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Day: 18 September 2012

Manchester named piracy capital of UK

Manchester has been named the piracy capital of the UK in a study of the digital music industry.

The city is known for its strong musical heritage, but now has the crown for the highest number of illegal song downloads in the country.

Figures released in the Musicmetric study show 345 million songs were illegally downloaded in the first half of this year, of which Manchester had the highest number of per person.

Students are notoriously high-internet users, and with over 50,000 in the city, The Mancunion asked their opinions on music piracy.

“I don’t pay for music, does anybody these days? The last CD I bought was about 4 years ago. People don’t buy CDs any more so they’re going to download it and places like iTunes don’t have all the music you want anyway,” said second-year Joseph, studying for a degree in mental health nursing.

A Material Science and Engineering student felt the opposition to illegal downloading comes from record labels.

“I think it’s the record companies because the artists make shit all money on the sale of their CDs, they make the money off the gigs they play, you can’t pirate a gig, so I don’t think its affecting the bands, I think its affecting the companies who are promoting the bands,” said the second year. “I illegally download some things unless a small band in which case I buy it.”

Second year Electronic Engineering student Sofiane said, “I think the cost of a CD is too expensive, I can see why people illegally download.”

An exchange student from the United States of America studying medicine said the cost of music is why she downloads illegally.

“I want to say it’s wrong, but it’s so expensive. I heard they make most of their money from concerts so getting their music out might help more people go to their concerts.”

Nikia, another exchange student from USA said, “If you really like the artist then you will make the effort to buy it, but otherwise downloading it isn’t necessarily bad for them either because you’re still listening to it and getting their stuff around, I think it helps them.”

“If it was a little bit cheaper in the first place then maybe people wouldn’t do it so much,” said Becky Ryan, studying for a PGCE in Primary Education.

The report revealed UK-based BitTorrent consumption hit 43 million albums and singles were downloaded during the first half of 2012.

Overall the UK came second for the most illegal downloads in the world, having fewer only than the United States. Ed Sheeran was the most pirated artist in the country.

In a statement to the Mancunion, Pirate Party leader and Manchester Central by-election candidate Loz Kaye rubbished the report and condemned the British Phonographic Industry, representatives of the music industry.

“These figures don’t prove very much, other than the fact that Mancunians like music, and we’re leaders in using technology,” he said. “They are certainly not evidence of the BPI’s shrill claims that ‘a lot of people are getting very rich’ from so-called piracy.

“Plans threatening to throw entire households off the web for “piracy” are particularly dangerous. For students, do you really know what everyone in a shared house is doing on the same connection. And why should you be collectively targeted.

“Why music industry figures are complaining so much is that with a properly functioning Internet, the big players are no longer needed in the same way. We really should move on from this sterile debate.”

University of Manchester IT staff said illegal downloading hasn’t been a major issue.

“We have systems in place in our halls of residence which prevent illegal downloading,” read a university statement. “Our policies state that all IT activity must be legal, and if we are alerted to anything via a ‘cease and desist’ order, then we do take measures to remove individual machines from the network and follow the appropriate disciplinary procedure.”

Must See This Week In Theatre: 24th Sept-1st Oct

The Country Wife

 Restoration comedy ‘The Country Wife’s’ sexual content was so scandalous that it was banned for 200 years. Now a classic, the play promises a riotous evening of seduction and temptation!

Runs until Saturday 20th October at The Royal Exchange. Student tickets £5

 

The Heretic

The Library Theatre Company returns to the Lowry with on Thursday with Richard Bean’s new play, The Heretic. A fresh and relevant comedy exploring climate change and the validity of research surrounding it.

Runs until Saturday 13th October at The Royal Exchange. Tickets £10-£12

 

Sister Act

Based on the 1992 film of the same name, this musical about a disco diva’s experiences as a nun hiding from gangster visits Manchester as part of its UK tour. The music is inspired by Motown, funk, soul and disco and has received rave reviews!

Runs from Tue 25th September to Sat 6th October at the Manchester Opera House. Tickets £15.00-£45.50

 

Lost and Found Festival

Supported by the Contact Theatre, Lost and Found is a series of pop-up art and performances in public spaces around Manchester and Salford. The performances take place alongside everyday life so but do check out the Contact website to find out about individual performances.

Runs from Wednesday 26th September until Friday 28th September at various locations. The performances are free. 

 

Who, what, when, ware…

I swear to God, somebody should start a petition that demands each DJ to post a tracklist of their set after each WHP.  By the morning, it’s hard enough to remember who you actually saw, let alone what got dropped.  Here’s a quick selection of the type of shit you can expect to hear:

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Track:  ‘Let’s Go’

Artist:   FCL

Label:    We Play House

Had to put this one in.  The vocal sample is so simple but it works so well against a thumping 4/4 backdrop.  When the chiming synth stabs start, everything falls together perfectly.  I’d be surprised if you didn’t hear it in the next 12 weeks because it’s in more mixes than eggs and flour.

 

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Track:  ‘Furrball’

Artist:   Zed Bias and Paleman

Label:    Swamp81

This track generated a fair bit of hype online over summer when nobody could guess who it was by.  Now we know it’s the dynamic pairing of UK bass stalwart Zed Bias and Manchester’s own up and coming prodigy, Paleman.  It’s forthcoming on Swamp this year and it’s bound to get a few plays on 23rd November when the label gets a room to itself.

 

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Track:  ‘Gemini’

Artist:   Marek Hemmann

Label:    Freude am Tanzen

Definitely Hemmann’s best track to date.  I’m sure I heard it played a few times last year because I can remember the vocals coming in and not being able to stop my head from nodding in approval.  It just goes to show, if you combine a throbbing bassline with a funky ass saxophone then you’re onto a winner.

 

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Track:  ‘Phreqaflex’

Artist:  FaltyDL

Label:    Planet Mu

This is Drew Lustman, aka FaltyDL, in quasi-garage gear.  The three chord riff bounces alongside a snappy 2-step beat and rumbling sub, before seamlessly changing into a much grimier affair.   The transitions are expertly managed and show us the true extent of Lustman’s ability in arrangement.  To be fair, the whole EP is a must have.

News in brief – 24th September

Proposed Manchester City academy

Manchester City football club have unveiled plans to build a new academy for training potential talent.

The planned academy facility would be open for the 2014/15 season and would be a state of the art facility set in 80 acres adjacent to the Etihad stadium. It will have space for 400 pupils and 16 pitches in total.

 

Collection of DNA data from ex-convicts

Police have started collection of DNA data from ex-convicts in the Greater Manchester area.

2000 former prisoners have been included in the move, with police officers going to their houses to collect the data. So far data has been largely collected from people who committed crimes prior to the creation of the national DNA database.

 

Brawl of 15 on Withington Road

A fifteen person brawl broke out on Withington Road, Whalley Range at 3pm on 15th September.

When police reached the scene those involved had run off. Greater Manchester Police are treating the event as an isolated incident, and a spokesperson said that no one had been seriously injured. Patrols have been stepped up in the area and investigations are on-going.

Album: The Killers – Battle Born

The Killers
Battle Born
Island
2 stars
Released: September 18, 2012

Killers frontman Brandon Flowers decided to start a band after seeing Oasis live in concert. It’s something to be commended – Oasis gigs aren’t normally known for inspiring anything more productive than multiple uses for plastic pint glasses – and it’s not difficult to draw parallels between The Killers’ career trajectory and that of their Mancunian idols.

Hot Fuss fizzed with youthful vigour, throwing up tracks like ‘Mr. Brightside’ and ‘All These Things That I’ve Done’ that came to define rock music for a generation of fans, just as Definitely Maybe had a decade earlier. The follow-up, Sam’s Town, is their Be Here Now; outrageously overblown, frequently ridiculous and only occasionally as brilliant as its creators pronounced it to be. Day & Age, meanwhile, was the sort of weary, insipid affair that Standing on the Shoulder of Giants represented for Oasis; the sound of a band back in the studio too soon, devoid of ideas and desperate for a break.

For what is, in essence, a comeback record, given Day & Age‘s (deservedly) lukewarm reception, the band go back to the bombastic Americana of Sam’s Town, ditching disco for huge soundscapes and Springsteen-worthy levels of grandiosity. Really, though, the result is quite the opposite; whilst genuine feeling spills out of Springsteen’s records, making them such an exhilarating listen, Battle Born is incredibly contrived, a collection of songs as soulless as the arenas they’re destined to fill.

Lyrically, Flowers strives for fist-pumping passion, but usually falls somewhere between the banal and the absurd – “from the Blue Ridge to the Black Hills to the Redwood sky” he cries on the title track, presumably after having taken the first three suggestions from the Old American Place Name Generator.

Elsewhere, it’s stadium-rock by numbers on ‘A Matter of Time’ and ‘The Rising Tide’, the former hinging on the kind of faux-emotional ‘woahs’ that Mumford and Sons have recently displayed a mastery of. ‘Deadlines and Commitments’ almost engages on the level the band so aspire to, cutting through the rest of the record’s repressively-clean production and proving that Flowers, vocally, is capable of nuance and subtlety, making the rest of the record’s thumping obviousness all the more disappointing.

This fourth record was a chance for The Killers to try to recapture some of what made them sound so exciting on Hot Fuss – unfortunately, Battle Born is much more a Heathen Chemistry than a Morning Glory.

 

“So, which Warehouses are you going to?”

This, a frequent ice-breaker in the formation of fresher friendships across the city, is a question that you’re going to hear a lot over the next few months.   With less than a week to go before the seventh season of Warehouse Project kicks off and with 23 shows to choose from, we should probably start deciding on our conclusive answers.

For those who didn’t make it down to the shows last Easter, the new venue on Trafford Park Road marks Warehouse’s third home so far.  Spread out over three rooms, the sheer size of the place is the first thing you notice when you get inside.  Rooms 2 and 3 are like elongated concrete avenues, defined by monolithic pillars and strips of PVC.   Room 1 is the epicentre; it has a ceiling that sprawls even further than your dilated pupils allow you to see.  Basically, when compared with Store Street, it’s a hell of a lot bigger and there are much larger swarms of people lining the entrance queues.

What remains is that unique, murky atmosphere that only Warehouse Project can conjure up.   The brick walls, girders and cavernous spaces have effectively been multiplied to form a modern day industrial behemoth, one that swallows up punters for eight hours before spitting them back out into the real world, sweating and shivering.   It marks both a new dawn in Manchester nightlife and the next chapter of an institution that has given so much to this city already.

Given the change in scale, there were, naturally, a few teething problems back in April.  The one way system isn’t perfect, the sound in Room 1 needs a bit of rejigging and it will take time to establish a similar level of intimacy to that of the last venue.   Rest assured though, these are minor issues.  It might take a few visits to completely orientate yourself at Trafford Park, but that’s just another excuse to go to as many nights as your loan can afford.

Now then, who’s actually on?  Pretty much every conceivable genre of dance music is represented in the series, so whatever your taste, there’s a night to suit it.  The opening weekender promises to get things rolling in style, with Rinse’s 18th birthday party on the Friday featuring more big names than you can shake a glowstick at.

Saturday 29th September is the big one though; Soul Clap, Seth Troxler and Ben Klock all feature and there’s a headline slot for Nico Jaar who makes a return to Manchester following his sold-out set at Sound Control last January.  The title of ‘hottest act behind the decks’ will almost certainly go to Maya Jane & Heidi b2b, a mouth-watering prospect if ever there was one.  That is unless Scuba somehow manages to rig the vote in favour of himself.

With such a strong opener planned, it’s hard to believe that any subsequent dates could match it.  Fortunately, there’s pretty much something decent on for the next 12 weekends.  SBTRKT curates the 6th October, with a line-up that includes Pariah, Caribou, XXXY and Oneman.

Friday 12th sees Bugged Out! present a host of techno giants including Green Velvet and Boys Noize.  The following Friday is a completely different affair though and sees Bloc Party headlining, off the back of their imaginatively named fourth album, Four.

The Halloween special, curated by Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, has one of the more eclectic arrays on offer.  Chicago legend Derrick Carter makes an appearance amongst the likes of Todd Terje, Factory Floor and Mosca.  It’s also the only nights you’ll get away with going dressed up like a triceratops.

November gets going on Friday 2nd  with 9 hours of minimal tech courtesy of Sven Vath’s Cocoon imprint. However, if you prefer something harder then perhaps Saturday 3rd is more up your alley.  It’s Metropolis’ 10th Birthday so expect plenty of celebratory drum ‘n bass in your face.

November 8th welcomes experimental quartet Animal Collective, who will definitely put on an interesting show.  However, given the line-up on offer the very next day, you’d be forgiven for not attending.  The WHP X RBMA roster on November 9th includes Flying Lotus, Floating Points, Prosumer, DJ Shadow, Squarepusher, Jamie XX and an entire room dedicated to Hessle Audio.  In my humble opinion, this is the one you don’t want to miss.

That takes us up to the festive period, where some early Christmas money may come in very handy.  The R.A. night on 1st December is the only line-up to include Blawan and George FitzGerald.  Add to that Levon Vincent, Joy O and Boddika and you’ve got the makings of a classic evening.   The Chemical Brothers, Soulwax and Fatboy Slim all play within the space of 6 days so unless you’re lucky enough to have daddy’s credit card, it’s a toss-up between them.

So yes, there’s more than enough to keep you occupied for the next 12 weeks.  In terms of getting there and back, it’s a taxi ride away from both the town centre and Fallowfield, so between 4 or 5 of you, it’ll cost the same as the takeaway that you won’t be eating.  Get thinking which ones tickle your fancy, and be prepared to answer the question on everybody’s lips.

If anybody tells you that they can’t wait to see Skrillex, slap them.

Greater Manchester Jobseeker’s claimant count rises again

The number of people in Greater Manchester claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance has increased for the second consecutive month, according to data released by the Office for National Statistics.

As of August 2012, 85,038 individuals now claim Jobseeker’s Allowance; an increase of 488 and 1,302 from July and June respectively.

In the North West region the claimant count has remained at 4.4 percent, still above the UK average of 3.9 percent, however the number of people unemployed fell by approximately 8,000. The North West’s unemployment rate now stands at 9 percent; the third highest rate in the country behind the North (10.4 percent) and Yorkshire and the Humber (10 percent).

Dr Brian Sloan , Chief economist at Greater Manchester chamber of commerce commented on the results: “This rise in the claimant count is not unexpected given the weak economic conditions in Greater Manchester, accompanied by policy shifts and young people leaving full time education.”

“The summer period has been a very slow period for the region’s economy, but these trends highlight the challenge of addressing high levels of worklessness, public sector spending dependency and getting back on to a sustainable growth path.”

Earlier this month ONS data showed that Liverpool had the highest level of workless households in the entire country with a quarter of all households inhabited by jobless individuals. In Greater Manchester that figure was an above average 16.8 percent of households that were jobless.

Dr Sloan believes the Atlantic Gateway projects, a 50-year co-ordinated private investment initiative costing £50 billion and driven by the Peel Group, will deliver the economic stimulus required to fuel business activity in the region.

He added: “We can sit back and blame the Eurozone or global conditions, but in reality more can be done now in the North West to secure our long term growth potential and provide job opportunities.”

Topshop Unique: The Inside Report

The go-to high street brand that has managed to make a splash in the US, gain a cult celebrity following and faithfully reside in the wardrobes of you and I has exceeded it’s already solid reputation as a fashion heavyweight with its covetable Spring/Summer ’13 collection shown this London Fashion Week.

Sunday afternoon saw a flurry of celebrities and fashion followers eager to see Topshop’s high-end designs for next Summer, and the overhead lit U-shaped catwalk did not disappoint with a wealth of wearable (and covetable) designs.

A surprisingly muted colour palette of nudes, greys and monochrome enveloped the designs, with mere hints of dusky salmon pink and lime-yellow making the collection more of a staple array of designs rather than an ensemble of striking, busy pieces.

If this Unique collection pre-empts the high street’s inclination next Spring then expect to invest in a lot of clean cut, shift pieces and look out for deep-v, slouchy and sheer pieces this winter to transition with ease into next season.

Etched details and patterns applied to the simplistic, tailored fits of the white suits, jumpsuits and dresses on the runway again made for an interesting take on a season that usually sees the same tired floral or Parisian infusions. The delicate and dainty nature of the monochrome tartan-check pattern and criss cross designs seem wearable and oh-so understated: especially when infused with the casual tailoring and slouch fits of the pieces.

My favourite piece has to be a white, loose fit pencil skirt with graduated layers from sheer to solid fabric. With an acknowledging nod to this summer’s explosive sombre trend, the skirt was teamed with a fitted, long-sleeved ‘cold shoulder’ top. It seems that the cut-out has yet to have its day!

The flowing fabrics weren’t the only stand-out detail that fashion journos were hurriedly jotting down. One shoulder details made its mark, along with some the over exaggerated hiked-up sleeves reminiscent of 80s sweats. Cara Delevigne’s sultry attitude in her oversized roll-sleeve cream jacket and matching oversized clutch encompassed the theme of the collection in one strut: understated statement. Letting the clothes speak for themselves was elementary to this collection, as hanging hair was tucked behind ears and eyes were soft and smoky and skin kept fresh.

The ‘it’ piece had to be the slash peekaboo sheer dress that opened the show, modelled impeccably and rather suitably by Topshop muse and ‘it’ model Jourdan Dunn. Displayed in its striking white, tartan and black patch-work styles, this dress was immediately available to customise in the collection’s demure colour palette at topshop.com. Another piece I can see selling out as soon as it hits the rails is the strappy chiffon slouch dress with silver embellished block details that commands attention in an almost celestial way. Already saved in my mental shopping basket.

Fashion’s boldest repped the high street brand at the collection’s showcase; with Olivia Palermo’s flawless appearance including a pair of prerequisite patterned trousers and a bright tee with tan suede swatches. Daisy Lowe, who was inkeeping with the pieces, strutted on the U-shaped catwalk, wearing a red and black criss cross jumper from Topshop Unique.

Topshop Unique’s SS ’13 showcase was as highly anticipated as any other luxury brand this London Fashion Week, and rightly so – the addition of its ‘unique’ and pioneering interactive experience through Facebook, enabling viewers to customise pieces as they appear on the catwalk. Despite the seemingly unattainable experience of witnessing a collection debut at LFW, Topshop (with the help of social networking) has succeeded in making its showcase one of the most seen and spoken about this fashion week.

As well as the camera button that takes pictures of the show and posts them to your Facebook timeline, the option to pre-order the designs and even buy the models’ make-up is available through the Topshop site. Now if that doesn’t make you feel as much of a FROWer as Olivia Palermo and Daisy Lowe, then we don’t know what will.

Top 5 London Fashion Week Collections (so far…)

1. Julien Macdonald – Kicking off the fashion festivities on Old Burlington Street, Julien Macdonald’s show brought an abundance of glamour to the menswear tailoring district of

Photo: Vogue.com

Photo: Vogue.com

Photo: Vogue.com

Photo: Vogue.com

Savile Row. The show offered a stark juxtaposition between the severe cropped hairstyles of the models with the fluid and sexual lines of the illusionary gowns.

2. Matthew Williamson – This year marks the 15TH Anniversary of the brand so it is only fitting that the collection celebrates all that it is known best for today. Williamson claimed that, “opposites work together,” which is evident from the trademark contrasting use of azure blue with vibrant pink alongside the dip-dye approaches on classic single-breasted blazers.

3. J JS Lee – A modernist take on classic Womenswear tailoring, the collection exhibited this exactly with the blending of boyfriend-fit blazers styled with constructed and rectangular bottoms. The monochrome palette was interrupted with splashes of zesty green hues to again add to the contemporary edge. Overtly modern whilst also classically feminine.

4. Markus Lupfer – This collection exuberates that throw-on appeal which can essentially make or break a LFW show. Mint and metallic hues are accompanied by textured python prints on jersey classics. The pieces are unbelievably easy to wear without traversing into the realms of being boring; be sure to familiarise yourself with the collection!

5.DAKS – Sheila McKain-Waid began the catwalk show with a number of ethereal dresses in shades of brilliant white however, introduced subtle moments of colour to then eventually take the collection in a more dramatic direction of black tailored shirts and shorts. Despite the variety offered by the collection, it was held together with the feminine silk-blended materials.

 

Interview: Marina & the Diamonds

“I’ve tailored the tour around the album. It’s called the Lonely Hearts Club, based on the assumption you’re going to be alone forever.” Tongue in cheek as it might be, the negativity of that mindset is an undeniably confusing one given the year Marina Diamandis has had; her electronically-fuelled second record, Electra Heart, hit number one in the UK album chart in May, and she spoke to The Mancunion from Leipzig, Germany, on one of the final dates of what’s been a mammoth summer tour.  Whilst divulging some of the obvious perks of being a part of such a huge production – supporting Coldplay in stadiums across Europe, she’s clearly keen to be back out playing to smaller, more devoted crowds at her own shows in the coming weeks.

“Coldplay’s the nicest tour you can be on really – the crew are fantastic, you get gourmet catering every day, and as a performer, it’s great to have the challenge every night of trying to hold people’s attention, and convince them to check you out after the show. But you can’t lie, your own shows are obviously much more exciting in the sense that people are there for you.” The tour’s stage production is set to reflect the new album’s themes, particularly in terms of the influence of Americana – “it’s based around a motel bedroom – there’s a chaise longue, hat stand, fizzing TV – girly fantasy stuff. The whole album’s based around American pop culture.”

Electra Heart follows Diamandis’ 2010 debut, The Family Jewels, and signals a radical departure, both musically and in image terms. It’s a concept album developed around an ‘Electra Heart’ alter-ego, that she’s previously described as “the antithesis of everything that I stand for,” but the term ‘concept album’ doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a thematically over-complicated record, as she explains: “it’s about love, basically, in the same way that so many pop albums are about love. The difference is that I wanted to create a fictional character to enable me to talk about having a fear of love, and the pain that can come with it, without having to apply it to myself and be embarrassed about talking about it.”

On the image change that has encompassed the record’s artwork, videos and her own fashion sense, she told us, “on the first album, image didn’t inspire me at all; fashion didn’t have any bearing. On this record, it was much more heavily inspiring in terms of the way I wrote the songs – the idea for the first track, ‘Bubblegum Bitch’, came when I was buying dresses in a thrift store – it got me thinking about that pop persona from the nineties that artists like Britney Spears had, and it made me want to turn that inside out, by creating this villainous character.”

Diamandis also took the opportunity to set the record straight on her apparent claims that the UK ‘didn’t get’ Electra Heart, which she claims had been taken out of context; “the people I was talking about were the indie, leftfield press, rather than the people of the country I’m from. The UK press took the album too literally, and how can you take a song like ‘Bubblegum Bitch’ or ‘Homewrecker’ seriously? It’s obvious I’m joking.”

She also stressed that her pronouncement of having achieved ‘fuck all’ with her first record was more a symptom of her ambition than a reflection on the album itself: “it did really well for a leftfield album, but I was ambitiously disappointed in that I wanted to do bigger things…it’s weird how that’s seen as a bad thing. Every artist wants it. That’s why the new album getting to number one was such a big deal for me; I feel like I’ve broken through as a pop artist. I didn’t ever want to be an indie artist.”

Marina and her Diamonds – the latter, she says, being her fans rather than her backing band – visit Manchester twice in a week at the end of the month, with a headlining performance at the inaugural M13 festival preceding her own headline show. “I fucking love Manchester. I’ve always had big gigs there and always had an amazing time, although I suspect I’m not alone in that.” She’s less enthusiastic, though, when we tell her that M13 is to take place post-Freshers Week; “at least their hangovers can’t get any worse,” she groans.

She’s a little more guarded when it comes to discussing the video for new single ‘How to Be a Heartbreaker’, which filmed recently; it sounds set to be as divisive as the album it’s taken from. “All I can say is that it involves a lot of naked men,” she laughs, “and we’ll leave it at that.”

Marina and the Diamonds headline M13 Festival on September 29th, and play Academy 1 on October 6th.

60 seconds with… Alex Dowsett

Team Sky cyclist, Bradley Wiggins’ teammate, National time trial champion and haemophilliac Alex Dowsett chats to the Mancunion about his charity work and career so far.

You do a lot for the World Haemophillia Foundation. Could you tell us a little bit about your work with that?

Well we’re trying to raise awareness and educate. It’s a condition that often leads to parents essentially wrapping their kids in cotton wool. But it doesn’t have to be like that so we’re trying to teach people about lifestyle as well as medication. Whilst encouraging them to take up sports and keep fit and healthy. I’m currently setting up a charity called Little Bleeders which will offer advice.

Did you have a lot support when you were growing up then?

Yeah my parents were great. They took the condition really seriously but also got me involved in sports from an early age. I did a lot of swimming as it is low impact and the risks are lower and its probably helped me be as quick on a bike as I am now.

So how’s the racing gone this year?

Well my year was based around the Olympics but I crashed out earlier in the year and broke my elbow in three places. I didn’t know it was broken at the time so I drove home from Belgium. Then my sister took me off to A&E. Unfortunately it became infected as well which pushed my year back for two months and meant I ended missing it. For the rest of the year I was just trying to get results on the board and ended up winning the national time trial which was pretty good.

What are your plans for next year?

Hopefully I’ll train well over the winter and start getting some results on the board and then aim to get selected for the Tour de France.

 Thanks Alex. Best of luck for the future.

Alex’s new charity Little Bleeders has a website called www.littlebleeders.com

5 songs in the field of… Northern Soul

1. ‘Easy Mover’ – London Fog and the Continentals

A minor hit in America, ‘Easy Mover’ was picked up by the scene at Twisted Wheel, Manchester. Infectious bass line and lyrics by Brenda Lee Jones, “Jean” of Dean and Jean, delivered in a gutsy vocal from the Continentals’ Loretta Reid. London Fog have been featured in Mayer Hawthorne’s podcasts for Stones Throw Records.

 

2. ‘Tainted Love’ – Gloria Jones

Synth-pop duo Soft Cell were notoriously influenced by the music from dance halls of the North covering both this Northern Soul favourite and Judy Street’s ‘What’. Despite the British version’s success, reaching #1 worldwide, Gloria Jones is still hailed the “Queen of Northern Soul”.

 

3. ‘One Wonderful Moment’ – Shakers

A suitably wonderful distortion heard at the beginning of the record leads into the reassuring falsetto and heavy beat. It’s uptempo rhythm lent itself to the frantic spinning, kicks and backdrops that could be seen at all popular Northern Soul venues such as Wigan Casino.

 

4. ‘You’ve Been Gone Too Long’ – Ann Sexton

A real feel-good record, ‘You’ve Been Gone Too Long’ is punctuated by horns and has a driven beat. Ann Sexton has been sampled by the likes of Wu Tang Clan’s GZA, and in 2008 after a 30 year absence, embarked on a welcome return to performing.

 

5. ‘Footsee’ – Wigan’s Chosen Few

In the latter days of the Northern Soul scene, ‘Footsee’ reached #9 in the UK singles chart. Released with Chuck Wood’s ‘Seven Days Too Long’ as a B side, this remixed track supposedly is overdubbed with crowd noises from 1966 FA Cup semi-final between Everton and Sheffield Wednesday.

Save it for the bedroom

I am a PDA (Public Display of Affection) hater. This discovery was made on a recent shopping trip to Morrisons. I was minding my own business, forcing my mum to buy me all of the luxuries that I wouldn’t be able to afford once I was back in Manchester. There, by the raw beef, chicken and pork, was a couple indulging in what can only be described as heavy petting. Who knew that your Sunday roast contained a powerful aphrodisiac?

Now, don’t get me wrong, I have nothing bad to say about casual hand holding or a quick peck on the lips. PDAs of the discreet variety, such as these, are perfectly acceptable. Full frontal tonsil tennis on the other hand, takes it too far. Just for the record, I am not a bitter singleton. In fact, most of the time and to the surprise of many, I actually quite like being single. Some things simply need to be saved for the bedroom (or wherever else takes your fancy – bathroom, kitchen, stairs, garden shed – just so long as it is in the privacy of your own home).

Worse still is the online PDA. I usually find myself ranting about men, but this time the offending sex is my own. To quote but a few of the most irritating and frankly nauseating Facebook statuses this week: ‘my boyf is amazing’ (the use of the abbreviation ‘boyf’ is a criminal offence in itself), ‘missing snuggles with my man’, ‘I hate goodbyes, had a perfect summer with my gorgeous guy’. Someone pass me a sick bucket! Do these girls have no shame?

It gets even better in the last girl’s ‘About Me’ section: ‘Tom . . .’ (that’s her ‘gorgeous guy’) ‘. . . you are the jam on my toast’. Much to my horror, she even uses the pokey tongue face smiley – ‘:P’. More cheese, anyone? I can now completely understand why most guys are under the impression that we women are incapable of having sex without falling madly in love and planning marriage and children. I’m sure Tom is secretly quite pleased about being the jam on his girlfriend’s toast, but does everybody need to know? Wouldn’t it have been better if she had text him this instead of plastering it all over a social networking site? It can’t be doing his reputation with the lads any good, that’s for sure.

I am dreading Valentine’s Day 2013; I know my newsfeed will be choc-a-block with photos of flowers, chocolates, cards, teddy bears, Pandora bracelets and Swarovski crystal rings. Said photos will of course be complete with captions such as ‘OMG best boyfriend’, ‘I am such a lucky girl’ or ‘Been spoilt rotten, thanks babe. Love you so much’. It hasn’t even happened yet and I am already feeling angered by it.

When I spoke to my mum about this new found hatred I have for the PDA, she told me that I would probably turn into one of these dreadful lovey dovey human beings once I met the right man. Naturally, I turned my nose up in disgust at such an idea and denied that I could ever be so utterly ridiculous. So, if I do meet the right man (and that’s a very big if) and you happen to catch me making sweet love in the pasta aisle of Sainsbury’s Fallowfield, please feel free to shout “hypocrite!” and give me a bloody good slap.

Experience… Copenhagen

Copenhagen is a city I wish I had explored more regularly on my year abroad; living over the Oresund bridge in Sweden, it was my sanctuary for all access off licences, curfew free partying and general roguery. It holds a sophisticated demeanour with Parisian style grand boulevards and regal castles around sleek Scandinavian architecture,yet has a rebellious streak carefully sectioned off in the free town of Christiania as though to keep it from wider influence. Though quite small for a capital city and structured with a faultless metro system don’t be deceived; its vastly contrasting neighbourhoods laced with intertwining streams make it difficult to navigate so you get your head down at the Generator hostel perfectly located downtown, grab your furs and get a gulp  of that icy Nordic air.

Day 1

Stroget is the flash lit emblazoned tourist trap complete with mandatory Irish pubs and enticing winter markets. This neverending street begins at Copenhagen’s main square Kongens Nytorv passing the town hall and old medieval churches all the way to fantasy theme park Tivoli. With unique Danish boutiques its clear why Copenhagen is the design capital of Europe, its grandeur stretching from the flagship H&M to Christiansborg palace. If you’re a fan of extreme sports climb one of the churches’ spindly spiral staircases for staggering views of Copenhagen and beyond, and theatre aficionados must see the Dogma Theatre dedicated to play directing and filming in the style pioneered by Lars Von Trier.

As far as Danish cuisine goes, unless lead weighted rye bread and pickled herring amidst luminous beetroot coleslaw floats your boat, there’s not much foodie gratification to be had on a budget. I stuck to the trusty diet of street sold kebabs and Danish pastries – pick up the original and best hot cinnamon rolls at Lakagehuset bakeries dotted round the city which you will locate by sniffing.

After hours head to Gothersgade (metro: Kongens Nytorv) a strip of bars adjacent to the Generator, or simply stay in the hostel bar for Copenhagen’s longest happy hour.  Later on head to Dunkel (Radhuspladsen) for DJs mixing til 7am.  Smoking inside is  encouraged as is grinding and club necking, and the resident professional hipsters extend the Scandivian indifference to gender stereotypes by sharing saloon style dark toilets. If you’re luckily enough to pass as Danish or at least pass the outfit examination, well done.

Day 2

Christiania, Copenhagen’s own anarchist free town sectioned for radicals and statement law breaking, is an essential visit. A police banished playground defined by marijuana and squat houses, it seems a world away from the catwalk that is the main shopping strip, and its ghetto attitude and live graffiti-ing aplenty. It gives this ghetto the air of a battle turf-come-exhibition and unlike anything you will have come across in such a prim and otherwise perfect city. It’s a shame cameras have been unanimously banned by occupants of this shanty town, as a photo is required to prove the prices of beer (20 DKK a bottle) in comparison to the extortionate robbery of the rest of the city.

The ‘centre’ is host to grungy bars, a dodgy clientele and an apparently abandoned stage Iwhich is a shame as I can imagine the festival feeling this place could exude if a band were to play out to drunk or stoned skinheaded Danes and Brits high on the unfamiliarity of such political harmony.

Take in Copenhagen in all its glory and let its vast classiness knock you dead.

Stay in the Generator Hostel from £26.60

Fly with Easyjet from Manchester in November from £40 return

 

The real thing

“DOMINO BOOKS believes that all people – not only those that call themselves artists – have images and phrases lying in their hearts and minds. We’d much prefer a world where people sit down and try to bring these things to the surface, rather then attaching widgets to gears for someone else’s benefit.”

So reads DOMINO BOOKS’ About Us section on their website. They are a company with a mission statement, a motive. One that it is easy to deride, but much harder to believe, let alone to contribute towards; a world-view such as this.

DOMINO BOOKS is a small publishing house set up a couple of years ago by avant-garde comics artist Austin English. English publishes his own work through Domino, and also endeavours to support and nurture unsung creative talent in the comics world. As I said, a company with a mission. So if you do find yourself at a loose end now, or soon, may I suggest that you take a few precious moments out of the well-worn Facebook-email-article-StudentNet groove of your own personal Internet microcosm and check out DOMINO’s wares. They’re unlike any comics you’ve seen before. I promise.

Let me just preface what is to come – by way of a disclaimer – that I am not a comics nut, graphics novel reader or ‘fangirl’ – in fact, I’ve never bought a comic before (except the Beano, but that was mainly because it used to come with a free drumstick so probably doesn’t win me any comics gravitas). I have no pedigree to talk to anyone about anything comic-related. But bear with me, and it all may or may not be worth it in the end. I promise I won’t pretend to have any specialist knowledge.

So what exactly is it that we’re talking about then – you may be pondering. Comic – cartoon – graphic novel – which is it? As far as I can tell, ‘cartoon’ is used generally to denote the smaller, snapshot scenes that appear in the corner of your newspaper or magazine. ‘Comic’ is the broader, catch-all term for drawn stories. Whereas ‘graphic novel’ is altogether a bit hazier: typically it’s a longer, bound book versus the flimsy ‘zine-ness of its comic counterpart, and much more expensive. So whereas all graphic novels are comics, not all comics are graphic novels.

English defines comics as ‘just words and pictures together’, and it is within this generosity of genre that Domino’s books find space to experiment. To my mind, whatever you want to call comics/cartoons/graphic novels, in the end, in the hands of a reader, it either will or won’t be art to him/her.

After discovering Austin English on Canadian novelist, Lee Henderson’s blog, I ended up buying The Disgusting Room – the book under discussion in Henderson’s interview with English – off SparkPlug Books. The Disgusting Room is a full book, a 48-page spread of mixed media. It’s big, 10.5” by 15”, and printed on newspaper. In short, it looks great, like something you want to pick up and handle – and you can! for only $6. An expensive newspaper, but surely the cheapest art you’ve ever bought.

The story takes place inside rooms, which are represented inside (or by) thick black frames on the page. There are three characters, with good, solid names like Margaret and Bobby, who take up most of the rooms they inhabit. They change shape almost every frame, and keep track of them by their hairstyles.

The action that unfurls is as strange as the pages that tell it – catalysed by the cramped spaces that frame it. The images are abstract, weird mixtures of bold line and sombre colours, but the story is not as difficult to follow as it sounds. Lee Henderson cites the American artist Basquiat as a reference point for English’s images, and he’s right, Basquiat with the murk of something like a Van Gogh palette.

These images are coupled with words that are seem somewhat opposite – short, direct, plain strands of thought that direct the imposing, abstract images. But they are also fitting: blunt sentences for blunt, bold lines. Sentences like ‘Theo sat solidly in his chair’ are perfect examples of the written fragments that have the directness of George Saunders’ prose, and that seem like weird cryptic messages about what you are viewing – titles, almost, that merely allude to the profundity of the work, whose depth you are left guessing. That the visceral punch of English’s visual contains the words they become part of the image and are deciphered in the same glance. It is their combination that makes the pages so compelling, one look and I am completely sucked into the world they create.

These are all attempts to explain how the comic is doing what it is doing, and yet somehow they don’t really begin to explain why, when I look at English’s work, I feel everything expanding; that the promise of the world Domino’s mission statement sketches could be fulfilled at any moment. That feeling you get when you look at really good art, or listen to great music.

It has something to do with Austin’s insistence on reaping no rewards, on working for the good of art, the good of the comics themselves. Novelist David Foster Wallace described the importance of an artist’s intention thusly: “it seems like the big distinction between good art and so-so art lies somewhere in the art’s heart’s purpose, the agenda of the consciousness behind the text” and if that agenda is pure and good: “The reader walks away from the real art heavier than she came into it. Fuller.”

It is these intentions that surely manifest on the page, making the art “real” in such an unusual way. English’s words on the subject only confirm this authenticity and love for the medium. He describes the “physical pleasure” that he gets from drawing, and his excitement for what lies ahead – a consideration he takes very seriously: “We are in a phase where beautiful things are being created each year and I can’t help but feel very carried away by that and wanting to contribute my two cents to all of it as hard and as seriously as I can.”

The comics world also seems to be in an interesting position with regards to this point. English describes comics as “low, low stakes – economically”, but to him this is a great position, because? “the only reason to be doing this stuff is for the art”. And the purity of intention that reigns supreme in The Disgusting Room seems to somehow fulfill the idealism and premise that comics were founded upon in the first place.

Austin English wants to keep making comics until he grows very old and grey, and I can’t see anything that would stop him doing this.

Dream Jobs – Comedy Screenwriter

Qualifications

English Literature, Drama, Creative Writing, Film or Media Studies

Salary

£70K on average

Locations

Worldwide

How to get there

A professional and successful comedy screenwriter is responsible for creating the scripts used for our television comedy shows. The comedy genius that lies behind Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show is a talent that can take years of practice, which the University of Manchester graduates Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong have mastered to perfection.  In an interview with The Guardian, the duo explain that their student themed comedy, Fresh Meat, is based on their experiences at university. Their success does not come through writing what they believe may be “shocking” for viewers, Armstrong explains, but rather, whether it’s purely funny and works.

Screenwriting isn’t simply a case of having an idea and winning a BAFTA the following year. The job demands long and stressful days attempting to meet deadlines by studios and production companies, often working as part of a team of staff writers for particular shows. Screenwriters are also responsible for shooting and require an in depth knowledge of what shots, lighting and camera angles will work best for the script. The potential pressure of coming up with a new and original script every week for a TV show is a skill that you will only possess with self-motivation and creative talent.

It is essential that you make a portfolio of your work and begin to market yourself. Twitter is a fantastic platform to network with industry insiders and gain advice from figures that could potentially be future employers. Link people to your personal blog and ask them if they know of any available work placements. Media can often be a case of breaking into the circle through personal contacts so once you are presented with the opportunity, pitch your ideas.

Student 101 – Life Lessons from Fresher’s Week

My first car journey up to the University of Manchester involved counting down the hours until my supposed fate via Sat Nav and being unable to eat in the service station due to nerves. We eventually arrived at my hall in Victoria Park and after equipping my room with newly bought IKEA essentials and shyly inspecting my future companions beneath my fringe, it was ‘time’. By ‘time’ I mean that widely read moment in every student university guide where your parents leave you, alone and abandoned in your lifeless hall room, without a friend in the world.  What now?

You’d be surprised at what humans resort to in the sheer desperation to make friends. One of the first things I said to a long legged, blonde haired girl on my first day of university was “Do you like music?” In the ridiculous assumption that anyone north of London didn’t share the same interests. Despite my stupidity, my forwardness paid off, and that said girl, who turned out to be a Russian speaking Sheffielder, continues to be a good friend today and lived with me during my second year.

That day, I took it upon myself to chat to anyone and everyone. I met people I would have never met at sixth form and from completely different walks of life to each other and to myself. The following week became a whirlwind of names, accents and stories.

What Fresher’s Week really taught me, alongside the drinking games and free pizza, is that university ultimately gives you the opportunity to meet people like no other institution can. It is a time to forget any stereotypical prejudices you had back in school and sixth form and to welcome diversity with open arms.

The University of Manchester celebrates its 36,000 students for good reason. If I hadn’t made that painfully nerve-wracking car journey up north three years ago, I would not be the person that I am today. Freshers of 2012 take advantage of your first year and embrace every opportunity that gets thrown your way, because for me, the life experiences that I have gained from meeting new people tops any first class degree.

Experienced Europe all set for Medinah

Jose Maria Olazabal’s European team will be hoping to retain their crown when the 39th Ryder Cup gets underway at the Medinah Country Club next Thursday.

The Spaniard selected Ian Poulter and debutant Nicolas Colsaerts as his two wildcard picks, the latter being chosen ahead of three-time major winner Padraig Harrington after impressing on the European Tour this season.

Poulter, like Colsaerts, only just missed out on automatic selection, but his distinguished Ryder Cup record made him an obvious candidate for Olazabal’s team.

Besides from Colsaerts, the European team boasts plenty of experience, with five of the twelve (including Poulter) having made two or more appearances in the Ryder Cup. Westwood, Donald, Garcia and Poulter can all draw on previous successes on American soil.

USA’s Davis Love III, meanwhile, will captain a side which includes four Ryder Cup debutants. Their lack of experience may concern some, but Keegan Bradley and Webb Simpson are both major winners, whilst Jason Dufner and Brandt Snedeker have been perennial challengers in recent tournaments.

Tiger Woods’ Ryder Cup record may be fairly ordinary, but the 14-time major winner will relish his return to Medinah Country Club. Woods has won two PGA Championships on this course; he will hope to complete a perfect trio by regaining the Ryder Cup there this week.

Review: Focal Points

Currently filling the walls of the Manchester Art Gallery, Focal Points is an exhibition exploring the medium of photography and the versatility and detail with which it documents modern life. Providing something of a modern art history lesson, the exhibition takes the viewer through the ’80s with Keith Arnatt and Helen Chadwick, the ’90s with YBA’s Sarah Lucas and Jane and Louise Wilson, before showcasing some more recent work by, for example, Nigel Shafran or Melanie Manchot.

The exhibition is designed to reveal the debt of contemporary photographers to traditional artistic themes, as the exhibition’s blurb explains: these images ‘explore the body, reinvent still-life, examine cultural identities and explore the places where we live, work and spend our leisure time.’ An exhibition, then, showcasing both an impressive rostra of names in modern photography and provoking comment on the way we live now, exploring our every day behaviours and encouraging the viewer to reflect on their own habits.

A combination of original works and those collected over the past decade by Manchester City Galleries, the exhibition is diverse – and it hangs together surprisingly well, given the only criteria on the work is that it must be photography, with photographic style ranging dramatically. That range is essential to the appeal, as it means everyone will like something – find one piece to stand in front of and see something of themselves or their own life in.

However, this exhibition is of particular importance because it is delivered in partnership with the Arts Council Collection, supported by Christie’s, thus representing a collective desire to bring interesting and accessible work to Manchester. In the face of funding cuts, surely this approach to programming, which unites institutions and which champions greater access by all to art, is the way forward. As Manchester’s Finest reported, Caroline Douglas, Head of the Arts Council Collection said ‘this collaborative project … throws a spotlight on the importance and value of a sustained programme of collecting in public institutions in this country. In bringing together great works from across the two collections, Manchester Art Gallery epitomises much of what we hope to achieve’.

The Next Bond

With Daniel Craig’s third venture into the world of Bond fast approaching, it is arguably time to reopen the debate over who could next portray this great British icon. One man I believe stands a cut above the rest, is the east-London born actor Idris Elba. Now this name may not ring out to you but I certainly hope a look at the man’s repertoire would.

Rising to fame as ‘Stringer Bell’ in the immaculate HBO series The Wire, he enthralled viewers playing a ruthless and calculating drug lord on the streets of Baltimore. He has shown versatility in Hollywood roles also starring alongside Denzel Washington in American Gangster, yet Elba is an Englishman through and through.

Guy Ritchie considered him enough of an authentic Londoner to cast him in his third gangster flick Rock n Rolla. However, what has perhaps put Elba most significantly on the map as a potential Bond heir has been the BBC series Luther. In this he plays a loose-canon detective on the mean streets of London, and whilst solving serial murders in a gritty Hackney does not carry the same glamour and sex-appeal of Bond’s international shenanigans, Elba has certainly proved able to take the helm of a British action role. The charm, charisma, stature and style, all necessary for a successful Bond, flow consistently through his work.

Inevitably such a choice would spark controversy from those who believe that James Bond is an inherently white English gentleman and filmmakers should adhere to Fleming’s original concept.

However, the whole nature of Bond and the world he inhabits has developed so much since Connery graced our screens. Whilst a black British spy would be unbelievable half a century ago it could certainly be a reality today. The only stipulation for an actor to play James Bond should be that they are British. If a great British actor comes along with the ability to encapsulate everything Bond he should be given serious consideration for the role, and Idris Elba certainly has that.

Speaking to Screenrant Elba made it clear he would not allow his race to hold any importance if he was chosen as the new Bond.

“I just don’t want to be the black James Bond. Sean Connery wasn’t the Scottish James Bond, and Daniel Craig wasn’t the blue-eyed James Bond, so if I played him, I don’t want to be called the black James Bond,” he said.

But perhaps this a moot point for now. Craig has confirmed that he will continue his Bond for another film which is unlikely to be in cinemas until 2014, and by that time some kind of new-age Sean Connery could have emerged with an incredible abundance of suaveness. For now though, I do believe Idris Elba should be waiting in the wings to take the lead as the world’s favourite international spy.

Skyfall opens in cinemas 26 October