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OF LONDON IN

CRISIS? B Y ANDREW WANDER

The future of the University of London looks to be in doubt after a summer of uncertainty, prompted by Imperial College beginning a process that will end in it awarding its own degrees.

Other major member colleges of the university look set to follow suit, after it emerged that King’s College London, UCL and LSE have also applied for degree awarding power.

Under the current system, degrees are issued centrally from the University of London regardless of which of the more than thirty member colleges the student attends.

However, concerns about the cost of subscription fees paid by member colleges to the notoriously bureaucratic university, coupled with a feeling amongst some colleges that certain other member

institutions are dragging the reputation of the university down have prompted Imperial to act.

Imperial itself has claimed that membership to the university is of no “academic or reputational” benefit to its students, and UCL has complained that it was not “value for money”, after its annual subscription to the UL topped £2.2 million.

A document obtained by Roar, detailing the comments of a senior Imperial student who was privy to the decision, claimed that the college had acted in order to “stick two fingers up at the University of London” because of their failure to implement what many see as vital reforms to the university’s federal system.

The document also attacked UL’s vice-chancellor Graeme Davies, claiming that he had “failed to take real leadership” in consulting “on the fundamental nature of a need

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for a university.”

While Imperial has made overt plans to award their own degrees from 2007, King’s College London, LSE and UCL have been more reticent in committing themselves to a date. While all three confirmed that they had applied for the rights to become awarding bodies, they refused to be drawn on the question of when they intended to use them.

A King’s College London spokeswoman said: “We are just doing what everyone else is doing so that if we do need to use them we have them in place.” Meanwhile, UCL head, Professor Malcom Grant, said it was “very likely” that his college would be making use of the powers “in the foreseeable future”, but was not any more specific.

It would be the university’s smaller colleges that would be the big losers should the move go ahead. ...CONT PG 4

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2 IN YOUR

What’s in a name?

Students outraged at rebranding of GKT NEWS

MONDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER 2005

NEWS FEATURES WRITE ON ARTS WHAT’S ON SPORT

1 7 11 14 20 22

EDITORIAL TEAM EDITOR IN CHIEF SNEHA SOLANKI vpmedpub@kclsu.org MANAGING EDITORS GREG FUNNELL LAUREN THOMPSON ANDREW WANDER roar@kclsu.org FEATURES EDITOR EDI FRANKEL features@roar.kclsu.org SPORTS EDITOR ALI FAIRBROTHER sports@roar.kclsu.org ARTS EDITOR MAISIE McCABE arts@roar.kclsu.org MUSIC EDITOR ED DRUMMOND music@roar.kclsu.org WHAT’S ON EDITOR LORNA CHIGWENDE events@roar.kclsu.org FILM EDITOR MICHAEL ANDERSON film@roar.kclsu.org FASHION EDITOR CHLOE CORDWELL fashion@roar.kclsu.org PHOTO EDITOR NARESH VERLANDER photos@roar.kclsu.org PUBLICATION DESIGNER PETER ELLENDER design@roar.kclsu.org DEADLINE EDITORS HELEN HOLGATE KLARA MUTTETT PRIYANKA HANDA

By Ed Drummond

PHOTO: STEVEN HOWELL

Monday 19th September 2005

This summer has seen another name change for King’s College London’s medical schools.

The schools no longer came under the GKT moniker, but will now be known as the King’s College London School of Medicine at Guy’s, King’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals, or KCLSMGKTH. The new name will be shortened for everyday use, to become the King’s College London School of Medicine, dropping the inclusion of Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals in the title.

King’s College London stated that the name change was necessary since “the GKT brand was not understood by the wider scientific and medical communities and was inhibiting our efforts to improve the national and international standing of King’s College London in leagues tables more generally”. However the GKT “brand” has only been in use for seven years, since the United Medical and Dental Schools, UMDS, merged with the King’s College London School of medicine.

Many see the new name as a deliberate move to belittle the importance of Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals. The May issue of the GKT Gazette featured many letters on the name change, one stating that “the hospitals of GKT are not mere campus affiliations, they are the medical schools in toto”.

The name change was put forward by the Dean of the medical school, Professor Lechler, but was met with widespread criticism from the student body. Many feel this is yet another step taken by King’s College London since the merger to take over the medical school. Many feel that dropping any mention of Guy’s and St Thomas’ hos-

COMPULSIVE VIEWING

By Helen Holgate

Research for a controversial Channel 4 program, the House of Obsessive Compulsives, was recently carried out by a King’s College London professor.

The Big Brother-style program saw three brave 'housemates', all sufferers of obsessive-compulsive disorders, agree to live together with each other’s bizarre behaviour under the surveillance of television cameras.

One participant was afraid of being contaminated with germs; another was scared of incriminating himself with what he said, and the third was scared of finding traces of paint and metal on their skin. They had all tried medication, assorted therapies and even contemplated brain surgery in order to rid themselves of their OCDs. But after undergoing an intensive version of cognitive behaviour therapy – the one known effective psychological treatment – in the House, all three were successfully cured of their

obsessions.

Professor Paul Salkovskis said that he was “delighted” with the project and that it was “a fantastic experience for us and the participants”.

He denies that the program bore any resemblance to Big Brother, saying “Channel 4’s publicity department spun it like that. But people were not voted out, there were no pointless tasks given and no secret filming”.

Professor Salkovskis said that the project was “destigmatising” and that the programme has encouraged many OCD sufferers to contact Channel 4 for help with their problems.

Two of the participants in the House of Obsessive Compulsives

pitals from the name is a loss of the heritage and history of the two hospitals. Some of the letters featured in GKT Gazette also expressed disappointment over the closure of two of the medical student bars, notably Tommy’s last year, and the loss of a GKT sabbatical officer since the merger.

It has been seven years since the merger. Some students have argued that it is time it was integrated further into King’s College London. For this to happen however, the students will have to put in as much effort as the King’s College London.

Principal Hails King’s Volunteers

By Andrew Wander

The principal of King’s College London, Rick Trainor, hailed the achievements of KCLSU volunteers in a recent graduation speech.

Speaking to a packed audience, the principal said “There is a large amount of volunteering on local community projects in schools, hospitals and other places undertaken by King's students through the Community Action wing of the King's College London Students' Union. In these ways our students are strengthening the social fabric of London.”

The KCLSU Community Action programme received special attention after an extremely busy year, in which many King’s College London students took time out to help others in their community.

Lucy Grassby, KCLSU Student Volunteering and Development Officer, said

“Community Action is a great way to meet both new and old volunteers. I opted for some ‘one off’ events to begin with. Two years later, I am the elected officer.”

Community Action is always looking for new volunteers, and whatever your interest and availability they will have a project to suit you.

There is a CA Student-Led Volunteering Introduction Evening at Waterloo KCLSU Student Centre 11 October, 5.30 – 7.30 pm.

There are other meetings: Guy’s Boland House, Guy’s Bar, 27 September 5 pm – 7.30 pm; Waterloo KCLSU Student Centre, 4 October 5 pm – 7.30 pm; Strand, B2 entrance of the Macadam Building at 4.30 pm on 27 September, to come over to Guy’s, or 4.45 pm on 4 October to come over to Waterloo. For contact details, see below.

email: volunteer@kclsu.org web: www.kclsu.org/student_volunteer.php phone: 020 7848 1588

NEWS

BABE OF THE ISSUE

Monday 19th September 2005

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HUNK OF THE ISSUE

Name: Naresh Verlander Age: 20 Course: Computer Science Likes: Photography, music, ferrets Dislikes: Anti-war protesters, badgers Dream Job: War photographer

Name: Anne-Marie Mansell Age: 20 Course: Nursing Likes: Music, tennis, strawberries Dislikes: Spiders, clowns, monkeys’ feet Dream Job: Marilyn Manson roadie

NOISY NEIGHBOURS Former King’s student Kele Okereke from Bloc Party plays at Somerset House PHOTO: NARESH VERLANDER

B Y PETER ELLENDER Usually when a student leaves university early, feelings of inadequacy and embarrassment accompany any eventual return to campus. Not so for Kele Okereke, a former English student at King’s College London, who is now better known as the guitarist and lead singer in the band Bloc Party. He recently returned to King’s College London to play a sold-out concert in front of several thousand adoring fans at Somerset House, next to the Strand campus.

Bloc Party delighted those massed at the famous venue, as they played a set which included the hit singles “Banquet”, “Helicopters” and the top-five smash “So Here We Are”. Speaking from the stage, the 23year-old Okereke reminisced of his time at university, saying: “It’s nice to be home, playing in such lovely surroundings. I used to pass here every day when I went to university, next door, at King’s. So it’s great to finally play here”. In response to his detractors in the music industry, he continued: “And no matter what Noel Gallagher says – it is cool to go to university!”

The summer proved a successful time for the band who played spectacular shows at festivals across the UK, Europe, and Japan. They released a fourth single from their debut album Silent Alarm, “The Pioneers”, which peaked at number eighteen in the UK singles chart. The album was also nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music prize; however, the band lost out to eventual winners Antony and the Johnsons.

Bloc Party will embark on a tour of Europe in the autumn before returning to the studio to record their second album, a project which many artists have found notoriously difficult. The Roar team would like to stress that although this will probably be the last time you read about the successes of King’s College London’s most famous drop-out, it’s certain you’ll see and hear a lot more from him in the future.

PHOTO: NARESH VERLANDER

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UL under fire as single sex Halls axed Monday 19th September 2005

BY LAUREN THOMPSON

Female University of London students have been outraged over the closure of the last women-only halls of residence.

Hundreds of students whose religious or cultural beliefs prevent them from living in mixed-sex accommodation have had to leave College Hall and seek accommodation elsewhere. There has been particular concern amongst Muslim students, whose faith prevents them from removing their headscarves in front of men.

Nicky Grant, ULU Vice-President (Welfare and Student Affairs) said: “Many female students prefer to live in single-sex accommodation. There are a variety of reasons for this: personal, social, religious. ULU believes that the University has a duty of care to provide adequate women-only accommodation.”

Despite recent reports in The Guardian claiming that the closure of the Hall may be against the Race Relations Act and that ULU were investigating the legality of the closure, a ULU spokesman denied their opposition was "based on legal reasons".

There has been much criticism of the University amongst students for their handling of the decision to close the Hall. One UL student, Rebecca Johnson, said "Students were not consulted about the decision at any stage.

They feel ignored by university and its unwillingness to move on the issue shows the university is culturally out of touch".

A ULU spokesman said: "The University of London briefly consulted with ULU officers, but in our opinion

NEWS

the residents of College Hall should have been consulted more than they were".

However, a King’s College London spokeswoman told Roar the closure proposal "was considered at the time by student and staff representatives at College Hall... The decision was agreed by a majority at the Intercollegiate Committee, of which there is student membership".

According to King’s College London, the decision to close College Hall was

Left: College Hall, now closed for refurbishment Below: Ghazal Tipu, one of the many students affected by the closure of College Hall

Record Rejections for Top Students

BY LAUREN THOMPSON

University of London colleges have to turn away a record number of students as the demand for university places becomes increasingly high.

A record 96.2% of A-level exam entries received pass grades this year, with 22.8% getting A grades.

This, coupled with the onset of top-up fees next year, has led to a surge of well-qualified students applying to universities in the hope of avoiding paying up to £3000 a year to study next year.

As A-level pass rates hit the roof, the demand for university places is becoming increasingly strained, prompting fresh debate over the A-level and university entrance systems. Nearly 343,000 got the A-level grades they needed to get into their first choice university, an increase of more than 26,000 compared with last year.

The University of London, particularly King's College London, UCL, Imperial and LSE, have had to turn away thousands of hopeful applicants.

The King’s College London English department told Roar “we received well over a thousand UCAS forms for English and English with Film (unquestionably a record in recent years) and we're expecting a little over a hundred students at the start of the semester.”

The surge in applicants may also be due to the improved performance of London colleges in university league tables. In a recent poll by The Guardian, five out of the top ten universities were within the University of London, with King’s College London coming sixth in the country, beating their traditional rival UCL, who came in a measly seventh place. The King’s College London’s English department was rated the best in the country.

"primarily demand-led". "Certainly at King's we have struggled to fill our annual quota of places at College Hall in previous years. Connaught Hall (previously male) and Canterbury Hall (previously female) changed to mixed accommodation some years ago and this appears to have been successful".

College Hall is currently closed for refurbishment and will re-open in 2007 as a larger, mixed hall with en-suite rooms.

The demand for places was also reflected in the lack of spaces available through clearing, with King’s College London and Imperial College telling the press that there were only a handful of places in subjects such as physics and engineering, which traditionally have a smaller pool of suitably qualified candidates.

Emma Hayes from Hope Valley, Derbyshire, applied to King’s College London to read English, but, like hundreds of other hopeful A-level students, was not offered a place. She told Roar: “Obviously, I was disappointed. I do wonder if my chances were damaged because so many people were not taking a gap year and applying for places this September to avoid paying fees next year. But now I am going to Leeds and I am really looking forward to it”.

Amongst the lucky successful applicants to LSE is Monica Lewinsky, the former White House intern. She is to study there for a masters degree in social psychology.

Ghazal Tipu, a student at SOAS, was a resident at College Hall and opposed the closure. She told Roar: “I am now living at home. Other Muslim women I knew at the Hall are living in all-female flats, but they would still prefer to be living in College Hall.

There is definitely a requirement for single-sex accommodation.”

Uncertain Future for University

Continued from page 1 Colin Bundy, the director of the School of Oriental and African Studies said: “For smaller institutions including SOAS the fact that we award University of London degrees does count.”

However, it seems that unless the university undergoes the fundamental reform that its member colleges are calling for, then UL’s 170-year-old tradition of awarding degrees to its students may well be consigned to history, and the university itself could quickly become surplus to requirements for its 125,000 students.

THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON... WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT? All King’s College London students are automatically members of both the University of London and the University of London students’ union, ‘ULU’.

The University of London’s website describes itself as “a federal University...among the oldest, largest and most diverse universities in the UK”.

The University of London is made up of twenty colleges and twelve institutions.

It has a student population of 125,000, with a further 34,000 students studying by distance learning on the University's External Programme.

UL has colleges in Paris and Scotland.

Specialist colleges include London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and The Institute of Cancer Research.

PHOTO: NARESH VERLANDER

The UL library, Senate House, which all King’s College London students can use, houses over 2,000,000 books, including 120,000 volumes printed before 1851.

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UCL CLEANER KILLED IN JULY 7 BLAST NEWS

BY ANDREW WANDER

A Ghanaian cleaner working at UCL was killed in the July 7th bombings.

Gladys Wundowa, a fifty-yearold mother of two, was caught in the blast on the number 30 bus at Tavistock Square while travelling home from a cleaning shift at the college.

In the widespread confusion following the blasts, UCL issued an early statement confirming the death of one of its employees, who they named as Mrs. Wundowa, pre-empting any official comment on the death toll. The college was later forced to retract its statement when it became apparent that official confirmation of Mrs. Wundowa’s death had not reached her distraught family.

Her husband, Emmanuel Wundowa, an architect, first heard his wife was among the dead on television news reports, part of a frenzy of media coverage provoked by the college’s statement. Deeply upset, he con-

Monday 19th September 2005

demned people “going on air and telling the whole world she is dead.”

In a later apology UCL said: “We very much regret having been the inadvertent cause of reports earlier regarding Mrs Wundowa ... This misunderstanding came about as a result of mistaken belief here at Above: Gladys Wundowa, bus bomb victim UCL that the family had been notiRight: The number 30 bus fied by the police.” ter, Azuma, and a fourteen-yearMrs. Wundowa, who had lived in the UK for the past 18 years, old son, Zakari. Her husband has was described by her husband as since spent the summer trying to a “bubbly and helpful person” raise money to repatriate her who worked for charity as well body to Ghana, where she had wished to be buried and has as for UCL.” “If you had a problem, she recently received a £5,000 grant would drop everything to make from the London Bombings sure you were all right”, he said. Charitable Relief Fund to do so.

She is survived by her two children, a sixteen-year-old daugh-

STUDENTS TRAVEL TO MAKE POVERTY HISTORY

PHOTOS: GREG FUNNELL

BY ANDREW WANDER

Students from all over the country descended on Edinburgh in July to demonstrate at the G8 summit.

The week of demonstrations in the Scottish capital began on Saturday 2nd July, with the Make Poverty History march through the city centre.

At the same time, millions of people around the world tuned in to the Live 8 concerts, held with the aim of sending a message to the G8 leaders.

As the week progressed the demonstrations moved closer to the Gleneagles Hotel, the venue for the meeting of the world’s most powerful men, culminating in a tense stand-off with police in a field outside the hotel’s security fence on Wednesday 6th July. While London celebrated its winning Olympic bid, protesters were faced with low-flying helicopters, charges from riot police and police dogs, as the authorities tried to prevent the demonstrators breaching the perimeter fence.

A Roar photographer who was present at the demonstrations, Greg Funnell, said: “It was a surreal experience, seeing police in full riot gear charging through fields of waist high crops. There was a lot of tension on both sides, inspired by a small element of trouble makers in the crowd.”

KCLSU also sent a delegation to the

initial Make Poverty History march, which was comparatively peaceful, despite provocation from a large group of European anarchists who attempted to sabotage the event.

Paul Warrington is a King’s College London student who travelled to the demonstrations. “I didn’t mind the journey”, he said. “I knew that it was for a worthy cause, and it was fantastic to see the solidarity displayed by protesters from across the world.

Compared to some of the people I met, my journey was the equivalent of a trip to the shops.”

The demonstrations in Edinburgh were, of course, somewhat overshadowed by the terrible events that occurred in London in July. However, Warrington believes that the message still got through. “Of course, July 7th shifted everybody’s focus that week.

But I believe we were listened to.

Look at Gordon Brown’s recent plan to inoculate children in the third world. It’s policies like that which are the fruits of our labour.”

Log on to www.makepovertyhistory.org for more information about the 2005 campaign to end global poverty.

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SPECIAL INVESTIGATION

NEWS

BY ANDREW WANDER

PHOTOS: GREG FUNNELL

Monday 19th September 2005

Left: Omar Bakari launches into an anti-American tirade at a demonstration earlier this year, attended by Roar as part of our investigation.

TWO YEARS AGO THE NUS BANNED SEVERAL EXTREME ISLAMIC GROUPS FROM ITS CAMPUSES. LAST MONTH, TONY BLAIR FOLLOWED SUIT, SINGLING OUT SOME OF THE SAME GROUPS FOR A NATIONAL BAN. BUT A ROAR INVESTIGATION CAN REVEAL THAT THESE GROUPS ARE STILL ACTIVE AT UNIVERSITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. An extreme Muslim group, banned two years ago by the NUS and set to be outlawed in anti-terror measures proposed

by Tony Blair, is operating on University of London campuses.

Hizb-ut Tahrir denies any link to terrorist activity, but was prescribed by the NUS as part of their ‘No Platform’ policy, on the grounds that the group is "responsible for supporting terrorism and publishing material that incites racial hatred."

The organisation's principal aim is to establish Islamic rule in all countries that Muslims live in, and to lead its followers "into a struggle with Kufr (disbelievers), its systems and its thoughts so that Islam encapsulates the world".

The group claims to be a purely political organisation, and condemned the 7th July bombings, but that was not enough to prevent Tony Blair from announcing that the organisation, and its spin-off, Al-Muharijiroun, would be banned outright as part of a raft of controversial anti-terror legislation in early August.

However, two weeks before the government announced the ban, Hizb-ut Tahrir's spokesman, Dr Imran Waheed, told The Guardian that despite being prohibited by the NUS the group was still active on many campuses. "We are not working clandestinely or underground on campuses. We have nothing to hide." He went on to say that "at some universities we are allowed to

hold activities"; this included some London universities, which he declined to name. However, allegations persist that since the NUS ban the organisation has operated on university campuses under a series of front names such as the Ideological Society, The Millennium Forum and The 1924 Society.

“Yes, we are proPalestine. Yes, we are anti-Zionist. But this does not warrant a ban.”

Another organisation prohibited by the NUS, The Muslim Public Affairs Committee, claim that they were banned unfairly after internal pressure was applied by the Union of Jewish Students, following the posting of a controversial picture on their website.

"We believe in advancing the Muslim cause through existing structures of democracy, which makes us different from Hizb-ut Tahrir. Banning us only serves the interests of a narrow clique of people opposed to Palestinian rights, and increases Islamophobia across society. Yes, we are pro-Palestine. Yes, we are anti-Zionist. But this does not warrant a ban." The group say that since the ban they have stopped operating on campuses.

Faisal Hanjra, the head of student politics at the Federation of Student Islamic Societies, condemned the position of the government and NUS. He told Roar "Hizb-ut Tahrir operate within the laws of the UK. The ban is simply censorship rather than debate, and represents a threat to free speech in this country. I don't agree with what they say, but they should be allowed to say it."

The controversial ban has also exposed divisions within the NUS. A member of their national executive, Jamal elShayyal said: "You can't outlaw an ideology. As much as I disagree with them, they are not inciteful to anything."

However, the Hizb-ut Tahrir’s activities have provoked concern elsewhere.

Professor Anthony Glees, author of the recent report Security Culture in the UK Today: How Safe Are British Universities, pointed out: "One of the things that brings people to the point of engaging in violent activity is access to terror-justifying ideas. It is the same as the Animal Liberation Front, and the BNP, where free speech is perverted into saying the most appalling things. I would reject the argument that these organisations don't play an important role in pushing people over the threshold."

Professor Glees warned that universities could provide the "tipping point" for young Muslims coming into contact with extremists on campus. He cited the example of the former LSE student

Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, who murdered the American journalist Daniel Pearl in Pakistan. Sheikh has since claimed he was radicalised at the university.

Abu Ali, a postgraduate Muslim student who has studied at King’s College London for over three years, does not think it likely that radical Islamic groups are active at the university.

"There are one or two undesirable elements, but certainly not enough to organise themselves into anything coherent", he said. Ali says he was far more exposed to the extreme groups at secondary school, where a close friend became involved in Al-Muharijiroun.

"He distributed leaflets racially insulting Jews and Hindus. I know that he continued his involvement with the group at London Metropolitan University." He went on to say: "The majority of Muslims at King’s College London would condemn the views of Hizb-ut Tahrir. I know that the group is far more active on other campuses, but thankfully, apart from a few isolated whisperings in the prayer room, which you get anywhere, we don't seem to have a problem here."

KCLSU does not operate the same ‘No Platform’ policy as the NUS and believes that students have the ability to make their own minds up on issues such as this, and everybody has the right to their views.

FEATURES

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Monday 19th September 2005

Fresher’s Finance Guide

Financial struggles are an inevitable part of student life. Whether you’ve got a loan, a job, or just generous parents, it is vital that you think about the best way to manage your money. To help you on your way, Roar has deemed it necessary to bestow upon you kids an invaluable guide to making your pounds stretch that little bit further.

Don’t keep all your cash in the student current account. It’s too easy to get at and it pays you a rubbish interest rate.

However, do take advantage of the bank’s kind interest free overdraft on your current account. But don’t break your overdraft limit or you’ll end up paying a punitive rate of interest as well as the penalty fee the bank charges you to tell you off.

sions do not accept people who have County Court Judgements – banks and accountants certainly do not. Bankrupts are normally not allowed to be company directors – so bang goes running your own company.

“Avoid credit cards like the plague!”

Do withdraw up to your limit, and park 80% of the cash in a net-based savings account – that way you’re borrowing from the bank at zero percent, but lending it to another bank – some banks are currently paying 5% gross on their e-savings account. Make sure you declare that you’re a non-taxpayer or they’ll tax you on the interest. By doing this, your bank is giving you money (for free) which another bank is paying you interest on.

Do avoid credit cards like the plague.

You don’t need them even for an emergency – that’s what your instant transfer savings account cash is for. Don’t be fooled by the low-interest introductory rates either – they quickly ramp up and you find you’re borrowing at north of 15% and you never pay it off i.e. on a grand, you’re chucking away 150 quid a year just in interest charges, without ever paying back the capital.

Don’t buy course books unless absolutely vital – there are usually previous editions available in the library or something with similar content. When you’re done with them, sell them – you won’t be looking back at them fondly in 10 years!

Do cycle – even with Ken’s LT discounts its still cheaper. You can get a good second

hand bike for 50 quid. Buy the helmet new – and bear in mind that more expensive doesn’t mean safer, just more comfortable (anything with a kitemark is fine). Assume 100 quid all-in, and that’s £ 1,400 more you have to spend versus 3 year’s of zone12 travelcards. Oh yeah, and it’s healthy too.

Do use the discounts available through the NUS; places like Pizza Hut and HMV.

Do your food shopping at the end of the day, especially in markets, as stock tends to be reduced before it goes off. On the other hand, food that has actually gone off is even cheaper, and you know how your mum used to say that the bruised bits on bananas were good for you? Scientific FACT. Believe. Mould and and all that, totally healthy.

Do use as many free introductory offers as you can – but remember to cancel them at the end of the period. http://www.studentfreestuff.com/ has a good list of free things that you can have – everything from DVD rental to printer cartridges.

“Trust me, I’m a nurse.”

Introducing Roar’s brand spanking new columnist, Nurse Dan! Do you need our resident healthcare professional’s advice? Got warts in naughty places? Rashes where there ought not to be? Ask Dan!!!

Write to him at features@roar.kclsu.org.

Dear Nurse Dan, whilst walking my dog last night I was struck by lightning. I have since lost control of my bowels and constantly find myself unable to speak properly.

What would you advise?

Name and address withheld.

Dearl Sir/Madam, Incontinence is common after such events and is nothing a swift dose of ferrets won’t cure. They have been used for many years to coax the back passage of many a poor fool into compliance and I see no reason why this should not work here. The ferret is a wise and noble creature, respected by all who encounter it… your intestinal tract will be no exception. A word of warning; be sure the beast in question has respect for you. Befriend him first (females should never be used due to their erratic and unpredictable nature) and ensure he has no ulterior motives.

Rogue ferrets have caused many hideous injuries in the past. The physical scars of the victims barely compare to the mental ones left by these perverse little monsters; no amount of plastic surgery can truly heal those wounds.

As we all are aware lightning is famed for its heat and high impact electrical charge so when one is struck it is common for a residual electric charge and warmth to cohabit within your cranium. I suspect that this is what has caused your incomprehensible speech. This should pass in time, say 3-4 months. However, if the symptoms become really unbearable there is one treatment available; you must attach a set of fairy lights to your ears using stickyback plastic and dip your head in liquid nitrogen. If successful, every third fairy light should explode.

Do buy bulk. If all of the people on your course want to buy the same book, club together and ask for a bulk discount. Most shopkeepers will drop 10% if they’re selling 50 copies in one go.

DISCLAIMER!

Don’t spend any money. Ever. It’s the abstinence principal; you know, don’t want to have kids? Don’t shag. Don’t want to be in an immense amount of debt? Don’t spend any money...simple, yet cunningly affective.

Don’t default to a lender, they can take you to court. Even something as innocuous as a County Court Judgement will make it difficult for you to get credit on anything from a stereo to a mortgage. Some profes-

NURSE DAN!

Photo: Naresh Verlander

PHOTO: NARESH VERLANDER

Nurse Dan isn’t really a nurse. He might not even be called Dan for all we know. Sure, his advice might sound reasonable, you may even want to follow it....but Roar and its affiliates would advise otherwise.

Nurse Dan is a fool, a charlatan, and, on Sundays, runs a brothel in Tottenham. So please don’t listen to what he tells you to do, it’ll probably only exacerbate things. Exacerbate....big word huh? It means ‘to make things worse’ apparently, we just liked that it had the suffix ‘bate’ in it...teeheehee, like ‘masturbate,’ teeheehee.

THE BURNING ISSUE

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FEATURES

Monday 19th September 2005

This issue, as part of KCLSU’s drinking awareness campaign, our contributors tackle a major part of student life; alcohol. We asked “is alcohol an integral and necessary part of the British student experience?” Peter Ellender argues a forceful “No!”, Andrew Wander retorts with an equally forceful “Yes!”...right before slipping out of consciousness and weeing himself.

Imagine a room. Inside the room is a selection of alcoholic beverages, available in inexhaustible quantities. Put ten students into the room. Now predict the outcome; yes, that’s right, pissed students. Why? Do students have some biological need to drink themselves into oblivion, while the rest of civilised society looks on in disgust? Or maybe, despite our reputation, it’s not just students.

Repeat the experiment, but substitute students for soldiers.

Same outcome. Or farmers. And nurses. Spotted the pattern?

The truth is that drinking is not simply a part of student culture, or even a youth culture. It is the social lubricant of our culture in its entirety, permeating from the lowliest park bench hobo glugging Special Brew all the way to the top, to the corridors of power in Westminster and their champagne receptions. Of course, drinking is not a compulsory activity. Neither is eating red meat or watching football. No cultural expression is mandatory, and although our culture contains the scope for almost infinite diversity, the fact remains that culture is defined by the behaviour of its loudest,

NO!

ALCOHOL FACTS!

YES!

most noticeable members. And it is a fact that the drinkers tend to be both loud and noticeable.

For many of us, there are few pleasures in life that can rival a good drink, with friends in an environment that is relaxing and stimulating. By not drinking, you essentially oust yourself from your own potential circles.

While the student culture is a drinking culture, those who do not drink (who are in the minority) are not excluded by the drinkers, but by themselves and their own lack of ability to feel comfortable in alcohol related social situations. But nondrinkers are simply exceptions to the rule, part of the diversity within any community that makes it interesting. If one day, they start shouting about not drinking louder than those that drink shout about drinking (why is it that some people feel the need to list every drink they have had that night, before showing you them on the pavement?), they will probably become the defining element in our culture. Until then, nondrinking students will find themselves subject to what J.S. Mill called the “tyranny of the majority.” And that imaginary experimental room? Also known as a bar.

University, eh? Best years of your life. Non-stop partying, drinking, with occasional lectures thrown in.

That’s the student stereotype.

Although, like all stereotypes it is extreme, the fact remains that student life, student culture, if you’d prefer, is predominantly centred on drinking.

Freshers’ events are based almost entirely around the consumption of alcohol. This is partly because many of the revellers are newly unleashed 18 year olds living away from home for the first time, eager to escape the ever-watchful parental eye, and avoid the cry “it’s not okay to drink”.

But additionally, drink is the readily prescribed cure to early nerves when it comes to living in a new environment and meeting strange, new people.

Initiation to various clubs and societies consists solely of making new members drink as much as they possibly can, and such behaviour is condoned and glamorised in the pages of this very publication. Although such behaviour is not thrust upon us, it seems that it is an unspoken rule that you have to drink to enjoy your time at university.

ing a few drinks and falling over is an important part of growing up, one of those “journey into adulthood” moments if you like, it’s by no means necessary to have a drink in your hand to have a good time at King’s College. How many drunken revellers who meet at Phase, or Fresher’s events actually go on to have a meaningful and lasting friendship, or heaven forbid, relationship?

Of course, being the only sober person at a university party must be about as much fun as sinking into a vat of boiling marmalade. But university is about finally growing up and realising who you are and what it is you want from life. The one lesson I’ve learnt in my time at university is that the most important to thing in life is to be true to yourself.

There are 21,000 people at this university. This doesn’t mean that 21,000 people have to act identically; it means you’re free to be yourself and do whatever you want. It’s almost inevitable that other people will share your hobbies, passions and philosophies. In the unlikely event people don’t want to know you because you don’t drink, then it’s safe to say that they’re probably not grade-A friendship material. The parental cry of “It’s not okay to drink”, ought to be replaced by one that is slightly more thoughtful, “it’s okay not to drink”.

But do you have to drink at university? Although it’s arguable that hav-

Half of all violent crimes are alcohol related.

Around 25% of children aged 11–15 drink alcohol, and they drink an average of around 10 units per week.

Between 15,000 and 22,000 deaths each year are associated with alcohol misuse, mainly resulting from stroke, cancer, liver disease, accidental injury or suicide.

Alcohol in large doses is neurotoxic and sustained high consumption can destroy brain cells.

Friedrich Nietzsche reckoned a glass of wine a day did wonders for your health....he did die quite young mind you....from syphillis. So he’s probably not really worth listening to.

Alcohol intoxication and binge drinking increase the risks of acute haemorrhagicand ischemic strokes by up to ten fold.

Up to 17 million days absent from work are alcohol related

360,000 incidents of domestic violence are linked to alcohol misuse, around a third of all domestic violence.

The loss to the economy of premature death from alcohol misuse is around £2.4 billion each year

SELF

DEFENCE!

FEATURES

Monday 19th September 2005

SAFETY in our fair city is an important issue, as this month’s KCLSU campaign will attest, so we here at Roar thought it apt to not only bring you a harrowing account of one person’s experience of staring crime right in the eyes, but also a guide to the best self defence moves around.

You’ll never feel un-safe with our four point guide to whoop-ass. The only weapons you’ll need are your fists! And a shoe.

By Danielle Fox

The day of my first exam had dawned all too suddenly. Having arrived in Victoria far too early, I ventured into the open arms of the nearest Starbucks to start some frantic last minute cramming. With an egg sandwich and a hot chocolate in hand (brain food), I contentedly sat down next to the window, placing my mobile phone safely (or so I thought) on the table against the wall and immersed myself in the world rural poverty in Tanzania.

My head buried in my notes, I suddenly felt a presence at my side. I looked up distractedly. A young Hispanic man was repeatedly showing me a Starbucks napkin and pushing me, saying ‘Look, Look’.

Naively thinking he was a Starbucks employee, I looked. The man kept pushing the napkin at me, thinking he was playing some sort of caffeine-fuelled serviette game I informed him that I was far too busy for such time wasting frivolities. All of a sudden he ran for his life, for a moment I actually thought I had offended him.

FLING A SHOE!

A great self-defence starting point is this cunning little move.

Firstly remove a shoe, either from your own foot, or from the foot of a consenting spectator.

Secondly, fling it at the designated target. Thirdly, well....it sort of ends there....although, you could throw a second shoe, but realistically, if the first one didn’t work the second one probably won’t either. If this is the case, it’s possible your target has been “shoe-proofed.”

My eyes darted across the table and found an empty space where my phone should have been. A (very embarrassing) high pitched scream emerged from my mouth as I sprinted across Starbucks and tried to grab hold of the man… but instead of apprehending the thieving little twerp I slipped, falling gracefully onto my bottom.

“instead of apprehending the thieving little twerp, I slipped, falling gracefully onto my bottom.”

Fortunately a man walking past with his young son had started to intercept the Hispanic man at the door and out darted four other men from Starbucks to pin him down. My phone dropped to the floor and I picked it up gratefully.

As it was election day, there were copious amounts of police on patrol at the station and hearing our shouts they came to arrest the man (who incidentally turned out to be fifteen). Through many pitiful tears,

GIVE ‘EM A HUG!

Should the shoe flinging fail, heaven forbid, we suggest this rather stealthy move. Simply reach your arms around the target and gently squeeze. This appeals to the sensitive side of the criminal. Instead of retorting angrily, he/she may just think “aw, poor thing, just needs a hug, not a mugging.”

Then, as theyll be in such a vulnerable position, simply kick them really bloody hard in the crotch. Game over, you win.

RUN AWAY!

9

the boy was led away to the station.

Although, when recounting this, it does seem a funny story, at the time it was more of a shock than actually frightening. It made me feel vulnerable and angry that I had let my guard down in a place I considered something of a safe haven. I had to spend hours with the police filling out forms but they were extremely kind and contrary to popular belief they were very supportive.

London is realistically no different from anywhere else in regards to crime, but, as always, awareness is the key to security and safety. The incident has made me, personally, more aware of the crime that is often seen as commonplace in our city, but it has certainly not changed me or deterred me in any respect. It would be understandable for any such experience to scare you into submission and force you to live the life of a paranoid safety-freak, but it’s important to remember that these criminals are a tiny minority. You can’t let fear of crime really affect your life, just by using common sense when going out or when alone you can easily avoid having to go through a similar experience to my own.

A deceptively complex move this, involving picking a direction which is “away” and not “towards” the target. This is the opposite of most other self-defence moves, so be aware of the trickiness involved. Once direction has been picked, run in it. This will thereby take you away from the criminal, and thus away from danger.

INVOKE THE POWER OF THE GODS!

If all else fails, simply invoke the power of the gods. Simple enough really.

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FEATURES

Monday 19th September 2005

The column where you get to tell the world what really gets on your Bristols. This issue, James Proud attacks the ultimate in portable music cool, the I-Pod. The sight of the zombified masses shuffling their way through the streets of London with bizarre medical implants attached to their ears like methadone drips, lost in some semi-comatose world of disillusioned cool inextricably linked to what is essentially a musical cigarette packed, has become commonplace. Everywhere we go, we see people coveting austere little white boxes, their lives horribly mauled by fashion but sucked in too far into the i-pod cult to realise just how addicted they really are.

Sly glances flash between i-geeks; ‘oh you’ve got the big white one too,’ they nod to one another, waves of smug corporate-sponsored satisfaction washing over them.

There hasn’t been a better yuppie icon since the Motorola ‘Brick’.

Fat men in gyms all over the country cling with sweaty mitts to their new toy, students devour them as a symbol of new urban ‘cool’.

People are buying into something disturbing, symptomatic of that yearning to fit in to some school of effortless universal consumer 'cool', where owning an overpriced Tic-Tac somehow levels everyone to the same level of pristine blandness, an empty silhouette dancing to some indistinguishable electro-pap in an advert for yourself with a Starbucks skinny latte and gap jeans.

Who was it that decided that you needed to carry every minor

league indie-band’s b-sides everywhere with you as if your life depended on it? You’ll probably never leave the house until you’ve filled your little white box with all the crappy Japanese import ultra rare tracks you can find. There’s probably a reason they’re ultra rare, they’re ultra shit. Think about the hundreds of pounds spent on these things over the years when you buy the next big thing in a decade’s time - you could have bought an oil painting with that money, a small house perhaps, or just gotten a life. Nevermind saving the foxes Mr Blair, save the country from the all-consuming white blob, it will eat your children and steal your wives - a fox won’t probably won’t.

Do you have something you want to rant about? We want to know.

Email us at roarfeatures@kclsu.org

ATTENTION ALL LGB STUDENTS

KCLSU Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual society would like to welcome all new students to King’s College London, and welcome back all those returning for another hard year’s study.

The society holds regular meetings for LGB students and represents them politically within the union. With a busy social calendar, connections to Welfare amd Sexual Health Support, and a great atmosphere within the society, KCLSU LGB society is the ideal place to meet other students and to get involved with the union.

For membership information kingslgb@hotmail.com or vpedrep@kclsu.org.

Also, look out for the society at the Fresher’s Fairs.

LETTERS

ROAR Y’ ALL MAIL FEELIN’ FINE...

Dear Roar, I was in the Chancery Lane library the other day, queuing up to return some books, and was unfortunate enough to be standing behind some moron who flatly refused to pay his library fines. He appeared to be absolutely outraged that the library should penalise him for selfishly hoarding resources that are supposed to be there for the benefit of all students. He tried several tactics; firstly he was disgusted at the £12.20 ‘extortionate’ fine that, he claimed, must be the result of the library staff ‘having a laugh’. Then, after being told firmly that these were the rules he had signed up to when using the library, he tried to convince the librarian he was in fact impoverished and couldn’t possibly spare the change since he would not longer be able to afford to eat. The librarian remained unconvinced and the student, much to the dismay of the increasing queue behind him, resorted to begging, practically on his hands and knees, to be spared the financial penalty.

I was rather glad to observe that the stoic librarian was in no way phased by this student’s bizarre behaviour and coolly ordered him to move on, which he did. I still cannot understand why some people appear to believe that there is one rule for themselves and another for everybody else. Why shouldn’t someone pay a fine if they haven’t been organised enough to return their books on time? Especially

Monday 19th September 2005

when the limited resources available at KCL libraries means that other students invariably miss out on using books they need.

Return books on time or pay up. And stop whingeing about it.

Yours, Name and address supplied

roar@kclsu.org

COMMERCIAL CHARITY?

Dear Roar, Whilst recently studying in the Chancery Lane Library, I noticed a KCLSU poster advertising the Make Poverty History campaign. Which is all very well and good, BUT at the bottom it conveniantly advertised the fact KCLSU help students stay upto-date with world news and issue due to the fact KCLSU shops sell newspapers.

Now don't get me wrong, I back MPH fully but with this kind of poster coverage don't KCLSU looks suspiciously like those Live 8 stars (i.e. Mariah Carey, Razorlight, etc) who were keen to do their bit in return for enhanced record sales. As Nelson Mandela said (albeit slightly paraphrased) eliminating poverty is not a gesture of charity, but an act of justice. The last time I looked, attempting to make money is not part of justice.

Mariah Carey: Seasoned charity campaigner. campaigner.

11

I appreciate that Commercial services are important in order for the union to survive and provide the many varied services they offer students. However, I am of the firm belief that this Union’s campaigning and commercial messages should be kept entirely separate. To me this soured what was a really good strik-

ing poster that put the MPH message across in an innovative, and eyecatching way.

Such commercial messages are wholly inappropriate and should be removed in the future.

Yours etc, Name and address supplied The inclusion on that particular poster of the fact that we sell newspapers had two aims: one was indeed to increase newspaper sales and thereby increase revenue. The second was to increase newspaper sales and thereby increase student awareness of the global issues that MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY addresses. KCLSU attempts at all times to strike a balance between its ethical and political stance and the fact that taking such a stance requires financing. Although we understand the view that you have taken, we would rather argue that by spending money in our shops, students are at once supporting both the activities their peers wish to carry out and campaigns such as MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY, which we would otherwise not be able to inform them about.

Emma Wynne, VP Education & Representation vpedrep@kclsu.org .

SOMETHING TO SAY? WE WANT TO HEAR IT. WRITE TO ROAR@KCLSU.ORG

Ro a r s e n d s i t s c o n g r a t u l at i o n s t o t h e v i c t o r i o u s E n g l a n d c r i c ke t t e a m !

14

FILM

Monday 19th September 2005

The Business / 18 / dir: Nick Love / with: Danny Dyer, Geoff Bell, Tamer Hassan / out now Nick Love’s latest ‘lads going mad’ picture is set in the expat-dominated English south of Spain during the Thatcherite 80’s. While the film’s plot of small-time crook making the big leagues during the 80’s coke craze may feel familiar, the slick acting and cinematography feel fresh, with charismatic, enjoyable performances from Tamer Hassan and Geoff Bell.

The film wears its period setting well: Frankie (Dyer) cruises around Malaga with Frankie Goes to Hollywood pumping out, sporting anything from Sergio Tachinni to old school Fila trainers. The framing and style of the shots also lend the film some 80s authenticity.

However, beneath the glossy finish is the need for a believable plot and originality, neither of which is bursting from The Business. The plot development and script are too similar to Love’s last hit, Football Factory, a fact not aided by the inclusion of Factory star Dyer as the protagonist or the roles of Tamer Hassan and Roland Manookian.

One cannot help but feel that Love sat down with Sexy and Goodfellas, Beast, Scarface and cut-n-pasted their respective ideas into one, very long, trailer. With such high standards the result is inevitably less than the sum of its well-oiled parts, despite the poster’s exorbitant claims to the contrary.

The Business is an undoubtedly stylish film that is worth seeing, if only to enjoy the gloss and to have an opinion on. Expect anything more substantial, however, and you’ll leave disappointed.

Last Days / 18 / dir: Gus Van Sant / with: Michael Pitt, Lukas Haas / out now Right. If you like plot-driven cinema, filled with action - any action - and with healthy doses of sex and/or violence, then take heed: this is a pretentious film from Gus Van Sant, a director redsicovering his pretentious roots. But it’s also being reviewed by a whore of all things pretentious; I really love it. You may not.

Last Days is based on the last days (see?) of Kurt Cobain, as Michael Pitt plays Blake, a mumbling musical genius.

Pitt is superb, his performance all the more impressive for his near-silence and hidden face, concealed behind the iconic Cobain locks. The film meanders along with Blake as he makes a bowl of Coco Pops, deals with salesmen and, basically, dies. At times this verges on the slapstick - Buster Keaton on smack - as he stumbles away from friends and hangers-on, and falls over. He falls over a lot.

Van Sant goes on to conscientiously destroy all rock film clichés - the presence of Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon represents the only flicker of self-referentiality. Drugs are visible only in the gurning faces of his cast; rock chicks are conspicuous by their absence. Van Sant employs the elliptical style of his Columbine-inspired Elephant to lend structure to his cast’s improvisations, ably assisted by cinematographer Harris Savides’s Steadicam shots and detached deep focus, and Hildegard Westerkamp’s original compositions that bring life to the empty frames.

After Gerry and Elephant, Van Sant’s tabloid-inspired doomed youth trilogy is completed by this parable on the myth of celebrity. Do not watch Last Days for a recreation of Cobain’s death. Watch it as a meditation on the mundane tragedy of drug-fuelled debauchery.

- Martin Blank

Crash / 18 / dir: Paul Haggis / with: Matt Dillon, Sandra Bullock / out now Crash’s opening voiceover outlines the tragedy ahead: “Sometimes we need to crash into people to make us feel that we are alive.” Yes, the tragedy is the script. Regardless of context, the writer-director Paul Haggis’s dialogue is sentimental, laboured, patronising, ridiculously academic, false, and utterly awful.

Haggis’s debut is an ensemble drama concerning racial tensions during an uncharacteristically chilly 48 hours in LA. The cast is a mix of unknowns and stars, with the lesser names generally outshining the more famous faces, although the best performance and most three-dimensional character is Matt Dillon’s racist cop. The beautifully gritty DV photography, the film’s main positive, is too often replaced by unsubtle close ups, draining the humanity from the characters’ stories.

The film wants to be a post-9/11 Do The Right Thing, a contrasting racial drama set in a scorching 24 hours in New York. However, while Lee’s film radiates urban authenticity, Crash feels like another well-intentioned white director dealing with racism in an attempt to make a statement on America’s political climate.

Ultimately, this is a humourless film that can’t help but bring a smile to your face because its narrative is so implausibly melodramatic. Sadly, though, it has been marketed “as a serious gritty realist tragedy,” and that is the greatest tragedy of them all.

- Joel Pullin

THREE THINGS WE REALLY LIKED THIS SUMMER...

- David Robertson

Jamie Bell: from ballet to Hollywood via the US indie scene. Even good in that Green Day video. Nice one.

Dig!: the best film we’ve seen since May. So good it made us try and get into The Dandy Warhols. Mistake.

The King Kong trailer: you don’t hear people moaning about remakes when Peter Jackson’s doing the remaking. Jack Black going blockbuster. Oh, and Jamie Bell’s in it. Of course.

...AND THREE THINGS WE DIDN’T PARTICULARLY LIKE

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Tim Burton goes style over substance. Again. Meanwhile, Jonny Depp crosses the never-finer line between brilliant and apalling. Although having said that, everyone else seemed to like it, so maybe we’re waaaay off here. Maybe.

That Keira Knightley trailer - the one where she goes on about being “a bounty hunter”. Go away.

Star Wars Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith - more Georgre Lucas nerd fodder.

in some countries. I gave her my heart, she gave me a pen. ...but dickless here turned the power off. Is this true? I’m afraid it is true sir - this man has no dick. And then I chinned him in the knee. I gave her a harp for Christmas...

she looked at it, asked me what it was.

Jimmy, do you like movies about gladiators? I killed Musafa. Goodbye, Mr Anderson. HELLO? I want to be on you. No - wait, wait.... I

wanna be on you. They’re noodles, Michael. What... is your favourite colour? He made her laugh! Because some damn fool said you were the best. Dillon! Good to see you, Dutch. What’s with this fucking tie business? Forget about

the tie. Would someone get this walking carpet out of my way? Life is like an ocean; you gotta drown in it to experience its intensity. Garth, marriage is a punishment for shoplifting

FASHION

15

News, opinion, factfiles, gossip and fashion, Roar brings you all you need to know this autumn Signs of the Sixties

A chic rebellion came to pass on the Autumn/Winter catwalks when designers took their cue from sixties It girl Edie Sedgwick.

Edie Sedgwick, the wild-child muse of Andy Warhol, had an iconic image that reflected the edgy cool of the New York art scene of the sixties.

The bleach blonde crop, oversized earrings, and black tights teamed with a mini-dress or sometimes just a tank top was a look all of her own.

A muse for Alexander McQueen, Luella, and John Galliano at Dior, Edie’s look led to an influx of black and white stripped jumpers, black leggings and ballet flats on the catwalk. John Galliano reflected on his

Monday 19th September 2005

collection by saying that, “We wanted to carry on the influence from Edie Sedgwick... to treat the whole thing with a more downtown kind of feeling than uptown.”

To get the look, the essential item is undoubtedly the black and white jumper. However, save money and try H&M first, as this look is distinctive and will have a short shelf-life.

More durable items on the catwalk included flat crocodile skin boots, black tights or skinny jeans, and newsboy caps as seen here on the Dior catwalk.

Accessory of the moment: Dior Sheepskin bag, A/W 05 ready to wear catwalk.

* Black - the major colour of this season and flattering! * High leather boots - either flat or with heels. * Tights opaque or fishnet if you dare. * Hats newsboy caps, fedoras

NOT...

OR

Focus on...Giorgio Armani

* Background: A former medical student, Giorgio Armani held his first show in 1975. He became a household name in 1980 when he dressed Richard Gere with his elegant designs in American Gigolo. * Signature Style: His dislike for the restrictive structure of previous eveningwear led him to design suits and evening gowns that followed a more sleek silhouette. * His popularity stems from the casual elegance that his designs bestow on the wearer. * Armani himself pinpointed his popularity when he said, ‘I am not a designer who likes fuss and design for designs’ sake, I want people to feel comfortable and confident in my clothes. * Armani designs have become synonymous with modern minimalism due to his frequent use of neutral shades.

Giorgio Armani, Mens Ready to Wear Spring/Summer 06

HOT...

My Style

Info: Jay Clarke, 21, 3rd year Ancient History.

What are you wearing? Levi’s jean, an army surplus shirt, and wooden beads from Camden market.

Why this outfit? I feel it looks good, but mainly because it’s comfortable. Style inspiration? Keith Chegwin. Where is your favourite place to shop? I really like Camden and it’s so close to where I live.

Signature look? Long hair because it’s more fun than short hair. So what products do you use to keep it so shiny? Tresemme shampoo, conditioner and hair serum for normal hair. .

Abandon all signs of summer and lose... * A mix of bright colours and floral prints. * Canvas wedges or espadrilles * Shorts - did many people get around to

wearing these?

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Monday 19th September 2005

MUSINGS

Reviewed

MUSIC

Levy - Rotten Love

Super Furry Animals – Love Kraft

Tony Yayo - Thoughts O of A Predicate Felon

Spyamp - GTi.

You could say the indie scene is pretty clogged up these days, with old bands sticking around either throwing out more of the same, or trying out new sometimes poorly chosen experimental ideas, and new “up and coming” bands being three a penny.

Enter Levy, a New York indie band made up of a former solo artist, James Levy who was convinced to form a band by guitarist Matt Siskin, who play a light and enjoyable indiepop.

If you have ever read anything about the Super Furry Animals, it will have included the words innovative, daring, genius, irreverent, important, psychedelic and welsh. They have been termed the most important band of the last 15 years and are the nearest we have to the “new Beatles”. Their albums are invariably “defining” of something or other. Everyone loves the Furries.

The latest solo release by a member of G-Unit, Tony Yayo’s “Thoughts…” is long overdue, he had to wait however, due to being incarcerated in Riker’s Island, the heart of New York City’s jail system.

On ‘GTi’ Scottish four piece Spyamp deliver 12 melodic post-hardcore tunes laden with lengthy instrumental breaks which reveal indubitably impressive musicianship. Sadly, the occasionally charming vocals seem to get lost amongst the spiky, infectious riffs which might explain why the ninety second purely instrumental track “Seaview” is an album highlight.

FESTIVAL ANNOYANCES No matter how good a festival may be, there is always something- usually someone- that will make your blood boil. It would seem there are always a few who have no care as to how their actions may affect you. As your festival experience suffers they remain blissfully unaware and go about their annoying business.

The shoulder lift for one; her three day old thong showing out of the back of her mud encrusted jeans may be a sight indeed, but something about her back is just nowhere near as good as the band you were watching until some tall bloke looking to get laid took pity on some poor midget and took ‘em up on his shoulders. No matter how much you push them or you try to burn her hair during the ballad, she won’t get down, and may even have the audacity to ask if you thought the band were as good as she thought they were from her “great” vantage point.

“There’s no need to wave a Thundercats flag at a festival” Recent festivals have seen the emergence of something far more annoying than a short ass on a lanky dude’s shoulders, flags. You will see them as you look to the stage, only to find it obscured by a multitude of colourful flags flying in the breeze. The thing is, there’s no need to wave a Thundercats flag at a festival.

Granted, during the day it could serve as a meeting point for you and your friends in a crowd, but while I am trying to watch a headline act, and marvel at the front man’s onstage antics the sight of your rainbow “peace” flag leaves me far from peaceful. I could watch the big screens, but low and behold your annoying clone friend has a flag the size of a bed sheet, and is, uh, blocking the sight of the screen.

While in the crowd you might be the victim of a thrower. Usually a man, who finishes his beverage, looks at the receptacle it came in and sees not a piece of litter but a missile, cue possibly half finished beer cup, possibly containing piss, flying overhead to hit some unsuspecting customer in the head, and drench all others in its wake. Nice.

And as you make your way back to your tent in the pitch black night, weary from a great day, nothing could be better than every other camper putting out all of their guy lines to make sure that those highly unlikely force five gale winds that are on their way don’t blow their tent away while they are watching the bands. No thought is made of your ankles or what was your face as you end up impaling it on a tent peg. As you lay concussed you are brought round by the angry yelling of the tent’s inhabitant who has been “rudely” awaken by your near fatal fall. Happy campers indeed.

Edward Drummond

The album though good, it gets better as you get into it, and featuring a few gems, notably “In The Woods” which includes the line “don’t tell me that you love me if you don’t know why” and “On The Dance Floor”, is, at times, patchy. It is surprising for a band with a former solo artist who played around New York’s Lower East Village before the band did their time on New York’s live scene supporting acts such as Adam Green, the Zutons and Razorlight should have produced a patchy album.

Commercial success however, seems likely. Though the band will not enjoy the rapid ascension of other New York indie luminaries such as the Strokes, first single “Rotten Love” has already been single of the week on Gideon Coe and Phil Jupitus’ morning show on BBC Radio 6, and their light poppy indie is sure to appeal to a wide audience, there is something of the Cribs’ debut here.

Despite “Rotten Love” not being a strong as it has the potential to be, it is enjoyable and a follow up could tick all the boxes.

Andrew Wander

Their latest album, Love Kraft, contains at least two tracks “Cloudberries”, “Cabin Fever” that without the aid of decent production from Ex-Beasties producer Mario Caldato, would be sub-David Gray at best, and ensure that the album goes out with a muted snivel.

So, why the adoration? It’s because the rest of the album is a collection of the most wonderfully crafted pop tunes around. The opener, “Zoom!”, a song about lost love and the Virgin Mary having problems with family planning just hits the weird-pop spots no-one else can get close to, ‘Frequency’ is a melancholic gem about the state of the world; “You say history will be your judge, but the jury is whipped, gagged and drugged”.

“Psyclone!” exists in a genre of its own, tin-drum n’ bass, and marks the highpoint of the album.

As they say, you can’t polish a turd, but SFA manage to distract you from their weaker points with such summits that you really don’t mind that they are there.

Guy Barnes

The time inside has certainly left its mark on the album, the intro is the instructions given to new arrivals during a strip search “bend over, grab your ass, and give me two good coughs”, followed by opening track “Homicide”, an angry tale of murder on the streets, and the ease with which people are taken out “when I pull up kid, I turn your brains into red concrete stains” making for a thought provoking an incendiary introduction.

Other stand out tracks include the first single to be released “So Seductive” which features 50 Cent and his trademark drawl-rap style and the Eminem produced “Drama Setter” which also features Eminem singing his bit.

The album is executively produced by 50 Cent, but the individual tracks are produced by different people, including Eminem, and DJ Khalil. The different producers makes for a diverse sound, which sets this out from many other hip hop releases of late which get a bit bogged down by producers who get a little stale as the album progresses.

They appear to wear influences on their sleeves; “Administer” is reminiscent of early Foo Fighters and “Aquatic Justice” evokes the memory of Idlewild when they used to sound loud and chaotic. At the same time, there are also moments of refreshing originality to be found here- where you get the feeling that Spyamp have found a sound to call their own. This is particularly evident on infectious standout track ‘Megaman’ and the hugely energetic blast that is “The Joy of Bowls”.

Originality is a laudable achievement in the thick of today's punk/emo/post hardcore scene, however some moments on ‘GTi’ take the experimental dynamic a little too far; “Earlyman” is lyrically bizarre; voicing desires to “live in a cave” and “climb trees with ease’.

Though this is like a lot of other mainstream hip hop releases in its tales of gangs, murder, drugs and girls, it is different in its changing styles and makes for quite an interesting record.

With a performance at T in the park and a Radio One evening session under their belts I’d say we can expect big things from Spyamp.

‘GTi’ might not be earth shattering but it’s certainly interesting and in a world of identical indie bands and Coldplay clones that might just be what counts

Edward Drummond

Kelly Brodie

MUSIC

Monday 19th September 2005

Festival Roundup

As summer draws to a close, take a moment to reflect on this year’s festival season. The usual British summer had a laugh at the expense of many a happy camper, but once again a mixture of music, booze, and general festival cheer pulled the masses through. We take a look at what some of the festivals had to offer.

Hurricane Festival 10th-12th June Hurricane is a well-established event in the German festival season, taking place in the north of Germany, it features 44 bands on two stages. Saturday was the festival highlight with both the Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster and System of A Down playing.

For a band as unique and intensely powerful as Eighties Matchbox it is a shame to see them on the bill at 11 am on a Saturday morning, yet they effortlessly pull off a blinding show. Their spectacular mix of trash metal riffs, uncompromising lyrics, frenetic drumming and mental shouting captivates the crowd. Singer Guy McKnight, with his deep and hypnotic voice and voodoo priest moves, is as much showman as he is shaman. The acoustic “Puppy Dog Snails” leaves the audience stunned by such a surprising turn from speed punk scream gothabilly to toned down quieter chanting tunes. The band truly deserves thirty thousand not thirty fans.

Saturday night headliners SOAD are an exceptional band. Singer Serj Tankian’s charisma combined with his outstanding vocal abilities, grip the audience from the first second of the set. Daron Malakian`s guitar play, and John Dalmayan’s heavy drumming contribute to an energetic metal show. In the System experience there is always a morbid quality to the orchestral parts, which are slightly reminiscent of old horror movie soundtracks and, when paired with the political nature of the lyrics, generate an individual and bleak avant-garde style. That individuality still applies to the masses as judged from the audience’s hysteric reaction.

SOAD’s music is not easy to digest, but it raises awareness and is socially conscious. The band seem like a cure to modern day apathy and depressing future predictions.

G lastonbury

24th-26th June

This year the now infamous rain and mud were ever present; a month’s rain fell in eight hours on the night of the eve of the festival, forcing the three

main stages to open late. The newly named John Peel Stage however opened on time, one suspects the DJ legend’s ghost had something to do with it as his personal favourites the Undertones opened the Pyramid stage.

The rain flooded a number of fields, leaving people homeless, and often possession-less. Many left, others stayed, and the festival went ahead as planned.

It manages to combine original and up and coming artists with a relaxed atmosphere and enough organic food to keep a small army of hungry hippies satisfied for a good few weeks.

Whether it’s chilled out beats your after or obscure electronica there’s something to satisfy everyone’s musical appetites. Some of the highlights of this year were the highly entertaining Ukulele Orchestra, who serenaded an audience of slightly drunken big chillers under the late afternoon sun with their rendition of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’. There really is nothing quite like watching the sunset over the Malvern Hills, with a Strongbow in hand and listening to ‘Le Freak’ being strummed out on 7 ukes.

Finally for those of you who need those glow sticks surgically removed from your hands, the club tent has a pumping mix of house, techno and D&B blasting out until 3am, although being stuck in a tent with a bunch of sweaty ravers isn’t exactly my thing.

On Saturday, some 134 000 people joined hands for the Make Poverty History campaign ahead of the G8 summit the following week. At 4pm the masses held hands and raised them to the sky in a massive sign of unity. The moment brought all the stages to a halt, as, on the Pyramid Stage Sir Bob Geldof, joined on stage by Michael Eavis, made a speech rallying the people to stand up to the leaders of the G8 and push for change.

Saturday night saw Coldplay deliver an emphatic set from the iconic Pyramid stage. I’m not a big fan, but it’s always great to watch an all-conquering band play a big gig on a big stage. Coldplay fulfilled the expectations playing both old favourites such as “Yellow” and new hits such as “Fix You”. One of the set’s highlights was their rendition of Kylie’s “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head”, though quite surreal; Coldplay did the song more than justice.

The big chill doesn’t set out to wow audiences with big name stars, like those gracing the stages of Glastonbury, Leeds etc. It’s the very lack of crowd pulling names that enables ‘the chill’ to remain so unique. It allows original and talented groups, on the cusp of fame (such as Lemonjelly), to showcase their sound whilst remaining unswamped by hoards of 18 year old indie fans.

On Sunday, the one who has been called a genius, Connor Oberst’s Bright Eyes, played the John Peel tent. To say he rubbed the crowd up the wrong way would be an understatement. Mocking Glastonbury prices, Make Poverty History and going as far as to call John Peel a cokehead, the crowd didn’t have patience. But in between the rants, it was obvious why this guy is becoming a cult hit. With “A Lover I Don’t Have To Love”, the mix between angst and talent that hadn’t been seen since the days of Nirvana was on full show.

V Festival 20th-21st August The V Festival, ten years old this year, is sometimes referred to as the ‘posh Glastonbury’. Indeed, the toilets are almost fragrant in comparison, and I saw no toilet-tipping antics, throwing up or a single fight. Their absence, however, just didn’t feel right. Posh doesn’t necessarily mean fun and the rules and regulations of the V Festival are what lets it down.

Big Chill 5th–7th August It’s been described as “the festival where 30 something ravers go when they get a mortgage” but whether your 20 or 50 The Big Chill really does live up to its name.

The line-up this year - although nowhere near as good as 2004 - was OK. The highlight for me was definitely The Music, who played two tracks from their yet to be released third album and seemed ten times louder than all the other acts. In fact there was no real reason to leave the Channel 4

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Stage all of Saturday night, with blinding sets from The Hives, Prodigy and The Ordinary Boys.

Sunday night was of course all about Oasis, and I have to admit the atmosphere was great and I was soaked in eau de Carling before the show even started. When Liam eventually appeared, tambourine in mouth the crowd went ballistic. Luckily, the band seem to have realised that their new album is pants and played ‘Lyla’ and ‘The Importance of Being Idle’ before delving into their more suitable archives.

‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ showcased Noel’s always remarkable voice, and their finale rendition of ‘My Generation’ was definitely (in Liam’s words) “something to get you fooking dancing”.

Reading 26th-28th August Trudging on a land of barely there grass and beer cans with the smell of chips in the air, the annual gathering of suburban punks, pasty indie kids and teenage metallers is here once again.

Reading offered a particularly strong line up this year featuring the good (The Pixies, Iggy and the Stooges and, Iron Maiden), the bad (Fightstar), and the downright bonkers (Turbonegro).

Despite being little known The Blood Arm wow the crowd and have everyone talking about them. The androgynous charms of front man Nathaniel immediately won over a fair-sized crowd in the Carling Tent. His onstage antics are reminiscent of a young Eddie Vedder, and evoking Jim Morrison, as he climbs to the rafters of the tent and dives into the crowd. “Do I Have Your Attention” and “Say Yes” are just great songs. One gets the feeling it won’t be long before a lot more people are talking about them.

Friday night sees the return of the Pixies, who don’t disappoint. Opening with a brutal “U-Mass”, Frank Black screams with an almost frightening violence as the veins pop up in his forehead.

Their greatest hits set is fantastic, even in front of an oddly subdued crowd; “Debaser” quite frankly rocks and “Monkey Gone To Heaven” still puts a smile on even the most sceptical of the crowd. Joey Santiago’s guitar solo on “Vamos” is discordantly brilliant but it takes the surf-rock of “Here Comes Your Man” to really perk the crowd up.

The finale of “In Heaven” and “Where Is My Mind?” is breathtaking and one has to remember where rock would be without the Pixies: Nirvana would certainly have sounded quite different.

Written by Linda Aust, Edward Drummond, Ryan Abumehdi, Kate Nettleton, Emma Kidd, Ming Wu, Julian Hough & Simon Garrard

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Monday 19th September 2005

THIS GONZO HAS GONE TO HEAVEN BOOKS

BY ANDREW WANDER

It was the last act in an extraordinary life. Suitably flamboyant, bizarre and individual, the 20th August saw Hunter S. Thompson, author of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and pioneer of the much imitated Gonzo style of journalism depart this mortal coil in style, as his ashes were fired into the night sky from a cannon. The 150 foot tall cannon, which Thompson designed before his suicide in February, was shaped like a double thumbed fist, and was fired to the tune of Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man” alongside a breathtaking display of fireworks.

Thompson’s good friend Johnny Depp, who played him in the movie adaptation of Fear and Loathing, funded the private funeral, attended by 280 people. "All I'm doing is trying to make sure his last wish comes true. I just want to send my pal out the way he wants to go out", he told Associated Press.

And so, as the roar of the mighty can-

non reverberated around Aspen, Colorado, and the light of the fireworks faded, the world was left to mourn the loss of one of the great experimental writers of a generation.

One of Thompson’s favourite sayings was “Buy the ticket, take the ride.” On the 20th of August, he did.

"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me."

HUNTER .S THOMPSON 1937- 2005

PASSIONATE ABOUT LITERATURE? WE NEED A NEW LITERARY EDITOR AND BOOK REVIEWERS. EMAIL US AT roar@kclsu.org HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE

J. K. Rowling

So predictably one of this summers big reads was “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” which came out on the 16th of July, and yes I was excited. I am also slightly embarrassed to say that I collected my copy at midnight on a Friday night whilst being heckled by other muggles between bars slightly more dunk then myself.

Now as a big HP fan I’ve tried to be as fair and unbiased as possible, and after reading the book a second time it has been easier to criticise then I initially thought.

In this novel, J K Rowling is clearly relying upon her popoularity to make With a gap of almost the book work. two years between this book and the last, and three years before that, casual readers of the series will struggle. If you’ve read them all recently, or just discovered them then you’ll be absolutely fine.

Unlike the second and third there are no, mostly tedious, reminders of past events. So if you haven’t re-read the first few books only to discover important details are missing you may find yourself asking "whose Lupin?" "when did X die?" "Umbridge?". With plenty of in-jokes that will be picked up on by frequent readers only, I appreciate that to many the book will be somewhat confusing and dull.

This book is not so much the “filler” that the fifth was, and more important developments and action occurs.

Although the main action sequence leaves you with, when all is said and done, nothing but a death, the journey there is rivetting, spontaneous and paves the way for an exhilarating finale.

As always the sub-plots continue and predictably there is lots of romance, which is often childish, repetitive, and frustrating. Harry and his friends are sixteen/seventeen now, and to be going on about the same trivial things as the last book is immature. I appreciate as a book mainly read by children there can be no raunchy sex scenes and here in lies the essential problem with this book.

As the popularity of Harry Potter has grown JK has tried to appeal to both adults and children and thus hangs in a limbo as neither.

Don’t get me wrong I found this to be a great book, it was brilliant in parts and finally we find out more about the history of the Deatheaters and chiefly Hewho-must-not-be-named. With some surprising twists and a desperate end you begin to feel for Harry and the task ahead.

As with all the HP books this one will have to stand up to hefty criticism from those who don’t consider this stlye of book as literature worthy of praise...but I would have to agree with the words of Voldemort, "Greatness inspires envy..."

If I had to give a mark out of ten for JK´s effort in this latest installmentit would be a worhty 7/10. Definately worth a read.

BY DAVID WILLS

THE CLOSED CIRCLE

Jonathan Coe

Jonathan Coe’s The Rotters’ Club was published in 2001 to wide critical acclaim and bestselling success. It was immortalised by the BBC in a successful adaptation and was revered for its touchingly honest portrayal of growing up in the unstable social climate of the 1970s.The Closed Circle is the much anticipated follow-up novel which visits Benjamin Trotter and his acquaintances as adults.

At the end of The Rotters’ Club, Margaret Thatcher is about to be elected Prime Minister and at the start of the sequel, Tony Blair and New Labour are centre stage. The book focuses this time on Benjamin Trotter’s younger and rather unsavoury brother, Paul who is now a Labour MP. As Paul struggles to reconcile his political ambitions with his romantic yearnings, we encounter several familiar characters (Doug Anderton, now a famous journalist, Clare Newman who is still obsessed with her sister’s disappearance) and meet a few new ones. Just as The Rotters’ Club was set against the backdrop of class struggles and IRA bombings, The Closed Circle homes in on a time when the shiny optimism of Blair’s Britain is being beginning to tarnish. The book is undeniably less magical than its predecessor, but this is no doubt deliberate. As adults, the group have lost their innocence and their mystique - they no longer

believe in either themselves or the government of their country. Coe has a talent for positioning his characters in a time that reflects exactly all their faults and hopes and disappointments, and the debate about the war in Iraq perfectly epitomises Paul Trotter’s moral quandaries. This book has leapt from its sepia origins into the bright digital focus 21st century without really explaining what happened in between, just examining the effects. We are given mere scraps of information about the two decades that have passed since we last saw Benjamin and the gang, but the rest is left to our imaginations, not only by the reader but the characters themselves who are still trying to unearth twenty-year-old truths of their own.

The Closed Circle is simply not as touching as The Rotters’ Club, but perhaps this is the whole point. As adults, The Rotters’ Club are as disillusioned and as catastrophically clueless as ever. There is no sense of a conventionally “happy” ending, with each character following their controversial paths at the novel’s close. It is an uncomfortable thought that perhaps the novel is too close to the truth to be considered as enjoyable a book as its originator, which was set in an untouchable era, and whose conclusion could therefore be lamented rather than feared.

BY EMMA KIDD

Monday 19th September 2005

NEEDS YOU

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ROAR IS CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR NEW TEAM MEMBERS. WE HAVE POSITIONS AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE PAPER, SO WHATEVER YOUR AREA OF INTEREST, WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU NEWS EDITOR ASSITANT NEWS EDITOR WRITERS DEADLINE EDITORS DESIGNERS EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS SOCIETIES EDITOR

WORKING AT ROAR PROVIDES UNPARALLELED EXPERIENCE, ESSENTIAL TO ANY FUTURE MEDIA CAREER. KCLSU PROVIDE FULL TRAINING IN INDUSTRY STANDARD PROGRAMMES AND TECHNIQUES.

EMAIL ROAR@KCLSU.ORG OR SEE US AT THE FRESHER’S FAIRS.

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WHAT’S ON

WHAT’S ON

Monday 19th September 2005

Hey there Kids! Now the summer’s over and a brand new year is upon us, we at Roar have a few select ideas to kick off the new year in style. Why not check out Death of a Salesman at the Lyric, or how about a night at Ronnie Scotts? One of the many KCLSU nights on offer may be more to your taste or maybe a visit to the excellent Frida Kahlo exhibition at Tate Modern. Whatever your taste, What’s On has something for you.

Falls’ “Salesman” is “not a dime a dozen”

Arthur Miller’s modern tragedy, Death of a Salesman, has been successfully revived at the Lyric theatre in memoriam of its creator who died earlier this year, and it has apparently lost none of its power to move an audience.

Robert Falls may be credited for directing the quintessential version of Miller’s masterpiece, and its raw emotional impact alone justifies a popular reception from a contemporary audience. Willy American Loman’s Arthur Miller, honoured by this run of his famous play. Dream is painfully quashed with unrelent-

ing intensity, as the hallucinatory and the real worlds begin to fuse and angry eruptions of insanity lead to the inevitable climactic ending.

A sense of foreboding is present from the outset, with the effective use of a rotating stage, sliding screens, dimmed lighting and box-like apartment set which imprison the characters in their own domain of helplessness. The mercurial acting of Brian Dennehy as the tragic hero Willy carries the catastrophic momentum of the production, as his

Student discounts at Ronnie’s and all that Jazz!

In its 46th year as the most prestigious Jazz venue in the metropolis, Ronnie Scott’s is one of the oldest clubs of its kind in the world, and it continues to attract the brightest stars in the firmament.

The club’s incredible archive of past heroes includes Ella Fitzgerald, “Dizzy” Gillespie and the great Ronnie Scott himself, however its list of recent leading musicians is by no

means dwindling. Last year alone, gifted American vocalist Madeleine Bell, charismatic Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts and legendary trumpet player Maynard Ferguson all visited the mecca of Jazz on Frith Street, while the appearance of mainstream star Jamie Cullum (pictured, left) last month is a tribute to Ronnie’s massive sphere of attraction.

Amazingly, this great musical institution is little more than a dingy, smokefilled cavern crammed with yellowing photographs of past performers and creaky tables, which all add to its stiflingly intimate atmosphere and give the audience a genuine taste for entertainment from a different age. Being faithful to the informal nature of the genre, it seeks in no way to be elitist, as there is no dress-code and the basic menu is limited and yet, as the support band set begins

at 9.30pm, more than sufficient for an after-dinner snack. There is also a dance club, typically named “Upstairs”, open from 10pm on Thursdays and from 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays, which plays a variety of salsa, funk, soul and disco.

Whether you are a Jazz aficionado or just curious to see a side to the music industry unsullied by commercialism, Ronnie Scott’s provides a fantastic evening from Monday to Saturday.

There is a discount for students (26 and under) for a mere £10 entry from Monday to Wednesday, which is an unmistakable bargain. Prior reservations are advisable, but you may still queue outside for standing room from 8.30pm onwards.

By Julian Hough

tumultuous outbursts lead to the anticipated confrontation with his son Biff, which is another sterling performance from Douglas Henshall.

Opposite Dennehy, Clare Higgins plays Linda with unprecedented strength, unfailing loyalty to her flawed husband and anger towards her remiss sons, while her uncontrollable wailing before Willy’s grave imbues the play with a haunting resonance beyond the final curtain.

The Lomans are also bolstered by an impressive supporting cast-

most notably Howard Witt as Charley, whose smugness and carefree philosophy provide slight comic relief from the onslaught of his friend’s despair.

Those familiar with other productions of Salesman or the superbalbeit far tamer- 1985 film version starring Dustin Hoffman and John Malkovich will be delighted with Fall’s reworked emotional roller coaster, and will undoubtedly find it both painful and gut wrenchingly enthralling.

Now booking...

By Julian Hough

Opeth, Sweden’s premier prog-metallers return to London in November to play more dates support of their universally acclaimed eighth album Ghost Reveries. Opeth are a stunning live band mixing haunting melodies with blasts of earmelting extreme metal in their epic prog-rock wigouts. They even play the odd ballad. Everything you could ever want in a band and so much more. Now’s the ideal time to catch them live before they take over the world! PE Opeth play the London Forum on November 30th. Tickets cost £17 and can be purchased from www.meanfiddler.com

See pages 12 and 13 for our fresher’s events guide

WHAT’S ON

WHATS ON

Monday 19th September 2005

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Catch Kahlo on canvas at the Tate her paintings are often darkly humorous and witty. More known for her unsettling selfportraits, the exhibition in Tate Modern offers a wider spectrum of her work. Still life paintings of fruits resembling anatomical figures stand alongside satirical cartoons of political figures.

Influenced both by the traditional Mexican Folk Art and the Avant Garde movement of Cubism and Futurism sweeping Europe at the time, her art is a kaleidoscopic of colours that is at times violent and surreal, yet never self indulgent. Rather than sinking into despair, Kahlo uses her physical and emotional suffering to create art that is both passionate and beautiful. Expect to be disturbed yet strangely uplifted. Catch it while you can.

Frida Kahlo at the Tate Modern until 9th October

QUIRKY

The phrase ‘breast bearing’ takes on a whole new meaning as two identical women sit, fully clothed except for the left sides of their chests, where their hearts are exposed in graphic anatomical detail. The two hearts are connected by a single vein, yet the heart on the left is bleeding as the vein under the woman’s arm is cut off.

Blood spills on her pristine Mexican wedding dress.

Another of Frida Kahlo’s best known works, The Two Fridas, portrays the violence unleashed in her stormy divorce from her artist husband Diego Rivera.

Libertine, bohemian, feminist and artist, Frida Kahlo is one of the most fascinating figures emerging from the early twentieth century. A self - taught painter, plagued by health problems through out her life, Kahlo uses paint and canvas as a medium through which to express her rage and physical suffering.

Many of her self-portraits depict herself as vulnerable or decapitated.

Although death is a dominant theme in Kahlo’s work,

Rollerblading in Hyde Park

How about rollerblading in Hyde Park? For just £12 lessons are available for those of you with a decent sense of balance.

Additionally, Skatefresh has a variety of skate classes available for all abilities, from beginner to advanced.

CORNER

Details of all skate classes are available on www.skatefresh.com

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HE- ROW- IC

SPORT

The year ahead

Monday 19th September 2005

King’s rowers turn Athens silver into Gifu gold at rowing world championships

BY PETER ELLENDER

Rowers from King’s College London defeated the cream of world rowing talent to win a gold medal at the World Rowing Championships, which were recently held in Gifu, Japan. The Great Britain Women’s team pulled off a thrilling victory over arch-rivals Germany in the quadruple sculls division to claim victory by the narrowest of margins – a mere 0.34 seconds.

The spine of the victorious British quartet was made up of students from King’s College London.

Katherine Grainger is currently studying for a PhD in Law at King's College London, researching the subject of homicide, while Frances Houghton recently graduated from her degree in Spanish Studies. Grainger and Houghton, joined by teammates Rebecca Romero and Sarah Winckless recorded a time of 6:09.59 as they raced to victory over their Teutonic adversaries.

Team GB started the race as hot favourites, having already been declared overall world cup champions this year. They started strongly, and held a fractional lead at the 500 metre mark, but were slowly hauled back by the German crew,

who within 500 metres had overtaken the British rowers. The crews from Russia and the Ukraine followed closely behind. The turning point of the race came with 750 metres to go when the German boat was briefly caught up by a buoy which cost them dearly. The mistake came after the Germans had been placed under sustained pressure throughout the race by the British crew. The British team pounced immediately on the error and despite a valiant fight-back by the Germans, the British boat was able to surge to the tightest of victories.

The result means that both women have managed to add to their impressive medals haul, which included silver medals at last year’s Olympics.

The win was particularly sweet for K a t h e r i n e Grainger, who considered quitting the sport last year following the Athens games.

However, she battled on resiliently to claim a second world title to add to the one she

picked up in 2003. In doing so, she has made history – becoming the first woman to have held world titles in Olympic events. After the race, she was overjoyed, saying “This has been tough because we were the crew that others looked out for after all our success this season, but the biggest pressure we've faced is what we put ourselves under - we had high expectations and now we've achieved them. We played every one of our strength cards in the final – it's just massively satisfying that we got it right.”

Roar send its congratulations to Katherine Grainger and Frances Houghton. Well done!

LET KCLCC BOWL YOU OVER

Every issue this year, Roar Sports brand new feature “Roar on Tour” will be showcasing either a sports club you can join here at King’s College London, or for those of you who enjoy sport from the comfort of an armchair or plastic seat, a London team you might not have known existed who you can go along and watch!

in sport...

KCLSU’s Fran Doran reveals which teams she expects to be the movers and shakers in this year’s BUSA leagues

This year we have 43 teams entered into the British University Sports Association leagues. Fixtures start on Wednesday 19th October and are then scheduled to happen every Wednesday throughout term time.

Teams to watch out for this year are; Womens Basketball they are our only team in the Premiership GKT Netball - they were BUSA Plate winners last year and hopefully they'll beable to repeat that this year.

Squash - both the mens and womens team should achieve promotion to the premiership this year.

Womens Fencing hopefully, after a

strong season last year, the girls will also achieve promotion to the premiership.

One of my goals this year is to create a sense of community spirit within KCLSU and the College this year.

Consequetly, I am starting a mailing list of people who want to go and support our sports teams.

Every Wednesday I will arrange to meet with those people who are interested in going down to a particuar sports ground or fixture together.

Anyone who is interested in joining this mailing list should email us: sportsupport@kclsu.org.

R OA R O N TO U R

This week’s Tour Bus Stop is King’s College London’s Cricket Club.......

BY EDWARD FRASER

importantly yourself, maybe even a friend or two.

Has the Ashes series gripped you this the summer? Fancy yourself as the next Freddie Flintoff or Michael Vaughan? Well here is your chance to conjure up some of your own cricket magic by joining our KCL cricket club, giving you the chance to play cricket throughout the whole year.

Last year we had a very good turn out of freshers, who spent the winter and spring terms training with us before we started the season in the summer. Our season went very well, losing to UCL in the semifinal of the ULU league. We also had several friendly games with other universities. Also, for the first time in the club’s history, we managed to secure sponsorship from Deloitte, helping us to afford new equipment and clothing.

“It’s a great way to make new friends at university and we always have a good laugh” One evening (day and time TBA) every week our squad heads down to The Oval Cricket Ground to train in the Ken Barrington Indoor Cricket Centre for 1-2hrs. Here you will have the chance to loosen your gears and get back into the swing of things, even if its been a couple years since you picked up a bat. We welcome new faces all the time, so don’t be worried to come along on your own. It’s a great way to make new friends at university and we always have a good laugh. Even if you don’t have any cricket kit, don’t worry about it we can provide you with all the necessary equipment. All you need to do is bring some trainers, some tracksuit bottoms, a t-shirt and most

“Our season went very well, losing to UCL in the semi-final of the ULU league” If you are interested in getting involved come and visit our stand at the Freshers Fair on Saturday 24th September at the Strand campus or e-mail any questions to me, Ed Fraser, at Edward.fraser@kcl.ac.uk There’s never been a better time to get involved with English cricket!

Check out KCLCC’s website at: www.kclcc.co.uk.

Have you been inspired by the likes of Andrew Flintoff?

OLYMPIC VICTORY SPORT

Monday 19th September 2005

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To celebrate London’s being awarded the right to host the 2012 Olympic Games, eastender Colin Manners investigates how the games might alter life in the capital......

Sir Steve Redgrave remarked that it was more satisfying than beating Germany at penalties, whilst Jacques Chirac was forced to eat a very large portion of humble pie.

Yet again the melee surrounding the Olympic Games has been dominated by international rivalry and diplomatic tension.

The decision to hold the 2012 Olympic Games in London, as Lord Coe would have us believe, combines the greatest city in the world with the greatest sporting event. This may well be true, however looking back at Games held in cities of major political significance, they have seldom gone off without a hitch.

Now on the quest to make each Games the ‘best ever’ following the successes of Athens and especially Sydney, the stakes are high on all sides. The spotlight will be on Britain and London to host a Games with more fireworks and bunting than ever before. Whilst the US and China will no doubt square up at the top of the medal table Olympics are also remembered for their political controversies: Jesse James winning four Golds in Berlin 1936, continued Cold War boycotts, and terrorism in Munich 1972. Olympiads certainly provide an opportunity to open international wounds and although a long way off, my feeling is that London 2012 to be no different.

But enough of this talk of high politics and international relations. What, as a resident of Bow, just minutes from the Olympic site in East London, should the Olympics mean to me? Lord Coe and his team have repeatedly

declared that the Games will provide a unique opportunity for change. The scale of the construction and planning cannot fail to deliver. The Olympic village consisting of over 3600 homes will transform Stratford when it is hopefully handed over to the local community. Trains will run every 15 seconds, with a definite deadline now for the completion of transport projects such as Crossrail.

What is clear is that London is rising to the challenge of hosting the world’s greatest sporting event. The spectacle itself, I am sure, will be a success and records will be broken on the track. It was nevertheless Coe’s insistence on ensuring an Olympic legacy that swayed the voters in Singapore, a legacy implicit in Athens, achieved in Sydney, but one that will need to be constructed in London upon restrained patriotic sentiments, success of our British athletes, an Olympic truce that will determine whether the 2012 Games will be ones to remember.

This is not an impossible task and if successful will indeed change London for the better.

Although the games are still seven years away the London 2012 team have already launched their volunteering programme. You can become a part of the greatest sporting spectacle on earth by offering your services at www.volunteer2012.co.uk. Seventy thousand volunteers are needed!

Look out for the inaugural “Roar Olympics” in the next issue of Roar

Steve Redgrave - the greatest olympian ever?

SPORT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE King’s plans extensive redevelopment of Honor Oak Park sportsground

BY ALASTAIR FAIRBROTHER With its last refit now more than thirty years ago anybody inspecting the dilapidated facilities at King’s College London’s second largest sportsground, Honor Oak Park, today might be excused for eliciting some surprise that any refurbishment at all has taken place since King’s acquired the site in 1891. However, during the summer the College unveiled impressive proposals that aim to transform the ground into a state of the art facility that both King’s students and the local community can utilise with pride.

At the heart of the redevelopment scheme, which is estimated to cost a total of around £3.5 million, lies King’s desire to finally provide the competition standard artificial surfaces that some of its sports teams, notably the hockey club who have to play all their competitive games on such surfaces, have craved for years. The proposals envisage two all-weather, floodlit pitches being installed at Honor Oak Park, which would allow teams to take full advantage of the venue, whether for matches or training purposes, well beyond the hours the ground is currently used for, especially during the winter months when daylight is scarce and the fixture list full. The ground would still retain an obviously slightly reduced amount of natural

turf pitches alongside these artificial surfaces to cater for sports such as rugby and football.

Other highlights of the proposals include plans to demolish the old pavilion and construct, further away from residential properties, an entirely new, contemporary one. Across its two storeys, both completely accessible by lift, the designs for the modern pavilion feature ten unisex changing rooms, kitchen, bar and meeting areas and an “open terrace” viewing area, providing views across the ground to spectators and visitors. The vistas from this “open terrace”, or “balcony” to you or I, will surely however not rival the new 150 seater grandstand’s views of the action taking place on the main rugby pitch.

The plan’s, due to be submitted to Lewisham council around the 25th of September, may however, not meet with universal approval. To help finance the facility King’s hopes to construct eleven, and restore two, houses on the site which has prompted concerned voices to accuse that this development should be regarded as a precursor to the building of further homes at the ground. The College adamantly denies such charges and, having investigated measures to ensure noise, light and traffic pollution from the redeveloped site would be kept to an absolute minimum, is confident that Honor Oak Park would remain a

valuable asset to the local community, many of whom, through arrangements with various clubs and schools, also use the ground.

After the fiasco regarding the sale of the College’s Cobham sportsgrounds to Chelsea the result of the planning application, expected by Christmas, will determine whether this forward-looking redevelopment plan can bring some welcome good news to those who use King’s sports facilities.

For more info on the plans visit: www.kcl.ac.uk/sportsgrounds/hopredevelopment

INSIDE:

ROAR ON TOUR: PG 22

ROWING GLORY: PG 22

2012 OLYMPICS: PG 23