College Tribune Entertainment Supplement 7.04.2010
the Siren
They’re so lovely
Exclusive interview with Scouting for Girls GAllows JAck L The Rubber Bandits Repo Men Spring Fashion
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Music
Music
The Siren 7.04.10
The Scoop
Dates Announced Pop-punk pioneers Blink-182 have announced they will play a concert at The 02 Dublin on August 31st 2010. Blink-182’s last ever concert was a sold out show at The Point Depot in 2005 after which they split to pursue solo projects. Tickets are on sale now! MGMT will be back in Ireland this September, playing their biggest headline tour to date kicking off with a Dublin show at the Olympia Theatre on Thursday 16 September. Tickets from €30.00 inclusive of booking fee are on sale from Friday, 9th April. In advance of his forthcoming solo album, Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke announces a series of Irish dates including a show at the Academy on May 16th.
Jim Scully meets Britpunks Gallows
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Arts
New Releases Rise Up is the upcoming eighth studio album by Cypress Hill, which is set to be released on April 20, 2010. It will be their first album of new material in six years and shall feature artists such as Tom Morello and Daron Malakian. ‘Slash’ is the debut solo album by former Guns N’ Roses and current Velvet Revolver guitarist, Slash. The album contains vocals from many well known musicians
Karina Bracken catches up with Irish Comics the Rubber Bandits Page 11
Fashion
Cathal O’Gara wonders if clothes do maketh the man
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from Dave Grohl, Iggy Pop, Ozzy Osbourne and Kid Rock. The album is set to be released on 7th May. Transcontinental Hustle is the fifth album by gypsy punk band Gogol Bordello, produced by Rick Rubin the album will be released on April 27, 2010.
Other News Cheryl Cole has announced details of her first book, which will be published in September. The Press Association reports that ‘My World’ is described as “the first official Cheryl Cole book” and will chart the singer’s story from reality show hopeful to style icon. Unsurprisingly, pop singer Ricky Martin has revealed that he is gay by posting a message on his website. In the Internet posting, Martin said: “I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am.” Robbie Williams and Peter Andre are reportedly being lined up to replace Danni Minogue as a judge on the ‘X Factor’. The two clapped out popstar twats are battling their way onto the glamorised Karaoke show as Minogue will not be able to attend some of the audition stages this summer, as she is due to give birth to her first child.
Ryan Cullen
New noise the Dirty 9s On paper The Dirty 9s shouldn’t work as a band. As individuals all band members bear influences which are as far apart as we are from mars. Blur, Otis Redding, The Beatles, Echo & the Bunnymen, Foo Fighters and At the Drive-In rarely get thrown into the same sentence together, but these are the wonderful differences which make up what we know as The Dirty 9s. With a name derived from their affection for their local bus service, the 39, this Dublin band first broke into the limelight by winning Deis Roc on TG4. The band were more than up to the challenge of writing and performing a song as Gaeilge for the show, and they certainly made an impression. The band succeeded, and put their financial gain from winning the show to good use, enticing producer Greg Haver (Manic Street Preachers & Super Furry Animals) to join forces with the band. The result, their debut album ‘Stop Screaming, Start Dreaming’ was released on March 12th, off which came the single “Corridors”. Stop Screaming Start Dreaming is the finished product of being shut off in a recording studio in County Offaly with producer Greg Haver and is testament to the bands
work ethic, managing to achieve so much just two years into their existence. Since 2008 the band have performed on the IMRO Showcase Tour and BBC Scotland Music Show Rapal. Recently the band hit a new high after signing a licensing deal with a US company
who source music for film and television shows, some of whose clients include Entourage and Twilight. Like many other Irish bands who have gone before them, The Dirty 9s seem to have a fondness for the road, touring and performing as often as possible. The
band have played numerous gigs and traveled many miles around the country playing with fellow Irish acts Republic of Loose, Delorentos, The Coronas, Noise Control, CODES and Director. Not wanting to rest on success the band are currently on the road again for a nationwide tour
which runs through to May. See www.myspace.com/thedirty9s for more information. Stop Screaming Start Dreaming is out now on Sci-Fi Girl Records.
Music
The Siren 7.04.10
Titus Andronicus
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The Monitor
Jim Scully The warehouses, clubs and coffee shops of Brooklyn may be considered the home of the hipster, with pavements like conveyor belts of artists and kooky indie bands. But let’s leave that all behind for a minute. Take the train out of New York City to visit its less glamorous neighbours in New Jersey, a place with real musical heritage. From Ol’ Blue eyes himself, through to The Misfits and of course Mr. Springsteen. While some young bands like to tip their hat and embrace this past, (cue The Gaslight Anthem) others prefer not to be quite as inward looking in their musical quests. For Titus Andronicus, this is evident in the first track ‘A More Perfect Union’ as singer Patrick Stickles howls the words, “I never wanted to change the world, but I’m looking for a new New Jersey, Because tramps like us, baby, we were born to die.” And that really sets the tone for this record; local musical heritage is taken and churned around then spat back out. In a way the band has more in common with their musical ancestors than perhaps they would like to believe. As much as Titus Andronicus succeed in creating an original sound, they’re really just singing about the same thing Springsteen did. Striving for somewhere new and different, like Born To Run era Springsteen, they just do it in a slightly different fashion. They’re a little more honest to boot, cutting through the lyrical clichés and bullshit.
Broken Bells Broken Bells
Philip Connolly It’s been a while since Danger Mouse or the Shins did anything to change your listening habits, let alone your life. As musical collaborations go, the one embarked upon by James Mercer, mercurial singer/songwriter with esteemed Portlanders The Shins, and Brian Burton, better known as producer extraordinaire Danger Mouse, has to go down as one of the most unlikely. On paper, hardly a match made in heaven, more of a mis-engineered fusion of two talented individuals from exact opposite ends of the spectrum. Maybe it’s that old adage about opposites attracting, but more than likely it’s simply a case of two modern-day geniuses colluding to construct what will undoubtedly be
heralded as one of 2010’s most dynamic, forward-thinking records. Broken Bells is exactly what its creators have put on the tin, a twoway, half-and-half, 50 per cent each, full split down the middle collaboration whereby both contribute in equal measures musically and lyrically to each of its ten pieces. Expanding upon and perfecting the sound sought after for years by groups like Zero 7, the duo draws little from their prior discographies. In fact, Danger Mouse uses this opportunity to delve into more atmospheric and electronicinfluenced pop production, while Mercer does less crooning instead favouring his own tasteful impression of rocking out. Furthermore, with another ten songs already written and ready to go in the not-too-distant future, Broken Bells look set to be here for the long haul, we can but wait patiently in anticipation for the next installment.
Blood Red Shoes
Fire Like this
Jim Scully It’s becoming very fashionable these days for bands to limit themselves to two members. We can thank Meg and Jack for that. At times the dynamic can be a little limiting, but that can’t be said of this Brighton duo. Both this album and their debut release went down well with critics and audiences alike, yet they still haven’t made too much of an impact beyond theses isles. While the band are good, the reasoning for that one is pretty simple. There is nothing terribly original going on here, and there are enough indie/rock duos out there already for it to be considered quirky. And let’s be honest, with-
out something interesting and marketable the higher ups don’t care, regardless of how good you are. Sad fact. It’s a pity because this is a really good record. The urgency of the opening track, while borrowing heavily from bands like The Automatic and Editors, kickstarts the album with plenty of rhythmic energy. Even though not entirely fresh or new, these two have an ear for a catchy hook. The shouted chorused vocals on ‘Light it up’ appear by surprise and are testament to Blood Red Shoes’ knack for creating engaging song structures. The more mellow moments of the album are a welcome solace from the intensity of some of the heavier tracks on ‘Fire Like This’, though just as powerful. Catchy, clever and engaging, this album balances pop sensibilities with all manners of influences from all areas of modern rock music. It may not be groundbreaking, but it certainly is ear pleasing.
“Give me a cruel New England winter, Give me the great Pine Barrens, So I can see them turned into splinters, And if I come in on a donkey, let me go out on a gurney, I want to realize too late I never should have left New Jersey.” Lyrically there are little moments of clever genius scattered throughout ‘The Monitor’, with all the emphasis on Stickles’ words when it matters. Don’t be fooled by track names like ‘Escape From No Future’ though. This isn’t Bruce Springsteen. He never would have written a song called ‘A pot in Which to Piss’. And that’s exactly what sets this band apart, they manage to tackle themes that have been stretched as far as they can by previous artists and still make it their own and original. Musically this album draws influence from all corners of the musical map. The biggest compliment that could probably be paid to the band is the fact that their sound is so hard to pin down and categorise. At times ‘The Monitor’ sounds like a full-blown garage rock album, at times it draws from country rhythms, all polished off with a little shoegaze. Rare and beautifully placed samples, pianos and harmonicas find a home in there also. But somehow this album still manages to sound cohesive and blends together perfectly. For all the varying sounds throughout the record, it comes together to create a very complete piece of work, something that is all too rare in this day and age.
Justin Bieber My Worlds Ryan Cullen Justin Bieber. Sixteen. Huge debut album. Huge fan base. Massive twat. My World EP and My World 2.0 have been combined into a single soul destroying record aimed at the prepubescent teen, trying to excite them like a virgin at a junior cert ball. To many girls, Justin may be a heartthrob, but to people of sound mind he looks like a monkey who has been kicked backwards through River Island. And it’s not just the average fifteen year old girls who “love him”, nerds tend to love Bieber’s girlish singing due to the fact that the entire record is being sung by a fucking computer.
Yet again another worthless artist has ripped the graceful heart out of music, held it above his head whilst gargling it’s still warm blood. Just turning sixteen years old, he covers many adult subjects that could be viewed as being as controversial as a Gary Glitter sex tour of Thailand. “And at school on the playground but I really wanna see her on the weekend”, I Know what you are thinking, Jackson has risen from the dead. This theme continues from through the self glorifying R’ n’ B bollocks. “There’s gonna be one less lonely girl” speaks of his heroic attempt to save his lovers from the basement of a certain frisky Austrian. If this is the road music is sauntering down in the next decade, walk off the nearest pier for your own sake. Let us pray that the next time his mom gives him a bubble bath, she brings it to the boil.
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Cool Hand Luke
Music
The Siren 7.04.10
As he prepares for the start of his Irish tour, Jack L speaks to Philip Connolly about his Career, his music and the novel about his fans
There are few musicians who ever make an impact in the literary world let alone be the subject of a novel, yet Jack L (or Lukeman to his mum) has done just that. All things literary have loomed large in the orbit of Jack this year. A long time friend and fan, Irish writer Anna McPartlin, Moon’ was intrigued by the life of the dedicated fans that follow Jack around the world. She subsequently wrote a novel for release at the end of September 2009 called ‘ So What If I am Broken?’. Each chapter is prefaced by Jacks lyrics and the main characters are Jack L fans. “Every chapter takes its name from one of my song titles. I’ve know Anna since we were teenagers. She always had the idea of doing it, we met up had a chat and I gave her a few details and stuff. I helped her out with anything I could. Anna’s always nervous about anyone reading any of her stuff, but I’ve read it a few times now. It’s coming out over in the US at the end of April so we’ll be heading over to do some support for it.”
The novel has also prompted some musical output for the enigmatic man from Kildare, A retrospective on his colourful career carefully titled “The Story so far”, emphasising that its certainly not an end
of career best of, and an Irish tour. “I was due to do something like that, I’ve had seven albums. Ob-
e d i u G GIG
HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE – April 14th/ Whelans/€20
RAIN MACHINE – April 10th/ The Academy/ €18.50 TV on the Radio’s Kyp Malone appears at The Academy when he brings his acclaimed solo project Rain Machine to Dublin. As singer and guitarist for celebrated band TV on the Radio, Malone proved himself both a captivating and delightfully unpredictable musical force. On Rain Machine, he shows himself a singer and a lyricist of startling talents. Malone recently described Rain Machine as “a nearly full spectrum of frequencies audible to the human ear, a reflection of a variety of emotions and situations real and imagined - some rhythm some rhyme.”
viously I see it more as a milestone than a tombstone. For me going through all the stuff you realise; well I have actually been doing something all these years, not just acting the bollox.” Famous for his voice, Lukeman started off in Athy, Co. Kildare in Ireland, where he grew up and worked an apprenticeship as a car mechanic, finetuning his voice as well as engines in the interesting acoustic of empty garages. Having released seven albums and become one of modern Irish music’s most interesting and original song-men, it’s safe to say he won’t be going back to tightening fan-belts and replacing spark plugs. “I like playing the festivals, I’ve done Glastonbury a number of times, I suppose that’s the mother of all festivals. I have to say the Electric Picnic is as good as any festival, I remember having come back from Glastonbury and going to it as a punter and think it was as good as it.” Having rubbed shoulders with some of music’s most celebrated luminaries,
Expect a feverish live show from the London based quintet, whose front man Jim Jones (ex-Thee Hypnotics) resembles nothing more than the forefathers of rock ‘n’ roll electro-shocked back to life in the punk era. The ‘Revue play a supercharged, piano driven 50’s rock’n’roll that collides head on with the 60’s Detroit punk rock of The Stooges and MC5. Their 2008 self titled debut album and subsequent singles collection received glowing reviews across the board. They are currently recording their new album with Jim Sclavunos from
sort of a relationship with them because you’ve moved them through your songs, once you understand that people are just people.” “Its la-la land in many respects, a case of
the emperors new clothes a lot of the time. You enjoy the spinal tapisms of it, but celebrity is a ludicrous idea. It’s completely useless unless you use it for some good means as someone like Bono does. It’s not game I’m much interested in but if you have an album out its necessary to show people it’s out there.” “I’ve always survived by gigging, getting a core audience at the shows, get a buzz form it and come back for more. I often wonder if I was starting out again would I go on one of these reality TV shows because that seems to be the norm. I started out from singing in drunken sessions, to busking, to getting a band together, it was a very organic process. Now you can do it in a day, but then people don’t last very long. It’s a skin game, more about TV ratings than music, it’s not about great songs just about selling records.” “I’ d like to think if I was born a hundred years ago I would have been a tramp going from door to door singing for people, I know that’s what I’m here to do, it’s about all I’m good at.”
The Bad Seeds/Grinderman, set for release this year.
Their last Dublin show attracting everyone from jazz cats, punks to soul boys and techno freaks, their music is that infectious. With fans including Barack Obama, David Byrne, Q-Tip, Madlib, Jay-Z, Erykah Badu, Jools Holland and the soonto-be-announced news that they (along with Mos Def and Tony Allen) will be the new Gorillaz outfit, this band is no ordinary collective. 8 brothers, all the sons of Sun Ra Trumpeteer and songwriter Phil Cohran, playing since they were 3 years of age, Hypnotic have a heritage deeper than most bands will ever attain. JIM JONES REVUE – April 15th/Crawdaddy/ €13
how does Lukeman see the celebrity life; “Most people you only meet in a corridor and shake hands, the weird thing about celebrity is that everybody is just a person. Music is an unusual thing because you’ve never met people but you have a
CLub Night What? NEW YORK DOLLS – April 20/ The Academy/ €28 The New York Dolls have confirmed a special Dublin Academy show on 20th April with Vengeance And The Panther Queen as support. The New York Dolls are, simply, the Beatles of attitude. Thirty five years into their existence, with three men down, they can still take your band, pretty for pretty, ugly for ugly. Last year they released the critically acclaimed album ‘Cause I Sez So’ which is out now.
Le Cirk, Dame Street.
from the UK who have a taste for loud, raw and wild sounds. Playing their own unique brand of fine garage and RnB music, Thee Vicars are here to preach about genuine real music which seems to have gone missing in these dark days of the music industry.
When?
Price?
Saturday April 17th
Admission is €4. Drinks prices are reasonable enough for a city centre venue.
Retro Revival Club Where?
Why? Bands on the night are Three vicars, Cheap Freaks and The Mighty Atomics. Thee Vicars are four individuals
Music
The Siren 7.04.10 Hardcore music developed out of some very humble punk rock beginnings. From bands like Ian Makaye’s Minor Threat and Bad Brains in Washington D.C to Black Flag in California, hardcore was a community built upon strict DIY ideals and a generation of frustrated youth searching for an escape. The catharsis of a hardcore punk show provided the ideal vent for America’s misplaced youth of the eighties. Some of the best places to gain an insight into this musical movement is through Paul Rachman’s documentary ‘American Hardcore’ which chronicles the beginnings and growth of hardcore. A growth which saw hardcore develop beyond anything its pioneers could have fathomed. The music developed and provided the inspiration for many artists and musicians alike and continues to do so to this very day. Still some of the most exciting and inventive bands of today have their roots in hardcore, bands like Refused, Fucked Up and The Bronx could be described as modern visionaries of the genre, providing fuel for those who follow. It’s here we find Gallows. From their early days as a small time band in Watford, England, Gallows blended the energy and release of hardcore with the social commentary and awareness similar to The Clash and bands of the punk explosion a few generations earlier in England. And they couldn’t have arrived at a more appropriate time, finding ourselves in similar political and economic situations which served as the backdrop to the initial punk movement, this generation needed someone to shake up the music community and bring meaning to the music. The volatile nature and power of Gallows demanded attention like a screaming child in a supermarket. They were determined to have their voice heard. Their harsh vocals were heard well beyond Watford, with head of Epitaph records and punk legend Brett Gurewitz saying, “As a bit of an expert on Punk Rock - having listened to it, played it, recorded it and released it, for a few years now - I will say that Gallows are the present and future of punk.” “I’ve been signing and breaking punk bands since the 80s’s and give my personal avowal with heartfelt conviction that this band is nothing less than the return of bonafide ass kicking heart ripping fist pounding authentic punk fucking rock.” He also went on to compare the bands debut release ‘Orchestra of Wolves’ on a par with Refused’s monumental ‘The Shape of Punk To Come”. It would be easy to think that all this praise and back-slapping was the insular berating of friends within the punk community, but unbeknown to the band, they were attracting more attention than they could ever have expected. Before long the majors were in on the act, and the band were soon picked up by Warner Music in a £1 million deal. A deal which frontman Frank Carter described as “the British music industry’s biggest
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ROLLING WITH THE PUNCHES
Laurent Barnard, guitarist of Watford hardcore sensation Gallows speaks with Jim Scully about music, record labels and artistic integrity mistake.” Hardly a popular move amongst the punk purists, but what better way to have your message heard and your art displayed than stepping onto the platform with one of music’s largest resources. A necessary evil some might say. Ben Myers of The Guardian wrote of the transaction; “Perhaps Warner Music was expecting a new Green Day or My Chemical Romance – inoffensive pop-punk for pre-pubescents – but those in the know recognised a great rock’n’roll swindle on a par with Malcolm McLaren’s manoeuvring of the Sex Pistols through deals with EMI, A&M and Virgin over eighteen months.” Speaking to founding member and guitarist of Gallows Laurent “Lags” Barnard, he explains “I describe gallows just as a form of art. We created it just to be creative basically, like we were always doing Gallows always doing other things, the last couple of years Gallows has become our priority.” “Gallows is my biggest musical passion, because it’s become so important thing in my life. It sounds rally lame, but its like a work of art.” Now having been dropped from their deal with Warner Music, the band have had suitable time to reflect on their time with one of the giants of the music industry. With all this talk of art, how possible is it to retain artistic and personal integrity
when you are at the mercy of a multinational company? “I think, it’s hard to not compromise our integrity but I think, it’s definitely been distorted somehow. Not
that we’re aware of it but it’s definitely happened.” “You find you’re not able to like, basically do the things you want to do. Let’s say we want to do a split with our friends in another band, you basically get told by the label, ‘no you can’t do that’. It’s weird cause, we’re doing everything exactly the same as we’ve always done, there’s just other things which we can’t do which is just like, it’s really kind of fucked up. So in a way it’s not us compromising our integrity it’s the forces around us basically.” One such force was certainly the frenzy created by British press, “I remember there was a point we were in Kerrang and NME almost every week and it got to the point where we were going stop answering questions. ‘Cause like if I’m getting sick of seeing my face in a magazine, fuck knows how much other people get sick of seeing it.” With this in mind it would be easy to think that perhaps this major label deal
wasn’t a mistake of the British music industry, rather a mistake on the part of the band themselves perhaps. Barnard however prefers to take a different perspective on the experience, “At the same time I really enjoyed being on Warner Brothers because I got to see a side of the music industry that I would never see. We got to do things like record in huge studios with big orchestras, just do a bunch of crazy things which I’m always going to remember and I’m thankful for the experience.” It’s true that without the financial backing
of such a label the band might not have managed to create such a complete work as they did with their second album “Grey Britain”, an album which gives a definite snapshot of modern society, and one which takes hardcore well beyond anywhere it had been before. Now that the band have created an artistic work they are undoubtedly proud of they are enjoying life without a label, a newfound freedom which has allowed them a fresh perspective and lifestyle with Gallows, Barnard seems to take comfort in a more relaxing touring schedule; “The thing about with the label, they kind of put more pressure on you to tour. When you’re playing aggressive energetic music every night it can really wear you down. And the passion starts wearing away because you’re making it an everyday kind of thing which is replacing how special it is to do it.” “Having a break every now and then kind of creates that hunger to go out and play live. I think that’s how we’re going to do it from now on. We don’t have any label so there’s no pressure on us to do anything. We can just take our time and do what we want which is really cool.” And with a Dublin date supporting Rage Against The Machine, life without a label doesn’t seem to be slowing Gallows down anytime soon.
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Music
The Siren 7.04.10
The Last Boy Scout
Greg Churchouse of Scouting For Girls spreads some happiness by filling Cathy Buckmaster in on their new album, Supersweet Sixteens and their unexplainable love for Michaela Strachan
Most people know Scouting for Girls as the band that’s so heinously upbeat, they make Alphabeat look like Radiohead. Turns out, unsurprisingly, that the band’s bassist Greg Churchouse is as chirpy as their uncontroversial Brit-pop hits; Heartbeat, She’s so Lovely and Elvis Aint Dead, would suggest. Hailing form Harrow London, they formed Scouting for Girls in 2005. Following a tried and tested method, their music is the epitome of feel good pop with it’s catchy riffs, bubbly piano notes and repetitive lyrics that ensure the song is so imprinted in your memory, you’ll be sure the lyrics were burnt onto your skull. In a nice way. The trivial content of their songs which concern girls, growing pains, girls, Elvis, oh and girls make sure these oh-so-English cheeky chaps are the ultimate in upbeat, feel good bands of the moment. Despite all these factors which would make the general punter assume an immediate, if irrational, hatred for them, it’s next to impossible to resist Churchouse’s cheerful nature and not be sucked into his optimistic world. Even with the new album’s release date, on the 9th of April, looming and the fact that there’s huge anticipation surrounding Everyone Wants to Be on TV, after the huge success of their self titled first album, Churchouse is impossibly unperturbed. Churchouse begins by chatting about the only thing that does seem to get him down; rain. “It’s pretty overcast here and the clouds look fairly ominous but I’m keeping my fingers crossed it wont start lashing.” He then goes onto discuss the band’s much anticipated second studio album. “We’re really excited about it. Although, it’s quite funny; we’ve been doing a few interviews recently and everyone’s been going, ‘where have you been for the last couple of years?’ But for us, the time has just flown by. We’ve been so busy.” “We finished off 2008 with many tours and plenty of festivals and started work on the new album in January 2009 and literally worked for an entire year writing and recording and getting everything ready – we’re really very excited; it’s almost D-Day. We were buried away for a whole year and we spent all of 2009 just making sure we nailed the second album.” “It can be so difficult because you don’t want to come back with an album that sounds exactly like the first album just without any of the hooks or the good songs or you don’t want to go off on a tangent either writing speed metal songs, so we wanted to take our time and produce something we could be really proud of.” Churchouse claims, clearly satisfied. He then describes the difficult matter of coming up with a name for an album. A lot more difficult then it would appear apparently; the tough life of the pop-star. “It’s called ‘Everybody Wants to be on TV’. It’s the chorus line from one of the songs which is going to be the next single. We were struggling for ages on the album name though; it’s
so hard.” “I kept putting forward ‘Scouting for Girls 2’, but they all thought that was a bit dull.” Churchouse laughs. “So we were literally getting up to the deadline where we had to get the album title in for the record label and it was then that, that story broke in the States about the family who said the little boy had been taken away in a hot air balloon but turned out he was hiding in the attic. When the family were asked why they did it, they answered; ‘We just wanted to be on TV.’ So we thought, cha ching! There you go.” As for the band’s formation, Churchouse explains it was a pretty typical affair of school boys practicing in garages. “We’ve been playing in bands together forever. Me and Roy started our first band when we were about fourteen in school so we’ve been playing together for many years.” “It wasn’t really until 2005 when we started up Scouting For Girls. We decided we weren’t actively looking for a record contract, we thought we’d just try do it all ourselves by making CDs and putting on our own little shows and getting a spot played on radio shows but the people just started approaching us. So in 2007, we were signed by Epic and it was awesome.” As for the moment they decided it was becoming a musician or nothing, Churchouse explains it was the infamous Suede; the English alternative rock band who were cited as kick starting the Britpop movement and reinventing English rock music that were the inspirers. “Me and Roy went to our first gig together when we were fourteen and saw Suede and we just came out of the gig and thought, wow! This is what we want to do; we’ve got to do this. There’s nothing like getting on stage. It’s just the most amazing feeling you can ever have. It’s a great privilege to be able to do it for a living now.” Before puberty and before Brit-pop rockers had corrupted their innocent minds with such idealism, Churchouse had other plans. “When I was very little, I wanted to be a policeman because my dad was a policeman so it was par for the course really but the music bug bit quite early on.” “Before the band took off, we were all just working in shops. It’s alright when you’re like eighteen or nineteen saying you’re going to be famous and your parents will be like, ah bless, he’s in a band. But, then u get into your twenties and they start asking ‘Are you ever going to get a proper job’.” Churchouse imitates in his best middle aged woman voice. “Probably wouldn’t have.” He admits laughing. However, despite playing in bands for many years, Churchouse not to be rubbed up the wrong way Scout For Girls lead singer, Roy Stride. “No, we never really fight. It’s really good because we were mates before we made the band so we’re more like family than anything else now. We just know each other so well so there’s never any arguments.” “This makes for a dull interview answer but I can’t imagine what it’d be like if you were fighting with band mates all the time.” He explains
The Siren 7.04.10
jovially. As for their somewhat questionable band name, Churchouse explains it was completely innocent and not perverted at all. Defensively, he explains; “It’s actually a play on words from the book that started off the scout movement, Scouting for Boys which was a handbook on how to do all those boyhood things like track animals, build stuff and camp and stuff.” “So we just thought it was a bit of a cheeky pun on the fact that when you get to that age, you start scouting for girls which we thought was quite funny but a lot of people just seem to think of us as perverts.” He quips. As for song writing, Churchouse explains the process the band follows; “That’s always a tricky one; Roy would come to me with a
melody and we’ll sit there and work things out. However, the songs are a little bit of a mix of personal experience and old fashioned story telling. Something inspired by stuff on the telly or on the street and then these beautiful little melodies – there’s a wealth of inspiration out there.” Despite the wealth of inspiration, the band seems to stick firmly to upbeat, aunty music with even their break up songs remaining chirpy. Churchouse explains that they’ve tried to be a bit more experimental with this album. “We’ve tried to advance our song writing and our production and everything on this new album and there a couple of slower, more sad songs, especially one called ‘This Aint a Love Song. But we didn’t want to change dramatically from what we were
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so we still have the very happy upbeat stuff that made us famous in there for good measure.” The band’s music has had it’s fair share of featuring in different aspects of pop culture. The band’s single She’s So Lovely was used in the starting of the 2008 movie Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging and in an advert for the clothes shop, Next. As well as this, they were also one of the lucky bands to appear on the infamous, Super Sweet Sixteen UK. “It’s a really, really weird thing. That kind of stuff is so surreal. For example, we went into GMTV this morning, for our first time ever and I literally got home an hour ago and my girlfriend had recorded it so it was so strange watching myself on breakfast TV.”
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At the Super Sweet Sixteen party, it was crazy. All of the kids there actually invaded the stage. It was mad. It’s always kind of funny seeing yourself on TV or hearing yourself on the radio. It gives you a little kick though, it’s lovely really.” He sheepishly concludes on the topic. A song on their first album titles Michael Strachan pays homage to the lead singer’s early crush on the English television presenter and subsequent broken heart. The chirpy wildlife presenter was rumoured to be a bit of a muse of the bands. All their dreams came through when they finally met her. “We’d gotten an email form her when we were in the studio doing the first album saying that someone had passed onto her that she featured in it so she apoligised to Roy for breaking his heart when he was twelve, which was really sweet.” Churchouse coos. “We eventually go to met her when we played Brighton a couple of years ago and she said it was one of the weirdest things to hear 5000 people singing ‘Michaela Strachan You Broke My Heart When I was 12.’” He laughs before adding, “She was such a lovely lady though.” As a band who’ve done a lot of touring in their relatively short period of fame, Churchouse has many standout gigs for good and bad reasons but two which live more in memory more than others. “Festival wise, my main memory is the Isle of White festival which was our first ever really big festival. We were all standing backstage waiting to go on and all I remember is walking on stage and seeing 55,000 little heads as far as the eye could see. I looked at Roy and we both just went, ‘Bloody Hell’ but after about two or three songs, we just relaxed into it. That was definitely one of those ‘Bloody Hell’ moments.” “As for the worst, we did a little corporate gig at Sony, our record label, and it was quite funny. All the people who’d been working there had, had to sit there for three hours without a toilet break listening to people talk about figures and targets and
all they wanted to do was go home but they had listen to us do three songs.” “At the end of She’s so Lovely, we thought we’d try lighten the mood and get them to clap but it was so awkward because only three people clapped so that was a memorable one.” He cringes, squirming at the memory Lastly, Churchouse concludes with the highlights of his career so far. “There are so many highlights, it’s hard to pick one but the first ever highlight was the day we signed our record deal on Valentines Day. We went into Sony in 2007 and then went down the pub and got smashed. I just remember phoning up my work and saying, ‘Yeh, I’m not coming back. That was a memorable moment. There’s never been a moment I wanted to quit really. There’s no bad part of what we do. It truly is the best life we could lead.” Churchouse finishes complacently. You really would hate his smug guts if he wasn’t so damn nice. Scouting for Girls new album, Everyone Wants to be on TV is out on April 9th and they play The Olympia on April 23rd.
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The Siren 7.04.10
Beauty is in the nose of the beholder Every morning, before a girl rushes out the door to college or work, most will make time to spray three to four squirts of their favorite fragrance, be it Chanel Chance, DKNY Delicious, Ralph Lauren Blue or one of the thousands of others. With this small gesture, you feel more ready to take on the day, and without it, a woman may feel unprepared. As foolish as this may sound to some, psychological research into the field of smells and emotions have revealed that there is a close association between the olfactive sense and the limbic region. In simple English, smell is closely located to emotion and memory in the brain. The right perfume can definitely perk up your mood and, of course, the moods of those around you- apparently the right scent on a woman can lift a man’s mood too.
Like everything else, from food to films, everyone has different tastes in scents. If you like the smell of your friends Chloe perfume, it doesn’t mean it will smell good on you, as perfume reacts differently on each individual. Differences in temperature, diet and skin type all contribute to this. Each person has their own smell, and with this the perfume mixes. Each person also possesses pheromones, which are scentless chemicals which we excrete from our skin. These pheromones play a role in the attraction of potential partners, and perfumes can enhance them. According to John Stephan, a perfumer, you need to do your research and shop around before buying a perfume. He believes that you should not just have one perfume, but in fact you should have a few, based on each of your
Campus
moods. Maybe a fruity light smell like Victor and Rolf ’s Flower Bomb, for day time and a sultry, sexier smell like Organza by Givenchy for night. According to Stephan, buying a perfume based on
Style
By Danny Lambert
ce Chavanne Stephanie Walla 2nd Arts 19 Chung Style Icon: Alexa Shop: SéSí
Tom Connolly 3rd Arts 21 Shop: Top Shop
hion fac t s f as s e el An
Us
cloth ed f o item onsider back s sc ing i if it date 960. ge o1 vinta m 1920 t er this fro hing aft ered Anyt is consid date retro.
Julian O’Reilly 3rd Social Science 19 Shop: American Apparel
brand is like buying a C.D without knowing the difference between pop, classical and jazz music.
When buying perfume, it is advised that you make a few trips to Brown Thomas or Boots for a trial and error session. You’re not meant to smell more than three smells in a row though, as your sense of smell weakens at this point. So squirt on a spray of the scent you were humming and hawing about and wear it for the day to get a feel for it, see if others comment on it. Make sure you keep it on for the whole day, as after you spray on the perfume the first fifteen minutes give off a light scent. After the fifteen minutes the middle layer comes out and that lasts for about an hour. After that the final scents are released and they last for the remaining hours. At this point, your nose will have gotten used to the perfume, so ask others for their opinions. If you receive negative feedback or don’t like the smell yourself, repeat the process until you find your perfect scent. Et voila, men are falling at your feet and all the girls want to be your friend. Easy! By Aoifa Smyth
The A-Z of fashion
E is for Elizabeth Taylor In recent news, Taylor has raised attention due to battling illnesses, brief marriages, plastic surgery habits and connections to Kristin Davis’ dog. But in my eyes, Taylor is nothing less than a living legend, fashion icon and one of the last remaining silver screen sirens of former Hollywood. Taking a step down memory lane- back to the idealised Hollywood film making days of the forties, fifties and sixties, you can place Taylor amongst the beautiful and the damned, the luxuriously styled and privileged, all caught in the blooming media obsession with new talent. With two Oscars under her, waist nipping, belt, Taylor secured herself three Academy Award nominations at the pinnacle of her fame and enjoyed a triumphant acting career in the public eye, but still has managed to transcend the golden era of Hollywood glamour to modern day. Although having proved herself as a reputable actress in the industry, Taylor is famed for her eternal style, being a lover of classic shapes and fabulously bold, yet elegant, choices that ascertained her status as iconic in the fashion world. Her striking signature looks have resurfaced again and again as recurring trends (one may look to Megan Fox for her revamped nod to Taylor with emphasised bold brows and bright blue eyes) and the statement makeup and bold colours seen on red carpet evening wear. Having spent her lifetime in the public eye, Taylor’s fashion choices mirror the luxurious world she has become accustomed too, and in her younger years, her provocative choice of lingerie as outerwear and photo shoots in one and two pieces revealed her flirty, extroverted nature which embraced her femininity. But what every one of Taylor’s iconic pieces is famed for, be they decadent ball gowns, film wardrobes or day wear, is their embellishment of diamonds; her signature look
which is reflected in recent jewellery and perfume. Channel Taylor today in costume jewellery, to accompany your evening wear, in striking colours, as she did to play up her famously raven hair. If you’re still not enthralled by the Dame who inspired Michael Kors and a multitude of jewellery designers and stole the heart of eight husbands, then think to her iconic role as Cleopatra, and immediately the intricately woven gold costume textured and encrusted with jewels should come to mind. Complete with statement emerald eye shadow, Taylor’s re-enacting of the Egyptian Queen is ever so current in the retro ‘wave’ which is very desirable for the quirky fashionista. In these financial times, it sure is nice to find a true embodiment of what glamour really is. Diamonds are forever, and Taylor…For eternity. Marguerite Murphy
fashion
The Siren 7.04.10
s u i o r y s t i Su
g terview, a weddain in b jo a r fo al ’s it th Whether mn suave, C or a d ok lo to t to n a w or you just important fact s e th on s te a tr n O’Gara conce buying a suit consider, when “It’s not the clothes that make the man, it’s the man that makes the clothes,” but to be honest, a man’s attire does have a vital role in shaping his appearance and stature among peers. This is especially the case when it comes to a man’s appearance in a suit, which can be store-bought or personally tailored. There are four factors to take into account if you choose to purchase a tailored suit: buy the best pieces you can afford, select the proper cloth for their suit, have the suit correctly fitted and style the ensemble to meet your personal tastes. It’s better to purchase one higher-quality suit that falls within your budget than two lower cost suits for the same amount. The cloth superiority and construction typically found in more expensive suits tend to provide a more enjoyable and longer wearing experience. First and foremost, the shoulders of the coat must fit correctly. This allows for the most freedom of movement and the revelation of flattering lines. Next comes proper fit in the waist and seat, critical for both comfort and proper ap-
pearance of pleats, waistbands and other pant features. Custom suits have a distinct advantage over ready-made suits in this area. After looking after the quality, cloth and fit of the suit, you will generally have the opportunity to finish the garment with an assortment of details. From two or three buttons on their coat to pleats or flat-front trousers, these decisions allow for a sense of personalization in your new suit. When buying mass produced suits from stores such as Topman, colour is important and picking a neutral suit can be the key to creating a truly great wardrobe. You may think that a neutral suit is one that has no pattern but this is not the case. You just need to make sure that the pattern on the suit is so subtle that it looks like a solid colour from a distance. Then, you can pair it with bolder prints in your shirts and ties without giving up the polished and put together look that you have been trying to achieve. There are different types of suits on the market but the most common one in men’s fashion is the two piece suit. This involves
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Chic
Militar y Style
It’s out with nautical and in with military. Spring sees the arrival of military-chic. Thanks to stylish celebs such as Cheryl Cole sporting the look, it has become one of the most popular trends on the high street.
Wedges
a suit jacket that is paired with matching trousers. Although some people enjoy sporting their suit tieless, it is preferable to wear a tie with your suit and you can either choose a bow tie (which should generally be avoided unless you possess the desire to give off Pee Wee Hermanesque paedophilic-vibes) or preferably a standard necktie. When choosing a store-bought suit, you want to make sure that it fits well as there is very little that looks worse than a badly fitting suit. Remember that most suits will not fit perfectly right off the hanger. They will normally need to have some adjustments made, so tailoring is important.
As stylish as high-heels but as comfy as flats, the wedge is a great alternative for adding glam to any outfit. They serve the same purpose as a heel, but, with way more comfort.
You want to make sure that the suit’s jacket fits you in the shoulder. Don’t worry as much about the arm length. If it is a bit longer than you want, this can always be altered and may turn out cheaper than getBold Colours ting one personally tailored from scratch. A sleeve that is too short is a problem and What better way to you may need to go with a different style of celebrate the arrival of jacket if the shoulders and sleeves cannot Spring than with a splash be made to fit you properly. of colour? Bold colours such as yellows and Don’t become subject to a Plaintiff of fashion; if you take time and consideration oranges are going to be when choosing your suit, you can ensure huge this season. They’re that you and your suit will never be put bold, they’re bright and they’re big for spring. to fashion disrepute and who knows, you might attract a few suitresses of your own.
Spring is For Lovers
Kellie Nwaokorie tells us why we can forget upcoming exams, freak snow showers and money laundering politicians and get excited by the romantic trend The popular Romantic trend, is like taking a step out of an 18th century Rococo style painting, and mirrors the work of artists such as Jean-Honore Fragonard. Frivolity and gallantry are considered to be the embodiment of the Rococo spirit, incorporating femininity and whimsical nature to mask a rather erotic sense. The Rococo style painting reached its popularity in the 18th century; it is characterized by its light, airy and feminine lines. The style was known for its arabesque forms, shells, elaborate curves and asymmetric composition. This spring/summer sees this romantic nature hanging in our shop windows. Romance in our clothing is meant to underline and emphasize femininity, as femininity is the most important characteristic of a woman. Think; freedom, frivolity, sensuality and light tones. This trend is becoming increasingly popular, with women wanting to embrace their femininity after the strict boyish styles from the previous past seasons. Finally gearing away from the girl meets boy look of military and tailoring, the romantic style offers cuts to emphasize the feminine forms of the body, vaporous materials that possess a light appearance and outfits revealing just enough skin to still be able to call it modest. The great
thing about this soft trend is that you can easily replicate it. Lookout for soft and ultra feminine fabrics, with a dose of whimsy attached to them. Floaty dresses, blouses with delicate detail, skirts with ruffles, sweet florals, making sure they are not too bright or bold, and lace detail are the perfect features for this princess, in a modern-day fairytale. Despite the fact that this look is all about femininity, the romantic look is not just about dresses and skirts, pant styles can be assorted with gorgeous vaporous blouses and shirts, think cotton shorts with loose fitting lace shirts with cute frilly ankle socks. It is all about the ability to use light colours and materials that makes this look what it is. The essential materials of The Romantic are tulle, chiffon, satin, lace and high quality cotton, in a variety of mild colours such as pale pinks, creams, beiges, nude tones, soft yellows and peaches, light blues and pale mint greens. Lovely floral patterns and delicate prints with interesting insertions are favoured also. The Romantic style entwines the beauty, fragility and delicacy of femininity into its materials, textures and colours; a much needed revamp of women’s fashion for spring/summer 2010.
Eek
Panda Eyes
Make-up is supposed to enhance your features, so don’t go O.T.T with the black eye-liner, like Taylor Momsen. Instead, opt for a natural and fresh look. You want attention for the right reasons.
High-Waisted Jeans This look is so hard to pull off, with celebs such as Jessica Simpson, getting it completely wrong. Its time to get rid of this type of jeans for good!
Mixing Patterns Leopard print mixed with spots AND stripes? Multi-patterned outfits can get very messy. Unless you want to look like a walking fabric shop, it is probably for the best to avoid this look! by Christine Redmond
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The Siren 7.04.10
Chasing tales
5 Films you should avoid before going on holiday… Hostel Three backpackers venture to a hostel in eastern Europe following a promise that the place is full of promiscuous women who only want tourists. Upon arrival in Bratislava, the trio find that the hostel is everything and more of what they expected and they believe they have found the lost paradise of sex on Earth. However pleasure turns to pain the following morning as the horrors of the hostel holiday begin. This is definitely one to avoid if you considering an inter railing holiday this summer The Last King of Scotland
Repo Men
Directed by: Miguel Sapochnic Starring: Jude Law, Forest Whitaker Reviewed by: Sean Conlan
Repo Men is set in a near-future dystopia where the United States of America has been overrun by multi-national corporations. One corporation in particularly, known only as the Union, has cornered the market on artificial organs (artiforgs for short). Prohibitively expensive, Artiforgs are purchased on credit (like a house or car), usually with exorbitant, or rather extortionate, interest rates. When the purchaser falls behind payments, the repo men, of the title, show up to extract the Union’s property. If it’s a minor organ, the buyer has a chance of survival. If it’s not, they forfeit his their life. The film reveals the life story of Remy (Jude Law) and then after depicting Remy’s life-
changing experience of heat failure the film devolves into a Logan’s Run/Minority Report-style chase. Like the lead characters in Logan’s Run and Minority Report, Remy ends up on the outside of the criminal justice system, with his former friends and co-workers his newfound enemies. With a significantly lower budget than Minority Report, Repo Men’s chase scenes are far from epic. Repo Men scores better when Remy goes into action-hero mode, using every weapon available to dispatch semianonymous foes. Repo Men’s storyline never rises above the derivative, up to and including a seriously misjudged twist ending that even the most causal of science-fiction fans will see
A Scottish doctor travels to Uganda for adventure and falls willingly into the service of corrupt dictator Idi Amin, (who is based on the real Ugandan dictator who rose to power in the 1970s) whilst there. The doctor begins his journey with good intentions to help the less-fortunate but unfortunately becomes seduced by Admin’s charm, charisma and impressive lifestyle and agrees to become his personal physician. He is then further promoted as Admin’s political adviser. Soon he becomes trapped in the political inner circle which he realises is brutally damaging the African economy. He tries to pull out of the situation but finds out too late that Admin is a force too torturous and brutal to be reckoned with.
coming early on. Where Repo Men shows a glimmer of originality, however, is surprisingly enough, in the Jake character. His sympathies and loyalties shift throughout the film, making him the rare antagonist who isn’t a one-dimensional villain. It’s unfortunate that the care and attention Eric Garcia and Garrett Lerner spent on developing Jake didn’t extend to the other characters. Remy’s a bundle of clichés and Beth a superfluous appendage. It doesn’t help that Law and Braga have almost no chemistry onscreen, but that’s sup- Jaws par for the course when it comes to “Repo One night, after a beach party, a young unMen.” suspecting girl goes skinny dipping beside a tourist resort called Amnity island and gets dragged under the water screaming in pain. The island soon becomes a place of terror when it inhabitants realise that a hungry white shark has chosen it as a new feeding grounds. If you are intending to embark on a peaceful beach holiday this summer you should definitely refrain from watching this film. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself sweltering hot and standing on the oceans edge afraid to dip your foot in. Alive
I Am Love
Director: Luca Guadagnino Starring: Tilda Swinton, Edoardo Gabbriellini, Alba Rohrwacher Reviewed by: Ashling Maguire Impressive linguistic skills are not the only things that Tilda Swinton shows off in this Italian melodrama where she plays Emma, a Russian immigrant married into a powerful Milan family. After abandoning her culture she becomes the perfect wife to Edoardo, the heir to the Recchi textile industry, and devotes herself to their three children. Now that her children are preparing to leave home she finds herself with no real passions of her own and a husband too absorbed in business to notice anything she does. As is common with middle- aged female
leads in this situation, she allows herself to embark on a passionate affair with her youngest son’s handsome chef friend, Antonio. Cue numerous artsy, countryside sex scenes with artsy close ups of food and insects and far too many close ups of Tilda Swinton’s left nipple from all sorts of artsy angles. The film continues in this vein for a solid two hours, jumping from incredibly boring business meeting non-events to Emma’s raunchy cooking escapades before coming to an abrupt and incomprehensible end. The film’s only redeeming feature is Swinton’s performance. Arguably one of the best in the business, her portrayal of the newly transformed real housewife of Milan is flawless, which goes some way to explaining why her character is the only one given any sort of development. Fans of Tilda will appreciate this film, everyone else should probably give it a miss. As first part of the ‘Millenium’ trilogy, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo shows the Swedish crime genre at its best, definitely worth the watch.
The Clash of the Titans
Director: Louis Letterier Starring: Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes Reviewed by: Charles O’Donnell In another movie where Hollywood meets Greek mythology we see the demi-god Perseus (Sam Worthington) have his family killed by Hades (Ralph Fiennes). He is then taken to Argos where the King and Queen foolishly insult the gods. In rebuke for such mortal failings Hades comes down by the will of Zeus (Liam Neeson) to demand that the King and Queen sacrifice their princess daughter or else face ruination of their city. So Perseus and the people of Argos
come together to set on a journey in which they attempt to defeat Hades and save the princess, while Perseus can also exact his revenge. However, is fate against them or can they chose their own destiny. For such a strong line-up the acting itself was below par, but this was probably as much to do with the poor dialogue then the actors themselves. At times you could sense their unease at having to speak lines as if they were attempting to be deep and meaningful, but knowingly cheesy and abysmal. But beside that failing the action of the movie flowed really well. There were some really good scenes and the special effects were very good, but I would not attribute this to the 3D. I am still sceptical, however, about the attributes of 3D cinema and for now I am still in that phase where I would just prefer not to have to wear the glasses. But while this film won’t live long in one’s memory it did pass the time well and if Greek myth or action fantasy is your thing you should like this.
A film based on a true story about a rugby team who’s plane crashed into the Andes mountains. The team are left stranded in the freezing cold with meagre rations and are forced to do anything and everything they can to stay alive against insurmountable odds including an avalanche, starvation and illness. The graphic injuries and suffering are hard to watch but the most gut wrenching feature of the movie is the final resort to cannibalism in an effort to combat starvation; “If I die, you can eat me” is one of the more memorable lines from the film. Snakes on a plane This is yet another film about a plane crash. When Sean Jones witnesses a murder, he is asked to fly from Hawaii to Los Angeles to testify against the notorious gangster Eddie Kim. However, Kim has paid an assassin to release a crate-full of deadly snakes loose when the plane is 30,000 feet in the air. This film features every disaster that could happen on a plane and more and although a struggle against snakes on a plane is ridiculous and highly unlikely, it should be avoided by anyone with a fear of flying and a tendency of envisaging ‘what ifs’ while in the air.
The Siren 7.04.10 With Jay Z and Eminem to play Oxegen this summer, Electric Picnic will offer up its own rap/hip hop offering in the form of Irish outfit the Rubberbandits. The Limerick comedy duo will take to the stage at the festival for a second time after last year’s packed performance. The pair, aka Blind Boy Boat Club and Mr. Chrome, have achieved a cult following with songs such as ‘Bag of Glue’ and ‘Too Many Gee’. It is with some apprehension that I pick up the phone to call the Rubberbandits. They are, after all, known for their prank calls which are subsequently played at their gigs. Will I fall victim to a postmodern stroke of genius – the pair taping me while I record them? I needn’t have worried, they are perfect gentlemen and there are no utterances of “There’s no way I’m riding you, unless I’m wrecked on bags of glue.” The Rubberbandits had a very modest beginning, according to Mr. Chrome. “When we were seventeen we were in the bath and he dared me to ring Samantha Mumba and call her a steamer. When I told him I had done it, he didn’t believe me, so from then on we decided to record every phone call we ever made.” The pair mix these prank call recordings with songs such as ‘Up Da Ra’ in their live shows. ‘Up Da Ra’ provides a somewhat alternative Irish history to that available in the bog standard history book: “Eamonn DeValera rode to London on the back of a horse/to punch the Queen in the jaw as a symbol/She locked him in jail for a hundred years and he smeared his own shit on the walls.” The IRA was “sound about the whole thing” assure the bandits. The British monarchy, however, might not be so forgiving: “If the Queen ever came over to this country/I’d chase her around a field with dogshit on the end of a golf club.” One might wonder why the Rubberbandits cover their faces with plastic bags. Is it because they have faces only a mother could love? Or is it something more sinister? “We owe Marty Whelan a lot of money. Let’s leave it at that,” they explain, sounding scared. This may have something to do with their inference that Whelan is a member of the aforementioned paramilitary organisation. The boys must have been devastated to learn of the demise of another public figure who, ironically, is definitely not part of the ‘RA. Former Minister for Defence, TD and Limerick native Willie O’Dea often pops up at their shows, on the decks no less. Does O’Dea socialise with the duo after a show? “When he’s not spinning disc for us, he makes currachs on an island in county Limerick. He’s quite a secretive man and he told us if he ever saw us on his island he’d hit us in the face with a hammer,” they explain. While a Willie O’Dea papier mache head would certainly inspire any discerning artist, the Rubberbandits must have other influences. Blind Boy Boat Club and Mr. Chrome cite British reggae fusion band UB40 as their main influence, “but to be fair we probably influence them as much as they do us.” The lads have achieved national recognition with their UB40 identikit stylings, but what about back home? “The last time we went back to Limerick we were on the back of a donkey and all the locals lay palm fronds at our feet as we paraded up Liddy Street… so no, we just get a normal welcome home.” With bodies of Greek Gods and heartmelting Limerick lilts, there must be a plethora of ladies that dream of riding the rubberbandwagon? “If you were to put all the gee we’ve gotten and put them side by side they would stretch as far as the Knock Shrine and back again. Blindboyboatclub insists on putting plastic bags on his ladies heads. He says it feels a bit like he’s riding
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Elastic fantastic Set to once again descend on Electric Picnic, the Rubberbandits gave Karina Bracken an education on gee, Willie O’Dea and the Irish rap scene
me…but not in a gay way,” confides Mr. Chrome. What woman could resist such a poetic wordsmith? The conversation turns to the Irish rap/ hip hop scene. The Rubbers insist that their spat with gangsta rap artist Ice Cube is all in the past. The song ‘Pure Awkward’ tells a tale of the crack-aided seduction of Mr. Chrome by the rapper: “I showed Ice Cube how to swing a hurley… I’m look-
ing at Cube just ‘cos he’s in my direction/ And he comes a little closer with a blatant erection”. “We just shifted,” the bandit insists, “but I still want my Sega Mega Drive back.” Do the lads think that Irish rap is an under-appreciated musical genre? “Perhaps, but Irish rap was nothing until we came along and stuck a finger up its hole. Having said that, there are a few Irish rappers
out there who have some serious stuff to say, like this lyric from Tralee rapper Achillies: “Pat Rabbitt screaming give me a carrot/ Bertie Ahern gives him a carrot/ They get married like a couple of parrots/ They’re saying, what’s the story/They’re saying Glory Glory Man United.” How could words like that ever be under appreciated?”
How could they indeed. The Rubberbandits have gee to be filling, glue to be sniffing and rap stars to be shifting, so they leave The College Tribune with some words of wisdom: “How many Limerick men does it take to change a light bulb? Tiochaigh ar lá”.
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Dramsoc review
The Siren 7.04.10
Around About
The Help by Kathryn Stockett Reviewed by: Aisling Smith Hidden in the basement, UCD’s Dramsoc last week proved again why it’s worth venturing off the beaten track and into the theatre for something different. ‘Around About’, a play written by society member Seán Egan, follows the day of two anonymous Dublin characters as they individually prepare for a date together that evening. Delivered on a sparse stage through a series of monologues and blackouts, the script reveals the inner thoughts of its male and female leads, played wonderfully by Seán Ferrick and Tara Conlon, as they think about each other and what to expect ahead. Ferrick’s initially loveable hung-over character reaches his audience perfectly as he struggles to overcome all-too-familiar problems of running late on Dublin’s public transport, all the while suffering the effects of the night before. Clever writing from Egan gave the impression that this
could be any lad in your group of friends after a bit of a wild bender, knowing all too late the one that’s one too many. Full of humour yet simultaneously giving pause for thought, Egan’s male dialogue jumps, or rather, groans, into life through Ferrick’s highly capable portrayal of that guy we’ve all seen struggling to keep the contents of his stomach down. Self-induced throw-up failing, his train rumbles on as he drifts off to sleep. Hidden underneath, however, is the sense that the contents of his head are perhaps churning a little more? Conlon’s sweet-natured portrayal of a girl en route to her date, meanwhile, offers insight into how one can go from the highs of being asked out, checking your reflection and liking what you see, to the hurt pride of being stood up, and wondering why, all in a matter of minutes.
“Maybe he lost his phone,” she says. “Been there,” thought the female half of the audience. “Maybe he’s just running a bit late and left his phone at home,” she thinks out loud, checking her hair for the female-traditional umpteenth time. Oh dear, this really was like hearing your own thoughts on stage. Turns out, however, that ‘fact’ is, well, in fact, stranger than fiction; our likeable male is the victim of a head-on collision from a passing knacker thief, leaving him lying on the ground getting sick on himself in or around Talbot St. Not the best way to start a date, perhaps. Best text the girl, but how to do that when your phone’s been smashed in the fall? Back at O’Connell St, our female is quickly losing hope as she circles The Spire yet again, counting herself among all the other plebs embarrassed and alone. No one arranges to meet at 19.17, after all.
e d i u G Event Wednesday 7th April Bewley’s Debate The next Bewley’s Debate will take place on 7th Apr at 18:15 and has the topic “Universal Access - Is Ireland delivering on HIV and AIDS commitments locally and globally?” Film release: cemetery junction opens today
It is a credit to Egan and his actors that the aftermath of this non-date goes deeper than simply one of those “shit happens” situations; his male lead grows angry and aggressive towards passers-by on his shameful way home, looking for a fight and sparing only the granny that comes his way for the sake of humanity, we assume. His paranoia brings him to saw off the head of a local statue through anger of being judged by its cold, grey, stare in a particularly chilling moment of vandalism. Conlon’s sweet female, meanwhile, rebelliously smashes some glass in a park, before metaphorically picking up the pieces and taking herself home, noticing the newly-beheaded statue on her way, and wondering who could have done such a thing, and why. By Sarah Doyle
Sunday 11th April Sunday Roast This is a weekly event in the Globe on George’s Street from 20:00-01:00. Provided are free live music, games & roast potatoes.
The Help, a first novel from Kathryn Stockett, is the story of a young white woman in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960s and a group of black maids who work for the families of her friends. Stockett writes about the struggles the women face as they chafe against the written and unwritten rules that limit their lives. One story is particularly moving; a woman whose own son was tragically killed in an accident lovingly dedicates herself to raising the children of the white families she works for. The close relationships formed between “the help” and these families is constantly contradicted by the enforced segregation and blatant racism on a society-wide and an individual level. The absurdity of the situation becomes clear to one young white woman who is used to defying society’s expectations for her own role by yearning for a job in New York City rather than a husband. The Help is told in the alternating narratives of the various women. The story is powerful because it doesn’t get lost in big, sweeping points about the era but rather focuses on a nuanced portrait of individual characters, and of the horrors and blessings that come from these complicated racial relationships.
Arts Focus
Friday 9th April Scouting for Girls - HMV in-store event “Scouting For Girls” will be playing live and signing copies of their new album, ‘Everybody Wants To Be On TV’ in HMV in Grafton Street on Fri 09 Apr at 13:00. Film release: Shelter opens today
Thursday 8th April Derek Landy - Book signing Derek Landy will be in Eason’s in the Pavilions Shopping Centre, Swords on Thurs at 12:00
Monday 12th April Theatre release: Family Matters, 12 April 2010 - 17 April 2010 Smock Alley Saturday 10th April Temple Bar Markets Food Market on Meeting House Square, Book Market on Temple Bar Square and the Designer Mart near Cow’s Lane take place every Saturday from 10:00-16:30.
Tuesday 13th April White Chocolate White Chocolate will be playing Rock Covers from 10pm in The Mezz, 24/25 Eustace Street, Temple Bar, D2.
Family Matters: Independence Smock Alley Exchange Street Lower Date: 12 April 2010 - 17 April 2010 Directed by Adam Henshaw and produced by Playing Space Productions, this show is performed by Sharon Coade as Evelyn, a single small town mom; Melissa Nolan as Kess, a self
professed lesbian who wants to save the family; Aisling Bodkin as Jo, an incurable romantic and Aoife Moore as Sherry, a salty-tongued, sex crazed teenager. Blessing cleverly deals with an array of themes such as unplanned pregnancy, homosexuality and mental illness while giving us a vivid, realistic and often humorous insight into the Briggs family life. Independence will bring you through a roller coaster of emotions that will put things in context and make you reconsider bitching about your own family.