaboration with them to present the best of the local blues scene”.
Seahorse Live – Every Tuesday from 8:30 Open Mic with a free drink for players and Hot Buffet
Friday Live – Acoustic Sessions (Four great performances and Hot Buffet) August 24th – Pete Shaw/Paul Elliott/Cyan Circus/Maurice Suthurst August 31st – Pete & Dave/Den Fisher/Claire Fisher/Paul Allen September 7th – Blues Live with special guests Hokum Hotshots Forthcoming attractions – September 25th - Jess Klein (from Austin Texas) £5:00 September 27th - Mr Hardearly (blues band from Paris) Tickets Available
The Seahorse, 415 Plessey Road, Blyth NE24 3LP http://seahorselive.yolasite.com/ https://www.facebook.com/#!/ groups/279784755438543/ (SEAHORSE LIVE presents the Seahorse Open Mic Evening) https://www.facebook.com/#!/ groups/354903067915293/ (FRIDAY LIVE! The Seahorse, Blyth)
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Plans for Sunderland’s second Pride event are now in full-swing. The event, which made its inaugural appearance in the City in September of last year, will return this coming Sunday 23rd of September. The event will consist of the Sunderland Pride March through the City which will commence at The Civic Centre in Sunderland from 12PM. The hour long procession through the City will end in Park Lane where entertainment will be provided from the likes of headline act Envy, a Westlife tribute band, along with boy band Rewind, Jade Saunders as Jessie J, The Steps Experience and a performance from Totally Gaga. Sunderland Pride 2011 host and Queen of the Sunderland Scene Miss Trixie will also perform a spot of cabaret on the Pride 2012 stage while the fabulous hosts and compares Miss Lucy, Ophelia Balls and radio legend Lee Finan will tie the events of Sunderland Pride 2012 together. Entertainment on the day will be ongoing until 6pm that evening when night time events will take place across the bar scene in the City Centre including Arizona, Passion nightclub, Room 24, Lola’s Bar and Gatsbys, along with special entertainment being provided by Pride 2012 Bar Sponsors Chase Sunderland and Ttonic, both incredible supporters of this year’s event. Along with entertainment and the Pride March, stalls will also be provided with organisations including Ben Hoare Bell, Mesmac North East, Tyne & Wear Fire and Rescue and many more making an appearance. Sunderland Pride’s Ryan Houston said ‘this year’s event is jam-packed with entertainment for all and we really hope everyone across the region comes to the event to enjoy what the Pride team have been able to work on over the last twelve months.’ Sunderland Pride remains a completely free event this year and to continue to do this readers can donate to Sunderland Pride, Just text ‘SunP12 £3’ to 70070 to make a donation.
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Hi, Shaun, Welcome to the world of NE Magazine. So, What is Films From Mars Ltd.? - Films From Mars Ltd. Is a registered non- profit film making company based in Newcastle. Our films are easily recognisable as we film mainly in Chroma key (Green Screen). It is our 3rd year now; we’re a little bit better and a little bit bigger. Films From Mars Ltd. Is now divided into 4 departments. They are: Films From M.A.R.S – Our usual films from homosexual time travelling werewolves and kung Fu window cleaners to kickass nuns!
Films From Mars Junior – Teaching children Drama and Film making through making their own films. Marsography – Our own
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line of photography. Marsazine – Our own online magazine.
And who are the people behind it all? - Well, actually, this has grown as well. In our 1st year it was simply ran by Andrea McMillan and myself, in fact, the M.A.R.S in Films From M.A.R.S Ltd. Spell out our initials backwards ( Shaun Robertson, Andrea McMillan). In our second year, Andrea had many more important commitments and sadly had to take a back seat to Films From Mars, helping out occasionally so I ran it solely in the second year. In our 3rd year, with FFM expanding into 4 divisions, there is now a team of people involved. We have: Geoff Dunlavey from GDM (Geoff Dunlavey
Management) who is a talent agent and actor. Who works with me on Films From Mars Junior. Fred Daw Who is our Editor of the Marsazine or as he prefers to be named, The Scribe! He will be dealing with all things Marsazine related. We also have Patrycja Mlynska and Andrew Berett who often crew for us and Amy Telford from local production company, Canny Pictures. Amy designs the fabulous posters for our Feature Length Films. There is also Fifi Galore, a wonderful model, very supportive, helping to get Marsography off the ground. With myself overseeing all 4 departments and Andrea occasionally helping with our main features, that makes up the new team. There may be a new member of the team soon, a multi-talented lady who worked for the Arts Council and is also an actor.
So, how did it all start? - In 2000, I did a film production course at what was then called North Tyneside College
and there I met a very special bunch of lifelong friends, amongst them were Fred Daw, Andrea McMillan and Geoff Dunlavey. When the course ended in 2002, we all kept in touch but all went in different directions. Andrea was a mother now and continuing media studies at Sunderland University, Geoff got heavily involved in film, teaching drama and becoming a talent agent and as for me, I dropped out of the rat race and went into nursing. In my spare time, I made over 200 films, just to entertain friends, constantly learning and teaching myself special effects. College was great but they never taught us any special effects and I really wanted to wield a realistic looking
lightsaber! I can do that now by the way! Then I learnt about Rotoscoping and then Chroma key and through trial and error, the films developed and Geoff encouraged me to get back into it all and with Andrea, Films From M.A.R.S Ltd. was created.
So, what does it take to become involved in a Films From Mars Project? - We work with anyone who is willing and will finish what they start really! No experience necessary! We work with a range of people from professionally trained actors who have been in TV or Film, actors who have been trained but have ended up working in call centres, bars and stacking shelves, actors who are currently at college, university in
performing arts, actors who need to increase their experience and add to their show reel, C.V, actors who can’t find work because they have no experience and need that initial experience to help them and just people who fancy it but have never even stepped in front of a camera before! It’s the same for the local models, dancers and musicians we work with. We will provide opportunity for absolutely anyone who wants it!
You also do a lot for charity, how about telling us a bit more about that side of things? -At an early age, I was the primary carer in my small family, I was a teaching assistant for 2 yrs. and have been in nursing for the last 10yrs so I’ve always had a genuine caring nature about me, I will always help people where possible and basically I just really wanted to reflect that in Films From M.A.R.S Ltd., and with my own Film company, I am now in a position to use the power of the media, to do that little bit more! -In our early, not so developed days, we made a short film for Comic Relief, today; the children from Films From Mars Junior are making a
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music video for Comic Relief, which we will raise money from to go to Comic Relief when Red Nose Day comes around. -We recently worked with an Amy Winehouse lookalike to make a film for the MGA charity, (Myasthenia Gravis Association). -We have sponsored a Donkey named Mopsy from The Donkey Sanctuary as I love Donkeys and its very heart breaking to learn about how they are used abroad. The children from Films From Mars Junior will also be making a short film about this and Mopsy will have a regular feature in our magazine! -Our new base is a place called Meadow Well Connected, this is also a registered charity
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itself and provides many services and now they have Films From Mars and what we do there is run both Films From M.A.R.S and Films From Mars Junior, assist with adult drama groups, and anything else we can provide for them. -Geoff and I are both Arts Award Advisers at Meadow Well Connected, which means we can offer an 1125yr old person a free course related to Films From M.A.R.S and help them gain a nationally recognised qualification. There are a few Arts Award Advisers in the Newcastle area doing different types of Arts Awards and we can help them by offering experience with us for their young person to achieve their award. The
Arts Award has 3 levels equivalent to GCSE’s, a levels, BTEC and contain UCAS top up points.
And what exactly is Films From Mars Junior? -Everything you need to make a film is just so much more accessible to children now than when it was for me as a child and with their unrestrained imagination, imagine what they can achieve with film and how far they will develop by adulthood! -Films From Mars Junior is for 8-13yr olds, initially it will run once a week for 3 hours during their summer holidays but there are plans developing to keep this going continuously. At the end, they will have a deeper knowledge of the kind of things involved in film making
and acting, and thanks to the wonderful kids club staff there, I have all the support I could wish for! To make it more interesting and appeal to an 8-13yr old, our lessons will be taught through practical lessons rather than just talking and writing, through competitions and the like. At the end, we will set up a public viewing and barbeque for friends and family to view their work on the big screen, with parental consent, their videos will be posted on various internet sites such as YouTube and vimeo but also have their very own Films From Mars Junior Website as well as a certificate of achievement. In fact, one of their projects is due to be shown in America shortly! We are connected with all local Film makers in Newcastle so may invite them over to talk about their experiences to the children. It’s really a great opportunity for children and loads of fun, the kind of thing I would have enjoyed being a part of when I was a child and hopefully, it will inspire some of those children to develop in this area and maybe one day, they will be our film makers of tomorrow!
I love the fact you are very community based, something which must be very rewarding, is there a reason why you are? -I have always enjoyed creative writing, making films is the way I express this to others. I enjoy making people smile, have always tried to help others and bring people together. Films From M.A.R.S Ltd. reflects this a lot when you really think about it. My actors initially are complete strangers I meet on the internet, maybe on Facebook, YouTube or star now, and then I offer them an opportunity that benefits them as well. I meet them, we work together and at some point, I have a room full of complete strangers to each other as well as to me and we all make this one film and instantly, we have all made new connections to help us out in the future, when I return to Facebook, these strangers are now friends with each other and that’s all down to Films From M.A.R.S, I have met new people and made a few new friends. That is very rewarding. There is an underground of film makers here in Newcastle, around 40 of them. It’s a very competitive industry so many don’t work together, they’re in no way bad people, it’s just they are really
trying to be noticed and achieve their dreams and follow it up as a career. Films From M.A.R.S is not about that, we don’t seek fame and fortune, we know our place and it’s nowhere near Hollywood or anything. We use Films From M.A.R.S to help provide opportunity to people, to make new friends and have fun doing something we love to do, we offer plenty of exposure. Because of this attitude, we have become well known and no competition to others, which has benefited us greatly as we have been able to work with all film makers, learn from them, make new connections and if they need actors, we can recommend people who we’ve worked with. Films From M.A.R.S has become one of the very few film makers connected to all the others and that’s great because there is so much talent in all of us Film makers, our films are not better or worse than each other’s, just different. If we all worked together and combined talent and resource, there would be no limit to what we could achieve, I strongly believe in this so I find that being connected to the sheer wealth of talent right on our doorstep, extremely rewarding.
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How can people get involved with Films From Mars and its many projects? - As I mentioned earlier, we work with anyone no experience necessary, as long as you’re willing and will see the project to the end, then there is a place for you! It is unpaid but there is plenty of exposure offered, great experience to add to CV or show reel, DVD or digital copy available on request, mention in our magazine as well as our 3 main websites, 4 other websites like YouTube and vimeo and even get your name up on IMDB site! As I am personally involved with all 4 departments of Films From M.A.R.S Ltd. You only need to contact me initially. We have a pool of actors, models, singers, composers, dancers etc. so to become part of this you can reach me on Facebook by typing in: filmsfrom mars , you can email me at :
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funkymonkeyshaun@yahoo. co.uk or on the contact page at either: www.wix.com/ filmsfrommars/home or
www.filmsfrommars. webs.com though these websites are due for
updating to include the new departments. Failing that, you can always Google search: filmsfrommars all one word.
What has been your best experience so far? - There are far too many to mention, really as it’s
all been amazing but it’s all about the people that get involved, as corny as it sounds, our films are made by the kindness of strangers, literally! So it’s always amazing to see people get involved. There are amazing people out there willing to help out, I’m particularly fond of the cast involved with my 1st feature length film about superheroes with bipolar disorder, a talented actress from Bristol, Jasmine Smart, who came up from Bristol to be involved, the young Matthew Rankcom who took the lead in my star wars version of Joseph and the people who helped me achieve my own original Kung Fu musical like Arena North’s Maria Carter, Theatre star Paul Godfrey and filmmaker Brian Cox as well as amazing help from the Dennis Westgate from Tyne Music who sat with me every week going through the script and coming up
with amazing original songs. Working with the lovely Kate Pymm, who is the North East’s top award winning make up artist, she’s a lot of fun to work with! Anyone who has been involved in a Films From Mars project is amazing to me!
What has been your strangest experience so far? -All our films involve fancy dress of some sort and I used to film a lot in a local fire station, so I guess it must have been pretty strange to see superheroes, mental patients and werewolves outside a fire station having a cigarette break! -We had a really cool rock band come up from York once called ‘3 Daze Lost’ to play a song and become victims of a werewolf massacre, they were so kind to do this for us, their only fee was to keep them in supply of donuts! We filmed this in a centre ran by volunteers so I think Donut eating rock stars
email from a guy in Russia wanting to come and live with us for a few days so he could film with us, we received an email inviting us to go to Mumbai to make a film, our film somehow ended up being shown on a Japanese website and because it was about bipolar disorder, it was also shown on a medical research website!
We know you were also involved in making the trailer for Author R.D Ronald’s book “The Zombie Room”, which won a Bronze Award at the American Telly Awards. How did you come to get involved with that and how does it feel to win an award?
with groupies on the floor having intestines ripped out by werewolves could qualify… -In my efforts to unite filmmakers for -Films From M.A.R.S Ltd is a day of improvising always about supporting a mockumentry about local talent, and helping dragon hunting in the out other film makers local Jesmond Dene, is definitely one of our only one turned up, Tony stronger points, what Gardner from Iron Angel we do with them varies Productions arrived and but as a film maker, I we just ran around the know how difficult it is dene finding evidence of to get extras for a film, dragons which included everyone wants to be used condoms, discarded a lead! So, I often play beer bottles and graffiti extra and bring along until I was eventually other actors to be extras taken by the dragon toy I on other people’s films. purchased from Toys’R’us! In this case, a friend It was a great day with of mine was involved a good friend and film with the newly formed maker but was very surreal. company Contrapunto and I knew they were filming nearby so I got -After our 1st feature in touch and offered to film was released on the help, at this stage they internet we received an
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had everything sorted but needed a couple of extras. I brought along Andy, one of my crew and we got there, as it turns out, I was wearing the perfect jacket to pass as a bouncer guarding the drug dealers table in a strip club scene while he was getting a lap dance! I was there all day with them, I recognised a few faces, made new contacts and things, and it was great experience. Richard, the author, was there supervising and taking notes while this was all going on. I am in the trailer briefly and Richard very generously give me a mention by name in the acknowledgements of the book but really, the credit goes to Contrapunto and I hope to do much more with them in future. I keep in touch with Richard a lot and there will be more in future…! But I am very pleased to have been a part of something that has done so well and no doubt both Contrapunto and R.D Ronald will continue to inspire us.
Tell us 3 random facts about yourself. 1) I am partially deaf and struggle with phones, though communicate greatly with the written word and I’m very quiet! 2) There is no greater critic of a Films From
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–Films From Mars Junior Mars project than myself! has just begun so there Once it’s released, I think are 3 set projects to get up ways I could have started and the rest will done better! come from the minds of 3) I am a contradiction- I the young! like to be acknowledged for the work I do but -Marsography has begun hate attention! So much but will be launched so, I assembled a team for at the same time as Films From Mars to take the Marsazine around away some of this! October 2012. So plenty to keep us going and plenty of places for What are your plans for aspiring actors, singers, the rest of 2012? dancers, models and -Films From M.A.R.S is musicians to get currently working on a involved with! 12 part zombie fairy-tale series seeing a return from Kate Pymm and Anything else to add? we are working with up -Just to say a huge thank and coming filmmakers you to NE magazine for ‘Syth Productions’ from giving this opportunity Middlesbrough on a to us to tell your readers feature film called “Bad that we are out there! Habits” which is about And a big thanks you to 3 not so typical nuns the readers for listening! doing the lord’s work… If there is anyone reading with guns and dynamite! who would like to get This religious action involved in some way, or movie needs lots of if there is anything that special effects so we are we can do for you, please working on that and we just drop us a line, that’s found a local singer at all it takes! this year’s Green Festival called Daryl Burns who Thanks for reading, has provided us with the Regards, opening credit song. It Shaun Robertson- CEO will be released later Films From M.A.R.S Ltd. in the year. There are a few collaborations with Tyne Music to do more musicals so we are looking for really great singers! And there is a pirate film coming as well as a science fiction film about 2 couples living on a moon base.
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T E G T I F With Ant Clennan
If you want to get in contact you can reach me on facebook http://www.facebook. com/ant.clennan and http://www. southtynesidekettlebells.co.uk challenge was to complete 5 sessions per week (1 hour per session) for 4 weeks. I had previously taken part in Ants Classes (only doing 2 sessions) 1 1/2 yrs previous but never went back.
Jo-Anna Gibson On Monday 9th July 2012 I accepted a challenge set by Ant Clennan, the
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I had been attending a bootcamp from January 2012 June 2012, but due to tearing my Achilles I had to stop and find another exercise class. I have never been
Hi everyone there are a lot of changes happening at STK this month: Starting the 17th. September every Monday & Wednesday we will be taking classes at Temple Park We will be taking mixed classes and also children only aged 8-15 years, we are also introducing early morning Ladies only at our Hebburn Venue, for information and times about any venues please check out our Website www. southtynesidekettlbells. co.uk This month’s edition will be member lead as we feature 2 statements from 2 of our current members, I hope you enjoy it and also find it insightful.
stick thin skinny, my weight has gone up and down over the past 8yrs since having my daughter. this challenge came at the right time as I was looking for an exercise that not only would tone me, but didn’t involve a lot of running about outside on uneven ground (the reason I ended up with torn Achilles). I had to do a double class either Tuesday or Thursday (one in the morning and one at night). I had no problem the first week as my partner was at home. With the help from Ant on diet, vitamins and protein supplements, I powered
through the first week, I was energised and felt like I could take on the world. In the first week I lost 8 1/2 inches and 1/2 stone in weight, I was buzzing and thought if I keep this up I will have lost 2 stone by the finish BUT I was becoming stressed with the whole thing and taking it out on my family (my daughter especially who is profoundly deaf and needs constant routine all the time, this just threw her completely and we both became irritate with each other) and I felt that I was about to drop.
to her activities after school) and the constant juggling of who, where and when someone was available to look after her.
The second week was a different story. My partner works away 2 weeks at a time and had to go back to work, I am originally from Northern Ireland and have no family here therefore I had to solely rely on my mother in law to watch molly during the week so that I could attend classes. Oh but the second week was proving difficult, working 3 days a week and then running about trying to sort childcare for my daughter, when my mother in law was unable to look after her. I had to heavily rely on friends who have their own children. It was becoming a chore and when i arrived at classes I wasn’t enjoying them because I was so tired from work, looking after the house, my daughter (taking her
The point that we both tried to make was that
I started the 3rd week but knew in my head that I couldn’t possibly keep going, it was putting a huge strain on me mentally and physically and even though I wanted to prove I could last the 4 weeks I knew it was time to stop (not give up) I spoke to Ant who had seen the change in me and he decided that we call it a day.
1 - 5 sessions a week is too much and the classes are so demanding 3-4 was enough 2 - the emotional drain/ strain it was going to put on me, my family and friends. 3 - The lack of energy and disinterest in going to classes because of lack of sleep from worrying about childcare, work and looking after the house. I stopped on the 23rd July and vowed to myself I would go back the following Monday, but the physical endurance I had put myself under was more than I first anticipated, so I took the following week off too.
I started back to class on the 6th August, Ant thought I’d given up completely but was very supportive when I returned. I knew I was in control and could only do what I could, my whole attitude towards to kettlebells has changed. I now attend 3-4 classes a week - I don’t stress myself out if I can’t get to class as I know I will achieve the results I want doing at least 2 per week. I have made great friends at the classes and no one judged me for stopping the challenge, in fact they were ones who encouraged me to return and do it at my own pace. I would recommend this class to anyone, Ant is a very supportive instructor he pushes to your limits and beyond but also knows when to step in to stop you from hurting yourself. I’m glad started the challenge and proved that you don’t need to over commit to get the best results. THANK YOU ANT CLENNAN AND MEMBERS FROM SOUTH TYNESIDE KETTLEBELLS
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My name is Scott Fraser and I am a member of STKB , I have always enjoyed being active, I grew up playing rugby, I’ve trained and competed for a season in the highland games circuit before joining the British army. Since leaving the army I have tried various classes to maintain my fitness and keep my weight down, all of which I have lost interest in quite quickly or struggled to keep up with due to work or childcare commitments. My wife had gone to STKB class having being recommended by a friend and loved it. After she had explained to me what a kettle bell was and what was involved I decided to have a go and turned up for a Saturday morning session to see what all the fuss was about. Given my background I always felt that I was quite strong and still reasonably fit so when Ant Clennan took me and a few other “newbies” through the basic exercises for the class I initially felt a bit daft when he handed me an 8KG kettle bell when I had seen men and women smaller than me walking away with 12 and 14kg bells.
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This feeling was replaced very quickly with one of “what on earth have I let myself in for ” soon followed by the realisation that it was for my own good . From that first session and everyone since I have been coached to ensure I perform the exercises correctly so I don’t hurt myself and have been encouraged to work hard and to push myself as hard as I can. I had thought I would never experience anything harder than the physical training sessions I had done whilst in the army and that it took someone to be shouting at me to push myself. I can safely say on all counts this is not the case at STKB, through all the things I have previously done nothing compares to it, it is by far the hardest physical activity I have ever done. During the session you sweat from every pore in your body and after the session all your muscles ache so you know
you have done it right. My time as everyone’s is precious so being able to achieve such an intense and fulfilling workout in 1 hour is outstanding. With early and late sessions throughout the week I can easily make it to at least 2 a week. Since starting STKB I am gradually working up to heavier kettle bells, my body weight is coming down and I feel amazing. I have honestly never trained in such an encouraging environment created by Ant Clennan and fellow members and I confess it has become strangely addictive. It really isn’t just another run of the mill fitness class.
Scott Fraser
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INTERVIEW
Who are you? AREEEEEEEET I’m Chattabox from the North East hip hop collective known as DIALECT.
Where are you from? Were all from South Shields, Tyne and Wear, some living in Newcastle these days and I myself live further a field down Bristol ooohhh arrrr.
Who does what in the band? Me, Rick Fury, Sep and Gaz do the rappin and Peta Max makes the beats.
Chattabox 48
Where did the name come from? The crew was originally called ‘Northern Dialect’ before I joined which was back in 2002, back then it was just gaz, peta and rick, me and sep joined and we shortened it to just Dialect. I think it just best describes what people enjoyed about our music from the region, it was and still is quite unsympathetically Northern, which is possible our gift and a curse as the rest of the country are always quite jarred by it first but then they like it when they acclimatise to the vernacular and slang.
How hard has it been for you being a Hip Hop group doing your own material? It was easy in the beginning because expectations are low when you start out , you just want to have a laugh and don’t really care about success, I think the older we get the more important it is to make this thing do well, gigs were always hard to get even though we were popular manly because promoters feel there’s a stigma with a hiphop nights being rough, but over the years I’ve been in almost all scenes in town and around the
Three Kings High
country and I’ve seen more violence just being out at a normal club than that at our nights, there generally really good vibes and atmosphere, if only promoters knew that there’s a potential goldmine with the Newcastle hiphop crowd, there a very loyal and proud community.
3 Random facts about each band member? Chattabox (me) 1. My hair resembles a cheap Italian rug. 2. I have a gap in my front teeth you could put a pound coin through. 3. I used to sell
incontinent underpants to old ladies as my first job. Sep: 1. his name is derived from his middle name Septimus. 2. His hair is the texture of a baby seal. 3. He ones had water retention in his testicle that made one of his balls grow to the size of a watermelon. Rick: 1. He’s not really Ginger he dyes it to stand out from the crowd. 2. His dad Stevo was in the infamous North East punk band Angelic Upstarts. 3. He’s the weight of a small whippet.
Peta max: 1. He’s mute and uses music to communicate his feelings. 2. He’s never seen the ocean despite living on the North East coast. 3. He makes beats only after midnight and with a bottle of scotsmac. Gaz Shanksy: 1. He’s also know to the crew as baby face snuggle chubbs. 2. He has an all year round tan. 3. He’s made amateur porn but it was scrapped for being too cruel to animals.
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If you could play with anyone in the world, past or present, who would it be and why? I’d play with ‘the band’ because they were and still are the best thing about music ever, or i’d play with Wu-Tang when they were gigging 36 chambers that would be dope.
What has been your most memorable moment to date so far? Our most memorable moment was when we released our second album d.day.
Who inspires you? My crew inspire me, other artists like Grem!I Da Muke, the Click, the Projekt, Textoffenders, Jam Baxter, Dirty Dike, Skuff, Chester p. my Bristol crew Veekay and Samuel Otis and our band ‘Three Kings High’ just being around enthusiastic creative people keep me in the same mindset.
If you could make 1 person disappear for good who would it be and why? There’s far too many but right now the guy who signed off the idea for the tv show ‘Geordie Shore’ that is a terrible program, there undoing our regional stereotype of hard as nails Geordies
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who like a beer and a ruck and replacing it with weird roid rashed metrosexual permatanned arse waxers!
What would your rider be if you were playing a huge gig? A box of pickled onion space raiders, a copy of the gambling man by Catherine Cookson, 40 Greggs sausage and bean melts and 20 iced splits, a Dixons mince n onion pie and a small ox.
What’s the most embarrassing thing you have ever done at a gig? Dialect got a gig in Mansfield which turned out to be a battle of the bands type of night full of punk rockers and such like and we all got on stage and did a rendition of our track ‘Metroman’ which is about the North East metro system only to hear the cd skipping so we did it accapella, 7 grown men barber shopping a tune about the metro getting heckled by an angry rock crowd, ‘oooooh mr metro man!’
What advice would you give to anyone wanting to start a band up? Just do it, loads of people have great ideas and do nothing with them, don’t hold back and try to be ‘popular’ just do what makes you happy and people will tune in.
Share a secret with us? I have a massive amount of armpit hair, although this isn’t a secret to those who saw me in a vest at the Harbourside festival last weekend.
If you were not playing in a band what would you be doing instead? I’d be an illustrator, I’m a graphic designer anyway but really I love fine art and illustration, id probably pursue that full time if I wasn’t distracted with music.
Where is your favourite place in the North east? South Shields beach, it really is beautiful in the summer. If you could airbrush out the dogs**t,
used sandy condoms and ratfink charvers it would be perfect.
Have you had any funny/ weird fan incidents? We were asked to sign a Granma’s milkers at a gig ones because the kid didn’t have any paper, his Nanna obliged and I think Peta took that on.
What are your aims for 2012? Our aims are to keep being productive, we’ve all had some time out doing other projects and hopefully we’ll start working on a new Dialect release for 2013, in the meantime Ricks solo stuff is getting ever more popular in the North I have a band in Bristol that’s doing well and Pete’s recording other people, as long as we all stay busy I’ll be happy.
Why should people come and listen to you?
Where can people follow you/keep up to date with you? I run a music label with a few others called Killamari were you can get all Dialect releases, plenty free downloads and everyone’s side projects, this is pretty much the hub of our output and a great way into the Newcastle hiphop scene if your new, this year I’ve started releasing some of the other bands in Toon, its becoming a bit of a banner everyone’s adopted which is great, so come and check it all out, were on facebook and twitter and such-like, also check out our music videos on youtube. Wye aye. http://killamari. bandcamp.com/ http://www.facebook. com/killamarirecords www.youtube.com/user/ chattabox
Just cos were belters and make waxa tunes.
KILLAMARI ALLSTARS PRESENTS THE NORTH EAST HIPHOP MIXTAPE A celebration of the labels regular featuring artists and and introduction to some new crews and individuals who we hope to feature on some releases a lot more often in the future. Predominantly grounded in the North East hiphop scene this is a showcase of some of the skill underground uk hiphop has to offer and it won’t cost you a penny!
FOR YOUR FREE DOWNLOAD VISIT… http://killamari.bandcamp.com/album/killamari-allstars
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The Sage Gateshead Launches New Classical Season for 2012/13 The Sage Gateshead kick off their classical season for 2012/13. Music Director Thomas Zehetmair will conduct the complete symphonies of Brahms and Schumann with Northern Sinfonia, Orchestra of The Sage Gateshead – catch the first installment on Friday 28th September. “Zehetmair’s Northern Sinfonia do play like angels”. Known for stylistic excellence, meticulous precision and intimate understanding - and following their acclaimed work with the symphonies of Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Sibelius and Schubert - Zehetmair and Northern Sinfonia’s interpretation of these greats will be world class. Visiting orchestras will bring stunning programmes of works as yet unheard in the
brilliant acoustic of Hall One at The Sage Gateshead. City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra with their Music Director Andris Nelsons will perform Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8 ‘Apocalyptic’ while Bergen Philharmonic with Music Director Andrew Litton present Richard Strauss’s ‘Ein Heldenleben’. Marking two anniversaries, 400 years since the death of Giovanni Gabrieli and 30 years since the founding of the Gabrieli Consort, The Sage Gateshead welcome them to perform ‘Three Odes to St Cecilia’, as well as spectacular recreation of a ‘Venetian Coronation’ in Durham Cathedral. One of the most famous singers in the world, Ian Bostridge, is joined
by Bernard Labadie for a programme of songs from Handel, Vivaldi and others. Following her marathon world tour of Bach’s 48 Preludes and Fugues Angela Hewitt is back for another performance of equally epic proportions with four concertos in one concert, two each from Mozart and Bach. Opera North continue with their third part of Wagner’s Ring Cycle with ‘Siegfried’ that began at The Sage Gateshead in June 2011 Displaying their constant commitment to contemporary work Northern Sinfonia present a brand new concerto by British composer, Benedict Mason with his Concerto for Sackbut and Orchestra performed by the amazing Mike
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Svoboda. The Late Mix series is back with a typically eclectic mix of music by Gabrieli, Mozart, Poulenc, Ligeti and David Lang and others. Northern Sinfonia again take to the stage without a conductor but under the expert direction of Leader Bradley Creswick and Co-Leader Kyra Humphreys. This time Bradley presents ‘Distant Light’ by Peteris Vasks, a work of intense beauty and energy while Kyra takes on a Mozart epic in his full ‘Haffner
Serenade’ complete with its own accompanying ‘March’. In the Classic FM Concert Series Kyra leads a specially extended string section in Vaughan Williams’ ‘Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis’, while Bradley presents Vivaldi’s ‘The Four Seasons’. This year Northern Sinfonia present a double bill of The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child with scores performed live by Northern Sinfonia. Handel’s ‘Messiah’ conducted by Matthew
Halls, Christmas Carols led by Simon Halsey, The Snowman and the New Year Viennese Gala with Bradley Creswick complete a classical Christmas at The Sage Gateshead. Tickets for the 2012/13 classical season are on general sale. Book online at www. thesagegateshead.org or call 0191 443 4661 and ask about great package deals. Photo by Mark Savage.
The Sage Gateshead Wine & Food Fair Eat, Drink & Be Merry Saturday 24th November 12noon - 5pm Enjoy delectable wines, top quality beers and fine spirits from local, regional and national suppliers as well as appetising food from numerous exhibitors. It will be your chance to buy some of those early Christmas gifts and be ultra organised or just treat yourself on a Saturday afternoon. Tickle your tastebuds with tasty treats and enjoy live music with lots of festive fun! A wine masterclass will be delivered from Newcastle Wine School and will help sharpen your palate and bring out the wine buff in you. (Over 18s only). Advance Entry Tickets: £20 each or £30 for two Entry Tickets on the Door: £25 Masterclass Tickets: Additional £12 Please contact Ticket Office on 0191 443 4661 to book your tickets and additional masterclass. Please note you need an entry ticket to The Wine & Food Fair to be able to attend the masterclass. For more info visit http://thesagegateshead.org/event/wine-fair-24-11-12/ http://www.facebook.com/thesagegateshead https://twitter.com/sage_gateshead http://www.youtube.com/user/TheSageGateshead
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To exhibit please contact 0191 443 4640 / conferences@ thesagegateshead.org