SNACK...IN July 2020

JULY 2020

JULY 2020

GHOSTPOET | ERLAND COOPER SCARLETT RANDLE | REYAH MARTIN MUSIC | FILM | FOOD & DRINK | LGBT+ | BOOKS | REVIEW | WORDS

SATURDAY 4 JULY 2020

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CONTENTS EVENTS GHOSTPOET, ERLAND COOPER, SCARLETT RANDLE, REYAH MARTIN COMMUNITY | P56 RACISM: EDUCATE YOURSELF FILM | P90 POST-LOCKDOWN CINEMA, THE DUB SNUB, ACCESS FOR ALL FOOD & DRINK | P116 LOCKDOWN TAKEAWAYS, ALL PEOPLE ALL PAWS, LOCKDOWN LOVE AFFAIR: LAGER REVIEW | P144 RUN THE JEWELS, CHARLOTTE DE WITTE, DRIFT, ELVIS VALENTINE, IDLES, MANDY HAGGITH, PINS, SUPERCLOUD, THE FIERY, FURNACES, THE VAN T'S, SESSION VICTIM, SCARLETT RANDLE, LADY GAGA LGBT+ | P180 LARRY KRAMER TRIBUTE, PRIDE 2020 BLACK LIVES MATTER, PROFIT OVER PRIDE WORDS | P204 ROOM 406 WHAT'S ON | P10 INTERVIEWS | P18

CREDITS E: hello@snackpublising.com Editor/Sales: Kenny Lavelle Sub Editor: Leona Skene Sales: Sophie Henderson Food and Drink Editors: Emma Mykytyn and Mark Murphy LGBT+ Editor: Jonny Stone Designer/Illustrator: Fionnlagh Ballantine

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Reproduction of this magazine in part or in whole is forbidden without the explicit written consent of the publishers. Every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the content of this magazine but we cannot guarantee it is complete and up to date. Snack Publishing Ltd. is not responsible for your use of the information contained herein.

Hello.

Welcome to Issue 3 of SNACK...IN. What follows can be found elsewhere in this magazine but I want to ensure this message is front and centre.

We stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the UK, US, and elsewhere in the world. As a national arts and culture magazine, we should be promoting Black voices in arts journalism, and making more opportunities available for people of colour to be heard on our platform. We know Scotland needs a diverse pool of arts writers to ensure equal representation of the varying voices within our communities, and that we have an important role in ensuring this. We have advertised to encourage more writers to join us, and we continue with the aim of being open to writers of all gender, race, ability, and sexuality.

SNACK wishes to once again extend this invitation and asks BIPOC who might be interested in writing with us to get in touch by email: hello@snackmag.co.uk.

Kenny Lavelle Editor

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ONLINE DIVERSIONS Back to Contents

PLATFORM 18 ONLINE FESTIVAL 4th July, 4pm till 9pm There’s no real greater feeling than standing in a crowd amongst like minded people, and losing yourself in the music, but for already well documented reasons it’s not really an option at the moment. We might be down but we are certainly not out, and the Platform 18 team is determined to give us the next best thing.

Instead of a banging rave at the West Street Subway station in Glasgow’s Southside. They’re giving you a rave in your own cave.

The team behind the Glasgow based house and techno festival are offering clubbers in Scotland a stay at home live stream event.

The team will be raising money for Scottish Association for Mental Health, an association they’ve had since the beginning of the festival. Jackmaster will be headlining, other DJs scheduled to be spinning the decks are Frazi.er, Maria Airam b2b with Lunarplatz and, of course, festival founder Ivan Kutz.

The live stream will be available on Platform 18’s Facebook page.

What’s on By Gregg Kelly Page 11

SCOTLAND’S BLACK HISTORY There’s never been a more important time to rediscover Scotland’s Black History.

This six part Radio Scotland series deep dives into Scotland’s links with Africa, people of African origins from Roman times, and Glasgow’s historical links to the slave trade across the West Indies and West Africa. Speakers include writer James Robertson, David Hancock of the University of Michigan and Geoff Palmer of Heriot-Watt University amongst others.

Stories include that of the first man arrested for wearing highland dress following Culloden (he was Black), the creation of the Jamaican flag (you may or may not be surprised that it was directly influenced by the Scottish Saltire), and the story of Joseph Knight who took his Scottish slave master to court in the 1770s and won his freedom.

You can find the full series on YouTube

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Online Diversions By Gregg Kelly Page 12

POP MUTATIONS FESTIVAL The Flying Duck/Mono/Stereo – 26th July till 28th July The team behind three of Glasgow’s most influential venues have collaborated to curate this three day virtual festival.This local fest gives us a chance to show some support and re(discover) some pretty special live acts. Pop Mutations will see a host of streams from local talent, international acts as well as online talks, DIY tutorials and exhibitions. To be enjoyed from the comfort and safety of your front room. Highlights include 12th Isle, Bum Notes, Eleanor Friedberger, Glasgow African Balafon Orchestra, Duglas T Stewart, Nightwave, The Pastels, Pocket Knife, Savage Mansion, and Heir of the Cursed.

Access is free, and donation links will be supplied on social media, websites and during all streaming events. popmutations.com What’s on By Gregg Kelly Page 13

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ONLINE 24th June till 5th July There’s no doubt that there’s a truly magical moment shared when the cinema lights go down, the noisy hubbub to the instantaneous hush, the electricity of the opening credits. Not to mention the collective judgement and accepted shame of late-comers, the united gasp of an unexpected character death or the stunned, shocked silence following a cliffhanger ending – we could go on (believe it or not). You could watch thousands of movies at home, attempt to create something similar and never be able to match the experience. That’s the trouble with the beautiful cinematic experience we all know, love, and currently mourn. And although it can’t be replicated, the Edinburgh FIlm Festival is hoping to provide you with the next best thing.

Following the cancellation of this year’s real life festival, partnering with Curzon Home Cinema, film festival organisers have arranged its online replacement. This year’s will include the UK premier of Ron Howard’s doc Rebuilding Paradise, Susanne Regina Meures’ doc Saudi Runaway, Alex Thomson’s comedy Saint Frances, and plenty of others to enjoy. Each day during the 12 day festival a new film will be presented, priced at £9.99. Each film will have a live Q&A and additional special guests. edfilmfest.org.uk

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SLOW MARATHON 2020: UNDER ONE SKY Take part in this slow marathon and together everybody can walk around the world. Collaborators are being asked to log their distances and capture images of the sky above them, with the collective aim of combining all of the images into one huge digital online tapestry – uniting everyone under one sky. Artists Iman Tajik and Mihret Kebede were inspired to create the slow marathon concept in 2012 as both a form of endurance and poetic art. And this year in 2020 they evolved the concept to include images as a way of reminding everyone there is more that binds than divides us. deveron-projects.com/slowmarathon2020

NATIONAL THEATRE OF SCOTLAND ONLINE – PLAY DATES Till 17th July In collaboration with leading children’s arts organisations Starcatchers and Imaginate, NTS has created a digital programme allowing children and parents the opportunity to take part in a variety of workshops and activities. Tuesday till Friday every week until 17th July a new online workshop will be released free of charge. Workshops include Storify by Theatre Makers Sarah Rose Graber & Ruxy Cantir, hosting interactive videos on how best to create and tell stories at home. The talented duo are also hosting Unicorn Dance Parties every Friday. Grow Your Own Gesamtkunstwerk, created and presented by Veronica Velvette, will be teaching you how to build your own show at home. nationaltheatrescotland.com/events/play-dates Back to Contents

BAILLIE GIFFORD, BORDERS BOOK FESTIVAL 2020 12th July till 27th September In place of this year’s cancelled festival (god, when will this end?) you can instead visit their digital version featuring more than 40 authors. Big names include:James Naughtie, Rory Bremner, Neil Oliver (big...name), and Sebastian Barry. Details of the full lineup and festival are being kept under wraps at the minute so keep an eye out on their social media for more details. It’s always a fantastic event and its online equivalent will be dependably ace. bordersbookfestival.org

SCOTTISH SUMMER GARDEN FESTIVAL Until 15th August Organisers Discover Scottish Gardens are aiming to tap into the huge increase in popularity of home gardens following the cancellation (gah) of this year’s in-person festival. Originally scheduled to take place across more than 400 gardens in Scotland, this year’s inaugural festival will now take place completely online. Instead of visiting in person, people will now virtually visit dozens of gardens where they will be invited to take part in workshops, offered advice and tours of each garden. The festival will also include guided tours of cottages, castles, world renowned gardens, and hidden Scottish gems. Some of the sites and sights available will be Gordon Castle in Moray, Glamis Castle in Angus, and New Hopetoun Gardens in West Lothian. discoverScottishGardens.org

What’s on By Gregg Kelly Page 17

INTERVIEWS

GHOSTPOET ERLAND COOPER SCARLETT RANDLE REYAH MARTIN

Resisting the temptation to sugarcoat the world around us, London-based artist Ghostpoet continues to tackle the pressures of the modern world with latest album I Grow Tired But Dare Not Fall Asleep. The artist, real name Obaro Ejimiwe, has spent over a decade meticulously recording the challenging political and societal issues that we face.

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The new album might just be his darkest piece yet. Melancholic tones guide the listener’s ear through ten tracks of ingenious songwriting and superbly crafted production. We caught up with the two-time Mercury Prize nominee for an in-depth chat about the album and more.

How are you doing today, Obaro?

I’m okay, thanks. I’m in the process of moving, so just trying to work out what I need to get rid of.

In the process of lockdown, I’ve certainly come to the realisation that I need a lot less. It was a good opportunity for me to kickstart a declutter.

Speaking of lockdown, how did you find the whole experience?

It wasn’t easy. The first couple of weeks were a very unusual experience, to say the least. As a society, we’ve never had to deal with a situation like this, in recent history. For me, it was quite mentally taxing to start with. However, it became easier once I got an idea of the kind of daily routine I could put into place.

That time also saw the release of your latest album, I Grow Tired But Dare Not Fall Asleep, which came out in May. How does it feel to have it out in the world?

It was really nice to put a record out. It’s there in the world now and it’s doing its own thing, really. People are starting to discover it, and only

AS A SOCIETY, WE’VE NEVER HAD TO DEAL WITH A SITUATION LIKE THIS IN RECENT HISTORY

Music By Jo Dargie Page 21

time will tell how far it will go.

Throughout the album you explore isolation, confusion, and intense feelings of being overwhelmed. Do you think that, with the timing of the release, perhaps listeners are connecting with it differently than they otherwise might have?

It’s a weird one. I love the fact that people are so connected to the record. Yet at the same time, it’s slightly painful that the connection is because of a global pandemic. It’s bittersweet.

Music, lyrics, art...it’s all down to interpretation.

That’s how the album was taken by listeners at the time, which was great, but it wasn’t my intention.

I was writing more from the perspective of the trials and tribulations that we’ve gone through as a society in recent years.

It just so happens that it seems to connect and tap into what was going on at the time. I’m always trying to do that. I guess this time around I’ve just never been so on the money.

You certainly were. For many, you’ve produced a record that sends a reaffirming message of not being alone in struggling with aspects of everyday life.

I always want to write music for people who don’t have a voice. For people who don’t have a platform to say how they feel. I think it’s important to make people understand that they are not Back to Contents

I ALWAYS WANT TO WRITE MUSIC FOR PEOPLE WHO DON’T HAVE A VOICE. FOR PEOPLE WHO DON’T HAVE A PLATFORM TO SAY HOW THEY FEEL Music By Jo Dargie Page 23

I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO MAKE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE IN THEIR FEARS OF UNCERTAINTY AND LONELINESS Back to Contents

alone in their fears of uncertainty and loneliness.

We’ve all been feeling that way, the majority of us anyway, so I think it’s important to discuss these things or to at least put them out there.

It feels like a really personal album. As well as societal observations, you also share a lot of your own intimate emotional experiences. Where do you find the courage to be open and share such raw and personal thoughts? It must be daunting to put parts of yourself out there like that.

It’s partly down to not having the courage to do it in real life. I’m not as open as I’d like to be in everyday conversations. My music is an avenue to put my feelings on display and break down what’s going on in my own brain.

I’m not sure if it’s courage. I think it’s a necessity.

You have to put yourself dead centre amongst people. I never want to be the artist who feels they’re more special than everyone else because they put words to paper. I’ve never felt like that and I think that it dictates the way that I write as well. I’ve never had the need to be a fantasist or write fiction. I want to talk about real life as much as possible, which I think comes through in this album.

Do you set out to record with the intention of covering certain issues, or is it more how you feel when you feel it?

Music By Jo Dargie Page 25

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I'VE NEVER HAD THE NEED TO BE A FANTASIST OR WRITE FICTION. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT REAL LIFE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

I’d say that it’s very much the latter. For this latest record it’s a reflection of the experiences, conversations, things that I’ve read, listened to, watched and what I’ve felt over the last few years. They dictate what I write about.

That’s how I’ve always written, because I’ve tried a couple of times to say ‘I want to write about this’ and it never ends up working well.

So, I’ve given that up now. I prefer to capture that initial feeling and run with it.

You address the influence and pressures of social media in the album. It crops up in the lyrics of a few tracks, including ‘Rats In A Sack’ and ‘Social Laceration.’

I feel that there are different pressures that come from social media, depending on what you’re looking to get out of it. It’s set up for you to create this online personality that isn’t really a true reflection of yourself, and I get that it’s attractive to be able to do that, to be able to portray the best parts of your life or the best parts of your day.

Then there’s the ‘dopamine effect’ of the likes you get from putting across this perfect version of yourself. It’s really quite addictive and I feel that there’s something very dangerous about that. It’s taking us further away from imperfection and individuality.

I do use social media a lot myself. I just try Music By Jo Dargie Page 27

to distribute it in a constructive way. I never falsify anything. It’s always just me being me.

Like everything that I talk about in the album, I think that message is really important.

Another huge discussion point in recent weeks has been the Black Lives Matter movement. If we focus on its importance in the music industry alone for a second.

From your experience, what advice would you give to young BAME artists starting out in a society where equality hasn’t been obtained yet?

That’s a good question. Racial equality is something that, at this point in history, shouldn’t even be something that we need to discuss. It should just be standard that the colour of your skin isn’t going to impact your prospects in life.

In terms of advice, I think I’d have to go with the same thing that I’d tell anyone of any race and that’s just to be yourself. Make music that you believe in. I can’t speak for all ethnicities. However, in terms of Black artists, the trouble that we’ve always had is the automatic assumption that you must be an urban artist. Every Black artist will have had totally individual experiences, so I can only give my opinion from my experience. Which is that the perception of what genre of music Back to Contents

ULTIMATELY ALL I’M LOOKING FOR IS JUST TO BE MYSELF AND NOT LET THE COLOUR OF MY SKIN DICTATE WHAT PEOPLE’S OPINIONS OF MY MUSIC WILL BE. Music By Jo Dargie Page 29

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a Black artist should produce is something that is not on us to fix. There’s nothing that we need to do to change that.

Relating it to my own music, I’ve been making left-field alternative, in my opinion, guitar music for a while now. Some people get it and some people don’t. However, I feel that if I was a white artist there still wouldn’t be as much of a confusion. That’s nothing to do with me. That’s down to other people’s perceptions.

Overall, I feel that initial perceptions of Black artists need to change for there to be a more level playing field. Ultimately, all I’m looking for is just to be myself and not let the colour of my skin dictate what people’s opinions of my music will be.

Looking ahead, how do you plan to focus your energy in the upcoming months?

It’s difficult with the effects of the pandemic ongoing to have any real solid plans in place.

I guess the short-term plan is to promote the album in some more inventive ways. Ways that don’t involve live gigging. Which is something that I’d like to do, but currently can’t. So yeah, I’m going to start working out other ways to be creative from the confines of my flat.

I Grow Tired But Dare Not Fall Asleep is out now on Play It Again Sam. Music By Jo Dargie Page 31

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Erland Cooper’s ‘Orkney Triptych’ is a transportive and often stunning blend of contemporary classical, electronica, spoken word, and ambient, with nature, folklore, and notions of home at its heart. It began as a personal project as he set about creating a musical tool to help cope with city life in London, away from his native Orkney.

Solan Goose, the first of the three albums, focuses on the sounds of the Orkney air: birds chatter and misty choral lines call; brave piano melodies lament. The second, Sule Skerry, his paean to the seas surrounding the island, is structurally bolder and more direct than its predecessor. It’s the home of some of the most immediate songs of the three and sees him collaborate to wondrous effect with Kathryn Joseph, Kris Drever, and Hiroshi Ebina on ‘Flattie’.

Hether Blether, the final album of the three, sees Erland move his attention to the land, community and myths of his homeland.

Kathryn Joseph is back whispering in your ear for opening track ‘Noup Head’ and the swelling narrative heart of the album ‘Longhope’. It’s magical.

We caught up with Erland to chat about the new album and its place in the world. As we speak, Hether Blether has been out for a week and London, where Erland now lives, is shrugging off its restrictions and beginning to emerge from lockdown.

Where are you at the moment?

I’m in the East side of London in a studio with no windows, but it’s a gorgeous space all the same. Just coming up for air and I’m going to get myself a wee hot chocolate or something. They’ve just opened up the coffee shop again...with socially distanced glass and all of that stuff. It’s all kind of surreal, so I thought I’d treat myself. It’s the little things, you know?

Music By Kenny Lavelle Page 33

It’s about enjoying the slow process of certain things. Though I think the pace has changed again now. I was saying that with the seismic social reaction, quite rightly so, everybody is just wanting to get out. I think when the government went ‘Alright, you can travel to work’ everybody just got into their cars, and suddenly it’s been quite surreal around here. I’ve been one of the few folk able to walk to my studio at 6am and back late at night. Now it’s all changed. Every day was like a Sunday morning, and now it’s full on again.

I was doing the NHS volunteering, quite a lot of it actually – I’ve got a wee car. But I must admit, it was quite selfish of me, really, because I just wanted to get out and about. [laughing] So that I wasn’t stuck in a studio with no windows, and I was able to drive to, say, St Paul’s with no-one around. So it’s all changed now, in London.

I feel that solitude is part of the job – I’m kind of used to it, I guess. It’s good that everyone else is experiencing a bit of that as well.

I was reading an interview where you said that the album, and perhaps the trilogy, would only be complete once it was out in the world and people were listening to it.

Yeah, I always feel that a project is truly finished when it’s in someone else’s hands. It’s in your lap now, it’s in your ears, it’s out there. And you don’t know truly what you’ve made until it’s no longer yours. It’s always mine, but until it’s out in the world and listened to, enjoyed, and ripped to bits and shredded by all sorts of folk – that’s when you really know what you’ve made and you can move on, I think.

When you get messages from folk...I think I had forgotten that Back to Contents

IT’S NOT A TOURIST GUIDE. IT’S JUST THE ESSENCE OF SOMETHING

Music By Kenny Lavelle Page 35

I ALWAYS FEEL THAT A PROJECT IS TRULY FINISHED WHEN IT’S IN SOMEONE ELSE’S HANDS. Back to Contents

feeling. You make something, and then the team put it together, manufacture the record and all of that stuff. And then of course the pandemic hit and and it felt important to me to still get it out. I don’t care that we’re not playing shows to promote it. It’s ok - just get it up and out in the world and let it do its thing.

I feel this sense of, not just the last six months to the year putting it together, but actually the whole three/four year process now coming full circle. Now that it’s out, just last week, you’re getting all of these messages and kind folks writing about it. Suddenly the work that’s been a journey has been one-part exploration, onepart necessity. It all comes flooding back, a bit like going out and running across the shore, getting caught in a changing weather pattern, soaked, and it drying up again all in the same hour – it’s a great feeling. It feels like it has come full circle.

So you finished the album in December?

Yeah, every year I’ve released a record, intentionally, in Spring.

That was the whole point, to release it then so that it felt like the start of the seasons. I don’t know if I’ll be able to break that cycle.

I guess the world felt very different back in December from how it does now. Is that something that is going to transform how people listen, do you think?

I think, as we touched on at the start, solitude and feelings of escapism are always present for me in London. I want to be back on an island, or even just back in Scotland. So those themes were always present. Those themes of community, people and storytelling, escapism, and transportation have always been very dear to me. I know many people are realising now that these themes are important to them too, as they’re forced upon them.

So it certainly resonates with me, and perhaps with others Music By Kenny Lavelle Page 37

who are starting to value those things that we take for granted sometimes. But for me those themes were always there. They just seem even more bittersweet right now.

Collaboration is central to so much of the trilogy. When you’re recording the sounds and spaces of Orkney, to me that feels like collaboration also – you’re leaving the door open to some outside influence to come into your work.

I always think the best questions answer themselves. That’s a lovely question and you’re absolutely right. It’s a collaboration with the landscape, allowing other elements to come in.

The story of Hether Blether, in folklore and your song, is about an island that appears and disappears. The music is mournful and at the same time carries hope. Do you still feel that sense of grief from being away from Orkney, or has the process of making the work helped you come to terms with it?

I won’t go into it too deeply, but it’s definitely a redemptive process. It’s one-part remembrance and one-part celebration.

And with remembrance comes melancholy, a hopeful melancholy.

On balance, the hope is slightly more prominent as it soars to its conclusion. That’s the reality of life, to me anyway: happiness is aspirational. You can never be happy all the time or even half the time, but you aspire to be. And if you put yourself in an environment where you can aspire to be happier, then that’s a good thing. I think perhaps the records, both together and individually, touch on that. Which is why they sound both melancholic and also hopeful.

I guess one of the first things you’ll do, when you’re able to, is go back to Orkney?

Oh yes! The first thing I’ll be doing is going to get a ferry home Back to Contents

IT’S A COLLABORATION WITH THE LANDSCAPE, ALLOWING OTHER ELEMENTS TO COME IN.

Music Music

By Kenny

by Andy Lavelle Reilly Page Page 3939

THE HOPE IS SLIGHTLY MORE PROMINENT AS IT SOARS TO ITS CONCLUSION

and then walk around the Point of Ness. I was supposed to be there with Amy Liptrot, the writer, we went to school together. We were going to visit the island of Sule Skerry, which is a real place, unlike Hether Blether. That’s not going to happen this year, I imagine, but I still want to head up. My folks are up there and I’ve made new acquaintances and friends, funnily enough, online, who have found the music in lockdown, which is brilliant.

They’ve been sending me pictures and snippets...it’s been brilliant. So yes, I’m going to book myself a ferry in Autumn.

I’ve never been to Orkney, but when I’m listening to the three albums they lead me to picture the islands and coastlines that I have visited.

That’s the point. You don’t have to go there. It’s about transporting yourself somewhere else for a moment. When you took the time to listen it transported you to other coastlines, to other places. And that’s the joy, to me. When I hear you say that I think, Trilogy done. It makes you value your own memories and your own places. You don’t necessarily have to go to Orkney; it’s not a tourist guide. It’s just the essence of something.

Hether Blether is out now on Phases Records. Music By Kenny Lavelle Page 41

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How have you been keeping?

Good. It comes in waves. I guess that’s something I didn’t expect from all of this, that everything would come in these waves.

What have you been doing day-to-day to keep going, during lockdown?

Me and my flatmate, Bobbie, who is also my producer – we write all the tunes together – we both went up to stay with my mum in Aberdeen. So that was really nice, to be out in the middle of nowhere in the countryside. When you go outside there’s just a field, so there’s no worry of bumping into people, which was good.

Since we’ve been back we’ve been chilling out a little bit. We had a release on the 29th of May and did a music video for that.

So we were working quite hard, but then we were like ‘We’ve got more stuff to do, but let’s just relax’, and we’ve been relaxing for… a few weeks now [laughing]. And we’re like ‘When does this break end?’. But, day-to-day, some writing, watching rubbish tv... just whatever the day brings.

Can you tell me a bit more about your recent single ‘Blue’?

A year ago I was doing sound production in college, and for my first year project I had to write an original song. I went through loads that I was going to use. Then I ended up writing that one and going ‘Oh! That’s quite nice’. I kind of left it for a year, because I dropped out of college and felt quite negatively about the whole experience. I was like ‘I’m never going to produce anything ever again in my life’. I came back to the song at the beginning of lockdown. Bobbie, my flatmate who produces Music By Kenny Lavelle Page 43

IT STARTED OFF AS SOMETHING FUN I DID ONE MORNING

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all the stuff, had asked if I had any demos. Often I’ll start off wee demos on my computer and send them to Bobbie to produce from there.

We decided to do a co-produce on that one and see how we felt. It was one of the quickest turnarounds. We went quickly from asking ourselves was it a good song and should we release it to ‘No, this is class! Let’s get this out, this is really good’. Which is really nice because I’ve been in a bit of a... I guess it’s a bit like what I was saying about lockdown, it comes in waves and you have to ride it out. I was having some ups and downs with my writing and wasn’t really sure about what I wanted to do. Doing that got me out of that slump.

Off the back of the momentum from that I was able to write more, and to think more clearly about what I wanted. When you’re in a bit of a slump, it’s difficult to not tar everything with the same brush and think everything’s awful. But that’s never the case; there’s always things that you’ll enjoy parts of. It’s sometimes easy to go ‘That’s it. I’ve no idea what I’m doing. I’m packing it up!’. But it was nice to get ‘Blue’ done and have a bit of perspective. I enjoyed the song.

Yeah, it started off as something fun I did one morning, and didn’t think much of it, and then really grew to love – especially when Bobbie put some production on it.

That’s a beautiful thing, that it was just waiting for the right time to pop its head up.

Yeah, it was definitely the right time, cause had I come at it at a different point I would probably have been like ‘It’s rubbish! I’m never doing it again’. Sometimes, with a bit of time and distance, you realise what you really think about it. Not what your Music By Kenny Lavelle Page 45

insecurities are telling you about it.

The video looks lots of fun. In it you’re talking, dancing, and generally having fun with your younger self.

When we went up to Aberdeen we knew we were going to do a music video for ‘Blue’ and the concept was an artsy kind of thing with nature and the landscape around us. My mum had mentioned that she had an old video camera that we could use.

We opened up the video camera and she said she had loads of videos of me when I was young. Just her saying that made me feel sick. I was just like, ‘Nut! Don’t want to know about it. That makes me ill. Get that tae fuck!’. We watched it and everybody was so uncomfortable. My mum was crying. Looking at the footage of me at prom, I remembered feeling like that. I just never had the language to express what it was that made me feel so uncomfortable.

I think my mum felt really guilty as well. She could see it at the time, and even more so looking back, that I was so uncomfortable, and so unhappy with who I was. I think most 11/12 year olds are like that. But when I saw the actual footage I just wanted to go give her a hug.

Upstairs in mum’s house there was a box of stuff, and on top of it was the prom photo. We’d been mucking about filming rabbits and stuff and I was running about with this photo of myself. We got to thinking that looking at the old footage had such an effect on me personally that we needed to use it. I thought, you know what, now’s the time to revisit that part of myself that’s much easier to suppress and not think about and not give your time to.

But I think in order to be where you are right now, you have to thank that younger version of yourself for allowing you to get to Back to Contents

MY MUM HAD MENTIONED THAT SHE HAD AN OLD VIDEO CAMERA THAT WE COULD USE

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JUST DANCING ABOUT ON A STAGE AND SINGING AND GETTING LOADS OF ATTENTION Back to Contents

where you are. There are still times that I will feel like I did in that footage, but my whole world is not that and that’s what it was then. It’s kind of refreshing.

It was just meant to be a joke. But, the more we worked on it the more we felt it was actually quite emotional. I guess it’s that feeling of youth and uncomfortableness. I always get to a point where I think, If I look back to now, at least I’d be cool now. But in five years you do the same and it’s just the same. I think that’s the constant struggle of life: being comfortable with where you’re at, comfortable with who you are, and forgiving yourself for all the things you think are bad about you.

Are you working towards an EP or an album?

That’s the thing, ‘Blue’ is the first release in a string of releases, so there’s more stuff coming. The next release is on the 10th of July. It’s a song that was written in lockdown. It was originally the plan to have it as part of an EP. With everything that’s going on just now we’re playing it by ear. Potentially it will be an EP and potentially it will be a string of singles. We’ll find out.

Do you enjoy the writing side of things just as much as playing live?

I think for me, I do enjoy the process of getting a song together but I also find it really stressful. Stressful in a way that I also love.

I like them both for different reasons, but I do really miss gigging.

One of the massive highlights for me is just dancing about on a stage and singing and getting loads of attention. I love that, but I also love thinking about the little things, about what makes a song, what you want to do and where you want to take it. There’s so many endless possibilities, it’s exciting but also quite daunting.

Watch Scarlett Randle’s video for ‘Blue’ on YouTube now. facebook.com/scarlettrandlemusic Music By Kenny Lavelle Page 49

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Winner of the 2020 Commonwealth Short Story Prize (Canada and Europe), Reyah Martin now goes through to the final round of judging for the worldwide prize, with the overall winner being announced on 30th June. Ahead of that announcement, SNACK caught up with Reyah to learn more about her win, the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, and her life as a writer.

Congratulations on your winning story ‘Wherever Mister Jensen Went’. Can you give us some background into the Commonwealth Short Story Prize and how the process works?

The prize is amazing because it is global, and inclusive of writers from many diverse backgrounds. Entries are open to any member of the Commonwealth, and there is a generous word limit of between 2000 and 5000 words. Sometimes it can be daunting, entering a prestigious competition like this, but Commonwealth Writers gives you a lot of freedom to write about whatever inspires you. It is an honour to be a part of such a diverse community of writers.

Could you tell us about your life as a writer to date? Is it something you have always done, and what inspired you to start?

I am always desperate to connect with people through my work.

Growing up I read anything I could get my hands on, and I decided from a young age that I wanted to tell stories. I was especially inspired by reading Roald Dahl’s Matilda – I’ve read it so many times that it’s falling apart! I’ve always striven to write the perfect piece, but it’s impossible. Like any other writer, I can’t help finding flaws. I’ve appeared in several online publications, and was a Books by Alistair Braidwood Page 51

finalist in the BBC Young Writers’ Award 2018, but winning the 2020 regionals was more than I could have imagined. I am so grateful to Commonwealth Writers for validating my craft. It makes all the long nights feel worth it!

Short stories are often overlooked, especially in terms of literary prizes. What is it that you like about the form?

The short story form is one of my favourites. It forces you to pick your most powerful images and devices, because every word counts, and you must make each one work for you. They absolutely deserve more recognition, because when this form is at its best there is so much more than one story involved. It is a form which is often left open to interpretation, encouraging empathy in a way that other forms can’t.

‘Wherever Mister Jensen Went’ has been described as a ‘beautiful stream-ofconsciousness horror story about everyday life’. How would you describe it, and what propelled you to write it?

I love the way Heather [O'Neill, the judge representing Canada and Europe] describes the story because it is about being aware of the power of conscience, or indeed lack of it. For me it is about bringing difficult realities to the forefront and challenging how they are dealt with. This story is not about pinning blame, but leaving it to be pinned, Back to Contents

IT IS ABOUT BRINGING DIFFICULT REALITIES TO THE FOREFRONT AND CHALLENGING HOW THEY ARE DEALT WITH

Books by Music Alistair

by Andy Braidwood Reilly Page 53

because each of us has our own impossible truths which we must, one day, come to terms with.

Who are the short story writers, or collections, that have influenced you or that you would recommend to others?

Although the setting is quite far from home, there is a lot of Scottish inspiration behind the piece. My particular favourite writers include Kathleen Jamie and Kirsty Logan. Right now, I’ve also been reading Daisy Johnson’s Fen, because she deals beautifully with landscape and setting, with her wild and wonderful approach to expression. It’s definitely worth a read.

I believe you are working on your debut novel at the moment. Can you tell us anything about it, and about the differences in approaching the two forms? Have you found the transition difficult?

My novel is centred around empowerment, and raises questions about what it truly means to be free. It is set at the turn of the 20th century and the protagonist is a woman who is forced to question her sense of identity, trapped where she doesn’t belong, at a time when attitudes towards women are starting to evolve. It explores themes of injustice and skewed perception, as well as abuse and mental health. It highlights the complexity of human nature, and attitudes formed by society, against which the protagonist constantly battles.

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Short stories are amazing, partly because they often focus on a short period of time. With a novel I get tangled in the plot at times - it can sometimes be hard to stay concise in longer work. Then again, novels can explore so much more than short stories, and I think for the story I want to tell here, the novel form is the best way. The transition was difficult to an extent.

Writing short stories helped prepare for it, in terms of recognising important symbolism and devices, and as a form it helped me to hone my skills.

But I don’t think anything can fully prepare you for writing a novel – I’m more invested in mine than I have been in anything, and I think that stems from spending so much time putting it all together. It’s a wonderful process, but a gruelling one. It can be frustrating, but I love it so much I can’t leave it alone.

Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to write but isn’t sure where to start? Are there practical steps that you found helpful?

READ! It sounds obvious, but that way you learn from other authors. It’s also important to start with yourself and write what you love. Remember: as soon as you start something, you are a writer. A practical step that helped me was joining writing groups, but if you feel that’s not for you it is still vital to find someone to share your work with. Nothing beats support for your writing. It’s also important to be on the lookout for opportunities – they crop up everywhere. A great place to start is the Scottish Book Trust website.

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COMMUNITY

RACISM: EDUCATE YOURSELF

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the UK, US, and elsewhere in the world. As a national arts and culture magazine, we should be promoting Black voices in arts journalism, and making more opportunities available for people of colour to be heard on our platform. We know there needs to be a diverse pool of arts writers to ensure equal representation of the varying voices within our communities, and that we have an important role in ensuring this. We have advertised to encourage more writers to join us, and we continue with the aim of being open to writers of all gender, race, ability, and sexuality. SNACK wishes to once again extend this invitation and asks BIPOC who might be interested in writing with us to get in touch by email: hello@snackmag. co.uk.

After much discussion, it was decided that it was important to say something about the death of George Floyd and the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement, albeit from the perspective of a white journalist, than to say nothing at all. We have attempted to discuss this delicately and with mindful consideration to the sensitive subjects, while conveying the stark realities of racism in modern society.

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It should be noted before reading that much of the writing that follows is highly distressing.

His name was George Floyd.

He was accused of spending a counterfeit 20 dollar bill in a convenience store in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Derek Chauvin, J. Alexander Chung, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao – all formerly of the Minnesota Police Department – took George Floyd into custody.

CCTV footage shows Floyd is visibly non-violent and cooperative. Floyd is then on the ground. Chauvin kneels on the neck of George Floyd for almost 8 minutes and 46 seconds.

For 6 minutes George Floyd pleaded for his life and, ultimately, he narrated his own death.

His last words are documented on the following pages.

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Jammie Holmes, Please I Can’t Breathe (Detroit), 2020. Photo courtesy of the artist and Library Street Collective.

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PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE I CAN’T BREATHE

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‘It’s my face man I didn’t do nothing serious man Please Please Please I can’t breathe Please man Please somebody Please man I can’t breathe I can’t breathe Please (Inaudible) Man, can’t breathe, my face Just get up I can’t breathe Please (inaudible) I can’t breathe sh*t I will I can’t move Mama Mama I can’t My knee My nuts I’m through I’m through I’m claustrophobic

My stomach hurt My neck hurts Everything hurts Some water or something Please Please I can’t breathe officer Don’t kill me They gon’ kill me man Come on man I cannot breathe I cannot breathe They gon’ kill me They gon’ kill me I can’t breathe I can’t breathe Please sir Please Please Please I can’t breathe.’

Then his eyes shut and his pleas ceased. He was unresponsive after 6 minutes – Chauvin kept his knee on his neck for a further 2 minutes and 46 seconds.

George Floyd was pronounced dead shortly after.

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Chauvin and his accomplices now await trial. Chauvin was initially charged with 3rd-degree murder and manslaughter; essentially the equivalent of pushing someone, who in turn accidentally bangs their head and dies. His charge has since been upgraded to 2nd-degree murder with a possible maximum sentence of 40 years in jail.

Would the charge have been changed without CCTV and mobile phone footage? Indeed, would there have been any charges at all? The police bodycam footage that has been made public is heavily redacted, with no audio at all for certain points. Bystanders are clear in their assertions that there was no struggle or ‘resisting arrest’ as the police force declared. We are yet to see how any of the recorded footage will affect the outcome of the ongoing trial.

In the 2014 case of Eric Garner, choked to death by New York police officer Daniel Pantaleo (Garner also cried the now-infamous words, ‘I can’t breathe’) a bystander video of the incident did not result in the prosecution of the officer but instead to the prosecution of the man who filmed it, Ramsey Orta.

The horrific and incredibly sad event of Floyd’s death, like Garner’s, has once again sparked outrage. Once again, a family bereaved of a son, brother, father, uncle, cousin.

Once again, international condemnation. Once again, mass protests and gatherings. Floyd’s death has sparked demonstrations in every state in America, and across at least 40 countries worldwide. Unfortunately, George Floyd joins an extensive list of people of colour from all over the Back to Contents

GARNER ALSO CRIED THE NOW-INFAMOUS WORDS, ‘I CAN’T BREATHE’ Community by Donald Shields Page 65

world who have died in police custody.

To our shame, Scotland is no exception. You might remember the case of Sheku Bayoh. Bayoh was arrested in 2015 in Kirkcaldy, Fife. In police custody, he suffered 23 separate injuries. He was found to be unarmed after being reported to have had a knife, he was pepper-sprayed, his legs restrained and beaten with a police baton. As with George Floyd and Eric Garner, he is reported as saying ‘I can’t breathe’ while he was restrained. He died shortly after in hospital. The police officers involved denied any wrongdoing and have never been charged with an offence.

According to a report on the BBC website dated 12/11/2019, a public enquiry was announced in November last year, but no date has been set for this as yet.

Figures collated by the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER) show that between 2000 and 2013, there were more race-related murders per capita in Scotland than in the rest of the UK – 1.8 murders per million, compared to the UK’s 1.3. In 2014/15, there were 3,875 racist incidents recorded by Police Scotland – that’s nearly 75 per week. Racial hate crime remains the most commonly reported hate crime in Scotland.

According to CRER, more than fifty years on from the creation of the Race Relations Act 1965 (the first legislation to address racial inequality in the UK), significant inequalities persist in many areas of life for minority ethnic groups in Scotland. CRER state that these poor outcomes and disadvantages include: Lower employment rates among minority ethnic groups, with significant variance by ethnicity (Scottish Census 2011)​ Higher levels of educational attainment (Scottish Government 2014) failing to translate into labour market Back to Contents

photo of Sheku Bayoh

AS WITH GEORGE FLOYD AND ERIC GARNER, SHEKU BAYOH IS REPORTED AS SAYING 'I CAN'T BREATHE Community by Donald Shields Page 67

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advantage​ Experiences of occupational segregation (Scottish Census 2011)​ Over-representation in further education, disparate to relatively lower participation in higher education and higher rates of school-leaving attainment (Joseph Rowntree Foundation 2011)​ Under-representation in Modern Apprenticeships (Skills Development Scotland 2015)​ Experiences of discrimination and racism in work (CRER 2015) (Equal Opportunities Committee 2015)​ Higher risk of poverty, with non-white minority ethnic individuals at twice the risk of white individuals (Joseph Rowntree Foundation 2015)​ Lower rate of benefit take-up (Joseph Rowntree Foundation 2011) (CRER 2015)​ Racist violence, with racist hate crime consistently the most reported hate crime in Scotland (COPFS 2015)​ Racial discrimination, with 17% of those from a non-white minority ethnic group experiencing discrimination compared to 7% of those from a white ethnic group (Scottish Household Survey 2015)​ Racial prejudice, with 22% of people living in Scotland feeling that there is sometimes a good reason to be prejudiced, 35% of people believing that Scotland would begin to lose its identity if more Black and Asian people came to live in Scotland, and 38% believing the same about Eastern European migration (Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 2015)​ Racist bullying in schools, with inconsistency in policies and practices to address this (CRER 2012)​ Community by Donald Shields Page 69

Higher likelihood of being worried about physical attack or being the victim of a crime (Equality and Human Rights Commission 2016)​ Institutional racism within the justice system (CRER 2012)​ Experiences of discrimination and prejudice in public services (CRER 2015)​ Significant under-representation in elected office, including local authorities, the Scottish Parliament, and the UK Parliament​ Significant under-representation in public appointments (Public Appointment Scotland 2014) and in public bodies (CRER)​ Significant under-representation in the media (BBC Scotland 2015) (Press Gazette)​ Higher likelihood of households with non-white minority ethnic children living in disadvantaged circumstances than white children (Scottish Government 2013)​ Increased likelihood of homelessness (Scottish Government)​ Increased likelihood of experiencing overcrowding in housing, or of living in homes without central heating (Scottish Census 2011) Writing this article and researching the events of the last few weeks has led me to feelings of guilt and sadness, followed by anger. A sick feeling in the pit of my stomach – a helplessness and sense of dread, overpowering any words I could use, or meaningful actions I could take. I’m aware how minor these inconveniences are in comparison to what generations of ethnic minorities have to endure every day – and have done for hundreds of years.

But, what can we do?

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IT MIGHT BE HARD TO COMPREHEND THE FACT THAT THE CITY YOU LIVE IN WAS MORE THAN LIKELY BUILT ON THE BACK OF SLAVERY Back to Contents

WE MUST TAKE OWNERSHIP. It is our responsibility as human beings to be PRO-ACTIVELY antiracist – it is not enough to simply tut our disapproval and tolerate the horrific incidences (those that become public) and wish the best for people of colour in their struggle. Call out racism when you see or hear it. The UK is 87% percent white. 91% in Scotland.

WE MUST EDUCATE OURSELVES. Our education system has historically shown a glaring disregard for the true nature of the British colonial past, creating a comforting collective amnesia for many. As a result, it might be difficult to comprehend that the city you live in was more than likely built on the back of slavery. Glasgow and Edinburgh directly benefited from transatlantic sugar, cotton, and tobacco industries - all prospering from slavery. It is not the responsibility of every person of colour to educate us on historic and systemic racism. It is a heavy burden to bear and mentally taxing for anyone to continually explain their hurt, anguish, and struggle. A list of documentaries, films and books follow this article. It’s not an exhaustive list but we hope it will help form a new perspective for some and enlighten others.

WE MUST CAMPAIGN FOR EDUCATION REFORM. It’s imperative that we do this, to ensure that our children and our children’s children are taught from an early age the true history of this country’s past. Hopefully, future citizens of our society will use this information to help build and protect a fair and equal society.

Plant trees in whose shade you’d be happy for your children to sit.

WE MUST CAMPAIGN FOR JUSTICE REFORM. You are more likely to be stopped and searched by police if Community by Donald Shields Page 73

you are a person of colour. A recent report from the Home Office shows you are 40 times more likely to be stopped in England and Wales and twice as likely to die in police custody if you are Black. Institutionalised racism is endemic within our criminal justice system.

In July 2016, newly elected Prime Minister Theresa May stood on the steps of no.10 and said, ‘If you’re Black, you’re treated more harshly by the criminal justice system than if you’re white’. While the highest office in the country appeared to acknowledge and advocate change, Brexit ultimately moved front and centre in their priorities. Like many issues affecting minorities, these were – inadvertently or not – brushed aside. In 2018, The Independent newspaper published an investigation which studied figures relating to the UK justice system from 2009 to 2019. The results revealed that 1 in 4 Black teenagers guilty of manslaughter within this period were sentenced to maximum jail terms, while no white teenagers were sentenced to anything more than 10 years. Then we had the Windrush scandal.

WE MUST UNDERSTAND WHITE PRIVILEGE. White privilege means benefiting from being white in ways that aren’t always immediately apparent. Many white people are ignorant of their privilege. It means being granted opportunities within society due to having white skin over people with different coloured skin - even though comparative members of these Back to Contents

YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE STOPPED AND SEARCHED BY POLICE IF YOU ARE A PERSON OF COLOUR.

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two groups may have similar social, economic, or political backgrounds. Shielded by privilege, it can be easy to miss that if you’re white you’re much less likely to have been stopped by the police, and that it’s rare for you to be followed around a shop by security for no reason, that the flesh coloured plasters in the first-aid kit are made to match white skin tones. According to the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), African Americans are imprisoned at a rate 5 times more than whites and, generally, the nonwhite prison population is over-represented. 27% of the UK prison population identified as an ethnic minority group while making up only 13% of the general population.

WE MUST USE OUR PLATFORM. Use your social media channels pro-actively – sign and share petitions, share videos and links to funds and charities set out specifically to help the Black Lives Matters campaign, among others. Have conversations on the subject with friends and family.

Some conversations will be difficult, so it is important to address these issues mindfully and with decorum.

If you sing, write, dance or whatever you do to express yourself then direct your positive energy in any way you can to help make positive change.

Make a conscious effort to keep doing this, it is easy to move on to the next thing and forget.

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UK ANTI-RACISM CHARITIES AND ORGANISATIONS THAT YOU CAN SUPPORT RIGHT NOW SCOTLAND Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER) (crer.scot) Show Racism The Red Card (theredcard.org/scotland) The Anti-Racist Educator (theantiracisteducator.com/about) UNISON Scotland (unison-scotland.org/campaigns/anti-racism/) Race Equality First (raceequalityfirst.org)

UK Black Lives Matter UK Stand Against Racism & Inequality Runnymede Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust Stand Up To Racism Southall Black Sisters We must listen to people who are suffering from racial inequality.

Just listen. Remove your ego. Then take action.

Here are a small selection of documentaries, films, and books which could go some way to help educate ourselves.

This is in no way a complete list, and we welcome further suggestions:

THEATRE Patrick Martins & Emma King perform an extract from the new play by May Sumbwanyambe, directed by Justin Audibert.

Based on a true story, Enough of Him explores the life of Joseph Back to Contents

BASED ON A TRUE STORY, 'ENOUGH OF HIM' EXPLORES THE LIFE OF JOSEPH KNIGHT, AN AFRICAN MAN BROUGHT TO SCOTLAND AS A SLAVE Community by Donald Shields Page 79

13TH (NETFLIX): DETAILED AND FACTUAL BREAKDOWN OF HOW AND WHY THE US HAS THE HIGHEST PRISON POPULATION IN THE WORLD Back to Contents

Knight, an African man brought to Scotland as a slave by plantation owner John Wedderburn to serve in his Perthshire mansion. Produced in association with Pitlochry Festival Theatre, where the play had been due to premiere in October 2020. You can watch the clip here: https:// youtu.be/6Qo2n5vcJbY

DOCUMENTARIES 13th (Netflix): Detailed and factual breakdown of how and why the US has the highest prison population in the world, with a disproportionate amount of Black and Latinx inmates LA 92 (Netflix): A docu-film made with original footage from the Rodney King trial and ensuing LA riots of 1992.

When They See Us: 4 part series (Netflix) - The dramatisation of the story of the ‘New York 5’ – young men wrongfully accused and imprisoned for a crime they did not commit. Donald Trump advocated for their execution during the trials.

The Kalief Browder Story – 6 part series (Netflix): An insight into the American criminal justice system through the eyes of Kaleif Bowder – wrongly imprisoned for years for an unproven accusation.

I Am Not Your Negro – The docu-film of the envisioned completed final book by James Baldwin. The book features stories of the deaths of three of Baldwin’s close friends – two of these being Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X. The book was only 30 pages long at the time of Baldwin’s death in 1987.

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FILM Fruitvale Station: Michael B. Jordan plays Oscar Grant III, a young man shot in the back by a police officer while handcuffed and face down on the ground. A harrowing true story, featuring mobile phone footage from the real-life 2009 incident Blindspotting: Written, produced and directed by protagonists and real-life best friends Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs. The tough city of Oakland is front and centre with themes of racism, inequality and the fine line between liberty and imprisonment.

Just Mercy: Set in 1989, this is the true story of Harvard Law Graduate Bryan Stevenson, who travelled to the racist heartland of Alabama to help fight for the poor and under-represented.

Released in 2019, the film stars Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx Hidden Figures: Loosely based on the stories of three AfricanAmerican women (Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan & Mary Jackson), who worked for NASA during the ‘space race’, in the early 60s. Certified geniuses, the women still suffered the harshness of racial inequality. All-star cast including: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner and Kirsten Dunst. Music by Hanz Zimmerman & Pharrell Williams Selma: Based on the Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights Marches of 1965. The marches were led by Martin Luther King Jr (played by David Oyelowo), and faced massive opposition from locals, police and government figures alike.

Malcolm X: Directed and co-written by Spike Lee, the movie is based on Malcom X and Alex Haley’s 1965 co-authored work, ‘The Autobiography of Malcolm X’. This gritty biopic stars Denzel Washington as one of the most important figures of the Back to Contents

HIDDEN FIGURES: LOOSELY BASED ON THE STORIES OF THREE AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN WHO WORKED FOR NASA DURING THE ‘SPACE RACE’ Community by Donald Shields Page 83

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US Civil Rights movement.

Mudbound: Based on the 2008 novel of the same name, this is the story of two World War II veterans, one Black and one white, returning to Mississippi and dealing with PTSD and racism.

12 Years A Slave: The harrowing true story of Solomon Northup, a free man who was kidnapped from the street in New York and sold into slavery by conmen in 1841. Directed by Steve McQueen and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor. The biographical epic won 3 Oscars, including Best Picture, in 2013 Django Unchained: Django (Jamie Foxx) finds freedom from slavery and joins a bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz) to begin his mission of freeing his wife from a plantation owner (Leonardo DiCaprio). A Quentin Tarantino fable which accurately portrays the harsh barbarities common in the old American West.

Amistad: A historical drama released in 1997 and directed by Steven Spielberg. Based on the true story of the slave ship ‘La Amistad’ and the enslaved people, present as cargo, who took control of the ship. The ship is captured off the east coast of America, leading to a high-profile court case. Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, Djimon Hounsou, and Matthew McConaughey star.

1745: Written by and starring Morayo Akandé beside her sister Moyo Akandé - Two sisters torn from their home in Nigeria and sold into slavery Community by Donald Shields Page 85

try to retake their freedom in a foreign and hostile land, attempting to elude their master in the perilous Scottish Highlands.

Blue Story: Written, directed, and narrated

by Rapman (Andrew Onwubolu), Blue Story is a tragic tale of a friendship between Timmy and Marco, two young boys from opposing postcodes who form a firm friendship until it is tested and they wind up on rival sides of a street war. The film depicts elements of Rapman’s own personal experiences and aspects of his childhood.

Despite one of the highest ever opening weekends for a British independent film (£1.3 million) the film was pulled from Vue cinemas on the grounds of safety due to ‘significant incidents’; blaming violence on the film and the film’s message. The decision was subsequently reversed after a fierce backlash.

BOOKS ‘Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire’: Akala addresses the issue of British imperialism, and uncovers the harsh realities and lasting effects of an empire built on racism.

‘Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race’: Reni Eddo-Lodge. Addresses Back to Contents

THE FILM WAS PULLED FROM VUE CINEMAS ON THE GROUNDS OF SAFETY DUE TO ‘SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS’; BLAMING VIOLENCE ON THE FILM AND THE FILM’S MESSAGE.

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MAYA ANGELOU CONFRONTS HER OWN LIFE WITH SUCH A MOVING WONDER, SUCH A LUMINOUS DIGNITY

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not the white supremacists who are blindingly overt in their racism, but the common person who harbours internalised racism in one form or another. Explores links between gender, race and class throughout the UK. ‘Black and British: A Forgotten History’ - David Olusoga: Historian David Olusoga explores the enduring relationship between Britain and people whose origins lie in Africa. Currently being shown as a 4-part BBC 4 programme, starring the author.

‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ - Maya Angelou: 1969 autobiography which deals with the difficult, early years of eminent American writer and poet Maya Angelou.

Published in 1984, James Baldwin stated at the time that, ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings' liberates the reader into life simply because Maya Angelou confronts her own life with such a moving wonder, such a luminous dignity.’

‘The Fire Next Time’ - James Baldwin: Two essays written during the height of segregation and racial injustice in 1960s America. Baldwin was a poet, play-wright, writer and political activist for the Civil Rights Movement and Gay Liberation Movement. He wrote several books and made numerous appearances on national TV in the name of furthering equality.

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FILM

POST-LOCKDOWN CINEMA ACCESS FOR ALL THE DUB SNUB

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Among the many things that we have temporarily lost in lockdown is cinema. I mean real, big-screen-scale, popcornscented, visceral, escapist CINEMA. Big chains and small independents alike shuttered their doors back in March, their offerings understandably considered inessential in the grand scheme of things. The once everyday occurrence of people sitting crowded together in a dark room to look up at a screen became unfeasible.

As we adjusted to being closed off from the world, we found ourselves drawn to alternatives in the form of streaming services.

Providers like Netflix and Amazon Prime have been a godsend in these times, quite frankly. But what did the lockdown mean for cinema new releases? Well, the studios were faced with an interesting dilemma . Burdened with films which had already been marketed for release, they found themselves with closed venues and no paying customers. So, they were forced to delay.

This has led to projected worldwide box office revenue losses of, wait for it‌ $4.7 billion, according to UK-based data company Gower Street Analytics, quoted in Screen Daily. And closer to home, Glasgow Film Theatre CEO Allison Gardner reports a loss of 60% of their income-based profits, from ticket and bar sales alone. However, Gardner was keen to emphasise that the GFT has managed to retain its entire permanent staff, who will continue to receive 100% of their salary throughout the closures.

The first big domino to fall was No Time to Die, the highlyanticipated latest instalment in the James Bond franchise. That film was due to hit cinemas in early April, but now sits at a late November release slot. The likes of Wonder Woman 1984, A Quiet Place Part II and Fast & Furious 9 followed suit in their Film by Ross Miller Page 93

release being delayed by many months. This was not just limited to the bigger blockbuster fare, though – indie films were also hit hard. Charmingly foul-mouthed Scottish teen drama Our Ladies and affable, big-hearted baking-themed comedy Love Sarah also felt the sting of forced delays.

What other choice did studios have than to delay? No cinemas could open in order to show the films. And their usual customer base was confined indoors, eyes glued to a much smaller screen.

The obvious solution, for some studios, was to release films straight to on-demand, cutting out a cinema release entirely. This was the case with Trolls World Tour. That gamble paid off financially, primarily owing to its family-friendly appeal. ÂŁ15.99 per rental might seem like a lot, but weigh that up with the cost of a family trip to the cinema and you can see why for some it starts to seem like a good idea.

But as convenient as watching films at home may be, I think most film fans would agree that nothing compares to the cinema. Being unable to see a new film in its intended setting has created a weird sort of longing in me. I’ve started wondering: what will cinema look like on its return? Is the complete cinema experience a viable option when safety concerns are still paramount?

As it stands, cinema chains like Vue, Odeon, and Cineworld are aiming, though by no means guaranteeing, to reopen their doors as early as 4th July, with strict social distancing and hygiene measures in place. As yet, no specific government guidelines have been issued for cinemas. However, a task force has been set up around exhibition and distribution, working towards a standard of safety for all UK cinemas, according to Gardner.

Possible measures could include Perspex screens at till points, Back to Contents

WHAT WILL CINEMA LOOK LIKE ON ITS RETURN? Film by Ross Miller Page 95

IT’S A BIT OF A WAITING GAME

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hand sanitising stations as standard, a system of limited bookings to allow spacing between seats, and staggered showtimes to ensure minimal contact between customers as they enter and exit.

This will prove a considerable challenge for both the big chains and for smaller, independent favourites like Glasgow’s GFT and Edinburgh’s family-run Dominion.

Dominion Director Alastair Cameron told the BBC that the cinema had ‘battened down the hatches’ in order for the business to survive. Given that independents generally have less space in which to operate than the multiplexes, the Dominion are making sure plans are in place to maintain customer safety when they’re allowed to reopen. Cameron says, ‘We have thought out all the social distancing logistics and drawn up all the plans. People will be seeing parts of the building they have never seen before as they enter through one of our many emergency exits.’

But when exactly when we’ll see Scottish cinemas open again is still up in the air: ‘It’s a bit of a waiting game, but we [GFT] will definitely not be open for the 17th July,’ emphasises Gardner. ‘Even if Nicola Sturgeon was to announce that cinemas will be allowed to open next week, it’d still take time for planning. We still wouldn’t have the guidelines, making sure all the staff are happy to come back… there just wouldn’t be enough lead-in time. We want to do things properly.’

The big test case for audiences returning could be Tenet, the latest blockbuster from director Christopher Nolan, which had stubbornly positioned itself as the first post-lockdown release by refusing to budge from its 17th July release date.

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However, Warner Bros. recently pushed this back two weeks for, at time of publication, a worldwide release of 31st July. That means Disney’s live-action Mulan, with its July 24th date, could supersede Tenet as the film to welcome audiences back. Nevertheless, ‘Tenet has become the great symbol of the return of Hollywood movies,’ Tero Koistinen of the Finnish Chamber of Films told the BBC. All eyes, so to speak, will be on the mysterious epic.

All of this begs the question: is it really worth it? It seems like an awful lot of trouble to watch a film, and I say that as someone missing the theatrical experience terribly.

Opinion, as with everything these days, is divided on the matter. One Twitter poll by film critic and producer Scott Mantz revealed that a third of people would immediately return to the cinema, whilst the remaining would either cautiously wait 1-3 months, or won’t be going back at all until a COVID-19 vaccine is produced. There’s an understandable sense of reticence around the matter.

In my eyes, watching a film at the cinema is an unparalleled experience, one that no amount of convenient home streaming choices can truly match. On a positive note, though, your favourite film venues aren’t going anywhere – think of it as a short intermission. The jury’s out on whether the next month will see venues begin to open again, or remain firmly closed – but whatever happens, safety has to be the first consideration. Cinema will be there when we’re ready, and cinema will be worth the wait.

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THINK OF IT AS A SHORT INTERMISSION

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Over the last few months stuck in lockdown, many of us have been watching more movies than we ever have. What could be easier than popping on a film at home? You might be surprised. As a film fan, and someone who is visually impaired, I have always felt somewhat left out when it comes foreign language films and how inaccessible they are. Because of my visual impairment, it’s hard for me to follow subtitles and therefore it’s difficult to follow the film. Although I have tried, films such as The Raid and Pan’s Labyrinth are sadly impossible for me to follow.

Of course, I always agree with everyone who says to me that a film should be seen in its original language. But, I think it’s also important that an English language dubbed version should be available (even if it’s only on the film’s home release).

Whether you’re visually impaired or just find it difficult to follow subtitles well, dubbing on foreign language films is so important, and great for widening audience range. In Scotland alone, according the Royal National Institute of Blind People, there are 34,500 people registered as living with some form of sight impairment – there are many more who are not registered.

It would just be nice to know that I could log into Netflix or Amazon and choose any of the foreign language films on the platform and know that there’s Film by Ross Wilcock Page 101

a dubbed version.

As an disabled independent artist I always try to cater to all. I have screened films at festivals where I’ve added audio description and captions to help make films as accessible as I can. If I can do it then surely the likes of Nextflix, with their otherwise seemingly unlimited resources, can do the same.

Take Studio Ghibli, they’re so successful because of the amazing animation and fantastic storytelling, of course. But another part to the studio’s success is that they make their work available in both the original language and dubbed in English – meaning that more people can enjoy the films.

As much as experiencing a film in its original language is great, getting the feel for how the filmmakers intended the film to be seen and getting absorbed in a different culture; people who are visually impaired or struggle to follow subtitles well should have equal rights to enjoy that film too. Dubbing should be, in my opinion, a priority when releasing a film; just as audio description and captioning should be. These are widely unused within cinemas, film festivals, and in many home releases.

This is blocking millions of people around the world from enjoying films and tv, when the solution is simple.

I hope that in future, studios, cinemas, and festivals think more about accessibility when releasing a film – the solutions are out there, and are well tested. It’s 2020, it’s about time this becomes the norm.

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ANOTHER PART TO THE STUDIO’S SUCCESS IS THAT THEY MAKE THEIR WORK AVAILABLE IN BOTH THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE AND DUBBED IN ENGLISH

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Film festivals are generally brilliant, offering the best of the world’s cinema and giving a platform to voices that might otherwise go unnoticed. However, how many of them cater to everyone? By this I mean how many high profile festivals make it a priority to accommodate everyone, no matter their needs? There are a few who do, and as someone who lives with many access needs, it’s always great to see small independent film festivals trying so hard on tiny budgets to make sure audiences are their first priority. I am visually impaired and have mobility issues, so finding festivals and events that cater to these needs is a welcoming and refreshing experience, especially when all too often venues don’t get the basics right: having only stairs and no lift access is a particular issue.

With this in mind, I got together with organisers of two incredible Scottish independent film festivals – SQIFF (Scottish Queer International Film festival) and Matchbox Cinemclub – to ask their opinions on access and what they do to ensure the best experience for as diverse an audience as possible.

After all, no festival would be anything without its audience. Full disclosure: I work with SQIFF as a Film Curator, and this year I will be helping them out with their accessibility as they look to move some of their programmes online.

I spoke with Helen Wright from SQIFF as well as Sean Welsh and Megan Mitchelle from Matchbox Cineclub to chat about the work they do to make film accessible to audiences, volunteers, and staff.

First of all, can you both tell me a little about the festivals and how they began?

HR: SQIFF is a community queer film festival running every year in Glasgow, usually with a few off-shoot events year round. We hold screenings, workshops, discussions, and social events. The aim is to showcase work that doesn’t get much of a platform elsewhere and to provide a fun and educational space for audiences who often don’t have access to other, Film by Ross Wilcock Page 105

bigger film festivals.

MB: Matchbox Cineclub started doing pop-up screenings in September 2010, but we didn’t begin screening regularly until 2015. Now we run three annual festivals (Cage-a-rama, KeanuCon, Weird Weekend), and a couple of newer ones (Kaleidoscopic Realms, Remakesploitation Fest).

There are regular standalone events, and we also administer Scalarama activity across Scotland.

What have you done to make your festival more accessible?

HR: We have a number of access measures in place and we have added to these over the years. They include: Captions – subs, BSL (British Sign language) at all events, induction loops, using accessible venues, live captioning, audio description at some screenings, large print programmes for those with visual impairments, and access notes, to let blind and partially sighted audience members know how accessible a screening will be for them. We ensure comfy seating for those who have physical/mobility issues, and there are dedicated quiet spaces; we found these help if people need a bit of alone time or to breathe and chill during the festival. There are content notes available for any potentially distressing subject matter. Also, assistance dogs are welcome.

MB: Since 2019, all of our screenings have had subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing (SDH or captions) by default - that is, they’re always on and we have them for English-language as well as non-English language films. We also subtitle any material we produce and host online. Recently, we’ve been experimenting with live subtitles for online activity, but we also transcribe/subtitle anything like that once it’s archived online. It can be a lot of work, especially for a two-person operation like ours, but it’s less challenging for us because I’m also a professional subtitler. We also employ content warnings for all the films we programme.

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RECENTLY, WE’VE BEEN EXPERIMENTING WITH LIVE SUBTITLES FOR ONLINE ACTIVITY

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YOU SHOULDN’T BE RUNNING A FILM FESTIVAL WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT PEOPLE’S ACCESS REQUIREMENTS Back to Contents

locally by SQIFF, so that the audience decides for themselves what they can afford to pay, by referencing a tiered guide.

Our main venue, CCA, is also accessible in a number of ways - it’s wheelchair accessible, there are accessible toilets, there’s a hearing loop and they’re very supportive of our efforts in various ways.

Can you tell us a bit about what needs to be in place to allow for audio description and induction loops?

HR: In terms of the induction loops in our main venue, CCA, their tech staff hire them in for us. I’m sure there are companies around the UK that would do this [for another venue.] As for the other features; as a grassroots festival we hire freelance professionals who have lived experience as queer people to create our audio description and captions.

Do you think accessibility is key in running a film festival?

HR: Yeah, of course. You shouldn’t be running a film festival without thinking about people’s access requirements.

MB: Yes. Everyone should have equal access to culture. On top of that, our core programming consists of underseen, rarely-seen, or never-seen films – so we want them to reach as many people as possible. When you have a 35mm screening of Nothing Lasts Forever, an incredible film that’s rarely programmed and can’t be seen otherwise, of course you should go to unusual lengths to make sure it can screen with subtitles.

So how do you go about making sure that films are as accessible as they can be for visually impaired audiences?

HR: This is really interesting, actually, and is something we have been learning more and more about as the festival continues. What we try to do is make sure we highlight which films are English language, and how accessible these are for blind and visually impaired people. For example: is there a lot of dialogue that would help someone to follow the film, as opposed to a film being based on image? We also try to factor this into Film by Ross Wilcock Page 109

the programming. For instance, we’ll put together shorts programmes that feature only English language films so that the whole programme is more accessible for this particular audience.

When screening foreign language films, have you been able to incorporate any accessibility features for these screenings?

MB: All the films we screen have SDH (subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing), whether English-language or not. So if we have a German film, we’ll adapt the subtitles to add SDH elements - sound labels and speech identifiers, etc. What we haven’t been able to deliver yet is audio description, but we’ve made figuring that out a priority.

Do you seek feedback to inform access measures for future events?

HR: We try in a few different ways. Mainly we pay people to come in, people who are living with those access needs, to contribute to how we can improve our access. I feel this is where a lot of festivals get it wrong in their hiring process, because they exclude deaf and disabled people.

We use audience feedback forms, on which people are more than welcome to voice their opinions on where we can improve. We also reach out to organizations and charities that help those living with disabilities and who work with queer communities, such as GDA and LGBT Health & Wellbeing, to ask for their suggestions on what they would like to see from a festival.

MB: In the first instance, [what’s important is] speaking directly to your audience members. Also, getting in touch Back to Contents

THEY EXCLUDE DEAF AND DISABLED PEOPLE

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IT REQUIRES SINCERITY, DEDICATION AND PERSEVERANCE, BUT MOST OF ALL EMPATHY

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with representative organizations (for advice and also to help spread word of your accessible events), and speaking to your peers in film exhibition – other festivals, programmers and organisations. It requires sincerity, dedication and perseverance, but most of all empathy. Make your access measures visible, reliable, and sustainable.

With the current situation, is it possible we could see your festival heading online this year?

HR: Yes, we are considering taking the festival online this year. We’re just troubleshooting that at the moment. We know that there are people who are housebound for one reason or another who would really benefit from the festival being online. We would also potentially be able to reach a worldwide audience. However, we are still holding out hopes that we can at least do a handful of events in person.

It’s important to keep in mind that some audience members may be in a homophobic or transphobic environment where watching our content at home (as a queer film festival) wouldn’t be the best situation. And, of course, there’s the worry of slow internet connections. Being online would make the festival more accessible to those in Scotland outside of Glasgow, especially in rural areas where there isn’t so much queer culture available.

MB: Yes, we’re looking at various options for upcoming events. Something like KeanuCon is unfortunately nearimpossible to deliver online, given how mainstream the programme would be. With the current status quo, major studios wouldn’t allow us to host The Matrix, for example, on our own platform. But we have plans for our other projects, Film by Ross Wilcock Page 113

all currently TBC. The upside is we can lean into all the aspects of online screening that are distinct from physical events. One example would be to host multiple ‘screenings’ of the same film, with different framing elements, or offer the ability to watch a film in our programme multiple times or whenever suits the audience.

It may be easier for us to offer live subtitles on live events. We have a wider potential audience online too - there are lots of upsides, actually. The major downside, of course, is that we can’t experience our events in the same room as our audience. As an independent exhibitor, our programming of archive or repertory titles is currently very limited. But watch this space.

Do you see the festival continuing with online options in future years?

HR: Yeah, we would like to, although this depends on funding.

But this would definitely be something that would make the festival more accessible for people, to have an online option in the future.

MB: Yes, absolutely. Online and physical events offer very different possibilities and they’re not in opposition to each other. We’re taking the chance to explore new ideas and new opportunities.

BIO: I’m Ross Wilcock, 28, from Glasgow, and I am a writer, poet and filmmaker. I have worked with SQIFF as well as volunteering for Matchbox. I currently work at BBC Scotland as a Production Apprentice. Accessibility is an issue very close to my heart and I’m glad I can start to make an impact and help change minds and perceptions through my articles with SNACK. Back to Contents

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FOOD &

DRINK

LOCKDOWN TAKEAWAYS ALL PEOPLE ALL PAWS LOCKDOWN LOVE AFFAIR: LAGER

Don’t fret if you’re missing your favourite cafes and restaurants as much as we are. Although the food and drink industry in Scotland has been through a massive upheaval in recent months, with some places unfortunately having to close down completely, many have embraced takeaway culture and are once again open for business. With the way things are, everything is changing daily, so it’s definitely best to check in advance - especially when ordering for special occasions. Here are some of our recommendations:

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EDINBURGH BROSS BAGELS

brossbagels.com, 0131 629 4150, Branches in Bruntsfield, Stockbridge, West End, Leith & Portobello Bross Bagels specialise in traditional Montreal inspired bagels with NYC deli inspired fillings. To give you an idea of what to expect, their ‘Montreal’ is filled with smoked salmon, cream cheese, pickled red onions, capers, dill, and finished with a squeeze of lemon. They make their own dough and they’ve plenty of good vegan options too. Delivery covers not just Edinburgh but also East and West Lothian, and even Fife on Thursdays. You can also pick them up in person at one of their stores. Minimum order for delivery is £20.

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CONSIDERIT consideritchocolate.com/doughnutdelivery, 0131 667 4064, 3-5a Sciennes, EH9 1NJ Vegan doughnuts to your door, and not just in Edinburgh! Considerit will deliver to Fife, Falkirk, Livingstone, and even Glasgow - delivery is on set days only, so check the website before ordering. They’re best enjoyed on the day of collection but they can also be frozen - simply defrost at room temperature and then warm in the microwave for a few seconds. A box of six different flavours each week is £13 when collected (Friday only) or £15 delivered (£15.50 for Glasgow). You can also add doughnut holes, cinnamon buns, or chocolate to your order. All items are free from animal produce. Contactless delivery guaranteed.

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HARAJUKU KITCHEN harajukukitchen.co.uk, 0131 281 0526, 10 Gillespie Place, EH10 4HS Purveyors of tasty Japanese cuisine in Tollcross. Get your gyoza, takoyaki, kara-age, tonkatsu, and katsu curry fixes here. Harajuku Kitchen are also working with homeless charity Social Bite to help distribute free meals and essential packs across Scotland – there’s a discretionary £2 charge if you’d like to help.

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MILK cafemilk.co.uk, 0131 629 6022, Various locations MILK at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop is open Wednesday - Sunday from 9am - 2pm. The Coffee Shack Inverleith is open 7 days from 9am - 4pm while MILK West End is open Thursdays & Fridays from 10am - 3pm for collection and delivery. Collect from 232 Morrison Street, EH3 8EA between 2 - 3pm on Fridays with no contact deliveries taking place from 4 - 8pm. £30 minimum order, delivery is free. The West End location stocks soup, frittata, sourdough, a number of Middle Eastern dishes, and sweet things. You can also order homemade lemonade, Alba cola, kombucha, eggs, veg boxes, flour and milk (includes oat milk). Dishes come with reheating instructions where required and are served up in compostable packaging. Contactless drop off. Order by Wednesday 3pm for delivery / pick up on Friday. Delivery is Edinburgh only.

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PIZZA GEEKS pizzageeks.hungrrr.co.uk/takeaway/menus.php, 0131 347 8863, 19 Dalry Rd, EH11 2BQ Both delivery (within Edinburgh) and collection (max 2 customers permitted at a time) are available Thursday through to Sunday 5pm till 9pm from Pizza Geeks. This great little pizza place, which takes inspiration from Star Wars, comics and computer games, is just around the corner from Haymarket station.

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POLENTONI facebook.com/polentonideli, 0131 661 6182, 38 Easter Rd, EH7 5RG This smart little cafe on Easter Road has now re-opened for collection only. Serving up Italian favourites such as gnocchi, polenta, focaccia and tiramisu from Wednesday to Saturday 127pm.

TWELVE TRIANGLES twelve-triangles.myshopify.com, orders@twelvetriangles. co.uk, various locations Delivering to most of Edinburgh (sadly the South-West is excluded), Twelve Triangles are renowned for their excellent sourdough bread and sweet buns. But did you know they also have a well-stocked larder section, with homemade delights such as rhubarb, fennel and bay jam, and sweet pistachio dukkah? They also stock great staple foods like Corrie Mains eggs and Mossgiel milk. Open Monday - Friday 8.30am till 8pm. Orders delivered the next day from Tuesday - Saturday. Minimum order £15.

UNION OF GENIUS facebook.com/UnionOfGenius, 0131 553 8992, 8 Forrest Rd, EH1 2QN Scotland’s soup specialists are delivering to your door. Soup comes in bags big enough for two large portions or three small, and are safe for home freezing. Chilli, salad, flatbreads, granola, and brownies are also available. Order by midday every Wednesday.

The minimum order is £12 and contactless delivery is free to all Edinburgh postcodes, but they may be able to deliver outside Edinburgh city limits if you contact them first.

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GLASGOW ACCENTO

accentocafe.co.uk, 0141 258 3830, 6 Claremont Street, GB G3 This fab little Sardinian cafe in Finnieston is open again, serving delicious sandwiches, pizza, salads and sweet pastries. They also stock a variety of Italian deli items. Open Thursday - Saturday from 11am - 2:30pm. Order by 8pm the night before for collection only, on the following day.

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THE AMSTERDAM via ubereats.com, 0141 552 5108, 106-108 Brunswick St, G1 1TF Open for take away or delivery via Uber Eats. Burgers which are described as ‘naughty but nice’, and other flavours of misbehaviour are the draw here.

Special mention goes to the boneless chicken wings, and don’t forget the loaded fries with a choice of toppings. Vegan options are available and you can order draught pints too. Proost!

BABY GRAND babygrandglasgow.com/click-and-collect, 0141 248 4942, 3-7 Elmbank Gardens, Glasgow G2 4NQ Pick up only. Rotisserie chicken is the speciality of this well-established bar/ restaurant at Charing Cross, but you can also add other moreish goodies such as mac & cheese, roast potatoes cooked on the rotisserie and raclette cheese.

Booze can also be added to your click and collect order.

BAFFO baffo.co.uk, 0141 583 0000, 1377 Argyle St, G3 8AF Neapolitan pizza from Baffo is available to collect from their restaurant opposite Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. If you are nearby, then delivery is also an option. There’s a £3 delivery charge and they are open 7 days per week. If pizza isn’t your thing but you want something Italian, pasta and bruschetta is also available. There’s also a hefty selection of Italian deli items, wine, soft drinks, coffee and some unusual beer that you probably won’t find anywhere else in Glasgow.

CAIL BRUICH cailbruich.co.uk/cb-at-home, 0141 334 6265, 725 Great Western Road, G12 8QX Got a special occasion in lockdown? Cail Bruich is now offering collections, Back to Contents

and they can even bring fine dining to your home. The menu changes weekly and the food will arrive chilled with heating instructions. You can also add wine, beers, soft drinks and chocolates. Friday & Saturday collections are at agreed times between 2 - 7pm. Friday and Saturday deliveries between 5pm and 7pm cover G3, G11, G12, G13, G14, and G20 postcodes. Between 6pm and 8pm for G61, G62, G63, G76, and G77. ÂŁ3 delivery charge per order.

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CHAAKOO WEST END chaakoo.co.uk, 0141 334 8560, 61 Ruthven Lane, G12 9BG Iranian Bombay cafe/restaurant Chaakoo have reopened their west end restaurant (the city centre unit is closed for now). Their lockdown menu features a large selection of kebabs, curries and sides. Get your orders in for contactfree collection and delivery between 4 - 9pm Wednesday - Sunday.

DANDELION CAFE facebook.com/dandelioncafeG43, 07593 874 848, Newlands Park Pavilion, 26 Lubnaig Road, G43 2RY Offering an ever-changing menu which has recently featured Malaysian curries, Moroccan tagines, macaroni cheese, and sausage rolls. Food is available for collection or delivery. Available Friday, Saturdays & Sundays from 11am - 3pm and 6 - 7:30pm. £2 delivery.

EIGHTY EIGHT 88glasgow.com, 0141 212 6050, 88 Dumbarton Road, G11 6NX One of Glasgow’s newest gems. The main attraction with Eighty Eight (prelockdown) was the menu, which changed daily and championed seasonal and local produce. They have recently reopened with a new menu which changes weekly. Orders must be placed 24 hours before expected delivery. Collection is available between 3pm and 6pm on Fridays and Saturdays, while Sunday collection is from 3pm till 6pm. Deliveries after 3pm on Friday & Saturday. The following postcodes are covered: G3, G11, G12, G13, G20, G31, G41, G42, G61, and G62.

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JULIE’S KOPITIAM facebook.com/julieskopitiam, 0141 237 9560, 1109 Pollokshaws Road, G41 3YG Prefer not to agonize over what to eat? Julie’s Kopitiam in Shawlands makes it simple with a choice of two set food platters to heat up at home. Each feeds two people, priced at £25 for meat and £22 for the vegan option. Each platter features smacked cucumbers, kerabu melon and peanut noodle salad, breakfast nasi goreng, yellow coconut, and a spinach dal. The meat option has pork in the nasi goreng and comes with a chicken and prawn laksa, while the vegan platter has aubergine laksa instead. Available Thursday till Sunday from 12 noon till 5:30pm. Orders must be placed by 5pm the day before they are due for collection. Cooking instructions are provided on their website. Payment is by contactless card made upon collection of your order at the restaurant. No delivery.

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LEBOWSKI’S (WEST) Via Just Eat, Uber Eats, 0141 222 2884, 1008 Argyle Street, G3 8LX In the West End and hankering for a good burger? Lebowski’s have you covered. They have a choice of nine, with a minced rump steak burger being the namesake option. In addition, there’s a large selection of wings, mac & cheese balls, halloumi fries, sandwiches and loaded fries. If you phone for collection they’ll knock 25% off your order, and you can even pick up some White Russians – they have six different takes on this creamy cocktail.

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RED ONION takeaway.buyatakeaway.com/?id=REDONION, 0141 221 6000, 257 West Campbell Street, G2 4TT Good honest cooking from the chef who once made a living from rustling up Thai jungle curries for Bryan Adams, burgers for Tina Turner, and reindeer for Guns N’ Roses! These days they’re creating more ‘conventional’ restaurantquality dishes for eating in the comfort of your own home. All meals are made fresh and can be reheated, refrigerated or frozen. Bottles of wine can be added as well. Online ordering is available every day, with collections between Friday till Sunday from 12 noon till 6pm. £10 minimum order. Pick up only.

YIAMAS facebook.com/YiamasGreekTaverna, 0141 353 1386, 16-20 Bath St, G2 1HB If you’re missing a gyro or the flavours of Greece to remind you of holidays, then Yiamas might be the answer. They’re open for collection and delivery via Deliveroo Thursday till Sunday from 4pm till 9pm. At weekends they are also doing separate (non-Deliveroo) deliveries, and can deliver Southside – possibly even further afield if you phone to confirm first. Menus are updated weekly, so check on Facebook or Instagram before ordering.

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I don’t know if there can be anything beautiful that comes from a worldwide pandemic, although perhaps many of us will be more resilient as a result of it. The Greek origin of the word Pandemic means ‘All-People’; and while we currently have to do our best to avoid all people, I’ve been noticing all the wildlife around me that little bit more.

At first, lockdown meant that people vanished from the streets, the cars stopped moving, and the world grew still. Birdsong became a gentle reminder that the world was still waiting for us. It was peaceful. Each morning from my kitchen window I’ve watched the handsome orange-breasted bullfinch flirt with his girlfriend.

I’ve noticed more bumblebees this year than ever before – often slamming into my window as I work.

The environment has had a brief reprieve from we humans: air pollution has dropped, and animals have visited places once offlimits to them. Endangered sea turtles have once again returned to lay eggs on deserted beaches in Brazil, and other wild animals, previously driven out of their natural habitats, have been seen to reclaim some of these areas.

We’ve also changed our habits: working from home, spending more time in nature. And according to The International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation, as a result of Covid-19 many of us are now considering plant-based alternatives to meat – another unsuspected plus for the environment*. Now things are tentatively opening up, and the (for the moment) gentle thrum of cars and buses now cuts through the birdsong, it’s made me realise quite how much impact we have on the world. From the steps we take, to the food we eat.

Personally, I’ve felt more attuned to nature than I have in some time.

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Being shut-in has made me value our natural environment more. I wanted to discover what else I could do to reduce my impact, as the world slowly returns to normal. How could I support and grow this connection to nature, as the world comes out of lockdown? I spoke to Christian Arno, CEO and founder of Pawprint, a soon-tobe launched eco-conscious App/Progressive Web App. I asked about his thoughts on the pandemic, and where Pawprint would fit into a world which has changed so dramatically.

According to Christian, Pawprint’s launch will give people the ability to track their carbon footprint and see the changes they make in real terms; providing practical advice and calculating the overall benefit. The inspiration for the app came from conversations between Christian and his father, and the latter’s exasperation with understanding his environmental impact. Christian developed the app as a tool to address this frustration, offering tips for reducing a person’s carbon impact and a way to measure it. He hopes that Pawprint will empower individuals to make small changes to support the environment.

I was surprised to learn (according to Pawprint) that I’m saving 560 kg CO2e per year just from being vegan; the same as driving 1,050 miles in terms of emissions. Of course, this doesn’t absolve me of any other responsibilities. According to Pawprint there are other actions I could take, such as: Make a flask of tea/coffee in the morning to avoid re-boiling the kettle and save around 22 Kg CO2e per year, the same as driving 41 miles in terms of emissions.

Only eat seasonal veg and save up to 75 Kg CO2e per year, the same as driving 140 miles in terms of emissions.

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AS THINGS ARE TENTATIVELY OPENING UP, AND THE GENTLE THRUM OF CARS AND BUSES NOW CUTS THROUGH THE BIRDSONG, IT’S MADE ME REALISE QUITE HOW MUCH IMPACT WE HAVE ON THE WORLD. Vegan byLaura Woodland Page 135

THE WORLD WILL NEVER AGAIN STOP AND GIVE US PAUSE LIKE THIS. BREATHING IN THE FRESH AIR AROUND US, WE SHOULD TAKE A MOMENT TO CONSIDER HOW WE CAN USE THIS GLOBAL EVENT FOR POSITIVE CHANGE Back to Contents

plants) and save around 164g CO2e and 156L of water per year - I now have another excuse for pasta every day! (Note to self - buy more plants).

Only pre-heat my oven if the cooking instructions demand it and save 16 kg CO2e per year, the same as driving 30 miles in terms of emissions.

Just making these small changes, all possible in lockdown, would save me 113.164 kg of CO2e per year. That’s the same same as driving from my home to Manchester. Add my plant-based mileage to that, and I’ve saved enough CO2 to take me to Monaco.

Speaking to Christian, it’s clear that the opportunity we have to make a difference at this singularly unusual time is a one-off thing. The world will never again stop and give us pause like this.

Breathing in the fresh air around us, we should take a moment to consider how we can use this global event for positive change.

I think we can all agree that, right now, a bit more control over the world is just what we need.

At the time of writing, Pawprint is still to launch; in the meantime, you can find useful advice on their website pawprint.eco. Until then, I’ll be sipping my coffee (from my flask, naturally) and staying vigilant for potential bumblebee rescue missions. *foodinsight.org/consumer-survey-asecond-look-at-covid-19s-impact-on-foodpurchasing-eating-behaviors/ Vegan byLaura Woodland Page 137

Isla has been writing about beer since 2012. She has worked in the Scottish drinks industry for a number of years, has judged at the Scottish Beer Awards and World Whisky Awards, and hosts beer tasting events. When not obsessing over beer, she’ll probably be obsessing over food, whisky or cats.

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THERE HAVE BEEN SOME EXCELLENT LAGERS COMING OUT OF SCOTTISH BREWERIES IN RECENT YEARS, AND IT’S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING MY WAY THROUGH THIS SELECTION OF FIVE OF SCOTLAND’S FINEST FOR YOU

Food and Drink by Isla Mercer 139

What I would give to be sitting in a pub drinking an ice-cold pint of lager right now. Lager is a style of beer I often overlook in favour of something with more hops and more oomph. However, lockdown has really got me craving it. In the famous words of Joni Mitchell (and then Counting Crows): ‘You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone’.

Since kick-starting my love affair with lagers, I’ve really enjoyed remembering the difference in breadth and depth of flavour between bocks, viennas, helles, and pilsners. It’s also been quite nice to really pay attention to the aromas and flavours, as opposed to absentmindedly gulping it mid-conversation in the pub.

One of the most commonly asked questions about lager is ‘what makes it different from other beers?’ The answer to that is yeast, and the way it is therefore fermented. Lagers are brewed using a bottomfermenting yeast which requires a cooler temperature than the usual top-fermenting varieties that most beers are made from. These cooler conditions mean they also take much longer to ferment – weeks as opposed to days. ‘Lager’ in German actually means store (or warehouse if you’re using Google Translate), referring to their longer brewing periods and ability to survive much cooler temperatures.

The combination of the yeast and brewing conditions give a much more mellow and crisp flavour. This is complimented by the hops used, which are usually less fruity than the hops in pales or IPAs. This results in the slightly bitter, malty, super refreshing lager taste we all know and love.

Scotland has a rich history of lager, with one rather well-known brand taking centre stage. However, there have been some excellent lagers coming out of Scottish breweries in recent years, and it’s been a pleasure working my way through this selection of five of Scotland’s finest for you.

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SCHIEHALLION – HARVIESTOUN BREWERY 4.8% Let’s start with a classic: Schiehallion

by Harviestoun. Harviestoun opened in 1983, long before a lot of Scottish brewers were even born! Schiehallion was released in 1994. It’s a Pilsner, so very light, clean and crisp. On top of this classic Pilsner flavour profile, there are citrus hints and a slight bitter peppery note coming through. It’s the winner of a number of SIBA awards and has scooped up a ‘World’s Best Pilsner’ award. You can see why this little stalwart is still going strong at 26 years old.

PILSNER – FIERCE BEER 4.2% Another pilsner, this time hailing from Aberdeen’s Fierce Brewery. This beer has the addition of oats to give a really full-bodied mouthfeel. It’s a little richer than your average pilsner, with orange notes as well as grassy meadows, and a hint of lemon sherbet. Fierce’s Pilsner is gluten-free; but this hasn’t come at the cost of any compromise on taste.

Food and Drink by Isla Mercer 141

MODERN HELLES – TEMPEST BREWING 4.1% Now to a Helles, which is maltier and heavier than the light and spicy pilsner.

This Helles from Tempest was probably my favourite of the bunch. It was so smooth, yet had that clean finish you want from a lager. It’s a little more earthy, but with a citrus edge. The main flavour I got was brown loaf bread crusts. There was a little sweetness too, with a Werther’s Original toffee type aftertaste. Not as thirstquenchingly refreshing as the others, but full to the brim with flavour and absolutely delicious.

LEITH PILS – CAMPERVAN BREWERY 4.8% Oooft, this was like drinking liquid summer.

A proper summer, not like a miserable grey Scottish one. The carbonation on this was so light that it felt almost tingly on your tongue, and it had a very clean finish. It was slightly bitter, quite citrusy and had a little honey sweetness in there somewhere.

This is exactly what you imagine lager tasting like, as opposed to the lacklustre pint of slightly flavoured fizzy water you so often end up with.

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CHE GUAVA – WILLIAMS BROS 3.5% Another gluten-free lager, this time from the legendary Scottish brewing duo, Williams Bros.

Che Guava is slightly different from the others I tested, in that it’s got guava flavouring added to give a real tropical feel. It’s a brut-style which gives it a sharp, dry edge, and a distinctly higher effervescence than other lagers.

Its lower ABV lends itself well to a lazy summer day spent drinking outdoors.

Big thanks to Pete from the Beerhive, Edinburgh for helping me source all these.

Food and Drink by Isla Mercer 143

REVIEW

RUN THE JEWELS CHARLOTTE DE WITTE DRIFT ELVIS VALENTINE IDLES MANDY HAGGITH PINS SUPERCLOUD THE FIERY FURNACES THE VAN T'S SESSION VICTIM SCARLETT RANDLE LADY GAGA

TRACK BY TRACK

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You may remember the video.

Filmed in Atlanta at the end of May this year, an impassioned, eloquent man makes a speech at the Mayor’s press conference, addressing Black Lives Matter protestors. His words manage to cut through the prevailing rhetoric, appealing directly to the extreme emotions Atlantans are experiencing and acting upon. Later, online commentators surge in with their quote-tweet speculation, expressing surprise at the articulacy of this man, which to some seemed at odds with his moniker.

Except, anyone paying the slightest bit of attention to modern hip-hop music or even just contemporary Black US culture could have already told you that. No matter the composition of any gathering of people in any room, if Killer Mike is present, he is the most eloquent person there.

The release of RTJ4, Killer Mike’s fourth album in collaboration with producer/rapper El-P in their incarnation as Run The Jewels, coincides with a political backdrop so crucial to the future of humanity that no superlative can cover it. Perfectly straddling the zeitgeist of modern concerns, a more timely and pertinent album hasn’t been produced since the days of news reports being broadcast in 4:3 aspect ratios.

And there’s no messing about, as opener ‘yankee and the brave (Ep 4)’ thrusts a harsh kick/splash combo front and centre, before the main eighties-inspired breakbeat opens up and sprawls out in all its Schwartz brothers splendour. Lyrically, Mike spends the track debating with himself if suicide would be a better exit than being killed by a cop, as he’d maintain control of the narrative rather than surrendering it to a systemic tissue of lies.

A ghostly bar-room piano loop in ‘ooh La La’ brings with it a unique mix of familiarity and freshness. There’s an instant nostalgic Wu-Tang vibe, and it’s always a pleasure when hip-hop artists give their influences a shout-out, especially when it sits so comfortably with the track’s overall feel.

The layering of the samples in ‘out of sight’ coupled with pertinent rhymes and the involvement of 2 Chainz makes it one of the album’s highlights. The track maintains the overall feel of a record wearing the legacy of hip-hop like a crown earned rather than inherited. There are touches of Run DMC, Grandmaster Flash, Music By Stephen McColgan Page 147

and all sorts of audio pioneers; but the in-yer-face flow anchors the track in the contemporary and the vital. Not a single measure, syllable, or beat misses its mark.

Again, classic hip-hop references are evident in ‘holy calamafuk’, although this is where the record takes a darker turn. The contrasts in El-P and Mike’s diction and delivery really drive forward a creepy, yet dancehall-inspired track full of menacing synth buzzes and effect-heavy drum patterns. Changing tack halfway through, the second part of the song is dominated by a rattling, echoing snare which by itself could provide the soundtrack to anyone’s nightmare.

Despite having the type of twee, retrospective title that would’ve been used by some noughties Emo band who would later go on to prove problematic, ‘goonies vs. E.T.’ is an absolute banger.

The production on the speedy, skipping beat is so honed that the brushed snare sounds alongside the other drum thumps feel like a spider is weaving thin floss into a complex, satisfying mesh.

Unsettling, pertinent and containing a guest appearance from Gangsta Boo, ‘walking in the snow’ harks back to the 2014 killing of Eric Garner. Lyrically, it’s one of the most jarring things you’ll hear this year. ‘And every day on evening news, they feed you fear for free / And you so numb you watch the cops choke out a man like me’. The refrain is, simply, ‘I can’t breathe’. To be frank, we should all take a minute to appreciate just how effectively the rapper’s feelings of impotent rage are condensed and crystallised in this four-minute slab of consciousness. ‘look at all these slave masters posing on your dollar’ is the repeated refrain of ‘JU$T’.Once again, there’s an uncanny sense that RTJ somehow foresaw the events of Summer 2020 and wrote Back to Contents

LIKE A SPIDER IS WEAVING THIN FLOSS INTO A COMPLEX, SATISFYING MESH Music By Stephen McColgan Page 149

IT’S THE SOUND OF ARTICULATED RAGE AND VARIED SOULFUL CONFUSION. Back to Contents

the album ahead of time to suit. Zack de la Rocha and Pharrell Williams both contribute vocals, and the former’s screaming delivery coated in tape saturation takes an already throbbing track and sprinkles it with tangible rage.

The suspended double-bass style notes that start ‘never Look back’ sit above the entire track like a thematic umbrella. Ninth track ‘the ground below’ features clever use of a Gang of Four sample, which ends up sounding like the closest thing to a movie soundtrack on RTJ4.

The record’s musical diversity is further in evidence with ‘pulling the pin’ featuring Mavis Staples and photographer kicker-inchief Josh Homme. I have no idea what has been done to the droning string chords that beef up the mix from a minute onwards, but whatever it is, the effect is both swelling and claustrophobic.

Staples comes to the fore in the outro while a disruptive fuzz guitar (presumably Homme’s) counters her smooth, gravelly, soulful outpouring.

Most of the chat around this album will centre on the production (which is sublime) and the message (which could not be more necessary). Closing track ‘a few words for the firing squad (radiation)’ wraps up accordingly. It feels like it features the same sax sample as Laurent Garnier used in ‘the man with the red face’ but to more of a dynamic crescendo effect.

Despite RTJ4’s nods to rap’s legacy throughout, rarely has a record sounded quite so vitally contemporary. This is the sound of now. It’s the sound of articulated rage and varied soulful confusion. It’s the sound of empires crumbling and outdated systemic structures being righteously dismantled. Twenty years from now, RJT4 will be lauded as The Sound of 2020.

Music By Stephen McColgan Page 151

RETURN TO NOWHERE EP REVIEW Back to Contents

TECHNO WITH A TWIST

Fresh from live streaming from the medieval Gravensteen castle in Ghent, Charlotte de Witte’s latest EP could hardly have been launched in a more appropriate setting.

The relentless beats and drive that are associated with the artist remain, but this time around, they’re aligned with ethereal chants which hint at reaching out to a higher spirit or being. Which surely underpins all the best dance music.

The title track has the most ingenuity, twisting and whipping its way forward, but all of the tracks have a haunted and enchanting quality. Anyone labouring under the impression techno was all heart with no soul will have reason to question their beliefs here.

EP closer ‘What’s In The Past’ drops the tempo, but none of the intensity, as the traditional chants come to the fore. On a Return To Nowhere, one of present-day techno’s leading lights keeps moving forward. Jump on board!

Return To Nowhere EP is out now on KNTXT

By Andrew Reilly

Email: review@snackmag.co.uk Page 153

EDGE OF LOVE (TVL REMIX)

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Paisley powerhouses collide, as artpoppers The Vegan Leather remix DRIFT’s recent single ‘Edge of Love’.

The gently burbling electronic dreamscape of the original has been reworked, TVL replacing the chilled grooves of the original with a tighter and more focused core. It all starts off pretty chilled, all hand drums and short delay effects before it all kicks in. Later a hooky solo drops by, giving that particular section an almost Metronomylike feel. Linzi Clark’s vocal is no longer reverb soaked, now starker and more direct, gently transposing the emotion of the lyrics.

Though the imprint of The Vegan Leather is inescapable here, with the variances in tempo, and the pitching of the vocals being classic TVL touchstones; it’s a respectful new take on the track which remains fairly closely related to the DRIFT original. It takes an already cracking tune and elevates it to dancefloor heights.

FFO: Gossip, Metronomy, LCD Soundsystem, Free Love The track is available now on DRIFT’s Bandcamp, with all proceeds going to Black Lives Matters related charities.

By Dominic V. Cassidy Email: review@snackmag.co.uk Page 155

AND THE GHOSTS OF CHANCE ALBUM: THE BOOK OF NUMBERS Back to Contents

RIDE THE HURRICANE

Followers of the Edinburgh music scene will be familiar with Elvis Valentine. He’s been around in various guises, including a spell in the East Coast’s finest Saint Jude’s Infirmary, but on The Book Of Numbers, Elvis is taking centre stage. It’s about time.

Opener 'Bachelor Herd' is so jangly, fuzzy and guitar-poppy that even hardened West-Coast heads will be bopping along. This tone follows throughout, sing-alongs and punch the air moments gleefully breaking through the fuzz and chaos.

The collection is a little rough around the edge, but that only adds to the charm.

If you’re tired of pitch-perfect polished songs having the life squeezed out of them, you’ve got a chance to get your hands grubby here.

Saying something is infectious probably isn’t a positive term in 2020, if ever, but The Book of Numbers marries melody and ambition in a wonderfully catchy and nebulous manner.

The Book of Numbers is available now on the artist’s bandcamp page: elvisvalentine.bandcamp.com/releases

By Andrew Reilly

Email: review@snackmag.co.uk Page 157

SINGLE: GROUNDS

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DO YOU HEAR THAT THUNDER?

With timing so prescient you’d be forgiven for thinking this was either written and released in a day, or long-held back for exactly the right moment, 'Grounds' by Idles is exactly the sort of song we need right now.

With so few bands taking a look around them and decrying the shitshow we are wading in, the fact that Idles do, and do so well, is to be applauded. Mind you, this is far from a one-off.

Every line is liable to resonate and reverberate, although the rallying cry of 'Black is beautiful' will grab attention. Which is fair, but the song is a measured sonic assault that says more in three minutes than most of our democratically elected representatives have said in three months or years.

Anger is one thing, but Idles have captured and channelled their frustration in a way that will hopefully enthuse and engage many more.

'Grounds' is out now on Partisan Records.

By Andrew Reilly

Email: review@snackmag.co.uk Page 159

BOOK: THE LYRE DANCERS

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When you know a favourite series is coming to an end the feeling can be bittersweet. Of course, you get to spend more time with characters, and in places, that you have come to know and love, but the realisation that this is to be the last time can be a sad thought.

Mandy Haggith’s The Lyre Dancers is the final part of her ‘Stone Stories’ trilogy, following on from The Walrus Mutterer and The Amber Seeker - a series of novels which transport readers to Iron Age Northern Britain and the surrounding seas, and create a vivid world which both manages to fulfill and subvert expectations.

But, while the scene is set beautifully, it’s all about the characters. The charismatic and indefatigable Rian, whose extraordinary life we have followed from a child sold into slavery through to motherhood, still dominates the story, but Haggith has created a fully rounded support cast who, while they clearly belong to this weird and wonderful place, remain relevant to modern readers. At the heart of each novel, and particularly this one, is the importance of friends and family when dealing with adversity, and triumph, and you’ll be able to empathise with both. If you are a fan of recent TV series Vikings and The Last Kingdom then I think you’ll fall for the charms of the ‘Stone Stories’.

You could start with The Lyre Dancers, but my advice is to go back to the very beginning and The Walrus Mutterer. You’ve got a whole new old world awaiting you.

By Alistair Braidwood Email: review@snackmag.co.uk Page 161

ALBUM: HOT SLICK

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BAD GIRLS FOREVER

It is indicative of the breaks PINS have received in recent years that Hot Slick was released during the lockdown. With a hands-in-the air strut to the dancefloor confidence that few British indie acts could contemplate let alone muster, this collection should soundtrack celebratory nights to the end of time.

Thankfully, every surface is a dancefloor when the tunes are good, and you’ll find a barrage of disco-tinged girl-power. You don’t need to have a ponytail to harness that song’s power, but if you do, and you aren’t flicking it from side to side, you have to question if you are making the most of life.

Hot Slick is a record for now that comes with a timeless sound and style. The shimmering moments of joy rub shoulders with the call-toarms women deserve to hear from artists. As the memes should say, get you a band that does both.

Hot Slick is out now on Haus of Pins

By Andrew Reilly Email: review@snackmag.co.uk Page 163

EP: ABANDON ALL REASON

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Supercloud provide quite the pleasing melting pot. A Glasgow 3 piece made up of one Parisian, one Brummie, and one Aberdonian; they’ve been playing gigs around the city since 2018.

New EP, ‘Abandon All Reason’ was recorded in February with Ronan Faye of Sweaty Palms behind the desk and there’s a naked honesty in the mixing that means you can almost smell the rehearsal room.

Opening track ‘High Rise’ is somewhere between Talking Heads and Art Brut which, for the avoidance of doubt, is a good thing.

Lloyd Ledingham’s smooth bassline forms the backbone of ‘Control’ but the song only hangs together thanks to the sweet interaction between the bass, the trebly loose chopping guitar of Loup Havenith, and Ollie Williams’ restrained-yet-precise drums.

‘Smoke’ is possibly my favourite track on the EP. The quiet, slightly discordant intro is very reminiscent of Sonic Youth and Throwing Muses, and the chorus is pleasingly formed by a very unexpected chord pair.

Structure-wise, every distorted guitar break and move from quiet to loud enhances the musical narrative and never feels superfluous.

Whether it’s the comfy production or the lo-fi feeling of intimacy generated by the song writing, Supercloud’s sonic bedsit (somewhere near Gt Western Road rather than in Maryhill or Paisley) is a joy to visit and potentially a decent place to stay in the future. The refrain of ‘Don’t you wanna be free’ from ‘Party With The Trees’ will have you singing along at your second listen, while the Beatles-influenced ‘Lately’ signs off the EP with a hint of jaggy Auteurs-like controlled aggression.

Supercloud are a very Glaswegian sounding band with the accent on Postcard-era West End vibes and, given the interesting variance of the influences which are evident on this EP, we can’t wait to hear what path they take next.

By Stephen McColgan Email: review@snackmag.co.uk Page 165

SINGLE: DOWN AT THE SO AND SO Back to Contents

DON’T YOU REMEMBER WE WERE HAPPY?

They’re back, and it feels as though they haven’t been away. Which is a compliment and relief, because not many bands sound like The Fiery Furnaces. They still do though, and that’s great news for all of us.

The squelchy keyboard and Elanor’s understated vocal immediately make life more tolerable, but it’s the quirky riffs and fills that will make you soar and smile.

At more than five minutes, it’s a delicate but measured punch, and one that suggests the siblings are as magical and beguiling as ever. Feel free to unpick the lyrics at your own pace.

Welcoming The Fiery Furnaces back is like slipping on an old jacket after many years, being pleasantly surprised it still fits and then fishing out a tenner from the inside pocket. If you’re desperately looking for a win in these troubled times, head on down at the so and so.

Down at The So and So is out now on Third Man Records.

By Andrew Reilly Email: review@snackmag.co.uk Page 167

SINGLE: SEEING STARS

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When it comes to local acts we want to hear more of, there’s always a time and space for The Van T’s. New single ‘Seeing Stars’ showcases the act on familiar ground, but they do it so well. Distortion and swirling vocals have a timeless quality, but they’ve consistently been part of the sound we love from them.

With Hannah attributing the song to a period where she emerged from some mental health issues, it’s the adrenaline kick some of us need. We all know these aren’t great times, but if you can look forward, there’s a lot to enjoy and eagerly anticipate.

Such as live shows, and if you’ve yet to see The Van T’s, that’s something to stick on your must-do list when we finally get back to gigs. Then again, if you have seen The Van T’s before, you’ve already got that memo stuck on your fridge.

'Seeing Stars' is out now on 7 West Music.

By Andrew Reilly Email: review@snackmag.co.uk Page 169

EP: NEEDLEDROP REMIXED

Often the beauty of reviewing new music is in discovering or re-discovering the artist’s back catalogue. Session Victim (Hauke Freer and Matthias Reiling) are an excellent case in point. I’ve had a great time digging through the German duo’s impressive back catalogue of high-quality electronic music, ranging from neo-jazz to soulful house and downtempo electronic beats. Their deliberately understated sound means they can craft an album to flit seamlessly between easy listening and uplifting dance music.

With Needledrop, released in March on Night Time Stories, the Hamburg producers added a worthy successor to their three previous albums, released on Jimpster’s Delusions of Grandeur label: The Haunted House of House, See You When You Get There, and Listen To Your Heart.

There are no albums to avoid; ALL of these are worth your precious time.

Finally, we arrive at the duo’s most recent offering and focus of this review: Needledrop Remixed. This 5 track EP features tracks from the original album, expertly re-imagined by friends and peers. A mix of artists, with a diverse background in their styles and preferred genres, these guests are alike in the Back to Contents

impact their own music has had on Session Victim’s work.

Title track ‘Needledrop’ gets the remix treatment from Laurence Guy, and it’s a perfect match-up. As a case in point, Guy’s recent release The Sun Is Warm and Directly Above You sounds as if it could have been co-produced by Session Victim. This musical style is one that seems born from an appreciation of jazz and house. By placing emphasis on a dancefloor-ready drum sequence, he pumps up and invigorates this originally melodic and dreamy track, comfortably balancing both intense and melodic elements.

Jackmate Juke takes control of ‘Still High’ and intensifies the original, with gaps of silence perforated with an intricate drum arrangement and a tension-loaded synth. A bobbing sub-bass completes his seriously dubbed-out, dark, drum & bass take.

Patrice Scott, a deep house and techno DJ/producer from Detroit, brings his versatility to ‘Isle of Taste’. He re-works the original, more electronic, track into a bumping, funky, 80s leaning groover. Imagine Jazzanova trying out some hiphop mixed with electro-funk and you’d be close.

The original ‘Jazzbeat 7’ is precisely that – a jazzy beat. It has its own merits but its unadorned sparsity means it was always suited to being remixed. Dday One from LA, who specialises in break-beat and sample-heavy beats, breathes new life into the track with echoey piano, highlighting the original bass and adding a saxophone solo. His deeper textures and complexities build on the jazziness of it all.

Like Session Victim, Panoram enjoys playing live on a wide variety of electronic kit, bridging the gap between analogue and digital. He has a talent for creating an 80s electronic synthscape that’s also noticeable in Session Victim’s work. Panoram takes ‘No Sky, Blue Sound’ to strange new places. Guitar samples which sound heavily under the influence roam the downtempo synth soundscape. Backasswards quiet moments, featuring heavy breathing and whispers of imaginary characters, punctuate: this feels like music downloaded from your dreams.

By Donald Shields Email: review@snackmag.co.uk Page 171

SINGLE: BLUE SINGLE: BLUE

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Scarlett Randle’s latest release ‘Blue’ is a hazy and ethereal wisp of a soundtrack for this strangest of summers. With festivals and travel on hiatus, switch on this floaty four-minute wonder that will transport you to a feeling of bliss regardless of your lockdown location. It’s the simplest of pop songs and all the better for it. The accompanying video features clips of Scarlett as a young teenager interspersed with Scarlett of ‘now’ frolicking in fields and hamming it up with her school prom portrait. On the surface it’s all pretty silly but, think about it, we should all be friends with our younger us – make peace with yourself, do it. Between this and previous singles ‘Berlin’ and ‘HER’ she is clearly one to watch and listen out for when live music resumes.

By Yasmin Ali Email: review@snackmag.co.uk Page 173

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Lady Gaga and I have had a tumultuous relationship, and like any long-term relationship, we have had ups and downs; fallen out and made up again. The Fame Monster is the best pop record of the last decade. I hated Five Foot Two. Artpop has aged like a fine wine. I hated A Star is Born. Her career has certainly had peaks and flows, but one thing I have always understood, even during her rough patches, is that Gaga is a pop genius. And just when we thought Dua Lipa had released the quintessential quarantine record, Chromatica arrived and reignited our love of Mother Monster.

Her output for the last six or seven years has been patchy and divisive, starting with Artpop, an album that saw Gaga exploring the important relationship between pop culture and commercial art. Audiences were introduced to the derided Joanne (a tribute to a late aunt she never met) in line with her maudlin documentary Five Foot Two. This was followed by the glorious promo single ‘The Cure’ and then ‘Shallow’, the holler heard around the world.

In the ever-evolving pop landscape, more names emerge every year to knock her off the top of the pile, and I was sceptical that she would ever release another solid album of pop songs: no gimmicks, just bangers. In short, Gaga needed redemption, and thankfully Chromatica has delivered.

Chromatica feels like a return to form for Gaga: there are moments that mirror the ingenuity of The Fame Monster, her magnum opus, and it feels like there has been a real evolution in her singing and production. She creates a coherent soundscape throughout the album (perhaps thanks to minimising the number of producers, working mostly with Bloodpop) and nearly every song Review By Jonny Stone Page 175

is a pop gem. Most significantly the music is easy to dance to, which feels like a refreshing change of pace after the solemnity of the country-tinged Joanne. Gaga is, after all, at her best when she captures the joy of disco. Highlights include her number one duet with Ariana Grande ‘Rain on Me’; ‘911’, which feels like a spiritual sequel to the glorious ‘Alejandro’, and the future soundtrack to your Zoom house parties, ‘Sour Candy’. The album is, above all, fun to listen to and has been playing on loop in our household to remedy the lock down blues. She must have sensed our planet was in imminent need of a dance.

It must be said, there are a couple of misfires, the biggest being the questionable addition of her pal Elton John on ‘Sine from Above’.

The song itself is excellent, but Elton’s voice doesn’t compliment the track at all. If only she had reserved the space for Ariana (or, in my full homosexual fantasy, Cher). Also, the album’s filler tracks are completely serviceable but ultimately unmemorable (See: ‘Plastic Doll’ and ‘Fun Tonight’). These are the moments where you refill your drink at the bar (or however you dispense your drinks in your lockdown disco). But at least she didn’t invite Tony Bennett to the party. For that, we should be truly grateful.

We can be forgiven for overlooking the colossal impact Gaga made when she arrived on the pop scene. Following years of indie rock and R&B dominating the charts, her brand of eighties inspired electronic pop became a staple of late 2000s culture and arguably contributed to the wave of EDM we couldn’t escape for several years. She also became herself a fascinating cultural figure: with her connection to Avant Garde fashion, the lofty ideas in her music (not always executed smoothly, granted) and exploration of fame and identity, Gaga was and remains Back to Contents

Review By Jonny Stone Page 177

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a compelling pop culture entity. We need pop stars who are light and squeaky clean (Taylor Swift, Carly Rae Jepsen) but we equally are drawn to performers with more edge and subversion, especially in these uncertain times.

And no one can dispute the legacy she has earned within the LGBT+ community. Gaga arrived as a fully realised, marketable gay icon, for better or for worse. She is an inspiration to queer people across the world. Yes, she has been a fervent political and cultural force in the fight for marriage equality and, most impressively, has spent her career hiring and elevating queer artists in her Haus of Gaga. But her allegiance can at times feel a little jarring or ham-fisted. This is best illustrated by the wellintentioned but a little too on the nose ‘Born This Way’. But perhaps our favourite contemporary divas wouldn’t be quite as mutually reliant on their gay fanbase if Gaga hadn’t been so vocal and emblematic on behalf of our community, even if she takes herself a little too seriously.

It speaks to our fickle nature (and, indeed, many of the ideas on fame she has explored throughout her career) that fans and critics are seeing this as her big comeback when Gaga has worked steadily across different media for over a decade. Perhaps we are too critical or hold her to too high a standard given just how meteoric The Fame Monster was in establishing her on the world stage. But what makes a good pop star is hunger: hunger to create something bigger and better next time, and equally cultivating hunger in your audience, eager to consume whatever the output is. Chromatica is the album we needed at this moment in time, and Lady Gaga’s reign as this generation’s Princess of Pop remains secure.

Review By Jonny Stone Page 179

LGBT+

LARRY KRAMER TRIBUTE PRIDE 2020: BLACK LIVES MATTER PROFIT OVER PRIDE

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Larry Kramer, acclaimed writer and the face and heart of HIV/AIDS activism, died on 27th May 2020. Kramer was one of the gay community’s most influential, impactful figures, and his work conveying the severity of the AIDS crisis to the public consciousness cannot be overstated. As a writer, he established himself as a bold, sardonic voice, receiving an Academy Award nomination for Women in Love and a Tony Award for The Normal Heart. However, Kramer’s legacy on the world stage extends far beyond his writing, and his vocal, powerful activism can still be felt in our community today.

In 1981, Kramer co-founded Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC), the first organisation dedicated to HIV and AIDS prevention, care and advocacy, following the increase in gay men succumbing to the virus. Kramer himself was diagnosed with HIV in 1988, and throughout his life suffered from liver problems as the result of Hepatitis B. His political activism continued in March 1987 at the height of the AIDS epidemic, with the founding of ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power), an international grassroots political group working to end the AIDS pandemic. Government intervention, if any, was sluggish, and impeded the fight against the disease by minimising its severity. ACT UP took their anger to the streets. The group became infamous for their bold public displays of anger and frustration, often being arrested for public disruption and civil disobedience. But this fury was justified. Pharmaceutical companies withheld key information and drug formulas, politicians refused to acknowledge that masses of people were dying, and there was public stigma against the LGBT+ community. These factors led to ACT UP becoming militant in their efforts to scare people LGBT+ By Jonny Stone Page 183

into change, and in doing so, save lives. Kramer is one of countless names who fought for AIDS to be considered a public health crisis, but his particular voice was distinct and especially powerful.

Kramer was, however, a controversial figure, divisive in both his writing and his approach to AIDS activism. He may be remembered for his fiery, unapologetic aggression, usually aimed at public officials like New York Mayor Ed Koch and US President Ronald Reagan. But this fury risked undermining the mission of the group by alienating or angering those the group was aiming to keep on side. His novel Faggots was a characteristically controversial depiction of a hedonistic relationship, featuring bathhouses, drug use and rampant promiscuity. Straight readers were suitably shocked, while the gay community was divided on whether the novel perpetuated the stereotypes by which they were plagued.

Kramer’s seminal work as a writer is The Normal Heart, a play that captures a multitude of emotions.

Frustration, in the face of the government’s refusal to act on an inconvenient disease which was laying waste to a bothersome minority group; the shame of contracting a disease that was decimating an entire demographic, the fear that your fate was sealed the moment the diagnosis passed your doctor’s lips. The play can be seen as a not-so-thinly veiled adaptation of Kramer’s own life: the main character, Ned Back to Contents

STRAIGHT READERS WERE SUITABLY SHOCKED, WHILE THE GAY COMMUNITY WAS DIVIDED ON WHETHER THE NOVEL PERPETUATED THE STEREOTYPES BY WHICH THEY WERE PLAGUED

LGBT+ By Jonny Stone Page 185

IT WOULD BE EASY TO REMAIN COMPLACENT TO THE THREAT OF CONTRACTING THE VIRUS Back to Contents

Weeks, creates an HIV/AIDS advocacy group, but risks undermining the group’s objectives thanks to his coarse, confrontational approach to communicating their message. Art imitating life. Kramer went on to pen the play’s sequel, The Destiny of Me, which was nominated for a Pulitzer prize and is considered one of the most important plays of the 20th century.

Regardless of Kramer’s public persona, the impact of his work and that of ACT UP cannot be denied.

From my UK-based perspective, my generation and those yet to come have been spared the past trauma AIDS inflicted on members of our community.

With effective treatment of HIV, the availability of preventative medicine like PrEP and Truvada, and good prognoses for a long, fulfilling life, it would be easy to remain complacent to the threat of contracting the virus.

On the other hand, it is true that staggering progress in the fight against AIDS has been made over the last thirty years. In 2014, UNAIDS established the global 90-90-90 targets, which aimed for 90% of all people living with HIV to be diagnosed, 90% of those diagnosed to receive HIV treatment, and 90% of those receiving treatment to achieve viral suppression by 2020. According to NAT, there were an estimated 103,800 people living with HIV in the UK. 93% of these people are diagnosed, and therefore are aware that they have HIV. This means that around 1 in 14 people living with HIV in the UK do not know that they LGBT+ By Jonny Stone Page 187

have the virus. 97% are receiving treatment, and 97% of those on treatment are virally suppressed, so they cannot pass the virus on. Of all the people living with HIV in the UK, 87% are virally suppressed. The UK has, therefore, exceeded the UNAIDs 90-90-90 targets for 2020. But anyone who believes the fight against AIDS is over is grossly misguided.

HIV/AIDS continues to be a major health crisis around the world. In Kenya, women continue to be disproportionately affected by the epidemic. In 2012, 6.9% of women were living with HIV compared with 4.2 percent of men, and women between 15-24 are almost three times as likely to be living with HIV than their male peers (3% of females and 1.1% of males). Clearly the fight against the virus is far from over, especially on the international stage. But thanks to political warriors like Kramer, an immeasurable number of people have been saved, cared for, and inspired.

Kramer lived until the age of 87, an impressive feat for anyone, let alone a man who bore the weight of educating the world about AIDS on his shoulders. We owe him a great debt. His death coincides both with Pride month and the rise of a political movement fighting for an end to systemic racism. It feels fitting. Minority communities need vocal advocates like Kramer, who aren’t afraid of the fight ahead of them to create real change. I think we all have the power to do so in our own way. And, ultimately, that’s the legacy he leaves behind.

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MINORITY COMMUNITIES NEED VOCAL ADVOCATES LIKE KRAMER

LGBT+ By Jonny Stone Page 189

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I feel I start every annual Pride feature with a sentiment akin to, ‘This year is like no other!’; thinking that the current year was radically unique, one-of-a-kind, the likes of which have never been seen. However, I don’t think anyone could have predicted just how exceptional this year’s Pride month would be. Looking back at last year’s issues – Marks and Spencer releasing the Lettuce Guac Bacon and Tomato sandwich, laughable failed attempts at ‘Straight Pride’ – simpler times.

Yes, 2020 has been dealing the world a particularly bad hand, but even COVID-19 can’t get in the way of Pride month. Inevitably, Pride organisations across the world have been shifting their plans and resources online in the name of safety. However, it isn’t simply the virus that makes Pride 2020 especially poignant. The protests against systemic racism and police brutality occurring across America have jolted us into action and, among many things, remind us of the crucial parallel between our respective civil rights movements: above all, Pride is a protest.

The LGBT+ community, including those who are UK-based, owes an unfathomable debt to Black rights activists and the people of colour who have actively pursued social justice. The intersectional discourse between the Black and LGBT+ communities exist without paying tribute to the Stonewall uprising of 1969, when resistance to police harassment and abuse spear-headed the modern gay rights movement in New York’s Greenwich Village (no, it wasn’t because Judy Garland died.) It is believed to be Stormé DeLarverie, a Black butch lesbian, who allegedly screamed ‘Why don’t you people do something?’ as she resisted arrest. Queer sex workers such as Jackie Hormona reportedly began throwing LGBT+ By Jonny Stone Page 191

bottles and coins at the police. The fact that we only have myths and anecdotes around how that night went down speaks volumes. Life as we know it would be radically different if it weren’t for the Black gays, lesbians, drag queens, and transgender people who quite literally fought back against the police and other oppressors.

Among the group who were instrumental in the riots were two transgender women, Marsha P. Johnson, who was Black, and Sylvia Rivera, who was Latinx. They may not have thrown the ‘shot glass heard around the world’, as legend tells, but they were active members of the Gay Liberation Front (intersectional in its mission, which was to denounce racism and capitalism) and these events led to the pair founding Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries. STAR strove to support homeless queer youth and made an immeasurable impact on the gay liberation movement. Today, protest is still imperative in achieving real change, evident in the recent decision of Minneapolis lawmakers to disband the city’s police department in lieu of an alternative model of community-led safety.

However, the current protests should serve as a crucial reminder that white people within the LGBT+ community need to step up. Whilst it’s important to acknowledge the adversity our community as a whole faces, we live our lives in the privilege fought for us by our Black counterparts; the privilege of passing as straight; the privilege of not being profiled by the Back to Contents

LGBT+ By Jonny Stone Page 193

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authorities for the colour of our skin. There remains an ugly racism within the LGBT+ community, unconscious or otherwise. In 2018, Stonewall announced that 51% of LGBT+ ethnic minorities reported having experienced racism in the UK LGBT community, a figure that rose to 61% for Black LGBT people. So far in 2020, at least 12 transgender Americans (four of whom were Black) have been murdered, though the number is likely higher as trans hate crimes are often unnoticed or unreported.

Furthermore, LGBT+ dating culture is dominated arguably by both the fetishisation of ethnic minorities and their active exclusion on account of ‘preference’.

Change is imperative, both in a legal and cultural sense.

Making time to educate yourself is essential: in Scotland, we may not think our nation is susceptible to the impact of systemic racism, but we have let down our Black family, neighbours, friends, and colleagues.

Glasgow is guilty of propagating the slave trade and the glorification of slave owners: walk through Merchant City and witness the street and statues built in honour of men who benefited from slavery. Edinburgh boasts the Melville Monument, erected in honour of Henry Dundas who delayed the abolition of the slave trade, and Bute House, the First Minister’s official residence, which belonged to Jamaican plantation owner John Innes Crawford.

There is no excuse: there is a plethora of resources at our disposal to become more aware of how white people, even within the LGBT+ community, contribute LGBT+ By Jonny Stone Page 195

towards this systemic discrimination and, more significantly, how we can make meaningful change.

However, it is not the responsibility of QTIPOC to do this for us. White queer people should understand how exhausting and frustrating it is to correct and inform people or endure ignorance. So rather than relying on your Black queer friend for tips on being anti-racist, check in on them and listen to them. Be clear with yourself, though. It is not their job to make you a better ally. If you are able, bring your frustration to the streets and protest. Of course, not everyone is in the position to physically offer their support. Fear not! You can still sign petitions and put pressure on the government to suspend selling tear gas, rubber bullets, and riot shields to the US. You can email your MSP to ask what the Scottish government is doing to address the disproportionate number of ethnic minorities who have been affected by and have lost their lives because of COVID-19 (as well as the persistent health inequalities they faced before the virus). You can educate yourself further by reading non-fiction texts from Black authors, such as Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge and The Fire Next Time By James Baldwin, or the poetry of Jackie Kay and Langston Hughes.

It is naïve and careless to consider LGBT+ pride and the current fight against systemic racism as mutually exclusive. The pursuit of justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, the countless black lives ended by Back to Contents

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police violence, and the staggering number of Black trans women murdered each year should be at the epicentre of Pride 2020. Political first and celebratory second: there is nothing as electric as Pride in unifying people behind the cause of equality. Major Pride organisations are joining forces for the greater good. UK Black Pride (who actively remedy the lack of visibility for QTIPOC seen in most Pride organisations), Amnesty International, ParaPride (a group that focuses on the intersection between the disabled and LGBTQ+ communities) and Stonewall are uniting to present Pride Inside. This is a digital series of gigs, comedy shows, panel discussions, and arts-based events between Saturday 28th June and Sunday 5th July. Glasgow-based Free Pride, which aims to tackle the increasing commercialisation of Pride, and exclusion of marginalised groups within our community, announced that they would donate the funds they have raised for their 2020 celebrations to organisations protecting & supporting Black communities in the US and the UK. I strongly encourage you to still do your bit to celebrate Pride: host a virtual Pride party with your chosen family or run a month-long queer movie group where someone chooses a new film to watch that week. Complete a sponsored run for LGBT Youth Scotland or UK Black Pride, or see if your favourite drag queens are presenting online shows. But do so with care and consideration as to what you should be doing to fight systemic racism. Stormé DeLarverie stated in her last interview that the protest at Stonewall ‘was a rebellion, it was an uprising, it was a civil rights disobedience – it wasn’t no damn riot’. Who wouldn’t want to contribute to that?

LGBT+ By Jonny Stone Page 199

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It’s June 2019. I pop into the supermarket, I pop the telly on, maybe do a bit of online shopping: everywhere I look I see the famous rainbow that celebrates everything that I am and everything that I stand for , a symbol that brings together a worldwide community under one flag. For a 30 day period, the world’s biggest brands celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and its history.

It’s June 2020, and I sadly don’t see the same.

Traditionally, every year for the month of June, the world’s biggest companies and brands show their support of Pride month: whether it be launching a line of candles, sweets, or the odd bottle of vodka, it’s very much become part of many companies’ strategic marketing calendar. Over the years, this has caused a lot of controversy; from companies latching on and covering their wares in rainbows that carry minimal educational value (or actual meaning), to companies reportedly not following through with donations that were promised. That’s before you get to the paradox of companies with questionable and potentially homophobic backgrounds displaying a strong Pride message once a year. It’s a very difficult rainbow-covered pill to swallow and something which many in the LGBTQ+ community have come to accept and simply roll their eyes over.

On the other hand, growing up obsessed with the media and the world around me, seeing the world celebrate the very thing I was struggling with, brought some inner peace and some hope that the world was starting to change – that the world was starting to accept people like me.

Perhaps this is the year where their true colours start to show.

For obvious and understandable reasons this year’s physical LGBT+ By Amy Lou Page 201

Pride marches and face to face celebrations have been put on hold. But, while we’re still here and the message of Pride month hasn’t been cancelled, it’s difficult not to notice the radio silence from so many major companies who previously supported Pride.

In a time when challenging oppression and adversity is at the forefront of everyone’s minds, having our annual commemoration ignored by many who were previously extremely quick to deck out the rainbows is quite heartbreaking. It raises the question: Is Pride month purely a money making tactic for these companies? A quick way to cash in on the pink pound? As thousands of celebrations have been cancelled, there’s no room to make a profit. If, to them, there’s no need to make any form of statement as it doesn’t fit in their current campaign, it makes you wonder of the value of their previous support.

What does this mean for years to come?

Will companies see this year of absence as a new norm? Could a year of lost profits see support for Pride, and all it stands for, being no longer worth it for these companies? We are standing on the precipice of unpredictable times. I worry that if the Pride of the future is one that’s Back to Contents

outside the public eye, this could have a severe impact on generations to come. Those innocent conversations and questions from young people may never be brought to the table if the issues are not highlighted by the general media. We could be missing out on vital moments of education with tomorrow’s young people whose job will be to help us move forward towards full acceptance and tolerance. It’s a truly frightening thought.

It’s not all bad news though. As June draws to a close, I can see a positive pot of gold at the end of this year’s wonky misshapen rainbow. I’m seeing hoards of independent brands pushing and fighting for the cause, screaming to fill the pockets of silence the big brands have left. They’ve been sharing educational messages and resources, supporting local and national LGBT charities, and more. Watching independent and local brands on my own doorstep follow this movement has been truly heartwarming. They’ve been sharing a united message of hope to end all adversity.

No smoke. No mirrors. No massive PR campaign. No hidden agenda. The real message of Pride is starting to break through.

I’ll hold my breath awaiting the big brands to follow.

LGBT+ By Amy Lou Page 203

WORDS

ROOM 406

you have so much time to love everything like asking what isn’t art— thaw a box of butterflies & sit in the pines hoping all day you are lemon-scented under a new kind of sky something you can’t escape reminding you of home dancing again with a funny wet hello in another language kissing every leaf on its wild lips & making useless gestures in the sun full of nothing but bird noise & your mouth a room being left— a red shipwreck carrying balloons all these things inside you with no river to put them in every night mauling yourself into a thousand roses you gently tether yourself to the sun wondering if somebody is worth falling for like the basil still growing in an old coffee can— a wild pony & a sea dragging the light back where it belongs

By Ojo Taiye

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