CALMzine issue 23

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CHARITY REG. NO. 1110621 & SCOT SC044347

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MAN HUGS, MOOBS AND DANCE MOVES MAJESTIC ON GRIME // YOUNG GUNS ON FAME // DEAR JOSH ON BREXIT​

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GREETINGS FROM CALM The hottest summer on record is behind us (definitely in front of us too, but let’s not get into that now). Between sweating it out in CALM HQ, stripping off on holiday or sitting out our front yards with a six-pack, we’ve been thinking a lot about bodies over the last few months. Maybe it’s because our screens have been graced by the greatest athletes on earth strutting their stuff in the Olympics, the Euros and Wimbledon. Maybe we’re just getting older. Anyway, it’s resulted in The Body Issue!

We started off around a table with a bunch of fine fellas talking about the trials of body image (p.14) – with crises of confidence and ecstatic epiphanies in equal measure. Around that skeleton we’ve built the CALMzine’s muscle and life-sustaining organs – chats with grime MC, producer and DJ, Majestic (p.20); English rock five-piece Young Guns (p.9) and R&B and reggae upstart Ady Suleiman (p.31).

We then inked up the skin with tattooist Paul Talbot (p.24) and the beautiful illustrations of Marc Aspinall (p.22), decked him out in the slickest gear thanks to Topman (p.20), stuck some notes from wise uncles The Rant (p.32) and Dear Josh (p.33) into his pocket, read him some poetry (p.34), whispered some secrets (p.28) and advice on how to settle in somewhere new (p.5) in his ear, and then pushed him into the world to do his thing.

Thank you for picking one up, look after it… and yourself.

CREDITS EDITOR: Paul Shiels ART DIRECTION & DESIGN: Silvina De Vita COVER ART: Marc Aspinall MENTOR: Jojo Furnival VAN DRIVER’S ASSISTANT: Bríd McKeown MISS MONEY PENNY: Celia Clark EL PRESIDENTE: Jane Powell Contributors: Chris Sav, Guy Heywood, James Mannion, Gavin Finney, Chris Owen, Joshua Idehen, Hannah Goodwin, Jojo Furnival, Heather Fitsell, Alex Wilmott, Matty Paddock, Pablo Saporiti, Lucía Reynoso, Paul Tanner.

Special thanks to Topman and JC Decaux for your ongoing support.

CALMzine is printed on paper from sustainably managed sources. Printed by Symbian Print Intelligence, paper from Gould International UK. Want to advertise with us?

Email editor@thecalmzone.net

Need Help? Call CALM. London: 0808 802 58 58 - Nationwide: 0800 58 58 58 Webchat: thecalmzone.net/get-help Open 7 days a week 5pm - midnight CALMzine is the first port of call for all your manspiration needs. We all have issues at the end of the day, so what do you want to talk about? Who do you want us to talk to? We want to hear from YOU. Tweet us your ideas and views @CALMzine #CALMzineIdea, or send us an email at editor@thecalmzone.net. Or write to us at PO Box 68766. If you want the hard stuff, go to the CALM website www.thecalmzone.net or follow us on Twitter @theCALMzone. thecalmzone.net - CALM Helpline London: 0808 8025858 Outside London: 0800 58 58 58

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4 Illustration: Pablo Saporiti | pablosaporiti.com

HOW TO...

SETTLE IN SOMEWHERE NEW Words by Paul Shiels

Until I was 20, I’d only ever lived in in my Mum’s gaff, getting my dinners made and my clothes washed. But in my third year at University, I was lucky enough to get the chance to move to Chicago to study. Before leaving, all my thought and energy went into saving money, life admin and a leaving party. Once I actually arrived, the

stark realisation that my life had been drastically altered was a bit of a shock, silly as that sounds.

Sitting alone in a bare-walled and badly-lit empty dorm, it dawned on me that I didn’t know a soul for a 3000 mile radius. It was hard, and strange, and I hit tough points. Here’s a few things I did that made it easier...

I remembered a friend’s advice: “the first couple of months are the hardest.”

At times I felt homesick. If you’ve never felt homesick, try to remember that time when you were a toddler and ran around for too long in the supermarket and lost your mum for a while, and everything became vaguely hostile and incomprehensible, and all you wanted was your normal mum’s face being there to say normal things. Well it’s like a massively diluted version of that feeling, stretched out over a month. OK? There might be periods when you feel you don’t fit in. You might feel you’ve made the wrong decision. The place will smell different. They won’t have the right crisps. Thankfully, these feelings faded as I familiarised and started making new habits and connections. A friend of mine got homesick at the very beginning of a year abroad and after two weeks she got her parents to book her a flight home. She still regrets that choice. Sometimes people do know something isn’t for them right away, but stick it out a while if you can.

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I said yes to things that i’d have scoffed at back home.

Say yes to strangers (you’re old and ugly enough to use your better judgement here). If you’re in freshers halls, or in a new job, there might be stuff organised especially for new people. At first I thought some things weren’t for me – too American, too naff – but the point wasn’t so much the thing that’s happening, just the opportunity to meet new people in a similar situation, even if the situation is nausea and boredom during an ‘ice-breaker’ or shared disgust at the grim music in an awful club. Even when I felt like chilling and listening to music by myself, I forced myself out. It might be magical tours, a boat trip or shit karaoke... go! You’ll look back on the bizarre and awful days and nights as some of the best.

“Hey dude, wanna come to Glee club?” Yes “Wanna come to my Grandma’s for thanksgiving?” Yes “Wanna help break my step dad out of prison?” Yes “Wanna smoke hookah?” No mate.

I put myself out there, repeatedly.

I got used to saying shit like ‘can I come along?’ and even *holds back vomit* ‘I’m trying to make new friends’... chances are, there’s people around you in the same position that are wondering who, when and how to approach. Go first. Maybe suggest a shared lunch at work or share notes on a Uni project. People sometimes need a nudge to know that you’re on your own. You might feel awkward at first but it very quickly becomes normal. If you do meet someone you click with, LOCK THAT SHIT DOWN – take their details. Don’t expect to meet the Norwegian version of your current friend group in Oslo. Your new circle might look way different than you imagined: older people, people 10 years younger, stray dogs, be open to that. I knocked around with a load of 18 year olds when I was 21, a massive difference then, mainly because I’d been drinking since my mid-teens while they were getting pissed on two Bud Lite chanting “CHUG, CHUG, CHUG!”

I broke up the time.

I scheduled in Skype calls and I was lucky enough to have friends and family come visit. If you’re finding it tough and aren’t too far away – break things up with trips back home. Book travel far in advance for cheap tickets. If you’re in the Arctic and surrounded on all sides by absolutely fuck all, break time up with bits of chocolate. It’s about having little things to look forward to.

I got used to being alone.

Alone time is good time. I learnt a lot. I went out to clubs on my own and had some of the best nights with the weirdest people and most interesting conversations. Go outside and walk around. I walked alone around campus a lot in the beginning and actually met my best group of friends that way.

“Who’s the creepy Irish guy that’s always staring in the corridors?”

“It’s me, on my walk, let’s talk…Yeah? Please… where are you going?”

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I took bits of home with me.

For a bit of comfort when I needed it. A few pictures of my mates and my dog and family, some letters. Not too much, I’ve seen practical shrines... but whatever works. Speaking of taking bits from home, raid your home kitchen for spare spice and herb jars, rice and pasta. Steal your parents’ cutlery too, and a pot. And frying pan.

I tried new things.

I started a radio show, learned piano, played tag frisbee - shit at them all but it was good craic. New environments are the best places to break old habits and form new ones. Always wanted to fence? Bake?

Surf? Try same-sex relationships? Opposite-sex relationships? Fancy yourself as a spoken word poet but never had the time? Now you do. Join a club. This is an opportunity to reinvent yourself. Strangers allow you to be your true self because they have no expectations of how you normally are... some philosopher said that I think. Another way to say it is: friends and family can help keep you locked in patterns of behaviour because they expect that behaviour, the bastards. But now you’re free to be who you always wanted to be! Just make sure it’s not a wanker.

I took advantage of being the weird foreign fella.

“Oh my god you’re Irish, I’d so fuck a guy for his accent” is verbatim what I heard someone say within my first few hours of living in America. Didn’t do it in the end, if you’re wondering, I need to be loved for the whole me.

But depending on where you are, use this ‘otherness’ to your advantage. You might just be a guy originally from Norfolk that’s now living in Manchester but still, the point is these people don’t know your background.

Make stuff up about your country or city. I told people we didn’t have ice in Ireland, water froze at a much lower temperature in Europe you see, and I was royalty… yep, there’s still a woman walking round Illinois saying she kissed an Irish Prince.

I befriended locals.

They know where to get the best coffee and least amount of stabbings.

It can be tough and lonely at times but the truth is that moving to a new place by yourself is one of the best things you’ll do in life. If it gets too much, talk it through with someone. And you can always talk to CALM. thecalmzone.net - CALM Helpline London: 0808 8025858 Outside London: 0800 58 58 58

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MANSHAKE NOUN. / THE AMALGAMATION OF A FIST BUMP, A FIRM HANDSHAKE AND A HUG WHICH IS ARRIVED AT THROUGH THE AWKWARDNESS OF MEETING A NEW GUY.

#MANDICTIONARY

KEEPING MEN ALIVE BY TALKING

76% of all UK suicides are male. You can talk to us. www.thecalmzone.net CALM is a registered charity in England & Wales no 1110621 & Scotland no SC044347

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CALM interview

young guns Interview by Jojo Furnival and Heather Fitsell Pictures by Marcus Maschwitz Ahead of the release of the English rock five piece’s new album Echoes, CALM caught up with Young Guns frontman Gustav Wood, to chat fame, embarrassing gigs, inspiration and gratitude.

You’ve been described as humble and once said that you were “just trying to write good songs”. Do you think this attitude helps you deal with the fame side of being in Young Guns?

It’s a subjective term though, right? I mean, yes I am more ‘famous’ (cringe) than I was before I was

in a band, and logically I’m more ‘known’ than someone not in my position, but I think the word famous doesn’t apply to a band of our standing.

If I can walk back the term a little and instead talk about the idea of being in the public eye in some small way... I don’t know if that attitude helps or hinders. It requires a degree of self-belief to stand on a stage and do something as vulnerable as sing. Not only that, but you have to be able to accept criticism from people who have no idea who you are or what experiences make up your personality. That’s kind of weird. Also there’s a degree of ‘ownership’ or entitlement that a select few seem to feel over you, in terms of what they ask or demand of you. It’s also a minefield because really you can’t talk about it for fear of seeming ungrateful or arrogant.

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Sometimes I’m just uncomfortable like everyone else and I feel like maybe if I was more arrogant or detached that wouldn’t be an issue. But that’s part of the job and I love being challenged and constantly pushed out of my comfort zone because I’ve surprised myself with what, on occasion, I can do. Being humble is good because we’re in a privileged position and it’s important to remember that.

What drives you as musicians to continue recording and performing?

The desire to improve. The desire to feel like I’ve achieved something in my life. The desire to continue and progress something that has given me a sense of direction, purpose and meaning.

It’s also the most enjoyable thing I’ve ever done.

What has been your favourite experience as part of Young Guns, be it a particular concert, recording session, or place you’ve visited?

Well that’s a pretty broad question, but at the moment I’m on our first ever warped tour and there’s something about it that’s reconnecting me with music in a big way. I feel a strong link to the teenage music-obsessed version of myself and it’s a fantastic feeling. It’s given me a renewed love and appreciation of the world I get to live in. I’m one of the people on my

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bedroom wall when I was 14. I don’t mean that in an arrogant way, just that being a part of something that I wanted to experience so much as a kid has really done something to my mindset and I’m very grateful and happy. I feel like I belong.

Who inspires you inside or outside of music?

Dustin Kensrue from Thrice will always be a lyrical inspiration to me. But I suppose generally speaking it’s just anything that stirs something in me, emotionally. It could be a swell of a movie score or the sound of the wipers on the windscreen late at night pushing the rain back and forth... Anything I guess.

What’s the most embarrassing/nervewracking/worst moment you’ve had on tour and how did you deal with it?

I suppose it’s the usual stuff… jeans ripping on stage, falling off stage, forgetting lyrics. I’ve only ever said the wrong name of the venue/city once and that was in London where I grew up. I was nervous! Nerve-wracking wise, I don’t get that nervous usually but supporting Bon Jovi at the 02 when we were playing little club shows was pretty terrifying. We so plainly didn’t belong there though that it was almost not a big deal.

Regardless we weren’t very good. I just kind of pretended that I knew what I was doing!

At CALM we encourage guys to talk about their issues and express themselves in whatever way works best for them. Do you find it easier to deal with your emotions through music or do you have another outlet?

I’m quite an emotional person and I like to think that I’m moderately sensitive and pretty good at talking about things or listening to other people. I think that guys, especially young guys, are under an awful lot of different, complicated pressures.

It’s not easy for us to communicate, typically, with each other about how we feel. I see it in my band, and around me in general. Playing and writing music does provide me with an emotional outlet yes, but I do think that the best way to cope with or work through things, if you can pluck up the courage, is to talk to someone about things that are affecting you. Even just the act of talking about it openly I find helps, even without anything much in the way of feedback or response from someone else.

How do you deal with the pressures of fame, and the expectations to look or behave a certain way to reflect a brand? How do you stay grounded?

I just don’t want to have to lie about who I am I suppose. I think we all have times when we do that to some degree or another but I’m

not about to start dressing or talking in a way that I don’t want to, to fit in or be considered cool. If I’m uncomfortable with something, I’d like to think I won’t do it. Some people will inevitably think you’re something you’re not, just like I no doubt did when I was a kid listening to bands I liked. I get and respect that. I just try and focus on being grateful.

If you could choose your dream one-off line up of musicians or bands still together or not, dead or alive, who would it be?

Maybe early 90s Metallica, At The Drive-In, Nirvana, Dookie era Green Day, 90s Smashing Pumpkins… bands that had a big influence on me growing up.

So what have Young Guns got coming up that you can tell us about?

Our new album Echoes comes out in September.

We’re proud of it and hope you pre-order it or pick up a copy when it comes out. We’ve just announced a headline show at the Borderline to celebrate it’s release. We’ll be touring with Billy Talent in October in the UK and EU and there’s lots more in the pipeline.

Young Guns are playing in a city near you throughout October.

Get more info at weareyoungguns.com

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In the age of the selfie, are more men and boys worried about their bodies and appearance? Men’s gym membership numbers and sales of male grooming products might suggest so.

Interestingly, this year more than 1000 eight to 18-year-old boys were polled in a survey and 55% said they’d consider changing their diet to look better, with a quarter believing there was a perfect

male body. Many said they’d struggle to discuss body image concerns with teachers and parents. Is this something we need to talk about more openly?

In this feature, four men with unique perspectives on male body image open up about the insecurities, epiphanies and conversations that shaped and changed the way they thought about how they look.

They’re shedding light on….

THE BODY ISSUE Illustrations by Chris Sav @Disappointman

THE WEDDING DANCER Matty Paddock on growing up with cerebral palsy and transcending self-consciousness by throwing some shapes.

age is, and the added experience of disability didn’t help.

I never felt I was growing up ‘as a disabled child.’ I was just me. I knew I was different but I never felt it. I couldn’t exactly get away from it – giving chase around the playground usually let the cat out of the bag – or trying to play for the school football team.

I was aware, but I wasn’t unduly troubled.

Friends of mine were out and about, exploring more adult relationships and, on the whole, growing up a bit. I became something of a recluse, a more mellow soul. Being outside didn’t really interest me at all. I didn’t want to be seen walking, wobbling or wheeling anywhere. It was all a little miserable, looking back on it. One or two close friends helped, as did some professional assistance, and I got through it. But I have the fullest of feeling for anyone feeling the same.

But the fearlessness of childhood is soon lost.

I had zero inhibition at five – I had some at ten, but at 15? Very different story. The so-called troubled teens are aptly labelled. Suddenly I was alarmingly self-aware. Everyone at that

So how did I get back to where I am now? I love my work and I love my home and I love pretty much everything else. I’m lucky enough to be happily married to someone who has always understood, respected and managed my disability.

@Wallinho86 mattypaddock.wordpress.com

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DON’T confuse that with ‘everything is rosy’ – I still have bad days – I still get self-conscious.

There are a few secrets though. Dancing helps.

Yes, dancing.

You see, there’s arguably no greater thing you can do to feel self-aware than having a dance.

Those who shy away from dancing will say “I don’t dance!” and will steadfastly refuse as you try and convince them. That’s okay.

They may not have a disability or anxiety, but chances are they’re inhibited. My advice: get up and dance.

I was the life and soul of a kids party but, at 15, do you see me getting up at a wedding and dancing in front of 100 people just for the fun of it? I think not. As a kid you don’t worry about the fact that people can see you dance. In those

DO I WORRY NOW THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE ME? BUGGER I DO. I DANCE.

darker teenage days, you certainly do worry about it and that stops you in your tracks.

Do I worry now that people can see me? Bugger I do. I dance. Well – I try. Whether or not I manage it is subjective I suppose but I give it a damn good go. In my clunky, clumsy and erratic way, I love to dance with my wife, my mates, a brother, a niece or a nephew.

Nobody else really gives a sod. They’re too busy dancing themselves, or sat down wishing they were but not admitting it. Whether you’re in a wheelchair, on crutches, or just feeling a little down… Can you imagine for a moment if we all just took a deep breath and got up to dance? We should.

The first dance is on me. Just mind your toes.

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THE BODY CONSCIOUS A couple of years after open-heart surgery, Guy Heywood shares a momentous shift in how he and others now see his body, lifechanging scar and all.

open-heart surgery but I was fit and well now.

But it quickly became apparent that the subject couldn’t be left there.

I LOOKED

After the operation I didn’t bring anything up with random people I met through friends and at parties. I managed to steer the conversation away from me and onto them.​I started to ponder what would happen when I met someone new. I felt very conscious about my appearance and whether the scar would unnerve, shock or scare someone.

How would I approach the subject with anyone I was dating?

IN THE Understandably, they MIRROR AND were inquisitive and the I DIDN’T SEE conversation then turned A SCAR ALL THE to being all about the operation, which bothered WAY DOWN MY CHEST – I JUST me as I started to feel very SAW MYSELF self-conscious.

AS I WAS. I wanted to get some female advice on how to approach this so I spoke to my sister. She said “behave as if it’s not there - don’t bring it up and carry on as normal. If someone sees it and reacts in a negative way, they’re not worth bothering with.”

I was anxious. I felt the need to explain enough of the operation for them to get an idea, but I didn’t want to delve too deeply into the details and all the angst I felt.

She also thought it could actually be a turn-on for most women. I had an extra asset so I shouldn’t be shy and should just relax. “You don’t know what anybody’s thinking” she told me.

I felt the need to warn them if I thought my scar might be seen. I’d pause and say “just so you know I’ve a large scar down my chest from an operation” and add a little background. I’ve had

This changed things for me. I had now come to a level of acceptance within myself about my new body image. I looked in the mirror and I didn’t see a scar all the way down my chest – I just saw my-

@_FreeToChoose wearefreetochoose.com

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self as I was. But I was still trying to pre-empt what other peoples’ reactions and possible concerns would be.

It was only by releasing the internal and then outward pressure I was putting on myself that I was been able to feel more confident. By acting like there was nothing there it released all this pressure I didn’t even know I was carrying.

I didn’t realise the full benefits of this change in

thinking until I went away on a seven-week holiday in Australia, Thailand and Cambodia. There were many occasions when I was on the beach or in groups of strangers and would have felt very self-conscious; timid to the point of keeping my t-shirt on. Not now.

I’ve now learned that people are in general very accepting of these things. The only person who was getting torn up about it was me. I’d invented a huge burden for myself. And now I’ve let it go.​

LEARNING TO LIVE WITH MOOBS James Mannion on how he doesn’t let gynaecomastia get in the way of doing what he wants. @Jimmy_Mannion jimmymannion.wordpress.com Recently I was playing 5-a-side, as we lined up for kick-off one of the opposing team’s players said, “Look at the tits on that, lads.”

In an instant, he’d brought attention to one of my biggest insecurities. An insecurity that has plagued me since I was about 12. In puberty I developed man I’VE EXPERIENCED boobs or ‘moobs’, FIRST-HAND and they’ve never HOW FIXATING disappeared.

ON YOUR BODY AND VIEWING YOUR SELF-WORTH ENTIRELY THROUGH HOW YOU LOOK ONLY TRAPS YOU IN AN ENDLESS CYCLE OF UNHAPPINESS.

I’m 28 now. I go to the gym.

I exercise daily.

I’m slim, athletic and have very low body fat. I do weights and exercise the chest area. Yet I’ve always had moobs.

And it continues to be a huge source of embarrassment and shame for me.

I recently came back from a beach holiday. I love the beach. I love swimming. But I can’t tell you how upsetting it is to still be filled with fret and shame showing your body in public.

I’ve always tried to disguise my man boobs. By avoiding too tight T-shirts. By wearing T-shirts with padding or a thicker cotton. By wearing darker coloured vests and T-shirts. I’ve fretted over the first time I took my top off in front of a

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girlfriend or sexual partner. I still worry every time I go swimming that people are going to stare. I feel my man boobs make me less of a man.

Moobs (gynaecomastia) affects 15% of men, mostly teenage boys and older men, and is caused by hormone fluctuations, obesity and on rare occasions alcohol or drug abuse. Male breast reduction surgery is on the rise in the UK, growing from only 18 operations in 200910 to 39 in 2013-14. As of February 2015, over 200 men had sought treatment, which costs from £2,800.

I’ve never considered surgery. I had anorexia as a teenager and after overcoming it I’ve tried to love myself and my body, as clichéd as that sounds. I’ve experienced first-hand how fixating on your body and viewing your self-worth

entirely through how you look only traps you in an endless cycle of unhappiness.

Life is too short. I’ve learnt to live with them.

And I do all the things I want to, in spite of my insecurities.

I think that if chest reduction surgery is making men happier and allowing them to live a fuller life, then good for them. However, if breast enlargement surgery for women can send the message to women with a small chest that their body is not good enough, I think the same principle applies here. It’s not fashionable to say, but the increasing amount of men having surgery is putting pressure on men to attain a masculine ideal.

That’s simply not realistic because we come in all different shapes and sizes.

A VERY MODERN FASHION: THE MALE HUG Have US sit-coms affected how we greet?

Are British men more uptight about masculinity? Gavin Finney ponders. @E3BANGBANG A realisation came to me recently: I hug male friends with more intimacy and warmth than most of my female friends. And I’m not the only one; male huggers are everywhere.

Not long ago it seemed that men greeting other men were limited to three options. First, the traditional handshake – very formal, fine for a business meeting or maybe your father-in-law, but a bit uncomfortable for most other settings.

Then the weird ‘cool-guy’ grasp (think Arnie and Carl Weathers in Predator) – fine for the sports field, but a bit forced in most other scenarios.

Your third option is a highly-bespoke routine, involving fist-bumps and probably sound effects 16

– fine served with a healthy side of irony, but it often seems po-faced.

Now, the hug is the goto move. It makes sense, because while the handshake’s original intention was to show you weren’t holding a weapon, the hug is more in-keeping with its job as a hello or goodbye.

JOEY AND CHANDLER AND JD AND TURK LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR THE MODERN MAN.

The male hug seems to have come to prominence in the progressive American sitcoms of the 90s; a stage for feelings to be talked about and even – whisper it – homosexuality to be acknowledged without scorn and disappointment.

Seinfeld was famous for it’s “no hugging, no learning” rule, but two of the next-biggest shows put bromances front and centre – Friends and Scrubs. Joey and Chandler and JD and Turk laid

the groundwork for the modern man. They sidestepped the traditional alpha-male characteristics of sports or bragging about their conquests, and weren’t part of jock culture.

Suddenly, a straight man could fool around and be emotional. If you had a best friend, you showed him how you felt. Traditional male relationships were being dragged into the 21st century (occasionally punching and screaming).

But the British scene is somewhat lacking.

Our prototypical modern male relationships range from the bizarre – Sherlock Holmes and Watson – to the downright masochistic – Mark and Jez in Peep Show. Maybe America has always been more comfortable with talking about feelings (even Tony Soprano had therapy). But surely young British men are just as comfortable and touchy-feely?

In the media, the perception is still that British men are too restrained and emotionally-stunted to hug. It’s a hangover of the stiff-upper-lip days, when formality and restraint were valued above all else. But the evidence out on the streets certainly suggests times have changed.

As signs of genuine affection go, the male hug is a wonderful addition to the day-to-day social lexicon. It trumps the handshake minefield and the back pat, and I hope it’s something that we hold onto for good.​

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Transitional Trend Guide

Malmo TOPMAN Junior Digital Editor, Jacob Corner, lets you know how to wear it

No-one nails understated dressing quite like Scandinavians. Taking our inspiration from the street style in MalmÜ, Sweden’s best kept secret, this key transitional trend revolves around a loose, relaxed aesthetic tied together by longline layering and a faded palette.

Transitional Trend Guide

Pink Tees Pink saw a resurgence this summer and it’s still going strong this season. Making it work with Malmö is simple: just pop a pink tee on under a navy jacket and let the complementary colours get the best out of both pieces.

Grey Joggers We love how Malmö re-energises menswear mainstays.

Classic pieces like grey joggers benefit from the simple tonal styling, especially when cuffed and paired with trainers.

Textured Trainers White trainers continue to be your go-to shoes, but it’s unconventional materials that will set you apart from the crowd. Choose suede and nubuck to elevate your footwear selection.

Complete The Look

Nude Barrel Bag - Experiment with accessories to get to the heart of the Malmo trend - it’s reliant on well-chosen, subtle pieces that tie your look together.

Tube Socks - Cuffed trousers and trackies are an intrinsic part of the Malmo silhouette, but pairing them with tonal tube socks will finish off your outfit with zero effort.

I ns pired? F ind the latest trend up d a tes a t TO PM A N.CO M

MAJESTIC: A MAN OF MANY TALENTS 2016 has been a big one for DJ, MC, producer and radio host (he does everything!) Majestic – with a Ministry Of Sound compilation, a top 5 single and a jam-packed gig schedule. CALM caught up with him in Greece to get the low-down on trolling, touring troubles and grime’s self-image…

Last year you produced the Slamber Takeover track for CALM, working with renowned trolls, the Slamber City Facebook group, to turn their usually impish and anarchistic behaviour into something positive. What motivated that?

I was just randomly doing one of my Facebook live streams when all of a sudden I was bombarded with ‘SLAMBER TAKE OVER’ and loads of people typing ‘M9!’. I know most trolls are looking for a rise or reaction, so the best way to deal with them is to remain calm. I then looked into what this ‘movement’ was and realised there was a big community that were making a lot of noise by acting silly on the net. What I tried to do was use this community to try and raise both awareness and funds for CALM.

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Do you think young men get something from these anonymous communities that they lack elsewhere?

Ironically once some of the members started getting more involved in my live stream, a lot of them started to really pour their hearts out about their own problems. People find comfort in belonging to something. There are so many people who feel detached from society so when you’re faceless and nameless online you can almost create a whole new persona and escape the reality of being you.

What about social media in general? We get a lot of writers talking about the difference between the social self and the actual self. Is the Majestic we see on Twitter dif-

ferent from the one we see in real life?

I would like to think that the majority of my online presence is 100% me… On social media, there’s an immense pressure to be seen as having the best car, best meals, best nights out, best friends etc. I’m seeing it really affect reality too. People are so concerned with how their Snapchat story looks, or their Instagram post, that they miss the actual moment in reality.

Grime is having a big moment. The scene’s attitude to masculinity can look quite macho and competitive, with possibly a narrow idea of what it means to be a man, but it’s a channel for dazzling self-expression with a vast array of styles and colourful personalities. Do you feel grime is a positive influence and outlet for men expressing themselves?

I feel any form of art where people can express themselves is a positive thing. Look at punk for instance, when that first came to fruition ‘angry! scary! repulsive!’ were all words people who did not understand it would label it with, but it gave a generation a voice and an outlet. It’s the same with grime, it gives people hope. A young kid in a council estate in south London is going to relate and aspire to become the next Stormzy rather than the next Olly Murs.

So, body image…. Grime definitely has it’s own distinct look and attitude. Skepta accepted his MOBO in a black tracksuit “I used to wear Gucci, threw it all in the bin cos that’s not me”. With names like Big Narstie and Tinchy Stryder there seems to be acceptance and ownership of body shapes, but there’s also pressure to have the best clothes, certain brands…

Being friends with Skepta for a number of years, it was amazing to see something switch in his mind to throw the Gucci away. I think he realised these kids that were aspiring to be him and dress like him simply couldn’t, because rappers were making unrealistic targets. Now you can go to your local JD Sports and look like your favourite rapper. As long as there’s advertising there’ll always be pressure to have the best clothes and the best trainers. Someone like Big Narstie really does prove that if you’ve enough

personality and talent it’ll shine through regardless of body image.

It’s great to see DJs like Benga and Ben Pearce opening up about mental health, and there seems to be more discussion about the pressures of the party lifestyle and constant touring.

SOMEONE LIKE Do you find the lifeBIG NARSTIE style can be tough?

REALLY DOES Well I’m currently writing PROVE THAT IF the answers to this in YOU’VE ENOUGH a boiling hot room in PERSONALITY Greece as this is the AND TALENT only part of the hotel with IT’LL SHINE wi-fi... the touring lifestyle THROUGH is intense. I’ve cracked REGARDLESS under the pressure of OF BODY IMAGE. touring: the flights, the traveling, the lack of sleep, the loneliness. We’re so blessed to be doing what we’re doing that sometimes you feel guilty if you feel down when on the road, but we’re human. Being away from loved ones, not eating properly, no set routine, it can really mess with your mind. The likes of Benga and Ben Pearce, talking about it is really refreshing to see and makes it feel less of a taboo.

What are the top three tracks doing it for you at the moment?

I’m obsessed with The Best on the new Giggs album feat Young Teflon and Aystar. Micky Slim has made a dancefloor banger called MAKE EM SHAKE IT which is seriousss! Also loving Charlo - Anybody Out Here.

What’s next for Majestic in 2016?

2016 saw me release my first ever mix compilation and hit the top 5, become part of the UKG All Stars for Red Bull Culture Clash and perform all over, it feels as if I should take a break... but no. The big focus now is my first ever live headline show in October at Islington Academy, and I’m starting to piece together an album!

Catch Majestic mashing up the air-waves on Kiss FM every Thursday 9pm-12am and Friday 11pm-12am.

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MARC ASPINALL is a UK based lifestyle illustrator who tackles subjects ranging from fashion and pop culture to business and technology, taking cues from the aesthetics and sensibilities of 50’s and 60’s golden-era illustration.

To see more of Marc’s work visit www.tthp.org Say hello over @MarcAspinall See sketches and the odd slice of culture instagram.com/marcaspinall

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THINKING INK

WITH PAUL TALBOT

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INTERVIEW BY JOJO FURNIVAL

Every tattoo tells a story, Birmingham tattooist Paul Talbot knows this well. His striking and distinctive ‘post-modern’ style has earned many devotees world wide. Here he talks to CALM about the rock and roll days that inspired his work and why awards don’t mean shit…

How did you get into tattooing?

A lot of children’s sweets and comic books in the 80s seemed to come with free stick-on tattoos - that must have been the beginning of my fascination. I was also obsessed with Kiss as a kid, Paul Stanley was my hero and he has a small tattoo of a rose on his arm.

I’m from a small market town in the Midlands, so my introduction to tattooing was a small street shop near where I grew up. It was pretty typical of the time; run by bikers, with dog-eared sheets of A4 flash all over the walls and the unmistakeable smell of Dettol and stale cigarette smoke.

My best mate was getting a tattoo there and asked me to go along with him, he wanted a design from an album cover and asked me to draw it.

I’d always been known as ‘the kid that could draw’ amongst my friends - I was the one that painted everyone’s leather jackets, motorbike helmets and so on. So creating a line drawing was pretty straightforward.

Anyway, when we presented this (not very clean) line drawing, the tattooist asked who’d drawn it.

He then asked me to do a few designs (horrible things that looked like bad heavy metal band album covers!) in return for him showing me the basics of tattooing.

You’ve been nominated for a Grammy twice, and produced a no.1 hit single - how did that come about?

My band signed a small deal with a British indie label when I was about 17 so I dropped out of college and put the idea of becoming a tattooist to one side. I thought ‘fuck it, I’m going to be a rock star!’

So, I hit the road with the band and for the next few years we toured as support to the likes of

Pop Will Eat Itself, Bomb Disneyland, Faith No More and John Moore’s Expressway. When I was off the road I made ends meet by working as a sound engineer/producer on recordings for bands like; Black Sabbath, Slade, Napalm Death and eventually a reggae band from Handsworth called TATTOOISTS Steel Pulse. It was the THROUGHOUT work that got nominated THE AGES HAVE for a couple of Grammys.

DRAWN ART Between albums they THAT INVOLVED asked me to join them SOME FORM on the road as their live OF SOCIAL engineer. So I spent the COMMENT next few years touring with them primarily in the US and the Caribbean. As for the number one? I’ll never tell!

The music and touring ended up being a good decision, as the time away from tattooing that followed took my life in some interesting directions.

That time shaped the guy I am and is the biggest influence on my artwork.

You’ve been super scathing in the past about awards for art, whatever genre and medium, including tattooing. If it’s not recognition, what is it that motivates you?

Art and communication - by any means necessary. In my opinion, one of the things that makes tattooing the most powerful art form around (after rock and roll) is that the iconography is constantly evolving. Tattooists throughout the ages have drawn art that involved some form of social comment based on the era or culture they were living in - whether they were aware of it or not. I believe that’s still happening.

In the current zeitgeist there’s lots of tattoos of movie, TV, music or comic book icons, rather than the more traditional family, religion and achievement ideas of previous centuries. This fascination could be seen as symptomatic of how 21st century life is affecting the monkey brain. Our faith in gods and religions is fading in the glare of the modern world, the family unit is a thing of the past, parents are so busy trying to achieve something to buy the things no-one needs to fill the void, that

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they don’t even notice their children growing up - let alone have time to really get involved. We’re lost in the HD, LCD, USB, broadband static and searching for anything that connects us to some sense of self. So we’re getting our new shiny plastic gods, icons and achievements as tattoos.

Something I’m not nearly intelligent enough to explain connects us to tattoos and it’s been that way since man created fire. In the decades to come art galleries won’t tell us anything about 21st century man. But their tattoos and album covers will.

I try to create images that resonate by using digital illustration, collage and cutup techniques to ‘remix’ images from all kinds of sources and eras into something new that excites me and (hopefully) my clients. I really want to concentrate on developing the modern graphic style because I think it has a lot to offer the world of tattooing. I hope it’s eventually accepted in the same way that black and grey or realism are now. That motivates me to create… and also the idea that one day, if I’m very lucky and try really hard I might just make the perfect tattoo.

With all that going on I don’t have time to worry about whether or not someone thinks I colour in 26

better than someone else and wants to give me a door stop to celebrate that fact. It’s simply fucking irrelevant!

Where do you get inspiration from?

When the music business had chewed on me enough and finally spat me out, I came home to the UK for good, returned to college and then landed a job as a graphic designer. I spent my early teens touring with Pop Will Eat Itself and was lucky enough to meet Ian Anderson from the Designers Republic who designed a large part of the band’s identity. I mistakenly thought all bands made their own album covers but after a brief conversation with Pop Will Eat Itself’s singer, Clint Mansell, about who Ian was and what he did I discovered that all the cool and exciting stuff I’d seen on flyers, album covers and advertising was done by people called Graphic Designers! I know, duhhh! So that was what I ended up studying. I felt like I’d finally found a place in ‘art’ for me and it was a hugely exciting time that I have very strong and fond memories of. At the time, designers like Hydro74, My Pet Skeleton, Ralph Steadman, David Carson, Neville Brody, Jamie Reid and The

Designers Republic inspired and motivated me to create my own pieces and style, so whenever I’m feeling like I need an inspiration injection I tend to return to that period to ‘pick up the threads’ of where my head was then. I find this keeps me connected to my past but allows me to progress.

Do you find it easier to deal with your emotions through music and art, or is inflicting eye-watering pain on another human enough of an outlet for you?!

Yeah, art and music have always been the key for me. I take my frustrations and use them as fuel to push myself to be better. It’s actually a very positive thing for me and I know that it might sound strange but anger really is an energy and the blues ain’t nothing but a good man feeling bad. You just have to find a positive outlet for the negativity. It’s a little known fact that I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks, not bad, but I do. In the middle of one - when I feel like I’m going to die, they feel like the end of the world. But, I actually only really suffered until I knew what was happening to me.

Once I understood, it seemed like it was easier to get a handle on it and control or avoid the triggers.

I have had them whilst on stage and during tattoo shows but these days they’re few and far between because I live healthier. When they do happen, I use them and the abundance of adrenaline to focus rather than freak, and turn the negative into a positive thing. I tell myself that I’m not going to die but the adrenaline is giving me superhuman focus power, so I should be able to tattoo better! It sounds really stupid but – not only does it work – it also calms me down quicker too.

If tattooing were banned tomorrow, what would you do instead?

I’d do Illegal tattoos. I’m not going anywhere, I built this and it’s cost me way more than money so if you want to try and stop me you’re gonna need more than a law!

If you could, what would you tell your 16-year-old self now?

Hang in there kid, it’s going to be a bumpy ride but it’ll be worth it xx Check out more of Paul’s work at paultlbt.com and on Instagram @paultlbt

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NSFW The CALMzone Tea and Secrets tent made a triumphant return to the sun-soaked Secret Garden Party in July. We offered a respite from the madness – welcoming hedonistic (and hungover) Gardeners into our comfy tent to relax, unwind, have a cuppa and learn about CALM. And of course, reveal their deepest secrets and proudest moments on The Wall Of Secrets. Here’s some choice picks...

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#TEAMCALM

Got a London Marathon place?

Thinking of taking on something epic?

JOIN #TEAMCALM Let us know about your challenge and we’ll support your heroic efforts with shout outs, training sessions, materials and fundraising ideas.

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by Hannah Goodwin @inquisitiveeye

AMBASSADOR’S RECEPTION:

Ady Suleiman We’re proud to have a merry band of men and women who call themselves Ambassadors for the Campaign Against Living Miserably.

Introducing… rising R&B and reggae star, Ady Suleiman.

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you’ve been up to...

I’m a singer song-writer from Nottingham. I’ve got a dope family and friends. Recently I’ve been writing my debut album, playing festivals and overall having a sick summer.

So why CALM? I think mental health is so important and sadly, so under represented. It’s probably one of the hardest things to deal with if your mind isn’t right and when you’re in that space the simplest things can cause you pain and stress. I think the best thing people can do is talk to each other, because often people experience and have very similar thoughts and emotions. It’s one of the reasons I write songs. But I think people, especially men, still find it difficult to talk. That’s why the work CALM does is super important.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

It’s tricky to pin it down to one thing, but I remember been giving a diagram once by a lecturer about how to deal with life and to grow which included a ‘comfort zone’, a ‘learning zone’ and a ‘panic zone’. He said make sure you stay in the learning zone and out of the panic zone. I use that blueprint all the time.

What’s your one rule for living life?

I don’t have one, I think my rules are always changing and developing, but the most obvious one is to do things that make others and yourself happy.

What’s the one piece of music you think everyone needs to hear?

Ha, well, I guess I should say my new single ‘Wait for You’ and then my album which is out next year... : ) But, on a serious note, I’m going to have to go with Bob Marley’s Exodus, it’s super chill and he’s one of the only artists that can really claim a genre. If you listen to him you cover a lot of ground within reggae, if that makes sense? Another one would be Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon…

Hear more from Ady @AdySuleiman adysuleimanofficial.com

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THE RANT

By Chris Owen

Some things you can’t escape, no matter how hard you try, no matter how much you wish you could – taxes, death, and that fucking guy off the Go Compare adverts being the most prominent.

For me, alongside the above, sits ‘lunch’. Lunch.

Plain old lunch. Something that most adults seem to have long since mastered but something which, despite having recently passed my 38th birthday, I still can’t quite master. It’s just so bloody stressful.

Every day – every SODDING day – I have to think about what I fancy from the various identikit cafes around Soho, all of which serve the same thing in the same rolls. And every day I stand in line, chest tightening, as I wait for the guy or gal behind the counter to look me in the eye, smile threateningly, and ask so innocently, “what would you like?”. Problem being, what I want is so basic it turns into a farce way too quickly.

Look – it’s simple. I don’t want butter. I don’t want mayo, (don’t get me STARTED on mayo). I don’t want coleslaw. I don’t want salad dressing. I just want some nice ham and a bit of cheese – not loads of cheese, just a bit. A tiny few gratings full.

It would be quite nice if it would be a bit toasted, so the cheese melts a bit. And when I say ‘nice

ham’, what I mean is ‘nice, decent ham’, not ‘a metric fuckton of that revolting white fat crap’. I don’t enjoy eating reconstituted white gristle, so don’t put it in my sandwich.

Sadly, asking “can I have a look at the ham please?” doesn’t go down well, and by the time I’ve explained about the butter, mayo, salad cream etc I’m starting to panic and want to escape.

Likewise the cheese. I’m a complete wuss when it comes to cheese – I’m not afraid to say it – I don’t like strong, take-your-breath-away Stinking Bishop cheese, and I don’t like weird amorphous masses like brie. ‘Never trust cheese that moves of its own accord’ is a strong mantra I feel. I like edam. Edam is safe – and emmental, and possibly gruyere and jarlsberg… low power, low intensity, simple cheese. But no-one has this in cafes – granted, someone the other day had some good comte, BUT, it had been out in the sun. “Have you got any non-sweaty comte?” remains one of my most middle class utterances in my 38 year existence.

Imagine going through this every day. For a cheese and ham toastie…. And yes, there’s always salad – I like salad, but not the dressing, cream, mayo, pickles…*trails off into another rant about the perils of salad*. @wonky_donky

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Illustration by Bamdewanto - Freepik.com

DEAR JOSH Our entirely unprofessional agony uncle offers his entirely unprofessional advice…

Q: BREXIT... It actually fucking happened! I am FUMING at the state of this country. Where should we move? Berlin?

Dom, London No Brah. Berlin is fine the way it is. England needs you. Stay here and fix this. We’re all in it together. Ignore my packed bags, I’m actually going to the laundry.

Q: So my Mum and Dad had me lined up to be a doctor, but I just got 3 Ds in my science A levels. I feel like a bit of a failure but to be honest I don’t even know if I really want to be a doctor. I don’t know what I want to be full stop.

Confused, 18, Newcastle Brah, fact is, it’s so perfectly normal to not know what you want to be at this point it’s unreal it’s still a conversation. You’re what, mid-late teens? You got so many reset chances left I’m fucking envious just telling you this. Try a whole bunch of shit that makes you happy or until you find something you’re good at and enjoy failing cuz that’s what youth is for. You’re doing it right, truss me Daddy.

At 19 I’m still a virgin and I feel a bit embarrassed because most of my mates aren’t. I have a pretty severe skin condition that looks quite sore and red and it

affects my confidence with girls. A few times I’ve came close but I usually get so anxious that I make an excuse or come across really awkward. Where do I find my mojo?

Brendan, Darlington Brah, I have spots on my tongue. I was a virgin at 25. The first girl slept with me not because I was good looking, but because she liked me and I liked her despite me being AN UTTER UTTER DORK OH GOD I WAS THE NERD KING. My advice is: be yourself. It’s totally okay to be a virgin at your age. Do shit you’ll like doing and eventually you’ll find someone who likes doing that shit and likes you as you are.

Or go on Tinder. I dunno.

Q: Me and my girlfriend are going to separate universities, she’s off to Manchester and I’m going to Glasgow. I do love her a lot and want to stay together, we’ve planned to visit each other every month, but I know from other couples that long-distance at this age is usually doomed. How can I make it work?

Should I even try?​ Anonymous Mate. I think it’s severely unrealistic and unfair to ask two people in the physical and sexual prime of their lives to go to different cities and be surrounded by other fleshy hormone bombs, alcohol and very loose definitions of fidelity and expect True Love To Conquer All. On the other hand, anything is possible. So you can talk to her every week, visit often, and then change to her university to be closer to her. That’s what I did, And look at me: I married someone else.

Sorry, what was the question?

Got a question for Josh?

Email us on editor@thecalmzone.net NOTE: Josh isn’t a qualified expert. He’s just a joker. Find out more at www.poejazzi.com If you do need to talk to someone, call the CALM helpline: 0800 802 5858.

Outside London: 0800 585858 33

Illustration: Lucia Reynoso | behance.net/luciareynoso

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