Issue 8 - November 2008

THEMAGDALEN

DUNDEE UNIVERSITY STUDENT MAGAZINE

ISSUE 8 NOVEMBER THE BOOZE EDITION

Legless or Limit it?

FEATURES

Tested Hangover Cures Escape from Dundee Ethical Fashions

DUNDEE GIGS Enter Shikari Errors Popolo

INTERVIEWS Tim Burgess Radio 1’s Nihal Miss Scotland

R F

E E

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THEMAGDALEN

CONTENTS

ISSUE 08 info:

Headphone Headcase

Need to read up on current affairs for the pub quiz? Rachel Irwin takes a look over the news from the past five weeks. pg.2 Word on the Street: Bits n Bobs around campus. pg.3 SRC: Members elected. pg.4

EDITORIAL

Not quite sure how to start Issue 8’s editorial really. Due to ever-changing deadlines and content, I’m at a loss as to whether to wish you a Happy Halloween, Merry Christmas or Best Wishes for the forthcoming exams.

However that last sentence successfully encapsulates the randomness of events in The Magdalen office. If it is not a budding cartoonist popping by with an illustration depicting a vomit laden editorial team then we’re sure to encounter a freelancer or two with grand ideas for The Magdalen in say…

2012.

As for the boozy contents of this edition, well I can’t pass judgement on anyone who enjoys a tipple or ten on an average night. Once the magazine goes to print I tend to be the first one at the bar.

Each to their own I say. The important point to remember is when to recognise a pint as a problem. Not one contributor claims to preach on the subject, but hopefully by examining the issues and consequences, we can provide both knowledge and entertainment. Failing that, skip to Eoin’s LoveMusic (page 14) or Andi’s Hi!Fashion (page 22) for a quick escape.

The Magdalen team are always hot in pursuit of the next interview and Michael Gibson did not disappoint when he wangled one with the legend that is Tim Burgess while he was up in Dundee last month. Discover what Burgess, Barat and Jamie from the Claxons have in common on page 16. Nihal ‘the facilitator’ Arthanayake cracked us up no end when he called the office to inform us of his role as the music scene’s shop window. Confused? So were we…page 20 will enlighten us all.

Message of the moment: Stock up on mulled (non-alcoholic) wine and mince (organic, fat-free) pies for the festive season.

Share them if you are so inclined…although it ain’t no necessity.

Best of Luck in the final weeks of term time. The Magdalen will be back in 2009!

L.Bennie@dundee.ac.uk themagdalen@dusa.co.uk 01382 381064

Lauren Bennie Editor

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Features

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Horrors of Halloween: Meet Miss Scotland pg.6 Bit of a Boozer? pg.8 Hangover Cures: Tried and Tested. pg.9 Escape: Life outside Dundee. pg.12-13 Dundee students parade around Edinburgh in Nazi uniforms. pg.26

Essentials

Ask Around: Me and my liver. pg.5 The Magdalen meets...Tim Burgess! pg.16-17 Nihal: What did he think of Dundee? pg.20 Society Spotlight: DARE. pg.27 Fashion: LBD, Ethical, The Magdalen’s First Photo Shoot. pg.22-25

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! t h g Cau

Reviews

Gigs: Enter Shikari/ Errors/ Popolo/ Rememberremember Reviews: Poets of the Fall/Britney Spears/ Books/Myspace/Film... pg14-19

28 Contributors

EDITOR Lauren Bennie

Assistant Editor: Natalie Coupar Entertainment: Eoin Boylan (Ed), Graeme Thewliss, Rosanne Baird, Stephen Budas, Michael Gibson, Jenny Minford, Andrew L. Urquart, H. Evans, H.Hanton., Louise Ward.

Features:Alasdair Forrest, Niamh Burns, Tahmina Nizam, Rachel Irwin, Gavin McNee, Joanna McIntyre, Shannon Tweed, Ryan D. Lewis., David Francis Munro.

Fashion: Andi Michie (Ed), Michelle Stirling, Fiona Martin, Glenda Johnstone.

Photography: Damien Alepuz, Kate Goodman, Susie Mackie.

Freelance: Shaun McWhinnie, Joan Muszynski, Adam McVey, Rimple Palana, Jordan Dunbar, Katy Wright.

Illustrator: Nick Cocozza Cartoonist: Ruth Hunter Graphic Design: Lauren Bennie, Natalie Coupar, Martin Gribbon (pg.12,13,27) David Francis Munro (pg.30-31).

PUBLISHED BY VPC Martin Gribbon D.U.S.A Airlie Place Dundee DD1 4HP vpc@dusa.co.uk

PRINTED BY David Winters & Sons 16 Dunsinane Ave Dunsinane Ind. Est. Dundee DD2 3QT sales@winterspioneers.co.uk

Recycle your copy of The Magdalen 1

info: > Rachel Irwin

This month, info: reporter Rachel Irwin has teamed up with Paul Seaman from Dundee University Economics Department to select the best snippets of daily news affecting the student body. What did all those facts and figures really mean for students?

So what’s been happening in the world over the past month? It’s difficult to tell really, as our screens and tabloids have been filled by little other than charts, figures, financial speculation and rumours of economic doomsday (oh and the U.S elections). As the cornerstones of our modern economy have one by one bitten the dust, banks have frozen on their lending and stock prices have plummeted, the effects of this financial crisis are beginning to filter through to the real economy.

True, it’s not the first time either Britain or the U.S has faced a recession but the extent of the failure within the context of our globalised world mean that this really is unchartered territory.

Apparently it has been on the cards for a while, at least if you listen to the many financial advisors and government officials who are now claiming they saw it coming. Blind faith in free market ideology and an unwavering belief that sustained economic growth is possible if not inevitable under certain conditions has led to excessive over-optimism in the market, unhealthy levels of risk-taking, lack of financial regulation and over-reliance on credit.

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The crisis kicked off in America due to sub-prime mortgages, i.e. banks giving loans to people who won’t be able to pay them back.

These ‘bad’ loans are packaged with other loans and then traded with financial institutions around the world, which is why banks here have been affected. As we all know when America sneezes the rest of the world catches the cold.

Banks nowadays no longer limit their loans to money taken in on deposit, instead they rely on huge amounts of money being exchanged with other banks on a daily basis.

The scale of this problem can be seen perhaps most clearly by looking at the response of governments around the world. Governments are risking huge amounts of taxpayers’ money to bail out these institutions by injecting capital back into the financial system in order to restore liquidation. If this works we may have avoided a full-scale crash. If not, the government may be forced to completely nationalize many of the key institutions and the taxpayer will be paying for it for years to come. It’s a lose-lose situation for the working class. Their hard-earned cash

is being used to ‘reward’ bad management and irresponsible levels of risk-taking which have so far benefited those in the financial sector. The alternative is an economic depression which again would hit those at the bottom first.

So how does this affect students?

Unless you are planning to retire this year on a pension based on the stock market or have more than £50,000 in the bank (?!) it mightn’t seem too bad. However, the problems will come when the shock begins to filter through to the real economy. Fear of a recession means people spend less so businesses, particularly smaller ones, either go bankrupt or have to lay off staff.

Unemployment has already begun to rise and is set to double in the next few years. Graduates are an investment which right now businesses are less able to afford. There will be a lot more competition for the internships that are left, and those with less experience who have been with companies for less time are at a higher risk of being cut when businesses downsize.

As the vicious circle continues people will have less disposable income, making it increasingly difficult for students to find part-time work, and banks may be less willing to give out loans and extend overdrafts. If you’re planning on graduating in 2009 it’s worth doing your research and staying ahead of the game when it comes to starting your career.

NB: If you’d like to add to our new current affairs section please email nrirwin@googlemail.com

Keep the finger on the pulse with the latest information released around campus. To advertise content relevant to Dundee University’s student body, contact the team on 01382 381064.

word on the street DoJ student wins top New Designer Award

Posts available on Student Representative Council

Having successfully co-opted the majority of new Council Members onto 2008-2009’s Student Representative Council, Deputy President Cameron Ritchie seeks to fill the remaining two posts on Council. Suitable candidates for the position of Mature Student Representative or Post Graduate Representative for Learning and Teaching should visit www.dusa.co.uk for full job descriptions and contact details regarding co-option onto SRC.

Magdalen Meeting Times The Magdalen aims to meet on the first monday of every month. The next meeting will take place on Monday 12 January at 5.30pm in the MicroCentre Seminar Room next to The Magdalen Office. New members are always welcomed. Meetings provide opportunities for all contributors (staff or freelance) to mix together and create new ideas for forthcoming issues of Dundee University’s student magazine.

University of Dundee Group seeks volunteers Would you like to take part in research?

Receive £20 for a short screen and reimbursement of approximately £50 per study visit. The Asthma and Allergy research group urgently needs volunteers with Asthma and/or Hayfever/Rhinitis and healthy volunteers to take part in clinical trials at Ninewells Hospital or Perth Royal Infirmary.

Contact 01382 425597 or visit www.asthmaallergy-research.co.uk for more information.

Closing date for Discretional Funds

To ensure your Discretional Hardship Fund application is processed within semestertime, please submit your forms to Student Services on Level 4 of the Union by 3pm on the following dates:

Friday, 28th November 2008

Tuesday, 17th March 2009

Tuesday, 12th May 2009.

Former D.U.S.A employee and University student, Anna Hegarty has been awarded the sought after Argos Award at New Designers 2008. The award, presented on 2 July, includes a £1000 cash prize and development of a range of jewellery exclusively for Argos, the UK’s leading jewellery retailer. Graduating from DoJ this year with a BDes Hons in Jewellery and Metalwork, Anna’s distinctive

collection of contemporary designs consists of intricate hand-created clusters, combined with delicate patterns to form timeless necklaces, earrings and rings.

Deborah Goulthorpe, Argos trading manager for jewellery, watches and clocks, commented, “We are passionate about jewellery and supporting new talent in design. This year we looked for designs that were impactful, contemporary and conveyed a sense of individuality and style that our customers will love. Anna’s designs are unique and will fit well within our current range.”

On winning the prestigious New Designers award, the foremost event in graduate design, Anna commented, “After working on this collection for the past year it is incredibly rewarding to achieve such great recognition and exposure for all my hard work. After New Designers I plan to continue designing and making jewellery, and hopefully, building on the success I have already achieved.”

Anna’s jewellery is now available in Argos. The range will also be included in the new Spring/Summer catalogue launched in January.

Bag yourself a Millenium Volunteer Awards Who is eligible? Young people between 16-25 years who participate in voluntary work on behalf of the University e.g. Peer Connections, SRC, Class or School Reps, Student Schools Placement Scheme, voluntary work on behalf of Careers or Wider Access etc and committee members of Student Societies or Sports Clubs. The Award offers the opportunity to recognise achievements of youth volunteers, it is a national scheme set up by the Scottish Executive and Volunteers Scotland. The award is an excellent addition to your C.V.

Volunteer hours can include meetings, training sessions, travel time related to volunteering (over 15 min) as well as any specific volunteer time. They cannot include anything that is done purely for pleasure, leisure, personal or social reasons.

You can get credit for helping to run a University Society. Volunteer hours can be back dated for 2 years and you have 2 years from registration to build up the number of hours required for each award - hours are cumulative.

Registration for the scheme is simple, you will need to fill in and sign a registration form then you just record the hours you have completed on a monthly timesheet.

The timesheet is then signed to verify your hours; by the Vice President for Student Activities if you are running a Student Society; Committees Chairperson for reps; President of Sports Union for those running Sports Clubs and Vice President for Welfare if you are a DUSA HELP service volunteer.

If you are interested in participating in the scheme and volunteer within the University, please contact Joan Muszynski, Peer Connections Co-ordinator, Student Services Tel. 01382 384932 or email j.m.muszynski@ dundee.ac.uk

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Students elected for newly restructured SRC For another year running, D.U.S.A

Student Executive proposed changes to the structure of representation within The Union. On 6 October 2008, after Exec proposals were accepted, School Presidents and the Executive met in the meeting rooms of The Union to begin co-option for the newly created positions on Council. SRC motivations have been split into two committees; Learning and Teaching and Services and Facilities. Failing to co-opt all positions, the remaining posts are still available to students interested in representing the voice of Dundee University’s student body.

The Student Representative Council meets every month to discuss the issues most pertinent to students. The newly formed sub-committees will also seek to ensure that additional aspects of D.U.S.A can be addressed in more detail and with significant relevance to the needs of students.

SRC is open to all members of Dundee University’s student community.

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At each meeting, the open gallery provides seating for all those interested in observing the conduct of business within SRC. To contact any of your representatives, please visit www.dusa.co.uk, in particular the Representation section of the website. LB

Learning and Teaching The Learning and Teaching SubCommittee may consist but is not exclusive to: Learning and Teaching Representative Andi Michie 1st Year Learning and Teaching Representative Shashwat Gupta Post Graduate Learning and Teaching Representative - vacant International Learning and Teaching Representative Umair Syeel

Services and Facilities The Services and Facilities SubCommittee may consist but is not exclusive to: Services and Facilities Representative Lauren Bennie 1st Year Services and Facilities Rep Abdolhamid Arabi Int. Services and Facilities Rep Miranda Bustard Post Grad Service and Facilities Rep Shaun McWhinnie Environment Representative Nora Hanke Societies Representative Philip Engelholm Halls Representative Morven MacKenzie Equality and Welfare Representative Faysal Samimy

Ask Around

Can I have a great night on the booze and look after my liver at the same time?

Make sure you eat a wholesome meal before your big night out to help soak up all the booze. I would recommend a pizza. Cheap, quick and easy (Some people say that about me…) Stay away from anything smelly or the girls will be running away faster than you can mutter Garlic Bread! DFM

Best thing to do is redefine what it means to have a great night out, why does booze have to be involved? Get yourself off to the Cinema, stock up on sugary snacks (Healthy living advice to follow!) and stay away from the over-priced bar.

Try and stick to similar drinks.

We’ve all heard that saying, “Don’t mix the grape with the grain.” A mixture of beer, cider, wine, spirits, (and whatever else you’ve mine-swept from the bar-not recommended) swirling around in your guts while you’re giving it laldy to Mr Brightside on Mono dance floor ain’t going do your body any good! DFM

Quite simply, No. George Best got a second chance with a liver transplant. The rest of us might not be so lucky. The amazing thing about our largest internal organ is that the liver can repair up to 75% of the damage we cause it. This does not mean we can pound it to an inch of its life…or 25% of it’s remaining life if you see what I’m trying to say. Look after the liver and it will look after you. LB

Take your time with your beverages!

Having a bottle race with your mates or playing catch up on five pints of Carling might seem like a good idea at the time but trust me it plays havoc with the liver AND the bowels. You’ve paid for your drink, so why not enjoy it? You wouldn’t down a coffee from Air Bar to get that caffeine hit would you?! DFM

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By Shannon Tweed

From Burglar to Beauty Queen...

There are a few things you should know

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about beauty queens. According to this year’s Miss Scotland, they don’t open your love letters nor do they even receive your hate mail. They’re all fuelled up on life experience because if you’re the Mistress to a whole country you can sample jobs like food at a tasty buffet. Our Little Misses are an icon as much to themselves as the youngsters who love to love them. Money is not a problem. Yes, they do believe in world peace, although this Miss Scotland won’t be saying that. Finally, a true beauty queen doesn’t need to be reminded that beauty comes from within, she’s already aware it all boils down to the girl beneath the crown.

In an era where McDonalds can be sued for making you fat then, yes, we have all agreed that big girl you are beautiful - but what about the waifs? Stephanie Willemse, our newest Miss Scotland, doesn’t believe in the term ‘size zero’. “Some celebrities…are called anorexic when they’re just built that way. I’ve got some model friends who are size zero… naturally.

I think the media should just stay out of it… I feel sorry for people that do have a problem, maybe they should get out [of the modelling industry] until they get better.”

Yet she herself is a girl that hasn’t had the luxury of taking a step back for a while. In another life her love of music would perhaps have led her towards a career in radio presenting. Sacrificing a fashion course at Glasgow Caledonian University was also ditched to be here. A model by the age of fourteen, Willemse traveled the globe in search of fame and success within the tough word of fashion.

Sitting on the union sofa with a festive cocktail, complete with a fake eyeball

swimming in its green liquid, I think it can safely be said she’s found it.

“You can have several castings a day…that’s why I’m so good at job interviews,” she laughs. Willemse denies there’s any element of jealousy attributed to her official role as the most accomplished, beautiful young woman in Scotland this year. “I’ve been lucky…No one patronises me”. Since crowning she has done the rounds of regional football games and flew to sunny Palma simply to get the right light for a shoot. Willemse describes herself as fun, ambitious and caring, and if you had been there for the fancy dress competition on Friday night I’m sure you would have agreed that Willemse is definitely an interesting mix of chipper and well balanced. Perhaps then we all could have benefited from an adolescence spent in fashion.

“I grew up quite young in a sense”, Stephanie admits, “I wasn’t spoilt and I didn’t have a bad life”. After spending four months in Tokyo, she is still struggling to overcome an addiction to sushi as a result of her time there. Willemse’s optimistic description of the modeling world might encourage one to think the industry has gotten a bad rep. But not before she lets slip a little stereotype we might associate with the two-faced world of the media – “No ones insulted me to my face” Willemse allows while pondering the hard world of fashion, “but rejection is normal for models”.

Miss Scotland is currently campaigning for St Andrews day, arriving in The Sun’s bus, with a gigantic tartan berry draped across its hood – apparently even buses are getting into the spirit this year.

Wherever Willemse travelled from to get to

D.U.S.A’s Halloween party, I can guarantee it was a slow ride. “Scotland is a really kind country,” she insists while lamenting the lack of spotlight on St Andrew’s Day celebrations compared to other calendar events unrelated to Scottish culture.

“Some people don’t even know the date of [St Andrews Day]…our patron saint”. St Patrick’s Day is one of the most anticipated D.U.S.A shindigs of the year, so why not double it up, Willemse asks.

Willemse is disguised as a cat burglar for tonight’s festivities, a figure of the unseen underworld, an antithesis to the traditional, spotless glamour of a beauty queen; but what is involved in keeping this icon from being corrupted?

“You have to be liked by everyone” she says casually, “especially tonight!” she laughs. It doesn’t seem to bother her that she can’t be grumpy or rude. Considering that Ms Willemse takes pride in her own natural behaviour, “whatever I do, if it’s a different sort of work… I’m always me…I don’t stick my nose up at anyone,” one might think that a conflict arises between the obligation of being yourself, and embodying Miss Scotland. Maybe she is living the Rom Com dream - the princess in a PC tower surrounded by the cackles of a mediahounding Wicked Witch. As for Prince Charming…he’s missing for now.

What would it take for a beauty queen to be de-crowned I ask. Treason?

Murder? Cellulite? “[If I committed murder] I don’t think I’d still be hanging onto the crown as they were slamming the bars across…”. Miss Scotland is heading to the Miss World competition in South Africa soon, but whatever the challenges, Stephanie Willemse definitely has my vote.

Horrors of

Halloween 7

When social events are discussed now a days, a likely conclusion will result in a wee trip to the pub. Gavin McNee addresses the British habit of binge drinking and looks at the Scottish implications for future policy change relating to alcohol abuse.

Let’s get straight to the point. Binge drinking is said to be one of the main problems associated with violence in the United Kingdom. This is partly due to a variety of behaviour occurring when drinkers are under the influence of alcohol.

Some receive a boost to confidence levels whilst others unleash aggression and some quiet simply fall asleep. Either way, in the majority of cases a person’s behaviour is altered in some way, shape or form. The key point for debate however is why alcohol abuse a far greater problem in Britain that elsewhere in Europe? In Austria and Belgium, the idea of going out for a heavy weekend of boozing will be frowned upon.

Traditional Europeans prefer the idea of a quite social drink as opposed to getting completely off their tits.

In Scotland claims are often made that a lack of alcohol awareness has created a serious problem. Alcohol fuelled crimes have risen dramatically over the last decade.

Supporters of the Scottish National Party believe this may come to an end under new proposals to ban the sale of discounted alcohol in supermarkets and off-licenses, in addition to raising the age for purchasing alcohol to 21. Would this make the streets a safer place to walk at night? Perhaps not when supermarket chains such as ASDA have stated that they will still make cheap booze available to Scots over the internet by basing distribution warehouses in the north of England.

Recent research has shown that binge drinking is an increasing problem amongst males. The psychology of peer

pressure illustrates that when a man abstains from getting drunk, he is more likely than a women to be viewed as weak according to Frank Soodeen of Alcohol Concern. Soodeen also states that alcohol “…functions as a symbol of earning power and social exchange.” This is perhaps one of the main reasons that so many people these days feel that excessive consumption of the substance is vital to having a good night out.

Only time will tell whether or not the SNP’s plans will have a positive effect on the rates of alcohol related crime in Scotland. Either way, the decision is likely to remain a fairly controversial one. The positive side however is that people will still be able to buy alcohol at their local pubs and clubs from the age of 18 onwards but is this enough for those who feel that they have lost a part of their freedom? www.alcoholawarenessweek.com Read Alasdair Forrest’s report on page 10 for further implications to our drinking habits

Bottle out of the binge 8

T e h a r t u C

By Joanna McIntyre

Hangover!

The pounding headache, the thirst no amount of water will cure and the urge to be sick. Hangovers: we’ve all been there. They seem to be as much a part of student life as lectures and essays. I get some of the worst hangovers, which seem get worse with age. The Magdalen decided to find out the truth about hangover cures.

Ginger Biscuits Apparently, eating ginger-nut biscuits or drinking ginger beer is meant to ease sickness. I opted for the biscuits - I’ve never been a fan of ginger beer and the morning after a big night out didn’t seem the best time to try and change this. Waking up with a rather upset stomach I began to munch on a few biscuits. Initially it did make me feel less sick. Although this was short lived and I still spent the majority of the day curled up on my couch swearing I’d never drink again.

Water and Exercise The next cure I tried was to drink four pints of water when I got home then get up early and do some form of gentle exercise.

On this night I did feel extremely thirsty which made drinking the first pint and a half rather easy but after that it was difficult. In all it took just under an hour to drink all the water and get to bed. The obvious consequence of drinking four pints of water in quick succession meant I got very little sleep. As a result I felt so tired the next morning and the only gentle exercise I had energy for was walking to the kitchen and back. Although after more sleep I did feel better than I usually do after a night out. The water helped; the early morning did not.

Vitamin C Drinking a glass of OJ (or taking vitamin C tablets) before you go out, when you get back and when you wake up.

On a hideous hangovver the morning after, I was not up for downing a large glass of OJ (a pint...maybe). However after slowly drinking it I did feel less groggy. Although the effort of drinking orange juice at various stages of drunken bewilderness didn’t really seem worth the minimal effect it had.

Fizz and Energy Drinks Drinking Lucozade, Coke or Irn-Bru is another very popular hangover cure.

The high sugar content is meant to help to hydrate you and alleviate the hangover symptoms. Drinking coke with an upset stomach was of no joy to me. Despite this it did help with the tired feeling and with my headache.

It did not however help with the nausea but that’s probably my fault for drinking my coke too fast. Sipping at sugary drinks throughout the day would probably be a better idea.

Hair of the Dog After waking up with a stinking hangover another drink is generally the last thing you feel like. Despite this many people swear by it. I gave it a go in the name of journalism. Surprisingly it worked! For a few hours my hangover was almost completely gone. However as the effects of the wine wore off I felt far worse than before and was glad I was heading back to bed.

No hangover cure works 100%.

There is only one real cure for a hangover. Drink plenty of water, sit on the couch and watch daytime TV. If you can’t do the time don’t do the crime!

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It’s the day after deadline in The Magdalen office; which usually means chaos, the editor throwing the proverbial book at me and e-mails flying in faster than the collapse of the world economy.

As I sat trying to wrestle with the worlds messiest cheese and coleslaw roll, I began to think about binge drinking. Alcohol causes many social and economic ills (you can tell I’m a politics student) such as poverty, disease and backsplash. While this is all very serious and something we must not disregard, my main problem after a night out is definitely phone-related. In this world you have three types of drunk phone-owners; the Oscar Halle Berry (OHB), the Man or the Machine-GunTexter (MGT).

The OHB is the drunk that turns into an insecure, volatile train wreck at the end of a night out. Usually female with rivers of mascara flowing down their face. Give them a mobile and it’s finito. I’m an OHB. When I’ve had too many Pinot’s I’m convinced that everyone’s a loser because they don’t come out. Past 10pm people just refuse to answer the phone if ‘Natalie’ flashes up. Being an OHB addled with booze means that I totally neglect the art of text, leading to several phone calls to my despairing pals (usually my mum). The result? Waking up full of sheer dread, looking at the ominous ‘last dialled’ list hoping that ‘Landlord’ doesn’t appear. Next up ...The Man. After a night of drinking dirty pints and talking about how filthy Lorraine Kelly would be, the Man emerges. He tends to follow the same protocol: they completely forget they even own a mobile. If I don’t hear from my bf past 11pm when he’s out I know that he’s probably rolling about in a car park somewhere. It’s not because they’re ignorant or can’t be arsed texting you, it’s because they’ve lost all comprehension of technology. Speaking to my male friends I’ve found out that most of them either lose their phones or have fallen asleep. This situation ensures minimum embarrassment!

Finally, I present the MGT, possibly the worst type of drunken phone-owner you could be.

There’s a reason you’ve not spoke to that girl for over a month so why text her at 3am? Reasoning becomes non existent and soon you think its OK to text the guy you kind of fancied asking if he fancies a walk to the 24 hour bakery. Remember, texting means having to actually send the message and understand the names on your phone. The amount of times I’ve sent a sozzled message to my auntie instead of my mate Adam is frightening. The MGT is lethal as they feel that the best time to get in touch is at 3am smelling of kebab and sambuca. So when it comes to binge drinking, who are the casualties?

You’re liver, you’re bank account but more importantly – your pride! There’s no worse walk of shame than the one through your Sent Messages file the morning after. NC

11

Ryan D. Lewis On a clear day, from atop Dundee Law, having a grand vista of the Tay, you may observe that where the river comes to the end of its reach and fades into the horizon of sea, there remains a citadel of dark woods, a firm hold of nature’s advance. Have you been there?

It is the Tentsmuir forest, and a visit will certainly reveal to you the richness of its elemental character.

To visit there is to step away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and particularly, to break away from the microcosm that is the University. We all need a break. So why not satisfy your need to retreat, or purge your urge to explore, by hiking or biking to this local haven of nature.

The forest is beautiful, inspiring, and simply put, a spectacle

12

of diversity. A visit can offer more than just exercise, recreation, or a break from routine. A trek to the Tentsmuir forest is above all, an adventure waiting to be made.

It’s up to you how this is done and what comes of it. However, the first step is to detach you from schedules, habits, and daily affairs here in Dundee. Clear your mind of its internal monotone dialogue and its preoccupations with self. Take a few full breaths and simply cross the river.

Unless you are an avid swimmer, a canoeist, or have somehow revived the ferry service, the most obvious and practical means to cross the river is by way of the Taybridge. Though you may have crossed it hundreds of times, on the occasion of a journey to the forest, try to see the bridge in a new light.

Reconsider what it is, what it stands for, and its relation to the nature of

the river. Revere the breadth and depth of both. Perhaps what the bridge offers to all of us is a sense of security. It is a thread of stability that spans a fluent, surging pace below.

Maybe this is a simple allegory for the experience of life. We expect soundness and anticipate stability.

However, what the watercourse is, as a flowing, transient passage, has many lessons for those who are its pupil. Nonetheless, for the pedestrian or cyclist the experience of crossing the Tay is always a breath of fresh air.

Once you are across, follow the ebb of the river. The walking and cycle path that goes along its course eventually passes through the charming community of Tayport.

From the huddled assembly of small boats in its protected harbor, resounds the lonely ring and chime from the winds movement through their rigging. Across the way is the Bell Rock tavern. Outside its door you can here the murmur of voices that sound as if they are distant calls and chants from a ship already out to sea. Make your way in but brace yourself for the brief moment of awkward silence, which is the usual reception. Don’t be dismayed by the patrons’ shyness. Just have a few pulls from the friendly taps, say few words lest you speak too much, and bid farewell as you continue on your journey. Leaving Tayport you will meander through neighborhoods, maze through a caravan park, and pass by some industrial buildings, as these are the final outcrops of society that linger on the fringes of a woodland enclave.

The path turns to gravel, and will occasionally be interrupted by puddles of water left from the most recent deluge of rain and tide.

The flat land bordering the path is an amphibious ground, half land and half water, and certainly a frail habitat. The path skirts the edge of an estuary and passes along a heath teaming with waterfowl. The scent of sea and earth are ripe here and always complements the view.

At last and before you, the forest is an obvious and formidable presence. Here your pace is your own, but remember that you’re just a part within the greater whole. It is a place of difference. It is a constantly changing persona affected by the movement of the seasons. The air in the forest is uncanny. The wind is the forced sigh of the sea, which is embraced by the forest causing it to move and swell. To breath deeply in this wood is to experience the mingled scents of time and energy, life with death, and vegetation from decay.

This place is something between a seascape and a landscape.

It is the furthest extension of the arm of land, the tip of a finger that touches the stirring waters. It is a blend of dune and forest that is a unique, living, and breathing thing.

It is an entity of nature that pleads to the sea on our behalf. It is a reserve, a portion of nature that is left to thrive on its own. Regardless of your experience, each visit to the Tentsmuir forest is exceptional, and the solace it offers to those of us who go, is worth the journey we have underwent.

The Forest Beyond the Sea 13

Love Music

> Dundee Scene - D.I.Y style

With the music scene apparently dying a death, Graeme Thewliss discusses how YOU can help keep it alive!

By the time this issue of The Magdalen goes to print, Dundee will have wished farewell to another of its finest local bands. Not only have we lost Alamos, but Screamo favourites Archives as well. For a city as small as Dundee, losing bands of this calibre could be enough to kill a scene stone dead. Both groups contributed hugely, supporting acts from Scotland and as far a field as North America, as well as being spectacular headliners in their own right. The absence of these local favourites will be felt strongly across Dundee and despite this loss; we at The Magdalen can only wish them the best of luck in future projects.

The idea of D.I.Y music has been around for some time now and is not immune from the ‘credit crunch’.

Travel costs are higher, food costs are rocketing and through very basic economics, the price of gigs also has to increase. For the promoter, increased prices equates to increased risk. In

order to combat this, whilst trying not to sound like an army recruitment drive, Dundee needs you. ’m not asking you to go out and start a band or hire out venues, (Both great ideas, but starting small is fine), but never underestimate the importance of turning up. By turning up and supporting the local bands, promoters are able to take more of a risk on international bands, bringing more people from across the country to Dundee and the scene picks up again.

All is not doom and gloom however as there are several bands who are pushing to fill the void. Popolo from Dundee, St Andrews and the surrounding area have supported Errors recently and are soon to be supporting Dananananakroyd with their unstoppable rhythmic beats.

Stepping up to the plate to fill the ringing in your ears that Archives left, are Dundee’s awesome Swordmaster.

Somehow merging techno beats and face ripping riffs, ‘Scotland’s most metal boyband’ will be tearing a stage up near you.

Got an opinion? Think your music taste is better than ours? Get on the blower: 01382 381064 and hurl some abuse at us if you’ve got the balls.

Swordmaster playing Dundee gig

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> Boylan’s Blog With more gigs and surprising new releases than sand in the Sahara, there sure has been a lot to keep us busy this Autumn. October saw a lot of action, including a triumphant Grace Emilys show at the Union and the return of Carnoustie act Secrets We’ve Told in the form of new project Make Sparks.

Those of you who attend the Union’s open mic night will know the latter, as their frontman hosts proceedings every Monday.

In other news, Dundee hosted an appearance from former Darkness front-man and general tit Justin Hawkins with new band Hot Leg. Although at first they sound like a complete joke, their live show (as could be expected from such an infamous performer) is suitably epic with more chants and crowd participation than the Singing Kettle.

New discs from The Killers, Snow Patrol, Dido, Britney Spears, Pink, Girls Aloud, AC/DC(!) are on their way, and Oasis and Keane have already committed their most recent works to retailers.

From amidst the international music abyss, this month has proven its worth as a quencher for our thirst for hot new musical talent and tracks. And the best is yet to come, with Alkaline Trio, our beloved Chicago punks, releasing their long awaited single I found a Way and LA rock harmonists Silversun Pickups currently in the studio recording what will probably be another top album to follow Carnavas.

But until then, we have Jack White and Alicia Key’s intelligent and experimental collaboration Another way to die which truly demonstrates the trumpet’s ability to kick rocking ass. Of course for the eager amongst us, the wait for this fantastical array of jazzy music will by all means pay off. EC

Left: Who’s next?

You decide...

> Albums the world should own

The Record Collection Of A Dundee Student Please Describe Yourself - Dogs Die in Hot Cars The anomaly (Biffy!?) that was the 2004 Freshers Week thrust the Glasgow 5 piece into the spotlight in Mono, who rattled through their set with gusto, channelling the exuberant instrumental constructions of Squeeze, with lead singer Craig Macintoshes cheerful, but never naïve, intelligent, but never smart-arsed, unique, but wholeheartedly pop driven vocals laid over the top. This was the only time that I’ve rushed to the shops the morning after to buy a CD. Now sadly disbanded, there are only such pop gems as ‘I Love You ‘Cause I Have To’, ‘Godhopping’, and ode to student lifestyle ‘Lounger’, to remind us of what should have been.

“I get up when I like, wear anything I like, don’t keep up with the cool, I make up my own rules, don’t have to eat my greens, or keep my bedroom extra tidy cause nobody is around to tell me off, lalalalalalalala…” – Lounger

Find it if you can!

Courtesy of Shaun McWhinnie:

> Myspace of the month Copy Halo

myspace.com/copyhalo It’s not often that bands from Scotland outside of Glasgow’s ever cool indie scene get a great deal of press, never mind a band from a small fishing village in the north west, but if there’s one that deserves it it’s Stonehaven quartet Copy Haho.

Pedalling their own distinctive brand of poppy lo-fi it’s impossible not to be charmed by their chiming guitars, laid back vocals or just the pure charisma pouring from your speakers. Musically the influence is very much late 80s and early 90s alt rock but out of all the current British indie scene waving their Sonic Youth and Pavement t-shirts in your face none do it with quite as much class as the guys from Copy Haho.

Singer Joe Hearty’s lyrics are fantastic and fit with the music perfectly and when he delivers a chorus of “You can bet we’ll do just fine” on the amazing You are my Coalmine you’ve just got to hope that his group will do more than just that because any band with pop songs as perfect as this deserve to be heard by the masses.

For Fans of: Frightened Rabbit, Pavement, Johnny Foreigner.SB

15

n e l a d g . . a .

M ets e M

Tim Burgess

“I’ve been out buying some records”, Tim Burgess tells me in his dressing room prior to the Dundee leg of their British tour. “The Ladyhawke album – she’s from New Zealand.

It’s one of those rare records where you play it and think ‘fuck’, that’s really special”, Burgess enthuses. “And the new Lambchop record…” Tim Burgess, frontman with The Charlatans and poster boy for a million indie kids for the last two decades, is still in love with music.

“We’re all [The Charlatans] big music fans and we treasure being in the band. And we all like to create. Obviously there have been times, like everything that’s worth keeping hold of, when it’s nearly fallen apart but we’ve always managed to keep it together”, Burgess answers when I ask about the band’s longevity. “When we first started calling ourselves The Charlatans and putting up posters in Northwich [Burgess’ home town] and in Manchester, people came to see us straight away. I don’t know if it was the name or the image but for some reason people just identified with us and it has continued to grow and keep us there.

We started off on a really good footing and that’s why we’ve been able to last so long”.

So how is the current tour going?

“It started last October really – I’ve read about Bob Dylan talking about the ‘never ending tour’ and that’s what it feels like for me.” And what of Scottish audiences – are they really the wildest crowds in the UK, or is a line trotted out by bands to ever credulous Scottish journalists? “Scotland is great. Edinburgh was brilliant, a classic Scottish crowd. Stirling was good - loads of 18 year old lads who took their tops off after the first song and shouted ‘here we go, here, we go, here we go’ throughout the whole set! It was on the verge of violence but somehow managed to avoid it, which was quite beautiful! Paisley was also really intense. We were offered the Scottish tour

just a few days after playing T in the Park in the summer, which was one of the best gigs we’ve ever played, so we obviously said ‘let’s do it’. I think this is the first time we’ve played Dundee since 1997, which was Tony’s [Keyboardist Tony Rogers] first gig, so it should be good”.

Where do the Charlatans fit into today’s music scene, where many of the leading figures had yet to master the arts of potty-training when the band released their debut single ‘Indian Rope’ in 1990? “We’re in a better position now than we have been for a few years. We can look at older bands and

“

I think this is the first time we’ve played Dundee since 1997...

”

think they’re a bit naff – but younger bands look up to us and think we’re the shit, that we’re really cool, which is quite funny! A few years ago it kind of felt like we were the end of the cycle of Brit Pop or something, but now it’s turned into something really fresh and we’re going somewhere else.”

The Charlatans’ last album, the 2007 release ‘You Cross My Path’, earned much critical acclaim, with many critics alluding to the very tangible influence of New Order in the record. Were those comparisons welcomed by the band? “In all honesty the album was a Factory [the late Tony Wilson’s seminal independent label] record. New Order, I guess being a big fan of Factory, they crop up the most. But Section 25 [1980s post-punk outfit] are in there, as are the Scottish band The Wake. I guess you can look it at it like a painting – New Order and the Factory stuff are the canvass, and the music, the words and the emotion are The Charlatans. I use that as my basis. But there’s loads of other stuff in there as well –

The Cure and The Smiths, definitely. And The Exorcist is a big influence – I tried to get lines from the film into the lyrics. The line ‘you will die up there alone’ from ‘You cross My Path’ [the album’s eponymous track] is from the film. And the line ‘I am the sound of Iraq’ is influenced by The Exorcist. It’s going back to the painting thing again - throwing images at it to form a picture.”

The band released the album initially as a free digital download through the XFM website. What was the rationale behind the move? “Me and Alan McGhee [founder of the influential Creation record label], who was our manager at the time, went on a DJ tour. We had both stopped drinking and had both become obsessed with MySpace. So we’d post details of the DJ sets up on the internet just to see who’d turn up. Then Throbbing Gristle [avantgarde post-punk act] gave away a live album over the internet. All these little ideas were building up so McGhee suggested we give away a brand new record over the internet.”

So was this before or after Radiohead’s much publicised ‘pay what you like’ policy for their ‘In Rainbows’ album? “Oh, well before - we had discussions way back in 2006, before we had even recorded it. It took a long time to come together. McGhee, being McGhee, wanted to give it away with the Sun! While we all wanted to give it away we didn’t want to do it through The Sun! Then XFM heard about it and approached us and it seemed to be perfect. They’re not the biggest radio station in the World but they had at least a million listeners in Scotland, a million in Manchester and a million in London, so it was big enough to cause a bit of trouble – which is what it did!”

And how was it working with Alan McGhee? “I’ve known Alan since 1993 but we never had the chance to work together.

But a few years ago me and the missus invited Carl Barat [Libertines and Dirty Pretty

Tim with our Michael Gibson

Things guitarist and singer] over to America for Thanksgiving dinner. Carl asked if he could bring his manager with him and I said ‘sure’, without realising it was McGhee. We were going through a terrible time with our manager so I asked Alan. He had a think about it and twenty minutes later he said he’d do it. In that short period of time when he was our manager, about 13 months, I think what we achieved was incredible.

Because he’s done so much in the business if you can get him for a snapshot of his life you’re quite lucky. I consider The Charlatans lucky to have worked with him. We both got so much out of the ‘You Cross My Path’ project and I think we both did it better than anyone else would have.”

Having released ten studio albums, five compilations, two live albums, 33 singles and three DVDs, The Charlatans back catalogue is unmatched by many. Does Tim look back to one period more fondly than the rest? “The ‘Telling Stories’ [1997 album] period was good. The ‘Melting Pot’ singles compilation was released around the same time so those two albums just kind of rolled into one. Obviously the first one [‘Some Friendly’, which reached the top of the charts in 1990] was amazing, the fourth one [1995’s ‘The Charlatans’] was good because it was

when we went back to the top of the charts, Wonderland [2001] was really good as well and the last one’s been great as we’ve had a lot of positive feedback from it. I suppose you can look back at these records as milestones – I think they’re defining points”.

Burgess now calls Los Angeles home after leaving the UK in 1998 with his American fiancé. Does he miss Blighty?

“Comparing LA with Britain is like comparing a moose with a helicopter! I do miss Britain.

If I had all the friends I have in Britain in LA it’d be perfect, but I don’t”, Tim explains a little despondently.

So what does the future hold?

“There should be something happening with The Chavs [Burgess’ side project with Carl Barat]. Carl’s disbanded Dirty Pretty Things and we’re both coming to the end of our tours so that looks likely. Me and Carl are going to write it in January and February. Jamie from The Klaxons is going to be involved too but we’ll write it before then. I’d love to record it in a place like Soho and invite all our friends to come round – just have an open door and see who walks in, whether it be Mick Jones [former lead guitarist with The Clash] or whoever. I think that would be really cool. Even if we could get a Chavs EP out I think that’d be amazing.

“I’ve been asked to do a complete soundtrack for a Russian film called The Prophecy, which starts filming in November and finishes in May, so somewhere in between there I’ve got to write the whole thing, which I’m excited about. I’ve just produced an album by a band called The Hatcham Social, and I’m hopefully producing our support band The Ruling Class’ album in March, which I’m looking forward to.

And any plans for The Charlatans?

“Well we’re off to New Zealand and Japan before the end of the year and we’ll be touring all next year. Europe is getting quite big for us so we’ll be going to places like Germany and Spain, and no doubt we’ll do the British festivals. I also want the band to record the final track for the film – it’d be great to do one huge fucking song for that.

And 2010 will be our twentieth anniversary so we’re hopefully going to do some big shows for that”.

Burgess’ eyes light up at the thought of these shows, undimmed by the notoriously cynical industry within which he works. Who’d bet against a thirtieth anniversary in 2020?

You Cross My Path is in all good record stores.

Michael Gibson

Take It As Gospel: > Reviews

.James

Bradley The Resurrectionist (BOOK)

The Killers Human (SINGLE)

Britney Spears Womanizer (SINGLE)

If a gothic chiller is what you’re after then Bradley truly delivers with his enrapturing dark tale of 19th century London.

After Gabriel Swift’s father – a gambling addict – dies, Swift is sent to live with a guardian who quickly sends him to London to learn the trade of the great anatomist Edwin Poll. When Swift comes to blows with Poll’s nemesis Lucan; master resurrectionist of London, his whole life will change for a different course. Bradley mesmerizes the reader with his story of the fragility of life and death. This book is of more use by your bedside than as your doorstop. JM

Many of us were shocked at how much The Killers had aged between their first two albums, sounding as if they had lived a lifetime in three years – the results were not bad, but perhaps not as well loved as their debut. The new track is based largely on layered synthesisers and Flowers et al restraining themselves than they have in some time. This track will be welcome on the dance floor, but Human also sounds like it could fill watery-eyed stadiums, and sounds like it would do this less aggravatingly intentionally than ‘When You Were Young’. It would be right to be very optimistic about the upcoming ‘Day & Age’.

AL

Pop music is a funny thing - one writer’s ‘amazing’ is another editor’s ‘horrendous’.

It’s the kind of post-Timbaland-Pop‘n’B we’ve come to expect from American big hitters (and now in the UK, stand up Leona Lewis). Having hit the top of the Billboard 100, it seems there’s life left in a ubiquitous production style, but when it generates fantastic songs like this it is difficult to complain. AL

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The Coen Brothers Burn After Reading (FILM)

Enter Shikari ‘We Can Breathe In Space...’

Poets of The Fall (ONE TO WATCH)

Burn After Reading is a cracking film. The Coen Brothers have made previous cult classics No Country for Old Men, O brother, Where Art’ Thou and The Big Lebowski only to return with this dark comedy. Brad Pitt stars as a no-brainer gym buff who stumbles upon a disc containing memoirs of a CIA agent. With stellar actors such as George Clooney and John Malkovich this film promises to b a hit. RB

‘… They Just Don’t Want Us To Escape’. These four have never sounded so happy, or so engagingly pop-metal. Continuing a long line of amusing titles, this re-recording of a track looks certain to win over new fans.

Absent are the roaring war cries of other more aggressive Shikari tracks, replaced by vocal harmonies set against a euphoriainducing synthesiser backbone. This song has everything, encompassed in a thirty second breakdown going from hinting at drum and bass, to a crunching metal riff and an a capella vocal segment. AL

Of the many bands lost within the abyss of the international music industry, one that has been severely neglected is Poets of the Fall. Formed in 2003 and originating from amongst our Northern neighbours in Helsinki, Finland, their melodic and intelligent style has yet to be appreciated by those of us from the south of Europe.

Their ability to combine sweet acoustic melodies, thoughtful lyrics and powerful guitar harmonies has given them national mainstream success and the unconditional right to be recognised south of Scandinavia.

The band kicks ass. After releasing the highly anticipated Revolution Roulette this year, they still continue on the road to play many more national gigs. Let’s just hope that this is the month where we will finally be enlightened by their genius.HE

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DLS > Gig Round Up Enter Shikari Gig Replay...

Even if words like hardcore or metal send you running to the hills, the idea of combining the two sounds very interesting.

Enter Shikari already have a reputation for wild live shows, accumulated during the promotion of their first album and various EP’s. Still working on their second album, the boys made time to make an appearance in Dundee.

For a band with stuttering and unpredictable dynamics in their songs, everything from programming keyboards to the mandatory guitarist's jump from the stage monitor was executed with precision.

Two members of the band declared their illnesses; to which a great deal of the audience sympathised but without the apologies no one would have known a thing. The bands energy knew no lapse from opening to encore, but from metaltastic 'No Sssweat' onwards their own performance may have found itself dwarfed by that of the crowd.

Enter Shikari

Throughout the 14+ show the moshers present showed little regard for their own well-being or that of those around them. I was rescued repeatedly from underneath piles of enthusiastic fans within seconds.

The climactic re-working of 'Sorry, You're Not A Winner' quickly established itself as a health hazard with sporadic mosh pits forming everywhere.

Though they relied largely on the visibly loved 'Take to the Skies', the hints Shikari gave us of new material inspired a good deal of promise in the rave-metallers next efforts. 'We Can Breathe in Space' might present itself with a more approachable sound than the largely aggressive and hugely successful debut only a listen to the full album will reveal this.

By the time closing track 'OK, Time for Plan B' had finished there were many bruised fans and spilt drinks. Yet the reception in the sold out venue was emphatically positive.

My friend the ‘human dodgem’ came away with blood on his shirt, no belt buckle and was very lucky to find his left shoe at the end of the gig. ALU

Errors + Support Gig Replay...

Glasgow four-piece Errors rounded up their UK tour by bringing their unique blend of post-rock electro to the Kennel in what was unbelievably their first ever gig in Dundee! Promoting their debut album “It’s not something but it’s like whatever”, Errors were joined by their Rock Action label matesrememberremember and local band Popolo.

Popolo were a new band to me but I was left in no doubt that they are definitely a band to see again and again.

Their infectious echoing guitar licks teamed with galloping rhythms meant that despite being all instrumental this band were anything but boring! Next up was rememberremember, the one-man Glasgow brainchild of Graeme Ronald.

He played a disorganised yet melodic three track set, being joined for the final song by a saxophonist, a violinist and Errors drummer James Hamilton.

Although I didn’t really rate the set the crowd seemed to be into it and the sheer variety of props on stage made for an interesting show!

Finally, Errors took the stage for an incredible thirty minute set showcasing the best of their heavily anticipated debut album. Kicking off the set with the waltzy “Still Game” a track that begins with a swaying drum beat which builds up to a glockenspielspattered synth-filled climax and fades away (breathe!) with a beautiful, delicate guitar riff - a definite gem on the album.

Un Errors went on to play a variety of tunes, the highlights for me being “Toes”- my favourite from the album and “Pump”– the band’s current single.

All in all it was a fantastic night of music and I look forward to seeing them in Dundee again! LW

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There’s growing tension in the Radio One

camp as ‘Moylesy’ and Co ratings continue to plummet. The credit crunch has lead to a downturn in Radio listeners. The birth of digital radios means there’s more choice for the discerning listener and lets not forget the force that is the Internet. Amidst all this worry there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel in the shape of one man – Nihal. This 30-something Essexian (Essexite?

Essexonian?!) is a debonair, blithe young chap. Well-versed in the world of both Asian and mainstream music he proves to be a powerhouse in all that is modern culture.

A I NH L

We were graced by Nihal’s presence not too long ago in our communal building that is La Union during Freshers Week. After countless e-mails, we would meet via the medium of phone. In the lead up to the call, The Magdalen experienced a degree of delirium it had never felt before. How would it lead the intelligible conversation Nihal was accustomed to? Would they know enough about the works of Machiavelli and Rousseau to keep him amused? Time would only tell, and in the tremulous minutes leading up to the interview The Magdalen knew one thing – Nihal had no concept of time.

“Sorry we’ve had a really busy day,” his manager/coordinator assures me. It’s been fifteen minutes since they were expected to phone and my bum is already cramping.

The world of radio truly is a busy one and working for such a reputable station such as Radio 1 requires a lot of time and devotion.

Time and devotion that Nihal is selflessly prepared to give. “I enjoy what I do,” Nihal muses, “and its quite interesting that when you’re doing a weekend breakfast show and people text in and say its their 18th night shift in a row, you kind of think I never complain about my job.” Yet understanding the hardships that the working class face isn’t his only positive feature. Nihal is demure with regards to his achievements – which by the way, include being a cultural ambassador for the London Olympics bid.

“Working for a specialist music show, it’s good to see young British-Asian artists who haven’t been given the chance,” he comments when asked about his proudest achievements. Being a man of many talents Nihal has also helped a rapping and singing troupe from East London tour the world.

In the growing world of Asian music, it’s

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interesting to think that Nihal’s place is amongst the hustle and bustle of the music industry.

“I’m a facilitator, that’s what I am, I’m just a shop window,” he answers, using a truly beautiful metaphor. “They’re the people that create the art and all I do is put it in a

shop window. It’s like a retailer, if you put clothes up in Selfridges and somebody says “Wow those Dior clothes are amazing do you feel proud about them?” Well not really I just buy them and then sell them.” While we’ll never know the wonderment of Dior clothes or in fact the inside of Selfridges, it’s a captivating insight into Nihal’s role in Asian music.

Is Nihal liked by the public? I should hope so, however perhaps some social networking sites contradict this school of thought. “I’ve got three ‘We Hate Nihal’ groups on Facebook,” he remarks, leaving The Magdalen wondering how many nights he must spend perusing the internet constantly embroiled in a war between selfhate and adoration. He’s a deep character, clearly wise to the world of fame.

So do people understand the true Nihal?

“I’m not – I’m not normal. I’m an Essex boy, I’ve got a certain type of humour. I’ve got reference points from as wide as Harold Pinter to Little Wayne.” When discussing other people’s opinions Nihal has more wise words; “Opinions are like backsides – everyone’s got one. I actually like to be liked and when people don’t like you, I used to get really angry.”

Anger aside, Dundee surely was a welcoming option for the up and coming DJ. Having played host to many a Radio 1 DJ over the years, Dundee University Freshers Week was a home from home for the Spurs fan. “I love Dundee! You know it still freaks me out that people know who I am, it genuinely does. When I walk through a room full of students and they know my name - I know not everyone does I’m not like Scott Mills or Moylesy but some people do - it still kind of freaks me out.” His reticent manner evokes images of the humble man or the good samaritan, but is it possible that such a figure could have an interest in the limelight?

“I have no interest in being famous, why would I want to be? I don’t mind a certain degree of notoriety as spin-off of the fact that I love music.”

So, the many faces of Nihal continue to grow and change like the weather. There’s Nihal the Facilitator, Nihal the modest disc jockey and Nihal the hated. It’s like a big brother scenario; which one you want to have is up to you. We leave the phone call enlightened and wiser to the world of fame – whereby not all of its participants subscribe to its trappings.

Rosalita consists of

Kris Andrew (Vocals) Jay Goodrich (Bass) Ben Groom (Keyboards) John Randall (Drums) Richard Tyler (Guitar)

They’re famous because; The video for Manga Girl was outrageous and part of a Zombie movie that a friend was making. It was “So tacky that it was no longer tacky.”

When making music they; have a “shitfilter” which means that all different members decide what they do and don’t like about a song. They’ve got quite a democratic process when it comes to making music.

Rosalita at Maida Vale Courtesy of Radio 1

The band is named after; A Bruce Springsteen song. Apparently they were due to play their first gig but had no name, so picked up the first CD that came to hand and decided on Rosalita.

Roslita still have; Dayjobs. Richard teaches guitar whilst the rest of them tend to odd jobs in between gigs.

Can be found currently; Doing a tour before retiring to the studio in December before another tour kicks off in February.

They’ve already; won the V festival, recorded at Maida Vale studios, played on the same bill as Foo Fighters, released a single – What Would Your Mother Say and finished a nationwide tour.

They have their own; Street Team, who by the way have a lot of members.

They are quite; handson. They manage their own Facebook, Bebo and Myspace as well as designing their own artwork for singles and EP’s.

Interviewer: Natalie Coupar Photography: Damein Alepuz

When you see them live; dance; it would be impossible not to.

They dress like; hip pop stars in braces, t-shirts, jeans and big hair.

They sound like; the poppier version of Sex Pistols

The Magdalen spoke to; Ben Groom and Richard Tyler.

Myspace them at www. myspace.com/rosalitaband Listen to; Manga Girl and Art Attack Famous Fans: BBC Sussex

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Hi!Fashion Beyond

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From

an Heels

Skin Veg

Some

Earth Calling Fashion (...Message Received?)

You see it. It seems to stand out and draws you closer to it. You weren’t meant to even be buying anything, but this, well! This is different. You need it. It would go amazingly with your new boots, will give your staple skinnies a renewed life and add three inches to your standing. This Sheer Blouse (with the black lace panel and the cute cuff ties) is the thing you’ve been missing all along, and then, you see the price; this Lifestyle Enhancer is only going to cost £25! You rush, gleefully, to the counter. Give Visa.

Deal done. Ok, so twenty five quid for a top off Dundee’s high street isn’t costing you very much. It‘s not costing you very much at all.

With the focus on ethical fashion previously highlighted in The Magdalen [Green] edition last year, the issue has held our attention for quite some time.

Over recent months, there’s been much speculation and focus on the credibility of certain store’s ‘ethical’ stance, particularly one shop famed for it’s £1.50 tee‘s and £3 underwear sets. In a televised interview with the CEO of this store we’re told that suppliers have been revised, as have factory ‘processes’ (an apparent euphemism for a child’s work). However, the fact that retailers have been forced to revise their means of production is down to the shift in public focus, with shoppers becoming more aware of where, and who, they are buying from and what their notes are really supporting.

So, while green fashion has been around for some time (for some time in the fashion world, at least) it has more recently become evident that a tectonic shift is gearing towards sustainability. The slighting preachy tone of ‘green’ has been replaced and this change in stance is reflective of the ‘eco trend’. ‘Trend’, however, could be an inaccurate work to use as it’s apparent that

this is not a passing fad (such as the revival of neon, thanks be!), it’s something which is here to stay - with more and more designers hopping aboard this warrior ship. The style is not going to date.

Sustainable fashion looks at the treatment of those who produce the components to clothing, and of the ecological cost the transportation produces. Sustainable fashion comes from a philosophy that lies just behind design; that a piece should not just look good and be wearable, it should also be ‘slow’, meaning that it’s not time based, rather choosing to focus on beautiful and enduring design, fair and sustainable production and on effective consumption.

Originally established by the British Fashion Council (BFC) to introduce London’s sustainable fashion ideals, Estethica embodies the principles of ethical fashion whole heartedly, and insists that council members abide by particular standards; Ethical Trade - by ensuring that farmers and producers get a guaranteed fair price for their labour, investment is returned. Eco Fabrics - consideration of the fabrics used in production, of their airmiles and overall footprint. Recycling; use only pre-existing materials. The sustainable ethos is promoting a longer lasting relationship with fashion.

London Fashion Week (S/S 09) saw Estethica’s fifth season at The Exhibition, the largest ever with thirty four designers. In association with a major high street retailer, the initiative constantly attracts new and innovative designers. Looking at these designers’, the clothes alone, if nothing else would inspire a conscience in even the most hard nosed of us. Some of the designers who run with Eastethica are people such as Beyond Skin, Nitin Bal Chauan (who source

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their fabrics from a village in the Himalayas), Fifi Bijoux and From Somewhere.

From Somewhere (never was there a more apt name!) firmly settles itself around the recycling movement. When From Somewhere first began trading in ’97, they set out with a capsule collection consisting of second hand jumpers and cardies, all customised using elaborate crocheting details and trims, updates which not only gave the items a new lease of life, but also prevented destination landfill.

Through this reincarnation of the modest cardigan, From Somewhere went from a single season wonder to internationally renowned, continually addressing the issue of waste.

The growing demand for cheap clothes has led to a boom in that market sector, but with us paying so little, someone, somewhere else must surely be paying the price? In our hunger for budget shopping, are we forcing others in to a life of labour? With the realisation that ‘cheap’ doesn’t necessarily equal ‘value’, we can see that things are, slowly, changing for the better. Just taking a look round the high street it becomes apparent that there are retailers out there who seem to be putting a lot of effort into creating capsules of sustainable manufactured clothing, and with one tee shirt consuming up to twenty litres of water from cotton bud to shelf, sustainability is something which is at the forefront of the fashion frontier.

From high end fashion such as Stella McCartney to the mid range giants like From Somewhere, and to accessible high street chains, we now have access to apparel that not only look absolutely fab – they make you feel amazing AND morally sound. Now who doesn’t want that?

By Michelle Stirling

5

simple steps to update your Little Black Dress...

By Glenda Johnstone

Mix your LITTLE BLACK DRESS up with a funky necklace.

Long necklaces look great with strapless dresses, and featured highly on the Autumn/Winter ’08 catwalks. The style of Anna Hegarty’s jewellery will move your outfit up a gear, taking it from a dull to a head-turning dress.

Keep it Classic The point of the LBD being a classic is that we should never do too much to the dress itself.

A simple skinny belt will update the dress without overdoing it.

(Belt: Urban Outfitters)

Q: Boot or shoe?

A: This season is all about the shoe boot. The gorgeous heel will instantly update your LITTLE BLACK DRESS with its high fashion look. This pair from asos.com are a bargain at £30.

The Cuff The Cuff is simple, all in one, and you don’t have thousands of clinking bracelets echoing behind you everywhere you go. This gold cuff from French Connection can be worn casually or dressy, a brilliant investment.

Clutches are back.

This Mischa Barton clutch is not space limiting, and will make you stand out from the crowd with its fabulous chain detail on front combined with the reptile print.

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Model: Miss B.Clothes: Model’s Own. Photography By: Susie Mackie. Location: Broughty Ferry.

The Magdalen Fashion section is back! This tim e around, the team has been working on ways to deliver a new fashio n sla nt with retailers around Dundee. Watch this spa ce for developments. Bel ow, our photgrapher Sus Mackie sets a high sta ie ndard for future fashio n shoots. If you would to take part in the nex like t shoot as a model, dre sser, stylist or photogra contact themagdalen@ pher dusa.co.uk. Better still, showcase your work fro DoJ textiles, jewellery or m design departments on these pages.

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prob abl c urren y wouldn Westwood more tly wearin ’t be hard -t g c we tu ime’ eBay another onsiderin ‘I’ll-o g I’m rn ou purc nly h desig r ner t attention ase. How -bid-one hrou ever, even to a g gh w b e defin etter, a tr and thro nuine ic hen on an ue Br ugh e -a it d in to between day’s the ‘r - it really nd what’s ruthl does eal’ a Unde ess nd th really n e and e iably one fashion worl ‘wannab clect of th d. e’ ic de e mo Vivie sig st nn a col e Westw ners of o influenti le al o u – we ction tha od, has y r time, Da et to t is a ll, let m e n ’s be b Prob hone ything le ring out ab ss th st – e ‘subt ly the fu an xtra rth le bega ’ and ‘safe est defin ordinary . n to ’ pos i t ion prod s that uce c ible, Wes from It on h a v e su two ly loth defin lates takes a b itive bsequen es in the od t issu rief p f t a F l 197 y s u h rther mark eo ee unde more ion map ed h 0’s rstan f Vogue p throug a w er e , v arde t t d h the worl d an his fashi en 30 ye on the d fas ing of th o get a b v o e a H r n e rs h e o y ow t i influ n Du norary D legend w on. encin on icons, who’s wh ter a n e a p o l d g g a se of se riv ee in th bels re the h as e a i poss ilege tha Univers e from o ven and f ons belo gh street nd design i u i t t b y r n l y o l a ng st s oth u a e you w conten have ture. (I am ing to th nd catwa rs d wit er desig emester a n t e l recen Ia ne ks h! still b desig past, accla t ns w sk?) Orig ( What m r could prese imed ly made affled as inally ithin o ‘ n S re co t E X i t t o ho page beg ’, W th into se u w to Vo s, are s estwood e controv lling her ld and ‘m differ – b however gue’s hig Next till re e ’s r g s i a al b . I la rm co h famo it for umsy’ kn nd cordu certainly ly usly gnisable ents and outique its ha me). roy t d t e acc o e m fi d ni ay w blazo rouse ve The w desig ith th essories ned tive ‘orb rs ners ork o never re c r e ei a u d n pon such ally d Jaco f hug it c the p d satellit r bs as one e your runch fa e i e ’ logo Dior , Miuccia Karl Lag ly succes ce sh p sful er ne P and a ennies sa ion thou s. This is favou ver fail t rada, and feld, Mar v hard g hot-d ed fo h gu og c ly C r very y r more ite glossy race the hristian far if og at the a few ch s…and page mag ever e than u h e n e k i r y o azine div you s of o nw and d pints enou s, u g e garm erse item want to on’t get respe terminat h how th reflecting r y e s a . ou n ff A t ord s ar io ei nd c attire Cent table pla n have e r hard wo , but en’t so m deserve one of arne ces a ury’s d m u of ar d the rk tt fa Pixie t, defi ore like ch your ly so! He ir ever caref Geld shion mo he top of n o i r t e yday r t ly no o he sh ully c s t teen t r y age f f may I ad t wanted he 21st a f o a f w ted w r the nd re on’t l ashio … d wit appe f t o nis h dis unlike ar pum ie; a pair iring for aint hear rks may. prom ed in ma ta brat h t p o t h e s f a d h p t , T e as re rob ma gazin his o rb threa ce e for h ting her dbar ably won ubblegu tter. I so-ca s and we ntly igh s e m sc ’t com colle tre bs lle e appe ction Dundee aring et store N d “new fa ites alike hood plemen nted s from t h e t you l s y Wha as th a e h b w v V i e o e i vien Loo ry w ls su r n” t, I e ‘Sava fashi appeal, ‘new face k, as we line ge’, e ch as ‘Pu ne Westw ell. Past has s ll as on to ’ of th a n a o c k s o h ature the d fe he gar da e fathe r’s w y except really co brand. for e very nam ment bei ’, ‘Hypno ature ealth ntrib indu beco x n e a g as ou s’ and uted be lg m colle mple, the defining tl to infec e yet ano fore blea e herself c t h t n i e o e m. T andish n fro w Au o tin c ther expe o m t d Lond hing her n her u Yes, I g our w ay, rime the ‘A mn/W hair t ee on it nt k n so, if i -girl o Pixie now it’s t kly gossi you f s with va glomania nter bag s o p r c will o ri u a i ’ stud ut-do e – you m columns alite Angloma ent l ncy spen ations of line heav ?! nia oan f ding tarta ily ay ar my s a n d o n t tyle a gue p r h – t a e h y r e e that h ny da s s o t e A mag mest of yo nywa y-w e e u hich quid y, it migh to a grea r, go ahe r t ad (but t onl B r i t ish d sa ys eBay es just y dly for m et you b ack 4 igner. e, no et). t ava 00 od ilable d Pixie on

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By Jordan Dunbar and Katy Wright

Dundee students parade Edinburgh in Nazi uniforms “Like a cross between Dad’s Army and Allo Allo.” Scotsman “Impressive performances by male lead Jordan Dunbar and Niamh Spurr.” Guardian “Painful.” Chortle magazine “*****-Five Stars” bored tonight.com Every August comedians, actors and performers flock to Edinburgh Fringe Festival from around the globe to provide audiences with a feast of new and bizarre acts. There are over six thousand acts vying for the publics’ attention attempting to obtain strong audience numbers. In order to ensure this acts are out with flyers from dawn until dusk, some semi-naked, some breathing fire, some as Jesus and some in Nazi uniforms. The latter was Dundee University’s Lip theatre company, who were performing at the Fringe for the umpteenth year running, and with a lot to live up to after 6 consecutive years of sell out shows.

So in August 2008 Lip took to the stage with an off the wall act: A Nazi Rom-Com musical and obtained strange looks and belly laughs from audiences night after night.

In preparation for Lip’s venture, members were encouraged to rack their alcohol-numbed brains in an attempt to produce a fifty minute piece that would be show-cased at the Fringe. The play chosen

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was a Nazi Rom Com Musical created by Lip member Jordan Dunbar who claimed it came fully written to him in a dream (but he also claims Lionel Blair lives in his shed). A The piece was a comedy about the Nazi’s invading Dundee and their attempts to keep control over those pesky Dundonians.

It was described by its writer as a cross between Allo Allo and The Mighty Boosh, but remember, he said that thing about his shed. After a summer of auditioning, re-hearsing and some panicking the production was moved to the Edinburgh Fringe!

Every day Lip members would publicise the show on ‘The Royal Mile.’

(Being dressed as a camp Nazi never fails to entice the ladies). On occasion, Lip performers took to one of the mini stages on the Mile to drum up interest for the evening show. Such an opportunity gave us some of our most bizarre moments here’s a selection; Drunken man shouting at Nazi “I died in the war.”

Man in tracksuit to Nazi “Are you’s in the SNP?” Creepy man to Sexy Nazi “Can I take a picture?” (Seven times) Odd photographer to Gypsy “May I take a photo of you pretending to be a suicide bomber?”

The Fringe was a brilliant opportunity to write, direct and act in a show that will be watched by hundreds of people and reviewed in the national press.

Lip was even approached by a producer from a London production company and offered the chance to write a script to be made into a pilot later this year, all thanks to Lip! But that’s all still in the pipeline.

There is nothing like Edinburgh during the Fringe, everything is faster louder and definitely weirder, but in a good way. Street performers keep going through the night, pubs, clubs stay open till dawn and the mix of people from around the world is unbelievable. Where else could you; have a fight with Jonny Vegas, confuse a crack den with an art gallery, have a rave with Australians in Starbucks, or create a nightclub in a hostel at 6am every night for a month? All this while mixing with the likes of Jimmy Carr, Joan Rivers, Mitchell and Webb and Matt Lucas. This is where your favourite comedians and actors made their big breaks...what’s stopping you?

To add to the success of Lip, the team would love to see you every Monday in Mono at 7pm. Don’t fancy acting? Why not try your hand at set designing, join the back stage crew or get involved with directing or reative writing. Stay Fresh!

DARE member Adam McVey participated in an expedition out to Tanzania in his summer break this year. The 4-week project included working in an orphanage housing around 150-200 children aged between 0-16. Here Adam describes his experiences abroad and the emotions he felt.

Most of the children I met were up to the age of seven. However, there was one girl who was slightly older. She was around 10 years old and called Benicia. I asked the nuns one day why Benicia didn’t go to boarding school with the rest of the children her age. Benicia had HIV and the nuns feared that she wouldn’t receive the medication she needed if she lived with her school. Benicia is a bright, beautiful young girl who has a witty sense of humour cared for by the most compassionate human beings I’ve ever encountered.

Whilst at the orphanage, the DARE team tried to give the kids as much attention as was physically possible.

Alongside this, the fundraising money allowed us to buy much essential supplies for the orphanage. We purchased in excess of sixty litres of paint to spruce up areas much in need of a re-coat. I am almost brought to tears when I think that although we bought many toys, there are still not enough toys for every child to own one.

The children don’t own anything. Many share beds. Five-year-old children share

cots designed for toddlers. Because the children don’t own any toys when they play with them they have no incentive to keep them nice. They soon deteriorate and brake.

When they do, the toys simply become objects. During my stay I confiscated a plastic bag (wrapped around a four year old girl’s head), a plank of wood with a nail though the end and mosquito spray.

I remember my dad telling me that when I was young and I was bought a new toy, I would spend more time playing with box than the toy. The box could become anything, with some glue, coloured paper and imagination. I wondered what went through a child’s mind while playing with a half full can of mosquito spray.

It is unethical in a setting of hundreds of kids to pick a favourite but I couldn’t help myself. Abeli AKA The Dancing Kid was my favourite. At only 5 he had the moves of a professional dancer and was an affectionate, overwhelmingly charming little boy. Abeli may well face a similar situation as Benicia in a few years. Ill health might prevent him from gaining the level of education made available to him by the orphanage. This is because Abeli like Benicia is also HIV positive.

Although I have painted a doom and gloom portrait of the situation at the orphanage, the atmosphere is one of happiness. The children are content and naturally crave attention and love. This summer DARE painted 2 murals, painted the windows of the Kindergarten, and bought toys and supplies. Such endeavors make expeditions an extremely worthwhile project to undertake in a summer. Nothing lasts forever, the murals fade and need repainted, toys break and the attention and love shared is often gone as quickly as it had appeared.

Development and Research Expeditions Society (DARE).

DARE offers a variety of skills and experiences to members. Other expeditions include ones to Borneo and Nepal. Volunteering is at the heart of our work. You can help! Face painting on a match day or wrestling in jam are only two examples. Find out more at WWW.DARE-DUNDEE. COM

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Get yourself...

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y a D e f th

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