Independent Leeds Magazine: Issue 12

Independent Leeds Magazine Issue 12 www.independentleeds.co.uk

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Issue 12

Fortune favours the brave Inside every sensible person there is a rebel screaming to get out. Whilst most suppress their inner misfit to present a pretence of normality, a few are brave enough to embrace the unknown. In this issue we celebrate those different-thinkers, go-getters and change-makers; for it is they that create their own fortune and push life forward.

Dare To Be Different. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Cover Illustration Mitch Allenden ď…­ @sneakymitch

Back To Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Editor John Barran : john@independentleeds.co.uk Fancy contributing drop him a line!

You Say You Want A Revolution. . . . . . . . . . . . 10 For The Love Of Leeds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Sales Sarah Laycock : sarah@independentleeds.co.uk Anything else

City Of Nations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 A Higher State Of Consciousness. . . . . . . . . . 18 Leeds Eye View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

hello@independentleeds.co.uk

Digger's Island Discs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 The Zineovator

GET YOUR FINGER ON THE PULSE!

Motorheadbangers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Teenage Dreams So Hardcore To Beat. . . 32 Come As You Are. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Fight For Your Right To Party. . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 8 Years Later. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Put your name down for our newsletter now and find out...

What's new, What's on, What's going on.

Live jazz, funk, soul, blues & exceptional drinks every night, Tuesday to Sunday 6pm-4am | free entry | full listings & sign-up: thedomino.co.uk

Comic Bubbles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 God's Own Pantry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Go to independentleeds.co.uk to sign-up. It only takes a minute to be in the know!

Hello Roundhay!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Our weekly newsletter ensures you're the first to know the city's best events, openings, and offers.

Tech Tales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Taste Hunter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Up North. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 What's Up Leeds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

GRAND ARCADE LEEDS

WHAT'S NEW / WHAT'S ON / WHAT'S GOING ON! independntleeds Independent Leeds September 2017 Colour.indd 1

03/03/2018 17:54

independentleeds

independentleeds

3

Embalmed with wiggled lines of red wine splayed thick there sits a carpet twisted and used, it was picked down the market a man who glanced around as he smoked clasping matches as he spoke his prior pursuits mark him, had his life been a hardship?

Hands laced with distant traces of blisters from a fire and scratches acquired from half the past time past-times, are these harsh lines fractured in half by harsher lines eager to depart from it?

Or was it that his life had been as he see's that tattered piece of cloth battered but enchanted?

A young boy glumly slumped behind the stall abruptly jumps, nearly falls as the ragged man takes rag and opens fist to show bag the darkened copper coins clink as they clearly hit its target.

The lad is surprised, shock is alive on his face as he clocks the writhing veins and smokey scent.

This same place two years back arrived a man bent, weathered and shaped with the intent to sell this plastered with grape and eaten, weather beaten, defeated.. 'Excuse me' said the man 'take this carpet!'.

'I'm not a half wit' said the boy 'it's tarnished, marked with paint and varnish, i couldn't sell this to a...' the man then departed.

Since that day the rug had stayed, stained, slung, decaying, fraying, the corner just displayed under the finest garments, weighed down under engraved coats it laid there, waiting with patience it stayed there as if almost afraid there.

'Hey there sir, you are the man who gave me this!' said a now older boy.

Shoulders bolder, voice deeper and colder 'how come you return to reclaim it?'.

'Learn this' said the man 'it was my past, so I made it my future, a present to my future self, now it is my present self'.

The boy started 'but why did you need to keep it from your floor?'

'I kept it from my clutches, i kept it from my throttle!

Unless i threw it out the door like me it would remain crutched up with the bottle!

And from that day I gave it up, the gaps between the soaked patches no longer enflamed my ways, the temptation to remain enslaved.'

The young lad had a new hat that he drew back at the sound of the tale.

'Put it back on boy that hat is too pale' said the man as he turned and inhaled, slinging the rug over his back as he started to walk, exhaled the smoke, started to sing which soon turned into a wail with a grin as for the first time in two years he opened a bottle of gin.

Along the slippery cobbles of The Calls nestles the Fox & Hounds pub.

Each night it hums with orchestral volume; crisp packets crackling, snooker balls clanging through from the games room, fire in the blackened grate sizzling, voices bickering across the low-ceilinged space since opening at noon.

Condensation dribbles down windows as dew trickles down pints, and weekly gossip tumbles from mouths, cheeks rosy in amber hues cast by the lights.

not today

The past is not black and white.

Not like telephone wires tiresomely static in the night against the moonlight but like the rampant scribbled frantic fragments of an artist.

Words: Charlotte Pacey

Dare to be different

Words: James Bridge

In from the wailing wind walks Fred with a canine friend in tow; by boot and paw across doddering floor boards they aim for the bar.

The barman glances up, his grumble cutting through the muggy air, ‘Sorry sir, no’, he taps at the sign behind his head – DOGS NOT ALLOWED, it commands in red.

Fred and his spaniel under the now quiet gaze of the tavern hang their heads in despondence, with rain residue still falling from their saturated coats they head back out to the navy drizzle of the night.

The following week, the sky is silver and silent as the regulars descend on the Fox & Hounds pub.

Loquacious chatter flowing, draft taps hissing into glasses, wood benches creaking under the weight of bodies jostling.

Dipping his head through the door is Fred again with his friend alongside.

Through the jubilant crowd he makes his way for a pint, this time the barmaid clocks him and hands on hips cries, ‘Sorry sir, no. Can you see another dog in sight?’

But then as if by magic within the frozen tableaux of the room, a Dalmatian pops his head out behind the cluttered coat stand, from her handbag Yvonne lifts a Pomeranian, the Bates’ young Newfoundland scurries free from under their table, and then a Beagle appears, a Miniature Schnauzer, a Bernese Mountain Dog, and barks break out across the space as laughter spreads like wildfire.

Along the slippery cobbles of The Calls nestles the Fox & Hounds pub.

Each night it hums with orchestral volume; smiles singing with delight, tails thudding on the floor, mouths glugging down ale and bloody marys while tongues lap up water from bowls by the door.

And behind the polished mahogany bar sits a new sign: WOOFERS WELCOME, in gold it chimes.

Independentleeds.co.uk

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Words: Sam Batley Photography: Sean O'Connell ď…­ @brothtarn

Rumour has it we're not growing up not washing up not giving a fuck since last fuck fucked off to get fucked we're not in luck we're stuck in nostalgia ice cream men n Fanta not been provided the right not to get lied to poorly prepared for what lied ahead individually sat in halls given pencils wi no lead taught to jump through hoops learnt not to see what they represent so what to look forward to in this age of discontent what to look forward to when every penny's spent what's there to grow into when we're still tret like kids be seen not heard not wealthy not rich

Independentleeds.co.uk

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KING KOBY CHOP SHOP

W W W. E AT Y O U R G R E E N S L E E D S . C O. U K SPRING 2018

MORE THAN JUST A BARBERSHOP WWW.KINGKOBY.COM

Words: Matt Bradshaw Illustration: Julia Cusworth ď…­ @juliacusworth

The message it sent out was that if you play by the rules and pay your taxes you're at a disadvantage.

Ironically, this policy actually did lose Labour millions of votes as people drifted away from a party that seemed out of touch with ordinary folks like me.

I felt angry, sad, fearful and powerless.

So I picked up this flyer in North Bar and found my melancholy mood lifted. I read about a company called Ecotricity who supplied green energy through windmills and re-invested their profits into other green schemes; it reminded me about a conversation I'd had with Nathan from the Brudenell Social Club about re-investing the money made from gigs to better the venue. I suppose that was the exact moment things changed for me.

The day I got 'radicalised', as they now call it, or as I prefer, 'the day I got off my arse', was quite a doozy.

I was sat in North Bar after a shocker of a week and picked up a flyer and now here I am, with millions of others, who collectively are about to throw off nearly 40 years of a sneaky dogma that told us down was up, left was right and another world wasn't possible.

Dogma that instead of enriching our lives had greedily gobbled up our rights, free-time and happiness in return for poorer wages, increasing expenses and a worse society for the majority. How did this happen?

Politically, the teenage version of me had done its fair share of marching, protesting and petition filling, and I'd hardly be in the minority of having read my way through the usual books and tracts about utopian dreams and unfair societies. But in my thirties, on that shocker of a day, reality well and truly bit down

hard, as I had to navigate through a change that had turned my job upside down. That change came from a couple of little Islands off the side of France which enabled giant companies to evade paying VAT; over independents selling music, such as Jumbo and Crash, this gave supermarkets and global record stores a huge economic advantage.

This sorry affair inspired one of our record reps to write the brilliant book 'Last Shop Standing' that was turned into a film which showed just how many indies were disappearing; from 2200 independent record shops across the country in the 80s, the impact of illegal downloading, rising rents, and the emergence of Amazon and the Jersey/Guernsey tax dodge, meant that by 2009 there were only 269.

I was bored of making excuses for not moving away from planet polluting companies, so I went home, switched my energy, and it felt good. Within a few weeks I'd changed to an ethical bank and vowed to support independent bars, bands and clubs. I'd shop locally, at markets or at stores like the newly opened OK Comics. And you know what? It all felt good.

The money from my gas and electric bills has helped build a network of windmills, solar panels and free electric car recharging points across the land; our local businesses have reached out to thousands of people by hooking up with everyone from breweries, record labels, bakers and coffee makers and collaborating the hell out of things; independent bands I've supported are getting their music to record labels and DJs; I've seen the likes of OK Comics and the Brudenell go from strength to strength; and I've witnessed a Labour Party begin to finally throw off the shackles of those vested interests, talking and listening to businesses like Jumbo, and starting to speak for people like me.

Yes, there's a long way to go still, but politics doesn't have to be something done to you. Everyone has the power to inact change without relying on others. To stop feeling powerless and start making a difference it's just a matter of making a few small changes that in turn will make a few bigger changes possible. Who knows, you may just feel a little more positive about things...

I got involved in local politics and joined the Labour Party in the hope I could influence it. People, myself included, can give excuses for not 'getting involved'; we build our own barriers or put up a level of apathy that prevents us from shrugging off our own cynicism; it's so easy to say 'what's the point?' or 'things will never change'. But right now it's 2018 and for the past decade things have started to...

At the time, the Labour government were in power, and naively, having been brought up to believe Labour were on the side of fairness, many of us shops banded together to petition them on this obvious inequality. Our argument was simple: it was killing independent shops, destroying high streets and livelihoods, and losing vast amounts of tax. After we eventually reached the top echelons of the party, the response seemed unbelievable; to paraphrase, there were no plans to change things since the Government would be stopping people getting goods cheaper and that would lose votes.

Independentleeds.co.uk

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Words: Rich Wells  @richwellstattoos Photography: Thomas Tornegard  @ttornegard

For the Love of Leeds I used to spend a lot of my time around music and Leeds is still great for it. Venues like The Cockpit, Joe's Well and Carpe Diem, then a standard, have been replaced with the likes of The Key Club, Temple of Boom and the Belgrave. Having the Arena in the city also broadens the variation of things you can see.

From an evening with Brian Cox at the Arena one night, to the Brudenell for a sweaty Pissed Jeans gig the next!

As much as I can moan about my home town or take it for granted, when reflecting on what I love about it, I’m actually pretty lucky.

I’ve lived in Leeds all my life. Like a 30 year marriage, sometimes it can become stale and mundane.

So when saying what I love most about the city, I wasn't sure how to approach it. But luckily for me, Leeds often slips on the kinky boots and crotchless leather undies to rejuvenate our relationship...

I work in Leeds city centre, and I spend almost every other day in or around Dock Street at Dock Street Tattoos. The area itself is beautifully bleak this time of year, the rain soaked cobbled streets reflect the 18th century warehouse buildings and lead you down to the waterfront and further on to the Royal Armories. We are really lucky to have a place like the Armories on our doorstep, and its always one of the first recommendations to customers visiting Leeds for the first time. Along this stretch from the Adelphi to the Brewery Wharf you can find the Cha Lounge and the 212 cafe bar, which are a couple of my most frequented places.

There is an ever growing choice of places to eat and drink throughout Leeds, and with it being a relatively small city in comparison to the likes of London, you can still catch wind on most of the new places opening up. Bundobust is one of my favourites, especially for the Vada Pav; I’ve tried various imitations but nothing comes close. Also among my top ten for veggie scran are Hyde Park Book Club, Global Tribe and Grub & Grog.

The architecture of Leeds is something I often overlook when rushing around from place to place but is definitely one of the things I really like about the city. The Temple Works on Holbeck is such a cool looking building and one of my favourites, and the Town Hall never gets old. Kirkgate Market is also a crazy building when you take time to just stop and appreciate it, as is the Corn Exchange roof.

As the city grows outwards, its independent scene has grown with it. Now more than ever there seems to be various independent businesses opening up and it's good to see a lot of them being successful. Bars like The Brunswick, now famous for their top notch Sunday roast and booze, have grown from starter to staple in a short period of time. It's made the outer edges a good footing for new business and a more vibrant place to be.

Independentleeds.co.uk

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PAST

• STARTED IN A PARENTS CELLAR USING OTHER BREWERIES FACILITIES.

IN 2013 WE SET OUT TO MAKE SOME OF THE BEST BEER IN THE WORLD. WITH JUST £5,000.

• IN 2014 WE FOUND AND RENOVATED THE OLD FLAX STORE. A GRADE II LISTED BUILDING THAT REFLECTED OUR NORTHERN ROOTS AND OUR BRITISH HERITAGE.

PRESENT

• EXPORT TO 22 COUNTRIES. • PRODUCED AT CAPACITY SINCE LAUNCH. • 5 MAJOR CAPACITY INCREASES IN 4 YEARS.

TOP 100 BREWERIES IN THE WORLD

ETERNAL SESSION IPA

BEST NEW BEER IN THE WORLD 2017 RATEBEER BEST AWARDS

WORLD TOP 50 ENGLISH PALE ALES

WORLD TOP 50 SESSION IPA’S

2 WORLD TOP 50 PORTERS

WORLD TOP 50 COFFEE PORTERS

WORLD TOP 50 RYE IPA’S

RATEBEER

RATEBEER BEST AWARDS

WORLD BEER CUP 2016 BRONZE

WORLD TOP 20 DOUBLE IPA’S

UNTAPPD

RATEBEER

BEST BEERS IN THE WORLD 2017 RATEBEER BEST AWARDS

UNTAPPD

4 WORLD TOP 50 INTERNATIONAL IPA’S

WORLD TOP 50 DOUBLE BLACK IPA’S

UNTAPPD

UNTAPPD

WORLD TOP 50 BLACK IPA’S

RATEBEER BEST AWARDS

ICELAND GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION DENMARK NORTHERN IRELAND IRELAND BELGIUM FRANCE

USA

SPAIN

EXPORTING TO

14,206 AVERAGE SIZED PADDLING POOLS FULL OF BEER.

2015 2016 THE OLD FLAX STORE

2017

2018

INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY

REVENUE UP 120% IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

BEFORE

AFTER

LEEDS’ TOP TEN PUBS

TOP UK BREWERIES TO VISIT

THE GUARDIAN

THE TELEGRAPH

LEADING THE PACK IS NORTHERN MONK, BELOVED FOR IT’S SOCIABLE TAP ROOM IN A GRADE II LISTED MILL

CITY’S HIDDEN GEM...

A TRIUMPH OF URBAN REGENERATION. YORKSHIRE EVENING POST

CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE TRIP ADVISOR

...IT’S ON A WHOLE OTHER LEVEL THE GUIDE

NOW YOU CAN JOIN US.

9,000,000 8,000,000

IN 2018 THERE ARE 30 OF US.

SALES (£ )

7,000,000 6,000,000 5,000,000 4,000,000

FUTURE

3,000,000

0

HERE’S HOW WE INTEND TO INVEST IT: TRIPLING CAPACITY

WE’RE RAISING

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18**

2018/19*

£500,000

2019/20*

YE A R

BY LETTING YOU OWN YOUR SHARE

FINLAND

SWEDEN

NETHERLANDS

CHINA

GERMANY HUNGARY CROATIA CYPRUS SWITZERLAND

ITALY

JAPAN

SINGAPORE

22

COUNTRIES GLOBALLY

THAT’S EQUAL TO

PINTS

1,000,000

** PROJECTED BASED ON CURRENT RUN RATE AND INCREASED CAPACITY POST FUNDRAISING

CANADA

PINTS

280,000

IN 2014, THERE WAS 2 OF US.

10,000,000

2,000,000

* FORECASTED FIGURES

PINTS

PINTS

830,000

LONELY PLANET

UNTAPPD

SINCE INCEPTION BREWERY SALES HAVE VIRTUALLY DOUBLED EACH YEAR.

3,000,000

1,175,500

UNTAPPD

RATEBEER

BEST PORTER 2017 BRONZE

VOLUME PRODUCED

NEW ZEALAND

8 X 10,000 LITRE ADDITIONAL FERMENTATION VESSELS.

NEW PACKAGING LINE

STATE OF THE ART PACKAGING FACILITY IMPROVING QUALITY, EFFICIENCY AND SPEED.

BRANDING & MARKETING

BRAND DEVELOPMENT AND MARKETING ACTIVITY TO TAKE OUR BRAND TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

IF WE RAISE MORE THAN £500K, WE WILL FAST TRACK OUR SECOND TAP ROOM OPENING IN LONDON OR MANCHESTER AND DEVELOP OUR BARREL AGEING AND WILD BEER PROGRAMME.

IT’S BEEN 4 YEARS SINCE WE SET OUT TO MAKE SOME OF THE BEST BEER IN THE WORLD WITH JUST £5,000.

THE JOURNEY GOES ON. THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO JOIN US FOR THE REST OF IT. JOINTHERISING@NORTHERNMONKBREWCO.COM WWW.NORTHERNRISING.COM CAPITAL AT RISK

Words: Alex Galantino  @labottegamilanese Illustration: Laura Crompton  @laura.crompton

Fast forward to today and the market has matured, customer palates have changed and coffee is fashionable. Leeds has always been the place to watch outside of London for coffee, and I think it still is. We share a good amount of customers with other indie shops, and one of the best bits of having this business is sitting in a corner and watching the place packed with people enjoying themselves. At times I sit there and ask, 'how the hell did we do that?!'

Now we have two stores. One is very Italian, from the staff to the customers, and seems to have turned into an unofficial Italian Embassy in Leeds! The other is a melting pot of Europeans that seem to have chosen Bottega as their meeting point. Here, it’s a case of people seeking that european cafe culture experience that resonates with them and is closest to their traditions. It’s their weekly release, a chance to dip back into something they have lost.

For centuries, Leeds has been enriched by arrivals from many countries that call this city their home.

Alex Galantino did just that over 20 years ago before opening La Bottega Milanese.

Read here how his Italian origins helped forefront Leeds' coffee culture and showcase Leeds' multi cultures.

I am a Milanese through and through, born 10 minutes from the Duomo and growing up with the mantra of La Bella Figura affecting day to day life at all levels. What I know now is that environment shaped me more than I ever realised, installing life values such as respect and hard work, but also what could be perceived as superficial, like style, looking your best at all times, and carrying out even the smallest tasks with flair.

I, and by default Bottega, are nothing special. Every Italian has been brought up with Cafe Culture; it’s all around us, and coffee is the timekeeper of Italian daily life, evolving around the Espresso bar morninglunch then Aperitivo in the evening. I worked my teenage years between the busiest Espresso Bars in La Galleria, and am plainly transferring a concept that comes second nature, done how a Milanese would do it: purely to impress.

It is absolutely mesmerising, like clockwork, different sections of the shop are taken over by Greeks, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Polish... On top of that, a lot of Italian language teachers like to take students to the cafe so that they can instantly practice their skills, and there is a monthly meeting of the Leeds Italian Society, where British people meet up with Italians and are only allowed to speak Italian. This is something that's cool to see and it transfers well to other customers that want a real experience.

I have been influenced massively by British culture, after more than 20 years here. Travelling and experiencing new realities really enriches you and makes a better unit. I always joke that if I ever ended up going back home I’d be a superhuman: British efficiency and Italian passion. I would be able to see things from angles that other people wouldn’t, and that is what multiculturalism gives you.

I moved to England in 1996, at first landing in Manchester, in what I became to know as one of the roughest areas in the UK: Moss Side. I got burgled 4 days later and came to Leeds because a girl I met on holiday started going to Uni there. I did not think much of the British summer, so the following year I had a date with a plane back to Italy! However, the call of cool Britannia and an adventure abroad were too tempting to resist.....

Leeds absolutely grabbed me, seduced me and never let me go. It sounds corny, but I was just thinking how cool this was and how jealous my friends back at home must have been. Leeds was compact, buzzing, and with much less rain than Manchester! I was learning new stuff and Milan was always going to be there, so I could go back later as a rounder person.

When I opened Bottega in 2009, selling a Ristretto or a small Cappuccino to people that only knew Nescafe was a challenge. I’ll always remember a lady that came in one day and asked "Do you do coffee?" - "Yes" - "Not that foreign stuff, do you do proper coffee with water, creamer and stuff?" - "No, sorry, in that case we don’t do proper coffee Madam". The lady then looked us up and down and dismissed us with "You are in Leeds, love". We made a t-shirt with that quote and sold out straight away.

We started finding our clientele, specifically of Italophiles, indeed Italians and the growing European community of Leeds, but also the occasional Leeds folk that wanted to try us out; 'Now then, what’s this?'

I have real respect for the pioneers of that time here in Leeds, in my mind they are still the best coffee businesses around. I feel proud that we were part of this massive independent movement - the originals.

17

Words: Lynne Pearson Illustration: Henry Makin  @henrymakin

him fit in socially, but I know that it is exhausting and at times confusing for him. Sometimes he gets it completely wrong. My son will face prejudice and experience misunderstanding unless society becomes more tolerant of difference.

As a parent of an autistic child you can become focused on what they can't do, but as you pour your energy into helping them overcome their deficits, it is important the aim is not to try and turn them into a "normal" child; they will always be autistic.

Attention and effort are better spent adapting your own communication style and environment so that they can flourish. Discover what they are interested in and good at and allow them to learn about whatever it is that captivates them. This will help them stay happy and calm and they may even develop an area of expertise.

As society continues to view different minds as mental health, many described as having Asperger's, ADHD and Autism continue to solve, thrive, invent and innovate.

Lynne Pearson writes about autism at ablogaboutraisingmyautisticson.com and discusses below its negative perception and positive reality.

My son was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome when he was 8 years old. Asperger’s is an autism spectrum disorder.

Diagnosed. Syndrome. Disorder.

It all sounds horribly negative, doesn’t it? The truth is there’s actually nothing wrong with my son. He’s not a child with a piece missing, he’s not broken. He is, however, different, and as he likes to put it, “weird, but in a good way”.

If we think of children on the autistic spectrum as being broken versions of normal kids we fail to see who they truly are. What I have learnt from my son is that although he finds a range of things more difficult than most of us do, there are also a vast number of things that most of us find challenging that he finds easy as pie.

Sure, they may want to spend hours upon hours thinking and talking about a very niche topic, be that dinosaurs, trains, skyscrapers, birds, vaccum cleaners

or goodness knows what and this might be a challenge for you. Chris Packham spent an inordinate amount of his childhood obsessing over animals and nature and he’s had a long successful career presenting TV nature programmes ever since. Other famous autistic people include Guy Martin, Gary Numan, Anthony Hopkins and Alan Gardner.

Sadly, only 16% of autistic adults are in employment and a great deal of talent is going to waste. Could employers offer a different route in for autistic people?

Face to face interviews are not a great way for typical autistic people to showcase their talents, and other methods would open up the workplace to people who think differently.

In Leeds there are some support groups for adults with autism and for families raising children on the spectrum that provide support to think, listen and talk; it can be invaluable to meet others who are walking the same path with people who are different but not less.

Although he may not be able to give you as much eye contact as you would expect, he’ll remember details and facts that you’ve long forgotten. Although he might get the wrong end of the stick when you use non-literal language, he’ll probably be the most logical thinker in the room. Although he might be oblivious to your subtle hints, he’ll say exactly what he thinks; you can always rely on his honesty.

Like most autistic people, my son experiences and sees the world in a different way. He sees connections that most of us miss. He recently completed a team challenge at school which involved complex problem solving. The feedback provided was, “you are very good at thinking outside the box”. Truth be told, my son had no idea what the box was or how he was supposed to think in it. He simply solved the problem with the most obvious solution to him. He’s naturally innovative because he isn’t constrained by the usual ways of viewing things.

The only problem my son encounters because of his autism is the fact he lives in a world dominated by non-autistic people. As a society we expect each other to fit in with social conventions, use accepted facial expressions, turns of phrase and body language.

My son has learned a whole heap of strategies to help Independentleeds.co.uk

19

Tue 13th Mar

Feeder - The Best Of Tour + Team Picture

Sat 7th Apr 6pm-10pm

Sat 5th May

Embrace

Live at Leeds

Tue 17th Apr

Sat 17th Mar 6pm-10pm

Tokio Myers

Fri 11th May

+ Mooch

Fri 20th Apr 11pm-3am

A Conversation on Narcos

Alabama 3 Mon 19th Mar

6pm-11pm • Show starts 6.30pm

Defiant Wrestling

Ultimate Power

Capturing of Pablo Escobar and The Cali Cartel with DEA Agents, Steve Murphy & Javier Pena

Mon 23rd Apr

featuring Rampage, Jimmy Havoc, Martin Kirby, Joe Hendry, Primate, The Streets Mark Haskins, Aussie Open, Kay Lee Ray, Millie Mckenzie and many Fri 27th Apr 6.30pm-10pm Skindred more! + CKY Thu 22nd Mar + Danko Jones

The Stranglers + Therapy?

Thu 29th Mar

George Ezra Wed 4th Apr

Love from Stourbridge

Sat 12th May 6pm-10pm

Rita Ora Sun 20th May

Mo Gilligan

Sat 28th Apr 6pm-10pm

The Amy Winehouse Experience ...A.K.A Lioness + Loz Campbell Sun 29th Apr

W

O

O C

D O

F

L F

A E

W

N

Wed 23rd May

The Earth

Sat 30th June

Slam Dunk Festival

The Dreamboys Fri 7th Sep

Tue 29th May

Courtney Barnett

Definitely Mightbe (A Tribute to Oasis)

Fri 1st Jun

The Doors Alive

Fri 14th Sep

Sat 9th June 6.30pm-12am

(Tribute to The Beautiful South & The Housemartins)

That Manchester Night -The Clone Roses, The Smiths Ltd, The Courtbetweeners, appymundays, DJ Clint Boon

The Southmartins

Sat 15th Sep

Elvana: Elvis Fronted Nirvana Sat 17th Nov 6pm-10pm

Sparks

Mon 11th Jun

Thu 24th May 5pm-11pm

Sat 16th Jun

Britrock Must Be Destroyed Tour Reef, The Wildhearts, Terrorvision, Dodgy

The Wonder Stuff & Ned’s Gomez + John Smith Atomic Dustbin + Guest DJ Set from Graham Crabb Thu 3rd May (Pop Will Eat Itself) Walk Off

AKA Mo The Comedian

Sat 26th May

Doug Stanhope Alice in Chains Fri 29th Jun

Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley

Dr John Cooper Clarke Fri 14th December

Bjorn Again performing The Greatest Hits of ABBA

E

6 0 A T O W N S T R E E T, H O R S F O R T H , L S 1 8 4 A P W W W. W O O D L A W N C O F F E E C O . C O M

o2academyleeds.co.uk

ticketmaster.co.uk

@WOODLAWNCOFFEECO

A History of Brewing and Drinking at Temple Newsam 24.03—28.10.2018 15 Thorntons Arcade Leeds LS1 6LQ 44 The Calls Leeds LS2 7EW

leeds.gov.uk/beerexhibition

Photography: Robert Hilton ď…­ @roberthiltonn

L E E DS E Y E V I E W

Independentleeds.co.uk

23

Words: Barry Smyth  @barryshere Photography: Kirsty Garland  @photogarland Illustration: Mitch Allenden  @sneakymitch

Digger's Island Discs

ESTHER PHILLIPS Home Is Where The Hatred Is

PATSY CLINE Walkin’ After Midnight

Another cover, this time of the mighty Gil ScottHeron. Now I am a huge Gil fan, but in this case I think Esther has trumped him. Both of these formidable artists battled with addiction, with Esther dying, aged only 48, in 1984 due to complications connected with long-term drug abuse.

Country singer Patsy Cline wasn’t afraid of anything, and an evening constitutional well into the witching hour didn’t even rattle her.

When Esther sings this track, taken from her storming LP 'From A Whisper to a Scream', you can feel a real sadness in her voice, a resignation to what has been and what is to come. The voice of someone who has personally seen how much damage drugs can do.

That is all I have for this one.

I'd never really listened to her music before but I heard this on an episode of the Theme Time Radio Hour with Bob Dylan and have loved it ever since. It would fit perfectly into a James Elroy novel, just when something really horrible happens.

This is a beautiful track. Esther’s voices always smashes it but she owns this song, backed by an incredible band. It is drenched in strings and totally cinematic on the ears.

DONOVAN Season Of The Witch

Digger's Island Discs explores the collections of Leeds' most prolific vinyl slingers and groove bringers to present us with the records they could not live without. This time, Barry's Here, DJ of all things soul, folk, jazz, and hip hop, is tasked with picking five discs of bravery and courage.

CARL WEATHERS That’s Love Calling I find it hard to think of anything on this earth braver than a heavyweight boxer who also spent time in the boonies battling an invisible force from another planet. Sadly, this gallant soul carked it, on both occasions.

I am talking of course about Carl Weathers. He played Rocky Balboa’s nemesis turned friend Apollo Creed in the boxing saga, getting his clock permanently cleaned by Dolph Lundgren in IV. If that wasn’t enough in the courage department, he then picked himself up, dusted himself down and decided to have a crack at the Predator. Things didn’t work out too well for Carl there either.

So who could blame him if he wanted to take a little down time and record this modern soul stomper, dance floor fuel with horns to take the enamel off your teeth. As far as I can tell this is his only solo release but he packs plenty of fire into it, with just the right amount of synthy cheese. Worth a check but steer clear of the A-side, it blows.

NINA SIMONE Funkier Than A Mosquito’s Tweeter When you get to Nina Simone it’s hard to pick a favourite track, as her voice and personality added something essential and painful to nearly everything she sang. As an artist, Nina lent her talent and standing to the civil right movement in the ‘60s, a brave decision at the time of such unrest, and one which she didn’t back down from.

Nina’s popularity was on the wane in the ‘70s and this track, off the 1974 'It Is Finished' LP, is right smack bang in that period. Originally sung by Ike and Tina Turner, Nina makes the track her own.

Hands down, witches are scary; not up there with hipster ghosts or the thing from The Thing, but they have their place in the fear factory. Think Blair, Wicked and Eastwick.

So when tousle-haired troubadour Donovan decides to tackle the issue head-on you can only admire his pluck. Obviously this a very tenuous link (wait till you see the next one!) to fit the bravery brief, but however you get there you won’t be disappointed...

He wrote a lot of great stuff Donovan, and lets be clear, some total duffers in his time. But, in my mind, he could have got up one morning, boshed this absolute ocean liner of a tune out and disappeared, never to be heard from again, and he would have still had an amazing career.

Creeps along beautifully and works well with some swirling organ in there as well. Don’t have a clue what the lyrics mean, if anything, but who cares.

Riding over an almost tribal percussion sound, her beautiful voice thickens throughout, almost cracking as the hypnotic rhythm builds to a dead stop. Gone is the rich funk of the original as Nina pares the track down to something unique. Sparse and slightly sinister.

kmah-radio.com

25

a cocktail bar hidden in plain sight...

design led development

Websites for some of Leeds favourite independents

BELOW STAIRS . COCKTAILS . CRAFT BEER Tuesday - Sunday from 4:30pm Email hello@builtbymike.co.uk • Website www.builtbymike.co.uk

BELOWSTAIRSBAR.COM

12 South Parade, LS1 5QS.

@BELOWSTAIRSBAR

BELOWSTAIRSLEEDS@GMAIL.COM

th

or

e o n vat i z e M oto rh ea d b a n g e rs x Teenage Dreams x Come As You Are

Independentleeds.co.uk

29

Words and Photography: Helen Greenwood

mo

rs

d a b e ang h r e to

It’s very sad and ironic that I am writing this just days after the death of ‘Fast’ Eddie Clarke, the last surviving member of the original Motorhead line-up which included my brother, Phil ‘Philthy Animal’ Taylor.

My first taste of Motorhead was back in 1977 (I think - my memory of exact dates is a bit hazy!) when I saw them play for the first time at the Fforde Greene pub in Leeds. I remember feeling very proud of my ‘rock star’ brother, and in awe of Lemmy and Eddie.

I saw them play lots of times between then and starting the fan club. It was my Dad, who also came to a lot of their gigs and was never one to miss a business opportunity, who had the idea, and as I had just left Art college and wasn’t doing much at the time he thought I’d be the perfect figurehead being Phil’s sister, which would provide fans with a real connection to the band. My Dad also came up with the name - Motorheadbangers - after observing that’s how the fans moved to the music. My boyfriend at the time, Paul ‘Ad’ Hadwen, naturally became involved too. He was a brilliant artist, and re-drew the famous war pig logo with an exploding head, which became our MHB logo.

We officially launched the fan club at Hammersmith Odeon in December 1979 with a handmade poster and a load of photocopied application forms which we handed out in the foyer. In the first three months we had 1,000 paid-up members. It was hard work, as all correspondence was by mail then; no internet or mobile phones, just good old fashioned handwritten letters, envelopes and stamps.

Paul and I would often hitch-hike to London to gather content for the fanzines - usually staying with Lemmy as you always knew where to find him when he wasn’t on tour: in the boozer on Portobello Road playing asteroids!

We also became a regular feature at a lot of their UK gigs with our fan club stand, and we would travel between venues in my old Marina van which we also slept in, parked up in lay-bys or car parks.

The fanzines we produced had no censoring; I did an interview with the band for every issue, recorded on a portable cassette player, then typed up on my clunky old typewriter, and they included every word they said, ‘pc’ or not (usually not!). The banter between Phil and Lemmy was hilarious; they bounced off each other incessantly, which could sometimes get annoying if you were trying to get serious answers out of them, but we didn’t leave anything out.

Looking back, a lot of the content was totally unsuitable for young innocent rock fans, and we did receive the odd complaint from parents, but we weren’t breaking any laws that we knew of so no-one cared. We shared everything with the fans, and they shared everything with us, and we would print it!

Personal circumstances then took me in a different direction and I did have a short spell of working for the Wham fan club in 1984, but that was part of a fan club management company who were looking for someone with experience of running one, so we were matched up by a mutual friend. Unfortunately those guys were only interested in making money, as they were paid to run it. Everything we produced was tightly controlled by Wham’s management and I never even met them. It was not my idea of how a fan club should be.

I don’t profess to know very much about how fan clubs are run these days, but I guess it’s all done electronically via websites and Facebook pages. But in my opinion a lot of the intimacy between artists and fans has been lost. People can get instant gratification by ‘googleing’ something, and would rather share selfies than have real life experiences.

It’s a shame that younger music fans will never experience the excitement of waiting for news and photos of their favourite bands to arrive in the post.

Speaking of which - the postman has just delivered the final ever edition of the Motorheadbangers fanzine produced

by Alan Burridge, who started the Motorhead Appreciation Society long before the Motorheadbangers came along, and picked up the baton again when we dropped it. A great fan club, in all it’s guises, has been laid to rest.

Yes, the stories of excessive drugs, drink, groupies and general tomfoolery are all true - on and off the road Motorhead was a lifestyle, not just a band, but they genuinely appreciated the loyalty of their fans, always making themselves available to them, in their own words, ‘especially if they were buying the drinks’!

Although it was only for a relatively short time, being a small part of the rise of the ‘classic’ Motorhead was the most exciting time of my life, and nothing can beat the thrill of that ride.

Independentleeds.co.uk

31

Words: Simon Erl  @ @simonerl Narrator: Mr Luke Christian  @mrlukechristian Photography: Matt McCormick  @korm87

s m a e r D e TeenaHgARDCORE so BEAT to I met Lars in 2001 when Path Of Resistance toured Europe. One of many hardcore bands whose ethics and politics shaped my teenage years.

I followed them through various cities in Europe over the course of a week or so.

Music influenced my life almost as much as my unconventional upbringing. Being involved in hardcore as a teenager tipped me on to a lot of social ideals and political models. It was like punk but without the boozing.

I’m visiting Lars now in Switzerland almost 8 years since I’ve seen him last. We'd done some crazy things together, hung out in over 5 different countries, ate at some of the best vegan restaurants, stole some even better meals from health food stores, tattooed in crackhouses in Brooklyn, tattooed in some of the best renowned tattoo shops, and dodged some serious jail time in the US. This way of life was in tune with our moral standpoint and what our teenage dreams taught us to follow.

Now 13 years later we are older, possibly wiser, and a little more content with a quieter lifestyle. He has a dog companion and a fixed address, he even eats refined sugar now, we both own businesses and I even pay my council tax. All these things we never dreamt we would have, let alone want. We've just learnt life isn't as black and white as Earth Crisis had us believe back in '99. Yet we still haven't given up our dreams, and the values that hardcore gave us as kids we still apply to our daily lives; whether that's how you run your businesses, raise your children, or treat the people around you.

Independentleeds.co.uk

33

Words: Electra Carr  @maverick.moth Photography: George Hall

Two old friends. Two legends of the Leeds music scene.

Meeting at the newly refurbished local guitar shop/cafe bar - a haven for the musically inclined - Dave grabs himself a ginger beer and John a glass of red. As they settle, there is a comfortable, nostalgic atmosphere.

New and used guitars hang nonchalant on walls plastered with original gig posters, an apt setting for such a pair of old school music men.

John started out in the late 60s booking bands in Southport whilst in college, but it wasn’t until 10 years later unimpressed with the music scene in Leeds - that he tried his hand at promoting bands professionally.

Dave: I must’ve known you for nearly 40 years. Can’t be long after you first came to Leeds to put bands on?

John: Yeah, I started in Feb ‘77. The first one was Alan Price - I wanted Lou Reed! - with a band called Limelight and my mate Tymon Dogg. Tymon was one of the early punks, he taught Joe Strummer how to play, Sid Vicious and all them in the squats.

Dave: Where was that then?

John: Grand Theatre - I started big!

I lost about three hundred quid. I learned a lesson there.

Having been previously taken advantage of in the early days, John has since insisted on giving the middle finger to corporate companies and done everything himself. This began by forming The F Club and Futurama Festival.

Dave: Was The F Club before Futurama?

John: Yeah - there was a common room at the Poly that was available to put gigs on over the summer. We started up a punk club - put bands on like

The Slits, XTC, Slaughter and The Dogs.

After summer, the Poly didn’t want us back! So it was ‘F the Poly’! I put that on the flyer. It was a good bunch - the young punks, all very arty, inventive and clever. I thought ‘we can’t lose all these people!’ So I formed a club.

It was £1 to join then you got 25p off every gig. I moved it to the Ace of Clubs in Woodhouse. I put Siouxsie and The Banshees on there, some very early gigs for Gang of Four and The Mekons.

Dave: Then Brannigans?

you

moved

down

to

John: By that time, I’d changed it to The Fan Club.

Basically some LeftWing magazine, The Leveller, wrote an article saying 'All the fascists go to the F Club - The F stands for Fascist!'

I thought 'c’mon no it doesn’t!'

Dave: They had nothing better to write.

John: I had to move it to the Bingley Hall because John Curd, a London promoter, had booked the September at Queen’s Hall for his rip-off festival called Days of Future Past. Even using some of the same acts! I just thought, 'bloody hell, well I’m not going to give it up!' So I found Bingley Hall in Stafford. The following year John Curd went bust.

John: It got to the Friday and there were no scaffolders. There was nothing there! They’d either forgotten to order them, or they didn’t want to do it coz it was a Punk fest. So I got a load of scaffolding, some F Club regulars, two professionals, and we got it built over night.

Dave: Who headlined that one?

John: Hawkwind. I always put a reference to the past. I thought ‘who were these people listening to ten years ago?’ A lot of doomy, alternative bands.

Dave: I remember going down to Bingley Hall and Stafford with you [for the second Futurama]. I slept in one of the bands tour buses.

John: Everyone went through Brannigans. Started off with bands like Human League and The Damned. Then U2, Killing Joke, Joy Division. They were all on £100 - noone had ever heard of them.

Dave: To me, you were the first promoter that opened Leeds up. There was nobody else about.

John: That’s why I came over and started promoting. Other promoters, they hadn't got the heart or the enthusiasm. I’ve never been in it for the money. I think the hotdog seller at Futurama made more money than me!

Dave: It was never a get rich quick scheme was it? I remember you paid me in a huge bag full of 50p’s!

John: Probably all the cash we had left! All the people you see now who are millionaires - Alan Sugar, Trump.

They don’t actually do anything, they know how to delegate and get the right people in - well, in Trump’s case, the wrong people!

Dave: I seem to remember you had The Specials and The Selector. Wasn’t John Peel there?

John: He came to a few gigs - he came to Futurama too. For The Specials, Elvis Costello rang me up. He said 'Can I come down? I’ll shit, shower, shave!'

I think he wanted to sign them to Stiff Records. He came down in a Red Ted suit with black velvet lining and his specs and his hair brushed back and nobody spoke to him for an hour! Everyone thought he was some kid tryna look like Elvis Costello.

Dave: Then It was Futurama. ‘79?

That’s when I first came to work with you. I can remember the very day when you opened the doors and we had to rope off and keep the crowd at one point, until something was set up.

Independentleeds.co.uk

35

Dave: You’ve never helping you have you?

had

anybody

Dave: Then The Duchess closed. No reason for it?

John: I did it by myself. Whenever I’ve delegated to anyone, they’ve not done it! I remember James Brown [NME, Loaded] came up to me once and gave me a tenner. I said ‘what’s that for?’ He said 'you paid me to flyer the uni and I didn’t do it and I feel guilty’.

John: There were a lot of things going on - Fibbers had the lease. He tried to take the name, hoping for a bit of reflected glory. There was a lot of dodgy stuff, and as you say, it didn’t need to happen.

Dave: I know when we were sticking posters up for you at Pop Art, they'd always come over the wall at 3 in the morning! You always do your own posters too?

John: Yeah, that’s the whole thing about punk.

It shows free expression. I used to do them in my lunch hour in biro or whatever. It stood out against glossy record company posters. Looks naff, but people notice it.

In the 80s and 90s John went on to host now legendary gigs of soon to be famous names at the sadly defunct Leeds venue The Duchess.

Dave: I remember you saying in the F Club/Duchess days, that you put people on that you like, and they stayed at your house.

John: I used to put on bands that I thought were good and would make it.

I’d have been part of building them up.

Nowadays if a band even starts to get a crowd going, the big promoters step in. They used to stay over - I stopped doing that.

Dave: You must’ve had a fair few people stay. Having Nirvana on at The Duchess!

John: They slept upstairs. I had a load of duvets for people staying.

We had a band from Manchester, Paris Angels. They flooded the bathroom. All the duvets had gone. They’d dropped em out the top window and somebody had picked em up and put them in the van!

Dave: After that you moved to the Irish Center for the bigger gigs?

John: Apart from the Uni and the Poly, the Irish Center was the biggest venue in Leeds.

Over 1000 people.

It had a big stage, two bars, you could halve the room with the shutters.

Dave: Roscoe?

Then

The

John: The Roscoe had a good run.

There wasn’t a proper stage.

I said I didn’t wana do it unless there was a proper stage.

I was there for 15 years.

Dave: You've been doing it for so long and so many have come along, think they’ll be the next big thing and got left by the wayside, and you’re still doing it. What about a book? The amount of stuff you’ve done it’d have to be more than one book!

John: I keep meaning to write a book, it’d have to be three volumes!

The first one I’ve got planned would be F to Futurama, the second one is The Duchess years, and the third will be the tribute years.

Dave: Moving up to today - it's the Brudenell isn’t it? You don’t seem to do as many as you used to?

THE CARDIGAN ARMS Now back to its convivial, Victorian glory! Beers from the brewery and beyond, kitchen open daily.

John: Well I’m old! 70 this year. You get to my age and look back... sometimes it was hard, but I’m bloody glad I did it! I’ve had a rich life.

Cardigan Arms, 364 Kirkstall Road, Leeds LS4 2HQ @thecardiganarms

Words: Rob Wilson @robwilsonltd Photography: Luke Christian ď…­ @ mrlukechristian

In recent decades, the fight for sexual equality has been gradually making significant progress, thanks to people standing up and demanding change. Whilst many battles have been won, much more can be done.

Rob Wilson explains how Leeds has been at the forefront of celebrating the LGBT+ community and the challenges that still remain, whilst Luke Christian documents a night out round the Freedom Quarter.

It does need to be acknowledged that there remains some challenges from people failing to see the cohesion between championing inclusion and supporting LGBT+ led activities. We want equality but why do we want our own spaces? Why does it have to be labelled as 'LGBT+'?

In an ideal world, there wouldn't be a need for specific LGBT+ bars, social space or support groups, but guess what? We unfortunately don't live in that world! Our cultures still operate on an assumption that everyone is 'straight'. Whilst some people struggle to comprehend and respect that there is more than the binary 'male and female', then there will remain casual homophobia, biphobia & transphobia (yes, there's more than just gay men and lesbians too!). Whilst there is any bullying, hate crime, or lack of acceptance, there will always be a need for specific havens for LGBT+ people.

FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO PARTY!

As you're walking along the bottom end of Briggate, you can't fail to notice the recently painted 'Freedom Bridge' as a beacon highlighting the LGBT+ bar scene area, now known as the Freedom Quarter. The painting of the bridge was the brainchild of the Leeds City Centre manager, following consideration a few years ago for the area to be framed under a 'Gay Leeds' branding.

Whilst the bridge painting took a few years to complete, other work on LGBT+ inclusion really took hold on the city. In February, LGBT+ History Month took place, which provided an opportunity to reflect on the past achievements within the communities, take stock of how attitudes are altering in the present time, and to continue the work on changing hearts and minds to create truly inclusive cultures in the future.

Leeds has seen a flourishing level of LGBT+ community engagement over recent years, with the council facilitated Community Hub providing a constructive platform for people to have a voice and influence over services. The group now has nearly 400 people engaged, and has already seen a significant number of achievements such as the launch of their LGBT+ Business Alliance project and the successful support of increased opportunities to participate in inclusive sport and healthy lifestyles groups.

Courtyard 10:30pm Fibre 10.50pm Viaduct 11.20pm Tunnel 12.35am Kebab shop 2.30am

The difference here is that these havens are inclusive for all people; they're not promoting segregation, but rather a place that removes the assumption on a person's sexuality or gender identity, where attendees are comfortable to be who they are without fear of judgement or having to constantly 'out' themselves. These are very much worst case scenarios, but they are still a real life experience for many.

The good news is all of the positive inclusive attitudes in Leeds, which are evident daily and highlighted through community celebrations such as Leeds Pride and The Leeds Owlies, community fundraising events such as Queen Bee Leeds, and many other awareness dates throughout the year. Last year the city hosted the national Bisexual Conference, held street stalls for Bi Visibility Day and the International Day Against Homophobia Biphobia and Transphobia, and supported the local Trans community groups on events for Trans Day of Remembrance & Trans Day of Visibility.

Now here we are in early 2018 with another wide range of opportunities to celebrate the positives about LGBT+ life in Leeds.

Independentleeds.co.uk

39

Words & Photography: Steve Byrne  @steve_byrne_tattoo

I worked there until 2002 and afterwards I travelled and tattooed all over the world. I met my wife in Brooklyn and we got married, had a baby, and moved together to Ilkley. We had already done a few road trips in the US and decided we wanted to live over there, so this felt like it was going to be a year just to close down my Leeds shop and get my US visa sorted out, but it turned out to be a great Yorkshire experience living outside the city.

When we returned, I was offered work in San Diego and New York City, as well as Chicago where my wife is actually from. But we had already been to Austin together and fallen in love with the city. I purchased Rock Of Ages Tattoo there in 2009 before my US visa had even been approved! Bold move, but thankfully it paid off; one of the best risks I’ve ever taken!

Tattooist Steve Byrne has followed his passions and loves on a yellow brick road that led him from Leeds to Texas.

8 years on, Steve recently returned, as a guest tattooist to the city, and walked us through this fun and fearless path.

I grew up in Durham, not very far from Leeds, but enough away that when I moved there it felt like I was taking a big step. I had only just turned 18 when I went to Leeds Metropolitan University in 1996. I love it in Durham and will always consider it my home, but Leeds was definitely where I needed to live during my late teens and twenties. The city was great for me, lifelong memories and friends all made there.

Life in Texas is very different to life in Leeds, for sure, but I think you could say that about any city in the UK and any city in the US. We love it here because we have such a great outdoor lifestyle, it offers our three children endless amounts of experiences, and the Southern people are so friendly; all that makes such a difference to your overall outlook!

I’m going to try and make Leeds an annual stop on my travel schedule. My friends Sam and Rosie at MVL have my favourite tattoo shop in the city and that’s why I choose to work there. Nobody was more surprised than me at how busy I was on my last trip, and it was great to see so many old faces and loyal customers returning.

I’m 40 this year and people keep asking me ‘ooh are you worried?’ I’m not worried at all; I think if I’d done nothing with my life I’d be way more affected by the passing of time. My advice is to crush the fears. There is absolutely nothing standing in your way from doing whatever it is you want to do in your life. Struggle is good, embrace it and make the things happen that you want to happen. I never would’ve thought that I could’ve had the life and experiences that I’ve had so far, but I enjoy working hard and I feel like anything is achievable.

I stayed in Leeds until 2009 and my experiences were overwhelmingly positive. The music scene was great and I had lots of good times! I've lived all over the city, moving almost once a year, as many do in that time of life; Meanwood Road, Hyde Park, Hanover Square, Burley, Headingley... then I ended up working and living on Kirkgate where my private tattoo studio ‘IN NAME AND BLOOD’ was located for 7 years.

I got tattooed very young when I lived in Durham and then in Sunderland once or twice. The work was laughable, really bad, and knowing what I know now I understand the people that tattooed me really knew nothing about tattooing at all. That experience stopped me from getting tattooed again until I moved to Leeds. There, the first person I talked to about them gave me a foot in the door, and I started tattooing in their shop, Ultimate Skin Tattoo, which is still up on Briggate.

Independentleeds.co.uk

41

Words: Bess Martin  @thoughtbubblefestival Illustration: Bis Biserka  @bisbiserka

Thought Bubble is the biggest convention in the UK that is dedicated solely to comic art and illustration.

Despite this, the internationally renowned organisation remains relatively unknown in its own city outside of its niche followers. Co-ordinator Bess Martin tells us more about Thought Bubble as we link up for a series to showcase the city's illustrative talent, beginning with artist Bis Biserka.

Lisa Wood (also known as comic artist Tula Lotay) struggled with dyslexia at school and created Thought Bubble to raise awareness of how powerful and helpful comic books can be for children who might be struggling with reading and learning difficulties. Since its first ever event in the basement of Leeds Town Hall back in 2007, Thought Bubble has remained a non-profit festival at the heart of which is a programme of community-focused events. It now hosts workshops for schools and libraries, LGBTQI communities, refugees and asylum seekers, and mental health awareness.

Our new convention space spanned over 3000 square metres, including the biggest free-standing structure ever to be built on Millennium Square. Over the weekend, over 600 exhibitors and guests descended on Leeds from across the globe, and costumed comic fans in their thousands filled the convention village!

We have an egalitarian approach to our curation which means that early career artists may end up sitting next to internationally renowned names. We see the industry as a community in which hierarchy is not so important. Every year we hear about new connections being made which lead to incredible collaborations and career-defining moments.

It’s really exciting to enter a convention venue and see table after table of comic creators at all stages in their careers; the quality of the work on show is amazing.

It’s one thing seeing everyone's work online during the curation stage, but seeing those same creators and the detail, effort and passion in their work up close is something else!

In 2018 are looking to grow our education and outreach programme in Leeds through our new Friends of Thought Bubble scheme, with the ultimate goal to create year-round activities that directly benefit the city. We are on a mission to make Leeds 'The Destination' for comics fans, artists, writers and creatives.

Bis Biserka I went to my first ever comic con at Thought Bubble in 2010. By 2011 I was exhibiting as a creator. In 2012 I decided to try volunteering as part of Team Red Shirt and loved it so much I never looked back! For this illustration I just wanted to go for something simple that reflected how Thought Bubble started up; just a love of comics and a dream and putting one foot in front of the other. So it's a woman with a backpack full of comics and a pencil behind her ear, just looking out at the road and adventure ahead.

Independentleeds.co.uk

45

Words & Photography: Amy Wright  @nellsurbangreens

God’s Own Pantry: Nell's Urban Greens

In the winter of 2017 I sat under a blanket on my sofa dreaming about one day setting up an urban market garden in Leeds. I didn’t have any land to do this on, nor the cash, experience or confidence.

My background is in environmental education; I spent a decade teaching kids how great nature and growing food is, and I’ve grown my own fruit and veg at home, but never on a commercial scale. If I was going to grow food for my local community and make it into a sustainable business, I had to start small. My answer was microgreens.

Microgreens are edible plants grown to their first true leaf stage, an inch or two tall in 5 to 20 days. They taste and look amazing; a more intense flavour than fully grown veg and they’re packed with nutrients. I grow them vertically on racks to maximise space, using only organic methods. As soon as I started, I was hooked! By spring time I was growing several seed trays a week; I ate well last year! I’m now pumping out several kilos a week and aiming to triple this over the next year.

I think fresh, ethical and sustainable produce is hugely important. No one wants to eat a crap salad covered in chemicals flown in from the other side of the world that goes slimy in your fridge after a few days, do they? I don’t. For way too long we’ve settled for sub-standard food that regularly reaches us weeks, or even months after it’s been harvested, and usually to the detriment of the natural environment.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

I’m a huge fan of the urban farming movement and particularly SPIN farming that champions production based, environmentally friendly, profitable food growing on small plots of land close to markets. We do have great organic farms outside of the city, but I’d love to see this happening more in the heart of Leeds. Nell’s Urban Greens is my little way of starting to work towards creating the change in the world that I’d like to see.

Nell’s over-riding ethos is to make a difference in the world of grass roots food production. I want to help connect people with these practices and the food they eat. I hope to use Nell’s to empower others to grow their own food, as well as trying to demonstrate that following your dream and creating the life you want is actually possible with a bit of graft! Nell's has enabled me to do something that I am passionate about on a daily basis, whilst building a business that is environmentally sustainable and economically profitable.

I love running Nell’s, but I also love doing life stuff too, so I focus a lot on getting the balance right.

Having organised, consistent systems in place has been essential to make sure everything gets done well and that I use my time as efficiently as possible.

I still run Nell’s on my own, so this takes a lot of task juggling and there have been some pretty steep

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learning curves over the past year. Every week I'm seed planting, watering, harvesting, packing, cleaning, delivering and doing admin, marketing and ongoing research. The most challenging bit is having to be every department!

I still spend my time being 60% ridiculously excited about what I’m doing and 40% totally terrified. The best part is that I get to grow and nurture plants every day. I also love meeting my customers on every delivery and seeing people enjoying my produce on their plate, and how chefs have used them in their dishes. This is why I don’t sell to a distributor, you just lose that connection.

I feel very lucky to be doing this in Leeds, and for the huge support and guidance I’ve had from independent business owners and chefs at the places I work with, as well as other like-minded independent producers. I currently supply independent cafes and restaurants in the city centre and surrounding area.

My most popular crops are currently pea shoots, sunflower shoots and spicy radish shoots and, from April, I will be adding an extra 5 micro varieties to this list. I’m going to start supplying the public this year too; let’s spice up lunchtime salads! I still feel very new to the scene, but I’m starting to get a feel for this inspirational community and it’s ace!

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INDIAN STREET FOOD • CRAFT BEER “These guys know their stuff, and it shows.”

“ You don’t miss the meat.”

The Independent

Bloomberg

“First rate Indian food at a bargain price.”

“Great for a first date or even a 100th date, this bar has cocktails, craft beers & delicious dishes.”

Metro

“The dream pairing of craft beer & food.”

Shortlist

“Some of best street food in Britain.”

Asos Magazine

“I wish that more places served spicy okra fries as bar snacks.”

New York Times

Grazia

25 Best Vegetarian Restaurants Sunday Times

“The food is excellent, the beer on point, & the staff are enthusiastic ambassadors for both.”

Best Cheap Eats Runner Up Observer Food Monthly

Olive Magazine

“A no-two-mouthfuls-the-same delight.”

The Guardian

“A game changer. Everything it does, it does right.”

21 British Street Foods You Must Try Before You Die Buzzfeed Top 10 UK Indian Restaurants TimeOut

TimeOut

LEEDS - 6 MILL HILL • LS1 5DQ MANCHESTER - 61 PICCADILLY • M1 2AG

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0113 243 1248

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Words & Illustration: Emma Saynor ď…­ @emma_illustrates

Roundhay Runners describe themselves as a friendly social club for all abilities and goals, be it training competitively or for people who just enjoy a run. They are a large club, over 200 members. Roundhay also has Roundhay parkrun - a weekly volunteer-managed timed 5k every Saturday from 9am.

There are two main trails in Roundhay – a 'spy mission' treasure trail in Roundhay Park and a heritage trail.

The treasure trail map can be bought online and takes a good 2 and a half hours. Or there is a more relaxed heritage trail to explore the history of Oakwood and Roundhay. This can be bought or borrowed from Oakwood library.

There is a number of dance schools coving Roundhay and Oakwood including the North Leeds Dance Academy for ballroom and latin dance, EXP Dance for urban, lyrical and jazz, and Footloose which does a range from ballet to street dancing.

There is a flower club, a flower arranging club, a gardening club and the Friends of Allerton Grange Fields, a volunteer group that works with the council to protect local green spaces.

Oakwood Cinema is an independent 150 seat community theatre run entirely by volunteers which aims to bring people of all ages together to enjoy a monthly cinematic experience.

It shows classics, favourites, and sometimes new films, a little later than general release. The venue aims to be both financially and physically more accessible than a multiplex cinema and people can buy tickets from local shops or online.

Starting life originally at Kirkgate Market, Oakwood Clock has lived at the bottom of Roundhay Park for over 100 years, and recently was restored by residents and the Heritage Lottery Fund. It now is home to a monthly craft market.

One of the largest parks in Europe, you are sure to find a space for a picnic, a run, sport, or a walk. The park has festivals and events all year round, a trail, golf, cricket, tennis courts, two lakes and a castle.

A journey through different environments and climates, Tropical World recreates different habitats for different wildlife, including a desert with meerkats and tortoises, a nocturnal world of bats, owl monkeys and jumping rats, and a garden of tropical butterflies.

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There is both a bridge club and chess club in Oakwood, as well as many social clubs and activities for residents such as probus clubs and tea and chat groups.

Oakwood and Roundhay has a variety of restaurants and cafes to choose from, and a good few pubs too.

Roundhay Park has 16 new freeto-use tennis courts, which members of the public can book with ease online. There is also coaching run by Leeds City Council and the Lawn Tennis Association and the Roundhay community tennis club that also offer coaching.

Roundhay is a great place to get an ice-cream from the classic vans in the park to sit- in ice-cream bars like Knickerbocker Shakes.

Every month next to the newly restored Oakwood Clock is a craft market, for local artists and artisans to display and sell their work.

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Words: Marko Husak Illustration: Marta Jaskot  @marta.jaskot.illustration

Taste Hunter

In the days before the ‘Polski Sklep’ and the ‘Polish’ section in Morrisons, our family did our shopping for Eastern European goods at Bradford’s continental and deli stores.

these skleps, delis and supermarkets are located in Beeston and Harehills. There are two shops in Kirkgate Market where I get my homemade pierogi fix and sometimes a Kabanos to munch on while I’m doing my weekly fruit and veg shop.

above a Polish hairdressers. There were happy 40th birthday balloons on the ceiling, old retail shelving on the walls and a black and red counter with no-one behind it. There were mini trampolines piled up in the corner. We took a seat.

One thing that has been missing in Leeds is an Eastern European restaurant. I’ve made it my personal quest to find one since moving here three years ago. I searched google but the only result was a place called Yellow Rose which closed in 2012. In Bradford, there has been a few that have opened and closed since 2004. The Russian Restaurant came and went. I’d visit pretty much weekly for the Ukrainian Borscht or Solyanka, a piquant sausage soup with lemons and olives, and the Siberian Pelmeni dumplings in a clear broth. The TV would blare out Russian Pop videos and the owner Vlad was a natural host who reminded me a lot of the Russian restaurant owner in the film ‘Eastern Promises’. My current favourite place is Ambrozija, a Polish style taverna with great soups, pierogi and next level Hungarian Goulash served with a giant potato pancake.

There were menus on the table but they were all in Polish. After a few minutes a waitress popped out from the kitchen and presented us with some rhubarb juice and told us, in broken English, about the dishes on offer. She also told us that the restaurant doubles up as an aerobics studio in the evenings, hence the mini trampolines. We ordered all 3 dishes (£10 including rhubarb juice) and split it between the 2 of us. The food is best described as home cooking and, with the lack of English, the restaurant is geared up for serving the Polish community of Beeston. Their meal plan of three dishes a day for a week can be delivered to any address for just £42 which is ideal for the shift workers who have little time to cook.

I couldn't contain my excitement when my girlfriend told me about Pasi Brzuszek, a Polish restaurant in Beeston. They have a menu of 3 dishes that changes on a daily basis. They post this menu every morning in Polish on their Facebook page. We decided to visit on our next day-off together, but unfortunately there was no Ukrainian Borscht or pierogi on the menu on that particular day. Instead, they were serving ‘sour soup’, pork schnitzel and some kind of beef meatball.

The restaurant is stated in an old terraced house,

Pasi Brzuszek was not quite the Polish experience I was after but its only a matter of time before Eastern European eats get popular in the UK. Top selling cookbooks from Ren Behan, Olia Hercules and Zuza Zak, and articles in the Sunday supplements are all helping to popularise Slavic cuisine. There has been traders selling pierogies in Trinity kitchen and at Belgrave Feast, The Reliance recently cured their own Kielbasa sausage and SMAK Polish deli, who have been on the street food circuit for the last few years, are in the process of opening a bricks and mortar site in Kirkstall in the not too distant future. I for one will be visiting on a regular basis. Smacznego!

The one I remember the most is Boychuk’s, a Ukrainian salami specialist that we would visit on the way to my Grandad and Babusha’s house after Sunday service at the nearby Ukrainian Catholic church. As a treat for not falling asleep in mass, my mum would buy me Polish ‘Krowka’ fudge sweets or ‘Manner’ hazelnut and wafer biscuits all the way from Vienna, but if I was real good I would get a ‘Kabanos’, a long thin dry sausage.

When we arrived at my Grandad and Babusha’s house there would be borscht, pierogi, holubtsi, open sandwiches made with the meats and cheeses we bought from Boychuk’s. It was happy times.

Unfortunately, such is life, my grandparents got old and passed away, as have the majority of the original Eastern European migrants who came here after the war. We stopped going to church. The delis and shops closed down. There was no more borscht, pierogi or holubtsi. And I missed it all.

In 2004 Poland joined the EU and a sizeable proportion of its young population came to the UK looking for work. They too missed borscht, pierogi and holubtsi. ’Polski Skleps’ sprung up to feed them with shelves and fridges full of rye bread, pickles, herbs, meats and cheeses. In Leeds,

53

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Buy shiny new things, sell unused, dust-gathering equipment, or just ask our advice. We’re situated in the wonderful Victorian Leeds Corn Exchange. Beware the life-ban board!

Words: Peter Lowes Photography: Harry Laycock

</

Our new series delves into the modern world of technology to discover the advancements this city is making, for better or for worse, for all of our futures.

Peter Lowes provides an overview.

Independentleeds.co.uk

>

On a larger scale, the NHS’ decision to house their national Digital team in our city is a huge show of support for our many talented developers. This one move places Leeds at the centre of the future of healthcare; our residents will now be the first to trial new schemes, and our tech practitioners can make a tangible difference to the way the entire country accesses and experiences public healthcare.

Leeds is also home to a digital agency scene to rival anywhere else in the country. Co-working spaces such as Duke Studios give innovative startups the space to grow in a creative, community-focused environment, with the Hungry Sandwich Club just one of the many startups calling Duke their home.

The city’s also providing ample room for small teams and individuals to progress, with growing agencies such as Engage Interactive and Brawl and larger specialists including Epiphany, Stickyeyes and Branded3 consistently hiring and developing the city’s talent.

When you couple this with the work being done by businesses such as the Perform Group, Sky and Sky Betting & Gaming, it seems like everything is rosy in the Leeds tech scene, doesn’t it? However, with an ever increasing number of businesses choosing to make the city their base, the talent pool needs to increase in parallel. This is where problems could arise.

From showing the next generation of Leeds locals that their natural flair for maths, science or art could translate into a successful tech career in their own city, or encouraging the tens of thousands of students who attend our many top-class higher education establishments to stay with the city beyond their studies, we’ve got a battle on our hands to ensure the talent supply meets the demand. As always, the city has the talent and the means to give them a platform to shine. We just need to work harder to bring the two together.

Leeds has a reputation for giving bedroom hobbyists a platform to shine. 19th century domestic cloth workers moved from their homes to the factories and mills of Water Lane, creating an industry that would lay the foundations for the city’s industrial boom. DJs and musicians could move from an audience of one to an audience of thousands thanks to Leeds’ musical institutions such as Back2Basics and the Cockpit.

Now, it’s the tech sector that will benefit from the city’s most inquisitive.

The digital age has made it easier for curious minds to run free, with the possibilities for creativity in tech endless. Mobius Entertainment were the trailblazers - a small group of gaming obsessives in the late 90s who went on to become the Leeds outpost of Rockstar, owner of some of the most successful gaming franchises of all time. However our tech enthusiasts don’t just elevate their hobbies. They use their skills and particular mindsets to help solve the humankind’s problems, large or small. Cocoon was founded in 2014 by a team of five, with the sole aim of dragging home security kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

57

Photography: Alia Drewery ď&#x2026;­ @aliadrewery

A photographic journey of Leeds...

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59

Words: Ellie Palmer JANE EYRE: NORTHERN BALLET Wed 7 Mar - Wed 14 Mar / Leeds Grand Theatre It’s a story we all know and love; but now you have the opportunity to see it told through dance.

LEE ‘SCR ATCH’ PERRY

NORTH LEEDS CHARIT Y BEER FESTIVAL

Mon 12 Mar / Brudenell Social Club, Leeds

Fri 6 - Sat 7 Apr / North Leeds Cricket Club

Join us for a night of reggae as we welcome one of the world's most enduring and legendary reggae producers of the last century to Brudenell

What’s better than drinking beer for charity?

The Seventh Annual North Leeds Charity Beer Festival will feature 35 real ales from seven breweries as well as seven ciders. With food and entertainment also on offer throughout the day, it’s sure to be a hit.

Social Club. And what a night this is going to be.

LIVE AT LEEDS Sat 5 May / Leeds City Centre

AN INTRODUCTION TO FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY

Live At Leeds returns once again, headlined by Circa Waves and The Horrors. The festival has previously played host to some of Britain's biggest current stars Ed Sheeran, Stormzy, and San Smith. If the past is anything to go by, this year will be unmissable.

Sat 10 Mar / Ham & Friends, Leeds City Centre Join food photographer Victoria Harley for a hands on introduction into the world of food photography. You'll have the opportunity to work with a variety of dishes and learn her process.

AN EVENING WITH ROB SCHNEIDER Sun 18 Mar / The Wardrobe, Leeds City Centre

ORCHESTR A OF OPER A NORTH Sat 7 Apr / Leeds Town Hall Join the incredible Opera North Orchestra for a night full of music from across the pond. American Classics West Side Story and Rhapsody In Blue are just two of many that will be showcased by conductor Dalia Stasevska. Sofya Gulyak also makes an appearance.

THE BAND: THE MUSICAL Fri 20 Mar - Sat 31 Mar / Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House, Leeds City Centre

You may have seen him on NBC's hugely successfully Saturday Night Live, or in the hilarious box-office films "Grown Ups" & "You Don't Mess With The Zohan."

Well, now you get to see him right here in Leeds as the bona-fide comedy star brings his tour to the UK.

For five 16-year-old girls in 1992, the band is everything. 25 years on, we are reunited with this group of friends as they try once more to fulfil their dream of meeting their heroes.Directed by Tim Firth and features the music of Take That.

THE CHOCOL ATE RUN Sat 24 Mar / Leeds This is the only running event in existence in which you will return home fatter than when you left. Hosted on the weekend prior to Easter, participants must follow the clues laid out over an optional 5k/10k distance, to work out and discover the location of the Stolen Easter Chocolate.

THE CYCLING PODCAST: A JOURNEY THROUGH THE CYCLE Fri 9 Mar / Carriageworks Theatre, Millennium Square

ADAM PATEL: REAL MAGIC LIVE Sat 7 Apr / City Varieties Music Hall, Leeds City Centre One of the UK's best street magicians brings his mindboggling show to Leeds for the very first time, to show case his skills of perceptual manipulation and mindhacking. Described as 'magic's biggest rising star', tickets are likely to sell out quickly!

Go behind the scenes at the infamous Three Grand Tours - Giro D'italia, Tour de France, and Vuelta A España - as the team looks back on '17 and ahead to '18 with stories and anecdotes from the major races.

SWEAT WORKING

JAZZ NIGHTS: WITH ZOE GILBY & PAUL EDDIS

Wed 7 Mar / TRIB3 Leeds

Wed 18 Apr / Monkman’s Bistro, Ilkley

Want to work out and network at the same time? Look no further; LeedsBID is offering you the opportunity to take part in a highintensity 45 minute work out, followed by a period of networking with other business professionals over a post-workout snack.

In association with Ilkley Jazz Festival, Monkman’s Bistro presents the stunning vocals of Zoe Gilby, accompanied by Paul Eddis on keys. The duo will be performing lyrical interpretations of compositions penned by the legendary pianist, Thelonious Monk.

Independentleeds.co.uk Independentleeds.co.uk/events

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Tattu Restaurant 29 East Parade Leeds tattu.co.uk 0113 245 1080