Volume 12.2 2009
R U O Y e r u s e k Ma ! d r a e h s i e c i vo
join the Student Parliament to have your say at GCU
onianstudentt.com/ www.caleden stud tparliamen
The Caledonian Student Parliament is the way to make sure that your voice is heard at GCU. The Parliament discusses all of the big issues on campus from library opening hours and the timing of winter exams through to free water on campus and Wednesday afternoons off. All students can join the Parliament and have their say on what their Students’ Association campaigns for within the university.
#ALEDONIAN 3 T U D E N T 0AR LIAM ENT
In Parliament we have positions to make sure that all groups of studen ts are properly represented. A number of the se are still vacant including:
Black & Minority Ethnic Students’ Co nvenor, INTO Students’ Convenor, Caledonian Cour t Representa tive. s or dents through one of these position stu t en res rep ld cou u yo nk thi u yo If ur ning the Parliament to represent yo joi t ou ab on ati orm inf re mo like would at kevin.ward@gcal.ac.uk. d ar W vin Ke t ac nt co n the ss cla
Hey Guys, Welcome to the second edition of the amazing Re: Union magazine!! I hope that everyone on Campus enjoyed the very cutting edge first edition which went on the stands across Caledonian and you all got the chance to read some great interviews with the likes of MISS FRANK and FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE… only the best interviews here at Re:Union!!!! This edition is all about Christmas, that lovely time of year when everyone comes together and exchanges gifts, the time when families rejoice in getting together and making the most of unspent time… well Re:Union really has Christmas all wrapped up in our Second Edition… From Sled dog racing in the gorgeous backdrop of Aviemore to the comfortable settings of what to watch on the big screen this Christmas or how to make yourself look and feel great this festive season – Re:Union has it all, and it’s all in the best student magazine in Glasgow. Look out for the glamorous article from the Scottish Style awards and if you’re looking for inspiration and a bit of humble pie then look no further than our amazing interview with the lovely Veronica Williamson. Next Edition were are going all International and we need your help to make this edition the most successful edition of Re:Union so far… if you are an international student, have an international society or maybe have been somewhere international and would like to share your experiences with us then get in touch with the magazine… all you have to do is contact myself of one of the section editors to become part of edition 3 which is set to be the best edition so far…!!!!! Well that’s all from me for the second edition but please enjoy every inch of the great interviews, keep up to date with all the student news, enjoy the quality up and coming bands from Music, immerse yourself in an amazing story in features, get all glammed up with fashion, keep yourself cultured by reading arts and if up for the challenge then read our great sports pages. Re:Union is always at the beating heart of Caledonian university but we need your love so get yourself attached to our facebook group and follow our updates on Twitter – connecting with Re:Union just got easier. Have a lovely Christmas and a happy new year and remember to keep all your promises and new year resolutions when 2010 comes knocking on the door...!!!!!! Merry Christmas 2009
Students voices
student burglary
Come join the wave / Student Loans
Inspiration at your door
2009 Deathlist
Jas Bytes
Scottish Style Awards
Hand & Lock
I am a rebel
Make up tips / Seventeenth century
PASSION PIT REVIEW DJ SNAFU INTERVIEW MAGDA / YOUR SOUND
Where the wild things are
How I met your catchphrase Britain’s got brainwashed
Wildes Wise Words
Top 10 Christmas Films
Old Firm Derby/Attack that body
Sled Dog Racing
Sean Neilson (Editor in Chief) Re:Union
Re:Union Front cover shoot by Scott Near
Top 3 study distractions / Radio Caley
Editor Sean Neilson sneils15@caledonian.ac.uk
Arts Editor Steph Cosway steph.cosway@gmail.com
Sport Editor Allan Argue aargue10@caledonian.ac.uk
Deputy Editor/Features Editor Ruairidh Prtichard ruairidh.pritchard@gcal.ac.uk
Music Editor Rory Herron roryherron@hotmail.com
Marketing Editor Janika Fuchs jfuchs10@caledonian.ac.uk
News Editor Sarah Conway sconwa17@caledonian.ac.uk
Fashion Editor Tatiana Ashakova ashakova@gmail.com
Design Josie McKay Communication & Media Co-ordinator
NEWS
A wee note from the News editor... Ok there are three reasons to celebrate: 1. The festive season is upon us! My favourite time of year! 2. Re: Union has made it to the second issue of 2009/2010 to print – relatively unscathed. 3. I am still here!! WooHoo. I don’t mean here as in physically on this planet – obviously I am thankful for that every day. What I mean is here in university finishing the first semester of my Masters degree. I think that the Christmas break is an important time for students to chill out, party and let off some steam. However, I think it is also important that we recharge our batteries and reflect on where we are. I never expected the masters to hit me with such a force as what it did and for the first few weeks the adrenaline alone kept you going. Once I got over the initial fear that someone was going to come into my class and tell me there had been a mistake and I wasn’t meant to be there I really began to enjoy the course. I talked about what I was learning to anyone, discussed my future career with enthusiasm and vest. I was a young vibrant professional to be and I loved every moment of it. Until week 7, when I witnessed the 31 people in my class (including
myself) deflate before my very eyes. Workloads were piling up, assignment dates were looming and there was a general peer consensus of thinking: “I’m F****D!”. If you see my smiling face under my (stolen) cap-i-tans cap in issue 3 then you will know I have made it. I will have made it through the cramming, through the nervous period of exams and assignment due dates, through the festive period and into semester B with a sense of revived energy ready to hit placement time. I am sure many of you – like me – have periods were you feel like you’ve hit a brick wall. Where you cannot go on and you are wondering what the wages full time at the shop where you work are like. Don’t give up! You’ll come back, and before you know it we’ll be knocking off for the summer! Enjoy Re: Union. My section has information on how to stay safe alongside some current student centred debates. And if, like me, you need a bit of inspiration to get through the next challenge then check out my interview with Veronica Williamson in the features section. Any time I think about giving up I think about her and the challenges she faces every day. here I come!! See ya all real soon – Issue 3
Students Voices are Falling on Deaf Ears! In issue 1 (Published in November) Re:Union printed an article in the news section about the power of the student voice. It encouraged students to become involved in clubs and societies, for social aspects and for experience but also because we can bring about change. These facts still apply to us and this article is not designed to dis-hearten students. However Re: Union feels there is a need to inform students of some of the challenges facing them.
THE GOVERNMENT ISN’T LISTENING. This issue is brought to light over the current debates about university fees. This debate is concentrated in England and Wales due to the fact that they do not have a system like SAAS. However, SAAS is only for Scottish students who attend Scottish Universities. If Scottish students want to study down south, or for international students coming to Scotland, then they have to pay fees. For these groups fees are still a major issue and more generally the lack of supporting ears within governments affect us all. In reaction to these issues NUS President Wes Streeting said: “We agree with the Government that students should be an equal partner in higher education, and that is why it is absolutely essential that we are given a seat at the table in the forthcoming review of fees, rather than merely being consulted. Anything less would be totally unacceptable to students who are rightly concerned about a back-room stitch up. The Government must practice what it preaches on student engagement.”
The Government has promised students that they will listen and will give us more information and transparency about available courses. NUS agreed that these are a step in the right direction; providing there are not hidden consequences. “We welcome any proposals which would improve the information, advice and guidance available to applicants.
However, we would be deeply concerned if this measure were viewed as paving the way for the raising of the cap on fees and the opening up of a market in higher education. Information about degree courses must not be allowed to be reduced to the kind of supermarket labelling one might find on a tin of baked beans.” The major argument against fee paying and having a system like Scotland’s SAAS is that many young people simply cannot afford to begin a degree at university. I am not immune from complaining that I am permanently skint whilst I am a student, we are famous for our poverty plea battle cries, but it has never been the case where I thought I actually cannot afford to come to university at all. At the moment there is calls for universities to provide a selection of ‘fee-free’ courses (this of course is England and Wales), and it may be a sound theory, However students who take these courses will not receive any funding at all, which will force many to stay at home. This limits their choice of university in a geographical sense and also limits the choice of courses available. Wes Streeting supports the idea of ‘fee-free’ courses but notes the dangers:
“It is problematic because it assumes that students living at home do not need financial help. According to the Government’s own figures, students over 25, those with children and those living at home all face higher costs in order to participate in their course, for instance relating to childcare or travel. It is therefore wrong to suggest that these groups will be helped by having their fees and loans scrapped.”
A British crime survey is published every year and provides the most comprehensive breakdown of crimes statistics for the whole of the UK. The survey is based on both anonymous victims’ surveys and police statistics. It is a fairly detailed document breaking down both the victims and perpetrators of crime into different groups which consist of gender, age, race and occupation.
also made an official response to the findings:
“Burglary has fallen nationally by 54 per cent since 1997 but I am determined to stay on the front foot in keeping crimes like this down. The Government has provided £175,000 to the NUS to help educate students about the simple things they can do to protect themselves. “This money will provide practical help and advice to young people leaving home for the first time but they must also remember to do their part and ensure their homes are secure.” “Every community has a dedicated Neighbourhood Policing Team seeking to work directly with all members of the community, including university students, to identify and tackle problems in partnership together.”
This breakdown allowed the realisation that students are not in any way immune from crime like every other group in society. The National Union of Students (NUS) conducted their own survey to gain a deeper insight into students and crime. The survey showed that a startling 84% of fresher’s are not concerned about crime, despite the fact that students are around 3 times more likely to be burgled than any other group. In addition the survey also found that 23% of fresher’s do not plan to get insurance, citing cost and complication as reasons! Obviously this startling news required a response. NUS Vice President for Welfare, Ben Whittaker, said: “Students are more at risk from burglary than any other occupational group, yet the vast majority of this year’s fresher’s remain unconcerned about crime.
“Because most students live in communal households, they are particularly at risk from walk-in theft. We would advise students to take extra care when it comes to making sure their doors and windows are locked, and to get insurance which covers walk-in theft.” Home Office Minister David Hanson MP
The home insurance guide (online) reports that around 1 in 3 students will be robbed and very few have insurance. Sadly, although leaving home to go to college or university is an exciting time of life, the experience can be marred by crime. The 16 to 24 age group is three times more likely to be burgled than any other age group – a traumatic occurrence for a young person living away from their family for the first time. Burglars are after easy pickings and, with students owning more expensive gadgets than any other sector of the population, we are a popular target! Stay safe – being a student is meant to be challenging and fun and mostly hard-work all rolled into one. It doesn’t mean taking unnecessary risks with your stuff or indeed yourself. Don’t become a statistic; don’t make criminals lives easy. Be vigilant and you should be fine!
Here a few tips to avoid becoming the 1 in 3 of students who are victims of burglary each year: • If you are living in a student house or flat take the same precautions. Sounds simple but ensure you lock windows and doors.
NEWS
STUDENTS ARE THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE BURGLED THAN ANY OTHER GROUP!
• If you are in a hall of residence, be aware of who you let in or who is following you into the building. • Even if you are just popping across the corridor to the kitchen or a friend’s room, lock your own door – it takes a burglar a matter of minutes to clear your room of laptop, iPod, money and any other goodies left on display. • Keep your bank cards separately from your cheque book. • Mark your valuables in ultra violet ink with your university and student ID. This makes it more likely that if found, your property will be returned to you. • Make sure you have adequate contents insurance and keep a note of the make, model and serial number of all your equipment. • When moving into or out of your accommodation do not leave your belongings unattended or in an open car. • During the holidays use secure storage provided by the university if possible.
Sarah Conway The survey, entitled ‘Fresher’s Survey 2009’, was conducted by NUS’ Social Policy Unit between 24/08/2009 and 03/09/2009 via www.nus.org.uk and NUS Extra fresher’s purchasers. Over 900 respondents took part. The findings are available here: http://resource.nusonline.co.uk/media/resource/ Summary03092009-results.doc According to the British Crime Survey 2008/2009 www.homeinsuranceguide.org.uk/burglary-advice. html
NEWS
COME JOIN THE WAVE! MARCH AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE! It’s on the news, it’s in the papers, there are even modules being created to deal with it. CLIMATE CHANGE is the two words on everybody’s lips! Everyone from the European Union through to local councillors, professionals, families, children and even students. Everyone has a level of awareness about this issue and pretty much everyone accepts that climate change is bad! Scotland itself is leading the way forward. On the 24th of July this year The Climate Change (Scotland) Bill was passed unanimously through the Scottish Parliament. At the beginning of November the Bill was made historic becoming the first Scottish Bill passed through the new Scottish Parliament to be given Royal Assent by her majesty the Queen.
Leading elements of the Scottish Act include: • At least a 42% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 (based on 1990 levels) • At least an 80% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 (based on 1990 levels) • Emissions from international aviation & shipping included from the start. • Commitment to report annually on consumption-based emissions; • Strong duty across the public sector to play a full part in tackling Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions. Also this year the UN (United Nations) are calling a summit in December to discuss the issue of climate change and we want students to become involved. On the 5th of December 2009 there will be synchronised marches in Glasgow and London called ‘THE WAVE’. The hope is that thousands of people from across Scotland, from all walks of life, will flow through the streets of Glasgow to demonstrate their support for a safe climate future for all. The Wave is organised by Stop Climate Chaos Scotland and is hoped to be a massive success. At the time of printing this article there was no designated date and time for the protests. For more information please log onto www.stopclimatechaos.org/scotland. All you have to do is dress in something blue, be as creative as you want, turn up to this family friendly event and be counted! Join The Wave Scotland’s biggest ever demonstration in support of action on climate change. We want the UK Government to Share Scotland’s Ambition, Protect the Poorest and Act Fair & Fast.
LET DOWN BY THE STUDENT LOANS COMPANY! SURPRISE SUPRISE! You may have been aware (for those of you who watch the news) that the Student Loans Company (SLC) is in big trouble. Statistics produced for November 2009 showed that: • A total of 991,000 students applied for some form of financial support from SLC which was up by around 90,000 from last year. • 132,000 students had their loans approved and had not received a payment. (correct on the 3rd November 2009) • Out of these students 19,000 cases were being held up because of the banks. Many people have called for the president of the SLC, Ralph Seymous-Jackson, to either resign his post or to be removed from it. NUS President Wes Streeting supported the students by releasing an official statement declaring that: “This year, hundreds of thousands of students have been affected by late payments or lost documents and have endured a miserable start to term. “The Student Loans Company has given students a string of broken promises about when they should expect to receive some or all of their loan payments. SLC bosses have failed to acknowledge the distress they have caused to students, and have sought to apportion blame anywhere other than their own doorstep. “If they had been open about the extent of the problems, universities would have been able to plan contingency funding more effectively. It is time for Ralph SeymourJackson to take full responsibility for this shambles and resign immediately.” This is just another example of a complicated process which involved too many agencies not communicating with each other. The NUS is working hard to make sure students v o i c e s and views are heard through-out this process. If you would like more information or if you were affected by the student l o a n s c o mp a n y ( S L C ) non-payments please log onto: www.nus.org.uk
Hello! Well hello there. Welcome to the features section of the new issue of Re:Union! I am your maestro for the next three pages, and my goodness, what bloody good pages they are. In this section you will find incredible inspiration, web wonders, radio reportage and... well... death, but do not worry yourself – just put the kettle on, maybe get a few biscuits on the go and settle down. All shall be revealed....
Ruairidh Put the books down and step away from the coursework!
Re:Union’s
Top 3 online study distractions Since beginning university my view on a lot of things has changed, but none more drastic than my relationship with the month of December. Childhood connotations of Christmas and snow and Santa are out the window and in come the never-ending plethora of assignment deadlines. Luckily for us, someone invented the internet – so take a break your usual routine of copying and pasting from Wikipedia, and check out Re:Union’s top 3 online study distractions!
em.com) 3. Hype Machine (hyp music lovers. To put it simply, the site keeps
Hype Machine is a haven for a set of kickass a track of what music bloggers write about. They handpick is, consumption music blogs and stream tracks they discuss for easy analys me music or and discovery. This way, your odds of stumbling into aweso credit for being awesome blogs are high, and best of all? You can take for weeks to the first to discover the music your pals will be talking about come...
2. Legends Of Me (legendsofme.com)
Brilliant for the child in you, and pretty fun when you’re lying in bed hungover, legendsofme.com is an online animated interactive adventure – based all around you. By creating your own character, and a friend, you can choose which adventure you want to be a part of. The site puts you and your pal in the story and you get to sit back and watch yourself star in one of their adventure mini-films... who needs Pixar, eh?
.de) 1. Pianolina (grotrianian makes good pianos, but I know that their
I don’t know whether Grotr I kind of like a music Pianolina game is a great way to kill some time. a note when they hit the composition toy – moving squares in a box make own music with them sides of the box or other squares. You can create your ments and direction, from scratch, setting the speed of the squares move of the notes. Once you and therefore setting the tempo and frequency ing into one another and start experimenting inevitably squares start bump you start experimenting the tune becomes a bit unrecognisable, but once g it gradually break with your own composition, half the fun is in hearin it’s a creative one – so down. Pianolina may be a time waster, but at least the guilt of not doing coursework is minimal.
Right, back of to Wikipedia...
Ruairidh Pritchard
I’ve met a few people around Campus who have asked me the question; “Does Caley have a radio station?!” when I attempt to tell them about Radio Caley. Even upon further explanation, some are still stunned beyond belief that a bunch of students can run their own station and keep the entire affair from going down in flames. If you’re one of these people, sitting reading your copy of Re:Union under the rock that you’ve clearly been living under then, without exaggeration or ego, I plan to tell you that your station is one of the most exciting student radio stations in Scotland. Since the last issue of Re:Union went to print, things have rocketed for us and we can now be heard, coming to you live from 12-7pm every single weekday. We have a host of fantastic new shows from Fuzion, trying to define indie, wrap it into a nice little parcel and deliver it to your computer, to ‘The Salubrious Salmon Appreciation Hour’ where a gentleman of questionable sanity guides you through life as seen through his slightly skewed eyes. We have chat shows bringing you the very best gossip, celebrities and of course some exceptional tunes (look out for GOTO 10 & The Sean Neilson Show) as well as exceptional current affairs debate brought to you by some fantabulously talented journalists. That’s just the tip of the iceberg and you can hear them all from 12-7pm LIVE at www.radiocaley.com.
We’re easily tracked down: FACEBOOK: Search for “Radio Caley” TWITTER: www.twitter.com/radiocaley for the very latest on all the shows. TEXT: You can request songs, heckle, and rejoice and all at the standard rate! Get us in the studio on: 07908609662
Michael Park (Asst. Station Manager)
Ok, so we are halfway through the year. There is certainly a sense of general deflation around university as a whole. Assignments are due, exams are looming and for some there is the prospect of placements, dissertations and of course the general week to week reading. It is easy to begin to question yourself: ‘why am I doing this to myself!?!?!’ is my particular favourite. However, it is sometimes easy to forget that for the majority of students at GCU life is not as hard as it appears. This is in no way trying to belittle the effort and sacrifice that every student has to make in order to succeed at university, but sometimes a student comes along that forces you to eat humble pie. For me that student is Veronica Williamson. Here is her amazing story.
a nursery and primary school that were specially equipped to help me. Although they were both a long distance from my home the support I received there was invaluable. So what changed, why did you decide to join mainstream education? When I was seven I noticed that my parents were continuing to use sign language with me and I was a full participant within the deaf community. However, I decided that I wanted to challenge myself and join mainstream education. It was the beginning of many challenges in my life including my current degree. There is a tradition of engineers in my family, so I choose to study Mechatronics here at GCU.
The deaf world gives people like me and those who are worse a place of acceptance. You feel comfortable and confident and you get support from people going through the same experiences. On the other hand staying within that world can be a hindrance. If I hadn’t taken that leap I would never be here doing what I am doing know and I absolutely love it.
Ok Veronica, give us the basics first of all: I am a second year student studying Mechatronics and Engineering, which is a 4 year course. That sounds pretty complicated, but not particular special, why are you different? I was born with profound hearing loss, registered as deaf. My parents took me to see lots of doctors and they ran lots of tests but with no luck. I was given hearing aids but they didn’t help. My parents then became aware that a Cochlear Implant could be fitted but were told there was no funding available. For years my parents had to fight and to fundraise, I was in the newspapers and on the television. My friends, family and even my MP became involved. I knew nothing at the time of course and had a happy childhood. I finally got the 5 hour operation at the age of 4 (1/2) along with 11 other children. So what is a Cochlear Implant? It’s a very complicated and long procedure. It’s only available to people who are completely deaf, which is why my parents had to fight and raise funds. A cochlear implant is very different from a hearing aid. Hearing aids amplify sounds so they may be detected by damaged ears. Cochlear implants bypass damaged portions of the ear and directly stimulate the auditory nerve. Signals generated by the implant are sent by way of the auditory nerve to the brain, which recognizes the signals as sound. Hearing through a cochlear implant is different from normal hearing and takes time to learn or relearn. However, it allows many people to recognize warning signals, understand other sounds in the environment, and enjoy a conversation in person or by telephone.
So this Implant really was life changing then? Yes it was switched on when I was 5 and although I went to
How difficult is it for you doing this degree? I do get help, GCU put me in touch with an agency who supplies me with scribes in classes who try and listen and take notes that I may miss. Despite this, I still have to listen very carefully and intensely; especially in noisy classes. The lecturers have been great at helping me as much as possible; Elaine Smith in particular has been extremely supportive. Of course I would never have got this far without the constant help and support of my family.
What message do you want to give people reading this? Just to remember that any challenge is worth it. Keep going to matter what. Don’t take anything for granted in this life. Finally, remember your friends and family are the most important people in your life. If it wasn’t for their support and belief in me then I would never be here doing what I am doing. I take each day as it comes, accept each challenge that is thrown at me and keep going. So what’s the ultimate plan then? Let’s just pass the degree first - then I’ll take it from there!
Sarah Conway
2009
The Deathlist!
Michael Jackson
Many of our parents would have known him as the lovely wee kid with the afro singing about his ABCs, we, however, knew Michael Jackson as the creepy bleached dude who DEFINATELY WASN’T a paedophile. Then he died, and people began to forget the allegations of child molestation and focussed on the creation of pop. As a result we were plagued with songs like ‘Man In The Mirror’ and ‘You Are Not Alone’ for about a month... cheers MJ.
Over the past year we’ve seen a lot of important world events – the inauguration of America’s first black president (I hear he read’s Re:Union religiously), Swine Flu scared everyone silly (but then we all took some Sudafed and chilled out a bit) and Re:Union Magazine was shortlisted for the Herald’s Student Magazine of the Year award... that’s an important world event, right? However, 2009 has also killed off a few folk. Here are the ones we care about.
Jade Goody
Ah, Jade... Jade, Jade, Jade. Your truly encapsulated the noughties. Introducing herself to us by flashing her “kebab” and asking the rather obvious “am I minging?” whilst giving PJ a BJ, Ms Goody shot to fame in 2002, becoming one of the most vilified people in Britain. Somehow, she became loved, then a bit of a racist and then dead. RIP Jade, you were... entertaining?
Patrick Swayze
Stephen Gately
Breaking the hearts of thousand of teenage girls, while making those of some older gentlemen flutter, Stephen Gately was one of the first openly gay pop stars of the 90s. Surely this is worth a mention? No..? Ok then.
He played hunky dancer Johnny in Dirty Dancing, hunky dead man (how ironic) Sam in Ghost and hunky... drag queen Vida in (the less popular) To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar; however, there is no denying that Patrick Swayze was a screen icon. No one puts baby in the coroner.... wait....
Pauline Fowler Wendy Richards
Life imitating art? Well... no... dying crouched in front of a public Christmas tree in the snow being the main difference. Dying though, that did happen. Wendy Richards was one of Eastenders’ most recognisable faces who do we have now? Ian Beale. Brilliant.
Ruairidh Pritchard
Jas Bytes... Brain Food Ever wished your brain was fresh, fast, accurate and alert over exam time? I’m pretty sure I’m not the only student experienced my brain about to burst with information yet only being half way through the study notes. Its annoying how you learn so much after studying for weeks and weeks but come the exam and your brains fizzled out! Yes you know what’s coming – brain food. Food that can not only fill you up but increase your concentration span, enhance your memory, improve learning and therefore develop the
overall performance of your brain. Too good to be true? Nope! Read on and find out how YOU can have a healthy active brain! We have all heard of ‘you are what you eat’. When it comes to the brain – the foods that you eat directly influence the functioning of your brain. Studies have confirmed that by eating specific foods you can boost your mood, improve IQ and sharpen your memory. The brain is a hungry organ – requiring twice the energy as other cells in the body. Three things keeping your brain alive and active: water, oxygen and nourishing foods. To keep your brain working well throughout times of exhaustion, this energy and nutrient levels must be met – especially through times of learning and stress. Jas Sangha VP Support and Advice Jas.sangha@gcal.ac.uk
10
One cannot think well, love well or sleep well if one has not dined well. Virginia Woolfe
Vitality with vitamins Vitamins are vital. We need them for growth, development, functioning and producing energy. Vitamins A, C and E are all essential in maintaining memory and refreshing your brain. They slowly release essential energy only when required by the brain or body, so eating fresh fruit or cereal for breakfast will keep you on the ball throughout the day. In 2007, GCUSA campaigned successfully for half price fruit throughout the university – so enjoy cheap fresh fruit to keep you alive and kicking throughout the day!
Binge on blueberries Research from the US implies that blueberry extract can improve short term memory loss and increase concentration. Tasty and widely available - so no excuse!
Pick pumpkin seeds Zinc is good for thinking. Eating just a handful of pumpkin seeds a day allows your brain to improve memory and brainpower!
Believe in broccoli Yes, brocolli probably the most hated veg in the world! But hey, a great source of vital vitamin K – boosting cognitive function and preventing memory loss. Increasing our greens is something we could all probably do with!
Go nuts! Yes, nuts are high in fat but it’s the good fat! Monounsaturated fats help lower cholesterol and release energy. Studies show that a diet with good intake of Vitamin E (sources: nuts, fruits, veg) encourages concentration and prevents memory loss.
Friendly Fat Yes – Fat if a brain food! Infact – 60% of the brain is composed of fat. They regulate important functions of the brain including memory, performance and mood. The fats are important for the brain to communicate with the rest of the body. Have I confused you? The media highlighting how fats are bad and I’ve just listed the benefits of fats in the most important body organ! The key note here again is that I’m talking about mono-unsaturated fats – the ‘good’ fats. Oh-Mega! Extensive research has consistently shown the benefits of consuming Omega 3 fatty acids to maximise the performance of your brain. Many mental disorders such as depression, poor memory, low IQ and dyslexia can result from a diet lacking omega-3 fats. So make sure your eating oily fish such as salmon, tuna and trout! Vegetarian? Find omega-3 in spinach, nuts, seeds and eggs!
Eating the right foods are important but as equa lly its crucial to keep yo ur brain hydrated! Even slight dehydratio n can affect the performance of the bra in in a considerable manner so keep that bottle of water with you! Remember there is now free water in every building on camp us! If water isn’t your fancy then try fruit tea or even something as simple as diluting juice can make the dif ference to your brain performance.
Get Carried away with Carbs! Yes, stop avoiding carbs! As I mentioned your brain needs twice as much energy compared to other cells in the body. Your brain needs energy to be broken down slowly and foods such as fruit, veg and grains provide just that. Fuel your brain with essential carbs to keep you mentally awake and boost performance – don’t forget the cheap fruit on campus!
From catwalk to catwalk
If you hear the word “fashion” then what is the first association you have in mind? For me personally it is a catwalk show – all because it has the power of showcasing new trends and ideas which transcend down a narrow and long stage to the public and then spreads it’s influence all over. However it is hard work behind the catwalk and without a doubt all interesting things happen backstage, the place I drew most of the information from while volunteering as a make-up artist and hair designer for the Hand & Lock catwalk, which was held at Caley on the 31st October.
In this issue I decided to put together information about some prominent catwalks and shows, which attracted much interest of the audience and even drew some attention from London to... Glasgow (due to Scottish Style Awards). I hope it will also be entertaining for you to find out about the way an emerging fashion designer establishes herself while reading the interview with Silvia Pellegrino. a
Enjoy! Tatian
Scottish Style Awards
Do you know which event in Scotland can gather the most stylish people under one roof?
Yes, right, it is the Scottish Style Awards 2009, which took place this year on Halloween in the Old Fruit market in gorgeous surroundings of the Merchant City. The awards are now celebrating their fifth anniversary and honestly this was the first time I have seen such a high concentration of stylish and glamorous people in one place and to be a part of it was unforgettable for me. Surprisingly the first person I saw after crashing into the hall of the Fruit market was Sophie Ellis Bextor who was giving interviews to the press in her very sophisticated and nice manner. This year she was invited to host Glasgow’s most high profile event and to my mind she did it really well! After singing her hit song “Heartbreak (Make Me a Dancer)” Sophie stayed on the stage to announce nominees and winners, who actually were the main reason for all us glamorous people getting together and to honour them with applause from the audience and definitely gifts from the official sponsors, among those were Moet and Chandon, House of Frasers,Visit Scotland and self tan brand St.Tropez. As I said I had been absolutely thrilled by everything that was happening on the stage, where gorgeous Sophie Ellis Bextor was announcing the nominees and inviting special guests to pass the awards to the winners. To be honest, I was amazed by the way Sophie performed on the stage! She looked gorgeous and at the same time very simple. Three times she changed her outfit but every time it was dresses and one could always see her well-shaped long legs (I bet men were simply slobbering whilst looking at her). Furthermore she demonstrated a very sharp sense of humour and even confessed that shopping in Glasgow was “absolutely amazing”.
Back to the winners! Some of them like Deryck Walker dressed in his Harris Tweed collection shortcut pants who was recognised for the Best Fashion Designer of the year, or the representative of Vivienne Westwood who came to get the award on her behalf honoured as international Style Icon were behaving on the stage in a completely spectacular way and making as much out of this event with free refreshments as they could. The others like H&M - honoured the best High Street Retailer – didn’t turn up at all and some like Richard Madden – one of the hottest young acting talents according to the Esquire Brilliant Brits 2009 - sent his parents to get the award and say how thankful he was for being recognised the most Stylish Male.
catwalk produced the effect of unconventional prettiness.
A very tough competition was expected among the nominees for the title of the most Stylish Female which consisted of Karen Gillan, Michelle Haswell (aka Queen Michelle),Penny Martin,Stacey Duguid and Tessa Campbell – nobody could beat Edinburgh born actress Louise Linton who appeared on the stage and was sparkling like a real star in her silver sequin dress with straight blond hair and diamond smile. In her speech she seemed to be so sincere with the audience that there was no hint of this overweening pride,which is so typical for emerging Hollywood stars with their immature ambitiousness. Louise kept on repeating how honoured she was by getting this award and promised to make Scotland proud in everything that she conquered. The most exciting part of the event was definitely the New Talent Runway Show featuring collections from Scottish breakthrough acts including emerging designers from Art Colleges across Scotland who got an opportunity to show their work to the most stylish public. What a start! No wonder Scotland has great talents and the most creative and innovative artists and it was stressed many times by those who were on the stage that evening.
However without a doubt Royal College of Art graduate Rachel Barrett showed the most prominent collection and she became the breakthrough star of Scottish Style Awards. Simple and complicated at the same time, her silicone nearly transparent garments strayed away from the models’ silhouettes, alongside oversized, exposed so called “negative space” between body and dress. You wouldn’t realise from the first sight what material Rachel was using,but honestly it was the real contemporary art!
Garments by all designers were more than just an art – it was truly contemporary art in its very nature. I was astonished by the delicate workmanshi p embodied in Jen Groundwater’s “Laid Belle” collection, a graduate from Glasgow School of Art. In order to create beautiful fragile headpieces embroidered in the most spectacular way Jen used the technique of laser cutting and was inspired by the Eiffel Tower. To my mind her
Joseph McGee from Edinburgh College of Art managed to reveal the very feminine nature of a female by dressing her in garments partly with a touch of Ancient Greece and accessories enhancing the glam rock style. The designer aimed to demonstrate the relationshi p between body and cloth, garment and wearer, both acting as a union.
Despite the fact it was Halloween nobody appeared dressed up like a vampire or zombie – not for this high profile event! I was seriously scared though while walking back home and coming across hoards of fancy dressers and frankly speaking I preferred to stay as myself that night, because there was nothing more exciting for me than to find myself in Old Fruit market venue surrounded by the most creative and stylish people Scotland has to offer. TATIANA
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Hand & Lock conference
Big guests from London visited Caley on the 31st October. This year our University hosted the Hand & Lock Conference “Embroidery... with Style” where the winners of the Hand & Lock Prize for Embroidery 2009 were honourably awarded in the Saltire Centre. Since I was volunteering as a make-up artist and hair designer for the fashion show where the open-prize and student-prize winners were presenting their best works at the catwalk in the Carnegie Theatre, I didn’t manage to get much out of the conference! If you have never been backstage at a show – I can reassure you, it can be far more thrilling than the show itself, I really enjoyed working in this environment and managed to see and admire the exhibiting garments before they were presented to the front rows. Moreover while working backstage you can get the opportunity to chat with people about the show and find out some details without actually seeing it firsthand.
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In the beginning I had a number of questions about the C o n f e re n c e itself and in particular – why in Glasgow? When I checked out the brochure, it occurred that the chairman of Hand & Lock Alastair Mcleod is originally from Glasgow, though it was not the main reason why the
city was chosen, it was also due to the fact that Glasgow was the home of late Victorian embroidery with the “Glasgow Style” an idiosyncratic version of Art Nouveau which was very peculiar to Glasgow designers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
In 1984 Jessie Newberry and her husband established an innovative Embroidery Department at Glasgow School of Art, what gave the city more credit in this art. Glasgow Caledonian University is also associated with embroidery due to Professor Dr Malcolm Lochhead, who is considered to be the veteran of embroidery with many pieces to his credit. The origin of the international and prestigious “Hand & Lock Prize for Embroidery” goes back to the year 2000 when it was created in the aim of promoting the use of hand embroidered surface decoration within the fashion and textile industry, so that contemporary design and fresh approaches can be matched up with the high quality and know-how expected in 21st century. Nowadays the Prize is recognized as the world’s most important embroidery Prize and within its context the Conference brings together experts from all over the world and deals with different aspects of embroidery. Among the speakers of the Conference that were taking part in Carnegie theatre one could see Professor Dr Malcolm Lochhead, Head of Department – Fashion and Textiles at the Glasgow School of Arts Jimmy StephenCran, Past Principle Lecturer at LCF Anthea Godfrey, fashion journalist and lecturer James Sherwood and many others. As I mentioned the most thrilling part was definitely the show of the Prize-winners. This year the number of entrants from 27 countries was over 100 and there was a more international flavour to the open category, where the winners were Lucie Baurreau from
Photos by Guy Hinks, www.guyhinks.com
France followed by Renne Lindell from the UK, Yumiko Komai from Japan and Theresa Alexander from the USA. In the student category the UK and Ireland swept the boards and the first Prize was given to Beatrice Newman from De Montfort University, followed by Aisling Egan from National College of Art & Design, Ireland. Claire Goodwin from Nottingham Trent University became the winner of the Swarovski Prize. Winner of a special Prize was Marian Toledo originally from Puerto Rico who currently studies at King’s College London. Marian used the Roman invasion of Britain as an inspiration for her dresses which she created within her final collection at Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design, one of which entered into the Hand & Lock Prize for Embroidery 2009. African born 1st Prize winner was Beatrice Newman who created an exclusively beautiful nearly transparent dress on which she demonstrated a very sophisticated embroidery style. She also masters different types of hand weaving techniques such as macramé and crochet, which gave her the latitude to introduce and build upon ideas in fabrics. Some of the Prize winners such Marian, Beatrice and Renee came to Glasgow to demonstrate their works and get the Prizes from the hands of Chairman Alastair Macleod. I saw how excited the girls were whilst standing in front of the public in the Saltire Centre and holding their speeches in their hands in which they thanked everybody who had helped them to become successful. However the reason for their success was their talent and it is great that talented people are supported and given a way into a big life. Without such awards there would be less motivation for artists who bring so much delight and appreciation. TATIANA
On November 5th 2009 Che Camille became a venue for a Couture Runway Show and Exhibition aptly named “Urban Jungle” which featured cutting edge international designers and artists. It was a debut for such designers like Silvia Pellegrino for Chouchou Couture (Italy), Nicole Van Diemen for Asarti (Bolivia/Holland), Sanna Rinne for Sanna Rinne (Finland) and artists Jinevra (Ilaria Faraoni) and Kongal (Alessandro Ronchetti) also from Rome, Italy. I decided to have a little chat with Silvia Pellegrino, the most active participant of the event, to find out about her fashion aspirations and talk about her passion for art. Silvia, originally you were from Italy. What brought you to Glasgow? Well, I think it is essential for a fashion designer to travel a lot to draw inspiration from everywhere. I remember ten years ago when I visited this city and even then I liked it immensely. During my time at university when I was getting my first degree in Modern Languages at La Sapienza University, I came to Glasgow as an exchange student and I became a big fan of Mackintosh architecture; I love the fact that it’s still superbly distinctive and different from all the architecture of his time. However I couldn’t even imagine I would come back to Glasgow or that I would be performing in a fashion show as a designer. Approximately around this time I realised I wanted to be a fashion designer. Italy has the most prominent designers, what makes us think the ground for becoming a designer is pretty solid. Why did you leave Italy and study at London’s St.Martins College and then at Amsterdam Fashion Institute? I am very proud of my country. Italy is my home, my family belongs to it. But it is not the best place for emerging designers, to be honest. Italy is all about high profile designers and in order to be successful there you should be a member of one of the dynasties of fashion designers like Fendi, Gucci and many more. That’s why I decided to make my way to the UK, the place, which gives many opportunities to young creative people. I entered Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, which I simply adore, but then I found myself at Amsterdam Fashion Institute, where I felt pretty much restricted. I learned sewing there and got the basics of my knowledge there – something any designer should know. However at the end of the day I am a rebel who will go against common rules.
You spent some time in Los Angeles, as I already know. Do you think it is essential for European designers and other designers from across the UK to breathe American air? Is it different? I would call my trip to L.A. a turning point in my career. That was the time when I realised I wanted to have my own brand and make clothes. I met lots of creative people in L.A. who partly got me inspired to finally contemplate starting my own collection. And I am sure the USA is the right place to be visited by emerging designers, because it can change your world perception radically! Are there any designers who had a big impact on your art or had some influence upon you? Sure, In order to get experience an emerging designer should work for established ones. In the Netherlands for me, there were Joline Jolink and Jessica Joyce. In the USA I was happy to work with Kucoon Designs who have become very popular and dressed many of very own Hollywood actresses. Definitely it was a valuable experience but I am very glad to be independent and represent Chouchou Couture now.
and poor ethics of mass-production. It is all about struggling and surviving the Jungle for young creative people and we decided to demonstrate our achievements to the public. I hope it worked well! What would you call the biggest achievement in your designing career? Without a doubt the answer would be the happy smiles of my customers! I feel very excited when I see a girl or woman picking up my clothes, putting them on and feeling comfortable. This is the biggest achievement and the biggest award for me.
TATIANA
You are the designer and the owner of Chouchou Couture. When did you come up with the idea of creating your brand, what does the name actually mean and what is the concept of it? It was a year and a half when I finally put all my efforts together and gave it life. Chouchou in French means “loved one”, I adored the sound and the idea of it. Couture is a French word that means made to measure and is a big part of the Italian tradition. I personally cure the whole designing process from the first ideas to the choice of textiles and finishing.
The concept is easy – these clothes are practical and designed for girls who love travelling and being spontaneously chic. It is something that I love to wear myself and is very easy to combine with other items from your wardrobe. I also use recycled textiles, eco-friendly materials, the skills of local artisans and try to avoid unnecessary waste. My clothes are sustainable, comfortable and spontaneously chic and moreover my collections are seasonless. Why does your show at Che Camille bear the name Urban Jungle? What does it reflect? The Urban Jungle theme reflects the need for emerging designers to battle against the low quality
Designer: Silvia Pellegrino for Chouchou Couture. Photos: by www.lifeinframe.co.uk. Jewelry by “Sofiaretrobazar”. Make-up by Alissia Mancini (MAC), hair by Jennifer Wilson (Tony&Guy). Model: Pamela Beattie
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I bet if I ask the girls around campus what make-up products they love to apply if they go to a party excluding mascara, blusher and lipstick, half of them would say – shimmer or glitter! Yes, it is all about them this season and they are coming back in a very advanced form. I keep on stressing that your skin - especially the face - is the most important thing you should care about, so let your skin shine through first before applying any glitter finishes. For that I would recommend trying MAC Strobe Liquid, which can be used as a foundation base or mixed with the foundation itself and can be used in more localized places such as on cheekbones and temples to enhance skin tone and lustre. However if you want this product to work then your foundation shouldn’t be very thick and mattey because it will absorb this shimmering effect which is part of the moisturiser. When you are finished with your blusher you can apply some cream colour base by MAC on the cheekbones, forehead, your nose and a bit on your chin. Use your fingertips because it will help it to look more natural and I would suggest trying some beige and light gold tones, which make the skin look more fresh and shiny. Powder glitters are also very popular, but you should be careful with it because any extra amount can look too much and fake. In order to avoid it, use MAC brush #187 that can perfectly blend it. My favourite shimmer is MAC Pure Pigment in Vanilla, which can be used both for eyelids and lips (if you add it in to a lip gloss). Bronzers are probably the most popular in this product range, though the glittering effect is a bit low. The ones from mineralize skin finish collection by MAC are pretty shimmering. However you can use them not only for partying but also every day. They are easy to apply with the #187 MAC brush in circling movements. Unlike cream colour base or pigment bronzers this product should not be applied intensively on the forehead, nose and chin – these parts need to stay as natural as possible. TATIANA
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I hope everyone enjoyed this year’s first edition of Re:union (and more importantly, my section!). This time round we’ve been lucky enough catch up with great artists such as Glasgow’s DJ Snafu and “the seventeenth century” as well as American alt-rock outfit Passion Pit. As well as that I’ve managed to squeeze in some blistering new techno in the form of Magda’s new fabric mix as well as some information on King Tuts’ “Your Sound”. Keep your articles and ideas coming in and I’ll see you next year!
Whataboutye!
The Seventeenth Century With the approach of their first official release on new label Lo Five Records, the Seventeenth Century are quickly becoming one of the must see bands in the Glasgow music scene. The five piece has been described as ‘orchestral indie rock blending folk influences into swelling, gorgeous compositions’ – certainly an accurate description of this innovative new band, which consists of Mark Farmer – lead vocals and violin, Ryan Burns – second vocals and guitar, Nicholas John Grant – bass and vocals, Mike Truscott – trumpet and vocals and Andy Truscott – drums and vocals. The EP, Notes Extended Player, will contain new single Notes, a radio edit of Notes, Young Francis, and also Roses in the Park, which was awarded single of the month in the September issue of the Skinny. Notes, the first single to be officially released and printed on the band’s label Lo Five Records, a tale based around a Spanish festival, where it’s the custom to write a note and put it in a bottle, and throw it to the sea. The lyrics tell a story of romance and nostalgia, “We like to paint a picture and build imagery, tell stories rather than sing about ourselves” Mark explains, “our ideas usually come from old stories, books, poems, and generally the lyrics are about romance.” Ryan Burns’ vocals can be described as almost epic, as he sings the line “Just makes us cry” over and over to bring the track to an end, with trumpet, violin, guitar, bass and vocal harmonies coming together and really resonating with the listener. The band has seen relative success this year. They won the King Tuts ‘Your Sound’ competition in March, then were signed to Lo Five (Brother Louis Collective, Trash Can Sinatras, El Dog and Joe Mango) and a few months later, in July, they played at the Wickerman festival alongside We Were Promised Jetpacks in the Solace Tent. Now with the release of the upcoming EP, the band is concentrating on touring with the first date scheduled for November 12th at Glasgow’s Oran Mor, followed by dates in Kelso, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Nottingham and finishing at the Bloomsbury Ballroom in London. The official release of Notes Extended Player is November 12th, and will be available from iTunes, Myspace, and the Seventeenth Century gigs.
Dougal Crawford
them as one of the bands to watch for 2009 whilst others disregarded them as a style over substance MGMT bandwagon jumpers. Both camps influenced the recording of the album, “It defiantly pushed us to make a better album” says Hultquist “we wanted to show we had moved on from the early Eps and demos… .It was tough though because you don’t want people to think were just MGMT by another name but MGMT are a great band so it’s hard to get upset when people are saying you sound like this great band.”
Boston’s Passion Pit are looking forward to tonight’s gig. “Last time we played Glasgow at the Captain’s Rest the crowd was unreal and that was a Sunday night!” exclaims drummer Nate Donmoyer, “I can’t imagine what they will be like on a Friday”. The band is on a high following the release of their debut album Manners in March and a highly successful festival season at home and in Europe. They arrive at the Garage for a sold out show on their biggest ever headline tour. So has it all sunk in? “I try to think of all these gigs as landmarks, like the first time headlined the Bowery Ballroom (in New York) or played out door festivals back home or Glastonbury this year” says Donmoyer. “It was weird, Glastonbury - being around all those acts,” interjects Guitarist / Keyboard player Ian Hultquist, “we were on after The Gaslight Anthem and we were watching from the side and suddenly Bruce Springsteen is watching them, and were like wow! And then the next thing he’s on stage with them playing a song! We just looked at each other and were like how do we follow The Boss?” There are no such worries for the band tonight although there is some competition from the support acts. First off Welsh art-rockers, The Joy Formidable storm through a short set, ending with their standout track, Whirring, during with front woman Ritzy lets out her inner Hendrix by punishing her guitar much to the delight of the people who made it in early enough. Next on stage is eccentric one man rave Max Tundra. With an odyssey of jungle beats and pop hooks mixed in with a take on Beyonces’ Single Ladies and, more bizarrely, So, Long Farewell from The Sound of Music he has the crowd jumping and singing with reckless abandon lifting the veil of unfussed cool that had been present; the perfect set up for what was to come. Passion Pit arrived at the turn of the year on a wave of buzz from the blogosphere and opinion was immediately divided. Some heralded
Things get off to a slightly slow start tonight with front man Michael Ankegalos sat behind his keyboard and there’s a fear that they’ll justify criticism of earlier gigs by lacking interaction; “That’s only the first few times when its suits and hipsters, now it’s all kids who really into the music” Nate assures me. He proves himself right when set-opener Eyes as Candles reaches its chorus the crowd start to really get into it. The band undeniably feed off their energy, continuing to excite for the following 50 minutes. Ankegalos steps into his role as front man on album opener Make Light, dancing around the stage to frantic synths and steady bass with the crowd in the palms of his hands. Tonight is a master-class in how to make the most of a limited back catalogue. The pace lowers with slower songs before pop bangers such as new single Little Secrets force the crowd to dance along to infectious grooves and sing along wholeheartedly. The garage nearly gets torn down when the sampled intro of fan-favourite, Sleepyhead rises over the PA and Ankegalo’s falsetto vocals dominate the room. From this point on the band are on easy street; the euphoric Smile Upon Me sets the crowd up for a well received encore (PASH ON PIT! PASH ON PIT!) which signals the end of the show with the soaring, anathematic, Moths Wings and finally previous single The Reeling which simply insists that every pair of feet in the room are jumping. Believe the hype – Passion Pit are here to stay. Sam Tennent
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Let Re:Union introduce you to the man behin d one of Glasgow’s most original new club nights. Known to some as the ‘Peruvian Paedophile’ he has compared his sound to that of a ‘whin y, impatient kid crying uncontrollably on the backseat’. Despite his best efforts to play himself down, Panos “Snafu” Liapis has been described by DJ Yoda as “one of the country’s truly underrated club DJs.” Yoda added, “The track selection is so dancefloor perfect you could stick this on loud, fill your bedroom with smoke, and it would have been the best hip hop club you’ve ever been to without leaving home.” With compliments like these from one of the world ’s most respected DJs, it would be easy to get carried away with flatte r, crank up an addiction to codeine and try an arm at postmodern art using only cling film, wheel barrows and human spit. Instead, Panos decides Yoda’s “a gimp and I gave him a pound for his efforts.” Who are you and where are you from? I’m Snafu, and clichéd as it is, like most of the top DJs worldwide (Manos Kanakakis, Stavros Tzitzikakis, Pavlos Mirmigakis) I’m from Greece. When did you start DJing? Nine days ago. I’m liking it!! Almost up to 14 records in the rapidly-increasing collection. By April I should be able to go through a 90 minute set without playing anything three times. What made you want to start Djing? The love of music, my obsession with all things old, a desire to express myself artistically through the medium of vinyl have very little to do with it at all. With a face like this, you need something extra to pull the hot bearded Greek girls. Where do you DJ in Glasgow? I’m a Bath Street whore- Buff on Thursdays, Moskito on Sundays and Butterfly&Pig on Wednesdays. Then weekends in Merchant City with Byblos on Saturdays and (Bar) Home on Fridays. Where is your favourite place to play and why? I like the Buff best because the barmaid is ginger. And tall. Sadly the restraining order means I can’t order drinks from her. Also, stringent door policy means you get less requests for Lady Gaga, Kings of Leon and Akon. But mainly ginger barmaids. How would you describe your style? To quote my mom, absolute effin magnificent! Provided you hate clean mixes, tunes that make you move and music in general. What sort of music do you like to play? Just the usual stuff, Dunky, Modern Threwk, Upbeat Boom Llarr, Northern Greek Shoegaze... They say you’re a hip-hop junkie, any comments? Well, my first record which got dropped last summer is a remix of an old classic called Hip Hop Junkies. I do have a slightly 16 unhealthy obsession with 84-99 hip-hop,
and there’s at least another 6 people in Glasgow who share that passion. I’d been running straight hip hop nights three times a week between ‘98 and ‘06, at which point my favourite artist of all time (Lord Finesse) came to the UK for the first time in 20 years, and played in front of 60 people in Edinburgh. I swiftly realised my crowd of 14 was actually as good as it could get. Tell us about your new night at the Buff Club... It’s on Thursdays and called Soul Glo. The thing is, trying to run a new club night on a Thursday is just stupid to begin with. Far too many awesome nights on- ipods at G1 pubs, laptop DJ at Jumpin’ Jacks, tip top radio blastin’ out at Chinaski’s, your neighbour’s uncle’s flatmate’s sister is DJing at The Halt and her BFF’s stepcousin’s band is rockin’ The Strawberry Fields. The great thing about club nights is that once you’ve paid in, you’re stuck there! Even if you don’t hear the Lady Gaga song, I’ve got your £3 so it’s not in and out for you missie. So I’m being clever and advertising it as a “KINGS OF LEON MEET LADY GAGA ALL NIGHT LONG”, then locking them in and playng Ray Charles and Robert Parker ‘til their ears bleed. Also upbeat funk, ska, rhythm&blues, mod and northern soul. Cleverly, we also spike all drinks with complementary Rohypnol to induce memory blanks so I can trick them into coming back next week. Who are your favourite artists/groups/ DJs? I mentioned Robert Parker above who’s voice is just unmistakeable. Lee Dorsey’s almost cartoony piano is just out of this planet. Nobody’s recorded more great records than James Brown. Jimmy McCracklin’s late 50s blues could make stoners dance like stupid. We’d need a seperate chat to cover hip hop, but I’m deeply obliged to the parents of Ultramagnetic MCs, Wu Tang (apart from Masta Killa- he should have been swallowed), EPMD, Chill Rob G and MC Shan for not being daft and using
protection. You sense, due to no fault of your own, that the girls might leave the dancefloor soon. What track do you drop? I’m shocked at the suggestion that this could ever occur! Especially since I have some angry lookin stewards round the dancefloor giving such people the “Ye really don’t want tae dae that pal” looks. Failing that, some classics like Sam&Dave’s Soul Man, Otis Redding (or better yet Patti Drew’s) Hard To Handle and for the ladies Aretha Franklin’s Respect tend to get some extra juice. Or anything over 166 BPM, which is pretty much where Soul Glo vibrates. The sound is more Shirley Ellis’ “Clapping Song” than Motown. Where do you go from here? The army it seems. But if I successfully dodge it, I want to see Soul Glo keep doing well, mainly because I have no excuses. Jokes aside the Buff crowd tends to be fickle about music and you don’t have to play pop hits to make it work... it’s pretty much the ideal setting in Glasgow for playing obscure killers. So if it fails, it’s down to the music, not PRing, or internet gimmicks, the weather, football and The Big Spaghetti Monster. I’m also looking forward to some new releases of my group, Bankrupt Europeans. Our first 7” single “DWYCK It Easy / Ska Junkies” came out on Flex Records, and we have a few more things coming out on Boston’s Traffic Entertainment featuring Chill Rob G, Phill Most Chill, AG, Rise, Ugly Duckling and a few more MCs from across the pond and the UK. Notice how the plug answers are the longest? Soul Glo is on Thursday nights at the Buff Club on Bath Lane For more information on our favourite creepy Greek check out: www.myspace.com/djsnafu23 www.myspace.com/bankrupteuropeans
Rory Herron
Following recent releases by Radio Slave, Jay Haze and Claude Von Stroke, the globally worshipped fabric series continues this month with a mix from German-based label minus’ favourite female, Magda. Fleeing to the US from the communist rule of Poland at the age of 9, Magda’s family ended up in the heart of Detroit - the city which was then legendary for its underground house scene thanks to DJs such as Frankie Knuckles, and later responsible for the birth of techno thanks to pioneers such as Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May (aka The Belleville Three). It wasn’t too long before Magda’s lifelong love affair with the city’s underground scene began and she became immersed with it and its dedicated people closely befriending minus boss Richie Hawtin and then-on-the-rise DJs such as Marc Houle as well as others involved in the so-called second wave of Detroit techno. Magda’s Fabric mix does well to continue the fabric label’s untarnished tradition of delivering the most cutting-edge, off-the-cuff, (and in every sense of the word) banging techno in the world to its faithful followers month by month. Featuring producers such as Luciano, Robert Babicz and of course Marc Houle, Magda combines strange, progressive melodies with the signature minimal sound of the minus label all over a 4/4 time signature. That’s not to say there’s not a lot going on here though - disorientating synths; confused vocals, lucid and incoherent beats as well as weird and uncommon twists creep in and out throughout, creating a deeply interesting and intensely involving mix. Magda claims, “The mix is inspired by Italian horror film soundtracks from the 70’s. I included the band Goblin, who made some very interesting dark disco, with trippy and drawn out psychedelic elements. I wanted to create something dark and groovy with a soundtrack feel to it, where sounds emerge and disappear, creating a spooky atmosphere.” Dark and groovy says it all. Having just celebrated their London club’s tenth birthday (with a non-stop, Friday evening – Monday morning rave featuring sets from over a dozen of the world’s best DJs) the fabric family never cease to amaze. Their unmatchable attention to detail, their open-mindedness regarding what DJs and sounds to feature on both the fabric and the fabriclive series, and overall, their hard work and dedication to perfecting their reputation and brand all forge together to create one of the most successful, well-respected and professional companies in electronic music today.
As featured in volume 11.1 (the Boosh edition!) of Re:union last year, King Tuts’ networking opportunity for unsigned artists, “Your Sound” is still alive and kicking on the first Sunday of every month. Now in its fifth term, the initiative is dedicated to unsigned and independent artists, bands and DJs of all musical genres and aims to help them establish and develop a fan base and gain exposure within the music industry. They achieve this by encouraging any unsigned talent from Scotland and beyond to drop their demo into the “Your Sound” post box in the bottom bar at King Tuts on St Vincent Street. The lovely people from “Your Sound” then listen to every single submitted entry before cutting the applicants down to a shortlist of around twenty artists. Then, from 5pm – 8pm on the first Sunday of every month, “Your Sound” invade the bottom bar of Tuts, open the doors free of charge, and invite the shortlisted bands, members of the press, representatives from labels and venues and anyone else who fancies it, to come and enjoy a relaxed evening of mingling, chatting and promotion of good, local music. Along with a guest DJ set (from which in the past have included Errors, and reps from Lofi Studios and Rock Action Records) and occasional acoustic sessions, the shortlisted bands’ tracks are then played over the bar PA and a large LCD screen assures the guests and punters of which band they’re listening to. The evening climaxes with one artist being awarded artist of the month (Re:union’s featured band The Seventeenth Century are previous winners) along with two runners up. It seems however that there can be no losers as “Your Sound” gives every band so much to gain in the form of new contacts, friends and fans. Congratulations to this month’s winners - electroinfluenced alt-folk outfit Yahweh from Moffat, whose sound has been described by The List as “the missing link between Boards of Canada and Arab Strap”. Their sweet, compelling melodies which consist of violins, cellos and pianos won over the hearts of the “Your Sound” team to finish ahead of a diverse range of acts who each contributed to the evening with their own original styles - from hardcore to soul, to indie to metal. The next “Your Sound” will be held, as per, at King Tuts’ Wah Wah Hut, 272 St Vincent Street on Sunday 6th December from 5pm – 8pm. Demos can be submitted at any time before then.
The next fabric mix will be fabric 50 – a significant milestone and one testament to how eminent and highly regarded the fabric name is to lovers of electronic music.
For more information check www.myspace.com/yoursoundglasgow
Rory Herron
Rory Herron
out
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Hey folks,
Welcome to Issue 2 of the Re:Union Arts Section! And what a corker it is, for I have commandeered none other than the writing skills of Mr Michael Park – one half of Radio Caleys fabulous Transmission Omega (Wednesdays 5-7pm) – who will enlighten us on his thoughts towards Xfactor. Does it make him less of a man for not watching it? I couldn’t comment of course... You will also discover the winner of our hotly contested ‘Top 10 Christmas Films EVER’ – you might just be shocked by a few of the entries. Finally, prepare to be inspired by Lucy Rothwell’s look into the world of Oscar Wilde – it really is an excellent read.
Oh and talking of wild things...
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This isn’t an article designed to cross a popular game show of my childhood with an American sitcom. It is however about said sitcom. I have often played the game whereby I pretend I don’t like something that I’ve never even come close to seeing. I’ve done it with many a sitcom; “Gavin and Stacey”, “The King of Queens”, “Lunch Monkeys”, “Joey” and “After You’ve Gone” (although I think I was proved right with the latter three). I found myself doing the same with “How I Met Your Mother” until I was forced, almost at gunpoint, to watch a couple of episodes. In all honesty, it’s fantastic. I’ve got my hands on the first three seasons and now I’m officially hooked. If you’ve not seen the show then the basic premise is that the main character is boring the soul out of his children with the tale of how he met their mother (hence the name). These tales are told frankly and to an extent, honestly although Ted does refer to “sandwiches” instead of a certain illicit substance. However, it is not only Ted’s irritatingly selfminded, marriage-orientated approaches to his late twenties that make the show so endearing. His supporting cast are brilliantly deep and fleshed-out characters. Even
I don’t like X Factor. There, I said it and I feel better for it. If you care about Dannii Minogue’s opinion on music then I’d recommend that you skip this page and move on to a feature on how excellent the whole experience is. This article is not a rant on the fad of celebrity which grips our nation like a particularly nasty woodworking accident either. People enjoy what they enjoy. However, I feel a little railroaded by a number of people in my life who imply that by not having any interest in the X Factor, I’m somehow less of a person. X Factor is a show which has survived on the fact that about five talented people come through the doors every year, enjoy limited success and allow Simon Cowell to add another zero onto his bank balance. Others may argue that in an age where a significant amount of our music is illegally sourced and distributed, X Factor shows that people still care about the music industry and want a say in the kind of thing that is put out by major labels. That’s a noble argument; I wonder how many of these people have bought Leona Lewis’ album? It could be that I’m being small-minded. “It’s original entertainment!” But is it? Every year X Factor has people who honestly
H ow I M et Y ou r C a tc h ph ra se
Barney (played by the multi-award winning and quite brilliant Neil Patrick Harris)- the womanising, suit-wearing catchphrase merchant would be the prime suspect for poor characterisation but refreshingly he is just as flawed, insecure as his best friend. His catchphrases are often picked on and made fun of which definitely tells me that this show knows its own potential flaws. Further to the exceptional characterisation ‘How I Met Your Mother’ manages to refresh your memory without needing to use the clumsy ‘Previously On...’ method. It casually drops in footage from previous episodes as if Ted is reminding his kids of an old story. This adds
a different sense of narrative to the story and shows they’re not afraid to break a few ‘sitcom rules’. With greatest respect to the show, it could easily be seen as a dirtier version of “Friends” (Coupling?) and to an extent the “five friends all dating between each other” is a tried, tested and ultimately dead sitcom format. However, it seems that “How I Met Your Mother” strikes a delicate balance between the pace of “Scrubs”, the catchphrase comedy of shows like “Happy Days” and the character development of “Nighty Night” with the tone and approachability of sitcoms such as “King of Queens” and “Two & A Half Men.” It would be so easy for the show to get caught up in itself and turn into a rolling hype-machine that forgets its limits but given that it is on a collision course for an ending (where Ted ultimately meets the mother of his children), “How I Met Your Mother” may well live to be one of a rare breed. A sitcom that didn’t outstay its welcome. ‘Suit up’ and see Season 3 of “How I Met Your Mother” every Friday at 7.30pm on E4.
Michael Park
the music industry (I know that Pop Bot 5400 will be Xmas no. one already, and so do you), it is also diluting television. In a world where people complain about television being “dumbed down” almost weekly, it is therefore not the place of lazy television executives to jump on a bandwagon which began in the ‘70s so that they can sleep comfortably in beds made of £20 notes.
believe, in their heart of hearts, that they can sing. They can sing other people’s songs. Look at the contentious issue of “The Twins”. Those spine-achingly annoying boys can neither sing, nor endear an audience to them but they’re still there. To an extent it’s not even about talent anymore, it’s about a cheap laugh. I’m all for a cheap laugh but Mr. Cowell has it down to a fine art. The not when it’s going to be number one in the ability to keep people glued to their sofas every Saturday and Sunday night as the charts come Christmas. results that ultimately mean Worse still is the meteoric rise in other nothing pour into the votshows trying to do a similar thing. You may ing totals and the premium think there’s not that many and some have rates pour into his wallet. It’s passed on and others have been around little wonder that he since before X Factor. Next Top Model, pulls his trousers up Project Runway, Britain’s Got Talent, Strictly so high with the Come Dancing, Pop Idol, Dancing on Ice and weight of your there was even a talent show for architects hard-earned which is seemingly so poor that Channel 4 m o n e y have consigned it to the archives, never to p u l l i n g be heard from again. We are being over-run t h e m b a c k with ‘cheap thrill competitions’. down. I’m sure you see the point by now. I’m not trying to incite a television based revolution but I would argue that not only is Simon Cowell’s ‘nice little money spinner’ diluting Michael Park
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When I first started reading Oscar Wilde two months ago. I was presented with a calibre of writing which I had never before been acquainted with. It was in Paris on an Erasmus exchange, as I walked around the tombs of the Pantheon and the Pere Lachaise, that I became aware of the masses of classical authors whose works I had never laid eyes on. Victor Hugo, Emile Zola, Voltaire, Rosseau and of course Oscar Wilde. At twenty-two years of age I admit that a ravenous appetite for social adventure has somewhat sheltered me from a great deal of the world’s intellect. However upon proposing the question at dinner when I visited home in April my mother instantly produced a copy of Oscar Wilde’s Complete Short Fiction for me to take back. Indeed she proceeded to recite the entire Ballad of Redding Gaol from another poetry book to the delight of her four audience members. So delighted was my aunt that she went out for a twenty-minute cigarette break after the first verse. This particular edition (edited by Ian Small) began with a children’s collection and proceeded to a story called ‘The Nightingale and the Rose’. I knew Oscar Wilde was an incredibly popular figure though I had mistakenly assumed that the lipstick kisses that enveloped his tomb stone were part of a trend started by wannabe mavericks who liked the image of being an Oscar Wilde fan. From the first few pages of the first story I realised that people loved him for his beautifully compassionate writing which alerted my attention and warmed the little cockles of my heart! The richness and beauty of an imagination in favour of humanity and compassion is communicated by Wilde’s words. His words are romantic yet their credibility is not corroded by a fairytale structure. What makes his stories so precious is the way he writes tales of issues that are not academic nor scientific nor tangible such as love, dedication and self-sacrifice. And what is particularly special about Wilde’s work is that he writes about these issues as though they are the most universally revered attributes in existence. The story of The Nightingale and the Rose is the most beautiful and sad story I have ever read. This is the story of a nightingale who gave her own life by thrusting her breast into the thorn of a rose to bleed her heart dry so that a couple may find love. She bled all night until a white rose turned red with her sacrifice. But her sacrifice was tragically useless as it neither caused
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to an author of Wilde’s social status in his time. Maybe he wrote this way so that he could talk of his peers without being quite so explicitly offensive as he could have been. nor allowed the love she had died for. A story of a life, selflessly given to passion with nothing asked in return. Wilde likes to divides the world into two; the good people and the bad. Wilde divides them into a world where the decent are saints and the nasty are sinners. With the stories of 1891 I find the extent of the wit that he is renowned for. Lord Arthur Saville’s crime had me laughing out loud. The key message here is based on pomposity and the painfully pragmatic attitude of certain social classes. It really is a highly amusing story about a young Lord who is told by a fortune teller that the fate that lies before him is one of a murder he will commit. So the recently engaged Lord decided that due to his duty as a good and well-bred man he could not marry the love of his life knowing that he will soon smear their united lives with crime. He decided that the only sensible thing to do was to go out and kill someone immediately so that his homicide would be out of the way by the time he got married. After all, his fortune had been quite bluntly told to him therefore he may as well get it over and done with as soon as possible. The notion of the fortune teller being wrong isn’t fathomed. The story is an illustration of how people become so misguided with status, formal education and self-efficacy that they lose complete insight of common sense. The comedy blossoms where words are constructed using the thought patterns of the Lord himself. The story is told as though the author believes that what the Lord is doing is perfectly reasonable.
‘Life to him meant action, rather than thought. He had the rarest of all things; common sense.’ This is the line which, to me, sums up the entire story appears about a third of the way through the prose after Lord Arthur Saville has decided upon what he must do after being told his apparently undisputable future by the fortune teller which is to kill his uncle. It epitomizes the story because it is simply dripping with facetiousness; it is as blunt as a hammer yet as incriminating to author opinion as is a bible. This is important
I find myself trying to look for science in what makes the amusing parts so entertaining. I think he captures it by talking in the third person in a way that could pass as objective but is really laughing with insinuation. By doing this he illustrates his main point in the story but what is clever is that a perfect example is provided in the narrative. An example of someone so wrapped up in their own confidence that they behave or believe in utter stupidity. This is clearly what the main character does but Wilde allows the reader to visualise just how broad this attitude was through the way it is told by the narrator. I mentioned earlier that the good and the bad are very distinct in Wilde’s writing. In this story one may think that a character who aims (yet fails) to kill a dear and frail old family friend and his uncle and then (successfully) the fortune-teller, would be rigidly placed within the villain category. Yet the reader is not meant to dislike this character. The reader comes away almost endeared to the Lord’s ignorance. After all Wilde deliberately portrays him as having good interests at heart as he essentially just doesn’t want to compromise the happiness of his lover. And maybe this is an indication of how Wilde judges people. It is not necessarily about what they do but whether they are good-hearted or not and the value of character’s hearts are heavily focused on within this compilation of short-stories. It is what makes Wilde so adorable.
Lucy Rothwell
Re:Union
Christmas Films!
So the poll has closed. The votes have been verified. And after a scary draw for top place which resulted in some last minute voting... we have our winner! Ladies and Gentleman, are you ready? Here are the 10 best Christmas films you will find (according to you guys anyway)
A not e fro m the Spo rts Edi tor
1. Home Alone
Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas Cali folk!! Ok now I have embarrassed myself and got the Christmas cliché out the way I can move swiftly on. Hope you all enjoyed the first issue (how cool was the front cover!!) and this issue has been to your liking so far, it’s now time to rock your woolly winter socks off with some yuletide sporting action.
There was never any contest really. Home Alone is, apart from being the best xmas creation EVER, the film that brought as Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McAllister - a child so adorable that his own family forget to take him on their Christmas holiday to Paris. Granted, being your typical 8-year old boy, McAllister relishes in the fact he is ‘home alone’. That is, until two burglars embark on the house but of course they meet their match in McAllister who booby traps the house to the extreme. Of course hilarity then ensues.
In this issue we have a look at the festive Glasgow tradition that is the New Year Old Firm derby, it’s bound to be a Christmas cracker, and we have an article about the sport of sled dog racing (that’s the lengths that I will go to to fit in with the Christmas/winter theme).
2. Love Actually How a film that harbours Hugh Grant dancing most epically (and oddly attractively) to Jump doesn’t make the No.1 spot beats me. But here it is, the gracious loser at number 2, Love Actually. Exploring the numerous aspects of love through the lives of various interlinked people this film has the ultimate warm fuzzy feeling factor. And all set in the run up to Christmas! Perfection.
Steph Cosway
3. Nightmare Before Christmas “Kidnap the Sandy Claws!” Taken from the brainwave of Tim Burton, Nightmare Before Christmas is not surprisingly a little strange. It is also quite wonderful. Set in a land with no Christmas, Jack Skellington comes across a passage into the world of Christmas and becomes so obsessed with the holiday he tries to take it over. Which doesn’t work out to well for all the kiddies in the world. But Jack being Jack he will make everything alright in the end. And who could forget the legendary background love story of Jack and Sally.
4. Miracle on 34th Street Well we had to have a traditional Christmas film eventually... I guess. So here in fourth is Miracle on 34th Street. Richard Attenborourgh is Santa Claus which, of course, is the real selling point to this film. Apart from that it’s your regular cheese-fest of a Christmas film. Or perhaps for most of us, your secret guilty pleasure.
5. Die Hard
It’s wife-beaters ahoy at no.5 as Bruce Willis – with a full head of hair - defies all logic and single-handedly brings down a skyscraper full of terrorists. What’s a Christmas film without guns, explosions and those beautiful one-liners? Okay so it might be the boy’s choice but you have to admit it’s rather a good one.
6. Muppet Christmas Carol
Michael Caine acting with a bunch of muppets? Pure Brilliance. A Muppet Christmas Carol is undoubtedly the best adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel. For one, Gonzo narrating the film as Mr Dickens himself is nothing short of hilarious. Not forgetting his miniature sidekick Rizzo the rat. We all know the story by now – Scrooge, three ghosts and Miss Piggy screeching. Christmas would not be Christmas without this one.
7. It’s a Wonderful Life
One of the most beloved films in existence comes in at a shock 7th place. Well not so shocking to me as I have never witnessed said film. According to valuable sources though, it is about almost-suicide, unemployment and angels. Which is probably why it flopped at the box-office when it was first released in 1946. But today it’s considered to be, not only one of the greatest Christmas films ever created but also one of the best films ever.
8. Bad Santa
When it comes to Christmas films very few ever deviate from your traditional family-friendly cheesiness. But Billy Bob Thornton was never going to be ‘Good Santa’ now was he? He’s traded blood with Angelina Jolie after all. This black comedy stars Thornton as a thieving, smoking, alcoholic mall Santa. It certainly gets points for thinking outside the box. It’s also exceptionally funny.
10. Gremlins
9. Elf
You know a Christmas film starring Will Ferrell is destined to be amazing. It certainly doesn’t disappoint. Ferrell plays Buddy, who having been raised by Santa, believes himself to be an elf – even if he is 6’3 but after being thrown out of the North Pole by the other elves for being too ungainly Buddy must now search for his real father. Of course things go far from smoothly...
Perhaps not the most obvious choice for a Christmas film but nevertheless Gremlins is themed over the Christmas period. Comedy horror at its finest, it’s impossible not to fall in love with the adorable Gizmo. As for the other Gremlins... keep the creepy little fiends away from water, bright lights and food after midnight. Otherwise, utter mayhem. Reminds you of children really.
A wee article on Glasgow Warriors Rugby (just a taste, we will have a more comprehensive article in a future issue), and specifically for the ladies we have an article about the aerobic class ‘Body Attack’, just incase you need a hand fitting in to that LBD (little black dress) for the Christmas party season. (I’m sounding like Gok Wan). Finally we will keep the Christmas spirit going, with our competition give away (it’s not a pony or anything but who couldn’t do without a free hoodie to keep you warm!). So sit back and relax with a cup of warm coco and a cookie, and enjoy the magic of the RE: UNION Christmas sports pages. (If you can’t get your hands on coco or cookies, a cup of tea and a Jaffa cake will suffice). Have a great Christmas and New Year folks. Enjoy it, be safe, stay classy and don’t do too much studying. All an
Pea ce,
Competition Winter has defo arrived, its bloody freezing outside, so here is a chance to win a crackin Cali Hoodie to keep Jack Frost at bay. All you have to do is write a small article about your favourite sport, send it to me and keep your fingers crossed. Also the nice folk at the Glasgow Warriors Rugby Club have donated a couple of tickets for their upcoming Heineken Cup home match against Newport Gwent Dragons on Friday 15th January 2010, I’m not sure yet if one lucky winner will get both prizes or weather we will have two winners. I will have a think about it and let you know in due course. You can email your entries to me at aargue10@caledonian.ac.uk Good luck Allan
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Friends, Family, Festive Cheer and a Barney at New Year! We couldn’t have a festive inspired issue and not mention the New Year Old Firm derby. In many respects the festive period in Glasgow is the same as any other city in the UK, lashings of sparkling decorations, over populated shopping streets, monotonous cycles of Christmas tunes and an unusually upbeat, ‘goodwill to all men’ attitude. Christmas is a fantastic time of year, even if you don’t buy in to the commercial side of it or religiously it’s not connected to your beliefs, you must concede that people are generally happier than usual and there are loads of excuses to go for a night out. (Like we students need an excuse)... However Glasgow is a divided city, one half green and the other blue. A bitter complex rivalry that spans generations and is engrained on most aspects of Glasgow society. (The old chestnut what school did you go to springs to mind). Glasgow on Old firm days are the complete opposite of what you would associate with the festive, fun loving Christmas Glasgow. The ‘goodwill to all men’ attitude is replaced with a hostile cauldron of vile, hate and bigotry and an outlook comparative to a police state rather than an idyllic festive setting. I would imagine if you were not from here it would be hard to grasp the ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ transformation that takes place in the city in such a short space of time. On the 3rd of January the two Glasgow giants will lock horns at Park head in the traditional New Year fixture, a day that fans from both sides relish. Generally Old Firm derbies play a prominent role in the overall outcome of the league championship. However this season both teams have suffered poor bouts of form and are capable of dropping points every other week from now until the end of the season, making this game more of a grudge match rather than a ‘must win’ for both sides. That being said an Old Firm friendly played by ex pros on a desert island beach would still be gripping and mean something to the fans. So the one thing you are guaranteed in this game is passion and commitment, two traits that typify what Scottish football is all about. So buckle up and hold on to your Santa hats because this January you will be receiving a late Christmas present, 90 minutes of passionate, low quality football on the park and 24 hours of chaos, bigotry and murder on the streets. You can’t beat the festive period in Glasgow!!
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Allan Argue
The Alternative Festive Derby If you are into sport but can’t really be bothered with the attached baggage associated with the Old Firm derby, Santa has provided you with a couple of egg chasing belters this Christmas. The Glasgow Warriors are the city’s only professional rugby club and they are looking for YOUR support. The Warriors have shown some true community spirit and offered their services and support to the Uni, (more to come in another issue) so its only right we return the favour by getting along to some games to cheer them on. The big derby in Scottish rugby is the 1872 Cup between the countries two professional clubs - The Glasgow Warriors (good guys) and Edinburgh Rugby, (as this magazine is heavily edited I will call them, Bad Guys) its an age old tale of good versus evil, of hard working, down to earth Glaswegians versus Edinburgh Folk. The fixture dates back to, you guessed it – 1872 and is the oldest inter-district clash in the world. If you are into history, there is loads of it attached to this fixture, but you can look it up yourself, I am not going to bore everyone to death with it!! So get your woolly hats and winter mittens on, fill your hip flask with some mulled buckfast, (Note drinking in public is illegal, so don’t get caught) get down to Firhill and support you local club. Warrior’s games have got something for everyone, great sporting action from some of Europe’s top players, an opportunity to vent some anger by shouting at the opposition, (its much cheaper than a shrink) and some big muscular guys wearing hot pants grappling in the mud.
The Warriors have two big home games over the festive period • Glasgow Warriors v Gloucester Rugby in the Heineken Cup 11th Dec, 7.30pm Kick off • Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh Rugby (1872 Cup) in the Magners League 27th Dec, 3.05pm Kick off
The kind Warrior big wigs have acknowledged that we as students are skint, so have created a student ticket for us to get our sporting fill – Only £10. You can get your tickets, information and stadium directions from WWW.GLASGOWWARRIORS.ORG or at the gate. (Obviously there is no need for stadium directions if you are at the gate).
Allan Argue
Body attack is a high impact aerobic workout geared towards building fitness, strength and stamina with the use of upbeat, motivating music and a very enthusiastic instructor. Each class is 55 minutes long and designed towards working each part of the body through upper and lower body conditioning. There are two intensity peaks within the class and eleven tracks in total. Body attack is suitable for all people of all shapes and sizes whether you are a beginner or a regular and each move has different options ranging from easy to high impact, depending on your fitness, this means that no matter how fit you are you still get a good workout because you take it at your own pace. Many people think it is just for women but think again men! It is a very physical class and there are aerobic based moves and sport based moves which are all designed to suit both men and women. All moves are simple and you do not need to be co-ordinated. Having done body attack for several years now I can easily say it is my favourite exercise. If I go to the gym I only stay for 30-40mintues because I cannot motivate myself to stay longer and in turn body attack gets everyone doing the same exercises, everyone is tired, everyone is out of breath but the instructor motivates you and everyone else to keep going therefore you get a better all round workout. It means that every single person is pushing themselves together and you feel like part of a team. I have made many friends at my class because it is addictive and the more you go the better you feel therefore everyone keeps coming back. The routine changes every 12 weeks or so, and this means that you get a new workout, the songs change and your body gets a new routine which can’t go wrong. I can honestly say I have never left a body attack class dry, a sweat towel is essential! The music is always upbeat and tends to be songs that everyone recognises. This is good because it means you can sing along with the song and sometimes this distracts you from how hard you are working. As this is a physical class you always need to wear c o m f o r t a bl e clothing and good trainers. Go on give it a try, you don’t know what you are missing! Good Luck! P.S. Remember your water bottle. Connor Murray
Sled dog racing is a sport that originated in Alaska in the early 1900s, when a bunch of wealthy businessmen that used dog teams to transport goods and cargo across Alaska to fuel the gold rush decided to have a wee race to establish who had the fastest team. The race was a winner takes all affair in 1908 called the ‘All Alaska Sweepstakes’. Purely for national pride purposes, let it be known that the ‘godfather’ of the sport is a Scotsman called Alec “Scotty” Allen, his life story reads like a Hollywood film character. Born in Dundee in 1867 he started life as a horse trainer and at 19 moved to America to deliver a prize stallion to a horseman in South Dakota. He later moved to Alaska in search of his fortune during the gold rush, were he became a wealthy businessman hauling supplies across the frozen wilderness with a strong dog team in toe. When dog sled racing became a prominent activity within Alaska, Scotty and his dogs became famous and considered the best in the region, they became so famous that when the first world war broke out he was commissioned by the American government to train and supply 100 dogs to haul supplies over the mountains regions between France and Germany. Later in life he became a renowned explorer and was an advisor to the Byrd Antarctic Expedition, before settling down to life as an Alaskan legislature. A great Scot that is virtually unknown in Scotland. These days when speaking about sled dog racing the one race that captures the hearts and minds of the racing community is the ‘Iditarod’, billed as the “Last great race on earth”, really its more than a race, its an expedition covering over 1150 miles of some of the most inhospitable, frozen wilderness on earth the race is held in March every year and goes from Anchorage in South Central Alaska to the East Coast of the State and can take anywhere between 10 to 17 days to complete (that’s if you are lucky enough to finish). Its an activity that takes the term ‘adventure sport’ to a new level, in temperatures of (-50) in bear county in the middle of nowhere one mistake can easily result in you becoming a giant bear ice pole. The event is huge in America and receives nationwide TV coverage, has massive commercial/ sponsorship backing and has a prize fund of over $1 million. Last year the ‘Discovery Channel’ showed a 6 episode series covering the race and its competitors and is expected to cover the 2010 event.
insight into the workings sledging. In Scotland without question the top dogs (excuse the pun) in this sport are the Stewart family, consisting of husband and wife Alan and Fiona and their son John, based in Aviemore. The family run a sled dog centre offering the public an insight into their sport and way of life, in the most stunning, idyllic setting you can imagine. (The scenery itself made getting up at 7am on a Sunday morning and driving 2 and a half hours to Aviemore well worth while) I wasn’t really sure what to expect when making
the 10 minute walk from the road to the Stewart’s compound, but when I arrived it wasn’t long before I knew the score. Thirty seconds after meeting Alan Stewart he enlightened me to what the centre was all about, “This is not to do with Santa clause, this is serious stuff here” and to be honest I couldn’t have put it any better myself. After seeing the kennel area with over 30 sled dogs, mountains of specialised equipment and miles of purpose built trails that are used for training the dogs, you quickly realise that this isn’t a game or hobby to this family – it’s a way of life, and a hard one at that. About 15 minutes after arriving and of course after I had singed my disclaimer form, Alan and Fiona had hooked up a 12 dog team to a 4x4 buggy and we went mushing. (Well Alan went mushing, I just sat beside him asking loads of stupid questions). It was a great experience getting to see first hand how the team all work together, Alan’s passion was infectious and I soon found myself noticing how individual dogs reacted to commands and how the lead dog (ironically named ‘Too Slow’) commanded and navigated her team round the course, and all this was in the beautiful highland countryside on a cold, frosty morning, it was truly amazing!
Because the sport of sled dog racing is virtually unheard of in this country it is very easy to dismiss it as a hobby for dog lovers, but after seeing how the Stewarts go about their business you can easily compare the work they do, to that of any elite sport. The dogs are placed on special diets, they use specialised equipment, they are subject to tough training regimes from very early on in their lives, they are tried in different positions within the team and with different running partners, to ensure they are working productively as possible, dog psychology is employed to try to gain that competitive advantage and even the dogs that are used are bred specifically from proven stock to do one thing and one thing only – RUN!! Really what they do is more comparable to the operations of a premiership football club than a dog kennel. (Apart from the selective breeding part, of course). All in all my day with the Stewart family was great. Alan and Fiona are very warm, welcoming hosts that will go out of their way to give you a real insight in to the sport of sled dog racing and to show you a great day out. So if you are looking for a day out with a difference this winter, I would recommend wrapping up warn and getting yourself up to Aviemore for a day out with the dogs. Log on to the centres website and check out what they offer – WWW. SLED-DOGS.CO.UK This March John Stewart has qualified and will be racing in the Iditarod. (which is the equivalent of a football fan getting to play in the champions league final) This feat has taken years of hard work and has been financially funded predominantly from his own pocket. John is lucky enough to have a few sponsors that help lighten the load a little, Eukanuba supply the centre with high quality dog food, (it costs over £300 a week to feed the team) Northern Outfitters and Buff clothing supply some gear, (knowing what a good walking jacket costs, I can only imagine that the clobber for this sport is extortionate) and a hearty group of North Sea divers on board DSV Osprey have paid John’s entry fee for the Iditarod. This guy is a real underdog (again, excuse the pun) representing Scotland at the top level of his sport. As obscure as his sport is, in this country it is sad that there is no government (or any other) help or support available to assist our young athletes to achieve their full potential. So if you are or know any potential sponsors to help support our man then get on to: WWW.JOHNFORTHEIDITAROD.COM
After doing a bit of research on the sport I wanted to speak to someone that could give me a better
ALLAN ARGUE
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