Keep on Rollin’ You know what time it is Henry Rollins: Page 6
Inside:
■ Wallis Bird ■ God is an Astronaut ■ Stars ■ Spring/Summer fashion ■ Triple H
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sue 6 22.01.08 Is | t en m le pp Su t en nm ai rt te En College Tribune
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22nd January 2008
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ISSUE 6
Music “We traditionally finish our tours in Dublin, it’s the light at the end of the tunnel” Stars: P4
Fashion “This season sees the return of the ethereal romantic look” Spring Summer Fashion: P9
Health “He opened up the fridge and every Pepsi can was lined up perfectly” OCD: P8
Arts “This Big Mouth has spent most of his life being a bit of a tool” Russell Brand’s Booky Wook: P12
MUSIC
Bird on the wing Irish songstress Wallis Bird speaks to Maximillian Harding about her new album, burning CDs and the joys of recording in a proper studio Meath born Wallis Bird is flying high at the moment in the wake of the release of her new album Spoons. The 25-year old singer and songwriter is finally becoming the act that everyone is talking about, and the energetic Irishwoman waxes lyrical about the delights of touring. “I enjoyed the rest but I’m now itching to get back on the road. My favourite gigs have to be the Irish ones. The packed Crawdaddy gig was brilliant because everyone was singing along and there is nothing like playing in your home country.” A diminutive blonde, Bird is a bundle of energy and is enthusiastic about gaining access to a well-quipped studio. “The studio rocked. I spent most of the time joking around and just having so much craic recording the album. In the end it took the bones of a year to finally be ready for packaging,” she
“I do get homesick a bit but the band is here and we’ve sort of built ourselves a little community”
laughs. “I did have some difficulty with a few songs, like 6 8. It was going nowhere for ages until it turned out to be the one that I’m happiest with on the album.” In one of her most famous songs, Country Bumpkin, Wallis makes references to new age teenagers and their makeup and fake tan. “When I was out in LA I saw both sides of the spectrum, both the poorest and the fake rich type scene in Hollywood, so it was a song I just had to write,” she explains. Her popularity in Germany is reaching new heights and she explains that she built her fan base while living there for nearly two years a er forming her band. “I met Michael and Christian Vinne in 2004 and I met Aoife O’Sullivan before that when I was in school. We started to tour Germany extensively, playing several festival spots before being picked up by Island Records. And the rest is history,” she jokes. Bird now lives in London, close to one of the hubs of Island records. “I do get homesick a bit but the band is here and we’ve sort of built ourselves a little community,” Bird explains. Like every act these days that are now selling their music, the illegal download era can severely threaten their potential success. “If I download something for free I usually buy the thing too. But I mean, it’s everywhere now, isn’t it? Everyone does it and I can see the upside of it as it is a way of getting your music out there. As long as your not burning like a million copies, I think it’s grand.” Reflecting back on her roots in music, Bird appears to be passionate about all things musical. “I was interested in music from a very early age, I was in a few choirs and things like that when I was young. It wasn’t till I was sixteen when I started taking music more seriously. I joined a few bands and toured solo for years.” Bird’s future is looking bright and as her album catches the wind, one can be sure that we’ll be hearing a lot more from her in the future. www.myspace. com/wallisbird
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Flying high Fresh from a sell-out European tour and triumphant performances abroad, God is an Astronaut main man and guitar charmer extraordinaire Torston Kinsella met with Lorcan Archer to discuss how rising above it all isn’t rocket science Within Ireland’s crowded indie rock scene and plethora of singer-songwriters, precious few groups manage to break free from the presupposed constraints of what it takes to make a band. Wicklow’s God is an Astronaut are one of those few exceptions. Literally riding high on a crest of critical acclaim to occupy an enviable position of being able to decide their own future, the band are in good spirits. Most importantly, the band’s soothing but strong take on chilled out post-rock is being shown the same level love that has obviously been put into its composition. “We had a great year in 2007. We did our European Tour, and pretty much every show was sold out. We played as far away as Moscow, with Mudhoney, and did a great festival with them. We played in Turkey at a festival to 30,000 people which was amazing too. We have eight more shows planned in the States in March, our own little tour. Really, its taken off.” The group’s status in Europe seems to have far outstripped their standing on home soil over the past few years, despite the fine reviews that their latest album Far From Refuge has garnered since its release. Kinsella puts such a slow reaction down to the atmosphere of the Irish music scene in general. “I’ve never really seen myself as an Irish, local act. I think what a band does here is sort of burn themselves out, they spend maybe a year getting popular here, and then they go to England, and they’re nobody again.” An honest assessment it certainly is. How many groups in recent years have jetted across the sea a er packing out venues and gaining hometown hero status, only to be summarily dismissed on British or European shores? “It’s quite tough. Even in Belgium, honest to God here, I’m not just saying this, they said to us ‘Why are all other Irish bands shit, and you guys aren’t?’ Honestly. As a nation we have a bad reputation abroad today.”
One quality that is o en singled out as being something which sets the band apart, is a certain ‘apocalyptic’ vibe, which is somehow wordlessly expressed in the ensemble’s instrumental sound. The crescendo of melody the group o en employ in songs seems to lend itself to this type of image. “Its just something we were always fascinated by. Our generation grew up approaching the new millennium, and no-one knew what would happen. Would it be the end of everything? We’re fascinated by a lot of Sci-fi and the idea of space in general.” Pinching their name from horror movie Nightbreed would seem in that light to have been an inspired move. “The name itself represents the world of this weird, new theme of the future that we expand on within the music.” The band’s stage show is particularly renowned, with bassist Niels being the man behind the atmospheric projector and lights show that is designed to equal the group’s sonic expression live. It makes for an impressive show, and other bands seems to have caught onto the idea, as well as the more fresh sound the band have been channelling. “When we started way back making this music, we were listening to stuff like Massive Attack and NineInch Nails,” supplies Kinsella, stressing the natural beginnings of the group. “A erwards, we found this post-rock scene. I actually only bought a Mogwai album a er the recording of All is Violent, All is Bright. “I mean, there are bands out there in Thailand who’ve copied us, almost exactly. Its scary. In Russia we played with three or so bands who’ve totally copied our style, who’ve done it so well. So it really makes you want to move forward and innovate, to try new things.”
www.myspace.com/godisanastronaut The album Far from Refuge is out now.
Singing the silence Meet Jens Lekman, Swedish songwriting maestro who released his third album, Night Falls Over Kortedala, towards the end of last year. He sits with a wry smile and a quiet confidence that one quickly realises is deserved upon listening to his songs or seeing him perform. He also has genuine talent with a command over the English language that would make any native speaker and contemporary blush. Music is something that he does and has worked very hard on, “I write all the time, I try to write a song a day. I don’t succeed in doing that but at least I’m trying.” Lekman’s prowess has grown with every release but it took a huge leap with Night Falls Over Kortedala. This is partly to do with the greater production values but mostly due to the different approach taken to the record. “The recording was pretty much the same. This time I had a bunch of friends pick the songs for me because I’ve never been able to do that, I’ve never been able to link songs together. If I knew how to do that I would make a movie or write a book. “I just know how to write songs so I picked the best thirty songs or so from the last three years and I had my
Jens Lekman speaks to Eoin Boyle about the need for a real drive behind music writing and how possible it is to get by with a little help from your friends friends choose the best ones. So they had a little Eurovision song contest to grade the songs, then I had a track listing that was perfect.” This input of others within his music is unusual for Lekman, a self-confessed musical introvert, albeit not in an aggressive or isolated way. “Most times I’ve tried to collaborate with people it hasn’t really resulted in interesting music. I write specifically about me and what happens in my life and I can’t really work with other people when I do that.” Lekman did however contribute one of four songs to an EP dedicated to Arthur Russell. Other artists include the tremendous Taken By Trees. “They seemed to share the same idea of what they heard in Russell’s music. I felt like he was becoming a bit too much of a musical icon, people were only hearing the beats and the disco recordings, I’d al-
ways heard something in his lyrics and his melodies, something that was very different from all other music I’d ever heard.” Apart from his admiration of Russell, Lekman isn’t someone that has been influenced directly by other artists, with his approach to music seeming a consistent and independent one. “I don’t really have that many musical heroes, every time I listen to a record it’s because I’m thinking of sampling it.” His influences are derived from more general movements rather than
the individuals themselves. “There was a scene that started about three or four years ago that was very inspirational for me because I was part of it. I didn’t really have that much to do with the other bands of that scene but it was inspirational because suddenly it felt like Swedish music wasn’t apologizing for itself, it wasn’t trying to be British or American. “All of a sudden it felt like bands were not looking towards what was happening there, they were try-
ing to see what was happening in their own back yard and breaking everything that was bad about Sweden and turning that into something beautiful. So it was very inspirational because I was listening to what was going on in the U.K. and America and I couldn’t care less, I’d much rather listen to the dance.” Lekman has had a very successful year, playing many of the “nice festivals” such as End of the Road, as opposed to less salubrious affairs. “Generally I hate rock festivals, it’s just drunk people who happen to be there.” He is touring until July in promotion of Night Falls Over Kortedala and will then take a welldeserved break. “I’ve got to figure out what I want to do, I don’t even know if I’m going to make music anymore. I think so though, I haven’t been that interested in what’s been going on in pop music lately, I think I need some sort of new inspiration.”
www.myspace.com/ thesongsofjens
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Aural Examinations or The Handsome Boy Modelling School. He is let down by a number of factors on each song, either his beats are tame and lack the ability to properly back up his lyrics, (See most songs on the album) or the lyrics themselves let him down. On several occasions Lupe begins to make some interesting points and even commentates on society, when suddenly he lapses once again into rapping about his gold chains and how many he has. Truly insightful. These flaws would be bearable npppp if it wasn’t for the one horrible fact about The Cool. There This album isn’t quite the fiasco it are nineteen songs, none are skits, claims to be but it is very close. Fi- and it lasts for seventy minutes. The asco has very definite illusions of collection would seem to more suitgrandeur and seems to be trying to able as a double album, but it almost be a lot cleverer and smarter than appears as though Fiasco was scared his music and lyrics actually show. that he wouldn’t get a second chance. Imagine him as the small kid in the It takes a rare talent to be able to keep class who blatantly uses long and the interest of the listener for that long complex words without know- and Fiasco just isn’t interesting enough. ing exactly what they mean, that’s Even with the numerous big name about how annoying this record is. guests such as Snoop Dogg, Pooh Bear Lupe and Gemstones to name but a few, the Fiasco is alternatively the poor album is a struggle. mans Kanye West and a less intelligent version of artists like The Roots Eoin Boyle
lupe fiasco
the cool
Stars in t Pat McGee of Stars chats to Philip Connolly about illegal music downloads and getting their revenge on the music critics “The lead-up was pretty devastating but it was nice to get a break over the new year.” It’s been a busy few months for stars drummer Pat McGee and his band Stars. Arriving in Ireland this week, the renowned indie rockers play Galway for the first time on the 22nd of this month to be followed by dates in Cork and Dublin. “We traditionally finish our tours in Dublin, it has always been a light at the end of the tunnel, it’s the highlight in fact. We’ve never been to Galway before, all anyone ever talks about when we come over to Ireland is that we have to go to Galway, so we’re fi-
damien rice these new puritans
live at union chapel nnnop
beat pyramid nnppp
Puritan is a funny word to describe these UK denizens, seeing as Beat Pyramid is hardly conservative, mixing stark electronic noise samples with a more recognizable jangly guitar sound and twangy British vocals. The spirit behind the music is easy enough to pick up on, as the group seem to be trying to find something revolutionary, melding the cold beats to what is unfortunately pretty bland indie rock. Things perk up however when the smooth, melodic chorus of Numbers aka Numerology slides nicely into place, but the irritating weakness of the vocalist yapping on with repetitive insincerity through lyrical gems like Every Number has a Meaning! more than drags it back into average territory. Groups like Devo can pull off this sort of thing perfectly, injecting even the most nonsensical of sentences with character and passion to great effect, but it falls flat on it’s face for These New Puritans. Occasionally, we hear hints of some considerable talent at programming, with many of the album’s beats and sounds being quite satisfying in both texture and rhythm, like on the track £4, but by diving into limply delivered vocals and pedestrian guitar riffs, it sabotages that one strength they have. While it’ll no doubt be lapped up by some thanks to the painful amount of pretension audible in some songs, and the band promotion shots that go for that Joy Division look that’s so in right now, it ultimately remains an album requiring a massive injection of conviction and quality control.
Damien Rice is an unusual man. Shy and awkward, with a weird penchant for orange corduroy, it is entirely within character for him to release a live album some five years a er the event took place. Luckily, the event in question is indeed quite something, staged in the ancient grandeur of London’s Union Chapel. With a set-list drawn mainly from his acclaimed debut O, Rice is less a solo artist, and more a front man for a fledgling band of musicians. Long time collaborator Lisa Hannigan has since departed for pastures new, while cello player Vivienne Long is forging a promising solo career of her own. The eight tracks showcasing the gig are unusual picks, with lesser known Rice efforts given an airing. Baby Sister is Rice at his most plaintive, while Then Go, Silent Night and Be My Husband see Hannigan take centre stage, displaying an understated soul not typically associated with Palmerstown. On occasion, Rice can wield a melancholy spell, but better known hits, Blowers Daughter and Amie fail to catch fire. However Volcano stands apart, vocals converge, blend and intermingle, combining with the cello to devastating effect. The timing and nature of Live from Union Chapel is not arbitrary. With the band of old gaining musical ambition, this album is the sound of a page turning, a line drawn and the dawn of a new musical direction for Rice in the future.
Lorcan Archer
Simon Ward
this week
nally going to get it done this time.” This time round Stars’ tour is beginning in Ireland, and continuing on to the UK and Europe. “Touring England can be a bit of a slog,” McGee reflects. A busy few months beckons. In Our Bedroom A er The War, Stars’ latest album, was released last summer online two months ahead of schedule. “It was a bit of a reaction to what’s been going on with people realising records, where everyone
finishes their records and spends the next three months trying to protect it from being leaked on the internet. The reality is that as soon as it’s sent to the press it ends up all over the internet. “There wasn’t any grand master plan we just figured if it was going to be out there we might as well just put it out ourselves, otherwise fans have the option of stealing it so
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their eyes to speak, or waiting three months. I think the retailers might have not have been happy but that’s just the reality of the times we live in. “It was good for the media buzz, people liked to talk about it. The CD is a bad product in the first place, it’s cheap and the record companies made a mint off it at the expense of artists and fans.” The album was greeted favourably most critics. “For me, I liked the end result, some things I wished turned out differently but at the end of the day it’s five people compromising and collaborating. The process of making the record was very positive and it was great to get back together, and a er finishing the Set Yourself On Fire tour we were pretty much done for a while.” The 2004 release Set Yourself on Fire was Stars’ big break, gaining a lot of airplay and featuring on shows such as The O.C. “It was well received, better than we expected, that’s for sure. It never happened before so we had no reason to believe it was going happen. We
various
thrashing like a maniac
45:33
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knew it was a good record, we worked hard and it was a great experience. “But how can you ever really know, you have no perspective on it when you’re making it, you throw it to the lions if they like it they like it, if they don’t they don’t, there’s nothing much you can do about it.”
“We traditionally finish our tours in Dublin, it has always been a light at the end of the tunnel, it’s the highlight in fact” In response to a critical review posted on the influential music site Pitchfork Media, Stars lead singer Torquil Campbell offered up a reply that not only slated the music site and the reviewer but lamented the death of art and criticism. It prompted outbursts of disgust from some critics, as well as approval from others. “The bloggers were up in arms.
“I can’t think of any single band that sound like us - I’m big on trying not to be the same as any band. Plus, I get bored easily, so genrewise, I guess we can be a bit schizophrenic,” says Short Notice bassist Dave ‘Admiral’ Sheehan to queries on comparisons between themselves and other musicians. Schizophrenic indeed. The band originally met in the UCD Jazz Society two years ago, and despite citing jazz as a prominent influence for each member, they inadvertently chose a more robust, raucous route for instrumental compositions, rather than the rhythmic and soulful sonance of Jazz that all the members invested interest in. Instead they describe their sound as a myriad of antithetical and contrasting genres, notwithstanding their rath-
lcd soundsystem
er bizarre homage to, and I quote, ‘Bavarian folk disco.’ “As a band we’re influenced mostly by technical rock, and a bit of funk. I’d describe our sound as progressive rock laced with funk - bands like Dream Theatre, Primus, Tool, Muse, Biffy Clyro, old-school Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Vocal-wise its more like Pearl Jam. “It’s all diverse as we have too many influences - one song is totally funky, another is klezmer-metal. And of course, we’re influenced strongly by jazz music as that’s how we all met, but I’m not sure if all that truly translates to the sound of Short Notice.” Appreciation for the underground college bands, or rather the notion of recognizing each band’s individual credibility is notoriously disingenuous within the local peripheries. “A lot of bands have trouble getting to the stage of being considered credible - of course you have to start out small. Most local acts I know only have their
I don’t think we had an issue with Pitchfork, the reply was more about the comic effect. The review wasn’t that bad but Torque decided to review the review. I mean, how dare he critique the critics?” “It doesn’t matter anyway, a twelve year old in Alabama can review the record and put it on the internet. Torque just took the freedom of the internet, really it was a joke, and was pretty funny”. The new year is busy for the band who will be heading to Australia and Japan and then onto the summer festival season. “We don’t have a lot of time for anything else, or to make any plans,” says McGee ruefully. Stars’ music has been described as ‘beautiful, eloquent indie pop’, characterized by lush instrumentation, nimble production and mixing narrative lyrics, and so but nuanced vocals. The latest album has been short listed for the Shortlist Music Prize. “It’s always nice to receive praise like that but when people show up to a venue we haven’t played before, banging the door down, that’s what really gets the ego going.”
www.myspace.com/stars Stars play Tripod on Thursday 24th of January.
friends as fans, it takes a while to get past that stage, especially with the expenses of recording music, and the fact that most college bands are not full time bands, which makes things more difficult. “All we can do right now is hope that the people who hear us like the music asmuchaswedoandcometosee uslive.” The band have been playing the Dublin circuit consistently over the past two years, undergoing a recent regrouping of members due to academic commitments. With their current recording endeavours, Short Notice affirm that the band’s occupation within the ‘underground band’ gyre, performing in venues such as the Voodoo Lounge and The Hub, is set to perpetuate over the coming year.
http://www.myspace.com/shortnoticeirl Sophie O’Higgins
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It’s no secret that metal in general has been undergoing somewhat of a resurgence lately. Perhaps one of it’s most distinctive subgenres is Thrash, the genre from which giants like Metallica and Megadeth were birthed from. Stripped down, prizing speed and force together with an honest if raw sense of melody, it’s easy to see how it enjoyed such popularity in opposition to the indulgences of most Pop in the 1980s. There has been a ra of new bands paying tribute to the style lately, most of whom have been snapped up by British label Earache, an old player in the genre. While it’s all been done before and better, it’s undeniable that they’ve put together an enjoyable selection of songs in this compilation. Nicking their name straight from Thrash legends Exodus’ legendary debut album, Bonded By Blood kick things off in impressive style, with a relentless pace and proper grit showcased, as well as an ability to properly solo when the song calls for it. Other highlights include the Hardcore crossover style of Municipal Waste (who kicked ass in Dublin last year), a filthy and very enjoyable track courtesy of the one-man army that is Toxic Holocaust, and Ireland’s own Gamma Bomb, whose effort features some of the catchiest vocal lines on the whole CD. However, as track a er track of Thrash progresses, it’s easy to see the problems appearing, as the influence of the old giants become a little too glaring in several songs. In one way, this can only be expected from this sort of compilation, but as usual, the lesson certainly seems to be to seek out the stand-outs and dump the chaff.
James Murphy, the cantankerous genius behind LCD Soundsystem has never been given to social commentary. But as far as the current popular fixation with body image and fitness, he’s got it spot on. 45:33 is a piece commissioned by Nike, to provide a soundtrack for their ‘ideal workout’. Unfortunately Murphy decided to start this would-be workout with exactly what you don’t want to hear. As the beat finally settles in the opening track, and the funky piano gets going, Murphy chimes in, with the thoughts of every self-loathing exercise addict: ‘Shame on you.’ Nike decided to drop 45:33, which was recorded before last year’s Sound of Silver album, so it is only now getting to see the light of day. But their loss is our gain. As 45:33 is the perfect non-stop beat for any workout, night out, or even chill-out. James Murphy runs the album tracks together, running seamlessly into a non-stop mix, that fans of 2 Many DJs albums will approve of. Guitars chime, keyboards ring, there are some nice mad horns all over the place, but the beat stays the same, rising and falling in tempo, perfect for any kind of occasion.
Lorcan Archer
Hugh Qeenan
Gig Guide
v From
23.01.2008
Wednesday 23rd January: The Coronas, Ambassador Theatre, doors at 8pm, €25 Star Turtle, Whelans, doors at 8pm, price TBA Thursday 24th January: Stars, Tripod, doors at 7pm, €20.85 Coheed and Cambria / Madine Lake / Fightstar, Ambassador Theatre, doors 8pm, €28 Friday 25th January: 30 Seconds to Mars / Case of Fire, Ambassador Theatre, doors at 7.30pm, €30 Slomatics / Gruel / Defcon Zero, Lower Deck, doors at 8pm, €5 Saturday 26th January: Gravenhurst, Crawdaddy, doors at 8pm, €14 Steven Fretwell, The Sugar Club, doors at 8pm, €17.50 Explosions in the Sky / Eluvium, Tripod, doors at 8pm, €19.50 The Amazing Few, Whelans, doors at 8pm, €11.50 Miles Davis Electric Tribute, JJ Smyths, doors at 9pm, €10 Sunday 27th January: New Found Glory, Tripod, doors at 8pm, €27.50 Kill City Defectors, Whelans, doors at 8pm, €10
Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jongs plays the Ambassador on January 30th
Tuesday 29th January: James Blunt, RDS, doors at 7.30pm, €45 Fiach, Whelans, doors at 8pm, €11.50 Wednesay 30th January: The Cribs / Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jongs, Ambassador Theatre, doors at 8pm, €25 Friday 1st February: Avenged Sevenfold, Ambassador Theatre, doors at 7pm, €30.50 Saturday 2nd February: Aesop Rock / Messiah J & The Expert, Crawdaddy, doors at 8pm, €18
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Rising above Henry Rollins takes time out from the European leg of his ‘Provoked’ Tour to talk to Lorcan Archer about the American elections, his visits to Afghanistan and his latest musical and film endeavours Henry Rollins’ résumé speaks for itself. A revolutionary force in stand-up and spoken word for the past twenty years, with a musical career that spans the heady days as lead singer of hardcore punk legends Black Flag to MTV success with The Rollins Band, Rollins is best described as a busy man. Answering the phone with a swi “This is Henry,” from his latest performance in Germany, the impression one gets is of a man totally in control, but still passionate about what he does. Doing a seven month world tour requires that sort of commitment. “It started last September, around Thanksgiving, you know that strange tradition in America? We’ve just started up again, and we’ll be going until about Thanksgiving this year. So its been pretty non-stop, but we’re kind of used to it at this point. The last two nights we’ve been in Gothenburg and Stockholm. We’re doing the ‘Provoked’ tour until May. And then when we go back to the States, I’ll have to think up a new name for the tour, because it’ll all be new material.” The man rarely stops. Packing out theatres from L.A. to Vienna may be rewarding, but the grind of touring almost constantly around the world must take its toll. “It can be kind of tiring getting to all these venues around the world, especially when the season is grey and cold. It wears you out. But about a half an hour before stage time, and all of a sudden you’re into it again. That’s how it goes.” Rollin’s spoken word shows can be separated from the run of the mill, makethe-audience-laugh comedy in that it all
stems from the man’s experiences. Frequently it’s hilarious, more o en than not it’s both thoughtful and interesting, whether he is talking about a disastrous date or the discrepancy between the falling oil prices and the rising petrol pump prices. Filtered from the life and mind of Rollins, his style is personal in its delivery and approach. At the mention of travel, he is noticeably enthusiastic. “Right now I’m primarily looking forward to doing more travelling around the world, because that’s how I soak up inspiration. It all just comes from being in a new place, if you’re creative, you can pull things from that. “But when I get knocked on my head geographically, it kind of forces me to simply deal with it. It’s been great, I just go to places, meet people and say ‘Hi, I’m Henry. I’m here to meet people.’ That’s really become a big part of what I do.” An example of this sort of open approach to life on the road is the recent inclusion of a section in his show in which he describes his recent encounter with an Iraqi taxi driver while touring in Sweden. The polite conversation that follows, in which Rollins attempts to apologize for the destruction wrought upon that country following his own American government’s invasion, has made it a classic Henry piece of comedy.
“I brought it up during the show in Sweden last night,” he recalls, “I’ve talked about that piece a lot over the last while, and apparently the Swedish Media found the taxi driver. They tracked him down and interviewed him, and asked him about me and his own life. Apparently he said I was very polite, which was pretty cool of him.” The classically situationist humour that permeates Rollins’ approach to life seems understandable when one looks at the places he’s been to over the past few years. Despite his noted opposition to the Iraq War
and the Bush Administration, he jumped at the chance to join the touring U.S.O. show to entertain the troops overseas. Certain moments stand out from those trips. “Afghanistan was particularly memorable. That was something special. It’s such an intense experience, you’re flying in a helicopter over the landscape and can see kids below playing in burnt-out tanks like they’re playgrounds. The Russians really did a number on that country.” Despite the regime change, the sense of danger remains. “It’s so easy to still get blown up, its still the most densely antitank and anti-personal mined place in the world. I’d like to go back there, but you’re always rolling the dice and if you go wandering, you could be blown up. I’ve been to Iraq, again, not the safest place. I was also in Pakistan, in Islamabad when Bhutto was assassinated.” Rollins has made visits to countries that most people in the Western World would view as no-go areas. His experiences there both fuel his inspiration for new material and assure him of the general goodness of people, regardless of their place of birth on the planet. Even in the conflicted nation of Pakistan, following the near civil conflagration that was provoked by the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. It was typical of Rollins’ quite fearless, arguably foolhardy approach to simply
“I’d like to go back to Afganistan, but you’re always rolling the dice and if you go wandering, you could be blown up. I’ve been to Iraq, again, not the safest place.” walk the streets following the event. “I never detected any ‘death to America’ attitude in Pakistan to be honest. It was just very emotional, men in the street wailing and crying out. I was at one of the protests a er it, and it was so strange, tyres were on fire and people were just protesting, letting it all out. They had their moment, got it all out and went home. It’s not like people were looting stores or anything. “I know things were different in Karachi, where Bhutto’s family are from, there was a lot of stuff set on fire and the cops were cracking down. And if anyone went near the parliamentary building, the police came down on them very hard. But I got a flight home the next day at about 3am, and realized I’d just been in the middle of a very historic moment. It was something special, and I felt the same when I was in Iran.” Aside from the globetrotting that forms a major part of Henry’s life, his public image for many remains firm-
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ly rooted in his musical roots. The vital racket of Punk, to which he added his own immortal stamp in the early 80s with Black Flag, flared into life unexpectedly in the last year, with a once-off appearance of Rollins at the helm of another famous group, when he fronted a reunited line-up of The Ruts for a single reunion show at a sold out venue in London during the summer. Performing with a host of other famous groups from the genre, the show was held in order to benefit The Ruts’ guitarist Paul Fox, who had been diagnosed with cancer and who passed away shortly a er the show. It has since been hailed as one of the greatest Punk rock gigs of all time. “The DVD of the show comes out on the 25th of this month. I’m going to be introducing the film in London, The Ruts will be there, and it’s something I’m happy to do. I’ll be heading over from Belgium, to show up and talk about it. I’ll try to make it brief so I don’t get bottled off the stage.” Despite Rollins’ fame having grown to such proportions that it almost certainly overshadows the mainstream reputation of many such vital early bands, he remains focused on the importance and respect he feels for that particular style of music. “It was one of the greatest things that ever happened to me, like opening a very strange door in my life. You know it was The Ruts’ last time to play that music, because of course Paul passed away right a er. It was just crazy being that person that they choose to walk down that road with. It was like cracking them out of an ice-block from the Seventies. “Paul’s guitar is just so amazing, when he pulled it out, holy shit man. It was electrifying. The audience was so into it. They totally knew what it meant, this was The Ruts for one last time. Listen to those early recordings, they’re so good, I knew we had to be into it one hundred per cent.” It only takes a cursory glance at Rollin’s musical past to find the vibrant spirit of protest, both collective and personal, in almost all his work. From the rallying cry of Black Flag’s Rise Above which highlighted the failings of the Reagan administration, to the intense introspection apparent in the Rollins Band, the man obviously has his ear to the ground. During a year which sees the Unit-
ed States gripped with election fever, Rollins is reluctant to make any bets. “I think a Republican might take it. The Democrats are throwing such a hard sell at the voters. But in the end it’ll probably come down to the question of whether America is ready to vote for a black President or a female President yet or not.
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Rollins speaks passionately about American politics, highlighting individual cases of apparent injustice, particularly the case of the West Memphis Three and its own link to the election. The case concerns three Arkansas teenagers whom many believe were wrongly convicted of murder, coerced and sentenced to death row and life imprisonment respectively. “Yeah, Mike Huckabee (Former Governor Of Arkansas), who is running for President, had a chance to look at the case again, but decided he had more important things to do, so they were forgotten. I mean, when I saw an award-winning documentary on the case, I freaked out. I had to watch it again. My girlfriend at the time was annoyed because I got so sucked into it. And when I saw it again, I said ‘Fuck this. I am pissed off.’ So I sent money to the guys who were trying to get them a re-trial. And I rang around other groovy celebrity types, and got money together, and they were so grateful for it. Everyone needs due
“When I get knocked on my head geographically, it kind of forces me to simply deal with it. I just go to places, meet people and say ‘Hi, I’m Henry. I’m here to meet people” “That being said, I think millions of Americans don’t give a damn what you look like and what gender you are, as long as you get the job done. I know I’ll be voting for a Democrat, but there’s something about Hilary I just don’t like. I think her brain is very adept at acting.”
College Tribune
22nd January 2008
process.” The campaign has since gained worldwide publicity, and a final retrial date has been set. “I want to see the scenario where Tom Cruise shows up to the courthouse and pulls off the rescue, and Angelina Jolie drives the getaway Limo. I want the
But I won’t be surprised.” Speaking of actors, Rollins has a vast array of film appearances under his own belt, not least among them the likes of Lost Highway, Heat and a starring role in Wrong Turn 2. Already a Grammy Award winner, he is soon set to star in a new series of The Henry Rollins Show shortly. “We’re not planning another normal series, but we will be continuing it in another form. Of all our stuff, the big live specials we did in places like Jerusalem gained the most popular reaction. People seem to like Henry being out in the world. I’m just happy to do it. I said lets do the next one in South Africa, in Johannesburg, so we’re doing it in two weeks.” But there’s that big tour and Dublin to deal with first. “I’ll be back in Vicar Street very shortly, my home away from home. People are kind to me over there in Ireland, so I dig it.”
“I said ‘Fuck this. I am pissed off.’ So I sent money to the guys who were trying to get them a re-trial. And I rang around other groovy celebrity types, and got money together, and they were so grateful for it. ” big ending. Still, what could happen though is that the reviewer will look at it and say, ‘Look, we really appreciate all the work that’s been done, but we’re going go with the previous finding. They were tried by a jury of their peers so let the punishment be done.’ If that happens, I’ll be crushed.
Henry Rollins performs at Vicar St. on Tuesday Jan. 29th.
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College Tribune
22nd January 2008
Don’t stay silent Cathy Buckmaster talks to psychologist Leslie Shoemaker about her experiences with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, an increasingly common disorder that can make life miserable for sufferers When Mark wakes up, he opens the curtains. He feels a burst of anxiety so he closes them and opens them four more times until he has completed this action ‘just right’ as otherwise he might crash his car today. He checks to make sure that his toiletries in the bathroom are still lined up perfectly in a symmetrical order, because if they weren‘t, there’d be a chance that his wife would die. He checks them two more times just to be sure and taps the wall six times to get rid of this thought. When his son comes home from school, Mark is sure that the six year old has been contaminated. He sends him upstairs to wash and change into the clean clothes le out for him. But Mark has touched his son’s shoulder, so he goes to the bathroom to wash his hands, le to right, le to right, le to right. He is extremely nervous, because if he doesn’t wash them properly, he will contaminate the food he is about to prepare and make his children very sick. When his son comes down an hour later, Mark is still washing his hands. This is a fictional scenario about a man with very pronounced Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). His intrusive thoughts and worries can only be neutralized he thinks, by completing very specific actions. It is a composite of a number of different people suffering from the various obsessions and compulsions caused by OCD in its more severe form. Research implies that one in every 33 to 50 people have OCD, which works out as two to three percent of the population. Counselling psychologist Leslie Shoemaker is a member of the steering committee for OCD Ireland and through lecturing and counselling has had many experiences with Irish people living with OCD. Shoemaker explains “People
with OCD o en recognise that their thoughts are unusual and that their behaviours are not typical. Also repetitive activities, such as washing hands or perhaps checking locks on windows or doors, which become repetitive and it takes up an awful lot of time. I’ve encountered people who will wash their hands for up to three or four hours a day.” OCD is listed in the World Health Organization’s top ten most debilitating illnesses. Shoemaker describes how incapacitating it can become at its most severe. “I’ve encountered people who are not able to hold down a full time job. “American aviator Howard Hughes lived in a room for a year or so in which he would urinate into milk bottles and sit there naked, watching movies all day. It can be very extreme. So, it was very debilitating for him. It made him very isolated because in a sense he came to fear the world because he viewed everything as being contaminated.” OCD can occur in early childhood and le untreated can impact hugely in later life. “Children may have it, but may not recognise it. As they start to grow older, typically kids may become more self-conscious. Kids with OCD start to become more secretive about their behaviour. They may be carrying for example antibacterial lotion that they use all the time or they may have to go back and check things constantly. “Unfortunately, some research in America done about two years ago suggests that children with OCD have an increased incidence of being bullied, because they are a little more quiet as they don’t want to call attention to themselves. They realise they are a little bit different from everybody.” Life can be made just as complicated when an adult has OCD, especially for
their family and friends. “The whole family will o en become involved in the rituals. I’ve read case studies where the kids come home from school and there’s a set ritual. When they arrive, they have to take all their clothes off, they have to go up and bathe immediately and they have to wear the clothes that have been le out by the mother because they’re not contaminated.” “There may also be really elaborate rituals around food preparation and cleaning of the plates a erwards, so the whole family, in a sense, almost has OCD because they have to engage in the rituals to pacify the parent. When the
“Howard Hughes would accept nothing less than perfection. It did benefit him even though it did create great distress for him and for the people around him” parent has OCD, they can get very irritable and possibly even quite angry when people do not comply with their unreasonable requests.” Although there is a stigma associated with OCD, more people are starting to come out and talk about it such as David Beckham, making it more socially acceptable. “On one hand, it’s fantastic that David Beckham has come out and talked about his OCD which focuses around symmetry and order.” “In a documentary about him a couple of years ago, I remember him opening up the fridge, before he went public with OCD, and every Pepsi can was lined up perfectly and his wife
said, if there was an extra one which didn’t fit in he would just throw it away. However people who are more severely affected may find it very frustrating because family members may say ‘look at David Beckham, how come you can’t be like him?’” However, because OCD causes obsessions and compulsions which cause the sufferer to fixate and complete actions repeatedly, it can also be associated with high achieving. “Howard Hughes was very much a high-achiever. It’s funny, but his OCD really did benefit his career.” “He had such high standards for example when he was designing planes, that he would accept nothing less than perfection and part of that was his genius, but another part was his OCD. It did benefit him even though it did create great distress for him and for the people around him.” Although there is no definite cure, OCD is very manageable and many people with OCD lead active and fulfilling lives with families, hobbies, and careers. Treatment has come along way for people with the disorder, and therapy and medication have both proved to be very successful. ‘What the medication does is manage obsessions. However, a lot of people choose to combine it with therapy. Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) is very successful in management therapy. The tough part of it, is that we’re exposing people with OCD to the situations which they fear and preventing them from completing any rituals, which can be quite stressful for them.” People with OCD tend to experience feelings of shame in regard to their OCD. In America, research has shown that people with OCD commonly see three to four doctors and spend nine
years seeking treatment before they receive the correct diagnosis. Shoemaker emphasises the misconceptions surrounding OCD and the importance of a correct diagnosis. “People sometimes get falsely diagnosed with schizophrenia. Diagnosis is so important and o en people get misdiagnosed with having post-traumatic stress disorder or other forms of anxiety. O en they won’t tell the doctor or therapist what thoughts are creating the anxiety because they’re embarrassed. ‘Such compulsive thoughts might include “I’m afraid I’m going to punch people when I walk down the street or I’m afraid I’m going to put my head through a spike on the railing over there.” People do have these thoughts, and they don’t realise that a thought is just a thought, it’s not a fact or reality, it’s just a thought. People with OCD often times get depression, because they think that these thoughts are them. ‘There’s a tonne of shame and stigma that prevents people from telling their family and friends what’s wrong with them. So they live with this secret which keeps them in isolation and just compounds the problem.’ Shoemaker emphasizes that “If you’re not happy with your GP, shop around. If you’re not happy with your therapist, shop around. It’s really important to have someone who you feel you can work with and who will understand you and the disorder and they can help you with what’s the best way to go forward.” For support or more information, go to www.ocdireland.org. For those who may not be ready for counselling, Shoemaker advises these books: Overcoming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder by David Veale, and Stop Obsessing! By Edna B. Foa and Reid Wilson. Services are also available on campus through the counselling service and medical centre.
FASHION
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College Tribune
22nd January 2008
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Spring in your step With Spring just around the corner, Sarah O’Hegarty investigates 2008’s hottest new trends fresh off the catwalk.
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Stripes are back but this all-American past three months and can look doesn’t stop there and embraces the be accentuated with some whole flag with stars hotly tipped as a trendy crisp shorts. major print for this season. This is never more evident than in the Chanel 08 line. Accessories include Mary-Jane shoes and any kind If of bows, the bigger the better as yes are well as bib fronts. your e aller side, m s ow Greens, browns and khakis on the ht eye shad fully e g r li a will also be working their way apply yelid and c shadow e e y e e h back into your wardrobe with the t to rker ur upper h a da o introduction of the Safari image. smoot crease of y n your eyes e e p h t o The waist remains the ultimate ger ; in ill ear big This w fashion accessory with thickly eyelid.ing them appay from this mak er stay aw it is very belted jackets being a must have. howev g the day as e look. Bare limbs should preferably look durin a night tim like they have seen sunlight in the ch
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Look Smart, Keep it Sharp With menswear often being sidelined, Cathy Buckmaster explores their side of the market and what trends are in store for the fashion conscious male for this season. The tailored look is big this season, with clean cut jackets and sharply tailored suits being key to this season’s most alluring menswear trend. Sharp lines and angles create a dramatic silhouette and demonstrate the change to a crisper, more polished look. However this look does not work well with patchy beards or shaggy hair. Immaculate grooming is essential. Denim is also making a major comeback. Casual jeans worn
WHAT’S IN: VICTORIA BECKHAM Our suspicions have finally been confirmed after she recently topped world renowned fashion critic, Mr. Blackwell’s Worst Dressed List of 2007.
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Every year fashionistas wait with eager anticipation to see the trends and styles that are set to dominate the catwalks and by extension, many a Friday night letsgo-dancing outfit for the approaching four months. Just as we were finally settling into the idea of last season’s high-waisted skinny jeans, we are forced to accept that they have become a fashion faux pas. But fashion is fickle, remember to imitate in moderation so you do not cross that fine line between fashionable and fashion victim. Arriving for college decked out entirely in this season’s nautical range complete with hat and frilled socks will do you no favours. This season sees the return of the ethereal romantic look, complete with light and airy frills and delicate ruffles. John Galliano shows how beautiful this trend can look at its best in his collection. This trend is the ultimate in feminine chic, with underwear being as a big a deal as the clothes themselves. So hued colours dominate the style with the richness of detail and luxurious fabrics adding that pinch of excitement. The key rule is that delicate detail always works better. Style is effeminate yet with a flirty twist, as dresses will be mini and hem lines are high. Floral designs always remain a favourite for the fashion world and they make their return once again with a slight twist as seen in Stella McCartney’s Spring/Summer line. Floral patterns are on a much smaller scale and are treated as a vintage inspired, eclectic mix taking different influences from the forties to the seventies. The tea dress is the ultimate key piece from this trend; For those who are not quite warming to the extent of its femininity, mix it with quirky jewellery and a leather biker jacket à la Mischa Barton for the ultimate in punk chic. Yet another nautical inspired trend has made an appearance on the catwalks, however, it has a more diverse feel with 1930s and 40s influences. Be prepared, shoulder pads are attempting to make a comeback with boxy jackets. High waisted dresses and skirts teamed with waterfall blouses is another key look for the 08 nautical trend.
FLORAL ANYTHING Appearing to actually have shelf life in the fashion world, floral prints have been transformed from bold to delicate, offhandedly portraying something much more vintage than last season.
HIGH-WAISTED JEANS To be fair they don’t look good on anybody really. JANUARY BLUES Christmas is long gone,
skinny or loose with anything will be the must have, with fitted denim jackets being the optional addition for those braver than most. As for male accessories, fashion nods its fickle head once again towards the skinny tie. Generally looking good with any type of shirt, a skinnier tie is idiot-proof and almost immediately makes any outfit more stylish. Colours will come in bright and bold hues which are exceedingly fashionable for menswear this summer. Brightly coloured t-shirts or neon slogans are the easiest way to emulate this trend and the most wearable for those who want to
SUMMER DREAMS Even if you have no prospect of acquiring any cash before June, it’s still fun and oddly satisfying to imagine yourself pretending to work in San Diego or island hopping in Thailand.
the weather is only getting gloomier and the knowledge of impending doom is upon us with exam results to be released in the far too near future..
retain the important I-don’t-care image. Regal purple has managed to keep its grip with each and every shade remaining tasteful especially when combined with grey. However, the classic black and white look especially when it comes to the suit remains as stylish as ever. These looks are easy enough to follow even for the busy men out there. Remember to keep it sophisticated and tidy when emulating the tailored look. Lastly, try not to go over the top with the neons if you choose to experiment with colours, as it can become tacky in excess.
FANCIFUL, UNFORGIVING SHOES The taller and more elaborate, the better. Shoes this season are all about being eye-catching.
WHAT’S OUT:
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College Tribune
22nd January 2008
From above the streets Cian Taaffe interviews Balcony TV’s Stephen O’Regan about life on Dublin’s most recognised balcony and what the future holds for the dynamic enterprise “It’s live, it’s raw, it’s not made up like on MTV or anything like that,” is how one of Balcony TV’s creators, Stephen O’Regan describes his show. For those unfamiliar with the concept, Balcony TV is a daily internet show broadcasted from a Balcony above The Oak on Dame Street, right in the heart of Dublin City Centre, which began in June, 2006. The idea to launch Balcony TV came about when three housemates, O’Regan, Pauline Freeman, and Tom Millet decided they wanted to put their apartment’s Balcony to good use. “One day, it was a blistering, sunny day and we thought to ourselves we should really get more use out of this balcony.” “The idea was we’d just do five minutes each day and we’d just keep it as simple as possible. It wasn’t supposed to be music dominated, because we thought we’d just do five minutes of randomness.” Little did O’Regan, Freeman and Millet know, but their ‘five minute of randomness’ was destined to become an outlet for upcoming, fresh, Irish, music talent. “We wanted to be as natural as possible, so if it has become music dominated, then I guess it was meant to be.” Although the Balcony has become mostly music dominated, O’Regan stresses that there is room on the balcony for other acts too and that they’re always open to new ideas. “We’ve already had belly dancers
and Dustin the Turkey and stuff like that. We had a maths specialist proving a theory on the balcony, which was completely and utterly random.” For a venture that began merely as a way to get the most out of a sunny balcony, the Balcony TV crew have been quite successful, winning the Best Music Website Award at the Irish Digital Media Awards in February, 2007. O’Regan is optimistic for the future. “When U2 come on the balcony to showcase their new songs, I think we’ll have made it. Actually we had a U2 tribute act on a couple a months ago, called Vertigo and we gave the Bono character a big megaphone and he shouted down the street in true Bono fashion. A lot of people looked up and some thought it was the real U2.” Filming above one of Dublin’s busiest streets, one would think that background noise would be a nightmare, but O’Regan reveals, “Luckily we’re high enough up. We try and film in the evening time so it’s not too noisy, but you do get sirens going down the street and loud trucks and stuff so we have to stop shooting and go again. That’s the fun of it, I think that adds to the character of the show.” The success of a show of this kind would normally depend on advertisements, but not for Balcony TV. “It’s purely word of mouth, we don’t have any marketing budget or anything like that. We’re getting
about 150,000 video views a month now, which is quite good, I think. Considering so many of the bands are so small, I think that’s a pretty good amount. The potential is there for it to grow much further, so watch this space. “It would be amazing to see Balcony TV launched in different countries. It’s a pretty simple concept that can be done elsewhere, and last September in Hamburg, Germany, a second Balcony TV started. “I think most of our viewership is overseas, especially in America. People in LA wanted to do one there and in other places, and we know people in Hamburg so we said go for it, and now they have the likes of Ash on the balcony everyday, so it’s going well for them there. Hopefully we can get one going in London in the next few months. That’s our current goal.” The major question now is whether a successful career can arise from a venture like Balcony TV. O’Regan reveals, “We started off as a bit of fun. There was no idea of money really when we started off, but as we’ve gone on there’s been loads of interest from lots of different people. We think we have a plan for the future now that could economise it.” Tune into www.balconytv.com and catch a new act on the Balcony everyday and if you’ve got any talent of your own, the Balcony may be the perfect outlet to share it with the world.
Beating those prison blues Cian Taaffe explores the reasons why The Shawshank Redemption has become one of the best loved films of all time and how it inspired a recent prison break-out
Based on the novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King, Frank Darabont’s adaptation did not fare well when originally released in 1994, despite high hopes from producers. However, when word spread that The Shawshank Redemption had received seven Oscar nominations, video stores worldwide were kept busy with eager punters waiting to rent it and it became the most rented film of 1995 in the United States. The question on everyone’s lips was, what’s so special about this film that makes it different to the plethora of prison dramas out there? David Bruce of Hollywoodjesus. com, an internet website that reviews films from a religious perspective, believes that hope is the key to this film. ‘I’ve met people who’ve seen the thing 30 times, but they were going through profound changes in their life and it helped them work through it. Film is therapy. The Shawshank Redemption gives you hope. You can go on. You can go forward. That’s what I think was going on.’ Bruce seems to have his finger on the button, and cast and crew members seem to agree with his statement. Tim Robbins, who plays Andy Dufresne in the film says, ‘A lot of people who are in prisons of relationships, of
jobs that they hate, of lives unfulfilled and who have given up hope, what this movie was saying to them was, it might take awhile, it might take some time, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. If you have the patience and if you believe, you can make it there. It allows people to see that they can get out of the prisons that they’ve created for themselves. ‘I got one letter from a kid who dropped out of college and he just didn’t see any reason to live and was actually thinking of committing suicide and saw the movie and decided not to. He decided to go and embrace life and see where it could take him,” claimed director Frank Darabont. Darabont went on to say that he gets many letters from people claiming the film changed their outlook on life. Although The Shawshank Redemption finishes positively and ultimately creates a sense of hope, Robbins reveals that filming in an actual prison was very tough, given its horrifying history. ‘I remember walking into this cell block with my son who was about three or four at the time and he said, “Daddy I don’t want to be here, this is a really sad place.” He could feel the incredible weight of many years of pain
that had gone on in this place, it was palpable, you could really sense it.’ While The Shawshank Redemption has inspired many in a positive way, the film also inspired a recent escape in a New Jersey prison. On December 15th, 2007, inmates Jose Espinosa and Otis Blunt escaped from the prison in what was described as a ‘Shawshank Style’ escape. The two inmates in
question used posters of scantily-clad women to cover holes they had made in their cell roofs. Once they escaped from their cells, they jumped from the roof of the prison, over a 25-foot barbed wire fence and made their way to freedom. The prisoners were re-captured nearly a month a er their escape and were returned to prison, but an investigation
is on-going in regards to their escape and the suicide of a correctional officer who was implicated in the break-out. Despite inspiring a break-out, and ultimately giving prisoners ideas about how to escape, The Shawshank Redemption has done more good than bad and as Andy Dufresne says in the film, ‘Hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.’
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College Tribune
22nd January 2008
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Cooking up a thriller Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is Tim Burton’s adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s Broadway musical masterpiece and will, no doubt, be another box office hit for Burton. Johnny Depp and Tim Burton’s long association is carried on in this film with Depp playing Sweeney Todd, a barber who returns to London to seek revenge on Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman) a er being wrongly imprisoned by him. On his return to London, Sweeney’s previous optimism is replaced by anger and hatred. He works with baker Mrs Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), by slitting the throats of all his clients while Mrs Lovett
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places their remains in her infamous pies. From the outset this film could be a recipe for disaster with the reputation of Sondheim’s musical at stake. However, it’s anything but a disaster and lives up to everything we’ve come to expect from Burton. The performances of the cast are the crucial contributors to making this film so strong. Depp and Bonham Carter never cease to amaze, and this film is no exception with each playing their characters as
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This movie sees Halle Berry and Benicio Del Toro throw their hats in the ring for the Oscars. Berry plays a distraught wife whose life has been torn apart by her husband’s (David Duchovny) death, Del Toro playing a very convincing recovering drug addict. As Jerry Sunborne (Del Toro) gradually turns his life around, he helps the Burke family cope with their recent loss. He does this by telling it how it is and in this film, Sunborne’s brutal honesty is the main source of comedy. Audrey Burke (Berry) comes across as a desperate woman, needing closure and love from any nearby male, but Sunborne, who had been a close friend of her husband, is the last person she can get that from. The film is incredibly graphic when it comes to drug abuse; one particular scene sends shivers up
your spine as you see one character overdose on heroin. It’s clear to see that this movie is not for the faint-hearted. Things We Lost in the Fire captures the viewer’s attention as they witness the unfolding tragedy, and are ensnared by the quick moving storyline. The film’s soundtrack is wonderful and helps the film flow at a quick pace. With superb acting from an allstar cast this film is a must see for the new year and a definite candidate for the Oscars. Max Harding
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well as the other. Rickman plays the role of the villain like no other, with his evil charm accompanied by sophistication; no one can better fit the part. Each of the characters can all belt a note out too, with even Rickman raising a few eyebrows. The score is really the icing on the cake with the film staying true to the musical and we’re le with a breathtaking soundtrack to accompany the powerful acting. With an epic score and great performances this dark thriller could well be Burton’s best yet. Helen O’Sullivan
In the Shadow of the Moon
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Survival of the sequels A er a rogue Predator spaceship crashlands on earth, a deadly experiment that combines the Alien and Predator species is unleashed upon the inhabitants of a small city. Following distress signals from the crash-landed ship, a Predator hero arrives to contain the Alien outbreak. As was apparent from the previous Alien vs. Predator installation, the Aliens franchise has lost all credibility since the original Ridley Scott. This film is no exception. The suspense and real fear of the original films have been replaced with offensive and distasteful violence. The Aliens seem to have developed an unhealthy obsession with mutilating pregnant women
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and small children. The special effects are good but very short lived as the film spends too much time developing characters with the acting talent of a spatula. Where the first Aliens films gave realistic characters in tangible and imaginative settings, the resulting spin-offs have leaned toward the moneymaking blockbuster approach with preppy actors, terrible dialogue and unbelievable effects. Anyone who has seen Alien will remember the famous chest-bursting scene as being one of pure suspense and fear, but
it becomes overused in Alien vs. Predator: Requiem and spotlights the filmmakers lack of creativity. As a sci-fi/horror film Alien vs. Predator Requiem fails to deliver on all accounts. It also underlines the insensitivity to violence in many new films. Avoid this monstrosity of a monster-flick if you can.
FILM RETROSPECTIVE
Martial Arts and Alcohol The traditional martial arts film seems to be something that has been le to the film buff, or in some circles, the nerd. This can be blamed partly on the newer, grander films such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and even the fight sequences of The Matrix, both of which involve Yuen Woo Ping and have helped in pushing the original kung fu film into obscurity. Drunken Master is the epitome of traditional martial arts films, as well as Jackie Chan films. It is very ordered and
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set up in the usual way; a troublesome boy is taken on as a student by an old master - white beard and walking stick included. Queue the training montage interspersed with fantastic fight scenes that get tougher each time. The wonderful thing about this film is the incredible tongue-in-cheek and slapstick way in which all the action is carried out; Chan’s training involves learning to fall properly and one of his
first opponents has the nickname of Iron Head; one can only guess at how he fights. Drunken Master is also very self-explanatory; the fighting style Chan must learn involves him drinking copious amounts of alcohol before, and during, a fight in order to lure his enemy into a false sense of security. One only has to look at his fight with the King of Sticks to see how great a film this is. It culminates with one
of the greatest final fights of any film; Chan must protect his father’s life from the amazing assassin, played by Hwang Jan Lee, a highly exciting Tae Kwon Do expert. Chan’s drunken antics delight and amaze, and the tremendous choreography of Yuen Woo Ping makes the film a hugely enjoyable one. Eoin Boyle
Adam Watts
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College Tribune
22nd January 2008
Getting in shape with Triple H Max Harding uncovers one of the best ways to keep the toughest New Year’s resolution; get into shape and drop the holiday weight with the help of WWE star, Triple H ■ ■ ■ ■
Triple H & Robert Caprio Making Game: Triple H's approach to a better body
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Making the Game: Triple H’s Approach to a Better Body isn’t just another wrestler’s autobiography aimed at young men; it’s good advice for anyone who wants to get in shape for the New Year. This includes women as well, with advice on what to eat, on losing weight and on toning up. For guys it has plenty of workout schedules to help bulk up and an entire section on how to achieve that perfect body builder look. Not only is it a workout manual, these workout programmes are intertwined with the very interesting story of the life of Triple H (otherwise known as Paul Michael Levesque). Triple H’s career has brought him to a capacity crowd in Madison Square Garden, where he pedigreed The Rock to win one of his eleven World Championship titles. This book is a big leap for him and with author Robert Caprio including all aspects of this professional wrestler’s life, Triple H’s story is finally told. The book also gives a unique insight into the companionship that exists between the stars of the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment). At first glance, expectations are not too high for the book but learning about the origins of Degeneration X and about the rivalry that exists between WCW (World Championship Wrestling) and WWE makes for compelling reading. Triple H is refreshingly honest throughout, confiding his many doubts about certain career moves over the years and admitting that he accepted a lot of help in making it to the top. His completely sincere approach to the book is what makes it different from the rest. The downside, however, is that we only get his obviously onesided opinions about his various disputes. It becomes quickly apparent that the wrestling star was torn between writing a training manual and doing an autobiography and this indecision weakens the entire book. The training programmes he sets out in the book are not too difficult to follow with clear guidelines for cardio ex-
ercises, so gym buffs and couch potatoes alike will gain much from the book. Basic to heavy weight training is outlined with an enlightening section on nutrition exploring healthy options that will help to get the most out of your training. The manual is quite motivating in parts. Triple H’s journey from his humble origins in New Hampshire to the heights of fame is interesting. Like The Rock’s autobiography it is very easy for the average guy or girl to relate to because Triple H remains down to earth despite his stardom and is blatantly honest about his many setbacks. As an autobiography this book is too short, but it is very enjoyable. As a training guide it is more successful and has plenty to offer those who are trying to get in shape. If your goal is to get in shape, this book can certainly help and if you’re vaguely interested in wrestling and want to know more about ‘The Game’ and Triple H’s life, then this is the book for you.
A brand of his own
Barra Ó Fianáil explores the dark world of the young Russell Brand in his new autobiography My Booky Wook, and finds his witty take on life a bit too much When deciding the title of his autobiography, presenter Russell Brand showed a lack of consideration for those interested in buying it; asking a shop assistant for a copy of My Booky Wook is an embarrassing experience for all involved. The book’s title would suggest that it was written for a child five years of age. It’s author is a bit of a mystery- he dresses oddly, acts strangely and talks differently; people like him need to be particularly good at what they do, because if the oddities are not classed as genii, they will be classed as fools. On this score Brand has been doing well; his popularity has skyrocketed through his role on Big Brother’s Big Mouth, and he seems to have carved out a niche for his eccentric ways in mainstream television. Many will have heard of his troubled past; tales of drugs, poverty and misguided social activism, usually involving nudity, abound. This factor, combined with Brand’s articulate and witty nature, have sparked a lot of interest in the story of his life. It opens with Brand’s admission to a treatment centre for sex addicts, which sees him rooming with paedophiles and
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Russell Brand ■ My Booky Wook
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sexual deviants. He tells us that most of his fellow inmates are in the centre as a means of avoiding jail, where although there might be more possibilities of sexual encounters, it might “err on the side of coercive”. Thus begins a technique that will be used throughout the book, the scattering of little witticisms to make the many dark realities we encounter a bit more palatable for the reader. And early on, it seems to work.
The problem is that the technique begins to seem slightly hollow a er a few dark chapters. This is a book which appears to document the evolution of a troubled boy from a broken home into a good-for-nothing, vain, bipolar, heroine addict whose life seems destined to end before it ever really got to be much of a life at all. But the Brand we know today has developed into quite a different animal and a er slogging through the early period of his life, and finding it ever more difficult to like him, we are told that his more upbeat years will not be documented until the coming of My Second Booky Wook. That Brand’s tale is an interesting one is beyond question, and the book is filled with sparks of the comedic flair that has seen him become a household name, but ultimately the main body of the work could best be described as dark and tragic. If you like Russell Brand, you might want to wait for the second, more positive instalment of his life story, because without it, it would be easy to conclude that this Big Mouth has spent most of his life being a bit of a tool.