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NERVE
FEBRUARY15
WHO’S ON BOARD? Editor Wil Oxford editor@nervemedia.org.uk
Design Editor Zennen Thomas design@nervemedia.org.uk
Features Editor Kassia-Hope Wordley Molly Mileham-Chappell Astrid Wood features@nervemedia.org.uk
Fashion Editor Scarlett Dixon Sofie Boyland Rebecca Burgess fashion@nervemedia.org.uk
Sport Editor Will Kent Chris Marshall-Bell sport@nervemedia.org.uk
Entertainment Editor Laura Geall Charlie Souter-Phillips
Got it COVERED P14
Check what we’ve got for you this month...
TWIN ATLANTIC As the boys from Glasgow head on tour, Nerve caught up with band bassist Ross Mcnae to chat about their upcoming tour as well as the story behind their latest single, Oceans.
ents@nervemedia.org.uk
Comment Editor Casey Farr Aliyah Allen comment@nervemedia.org.uk
Chief Sub-Editor Madeleine Supple sub@nervemedia.org.uk
Online Editor Claire Creagh online@nervemedia.org.uk
Advertising Andy Elsey susales@bournemouth.ac.uk 01202 961461
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Whether you’re an executive or a graduate, gender inequality in the workplace is an issue for all women. Nerve investigates why and how this is still the case in 2015.
In the global fashion industry blogging is emerging as the way forward. Nerve speaks to a number of bloggers who hope this year will see them succeed more than ever before.
WOMEN IN BUSINESS
FASHION BLOGGING 2015
Communication Manager Joe Tattersall jtattersall@bournemouth.ac.uk 01202 961681
Wanna Join?
For opportunities to get involved, whether it be writing, design, illustration, photography or even a spot of photobombing, email editor@nervemedia.org.uk for details.
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GENDER IS A FARCE
We may not all be men and women but we are all human beings - Nerve comments on why the need to distinguish between men and women in 2015 is outdated.
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NEW TERM, NEW SPORT
As we get into the swing of term two, Nerve looks at what you can get involved in locally to get yourself in the sporting spirit.
NERVE | 3
NERVE
FEBRUARY15
Contributors
Writers Joe Hopkins Hannah Dix Laura Rogers Rebecca Miller Charlie Millward Natalie Whitmore Zahna Eklund Olivia Osmond Tom Beasley Rebecca Howe Daisy Carling-Rose Erica Adams Olivia Cadby Matt Joy Design Team Jack Mullen Lauren Eade Illustrators Grant Cortlett Nathan Hackett Laurence Thomas Mark Hall-Patch
Word From Your Editor
It only seems like yesterday that we were sending Issue #4 off to print, yet Issue #5 is here already for your reading pleasure! This issue we spoke to Glasgow boys Twin Atlantic as they embarked on tour, as well as chatting about their recent hit single. With February being LGBT history month we comment on the irrelevance of gender in Gender is a Farce, as well as chatting to Wolf Alice ahead of their visit to Bournemouth in April. Looking to spruce up your beauty regime for spring? Make sure you check out our essential Beauty Bits, and hear what some up and coming fashion bloggers have to say about Blogging in 2015.
Keep Up facebook.com/nervemagazine twitter.com/nervemagazine www.nervemedia.org.uk
Important Stuff Here at SUBU, when we print Nerve Magazine, we print on 100% recycled paper using vegetable - based inks by Indigo Press Limited. You’ve got to start somewhere. Nerve Magazine is produced by SUBU (the Students Union @ Bournemouth University). Information correct at time of publication (February 2015). The views expressed are not necessarily those of Nerve Media, SUBU or the Editor. Nerve Magazine is usually printed on 200 gsm silk cover and 115gsm body provided by Indigo Printing Press.
Looking to get sporty this term? We give you the rundown of local opportunities to get fit and active in New Term, New Sport, plus make sure you check out our rundown of the ripple effects from the Ballon D’or wins last month. With Revenge Porn now officially criminalised in the UK, we investigate whether the new law will actually prevent further crimes, while also catching up with the BU Snowriders to get the lowdown on skiing and going freestyle, and giving you all the information you need to Travel for Free as you plan your summer holidays. Remember you can still catch the Top 5, Mixtape, and all your other favourite regulars too. Wil Oxford
The Full Line Up
REGULARS
SPORT
06 Mix tape
51 Gold preview 2015
08 Heads up
52 Ballon D’or
09 Winners/losers
54 New year, new sport
30 Through the lens
FASHION
56 Old Fire Station highlights 59 Top 5
ENTERTAINMENT
10 Fashion debate 16 Style focus 23 Beauty bits
14 Twin Atlantic
29 Designer tastes
19 Nothing but Thieves
35 Fashion on Instagram
24 Streaming success
42 Blogging 2015
26 Wolf Alice
COMMENT
39 Coffee house sessions 40 Reviewed 49 Luvbug
32 Gender is a farce 47 Hairy women are beautiful
FEATURES 13 How to travel for free 18 BU Snowriders 20 Women in business 36 Revenge porn
NERVE | 5
Essential TRACKS we’ve been listening to this MONTH
FERGIE L.A. LOVE Looking to go to London, Jamaica or France? Well, Fergie’s comeback single ‘L.A. Love’ certainly takes you there. It’s been a while since we’ve heard solo material from the former Black-Eyed Peas vocalist but the track is full of attitude. The childlike taunt ‘La La’ in the song’s chorus is completely infectious, so one listen definitely won’t do the song justice.
KELLY CLARKSON HEARTBEAT SONG
MAROON 5 SUGAR Released as the third single from their fifth album, V, Maroon 5 continue their success with Sugar, an irresistibly catchy funk-pop tune. The music video for it is also one to watch - it features clips of the band as they give surprise performances of the track at weddings over in L.A!
The days of punchy break-up anthems such as ‘Since U Been Gone’ and ‘Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You’) are now long gone. Kelly Clarkson’s latest release ‘Heartbeat Song’ takes on a dance sound with its massive synth-infused chorus. Whilst a solid comeback single, we’re definitely in anticipation of what the American Idol has next up her sleeves.
SAM SMITH LAY ME DOWN Standing tall with four Grammy’s in his arms, Sam Smith seems to be the artist of the moment and it’s no wonder. His heartwrenching and vocally perfect ‘Lay Me Down,’ which has a newly released video, is just one of the many outstanding tracks from his hit debut album ‘In The Lonely Hour.’ A strong message set to a smooth melody, a punchy and pleasantly unexpected bridge, all united by Smith’s unique voice.
HUDSON TAYLOR WORLD WITHOUT YOU This single will be released in March, preceding Hudson Taylor’s album Singing for Strangers. The title alone, ‘World Without You’ is lovely, hinting at the sweet lyrics, breezy tune and romantic undertones of the song. If this song is anything to go by, it’s lucky we won’t be waiting too long for the album release.
RIHANNA, KANYE & PAUL MCCARTNEY FOURFIVESECONDS
RAE MORRIS DO YOU EVEN KNOW? Rae Morris was tipped by Zane Lowe to be one of the hottest acts in 2015. Her track ‘Do You Even Know?’ was taken from her debut album, and shows off her vocal range. She has a soft sound, and can effortlessly transition to high notes. Her intriguing and distinctive sound will allow her to fit in nicely among her contemporaries.
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While there’s no denying this trio is an unexpected collaboration, the result has certainly been a popular one – the midtempo acoustic pop track peaked at Number 4 in the UK. Rihanna and Kanye take the lead on vocals but Paul McCartney certainly deserves his place on the song, having co-written it himself.
ELLIE GOULDING LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding’s latest track is a romantic whirlwind. Goulding’s angelic vocals are better and more powerful than ever with the aid of an accompanying violin-dominated orchestra. Saying that, you wouldn’t expect it to be leading the new 50 Shades of Grey soundtrack. Regardless, it’s definitely worthy of number one.
HEADS UP! YOUR MONTH IN BOURNEMOUTH
CLUBBING
GIGS
EVENTS
Halo Sessions - Hot Since 82
Room 94
NME Awards Tour
Old Fire Station 3 March
Pyramids Plaza 3 March
BIC 9 March
Poole Lighthouse 13 March
Halo
27 February Get Satisfied Old Firestation 28 February
Ram Jam
O2 Academy 28 February
Scott Disk Cameo 5 March
Treatment 02 Academy 7 March
Lollipop - Sunset Sons
The Script Morrisey BIC 14 March
Paloma Faith BIC 15 March
Squarepusher Old Fire Station 17 March
DJ Taxman
The Winchester 21 March
PALOMA FAITH @BIC 15 March
Simon Amstell Shakespeare’s Macbeth Poole Lighthouse 17-18 March
An Evening of Burlesque
From Never Mind the Buzzcocks Simon Amstell @ Poole Lighthouse, 13 March
Bournemouth Pavilion 20 March
Jimmy Carr BIC 21 March
Old Fire Station 13 March
Jaguar Skills Halo 20 March
NERVE | 8
The irish trio make their way to Bournemouth. The Script @ BIC, 9 March
50 shades of grey The hotly anticpated film of the year has already broken records with its opening weekend being the highest grossing for an R rated film ever - making 4.6 million. Despite your views on the controversial franchise, the film’s promotional team can’t be faulted in getting everyone talking about the release, so in reality they are the winners here who’ll be laughing all the way to the bank.
youtube It’s made us laugh, it’s made us cry, the best and worst of the internet can truely be found on Youtube - with the web staple is celebrating it’s milestone 10th birthday this month. Here’s to another ten years of babies biting fingers, unruly dogs named Fenton and Ainsley Harriot erotically rubbing spices into raw met.
Left Shark Forget it being the biggest sporting event in the American calender - this year’s Super Bowl was dominated by Katy Perry’s backdancing shark, who went free style during the event’s half time performance and sparked a social media frenzy, with a Left Shark Twitter account being set up in minutes and numerous buzzfeed posts dedicated to the backdancer. We love Left Shark.
sam smith The Stay With Me singer managed to scoop four awards across the pond in this year’s Grammys. Just nine months after the release of his debut album, the British soul singer has managed to sell more than a million albums in both the US and the UK and can now add the titles of Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best New Artist and Best Vocal Pop Album to his credentials - not bad for someone who hasn’t celebrated his 23rd birthday yet.
WINNERS
TH ON M S R E S LO OF THIS
kanye west True to form, at this years Grammy’s Kanye once again caused a stir by appearing to get up off his seat during Beck’s acceptance speech in what we thought was a repeat of the Taylor Swift 2009 incident. Kanye later admitted he intended to disrupt proceedings and said that Beck should have given his award to Beyonce - when will you learn to keep quiet, Kanye?
HSBC If their bonuses and high salaries didn’t make us dislike them enough, bankers at HSBC have recently been caught up in a scandal where they were claimed to be helping customers in their Swiss private bank avoid tax. While the bank has issued an apology, it seems it might be time to once more crack down on the bankers and their cheating ways.
Anna Wintour Because there are few greater pleasures in life than seeing Anna Wintour and Beyonce grimace on the front row of New York Fashion Week at a screaming 20-month-old North West. Not so much fun for the US Vogue Editor, but a winner for the internet and ensuing memes.
NERVE | 9
THE GREAT FASHION DEBATE Every month, we tackle a fashion issue
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ouble denim is a huge fashion risk that most designers would never take. However casually flicking through this month’s Vogue and GQ magazines, bold stripes, pretty florals and violet tones are this season’s newest fashion craze. But one comeback that no one could ever foresee was the return of the double denim or denim on denim – this years marmite trend. Some people love it, whilst others loathe it. But when it’s styled right it can look absolutely amazing! The 2015 denim takeover has recently exploded on the high street and has been spotted at this year’s spring/summer fashion week, as their biggest catwalk trend, with the vibe as 90s urban cool. The controversial trend was first introduced by Marilyn Monroe in the movie Misfits from 1961, when she wore a Lee denim jacket with a classic blue jean - and if Marilyn can pull it off, then you can too. Over the years we have had a lot of inspiration from celebrities such as Rhianna and Kim Kardashian to David Beckham. Now twice as much denim is simply twice as good. Designers such as Tom Ford, Tommy Hilfiger and Gucci have all taken part in establishing this easy-to-achieve NERVE | 10
the trick for making double denim work is the pieces you choose and the washes you pair together
“
Q
To double denim or not to double denim?
style on this year’s runway. The trick for making double denim work is the pieces you choose. You must make sure that the washes and colours are completely different from each other; only the brave can go head-to-toe indigo. This means choosing contrasting shades, for example pairing a light washed blue denim shirt with dark blue or black jeans. The polarised tones make it easier to pull the look off. Don’t be afraid to layer up, if you’re feeling brave, you can push denim even further by adding another piece to create triple denim. Double denim doesn’t have to mean only wearing different shades and hues of blue. If you’re not completely comfortable with the classic denim look, try wearing other colours.
Combine a pair of coloured skinny jeans, with a soft, chambray shift for an outfit that’s current and versatile. Accessorising is essential when working the double denim trend, do dress up the look with heels, a tuxedo blazer or be a little daring with a fabulous red lipstick. Jewellery always makes an outfit instantly look better, layer on lots of necklaces and rings, carry a big bag or wear sunglasses or a floppy hat, to really feel chic. Avoid western details – you want to look fashionable, not like a cowgirl. I’m talking about cowboy boots, fringed tops, or large brimmed hats. In short - double denim is the way forward, and not the fashion faux pas it has historically been made out to be. Style it right, and you can really stand out in the fashion pack.
Words Rebecca Miller Design Jack Mullen Illustration Mark Hall-Patch
FASHION
off double denim is so much easier because of the power of their fame, but it’s such a tricky trend for the ordinary person to try and pull off - so it’s just easier and safer if no one actually attempts it. With the high street offering just about every shape, fit, colour and
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a pair of jeans can go with anything but MORE denim
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ack in 1873, Levi Strauss patented his first pair of blue denim jeans and it started off as a fabric that was used for the workers in the American West, and with the cowboys of the West wearing them as an everyday staple, jeans became increasingly popular in the 20th century. Saying this, a nice pair of jeans can go with almost anything. But guess what is the one thing that they just don’t go with? A denim jacket, a denim shirt or anything denim for that matter. Assuming you’re not a cowgirl from a ranch outback in Texas, or a toddler in a cute pair of dungarees, there is just no reason to wear an all-denim outfit out in public, it’s simply criminal. It’s become an unspoken rule where double denim is an automatic crime of fashion! The grunge inspired, biker or even cowboy fashion statement was born in the 90’s and that’s where it should stay, anyone who is daring enough to try and pull off this look can make it look seriously dated. Stone wash 80’s double denim is the worst of them all, but then there are even those who try to match the dark and light hues together and it is just purely wrong. If you’re someone fabulous with great stylists and lots of money like Rhianna, then successfully pulling
size of jeans there are too many people who are uneducated in finding the right jeans for them, let alone letting them loose on trying to achieve the denim on denim look. It is hard enough to get denim that fits well and looks right before you even think about pairing it up with more denim. Always aim to break your look up with different textures and colours. If you’re going to wear a pair of denim jeans, you should team it up with a leather jacket or a brightly coloured blazer. If you’re after a more casual look try
a hoodie with a pair of converse, but never attempt double denim. Cast your minds back to the 2001 American Music Awards, where pop prince and princess Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake, rocked the country look wearing those hideous matching double denim outfits. The style was wrong back then and just last December the silver fox that is George Clooney tried to work the double denim look on a day out in LA and it turned out to be disastrous too. No matter who you are or how much money you actually have, double denim is an adventurous look and more often than not will make you appear as if your style is flailing rather than being ahead of the fashion pack. Words Charile Millward What do you think? Is double denim ever acceptable to wear or will it always be the worst fashion faux pas?
Tweet us: @NerveMagazine
NERVE | 11
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How to
l e v a Tr For free
House Sitting Couch Surfing Labour House sitting can be a relatively easy way to rest your head for a few nights, weeks or even months, for free! If planned well it can take you across different locations when travelling, although, however fun it looks to just bounce around people’s homes all summer, it’s important to check visa details of how long you can stay in certain places. Initially it’s quite a job in itself being chosen to house sit, but once arranged properly it can be a great and safer way to travel from place to place, and in return for just hanging out with the owners’ pets and watering a few plants. Sites like www. housecarers.com and www.mindmyhouse. com can help you directly advertise your interests in house sitting.
If it’s just too hard trying to find a house to sit, or too difficult persuading the owners, and yourself, that you’re not going to throw house parties every night, then couch surfing might be for you. Couch surfing was created to try and bring like-minded people with similar cultural interests together; and can be a fun way to meet people, and make new friends, all while having a place to stay. Websites like GlobalFreeloaders.com and Couchsurfing.org are where people will advertise their couch or spare blow up bed, in return for some good conversation and maybe some shared cooking.
How about some good, old-fashioned hard-back-and-elbow labour? Finding a job here and there can be essential when travelling. It’s not that you’ll save a lot of money in the process, but the labour alone can be translated into a favour for a favour, and therefore straight back into necessities like a room, or food. Jobs could be, for example, helping out in a hostel in exchange for a few nights sleep; or labour on a farm for a couple of meals; or even finding an English teaching job at a local orphanage for similar rewards. Sites like www.wwoof.org, which advertise for organic farmers who take on volunteers, and www. hostelworld.com, will allow you to pre-plan your jobs.
FEATURES
Exchange
car Sharing
The more traditional, safer way of travelling would be through the university. Whether you want to go out and volunteer, do a study exchange, or go learn another language; the university’s sponsors can help you out a lot. Government funded companies like The Global horizons Fund and Erasmus, can grant you free money (yes, free money) to help you along your travels - so long as the experience holds educational and skill-based value. Go onto their information pages within the Student Portal to find out what’s required of you, and what the application deadlines are.
And how about the journeys between? Car sharing is your go to saviour here. Websites like liftshare.com and blablacar.com will help you organise that pesky airport transfer, whilst some drivers will even offer lifts to other countries – so long as you chip in for petrol costs!
Think You’re Too Broke to go Travelling?
Natalie Whitmore says otherwise. She’s here with the best tips and tricks to satisfy your wanderlust without breaking the bank
Illustration Laurence Thomas
NERVE | 13
twin atlant As the band heads off on their biggest tour to date, Zahna Eklund caught up with band bassist Ross Mcnae to talk about the story behind their latest single and moving on to the big stage
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It was the most meaningful thing that i’ve ever heard him write
NERVE | 14
tic
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win Atlantic, a four piece rock band from Glasgow, aren’t necessarily well known in mainstream music, but they’ve been working their socks off for years to get to where they are. Embarking on a UK tour in May that will bring them to venues like the SSE Hydro Arena and Brixton Academy, and releasing a new single from their second studio album, things don’t seem to be slowing down for the band any time soon. Twin Atlantic’s new single, Oceans, is incredibly powerful; but what is the meaning behind it? "It’s kind of like a family based personal story in relation to Sam’s [McTrusty, vocals] life. I just remember how struck I was on the first listen," explains band bassist Ross. "It just sounded so powerful. It was maybe the most meaningful thing that I’ve ever heard him write." He goes on to explain that the song wasn’t actually planned for the record at all. "It wasn’t actually in existence before we started recording. It was one night when there were other things going on in the studio and I couldn’t find Sam anywhere. I was getting on with something else with the producer, and I just went straight into the other room and Sam was sitting by the piano at the back just writing away." Any fan of Twin Atlantic could probably tell you that their new single is a change in musical direction for the band – did this have any bearing on why it was chosen as the next single? "I think it was literally because we feel like it’s a great song, we wanted more people to hear it." This seems straight forward enough, especially for a band with such a wide range of song styles. "I think that we just wanted to let people see that side of us. That’s something people see when they come to our show, but the general listener on the radio or whatever never really gets to see." It’s a good tactic, and one that seems to work well for them. If you’re a band that changes styles throughout an album, release a variety of singles so that casual listeners understand what it is you do. The mention of live shows on Ross’ behalf leads on to the band’s upcoming UK tour that sends them to some of the biggest places they’ve ever played. "I personally don’t get nervous about actually playing the
ENTS big shows and venues. You know that people have come along to see you and the nerves are kind of gone for me because I’m always like "well, these people have come to have a good time with us so let’s just relax and have a good time together" you know?" That’s not to say he’s that calm and cool about everything, though. "When you’re announcing dates and putting things on sale, there’s this whole thing in the back of your mind when you’re like "you know, people just might not come." So that’s where the nerves come from, not from the actual show itself." With the upcoming tour seeing the band reach new heights in terms of venue size, the boys are evolving out of localised gigs and both literally and figuratively on to the bigger stage. "Shows like Southampton Guidhall are the biggest type of thing we’ve done yet so I’m not really sure about these bigger ones. I hope they’re really good fun, but I tend to enjoy the Guildhall type size. Those kind of places give a better visual aspect to the show as well. So hopefully the idea is by having more people there and more space and a bigger venue, we’ll be able to put on an even better show." Ross is especially excited to play London’s Brixton Academy. "It’s like a real achievement that you can announce a show there. It marks how far our records have come. I think that’s the one that is the real pinnacle I suppose, for me." Aside from releasing a new single and touring the UK, what’s next on the agenda for Twin Atlantic? "We’re going to be announcing a lot of summer festivals in the UK and Europe, and then we’re going back to Australia." Anything else other than touring? "Hopefully after that it’s going to be a case of getting to grips with the ideas that we have for the next record. Trying to navigate our way through the songs we have and working out what kind of record we want to make, and just go and get it made." Excellent news for fans then, as it looks like it won’t be too long before the boys are back in the studio.
Words: Zahna Eklund Design: Zennen Thomas
NERVE | 15
Jeans: River Island Shoes: Hotters
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BA illustrations student Sam Hardy mixes band merchandise with high street basics, taking inspiration from Ricki Hall & JimmyQ. Words Scarlett Dixon
Design Jack Mullen
Photography Rebecca Elizabeth Tate
Styling Sam Hardy
FASHION
White tail shirt: Topman Jacket: Topman Jeans: River Island White tail shirt: Topman Jacket: G Star Raw
Jeans: River Island Shoes: Hotters
Band t-shirt: Hundredth White tail shirt: Topman
NERVE | 17
FEATURES
SHREDDING SLOPES & BREAKING BONES
BU Snowriders society is home to student snow sports of all varieties. From beginners to extreme stylers, Snowriders welcomes everyone – providing equal opportunity to learn to ski/snowboard and refine your skills. Even if you don’t make the boozy, notoriously outrageous trips, their frequent socials and sessions at the local dry slope mean snow sports can become a part of your weekly regime. For insight into the world of a Snowrider, Nerve caught up with BU freestyle skier, Will Othen, as he talks backflips, broken bones and beer. So Will, tell us what triggered the interest in freestyle? "I’ve always been interested in action sports, like lots of people, but never really found my way into it, mainly due to them all be pretty terrifying, but after spending time in any ski resort there comes a time when you reach a level that you’re happy with in skiing and you look to find something more. Keen skiers surrounded me and then it was as much as a season of poor snow, some pushy mates and a bit of one-upmanship to encourage me to spend more time on the rails and kickers." You 'shred' according to other BU Snowriders.. Can you tell our readers what exactly that means? "I think they’re taking the piss out of me! I think ‘shredding’ just means having as much fun as you possibly can and pushing yourself to get a bit creative, try skiing the whole run backwards, jump off stuff, go upside down in the air and see what happens! It’s all a progression really. Start with a jump into switch (180 degree spin) then just add degrees to spin, learn a new grab, try and do it on a bigger jump and before you know it you’re having the most fun on the mountain!"
If drinking, skiing and hedonism is your thing – get in touch with BU Snowriders. Facebook: Bournemouth Snowriders
NERVE | 18
It looks pretty dangerous! Don't you ever get scared? "Every time I try and do anything new it scares the hell out of me, but it’s a rush too! It’s important to have people that can show you how it’s done, bully you into pushing yourself and helping you back on your feet when you land on your face."
Surely you've broken a bone or two? "I’ve been really lucky actually, touch wood; I’ve never had an injury that’s put me completely out of action. I’ve broken both my thumbs from ski pole incidents; I don’t actually use them anymore to stop it happening! I Tore a couple of stomach muscles doing a front-flip once which made general movement pretty tough, and I’ve had a good few concussions. I’ve watched a few friends choppered off the mountain and strangely always felt a little bit jealous...Unfortunately I’ve never had the pleasure of a helicopter ride yet. And I’m doomed for saying that." Where's best to go for this kind of skiing? "The best place for park skiing and boarding has to be the Vans Penken Park In Mayrhofen, Austria. I spent my last season there and it’s the best place to learn with the best variety of features, and you’re likely to spot a pro there on a daily basis making everyone else look crap!"
Just for fun, tell me about an embarrassing ski trip moment? We all know what goes on when the Snowriders are together.. "Now you’re asking, getting stripped naked last year was nice... Honestly it’s chaos, the society is full of hedonists and the Snowrider ski trips are a must for everyone at least once during their time at BU or AUB. Some drinking occurs, you ski a bit, and every now and then someone pours a litre of beer on your head. Paradise." And on a more serious note - what words of wisdom can you give to any tentative snow plowers keen to up their game? "Just commit and be confident. Practice makes perfect and the more often you try something, the closer you’ll be to landing it. For anyone looking to step up in Bournemouth, the Snowrider committee run a bus to the freestyle sessions at SnowTraxx in Christchurch every Sunday night, and that’s not a shameless plug, it really is great fun with a good bunch of people of all levels."
ENTS
NOTHING BUT THIEVES As they travel across Europe on their latest tour, Charlie Souter-Phillips caught up with Nothing But Thieves singer Connor Mason to chat about their musical influences and their unique way of producing music
N
othing But Thieves are a five piece band from SouthendOn-Sea. While their music is based on stadium rock, the group are known to have many tangents including hip-hop and old school blues - making a very new and interesting sound. "We’ve always been in bands, throughout the whole time we were at school, and this one seems to work, so we pursued it." The band are currently on tour in Europe and have a very busy schedule, "When we aren’t on tour or in the studio we are just writing constantly. If we do manage to get a day off we are literally just boring and lie around in bed and sleep when we can. We barely sleep on tour; I’m always knackered and living off energy drinks!" He laughs. A lot of musicians rely on musical shovelware when it comes to churning out singles. But for Nothing But Thieves, writing their own songs is fundamental. "We take influences from all the old classic bands and we have a lot of influences ourselves. Then it just makes itself original naturally, which is nice because
we haven’t overly tried which is the best way to be really," Connor explains. But how do the band advise musicians on how to stand out? "We always say the songs are the most important thing. There are so many talented people out there but you need the right song. We spent three years doing nothing other than writing in a garage, until we had the material, so just keep writing and then do more writing. We did get quite bored, it got kind of stale, which is why we flew to America. We managed to get a new perspective on things and met lots of producers and then we started writing the album." Gigging in America is a totally different experience to the UK, as Connor explains. "Everyone is so happy and loud which is awesome. We travelled there for about six weeks, which was really fun, and a good experience. We love America and want to go back there at some point." Having played all over the world Connor still has his hopes set on playing at Redrock festival in Colorado, as well as some places
a lot closer to home which hold a special place in the band’s heart – the Brixton Jamm. "We are from London so playing in Brixton is a dream." Connor told Nerve just what gets on his nerves, "Our drummer’s crazy smelly body odour. Unfortunately, we are in a van now so I have to stick it out!" He laughs. Describing their music as atmospheric rock, Connor explains that he gets a lot of his influences from Jeff Buckley, and if he had to only listen to one album for the rest of his life it would be his, "I’m a bit obsessed." Buckley’s influence can be heard from Connor’s falsetto singing. So what has 2015 got in store for Nothing But Thieves? "Well we are on tour in Europe and then touring the UK from February 15th. Then the album comes out in August so just lots of gigging and promotion." Things are really starting to get going for Nothing But Thieves, after three years of writing music they are now touring the world and having a great time doing it.
Words: Charlie Souter-Phillips Design: Zennen Thomas
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FEATURES
Shattering The Glass Ceiling Whether it’s the invisible glass ceiling or metaphorical leaky pipeline, Olivia Osmond investigates why and how the gender imbalance in the workplace affects us all, whether you are a CEO or recent graduate Illustration Nathan Hackett NERVE | 20
W
hat do the world’s ten richest have in common? They are all billionaires, 70% of them live in the United States and a massive 80% of them are men. The two women who sit proudly amongst this elite selection, in the most part, inherited or married into their fortunes. Taking eighth place and holding the title of the richest woman in the world is Christy Walton who married into, what is now, the richest family in the world, inheriting her ‘Wal-Mart’ wealth in 2005. Coming a relatively close second with a thirty five billion dollar fortune is Liliane Bettencourt, the ninety one year old who inherited the empire her father created, L’Oreal. Prompting the question: why is there such an uneven ratio of men to women in this list of success? If you have a simple, empirical, answer to this question then you are alone, with this being a much debated issue. Somewhat worryingly though, this dramatic difference in the proportion of men to women has filtered through a number of the levels within the organisational structure; across a wide variety of industries. Whilst this remains an important social issue, this should be of particular importance to graduates who may well experience this disparency in the workplace; ultimately, even, playing a crucial role in the amelioration of this matter. And why is this of such importance to students today? Because of the metaphorical ‘leaky pipeline’. In other words, men and women are entering the workplace in equal numbers yet women are failing to reach senior positions in the same numbers. Looking at accountancy, over half of graduate trainees are women, but typically only about 1015% of partners are women. Is your success limited, not by your ability, but your sex? Senior Lecturer in Leadership Development at Bournemouth University’s Business School, Melissa Carr, shared some of her expert knowledge of this field with us. With a successful career in specialist psychology consultancy services, Melissa ran executive education programmes for senior managers where she observed that in a room of thirty, she was the only woman; motivating her to question ‘where are all the female managers?’ This lead to her interest in gender and
leadership, which her research is now focused on. Melissa mimics the general comment that this question is extremely complex; with the answer encompassing areas such as the way people are rewarded and promoted in work through to the corporate structure of the company in question. Analysis of how sexism influences this subject has been considered with the phenomenon ‘Think Manager Think Male’ developed in the early 1970’s, remaining as relevant as ever. Today it is widely considered that sexism is in the most part not a deliberate form of discrimination but a result of years of traditional practice and stereotyping, with Melissa suggesting: "Sexism almost definitely comes into this, but I think it operates more at an unconscious level. We have ‘unconscious biases’ which mean we hold explicit assumptions about management". Problematically, strategies employed to ameliorate this situation are often as contentious and as criticised as the topic itself. These proactive strategies have evoked strong opposing reactions amongst both women and men, the most conflicting of these being the introduction of gendered hiring quotas; whereby a certain percentage of jobs are filled exclusively by women. This strategy was effectively adopted by Norway in 2008, and meant that UK companies were threatened with Lord Davies report giving companies a 2015 deadline for increasing board diversity or mandatory quotas would be introduced. Yet the problem still remains that quotas are not a popular choice. Mary Callahan Erdoes, Chief Executive Officer of J.P. Morgan Asset Management, has been very public about the fact that she thinks quotas are "awful". Speaking at Forbes Women’s Summit this year, the female CEO verbalises the concerns of many women: "none of us here want to think, even for a split second, did I get my job because they wanted to check the box, am I here because when there was a decision one versus the other, they wanted to make a statement on diversity; we don’t want that". A progressive and fair future is arguably not one where candidates are favoured as a result of their sex. Despite her clear standpoint, Erodes admits that at
present quotas may well be the only option with a proven track record, a necessary evil if you like, whereby unpopular short term quotas are adopted as a vehicle for long term betterment. So, are companies attempting to combat this issue? One could answer this by generically saying it’s a mixed bag, with some companies paving the way with examples of best practice whilst others are trailing behind. This is of course something Melissa Carr has a rare insight into: "I met with a law firm recently who have implemented a rigorous action plan to increase diversity at partner level and have set themselves some tough targets to address". However, she is all too aware of the companies that are not currently reaching ideal targets: "large employers such as Apple and Microsoft have really poor gender diversity figures; 70 and 77% male workforce respectively. Some industry sectors are better than others and some organisations are definitely more proactive than others". In fact, Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, was recently criticized for saying that women should not ask for pay rises and in doing so they will receive "good karma, that’ll come back." Arguably, there are two core aspects of this debate that are particularly antagonistic and divisive, and consequently, divide opinions on the issue as a whole; sexism and the use of quotas. Perhaps we are so concerned with these two portions of this complex matter, we are negating other valuable explanations and courses of action, such as the importance of changing mind-sets. One may conclude that ultimately success and longevity is achieved through examining a variety of approaches. This thinking is already being adopted by academics and it is fundamental we ensure this understanding is followed by wider society. In Melissa Carr’s words: "I hope that increases in board diversity will impact further down organisations, however, without structural and attitudinal change, we are a long way off from equal opportunities. I’m hoping I’m proved wrong!"
Words: Olivia Osmond Design: Zennen Thomas NERVE | 21
Have to spend a penny? You may be responsible for your domestic water bills. You and your housemates are jointly liable.
Need to brush up? Turn off the tap while you brush your teeth. A running tap uses around six litres a minute. If every adult in England and Wales turned off the tap whilst brushing their teeth, 180 million litres would be saved every day – enough to supply nearly 500,000 homes for a day. It only takes a few small changes to make a big impact.
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Feeling flush? Learn to manage your finances Unpaid bills could lead to a County Court Judgment (CCJ) which could damage your credit rating for 6 years. Contact our friendly team to set up your water account. Freephone 0800 111 4614 or email students@sembcorpbw.co.uk
FASHION KMS California Colour Vitality, £8 If you’re looking to brighten your hair colour for the impending holiday season, KMS California has a brilliant range of products to both lighten and re-vamp your highlights or dip-dye. The colour vitality conditioner restores radiance and prevents any further fade!
Face Matters, 24/7 Balm, £45 Winter can often play havoc with your skin. So make sure it’s ready for the new season with a nourishing balm – the beauty industry’s latest innovative replacement for moisturiser. Simply apply to your skin after a shower, leave on for 10 minutes before washing it off with a hot flannel. The final result is silky, smooth and hydrated skin!
Feelunique.com
Facematters-skincare.com
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Be
Illustrations Nathan Hackett
With Spring close on the horizon, the move into a new season isn’t just a call for new wardrobe staples, but new additions to your dressing table too. Scarlett Dixon presents this season’s must-have beauty bits
Vanilla Brulee Body Spray, £7.50 While Winter may call for musky, sharp or even spicy scents, with Spring on the way it’s time to pop those back in a drawer and bring out the fruity, the floral and the subtly sweet. If you’re looking for something summery, but not overly sickly – The Body Shop have a fantastic compromise in the form of their Vanilla Brulee range, as well as a variety of other scents to see you into a fragrant spring. Thebodyshop.co.uk
Skin Pep Auto-Make-up, £24 If you regularly follow the likes of Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner, you’ll probably be well aware of the contouring trends that have taken the beauty world by storm. However, if you’ve tried to re-create the look and have been rather disappointed by the results – the Skin Pep brush could be the final touch to getting it right. Simply apply your foundation, concealer and contouring streaks before switching the Skin Pep on (it vibrates) and watching as it blurs in the lines and creates an even, flawless finish. Skinpep.com
Tanya Burr Individual Lashes, £4.99 The beauty vlogger appeased millions when she launched her first ever beauty collection with Superdrug last year, however her latest launch – the individual lashes set - has caught the attention of a number of celebrities worldwide. Easier than regular strip lashes to apply, a few can be added for a subtle look – or a number of different lengths can be mixed for a more dramatic finish. Feelunique.com
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Streaming Success As controversial comedy The Interview hits UK cinemas, Tom Beasley investigates the ever-growing world of online movie streaming and its impact on the film experience
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n ten years’ time, when we look back at how 2014 ended, we will be utterly shocked to discover what one of the biggest stories of late 2014 was. Newspaper column inches and segments on current affairs programmes were dominated by the release – or perhaps non-release – of a comedy film from stoner kingpins Seth Rogen and James Franco. Focusing on an assassination plot against North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, The Interview quickly morphed from broad comedy into an emblem for free speech as a band of hackers condemned the anti-Korean slant of the story. Suddenly, people who wouldn’t be seen dead in a Seth Rogen film were queueing up to defend their right to see world leaders murdered to the sound of a Katy Perry single. Out of this international skirmish came an interesting method of releasing a movie. The Interview was released in a small number of arthouse cinemas in America at the tail end of 2014 and also became available on various streaming platforms, including iTunes and Netflix. Inevitably, it soon appeared in the file sharing world via a security loophole on one of the streaming websites that was used. According to news service TorrentFreak, the film was illegally downloaded more than 1.5 million times in the space of two days. It seems that the Sony hackers helped NERVE | 24
to create a ‘Streisand Effect’ around the film whereby their condemnation of the work only made it a more of a hot ticket in the following months. So, in the week following its controversial release, American viewers who wanted to see The Interview had plenty of opportunities to do so. Even on this side of the Atlantic, the increasing popularity of region-shifting proxy servers means that content ‘exclusive’ to American viewers is only a couple of clicks away. As a result, by the time The Interview arrived on wide cinema release in early February, it had already been fairly widely seen and so was released with little marketing fanfare. Sony still expects the film to ultimately break even. The Interview is an example of a film that managed to find an audience online, despite limited marketing and no cinema push. In the age of Netflix, it’s not unusual at all to watch a film on a computer having paid only a monthly subscription fee. It speaks to a wider trend around film-watching, in that audiences – particularly web-native youngsters – don’t see the point of spending a tenner on a cinema ticket when their Netflix subscription already does the job for them. A similarly ambitious release experiment took place in 2013 with Ben Wheatley’s psychedelic British film A Field in England. Financed by Film4,
the film was released simultaneously in cinemas, on DVD/Blu-ray, on Video on Demand services and for free on the Film4 TV channel. Given the oddball nature of the film, this bizarre release strategy paid dividends as it encouraged a wider audience to seek out the work. However, A Field in England suffered from this type of release in a way that The Interview didn’t. Much of the charm of Wheatley’s film lies in its delightful monochrome cinematography, which instantly creates a sense of unease just by virtue of how rarely it is seen in modern movies. Its handsome lensing is far more at home on an enormous cinema screen than it is on a tiny laptop in the corner of a dark bedroom. A percentage of the experience is lost. This is far less of a problem in The Interview, which relies more on jokes in the dialogue than it does on its visuals. This is the kind of film that lends itself quite nicely to a digital cinema, in which audiences can dip in and out of the film based on how much time they have to watch it. As a result of their ‘drop in, drop out’ nature, online movie streaming rewards films that require minimal audience engagement. This is part of the reason why a glance at the catalogue ofNetflix or Amazon Prime unearths dozens and dozens of lowbudget films – particularly within the horror genre – that seem to be
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Illustration Laurence Thomas almost deliberately unoriginal and lacking in edge. There’s very little financial investment from audiences who find these films whilst browsing streaming services, which means they find quite a comfortable, risk-free niche to sit in – at least for now, as things may soon be changing. "Distributors are now saying that they won’t even pick up those films," says Jennifer Handorf, producer of lowbudget British horror The Borderlands. "The cost of marketing is more than they can make back." She says: "There’s a massive pool of talent out there and you’ve really got to make something incredible to stand above the ground. It’s not to say that a first-time filmmaker isn’t going to be an incredible breakout, but they should be hyper-critical of their own work and be sure that it’s the best thing they can create out of the door, rather than just trying to give the audience what it wants." It seems that online movie streaming will continue to become a more popular method for consuming the world of cinema. However, this could have a detrimental impact to films that rely on the magic of the silver screen to unlock their appeal. Here’s hoping that, whatever the benefits of the internet, there’s always a place for the bright lights of the multiplex.
Streaming in numbers
57% 3.4 57.4 750k
of all movie consumption is now online
Billion films will be streamed or bought online this year million netflix subscribers worldwide number of illegal downloads of the interview on Christmas day
Words Tom Beasley NERVE | 25
They’ve been shortlisted as one of the BBC’s sounds of 2015 and their debut album is on the horizon – Rebecca Howe caught up with band member Joel Amey ahead of their visit to Bournemouth
C
atching them right in the middle of mixing their debut album, and just days before heading on tour with 2012 Mercury Music Prize winners Alt-J, it couldn’t be a more exciting time to have a chat with Wolf Alice’s Joel Amey, who finds some space away from the studio to let me delve into Wolf Alice’s calm before the storm. "They asked us to do it! Which was very nice of them." Joel explains as I ask in amazement how they got the Alt-J gig. "We played a show with them in Paris, and then yeah they asked us to do that and the European tour. So yeah, pretty sick, they are very lovely". Making friends in the industry has definitely worked in Joel’s favour so far, which he found when Wolf Alice was in desperate need
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of a new drummer. "I personally started performing with them in the summer of 2012 when Joff broke the other drummer’s arm. I was friends with their manager at the time and I’d met Ellie a couple of times so they asked if I could fill in, so I said yes, and then Theo joined a couple of months after and that’s when the Wolf Alice that everyone knows now started." Wolf Alice can be discovered on the BBC’s Sound of 2015 list. Lurking within the list amongst electro-pop synths, fairy acoustic folk and slick streetwise grime, Wolf Alice howls their 90’s grunge-guitar sound with pride, which is ever present on their two EPs, Blush and Creature Songs. "It’s been very flattering. When you start a band part of you hopes, well we did, that we would like it to be
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I think the album is going to take a completely different course
big." Joel explains the band may be taking a different direction with their imminent album. "It’s kind of a turning point at the moment because if you listen to what’s online right now there is an element of grunge. It’s quite ferocious at times and other times it’s quite serene. I think the album is going to take a completely different course." Without an official release date the band’s debut album seems like one to get excited about. "There’s some songs that we’ve been sitting on for a while that will show a different side to the band completely, maybe a few surprises. I think we’ve spent a lot of time on the craft of song writing and trying to build something that we can be proud of 30 years later, rather than
just the sound of now. We tried to push the boat out." Talking to Joel, it’s refreshing to sense an enthusiasm about not only what’s on the cards for them but also the buzz and support surrounding other UK bands. "There’s loads of good bands at the moment - Bloody Knees, Crows, The Magic Gang. A band called Our Girl are probably the best new band I’ve seen in a really long time. You should check them out". This is a band that loves their music and isn’t going to shy away from the acclaim that comes with it. "We like to mean something to people. I don’t think there’s any shame in wanting to connect with as many people as possible, there are reasons for why we’re doing it. It’s not driven by anything other than it just being
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an amazing feeling to have people on board and support something artistically." It’s no surprise then that Wolf Alice are heading out on tour as quickly as possible and relish in the thought of hearing their own songs being sung back to them. "When you write a song in a bedroom and then you go and play it in front of everyone, like people at Reading and they’re all singing along it can get pretty emotional." So what emotions can we expect to feel from a Wolf Alice live show? "Happy, sad and hungry I reckon. I’m always hungry after a gig. Hungry isn’t really an emotion though, is it?
Words: Rebecca Howe Design: Zennen Thomas NERVE | 27
FASHION
Despite the odd initial first term splurge; most students soon realize that they’re going to be sticking to a pretty tight budget for the next three, plus, years. For those of us who love designer labels this can prove a challenge. Student loans and Chanel are not designed to mix. So how can you remain in on trend, designer items whilst maintaining financial independence and stability? BUY STAPLE, INVESTMENT PIECES
EBAY IS YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND
If you’re working with a budget then it’s important your buys stand the test of time, the golden rule being: don’t follow trends, buy classic items. There are certain things that will always be in style: a little black dress, a black clutch bag, a statement necklace; the list goes on. So buy right, and you could be getting your money’s worth and wearing it for the next decade.
eBay is one of those sites that divides opinion. If you know what you’re doing eBay can be a treasure hunter’s gold mine. The key is to regularly search for key field, and watch anything that interests you so you can gage what is the current market price is. If your watched items go unsold, and you want them, email the seller and offer a lower price, more often than not you will steal an even better bargain than you initially assumed.
OUTLET STORES When we think of outlet stores, TK Maxx initially comes to mind. The discount store’s tag line ‘big brands, small prices’ encapsulates all of our fashion hopes and dreams. Although you do find the infrequent deal, more often than not the tag line, in reality, is ‘unknown brands, average prices.’ If you’re serious about outlet shopping then the only place for it is Bicester Village, and failing that Gunwharf Quays. With brands including Valentino, DVF, Fendi and Dior to name a few.
WORDS: OLIVIA OSMOND DESIGN: LAUREN EADE
DESIGNER DISCOUNT WEBSITES Over the last few years, discount websites offering designer goods have taken off in regards to popularity. Whether you’re after Michael Kors accessories, Balmain stationary, or Elle MacPherson underwear at hugely reduced prices this is for you. Like outlet stores, these sites have caused some controversy, with some designer items arguably being made specifically to be sold through these channels. Nevertheless, branded, quality items are there for the taking. Check out a few of our favorite discount sites: SecretSales, Cocosa, Outnet and Achica.
SCOUR CHARITY SHOPS Admittedly, the concept of charity shopping isn’t for everyone, but it’s hard not to meet fashion savvy shoppers with stories of rummaging triumph. Most of these heroic tales come from fashion gold mines in London charity shops; head to Mayfair or Knightsbridge and you’re almost guaranteed to find designer labels, at budget prices. Yet, treasured finds can be unearthed closer to home as Bournemouth University student, Rebecca Elizabeth Tate found: "I’m on a tight budget this year and always have to shop in the sales and second hand. I try to get anything high end cheaper and managed to find my vintage black denim Versace jacket for £17.99 and a black Burberry shirt for under £10, in a charity shop on Winton high street". Although not known as the fashion capital of the UK, it just proves you can find branded items in charity shops if you take the time to look.
BUY SMALL PIECES The majority of fashion houses now make a number of more ‘reasonably’ priced items, and in some cases collections. I say ‘reasonably’, as obviously your perception of price is relative. Marc Jacobs range of ‘Special Items’ are the best example of this where you can get a branded Classic Canvas Tote for $45, a City Beanie for $15 and t-shirts from $35. NERVE | 29
the h g u o r h T
lens
SEND YOUR PHOTOS TO editor@nervemedia.org.uk NERVE | 30
Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore Rebecca Byng BA Multimedia Journalism "The Cathedral itself is huge and really difficult to get a picture of the whole thing, so I decided to focus on this part as it had the most detail and the colours looked great against the bright blue sky. I’ve got lots of photos of the cathedral but this is my favorite because you can appreciate the size of the building against the bird in the sky." NERVE | 31
COMMENT
We aren’t all men and women, but we are all human beings It’s time to recognise the categories of male and female aren’t applicable to everyone
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here are a lot of things the Germans do better than us Brits. Cut price supermarkets, beer and (somewhat arguably) economics. But one of the greatest lesser known things about Germany is that it is the only country in Europe that you can be officially and legally registered as having a gender that is neither male nor female. To clarify, this isn’t a recent a development; but in 2015 is still pretty monumental. We live in a society that demands to know whether we are men and women – from our passports to being able to order pizza online (because pizza requires a gender, right?). But what if we aren’t from different planets as popular culture would suggest? And that what we consider to be a man or woman is in reality just two identities in a range of genders that are currently unrecognised and stigmatised in a culture segregated by sex? Gender is inherently too complicated to be divided into two sections. Fact. Our identities sit on a spectrum and are shaped by our upbringing, culture, individual biology and most importantly; our brains, not our genitals. If you’re a woman who doesn’t wear make-up, plays football and enjoys a pint of cider down the pub with a game of pool, you’ll already know that the concept of gender as a category with characteristics attached to it is a farce, and identifying yourself as genderqueer or gender non-binary is really just an expansion of that. But while we’ve come a long way in questioning why expectations should be different for women (and men), in reality it’s about time we started questioning
the framework of why there is a need in society to differentiate between those born male and female in the first place. Facebook gets it. Last year they introduced the option to choose your gender from a list of 70 identities, ranging from cisgender to polygender to genderqueer. But society – and especially the media – has been pretty slow to catch up. You only have to look at the coverage of Bruce Jenner’s increasingly feminised appearance across the pond. Who cares if Bruce is a man or a woman? He is still a human being. Even Russell Brand agrees with me, visit his YouTube channel to find out more. I recently spoke to lots of individuals who identify their gender outside the normal camps of male and female for a project exploring what it means to be non-binary, and funnily enough there are as many ways to be non-binary as there are Asian, black, working-class or British. Gender – much like race or nationality – is subjective and personal to each of us. In the 2011 census 0.4% of the population listed their gender as neither male nor female, meaning that up to 250,000 people in the UK today potentially see themselves as outside the binaries of man and woman; that’s roughly the same number of people who live in Southampton. Things are looking up when it comes to non-binary gender recognition but we still have a long way to go, with the most pressing issue being the push for non-gendered public bathrooms. Because while we might have different bits between our legs, in reality we all need to use them for the same reason.
Words: Wil Oxford Illustration: Nathan Hackett AUCB Illustration Graduate
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what if we aren’t from different planets as popular culture would suggest?
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Something
to say?
Get your opinions published by sending your thoughts to comment@ nervemedia.org.uk
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Nerve looks at some of the hottest fashion news trending on instagram this month
#Nervefashion
It’s always fashion week somewhere in the world, and February saw us graced with images from the 2015 Haute Couture shows on Instagram. Chanel in particular, displayed their colourful florals, in conjunction with their phenomenal moving and blooming set – Spring is on the horizon fellow students! Follow @britishvogue for
There are many new trends appearing on our Instagram lately, including new patterns and accessories from @forever21. Prepare for summer early with these perfect palm prints and metallic materials; scout them out on Instagram before they hit the stores.
Among the heaps of influential fashion bloggers exhibiting their outfits and trends on Instagram, one to be sure to follow is @thepixiecut. The UK based blogger Laura, regularly updates her profile with must have high-street outfits. Not only does she post information about competitions and giveaways, but also sells some of these high-street goodies on depop!
We’ve seen faux fur coats, gilets and stoles during this season, keeping us warm in Bournemouth’s winter sea breeze. Now, say hello to fuzzy, furry clutches! Combining the Autumn Winter fur trend with the Spring Summer bright colours, @topshop - we salute you!
Have you secured your house for next year at Bournemouth University? It’s never too early to start house shopping – and what’s better than cute accessories at a student friendly price? @Primark share their latest homeware items on their Instagram account, so be sure to follow before September creeps up on us all. NERVE | 35
Revenge porn has now become illegal in the UK – but will the law be effective in making a change? Or is the problem more ingrained than we think? Wil Oxford writes.
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t’s one of those scenarios that no one wants to find themselves in – a jilted or vengeful ex-partner has shared intimate moments from the relationship online in the form of pornographic videos or images without our consent and is refusing to remove them. But in the event of something like this happening – what can we do to protect ourselves and the material we thought we shared in confidence? From February 2015, evidently a lot more. With celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Watson and Paris Hilton all falling victim to Revenge Porn and increasing pressure from victims and activist groups to up the statute on its criminalisation, it seems the UK government has listened to the plight of victims and under The Criminal Justice and Courts Bill, posting pornographic images and videos on the internet without the participant’s consent is to become a criminal offence in England and Wales, with Scotland and Northern Ireland both considering similar laws. According to the Washington Post, around one in four adults aged 18-24 have received sexts (i.e. explicit videos or images) with around 15% of all adults having sent one to someone they know. The new law will cover all material sent via email, text or uploaded to any social media sites, with a maximum sentence of two years in prison for those committing the crime. Despite doubts over whether it will be effective, the government seem firm in their stance on clamping down on revenge porn. "The fact that there are individuals who are cruNERVE | 36
elly distributing intimate pictures of their former partners without their consent is almost beyond belief," explains Justice Secretary Chris Grayling. "We want those who fall victim to this type of disgusting behaviour to know that we are on their side and will do everything we can to bring offenders to justice. That is why we have changed the law to make it absolutely clear to those who act in this way that they will face prison." However when it comes to prison many young people – statistically the demographic at highest risk of becoming a revenge porn victim – have doubts that the law will be effective in clamping down on the act, and that it will come to be disregarded like numerous other offences that are overlooked. "Bringing in a revenge porn law won’t stop people doing it because it’s not something people think about when they do it", explains final year Bournemouth University student Alex Woodland. "Pirating and downloading film and TV shows is illegal, but as soon as a website is taken down people scramble to find a new one. As horrible as revenge porn is, young people have the mentality of it being just a joke and that others will be arrested but I’ll be fine. The law targets the big fish with piracy, and it’ll be the same for revenge porn." While many question the effectiveness of the law, others claim (rightly or wrongly) that it is on the onus of the victim to prevent the likelihood of it taking place in the first place. "There is a wider problem in that there needs to be more education
and awareness around the potential dangers of sharing these types of photos", final year student Kerry Wilshire states. "It’s become so casual to send nude photos – which I’ve been asked for myself numerous times – and people are too trusting and freely willing to share these pictures without actually thinking about it properly first." When it comes to looking at the wider problem of revenge porn in society, people being more freely open about their sexuality may be problematic because it gives criminals increased material to publish, but the fact that around 90% of revenge porn victims are women (according to the Cyber Civil Rights initiative) highlights that we live in a culture that still sexualises and shames women’s bodies, of which the Revenge Porn law may prove futile in preventing.
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"Revenge porn probably affects women more because they are the ones that are more likely to feel pressured by their boyfriends to send naked photos," argues Chelsea Battle from the BU feminist society. "The female body is something that is idolised in our culture but also degraded to please men. It is an incredibly intimate act to send someone a naked photo of yourself, and for many women has a huge amount of emotion and sensitivity behind it, whereas for a lot of men – because of the way our culture is enforced – they will just see it as a body." "Criminalising revenge porn makes a statement that it is not ok to see or respect women in that way, but we also need some form of education and campaigning alongside that to reinforce the message and make a change."
FEATURES
young people have the mentality of it being just a joke
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ENTS
Uncle Frank He’s branched out on his own after a long run with Fun Lovin’ Criminals - Laura Geall caught up with recently formed duo Uncle
Frank as part of the Coffee House Tour
T
aking to the Coffee House Sessions stage is Uncle Frank, a double act with Frank Benbini, who is the ex-drummer of Fun Lovin’ Criminals, and Naim Cortazzi. "It’s a weird atmosphere really, I feel like we’re interrupting people’s dinner" Frank laughs. Despite being in the middle of eating their food, all of the Coffee House Session goers gave the duo a warm response, clapping for each song. Frank is talkative between each song, at one point asking, "So this is what you do, sit and eat?" Where one person responded, "And drink!" Frank is tired after visiting Minehead the night before but the duo are excited about the rest of the Coffee House Sessions tour. "We love playing, hate the travelling. But the intermit vibe with each uni is cool and refreshing. I’m used to playing in venues where there is a distance." He revealed this before the set, but
it didn’t seem to faze him whilst he was singing, and both he and Naim looked right at home on the Coffee House Sessions stage. Fun Lovin’ Criminals are a band from New
“ ”
we love playing, hate the travelling
York and Frank joined them as their drummer in 2003. When I asked how he got to know an American band he replied "every American rock band needs an English drummer." They had a good line up of songs on the day, ‘Shake and Bake’ being one of their stronger tracks. Sadly the one song they didn’t play was their ‘Do You Want to Build a Snowman’ cover from Frozen, which was made specifically for the Coffee House Sessions. "Did you like that one?" He asks after I mention
it. "I have a little girl, so it was for her. I just love that film." It is a slowed down, acoustic version of the song, and a really great listen. Frank and Naim have known each other for seventeen years and they have great chemistry on and off stage. "We have been best friends for a long time. It started over music. He came to see me play in Leicester and wanted me for his band at the time and the rest is history." Along with their different range of songs, Uncle Frank also perform with a range of styles. At one point during the set he asks if the audience want to hear songs with some beats. This was introducing one of their rap songs, but they certainly aren’t restricted to just that type. "I love all kinds of styles. I’m a big, old-school hip hop fan, but then I also love Reggae songs. The list just goes on." Words Laura Geall Design Jack Mullen
NERVE | 39
R E V I E W E D Kingsman: The Secret Service In Cinemas 29/1/15 By Tom Beasley
Credit: Harry Hitch
From the director of Kick-Ass comes Kingsman – another adaptation of an ultra-violent, spoofy Mark Millar comic. This time, the target is gentleman spying, with its crosshairs aimed squarely at the campy James Bond films of the 60s and 70s. Early on, Taron Egerton is great value as the council estate kid brought into a world of gadgets and girls by smooth-talking agent Colin Firth. However, there’s a clear turning point in the shape of a much-heralded scene of extreme violence, set to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘Free Bird’. At that point, the film plunges into an immoral hole and murder of innocent people is played for gross-out comedy. As Samuel L Jackson’s lisping villain attempts to enact a brutal plot, Kingsman takes great delight in soundtracking mass murder with disco. And, as if to leave its “gentlemanly” decorum behind completely, it all culminates with an anal sex gag that absolutely reeks of laddish misogyny. They’d probably call it banter.
Peace
Kodaline
The awaited release of Peace’s second studio album has delivered fans with quirky and foot tapping hits. It appears that this band are out to stamp their style on indie rock. Although the band are a favourite on the festival scene, it is pleasing to see them take a different direction. With the 70’s style artwork and chirpy melody of the opening track ‘O You’ , Peace show that this album features an old school funk from the offset. This refreshing sound reflects upon fans the band’s intentions to create positivity. However, Peace haven’t left behind what they started with ‘Lost On Me’ and title track ‘Happy People’ still retain the rudimental lyrics that will be a clear choice for live performances. ‘Under the Moon’ and ‘Saturday Girl’ also stand out as being raw to the band’s previous sound. Overall, Peace meet their expectations after their debut with this intriguing album.
Kodaline’s second album, Coming Up for Air, takes on a more powerful pop-rock approach than their debut. The band has had huge success with songs such as ‘All I Want’ and ‘High Hopes’ and they seem to be choosing the same mellowed, sentimental approach for their second album seen with songs such as ‘Moving On’ and ‘Love Will Set You Free’. However, the album defies expectations with its ambitious material, seen with their song ‘Honest’, the first single to be released from their album. Although still giving the impression of writing from a broken heart, the song climbs to a dramatic, catchy chorus suggesting a move towards rock for the group. Coming Up for Air is an album that moves away towards some more compelling sounds, whilst still keeping their intimate, easily relatable lyrics intact.
Happy People 6/02/15, By Erica Adams
NERVE | 40
Coming up for air 6/2/15, By Olivia Cadby
ENTS
Fall Out Boy
Big Hero 6
Since Fall Out Boy’s comeback album Save Rock and Roll, the band have reinvented their sound through their second release after their four-year hiatus, American Beauty/American Psycho. The iconic pop-punk band have jumped on the pop-mania bandwagon of the last decade, expanding the boundaries of what they previously achieved when the band formed in 2001. A number of the songs skilfully take samples from other tracks. ‘Uma Thurman’ is from The Munster’s theme song, also in reference to the American actress, and ‘American Beauty/American Psycho’ from a Motley Crüe song. ‘Immortals’, written for Big Hero 6, and ‘The Kids Aren’t Alright’ stand out as the two songs that steer Fall Out Boy in an innovative and exciting new direction.
Big Hero 6 is an animated Disney film with a Marvel inspired twist. The story revolves around the loveable, huggable healthcare robot, Baymax, who aids the science savvy Hiro in his quest. Along with Baymax, the film follows Hiro and four of Tadashi’s quirky friends through San Fransokyo, an ingenious futuristic fusion of San Francisco and Tokyo. Big Hero 6 is unrealistic in the science department, but with the impressive production, character design and visual effects, this is something that can be overlooked. The film doesn’t pull on your heart strings as much as some other Disney films, but the loveable and hilariously matter-of-fact Baymax is definitely the main selling point. If you’re looking for a feel-good, animated, action-comedy mashup, this is the one to watch.
American Beauty/American psycho 20/1/15, By Olivia Cadby
In Cinemas 30/1/15 By Olivia Cadby
Inherent Vice
Meghan Trainor
The latest film from There Will Be Blood director Paul Thomas Anderson is a psychedelic, hallucinogenic wander through the life of a private investigator at the fag-end of the 1960s. Adapted from a knotty novel by Thomas Pynchon, the film follows Doc (Joaquin Phoenix) as he investigates a kidnapping plot. Inherent Vice doesn’t really feel like a work of narrative cinema, with traditional form giving way to a drug-infused experience. The plot is a tangled mess that is almost impossible to negotiate, but Anderson encourages his audience not to care about that very much and just chill, man. The period setting is beautifully conveyed with a grungy film stock and some sumptuous cinematography from long-time Anderson collaborator Robert Elswit. It’s a crazy movie, full of peaks, troughs and head-scratching moments, but you’ll definitely leave feeling as if you’ve got your money’s worth, even if you’re not sure how.
Following on from the commercial success of her recent EP’s ‘All About That Bass’ and ‘Lips Are Movin,’ Meghan Trainor released her debut studio album, Title. These new tracks boast fun and catchy beats and the album is a pleasant mixture of mellow and upbeat, a combination of Meghan’s free-spirited nature and sass. The most pleasing thing about this album is Trainor’s collab track with John Legend, ‘Like I’m Gonna Lose You.’ Their voices blend beautifully to this melodious and relaxing tune with lyrics that won’t have to fend off controversy. Although it is likely to do well, it seems Trainor needs to be more conscious of how she relays the meaning of her songs if she wants to communicate her musical messages effectively.
In Cinemas 30/1/15 By Tom Beasley
Title 26/1/15 Laura Rogers
NERVE | 41
2015 IS OUR YEAR! Blogging is big business, with some of the most popular contenders commandeering audiences of over 8 million, sitting front row at LFW alongside A-Listers and paving the way for a whole new realm of the written word. In 2015, the success of the on trend weblog is unlikely to slow, Nerve spoke to several bloggers who hope that 2015 is their year. Words Scarlett Dixon Design Jack Mullen
NERVE | 42
ALICE ARAM, DIGITAL ADVERTISING MANAGER
SOPHIE LOUISE MILNER, JOURNALIST
SINDY NG, TRAINEE MERCHANDISER FOR MATALAN
teapartywithalice.com
fashionslave.co.uk
article21.co.uk
I started my blog in 2013 documenting my love for all things beauty but over the years it has developed into an outlet for my personal style, travel diaries and interior tastes. In 2015, I want to evolve my blog into a place where people look forward to stopping by each day – with a focus on improved photography and hopefully a few collaborations with my favourite brands!
As a journalist, I’ve always strived to create content that both shows my personality and engages my readers. In 2015, I’d love to branch out to become an all round lifestyle destination however ultimately, I just want to be relatable. We’re all real people and I want people to read my work, laugh and think I’m the kind of girl they would get along with.
Sindy set up her blog while working as a Credit Card Fraud Analyst, eager to have an outlet completely different from her day job to experiment with personal style and high street items. Now with a more fashion focused position, she hopes to grow her ‘little space’ in 2015, developing her photography skills and perfecting that perfect pose!
FASHION
GABI LENIHAN, RETAIL ASSISTANT
DEBORAH STUBBINGTON, STAGE MANAGER
LOTTIE PEARCE, PR
ALLY, VISUAL MERCHANDISER
thelenihanlook.blogspot.co.uk
bangonstyleblog.com
lottiepearce.com
allyinblunderland.com
I created The Lenihan Look in January last year to stand as an ever developing look-book that shows the cool, the bad and the downright awful outfits that I’ve worn. In 2015, I’d love to evolve my blog and grow my readership but for it to continue to be an extension and a true reflection of my style.
My blog is a complete mix of everything I love – from personal style to home DIY. I love it when I can show my readers a brilliant bargain or a way they can customise something they already own and in 2015 I not only hope to develop my crafty posts – but I’m embarking into the world of YouTube too!
I began writing my blog when I was studying at the London College of Fashion, as I wanted an outlet to write about my favourite things. I had no idea how vast the blogging world was and was amazed when I first started to receive comments. Now that I have a brand new camera, I’m hoping that 2015 will bring improved photography and the continued interaction that comes with having a blog!
My blog is a place for me to experiment with styling and it gives me an excuse to put together exciting outfits on a regular basis. I love that blogs are now a place for inspiration – in fact, the majority of the ideas I have for styling have been influenced massively by bloggers! In 2015, I’m hoping to post more, engage more and experiment more!
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COMMENT
Women can be hairy and beautiful Throw out your razors, epilators and wax strips, it’s time that women embraced their body in its natural form; body hair included
I
’ve been shaving my legs since the first year of junior school when I realised my dark hair and pale complexion didn’t lend itself to the hairless beauty standards I’d seen popularised on the TV and in magazines. At the age of seven I’d already started to feel the pressure to defy nature and turn my legs into streamlined poles like the Barbies I was probably still playing with - something that undoubtedly represents a wider problem in our culture and society. This year however I decided enough was enough, and set about to liberate myself from society’s dictatorship over my hair. I threw away all my razors, epilators and waxing kits and let my hair run free for the first time in 15 years. And I’m here to tell you: it feels incredible. No poncing around in the shower for hours making sure I’ve removed every last trace of follicle, no itchy plucked chicken-style legs to contend with every third day of the shaving cycle and no agonising epilating or expensive waxing; being hairy is bliss! I’m far from the first to defy the 21st century image of beauty. Last year a Tumblr group called the Hairy Legs Club started to show women the way to a natural look. Women from all over the world began to post pictures of their fabulously fuzzy pins, in a bid to challenge the traditional stereotype of the completely hairless and primmed woman.
When you start to think about it, from where did this unattainable stereotype first appear? Who decided to popularise the idea that women are supposed to be bald everywhere except the head? I’m not 100% sure, but I’d imagine the billion pound porn industry has something to do with it, and when you think about it like that it gets even harder to defend the decision to replicate the grade-1-allover look. We need to stop wasting our efforts trying to look like prepubescent porn-stars, and think of our hair as a sign of womanliness, a badge of honour to be worn with pride. The women of the 80’s had it right. Afro vaginas left to run wild and free the way God intended, and armpits that look like miniature woolly mammals. Nobody questioned Julia Roberts when she strutted down the red carpet at the Notting Hill premiere with armpit hair that rivalled the luscious locks on her head. If it’s good enough for Julia, then it is most certainly good enough for me. It’s time to bring back natural beauty and crush the myth that women should be hairless - we owe it to ourselves and future women and girls alike. I’m hairy and I’m sexy, and you can be too. I encourage you to join me on my journey to a hairy future there’s no better time to start than now (the extra hair comes in really handy in the colder months of the year ahead of summer)!
Words: Casey Farr Illustration: Nathan Hackett AUCB Illustration Graduate
“
the women of the 80’s had it right afro vaginas left to run wild as god intended
”
Something
to say?
Get your opinions published by sending your thoughts to comment@ nervemedia.org.uk NERVE | 47
ENTS
luvbug
Out of the ashes of JLS comes electro-dance group LuvBug. Nerve caught up with the trio after the success of their debut single to find out what the future has in store
A
fter a successful career with pop-group JLS, Marvin Humes decided to do what he’s always wanted to do; make the music he used to play in clubs as a DJ. Putting a band together seemed like the best way to do it. Made up of JKAY, The White N3rd and himself, the producing trio LuvBug are off to a cracking start – but their formation wasn’t a random get-together. "I’ve known JKAY for a few years, actually since I was about sixteen. We’d always listen to old school house and garage. I worked with White N3rd when we used to do stuff for JLS, so we’ve always been good friends," explains Marvin. All it took was for the three to make it into one room, and that wasn’t hard either. Marvin got in the studio with each of them individually, and put the idea forward of making music that they all like. "They both loved the idea, so we started working on stuff together. We’ve been doing it for about eighteen months now I think." But why LuvBug? "Well it was just something we thought we’d go with, a ladybird is an insect no one wants to squash. It’s kind of sexy." LuvBug’s music is a mixture of deep house, electronic and dance, making it hard to pinpoint an exact genre for the trio. The White N3rd doesn’t hesitate to express how much the nineties era has an influence on the stuff that LuvBug produce. "One of the fundamental inspirations would be the nineties stuff, but also the House/ Garage
scene; even R&B to an extent, because it kind of flirts with garage as well. But I would mainly say the nineties because of the whole House element that a lot of our music has." Their debut track ‘Resonance’ was a major hit and saw a lot of love on radio stations across the UK. "You always want to know if your tunes are going to go down well, so it was nice to see and hear that loads of people liked it. When the video for ‘Resonance’ dropped, the YouTube Council was going mad over it. So yeah it was surprising, but we were thankful for it." With the amount of love they are getting for their tracks, a debut album is surely on the cards. Marvin immediately pipes up, he seems so amped and excited for it. "We are busy working hard on it and we have loads of tunes. The focus at the minute is on Revive and seeing how that does, but we are working hard to put together some last features for it. "So far we’ve been working with Kaleem Taylor, MNEK of course, Becky Hill, Angel Haze and loads of other different vocalists. We’ve got our eyes on a few other people as well. So that’s exciting for us. Like could you imagine us putting Maxwell on a House track? It would be sick". The trio then continue to talk about what vocalists add to the tracks. "We spend a lot of time in the studio writing and recording stuff, so the good thing about putting vocalists on is that they can take the record to another place, an even better place in fact."
As well as being in the studio working hard, producing and writing, they also have their favourite moments from djing around the globe. Marvin ponders which show really topped it off for them. "It was a show we did in Vegas alongside David Guetta and Diplo, that was pretty much a dream come true. It was nice to bring that UK vibe to the American market and they loved it". The pressure for all-producing groups and DJ’s at the moment is at an all-time high. It was only right to ask whether they feel the pressure of competing to be heard amongst other big names in the industry. They gave a collective and elongated "nah" and went on to explain why. "I think what we are doing is unique to us and we only draw inspiration from other DJ’s and producers. The likes of Disclosure, Rudimental and Calvin Harris completely turned the charts on its head in terms of songs that are big right now." "I think that we are in a place now where DJ’s and producers are getting a lot more recognition than they did years ago. It used to be just about the artists singing on the track, but now the people making the music are just as fundamental to the process as the artists featuring on the track." "It’s really great for us. We’re writing and producing stuff and getting featured vocalists. We don’t feel under pressure, they are the reason why we can do what we do now." NERVE | 49 Words: Aliyah Allen Design: Zennen Thomas
2015 GOLF PREVIEW: MCILROY’S YEAR TO BECOME THE MASTER? No athlete dominated his or her respected sport more in 2014 than Rory McIlroy. But will it be a familiar story in 2015 or will we see a new face dominate the golfing world?
T
he Northern Irish golfing star came back from his most disappointing year since breaking onto the golfing scene to claim two majors, including his maiden Open Championship win, and two tour wins. He also played a major role in Europe’s Ryder Cup win at Gleneagles. Playing in every session McIlroy claimed three points and was behind just Justin Rose and Patrick Reed who picked up four points and three and a half points respectively. Coming into 2015, McIlroy’s clear objective is to complete his career grand slam with a win at the Masters, which, as always, is hosted at Augusta National. The event is the first major of the year and remains one of the great sporting events in the calendar, steeped in heritage and history. Bubba Watson picked up his second green jacket in last year’s event and will be looking for further major success this year. The question going around the tour at the moment is whether the two rising stars of the game in Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth can have major success. Reed, at just 24, has recently picked up his 4th tour win in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, seeing off Jimmy Walker in a play-off. He really impressed at the Ryder Cup as the highest points scorer for the defeated American
team and showed some real grit when more senior players in the side were failing to even put up a decent fight. Reed’s best result in last year’s majors was tied 35th at the U.S. Open, whilst he missed the cut at two of the other big championships. This year’s U.S. Open takes place at Chambers Bay golf club in Washington on a rare American lynx course. It is the first time the course has hosted the event and 115th U.S. Open Championship. Reed has a few years on his American compatriot, but Spieth, who is only in his 3rd year on the professional tour, did much better across last year’s majors. He tied for 2nd at the Masters, even having the outright lead by two shots on the final day, and placed respectfully at both the U.S. Open and The Open. In his two years at the only major to be held in Europe, Spieth has finished in the top 45. This may sound mediocre, however the lynx style courses are a different animal from the usual lush fairways experienced on the PGA tour and show that Spieth has the skills to adapt his game for any course. Both these young Americans could pose a real threat to Rory’s dominance in 2015 as they look to claim their first major crowns.
Speaking of The Open, it returns to the home of golf this year, St Andrews, and it looks set to be one of the highlights of sport in 2015. After Rory’s convincing win last year the challenge will be to see if anyone can match his attacking but controlled brand of lynx golf. Once again people are wondering if this will be the year that Tiger Woods gets back amongst the majors. The informed opinion seems to be wavering towards unlikely, however he is not a 14 time major winner for nothing. Tiger’s 2008 win in the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines seems a very distant memory and who at the time would have thought that he would not pick up a single major in the six years that followed. Another talking point is whether this will be the year Sergio Garcia shrugs off the title of the greatest player never to win a major. "El Nino" came close again at The Open in a tie for 2nd, but could fancy his chances at the PGA Championship, which takes place at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. After an exciting year of golf in 2014, 2015 has a lot to live up to, but with a depth of quality across the tour it is going to be very entertaining watching it all unfold across the next 12 months. Words Matt Joy Design Jack Mullen NERVE | 51
Ballon D’Or
The biggest awards in the world of football have sparked a range of reactions - but as the dust settles a month on from the ceremony - who were the winners and losers and were they deserving?
T
he glitz and glamour that surrounds world football reached fever pitch when the annual Ballon D’Or awards were announced. The top prize fell to the Portugese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo beating Lionel Messi and Manuel Neuer to the top prize. James Rodriguez won the Puskas award for the goal of the year but it was in the Team of the Year where most of the controversy circulated. The main award was the showcase of the night and it was contested between two old rivals and a new kid on the block. Ronaldo and Messi have dominated this award since 2008 and they were always the favourites to do battle once more. Manuel Neuer was rewarded for a fantastic season with his inclusion in the shortlist but realistically was never going to take the top award, but did come close to sneaking into second place with just 0.04% of the vote share separating the German stopper and Lionel Messi. Ronaldo won by a clear majority, claiming a monumental 37.66% of the vote share. 52 goals in 43 games (averaging a goal every 62 minutes) and 17 assists in the calendar year, along with many individual honours. You’d need to be a brave man to try argue that anyone else deserves the top award, Ronaldo has simply been the world’s best in 2014. A true legend of the game.
On a related topic, certain voting patterns seem odd compared to most of the footballing world. When the voting of our national side manager Roy Hodgson was publicised, social media went into pandemonium when it was revealed he voted for Argentinian centre back Javier Mascherano. The former Liverpool man is a fantastic player and was one of the stand out players in the Argentinian side who reached the World Cup final, but there is no way his achievements come close to some of his fellow professionals. Perhaps Roy wanted to highlight some of the other players who had a great year knowing full well it was essentially a two horse race? Or perhaps Mr Hodgson didn’t get the memo when it came to his duty as our boss and therefore our voice. The team of the year featured a decision that was arguably more surprising than Roy Hodgson’s decision to vote for Mascherano. In fact, the decision is as shocking as Maradona’s hand ball, Greece winning the Euros in 2004 or Andrea Pirlo’s beard ever looking anything but marvellous. David Luiz was included in a back four that failed to feature other colossal defenders such as Diego Godin, Jerome Boateng or Mats Hummels to name just a few. Luiz is widely considered as a rather exuberant person on and off the
field and his ill-discipline has led to some less than complimentary score lines against his side. One particular result that springs to mind was a small match that didn’t really receive much media attention, a 7-1 trouncing at the hands of Germany in a little competition held this summer. It didn’t really get much coverage. The fact that he made it into the side is absolutely bewildering to most football lovers. Andres Iniesta has been a world class player for years and years, however he may be past his previous best. Other players such as Edin Hazard or Paul Pogba could easily have made their way into the team. The award for the best goal of the year went to Colombia’s very own golden boy himself, James Rodriguez. His wonder volley in the world cup beat off other competition from Robin Van Persie and Stephanie Roche. All of these goals were incredible in their own rights and the competition was a hugely close one, but the stage in which Rodriguez bagged his goal in the knock out stages of the World Cup may have been the reason behind the Puskas being awarded to Rodriguez. Another fantastic year of football being recognised on the highest stage with the most prestigious award. Here’s to more of the same for 2015.
Words Matt Joy
Design Jack Mullen
NERVE | 53
A NEW TERM, A NEW SPORT
Design Jack Mullen
Exams are done, spring is on the way and life’s looking a whole lot better. Will Kent takes a look at what you can get involved in this term to get you in the sporting mood STRAVA MAKES RUNNING FUN AGAIN... There’s something quite compelling about completing a run and looking back at where the fastest kilometre was and whereabouts you ranked in the area for that particular
segment. Strava – among with many other similar apps – make beating yourself and even friends extremely motivating and somewhat fun. The download is free, with the Premier
upgrade also available for a few quid. Head down to Bournemouth beach at sunset and get involved! The app can even be used with cycling, too - so there’s no excuse not to get involved.
BOX WITH AWARD WINNING ENGLAND COACHES...
b Arena boxing clu
Not for the faint hearted. Boxing is a lot more than just punching one another; the fitness and stamina levels required not just to fight an opponent but to even last a few minutes on a punch bag are as high as any other sport. Whilst being a good boxer is a combination of physical and mental endurance, even a complete beginner can acquire the basic skills and rapidly increase
fitness levels after a couple of weeks. A Google search comes up with countless boxing clubs located in Bournemouth, but the Arena Boxing Club (www.arenaboxingclub.co.uk) stands out from the crowd with award winning England coaches. All you need is a gum shield, hand wraps and a pair of gloves if the club doesn’t have any already, and you can be well on your way to boxing glory.
FROM AFC BOURNEMOUTH TO PLAYING 5-A-SIDE... As most of us know, AFC Bournemouth are flying high near the top end of the Championship with Premier League football a realistic possibility. Students can grab tickets for under £20 which makes it a hard proposition to turn down on a Saturday afternoon. Cherries aside, Poole Town are also a good shout for some weekend football with the club
NERVE | 54
also sitting pretty at the top of their division. If you don’t fancy the trip over to Poole, Bournemouth Poppies play in Winton. With regard to actually having a kick about, there are a few 11-a-side teams knocking about at the Uni and elsewhere in the local area, but a student favourite are the Uni run 5-a-side leagues which take place
on multiple days each week. Usually costing each player about £10-£20 for the term, it’s a great way to get involved and have a kick about with a few mates if you’re not looking to get involved too seriously. And if entering a league doesn’t appeal, the astro pitch is also available to rent out for a few pennies.
YBALL IS A THRIVING NEW SPORT IN DORSET, WORTH A TRY...
yBall in bournemouth
YBall is an exciting new sport which is primarily based in Bournemouth and is a mixed gender sport which challenges everyone’s cardiovascular ability and hand eye co-ordination. The sport itself involves music and can even played in the dark with night vision goggles and a
reflective ball. The game uses a Nerf ball, it’s semi-contact and actually not too dissimilar from sports such as handball and basketball. It’s played by the Uni every Friday evening on the Wallisdown playing fields and is worth a shot if you’re interested in trying something new.
AFFORDABLE ROUNDS OF GOLF AND FOOT GOLF... With the spring weather fast approaching, what better to enjoy the improved weather than to get on a golf course and hit a few balls? Even if you’re a complete amateur, there’s something quite enjoyable and no better assignment stress relief than smashing golf balls left
right and centre. Bournemouth has plenty of courses to choose from. I can vouch for Meyrick Park - a nice and affordable course – whilst Play Golf Bournemouth even have an upper floor driving range which is useful for convincing yourself that you are hitting it further than you
actually are. They also own foot golf which is a decent change and at £6 a round, there’s definitely worse things to spend money on. You don’t even have to be able to be particular good either, most holes only go up to 100 yards so anyone at any level can get involved.
LIFT WEIGHTS FOR PENNIES... Gym memberships are as cheap as anywhere in Bournemouth. £80 a term at the SportBU gym – even cheaper if paid monthly – whilst The Gym is £13 a month as well as Fit Space. They all have their own little perks. The Gym is open 24/7 whilst Fit Space offers free parking, with the SportBU
gym’s location being spot on for that after lecture session. That being said, there are so many more knocking about in Bournemouth that a simple Google search will bring up. As they say, summer bodies are made in the winter - so there’s not long left to get in shape!
the gym at sportbu A 250M VELODROME – WINTON’S BEST KEPT SECRET... Having opened in 2011, the Velodrome is one of the more impressive parts of Winton. It’s situated at Slades Farm which is a stones throw from Uni and
is open to the public all hours. It has to be worth a spin just to say "Yeah, I’ve used a velodrome" - even for the part-time, once a year cyclist.
the velodrome at slades farm
NERVE | 55
PHOTOS: Sam Baggette www.sambphoto.co.uk
Ben Fiore
www.benfiorephotograpgy.co.uk
Mia Lainchbury www.flikr.com/mialainchbury
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TOP
5
5 Light-hearted shows
When you’re not in the mood for complicated crime dramas or overly emotional soaps, you can always rely on E4 to provide an easy-going sitcom for you to enjoy while you prepare dinner or chill with your housemates. They are usually the kind of shows where you don’t have to see every episode in order to enjoy them, so for hard working busy students like us it’s great to have programmes you can dip in and out of.
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Shows we love to hate
There are shows on E4 that we may hate to admit that we like, but they are just so bad they’re good. Yes, I’m talking about things like The 100 (a show where the adults are about as useful as a chocolate teapot and the kids are magically trained in combat and always know what they are doing) and Charmed (only because it’s a bit outdated but it is still pretty addictive).
3 E Stings
When have you ever seen TV idents like E4’s E Stings? Like a man’s body with a horse’s head singing ‘The look on your face when I’m stripped to my waist.’ They are so random, funny
There’s more to life than watching TV but if you’re going to, E4 is the perfect channel. Here’s why.
REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH E4
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Words: Laura Rogers Illustration: Laurence Thomas
and original they could cheer up anyone’s day. Not to mention you can enter a competition to create your own E Stings ident with a chance to have it used on the channel between programmes.
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Barney Stinson
Yes, the suit-wearing ladies’ man who is everyone’s favourite character from How I Met Your Mother. Played by the brilliant Neil Patrick Harris with his sarcastic humour, his determination to always have a good time and his obsession with telling his guy friends to suit up ‘And haaaave you met Ted?’ Come to think of it you should watch E4 for all the characters of this show, plus everyone loves to attempt a sing-along to the show’s theme tune.
Guaranteed laughter
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E4 will always make you laugh. Whether it’s animals doing stupid things on Rude Tube or Sheldon being Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory, there is something for everyone. Unless you’re just in a bad mood, in which case you should probably just go for a nap and stay out of everyones way.
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