LeftLion Magazine Issue 33 as a pdf

Transcription

ISSUE 33 FEB-MARCH 2010
nottingham culture
Hot Chip
Cassetteboy
Mark Steel
Rebecca Dakin
Cagefighting special
Matt Aston
The Swiines
Red Rack’em
Local graffiti artists
Nottingham events listings
Star
City
The Future Under Communism
High Pavement / Weekday Cross
Nottingham
NG1 2GB
Open: Tue - Fri 10am - 7pm
Sat and Bank Holidays 10am - 6pm
Sun 11am - 5pm
Lace Market Tram Stop
Galleries closed Mondays, except Bank Holidays.
Shop and Café open. We are open Good Friday,
Easter Weekend and Easter Monday.
FREE
www.nottinghamcontemporary.org
Cover: Valentina Tereshkova,
a scene from Sovety v Kosmose.
Photo by RIA Novosti
13 Feburary - 18 April
contents
editorial
LeftLion Magazine Issue 33
February - March 2010
Welcome to our first issue of 2010. I’ve noticed a few
comments floating about recently about how now we’re in
a new decade we are supposed to be ‘living in the future’.
Obviously that statement is a paradox in itself, but I think
the crux of the beef is that you still can’t buy Back To The
Future hoverboards and James Bond jetpacks in Argos.
There’s a simple solution to cure this disillusionment:
watch 2010 (the sequel to 2001: A Space Odyssey) as I did
this week. It’s highly disappointing and after it’s finished
you’ll be glad to get back to your humdrum life again.
16
13
Contain Notts
04 May
The news diary that treads the dog
dirt of reality into the white Axminster
of local media
05 LeftEyeOn
The winners of our abstract photo
competition
Rocks
07 Hot
Mercury Music Prize nominees Hot Chip play Rock City this February and, hence, grace this mag with an interview
Canadian In New Basford
08 AEveryone’s
favourite ex-pat is feeling
surprisingly positive about our city. For
a change
Diss
09 Compact
Audio cut and paste specialists Cassetteboy pop in for a chat
Go, Girlfriend
10 You
Escort-turned-writer Rebecca
Dakin talks us through her old job, and her dislike for Stratford’s Pizza Hut
credits
Thriller
Reviews
12 Aston
21 Music
How Matt Aston, one of the best new Glades, Here’s To Tragedy, In theatre directors in the country, turned a Saturday job into a creative career
Don
13 Steely
Comedian, novelist, political activist and all-round nice-guy Mark Steel explains to us why some people still think we’re ‘scabs’
Profiles
14 Artist
We talk spray cans and throw-ups with Kid30, Kaption One, Tali and Onga B
Red
15 Sampley
Red Rack’em is, erm, red hot right now. He spills the beans on Big Chill, Radio 1 and his former career as News Bunny
Club
16 Fight
We hang out with three of the best mixed martial artists in Nottingham, and realise they’re not the psychos we thought they might be
Editor
Al Needham ([email protected])
Theatre Editor
Adrian Bhagat ([email protected])
Technical Director
Alan Gilby ([email protected])
Contributors
Rob Cutforth
Bod Fonda
Drew Healey
Shariff Ibrahim
Sarah Morrison
Beane Noodler
Jamir Rhodes
Aly Stoneman
Andrew Trendell
Lauren Walker
Anthony Whitton
Cover image
Jeffrey Bowman (mrbowlegs.co.uk)
Illustrators Adam Poole (goatskin-mountain.co.uk)
Rob White (thearthole.co.uk)
Photographers
David Baird
Matt Dalton
Debbie Davies
Christopher Frost
Rebecca Gove-Humphries
Marketing and Sales Manager
Ben Hacking ([email protected])
Art Editor
Frances Ashton ([email protected])
Film Editor
Alison Emm ([email protected])
Literature Editor
James Walker ([email protected])
Music Editor
Paul Klotschkow ([email protected])
Isolation, Lisa de’Ville, Mas Y Mas, Becky Syson, Theorist, Wigflex and The Engines of Armageddon
Out The Hams
22 Kick
Plucky young boggers The Swiines,
and why they want to give Nottingham a slap
Listings
23 Event
Where to go and what to do in Hoodtown over the next 59 days
28 Noshingham
Our new-ish food section is back with a main course of JamCafe, Ripple and Le Bistrot Pierre
Horrorscopes
30 Rocky
Plus The Arthole, Notts Trumps and LeftLion Abroad
forum crop, with book reviews
Photography Editor
Dominic Henry ([email protected])
Art Director
David Blenkey ([email protected])
Lion
20 Write
The cream of our creative writing Editor in Chief
Jared Wilson ([email protected])
Sub-editors
Charlotte Kingsbury ([email protected])
Nathan Miller ([email protected])
14
Want to advertise in our pages? Email [email protected]
or phone Ben on 07984 275453 or visit leftlion.co.uk/advertise
Daddio
Lee Whitehead
Stephen Wright
Peter Zabulis
Podcast crew
Paul Abbott
Timmy Bates
Rosa Brough
Will Forrest Kristi Genovese
Jon Hall
Dan Hardy
Christopher Hough
Robin Lewis
Stuart Rogers
Sam Vtekk
Oli Ward
Jim Wheatley
Sparring partner
Luke Skillington
LeftLion.co.uk received twelve million page
views during the last year. This magazine has
an estimated readership of 40,000 people and
is distributed to over 300 venues across the
city of Nottingham. If your venue isn’t one of
them, please contact Ben on 07984 275453 or
email [email protected].
This magazine is printed on paper sourced
from sustainable forests. Our printers are ISO
14001 certified by the British Accreditation
Bureau for their environmental management
system.
Anyway, as usual we’ve got a tangfastic packet of
Nottingham Culture for you within these pages. On the
literature front we have interviews with escort-turnedauthor Rebecca Dakin, who charmed us all with her
reading at our Circus Extravaganza last year. We have
words with comedian, author and all-round boffin Mark
Steel about why we still get called ‘scabs’ twenty-five
years after the miners’ strike. Local theatre director Matt
Aston pops up to tell us about working with Billy Ivory
and Stephen Lowe. And Internet terrorists Cassetteboy
are in the house to inform us why they enjoy playing with
the noises Alan Sugar and Nick Griffin make.
For those of you with an interest in local sport, see our
centrespread on mixed martial artists. At first this comes
across as very brutal and disturbing viewing (and frankly
most of what you see on TV is), but the competitors I met
surprised me with their wit, openness and general friendly
nature. I’ll retain an interest in those fighters from now
on - though I won’t be stepping into a cage with them
anytime soon.
We’ve had a lot of feedback about our music coverage
recently too - mostly positive - but the negative titbits
are usually the most interesting. For the record we are
not just a music magazine; we’re trying to cover a wide
range of cultural things going on in Notts, including our
bleeding brilliant local music scene! So while the likes of
Red Rack’em and The Swiines are interviewed in here (as
well as Hot Chip) you’ll have to go to our website to read
the other 500-plus interviews, reviews and features we’ve
done on local musicians over the years. While you’re there
have a listen to their tunes on our podcasts (leftlion.co.uk/
podcasts) and come see some of them at one of our live
events (more info about our next one on page 23). And
if you want us to listen to your band, visit leftlion.co.uk/
sendusmusic and follow the simple instructions.
So no more moaning about us not giving your band a triple
page spread every issue, okay? If we did that, we’d have
to bump other cool stuff and members of the local arts,
theatre or literary scene might start picketing outside our
houses too! Hang on a minute - that could be quite fun...
[email protected]
Sound of The Lion
LeftLion’s podcast of plenty
Sound of the Lion is the LeftLion
podcast devoted exclusively to
new music from Nottingham. It
began hosted by Hello Thor’s Tom
Whalley, but then he got all famous
and moved on to BBC 6 Music. So our Music Editor Paul
Klotschkow and Doledrum promoter Kristi Genovese took
up the mantle of feeding your tabs with a fresh selection
of local vocals each month. Show #3 (online now) features
one track from each of the albums reviewed on page 21.
Listen up at leftlion.co.uk/podcasts
Ashley Dilks
Doodle bug
Ash is one of the founding members
of the epic Drop in the Ocean music
festivals and is now involved with
its successor, Hockley Hustle, which
goes from strength to strength. He’s
widely revered amongst the ‘Lion
crew for being one of the finest purveyors of the Sunday
Roast. His talents don’t end there though; he regularly
contributes illustrations and designs for the mag at a
minute’s notice and has also been known to juggle fire
and throw a frisbee really, really far.
leftlion.co.uk/issue33
3
Nottingham in Top 10 Cities...
DK Eyewitness Travel Guides made Hoodtown
one of the Top 10 cities to visit in 2010, along with
Istanbul, Reykjavik, Vancouver and Nara.
NJM
Good news. This year could be quite a big year for
this city - what with Naddinghayam: the Movie, the
British Arts Show and all of our local sports teams
looking like they’re on the up.
Kowalski
Does this mean they’ll be some sort of exchange
system set up? So we can do swapsies and go and
stay in the other places for a bit? I’m up for a bit of
Nara action. This is definitely what lists like this
should be for if not.
theonelikethe
That is surreal - as much as Notts is good it’s
hardly in the same league as Istanbul
timmy
Notts’ Most Powerful and/or
Influential People
Ken Clarke, people! Is he the only Bilderberger from
Notts?
Stillman
Thomas Helwys, co-founder of Baptist
denomination. William Booth, founder of the
Salvation Army. Herbert Kilpin, founder of AC
Milan.
Denzileo
P Brothers, Son Records and the Out Da Ville
people in their time, for putting each other on,
bringing people through and making waves on
their scene. Geiom, Spamchop and Shortstuff who
are making quite a noise and getting some justified
attention. Shane, for mekkin films.
floydy
John Peace - Experian Founder, Nat Puri Industrialist, Prof David Greenaway - Notts Uni,
Prof Neil Gorman - Trent Uni, Richard D. Fairbank
- Capital One Founder, Chairman (check out his
name for a banker: Rich Fairbank and not changed
by deed poll, brilliant).
NS
Good call on Shane Meadows (although he is from
Uttoxeter so would he count?) That actress who
was in Minority Report.
Daley Thompson
Vernon Coaker, Jesse Boot, the chap who invented
HP Sauce, James Baillie, The Middleton Family of
Wollaton Hall, Alan Sillitoe, Sat Bains.
myhouse-yourhouse
Sir Paul Smith.
Seamus Flannery
Sir Lee Camp.
it’s alan
Nottingham WILL be (potential)
World Cup Venue
Bloody hell, can’t even rely on Derby to do one
thing right. Oh well, best be giving the Dutch/
Belgian bid our full backing now.
Albert Herring
As it turns out, the only bidding cities not included
on the shortlist are our eternal rivals, Derby,
Leicester and Hull, which suggests that someone
on the organising committee might possibly have
been born in the City Hospital.
NJM
I’ll be sad to see the City Ground go, but it’s slowly
dawning on me that it will have to at some point in
the future and I’d actually quite like to see the new
stadium, so bring it on.
Alan
From the comments on the Derby Evening
Telegraph site: “Yes that’s right there is loads
more to do in Nottingham - get shot, get drunk,
get pregnant, urinate in the street and then see a
show.” :D
Adrian
4
MAY CONTAIN
NOTTS
with Nottingham’s
‘Mr. Sex’, Al Needham
December 2009 - January 2010
5 December
The EDL demo in town gets moved
next to the Castle, presumably because
they couldn’t concentrate on defending
England next to a German market,
with a massive reindeer head singing
Christmas songs at them. Wetherspoons
got a record bar taking that day, you
know.
8 December
Su Pollard, Mother Nottingham herself,
kicks off on a disabled driver after
a car accident in Bournemouth and
nearly gets collared by Babylon after a
swearing binge that would have shamed
the people in the smoking area of the
Thurland on a Friday night. “She was
quite a spectacle in her pink and black
striped leggings, a short black skirt and
bright pink pillbox hat,” said the victim.
Cor. I know people who would quite
happily pay to be sworn at by Su Pollard
dressed up like that.
9 December
Alright, alright; I would quite happily
pay for that experience.
10 December
Forest supporters across the city find
their heads on the verge of exploding,
such is the urge to scream “I told you
so, you mongs”, as Munto Finance are
revealed as – well, we still don’t really
know, but they sell Notts County on for
a quid to the ludicrously oily Peter Trembling. Hey, County fans
– give me your council house in Bestwood and in five years time,
I guarantee that it’ll be in the Park.
16 December
The FA announces that Nottingham has breezed into the next
stage of the World Cup city selection process, while Leicester
and Derby are told to pick their knickers up off the floor and jog
on. If there has to be a new stadium in Nottingham, May Contain
Notts suggests only this; that a tinkler large enough to cast a
shadow over our neighbouring hamlets be attached to the roof,
with the words “SUCK THIS, YOU VERMIN. GO ON - SUCK IT AS
IF IT BELONGED TO YOUR FATHER-BROTHER” spelled out in
200-foot neon lights.
17 December
It snows dead hard and Nottingham looks like a Christmas
card. For a day. Then it all melts, and it looks like a massive bird
has shat all over the city and we all have to walk around like
penguins with a diarrhoea problem for weeks.
30 December
Documents released by the Government under the 30-year
rule show that Brian Clough was considered by the Labour
government as a potential ally to keep Margaret Thatcher out
of power. Let’s hope that when the foul hag finally stops nicking
our oxygen, the Hallowed Brian appears at the gate and boots her
directly into Satan’s chip pan, like that scene in 300.
31 December
Halo, which used to be Mode, which used to be McClusky’s,
which used to be Madisons, is now known as ‘boarded
up’. Where will our youths who hanker for crap RnB and people
desperate to get their hands up the skirt of some scratty madam,
who thought it was a good idea to get the names of their children
tattooed upon their jubblies, go now? Oh yeah, everywhere else on
Upper Parliament Street.
6 January
May Contain Notts, whilst taking in the sweet, sweet air on its
midnight perambulation up Mansfield Road, is taken aback by the
sight of a man brandishing a live peregrine falcon on his arm
at midnight. Surrounded by a gang of youths staring at him in
awe, and taking pictures with their mobiles. Here’s a suggestion
for the Council – install a potentially violent animal petting zoo in
the Square at weekends, so that the youth can feed a polar bear or
stroke a panther instead of trying to shove a pint glass into each
other’s brains.
13 January
Some good news for Notts County, as they are announced as
the 23rd most popular team to play on Fifa 10. But then again,
everybody wanted to be Gon on Tekken 3, because you could be
a two-foot orange dinosaur and absolutely shame your mates by
farting in their faces.
14 January
Peter Trembling demonstrates his ability to focus upon
the real problems at Notts County by, er, announcing the search
for a new song for the team to run out to. Dunno why, because the
current one - One Vision by Queen - is pretty apt, as it contains the
lyrics “I’m gonna tell you there’s no black and white” and “I had
a dream when I was young, a dream of sweet illusion... but a cold
wind blows, and a dark rain falls…look what they’ve done to my
dreams”.
16 January
A local DJ raises nearly two grand for the Haiti Earthquake
Fund by running round the Square in his underwear. A few
hours later, nearly a thousand sucky girls do exactly the same
thing, for nowt.
18 January
An instructor at the David Lloyd Fitness Centre is forced
to sign the sexual offenders register for appearing stark
naked at the windows of his house in Arnold and doing a few,
er, groin stretches at young mothers with kids. I feel sorry for
the poor bastard myself - when you work at them places, you
do everything in front of tinted glass. He obviously just forgot.
19 January
Amazing sights abound in Rise Park when Gary Lineker - no,
sadly not that one - is airlifted to hospital, after a car crash, by
a helicopter that lands in the middle of the street. People in Top
Valley look out of their windows and go; “Eeh, look at them posh
bastards wi’ their ‘ellahports, thinking they’re summat.”
21 January
Clumber Park announces that it is one of twenty historic
locations that have been added to Google Maps’ Street View,
which is great news for wheelchair-bound doggers. Could they do
the car park behind the Racecourse next, please?
25 January
Students at Nottingham University announce plans to establish
a British Quidditch league, despite the fact that they can’t fly
or cast spells and are reduced to throwing a ball about with a
broomstick jammed against their groins. Talking of which, I would
like to announce plans for a Nottingham Rollerball team, seeing as
it’s going to be dead popular in forty years time and we don’t want
to be left behind. Owners of motorbikes with spiky wheels, or who
possess the ability to punch someone in the face when they’ve
got a helmet on, meet me on the Forest on Sunday mornings. I’ve
already bagsied being Jonathan, though.
LeftEyeOn
leftlion.co.uk/lefteyeon
Check out the winners of our abstract photo competition...
LeftLion readers chipped in over 130 photos for our LOMO themed abstract photo
competition, with the chance to win their own retro Russian LOMO camera. We were
well chuffed with what you sent in - see the weirdness in full at leftlion.co.uk/abstract
Send us yer Notts...
The judges’ top four are pictured, having racked up a stack of points for abstract
interpretation and on-the-fly camera skills - top, then left to right:
Tower Explosion (winner) - The Woodlands Flats in Radford, multiple exposures, lens
zooming and cool composition, all done in-camera and on the fly. It’s all going on.
(Stephen Wright / Flickr: -SW-)
Sky Mirrored (runner up) - a different in-camera take on a well photographed abstract
landmark, clouds confined to the mirror and not the sky.
(Peter Zabulis / Flickr: PeteZab)
Aspire and Glowing (runner up) - a slanty persepctive of the 60m high Aspire sculpture on
the Nottingham University Jubilee campus.
(Christopher Frost / Flickr: gails_man)
Sperm Sun (runner up)- an everyday object snapped on the fly with an old camera, this
intriguing piece of rusty metal spotted lying in a skip could easily make it to a gallery.
(Daddio)
[email protected]
5
14 track CD album in stores now
“The system that meets the wants of the few by denying
the needs of the majority is in its twilight years”
www.dealmakerrecords.com
City centre entertainment,
illuminations and special offers…
A great night out!
Nottingham
Friday 12 February
Light Night
Nottingham City Centre
From 6pm ‘til late
Saturday 13 February
After Dark
From 5pm ‘til late
www.mynottingham.gov.uk/lightnight
words: Paul Klotschkow
Over the course of three albums rammed full of delirious grooves, beats, funk, and electronica, with an unashamed pop side and clever
wordplay, Hot Chip have grown to be one of the UK’s most original bands. Their second album The Warning was nominated for the
Mercury Music Prize, whilst top ten single Ready For The Floor saw them up for a Grammy. They have just released their new album
One Life Stand and are about to embark on a hectic UK tour. However, their keyboard player, guitarist and percussion man Owen
Clarke still managed to squeeze in time to have a chat with us...
Hello Owen, how are you?
I’m good, thank you. I’ve been at the record label this afternoon.
I had rehearsals this morning at 10:30am, the band have been
going through stuff we haven’t done in a while. Last week we
rehearsed the new stuff for the tour.
Your new album has just come out. How would you say the
band has evolved since your debut Coming On Strong?
I was struck recently by the first record. I was in a pub, and the
song Playboy from that album came on the jukebox, and it took
me by surprise when I heard it and how good it still sounded.
We’ve spent such a long time working on the latest record, so
I’ve had these new songs in my head for ages. To hear the older
song and put it along the new stuff made me feel proud to hear
them together as it still held up. The first record seemed so
excitable in comparison though. I feel that the evolution of the
band has been a natural one, we have never exploded or made a
giant leap ahead. It’s been a gradual process.
For instance on the new album there is a track called Slush. It
ended up being a very simple and elemental song, quite stripped
back. But getting there was very difficult. We did about thirty
versions of that song before we got to the point where we were
happy with it. It’s a bit like a farming process, you develop
strands and work on them until you get one you are happy with
and cultivate that.
we got to meet him; that was cool. I also remember once when
we were unloading this massive electric piano to take in to the
Rescue Rooms, it was super heavy. We were all struggling to
carry it. Then this massive guy with a ginger ponytail came
out of the Rescue Rooms. I swear that he was about seven feet.
He said “I’ve got this one” and carried it in all on his own. The
Rescue Rooms giant!
How do you go about recreating your music live?
This time around I think that we have produced a very succinct
pop record. Things are very stripped back this time as opposed
to having lots of things going on, which we have had in the past.
This means that we have to play less on stage, which is turning
in to a bit of a challenge. For the last record we toured for two
years and by the end of it, it was so full on and full of energy due
to the momentum that we had built up. We don’t have that this
time around. Due to the new album we are much more dynamic
and elemental, so we need to find that energy straight away.
“It’s a bit like a farming process, you develop
strands and work on them until you get one
you are happy with and cultivate that”
How does the songwriting work in the band?
The band started with Alexis (Taylor) and Joe (Goddard) and
they started to grow and move in a more electronic direction.
Due to this they needed people to play the growing number of
instruments, so the band fell in to place because of that. Those
two are the main songwriters in the band. It was really on our
second album, The Warning, where the songwriting started to
evolve a little bit more. Alexis and Jo still brought in the songs,
but the rest of the band were incorporated more into it. On Made
In The Dark the band did do some songs together, but that
approach didn’t work this time around. On One Life Stand Alexis
and Joe brought in their demos, which were in various stages,
either coherent songs or just ideas. Then the production brought
things together.
The venues you play are getting bigger. Does this affect the
way you approach playing live?
Well, the first gig that the band ever did was a strange one. It
was at the Union Chapel supporting SMOG and it was rubbish.
We had all these strange organs, various Casio keyboards, drum
machines, and guitars and the venue made us sound bad. It
was an old church so it was full of reverb, like when you talk in
a church the sound bounces around - it was just like that. When
you play in larger venues sometimes that sound can still suffer.
But because the room is full of people there is a joining of energy.
I know that sounds hippyish. You are providing something for
people who want it and want a good time, so the room is full
of energy and that makes a big difference. I guess it is like a
modern-day church, but with everyone dancing.
When the band is in the studio, how are the songs recorded
and put together then?
It depends. Some songs are already fully formed by the time
we get to the studio and other times the band will work on the
arrangements. We set up banks of keyboards and stations and
feed in rhythms and some songs end up playing themselves.
Other times, certain songs have to go through various versions.
Do you have any fond memories of playing Nottingham
previously?
I know that people always say this, but I mean it. I always like
visiting Nottingham, I get a good feeling when I am there. Who
is the curly haired one from Squeeze? Chris Difford maybe?
Anyway, he was playing a gig every day or something travelling
around in a caravan. He had been playing earlier in the day, so
There was a misunderstanding that Ready For The Floor had
been written for Kylie Minogue, but she rejected it. If you had
the opportunity to write a song for one act, who would it be
and why?
This is a tough one. It’s hard to think of one person. It would
have to be someone who has songs written for them. I know he
writes his own songs, but to write with David Byrne would be
fun. I saw this video on YouTube where he performed Whitney
Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody, and to see someone
like him do that song was great. Alternatively, writing a pop
song for Tom Waits would be interesting.
Do you have any final words for the LeftLion readers?
I’m not fond of final words. I would like to say that the band
really do enjoy Nottingham - the crowds always seem so
excitable. It seems to be a city where people love to go out and
have a great time. Our next Nottingham gig is the day after
Valentines Day. Maybe you could take a date along and break up
during the show. Then make up afterwards... that’s always the
fun part.
Hot Chip play at Rock City on Monday 15 February. One Life
Stand is out Monday 1 February.
hotchip.co.uk
Read more interviews like this at
leftlion.co.uk/music
7
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etched
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side! Lace, Lace Market. Even I get it!” As the
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construction continued, I kept my rose-tinted
didn’t think our lives were thrilling enough,
specs on. “Erm, well, maybe green blocks of
so
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and
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artstop
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anyway and bought a house with money
yob-free. OK, maybe 92% yob-free, but that’s
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then,
there’s been a mortgage crisis and the
consider it’s in the middle of town and serves
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really,
for quite a while and no one’s spray-painted
it’s
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neverThe
gave
any money
at all!
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across
Bigus
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yet; that’s
pretty good going if you ask me. I didn’t even
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a homeowner
may
be a that,
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hear “Aah
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but this is an English semiwhile I was in there.
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they
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andthan
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the four years
we’ve
did more
the In
thimble-full
of
owned
the
house,
we’veChannel
only had
research
that
the stupid
4 a few
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in the
small
problems.
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flooded
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and the walls
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as Brucedimpled,
Forsyth’s
underpants.
irresponsible house-buying ass.
Luckily, English contractors are so reliable
As for said film, I hate to say I told you
and skilled! We only had serious problems
so when it comes to milking Robin
with just over half of the ones we had to
Hood for city gains, but I bleeding
deal
with. You would’ve thought that the
well told you so. The on-again offhouse
issues would’ve
been
spotted
again rumours
about this
movie
have by our
surveyor
wouldn’t
I’m sure
been floating
aboutyou?
for ages,
but ithe
is did his
best
he only
us a
now though,
officially Iinmean,
production;
it charged
even
grand
for a whole
work. Peanuts,
has a teaser
trailerafternoon’s
and everything!
really.
should
be happy
he showed up at
And inWe
true
Nottingham
style,
all.
when the film was originally being
bandied about with the working
titlelatter
‘Nottingham’,
thedecade
complaints
The
part of the
was even better
werethe
coming
in thickThere
and fast.
“Oh
than
beginning.
were
a few years
great,when
another
Robin
HoodOur jobs
there
webloody
were too
stable.
movie,
that’s all
need”,
were
secure,
wewe
atebloody
out, we
went to the pub
“Russell
Crowe?!
Two hours
of ‘im
and
we made
pension
contributions.
It bored
butchering
accent, brilliant,
us
to tears. the
Thankfully
in 2008, they
we were
should call it Naddinghayam”. But
both relieved of our mundane nine-to-fives
now that they’ve changed the title
thanks to that silly old Credit Crunch. Even
from ‘Nottingham’ to ‘Robin Hood’,
better
for my wife, marketing was the last
people are whinging that it’s not
thing
company anymore.
wanted toThere
pay for
calledany
‘Nottingham’
is when
they
were
people
off, so she
literally
nolaying
pleasing
you people.
Thisdidn’t
work
Not some
having
any money
moviefor
is months.
going to kick
serious
meant
she could
her
‘careerfor
break’ at
badonkadonk,
andspend
will do
wonders
home
watching
daytime
the city.
Mark. My.
Words.TV and eating as
many bon-bons as she wanted. She wasn’t
And as if all
stupendous
burdened
bythat
the isn’t
problems
most women
enough, Nottingham
hasto
been
picked
experience,
like having
decide
what shoes
asbuy
a host
city for she
the 2018
World
Cup.
to
or where
should
go for
drinks
If England
get couldn’t
it. And if afford to do
on
a Fridayactually
night. She
Forest actually
build
a new
stadiumsimplified
anything.
Her life
was
completely
when
none
of
the
fans
appear
to want
and stress-free. She totally didn’t
feel like
And if the
World
aone.
stir-crazed
loser
- inCup
fact,committee
she was an
doesn’t change its mind later. But hey
absolute delight to be around.
ho, even with all those ifs and buts,
Leicester and Derby got the proverbial
Ishaft.
didn’tEven
viewugly,
my stinking
being made
redundant as
Milton Keynes was
apicked
setback
either;
wasthe
anbeautiful
opportunity
over
Derby,itand
thingin
disguise!
I
picked
myself
up,
created
about that (besides the Schadenfreude)my
is own
business,
didif afurther
couplecuts
of contracts,
shut
the fact that
to the list are
tothe
business
accepted
more
money
from
be made, down,
Nottingham
simply
cannot
be cut
the
in-laws
tookleave
on athe
part-time
job.
because
thatand
would
whole of
theAll
East
the
extra spare
time
allowed
to write
Midlands
without
a World
Cupme
venue.
Suck on
Derby.
athat,
number
of sitcoms and send them off to
producers. None of the scripts were picked
In fact,
as far as
is concerned,
up,
of course;
in football
fact no-one
got back to me
Nottingham
is thea place
to be this
year if things
at
all, but it was
fun exercise
nonetheless.
carry on like they are at the minute. With all the
drama at Notts County and the utterly brilliant
If there is one
thing my wife
and I are not, it’s
traditionalists;
so, it was with
this in mind that
last Christmas
we suggested to
her family that
we forego the
grossly capitalist
Christmas
tradition of
exchanging
gifts. The festive
season should
be about family,
not frivolous
and boringly
bourgeois
conventions
forced upon us by
society. Together
we will stick it to
The Man, yeah!
It was totally
not because we
were a couple
of broke-asses.
They, being
freethinking
non-conformists
themselves, were
only too happy
to agree. And we
totally didn’t feel
like a couple of
dicks when we were the only ones to show
up giftless.
The best thing about the Noughties was
probably the fact that I developed the three
nerdiest health conditions a person could
possibly acquire: Astigmatism, Carpal
Tunnel syndrome and Plantar Fasciitis,
which means I have to wear glasses, a wrist
football
being
played
at the
Ground,
strap
and
special
shoes.
AllCity
I need
now you
is
can’t say it hasn’t been exciting. I’m sorry, I
some orthodontic headgear and eczema and
don’t mean to be so flippant about County’s
I’ll have the full set. It’s good though, it’s like
plight, I’m sure Sven will sort things out there.
being
back in high school again, which as
I mean, look at his track record; he’s nothing if
any
regular
of my
column
tell
you,
not reliable. reader
Is that my
coat?
Why, will
thank
you.
was totally not a difficult time for me.
Even the Post have taken to reporting positive
My
wife
eventually
gotI haven’t
anotherseen
job and
crime
statistic
stories.
a Grannybetween
we for
started
enough
set-alightus
story
ages. making
In fact, there
were
money
to do stories
silly things
like invest
inon
the
two positive
in December.
One
city
muggings
falling
25% andtoone
on youth
stock
market.
I thought
myself,
hey,crime
this is
dropping
totime
a new
It’swhile
like I woke
the
perfect
tolow.
invest
all theupstocks
in some strange bizarro Nottingham where
are low. Buy low, sell high, right? Everyone
knows that. With that in mind, I bought
stock in Lloyds TSB and RBS, ready to cash
in when they pull themselves out of trouble.
The government owns them now, and surely
they won’t do anything to screw me over. Of
course, I’ve only just found out today that
both banks are going to be broken up and
sold off in pieces, so I can probably kiss that
money goodbye, but that’s OK; it’s another
nothing makes sense anymore. A place
valuable life lesson learned.
where Yates’s serves Dom Perignon instead
of asskickings, where Nottinghamians don’t
Here’s
hoping
the inches
TerrificofTens
just
as
overreact
to a few
snoware
and
where
exciting.
David Gest gives tips on how not to be an
annoying, gormless jerkoff.
Merry Christmas.
Rob
xoxo
It’s not
right I tell ya. Things are just too good...
To read
more
from
Rob
canuckistani.com
Read
more
from
Rob
atvisit
canuckistani.com
Words: James Walker
Internet phenomenon Cassetteboy are actually a duo - Michael Bollen and Steve
Warlin. Their formula is simple: they find a well known public figure, take
everything they have ever said out of context and mash it back together again
in video or song format so that they look like an incompetent, egotistical, sexual
deviant. Then stick it on albums and YouTube for all to see. We like their style, so
we had a chat to Michael...
How did this all start?
Fifteen years ago we made a compilation tape for our friends. Between the music we put funny
little snippets of TV and radio shows. As we did more tapes, gradually the funny snippets took
over from the music. We looped certain words or sentences and constructed our own jokes from
phrases. This was all done on old ghettoblaster tape decks and we broke quite a few through overuse of the record, play and pause buttons. Eventually we started using computers which allowed
us to do much more complicated editing, making words from individual syllables, and to write our
own music to go between the jokes. We released three albums and two compilations during the
noughties, and have now moved on to video editing.
You’ve recently come out and revealed your identities. Why?
We kept our identities secret for fear of getting sued. Our entire act is based on copyright
infringement and slander. All of our source material is stolen from films, TV and radio and we make
celebrities say things about sex and drugs that they would never normally say. Then I wrote a
comedy novel, so we decided to reveal the link with Cassetteboy, in case our fans were interested
in the book. Of course, there’s no guaranteeing that any of the names we have released are our
actual names, so we could still be undercover.
What’s the book about?
Earth Inc is a sci-fi comedy romp, set in the not too distant future, about the power of corporations,
loss of privacy and the growing gap between rich and poor. I’m not making it sound very funny, am
I? It’s absolutely packed full of jokes though. I’ve read supposedly funny books that just have a host
of characters running around for 200 pages, but no actual gags, and I didn’t want to write one of
those. I like to think there’s at least one proper joke on every page.
How would you like to be remembered?
I guess it would be nice to be remembered for Cassetteboy, because it’s so silly. It’s just a couple
of friends who made some funny tapes once, and the tapes got more and more complicated until
the whole thing got way out of hand. Suddenly Charlie Brooker and Jonathan Ross were tweeting
about us, we were appearing at the Victoria and Albert Museum dressed as Posh and Becks and
were invited on stage at Glastonbury, drunk out of our minds and hitting each other with inflatable
hammers.
Any particular favourite moments?
The best times have probably been on stage, when you can actually hear the laughter that you’ve
strained and sweated to create. Standing in front of hundreds of people, wearing a monkey mask
and a naked suit, whirling my fake, luminous penis around while a cut-up of Deal Or No Deal
plays. You get a moment of clarity and realise exactly what you’re doing, then burst out laughing,
wondering how on earth it ended up like this.
If you could have anyone in the world as your Valentine, who would it be and why?
Hmmm. It’s hard to think of an answer that isn’t tragic, sexist, or both. So I’ll settle for someone
who’s witty enough to think of a funny answer to that question. And who’s got massive knockers.
Michael’s book Earth Inc is available from Picnic Publishing now. Cassetteboy’s third album Carry
On Breathing is available to buy from online record stores.
cassetteboy.wordpress.com
How long did it take to write?
For some reason I thought writing a book would be easy… boy was I wrong! It took bloody
ages. But finishing it definitely gave me the confidence to attempt more ambitious things with
Cassetteboy. I probably would have been too daunted to start a massive project like The Bloody
Apprentice video, had I not finally finished the book.
How long did it take to do that video?
I don’t know how many hours, but I was working on it on and off for two months. I think I watched
around 45 episodes and most of those two or three times. After a while I actually started to talk like
Sir Alan…
The Bloody Apprentice works really well because of the visual element. Can you see yourself
making more visual recordings or is this an editorial nightmare?
We’re pretty much only going to work in video from now on, partly because we’ve run out of ideas
for albums. Video is more limiting if you’re worried about the visual element being seamless, but
obviously we’re not bothered about that. The success of that video shows that if the jokes are
funny, people don’t mind if the picture jumps around all over the place. In many ways video is less
limiting, because it gives you a whole other way to do jokes – some of the funniest bits in that are
the reaction shots.
What’s the most difficult part of editing?
To be honest the whole process is a massive pain in the arse. One of the worst parts is when
you’ve nearly finished, you just need a word like “because” or “but” to finish one last sentence. So
you have to sit and watch an hour-long programme yet again hoping to find that one word. Then
you don’t find it, so you have to re-work the final sentence and then watch the whole programme
again looking for a different word.
The Nick Griffin vs Question Time video came out really quickly. Did you have any reservations
about targeting people like him for fear of retribution?
I didn’t even think about it at the time, but I have had some rather nasty threatening messages
since posting it online. I do have another Nick Griffin piece ready that I haven’t released yet, but I
don’t think a few threats are going to stop me.
What do you hope to achieve by your work?
With an election coming up I suppose there is a point to be made with the political pieces.
Anything that makes people think twice about voting for the BNP has got to be a good thing,
although I think our videos will probably just be preaching to the converted. That said, I think
we’re more likely to release David Cameron videos this year than Gordon Brown ones.
The other pieces are just entertainment really. You could look at something like The Bloody
Apprentice and say that it’s striking a blow for people who are fed up with shallow reality TV, but
fans of the show enjoy it just as much, if not more. Our aim has always been just to make people
laugh. The British public always like a bit of smut and innuendo.
Your work seems to be kind of political slapstick. Is humour necessary for making serious
points today and, if so, is there a danger that this trivialises serious debate?
If you look at American TV shows like The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, you can see that
comedy doesn’t have to trivialise serious debate. Those programmes are very funny, but they also
make complex political points. The jokes attract viewers who probably wouldn’t watch a straight
political show, so yes I do think humour can be an effective means of communication.
9
Interview: Al Needham
Photo: Dom Henry
You Go,
Girlfriend
After nine years as a globe-trotting escort, Nottingham resident Rebecca Dakin has knocked it on the head and
written The Girlfriend Experience, an eye-opening autobiography about her former career. Now she’s on a special
date with LeftLion and sets the record straight about her old job, while we sit there and wonder if it was a good
idea to show up in that old Notts County shirt...
What made you want to become an escort?
I didn’t really know what I wanted to do when I left college,
and I needed to earn some money fast as I was in quite a lot of
debt and still living at my Mum and Dad’s. There aren’t many
businesses that you can set up and run on your own with no
outlay; I only spent £7 setting an advert up online. My first job
made me £700 and it was a buzz; it didn’t feel like a big deal
at all.
turning to drugs and alcohol. It’s not something I’d recommend
for younger girls.
Did you realise what you were letting yourself in for?
Well, I’d been very promiscuous in my youth and didn’t really
have an issue with having sex with people I didn’t know. When
I looked into it further and started working, I realised it could
actually be like a real date, and that people would spend quite a
lot of money to take me to some really nice restaurants. I thought
getting paid to eat would be pretty good.
You must have dealt with a lot of married men. Didn’t
you worry about being involved in the shagging-up of a
relationship?
It wasn’t all married men; probably about fifty/fifty. And no,
I never felt guilty - there had to be problems in the first place
for the guy to be calling me. If he was going to cheat and look
elsewhere, he was going to do it no matter what. In some ways,
I’ve held a lot of marriages together that would otherwise be lost
through affairs; I wasn’t ringing them up all the time asking why
they hadn’t called.
What did your Mam and Dad think?
They were very disappointed and exasperated, but they didn’t
try to talk me out of it. They just accepted that I wasn’t going
to be normal like the other three children, and thought “she’ll
have a go and will come back with her tail between her legs in a
couple of months”. It’s not a taboo subject - my Mum’s a foodie
like me, so I’d tell her about the restaurants and the hotels I
went to.
How did you feel when people asked you about your job?
Did you lie or sugar-coat it?
Most of the time I just told the truth, but I found it really
uncomfortable. The minute you say ‘escort’, some people just
think ‘prostitute’, and then I had to try and explain that there
was a little more to it than that.
What’s the difference between what you did and the average
one-night stand?
Well, obviously I was getting paid, but I spent quite a lot of time
getting to know the person via email and phone conversations
to check we were compatible, so I knew a little bit before I
arranged to meet them. I always told somebody where I was
going to be, who I was with and when to expect me back.
Wasn’t it a dangerous job at times?
No, because I always made sure I had my wits about me - unlike
certain girls that go out and get really drunk at a weekend,
wander off from their friends and sleep with a random guy. But I
consider myself incredibly lucky to be unscathed after nine years
of escorting; lots of other girls lose it and end up hating men and
10
So what is ‘The Girlfriend Experience’?
For me, it means a hired girlfriend. It’s a bit more of an
intimate encounter and doesn’t seem so much of a commercial
transaction. It’s like a blind date, where I was genuinely
interested in the person I was spending the evening with.
“My friends admire and respect me for
having the balls to do what I did - they
find my work stories a bit more
interesting than theirs”
Most books and films on escorting are either unbelievably
positive or relentlessly grim. What’s your reality?
I had some amazing experiences; I’ve travelled the world and
been to hotels and restaurants that I could only ever dream
of. I had a great time and met a lot of interesting people, but
it’s not the same for everyone; I can only speak from my own
experiences.
Did you exchange gory details with your friends?
Oh yeah! I’m a woman - we do all the nitty-gritty. A lot of my
friends admire and respect me for having the balls to do what I
did, they find my work stories a bit more interesting than theirs...
So why write a book?
I’d read Belle de Jour and I wasn’t impressed. It fuelled
misconceptions about escorts and that it was just about men
wanting sex. That wasn’t how things were for me and I wanted
to set the record straight. There are many different levels of
escorting; you can just have sex with men, or you can have
longer dates that offer more of the companionship side of things.
Why didn’t you write it under a pseudonym?
Because I’m not ashamed of what I’ve done. And because I’ve
finished doing it. I’ve closed down that chapter of my life. I found
writing it very therapeutic; I tried to understand the dynamics of
my family and the reasons why I went into such a job.
What kind of feedback are you getting from your
former clients?
It’s been really good, actually. One said he read it with
apprehension, intrigue and much fondness. The danger now
is that people think they know me really well having read it.
Clients I’d seen for a long time suddenly feel like they’re on a
different level with me - a more personal level. On the other
hand, one client has just written to me saying how disappointed
he was that I hadn’t written about him…
Ever fallen for any of them?
I never fell in love with any of them. There was this one guy who
was single, and we quite liked each other and met up three or
four times, but it just didn’t work out. I’ve had a few guys that
have fallen for me and I’ve had to stop seeing them; it’s quite a
fine line. I never kept in touch with people between dates - the
only contact was to arrange a date.
How above board were you? Did you pay taxes, for example?
Of course I did. I was registered as a self-employed escort,
so the Inland Revenue knew exactly what I was doing for a
living. It was like any other self-employed business; when I
wasn’t going out on dates, I was spending time looking for
work, updating my website, and so on. I could go a couple of
months without having a job - I’d get enquiries, but there wasn’t
anybody that I wanted to see.
And what was the scabbiest place you were taken to?
I like Pizza Hut, don’t get me wrong - but I got taken to the one
in Stratford in London and there was piss all over the floor of the
toilets and it was disgusting. For a dinner date that was... yeah...
not great.
The Girlfriend Experience is available in bookshops now, from
John Blake Publishing.
thegirlfriendexperience.tv
February 4th - 21st
Naomi Terry
In a city not too far away...
Preview: February 2nd 6-8pm
March 10th - April 6th
Paul Eachus
Trans Chaosmos Facility
Preview: March 9th, 6-8pm
OFF YOUR NEXT
BILL
JUST CUT OUT AND BRING THIS ADVERT
Closing event: 21st February, 7pm
Matthew Robins performing Flyboy
TETHER
17a Huntingdon St, NG1 3JH
07729124336 / tether.org.uk
CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
WEDNESDAY 24 FEBRUARY 8PM
LAKESIDE ARTS CENTRE, UNIVERSITY PARK, NOTTINGHAM
TICKETS £15 (£12 CONCESSIONS) £5 RESTRICTED VIEW
BOX OFFICE 0115 846 7777 BOOK ONLINE WWW.LAKESIDEARTS.ORG.UK
Icebreaker have been at the forefront of the contemporary music scene for 20 years.
Programme features two classic 20th century works. Gavin Bryars’s Jesus Blood and
Philip Glass’s Music with Changing Parts as well as the world premiere of a new
work Disposable Dissonances by leading Irish composer Donnacha Dennehy.
Aston Thriller
words: Adrian Bhagat
photo: David Baird
Until recently Matt Aston was producer
and programmer at the Lakeside Arts
Centre. Whilst there he directed several
successful productions including the
acclaimed Retirement of Tom Stevens by
Billy Ivory, The Kiss by Glyn Cannon and
Empty Bed Blues by Stephen Lowe. He’s
currently considered to be one of the
rising stars of British theatre, but he’s
not exactly a luvvie - as his Christmas
production of children’s favourite
Flat Stanley pays testament. We spoke
to him about his career so far...
Are you originally from Nottingham?
No, I’m actually from Walsall. I came to read Communication
Studies at Trent Polytechnic in 1992. I thought it would
be media studies related but it was mostly sociology and
psychology. Over two and a half years I didn’t do a stroke of
work and then in the last six months had to work hard to get a
degree. I was going to move to London or go back home but at
the end of 1995 I got a few running jobs at Carlton Studios and
I ended up staying here.
So how did you get involved in the theatre?
After I finished university I was on the dole and doing odd
jobs for the best part of a year. Then I got a Saturday job at The
Nottingham Playhouse minding the stage door. That turned
into a three-month contract on a community project and as
one contract ran out, another would appear. I used to sit in
on rehearsals and sit backstage and watch how everything
worked and then this job came up as a producer. At the same
time I put together some half-hour mini-shows that I directed.
I got to know directors and actors and more about how things
worked. Then the African arts producer left so I ended up
getting that job, putting on hip-hop shows which was pretty
bizarre. After that I got a job as front of house manager.
You’ve played a big part in establishing the Lakeside Arts
Centre as a theatre venue in Nottingham...
When the Lakeside was first built I was approached to work
there on secondment, to help open it for the first few seasons.
I programmed a lot of stuff that I produced and directed,
starting with Kenneth Alan Taylor in Krapp’s Last Tape and
luckily that worked out really well. The programming was
always done in conversation with my boss Shona Powell
(Director of the Centre) but she never really stopped me doing
what I wanted to do and luckily they were mostly happy with
what I did. I think she appreciates the relationships I have
with writers.
Were you interested in the theatre before you came
to Nottingham?
I went to audition for Oliver! at the Birmingham Repertory
Theatre when I was eight. I learned all the words to the Artful
Dodger song Consider Yourself and I queued for two-anda-half hours. It was my go next and then they said “Sorry
we’ve got to clear the house” so I didn’t get to audition and
I was absolutely devastated! As a teenager I used to go to
the theatre quite a bit with my Mum. I can’t act and I’m not
formally trained or anything. To be honest I never thought I’d
work in theatre but I had a vague idea that I wanted to work
in telly or film. Theatre for me is not just about good actors and
good words, it’s also about that moment that you can’t capture
on television or in a film.
How did you come to direct Billy Ivory’s first play, The
Retirement of Tom Stevens?
He came to see a play of mine and he really loved it. He told
me he’d got this script that he’d written ten years ago and
his producer and his agent and everyone else told him it was
a stage play rather than a film, so he offered it to me. The
rehearsals were hell and Billy was really stressed. We had two
nights of previews which went well and they were followed by
the press performance. The first half of that night was probably
the worst hour I’ve ever spent in the theatre, with the actors all
over the place forgetting and fluffing their lines. I looked round
to Billy and he was clutching his seat and clenching his teeth.
He was looking rough as he had this football superstition
where, because the preview had gone well, he was wearing
the same clothes for every night of the play.
12
It was the only press night ever where I didn’t go down to the
bar to chat to the critics. Billy said we had to go backstage
to talk to the cast but I wouldn’t do it, as I knew that would
make them more nervous. Fortunately they turned it around
and the second half was probably the best hour of theatre I’ve
ever seen. I’d like to turn Tom Stevens into a film, but Billy’s a
bit reticent about that because it works as a stage play and he
doesn’t want to spoil it.
dealing with platonic love, friendship, war, loss and getting
old. It’s about his Dad being in the RAF and together with
Tom Stevens it is part of what will become the Southwell
Trilogy. Early next year I’ll be directing a new play about D.H.
Lawrence by Stephen Lowe, which will be the second half of
Empty Bed Blues. It will continue the themes and use the same
set, so maybe in the future they’ll be shown together. As Billy
says “A proper writer is Stephen - good with words”.
What are you working on at the moment?
I left the Lakeside in July to work as a freelancer, with an
agreement to come back and do four or five shows. At the
moment I’m working on A Day In The Death of Joe Egg at the
Playhouse. I’ve never seen it produced but we did a reading
and that’s when a play comes alive for me. The play is really
dark, the story of a couple raising a child with cerebral palsy.
Laura McEwen, who also worked on Smile at the Lakeside, is
doing the design and I’ve cast the lead - Mark Benton. He’s the
Nationwide Building Society guy in their TV adverts.
Are you ever tempted to follow other creative types and
move to London?
A lot of people have said the streets are paved with gold in
London, but I find things are a bit incestuous there and people
all want to do the same things. In Nottingham you can be
just as creative, if not more so, than in London. You get to
work with great people here - to me Billy Ivory, Stephen Lowe
and Amanda Whittington are three of the best writers in the
country. I’m certainly not going anywhere for a while yet.
In May I’ll be directing another play by Billy Ivory. I’ve been
trying to get him to write another play and he came up with
the idea for Bomber’s Moon about a year ago. It’s a play
A Day in the Death of Joe Egg plays at Nottingham Playhouse
from Friday 19 March to Saturday 3 April. Bomber’s Moon plays
at the Lakeside Arts Centre in May.
Read more theatre reviews and interviews at
leftlion.co.uk/theatre
Steely
Don
words: Jared Wilson
image: Adam Poole
Words: Jared Wilson
Image: Adam Poole
Whether he’s presenting bizarre solutions to social problems on Five Live’s The Mark Steel Solution, casting an
eye over historical figures for The Mark Steel Lectures on BBC 2, writing for the Independent, churning out an
alternative history of the Labour Party or presenting one-off stand-up diatribes about the city he’s in, Mark Steel
is always enlightening and always entertaining...
When you last played Nottingham, the crowd berated you for
not knowing that we’d burnt down our own castle in protest
against the Duke of Newcastle’s opposition to the Reform Act
of 1832...
I remember that with great affection. It was a Sunday night and
the gig was packed. It was also the night that Lewis Hamilton
won the world motor racing championship. I don’t know about
‘berating’ but it was great fun. I think I said something like, “You
started off brilliantly in the 1300s with your Robin Hood but from
there on you went all downhill. You had the castle where the
royalists launched the civil war and then you were terrible in the
miners’ strike.” Then someone shouted out about the burning
down of the castle. What a truly excellent thing for people to
heckle about at a comedy gig!
We wanted to ask you about the miners’ strike. At
football matches against Yorkshire teams, we always
get called ‘scabs’...
Really? That’s something, isn’t it? Well, if Gillingham play at
Crystal Palace they get “you all live in a caravan and you’re
all a bunch of pikeys” and all that sort of thing. It’s just that a
place gets labelled with the easiest possible stereotype. When
Manchester City came down to Nottingham the week after
Harold Shipman was convicted, they all started singing “Did a
doctor kill your Gran?” The sheer ability to sink to those sorts of
depths I thought was genius.
Do you think we let the country down during the
miners’ strike?
Well, that’s a complicated question. The strike started in South
Yorkshire and the pickets were bringing people out from other
areas. I think the pickets were having some effect at that time
in Nottingham, but there was a massive police presence which
had a real impact on the ability of anyone to try and bring the
Nottingham miners out. In the seventies there were local wage
agreements that had been accepted by the Union. Nottingham
miners were able to produce more coal - even though it was
worse quality - and therefore they were actually paid more
than others. So they got got a sense of feeling better off and not
being a part of the Union as much. I think those wage bridges
undermined the sense of collectivism throughout the NUM.
Bloody hell - I’m going back to things I’ve not really thought
about for twenty years here...
Last year you did Mark Steel is in Town, with a whole set about
the place you were performing. Seems quite a challenge...
I think most comics like to do something about the town in their
sets because it shows that you’re thorough and interested. But
obviously I took this idea a lot further than most. I have to do
it all again now, as we have a new series in the pipeline. The
first one is in Dartford, in Kent. Funnily enough, it’s harder to
get started with those sorts of places but the really nondescript
places are, in some way, the fun ones because they’re more
challenging and satisfying. You think there’s nothing interesting
about a place, but then you scratch around and realise there is.
How do you research all the places?
I go to the town and have a wander about. Then I get any books
that have been written about the place. It’s amazing how every
single town has a local historian who, for absolutely no benefit
to themselves, has spent three years of their life writing up
something like The History of Railways in Didcott. They are
magnificently tedious! I read one book about the history of a
signal box in Kent - a whole book about just one signal box! I
had to buy that because you think that this bloke’s going to be
quite jokey about it, but he’s not. It really is just the history of
this signal box and nothing interesting happens at all. Anyway,
I do a bit of that and then spend a couple of days looking at the
internet and look at all the news stories. Then I go back there
again for another visit. But there are loads of things about every
town that are quite distinct, really.
So are we going to get a Tory government after the
next election?
It looks like it, doesn’t it? I sort of still hope that Labour do
manage to win, but the real motor of change is from below.
I think what’s really lacking in society at the moment is
organisation to protest. There are still a great many people who
feel some sort of resentment about the way that society is run as the Facebook Rage Against The Machine campaign proved.
I wouldn’t exaggerate it - it’s just a song - but there’s no sense
of strategy or organisation with the people who are angry about
the people that run society, so nothing much happens. It will
all start to come together when people become more than a
disparate group of annoyed people and start to become a unified
group that can discuss strategies and so on. Then the world can
start to change, in some way or another, at least.
You did a lecture on our very own Lord Byron. What are your
favourite things about him?
Just his utter zest for life. His was a life of someone who just
thought that every aspect should be up to the maximum. No
matter what it was: if he was going to have a love affair, it was
going to be the most emotional love affair ever. If he was going
to have a one-night stand, it was going to be the most traumatic,
ridiculous, eventful one-night stand. His was just the most
astonishing life and embodied passion. If he’d been around now
he would have backed Rage Against The Machine for Christmas
number one, too...
Read a longer version of this interview at leftlion.co.uk/literature
marksteelinfo.com
When can we expect the new series?
I think it starts in April - I hope it’s not earlier than that because
I’ve got to write the bloody thing! It’ll be on Radio 4 again - I’d
love it to be on telly but that depends on the telly people letting
me. It’s going to be on some download system or something,
not the ‘listen again’, but something where you can actually
download it.
13
ARTIST PROFILES
If you are a Nottingham-based
artist and would like to be profiled
in this section, please email
[email protected]
Some people seem to have a grudge against graffiti. But here at LeftLion we appreciate a bit of colour on our streets, and while none of us
particularly like seeing someone’s name or a tag of a penis thrown up everywhere, we do admire a well-worked piece on an otherwise blank wall.
So this issue, for your reading pleasure, we got in touch with four of the best of the current crop of Nottingham’s (legal) street artists.
Kid30 (aka smallkid)
Kaption One
Describe your work …
On walls I mainly paint characters. My canvas
work is a lot more varied. I have a different pen
style and a paint style and the subject matter
is based around personal experiences, different
people, animals and things that are interesting
me at the time.
What drives you as an artist?
When I started, my work was
driven by being part of a youth
culture that was very free and
anti-establishment, where I
could express myself how I
wanted to. From this I turned my
artwork into something positive
that is artistically and publicly
recognised and accepted within
the community. This gives me
a driving force to keep being
creative.
What inspires you?
Being really curious about odd things and
having small man syndrome.
What’s the best thing about being a
street artist?
Your clothes get ruined with paint, your car gets
ruined with paint, you spend wasted weekends
travelling and aching from going up and down
ladders. You get beef from other writers, your
work never stays up for long, you hang around
in grotty areas, you think about painting all the
time. You’re skint and hanging around in the
freezing cold and loads of people seem to be better than you!
Tell us about a recent project or goal…
My highlight of 2009 was painting at Glastonbury with the rest of the Oxygen Thievez
crew and working on the biggest collection of zombies ever in one space at The Big Chill
Festival. My goal for 2010 is to put on a personal exhibition, which I have been working on
for a while now, based around some of my canvas work. I’m off to Australia in January and
February to escape the cold and to hook up with people there for a few projects. I’m looking
forward to painting more walls in different cities and trying to keep true to myself and
my art.
VERT
What’s your favourite colour?
I’m well into my colour combinations, like greys, whites and pinks or greens and yellows. I
don’t really have a favourite colour though, but if I had to choose I’d say gun metal grey. I’ve
not made this up it’s an official colour that is used in the Royal Air Force for painting planes!
If you were allowed to paint anywhere in Nottingham, where would you choose?
I would like to paint a really high wall on a cherry picker, as I’ve never done that before.
The cooling towers at Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station would be cool - the bigger the wall
the better! So if you have got a big spare wall and you want it painting, drop me an email
and I’ll come and paint a massive monkey on it!
smallkid.co.uk
Tali
What can people expect
when they see your work?
An adventure into the
realms of expanding letter
shapes, creating different
connections, angles and
textures. I try to explore
the third dimension and
beyond.
What inspires your work?
The fact that there’s always
something else out there to
be discovered. I like going
on adventures and meeting
others artists who are on a
similar wavelength.
What’s the best thing about being a street artist?
That you don’t have to take yourself so seriously. There’s a whole lot of fun to be had, just
go out and get it!
What’s your favourite thing?
At the moment I’m loving my new trainers.
The trams. It would be great to put a little colour back into the city.
What’s the best thing about
being a street artist?
The diversity of the art form. It
comes in all shapes and sizes
and never gets stale. The people
and the experiences keep me on my toes.
AD-
A few weeks ago my friend Alex Rubes and I held a live illustration and graffiti event at the
Refectory Gallery on Carlton Road. It was a free event that hosted graffiti artists and illustrators
from around the whole of the Midlands. It was a big success, though at the cost of an almighty
hangover. Fun!
What’s good about being a Nottingham-based artist?
Not the weather! I’m Notts born and bred. Artistically there is plenty going on for a city of this
size and the diversity of people and venues makes it a good place to work in.
Which other artists do you admire?
I always admire the other members of my crew, Oxygen Thievez. I also have admiration for any
artist who is passionate about being creative and keeping it real.
I’d paint the whole area where the old Broadmarsh ramps used to stand. While I’m at it, I would
build a few new ramps and it would be like the good old days.
oxygenthievez.com
Onga B
Describe your work to newcomers...
I like working with letters and forms,
abstracting their shapes and turning
them into different, sometimes
unrecognisable, objects. I like to see
craftmanship in art, so I try and push
myself. Techniques and delivery with
paint is also important to me. I have
worked with organic shapes, but
right now I like straight lines. I also
do a lot of collaborative painting with
my crew, Must Try Harder. This is
generally a concept conceived by one
artist, and then we all input further
ideas, building the concept together
like a giant jigsaw puzzle.
What drives you as an artist?
Perfecting ideas, trying new things and trying to improve on my own techniques with the other
artists I’m working with at the time. A location, a colour, a concept and the media in one form or
another all inspire me.
As always, we all Must Try Harder.
What’s good about being a Nottingham-based artist?
There are some good people making a lot of big moves in our local scene right now.
What’s your favourite colour?
At the moment I like Montana electric blue, but it changes a lot.
I’d love to paint all boards or hoardings put up in the city that cover building sites or disused
spaces. Or just give us a tram!
flickr.com/musttryharder
To learn more about Nottingham’s Street Art scene, check out Kid30 and Kaption One’s conversation online at leftlion.co.uk/art
14
words: Beane
photo: Debbie Davies
Danny Berman - aka Red Rack’em - is a busy man these days. After a summer of festival appearances and putting
out production on a plethora of underground labels, he can count Gilles Peterson and Rob Da Bank among his fans.
He also has his club-rocking, genre-busting international DJ sets and a huge fortnightly podcast to take care of.
And this year is set to be even busier...
What brought you to Notts?
I was a non-linear TV editor in the late nineties, having the time
of my life in Liverpool working for the dodgy cable channel L!VE
TV. I’ve actually been News Bunny, but that’s a different story.
I got a job editing corporate films for Boots and Experian so I
moved here in 1999, but I wasn’t really cut out for the corporate
life and got the sack after a month. Years of unemployment,
dance music and low-quality housing ensued.
Why are you called Red Rack’em?
I was inspired by artists like Yam Who, Red Astaire and
Blackbeard so I put out a lot of unofficial hip-hop remixes from
2004 to 2006 and that style was dubbed ‘pirate soul’ by the
press. Bootlegs were called ‘booties’ in the shops. Booty is pirate
treasure. I loved Tintin books as a child. I can’t say any more
than that about it as this is a family magazine.
You’ve played in nearly every venue in town. What do you
make of the Nottingham scene?
In the early noughties, I used to go out all the time to nights like
Detonate, DiY, Pure Filth and in more recent years I went to a lot
of the early dubstep parties like Heavyweight Rocksteady plus
disco/house night Basement Boogaloo and the early Futureproof
parties. But I don’t really go out much in Nottingham anymore as
I am away playing gigs most weekends and I really feel my age
when I go out these days.
My take on Notts right now is that it’s probably just as exciting
for people under twenty as it was for me when I was going out
all the time in 1999 to 2004. But it does seem like there’s a lot
less variety on offer these days in terms of venues and musical
styles. I think the types of music being offered to young people in
the whole of the UK these days are increasingly commercial and
everything seems really dumbed down.
I found it inspiring when I played the last set at this year’s Big
Chill at the radio station as a lot of the massive crowd were
under twenty and they were all going mad to vintage house
from Chez Damier and ten-year-old garage from Zed Bias. My set
got recorded and hosted on the Big Chill website so it’s great to
have a permanent record of that night. You can check out that set
at leftlion.co.uk/redrackembigchill
What do you think was the turning point for you in busting
out of Notts?
I’ve released a wide variety of music in the last few years
on many different labels that all have their own promotional
reach, which has brought me to the attention of a much wider
audience. It’s been a bit of a snowball effect. I played at
Snowbombing, Glastonbury, Bestival and Big Chill, which means
my music is being promoted to hundreds of thousands of people.
My remixes of The Revenge, Tricky and the Joubert Singers have
been really popular - Greg Wilson, one of the biggest names on
the disco/edit scene, played my remix of the Joubert’s gospel
disco classic Stand On The Word in nearly every one of his DJ
sets in 2009.
“I wasn’t really cut out for the corporate
life and got the sack after a month. Years
of unemployment, dance music and
low-quality housing ensued.”
That remix got you a lot of airplay on Radio 1...
I have had a lot of support for my Red Rack’em, Hot Coins and
Marlinspike projects on Radio 1 from Gilles Peterson, Rob Da
Bank, Mary Anne Hobbs and even Zane Lowe. Gilles invited
me to play at the Worldwide Awards in January and I went
on straight after Jazzanova to a full house at Cargo in London,
which was an amazing experience and my set was broadcast on
Radio 1 the following week.
Your Smugglers Inn podcasts go out fortnightly on Nottsbased internet radio station myhouse-yourhouse. How
important has that been for getting your name out?
It’s been going for a couple of years, and gets over 700
downloads a fortnight, which has helped me build an
international audience. Sourcing two hours of brand new quality
music and guest mixes every fortnight isn’t easy, but I‘ve been
lucky enough to build up a really strong network of labels and
producers contributing tracks and also listeners who want to
hear new music. The most satisfying thing for me has been the
community side of things - artists remixing each other’s tracks
after hearing them on the show, and certain labels are using
it as an A&R hub to find new tunes to sign. I also really enjoy
promoting other DJs on the show with the guest mixes, which
brings a fresh new twist to the show as well.
Is any new material set to drop in 2010? Will we be blessed
with a debut album?
Well, I’ve got loads more singles on the way and a couple
of albums on the go. I have got another Red Rack’em EP on
Untracked out in February which has been getting Radio 1 play
from Gilles. Then I’ve got EPs coming out on Detroit house label
Undertones, Ctrl//Alt//Delete’s new label Shift plus the hot new
house label Home Taping.
Album-wise, I’m working on the Marlinspike album right now
which is a hybrid of 2-step garage and Detroit house/techno with
vocals - I’m hoping to get that finished mid-2010.
I’ve also just had the Hot Coins album (which is on the new
wave, post-punk disco tip) signed to a very exciting new label,
so I will be putting that together in the next few months as well.
So that’s this year taken care of…
Smugglers Inn is broadcast fortnightly, Wednesday nights
7-9pm at myhouse-yourhouse.net. The podcast is available from
redrackem.com - or search iTunes for ‘Smugglers Inn’.
myspace.com/redrackem
Red Rack’em is playing at the LeftLion Trinity Square Extravaganza on Saturday 13 February.
For more info visit leftlion.co.uk/trinity
15
FIGHT CLUB
It’s a concept that, to most people, evokes brutality, sadism and horror. Two men entering a cage and beating each other bloody until one can’t
stand up anymore. That’s not a TV sport, it’s ancient Roman stuff - that’s the end of civilisation, right?
But, the rising popularity of mixed martial arts, in both the US and now the UK, is undeniable. Many see it as the natural heir to
boxing as TV’s top combat sport and after a little investigation you can see why. For starters boxers can actually compete in it if
they are so inclined - but against wrestlers, kickboxers, karate masters and dozens of other fighters from various disciplines. It’s
hard on the eye at first, but also exciting, intriguing and competitive - and there is no match fixing to be had here.
words: Jared Wilson
photos: Matt Dalton, Dom
Henry and Lee Whitehead
Nottingham is currently the home of some of the best in the business and already a well-trodden route to the Americanbased Ultimate Fighting Championship (the leading world MMA body and already a multi-billion dollar business). Thanks to
trailblazers like Dan ‘The Outlaw’ Hardy and Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley - there is a tangible and growing scene in our city and behind
those bigger names stand a host of up-and-coming fighters. Read what some of them say about the sport and it might just
change your preconceptions...
“I’ve gone from being a scumbag going nowhere,
to a good fighter and a family man. I don’t go out
anymore, there are better things in life than that.
The sport has changed my life!”
“There needs to be more education and more workshops
out there for the kids. You tend to find that people who do
combat sports are much calmer and nicer people for it.”
Michelle Baron is a 28-year-old boxer from
Bestwood. She trains at Majestic boxing academy
and her current fight record is a mixed bag with
one win, one draw and one loss.
What would you say to people who think ladies shouldn’t
be fighters?
Times change. Women never used to be allowed to go to work.
If we were fighting men then I could see problems. But I don’t
think women should try and be masculine, there’s no reason to
do that. Just be a lady and treat it as a sport.
How often do you train in an average week?
I do my running in the morning before work. Then I work nine
‘til five and go to the gym afterwards. I take every Saturday off
and then on a Sunday I do a long run. It all pretty much stays
the same for me in the build up to a fight as well. How do you mentally prepare for a fight?
I’m usually quite relaxed. Mentally I think the best thing to do
is to stay calm and be confident in your own abilities. I’m a
Christian as well, so I pray a lot. What background do you have in combat sports?
Aside from the boxing I did Muay Thai, but I fractured my shin
in an accident. I also do a bit of Brazilian Jujitsu with some
friends who come down from Chesterfield - we show them our
boxing techniques and then they show us some of theirs.
16
Michelle ‘Warrior Queen’ Baron
How did you first get into this?
Boxing is something I’ve been into since I was about two
years old. I remember it was a treat to stay up late and watch
it on TV with my parents - and growing up I remained a good
observer of it. I was bullied when I was younger and when I
got to about fifteen I decided I wasn’t having it anymore and
knocked a boy out in school after he bashed my head on a wall.
So, after that, my parents sent me to some classes to get my
anger out.
What crosses your mind before you head out to the ring?
I always hope that I won’t break my nose as that wouldn’t look
nice. I get nervous about people watching me - I’m probably
more scared of tripping up on the carpet on the way in than I
am of the fight itself. But once I’m in there and the bell goes I
just switch off.
Do you have any pre-fight rituals?
The day before I always have a Dead Sea salt bath. Then on
the morning of the fight I always get my hair done. But these
are just because they make me feel better rather than for
superstitious reasons.
What music do you come out to?
A track called Done With It, a charity song by various
Nottingham rappers against gun and knife crime.
While out in town do you find yourself sizing up other
people and deciding whether you could have ‘em?
No. When I was younger maybe and when I worked on
nightclub doors - as I felt I had something to prove. But now
I’m much calmer. If I saw someone getting bullied or beaten up
then I’d have to intervene, but I wouldn’t try and hurt anyone.
If you could fight any celebrity who would you choose?
David Beckham - he needs to man up. I don’t like footballers
anyway and he’s too much of a girl. I wouldn’t really fight him
though; I’d probably just give him a bitchslap.
Anything else you want to say to our readers?
Thanks to my coach Barrington Brown, Nash at King of The
Ring and Clayton Byfield, founder and director of Done With It.
I think us fighters could all do with more support from
Nottingham as a whole. And the reason I’m supporting antigun and knife charities is because we’ve had too much street
violence in this city. Last year one of my friends, Bernard
Langton, was shot and killed on a night out and left behind
two kids and partner. There needs to be more education and
more workshops out there for the kids. You tend to find that
people who do combat sports are much calmer and nicer
people for it.
For more information on the charity Michelle supports visit
donewithit.co.uk
Jimmy Wallhead is a 25-year-old member of the
East Midlands-based Team Rough House, a feared
MMA crew known for producing well-respected
welterweight fighters. He currently holds three
titles (House of Pain British Champion, Cage
Gladiator British Champion and Clash of Warriors
World Champion) and is ranked in the top ten
welterweights in both the UK and Europe. His
professional record currently stands at nineteen
wins and five losses.
How often do you train in an average week?
I train at least once a day when I’m not fighting. But in the
build-up to a fight I take twelve weeks out and then increase
the schedule to two or three times a day. Sunday is always my
day of rest though.
Is this a full-time job for you now?
Yes. I’ve been full-time for almost three years on the British
circuit and picked up two British and one world title. That
got me noticed in America and I’ve just signed a deal with
a company called Bellator. So now my fights will go out to
150million in America on NBC, CBS and Telemundo. It’s a
pretty big deal… there’s a lot of money at stake.
Bellator are different to all the other MMA promoters - the
others just do single fights - whereas they do eight-man
tournaments. The promoters don’t choose who gets the title
shots, you have to beat everyone else to get one.
How do you mentally prepare for a fight?
Just by training hard. Training is harder than the actual bouts –
the fights themselves are fun. But training is miserable and you
have to do it every day.
I don’t even watch my old fights as it would be cringeworthy.
Obviously you gain experience throughout your fights,
but mentally you grow as well. The best things that have
happened to me are my losses - I’ve come back mentally
stronger and won eleven out of my last twelve.
The coaches around me are amazing and study the other
fighters I’m up against. They know everything about them in
advance - when he’s going to jab, when he’s going to shoot they could probably tell me how many times they blink during
a bout.
What background do you have in combat sport?
I started judo aged seven. I’d watched The Karate Kid and
loved it, but my mum took me to judo by mistake. There was
a guy called Rocky there who used to work with my dad
down the pit and he got me to stay. Within a few weeks I was
winning in competitions and ended up winning seven titles
and eventually competing in European championships.
How did you first get into MMA?
After I stopped judo I went off the rails and got in with a
bad crowd. But eventually I started training again and was
offered a fight on my previous credentials. At first I was awful,
throwing windmill punches, but I won a few like that as well
as getting my ass kicked a couple of times. Then Dan Hardy
and Owen Comrie came to me and said: “You’re a bit of a
nutcase, you’ve got a lot of aggression and you don’t have
any MMA skill, but we can work on that. Come train with us.”
I never looked back. It’s just spiralled ever since. I’ve gone
from being a scumbag going nowhere, to a good fighter and
a family man - I’m expecting my second kid soon, I don’t go
out drinking anymore, there are better things in life than that
and I’m happier than I’ve ever been. It’s wicked! The sport has
changed my life!
What crosses your mind before you head to the ring?
It’s a lot of tunnel vision. There’s are nerves and fear and I’ve
lost fights because of those. But you grow and learn to control
your fear and use it as a positive. When you realise he’s scared
as well and probably has more to lose than me - he’s a pretty
boy and I’m an ugly looking bastard - then you’re ready.
‘Judo’ Jimmy Wallhead
Yeah I have, but not as many anymore. At one point I wore the
same shorts for five fights running. I do a lot of stretching, hit a
few pads and then squirt water into my face to keep my head
cool.
Some promotions don’t let you come out to anything with
copyright for obvious reasons. But for the last few fights I’ve
come out to The Contender theme from the Sylvester Stallone
TV show. It’s pretty epic and gets me going.
While out in town do you find yourself sizing up other
people and deciding whether you could have ‘em?
Not at all. You can’t tell anything from a man’s size - looks can
be deceptive.
What do you do when you’re not training or fighting?
Training and fighting is pretty much all I do to be honest.
Though on off days I spend a lot of time with my daughter
playing princesses and watching films like Enchanted and The
Little Mermaid.
I don’t really dislike many people to be honest. Is Alex Reid
considered a celebrity yet? I’d fight him. I spent a bit of time
with him in Vegas and he’s a good guy. A bit weird at times,
but he’s been in this sport since the beginning. In theory
he should be the best MMA fighter in the UK. But for some
reason it’s never quite clicked for him. He’s a tough dude and I
respect him as a fighter and the exposure he’s got on Celebrity
Big Brother can only be good for the sport. But yeah I’d give
fighting him a go.
Find out more about Jimmy at jimmywallheadmma.co.uk
17
“For the last few minutes before a fight I’m
just buzzing to get in there, but that’s the
fun of it. If you didn’t have that feeling
then it wouldn’t mean anything.”
Mahmood ‘Persian Pride’ Besharate
Mahmood Besharate is a 31-year-old taekwando specialist from
Beeston who trains at the Cobra Gym and Sport Nottingham. Until
recently he fought in K-1 tournaments where he won nine fights and
lost three. He then switched to MMA where he won his first, and to
date only, fight.
How often do you train?
Usually twice every day. I do jogging, thai boxing, sparring, wrestling, running and loads of
work on my cardio. I always take Saturday as my day of rest.
Is this a full-time job for you?
I wish it was, but I need to work on the side as well. I’m an engineer by trade, but right now
I’m out of work so it gives me even more time to train.
Mahmood and Michelle are both scheduled to fight at King of The Ring 14
at Rock City on Sunday 28 February. For more information search for ‘King
of the Ring’ on Facebook. Tickets are priced £10 - £25 and are available to
buy from Sport Nottingham on 08700 347022.
How do you mentally prepare for a fight?
A week before I try to cut everything down and concentrate on my techniques. I’m quite a
relaxed guy, even before a fight - but when I step into the ring it’s a totally different story.
What background do you have in combat sports?
I’d been doing taekwando for over fifteen years. In 2006 I was in a fight against someone who
was really aggressive. I was beating him and so his brother jumped into the ring and tried to
knock me out. After that I decided it wasn’t the sport for me, so I trained with Owen Comrie
and started to win quite a few fights. In MMA you can use all different types of styles as tools
and it makes it more exciting - you constantly learn a lot of new things.
What crosses your mind before heading out to face your opponent?
For the last few minutes before a fight I’m just buzzing to get in there, but that’s the whole fun
of it. If you didn’t have that feeling then it wouldn’t mean anything - you can use those nerves
to make you perform better.
Not really. I just try to relax as much as I can because once you’re there you’ve got to go
through with it.
I’ve had quite a few different tunes, but my favourite is Jesus Walks by Kanye West. That’s my
knockout tune!
Who are your favourite other sports people?
Floyd Mayweather Jr is my current favourite. From the old school I used to love Bruce Lee - he
was my biggest inspiration when I was a kid! Oh and Masutatsu Oyama was an amazing guy.
While out in town do you find yourself sizing up other people and deciding whether you
could have ‘em?
No. I’m not into trouble and I’d just walk away from it. Most of us don’t go down town drinking
anyway - it would be bad for our performances.
What do you do when you’re not fighting?
I like having fun with girls. But I try not to let it get in the way of my training.
They say love and hate are intertwined. Is there anything erotic about fighting?
No. I don’t really know how to answer that. But no, there’s nothing sexual about fighting
for me.
I can’t really think of any. I get on with everyone as long as they’re cool with me.
What about Floyd Mayweather Jr?
Nah man. He’s in a different class to me - he’s gifted! Even if I trained for another 200 years
then I wouldn’t be able to catch him. And I’m not going to live that long.
Anything else you want to say to our readers?
Thanks to all the people who helped me out to get me where I am right now. My Thai boxing
coach Owen Comrie, Nathan Leverton from Shootfighters, my condition coach Guy Baker and
King of The Ring promoter Nash Somani. I couldn’t have done any of this without you.
19
Write Lion
Friday 5 February sees Write Lion present poetry from Leicester’s Word! at The Arts Organisation.
They’re really good (find out more at myspace.com/wordleicester). Come on down and introduce
yourself. It’s free entry all night and you can even bring your own booze!
We’ve also got our fourth Write Lion podcast out in early February and interviews with the authors
reviewed below online at leftlion.co.uk/literature
As You Pass
Shots Of The City
I’ll have mine fried thanks
What will you make of these circles the sun has made,
each in its own perfect halo of light?
A spider might stop, flinch, make itself small for shadows;
a fish choose just one, welcome its limits;
a heron, gaunt on guard, dive into its centre, clean;
a kitten pat its paw inside each one all morning long.
And you? What will you make of these circles the sun has made?
Crawl through them then, nose them apart.
Look, they are reforming, unfazed, even as you pass.
Mopping up
A small room in Shoreditch
Where things got trashed
Where the dirt of the cloud of the city
Particles of poisonous detritus
Settled like fallout
White linen peppered and flecked
With cancerous black canker
I still find bits, here & there
Yolkless,
cracked with intent of human destruction.
Sparrow’s spoken of the uncommon, it’s softness remnant of
polished metal,
of feathers that shine under street lights,
reveal no lack of lustre within that of a crow.
The siblings of those smaller shrink inside their shell,
kicked from the branch, inadequate souls.
Let us eat.
A Little Lost
A white rat from Camden
Watches TV from the curtain rail
While I, pressed between layers
Curled like an ammonite
Tried to make sense of the will to save life
I dressed in the grey ground floor light
Lived in the pages of ‘Breakfast At Midnight’
Penned by young Buster and Spike
While Great Ormond Street’s children
Slipped under the knife
Dream Musings II
by Cathy Grindrod
by Amy Elizabeth
Words echo and bounce in my throat,
tumbling upwards and grazing my tongue.
Like acid it spills and breaks;
into a foreign voice.
My eyes sting as rivers ebb and flow,
along the burning banks of my cheeks,
pouring salt into the wound.
When you died, I died.
My name around your neck.
Your hands around mine.
Evaporate
by Steve Pape
We watch the elect individuals
Step slowly forward into history
The faceless crowds
Hollow eyed immobility
This enigma of human identity
As noiseless as morning shadows
Unblinking, mad-bright into the sun
The centre of a limitless territory
Surfacing out of dreamlessness
Nerve centres reminds us of pain
These comfort humming’s,
Of womb like existence
Hazily encircled, the curse is cast
Imagination with a gleeful glare
The lonely solitary woods we cross
Simultaneous sighs of relief,
As recognition dawns
Gracious beauty, walking the earth
Emotional crisis, yet something divine
Words do not evaporate
Words seep invisibly in
by M_B
by Bella Bartok
This is where I mastered
The art of not talking
Stalking movements of London’s undone
Big Issue kings of the charity shun
Drearily huddled in Attica masks
Knowing neither praise nor disgrace
Whirling their standards all over the place
I tried not to touch them, except on the tube
Where, it was still OK to touch
This is me on my backside on Liverpool Street
Knocked down by some old Irish bother
Watching the foolscap dance over
The looming black whales of Bishopsgate
I crunched that rock salted road
Shattered crystals, like sharp settled snowstorms
Danced Sunday’s light to the siren’s whirring wail
While the masters, tucked away
In their Barbican beds
Slept like cotton wool babies
Polly and Sam lived on Charteris Road
Sam’s splintered childhood was seven years old
I held his young hand to lattice London’s streets
Seven Sisters, Jamaican Dumplings, Talmud, Tagine
Into Finsbury Park where his Mum liked to eat
Where we picked at the manacled mind
And I learned that old chestnut, to be cruel to be kind
Mother love or sex love?
Sam, I’m just passing through London
What have I to do with you?
by Sara
And so she departed these shores,
This plane..
Her grounded terrain..
Ever - loving - maintaining her sane…
And where is she now?
Four springs later?
From where the presence departed.
Life’s not been a bed of roses..
That life supposes…
Life’s not been the easy path…
Monumental cenotaph,
Life’s still here in all its faces.
People still meandering and settling in their places..
Love moves; forward, back, erases But replaces
To the universal spaces
That my terrain leads me eventually…
Beholds and graces...
A sonnet from Sven the Snowman
to the beautiful women of Nottingham
by Lord Biro
If you’re fed up with
watching the soccer
and would prefer
a friendlier game
come and play with
me and my snow balls
round the back of
Ye Olde Meadow Lane.
Mr. Bloody Sunshine
Make Less Strangers
The Sky, Head On
Mr. Bloody Sunshine is a fantastic
debut novel from another of
Nottingham’s fine repertoire of selfpublished authors. Dean works as
a droid in the soulless franchise
machine, serving pizzas to people
who can’t comprehend why there is
no large stuffed crust option.
This third publication from recently
formed Weathervane Press proves
conclusively that they are serious
about publishing local talent and,
perhaps more encouragingly, in
taking risks.
Cathy Grindrod was Derbyshire Poet
Laureate from 2005 to 2007 - but we
won’t hold that against her. Her fifth
collection The Sky, Head On has just
been published by the Beeston-based
Shoestring Press.
I say this because Make Less Strangers
is a debut not only by an unknown
and young author, but one which does
not conform to the usual narrative
structure. Set in the endless happy
hour of sex, self harm and substance
abuse that was early noughties Nottingham club culture, we are
taken through a fractured narrative that rapidly cuts between
characters as they collide on their hedonistic pursuits.
Characters in these poems are seeking
escape, their experience of life is often
weighed up and revealed through
observation of the natural world, while
evocative images of flowers echo from one poem to the next – as
ineffective herbal medicine, photographic subject and sexual
metaphor: “A girl stands waiting / waiting at a bus stop / arms
full of cornflowers / that uncompromising blue” and “waking
chilled / she finds herself alone / inside a foxglove field.”
On occasion the meanderings are quite beautiful, such as the
short sharp listing of details which punctuates the narrative.
At other times Wilcoxson is too adventurous and abstract,
potentially losing the reader’s attention. Overall, however, this is
an admirable 169-page gamble that reads like the bastard child
of Quentin Tarantino and Bret Easton Ellis. James Walker
Cathy’s poems have appeared in a number of publications and
anthologies through the years. Her skill at capturing intense
emotions with a reflective, original voice shines through in this
latest collection. Look out for Beeston Lock, The Nottingham
Mechanics on North Sherwood Street and a painting from
Nottingham Castle all making an appearance. Aly Stoneman
Adam Watts
Self-published, £4.99
The monotonous drudgery of his
mundane day-to-day life relents only
during those beautiful moments
of adrenaline-pumping intensity when he goes out on a kill; as
such, the pace of the story jumps and shifts according to the
protagonist’s state of mind.
Adam Watts articulates a whole range of cynical observations
through Dean’s often hilariously pessimistic rants about
people and society, which I somewhat worryingly found myself
completely agreeing with. Like a British working-class echo of
American Psycho, Watts’ graphic imagination is at times truly
horrific - an essential quality for any good purveyor of horror. All
signs point towards a bright future for this young novelist.
Jamie Rhodes
mrbloodysunshine.com
20
Steven Wilcoxson
Weathervane Press, £7.99
Cathy Grindrod
Shoestring Press, £8.95
weathervanepress.co.uk
shoestringpress.co.uk
You can now listen to one track from each review on our
Sound Of The Lion podcast. Visit leftlion.co.uk/sotl and
gerrit in yer tab!
If you want your tunes to appear on this page visit
leftlion.co.uk/sendusmusic
The Engines of Armageddon
The Engines of Armageddon
Album (Self-released)
The metal world is not exactly strong
right now. The charts are awash
with X Factor idiots, you can’t walk
into a shop without your ears being
assaulted by Lady Gaga and the
metal section of any big music shop is confined to a few tiny
rows at the back next to the bargain bin. But the Engines of
Armageddon are a world away from Simon Cowell’s protégés,
sounding like Hells Bells blasting out from the speakers on
opener Prologue. The band chop and change styles so fast
that it’s often hard to keep up with them, moving from early
Metallica-style thrash guitars, through to long, drawn out and
slow solos and numerous fade-ins accompanied by growling
singing. Songs like Shock and Awe and I Am A Suicide
Bomber show how accomplished this band already is, with
all three band members clearly being talented musicians. Full
marks to them for coming up with an album this rewarding
first time around. Engines Of Armageddon are willing to bring
all different styles to the table in an effort to produce a rarity
of late - a really exciting and individual metal album. As long
as bands like this are willing to try new things, the genre may
have a bright future after all. Lauren Walker Available to buy from Amazon or from the band’s website
enginesofarmageddon.com
In Isolation
Virus
Single (Self-released)
Glades
Glades
EP (Self-released)
Glades’ self-titled debut EP is an
interesting listen. The band list The
Album Leaf and Foals among their
influences. But they may wish to
consider adding Clap Your Hands Say
Yeah to that list, as opening track I’m
Not A Climber bears similarities to the American group’s
2005 debut album. The sound of Yannis Philippakis is evident
though on second track From A Different Town; this punchy
dance punk definitely wouldn’t be out of place in a packed
out Rescue Rooms. The three-track EP reaches its climax with
perhaps its best offering. Though its title One Day Bloater
Bill May Explode may seem to have little to do with the song,
you’ll be humming the guitar hooks for hours after. The band’s
range of artistic inspiration for this musical taster has served
them well; they produce a polished sound that sits up well
next to their contemporaries. Glades is a promising start from
the Nottingham and Leeds-based quintet, and you’d be well
advised to have a listen. This should be a definite purchase
in the new year for anyone of an indie disposition. If you wear
Belle and Sebastian t-shirts with pride and have a well stocked
Modest Mouse back catalogue, then buy it right now. Drew
Heatley.
Available from the band at gigs or to download from iTunes. myspace.com/gladesband
Lisa de’Ville
In Isolation are a four-piece band
based in Nottingham, boasting
a fizzying blend of contemporary
and eighties indie with new wave
and post punk. Virus is their latest
single, and this slab of angular
guitar rock, available as an mp3 download, is anything but
stark – it presents a slick and well-produced homage to new
romantic synth pop with a guitar-driven twist. Perhaps most
surprising and distinctive are Ryan Swift’s vocals which
teleport us back Tardis-style to the days of Simon Le Bon
lounging around on the deck of an enormous white yacht in a
flapping linen suit, or ABC’s Martin Fry flashing razor-sharp
cheekbones and offering himself up for Cupid’s target practice.
Don’t let this fool you though, for Virus is not pure eighties
pop. The track boasts a range of synth sounds that would put
Nick Rhodes’ paltry efforts to shame, all pinned together with
cascading guitar riffs and pleasantly evolving and slightly
mournful harmonies. The song avoids obvious pop structures
save for a rousing chorus which pulls it all together in style.
Perhaps the only downside is that complete with retrospective
vibe the lyrics, too, seem oddly dated, without the sharp
modern insight which might transform the track from an
evocative homage to something truly thought-provoking. On
the other hand, this song screams radio-friendliness and is sure
to win them some notice. Watch this space... Bod Fonda
Reverie
EP (Self-released)
It’s usually the dark and mysterious
things in life that are the most
intriguing and seductive, and this
is certainly the case here. Lisa
de’Ville is something of a veteran of
the local music scene having played in various bands including
Black Vinyl Heart. But now she is striking out on her own
and as a showcase for her vocal talents and heart-wrenching
songwriting, this EP hits the mark. Lisa has a beautiful
soaring voice which has the potential to cut your heart in two
it reaches its zenith with a haunting howl on Darkest Hours.
The raw, naked emotion on show is enough to melt the souls
of the most hardhearted people. Dark and twisting fingerpicked guitar melodies creep and crawl all over this EP, giving
it a rather autumnal and sombre tone. Blue glides along on a
simple yet sublime slide-guitar line that is one of those touches
that turns a song from good to “Oh my god this is great”.
Although Lisa comes across as introspective on this EP, you
get the feeling that she is no pushover and has an edge that
is only shown to those that truly deserve it. This EP proves
that the dark side is always the more attractive option. It is
a case of the sweetest songs being those that tell of saddest
thought. Paul Klotschkow
Available from Lisa’s website or at her gigs.
lisadeville.com
Available for download from iTunes.
inisolation.co.uk
Theorist
Weave Your Dreams
EP (Arboretum Records)
Some of the best times ever are those
long summer evenings spent just
lazily hanging out in the garden or
in the park with friends and loved
ones. Listening to Weave Your
Dreams offers a similar sensation for
me. Whether it’s through magic, trickery, brainwashing, or just
incredible songwriting (on evidence I suspect it’s the latter),
Becky Syson manages to bring those feelings of warmth and
optimism to her music. This is exactly the kind of thing you
want on these cold, dark and dreary winter evenings.
Becky seems to radiate positivity and this comes through
loud and clear in her music. For instance, the EP opens up
with Nancy Song, a story of lost love, but taken from the
viewpoint that it’s not lost forever as there are still the happy
memories and the possibility of seeing that person again on
‘the other side’. How heartwarming! There are points where
Becky’s voice is reminsicent of Harriet Wheeler from The
Sundays; smooth, vibrant, and full of spirit. Whilst musically,
the EP stays on the acoustic side of business, with occasional
flourishes of drums and guitars - especially on the jazzy On My
Way. The simple arrangements give the songs room to grow
and weave their magic on the listener. Paul Klotschkow
World Ful of Robotos
From mild-mannered Metal Mickey
to the terrifying T1000, the human
race’s relationship with robots has
always been a strained one. So acting
like the audio equivalent of Will
Smith in I, Robot, Notts born-andbred producer Theorist presents this
aural attack on a world of androids.
Best known under the name Zero Theory, his classic hiphop beats on local rhyme heavyweight Cappo’s Get Out 1
and 2 albums are legendary. These were followed up by a
proper vinyl EP release on Breakin’ Bread which, if you can’t
get hold of the homemade originals, you should definitely
buy. Theorist wastes no time with pleasantries, enquiring on
opener The Battery “How would you feel if you were the
only human in a world full of robots?”. No time to think as a
mighty drum track comes crashing in, rousing a war cry in the
listener before cinematic strings swirl through and there is
some reprieve. The album continues in much the same vein,
reflecting the otherworldliness of a struggle between man and
machine. Menacing soundscapes and haunting choral samples
are punctuated with mechanical whirrs. Digital beeps are at
odds with playful eighties action film-style guitar riffs. This
album is a masterpiece in production – and made entirely on an
old-school Ensoniq sampler. Isaac Asimov may have ruled that
a robot may not injure a human, but these ‘bots just killed it,
blud! Shariff Ibrahim
Avaialble to buy now from Becky Syson’s website.
becksyson.com
You can download the album for free at theorist.bandcamp.com
myspace.com/thetheorist
Becky Syson
Here’s To Tragedy
In The Shade Of 14th
EP (Self-released)
I’ve heard an old wives’ tale that
super tight skinny jeans increase the
blood flow between the heart and the
brain, and having a fringe over one
eye causes poor depth perception.
Here’s To Tragedy are more proof that
emo, like smoking, is bad for your health, but highly addictive.
This EP is a hotbed of infectious emo-tronica. Clearly schooled
by AFI’s Davey Havok, singer Six proves an expert in emo
crooning. “I’m gunna send shockwaves through your core” he
warns with a heart full of unnerving and perverse intent. The
title track conjures images of a glammed-up Enter Shikari. With
stadium rock choral anthemics and unpretentious guitar work,
In The Shade of 14th could ride comfortably on the airwaves
of their teeny emo peers. I Wish I Had A Girl Like Vikki Blows
is a 100mph drag race against the likes of Pendulum and The
Faint, while Spellbound is a shimmering bubble of pop rock.
Final track Caught In The Firing Line creates a slow burning
haunting sensation, urging the listener to “embrace only the
shadows” and “deny the warming light” before copping a feel
of its mate’s girlfriend in the Market Square. It would be easy
to cringe yourself into despair and pout a MySpace pose if the
songs weren’t punctuated by sharp electronic flourishes, flair
and an over-reaching passion. Andrew Trendell
Available from the band at gigs or through their MySpace.
myspace.com/herestotragedy
Mas Y Mas
La Bala
Album (Self-released)
La Bala, the third record from crosscultural musical conquistadors Mas
Y Mas is a deliciously rich mixture
of Latin rhythms, sensual rumba,
flamenco styles and fiery vocals.
The album is wonderfully against the grain compared to any
other music coming from Notts, no doubt due to its recording
location - the trio travelled to Havana in Cuba to collaborate
with a host of musicians and artists. In this respect they have
succeeded, creating a truly unique, warm and inviting record.
Travelling through a far-ranging spectrum of Latin-influenced
styles and encompassing a cornucopia of instrumentalists and
guest artists, La Bala reflects the efforts made to capture the
music and attitudes of Cuban life. It’s sung almost entirely in
Spanish and never before has a record made me want to learn
a whole new language in order to fully appreciate it. But even
if, like me, you lack skills en Español, the sensuous nature of
the vocals and the gorgeous flow of the lyrics still make it a
joy to listen to. The overall feel of this record is one of unity,
collaboration and connections, and just begs to be enjoyed
in the company of friends; so cook up some delicious food,
get some booze in, invite everyone you know and enjoy this
sensuous, warm Latino record. Sarah Morrison
Available from all major download sites, at gigs and through the
band’s website.
masymas.co.uk
WIGFLEX003
Shortstuff - Regression / Taylor Squeege (Split 12”, Wigflex)
Having a blossoming electronica label
on Notts’ doorstep is very significant.
Being too young and too far away
from Sheffield I was never privy to the
early days of the Warp label, which is
now considered the stuff of legend.
Now, however, I have the chance to follow an excellent label
from its humble beginnings, rejoice at their triumphs and
smile as their artists garner more much-deserved attention.
The first side boasts Shortstuff’s track Regression, which is
dominated by a great beat. The track starts simply enough
until the melodies all come in one at a time. Xylophone-like
sounds play off one another until a warbling synth fades in
and becomes the song’s central theme. It’s a great hook for a
dance night floor filler. Taylor’s Squeege opens like Pac-Man on
an incredibly pleasant mushroom trip – a computer blip motif
introduces the track and is slowly quashed by swathes and
waves of electronic squelches, beats and arpeggios which are
equal parts Autechre and Boards of Canada. The track slowly
evolves into a sort of electronic slow dance, surrounded in
mystery but with just enough impact and pace to keep folks on
their feet. Keep your eyes on Wigflex at all times, and if you
can attend one of their club nights then I’d advise you to jump
at the chance. Anthony Whitton
Available on vinyl from OhMyGosh records, Juno, Boomkat, and
Chemical UK. Download available from Beatport and iTunes.
wigflex.com
21
Illustration copyright © Tomi Ungerer and Diogenes Verlag AG Zürich
featured listing
LEFTLION
Christmas at Lakeside
LISTINGS Kick Out The Hams
Lakeside presents
February - March 2010
TICKETS ON-LION
Buying tickets for events in Notts? From the
latest DJs at Stealth to the latest bands at
venues like Seven and The Rescue Rooms,
you can get them all through our website,
at no extra cost. Even better, thanks to our
partnership with gigantic.co.uk, every time you
buy one through us some of the funds will go
towards LeftLion and a bit more goes to those
nice folks at Oxfam.
leftlion.co.uk/tickets
NEW YEAR, NEW MUSIC
It’s a brand spanking new year and with it
comes a whole bunch of bands for you to
check out around and about our fair city. From
eighties pop to nineties metal and cheese to
local talent to beatboxing and jazz - give your
tabs a boost with this lot: Pesky Alligators,
Spaceships are Cool, Chesney Hawkes, The
Curtis Whitefinger Ordeal, Lean Valley Band,
Nitzer Ebb, Marina and the Diamonds, Hot
Chip, Hadouken!, (Hed) PE, Katatonia, Burn
The Negative, Idle Hands, UK Beatboxing
Championships, Stiff Kittens and The Four Tops.
He may be flat, but he’s a hero!
If any band in the city deserves the ‘ones to watch’ tag, it’s The Swiines. Scott Bugg, Adi Young,
Daniel
Taylor
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upcoming new single, growing up with Britpop and giving Nottingham a right proper slap…
Adi, what inspired you to become a musician?
27 NOVEMBER - 3 JANUARYThe love of music. I started playing guitar at fifteen or so when
Light Night is back, for
its third year,
to CENTRE
Britpop was happening, listening to Ocean Colour Scene and Kula
LAKESIDE
ARTS
Shaker, and just wanted to be a rock star from then. Everyone
brighten up the dark landscape for the weekend
ALL
TICKETS
£7
went round school acting like they were Liam.
of 12-13 February; musial highlights include a
BOX
OFFICE
0115
846
7777
Leftlion and Dealmaker Extravaganza in Trinity
So how did the four of you link up?
WWW.LAKESIDEARTS.ORG.UK
Square. Our DJ-basedINFORMATION
line up includes sets
From two other bands, The Bets and The Arcane. We all got
from Red Rack’em, Vinyl Abort, Beatmasta Bill,
Winston Smith and Yassa Dealmaker. More info
at leftlion.co.uk/trinity
Valentine’s Day is the same weekend and for
the love birds amongst us there’s Pitty Patt’s
Romance O Rama, Burlesque Workshop and
Lovers Lounge. One venue worth a mention
is the soon to be re-opened Cross Keys in the
Lace Market, expect a sexy revamp of an old
haunt. Not to be forgotten, the host of regular
nights include Percussion, Wire and Wool,
Ghoul Garden, Dirty Filthy Sexy, Fade, Dollop,
Detonate, Acoustickle and Smokescreen. Not
impressed by that plethora of aural delights?
You may want to consult a doctor...
NOTTINGHAM CULTURE
If your new years resolution is to get a bit more
cultured then don’t be chucking money away
by heading dahn London Town, we’ve got it all
right here on your very doorstep.
Theatre-wise, there’s Those Magnificent Men,
The Land of Yes and No, Fakebook, Blood
Brothers and The Circus of Horrors.
Creating chuckles will be Dave Gorman, An
Audience with Trevor Francis, Comedy in the
Hood, Lee Mack and Jo Caulfield. Regular
nights include Just the Tonic’s Big Value
Comedy Showcases on Mondays and Gladdie’s
Night every last Monday of the month.
Visual art lovers have more choice than you can
shake a stick at - and a lot of it’s free: Star City,
Reservoirs of Darkness, Naomi Terry, [re]locate,
Portraits of a Jamaican Family and Dr. Sketchy’s
Anti-Art School.
For even more listings, check our
regularly updated online section
at leftlion.co.uk/listings.
If you want to get your event in this magazine
and on our website, aim your browser at
leftlion.co.uk/add.
22
together for a jam - just to play some music, ‘cos we were still
with our other bands. We didn’t want to break them up, but we
all just clicked and everything sounded great - so we formed The
Swiines.
What can punters expect from a Swiines gig?
An all round guarantee; visuals, music…people just wanna get
involved when they see us. It’s about music at the end of the day,
innit? We’re not just some typical indie band with jangly guitars.
It’s more full-on - people have said it’s a proper rock ‘n’ roll sound.
What’s your favourite gig been?
Rock City, when we supported Subways, was definitely the most
memorable. That was the biggest. I mean, we had roadies, and
could hear the cheering while we were backstage. But we were
talking about this the other day - we kinda prefer the smaller gigs.
We’ve had some good ‘uns at the Running Horse, really big energy
in there. It’s always great when you get along with the other
local bands. Personally, I love a sold-out gig with loads of people
from Notts; just turning up at Rock City or Social and it being full.
We’ve sold out gigs before, but somewhere big with everyone we
know in the crowd would be top.
Describe your songwriting process…
It’s nothing formal really - a lot of improvising, feeding off each
other. They usually come from one of Scott’s ideas, we’ll have a bit
of a jam and whatever comes out of it usually sounds pretty good.
Who are your heroes?
In recent years, Alex Turner - his lyrics
are just phenomenal. Going back,
the Gallagher brothers made the 90s
for me, it was happy days. And Kurt
Cobain - the whole grunge attitude
from when we were growing up.
And who are you listening to at the
moment?
The last album I bought was by
These New Puritans; they’re a bit off
the wall and very different. Twisted
Wheel as well - we’re supporting
them next month, so that’s a
massive bonus.
What’s the most rock ‘n’ roll thing
The Swiines have ever done?
Stopping cars on the M1 in a
massive traffic jam to give people
CDs, when we were drunk on the
way back from a gig in London.
We were all in the bus goading
each other. Things started to go
wrong after that, but I don’t really
remember much else…
You’re all put in charge of Nottingham for the day.
What do you do with the city?
Give it a slap! Make everyone get up off their arses - no one’s
allowed to stop in and watch Corrie or mong out on iTunes. We’d
put a gig on for everyone that the whole city could go to.
Tell us about your new single Stone Faced...
It’s being released in March - we recorded it with Guy Elderfield
at Random Recordings, who produced our last EP. He’s a legend,
that guy. I think it’s our best work; it was one of those songs that
just came together, straight from the off it just snapped into place.
It’s got a good solid melody and beat, it sounds quite commercial
but underground at the same time. We’re very proud of it. We’ve
had really good feedback so far.
Plans for the year?
We’re recording an album that will come out in the autumn, again
with Random Recordings. That’s an ongoing thing really, probably
near on a years worth of work - we want to take our time with it.
We’ve also got a new bass player, Rory, who’s quality. We really
want to play festivals, as many as we can; we’ve had positive
feedback so hopefully we’ll get to play some. We just want to get
the new tunes out really.
Anything else you need us to know?
Go and visit ooizit.com - we were one of their featured artists last
month. It’s like a new version of MySpace. We’re selling all our
tracks from there, and Amazon and Spotify. And come out and see
us play!
Catch The Swiines at the Bodega Social Club, supporting
Twisted Wheel on Thursday 18 February. Tickets are £7.50.
myspace.com/theswiines
nottingham event listings...
Monday 01/02
Friday 05/02
Rave Monsta Radio
The Loft
Free, 8pm - 1am
Marble
The Maze
£4 , 9pm
Plus Basement Forte and Bodukwe.
Notts in a Nutshell
The Maze
£3, 8pm
With The Franchise, Apollo,
Cavalry, Opium Toad and Stay For
The Festival.
Thursday 04/02
Sonny Side Up
Bonington Theatre
£10 / £8 conc , 8pm
Stan Sulzmann (tenor), Jim Mullen
(guitar), Steve Watts (bass) and
Tristan Mailliott (drums).
Wire and Wool
The Alley Cafe
Free, 8pm - 12am
With Undercats Hicks, Motormouth,
Beatmasta Bill, Cooper, Paul
Mincher and Jake Bugg.
The Wiyos
The Maze
£10, 7.30pm
Plus support
SIBA National Beer Festival
Canalhouse Bar and Restaurant
Free, 12pm - 1am
Runs until: 07/02
Mandy Tatton Band
The Hubb
Free, 9pm
Dive : FOAMO [Chew The Fat!]
The Market Bar
£3, 9pm
Dogma Presents MJ Cole
Dogma
Plus Casual P, Dawntreader and
Littlefoot.
Friday 05/02
Oceansize
Rock City
£10, 7pm
4am Forever
The Lion Inn
Free, 9pm - 11pm
Pesky Alligators
The Robin Hood
Free, 9pm
Put Two Sugars in it: Dolly
Disco
The Alley Cafe
Free, 8.30pm - 1am
Saturday 06/02
Percussion
The Loft
Free, 8pm - 1am
Arficeden
The Chameleon Cafe Bar
8.30pm
Plus Dutch Schultz, Beyond This
Point Are Monsters and Cyril Snear
Outriders
The Lion Inn
Free, 9pm - 11pm
Fade
Gatecrasher
£8 / £10, 10pm - 4am
Antonio Vendone, Paul Lyman,
Misst, Ben Rubin and DJ Wax on.
The Soul Ska Shakedown
The Golden Fleece
Free, 9pm - late
SAD!
The Chameleon Cafe Bar
£4 advance, 8pm
I’m Not From London
The Malt Cross
Free, 8pm - 12am
Spaceships Are Cool, Tim McDonald
and The Leisure Class, Dulcinea
and Owain-My Dark Star Rising.
Wholesome Fish
The Hubb
Free, 9pm
Julie Butler Fundraiser
The Central
£3, £4, 7.30pm
With Scarlet’s Wake, Tina Taylor,
Phil Ashmore, Sharp Knees and
Scotch Egg.
for more: leftlion.co.uk/listings
Nise Boys Do It Indoors
The skate kings of Notts keep rolling on
Established in 2007 and the only
independent skateboard company
that’s owned and run by Nottingham
skateboarders, Nise was born of the
need for somewhere to skate where
the British weather couldn’t drench
you and the police couldn’t nick you.
Founded by Benjamin Durnan-Fletcher
and his second-in-command Thomas
Siveyer, Nise commenced operations
by renting a studio space in Sneinton
and building an indoor ramp, creating
a safe, friendly environment for local skaters. Nowadays, they sell skateboard hardware and apparel on their website,
have just released their first DVD and are on the hunt for new places to install ramps.
The entire modus operandi of Nise is to keep it Notts (as borne out by their commitment to using local artists,
designers and manufacturers as often as possible). They also have a strong anti-minginess policy, with realistic
pricing, subsidising trips for younger skaters, and the fact that any profits go straight back into running the
project. If you’ve just taken up the sport, they should be your first point of contact. With over a century of boarding
experience between ‘em, they’re only a phone call or email away if you need help or advice, and they’re commencing
weekly tuition sessions at Southglade Leisure Centre between 12pm and 2pm every Saturday from February – so if
you want to hone your skills and get immersed in the Notts skateboard scene, email [email protected] for
further details.
niseskateboards.com
Sunday 07/02
Tuesday 09/02
Friday 12/02
Arficeden
The Chameleon
£3, 8.30pm
Plus Dutch Schultz, Cyril Snear ad
Beyond This Point Are Monsters
Bonsai Band!
The Malt Cross
Free, 8pm
Hot Pink 66
The Robin Hood
Free, 9pm
Wednesday 10/02
Hot Club De Paris
The Bodega
£6, 7pm
Lostprophets
Rock City
£22.50, 7.30pm
with support from Young Guns.
Miike Snow
The Rescue Rooms
£7.50, 7.30pm
She Keeps Bees
The Rescue Rooms
£7, 7.30pm
Chesney Hawkes
The Maze
£10 adv, 8pm
Tuesday 09/02
Thursday 11/02
NME Awards Tour 2010
Rock City
£15.58, 7.30pm
The Maccabees, Bombay Bicycle
Club, The Big Pink and The Drums.
Empirical
Bonington Theatre
£10 / £12, 8pm
Nathaniel Facey, Lewis Wright, Tom
Farmer and Shaney Forbes.
Rack and Ruin
The Maze
£4, 8pm
Notts in a Nutshell
The Maze
£3, 8pm
Last Call Home, Twenty Year
Hurricane and more tbc.
Cult 45s
Deli
The Hubb
Free, 9pm
DJ Bailey joins the Cult for one night only
Dogma Presents TRG
Dogma
Goli, Ashburner, Senate and Yosh.
The mighty Cult are one of the top dogs on the Notts dancefloor
scene, and renowned for bringing some of the most forwardthinking DnB artists in the game to Hoodtown - Fabio, Marcus
Intalex, Kubiks and Lomax, Commix, S.P.Y and Big Bud have all
played some blinding sets for Cult in recent months. And now
they’ve relocated to a cosy new home.
Friday 12/02
Fusion Club
The Loft
Free, 8pm - 1am
Dynamic (Good Looking records),
Kaysha, Beggar Su.
The recently refurbished Market Bar is the place to get all Culty
from now on, and there are three reasons why; the state-of-theart Funktion One sound system, the extended license that will
give you up to 4am to bust a move, and the fact that it’s one of
the skillest venues in Goosegate.
Idle Hands
The Lion Inn
Free, 9pm - 11pm
To celebrate Cult DnB sessions’ second birthday, they’ve lined
up Radio 1Xtra legend DJ Bailey to bless the decks on 5 March.
With over fifteen years service on the DnB scene, Bailey is
a highly respected icon of the genre whose bookings now
stretch across the globe, whilst his Radio 1Xtra show has been
grabbing many awards and accolades throughout its seven-year stint.
Rubber Room
The Maze
£3, 8pm
More importantly, Bailey is a veteran turntablist who was one of the original residents at the legendary Metalheadz
nights at the Blue Note club in London – so he’s not just going to roll up with a record bag and stand over the decks
all night. Having perfected his craft, this man is a DJ first and foremost, and he knows how to work a crowd.
Azonika (HQ), Muse (Happy Go Lucky) and Fonik (Everyday Junglist), alongside the ever-popular Cult residents
will be providing support ammunition on the night. Miss and get dissed. Oh, and don’t sleep on the monthly Cult
Radio sessions at leftlion.co.uk/radio for the best in Notts beats.
Cult Drum and Bass sessions second birthday, Friday 5 March. 10pm-4am. The Market Bar, 22 Goosegate, Hockley,
NG1 1FF. Tickets: £5.
wearethecult.co.uk
Pit of Curiosities
Pit and Pendulum
£3, 8pm – 11pm
With Alien Slime Wrestlers, The
Robot Girl, The Theremin Lizard
Lounge, Live Alien Autopsy, The
Brain and The Oracle.
Dollop
Stealth
£10, 10pm
with Erol Alkan and Rustie.
Saturday 13/02
Manière des Bohémiens
The Malt Cross
£3, 8pm
Reprogression
The Loft
Free, 8pm - 1am
Krusade
The Lion Inn
Free, 9pm - 11pm
Fade
Gatecrasher
£8 / £10, 10pm - 4am
Antonio Vendone, Gilly, Deep
Groove, Luke Black, Paul Sekhri,
Mark Cohan and DJ Wax on.
Pitty Patt Romance O Rama
Circus of the Casanova
The Bodega
£6, 8pm
With Cherry Deville, Ruby Rose,
Miles Away and Billie Rae.
Ghoul Garden
The Maze
£3.50, 8pm
Love Ends Disaster!
The Rescue Rooms
£3,, 7pm
Plus Stop Eject and Pope Joan.
Blaze Bayley
Rock City
£7, 7pm
Plus Sinocence.
Francis Dunnery
Deux
£20, 7pm
DJ Katie
The Hubb
Free, 9pm
Junk Yard
Gatecrasher
£8, 10pm – 4a,m
With Luke Black, Paul Sekhri and
Mark Cohen
Flight Club
Muse
Free before 10pm / £4, 9pm - 3am
Fenech-Soler
Stealth
£5, 10.15pm
leftlion.co.uk/issue33 23
event listings...
Sunday 14/02
Friday 19/02
Pitty Patt Burlesque Workshop
The Bodega
£15, 1.30pm
Nitzer Ebb
Rock City
£15, 7pm
Lovers Lounge
The Maze
£2, 6pm
UK Beatbox Championship
The Rescue Rooms
£7, 8pm
Me and Mr Jones
The Hubb
Free, 9pm
Toasted Frog
The Lion Inn
Free, 9pm - 11pm
Monday 15/02
{Eklectic}
The Maze
£4 / £5, 9pm – late
Goli and Ashburner, 25 Past
the Skank (Live), Hanuman,
Still Motion, Beatmasta Bill and
Thinkyman.
Acoustickle
The Maze
£3, 8pm
Hot Chip
Rock City
£17.50, 7.30pm
The Lost Levels
The Bodega
£5, 8pm
Tuesday 16/02
Club Vadar
The Maze
£3 / £4, 8pm
Bonus Beyond, Sideways Falling
and Arcanite Reaper.
The Jon Allen Band
The Rescue Rooms
£8.50, 7.30pm
Blonde Louis
The Bodega
£5, 7pm
MuHa
The Malt Cross
Free, 8pm
Wednesday 17/02
Futures
Rock City
£6, 7pm
Richie Muir
The Approach
Free, 9pm
Holly Williams
The Maze
£10, 7.30pm
Marina and the Diamonds
The Bodega
£8.50, 7pm
Thursday 18/02
Nik Kershaw
The Rescue Rooms
£16, 7.30pm
Gracious K (Migraine Skank)
Stealth
£5, 7pm
Shine!
The Maze
£tbc, 7.30pm
A club night for those with learning
disabilities.
An Audience with Billy Davies
The Approach
£10 - £30, 7pm
Is the Premier League Calling?
Ben Martin Band
The Hubb
Free, 9pm
Straight Lines
Rock City
£6, 7pm
Twisted Wheel
The Bodega
£7.50, 7pm
Dogma Presents Brooks
Brothers
Dogma
Free, 8pm
With Brookes Brother, Transit Mafia
and MC Ruthless.
24
Swansong
The Robin Hood
Free, 9pm
Papa La Bas
The Hubb
Free, 9pm
Misst
The Market Bar
£5, 10pm
with Cluekid, Jack Sparrow, Misst,
Laurent and Em-T Thoughts.
30 Seconds to Mars
Trent FM Arena
£20.43, 7.30pm
Saturday 20/02
Wholesome Fish
The Malt Cross
£3.50, 8pm
Kris Ward
The Approach
Free, 9pm
Oh My Gosh! - Boom Bap
The Loft
Free, 8pm - 1am
Four Deck set with Squiggley and
Furious P.
Evil Scarecrow
Rock City
£5, 7pm
Plus special guests Sons of Merrick
and Isolysis.
Elvis Fontenot and the
Sugabees
The Lion Inn
Free, 9pm - 11pm
Stiff Kittens
The Bodega
Free, 10pm – 1am
Fade
Gatecrasher
£8 / £10, 10pm - 4am
Antonio Vendone, Paul Lyman,
Lost, Evil Nine, R-A-K-I-T/Plax,
That DJ / Laina and DJ Hudson,
Smokescreen
The Maze
£5, 10pm - 4am
So Many Dynamos
Stealth
£5, 10.15pm
Jennifer Batten
Deux
£35, 1pm - 4pm
Get guitar lessons from Michael
Jackson World Tour member.
Ale’d Basford
No Roar deals at The Lion at
Basford
Standing under the striking shadow of the old
Shippos Brewery, The Lion at Basford is a gem in the
rough of traditional pubs, drawing in both locals and
Real Ale fiends far and wide. Not only does it stock
a veritable cornucopia of non-Pissy Bir beverages,
but it’s also rammed with history; its beer cellars are
part of the original Nottingham cave network and
are some of the deepest in the city.
Playing host to regular regional CAMRA festivals,
it has a longstanding reputation as one of the best
traditional pubs in Notts, with up to a dozen cask
ales on permanent standby. At least two are local
beers. Microbreweries don’t get overlooked either. As you’d expect, the snap is traditional too, with snacks, light
bites and grills a-plenty on offer – as well as curry-and-a-pint for £5.95 on Wednesdays.
Ale and food is not all that The Lion offers though, oh no; it’s a quality live music venue too, with their Sunday lunch
jazz sessions, Tuesday night blues jams and their Thursday open mic evening. With good jazz not that easy to find
in Nottingham, the former has been a staple of The Lion for fifteen years, putting it head and, er, mane above the
rest. Well worth a short tram hop.
44 Mosley Street, New Basford, Nottingham, NG7 7FQ
thelionatbasford.co.uk
Monday 22/02
Thursday 25/02
Saturday 27/02
Catch Me I’m Naked
The Maze
£tbc, 8pm
With Cubrik and Numinous.
This City
Rock City
£3, 10pm
Ready Steady 60’s
The Maze
£tbc, 7.30pm
The Brothers Movement
The Bodega
£5, 8pm
Roger Clyne and The
Peacemakers
The Maze
£10, 7.30pm
Plus Owen Harvey.
DirtFilthySexy February
The Central
£3 /£4, 8:30pm - 2am
Electroflex, Rainbow Down, DJ
Heathen, DJ Girl Scout and Lady
Wildside.
Noisettes
Rock City
£14, 7.30pm
Tuesday 23/02
Cole Stacey
The Maze
£5, 8pm
Mastodon
Rock City
£16, 7.30pm
Wednesday 24/02
Bizarre presents
Rock City
£11, 6.30pm
Chipmunk, Daisy Dares You, Tinie
Tempah and Skepta.
Notts in a Nutshell
The Maze
£3, 8pm
The Rutherfords, Allotment
Collective, Noel Street, The Hubirs
and more tbc.
Pesky Aligators
The Lion Inn
Free, 9pm - 11pm
These Monsters
The Old Angel
£tbc, 8.30pm
Plus Alright The Captain.
Old Basford
The Hubb
Free, 9pm
Sould
The Robin Hood
Free, 9pm
Detonate - 11th Birthday
Stealth
£10 / £12, 10pm - 5am
With DJ Marky, Joker, Gentelmens
Dub Club (Live), Total Science,
Jubei, Transit Mafia and more tbc.
Saturday 27/02
The Heavy
The Bodega
£6.50, 7pm
Soasis
The Rescue Rooms
£10, 7pm
Nick Harper
The Rescue Rooms
£10, 7.30pm
Tee Dymond
The Approach
Free, 9pm
Thursday 25/02
DJ Cosmos B’day Bash
The Loft
Free, 8pm - 1am
Sunday 21/02
Mick Coady Quartet
Bonington Theatre
£10 / £12, 8pm
Robbie Robson, Peter King, Ross
Stanley, Mick Coady and Steve
Keogh.
John Gomme
The Hubb
Free, 9pm
Local Natives
The Rescue Rooms
£9, 7pm
Folkwit Sunday
The Robin Hood
Free, 8pm
Jason Steel and Prints
In The Snow.
Toby Kennedy Trio
The Hubb
Free, 9pm
Rock City
£10, 7.30pm
Friday 26/02
Swimming
The Bodega
£5, 8pm
Imperial Days
The Loft
Free, 8pm - 1am
Moonbuggy
The Robin Hood
Free, 9pm
The Garden Get Together
presents:
The Maze
£5, 10pm - 3am
With The Revenge, Nick Shaw and
Ed Cotton.
Sack Sabbath and Iron on
Maiden
Rock City
£10, 7pm
Ronnie Londons Groove Lounge
Grosvenor
£3 before 11pm, 8pm - 1am
Sunday 28/02
The Sunday Sessions
The Robin Hood
Free, 6.30pm
Blackheart
The Rescue Rooms
£12, 7.30pm
Monday 01/03
Tom McRae
The Rescue Rooms
£15, 7.30pm
Plus Brian Wright.
The X Factor Live Tour 2010
Trent FM Arena Nottingham
£23.50 - £28.50, 7.30pm
First Aid Kit
The Bodega
£8, 7pm
Notts in a Nutshell
The Maze
£3, 8pm
Paradox, Out From Shadows, Made
In The Shade and Minority Theory.
New Tricks
The Lion Inn
Free, 9pm - 11pm
Giggs
Stealth
£8, 7.30pm
Fade
Gatecrasher
£8 / £10, 10pm - 4am
Eric Prydz, Antonio Vendone,
Paul lyman, The Elementz Sound
System and DJ Angelo.
Fionn Regan
The Bodega
£8, 8pm
Tuesday 02/03
Saturday 06/03
Tubelord and Tall Ships
The Chameleon
£6, 7.30pm
Trivium
Rock City
£16.50, 6.30pm
Tinchy Stryder
Rock City
£14, 7.30pm
Nat Johnson and The Figureheads
The Bodega
£5, 7pm
Wednesday 03/03
Borderline
The Hubb
Free, 9pm
The Stranglers
Rock City
£23, 6.30pm
Revolution Sounds
The Maze
£6, 8pm
The JB Conspiracy, Anti-Vigilante,
Solution Against, Addictive Philoshy
and more tbc.
Thursday 04/03
Carlene Carter
The Maze
£17, 7.30pm
Hadouken!
The Rescue Rooms
£12.50, 7pm
Friday 05/03
Splinter
The Robin Hood
Free, 9pm
Heaven’s Basement
Rock City
£7.50, 7pm
Saturday 06/03
Percussion
The Loft
Free, 8pm - 1am
Fade
Gatecrasher
£8 / £10, 10pm - 4am
De10SsHn Sound: 7th Bday!
Image Bar
£5, 9pm - 4am
Sunday 07/03
Vader
The Central
£12, 6.30pm
Plus As You Drown, Divine Chaos,
Lordaeron and Threnody.
(HED) PE
The Rescue Rooms
£10, 6.30pm
Threat Signal and Attila.
Tuesday 09/03
Lisa Mitchell
The Bodega
£6.50, 7pm
Audio Bullys
The Rescue Rooms
£12.50, 7.30pm
ATC/ BTPAM - Split EP Launch
The Chameleon
£3, 8.30pm
Wednesday 10/03
Gift of Gab
The Rescue Rooms
£10, 7.30pm
Katatonia
Rock City
£9, 7pm
Valentia’s Day
Star City: The Future Under Communism
Nottingham Contemporary set the bar high with their debut exhibitions
from Francis Stark and David Hockney, and it seems they aren’t going to
drop their standards anytime soon. As part of Polska! Year of Polish Culture,
Star City is a major – and unprecedented – exhibition inspired by science
fiction and futurology under Cold War communism during the sixties and
seventies. This, according to co-curator, Lukasz Ronduda, was “the last time
people living in Warsaw Pact countries believed in the future.”
Star City - named after the USSR’s secret cosmonaut base - showcases
leading artists of the post-communist European art scene who revisit how
the future was experienced and imagined from the other side of the Iron Curtain, and explain why those visions are
important today. The list of artists is too extensive to mention but, impressively, over half of the works on display
have been commissioned especially for the exhibition. Pieces featured range from film to print to installations
to sculptures. In addition, there will be a range of real objects from the Space Race and Soviet popular culture,
including propaganda posters, sci-fi toys and a life-sized sputnik replica.
The works within Star City are by turns socio-political and imaginary, melancholic and absurd, ravishing and
esoteric. One of the highlights includes a huge sculpture, by Tomaszewski and Malinowska, of the first woman in
space, Valentia Tereshkova. The piece will occupy the entire 300-metre square room - appropriately named, The
Space – and you’ll be able to enter the cosmonaut-cum-deity through revolving doors that are situated between
her open legs, which isn’t an invitation anyone should turn down in haste. Tobias Putrih will be building a retrofuturistic cinema, made from the glass walls of a seventies Yugoslavian supermarket, to accommodate the screening
of Narkevicius’s alternative ending to the Tarkovsky’s seventies cult classic, Solaris.
Star City: The Future Under Communism looks to be an important, ambitious and impressive exhibition that
shouldn’t be missed by young or old. Equally, it will emphasise the space that Nottingham Contemporary has to
offer as a gallery.
Star City, 13 February-18 April 2010, Nottingham Contemporary, Weekday Cross, NG1 2GB
nottinghamcontemporary.org
Wednesday 10/03
Wednesday 10/03
Friday 12/03
The Invisible
The Bodega
£7, 7pm
L-VIS 1990
The Market Bar
£3, 9pm
The 69 Eyes
Rock City
£11, 7pm
Thursday 11/03
Friday 12/03
Brazilica
The Hubb
Free, 9pm
Fusion Club
The Loft
Free, 8pm - 1am
Dynamic (Good Looking Records).
Kaysha, Beggar Su and Ikaro.
Aba-Shanti-I Soundsystem
The Maze
£5.99, 8pm - 2am
Dag For Dag
The Bodega
£6, 8pm
Saturday 13/03
Karnivool
Rock City
£8, 7.30pm
25
event listings...
Saturday 13/03
Friday 19/03
Reprogression
The Loft
Free, 8pm - 1am
NorthSea International
The Robin Hood
Free, 9pm
Ghoul Garden
The Maze
£3.50, 9pm
The Hidden Cameras
The Bodega
£11, 7pm
DJ Mark Hughes
The Hubb
Free, 9pm
Edguy
The Rescue Rooms
£15, 6.30pm
The Pitty Pat Club
The Bodega
£6, 8pm
Saturday 20/03
Bluejaks
The Robin Hood
Free, 9pm
The Shakes
The Malt Cross
£3.50, 8pm
Monday 15/03
Fun Lovin’ Criminals
Rock City
£17.50, 7.30pm
Autechre
Stealth
£10, 8pm
Rob Hall, Russell Haswell and Didjit.
Friday 19/03
Stumble inda Jungle
The Maze
£3, 9pm
Geoff Farina and Chris Brokaw
Lee Rosy’s Tea Shop
£5, 7:30pm
Pressure Drop
The Hubb
Free, 9pm
Spunge
Rock City
£10, 7pm
26
The Fillers
The Rescue Rooms
£10, 7pm
Him
Rock City
£20, 6.30pm
Lean Valley Band
The Hubb
Free, 9pm
Sunday 21/03
Turin Brakes
The Rescue Rooms
£16.50, 7.30pm
Stiff Little Fingers
Rock City
£15, 7.30pm
Brother Ali
The Bodega
£8.50, 7.30pm
Wednesday 24/03
Thee Silver
The Rescue Rooms
£13.50, 7.30pm
Thursday 25/03
Northgate Slide
The Hubb
Free, 9pm
Scribe
Vibe
The cream of East Midlands writers are linking up in Loughborough - and LeftLion
want to get you in for nowt
Attention, wordsmiths looking to take a huge step in their literary careers: quite possibly the most intelligent
thing you could do all year would be to attend the Writing Industries Conference, held in March at Loughborough
University. WIC 2010 will bring together writers from across the East Midlands professionals from the writing
industries to share knowledge, develop skills and forge new contacts.
200 writers from the region will have the opportunity to hear from and meet with writing industries professionals in
a variety of settings: there’ll be a series of panel discussions exploring specific areas of writing, from breaking into
commercial publishing to working in the community (including our own Editor, Al Needham, gobbing off about his
sex blog Todger Talk). There’ll be a fair featuring stalls from local publishers, funders and other organisations. And
there’ll be plenty of opportunity to meet, talk, chat up and God knows what else with others over a coffee.
Perhaps because Writing East Midlands and the Literature Network are helping to coordinate the conference
there is a real writer-focused emphasis to the events, the culmination of which is the opportunity to have one-toone sessions with agents and editors. That’s right, you read correctly: there’s an opportunity to physically talk
to someone important about your own work, although places for this are limited - see writingindustries.com for
application details.
Tickets for this event are going for £42, but LeftLion would like to offer one lucky member from our forum a bursary
to attend WIC 2010. Details of how to apply can be found on the WriteLion 4# podcast, which will feature further
information from conference coordinators Aly Stoneman, Damien Walter and Catherine Rogers.
Writing Industries Conference, Saturday 6 March, Loughborough University / writingindustries.com
Thursday 25/03
Friday 26/03
Saturday 27/03
Run, Walk!
The Chameleon
£3, 8.30pm
Plus Aged Yummy, Fake Broken
Legs and With Knives.
Funky Thump
The Loft
Free, 8pm - 1am
Burn The Negative
Stealth
£5, 10.15pm
Nachtmystium
Rock City
£8, 7pm
Plus The Psyke Project.
Ronnie Londons Groove Lounge
Grosvenor
£3 before 11pm, 8pm - 1am
The Jim Jones Revue
The Bodega
£8.50, 7pm
Woody Pines
The Maze
£10, 7.30pm
The Four Tops
Trent FM Arena Nottingham
£38, 7pm
The Temptations, The Drifters,
The 3 Degrees.
Islands
The Bodega
£8.50, 7pm
Smokin’ Hogs
The Robin Hood
Free, 9pm
Saturday 27/03
Emery
The Rescue Rooms
£10, 7pm
Sunday 28/03
Nearly Dan
The Rescue Rooms
£10, 7.30pm
Zebrahead
Rock City
£10, 7.30pm
The Sunday Sessions
The Robin Hood
Free, 6.30pm
THEATRE
Monday 01/02
The Circus of Horrors
Royal Centre
£14 - £33, 7.30pm
Wednesday 03/02
The Gay Man’s Guide
Lace Market Theatre
£6 / £7, 7.30pm
Friday 05/03
Danza Contemporanea de Cuba
Nottingham Playhouse
£12.50 - £20, 7.30pm
Runs until: 06/03
Tuesday 09/03
Those Magnificent Men
Lakeside Arts Centre
£12 / £15, 8pm
Runs until: 06/11
Wednesday 10/03
Tuesday 09/02
A Number
Lace Market Theatre
£6 / £7, 7.30pm
Runs until: 13/10
Poetry in the Hood
Robin Hood
Free, 8.30pm
With John Micallef and The Mullet
Proof Poet.
Our Day Out
Nottingham Arts Theatre
£7 - £10, 7.30pm
Runs until: 13/02
Thursday 11/02
Forever Young
£10 - £20, Various times
Runs until: 27/02
Thursday 18/02
Antigone
Sandfield Theatre
£7, 7.30pm
Runs until: 19/02
Friday 19/03
A Day of the Death of Joe Egg
£7 - £26.50, Various times
Runs until: 03/04
Friday 26/03
Fakebook
£5 / £6, 8pm
Opening in November 2009, Cuadros Contemporary Art
Gallery is situated within Hockley (inhabiting the space that
was formerly Plank) and cements the city’s reputation as the
fastest-growing
art scene in the UK.
The aim of Cuadros is to celebrate local and international
artists by sourcing, displaying and selling artwork at
reasonable prices. A mere nose around its cosy duplex space
tells you all you need to know; impressive original pieces
alongside signed, limited edition prints by world class, highly
collectable artists.
Prior to opening Cuadros, owner George managed a chain
of galleries, which gave him the impetus to support and
represent artists of his own taste. Cuadros has also been set
up to help in the promotion and education of contemporary
approaches to art in Nottingham, whilst bringing the personal
touch which can often be lost in commercial art spaces.
The gallery is also proud to represent graffiti artists Urban
Canvas who specialise in large-scale street art for community
projects and developers as part of Nottingham’s regeneration
schemes. Jon Burgerman and Tim Lee are just two of the
many local artists making waves internationally that the space is keen to promote. Upcoming events will include
everything from one-man shows to group exhibitions, making Cuadros well worth a visit.
Blood Brothers
Royal Centre
£12 - £32.50, Various times
Runs until: 10/04
Monday 01/02
Saturday 13/02
Sunday 14/02
[re]locate by Tahera Aziz
New Art Exchange
Free, 10am - 7pm
Runs until: 10/04
Star City
Nottingham Contemporary
Free, All day
Runs until: 17/04
How was the future imagined
under Communism?
Real Deal Comedy Jam Tour
‘Valentines Special’
NTU Union
£10, 7.45pm - 10.45pm
Drew Fraser, Annette Fagon, Kurt
Metzger, Wayne Rollins and Kat.
Measure and Purpose
Surface Gallery
Free, All day
Sunday 21/02
Dr Sketchy’s Anti Art School
Nottingham
Escucha
£8, 1pm - 4pm
Hui-Chen-Lin
Free, All day
Runs until: 21/02
Thursday 25/02
Pavillion Commissions
Free, 11am-5pm
Runs until: 28/02
Work by Frederico Câmara, Steffi
Klenz, Stephen Vaughan and
Tomoko Yoneda.
The Land of Yes and The Land of No
£8.50 - £18, 8pm
There’s a new art gallery in town - but it’s
not in the Lace Market...
Cuadros. 1A Heathcoat Street, Hockley, NG1 3AF.
EXHIBITIONS
Monday 01/02
Tuesday 02/03
Cuadrophenia
Monday 29/03
Saturday 20/02
Beating Burlosconi
£12 / £15, 8pm
Runs until: 26/2
The Meaning of Style
New Art Exchange
Free, Mon - Fri 10am - 7pm, Sat
10am - 5pm
Runs until: 10/04
cuadros.co.uk
Portraits of a Jamaican Family
New Art Exchange
Free, All day
Runs until: 13/02
Tuesday 02/02
Naomi Terry - In a city not too
far away...
The Wasp Room
Free, Thu-Sun, 12pm - 5pm
Runs until: 21/01
Monday 22/02
The perfection of the iMperfect
Surface Gallery
Free, All day
Runs until: 27/02
Friday 05/02
Friday 26/02
Tacitly Speaking
Backlit
Free entry, 12pm - 5pm
Runs until: 21/02
Reservoirs of Darkness
Free, All day
Runs until: 11/04
Lens Flair
Pan-global Picciness at Lakeside this Feb
Throughout February, Pavilion Commissions are exhibiting new works by four
photographers at Lakeside Arts Centre. Pavilion collaborates with artists on the
research and production of lens-based work that resonates with contemporary
culture, giving the viewer a fresh and broad range of ideas and images to consider.
Frederico Camara takes an ethnographic approach to his photography, extending his Stephen Vaughan, Ultima Thule
research to examine our inability to re-create natural environments within zoos or to
preserve them in the wild. Steffi Klenz examines the unusual Naiku shrine, a Japanese
Shinto temple, which is dismantled and re-built every twenty years. In a process akin to Chinese whispers, she only
worked with models of the shrine and her only references to it were images and stories.
Stephen Vaughan’s pieces also consider Japan; his interest is with the Shiretoko region, a geologically unstable
landscape which links to his previous works that look at significant points on the tectonic map. Finally, Tomoko
Yoneda focuses on human relationships in modern culture, her photographs examine alienation, technology,
spirituality and compassion.
Pavilion Commissions, until Sunday 28 February
Ice Ice Baby
Icebreaker smash into Lakeside
Founded over twenty years ago and now one of the most unique new music groups in Britain, Icebreaker are a
thirteen-piece group whose unusual instrumental combination includes pan-pipes, saxophone, electric violin,
guitars, keyboards, accordion and cello. Always amplified, Icebreaker create music that appeals to contemporary
classical, rock and alternative audiences alike.
No strangers to playing in both Europe and the United States, they’ve clocked up appearances at The Huddersfield
Contemporary Music Festival, the Warsaw, Aurhus, Gent, Grenoble and Budapest festivals and the NYYD Festival
in Estonia. They’re one of the few bands in the world who have their own dedicated festival, at the Wiener Musik
Galerie in Austria - get them. Other notable appearances have taken place in New York’s Carnegie Hall and
London’s Barbican– meaning that this intimate gig promises to be very special indeed.
Icebreaker, Wednesday 24 February at Lakeside Arts Centre, University Park, NG7 2RD. Tickets £15/£12 conc.
lakeside.org.uk
Saturday 06/03
Without from Within
Free, All day
Runs until: 03/05
COMEDY
Tuesday 02/02
Count Arthur Strong
£12 / £15, 8pm
Runs until: 03/03
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Maze
£4 / £5, 8pm
Sunday 07/02
Comedy in the Hood
Robin Hood
Free, 8pm
Pete Smith, Dave Dinsdale, Paul
Savage, Lee Grant and Johnny
“Shawaddywaddy” Sorrow.
Saturday 13/02
Dave Gorman
Royal Centre
£18.50, 8m
Chris Addison
£15, 7.30pm
Monday 22/02
Pub Poetry Nottingham
Canalhouse
Free, 8pm – 10.30pm
Thursday 25/02
An Audience With Trevor
Francis
Approach
£10, 9pm
Saturday 27/02
Steve Royle
Bunkers Hill Inn
£7 adv, 7.30pm
Thursday 04/03
Lee Mack
Royal Centre
£18.50, 8pm
Thursday 18/03
Jo Caulfield
£12 / £15, 8pm
Tuesday 23/03
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Maze
£4 / £6, 8pm
Saturday 27/03
Marc Lucero
Bunkers Hill Inn
£7 adv, 7.30pm
Plus Rob Heeney, Tom Goodliffe
and Spiky Mike.
Brian Higgins
Strathdon
£10 (£15 with meal), 8pm
Alfie Moore, Pete Smith and Spiky Mike.
27
There’s nothing we like more at LeftLion than stuffing our fat swedes with a load
of good scran. So in the second instalment of our food page we check out some
more places to eat in Notts...
words: Jared Wilson and Al Needham
LE BISTROT PIERRE
JAMCAFE
RIPPLE
If you want an example of a restaurant that knows what
it’s on with, look no further than across from Viccy Centre
at the queues hanging out the door of Le BP on a weekday
dinner hour. There’s several reasons for this; it’s Frenchified
without being up itself, it’s a cut above the average restaurant
without making humping motions against your wallet (having
practically taken ownership of the Outstanding Value title at
the Nottingham Restaurant Awards last decade). Plus, the
snap is - as they say on the banks of the Seine – well propeur,
mon duque.
It’s probably better known as a coffee shop and a music
venue around these parts, but the Hockley-based JamCafe
do a great line in tasty and ethically-sourced food, too. The
moment you walk in, you immediately sense a laid-back and
creative atmosphere. With big leather sofas or dining chairs to
sit on, intriguing sixties and seventies memorabilia adorning
the walls and a consistently good selection of music, they
definitely have plenty of style. Plus when we ate there they
played Tom Waits songs all night too. Result!
Ripple is a small, but perfectly formed, café bar restaurant
in the heart of Sherwood. All their food is made from fresh
ingredients, with a massive selection of vegan, veggie and
gluten-free fare on offer.
Haw hee haw hee haw
Where to start? Well, the décor’s minter than an entire kitchen
wall that has been tiled with After Eights. It’s continental,
but not overtly so – don’t expect to be assailed by accordion
players on bikes with onions slung round their necks. Once
you’re in, you forget that you’re virtually next door to a TK
Maxx, and that’s the main thing.
The food? Well, there’s loads of it. We got stuck into the
saucisson de toulouse (£4.95) - a smattering of sausage and
poached duck egg served with a warm tomato dressing, and
the fromage grillé (£4.95), cheese on toast that really thinks it’s
summat, with a hunk of St. Marcelin on sourdough, with pear
chutney on the side.
The mains were gargantuan. The 8oz rump steak (£13.50)
was a slab of Scottish cow done to perfection, with a tangyas-blinkin’-flip red wine and caramelised red onion reduction.
Meanwhile, the rope-grown moules mariniéres (£12.50)
practically filled a massive saucepan with fishy, creamy,
shalotty goodness and took ages to get through.
We managed to fit in a chocolate brownie and a tarte au citron
that made my tabs burst into hysterical laughter (£4.50) and a
couple of Irish coffees before being rolled out onto the street by
the helpful but not over-fussy staff (tip: seeing as being French
or French-Canadian appears to be a requirement of the job,
don’t bother trying to impress your mates by pronouncing the
dishes properly to the floor staff unless you actually do speak
the language – they know what you want).
It’s easy to see why Le BP is still packing ‘em in even though
times are rougher than North Korean toilet paper; it effortlessly
breaches the gap between the dirt-cheap nosheries and
budget-buggering restaurants, you feel totally at ease even
when the place is rammed to the gills and there’s always
something else you need to try on the menu the next time
you’re there.
13-17 Milton Street, Nottingham NG1 3EN. 0115 9412 850
lebistrotpierre.co.uk
What a delightful spread
Making Waves
If you’re going in early in the day, choose from their breakfast
special (muffin, scrambled eggs, streaky bacon, sautéed
mushrooms, pork chipolatas and homemade baked beans £5.25), chunky toast and jam for two (£3.50), boiled egg and
soldiers (£2.95), Welsh rarebit (£3.65) or smoked salmon and
scrambled eggs (£4.65). If you want a quick bite for lunch,
there’s a wide selection of sandwiches, wraps and melts such
as crispy bacon and beetroot (£4.25), hummus and roasted
veg (£4.25), falafel pitta (£4.25) and minted brie pitta (£4.45).
Throw in a dozen or so sides and savouries to choose from and
this could be a good place for an informal lunch with friends
or colleagues.
But if you go there for your evening dinner then you’ll see that
they save their best for then. I went for the smoked haddock
with chorizo (£6.65) served with sweet potato mash and a
spicy tomato sauce. The combination of the fish and spicy
sausage might not seem the most obvious, but it worked
a treat and left me wanting more. My guest went for the
chicken ballontine (£7.95) with cranberry and leeks, wrapped
in Serrano ham and served with new potatoes. The chicken
was cooked to perfection and complimented well by the ham.
Other possibilities we might try next time include blue stilton,
pear and walnut salad with homemade blue cheese dressing
(£6.25), three bean stew of tender chickpeas and mixed beans,
served with warm pitta bread (£5.95), shepherds pie and
minted peas (£6.95) and Teriyaki salmon and noodles with
spring onions, ribbon carrots and pak choi (£6.95).
So next time you’re hungry in Hockley, check this place out.
There are multiple places to eat around that little haven of
independent shops, cafes and eateries - but this is among the
best of them. It might take a bit finding at first, but it’s just a
minute or two on foot from the Broadway Cinema. Once you’ve
found it, you’ll definitely remember it for next time, when you
do make sure you take a copy of this mag as there’s a 10% off
voucher on page eleven!
12 Heathcote St, NG1 3AA 0115 9483 566
jamcafe.info
They have an extensive and healthy breakfast menu and lunch
offers up a wide range of ciabattas including goat’s cheese
and red pepper (£6.25), steak (£8.25) or king prawn, lime
and ginger (£8.25). There are also dozens of tasty tapas-style
dishes to choose from.
We came to sample the evening menu, though. I started
with the mussels in a Thai-style chilli and lemongrass sauce
(£5.95). In a city so far from the ocean this can be tricky to pull
off, but this dish would not have been out of place at three
times the price on a posh promenade. My guest went for the
oven-baked goat’s cheese served on homemade raisin toast
(£4.95) and found that the sweetness of the bread and chutney
complimented the cheese superbly.
For mains, we were tempted by the likes of the honey mustard
pork with mash (£11.50), the chicken and chorizo (£9.95) and
the char-grilled 10oz steak (£15.50). But I eventually settled on
the charging rhino salad (£8.25); a feast of vegetables topped
with two Thai-style salmon fishcakes (£2 extra). You know
those restaurant salads that are just a token effort? Well this
was the complete opposite and I cleared my plate! My guest
went for the traditional sausages and mash (£6.95), served
with lashings of rich red onion gravy and peas, delicious!
As always, we’d saved room for dessert and shared a
chocolate fudge cake (£4.25) served with ice cream and a big
fat strawberry. We also took home a slice of their fluffy cherry
and almond cake (£2.50).
A final mention must go to the cocktail menu. I plumped for
a mocktail, the Nojito (£3). My guest went alcoholic and had
the Sherwood Sherbert; a mixture of gin, vodka, lemongrass,
lemonade, lime and, fantastically, topped with popping candy
like you used to get when you were a kid.
The things which shine through most are the love that has
gone into creating the place: the relaxed and romantic decor,
the friendly staff, the fresh and wholesome menu and the
overall feel good nature. We haven’t even mentioned the
weekly specials board yet! You’ll just have to pop in and see
that for yourself.
577 Mansfield Road, Sherwood, NG5 2JN 0115 9693335
ripplecafebar.co.uk
Beane Noodler of MyHouse-YourHouse continues his quest to eat at every takeaway in Nottingham…
City Kebabs
My long relationship with City Kebabs began nine years ago when I witnessed a friend of mine
being pretty much thrown through the front window by, erm, one of his best mates. That night a
close bond was formed between their kebabs and my mouth that has endured for many years.
Situated but a few metres from the infamous Thurland, City Kebabs is a late night eaterie that - at
weekends - feels like Clapham Junction. Probably one of the busiest places in town, with randoms
from all walks of life rubbing shoulders - partly due to its central location, but mainly because its
brilliant conveyer belt serving system gets you in and out in ten minutes. Lovely.
The menu is extensive, but where it really comes alive is its range of deep fried then microwaved
don’t-ask-where-it came-from chicken selection. KFC it ain’t, but it could sure hold its own in an
arm wrestle, of that I am certain.
7 Thurland Street, NG1 3DR
28
Bombay Brasserie
Choice is a wonderful thing - but not when you’re hung over, craving a decent curry, and are
confronted by a kitchen pinboard heaving with menus. Bombay Brasserie might actually be a
restaurant (in Mapperley and West Bridgford), but they also have a damn fine takeaway service
that - in my opinion – is one of the best.
Its menu boasts all the usual suspects for the die-hard curry monsters, complete with a boss naan
bread selection and some serious side dish palaver. Where they come into their own, however,
is the chef specials they have tucked up their sleeve that - brace yourself - actually live up to the
menu descriptions. Not the cheapest takeaway out there, but you’re getting restaurant-quality
food, so shush. Get yourself booked onto the sofa this Sunday and give ‘em a call. Oh, and make
sure you’re properly hung over.
39 Plains Road - Mapperley / www.bombaybrasserieofmapperley.com
14 track CD album in stores now
“The system that meets the wants of the few by denying
the needs of the majority is in its twilight years”
www.dealmakerrecords.com
Aquarius (January 20 - February 19)
Often reading between the lines can be easier than following the text - the human mind is
subjective by nature. Final judgements are rarely just and strong opinions are rarely built upon
the strength of all the available information.
Pisces (February 20 - March 20)
You can keep your bathroom shower cubicle sparkling clean longer by washing the whole shower
stall, then waxing with car wax (not turtle wax as this is green, be sure to get the clear stuff). This
keeps blood from sticking to the sides.
Aries (March 21 - April 20)
Be prepared for a shock this month! I sense pain in your future as a drunken debate with friends
about the use of stun guns gets messy following your repeated and stubborn assertions that they
don’t work on you.
LEFTLION ABROAD
Susukino Crossing, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
Taurus (April 21 - May 21)
How big was the big bang? How universal is the Universe? The story of the world and its creation
has always fascinated you and you’re right to seek out more information. But be aware that the
ending will leave you with a lot of unanswered questions.
Gemini (May 22 - June 22)
Susukino is a major red-light district located in Hokkaido, Japan. It’s one of the major pimping
areas of the whole country - a definite step up from our very own Forest Road. A walk along the
Crossing will reveal all manner of illuminated restaurants, seedy bars, by-the-hour hotels and
adult-entertainment establishments.
Give a man a fish and he can feed his family for a day. Teach a man to fish and he can feed them
forever. However, be prepared to be shunned by both that man and his family when his children
start to die of mercury poisoning.
The photo was sent in by Notts-based filmmaker Simon Ellis, whose short films have been shown
across the globe, from London to Los Angeles. The girl holding a copy of our mag is Tokyo artist
Komada Kozue who, we’re told, “does huge, bugger-off paintings in front of a live audience, usually
in a paint-spattered kimono.”
Cancer (June 23 - July 23)
If you can get a photo of a LeftLion sticker or magazine somewhere exotic email
us on [email protected]
DH Lawrence once wrote: “The only justice is to follow the sincere intuition of the soul, angry or
gentle. Anger is just, and pity is just, but judgement is never just.” Then he went and shagged
the gardener.
Leo (July 24 - August 23)
Following a nasty traffic accident doctors will refuse to operate on you this month. This not due
to any moral concerns, fiscal dilemmas or even health-related fears. They’re just a vindictive and
hateful bunch.
Virgo (August 24 - September 23)
Think carefully before you plump for that mortgage as the decision you make now will affect you for
years to come. You could end up trapped in a hell of your own making, forcing you to admit that you
really should have put in a bathroom.
Libra (September 24 - October 23)
Keep your piping clear under the sink by pouring a quarter cup of baking soda down the drain,
mixed with a cup of vinegar. This creates a chemical reaction, which you should follow up with
boiling water fifteen minutes later. G’lug with that!
Scorpio (October 24 - November 22)
Discipline is like a refining fire by which talent is forged to become ability. At first it’s hard to
make yourself do something outside of your circle of comfort, but eventually you will acquiesce. At
this point you are ready to push yourself even further.
Sagittarius (November 23 - December 22)
Vegetarians coming round to dinner? Simply serve them up a nice roast chicken or leg of lamb.
Since they’re always going on about how tofu, Quorn, and Linda McCartney’s “tastes exactly like
the real thing,” they shouldn’t notice any difference.
Capricorn (December 23 - January 19)
This alignment of the stars in March will turn you into an angry, crazed, ferocious and totally
out-of-control monster. But this is not down to the astrological implications, it just happens to
coincide with your period.
LeftLion Magazine
Issue #34 will be
bouncing into a
venue near you on
the last weekend of
March, just in time
for Easter...
30
Puss in Boots
Jesse Boot
Born: 17th Centur y
Born: 1850
istr
Made a killing at: Chem
y business
Made a killing at: Og
res castle
Headgear: Ibuprofen
Headgear: Feathered
Habits: 3 for 2 deals
Habits: Ball-licking
Annual profit: £302m
Annual profit: 3 blin
hat
d mice
Petrol prices
hitting your
pocket?
Some great ticketing options mean big savings
on the sustainable transport network.
www.thebigwheel.org.uk

LeftLion Magazine Issue 33 as a pdf

Transcription

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