VERGE
ISSUE IV
Delorentos interview: Night must become Light ..... The psychopath on TV ..... Alt-J live review ..... Microsoft’s recipe for disaster ..... Interview with Wireless King, Rick O’Shea ..... The true meaning behind misunderstood classics ..... Video didn’t kill the fashion star ..... Verge speaks with Dramat ..... Family Guy meet The Simpsons ..... Tuesdays with Morrie review ..... Jazz Festival Picks
Editors Letter Diverged True Detective – Eoghan
After a stellar first season, starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, True Detective is set to return to our screens for a second season. Once again written by crime novelist Nic Pizzolatto, the difference this time around is that the second season will be entirely separate from the first, featuring an entirely new cast of characters and a completely different set of actors. Two of the new leads will be played by Colin Farrell and Vince Vaughn, stars of Miami Vice and Delivery Man respectively; neither movie exactly inspiring hope in the series’ fans. On the other hand, they are also the stars of In Bruges and Swingers, so there is always hope...
Jazz Festival – Robbie
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Dublin trio Sleep Thieves are sure to appeal to fans of Chvrches and Kate Bush in Jazz Festival 2014, with their atmospheric and danceable brand of electronic pop noir (Tickets €10). For those on the hunt for free entertainment, Fight Like Apes kick off Jazz Weekend at An Bróg, while Crane Lane will play host to Irish ska heroes Interskalacic, as well as one of the most respected touring bands in the UKfunk ensemble, The James Taylor Quartet. So get out there and sample what this year’s Jazz Weekend has to offer – even if you are short of cash!
The Change Up Claire Fox
Hello and welcome to Issue 4 of Verge!
everyone wanting the party to be over, but not having the courage to actually pull the plug on it.
Here at Verge we are all about authenticity and originality, from our articles and interviews, to design, we try to do things differently.
In this week’s Verge the entire team have tried our best to keep the magazine as quirky and as fresh as possible. Indeed our interview with rejuvenated Irish band, Delorentos, shows how changing things up and constantly innovating prevents one from getting stuck in a rut of churning out records. Moreover, radio presenter Rick O’ Shea, who also features this week, prides himself on not following the norms of national radio.
While watching the X Factor recently (yes, I know I’m like the only one on the planet who still watches it), I was struck by how very unoriginal and stale it actually was. From a show that reached dizzy heights in terms of ratings and viewership, it has now transformed into a three-day-weekend botched talent bonanza. It’s become the dragged out wedding of the winter TV schedule;
So maybe this fortnight instead of running yourself into the same routine, why not take a different turn? I’m not saying forget about studying or finishing that abysmal assignment, but perhaps maybe do something you wouldn’t have done last week. Just as the X Factor can become monotonous and mediocre, so too can our lives if we don’t make an effort to change.
Verge Editor: Claire Fox
Gaming Editor: Steve Barry
Film & TV: Eoghan Scott
Fashion Editor: Nicole Clinton
Music Editor: Robbie Byrne
Design: Kevin Hosford
Before you proceed to use the magazine to dry your rain-drenched shoes or to throw into the fire-place of your poor student housing, I suggest that perhaps you read the magazine or, at a push, flick through the images… Go on, you know you want to!
Arts & Lit Editor: Molly Forsythe
Cash – Molly Johnny Cash’s memoirs don’t disappoint - covering his upbringing in the depression-era South, working with Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and Sam Phillips in Sun, as well as his long and achingly sweet relationship with June Carter. Much like his best music, the book is written in a beautifully pared back and evocative style, making it impossible to get through the first few chapters without shedding a tear. It doesn’t matter whether the thought of country makes you smile with delight or break out in a rash; anyone and everyone who claims to be a bona fide music fan simply must read this book.
Spider-Man Unlimited – Steve Well this is spectacular; I am thoroughly addicted to yet another mobile game… Seriously, this is too much of a trend. Spider-Man Unlimited is a new endless runner in the vein of Temple Run, where you play as a number of different Spider-Men from other dimensions as you race to defeat the Sinister Six. What makes it addictive is the constant desire for new characters to play as, all featuring different abilities and looks, which will be especially enjoyed by comic-book fans. It’s available for free, which is also amazing. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a Green Goblin to punch.
The knee-high boot Nicole
The style evangelists at Vogue have clarified that knee-high boots are officially back. Exhibited on the runway collections of design giants, the revitalisation of the knee-high trend is not to be feared. For a more sensual and glamorous look, opt for the high-heeled version. For a casual effect, flatter styles are also chic. Leather, patent and suede are the most predominant choice of material, but when it comes to colour and pattern the possibilities are limitless, with Gucci popularising blue, pink and cream snakeskin print. For the best results, make them the statement piece of the outfit.
In the Rick of Time Claire Fox speaks with King of the Wireless, Rick O’Shea to other radio shows. We try and do something different that makes us stand out from the crowd.” Features on O’Shea’s show include the humorous ‘Pointless Piece of Research of the Day’ and ‘Dead or Alive’, comical idiosyncrasies that make the show different in the crowded radio schedule of today. Yet even after his own achievements in the field of radio, O’Shea is quick not to encourage young people to get into radio on a whim. “Think twice about radio. I say this every time I’m asked by student media societies about getting into radio but think long and hard about it. It’s not a job that you will make a lot of easy money from. A lot of people think it’s easy that it’s just a microphone and someone talking, but it’s much more than that.” Perhaps aware of the frivolous nature of radio, O’Shea also dabbles in other creative activities. His popular blog features his book club and reviews the plethora of books that he reads. Moreover, he also writes a column every second week for Insider Magazine, which accompanies the Irish Independent every Thursday.
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hatting with 2fm radio presenter Rick O’Shea is almost like resuming a conversation with a big brother. Older, wiser and not afraid to tell you the truth, he is the type of brother you’d actually take advice from. Since 2001 O’Shea’s witty tongue and natural charisma have been emanating from the 2fm airwaves, allowing the country to fall in love with his unique humour on a daily basis. His show, Rick in the Afternoon, has a huge listenership and is famed for its light-hearted and quirky nature. Yet O’Shea started off as a university student, like us all, not expecting to get into radio. “I didn’t decide to get into radio, I just fell into it,” says O’Shea reflecting on his big start. “I never overly thought about it. I applied to DCU, but didn’t get enough points, so I ended up doing Arts in UCD. I started with the student radio there; I stumbled into radio really.”
While his 2fm show can be heard blaring in kitchens, hair salons, offices and waiting rooms every weekday afternoon, O’Shea’s radio career has been one of hard work and commitment, starting from the bottom and working his way to the top. “You know it was a very, very long road. I started student radio in 1991 and did some local radio stations. I ended up in FM104 for five and a half years and I started here in 2fm in 2001.” After thirteen years on the air, O’Shea is still quite unsure as to why his show (which he is assisted in by Cormac Battle), is so appealing to audiences. Is there a specific secret to the show’s success? “I don’t know if I could answer that,” muses O’Shea. “If I could answer that I would bottle it up. I suppose we try not to do what everyone else is doing. A lot of radio shows sound very similar
“The stuff I did on the blog is not part of the radio show, which makes it different,” explains O’Shea. “I also got asked to write a column for Insider Magazine, in which I was told I could write about anything, which is great.” As O’Shea’s blog focuses mainly on books of all sorts of genres, it’s clear that reading is a deep passion of his. Not limiting himself to any genre in particular, O’Shea enjoys everything from sci-fi to autobiographies, reading one book a week. “It’s something I fell into when I was a kid,” says O’Shea of his affection for reading. “Since I was quite small I read extensively. Like a lot of other kids in school you get bogged down with schoolwork but, by the time I got to college, I took it up again because I like to read, I like stories and I like books.” Given O’Shea has such adoration of the written word, O’Shea admits to having attempted to bridge the divide by
putting pen to paper and constructing a novel of his own. “It’s something I’ve considered extensively but something I’ve never got further than writing chapter one. I’d never say never; but I’d rather not do it, than do it and make a bad job of it.” While O’Shea won Celebrity Mastermind in 2012, his involvement in TV has been limited due to a decision on his own part. His dedication to his radio show and writing his blogs has left him with very little spare time to consider diving into the busy world of television.
“A lot of people think it’s easy that it’s just a microphone and someone talking, but it’s much more than that.”
“I never pursued it. It’s something you’ve to put a lot of hard work and effort into. I’ve to work five days a week, nine to five here, but it might happen if it’s something I’m really into.” Another very important aspect of O’Shea’s life is the work he does on behalf of Epilepsy Ireland. A sufferer since the tender of 16, O’Shea has learned to live with the condition and has been patron of the organisation since 2006. “I have been a sufferer of the condition since I was 16, it happens to many as children, but some as teenagers. “I saw that they were looking for someone to support them and I was the only one who replied to the email. I get to meet people and bring new information to light. I’ve met lots of people who say nice things. It doesn’t necessarily have to change your life completely.” While many of us feel like we are so accustomed with the voice of Rick O’Shea, speaking to him facilitates a glimpse into the life of the man behind the microphone; truly is a gentleman on and off the airwaves.
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The psychopath:
the most popular character on TV? Conor Shearman Television is not the same as real life. Shocking, right? Just because you enjoy watching Tony Soprano bust heads together does not necessarily mean you’d want him as your dad, or uncle, or even on the same planet as yourself. The primary purpose of television is to entertain, and in this business of entertainment a resurgent character type is emerging to capture audiences’ imaginations.
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Like the unstoppable rise of global quiff behemoths, One Direction, the antihero also exploded into fame, albeit 50 years or so before. Successive world wars and the Cold War swept aside the naivety of the Western world. The innate lying and deceit inherent in the propaganda of warfare and politics spoke to the masses; the establishment was not one which one should blindly trust. Typically lacking in traditional heroic qualities, the anti-hero tends to be guided by the notion that ‘the ends justify the means’.
The angry young men of the ’50s, such as Obsorne’s Jimmy Porter in Look Back in Anger, characterized the rise of the anti-hero in Britain, while across the Atlantic actors such as Marlon Brando, James Dean and Paul Newman brought portrayals to the silver screen.
“There seems to be a growing message that particular psychopathic traits are highly valued in today’s world” Although the popularity of the antihero has since grown and waned across the decades, it remains defined in two key aspects; a character that breaks conventional morality in pursuit of an objective or one with a moral flaw, for example, emotion and addiction. The latest incarnation of the anti-hero is one guided by the failings of society. Recession and economic collapse have undermined the notion that hard work brings its own reward. Flawed
characters are more realistic and easier to empathise with than perfect ones. Psychopathic is how one might describe the latest trend of anti-heroes. To name a few, Walter White in Breaking Bad, Tony Soprano in The Sopranos and Daniel Craig’s portrayal of James Bond all share common psychopathic tendencies towards emotional coldness, emotional manipulation and violence. These are merely a drop in the ocean of bloody psychopathic rage as other recent portrayals to continue the trend include Sherlock, Dexter, The Wolf of Wall Street, Drive and True Detective. Audience magnetism towards these driven and dangerous creations is intriguing. It indicates human fascination with the dark side of human psychology. It may also be an indictment of society itself and its growing psychopathy. Certainly there seems to be a growing message that particular psychopathic traits are highly valued in today’s world. Emotion and morality may be much more of a hindrance than a help if one’s goal is simply monetarily orientated.
While there are elements of truth in all of these reasons, the ultimate popularity of these characters may simply result from the fact that they are not true psychopaths. They skirt the edge of psychopathy but often offer redemptive glances at their true nature – think Tony Soprano in his psychotherapy sessions – or transform into their foulness, Walter White. A common dynamic which hints at the sprinkling rather than saturation of psychopathy is the relationship created between the faux-psycho and a sidekick. The sidekick tends to be a particularly vocal individual who instils a sense of humanity in the protagonist by expressing all of the emotional turmoil which one feels the protagonist must be undergoing; Dr Watson (Sherlock), Jesse (Breaking Bad) and Christopher (The Sopranos) are all examples of this expressive counterpoint. It seems the latest development of the anti-hero is a puzzle not yet fully solved. Still, while they appear terrifying on the sofa beside us, they remain pleasantly entertaining villains behind the screen.
In Praise of Gogglebox Colman Moloney March 2013 saw the arrival of the very first series of Channel 4’s Gogglebox, a series that initially seemed quite dull, owing to the fact it shows us families and friends watching the TV. Despite the viewer essentially watching another viewer watching an actual programme, it has become a winning formula. The arrival of series 4 this autumn was much like the triumphant return of Lenin to revolutionary Russia; glorious and exactly what we’d expected. The people watching the ‘gogglebox’ gave us their crass and candid opinion on all that had happened on British TV the week before; from the Scottish Independence Referendum, to the Great British Bake Off and The Men With Many Wives - if nothing else it’s a great way of keeping up with current affairs.
At this year’s BAFTAs, it deservedly won the TV Award for Reality and Constructed Factual Programme. However this would seem to suggest that the programme is false or tries to manipulate the viewer, which simply isn’t the case. Yes, some families are shoved together in front of the camera simply for our benefit, but the vast majority of it is visceral and real; notably when Essex-mum Linda confused Star Wars man-beast Chewbacca with Formula One driver Michael Schumacher. It can be emotional too, such as when jovial Scarlett from Durham dabbed tears whilst watching Robin Williams in Mrs Doubtfire; “He made millions of people happy, but he couldn’t make himself happy.” You’ve been given access to these people when they’re in the most intimate
setting of their homes. They don’t dress up or adorn themselves to excess for the camera and they often leave their guard down, giving true insight into their private worlds. You feel like you genuinely know the people featured and that’s what makes it stand out.
of collective experience. It’s about the way peoples’ lives and experiences, their relationships and the ‘generation gap’ are shared with others. It captures a cultural response to something that’s happening in the world in a near realtime fashion. Gogglebox shows us that TV in peoples’ living rooms is alive, well and thriving.
We all love watching and talking about TV, but Gogglebox is so much more. The essence of the show is the notion
Its success stems from the fact that it shows us exactly what we love; people like us.
TV Review: Family
Guy meets The Simpsons (Guy)
Colin Healy Season 13 of Family Guy opened last week with the highly anticipated Simpsons/ Family Guy crossover episode. For something that promised to be not nearly as epic as it sounded, there was still quite a lot of hype around it with both shows pushing adverts and clips to coax people into watching it. Some people may say it was long overdue; that because of all of the jokes about Seth MacFarlane copying The Simpsons, it was bound to happen one day. Others may say it should never have happened and that the style of writing, content and limits each show has go in different directions. Whichever side you are on, or if you really don’t care, the fact is it happened. It is important to say that this show was in fact a Family Guy episode, meaning that despite it taking place in Springfield amidst all The Simpsons characters, it follows the typical Family Guy style of writing. We see this from the beginning when Chris starts talking about
crossovers as smacking of desperation and being driven by marketing (well he says they don’t, but we get what they’re hinting at here). The beginning is predominately Family Guy humour and in the short time they have they even manage to take a jab at society in their usual way; this time mocking women and feminists (and on Gloria Steinem’s ‘half-birthday’!). As the family enter Springfield the dynamic of the show does shift a little. From the outset they start making crossover-based jokes again, and these jokes are especially directed at the idea of a Simpsons/ Family Guy crossover. As the show progresses though, the real problems arise. There are times when seeing the Griffins in the Simpsons’ home setting is strange and, maybe I’m being a little picky but, it just didn’t look right at times. Similarly seeing Homer involved in Peter’s escapades was a little odd. There is also a clear near-desperate attempt to include as many Simpson characters in the episode as they can,
even if it means having them involved for no apparent reason
of The Simpsons and a few jokes against themselves, as they often enjoy doing.
Despite the silly grievances I had with this episode, I still very much enjoyed the crossover – although it doesn’t sound like it here. I watch these shows to laugh and I absolutely got laughter from this. Although the Family Guy humour is bizarre in Springfield, there seemed to be an acceptance of this as they also included some aspects typical
So if you’re a big Simpsons fan, maybe you will enjoy this, and if you’re a Family guy (or girl), then you will most likely find this episode better than enjoyable. Plus if you’re into the famous chicken fights, there is a brilliant one included in this episode for you to enjoy.
However, despite all the style and twists, I felt there was an emotional disconnect throughout the entire film that created a wall between me and what was happening on the screen; ultimately preventing me from being able to really care about any of the characters.
by his character as I was with everyone else.
Film Review: Gone Girl Daniel Sheehan One of this year’s most anticipated new films, Gone Girl, is a difficult film to pin down or define in a few words, but I’ll try my best... Gone Girl is a dark, intense and stylish thriller that will satisfy fans of Gillian Flynn’s best-selling novel and shock regular film goers.
to us the secrets of their relationship throughout the years.
Thankfully the film delivers on nearly all of the promise of the book, being held by David Fincher, a true modern master of stylish and thrilling directing.
The casting of the film is arguably its strongest point. The likes of Ben Affleck and Tyler Perry would not be most people’s go to actors for a thriller of this calibre, but they excel in their respective roles, showing us some of their best work to date. Throughout this strong cast, Rosamund Pike is unquestionably the star of the show, taking full advantage of her first major leading role.
In the aftermath of Nick Dunne’s (Ben Affleck) wife’s mysterious disappearance, Amy (Rosamund Pike) is feared to be dead as Dunne finds himself as the number one suspect. As always Fincher keeps his audience enthralled throughout as we slowly begin to piece together the truth about Nick and Amy’s marriage. The narrative brilliantly intertwines present day with extracts from Amy’s diary as she reveals
I said at the beginning of my review that this is a difficult film to pin down and that is probably because Fincher expertly rips apart the idea of genre and mixes the pieces together, bringing together biting satire, pulsating thriller and the blackest of black comedy. Fincher’s stellar direction is aided by sharp editing, beautiful cinematography and a simple but effective (if not slightly overbearing) score.
On top of that, while the entire cast is impressive, I felt Neil Patrick Harris stuck out like a sore thumb and I found it difficult to be as completely convinced
Despite these minor gripes I must say that Gone Girl is a dark, enthralling, yet surprising, playful thriller and the perfect return to film for David Fincher. Possibly the biggest endorsement I can give the film is this: it’s been two days since I saw Gone Girl and I haven’t stopped thinking about it once.
4/5
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Alternative kingpins Alt-J favour substance over style for 3 Arena debut Holly Cooney With a multitude of awards behind them, including an Ivor Novello and the much coveted Mercury Music Prize, it’s no secret that British art rockers Alt-J have always been a critics’ favourite. Their unusual and alternative experimental rock sound is not something you’d think would appeal to the masses, especially in a world where the latest Disney act or up-and-coming EDM DJ dominate the charts. Following the relative success of their debut An Awesome Wave, the band enjoyed many touring highlights, including playing some of the biggest festivals in the world in Reading, Glastonbury and Cochella to name but a few.
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The release of that difficult second album, This is All Yours, in September would either make or break the band, especially due to the amicable departure of bassist Gwil Sainsbury in January. Despite the reservations surrounding the success of the band, Alt-J have made 2014 all about them. Following their recent tour of the UK and Ireland, This is All Yours went straight to number one in the UK and the the boys from Leeds have found themselves catapulted into the limelight, which
Album Review:
Hozier Ryan O’Neill
Twelve months on from the resounding success of ‘Take Me To Church’, Bray songwriter Andrew HozierByrne has never been a hotter topic of conversation among Irish music lovers. Both in Ireland and, somewhat unexpectedly, the United States, the Bray man’s popularity has soared, meaning that tickets for his spring tour on the opposite side of the pond are now gold dust. Sandwiched between his aforementioned February tour and a string of high-profile festival performances is the release of Hozier’s
has surprised everybody including the band themselves. I, as a long time lover of the band, was lucky enough to have a ticket for the band’s headline gig in Dublin’s 14,000 capacity 3 Arena. When I heard them announce the Dublin venue I must say I was surprised, thinking the smaller Olympia Theatre would be much more suitable to their eerie, yet melodic sound and cult-like following. Even the band were wowed by the size of the 3Arena with keyboardist Gus Unger-Hamilton declaring, “This place is fucking huge!”
“The trippy atmosphere created by the group on stage is one not easily forgotten” They didn’t let that bother them though, starting with the Miley Cyrus sampled ‘Hunger of the Pine’ from new album, it was clear to see that the atmosphere created by the band and their amazing light show was going to be hard to beat. Next up, ‘Fitzpleasure’ was so good it had me wondering were Alt-J one of the crest of a wave of bands who would knock EDM out of the charts, or were they just a rare talent? eponymous debut album. As one of this autumn’s most highly anticipated offerings, there was, of course, a concern that the album would fall short of the expectations created by the single. Thankfully we are treated to a confident and accomplished record from an artist whose wide range of influences such as gospel, blues and Afrobeat shine through. Hozier’s voice is unquestionably the most powerful instrument on the recording; his crisp, deep tones are particularly prominent in some of the album’s slower tracks like the haunting ‘Work Song’ and the bluesy ‘To Be Alone’, where he muses: “It feels good girl/ to be alone with you.” With subject matter like sex and the fate of the rotting corpse, one may foresee this album as a grim and difficult listen, but it serves up more upbeat tracks to compliment the darker
It was when they played ‘Taro’ that I realised just how big these guys are going to be. The minute the mystic Indian inspired guitar riff began, the crowd went wild and it seemed, in the minds of these students, teenagers, old creative types and hipsters, that Alt-J could do no wrong. The trippy atmosphere created by the group on stage is one not easily forgotten. Storming through a set of both old and new songs, it was clear to see first hand that Alt-J are set to become, not only one of Britain’s biggest bands, but one of the world’s. This was confirmed last Wednesday when news broke that This ones. More chirpy-sounding songs like ‘Someone New’ (where he ponders the fickle, capricious nature of love) and the sublime ‘From Eden’ break up the album nicely and show other facets of Hozier’s flourishing ability as a storyteller. ‘Jackie and Wilson’, a light-hearted number where the Wicklow man fantasises about a playful relationship where there is “no better version of me I could pretend to be,” is a particular highlight. Hozier remains consistent throughout and at no point does it really dwindle. ‘Sedated’, already another radio hit, bemoans those who take life for granted, while ‘In A Week’ is a gentle yet harrowing tale of two lovers reunited in death. There is an inherent honesty in how Hozier portrays human feelings, good and bad, towards love, sexuality and death, noticeably in ‘Like Real People
is All Yours reached number four in the US Billboard Charts. To coincide with the success of the LP in America, Alt-J have announced the biggest US show of their lives at New York’s oldest and most famous venue, Madison Square Garden; following in the footsteps of some of music’s biggest names including Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen. With American success on the way, it’s clear to see that Alt-J are on their way to big things and getting there fast.
Do’, a tender and haunting track where he simply decides, “we should just kiss like real people do.” The album is by no means perfect, with tracks like ‘It Will Come Back’ and ‘Cherry Wine’ falling slightly flat, perhaps due in part to the comparative strength of the rest of the record. Nevertheless, Hozier has more than justified his hype with an excellent debut LP, and it will be intriguing to see what he fashions next. B+
Reading between the Lines: The true meaning behind our misunderstood classics Méadhbh Crowley Over the years many famous songs seem to have lost their initial meaning. The interpretation that listeners have of the lyric and what the writer had written are sometimes polar opposites. Indeed, writing this article, I started to find it hard to separate what I had always thought a song to mean and what it actually meant, having lived 21 years of my life as a lie. Warning: If you don’t want your life ruined by learning what these famous songs actually mean, stop reading now!
Born In the USA One of the world’s most misunderstood songs is Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Born in the USA’. You might have initially thought like millions of others across the world that this is a song about celebrating national pride and that Springsteen was proud to be an American. This is in fact completely wrong. Many well-known world leaders and American politicians have used this song in their campaigns as a pro- America ballad, without knowing Springsteen’s true meaning. The most notable was Ronald Reagan, who used the song in his 1984 presidential campaign stating; “America’s future rests in a thousand dreams inside our hearts. It rests in the message of hope in the songs of a man so many young Americans admire: New Jersey’s own Bruce Springsteen.” Springsteen, a devout liberal, had the Reagan campaign stop using his song. Springsteen’s song is an angry attack against America’s treatment of Vietnam veterans. It also deals with the effects the war had on America and would seem to be, at least partially, about a friend of Springsteen’s who had been killed in the war. Springsteen explained ‘Born in the USA’ as being about a working class man “in the midst of a spiritual crisis, in which a man is left lost… it’s like he has nothing left to tie him to society anymore. He’s isolated from the government, isolated from his family, to the point where nothing makes sense.”
Summer of ‘69 Not until very recently did Bryan Adams reveal the true explanation behind the song. As he was only born in 1959, it seemed very unlikely that the 10-year-old Adams achieved all that in one summer. But just to ruin the song for all the innocents of the world ‘Summer of ‘69’ isn’t so much Adams waxing nostalgic over the dog days of 1969, as much as it is a reference to the sexual position of the same name. In 2008, Adams told CBS News that “a lot of people think it’s about the year, but actually it’s more about making love in the summertime. It’s using ‘69 as a sexual reference.”
Imagine Another song which speaks of a happy whimsical world where everyone loves each other and the world is just a better and nicer place... Rolling Stone named John Lennon’s ubiquitous hit the third greatest song of all time, as the former Beatle’s hallmark lyrics were described as “22 lines of graceful, plain-spoken faith in the power of a world, united in purpose, to repair and change itself.” Upon its release Lennon described the song as “virtually the Communist manifesto,” and once the song became a hit, went on record saying, “Because it’s sugar coated, it’s accepted. Now I understand what you have to do – put your message across with a little honey.”
Every Breath You Take Our final song is played at weddings across the country, but it’s not the most appropriate of songs to play for the first dance. It has a melody so elegant it sounds like the narrator’s swooning. He’s so enamoured with his girl that he proclaims, “Every step you take, every move you make, I’ll be watching you.” Sting wrote this song about his wife, whom he had just separated from, when he found he was jealous and obsessed with her new single life. Sting told BBC Radio 2, “I think the song is very, very sinister and ugly, and people have actually misinterpreted it as being a gentle little love song, when it’s quite the opposite.”
Cork Gig Guide: Guinness Cork Jazz Festival Picks There is only one show in town this October when the annual Jazz Festival rears its head for another weekend of jazz, rock, soul, ska, electronica and reggae. So do the good deed and give your parents a break from clothes washing duties by staying in Cork for a weekend that is sure to make a welcome break from the local hometown disco…
Cork Opera House Imelda May October 23rd and 24th Synonymous with the rockabilly genre both at home and abroad, the unique talent that is Imelda May takes to the Cork Opera House stage on the first two days of Jazz Weekend. Expect a strong showing of tracks from her latest album along with some of her synonymous older hits.
2 Many DJ’s/ Soulwax October 26th Possibly the biggest name to land in Cork for this years festival, the regular festival headliners will hope to put their last Cork no-show (cancelled due to a bomb hoax) behind them and lay down their customary bone-shaking set, drawn from their incredible discography of originals and remixes. Highly recommended.
Cyprus Avenue East India Youth October 23rd Mercury Music Prize 2014 nominee, East India Youth have a sound like no other. A connection of sorts between Krautrock, David Bowie and Britain’s 90s dance movement, William Doyle has seen his stock rise over the past nine months as one of the most exciting crossover acts of the year.
Eton Messy October 26th Bristol based DJs and YouTube blogging sensation, Eton Messy, will show their skill in unearthing obscure house music before delivering to the world at the Cyprus Avenue event. Expect an obscure, but flowing mix of irresistible house throughout the night.
Gavin James October 27th While he may be only 21, Gavin James has already achieved the impossible with an iTunes number one EP and residency at several of Dublin’s top live music venues. Expect sonic textures in the mould of Damien Rice and Ray Lamontagne in what should be a stunning acoustic set.
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Night Must Become Light Vocalist and guitarist, Kieran McGuinness, talks to Robbie Byrne about Delorentos latest LP, Spanish fame and the Home and Away addiction of Irish students as the encapsulation of what the band is all about today: “A relative of sorts to the album’s title, ‘Forget The Numbers’ reflects a turn from negativity to positivity. You’re going to have trouble before success, so just ignore those who put you under pressure; in essence it’s a letter to us!” The album itself, recorded by Rob Kirwan at his Windmill Lane studio, allowed the band to share and swap studio space with Hozier throughout the year. “There was a little bit of competition with Hozier, who’d worked with Rob every second day, near the end of our recording sessions. In the end he got his debut out a few weeks before us, so I guess he won that little battle.”
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Irish indie-rock quartet Delorentos are the enigma of our bijou music landscape. Having hit the big time in Spain, Russia and the United States, while simultaneously knocking on the door for outright homogenous success, guitarist, Kieran McGuinness, is confident that the success of his group’s latest single, ‘Show Me Love’, is a sign that Ireland’s pop conscious is finally waking up to the Dublin outfit. However it is a success which almost failed to come to fruition. In 2008, halfway through recording their second album, Delorentos called it quits: “We had a great record deal bagged in the UK and our passports were at the ready for a tour of Asia and Australia, but when we arrived to play those gigs we were miserable. “It was then that everything came to a head,” he says, before continuing, “I guess the pressure of repeating the success of our debut album became too much for us and we fell apart, the enjoyment was gone.” Over the next few months, the record company with which Delorentos had signed a deal with had collapsed; forcing a broken band with no financial support to reluctantly cobble together
what they thought would be their sophomore and final album.
almost possible today, so how do the Delorentos cut above the competition?
“By the time You Can Make Sound saw light, we had practically broken up,” but the unprecedented success of the LP brought a newfound excitement for recording, leaving Kieran to explain that “it allowed us to realise that we could still make great music together. We got back on speaking terms, swallowed our egos and admitted that we messed up.”
“A lot of people ask the question of how we feel about other bands who play in a similar vein to us but, truthfully, our competition is not others, but ourselves. If I don’t write a song that’s good enough, I don’t get to play my material live – it’s that simple.”
The most intriguing element of Delorentos’ make-up is not their past, but their song-craft ethos. Every member of the band is a fullyfledged songwriter, all of which have contributed fully formed songs to every album by the group. Oddly, working alone is a signature element of a band so tight-knit; “When we get around to crafting an album we spend a couple of months writing alone at different dates. Ross spent time alone writing material almost two years ago, while some of us were writing for this LP at the beginning of this year,” comments McGuinness before asserting, “having four songwriters in the band drives us to be the best musicians we can be.” Still, making it in the in the overprescribed Irish music scene is
“We got back on speaking terms, swallowed our egos and admitted that we messed up.” And it is this rather hermetic approach to song writing that has created the most assured release by the band thus far. If you thought that ‘Show Me Love’ found Delorentos in a catchy, though radio friendly rut; fortunately the vast majority of Night Becomes Light is an enthralling combination of introspective melancholy and driving post-punk anthems. One particular track, ‘Forget the Numbers’ is labelled by McGuinness
Evidence of Kirwan’s work as a producer and mixer who worked with acts as disparate as U2, Soulwax and Depeche Mode is clear in the rich sonic textures that weave throughout the album. Whether it’s the Motownesque layered crooning of ‘Too Late’ or the lush emotive instrumentation of ‘Dublin Love Song’, a sonic depth is present that was largely absent from the group’s previous work. Elsewhere, the band is united in agreement that their latest effort contains their strongest track do date. “Though its difficult to pick a favourite, ‘Valley Where the Rivers Run’ is possibly the most beautiful track we have ever recorded, made even more special by the fact that our drummer, Ross, wrote and sang the entire piece.” While Night Becomes Light finds Delorentos with the de facto backing of a major label for the first time in the form of Universal Music Ireland, McGuinness argues that this move won’t restrict their knack for creative publicity. “With Little Sparks we did the pop-up shows and the Little Sparks magazine to promote the album, while this March we released the Record Store Day acoustic album, Unbroken/ Untied. But now so many people are doing crazy things to promote their work, you almost blend in by doing something unique,” before adding, “still, while saying that, we’ll have something very special up our sleeves.” Despite his hopes that Night Becomes Light will see Delorentos rocket to the very top of Ireland’s festival line-up cards, the band’s biggest break thus far
has already occurred across Spain. “In three days we played to 160,000 people across the country, while at Murcia Festival we played after Mogwai, before supporting The Flaming Lips to 60,000 festival goers.” But these were not fans of the Scottish post-rock legends or the Oklahoman oddballs – everyone was there to hear the Irish outfit.
“In Waterford we were forced to stop playing mid-set as Home and Away was on the TV” But it wasn’t just an apt Spanish sounding band name that lent to the group’s success, as McGuinness explains: “Really, our Spanish success story is one of luck. Somehow the television producers of Real Madrid and Barcelona’s El Classico came across ‘Care For’, one of the cuts from our last album, and played it at the half-time interval. “From there our tracks received rotation on Spanish radio, resulting in a Spanish promoter asking us over to play these gigs. We found literally thousands of fanatical Delorentos fans; it was beyond amazing.” Yet Delorentos’ Balearic adventure fails garner top gong for their favourite gig. “This crazy Irish-American bar owner named Seamus asked us over to play in his pub in downtown Memphis. It was after a long string of dates, so technically
we were shit hot. The crowd themselves were barbarian – sweaty and bat-shit crazy – they rocked to everything we pumped out. That was without doubt the most memorable gig with the band.” Crazy, albeit in an entirely different sphere, was a set the band recently performed in Waterford Institute of Technology’s Dome Bar. “Some of the things we come across as a band are so odd that I still struggle to work them out. Recently in Waterford we were forced to stop playing mid-set as Home and Away was on the TV. The second that theme tune came on we had to switch off the amps and sit on stage along with the students to watch the entire episode before we could play again… now that’s rock & roll.” Pressed on where he would like the band to be in twelve months time, McGuinness sighs as if to prolong his contemplation, before concluding: “Our greatest weapon today is that we have four albums under our belt. I honestly feel that each one of these is better than the next, so what I want is to be able enter the studio and have the material to create our best album – a world beater.”
Delorentos kick off their tour to support ‘Night Becomes Light’ in Cyprus Avenue on October 24th, with tickets priced at €15.
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Tuesday’s Child Claire Fox reviews book-turned-film turned play Tuesdays with Morrie Tuesdays with Morrie was my set novel for fifth year religion class back in 2012. An autobiographical account of journalist Mitch Albom’s reconnection with his former university professor, Morrie Schwartz, and life itself, I found the book truly enlightening. I would underline quotes and scribble them into the back of my copy, thinking I’d use them some day. But it wasn’t until seeing this inspirational novel transformed into a theatrical play that the words of the book came to life for me and not just sitting stalely on a page.
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“Murray translates Mitch’s dry humour, which we are all so familiar with from the book, onto the stage in an exceptional fashion that gives the play the realism that it deserves.” The quaint, yet delightful surroundings of The Everyman Theatre made the perfect backdrop for Tuesdays with Morrie. Its traditional setting of decorated balconies and ruby red carpets transport you to another age, while its intimate interior corresponds to the close bond that forms between Mitch (Andrew Murray) and Morrie
(Terrie Byrne). The play, directed by Breda Cashe, highlights the true meaning of life and friendship. The two-man play, written by Albom and Jeffrey Hatcher, consists of a very simple setting of various bookshelves dotted around the stage. We are immediately gripped by Murray’s playing of Mitch as he addresses the audience with honesty and sincerity. He explains how his life has become a meaningless mess since losing contact with Morrie. While at college under the guidance of Morrie, Albom aspired to be a professional pianist; 16 years later he is working in the dog-eat-dog world of sport journalism. One night his life changes forever when he sees Morrie on television talking about his battle with Lou Gehrig’s disease, known in Ireland as Motor Neurone disease. The condition brings about a progressive collapse in one’s muscles, even though the sufferer’s brain remains totally functional. This spontaneous glimpse of Morrie on TV allows the entire plot of the play to unfold before our eyes, as Mitch begins a series of 14 visits to Morrie on a Tuesday. These visits are essentially classes in the school of life as Morrie urges Mitch to become acquainted with his spiritual side once more. The play, which is practically a haven for inspirational quotes and teachings on life, is all the more valuable when one
On Writing: The beauty of the novel Colm Furlong “Words create sentences; sentences create paragraphs; sometimes paragraphs quicken and begin to breathe. Imagine, if you like, Frankenstein’s monster on its slab. Here comes lightning, not from the sky but from a humble paragraph of English words. Maybe it’s the first really good paragraph you wrote, something so fragile and yet full of possibility that you are frightened. You feel as Victor Frankenstein must have when the dead conglomeration of sewn-together spare
parts suddenly opened its watery yellow eyes. Oh my God, it’s breathing, you realize. Maybe it’s even thinking. What in hell’s name do I do next?” -Stephen King The novel is the form of literature with which I, personally, as a writer feel most connected. It is the form in which I am most comfortable; and it is the form in which I intend to make a living. The above quote is a brilliant summation of the novel-writing process in my view. It is a journey which the author
considers that this is indeed based on a true story and the wisdom of Morrie Schwartz. One of my most memorable quotes from the play is when Morrie declares to Mitch to “forget about the culture.” As a young adult today, it seems like that all of us are just content with following the crowd, when in reality we would make more of a difference to humanity if we just went our own way. Both Murray and Byrne are to be highly commended for their representations of both Mitch and Morrie respectively. Murray translates Mitch’s dry humour, which we are all so familiar with from the book, onto the stage in an exceptional fashion that gives the play the realism that it deserves. Moreover, Byrne’s interpretation of Morrie shows his capabilities as an actor as he can
transform from the jovial, jiving Morrie at the start of the play, to the withering Morrie at the play’s close. Both actors manage to command the audience’s attention, showing how the two-man format is still successful and is a credit to the directing skills of Cashe. Although the play ends on an inevitably tragic note, in essence it is the perfect ending. Morrie who embraced life to the max, also embraces death, as he feels it is a privilege to have lived his life. Moreover, upon Morrie’s passing, the audience is reassured by the change in Mitch’s character as he becomes more at one with himself and the world. Thus this play will provide heart-warming memories for me every day of the week, and not just on Tuesdays!
undertakes; a journey which leads them to the farthest corners of imagination and introduces them to people and places they never thought possible. The novel affords the power of pure, unlimited creation. There is simply nothing that can compare to it. While some will argue that the visual mediums are more powerful; I would refute this. The novel works by utilising the minds of its readers. The author allows them a brief window into their world; their imagination. It allows them to tell the reader their story in the full; omitting nothing. The novel is a thing of beauty; and it can encompass all genres. It is true freedom of creativity. It is thousands of words all
culminating in one unique work of art that can’t be found anywhere else. In conclusion, the novel is, in my opinion, the ultimate form of literature.
Verge speaks with Dramat must relive a single chosen memory on a loop for eternity. In doing this they discover who they really are. Mike: The Third Policeman is an adaptation of a Flann O’Brien novel. It was written in 1939/40, but published posthumously in 1967. It’s about a university scholar who is obsessed with de Selby, a philosopher. He robs and kills the local miser in order to fund his book on de Selby. When his partner runs off with the cash box, he must go on a quest to find it. He enters a weird world where these odd policemen govern people’s lives by regulating bicycle usage. Katie: Hedda Gabler is about an unhappily married woman who wreaks havoc on other people’s lives in order to alleviate her boredom. I decided to change the 1890s setting to a 1940s noir and I made Hedda into a femme fatale. The 1940s was a time when women really started to stand their own ground so Noir is ideal because it’s full of power-play, especially among women. There are many abstract elements in both 100 and The Third Policeman. How do you negotiate the abstract nature of the play with the audience’s expectations?
Can you tell us a little about the plays you’re directing?
Maria: In 100 the physical work, the creation of memories, comprises the main abstract elements. There are no props and no set – in other words, nothing concrete – so it’s up to the actors to create everything. Keeping everything fluid and exciting is my main concern and this requires a lot of work.
Maria: 100 is a piece of physical theatre set in ‘Void’; a purgatory-like space. In order to escape the four characters
Mike: The Third Policeman is an early postmodern text which very much follows on from Joyce’s Ulysses.
Hedda Gabler rehersals Molly Forsythe Once again UCC’s Dramat Society has lined up a wonderfully eclectic and intriguing programme for this semester. I recently met up three directors to discuss the ideas and inspirations behind their upcoming productions: Katie Melia – Hedda Gabler, Mike
Ryan – The Third Policeman and Maria Manning – 100.
Glucksman Gallery: A birthday not to be missed Nia Duggan A birthday should always be commemorated in style, which is why the Glucksman Gallery will be marking its ten year anniversary with a year-long celebration. On October 26th, a Family Fun Day event will run where there will be cake, balloons, face-painting, party games and, naturally, art workshops. In order to celebrate the occasion visitors, adults and children alike, will be invited to create their own art pieces. This event will kick-start a year of projects, video series and exhibitions as part of the
gallery’s ongoing mission to inspire and educate the people of Cork through art. One of the projects that will be available during the year is a video series about the architectural, exhibition and educational aspects of the gallery. Gallery Director, Fiona Kearney, Senior Curator, Chris Clarke, and architects, Sheila O’Donnell and John Tuomey, are just a few of the people who will be offering their insights in this video series. A second series will also highlight some of the artwork in UCC’s permanent collection and will feature some of the
artists and their practices. These videos will be available on the gallery website and will be released throughout the year. Workshops are an integral part of the cultural education on offer at the Glucksman, while guided tours are also available year round and this year a guided audio tour will be introduced, which visitors can download from the website to get a tour of noteworthy artwork across the UCC campus. A project will also be taking place in primary schools, mostly with 10-yearold children. This project will examine what it’s like to be ten years old, something that the gallery and these children have in common. The gallery has gone from strength to strength since it was first opened in 2004
I love the contrast between all these postmodern ideas and the setting of 1930s rural Ireland. You have to strike a careful balance between absurdism and the rural Irish setting, which forms the heart of the piece. Can you describe the process of working with the actors? Katie: Character development is really important to me so I organise oneon-one character rehearsals with each actor to help them figure out their character. My aim is to get the actors to leave themselves behind and walk into the character’s shoes. Although Hedda Gabler is a very wordy play, it’s all about what isn’t said; however a lot can be picked up from the character’s body language. In the dialogue-heavy scenes, just like in real life, it’s important that the characters move and express emotions through their bodies. Maria: In 100 the actors frequently switch between being a character to being part of an ensemble; the actors are both everyone and no-one at the same time. Getting this right has been a tricky, but a very interesting process. Mike: I’m from a lighting and sound design background, so directing actors is a new experience for me. Working with the actors consists of getting them to understand my vision for the production through design and then to let them play it out. Luckily I have a solid cast and all the actors help each other. You can catch these plays at the Granary Theatre (Hedda Gabler: October 22nd – 25th; 100: October 29th – November 1st; The Third Policeman: November 5th – 8th. Tickets cost between €7 and €9. by then President Mary McAleese. It has recovered from the loss of artworks during the Cork floods in 2009 and hosted art from famous international artists such as Andy Warhol and Henri Matisse. Indeed, earlier this year, O’Donnell and Tuomey were awarded the Royal Gold Medal by the Royal Institute of British Architects for their achievements in design. They are the youngest couple to win the award and the first Irish architects to win in four decades. The gallery’s current exhibition Fieldworks: Animal Habitats in Contemporary Art, curated in association with the School of BEES, is open until November 2nd.
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Mojang:
Microsoft’s recipe for disaster? Jonathan Soltan Saying that Minecraft is a popular game is a bigger understatement than saying the Vita isn’t a popular system. Before it was even technically released, it had already transcended the medium of games and become a bona fide cultural phenomenon. Even multiple books have been released teaching people how to play the game.
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Think about how many people had to give the okay to get those books published... Trees had to be cut down to make the paper. Multiple squid had to be gently massaged to extract ink to put on that paper. All to teach people how to play a game about blocks made by some guy in Sweden. When you stop and think about it, it’s insanity. But apparently someone at Microsoft thinks insanity is worth $2.5 billion! In case you haven’t heard: Microsoft recently announced that they have entered into the final stages of a deal to purchase Mojang (the developers of Minecraft) valued at $2.5 billion. Now, while this had been rumoured for some time, it still came as a shock to many. Mojang had never really been associated with Microsoft before. Sure, Minecraft had been released on the Xbox 360 before the PS3, but so have many games; to go from that to becoming a fully owned studio surprised a lot of people. And with that surprise (as is often the case on the internet), came anger. Some people cried that Microsoft would ruin the game, while others laughed that now ‘Sony ponies’ will never get to play Minecraft again. As of the time of writing, the only thing that’s certain is that Minecraft still exists and it’s still a pretty good game. However Microsoft could indeed ruin the game, in theory. They could let you buy a diamond pickaxe for €2 instead of earning it by playing the game. Will they do this? Probably not. The most likely negative outcome of this deal is that some suits at Microsoft who don’t understand games will lock Mojang in the cell next to Rare’s and tell them ‘Make us the next Minecraft’. Microsoft has already shown that they’re geniuses at mismanaging
good studios. Ever since Microsoft bought Rare in 2002, the developer has produced only a handful of games; none of them masterpieces. That kind of blatant squandering of talent lends weight to the rumours that when Microsoft bought Rare, they thought they were getting Donkey Kong as part of the deal.
“Apparently someone at Microsoft thinks insanity is worth $2.5 billion!”
Of course, maybe none of that will happen. Maybe everything will turn out fine and Mojang will be left alone to do what they please. Maybe the technology that Microsoft has at their disposal will let Mojang do things with video games that they never could before. While I would like to think that that’s true, I honestly don’t think it will happen. First off there’s the fact that the three founders of Mojang are leaving the company. That’s the three brains behind Minecraft... gone. Already we’re seeing eerie parallels to what happened with Rare. It’s a bit hard to make another smash hit when all the guys who made the first one have left the company. But now comes the part where I think I’m going to get a lot of hate: I don’t
think they had another great game in them anyway. Yes, yes, shots fired. If you want to hit me, I’ll be the guy walking around campus in an ‘I Hate Minecraft’ t-shirt. Let’s step back and look at the facts, though. Mojang is a studio that has only developed two games: Minecraft and Scrolls, while publishing one or two minor titles like Cobalt. Minecraft, while a great game, is a game that never really reached the goals they set early on. Their other game, Scrolls, is a collectable card game crossed with a tactics game. By all accounts it’s very good. However it’s been languishing in the open beta stage since June of last year, and while it’s still getting semiregular updates, it’s not exactly at the forefront of gaming culture. The game that really shows the nature of founders, though, is Markus ‘Notch’ Persson’s short-lived side project called 0x10c – don’t ask me how to pronounce it. We saw a few videos and heard about some cool sounding concepts, but then Notch announced the game’s abrupt cancellation. And that’s Mojang, a studio with two games, one which is still technically yet to see release. Which begs the question: why would Microsoft buy them? And for $2.5 billion no less. The obvious answer is that Minecraft
prints money, which it does; but sales have to slow down sometime and the only platform it’s confirmed to be coming to is the Vita. And let’s be honest: I know Minecraft is popular, but no game is popular enough to sell $2.5 billion worth of units on the Vita. They could announce a Wii U version sometime down the line, but would Microsoft be okay with releasing a game on a rival console? Probably not, and it probably wouldn’t be worth it anyway since the Wii U might be the only system out there that’s less popular than the Vita... besides the Ouya. But at the end of the day, Minecraft is a cultural phenomenon. Microsoft basically aren’t buying Mojang; they’re buying Minecraft – Mojang is just part of the deal. With the amount of Minecraft merchandise out there they’ll make their money back eventually. There’s even talk of a Minecraft movie in the works. Minecraft has been around long enough to prove that it’s not just another Angry Birds, Flappy Bird or Candy Crush. It’s a real game with a dedicated fan-base and if they’ve stuck around this long, then you can bet they’ll stick around at least another few years. Minecraft will keep on trucking and maybe Scrolls will get released. They’ll probably get started on Minecraft 2: Electric Boogaloo. Then when that gets released people will complain that it’s not as good as the original and that Microsoft ruined Minecraft.
From then ‘til now:
Super Smash Bros.
including some new third-party fighters such as Sonic the Hedgehog and Sold Snake from Metal Gear Solid, as well as a new attack known as a Final Smash (a character-specific move that draws on the character’s various traits), Brawl was a massive hit. It also featured a choice of play styles, allowing players to use the Wiimote on its own, with a nunchuk or even using an old GameCube controller, as well as a new online mode, even if the connection to the server was incredibly unstable.
Steve Barry Hello and welcome to your first video game history lesson! This is a new recurring feature that we’re introducing to inform all of the previously uneducated, and remind those who may have forgotten, of some of our favourite franchises’ respective histories. Think of it as a whirlwind tour through the life and times of the industry, where we drive along through the annals of history and you get to sit in the passenger seat. Except when we cover racing games... That metaphor is way too much of a pun in that case.
the player memorise combinations of button presses that were too intense to even fathom.
it focused more on fun and ease of access, instead of having the player memorise combinations of button presses
The Super Smash Bros. franchise, or Smash, as it has been lovingly nicknamed, is an intellectual property that has been around for 15 years, a long time before some of its own fighters were even thought of!
To take the differences even further, instead of needing to deplete a health bar, the player simply needed to knock their opponents off the stage to win, which could be easy or hard depending on the character they were facing. For example, some lighter characters like Pikachu from the famous Pokémon franchise might fly farther when you hit him with the infamous ‘falcon punch’, but he might just be able to recover and jump back on to the various platforms you are fighting on. At the same time, Bowser from Mario Bros. mightn’t budge at first, but hit him hard enough and there’s no coming back for King Koopa.
The fast paced and somewhat frantic gameplay set it apart from other fighting games that were around at the time, such as Street Fighter and Tekken, as well as the fact that it focused more on fun and ease of access, instead of having
On top of all that, various items form Nintendo franchises will randomly appear on the stage. It certainly mixes things up when you launch a Pokéball at an opponent and an intimidating Snorlax is unleashed on
This week we’re going to take a look at a well-loved franchise where some of our favourite, cutesy Nintendo characters beat the absolute bejaysus out of each other. Yup, you guessed it, its Super Smash Bros.! As the new iteration is being released and received quite well, it’s important to reflect on what came before it.
the unsuspecting player. In 2001, the sequel, Super Smash Bros. Melee was released on Nintendo’s GameCube and expanded on the formula to create a worthy new iteration. More than doubling the roster of characters, adding the likes of Ganondorf from The Legend of Zelda and Peach from Mario Bros., gameplay changed drastically from the original, and Melee is still some fans’ favourite entry in the series. What this game brought to the table that its prequel did not was additional single player modes. Offering the player the choice of either Adventure or AllStar Mode, alongside the Classic Mode that was available in the original, Melee expanded the scope of the franchise so much that it is still played heavily to this day. In fact, it is featured in one of the world’s biggest E-Sports championships, EVO, or the Evolution Championship Series and, on top of that, it is played there, while its sequel, Brawl is not. That says something about the longevity and success of the game. Super Smash Bros. Brawl was released for Nintendo’s new console at the time, the Wii, in 2008. While staying true to what had been introduced in Melee, it added a number of new features that are sure to stay with the franchise far into the future. Bringing in a new story mode featuring time with all of the playable characters,
Surprisingly, Brawl is also very much moddable and, in fact, is being very actively modded as we speak. A group of competitive players have formed a development team known as Project M Back Room and are developing an eponymous mod. This mod balances the game’s characters more effectively, adapting the game’s physics and gameplay to make it feel more like its much preferred predecessor. It also goes so far as to add new characters that had been excluded from the game, such as previous combatants like Mewtwo from Pokémon. This just goes to show how passionate the fans of the franchise are, and hopefully will continue to be. Now, we are in the midst of the release of the new iterations of Smash Bros., one that has already been released for Nintendo’s 3DS, and a Wii U edition that will be released later this year. Bringing in even more new characters and allowing you to play as your very own Mii, Nintendo continues to expand one of its most beloved franchises, and does it well every time. As well as that, you can use Nintendo’s new ‘Amiibo’ figures to customise the computer characters to make them more challenging to defeat. In terms of the Wii U version, we really won’t know until it is released, but it is sure to be as addictive as each entry before it. Smash Bros. is a wildly successful franchise and looks like it will continue to be far into the future, especially with Nintendo’s growing stable of characters that it can continue to introduce. There are already rumours buzzing around about another new entry next year, so it is very clear that we can be as confident in Smash’s future as Nintendo evidently is.
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Video Didn’t Kill the Fashion Star Claire Fox
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Each year designers, models, bloggers and overall fashionistas flock to the most fashionable cities in the world to cast their eyes upon the latest trends set to take the fashion world by storm. I’m guessing as cash-strapped students that most of us haven’t had the luck to attend one of these illustrious catwalk events. However, in reality, the biggest catwalk extravaganza on the planet doesn’t take place in some fancy ballroom in London or under the neon lights of New York. Neither does it occur on the runway of some Marc Jacobs show or in between the glossy pages of Vogue. It occurs on our TV screens, on Youtube, in our own living rooms. I’m talking about the music video which, in the last thirty years, has become the most influential catwalk of all. While David Bowie and the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, wowed us with their wonderful and somewhat wacky fashion choices in the 1970s and 1980s, Madonna’s manufactured videos stirred numerous fashion revolutions during this period. Her smash hit ‘Vogue’ not only found itself sitting at the top of charts worldwide, but the empowering outfits featured in the video found themselves sitting in wardrobes of the masses. The enthralling video, which displays males strutting their stuff in crisp tuxedos, inspired men all over
the world to invest in a clean, cut suit perfect for all occasions. A suit was no longer seen as a luxury for James Bond, but an ultimate wardrobe winner. Madonna’s mega-video likewise inspired ladies across the globe to embrace power-dressing. The Queen of Pop’s black, shoulder-padded pants suit combination initiated a universal fashion uprising. Androgynous shoulder pads and collar-clad shirts became the staple pieces for modern women throughout the nineties.
“The music video which, in the last thirty years, has become the most influential catwalk of all” 20 years after Madonna rocked our wardrobes, her successor, Lady Gaga, became a poster girl for designers everywhere with the massive music video for her stellar tune ‘Bad Romance’. The video, which boasts everything from thriller-type dance moves to flaming fire effects, is famous for its fantastic outfits. In many ways it is almost a full-blown advertisement for Alexander McQueen, whose pieces take pride of place throughout the video. While the video itself tracks how Gaga
Style Gentlemen, Please! Jayne Groarke Labelled the most successful male model in the fashion industry, David Gandy is, without a doubt, the perfect role-model for any man. You may know him as the lead male model for Dolce & Gabbana, seen him on the cover of various magazines such as GQ, or in the 2007 advert for the ‘Light Blue’ fragrance with Marija Vujović Whether he’s attending an important event or going to a photo shoot, Gandy is always impeccably dressed. He even has his own app called ‘David Gandy’s Style Guide for Men’ available on the app store. When Gandy does tailoring, even if he chooses a two- or three-piece suit, the
man never fails to get it right. ‘Why is this?’ you may ask. Well judging from his formal attire, Gandy dresses to his body type. His dress suits/ blazers accentuate his broad shoulders and are fitted around the waist. For the launch of his men’s underwear and sleepwear at M&S’s Marble Arch Store in London , David posed in front of an army of half-naked cardboard cutouts wearing a striking, two-buttoned, greige suit with a wide notch collar, accompanied with a royal blue, newsreader pocket square peeping out from the breast pocket. Underneath, a crisp white, Ainsley collar shirt accessorised with a classic royal blue men’s tie to match was finished off with a pair of dark brown, pointed brogues
surrenders herself to the sinister forces of the music industry, outfits such as an entrancing gothic bikini and a metallic, 3D-esque, disco dress inspired people all over the world to take more fashion risks and not to just follow the crowd. In 2014 hip-hop diva Iggy Azalea took the concept of the music video as a catwalk to another level with her slick single Fancy. The video, which is a spoof on the 1990s movie Clueless, has led to the resurgence in popularity of preppy clothing, such as blazers and brogues, allowing us to unleash our inner ‘90s chick’. While Azalea’s black and yellow, checked skirt and blazer combination is undoubtedly the most outstanding outfit in the video, her LBD and choke
chain ensemble that is featured at the Christmas party at the end is also a stellar look. This autumn has seen the revitalisation of the choke-chain trend thanks to Miss Azalea. Topshop stock a range of these neck jewels in a variety of colours and designs and they have the instantaneous effect of giving a simple LBD an edgy lift. The music video, like fashion, has become an artform in the last three decades. While some critics believe music videos are another means of selfpromotion in our materialistic world, in reality they are a haven for creativity, where outlandish style can showcase itself! While video may have killed the radio star, it has certainly had the opposite influence on fashion!
Gandy has participated in several interviews over the years, sharing his fashion tips. He stated that there are certain essentials a man should have in his wardrobe. Firstly, “men’s shoes, because the first thing women look at is men’s shoes,” secondly, “a good quality suit, because that will stay with you for many, many seasons,” thirdly, “a good knit that can be put under a blazer or worn alone” and one cannot forget the classic “formal shirt.” David’s casual wear is preppy. Spotted with Sarah Ann Macklin (Missguided Clothing model), Gandy wore a plain black t-shirt under a fitted, grey blazer with a black news-reader pocket square, black chinos accessorised with a skinny, brown, leather belt and paired with black, leather patent shoes. This ‘enhanced’ James bond with his formal attire and impressive car collection embodies class. Putting time
and effort into creating the perfect outfits, this debonair certainly pays attention to detail. No wonder he’s considered one of Britain’s most stylish men.
Image Anatomy (Vol. 2)
Because a fashion photo is more than a pretty picture…
Dissected by Nicole Clinton I acquired my first Vanity Fair ‘Hollywood Issue’ when I was 14. Its glossy pages were saturated with the scent of Calvin Klein Euphoria and to this day that smell brings me back to the magical beginning of my obsession with a town that exists as both a geographical location and as a state of mind. I examined people’s hands before allowing them to touch it and I kept it in a buttoned, plastic folder. Its delivery of enchanting allure was so influential that I copied out the map of Hollywood on an A2 size sheet so that I could memorise the streets and I started an ‘LA fund’ with my sister to finance a future pilgrimage to the place where they produce dreams for a living. However it’s difficult for me to admit that the attaining of the annual March ‘Hollywood Issue’ became less significant to me as the years passed. But due to my commitment to tradition and a deep-rooted sense of sentimentality, I continue to purchase VF’s spectacle every year nevertheless, desperately hoping that this will be the one that gives me the same high as the first. Rather tragically, it is the sublime cover of the 2011 issue that I adore most intensely and as a result of a simple mishap that it is the one that I do not possess. Perhaps my analysis of the glamour-seeped image will help you to understand my feeling of lament. The annual Hollywood issue prides itself on displaying the most attractive and talented (usually) young actors of the year on its luxurious three-page fold-out cover. The issue in question particularly personifies this intent by christening the image ‘The Young and The Beautiful’, the two qualities most relevant for securing Hollywood stardom. But the photo’s subjects are not short of talent or charisma despite their striking good-looks, with the decadent bar scene featuring actresses such as Anne Hathaway, Mila Kunis and Jennifer Lawrence slotted in between their male counterparts James Franco, Jake Gyllenhaal and Joseph GordonLevitt. The framing of the photo holds utter significance as the position that the actor
occupies on the cover depends on their level of fame, with the most established gracing the first panel and the names gradually decreasing in prominence as the eye moves right across the second and third panels (except for legendary actor Robert Duvall’s Where’s Wally-
“The further we move into the digital, information age, the more they become intent on channelling traditional Hollywood glamour in their imagery” esque appearance as the bar man). What is interesting is observing this aspect of the cover in the present day, three years later, and contemplating how this specific selection of actors’ places in the visual hierarchy has changed. For example, Ryan Reynolds would disappear altogether and find his first panel space filled by Jennifer Lawrence (previously on the second panel), and Jesse Eisenberg would most definitely be overtaken by Spiderman himself, Andrew Garfield, despite his
role in 2011’s The Social Network and position on this cover being originally superior to Garfield’s. The colour scheme of the cover image matches the sensuality of the stars that are eternally trapped within it. The dark, rich hues create a sense of opulence, appropriate for the suggestion of an exclusive, glossy bar. Burgundy reigns as the major background colour with the white illumination of the bar lending the setting subtle, artificial lighting. The old Hollywood theme of the Norman Jean Roy shot photograph is primarily embodied in the clothes that its subjects wear. The males featured are decked out like classic Hollywood leading men, donning black tuxedos, crisp white shirts, black bow-ties and slicked back hair. There is more variety in the outfits and colours sported by the ladies that populate the bar. Hathaway, Lawrence, Rashida Jones and Noomi Rapace bear full length gowns ranging in colours from off-white and pale grey to leopard print and burgundy. Kunis and Olivia Wilde display a more modern, risqué aura by exposing most of their bodies with side-less, backless, short cocktail dresses. Hathaway’s gown is particularly magnificent. Sexy yet feminine, the offwhite silk creation boasts a plunging V-shaped neckline and thigh-high slit. The lavish fabric gathers on the hips in
a loose knot and hangs over the side of the bare leg, culminating in long fringes. The softly curled hair and the red lips, pale skin and well-defined eyes and brows also succeed in conveying the glamorously iconic golden age of Hollywood look. The image suggests the fashion and film industries’ sense of disappointment with modern preoccupations as the further we move into the digital, information age, the more they become intent on channelling traditional Hollywood glamour in their imagery. We mere mortals yearn to escape the grim recession-stricken world by losing ourselves in the other-worldly beauty and glossy sophistication of these screen goddesses and handsome gentlemen that we can’t find in our own mundane lives. This photo manages to sum up and symbolise the allure of Hollywood as a place shrouded in a dream-inducing magic that seduces the viewer into repressing reality and coveting every aspect of it. The reason for our obsession with classic Hollywood style is perfectly exuded in the image through the presentation of unobtainable beauty. The industry’s influence is effective because humanity always desires what they do not possess more than what they do. Maybe that is the reason that this cover is the very one that I treasure the most, because I do not have it…
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