ISSUE 2
LONDON’S FINEST YOUTH RUN PUBLICATION
FREE
SPRING 2010
N E E B S ’ O H W FRAMED? EW TALENT N T O H ’S N O D N LO T S EA
ALSO FEATURING: RY iPHONE VS BLACKBER SKIN DEEP NDON WHAT’S ON IN EAST LO E BNP DUMMY’S GUIDE TO TH RIGHTS LIVE DEBATES MUSLIM
IN L V E D D N A Y Z M U M , O M NEW STARS ’S IN A IT R B S tip East Plus Live
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contents REGULARS /////////////////////////////// 02 Ed’s Letter + Big Ask / 03 Key Playaz + Big Ups / 04 What’s On In East / 05 Newsflash / 06 Live Loves + Live Loathes / 07 iPhone vs BlackBerry / 08 Live debates Muslim rights / 10 Dummy’s Guide to the BNP / 12 Living with Bipolar / 14 Skin Bleaching / 16 Live visits E20 / 18 Who’s Hot: Mumzy, Mo & Devlin plus ten stars of the future / 22 Fashion-East-A: Coko Ekeocha / 24 Sound Advice / 26 Culture Club / 28 Short Story / 30 Fully Booked / 31 Poetry / 32 Live Advice
featureS /////////////////////////////// 10 DUMMY’S GUIDE TO THE BNP Live East you the lowdown on this controversial political party
12 BIPOLAR A Live East writer offers a personal account of living with Bipolar
14 SKIN BLEACHING Why does everyone want to change colour? Three very different views on the issue of skintone
Illustration Camilla Karimova 17
“Since the London Olympics are coming up, I felt my piece should be inspirational and stand out. Colourful and enjoyable”
18 WHo’S HOT Live East tip the next big artists, musicians, designers and more to help you keep it hot in 2010!
HAVE YOUR SAY AND JOIN THE DEBATE AT LIVE EAST www.live-east-mag.com
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BIG ASK…
How will the noughties will be remembered? We ask five young people to sum up the highs and lows of the decade that brought us everything from 9/11 to the iPhone.
What was your most memorable or favourite moment of the noughties? Name: Ibtisam Aged: 16 My favourite thing about the noughties would be how anime has become more popular and accessible with annual conventions like the Anime EXPO.
Words/ Photos Nicole RobinsonGordon 16
Words Daniel Onyia 21
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Words Kiran Kaur 18
Name: Melanie Aged: 26 The Beijing Olympics in China were brilliant. All the people coming together to watch was phenomenal.
Also, a special thanks to Sian Anderson who was the acting Editor for the first issue, she did an amazing job! She’s moved on to bigger and better things and we wish her all the best with that! Keep it Live! Kiran, Daniel and the Live East team
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Name: Einy Aged: 19 The most memorable event for me would have to be the atrocity that was the 7/7 bombings. Personally, my favourite moment was when my final GCSE exam was well and truly over!
Name: Rebecca Aged: 15 My favourite moment would have to be the advancement of technology, like mobile phones, iPods, XBOX and PS3 - they’re constantly improving.
Name: Julie-Anne Aged: 26 The most memorable thing for me would be the death of Michael Jackson because he was such an icon, and his death was felt worldwide. My best moment would be when Obama became president because his race caused a lot of controversy and it formed the basis for some good conversations!
Kiran is Live East’s brand new editor, and already this sassy girl has taken over the magazine with her writing skills. Kiran played a key role on the Dummy’s Guide to the BNP, and it doesn’t end there, she also contributed the awesome Mumzy interview. As well as working at Live, Kiran is a full-time student, studying for a degree in journalism and with aspirations to be a presenter. The future is looking very bright for this 18-year-old student.
Editor Kiran Kaur, 18 Online Editor Daniel Oniya, 21 Fashion Editor Osman Ahmed,15 Music Editor Zainab Patel,17 Political Editor Attia Iqtadar,17 Books Editor Anita Opoku, 18 Design & Photography Team Chenai Tankundwa,15 Corrine Burton, 21 Tom Salter 21 Matt Hannah 21 Darryl Daley 24 Charlene Namakusa 19 Rebecca Need Menear 19 Daniel Oniya 21
Urban Articulations
This issue is certainly the most East you can get! With our real EastEnders interviews and a photoshoot with East London talent in the form of Mumzy Stranger, Mo and Devlin. There’s also an interview with an East London designer Coko Ekeocha and so much more! On top of this, we have the ‘Dummy’s Guide to the BNP’; a real life account of living with a Bipolar mum; and the growing trend for skin bleaching, all from our 13 to
If you want to become a part of Live magazine, do not hesitate to contact us! If you’re interested in writing an article, design, photography or illustration, this is the place to be. And once you’ve finished with this issue be sure to log onto www.live-east-mag.com to get regular updates brought to you by… us!
Daniel Onyia
If you missed our first issue be sure to pop down to our lovely office in Whitechapel and pick one up. Until then, settle down with a carton of Ribena and a Kit Kat and have a look at what we’ve got in store for you this time around…
22-year old contributors. We also look to the future in our Who’s Hot In 2010 special. Other articles include Live’s regular reviews of music, books and events, a what’s on guide, creative writing pages and opinion pieces. Issue Two seems to have it all: the glitz, the glam and the even glammer!
BIG UPS
Howdy Live readers and welcome to the second installment of Live East magazine from your new Editors: Kiran (mag Editor) and Daniel (Online Editor for the soon to be launched Live East website!). We’re really excited about our new roles and are looking forward to feeding your brains with all things Live, from fashion all the way to politics!
KEY PLAYAZ Kiran Kaur
ED’S LETTER
What can we say about Daniel? An intelligent, witty and ambitious individual, Daniel has recently taken on the role of Live East online editor. With a 2:1 Degree in Film/TV production under his belt, Daniel is lending a helping hand to the Live family through his photography (he helped out on the brilliant cover shoot) and feature writing (he co-wrote the Dummy’s Guide to the BNP. In addition to this, the East London graduate’s next ambition is a postgraduate degree course in film direction. Watch out Spike Lee, you’ve got competition!
Known as Urban Articulations (he has a blog of the same name), this young East Londoner entered the Live East building one wintery day bursting with ideas. The 19-year-old presented us with numerous magazine pitches written like a true pro. He has a strong personality, is very opinionated and always has the power points to back up his arguments. In his spare time away from university, he enjoys blogging and spreading his word on Twitter. Look out for his article on the controversial subject of skin bleaching on pages 14/15 of this illuminating issue.
Contributors Kiran Kaur, 18; Haroon Anwar, 18; Laura Gineitaite, 17; Karn Kachiko,19; Deni Toma, 20; Rebecca Need Menear, 19; Therryi Brown, 18; Mata Chan, 19; Hosanna Keflom, 17; Ollie Lister, 21; Irene Amadi, 16; Suliet Oladokun, 20; Damilola Olufemi, 17; Abdou Cisse, 18; Musa Mohammad, 17; Mikaela Spiteri, 19; Tope Kazzim, 15; Samara Straker, 18; Nicole Robinson Gordon, 16; Laura Black, 18; Sami Pontin, 14; Jacqueline Owusu-Boakye, 16; Celeste Morton, 16; Tyrone Oliver George, 17; Oushka Duncan, 21; Alborz Bozorgi, 16; Raziya Gulam, 22; Ralph Hardy, 18; Shizel Wilson, 19; Jennifer Ampen, 17; Zainab Ahmed, 15; Jemilla Russell-Clough, 21; Urban Articulations, 19; Kawsar Zaman, 19; Chitra ‘Ziggy’ Sangtani, 17; Sian Anderson,19; Julie Adenuga, 19; Rickie Davis, 21; Bianca Manu, 15; Damilola Omole, 15; Casey Davoren, 19; Kerrianne Taylor, 19; Emil Ahmed, 17; Caroline Odogwu, 21; Maria Grillo, 16; Esme Sackey, 16; Libby Majumbar, 16; Kathryn Bell,16; Carl Rendora, 17; James ‘Shorty’ Arnold, 17; Camila Karimova, 17; Shiezel Wilson, 21; Rashid Muhidin, 17; Kieran Yates, 21; Jacqueline Eyewe, 16; Alex Darby, 18; Emil Ahmed, 17; Niall MacLaughlin, 15.
Livity and Live friends and family Rachel White, Chantelle Fiddy & Ctrl Alt Shift crew, Monique Wallace @ Island Records, Clare Nouvel & Susan Simmonds @ Richmix, Faisal @ Thinkstore, Phil Long and all @ YMAG, Anna & Marcus @ Toynbee Hall, Pedro @ FNIK PR, Ahmed Versi @ Muslim News, Gerry Gable @ Searchlight, Rana Reeves @ John Doe PR, Shazia Nizam @ Press Top Creatives, Whitechapel Gallery massive (Elizabeth Flanagan Lucy Panesar Natasha Vicars and Young Curators Group), Michael Carnegie @ Outtakers, Colin Batsford @ Eastside Music, Anna Chapman & Steve Cameron @ Newham Council, Mark Calderbank @Reason Design, Faiza Tayab @ Home Office, Charlee Brown @ Vision, Jade Richardson & crew at Urban Development, Riz Ahmed, Idea Store, Rachel Bee @ Iluvlive, Denise Kodia @ Nang magazine, Ben @ Runmusic, Corin @ Grindstone, Outpost PR massive (Ben, Letitia, Silverman), Alex @ 679 Recordings, Family PR, Natasha @ Revolver, E20 contacts, Toast PR, Nii Sackey @ Bigga Fish, Elle Moss @ Drew Creative, Kay Daylami @ Livity.
Senior Editorial Mentor Rahul Verma Design Mentor Mark Calderbank Peer Mentor Sian Anderson,19 Live Mentors Hayley Joyes; Zena Alkayat; Steve Yates
All rights reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced in whole or part without permission from the publishers. The views expressed in Live East are those of respective contributors and are not necessarily shared by the magazine or its staff. The magazine welcomes new contributors but can assume no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations. © 2010 Live Futures
Photography Mentor Heiko Prigge
HAVE YOUR SAY AND JOIN THE DEBATE AT LIVE EAST www.live-east-mag.com
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WHAT’S IN EAST LONDON
CINEMA CASTS EYE OVER MUSLIM ISSUES
PHOTO PASSION
There has been a sudden glut of movies relating to Muslim issues – and British Muslims in particular – taking over the cinema. Controversial comedian and satirist Christopher Morris has made Four Lions, a spoof of Islamist extremists and media treatment of the issue. Four Lions stars rapper/ actor and Live East favourite Riz Ahmed, as one of the incompetent would-be bombers. Veteran comedian David Baddiel has made The Infidel, a film about Mahmud, a Muslim businessman in the East End. Played by well-known Iranian-British comedian Omid Djalili, Mahmud discovers he’s adopted and Jewish. In My Name Is Khan, a Muslim man with Asperger’s Syndrome is thrown in jail in America when his disability is mistaken for suspicious behaviour in the wake of 9/11. The Bollywood film follows his inspirational relationship with a Hindu woman and attempts to clear his name. Live East will be reporting on the new phenomenon in Issue 3, due late May.
If you’re into art (photography in particular) then it’s time to visit the Geffrye Museum located in Hackney. Their current exhibition is called Relative Spaces and is a photographic show by Zoe Barker (picture below). Barker’s grandfather died in 2004 and the photos depict the house he lived in for 50 years, and the changes it went through when the new owners moved in. Until March 28, Geffrye Museum, £2 www.geffrye-museum.org.uk
Four Lions
LIFETIME
The Whitechapel Gallery presents two outstanding nights on March 19 and 26. Young Curators (16-24) have been working hard to produce these events, which reflect the culture of the famous Brick Lane. One will be an upbeat event with music whilst the other focuses on the word ‘folk’. This may seem simple but, as I saw for myself when I went down to the gallery with other members of Live East, but it’s definitely something they are passionate about! March 19 and 26, Whitechapel Gallery, 8pm, free. www.whitechapelgallery.org
FRANCE MOVES TOWARDS BURQA BAN
MOONFLEECE
An abandoned home; a lost brother; an East End tower block and a secret love story. In this award-winning play, families and friendships are splintered by the politics of race, sexuality and money as a new generation encounters a world torn apart by the adults. There are also a series of post-show discussions and debates. (picture below) March 2 to 13, Rich Mix, £15, £12 concs. www.richmix.org.uk
EAST FESTIVAL
What’s the biggest event in the near future? East Festival of course! This six-day celebration is set to be a blast with events ranging from a recital of Indian Classical music to exploring the history and architecture of the Victorian East End. March 4 to 9, various venues. www.visitlondon.com
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
France is planning to ban the burqa and niqab from some public places, following a recommendation from a parliamentary committee. The ban would apply to certain places, such as hospitals, schools and public transport, though it would stop short of an outright embargo on wearing the veil in public. Burqas and niqabs are forms of dress worn by some Muslim women to cover the face in public. France has the largest Muslim population in Europe and a very secular culture, meaning they like to limit the role of religion in public life. But some campaigners have seen the move as anti-Muslim discrimination. It comes after President Sarkozy denounced the veil, saying it “is not welcome” in France.
What better way to celebrate all the mums, girlfriends and daughters out there than by taking part in International Women’s Day? The day highlights achievements of women all over the world and events in London include For The Record at Southbank where young people inspired by women’s stories will be performing. March 8, various venues. www.internationalwomensday.com
My Name Is Khan
The Infidel
BOY ARRESTED OVER ‘FACEBOOK ROW’ DEATH
A 15-year-old boy was remanded in custody on a charge of murder, following claims that a row on Facebook blew up into a fatal knife attack. Salum Kombo, 18, was stabbed on Chiltern Road in Bow in East London on December 20 last year. Salum was a student at Tower Hamlets, where he was studying art. The accused, who can’t be named, will return to court for a hearing on March 24. Victims of bullying can seek help and support at www.bullying.co.uk
MUSLIM GROUPS CLASH ON EXTREMIST BAN
There have been widely different views about the government’s decision to ban the controversial group, Islam4UK. The move was welcomed by some Muslim organisations that regard the group as extremists and selfpublicists. The Muslim Council of Britain said they feared it would play into the hands of extremists. Some mainstream commentators said it went against Britain’s liberal traditions of free speech. The Home Secretary took the decision in January after the group courted publicity by announcing a march in Wootton Bassett. A previous march against military personnel returning from Afghanistan was met with widespread anger. For further help and advice, see the Muslim Youth Helpline: www.myh.org.uk. www.myh.org.uk
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON
Design Matt Hannah 21
Words Kiran Kaur 18
Words Laura Gineitaite 17
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Words Irene Amadi 16
If you fancy seeing a 3D animated film about the unusual adventures of a heroic little boy called Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, then you need to get down to Theatre Royal Stratford East. Why not take your little brother and sister too... March 4, Theatre Royal, Stratford East, 5pm, £3. www.stratfordeast.com
Muslim Youth Helpline www.myh.org.uk - 0808 8082 008
HAVE YOUR SAY AND JOIN THE DEBATE AT LIVE EAST www.live-east-mag.com
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FOR & AGAINST
LIVE LOVES >>> Photo © Big Cat
Skins
We’re also welcoming the almighty high top creps. It’s time to indulge in all the latest from Adidas, Nike, Puma and many more. They’re colourful, vibrant and comfy as ever. Let’s all kick back and let our feet do the talking.
Lucian Freud
Photo © John Riddy
Skins: Series Four has kicked off. If you are unaware of the Skins phenomenon then you’re missing out on the best teenage show to hit our screens since Grange Hill. Skins mixes drama with comedy, and doesn’t pull any punches - with sex, partying and drugs high on the agenda, this isn’t for the faint-hearted.
We love the painter’s use of thick confident brush strokes to portray the realism of skin tone. He produces unique and sharp pictures of his youth that are filled with life. Each illustrative memory is filled with celebration and satisfaction. Go and see his work, it’s amazing – packed with energy, athleticism and a rhythmic feel. This series of books and movies is blowing up around the world and especially in London. A vampire version of Romeo & Juliet, the film is just as good as the book itself. So get down to your nearest book store and sink you teeth into the phenomenon.
<<< LIVE LOATHES Skin on tea
Politicians
It seems like every decade spawns a new breed of theories about the destruction of the world. Hollywood certainly cashes in. There’s the aptly titled Armageddon, then Independence Day, and now 2012. What a downer! As we enter a new decade, instead of giving us cause to celebrate, we’re left feeling doomed.
Words Kerrianne Taylor 19
Words Raziya Gulam 22
Words Casey Davoren 19
Words Mikaela Spiteri 19
Words Urban Articulations 19
End of the World Prophecies
Most famous for having affairs and spending money that the country doesn’t have, it’s hard to see how these politicians are supposed to be running the country. Most of the promises they make turn out to be lies and they just don’t listen to what the public wants. Live = not a fan.
In the UK, one in 10 people are bullied physically, mentally or verbally everyday. Have you felt unsafe at school, or even at home? Do you feel you can’t talk to anyone because they don’t understand? You do not have to hide, because organisations like Bullying UK and Connexions are ready to help. Don’t be a victim. Be an inspiration.
Words Zainab Patel 17
Here at Live, we hate being broke, regardless of when, but you have to admit, there’s a little bit of extra pain when you’re broke during a recession. Like wearing your birthday suit in Antarctica, it’s not a good look. Try to earn some extra P by selling your useless junk on eBay.
Words Camila Kamikova 17
Bullies
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Recessions
Picture this: you wake up, prepare your tea, and somehow in the 30 seconds you turn around, a thick, lumpy, disgusting skin has formed on the top of your now not-so-appetising beverage. We would like to introduce you to perhaps the best invention known to mankind...the flask. Skin on tea? Not anymore.
What’s your problem? No, seriously. We understand that you have nowhere to hurry to, but why are you walking slower than my nephew’s pet snail? And to top it off, you’ve decided to walk directly in front of me with your billion bags. To all you pavement hogs out there, off you trot!
VS.
BLACKBERRY
The Twilight Saga
It’s simple and easy to use and lets you practically stalk your favourite celebrities, musicians and actors. At the same time you can tell all your friends what you’re up to: from blowing your nose to waiting for the bus, the world of twitter wants to hear it!
Slow Walkers
iPHONE
iPHONE It Ain’t Worth Crap If It Ain’t Got Apps
BLACKBERRY Believe the hype
To be honest, I’ve never even used a BlackBerry and avoid touching them by all means necessary. So, even though I can’t relate any profound personal experience regarding their comparative attributes, I do know this: iPhones are for people who enjoy individuality and freedom of choice.
One evening, I was chilling with my friends at Uni when my phone rang. The call came in on my Nokia 3210, a classic old phone from about a decade ago. It had a legendary game by the name of Snake and the original Nokia ringtone. But that didn’t stop my so-called ‘friends’ from blowing up with laughter, calling my cherished phone ‘brick’ and ‘ancient’. One of them even smirked: ‘We’re in 2010 love!’ I decided it was time for a new phone.
Variety is the spice of life, as they say, and BlackBerrys aren’t really that spicy, if you know what I mean. My iPhone, in contrast, can be tailor-made exactly the way I like it. The iPhone has an application for everything. With this little beauty in my hand I never get lost, I can find somewhere to eat, dance, sing and drink, even in the most unfamiliar backwaters. I can locate the nearest registered taxi service, I can watch new trailers and find out what films are on and where. I’ve even downloaded the new Rinse FM app and now I can listen to it on the go! Aside from the endless amount of games and music - which always keep me occupied on even the longest train journeys - iPhone users have been graced with the amazing Live TV app. Yeah, that’s right, we can watch live TV with over 18 different channels to choose from! And to think that’s just a list of all the apps I’ve got – some of my mates have eight pages of ‘em. And before you say it, yes, we do have instant email and instant messaging in the form of ‘WhatsApp’, ‘Ping!’ and ‘PushGmail’. A phone is only special if it attends to your needs and the iPhone does that and more. My iPhone is my companion; my home from home._JA
A lot of my friends had the BlackBerry Smartphone so I felt left out big time! This is the latest invention to come out of the hyperactive mobile phone industry. All the celebrities have it, from Beyonce and Britney to The Saturdays. BlackBerry has proven to be the phone everyone is talking about, a phenomenon celebrated in the UK funky tune BlackBerry Hype by Maxwell D & Lil Silva. Ever heard a song called iPhone Hype? Didn’t think so. The BlackBerry Smartphone is a mini-computer device with a keyboard and optimised thumbing which allows you to scroll up, down and around the phone. You’ll never have to rush to your nearest internet cafe because everything you need, the BlackBerry can do. There’s internet browsing, email, a media player and Wi-Fi technology. My personal highlight is the famous ‘BBM’ (BlackBerry messenger) – a good way of communicating when you’ve run out credit. I always said I’d never to succumb to BlackBerry hype, but I’ve eaten my words and joined the club. I’ve upgraded from old skool to new. My friends don’t laugh at my phone anymore – they all want one just like mine._KT [Ed’s note: We know iPhones and BlackBerrys are the most expensive phones out there (which is why we’re focusing on them) but we’re not promoting, simply reviewing! As long as you can text and talk on your phone, that’s good enough!]
Design Matt Hannah 21
High Tops
Words Kerrianne Taylor 19
Photo © Heather Beltz Ingram
Remember the Nintendo 64 and Dreamcast? We certainly do. Gone are the days of guiding Mario to his gold coins or running around with Crash Bandicoot. Now it’s killing your neighbour in Call of Duty or slide-tackling your homies in FIFA. Hey you, yes you at the back of my cupboard; come, let’s reminisce.
Words Julie Adenuga 19
Retro Gaming
Touch screen and apps versus twofinger texting: Live East writers put the case for their streetwise Smartphones
HAVE YOUR SAY AND JOIN THE DEBATE AT LIVE EAST www.live-east-mag.com
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DEBATE AGAINST DIVISION LIVE EAST GOES TO PARLIAMENT Live East Editor Kiran Kaur reports from a debate at the House of Commons, between political leaders and young British Muslims
Going to the House of Commons is not something I usually do in my free time. Arriving at the House of Commons I felt important, I may not be an MP but even to enter such an amazing building was something I found hard to comprehend. Everybody inside was suited and booted and of course I was dressed for the occasion. The discussion, organized by newspaper Muslim News, was based upon how the Government’s anti-terrorism policy affects the Muslim community.
I sat down on my rather official looking green chair and took out my reporter’s notepad casually (as you do) and I found myself jotting away: everything sounded important. I loved the structure of the discussion whereby Mehdi Hasan, Senior Editor of political magazine The New Statesman, took open questions from the audiences which was largely made up of young Muslims. These questions were then left to be answered by the panel which consisted of MPs including Conservative, Crispin Blunt, MP (Shadow Home Affairs Secretary) and Chris Huhne, MP (Shadow Home Secretary, Liberal Democrats).
“I loved the structure of the discussion whereby Mehdi Hasan, Senior Editor of political magazine The New Statesman, took open questions from the audiences which was largely made up of young Muslims.”
The current student wanted to know why he was made to feel guilty even though he was not even studying at the institution at the time in which the attempted bomber was. It was a well made point and MP, Chris Huhne replied: “It’s absolutely crucial that we do not overreact and alienate them [members of UCL’s Islamic society]”.
OPINION Live East challenges the sometimes negative image of British Muslims
It was obvious the discussion needed more time as everybody seemed to have an opinion and many questions were left unanswered. However, what it has done for me is strengthen something I was already aware of: the fear of terrorism often develops into blame and unfortunately, this blame is often placed upon Islam leading to unfair treatment of the Muslim community._KK
On Saturday January 23rd hundreds of British Muslims, including civic and community leaders met at a public meeting in Birmingham to discuss the growing spate of attacks against British Muslims in our country. It took place on the this sort.” same day that more than 1,500 supporters of the English Defence League (EDL) rioted in StokeOn-Trent against the so-called “Islamification of Europe” – two men have since been charged with racially aggravated public order offences.
One question I found of particular interest was from a student from UCL. He questioned why, simply because he was part of the Islamic Society at UCL, his and other members’ details were supplied to the Police. The response was this is because the ‘Christmas Day Detroit Bomber’ who was head of UCL’s Islamic Society three years ago.
Such views flourish because little is made or shown of the other side: for example a survey conducted by the Open Institute Society in December 2009, found British Muslims to be the most patriotic in Europe.
Following the devastating earthquake in Haiti, Muslim charities in the UK immediately pledged to raise more than £2m in emergency relief while “Following the devastating earthquake Muslim students raised in Haiti, Muslim charities in the UK more than £300,000 immediately pledged to raise more than through ‘Charity Week’ £2m in emergency relief while Muslim at universities across students raised more than £300,000 the country for orphans through ‘Charity Week’ at universities around the world. But across the country for orphans around you rarely hear stories of the world. But you rarely hear stories of this sort.
Journalist and political commentator Peter Oborne has illustrated how anti-Muslim sentiments had achieved a level of respectability in Britain that no other form of prejudice enjoyed. “While overt racism and anti-Semitism were unacceptable in modern society: the systematic demonization of Muslims has simply become an important part of the central narrative of the British Political class; it is so entrenched, so much part of normal discussion, that almost nobody notices.”
The overwhelming feelings at the public meeting of proud British Muslims called by the Muslim Council of Britain was one of frustration and anger that anti-Muslim sentiments and attacks were not being adequately addressed.
Muslim communities, like any other community, calls for a concentrated effort to challenge extremism of any form which concentrates itself against minorities in a bid to create divisions to the detriment of our society and country.
What our East London readers think about attacks on British Muslims “There’s nothing wrong with Islam, some people may think it is a wicked faith, it’s not, but they are entitled to their own opinion. Islam is all about love and harmony, it’s humble.” Ali, 16 “Yeah, we’re big on giving to charity. The Muslim community provides a lot of aid to poor countries.” Moonira, 18 “Yes, it should be allowed to be practiced everywhere – it’s the worlds fastest growing religion so why not?!” Mahwish, 19
And it seems the issue is now being addressed the Muslim Council Of Britain is hosting a meeting in March between politicians, journalists, police, public servants, community leaders academics to tackle Islamphobia and violence against British Muslims.
Design Matt Hannah 21
8
Words Kiran Kaur 18
Photo Sajjad Lalji/ The Muslim News ©
HAVE YOUR SAY AND JOIN THE DEBATE AT LIVE EAST www.live-east-mag.com
9
’S DUMMYIDE TO... GU
BNP THE
Most people think of The British National Party (BNP) as an outright racist political party. However, earlier this year, they won seats in local government and, for the first time, won two seats in the European Parliament. So how has such a controversial party suddenly managed to get into a position of such power?
Words Kiran Kaur 18
10
Words Daniel Onyia 21
“When they first started the BNP were much more violent and like Nazis when it comes to ideology and beliefs,” explains Gerry Gable the founder of Searchlight, an organisation that has been monitoring fascism since 1962. “And in the last few years they have been as bad as ever in terms of violence and extremism – the number of BNP members police arrested under terrorism charges runs into double figures.” As if to confirm Gable’s words, while Live East was working on this article, BNP member Terrance Gavan was jailed for 11 years for possession of explosives and firearms. Current leader Nick Griffin [see box] was also arrested for inciting racial hatred in 2005.
NICK GRIFFIN • Born in March, 1959 in Barnet • He was educated privately at Woodbridge School • Edgar Griffin, Nick’s father, took him to his first National Front meeting • Nick joined the National Front aged 15 • He graduated from Cambridge University in Law • He was part of the National Front for 15 years • In 1995, Nick joined the BNP • Convicted for inciting racial hatred in 1998, he spent nine months in prison • In 1999 he became the leader of the BNP
Design Darryl Daley 24
BNP Origins The way the BNP is viewed by many people mainly stems from its early affiliations with the National Front. The National Front (NF) was created in 1967 with the belief that (in the words of the NF website) ‘multi-racialism and immigration was a tragic mistake’. The party mainly consisted of working class people who felt threatened by the competition that immigration was creating in the work force. So one aim of the party was to halt immigration and introduce a system of humane and ‘voluntary’ repatriation of all non-whites. Repatriation - sending someone back to their country of origin - is still a policy of the BNP today, but now reworded as ‘voluntary resettlement’. The NF was very prominent in the 1970s with marches all across London, even in predominantly black or Asian areas such as Lewisham and Southall. The party also had negative press due to leading member John Tyndall’s past as a member of a former neo-Nazi group. Tyndall left the NF and founded the BNP in 1982.
RECENT HISTORY During the ’80s and ’90s, the BNP were virtually non-existent in the political arena, only winning their first seat in local elections in 1993, which they then lost to Labour the following year. The party continued to attract negative comment as a home to violent thugs, a view underlined in 1999 when former BNP member David Copeland (now dubbed the London ‘Nail Bomber’), planted three nail bombs in Brixton, Soho and Brick Lane, specifically targeting the black, Asian and gay communities, killing three people and injuring 129. Gerry Gable suggests: “The BNP have always been violent extremists, you only have to look at David Copeland the nail bomber, and members have been found with firearms and toxic chemicals. In 2006 Robert Cottage, who has been a BNP candidate on numerous occasions was arrested with the largest amount of chemical explosives ever found in Britain. When he was interviewed by the police he talked about the coming civil war in Britain, because of a clash between cultures, and that’s what the BNP believe too. So the idea that the BNP are OK and a legitimate party couldn’t be more wrong.” In 1999 Nick Griffin took over as party leader; in 2003 his party won a local government seat in East London, among seats in other UK locations. But why? One reason may be that during the ’90s and noughties, immigrants living in Britain reached a peak, with thousands migrating from Africa and Asia. Nick Griffin was very outspoken about immigration and believed that it needed to be completely stopped, stating that ‘this country is full’, playing on people’s fear that immigrants would take British jobs and change what it means to be quintessentially British. With the recent recession, and a lack of trust in mainstream political parties exacerbated by the expenses scandal in 2009, people may be looking for an alternative and the BNP may just fit the bill. BNP & EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT TODAY On June 7, 2009 the BNP won two seats in the European Parliament, with Nick Griffin one of their first two MEPs (Member of the European Parliament). The European Parliament, which is a legislative body of the European Union, has a say in the political and economic policies of 27 democratic European countries – Griffin’s role essentially means he has the power to affect decisions all over E urope. This may be quite alarming to some. As Garry Gable says: “The BNP have close links with white power groups in Europe and America and are even associated with far right gangs in Russia.” It does seem ironic that the BNP should want to be in European Parliament considering that one of their policies is to break Britain away from the EU and to stop other countries having influence over British politics.
QUESTION TIME The BBC’s ‘Question Time’ is a popular debate TV programme on which the panel and audience discuss current affairs. By far the most controversial show in its 30-year history was when Nick Griffin, as a result of their rise in popularity, was featured on the panel in October 2009. Despite the BBC’s aims to give all political parties a chance to defend their policies, the show saw Nick Griffin ripped to shreds by both the panel and the audience. Looking back at the show, and the way Nick Griffin handled the situation, it would be hard to believe he is a Cambridge Law graduate, as at points he had a lack of evidence to back his statements which left him red-faced. He looked anything but a national leader. However, many felt the Griffin was bullied and victimised by the audience and other panellists and there was speculation that the party might gain sympathy votes.
BNP POLICIES
• Immigration: To put a halt to people migrating to Britain. They want to deport all illegal immigrants, which they put at two million-plus, and reject all asylum seekers who passed safe countries on their way to Britain.
“The BNP have always been violent extremists, you only have to look at David Copeland the nail bomber, and members have been found with firearms and toxic chemicals”
THE FUTURE The BNP have noticeably grown in recognition despite the wishes of the Government and many British people. Whether they will continue to grow, and to what extent, is unknown. All that is known is the BNP are very prominent in some parts of the north and north-west, such as Burnley and Barnsley. What’s more alarming is their support here in East London, in the borough of Barking and Dagenham. The question is, will they be able to break into the UK parliament? And what will be the consequences of them joining? How would you feel knowing that Nick Griffin is making decisions that affect how you live in the UK?
• Crime & Justice: To reintroduce corporal punishment (inflicting pain) for petty criminals, and restore capital punishment (the death penalty) for terrorists, paedophiles and murderers. • Economy: ‘Selectively’ stop foreign-made goods entering the country. They argue that this will restore ‘our economy and land to British ownership’.
• Education: To reintroduce daily Christian assemblies, corporal punishment in schools and end a system which they claim has left ‘working class white boys at the bottom of the table for academic achievement’. • Democracy: To remove legal curbs on freedom of speech which they argue has been imposed by successive Governments over the last 40 years. They also want to abolish the Human Rights Act.
What our readers think about the BNP “When you go to school, they teach you that Britain is a multicultural country but [Griffin] is trying to say that we don’t belong here, yet we were born in this country like he was. So why are we different?” Sarah Burell, 13 “I bet Nick Griffin is not even one hundred percent British – cos you never find people that are one hundred percent British.” Jakiya, 14 “You can’t say that just because a group of people are not one race they are not part of the circle too. I think everyone has their own reasons for coming to this country.” Fatima, 13
HAVE YOUR SAY AND JOIN THE DEBATE AT LIVE EAST www.live-east-mag.com
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BIPOLAR DISORDER An anonymous Live East writer talks about the day-to-day challenges of living with someone who suffers from Bipolar disorder A seemingly normal Saturday night after one of the biggest parties of 2009. I walk up to my house and open the door. One word: hotboxed. The whole house. “It’s impossible,” I say to myself. With my older brother away on holiday and myself out with mates, there isn’t anyone else that could be smoking weed in my house... Except my mum. Seriously? It can’t be. But that’s the messed up thing, it can be, because it was. You know the feeling of being so angry with somebody that you’re boiling up inside? Imagine that times ten. The smell is coming from upstairs, I run up hoping that it might be my brother’s mate, or my uncle. My nose leads me to my mum’s room and there it is, a small plastic bag with about ten pounds worth of weed left in it. I know it’s easy to buy drugs, but when it’s your mum buying it, you know something is wrong. I find her downstairs eating her rice and chicken, watching TV with bloodshot eyes. We exchange looks but instantly she turns away. “I’m gone from this,” I shout, and slam the door. Now I’m out in the world, hoping that it might be a prettier place. Somehow the grey world outside seems a lot brighter than in. I return to my house at 4am. There’s only so long your friends can stay out with you before they have to return to their own homes, there’s only so much other people can do for you. When it’s you that’s got to be the parent in the relationship, there’s not much you can do but return home. My mother was diagnosed with post-natal depression just after my older brother was born. She and my dad broke up and made up several times. On the last attempt, my mother fell pregnant with me. Six months after I was born, my dad filed for divorce. I don’t blame him. Every day I see exactly what my dad had to put up with and I find myself thinking that it’s only so long before I give up on her as well. My mum then went into severe depression. She went from days of contemplating suicide to days of drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. I always knew there was something wrong with my mum, I just didn’t quite know what.
My sister was 15 when this was all happening. She was the maternal figure to me, the person who nurtured my brother and me, taught me how to walk, how to talk, how to be myself. When my sister got married, I was only 13 but I realised I had to seriously grow up. Learn to cook, learn to clean, learn to make money and learn not to depend on anyone. With a brother who was never at home because he was too busy either getting arrested or on his “grind”, and a mother whose mood fluctuated like the weather, I realised that I had to do things for myself. I didn’t want to end up like them, like her.
I was only 13 but I realised I had to seriously grow up. Learn to cook, learn to clean, learn to make money and learn not to depend on anyone The majority of you will probably know something about Bipolar disorder because of the awareness raised by the character of Stacey Slater in EastEnders. Yeah, it’s an accurate indication of what it’s like, to an extent, but you’ve got to remember that television soaps will always over dramatise. I’d say my mum is more like Stacey’s mum than Stacey. Those manic highs, depressed lows, the erratic behaviour: you get used to it. Having a parent with Bipolar is not necessarily a bad thing. It taught me to be independent and to appreciate those who nurture you. It helps you to mature more quickly and to learn the essential skills of life, even if it is the hard way. But hey, at least I can make a better lasagne than most people! EastEnders taught me one thing: Bipolar is hereditary. It doesn’t scare me, it just makes me more alert. I can see some traits of it in myself, like the sudden mood swings, but at least now I know that as soon as I suspect anything major, I should follow it up by consulting a professional before it’s too late.
You’re probably going to want to know what some of the symptoms of Bipolar are. I’m not going to tell you the doctors definition because I would just be Googling it, which you can do yourself at home. I’ll just tell you what I’ve seen, what I’ve experienced and what type of Bipolar my mum has. My mum has the type that she refuses to take medication for; the type where she’ll have a range of mood swings, from laughing at any little thing to being depressed and spending days locked up in a room alone. Sleep and diet problems are also an indicator: lack of sleep and food one day, oversleeping and over-reacting the next. She gets irritable or snappy all of a sudden, overcome by feelings of sadness. It’s almost as if you can see the child in her. Real life Bipolar situations don’t just come under your typical textbook definition. Living with is means watching someone rub their nails frantically against each other; it’s getting chucked out of your house at the most random times for no particular reason; it’s having the wallpaper peeled off the walls. Or, when the Bipolar fit is at its all time best, it’s finding your mother sitting there in the front room in her swimming costume, watching TV. For those of you out there in a similar situation, don’t think of this as a bad thing, embrace it and take it as an opportunity to prove that you’re strong. There have been times where I’ve doubted everything, doubted God, doubted family, doubted whether anything is even worth it. I’m not going to lie: you can ask me whether I believe in God, and one week I’ll be agnostic, the next I’ll be a believer. That’s how I rationalise it, a test of patience and faith. And eventually, I’ll see the outcome. Unil then, I have to prove to myself that I can win this struggle, and that is exactly what I’m doing. It’s like they say, what doesn’t kill you, only makes you stronger...
Illustration Camilla Karimova 17
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Words Anonymous
For more info and support: www.bipolaraware.co.uk - www.mind.org.uk - www.mdf.org.uk
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During the 1960s, the term ‘Black is Beautiful’ celebrated black people’s features and made people proud to be black. But nearly 50 years on, we seem to have forgotten this: the sales of whitening cream are on the rise and people have become more desperate to have the ‘perfect’ caramel skin than ever.
SKIN DEEP
Darker-skinned people have always faced criticism, openly portrayed as savages or buffoons in the media (eg gollywogs). But these portrayals have always been by ignorant people during the days when racial equality wasn’t high on the list. Now people who should know better, people of colour, seem to be pushing light skin on us.
So, I got Googling and found two interesting articles by Tameka J. Raymond (Usher Raymond’s ex-wife) and British journalist/author Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, for the Huffington Post and The Independent respectively. Both blame the media. Raymond says: ‘Reading magazines, social media sites, watching our music videos and television shows feed our appetites for all things ‘beauty’. Rarely, however do I see depictions of grace and elegance in the form of dark-complexioned women.’ Alibhai-Brown comments: ‘The beauty and fashion industries are a closed shop when it comes to the selection and promotion of models. In women’s magazines, on catwalks, even shop dummies, dark skin is rarely seen. I try not to use the ‘media card’ too often, as it is the first thing people blame when things go wrong, however, I’m willing to make an exception in this case. Last year, L’Oreal ran a campaign for its hair lightening kit, featuring Beyonce as the model. The public were outraged when the picture was released. L’Oreal was accused of lightening caramel-coloured Beyonce’s skin until she resembled a poor imitation of a milky bar. Of course, L’Oreal denied photoshopping the picture. In 2009, Italian Vogue created its first ‘All Black’ issue, where all the models used in that issue were black. This issue sold out worldwide. However, many darker-skinned models complain that they cannot find work. The fashion industry’s excuse? ‘Black models don’t sell.’ Well Vogue clearly decapitated that excuse.
Design Tom Salter 21
Words Kieran Yates 21
Words Jemilla RusselClough 21
The projection of just one type of beauty in the media excludes the majority of the population. If you aren’t tall, thin, and have light skin, I’m sorry; you just don’t cut it in this society. Some people are so desperate to fit this narrow view of beauty that
Words Urban Articulations 19
What is even sadder is the prospect of a generation of young dark-skinned people hating their own skin. I came across a Yahoo Answers question, with a young person wishing they weren’t ‘dark skin black’ and asking whether ‘you guys do any bleaching cream that will make me fair skinned?’ They mention they are teased be allowed to be at school, and they want
I’m a dark-skinned teenager of Ghanaian heritage. I’ve heard compliments, but I’ve also heard negative comments such as ‘you’re so dark I can’t see you’ (which makes no sense). Everyone “Everyone should should be allowed to comfortable with whatever shade be comfortable with whatever shade they they are, whether they’re as white are, whether they’re as as snow or as black as coal.” white as snow or as black as coal.
We live in an upside down world – people with dark skin want light skin, people with light skin want the perfect tan. Three Live East writers, of varying skin tones, express their thoughts on their ‘colour’ and how people perceive them.
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they’ll result to drastic measures. Sales of lightening creams are rocketing; however some of these creams are not safe. Indy Rihal of the British Skin Foundation says: “Unfortunately, many skin-lightening creams contain illegal compounds that can damage your health; the most common compounds are high-dose steroids.” Regrettably, some people don’t heed these warnings and still carry on applying these creams until their face is three shades lighter than the rest of their body, the veins in their face become visible, or until their skin develops a grey tint to it.
HAVE YOUR SAY AND JOIN THE DEBATE AT LIVE EAST www.live-east-mag.com
to be none other than Beyonce’s skin tone (oh, the irony).
I think it’s down to all of us to promote beauty in all its forms. Our generation should break the mould and end this narrow-minded view of what it means to be beautiful. I’m dark-skinned. And what? Urban Articulations
When I first thought about writing about my skin colour, I couldn’t really think of an opinion. The joy of living in London is that being a brown-skinned Indian girl isn’t really an issue. Then I thought back to experiences I have had; of being called a Paki, of being ‘too dark to marry’ according to my aunties, of having limited mainstream role models in terms of Indian women. Hmm. Maybe there’s something to write about after all. If you are Indian, you will inevitably be called something derogatory at some point: the stigma of Islamaphobia is never far away, nor the classic ‘Paki’, both of which I’ve had, even though I’m neither Muslim nor Pakistani. Sigh. Though rather than being upset, I have always been more surprised that words like that are still in circulation, still used to subjugate ethnic minorities like myself. I was taught never to give these words power by being affected so I never was, but I feel for those who are. My mum, a proud Indian woman, always tells me that pride is an inheritance. She says my skin colour is a sign of where I have come from, where I had travelled to, a marker of the racial struggle my first generation of Indians had to encounter. I have never thought of skin colour as political in that way. But I think she has a point. I, of course, have been subjected to the usual quips from an Indian family. I feel the pressure to be more ‘gori’ or ‘white’, being told it is the more attractive
complexion to bag myself a husband. I always think these constructions of beauty come from a colonial past that sees light as wealth, and dark as poverty, the curse of workers in the field exposed to the sun. I’ve never wanted to change my skoin colour. I respect my inheritance... and there are more important things in life than bagging myself a husband. Just don’t tell my Aunties. Kieran Yates
Being a pale-skinned freckled girl, this is something that will always be noticed by people first. Not my eyes, hands, hair – nope, the first thing has always been my freckles. I know this is because they are unique. I am used to being called ‘Freckles’ and people telling me how pale and milky my skin is. I have grown knowing that I will never tan properly, and I have also learnt to accept that in British culture, being tanned is what people want. It makes you look healthier, sexier and thinner. Fashion and the media from magazines to advertising have had a big impact on the need for people to slather themselves in fake tan, use sunbeds, spray tans or spend hours in the sun hoping to get tanned and beautiful. The obsession with being tanned and covering up naturally pale skin tones has even been renamed as ‘Tanorexic’, as people ignore the risk of skin cancer by sun-bathing in the blazing sun and on sun beds. Despite this, there are some beautiful women in the world flying the flag for naturally pale and interesting types from English Roses like La Roux to Nicole Roberts from Girls Aloud. Maybe their presence in the media will help young women see that they don’t need to change their skin colour to be happy. Accept your skin tone for its natural beauty and look after it, use sun creams all year round on your face and you’ll be the ones winning in the end as all a tan is, is sun damaged skin. Jemilla Russell-Clough
What our East London readers think about skin bleaching “I think people my age just want to fit into the crowd and be a certain colour so that they feel part of the group.” Akoma, 13 “You should try to be comforable in who you are – and don’t use creams that change your appearance.” Dufie, 13 “I think my skin is perfect and everybody should think that their skin is perfect because everyone is different and we need to learn that.” Fatima, 13 For more vox pops see www.live-east-mag.com www.teenagecancertrust.org www.britishskinfound ation.org.uk
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Teens Take Over Live East visits Walford to meet actress and writer Emer Kenney of E20 – the online EastEnders spin off created by young people...
Words Caroline Odogwu 21
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Words Tyrone George 17
Did you go to college and university? I finished my A-Levels in English, History, Drama and Art and then took a gap year. I did some acting here and there and that’s when I really started writing as I had a lot of time on my hands. I saw this competition on the National Theatre website, it’s such a good place to look to if you want to get involved with things.
Do you think being on the TV will change you? Apparently your life changes quite dramatically but I don’t know. Also my character is a real bitch, her aunt is Shirley so I’m like a mini Shirley in a different package. I’m homeless, so I go off and seduce Peter Beal, which is great (laughs) and then I go to Lucy Beal’s party and have a massive cat fight, – one of the biggest fights they’ve ever done in EastEnders. The fight includes me, Whitney, Lauren and Lucy, we are slapping each other, it’s going to be mental!
Do you think the script is a fair representation of young people in London? What I liked was getting the humour of teenagers. We had such a diverse writing group, with people from all over London and from 16 year olds in school to graduates aged 22. I think in the end, no matter what we did, whether we tried to do it consciously or not, our script was going to reflect all our different influences. How do your family feel about your acting career? I think my dad wants me to be a politician or something and change the world (laughs). I’m lucky because my mum was an actress, so she couldn’t say no. Where do you see yourself in about five years time? I want to have written a ton more. I really want to have achieved something with my writing because I don’t have time for it at the moment. I like to act on loads of different platforms and media, I would love to do some theatre and some film. I just want to be creative. You can watch the past episodes of E20 online here: www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/e20 A new series may well be in the pipeline, so if you’re interested in getting involved check out the E20 website above for more details.
Top 10 most memorable EastEnders moments: “You’re not my mother.” ”Yes I am!” The nation sat in shock as Kat, Zoe’s ‘sister’, literally screamed the truth. Dirty Den getting killed We knew it was coming, but it’s always good to see the bad guy get his – especially at the hands of three wronged women.
Family affair Home movie with a difference at the Branning family home, as Dad’s weddingday snog with new daughter-in-law Stacey is seen by all on the family camcorder. Whodunnit? The killer of Dirty Den wannabe Archie could literally have been anyone, but being oh-so evil, we can’t deny enjoying the moment he was hit over the head with the busty Queen Vic! Crash! Tiffany being run over by Frank in his car has to be one of the greatest tearjerkers in EastEnders’ history! “Rickaaaaaay!” It is amazing what elongating a name can do. Bianca calling after her beloved Rick while the train took him out of her life. Why couldn’t it break down? Dead and gone Archie Mitchell sending Ronnie’s long-lost daughter Danielle packing was pure evil. Ronnie found out just in time to watch being run over and killed by Janine. Oh, the tears! Not so little now! When Little Mo fought back after years of abuse from her husband, Trevor, the whole nation was on her side. To fend off his attempted rape, she picked up the closest thing to hand – an iron. A leopard never changes its spots Greedy, crafty Janine Butcher got husband Barry all alone in the middle of nowhere and gave him a fatal shove down a hill. Obviously wanted to be the bereaved but very rich widow! Sharongate Grant discovers his wife, Sharon’s affair with his brother, Phil! So…what does he do?! Plays the tape where Sharon’s declaring her love for Phil to a packed pub! EastEnders is on BBC1 Monday, Friday (8.00pm); Tuesday, Thursday (7.30pm), with an omnibus every Sunday. All episodes can be seen on BBC iPlayer up to one week after transmission.
Words Kieran Kaur 18
Some of our readers are aspiring actors and want to know whether you need to go to a special drama school to become an actress? No, I went to normal school, I just had a passion for acting. I did the National Youth Theatre, I hate it when people say this but it actually changed my life. It really does build your confidence. Anything in acting that I’ve ever entered into hasn’t been the traditional way through school, college or uni. If you want to get into the industry, I think it’s so important to make your own way and decide: ‘I’m going to do that’, and set your sights on something.
Do you feel like your’re learning from the more experienced cast members? OH MY GOD! Learning from them… I can’t even explain to you, I come on and I’m like I can’t do it with them, they’re like so good but I’ve learnt sooooo much.
Words Sonia Tedeku 16
Did you always know you wanted to write scripts? Yeah I’ve written since I was little, I’ve always been one of those people who have a make believe world and imaginary friends and I’m still pretty much doing that (laughs).
Words Maria Grillo 16
Have you always had a creative ambition to put pen to paper? I started off as an actress a couple of years ago when I was 16 with the National Youth Theatre. The first TV job I ever had was when I was 16 and I did three films – but I’ve also always written, so the two things have always gone alongside each other.
How does it feel to be working on Albert Square, a place that you see on TV all the time? It is really weird, I can’t even explain it to you because it really doesn’t hit you. When I first got the part, I just sat there and I didn’t even feel that excited I was just terrified because you think ‘Oh my God!’ I never expected this and it just happened to me and this is a show that nine million people watch, it’s not just a little film that nobody will ever watch. EastEnders is the kind of show that people really care about. People actually approach actors on the street and say: ‘Why did you do that?’ or ‘Why did you kill him? You’re an idiot!’ It really gets to people. and to be involved with something like that, that’s a big deal. After a while it sinks in. It’s also good you get a chance to touch people – like Stacey’s bipolar disorder story is really great for people. (For more on bi-polar, see our story on page 8).
Words Esme Sackey 16
Little did we know she’d already made her mark on the big screen in Lesbian Vampire Killers and in TV shows, notably last year’s credit crunch drama, Freefall. We asked her for tips on getting into the industry.
How was it auditioning for E20? It was much more relaxed than going into any other audition because I kind of felt at home with the character of Zsa Zsa as I had written her, but at the same time its scary. There are lots of other girls around you and you can’t help thinking ‘oh it could be you’ or ‘oh I wonder where they got her’ (laughs). I never ever saw myself as Zsa Zsa, I never thought I’d definitely get the role, so it was surprising that I got it – it’s a good opportunity.
Words Emil Ahmed 17
Live East was so excited by EastEnder’s 25th birthday – and its virtual version E20 – that we missioned it all the way to the EastEnders studio in Elstree to chew the fat with the rather talented 19year old Emer Kenney, a co-writer and star of the online EastEnders spin-off.
EastEnders has dominated evening TV for 25 years and, judging by the viewing figures, it doesn’t appear to be going anywhere. It simply is what it says… a soap offering insight into life in the East End, though one that definitely amplifies the drama to an extreme!
HAVE YOUR SAY AND JOIN THE DEBATE AT LIVE EAST www.live-east-mag.com
Review: EastEnders E20 EastEnders E20 is an online teen drama from the BBC that takes viewers on a journey through the lives of four young people. The drama is a spin-off of the real EastEnders with the characters coming to Albert Square to escape the problems faced in their lives. We are first introduced to Zsa Zsa, an outspoken teenager with electric blue highlights, and later find out she’s Shirley’s niece. Next, is Leon a smooth talking teen. Mercy, on the surface she seems like a good girl but what is she hiding? And then there’s Fatboy, a guy who’s proven to be all talk, no action. Having watched the first few episodes, my first impressions were that it was quite interesting. We get a small insight into the characters’ history with each episode and this gradual plot development holds the viewers’ interest as we see them trying to survive as squatters on the Square. This creates conflict, elements of comedy, successfully achieving its main aim which is to provide entertainment. EastEnders E20 has created something new for young people to watch. However, the representation of young people as a whole seems a bit inaccurate because in reality not all young people are the way they are portrayed in this drama. Certain characters seem to depict stereotypical views of young people – rude, slang talkers. But I’ll leave judgement to you; watch it and see what you think!_MG_ST
Drama Groups In & Around Newham & Tower Hamlets Rich Mix Rich Mix runs a variety of performing arts based classes aimed at youth in and around East London, including dance and drama workshops. www.richmix.org.uk 020 7613 7490 Half Moon Half Moon offers opportunities for young people to attend projects independently, rather than as part of an organised activity. Half Moon hosts weekly youth theatres and one-off projects after-school and during school holidays. www.halfmoon.org.uk 020 7265 8138
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LIVE EAST’S TIPS FOR THE TOP
WHO’S
From a job as a runner to music video director and now this year’s urban Brit flick Shank, Mo Ali is really going places... Urban Articulations talks to the up and coming Somalian director from East London
Persistence. You don’t make the best money, it’s a struggle, you have to be thick-skinned because people criticise. You’re gonna get a lot of nos early on, but ignore them and make sure everyone says yes next time.
What is the one film you wish you’d directed?
Words Carl Rendora 17t
Words Kiran Kaur 18
Words Zainab Patel 17
Words Urban Articulations 19
Words Osman Ahmed 15
Words Mikaela Spiteri 19
Bladerunner, because it’s visually stunning and one of the most beautifully films ever shot. And also LA Story. Not a lot of people know about it but it’s quirky, intelligent and it’s about life. The film made the city a character, because the city helps him find the girl he loves. What else is in the pipeline for 2010? Two films: a Brit comedy and a drama. More videos with people like Devlin, and hopefully opening up the market for America. www.myspace.com/mighty_mo_vidz and www.shankthefilm.com See our review on Shank on page 27
sorted itself out, a few years back it had a really bad name. It’s underground music and comes from the streets so you’re always going to have people having a pop at grime. I think clashing, as long as it doesn’t get out of hand, is healthy competition.
How important is lyrical content in your songs?
Very important, it’s good to hear metaphors and clever play on words – it’s nice to be educated.
What should we expect from you for 2010?
Katie Jarvis Katie first burst on to our screens last year as the star of Brit flick ‘Fish Tank’. With no previous acting experience, she was picked for the lead role after being spotted by a casting agent at a train station while having an argument with her boyfriend. She plays Essex girl Andrea, a teen from an unstable background who has a big dream. The film won critical acclaim, and so did Jarvis’ performance. Her stardom is set to continue into 2010, as she stars alongside Merveille Lukeba in Perfect Day. _UA
My album, Bud, Sweat & Beers, will be out very soon, and you should see me about a lot more.
Who would you like to collaborate with?
Digga, people might know him as Mclean [see profile on page 19]? He’s from my area, I’ve known him for years. And ermm... Kings of Leon (laughs). I wouldn’t mind doing stuff with them.
Are you looking forward to the Olympics?
Not really. What’s gonna happen to all the people living around Stratford? They’ll be putting up hotels for ‘money people’, so I dunno what’s gonna happen after the games.
Tinchy and Chipmunk are often called sell-outs for going pop. Would you change your sound?I’ll
Ikonika Female dubstep producers are hard to come by these days. In fact, anything to do with the genre seems to be oestrogen-less. Radio 1’s DJ Mary Anne Hobbs is the only mainstream name, yet she merely mixes. Welcome to the scene, Ikonika, a producer who’s still fairly new with a sound you’ll either love or hate. In comparison to most dubstep, her style is very relaxed with the melodies more prominent over the bass. With elements of techno, trance and garage, she gives the genre something different, an almost out of this world feeling, as her synthesised sounds send you somewhere else. Check out her new album, ‘Contact, Want, Love, Have’ (Hypedub) out in April._CR www.myspace.com/ikonika
always do grime music. You’ve gotta understand people make slight alterations to their music just to make sure they blow into mainstream, but a lot of artists do just go all out don’t they? They’re just gone, forgetting everything that they’ve come from.
Do you have to be in a certain mindset when you write lyrics? Definitely, sometimes you can’t write anything,
other times, it’s an impulse, something will happen and you’ll think: “I need a pen and paper, I’ve gotta get that down.” I try to carry around a notepad to jot down ideas.
Look out for “Bud, Sweat & Beers” out soon on Island Record – the home of Tinchy Stryder & Wiley! www.myspace.com/devlinot
Words Kerrianne Taylor 19
What’s your advice to any budding directors?
There’s quite a lot of negative press about grime and ‘clashing’ what do you think? I think grime’s
Design Darryl Daley 24
If you weren’t a director, what would you be?
There’s nothing else, no plan B. I knew I wanted to work in films, but there weren’t any courses at school, so I kinda drifted.
Words Esme Sackey 16
When did you get into music? At 12 or 13, I started
Words Shiezel Wilson 21
runner - making teas, coffees, being a donkey - then hung around pirate radios and got to know the artists until they asked me to do videos. After a while I started to get paid. I thought: ‘Wow I can’t believe this.’ Just last year I got offered a feature film called Shank, which is out in March. So what’s Shank about? It’s set in 2015 and London has become this savage, lawless city where people are fighting for food. It’s not like the normal Brit urban film. It’s more fantasy, more costume, more fun, more excitement, more mouth. It’s in your face.
Spielberg. Spike Lee is amazing but Spielberg transforms you from your world into his wonderful, fantasy escapism. And I also love stuff like Studio Ghibli: adult stories in a children’s setting.
Words Sian Anderson 19
Riz Mc Riz MC is a British actor and rapper who’s made a name for himself through his controversial lyrics and powerful acting. He’s best known for his part in the 2008 film Shifty, playing a drug dealer torn between living the drug life or changing for the better. He displayed his full talents by co-writing a tune for the soundtrack with Sway and fellow actor/ MC Plan B. One of his most controversial tunes was Post 9/11 Blues, which was banned from many radio stations despite its huge internet fan base. His newest film, Centurion, which also features Bond girl Olga Kurylenko, is due to hit our screens this year._JE www.myspace.com/rizmc
listening to pirate radio and old school garage.
How did you get into directing? I worked in TV as a
You’ve directed both music videos and film. Which do you prefer? Film. It’s the pinnacle for directors. Who do you look up to for inspiration? Steven
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Hailing from the streets of Dagenham, Devlin is a talented artist who is largely known within the UK underground scene. With such a positive response to his recently released song ‘London City’, and the upcoming release of his album ‘Bud, Sweat & Beers’, we though it was time to chat. Zainab Patel does the honours...
Words Jacqueline Eyewe 16
LIVE EAST tips the young, British talent that will make its mark in the new decade, with a special focus on the East Londoners
McLean After releasing his debut single ‘Broken’ in October 2009, British singer McLean is set to take over this year. The Dagenham singer (signed to Asylum Records in the UK and Atlantic Records in the US) is making big waves in the scene. After collaborations with the hottest drum and bass duo, Chase & Status (he’s credited as Digga on their ‘More Than Alot’ album), and links to number one artist Tinchy Stryder, it looks as though McLean can’t go wrong! Educate yourself on this guy before he jumps all over our charts and educates you!_SA www.mclean.com
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Terratag Terratag clothing range is all about new designs with eye-catching colours and logos that have bold prints. Their new range for women and men is an original look that has exploded on the urban scene with artists such as Tinchy Stryder sporting their clothes while the top man himself, Bashy, has his own unique customised version called Bish Bash Bosh. The new range is exciting for their fans, as Terra Tag are coming out with brand new inspiring designs with intensely detailed looks that are trendy and fresh._ES A/Wear Cheap, chic and fashion credible? It may seem like a miracle but it’s the simple reality of A/Wear, the little heard of, but very affordable, online fashion retailer. Apart from Carrie-moment tutus and accessories, A/Wear offers wardrobe staples at prices that would make New Look envious. Pop on to 2010’s cool net-a–porter and see for yourself! www.awear.com_ES
Mumzy Stranger is a Plaistow-born singer of Bengali origin. Although he’s local, his dreams are are worldwide… Kiran Kaur catches up with him Did the music you heard growing up in Plaistow have an impact on you? Definitely. I had a lot of Jamaican people
around me and that’s where the reggae influence comes from. Also, at just 15 or 16 I used to be in the studio working with MCs and producers from X-Men Records who were bringing out bootlegs for garage and American R&B tracks.
Leigh Lazark If 2009 in fashion was the year of Alexa Chung, 2010 will be the year of the DJ and model Leigh Lazark. Whether it’s her husky tone or her savvy monochromatic style, the New Yorker has topped the books of fashion editors and designers alike. Ms. Lazark was unavoidable this past season as she attended every important fashion show from Chanel to House of Holland. This year she’ll be the queen of the catwalk._OA You Me At Six Already taking the US alternative music scene by storm, British band You Me At Six look set to get even better. The five-piece pop-punk band from Surrey have already had hits in the UK with their single ‘Finders Keepers’, ‘Kiss and Tell’ and popular track ‘Save It For The Bedroom’. After touring the UK and Europe with Paramore in December, You Me At Six are also set to play a UK tour in March with American bands We The Kings and Forever The Sickest Kids. These guys are definitely going to be big, so be sure to check them out!_MS www.youmeatsix.co.uk
Why did you become an ambassador for Newham’s Anti-Violence campaign? Growing up in East, I’ve seen so
much drama, so when I heard I was asked to be an ambassador, I felt proud. You feel like you’ve done something positive and not just written a song about a girl! What did your family think of your ambitions? With music, being Muslim was a bigger hurdle than being Bengali. Obviously there are certain boundaries within my religion. There were points when my mum and dad would say: “What are you doing? You’re going to waste time doing music.” Later on in life you realise why they said that.
Where do you see yourself in five years time?
I would like to be commercially known, my fanbase to be massive and my music to be around the world. Already I have two singles out in India, I did a video in Spain recently and I’ve done a track with Ramsey who’s signed to EMI. Here in the UK I’m working with various Punjabi artists as well as Ghetts, Griminal, Gappy Ranks. I would love to have my own record label, own loads of businesses and, most importantly, be a mentor for people where I come from. I also want ten houses around the world and 50 cars.
So, is there anyone you’re looking to collaborate with?
Being the brother of all things N.A.S.T.Y, it’s only right that the latest crew member, Griminal, should hit our screens. Kerrianne Taylor finds out more. After a stint in the limelight with ‘It’s A Lot’, Griminal disappeared from our musical ears but he’s back, and better than ever, causing uproar in the industry with his feature on the Ghetts track ‘Don’t Phone Me’ last year. Now, his first major solo video, Invincible, has everyone talking about the East London emcee, reaching 200,000 views in its first week of upload. There’s a new mixtape, ‘GrimInAllWays’, which he describes as more commercial than his usual grime sound, but he’s reassured his hardcore fans that he will still be putting out grime.
What made you come up with the name Griminal?
This is going to sound mad but the name came from the terminology of criminals. Basically, criminals do crime: I’m Griminal, I do grime.
Growing up in East London, what inspired you to pursue music as a career? It started because I kept seeing
other people from the endz being presented with the opportunity to make something of themselves. Then seeing how they’d behave, and live a certain lifestyle, directed me into the music path.
Is there anyone you want to hook up with musically? To be honest, not really. Obviously, producers who are good at writing hooks, but other than that I have a powerful, strong team around me already. If you’re a good artist, I will work with you.
What was your frame of mind when you wrote Invincible? It wasn’t what I was used to writing, so I put more
time and consideration into it, more than what I would put into your average grime track.
You’ve recently been signed to a major record label, what can we expect from you in 2010?
Chase And Status If you don’t already know about the d ’n’ b duo Chase And Status then where on earth have you been? Their album ‘More Than Alot’ received the Best Album Award at the 2009 Drum And Bass awards, since then they have been in the studio with the hottest UK and American artists producing and co-writing for artists like Rihanna. The two have been making beats to send a crowd of 12,000 people wild at 1Xtra Live in Sheffield, and will continue to do so throughout 2010 as they get bigger and better._SA www.myspace.com/chaseandstatus Richard Shoyemi Famous for all things fashion, Richard Shoyemi is the guy to contact when you’re in need of some hot tips. He’s previously styled stars such as N-Dubz’s Tulisa and grime rock ’n’ roller Kano, as well as having his own style page in RWD Magazine. Look out for him in 2010 as he’ll be styling stars across your screens and magazines while vogue-ing it up at any and every fashion week._SA www.myspace.com/richard_shoyemi
Shanika Warren Maitland From the ashes of British TV and cinema’s failure to portray young strong female characters, comes the phoenix that is Shanika Warren-Maitland. The West London born actress shined in Adulthood as the only girl to stand up to Adam ‘my size’ Deacon, playing the role of Moony’s beautiful girlfriend. Shanika is currently shooting two films due for release in 2010, having snatched the lead in Noel Clark’s new film 4.3.2.1 is out in May. 2010 is set to be a good year for Shanika._SW Paloma Faith Hackney girl Paloma Faith captured the music world with her debut album, ‘Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful?’ She also has a sideline in acting, her charming giggle and quirky sense of style lighting up the screen in ‘St. Trinian’s’ and ‘The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus’. Dubbed the ‘new Amy Winehouse’ by critics, she’s enormously popular with her fresh take on old styles, already becoming a regular on shows hosted by Jools Holland and Jonathan Ross._OA www.palomafaith.com
Sorry? No way: I heard something like that. It might seem like that because of the way I act and the quality of the Invincible video. However, there has been a lot of talks so lets wait and see...
Words Kerrianne Taylor 19
Design Darryl Daley 24
Words Shiezel Wilson 21
Words Jacqueline Eyewe 16
Words Carl Rendora 17t
Words Kiran Kaur 18
Words Zainab Patel 17
Words Urban Articulations 19
Words Osman Ahmed 15
Words Mikaela Spiteri 19
Words Esme Sackey 16
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Words Sian Anderson 19
Keri Hilson. Her voice doesn’t sound like anyone else out at the moment. Also, I would like to work with Pharell. www.myspace.com/mumzystranger
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FASHION-EAST-A
COKO COOLER
“I kind of spent my adolescence hiding who I really was from friends, enemies, family and Strangers.”
Coko Ekeocha has battled his way through bigotry and beatings to become one of the hottest young fashion designers in London. He talks hardship in Hackney, Fashion School and launching his own label.
So you were born and brought up in Hackney. Could you tell us a little about your background, like what school was like for you? I went to a mixed Catholic secondary school called Cardinal Pole in Homertom, which I hated immensely. I just didn’t fit in with my peer group. I was neither very academic nor athletic. My family are über-Christians, going to church every Sunday was mandatory.
How did growing up in Hackney affect you?
I used to be petrified. At the time, Hackney wasn’t cool or chic and being black and gay meant life was never easy. Individuality or simply acting different from everyone else was frowned upon, at best. You would regularly get beaten up, cussed down and humiliated in front of friends. I kind of spent my adolescence hiding who I really was from friends, enemies, family and strangers. However in retrospect, I feel strangely lucky to have experienced that. It made me stronger and more confident as a person.
Design Tom Salter 21
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Words Chitra “Ziggy” Sangtani 17
I feel very different about Hackney now. It has evolved into a place where you can meet interesting people within fashion, the arts and the music industry. It’s an inspiring place, people dress with flair and imagination. Now I truly feel like I fit in.
Were your family and friends supportive of your decision to pursue fashion?
What is it about the fashion industry that excites you?
My family, of course, were not having any of it. They didn’t understand why anyone would want to be a fashion designer and waste life on such ‘frivolous matters’. Anything non-academic was a big no-no in their eyes, but I persevered. My friends were extraordinarily supportive; many of them are also in fashion, and that did help too.
I adore creativity, crazy people, individuality and change. Fashion is a fusion of all these qualities, which is exciting. It can be very frivolous and fickle, but it also deals with the profundity of identity and image. It’s as deep or as shallow as you want it to be.
When and how did your interest in fashion develop?
First by going to fashion school, then by doing various internships in different houses such as Alexander McQueen, Preen, Deryck Walker. Although I did enjoy some of my internships, I must say they were largely characterised by hard work and long hours. But I learned a lot.
It started at a very early age. Initially it was purely a hobby and a way to escape. I wasn’t really interested in any other thing apart from old movies, beautiful models, fabulous clothes, and the people who made them – designers such as Paul Poiret, Chanel and Christian Dior. It was only after my second year in college that one of my teachers approached me and suggested a change of direction since I wasn’t paying any attention in classes and never produced any valuable work. I told him about my interest in fashion and he persuaded me to enrol in a two-year course to see if I liked it. I loved it. It proved to be the best decision I ever made.
How did you start your journey in fashion?
What are the main influences behind your designs?
My main influences come from the ’80s; the tail end of glam rock, the rise of the new romantics, street style, androgyny and all those amazing colours.
Was getting into the fashion industry a struggle?
When I was in Fashion College we weren’t told what real life was truly like. Everyone, especially me, thought that once you studied at London College of Fashion or Central Saint Martin’s you would automatically get a fierce job or head-hunted straight after graduation. Little did I know how much harder things were going to be. It took me quite a while to get into fashion. I was distributing more than 100 CVs a week, but hardly getting anywhere. After a while I started doing part-time internships and a part-time job in Shoreditch House. Additionally, I focused on designing clothes and bags for friends and private clients and networking at any fashion party where I could get a foot in the door. I overcame the struggle by putting myself out there, fighting harder and sacrificing whatever I could afford to lose. You have to really want it or else you will not sustain.
How do you feel about the fashion scene in East London?
Fashion in East London is always going to be in the forefront with strong styles and great initiatives. Designers and stylists come to Hackney for inspiration.
What are you currently working on? And what are your future plans? I am currently designing for Italian sport brand Kappa in Beijing. I’m also creating clothes and bags for my personal line too, COCO EKEOCHA. My future plans include working for a major fashion house in Paris, Milan or Belgium as well as designing for my own line. I really hope the new bags for COCO EKEOCHA take off.
www.cocoekeocha.com Fashion Courses www.fashion.arts.ac.uk www.csm.arts.ac.uk www.hotcourses.com Find new young designers: www.tavi-thenewgirlintown.blogspot.com www.stylebubbles.typepad.com
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Album review Marina and the Diamonds The Family Jewels Marina and the Diamonds’ debut album, The Family Jewels, is a prime example of real music. Her voice, similar to that of Kate Nash, but with big operatic flourishes, is beautiful and Marina experiments with it well. On some of the tracks she fluctuates, one minute calm, the next full of rage, which brings out an excitement in sound and adds to the 24-year-old Welsh girl’s intriguing lyrics. It sounds as though Marina really put her heart, soul, fantasies and emotions into this album, conveying all of the separate aspects successfully. It’s full of echoes and dramatic pauses, to name a few techniques. If you’re someone who likes ‘chill out’ music, this isn’t going to be one for you - near enough every song makes you want to get up and circle round your room with an air guitar and pink lipstick.
T2 Ft. H-Boogie. Better Off As Friends
Artist T2 is back after seeming like a one-hit wonder with the smash “Heartbroken.” His new track Better Off As Friends featuring H-Boogie is an upbeat club song with a catchy melody and a head-bobbling singalong hook. This would be a good tune to hear when out in a nightclub raving with your mates or even if you’re at work and listening to the radio. The vocals provided by H-Boogie are also a win, not too much but not too little. H-Boogie who also featured on Bashy’s track Your Wish Is My Command, is the sister of the star Estelle was dubbed ‘Estelle the Second’ by critics. But with this tune she’s showed she’s got a lot to offer in her own right._SA
Chiddy Bang Opposite Of Adults
Chris Brown Crawl
Chris Brown’s past has really had an impact on his music. But what, other than the scandal that enveloped him last year, can he talk about? Crawl is sad but sweet in an awkward way. I think he needs to go back to what he does best, making meaningful music that we all can relate to. His comeback is going to be the strongest yet, with a brand new album Graffiti. He deserves a second chance, but he needs to crawl before he walks again!_ES
In any time, at any place, through any season and in any mood, no matter how old or young you are, this is a sound that you’ll love! American duo Chiddy Bang have a hit on their hands with this electro indie tune. With a very catchy chorus and a traditional hip hop spin on the vocals, the two have made magic in the studio with Opposite Of Adults. The track has a sound for everyone, leaving me excited to hear what their EP has in store for us. _SA
Maverick Sabre Sometimes
Have you ever had one of those moments where you’d be in the bedroom, in the dark, looking up at the ceiling, listening to music you can relate to? Well singer-rapper Maverick Sabre did just that! New single Sometimes has an autobiographical feel that uses a mixture of old-skool hip-hop beats with acoustic guitar sounds and the serenade of his new-skool husky soul voice. This a tune that will definitely keep your head bopping. Sabre has also been dubbed the new Plan B, so keep your ears open._KT
Skepta Bad Boy
DJ Zinc was a drum ’n’ bass/jungle pioneer and with his new single, Wile Out featuring Ms Dynamite, he is sure to become well established in dance music too. The start of the song reminded me of a cheesy H2O track, but that changed once the bassline kicked in and the tempo picked up, becoming instantly very addictive. The smooth vocals and rapid spitting from Ms Dynamite is reminiscent of her breakout song Booo!_DO
JUST BUY IT!! GOOD STUFF WORTH A LISTEN I’ll PASS MEH...
Design Darryl Daley 24
= = = = =
Words Zainab Patel 16
Words Esme Sackey 16
Words Sian Anderson 19
Words Daniel Onyia 21
Words Kerrianne Taylor 19
After receiving major success in the UK and Stateside, funky electro-poppers Hot Chip are back producing hits. The new single One Life Stand is about finding that ‘special someone’ and standing by them. The song begins with a funky beat in the background, before switching up into an airy echoing sound for the chorus. The Londoners’ strength is in their diversity of electronic sounds and this is sure to be a hit for 2010! _KT
DJ Zinc Ft Ms Dynamite Wile Out
Skepta’s back with a brand new banger for the listeners! The Microphone Champion is now releasing yet another catchy tune. The ever so electro-sounding Bad Boy is filled with humour, something this up-and-coming star and his brother JME are bound to present in their music. With a beat produced by Agent X, you know you’re going to be listening to a good piece of music._ZP
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Hot Chip One Life Stand
Track to listen out for is Obsessions. There’s something for everyone on there. I’d give this a 7/10 if you like pop music, 5/10 for variety and 8/10 for concepts. All in all it’s a great listen._SA
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CULTURE CLUB been there, seen it, done it... Where Three Dreams Cross @ Whitechapel Gallery Where Three Dreams Cross features a mixture of black and white and colour photographs of India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, taken by over 70 photographers in the last 150 years. These simple but stunning photographs prove very eyecatching. As a collection, they paint a picture; a representation of the lives of the people. The exhibition is arranged into five main themes: The Portrait, The Performance, The Family, The Body Politic and The Street. It provides a piece of visual history and an insight into people’s identity and culture. The photos are documentations of real life, real people in their real surroundings, allowing you to see the change societies have been experiencing. Many of these photos leave an impression you will never forget._LG Where Three Dreams Cross runs until April 11 www.whitechapelgallery.org
Into the Hoods @ South Bank Centre Into The Hoods brings the concept of hip-hop theatre to another level. A fusion of fairytale parody, breakdance, and sheer creative genius makes this show so shockingly unique and entertaining that people of all ages and backgrounds will enjoy it. Into The Hoods follows the journey of the residents of ‘Ruff Endz Estate’ – music producer Jaxx, who lives in a basement; DJ Spinderella; heartthrob Lil’ Red; the landlord’s daughter Rap-on-zel; budding entrepreneur Wolf; aspiring celebrity Prince; and Giant the drug dealer – in a fictitious Hackney tower block. In a cleverly arranged mix of dance, plot and narration, the story unfolds to reveal an attack on the stereotypes of urban youth culture, presenting an underlying social commentary on the relationships between the individuals. And the visual display of hip-hop acrobatics will not fail to impress you; this is definitely a must-see production!_HA
www.southbankcentre.co.uk
Mixed Up North @ Wilton’s Music Hall A full house at the Wilton’s saw Robin Soans’ hyped-up show, based around race riots in Burnley. Mixed Up North is a deeply political play; director Bella, who is pregnant, struggles to control her dress rehearsal, with one group of uncooperative youths insisting acting is “gay”. During their breaks they relate their life stories and the part played in them by the racial divisions of smalltown Lancashire. The play was very entertaining thanks to the character of Trish the theatre group leader. It’s a must-watch show because it changed my views on some important issues._RD
Shank It’s 2015, the recession has worsened and poverty is rampant in London. Food has become a luxury item. The Paper Chaserz trade in ‘munchies’ (the colloquialism for food), but they try to stay away from the violence that surrounds them. Head of the Paper Chaserz and big brother to everyone is Rager (played by rapper Bashy). Sweet Boy (Jan Uddin), Kickz (Adam Deacon) and Craze (Michael Socha) all look up to him, but none more so than his little brother Junior (Kedar Williams-Stirling). Shank is the first feature film from music video director Mo Ali. While it is a valiant attempt to portray today’s youth in a futurist environment, the film suffers greatly from poor acting. Adam Deacon, Michael Socha and Kaya Scodelario (Tasha) put in good performances, but Kedar Williams-Stirling’s acting is patchy at best. Being young he still has time to develop and may be a promise for the future. The film also suffers from a lack of creative and interesting dialogue, with many of the characters’ lines just consisting of “oi!”, “yeah”, “what?” and “wasteman”, along with the usual barrage of profanities. The film could’ve been tightened, which would’ve helped with the pace, as there were scenes where nothing integral to either story or character development happened. It’s inspiring to see young people with the drive and tenacity to go out, make a film and actually obtain a general release for their picture. But Shank underlines the fact that it takes more than just motivation to make a good film._UA
The Great Extension @ Theatre Royal Stratford East
The Illegals @ Rich Mix
Religious and multicultural conflicts in London’s cultural inferno are magnified onstage in this slapdash slapstick. The actors’ spirited performances allow them to credibly embody extreme perspectives through caricatures, each with its complementary nemesis: the Jewish builder and the anti-Semitic Muslim conservative, who also opposes the openly homosexual houseboy; two families engaged in a verbal war over who is the more Muslim; the right-wing nationalist Mr Brown, suspicious of immigrants, synagogues, mosques and homosexuality, while battling his neighbour over land ownership. And that’s just a taste.
Immigration is generally perceived as a growing problem within the UK, and the media often portrays immigrants in a negative light. Many people are ignorant of the struggles immigrants are faced with and their individual stories are lost within the system. The Illegals presents us with a rare insight into their lives. Christine Bacon, Director of Actors for Human Rights, interviewed several immigrants to produce the play.
The fray begins with Hassan Hassan (Cosh Omar), a witty playboy who’s taken his sporadic drunken amnesia too far. He wakes up knowing that he’s irrecoverably wrecked his bachelor lifestyle... somehow. The suspense is brilliantly drawn out before the revelation that, after copious alcohol consumption, he married Jamillia (Ruby Visaria), an AWOL Muslim from a conservative Birmingham background. Jamillia challenges a traditional problem often faced by second-generation Muslim women – arranged marriages. Her family accept her wishes with a slightly rosier-than-real compassion. Her sister conversely represents the liberated niqab-wearer. She preaches obscure facts about Muslim women’s rights, poignantly stating, “Just because [my mouth is] covered up, don’t mean I can’t speak”. The crass, boisterous tone almost robs the issues of substance. If it weren’t for the satirical edge this creates, the play’s mania would squat like a giant turd on the script, instead of a gentle lacing of quirky charisma. The richness and quality of the punchlines gradually tears away the slapstick composition, highlighting the futile lunacy of fighting immigration. _IA
www.stratfordeast.com
By intertwining five separate monologues, Bacon gives the audience an insight into the intense personal stories of immigrants. The beauty of the play is its ability to captivate whilst blending delicate stories with quotes from the likes of former Home Secretaries Jackie Smith and John Reid, and the Border Agency. Jeremy Tiang plays a man trying to escape from the poverty back home in rural China in the hope of providing for his family. He works in Chinese restaurants for incredibly low wages, in constant fear of immigration officers, often travelling to work with a packed suitcase in case he has to escape. An Egyptian driver, whose passport has been with the Home Office for two years, is effectively trapped in this country, away from his family. An Ethiopian, Ayattu, is well educated and has lived in London for nearly 15 years, working legally as a store man for ten of those. But after immigration crackdowns, he’s forced to go underground, as is a woman from Ecuador, who cleans toilets all night for a small wage. The play closes with an aspiring actress from Guatemala, deported because she had too little money. The narratives told within The Illegals reveal the truth behind undocumented migrants and their varying motivations for travelling to the UK. Despite their reasons, they all share the same dream of improving their lives. They reveal the hardships and discrimination they face whilst living here despite the contribution to the economy. By presenting their diverse and illuminating experiences, The Illegals gives a platform to the individuals behind the stereotype._BM
www.richmix.org
www.shank-movie.co.uk
Design Tom Salter 21
Words Laura Gineitaile 17
Words Haroon Anwar 18
Words Bianca Manu 15
Words Rickie Davies 21
Words Irene Amadi 16
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Words Urban Articulations 19
www.outofjoint.co.uk
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Except for one patch in the garden - which we shall return to - the garden resembled the hair of a particularly dirty giant. Grass jutted up all over the place in great thick tufts, in between which were scattered bald patches of hard, infertile earth. The garden was surrounded by three bashful brick walls that turned a deeper shade of red every time a passer by glanced over them. However, in the top left corner of the garden was a small patch that was entirely different from the rest of the garden. It looked as though it belonged to someone else. The firm, light brown soil had been dug up to reveal a soft underbelly of dark, coffee-coloured earth arranged in a neat rectangle. In it were planted several rows of vegetables, meticulously spaced. When they began to sprout they often looked like soldiers, motionless in unbending lines, ready to be picked out and whisked off to another world without question. In the bottom right corner of the vegetable patch was a wooden sign, as battered and wrinkled as its owner. It read OSCAR’S. Oscar stumbled out of the bungalow, carrying a metal bucket of water and a rusty spade. He had fierce, messy white hair that clung to the sides of his head, a vast sea of wrinkles, a very crooked nose and sparkling blue eyes that stood out like fog lights. He looked about 85 – though 60 was much closer to the truth. He waded through the grass, cursing and growling at it, until he reached the patch. Then he poured out the bucket’s contents and began to dig seven small holes at the top of the patch, above the turnips. After he had done this (with a fair amount of grumbling) he reached into his back pocket and took out seven carrot seeds. One by one, Oscar pushed them lovingly into the holes he had dug and, with his gnarled old hands, folded the earth over them. Soon spring turned into summer and the seeds turned into carrots. Their green tips poked out of the earth, hiding the bright orange flesh beneath. Oscar had decided that they were ready for picking this morning. He had taken a shower and was wearing his smartest clothes.
short story
The Carrot Tree Words Alex Darby 18
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Illustration Haroon Anwar 18
by Alex Darby
Number 55 on Heathcroft Road was an unremarkable house. It had an unremarkable navy-blue door with an unremarkable brass knocker. The knocker made an awful rasping sound and the door moaned and groaned whenever it was opened. The interior of the house - perhaps bungalow was a better word - was inundated with cobwebs and dust.
As he strode over to the vegetable patch, he wondered how he would eat the carrots. “Cooked or cold?” he asked himself. “And shall I go to Sainsbury’s or Waitrose?” Images of scrumptious dishes floated through his head - roast chicken with carrots, steak with carrots, pork chops with carrots. Just before he stopped at the vegetable patch, something utterly unexpected happened. In a flash, a man had leapt over the wall and landed just to the right of the vegetable patch. He had a mangy black blanket wrapped round his shoulders and was carrying a wooden stick that curved slightly. He sat staring fixedly at the ground.
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“Hey!” Yelled Oscar, “What are you doing? Who are you?” The man didn’t move. Oscar began to hobble over to him, spitting curses as he went. “Oi! Get off my land,” he shouted. This time the stranger turned round and looked up at Oscar. He had big, melancholy grey eyes and wispy black hair that drooped limply over his forehead. His skin was a pallid, sickly white and his thin lips opened to say: “This land is as much mine as it is yours.” His voice was melodic, extraordinarily different from the rest of him. “What?! No it’s not,” spluttered Oscar. “I’m afraid it is. This is a lovely vegetable patch you have.” Oscar stood speechless, maddened by the stranger’s cheek. A flash of a smile sparked over the stranger’s lips. “Won’t you have a drink with me? I won’t be here for very long.” On saying this, he procured a dirty brass hip flask from the folds of his cloak. Oscar had not touched a drop of alcohol for the last year. He worshipped the stuff, but had been advised against it by his doctor. Oscar sat down next to the stranger, tempted by the drink and reassured by his promise to leave soon. “Just a drop,” he mumbled. The stranger willingly passed the flask to Oscar, who swigged a lot more than a drop. He smacked his lips and grunted a thanks, before asking gruffly and slightly sheepishly, “Now who the bloody hell are you?” The stranger shrugged, “I don’t have a name.” A silence passed as Oscar mused over this answer. It did not occur to him that he could have thrown the tramp out by now, having got his drink. Or that it had been foolish to accept a drink in the first place. After a while, the stranger spoke, “Oscar, who are you?” “How do you know my name?” Oscar asked in astonishment. “When you don’t have a name you pay more attention to others,” he replied. “That’s not an explanation! That’s just…well, bloody useless that is!” The stranger broke into a laugh.“So are most complicated things. Oscar, close your eyes.” Without thinking, as though someone had plucked any thought of protest right out of his head, Oscar shut his old eyes. He did not see black. Rows and rows of vegetables danced in front of his eyes. Big knobbly potatoes, gorgeous green celery, giant craggy pumpkins, heaped mounds of mushy peas. In the middle were seven carrots. They were the prettiest carrots Oscar had ever seen. They were smooth as his bald patch and orange as sunset.
gazing lovestruck at the vegetables, the mysterious stranger had crept to the top of the vegetable patch and, one by one, slipped Oscar’s carrots out of the earth and into a secret pocket sewn into his cloak. They jostled by each other, trying to rustle a message of warning to Oscar but he did not hear them. The stranger turned and, just as he had when he arrived, leapt over the wall in a flash. The curve of his wooden stick caught the tip of the wall (after all those years of shyness, that one wall could stand it no more. It loved Oscar as a young man might love a woman he has never spoken to, but secretly thinks loves him too) and tumbled into the fourth carrot hole. As the stranger landed on the other side, Oscar’s eyes popped open. “Where are you?!” He cried, “Hello!” He wandered over by the wall (which was now a very light shade of red) and noticed the seven neat, empty holes. He let out a wail and the whole garden joined him. The rough, cold earth shivered with his pain and the thick grass withered to the sound of his voice. “My carrots! My baby boys! My carrots! My roast chicken, my steak, my pork chops!” On the word ‘pork’, his heart twitched in his bony chest and shuddered to a stop (the ‘chops’ came out as a croaky whisper). He fell like a tree, slow and elegant, onto the vegetable patch. His last tears trickled down his face and the well of his eyes dried up. They splashed onto the beautiful soil he’d tended so lovingly. And then a very funny thing happened. Every single drop landed in the carrot holes. Not a trace of water could be seen anywhere else in the garden. Oscar’s last sight was the stranger’s stick. He had thought it quite plain at first, but as he fell he saw it was etched with intricate pictures of trees, carrots and teardrops. Some years later - seven to be precise - the stick grew into a tree. It was remarkable. It was oak, and had a trunk four hand-spans wide. Its wooden fingers spread all over the garden, searching for salt water. Orange vegetables hung on its many branches, crunchy and delicious as the ones Oscar had seen in the darkness of his eyelids. It was the first ever carrot tree.
Little did Oscar know that, as he stood there
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Dead Until Dark: A True Blood Novel
The Wild Things by Dave Eggers Hamish Hamilton
by Charlaine Harris
Gollancz
Eggers’ novelisation of the 1964 picture book classic is a delight. This brilliant children’s story is brought to life through Eggers’ creative writing and humour, whereby one boy’s wild imagination goes head to head with reality. I felt engaged as a reader as the story flowed well and was very creative; a mixture of classic and modern. I would recommend this book to any one of any age who either wants to experience something unusual or re-read a modernised version of a children’s classic that has stood the test of time. _AO
With the success of hit TV show True Blood, I decided to see where it all began: the books by Charlaine Harris. Dead Until Dark is the first and a great debut, but it’s hard to be sure whether my loyalty is born from watching the TV series or reading the book. Nowadays if you want to write a book about vampires, there must be three things: telepath, werewolf and tortured soul. This is a keeper, easily rivalling (and written before) cult classic Twilight, but isn’t that original. I’ll just stick to watching it on Channel 4! _LM
The Left Hand of God by Paul Hoffman Penguin
by Havard Lampoon
Words Kathryn Bell 16
The Left Hand of God is an expertly crafted tale that’s captivating to read. It doesn’t guide you, but instead literally pulls you through a world of such depth, detail and emotional reality that it will ring in your mind for days after. Something about the way Hoffman treats the reader makes you feel more adult; there is respect for reader’s maturity. The themes of religion and death are heavy, but still exciting topics which contribute to the brilliance of the book. In a word? Epic._KB
Words Raziya Gulam 22
Words Libby Majumbar 16
Words Anita Opoku 18t
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Words Damilola Omole 21
Imagine Twilight gone wrong and you’ll be somewhere close to Nightlight. This humorous, but uneven parody gives us a weird, arrogant heroine, Belle Goose, who moves to Switchblade, Oregon and falls in love with Edwart Mullen, the nerdiest guy in school. But Edwart’s strange behaviour convinces her that he is a vampire. Nightlight is filled with hilarious comedy and stupid jokes that will leave you in a state of constant giggles. “I recently came into possession of a thesaurus. You would not believe how many words there are! When I opened that book I was like whoa! Word party!” Jokes are spilt, but expectations are hardly fulfilled. _CR
It’s a war A cloud of dust grasps me from my head to my feet Bullet fire rushes past me as I shudder in the heat
RIBS AND ROSES
SMILE
It winks between us A bridge with rocks of charm and desire
Where the bed reverberates Love
What is the real meaning of a smile? I mean we smile when we’re sad, angry, stressed and so on But for what reason? I’ll tell you, just to hide away Well if it helps; but it doesn’t, or does it? It would be so easy to take each and every letter and find a word but to describe it But why? They will all be positive words It’s good indeed, Let’s not fool ourselves And try to define a smile Because when we believe it defines happiness I’ll tell you there’s much more to a smile than we think You just have to be smart to see it.
Alex Darby
Christelle Dasse
THE WELL’S LANTERN
ANNA
Confessions on stepping Stones of truth Weave their way to a
Shrouded in sadness And burning with hidden tears He sits forlorn
Union with the Rhythm of rain and the Melody of the wind as witness
She walks in love With naked feet and musical cheeks And spots him on a shoal
In the language of the night And the speech of love
With strong blue eyes Laced with wild yellow and sea green She looks to him
Our footsteps tread between cracks of Secret pasts and Clandestine games with Hearts on the line Above a river rushing where the Water spouts and spurts Honour and shame Guilt and innocence
Alex Darby
Fear constricts my chest as I’m struggling to breathe Violent trembles as I try to get up and leave My muscles burn as I heave these dead loads I dare not stop as the shrapnel explodes As I climb over those who lie dead at my feet I almost fall to them as my arms collapse with fatigue As I hear fire upfront my grip goes icy My eyes freeze closed as I fire blindly This nightmare of a warzone was not meant for dreaming Which I learnt as the flash grenade left me screaming The bomb ate through my arm like corrosion My eardrums burst from that crashing explosion The desert heat begins to feel strangely colder As the pool of crimson gushes from my shoulder I reach for my wound when I begin to shudder Pain bursts from arm as I scream for my mother The pain, the fear, something I can’t ignore This my friends is the product of War James “Shorty” Arnold Check out these poems as spoken word performances at www.live-east-mag.com
Alex Darby
If you need to talk to someone about changes in your life then you can talk in confidence to: childline.org.uk – 0800 1111, nextsteptherapy.org.uk – 0800 069 9022, wdp-drugs.org.uk – 020 8981 8053, lifeline.org.uk – 020 7093 3007, muslim youth helpline www.myh.org.uk - 0808 808 2008
Illustration Darryl Daley 24
Regarded as literature’s immortal classic, War and Peace is one of Tolstoy’s greatest achievements. Set during the Napoleonic reign, the novel oscillates between the backdrop of events that have come to affect the lives of five aristocratic Russian families, focusing on their subsequent decisions which lead to tragic consequences. The range of characters sets a momentous task for any reader to remember names, dates, places and events. However, the novel successfully manages to discuss the nature of war, power and history. War and Peace is in a league of its own, it is an intellectually stimulating book that would be difficult to find an equal to. _RG
Lili St. Crow is the hot new author, blazing the world with her vampire series. Strange Angels is a book about a physically and emotionally strong 17-year-old, Dru Anderson. With everyone in her life taken by the ‘real world’, Dru finds her heart battling between two guys while trying to stay alive. However, Dru is more special, rare and valuable than she realises. Crow uses strong language to evoke the true feelings of her characters. With a sci-fi feel and themes such as love and loss, this book will have you chewing your nails all through the night. _DO
Nightlight: A Parody Constable
by Leo Tolstoy
Words James “Shorty” Arnold 17
War and Peace Random House
by Lili St.Crow
Words Carl Rendora 17
Strange Angels Penguin
Words Christelle Dasse 18
Love books? Go to spinebreakers.co.uk
JUST READ IT!! GOOD STUFF WORTH A READ I’ll PASS MEH...
Words Alex Darby 18
FULLY BOOKED
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