The Banter - December 2010

bruno mars

mumford and sons // fran healy // kt tunstall

robert carlyle // pete wentz // i blame coco // kele Also : CD REVIEWS // GIG REVIEWS // Movies // TV // competitions

*SHORTLISTED IN THE ppa sCOTTISH MAGAZINE AWARDS*

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I

ts been an exciting time at Banter HQ this last few weeks with The Banter Magazine being shortlisted for two categories (Best Small Publishing Company and Best Consumer Design) at the upcoming PPA Scottish Magazine Awards.

It is a wonderful achievement for our work to be recognised by our fellow peers and I am extremely proud of the team of volunteer writers here at The Banter who have contributed to help make the magazine what it is today.

Amongst the biggest names in music have found the time to talk to the team at the Banter including and exclusive interview and photoshoot with chart-topping Bruno Mars.

This edition also has had the opportunity to get interviews with Scottish homegrown talent in Fran Healy, KT Tunstall and actor Robert Carlyle.

We also have all usual features including Ones to Watch, CD Reviews and Gig Reviews as well as a look at the latest Movies, TV and Theatre news, reviews and previews.

Remember this magazine is all about you and we are always looking from more contributions from volunteers who may be interested in getting involved. If you think you would like to get involved with the magazine or have any feedback about it or have any suggestions of what you would like to see in future editions then drop us an e-mail at info@thebanter.co.uk

Ritchie

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Contents

8

Contents

Issue 4 2010 â—? www.thebanter.co.uk

8 INTERVIEW - Kele

Sean David chats to Kele of Bloc Party about his solo career

10 Interview - Mumford and Sons

28

10

Tht Winston Marshall of four piece folk band Mumford and Sons talks to The Banters Anna Gault

13 CD Reviews We take a look at the best recent releases in the music world

22 Interview - Bruno Mars

The Banter interviews the current king of the charts, Bruno Mars.

33 Gig Reviews

A round up of some the hottest gigs in Glasgow over the last few months.

50

30

42 Interview - Pete Wentz

Maxwell Lynas finds out the former Fall Out Boys new band - Black Cards

46 Movies

A loo A look at the upcoming movies to hit your screens over the upcoming weeks.

50 INterview - Robert Carlyle Stargate Universal and former Trainspotting favourite Robert Carlyle talks to The Banter.

54 Theatre & Arts

t We take a look at Glasgay as well as previewing Scottish Ballets upcoming Cinderella

56 Rock Chic t Lisa Boyle reviews a rocking good cause at the recent Rock Chic charity night.

58t Platform 2

The Banters Kate Chambers tells us a little about her recent volunteering trip to Ghana with charity project Platform 2

22 THE BANTER |

Interview

THE I

TING TINGS

It is difficult to say why the Ting Tings received so much attention following their debut on the music scene in 2008.

It may have been solely based on their music or it may have been that the members of the band are a dynamic duo consisting of a male drummer often hidden behind sunglasses (Jules De Martino) and a rambunctious female singer often hidden behind her heavy eye make-up (Katie White). Whatever the reason the Ting Tings were heard everywhere throughout 2008 and 2009 and after a brief stint away from the charts the now Berlin based duo are back with new single Hands and new album Kunst. I spoke to Jules De Martino who turned out to be not so mysterious and has so much to say that I wasn’t able to ask all of my questions.

The Ting Tings have been away from the public eye for a little while now touring and recording. Are there any jitters about getting back out there with your music?

“We have been enjoying ourselves making this record and I think we have made a really strong record. I think we fell on our feet in Berlin and being in Berlin has had a spin around effect on how we wrote the music and it has made it not sound like our first record. But it sounds as good as the first record. We haven’t gone somewhere completely different but we had the goal post and that has made us feel inspired to develop something. So in that sense we are really eager to get our album out. We are not really worried or thinking about the fact | THE BANTER

Interview by Anna Gault

that we have been away or have alienated our audience or anything” Although you formed three years ago that is still relatively new in the music industry. Do you ever feel naive or inexperienced about the business side of things?

“When we started the band we did it independently and put our own records out and me and Katie did our own art, we did everything ourselves. Then we signed to Sony and obviously they take care of a lot of other things for us but we are still very hands on. We are kind of control freaks like that. I think it would be really difficult for us not to be involved in everything we do.

Creatively that does also cross the line into running our business. That might sound a bit daft but we are just so obsessed about everything that we want to know as much about that stuff as we can.”

You guys have had quite a bit of success in the U.S. Why do you think that is when a lot of British bands fail?

“My experience of listening to UK bands is that first of all, musically, I think there is a rhythm thing that is really important to be able to get into the American psyche quicker. I think that a lot of UK bands have great songs, a great kind of passion but when they record their music, maybe it is the lack of clarity in their rhythm or rhythm in their music. I’m not talking about all bands but talking about why some don’t do so well in America.

Interview In the UK we like music to be song led and I think in America it is more rhythm led and I think a lot of bands in Britain tend to lose the rhythm. In the studio, with us, we create our stuff ourselves with a very DIY ethic but if you got a top producer in it is a very American way of recording and our songs could be turned into really crisp, big, beautiful pop songs. It is because we do everything DIY, which is a very UK way of doing things, you lose a bit of that clarity and it makes the whole band sound even more indie than they are because it’s pop music but I think we’ve worked because that clear rhythm is still in our tracks and that latch onto that in America.”

What is different about touring in U.S. compared to UK? “The crowds are very close. We came from the DIY ethic in the UK which is underground and then turned pop because we had our hits. With America they treat us as an indie band equally but we’ve gone a bit more mainstream in America now. But I think we are going to see the difference with America next year because the audience in America has been very keen. They are real fans and we sold a lot of albums out there and we sell out our venues at about 3000 and that is a good containable size to play to. But I think we are about to lose that in the States as we are going up another tier and I’d probably answer that question differently next year.”

How difficult is being a duo when it comes to touring and in general?

“With their being just two of us in the band we are very aware of the fact that we don’t really argue. I know that that sounds weird but we are very aware that if we argue it’s over. If we have a fall out, when there is only two band members there is no gig that night! Whereas if you’ve got four members normally what happens is that the other members will diffuse the situation but if it is just two of you screaming about something where do you go?”

How do you keep the energy level high on stage when it is just the two of you?

“What a lot of people don’t realise is that we don’t use backing tracks we use loop pedals. We’ve both got them and we play our loops by our feet and we create these loops live. It’s called layering and we layer the drums and then the guitars and so on and you are playing it all live so you have to really be on your toes and be focused about it. So I think that keeps our energy levels high.”

How much pressure is there for Kunst to succeed after your first album, We Started Nothing, did so well?

“There is pressure when you write songs every day; we are always trying to achieve something. But as far as selling records we have been really lucky because our first record achieved so much. I mean we never dreamed of winning an Ivor Novello award, we never dreamed of being nominated for a Grammy. That’s kind of a big experience in a band’s career, being coveted for things like that, so if we hadn’t done all of that with the first record we might have gone into this one thinking “oh why can’t we win?”. But having had those experiences means that the pressures for this record are different. They’re not so financially driven; it’s more about letting people hear a slightly different side to us.”

H

aving only released their debut EP last year– it’s been a fast ride to the top for High Wycombe four piece Young Guns. They have went from a band who pressed 500 copies of their first EP in order to get them more shows booked, to one who managed to get a nomination for the Best British Newcomer at last year’s Kerrang Awards. And before long they were all over the top of end of year polls with everyone becoming a YG fan.

Fast forward a year and that EP they released back then to get them that extra show has increased its sales to 7000 copies and the number is going up all the time. And they no longer have to look for venues to let them play, as bands like Taking Back Sunday, Lostprophets and The Blackout have all taken them on the road to open up on major tours which have stopped at cities all across the UK. Unlike most other bands, Young Guns remained unsigned during the recording and release of their debut album ‘All Our Kings Are Dead’ which was released in February. Recorded with Dan Weller, the man who produced their EP, ‘AOKAD’ shows a band who making exciting new rock music in a time where people are always searching for the next best thing. Clearly pulling influences from bands they support in making a debut worthy of getting them signed.

The bands new single ‘Weight of the World’ is out in November, the third single from their debut album. One that shows a band who no longer carrying the weight of the world around with them. It also gives us a look at a band who are ready to take the UK by storm with catchy melodies and choruses that will rock the smallest of mosh pits to the core.

Not only are Young Guns clever and ambitious but they make music that lives up to the hype that surrounds them.

THE BANTER |

interview

Interview

Interview by sean david

A

t his first solo gig, he called Bloc Party a band he “used to be in”. It’s still only a hiatus as intended but at first, Kele didn’t even bargain on his own album.

The original plan was to take a year out, but before long Kele was back in the studio programming drum beats on his own for the first time. Several producers including a rather well known individual in R&B from the states was tried out, but you couldn’t make up the story of how Kele found his if you tried.

“I met XXXChange, and this is a true story, when he ran me over with his car” he said.

“I was on my bike when he hit me, and while we were waiting on cops to arrive he told me he was a producer. I explained I was a musician and found out he’d produced for Spank Rock and The Kills, and that he remixed one of our singles (Talons). I was totally going to sue but I figured we could make a record instead.”

“It’s a true story” he insisted. | THE BANTER

KELE

Interview

This occurred during one of his several visits to New York as of late, and it’s somewhere he may call home one day. “I love New York City. It’s my favourite place in the world. Leaving London to move there is totally on the cards but just watch this space, I don’t want to jinx it.”

As noted, Kele had no plans for his album, “The Boxer” when the group began their sabbatical. All that was supposed to happen was a chance to catch up with other things in life that had taken a back seat to music, like learning kick-boxing, going to the gym, or decorating the flat.

“I hadn’t done sports since I left school, not since PE. But I had the desire to just use the body for something other than making music, I also really got into cooking and wanted to just learn more about domestic life.” “What temperature do you wash colours at, is it 40?” he asked. In all seriousness.We, The Banter, are not found on the same rack as Good Housekeeping but we did advise Kele that washing colours at 30 degrees is said to be better for both saving money and energy.

He also spent a great deal of time listening to “The Pleasure Principle”, a Gary Numan album released in 1979. On whether or not it influenced “The Boxer”, Kele said: “It didn’t sonically. It’s been in an influence in that it’s a record I enjoyed. There’s a lot of contrast on it, as you could hear Numan came from a rock background. With synthesisers and guitars, it was like being caught between two different worlds.”

“I had no intention of making an album. It’s just that I liked working and was making songs that I saw take shape and realized I was writing a record. It just happened. I like being creative, and didn’t want not to be.”

The resulting record kicks off with “Walk Tall” and it’s US army call and response delivery. From the offset, all you know is to expect the unexpected. “Tenderoni” - the lead single released this summer - may remind you of Wiley’s “Wearing My Rolex”, but lessons learned from Numan become apparent when the chorus kicks in. The ballad “Everything You Wanted” is a highlight, while hearing “Unholy Thoughts” serves as a reminder he’s still Kele from the Bloc.

He has previously stated that today’s YouTube generation are able to find music from any period so quickly that “the possibilities for future pop stardom are incredible”. When asked, he said “it’s a fantastic contraption.”

“It’s going to be, now, the state of the curricular art. Its definately has made an impact on all creative art since it’s so easy to access anything. It’s effected how I refer to things. I love it. There’s a lot of new artists out there but I don’t spend much time on it without a purpose. But if I hear something briefly elsewhere I’ll look them up on YouTube” he added.

If you listen to Numan’s early work as part of Tubeway Army with it’s punk guitars before moving onto the synthy “Cars” that made him a household name you can see where Kele is coming from. Perhaps others will be trying the same with “Banquet” and “Tenderoni” on YouTube pretty soon.

A

The Pierces

labama-born Catherine and Allison are sisters, songwriters, and singers as soon as they could speak they were singing, and it was always together. They’d sing in the house while their musician dad played guitar. They were raised on Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Al Green, and Joni Mitchell. And now in 2010, after three striking records, they have finally arrived at the place they’ve always wanted to be. But it’s not been easy.

“We’d had ten years of almost making it, almost getting somewhere,” says Allison, the dark-haired elder sister.

“We had to do everything ourselves,” Allison says. “We did all the photography with friends, we made the videos, and we learnt to be self-sufficient. We had to get creative and it took us to really interesting places...we wouldn’t be the same without that…” . “Which was great,” says Catherine, “but we had no money to tour.”

When a series of unexpected TV syncs arrived the Pierces’ story went to a whole new place. Their song Secret appeared on Gossip Girl and Dexter and brought them to a totally different audience again. Now it’s the theme tune to one of 2010’s biggest hits, Pretty Little Liars.

“But we kept being pulled back down by a label that wasn’t willing to do what needed to be done,” Allison says. So one day they said, “We’re done, this isn’t working…” and decided to split up.

But they were saved from that fate. The day after deciding to split - the very next day - the sisters received a call that changed absolutely everything. “It was Guy Berryman,” Catherine says. “He asked if we wanted to join Coldplay on tour in South America…”. As things turned out, the sisters didn’t end up joining that tour, but last summer Guy Berryman and Grammy Award winning producer Rik Simpson started their own production company, The Darktones and decided The Pierces should be their first project.

What the sisters have created is a record as sweepingly, dramatically melodic as it is true to the Pierce’s innately cool, singer-songwriter roots. There are elements of folk in their close, keening harmonies, while the songs themselves are fully-fleshed wonders that draw on that slow, sad sort of beauty that a classic Stevie Nicks song always had, one that would be turned into a huge great groove by Fleetwood Mac. THE BANTER |

Interview

MUMFORD

10 | THE BANTER

Interview

AND SONS

M

umford and Sons came out of nowhere. It seems the four piece band from London sprung out the ground somewhere destined for success. For those familiar with the band they know that ‘nowhere’ was actually the London folk scene but in terms of popular music that scene is relatively ‘nowhere’. Yet somehow Mumford and Sons have used their folk roots and spun them into music gold.

They formed in December 2007 in West London and have been trying to make music that matters without taking themselves too seriously from the get go. The band consists of lead singer, guitarist, drummer and namesake Marcus Mumford, Winston ‘Country’ Marshall, vocals, banjo, dobro (resonator guitar), Ben Lovett, vocals, keyboards and organ and Ted Dwane, vocals and double bass. The four have played in various bands in the London folk music scene playing various instruments and it is this eclectic range of musical talent that seems to have produced their unique sound and led to their success. However Winston Marshall is at a loss to explain their quick ascension through the music industry. “I have no idea why things have gone so well so quickly. We just play gigs and write songs and I don’t really know how it has happened. I don’t think I’m really qualified to say why!”

Interview // Anna Gault

Despite not being able to explain their success it is still undeniable. Their debut and only album so far, Sigh No More, reached number one on both the Australian and Irish official album charts, number three on the UK official album chart and an amazing number 16 on the U.S Billboard Top 200 chart.

It has also gone double platinum in the UK and Australia and was nominated for a Mercury Prize. These achievements are mostly down to the band’s own hard work than that of a large record label looking after them. The band had already sweated it out in underground London folk nights and built their sound and indeed their album before any real record label interest came calling. “We actually had the album done before we approached any labels but we waited until we were ready,” explains Marshall. “But we have a licensing deal rather than a record deal so the album is actually on our label called The THE BANTER | 11

Interview

Gentleman of the Road but Island records distribute it.”

As far as Mumford and Sons are concerned however they never had much hope of commercial and monetary success. As soon as they had a few songs written together they just wanted to get on the road and play them. “We started the band so that we could gig. The whole point of the band was to play gigs because we love doing that,” says Marshall. “We have made it our lives and we live for it. All of us, since we were young, have been doing gigs and when we formed the band it was with the intention to go around our country and gig and that is what we continue to do.” Mumford and Sons have become famed for their live performances both on tours and in one off gigs. They toured extensively throughout 2008 from a barge-tour of the Thames with eight other acts, through to an island-hopping tour of the Scottish highlands, a set at Glastonbury in June and they sold out London’s Luminaire in July, only half a year after they got together. Their tight bonds with the folk scene allowed them to also tour the U.S, supporting folk singer-songwriter Laura Marling and band Johnny Flynn and the Sussex Wit. They are now known for their spontaneity, varying set lists and an impressive musical ability displayed by each member as they frequently swap instruments throughout the show.

Inevitably the audiences Mumford and Sons once entertained back in 2008 have changed since their album was released but Marshall feels that the fans they had then are still the fans they have now: “The crowds haven’t changed too much really. There is a mix of people. We have always noticed that we get young 12 | THE BANTER

people and old people and everyone in between.” However Marshall does admit that their size has changed: “The crowds are definitely bigger. I mean playing Glastonbury really gave us an idea of what it is to play to a big crowd and when the album came out we played a two week tour and the crowds were bigger.”

Another inevitable fall out of a successful debut album is the expectations put upon the band for their next one. With Sigh No More’s resolute success in a variety of countries, Mumford and Sons do not just have the UK’s expectations resting on their shoulders. The album’s various accomplishments also include it leading to performances on popular American late night chat shows including The Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. All of this is bound to create some pressure on the band for their follow up. “We are just going to take our time with the next record,” reveals Marshall. “We’ve already got some new stuff that we are playing live and we are going to take a little break in December and January and just go away and write. We’ll come back in the New Year and see where we are at. If we don’t think about it too much there won’t be much pressure.”

Regardless of the reasons behind their success the fact is that Mumford and Sons have come from folk music obscurity and exceeded their own expectations to become one of Britain’s most exciting bands. 2010 has seen them prove this with a relentless worldwide tour and triumphant homecoming but it is their next move which will determine if perhaps this was all just a one off.

Music

cd reviews chiddy bang The Preview EMI  Chiddy Band, who bought us the ever so catchy Opposite of Adults, do not disappoint with their debut EP. Each song is golden.

Most songs have the chipper, upbeat attitude we’ve come to expect from these cheeky chappies but the song Bad Day featuring Darwin Deez , an indie folk band from NYC, is somewhat of a bitter surprise. And it’s not a bad surprise either.

The new single The Good Life kicks off the EP and instantly puts you in the mind set of the masterminds behind the tune.

Bright, upbeat and truly West Coast.

Chiddy bang’s mix of alternative and hip-hop is a love match indeed and one which cannot be faulted. From the already huge hits on the EP to the other as yet undiscovered gems there is a wonderful optimism and truth in every song with lyrics reminiscent to KanYe’s first album. Back in the days before he discovered an auto-tuner.

Not only have this unstoppable duo created something worth listening to, they’ve created something that will leave you

humming or singing their tunes all day long. They’ve created the ever illusive catchy mix and with it, they’ve brought a monster to life.

It’s not surprise that these lads quickly caught the attention of Pharrell Williams with their unique mix which lead to Pharrell having a hand in writing and producing their second single from the EP, The Good Life.

Their style has been mixed so seamlessly you could almost swear that theirs is a much practiced genre. Chiddy and Noah’s teaser for the upcoming album takes you back to the late 90’s and early 2000’s reminding you of Willenium (don’t deny it, his album is a guilty pleasure) and other big hip-hop players like J-Kwon and Chingy.

All in all, this is a CD that is well worth a listen and definitely worth the money. Chiddy Band have created something suitable for all weathers which is an encouraging sign for the upcoming album due for an early 2011 release and you can bet your favourite high-tops on the fact that they’ll end up on your top played list.

ALYCE MACPHERSON

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Music the saturdays Headlines polydor group  For most people The Saturdays are nothing more than another manufactured band that has been churned out to keep a big record label boss happy. But after one listen to ‘Headlines’ you start to realise they are probably one of the only decent pop bands currently realising records in the UK. There are two old tracks on the album ‘Ego’ and ‘Forever Is Over’ and while it seems a little like cheating, their last record didn’t achieve worldwide success so it is allowed. Last single ‘Missing You’ is probably the best one on the record – making the girls sound less Girls Aloud and more like a band than can easily out sell them in the chart. Move over Cheryl and co – a new girl band has just taken the crown from you.

SARAH MOYES

i blame coco The Constant Island  How difficult must it be for a young musician to earn their laurels if they have a famous parent? It’s probably very hard to ignore the cynics’ sneers about having all the backing necessary to churn out a meaningless album, and that they rather shouldn’t have. Coco Sumner proves her critics wrong: I Blame Coco’s album “The Constant” is a very remarkable debut of sophisticated electro-pop with strong lyrics almost throughout. Best examples are “Selfmachine” and “Caesar” (featuring Robyn): Like most songs of the album, they live of the contrast of Coco’s rather dark, introspective, angst-ridden and borderline paranoid lyrics, and very catchy, danceable music. And it works because it prevents the whole album getting so gloomy that it makes you want to jump off the next bridge. The strongest song, for me personally, is “Summer Rain”, one of the few ballads and probably the deepest and most emotional track of the whole album.

Equally moody “It’s About To Get Worse” almost reminds a bit of early 80s Vangelis – and it makes me scarily aware of the fact that I am old enough to conciously recognise this. Some tracks undoubtedly prove any efforts to hide the fact that she is Sting’s daughter futile - “No Smile” really bears a scary resemblance to both his voice and musical style. It works though – unlike her cover of Neil Young’s “Only Love Can Break Your Heart”, which, in my opinion, is actually the weakest track of the whole album. And I have to admit that it is closely followed by “Quicker” - too much of bland 90s Europop feel for my liking. Whilst “The Constant” is certainly not the most amazing debut album ever heard, it sets I Blame Coco far enough apart from other female singer-songwriters of our time to deserve 4 stars – just.

PETRA RASPEL

14 | THE BANTER

brian eno Small Craft On a Milk Sea Warp  Brian Eno might be better known as a producer who has worked on several U2 albums and recently Coldplay’s ‘Viva La Vida’, but his style of experimental electronic pop has also seen him receive much acclaim.

His first release on Warp Records sees him collaborate with fellow soulmates, guitarist Leo Abraham and electronic composer Jon Hopkins, to create Small Craft On A Milk Sea. The sometimes beautiful, but also dark and gritty album contains everything you would expect from Eno. The opening is a fluffy cloud start of ‘Emerald and Lime’, where you could picture yourself in a small boat bobbing peacefully up and down on the sea, but this quickly changes to an edgier track ‘Complex Heaven’. Don’t expect it to be some sort of classic easy listening, as songs like ‘Two Forms Of Anger’ and ‘Bone Jump’ are a bit squint and not the easiest on the brain.

As a whole, the album is well produced, edited and should be listened to, if just to have that feeling of being lost in something.

DAREN BORZYNSKI kings of leon Come Around Sundown columbia  Kings Of Leon will head into their Stadium/Arena tour on the back of their 5th album release, ‘Come Around Sundown’.

Opening with ironically titled ‘This Is The End’, the album continues on where their previous album ‘Only By The Night’ left off. The lyrics are powerful and emotive, but the sound comes across as a bit repetitive and safe. KOL have touched on their southern roots with this one, although holding on to too much of their new mainstream ‘stadium’ band status. Being holed up in some New York City studio maybe made the band lose their full freedom to express themselves. It’s still got the same distinctive vocals and guitar riffs I like, but their single ‘Radioactive’ is as good as it gets, with most of the others failing to hit the high standards you would expect. It is technically very good, but it just misses out due to the lack of individual gritty rock’n’roll tracks that won over the mass of loyal fans.

DAREN BORZYNSKI

Music

SARAH MOYES

The wanted The Wanted

polydor group  The British music scene seems to be full of boybands at the minute. There’s the big players like Take That and JLS, with The Wanted being the newcomers on the scene. Formed by the same people that put together The Saturdays, it seems they are destined to be popular but it seems every girl in the country wants a piece of them.

Their debut single ‘All Time Low’ not to be confused with the American band went straight to the top of the charts. It’s the perfect slice of pop music – it’s upbeat, you can dance to it and it has one very catchy chorus. Naturally the band’s the second single was a ballad. I guess you can’t fault them too much for being predictable. There’s nothing too special about ‘Heart Vacancy’ but it doesn’t make it a bad song. It just a typical boy band balled minus the Westlife stools. The more you listen to the record, the more you realise they aren’t that typical boyband that’s reflected in their first singles. On ‘Let’s Get Ugly’ they sample The Good, The Bad & The Ugly by Ennio Morricone (I know, it’s not exactly what I expected either) and it actually works. Ballad wise, ‘Hi and Low’ comes out on top and ‘Behind The Bars’ takes the gong for the records best tracks. Some of their music is predictable but other songs are fresh and exciting. As far as the boy band crown goes, they might not have won it yet but they are definitely a contender.

paul smith Margins

Billingham records  As soon as you listen to this album, you are already aware that this is the voice of Maximo Park frontman Paul Smith before even glimpsing the cover. There’s no escaping his distinctive and slightly repressed Northern voice in solo album ‘Margins.’ Opening track ‘North Atlantic Drift’ Smith sticks to the Maximo Park roots and offers fans the comforting sound of their familiar, heart-warming melodies.

The remains of the album blends seamlessly together, but gets progressively desperate as it goes on. ‘Margins’ speaks greatly of a heartbroken Smith, who seems torn over whether to contact his ex in ‘The Crush and The Shatter’ as he appears to wail ‘If I didn’t see you, if it didn’t happen” repeatedly. Track ‘Improvement / Denouement’ doesn’t get much more promising for Smith, as he sings “My bodies like a hollow cast, a year long love just couldn’t last.” The album is full of some great music particularly in song ‘Our Lady of Lourdes’ and echoes Morrissey’s self-indulgent song-writing at times, however is predominantly aimed at romanticists and fellow Maximo Park fans. Wouldn’t recommend for someone in need of a cheering up.

LISA BOYLE

tinie tempah Disc-Overy Parlophone  Disc-overy, his first album will undoubtedly have you “twitching” as Tinie refers to in Frisky. From the moment you press play on your CD player, the volume button is turned up louder with every track. ‘Simply Unstoppable’ with its dirty grimy feel is the perfect start to the album which sees Tinie confidently pronounce “I’m a fine boy, no pimples” and “f*c*i*n* everybody want me on their single.” As the first single to be released on the album, ‘Pass Out’ quite rightly shot straight to the number one spot and held onto it for two weeks. With its mighty beats and Tinie’s simple but effective lyrics such as “I lead a very very very wild lifestyle, Heidi and Audrina eat your heart out”, it was always a clear chart topper.

But as well as having a grimy feel to the album, Tinie brings some fresh flavour in the form of ‘Miami to Ibiza’, a club thumping anthem which makes you want to jump in the car with the music up full blast. With a light sprinkle of star collaborators including Ellie Goulding on the folktrance ‘ Wonderman’ and Kelly Rowland on Invincible, it gives the album the dusting of gold that it deserves. Disc-overy is an album that packs a grimy punch and leaves you wanting more.

ROSEMARY LOWNE

THE BANTER | 15

Music

nadine Insatiable RCA  Girls Aloud singer Nadine Coyle releases debut album ‘Insatiable’ just weeks from Miss Cole’s ‘Messy Little Raindrops’ and it’s no wonder rumours that the two are in competition are ongoing. ‘Insatiable’ is a mixture of nineties R&B and funky pop beats which are feisty and well written however Coyle doesn’t seem to make the most of her voice here, which makes this debut album ever so slightly bland.

With the help of super producers William Orbit and Guy Chambers, the pleasant, upbeat melodies ensure that the album is easy on the ears, however fails to deliver anything edgy enough to make it big. Everything feels a bit dated on this album but also provides a few funky tracks such as opening song ‘Running’ and title track ‘Insatiable’ which is super girly and bound to be a hit. ‘I’ll make a man out of you yet’ highlights Nadine’s powerful voice but throughout the rest of the album it seems the main theme is Nadine singing about an ex-lover. One track that would be advised to skip is the overly repetitive and hair-tearing ‘Sexy Love Affair’ track.

Worth a listen but lacks originality.

LISA bOYLE

16 | THE BANTER

hurts Happiness RCA  Happiness, the new album from 80s influenced pop/electronica duo proves that Hurts are as unique in sound as in appearance! The Manchester duo have certainly established themselves as something completely different from the mainstream, despite their own chart success and ‘Happiness’ is definitely worth a listen if you’re feeling a bit jaded with the same old stuff. Hurts are often perceived as moody or slightly aloof but their music is surprisingly accessible and when I say I could imagine listening to it in an elevator, I don’t mean it as an insult! The duo are something of a pop/electronic a fusion but without the frantic pace such a description would suggest. Whilst not a particularly exciting album, it is nevertheless enjoyable and can be described as easy listening with a beat. ‘Silver Lining’, the opening track of the album sounds almost tribal at times, and is a great opener to an album I’d describe as ‘comfortable’ – no unexpected surprises, just some nice melodies, although at times I was left wishing that something a bit more engaging would happen. ‘Sunday’ has a somewhat clubbier sound, and I could imagine myself dancing to it, if not for the soothing vocals which seem to rein it in from properly ‘letting go’. However, credit where credit is due, music which is easier on the ear often runs the risk of sounding very samey, but even though Hurts have a distinctive sound, each song is very different however subtle that difference may be. ‘Better than Love’ is probably the track that would appeal to those who prefer mainstream pop music, and it is a very catchy wee tune which left me extremely frustrated because once again it seems to hold back ever so slightly from letting go and enjoying itself. A mix of the uplifting and the serious, ‘Happiness’ won’t appeal to everyone, and is definitely an acquired taste. On paper, pop/electronic doesn’t really float my boat but this was definitely an album refreshingly different from anything I’ve heard recently, if not particularly exciting.

LOUISE ANNE GEDDES

salem King Knight

sony music  On paper, Salem’s debut album, King Knight, shouldn’t work. It’s an unorthodox marriage of hip hop beats, ethereal synths, choral backing vocals and warped bass that, at times, threatens to overwhelm but on closer inspection works remarkably well. While the Michigan trio don’t seem the type to pay much attention to the hype that surrounds them (hardly surprising given that their last EP was named ‘Yes I Smoke Crack’), they have certainly delivered on their early promise. Opening title track ‘King Knight’ paves the way with pounding, gothic electronica set to Timbalandesque beats, while ‘Killer’ is reminiscent of a darker, broodier Crystal Castles. Like the car crash sampled on ‘Trapdoor‘, King Knight is a head on collision of style and genre. From rapper Jack Donoghue’s disturbed, distorted drawl to the soaring synths present throughout, King Knight is brash, but often beautiful. While not for the faint-hearted, Salem are well worth a listen.

JACK MCKENNA

Music the pretty reckless Light Me Up polydor  The Pretty Reckless’ album Light Me Up is unashamedly a girl’s rock album. The lyrics are what you’d expect from a teenage girl, melodramatic and full of angst and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes the lyrics are trying to be shocking and a bit out there but with so many other rock chicks preceding this album it just sounds like a mash up of Courtney Love and The Runaways.

All of Taylor’s influences have leaked into this album and perhaps she has leaned on them too heavily in some tracks.

Essentially this is an album that fans of Paramore and The Veronica’s will whole heartedly enjoy while others will find it a guilty pleasure pop album much like Kelly Clarkson. For those looking for a new post-grunge band to fill the void of the girl fronted bands of the 80’s this might be more like a plaster for that wound rather than full on stitches. Never the less, it will do.

In saying that, Light Me Up is a brilliant album for what it is.

Taylor’s scratchy sexy voice perfectly compliments the simplistic guitar riffs; this girl knows how to work what she’s got effectively. When looking at her other band members it makes you wonder where on earth she managed to surface them from though, they are effectively three men twice her age whom no one really seems to have heard of which begs the question did her PR agent just round them up for her?

All in all, this is an album which will be set away for those moments when you’re looking for a throwback to your emo, teenage angst filled, the-world-is-against me days. It’s trying hard to be heavy rock chick but as usual with most girls fronted bands, Taylor has just missed the mark.

Still, if you feel like donning your ex-boyfriend’s Atticus hoodie and being angry at the world, this is perfect.

ALYCE MACPHERSON

elvis costello National Ransom Decca (UMO)  A distinctly American demand for ‘National Ransom’, Elvis Costello’s latest album is a large ask of any listener. With ‘Oliver’s Army’ conquering Europe in the late seventies, Costello’s ever-changing style has turned its gaze westward, looking to the country and folk music of Nashville for newfound inspiration. This is Costello’s turn at Robert Plant’s American Dream.

A glance at the lyrics, and a glance at the newspapers, instant reveal a very topical album. “They’re running wild, just like some childish tantrum”, he storms to an overwhelming electric guitar rift, “meanwhile we’re working every day paying off the National Ransom”. This is an album where the balladeer takes on the banker, albeit somewhat arduously.

It is in its quieter moments that the album is most rewarding.

‘All These Strangers’, a gentle song of childhood deprivation, packs more of a punch politically than the album’s most viciously aggressive attacks on the social system, finding an identifiable and tortured politic of the soul without the laboriousness which mars many of these tracks.

SCOTT PURVIS

rumer Seasons Of My Soul atlantic  In a sea of manufactured pop music from reality television shows, Rumer’s debut album is a welcomed change. She isn’t being told what to sing and how to sing it, instead we hear a heart felt delivery of songs which clearly mean a lot to her, mixed with traditional folk melodies.

Rumer grew up in Pakistan with no access to the media and television and those traditional roots she did experience weave their way through the entire record. Sounding similar to Karen Carpenter, it’s easy to see why people are fast becoming fans of this record. Single ‘Aretha’ is one of the highlights of the album, the soulful melodies shine through on the track and it soon becomes obvious as to why it’s been chosen as a single. ‘Slow’ and ‘Come Saturday Morning’ are the other stand out songs but it’s not an easy choice, and the album has no filler tracks to brush aside It’s original soulful pop music at its finest and it’s one record that we all deserve to hear.

SARAH MOYES

robert francis Before Nightfall atlantic  Before the nightfall” took one small band, one week and a lot of hard work to produce. After the success of his big, bold first album “One by one”, Robert Francis chose to do things a little differently with his new album, making it much simpler and less conventional. Hailing from Los Angeles, Francis was brought up in a musical household and even had the honour of being Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ John Frusciante’s only guitar student. With this support, he was destined for success.

Like an uncut diamond, Francis’ voice is rough and jagged yet uniquely beautiful. The sound is completely unrefined, making it a refreshing listen. “Junebug” tells the story of being in love with a troubled girl, with the dominant instrumentals showing Francis’ heartbreak. He sings “You were beautiful then, you’re just a coke jaw now” as the drums build to a powerful crescendo and make your hairs stand on end. Unfortunately, “Junebug” is the most memorable song on the album. Despite his unique voice, each new song offers nothing new or exciting. With so many indie singer/songwriters creating similar sounds, Francis needed to produce something distinguishable. “Before The Nightfall” just does not deliver. On “I Like The Air”, he experiments with echoing vocals and funky guitar riffs, which gets your head bobbing. However, it is not groundbreaking. “Mescaline” is another bubble-gum love song that just loses its taste too quickly.

With such raw, passionate vocals I really wanted to love this album yet the mild lyrical content and lukewarm musicians left me disappointed. For me, Robert Francis symbolises the beautiful “boy-next-door” stereotype. From afar, he seems perfect. He writes pretty songs and makes your heart melt.

But after spending a bit of time with him, you realise he is just like everyone else and you forget why you thought he was so special to begin with.

KATE CHAMBERS

THE BANTER | 17

Music

john legend & the roots Wake Up columbia  ‘Wake Up’ unites RnB heavy weights, John Legend and the Roots, to underwhelming effect. In the album notes, Legend promises a record that is both “revolutionary” and “righteous” and, while opening track ‘Wake Up’ comes close to living up to such a billing, the rest falls decidedly short.

Choosing to reinvent classic protest songs by RnB royalty such as Bill Withers and Eugene McDaniels makes sense given the current economic and social climate, however, their abysmal take on Marvin Gaye’s ‘Wholly Holy’ proves that some songs are better off left alone. While the Roots turn in their usual solid performance, there is something undeniably grating about John Legend’s voice that can’t be ignored. Sporadic contributions from rapper Common provide light relief but it’s Legend’s over-indulgent vocal that leaves an unpleasant aftertaste.

In recording ‘Wake Up’, John Legend and the Roots wanted to incite change. Sadly, I think it’s time to change the record.

JACK MCKENNA

gwyneth herbert Clangers and Mash

naim edge  Gwyneth Herbert proves the beguiling Ghost of British Jazz Yet to Come, defying classification once more with her new album, ‘Clangers and Mash’. Whilst the ghosts of Regina Spektor and Nina Simone quietly haunt this album, the voice and spirit are her own. ‘My Mini and Me’, a whip-cracking reaction to the heaving weight of modern living, is the album’s most tightly controlled track, banging percussion against talk of Huckleberry Finn in Herbert’s eerily strained voice, whilst fans of Kimya Dawson and her applied Juno soundtrack will enjoy the vocal percussion, clapping and ukulele sounds of the kooky ‘Perfect Fit’. And yet, as a close follow up to ‘All the Ghosts’, the album feels restricted. Like the return of Jacob Marley in the night, Herbert resurrects the same jangling chords and plays out new remixes of old material and endless of edits of the new.

Enjoyable as they prove, the album is disappointingly repetitive.

SCOTT PURVIS

18 | THE BANTER

mark ronson & the business intl Record Collection

columbia  Mark Ronson has just made the move some people didn’t think he was capable of doing. He’s went from being the man who made cover versions of popular songs more famous than some of the originals (how many people knew Valerie was actually a Zutons song first?) and has now come back with an album of original material. But he couldn’t make that much of a change and has enlisted some of his famous friends to help along the way. ‘The Bike Song’ features Kyle Falconer of The View, the lead singer from Dundee whose voice is sometimes hard to understand yet it proves popular on this record. Not only does it show another side to The Views frontman but shows us how versatile Mr Ronson can be. But that’s not the only famous face to pop up during the record. Simon Le Bon and Wiley feature on the albums self-titled track and Boy George appears on ‘Somebody to Love Me’ which may just be the best thing he has done in years. It’s unlikely this record will have the same success as his last album. But if he did the same thing again we would all be dissing it. So let’s just enjoy the fact one of our favourite producers has just released the soundtrack for 2010.

ROSEMARY LOWNE

the klaxons Surfing the Void polydor  First time round Klaxons were in the mist of the nu-rave wave, a genre which seemed to last as long as the glow sticks which dominated it. But now they’ve returned with their second album, and with the nu-rave side of things fading away - what’s here for them now? ‘Echoes’, both the first single to be released and the first track on the album, is the bridge between old and new. It could easily have featured on their debut but sounds more developed and mature than they sound we’re used to hearing. ‘Twin Flames’ and ‘Venusia’ lead the way in the direction of their new sound.

Both shake off any previous ideas you may have and show a band who have matured and who are determined to cement themselves in the British music scene. It might not be as ground breaking as their mercury debut, but for a band with a lot to prove it’s nothing less than a success.

SARAH MOYES

Interview

Lauren Pritchard A interview by Simon Cassidy

s I step into an ornately furnished room, hidden deep within the confines of Glasgow’s Oran Mor, I cannot help but be impressed. At just 22, American singer-songwriter Lauren Pritchard, has had a career to rival artists twice her age.

Currently touring the UK to promote her debut album “Wasted in Jackson”, I had the opportunity to sit down and have a chat with the young lady from Tennesse.

From an early age, Lauren decided that small town life in Jackson Tennessee was not for her: “Jackson is my home town. [Wasted in Jackson] is also one of the songs on the new album, and I wanted to pay homage to that place. If it wasn’t such a small town I wouldn’t have began on this journey in the first place, so I wanted to give credit to that.”

So, at the tender age of 16, Lauren embarked on her journey to musical success. She packed her bag and moved in with Lisa Marie Presley (daughter of Elvis “The King” Presley): “It wasn’t a business decision to live with them, the Presley’s were really good friends of the family.” leaving home and living with, as luck would have it, Lisa Marie Presley (acclaimed singer and daughter of “The King”): “It wasn’t a business decision to live with them.” She noted “The Presley’s are really good friends of ours.”

Choosing to strike out on her own than use family connections, Lauren pursued her career through any available opportunity.

“I was in a reggae band,” she recalled absently, toying with her watch, “but it wasn’t making any money and I didn’t want to do reggae professionally.”

Although this might be considered an unorthodox route to pursue, it did lead to bigger and better things; namely a principle role in the off Broadway musical, “Spring Awakening”.

“The Broadway show was just a detour,” she laughed. “I needed a job, and went to the audition on a kind of a whim and wound

up in the show.”

However, despite being hugely successful in this role, it was pretty clear that it was never going to be a permanent career move for Lauren: “Even when I was in the show, I was still writing and doing gigs.

While I loved every minute of it, what I am doing now is what I want to do with my life. By the time my contract on the show ended, I had a publishing deal and I just said ‘this is my opportunity to really give this a shot’. A whole lot of people probably still think I’m crazy, but I’m doing what I love.”

Aiming high, she then moved toward her newly acquired record deal with much enthusiasm. Her high hopes were however quickly doused / extinguished as it became apparent that it was not going to work: “We wanted different things,” was her succinct comment on the subject. “It ended because the people with a massive share hold in the company split up. A lot of people got fired - my A&R guy was one of them. I had only done some basic production, I hadn’t recorded an album or anything yet, so they let me go.”

When I asked if she felt the outlook was positive, the girl from Tennessee was replied: ““When I started that first deal it started off good; I was doing a lot of the writing and very much in control. About halfway through I totally lost it and started going in a very pop direction - not that there’s anything wrong with that, its just not my kind of thing. So now having control over what’s going on back, and being able to be myself but still have some kind of success at that makes me very happy.”

It’s hard to disagree with her. Her album is due out shortly, the remainder of her UK tour still to come, and various television slots for her release in the States, the future looks bright.

‘Wasted In Jackson’ is out on the 25th of October.

THE BANTER | 19

Interview

FRAN HEALY Having won two ‘album of the year’ Brit awards with Travis, and being responsible for their best known hits, front man Fran Healy shocked everyone and no-one when he decided to take to the stage as a solo act, something he said he had no interest in doing. Louise-Anne Geddes caught up with Fran just before the release of his first solo album ‘Wreckorder’ Photographer // Daren Borzynski

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Interview

“H

ello, Scottish person!” We laugh, and Fran tells me that it’s nice to hear a familiar accent. He’s just back from busking in the streets of London on behalf of War Child, a charity committed to helping children in the world’s war zones, to raise their profile and support their nomination as the Deutsche Bank Charity of the Year, which they subsequently went on to win!

“I’ve always been involved with War Child, going right back to 1997 when we released our first single. The man who signed Travis was a guy called Andy McDonald. He was the one who set up War Child and put out the first War Child album, and we’ve been involved since the start”.

Healy is also actively involved with Save the Children, and will be donating part of the proceeds from the special edition package of his new album to the charity. ‘Wreckorder’, released on October 4 is Healy’s first solo album, and I’m interested to find out how the whole thing came about, given Fran’s resistance over the years to the question of when he was going solo!

“We (Travis) always said we wanted to do 12 records, and we’ve just passed number 6. I think we all wanted a break, I wanted a break but I wanted to do something while on that break. So I

can stand behind, not just for a week or a day. If you get lucky and it does all kick off and it’s huge, then you’re going to be thankful that it was a half decent record that it happened with, because if you wrote a really sh*te song, then everyone would be like ‘this is rubbish, what is that?!’”

‘Wreckorder’ (pronounced Recorder) has been released to critical acclaim, and the title itself has provoked discussion as to what exactly Healy means by it: “I was just doodling in my diary and I wrote it down, I can’t really remember why. I just liked it! I like fiddling about with words. I’m a recorder, that’s what I do and it’s what I’ve done since I was 8 years old and got my first tape recorder! I wrote down ‘recorder’ and played about with it, added a K and a W and thought it looked kinda cool! Also, doing this is not a usual thing and can maybe be seen as wrecking the order a little bit”.

Work on the album began in 2009 in Berlin, where Healy now lives with his family and was an experience pleasingly different from that of a band recording: “The process of recording was different, we’d only have to record it once which actually is the best way to do it. Usually if you do record things twice (as with a band), you always drop something between the Dictaphone or the 4 track and

“Paul (McCartney!) is a really lovely guy, he’s one of my heroes.

We’ve known

each other since 1999, and he was aware of what I was working on, so it wasn’t a cold call when I contacted him and said ‘hey, do you want to do a bass line?!’ He got back and said he loved the song, and that he’d love to do it!” said to the guys ‘is it cool, can I do this?’ and they were fine with it. So I did it! I don’t think I could’ve done it at any other time because I don’t think I was in the right head space to do something like that. It just felt right. I didn’t have a big master plan or anything. I’d written one song called ‘Holiday’, and the lyrics of the song made me think that I didn’t just need a nice holiday on a beach, I needed a holiday from what I usually do” Despite his enthusiasm for his new project, surely taking to the stage alone when used to the support of a band who know each other inside out must be odd, to say the least?

“No actually it wasn’t all that odd, it was brilliant! I like the change. I’ve been doing something for 14 years with the same people, and suddenly it’s just me. But it’s nice, I kinda like it!”

With Travis being so internationally successful, how does Healy plan to challenge the perceptions of those who may have already decided what they expect from him?

“If you’re an artist, it’s the last thing you should be thinking about when you sit down to make an album. If you did that, you’d never get anything done! I didn’t think about it. I think people should know me by now, and if they like what I do they should buy the record and if they think I’m a d*bber they should buy some techno” Despite having won two album of the year Brit awards with Travis, and various other accolades, Healy doesn’t feel pressurised to deliver the same as a solo act “I just want to write songs that I don’t think have been heard before, and I want to go out and entertain people. With all the awards, and the accolades and success and stuff, that all happens and comes in like a typhoon or a hurricane and you don’t know when stuff like that is going to happen. At every point of your career you just have to make sure you do the best thing possible. Make sure you do something that you

the big studio. It’s like carrying a full pot of water from the kitchen, you’ll always spill a little bit over the sides whereas if you record something once then everything you do is kept on that recording.”

The singer/songwriter certainly had his work cut out for him, playing every instrument on the album. With the exception of bass guitar that is, but help was at hand in the shape of a famous friend...

“Paul (McCartney!) is a really lovely guy, he’s one of my heroes.

We’ve known each other since 1999, and he was aware of what I was working on, so it wasn’t a cold call when I contacted him and said ‘hey, do you want to do a bass line?!’. He got back and said he loved the song, and that he’d love to do it!”

Grateful for the help of his friend and hero, Healy began looking for the perfect way to thank McCartney. But what can be given to a man who has everything? Unbelievably, Healy decided that making a gesture was the way to go, and he and his family are now vegetarians in Sir Paul’s honour!

“I don’t think anyone had done anything so cool for him! It’s a good, healthy thing to do and it’s also a major thing to do to thank someone for doing something pretty major. Then he sent me some Linda McCartney cookbooks in the post!”

With ‘Wreckorder’ having been released, Healy has just embarked on his solo UK tour after having supported Keane in the US, and will be heading to the US/Canada for his own tour in the not so distant future. So what’s next for Fran?

“In terms of another solo record, I don’t know. The next record I’ll be doing is a Travis record and I’m going to be writing songs for that, but as a solo guy? Now that I’ve done this album it’s got me really excited and made me want to do other things.

Maybe I’ll work with other musicians, other bands. The possibilities are endless” THE BANTER | 21

Interview

T

here is no doubt before you heard of Bruno Mars, you would have heard at least one of the songs he has produced or written for other artists including Alexandra Burke, Travie McCoy, Maroon Five’s Adam Levine, Brandy, and Sean Kingston - as well as Flo Rida’s international hit “Right Round”. He even popped up on a Sugababes album to provide backing vocals.

But it wasn’t until he was featured on B.o.B’s smash hit “Nothing on You”, which Mars co-wrote, and Travie McCoy’s “Billionaire”, which again was co-wrote by Mars, that Mars rose to prominence.

The success Mars gained following these two songs has been quickly followed up by his first solo single “Just the Way You Are”, which topped charts all over the globe and at the start of October, went straight to Number One in the UK Single Chart. The single ended up climbing up the charts to reach Number One again on the 24th October.

Mars’ good October didn’t finish with his chart success with “Just the Way You Are” - he also reached the top spot again with Cee Lo Green’s “F**k You/Forget You”, another song Mars co-wrote.

October also saw Bruno Mars supporting Travie McCoy on Travie’s UK Tour, so The Banter caught up with the Hawaiian-born superstar backstage at the Glasgow Garage and have a chat and see how it feels to have a “Number One” single.

“It’s incredible, you know? We write these songs in studio that looks just like this; it’s weird that on the other side of the world it’s reaching all these people.”

How did you celebrate your number one, did you do anything special?

“The fact we were already coming out here was special enough.”

You have achieved chart success all over the world relatively instantaneously; did that come as a surprise to you?

“No, a lot of people think it was overnight after “Nothing on You” but I worked very hard for a long time to get to “Nothing on You” behind the scenes for a lot of acts producing and writing, just trying to get my name and voice out there. So after “Nothing on You” and it was expected, I had all these songs in my back pocket, so it was just boom, boom, boom.”

Before your solo success, you were a successful songwriter and producer.

Which side of the industry do you prefer? Is it working behind the scenes or at the front of the stage?

“It’s different, it’s hard to compare the feeling, there is this feeling you get when you produce a song after you are done, the Cee Lo song for instance, also you get to work with guys like Cee Lo, you produce a song and write a song with them and you finish it, the feeling of accomplishment is incredible but there is another feeling you get performing the song in front of an audience and have them sing it back to you and they know it. It is hard to compare those two feelings.”

As mentioned earlier Bruno Mars, has collaborated with artists ranging from the Sugarbabes to Flo Rida and of course to Travie McCoy, so how do these collaborations come around and do you have a different process from writing for yourself and others?

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Interview

BRUNO MARS “It’s incredible, you know? We write these songs in studio that looks just like this; it’s weird that on the other side of the world it’s reaching all these people.”

Interview - Maxwell Lynas // Photography - Daren Borzynski THE BANTER | 23

Interview

“It is always different, sometimes we just land in the studio and they are working and we just jump in and say ‘hey!’. I have a different process, I can’t sing what the Sugarbabes can sing, so that is the fun part of my job I get to wear different hats and I get to write for a guy like Cee Lo - who is a real “rock n roll” artist - and then I can go do some fun dance stuff with the Sugarbabes. That is the fun part of my gig.”

When Cee Lo Green hit the top of the charts with “Forget You”, a song you co-wrote, do you still feel the same sense of pride that you did when “Just the Way You Are” reached the top of the charts?

“That song needs to be Number One that is one of our favourite songs we’ve ever written and a song like that if it doesn’t go number one or doesn’t make a big impact in the world that lets us know our feeling was wrong and all you really have in the studio is your gut feeling and that proves we were right.”

As Bruno said earlier, he is not an overnight success story, so how did he break into the music business?

“I moved up to California from Hawaii when I was 18 to try and be an artist, the artist thing wasn’t working, I had gotten signed but nothing really happen.

“I had the opportunity to sell one of my records to another label, I didn’t want to be a producer or a songwriter for other people, but when they offered me some money at a time when I was very broke I would have been stupid to say no.

“I told myself I had to put the artist thing on the backburner, because I am broke, let me try this producing sh*t, so I started producing and writing for other acts and I was getting a little more attention just doing that.

“Record labels didn’t want to take a chance on a new artist; 24 | THE BANTER

they’d rather go with what is working or what has worked before, so I was basically crossing my fingers, hoping one day that I’d sing this demo and they’d led me on and take a chance on me and that’s what happened on “Nothing on You”.”

When the record label approached you and offered to buy your song did you see it as an opportunity?

“No, I couldn’t understand why they would want to give my song away, when I produced it, I sang it, I didn’t understand why you’d want to take someone else’s song, who could obviously singing it, you know?”

“So it was a little hard for me but it was the best thing that ever happened to me because the song was sh*t and it got me in that mindset and I now understand a little bit more about the business and about radio.”

“I was too young when all that was going down and I feel like within those couple of years of me writing my own things I really learned what kind of music I wanted to be doing, I got into some really good music to draw from and a lot of different artist to inspire me and I really honed in on what I thought I really wanted to be singing.”

So how will Bruno Mars follow up his recent success, can we expect to see some new music and maybe even a UK Tour?

“I’ve got my second single, which I can’t wait for you guys to hear, called “Grenade” I’m really excited about that one, it is a lot different from what you’ve heard me sing before so I’m excited to see what that does and we are going to be back here in January and February.”

So with a new single and a UK tour already lined up and his album “Doo Wops & Hooligans” set to hit UK stores in the New Year, it seems Bruno isn’t satisfied with things “just the way they are”.

Interview

L

ower Than Atlantis, the Hertfordshire hardcore band, have been tipped for big things, their first full-length album “Far Q”, received positive reviews and some strong word of mouth praise.

In early October Lower Than Atlantis teamed up with The Architects, Norma Jean and Devil Sold His Soul to hit 9 venues across the UK in what was no doubt one of the loudest and heaviest tours of the year.

The Banter caught up with Lower Than Atlantis on the Glasgow leg of the tour to watch the band sound check (nowhere near as glamorous and exciting as it sounds, you have to sit through a lot of people shouting “Check, One, Two” into a microphone for about ten minutes before the band gets to play some songs, which was ultimately pretty cool) and have a chat with lead singer and guitarist Mike Duce about the origins of the band, “Far Q” and the rigours of touring.

Can you give our readers a little background on the band?

“I met Ben (Samson, Lower Than Atlantis’ guitarist) at college, we started a band and thought we were going to make loads of money, we quickly realised that isn’t how it happens at all.

“We sounded like sh*t, which everyone does when they start, we had various line-up changes and then we met Declan (Hart, Bassist) and Eddy (Thrower, Drummer), they were in a band that we toured with.

“Our drummer left, so we got Eddy then we kicked our bass player out and we got Dec in.”

Where did the name Lower Than Atlantis come from?

“The name never really meant anything, we were called “Atlantis” but that sounded like a sh*t pub band name and there is a Gorillaz lyric that says “want to get down lower than Atlantis” so we just took that.

“Now we try and be all arty-farty and say it is a reference to depression or something but it doesn’t mean f*ck all.”

How are some of the main influences for the band?

“Mostly “Dad-Rock” stuff, Foo Fighters, Jimmy Eat World, Smashing Pumpkins and some punk stuff but mainly “Dad-Rock”.”

You have been through some line-up changes, how has this affected the band’s progress?

“Not really because me and Ben always really done everything.”

Your first full-length album, “Far Q” was released in March, has the album succeeded or met expectations?

“It kind of met expectations, I thought we’d get a lot more people saying “it’s sh*t, you aren’t heavy anymore” but most people instead of saying that are saying it is “good but we prefer your older stuff”.”

Tonight is the fourth night of the tour, how was it been going so far? Are you getting along with the other bands?

“It’s been really, really good, we went out with Norma Jean yesterday and hung out, they are wicked guys.

“We’ve been friends with the Architects for a couple of years and Devil Sold His Soul we’ve met before at a couple of festivals.”

You are the opening act tonight, is there a marked difference in being the support act than the headliners?

“There is a lot less pressure but we still go out to win the crowd over as the majority of them will be here to see the headliners.”

What have the band got planned for after this tour?

“We are going to Ireland with The Architects for another tour and after the last day of that tour we drive straight to the studio to record the new album, which is called “World Record” and it’s very good.

“The first single should be out around Valentine’s Day and we’ll be doing a headline tour around February and March.”

I stop the chat with Mike there, as it is not long before Him and his band mates hit the stage.

As Lower Than Atlantis hit the stage, the Glasgow Garage is sparsely populated but this doesn’t deter the band as the launch into their set as if they are playing to a packed room.

The band’s drive and energy attract the latecomers to the stage, who are not long in join in the circle pit that has engulfed the dance floor of the Garage.

Lower Than Atlantis seemed to win over their ever growing crowd as they leave the stage; there is a considerably larger response than the one they receive for their opening track. maxwell lynas

THE BANTER | 25

Interview

i blame coco I

ts inevitable people will think they know Coco (I Blame Coco is the name she gives her band) already.

She’s the daughter of Sting and Trudie Styler, she is regularly pictured looking fashionable with the Geldof sisters and she has some pretty impressive musicians on her friend list. But the real Coco is actually quiet shy and reserved when she picks up the other end of the telephone for the interview.

She’s seems a little uneasy and almost uncomfortable at the idea of speaking to the press, something a little strange for the girl with one of the most talked about debut album of the year to promote.

Photographer // Daren Borzynski

26 | THE BANTER

Interview

Since signing to her record label at the age of 17, everything has been building up to the release of her debut record.

And Coco admits she likes to take her time when it comes to getting the songs sounding just the way she wants them to “in my head I like to keep songs in there for a while and just let them fester and build up. And then I get into the studio and try and make that come to life” Coco describes her debut album ‘The Constant’ as “a dark pop record”. And it’s something of a theme throughout the majority of the record, “The songs have come from a real place of darkness and the music behind it is the feeling of hopefully and exciting” she says, “It’s kind of like a cross between what Depeche Mode were doing and The Cure I think.”

For anyone who heard Coco’s previous singles like ‘Self Machine’ and ‘In Spirit Golden’ is sets the tone of what you think the album might sound like. But in reality the diversity between the songs is something you don’t expect from the singles she’s already released. When asked how she would describe the album, Coco is full of enthusiasm and clearly cannot wait for everyone to hear it, “those two songs Self Machine and In Spirit Golden are the ones that are most alike as they are the upbeat pop songs.” She continues “the rest of the album is darker and parts of it are sinister. I think the mixture of music between Self Machine and the first single Caesar– well that’s where the rest of the album points its head at” And with any new release comes a tour, and for I Blame Coco it’s her first Headline tour. Earlier this year she ventured out with La Roux and says the reaction was better than she expected, “before people came to see La Roux and we were a bit scared we were going to be shouted at and heckled.

But we actually got quite a good reaction when we did the support tour. We never really thought there were going to be anyone there but they were listening in.”

But for the rest of the year, it won’t be a support slot Coco is taking. She will be on the stage headlining each night, and it’s something she seems ready for “I think we’ve got a bit more confidence now because people are there to come and see us, and we reserve all our energy for the live shows” she continues, “Unfortunately albums don’t really sell that much to that many people, so the live show is all we have to hold onto.

We have a lot of energy and we involve the crowd as much as possible. And yeah, it’s just a really fun night. We’re very excited and feeling confident that we’re going to take the UK by the balls, as it was.”

But it’s Scotland, Coco reserves the biggest compliment for, “You do provide a good crowd, a terrific crowd at that. We played the sub club in Glasgow not too long ago. People are just really up for it up there, even if they don’t know the music or not. They always have an amazing time.”

So with the first tour getting underway and the long awaited debut album being released, what’s next for Coco “I think we will be touring up until next year and in between then I will be writing the second record which I’m very excited about and just really looking forward to getting out there”. sarah moyes

The Wanted Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow

Wed13th April

Rumer Classic Grand, Glasgow

Tue 18th January

Pearl & The Puppets Oran Mor, Glasgow

Tue 14th December

Hurts O2 ABC, Glasgow

Friday 4th February

Tinie Tempah O2 ABC, Glasgow

Tue 22nd February

The Saturdays Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow

Sun 6th February

The Pretty Reckless Barrowlands, Glasgow

Mon 13th December

Lissie O2 ABC, Glasgow

Wed 8th December THE BANTER | 27

Interview

Alyce MacPherson interviews Train

28 | THE BANTER

Photo // Daren Borzynski

Interview

U

pon entering the green room at The Lane on Ashton Lane in the West End of Glasgow I was greeted by Patrick Monahan standing next to the door, Jimmy Stafford sitting to my left and Scott Underwood sitting at the back wall. I introduced myself and weirdly enough they introduced themselves also. After the small talk was put aside I sat down next to Jimmy and dove into questioning them, naturally I wanted to know how they were enjoying their first year back together after the hiatus.

Patrick stayed standing but he didn’t impose over the scene, he was relaxed, “Yes, it’s a lot of fun to come back together for the right reasons, y’know we just had a lot of fun making this music and now we get to play music all over the world.”

I pestered them further, I wanted to know what the reason for the hiatus was, I hadn’t heard any rumours and I certainly hadn’t heard any reasons either, Patrick again obliged, “It was Jimmy” to which we all laughed and I turned to Jimmy questioningly. He jokingly sighed and made a bothered face before smiling and explaining that they band just needed a break, after touring for 10 years or more they needed time off, “to regroup and refocus”.

I nodded beginning to understand how this trio worked so well together, they just played off of each other well and they were all so laid back they were practically horizontal. I turned the conversation to the reason for their tour, the new album, Save Me In San Fransisco, the music is a move away from their older albums and I asked them what influenced this.

Scott explained to me that their intention with this album was to go back to sounding like their debut album in 1994, they were looking for “the old stripped down version of Train” and I have to agree that they succeeded in this case.

Their new single and second single released from the album, If It’s Love, saw them collaborating with Pete Wentz on the video and I asked them how it was working with someone with a different musical background to them.

Patrick’s eyes lit up at this point and he was on the verge of gushing. “Pete’s an amazing guy, he’s just a really clean spirit like, when you’re around him you just feel like you wanna stay around him, he’s really magnetic like that.” Patrick then humbly said that they don’t really have a sense of humour so they really borrowed Pete’s on this project.

Train are only playing five UK tour dates which seemed so small for a come back tour, I asked them whether this was out of choice or whether they would have liked to have played more dates. Patrick nodded and pulled a chair out from the table to sit down, “It’s just really time. We go from here to South America then Mexico then finish up at Christmas in the United States. So the plan is just to come back and do more and more and more.

Instead of spending 2 months in Europe we’re gonna come back for like 3 weeks at a time.” If they can keep this promise then it sounds like an amazing plan.

Having not heard a whole lot about the new album I’d done some digging and found out that it had actually been recorded in London, when I brought this up Scott nodded and smiled,

“The producer we chose, his studio is in London so that was the catalyst for going to London. It was really cool for us to go there, to put ourselves in that city. It was just the three of us so we got to bond again, we took three years off so it was nice just to be able to hang out again and bond while making this record. Then we finished the record in San Fransisco.”

I asked whether he felt as though it was a mash of London and San Fransisco as a result of this but Scott enlightened me that everything was already written before they came to London to record but he did say that there was definitely a vibe on the record that they got from being in London, a “retro kind of rock sound”.

Patrick does a lot of crowd participation at the gigs and I asked the band where the idea for The Trainettes came about. Jimmy gave the simple reply “We just love girls” which I didn’t question any further simply because it was a brilliant answer.

I asked about the fact that Patrick takes camera’s out the crowd and takes pictures of himself, I asked if he did it at every gig, Patrick nodded while taking a bite of an apple and explained that he “can’t do it with iPhones though, it’s got to be a regular camera”.

After last night I couldn’t stop thinking about the cover of Dream On that they’d done and wondering why I had never heard it before. Jimmy explained, “Actually Aerosmith asked us to do that song. It was years ago MTV was doing a special on them, like and Aerosmith special where they asked loads of popular bands to go on this show and perform Aerosmith songs in front of Aerosmith.” Apparently the band had already been playing a cover of an Aerosmith song but Steven Tyler called up Patrick and specifically asked him to cover Dream On because he thought the band could really do it justice. What a great name drop, and in fairness, they definitely do the song justice.

Since these guys have been touring since I was a rugrat it would make sense that it might have lost it’s charm by now but Jimmy told me that they’re having more fun that ever.

It was great to hear, so since they’re back to touring and playing together I asked if there was a lot more to come from Train.

Patrick smiled, “Y’know I think, well I hope there’s lots more to come”.

Scott nodded and added, “It feels good, I really feel like our next record is going to be our best record. Better than this one. I feel like doing what we did on this record and trusting in our intuition and our true feelings are writing from the heart. I feel like with the right attitude we could make an epic record.”

I felt like this was an excellent point at which to wrap up my talk time with the guys and as I was saying goodbye and thanking them Scott presented me with a pineapple.

Possibly the weirdest interview hands down just due to this one last act but it was a tasty pineapple.

THE BANTER | 29

Interview “It’s amazing, you hear such inspiring stories about what music can do. You hear from people in war torn parts of the world about how music has got them through dreadful periods of their lives. I get tweets and messages all the time from people telling me how a song of mine has helped them, and that’s not even why you sat down to write it.”

KT TUNSTALL Nature techno, “Where the Wild Things Are” and using her music for good...Louise-Anne Geddes chats to KT Tunstall about her new album ‘Tiger Suit’, her creative process and her love for Nordoff Robbins, a charity for music therapy...

Photographer: Simon Emmett

30 | THE BANTER

Interview

“N

ordoff Robbins is something that EMI have been deeply involved with for quite a long time. It’s very obvious when an organisation is doing something that’s having a very positive effect so it’s a bit of a no brainer to get involved. It’s when you see something really well organised like this that you think it’s worth the time” As an ambassador for the charity, which has proposed a music therapy centre in Glasgow, KT feels that using her music to help others has inspired her.

“It’s amazing, you hear such inspiring stories about what music can do. You hear from people in war torn parts of the world about how music has got them through dreadful periods of their lives. I gets tweets and messages all the time from people telling me how a song of mine has helped them, and that’s not even why you sat down to write it. It’s like this amazing by product, and you end up pleasing yourself that you’ve been able to please other people. When it comes to kids, there’s that added difficulty that they’ve not really got a way of expressing themselves sometimes, or they’ve not got a way of communicating and I just think it’s a wonderful thing that music can often say something for you that you’re finding really difficult to say” Having experience of those who have benefitted from music therapy, I couldn’t have put it better myself. KT has also supported the environmental charity, Survival International over the years and was also part of the Cape Farewell project, living on a boat with musicians, artists and writers who were invited to make their own response to climate change. How does she feel that she can use her celebrity status to help?

“It feels like you are sort of lending something that you do to people who are dedicating themselves to something really important. It’s really brilliant to get an opportunity to contribute towards something important, and that there are people who can take what you do and put it to use” ‘Tiger Suit’, KT’s 3rd album is described as ‘nature techno’, a genre I’ve never encountered before, and she laughs when I ask her to define it.

“It’s basically the concept for making the album, but it’s not a techno album! The way I said it to the producer Jim Abbiss was that I wanted to sound like Eddi Cochrane working with Leftfield. ‘Leftism’ is one of my favourite albums, and I love the way they crafted it together. The instruments are so raw, so real but they have these massive beats! I was really into dance music when I was younger, and when I first started out I was going to do a combo with someone doing programme beats and I would sing my songs. In the end I just didn’t have the money to buy reliable equipment for gigs so I just used my guitar and then kind of went off the idea” After marrying her drummer Luke Bullen, he and KT went travelling in Chile, India and the Galapagos Islands, and she admits that the trip made her aware of primality, and she

realised she was still ‘feral’, which was something of an inspiration for ‘Tiger Suit’ , which followed after her yearlong break: “I realised that dancing round a campfire is, at least for me a really similar feeling to dancing in a club. It’s definitely connected to something very primal, about how you feel when you feel that beat, so it’s really about clubbing around the campfire!”

As the album is based on a childhood dream, where KT sees a tiger in her garden, strokes it, goes back inside and suddenly realises what she has done and that she could have been killed.

She then realises that the tiger was so passive because it was a projection of herself wearing a tiger suit. Was this album more personal for her than ‘Eye to the Telescope’ and ‘Drastic Fantastic’, being based on an intimate dream?

“I think the first 2 are as personal, but I think that I’ve made great steps on a personal level in terms of expressing myself and I really think that I dug very deep with this album to excavate expressing myself in a very personal way, writing material which was very meaningful to me. I ended up feeling quite liberated; it was a very liberating experience making the record, creatively and personally. I ended up being able to stop really caring about what anybody wanted from me. I just want to make music that excites me, and that’s what I ended up doing, which was a huge step forward. It brought out a wilder streak in me which feels quite new” The first single from the album, ‘Still a weirdo’ is one which has struck a chord with many people. It shows a softer side to Tunstall, and writing the song was a process where she dug pretty deep: “For me, it was one of those rare moments when you can get a subjective view of yourself. Particularly going through the interview process as a musician, you have to answer questions which you wouldn’t ask yourself and you make statements which you don’t necessarily feel represent you. You can say things which get put down in print and a week later you don’t feel like that anymore. I think it’s really easy to make sweeping generalisations about who you are, but that can change all the time. It was just one of those moments when I could see myself and say ‘well, actually I think I’ve got this a bit wrong, and I’m not quite who I thought I was’” Given the particularly personal nature of ‘Tiger Suit’, KT talks about her vulnerability on stage, for surely exposing yourself so entirely as she seems to do must be a daunting task: “That’s partly why the albums called ‘Tiger Suit’ as well. Some people use characters on stage, which I love watching, like David Bowie being the hero of that, but I’ve always wanted to be on stage just as myself but I realised that it’s not just as simple as that. You do sort of put this armour on, this Joan of Arc armour to go out and be a warrioress and rule your world at that time. I’ve never found going on stage difficult, but you THE BANTER | 31

Interview

RUMER want to go on and be who you want to be. You don’t want to leave it to chance and maybe go on and be a bit crap. Where the Wild Things Are was my favourite book as a kid, and I just feel that if Max wasn’t wearing his wolf suit he’d be mince!

Attitude is so important to him, and so that’s what happens when you get on stage and you’ve got a bit of protection on.

But it was really important to me to take that off to write the songs” Strong women seem to be the order of the day for KT, having recruited former Ash guitarist Charlotte Hatherley (who she describes as a ‘shit hot guitarist’) to her band and working with songwriter Linda Perry, who was formerly part of 4 Non Blondes, and has written for Christina Aguilera: “She was a trip, she was brilliant and I’ve made very firm friends with her. She’s one of very very few women in the world of production; she’s got her own incredible studio. She gave me advice at a really needed time. I was in the middle of a confidence crisis about whether I was going to manage to do what I wanted to do. She’s just pure rock and roll, and attitude.”

It sounds like interesting times are ahead for KT, with the release of the album and of course her tour which will see her play familiar venues including Glasgow Barrowlands. So what can we expect next from the award winning singer/songwriter?

“Well, I like to think that when you make an album it takes you out, rather that you taking it out. It shows you what’s possible.

It’s like a big Narnia wardrobe when you bring out an album, you have no idea what’s going to happen, so I’m just excited to see where it takes me” 32 | THE BANTER

R

umer’s music is a map of her life so far. It’s laced with strong traditional folk roots, something that comes as no real surprise from the girl who spent her first few years of her life living in Pakistan. With no television and newspapers to shape her life, Rumer grew up with the sounds of the community where her family lived. And it’s evident it’s played a strong role on the backdrop of her record.

Her debut album ‘Seasons of My Soul’ is a mixture of the past 31 years. It mixes her roots from growing up abroad with her first taste of English life as she discovered musicals and films.

And pulling in influences from Kate Bush, Pasty Kline and Judy Garland is easy to see why Rumer has managed to deliver such a terrific first album. But it also touches on heartache, with her mother’s death playing a prominent role on the emotional track ‘Healer’.

But if it hadn’t have been for the world of Facebook, Rumer would never have got signed. Unlike some artists who upload music, invite all their friends to like them and then spread the word through daily updates. Rumer was spotted by her future manager without her even knowing. It all started when her soon to be manager posted “Who Is The Most Underrated Person You Know?” and five random people who didn’t know each other or Rumer replied giving her name. And without those 5 people, Rumer might not be where she is today.

For anyone that hasn’t heard Rumer’s music, it’s a journey down the life of a 31 year old who has experienced a lot in her short life. Humble, warm and enchanting her music will soon become the soundtrack to your life too.

sarah moyes

Music

TRAVIE MCCOY/BRUNO MARS The Garage GIG REVIEW I have to admit when it comes to mainstream or chart music I tend to live under a rock, before he came on stage I knew very little about Bruno Mars, other than he sang “Billionaire” with Travie McCoy and I heard about his recent run in with the Las Vegas Police Department, and I probably would have struggled to name one of his songs but the rest of the Glasgow Garage definitely know a lot about Bruno Mars and he’s greeted with a reception that is usually saved for one of those ridiculous Twilight “stars”.

After regaining some of my hearing, Bruno Mars is a pleasant surprise and the crowd absolutely love the little Hawaiian, and he rewards the crowd with two choice tracks, “The Other Side” and “Our First Time”, off of his upcoming debut album “Doo-Wops & Hooligans”, and a unique cover of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” which seems to have a little “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Seven Nation Army” thrown in.

He finishes up with a version of B.o.B’s and his hit “Nothing on You” and his own number one single “Just the Way You Are” and it turns out I actually did know of Bruno Mars, I just didn’t know it.

After Bruno Mars’ Twilight-esque reception, I was slight worried that the main man Travie McCoy might struggle to follow it, but boy was I wrong, and I have no doubt that that won’t be the last time either.

The roof was blown off of the Garage, figuratively of course, when Travie and his band “The Lazarus Project” hit the stage with “Akidagain”.

Travie followed up with “Superbad” and “Critical”, in between chatting with the crowd and professing his love of Strongbow, funnily enough Glasgow was the first place he ever tasted it, not sure what that says about Glasgow but never mind.

After showing the crowd some of his dance moves including his take on the infamous “Carlton”, Travie got Bruno Mars to join him on stage to unleash their monster hit “Billionaire”, this somewhat took me by surprise, being a massive cynic I assumed this would be played last, but it was a great surprise and the crowd lapped it up, Travie and Bruno could have stood there and not sung a single word as the sold-out crowd sing-along was thunderous.

“Billionaire” was quickly followed up by “Dr. Feel Good” and an incredible performance of Travie’s latest single “We’ll Be Alright”, which samples Supergrass’ “Alright” and this had the crowd once again singing along.

“Don’t Pretend” and “Need You” preceded a short encore before Travie and his band came back on to blow the crowd away with “After Midnight” and round off a ballin’ Saturday night at the Glasgow Garage. maxwell lynas

THE BANTER | 33

Music THE DIVINE COMEDY Oran Mor, Glasgow GIG REVIEW

Photo // kate chambers

Neil Hannon strolls on stage. He wears a dishevelled black suit, topped with a bowler hat. He holds a mahogany pipe to his lips whilst his other hand swirls a glass of lemon water. Taking a seat at the piano, he glances out into the crowded Oran Mor basement and smiles. “Well, fancy meeting you here!” He laughs and bursts into his opening number, like some eccentric old uncle at a family party. ‘Assume The Perpendicular’ instantly makes the room come alive. The song urges people to live life to the fullest, with the line “Jump up and down, make funny little sounds.” The line is taken literally. Everyone is dancing. Strangers are suddenly friends, united by their love of The Divine Comedy and are already laughing and singing together.

From then on, Neil Hannon holds the audience in the palm of his hand. The crowd is made up of predominately older people who seem to have been following Hannon for quite a few years. They know every single word. In some cases, Hannon’s tenor voice is lost in a sea of Glaswegian accents. Between songs, fans make references to previous gigs and everyone laughs like we are all old friends. It is such a bizarre but captivating atmosphere. You wouldn’t expect anything less from The Divine Comedy.

Since 1989, Neil Hannon has been The Divine Comedy and has been making strangely amazing music for his adoring fans. There is no recurring theme within Neil Hannon’s songs; each one is its own entity, its own three minute story with a principle. It takes a real musical enigma to cram a novels-worth of description into one song and make it work. ‘A Lady of a Certain Age’ tells the tender story of lost youth while ‘The Complete Banker’ hits out at the financial sector. Hannon is so engaging, his lyrics so witty and his music so theatrical.

Neil Hannon is the most unconventional entertainer. Although he appears a little dizzy, he is actually sharp as a tack. On ‘The Frog Princess’, the audience are split by gender and Hannon orders everyone to participate; the men humming the French national anthem first then the women harmonising with them. For some unexplainable reason, it works. Just like The Divine Comedy, unexplainable but undeniably brilliant.

The night ends with ‘National Express’, perhaps Hannon’s most commercial song. He advises us to “Take the National Express when your life’s in a mess, it will make you smile.” The room of middle-aged, die-hard fans explode with delight. The whole room is singing. After a few verses, Neil Hannon gives in and lets his crowd sing the rest as he looks on, laughing. kate chambers

FYFE DANGERFIELD/THE BOY WHO TRAPPED THE SUN Oran Mor, Glasgow GIG REVIEW

The Boy Who Trapped The Sun opened proceedings and his wonderful brand of folk, blues and pop saw his set blow by. The crowd lapped up latest single, Katy, as the new full band delivered a fantastic live sound. The highlight of the night was Home, with its blues leanings showing the versatility of this great Scottish prospect. Fyfe Dangerfield followed and played a mammoth one hour and thirty minute set. Due to the amount of stripped down sections the concert seemed to drag a bit in places, but these interludes also served to highlight how searching a voice Fyfe has, particularly when a rendition of Beatles classic Fool On The Hill was followed by Guillemots track If The World Ends.

The second half of the set saw the tempo stepped up and tracks entering territory where this talented singer-songwriter excels.

When You Walk In The Room and She Needs Me gave the end of the gig a massive lift as some of the finest moments from Fly Yellow Moon were unleashed.

The encore saw a fantastic rendition of Guillemots classic Made Up Love Song #43 with Fyfe going to town on the vocals, before we finished where we started with a rendition of Faster Than The Setting Sun - this time with full band.

Chris Hay

34 | THE BANTER

Music TRAIN O2 ABC, Glasgow GIG REVIEW

The ABC was as packed as I had ever seen it when a gig was being played, and there was such a huge age range as well.

Support act AM was already on stage and doing a great job of entertaining the crowd. There was such a chilled out vibe unlike most other gigs I’ve been to, everyone was paying attention to the music but milling about, chatting to friends, it was like one big house party (except people were congregating in the bar, not the kitchen).

Train’s entrance onto the stage was marked by the sound of a steam engine and the cheering of the crowd, they opened with the song “Parachute” from their new album “Save Me San Fransisco” which was followed up with “Get To Me” and then their second single ever released, “Meet Virginia”. The crowd were then treated to a country song which I didn’t recognise but it seemed to go down very well with the crowd!

The band then invited seven girls up on stage to dance with them to their next song, and fan favourite, She’s On Fire. The girls were presented with t-shirts emblazoned with The Trainettes and then were encouraged to dance around and sing with Patrick as the band played. Train truly are a band who use the crowd to make their performances the best they can be and the crowd appreciate it so much, you can tell just from the atmosphere at one of their gigs.

After two more songs Patrick announces that he’d just like to try singing the start off this song off mic if that’s okay with everyone, which of course, the crowd cheers for.

The opening of When I Look To The Sky was even more amazing when sung off mic and in the acoustics of the Glasgow ABC. In the small break before the chorus the crowd clapped and whistled for Patrick’s vocal skills and he smiled broadly to show his appreciation before blasting into the chorus back on the mic, which in comparison, simply did not sound as good any more.

Train then launched out their huge hit, Calling All Angels which was somewhat of a special moment where everyone got out their phones’ and used them in a lighter effect, at Patrick’s request. Admittedly, nothing will ever out do the lighters out at a gig but those days are, unfortunately, long gone thanks to health and safety. It was still a lovely moment regardless though.

After a three more songs from, one of which being the single that gives their new album it’s title, Save Me San Fransisco, there was an acapella intro to Soul Sister in which the crowd joined in before the band launched into the song properly. By this point a majority of the crowd was very merry and so this song was accompanied by much dancing and singing in any key which the person could find. None the less, one of the best songs they played, simply because it got the whole of the ABC moving.

After the last note of Soul Sister was sang the band exited the stage to the inevitable chant of “one more song” that you cannot avoid at a gig in Glasgow.

Train, of course, obliged with their chanting fans and came back on stage to play probably their best known song, Drops Of Jupiter which was simply a huge sing along, reminiscent of many house parties when this would be

sung to the rafters at 2am. We thought Train couldn’t top themselves after this but they went on to play another encore, their cover of Dream On, which really showed of Patrick’s amazing vocal talents.

Weirdly enough Train finished off the evening by playing two song requests from the crowd. Train are definitely a unique band with truly memorable performances. Well worth the wait and more than definitely worth the ticket price (and extortionate drinks). alyce macpherson

MAYDAY PARADE The Garage, Glasgow GIG REVIEW

As this was only Mayday Parade’s third appearance in the UK it came as somewhat of a surprise to me that it was a sold out gig.

On a school night too!

Mayday Parade stormed the stage with “Walk on Water or Drown” and instantly the whole of the Garage was singing along with front man Derek Sanders then the band made the obligatory small talk with the crowd ensuring them that they adored Glasgow.

After a few more well loved songs as well as new material Derek was left on stage with a keyboard and there was a precious moment while he played “Miserable at Best” which saw perhaps the nicest crowd sing-a-long I have ever had the pleasure of being party to.

Once the band rejoined Derek on stage they kicked off with another new song and then an oldie “Three Cheers For Five Years” which they followed this up with their new single “Anywhere But Here” which even saw a decent sized mosh pit form in the centre of the crowd. It was one of the least violent pits I’ve ever seen but the thought was there none the less.

When the band left the stage the crowd chanted for “one more tune” and they appeared back on stage to play probably the best known song from their debut album, “You Be The Anchor That Keeps My Feet On The Ground And I’ll Be The Wings That Keep Your Heart In The Sky” (Try putting that as your msn display name).

The band finished up by saying that it’d been two years since they’d been in the UK and promising that it definitely would not be that long again. Let’s hope not.

alyce macpherson

THE BANTER | 35

Music KATE NASH O2 ABC, Glasgow GIG REVIEW

WITH granny chic hair, a sleek suit and standing under the biggest disco ball in the world, Mark Ronson couldn’t have been more in his element as he emerged on the ABC stage.

The uber producer and his band The Business International - who include Alex Greenwald of Phantom Planet fame, MNDR, a keyboard player with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and former Pipette Rose Elinor Dougall - oozed coolness as they got stuck into their sexy synth 80s style pop .

Apologizing to fans for swearing profusely throughout the gig, Mr Ronson tore into tracks from his new album Record Collection.

Teaming up with Alex Greenwald on the catchy electro-pop track ‘You Gave Me Nothing’, the predominantly fashion conscious crowd gave Ronson a nod of approval by throwing some crazy shapes on the dance floor.

Critics who’ve reviewed his album have not held back in slagging Ronson’s attempts at singing on the new album but the ABC crowd would’ve begged to differ, with deafening whistles accompanying his vocals on Lose It (In the End).

However, perhaps it was the unknown songs on the new album or that people were tired after their week at work (it was a Friday night after all) but halfway through the gig the crowd felt like they weren’t really feeling the new tracks.

It was only when the more well known Ronson hits reverberated through the venue that the crowd erupted into dance with Rose Elinor Dougall delivering a deliciously sultry version of ‘Oh My God’ and Alex Greenwald’s performance of ‘Just’ kept the energy levels up.

A sixties style cover of Coldplay’s ‘God Put a Smile Upon Your Face’ was also an instant hit with the audience.

Wearing knock-out spectacles and a chunky hip hop style chain, MNDR, lapped up the crowds ecstatic reaction as they shouted “un, deux, trios” to the brilliant ‘Bang Bang Bang’.

A roar of respect swept through the crowd when Kyle Falconer of The View walked on stage, sending the crowd into a frenzy as he launched into the recent hit ‘The Bike Song’.

No Mark Ronson gig would be complete without a rendition of the infamous ‘Valerie’ and surprisingly Falconer’s exceptional vocals suited the track down to a T. And judging by the merry crowd leaving the venue and sprawling out onto Sauchiehall Street still singing “Why don’t you come on over Valerie”, it can be said that Ronson and The Business International are indeed the business.

Strutting onto the ABC stage with her razor sharp fringe, pouty red lips and kooky black and white dress, it is clear that Kate Nash has grown up and is ready to whip Glasgow’s ass.

It has been three years since Miss Nash first took the charts by storm with her head turning husky vocals on debut album ‘Made of Bricks’.

And now standing on a dreamy stage adorned with floating umbrellas and clouds, the 23-year-old donned her guitar, smiling sweetly at the young crowd and gets to work.

Opening the show with ‘I Just Love You More’ a track from her new album ‘My Best Friend is You’, sees Nash seductively chant ‘I Just Love You More’ before ripping into frustrated screams giving the song a sort of ‘Blondie’ inspired hard edge.

Slowing the pace a little with ‘Kiss That Grrrl’, a track that wouldn’t be out of place in Grease with its distinctive rock and roll feel, the crowd, mostly fashionable youngsters, sway their arms side to side. Walking over to the piano which has been artistically disguised as a cloud with shiny baubles, heads bob up and down excitedly as the first chord of ‘Mouthwash’ is struck, the massive hit from her first album.

Returning to her new songs, Nash throws herself into ‘Do-Wah-Do’ a song that no-doubt every girl can relate to about a girl who attracts a lot of male attention but who as Kate puts it at the end of the song is a “bitch”.

Talking at ease to the audience and paying compliments like “I love your panda hat” to a fan, Kate’s down to earth nature adds to the relaxed feel at the gig.

So relaxed in fact that she announces that it is her cousin’s birthday and brings him onto the stage to blow out the candles on his cake.

Proving she’s not just a singer, Nash makes her disdain clear about eating disorders and the promotion of size zero models before shouting “F*c* the magazines” to huge cheers before launching into ‘Skeleton.’

Another triumph on her new album is ‘I Hate Seagulls’ the most simple yet touching love song which sends goosebumps through the crowd.

Telling the fans they have been “effing brilliant”, Nash moved towards the piano and ripped into ‘Pumpkin Soup’, huskily singing “I just want your kiss boy” before jumping on top of the instrument and stamping on it with her feet to deafening whistles and cheers.

With an honesty to her songs that is still as fresh as her first album, a voice that sends shivers down your spine and now a more sultry image, Nash has to be applauded.

And in a music industry that is as tough as ever Kate Nash proves that she is ‘Made of Bricks.’

rosemary lowne

rosemary lowne

MARK RONSON O2 ABC, Glasgow GIG REVIEW

36 | THE BANTER

Music I BLAME COCO King Tuts GIG REVIEW

For many people I Blame Coco is still a bit of a mystery. On the one hand her dad is Sting, which is still a little weird. And as much as you try to forget she is the daughter of the police man, it still lingers in the back of your mind when you hear/see her play. But Sting aside; she has produced one of the best debut records of the year and is on the road to prove herself as a live artist.

Tonight Glasgow came out to celebrate ‘The Constant’ being released. Despite the fact the record comes out in November, Coco’s first headline tour is a chance to play the previous singles live and preview some of the new tracks which the fans are yet to hear.

But for this kind of celebration Coco remains quiet between songs, and isn’t what you think of a singer which such a big reason to celebrate in the city tonight. But the reserved singer still manages to storm through her singles, which prove to be the highlights of the gig. There’s no way anyone in the room can doubt her talent when ‘Self Machine’ and ‘In Spirit Golden’ fill every corner of the room. Both songs are perfectly formed and perfectly polished pop songs which she delivers to a venue crammed with her most loyal fans. And these fans, while might not being going wild in the audience, are certainly loving the set tonight.

‘Summer Rain’ is possibly the best track on the album and one that despite having been played live before is still fairly unknown.

It draws you in straight away, and stands out from every other song Coco has put on this record. Apart from the obvious single choices among the highlights tonight, it’s likely that ‘Summer Rain’ will remain a live favourite until the next time Coco and her band grace a stage in Glasgow.

For those who ever doubted Coco as nothing more than they daughter of a famous singer who got lucky (remember when Kelly Osbourne released her first album?) tonight proved once and for all, Coco might just be one of the most exciting acts on the live music scene at the moment. sarah moyes

3OH!3 The Garage, Glasgow GIG REVIEW

As soon as the first thumping beats of Starstrukk began it was clear 3OH!3 meant business. Opening with one of your most successful singles is a no-brainer but when the track is as strong as Starstrukk it sets the tone for the night, ferocious and fun. Returning to Scotland for the third time in two years (this includes a spot at this year’s T in the Park) the dance pop duo from Boulder, Colorado did not let down their reputation as hyperactive performers.

Their set ranged from pop based Starstrukk to hip hop influenced Punk Bitch which caused a flurry of fists in the air and a chorus of Scots roaring “punk bitch!” This was encouraged as 3OH!3 are all about audience participation. They engaged in crowd air high fives and relished Scotland’s traditional song break chant of “Here we, here we, here we fuckin’ go!” New single Double Vision was met with an audience sing-a-long and showed that 3OH!3 can make a good straight pop track without any harsh lyrics and outlandish bravado. Although neither singer is especially gifted vocally, it is clear that Sean

Foreman has enough power in his pipes to support the blaring in your face songs such as I’m Not Your Boyfriend and calmer tracks such as Colorado Sunrise (which was also treated to an interpretive dance by Foreman).

The fast pace of the gig was sustained throughout with a good mix of singles and lesser known album tracks and a bit of banter from the band thrown in for good measure. This included Nathaniel Motte (the other half of 3OH!3) introducing Foreman’s brief stand up comedy act. Although it is hard to find an organic sound on their album the duo were backed by a full band benefitting the gig’s sound as a whole.

This was highlighted during their encore, the normally very dance pop sounding Dont’ Trust Me. The live band gave the track another dimension and had Foreman and Motte bounding between them across the stage without missing a lyric.

This was the same for the majority of the gig making 3OH!3 an at times ridiculous but always entertaining watch. anna gault

THE BANTER | 37

Music

CARL BARAT Oran Mor GIG REVIEW

STUCK next to hundreds of jumping men throwing plastic cups of beer (or at least I hope it was beer) was a particularly apt atmosphere for Carl Barat - the ex Libertine frontman and sparring partner of Pete Doherty.

Swaggering on stage clad in a leather bomber jacket but minus his guitar, Barat kicked off the riotous show with Je Regrette, Je Regrette and Run With The Boys, both of which have a distinctive Libertine feel to them.

Giving the lively crowd a bit of a breather, ‘So Long My Lover’,saw hundreds of sweaty guys sing “I was reckless, you were free, I took you round the world with me. So holy together. No Devils could tear us apart.”

Listening to the crowd chanting for The Libertine’s and Dirty Pretty Things songs Barat again got the whole venue bouncing as he launched into The Man Who Would Be King, Up The Bracket, Bang Bang You’re Dead and Time For Heroes.

Appearing back on stage for an encore, Barat tore into ‘Don’t Look Back Into The Sun’ causing a sea of crowd surfing and some mental dancing.

Although he may still be living in the shadows of The Libertine’s and Dirty Pretty Things, Barat has proved that he can go it alone and judging by the smell of sweat circulating the venue at the end of the night his fans would also agree. rosemary lowne

EXAMPLE King Tuts GIG REVIEW

While on my way to the ABC, it dawned on me that summer has been and is well and truly gone now. What brought on this revelation you may wonder?

Well, it was the fact that it was already dark when I set off to the ABC. Nothing depresses me more than when the dark nights start to draw in - well maybe that’s a little melodramatic, but I am trying to make a point here!

As I made my way to see Example - who if am honest I didn’t really know much about and had only heard “Kickstarts” once maybe twice at a push up until that point - I didn’t really know what to expect.

So, as I walked into this unknown territory, a welcome sign soon comforted me: it isn’t just a good omen to see two girls in tears being flung out on entering a venue; it is the definitive precursor of a good night out.

Moving on from the “Security Nazis” of the ABC, Example exploded on stage with “Won’t Go Quietly” then followed it up with a quick one-two of “Time Machine” and “Me and Mandy”.

The ABC was bouncing to what can be described as a soundtrack to two-weeks of partying in the sun in Magaluf.

Example has the Glasgow crowd in the palm of his hand.

They were eating it up, joining in with massive sing-alongs, 38 | THE BANTER

bouncing up and down, following Example’s every command.

Whether it be to “get their hands up in the air” or to sway or to scream, the crowd duly obliged .

Up next were “Hooligans”, “Sick Note” and “From Space” and kept the crowd jumping around and dancing, before the next mass sing-along - “Dirty Face” which includes the marvellous line: “Only one way you can see my place, put on your dirty face”.

“Two Lives”, “See the Sea” and “Watch the Sun Come Up” kept the crowd going until the dreaded two minute wait for the encore every band does now. If there is one thing I hate it is the pointless build-up to an encore – it is obvious they will come back on and everyone knows this as they haven’t played their biggest song yet...urgh!

Ranting aside, Example banishes all thoughts of stupid encores to the back of my mind with a closing flurry of “Last Ones Standing” and an epic “Kickstarts” to which the crowd erupts into the biggest sing-along of the night.

Tonight Example surpassed my expectations and managed to cast away those oncoming dark nights as he squeezed every last ray of sunshine out of his feel-good summer sound to send the Glasgow crowd out into the cold with at least a smile on their face. maxwell lynas

Interview

By David Russell

T

he music press have gone crazy for Local Natives since their first album, Gorilla Manor, catapulted them onto the scene late last year. The five-piece from Silver Lake, Los Angeles have built up a huge following in the US, and their UK audience is set to snowball in November as their incessant tour schedule sees them cross the Atlantic for the fourth time.

Calling from Philadelphia and gearing up for tomorrow night’s show, Local Natives drummer Matt Frasier took some time out to talk to The Banter about suddenly becoming the most sought-after band in the indie world.

“This really has been our year. Since the album dropped in November last year, we’ve just been getting bigger and bigger in the US and in the UK. We’ve played bigger venues on this tour than ever before – it’s really exciting.”

Between their press releases and Wikipedia page, Local Natives’ sound has been described as “afro-pop influenced guitars with hyperactive drumming and hooky three-part harmonies” and as “psych-folk, or modern worldly folk”. I asked Matt to describe the band’s sound more simply – in just three words.

“I dunno... three words... it’s not really a matter of words. I don’t think it’s my place to try to sum up the music in words.”

Local Natives wrote and recorded the album while living together under the same roof. Matt believes this is the reason the band managed to create a signature, cohesive sound.

“The band spend so much time working together – and being able to just go down the hall in the middle of the night when you had an idea for a song, instead of the more traditional ‘let’s meet at a certain time each week’, definitely worked for us.”

But surely it wasn’t all fun and games when it came to collaboration?

“Don’t get me wrong – when working together, we had to take every song on a case by case basis. We had disagreements and some ideas weren’t used, but the band works as a democracy.”

And it’s not just the music Local Natives collaborate on – they

are also fully in charge of their image and visual branding, including production of the album art. This, Matt said, was a natural step for the band, since they have backgrounds in graphic design and are “nitpicky control-freaks – but in the best possible way”.

Plenty of bands struggle to retain their creative control when it comes to signing with a label – however, Local Natives never had to compromise.

“We did our research,” Matt says, “we had an idea of what we wanted from a label, spent a couple of months debating, and didn’t really have to fight for control.”

Local Natives are now signed with Infectious Records in the UK, home of another of this year’s huge bands, The Temper Trap. This of course leads to association with other big bands on the scene. Matt fully welcomes the comparisons to more established bands – especially Arcade Fire, Fleet Foxes and the ubiquitous Vampire Weekend.

“These bands we’re compared to are massive. When we were first compared to them, it was a little nerve wracking – those names are a lot to live up to – but they have big fan bases and more people will hear about us. It doesn’t matter how we get into people’s ears.”

With a sound so distinctly 2010, matching black skinny jeans and check shirts in clashing colours, fans might worry their new favourite band is a flash in the pan, but Matt firmly believes Local Natives have staying power.

“We are very creative as a band and our sound is still evolving. I hope this is a band for life – I can even imagine having released 15 albums 20 years from now.”

Oh, and as for the stage clothes, Matt says though the band follows fashions; their on-stage image is not too carefully planned: “we tend to play in what we wear on the street – whichever shirt is cleanest that night.”

THE BANTER | 39

Interview

A

ustralian indie-folksters, Angus and Julia Stone, are something of an unknown entity around these parts. Despite having a platinum selling No. 1 album in their homeland, mainstream success in the UK seems to have evaded them thus far. It is clear, however, that the Antipodean siblings are far from fazed. In fact, the opportunity for adventure that their relatively low profile allows is often far more appealing than universal acclaim. Having toured the highlands of Scotland in late 2007, they quickly discovered that destinations like Stornoway and Mull, more famous for their farmers than their rock stars, often provided a much more intimate and fulfilling musical experience than the sticky floors of the big city arenas “You just feel a sense of home”, explains Julia. “You’re kind of being welcomed into something really unique and special and you don’t necessarily get that kind of behaviour at more common music venues in the big cities.”

That same sense of welcome has seen the Stones (no, not them...) develop an undying fondness for all things Scottish. Having moved to London as young, aspiring musicians, it was a certain Fran Healy, darling of Scottish indie-pop and all round good guy, that first recognised their undeniable talent.

“Fran was the most genuine and loving person towards us”, Julia enthuses. “Angus had just turned twenty before we came to London so we were real babies and Fran just took us in and made us cups of tea. He reinforced that what we were doing was necessary and he wanted to be a part of that by helping us in any way that he could. Everything he has done, from our first meeting onwards, has been positive and kind and he’s never done anything but make us feel welcome. From that meeting with him and spending time in Glasgow, I’ve always loved Scotland and Scottish people. It’s a really lovely country.”

Throughout a nomadic career spent almost entirely on the road, the unwavering support from home remains steadfast. Despite packing up and moving to London in search of success, it seems that Australia has far from forgotten its favourite ex-pats.

“We definitely make a point of going back to Australia every couple of years to tour”, she explains. “I suppose it feels really heart-warming. Australia has really loved us from a distance and I feel like they really care about me and Angus.

Going home is really nice because the family is there and we have a lot of memories in different places around Australia, we have friends there.”

Siblings and pop music have always gone hand in hand. Look no further than Scotland’s very own purveyors of cool, The Proclaimers, or … eh… Jedward. Naturally, family is important to Angus and Julia. Not only is it what draws them together, it often threatens to tear them apart.

“When we started out it was pretty difficult”, Julia reveals. “We were brother and sister in the real sense; totally pissing each other off and really playing out the bad behaviour from the past. I was the older, controlling, bossy sister and Angus was the bratty younger brother. We were totally immature idiots and there was constantly the sense that we were not going to be doing it for very long.”

Having spent the better part of two years living, and bickering, in each other’s pockets, the pair took a much needed break prior to the release of their latest album, ‘Down the Way’; Angus replacing his guitar with a surf board and Julia immersing herself in the New York folk scene. Time apart was time well spent, it seems.

“When we got back together it was like we were different people. Ever since then it’s been pretty easy”, she states, almost disbelievingly. “Things are so smooth now. We just don’t piss each other off anymore. It’s like we actually have become friends. It’s just really, really easy. It’s been a long time coming but I’m happy to say that he’s a friend of mine now, not just a brother.”

It’s been a bumpy ride for Angus and Julia Stone, and yet they are clearly a band in love with making music, in love with each other and (most importantly) in love with Scotland. Their undeniable talent for writing gloriously crafted, beautifully delicate folk songs would suggest that it’s not long before Scotland falls in love with them.” jack mckenna

40 | THE BANTER

Interview

THE BANTER | 41

Interview

***WARNING – The following article may contain an enormous amount of gushing, positive adjectives, hyperbole, compliments and a subtle trace of a man-crush***

By Maxwell Lynas

42 | THE BANTER

Interview To find out you are going to be interviewing one of your idols is a very cool thing. But to find this out a little over two hours before the interview is due to take place is a scary and insane situation. Especially when your idol is ridiculously famous, and usually splashed all over world famous music magazines such as Kerrang!, NME and Rolling Stone as the face of one of the biggest bands in the world and is no stranger to gracing the pages of gossip magazines, where he is frequently snapped with his beautiful wife Ashlee Simpson and his 2-year-old, Bronx.

I am of course talking about the former Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz.

With Fall Out Boy taking an “indefinite hiatus”, Pete Wentz has brought together a new band called Black Cards. Members include Spencer Peterson (Drummer), Nate Patterson (Guitarist) and Bebe Rexha, an unknown amateur singer recruited by Pete after he heard her sing in the recording studio adjacent to his.

Pete has brought Black Cards to Europe for a brief 5-date tour. Glasgow will play host to the first Black Card gig outside of the United States.

The two hours that preceded the interview were pretty much a mad dash. It involved manically writing questions that weren’t gushing just about how awesome Pete is and how he gets his hair so straight. Stuffing my dinner down my throat. Tweeting “In what can only be described as a series of whirlwind events I about to interview Pete Wentz (@petewentz). I am really nervous!!!!!” and then speeding along the M8 to get to the venue on time for the interview.

Pete’s Tour manager made the introductions. The first thing Pete says to me is “I saw your tweet; there is no need to be nervous.”

I would like to say I said something really funny or witty or that I even gave a coherent reply but I don’t really remember.

It was mostly likely I just mumbled some incoherent words due to my state of shock and awe.

After some fumbling with my recorder I steadied myself and began to interview one of my idols...

Tonight’s show is the first date of the Black Card’s UK tour, are you excited? Nervous? Do you feel a pressure before performing?

“Yea, I am definitely nervous and excited. It is strange that I am going back to play venues that I played before a long time ago and I am nervous, I get worried that people will think this is supposed to be some sort of replacement for Fall Out Boy. “There is a different kind of pressure; with Fall Out Boy there was an expectation that things would be bigger and better but here it’s like the freedom is there is no expectation on that but the fear, nervousness and pressure you’ve got now is that I am playing a bunch of songs that people have never heard before and it is totally different dynamic and hopefully you guys are going to be nice and easy.”

Can you tell us a little bit about Black Cards and some of the band’s influences?

“I was in New York and I wasn’t planning on writing music at all I was there with my wife while she was doing Chicago [The Broadway Musical] and I was just going by my friend’s studio and we kinda came together with this idea of writing these songs that were inspired by British Electrionica and this kind of island sound, kind of reggae.

“It is hard to say who the influences are as the songs are so different; I think the biggest influence is probably the Tom Tom Club, everything from the Tom Tom Club to Lily Allen to Abba.”

With your debut album set to be release in the New Year, what are your hopes and expectations for the album?

“I hope people will give it a first chance that is all I can really hope for you know? It doesn’t sound like Fall Out Boy but there are obviously some things that I contributed to Fall Out Boy and this is maybe that taken further and in a different direction and that is probably the same for Andy and Joe with The Damned Things and Patrick with his solo album.”

Is it strange be ing on tour without the band you were in for 8 – 9 years?

“Yea it is totally weird, even just in the way of going through Heathrow without my band, it is different.”

Do you hope for the support of the Fall Out Boy fans?

“I’ve had discussions with them before after the shows; the cool thing about these small venues is that we are able to talk to a lot more people, I don’t expect everybody that likes Fall Out Boy or loves Fall Out Boy to love this, if you love specific parts of Fall Out Boy like Patrick’s voice that I don’t have here.

“Fall Out Boy isn’t going right now so I could either be doing this or I could be sitting at home on the internet, so come out and hang out and if you like it, you like and if you don’t I have total respect for that.

“It’s not written to alienate Fall Out Boy fans and at the same time I’ve not written to placate, am not trying to do Fall Out Boy part 2.

“It’s just spewing out stuff that I didn’t get out in Fall Out Boy and the fans have been very gracious about showing up and been very sweet and nice about it and at the same time I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.”

You are a very busy man, you have a record label, clothing label amongst other ventures, do you get any spare time and do you still have a lot of input over the record and clothing labels?

“Between that and a two-year old there’s not a lot of time.

“I really oversee both of them and at the same time I am someone that doesn’t believe in micro management so I like to find good, smart talent people that I can trust who are able to oversee the minutiae of what’s going on but I am a little bit of a maniac and I am always on my Blackberry.”

You’ve recently directed the latest Train video and done a bit

THE BANTER | 43

Interview of acting, with cameos in Californication, CSI: NY and One Tree Hill, is that something you can see yourself doing more of in the future?

“I think maybe more behind the camera stuff possibly, I really like directing but I think one of the greatest things about directing you need to have a really good first director of photography and that’s what is really important.

“You can’t go into something and be like “oh, I took film school in a week and I know all about that” that just doesn’t work.”

With my allotted time with Pete coming to a close, I sneak in one last question.

Finally, what are the main goals for Black Cards?

“This is what I’m doing full-time until I can find something else to do full-time, this is really important to me because we’ve been working on for so long.

“I want to go on tour; I want to see the rest of the world again and I want to get out there again.”

With the interview finished I go to check out tonight’s support bands Christian TV and Spark, both of whom I enjoy, definitely keep your eyes peeled for Spark she may the next big female star.

Black Cards are greeted on stage with the usual vigour of a Glasgow crowd with the biggest reaction being saved for Pete of course and as the launch into their set it is apparent this is nothing like Fall Out Boy. The band’s sound is very difficult to put your finger on and say “oh, they sound like such and such” and I hate to use this overused and diluted word but Black Card’s sound might be unique.

The only Black Cards’ songs, which have been released through the band’s website, are “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Fame” and “Club Called Heaven” and not surprisingly they receive the biggest reaction.

It is safe to say that the majority of the crowd is here to witness Pete Wentz up close and personal and he takes time out to chat to the crowd about a number of random things from bullying to Howl’s Moving Castles to mums in the crowd.

This certainly isn’t the Pete Wentz show though, singer Bebe Rexha is mesmerizingly beautiful on stage and I catch myself just staring at the beautiful Bebe every so often.

Black Card’s finish off their set with a cover of Nancy Sinatra’s “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” and Pete lets the crowd know that they’ll be doing a signing and picture session shortly after the gig, which of course results in a massive cheer and a massive queue at the merchandise table right after the band finish their set.

I decide to hang around to get the band’s autographs and maybe a picture or two, after a short wait in the queue I get the band’s signatures and a picture with Pete, who says to me: “You didn’t seem that nervous during the interview, you even went off script a few times, you did well.”

They say you should never meet an idol, as you’ll just be disappointed. Well I say if your idol is Pete, there is definitely no danger of that.

44 | THE BANTER

One to watch for:

J

essie J – the J stands for ‘whatever you want it to’ is impossible to pin down in a world of female pop homogeneity, at 22 years of age, the future star born Jessica Cornish carries herself with the confidence of one twice her years.

On the eve of her pop breakthrough, she has achieved everything herself, and on her own terms. Singer, songwriter and show-pony, she has the enviable ability to excel at it all.

She’s had to.

‘Look,’ she says, straight off the bat, ‘I had a minor stroke three years ago. I’ve got heart problems. I’ve looked at the big stuff straight in the eye, had people sitting on the end of a hospital bed wondering what’s going to happen next and genuinely not knowing. I don’t drink. I don’t smoke. I can’t touch drugs. I can’t even have caffeine. I have to be confident. Because I can’t intoxicate myself with those props ordinary young people have to give them confidence.’

Amidst problems most teenagers haven’t yet to even consider, music was Jessie’s saviour. ‘When I’m in the studio sometimes, I think no, I don’t need a therapist. I just need to write a great song.’ That’s when she does it.

Alicia Keys seems to agree. A self-starting, perfectly driven songwriter, Jessie has penned for Ms Keys. Her international credentials are exhaustive for one so young. When she supported Cyndi Lauper, at the personal request of the irrepressible talent herself, she invited Jessie up on stage to duet on Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. When quizzed on which new talent he was keeping a close eye on at the moment, no lesser superstar than Justin Timberlake responded ‘Who is the best singer in the world right now?

Jessie J.’ This year’s breakout hip-hop star with the midas touch BoB appears on future smash ‘Price Tag’, already the subject of Tweeting praise from Kylie Minogue and Paloma Faith. maxwell lynas

Interview What was it like to be part of Americas Got Talent ?

It was kind of bitter sweet because I did want to win the show but of course I didn’t; but my mom got me through it and told me it was a blessing in disguise. I think its great, I am glad I did not win it in the end. It was great to get that positive feedback because I was only 14 at the time and to hear that from Simon Cowell who has the kind of success he has it was really great. Things like AGT & American Idol are good to get that kind of exposure as its hard to get into the music industry these days and you just have to stay focused.

You also shot to fame for your youtube videos.

It was fun and helps to build a big fanbase by yourself without anyone helping you.

How did you end up signing to the label?

It came about after I got signed to Youtube and the label flew me out to New York, I had never been and it was really fun. We sang a couple of songs the first day and came back and recorded some more and then Jay Z walked in. It was just really cool and then I got signed to Star Roc/Roc Nation

Interview

ALEXIS JORDAN

Whats it like to be meeting stars like Jay Z and Beyonce, were you star struck?

I was more surprised than star struck but it was very cool meeting him. At the time I was only 16 and to meet big people in the industry like that who have made such a big impact in the world was incredible.

What can you tell us about your single “Happiness”?

The song is a great song, the song is about finding who you really are before you fall in love and I love that meaning because you couldn’t really fall in love without knowing yourself.

And the album, much of the same?

The album is going to be a universal sound, it has a lot of different genres on it. I am a pop artist but I wanted to explore my options for my audience.

You are already known to be an extremely hardworking young artist, do you find the time to chill?

Well music and my career is something that I love, its something that I strive for every day and want to be the best that I can be and I want to continue this journey as long as possible.

Whats next for Alexis Jordon?Whats the dream?

What’s next for me, hopefully winning grammys! I want to continue writing songs and singing more music for the world as I really like making people happy through my music.

THE BANTER | 45

Movies 127 HOURS

15 FROM 7TH JANUARY

Over the course of five days climber Aron Ralston examines his life and survives the elements to finally discover he has the courage and the wherewithal to extricate himself by any means necessary, scale a 65 foot wall and hike over eight miles before he is finally rescued.

Throughout his journey, Ralston recalls friends, lovers (Clemence Poesy), family, and the two hikers (Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara) he met before his accident. Will they be the last two people he ever had the chance to meet?

A visceral, thrilling story that will take an audience on a never before experienced journey and prove what we can do when we choose life.

UNSTOPPABLE 12A IN CINEMAS NOW Oscar-winner Denzel Washington and “Star Trek’s” Chris Pine team with action maestro Tony Scott in this non-stop thriller.

A massive unmanned locomotive, nicknamed “The Beast” and loaded with toxic cargo, roars through the countryside, vaporizing anything put in front of it. A veteran engineer (Washington) and a young conductor (Pine), aboard another train in the runaway’s path, devise an incredible plan to try and stop it – and prevent certain disaster in a heavily populated area.

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THE AMERICAN 15 in cinemas now Jack (George Clooney) reports to the Italian countryside, where he holes up in a small town and relishes being away from death for a spell.

The assignment, as specified by a Belgian woman, Mathilde, is in the offing as a weapon is constructed.

Surprising himself, Jack seeks out the friendship of local priest Father Benedetto and pursues romance with local woman Clara. But by stepping out of the shadows, Jack may be tempting fate.

Movies

THE TOURIST

TBC FROM 10TH DECEMBER

The Tourist revolves around Frank (Depp), an American visiting Italy to mend a broken heart. Elise (Jolie) is an extraordinary woman who deliberately crosses his path. Against the breathtaking backdrop of Venice, Frank pursues a potential romance but soon finds himself the pursued as he and Elise are caught in a whirlwind of intrigue and danger.

SKYLINE

15 IN cinemas now

From the Brothers Strause, the effects team behind Avatar, comes this November’s biggest blockbuster.

After a late night party, a group of friends are awoken in the dead of the night by an eerie light beaming through the window.

Like moths to a flame, the light source is drawing people outside before they suddenly vanish into the air.

They soon discover an extraterrestrial force is swallowing the entire human population off the face of the earth. Now our band of survivors must fight for their lives as the world unravels around them.

BURLESQUE tbc

FROM 17TH DECEMBER

Christina Aguilera is a small-town girl with a big voice who escapes hardship and an uncertain future to follow her dreams to LA. After stumbling upon The Burlesque Lounge, a majestic but ailing theater that is home to an inspired musical revue, Ali lands a job as a cocktail waitress from Tess (Cher), the club’s proprietor and headliner.

a featured dancer (Julianne Hough), finds an enemy in a troubled, jealous performer (Kristen Bell), and garners the affection of Jack (Cam Gigandet), a bartender and fellow musician. With the help of a sharp-witted stage manager (Stanley Tucci) and gender-bending host (Alan Cumming), Ali makes her way from the bar to the stage.

Burlesque’s outrageous costumes and bold choreography enrapture the young ingenue, who vows to perform there one day.

Her spectacular voice restores The Burlesque Lounge to its former glory, though not before a charismatic entrepreneur (Eric Dane) arrives with an enticing proposal…

Soon enough, Ali builds a friendship with

tron legacy 3d 12A from 17th december Sam Flynn (GARRETT HEDLUND), the tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn (JEFF BRIDGES), looks into his father’s disappearance and finds himself pulled into the world of Tron, where his father has been trapped for 25 years. Along with loyal confidant Quorra (OLIVIA WILDE), father and son embark on a life-and-death journey to escape a highly advanced and dangerous cyber universe. Visually-stunning, with state-of-the-art effects and spectacular action, Disney’s TRON: LEGACY will take you to the next dimension when it hits cinemas December 2010.

THE BANTER | 47

Movies

toy story 3 PG Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment  15 years after we were first introduced to Andy and his toys Buzz Lightyear and Woody and they were back on the big screen. For a lot of people who were lining up to buy tickets when it hit the cinema earlier this year, the films first installments were the movies that made our childhoods. And the toys were the ones Santa never brought us for Christmas (remember the demand for Buzz toys?). And “to infinity and beyond” was the phrase said around the world. In the third installment, Andy has grown up and has decided he can only take Woody to college with him and in a black bag mix up the other toys end up being donated to daycare.

So the movie centres around the race to be rescued from nursery and reunited with Andy. The ending had most grown men in tears and ends the much loved movie perfectly.

COMEDY DVDS

SARAH MOYES

SARAH MOYES

Michael McIntyre The Stand Up Collection 15

Kevin Bridges - The Story So Far...Live in Glasgow 15

universal pictures (UK)  The young comedian from Clydebank on the outskirts of Glasgow, began performing shortly after his 17th birthday on the small stage doing stand-up comedy gigs at The Stand Comedy Club in Glasgow and then throughout the rest of the UK. Now at the age of 24 he is set to release his very first stand-up DVD, Kevin Bridges: The Story So Far ... Live in Glasgow

by Universal Pictures (UK). Recorded in May 2010 in front of 9000 fans at a sold out Glasgow SECC arena in Kevin’s home city, the DVD features 90 minutes of first class comedy revealing Kevin’s inner-most thoughts on a variety of topics from his homeland of Scotland to the world beyond. A genuine comedian with impeccable timing, even simple moments of everyday life seem outrageously funny. Kevin Bridges: The Story So Far is a must have DVD for Christmas from the hottest new comedy talent that everyone is talking about. al shearer

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sex and the city 2 15 warner home video  Despite girls around the world wanting to be just like Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City 2 failed to have such an impact at the cinema. The second movie following the successful 6 series TV show didn’t take as much at the box office as the first film.

But saying that our favourite four girls were back including their partners and a surprise appearance from Carrie’s ex Aiden. Much of the film was set in Abu Dhabi (but it was actually filmed in Morocco) which sort of went against the movie’s title which leads you to assume it will actually be happening in New York. For avid fans the movie is a must, it gives you a much need dose of the missed show and lets everyone know what happens to our favourite characters once they grow up. But if you have missed the past 12 years of the show then you won’t be missing much if you don’t pick up the dvd

universal pictures (UK)  As the hunt begins for a Christmas gift for the parents or your favourite uncle/aunt, one gift stands out. Michael McIntyre’s The Stand-Up Collection.

The fun packed box set features both his previous record-breaking DVD releases: ‘Live & Laughing’ (2008) and ‘Hello Wembley!’ (2009) plus a special bonus disc of highlights from the second series of Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Road show, currently airing on television.

Viewers can expect spot on observational comedy, witty personal anecdotes and Michael’s trademark ability to turn everyday encounters into master-classes of human exasperation which we can all relate to. With over three hours of first-class jokes, brilliant story-telling and guaranteed laughs.

There are a few risqué moments and the use of some strong language in the latter DVD or this would have been an ideal package for the whole family. So if you’re prepared to witness some side splitting, stitch inducing, eye watering comedy from one of the nation’s favourite comedians, then Michael McIntyre’s The Stand-Up Collection is a box set that will go down better than a second helping of Christmas pudding. al Shearer

Movies

6 – 16 February 2011

I

t truly is a rare thing in the modern press to hear anything good about the youth of today. Indeed, at times it seems all too easy to portray the lot of them as hooligans, scoundrels and vagabonds. There is however, a group of people out there determined to change this perception. The GYFF (Glasgow Youth Film Festival) offers under 18’s a chance to become involved in making their own films, and doing their bit for charity in the process. With the festival upcoming early next year, we decided it was time to investigate this movement a little further.

Megan Mitchell, 16 - Smithycroft Secondary School, Dylan Petrie, 15 - Eastbank Academy and Michael McIlroy, 17 - Irvine Royal Academy talked to us about the festival How long has the festival been running?

Glasgow Youth Film Festival has been running for 3 years and hopefully will continue for years to come.

How many young people get involved in the Festival?

There are around 17 young people involved in GYFF 2011 with varying ages and backgrounds from across Glasgow. We are separated into teams such as press, online marketing, graphic design and fundraising. In 2010, we had almost 7,000 young people attend our film selections and special events and we hope to get 10,000 admissions for GYFF2011!

Why do you feel projects like this are so important?

It allows young people to get involved in something different and mix with other teenagers who have similar interests in various forms of media. GYFF gives access to the film industry that young people otherwise might not receive and offers them a wider spectrum of cultures and styles of film which might not be available without the festival.

What kind of age range does the project attract?

The festival attracts people from a wide age range from toddlers to young adults. GYFF is mainly aimed at 15 – 18 year olds across Greater Glasgow. Everyone is welcome though.

What is likely to be the highlight of this year?

We are unable to give away any secrets about the festival at this time but it promises even more exciting than last year’s event. There will be film premieres, script writing and camera workshops, special presentations and some mysterious guests... Events will be taking place in Glasgow Film Theatre, The Arches, Platform Easterhouse, Castlemilk Youth Complex and many more.

How do you go about getting involved in the festival?

We began by getting in touch with staff at the GFT after hearing about the festival from e-mails, brochures and friends.

We then began attending meetings every Monday starting in the Summer and will keep working on GYFF right up until the end of February.

Anything special lined up for this year?

We’ve got a lot of new and exciting things happening at this year’s festival including a break dancing workshop and a band night at The Arches, showcasing dance and music with the films being screened at the event.

Where can people be a part of the festival?

People can get involved with Glasgow Youth Film Festival from the 6th to the 16th of February 2011 by coming along to the GFT and attending our exciting screenings, workshops and other special events.

You can keep updated with all the latest news by visiting www.glasgowfilmfestival.org.uk/youth THE BANTER | 49

Television

Robert Carlyle He is a Scottish icon, a BAFTA Award winner and a Hollywood star. For years he has graced our screens as a variety of complex, humorous and occasionally disturbing characters. Hot off the heels of his highly acclaimed role in Stargate Universe, in a Banter exclusive interview, we get a chance to sit down and talk to the screen legend that is Robert Carlyle.

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Television Having never been associated with sci-fi, what made you decide to take on the role of Dr. Nicholas Rush in Stargate Universe?

It’s a whole new experience for me this science fiction world, there are so many possibilities. I love playing Rush, he is such a b*stard – but who has a point. I found it fascinating that here was this guy Rush who doesn’t want to come back to earth, right there, what is going on in this man’s head? On a space ship that is at least at least a million years old, these things seemed interesting to me.

Any hints at what to expect in the coming series?

Rush reveals the true extent of Destiny’s mission.

It has been noted that in Stargate, the writers allow you to rearrange sentences and phrases to better fit what you are trying to portray, is this a technique you bring to other roles? If so, what ones?

It’s the way I’ve always worked from way back in my career. There’s no point in trying to make a bad line work, best change it!

Do you plan to continue playing the part or moving on in the near future?

What do you reckon? It’s always difficult to predict the future but at the moment I’m enjoying myself.

Do you have any other projects in the pipeline?

No, at the moment Stargate Universe takes 9 months of the year to shoot, that’s enough to be concentrating on.

Having played just about everything from a serial killer, to a drug addict, to Hitler and even a zombie, what have been your favourite parts and why?

Favourite parts would be: - obvious choice would be Begbie but in terms of playing the part and seeing the finished product it would have to be “Sean” in “Summer” Any parts you regret taking?

None at all Do you prefer working on television of film?

Depends on the project, sometimes a more intense subject matter works better on television (i.e. Cracher/Hitler) You are somewhat synonymous with playing darker villains or anti heroes, but have had massive success in many of your comedy roles; do you have a preference toward drama or comedy?

Not really, even though people generally know me as a nutter, I personally think that comedy is my best genre.

Is there any truth to the rumours of a possible sequel to Trainspotting?

Who knows, I would be up for it, it would take a lot of getting together.

Having become somewhat of a national icon, was “breaking America” always an ambition for you?

Never has been, never will be.

Are there any roles you would still like to play?

There are hundreds of roles I’d love to play; I’d love to play Leonard Rossiter.

SIMON CASSIDY

Z

ombies, zombies, zombies… I freaking love zombies, zombie films, zombie games, zombie books, and zombie comics even the word zombie is awesome. To say my reaction to hearing the news that US cable channel AMC, home of the epic Mad Men and Breaking Bad, had commissioned a pilot for a TV series based on the long-running comic book, The Walking Dead was positive would be an understatement. A zombie TV series based on a zombie comic? YES PLEASE!!

And the series will be developed and overseen by Horror icon Frank Darabont? Now you are just spoiling me!! The Walking Dead tells the story of the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse; it follows a small group of survivors travelling across the desolate United States in search of a new home away from the shuffling hordes of the undead. The group is led by Rick Grimes (played

by Brit Andrew Lincoln of Teachers fame), who was a King County, Georgia sheriff’s deputy in the old world.

As their situation grows more and more grim, the group’s desperation to survive pushes them to the brink of humanity. At every turn they are faced with unspeakable horrors, both from those who are dead, and from the scattered remains of a struggling human populace.

Now, I watch a lot of TV, none of that reality crap of course, and I always find pilot episodes to be a stranger beast usually they are sort of slow and plod along introducing the characters and the important details of their back stories and generally buckle under the weight of trying to establish the show and its major storylines and most shows tend not to pick up until episode 2 or 3.

The Walking Dead takes no notice of this and delivers one of the finest pilot episodes I’ve ever seen and among the finest hours of TV in recent memory and with the news that The Walking Dead has already been renewed for a second season it now has the potential to reach the lofty TV heights that such great shows like The Sopranos, The Wire and Mad Men have reached.

P.S. Episode one maybe among the finest hours of TV in recent memory, episode two is definitely among the most disgusting and gruesome hours of TV in recent memory, in a good way of course!

MAXWELL LYNAS

THE BANTER | 51

Win

Win a festive night of fun at the Irn Bru Carnival

12 pairs of tickets to be won

IRN-BRU Carnival is back at the SECC from December 24 until

January 16, and this year celebrates its 90th birthday. To celebrate, on the door entry on the opening day will be reduced by £1, to £9, which will give 10 rides (90p a ride). There will also be a 90th birthday cake and an exhibition featuring Carnival memorabilia. We have teamed up with the organisers to give away 12 pairs of tickets for this festive treat.

This year IRN-BRU Carnival will be packed with over 60 fun attractions. Top rides include Superbowl, Waltzer, Tobaggan Coaster and the Dodgems and for thrill seekers rides include Matterhorn, Speed Buzz and The Extreme. For younger visitors there’s the best selection of juvenile rides ever including the Pirate Ship, Wacky Racer Car Track, Mini Wheel and Chairoplanes. This year Carnival goers will see a brand new Ghost Train, Bungee Trampolines and for the first time ever Frisbee. There will also be a fantastic selection of stalls including darts, basketball and hook a duck.

Once again, entry has been frozen at last year’s prices. Each ride will cost just £1, with visitors paying an entry price of £10 giving them 10 vouchers, which can be exchanged for 10 rides. Entry on every ride is one voucher while side stalls are two vouchers (the equivalent of £2) per go. Vouchers can be passed to friends and family enabling accompanying adults to give vouchers to the young ones. Children aged 3 and under enter free. Once inside the hall visitors can buy extra vouchers at £1 each.

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For more information, including opening hours, visit www.irn-bru-carnival.com or to book tickets call 0844 395 4000.

Follow IRN-BRU Carnival on Twitter and Facebook where you’ll find all the latest info and can enter some great competitions.

All tickets include show guide – RRP £5 – which includes fantastic, discounted offers at some of Scotland’s top attractions. For your chance to win a pair of tickets just answer the following simple question Q. What special birthday is IRN-BRU Carnival celebrating this year?

Send your answers by email to info@thebanter.co.uk with the heading Competition - Irn Bru Carnival along with telling us your name, age, address and email address 12 lucky winners will then be chosen at random! Good luck competition closes December 20th.

Theatre & Arts

E

xploding the issues of gay, bisexual and transsexual lives in a glittering festival of theatre, music and the spoken word, Glasgay! has become an essential date in the cultural calendar of Scotland. Billing itself as the country’s annual celebration of queer culture, the two month programme pairs pop with philosophy and heat with the heart, reaching towards an inclusive understanding of the modern homosexual identity without dissolving into a melted Wicked Witch of regressive stereotypes.

2009 was a challenging year for LGBT people worldwide.

Despite the stalwart advance of equality legislation at home, it was a year which witnessed the horrific beheadings of gay men in Iran, Malawians jailed without trial for their homosexuality and the suffocation of progressive same-sex marriages in the United States. Civil discontent breeds art and this art feeds Glasgay!

An hour spent in the theatre can often say more about the communality of the human experience than a lifetime of scribbled diaries. It’s no surprise, therefore, that Glasgay! invests a great deal of its funding in promoting new works by playwrights within the LGBT sphere and reviving pieces historically maligned due to their socially divisive content.

Amongst this year’s highlights were a transvestite retelling of Jean Genet’s The Maids and The Bridge, a fascinating new commission from Wendy Miller on the shaping of the teenage self.

Returning to the Tron Theatre following critical acclaim at last year’s festival, Grant Smeaton’s Bette/Cavett is a Chanel No. 5

spritzed love letter to the excesses of celebrity. Entering in dark furs and dark glasses, Grant Smeaton’s Bette Davis is a trashy, diamonique tribute to the seventies; an overblown, yet uncanny, grotesque spectacle that could only be channelled through a man in too much make up.

The CCA on Sauchiehall Street, a hidden centre for contemporary arts on Sauchiehall Street, presented a striking programme of thought provoking lectures and discussion groups. Touching on both local and international issues at the surface of LGBT consciousness, the talks coincided with film screenings at the GFT, opening up the debate on repression, expression and the damaging force of homophobia in the pursuit of an integrated social identity.

For all that the festival is about procreation of identity, it is also about recreation of the spirit. Lock Up Your Daughters returned with its monthly club night at The Flying Duck, throwing its eccentric, eclectic Hella Gay Dance Party of electro/italo riot punk, whilst RPZ presented a pounding Halloween themed Rave from the Grave at Stereo.

Glasgay! has come a long way since its creation in 1993.

Treading alongside an international community of LGBT citizens in a slow, careful walk towards gender equality, the festival has been an artistic expression of the frustrations and aspirations shared by many, male and female, gay and straight.

This year’s festival is one more step in that irrepressible march, coloured with theatre, comedy and expression. scott purvis

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Feature

W

inter is a glorious time in theatre. Across the country, foyers swell with the busy excitement of patrons in deep red woollen scarves, ready to experience something extraordinary and magical. If a man in a gooey dress throwing penny caramels at your cranium is not your idea of a Christmas well spent, an evening spent in the Scottish Ballet’s elegant story tale world might be just the thing to warm your winter.

One of Scottish Ballet’s most successful productions, Ashley Page’s vision of Cinderella is returning to the Scottish stage this Christmas, bringing a fresh and festive twist to the classic without losing touch with the spirit of the folk tale and the theatricality of its heroines and villains.

World-renowned designer Antony McDonald has created a colourful and sumptuous production, filtering the antiquity of eighteenth century France through the day-glo lens of Andy Warhol. The white silk stockings and culottes of McDonald’s period costuming are dotted with accents of the modern, calling to mind the decadence of the past with subtle reference to the Vivienne Westwoods and John Gallianos of today.

Cinderella is hanging up her stocking in Glasgow for Christmas with performances from Tuesday the 14th until Friday the 31st of December. From there, her carriage speeds east to Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre from the 12th to the 15th of January, to His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen, from the 19th to the 22nd of January and to Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, from the 26th of January until the clock strikes midnight and the Scottish leg of the tour ends on the 29th.

Tickets for the opening night of this enchanting production are available to full-time students, the unwaged and under 26s for just £10 if purchased in person one hour before the performance. This is the perfect opportunity for young people to experience the thrill and spectacle of an evening at the ballet without ending up too much out of pocket and wearing Cinder’s rags to Christmas dinner. scott purvis

THE BANTER | 55

Feature

L

aura Boyd flutters around the trendy SWG3 venue, in a cocktail of sequins and feathers, glowing with pride at the packed venue on behalf of a charity for The Paul O’Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre in Glasgow.

Her glamourous dress captures the rock chic theme of the night, which makes this charity event so unique and appealing. The brainchild of the event, front-woman of electro band Pooch and presenter beams proudly for the cameras, which capture the night set to raise thousands of pounds for Leukaemia sufferers.

Just last year, Laura was heartbroken to find out she had chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) - cancer of the white cells.

After she was diagnosed with Leukaemia doctors recommended Laura take potentially life-saving drug Glivec to help beat the nightmare illness.Taking in Laura’s strong presence, you would never guess she was currently in the grip of a deadly disease.

However when Dr Tessa Hollyoak makes her heartwarming but saddening speech, Laura’s strong demeanour breaks a little and a fragile, tearful girl emerges. Suddenly realisation hits home for the surrounded guests, how significant this night actually is for many people.

A ROCKING CAUSE

by Lisa Boyle

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Feature The trendy decor, hot djs and stunning outfits donned by guests suddenly seem less important and the generous purpose of the night begins to sink in.

Rock Chic, one of the most exciting events on the social calender, had a spectacular outcome, raising thousands of pounds for Leukaemia, a frightening disease that describes a group of cancers which involves an excess of white blood cells. These abnormal cells gradually fill the bone marrow and spill into the bloodstream. Chronic myleoid leukaemia is the type that often develops and progresses slowly. The positive thing about this is drugs such as Glivec, which Laura has been subcribed, can help keep the disease under control for a number of years. Charities such as The Paul O’Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre enable more cures to be discovered.

The exciting Rock Chic event gave hope for Leukaemia sufferers combining charity in fun for an ultimate celebration of life.

The night kicked off with free champagne and Loreal goodies on entrance and guests glammed up in stunning frocks and lashings of leather. Miaoux Miaoux provided some amazing electro sounds and host Jim Gellatly provided barrells of laughter from the packed crowd.

The Clyde DJ said “ I was looking forward to the whole night, it was just under a year ago that Laura asked me to do this.

She had just been diagnosed and I thought I would like to do something about it. Its incredible that somebody who has been through this has been so hands on.

“Its always very tricky when you organise what’s in essence a fun night with a serious message and I don’t think anyone will go away from the event not knowing what its about so they will go away knowing whats it about and also remembering that they’d had a fabulous night.”

Fashion lover’s devoured the runway shows, with brands such as Bench, Quiz clothing and MeeMee Couture showcasing their favourite collections London Fashion Week style.

Quiz Clothing featured lots of animal print and purple mini-dresses in their collections, meanwhile Bench embraced the Rock Chic theme by parading models in grungy t-shirts rocked with denim minis, slouchy hoodies and cosy knitwear.

The most memorable collection of the night had to be from West End store Vintage Guru, who embraced womanly silhouettes in Madmen-esque, ladylike dresses, teamed with an array of coloured tights and tuxedo jackets. Vintage pieces from all era’s made a massive comeback, as did faux fur teamed with high fashion ball gowns. Laura’s band Pooch stole the show, with songs such as ‘Lights’ bringing the crowd to their feet. The creative group made a passionate performance that was sure to be remembered.

After an exhilarating night Laura remained on top form, despite the nausea and exhaustion Laura often feels, which are unfortunate side effects to her medication. Laura said “I feel very excited, relieved and shattered but its been a fantastic night and everyone has enjoyed Rock Chic and we have raised lots of money which is the main thing. It feels like such a weight off my shoulders and I have absolutely loved it. Everyone has been so generous and I think we definitely have raised lots of money.”

YOUNG SCOT EXTRA

Y

oung Scot, the national youth information and citizenship agency for young people in Scotland has launched a brand new service targeting young people who have left school and are making the transition to higher education, employment or independent living. Young Scot Extra is committed to providing information and support for users, and it certainly seems that with the economic climate as it is this service will be of great value to users both online and off. Last year, more young people than ever before stayed on at school, which means this year more young people than ever will be searching for college/university places, or employment and Young Scot Extra will be on hand to offer advice and support. Louise MacDonald, CEO of Young Scot said: “It’s an unfortunate fact that some young people leaving school this summer are facing a tough economic climate. Many young people will need extra support when it comes to making informed decisions around their future, so we’re thrilled to be able to launch Young Scot Extra. Everything about the service, including the name, brand, content and design of the digital platform has been created in partnership with young people” www.youngscotextra.org is the place to go for advice and information on areas such as: Further Education Money Management/Bank Accounts

Careers Insurance

You’ll also be able to access various videos, podcasts and a special ‘Pathways to Music’ service for young people interested in a career in music. Exclusive competitions and content will be available through their Facebook page: Current Young Scot users are excited about the Young Scot Extra service, and the facilities it will provide. 17 year old Rachel Tobin from Edinburgh said: “I’m really looking forward to using Young Scot Extra as it is geared towards my age group and full of new information. I am a keen volunteer and will use it to look for new opportunities as well as advice about the job market. I have used Young Scot for many years now, and can’t wait to check out all the new services Young Scot Extra has to offer.

Check out www.youngscot.org or www.youngscotextra.org to find out more louise anne geddes

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Feature

Photography & article // Kate Chambers

P

latform2 was created to give less advantaged 18-25 yearolds the opportunity to volunteer abroad. For the past three years, Platform2 has sent over 2500 young people to projects in Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, India and Nepal, giving them a chance to live and work with people in the developing world.

This summer, I had the chance to join the Platform2 team. I knew I was lucky to have this amazing opportunity but I had no idea just how life changing it was going to be.

My project was based in Nkaseim, Ghana. There was a straight road running through the village and on market day, local people would sell their goods on the roadside. With heavy traffic on the road, this was becoming very dangerous. For this reason, our group were helping the community to build a market place to allow them to sell their goods safely. The construction work was slow and tedious because unlike back in the UK, there was no machinery so every job, from mixing concrete to digging foundations, had to be done by hand.

On my day off, I had the chance to teach English in the local primary school. It is difficult to express my experience there because even the memory of it seems so bizarre. In Ghana, education is a precious commodity. Many parents cannot afford to send their children to school, as they need them to help around the house or on the farms. In my class, some of the children would arrive late, still carrying their machetes as they had come straight from the farm. This was both heart breaking

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and inspiring. These children valued education more than anything else. One young boy called Clement would come to visit me after school and sit for hours, learning English.

During my time in Ghana, I realised that my previous impression of Africa had been completely wrong. I held the stereotypical view that everyone was living in dismal poverty with no hope. What I really experienced was very different. Yes, there was poverty but there was so much hope. The people that I lived and worked with were the happiest people I have ever met. They were good, hard working people who believed that things would change with time.

Returning to Scotland, I knew I wanted to do more to help the people I had met. With Platform2’s support, I have been able to showcase my photographs in an exhibition and tell other young people about my experience. I have been able to show people just how amazing volunteer work is. If you want to make a change and do your bit, then volunteering is for you.

To find out more about Platform2 and other ways to get involved in changing the world then visit: www.ctrlaltshift.co.uk www.myplatform2.com And remember… “If you think you are too small to make a difference, you haven’t shared a bed with a mosquito!”

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Volunteering - A fashion trend everyone can follow View the complete collection at www.volunteerscotland.org.uk Contact us on 0141 941 0886 or text Volunteer to 80800