S E X DRUGS A N D ROCK N ROLL THE BURROW 2020/2021
A RT I S T
W E L C O M E W E L C O M E
Artist Focus: Brighton Skate Collective A: I was same in terms of always skate. I’d see the boys The Burrow, traditionally a pull out of The Badger, to the celebrate art in wanting all itsto glory. when I was young, but I didn’t want to go on my own, and I As a farewell this section, to dedicate the last instalment Curation of tothis yearsI wanted Burrow, undergone by Artsskating Co-Editors Jess Hake and Robyn Cowie, just didn’t know any other girls who wanted to go with me. it was of Artist Focus to a creative community in Brighton that is close to is the outburst of emotion lockdown took away. Collaborating with other mebers The until I was sixteen that I found a group of girls who wanted toof come my heart: the Brighton Skate Collective. When I moved to Brighton, skateas withlocal me. We went to the BYC girl’smany night, because we were still Bagder, fellow Sussex Students, Soceities artisits and friends, has I barely knew anyone. With a pandemic in full blast, and a Master’sas well too scared to go out by ourselves, even as a group of three. I stopped degree finish, I was prettyof sureambition that my social life would be pretty expression. been a ato whirlwind and chaotic skating for a few years because of health issues, but after getting betnon-existent. However, in a whim of boredom, I decided to take up ter, I turned to one of those nights by myself, and met Weezy there. skateboarding, and through that, I became part of the Brighton Skate Collective. Growing up with skateboard-obsessed cousins, I had been Could you give me a brief description of the Brighton Skate learn to skate since I was a kid. I remember being anWe meaning choseto the theme “Sex, Drugs and Rock n Roll” as it encomCollective? How did the idea emerge? noyed at Vans for not having shoes on my size, and watching Avril passed all of obsessively what the new millenial roaring Lavigne’s videos on MTV, frustrated that I couldn’t be like twenties hope to be The BSC is a safe space; The reason I neverwas learnt as a kid is simple: I was a girl. the I was told andher.what 2020 meant to signify start of.W:We wanted to a group for people to come and have a go at skating, regardless of their skill set. It’s also just a place to meet by my family that I could injure myself. They didn’t care about my create something that was the epitome of everything we were like-minded people. I think it’s been especially nice after lockdown, cousins injuring themselves, but injuries became frightening as soon missing. As awas result, the because a lotof of all people haven’t met anyone for a long time. Some as a female-skin involved.The Burrow has been the recipient people come alongyear and don’t skate that much, but it’s really an oppent up anger, fun, excitement and frustration that the last portunity to be in a group of people that you feel comfortable with. finding the BSC, I was suddenly made aware that I wasn’t the has After been. Sex, Drugs and Rock n Roll. That’s really the aim, and also, to make everyone great skaters! only woman with a similar experience. The skate community is still male-dominated, so often, girls start skating later on in life. It’s not that skater girls are not good enough, it’s that as a woman, we’re not taught to take up space, and skating is about taking over the urban You’re welcome. space. Through the Brighton Skate Collective not only have I made friends, but I have also learnt to love my bruised legs, and to own the city as if it was ours, because it should be. In this article, I spoke to Weezy and Annie, the creators of the BSC. We spoke about their experience with skateboarding, how the collective came about, and the ways in which skateboarding can be considered a performancebased art form. Tell me a bit about yourself and how you got into skating. W: I started skating when I was ten. I used to longboard and cruise, and I wanted to get involved with skateboarding at parks, but I didn’t have any mates who skated, and I was too scared to go on my own. Eventually, I found the girl skate nights in London. They have one every month in different skateparks, one of them is funded by Vans and the other one by Nike. They are really good fun, you go, get a few drinks, and meet all these girls who are skating. One of the girls there approached me and told me that they had a group chat for all the girl skaters in London, and she added me. That’s how I started meeting people, and that is also how I got the idea for the Brighton Skate Collective.
A: People come to skate, but they stay because of how nice the social environment is. It’s a great space to meet new people, but it’s also very inclusive. We try to be open for any women or Queer people that might feel intimidated to turn up to a skatepark by themselves.
SEX DRUGS ROCK NWould you say there is a sense of art-based performance in ROLL skateboarding?
W: I do. A lot of people don’t even realise it but skating is definitely BURROW aTHEperformance-based sport. You can see it with all the guys who are 2020/2021 really good skaters; they are performing for each other by doing all these tricks. It’s all about who can make the best line, or who can connect the tricks in a different way. So, it’s a type of creative art form. It’s like dancing, but with a skateboard. You’re always choreographing your moves. It seems to me that skateboarding culture is intrinsically connected to creativity, how do you think that plays into the BSC? W: There’s so many people who are artists within the skate scene. What we found with the BSC is that there’s a lot of people doing film, photography, illustration, and so many creative things. So, it’s really nice that we have connected through skating, but then we can
THE BURROW 2
T FOCUS
You Don’t Know Me Ellie Doughty Sex, is humanity, and fickle in its form It ebbs and flows Stabs and soothes It makes us ache, cry, bleed, scream and shiver Soaking up the heady beads of sweat and the loudest quiet Dancing until I can’t feel my feet and kissing until my lips go numb But content, with my choices
Intimacy Sophie Jaye He finds me beneath The picture perfect mess of Entangled bedsheets,
Catch the hysteria, the breath of an emotional girl Spin it into gold, thread it into a story Humans love a story, they love a sexual villain more
And grazes his lips against mine.
Limbs, like puzzle pieces, slot together And for a moment, we feel whole A generation searching for intimacy outside of love And then the dream is gone
Stopping ever so slightly to touch.
S E X
My god, What are we doing? We’ve spent so much time talking of sex, Sex that is not ours to know nor understand Not ours to debate Not ours to control, or cure, We still don’t know each other And we pass judgement You don’t know me
A selection of poems from three artists all around the topic of sex, intimacy and love.
Hot breath shuddering,
This is a feeling I will never get Enough of. The red wine, And way your hips collide Against mine. There is no climax, When cloud nine with you is
Words and photos by Luisa De la Concha Montes (@erst.while)
Forever a constant
Questions by Robyn Cowie (@robynacowie) Contributions by Weezy (@weezyy_) and Annie (@a.sherred) Brighton Skate Collective: @brightonskatecollective
Love(d) Charlie Batten I know you say you love me but it’s not the same as mine I wish that we could go back, to a simpler time All the other girls I chase, they’re just a distraction from you I wish that you still loved me back before I loved you Maybe one day you’ll get there, the same page as me Where we both want each other, not separately But chances are you’re over it, and I should be I just wish that you still loved me, because I’m hopelessly in love with you
THE BURROW 3
SEX AND I
Article and artwork by Sussex Under the Sheets Camilla Bowers When I was sixteen I went to the gynecologist to check that the ache in my lower back and spotting in my underwear was nothing serious. I mean I was sixteen, had a regular period, was in a (pretty much) monogamous relationship with a partner of one year - so naturally I self-diagnosed myself with a miscarriage (thanks for the pointers healthline.com). I’m confident in saying that receiving a positive test for Gonorrhoea totally blindsided me.
So, what do we deserve? I argue for an actual sex education that destigmatizes STIs, and support from your friends, family and especially your gynecologist! What have I learnt? Do your checkups, even if you’re in a pretty-much-monogamous relationship, and don’t let the slut-shamers win. My mission is to open this conversation up: let’s talk to each other about STIs, show flatmates that weird wart on the inside of your vulva and speak UP! Destigmatize STIs! Normalize STIs! Take no shit! Sussex Under the Sheets are a sex positive society that educate on sex in varying degrees, from sex toys to classes on consent that have been undertaken by several other societies on campus. They are the 2020 SU winner of ‘Outstanding Campaign of the Year’ and continue to push for more conversations on sex and consent classes on campus.
After my treatment - a quick jab in the right butt cheek, and a lecture from my mother, I texted my partner. Their reaction? Rage (translated into shaming me) and impending embarrassment of having to tell their parents that their partner had an STI (the horror). My friend’s reactions were less intense - probably because most of them had never even heard of Gonorrhoea, let alone “STI”. Darla Wilson Flashforward two years: a positive test for Chlamydia upon my routine 3-month STI checkup (lesson learnt - get tested)! After receiving the news, I told all of my sexual partners to get tested too. Yes, granted that while this is not the sort of news that makes someone’s day, most of them were still grateful that I had disclosed this information to them and understanding that this shit just happens. However, the one reaction that stood out to me was that of my primary partner’s. I distinctly remember them being enraged at having to lie to their friends about where they were going at lunch (the sex clinic) to get (an STI test). Understandably, I would be a little alarmed upon learning someone I’m sleeping with has an STI, but what I want to get across here is that nobody deserves the reactions I received from this same person - twice, let alone from a parent who decided that disapointment was the best way to ensure I practiced safe sex and to opt out from telling my other parent out of fear of the destruction this SHAMEFUL news would rain down. I did not deserve to be shamed and I did not deserve to be pushed into a corner and slut-shamed. Neither does anybody else.
THE BURROW 4
My Body is A Cage Luisa De La Concha Montes A couple of months after breaking up with my college boyfriend, I came across a series of photographs on Instagram that triggered a violent physical response: my stomach twisted, my skin heated up, and my breath collided. The photographs themselves were harmless; they were just black and white photos of two mutual friends of ours, topless and covered in black and white paint. I held my breath, I prayed and counted to ten (a technique I had learnt after suffering from anxiety-induced nausea for a year). The nausea left. The nauseating feeling didn’t. Days before breaking up with him, we had done a photoshoot, eerily similar to the one I had just seen on my phone. We had collaborated creatively to create that concept. It was an emotional photoshoot. I was moving to the UK, so the air was tinged with sadness. ‘Farewell’, I constantly thought. I took photos of him, he painted on me. We shared an intimate moment of vulnerability. And I always assumed it had been our private moment. You can understand why seeing the same concept, reframed through his eyes, using two other bodies, and then published on Instagram for the whole world to see was nauseating. I felt betrayed, physically and creatively. However, years after, I keep thinking of that anecdote because it unleashed a moment of self-realisation: my body is a cage, and by only focusing on his portrayal of myself, I had allowed it to remain that way. How many times have I let my body be owned by my partner? After my recent breakup, I found myself taking more nudes than before. I re-discovered a sense of freedom; I was no longer framing my body in my ex’s eyes or in anyone else’s eyes. It was my body, uncaged. I’m not only talking about the male-gaze here. I’m talking about the way in which our bodies (our vessels of identity) are and have to be framed in social terms. Since we can’t actually see ourselves through someone else’s eyes, it is only natural that we often chose to engage in a form of de-personalisation through photography. We shouldn’t demonise this; however, we should be critical about it. Why are there so many thirst-traps on the internet? Whose thirst are they quenching?
In the song “My Body is a Cage” by Arcade Fire, they say: ‘my body is a cage, but my mind holds the key’. I think our minds, which have now expanded thanks to the power of technology, still hold the key to our truth. The problem is not the number of thirst-traps on the internet, or the endless sexualisation of women online, the problem is not surveillance (I can’t stop wondering how many strangers have hacked my Facebook and seen my nudes), or my ex’s photos. The problem is that by equating empowerment with uncritical image-making, we’ve caged ourselves in a cycle of meaningless portrayals. Cameras can be a tool to uncage ourselves, but no one seems to be willing to find the key, because finding the key means accepting mediatisation as fiction; it means accepting that the way we actually are is flawed and unclear. Spectacle and likes are easier. And besides, why would we want to leave that cage if it’s so aesthetically pleasing? can we ever be comfortable with our own bodies without feeling the need to share images of those bodies? i don’t think so. rather than lies or catfishing or retouching i think we should call them virtual utopias & virtual dystopias it is not less humanly complex just because it’s digital the answer does not lie in the absence it’s not about boycotting these platforms of selfexpression or about adopting their insidious models of instant gratification it’s about creating a new language within these squares a language of whispers instead of screams a language that admits its own shortcomings a language that says “i don’t have an answer yet”
THE BURROW 5
PARADE OF LOVE Catherine Alice Woods It’s a wide category Debauchery Where do I start Let me see How about KitKat club 2018 Stockings and suspenders And not much more Quick flash of leather To the bouncer by the door Whips and chains Man on lead Gather round It’s time to feed Fruit by the bar But no bananas for me I’d prefer a peach Plump and velvety The pool was empty before you jumped in Climbed up in your birthday suit onto that swing Free as a bird and high as a kite An evening of extravagant delight Man cocks leg and gives himself a clean No shame or common decency I guess I can’t complain It’s only good hygiene
Violeta Lambies’ interest in photography began with her mother who was a birth photographer. Originally from Barcelona with Latin American roots, she is taking a film course at Sussex. Her series ‘Human Vulnerability’ reclaims female nudity, staying, as always, socially relevant.
Grab your coat We’ll sit by the Spree Doesn’t it feel like a lifetime ago That we were so free But I guess it won’t be long until we can dance again And for now we have our stories of ‘do you remember when’ Because we’ve been told to be patient And we’ve been told to be good And if that’s what they say Then I guess we really should But in my dreams I’m still in that club Dancing Semi-naked In a parade of love
The sauna looks inviting But I’m begin to waiver I think I’ve tasted enough It’s time for a change of flavour
THE BURROW 6
Interviewed by Jess Hake What inspired you to start Leena Sobeih Studio? Being in lockdown just made me reevaluate shopping habits, fast fashion on social media and the change that really NEEDS to happen in the fashion industry. I was already drawn to changing my lifestyle and fashion choices into more sustainable options after partaking in an exchange at Denim City in Amsterdam (which focuses on sustainability in the denim industry). My experience of my time there paired with the Covid Lockdown made me want to create a brand that represents the morals and values I believe in and now passionate about. Where do you draw inspiration from for your work? I am mainly inspired by art (especially from the Rococo and Baroque period) as well as old European interiors – hence why my corsets are made from vintage curtains and upholstery. I am also really inspired by the ‘country’ lifestyle even though I have always lived in a city. I guess it’s because that’s how I imagine living in the future haha! Just having a cute cottage that’s elaborately decorated with textiles indoors but lots of greenery and space for picnics outside. You talk about how sustainability is key to your business, how do you balance this with being such a small business? It’s obviously hard because I try to be really conscious of all ma-
INTERV I E W W I T H LEENA SOBEIH terials I’m using. Not just in the garments themselves but in the packaging, pattern paper etc. I mainly just try to ensure there is as minimal waste possible. So, everything Is made to order, saving all scraps and giving them to fashion students or to use them for sampling etc… Also, every single fabric I use is either vintage/second-hand upholstery, or dead-stock fabrics that otherwise would have been thrown away by other design/ fabric companies.
Sustainability is also about making pieces that will last a long time and be treasured so I do SO much sampling and toiling before finalising a design to ensure I’ve decided on the best sewing techniques for that specific fabric or style. Would you consider instalment paying in the future to make your fashion more accessible, without having to compromise on theprice? I think I would. I’m in too minds because I feel like instalment payments kind of gives people an excuse to buy lots of unnecessary things that they can’t afford and therefore causing problems down the line. However, I also believe that some people may not buy sustainable and made-to-order items because they can’t afford it. So, instalment payment could be a positive way of allowing people to invest in these special pieces rather than buy the unsustainable version from a fast fashion brand. Do you think fast fashion is on its way out? I would like to think so! I don’t think fast fashion will ever be fully gone but I think especially in this past year, people have been more appreciative and supportive of independent brands, especially on social media. What is your dream for the future of your business? I would love to have a studio with a really small team of people to help run everything!! I would just
THE BURROW 7
designers/jewellers work that people can come visit! Almost like a little gallery to showcase the work with info about the artist/designer and contact details for if someone decided to get a commissioned piece by them.
How have you managed to keep momentum going and stay inspired during this pandemic?
love an environment where everyone feels involved in the whole process and we can work off each other’s strengths to ensure customers are getting the best service possible. I would also love a little space that is filled with independent artists/
It has definitely been really hard but honestly just trying my best to keep a daily routine (which doesn’t always work out well). I also spend the whole day watching movies or listening to music whilst I’m working which keeps me upbeat and inspired. Recently I’ve been trying out doing daily yoga which helps when I’m stressed out because of the workload etc. What has been the peak of your career so far?
Leena Sobeih is a Manchester based designer, having created Leena Sobeih Studios during the pandemic. She focuses on sustainability, class and quality at heart. Follow her at (@leenasobeih_studio)
The peak has definitely been starting Leena Sobeih Studio!! I’ve just loved every minute of this whole process and it makes me so emotional seeing it grow! Other than the brand though I would have to say winning the Staff choice award in January 2020 at the British Library in London for a design brief set by Charles Jeffrey. This was in collaboration with the British Fashion council and the whole experience of going down there to London and getting feedback from an amazing designer and people from the British Fashion council was just incredibly overwhelming.
THE BURROW 8
The hole, A detention A surprise An idea Whose time had come. Wrapped, throttling, A social autopsy Layers, vulgarly peeled Hunkered down, human doppelgangers Blacks, yellows, browns Whites A spider Lining the perimeter of its web I The spider Preparing for sunset.
The skies appear Eerily sedate Staring Still I At jagged rooftops, Once alight Overcrowded with lovers, Loosely clasped That time of sex. Not sex. Love-making Now a ghastly silhouette A past; of dancing girls Anklets, a shred of kohl, A story; what if?
A warning sign, The room Locked, miniature
The mind Unevenly beautiful, I, my mind
D E IN
Frozen from an ancestor’s spell Freshly sterilized Tightly shut windows Waiting I Postponing Dates in the diary They No one is shaking hands Rinsing hands They Repetitively. Unfamiliarly. But why? And sex? Standing, Solitary, imprisoned A faint melody It streams Flawless, a tidy blanket
A
Timeless? Neon lights, a beam, it glows, Brightens the dimly lit internet café The room My room Now filled Of buyers. Of me Stripped Sanitized Still alive I Distancing? It wanes steadily A sequestered night Cramped with hawkers, powdered packets Hashish, some wanderlust
L
Saba Karim Khan
Reliably brown Of debauchery It wonders It watches Who comes and goes? Of rock and roll A flesh trade, And peddlers A good girl? In lockdown A changing tune Of desire and ruin. Arrival Of boys; boys and men Masked, hungry Searching for essentials Sex. Cheaply brewed liquor. Scarlet rupee notes. Essential, timely,
I
Impure? I Sanitized I Internally examined I
Naughtiness. Nevertheless, it persists She, too, persists Ladies of the night, They reign these streets. I try Keep body and soul
N G DESIRE
Lonelier still Hungry. Hungriest Craving wickedness. It roams freely Locked. Unlocked. It never goes out of fashion Wickedness. A fast girl I Pure? Not I A sealed pack? No more
Germ-free I Startled A hinted smile I Some nerves, it’s new A new variant of normal A cut up doll. Cancelled. I
together But to breathe? In darkness. Then light. A tiny movement Of stained-glass mosques. Of biblical lanterns. Changed places. A crossover A beautiful reminder The clearest sign To breathe, believe, exist Survive. To try. To live. To feel. Saba Karim Khan is an author, award-winning filmmaker and educator. She read Social Anthropology at I the University of Oxford and Aworks folk song at NYU Abu Dhabi.
Sunrise.
THE BURROW 9
T H E SEMANT I C S OF SEX
Shagging. This is a step up from banging. Shagging implies an inforShagging. mality to the sex. Probably never too intense because you’re never that energised and; therefore, is never going to make it into the hall of fame of sex. However, sex is not the biggest factor when it comes to the dissection of shagging - as seen from situations catagorised as ‘friends with benefits’. The joy of shagging comes from the informality, the easiness of it all and the lack of having to think. If it were a meal, it would be your mates’ packed lunch.No, it isn’t a michelin star meal or a candle lit table with lovingly made food with you in mind. It’s a ham sandwich and a soft-baked belvita bar. Enjoyable and, most Jess Hake importantly, easy. It won’t be a long term encounter; however, it’s acSex, something seemingly intensely ceptable during the exam period at university. physical, is rooted heavily in the semantics we use to surround the top- Fucking. Fucking is where we start to take notice and say ‘well hello ic. Despite porn taking the drivers there, this may be a contender for the sexual roster”. Unlike shagging, seat in providing visual aids, sex fucking is not void of energy. Fucking is intense, like a shot of coffee or usually dominates through conver- the first drag of a cigratte after two weeks at your parents where you sation, the sharing of experiences, can’t smoke. It lights up a fire in you (not the STI kind) that you pant the expresisng of hope and, funda- and moan until a big, pleasureable (ideally simultaneous) release. In mentally, words. Sex a semantical the realm of fucking, the personality of the participant isn’t the largmindfield that is applicable to the est contributing factor due to the lack of emphasis on environment. analysis that we give everything Instead, the focus is chemistry. Fuckery occurs in sporadic bursts. I cannot stress enough the need for aftercare even in situations of fuckelse.. ery; however, aftercare with fuckery is more likely to be 30 minutes Sex, shagging, fucking and bang- of checking in with your partner(s) and having a cup of tea. Unlike ing. All four words of, seemingly, the hour or so of aftercare you’d receive with shagging, manifested the same thing - sexual intercourse. through tea, cuddles, netflix and some solid banter. However, my personal interpretation varies greatly, as my analysis Sex. Sex marries the informality and enjoyability of shagging with the intense pleasure and chemistry of fucking. You don’t have to be ‘in love’ below shall demonstrate. for sex to occur. The ingredients necessary are people who genuinely Banging. Banging is pasta without enjoy eachothers’ company, like each other, find each other mentally the sauce. It’s sex but not with some- and physically attractive, want to have intensely sexual encounters inone you like. You were just trying volving each other and then also watch netflix, have tea, eat food and to scratch an itch and they did, yet have good banter. The aforementioned chemistry then means that the the enjoyability of itch scratching enjoyment of sex is through not only the person you’re having sex with, varies greatly depending on the but the driving factors and want for participating parties in sex. capabilities of the person. Furthermore, even if the itch-scratcher is capable, you’re probably not in the best head space for sex and have already decided pre-itch scratching that this isn’t going to make the sexual hall of fame. Most likely the experience with someone you banged was the sexual comparison of a ready meal. It gets the job done, but with no real pleasure or promise of repeat purchase.
Sex comes with the responsibilty of care to your partner (I would theoretically argue) where you engage with them on several levels. It may sound a tad odd considering the entire articles’ emphasis on the physicality of sex, but the activity is secondary to the relationship with your partner. You don’t have to be monogamous or go food shopping together, you just have to treat them as a friend - but with consideration of the nature of the environment you are in. Whether it be banging, shagging, fucking or sex - or maybe even absitence if that floats your boat, I hope you enjoy the semantics and physicality of sexual intercourse in equal measures this 2021.
THE BURROW 10
I’ve dabbled in pretty much everyI’m trying to give up on the whole thing from acdif to benzos but I’ve ‘taking drugs’ thing but i’d honestly always found cocaine to the most say MDMA is my favourite. It gives complementary drug for a night out me this confidence I never thought as a go too, particularly if there’s a I’d have and I’ve met so many peolot of drinking involved. But MDMA ple I am friends with to this day befor a big event is incomparable, alcause of it. Plus, it makes you super ways had the best nights on it but happy and energetic without the makes sure to keep my serotonin numbness other drugs give. store up by taking 3 month breaks between use. K-holed on an acid trip at the ReadI once got so high that I almost ing Festival. I was sat outside these locked myself in the attic rides while my mates went on them The first time I did a pill was in Ibiza just wobbling to the music with my to MK and I didn’t sleep before the other mate thinking we were at a journey home #noregrets DJ set. Felt like I was bouncing between different dimensions everyHaving drunk sex with 40 year old time the songs changed. Probably men on Grindr is the only thing my favourite ever experienced. keeping me sane
D R U G S
Once I did like five lines of coke with a guy I was seeing and we started making out in the rain in our friends garden, his nose started bleeding from the coke and we had blood literally all over our faces. So, gross lmao but also kind of sexy can’t lie.
The only time I’ve used poppers is when I was having sex with a Words and photos by Luisa De la Concha Montes (@erst.while) univeristy lecturer and it was the best sex of my life.
Questions by Robyn Cowie (@robynacowie) Contributions Weezythem (@weezyy_) and Annie (@a.sherred) Discovered andbyloved at 14, Collective: @brightonskatecollective by 18Brighton I was Skate bored...
One night I went to a gig in Brixton, then a LGBTQ+ strip club in Bethnal Green and then a rave in Walthamstow until sunrise where we went back to an afters in Dalston - one of my fave nights ever - danced all night and took a whole bunch of speed
MD if fun, way more than drinking. It gets you all energetic and feeling like you can dance until the sun comes up and even more - especially with no comedown. The afterglow is even better and I’m always happy afterwards. Best night out was doing liquid LSD off a random crackhead, sniffing the last of my Mandy and getting free ket spoons off a 32 year old dad at Boomtown
We asked for the best drug taking stories our readers had and this is what we found.
THE BURROW 11
We’ll Stop Tomorrow Beauty fades from dark divine that is where he tows the line Lay down tonight; the frame is set Dark stained lips, so picturesque I wish I could stay like this forever But it’s cold tonight; he’ll catch a fever So we slip into the night, a sapphire blue I hope one day, you’ll join us too. Dear H,
STREAM OF CONCIOUSN E S S UNDER THE INF L U ENCE When the blurred
Lines
become
Dear past self, We knew it had come to this With soft cobber bonds, rubber red We are the ones who stayCentred on the blue dot lips Of love and affection. We knew it had ended here Our faith that becomes fear But of course we’ll leave in the morning Now we are flying So high we may hit the ceiling, We are damaged and we are heal- There are no boundaries In hell ing Just lines and they areThere is nothing else to say Black and white too. So signing off, past self Why won’t she heed the warning? You will feel hate, love, he bunch But it is nothing compared Where does the precipice end? To what you gain Where does love In a few years. Begin and end and where Does hatred form in soap moleStay strong, don’t worry cules? Hannah Batkin: law student, best friend and founder of the ‘GGP’. There is no stopping this future lawyer, woe beside any corporation or country that stands in her way.
Colder than the girls who think they Aren’t suffering. When will she hear the laughter? For in the mind of the depraved, Comes a silenceSo threatening and if it were to run free, I’m not sure who would survive this time. But of course we’ll survive the heartbreak But of course we’ll learn how to be Why won’t she heed the lesson? When will she be free? Colder than the girls who think they Aren’t suffering. When will she hear the laughter? For in the mind of the depraved, Comes a silenceSo threatening and if it were to run free, I’m not sure who would survive this time. But of course we’ll survive the heartbreak But of course we’ ll learn how to be Why won’t she heed the lesson?
But of course we’ll be leading the When will she be free? slaughter We are the ones who feel – Absolute zero and it’s cold,
THE BURROW 12
PATERNAL ADVICE PATERNAL ADVICE A helpful guide from father to daughter over text Dear Darling, Some thoughts... Adderall is full on It’s only lasts a 3 or 4 hours 1 In a way modafinal is better in that its less acute and lasts all day If it’s just for staying up and partying fine. But once again it’s just speed Though I suppose it’s easy to get than speed and less illegal. Two drugs to avoid are Cocaine Which is expensive and alters your brain paths. You do stupid shit on it that you might regret Also heroin Avoid that It’s too serious and if you do like it, it’s very easy to get caught up in it Not good I broke my arm and they gave it to me as a pain killer It’s very addictive mentally Speed pretty much a functional thing We had a drug lecture at Bryaston The lecturer told us all about drugs When he got to speed he was very positive about it It was very funny Everyone was stunned Weed It makes you unmotivated and stupid If you want to watch as sunset with
your mates fine Constant use is exactly like heroin with almost the same effects Also smoking weed gets you addicted to tobacco Lots of people smoke weed but actually are smoking for the nicotine Ketamine. Great a really mind expander. Just you need to be with good solid friends in a safe place if you are foing to get really fucked up on it. It’s a dissociative So in a party environment if you want to dance on a table it’s good as you just dont hive a rats arse about what other people think When mixed with lsd its psychedelic effects are multiplied 10 fold ..
MDMA Nice but can make things a bit tricky with boys Girls full dose i2 120mg Most pills are 200mg. So you really dont need a whole pill ever The core issue is not overloading You get high Then take more Slippery slope. Also The dehydration thing is a bit wrong You just get over hot from dancing too much.. Mushrooms They are still a drug. And it’s hard to quantify how much you have had Its short term Its semi legal Perfectly safe
LSD Small amounts just increase Just avoid smack and crack colours Xxxx Bigger amounts allow your mind to manipulate visual inputs For instance I took a lot of LSD and then k at a festival and the whole dance floor became seething pit of monsters and demons and centaurs. If that had just been LSD I would have been fucked It was K as well so I didnt care also I knew it was just for an hour Also K doesnt really effect your in core Will Edwards: quintessential scorpio and bonafide crack addict. A BIMM personality Music Business student, photograWhere as other drugs do pher Will has a pet cat called Shadow and really likes Sean Connery.
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Psychedelics and a Brave N e w World Thomas Keer
As Alfred Huxley (b.1894) lay dying, he instructed his wife Laura to inject him with LSD as he slipped into the hereafter. Huxley’s involvement with various psychoactive drugs was well known, with perhaps his well-known work of non-fiction (The Doors of Perception) being a treatise and description of his experience on 10mg of Mescalin, a drug derived from a sacred plant used by Native Americans for centuries to fuel spiritual awakenings.
World, he describes a world held hostage by a government administered set of psychedelic drugs. And the people are happy within their illusion. Dystopian novels are often seen as a warning, a prophecy for the reader, in some ways, almost a check list for Authoritarianism. But often, they are simply reflections of what the author is already seeing every-day. George Orwell’s 1984 was no prophecy, it was a criticism of the police state that he saw forming around him. But Huxley’s grand vision cannot be viewed in the same way, surely his tale of the masses controlled and manipulated is simply too farfetched to be true? Although perhaps, having lived through a world war and the rise of fascism, the mind-altering drugs were merely a front, a cover for the brainwashing that Huxley felt he saw occurring within the country in which he had lived all his life.
Indeed, psychedelic drugs have fuelled art and literature for decades, from the Beatles to Chance the Rapper, who credit much of their creativity to the substances they consume. They are said to provide a new frame of reference, for people otherwise stuck in a reality that can often seem dull in comparison.
Whilst recognising the power that psychedelics held for abuse, he also believed that in them lay the keys to the potential of the human mind. Huxley suggested that the main function of the brain and nervous system is eliminative and not productive, this means the brains primary function is simply to filter out the vast amounts of information that we receive constantly.
Through his experiences, Huxley understood that these substances were not just recreational toys; they held the power to fuel and maintain political and societal change. In his novel, Brave New
Huxley expands on this in his book, The Doors of Perception. ‘Each person is at each moment capable of… perceiving everything that is happening anywhere
in the universe. The function of the brain is to protect us from being overwhelmed and confused by this mass of largely useless and irrelevant knowledge… leaving only that small and special selection which is likely to be practically useful’. This view was shown in his final, utopian novel: Island. Within its pages, Huxley lays out his vision of for the use of psychedelics as tools for therapy and understanding. Those who experience their effects feeling a sense of oneness and community that they later carry with them in their treatment of their friends and neighbours, in a world which help is freely given. Today, the laws governing the use of psychoactive substances in the UK are harsh, with the possession of LSD carrying a 7-year prison sentence. However, there is the potential for change, with strides having been made in the use of LSD and similar substances in the treatment and management of conditions such as depression and anxiety. There is potential for the lessening of the penalties for the use and possession of such substances within our lifetimes. Perhaps Huxley’s vision of a more understanding society might be realised.
Tom Keer, from Wokingham, studying Business Management, doing a placement next year. He is a classic cancer.
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Care for me, care for me, I know you care for me, (There) There for me, there for me, Said you’d be there for me, (Cry) Cry for me, cry for me, You said you’d die for me, (Give) Give to me, give to me, Why won’t you live for me?
So understand, Don’t waste your time always searching for those wasted years, Face up, make your stand, Realise you’re living in the golden years
‘Cause you had a pocket full of horses, trojan and some of them used
Down the back, but who cares, still the Louvre
I give in to sin, because you have to make this life liveable When you’re looking at your shadow, Standing on the edge of yourself, Praying on the darkness, Just don’t take the money, Dreaming of an easy, Waking up without weight now, And you’re looking at the heartless, Just don’t take the money
R O C K N R O L L
Someday, I’m gonna live, In your house up on the hill, And when your skinhead neighbor goes missing, I’ll plant a garden in the yard, then, They’re gluing roses on a flatbed, You should see it, I mean thousands, I grew up here, ‘til it all went up in flames, Except the notches in the door frame
They’ve got catfish on the table, they’ve got gospel in the air
You’ve got the music in you, Don’t let go, You’ve got the music in you, One dance left, This world is gonna pull through, Don’t give up, You’ve got a reason to live Took the third time before I finally caught her name Held it with the clarity of Autumn rain
Do you realize, That you have the most beautiful face? Do you realize, We’re floating in space? Do you realize, That happiness makes you cry? Do you realize, That everyone you know someday will die? And instead of saying all of your goodbyes, Let them know you realize that life goes fast, It’s hard to make the good things last, You realize the sun doesn’t go down, It’s just an illusion caused by the world spinning round
I hear the news today oh boy...
Words and photos by Luisa De la Concha Montes (@erst.while)
Hey babe, take a walk on the wild side
Questions by Robyn Cowie (@robynacowie) Contributions by Weezy (@weezyy_) and Annie (@a.sherred) Brighton Skate Collective: @brightonskatecollective
I can feel the warning signs running around my mind You made a rebel of a careless man’s careful daughter I’ll bring you flowers in the pouring rain Living without you is driving me insane
But it’s all right, When you’re caught in pain, And you feel the rain come down, it’s all right, When you find your way, Then you see it disappear, it’s all right, Though your gardens grey, I know all your graces, Someday will flower, In the sweet sunshower An anonymous selection of song lyrics that spoke to our readers.
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ROCK N ROLL AT THE SU Interview with SLIM president Joe Loftus
How did you get involved with SLIM? When I started my university experience in 2018, as a keen and enthusiastic performer I was looking for opportunities on campus to perform at the SU such as at organised gigs and/or open mic nights. To my surprise though there were no initiatives or societies which catered to this problem so alongside some friends we launched the Sussex Live Music Society or SLiM for short. We set to work establishing an open mic night at the SU bar as well as hosting numerous well attended gigs in Room 76, which we coined as “The Big Slim”. In my second year of university I would become the President of the society, in which we went from strength to strength, becoming the most improved society on campus within a year.
in this sense has opened up my eyes to so much more through the interactions I’ve had and the people I’ve met along the way and I can’t wait to play a big role in creating a live music revolution on campus. How has SLIM kept the motivation going through this pandemic? It’s been a tough year for the Live Music community to say the very least, however we have held some really great virtual open mic nights and quizes on our Instagram live, both as casual events and also as fundraisers for BLM charities and the Music Venues Trust. What are SLIM’s plans post-pandemic for the next academic year (fingers crossed) ? Upon the announcement of the first lockdown in March 2020, I started crafting a start-up initiative aptly named “Big Slim Promotions” which would bring back live music to Sussex and reclaim the universities music culture post-pandemic. In order to preserve the music scene at Sussex and beyond, I believe there is scope to go beyond just Sussex campus, although this would be the starting point to book bigger artists at SU venues, supported by student talent as Brighton’s only dedicated music promotions company for students, with big gigs at slim prices.
What is your relationship with rock n roll? What sort of images/emotions/memories does that phrase conjure up for you? Rock and Roll has always been a big part of my early adulthood, as a hyper extravert and lover of all things nightlife, becoming president of a Live Music Society seemed like a very natural choice, however I would never have thought in a million years it would turn out to be my calling to consider it as a career after completing a degree in politics. Rock and Roll
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PATERNAL ADVICE You have previously made rock n roll accessible and a safe environment for all, can you expand on this?
Having accessible gig nights at SU venues is an extremely attractive proposition for all students who love rock and roll. Particularly as we plan to continue holding our “Big Slim” gigs on a Saturday night, the opportunity to attend a gig just a stones throw from your halls of residence rather than experience the often rowdy and expensive weekends in the city centre, it’s a much safer environment for everyone involved.
If someone was looking to get into rock n roll, where and to what would you direct them? Of course I am bias but SLiM really is the best place in town to get involved with the local music scene in Brighton as a Sussex student. We have a truly inspiring and diverse community of performers who all want to support one another, and all share the same love for Rock and Roll! What do you think about a potential ‘roaring twenties’ and ‘revival of rock n roll’ post pandemic?
If you were to be able to attend one stand-out Rock n Roll moment from history, where would you go and why? The University of Sussex has a unique and proud history of showcasing musical talent with Hendrix and The Who being just a couple of the legendary music acts to grace the stage at the University and I would have loved to have been there! I hope to spark a return to this kind of rock and roll culture at the University postpandemic, working with SLiM and the SU to make it happen! What sort of music do you like to listen to and, as a musician, what music do you derive inspiration from? I personally am more of an acoustic performer and during my time as president I was largely responsible for championing solo artists at the Northfield open mic night which was held every other Tuesday on campus. We also held nights off campus at The Gladstone and Freehaus which we hope to return too! I certainly get tons of inspiration from the artists I have the pleasure to host and work with as well as some of my favourite singer-songwriters such as Ben Howard, Tracy Chapman and Damien Rice.
Nationally we have witnessed the mass closure of independent grass roots venues across the country due to effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and yet we have seen huge demand for live music with sold out festivals upon the announcement of the governments roadmap. We have a huge opportunity at the SU to reinvigorate the local live music scene on campus, building a grassroots circuit and movement which has scope to become more than just a promoter, but also potentially a music label, signing promising talent which headline our “Big Slim” gig nights.
Sussex Live Music Society is the official live music society at Sussex University. Votes the ‘Most Improved Society’ last year, President Joe Loftus is excited for SLIM next academic year. SLIM will be better and brighter than ever before
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AN AN
ODE ODE
so I’ll keep it short. UCSB is the best university in the world. Located in sunny southern California right on the beach with its student population almost entirely taking over the tiny town of Isla Vista, it is everything you picture when thinking about the ideal Californian college experience. I lived in a flat full of European girls and on the whole, the exchange student contingency at UCSB formed our own community, with private parties, while making explorations into the sports socials, mountain raves and the classic allAmerican frat party. I am so thankful for my strong group of girls, that I ended up doing everything with, firstly I can still see them fairly again easily (or at least will be able to eventually - fuck u corona) and secondly, we could share in our bewilderment of this totally foreign culture. A culture that I thought I understood from a lifetime’s worth of American films and tv dramas - it was all so familiar marked by the intense irrational reality of a dream and yet so far away from anything I really knew. The definition of surreal.
Claire Cuningham Frat parties. We’ve all seen them in movies and on shows, we’ve got a picture in our heads of the macho debauchery that goes down on frat row but what I wasn’t expecting when I stepped into ‘apple delta pie’ or whatever aspect of greek life it was, to be greeted by an old friend...the girly pop classics of my youth.
We had made it a MISSION to go to a frat party; it was one of the things we bonded over our first week living together, we just had to see what they were really like. However, we didn’t get the chance our first quarter as all the frats were on probation after several sexual assault allegations and a recent drugs bust. And that just says it all, doesn’t it?
Last year I had the absolutely unreal experience of attending one of America’s highest-ranked party schools, the University of California, Santa Barbara. I could go on for days and days about UCSB, most of my friends are thoroughly sick of me Claire Cunningham the resident California Girl reading and crotcehting. Procsatinging her educatio in American Studies and Film. She is your classic cancer, INFP, Hufflepuff.
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TO TO
FRATTING FRATTING feminist and someone who studies gender theoryin her degree, was I so willing to play along with this outdated and sexist system? The simple answer, the music was girly, it was fun and the drinks were sweet and free. And if you ignored the random frat bro, which wasn’t hard to do in the sea of girls, you could almost pretend it was empowering. However, it was short-lived and ended in tears and in this case, a one am trip to the hospital. The very last frat party I ever went to, or ever will, was playboy themed...a little on the nose but why not. As usual, I went with my big group of girls but this time one of our male friends decided to tag along. Everything was fine until someone asked him what frat he belonged to.
My first frat party experience, I won’t lie was very very fun. The theme was Roaring Twenties; they had free mimosas, when you’re under 21 in America getting access to alcohol is a reversion to being 16 again, so needs must. After that, it became an almost weekly tradition to dress up in white and go round the corner for Whiteclaw Wednesdays. There was a certain thrill that went along with going to a frat party at the beginning; for one it just felt slightly wrong - I was willingly walking into the lion’s den of toxic masculinity, dressed in my smallest of dresses for free booze and the chance to live out my American teen movie dreams. Another thrill was the challenge of getting in the first place. The rules were simple; 1. be a girl. 2. You had to be in a sorority or 3. you had to “know’’ one of the frat brothers. You may ask your self why as a proud
Things got heated fast, the frat guys are territorial, and within a minute they threw a drink at him then punched him in the face. It was five am when we finally left the hospital, our mate with seven stitches above his eye, and all of us a little shocked and shamefaced. Going back through my camera roll to look at the photos from this time I almost don’t recognise myself, admittedly I’m still in my pyjamas with no makeup on and have been for months, but the girl in these photos is so...blonde, so carefree. I miss her, the “shallow pretty party girl” that no one in England would ever describe me as. I have conflicting feelings on the whole frat party phenomenon, they made me feel dirty like I knew better but played along anyway because I knew it wasn’t my world. It’s ticked off my bucket list now, and for a short while, I got to live out my American party girl dream.
THE THEBURROW BURROW1919
When did you start creating? I have always been creating something, from being very young I think - I am also a photographer (I have been in Vogue Italia PhotoVogue and exhibited digitally in Le Louvre through Creatives Rising) and a writer - I have a childrens’ book and a poetry collection out now and I have written for magazines - including an article about Bowie which is probably my favourite! Art has always been so very important to me - and especially now when having an outlet is so important. To me it means community and expression
It means breaking the rules, believing and backing yourself and living life, breaking the rules and embracing the best bits to the full!
How has Bowie/Rock n Roll influenced your work? Bowie,to me, is the ultimate artist. Experimental, ever evolving, ever influential and open to trying new things. A true genius with exquisite unique style. What is one iconic rock n roll moment you wish you could go back in time and experience? My grandad was a photogra-
INTERVIEW HANNAH
roll legends. Do you think we’re going to see a resurgence of the rock n roll vibe coming out of lockdown? Yes! People are creating more,
WITH SHILLITO
Interviewed by Jess Hake
and inclusivity and spreading joy.
are getting angry and feeling stifled, are more aware of the inequalities within the world and want an outlet...there’s a lot of pent up creative rock n roll energy that is going to be released when lockdowns are done...
What does ‘Rock n roll’ mean to you?
It’s going to be SPECTACULAR!
pher for the Beatles and the Rolling Stones and I WISH I could have been there with him, watching him do his thing with these ultimate rock and
Hannah Shillito, currently based in Brighton, Shillito is a freelance artist with a passion for colour and making people smile.
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TEC HNO THERAPY Oliver Mizzi
Music can do wonderful things to the human psyche. The lyrics of a song can touch those who have felt emotionally isolated from the world for years, and a melody can touch the soul of a person in ways that are indescribable. There’s a deep personal connection humans’ have to music; there exists a sentiment that travels with the vibrations of a note, connecting the listener to the artist. Sometimes music saves people from themselves. But what about when you use music to mask over the troubles and the trauma deep inside you. Prior to the lockdown this was very much me – not that I knew it at the time. Although I tried to address my feelings of self-loathing and the depression that manifested as a result, it would never be addressed fully, because I never had to. I had Techno-therapy. Techno-therapy was going out on a Friday and/or Saturday night, getting lost on the dance floor, and leaving my problems at the door. The therapy consisted of 2 essential elements. The first is a combination of alcohol and weed. It allows you to loosen up, to flow with the energy of the night, and to help forget what you’re leaving behind at the door. The second is the Techno. Alcohol is a depressant, and as much as it may relax you (and the weed cer-
tainly does), under certain circumstances it can arouse inner emotions, ones that you want to leave at the door. Techno helps you do so. Once you step into the club the centre of the dancefloor seizes you, you’re in its gravity; lost in a sea of like minded people, fleeing their lives for one night. The kick of the beat thumps away at your chest, and a certain sensation rushes over you. There’s a disconnect; you’re no longer inside your body, no longer in touch with your negative emotions. You forget about the pain you have deep inside you, it’s masked over. The music is too loud for anything to get in the way; you’re fixated by the music, and the therapy works for the night. It’s not the alcohol, nor the weed, that is the addictive drug – it’s the Techno-therapy. You become dependent on losing yourself to the dance floor, relying on it to mask your own pain, burying it for some time. A few hours at least. But it will always manifest itself in the real world, and the issue is never properly addressed. That may be fine when your coping mechanism is available to you on a weekly basis. But not when a global pandemic strikes. Your tool for both coping with your depressive feelings have been violently stripped away from you. No longer can you partake in the weekly therapy session that soothed your mind. For a time, it’s difficult. Is there a way to recreate that sensation? Who are you kidding, you don’t have a good soundsystem, and you aren’t allowed the sheer numbers of peo-
ple needed to recreate the atmosphere of a club. And so it’s time to face your problems. This is what occurred to me when the pandemic struck during March of last year. A source of relief was taken from me, and I finally had to face up to the years of mental health issues that had accumulated and resulted in my state of selfloathing. It was a state I had to confront without Techno-therapy. It was only after I lost my therapy that I realised how dependent I was on it. I once described my love for the dance floor as a therapy to someone, but little did I realise how much truth there was in those words. The pandemic stopped that, and in a way, it saved me. Addressing your issues face to face through in-depth self-reflection as I did – or therapy, which I should’ve done – is better than burying them on the dancefloor. It has helped me become healthier and to attain a more positive attitude about myself rather than prolonging my internal suffering. It’s an accomplishment that Techno-therapy would never have produced. Besides, the purpose of Techno is not about disconnecting yourself from your mind, body and soul. It’s about letting the music – and that all important beat – guide your mind, body, and soul into another realm, one where you can truly enjoy the night as an experience of musical pleasure and not simply as a coping mechanism. It’s a beautiful sensation I’ve dearly missed, and not just because of the pandemic, and I can’t wait to relive it.
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INTERVIEW WITH MA INTERVIEW WITH MA Interviewed by Jess Hake
How did Mary’s Dream Band form? Whose idea was it to create a band? Molly H Mary’s dream formed whilst doing a production of Romeo and Juliet at school. They needed a band to play a few songs so they put us together and we decided to carry on afterwards and started to write songs Out of all the music you’ve released, which is your favourite/single you’re most proud of? Molly H Out of all our songs I’d say ‘rearrange your dreams’ is the single we’re most proud of. We managed to finish writing, record and produce the song separately in lockdown and we’re all very proud of it As a band, what has been your stand-out moment so far (e.g. photo shoot, being played on the radio, special gig etc.) All As a band some of our stand out moments include: supporting the blinders on their campaign tour, BBC introducing getting behind us and being so supportive! They’ve given us wonderful opportunities, hearing our songs being sang by people we don’t know well at gigs, radio interview where we talked all things Mary’s Dream and most of all playing live on stage and the atmosphere created when we do! How have you managed to keep momentum going during the pandemic? Molly S I think the best thing we did to keep up momentum and motivation in a pandemic was working on new songs and make new demos, we would just show each other new ideas and songs through voice memos and we’d go away and add to it separately and make a demo from it. It sort of kept it interesting and exciting because we had new things to work on as a group. Favourite moments being in a team (funny stories/things that have happened) Molly S I think some of our favourite moments come from getting ready for gigs together. It always felt like getting ready for a party except a little bit more scary (but good scary). Another one would
be playing teenage dirtbag at gigs because it’s probably the most fun song to play as a band ever (I don’t make the rules) What do you see in the future for Mary’s Dream Band? Lexie I can see a good future for Mary’s Dream. I can see us four staying friends forever because we have a band mate bond that can’t be matched! I think as we get busy with our own lives we may not be as focused on making music but it’s never been the plan to fully commit to constantly making music. We can all accept that it won’t be like how it is now forever, but we’ll certainly do what we can! When you hear/read the phrase ‘Rock n Roll’ what comes into your head? How do you feel? Lexie When I hear the phrase rock n roll I think of loud and fast music I also think of the community and friendships surrounding it and the excitement it brings to everyone especially live shows! If you were to be able to attend one stand-out Rock n Roll moment from history, where would you go and why? Holly I’d probably say the 1985 Live Aid at Wembley. I just think it was so significant and so important because for the first time, third world issues were being raised in the media, and something was actually being done about it!
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ARY’S DREAM BAND ARY’S DREAM BAND
I think it was truly beautiful to see all the musicians come together and help those in need - and Bob Geldof’s passion and efforts were remarkable. It’s a beautiful thing when people come together to fight for a cause. What sort of music do you like to listen to and what music do you derive inspiration from? Holly I always freeze up when I get asked this question haha! I like a whole variety of music really. I grew up with a lot of Hendrix/The Doors/ Rolling Stones so I reckon that’s subconsciously made it’s way into our music! I listen to a lot of ‘80s post punk and gothic bands, as well as a lot of early ‘90s indie like The Stone Roses and Charlatans. When we write songs, influence from those sorts of bands come out: our song ‘Mina’ sounds a lot like something The Mission would write! I really hear The Stone Roses in Molly’s guitar riffs, and there’s a real post punk sound to my basslines. As a band we absolutely love seeing other female fronted bands, as well as the local bands in our area. These always inspire us in our music.
Mary’s Dream Band is a Lincolnshire based band made up of Molly Hanson, Molly Snee, Lexie Hanson and Holly Crewer. Follow them on instagram at @marysdreamband and listen to their music on spotify.
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theme of disillusionment and distrust for the government is a CAN’T REPEAT This central theme in this memoir. This post humorous memoir follows Hemmingway’s excessive drinking and drug use as a member of the THE PAST? Lost Generation of writers. Throughout this book, Hemmingway disWHY OF COURSE cusses his friendship with Fitzgerald as they both travelled in France. Despite this disillusionment and hedonism, the memoir reads like a YOU CAN! hopeful, naïve writing of a young man travelling in his prime. A tone Mollly Openshaw
which would carry throughout this artistic movement.
As we are, hopefully, coming out of lockdown and approaching the first real summer of the 2020s, this new lease of freedom that is imminent is reminiscent of the American roaring 20s.
This mixture of both hopelessness and hedonism is also represented in Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby as a young man, Jay Gatsby, struggles to find a place in a society that is juggling societal change in a post-war environment. The scandalous parties and excessive drinking depicted in the novel characterise the behaviour of the Lost Generation of writers.
By 1920, America was in the process of making up for lost time at speakeasies, despite the prohibition and hedonistic activity was at a new high. We can all hope that our 2020s will be as audacious as these stories paint the 1920s to be.
The Lost Generation forming after the First World War mirrors the feelings of the generation who have reached adulthood during a pandemic. Especially looking at the treatment of students at university throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, we can see that many people feel disillusioned by the government and there are varied opinions on the leadership roles. This could mean that the arts could see a resurgence of this Lost Generation as young people start to create artists, political and social movements in response to the chaos.
In this time, the world of literature saw a resurgence of the wandering writer, the writer who was dreaming or disillusioned. This group of writers were nicknamed the Lost Generation, having been raised in tumultuous times. “I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repulsed by the inexhaustible variety of life”. Those who had approached adulthood as the world displayed the underlying issues in society; decreasing trust in the government, disillusionment and discontent at the massacre that was the First World War. I think that this movement from a very focused operation on the war effort to complete relaxation created this atmosphere of resentment as whilst those mourning the loss of loved ones grieved, there was also a great celebration at the new lease of freedom experienced.
Of course, this movement will look different to the 1920, however, there are similarities in the role of worldwide issues and social relaxing. The ways in which I believe we will see a resurgence of the Lost Generation is through the arts most significantly. The role of tumultuous times and the arts is a relationship that has been going strong for a while. Social disorder usually results in artistic representations of the movements. We can see this is Weimar Germany with Dadaism, in Russia with realism and in America with the Lost Generation of writers. Throughout these times with increased social freedom and attitudes, art has thrived. As clubs hopefully, reopen in June, so will the floodgates of artistic creativity. We can anticipate that there will be a regeneration of the Lost Generation, with themes of hedonism, disillusionment and excess. Following periods of isolation, confinement and uncertainty, it is a universal fact that extravagance will be high, and morals will be low. The younger generation’s distrust in the government stemming from the lack of aid for students, artists and key workers especially following a year of ambiguity will lead to yet another generation of wandering, disillusioned hedonists. Using F. Scott Fitzgerald’s wise words, we have “waited until an accumulation of nervous boredom projected [us] into another party”.
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Robyn is one of the Arts Co-Editors this year. An American Studies student, off to do an MA in journalism next year. Sheis a libra, ESFJ, Ravenclaw and has worked incredibly hard this year for the section and, last but not least, The Burrow
BRING ON THE ROARING TWENTIES
Jess is a first year International Relations student, having been Theatre Editor last year, Jess Arts Co-Editor this academic year. The Burrow was her brainchild and she has surpassed all expectations. She is a taurus, ENFJ & a Gryffindor.
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THE
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ANONYMOUS BATKIN, HANNA BATTEN, CHARLIE BOWERS, CAMILLA COWIE, ROBYN CUNNINGHAM, CLAIRE DE LA CONCHA MONTES, LUISA DOUGHTY, ELLIE EDWARDS, WILL HAKE, JESS JAYE, SOPHIE KEER, THOMAS KEETCH, GEORGIA KHAN, SABA KARIM LAMBIES, VIOLETA LOFTUS, JOE MARY’S DREAM BAND MIZZI, OLIVER OPENSHAW, MOLLY SHILLITO, HANNA SOBEIH, LEENA SUSSEX UNDER THE SHEETS TALBOT, JOSH WILSON, DARLA WOODS, CATHERINE ALICE
2 0 2 0 / 2 0 2 1 THE BURROW 2