royal family (guy)

ROYAL FAMILY (GUY)
PHOTO ALBUM INSIDE
INTERVIEW WITH ADAM WARROCK
FAMILY GUY SEASON 12 REVIEW
Articles covering popular
culture and lifestyle from
the 50’s through to now!
CONTENTS
WOMEN IN CINEMA
PAGE 4
1950’S WOMEN PAGE 6
AN EXCELLENT ADVENTURE THROUGH TIME
PAGE 8
SPRAYING BREAKING BAD PAGE 12
7 DECADES OF GREAT MOVIE VILLIANS NOBODY TALKS BOUT PAGE 26
PAGE 28
FAMILY GUY SEASON 12 REVIEW
THE CURRENT CHANGE OF TELEVISION AND THE IMPACT OF
“BREAKING BAD”
PAGE 30
ROYAL FAMILY (GUY) PHOTO ALBUM PAGE 33
INTERVIEW WITH ADAM WARROCK PAGE 42
MUSIC REVIEWS
PAGE 46
DOC’S MUSIC STORE PAGE 50
THE RISE OF NAIL ART
PAGE 52
AUSTIN ARIES INTERVIEW
PAGE 54
WRESTLING DVD REVIEWS PAGE 58
WARRINGTON BASH REVIEW
PAGE 62
STUDENT TALK PAGE 64
THE PSYCOLOGY OF A FLAWED HERO PAGE 66
‘IS IT REALLY A CRIME TO BE OVER FIFTY AND CREATIVE IN 2013?’ PAGE 68
REVOLUTION OF FASHION
Enter discount code: RETRO10
PAGE 70
NOT ANOTHER ARTICLE ABOUT MILEY PAGE 73
OUT OF HIS SKIN REVIEW PAGE 74
SUMMER SPENDING CRAZINESS PAGE 76
A TALE FOR THE TIME BEING (REVIEW) PAGE 78
50’S THROWBACK CHRISTMAS PAGE 80
www.rjtrpublishing.co.uk
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Diam n i
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Girl’ nem
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Wom
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When
one thinks
of great
women in
Hollywood, where
better to start than
with the ‘First Lady of
Hollywood’ Marilyn
Monroe. Born Norma Jean
Mortenson she had a
fragmented early life, never
knowing who her real father was,
her mother coped with mental illness
and young Norma Jean spent time in and
out of foster care. Somehow, she managed
to supress her troubled childhood, (although it
can be argued that this contributed to her later
behaviour) to become one of the biggest icons of the
silver screen. She started out as a blue collar worker
in a factory for the war effort in World War two, despite
only being in her mid to late teens. A little later an agent who
signed Norma Jean up for a modelling contract noticed an army
photographer’s work of her.
After this she went from strength to strength as a model and small time
actor, getting small roles and one line parts, until she was snapped up by
20th Century Fox, a big film studio at the time, during this period she donned
the name Marilyn Monroe, taking her mothers maiden name although her
mother still used Morteson and Baker, names of Norma Jean’s possible fathers.
From then on she went to the bright lights of Hollywood. Staring in films such as
“Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”, “The Seven Year Itch” and “Some Like It Hot” picking up
awards such as a ‘BAFTA’ and a ‘Golden Globe’.
However, taking a deeper look into the life of this beautiful yet tragic star, it is tainted with
misfortune and woe from beginning to end. Following 3 marriages ended by divorce and no children
to show for it, it was clear Marilyn was a lonely soul just wanting to be loved away from the media.
The biggest love story of the tale of her life was an unrequited love with the President of the United States
at the time John F Kennedy. Their affair reportedly turned into more for Marilyn but the already
married head of state, who it can be argued fuelled her depression, did not match this feeling. No matter how
tragic her life, Marilyn carried on until the bitter end.
Today, she inspires women not only with her tough exterior in the face of all that happened during her lifetime, but with
the class she presented in every picture she made. She showed that curvy women are just as sexy as skinny women, and
was an avid campaigner for rights of minorities at the time, talking the manager of a California night club into letting a then
little known Jazz singer named Ella Fitzgerald to play there, boosting Ella’s career and fighting for the rights of African
Americans, making Ella one of the few African American artists to perform there in 1953. Despite Marilyn’s untimely demise she
goes on to inspire women today with her timeless grace and elegance.
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TEXT BY EMILY NORRIS
5
1950’s
WOMEN
TEXT BY JAMINA KHAN
There was a distinct role for women in the 1950s and the main goal was, if your
married ‘please your husband, and if you were not married then the goal was to ‘get
married, and then please your husband’.
The Mona Lisa Smile, Directed by Mike Newell ,
starring many great actresses Julia Roberts, Kirsten
Dunst , Maggie Gyllenhall, and many others. The
film focuses on a ‘History of Arts’ teacher, who is
new at Wellesley college. She soon realises that
the culture of the school is extremely conservative.
The audience will see that although women are
being educated they are still worried about
getting married. Kirsten Dunst who plays a
character called Betty Warren, seems to be the
popular girl, and does get married to a man who
is on the same level as her own social standing.
It seems almost unheard of a college girl getting
married living in her own house, doing all the
household chores, while still finishing her
education. In fact it was so normal and
encouraged, that the college also has a home
economics class, which allows the girls to be
taught all the duties expected of a married
women this training would, or should help the girls,
in there married life.
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Although written in 1947 it still
depicts many of the cultural ideal
in society seen in the 50s. This
play about the tragic life of the
school teacher Blanche Dubois,
who is haunted by the death of
her homosexual husband, who
committed suicide, she is
surrounded by death and by
losing the family home and all
her money she desperately
comes to live with her sister Stella
Kowalski and her husband
Stanley Kowalski.
Blanche Dubois
Played by Vivien Hough, in the 1951 adaptation, directed by Elia Kazan. Clearly unstable, after the very tragic incidents in her
life. Blanche is really a reflection on women and their in ability to stay without a man i.e husband. This is shown through her
obvious need of constant attention and sexual desire, her many affairs. Not to mention her having relations with one of her
pupils, and her failing attempt to seduce the post boy. The end scene, proves her weakness , and dependency on men , and so
she accepts and goes willingly, her last words being directed to the male doctor, “whoever you are, I have always depended
on the kindness of strangers”
Stella Kowalski
Played by Kim Hunter. Stella leaves her very comfortable life in Mississippi for New Orleans, where she marries Stanley who is
from the lower classes of society. Although she loves her sister she cannot believe that her husband would rape her, and so
accepts Stanley’s proposal, and agrees to sending her to a mental institute. This clearly due to her having a child with her
husband and just the mere fact she is the wife, so she feels she cannot leave her husband and is compelled to be loyal. So she
agrees to send Blanche mental asylum, because her husband suggested it would be the best thing.
Although there are certainly individuals who break away from the norms of societies and deny their cultural values. It was very
rare to find, because society was very uniform. For women even though they had gained more rights, like increased pay, and
the right to vote. Women were still pressured in living in a certain way and behave in a certain manner. Being a good wife and
mother was definitely seen as the epitome of being the perfect woman, and this was seen throughout society.
7
An Excellent
Adventure
Through Time
TEXT BY WYAT BROWN
Four score and 14 years ago, Bill S. Preston Esq. & “Ted” Theodore Logan embarked on a
most excellent adventure through time. They are the forefathers of a most non-heinous
society, brought together by their music, they are the Wyld Stallyns.
The first movie takes place in 1989 in San Dimas
California. Bill and Ted are best friends trying to
get their fledging band off the ground, but may
face a break-up if the duo fails their History
report. Upon failure, Ted’s father, captain of the
local police department, will send Ted to an
Alaskan military school, bringing an end to the
band. This is why Rufus, a man tasked to travel
back in time from 2688 to save the band and help
them pass their report. If the duo fails, the band
will never make it, thus altering the future, where
their music and wisdom have inspired world
peace. In order to save them, Rufus travels in a
time machine that looks like an old payphone,
which they are to use to travel anywhere in time
to gather information for their report. While
demonstrating, Rufus takes them to France in
1805, where they find Napoleon Bonaparte and
his troops. While they are traveling back to 1989,
a cannon blast sends Napoleon into their wake,
being sucked into the time circuits, following them
to 1989.
After Rufus explains that time will continue as
normal in 1989, and to not miss their class
presentation then next day, Rufus departs and the
two discover that Napoleon has traveled through
time with them, giving them the idea to capture
other historical figures for their presentation. In
order to do this, Napoleon is left with Ted’s
little brother Deacon. While watching Napoleon,
Deacon takes him with his friends to an ice cream
parlor and a bowling alley before ditching him.
Bill and Ted travel and capture Billy The Kid and
Socrates while making their way to England. Upon
leaving the booth with Billy and Socrates, Bill and
Ted make their way to a castle where they fall in
love with Princesses Joanna and Elizabeth. While
they are with the Princesses, the King discovers
them and sentences them to public execution.
Just before the sentencing is acted out, Billy and
Socrates reveal themselves as the executioners
and save the duo. The four of them escape and
continue their quest, only to discover the booth
is damaged. This sends them to the future where
they discover their influence on society and get
inspired to take the report seriously. While the
booth is still damaged, it sends them to random
times, collecting the likes of Joan of Arc, Genghis
Khan, Sigmund Freud, Ludwig van Beethoven, and
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Abe Lincoln as “Extra Credit, Dude”.
After fixing the booth with some gum, a few metal
cans and some wire, they all successfully return to
San Dimas.... in the backyard of Bill’s house. Bill’s
step-mom Missy, for whom Bill had a crush on in
high school during their freshman year and Missy’s
senior year, is watering plants, and completely
disregards the telephone booth full of historical
figures. When they ask for a ride to the mall, Missy
tells them “Not until you do your chores”, leading
the legendary crew to complete household tasks.
Once they are introduced to the mall, Bill and Ted
leave them to themselves as they go hunt for
Napoleon. Upon their discovery of Deacon’s
ditching of Bonaparte, they come to the
conclusion there is only one place Napoleon could
be, Waterloo, a waterpark in San Dimas, where he
discovers the waterslide. Bill and Ted find him and
unwillingly take Napoleon with them back to join
the others.
During this time, the figures they left all seemed to
find their own trouble, Joan overtaking an
aerobics class, Genghis Khan ravaging a sporting
goods store, and Beethoven holding a concert at a
music store, and all wind up in jail, at the hands of
Ted’s father Captain Logan. During their
detainment, Bill and Ted hatch an escape plan
and make their report just in time. After a crowd
pleasing presentation, that seems more like a
spoken word event, the two send all the figures
back to their time periods and continue to work on
their band, Wyld Stallyns. After some time, Rufus
returns with the princesses, whom he saved “from
marrying those royal ugly dudes”, and also
presents them with a pair of guitars and also
informing them that the princesses too, are in the
band. Rufus asks to join them and shreds a guitar
solo, before the band takes into a horrid display of
music buffoonery before remarking to the
audience “They do get better”.
The second film opens in the Utopian future
inspired by Bill and Ted, at a school, where Rufus
is giving a lecture. Rufus’ old teacher Chuck De
Nomolos, who detests them and the society they
have inspired, crashes the class and announces
his plot to destroy Bill and Ted and create a new
future. While holding the class hostage, he sends
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two robots created to look like Bill and Ted to kill
them and help Chuck in his mission.
In the present time, Bill and Ted, along with the
princesses Joanna and Elizabeth are readying for
a Battle of The Bands, which Ted’s father, who is
now married to Missy after divorcing Bill’s father, is
threatening Military School once again if they fail
the battle. While the girls have become
incredible musicians, Bill and Ted are still unskilled,
yet still manage to get a spot as the last band on the
contest. The duo propose and are now engaged to
their respective princesses, but shortly after the evil
robots arrive, and capture the duo, taking them into
the California desert and killing them by throwing
them off a high cliff at Vasquez Rocks. Upon
returning to town, the robots destroy the apartment
of their counterparts, and also treat the fiancés
badly until they throw their engagement rings back
at them and walk out. While the duo is challenged
by Death to a game for their souls, they “Melvin”
the grim reaper as his back is turned and manage to
escape. While trying to alert their fiancés and family
at a séance held by Missy, they prove unsuccessful
and end up being cast to hell.
While in hell, they each face traumatizing events
from their past; Bill facing his grandmother, Ted
facing the Easter bunny for stealing his brother’s
candy, as well as both facing Col. Oats of the Military
school. Realizing their only escape is by
challenging Death, they are taken to his chambers,
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where he lets them choose which game they shall
play. To the dismay of Death, they choose modern
games such as Clue, Battleship, and Twister to
easily defeat the reaper, who keeps calling for more
games. After admitting defeat, Death reinstates their
lives and agrees to help them get their lives back
and destroy the evil robots. Death takes them to
Heaven and ask God for the smartest person they
can find to help them build their own robots, being
directed toward alien twins named Station. While
leaving God’s chamber, Death stops and looks to
him and says “They Melvined me”. Once they recruit
Station, the five of them stop off at a hardware store
looking for parts for the robots; while in the store
Death picks up a gardening hoe and considers swapping it for his scythe, but decides not to. After calling
their house and speaking to the robots, they begin
loading the van with the supplies, while Station
looks to be play sumo wrestling, they
actually merge, into one giant Station, Bill and Ted
are astonished at the size of his “Gnarly Martian
butt”, to which Death replies “Do not overlook my
butt, I work out all the time. And reaping burns lots
of calories”. While driving to the Battle of The Bands,
Station constructs the good robots, which look
crudely similar to Bill and Ted.
As the evil robots take the stage, the real Bill and
Ted arrive, good robots in tow, and quickly defeat
the evil robots. While celebrating, De Nomolos arrives and overrides the broadcast system to send
the footage worldwide, at which time Bill and Ted,
with the help of Death and Station, gain the upper
hand on De Nomolos and have him taken away by
police. Ms. Wardroe, the coordinator of the event,
begins to strip, only to reveal that she was Rufus in
disguise, ensuring their spot on the Battle of The
Bands, encourages them to play. Realizing they
have no musical skill, they enter the time machine
with Joanna and Elizabeth, only to return instantly
after “an intense 16 months of guitar training plus
a two week honeymoon” with long facial hair, and
both bearing infant children. Wyld Stallyns takes
the stage, with Bill and Ted on guitar, Joanna and
Elizabeth on drums and keyboards, Death on the
fretless bass, and Station on the conga and bongos. As the band begins to play a stunning rock
ballad, the world unites in listening to this i
ncredible music and begin to harmonize. As the
song continues and the credits roll, newspaper
headlines and magazine articles are shown
documenting their rise to the top of the music
world and unite the world in peace with their
inspirational words and transcending music. Wyld
Stallyns did what no other humans could do, unite
the worlds towards a utopian future, and they did
it with guitars and a time traveling phone booth.
Fast forward 20 years into the future, its 2011 and
rumors start to begin of a third installment into
this time traveling saga, with a website and
Facebook page simultaneously being opened to
promote the film. Yet with these pages, no real
news had surfaced other than original script
writers, Ed Solomon and Chris Matheson, were
penning the idea conjured up by Alex Winter and
Keanu Reeves themselves.
In a recent interview, Reeves revealed details
regarding the plot behind this new installment
of Wyld Stallyns history. Reeves stated that Bill
and Ted have been “crushed by the responsibility
of having to write the greatest song ever written
and to change the world. And they haven’t done
it.” Their lack of production would have serious
repercussions, he explained, “So everybody is kind
of like: ‘Where is the song?’ The guys have just
drifted off into esoterica and lost their rock.” This
leads to them traveling through time once again,
in order to make things right for the future. “We
go on this expedition, go into the future to find out
if we wrote the song, and one future ‘us’ refuses
to tell us, and another future ‘us’ blames us for
their lives because we didn’t write the song, so
they’re living this terrible life,” Reeves said. “In one
version we’re in jail; in another we’re at some kind
of highway motel and they hate us.” So as time
goes on, the troubles of Bill and Ted are still
prevalent, yet in a “now or never” circumstance.
Though not much else is known about the movie,
Alex Winter has confirmed that the script is 124
pages long, and director Dean Parsiot, who
directed Galaxy Quest, is on board, yet there is still
to be a studio behind this film. While the film has
yet to be green lit, there is an almost unanimous
support by fans of the franchise, and production
seems to be getting closer and closer with each
passing month, as of late. One crucial detail is the
passing of George Carlin will mean no Rufus in this
film, which has been said by Alex Winter, “We’ve
made [Rufus’ absence] make sense as far as the
story goes. I had a long talk with Kelly Carlin about
what we’re going to do with her dad’s legacy
because it’s so important to us, but it’s impossible
to replace him.”
One character who most likely will be coming back
is Death himself, The Grim Reaper. When steam
started to get behind all the rumors and news bits,
William Sadler, who played Death, stated: “I’m not
sure if it’s a done deal yet. I know they’re trying to
write The Grim Reaper in. Alex said ‘How could we
do this without the Reaper?’ I’m hopeful. I’d love
to go back with those guys again. That was one of
the most fun roles I’d done.” With Sadler still being
alive, and storyline wise being the bass player of
Wyld Stallyns, it would due the franchise justice
to at least have a quick cameo if nothing else. It
remains to be seen what will be done with the
characters of Station, Joanna, Elizabeth, and both
Little Bill and Little Ted, but we can pretty much
assure they will be touched upon, as Alex Winter
stated, “We are not discounting where we come
from. The thing that we’re working on is absolutely
a ‘Bill & Ted’ movie. It’s not like some kind of weird
reboot. It’s not, like, forgetting the past.”
As a fan we can only hope that this new
installment will see the light of day in the near
future. I, for one, have all faith in “Bill & Ted 3”, as
it seems to be a reunion with Alex, Keanu, Chris,
and Ed behind the formation of this project. As
Hollywood is rebooting movie franchises left and
right, it will be nice to get a new installment of a
classic franchise, being done by the men who
created the stories in the first place. In closing,
there is only one thing left to say about this hopeful threequel, and it was said by President Abraham Lincoln, “These two great gentlemen are
dedicated to a proposition, which was true in my
time, just as it’s true today. Be excellent to each
other....and....PARTY ON, DUDES!”
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SPRAYING
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7
4. The Humungus (Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, 1981)
DECADES OF GREAT MOVIE
VILLAINS NOBODY TALKS ABOUT
TEXT BY JAMES HODGES
The past seventy years has seen some of the greatest villains ever brought to the silver screen and for a long time
people have comprised lists of some of those villains, regarding them to be the best ever. They could be right, I
mean nobody can really deny that Michael Myers, the patron saint of massacring adolescent baby sitters from the
Halloween franchise, isn’t a valid candidate to be one of the great cinematic bogeymen, nor can we ignore the
most beloved of Alfred Hitchcock’s psychopaths, Norman Bates. Ok, I know a mummy’s boy who wears women’s
clothing doesn’t exactly scream great movie villain but if you watch the flick you won’t be let down.
Although these are perfectly fine choices, we see them again and again, part of the usual suspects who always
appear on these types of lists. I want to give you my seven villains that I believe have been brushed aside in favour
of the more flamboyant of foes, to champion the forgotten and the shrugged off, one from each decade starting
with the 50’s onwards. These guys might not butcher women in showers wearing their mother’s wig or walk around
donning a spray painted William Shatner mask, but they’re certainly worthy of a film lover’s rogues gallery. Let’s
get started.
5. John Doe (Se7en, 1995)
Ok, so this one is one of the more well known villains I’ve done so far and is
sometimes included in lists, but in my opinion, not enough. Kevin Spacey gives, what I
personally consider, one of the best performances of his career. Playing serial Killer,
John Doe, a name that is given to unidentified male corpses, Spacey’s presence
really does over shadow everything else in the movie, and that’s saying a lot
considering it really is a superb film. His calm, gentle demeanour and that quiet,
steady voice are really what punctuate the character as well as his complete
confidence in the righteousness of his monstrous actions. The little surprise he gives
Detective David Mills, played by Brad Pitt, at the end still gives me the
heebie-jeebies today.
1. Rev. Harry Powell (The Night of the Hunter, 1955)
6. Elijah Price/ Mr Glass (Unbreakable, 2000)
Although underappreciated in its day this film has gone on to be one of the all time great
American thrillers mostly due to the film’s antagonist Reverend Harry Powell, played by Robert
Mitchum. A serial killer who fancies himself a holy man stalks, and eventually infiltrates, a family
in order to steal the money their father left behind. The character’s warped sense of
self-righteousness and delusions of being guided by a higher power are truly scary. The most
effective moments of the film are when we see the reverend through the eyes of the children,
seeing him as they do, a towering figure of darkness grasping at them from the shadows.
I know the name M. Night Shyamalan is a bit of a dirty word right now in the film
goer community, but there was a time when this man was an exceptional filmmaker
and Unbreakable was a movie he made during his golden years. The film’s
antagonist, Elijah Price aka Mr Glass, played by Samuel L. Jackson, really is a
wonderful movie villain. His actions are not the by product of a psychotic sense of
abandon or are they a sadistic exercise in inflicting as much human suffering as
possible. No, Elijah simply wants to find his counterpart in an attempt to finally
understand his place in the world. Unlike a lot of villains in the movies, Elijah’s journey
is all about trying to fully realise his villainous status and searches for his moral
opposite, because for him, if there is no hero then he has no sense of meaning.
Night clearly shows that he understands what makes a great villain and that’s the
element of tragedy and although Elijah is indeed insane, his little boy lost
sensibilities and frail body are certainly tragic.
2. Mark Lewis (Peeping Tom, 1960)
Director Michael Powell created a villain that proved so effective it ruined his career. Austrian
actor Carl Boehm turns in the performance of al lifetime as sadistic photographer, Mark Lewis.
Lewis is obsessed with capturing fear on camera and you could say that this picture was one
of the first to deal with the idea of snuff movies. Lewis films his victims as he lifts the front leg
of his tripod, which has a small blade on the end, and drives it through their throat, the victim
is forced to watch their own death in the reflection of a mirror mounted on top of the camera.
Lewis makes Bates look like a Barney the Dinosaur plush toy.
3. Piranha (Piranha, 1978)
This isn’t just one villain it’s, well, a school of them. Joe Dante’s excellent B movie Piranha was
essentially made to capitalize on the success on the 1975 Spielberg classic Jaws. Produced by
legendary schlock maestro Roger Corman, the film centres on a school of killer piranha fish that
starve for human flesh, stripping anyone who dares to enter the water to the bone. It’s a shame
that the shark from Spielberg’s movie gets all the glory as being one of the great
water-dwelling monsters of cinema but I think these guys are just as terrifying, especially the
pneumatic drill crossed with a car engine sound they make as they feed.
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If Bane had an older brother, it would be “The Humungus”. What makes this villain
so brilliant is the juxtaposition of his intimidating stature and razor-sharp intelligence.
The character is essentially a walking contradiction as he has the body of a cage
fighter but hasan air of sophistication about him as well as being particularly
articulate. Not always resorting to brute force, of which he is more than capable,
but often prefers to retaliate with psychological warfare which makes him less like a
mindless thug but more like a war general on steroids. It really is a haunting
performance by Swedish actor and Olympian, Kjell Nilsson.
7. Pastor Abin Cooper (Red State, 2011)
An underrated villain in an underrated film, Kevin Smith’s first horror movie to date
boasts a change in both genre and tone. The film was met with a lukewarm
critical reception yet it was revered by fellow filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino
(Pulp Fiction) and Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko). However, one thing is undeniable
and that’s the tremendous performance of Michael Parks as Pastor Abin Cooper.
Although Abin is the third villain I have listed to be a religious zealot there is
something more unsettling about Abin. Unlike Reverend Powell and John Doe, Abin
has a family. Powell marries the mother in The Night of the Hunter but that’s
different. Abin is both a father and a grandfather and this paternal warmth makes
for a legitimately unnerving character as Kevin Smith domesticates this
hate-filled lunatic.
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FAMILY GUY SEASON 12
REVIEW
From day one Family Guy has really pushed the boundaries of their jokes. So you think after 10
Seasons (12 Seasons here in the UK, long story.) they would run out of material, possibly even tone
down with age. There is no sign of that, they look like they are never going to tone down and with
the release of Season 12 on DVD, arguably the boundaries of what is acceptable to laugh about
are pushed even further.
The outrageous animated comedy is not afraid to make a joke about, well, anything. Subjects from
obesity, popular culture, 9/11, disabilities, racial stereotyping, domestic abuse, and well the list goes
on. If not for their universal approach to make fun at every subject imaginable, then you would
be probably safe to assume that the show would have been pulled of the air. (Well, it has been
canceled twice in America, due to ratings.) So that is pretty much a very narrow description of the
comedy which is watched by millions worldwide. If you have never heard of Family Guy or seen an
episode it can be very much an acquired taste if you are easily offended it is definitely not the show
for you.
Critics from both sides of the Atlantic have been very vocal about Family Guy going downhill. They
are all very critical of Season 12, well I don’t see eye to eye with those critics as Season 12 is
probably one of the best seasons of Family Guy that has ever been produced. The season includes
my favourite episode ever, Back to the Pilot which has some great one liners, and Family Guy
writers do not hold back with their jokes about their own show. I guess all is fair in love and war. The
season also has guest stars such as Ryan Reynolds, James Woods, Ricky Gervais, Patrick
Stewart, Ellen Page, and Cate Blanchett. All of the guest stars are on point but it further backs up
how credible this Season is. Sure I will concede that the past few seasons may not be up to the
same standard as the first three seasons but I feel that in Season 12 they have got their edge back.
Season 9-11 ( UK) were probably a little more mainstream in some aspects then what we have
come to expect from the cult favourite. I feel Season 12 has the right balance of edge, and
mainstream appeal. One other highlight is one Peter tries to prove he is a part of the British
royal family.
Family Guy is packed with some disturbing moments which are not for the faint hearted or those
with a good moral compass. The show gets a way with a lot due to the fact that it is an animated
comedy, which allows me personally to accept all the unsavory jokes, and disturbing moments. I
barely even give them a second thought I just to choose to enjoy one of the best animated
comedies out there. Family Guy is right in the middle of The Simpsons, and South Park. I think that is
why the show has had great success they are not as extreme as South Park, and they are not as
family friendly as The Simpsons. One of the things I love about the DVD is how well they treat their
hardcore fans with their special features, the disc are truly jam packed with special features which
means that you will get even more laughs. After a mixed bag with the last two-three seasons Family
Guy is back to form with arguably their best season ever. With the Christmas season approaching
this is a great gift for a loved one, who enjoys Family Guy’s shenanigans. I give the DVD 5 out of 5
stars.
You can buy the DVD here http://www.amazon.co.uk/Family-Guy-Season-12-DVD/dp/B006E06QDU
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29
The current change of television
and the impact of “Breaking Bad”
TEXT BY CALLUM CRITCHLEY
In order for me to talk about the influence of “Breaking Bad” I must first mention the television show which in my
opinion laid the ground work for it and that show of course being “The Sopranos”. Firstly I want to say there are
no spoilers in this article so people who have yet to watch either show can breathe a sigh of relief, this is simply a
brief view of both shows firstly and then my view on the landscape of television right now (both in the US and UK)
because I believe television is evolving from the influence of shows such as “Breaking Bad”, which has now taken
over the “television king” crown in the prime time television drama slot.
In terms of understanding either show from an outsider’s perspective I am now going to break it down in to basic
spoiler free chunks, firstly the family reliance in terms of unity that is needed for the serious content to continue,
both sets of families “The Sopranos” and “Breaking Bad” allow for the character’s to evolve in to darker figures.
Both shows tackle them in different ways as both characters are incredibly different, this allows for more depth in
the characters to be explored, the main characters of the shows I have highlighted are entirely the quintessential
antihero, stereotypically they are not characters you are supposed to route for to be the hero, so our desire for
whom to route for has changed. This is the case for many a flawed hero in shows such as “The Shield” and
“Dexter”.
The relevance of modern day drama for American channels allow for more on screen time to develop the
characters in an arc that can last anything from twelve episodes a season and upwards this allows for the
actors more time to develop and allows a platform for actors to develop. On a practical level alone the influence
of Breaking Bad has allowed the talents of both Bryan Cranston (who won three consecutive Primetime Emmy’s
in three years for his portrayal of Walter White) and has moved on to star in “Writer’s Block”, “Cold Comes The
Night” and “Get a Job” which are all finished in production as for Aaron Paul (who won two Emmy’s respectively
for his role as Jesse Pinkman) to earn respected Primetime Emmy success, now he has moved on to films, one
being the hotly anticipated “Need for Speed” film another which is in development titled “A Long Way Down” in
America the landscape allows for the content to be incredibly versatile.
The pure blooded Brit in me would not allow for talk of television without mentioning about the content we have
(yes I’m quite proud of our content!) you cannot ignore shows such as “Doctor Who”, “Luther” and “Sherlock”. But
for me what I’m proud of is the rise of development in shows for example in the BBC drama trailer show (yes it
shows Sherlock) but it shows original content such as “The Musketeers”, “The Great Train Robbery”, “Quirke”, “The
Escape Artist”, “Ripper Street”(which is in its second series), “What Remains” and ”By Any Means”. With the rise of
quality from overseas I genuinely believe our home made content is upping their game to meet the challenge and
for one I could not be happier of this.
So what is next? The scope of television is changing and it is no longer bound by broadcasters, with “Breaking
Bad” on Netflix (though the final season is being aired on Sky Atlantic) and Netflix themselves funding the return
of “Arrested Development” (which was cancelled in 2006). With more platforms evolving the competition for
television to up their game is evident, personally I hope this means even more quality across the board and
television continues to evolve, what is next? I cannot answer that, what I can answer is that content is no longer
bound, it’s free to broadcast to us in a digital age, this means more content can be provided for viewers; the idiot
box is no longer looking so idiotic anymore is it?
30 retroCULT
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41
ADAM
WARROCK
If you don’t mind can you tell us
a little about your early life?
I was pretty quiet and shy, which
I know is hard for a lot of people
to believe. I guess I just kept to
myself, and I lived in an area that
didn’t have a lot of friends around.
So until I could drive, I kinda sat
around and just stayed inside,
watching tv, playing video games,
listening to music. Other than
that, at school, I lived in a pretty
racially polarized suburb; a lot of
division between black kids and
country-ish, conservative white
kids. And there I was in the
middle, just kinda hanging out, by
myself. Listening to rap music and
playing video games in my free
time.
What were some of your
interests growing up?
I was huge into nintendo and
super nintendo games. I think I
played every single JRPG that
I could get my hands on to. I
also watched a ton of television - just every day after school,
The Simpsons, all those things
like Batman the Animated Series, Gargoyles, things like that.
And then I listened to music. Just
constantly. Everything I could get
my hand on. I was obsessed with
it, writing out lyrics on a pad of
paper, thinking about how they
made it, imagining videos for my
favorite songs. In a weird way, I
was always doing what I do now.
42 retroCULT
What inspired your journey
from lawyer to becoming a
professional rapper?
It was just a matter of looking at it
like this: I thought I could honestly
be a better musician, than I could
be a lawyer. I thought the ceiling
for my own personal satisfaction,
my level of success, my level of
growth, the music route was far
superior to the lawyer one. That
is, if you take money out of the
equation. Once you realize that,
you just start to figure out how
you can save up enough money,
and figure out how to make it
work.
I should also say that I listened to
an interview with Jonathan Coulton, who also similarly quit his
coding job to be a musician (and
to great success). He said that
when his first child was born, he
held her in his arms and thought
about how it would be impossible for him to tell her to follow her
dreams and live life in the way he
wished she would, if he was kind
of living this lie and keeping
himself from doing what he
really wanted to do. That’s when
he quit. That always stuck with
me too.
Seems that you are talented at
most things. Is there anything
you are not very good at?
I’m terrible at baseball. My sight
is kinda weird, I can’t see the ball
ever. I’m not too good at math
either, which is ironic I guess.
From afar it seems that you are
not afraid to take risk and try
new things whether it be in your
music or just in terms of your
professional career. Do you
have any regrets in your life?
I don’t know if I believe very much
in regret. One time I was sitting
around with a friend,
telling her how I wished I did more
music stuff when I was younger, in
college, that I had gotten an earlier start. And she kinda laughed
at me, and was like ‘You DID, do
you not remember how much
music you made and how many
shows you did back then?” And
I went, “Huh, oh yeah.” I dunno, I
kinda don’t really try to focus on
regret. I just try to focus on
moving forward and
making stuff.
When did your love of
comics start? And have
comics always inspired your
creative side?
They started honestly at the
magazine aisle of a grocery
store. I just saw the cover of this
Avengers annual, it had Thor and
Quasar and other guys flying into
Terminus. It just looked really cool.
I had been sort of obsessed with
baseball cards before then, and I
loved looking at the backs of the
cards and try to figure out what
43
their stories were: what school
they went to, where they were
born, how long they’d been in
the league. Then I saw comics,
and just realized that the story
was already there, unraveling in
front of me.
I used to sketch and draw new
characters, think about the
characters a lot in a creative
context. I guess it always has
been an inspiration to me.
In the same vain pop culture
references are heavy through
your tracks. How much does
pop culture play into your
creative process?
I think pop culture is just
omnipresent. It’s always on, either in the background, or as an
active thing. I honestly don’t
know how more people aren’t
directly influenced by pop culture to the degree that they are.
To me, it’s pretty much everything; and I’m not ashamed to
hold it that
important.
What was it like for you the
first time you hit the road?
It was incredibly stressful,
horrifying, exhausting; but also
freeing and confidence building.
When you drive through
Manhattan or across the country
in a snowstorm, you tend to feel
like you can do anything.
From your first Album to your
now third album, you have
seemed to bring the energy of
your live shows in the studio.
Was it hard to replicate the
energy of a live show in the
studio?
I think that’s the kind of thing
you learn, like developing a
44 retroCULT
muscle. If you go back to my
previous albums, I definitely
sounded completely different;
and was trying something
completely different. You start
to hear yourself better, and with
doing over 100 shows in a year
or two, you learn how to use
your voice more effectively. And
you can bring that sensibility into
the studio and figure out what
you want to do with it. Also with
my website and the frequency I
release music, I’m always
learning and growing and
using my voice in different ways.
It just becomes stronger and
more confident, and you feel like
you can do whatever you want
to with your voice, no matter the
context.
just so much stuff out there, it’s
impossible to have any semblance of a life and try to see it
all. That’s why we integrate with
communities, and engage with
people. Our interests make up
for the cultural gaps of others.
It’s as simple as saying, “Hey, I
think you’d like this.” and letting
someone borrow your DVD set,
or a book, or a video game, and
then lives are changed, both in
that cultural gap being filled, and
in that friendship and
relationship further
strengthened.
If you had to pick one of your
own tracks, which has the
most meaning to you, which
one would it be? and why?
What are your plans for the
future?
Honestly? Probably “Nuclear
Family” from this new album. It’s
a pretty self explanatory track for
its meaningfulness, but me and
Rocky O’Reilly (the producer of
the track) shared some similar
familial experiences growing up,
and we really bonded over that
song. It’s reflected in the song
itself, because Rocky went back
and really added a lot of tiny
touches that make it have that
extra kick.
Is there any shows which are
considered “nerdy.” that you
have never really been into?
or never liked?
I’ve never really gotten into
Doctor Who. I don’t like Big
Bang Theory or Comic Book
Men. I’ve never been into Star
Trek really at all. I think there
are a TON of holes in my cultural fabric, and I think that’s
honestly a good thing. There’s
So I guess the short answer
is yes: there are tons of nerdy
shows I’ve never seen or really
been into.
Man, I have no idea. I have tours
booked through April 2014, and
I just released the biggest album
of my career. I think I’ve earned
the luxury of not thinking about
that for a few days.
Finally, thank you for your
time let us know of any dates,
merch, social media, gigs, and
anything else you would like
to say to the readers.
You can see my site at
adamwarrock.com, twitter is
@eugewarrock, facebook is
facebook.com/adamwarrock,
and tumblr at adamwarrock.
tumblr.com.
My tour dates are listed all
over those, but basically I’ll
be in the Middle US/Midwest
in December; West coast in
January; East Coast in
February. I’ll probably be
somewhere around you
sooner or later.
45
ADAM WARROCK - MIDDLE
OF NOWHERE REVIEW
Adam Warrock’s new album “Middle of Nowhere.” is one of his best outings yet, if not his best.
The concept of the album to me seems very much about someone who is in purgatory,
someone who has a lot of decisions to make in life, and like they are almost stuck in a rut. I
guess that is why the album is titled “Middle of Nowhere.”
Adam Warrock is clever in his lyrics to be able to have multiple meanings and has several
layers. Which not only gives the album a wider appeal but also gives Warrock extra appeal,
he is able to make great popular culture references, and then in the next song wear his heart
on his sleeves. The diversity in his lyrics shows that Warrock is an artist to be reckoned with.
He has an old-school hip-hop feel to him rapping about real life problems not rapping about
material possessions to sound or look cool.
To define the genre of the album simply as nerdcore, in a way is quite disrespectful because
that would be limiting the artist to one specific genre when in this album he has taken on
different genres, while also creating his own genre of music. The album mixes well with
light-hearted music with songs with serious messages including bullying which is something I
feel is not talked, rapped, or even sung in the world of music.
Warrock is on the cusp of garnering even more success and with albums as good as this, the
energy from his live shows, and he is generally great attitude he is no doubt destined for long
period of success not just on the east coast of America, west coast of America, but worldwide.
Overall rating of the album I would give it 4 out of 5 stars. The album is great on first listen but
it evolves over several listens to a completely different album as you pull away the layers.
You can buy on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Middle-Nowhere-Adam-WarRock/dp/
B00FZKZD6Q
You can buy on Bandcamp: http://adamwarrock.bandcamp.com/
46 retroCULT
Stone Temple Pilots with Chester
Bennington - High Rise [EP] TEXT BY WYAT BROWN
Few bands are able to replace iconic singers that are key to the bands sound
and be a success. AC/DC, Van Halen, Queensryche, and Judas Priest were
probably the most succesful, but another band has emerged in this list, and
they are Stone Temple Pilots, with the addition of Linkin Park and Dead By
Sunrise's Chester Bennington. Many fans, and even casual listeners of Linkin
Park, knew that if Chester was to break away from that sound and into a more
mainstream rock band, he could shine. That is no more evident than on this
"High Rise" EP. While Dead By Sunrise was a great way for Chester to step
out of LP n into the more straight forward rock sound, it wasn't pushed or got
too much publicity. With his addition into STP, he is now getting that
opportunity to truly shine as a rock singer. While LP is his main focus, all members have stated that they will continue to make more music past this EP, and I,
for one, look forward to what they can do.
"Out of Time" is a blistering radio anthem, "Black Heart" provides a mid-tempo
rocker that soothes the ears before "Same On The Inside" cries for understanding in a rocking ballad. "Cry, Cry" is your
prototypical STP tune that can easily stand next to "Interstate Love Song" or "Plush". Closing the EP is the melodramatic
"Tomorrow", which is a heartfelt homecoming tune that features a perfectly placed guitar solo.
Doyle - “Abominator”
TEXT BY WYAT BROWN
Doyle is the new band formed by former Misfits guitarist Doyle Wolfgang
Von Frankenstein. Following his departure from the Misfits, Doyle formed
Gorgeous Frankenstein with fellow misfit Dr. CHUD eventually joining as the
drummer as well as vocalist Alex Story of Cancerslug and bassist “Left Hand”
Graham of GRAVES and X-Ward. This lineup carried over into the new
project, simply called Doyle, and brings an album that crosses many genres
in a fashion that few can do successfully.
The sound of the record is somewhere between the assault rhythm of east
coast hardcore kings Hatebreed and the crunching riffs of New Orleans
sludge kings Crowbar, with vocal hintings at their Misfits past. Dr. CHUD
does all but obliterate the ear drums with his sonic bombardment of drums
that will impress even the most technical of drummers. His quick kicks and
perfectly timed symbol crashes lead to the perfect foundation for “Left
Hand” Graham’s thumping bass lines that tie everything together. On top of
this destructive foundation are Doyle’s mosh-inducing hardcore rhythms and razor sharp leads. Doyle evokes the best
of all worlds on this record with thundering rhythms similar to Hatebreed or Terror, while slicing through those riffs with
so many wah compressions it made Zakk Wylde record an acoustic record. While the music is sinister and menacing,
they only lay a foundation for a much darker image to be painted by the words of Alex Story. Songs of
dismemberment, afterlife dreams, cemetery love making, and apocalypses of the undead paint a visual with Alex’s
vocals that hint towards Dazing crooning, with the flow of Michael Graves, but managing to sound unique with a
leaning tendency towards the doom n gloom of Crowbar mainman Kirk Windstein.
With the entire record being great, from start to finish, it’s hard to pick “best” and “worst” songs, even being
non-partisan. With that said, if I were to pick some notable standouts, I’d say that Dreamingdeadgirls, Headhunter,
Valley of Shadows, Land of The Dead, and Abominator are amongst the catchiest. The title track is a thundering metal
anthem that everyone can yell and sing along to. Land of The Dead has a very throwback Misfits vibe to it vocally
while the music crushes in the way Doyle delivers throughout the record. Valley of Shadows has a very catchy chorus
47
that soothes the brain while your ear drums are sliced open with a barrage of razor sharp wah compressions.
Even though I enjoyed the entire record, and every song is good in its own way, I only give it 3 1/2 stars
because it just wasn’t what you call a “great” record. No discredit to the band, as it is incredibly enjoyable and a
recommendation for all Misfit fans and anyone who enjoys hard n heavy metal with catchy punk choruses.
Newsted - “Heavy Metal Music”
TEXT BY WYAT BROWN
After leaving Metallica in 2001, Jason Newsted drifted
between ships in the musical ocean, playing with the
likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Voivod, Echo Brain, and Papa
Wheelie, but none were as musically heavy as the mighty
Metallica. That was until November of 2012 when Jason
announced that he had formed a new band, simply
called Newsted. The band is rounded out by drummer
Jesus Mendez Jr., who worked as Echobrain’s drum tech
with Jason, and guitarist Jessie Farnsworth, who created
the 4-track “Metal” EP, which was released in January.
Following the announcement of Staind guitarist Mike
Mushok.
Along with songs “Soldierhead” and “King of The Underdogs” from the “Metal” EP, “Heavy
Metal Music features 11 thundering tracks that clocks in at an hour of playtime. This sonic
bombardment of metal features Jason’s signature bass thump, along with crunching
de-tuned guitar riffs and melodic, smooth solos that you normally dont hear in thrash.
Jason had only done lead vocals during a small stint of live shows with Metallica when
James Hetfield was off with injury, but he has a voice that perfectly fits into the mold of
Thrash Metal. With a sound remiscent of early Metallica and Exodus, while still having his
own sound, its easy to say that had Jason fronted his own band back in thrash’s 80’s
hayday, he would have easily been a success.
Songs like album opener “Heroic Dose” along with “Ampossible” and “...As The Crow Flies”
lead you into a mosh inducing thrash-trance, while songs like “Nocturnus” and the closing
“Futureality” slow things down a notch to lighten the sonic beatdown from this moshtastic
lesson in thrash metal. While the genre of thrash has been struggling in recent years, Jason
is here with an old school vibe with modern flair to remind the music world of what thrash
can be.
With a single bad track to exist, it leads to the question, How great is this record? While it
does lack a stylistic flair to stand out above the field, what it does is keep a Slayer-esque
familiarity amongst its tracks to keep the flow and mood consistant. The simple approach to
these songs is what makes it enjoyable, as it doesnt stray away from it’s winning formula. All
this adds up to an easy reccomandation and a label of “Instant Classic”.
48 retroCULT
The Winery Dogs - “The Winery Dogs”
TEXT BY WYAT BROWN
The Winery Dogs is a new rock n roll “supergroup”
power-trio with a fresh new sound that everybody
needs to hear. The members are all acclaimed musicians
in their own right, but together they align planets and
bring an old school vibe with fresh, modern techniques
to melt your ear drums. Mike Portnoy from Dream
Theatre, Billy Sheehan of Mr. Big fame, and guitar
virtuoso and underrated singer Ritchie Kotzen bring the
power-trio rock in stellar fashion.
Formed in 2012, Portnoy and Sheehan had started a project with guitarist John Sykes
(Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy), but due to conflicting work rates and schedules, Sykes exited
the group. At the recommendation of famed radio and television host Eddie Trunk,
Mike Portnoy contacted Kotzen and he joined as not only a guitarist, but also as
vocalist. The project also marked the reunion of Kotzen and Sheehan, who released
two albums together with Mr. Big.
The band has a pure rock n roll vibe in the vein of Led Zeppelin and Thin Lizzy, but
with some modern virtuosity flare. Layered into those rocking tunes are Ritchie’s vocals
which are reminiscent of David Coverdale (Whitesanke, Deep Purple) and Sammy
Hagar. Ritchie even manages to croon like Lou Gramm of Foreigner on the track
“Damaged”. Other stand out tracks include the catchy rockers “Elevate” and “Desire”
which open the record and sets the pace for the rest of the songs. Along with the
crooning ballad “Damaged”, are the vocal delights of “I’m No Angel” and “You Saved
Me”. The rekindling love tune “One More Time” is another stand out with its crooning
verses and catchy sing-a-long chorus.
This 13 track collection of rock n roll tales of life and love transcends all genres and
brings you rock n roll the way it should be: loud, creative and unique while still being
catchy, but solid enough to keep a groove. The musicianship and virtuosity amongst
these three men is incredible, but none of them hog the spotlight, instead bringing
everything together into a progressive rock phenomenon similar only to Rush. With rock
n roll in a state of emergency, it is great to see some experienced men come together
to lead the pack. Every song being flawless leads to no other accolade being needed
except for “Absolute Perfection”.
49
shape, whether in gloss black or alpine white, the guitar has a sharp finish with a crisp sheen.
The gold hardware adds a great contrast to either the black or white making it stand out and
the cream binding on the gloss black finish is the icing on the cake.
Features- The guitar is equipped with a rosewood fretboard with the range of 24 frets, 2
Wilkinson Humbucking pickups, Wilkinson E-Z-LOK tuners, Wilkinson WVP Vibrato and a 3
way toggle switch/pickup selecter. The guitar is also available without a vibrato and a fixed
bridge for £349.
Vintage VRS100C
Guitar Review
TEXT BY D.R WEBSTER
Welcome to Doc's Music Store, in this column for each issue I will look at a different
musical instrument or piece of musical equipment from guitars, amps and more,
reviewing them in detail. Today for the first issue of RetroCULT I will be focusing on
guitars, the one in particular I will be reviewing in this issue will be the Vintage VRS100C
from Vintage Guitars' Rock Series distributed by John Hornby Skewes.
The Specifics:
Guitar- Vintage VRS100C
Series- Vintage Rock Series
Company- Vintage/JHS (John Hornby Skewes)
Price- £369
Body: Eastern Poplar
Finish- Gloss Black or Arctic White
Binding: Body, Neck & Headstock (Cream)
Neck: Maple-Set Neck
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Scale: 24.75"/628mm
Frets: 24
Neck Inlays: Abalone Dot/Vintage 12th
Tuners: Wilkinson WJ807 E-Z-LOK
Vibrato: Wilkinson WVP
Pickups: Wilkinson Humbucker x 2 (N) MWVC (B) MWVC
Hardware: Gold
Controls: Volume/Tone/3-Way Toggle
Sound- This guitar produces a sound that would rate well above it's price tag, I also own a
Fender EVH Wolfgang and the VRS100C more than holds it's own against the sound of the
expensive Eddie Van Halen signature model. The Wilkinson humbuckers sound fantastic,
cutting through with a crystal clear and sharp tone, while still remaining meaty and full which
really works for classic/hard rock music however this guitar is very versatile handling blues,
funk, metal and anything you can throw at it just as well through experimenting with a blend of
the pickups and using tone control knob to create a range of sounds.
Reliability & Durability- The hardware of the guitar is of high quality also, all crafted by
Wilkinson. The E-Z-LOK tuners stay in tune very well, the vibrato, which only bends
downwards is great not seeming to effect the tuning at all when used over and over again. The
guitar is light but well built meaning it will stand up for many rehearsals and gigs, I have used
it quite a bit and have yet to see a scratch on it, the hardware is also holding up well with no
problems after months of gigging and rehearsing, providing more value for money.
Action & Setup- The action of the guitar was the first thing I noticed, right out of the box, the
setup was perfect, a testament to the quality of anything made by Vintage and Trevor
Wilkinson, the neck played like a dream, very comfortable, reminding me of a classic 70's
Strat in someways in feel, while maintaining a chunky old-school profile, suiting the look and
style of the guitar perfectly, the neck really makes this guitar a joy to play and has you
jamming out riff after riff because once you start to play with it you don't want to put it down.
Overall- Overall the Vintage VRS100C is a quality guitar which more than delivers on it's
relatively low price tag, the neck plays like a dream as I said, the humbuckers have power,
clarity and versatility, the guitar looks great with in either the gloss black or alpine white
finishes along with the gold hardware making for a guitar worthy of being a main guitar or
main backup for playing on stage, in the studio and anywhere else for a long time. I would
highly recommend this guitar, in my opinion as it covers all of the bases and you can check
out the rest of the quality products available from Vintage Guitars and more at the links below.
Links:
http://www.jhs.co.uk/vintageelectric.html
https://www.facebook.com/VintageInstruments
https://www.facebook.com/GearMagazine
Review:
https://twitter.com/GearMagazine
Appearance & Finish- This guitar looks great, a perfect fit for rock while maintaining a
look suitable for most genres, it stood out to me right away with it's PRS style sleek
50 retroCULT
http://www.jhs.co.uk
51
TEXT BY AMY KILIVINGTON
THE RISE OF NAIL ART
The term 'Art' inspires visions of illustrious masterpieces: vast Impressionist canvases, intricate portraits
of the bourgeois, colossal marble sculptures, all safeguarded by chrome and velvet barriers within
glorious rooms of paneled mahogany, and complemented by golden plaques displaying the exotic
monikers of da Vinci, Rembrandt, and Michelangelo. The sheer scale of a piece is an immediate indication
of prestige. Recently, however, a new form has begun to subvert the mantra of 'the bigger the better',
taking centre stage on the tiny canvases of fingertips: nail art.
Many consider nail art a recent trend. Famous fashionistas are often caught flashing their bejeweled
talons, and celebrities regularly complement a quirky dress sense with bold, bright nail choices. The recent
media frenzy regarding international fashion weeks has also continued to push nail art into the limelight.
Along with the excitement regarding legendary designers, willowy models, and audiences bursting with
superstars, the additional styling and accessories, including nail art, is persistently photographed, featured
and praised.
Historians assume that nail decoration originated from the ancient worlds of India, Egypt and China. While
the formers dyed nails with henna, thus turning them deep shades of red and brown, the Chinese
combined a variety of natural ingredients with rose petals, and dipped their finger nails into the formula,
turning them pretty shades of pink.
As with many ancient traditions, social rank was regularly reflected in nail embellishments. The classic red
manicure dominated the time of Cleopatra, whose crimson nails reflected her position as pharaoh.
Unlike the royalty of China's Chou Dynasty, however, who allowed other upper class women to imitate
their choice of metallic nails, Ancient Egypt rulings forbade anyone to mimic Cleopatra's rust red
manicure. The crime of copying was punishable by death.
Throughout time, advancements in technology have meant that both nail care and nail art improved. Tools
were developed to buff, file and shape, and the creation of automobile paint inspired the first modern nail
polish. Nowadays, professional nail salons line the high street, and customers are bestowed with
impeccable manicures in a matter of minutes.
Each decade has seen the rise of its own signature nails: the post-war generation channeled Hollywood
glamour in their glossy red manicures, whilst the '60s and '70s presented a penchant for nudes, pastels
and earthy tones. In the 1980s, black talons matched the fashion statements of Goth and Punk, while the
ravers' neon manicures coordinated with their miniskirts and legwarmers.
Now, the possibilities of nail art are endless. Striping tape, dotting tools and miniscule paintbrushes are
easily accessible to pros and amateurs alike, and ensure precise, neat manicures for a purse-friendly price.
Stamping equipment and transfers make for easy, professional-looking decoration, while an abundance
of holographic nail polishes, glitters and studs mean your nails will stand out from the crowd. Online, your
search engine is sure to find a tutorial for the more complex technique, and provide you with wealth of
manicures to inspire.
The ultimate creative outlet, nail art allows your imagination to run wild, hones your skills, and leaves you
with fingertips that are sure to impress. What's more, while Michelangelo would never dare lift David, and
da Vinci would surely struggle to carry the Mona Lisa around, the form of nail art is effortlessly exhibited.
52 retroCULT
53
AUSTIN ARIES
INTERVIEW
What do you make of TNA
returning to Orlando? And do
changes like this affect the morale
in the locker room?
“I do not see any major changes
in the morale of the people in the
locker room. I meanm, there are
always changes in this business
like any other business and that’s
something that people accept,
especially in the wrestling industry
where there is so much uncertainty.
From a personal and professional
standpoint, with the return of the
company to the Impact Zone, we
know we need to focus and deal
with the things we can control and
that is the quality of the product,
whenever we go to the ropes
whenever we take the microphone, in those moments in the
ring we focus less on other issues.
There will always be interest and
people focusing on the negative
aspects.”
54 retroCULT
“I’d be lying if I said I’m not
disappointed [going back to the
Impact Zone.] that is not counting
the financial aspects of the situation. Personally, I love to travel
and I like to take the brand out of
Florida, taking the brand to
different places where we can
continue to do interesting things
there. But the return to Orlando
will not be a step back. The
concept of 24/7 seems to be quite
interesting and I think we can take
a step forward. Sometimes you
need to step back to take two
steps forward. This new project
24/7 is a unique concept, when it
is up and running we will have to
see how it will be embedded in
the usual wrestling programming,
this is connected to the reality
concepts which are the future,
where fans can meet us, and see
behind the scenes of what we do.
. People want to see something
different inside. If we can give it to
the fans, it’s a good opportunity
and we should focus on that. “
What are your opinions on the
concept of the One Night Only
Pay Per Views?
“It’s a unique situation, it is a way
of addressing both a financial and
a business strategy. Of course
it is hard to distance ourselves
creatively, in terms of the timing,
thinking that the event will be
broadcast weeks or months after
the date of recording, we have
to think of this things as an single
entity or a one-off. [Aside from the
regular product, telvision shows,
and four regular PPVs]”
“As this PPV is a tournament [Austin
was promoting the One Night
Only, Tournament of Champions],
it becomes much simpler since
everything is more linear and for
fans this concept is unique and it
will be something they can really
appreciate as a one-off. We can
not think too much on what’s going
on Thursdays show, so we have
to focus on our character and our
adversary, since the story of these
matches all end when the PPV
ends . So it is independent of what
is happening at that moment . Like I
have stated they are two separate
concepts and gives us the opportunity of focusing more on wrestling
and less on the storylines. “
What are the major difference
from TNA in 2006 , to the TNA
that you cam back to when you
returned?
“Firslty, I have to let you people
know that there is no proof that
I’m the Austin Starr. Maybe we
share the same tattoo and that
is where the similarites stop. But,
yeah I remember being in TNA at
that time [2006] and I think TNA
has changed since then, especially
internationally they have grown,
and this is something that is not
valued by the fans in the United
States. We have grown, and we
have been very successful in
other markets like the UK . TNA
has grown since 2006, today we
are doing live show , we are on
the road, course this has changed
with this new concept, but anybody who follows TNA knows that
this company is always looking for
ways to grow, trying to change
things, and trying push the envelope . The important thing is to find
a combination that works with fans
of wrestling and is able to capture
55
the attention of casual fans too. “
What do you believe is the best
format for the style of X-Division
matches with the old stipulation of
Triple Threat as opposed to just
whatever comes naturally?
“I always try to work with different
style and different characters,
whatever it takes. It’s a bit like the
PPVs we talked about before, as we
go into the ring we know it will be
for one night only and we obviously
have to fight the best we can. I like
that, but as an artist and as a fighter I
also like being in a long term storyline
where we really have something
we can strive for and something to
develop. So I like both formats. There
are already some names on the
roster that I would like to have a
longer storyline, but we’ll see what
happens in the future.”
The importance of the X-Division shifts
from month to month. What are your
opinions on the current state of the
X-Division?
“The importance often has to do with
the person who is entitled at the time.
The division can be “pushed” to the
front when needed or may be less
visible, so can be used to change the
pace of the program. At this point,
what is to prevent the division to
have its own highlight is that there is
no definition of what the X Division
really is. It is difficult to define what
it is today. May say it is a style of
wrestling, but this is not true. I fight in
this style and this is a part of me, but
does not define me. The value of the
X Division today is that you can have
multiple functions, depending on what
the organization needs and that is
something valuable. Also it is a good
launching pad for some athletes and
so it is good to be in the X Division
and the division will always be an
important part of TNA. “
You had a great run as TNA World
56 retroCULT
Champion, who do you think has
been TNAs most dominant world
champion?
“The two that come straight to mind
are Jeff Hardy and Kurt Angle. I have
long wanted to have a good fight
with Angle in the ring and I will have
that opportunity, soon rather then later. This type of fighting in tournaments
represent exactly what we could do
if we had more time programming,
fighting with great quality and very
intense. I know that compared to Kurt,
if we look and interbreed with it is
good that we are prepared to work,
because nobody gets in the ring with
Kurt to fight “the gas on medium.”
He and Jeff are the most prominent
names. Both came from the other
side where they did great things and
when they came to TNA continued
to conque and continue to do great
thing, they have a great reputation.
They are the names that come to my
mind as the most dominant, besides
myself I need not mention myself,
because I am the most dominant. “
What has been your favourite fight/
match of your career so far?
My favorite match was fighting for
the title in Ring Of Honor against
Samoa Joe, and at that time it was
the most important battle I had in my
career. I took the task very seriously,
because I know the tremendous
work that Joe put in to give that title
prestige, and I was aware of the my
responsibility to follow in those steps.
This fight catapulted my career and
my confidence. When I lost the title
a few months later, that was also
something special because of the atmosphere that this fight had created. “
As a fan of the sport who are some
of your favourites to watch wrestle?
“I’m not one to play favourites. There
are things I like and things I dislike. But
I’ll be honest, there is a classic AWA
combat with Hector Guerrero that
perplexed me. Things that Hector did
then left me crazy. I remember seeing
that and thinking that I have to pick
a notebook and point out everything
because I will do this. And considering
the year it happened and fluidity and
charisma of this type, it was amazing.
“
Austin, with you promoting the tournament of champions. I was wondering
what wrestlers have inspired you to
become a wrestler?
“You know, I think there were many
people who inspired me over the
years, people like Eddie Guerrero,
Eddie Gilbert, and the Dynamite Kid.
The fighters who were not that tall,
yet they proved they could get it done
in the ring with best, and also be the
best. “
The PPV format for 2014 is still not
clear, do you know what the schedule will be like? And what are your
opinions on TNA’s current schedule?
“I do not know what will happen in
2014. Until today I have not received
any information about the calendars
for 2014 and as such do not know
what changes are going to happen.
But in my personal opinion, depends
on whether we are talking about
just regular PPVs. I’ve always been a
big fan of the concept type “Clash
of Champions” is great to bring to
television. But perhaps 4-6 is a good
number. A PPV a month did not seem
very special. Six in a year may be a
good option, with some additional
special shows on television throughout the year, as we have had this
year and that works well for me. It
is a matter of continuing to test the
theory and see what works. “
TNA IMPACT WRESTLING Tour the
UK and Ireland in January/February
2014. For more information go to
www.impactwrestling.com/uktour
NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS
2013 REVIEW
Summerslam was arguably one of the best WWE PPVs of
2013 and that is including this years Wrestlemania. Could
Night of Champions build on the success of Summerslam
and give us another great pay-per-view? I will leave my
answer for the end of the review. I will also try not to spoil
the show for anyone who has not seen it. No promises on
that though.
Show starts with a strong promo segment with Triple H,
Paul Heyman, and Curtis Axel. This was really confusing
because Triple H was acting like a good guy in the
segment and just clashed with the Triple H we had seen
to the build up of the PPV. Paul Heyman has been the best
thing about WWE since his return. HHH sets up an
Intercontinental Title match between Curtis Axel and Kofi
Kingston. It was a decent opener, just left me with one
question and that is will Kofi Kingston ever be a Main
Event wrestler? He has got tons of charisma and is super
over in every city that WWE is in, and he can wrestle the
WWE style quite well.
Fatal Four-way for the WWE Divas Championship. The
biggest shame about the womens division or Diva division
in the WWE is that they have some talented wrestlers but
not since the days of Trish Stratus, and Lita have we seen
any credible Diva. AJ Lee is never going to be a female
Bret Hart but she has passion and buckets of it. In a few
years time AJ could be classed as one of the best Divas
of all time. This match once again highlights the ability of
Natayla and with her famous family lineage no surprise
how natural she is in the ring. Natayla would be a major
asset in Japan for female wrestling. The match was actually
quite good and all four participants did a good job.
I had the (dis) pleasure of seeing Rob Van Dam live when
he was over in the UK for IMPACT WRESTLING. Too say
he was dreadful would be an understatement but in all
honesty since his return to WWE he has really seemed to
got that passion back with wrestling. Who can blame him
going from 2,000 fans in attendance to 15,000. Alberto
Del Rio is still an enigma to me there is no doubt that he
can wrestle but I have never clicked with his character.
This feud with RVD has really gotten ADR over and has
been surprisingly quite entertaining. The match was really
high quality with RVD playing the good guy role to perfection. The ending fell a bit flat for me but never the less
another good quality match.
58 retroCULT
Let’s just forget the name of the PPV for the next two
matches. The Miz vs. Fandango just seems so pointless,
Fandango the wrestler is not that over. His music are over,
his partner are over, and his gimmick are over but there is
not much love for Fandango, the person. The Miz is terrible as a face, it is not The Miz is fault but when they are
portrayed like a mega bad guy like he was then it was is
always hard to take him serious in this role. This match is a
perfect time to get some refreshments. Another non-title
match CM Punk vs. Curtis Axel and Paul Heyman, CM
Punk shows his talents in the match making it very enjoyable, the storyline is great, and the wrestling is not bad.
The ending allows the storyline to keep on building till the
next PPV at least.
Oh yeah this Night of Champions lets through in a title
match. United States Title Match Dolph Ziggler challenging the Champion, Dean Ambrose. This is another decent
match but it seems to serve no real purpose, Ziggler has
fell flat since his winning the title and losing it. It is followed
by Dean’s Shield stable mated defending the Tag Titles
against the Prime Time Players. Just another match for The
Shield boys, they are a strong tag-team with Reigns getting a lot of praise for his role but don’t forget the role of
Rollins who manages to keep fluidity of matches good. No
doubt Reigns will break out to bigger things in the future.
I really was not interested in the match it seemed like a
show opener rather then the match before a Main Event.
It has been the Summer of Bryan, in the build up to this
match he was so over it was almost like his name was
being announced as Austin, or The Rock. I was not happy
with the ending of the Summerslam PPV but knew that it
would be building up to making Bryan into a huge star.
That mission seems to be working well. Daniel Bryan is
probably one of the best technicians ever in a WWE ring
and he makes Bret Hart look like The Great Khali. Orton
can really go in the wrestling too he is an in-ring general
and has the psycology of the WWE style downn to an art
form. The match is superb.
It is a well put together PPV. If you are expecting the same
levels as Summerslam then you will be disappointed. The
momentum is slightly dropping for WWE after this Pay Per
View, and the fallout the next night on RAW really sours
the event for me. Overall as a stand alone event this is a
good buy and fill those gaps for any collectors with some
good extras on the Blu-ray. For the price as well you can
not really argue or would not affect me from buying it. I
just wish the RAW the following night never happened.
You can buy the DVD and/or the Blu-ray here
http://www.wwedvd.co.uk/night-champions2013-p-11768.html
59
History Of WWE: 50 Years Of
Sports Entertainment Review
When I received the 50 Years of Sports Entertainment DVD, the first thing that crossed my mind
was how the heck could they get 50 years on 3
DVD Disc [2 Blu-ray disc.] How do get 5 decades of wrestling on 3 disc and still manage to
cover all the bases? Well, I have now idea how
they did it but they have done it, and they have
done a superb job.
WWE is known for keeping kayfabe and still trying to pull the wool over the eyes of casual fans.
WWE has built up such an empire that casual
fans believe that wrestling is WWE, and that
no other wrestling exist beyond WWE. Which is
a testament to how well the McMahon family
have created their product. From humble beginnings in 1963 for a regional promotion, who
would of thought 50 years later that it wold be
the multi-media juggernaut that it is today. It has
not been all sunshine and rainbows for WWE
with the steroid scandal, the Benoit-double
murder suicide, Owen Harts tragic death, death
of several former WWE employees due to drugs,
and for the most part the majority of these subjects are covered in the documentary. Baring the
obvious Benoit situation, as we know his name
will never be mentioned again on WWE television.
policy in light of that because no matter what
Benoit is always going to be a dark cloud that
lurks over Titan Towers. However I can see why
they haven’t because in a sense they are digging
up something which will still be and will always
be raw for the guys and girls who were connected with him.
The DVD really comes to life with the matches
and segments on the 2nd and 3rd disc [2nd disc
on Blu-ray] their is a real sense of importance
and nostalgia. The matches show not only the
evolution of WWE but also the evolution of wrestling. The 50 Year DVD would not be the same
without the infamous CM Punk Pipebomb promo,
that shows how much of an affect Punk has
made on WWE history. They also show the defining moments of other superstars such as Steve
Austin, and The Rock. There are plenty of other
extras on the Blu-ray including more stories that
did no make the cut including, Bankruptcy, Jimmy
Valiant talks Vince Sr., and the WWE universe.
Also includes two extra matches with Big Show
vs. Floyd Mayweather, and Undertaker vs. HBK
from Wrestlemania 25.
The DVD set overall is a great trip down memory
lane for any fan of WWE whether they be
causal fans or hardcore fans. Some hardcore
fans may be disappointed that they have not
learned anything new but I guess that’s how
you keep the mystery alive Never the less this
a great DVD set which does an excellent job of
cramming 50 Years into 3 Disc [2 Disc on Blu-ray]
If you have the capability to play Blu-rays it is
worth the extra price you pay. With the Christmas season close upon is this is a perfect present
for any grappling fan.
The documentary has a good flow to it, at times
I wish it could go into a bit more depth with the
earlier days of WWWF especially with guys like
Bruno who was undoubtedly the biggest draw
for Vince Sr. We get a good look at the birth of
signature events from Wrestlemania to Saturday
Night Main Event. The documentary itself is far
from groundbreaking and the majority of the
information will be know by most casual wrestling
fans. My main praises comes with including the
steroid trial in the 90’s and not shying away from
the darker side of professional wrestling. I do feel You can buy the DVD and/or the Blu-ray here
that the documentary could have mentioned the http://www.wwedvd.co.uk/history-yearsBenoit situation, and how the company changed sports-entertainment-p-11769.html
60 retroCULT
61
WA R R IN GTO N
BASH
REVIEW
Grand Pro Wrestling and Science Fiction Studios presented Warrington Bash at the Rylands Recreational club.
I got there just after the doors opened at seven, and the whole venue was packed and people were still
piling through the doors just before bell time. The hardest part of doing new venues is wondering whether you
are going to draw or not. It is quite expensive booking even the modest of wrestling shows (I have done some
research of my own in the past to do one off shows, and even making use of my connections it would cost
around the £800 mark so it is a big risk). It looks like GPW’s risk paid off, however, with over 150 and possibly even nearly 200 people being packed into the venue.
The action began with a fatal four-way between Joey Hayes, Jim Nastic, Wahoo Thunderfoot, and rent-agob, Joseph Vega. Joey Hayes got the crowd into the match, getting us all clapping, and there were some
good spots in the match, including Wahoo snaring Jim in a tarantula hold. Vega then grabbed at Wahoo’s
head, as Hayes applied the Boston crab on Joseph Vega. It never ceases to surprise me how great Joey
Hayes is; he is one of the unsung heroes of British wrestling. The other three participants were also very
competent, but it was ultimately Joseph Vega, and Joey Hayes who came out the match looking like real
stars. Hayes picked up the victory after Vega had a spat with Wahoo Thunderfoot (what a great name for a
wrestler.)
The second match featured one of the UK’s biggest stars, El Ligero. facing Nick Maguire. The match was good
and had some good crowd reaction. Nick is another promising talent from the GPW ranks, who has helped
trained some of the best wrestlers in this country. El Ligero picked up the win after a good contest.
GPW have become known for their great trio matches, and this was no different, with Dylan Roberts and
The Island Brothers taking on Ste’ bin’ Mann, Cyanide, and Dangerous Damon Leigh in arguably the best
wrestling contest of the night. All six men have strong characters which are backed up with their in ring abilities.
The crowd were really into the match, which was no surprise as it was filled with action inside and outside of
the ring.
Cyanide once again proved why he is one of the best big men in Britain, the veteran DDL was immensely over
as always, and Ste ‘bin’ Mann showed his athleticism by hitting a suicide dive on the other combatants. Dylan
Roberts and The Island Brothers could get booed in an empty room. The match ended with a double count
out, and the crowd erupted with chants of “let them fight”. The match didn’t get restarted, but DDL, Ste, and
Cyanide hit Dylan Roberts and The Island Brothers with their signature moves, which was met with a great
reaction by the crowd.
After the intermission, The Bad Lads (Micky Barnes and Drill) offered an open challenge. The challenge was
accepted by Track and Field, who got the crowd into the match with their antics which including jumping stars,
and hydration breaks. The crowd were really responsive to the action considering it was the first time GPW
have had wrestling in this venue. Despite all the momentum that Track and Field built it was not enough to win
62 retroCULT the match as The Bad Lads picked up the win.
The hometown hero, Sexy Kev, was up next with his valet Lana Austin to face the veteran, T-Bone, who did an excellent job from the outset to get the fans riled up against him, and made the crowd love Sexy Kev’s antics even more. He
portrayed the stripper gimmick to perfection, and valet Lana Austin also played a part in getting the kids at ringside to
chant for Sexy Kev. T-Bone spat in the face of Lana, as he continued to play the heel. Sexy Kev tried to make T-Bone tap
out with an armbar but was unsuccessful, before Lana got the chance to get her revenge on T-Bone as she hit him with a
tilt-a-whirl stunner. Sexy Kev followed up with a frog splash and an armbar to make T-Bone tap out.
The second to last match of the night saw Science Fiction duo (Mikey Holmes and Voodoo) take on the bizarre pairing
of the oddball Noah and one of Britain’s top stars, Martin Kirby. This comedy match was the icing on top of the cake. If
you see “comedy.” wrestling on the television then you will probably find it hard to find the punchline, as it is terrible. This
match was far from terrible and the comedy was timed to perfection. The running joke throughout the match was that
Sexy Kev was in the Warrington guardian, with every participant exclaiming said revelation.
For the first time in probably wrestling history, a teddy bear got one of the best cheers of the night, with the crowds
chanting “Sexy Ted.” in reference to Noah’s teddy bear. Other shenanigans included Kirby being placed in the stocks
were thoroughly entertaining for both children and adults. The only people who were not amused at the antics were
the bar staff, who frankly looked a bit confused. Science Fiction’s antics were not enough to pick up the win, with Kirby
grabbing the victory for his team.
Before the main event, Alex Jones-Casey held a protest in the ring. He had been a nuisance all night with his moaning,
and he didn’t break character even at the intermission and he annoyed a few people that he barged past. The crowd
gave the student some abuse, it was followed by a prolonged attack by Nate Travis.
The Main Event was Ricky J. Mackenzie vs. Zack Gibson, who is the current reigning GPW British Champion. Sadly this
was a non-title match. The match was a great technical bout and the crowd fell silent at points in the match; not out of
boredom, but out of respect for what they were witnessing. It would be great to see a feud built between these two as I
think could draw some good money.
My only qualm, and this is no disrespect to RJM, is that he is a hard person to get behind and I could never see him as a
top good guy. I think he would make a great heel or maybe a great tweener. Either way it was a great end to a great
night It easily beats anything I have seen from WWE or TNA in the past few years, and goes to show that local wrestling
is much better than much of what you’ll find on mainstream television. I hope that we get to see more shows in the future
from this promotion, as I really think they could expand their fan base even further.
Check out www.grandprowrestling.co.uk and www.facebook.com/sciencefictionstudios
63
overwhelming worry of your own introduction causes other people’s bios to go
unheard.
student
TALK
TEXT BY AMY KILIVINGTON
A close friend of mine recently stated that university is the only time that
a conscious effort for friendships is required. After pondering for a while, I
had to agree. As a small child, making friends is the most natural act in the
world. You then attend school with pals you’ve known for years, and although
friendships may form and break throughout, you are never without someone
you know. When you move away to university, everything changes. If leaving
your family and relocating to a new city isn’t traumatic enough, you are also
presented with the task of making friends. And fast.
They say that joining a society is a great way to meet people. Unfortunately,
finding your perfect activity is easier said than done. Your sexual orientation
doesn’t qualify you for the LGBQT, rugby is a no-go because you don’t like
mud, and you can’t join the Ski Society because, well, you can’t ski. One student embraced the diversity of student societies, and found the potential for
friendship-forming to be unlimited. “There’s all types of people,” she explains.
“At school, there were the issues of backgrounds, wealth and popularity. But
at university, none of that matters.”
However, for many, sober socialising is out of the question, leading you to
employ the use of solitude’s most effective medicine: alcohol. A pitcher of a
suspicious-looking cocktail soon loosens your tongue and boosts your confidence. You chat, dance, and declare your undying love for the boy dressed
as a banana, but the next morning, with a banging headache and pizza congealing on your bed sheets, you struggle to remember who your new friends
are. Back to square one.
During seminars, things don’t improve. Your tutor endeavours to break the
ice by suggesting ‘get to know you’ introductions, but the activity is futile.
Panic descends as everyone tries to come up with interesting facts, and the
64 retroCULT
A friend, who recently graduated, describes her own experiences. “I was so bad
at making friends. Nobody in my department actually knew who I was.” The
remedy? “I broke wind during class,” she explains. “Strong friendships were
formed after that.”
If publically showcasing your bodily functions isn’t to your taste, other methods may be required. Maybe you can form strong bonds with your flat mates?
But back at student halls, you once again face the struggles of making friends.
Some hit the jackpot when it comes to likeminded neighbours, and quickly create firm friendships. Many are not so lucky.
“My room was on a corridor filled with very conservative people,” explains a
party-loving friend. “I had to try and decipher who’d be up for a night out by
watching those who drank wine during the first evening meal.”
In some ways, making friends as a young adult is much like the dating game.
You have to pluck up courage, put yourself out there, and be prepared to get
knocked back. A lot of the time, the aim isn’t to find ‘Mr. Right’, but rather ‘Mr.
Right-Now’. “I’m not friends with anyone I met during Freshers Week,” another
student tells me. “I suppose we just used each other until we found some ‘real’
friends. It sounds harsh, but that’s the reality of being at university.”
For me, it was ‘The Case of the Missing Bacon’ that led to the termination of a
‘Freshers Friendship.’ Upon stealing several slices of my delicious cured pork
from the fridge, her other flaws were brought to light, including selfishness and
dishonesty. Of course, falling out over bacon can be considered petty in the
wider scheme of things, but it must be remembered that within the microcosm
of university, where budget dictates you grow accustomed to hunger, the matter
of stolen food is magnified into a full-blown criminal act.
Hasty convenience friendships are a regular occurrence in the lives of university students, and many are unsurprised when the alliance fizzles out. “You’re in
such a desperate bid to make friends and not be lonely,” explains another recent
graduate. “Soon, you realise that you don’t really like them at all.”
Making friends as a student is a stress-inducing task, and along with moving to
a new city and embarking upon difficult studies, the worry of loneliness is at the
forefront of students’ minds. My advice? Be open-minded and confident, but
ensure that you are true to yourself in the process. Accept that some friendships
may dissolve, and be aware that others will seemingly appear from nowhere.
And, for goodness sake, don’t steal your housemate’s bacon.
You have any funny stories to share or want advice on anything then do not
hesitate to e-mail us at [email protected]
65
The Psychology of The
Flawed Hero
Throughout history,
mankind has grown an
attraction towards fictional
main characters that possess
deeply rooted flaws within
their personality, yet we
idolize them...But for what
reason?
Within the media, it has
become a predominant factor
to advertise mental illnesses
that are socially acceptable.
For instance, a large amount of
individuals have been
introduced to the Looney
Tunes or Tom & Jerry during
their childhood. If one were to
examine the cartoon
characters more closely, one
can easily note the adult
humour. If one reads between
the lines...
Bugs Bunny, for example,
appears laid-back, confident
and always has a plan at hand.
Yet, he displays an inclination
towards Borderline
Personality Disorder, which
seems to be unrelated to his
transgender confusion. In
sum, he could be described as
a transsexual,
narcissistic, nymphomaniac
that has captured millions
within the audience. His
determination with vengeance at the slightest provocation reveals the darkness of
the actual character. Also, as
he does not hesitate to stick
his finger inside the barrel of
a gun, he is most likely aware
of the fact that he cannot die.
66 retroCULT
Like immortals, driven mad
by the fact, spending eternity
attempting kill one another.
In consequence, Elmer Fudd,
although there is no indication
of previous military service, it
is most likely that he served in
the Second World War, thus
suffering from post-traumatic
stress disorder. His mood
swings in combination with
his hunting obsession
resemble that which used to
known as shell shock. It is also
commonly known that the
firing of arms releases PTSD
symptoms within a controlled
environment, hunting
therefore becomes a more
suitable outlet for certain
personality types. However, it
should be noted veterans turning against their country has
become a more regular
occurrence within recent
years.
What is a soldier without an
enemy? What is a hero
without a nemesis? What is
the difference between a hero
that upholds the law without
breaking it and a hero that
violates it in order to uphold
it? There is a fine line between
that which is morally righteous, that which is justified
and that which is just plain
immoral. We are led to believe
that line is represented by the
law. Yet, there is a
difference between the law
and that which is morally
right. This has been a point
TEXT BY ANITA SULSER
of contention since the beginning of recorded history.
However, to stand up against
the law and perform actions
that are morally necessitated,
becoming a hero to the people, is not equivalent to overall
public support. Enemies are
never few in number. The
simpler the cause, the greater
the probable fall-back. For
instance, there is a difference
between being hung for
stealing a loaf of bread in
times of poverty and a
billionaire philanthropist,
dressing in a unique outfit
with gadgets, facing life-long
imprisonment for the
prevention/punishment of
crime as well as corruption.
However, there is also those
that do not shy away from
taking the life of a criminal
that cannot be imprisoned.
Deadpool, for instance, the
multiple-personality anti-hero
that stalks the nights,
mercilessly slaughtering,
whilst having a
philosophical conversation
with himself about the
outcome of the situation. The
Punisher, for instance, a
serving member of special
forces, the military, and the
marines until he witnesses the
death of his wife and
children. He does not capture.
He does not torture. He
simply kills and moves on.
There is no stopping a man
such as that, which was
evident when he took on
Spider Man (In a What-If
Edition), causing him to go to war
against the heroes of the Marvel
Universe and emerge victorious.
Conclusively, a righteous
action is generally defined by an
action that is unprovoked and
morally upright, whereas within a
justified action, the individual acts
in response to either a preconceived
wrong directly to the individual or
to a fellow man. A true hero is more
often than not righteous, acting by
what is morally upright, not necessarily lawful. A fallen hero, however,
is often morally grey, as the action
encompasses prior
provocation to the act.
Overall, it is easier to take a life than
to spare one. To murder the Joker,
for instance, would not be a
righteous deed, it would be a
justified action to prevent countless
more deaths that would be
inevitable, if he were to stay alive.
It would not merely be a vengeful
crime, but the prevention of the
inevitable within a corrupt system.
Yet, what if death was not the only
option? Correctional and detention
facilities have clearly proven to be
in need of modification. Within my
professional opinion based upon
years of employment in the prison
and social services sectors, there is a
reason for crime. Whether it is
poverty, paedophilia or
psychopathy, the origin of the
behavioural pattern is a
psychological one. More often than
not there are contributing factors
within the personality that support
criminal behaviour, including the
lack of support from their
surroundings. They are often left to
themselves, and begin to gradually
form groups. At times, the crime
becomes an initiation. Any crime
that follows merely becomes
another badge on the chest with a
golden star for avoiding capture.
How can one fight such an
opposing mentality compared to
that of society? It would require
secured mental facilities that
monitor and modify the behaviour
of the inmate to reveal the root of
the repeated tendency to violate
human rights, but also to provide
free compulsory education for them
to open up alternative possibilities
in the future. For instance, studies
have shown that offenders engaging in meditation and mindfulness
are less likely to re-offend. In fact,
the research has proven effective
enough for it to be incorporated
into certain prisons permanently.
However, the figure of the monk or
yogi is not predominant,
continually resurfacing Hollywood
material. Practices to attain a higher
state of consciousness demand
compassion, kindness and patience
at all times. Non-attachment to all,
whilst being connected to all. A
man who converses in riddles and
remains silent any other time. And
he’s only to speak when it is necessitated. It teaches simplicity, a humble demeanour, but most of all it
represents infinite probabilities and
wisdom within the self. That
limitations solely exist within the
mind. However, it is rather similar
to the image of the flawed hero, as
both are incapable of living within
society without a certain level of
friction. One chooses to due to
spiritual reasons, which could be
construed as religious fanaticism or
terrorism, whereas the other cannot
due to behavioural inclinations. Yet,
both act out of that which is
perceived as morally right. One
peacefully protests for the
common good of humanity, whereas
the other prefers the application of
more physical methods. In the end,
both achieve the same goal through
dissimilar means. Mahatma Gandhi,
who had also served in the military,
once stated “It is better to be violent,
if there is violence in our hearts,
than to put on the cloak of
non-violence to cover impotence.”
During an invasion, for instance,
fighting for survival and freedom
becomes inevitable. Within an
active war-zone, the inhabitants are
forced to live under the permanent
risk of losing their life for merely
being at the wrong place at the
wrong time.
We idolize the image of the flawed
hero, because they can do as we
cannot. The consequences of their
actions would almost
immediately result in positive
change within society, getting one
step closer to cease the injustice that
occurs on a daily basis around the
world. In the words of Malcolm X
“I’m for truth, no matter who tells
it. I’m for justice, no matter who it
is for or against. I’m a human being,
first and foremost, and as such I’m
for whoever and whatever benefits
humanity as a whole.”
67
‘Is it really a crime to be over fifty and
creative in 2013?’
TEXT BY KATHLEEN M. PUGH
‘Is it really a crime to be over fifty
and creative in 2013?’ By Kathleen
M. Pugh
One might wonder how such a title
came into being – and, indeed, what
significance it could possibly have to
do with a modern Britain. Having
worked for over thirty years, brought
or dragged (some might say) , three
children into the twentieth century,
with all its trials and tribulations, and
having successfully guided them into
the twenty first century virtually by
myself, and survived a 29 year marriage (well, almost), it is very disconcerting to realise that despite all this,
and now being over fifty, you find
yourself unemployed, unwanted and
too opinionated. I always thought we
had free speech in Britain, but maybe
not!
of your way to deliver a service.
Trudged through several inches, and
in some cases feet, of snow when all
others have failed to turn in to work
and you, being the nearest to the,
office have made the effort and taken
on all the telephone calls, visits, and
clinics with no, or very little, help
from the odd colleague that has
managed to make it into work.
receive a ‘Congratulations‘ from a
senior employee, which pleases you;
but, as the weeks roll on, praise turns
to dismay and
We enjoyed this piece by Kathleen so the editor of RetroCULT wanted to get some more context for the piece,
and give you the readers more of an insight into Kathleen’s story.
disbelief. The fact that your story is
fiction and should be read with an
open mind and should be looked
for outside the realms of traditional
writing doesn’t matter.
A: - This was very recent in my employment history. It actually happened between 2010 and 2012. Having
already started University, and was now in my second year studying music, I received notification that I was
being brought up before the Nursing and midwifery Council to face disciplinary proceedings of ‘Gross
Misconduct.’ All I did was write a story which they did not like! So you can imagine the impact on my ability to
study. I received no support from my former colleagues.
The gratitude is none existent.
Neither are the commendations for
future studies. Okay; you don’t expect it, and maybe you have no right
to expect it, but wouldn’t it be nice to
receive some kind of thanks?
You receive a letter informing you
that you face disciplinary proceedings because you have written a story
– for which you suffer an exacerbation of an already potential life
threatening illness.
Q:-What was the text that was written?
Well given the type of institution and
business, probably not!
You have to be counselled, and are
deemed to have some form of mental
illness/ You’re left with the choice of
continual bullying and harassment
from your employers or facing up to
the charge and leaving.
And so it goes on...
You don’t tick all the boxes in the
economic and employers’ market.
Just because you have been ‘On the
scene’ for over fifty years and have
seen many change, some of which
have not exactly been beneficial to
society, why do certain employing
bodies still have the mediaeval opinion that you are there to serve and do
as you are told without question, and
that any opinion you may offer is a
criminal offense, so much so that you
are coerced or bullied into making
decisions that would keep you from
going insane and becoming very ill
as a result?
There then comes a time when you
want to share something exciting and
creative with your fellow colleagues
that you implicitly trust (well you
have worked with them for years,
why would you not want to trust
them?). “Bring them in and we will
have a look and maybe we could buy
one off you. Well done!”
For thirty years you have gone out
They read with cautious interest. You
68 retroCULT
So you, with all the enthusiasm of a
small child (and revelling in the exciting possibility that someone might
actually like your work of fiction)
dutifully allow your colleagues to
read what you have written.
For your sanity, you choose the latter
– but it does not stop there. You still
have to face disciplinary procedures
and are splashed across all the papers
and mentioned on the radio.
As a result of all this, trying to find
employment proves very difficult and
still is difficult. Trying to restart a
career after so many years in one job
is not an easy task. Losing so much
income is also very difficult.
Being over fifty and creative, (and
unemployed!) in 2013 is proving to
be a very real fact of life.
Q: - When did this happen?
A:- My story revolved around a health centre and included some elements that could be said to be related to my
working as a health professional, bearing in mind that this was not based on fact but on experience and that the
story came under the title of ‘Science Fiction Fantasy’ It was based on my imagination!
Q:-Why was it so bad?
A:- You tell me! The only thing that I can possible link in with the action of the Health Authority that I worked
for was that it was ‘too close for comfort’. They thought that it would paint those who worked in the caring
profession in a unwelcome light, and would raise more questions as to the validity of some care and the subsequent impact on those that were being cared for. The story was descriptive and explicit, but born out of a
healthy imagination!
Q:-‘What are your intentions for the reader?’
A:- That things that are said at an interview should in some cases be taken lightly. The phrase ‘We encourage
diversity, and ethnicity in all our workers and want to know how they socialise and communicate with
others’ does not mean exactly what it says on the tin, so to speak. Yes, one is allowed to be creative and have
some diversity but on our terms. We will say how creative and imaginative you are allowed to be and how many
boxes you tick.
‘We encourage mature students and nurses, they have so much to offer!’ but on whose terms? Certainly not on
my terms or experience over the years.
I think that a lot of BS is used to give a false sense of security, and that when they say that your job is secure for
the next ten years, it isn’t. Far too many employers see anyone who has an opinion or is over a certain age as a
threat to them, because maybe they may have some small contribution to offer that might make a positive
difference to the way in which people work. You might actually enjoy what you do and that would never do!!!
69
Revolution of Fashion
It is difficult to define
fashion, and what exactly
it is. Fashion like any other
major industry has
developed, expanded and
has grown to fit every
individual style. Fashion
can be the statement you
always wanted to make,
fashion can be a force
for protest, fashion can
be a force of change, and
one thing is clear fashion
has and always will play
a major role in all our
lives. Millions of fashion
trends have dominated
our screens over the years,
some have changed, some
are old, some are new and
some are plain simple
classics. Even if you do not
consider what you wear to
be fashionable, it is a part
of fashion and it definitely
once stood to mean
something. To the
contrary, our
revolutionised fashion
lifestyle could not have
been what it is today, if
not for all those feisty men
and women, who dared to
change what remained the
same. The post war world
was about to be taken on a
fiery fashion rollercoaster
ride.
70 retroCULT
With the post war world
being challenged by the
cold war era, the spark
that set fifties into fashion
flames was demonstrated
in 1946.
Fashion revolutionist
Louis Reard created the
bikini; oh not for the
beach, but as a
protest against the nuclear
tests at Bikini Atoll; hence
the name bikini. Reard
intentions were clear; he
wanted to create a reaction as colossal as the
nuclear tests themselves.
Reard found Micheline
Bernardini; a nude dancer
from the Casino de Paris
as his model; as no self
respecting model at the
time would dare wear his
design. The first bikini was
made up of newspaper, to
symbolise the propaganda
being used; which played
a major role in the tense
aftermath of the Second
World War. If not for
Reard audacious ways, the
bikini would never have
been revolutionised to
the beach loving swimsuit
every girls wants to wear.
When taking your next
trip to the beach, the bikini
is a statement for everyone
to see, just not the original
statement it was made for.
Thus the fifties mark a
TEXT BY SONIA BOUSHRA
point of not just fashion
revolution but
sexuality. With the fifties
set to change fashion
history, Marilyn Monroe,
Audrey Hepburn and Elvis
Presley were the main
faces of our new sexualised
culture to come.
Marilyn Monroe’s
chaotic rise to fame, lead
a whole new era of iconic
fashion and sexuality.
Thus the sexualisation of
clothing begins; Marilyn
heightened success threw
a whole generation of
women into body hugging dresses and stilettos.
Her success caused major
changes in the fashion
world, with the greatest
designers all wanting to
work with her. Even to this
day, Chanel is releasing
unseen footage of Miss
Monroe with the classic
vintage Chanel No5 bottle,
with the original interview
record for their new
vintage advertisement.
Marilyn is still mirrored
today by Scarlet
Johansson’s Chanel No5
advert; with the original
statement “What do I wear
in bed? Why, Chanel No5,
of course.” Marilyn the
ultimate, cheeky, seductive,
blonde, hollywood bomb shell
was adored by millions and
continues to brace our screens
with her magnetic beauty. She
has been the centre of
controversy and fifty years later
she still fails to sizzle out from
history. But we all should take
a page out her book as “well
behaved women rarely make
history.”
youth to treat fashion as art,
Elvis tagged by the Rolling
to be able to express what you
Stones Magazine, as the man
want, on whatever you want
who made “rock ‘n’ roll the
to wear. With self expression
international
writhe, and
language of pop” and
London being the main go to
“single-handedly change the
place for fashion, the world
course of music and culture in
had eyes on main idols such
1950s”. Elvis’s fame is continuas Brian Jones, Twiggy, John
ous through time and his foot- Lennon and Brigitte Bardot.
print on the world of music and Towards the end of the
culture is evident. He changed
sixties and the Vietnam War
the perception of fashion, and
making headlines, now was
With Marilyn’s captivating
influenced millions with daring time for flower power. With
fashion sense, Audrey
fashion take. Coming from a
the hippie movement coming
Hepburn was not too far
humble background, where all into place in 1968, we came see
behind, as her daring dress
he and his parents could afford psychedelic patters, headbands,
culture reinvented what was
appropriate for women to wear. where overalls, as soon as Elvis tie dyed shirts and long hair.
could, he would never been
The flower power generation
Her tendency to go against
seen in a pair for the rest of his fought weapons and war with
what the world thought,
life. With his combination of
self expression, music and what
produced some of the worldly
slick duck tail haircut and elec- they wore.
love fashion trends; from the
trifying trigger happy feet; Elvis
little black dress to pin up suits
Coming into the early 1970’s
created live shows of sexual
and bow ties. Hepburn
we see a transformation to hot
provocative style. Elvis daring
embraces femininity and
pant, flared jeans and PVC;
style, popped out colour,
elegance with each look, thus
yes we are now approaching
using pinks, reds, white and
setting a new standard of fearwho could forget those tassels. the disco era. Roller blades
lessness in fashion. One main
were the casual way of strolling
Daring with his styles, Elvis
fashion defining moment was
created a new generation of col- around and those crazy tassels
Hepburn’s reinvented wedding our and slick shiny hair.
from the fifties reappeared and
dress; she opted for a short
back in style. John Travolta put
high waist pants on every guys
white little dress, with her
The post war baby boom leads
must have list. Coming to mid
signature scarf. Hepburn’s
to a new generation of “me”.
seventies the disco era clashes
unique style, grace and timeless In the early sixties we start to
with the new punk movement
poise, always challenged the
see a rise in throwing fashion
on the rise, the combination
fashion status quo, she never
around, and having fun with it.
of gypsy styled rock ’n’ roll,
look toward others for
Mary Quant changed fashion
the seventies were about to be
reassurance and she believed
forever as in 1964 she introflipped over with icons such as
“elegance is the only beauty that duced the world to the
The Sex Pistols, Stevie Nicks,
never fades.”
mini-skirt. She encouraged the
71
Not another article
about Miley
holiday. Although some
may consider the nineties
as not important decade of
fashion, the use of fashion
from then onward is majorly symbolic for everybody and what we wear. As
the world has slowly came
to the point where it is
not socially accepted to be
judged by what we wear,
fashion has been on a long
ride, to be free from
judgement. From
Alexander McQueen
himself
Only inspired by her latest stunt. After being announced the winner of “Best Music Video”
during the MTV European Music Awards, Miss Cyrus got up on stage and lit a joint.
Obviously young famous girl + smoking a joint on stage = a lot of talking. But let us remove Cyrus, MTV and everything else from that equation, until we are left with only
“smoking a joint”.
“It’s a new era in fashion - there are no rules.
As we enter the 1980’s we
It’s all about the indisee women entering the
vidual and
work force; with a rise of
Going head first into the
personal style,wearing
7.4% of women joining
nineties, we start to see a
high-end, low-end, clasthe work trade in the UK.
combination of years of
sic labels, and
Thus women, now had to
revolutionised clothing;
take fashion to work, with with society laces loosened up-and-coming
women now in a
up, women and men alike designers all together.”
position of earning their
can wear what they want,
Today fashion “is the
whenever they want,
own money, they referred
key [to] being yourself.
without fear of social
to their style as “power
Don’t be into trends.
prejudice. The nineties can
dressing”. With women
Don’t make fashion own
dressing it up in the office, be the decade fashion has
forgotten, as we see trends you, but you
what did the take to the
decide what you are,
streets? Well Madonna and from previous decades,
mix and match into every- what you want to
Michael Jackson defined
day wear. We see the use of express by the way you
the eighties with their
massive influence over the leggings to work, coloured dress and the way to
masses. Madonna emerged tights is the norm, shorts
live.”
Researchers, some more qualified than others, don’t seem to agree if that is a good or a
bad thing. According to WebMD.com the long term effect of using marijuana could be:
aggression, anxiety, depressed mood and decreased appetite. Drugfreeworld.org writes
that “kids who frequently use marijuana are almost four times more likely to act violently
or damage property. They are five times more likely to steal than those who do not use the
drug.” This article also comes with a convenient glossary of “street names” at the bottom.
David Bowe, The Ramones
and The Exploited. Some
people argue that
Vivienne Westwood and
Jean Paul Gautier were
the main influence for the
punk era; the designers
designed outfits for the top
punk bands, setting a new
form of style; safety pins,
chains, chequered pants
and skirts, ripped jeans
and t shirts was the must
have. The punk movement
influenced mass
production, and clothes
were sold from record
stores to small business.
72 retroCULT
TEXT BY INA DHAENENS
onto the dance scene with
“Like a Virgin” which
sparked off the skirts worn
over leggings, rubber
bracelets, fishnets, massive
hair bows and the use of a
crucifix as fashion object.
Then came
“Thriller”, Jackson revolutionised the glove to one
hand and who could forget
those jheri curls. Jackson
influence in fashion, saw a
growth in sales for leather
jackets, pants,
aviator glasses and
obviously gloves. Madonna
named the Queen of Pop
and Michael Jackson the
King of Pop, both 30 years
on have had a continuous
influence in the fashion
world.
are what you wear in the
summer and those bikinis’
are out when we go on
–Gianni Versace
Because “smoking a joint” is still illegal for the most part in the west. In the UK cannabis
is a class B drug and can get you up to five years in jail. Fourteen years if you are
planning on selling it to others. Two million people in the UK enjoy smoking a joint. In
the US weed is also illegal, unless you live in one of the twenty states that allow you to go
to your doctor and say you have problems sleeping, and therefore get a prescription for
Medical marijuana. 42 percent of all Americans admit to have tried smoking weed a least
one time, yet only 37 percent of Americans live in a state that allow people to use medical
marijuana. The point trying to be made here is that many people smoke weed despite that
it is illegal. We all know that.
On the other hand, tests performed by the American researcher Gary Wenk, have shown
that marijuana can help against Alzheimer and The European Neuropsychopharmacology
journal published an article saying that cannabis could cure depression and anxiety.
No doubt there are a lot of opinions about this green plant. Some call it research and some
call it myths. But here is a fact about “smoking a joint”: it does not make you cool. It does
not make you uncool either. “Smoking a joint” is just something some people do. Weed
should not be used to impress other people, to get attention or something you brag out
loud about so strangers can hear it. If you don’t smoke because it is illegal, good for you.
If you don’t smoke it because you don’t really like it, good for you. If you smoke it because
it is something you enjoy, good for you. Just don’t smoke a joint on a stage on TV to try to
get people to talk about you, because that actually looks very uncool. And that is also
a fact.
73
2Faced Dance Company: Out Of His
Skin – Review
TEXT BY JAMES PERRETT
Choreography:
Tamsin Fitzgerald
Dancers:
Johnny Autin, Nicholas
Bodych, Nathan French,
Alex Rowland, Tom Tindall,
Ed Warner
“Say what you need to say
plainly, and then take
responsibility for it”
Ai Weiwei
When I received an email
saying I could get tickets to
see an all-male dance piece
for just a tenner…I was
pretty much typing in my
card details before I’d even
read the synopsis. When
I found out it was about
adrenaline junkies well that
was it: forever a whore for a
bargain I dragged my
partner to the Lowry on a
Friday night preparing for
him to fall asleep and me to
be inspired. As it happened,
by the closing curtain, he
was crying and I already
had a scathing article
written in my head.
74 retroCULT
Let me first clarify that this
review in no way calls into
question the talent, finesse
and virtuosity of the
dancers on stage because,
for anyone who wasn’t
asleep in the theatre, there
was no question about it:
they were marvellous. My
cynicism comes from a
more sceptical view, I guess
from experience, of the
choreography I saw that
night. My partner felt I was
elitist; I felt I was entitled.
As the audience piled in,
and half-filled the theatre, I
noticed that the tall tower of
scaffolding erected upstage
right was housing a man in
the foetal position, watching
us for a reaction. A disturbing sense of Déjà Vu started
to cloud my previously open
mind. Once we were done
with the attempt to build
tension in the space the
dancer ran around his tiny
prison for a few minutes
and then promptly threw
himself off of the scaffolding
and on to a huge, obvious,
eye-sore of a crash mat that
I presume was supposed to
be hidden away to continue
the illusion. I was instantly
reminded of the ending
scene in Black Swan and
fully expected to see him
emerge from the wings in
a tutu and breathe “I was
perfect”.
The choreography
progressively disappointed
me from then onwards.
I could pick out, at least,
four motifs that were easily
traceable back to their
workshop routes and it’s my
(humble, I might add)
opinion that these methods
of choreographing should
be seamlessly hidden away
in the tapestry –
unidentifiable. We had
“listen to this music and
move to the instruments
you hear”: the dancers exaggerated the movement of
playing a
violin and added an
ill-suited gorilla hunch to
it. Next was “see how many
styles of dance you can
bring to the plate”: we had
break dancing,
contemporary, a couple of
plies for ballet and then a
selection of Latin ballroom
flares which, frankly, were
horrendously misplaced
and kept appearing out of
nowhere like a blundering uncle at a Christmas
party. Imagine all of the
above then throw in some
“what ticks do you produce
when you’re frustrated?”
head jerks and ten minutes
of “natural” stillness...and
that’s pretty much what I
witnessed. Although you’d
also be right in imagining
a GCSE drama piece. Certainly if you bear in mind
the opening sequence.
To give credit where credit’s due
some of the blame has to lie with
the marketing around the piece.
A YouTube video starting with
a man hovering on the edge of a
sky scraper and a plot summary
claiming we’ll see dancers “Pushing every available boundary and
risking everything until there is
nothing left”? Well yes, to give
the choreographer a break, it
was the marketing that lead me
astray. With taglines such as
“unpredictable, fierce and
tender” and “One man searches
[..] for the next big thing” I was
expecting to see some deathdefying falls; a string of erratic
twists on common choreography;
maybe even a couple of lighting
tricks but, instead, there were just
lifts-that-we’ve-all-seen, common
choreography with no twists (let
alone erratic ones) and a boring
set that had so, SO much potential! The fact that the program
even credited a stunt coordinator
was baffling to me…did they hire
him just for that one cliff dive at
the beginning?
what the dance as aiming at that
brings about frustration. This
piece didn’t need any techniques
in fact all they did was cheapen
the act. An act that may well
have been ground breaking had
they kept the speed high and the
adrenaline pumped; transcending through the sweat and out
into the audience. The themes
of greed, frustration and angst
in a struggling socio-economic
climate were so incredibly
current, personal and relevant
that I wanted a lot more than
what was offered. I wanted
movement derived from hours of
passionate, unstructured,
improvisation; visibly exhilarated
dancers pushing themselves to
their physical limits then pulling
back at the last minute, not because of choreographic direction
but out of pure fear. Then going
for it all over again just because
they felt like it. Wasn’t that what
we were told we would be seeing? Risk? Rush? Fear? Instead
they punctuated tense moments
of “oh shit he was at the top of
that tower and managed to climb
I know that this may read like an through three other men to get
unrelenting rant attacking very
to the bottom within seconds”
commonly used, very profession- with odd playground head spins
al, choreographic techniques but, and uninspired contact work that
in reality, it’s my admiration for
simply fell flat in the face of such
expectations.
Again, I dispute not the
ferocity of the dancers but the
ferocity of the piece…I’ve seen
it all before! I saw nothing new,
nothing remotely daring that
evening that would grab me by
the balls and leave me feeling like
I’d just seen the reincarnation of
Martha Graham.
On reflection, perhaps I judge
too harshly and it was just
unfairly high expectations and,
above all, taste. Taste developed
after seeing some incredible
works at the Lowry before: such
as, on a side note, Hofesh
Schecter’s Political Mother during which dancers threw
themselves around the stage as a
three tiers of a live band smashed
away at guitars and drums and a
dictator figure towered above
them screaming inaudible hate
speech. The sight of that promptly pushed everything I thought I
knew about dance out the window. Out of His Skin did leave me
feeling subtly aroused…but only
because they all took their shirts
off at the end.
75
Summer spending
craziness
After an astonishing amount
of spending on new players for
their respective football clubs,
have chairmen and
managers completely lost the
plot? Or are the deals done
simply what football is these
days? I am going to write what
I think on the biggest and also,
the strangest deals done before
the transfer window closed:Real Madrid get Baled out.
The world record signing of
Gareth Bale from Spurs to
Real Madrid came as no
surprise. Real ALWAYS get
their man no matter what.
Cristiano Ronaldo, David
Beckham, Zinezine Zidane,
Luis Figo-the list goes on.
Even though Bale is surely
overrated, the talent is
definitely there. But for
£85.3M? Surely that is too
much? Real themselves
actually admitted that he
wasn’t worth that much but
they needed to do whatever
they could to get a marquee
signing after Barcelona had
bought Neymar for £48.6M.
Some would argue Neymar is
by far a better buy than Bale.
Some think he is even better than Cristiano Ronaldo.
Neymars’ agent saying “At
Neymars’ age, Cristiano was a
mediocre player.”
Both were born on the same
day (February 5th). Will
Neymar be more better than
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TEXT BY MUKESH DHIMAR
Ronaldo when he reaches that
age? Only time will tell.
Manchester United buy a
midfielder.
What WAS surprising was
Arsenal capturing the signing
of Mesut Ozil from Real.
A position that has troubled
Manchester United for the
past five years is in centre midfield. After Roy Keane inevitably shortening his own career
with his temper, there has never been anyone that has really
filled his boots as the midfield
general. With Fletcher having
a long-term injury and might
not ever be back to his best,
Anderson never really having
the consistency and also with
the clubs’ embarrassment of
not being able to get most of
their targets this summer, the
club have bought Marouane
Fellaini for £27.5M.
Why did Real sell him? Their
own player and fans couldn’t
believe that Ozil was sold for
£42.5M with a lot of people
believing that he was Reals’
second best player. Was he not
needed?
Of course he was needed but
with a club that is £494M in
debt, they would surely have
felt that when Arsene Wenger
made the audacious approach
for Ozil, they really couldn’t
say no. Along with Gonzalo
Higuain going to Napoli for
£32M, they literally were
bailed out. You COULD say,
that was great business by
Real Madrid. You COULD say
Real Madrid know what they
are doing when it comes to
sealing such pricey deals. You
COULD say those things-but
then this comes along with
an almost forgotten attacking midfielder called Kaka
they bought five years ago for
£56M who they gave back to
AC Milan this summer on a
free transfer. 120 appearances,
29 goals and 32 assists. For
£56M. Is that great business?
It should also be noted that in
his first game back with Milan,
he has already created two
assists.
Even though new Manchester
United manager David Moyes
is and always has been a massive fan of Fellaini, the fact
that he originally wanted him
and Leighton Bains for a combined price of £28M speaks
volumes how he desperately
paid a lot more just to get a
recognised signing. It was
almost just to make a
statement rather than a player
who is going to change the
whole club for the better.
Seeing as Utds’ main rivals all
bought pretty well. Some of
the signings made:-
Manchester City - Fernardino
£30M, Stevan Jove tic £22M, Jesus
Navas £22.9M, Alvaro Negredo
£20.6M
Tottenham - Eric Lamela £30M,
Roberto Soldado £26M, Paulinho
£17M, Christian Eriksen £11.5M
The last name there being a former
Utd target in what is an absolute
bargain for Spurs.
Now of course this list could go on
for a long time. Players that teams
bought and sold, not just from
the Premier League but from all
around the world. Which brings
me onto my next point:Has the world gone absolutely
mad?
I love football. I love everything
about the game. The passion, the
spirit of competition, the talking
points.
But the money side? The money
that gets thrown around in buying
and selling and wages is absolutely
ridiculous. Isn’t it?
Or can it be justified?
Think about it this way, it is all
about supply and demand. If a
single football fan, decided for
one whole season, never to go to
a game, never to watch it on sky
sports, never to buy any football
shirts or any merchandise
whatsoever to do with football.
There would be no sponsorship
money, no money from
advertisements. So what would
happen?
Footballers would THEN get their
wages cut. Simple. They would
have no money to pay them. It’s
the public that provide the money
in the first place and then moan
about footballers getting paid too
much. But could a football fan
quit watching football just for one
season?
Also the fact that certain footballers are very talented. For example
currently, the best footballer in
the world - Lionel Messi. How
many teams in the world would
want him in their squad? EVERY
team in every division of every
country would want Lionel Messi
in their team. But because there is
only ONE Lionel Messi, the value
of that certain individual goes
sky high. So the team he is at will
pay him A LOT to keep him. The
teams that want him would have to
pay more to get him and thus the
money making craziness will go
on. But will it ever stop?
Well about ten years ago I said if a
stop and a maximum limit wasn’t
put on the price of a player then
somebody will sooner or later
be bought for a hundred million
pounds. Granted Bale was a hundred Euros but that equates to just
under eighty-five million pounds!
The average national lottery
jackpot is five million pounds.
Nearly everyone dreams of that
happening to them, with the odds
of that being 1 in 13,983,816. So…
multiply that by five.
Unfortunately, crazy spending in football doesn’t look like
stopping soon. So whether you
are a football fan or not, the best
thing to do is learn to live with
it and try not to think about the
many millions of people who
would benefit from resources,
education and food all that
money would bring.
Chelsea - Willian £30M,
Andre Schurrle £18M and
Samuel Eto’o for free.
77
A Tale for the Time Being
- Ruth Ozeki
TEXT BY KIRSTY SMITH
“You can look at the novel as a parable about the process of writing fiction. What happens when
a character appears and calls the novelist into being? It’s not meant to be taken
literally. This is magic- the very ordinary magic of writing fiction.”
(Ruth Ozeki, 2013)
A few weeks ago, my friend and I decided to formally start a book club in order to
ensure we read as much as we possibly can and to share our love for all things literary. From being somewhat of a bookworm since childhood, I became extremely
excited at being able to share this love for books with one of my friends and, as a
Facebook group was developed for events and discussions, eleven more joined. This
summer, I decided to read some of the previous nominees and winners of the Man
Booker Prize as this year’s winner was due to be announced in the autumn. I think
perhaps, due to reading Adeline Yen Mah’s Falling Leaves when I was younger, I
have always really enjoyed Chinese and Japanese literature as it is so culturally rich
in history and tradition yet it is so far away from Western culture. Because of this,
out of the six books shortlisted for this year, I chose A Tale for the Time Being by
Ruth Ozeki as our first book for book club (I’m not going to lie… the interactive
book cover was also a contributing factor when making my decision to purchase!)
A Tale for the Time Being is quite a complex novel that comes from the perspectives of two individuals who are in different settings and different time zones yet
who are inextricably linked together despite all that. Nao, a Japanese teenager,
whose diary you read, is experiencing a traumatic transition adjusting into school
in Japan as, due to her father losing his job, the family has had to relocate from
their former home in America. Nao’s father attempts suicide and Nao, herself,
seriously contemplates doing the same, only with the aim of succeeding. Before that
however, she plans to write down the amazing life story of her great-grandmother,
Jiko, a Buddhist nun. Although I’m sure you’re thinking that this novel is sounding
less and less cheery as I go on, I can assure you Jiko’s peaceful and wise character
in the novel and the elements of Buddhism that feature within it, shed a little hope
on Nao’s situation and it is truly heart-warming to see the relationship she has with
Jiko and how she betters things with her poor father. As we read the diary entries,
we actually read them along with the other character within the novel, Ruth. Ozeki
has stated that the Ruth in the novel is semi-fictional in relation to her as she too
has a husband called Oliver, has a house in British Columbia yet it is the fictional
Ruth who stumbles upon Nao’s diary, washed up on the shore, having kept dry and
secure within a Hello Kitty lunchbox.What are the chances?! The diary entries that
you read include little footnotes at the bottom of each page that fictional Ruth has
made – which can slow down your reading a tad as there are plenty – and so you’ll
find yourself in a very unusual narrative situation of reading as if you are reading as
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Ruth reads (apologises for the tongue-twister there). She is portrayed as being rather unhappy
about living in a very close-knit community and seems to want to return to New York. This
could be why she seems almost obsessed by Nao’s diary and becomes increasingly eager to find
out what has happened to her and her family – if they are still alive or if they were killed in the
2011 tsunami. What I greatly enjoyed about the novel was that it juxtaposed the Western
lifestyle (Nao’s home in Sunnyvale, New York City for Ruth) with the East (Japan) and conjured
up imagery of beautiful foreign settings such as Jiko’s temple in the Japanese countryside. I find
it rare these days to find truly talented writers that can use just the right amount of description
and scene- setting in order to leave your imagination to do the rest yet Ozeki completely nails it.
The other striking factor is undoubtedly the character of Nao. She is clearly a victim among her
peers, a ghost within her small family and seemingly angry, homesick, lonely and depressed. Yet
her accounts are still terribly funny at times and just brutally honest about how she feels, what
she recognises her life to be like and what she thinks of others. She has quite a high level of
maturity yet her vulnerability and innocence are why Ruth develops such a deep concern for
her. There was less of an empathic feeling towards Ruth’s character for myself as a reader. Although Ruth is obviously an integral part of the story, it was felt by some at my book club that
the novel would have perhaps still been a success, although to a different effect, with just Nao’s
diary as the narrative. The connection between the two though is too unusual and poignant
in my eyes though to imagine completely eradicating her part from it. I don’t want to spoil the
novel for you in terms of all the intricacies it contains and how it comes to an end but what infuses the novel with an extra hint of excellence is how, even though Ruth and Nao are separated
by decades, age and space, they do manage to form this extraordinary bond. When I first started
the novel and probably still at about halfway, I had absolutely no idea where it was about to take
me or how there would be some kind of resolve for the characters at the end. All I’m going to
say is that it involves dreams, mysterious magic and a large black crow… which okay, is ominous
but trust me, it turns the book into a novel, not just about stark realities of teenage life, or of
being older and feeling not quite as happy as maybe you feel you ought to, but a novel about the
possibility of the future and of never giving up hope. Although I didn’t get around to reading all
of the entries for this year’s Prize, I do feel that Ruth Ozeki should have been the 2013 winner
and ithas only inspired me further to continue to add to my reading list from the Man Booker
entries.
79
Devilled Eggs
Ingredients -
50’s THROWBACK
CHRISTMAS
TEXT BY ARTI PARMAR
As the festive period approaches us we begin to think of the quality time we can
spend with our loved ones. Planning trips to the Christmas markets, cosy nights in front
of the TV and of course the dinner parties. There is no time like Christmas, where
indulging in grand amounts of food is the norm, even for those watching their
waistline. The 50’s was the decade of dinner parties and lavish adventurous food.
Doesn’t it sound a lot like Christmas? So why not host a 50’s glam dinner party, it has
all the elements of a Christmas party, except its better.
The rules? Firstly, it is important to create a busy table setting. Each inch of the table
should be decorated with plenty of elaborate appetizers and main dishes. From
platters of fruit speared with colourful frilly toothpicks, jelly moulds, cheese straws and
not to forget the spam fritters, devilled eggs and pineapple upside-down cake. Feed
your guests with the heartiest tuna casserole and chicken divan or pork joint, roasted
to perfection. To add the finishing touch to the table purchase a vintage tablecloth that
boasts the busiest floral print.
Secondly, it is essential to dress the part. The theme is the glam 50’s therefore Casual
is simply not in. Men should wear a suave suit and tie whilst women should rock their
fanciest cocktail dress, or a blouse and skirt. The lady of the night, the hostess, can pin
on a vintage apron to add the finishing touch to her prim and proper look.
Six Eggs
Three tablespoons of mayonnaise
One teaspoon of Dijon mustard
Salt and Pepper
Paprika
Optional toppings - Bacon, Chives, Anchovies, Chicken, Cheese, etc..
Method * Carefully place the eggs in a single layer in a saucepan. Cover the eggs with boiling kettle water,
making sure there is two inches of water above them. Turn the heat up to allow the water to boil.
Once the water is boiling, turn down the heat and let the eggs cook for ten minutes.
* Once the eggs are cooked, turn off the heat and drain the hot water from the saucepan leaving
the eggs inside. Run the eggs under cold water to cool them down. Once the eggs are fully cooled,
carefully crack and peel away the shells, ensuring the egg whites remain intact.
* Vertically slice the eggs in half, separate the yolks and place them in a bowl.
* Add the mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper to the yolks. Using a fork, mix the ingredients until
you have a smooth mixture. More mayonnaise and mustard can be added if desired.
* The mixture can be spooned into the egg whites, however piping the mixture is easier and more
presentable. Pipe the mixture into each egg hollow using a circular motion, finally creating a peak.
Notes –
To present the eggs, lay them on a tiered cake stand and decorate the plate with pimiento stuffed
olives, pickles, salami and onions. This decoration will transform your egg platter into a retro
delight. You can experiment with the toppings of the devilled eggs, use your favourite pizza topping
or invent something completely new.
Finally, get inspired for your dinner party by watching ‘I Love Lucy’ or even re watch
an old episode of Desperate Housewives and use the show’s very own epitome of a
50’s hostess, Bree Van De Kamp, as inspiration. The music is also crucial to recreate a
nostalgic setting, rummage through your record collection and dig out the Elvis, Dean
Martin and Doris Day.
The list of food is endless but here are two of my favourite retro recipes that will make
your nostalgic dinner party a hit. You can add your own twist by altering the size or
adding extra ingredients to the recipe.
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81
Petite pineapple upside-down cakes
Ingredients:
For the topping 50g butter
Six Glace cherries
50g light brown sugar
Six pineapple rings in pineapple juice
For the Cake 100g self raising flour
100g butter
100g caster sugar
Two eggs
One teaspoon vanilla extract
One teaspoon baking powder
Two teaspoons pineapple juice
Method
* Pre heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. For the topping of the cakes, bind together the sugar
and butter until you have a smooth creamy mixture. Evenly distribute the mixture onto the base of
six muffin cups (You can use individual ones or use a muffin baking tray). Next, place the pineapple
rings on the tops of the mixture and place a cherry in the middle of each ring.
* For the cake, sieve the flour into a bowl then add the remaining ingredients. Combine the mixture
together and add two teaspoons of pineapple juice.
* Distribute the cake mix into each of the muffin cups making sure each has an event amount.
* Place in the oven for twenty five minutes. To check the cakes are ready, use a skewer to pierce
through the middle of a cake. If the skewer is clear the cake is done.
* Remove the cakes from the oven and leave to stand on a cooling rack for five minutes. Once
cooled, turn the cakes onto a plate ready to be served.
Notes –
Arrange the cakes onto a vintage tiered cake stand. To make the stand look fuller and to give it that
extra glamour, decorate the stand with chocolate dipped strawberries. You can also use chocolate
dipped pineapple, grapes and bananas.
Enter discount code: RETRO10
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