LeftLion May 2024 Issue 171

Credits

Radic-Al Alan Gilby (alan.gilby@leftlion.co.uk)

Head Designer Natalie Owen (natalie.owen@leftlion.co.uk)

Music Co-Editor

Gemma Cockrell (music@leftlion.co.uk)

Stage Co-Editor Ian C. Douglas (ian@leftlion.co.uk)

Community Editor Rose Mason (community@leftlion.co.uk)

Literature Editor Andrew Tucker (literature@leftlion.co.uk)

Editor-in-Chief Jared Wilson (jared.wilson@leftlion.co.uk)

Partnerships Manager Adam Pickering (adam.pickering@leftlion.co.uk)

Music Co-Editor

Maddie Dinnage (music@leftlion.co.uk)

Stage Co-Editor

Dom Henry (dom.henry@leftlion.co.uk)

Food Editor Julia Head (food@leftlion.co.uk)

Photography Co-Editor Dani Bacon (photography@leftlion.co.uk)

Environment Editor Eleanor Flowerday (environment@leftlion.co.uk)

Cover art

Craig Proud

Editorial Intern

Caradoc Gayer

Writers

Richard Wilkinson-Smith

Bassey

Charlotte Gould

Rachel Imms

Beth Green

Andy Lowe

adVertise WitH us

Editor

Sophie Gargett (sophie.gargett@leftlion.co.uk)

Web Developer Tom Errington (tom.errington@leftlion.co.uk)

Fashion Editor

Addie Kenogbon (fashion@leftlion.co.uk)

Screen Editor Oliver Parker (oliver.parker@leftlion.co.uk)

Photography Co-Editor Fabrice Gagos (photography@leftlion.co.uk)

Art Editor

George Dunbar (art@leftlion.co.uk)

Distribution Dom Martinovs

CJ DeBarra Caradoc Gayer

Richard Minkley

Yoav Aziz

Matt Gill

Nadia Whittome

Photographers

Aloki Rochelmeyer

Tara Crabtree

Nicole Sobel

Peter Taylor

Lisa Cooper

Would you like to advertise your business or event in LeftLion? Email partner@leftlion.co.uk to discuss available options.

Featured Contributor

Rachel Imms is a freelance journalist, creative copywriter and ESOL (English to speakers of other languages) teacher from Nottingham. She’s got right into our city’s music scene over the past two years, helping to promote events spanning a whole host of genres from deep house and disco to jungle, DnB, classical and more.

Rachel studied French in Paris for three years, before moving back to the city to work for fashion designer Paul Smith and complete a Master’s degree in 20th Century French Literature at UoN. When not spending time with her five-year-old son Isaac, Rachel loves learning languages, outdoor swimming and horse riding. In the past she’s volunteered for Emmanuel House and the Nottingham Refugee Forum, where she gained a qualification in community interpreting.

Read Rachel’s feature on Nottingham disco collective Soul Buggin’, celebrating twenty years this month, on page 28.

Michael Swift

Adam Pickering

Rory Lindsay

Lia Qin G.B. Esam

Tom Quigley

Oliver Dürner

Angie Shepherd

Illustrators

Jenny Mure

Tracey Meek

Kim Thompson

Alison Gove-Humphries, Alison Hedley, Alison Knox, Anamenti, Ant Haywood, Audrey & Lizzy & Margot, BadGrammar

MakesMeSic, Barbara Morgan, Ben Stewart, Cerys Gibson, Chris Jarvis, Chris Underwood, Claire Foss, Clare Foyle, Colin Tucker, Cyra Golijani-Moghaddam, Dan Hemmings, David Knight, Dick Watson, Dominic Morrow, Donna RoweMerriman, Eden PR, Emilija O, Erika Diaz Petersen, F C and E Ledger, Felipe Melo, Graye Wilde, Half Moon Holistics, Harry Sutcliffe, Harry Turner, Hayley Howard, Hazel Allister, Heather Oliver, Holly's Merry Moggies, Ian Carroll, Ian Phillips, Ian Storey, Ian Yanson, James Place, James Verran, Jane Dodge, Janine Lees, Jean Forsey, John Haslam, John Hess, John Holmes, John Kelsey, John & Jackie Scruton, Jonathan Day, Joshua Heathcote, Julian Bower, Justyn Roberts, Katherine Sanders, Kathleen Dunham, Kay Gilby, Kaye Brennan, Kiki Dee the Cat, Laura Wilson, Leigh Woosey, Lilian Greenwood, Livi & Jacob Nieri, Louise Duffield, Louise Obuchowski, Marc Weaver, Mark, Mark Barratt, Mark Bond, Mark Gasson, Mark Jacobs, Miri Debah, Monica White, Mr A, Nic, Nigel Cooke, Nigel King, NottingJam Orchestra, Paul Boast, Pearl Quick, Philip Renshaw, Rach, Rachel Ayrton, Rachel Morton, Raphael Achache, Redbrick Communications, Richard Goodwin, Rob Arthur, Roy Manterfield, Russell Brown, Ruth Hoyland, Sally Longford, Sam Hudson, Sam Stiling, Sarah Manton, Selectadisc, Simon Evans, Steve Benton, Steve Holland, Steve Lyon, Steve Wallace, Sue Barsby, Sue Reader, TeaBag, Tracey Newton, Will Horton

Fancy seeing your name (or the name of your band, small business, loved one, pet etc) in this mag every month? It only costs a fiver and the money supports this magazine. Plus you get all kinds of other treats too.

Football Zines

Bringing football back to the fans, Brian and The Pie were fanzines that connected local community, history and sport. We interview their creators to discover how they came about and what made them special.

Behind the Zines

Anarchy in the UK

We explore Sparrows’ Nest Archive in St Ann’s, a treasure trove of flyers, leaflets, local press and zines covering over fifty years of activism, anarchy and radical history in the UK.

If you’re wondering what all this zine business is about, here’s a whistlestop tour of the medium’s fascinating history in Notts and beyond.

Loud and Proud

The creators behind Queer Notts and Moan Zine tell us why zines are a natural outlet for speaking about sexuality, queer creativity and community.

Give Em A Ball And A Yard of Grass

How a conversation in Selectadisc record shop led to a group of Notts County and Nottingham Forest fanzine creators putting their rivalries aside to form a football team together.

Soul Mates

DJ collective Soul Buggin’ talk to us about celebrating twenty years of throwing atmospheric, unpretentious and downright excellent parties in Nottingham.

On Record: A Brief History of Nottingham Music Zines Music and zines go together like Rock City and cheeky Vimtos. Before the internet (and before LeftLion), these were some of the Nottingham zines music lovers needed to know about.

Welcome to the May edition of LeftLion. This month we are focusing on fanzines and selfpublishing; a subject close to my heart. It’s hard to imagine what life would be like now without the internet and digital communication, but for Gen X-ers like me who can still remember phonecards, pagers and the crackles and beeps of dial-up internet, it’s possible.

Back in the mid-90s a teenage me bought fanzines from two main places - Selectadisc and Meadow Lane. It was the football ones that got me first, but the music, film and literature ones soon followed. Sometime in 1993 I had my first words published by No More Pie In The Sky (see p16) I bought two copies so I could give one to my dad. He’s probably still got it in the loft or shed somewhere.

During the nineties and before printed fanzines served a very primal purpose of helping groups of like-minded people to communicate. However, when the time of internet message boards and social media came they took a back-seat to the much more immediate tools available. Then came the stampede of blogs, YouTube, podcasts and more. Times changed and, aside from the odd

Dear Sisters

Showcasing an impressive array of ephemeral documents, this new exhibition at Lakeside Arts traces how our local Women’s Liberation Movement connected, campaigned and made waves.

Butter Nut

A very serious conversation with entrepreneur extraordinaire Mr Brian Butterfield, the alter-ego of comedian Peter Serafinowicz.

Transforming Culture

We hear from New Art Exchange about Transform, a new citywide festival which brings music, film, talks and more to amplify the Global Ethnic Majority voices in Nottingham.

Truckin’ On

We talk to Skate Nottingham about creativity, community, and redesigning Nottingham’s urban landscape through skateboarding.

A Brewer’s Hoard

The story of Ebenezer Cobham Brewer, a formidably knowledgeable Nottinghamshire resident with an enviable beard, who’s dictionary still inspires writers today.

Sweet Carolina’s

Bringing a burst of colour and fiery flavour to the King Billy’s rooftop beer garden, we chat to Carolina’s Chilli about their vegan, gluten-free TexMex menu.

curious art student, society never looked back… until now.

The inspiration for this issue was that, thanks to funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we at LeftLion have spent the last six months digitally archiving two seminal Nottinghambased football fanzines; Brian (1988-1996) and The Pie (1987-2009). They covered football, but also used it as a lens to talk about society. It’s been fun to look back through them and we hope you will too on the new websites we’ve created at brianfanzine.com and piefanzine.com.

One of the things I most love about print is the undivided attention you can give to it. When you’re reading a book, magazine, newspaper or fanzine there’s no screen alerts popping up telling you to do something else instead. I’d implore you to try it too. Make a cuppa, put your phone on silent and have a good leaf through this issue like it’s 1989 again. You might be surprised what you get back in return.

Jared Wilson

leF tlion in tHe Wild

Look what the cat dragged in Q]@jaredleftlion

Tag us on Instagram @leftlionmagazine to feature your picture in a future issue.

LeftLion Ltd is a carbon neutral company, having reduced our direct emissions by 99% since 2018. We offset the rest via direct air capture from Climeworks. LeftLion Magazine is fully recyclable and compostable, made from recycled or FSC® certified (C015932) sources, and printed using renewable energy. The emissions of this paper are offset via the World Land Trust.

Ah crap are you those doomsday people?

I didn’t know whether it was past or passed so I just said beyond

Man 1 - On the train, leans over to pat Jack Russell dog sat on Man 2's knee Man 1 - "Hello boy, what’s his name?"

Man 2 - "Nazi" Man 1 - Pats and leaves

I went to West Bridgford Library yesterday morning… Not for books.

You know people have cows for farming, and some people have cows for fun? I'd like cows for decoration

I didn't break your nose, there was just a slight crunch “...and he married a gimp”

I've been saving this one for today 'Opening doors is too much for resurrected Jesus'

Pick Six

This month for our Pick Six we turn to Matt Gill, zine enthusiast and Senior Lecturer in Fashion Communication and Promotion at NTU.

Book

This is really difficult being a bit of a 'zine-head'. I have so many to choose from including of course zines and magazines but the one I always return to is an absolute classic by Charles M. Shulz of Peanuts and Snoopy fame. The book Happiness is a Sad Song is a thing of wonder and beauty and my copy which I have had since I was a kid is now very tatty and dog-eared. It is short and sweet and most importantly so full of wisdom. Everything it states is so true and the accompanying illustrations of Charlie Brown and his pals are so spot-on. I also really love the beautifully warm colours and typography.

Film

I absolutely love Harry Dean Stanton and my all-time favourite film is Paris, Texas, directed by Wim Wenders. I first watched it with my Dad in the mid ‘80s when it was first shown on Channel 4. That film changed my life and I've never forgotten the impact it's had on me! The incredible soundtrack by Ry Cooder also introduced me to the beauty of the slide guitar. It's the story between a father and son so watching it with my Dad when I was a teenager made it even more significant for me and every time I watch it now it just gets more poignant with every viewing. It would be classed within the road movie genre and I generally really love road movies, such as Easy Rider and My Own Private Idaho too.

Song

Aside from print my main passion is music so this is almost impossible to choose but I'll go for Revolution Blues by Neil Young. This is an incredible track from his 1974 album On the Beach which was part of his amazing Ditch Trilogy. I could really pick any track from that album and the artwork is fantastic also. I love Neil Young's voice, the blistering guitar sound and the lyrics which paint a picture of the darker, counter-cultural side of California, in particular Laurel Canyon during the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. My favourite line is, ‘I hope you get the connection, 'cause I can't take the rejection. I won't deceive you, I just don't believe you.’

Food

I just really love any type of seafood, and 'Moules et Frites' is always a winner in my book. I've always loved being by the sea and looking out at the ocean, so maybe it's just an extension of that. I don't have a favourite seafood restaurant, but I used to love going to Loch Fynne Oyster Bar when it was in Nottingham. I also love going occasionally to Langar Hall where the food is amazing, and always try to have any sort of seafood delight that is on their menu.

Notts Spot

Currently it has to be Peggy's Skylight - I just love the atmosphere they've created there. The food and drink is incredible, and of course the live music is always a major treat. I love the fact you can eat and experience music at the same time. I always feel transported to a different time and place when I am there, it's as if I could be somewhere like New York or New Orleans.

Holiday Destination

There are still so many places that I want to go to and obsess over where I want to go next on my travels. Due to my love of road movies (and also westerns) I am a bit obsessed with the midwest of America, but I would have to say that my ultimate holiday destination would be Japan. I have been to Tokyo a few times and found it absolutely fascinating, totally different to anything I've experienced before or since, yet I also felt very much at home there. So now I really want to visit the rest of Japan, especially the more rural parts of the country, and explore their rich cultural heritage.

Poets Corner

It’s Poetry when I’m hearing words:

It’s Poetry when I’m hearing

The sounds of crisps crunching under the feet of pint glasses

The conspiracy of silence when an inhumane law passes

Let’s break all the barriers

The stilled voice of the dissident dead in the snow roars

Both shit and sophisticated rhymes

Both ring true, most of the time

Such is life, apple to cider

The room starts to weep and woop

And something like joy comes back up

Maybe my heart can finally soar and loop

I think 4 out of 5, might come again

My life does not rhyme, I do not have a pen

The lemonade’s popping, lime soda treats

And you are listening hard to my desires

The fox steals the grapes - “a half twist of a corkscrew”

Unbounded by time

The creaking sigh of an old chair taking the load off five working days

The crisp crackle of a filling glass

And I think “Do I belong here?” “Should I go?”

“Should I stay?”

Yes - If you want - you belong.

In association with Nottingham Poetry Festival takes place from 7-16 June 2024. nottinghampoetryfestival.com

Let the whisky glasses clink

And the prose writers blink

Present. All focused on one, and a cute doggy

Even the pigeons refuse my breadcrumbs, My breadcrumbs refuse the mice

I know I belong here, I don’t want to go.

I should stay, I am loving the “Welcome to the festival”

At the fox and grapes

A massive thank you - my soul

Tonight will smile thanks to you- and I Know i am not wasting my time - it Makes sense being here - Poetry.

It’s true, Even when the skies are the most luminous of yellows

Sometimes we are just blue

Not bleeding blue Sad.

But then red and green and pink and all The colours of the universe come together in this one room

Safe

In a space i am vulnerable and welcome Then I am hearing Poetry.

Humans cut down bird's houses to make birdhouses

JT Soar

Nottingham’s most opinionated grocers on...

We had a night out at JT Soar recently and it was a real eye opener. It was a gig for a band called Connexion Man, which one of our Saturday lads plays in and they were very good. The place was rammed, but we were surprised there was no stage. There were potatoes everywhere though and we completely loved it. We used to go to that place when it was a grocers warehouse. We actually knew JT Soar himself back in the day, if we remember rightly he lived somewhere near Woodborough or Bleasby.

200 Years Since Lord Byron’s Death

We don’t know much about him, but we heard he had a monkey and lived at Newstead Abbey. We’re very happy to see that despite all their financial problems that the council have held on to that place and to Wollaton Hall. If we remember rightly during the war they used to store ammunition there and all those nodding donkeys (oil pumps). Didn’t Lord Byron’s daughter invent some kind of computer too, or are we confusing her with Alan Sugar?

Fanzines

What are they? Isn’t that the name of a fizzy orange soft drink? (at this point the interviewer - prepared for this, shows them a copy of The Pie and Brian fanzines). Ooh, they’re very nice. It’s always nice to see things in print. How much did they cost? 50p? A bargain! Maybe we could do a fanzine about vegetables and greengrocery, with big features about what is in season? We could get the other handful of greengrocers left in Nottingham to advertise in it and corner the market.

UNDERCOVER ARTIST

This month’s cover art was designed by Nottingham zine and print maestro Craig Proud. We asked him a few questions about his inspirations and what he gets up to at Dizzy Ink Studio

Tell us a bit about yourself… Mr Dizzy Ink, Lord of the Prints, Paper Papa... kidding, just Craig Proud. I'm lucky enough to run the creative print studio Dizzy Ink, whilst also making Notts Zine Fest happen each year AND run Notts Zine Library.

What was the inspiration behind the cover?

The cover inspiration is a blend of different elements from Notts Zine Fest posters, Notts Zine Library bits and other wonderful pieces of artwork from our projects that run through Dizzy Ink. We've been really grateful for the talent behind the Zine Fest & Library posters - some excellent artists have contributed over the years. It's a collage consisting of Ben Wood (@benwood.studio), Kim Thompson (@kim_a_ tron), Dylan Woodall (@deedoubleyoo_), Maria Bacila, Jacob Tomlinson (@jacob.illustration), Alex McDougall (@Alex.j.mcdougall) and myself!

How does it compare with some other projects you’ve worked on?

Looking back over the artwork from the years of running zine related events/experiences/ workshops, it was nice to make a single image that represented that.

What was the biggest challenge that you faced in creating the piece? Time, as usual! We're always gratefully swamped in projects! We're buuuuuuuuuuusy!!! Also, collaging so many

different styles and elements together can be difficult - they've been created to be strong in and of themselves so putting them all together can be hard as they all want to clash.

Tell us about some projects you’ve worked on in the past… This is the 3rd Left Lion cover that I've designed!

What have you got planned for the future? Well the second cover I designed was meant to be April 2020 to celebrate our five year birthday, and that kinda went out the window for obvious reasons. It was about a self directed project I've been running around fruit sticker design so it had to be printed really to reflect the physical nature of stickers. We parked it and will be doing it April 2025 for our TEN years of business - how wild!

Is there anything else you’d like to tell the LeftLion readers?

Zines are great, they're personal publications directly from the makers. These makers are extremely talented at writing, drawing, designing and publishing content on niche topics often overlooked by mainstream media. Zines are powerful statements and honestly so utterly enjoyable to experience. If you want to keep up-to-date with zine happenings around the city follow @dizzy.ink @nottszinefest @nottszinelibrary on Instagram!

words: Dani Bacon

Written by the Community of Nottingham Poetry Festival 2023

Nadia on...

benefits

words: Nadia Whittome photo: Fabrice Gagos

Have ill and disabled people had it too easy in this country? Rishi Sunak seems to think so. In a major speech last month, he blamed Britain’s supposed “sick note culture” for the growing numbers of people who are out of work for health reasons. Speaking about the rise in mental health diagnoses among young people, he attributed it to the “overmedicalising of everyday worries”. His solution? A clampdown on fit notes and benefits.

The speech did touch on some real issues, which the government is right to be concerned about. Since the start of the pandemic, the number of people claiming disability benefits has increased by 850,000. More adults than ever before, many of them in their 20s and 30s, are out of the job market because of ill health. These trends are nothing to celebrate.

But what these figures point to is not an epidemic of people deciding they don’t feel like working anymore. The truth is that, as a country, we’re becoming more and more unwell. We have a mental health crisis, exacerbated by years of austerity and the soaring cost of living. Growing poverty makes many people less able to look after themselves. The pandemic likely had an impact, leaving tens of thousands of people with long Covid symptoms. NHS waiting lists have ballooned under this government, with ever-growing numbers of patients waiting years for treatment, while their conditions worsen. Taking away financial support won’t address any of these problems.

Anyone who has recently interacted with the benefit system will know that it’s neither generous nor easy to access. Quite the opposite: the situation is so dire that a United Nations committee recently found that our government’s policy has “undermined the human dignity” of disabled people. Those who successfully go through the degrading process of proving their eligibility, receive sums that often don’t even cover their basic needs. Meanwhile, at a pitiful £116.75 per week, Statutory Sick Pay in the UK is among the lowest in Europe.

Since the Conservatives came to power, the system has become increasingly strict and callous. This is despite mounting evidence that this approach simply doesn’t work. A DWP report released last year showed that not only do sanctions not help people find jobs more quickly or encourage them to work more hours, they often slow down peoples’ progress in returning to work. It’s logical: if you don’t have the means to sustain yourself, how can you be expected to recover? Yet despite the evidence, the Tories have continued with their punitive policies, causing misery for countless disabled people and their families.

At worst, this approach can be deadly. Three years ago, a BBC investigation found that, since 2012, at least 82 people had died soon after a DWP activity, such as termination of benefits. Mental health vulnerabilities played a role in 35 of these deaths. But because the data was only based on press reports, it's likely to just represent the tip of the iceberg. Some of such stories make national news: like that of Errol Graham, a 57-yearold grandfather from Nottingham who starved to death in 2018, eight months after his benefits were stopped. Or young mum Philippa Day, also a Nottingham resident, who took her own life in 2019 following DWP errors. Many other tragic cases we may never hear about.

As someone who’s been open about my diagnosis of PTSD, I find the Prime Minister’s comments about mental health particularly insulting. The 13th of May marks the start of Mental Health Awareness Week, and I have no doubt that, like every year, we’ll see government politicians lining up to talk about how ‘it's ok to not be ok’, and the importance of asking for help. What they probably won’t mention is that many who do ask, are then turned away by desperately underfunded NHS mental health services, or put on an endless waiting list.

I also don’t want to hear any platitudes about mental health from those who perpetuate the myth that people who are struggling can get over their problems if they just ‘man up’ and force themselves to work. The idea that they’re lazy, faking it or just being dramatic is a large part of mental health stigma - the same stigma that countless campaigns have been set up to fight, and which contributes to discrimination and people not getting the support they need.

Shaming people who are disabled or unwell won’t magically make them fit to work. Neither will plunging them into destitution

Of course, there’s nothing original about scapegoating benefit claimants - we’ve heard it all before over the past fourteen years. Ultimately, the purpose this serves is the same as attacks on refugees or other underprivileged groups: to shift the blame for falling living standards. Having crashed the economy and left public services to crumble, the government is looking for a convenient scapegoat, rather than fixing the problems it has caused.

If we want to build a happier, healthier and more productive society, we need to completely reconsider our welfare system. The purpose of a social safety net shouldn’t be to punish people who are facing more than enough challenges already. It should be to enable disabled people to live a dignified life, regardless of whether, when and how much they’re able to work. Statutory Sick Pay should allow people who are ill to take their time to recover, without worrying if they’ll have enough money to put food on the table.

Shaming people who are disabled or unwell won’t magically make them fit to work. Neither will plunging them into destitution. Instead of villainising those who are out of work, it’s time to raise benefits and sick pay to a liveable level, end benefit sanctions and finally focus on tackling the root causes of our nationwide health crisis.

nadiawhittome.org

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GRADUATE FESTIVAL 24

THE NEXT GENERATION OF NTU CREATIVES MAY –––––––– JULY

NTU.AC.UK/ GRADFEST

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A landmark new building for the creative industries in Nottingham

If you have visited Nottingham Trent University’s city campus recently, you may have noticed contractors putting the finishing touches to a striking new building on Shakespeare Street. Clad in green ceramic tiling with gold-edged windows on its upper floors, this is the latest addition to Nottingham School of Art & Design’s impressive portfolio – NTU’s new Design & Digital Arts (D&DA) building.

The building, designed by award-winning architects Hawkins\Brown and delivered by local architects CPMG, will help to secure NTU’s reputation as a global leader in design and digital arts education. It will develop the university’s creative industries offering, bringing together new technologies and traditional design practice to deliver sophisticated new courses in filmmaking, animation, television production, motion graphics, illustration, VFX, gaming and graphic design.

With significant investment from NTU, the D&DA building features cutting-edge facilities and industry standard tech including a stunning double-height Virtual Reality Production Studio that will enable students and professional filmmakers alike to access some of the most advanced filmmaking technology in the world.

There is an In-camera VFX Studio, fitted out with a green screen infinity curve, and a Black Box Studio, set up with the latest motion capture technology. Innovative new studio and work spaces are designed to encourage student collaboration, and there is space to socialise and reflect with a café on the ground floor and a green wall balcony, looking out across NTU’s iconic Arkwright and Newton buildings.

The Design & Digital Arts building is the latest development in the 180-year history of the School of Art & Design at NTU, a dedicated hub for creative talent in the city with educational roots dating back to the formation of the Nottingham Government School of Design in 1843. This flagship new building will help to position NTU, and Nottingham, as an innovative hotbed for digital art and design talent.

Expected to contribute an additional £1 million in student expenditure to the local economy, the development will change the creative industries landscape of the region, generating a rich talent pool of graduates with sector-leading expertise and hands-on industry experience.

Set to open this September for its first intake of students, the Design & Digital Arts building will be a new creative landmark in the city and one to watch as it drives forward creative futures.

The new Design & Digital Arts building on Shakespeare Street © Hawkins\Brown Architects

© Hawkins\Brown Architects

© Ian Reynolds Photography

The VR Production Studio © CPMG Architects

NOTTS SHOTS

Want to have your work featured in Notts Shots?

Send your high-res photos from around the city (including your full name and best web link) to photography@leftlion.co.uk or tag #nottsshots on Instagram.

As time passes Nicole Sobel

Mirror image Peter Taylor

Tie dye sky Adam Pickering

Pigeon eye view

Aloki Rochelmeyer @alokirochelmeyer.

Lace Market by Moonlight Tara Crabtree

Watch Your Step Lisa Cooper

Guess where I've bin? Michael Swift

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BA (Hons) Photographic Practice

We accept applications throughout the year, so don’t worry if you have missed the UCAS deadline.

For more information visit nottinghamcollege.ac.uk/he2024

9 easy steps to making a zine

The beauty of zine making is that there are no rules. You can be messy or neat, serious or silly, personal or private. But to help you get started, here are some things to consider…

Butter Nut

After decades spent opening and closing businesses, entrepreneur extraordinaire Mr Brian Butterfield has a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to impart. Reflecting on his illustrious career, which has included everything from karaoke bars and injury solicitors to inaccurate speaking clocks and dubious diet plans, he’s coming to the Theatre Royal next month. We sat down with Brian for a very serious chat about finance, tax and the secret to success…

A big LeftLion welcome to the prodigious talent that is Mr Brian Butterfield. I’m sure our readers will want me to probe you deeply, Mr Butterfield. I’m guessing that a man of your experience is no stranger to probing?

You’re absolutely right there Mr Lion - I am indeed no stranger to Probing. In fact, I’ve visited Probing on several occasions and on each and every visit I’ve enjoyed it more and more. It’s a lovely town so thank you for having me. Is that where we are?

This tour is named the Call of Now. Why?

In business, there is no yesterday, there is no tomorrow, there is no three weeks ago, there is no four years hence, there is no last year, there is no million years from today. In business there is only now. The moment you’re in. And it just went. And now there’s a new now. And that just went too. And so on. Oh, and there is also the next fiscal quarter, which is also important. But The Call of Now And The Next Fiscal Quarter wouldn’t fit on the posters.

You’re one of the titans of business. What is the secret of your success? The secret of my success is exactly that. A secret. If I told you what it was, it wouldn’t exactly be a secret any more, would it? Having said that, it’s never giving up, no matter how many people tell you to. But now that I’ve told you, please don’t tell anyone else.

My early life taught me how to crawl, digest food and drink, walk and create business plans, so it was very valuable to my current position as a business leader, and I’m thankful that I got to have it

I believe you were closely involved with Circus Horse Dentist. Did you ever get any gift horses and if so, did you look at them in the mouth? Or anywhere else?

I’m afraid you’ve been misinformed a little bit here: no one has ever given me a horse. I once recovered a clothes horse from a neighbour’s skip, which is close, but I don’t believe that has a mouth. Or, if it does, I haven’t located it yet.

Another highlight of your CV was the Lord Mayor’s Croupier. What business lessons did you learn from the gaming tables of London’s elite?

The main lesson I learned is that the gaming tables of London’s elite don’t admit people who are wearing a Lord Mayor’s Croupier disguise and accidentally reveal their name is Brian. Even the Bingo halls of Weston-super-Mare were reluctant to admit me. But I did make it inside one once by climbing through a toilet window.

How do you see failure in the business world?

There’s no such thing as failure, just successes that perhaps cause financial ruin, bankruptcy, lead to your house and belongings being repossessed, and so forth. Who’s to say success can’t leave you sleeping in a car on your neighbour’s drive for three months? How do you measure ‘success’ anyway? How long is a mile of string? Some questions are just impossible to answer.

What can people coming along to your seminar expect on the night? They can expect a roof, adequate seating, some toilet provision, possibly some sort of carpet or fabric floor covering and an ambient temperature broadly within the legal range. Anything more than that is a bonus.

How did your early life influence you?

My early life taught me how to crawl, digest food and drink, walk and create business plans, so it was very valuable to my current position as a business leader and I’m thankful that I got to have it.

I understand you have connections with Peter Serafinowicz. Any insights you’d like to share about the relationship?

I’m sorry but that sounds like some sort of made-up pseudonym or codename. Is he a covert spy, undercover policeman or gladiator? It’s a frankly unbelievable jumble of vowels and consonants. I ask you - ‘Peter’?!

What advice would you give the business community on income tax?

The short answer is ‘pay it’. The long answer is ‘I absent-mindedly forgot to pay mine for the best part of a decade due to various misunderstanding about how to log into the HMRC website and as a result was hit by court proceedings and a rather hefty fine which came at a time when I was already dealing with my range of

portable Butterfield Fracking Towers having to be recalled due to various legal and ethical issues, which in turn threw me into a severe financial crisis that I’ve never really recovered from, so pay it.’ You can see why I call that the long answer.

What are your pronouns and why?

They are business/man and I very much imagine you know why.

What’s it like being a titan?

When I look in my mirror at home, I don’t see a titan. Instead, what I see is a sort of blotchy brown pattern with some dark patches and lots of little cracks running all over the surface. Come to think of it, I have had that mirror for a very long time. You don’t know anybody giving away a free mirror do you?

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the name ‘Nottingham’? It’s a rather long and thin piece of ham in which somebody - perhaps a sailor or boy scout - has tied a knot. Perhaps a reef knot. But not a sheep shank because that would be reserved for lamb chops.

In conclusion, any financial advice or tips for our readers?

Yes, absolutely - I have three financial tips I can impart from mistakes I’ve made already so far today. Tip 1) Do not attempt to dry wet banknotes in the microwave. It will result in your microwave catching fire and you being quickly escorted out of Curry’s Digital. Tip 2) If you accidentally drive into a pond, do not try to retrieve your money from the glove box before escaping to the surface. Oxygen is one of the few things more important than profit. Tip 3) Don’t skimp on getting your car serviced and then pay a teenager on the internet to forge an MOT certificate, because the rear wheel might then fall off just as you’re turning a corner near a pond.

Brian Butterfield’s Call of Now is at Theatre Royal Sunday 9 June. Probe even deeper into the world of Brian Butterfield with an interview with his creator, TV and movie star Peter Serafinowicz on the LeftLion website.

interview: Ian C Douglas photo: Rory Lindsay

transForming Culture

With aims to celebrate and amplify the leadership, creativity, and broader cultural stewardship of the Global Ethnic Majority in Nottingham through music, film, talks and more, pioneering Forest Fields art gallery New Art Exchange is soon to launch Transform, a City Takeover. We spoke to CEO & Artistic Director Saad Eddine-Said and Associate Artistic Director Saziso Phiri, about this new festival.

Firstly, for those new to the term, can you explain what the ‘Global Ethnic Majority’ is?

Saad: The term 'Global Ethnic Majority' refers to individuals and groups that are collectively the majority globally but may be underrepresented or marginalised within specific societal contexts, particularly in the West. This includes people who are Black, Asian, Brown, dual heritage, indigenous to the global south, and those racialised as ethnic minorities. At NAE, we use this term to highlight the importance of these voices in reshaping arts and cultural narratives to reflect a more global perspective.

Why is it important to support Global Ethnic Majority leadership within the arts?

Saad: Supporting Global Ethnic Majority leadership within the arts is crucial for fostering a truly diverse and vibrant cultural ecosystem. It ensures that the arts reflect the rich tapestry of human experiences and perspectives, enhancing creativity and innovation. More importantly, it helps in challenging and changing the prevailing narratives, enabling a more inclusive and equitable cultural dialogue that resonates with a broader audience.

What is the Transform programme all about?

Saad: Transform, a City Takeover is designed to celebrate and elevate the leadership, creativity, and cultural stewardship of the Global Ethnic Majority in Nottingham. This extensive collaboration involves fourteen major cultural organisations across the city. It's not just a festival; it's a movement towards redefining how cultural narratives are shaped and sustained. Our goal is to provide a platform that not only showcases diverse talents but also engages with the community to rethink traditional cultural frameworks.

Saziso: From my side of things, it’s about creating real opportunities for talent in the city, both new and established, and enabling their journey towards leadership within their mediums. I am very aware of the tokenism that happens in the sector, and for me this is about real, meaningful relationships and sustainable careers that hold talent and expertise that go beyond box ticking. With the new/emerging creatives who are part of this programme, mentorship, training and introductions to new networks have been an integral part of the process of the development of their work, to ensure they have the tools to take their practice to the next level from artistic, critical and executive aspects.

This isn’t your first programme aimed at increasing diversity and representation in the cultural space. Can you tell us about some of the successes NAE have had in the past?

Saad: Over the years, NAE has spearheaded several

initiatives that have significantly impacted the cultural landscape. These include pioneering diverse programming that reflects the community's rich diversity, supporting emerging and established Global Ethnic Majority artists, and leading national discussions on diversity in the arts. We have recently received a substantial increase in our funding to deliver more work and impact within our area of focus. This came both a recognition of the importance of NAE’s mission and its future ambitions.

It's not just a festival; it's a movement towards redefining how cultural narratives are shaped and sustained

Saziso, you’re delivering a programme called ‘What Would I Be Without Everybody?’ - what’s that going to feature?

Saziso: The programme is inspired by community and care. There will be an exhibition in NAE’s Mezzanine Gallery, a music programme, film, talks, a podcast and career development opportunities for emerging creatives.

Can you tell us about some of the artists who are performing? We’ve seen a few local and a few national names on the line-up.

Saziso: Nottingham rapper and poet Jah Digga was commissioned to create a song in response to the title of the programme, which was released on 23 April and is available to watch and listen to on our website and various platforms online. The accompanying video was done by Jamal Sterrett, who many will know as an exceptional dancer. He’s also an incredibly talented filmmaker.

Through the programme, I supported the production of Gugulethu, a short film by the new Nottinghambased film production company Baobab Pictures, in collaboration with Bristol-based Brownstone Studios, with a majority Nottingham production crew. Alongside the film, we’ll be hosting a half-day workshop for filmmakers on how to navigate the industry beyond production. There will be music sessions, which will feature Jayson Wynters, a Birmingham-based DJ, and Sekuru, a Zimbabwean mbira player, singer and storyteller. There will be talks with popular figures such as Elijah, known for his lectures on navigating the music industry, and a conversation with renowned artist Lakwena Maciver. I am also really excited to have Mikhalis WebsterĨacovou on board with Each One, Teach One, a

four-part podcast series in which he has interviewed four East Midlands creative leaders who centre care and community within their work. The guests include Dr. Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason, of the fantastically talented Kanneh-Mason family of classical musicians, Courtney Rose of Take 1 Studios, Christine Katerere of Green Hustle, and Martyn Ewoma, founder of Sludge Mag. The podcast was co-produced by myself and my colleague Kyle Futers, NAE’s Executive Producer.

You’re working with fourteen major organisations in Nottingham on this. Who are they? Can you tell us about the part they will be playing?

Saad: We are working with a collective of inspiring local organisations and each plays a critical role in co-curating and participating in the Transform City Takeover and brings a unique perspective and resource to ensure the festival's success. These organisations include Backlit, Bonington Gallery, Broadway, Fabric, Lakeside Arts, New Perspectives, Nottingham City of Literature, Nottingham Contemporary, Nottingham Playhouse, Primary, Theatre Royal and UK New Artists. Their involvement is integral to our strategy of creating a city-wide impact, ensuring that the leadership and creativity of the Global Ethnic Majority are celebrated across all corners of Nottingham.

What else is happening at NAE that you’d like our readers to know about?

Saad: NAE is continuously involved in various projects and initiatives that push the boundaries through reimagining the role of art galleries and cultural organisations in shaping the future. We are particularly excited about the recent launch of the VOICE Assembly, a groundbreaking initiative that integrates a permanent Citizen Assembly into our leadership structure. This model not only amplifies diverse community voices but also ensures that our programming and strategic decisions are deeply aligned with the needs and aspirations of the community we serve. Our work with citizens groups has already begun to influence our approach, guiding us toward more democratic and inclusive cultural leadership. As we move forward, this initiative will continue to shape our projects, ensuring that they are innovative, responsive, and truly reflective of our diverse community. This commitment to inclusive leadership exemplifies our dedication to setting new standards for cultural institutions globally.

Transform, a City Takeover launches Thursday 23 April with events running until 22 September. “What Would I Be Without Everybody?” events are free but booking may be required. To check out the programme, head to nae. org.uk

interview: Adam Pickering illustration: Kim Thompson

Scan the QR code to learn more and apply to the Harley Open exhibition.

Deadline: 30 June 2024

Entry fee: £10 per artwork

Prizes: Top prize of £2500

Image credit: Down the Rabbit Hole by Ann Clay

truCkin' on

With its knack for redefining how the urban landscape is used, skateboarding has always had its place in counterculture, making it a natural topic for zines over the years. We spoke to Tom Quigley and Chris Lawton of Skate Nottingham, who are putting the city on the map as a skateboarding hub, about creativity, community and making international connections through skateboarding.

You have an exhibition coming up at Backlit Gallery and part of it will showcase some skateboarding zines. How do zines fit into skateboarding culture?

Chris: Skateboarding is a very visual culture and heavily zine based. It's super DIY with the whole spirit of punk and zine making. Because we are each documenting our scene, we can share and connect that internationally. We have friends in Finland, in Tampere. We had Leo Valls, a professional skateboarder from Bordeaux, come to Nottingham a few weeks ago. We're connecting to each other through our visual output which means skaters in Nottingham are suddenly being connected to the whole world of visual arts. So that’s what we're kinda doing and what Tom has been doing for years with his amazing images. We're making Nottingham look damn cool. By connecting that to Nottingham’s wider city identity and then projecting that internationally, people from all over the world come to Nottingham to skate.

So how do you go from people doing tricks on skateboards to having this bigger sense of community?

Chris: Zines have always been really important. Skateboarding has always had your glossy magazines. You've got that podium of, ‘If I'm good at skateboarding, I want that photographer to take a picture of me’, or ‘If I'm good at taking photos, I wanna take photos of that skater and get it in that magazine’. But below that, I can document my hometown scene. When you create a zine, you're not actually aiming to make anyone happy other than your friends.

Tom: When you take up football, I would imagine you don't spend time taking photos of your mates playing football. Whereas with skateboarding, it’s inextricably linked from the beginning. As soon as I picked up a skateboard at fifteen, I picked up a camera. What I did was buy the glossy high street skate mags, especially in the 90's and 00's. You would tear out pages as a kid and plaster your walls with your favourite skate photos. Like, ‘That trick’s amazing, I want that on my wall.’ It leads to people like me and a bunch of others around the country, who shoot photos, film, publish magazines. That's the point of me wanting to document stuff, so that it lasts.

So zines are kind of, filling that gap where glossy magazines used to be?

Chris: So right now there's kids who are probably using pretty archaic technology, photocopying zines, that sort of thing, even though they've got Instagram and TikTok.

Tom: I was gonna say, not as much as you'd like, because there's a weird flux with the Instagram generation who just do stuff digitally and it's a shame when those just go on online. But then there are people who almost combat the digital age by trying to keep print alive.

From reading your website, as well as passionate skaters you also sound a bit like politicians, advocating for skaters. Is that how you see yourself too?

Chris Lawton: Some people say that to me as a bit of an insult, sure, but we’re really purposeful about this. Malmö in southern Sweden is the world's most famous skate friendly city and their figurehead Gustav Eden called skateboarding 'identity forming'. Doing this for a few years of your life forever informs your identity. At the time we founded Skate Nottingham, young kids were still getting chucked in police cars for skateboarding. That was deeply wrong. At the same time we saw what Malmö were doing, and they became first and foremost in the city's regeneration. We thought we could do this in Nottingham. We could make the city better for skateboarders, but skateboarding could also make Nottingham better too.

Tom: That’s when we started campaigning for the Tram Line Stop, the skate spot by the Broadmarsh tram lines. Getting kids in and asking them, ‘Well how would you like to skate? How would you design a space? If that dead space by broadmarsh was to become a skate spot, how would you want that to look?’

Chris: That kind of impetus that makes people like Tom create zines is precisely the same impetus that makes a skate organisation like Skate Nottingham bring young people into the urban planning arena. And kinda smash the doors down and say, ‘You guys, when you put on a public consultation, no one under the age of 42 is going to turn up. No one who isn't white is going to turn up, and you're going to come up with the same ideas’. We looked at Malmö - they're as much dirty toerags as we are, but we also have professional experiences which allow us to talk like adults. I've been thrown in the back of a police car. It’s horrible. But I've also worked in various government agencies. We get fed up with how things are being done by formal institutions. We started thinking, well maybe we can do it a bit better.

Skateboarding as a hobby attracts quite creative people; musicians, artists, photographers, filmmakers. There's always going to be creativity bubbling away

There's a sense the skating community produced you and what you're doing, not the other way around. What is it in the skating community that produces urban designers and architects and photographers and even skater politicians?

Tom: I guess skateboarding as a hobby attracts quite creative people; musicians, artists, photographers, filmmakers. There's always going to be creativity bubbling away. With what we've been doing for, what seven or eight years, we take inspiration from the cities that are ahead of us, like the Malmös and the Bordeauxs and skaters and people that live there, and put Nottingham on the map.

Is that what comes across in zines do you think? And in your event at the Backlit Gallery?

Chris: Yeah, and it's fun. Fun, happiness, smiling faces. At the end of the day, you can do this yourself - you don’t have to be good at it, you can just do it. Like, ‘This guy did it, he's rubbish at it. Look at that video, it's a shambles, but he's done it.’ It's going into the world and creating stuff and doing stuff together. Making connections with other places, getting people into Nottingham. Zines show young people all of these things, and people that have any kind of barrier that they be together, they can do cool fun stuff, that has meaning.

Catch Skate Nottingham’s exhibition featuring photography, design & illustration at Backlit’s Project Gallery from Friday 31 May - Thursday 6 June. For more information head to skatenottingham.co.uk

skatenottingham.co.uk

interview: Richard Minkley

photo: Tom Quigley

Grain Mother

Let Down (Single)

Let Down, Grain Mother’s latest single, had me hooked from the start. The gorgeous, mesmerising vocals that open the track are captivating and they maintain that way throughout, as the drums and guitars begin to swarm around them. It has been the perfect sound for the colder winter months we have just experienced: mellow, soothing and comforting to the soul. When the song comes to a sudden end with the softly spoken line “take deep breaths, think one, two,” you’ll find yourself rewinding right back to the start for another dose.

Gemma Cockrell

Bad

Manners Cost Everything/Merry Go Round (Singles)

Wilf Spiv

Might as Well Lie (Single)

Might as Well Lie is a subtle jazz-infused piece of very well-produced indie. "It's like half-truth, you might as well lie," sings Wilf, over laid-back yet impactful guitar rhythms and shimmering keys, as the instrumentation comes to a crescendo on the punchy chorus. Duff notes are charmingly left in, and these loosely played instruments jockey for position, and the song is all the better for it. Soulful, real and emotive vocals and lyrics, with the fantastic saxophone performance being a highlight here. As winter is gradually replaced with spring, this is a song to enjoy with the sunset dropping over a tropical view, a cheap cocktail or a joint, and a confusing and hazy love life, or lack of...

Richard Wilkinson-Smith

The debut double A side single from Bad Milk Blood Robot has hit the streets and they are looking for you to join their Herd. Too many influences to mention here but this upbeat bouncy grunge and whacked out psycho sound is a must for everyone. Manners Cost Everything and Merry Go Round are both a debut release and a statement of how this band will continue....fast paced, energetic and uncompromising. BBC Introducing recently described them as 'Gritty, Earthy and Brilliant', they are committed to a busy year ahead with gigs all over the region, now go out and catch them live.

Bassey

Josie Beth

how do you tell your mother? (Single)

Heartbreak often leaves us haunted, filled with hurt as we watch our harmer become the hero. Josie Beth’s latest single how do you tell your mother? (the first of five that will be coming this year) points the finger at the newfound pain after a break up; the seeming peace your ex is feeling while you’re screaming in the shadows of what was and what might have been. This acoustic single is gentle and damning, capturing the essence of raw emotions. After a promising 2023, in which she released her debut self-produced single Meadows, this single sets the tone for a successful 2024.

Charlotte Gould

This album has had a couple of months since release and in this time, it has sunk in just how good it is. Twelve original tracks of Americana music to dance to and music to drink to; who said country and Western sounds can not be this cool? Heartfelt ballads and a tight performance have made this a must listen album for 2024play the track Counterpoint and tell me you're not moved! Other stand out tracks for me are Glad Ghosts, Love From This Bottle and Mexico, but I could give the album several more listens and come up with a completely different list because each song hits a different nerve and emotion, depending on how you're feeling that day.

Bassey

The sad girl genre has a substantial stake in the current musical landscape, and Nottingham’s offering comes in the form of singer-songwriter Katie Keddie. However, Katie subverts expectations with Last Weekend which opens with a surprisingly twangy banjo melody as the singer dips her toe into country-inspired waters. Don’t worry though, the Katie we know and love hasn’t strayed too far, as her signature, breathy vocals whistle through those plucky strings, treading the fine line between yearning and defeat, between moving on and letting go. Maddie Dinnage

If you’re from Nottingham and want to get added to our list of music writers, or get your tunes reviewed, hit us up at music@ leftlion.co.uk

Milk Blood Robot

Seven Dark Lords Ghost In Here (Album)

Katie Keddie Last Weekend (Single)

sHell played

Teetering on the intersection between post-rock, spoken word poetry, and new-age jazz, Otala have garnered local interest for their unique tapestry of creative inspiration. Their latest single Commedia marks the beginning of an exciting year for the band. We sat down with frontman Oscar Thorpe, saxophonist Charlotte Foulkes, and drummer Fin Hills to talk about their upcoming record…

How did Otala come to be? How did you guys meet?

Oscar: Rory and I had a different band at uni, it was a goth band that sort of dissolved, and then we got the other guys together.

Charlotte: Otala emerged from the ruins of that band.

Oscar: Jack joined because he didn’t want to pay for a ticket to the gigs, so he just started getting in on the synths and it stuck.

Is there a story behind the name? I had to google what Otala meant before this.

Oscar: We were all just spitballing names. One of them was Slug. Otala is the name of a type of snail, and it just sounded cool. There’s no deep meaning behind it.

What does your creative process look like?

Oscar: Normally, one of us will come with an idea…

Charlotte: Usually Oscar

Oscar: *laughs* I’ll have it set out the way I want it, with a guitar part and lyrics after, in whatever way it feels like it should go. Then everyone else just adds their own stuff.

Charlotte: We all make our own parts of the track as we go along. Sometimes it takes a while for a track to reach its final form, some can take over a year or so. We gradually change things, especially as we’re all still working out our parts, and by the end, we all decide when it feels like a final product.

Oscar: It helps to play it live. Sometimes we’ll play something and think ahhh *cringes*, and wince a bit. When something doesn’t hit properly we can then change it.

So gigs act as an experiment for you guys to gauge whether a track is going to work?

Oscar: Yeah, we did a gig on Wednesday where we played a track for the first time in sound check.

Charlotte: It’s definitely a bit of trial and error. It’s sort of our method to play as many gigs as possible, it’s a bit more old-school.

Fin: Authenticity!

Any gigs that have stood out?

Fin: When we went to Rotterdam we played three shows across two days, they were all sick. One of them we played on a boat, which was mad.

Charlotte: Left of the Dial was probably one of the most affirming gigs we’ve done. It really felt like ‘we’re

a proper band’. We realised that we’re not just playing in our home cities, we’re playing outside of the UK and people are actually coming to see us and listen to our music. It was a nice feeling, to feel valued as a musician.

Every single take is completely different, just like every show is completely different. It’s just a snippet of a moment, that’s all a recording ever is, and there’s no point in perfecting it

Do you notice a difference between hometown and international shows?

Charlotte: Yeah! I absolutely love Nottingham, but a lot of the time it’s our mates coming to the shows, so it can be hard to feel that people are there because they love our music. Our first international show was in Paris and the room was full of people I’d never met. It was so nice to hear them clapping at the end, especially when nobody actually needed to enjoy it. It was such a lovely experience to see people who’d probably never heard of us before enjoy the music.

Oscar: I was more nervous beforehand though. On the first show, everyone went down to soundcheck and I was just like, ‘Please just give me two minutes on my own to breathe’.

Fin: For me, it’s always the lowest-stakes gigs that make me most nervous.

Speaking of nerves, any pre-show or onstage disasters so far?

Oscar: We’ve had a few tech issues.

Charlotte: Every gig has tech issues.

Fin: Yeah, many many times.

Charlotte: It gives us resilience though. We have a great capability to just play on.

Oscar: We’ve had to learn the hard way.

You have a record out on 28 May… anything you can tell us about it?

Fin: First things first, it’s sick.

Charlotte: It’s a 7” vinyl. The A-side is Commedia

Oscar: The B-side is Guatavita which is out on 30 April. Fin mixed Commedia, and then he also did a mix of Guatavita. We also have a second mix of Guatavita produced by Josh Finerty, the bassist from Shame. It’s exciting to have an actual, physical thing that we made.

Charlotte: I’ve been collecting records for so long, and to have myself on record is crazy. We picked up the test pressings last week, and Rory, Jack and I went back to my house and played it. It was just the most insane feeling.

Oscar: We worked with Ol at Lil Chop Record Shop, and he’s just so good, he’s amazing. Big up to Ol. Fin: It’s special too because we did it all ourselves, it’s all DIY.

Is there anything you’d like listeners to take away from the record?

Oscar: I think it’s a taster of what’s to come in our EP coming later this year, which is going to have a lot of story behind it. It’s a way to dip your toes into us as a band.

Charlotte: It’s our first time recording as the five of us, and it’s a year on from our first EP. It shows what our sound is now and who we are.

Fin: For us as well, there’s not a huge difference between performing live and recording the track. Every single take is completely different, just like every show is completely different. It’s just a snippet of a moment, that’s all a recording ever is, and there’s no point in perfecting it. So the record is truly authentic to us as a band.

What other exciting stuff have you guys got coming up this year?

Charlotte: Gigs, hopefully,

Oscar: Playing with Keg and POZI in May. Dot-to-Dot in Nottingham.

Charlotte: Maybe a tour as well towards the end of the year, and some new music coming out.

Any last words?

Fin: Listen to Commedia!

The Commedia / Guatavita 7” is out on 28 May, and is available for pre-order.

interview: Maddie Dinnage photo: Lia Qin

words: Andrew Tucker

I ordered pub poppadoms on Sunday that were absolutely swimming in oil. The mere act of splitting them in half brought my hands to a state of such unnecessary lubrication that my cutlery immediately vanished through my fingers, bouncing over the head of an ancient basset hound that was panhandling for bhajis under my table. I would have frisbeed the rest of the poppadoms into the Trent, but for the fear of being the ground zero of some unheralded ecological disaster.

And Nottingham’s oily enough already. In 1939, Dukes Wood in Eakring became the site of Britain’s first onshore oilfield‘Nodding Donkeys’ there pumped up 600,000 tons of black gold over the next two decades, the crude essence that fed the years of war and, as the Battle of Britain raged, kept planes in the sky.

From Eakring we could take a quick jaunt to the west, through hazel and blond primrose, past the stone flanking walls of Newstead Abbey. Up in the house a dark figure lurks in a painting by the Dutchman Joep Nicolas, brought to Nottinghamshire just two years ago from America.

In 1939, while Dukes Wood oil began finding its way into the wing-tanks of Spitfires, the artist Joep Nicolas was saying goodbye to Holland, fleeing the Nazis’ onward march. Ten years earlier, at Aldous Huxley’s house near Paris, the painter had come across another expatriated literary titan. Captured in stormy grey brushstrokes, the evidence of that meeting hangs in Newstead now - the last portrait of DH Lawrence, immortalised in oil.

Q]@andrewtucker.uk

a bre Wer's Hoard

words: Andrew Tucker photo: G.B. Esam

For more than 150 years, Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable has been a prized possession for imaginative authors. In a house near Sherwood Forest, we remember the man who first wrote it…

Language deceives us. Picture Winnie the Pooh’s face when he first inadvertently visited LoveHoney.co.uk - there are concepts to which the Hundred Acre Wood and its many cheerful residents should never be exposed. But dictionaries are here to save us - with a clear definition, a usage and an etymology, through dictionaries we can nail those words down to their proper meanings. The more we try to hammer words into place, though, the more they seem to float away.

For example - what actually is a chair? A thing with four legs? Some chairs have none. If chairs are things that we sit on, do antique chairs lose their chairness once they get retired? In the end there are some situations in which a traditional dictionary proves useless: we have to settle for the idea that we’ll know a chair when we see one.

Ebenezer Cobham Brewer was unsatisfied with this. A formidably knowledgeable Nottinghamshire resident with an enviable beard, he spent twenty years trying to find his own unique solution.

Cobham Brewer had returned from Cambridge and, like his father, gone on to become headmaster of a school in his native Norwich. After the death of his wife, he upped sticks across the country to live with his daughter and son-in-law, who was the Vicar of Edwinstowe by Sherwood Forest. Something about that vicarage of St. Mary’s, which had been the site of a church since the 7th century and had been, according to legend, Robin Hood’s wedding venue, has acted as a bit of a fountain of lexical magic in our county. As recounted in John Baird’s fantastic book Follow the Moon and Stars, one later resident was Cecil Day-Lewis, Poet Laureate and father of chameleonic method actor Daniel.

Like many busy minds Cobham Brewer worked nocturnally there - well into his eighties he stayed up scribbling until ‘three or four in the morning,’ in the recollection of his son-in-law. ‘He always

declared that he did his best work then - but he was always down to breakfast dead on time at nine o’clock’. Long before the QI Elves whispered in Stephen Fry’s earpiece, Cobham Brewer was the self-described ‘snapper-up of unconsidered trifles’.

Of all the dictionaries in the world [Brewer's] is the most like a treasure-hunt, where one phrase leads to another, and that to a third,

and before you know what's happened, it's time for lunch

As an avid collector of trivia both profound and profane, Ebenezer had made it his life’s business to bury his surroundings with scraps of paper: ‘These jottings,’ he said, that ‘I keep sorted in different lockers’. He wallpapered his small vicarage bedroom, stuffed paper into alphabetised bundles, slowly decanted the world into droll slices of miscellanea.

Ebenezer Cobham Brewer’s idea for an offbeat encyclopaedia was long in the making. As a young man in Norfolk, he’d published his Guide to the Scientific Knowledge of Things Familiar, the proceeds of which had allowed him to go on a swashbuckling Grand Tour across Europe, to cast his magpie-eyes over all sorts of new continental factoids, rumours and ephemera.

He arrived at the real summit of his life’s work in 1870: the publication of Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. ‘Doubtful speculation,’ scoffed his publisher Mr. Cassell, ‘quite beyond the wildest reach of the imagination’ - naturally, it went on to be a Victorian best-seller. Ebenezer Cobham Brewer’s book had a unique tone - moreso than a traditional dictionary he

Are you a writer with an itchy pen-finger?

thought of it as a ‘commonplace’, a sort of all-purpose notebook that you’d carry around with you to jot down interesting facts, diary entries and questionable poetry, the precursor of your iPhone’s Notes app.

It was the Dictionary of Phrase and Fable which made Brewer’s name - and with editors like Countdown’s Susie Dent renewing the book in the many decades since, it’s kept swelling. Its popularity isn’t too hard to fathom - there’s something in the opinionated slant of its entries that gets at the true mistiness of language. Here’s ‘Boredom’:

Boredom appears to have been invented around the middle of the 18th Century. No doubt people had been bored before then, but evidently they could not be bothered to think of a word for it (the nearest approach to it is perhaps accidie, a medieval term…)

This warm avuncular tone of voice, the crackling-fire chattiness of a retired professor, has attracted many high profile fans, like Terry Pratchett, JK Rowling and Philip Pullman, who went on to edit one edition. Pullman wrote:

‘Of all the dictionaries in the world [Brewer's] is the most like a treasurehunt, where one phrase leads to another, and that to a third, and before you know what's happened, it's time for lunch.’

Words won’t stop moving, and so that treasure-hunt will go on. There’s never been a better time to realise how fickle our language truly is - as Orwell noted, words can be used ‘to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind’, and we might notice that a ‘peace march’ is only ever two syllables from ‘mob rule’, and vice versa.

In Ebenezer Cobham Brewer’s approach, then, there is something wonderfully honest. To treat a dictionary not as a religious text, but as a rogue’s gallery or an address book of unreliable friends. Chasing the uncapturable, one notebook at a time.

Do you want to get your musings published on one of the world’s most prestigious literary pages?

Honestly, we can’t really help with that, but we are going to try printing some of your weird and wonderful pieces of creative writing right here in the LeftLion lit section! For now we’re asking for microfiction or short poems - Submit your prose under 150 words, or your poem under fifteen lines, to literature@leftlion.co.uk. Get scribbling!

Hidden treasures

words & photos: Caradoc

Gayer

Within Nottingham’s large catalogue of green spaces, Martin’s Pond, Harrison’s Plantation and Raleigh Pond are three hidden gems tucked away five minutes’ walk from Wollaton Park. In 1976, these sites were collectively recognised as Nottingham’s first Local Nature Reserve. To learn more about this tranquil locale we spoke to the couple that head Friends of Wollaton Nature Reserves, the volunteer group which have diligently cared for the reserve since 2003.

Living in Nottingham, it’s sometimes easy to forget about its many verdant green spaces until, by chance, you might encounter one which for decades has enjoyed care and attention from its local community and is all-the-more beautiful today for it. This was my experience in visiting Martin’s Pond, Harrison’s Plantation and Raleigh Pond in Wollaton, three sites that have changed immensely since 1976, when they were jointly recognised as Nottingham’s first Local Nature Reserve.

Wollaton couple, Malcolm and Margaret, 77 and 75, who volunteer at the reserve, illustrated this by showing me a 1960s photo of Martin’s Pond with Nottingham’s industrial skyline visible in the background. The reserve looked completely different to how it does today. “From the entrance gate, you could see as far as the boardwalk and the coal mine,” Malcolm said. “The whole thing was just reed-beds.”

Nowadays, when you walk through the ornate entrance gate into Martin’s Pond, you’re presented with very tall trees which conceal the city-skyline. I visited the site before speaking to Malcolm and Margaret; closing the gate behind me and wandering along the pond banks up to the adjoining river, I couldn’t help but feel that the clichéd idea of forgetting that you’re not in the middle of the countryside, but a city, couldn’t be more applicable here.

This is in thanks to the volunteer group that Malcolm and Margaret partly founded in 2003, Friends of Wollaton Local Nature Reserve. The group primarily meets on the second Saturday of every month for conservation work, with tea, coffee and cake provided for everyone who attends. Some volunteers however will work allyear-round on the odd day, determined to make the three sites as beautiful as they can be.

“At the minute, we’ve got a group of about twenty-people to call on, because there’s always something in-between those work parties that we have to attend to, if we can,” Malcolm said. “Like if a tree has fallen down and blocked the path or if we need to work on the waterfall, at the bottom of the pond.”

The care and attention of the volunteers was evidenced as I walked away from Martin’s Pond, through the trees and to Harrison’s Plantation, where the paths and hedgerows are meticulously well-kept. Work on this area often involves the removal of invasive species, like rhododendrons and Himalayan Balsam. I then arrived at Raleigh Pond, an expansive body of water which was in the past a clay pit. Here, the biodiversity of the reserve is at its richest: carp, perch, pike, frogs and toads live inand-around the pond and bats will sometimes fly overhead.

“2006 was the first year that we won a green flag for biodiversity and we got it each year each year since, but we couldn’t get it this year because of the cost,” Margaret explained. When asked about the support they get from the council, the couple reflected that they have always been relatively independent as volunteering organisations go: they can normally afford all of the tools and refreshments they need via the £3 membership fee for Friends of Wollaton.

“Last year we cut down a rhododendron at Raleigh Pond,” Margaret said. “We had to ask permission for that. The council took it all away in big bags. If we need tools, we can ring them up, but we mostly choose what we want to do.”

This wasn’t the case prior to 1950, when fishing rights to the pond were held alternately by a local reverend then by the District Nursing Association, while during the Second World War German and Italian prisoners-of-war were tasked with building a sluice gate on the north side of Martin’s Pond. At this time local people weren’t always free to take care of the site as they saw fit.

It is very social, and not just hard-work all of the time: that’s a key thing about our group. Keeping the troops happy with tea and coffee

“During the 70s, the pond was saved by local people because they were going to fill it in,” Malcolm said. “There was a petition to save it in 1974, and thirty volunteers turned up to clear up the rubbish and such. Then, in ‘76 it was designated a local nature reserve.”

Nowadays, Malcolm and Margaret’s volunteering scheme continues to be an asset for the Wollaton community, providing social opportunities and encouraging gratitude and good-feeling.

“It is very social, and not just hard-work all of the time: that’s a key thing about our group. Keeping the troops happy with tea and coffee,” Malcolm said. “And people always say thank you and appreciate what you’re doing, which is nice,” Margaret adds, showing me a thank-you card from a local which contained a thirty pound donation.

It was clear overall from speaking to the couple, that their work on the reserve was significant of something rare and valuable: decades-long investment by a local community in a green space with a very long history.

“We came here after here in 1977, after all the clearing-up work had been done,” Malcolm reflected, which was demonstrable of their long-term commitment to their custodianship. I was inspired by this and said goodbye to the couple, aiming to return to the reserve, while considering how if everyone tried living in as selfless a way as possible then our green spaces would inevitably be all the better for it.

People interested in joining Friends of Wollaton Local Nature Reserves can inquire via the Facebook group of the same name. For other green space volunteering opportunities around the city, check out nottinghamgreenguardians.co.uk

sWeet Carolina's

interview: Sophie Gargett

: Oliver Dürner and Angie Shepherd

Bringing a burst of colour and fiery flavour to the King Billy’s rooftop beer garden, Mark Walsh and Angela Shepherd cook up a delicious blend of vegan, gluten free Tex-Mex dishes at Carolina’s Chilli. We caught up to talk hot sauce, having a bricks and mortar kitchen, and what the summer holds…

Hey guys! Since we last caught up you have moved from being a pop-up to taking residence at the much loved Sneinton pub The King Billy. How have you found the new venue?

Angie: What’s not to love about The King Billy! It’s such a beautifully unique place with everything you love about a traditional British pub, music, warmth, a good pint - and now TexMex food! Its staff and regulars are so much fun, kind and encouraging. And Jon, the landlord, gave us such an amazing opportunity to be a part of the family. It’s a wonderful corner of the world.

Jon welcomed us to put our own stamp on the venue, so we got local graffiti artist @fryface to bring our vision to life. Anyone visiting will be able to see her masterpieces in the beer garden while surrounded by cosy lights, a great drink, and tucking into one of our tacos. Being able to plant some roots here has also given us the opportunity to expand our menu and we have weekly specials such as Beer battered Oyster Mushroom Tacos, which flew out the door. It’s now home from home.

Can you tell us about some of the dishes you're currently serving?

Mark: We have to talk about our Jackfruit BIRRIA! This is a labour of love. I follow a traditional Mexican recipe. Ours is topped with an apple, jalapeno and coriander salsa with birria consomme for dipping, pouring, drinking! It’s a must try. The Esquites Quesadilla, with tajin, cashew sour cream and mango habanero salsa is the pub staff’s go to. Queso Fries topped with homemade hot queso, tajin and jalapenos packs a punch and we would definitely be recommended as a side. We have perfected the Breakfast Quesadilla and now have people come far and wide to have it!

You describe your food as TexMex - why did you choose this as opposed to other traditional Mexican food?

Mark: We love the blend of Texan and Mexican dishes on our menu. Texas claims home to the ‘Chilli Sin Carne’ which was part of our signature dish, ‘Chilli Loaded Nachos’ that kicked off our menu when we first started out. We also take a lot of our inspiration from Mexico. We use mainly Mexican chillies and fresh herbs such as coriander in our dishes, and of course the wonderful Mexican taco. It’s great to be able to create, and be inspired by, an exciting world of variations. Therefore the fusion that TexMex offered worked amazingly for what we wanted to achieve.

All of your dishes are vegan and gluten free, what led to this choice of direction?

Mark: With one of us a coeliac and both of us choosing a plant-based diet we were once very limited on where to eat with ease. This was more so in the street food market scene, where space and equipment is limited for vendors, so we set ourselves a goal to create a menu that prioritises great food first and just happened to also be vegan and gluten free. We find people are always pleasantly surprised that our food is vegan, and when we’re asked, ‘What do you have that is gluten free?’, to be able to say ‘everything’ you can see their faces light up - it’s a nice moment.

You've even got your own brand of fiery dressing 'Scarlett's Hot Sauce' - is that a secret recipe, or can you reveal what goes into making that?

Mark: I love hot sauce and Scarlett’s was my original venture, hitting the shelves back home in Dublin in 2017. It's made using a blend of chipotle and Carolina Reaper Chillies (business name light bulb moment!) and other secret flavours, then slow

cooked to perfection. You can try and buy this at the pub - but stock sells out quickly! We’ve also got a popular mango and habanero hot sauce that’s hopefully going to hit the shelves soon - watch this space!

Are you both professionally trained or did Carolina's come from a natural love of food and cooking?

Mark: It started with the love of food and also importantly flavour. I turned my limitations into a creative opportunity. I am forever researching and testing exciting ingredients. Also Between us we have over thirty years experience in the catering industry. Angie has worked managing restaurants in Dublin. So her strengths lie in service and behind the scenes.

People are always pleasantly surprised that our food is vegan, and when we’re asked, ‘What do you have that is gluten free?’, to be able to say ‘everything’ is a nice moment

What are the benefits of starting small as a pop-up before eventually finding your own bricks and mortar place? Would you have any advice to people who'd like to start their own kitchen?

Angie: Our street food venture, which launched in 2021, gave us the time and freedom to go at our own pace. Testing different menu ideas, markets and locations to see what worked best for us. But I have to warn you, it's early morning, late nights and physically hard work. But it's definitely been worth it for us. We have met the most incredible people who also offer support and advice. It is a great community to be part of. Being given the opportunity with bricks and mortar has given us the chance to expand our menu, so with weekly specials we can test the waters and see what's working. We see our weekly specials as a creative outlet to keep evolving and make more exciting dishes that don't necessarily work at street food events.

We would just say that running your own business is like a roller coaster so if you are ready, no fear, buckle in and enjoy the ride. Believing in your product is everything. Follow the muse. Take your time. We started our business in our late thirties. We realised we weren’t going to change the world so we decided to change ours and have never looked back.

We're looking forward to chilling with some chilli in the Billy rooftop garden over the summer! What's next for Carolina's?

Angie: We can't wait for the summer on the roof terrace and it’ll be our first ‘Billy Fest’ at the pub in June! We’re also back on the road with some big events with NSFC at Trent bridge Cricket Ground, Dot to Dot Festival at Rock City and we will be bringing our popular Breakfast Quesadillas to Sherwood, Ruddington and Chilwell Markets.

To try Carolina’s Chilli for yourself, head down to The King Billy pub on Eyre Street between 5-10 pm every Wednesday to Saturday.

photos

BEST OF THE MONTH

Collage N’ Cocktails

Where: The Carousel

When: Wednesday 15 May

How much: £5

If you’ve been inspired by all the cut and paste creativity in this issue, you should probably check out some of the arty goings on at The Carousel. Alternating Wednesdays see Drink and Draw or Collage N’ Cocktails, both with lots of inspiring materials and prompts provided, plus a range of alcoholic or nonalcoholic drinks to enjoy.

A Celebration of Nottingham Football Fanzines

Where: Metronome

When: Thursday 23 May

How much: Free

Delve deeper into our interviews with Nottingham football fanzine founders in these two short LeftLion films. After the screenings, check out a Q&A with Julie Pritchard of Nottingham Forest fanzine Brian and Jim Cooke of Notts County fanzine The Pie, plus some keynote speeches about the importance of these two publications that brought together local community, history, creativity and sport.

Inkblot Comic Festival

Where: Vat & Fiddle

When: 18 May

How much: From £3.50

Bringing together independent makers, artists, illustrators, and comic lovers, Inkblot pride themselves on making art accessible to everyone with low entry and display fees. Spend the afternoon browsing a range of items, from comics, books, zines, prints, retro and vintage manga and much more. Held at the Castle Rock Brewery, you can also pick up some tasty food and a nice pint.

Luminarium: LuminiMax

Where: Highfields Park, Lakeside Arts

When: Saturday 25 MaySunday 2 June

How much: From £5

Immerse yourself in light and colour with a brand new Luminarium from Notts own inflatable inventors Architects of Air. Part art installation, part sensory experience, this walk-through attraction is really something that needs to be experienced to be understood. Fifteen minute time slots will be allocated, but why not make a day of it by checking out Lakeside Arts exhibitions, wandering around Highfields lake and treating yourself to an ice cream.

Do You Believe In the Power Of Rock and Roll? With John Robb

Where: Lakeside Arts

When: Saturday 11 May

How much: £15

One of the leading post-punk fanzine writers in the UK, John Robb is a many-faceted creature. Join the best-selling author, musician, journalist, presenter, pundit, publisher, festival boss, eco-warrior, vegan behemoth and talking head singer from post-punk mainstays The Membranes for an evening of rock n roll history. Accompanied by a special guest, Robb will also be discussing his new book The Art Of DarknessThe History of Goth

Dot to Dot Festival

Where: Various venues

When: Sunday 26 May

How much: From £16.88

Enjoy finding new music but don’t want to fork out for a weekend festival? Then snap up your tickets quickly to DHPs festival-in-a-day, which features headline acts including Jock Strap, Wunderhorse and The Magic Gang, along with Panic Shack, The Bug Club and more. From Notts you can catch up with a huge range of artists Airport Dad, Marvin’s Revenge, Jayahadadream, and Baby Tap.

I Was a Teenage Surfer Zombie

From Mars

Where: Broadway Cinema

When: Tuesday 7 May

How much: £75

One for all of you weird movie fanatics, this ten week course will get you au fait with the work of cult movie directors including Ed Wood, Russ Meyer, Roger Corman and John Waters, looking at grindhouse, extreme horror, exploitation and low budget B movies. There’s also courses on Italian cinema, screenwriter Patricia Highsmith, old Hollywood and more, so tell your film buff friends to have a browse.

Glastonbudget

Where: Wymeswold

When: Thursday 23 MaySunday 26 May

How much: From £30 (one day) to £290 (VIP 4 days)

Want to hit a festival this year but don’t fancy remortgaging your house? Well Glastonbudget might be just the ticket at just a half-hour drive from the city centre. Acts gracing the stage this year include The Bon Jovi Experience, Flash: A Tribute to Queen, ABBA Revival, Absolute Bowie, The Police Academy and many more satisfying stand-ins for the greatest acts of all time. Pick up a bargain day ticket and drop in, or go for the full VIP experience.

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