#149 KIERAN GIBBS
GOING LEFT
Q3/14
EDITOR’S LETTER / 4
better than ever. We wanted to make sure we had a loaded chamber for issue 149 and that’s exactly what we’ve got. From cover-star Kieran Gibbs, fresh from winning his first professional trophy in the FA Cup last season, to hotly tipped Chelsea and Holland Under 21 star Nathan Aké, through to a comprehensive breakdown of the most important game in the world, FIFA 15, and an introduction to #FilthyFellas the new weekly football and banter YouTube show which you can watch on rwdfootball.com Mondays, All Season.
Editor’s Letter This summer was one of the most significant in all of RWD’s 13 years. For more than a decade we have prided ourselves on being on the precipice of what matters to young people in the UK and it is with immense pride and satisfaction that we stand strong with the same ethos that has helped us to survive for all of these years. Taking the summer for a full and frank stock-check of our magazine and our place in the world, we’re back refreshed and
We looked back to look forward in this massive issue, with former RWD cover-star Ed Sheeran returning to our pages with an exclusive interview and photoshoot and global music and movie-star Rita Ora talking streetwear. With loads more packed into these pages, hopefully you can see why the break was needed.
@tegosigel
RWD Team Editor Feature Writer Staff Writer Online Music Editor Contributing Editor Contributors
@tegosigel @benkeablefaw @joewalker @grantbrydon @chantellefiddy Alex Johnson, Carly Wilford, Hattie Collins, Julius Pepperwood
Creative Director Designer Fashion Editor Stylists
Dacre @PXLlondon Ollie Green Kyran Low Sophie Robinson, Violetta Thalia, Neesha Sharma Art Jaz, Funny Tummy, Rachel Goslin, Matt Glasby, Sam Taylor Jon Attenborough, Andres Reynega, JPH, Pharaoh, Response London, Adrian Nettleship, Kevin Joseph, Sam Bond, Liam Ricketts, Verena StefanieGrotto
Illustrators
Photographers
Video
Greg Bond, Felix Kemp, Darren Rahaman, Andres Albert
Publisher Brand Relations Operations Thanks
Nigel Wells Hattie Collins Martin Ferguson Bob Austin
RWD on Instagram
RWD 4th Floor 60-62 Commercial Street Greater London E1 6LT Tel: 020 3176 4299 staff@RWDmag.com @RWDmag RWD Magazine is published monthly by Rewind Creative Media Ltd. All material copyright (c). All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of the publishers. RWD Magazine: 25p where sold Disclaimer: While every effort is made to ensure the information in this magazine is correct, changes can occur which affect the accuracy of copy, for which RWD holds no responsibility. The opinions of the contributors do not necessarily bear a relation to those of RWD Magazine or it’s staff and we disclaims liability for those impressions. Distributed nationally. RWD is a member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations
CONTENTS / 6
CONTENTS ISSUE #149 Regulars 8-16 Check-In, Check Out 18-19 #ReadyForAnything: Tough Love, Stormzy, Just Kiddin 20-21 About To Blow: Fuse ODG 82-83 Speakers Corner: Fine Tuning Festivals
RWD Football 23 24 25 26-31 32-35 36-37 38-39 40-43 44-45
They Call It Football League Elite? RWD Football In Numbers Kieran Gibbs: Unsung Hero FIFA 15: There Goes The Social Life My First: Kozzie Meet Nathan Aké Meet The #FilthyFellas Andrew Shim and Thomas Turgoose: For England
Style 47-55 West Way 56-57 North West: The North Face 58-65 Wet & Wild
Features 66-69 Ed Sheeran: From X To Next 70-73 Rita Ora: Rita’s World 74-77 Raury: Indigo Child
Unwind 79 Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare 80-81 NBA 2K15: The Real MVP
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CHECK -IN CHECK OUT Station Style Rinse partners with clothing line Check out…the Futuristic Frequencies collaboration between Rinse FM and Billionaire Boys Club. Rinse are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year with an exclusive range of t-shirts, with more clothing and events to come from the BBC partnership. Grab yours at bbcicecream.eu
Mile High Clubbing Dance favourites to DJ in the sky Check-in… to Rudimental and Gorgon City playing back-toback on a Boeing 787 plane. The special #FlightDecks DJ set takes place on-board Virgin Atlantic’s flight from London to Atlanta on 23 October, and will be live streamed in a world first. Visit flightdecks.virgin-atlantic. com for the chance join them
Tools Of The World’s Greatest Lionel Messi’s Champions League specials Check out… the boots made for the world’s greatest player to wear, in the world’s greatest competition. This pair of Messi inspired F50 boots represents every goal the little magician has scored in the Champions League. Grab them at jdsports.co.uk
Megatron Don American Football continues to make strides in London Check in… to Wembley Stadium twice more this autumn when the Atlanta Falcons face the Detroit Lions lead by Calvin ‘Megatron’ Johnson on 26 October and the Dallas Cowboys face the Jacksonville Jaguars on 9 November. For tickets nfl.com/international
RWD Check-Ins
Revolution For The Small Sided Game The Superfly gets all-surface makeover Check out…the Nike Elastico Superfly. When the Mercurial Superfly dropped in early 2014 it left the football world aghast and Nike have now released a version for the concrete, turf and artificial surface baller. Buy your pair from nike.com
Zombie Party Halloween madness in East London Check in…to the Zombie Apocalypse between 31 Oct - 7 Nov, where Backyard Cinema invites you to celebrate Halloween with a horror filminspired survival experience and End Of The World party. Grab your tickets from backyardcinema.co.uk
World Basketball Festival With team USA in town for the FIBA World Cup, we hit Nike’s World Basketball Festival in Barcelona to witness the World’s Baddest Pickup Game featuring the world’s best undiscovered ballers and a live performance from Common.
St. George’s Park Experiencing a day in the life of a professional footballer, we were up at the home of English football St. George’s Park working through on-pitch drills, gym-routines and hydrotherapy sessions. From the wages to the workouts, being a footballer is awesome.
Be Clear
Predator Instinct Challenge
Take your sounds around town
adidas wanted to put their Predator Instinct boots to the ultimate test, so of course they hired a few Halo-esque “Predators” to fire lasers at the feet of fans and players for the Predator Instinct Challenge. Check out the full video at rwdfootball.com.
Check out…. The new X-mini CLEAR developed by the r&d team at XMI with a custom 2.1 audio system with a front-firing subwoofer to deliver an impressive sound. The X-mini CEAR also stands out thanks to its clear back design, with an innovative mood lighting function. Get your X-mini CLEAR online at x-mini.com
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Great Scotts Smart style for your smart phone Check-out… the brand new Scotts Menswear app through which you can browse and buy some of the biggest brands including adidas Originals, Levi’s and New Balance. Featuring exclusive clothing, footwear and accessories, the app will serve as your style saviour! Download the Scotts Menswear app on your smartphone now
Demand Keeps Rising Supply and Demand begin another season with a sick new collection Check out… another sick collection from streetwear dons Supply and Demand. Since exploding into the streetwear scene in 2012, Supply and Demand have gone from strength to strength and with their new collection featuring new graphic designs and slogans on t-shirts, jackets, vests and shorts, the run shows no sign of coming to an end. Check out the full collection at jdsports.co.uk
New York Nostalgia
Boxtroll Fresh
New Kings Crowned
Experience Mos Def’s classic live
The Roshe Run of the Boxtrolls
Lord Of The Mics returns
Check out…Yasiin Bey aka Mos Def on tour for the 15th anniversary of his classic solo debut Black On Both Sides. Expect special guests as the Brooklyn native performs the full album live in Leeds, London and Bristol this November. Head to soundcrashmusic.com for tickets
Check out… These limited edition Nike Roshe Runs inspired by The Boxtrolls. To be sold through an online auction, proceeds go to Adoption Exchange Association, an organisation that connects children in foster care with families looking to adopt. More info at niketrollstrikes. theboxtrolls.com
Check out…Lord Of The Mics 6, the latest edition of Jammer’s legendary Grime battle series. The headline clash between P Money and Big H is already an infamous event, while footballers Yannick Bolasie and Bradley Wright-Phillips hold their own as MCs in an entertaining contest. Lord Of The Mics 6 is out now
NYTE-LYTE PACK
EXCLUSIVE AT
JDSPORTS.CO.UK JDSPORTS.CO.UK
CHECK-IN CHECK OUT / 12 One Last Step For Man? Christopher Nolan’s star-studded space epic has arrived Check-in‌to your nearest IMAX cinema and catch the new galactic blockbuster Interstellar exactly how it was intended. Director Christopher Nolan used IMAX cameras for his surefire sci-fi smash, just as he did for his billion-dollar Dark Knight visuals, so that we can see the true scale of the space travel and discovery told in the film, which he also helped to write and produce. Interstellar hits cinemas 7 November
NYTE-LYTE PACK
EXCLUSIVE AT
JDSPORTS.CO.UK JDSPORTS.CO.UK
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Sand Bug Slaughter
Hardest Sound
Action Breakfast
Monsters sequel arrives to screens
Skullcandy speaker is tough and loud
Well now, that looks tasty
Check out…Monsters: Dark Continent, the sequel to the 2010 British sci-fi thriller. A decade on from the first film, the sand bugs have spread to the Middle East, meaning a group of new recruits set off on a mission to rescue fellow soldiers from the region. Coming to cinemas in December
Check out…Skullcandy’s new Air Raid portable Bluetooth speaker. The super-durable silicone casing is useful protection against rain and sand, while the Bluetooth lets you connect to two speakers for maximum volume. The Air Raid is available from 15 October at uk.skullcandy.com
Check out…. Action Bronson’s awesome YouTube series F*** That’s Delicious, or as we know it, Well Now, That Looks Tasty. The Munchies show follows the exploits of the big boned, big bearded rapper as he travels the world in search of food. Watch the series on youtube. com/munchies
Bun That! And WE’RE obsessed with burgers?
BBK B2B Red Bull Culture Clash returns Check-in… at the Red Bull Culture Clash 2014, where Red Bull Music Academy has called in some of the biggest names in music on 30 October at London’s Earls Court. A$AP Mob, Stone Love and Rebel Sound, a group made up of Chase & Status, Shy FX and David Rodigan will be aiming to take down reigning champions Boy Better Know. Buy your tickets from cultureclash.redbull.co.uk
Check out… the way the Japanese look at burgers! Constantly looking to push the boundaries in every field possible, Burger King Japan has released what they are calling the “Kuro Burger” (Black Burger), with buns made from bamboo charcoal, an onion and garlic sauce made with squid ink, beef patties made with black pepper, and black cheese. It just goes to show that we are not trying hard enough when it comes to our current obsession with Burgers. Read more on this bizarre burger at io9.com
The Next Episode
SN1’s Joe Grind is an artist who, along with the rest of his team, has helped carve out the lane in UK rap for their honesty and realism. With the release of his newest EP Episode 3, Joe is ready to show the world the real him, whether they like it or not.
Filling These Filling Pieces drop hotly anticipated AW14 trainers Check out…Amsterdam footwear dons Filling Pieces and their winter trainer drop featuring original Liberty London fabrics. The low-top collection features a nubuck upper and a volcanized rubber sole. Check them out at fillingpieces.com
So Episode 3 is out now, what can you tell us about it? It’s where I was at the time, what I was going through at the time I wrote it down. It’s basically an episode in my life. So would you say you’ve made something for your fans who know you? You know what? I don’t make music for people to relate to, that’s the thing. You know when you were younger and your mum listened to Barry White and that and you’re like, “What is this about?” but then you hit 13 and you have your first love and it all makes sense? That’s how I feel my music is. What inspires you going into a project like Episode 3? I don’t really rely on inspiration. For example, I don’t actively go out of my way to listen to new music, I feel that if it’s right for me, the music will find me. I think that if you rely too much on being inspired by other people’s stuff, you might just catch it by accident and end up inadvertently recreating someone else’s stuff.
Promoting The Future
Halloween Havoc
Events mentoring for young talent
Whether it’s the ghosts or the rides, get scared this Halloween
Check out…Skiddle’s new 25 Under 25 initiative for young promoters and event managers. The ticket agency will be drawing up a shortlist of the next best event organisers, with the winning team receiving marketing and mentoring. Enter at skiddle.com
Check in…to the legendary Fright Nights at Thorpe Park in October for roller coasters in the dark, a new blood soaked movie studio horror maze and a terrifying on-park scare experience curated by American thrill author Michael Grant. Book now at thorpepark.com
If you could have a statue of yourself anywhere in the world, doing anything, where would it be and what would you be doing? It would be in my house and it would be me at my worst, whatever that may be. Something that can be used to show how I was at my worst, something that can motivate people and make them realise that you can only grow from here. @JoeGrindSN1’s Episode 3 is out now
Stratus Update
In The Clouds
Russell Athletic dig deep in the archives for new collection
Improve your iPhone gaming with a portable controller
Bring the weather with you
Check out… the original sportswear which dates back to 1902, Russell Athletic have gone back to their routes with high quality sweatshirts, t shirts and cotton twill campus jackets in range of dark muted colours. Check the range at russellathletic.co.uk
Check out… the Stratus Controller for your iOS device, which allows you to control classic Grand Theft Auto games via Bluetooth on your phone without the horribly unresponsive touch-screen ruining the experience. Get yours at amazon.co.uk
Check out… The Clouds capsule collection by THFKDLF featuring a longer length curved hem hoodie with double zips and inside hood print, long length sweatshirts, t shirts and accessories including socks and a holdall bag. Check out the full range at thfkdlf.com
Andres Reynaga
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Sportswear Icons
Who Do You Love? Show your appreciation for YG at Electric Ballroom
Lytes In ASICS release exclusive, winter-ready Gel Lyte III Check-out… the new ASICS Gel Lyte III NYTE-LYTE trainers that are going to dominate the streets this winter. Simple navy and black colourways are offset with 3M reflective detailing to make your Gel Lyte IIIs pop in low light. Get yours exclusively at jdsports.co.uk
Check-in…or should that be Beck-in to the Electric Ballroom on 2 December to see YG return to the UK for the first time since his debut album My Krazy Life shocked the world into loving the party-hard gang-banger earlier this year. Mr 4 Hunnid will be joined in London by long-time advocate DJ Semtex, so you know it’s going to be an epic night! Buy your tickets now at livenation.co.uk
#READYFORANYTHING / 18
#ReadyForAnything With their “bumpy house” style growing ever popular, production duo Tough Love are taking full advantage of the attention. Many would be exhausted by the effort needed to run a label and a radio show alongside their own music careers, but the ease with which the pair manage it shows that they are #ReadyForAnything. Joe Walker met up with Alex & Stef to talk expansion and remixing the biggest song in the world. Photography Verena Stefanie Grotto “We were working the circuit together as solo acts and eventually got into the studio together,” Stef tells of their birth as a team two years ago, having met in 2008. “We were pushing deep house before it had a big presence in the UK and that’s why the first few sessions were something we both really enjoyed, and we thought we should roll with it.”
“We were pushing deep house before it had a big presence in the UK and that’s why the first few sessions were something we really both enjoyed, and we thought we should roll with it.” Roll with it they did, and the core elements of Tough Love – “fun, energetic and loads of vocals” – were quickly established. Their first ever track was backed by German house giant Solomun, and support has continued to escalate for them since, with the likes of Annie Mac, Mistajam and Pete Tong among their UK fans. You can hear their favourite artists showcased on the duo’s weekly radio show on Kiss Fresh, which started in July and is a very different experience to seeing them live, as Stef explains: “Our sets are 99% our own music and edits, so it gives us the chance to play producers that we want to support and think are going to be big in future years.” As for Tough Love’s own material, they are in the studio at least four days a week and can always be found editing on the move. Their tireless work ethic means that many recent singles were actually from two years ago, with a mountain of songs to choose from when it comes time to put together their debut album. “I think a lot of people will be shocked to hear some of the material we have,” teases Stef. Among their latest work is a surprise remix of Meghan Trainor’s global smash All About That Bass, “We weren’t sure if it was right for us to begin with,” admits Alex. “We thought we could get something out of it though, and it’s just worked really well. We think it can be a single in its own right!” Success to match the scale of Meghan’s original would be nothing less than they deserve. @toughlovemusic are on Kiss Fresh every Sunday 10-11pm
Stormzy It’s been a minute since a grime MC demanded the attention Stormzy has had this summer. The South East London artist’s buzz was on a steady increase before he dropped the video for his street certified anthem Not That Deep in July, which caused the #wickedskengman to become the most talked about emerging artist in the scene. Influenced by grime king Skepta, as you’d imagine, “he has set the blueprint to follow,” Stormzy couples his tightly packed, heavy impact flows with infectious melodies inspired by his other favourite artist, Frank Ocean, “Frank is on a whole different level in terms of his song writing.” @Stormzy1
Just Kiddin
Tweet To Win! Duck And Cover’s directional take on trend-led menswear always keeps us one step ahead. RWD and Duck And Cover partner up to champion the hottest emerging talent and this month Tough Love, Stormzy and Just Kiddin are all #ReadyForAnything. We’re here to make sure your style is on point and the Duck and Cover Kempston jacket is perfect for the changing autumn weather. Get involved in this competition by heading to duckandcover.co.uk and telling us which is your favourite colour Kempston jacket via Twitter using #ReadyForAnything @RWDmag @duckandcover_
To understand why the world of electronic music has its fixed eyes on Kettering duo Just Kiddin, you only need to look at the co-signs they’ve had from peers Duke Dumont, Tensnake and Gorgon City, who are all well aware of the potential of the Eton Messy aligned group. With their new single Thinking About It already tearing through the islands and radio playlists that have embraced them so readily this summer, it was a placement as the opening track on The Magician’s infamous Magic Tape 41 which first brought the song to public attention, the Soundcloud favourites are set for a massive 2015. @wearejustkiddin
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About To Blow: Fuse ODG In his mid-20s, Ghanaian born Nana Richard Abiona has played a key role in soundtracking our last two summers with his undeniably catchy brand of afrobeats. Better known as Fuse ODG, the South London raised star has already made a mark with his uplifting and dance destroying form of afro-centric music, and he’s only just beginning. Rising to prominence last summer with his colossal anthem Antenna, Fuse ODG’s ascent matched the popularity and influence of afrobeats in the UK, but while the genre has struggled to create crossover stars on his level, the Ghanaian has gone from strength to strength, “I was just making afrobeats for people in general, I never really thought about the UK as the territory. I just want to make music for the world.”
“I find it amazing that afrobeats managed to bring our cultures together and to push the music!” Generally accepted as a part of the pop landscape in 2014, afrobeats had spent a huge chunk of its existence as an underground cult movement, but with his fusion of English culture and African sounds, Fuse was responsible for educating a whole new audience about the genre, but its growth is something he never would have imagined, “When I first started I didn’t think it would come this far, it was definitely a shock but I’m definitely grateful that afrobeats has come this far in the UK.” Opening the door for African and British afrobeats artists alike, Fuse is proud to be able to bridge that gap, ”I find it amazing that afrobeats managed to bring our cultures together and to push the music!” Already boasting chart-bothering hits Antenna, Dangerous Love, Million Pound Girl and Azonto, Fuse is making strides that would not have seemed feasible for any British urban artist just 12 months ago, “That was the mission but seeing it come to fruition is pretty shocking.” The perfect summer soundtrack, Fuse ODG’s infectious melodies and impossible to resist rhythms made him unavoidable all year, tearing festivals to pieces all over the continent, making fans wherever he’s been, “V Festival was amazing! It was a live band and I felt like the people who came experienced something they’ve never experienced before. We pretty much gave them the experience of Africa!” Fuse ODG’s new single T.I.N.A (featuring Angel) and debut album of the same name will be released via 3Beat on 19 October and 2 November respectively
They Call It Football To mark the NFL’s landmark three regular season visits to the UK this season, Nike have created a film comparing the pre-match work-outs by Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden and easily relatable to American audiences Tim Howard who was their hero of the World Cup this summer. While choosing a player who plays with his hands will serve as a polite nod to those who still don’t understand why the Americans call their sport “Football,” the clip does a great job of highlighting the intensity and focus of the athletes in both the Premier League and the NFL. Watch the film Suit Up For Sunday at rwdmag.com/nfl
League Elite?
At time of press, only Chelsea and Arsenal are undefeated in the Premier League, but face each other this coming weekend. Liverpool have recorded three defeats in their first six games, while Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Manchester United have all lost twice, with Manchester City losing just once, although it was at home to Stoke City. The season is well poised for the majority of Premier League clubs, but it’s looking like a campaign of massive contrast. The first game week of the Champions League season saw one win for an English club, Liverpool’s late and laboured 2-1 defeat of Ludogorets, while Arsenal and Manchester City lost in Germany and Chelsea drew at home to German opposition. In isolation, none of those results will tell us very much about the Premier League, but as a group, they paint a worrying picture for the overall competitiveness of our domestic game. It was important that the Premier League make statement signings this summer, and in Angel di Maria, Alexis Sanchez, Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas and Mario Balotelli, the top sides have done just that, but nowhere near the scale of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid’s summer business, with the cast-offs from those clubs making up the majority of our biggest summer imports. We know that the money is in England and we’re told that the best players want to play here, so why are we falling behind the pack? There’s no denying that the Premier League offers the most exciting package in world football, that’s been the case for more than a decade, but can we continue to justify the mass importing of so-called elite global players, at the cost of home grown talent, when England continue to fail on the international stage and English teams appear so far away from sustained European glory? This season will be one of the most entertaining in recent memory, but there are real questions to be asked about the Premier League and English football’s technical progress on the pitch and we predict they will become major talking points by the close of the 2014/15 campaign.
IN THIS ISSUE: Gibbs Gets The People Going
FIFA 15 Goes Under The Microscope
Kozzie Breaks Down His Footballing Firsts
RWD Football In Numbers The 2015/15 Barclays Premier League season is only a few months old, but it has already thrown up some memorable upsets and marquee moments. We’ve got a few stats to help you gauge the madness of this season so far.
Frank Lampard has now scored against 39 different Premier League sides following his equalising goal against Chelsea for new club Manchester City Victor Wanyama became the first Kenyan to score in the Premier League when he netted the winning goal for Southampton against Swansea City Manchester United’s 3-5 loss to Leicester City was the first time the club has thrown away a two-goal lead in 853 Premier League matches Robin Van Persie has now scored the most away goals for a non-English player in the history of the Premier League Leighton Baines has converted all 14 of his Premier League penalties giving him a 100% success rate from the spot Diego Costa became only the second player in the history of the Premier League to score in each of his first four games. The other being Micky Quinn With just seven points in their first five games, this has been Tottenham Hotspur’s worst star to the Premier League since 2003
Nathan Aké Talks Jose, Terry and More...
The #FilthyFellas Cause Trouble
This Is England Stars Do Scotts
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UNSUNG HERO
kIeran gibbs “When somebody like Arsene Wenger tells you something, with what he’s done in the game it speaks for itself.” Not far from his North London home, Kieran Gibbs arrives at the studio we’ve arranged for him with very little furor. Without a drip of pretension the Arsenal man greets everybody in the room individually before taking a look at the trainers he’ll be wearing for our photoshoot - white and red Air Max Lunar 1s. With a nod of approval he moves on to the new Nike Tech Pack, which is what he’s really here for. Thumbing through the Tech Fleece Crew, Trousers and Windrunner he’ll be wearing this afternoon, the FA Cup winner betrays his own shyness by playing the room with jokes and a steady focus that show he’s not as uncomfortable in front of the camera as he’d have us believe. With Arsenal tattoo adorned super-fan Poet in the room calling out the Champions League draw live as it happened, Kieran’s attention is understandably grabbed by the names Borussia Dortmund and Galatasaray who he acknowledges as tough away days for the Gunners. With photography out of the way, the 25 yearold left-back settles down in front of more cameras, this time our video team have lenses trained on the South London born twin, but any discomfort felt in the spotlight has long diminished as editor Tego Sigel begins. Photography JPH Styling Kyran Lowe Grooming Shreya A
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How have you enjoyed the modeling work you’ve done today? It’s been fun! I don’t really consider myself a model, but yeah, I enjoyed it, there have been some good people on set. I’ve seen a few shoots you’ve been involved with, you must be getting used to doing this by now… It doesn’t come naturally. Actually it does come naturally! I guess that’s what makes it easier. I’ve never been one for on camera stuff. Do you remember the point in your childhood when you really started to take football seriously? I’ve always taken football seriously. I’ve always enjoyed it since I can remember. I’ve had to make a lot of sacrifices, but I think when you enjoy something that much, [those sacrifices] don’t seem as big at the time. Looking back now though, all the things I missed out on, you remember all the things your friends have done that you weren’t able to do, but it’s just what you’re willing to do. And when did you first realise that you had a chance to really make career for yourself in the game? Well I joined Arsenal when I was 14. Liam Brady brought me in, so that was obviously a huge step for me, and a huge compliment. A great player like him telling me that he wants me to join Arsenal was a dream. After that, joining at 16 as a scholar and going full time was another huge step and I think towards that age you start to realise that you have a big chance. A year later I turned pro, so I would say at 16 is when you know that this is what you are going to do when you leave school.
“I’ve had to make a lot of sacrifices, but I think when you enjoy something that much, [those sacrifices] don’t seem as big at the time.” of just came naturally and you’re not really going to think about other things when a club like Arsenal is interested. Being a South Londoner joining a North London club, you will have joined up with a lot of the local boys; did you feel like an outsider? How long did it take you to settle into that? It actually took me a while. People who know London will know that South London is quite a bit different from North London. It took me a while. When I moved up here I always wanted to go back to South London. I always thought I was going to be a South London boy, but actually as time has gone on, and it feels weird to say it, but I know North London more than I know South London now. I know the people of South London will kill me if they see this and I don’t forget where I come from, but being up here for the last five or six years, it’s only natural. That’s a shame Kieran. It’s a commute, a really long commute but you should really commit to it… [laughs] I did actually, I commuted for a good two years but it took too much out of me.
There are some players who make it in the game who watch football and study it and genuinely obsess over it, but there are just as many who are only interested in the playing and obsess over getting a ball at their feet, which of those were you growing up? I’ve never been a big watcher of the game actually, although saying that, when I was a ball boy at Wimbledon I used to watch all the home games, but on telly I didn’t watch as much, I’ve always been an active person so I just wanted to play it rather than watch it
Having come through the ranks you would have grown up with a lot of talented players around you in same youth teams, how hard is it to stay focused on your career when you’re seeing friends leave for pastures new, but knowing that you were still in the position they really wanted to be in? To be fair, my age group have all made good careers and I still keep in contact with most of them and it’s good, we get on well. Nobody holds any grudges or anything like that; if anything they help me and tell me to keep going and stuff, so I’m quite lucky to have been involved with such a good group of players, so it’s actually not hard. They’re with me instead of against me.
You were in the youth ranks at Wimbledon when they were transitioning into MK Dons, what was it like being around the club at that time? I just took it in my stride really. When Wimbledon disbanded in that year, it just all fell into place nicely. The fact that I wasn’t able to get up to Milton Keynes because it was too far meant I was given the opportunity to play at Arsenal, so it kind
You’re at one of the most multi-cultural clubs in the world, what can you learn being around so many people from so many different backgrounds? It’s amazing. I was talking to somebody the other day and they were pretty annoyed that in the last four or five years I could have learnt about eight languages. Every person that I’ve met, whether they are Spanish, French or Japanese, you’re learning all the >>
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<< time, so what better way to get the experiences of people from all over the world than to be with them everyday, doing stuff you love? You’ve always credited Arsene Wenger with putting a lot of confidence in you and helping you to build as a player. What is it about him that makes young players feel so confident and so free to express themselves on the pitch? When somebody like Arsene Wenger tells you something, with what he’s done in the game it speaks for itself. He’s turned countless players into world-class icons and he’s done special things with the club, so he doesn’t really have to do a lot because of who he is and what he’s done and what he’s imposed on the game. He’s just got to tell you something and you’ll believe it and because of the things he’s done, when he tells you something good you have to accept it, take it naturally and it’s going to give you that confidence. I was speaking to Alex OxladeChamberlain a couple of months back, and he told me about his competitive nature, is that something you share? I kind of see [Alex] as my younger brother because he’s a few years younger than me, that’s actually hard to imagine now, I feel like I’m getting old when I look at what age he is, but yeah, he is certainly competitive, coming up against him in training as often as I do. It keeps us healthy and keeps us going. You’ve had a couple of injuries at really difficult points in your career, but you seemed to come back stronger every time. What did you learn from those times out of the game and how hard was it to stay focused in those periods? It’s tough! Especially when I was younger, it didn’t seem like it was part of the game. Before I broke my metatarsal when I was 19 I didn’t really know what injuries were and just after that it took a little while to get back in my stride and even still I’m learning
stuff about my body. I think the last two seasons I played over 70% of games, so that was big for me to make sure that I can do that. It’s in my head that I can play in the top league, so I’ve just got to keep focused on keeping myself in shape so I can handle the pressure of the league. There was a moment very early in your career in the 2008/09 season when you were playing against Manchester United in the Champions League and had a really difficult game, how did you recover from what must have been a massively disappointing evening at such a young age? Well, I think the fact that I had to play again three or four days later and then for the rest of the season helped. Obviously the more you play, the more you move on and get on with it, so that helped me a lot and obviously I had a lot of experienced players in the team at the time who helped me. I was quite young and they understood. That helped me a lot and I think I’ve moved on, that was a good few years ago. I think I’ve shown what I can do for the team, I’m just looking forward to helping the team do what we can do in the next few seasons. That all must have seemed worth it when you lifted the FA Cup earlier this summer, can you help us understand how you felt and what was going through your mind that day? Well it wasn’t good after 20 minutes that’s for sure! But we managed to silence a lot of critics in the end. The whole occasion of the FA Cup final was fantastic and to finally silence a lot of people and win the trophy was extra special. Now as a team we want to move on to bigger things. That and seeding the fans, both at Wembley and the next day at the parade when around 250,000 people came out to celebrate. That was pretty memorable. Kieran Gibbs wears Nike Tech Pack and Air Max Lunar 1 available from nike.com/sportswear
“I’m learning stuff about my body. I think the last two seasons I played over 70% of games, so that was big for me to make sure that I can do that”
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There Goes The Social Life
The gaming industry might not have us in pocket the way it has in years past, but there are still a few titles responsible for missed calls, ignored texts and lonely nights in for friends, girlfriends and relatives, and none more so than FIFA. But with a new game every year, how much has really changed in FIFA 15? Tego Sigel finds out.
The first time this latest generation of consoles has been thought about as a matter of priority in the development of a new FIFA title, FIFA 15 marks the dawning of a new era in gaming and while there are those who will dismiss the EA Sports update as a minor step forward those people are missing the point entirely. The commitment to realism from EA Sports that has pushed the FIFA franchise above and beyond its competition isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t new. While Pro Evolution Soccer was creating all-out arcade fun, EA Sports were developing a game that was intended to stand the test of time. While their rivals had no respect for position, for gravity or for the physical design and capability of the human body, FIFA has always pushed its console to be as close to the real thing as possible. While its sibling sports titles Madden, Tiger Woods and NHL created new fans for their
respective sports, through their games, FIFA’s commitment to that level of realism and quality has paid dividends over the last five years, clawing new fans from the sport and shoving new fans into a love of all-things Gary Neville through their consoles. Presentation Takes a Major Step Forward Presentation has always been a big part of FIFA and while the title has done a good job of standing out in a fairly uncompetitive field, when compared to its US rivals, it has consistently left something to be desired. Now with all 20 Premier League stadiums rendered in full, the match-day experience is more life-like and immersive than ever, while increasingly expansive commentary will no doubt have made for long afternoons in the studio for Alan Smith and Martin Tyler, their work was not in vein, as FIFA 15 moves its tone further away from the hackneyed clichés most would associate with football punditry. >>
“FIFA 15 moves its tone further away from the hackneyed clichés most would associate with football punditry”
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<< Goalkpeers are Turnt Up If you play FIFA long enough, you will work out how to score, it’s been the same since the game’s formative years on the Mega Drive, and a lot of that has been down to the predictability of goalkeepers, but that’s probably true of life. If I’m through oneon-one with the goalkeeper there’s very little chance that I’ll have the composure and technique to pick that perfect corner, but a professional player will have an infinitely better chance, and in FIFA 15 there’s a little bit more reliance on you making that right decision than getting away with a smash and grab. Goalkeepers shift their weight better, they get across the ground better and they’re generally more representative of their coaching than they have been in recent years. With saves coming from elbows, knees and shoulders there’s a lot more human realism to the way ‘keepers protect their nets than there has been in years gone by and it’s one of the subtle touches that lets us know that EA Sports are always interested in fine-tuning their product. Tactical Improvements But Under-Appreciated Game Modes There have been improvements in the way the ball travels, something that seems to get better with every release, and with this update surely helped by the more powerful consoles, there’s a little more explosion in games the later they go on, with new attacking and defensive mentalities including Park The Bus which make for sweeping waves of attack, repelled at Jose Mourinho’s whim, and some absolutely devastating counter-attacks. But we’re slightly concerned that the offline singleplayer modes are being neglected in favour of the more fiscally rewarding Ultimate Team mode. FIFA has had an eye on Football Manager’s tactical stranglehold on the sophisticated stat obsessed fan for years and with all this new technology, increased scouting network and almost unparalleled credibility, it feels as if Manager Mode and Be a Pro should be more integral parts of the FIFA 15 experience. Ultimate Team Reigns Supreme The devotion to further enhancing Ultimate Team’s position as football’s most dominant online multiplayer environment means that this season sees the introduction of a loan program that allows players to try out the high-end players to make sure they’re worth all that investment, which they invariably prove to be. A small change, but it’s already extended the casual player’s interest in Ultimate Team. The Verdict There’s always a fear that developers of serialised games are constantly holding back. That the majority of enhancements being peddled in press releases and TV adverts are nothing more than rearranged furniture and that to change too much would be too great of a risk to their all-important market share. With FIFA though, it becomes increasingly difficult with each release to put a finger on what genuinely needs to change and it becomes the responsibility of EA Sports to take a lead on things like goalkeeper mechanics and passing AI to make sure the title is moving forward.
FIFA 15 is definitely a step forward in the series, pulling the title miles clear of its slim competition, but the move away from developed single-player gaming in favour of the better monetised online functions is something we’re not crazy about. The Good: • Massive improvement in presentation • Goalkeepers present a whole new challenge to previous releases • Ultimate Team continues to improve • New in-game tactical options very welcome The Bad: • Single-player modes are being neglected as online servers continue to struggle to run at full capacity • Still a way away from truly challenging the scouting credibility of Football Manager FIFA 15 is available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC now
“Presentation has always been a big part of FIFA and while the title has done a good job of standing out in a fairly uncompetitive field, when compared to its US rivals, it has consistently left something to be desired”
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KOZZIE
South East London spitter Kozzie is best known for the memorable one-liners and hooks that have helped him carve out some of the grime’s biggest anthems of recent years like Spartan Remix and Yeah I’m Grime. On his most recent single When I’m Doing It Kozz the Kid shines a light on his love of the beautiful game, having played football at a high level for most of his life. With knowledge, experience and ability all going for him on the pitch and in the booth, Ben Fawcett caught up with the young grime star as he filmed a new boot test series for JD Football to discuss a few of his fondest football memories… Photography Adrian Nettleship
My First Live Game… was a Millwall game because that’s my local team, I can’t specifically remember who it was against because it was about 10 years ago, but since then, I try and go to Millwall every week, because they are my local team and I feel you’ve got to support your local team. I’m an Arsenal fan, but Millwall was the first game I went to so they will always be my team. My First Hero… was Ian Wright. He’s local and I know all of his sons, but not only that, the way he came through was amazing to me. He proved that you could make it at any age. For him to go from the upbringing he had and the things that were against him to being a Premier League player is so inspiring. I don’t think people actually realise just how far Ian Wright came. His story definitely won’t be replicated, it just couldn’t happen in the modern game, plus he was just too sick. My first Heartbreak… was Gareth Southgate’s penalty at Euro ’96. I remember it clearly even though I was mad young, I must have been five. I was watching it kind of gassed and I remember I wasn’t angry or anything and it didn’t greatly affect me at that exact moment, but I remember thinking, “You’ve got to hit the target,” and then after I saw it I was just sure that I could have hit the back of the net. For me, penalties aren’t hard. It’s like they say, “There’s no such thing as a good penalty save, just a bad penalty.” So yeah, that was the first time I was hurt by the game. My First Moment of Joy… was David Beckham’s free kick against Greece man,
“No other player in the world could have instilled that kind of confidence in a free kick, [David Beckham’s] right-foot was deadly” last moment of the game, that equalising goal that got us qualification. It was nuts! It was one of those moments where, once I saw him put the ball down to take the free-kick in my mind I was like, “This is going in!” I can’t explain why, it’s just because it was him. No other player in the world could have instilled that kind of confidence in a free kick, his right-foot was deadly. I remember when it went in I just started jumping around. My First Big Loss… was when Millwall lost 2-0 to Wigan in the FA Cup Final at Wembley in 2013. I went to the game and there was an amazing atmosphere. Millwall started well but just couldn’t get a foothold and find the win. I remember there was a lot of beef before the game between Millwall and Wigan fans and it was really intense. My First Big Arsenal Game… was when I went to Arsenal Vs Tottenham in 2012 and Arsenal pulled off the famous 5-2 win over Spurs after going 2-0 down. The crowd was amazing throughout the game and the hype from both teams was amazing. I will never forget that day as an Arsenal fan. The comeback was sick! Follow @OfficialKozzie
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Meet
Nathan Aké A versatile defensive player who has appeared as a centre-back, holding midfielder and full-back in his two years as a Chelsea player, Dutch Under-21 international Nathan Aké is being groomed as a future international and is very much in the mind of Jose Mourinho who started the former Feyenoord prospect in the club’s League Cup third round clash against Bolton Wanderers alongside full internationals and first team regulars such as Oscar, Andre Schurrle and Gary Cahill. Speaking to Ben Fawcett after losing a FIFA 15 challenge at Chelsea’s Cobham Training Centre, Aké talked FIFA, Jose, breaking into the first team and more…
On FIFA 15… I’ve been playing FIFA for about seven years and I play it a lot. FIFA 15 is much better, there a few little things that make it more realistic. The turns and the passing, also the little things like the celebrations and the stadiums as well as the players looking really realistic, I like it. Andre Schurrle and myself just lost to Loic Remy and César Azpilicueta over three games in the EA Sports FIFA 15 Challenge. We won the first game 2-0, then in the second game we lost on penalties and the third game we lost 2-1. I think Andre Schurrle was the best. We both played well, but they had only two chances and scored both. The players in the game who performed best for Chelsea were Diego Costa who scored two in the second game, and Cesc Fabregas scored two as well. On whether breaking into Chelsea’s midfield is daunting… I don’t think [it’s daunting]. I think it’s good for the club and you learn in training from those kinds of players. You watch them every game and you try to take things on board from what they are doing and you learn from them as long as you keep fighting and taking your chances, plus I’m young so I have time on my side. I’ve been in the first team fold now for two and a half years or something like that and even when I was playing in the youth system, everybody was giving me confidence and it’s like a big family. When I first came in I felt comfortable.
“If Jose plays you...it shows he trusts you and you try to repay that confidence and that’s why we give everything on the pitch.” On Jose Mourinho… If Jose plays you - you straight away get confidence and even in pre-season, if he plays you it shows he trusts you and you try to repay that confidence and that’s why we give everything on the pitch. He motivates us. On the players who have helped him settle at Chelsea… Everyone! Nobody specific. Sometimes John Terry talks, sometimes it’s Nemanja Matic. Everyone talks to you and tries to help. Paulo Ferreira was great and he helped me. They constantly tell you once you get your first team call, they say, “Keep doing your thing,” and “Don’t let it get to you,” and it really helps. [All of the new players] clicked as soon as they got here. They were comfortable, everyone is nice to each other and that’s what Chelsea is. When you come in you immediately feel like part of the family, I know I did when I first came here. I felt like part of the team and I know the new guys did too. Nathan Aké was speaking at the launch of EA Sports FIFA 15 available now Xbox One and PlayStation 4
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POET AND LEON KNIGHT Arsenal are represented on the show by Copa90 host Poet and his Facetime friend, former Chelsea, Brighton & Hove Albion and Swansea City striker Leon Knight, who serves as the show’s digital trouble-maker, calling out fans, co-stars, coaches and former teammates as a matter of course. It comes to something when the always-charged Poet serves as the calmer of the duo, but with the pair adept at killer oneliners and armed with an undying passion for their team, they make for a powerful union. Who do you guys represent? Leon: Arsenal man, come on. So how long have you guys been Arsenal fans? Poet: I’ve been an Arsenal fan my whole life, but I started taking it seriously in like 1996. Leon: Yeah, I’ve been doing this since I was about six. Of all the teams represented on #FilthyFellas, who do you hate the most? Leon: Tottenham, standard! Poet: Yeah I hate Tottenham! Everything about them, the area’s disgusting, the fans aren’t even from the area, but they wanna try support it and their fans are idiots. Just everything really! But I hate Manchester United!
MEET THE
#FILTHYFELLAS With the start of the new season came the start of a new, no holds barred, all out attack, banter based YouTube show called #FilthyFellas. Born from a Whatsapp group and growing into a weekly phenomenon, the program which you can catch on rwdfootball.com every Monday, has entrenched its stars in tribal loyalty and left us all in stitches. On set for #FilthyFellas episode eight, Ben Fawcett grabbed as many words as he could with the raucous crew before they all started shouting over each other. Photography Sam Bond
Which of the #FilthyFellas, winds you up the most? Leon: Mitch! I’ll punch off his face you know! He’s always talking slick and his team is sh*t! Poet: Yeah, I kind of agree man, if I could get to anyone it would be Mitch. Then I would pay for his haircut, because that quaff thing! He’s starting to look like Big Ben out here. It needs to chill out. Leon: He needs to trim that little piece, still. Poet: His quiff looks like it says more than Ross. Where do you guys think Arsenal will finish this season? Poet: Second or third I reckon. Leon: I reckon we’ll be in fourth again We aren’t winning enough games. Poet: So who’s third? Leon: Hmmm, yeah for real, I’ll say third. Follow @PoetsCornerUK and @LeonKnight_5
CRAIG MITCH AND ROSS BERRY Whether or not they’re worthy of being involved with #FilthyFellas is a topic of great debate on Twitter and in the YouTube comment section, but Craig Mitch and Ross Berry are resilient and representing Tottenham Hotspur they’d have to be. While Mitch makes enemies with each passing week [he’s not welcome in Liverpool by all accounts], his more reserved and respectful “partner” Ross keeps the banter balance in check. Of all the teams represented on #FilthyFellas, who do you hate the most? Craig: Arsenal! Ross: They think they are title contenders but they’re not. They are delusional. Craig: They’re living in the past! They
don’t want to move forward, they still think they’re successful, they talk too much and want to give everyone the banter, they stink! Ross: Oh, and there’s that guy at The Emirates who wears the captain’s armband in his full kit. Craig: He’d probably still be a better captain than Mikel Arteta! Which of the #FilthyFellas winds you up the most? Craig: I hate B.O.A.T’s haircut the most. Ross: None of them are threats is the problem there. Craig: Leon Knight’s the obvious one. He just came out of nowhere. Where will Tottenham finish this season? Ross: Fifth or sixth. Craig: I’m gonna go for fifth realistically. It’s our manager’s first season, there’s no shame in saying fifth. Follow @CraigxMitch and @RBTweets1882
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B.O.A.T AND SKRIBZ Having experienced their worst season as Manchester United fans last time around, both B.O.A.T (Boy of all Talents) and Skribz, big’d up their chests, raised their chins and stepped into the #FilthyFellas arena to back the corner for the most successful team in Premier League history. With what they would consider a humble yet confident approach to the banter, the two have had to endure a torturous start to the season but the heavily meme’d duo have held strong. Of all the teams represented on #FilthyFellas, who do you hate the most? B.O.A.T: Oh, it’s got to be Arsenal! Skribz: They’re deluded! B.O.A.T: Their fans are the dumbest in
the entire world, they win a game and they celebrate like they won the league or something. Which of #FilthyFellas winds you up the most? B.O.A.T: It’s Poet. His annoying voice! Those stupid plaits! Skribz: And that dumb dashiki! B.O.A.T: Definitely Poet, he’s too excited when Arsenal win one match! I’m going to Arsenal Vs United and if we win that game, I don’t think Poet should turn up! Skribz: Leon won’t turn up anyway, he stays living in a Samsung. Stop moving like it’s Babestation out here Leon, put on some clothes! Where will Manchester United finish this season? Skribz: Top four! B.O.A.T: Yeah, I’ll say third! Follow @BOYOFALLTALENTS and @OfficialSkribz
DAVID VUJANIC Defending the corner for last season’s Premier League runners-up, DJ and producer DJ Snips and YouTube sensation and all around funny man David Vujanic are Liverpool’s #FilthyFellas. Both Snips and Vujanic have acid tongues and after years of defending Liverpool, the duo are quite adept at holding their own. Snips wasn’t available to join us for episode eight - it gets like that - but Vujanic was more than willing to rep the set. How long have you been a Liverpool fan? Vujanic: Since I arrived illegally to the UK back in 1997. Of all the teams represented on #FilthyFellas, who do you hate the most? Vujanic: I hate them all equally! I think they’re all pr*cks! It’s a tough one because I really do detest all teams.
I’d have to say Arsenal right now; I really want to beat them away from home. Arsenal fans are very delusional They’re like a bi-polar Charlie Sheen on heroin and crack, it’s “Wenger in!” Then, “Wenger Out!” They don’t know what they want anymore! And which of the #FilthyFellas, winds you up the most? Vujanic: Probably Mitch! I mean everybody wants to punch Mitch! He supports Tottenham and he has an opinion. He shouldn’t have an opinion. He should be silenced. If this was North Korea, Mitch would be dead, but luckily it’s not. Where will Liverpool finish this season? Vujanic: We’re going to win the Champions League and finish eighth. Follow @TheVujanic Watch #FilthyFellas on rwdfootball.com Mondays, All Season.
/ 44 Andrew Shim wears Ellesse track top £55 exclusive adidas Stan Smith trainers £62 Thomas Turgoose wears Aquascutum Harrington £249 Aquascutum polo £50 exclusive One True Saxon jeans £65 exclusive adidas Gazelle OG trainers £65
For
England RWD’s Ben Fawcett caught-up with the two stand-out stars of the 2006 cult classic This Is England, Andrew Shim, or Milky and Thomas Turgoose, who played Shaun the film’s hero, at AFC Wimbledon’s Cherry Red Records Stadium where the duo were modelling the new range from menswear retailer Scotts. Photography Andres Reynaga Styling Kyran Lowe
Thomas Turgoose wears Fred Perry polo £59 exclusive
With the sun blazing down on AFC Wimbledon’s South London stadium, Andrew Shim and Thomas Turgoose showcased a few looks from the current Scotts range which pay homage to the golden age of terrace culture, “I love the 80s nostalgic feel and I love the fact that it’s coming back in.” Andrew told us, “I enjoyed putting the Fila stuff on because that’s all I remember my uncles wearing.” Thomas also found a real affinity with the new range as he modeled some classic Fred Perry pieces, “I love Fred Perry. Ever since we did This Is England and I saw all the girls in their Fred Perry, it’s just gorgeous. I have probably 20 or 30 Fred Perry shirts.” Turgoose and Shim were both revelations on screen, with legendary director Shane Meadows drawing iconic performances from his relatively untried cast and the two remain humbled by their paths into acting, ”I wasn’t an actor when Shane found me. I had never acted before and hated it actually, I was forced into it by my Grandma.” Andrew Shim’s on screen persona Milky left a huge mark on British cinema for his iconic scene with Stephen Graham, in which Stephen’s character Combo mercilessly assaulted Shim as a result of some expertly rendered racial tension, but since then, Andrew has pursued a career in MMA, which
Andrew Shim wears Fila track top £55 exclusive Fila polo shirt £35 exclusive Fila bucket £20 exclusive Thomas Turgoose wears Fred Perry track top £65 exclusive Levis 501 straight jean £75
Andrew Shim wears Farah vintage polo £39 Thomas Turgoose wears Levis denim shirt £70 Farah vintage trench coat £110
is to his own admission, fairly ironic, “It’s funny because it’s such an iconic scene and it is quite ironic that in the film I got beaten so badly and now I fight for fun.” Thomas Turgoose’s acclaim for his performance in the role of Shaun in Meadow’s picture is often used as an aspirational story for young actors considering a career in the field, but the humble Grimsby Town fan sees it a different way, “When I’m asked by schools to give talks to the kids I’m like, ‘What do you want me to say? Chuck a chair at a teacher, get excluded and a director is gonna
come knocking?’ It doesn’t ever happen like that!” Thomas has also used his time since breaking into film to embrace his passion and that passion is football, taking his coaching badges and playing for fun, “I love playing footy. I’ve never been good enough to go professional, but I do really enjoy playing football. Me and my mates can go to the park and play footy for a good eight hours straight.” All product items are available online at scottsmenswear.com or via scotts stores across the UK, keep upto date on all the latest releases by following @scottsmenswear on twitter and Instagram and @scottsofficial on facebook
STYLE WEST WAY
Above: Cormac wears Weekend Offender jacket weekendoffender.co.uk Nottingham Forest football shirt adidas.co.uk Luke tracksuit bottoms luke1977.com Sam wears Nike jacket nike.com Chelsea football shirt jdsports.co.uk Supply and Demand tracksuit bottoms jdsports.co.uk
Photography Gavin Watson Ollie Grove Stylist Violetta Kassapi Grooming Lucinda Worth Models Sam Walker Select Models Sam and Cormac Bookings models
above Cormac wears Duck and Cover camo jacket duckandcover.com West Ham football shirt adidas.co.uk Duck and Cover jeans duckandcover.co.uk
Cormac wears Duck and Cover camo jacket duckandcover.com West Ham football shirt adidas.co.uk Duck and Cover jeans duckandcover.co.uk Filling pieces trainers fillingpieces.com Sam wears Ebbets Field ‘Grays’ jacket ebbets.com Fulham football shirt shop.fulhamfc.com Duck and Cover jeans duckandcover.co.uk Gourmet trainers gourmetfootwear.com Sam wears Scott’s saxson green jacket scottsmenswear.com Liverpool football shirt jdsports.co.uk Duck and Cover jeans duckandcover.co.uk Gourmet trainers gourmetfootwear.com
Opposite: above Sam wears Whyme London safari bucket hat whymelondon.com Weekend Offender Jacket jacket weekendoffender.com Middlesbrough football shirt adidas.co.uk Luke tracksuit bottoms luke1977.com Palladium boots palladiumboots.co.uk
Above: Sam wears Fred Perry sweatshirt fredperry.com Manchester City shirt jdsports.co.uk Luke denim jeans luke1977.com
Above: Sam wears Manchester United shirt jdsports.co.uk Luke denim jeans luke1977.com
Above: Sam wears Arsenal football full kit jdsports.co.uk Whyme London towel whymelondon.com Adidas predator accelerator adidas.co.uk Nike Tiempo jdsports.co.uk
Opposite: Sam wears Fred Perry sweatshirt scottsmenswear.com Manchester City football shirt jdsports.co.uk Luke denim jeans luke1977.com
Cormac wears Duck and Cover camo jacket duckandcover.com Nottinggham Forest shirt adidas.co.uk Duck and Cover jeans duckandcover.co.uk New Balance trainers jdsports.co.uk
Sam wears Nike jacket nike.com Chelsea football shirt jdsports.co.uk Supply and Demand track bottoms jdsports.co.uk Gourmet trainers gourmetfootwear.com
Sam wears Whyme London safari bucket hat whymelondon.com Weekend Offender jacket weekendoffender.com Middlesbrough football shirt adidas.co.uk Luke tracksuit bottoms luke1977.com Palladium boots palladiumboots.co.uk
Above: Sam wears Ebbets Field grays jacket ebbets.com Fulham football shirt adidas.co.uk Duck and Cover jeans duckandcover.co.uk
THE NORTH FACE / 56
NORTH WEST Conceived as a brand for climbing and hiking in San Francisco in the late 1960s, The North Face grew to become one of the most respected brands in the field, pioneering in style and function. The winter-ready jackets created by TNF found favour in East Coast American street style during the 1990s, with the iconic, high performance coats remaining staples in hip hop culture in the years since. With a new collection, including exclusive pieces, launching through JD, this winter is all about The North Face. The North Face is available now from jdsports.co.uk
Quest Jacket - £95
Photography Jon Attenborough Styling Sophie Robinson
Nanavik Parka - £280
above left: La Paz - £180 above right: La Paz Hood - £180 left: Venture Hood - £110
above: La Paz Hood - £180 left: Drew Peak Hoody - £60 and Khotan Jacket - £120 (Exclusive)
above: Khotan Jacket - £120 (Exclusive) right: Nuptse 2 Vest - £130
FOOTWEAR SPECIAL / 58
WET & WILD Concept Dacre Bracey Photography Vincent Brown Styling Kyran Lowe Footwear saved by Crepe Protect Filling Pieces red suede Wrinkled Leather oki-ni.com
Puma Trinomic XS850 Plus uk.puma.com
Reebok Classics reebok.co.uk
Base London Marauder suede baselondon.co.uk
Timberland red chinos timberlandonline.co.ukÂ
FOOTWEAR SPECIAL / 60 Cat Colorado boots catfootwear.com
Levi’s black jeans levi.com
Nike Air Safari Grey scottsmenswear.com
MCU jeans mastercraftunion.com
K-Swiss Alvary Lth kswiss.co.uk
Nike Air Hurrache jdsports.co.uk
MA.Strum Green chinos mastrum.com
FOOTWEAR SPECIAL / 62 Lacoste Missouri shop-uk.lacoste.com
Asics Gel Lyte V asics.co.uk
MCU jeans mastercraftunion.com
New Balance 373 jdsports.co.uk
MA.Strum green chinos mastrum.com
Timberland 6 inch timberlandonline.co.uk
Leviâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s jeans levi.com
Jordan III Wolf Grey jdsports.co.uk Supply & Demand shorts jdsports.co.uk
NBA socks urbanoutfitters.com
Nike Air Raid nike.com
Saucony Grid 9000 saucony.co.uk
Neuw jeans neuwdenim.co
Palladium Pampa Hi Cuff palladiumboots.co.uk
Evisu jeans Evisu.com
Gourmet 35 Lite Lxe gourmetfootwear.com
Penfield camo chinos penfield.com
adidas Stan Smiths scottsmenswear.com
Penfield khaki chinos penfield.com
Luke flyer luke1977.com
adidas ZX Flux Weave Textile adidas.com
ED SHEERAN / 66
FROM X TO NEXT June 2011 saw Ed Sheeran grace the cover of RWD for the first time, and since then we’ve been lucky enough to witness and absorb a reflected glory in his rise to total world domination. Now on his second album and with the world of pop tracing the 23 year-old’s every move, we caught up with the loveable rogue to talk about taking an Uber Cab to Compton, partying with Madonna and becoming an international celebrity, all while remaining the same old Ed. Concept Dacre Bracey Photography Andres Reynaga Styling Kyran Lowe Grooming Shreya A
You’ve always been known for making celeb friends off of your own back, Jamie Foxx being the most notable. How close are you guys these days? I ran into him the other day actually. I saw him at the Grammys, his daughter ran up to me and said, ‘Yo! My dad’s here!’ and I was like ‘Yeah!?’ Then at the Oscars I ran into him at Madonna’s party. Do you ever catch yourself thinking, ‘Holy sh*t! How am I here?’ Madonna’s was one of those times, yeah! I was the only person in the room that I didn’t recognise. What happens at a Madonna party? It’s just great! I got very drunk [pauses], I’m gonna drop a lot of names just because I have to for the sake of the story. I remember being close to headspin paralytic, sitting on a sofa and Pink sitting next to me and me just turning and seeing Pink, not really clocking it was her and then clocking and saying, ‘I really like your music!’ and she’s just there like ‘Uh-huh, yep, mmm,’ and I’m just like ‘You see Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, they had their time in the big time, but you’ve always had your big time,’ and she’s just like ‘Yep, uh-huh,’ just being in that situation. Oh, I also had a long chat with Gabourey Sidibe, she was cool, so I was just sat on a step with her just being really drunk
and smoking a cigarette and I think I kept calling her Precious. It wasn’t ideal. I had along chat with Chiwetel Ejiofor too, and it turned out he went to my dad’s school! How did you meet The Game? How did that happen? He rang me up… actually, no, first I @ him on Twitter saying, ‘I like the Game’s new album,’ and he Tweeted me back saying, ‘We broke the tour bus speakers playing +!’ Which I found very odd. You can imagine The Game and all his boys listening to a Bone Thugs-N-Harmony CD, then going, ‘Yo, let’s listen to this dude!’ So we exchanged numbers and he rang me up. He was like, ‘Yo, my friends are big fans, can you speak to them?’ and I did and then I was like, ‘I’m gonna be in LA next week, you wanna hook up? He was like, ‘Sure’ and so, yeah, I went down to Compton. I was with him and his boys so I was all right. I went down on my own. Actually on your own? Yeah, I got the wrong entrance to the studio so I was stood at the back for a while, on my own with my backpack. Then I rang him up and he was like ‘Wrong door! Wrong door!’ Wow, did you drive there? I got an Uber cab. >>
“My brother has no clue about the pop world, he doesn’t like pop music, he doesn’t get it, but it doesn’t mean I don’t get on with him.”
ED SHEERAN / 68
<< That’s amazing; you got a cab to Compton, got the wrong door and waited outside? He told Tim Westwood that I cycled there, though. It’s odd because Westwood has always been quite open about not liking me and I watched his interview with The Game the other day and he didn’t say anything. He just said, ‘Yeah man, that’s dope!’ But you see him interviewing other people and he’s like, ‘I don’t rate that guy!’ Or however he talks. You’ve been killing your critics with kindness on Twitter recently, an NME journalist in particular… I’m not an angry person and also Peter Robinson has a job to do and his job is to be a critic, which is him being critical of other people’s music, and to be honest, he Tweeted an all right thing. He said, ‘I wish Ed Sheeran’s music was better, because he’s such a good person and it would be nice to like his music.’ That’s quite a nice thing to say, you know? I mean, obviously people like the music, it sold quite a lot of copies and he’s just someone who doesn’t like it. The only thing I have a problem with is when people pick holes in me as a person. I’ve got friends who don’t like my music, but they’re still my friends. So you have friends who will take the piss out of you? No. They’re not mean with it. They’re just into different things. My friends are into house music and proper like acid jazz, weird sh*t, so I don’t expect them to be into my music. My brother has no clue about the pop world, he doesn’t like pop music, he doesn’t get it, but it doesn’t mean I don’t get on
with him. I make music for me, my fan base likes it, I don’t expect everybody to like it, but I would like the benefit of the doubt. So over the years, has being attacked for your personality or the way you look been tough? No! Well, yeah, kind of. It’s something that I misinterpreted at the beginning with press. I assumed that every attack on my music was an attack on my personality, but actually the only platform to ever do that was the NME, everyone else has been pretty cool. Do you still see Giggs? Yeah, I see Giggs because we worked together and I always see people I work with on a professional level, I see Giggs on a personal level now too. He’ll come and hang out with me and my friends or my family and I’ll go hang out with him and his kids. He’s a very, very down to earth and cool guy and I just really get on with him. Does he get on well with your family and stuff? Yeah, everybody loves him! He’s one of my favourite people. I feel people have this misconception about him because of his past, but he’s such a good, family orientated guy. He loves music and his last album was great. Who’s left for you to work with? I’m gonna let this album open its own doors. I feel like if you say somebody like Jay Z it’s just impossible, until he actually rings you up so… Ed Sheeran’s second album X is available now and his X tour hits the UK across the whole of October
“[Giggs will] come and hang out with me and my friends or my family and I’ll go hang out with him and his kids.”
RITA ORA / 70
RITA’S WORLD “For me, streetwear is what I grew up knowing and wearing.” Since signing to Roc Nation in December of 2009, Rita Ora has had success across the creative board, with her achievements in the music industry resulting in four UK number one singles, while her budding acting career has seen her land a lead role in the forthcoming Fifty Shades of Grey movie and at 23 years-old West London born Rita has established herself as a legitimate household name. Along with her huge success in the charts, Rita has built a colossal fan base of loyal supporters known as the Ritabots who are passionate about their Kosovan born hero not only for her music but also her style. Now partnering with adidas Originals on a collection of womenswear, Rita is extending her CV once again as the entrepreneurial star aims to make her mark in fashion. Interview Ben Fawcett
RITA ORA / 72
From her early days of guest features on Craig David’s Awkward to her video appearances in Jay Z’s Young Forever and Drake’s Over, Rita has always been recognised for her unique and stunning look as well as her distinctive singing voice, “My voice is very soulful and quite rough and husky.” Ora has gone on to release huge number one hit singles RIP with Tinie Tempah, How We Do and most recently I Will Never Let You Down, but with her new album due for release later this year, Rita has told fans to expect something new from the star, “I’m just going to sing songs that are quite hip hop influenced and soul influenced, mixed in with some UK references and beats, as it’s what I grew up on.” With seemingly free reign of the hottest producers and artists to work with, Rita has called in some of the biggest names in the business with production coming from hit machine DJ Mustard, while pioneer Prince is among the guests.
me streetwear is what I grew up knowing and wearing.” From the red carpets of prestigious award ceremonies to the candid images on her Instagram account, Rita is known for her urban iconography, especially her kicks, “I love trainers so much, I have a massive collection, so collaborating with a brand that makes so many of my favourites makes me happy!” Invited to be a part of adidas history with the likes of Run DMC, Kanye West and Pharrell Williams, Rita is set to release five different capsule collections with adidas Originals this year, each capturing a different element of Ms Ora’s persona, titled Black, Pastel, Colorblock, Spray and Roses, with the ranges featuring a wide collection of styles, from leather jackets to rain coats, trainers, hoodies and more.
With her loyal RitaBots ready to march en masse for their blonde haired bombshell, Rita Ora has amassed an army of steadfast followers, “They are my inspiration, their joy, passion and happiness is so inspiring to me I only concentrate on the positivity that they bring me.” With such a connection to such a huge following, Rita has become a style icon and consistently influences her fans with a unique approach to high-end fashion, “I feel really honoured to be able to wear what I like and be who I am so if that influences anyone it’s the cherry on the cake!” Now working with one of the most powerful and influential brands on the planet, Rita Ora has the means and the method to make a huge splash when her hotly anticipated collaborations drop later this year.
Raised in West London, Rita Ora has always had a strong connection to the city and it carries with her like a badge of pride, “I find inspiration from the people around me, my friends and music and my home town of London.” Most notably it’s Rita’s approach to fashion that truly highlights her metropolitan upbringing. From hoodies and tracksuits to trainers and hats, Rita never strays too far from her quintessentially London upbringing, “I grew up working in a trainer shop so for me streetwear is what I grew up knowing and wearing.” Through exclusive fashion and style collaborations with huge brands such as Roberto Cavali, Rimmel and DKNY, Rita has established herself as a tastemaker in the world of high-end fashion and with her newest collaboration with adidas, she has the chance to truly make her stamp on the world of fashion she grew up in and embraced. Check out the Rita Ora x adidas Originals Black, Pastel, Colourblock, Spray and Roses collection at jdsports.co.uk
With new partners adidas Originals on side, Rita’s ready to begin the next phase of her unstoppable career path, “adidas to me has always been such a fearless and original brand, much like me, so it was such a natural fit.” Rita has always been synonymous with streetwear, “For
“I find inspiration from the people around me, my friends and music and my home town of London.”
INDIGO CHILD / 74
INDIGO CHILD
Atlanta often brings to mind strip club culture and the crunk and trap music that thrived from it, but over the past six months we’ve been seeing a shift. The Dungeon Family eccentricity of André 3000, Big Boi and CeeLo Green is beginning to prevail once again. Combined with the aforementioned elements, this has the city arguably at its most creative, with a scene that unites a diversity of styles and backgrounds celebrating their differences rather than imitating and competing with one another. Words by Grant Brydon
Enter Raury, one of the city’s brightest new talents; an 18-year-old genre-bending artist who refuses to be put in a box. First causing a stir when he released the Internet sensation God’s Whisper and the accompanying visual. With his wide-brimmed straw hat, sandals and a vocal style that switches between singing, rapping and chanting; Raury is instantly different to anything that has come before him. Whereas many artists focus on their preferred medium, Raury’s main concern is music as a whole, he is ready to rap, sing, play guitar and whatever else he has in his arsenal suitable for painting the particular mood or situation he has in his head. The hype for Raury spawned from a killer first single. God’s Whisper was the perfect pre-cursor to what was to come on his debut full-length Indigo Child. “It’s a project of frustration, coming from the perspective of the underdog, it’s a project written out of anger and the intent of rebellion. So the song that sums it all up, and sets the tone for the whole
project is God’s Whisper. It was like a no-brainer, this is going to be the song that comes out first and will make the greatest impression; at the moment that song was made we were going to go with that one.” While fans weren’t required to part with their cash for Indigo Child upon its release, Raury wanted them to earn it. “I wanted there to be some sense of gratitude when they got it,” he explains. “You don’t necessarily have to charge people money in order to make people actually earn something and appreciate what they got. Some people just put it out for free and that’s it. I thought it would be awesome to have a game.” The online game requires fans to guide a stick man on a skateboard through a simple obstacle course while God’s Whisper plays in the background. Once the player scores 1500 they unlock a free download. Raury has also been expanding his audience via carefully selected collaborations with artists as diverse as masked UK producer SBTRKT and
California indie-band The Neighbourhood. He appears on two tracks on SBTRKT’s latest album Wonder Where We Land and found the producer particularly relatable. “We were in New York and we had a sit down with him and a really long conversation getting to know each other,” recalls Raury. “Through the conversation I realised how much alike he and I were. SBTRKT is a real cool guy. I have a lot of respect for the way that he looks at his career and how he handles it; having the mask and finding a way to remain somewhat of a normal person while being a star producer at the same time. I love how he does that.” Once the pair got into the studio they discovered a natural chemistry. “He started playing me music and the songs that are on the project were recorded that night,” says Raury of the two tracks that appear on the album. “Higher is very rap-esque and I feel like that can turn a bunch of heads in another way, not in the way that God’s Whisper or Cigarette Song would, but it will get the attention of another bunch of fans because they’re very all written verse about >>
“I feel like I’m not just here to sell tickets and go platinum on an album and stuff like that, I’m here as an actual artist that makes things happen,”
INDIGO CHILD / 76 << what I’m going through on the come up.” Higher isn’t the usual come-up track that you’d expect from an artist who has just broken through, he compares himself to Martin Luther King, and refers to himself as the leader and the king. “I feel like I’m not just here to sell tickets and go platinum on an album and stuff like that, I’m here as an actual artist that makes things happen,” Raury states boldly. “I’m changing how people view Atlanta and breaking down this new era of music where kids like me are bringing real music back, just creating how we want to create and not what the radio and the labels telling the artists what kind of songs they want to do, creating plastic bullshit.” His music is very unpredictable; on Indigo Child we hear acoustic guitar lead ballads like ‘Cigarette Song’ against the arena rock of Chariots Of Fire and yet he can still show up on Shade 45’s Sway In The Morning and spit a fierce and thoughtprovoking freestyle.
On the latter, Raury let out his frustration with many of the artists that represent Atlanta “simply talking sh*t now” questioning, “Talking strippers, Magic City, Molly, you’re in the trap? Mean to tell me that’s rap?” In our conversation he reaffirms his goal: “I’m here to bring on a new era of music to challenge the way the world projects Atlanta musically.” He sees hope in his generation, and speaks with enthusiasm about the rising wave of talent that has been emerging from the city recently. “I love to be in Atlanta right now. I’m in a group chat with Trinidad Jame$, ILoveMakonnen, OG Maco and everyone, we’re all chatting about all kind of random stuff. We all know we’re f**king awesome, everybody is dope, and the better we make our city look. We’re all proud of each other and whenever somebody does good, like Makonnen getting the Drake co-sign, everybody’s super happy. Everybody is hitting him up showing love.” While Raury does acknowledge a sense of friendly competition amongst his peers, the scene is mostly based on support. This is where it’s strength lies; the artists all have
“I have a lot of respect for the way [SBTRKT] looks at his career and how he handles it; having the mask and finding a way to remain somewhat of a normal person while being a star producer at the same time. I love how he does that.” Indigo Child Raury’s toolbox includes everything from Coldplay style arena rock to old Lil Wayne quotes, and as disjointed as it sounds; Indigo Child reflects the internet age of music listeners who aren’t confined to one genre of music, or what is accessible to them via their siblings, but have everything available, and ready to influence them, at the click of a button. Here are Grant Brydon’s top three tracks to check on the free to download mixtape. God’s Whisper Anthemic, rebellious and soulful all at the same time; it was the world’s introduction to Raury and should be yours too. If you haven’t heard this song yet, then we’d recommend seeking it out and hitting play asap, as it’s easily one of the best you’ll hear this year.
their own lane and are therefore able to support one another as opposed to having to compete with one another. “We each bring our own set of eyes to Atlanta,” explains Raury. “When you type in Maco or Two-9 or iLoveMakonnen, it’s highly likely that somebody’s Tweeting about iLoveMakonnen and Maco, or Raury and Two-9 at the same time. People tend to like talk about us in groups. And I just feel like our success really does benefit one another, and from where I’m stood that sh*t is awesome.” As our conversation begins to tail off, he finishes by asking a question, as he scrolls through his iPod. “Have you heard a song by ILoveMakonnen called Sarah?” I tell him that the song has been stuck in my head all week. “Sarah, you know that you’re my favourite girl…” he sings in support of his friend. “That song is amazing. I’ve heard people say that iLoveMakonnen is the David Bowie of trap.” Download Raury’s Indigo Child mixtape for free from indigochildproject.com
Cigarette Song A contrast to the grandiose sound of God’s Whisper, Cigarette Song is an acoustic guitar lead song that likens a relationship to the dangerous allure and addiction of smoking cigarettes. Woodcrest Manor The most straightforward rap song on Indigo Child, Woodcrest Manor - albeit the last verse is more spoken word based - as Raury vocally channels Andre 3000 over some atmospheric, dreamy production. It’s also the most traditional in its autobiographical subject matter taking the listener on a nostalgic route down memory lane to his humble beginnings.
UNWIND
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BACK ON DUTY
What would winter be without a new Call Of Duty title? The first-person shooter series has long earned its place on the Christmas lists of millions, and you can always expect queues around the block on the night of release. The annual expectation to improve on the previous edition seems almost impossible for Activision to meet, but in Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare they look to have delivered, and then some.
The debut lead title from Sledgehammer Games is set in the year 2054, where the only hope of overcoming a global attack is the new weaponry of a private military corporation. This includes an electric exoskeleton for soldiers, a literal game-changer that enables futuristic technology such as advanced cloaking, shields and mid-air movement. Just imagine how much fun thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be in multiplayer mode, where there are new games available and the maps include an abandoned San Francisco bunker, complete with tsunamis. Did we mention that Kevin Spacey plays a character in this game? Yeah, that sold us too. We cannot wait to get our hands on this. Get your hands on Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare from 4 November.
NBA 2K15 / 80
THE REAL
MVP 2K Sports delivered the biggest and most addictive NBA title of all-time last year and all signs point toward them doing it all over again with NBA 2K15, so in preparation for its 10 October release, we’ve broken down what gamers can expect this time around.
With RWD favourite Kevin Durant gracing the game’s cover and Pharrell Williams called in to handle soundtrack duties, the revamped NBA 2K15 didn’t need to do much to sustain its place at the top of the basketball world and remain well and truly in the mix with the best sports titles on the market, but it’s gone big with new gameplay, presentation, teams and gaming modes to keep the pressure on. Ahead of what will be one of the most fascinating NBA seasons in recent memory, NBA 2K15 is ready for the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers, the Kevin Durant-led Oklahoma City Thunder and the Dwayne Wade-led Miami Heat as they battle for dominance on the court. With an incredible 5,000 new animations and all-new defensive AI and
shooting systems, the game is taking fans closer to the court than ever before with new team-specific play sets and even more control over rebounding, steals and blocks, to make sure players are affecting the game with every possession. Already setting the standard for presentation in a sports title, NBA 2K15 has upgraded its broadcast-style visuals with Ernie Johnson and Shaq delivering authentic commentary and analysis to help players understand their mistakes and let them know when they’ve done something right. Commentary in basketball games has thrown up some of the most quotable phrases in all of sports and 2K15 promises to offer a whole new lexicon of trash talk.
With an expanded roster including 25 of Europe’s top teams, including the likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv, NBA 2K15 is reaching out to fans on these shores for the very first time and is advancing upon last year’s MyTEAM feature in which gamers can build their own fantasy dream team with players from every era, with an allnew Auction House through which you will be able to buy and sell MyTEAM cards in real-time, while the all new MyLEAGUE offers a single season or up to an 80-year franchise and MyPARK allows players the opportunity to take their own players online in a massive-multiplayer playground mode. NBA 2K15 is available on all consoles from 10 October.
SPEAKERS CORNER / 82
FINE TUNING
FESTIVAL SEASON
Festival season has come and gone and while there was a lot to get excited by in the fields of Europe this summer, Tego Sigel thinks we’re getting a little bit closer to understanding what works best on music’s most lucrative stage.
1. We Want Diversity The age of genre-based music festivals is done. No one genre has the power to attract and sustain enough people to fill a festival year in and year out and if this summer has taught us anything, it’s that the blending of instruments and DJs, old sckool and new, rappers, singers and whatever the hell that guy from The Hives is, is the only way we’re going to truly embrace that festival feeling. Reading and Leeds did a great job of booking ticket acts, while filling the weekend with well-structured and positioned bands and acts for fans to discover.
3. Let Us Keep That Festival Feeling European festivals do a much better job of letting people feel like they’re at a festival wherein the music and their enjoyment are the only things on the agenda than we do in the UK and while we’re aware that there are incredible commercial restraints put on UK festivals, which force organisers to cram moneyspinning moments into every possible avenue, there are ways to do it. Advertising and branding can be done well in that environment, but you should never do a 360 and ask yourself whether you’re at a music festival or a trade show.
2. Respect Your Heritage From Chic at Bestival to Salt N Pepa at Wireless, the idea that young music fans only care about what’s on the Radio 1 A and B lists needs to be put to bed. The 1980s felt like a lifetime ago in the 1990s and the 1990s feel like a lifetime ago in 2014, but where the 1980s was majorly populated by very kitschy and ultimately cult musical stylings, the 1990s was a more self-aware musical universe and from hip hop to garage through brit-pop and top 10 pop music, it’s time to start paying homage to the baggy-shirt era!
4. Put a Trip To Europe On Your 2015 Itinerary If you haven’t yet done a festival in Europe then 2015 has to be your year. With every passing season Outlook, Hideout, Soundwave, Sonar, Primavera and the likes are populated by more and more Brits, there is a danger that the best European festivals are becoming a bit Brits abroad, stag-doo, knees-up. But while there’s still a coming together of music lovers from across the continent without any of the tension and much less of the pretension of our domestic offerings, now is the time to make that pilgrimage.
5. Book Boy Better Know The Boy Better Know bench is very, very deep and it seems to be an unwritten rule that if you’re going to Rep BBK then it’s of paramount importance that you be able to tear a festival to shreds. What Skepta, JME, Jammer and the guys did at Bestival will go down in history and should point toward the real power of British urban in the festival environment. Bookers take note, BBK’s price is going up. 6. No Astro-Turf Festival culture is new to a lot of people and it seems there are still many of you who arrive at fields in England expecting to listen to music, grab a few drinks and party into the night without destroying their trainers. While there’s a gap in the market for proper purpose-built festival creps, the move to street and astro-turf based festivals was a bad one and one of the things that stifled the 2013 season. It pains us to leave the house in anything less than a fresh pair of ZX Flux, but it’s time to clear the cache on your social pretensions because people who walk around festivals looking pristine make us uneasy. All the latest on 2015’s lineups at rwdmag.com/music
“Advertising and branding can be done well in that environment, but you should never do a 360 and ask yourself whether you’re at a music festival or a trade show.”