VOL: 2 ISSUE: 2 14.10.15
THE COLLEGE VIEW
THE SUSS
UNDER THE COVERS: Beyond Ryan Adams and ‘1989’ the history of the cover song
Feature
BY FIONNUALA JONES
Underneath the covers N
ice to meet you, where you been? For anyone that has been living under a rock, lets get you up to speed. In 2014, Taylor Swift completed her transition from country bumpkin to pop phenomenon with the release of her fifth album ‘1989’. It was the biggest selling album of 2014, and its impact on the charts and popular culture is still felt one year later. Fast forward to August of this year - T Swizzle super fan Ryan Adams confirmed on Twitter that he was releasing a ‘1989’ cover album. Cue squealing from Swift, and head scratching from everyone else. While Swift’s ‘1989’ was glitzy neon pop, Adams offered a boozy, brooding indie spin on the now wellestablished cult classic. But what was Adams’ reasoning for covering ‘1989’? In fact, why do artists generally love other
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artists’ classic hits and turning them on their heads? It can’t always be out of admiration, can it? For others it’s about exploring their wildest interpretations of music, be it their own or someone else’s. Recently, Bleachers’ frontman Jack Antonoff better known as the other guy from Fun re-released his debut album ‘Strange Desires’ for free, under the title ‘Terrible Thrills Vol. 2’. The catch? All the songs were covered by female artists, including Sia and Charli XCX. “I love female voices. I wish I had one,” Antonoff said on his Facebook page. “I hear my music as my interpretation of a song I’m writing as a female in my head, so I wanted to make that a reality with the artists who inspire me to write in the first place.” When Swift dropped ‘1989’ Adams was full of admiration, hailing her as, “One of the most amazing
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“Sincere sentiments can be lost amongst the chatter of critics and fans-and Swift herself has been the subject of ‘mansplaining’.” writers I’ve ever seen.” It’s not impossible to believe that Adams sincerely wanted to pay homage to the album that was “kicking his heart down the street like a tin can”. Often though, these sincere sentiments can be lost amongst the chatter of critics and fans. In the case of Adams and Swift, ‘1989’ and Swift herself have been the subject of serious ‘mansplaining’. Publications such as The New Yorker reviewed Adams’ ‘1989’, but not Swift’s. Others seemed to insinuate that ‘1989’ was incomprehensible outside of its genre, before Adams’ got his hands on it. When announcing the news of Adams’ rework, Billboard said that his retake would “hopefully convince the
rock crowd” when it came to Swift’s credentials as a writer. Can people only take pop seriously when it has been covered and reworked to fit a more authentic, credible mould? BBC Radio 1 is still holding up this debate. Consider the institution that is the Live Lounge, running since 1999, involving various artists ironically covering songs that are often a million miles outside of their own genre. Some would argue that the Live Lounge is a great platform, which combats the snobbery which music breeds, opening up avenues for interpretations. Others find themselves bemused watching Guy Garvey and co. cover Independent Women, (yes, by Destiny’s Child), or Alesha Dixon bopping along to Sex On Fire. It has been argued as well that a lot of these weren’t of the artists choosing. Jo Wiley or Fearne Cotton often coaxed performers into covering something current that was often suffering from sluggish sales, see John Newman’s recent gospel cover of Carly Rae Jepsen’s Run Away With Me. The Live Lounge compilation albums, all ten of
them have experienced great success commercially. Perhaps suggesting money is the motivator behind your favourite bands covers. Prior to Uptown Funk, Ronson’s biggest success story was his second album ‘Version’, an album of covers given a ‘Motown sax’ makeover and an album which Ryan Adams’ also features on. Amy Winehouse’s cover of Valerie completely overshadowed the original rendition by The Zutons in terms of both critical and commercial success. It was the ninth biggest selling single that year, selling over 300,000 copies. The album itself went triple platinum, which is good, considering the album cost £870,000 to launch. So, maybe cover albums aren’t the musician’s cash cow after all. Maybe it is ‘all about the art’ and ‘exploring yourself as a musician’ when it comes to adding cowbells to the latest top 40 smash. It seems appropriate to end on the sentiments of Popjustice’s acerbic head journalist Peter Robinson: “I think I’ll wait for Grizzly Bear’s Carly Rae Jepsen album.”
Photo Credit: Front page: Zack Peteron; Page 2: nme.com, relix.com; Page 3: theguardian.com, sheknows.com; Page 4: broadheet.ie, Simone Seri; Page 5 mashable. com Page 6: Aoibheann Diver, Chai Brady; Page 7: cookingmatters.com, cbslocal.com, David Clarke; Page 8: David Clarke, Mensjournal.com
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REVIEW: LEGEND BY REBECCA KEANE T
he latest offering from writer/director Brian Helgeland, Legend is a crime thriller set in 1960s London starring Tom Hardy as both of the infamous gangster twins, Reggie and Ronald Kray. Based on a true story, it documents the great lengths and feats that the Krays went to in a bid to claim the London underworld as their own. The film opens with Reggie Kray seen as the unassuming everyman - but under this docile exterior lies an ambitious bulldog with an inherent need to take what he wants. Other twin Ronald Kray has mental illnesses which leave him unpredictable, impatient and very illogical. The twins go about their siege of terror with Detective Superintendent ‘Nipper’ Read (Christopher Ecclestone) and enemy
“Their good cop/bad cop routine works faultlessly with Reggie Kray playing the charismatic charmer while Ronald Kray, both played by Hardy, remains the muscle behind the operation. ” gangster Eddie Richardson (Paul Bettany) nipping on their coat tails, with funny and sometimes ridiculous results. The role of Reggie’s long-suffering wife Frances is excellently played by Emily Browning, not the first character to be taken in by his handsome and glamourous side. Armed with a
handful of loyal cronies, The Krays go about their infiltration of London with almost immediate success, acquiring clubs and nightclubs with little to no trouble. Their good cop/ bad cop routine works faultlessly with Reggie Kray playing the charismatic charmer while Ronald Kray remains the muscle behind the operation. As all the extortion and clandestine deals catch up with their seemingly perfect hedonistic lifestyle, it’s not long before Ronald and Frances - who also has mental health issues - begin to unravel, slowly crumbling the walls of the Kray empire. Tom Hardy does an almost stellar job as the twins. Playing the polished ‘Del Boy’ character of Reggie, his performance is
seamless, but he struggles a little as the openly homosexual Ronald. His mental illness cause Ronald to act strangely and at certain points Tom Hardy is clearly overacting. Emily Browning’s performance as vulnerable outsider Frances is brilliant and she steals the limelight in every appearance she makes.. A soundtrack comprising of mostly Motown classics keeps the atmosphere of
REVIEW: SCREAM QUEENS
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yan Murphy’s latest small screen endeavor Scream Queens begins its first season with a series of murders at a sorority house. There’s a murderer on the loose in Kappa Kappa Tau but there’s no shortage of suspects for the rising
body count. In the frame? Sorority-hating Dean Cathy Munsch, played by veteran comedy actor Jamie Lee Curtis, who orders the house to accept anybody who wants to join, even “fatties and ethnics”; much to the popular girls’ chagrin. Pledge and possible mole Grace Gardner, Skyler
BY BRÍD BROWNE
sider the fact that this is the man behind 1999’s Popufondness of highlighting lar and the infamous Nip/ Tuck, known for its graphic teenage issues and relaportrayals of plastic surgery, one wonders if Murphy is tionships - Scream Queens running out of ideas. It was Glee - another high schoolis no different.” based dramedy - that made Murphy a household name Samuels’s character, is also and his strong run continues in the fold, especially when with American Horror Story you consider her mother - a show which features was the first to die at the much of the same gore as house two decades earlier. Scream Queens. Or could it be house presiUnlike American Horror dent Chanel Oberlin, played Story, however, the director by American Horror Story has taken on the challenge alum Emma Roberts, whose of combining humor with predecessor died following a horror, but doesn’t succeed tragic and still-unexplained in either area. An intriguspray-tan accident? ing plot makes up for the Murphy is known for his often clunky, obvious props, fondness of highlighting including ketchup packet teenage issues and relablood and plastic knives. tionships within his shows The acting can’t be faulted, - Scream Queens is no as you would expect from different. When you consuch an experienced cast,
“Murphy is known for his
the film lively and the set costumes leaves you with a gnawing craving for a taste of the swinging sixties. Forgotten Welsh starlet Duffy makes a surprise appearance in the film, performing a few songs. This film can only be described as a ‘feel-good Gangster film’, perhaps under the instruction of Danny Boyle or Shane Meadows the gangster grit would feel more believable and gory.
with Roberts standing out as the alpha female. The thing that cripples the show is Murphy’s over-reliance on popculture references - not to mention the fact that you could swap a lot of the characters with any of the girls featured in Glee. For those who can’t stomach the blood ‘n’ guts, it’s worth tuning in for the celebrity cameos, albeit brief ones, from the likes of Ariana Grande and Nick Jonas. Fox’s tongue-incheek horror parody airs on E4 this autumn.times rework the songs to suit the venue,” Jamie says. “It’s important that you get across as much as you can from every song in each venue. It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth doing.”
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Interview
BY STEPHEN KEEGAN
Hardly working? How Hard Working Class Heroes is letting artists down
F
or Irish music fans, scrolling through the archives on the Hard Working Class Heroes website can feel like reading through the Táin Bó Cúailnge. The birth and genesis of many legends are recorded here in lineup posters dating back to 2003 - in the beginning there was The Republic of Loose, Ham Sandwich first appear in 2004, and tales of Hozier’s appearance in front of a crowd of industry execs in 2013 has already reached
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mythical status. The festival can have a different meaning for the bands themselves. Billed as a showcase event for the Irish music scene, the festival prides itself as much on the panels and workshops it runs during the day. Together, they are known as the Hard Working Class Heroes Convention. Particularly vaunted are its speed sessions, where bands get ten minutes to pitch themselves to industry professionals
before a whistle blows and they move on to the next. “When we first went there, it was kind of a real eye opener,” Chris Somers of Cork shoegazers Elastic Sleep recently told The Point of Everything. “It was like, ‘Oh, wow! The music industry does kind of exist in Ireland in a tangible way for bands to see and explore and learn through’.” While the opportunities and long-term benefits that the event can provide for bands are clear to see, there are mixed opinions on the short-term benefits. “We got eight drinks tokens,” Alan Pharell of Dublin duo Bad Sea tells me. “The worst thing about [the festival] is the fact that most acts don’t get paid,” said his bandmate, Ciara Thompson. The pair played the festival for the first time this year and feel that between state funding from Culture Ireland and sponsorship deals with HMV and Clonmel 1650 lager, the festival has the money to compensate acts. “Tickets were €40 for the weekend too - it’s not like it was a free festival,” Ciara
points out. The festival has faced backlash from the media in the past for paying the acts with exposure rather than financial means, yet continues to get away with it. “The media and their friends are very involved in the festival,” Alan says. Indeed, Jim Carroll of the Irish Times - who thoroughly investigated the Light Colour Sound Festival’s failure to pay its artists last year - is involved in programming and hosting of Hard Working Class Heroes convention events. Alan and Ciara feel that the trade-off between having access to the panels and workshops that the convention provides and not getting paid for their set wasn’t
“The festival has faced backlash from the media in the past couple of years, speaking out against the idea of artists and musicians working for exposure, so why is Hard Working Class Heroes getting away with it?” worth it. “We went to a workshop on how to make music videos with Brendan Canty, the guy who made Hozier’s ‘Take Me To Church’ video, and it was cool, but it wasn’t what we came to the festival for,” Alan tells me. “We have a manager already so we didn’t really see the benefit of any of the industry events, and we were too wrecked to go after seeing all the gigs the night before anyway,” adds Ciara. “The festival seems to
treat all the acts as if they’re just starting out, but most bands we saw over the weekend had two or three years of experience and were utterly professional.” There is an added worry that the festival’s heavy focus on its industry side is putting off acts from applying to play altogether. Dublin act Big Monster Love last year tweeted of the festival: “I’ve never applied, sure what would be the point? I don’t exactly have ‘industry potential’ written all over me.” The festival was started by Angela Dorgan of First Music Contact. Dorgan is known as the ‘fairy godmother’ of Irish bands within the industry, because of her role in providing grants that enable artists to tour abroad. There is a worry that bands are afraid to speak out in case they lose this kind of help. Yeah, I can see why bands would be afraid of upsetting her,” said Alan. Ciara thinks Dorgan’s passion for music is obvious, but that she may not understand how hard it is to be a new, independent artist. “I work full-time and that supports everything we do - from gear, to going to London to play.” All reviews of the festival seem to celebrate the community spirit it generates between bands and fans, but Ciara believes that this is almost the most frustrating thing about it. “The focus should be on creating this sustainable community for bands in Dublin, but you can’t do that without paying artists. It just encourages them to move to London, where they will get paid for their work.” Ciara thinks this just seems to be the attitude in Dublin: “We’re not going to pay you, but you’ll make great friends!”
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Feature
BY GLEN MURPHY
‘I don’t get the reference’: The life of a TV phobe “Did you see who died last night?”
“Why did she sleep with HIM?” “I KNEW HE WAS THE BAD GUY FROM THE START!” I’ve heard these generic, TV series related, expressions countless times without having the slightest clue what anyone is talking about. I’ll be honest with you - I have not seen Breaking Bad, or Orange is the New Black - not even Game Of Thrones could sway me. “What do you do with your life?!” People recoil with horror as I tell them. Well, I have a job, I go to college and I like these old fashioned paper things called books you might have heard of them. It’s not that I think I won’t enjoy these shows - I simply haven’t sat down to watch them yet. But I know I’m not the only one out there who hasn’t seen that ‘mustwatch’ season finale. So what do the rest of us do when you’re in a group discussing the latest revelation or plot twist? Personally speaking I just sit there and nod politely until the conversation naturally steers toward something I can actually talk about, (I find the weather to be a pretty safe topic). Either that, or
you can subtly turn the conversation to a topic of your choosing. Topics I’d recommend to go for and ones I assume most people are familiar with are as follows: • Ed Sheeran • Lord of the Rings • Harry Potter • Taylor Swift • Fair City Now, trying to be ‘hip’ and ‘down with the kids’ isn’t just something adults focus on. We young people often end up trying too hard to contribute to conversation and end up looking stupid. There was one particular incident I recall back when I was in fifth year in secondary school. Two people in my year were talking about The Mentalist - the American show about a psychic-turned-detective - that aired a couple of years ago. They asked me if I’d seen it. I quickly answered “Yes!” without even thinking. “Oh then who do you think the bad guy really is Glen?” they inquired. “Well… em… I’m not really sure just yet…”, was my sheepish reply. From that one particular moment of embarrassment, I resolved to just learn when to keep my mouth shut. In all fairness though,
about a very vague yet subtle hint from a cast member or try to pull clues from a particular filming location. Now what I do know about this series is that the TV show, produced by HBO, has overtaken the books written so far by George R. R. Martin. This gives the staff writers complete creative licence so, who knows what will happen? Regardless of his fate, it will certainly get people telling you to not watch talking - again. the show, these cult like All I know is until I get ‘fandoms’ and followmy head in gear and acings are simply unavoid- tually watch these shows able. Let’s take Jon Snow I’ll never know what’s again, for example. going on. Aside from Nearly every online everything I’ve just writnews outlet is covering ten about, the only other whether the character will piece of advice I can offer feature in the next series, is to invest in that Netfalong with lots of emlix account you’ve been bedded tweets describing lusting over and kiss that people’s feelings towards first in your respective the situation, and sneaky degree goodbye. snaps of actor Kit Harrington on set. Even now, between seasons, some site will post an article
“Even if your inner most
hipster is telling you to not watch the show, these cult
like ‘fandoms’ and followings are simply unavoidable.” just because you haven’t seen the latest series doesn’t mean you’re at a complete loss. Socially, you just might be able to scrape by by going up to order your next round or by flat out bluffing your way through a conversation about Jon Snow’s antics in the last season of Game Of Thrones. I have faith that some people are better bluffers than me. The simple fact of the matter is, even if your inner most hipster is
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Travel
New York: Expectations vs reality
W
hether you have made it to the Big Apple or not, we have all had some insight into New York City life. Perhaps it was through a novel, photographs or television shows such as Sex and the City and Gossip Girl. On arrival in New York City, my initial expectations of a glamorous and extravagant lifestyle were quickly erased by the reality that this was to be my life for the next three months. I always imagined New York to be fashionable, glamorous and luxurious. Don’t get me wrong, some parts of the city are. But for most of us this ideal became a far-fetched dream.
BY SHIRLEY DONLON
“I always imagined New York to be fashionable, glamorous and luxurious.” Departing on my trip to the US I believed that I would be enjoying sunny weather while lying in Central Park topping up my tan. However when the mid-July heatwave arrived, I realised that this was not to be the case as the struggle to find an air conditioned shop, bar or restaurant turned into a daily struggle for survival in Manhattan. The expectation of hailing down yellow cabs on Park Avenue and saying “keep the change” was replaced with a weekly metro card, a subway map and bottles of water to survive
in the infamous NYC subway heat. I always wondered why coffee was so popular New York. In the movies it seemed that grabbing a morning coffee was just a habitual part of daily life but after a few weeks in the US I understood what all the hype was about. New York City really is the city that never sleeps and trying to
carry out a day’s work after only a handful of hours sleep, I found a strong, New York style coffee was the best cure. New York is renowned for its popular tourist attractions such as the Statue of Liberty, Times Square and the Empire State building. Although these attractions are a must see, I was pleasantly surprised to find that
Welcome to Dublin: Dining in the city
T
he ingestion of food is imperative for human survival. Why not enjoy it? Nothing makes me quite as hungry as Instagrams of food. Look no further than @breadandbones. Their photos will have you hopping
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on the next bus to get your fix of Bao, beers, broths and Banh-mi. They recently housed a one day pop-up of the infamous In-N-Out Burger which is likely to go down in history. Next up is a personal favourite: Fade Street Social.
Choose between the restaurant, tapas bar or the rooftop winter garden, none of which will disappoint. Their food and drinks are presented like artwork. Perfect for your daily Instagram snap. Try their flatbreads for dinner or Eggs Benedict for breakfast and thank me later. On the topic of breakfast, our next stop is the Brick Alley Café in Temple Bar. Well known for their 40 varieties of hot chocolate, this place will make your hot beverage dreams come true. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day after all. Cross the cobbled street to Elephant and Castle for your chicken wing fix. Some say they serve the best in
the city’s hidden gems like street art, subway singers and outdoor movies were sometimes the most appealing aspects of the city. Although some of my expectations of life in New York City were far from realistic, living in the city for the summer was an incredible experience that I will never forget.
BY ALANA LAVERTY
Dublin, and they’re not wrong. While in terms of burgers, Dublin has plenty to offer. Bunsen, Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Bóbó’s are all up there as some of the best but the winner in my eyes is Joburger. Wash down your burger of choice with their sparkling mint and lime non alcoholic mojito. Joburger’s lovechild is Crackbird! Known as Laura Whitmore and Millie Macintosh’s favourite chicken house in Dublin, it’s like Nandos, but cool. Check out their chicken curry cup and potato croquettes with a side of chermoula for a snack or go the whole hog with some guaranteed Irish farm fresh chicken. It’s finger licking good.
If you’re in the mood for treating yourself, a loved one or a randomer you met on Tinder; take them to Rustic Stone. Owned by the same genius behind Fade Street Social, Dylan McGrath, this place provides the ultimate dining experience. Last but most definitely not least is Neon. I discovered this place last winter and fell head over heels in love. Ditch your mingin’ 3-in-1 and check it out. In the words of George Bernard Shaw: “There is no love sincerer than the love of food”. I would have to agree.
Get fit for less
BY AOIBHEANN DIVER
DIY BY AISLING MCCABE
So summer is over and
the cold weather is well and truly settling in. No need to keep in shape because you won’t be whipping out that swimsuit for another year, right? Wrong. Summer bodies are made in the winter. Here are some cheap ways to keep fit without having to pay those excessive fees to a gym which, realistically, we can’t seem to use half as much as we plan to. •
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Get up and move: Sounds simple doesn’t it? It’s exactly what it says on the tin. Grab your Penneys leggings and do whatever suits you. If that’s walking a kilometre or running ten, at least you’re moving. As they say: ‘you’re lapping everyone on the couch.’ You’ll feel great after and it won’t cost you a cent. bbbbb Join university sports teams: Even if you’re not the sporty type. There’s a huge selection of sports clubs to join
Some of the best dishes are made with the most basic ingredients that every student should have in their cupboards. This chicken risotto recipe is one that my roommates and I have made time and time again during our time in college. It is very much your typical Junior Cert Home Economics recipe but it’s a dinner that always goes down a treat. There are so many things you can put into this dish, such as bacon and mushrooms, but here is the recipe in its simplest form. from running to basketball, rugby to quidditch. Whatever it is that you think you might enjoy, it’ll only cost you €4 to sign up. •
Apps: Strava is an example of a brilliant app for your smart phone which allows you to track the route you ran/walked/ cycled and keep track of how fast you can do it. The next time you take on a route you can try to beat your last time, and of course it’s free to download. Instagram is also filled with thou-
sands of fitness pages that have free workouts and healthy eating ideas. They make it look so appealing that you can’t help but want to get moving. •
H2O: Everyone already knows it, but how many actually do it? If you drink a minimum of two litres of water per day, you’re already flushing out your system of junk food before even thinking about exercising. So get the water into you and you’ll notice a difference pretty quickly.
The end of an era for man buns and beards O
ne thing to take from Roald Dahl’s ‘The Twits’ is that hairy men are not to be admired. The vivid image Dahl paints of Mr. Twit’s prickly beard, decorated with food, is one that can scar for life. But it can’t be denied that in the last few years, men of all ages have embraced their hair. However, all this hair is about to get the chop. Beards have always been a reoccurring fashion
statement for men, as they embrace the ‘cool hippie’ look. Swamps of celebrities have modeled them including Jamie Dornan and David Beckham. But it seems that the hairy days are over, with the introduction of a new culture: ‘Yuccie.’ Yuccies (young urban creative cultured intellectual entrepreneur) are the new hippies. They want to embrace fashion and style while also being successful and it seems their cultural
This recipe serves two people but can be altered for as many people as you like. • • • • • • • •
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Ingredients
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2-3 chicken fillets Half a mug of rice 1 chicken stock cube 2 peppers 2 onions A little cooking oil Salt and pepper (optional) Grated cheese (for garnishing)on top)
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Method
Heat some oil in a large saucepan. Cut up the chicken into chunks and cook in the oil until every piece is completely white.
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Chop the peppers and onions and throw into the same pan. Leave to cook for 5-10 mins. Meanwhile, mix the stock cube in a pint of boiled water and stir until it all dissolves. Add the stock mixture and rice to the saucepan and cover with the lid. Add salt and pepper. Leave for 15 minutes until rice is cooked, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the pan. Sprinkle some grated cheese on top and serve with garlic bread.
WORDS BY CLAIRE PRENTY influence has now gotten rid of the beard. Even model and Instagram sensation, Joel Alexander, who accumulated his following because of his beard has announced “the big beard trend is over and done”. So, wave goodbye to the hipster beard and hello to the ‘yuccie’ approach. (Dumbledore, Jesus and Santa Clause, we’ll give you a pass.)
Man buns, also known as the hair craze introduced by MMA fighter Conor McGregor, are also on the way out. This hair craze was showcased by some of the most (and least) famous faces of the world. We’ve all encountered a guy who tried to cluster a few ribs of hair together as an excuse for a man bun. It was worn by the likes Zayn Malik, but Zayn now knows man bun time is up.
McGregor himself has even come to terms with the fact that the bun is history. So for all of you men still clinging on to that hairy dream, take a note from Elsa’s book and let it go.
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Fashion
BY AOIBHEANN DIVER & SHAYLYN GILHEANEY
Street Fashion with Style Soc Style Soc hunt down DCUʼs most stylish students.
Nina Kanti “Zara and Topshop are my favourite shops. My style is kind of girly chic but it varies depending on what kind of mood I’m in. I really like off the shoulder dresses at the minute.”
Valerie Keogh “I would describe my style as comfortable but cool. My style icon is Pixie Lott and my favourite shop (right now) is Pull and Bear. My jacket from Folkster is my most prized clothing possession.”
Saoirse KIng: “I have a bit of a rocker style. My favourite item of clothing I own is my Sons of Anarchy jacket. I love shoe shops and Penneys.”
Infection or injection? I
t’s that time of the year again, flu season is in full swing. Be prepared for health experts pleading with us to get the seasonal vaccine, but following last year’s catstrophe, will people be rushing out to get the injection this time around? Last season’s flu was severe, and the vaccine did little or nothing to help fight the infection. The number of influenza related death rose worldwide and experts are predicting that this year’s flu could be the worst in 15 years. Health officials in Britain last flu season admitted that the vaccine barely worked. Due to a mutation
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of the virus, the so-called influenza antidote was only working on one in three people who received the jab. For those who are unaware of how a flu injection works, it’s rather simple: your body is fed a dead or weakened version of the virus. The system is tricked into thinking the virus is present, and is therefore able to produce the correct antibodies to fend the virus off. The problem with influenza and any virus is that it’s not a living organism, and you can’t kill something that doesn’t live. All we can do is fight it. It mutates and changes all the time, so a new injection is required
seasonally to fight a new version of the same infection. Irish Health Minister Leo Varadkar echoed the HSE’s plea of how important it is to get the vaccination, and particularly those most at risk. He said that: “I have seen at first hand the effect that influenza can have on vulnerable people, especially the elderly and people with chronic diseases.” “This year I particularly want to remind health care professionals of their duty to protect themselves and their patients by getting immunised,” he added. “I know we can all do a much better job to get a much better uptake among
BY DAVID CLARKE
the people who deal with our vulnerable patients every day.” Those most at risk will be given the injection free of charge, and include anyone over the age of 65 and pregnant women. The HSE expect this season’s vaccine
to be about 40-90 per cent effective. Despite all of last year’s failures, the vaccination still remains the only defence against the flu. So it’s a case of injection or infection, you choose.