Serial Culture Issue 5 by Serial Culture

Exploring the lives and art of young people in Halton

Serial DEC 2021

CULTURE

WOMEN SHALL OVERCOME / Celebrate Halton Music / GLOW LGBTQ+ Creative Writing / BUBBLE UP / Is Art Accessible? 1 ISSUE FIVE

Meet the team

@lary_the_dinosaur Here's this month's Lary. The cow dinosaur - Charlotte Hughes

04 COVER ART 06 CELEBRATE HALTON MUSIC 08 WANDERLUST 11 BOUNCE 12 THE WINDRUSH GENERATION 14 STUDIO WRITES KIDS 20 SEAGOTH 22 TROPES 27 IS ART ACCESIBLE 30 GLOW 32 WOMEN SHALL OVERCOME 36 BUBBLE UP 38 CUSTOM SCENES 42 O.X. COLLECTIVE 44 COLDPLAY DISCOGRAPHY PART 2 46 THE BIRTH OF GOLDENARM

Editorial Advisory Team Editorial Team Facilitator - Meg DeMar Designer - Greg Oldfield The Studio Project Manager - Louise Nulty

COVER ART

TULA WILD I am 24 and based in Widnes. How long have you been creating art? Since I can remember! I mainly got into portrait work just after I finished my undergraduate degree. People started to ask if I was taking commissions and overnight, I went from being a casual doodler to a freelance artist! How did you first get into it? My mother has always been passionate about art, so she encouraged me to explore its vast dimensions from an early age. I was never taught that one drawing was better than the other, and she would even keep my castaway sketches, which helped form that much-needed self-confidence from the very beginning. What training do you have? I'm a self-taught artist and always let the pencil tell me what to do.

What media/ software do you use? My go-to is the trusty pencil. The 2B is my favourite, but I've been exploring with colour pencils and acrylic paints over the last year to try and brighten up my portfolio.

Where do you find inspiration? Art is an incredibly therapeutic process for me. In the same way that people pour their feelings into journals, I pick up a pencil and scribble away the stresses of the day. What are your aims for your art?

The main aim of my art is to bring pictures to life for people. Capturing personalities goes beyond shapes and lines, and I feel like I've just had a deep heart-to-heart with the subject by the time I put the pencil down. I really hope that I can illustrate the essence of their character to create portraits that will provide people with a framable memory.

Where can people find you on social media?

My art Instagram is currently @tulawilddesigns

CELEBRATE HALTON MUSIC WEEKEND 6

On the 4th of September, at roughly 6:30 pm, I ushered myself out of my dad’s car, arriving at The Studio into a bout of pre-gig gardening in preparation for the arrival of the public. My main objectives were thus: listen, dance and litter-pick. As I moved inside to see bands crowding the stage with equipment, I began to scout the scene with my good friend Ez, looking out for faces we would later see under limelight – it just happened that he knew a good few of them, and as we had time to kill, we thought, what else is there to do but shoot the breeze?

Around 7 O’clock, Ike Thomas enters the building, and greets us with a grin. He bears an acoustic guitar across his back, and is one of the coolest, kindest people you’ll ever meet – Ez regales his music, so I know it must be good. Next to arrive is psych-pop duo Seagoth, struggling to transport an expansive pedalboard and bass to the stage - we spoke to them at length somewhere else in this issue; they’re brilliant, they’re touring, and they’re bloody lovely people! People are starting to pile in about now – we catch glimpses of Man &The Echo, at this point lugging a keyboard onstage, and I’m taken aback by just how professional they come across. With headliners A Certain Ratio waiting out of sight, anticipation is steadily building. First to take the stage is Ike, and he’s just as brilliant as Ez described him – in fact, he was better than I could’ve expected. Ez likened his song ‘The Haunted’ to “your heart getting home after a long day’s work and putting its feet up with a cup of tea”, and I think that’s a brilliant analogy for all of Ike’s music – he writes the songs you wish you could’ve once you’ve already failed to pen them. Seagoth were on next, and as the bass kicked in on “Internet Café”, I knew it was time that people started dancing.

There were four of us commanding the floor – Myself, Ez, Luke and Ike – a group who were, on the whole, usually uncomfortable with the whole dancing thing. But Seagoth write music that demands to be danced to, especially considering how brilliantly Georgina and Hannah both played. They were lovely about our crap dancing, and even ended up saddling alongside our ramshackle dance troupe as we swayed, out of breath and sweaty, to Man & The Echo, the next group to take the stage. Introducing themselves modestly as “your run of the mil 7/10 indie rock group”, they went on to prove this assertation extremely false, and blew all our expectations firmly out of the water. They commanded the stage and exercised some serious charisma while they were at it. Last on was acclaimed Manchester post-punk behemoths A Certain Ratio. I’m ashamed to say I knew very little about their music going into the night, but they certainly won themselves a new admirer after the gig they played. Swapping out drummer for bassist mid song or doubling up with two bassists at a given time; a sea of guitar effects cascading across the room and brilliant vocal chemistry between every member of the group, A Certain Ratio left an incredible impact on me. So much so that I danced myself into a stupor, just when I thought I was too tired to continue. I left for home that night with a sore neck, ringing ears, and doused head to toe in sweat, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. After all, this is what Halton’s all about.

BEN COOPER

Taking place across Widnes and Runcorn on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th December, Bounce Weekender is a chance for you to get creative! Featuring workshops and performances from Drama to Music, Dance to Art and many more! This is a fantastic opportunity to experience cultural activities in your local community with local artists. Tickets go on sale next Thursday 2nd December, make sure to be following us on social media to be kept up to date.

Instagram: @cultivatehalton Twitter: @cultivatehalton Email: www.cultivatehalton.co.uk

THE WINDRUSH GENERATION As part of Black History Month I had a chat with my grandson, Finn aged 10, who wrote a lovely poem last year as part of learning about the Windrush genera�on and their experience of coming to England. I asked him how he feels about having a Jamaican nan and what it might mean for him.

He said it’s history and when his class was learning about it no one knew anything about the Windrush apart from him. He’d learned about it from his mum, dad and family. I asked him what inspired him to write the poem and his answer was “you kind of had to” and he did it because it sounded good. Learning about the Windrush and that period made him feel very “sad and irritated”. We then had a chat about the condi�ons that his grandparents would have experienced and the signs that compared Blacks and Irish with dogs (one of Finn’s grandads is Irish) which made me feel sad to think this has happened in my life�me. He told his teacher about his family and then went on to write his poem when he was in Year 5. His teacher asked him if he had anything he could share with the class about his grandparents so I gave him a copy of my mum’s original Jamaican passport, her naturalisa�on cer�ficate and her Bri�sh passport (that she never used) and she became part of another lesson on the West Indians and others who came to Britain in the 1950s and 1960s. She would have been so pleased if she was s�ll here!

Here is Finn’s poem: Come to England Come to England Come to the motherland You will be welcomed to our wonderful countries A time to be known, a time to be seen By your majesty the queen If you show your might Lest we forget When you fight Without question without doubt We come to have a little shout We welcome you to the isle of life Whilst we fight for a loved motherland We rebuild our mother for the blood we spilt We return home with the brits spurning us She loves our kin But hates the colour of our skin The British government doesn’t feel we’re part of Britain anymore

These stories are the product of our first face to face 7-11 Wri�ng Group sessions a�er lockdown. The children decided that they wanted to do a spooky story based around Halloween and Bonfire Night. A�er choosing from several ideas, they developed a plan deciding the characters, plot and se�ng before working each week on developing a par�cular wri�ng technique: using adjec�ves, adverbs, similes, onomatopoeia, wri�ng dialogue etc. They then set about wri�ng the opening paragraph to their stories. The results are amazing, chilling, terrifying and astounding. They provide proof that lockdown has not diminished their imagina�ons, their wri�ng talent or their eagerness to engage, learn and (above all else) enjoy wri�ng. Wayne Cookson- The Studio Writes Facilitator

Violet’s Story - The Terrifying Circus! It was 1.00 am in Elkie’s house and she was sat wide awake in her bedroom; there was a spooky, frightening feeling in the room. She sat by the window while the thunder crashed against the wet, spooky house. All of a sudden she saw a bright beam of light go straight through her window! She passed out and fell to the floor… Suddenly she woke up in a large, terrifying mansion; a mysterious man walked in. “Stop. Don’t be afraid, I will take you back to your house,” he said in a stumbling voice. “Please don’t hurt me!” Elkie pleaded. “Ha ha! Shut up and come with me!” He took her outside and he told Elkie, “Get changed!” He held out a black cloak and a pair of gloomy, dark pants. With no other choice, Elkie got changed and headed in a truck with the mysterious man driving.

It soon became clear that they were heading for a circus and, when they arrived, she was forced to sit with him in the crowd. A firework display, surrounded by gates, was on stage in front of them. “Help!” she screeched, while sat inside the terrifying circus. The place had an ominous feeling and she was petrified! She closed her eyes. When she opened them, she found that she was no longer in her seat in the crowd. Impossibly, she now found herself sat inside the gates that everyone else dreamed of not being in! She was inside the metal gates, right on stage…the metal gates where the fireworks were! The mysterious man laughed, “It’s �me to DIE!” He lit the end of the largest firework which was aiming straight at Elkie. Fortunately, a member of the crowd leapt forward and pushed her out of the way and saved her life. The rocket missed her and shot out of the circus into the sky. Elkie looked around for the mysterious man and the person who had saved her, but both had disappeared… Terrified, Elkie then had to walk nervously back to her house. However, when she got there, she discovered that it wasn’t a house anymore: it was dust! The rocket firework, that had nearly killed her at the circus, had landed here and blown up her house. The mysterious man had destroyed her home! She sat outside her broken house for some �me, unsure of what to do. She got out her phone to call the police and was surprised to see news stories about what had happened to herself in the horrifying circus! She searched for the person who had saved her life and soon found out that it was a young girl called Violet! She was so relieved and grateful that she sat there sobbing the words, “Thank You!” While she was crying, Elkie vowed to one day find this mysterious man…

Georgie’s Story - The Creepy Cabin It was midnight in the creepy, dark forest. Georgie and Daisy were wandering around talking about Halloween and what they were going as next year. Boom! Lightning crackled in the sky. “Quick!” Daisy exclaimed. “Get into that creepy cabin over there!” Then, with their jackets overturned to cover their heads, they ran into the abandoned, wooden cabin. As they entered the dirty house, Georgie whispered, “It’s disgus�ng in here!” as she picked up an enormous book from the dusty bookshelves. Daisy took the book, opened it and flicked through the dusty pages…

Moll’s Story – Mystery Life It was 9.00 pm and the sky was dark jet black. The furious rain was lashing Liv’s window and pounding the outside of her family’s enormous mansion. Liv was si�ng by the wide, wet window reading a scary ghost story. She was enjoying feeling scared but was also a li�le sad at being le� behind by her parents who were out visi�ng a night museum. Suddenly, a strike of lightning hit her window and frightened her! Then her sister Sally came running into the room screaming, “Help me! Kai is chasing me as fast as a cheetah!” She was followed by Ralph the dog, who came running into the room too! A crack of lightning suddenly hit her room and made the dog go, “Woof Woof,” which was just as loud as the lightning. Boom! Thunder crashed outside. As the rain went drip, drop on her stained glass window, Sally jumped on Liv’s big bed. Suddenly, the wardrobe door shot wide open. Sally screeched as loud as she could. A�er that, Liv asked, “Are you ok? Was it just the wind that opened it?” “No!” Sally whispered in a choked voice. Just then, someone that looked like a dead soul jumped out of the wardrobe and scared them horribly!

Lo�e’s Story – The Cupboard In The Corner The ebony night was as gloomy as the eye could see. The grim and nightmarish cupboard, in the corner of the cobweb-filled room, stood with its door wide open. Bang! The wind roared and howled and the cupboard door closed. Drip, drop, drip, drop. Frankie sat back in the ghostly rocking chair, looking out of the window. Suddenly, the power of fizzling lightning lit up the room like a lightbulb floa�ng in mid-air. Frankie was terrified…

Elsa’s Story – The Halloween Decora�ons That Came To Life! Scared of the Halloween decora�ons, Annabelle quickly got into bed. With the covers over her face, she lay there scared s�ff, hoping that nothing bad was going to happen. Rain dripped on the window, but inside was warm. Crash! Buzz! Terrified of the thunder, a blinding light made her jump. The curtains were s�ll open and she looked out of the window. She could see the angry, dark sky. She felt that something bad was going to happen and was very frightened now…

Ar�e’s Story – The big, grey, scary wolf! It was night and the thunder was booming above the haunted farm. Ar�e was listening to the rain hi�ng on his window: drip, drip, drip… Ar�e and his friends were running away from a big, grey, scary wolf but soon ran into a dead end! They ran to the le� of the dead end where they found an abandoned cabin. They opened the creaky door and entered. They turned around and found the wolf standing there wai�ng!

Vectors from vecteezy.com

Seagoth are Georgia Ochoa (20) and Hannah Gannon (19) from Halton. The Serial Culture team found out more about them. Who is Seagoth? “Seagoth” was me trying to come up with a genre, so I thought ‘Sea’ for surf rock guitars and pre�y sounding vintage keys, and “goth” because my lyrics are pre�y gloomy. I’m hoping they’re gloomy in a “I'm making the best out of this situa�on” kind of way. How would you describe your sound? Psychedelic Synth/Dream Pop. Who are your musical influences? MGMT, Twenty One Pilots, Slowdive, Declan McKenna, Wallows, Bad Sounds, Dayglow, Alt J, Bombay Bicycle Club, Grouplove, Her’s, WILLOW, Toro Y Moi, Mk.Gee, COIN. & too many others. What is your ambi�on for Seagoth? We’d love to create a space for people where they feel like they belong & can enjoy themselves. Having grown up with so few woman/queer role models, I wanted to try to encourage our constantly overlooked & under-appreciated women/queer folk to not give up on themselves. Learning to love yourself is hard but so is not loving yourself. What ar�st would you like to support? I’d die to support Declan Mckenna to be honest. Live vs recording which is best for you? I’m a perfec�onist so ge�ng things close to perfect is really sa�sfying for me, however super frustra�ng. Live music however is so much more fun though, nothing beats in person compliments.

You have taken part in both Celebrate Halton Music and Women Shall Overcome. How did you find playing them and how were they different? Both of these events are brilliant for the community, they not only provide a safe space for people, they influence them too. I enjoyed both of these events so much but I was especially connected with Women Shall Overcome, to feel like you belong is so important and I felt that there.

How did the gig in the Isle of Wight come about? How did it feel to be an ar�st from Halton playing at such a large fes�val? ‘This Feeling’ reached out to us back in April offering us the slot at their stage and I honestly felt so proud. It also happened to be the only gig we as a band had to look forward to for a while. My anxiety was telling me ‘don’t go, your equipment will get stolen or something will go wrong, it won’t be worth it’ but as usual I was wrong, it was incredible. We were there for less than a day so we didn’t get a chance to see many ar�sts perform, but we got the chance to check out the main stage and the whole atmosphere there was… dare I say, “normal”? I felt like I was 15 again at my first concert like “I’ve never felt this feeling before.” What's next for you? Physical music distribu�on & more travel! Where can people find your music? We’re pre�y much everywhere! Spo�fy, iTunes, Apple Music, YouTube music, etc.

The Scarlet Watch from Elkie Atherton The Tropes: Dissecting the Stereotypes of Our Screen Welcome back to the Scarlet Watch, in this addi�on I’m doing something quite different. I’m going to break down our favourite tropes and see the deeper meanings behind them; explaining how to combat these tropes because of the nega�ve impacts on real-life these stereotypes have. I hope you enjoy this ar�cle. This ar�cle was inspired by the YouTube channel The Take so if you are looking for more content like this, I would recommend them. Bad Boys: The trope of a Bad Boy love interest falling for a girl who fixes him is a tale as old as �me – reference very much intended. The Bad Boy stands out. He doesn’t care but he’s s�ll likeable and is not inclined to have “normal” morals. This sets him apart from the nice guy. He’s caring in an odd sort of way. The Bad Boy is strong, silent, mysterious and a�rac�ve. Men want to be him; women want to sleep with him. He is the pinnacle of heteronorma�ve masculinity.

He is a myth. His charisma jus�fies his danger. Tragic and genuinely fragile under his hard exterior. The love of a good girl is all he needs. A woman’s love and hard work can fix a man’s bad behaviour. These ideas date back to Greek mythology. It’s roman�cizing toxic rela�onships and condi�oning women to expect this behaviour to find their Prince Charming. Men in real life who exhibit this toxic behaviour usually aren’t secretly sensi�ve souls and women don’t owe men their hard work for a glimpse at a be�er man. Intriguing as he is on screen the bad boy isn’t always the way to go and should remain what he is: a fantasy.

Cool Girls: This term, coined in Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and known from Rosamund Pike’s monologue from its subsequent film, the Cool Girl is essen�ally one of the guys. She likes stereotypically masculine ac�vi�es that correspond to the male protagonist’s interests. She is effortlessly hot though loves junk food and beer. Fun-loving and not like other girls, the Cool Girl is a myth invented by the men who lust for her whether, as some people believe, due to suppressed homoero�cism or misogyny or a mixture of the two. The Cool Girl can be used to put down more feminine women crea�ng a toxic dynamic of women reflec�ng the anxie�es of men. Cool Girls are on a �me limit because of how incredibly challenging this performance can be. This is evident in the story of

Gone Girl. The problem is people try to emulate the Cool Girl. In real life women have interests in tradi�onally masculine ac�vi�es and (uncommon to many people’s belief) this isn’t a performance for men. Women are as wi�y and as carefree as the Cool Girl, but it seems to be irrelevant because they don’t reach the impossible standards of beauty. As we move forward with the Cool Girl we should write her with a key difference; not trying to get through in a man’s world but trying to destroy the man’s world.

Bombshells: All you’ll need to know about the Bombshell is in her name; her sexuality is comparable to a weapon of mass destruc�on. Originally coined in the 1933 film Bombshell; she grows from there. She makes heads turn, disarms men, isn’t known for her brains, is involved with lots of men and will probably die a young and tragic death. Embodying the materialism of the 1950s, she can display the American dream. Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor displayed both blonde and brune�e bombshells respec�vely in their Hollywood heyday. Desirability is their main characteris�c in the gaze of a heteronorma�ve man. The lore of the Bombshell originates from the goddess Aphrodite, and this is most evident in their mutual link to water. She is a reflec�on of the male gaze where the camera performs as the eyes of infan�lized heterosexual men. The iconic slow-mo�on shot is used in conjunc�on with her. She is a visual delight separate from sound, silenced in every sense because we already know who she is. Some�mes she can be empowered by the hold she has on men, using it for personal gain. She is a perfect look at the

contradic�ons of being a woman: she is animalis�c yet childish, she is a seductress but naïve, she is put on a pedestal for her beauty however villainised for her promiscuity. Sexualised women are punished but sexualisa�on is usually done by the people around you. Even the actresses – for example, Megan Fox – are wrapped up in this villainy. Their deaths can be an example of the Women In Refrigerators’ death – the death of a woman to propel a male protagonist’s storyline. To improve this trope’s screen �me, storytellers need to keep in mind that we need more POC Bombshells, need to let these characters age, we need to go beyond the surface, delving deep into these characters and we need to shi� away from the default male gaze. Then we can get the character we need and deserve.

Bad Mums: Bad Mums don’t conform to society’s idea of a dependable mother and are a rejec�on of the perfect mum. The Bad Mum can be broken down into three types. First, the Outrageous Mum. They are cruel, comedic and incredibly over the top. Unfiltered, snarky and self-centred she is deligh�ully vicious. But she is a part of every mum. Though hos�le she is fiercely protec�ve and the mutual sniping she enjoys with her children is a sort of love language. Maybe she’s a scheming jerk or maybe she is just a deeply flawed caricature of the truthful mum. Secondly, the Dark Side of Mum. They are insecure, cruel, terrifying, emo�onally draining and display severe mental illness. They are abusive to their kids and embody society’s fears of the possibility of violent women, especially with a lack of maternal ins�ncts. They are infected by the patriarchy either trying to survive in it or being discarded by it. They are a cau�on tale and deeply unse�ling but have created iconic stories. Thirdly, the Mums Are People Too. They are relatable, humanized, imperfect and sympathe�c mothers. They

are exhausted, mistreated mums who don’t let their motherhood define them. They reject society’s expecta�ons but are essen�ally (especially from a sympathe�c perspec�ve) a good mum. They are the needed empathy for mums. Best Friend: The trope of the Best Friend is alive and well in every aspect of cinema and television. They basically exist to propel the protagonist’s story. They are more likely to be POC, queer, trans, disabled and not conven�onally a�rac�ve than the lead character. They are undyingly suppor�ve; they’re a cheerleader and a life coach. They are selfless in terms of their own happiness. Tokenism is a main feature of this trope, evidenced in the gay best friend and the sassy black friend. They are denied heroism, othered and full of poten�al as a lead character. Moving forward lead characters should be POC, queer, trans, disabled and in other ways othered because that wouldn’t only be good for representa�on but would create wonderful stories. Screen �me can be split between two characters and inequality breaks friendship.

An�-Hero: You guessed it; the An�-Hero is the protagonist yet not a clean-cut hero. They are some of the most beloved characters, but should they be? Let’s break down the two itera�ons of the ever-evolving An�-Hero. First up is the An�Hero 1.0. The first kind of An�Hero can be summed up in one phrase; a difficult man. This breed of protagonist has been heavily cri�cised in the quake of the Me Too movement especially a�er House of Cards’ Kevin Spacey’s scandal – which I think is exactly the appropriate cri�cal lens. The intelligent, powerful and charisma�c An�-Hero 1.0, who is usually a white cis het man, is deified by the men who want to be him. His toxic masculinity, corrup�on and eli�sm are all things that make him undesirable in my eyes but make him goals in other people’s eyes, however incredibly fic�onal and falsely hopeful he really is. There is always hope he will turn good which, when applied to real life, becomes incredibly problema�c. He is mythic, yet as people enter the world he owns through his eyes they are en�rely invigorated by him and he barely passes the

very low standards society has set him. Yet he is s�ll beloved and in my opinion the way he is celebrated and not held accountable makes this first cycle of the trope quite problema�c. The second itera�on is the An�Hero 2.0. The key difference between 1.0 and 2.0 is that the 2.0 has li�le to no hanging suspense of the hope that one day they will be good. The An�Hero 2.0 is more likely to be a woman and not like the tradi�onal white cis het protagonist previously seen. We are discouraged from fully iden�fying with these characters. They are not a role model because we see the pain they cause and we are allowed to punish them for their mistakes and bad decisions. They are morally compromised and messy. They are relatable but not jus�fiable because bad decisions don’t necessarily make a bad person. So that’s it. I hope you enjoyed the breakdown of these tropes and can see your favourite films, shows and characters in a different light. Stay safe and watch some Ne�lix.

In this issue, I’m talking about the obstacles that young people face in rela�on to accessing art and offer some advice on how we can overcome these barriers.

IS ART ACCESSIBLE

TO ALL? BY LARRISSA BURTON

I look at where and how young people can view art, develop their own skills and how we can create art from things around our own home with li�le or no cost. Art is o�en overlooked or nega�vely perceived, however, it is important for us young people as it can develop many skills and it introduces us to diverse cultures and lifestyles; it can depict current events as well as historical ones which are some�mes be�er recognised and understood through art. Art is much more than just pain�ngs, it is something you can learn from, a way you can express yourself through, it benefits well-being and mental health, which is why it is so important that everyone is able to enjoy it. Whether that is through crea�ng art themselves or looking at unique pieces by others.

Young people should have access to resources and clubs and be able to join in crea�ng art and developing ar�s�c skills. This is a problem for many people who live in our area as opportuni�es are limited, especially for young people aged 12 and above as there are so few opportuni�es that we can take advantage of. Art is o�en aimed at young children or adults rather than teenagers and young adults, the art on offer does not fit the criteria for developing our skills and keeping us interested. A posi�ve thing that came out of the pandemic is that art galleries moved online, meaning anyone can view art from a computer, whether from home or a public library. Now you can simply search online art galleries and many will pop up for you to browse through. Liverpool and other ci�es have some fantas�c museums and art galleries, which showcase beau�ful art created by lots of different ar�sts, many even free to enter. This is fantas�c if you live close by, otherwise, you need to travel there and this means museums are o�en out of reach for many groups in society.

Thankfully, art can now be accessed in many ways, not just through visi�ng museums and art galleries. Another fantas�c way to access art from your home is through podcasts and social media. Social media and podcasts are things that can help young people access art easier, if you want discussions on art topics then listening to a podcast is a wonderful way to learn more about the subject. If you would rather look at great pieces and find out more about the ar�sts who created them and their inspira�on, then social media is a great place to start. There are so many accounts on social media that post about art by famous and more obscure ar�sts and some even reveal how they create their art which can be interes�ng to watch and learn about.

Something everyone can try at home is coffee pain�ng, I have experimented with this technique recently for my A level college work. If you do not have watercolour then instant coffee watered down works well, try different concentra�ons. Making more abstract pain�ngs can be fun too, take one part acrylic paint with ½ parts of PVA glue and add a splash of water to create a runnier paint consistency - crea�ng a medium called pouring paint. Use several colours, pour onto a small canvas or board, and manoeuvre the board to spread the paint. Although it is a li�le messy, it is a fun way to make unique pieces of art every �me! If you do not want to create messy art and want something more detailed then using biro, pencil and fine liner are great mediums to use to create drawings and if your fine liner is not water-resistant then you could use a pen and wash effect by adding water and blending with a paintbrush.

Art should be aimed at younger audiences as well, so all age groups can feel included. That’s why Culture HQ is such a great idea, it brings people together at a local level and encompasses everybody, showcasing art from all age groups. Take a look at pop art, modern art and abstract art. These are o�en styles that younger audiences prefer. Lots of colour and texture that catch the eye. This is something galleries should get on board with. Also, galleries should showcase art made by younger people and people from different ethnici�es and cultures to show a broad range of work so everyone has something they can enjoy. Both the pieces I have created have a coffee wash background and I have layered fine liner on the pumpkins and tree stump. I decided to use acrylic to contrast with the muted colour of the pumpkins.

The GLOW LGBTQ+ youth group based at the Studio have had a variety of activities this term from performance poetry sessions with Debris Stevenson as part of Liberty UK festival to Samba drumming with local band Sambo Mundo with more to come before December! Here is a taster of their experiences, if you are interested in the groups and want to find out more contact glowlgbt@gmail.com GLOW sessions are 6-7pm for ages 11-13 and 7-8.30pm for 14-19’s. Thanks to Halton Borough Council youth provision grants for making this possible!

Liberty Uk Festival: Part of Borough of Culture activities, the groups were invited to plan the entertainment for the festival, choosing street entertainment that reflected environmental, immigration and women’s rights they then went on to inspire grime artist and poet Debris Stevenson to develop a piece of work to be shared on Runcorn Hill Bandstand. Some of the group shared their own poems and provided a drumbeat too! Genderland: Genderation Z at Metal on Edge Hill Station, the group were invited by Mooncup Theatre to a session led by Chris Porter from Gyro. Chris’ workshop turned the spotlight on his work with trans and gender-variant youth in Liverpool - highlighting key issues and how we can help to prevent them or overcome them. GLOW

Seniors enjoyed the free curry as well! Cupcake Making: Claire Smith brought cupcakes in for both groups to decorate, focusing on Pride themes and creating individual unique designs with buttercream and royal icing! Wings for Metronomes: Created with Meg DeMar for the performance of Metronomes #3 at The Studio on 23 October. Exploring the meaning behind seven original songs by local artists on the LOOSE Community Records compilation FLIGHT.

The Bleach Packers: Working with artist Laurence Payot and poet Louise Fazackerly GLOW Seniors explored Halton’s chemical history and created a poem which one member went on to record for the Celebrate Halton Heritage film project to be on show in Tesco and Shopping City. Samba Mundo: Both groups were invited to join local samba band Samba Mundo who have loads of Pride event experience. Learn passes, whistle and gesture instructions they made some noise! ‘The environment feels very welcoming and I have thoroughly enjoyed it ever since I first started attending’ - Oskar Warren Age 15

On October 2nd 2021 the 5th annual Women Shall Overcome event was held at The Studio Widnes. This is an annual event in which the Fortuna Female Society and The Studio spotlight and celebrate women. This years event was curated by Meg DeMar and was a mixture of film, music, poetry and soapbox speeches. There were films from Fortuna Female Society about the impact of covid on women and a Drag King film from Mooncup Theatre, a womxn led collec�ve. Music from local female-iden�fying ar�sts Mondegreen, Seagoth (find her interview in this issue!) and Meg DeMar joined by Serial Culture writer Ben Cooper. Poet Emily McChrystal shared work from her new book Soul Notes poetry and some of the audience also had a go at sharing poetry, speeches and shou�ng about what they are passionate about!

WOMEN SHALL OVERCOME Liv Eren was approached prior to the event and asked if she could share a speech on the Soapbox that night. Here is her speech. When I was invited to come and speak at this event tonight, I was quite torn on what I wanted to speak about, there really is so many topical issues that I could address, but I really just wanted to focus on a subject which I think is o�en overlooked and targeted by those who claim to be within our movement. It also comes to mind because I was recently targeted by the terf mum mafia on twi�er for visibly suppor�ng this. If you’ve not already caught on, I’ll be discussing trans-inclusive feminism.

It might be difficult to believe that there is even a need for these conversa�ons, we live in a society which claims to be inclusive, diverse and accep�ng, we live in a �me where trans people are flourishing, wri�ng books, appearing in film and media, ge�ng married, having kids, the list really does go on. But in reality, we have so much further to go un�l there is true equality, true acceptance and true understanding.

As somebody who is the L in LGBT, some would say it’s easy to see why I would support transgender rights - I’ve felt similar, but certainly not equal, prejudice, directed at me for a part of my iden�ty that I cannot change. And so naturally, you’d imagine that all lesbians would jump at the chance to show their solidarity with transgender people - but unfortunately, for a very small minority, that is not always the case. Groups like LGB alliance who exist solely to fight against trans rights are supported by lesbians who hide their prejudice behind the claim that they are feminists - when in reality, we know they are anything but.

I wanted to highlight this issue, because many of the arguments used against trans people today are the exact same arguments which were used just 30 years ago against gay people and are being spoken by these so called members of our movement.

We, as feminists, have a responsibility to drown out those who claim that feminists shouldn’t support transgender rights. We need to speak openly about why, we NEED to support transgender rights because if your feminism isn’t intersec�onal - it is not feminism. You are not a feminist. And if that alone does not convince you, according to a stonewall survey, 41% of trans par�cipants said that they had been subject to hate crime in the last year, 25% had experienced homelessness and 67% said that they had avoided being open about their iden�ty in fear of nega�ve reac�on of others - that's the reality of it. and this is why our movement, the feminist movement should always stand in solidarity with our trans siblings. And if I catch any of youse liking, sharing or suppor�ng anything transphobic I'll be raging. Trans women are women.

My experience as a performer for the women shall overcome event was overwhelmingly positive - playing alongside Meg was my first time properly on stage, so I was definitely quite nervous going into it. However, the fellow performers and people in attendance at the event were so lovely; the welcoming atmosphere made me feel a lot calmer about going on stage. The feedback I received once we had finished the set was heart-warming and really quite life-affirming! A brilliant night contributing towards a positive cause - I’m so happy I got the chance to be a part of it! -Ben Cooper

WOMEN SHALL

OVERCOME

02/10/2021

Comments from attendees‘I didn’t think I needed this, BUT I DID!!’ ‘You are the only you! You are amazing!’

‘Know your strength, know you are loved, know there is no shame here!’ ‘Everyone can and should be a feminist, change is now.’ ‘Let’s take the spirit of tonight forward into tomorrow. It’s time for real change.’

BUBBL Hubble Bubble Up was a partnership project between The Studio and Culture HQ funded by Curious Minds Bubble Up aimed at Year 7s. Due to covid restrictions, the activities have been rearranged and redesigned several times but in Autumn half term we managed to complete 12 hours of art activities with 10-13s.

LE UP Local professional artists, Georgina Ridehalgh, Claire Pitt, Rachael Prime and our own Serial Culture facilitator Meg DeMar created bespoke sessions from lantern making, venus eye traps, monsters and eco Halloween costumes. 13 (spooky!) young people attended and made some creeptacular creations, big thanks to Curious Minds for the opportunity to work with these great young people and talented artists!

CUSTOM SCENES AND THE BANDS THAT MADE THEM THE LOST ART OF SILLY BAND NAMES BY BEN COOPER

The late 2000’s and 2010’s are o�en regarded as a dark age for Bri�sh independent rock. Though an intensely profitable �me for the handful of bands that managed to acquire success within the mainstream – with many of these aging bands s�ll headlining fes�vals as I write this – contemporary opinion seems to point towards a stagna�on in the scene at this �me. A dissa�sfac�on amongst cri�cs and consumers alike is evident, with such musical authori�es as the NME coining a damning sobriquet for the scene: “landfill indie.”

While the landfill bands filled stadiums with pointy shoes and pea coats, these groups gave urgency to the grassroots, and carved hidden legacies into city streets and skylines. A decade of indie music could not be less than a landfill… The answer lies in Birmingham, with a band called “Johnny Foreigner.”

And are they really to be blamed? Though there are certainly some diamonds sca�ered about the landfill, it seems indisputable that most of the guitar pop from the myspace epoch was bland, contrived, and just plain forge�able - recycling the same formula relentlessly, each band no more than a copy of a copy of a copy (of a copy). It’s a woefully depressing prospect, especially considering these bands are s�ll headlining today… There was a scene, however, that challenged this – and though all the bands I am about to men�on may have long succumbed to the icy peril of label debauchery and corporate greed, reckless expenditure and forgo�en second albums, I believe each and every one of them could have truly made it had they been graced with the a�en�on their music deserved.

JOHNNY FOREIGNER

Johnny Foreigner are one of the few bands here who are s�ll together, playing a celebratory “we’re-s�ll-a-band” show following their 4-year hiatus last month. I discovered them around 3 years ago and was immediately smi�en; it didn’t take long before I was beginning to insert the incredibly poe�c lyricism of frontman Alexei Berrow into everyday conversa�on (much to the confusion of my friends), all the while being completely mesmerised by the sheer elegance of his guitar technique; drummer Junior Washington Laidley’s idiosyncra�c drumming style, swapping out toms for a Casio to play keys instead of mindless filling genuinely blew my mind, and lends the band a brilliantly unique ear for melody; vocalist and bassist Kelly Parker provides the rhythmic backbone of the trio, and the band’s characteris�c interplay between her and Alexei’s co-ed vocals make for some of the most anthemic musical moments I have ever experienced. Not to men�on the brilliant art direc�on of second guitarist Lewes Herriot – thanks to him everything I own is now covered in ghost doodles.

I would confidently call JoFo my favourite band ever, full stop, but the brilliance of the scene extends far beyond their grace. They toured relentlessly with the equally amazing “Los Campesinos!”, a band that boasted a total of seven band members upon forma�on in 2006 and wrote some of the na�on’s defining pop songs. The lyricism of Gareth Campesinos! is incredibly wi�y, and unmistakably poe�c, punctuated by wonderfully angular guitar lines and a glockenspiel hammered at with breakneck intensity. Also found in cahoots with JoFo were Glaswegian fight-pop masters, “Dananananaykroyd,” who easily contend for the greatest band name in all of history. Not only did they bear a brilliant namesake, but they also wrote some of the most kine�c, complex, and blissfully fun music I’ve ever heard – although the screamed vocals might not be to everyone’s taste, I would wager that if I locked my dad in a room with Infinity Milk playing, he’d find it impossible not to dance. And my dad doesn’t dance. That’s just the power of the scene.

LOS CAMPESINOS

DANANANANAYKROYD

The underground scene of the mid-2000s was a microcosm of pop experimenta�on that hasn’t been surpassed since, and doub�ully ever will. These are bands that deserve exhibits in museums, but you’d never find them in the Bri�sh Music Experience or “1000 albums to hear before you die.” And that should change! There are so many other bands that I could have talked about here, but for sake of brevity, I’ll have to find �me another day. However, if you are at all intrigued by the bands I have men�oned, I have an extensive Spo�fy playlist documen�ng the most noteworthy addi�onal groups – of which there are around 60! Do yourself a favour and follow “Custom scenes and the par�es that made them” on bencoopercoys. I’m sure you won’t regret it.

R U T L CU

N O E E PIG 41

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O.X.

TASH SUPPORTING CRAWLERS IN LONDON

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CRAWLERS AT CELEBRATE HALTON

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JACK FROM STOCKHOLM ON THE ARTWORK SHOOT FOR THEIR NEW SINGLE

COLDPLAY DISCOGRAPHY RETROSPECTIVE: PART 2 From the start of the 2010s and onward, Coldplay has never been the same. Seemingly changing their sound from album to album, at this point, they’re fairly removed from the Radiohead inspired alt-rock that started their career. Post-Viva La Vida Coldplay tends to be divisive. Some people will go as far as writing it all off. I don’t think it’s quite that simple. With their newest album Music of the Spheres being released recently, let’s look through the latter half of their catalogue which brought them there.

Mylo Xyloto (2011) Mylo Xyloto was a watershed album for Coldplay. This would be the album to create the distinguisher between the “old” and “new” eras of the band. The synth influence that was creeping into their sound on X+Y has been embraced on Mylo Xyloto and the album overall is a fair bit more accessible in its sound. For me, this is one of their most underrated projects. A lot of people write it off because it’s the first “new” Coldplay album, but I think it’s better than a lot of people give it credit for. This is Coldplay at their most colourful and uplifting without losing the heartfelt lyrics or beautiful instrumentation that made them interesting. It’s a slightly different version of the band but it’s still good.

Ghost Stories (2014) Ghost Stories sees Coldplay get heartfelt again. This is easily their most emotional album since Parachutes, or maybe ever. This is a concept album heavily influenced by Chris Martin’s divorce from his now ex-wife. It really doesn’t shy away from the obvious sadness of a topic like divorce.

Sonically, this album goes even further into the electronica influence present on Mylo Xyloto but utilises it in a tasteful and minimalistic way. Unfortunately, I find the album to be quite samey, especially around the start. It keeps this subdued, sombre tone for most of the album, but it leads to some of the record’s best moments when it ventures out of it. Ghost Stories at its most experimental and different can produce some brilliant tracks. For the most part though, the album is decent if a little forgettable.

A Head Full of Dreams (2015) A Head Full of Dreams feels like a reaction to Ghost Stories because it’s the complete polar opposite of it. While Ghost Stories was subdued and sombre, A Head Full of Dreams is maximalist and optimistic. I don’t have a problem with a more upbeat Coldplay, as that’s what I like so much about Mylo Xyloto. My issue with this album is that this never comes off as sincere to me. The glossy production meant to make the album sound slick and polished instead makes it feel constrained and held back. There are still a few decent songs on the album but a lot of the time, this comes off as just being a poor man’s version of popular music from 2015. As a result, this album has aged rather poorly and it’s not even a decade old. A Head Full of Dreams feels shallow and underdeveloped, and the stench of trendchasing is firmly attached to it. You might get something out of it if you’re a die-hard Mylo Xyloto fan who wants to see the band get even more poppy, but otherwise, you can skip this one.

Everyday Life (2019) Like A Head Full of Dreams, Everyday Life feels like a reaction to what came before it, with the difference coming from how far back the two albums looked. The mixed reception of the previous three albums must have been a stark wake-up call for the band because it really feels like something’s changed here. Out of all their 2010s albums, Everyday Life comes off as the most cohesive and well thought out. I’d call it the only one of the four to not feel lopsided, which is impressive considering it’s the longest. Everyday Life sees the band continuously get out of their comfort zone, experimenting with folk, gospel, ambient pop and a fair few other genres. It’s a very eclectic album but it’s still distinctly Coldplay. It’s the only one of their 2010s albums that I think holds a candle with their 2000s material. Coldplay of the 2010s doesn’t have quite the same fanbase or critical praise as their 2000s material and I’d call that mostly fair. Even as a fan of a reasonable amount of 2010s Coldplay, I won’t defend some of it. Still, I’ll say that there’s still a fair amount of good material they released post-Viva La Vida. Not half bad for a band that supposedly “sold out” after 2008. Overall, 2010s Coldplay might be inconsistent and not as strong as what came before it but I’d say that most of it is worth at least a listen. By Luke Hardman

Background image James-Marcus-Haney

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Four more pages coming in each issue! If you can’t wait you can buy the full version on Etsy! 49

GET INVOLVED! A word from the editor Meg DeMar

Serial Culture is a place for your stories and your art! We can feature your sketches, painting, photography, graphic designs; whatever your art form is, we want to see it! Share with us your poems, short stories or articles. Been to a GIG, PLAY, SHOW, EXHIBITION, EVENT? Send us your review. Need some assistance? We can interview you about your life experiences. We can feature organisations that have supported you as a young person. We can shine a spotlight on your charitable and community activities such as raising funds and collecting for food banks. Whatever your Culture is we can give you a platform. serialculturezine@gmail.com

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT MAGIC YOU CREATE.

Serial Culture Zine

Origin Story!

Serial Culture zine has been created to provide a pla�orm for the young people of Halton aged 11-25 to share their artwork, cultural ac�vity and lifestyle loves. Through Halton Borough Council’s youth provision programme, young people responded to our survey and call out for contributors. A small team has developed the zine from scratch with a larger community of young contributors. The editorial team changes and grows as the zine reaches more people, we welcome those who want to stay for the whole project or just add an ar�cle every now and then or a one off. If you want to add your cultural voice and artwork contact serialculturezine@gmail.com The views expressed are those of the contributors. LOOSE has been crea�ng opportuni�es for the people of Halton to perform, record, share and develop crea�vely since 1997. In 2010 LOOSE opened The Studio in Lacey Street, Widnes. This community venue is home to a variety of funded community and youth focused art and culture based projects. It is also home to partner organisa�ons, community groups and college courses. To find out what we currently offer, or suggest a project or event yourself visit: www.thestudiowidnes.org.uk

COVER COVERART ARTABBY TULAMOYLE WILD

Serial Culture Issue 5

Articles inside

COLDPLAY DISCOGRAPHY PART 2

CUSTOM SCENES

BUBBLE UP

WOMEN SHALL OVERCOME

GLOW

STUDIO WRITES KIDS

THE WINDRUSH GENERATION

SEAGOTH

COVER ART

CELEBRATE HALTON MUSIC

BOUNCE

IS ART ACCESIBLE

TROPES