VERGE
ISSUE VI
The Strypes on life as teenage sensations ..... The Look on Campus ..... R ight On, Girl! – Books for the discerning feminist Gamergate and the need for change in the Gaming industry ..... Brendan McCahey on life after The Voice ..... 20 Years in Shawshank
Editor’s Letter Diverged Cork Film Festival – Eoghan The 2014 Cork Film Festival takes place this year until next weekend, the 16th of November, with films from all across the country and abroad making their Irish premieres in renowned Cork venues. Whether you’re in the mood to take part in a Frozen singalong, attend the premiere of an acclaimed international film (such as The Imitation Game or What We Do in The Shadows), or support independent Irish drama like Darkness on the Edge of Town, this year’s Cork Film Fest is sure to cater for all tastes.
Gigs Galore – Robbie There appears to be no post Jazz Weekend lull this November as a host of renowned acts prepare to play in Cork in the coming weeks. Wicklow natives and post-rock behemoths God is An Astronaut play Cyprus Avenue on November 14th, only to be followed by the critically acclaimed indie duo We Cut Corners seven days later. For those seeking something a little different, Chali 2NA, the Chicago based hip-hop legend, will grace the Caroline Street venue on November 15th, while a rejuvenated Aslan will play their first Cork show in two years amid the opulent surroundings of Cork Opera House on the same night.
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Claire Fox
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his murky middle-ground between Halloween and Christmas is always a difficult one to manage. Gone are the days when life used to be simple. These days, with semesterisation, all those books you’d swear you’d read during the April study month have to be read now, and while you may only have eight hours of college this term, next term you are overloaded with 25 hours due to the mismatched module timetables. But quit the complaining, this is the Entertainment section after all!
Of course, the world is accustomed to the cheeky chappie antics of Williams but isn’t this a step too far up the publicity ladder? Isn’t there any point in our lives when we can just press the offbutton and demand some privacy from prying eyes? With the world constantly watching, is it any wonder that songstress Sia, famous for her Titanium collaboration with David Guetta in 2011 and most recently for her haunting song ‘Chandelier’, performs with her back to the audience. This was cast into the spotlight last week when she performed on The Graham Norton Show.
One man who gave his own definition to the word entertainment is Robbie Williams. His song ‘Let me Entertain You’ has been a hit with audiences since 1997 but recently I think he may have taken the phrase too far. While filming the before and after scenes of his wife, Ayda, giving birth to their newborn son, Charlton, Robbie uses this opportunity to promote his upcoming tour of the same name as his 1997 anthem.
With the privacy debate always up for discussion, one thing we don’t want kept private this week is Verge. This week I was lucky enough to chat with Evan Walsh from The Strypes, while our Gaming Editor, Steve, decided to wade into controversial territory examining diversity in the gaming world. That’s the risk you take when you want to entertain someone, just ask Robbie Williams!
Verge Editor: Claire Fox
Gaming Editor: Steve Barry
Film & TV: Eoghan Scott
Fashion Editor: Nicole Clinton
Music Editor: Robbie Byrne
Design: Kevin Hosford
Arts & Lit Editor: Molly Forsythe
Serial – Molly Written and produced by the creators of NPR’s renowned show, This American Life, Serial is being lauded as a game-changer in the world of podcasts. The premise of the show is the unfolding of “one non-fiction story, week-byweek, over the course of a season.” The first season concerns itself with an investigation into the case of a Maryland high school student, Adnan Syed, who was accused of murdering his girlfriend in 1999. Serial is the Netflix of podcasts, with each episode so easily available it’s almost impossible to stop yourself listening to all of them in one go!
Feminist Frequency – Steve In the spirit of the theme we’re running in this issue’s gaming section, I’d like to recommend a very popular and unduly controversial YouTuber to you all. Anita Sarkeesian, who runs the web show Feminist Frequency, discusses issues facing women in the gaming industry today. Sarkeesian recently appeared on The Colbert Report, where she brought the Gamergate issue to the attention of the public. Sarkeesian can be found on YouTube as Feminist Frequency or Twitter @femfreq. I’m certain you’ll find her videos incredibly educational.
Animal Patterns – Nicole For A/W 14, the traditional leopard print returns; but this year it is accompanied by its jungle friend, snakeskin, and its more harmless farm companion, cow print. Animal patterns can be found this season on silk, fur and even leather. The fainthearted can safely inject the trend into their wardrobe through accessories, but the more audacious fashion experimentalists will play with larger items such as coats, skirts and blouses. However we don’t condone the slaughter of animals for style purposes, so whatever way you choose to tackle the trend, opt for the faux version.
The Look on Campus Claire Fox goes on the hunt for some of UCC’s most stylish trendsetters Adrian Walsh
Una Lynch
PhD in Engineering
Commerce with German
Science
Where did you buy your outfit?
Where did you buy your outfit?
Penneys and New Look
Zara and Mahon Point.
How would you describe your style? Girly definitely.
How would you describe your style? Smart and casual.
Who or what are your style influences? New Look.
Where do you like to shop?
Best Bargain? The boots
Zara.
I’m wearing now were €30. Biggest Splurge? I spent €70 on a coat once.
Clodagh Healy Commerce Where did you buy your outfit? Zara, H&M and Topshop.
Sam Cadogan just finished a Masters
Where do you like to shop?
Where did you buy your outfit? Topman and Penneys.
Usually Zara or Topshop – they’re always reliable.
How would you describe your style? Casual and trendy if possible.
Who or what are your style influences?
Best Bargain?
Mainly Rosanna Davison and Pippa O’ Connor – they always look good.
When I was in Thailand, I got a suit made for €70. Biggest Splurge?
Christine Kearney
€120 for a blazer in Topman.
Commerce with Spanish Where did you buy your outfit?
Aisling Carrroll
Zara, Bershka and New Look.
Food Science
How would you describe your style? I was at an interview this morning, but I’d describe it as quirky. Best Bargain? The shirt I’m wearing at the moment was only €5. Biggest Splurge? On shoes.
Where did you buy your outfit? Topshop, Abercrombie and my shoes are Vans. How would you describe your style? Eccentric. Who or what are your style influences? I like Taylor Swift and Cara Delevigne. Biggest Splurge? Hollister hoodies
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20 Years in Shawshank Colin Healy celebrates the classic film’s anniversary by revealing 20 things you didn’t know about The Shawshank Redemption “I remember thinking it would take a man six hundred years to tunnel through the wall with it. Old Andy did it in less than twenty.” – Red You might all have noticed that the classic film The Shawshank Redemption has been played a lot on the television recently (more often than usual anyway). The film itself was released in 1994, meaning it is currently its 20th anniversary. More than that, though, if Andy had gone to jail the day the movie was released (hypothetically, of course), he would have escaped this year.
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So to celebrate Andy’s escape and the anniversary of one of the great movie classics, here are 20 things you probably didn’t know about The Shawshank Redemption.
5 The role of Tommy Williams, which was played by Gill Bellows, was intended for Brad Pitt, but he had other commitments.
6 The number of Red’s cell (that warden calls to open upon Andy’s escape) is 237. This is the same number as the room in The Shining and the amount of change ($2.37) the four boys in Stand By Me collect between them. The number is a Stephen King trademark.
7 The movie was given 151 hours of airtime on US channels in 2013 alone. That calculates out as more than six days’ worth of solid Shawshank!
tested the water and dubbed it ‘lethal’. In the end, he dived in like a true trooper.
no idea why either).
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Tom Hanks, Kevin Costner, Tom Cruise, Nicolas Cage, Johnny Depp and Charlie Sheen were all considered for the part of Andy Dufresne. Judging by Con Air I think it was a good call not to give it to Nicolas Cage!
What Robbin crawls through in the sewer is actually a mixture of sawdust, chocolate syrup and water.
12 The mug shots of young Red attached to his parole papers are actually pictures of Morgan Freeman’s son Alfonso Freeman. Alfonso also had a cameo in the movie shouting; “Fresh fish! Fresh fish today! We’re reeling ‘em in!”
13 Andy and Red’s opening chat in the prison yard, in which Red is pitching a
1 The movie is based on the Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption, which was part of King’s collection of four novellas, entitled Different Seasons. These included Apt Pupil and Stand by Me, both of which have been made into movies.
2 In Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption, Red is a ginger-haired Irishman. Harrison Ford, Clint Eastwood and Paul Newman were all considered for the role.
3 Stephen King never cashed the $5,000 cheque that he received after selling the movie rights. Instead, years later, the author framed the cheque and sent it back to the Directot, Frank Darabont, with a note that read: “In case you ever need bail money. Love, Steve.”
4 The American Humane Association insisted that any maggots fed to Brooks’ crow, Jake, had died from natural causes. The production crew had to find one that had, presumably, died peacefully in its sleep to be able to complete this scene.
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17 Only two women have speaking roles in the film! Can you remember who they are? I will put the answer at the end of the article.
18 Darabont dropped the ‘Rita Hayworth’ element of the novella’s title because he thought he’d receive resumes from actors thinking the movie was a Hayworth biopic. It didn’t do any good. During casting Darabont received a call from an agent who represented a supermodel; he swore the script was the best she had ever read and that she’d be perfect for the (non-existent) part of Hayworth!
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8 Although set in Maine, the success of the movie helped boost the fortunes of three towns that share 13 sites used as locations through tourism, with more than 18,000 tourists and an estimated $3 million boost to the local economy in 2013.
9 In Ohio you can pick yourself up some Reformatory ‘Red’ Wines, Shawshank Bundt Cakes and the local Two Cousins’ Pizza sells Redemption pie.
10 Tim Robbins initially refused to immerse himself in the muddy water of Andy’s escape tunnel after a chemist
baseball, took nine hours to shoot! As a result Freeman ended up with his arm in a sling the next day.
14 When the Warden opens the Bible where Andy Dufresne hid his rock pick, it opens at the Book of Exodus. The Book of Exodus details the escape of the Jews from Egypt.
Although it is never stated in the film, Brooks is in prison for murdering his wife and daughter after a losing streak at poker. Meanwhile, according to the book, Red is in jail for murdering his wife by disabling her brakes, which accidentally killed a neighbour and child, as well as her.
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In the film the three pinup posters Andy uses are Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe and Raquel Welch. In the novella there are four: Jayne Mansfield, Linda Ronstadt, Hazel Court and Rita Hayworth.
The movie has picked up different names in the international scene. In Finland, the movie was called Rita Hayworth – The Key To Escape, in Israel it was Walls Of Hope and it was called Le Ali Della Libertà in Italy, which means ‘The Wings of Freedom’. Not all the names were as suitable however; in Taiwan it was called 1995: Fantastic (I have
So now next time there’s a Shawshank Redemption pub quiz you can go in certain that you have all the necessary knowledge to win at least a pint! As for the two speaking roles for women: the first was the customer who complains about Brooks not double bagging; the second was the bank clerk that Andy goes to after escaping.
Marvel vs DC Brian Conmy breaks down the movie announcements by the two comic book giants A few weeks ago DC announced their upcoming slate of movies; nine in all, not including Warner Bros.’ The LEGO Movie release. To answer the impressive number of announcements, Marvel stepped up to announce nine movies of their own. While some may see the Marvel response as a direct one, there’s a world of difference between the two companies’ slates…
For the uninitiated, ‘Civil War’ was a comic book crossover event which spanned much of Marvel comics at the time and included all of your favourite characters being embroiled in a civil war along political lines. The issue that divided them all was that of superhero registration to the government, to which Captain America was opposed but Tony Stark stood behind.
Marvel
Interestingly, here in the current movie universe, there are really no heroes with secret identities that would require registration to the government, as such this concept is sure to be retooled. Unfortunately Spiderman is a huge figure in the Civil War event in the comics but, since Sony still own Spiderman’s movie rights, he’s unlikely to feature.
Captain America: Civil War, Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Inhumans, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 & 2 While many of the movies announced were sequels to previous entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the names that may be new to people are the most interesting here. Black Panther will be Marvel’s first movie centring on a person of colour, with up-and-comer Chadwick Boseman set to play the part of the leader of a fictional African nation rich in a particular rare metal (hint, it’s not adamantium). Another first for Marvel will be Captain Marvel, their first solo feature to focus on a female superhero. Even the naming of this movie is notable; in the comics some incarnations of Captain Marvel are referred to as Ms. Marvel. From the outset, changing this to Captain is a positive step for finally representing a female hero on screen. For those to whom the name Inhumans is a new one, think along the line of X-Men; but in space; with a member of the team being a giant bulldog – OK maybe don’t think X-Men at all! Marvel has proven with the success of Guardians of the Galaxy that they’re perfectly capable of presenting seemingly insane comic book ideas on screen, and the Inhumans movie is likely to be the next step in taking obscure or difficult to translate comics and making them money making juggernauts. While these new characters’ solo movies will be interesting in their own ways, what’s always been an integral part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the interplay of characters and concepts from one movie to another. As such, the announcement of the next Captain America movie being subtitled ‘Civil War’ is one that’s sure to get comic book fans frothing at the mouth.
So, all told, the addition of new characters will be interesting given how well Marvel has previously balanced their roster of heroes. My only concern would be the lack of an Iron Man movie announcement which, along with the comparatively high cost of Robert Downey Jr.’s continued movie appearances, may be a sign that the Iron Man title could be handed to someone new; can Marvel handle a character’s death as well as new character introductions?
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DC
Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, Justice League Part 1 & 2, The Flash, Shazam, Cyborg, Aquaman, Green Lantern While DC’s announcement of nine movies was an initial shock, none of the announced movies were really shocking apart from one: Suicide Squad. Even among comic book nerds, the Suicide Squad aren’t particularly popular despite some excellent work being done with the supervillain turned anti-heroes team. The concept here is a bunch of B-tier villains being sent on suicide missions by the government to work off their lengthy jail sentences. What’s even crazier about this announcement was the casting buzz that ensued from the announcement, with names being thrown around including Margot Robbie and Tom Hardy. While the rest of the movies announced are more generally recognisable, they’re equally risky in their own ways. Firstly, the announcement of a Flash movie so close to the launch of the surprisingly good Flash TV show is concerning in a few ways. Will general audiences be confused by the TV Flash
being completely separate to the movie Flash or will they expect crossover? This is also a concern if the Green Lantern ever shows up on the silver screen, with the Arrow TV show now so well established. Equally concerning is the fact that, aside from the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy, DC is yet to really succeed in any of their movie adaptations to date. While some liked Man of Steel, I intensely disliked it and found it couldn’t hold a candle to even the weakest Marvel movie. So without a strong basis to build on, can just throwing more movies/ characters/ money at the problem result in the kind of success DC so desperately wants?
The biggest question, for me, surrounding DC’s announcements is around Wonder Woman. While Gal Gadot is an interesting choice for the role, she may not represent the raw physicality of the character in the way Henry Cavill did Superman. Still I’m excited to finally get a big screen Wonder Woman movie. Weirdly, the most promising announced title is Shazam, simply because of the casting of the Rock in the villain role for the film. While I’d have loved to see him actually play Shazam (sometimes called Captain Marvel; long story) at least he’s at long last in a mainstream comic book movie.
Review: Ben Howard, I Forget Where We Were Cathy Naughton Ben Howard has achieved the impossible; somehow, he has managed to bypass the sophmore album slump. Perhaps it’s down to the three-year gap between the release of his latest effort and that of the runaway success of his debut album, Every Kingdom. Or perhaps it is how the artist has taken his music in a new direction. Whatever it was that he did, it worked. While I Forget Where We Were can stand on its own, it is difficult for those who are familiar with Every Kingdom to not notice the huge contrast between the two LPs.
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I Forget might be considered a reflective sequel, exploring Howard’s darker side
My Awesome Mix, Vol. VI
akin to the sparse, sepia tones of his stopgap Burgh Island EP from 2012. Unlike Every Kingdom, which celebrated the sweeter, sunnier side of autumn, I Forget embraces the harshness and the gloom of the season. Where the acoustic-laden debut induced that romantic love-at-firstlisten feeling, I Forget carries its beauty in an electric prevalence and moments of disconcerting friction; features representing this brave new venture of Howard’s. The album is described by Howard himself as “almost too serious.” The bleak opening track, ‘Small Things’, sets the mood of melancholic restlessness. This melancholia is maintained throughout the album, although it
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Swim and Sleep Mutate – Circle 1 (Dub Workout) Captain Beefheart – Circumstances Breach & Dark Sky – The Click Boards Of Canada – Gyroscope Ty Segall Band – Wave Goodbye Baauer – Dum Dum Django Django – Life’s a Beach Jamie xx Remix (ft. Four Tet) – Lion Nosaj Thing – Quest (Low Limit remix)
The subtle but complex builds that feature on most tracks transfer an emotional intensity: the album’s lead single, ‘End of the Affair’, begins with deceptive gentleness only to build to an aggressive and passionate climax unlike anything that Howard has produced before. Howard, along with his faithful producer and bandmates, show that they are not afraid to push the boundaries with this album. The talents of all involved are utilised through experimentation with haunting vocal effects, deft finger-picking and spine-
tingling distortion. Radio-friendly time constraints do not apply – while most tracks are more than five minutes long, they seem not to sprawl, but rather to justify the time taken for each to work through slow-burning emotions with largely satisfying conclusions. This highly-anticipated LP sees Ben Howard boldly refusing to be the sellout that has been expected of him, following the runaway success of his debut, proving that there is more than one side to his music, and that he still has much more creativity to offer.
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The Trad Bible Rory Manning speaks about the way in which Trad changed his life Cliché though it may sound, I must ask the question if music is cool? For the majority of my life the answer to this would have been no.
Fresh from an electric Jazz Weekend performance at Crane Lane Theatre, Waterford based dance-rock act, King Kong Company, give Verge their very own Awesome Mix:
is interspersed with glimpses of a soothing, over-arching optimism, namely in ‘She Treats Me Well’ and ‘Time is Dancing’.
I always saw traditional music growing up as an inconvenience. It was something I enjoyed covertly within the four walls of my room, not to be shared with anyone for fear of humiliation.
“These were the days when I detested being a musician. These were the days I resented Irish music and its trappings”
The school I went to was not sympathetic to my cause either; it seemed that if you did not play hurling or football then you were not ‘popular’ or ‘accepted’.
Music was a burden in school. It was a distinction that singled me out as different, and thus ‘weird’, as the testosterone filled classrooms I shared disliked music that didn’t involve sex or explicit language. The worst school days were the ones where I had to bring my musical instruments in and perform for a function or gathering. My year would be bundled into the hall, where I would take centre stage. Still, it wouldn’t be long before the Neanderthals at the rear would make crude and audacious remarks that almost always resulted in a chorus of howling laughter. These were the days when I detested being a musician. These were the days I resented Irish music and its trappings. People fear what they do not understand. A fear that manifested itself when I shared my talent. They could not comprehend how I made this music; an igonorance which led to mockery and belittling. Music is a language. Those who do not know how to speak it do not understand
it. When I was filling out my CAO, I did not have a romantic reason for picking music. I didn’t think I could revolutionise the industry or pave the way in some unexplored form of neotraditional music. I sat myself down and I thought about the decision logically and asked myself, “What am I least bad at?” My first year in college was an eyeopening experience. I was no longer ashamed to be called a musician. I no longer had to mask my love for Irish music because I was with like-minded people who came from the same circumstances as I. Finally, I got the chance to fully embrace music for what it is, a way of life. Writing this piece makes me thankful for all that music has given me. I encountered lifetime friends through music, while I also have a job teaching Irish music and I’m working on my first trad album. So if you have something in life, a passion that makes your blood pump, stick with it; it is what defines you and it makes us who we are.
The Voice to Succeed? Voice of Ireland winner Brendan McCahey talks to Robbie Byrne about the struggles of televised performance, vintage guitar shops and banishing the TV Talent Show Stigma. The future of RTÉ’s franchised talent show looks bleak. As recently as September, The Voice judge, Bressie, claimed that previous winners had not worked hard enough to deserve success; a comment squared at the show’s initial chart-failure winners. Combine this with falling viewer ratings and an ever devolving judging panel, and it seems that The Voice’s grave is all but dug in the cemetery of RTÉ shows past. But true to all Hollywood flicks, there’s a saviour on the horizon and, if Universal’s PR folk are correct, that saviour is Brendan McCahey.
“It really is all about the image. The performances are roughly only two minutes long but these are meticulously rehearsed and highly focused pieces of work” Unlike previous winners of TV talent shows, whose instant exposure to the music industry was as alien as walking on Mars, McCahey is the quintessential journeyman – one hardened to the sober reality of being among the bottom feeders of our music scene: “Before The Voice I was touring Ireland, playing in pubs and small music venues, but I still needed a day job to support myself.” Some charm and a little luck landed McCahey a managerial role in one of Dublin’s iconic vintage guitar shops, where he mingled with the likes of The Edge, Bono and soon to be mentor, Bressie, in a constant reminder of what could be. Still, fame wasn’t something the Cavan native craved; “Actually, it wasn’t my decision, but my wife’s to enter The Voice. She was the one who told me that RTÉ were doing auditions for a new series, so I sent the producers a recording of a session I did on a local radio show. They pretty much accepted me straight away for the blind auditions.”
For McCahey, the progression from small venue to live televised performance was a shock, if not a struggle: “A huge effort is put into the image; it really is all about the image. The performances are roughly only two minutes long but these are meticulously rehearsed and highly focused pieces of work; it was a totally different dynamic.” Watching YouTube clips of McCahey preforming on The Voice revealed to I, the cynic extraordinaire, that his was a talent lightyears above his opponents. The song choices were mature but meaningful, while all were performed with true artistic integrity – leaving the impression that McCahey remoulded each track to place his stamp while respecting its creator. Unlike any EP or LP produced by previous TV talent show contestants, To Here I Begin is an alternative album at heart, fusing McCahey’s early rock influences, such as Buddy Holly, with some softer contemporary Irish sources. The opener and self-penned, ‘The Otherside’, flows with an ethereal beauty before gently provoking itself into a heart-warming chorus, while the largely acoustic ‘Honestly’ does much of the same, but with a touch of bohemian lyrical wisdom. Though To Here does seem a little mono-paced as a whole, McCahey’s measured approach to songwriting exposes him as one experienced in the craft. “One difference between To Where I Begin and my previous self-financed albums was the cash put behind it,” he says, before adding, “three of us worked in the studio, every day for seven days to record nine of the albums tracks.” However it was the song recorded after these recording sessions that becomes album’s stand out moment: “’Sweetlove’ was recorded later at the studios in Templeogue and saw the
most detailing, where we got in a string section which provided some depth.” The result, described by McCahey as a song “about a love for music,” threads beauty and vulnerability as he sings “for us to be open/ I have need for something more/ let me be just what you wanted” to a simple reverbed guitar riff and warm orchestral detailing. It is music be played intimacy of a live venue, a move that McCahey is acutely aware of: “For the Irish tour I wanted to get
that begs to in the
dates in actual events that worked for me. Places such as Cyprus Avenue wouldn’t really work for where I’m at right now; theatre venues seemed a better fit for my style and place in music today.” So does McCahey think he has convinced the doubters with a sonically charming LP? Humble and concise as he has been throughout our conversation, he pauses momentarily: “I’m not trying to change peoples’ opinion. I got an opportunity to record and perform songs that I really like to people who never heard of me before winning The Voice.” It’s a statement that drips of ‘I’ll enjoy it while it lasts’ sentiment and, on the basis of what he has delivered so far, he might, just might, be the man to mend TV talent show’s much maligned image.
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Stars and The Strypes Claire Fox speaks to Evan Walsh, one of the teenage sensations drumming up a storm Like all good things, it began on The Late Late Show, although Walsh is quick to brush off the notion that the boys’ 2010 Toy Show performance launched their career. “That was very early on. One of our friends, who isn’t in the band, played with us that night. We just did that like any child auditions and goes on the Toy Show. We were just kids messing about then.” So even though the Toy Show appearance may have been just for fun, fast-forward two years to December 2012: the band had become The Strypes and secured a record deal backed by Elton John. This eventually culminated in a period of intense nationwide touring and a debut album the following September.
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enny Kravitz once sang ‘Rock and Roll is Dead’, but in speaking with Evan Walsh, drummer with hit Irish rhythm and blues band, The Strypes, it’s clear that rock is living and breathing as powerfully as it was 50 years ago. While The Telegraph may have called them “pint-sized versions of the early Rolling Stones,” the Cavan quartet has been jamming since the beginning of their existence. And who says it matters that this existence only began in the mid-tolate nineties? Alongside singer/ harpist Ross Farrelly, guitarist/ singer Josh McClorey and bassist Pete O’ Hanlon, Walsh says that the band formed purely out of a childhood interest. “Myself and the bass player, Pete, hung around with each other all our lives,” begins the stillteenage Walsh. “Our parents knew each other and we spent our lives growing up together. We’d get together and jam since the beginning of our existence really. We formed the band just as something to do for a hobby.” While these days most teenagers’ iPods are plugged into whatever preppy piece of pop the music industry has to throw at them, The Strypes music influences date back from a day where Vinyl wasn’t
reserved for hipsters and Spotify could have been misinterpreted as some sort of medical condition. Walsh and the entire band’s knowledge and respect for early rock and roll is certainly something to be admired. “It all began at a young age,” says the drummer. “We’d listen to whatever our parents listened to when we were young. It was when we were in our teenage years that we got into rhythm and blues music and early rock and roll. “We listened to Chuck Berry, The Rolling Stones, punk bands and new wave bands like Dr. Feelgood, The Jam and The Clash. It was really just from our own musical interest and research, with the help of our parents and their experience as well. We wanted to find out about different types of music. It’s just something that came to us naturally.” This natural esteem that the band held for early rock and roll has been a major factor in influencing their collective sound as a group. Shunning electronic riffs and techno beats, The Strypes prefer nothing better than good oldfashioned rock ‘n’ roll with their own modern twist.
“Our sound is basically rhythm and blues music with punk and new wave influence. It all goes back to Chuck Berry in the end, but we play it in our own style. We want to play gigs in our own energetic and trashy way; we’re basically a garage band. It’s a basic, no bullshit sort of thing, which is different from what everybody else is doing at the minute.”
“Everything gets intense and sweaty and you get that sort of primal aggression that’s at the surface of rock gigs. That’s the sort of gigs we really like” It is this difference in the band’s outlook and performance style that has allowed them to transform from merely messing around with tunes in their bedroom, to shaking up the world of rock.
The album, which received rave reviews from young and old alike, was described by The Guardian as a “bowelshaking rhythm and blues explosion” and reached No. 2 and No. 5 in the Irish and UK Charts respectively. With songs such as ‘What a Shame’ and ‘Blue-Collar Jane’ reaching commercial and radio success, could Walsh and the band still be happy with the album when they compiled it at such a young age? “You’re never going to be completely happy with how things turn out in real life, but with all the pros and cons considered, we were delighted with the album. We were delighted with the success of going Top 5 in the UK and no. 2 in Ireland. You couldn’t ask for much more than that really. “We signed the record contract and we felt we wanted to make an album, and tour, and have the full band experience. It was very exciting and enjoyable.” 2013 really was a year to remember for the Cavan crew as, not only did they receive critical and commercial acclaim for their debut album, they also supported British band The Arctic Monkeys on their UK arena tour. While the band are known for their admiration of music from an earlier era, working with The Arctic Monkeys was an honour for The Strypes. “Josh is a big fan of The Arctic Monkeys. He loves Alex Turner’s lyrics and we like
them as a band. It was great playing with them and the tour was very enjoyable. We were treated so well. They really are pleasant to be around.” Asked whether The Arctic Monkeys are a modern music inspiration for The Strypes, Evan steers away from the band being tied down to any particular genre. “We are influenced by all sorts of music from different eras and we always decide to do something different. We’re not going down the road of carving our own niche.”
“We were encouraged to leave school to be honest, it was never something any of us got any pleasure out of really.” In the midst of treadmill-like touring and impressive album sales, did thoughts of schooling or formal education ever enter the bandmates’
minds? “We were encouraged to leave school to be honest,” says Evan in his unmistakable Cavan accent, “it was never something any of us got any pleasure out of really. We left school at sixteen. Record company interest coincided with school leaving age, which was handy; we left in September 2012 and signed a deal in December. “Our parents said to us that we had an opportunity to do something different. You know, even if it crashes and burns horribly, they said, we’d still have done something that not many people have gotten to do.” So far The Strypes have managed to avoid the crashing and burning typical of most bands formed in their teenage years. Having played their third Electric Picnic this year, Walsh explains the thrill the band get when performing
“The kind of gigs we prefer are 600, maybe 800, capacity clubs. Everything gets intense and sweaty and you get that sort of primal aggression that’s at the surface of rock gigs. That’s the sort of gigs we really like, when it’s closed and intense. It’s a very different feeling to Electric Picnic.” Fresh from playing one of his beloved intimate gigs in the Savoy venue during Cork’s Jazz Weekend, The Strypes are set to embark on a nationwide tour of Ireland in December, kicking off in their hometown of Cavan where the lads still reside. “We did this last year as well and we live in Cavan, so we’re well used to it. It’s great to be playing at home; you don’t have to get on a bus and you can play in your own backyard. We’re kicking off in Cavan and going all around: Dublin, Belfast, Galway, Derry, Sligo...”
“Electric Picnic was a brilliant experience; it was the biggest stage we’d played. We’ve always had a great relationship with the festival; it has a great atmosphere and lovely location.”
The lads are currently working on their second album. While the second album curse can be a make or break for many bands, The Strypes are following the same musical ethos that they used on their first, Snapshot.
However, while the band enjoys the enormity of the Electric Picnic main stage, their rhythm and blues sound truly comes to life when they play in more intimate venues.
“We wanted the second album to be a continuation of what we’ve been doing. A typical pitfall of other bands is ‘Oh it’s our second album, we’ve to start taking ourselves seriously – it should be an
expression of the soul.’ “We just think we should build on what we’ve done. We’ve some different influences, though we still sound like the same band; but with more grown up matter.” With bands like U2 still rocking out records after 30 years of success, it seems like The Strypes have a bright future ahead of them, and likewise rock ‘n’ roll.
Listen to The Strypes on Spotify
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Equality: The Gaming industry needs to change Steve Barry It’s been a rough time for the games industry in recent weeks, maybe even months given how long the current controversy has been going on for. The ongoing illness that has been plaguing our beloved hobby goes by one name: Gamergate.
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Some of you may have seen the hashtag running rampant across Twitter, and maybe even some of you are screaming at this black-and-white page, crying that; “It’s actually about ethics in games journalism” – but I’ll stop you there. Whatever the original intention of this movement was, it has been overshadowed by blatant antifeminist commentary, anti-diversity commentary and, of course, overt attacks against female personalities in the games industry attempting to make their voices heard. But before I continue on what some of you may call a biased crusade, I must be honest... There are issues with games journalism and it does need to improve from an ethical standpoint. But that’s not what this discussion, or even this issue of Gaming in Verge, is looking to highlight. What we want to highlight is diversity and equality, and how the industry needs to change to accommodate its rapidly maturing and diversifying audience better than it is. I want you to look back on the major releases of this year, and perhaps look towards the other games that are due out in the coming months. Think about the characters on the front covers of those games. Is he a white, most likely straight male? Your answer is either yes, or an aggressive and possibly whiny no. Think of Call of Duty, think of Assassin’s Creed; both of those series’ main protagonists are predominantly white, predominantly male and predominantly womanising. Now I understand that the demographic that the majority of major developers and publishers attempt to appeal to are straight, white males from the ages of 18 to 30, but what most people need to understand is that needs to change. Let’s think about the population makeup of the world, shall we? There
are approximately seven billion people: at least 50% of that is female; not even 20% of the population is white. So that white, heterosexual male on the cover of half the games lining GameStop’s shelves?... Not even in the slightest fashion is that representative of the world or even the people playing games. It needs to change. But enough negativity; there’s enough of that present in the industry already. These attacks on women in the industry and the denial of the need for diversity and inclusivity need to turn into a mature discussion about how we need to change as gamers, and how the hobby as a whole needs to realise that it’s no longer a boys club. The status quo has shifted and there is too much resistance.
“We were segregated but now our community is discriminating against itself. Are we really inflicting on our own, what was inflicted upon us in the past?”
Women are avid gamers as well and they deserve to be seen as an active demographic for the major titles released year on year. Terms like ‘feminazi’ are being thrown around like they’re accurate descriptions for the women that want to challenge the idea that gaming is a male-oriented hobby and the concept that female characters in many games are there for little more than eye candy. Developers and gamers alike need to learn that women are not present to be sexual objects, in the words of Anita Sarkeesian, but are equally strong, if not stronger than some of their male counterparts. Look at The Last of Us, for example, where the protagonist, Joel, shows much less conviction and strength than his young female companion, Ellie, who shows soundness of character on a much more consistent basis. That is what people want; actually
accurate depictions of women. However the issues don’t stop with the lack of feminist influence in the industry. Similarly there is little representation of the gender spectrum and the sexuality spectrum in games. Can you name a triple-A title that stars a transgendered protagonist? A character that struggles with their gender identity? Hell, a character that’s gay? I certainly can’t. ‘But Steve!’ I hear you cry; ‘What about Mass Effect and Dragon Age? They let you choose to engage in homosexual relationships!’ The problem in that sentence is the word ‘choose’. The idea that sexuality is a choice is something that has plagued the LGBT* community for longer than anyone cares to remember and a game that lets you choose to be gay, or lesbian, or bisexual, or any other orientation that lies on the very diverse spectrum only serves to perpetuate that issue. The world is changing ladies and gentlemen, with more and more countries and more and more states in the US allowing for marriage equality, and the industry needs to change to reflect that. Every form of media is growing to
accommodate our diversifying world but games are lagging too far behind. With shows like How to Get Away With Murder having a focus on LGBT relationships and actors like Mark Ruffalo starring in films like The Normal Heart, it is so clear that our voices are being heard in some respect. But the ears of the games industry still appear to be very much deaf. For years gamers were seen as outsiders. We were a small community with a hobby that was looked down upon by the masses. We banded together to show people that we weren’t these foreveralone, basement dwellers. We were segregated but now our community is discriminating against itself. Are we really inflicting on our own, what was inflicted upon us in the past? We knew we didn’t deserve it and neither do women, the LGBT* community or people of different ethnicities. If there is one good thing that Gamergate has done, it has brought attention to the severe lack of representation in the industry. We need to take the vast amounts of negative energy that has been brought about by this movement and channel it into change. Maybe then our hobby, and its industry, can finally garner the respect it needs and deserves.
From then ‘til now:
Fight like a Girl Aoife Gleeson There’s a popular theory in the entertainment business that something starring a female, or minority, protagonist will automatically perform worse. The result is a self-fulfilling prophecy in which all protagonists are predictably straight, white dudes. This isn’t just true of video games: film and TV production is also guilty of this, to a lesser extent. The video game industry, being a young medium which historically targeted males aged 14 to 24, is the worst offender. While there has been progress, as the industry’s focus and target market has expanded, the list of female protagonists is still diminutive at best. Ask a random person to name a female protagonist in a video game and they’ll invariably say Lara Croft, maybe Princess Peach, and then falter. Lara Croft still remains one of the most prominent females in video games, particularly with the Tomb Raider series
being rebooted in recent years. The reboot also marked an evolution for her character, moving away from being an untouchable badass to being nuanced and believable; a positive step forward.
“Bayonetta is redundant, given that the character is over-sexualised, basically functioning as a blow-up doll with a gun” Other female heroes, in the cases of Clementine (The Walking Dead) and Ellie (The Last of Us), graduated from secondary roles to being playable protagonists in their games. Both The Walking Dead Season 2 and the DLC ‘Left Behind’ from The Last of Us showcase perfectly the kind of stories
that can’t be told from the straight, white male perspective. Progress is being made, albeit slowly, to introduce more diversity into games. However, in the line-up of AAA releases in the coming months, there’s a noticeable absence of female protagonists. Bayonetta is redundant, given that the character is oversexualised, basically functioning
.
as a blow-up doll with a gun This type of action hero is unfortunately common and popular in most forms of entertainment, so perhaps it’s better to focus on making games with positive, nuanced portrayals of female characters instead of eradicating and demonise the negative, over-sexualised portrayals. The solution obviously isn’t paint-bynumbers diversity, where exactly 50% of protagonists are female. This kind of ‘tick the boxes’ production is what gives us bland, repetitive AAA games year after year. Telling interesting stories with compelling characters is
what’s important, not the gender of the character. However this adage is usually used as an excuse to play it safe and keep the status quo. A lack of diversity in game developers, who are still primarily white and male, adds to this, with developers sticking to portraying characters similar to themselves. Even games where the gender of the character is irrelevant, like Deep Down and Assassin’s Creed: Unity’s multiplayers, bizarrely lack the option to play as a female. Offering a choice can make all the difference to players. One needs only to look at the iconic reputation of Mass Effect’s female Commander Shepard to see this. Developers need to expand their visions of what stories they can tell, publishers need to be more forthcoming with funding games that don’t stick to the status quo and consumers need to vote with their wallets. It’s a long road, but we’ll get there.
Race to the Bottom for AAA Brian Conmy
class dudes.
I’m white. This should probably come as no surprise as the vast majority of UCC students are white. A few months ago, though, I lived in a part of New York where I was a minority. Every time I got on the bus to go to work in the morning I was a racial minority. Initially this was a culture shock; it was another one to come home and remember that I used to be in the majority.
Why this makes me sad is that there are specific instances where a video game not only realised that other races exist, but also use the experiences of other groups in society to make for a more interesting and fulfilling narrative. Specific instances, where the use of a non-white character enriched a gameplay experience, may be few and far between but there are strong examples; my favourite of which is the Walking Dead Season 1.
While this is a very limited experience of what it’s like to feel awareness of one’s race, one field where awareness of racial sensitivities or experiences should be more important is in gaming. Sadly very few games in the triple-A space ever tackle the issue of race in any meaningful way. Sure, now and again it comes up, mostly in scenarios where the term racist is being thrown around (Resident Evil 5, cough, cough) but these are usually only fleeting reminders that the target demographic of a game can be wider than straight, white middle-
In the game you play Lee Everett, a former history professor who’s trying to survive in the zombie apocalypse. Lee is a black character existing in the Southern United States, an area of the developed world where instances of racism are still rife, if not always so openly talked about. While nobody ever directly references Lee’s race, apart from points where non-player characters ask Lee’s relation to his young ward Clementine, there are instances where it can be perceived that
race subtly comes into play. Without going into spoilers, there’s a character who enters the game in an early chapter who instantly takes a disliking to Lee and, despite any efforts the character chooses to make, never warms to him. Although not stated implicitly, Lee’s interaction with this character’s daughter seem to set him off more so than actively challenging the characters opinions or future plans. Is this the issue of race subtly coming
into play? While perhaps not the game designers’ initial purpose in choosing to create a non-white player character, it’s an issue that’s been put into the players mind that adds to the narrative. While this is only one example, there are more that could be examined in modern gaming. Perhaps not enough though. The possibilities of new and exciting characters being created are endless, yet so many are still grizzled, middle-aged, bald, white guys. Shame.
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Right On, Girl!
Books for the discerning feminist
Molly Forsythe There’s no doubt that we’re living in the age of fourth wave feminism. You can’t visit Facebook or Twitter without seeing at least one article somewhat related to ‘the cause’. Perhaps, at this point, you’re a little fed up of Jezebel and Upworthy and want to read something a little more substantial? But at the same time you don’t want to endure 300 pages of grim critiques of the patriarchy?
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Fortunately, over the past few years, we have been inundated with a flurry of entertaining feminist books available to choose from.
Caitlin Moran’s How to be a Woman is the book that converted many to feminism on its release five years ago. Moran’s now famous manifesto, “I Am a Feminist!” was the moment when many declared their intention to adopt “a Zero Tolerance policy on All The Patriarchal Bullsh*t.” A concoction of whip-smart humour, astute observations, personal revelations and pure filth; How to be a Woman is a thoroughly addictive read. Star of The Mindy Project, Mindy Kaling’s 2011 collection of essays Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) is also an essential read. I love Kaling’s bright and breezy style even when handling controversial topics. My favourite essay is entitled ‘Types of Women in Romantic Comedies Who Are Not Real’ which describes thoughts we have all had when watching rom-coms.
One of the most beloved and wellregarded celebrity feminist memoirs of recent years has to be Tina Fey’s Bossypants. A must read for fans of Fey’s wonderful sitcom, 30 Rock, this book relives her rise to fame. The former SNL comedienne also addresses some of the major feminist questions du jour such as online trolls, body image and Photoshop. Written in her trademark spiky humour, with a splash of disarming honesty, Bossypants is an utterly enjoyable read. Many television fans will also be delighted to hear that Amy Poehler (Parks & Recreation) has released a, thus far well acclaimed, book just in time for Christmas. Finally, I turn to The Vagenda: A Zero Tolerance guide to the Media by bloggers Holly Baxter and Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett.
If, like myself, you have a somewhat juvenile sense of humour, you will relish the wonderfully swear-style of writing and caustic dissection of magazines such as Glamour and Cosmopolitan. We’re lucky to be living in a time when women can write frankly about their lives. Today’s female writers enjoy the freedom to be honest about their experiences and are no longer forced to resort to elusive metaphors and tricky symbolism like the lady-writers of history. Perhaps the best thing to come out of books such as these is the airing of experiences which are often kept secret, and the relief the reader feels from being able to say: “Oh, thank God – I’m not the only person who does that!”
What is your favourite Irish poem? Molly Forsythe What is Ireland’s favourite poem of the last 100 years? That’s the rather ambitious question posed by RTÉ’s ‘A Poem for Ireland’ campaign. Spearheaded by the The Works and The John Murray Show, the campaign is run in conjunction with Poetry Ireland and An Post. ‘A Poem for Ireland’ aims to highlight Ireland’s enormous contribution to literature over the past century and to encourage people to reconnect with our national poetry. Applicants can send nominations until this Friday to the official website, where they are also welcome to write a brief explanation of their decision. Later this month a judging panel will meet to devise the final list. Included in the jury are: Dublin chanteur Damien Dempsey, former newscaster Ann Doyle, as well as UCC’s very own University Librarian, John FitzGerald. The top ten poems will be announced
on at the end of January and will be featured across RTÉ television and radio. The national broadcaster also encourages the public to get involved by sending in videos, illustrations and creative responses to any of the final ten poems. The final list will be announced on television in March 2015. If the recent Irish Times’ readers’ poll is anything to go by, works featured on the school curriculum are most likely to fare the best with W.B. Yeats, Seamus Heaney and Patrick Kavanagh dominating the Times’ top ten. Dublin Folk duo Hudson Taylor are one among many celebrity contributors to ‘A Poem for Ireland’ and cite Heaney’s Digging as their number one, explaining that like many it’s often “one line from a poem that you studied when you were 15” that remains with you for years. My choice would be Éibhlín Dubh Ní Chonaill’s Caoineadh Airt Uí Laoghaire, a poem I learned for Leaving Cert Irish
exam. In my view, Ní Chonaill’s lament of her husband’s tragic death boasts everything a good poem should have: romance, violence, cursing, adventure and a completely mental narrator – at one point she drinks her dead husband’s blood! After 14 years in the educational system, this was the poem that first ignited a true interest in Irish for me as it opened my eyes to the sheer beauty of the language and what could be achieved with it. Whether or not you decide to nominate anything, ‘A Poem for Ireland’ provides
a wonderful opportunity to rediscover poetry; something which many of us leave behind on departing secondary school. It offers us a chance to reflect back on the poems which have inspired us over the years: poems which have made us smile or brought a tear to the eye, poems which have articulated emotions and thoughts we didn’t know we had, poems we fell in love with, poems to which we pounded our fist in anger and confusing poems that made our heads hurt. These are all worth talking about and sharing, be it with friends, family or even on social media.
Six facts you didn’t know about Mr. Turner Molly Forsythe reveals the fascinating truths behind the artist J.M.W. Turner after the release of his biopic November marks the release of Mike Leigh’s new film Mr. Turner, starring Timothy Spall (best known for playing Peter Pettigrew in the Harry Potter series). Leigh’s film chronicles the life of the famous English artist J.M.W. Turner and has been critically lauded across the board for its vivid and visceral portrayal of the celebrated landscape painter.
ly when he said: “Painting is a strange business.”
“It’s surprising that it has taken so long to make a biopic about J.M.W. Turner, given the incredibly impressive and bizarre life he led”
With an exhibition of Turner’s works taking place at the famed Tate Gallery in England, it’s a doubly apt time to tease out some of the most absorbing facts regarding this innovative artist.
To be honest it’s surprising that it has taken so long to make a biopic about J.M.W. Turner, given the incredibly impressive and bizarre life he led. Turner himself once summed it up quite apt-
Turner’s painting, which laid the groundwork for Impressionism, gave landscape a central place on the canvas. Some of his most famous works include Tintern Abbey (1795) and Hannibal Crossing the Alps (1812).
1 Joseph Mallord William Turner was born in London in 1775. A child prodigy, he first entered the Royal Academy of Art School at 14 and was featured in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition of the following year.
2 He spoke with a strong cockney accent, making him at home on the EastEnders
set of today!
3 Turner certainly gave a new meaning to the word ‘prolific’. He left more than 19,000 watercolours, drawings and oils to the British nation. I suppose he really meant it when he said; “There’s a sketch at every turn.”
4 At one point in his life he was drinking up to eight pints of rum a day. By the time he was 62, he wore wooden dentures. Whether this was to do with his excessive drinking or an admiration for boiled sweets is another story altogether.
nation of the artistic process: “I got the sailors to lash me to the mast to observe it; I was lashed for four hours, and I did not expect to escape, but I felt bound to record it if I did.” Now if that’s not life imitating art, I don’t know what is!
6 Turner was a highly secretive man. From the late 1840s until his death he lived with Caroline Booth, a woman 25 years his junior. In spite of his wealth, he lived in a small house in a poor neighbourhood in Chelsea under the pseudonym ‘Admiral’ Booth. It was only when he died in 1851 that his neighbours realised they had in fact been living with the famous artist J.M.W. Turner.
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Turner was not afraid to suffer for his art. Art critic John Ruskin wrote about talking to the artist about his painting Snow Storm - Steam-Boat off a Harbour’s Mouth. He quotes Turner’s expla-
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On Writing: Shock, HORROR! Colin Furlong “Alone. Yes, that’s the key word, the most awful word in the English tongue. Murder doesn’t hold a candle to it and hell is only a poor synonym.” – Stephen King To create successful horror literature, something that really scares the reader, is not an easy feat. In order to frighten and unnerve the reader, a writer cannot simply rely on the loud bangs, screams and visuals of horror films. It is the horror writer’s job to paint a picture of terror using words alone; you must rely on the imagination of the reader to create the petrifying scenes you envision. Often the best way to learn how to write is to read, read, read. One of my favourites is The Shining. A chilling read from the master of horror, Stephen King, this book features great writing that has truly stood the test of time.
Another must read is The Saga of Darren Shan. Although it may be targeted at younger readers, Shan certainly knows how to tap into people’s fears and translate them to the page. I would also recommend Robert Kirkman’s graphic novel series The Walking Dead; a series which shows how classic horror tropes can be transformed into the ultimate survival story. Truly great horror literature requires the matrimony of chilling description, fright-filled dialogue and a tone that forces the hairs on the back of a reader’s neck into an upright position. The writer must use the deadly silence of horror to their advantage and play on this silence in order to terrify readers with a sudden surprise. The creation of a sense of isolation, both for the reader and for the characters on the page, is also key. It is crucial that the reader feels the character’s isolation in their struggle through the terror.
I have been writing horror stories for a very long time. For years I struggled to instil fear in the audience. All that changed, however, when I discovered the right combination of ingredients. I remember the first time someone told me they had to keep the light on after reading my story, the first time someone couldn’t sleep afterwards. The
thrill of scaring someone with words alone is a wonderful feeling. Great horror literature is all about tapping into the raw, primal core of each individual reader in order to evoke terror. When that happens you know that you’re doing something right.
God save Punk Fashion! ety politically and socially by making a statement of rebellion through fashion. The style was influenced by glam rock, skinheads, rude boys, greasers and mods. Today, punk fashion can be seen on the catwalks of Paris and on the streets of Cork city, but most of these ‘regular Joes’ don’t even realise the declaration that they are making or what their outfit represents on a more historical level.
Eugenie Hanley Labelled as the most controversial and rebellious era of fashion of the 20th century, punk style has contributed to the way that society defines itself through representational clothes.
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Unknown to most of us, the original punk subculture originated in the late 1970s and the fashion came about to reflect how these people defied soci-
Punk fashion was anti-materialistic to depict the anarchy felt by its followers. The style was influenced by punk music artists like the Sex Pistols, The Clash and the Ramones. This particular fashion was commercialised by renowned designers including Vivienne Westwood, Malcolm McLaren and the Bromley Contingent. The intentional rebuttal of the alleged surplus and pretension found in mainstream music led to the iconic characteristics of the trend. These staples included leather jackets, customised blazers, tartan print, fishnet tights,
creepers and safety pins (usually worn as jewellery). The hairstyles included Mohawks, undercuts, as well as dying hair a striking colour, such as white or black.
“Most of these ‘regular Joes’ don’t even realise the declaration that they are making or what their outfit represents on a more historical level” However we only see a glimpse of punk today through the current catwalk trends, such as plum lipstick, plaid coats, leather trousers and much more. Yet we fail to acknowledge or even inquire where these fashion inspirations originate from and, therefore, walk around ignorant of the history of defiance of the item we are wearing. Perhaps there are reasons why we emulate punk fashion. We may strive to
be perceived as original in the fashion world, we may be presenting our own statement or maybe we just admire the shocking subculture of punk. Punk style can be purchased in range of places at a varying price. Remember, you don’t have to follow the full-on or hard-core punk fashion from the seventies; you can take the ideas that you admire from the trend and put a modern twist on it! The key to this look is to intertwine it with contemporary fashion; for example, a tartan dress paired with a chic duster coat and a pair of loafers to finish the look. Interestingly you can find punk looks in high-street shops like Topshop, or you can attend vintage fairs or second-hand shops which will have more original pieces. You can expect to gather these punk items at a discount price if shopping second-hand or you can purchase them brand new at a dearer price range. So really there is no excuse not to rock this look as it is extremely affordable and eye-catching.
Fashion Revolution Daisy Pemble discusses the fashion that characterised the 1960s. It’s no surprise that the word ‘revolutionary’ is used to describe the fluctuating fashions of the 1960s. In ten short years the world saw a complete upheaval of the conservative style that marked the 1950s. What was once a long, sophisticated skirt evolved into a strip of fabric that several mistook for a belt. Many were outraged at this promiscuous portrayal of femininity but for most, this decade was the opportunity they had been waiting for. Whatever your view of the trends of the decade in question, you cannot deny that we have a lot to thank the sixties for (bell-bottomed trousers, anyone?). So we think of style and we picture Paris, right? Not this time. The French capital was no longer the epicentre of trend-setting. For once all eyes turned towards London, ready for something new and exciting to adorn shop windows and catalogue pages. This simple change of location marked a new era for fashionistas everywhere. When we imagine a typical 1960s sweetheart, we consider the likes of Brigitte Bardot and Jacqueline Kennedy. Thanks to these ladies we cannot picture a woman of this time without a perfectly sculpted beehive coiffure.
But let’s not forget the whimsical Audrey Hepburn, the most famous fashion icon of the time. The high-bosomed, sleeveless dress, still worn by many today, was popularised in the classic Breakfast at Tiffany’s. This simple yet sultry slip was designed by none other than Hubert de Givenchy, now a household name. As the designs of the era became increasingly daring, a select group of people became more audacious with their outrageous outfits. The mid-1960s saw a surprising infatuation for nudity, and the clothes reflected this desire to ‘bare all’. Plunging necklines were the norm, and Rudi Gernreich went one step further by creating the ‘monokini’. Needless to say, this didn’t catch on.
Perhaps slightly less iniquitous than this undignified attire was the birth of angular-patterned clothes. Geometric shapes began to adorn women’s dresses, the most prevalent of which were the odd quadrangles of vibrant colours, separated by intersecting lines. This style of dress led to the ‘mod’ look, worn by the world’s first supermodel, Twiggy, whose image plastered every magazine cover. By 1968 many began to decide for themselves what was deemed fashionable. The catchphrase ‘do your own thing’ was coined, which left elitist designers somewhat redundant. The much-loved Yves Saint Laurent, who had opened up his own establishment a few years pre-
vious, led the way into individual style with his collection of ready-to-wear clothes. By the end of the decade, people had begun to develop their own style, ignoring gender stereotypes. The divide between what was solely ‘male’ or ‘female’ became blurred as the term ‘unisex’ was devised to allow freedom of expression. And so, the Sixties ended on a positive note trend-wise. Icons were born, norms were abolished and the world adopted an apathetic attitude towards the opinions of others. This individualism led to the empowerment of many and introduced the world to the importance of fashion in everyday life.
Image Anatomy (Vol.3) Because a fashion photo is more than a pretty picture… Dissected by Nicole Clinton The image in question belongs to the Carolina Herrera spring/ summer 2014 print advertising campaign and presents the viewer with a fairly predictable image of one male and one female model. However it is the interesting employment of product placement that stimulates this photograph, transforming a conventional ad into a stunning visual loaded with sociological meaning. The theme of the image is fuelled by the conflict between conservatism and scandal. The man embraces the woman but she blocks our view of their kiss by holding her red Carolina Herrera handbag up in front of where their mouths should meet. The prudish vibe of the action distinguishes the old-fashioned aura that dominates the picture, concealing a relatively tame expression of sexual attraction. The placement of the bag establishes
the contradictory nature of the theme by acting as an architect of conservative beliefs and as a focus of controversy – by disguising it. It operates as a centralising force in the attraction of our curiosity and exploits the lure of the ‘secret’. It plays with humanity’s unquenchable desire to uncover anything which is hidden from it, no matter how banal the secret has the likeliness of being. The setting of the photograph is reminiscent of the traditional, postwar realm of suburbia. While this ‘white picket fence’ life is generally associated with 1950s America, this photo maintains a sense of timelessness and Western universality. The positioning of the handbag reminds us of the common notion of these types of formulaic neighbourhood where people preoccupy themselves by spying on others, and failure to conform results in the spread of gossip. The house that encompasses the background of the image appears to
Style Gentlemen, Please! Jayne Groarke
A favourite among the ladies for his turns in chick flicks Crazy Stupid Love and The Notebook, and admired by the guys for his uber-cool roles in Drive and Only God Forgives, actor and heartthrob Ryan Gosling is the perfect male style icon for this season. Gosling’s street-style shows that he certainly knows how to dress for the colder months. On one day out Ryan wore grey, skinny jeans (a perfect men’s wardrobe staple that can be paired with anything), a cosy, black, six-buttoned pea-coat, accessorised with a plaid scarf and a pair of lace-up, charcoal Oxford flats. The outfit is effortless and casual yet very appropriate for this time of year. It is always a smart idea to invest in a jacket like this one as a warm, comfortable coat is a must-have for the Irish climate! Ryan exploits those wardrobe staples on many occasions, with the actor frequently seen wearing boots. Whether they are lace-up or combat, his classy
shoe collection can complete any outfit. The 33-year-old loves his shades, usually accessorising outfits with a pair of brown wayfarer sunglasses. Another favourite of his is the buttoneddown shirt. Pictured on another casual outing, Ryan donned a cornflower blue, buttoned-down shirt and grey, denim jeans rolled up at the ankles, complemented by a rustic-brown leather, silver-buckled belt. He finished off the outfit with aviator sunglasses and pistol grey lace-up combat boots, giving the look a slick flair. Not only does Gosling play the laidback card like a pro, his style is also quite sophisticated as he wears a lot of slacks. He has been spotted wearing a myrtle green pair, complemented by a terracotta leather belt, navy and white shirt (which he plays down by rolling up the sleeves) and a pair of tan wingtips. So if you’re looking to update your wardrobe this season, follow in Ryan’s footsteps; staple pieces and a classy pair of shoes will never let you down!
be quite dollhouse-esque, with the red shutters on the windows. Perhaps the intention of this is to suggest the repression of sensuality as dolls lack key sexual parts the same way that this image does. The vegetation also seems to be in accordance with this implication as it appears to be quite dry. The insertion of red roses, however, may be seen as an indication of what is not visible to us in the picture. The rose is an ancient symbol of eroticism and hence attaches hints of sexuality to the visual through association. The advertisement boasts a very definite colour scheme of black, white/ cream and red. The black and white of the models’ clothes conjures up safe notions but the vibrant red of the handbag, the windows and the roses bring an invasion of danger. White, a classic symbol of purity, adorns the lady’s body, perhaps providing us with a suggestion of her character and thus
an explanation of her effort to cover up the couple’s public display of affection. The style, shape and tailoring of the female model’s clothes also exhibit a sense of traditional conservatism. Her dress exudes a simple elegance but the lack of skin on show, with the long sleeves and high neck, manifests an oldfashioned aura. Both models’ hairstyles are basic and tightly slicked back, offering no distraction from the imperative handbag. The design of the bag reflects the break from propriety that the masking of the kiss is intended to insinuate. The leather material and the decorative silver chains suggest a reckless attitude, mirroring the action that it is shrouding and contradicting the image that the characters are otherwise portraying through fashion.
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