UK EDITION
BEYOND THE ORDINARY
ANNIE MAC’S PARTY POWER
MATT DAMON
The action-hungry actor on being Bourne again
Festival revelry with Ireland’s tastemaking DJ
VIDEOS, PICTURES, STORIES
GET MORE
Urban explorers scale new heights
REDBULLETIN.COM
URBEX AND THE CITY
AUGUST 2016 £2.50
TOM MITCHELL
GB SEVENS CAPTAIN “This game is beautifully brutal”
PLAYING
HARD & FAST Why rugby sevens is the world’s toughest sport
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B R E I TLIN G .C O M
ANDREW KLOTZ Photo by: Andrew Klotz
THE WORLD OF RED BULL
36 EXTREME VIEWS
The heroes of the urban exploration movement give new meaning to the phrase ‘access all areas’
WELCOME to a wonderfully superlative-laden edition of The Red Bulletin. Gracing our cover is GB Sevens captain Tom Mitchell, one of the best at what is arguably the world’s toughest sport. Then there are the urban explorers hitting the highest heights that cities have to offer. And we catch up with the most successful-ever tennis player in terms of Grand Slam titles, Roger Federer. Plus, Matt Damon prepares for more “Our songs are Bourne action, Annie Mac like entries invites us to party at her castle, in our diaries” and we tell you how to join NERVO, PAGE 25 a wolf pack. Enjoy the issue. 08
THE RED BULLETIN
AUGUST 2016
48 RUCK STARS
Quick, brutal and relentless, rugby sevens is set to blow Olympics fans away this summer
AT A GLANCE GALLERY 16 GOOD SHOTS! Photos of the month
BULLEVARD 23 INSPIRATIONS Unique talents
FEATURES
26
30 Matt Damon
The Bourne star on why he’s nothing like his on-screen alter ego
DETLEF SCHNEIDER (COVER), KEO FILMS, RICK RODNEY, NINO MUÑOZ/UNIVERSAL PICTURES, MATT EACHUS
36 Urbex
Meet the explorers who take the photos that few others would dare to
73 SPIN DOCTOR
Cliff diver David Colturi is a man who likes to aim high. We asked the American to share some of his training tips
DUST DEMONS
Fancy channelling Mad Max? Try the Gascoyne Dash, a pedal-to-the metal race through the Aussie Outback.
48 Rugby sevens
Tough talk and tactics with GB Sevens captain Tom Mitchell
56 Annie Mac
We party with the queen of the castle
62 Heroes of the month
Tennis giant Roger Federer, musician turned motivational coach Jamie Catto, club queen Joyce Muniz, record producer and DJ Tommie Sunshine, and aviation legend Nigel Lamb
ACTION!
30 BOURNE OF FRUSTRATION
Actor Matt Damon has no time for negative emotions in his life – although there’s one feud he just can’t drop THE RED BULLETIN
56 ISLE OF MAC
Four days, 60 acts, 8,000 punters: The Red Bulletin joins DJ and talent-spotter Annie Mac at her festival in Malta
73 SEE IT. GET IT. DO IT. The best travel, gadgets, films, games, music, wheels, watches and events. Plus what’s on Red Bull TV this month, our cartoon, and how to join a wolf pack 93 WILD THINGS Adventure sports gear 98 FLASHBACK Ice climbing with a twist
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CONTRIBUTORS INSIDE THIS ISSUE AUGUST 2016
WHO’S ON BOARD
JÖRG ALLMEROTH
Star oracle: Annie Mac on the decks in Malta
The woman who makes pop stars Annie Mac is an oracle in the world of pop music. The DJ supported singer Sam Smith before others noticed the future Grammy winner’s music, and on her BBC Radio 1 show she plays the hottest new tunes to an audience of 1.74 million listeners. The Red Bulletin met Mac at her four-day festival on the island of Malta, where she presents a selection of the best new acts every year. Between DJ sets on baroque balconies and wild boat parties, Mac told us how she spots talent before everyone else. Turn to page 56 to find out.
The German tennis writer has known Roger Federer since his wild teens. Turn to page 62 for his Red Bulletin interview in Monte Carlo, where the sporting icon reveals how he uses stage fright to his advantage.
HUGH GODWIN
The writer, broadcaster and former Independent On Sunday rugby union correspondent was perfectly placed to chat to GB Sevens captain Tom Mitchell about the allure of one of the world’s toughest sports. See page 48.
THE RED BULLETIN AROUND THE WORLD The Red Bulletin is available in 10 countries. This cover, featuring Olympic pole-vaulter Renaud Lavillenie, is from this month’s French edition. Read more: redbulletin.com
IN FOCUS BEHIND THE LENS
“Is it dangerous what I do? I don’t think so” URBAN EXPLORER ABUDI ALSAGOFF
Urbex selfie in Dubai: explorers Abudi Alsagoff (front) and Oleg Sherstyachenko
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They climb cranes, enter secret bunkers and scale skyscrapers without permission: urban explorers push the limits in a world full of restrictions. The Red Bulletin met eight of these daredevils at dizzying heights. See page 36.
THE RED BULLETIN
Editorial Director Robert Sperl Editor-in-Chief Alexander Macheck Editor-at-Large Boro Petric Creative Director Erik Turek Art Directors Kasimir Reimann, Miles English Photo Director Fritz Schuster Production Editor Marion Wildmann Managing Editor Daniel Kudernatsch Editors Stefan Wagner (Chief Copy Editor), Ulrich Corazza, Arek Piatek, Andreas Rottenschlager; Contributors: Muhamed Beganovic, Werner Jessner, Martina Powell, Clemens Stachel, Florian Wörgötter Web Kurt Vierthaler (Senior Web Editor), SchinSu Bae, Christian Eberle, Vanda Gyuris, Inmaculada Sánchez Trejo, Andrew Swann, Christine Vitel Design Marco Arcangeli, Marion Bernert-Thomann, Martina de Carvalho-Hutter, Kevin Goll Photo Editors Rudi Übelhör (Deputy Photo Director), Marion Batty, Ellen Haas, Eva Kerschbaum Illustrator Dietmar Kainrath Publisher Franz Renkin Advertising Placement Andrea Loprais Creative Solutions Eva Locker (manager), Verena Schörkhuber Marketing and Country Management Stefan Ebner (manager), Thomas Dorer, Manuel Otto, Kristina Trefil, Sara Varming Marketing Design Peter Knehtl (manager), Simone Fischer, Alexandra Hundsdorfer, Mathias Schwarz Head of Production Michael Bergmeister Production Wolfgang Stecher (manager), Walter O Sádaba, Friedrich Indich, Michael Menitz (digital) Repro Clemens Ragotzky (manager), Claudia Heis, Maximilian Kment, Karsten Lehmann Office Management Kristina Krizmanic IT Systems Engineer Michael Thaler Subscriptions and Distribution Klaus Pleninger (distribution), Peter Schiffer (subscriptions) General Manager and Publisher Wolfgang Winter Global Editorial Office Heinrich-Collin-Strasse 1, A-1140 Vienna Phone +43 1 90221-28800 Fax +43 1 90221-28809 Web redbulletin.com Red Bull Media House GmbH Oberst-Lepperdinger-Straße 11–15, A-5071 Wals bei Salzburg, FN 297115i, Landesgericht Salzburg, ATU63611700 Directors Christopher Reindl, Andreas Gall
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THE RED BULLETIN South Africa, ISSN 2079-4282 Editor Louis Raubenheimer Chief Sub-Editor Nancy James Deputy Chief Sub-Editor Davydd Chong Country Project and Sales Management Andrew Gillett Advertisement Sales Marnewicke Loubser, marnewicke.loubser@za.redbull.com Printed by CTP Printers, Duminy Street, Parow-East, Cape Town 8000 Subscriptions Subscription price R228, for 12 issues/year, www.getredbulletin.com, subs@za.redbull.com Mailing Address PO Box 50303, Waterfront, 8002 South Africa Office South Wing, Granger Bay Court, Beach Road, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town 8001 Tel: +27 (0) 21 431 2100
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THE RED BULLETIN USA, Vol 6 issue 3, ISSN 2308-586X is published monthly by Red Bull Media House, North America, 1740 Stewart St, Santa Monica, CA 90404. Periodicals postage paid at Santa Monica, CA, and additional mailing offices. Editor Andreas Tzortzis Deputy Editor Nora O’Donnell Copy Chief David Caplan Director of Publishing and Advertising Sales Nicholas Pavach Country Project Management Melissa Thompson Advertisement Sales Dave Szych, dave.szych@us.redbull.com (LA) Regina Dvorin, reggie.dvorin@us.redbullmediahouse.com (NY Printed by Brown Printing Company, 668 Gravel Pike, East Greenville, PA 18041, bpc.com Mailing Address PO Box 1962, Williamsport, PA 17703 US Office 1740 Stewart St, Santa Monica, CA 90404 Subscribe getredbulletin.com, subscription@redbulletin.com. Basic subscription rate is $29.95 per year. Offer available in the US and US possessions only. The Red Bulletin is published 12 times a year. Please allow four to six weeks for delivery of the first issue. For Customer Service 888-714-7317; customerservice@redbulletinservice.com
THE RED BULLETIN
OTTERBOX CERTIFIED DROP + PROTECTION
Symmetry
MARCIN KIN/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
GALLERY
SAND STORM
ABU DHABI, UAE PHOTOGRAPHY: MARCIN KIN
For 26 years, Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge participants have struggled through the sand dunes of the Gulf Emirates. This year, British rider Sam Sunderland had to deal with poor visibility, characteristic of the area, on the very first day on his ride through the Liwa Oasis, south of Abu Dhabi. However Sunderland, who was making his return to racing after breaking his leg at the end of last year, didn’t let it slow him down and he eventually finished second behind his KTM teammate, Australian Toby Price. abudhabidesertchallenge.com
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FREE FALLING CHIAPAS, MEXICO PHOTOGRAPHY: LANE JACOBS
In order to prepare for his first ride down the Niagara Falls, Mexican kayak pro Rafa Ortiz travelled to some of the most difficult kayaking locations in the world. For three years, a film crew followed Ortiz and his team (pictured is Evan Garcia’s training session at the Agua Azul waterfalls) on their journeys and captured breathtaking descents, which are the subject of new documentary Chasing Niagara. The film is out soon
18
CAKES’ WALK ATLANTA, USA PHOTOGRAPHY: BRIAN HALL
Each year, Red Bull Sound Select puts on more than 200 gigs in 18 cities worldwide in order to support aspiring musicians. At the intimate events, artists and audience come together at eye level. Take Cakes da Killa’s show at Aisle 5 in Atlanta: the ferocious rapper and his 200 fans had the club jumping. redbullsoundselect.com
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BRIAN HALL/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
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BULLEVARD THE HOME OF PEOPLE WHO INSPIRE, ENTERTAIN, EDUCATE, INNOVATE
THE LONG GAME CHRIS HEMSWORTH FORGET HIS ALPHAMALE ROLES, THIS ACTOR HAS REALMAN CREDENTIALS
JOHN RUSSO
The man who is Thor seems to have it all: a beautiful wife (Elsa Pataky, who plays Elena in the Fast & Furious films), three kids, Hollywood fame and fortune. But he got there the hard way. Australian Chris Hemsworth, 32, saved part of his earnings from the soap Home & Away to follow his dream of big-time movie stardom. Arriving in LA in 2007, he went to every audition going, but just three jobs in three years meant he was close to giving up. But then came Thor in 2011, followed by 2013’s Rush, which proved he could do more than flex his abs. Now, happy to be seen on dad duty with his son and daughters, he’s poking fun at his alphamale image, playing the receptionist in the all-female Ghostbusters reboot. As they say in Oz: good on yer, mate.
THE RED BULLETIN
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BULLEVARD
THE DUEL THE ROYAL REBEL FACES OFF AGAINST KING JAMES, BUT WHO WILL SIT ON THE CHAMPION’S THRONE?
vs PRINCE HARRY
LEBRON JAMES
$40m
In 2014, on his 30th birthday, he received around $14m from a trust fund established by his mother, Princess Diana. What a party that must have been.
1 :1
After dating graduate Chelsy Davy for six years, he was snapped naked with a female partygoer in Vegas in 2012. Now single, as every gossip site knows.
727k Twitter followers
He’s not on it much, but occasionally crops up on the official account of his London residence, Kensington Palace. Rare personal tweets are signed ‘H’.
Snow good
Walked to the South Pole in 2013 to raise money for, and awareness of, injured veterans. Another dozen charities benefit from his patronage.
Military chic
Dress uniform at official functions; Savile Row suits for appearances; the polos-and-chinos look favoured by trust-fund managers for downtime.
Earn respect
“We [Royals] are completely aware that we are in a very privileged position. I will spend the rest of my life earning that privilege, trying to bring a spotlight on things that really matter.”
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Says he really does use the luxury sedan to “get around”, despite a car collection that includes Porsches, Bentleys and Ferraris. But then he is a Kia spokesman.
TRANSPORT
Girls, girls, girls
The Invictus Games, his genius event for injured servicemen and women, grows with each edition: the third takes place in Toronto in 2017.
Current season salary at the Cleveland Cavaliers: $23m. Endorsements in 2015: an estimated $44m. Future plans: to become a billionaire, like Michael Jordan.
Kia K900
Came top of the class during training, and in 2012, on his second Afghan tour of duty, was a helicopter co-pilot gunner.
Breaking barriers
0 :1
$300m
LOVE LIFE
1:2 SOCIAL MEDIA CLOUT
1:3 CHARITY WORK
2:4 STYLE
3:5 WISEST WORDS
4:5 CAREER HIGH
5:6
Girl, girl, girl
Happily married to high-school sweetheart Savannah Brinson, with whom he has three kids. No superstar sportsman affairs for LeBron.
31.3m Twitter followers
World’s 24th most popular tweeter, placed between Miley Cyrus and Oprah, and second only to Cristiano Ronaldo (14th overall with 43m) in sport.
For the kids
Among the many causes it supports, the LeBron James Family Foundation plans to pay the college fees of more than 2,000 students in his hometown of Akron, Ohio.
Cover model
In 2008, he became only the third man (and first black male) to appear on the cover of Vogue. Also able to pull off wearing a fedora.
Learn from you
“Decisions I make, I live with them. There’s always ways you can correct them, or ways you can do them better. At the end of the day, I live with them.”
Setting records
Became the youngest player to score 25,000 NBA points. Six more seasons at the current rate and he’ll smash the all-time points record (38,387) at 37.
THE RED BULLETIN
GETTY IMAGES (9), PICTUREDESK.COM, REUTERS
Apache attack helicopter
NET WORTH
BULLEVARD “WE DIDN’T WANT TO WEAR ANYTHING TOO SKIMPY. WE ALWAYS WANTED THE MUSIC TO SPEAK FIRST”
TWIN BEATS CHLOE PAUL
NERVO THE AUSSIE SISTERS WHO FOUGHT HARD TO BREAK INTO THE BOYS’ CLUB OF BIG-MONEY DJING Mim and Liv Nervo signed a music publishing deal at 18, but despite writing hits for the likes of Kelly Rowland and Kylie, they suffered years of knockbacks as performers. Then, in 2009, on the suggestion of David Guetta, the club-loving sisters moved into DJing. Between 2013 and 2014, they earned $9m behind the decks, and last year the twins, now 29, released an EDM-flavoured album. The key to their success? “We enjoy working. If it’s three in the morning, it’s fine to do emails.” It’s true: if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life.
THE RED BULLETIN
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BULLEVARD
DAVID COLTURI THE AMERICAN CLIFF DIVER TWISTS AND TURNS HIS WAY TO SUCCESS THANKS TO A WINNING FORMULA IN AND OUT OF THE WATER
272
THE WEIGHT IN KG THAT HE CAN SHIFT ON A LEG PRESS MACHINE As well as a strong and lean overall physique, Colturi needs explosive leg power to achieve the necessary height when launching himself from the platform. “On the gym’s Agaton machine,” he says, “you can add weight to a leg press on the way down. I’ve done 136kg on the raise, then added another 136kg for the return. I can manage three to four reps of that.” Set a limit of 272kg to build leg muscle without straining your lower back.
85
THE TOP SPEED IN KPH HE WILL HAVE REACHED BY THE TIME HE HITS THE WATER The height of the platform in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series can be up to 28m. Divers accelerate from 0-85kph in three seconds, then drop to 0kph less than a second after making contact with the water (which has a minimum depth of 5m). “Because we only do four jumps in a competition, people say we have a 12-second work day, which is kind of funny. But you go over the dives in your mind so many times – hundreds of times a day. It’s a mentally exhausting sport.” Colturi notes down his thoughts and responses on paper as a way of dealing with the brain strain.
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105 THE NUMBER OF SPINS HE'LL PERFORM IN 10 MINUTES WHILE SUSPENDED ABOVE THE FLOOR Cliff divers train in the pool, in the gym and in mid-air. “We use rooms with sprung floors and foam pits, like gymnasts. Some of these have apparatus with ropes and pulleys so we can suspend ourselves in the air to practise rotations and learn spins. The biggest competition dive, the back triple with four rotations, has three somersaults and four twists – that's seven spins in one dive. I might practise 15 of those in a row.”
4.5 THE DURATION IN MINUTES THAT HE CAN HOLD THE ‘HOLLOW BODY' POSE TO IMPROVE CORE STABILITY “For this exercise, you lay down so that only your lower back touches the ground, with your shoulder blades and legs a few inches off the floor. It’s like the Plank [face down, forearms and toes on the floor, spine straight], but tougher.” By increasing core strength, full-body co-ordination exercises like these give cliff divers the balance they need to maintain body position in the air, and they’re a tough-but-simple addition to any fitness routine.
VITAL STATISTICS Discipline Cliff diver Age 27 Height 1.73m Weight 68kg Roll of honour Fifth place overall in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015
FITNESS TRACKER THE HOTTEST THINGS IN HEALTH
THE APP SWORKIT
Build customised workout videos that require no exercise equipment, then watch them on your smartphone. The University of Florida assessed 30 free health apps and found this one was the best. sworkit.com
THE TECH LUMO RUN
This sensor clips onto your waistband and measures six key elements of your run for later analysis via an app, so you can go faster for longer and hopefully avoid the jogger’s nightmare: niggling injury. lumobodytech.com
THE FUEL DARK CHOCOLATE
It has to be at least 70 per cent cocoa, and limited to 40g a day, but, say scientists at Kingston University, this can help physical performance thanks to (-)-epicatechin, an ingredient that aids blood flow and oxygen intake. jissn.com
THE RED BULLETIN
RICK RODNEY, GETTY IMAGES
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BULLEVARD “I’m not afraid to make a mistake. I embrace mistakes – they make you who you are”
“Any time I write something that’s trying to be too smart, it doesn’t work” EMELI SANDÉ
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BEYONCÉ
MIT TECH REVIEW twitter.com/ techreview
SAY WHAT? USE YOUR BRAIN TO GET AHEAD. THINKING SMART – OR EVEN JUST THINKING ABOUT THINKING SMART – IS THE WAY FORWARD, AS THESE SUCCESS STORIES PROVE
“Education is important, but being streetsmart is just as useful – to my mind, it’s what gives me an edge” USAIN BOLT “In terms of playing ability, there’s nothing to choose between number one and 100. Instead, it’s a question of who believes and who wants it more. Which player is mentally stronger? Which player is going to fight the hardest in the big points? These are the things that determine who is the champion” NOVAK DJOKOVIC
“I think it’s smart to listen to other people’s advice. But, at the end of the day, you’re the only one who can tell you what’s right for you” JENNIFER LOPEZ
“I think you have to try and fail, because failure gets you closer to what you’re good at” LOUIS CK
“It’s OK to have your eggs in one basket, as long as you control what happens to that basket”
From Apple’s next move, to the games you’ll be playing in 12 months’ time, this feed from the magazine of the Massachusetts Institute Of Technology is like tomorrow’s news today. Tech, science, social media trends – know about the future before your friends do.
STREET ART GLOBE instagram.com/ streetartglobe
The place for the best in street art (two million followers agree). Showcasing works from Mexico to Melbourne (and all points between), it’s a top source of individual artists, such as @paperboyo and his amazing cut-out additions to landmarks.
ELON MUSK
ATLAS OBSCURA If you’re going to call yourself “the definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders”, you’d better have guides to underwater cities, stories of 17th-century female spies hiding info inside raw eggs, and photos of abandoned water slides. Thankfully, Atlas Obscura has all these and tons more.
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THE RED BULLETIN
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M AT T DA MON is Jason Bourne. And not just on screen, where he’s playing everyone’s favourite former CIA operative for the fourth time. Life seems to be imitating art. Like the secret agent, the 45-year-old star is hard to pin down. It takes months of negotiations, with, from different points around the globe, vague confirmations, delays and cancellations, before he finally sits down for a heart-to-heart with The Red Bulletin. Here he reveals that, despite appearances, he’s actually nothing like big-screen action hero WORDS: RÜDIGER STURM PHOTOGRAPHY: NINO MUÑOZ/ UNIVERSAL PICTURES 30
“LIVING
WELL
IS THE BEST
REVENGE”
the red bulletin: You’re returning in your trademark role of agent Jason Bourne, who has a lot of anger issues. Do you share these? matt damon: Let’s say I carry a lot of myself into a role like this. Life can be frustrating at times. Like when? For example, in the past, it was really frustrating as a friend to see Ben Affleck mischaracterised so often and so blithely by so many people. Fortunately, no one ever is going to roll their eyes again when I suggest that he’s a really talented guy. And my kids can also frustrate me no end. How so? Any relationship that you have with anybody where there is deep and abiding love, there’s a chance that you are going to get frustrated or angry or upset, and get your feelings hurt. But we imagine that you don’t fly off the handle with them like Jason Bourne would… Not in public, because it would end up on YouTube. [Laughs.] I’m lucky because I don’t hold onto negative emotions for long. Like everyone I have these pent-up conflicts, but a lot of it passes through me easier than with most people. Why is that? Because I get to work through a lot of it in my job. I was with a friend recently at a wedding when something beautiful happened and he was in tears. He said, “That’s the first time I’ve cried in 20 years.” Whereas I cry all the time; in basically every movie I do. I am living my life through the conflicts of other people. For those of us who can’t act, what else is good for emotional balance? It helps to break a sweat every day. It’s become a habit for me to go to the gym and work out. It’s a good way to let off steam. Anything specific you’d recommend? To prepare for the Bourne films I started boxing. Once you’ve gotten into really good shape, it changes the way you move through space, your overall confidence. I find myself more on the front foot, rather than on the back foot and sort of hanging back. Is it a regular thing for you now? No, no. I’m doing a movie right now where the director specifically told me to stay away from the gym. And I can definitely feel the difference. You don’t sound that morose, though. The lack of training is mitigated by the 32
“I CRY IN ALMOST EVERY MOVIE I DO. I’M LIVING MY LIFE THROUGH THE CONFLICTS OF OTHERS” fact that I’m eating whatever I want. That puts me in a pretty good mood. Have you ever tried practising yoga or meditation? I have a lot of friends who practise both and swear by it. And I myself have tried yoga and I should do it, because when I see myself on screen sometimes I look stiff. Not only would it be better for my job, but it would be better for my life. The same thing with meditation. I just can’t f--king do it. Why not? I find it hard to carve out the time in my life. I don’t even have hobbies. Hopefully, when I get into my 50s, I’ll get my priorities right and will start to do both of those things. You and your wife have four daughters. How does living in such an oestrogenfilled world affect you? I don’t have anything to compare it to right now. When I grew up with a big brother, there was a lot more male energy around. And that meant we fought like crazy. You didn’t like each other? No, there wasn’t any malice behind it. We just fought because that seemed the natural state. When I did Saving Private Ryan, they shaved my head and I heard the woman start laughing: “Are you a little brother?” she said. “You have scars all over your head.” Because once I was pillow-fighting with my brother, and he ended up smashing me so hard that he sent me across the room into a wall, right into the radiator. Is that just boys being boys? We have kids from my girls’ class come over and they instantly take the toys and hit each other over the head with them. Whereas I don’t see that at all with my girls. They are more co-operative and nurturing, which is wonderful. It seems genetically encoded. So do you think the world would be a better place if it was ruled by women? Certainly in the current political system, the answer would be yes. I’m no shrink, but like I said, men seem to be quicker to
Surprising fact: Matt Damon’s only Oscar was for an original screenplay written with his friend Ben Affleck
“ONCE YOU’VE GOTTEN INTO REALLY GOOD SHAPE, IT CHANGES THE WAY THAT YOU MOVE THROUGH SPACE”
“AS AN ACTOR I NEVER WANTED TO BE PIGEONHOLED, AND THAT WORKED OUT FOR ME” stop talking and resolve our differences physically. Obviously, that’s not the state we want to live in on planet Earth. Geopolitically, fighting is not going to solve our problems. But don’t you also need a certain level of aggressiveness in order to succeed? There are other recipes. I remember talking to this Japanese golf pro once and he told me one great thing. He said, at the top of your backswing,you have to say, “What the f--k.” By which he meant just let it go. Because if you try to control it too much, you’ll ruin it. Just let it go. And I thought that was good advice that also applied to my career. Are you still saying, “What the f--ck” to this day? Every time I take on a movie. You have no idea how it’s going to turn out. This is a massive collaboration with a bunch of people and all of you are relying entirely on the director. It’s always a gamble with a lot at stake. When I did The Martian with Ridley Scott, this was a $110 million movie. It’s terrifying to be sitting on a soundstage with this other person going‚ “It’s just me and you. Let’s get this right.” Sounds like you don’t quite trust your mantra, after all… No, no. Anybody who pursues a career – at least in the arts – should stick to that. Because once you divorce yourself from the results of what you’re doing and just say, “I’m not going to focus on how this turns out, I’m just putting my head down and doing my work, doing what I think is right and what I love.” That’s when you start making things that are worthwhile. But surely the possibility of failure can be a worry? Of course. I missed a lot. But I was always proud of my movies, even if the audiences didn’t connect to them. Early on in my career I met some actors who allowed themselves to be pigeonholed, so they were forced to do this same performance over and over again and
they were really bored by it. I never wanted to end up like that, and that definitely worked out for me. As you say, you’re always reliant on other people. What do you do if someone betrays your trust? Of course you can always get burned. But my philosophy has always been: I’d rather get burned and keep living openly, with an open heart, than go through the world defensively. Isn’t that a bit naïve? Well, I will not let you burn me twice. Then that really is my fault. I have certainly been taken advantage of and I’m sure I will be again. But that doesn’t mean I want to close myself off. When someone double-crosses you, do you ever fantasise about taking revenge the Jason Bourne way? No. That’s a very human emotion, but I tend to get past it very quickly. Or else you can end up living in it and it will just consume you. The best revenge is living well. Is that something you had to learn? It is, to some extent, a question of life experience. My brother’s best friend was murdered when I was 19 and I remember going through the whole trial afterwards. The night these guys were found guilty and got convicted, I had this moment of elation and called my brother to say, “We got them.” And he just said, “Who f--king cares?” Obviously he didn’t mean they shouldn’t have gone to jail, but I put all my energy into this thinking that it would change what happened. And it didn’t change anything. There was no moment of sweet revenge. It was the reality of this new normal. You just have to handle the pain. But there is one grudge you just don’t seem to be able to let go of… I guess I know what you’re driving at... Your arch-enemy, talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. [The two have been having a well-publicised faux-feud for many years, stemming from Kimmel’s refusal to have Damon on his show.] Do you think the two of you will ever smoke the peace pipe together? No. Why so unforgiving? Because he’s running for Vice-President now. And that’s what’s absolutely wrong with our country. He’s not even picked a Presidential running mate. Imagine it – Trump and Jimmy Kimmel would be the end of America. So I’m going to do everything that is in my power to campaign against him and make sure that that doesn’t happen. jasonbournemovie.com
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Oleg Sherst yachenko balances high up on the construction site of the Marina 101 tower in Dubai, UA E, w hich is set to be the world ’s tallest residential building
PUSHING THE LIMITS They climb the tallest buildings, scout around derelict bunkers and enter areas that should be off-limits. The world calls them irresponsible. They call themselves urban explorers. Eight portraits capturing a point somewhere between madness and daring to live the dream 36
KEO FILMS
Words: Alexander Macheck
KEO FILMS
Vadim Mak horov and V itali y Raskalov on a crane at the still- unf inished Palais Royale in Mumbai, India
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VADIM MAKHOROV 27, RUSSIA VITALIY RASKALOV 25, RUSSIA Inspiration in Egypt
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“For me, it’s all about the photographs,” says Vadim Makhorov. “That’s why I always lug several kilos of hardware around with me. I climbed alone at first. Then I met Vitaliy [Raskalov] in St Petersburg and a whole new chapter began. My most inspiring project to date has been [scaling and taking photos on] the Great Pyramid of Giza.”
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INSTAGRAM instagram.com/ makhorov
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Ma x Ross perches on a sk yscraper in Toronto, Canada
Vertigo in Los Angeles
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“The whole urban exploration thing began for me two years ago when I saw a YouTube video of these two guys climbing on a crane – I got an adrenalin rush just from watching it. Shortly after, a friend from photography school showed me pictures he’d shot from the tops of sk yscrapers in LA. We set off for the tallest residential building we could find close by, and when we got there we slipped past security and climbed 40 flights of stairs. It was just like being in a movie. At the top, there was a door with a warning in big letters saying that an alarm would
be triggered if we opened it. ‘Screw that,’ we thought. So we opened the door and there, in front of our eyes, was the sun going down over the city. It was like a moment of enlightenment. My buddy said that I should sit on the edge of the building for a photograph. I was still scared of heights back then, but I mustered all my strength, conquered my fear, swung my legs over the ledge and let them dangle there – and bang, there was another rush of adrenalin. Right from that moment, I’ve never been able to get enough of this kind of adventure.”
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INSTAGRAM instagram.com/ max_ross
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KEO FILMS
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MAX ROSS 20, USA
-ELAINA HAMMEKEN 27, USA/DENMARK Time stands still in Copenhagen
-“People test their limits in almost every sport you can think of – why else would skaters hurtle over stairwells, surfers ride huge waves, or skiers take on superpipes? I discovered Urbex via the photos of Anders G – he’s the head honcho on the Copenhagen scene. Since then, my eyes have always drifted upwards to the rooftops above the city whenever I’m out, to see if I might discover one of the explorers, or to wonder how I might get up there myself. When I finally managed to get in touch with Anders, he took me to the Golden Girls [a tower in Copenhagen with sculptures of two female figures that indicate the weather]. We climbed up pipes and stairs, and when we got to the top and looked down over the city, it was as if time had stood still.”
instagram.com/ eastc0astchck
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Elaina Hammeken takes a break on a crane high above a building site in Copenhagen, S weden
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DAVID DE RUEDA 27, FRANCE A curious kid in a submarine bunker
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“I’ve been driven by curiosity ever since I was a kid, and I’ve always wanted to explore abandoned, unusual places. I had no idea there was an actual name for it; I just wanted to know what was hidden behind this wall or that imposing structure. The first place that I really explored was a World War II submarine bunker. It was a huge complex, a real maze of a place. I spent hours in there – I felt like Indiana Jones! That feeling has never gone away. I’ve been on the lookout for new places ever since. I’ve travelled around France, all over Europe, and I shot my first film, Urban Escape, in the US. And that was only the beginning.”
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INSTAGRAM instagram.com/ davidderueda
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Dav id de Rueda on the roof of the CathĂŠdrale de la Ma jor in Marseille, France
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ABUDI ALSAGOFF 25, MALAYSIA Parkour, just a lot higher up
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“Undue risk? That’s not the way I see it. I’m so well prepared that every one of my ventures is safe. To start with, I had no idea that I was a rooftopper; I thought it was just part of my training as a parkour runner, only higher up than normal.”
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A budi Aslagof f on the scaf folding of the Marina 101 sk yscraper in Dubai, UA E
KEO FILMS
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Br yce W ilson snaps a friend scaling Coop’s Shot Tower in Melbourne, Australia
BRYCE WILSON 25, AUSTRALIA Rebellion in Melbourne
-“The photography is the main thing for me. That’s my passion and the reason I set myself these challenges, regardless of how long it takes me to reach my goal. A lot of people say, ‘Anyone can take a photo,’ and maybe that’s basically true because, after all, the camera is only a tool. But your perspective changes when you take your camera to extreme heights, or to the front line of a war. I don’t see urban exploration as any more dangerous than taking the train or driving. We’re taught to avoid risk to live a long and healthy life, but that attitude also makes us ignore our passions and dreams.”
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OLEG ‘CRICKET‘ SHERSTYACHENKO 24, RUSSIA The challenger in Moscow
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“Why do I do it? Because I’m good at it. I’m one of the very few people in the world who can do it. My favourite ever was the Princess Tower in Dubai. That was 101 floors, 400m in the air – an unbeatable view. But you can’t see it any more, sadly: they closed the roof... after my visit.”
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INSTAGRAM instagram.com/ olegcricket
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Urban explorers on Red Bull TV
KEO FILMS
To find out more about urban exploration and rooftopping and, featuring stunning footage of the controversial exponents in this article, don’t miss URBEX – Enter At Your Own Risk, from Aug 1 on Red Bull TV
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Oleg Sherst yachenko hangs of f a crane during the building of the IQ Quar ter in Moscow, Russia
SEVENS
HEAVEN IT’S BRUTAL, QUICK, RELENTLESS AND UNLIKE RUGBY AS YOU KNOW IT: RUGBY SEVENS, A NEW ADDITION TO THE RIO GAMES ROSTER, IS GATHERING GLOBAL PACE. BUT FAR FROM BEING ‘RUGBY LITE’, THIS, SAYS ENGLAND SEVENS CAPTAIN TOM MITCHELL, IS A VERY DIFFERENT BEAST. IT IS QUITE POSSIBLY THE WORLD’S TOUGHEST SPORT – AND MAY PROVE TO BE YOUR NEW OLYMPIC FAVOURITE WORDS: HUGH GODWIN PHOTOGRAPHY: DETLEF SCHNEIDER 48
TOM MITCHELL DOB JULY 22, 1989 BORN CUCKFIELD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND TEAM ENGLAND SEVENS, GB SEVENS, EX-OXFORD UNIVERSITY ROLES ON THE FIELD FLY-HALF, PLAYMAKER, SWEEPER, CAPTAIN GREATEST SUCCESSES IN SEVENS CAPTAINING ENGLAND TO WINNING THE TOKYO TOURNAMENT, 2015; NOMINATED AS SEVENS WORLD PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOR 2013-14
RUGBY SEVENS IS BOTH QUICK AND RELENTLESS – IT’S BEEN CALLED THE “TOUGHEST SPORT IN THE WORLD”
I
t’s doubtful the organisers of this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro need any help with branding the greatest multi-sport show on earth, but if they are looking for a strapline to sum up rugby sevens, it could easily be: “Catch me if you can.” Speed, supreme fitness and a captivating combination of teamwork and individual brilliance are the base elements of a game that is making its debut appearance in the quadrennial jamboree in Brazil next month. Seven-a-side rugby – to give the sport its full title taken from the number of players on each team – is the pared-down, souped-up version of the 15-a-side game. Maybe the mention of rugby brings certain images to your mind, like a nebulous mass of muddy bodies heaving and shoving in a scrum where the oval ball disappears from sight for minutes on end and the spectator sits twiddling his thumbs, waiting for something – anything – to happen? That’s not sevens. This game is quick and relentless; it’s been called the “toughest sport in the world” due to the mix of muscular strength, delicate ball skills and sustained sprinting the players need to survive and prosper. “A different type of energy system,” is how Tom Mitchell, the captain of the GB Sevens team, who is hoping to be part of the Team GB squad heading to Rio, describes the physical demands of sevens, while Neil Powell, head coach of the South Africa team, sums up the tactical challenge as “human chess”. The South Africans are nicknamed the ‘Blitzboks’ – a pretty good clue as to the non-stop onslaught you will witness on a sevens field. The essential aim in sevens is the same as in the standard, 15-a-side game 50
– namely, scoring more points than the opposition with tries (grounding the ball on or beyond the opponents’ goal line for five points), conversions (drop-kicking the ball through the posts for an extra two points after a try has been scored) and penalty goals and dropped goals worth three points each. The length of a match – two halves of seven minutes each, compared with two x 40 minutes in 15-a-side – may not sound a lot, but from the referee’s first whistle to the last there is constant movement including bouts of flat-out running, rapid changes of direction and highly physical tussles when a tackle for the ball is made. The set-piece elements of 15-a-side, such as scrums, line-outs, rucks and mauls, are all present, but with fewer players and much less fuss. The size of the field is exactly the same (100m x 70m, plus the in-goal areas), yet with 14 players involved instead of 30, it is immediately obvious there’s more space to work in, which in turn places a microscopic emphasis on the players’ core skills of passing (which must always be backwards), making or evading tackles and keeping the ball moving. “If you’re not at a certain level of speed you’ll just get picked off, you’ll be exposed,” says Mitchell. “The level of athlete that’s competing in sevens is different to what we were seeing even three or four years ago. Some of our training would be recognisable to a sprinter, and some of it would be familiar to a weightlifter. Our conditioning sessions include high-speed movement with lots of jumps and power cleans, together with a running load that will build stamina into the legs. That’s what we need to play multiple matches of sevens over two or three days.” Sevens is far from a new concept. It was invented by the good folk of Melrose
SKILLS “PRETTY MUCH EVERY BASIC SKILL YOU NEED TO PLAY RUGBY IS PUT UNDER THE MICROSCOPE,” SAYS TOM MITCHELL.
“YOU MIGHT THINK YOU HAVE A GOOD PASS, BUT YOU’LL SOON FIND OUT WHEN YOU’RE RUNNING AT FULL SPEED AND TRYING TO THROW A PASS TO SOMEONE WHO’S 20M AWAY. “WHEN YOU’RE DEFENDING, THE PRESSURE’S ON YOUR POSITIONING, TO COVER MAYBE 15M EITHER SIDE OF YOU. “IF YOU GET THINGS WRONG IN THOSE AREAS, YOU EITHER MISS OUT ON SCORING A TRY OR YOU CONCEDE A TRY. YOU ARE EXPOSED IN A BIG WAY ON A SEVENS FIELD. IT’S BEAUTIFULLY BRUTAL.”
Building speed: “Conditioning sessions include running to build stamina into the legs,” says Mitchell
Twelve teams will compete in Rio and Mitchell is confident of the potential of Team GB
SIMPLICITY “THE SIMPLICITY OF SEVENS SETS IT APART AND MAKES IT A MORE ATTRACTIVE SPECTACLE, AND MORE ACCESSIBLE IF YOU ARE NEW TO THE GAME. YOU DO NOT NEED A LOT OF UNDERSTANDING TO REALLY ENGAGE WITH IT AND FIND IT EXCITING,” SAYS MITCHELL.
“THE SET-PIECE IS MUCH LESS OF A FACTOR THAN IT IS IN 15-A-SIDE – I WAS NEVER GOING TO PLAY IN THE FRONT ROW OF THE SCRUM, SO IT’S NOT SOMETHING I MISS.
Rugby Club, in the Scottish Borders, in the late 19th century, when they needed to raise funds and didn’t have the time or inclination to arrange a drawn-out tournament of standard rugby. For many decades, the game was a bit of knockabout fun at either end of a rugby club’s gruelling winter season, when the pot-bellied behemoths put their feet up and the quicker, fitter lads could show off their skills in the sun. The step change occurred in the 1980s, when rugby union’s world governing body began lobbying to have their sport readmitted to the Olympics, to boost its popularity and profile. Readmitted? Yes, rugby has been in the Games before, in its 15-a-side guise. Baron Pierre de Coubertin, generally regarded as the father of the modern Olympics, was a rugby fan and referee, and he put together a tournament at four Olympics between 1900 and 1924. Trouble was, the gold-medal match in Paris in 1924 ended in a pitch invasion by angry French spectators after the USA’s
win over the home team. With the stink caused by the Paris riot, plus a lack of countries worldwide able to compete, rugby was unceremoniously elbowed out of the schedule – leaving the USA, somewhat wackily as they have never been a preeminent rugby force, as the reigning Olympic champions for the next 92 years. Once the powers-that-be decreed that sevens would be the format for Olympics inclusion, a world series was established in 1999, and it has transformed the sevens scene. The 10-tournament series takes place over six months each year, from London to Las Vegas via Dubai and Hong Kong, and the 15-a-side superpower New Zealand have won it a record 12 times. But the beauty has been seeing the likes of Kenya, Portugal, Russia, Spain and Brazil thriving in a format that is much more accessible than the traditional, labour-intensive, 15-man game. The Kenyans caused surprise and delight when they won the Singapore leg of the series in April 2016. The USA’s full-time sevens programme
“YOU JUST HAVE SEVEN GUYS ON SEVEN GUYS, AND WHEN YOU ARE IN POSSESSION OF THE BALL, IT ALL COMES DOWN TO HOW YOU MANIPULATE THE OPPOSITION’S DEFENDERS.”
Sevens was invented in the 19th century, but today’s players are in a different league
THE RED BULLETIN
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A game of two halves: two seven-minute halves may not seem long, but there is constant movement
“THIS YEAR’S SEVENS SERIES HAS BEEN THE MOST COMPETITIVE EVER, WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WINNERS”
SPACE
“THE SPACE COULD BE ANYWHERE ON THE FIELD, AND IT’S JUST ABOUT PLAYING WITH YOUR HEAD UP, IDENTIFYING WHERE THE SPACE IS, AND EMPLOYING WHATEVER’S IN YOUR ARMOURY TO ATTACK IT. THAT’S THE FREEDOM YOU GO OUT WITH, EVERY GAME. “SEVENS HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT ALONGSIDE AUSSIE RULES FOOTBALL AS THE TOUGHEST SPORT IN THE WORLD. I’D LIKEN IT TO DECATHLON FOR THE REPEAT EFFORTS YOU NEED TO MAKE OVER A TOURNAMENT LASTING TWO OR THREE DAYS.”
GROOMER MADELINE SCANTLEBURY AT CAROL HAYES MANAGEMENT USING NUDE SKINCARE.
“I ENJOY THE SPACE WITH 14 PLAYERS ON THE FIELD INSTEAD OF 30 – IT MAKES FOR A RAW, EXCITING AND MORE OPEN GAME,” SAYS MITCHELL.
has nurtured headline-grabbing talent such as the flying wings Carlin Isles and Perry Baker. In the run-up to Rio, they recruited the sevens expert Mike Friday from England as coach. Twelve national teams will compete in the Rio tournament over three days at the Deodoro Stadium, in three groups of four leading to the final, gold-medal match. The composite Great Britain team in Rio will comprise players from the normally separate rugby countries of England, Scotland and Wales. The favourites must be Fiji, small in size as a country, but giants of sevens. With another Englishman, Ben Ryan, as coach, the Pacific islanders completed a fantastic back-to-back triumph in the world series in May 2016, finishing ahead of South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina – all of whom will fancy their chances in Rio. The much-loved “magician” Waisale Serevi was the Fijians’ totem for many years; now Ryan believes Osea Kolinisau belongs in the same exalted bracket. “He’s our captain and the glue in our team,” says Ryan. South Africa’s strength is in defence. “If you look at the stats, we conceded the fewest tries of any team over the 10 tournaments [in the world series],” says coach Powell. “We work hard on our defensive system, really making teams work for their tries against us. In Rio, it will be all about the team and the individuals within the teams who hit form.” You don’t need to drown in a sea of jargon to quickly pick up sevens’ basic tactics. Watch out for the “sweeper” who lurks behind his six teammates when the opposition have the ball, with a brief to spot where the danger is developing. The three forwards (two props and a hooker) in the team are the bigger men – the masters of the scramble for possession
in and immediately after a tackle (listen out for commentators analysing the “breakdown”). The four backs include a scrum-half and fly-half as the main playmakers, and a centre and wing who are the best strike runners. The “human chess” analogy describes the constant probing for a hole in the opponents’ defences, while being conscious of the risk of your own line being breached if a gap is left unguarded, or the ball is surrendered too easily. All the time, you are looking to move your various men into their optimal positions, and the greatest thrill for the 15,000-strong crowd who will watch the Rio rugby sevens will be when a flyer receives the ball on the end of a quality move of several passes, pins his ears back and goes for a try – catch him if you can! South Africa’s Seabelo Senatla has one of the best sets of “wheels” on the planet, and although Powell gave every chance to the superstar 15-a-side wing Bryan Habana to make the plane to Brazil, sevens has become such a specialism that few players sustain careers in both formats. An exception to the rule in Rio will be New Zealand’s Sonny Bill Williams, but here is a man who is a champion in both 15-a-side and sevens rugby union, 13-a-side rugby league and, oh, heavyweight boxing, too. “This year’s sevens world series has been the most competitive ever, with the highest number of different winners,” says Mitchell. “So it makes a winner in Rio very difficult to predict. But I’m confident of the potential for GB. It’s the first time that we’ve had three nations come together to combine the quality that we’ve got across England, Scotland and Wales. It’s going to be very exciting to see what happens.” irbsevens.com
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DANCING WITH THE STAR MAKER
Annie Mac, who has 1.74 million people tuning in to her radio show every week
SEVEN STAGES ON SHIPS AND IN CASTLES. SIXT Y HANDPICKED ARTISTS FROM RIGHT ACROSS THE MUSICAL SPECTRUM. MORE THAN 8,000 REVELLERS.
JUSTIN DE SOUZA
AT THE CENTRE OF ALL THIS IS THE ONE WOMAN MAKING IT POSSIBLE: ANNIE MAC, DJ, R ADIO HOST, AND THE TASTEMAK ER WHO GAVE ELECTRONIC MUSIC ICONS LIKE DISCLOSURE THEIR BIG BREAK. AT HER LOST & FOUND FESTIVAL IN MALTA, SHE PRESENTS SOME OF THE MOST EXCITING ARTISTS OF THE MOMENT. Words: Florian Obkircher
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“HOW Justin Martin, a DJ and producer from San Francisco, with Radio 1 DJ B. Traits
are you doooooing, Malta?!” the woman with the red curly hair shouts into the microphone. She dances, she sweats, she presses the headphones closer to her ear. Her head nods to the rhythm of the bumping house track spinning on the turntable in front of her. Annie Mac raises her right hand and looks over the 3,000 dancers beneath her, all hailing their queen. What’s peculiar about this scene isn’t just the time – it’s a sunny spring day rather than an early-hours rave – but that Annie Mac is on the balcony of a castle. What’s more, next to her are two pale guys armed with carnival crowns and sceptres, better known as Disclosure, one of the most successful and influential electronic duos, who will take over the royal DJ desk when Annie Mac’s done. In early April, the British radio host and tastemaker invited 60 musicians to a fourday festival on the Mediterranean island of Malta: AMP Lost & Found. The seven party locations, including ships, hotel pools and the sandy brown palace, are as exceptional as the line-up itself. Instead of the usual superstar DJs, Annie Mac has
DJ dream team: Amy Winehouse producer Mark Ronson (left) and Hudson Mohawke
“BE CRE ATIVE, THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, THINK OUTSIDE THE MUSICAL L ANDSCAPE. IT’S VERY EASY TO FOLLOW THE UNWRIT TEN RULES OF GENERIC POP MUSIC” 58
JUSTIN DE SOUZA (2), MATT EACHUS, DANIEL WATSON
Annie Mac getting behind the decks with house producer Julio Bashmore (right)
mostly picked living legends, insider tips and personal favourites, from garage house pioneer DJ EZ to talents on the rise like grime whizz-kid Stormzy, whose single Shut Up reached number eight on the UK charts last December. Plus there are performances by electronic music heroes Hudson Mohawke and Mark Ronson, who have worked closely with the 37-year-old throughout their careers. Annie Mac is considered a genius when it comes to spotting and nurturing talent. With her daily show on BBC Radio 1, which has 1.74 million people tuning in across the week, she’s in the rare position of being able to take ambitious musicians under her wing to help them break through internationally. Take Disclosure. When they were still too young to order a beer at the bar, Annie Mac took the British brother duo on tour with her and played their music on her radio show before anyone else did. In 2014 their single Latch peaked at number seven on the US charts and has been streamed half a billion times on YouTube and Spotify. In 2012 she invited a young singer named Sam Smith to play her tent at Bestival. He had to take a night off his
The party boat is departing, as Jackmaster welcomes revellers
Pink plastic flamingos are ubiquitous at AMP Lost & Found
“DON’ T BE TOO PROUD TO HOLD YOUR HAND UP AND GO, ‘I WAS WRONG, THIS SOUNDS AMA ZING NOW AND IT JUST TOOK ME A WHILE TO LIKE IT’”
bar job at the time. Four years later he has four Grammys, which he won for his debut album, and an Academy award for his James Bond theme Writing’s On The Wall. After finishing her regal set, Annie Mac sits down with The Red Bulletin to discuss the topic of talent. the red bulletin: You’re hosting one of the most influential music radio shows in the world. How much music do you receive per week? annie mac: It’s hard to quantify, because it seems like there’s an endless stream since things have gone digital. It’s maybe 600 tracks, from which there’s a selection of 50 new ones I present on air each week. Sounds like your job entails a lot of quick decision-making. How do you do that? Having a very strong vision of where you want to be and knowing who you are really helps. Experience is also very important, as well as a great team who you really trust. Trust is everything. In what way? In my job, you have to trust in each other’s taste. If there’s a song I definitely don’t like, but the other two members of my team are into, I have to go and
Rapper Stormzy takes the crowd by storm, when he plays Shut Up everybody sings along
reassess that. And sometimes I go, “You know what? Let’s try it out.” And if the track you rejected goes down well with listeners? One of the most important things I’ve learned in my job is to not be afraid to do a U-turn on record. Don’t be too proud to hold your hand up and go, “I was wrong, this sounds amazing now and it just took me a while to like it.” In a lot of professions that kind of honesty could cost someone their job… …and that’s tragic, because honesty is so important. In my job it’s all about connection to people. People choose to spend their time with you and you owe it to them to give them everything. It’s my responsibility to play the music I love, and if I’m not sure about music that I play, I say exactly that. That immediately puts the listener and me on the same page, rather than saying, “This is the greatest song in the world!” It’s about letting people into your perspective and letting them feel like they’re part of it. There’s a big element of honesty that goes with that. How do you avoid making bad decisions? It’s essential to realise you can’t make right decisions all the time. If you want to
achieve something unique you have to try to do stuff that hasn’t been done before. In that sense, it’s as important to fail as it is to succeed. Failure makes you stronger. What does a song need to appeal to Annie Mac? Do you have any advice for young artists? Try and make something that has some form of originality. Be creative, think outside the box, think outside the musical landscape. It’s very easy to follow the unwritten rules of generic pop music. What excites me as a listener, is hearing stuff that feels like something I haven’t heard before. That’s what I look for. Are there really 50 songs per week that give you that feeling of originality? The thing is, you are always going to borrow subliminally from your influences. You always hear reference points in a song, where you think that bassline sounds like Prince. But it’s about taking what you love and making it your own. Listening to your gut feelings, however weird they may seem, takes you to a creative place. Just go with it. It’s just too easy in this music world to create music that you feel people might like, rather than create music that you love.
Can you explain that using the example of Disclosure? It’s because they’re not just good at making beats, they’re genuine musicians and, most importantly, great songwriters. When they work on a track, they start with the song and then they work the music around it. The reason they were able to make it in America is brilliant songwriting. If you take all electronic elements away, when you hear a version of Latch that’s just on the piano, that’s when you realise how brilliant their songs are. Approaching dance music with a songwriter background seems to be the formula behind many modern hits. Did Disclosure start that trend? Definitely. What’s funny now is, you get so many people copying them. Subliminally or not, all I’ve heard for a while is music that sounds like Disclosure, which is testament to them. It’s an incredible homage. It’s not often that you get people come along and do what Disclosure did, that’s hard to do. But that’s why they’re successful. lostandfoundfestival.com anniemacpresents.com Annie will also host AMP & Jackathon takeovers at Space, Ibiza on Aug 7 and Sept 4
“Stormzy’s officially the first grime artist to play in Malta,” says Annie Mac
The oldest DJ at the festival is also the most agile: David Rodigan, 64, reggae expert
RED BULL TV: SEASON OF FESTIVALS This summer, Red Bull TV provides music fans with that festival feeling in the comfort of their own home. Experience live gigs, backstage insights and artist interviews from some of the world’s iconic music festivals, exclusively on redbull.tv
LOLLAPALOOZA JULY 28-31 with Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, LCD Soundsystem and more
BESTIVAL SEPTEMBER 9-11 with The Cure, Major Lazer, Hot Chip, Skepta and more
AUSTIN CITY LIMITS JUSTIN DE SOUZA (2), MATT EACHUS, FRESH TO DEATH, LUKE DYSON
SEPTEMBER 30-OCTOBER 2, OCTOBER 7-9 with Mumford & Sons, Kendrick Lamar, M83 and more
Annie Mac on DJ EZ: “He is extremely skilled and consequently so compelling to watch
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HEROES
“GIVE YOUR BEST. NO IFS, NO BUTS” player of all time, and he’s not done yet. So how does the Swiss ace stay up there with the best at 34? Self-belief, passion and a great work ethic
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oger Federer knows the question will come up sooner or later; it happens every interview. “Everyone wants to know how I can still keep playing in my mid-30s – friends, fans, the media,” says Federer with a laugh. “Obviously I’m the only person not wondering. I’m healthy and motivated, and I’m just working as if the end isn’t in sight.” It’s a sunny spring morning and Federer is sitting on the terrace of the legendary Hôtel Hermitage in Monte Carlo. He looks down at the harbour, the Prince’s Palace and the shimmering Mediterranean, enjoying the perfect day. He’s also enjoying life on court right now; despite being a father of four, Federer can still keep up with younger competitors after almost two decades on the tour. Indeed, he remains the tennis player with most Grand Slam wins to his name. “I go into every match thinking I can win it,” he says. “Without that feeling, you can’t perform at your best. If you don’t have that selfconfidence, there’s no point stepping onto court.” 62
“The thrill of a big win never goes away“ Federer is a phenomenon, probably even more so now than in the era when the Swiss star was dominant in men’s tennis, conquering anyone and everyone he came up against; more so even than in the subsequent period when he and Spaniard Rafael Nadal were locked in a fascinating duel for the title of world number one. What makes Federer the real deal in his mid-30s is his ability to adapt, combined with a natural curiosity and neverending passion. He loves his sport, the competition and the success as much as he did on day one. “Am I ever satisfied? No. Never,” says Federer. “Once you’ve won one title, you want another. You just want to experience those moments over and over again. The thrill of a big win never goes away.” His main inspiration is Andre Agassi when he was at the same stage. “I saw the focused and methodical way that Andre worked on himself, how he continued to adapt his game right up until the end of his career,” he says. “It was pretty incredible.”
Federer has consistently reinvented himself. In 2013, you could read obituaries for a stumbling maestro in a season of bitter defeats and painful periods of injury. But Federer staged an amazing comeback under the tutelage of Stefan Edberg, thanks to a stunning adjustment to his style of play; he became brasher, forceful and more aggressive on court, which took his opponents by surprise. “I caught them offguard,” he says, smiling at the memory. “It’s always important to keep your head up, never give in to doubt, and to remain open to new things.” For example, back then Federer tried out new tactics on a games console before using them in a match. Federer didn’t see Edberg as a coach; he viewed the Swedish former champion more as a consultant and mentor. “Often, we just spoke for hours at a time,” he says. “We’d talk about anything and everything. Sometimes we even spoke about all the seagulls swarming around in Monte Carlo. He would give me clear and precise tips for my tennis, too, of course. Sometimes I’d sit there and think, ‘Can it be true that I’m here with Stefan and that my childhood idol is now part of my team?’”
NIKE
ROGER FEDERER He’s considered the greatest tennis
Federer tried out the SABR (Sneaky Attack By Roger), an ambushlike attack on his opponent’s serve, on a games console before attempting it on court
Last chance: Federer will be targeting his last big career goal – gold in the Olympic singles – in Rio
“I enjoy the freedom that I’ve given myself” The older Federer has adopted many of the traits of the young. He’s unpredictable, unconventional, fond of discovery. He’s someone who conquers routine, and not just in the way he plays. New tournaments are now part of his standard timetable, which includes exhibition matches in distant, exotic lands. Federer visited Turkey for the first time last year to play a tournament in Istanbul, where he was treated like a visiting dignitary, with several TV stations screening a live broadcast of his arrival at the airport. “It’s nice when you go somewhere and everything’s laid on for you,” he says. “But what’s even nicer now is travelling to new countries and getting to know the people there. I take the time to do things that I thought about doing in the past, but never got around to. That’s how it will be for as long as I’m playing.” Plus, the Swiss star now occasionally enjoys a day off “where I don’t know what’s going to happen. Otherwise, life is always so strictly planned”.
NIKE
“You need a bit of nervous tension to produce big” Federer has evolved over the course of his long career. As a teenager, he was a fearsome hothead who picked fights with opponents and umpires, and smashed up rackets, to the point where he came close to blowing his career. “Then the time came when I thought to myself, ‘Either you stop all that, or you give up the game,’” he says. “That was the turning point.” The self-discipline that Federer employed to keep THE RED BULLETIN
his outbursts of anger under control changed him; he became calmer, more relaxed. He had no choice – giving up was never an option. “There has never been a single day when I wasn’t in the mood for tennis,” says Federer. He quickly rose from being criticised as an underperformer to dominating the tennis world. “Being number one was inspiring,” he says, “because you also realised that the pack chasing you respected you, too.” Federer never let down his guard, never became complacent or hubristic. He thoroughly analysed every opponent, every rising youngster. “Nobody knows the professional tour and every player on it better than Roger,” says Federer’s countryman and fellow professional Stan Wawrinka. Federer liked to
musicians in the hope of learning how they develop ideas and use them creatively. “I used to be much more focused on myself,” says Federer. “But now I’m excited about what a Hollywood star, say, might have to tell me.” Recently, while recovering from a knee operation, he even found watching TV exciting. “It was thrilling to see all the strength and beauty that went into the figure-skating world championships,” he says. “It really is important to continue to take an interest in new things. That keeps my mind in order.”
“The way that people fête me inspires me every day” Federer’s work ethic also helps. He sees the relentless, determined struggle to perform at his best as his bounden duty, not least
“The thrill and the appeal of the Olympics is that you are all too aware you’ll only get another chance in four years’ time,” says Federer. “That’s what’s utterly exceptional for us as tennis players.” He’s not the favourite to take Olympic gold: that’s Novak Djokovic, the new absolute ruler in the world of tennis. But Boris Becker, the Serb’s coach, is particularly wary of Federer. “Roger was the player who pushed Novak hardest last season,” says Becker. “He reached two Grand Slam finals against him. It’s amazing what he’s still achieving at 34.” What will happen after this unique career? What will become of Roger Federer, the man who became bigger than his sport? He takes a sip from his glass of water, shrugs his shoulders in the warm Monte
“YOU HAVE TO TURN STAGE FRIGHT INTO POSITIVE ENERGY. I USED TO BE MUCH MORE FOCUSED ON MYSELF, BUT NOW I’M EXCITED ABOUT WHAT A HOLLYWOOD STAR, SAY, MIGHT HAVE TO TELL ME” invite up-and-coming talent to train in Switzerland, or at his second home in Dubai, so that he could take a closer look at them. He enjoyed the training drills, but he enjoyed chatting to the novices even more. “One of them recently came up to me and said, ‘You can’t get nervous in matches any more,’” says Federer. “I just smiled and said, ‘I wish.’ “You need a bit of nervous tension before a match, even now, to produce big. You just have to turn that stage fright into positive energy.” But he’s also constantly tapping new sources of inspiration and motivation; he observes artists, fashion designers and
because of the countless million Federer fans around the world. “The way people fête me, the way they appreciate what I do and the way I do it, inspires me every day,” he says. “I don’t just turn up at a tournament and play tennis any old how. I always give it my best, no matter what. No ifs or buts.” His chief sporting goal for this season is to capture singles gold in Rio at the Olympics, probably the only big title which still eludes him. At the London Games in 2012, he lost the final to Andy Murray. In 2008, he won doubles gold with his friend Wawrinka in Beijing.
Carlo sun, and says, “To be honest, I haven’t really given it any serious thought yet. That would upset my work.” Federer knows what he doesn’t want, though: to go straight back into the travelling circus as a coach, manager or TV pundit. “I see how gruelling the job is that all the people around me do. It’s pretty much a 24-hour-a-day job, and often seven days a week,” he says. “When I travel the world in future, it will be with my wife and children. That will be a great joy.” Jörg Allmeroth rogerfederer.com
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Jamie Catto, 47, researches creative potential: “Every negative trait comes with great skills. Learn to use them�
“USE YOUR INNER DEMONS” JAMIE CATTO He was once a pop star with the
band Faithless. Now he’s a creative guru who knows how to turn bad traits into superpowers
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SAM PELLY
amie Catto sold several million records in the ’90s as a founding member of dance act Faithless. But in 1999 he realised he was less interested in success itself than in the process that led to it. Leaving Faithless, Catto travelled to 50 countries in four years with his multimedia project, 1 Giant Leap, jamming and philosophising about the creative force with Indian gurus, the chiefs of African clans, and stars including Dennis Hopper and Bono. He shares his findings in documentaries, workshops, books… and interviews. the red bulletin: So how do we go about exploiting our creative potential? jamie catto: By retreating to the castle of your childhood. What do you mean by that? When we are born, we’re completely open, curious, adventurous and limitless. Metaphorically speaking, at that point each one of us is a castle with a thousand rooms. Then we start boarding up rooms to please others. Most of us end up as grown-ups thinking we’re a threebedroom flat in need of work. OK, so how do we get back to our castles? Firstly, by not denying your inner demons, which is something that’s drummed into us. Turn towards them instead. More than that, learn to use them as superpowers. Give me a seemingly negative character trait… THE RED BULLETIN
Envy? That’s simple. All envious people have one great skill in common: they’re excellent observers. And the best thing is, it’s the same with every weakness. Every demon comes with skills, but most of the time they’re ill-used. Did you know that in ancient Greece, ‘daemons’ were considered divine helpers rather than problems? What about aggression, unreliability or meanness? What positive character traits do we get from those? First, you must communicate with your inner demons. You can only change them once that’s the case. And how do we do that? By cultivating the ability to drop into emptiness. You just sit and watch your mind. After two minutes, your thoughts will be thinking by themselves as you watch. At this point, you realise you’re in control of your own mind and not just a puppet on a string. Sounds like a rather long and arduous path… Not at all. To start with, it takes just 10 minutes a day: 10 one-minute moments. You say to yourself, ‘Whenever I use a key, or whenever I flush the toilet, I’m going to stop for 60 seconds and be totally present as the watcher.’ Then you carry on with your day. The more of those moments you can fit into a day, the quicker the watcher part of you will be cultivated. Florian Obkircher Catto’s book Insanely Gifted is out now; jamiecatto.com
Joyce Muniz, 32, is a retro modernist: “You can only create something new when you know the old stuff”
“LEARN FROM YOUR ELDERS” JOYCE MUNIZ The Vienna-based musician is the queen of the club scene. Here, she tells us why you have to look backward to move forward the red bulletin: To be a hit on the dance scene, you need the latest sounds. But you did it by mixing in old sounds… joyce muniz: Desperately looking for new stuff all the time hampers your creativity. It’s often more inspiring to look back. How do you find inspiration in the past? Ever since I was young, I’ve hung out at the recording studios of more experienced fellow musicians, so that I could get a peek at their tried and tested skills. I would advise anyone to learn from their elders and respect them, because you can only create something new when you know the old stuff. But can’t too much knowledge of what’s gone before distort your view of what’s new? No. Success depends on how well you manage your craft. It’s like cooking: first, you learn the basic recipe, and then you start experimenting and developing your own style. There are no short cuts. Florian Obkircher Muniz’s single Daydreaming is out now on Exploited; joycemuniz.com
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“DON’T BE AFRAID TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE” TOMMIE SUNSHINE The producer was EDM’s
partier-in-chief before he realised the biggest thrill was having the confidence to walk away
the red bulletin: You say that you woke up one morning in Peru, didn’t recognise the person in the mirror and decided to quit your addictions cold turkey. Was that hard to maintain? tommie sunshine: You know what, it was a lot easier than you’d think, because I was so resolute about it and 68
I knew what I had to do. And I knew that none of what I’m doing now could have happened if I had continued down that road. I would have never had a successful production career, I would have never been a successful DJ, I would have never been involved in television and all these things I’m doing now. None of that would have been in the cards. I would have been a guy who was a DJ and who was also a drug pig. Why were you so resolute? I saw that electronic music was coming. I could see the
in any room, in any festival, who’s having that same transcendental experience that I had when I first heard electronic music. But your industry has its fair share of cynicism, too. How do you overcome that? You don’t play ball. If I walk into a room and I acknowledge it’s a hostile environment, I withdraw. It’s like, “I’ll come back when you calm down.” I’ve had to fire managers and walk away from record deals and booking agents, and that totally affected me. Did you ever have moments of doubt on those occasions? You have to be a pretty confident person to make
“I WOULD HAVE NEVER MADE IT. I WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST TO CHECK OUT. I WOULD HAVE OUTPARTIED EVERYBODY” tidal wave and I knew that either I was going to be a sacrifice or I was going to be riding the wave. I would have never made it through that 2009 EDM rock-star moment; I would have been the first one to check out. I would have outpartied everybody. Did you know what to do next? I’ve never known what I was going to do. Ever. I wake up every morning and I still don’t know what I’ve got to
that. I’d rather him have it than some promoter have it. Why not? I think we’ve seen such a monumental growth in the amount of money it makes, the attention it gets. All that really matters to me is that when I play a gig, I look out at the crowd and see one person dancing with their eyes closed and alone. That presses the reset button and I’m good for another 10 years. And I always see it. There’s always someone
those decisions, otherwise you’re just reckless. You have to have faith in yourself that there’s a better situation for you out there. I think that stops most people from changing anything in their lives. They think that they can’t do something better, or they don’t deserve something better. And I’ve gotten over both of those. Andreas Tzortzis Watch After the Raves at redbull.tv THE RED BULLETIN
DREW GURIAN
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ommie Sunshine doesn’t walk into a room so much as float. More than 6ft tall and wearing a floral-print shirt, his perma-sunglasses and long hair make him look like a member of the Lebowski family. His look is as idiosyncratic now as it was when he first stepped out in the early 1980s Chicago house music scene, in corduroy bell-bottoms and polyester shirts. First drawn to electronic music’s dancefloors, he later commanded them as a DJ and producer known as much for his prodigious drug and alcohol intake as his work on the decks. Since getting sober, he’s enjoying riding the wave of electronic music’s popularity and hosts the show After the Raves on Red Bull TV.
do. When you can remain untethered and just surf the universe, some cool shit happens. You have to be a very particular kind of person to understand that some days it’s going to suck and some days it’s going to be great, and you have to deal with both possibilities. It’s that or you punch a clock and know exactly what you’re going to do every day. And you were smart, because EDM is now a multibillion-dollar industry. DJs like Calvin Harris are earning $75 million a year. He’s a talented guy and he’s made a lot of songs that people will sing for the rest of their lives. Someone deserves
Tommie Sunshine’s journey through EDM’s history is After the Raves’ focus
“KNOW WHEN TO PUSH… AND WHEN TO QUIT” NIGEL LAMB The 2014 Red Bull Air Race World
Champion on knowing your limits, rolling with defeat and soaring to success
the red bulletin: You applied to the air force at 11 and got in at 18. What kept you pushing to be a pilot? nigel lamb: My father had been a fighter pilot in World War II and I read all his flying books. We lived on a farm in the mountains in Rhodesia, 70
hundreds of miles from the nearest airport, but I’d watch the eagles soaring. I wanted to see the Earth from above, to be free on all three dimensions and fly like a bird. The only option available to me was as a military pilot. Four decades later you’re still in the cockpit. Do you ever lose that drive? I had a moment at the end of 1993. I’d been doing formation display flying in England for 13 years – 100 displays every season – and really wanted a change. That opened doors and pathways into film flying,
This is your final year competing in the Red Bull Air Race. How do you know when to walk away? This sport requires passion and the desire to win every race. I know I’ve got this year in me, but I don’t want to find myself in the future thinking that maybe I’m going to stop and it’s still mid-season. Did making the decision push you to try harder? No, it’s given me a sense of release. Everyone knows what the goal is – to win the battle and really enjoy this season. But it’s a comfortable feeling knowing this is my last one, so I’ve really got to make it count. If you win will you think, “Maybe I can win one more”?
“I’M A GREAT BELIEVER IN DETERMINING YOUR OWN PATH. YOU’VE REALLY GOT TO CREATE YOUR OWN DESTINY” World War II vintage flights, the Red Bull Air Race – all different challenges, but all using the same skill set. So your doubt turned into inspiration? I didn’t doubt what I was doing, I just felt stale and I was going to do the same thing for another year. People would bite your arm off to have that opportunity, but I’d done it for 13 years. I’m a great believer in determining your own path, not succumbing to that feeling
desire to win. So my objective for 2015 was to win. The mistake I made was, in pursuit of improving the plane, I went down a route that in time and resources was impossible to accomplish – then I stuck with it. It was self-inflicted. How do you come back from defeat? With great difficulty. But if you can’t learn to pick yourself up, you’re never going to win, because there are more downs than ups. It’s a mental game.
Maybe. But in 2014 some of my relatives said, “Now you’ve won it, isn’t it a good time to stop?’” I wasn’t ready – it wasn’t a question then. But it is now. So you want to finish on a high… Wanting to do one more season would be a stronger feeling in me if I didn’t have a good solid season this year, so I’m in it to win. It’s a mind game. Tom Guise redbullairrace.com THE RED BULLETIN
JOERG MITTER/RED BULL CONTENT POOL
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igel Lamb knows all about ups and downs – as an aerobatic pilot his life is filled with them. Born in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), he applied to the air force aged just 11, seven years before he finally got in. And 40 years later, he’s got the skills to show for it. He’s the only pilot to have won the British National Unlimited Aerobatic Championship eight times in a row, and was crowned Red Bull Air Race World Champion in 2014. But, as well as knowing how to win, Lamb believes a true champ must also know when to quit. This will be his last year competing in the Red Bull Air Race and that, he says, has given him exactly the focus he needs to go for the coveted trophy one last time.
that you need to do anything in particular. You’ve really got to create your own destiny. You did that in 2014 when you won the Red Bull Air Race World Championship. After nine years trying, did you start to doubt yourself? The doldrum years were a long hard road, because you don’t know if it’s you or the machine. Is it your strategy, the way you’re flying? But I always believed that once we got things right with the equipment that I was capable, and the team was capable and willing. I never lost that belief. Then a year later, you lost the title. What happened? I’d like to win every race – it’s like food, it nourishes us, the
Top flight: Nigel Lamb, 59, wants to leave the Red Bull Air Race on a high
See it. Get it. Do it.
AC T I O N !
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TRAVEL 75
GEAR 80
WHEELS 82
CULTURE 90 RANDALL KILNER
EVENTS
TRAVEL
MADDER THAN MAX
Just like Fury Road, only real
It’s the remotest desert motor race on Earth – a 370km loop around the harsh landscape in an isolated corner of Western Australia. The only prerequisite for entry is courage. Or madness. Or both.
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HOW TO 73
ACTION
TRAVEL Back of beyond: competitors on the Gas Dash
DOWN THUNDER More Aussie auto escapes
Finke fast
The daddy of Aussie desert races, the Finke is multi-terrain, twoday trip from Alice Springs – Australia’s most central city – to a remote Aboriginal community at Aputula. Caveat: often deadly. finkedesertrace. com.au
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THE INSIDER Beware washouts – huge crevices in the hard, dry, highspeed claypans. “Some, you could park a car sideways in and not see the roof, they’re that deep,” warns Kearney. “Last year, a buggy hit one at full speed and ripped his wheel off. He thought he could get through. Nature told him otherwise.”
Carnarvon, AUSTRALIA Perth The next Dash is from October 20-23. Head to gasdash.com
or six events, not even for the faintest moment did I start to get my head around where I was. It’s so isolated.” Most years, the Gas Dash attracts 60 or so competitors across two- and fourwheel categories. In big years, the numbers top 170. It helps that you need no prior qualifications to compete, licences can be arranged when you enter. The course is signposted, so navigators are a luxury, not a necessity, and the main focus is making it to the end. The race motto is: “Winning is something. Finishing is everything.” “There is a time-out. We sort of allow 40kph as a minimum speed on the event, but generally we’ll wait for you,” says Kearney. “You could bring a second-hand postman’s bike if you want. Some of these blokes could ride anything.” Most don’t ride anything. The field is a mix of two- and four-stroke bikes, as well as desert-racing four wheelers. Some buggies, says Kearney, cost up to AU$400,000. But no fancy equipment can make up for caution – or experience. “The scariest section is a 2km uphill run, and it’s just big, jagged pieces of slate – at the end of that straight, there’s a 90-degree turn and a 60m drop. We’ve had all sorts of broken bones, faces, legs and backs, anything and everything really.” “But at that moment when you’re flying along across the claypan, with your head down, going as fast as you possibly can, fist pumping the air because the adrenalin is flowing… Mate, it’s just all happening. It makes everyone feel like a hero.”
Hattah boy
Held on Boonoonar Road, Hattah Desert Race describes itself thus: “The smell of fuel lingers in the air, red dust blows into your mouth and the noise is deafening.” These are considered boasts. northwestvicmcc. com.au/hattah
Boaty McBoatrace
The Henley on Todd is a boat regatta on Alice Springs’ Todd River… only the Todd is dry. Competitors carry their boats – Flintstones style – down the river, feet protruding through the bottom. Silly. henleyontodd.com.au
THE RED BULLETIN
RANDALL KILNER, GETTY IMAGES
The Outback holds a special place in the Australian soul. This is the Dead Heart, a vast, eroded wasteland – bathed at night by the naked magnificence of the Milky Way and in the day by the unfiltered death ray of a 35°C sun. Its sounds are endemic: the saccharine tick of the cooling radiator at a lone gas station; the distant macadamia-nut crunch of a dingo taking your baby; and there, way across the horizon, the fat, creamy throb of an 850hp off-road race car, hammering across a great flat plain at 160kph. Welcome to the Gascoyne Dash – two days of hell-for-leather racing between dune buggies, dirt bikes and assorted off-road weaponry. The Gascoyne is a river that is usually not a river, but a sandy, dried-out riverbed. It is 900km north of Perth in Western Australia – the world’s most isolated capital city in a state so massive that, at 2.6 million square kilometres, it’s larger than all but nine countries on Earth. For the Gas Dash, that isolation is a blessing and a curse. It mandates helicopter medivac teams on standby, lest someone on a fourstroke trail bike smashes into a kangaroo, camel or bull at 180kph, way out in the Never Never. But it has its drawcards. “You know what I love about it? The remoteness, the ‘out there’,” says David Kearney, a 10-time competitor who became the event’s director in 2014. “With this race, you leave in the morning, head off in a direction and have absolutely no idea where you are. For my first five
ACTION
GEAR
THE LIGHT FANTASTIC
Your tech’s only as good as its battery life – get a free recharge with this solar-powered kit The Beast Ultimate It may look like it was born bad, but this off-roader tops 32kph and travels up to 30km on a single charge. And it’s at home on numerous tricky terrains, from sand to snow. daymak.com/beast
GoSun Sport Solar power, the medieval way. Use sunlight to cook up everything from eggs and fish to stir-frys and steak. The GoSun Sport can reach 290°C, and even works when it’s cloudy. gosunstove.com
EnerPlex Surfr Amp This battery case boosts the life of your iPhone 6/6s by 160 per cent and, as long as the sun shines, you can top that up with a continuous charge from the rear solar panel. goenerplex.com
The Beast’s solar battery has two USB ports to charge mobile devices on the move
Voltaic OffGrid Solar Backpack Sun on your back? One hour of light will power your phone for four. There’s even a sunglasses pocket for when you face the other way. voltaicsystems.com
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Skylock
Soulra Rugged Rukus
This is more than a smartphone-controlled lock. It’ll alert you if someone tampers with your bike. If you crash, it’ll send you a message; fail to respond and it’ll notify a friend or family member. skylock.cc
A portable Bluetooth speaker has two jobs: to sound good and to not die on the party. In daylight, this one is faultless in both regards. After dark, it’ll kick on for another eight hours. soulracorp.com
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“The hand-held remote controls engine throttle,” he says. “You do everything else by leaning in the direction you want to go”
If you don’t have a pilot’s licence, how easy is the Flyboard Air to control?
“To lift a human with air, you need more than 1,500hp. The jet engine is made for army drones and missiles. A gyroscope moves rotors to stabilise movement”
Balance is the same as on a bicycle: lean too much to one side and you’ll fall. The water-powered Flyboard can’t exceed 20kph, so there’s not much G-force when you turn, but with the Flyboard Air you can go over 70kph and lean into the curve. It’s like turning on a snowboard, putting your back into the curve and pushing with your toes and heels. The hardest part is landing – on the water-powered Flyboard, even some of the best riders aren’t able to do it. It’s easier on the Flyboard Air, because the centre of gravity is underneath, so it stabilises you.
What kind of speeds are you achieving?
INNOVATIONS: KING OF THE ROCKET MEN
A century of jetpacks has failed to achieve our dream of personal flight. But, with his Flyboard Air, this man just might have cracked it, and he isn’t even a scientist
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THE IDEAS MAN Franky Zapata, 37
In 2011, jet-ski ace Zapata unveiled the Flyboard – a jetpack propelled by water pressure. Fame and success were his, but the Frenchman wasn’t done. Five years on, his dream of flight without the need of a hose and jet-ski exhaust is reality. In April, he broke the world record for the longest hoverboard flight at 2.25km. zapata-racing.com
In OK conditions, you could do around 150kph, but I never go faster than 75kph, because I lack the skill. You use the air pressure from the speed to lean forwards and it’s scary. It
can achieve an altitude of 2,000m, but we never pass 27m. With the JB-9, the Martin jetpack or the NASA original, if an engine fails, you’ll drop like a stone, because they all have one on each side. We have the jet in the middle, so if one engine [of four] breaks, we stay flying. Our job is to develop electronics with a Plan A and Plan B to ensure we never fall, because if it cuts out at 2,000m, that’s not good.
Wearing jet fuel on your back seems rather risky…
I can eject it in less than a second. There’s no electrical source close to it, and if the boot is on fire the fuel line can resist for about 30 seconds. I also wear an inflatable life jacket. The Flyboard Air isn’t heavy at 20kg – I think it’s the lightest flying machine in the world – but if you tried to swim with that strapped to your feet, you wouldn’t get far.
You’ve broken the hoverboard distance record. What’s next? We want to do something the world won’t believe, like riding the clouds as a snowboarder rides the powder. And maybe, a year from now, we’ll have a new sport for a new generation. Motorbikes and cars are cool, but if we can fly, those are the past. The goal is to contact the best skiers and snowboarders and create a league of 10 superhumans racing each other. I think it’s something we can easily achieve.
How soon before we get to fly it?
For racing, or just to experience it, a year. But to buy? It’ll take years to get approval; it’s already hard to get liability for the water-powered Flyboard. We can do a lot of things, like road security, helping the army and rescuing people, but to get to where you could use it to go the shops and buy bread, we have to change the general mentality. But we can change the world. And the world wants to change.
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HERI IRAWAN
“The backpack is a fuel tank of Jet A-1 kerosene, the same as in an aeroplane”
LDMKPHOTO.COM
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RED BULL MUSIC ACADEMY RADIO. LIVE NOW.
You need to hear this. RBMARADIO.COM
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WATCHES
Edited by Gisbert L Brunner
DRIVING FORCE
Porsche Design 1919 Chronotimer
Inside the light, durable titanium case is a Sellita SW500 movement, a modern clone of the tried and tested 7750
Cars and watches have a strong bond – speed being measured by time – but the relationship goes much deeper. Take Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, grandson of the car company’s founder and designer of the Porsche 911, who scandalously broke watchmaking tradition in 1972 by creating the world’s first black timepiece. “I wanted a watch to go with the car,” he said. “Black, like the speedometer and rev counter in the 911, because it doesn’t dazzle when you read it.” In 1980, he did it again with the first wristwatch made from titanium. F A Porsche passed away in 2012, but his legacy lives on through his Porsche Design group. This year saw the release of a 42mm chronograph that combines a motorsport tachymeter with F A’s functional design ethos; the 1919 in its name a reference to the founding year of the Bauhaus school of modernism, to which F A was devoted. “If you analyse the function of an object, its form often becomes obvious,” he said. In this case that form includes, naturally, a black titanium case, and a non-reflective sapphire crystal glass that ensures the dial is as easy to read as the ones on his beloved 911. And, with 100m of water resistance, it should endure as long as his revolutionary design choices. porsche-design.com
WINNING FORMULA
A podium finish of motorsport-themed timepieces
Baume & Mercier Capeland Shelby Cobra Legendary Drivers Limited Edition Four watches as collectible as the racing cars they celebrate. With the car numbers on both sides, and the drivers’ names on the transparent back, only 15 of each have been made. baume-et-mercier.com
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IWC Ingenieur Chronograph Edition W 125
Chopard Mille Miglia 2016 XL Race Edition
Celebrating the Mercedes-Benz W 125 Silver Arrow that dominated motorsport in the 1930s, 750 limited pieces each feature a 42mm titanium case, silver-plated dial and black calfskin strap to match that feel of steering-wheel leather. iwc.com
Chopard has sponsored the Mille Miglia vintage car rally since 1988, and each year releases a watch to commemorate it. There are 1,000 of this year’s edition, its retro-style 46mm steel case and 50m water resistance protecting chronometercertified innards. chopard.com
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It begins when we step outside our normal lives and do something amazing. Epic adventures in Wales come in all guises and sizes. At the top of a mountain, at your first festival, or dabbling in a rock pool. Where will you find yours?
Finďż˝ Your Epic.
#FindYourEpic visitwales.com
Ramsey Island, Pembrokeshire.
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WHEELS
THE SPORTY NUMBER
MOTOR MERCH If you like it, put a car badge on it
Porsche 718 Cayman: three small digits add up to something larger
The number 718 is a significant one for Porsche – it’s the name of their wreathwinning, open-cockpit racing car of the 1950s and ’60s. Now those legendary digits have been slipped into the moniker of the new fourth-generation Cayman, subtly implying its associated sportiness. Less subtle, though, is the accompanying engine refit – downsizing the normally aspirated, flat-six engines that have powered the Cayman since its 2006 launch with turbocharged flatfours. Smaller, though, doesn’t mean lesser in this case. The new boxer engines add around 25hp to the oomph of their predecessors – the standard Cayman getting a 300hp 2-litre engine pushing 380Nm of torque, while the Cayman S gets 350hp and 420Nm from its 2.5-litre block. Fuel economy gets a boost, too, saving around a litre and a half per 100km on both cars. But the real concern, of course, is how it sounds? Noise-pollution fans will be pleased to hear that the engine note is bigger, too – the turbocharger helping those four cylinders deliver a satisfyingly bassy growl and raspy exhaust spit impressive enough that Porsche have proudly added an audio track of it to their website. porsche.com
The Rolls-Royce of luggage For when Louis Vuitton luggage just won’t cut it, there’s this official six-piece Rolls-Royce ensemble. Most crucially, it’s designed to perfectly fit into the luggage compartment of a Wraith. rollsroycemotorcars.com
Aston Martin wings
New look: the reworked 718 Cayman is due in showrooms in September
Want something a bit different for your Aston Martin? Commissioned by the British marque’s Q personalisation service, these bespoke badges are enamelled by renowned automotive jeweller Vaughtons of Birmingham. astonmartin.com
HATCH AND GRAB
Blink and you may miss the fastest Golf GTI ever Keen on a quick 2-litre turbo from the VW Group, but require more luggage space than the Cayman can deliver? The new Golf GTI Clubsport S is the car for you – if you can get your hands on one. Only 400 are being built, with each car getting its production number engraved on the dash. And it’s not just sales of the car that will be quick – the 305hp two-door hatch recently set a new front-wheel drive lap record at the Nürburgring Nordschleife (7:49.21, if you’re interested). To hammer the point home, VW has installed a ‘Nürburgring’ setting in its dynamic chassis-control system for those who want to risk their collector’s item on a track day. At 5.8 seconds for 0-100kph, it may lose a second to even the standard Cayman – but you’re unlikely to ever suffer the indignity of parking next to another one. volkswagen.com
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Suzuki style A Japanese logo adds instant cool to clothes – just ask Superdry. Suzuki, though, is the real deal, fusing its Japanese roots and European design for the latest garments in its heritage collection, including bike- themed tees. suzuki-shop.co.uk
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TM
Power. Discipline. Control. Have you got what it takes? Take the underwater world into your own hands with expert training from the PADI Freediver Course. Learn basic freediving principles before challenging yourself in confined and open water sessions, during which you will master both static and dynamic apnea. Find your nearest PADI Freediver Centre or start today with the PADI Freediver Touch.
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CULTURE NO MORE MR NICE GUY In 2016, it looks as if it’s good to be bad
FILM Suicide Squad Broken Bones: “I think they were after your new smartwatch, Spock”
FILM
BOLDLY GOING INTO THE FUTURE
As Star Trek celebrates 50 years with a new movie, Dr ‘Bones’ McCoy, aka Karl Urban, discusses the franchise’s positive vital signs How has Star Trek survived five decades? There’s excitement and adventure, and it has retained some of the sex appeal and swagger of the original series. But I think the appeal is what it stands for in terms of humanity. Mankind has evolved beyond warring, genocide and persecution, and has joined together to explore space. It’s a very positive vision of the future. That’s one of Star Trek’s rare qualities. Movies usually portray a darker future, as you did in Dredd... Unfortunately, I feel the dystopian future represented in Dredd [Urban played the titular role] is closer to where the human race is currently heading. But I’m not giving up hope. Classic Bones – always the optimist. How essential do you think these characters are to its enduring appeal? I have a deep admiration and respect for what the late, great DeForest Kelley did so successfully for 30 years, so it’s important to me to retain an essence of that. But, at the same time, I very much feel I’ve taken ownership of the character. Talking of changing ownership, action director Justin Lin is now onboard. What has he brought to the captain’s chair? It’s a world that [previous director] JJ Abrams established, and there’s continuity in the visual style, but Justin brings a longstanding love for Star Trek and the characters. He gets the archetypes, understands the complexities, and was able to elevate the material and evolve those relationships to a point where you feel there’s a richness and depth that’s earned. Sounds like it’s in good hands. So, where do you see Star Trek in another 50 years’ time? Damn it, man – I’m an actor, not a fortune teller! Star Trek Beyond is out on July 22. startrekmovie.com
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STRANGE NEW WORLDS
After the squabbling among Marvel and DC’s good guys in Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice and Captain America: Civil War, the spotlight now falls on Suicide Squad, about a group of villains recruited to carry out messy missions for the government. In cinemas from August 5. suicidesquad.com
Movies that go where no film has gone before…
Star Trek Beyond (2016) Part of the latest instalment in the franchise was filmed in a new panoramic, triple-screen format called Barco Escape. Find a cinema with the right projection set-up (currently only in the US, Mexico and Belgium) and watch the bridge of the Enterprise under attack in super-immersive widescreen. The Wizard Of Oz (1939) While this wasn’t the first movie to use Technicolor, Dorothy arriving over the rainbow wowed audiences and won over studios sceptical about abandoning black-and-white film. Interstellar (2014) Director Christopher Nolan is a cinema traditionalist, but, to promote his space odyssey, a VR experience was created for Oculus Rift, allowing fans to fly aboard the film’s ship, float in Zero-G, and enter a black hole.
TV Treacherous telly Game of Thrones season six has departed, leaving a trail of blood and treachery. You only need to check the TV listings to see its influence: Vikings and Black Sails embrace that old-world aesthetic, while the BBC’s Peaky Blinders and Netflix’s House Of Cards indulge us in tales of ill-gotten power.
COMIC The Dark Knight III: The Master Race In 1986, Frank Miller’s gritty reinvention of Batman in the comic The Dark Knight Returns shaped the moodier world of superheroes we take now for granted. This third series reminds us why a darker Dark Knight is so compelling.
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CULTURE
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CAN ART
DIETMAR KAINRATH
Dietmar Kainrath’s pointed pen
WORLD ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS, THE NETHERLANDS, AUGUST 21-28
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THE PLAYLIST TY DOLLA $IGN
MOVE ON Thanks to social media, dance crazes such as the Harlem Shake spread across the world like wildfire. Here are three current moves you need to learn right now…
One of the most exciting new talents in hip-hop and R&B, Californian singer/rapper Ty Dolla $ign co-wrote Rihanna’s hit FourFiveSeconds with Kanye West and Paul McCartney, and enlisted genre titans such as R Kelly and Kendrick Lamar for his own 2015 debut album, Free TC. Ty’s outstanding musicality is surely a factor in his popularity among peers; the son of a funk session musician, he learned to play drums, guitar, bass and piano as a child. Here, the 31-year-old – who featured on Fifth Harmony’s recent top 10 single Work From Home – lists five songs that inspired him on the road to success. dollasignworld.com
Slum Village
Prince
Fall In Love [from the album Fantastic Vol 2]
Diamonds & Pearls
“The first time I heard this Detroit hip-hop trio was on a local radio station, and it made me want to check out the rest of their music. Then I found out that the producer, J Dilla, had also worked on a lot of my favourite songs. Ever since, I’ve been his biggest fan – I have every track he ever put out [Dilla died in 2006, aged 32]. His beats are incredible. They’re not perfectly on grid, which gives them this unique swing and bounce.”
“Most people love Prince’s hits from the ’80s, but, to me, this ballad from 1991 is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Admittedly, some of the drum elements sound a little dated today, but the vocals are amazing. Also, Prince’s guitar playing on the track – man, it made me start playing the guitar myself when I was young. I listened to it hundreds of times until I had it down.”
Jaco Pastorius
The Doors
#RUNNINGMANCHALLENGE
Portrait Of Tracy [from the album Jaco Pastorius]
People Are Strange
“He’s the best bass guitarist who ever lived, just for the fact that he came up with this bass solo piece. The sound is truly incredible; you can’t really tell what instrument you’re hearing. Pastorius uses natural harmonics where he barely touches the strings with his left hand, so he gets these high-pitched noises and crazy chords. It’s very hard to play; for eight years playing the bass I could not figure it out.”
“I only properly realised Jim Morrison’s genius a few years ago when I watched Oliver Stone’s film about The Doors while I was high on mushrooms. The next day, I bought all of the band’s albums. This song is my favourite. Morrison was a sensational poet and performer. He was drunk all the time and had sex with all the girls. He was a pure rock star and I admire him a lot for his ‘I don’t give a f--k’ attitude.”
How to: Run on the spot and swing your arms while looking a bit goofy. Origin: Dance battle posted on Instagram by a New Jersey high-school student. Trivia: It must be performed to Ghost Town DJs’ My Boo. Famous rendition: NBA star Justise Winslow on Instagram.
Parliament Mothership Connection (Star Child) [from Mothership Connection] “Growing up in Los Angeles and being a fan of the West Coast sound all my life, this song is sort of my bible. Parliament started the style in the ’70s with their spaced-out funk anthems, and every Californian hip-hop icon, from DJ Quik to Dr Dre to youngsters like DJ Mustard, has been hugely inspired by them. Also, Parliament’s frontman, George Clinton, is one of the greatest bandleaders of all time.”
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BARBS How to: Throw your head back and wiggle your body. Origin: Saudi singer Majed Al Esa started the fad with his song of the same name. Trivia: Two Emirati soldiers were arrested after posting a video of their attempts. Famous rendition: Al Esa’s, with 22 million-plus views.
THE GADGET “A”
This honeycomb-styled device is the world’s most advanced directional speaker, blasting sound directly into your ears from across the room without bothering anyone else around. Similar to the light of a laser, it sends out a narrow beam of sound, which makes it possible to target a very precise area. akoustic-arts.com
THE DAB How to: Lean into your elbow like you’re about to sneeze, and lift your knee. Origin: The song Bitch Dab by Atlanta-based rap trio Migos. Trivia: It’s claimed that the name is derived from a method of snorting cocaine. Famous rendition: Hillary Clinton learning to Dab on US chat show Ellen.
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CULTURE
MY LIFE IN GAMES JEAN-FRANÇOIS DUGAS
WILD STEERS
Raise your game with a top-of-theclass driving controller
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided depicts a future of augmented humans. The executive game director behind it reveals the titles that helped augment his own destiny
THE FIRST GAME I WORKED ON: F1 RACING SIMULATION
Racing; 1997; PC I started out in summer ’97 as a tester on this game, before taking my first project as a designer on Monaco Grand Prix for the N64 and PlayStation. I had to read through all the FIA rules, which was a long and painful process, but I also got to learn the basics of game design.
MY LATEST GAME: DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED
Action RPG; 2016; PS4/Xbox One/PC This is the sequel to Deus Ex: Human Revolution, which explored the potential of augmentation in society; in Mankind Divided, augmented citizens are now seen as a threat. All your choices have repercussions, from small to game-changing. Do you fight or stealth your way through? Hack security or convince people to help? I like that we’re talking about human beings. It’s what makes the franchise special to me.
THE FIRST GAME I EVER PLAYED: PONG
DUGAS’ TOP TIP “Don’t be afraid to experiment with your augmentations. For example, if you have the PEPS (pulsed energy projectile) gun-arm, you can use it to throw a grenade back at an enemy”
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Sports; 1972; arcade I have a distant memory of playing Pong in the late ’70s, but I vividly remember spending hours on Pac-Man on Coleco’s Mini Arcade system with my dad. My first co-op experience! Then my attention shifted to Phoenix on the Atari 2600. It was the most beautiful game I’d ever seen, and those big birds swooping down the screen captured my imagination.
THE GAME THAT MOST INSPIRED ME: GABRIEL KNIGHT
Adventure; 1993; PC I’m mostly talking about the first two in the series. It had adventure, mystery, intriguing characters and, very importantly, mature plots about aspects of world history such as voodoo and the lineage of Christ.
THE GAME I’D TAKE TO A DESERT ISLAND: GTA V
Open-world adventure; 2013; PS3/Xbox 360 If I had to pick a sports title, I’d go for MLB The Show 16, because it nails baseball like no game ever has before. But my non-sports choice would be GTA V, because after finishing the story I’d still find new ways to challenge myself in this incredible sandbox game.
Logitech G29 Driving Force Racing Wheel Games such as Forza 6 have made racing simulation ever more realistic, and here’s an interface to match. The G29 comes with pedals and gear paddles; a fullblown gear stick is also available. logitech.com
CXC Simulations Motion Pro II Racing Simulator This is actually a race simulator featuring more than 1,000 cars on accurate tracks, from F1 and NASCAR to WRC. Yours for the price of a cheap Porsche. cxcsimulations.com
Saitek Heavy Equipment Control Set Not just another gaming wheel, but a controller for Farming Simulator 15. (Yes, it exists.) With four million copies sold in the series, there are a lot of wannabe farmers out there. saitek.com
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THE RED BULLETIN PROMOTION
THE FUTURE SOUNDS OF THE UNDERGROUND N i n e t ra c ks b y n i n e a r t is t s r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e b e s t i n n e w m u s i c. Getting head and shoulders above the crowd in the music world is all about personal style. And nine upand-coming producers who have it in spades have been hand-picked to collaborate on Red Bull Studios Mixtape. It’s the third instalment in the UK of the groundbreaking project, which sees the most original undiscovered artists given a unique opportunity to get a full studio recording experience at Red Bull Studios London, under the guidance of an established pro. On curating duties this year is internationally lauded producer, label head and radio talent Shadow Child, a bass-loving industry favourite with more than a decade’s experience to bring to proceedings. Each of the nine producers picked by Red Bull Studios London and Shadow Child has the chance to hone and perfect their selected track with Shadow Child during an exclusive one-on-one studio session, before he combines the diverse range of genres and sounds into one flawless mixtape. Red Bull Mixtape Vol.3 includes the sizeable talents of Eli + Fur, JD. Reid, Lokane, Troy Gunner, Suedebrown, Harry Judda, Castro, Rapture 4D and Pan:Inc, who promise a listening experience like no other. Check out the end result here: redbull.com/mixtape
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Shadow Child (top left) helps the up-and-coming producers hone their tracks
This project ran in association with OtterBox.
The Symmetry Series case from OtterBox protects your device during the daily grind. It’s available for Apple, LG and Samsung phones, and comes with trusted OtterBox Certified Drop+ Protection. See the full range at otterbox.com
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CULTURE
“I don’t own a penthouse, but I can enjoy the views without paying” Oleg, urban explorer
View to a thrill: Urbex – enter at your own risk. Russian urban explorer Oleg shows what it takes to conquer places that are (almost) impossible to access
RED BULL TV IN JULY/AUG/SEPT
CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE Red Bull TV debuts an exclusive original documentary series along with a fresh slate of live events
URBEX NEW SERIES PREMIERES ON DEMAND ON AUGUST 1 Journey to the rooftops of the world with a group of dynamic urban explorers. Visit the most breathtaking spots from Moscow to Melbourne and discover cities from a totally new perspective.
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RED BULL TV HIGHLIGHTS
BESTIVAL MUSIC FESTIVAL
LIVE SEPT 9-11 Held on the idyllic Isle of Wight, Bestival marks the end of the British festival season. Acts include The Cure, Bastille and Skepta.
UCI MOUNTAIN BIKE WORLD CUP 2016
WATCH RED BULL TV ANYWHERE Red Bull TV is a new global, multi-platform channel that features inspirational and entertaining programming beyond the ordinary. Available across devices, watch Red Bull TV anytime, anywhere. To learn more, visit redbull.tv
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KEO FILMS, STEVE STILLS/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, BARTEK WOLINSKI/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, JOE GALL/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, JUSSI GRZNAR / RED BULL CONTENT POOL
LIVE STARTING AUG 6-7, 20.30 CEST LIVE STARTING SEPT 3-4, 14.30 CEST Experience downhill and cross-country biking in two of UCI’S six tour stops – live from Canada and Andorra.
LOLLAPALOOZA MUSIC FESTIVAL 25TH ANNIVERSARY
LIVE JULY 28-31 Celebrate Lollapalooza’s 25th anniversary with a gathering of the most influential music talent from around the world, including Lana Del Rey, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Major Lazer.
CRANKWORX
LIVE FROM CANADA, AUG 20-21, 20.00 CEST Slopestyle mountain biking at its very best in a raucous live programme from Whistler, Canada.
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ACTION
EVENTS Which pilot will take the Red Bull Air Race by the horns at Ascot?
SAVE THE DATE No need to head for the coast to enjoy the beach this month
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August Sonic boom BoomTown Fair is less a festival, more a pop-up city in the Hampshire countryside. Districts include OldTown, where bands perform on a pirate galleon; Wild West; DSTRKT 5 with its bass-powered robot factory; and the beach bars of TrenchTown. boomtownfair.co.uk
Visitors to one of the UK’s best-known racecourses will witness a different kind of horsepower this weekend. For the third consecutive year, the Red Bull Air Race World Championship comes to Ascot, where the greatest pilots in the world’s fastest motorsport will compete on the circuit, flying as low as 15m from the hallowed turf. Other entertainment includes demonstrations by extreme sports stars and possibly the appearance of a Red Bull Racing F1 car. redbullairrace.com
Until September 25 Movies by moonlight
August 20 Adventure time
Across the UK
Connemara, Ireland
The Luna Cinema is hosting openair screenings at more than 50 locations this summer, from Ally Pally to Warwick Castle. Watch the likes of Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Dirty Dancing beneath a moonlit sky. thelunacinema.com
Challenging adventure race Gaelforce West is set across 67km of epic landscape spanning two Irish counties, from breathtaking Glassilaun Beach in Co Galway to the heritage town of Westport in Co Mayo. Competitors will traverse boggy land, creeks, scree-covered mountains and the icy waters of Killary Fjord on foot, bike and by kayak. gaelforceevents.com
August 13-14 & 28-29 Street sounds Manchester and London It may have been the Queen’s 90th birthday this year, but the recent royal street parties are set to be outshone not once but twice this month. The legendary Notting Hill Carnival and Caribbean Carnival of Manchester will fill two weekends – and most nearby roads – with decorated floats, street performers, soundstages and revellers. Also appearing at both events is the Red Bull Music Academy Sound System, with coveted guest-list places to be had. To get in on the act and check out the line-up, visit redbull.com
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August Spaced out Superclub Space has helped shape Ibiza’s dance culture for 27 years, but this summer is its last. Can’t make it to the White Isle? Head to Greenwich’s Studio 338 for the Space Ibiza: Beach Fiesta farewell party with top DJs in an open-air beach club set-up. studio338.co.uk
20 August X factor
Hit the London Olympics’ white-water kayaking course for Boater X, an extreme head-to-head knockout race. If that sounds too taxing, spectate from the artificial beach or take part in one of the sandcastle competitions. visitleevalley.org.uk
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PREDRAG VUCKOVIC/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, ROBERT SMAEL, STEVE STILLS/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, CONOR MCKEOWN
August 13-14 Winging back Ascot, Berkshire
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HOW TO
JOIN A WOLF PACK The 2012 movie The Grey epitomised man’s primal fear of the wolf as a pitiless predator. But with less human arrogance and a few lifestyle adjustments, Liam Neeson and his friends could have enjoyed a much happier outcome. “We think that we’re superior. We think we can walk into the wolf’s world and become their leader,” says Shaun Ellis, founder of the Wolf and Dog Research and Education Centre. “But they have similar social positions to us and the same main emotions: loyalty, fear, anxiety – if you want to communicate with these animals, you have to become part of their family.” Ellis did exactly that, spending two years living with a wild wolf pack in Idaho, USA. Here, he reveals how he earned respect within the group. thewolfanddogeducationcentre.co.uk
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Gain their trust
“Realise that whatever part of the wolf is nearest is the piece that’s communicating with you. The wolf is a complete communication vessel – it can speak to one wolf on the left and say something different to others on the right. Ear position is incredibly important. If they want to protect something, they use flattened ear position – like a wing – to guard it. The more I could do this, the better chance I got of eating what I was entitled to have. The problem was, with no ear flexibility I found myself like a child in a dining hall, elbows down, just covering the food.”
3
Know your place
“Wanting a drink one day, I was heading to the lake when the beta male dropped his ears, snarled and wouldn’t let me pass. He backed me into a hollowed tree. I thought, ‘This is it, I’ve pushed the boundaries, he’s waiting to finish me off with the pack.’ But after an hour, he let out a high-pitched whimper. Fearfully, I crept out. He took me to where I’d wanted to go and we drank side by
side. As we did, he looked at a tree. Two metres up were giant scratch marks and beneath was a pile of scat. A bear had been hunting for food. It was a valuable lesson – wolves look after their own, and understand when to move and when to stand still.”
4
Get yourself a job
“Wolf hierarchy is more side by side than up and down – each animal is respected for what they can do. Let them forge a role for you. Of the three positions I held, one was as a back-up animal to others; another was a diffuser – a specialist role of calming others, which would have been learned from puppyhood. The greatest honour was helping raise a litter of pups. But I’ve never been able to hold the top position and never felt that I could.”
5
Go to wolf school
“One winter, the pack had been unsuccessful with our usual ambush technique. After a couple of weeks the decision-making female started to eat snow and ice, so we all mimicked her, knowing we were being educated. A day or so after that, we were able to catch an animal and eat. I was at a loss as to how it had been successful. Then one cold morning, as I watched the wolves, the only thing I could see was their breath clouding in the air. The female knew that by holding ice in our mouths, the prey wouldn’t be able to see our breath.”
MARK THOMAS
“It sounds foolish, but get low and offer your throat to the wolf. Most people think that when a wolf rolls onto its back, it’s submitting to a superior animal, but it’s etiquette. The other wolf will clasp its teeth over the neck with no grip at all, answering the question, ‘Yes, you can trust me.’ The beta male – the enforcer who keeps discipline – once took my entire face in his mouth. A wolf’s bite pressure is over 1,500psi, twice as much as that of a German shepherd. Just when you think your skull will shatter, the wolf releases its grip. It knows what it’s doing.”
2
Learn to speak wolf
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© Eric Parker/Red Bull Content Pool
BEYOND THE ORDINARY
THIS IS NO TAKE-OFF IT’S A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME LANDING
„IT‘S THE THRILL OF THE CHASE.“
Hang by a thread Stuck in a sticky situation with no rope handy? Not a problem. The woven Knottology Snake bracelet unravels easily, giving you 3m of military-approved 550 Paracord that can bear a weight of up to 250kg. knottology.com
Futuristic base Granted, you’re going to get some pretty stunned looks at the campsite with this Heimplanet Mavericks tent. However the inflatable shelter is really intended for extreme conditions, like at base camp as part of a serious expedition. The sturdy polyester construction can withstand winds of up to 180kph thanks to its special geodesic structure. But added protection doesn’t mean more hassle: the 13m² tent, with room for up to 10 people, can be put up by a single person in a matter of minutes.
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ADVENTURE SPORTS
GUIDE HERE ARE 23 USEFUL COMPANIONS FOR THAT ACTION-PACKED OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ON LAND OR SEA
heimplanet.com
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THE
MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE
Summiteer Don’t fear extreme winds or weather. This threelayer Montane Alpine Pro GORE-TEX jacket is both waterproof and breathable. Plus the hood is designed to fit perfectly over any helmet. montane.co.uk
Downhill racer The Specialized S-Works Demo 8 is the ultimate piece of kit for any bike park or downhill course. It has a carbon frame, exclusive Öhlins shocks and a build that’s designed for you to go at it from the off. If you’re slow, don’t blame the bike. specialized.com
Head help Unlike most helmet manufacturers, Californiabased company 6D uses elastomer elements embedded between two thin layers of polystyrene in this ATB-1T MTB Trail Helmet. Why does that matter? The main cause of severe brain injury is what’s known as oblique impact injury. To help prevent it, the hourglass-shaped elastomer dampers in this helmet reduce the force of any impact with their energy-absorbing structure. But you should still keep your wits about you when hurtling downhill on your mountain bike… 6dhelmets.com
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Pocket toolbox With the Leatherman Charge TTi you’re equipped for every eventuality in the great outdoors. Its 19 stainless-steel tools (including bit driver, pliers, wire cutter, file and saw) are easy to use thanks to comfort-sculpted titanium handle scales. leatherman.com
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Travel smarts Lifesaver No reception? The SPOT Gen3 satellite messenger – weighing in at just 114g – will let rescue workers, friends and family know your GPS location in an emergency at the press of a button, even if you’re beyond the reach of any mobile network. findmespot.com
Climb light Extreme climber David Lama helped develop the Mammut Zephir Alpine harness, designed so that carrying a rucksack and the extremely light (250g) harness at the same time isn’t a problem. mammut.ch
Power station The Etón Scorpion II guarantees you’ll always have enough electrical energy on board. This 306g, solar-powered piece of kit will charge smartphones or tablets with a USB port. And, if the weather refuses to play ball, you can create energy manually by winding it up. Other wilderness-friendly features include a ½-watt LED flashlight, a bottleopener, a digital clock, an aluminium carabiner and a digital AM/FM radio. In North America, you receive NOAA Weather Band Radio Stations as standard, providing you with weather forecasts and extreme weather warnings – so you can ready your winding arm. etoncorp.com
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To have everything under control on your daytime mountain hike, look no further than the Mountain Hardware Rainshadow 26 OutDry Backpack. It weighs just 665g, is waterproof, and has compression straps, side pockets and carry loops for ice axes or trekking poles. mountainhardware.com
Sharp shooter The YI 4K Action Camera records videos in 4K at 30 images per second, shoots photographs at 12MP and the battery is good for 120 minutes of 4K recording. It’s a Chinese declaration of war on GoPro. yitechnology.com
Tough calls The CROSSCALL TREKKER-M1 is the smartphone designed for when the going gets tough. It uses the Android 5.1.1 operating system, is protected from dust and can withstand immersion in water for up to 30 minutes at a depth of 1m. crosscall.com
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WATERSIDE ADVENTURE
Head start The Bern Macon H2O helmet is out to prove to wakeboarders and kayakers that comfort and safety are not mutually exclusive. The moisture-wicking inner lining stops the helmet becoming sweaty, while the ABS shell can resist impact. bernunlimited.com
Easy glider It’s fast, it’s sleek, it’s the Ferrari of stand-up paddleboards: the Jobe Bamboo SUP 12.6 is aimed at adventurers who want to take long, testing trips where added speed doesn’t mean sacrificing stability. The 3.2m glass-fibre board has a single fin, weighs 13kg, has a shaped platform to keep you as aerodynamic and light as possible while paddling, and will soon become any waterborne explorer’s best friend. jobesports.com
Action packed A 4K action camera that doesn’t break the bank? It does exist. The Olfi 4K HDR Action Camera shoots videos in ultra-high definition (24fps) and gyro stabilisation keeps your footage steady. And water-lovers rejoice – it’s waterproof to a depth of 30m. olfi.co.uk
No strings This sandal’s simple, durable design – two cords and a sole – takes footwear back to basics without sacrificing comfort. The Keen UNEEK Monochrome is lightweight, stylish and perfect for that evening walk on the beach. keenfootwear.com
Sleep easy Travelling light is key for those last-minute summer camping trips on your bike. The Big Agnes x Burton Dirt Bag is small but perfectly formed. And two sleeping bags can easily be zipped together to make a double. burton.com
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Sound plan Why should you sacrifice decent sound quality while in the great outdoors? The tough, wireless Skullcandy Air Raid Bluetooth speaker is able to withstand everything from downpours to sandstorms. skullcandy.com
Shortlist You can’t go wrong in or on the water in these cool, quick-drying, military-look Patagonia Wavefarer Cargo nylon boardshorts. With 50+ UPF sun protection there’s no danger of sunburn, either. patagonia.com
Beach beauty Sailors, anglers and swimmers will love the Garmin Quatix 3. A 3-axis compass, altimeter and barometer come as standard and there’s also a fish-catch counter, tack assist and anchor watch. Plus the smartwatch is a great companion when you’re running, cycling or hiking on land, thanks to multisport functions. And it’s an activity tracker, too. Essentially, you’ll never need to take it off. garmin.com
Flying high The 3DR Solo Quadcopter is probably the best smart drone for GoPro cameras. It’s very easy to operate, making producing professional aerial footage a breeze. What’s particularly innovative is its status as the only all-in-one drone that can wirelessly stream HD video, with a range of up to 800m. 3dr.com
Wave riders This high-tech eyewear has been created especially for kitesurfers and sailors. Julbo Wave glasses weigh just 35g and protect you from spray while the polarising lenses outwit water glare, so you’ll always have a clear view. And don’t panic if you drop them overboard – the frames float. julbo.com
Cool cover The Sea to Summit Carve 24L Drypack is seriously dedicated to keeping your stuff waterfree. The seam-sealed cover is made of laminated, abrasionresistant nylon fabric, and the interior is protected by a waterproof roll closure. seatosummit.com
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MAKES YOU FLY
Not even a dearth of snow on France’s largest glacier will deter freeskiing pro Giulia Monego. The Italian loves to explore mountains any way she can: she descended into this crevasse just to climb it. “I took the shot right before Giulia reached me,” says photographer Alex Buisse. “I was 10m below her. I held the rope in my left hand and pressed the button with the other.”
Extreme skier Giulia Monego climbs a crevasse from a depth of 20m at the Mer de Glace in Chamonix
THE NEXT ISSUE OF THE RED BULLETIN IS OUT ON AUGUST 9 ALSO WITH THE IRISH TIMES ON AUGUST 8, AND WITH THE EVENING STANDARD ON AUGUST 25 98
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ALEX BUISSE
MER DE GLACE, FRANCE NOVEMBER 25, 2012
“The coolest way to climb a mountain is inside out!”
UNLEASH YOUR ADVENTUROUS SIDE at Lee Valley White Water Centre
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