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Month: November 2011

Interview: Alabama 3

Written by Hannah Mead on . Posted in Music.

Country and acid house is a strange combination. Alabama 3 are a strange band. Hannah Mead goes to see what all the fuss is about and has a chat with the band.

Having known little about them until recently, getting a glimpse inside the world of Alabama 3 this week was intriguing and the band seem to have a cult following of die hard fans. Their bizarre fusion of country and acid house is certainly not for everyone, however those who like it, really love it.

You may have heard their music without knowing it. They are the band behind The Sopranos theme tune, ‘Woke Up This Morning’, to which Orlando Harrison, keyboard, attributes much of their success; “I don’t think we would have survived without that. We wouldn’t have been making any money.”

After my chat with Orlando about the new album, the future and the highs and lows of touring, I really wanted to enjoy the gig. My expectations were high; in 2003 The Guardian described Alabama 3 as “the best live band in the country.” Their fans may hate me for this, but in all honesty, I found it painful to watch.

It’s not that they played badly. It’s more the fact that it is a very strange genre which just isn’t going to appeal to everyone. To me it was gimmicky – attention-grabbing but not exciting or interesting. The whole band came out wearing sunglasses as Rev D Wayne Love stood to the side of the stage making ‘witty’ comments in a faux-American accent, while Larry Love paraded around the stage snarling into the mic and working the crowd.  There were also a number of anonymous characters on stage, masked by hats and glasses.

It was dynamic and lively, unique even. But it felt to me like an attack. The music seemed needlessly aggressive, brutal. Compared with the relatively engaging album the music was overpowering and left me feeling sick.

Not that I think the band would care. From talking to Orlando, it seems that they are content with their situation. They don’t want global recognition or mainstream success. They want to remain elusive, a mystery. They have none of the ambitious plans for side projects, international fame and world takeover that you might assume would be the next step for a relatively successful band. When I asked what the future holds for them, Orlando answered plainly, “old age, sickness and death.” He went on to say that the band would keep doing exactly what they are doing now “until Rob’s wheels fall off.”

Live- Anna Calvi @ Manchester Cathedral

Written by Rob Fuller on . Posted in Music.

Anna Calvi
Manchester Cathedral
15th November
4 Stars

Cathedrals are built for music. The sheer size of them and the atmosphere they create make for amazing venues. But it takes the right kind of act to make a setting like this work. Unfortunately for support band Halloween Alaska, they weren’t it. Sounding like a fairly dull Villagers making shoegaze after listening to Bon Iver’s second album, they weren’t inspiring enough to meet the challenges of such a different venue. The stage was set for a disappointment.

But then Anna Calvi strode out onto the stage. Outfitted like a male flamenco dancer and wielding a guitar like a sword, she oozes stage presence without even trying.  She barely speaks to the audience, save for the occasional thank you. But she doesn’t need to. From instrumental opener ‘Rider to the Sea’ she has the audience captivated in the music. She goes from almost whispering her lyrics during the quietly captivating ‘No More Words’ to bursting into life during ‘Blackout’. Lots of bands try and create an atmosphere. With Anna Calvi, it’s more like a seduction.

The set is mostly drawn from her recent self-titled debut album. Singles ‘Desire’ and ‘Suzanne and I’ are highlights but don’t dwarf the rest of the set. ‘First We Kiss’ is a particular highlight as is set closer ‘Love Wont be Leaving’ with its extended instrumentals that slowly build to a climax. Some older material also gets an airing including the provocative ‘Surrender’. Returning to the stage for an encore, she launches into her first single, a cover of Edith Piaf’s ‘Jezabel’ that she makes entirely her own.

By filling the daunting Cathedral setting, Anna Calvi proved her ability as a songwriter, a musician and a performer. With her accomplished and interesting live show, she’s an act that could restore your faith in British music.

Live: Red Hot Chili Peppers @ MEN Arena

Written by Will Garbutt on . Posted in Music.

Red Hot Chili Peppers
MEN Arena
14th November
4 stars

With two large open air shows scheduled as the only appearance for the Red Hot Chili Peppers next year, anticipation is running high as a sell out crowd wait for the band to take to the MEN stage. In the days leading up to the show, I was concerned that, with the recent departure of guitarist John Frusciante, the band may fall short of their usual high standards. What was I thinking?

The Chilis took to the stage, amidst rapturous applause, cheers and screams, and immediately launched into a hard and fast rendition of their current single Monarchy of Roses, with Kiedis, topless as ever, throwing himself about the stage like a man possessed, Flea and Josh following suit.From this moment, every person with seated tickets was on their feet and would not return to their seats until the band had left the stage. With an intimidating back catalogue, the Red Hot Chili Peppers must now find it hard to tour an album, with new tracks trying to hold their own amidst the numerous classics. This proved not to be the case as, despite the recent release of I’m With You, Kiedis and Co. played a hugely varied show catering to fans of all generations with each and every track a massive crowd pleaser. ‘Give it Away’, ‘Can’t Stop’, ‘Californication’, ‘Under the Bridge’; with a set list containing works such as these and more how can you fail to impress? Particularly when delivered with such unfaltering passion and drive.

The live show is obviously still very important to these guys. It’ll be easy for the Chilis to know when they’re past it. If they can no longer put on a show like Monday night’s that’ll be when to call it a day, but until then it’d be criminal to stop them performing.

Live: King Charles @ Roadhouse

Written by Hannah Mead on . Posted in Music.

King Charles
Roadhouse
16th November
3 and a half stars

A friend of mine saw King Charles in Leeds last week and described him as a “complete knob”. With this in mind I was all set to sneer at his performance and join in with the scathing remarks. So imagine my disappointment when he turned out not to be a knob at all. Yes, he loves himself. Yes, he is theatrical. And yes, he does remind me of character from Made in Chelsea. I think it’s something to do with his waxed moustache and his bum-length, half dreaded yet luscious mop, which falls out of his beehive-like bun when head banging.  But don’t we want musicians to have a bit of character and put on a show?

It’s fair to say King Charles is still finding his distinct style as the set list combined a strange mix of genres, rather than the straight forward indie-folk I was expecting. He and the band looked happiest when rocking out, straying from the tracks and indulging in face melting guitar solos that would have seemed just as appropriate coming from a Led Zeppelin tribute band.

It took a few songs to really warm up, as even the poppy ‘Bam Bam’ failed to move the crowd. But the song about crocodiles and polar bears brought the show alive, its epic bass and synth shaking the whole room. The popular ‘Love Lust’ sounded better played live, stripped back, drawing attention the simple but pretty harmony and lyrics. He had the whole crowd swaying in time to ‘Beating Heart’, which had me smiling in spite of the obvious cringe factor.

To the despair of the bouncers, the band invited the girls (and only later the boys) to a stage invasion. I found this all a bit forced but no one else was complaining and after the gig the girls’ toilets were buzzing with talk of hot musicians and after show parties.

Album: The Wombles – The W Factor

Written by James Birtles on . Posted in Music.

The Wombles
The W Factor
Dramatico
0.5 stars

In recent years, many bands have decided to reform and release albums or tour again, such as Led Zeppelin, Blink 182 and Black Sabbath. Unfortunately, The Wombles have seen this as a perfect time to reform and release a “new” album that seems a rehash of old songs.

Listening to the opening tracks, ‘Remember You’re a Womble’ and ‘The Wombling Song’, may bring back some memories for the older generation (those hailing from the 60s and 70s) but in retrospective the songs are pretty awful. The rest of the album continues the theme of Womble related songs such as ‘Superwomble’ and ‘The Orinoco Kid’. The album would be instantly forgettable if it was not for the classic ‘Wombling Merry Christmas’ which is on a par of most other Christmas hit records; very cheesy but gets anyone in the Christmas mood. The only positive in all of this is that the appreciation you have for your own music taste after listening to this album is severely heightened. The lyrical musings of this album may as well have been etched in crayon and cellotaped to a fridge. A toddler could have written them.

The Wombles, for those who didn’t know, cleaned up the Wimbledon area of rubbish. After holding onto it for years, it looks like they’re now showering said rubbish back into our eardrums. Hypocrisy at its finest. We can only hope that by the year 2012, the Womble is an extinct animal.

Costumed men beat and racially abuse taxi driver

Written by Ellen Conlon on . Posted in News.

Three men dressed in Halloween costumes and makeup racially abused and then attacked a taxi driver.

At 5am on Saturday October 29, the driver picked up seven passengers from Didsbury Road in Stockport and drove them to the Chorlton area.

The passengers, four men and three women, were described as being in their late teens to early 20s and had their faces painted with multi-coloured make-up.

After racially abusing the driver, three of the men in the back of the taxi asked him to stop on Barlow Moor Road, outside a parade of shops.

They then got out of the taxi and refused to pay the fare.

An unknown object was thrown at the taxi, causing damage to the windscreen. After getting out of the taxi to look at the damage, the driver was surrounded by the three men who then began to attack him, punching him repeatedly in the head and causing a black eye and bruising.

The whole group then fled down Barlow Hall Road.

Police Sergeant Helen Bagnall said, “The driver has not returned to work full-time as he is suffering from anxiety and other physical symptoms.”

“The driver described the front seat passenger, who was also a man, as being polite and helpful and tried to prevent the attack.”

Police are now appealing to this man and any other witnesses or anyone with any information regarding the attack to come forward.

Police launch non-emergency number, 101

Written by Ruth Wildman on . Posted in News.

Police have launched a new non-emergency phone number, 101, to make reporting a crime or getting advice easier for residents.

The new number is an attempt to make it easier for people to contact the police force, should an immediate response not be needed. People are urged to call 101 when reporting stolen cars, damage to property or giving information on a crime in their area. People are urged to call 999 if an urgent response is required.

The 101 number is replacing the old 0161 872 5050 that was used for non-emergencies.

Assistant Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said, “More than three-quarters of calls to 999 are for non-emergency incidents. Having a number that’s easier to remember will not only make police more accessible to our communities, but also reduce the pressure on the 999 system, allowing us to attend the most urgent calls more effectively.”

Calls to the new number 101 will still be handled by Greater Manchester Police operators, making sure the way in which calls are dealt with will be the same as before the new number was launched.

Calls to the new number will be charged at a flat rate of 15 pence.

Greater Manchester Police launched the new number as part of a national scheme, and joined Cheshire and Merseyside in switching to the number on November 23. The number is expected to be in use nationwide by December 2011.

 

Universities offer cash for good grades

Written by Stevie Spiegl on . Posted in News.

Universities are offering cash incentives to students who achieve high grades in a scheme which critics have warned could have “hidden and unintended” consequences for applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Several institutions, including City University London, Surrey, Leicester, and Northumbria, will provide students who have gained at least two As and a B in their A-levels with a grant of up to £3,250 per academic year.

The changes come in the wake of a government reform that allows universities to take unlimited numbers of so-called “AAB plus students”. It has sparked fears among middle-ranking universities which, under the previous system, would have profited from the restrictiveness of higher-ranking institutions by taking on those students who failed to get into their preferred choice.

Since universities that fail to attract the same percentage of AAB plus students as in previous years risk losing funding, applicants with good grades have become a precious commodity, and those institutions in the middle of the league tables are willing to go to some length to attract them.

“[Middle-ranking universities] are vulnerable to losing some of their AAB plus students to more selective, more prestigious, institutions,” said Bahram Bekhradnia, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI).

“At the same time they are competing with their peers to hold on to their existing – and to recruit additional – AAB plus students. This is likely to give rise to an arms race of ‘merit-based’ scholarships – if one university offers them others will be obliged to do so.”

Of those universities already providing cash incentives, City University London is offering £3,000 a year to AAB plus students, while Northumbria is offering £1,000 a year. Surrey is offering £2,000 a year for three As, and Leicester is offering the same, as well as departmental scholarships worth £1,250 which will be given to those students who meet specific course requirements.

When the plans were announced this summer, critics warned that the new system would harm the prospects of poorer students. Comparative evidence from the US has shown that merit-based scholarships consistently go to middle and upper-class students, who are least in need of financial assistance.

Julian Skyrme, head of undergraduate recruitment and widening participation at Manchester University, said, “Evidence in the United States suggests that offering financial awards based purely on merit leads to a disproportionate amount of money going to better-off students.”

He said that “some students” will be tempted by the cash offers but that “the evidence to date suggests that students look at finance as one among many other factors alongside, for example, course and institutional reputation, employment prospects, student satisfaction.”

Shadow universities minister, Gareth Thomas, said, “Money which might have been earmarked in the past to help students from disadvantaged backgrounds go to university is instead [being] used to try and help recruit people with very good grades.”

However, a spokesman for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills claims that the reforms are simply ensuring that students who achieve the prerequisite grades are able to study at their institution of choice: “We have made sure that under new access rules, more support is going to people from disadvantaged backgrounds and they are treated fairly. Beyond this, universities are free to use their own resources in any way they choose in order to attract new students.”

Publish monkey tests, says judge

Written by Duncan Jaycock on . Posted in News.

A new ruling could force Newcastle University to reveal details of its experiments on monkeys.

Almost 21,000 animals were used in medical experiments at the university in 2008, and Macaque monkeys were used to examine new treatments for Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and spinal conditions.

Tests on Macaque monkeys at the University involved implanting electrodes into their brains to record activity while they performed tasks.

The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) submitted a freedom of information request about the experiments in 2008 because they believed “monkeys were forcibly restrained by the head and body, which would cause them a high level of distress”.

Now the Information Rights Tribunal have concluded that there is a “strong public interest in animal welfare and in transparency and accountability” regarding animal experiments conducted at universities.

Newcastle University is seeking legal advice over the verdict. A spokesperson said, “the University carries out research that involves the use of animals only when there are no alternatives. Before any research is conducted on animals, the research proposals are approved by an ethical review committee, and then by the Home Office”.

In response to the decision, BUAV Chief Executive, Michelle Thew, said, ‘‘For well over three years, Newcastle University has tried every which way to avoid providing us with information.

“These are highly controversial and invasive experiments carried out on monkeys at a public institution. The public has a right to know what is happening to these poor animals and why.”

The information tribunal’s decision has prompted animal rights campaigners to challenge other research universities to release information about animal testing.

Greta Friedlander, a student who has been involved in promoting animal rights in Manchester, said “I am all for freedom of information so that people can make up their own mind about issues, so I would support more transparency about the animal testing that goes on at our university”.

Live – Turbowolf

Written by Tom Geddes on . Posted in Music.

Turbowolf

Alter Ego

17th November

4/5

An entire dissertation could be written on the bad points of opening band The James Cleaver Quintet, but the main reason they were so awful is their indecision. Whenever a brief hint of tolerable noise issued forth from their direction it was instantly replaced, more often than not with a terrible mess of confused notes. The main highlight of their set was when the band boasted to a half empty room that most of their fans were from Manchester. Thankfully, their set was short and not many were around to see it.

Hawk Eyes (until recently known as Chickenhawk) picked things up more than a little. After the openers, it was a relief to see hardcore pieced together much more skilfully. Blistering vocals and a smooth yet powerful instrumental section held the set together and a real confidence to develop complex ideas shined through, especially in light of the previous band.

Main attraction of the night, Turbowolf, started in dramatic enough fashion with a haunting sampled entrance, smashing straight into a frenzied ‘Aincient Snake’, setting the pace for the rest of the night. Snarling, heavy and haunting sums up the whole set, with scarcely a dip throughout. Chris Geordiadis doesn’t so much burst as much as explode with energy, a style that suits his gruff vocals and large use of organesque keyboards fantastically. Singles ‘Read & Write’ and ‘A Rose for the Crows’ really hooked into the crowd effortlessly, a breakdown in the latter causing one of the most amazingly sinister sites I’ve seen in all my gig going days; a near full room of people slowly moshing in time. The only time the band lost the crowd was when they broke out a seriously altered cover of Jefferson Aeroplane’s ‘Somebody to Love’, which confused those watching into silence.

Overall though, the two latter bands were excellent. Plenty of pace, power and presence meaning everybody left with a smile on their face and sweat on their back.

Interview

Seized vodka contains chemicals unfit for human consumption

Written by Solomon Radley on . Posted in News.

 

Bottles of counterfeit vodka containing potentially lethal chemicals have seen seized in Salford.

Teams of Trading Standards officers searched 172 shops, off licences, pubs and clubs after the discovery of the toxic alcohol.

The first seizures were made on 18th November, when 15 bottles of Drop Vodka and 74 bottles that were falsely branded as Smirnoff Red Label were found in a shop in Langworthy.

The searches came after a resident contacted the council complaining that the vodka tasted “funny”.

A further 15 bottles were seized from a shop in Broughton the same day, and it is feared that many more could be on sale or have been bought.

So far, 150 bottles of fake vodka have been seized.

A series of raids of licensed premises at the end of last year found that 17 percent of shops in Manchester were selling counterfeit alcohol.

Salford Council officials said the bottles seized earlier this month contain “denatured alcohol, which is usually used as fuel for camping stoves and therefore unfit for human consumption”. If consumed it can cause serious poisoning with symptoms including nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and could even induce a coma.

Laboratory tests revealed the bottles contain Isopropyl alcohol – used in cleaning fluids and as a fuel. It is highly flammable, and is also used in surgical spirit as an application to cool bedridden patients and to cleanse surgeons’ hands.

An investigation has been launched to determine who supplied shops with the vodka, and Salford council plan to prosecute the owners of shops caught selling it.

The labels on the fake Smirnoff bottles are stuck on by hand, and unlike the genuine bottles the glue is not in lines from mechanical application but in blobs.

They are also often stuck on slightly lopsided, and the bottles have no production number marking.

Cllr Rag Mashiter, Salford council lead member for the environment, said, “We can’t stress enough how dangerous this vodka is and the serious health consequences it could have if drunk.”

Live – Candlefest (w/Orange Goblin Interview)

Written by Tom Geddes on . Posted in Music.

Candlefest

Moho

13th November

3/5

Gigs based around record labels can go badly wrong. At one end you have labels with too much in the way of diversity, leaving no common thread to hold the show together. At the other, you have overly-specialised niche labels, giving no variation throughout the night. It’s a delicate balance, which many struggle to get right. Candlefest however, might have gotten it just right, showcasing Candlelight Records impressive roster of varying metal.

In a line-up with a core of black and death metal, it’s not hard to spot the flops. Eastern Front were one of them. Whilst aggression may seem the obvious route for metal bands to go down, Eastern Front couldn’t hold it all together. What could have been a well crafted, atmospheric blast was presented as a garbled mess of loud noises. It doesn’t help their cause that the frontman wore spiked gloves. It all came across as a little posey.

Best of the under-card were undoubtedly Xerath and October File. Xerath’s symphonic style presented a nice melodic break to the day, without sparing any of the power that was present throughout the acts. October File brought a refreshing mix of skilfully executed post-punk metal, battering out numbers with impressive pace.

Manchester only headliners Orange Goblin inevitably stole the show. Constantly smashing it through their short set, their tempo didn’t drop below frantic once. Classics, such as ‘Some You Win, Some You Lose’ and ‘Quincy the Pigboy’ slayed as ever, but the real highlights of the set were the showcasing of three tracks from next years A Eulogy for the Damned, storming effort ‘Red Tide Rising’ being the best of these. Rounding things off with guaranteed circle pit starter, ‘Scorpionica’ crowned an impressive performance, of which the only sour point was the short length.

Interview

MMU come from behind to deal Manchester’s title ambitions a blow

Written by Jack Mollart-Solity on . Posted in Sport.

Manchester women’s 1st team’s unbeaten run came to a painful end in an entertaining encounter against title rivals MMU Cheshire. The defeat leaves them three points behind their rivals who remain unbeaten. Manchester twice were twice in front but were unable to hold on as Cheshire pressed in the latter stages before as Manchester succumbed to a 3-2 loss on their home ground.
Cheshire started the game well, surprising the home side by their confidence causing some nervy moments from set pieces. However, Manchester became increasingly comfortable and started to assert a measure of control on proceedings. Their first shot of the game came in the 5th minute. Effective link-up play between Captain Olivia Thackray and striker Jess Kasey left the latter with an opportunity to shoot. It was comfortably saved but Manchester were growing in confidence. Thackray was becoming increasingly influential with Cheshire struggling to track her. Playing in the hole just behind lone striker Casey her movement and vision was the catalyst for most of the good football Manchester produced.
Manchester were having most of the possession and created a few minor openings, perhaps the best coming in the 25th minute when Lucy Spring found Thackray in space. She delivered a ball into the centre but Robinson was unable to find the target with her effort. During this period Cheshire were looking dangerous on the counter and were continuing to pressure from set pieces. The game had a tense atmosphere as the two managers exchanged choice words on the touchline but a wonder goal from Natalie Robinson broke the deadlock in the 31st minute. The Manchester left winger picked up the ball close to the touch line and with few options available to her, she shaped the ball into the top corner leaving the keeper a mere spectator.
It was a glorious goal for Robinson and it boosted her confidence as five minutes later she collected the ball and drove at the Cheshire defence. She again shot from long distance with the ball going narrowly wide with their keeper struggling to reach it. Cheshire did well to re-group and started to look for an equaliser. They had their clearest chance approaching the end of the half but a last ditch challenge from Sarah Baker prevented the shot at the expense of a corner. Despite some late pressure Manchester finished the half 1-0 up and looking in a good position to build on this for the 2nd half.
However, Cheshire started the half with real purpose and within two minutes had drawn level from a drilled shot to left of the keeper. This spurred the visitors on and they dominated the game with Manchester struggling to relieve the pressure. It took a great save from Manchester keeper Nuria Bonet and some wasteful finishing for Manchester to stay level. Coach Liam McCarthy brought on Chloe Tominson who had an immediate impact. The game was on a knife-edge when Thackray underlined her importance to the team as well as her potential. Casey skilfully controlled a dropping ball before laying it of to her captain who glided past one defender before being brought down in the box, the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Cheshire were perhaps lucky to keep all eleven players on the pitch but this did not prevent Robinson converting the penalty to secure her second goal.
With just under half an hour remaining Manchester were a long way from the finish and as Cheshire pushed for an equaliser the game became stretched with chances for both sides. The turning point came in the 73rd minute as Manchester were starting to look secure. Cheshire finally converted from a set piece as they had been threatening to do throughout the game with a close range header. The goal deflated Manchester as Cheshire moved up a gear. Their intensity increased as their passing improved. In the 78th minute Manchester kept themselves on level terms with two goal line clearances in quick succession but they were running out of legs. Cheshire seized on the opportunity and went in front for the first time in the 83rd minute. Manchester gallantly battled on with Francesca Self firing a long distance effort slightly over but it was to no avail. Cheshire were now in full control and playing fluid high tempo football. It was their best period of the game and they looked much the likelier side to score as the full time whistle went.
The result will come as a blow to Manchester’s title ambitions but with five games remaining and only a three-point difference between the two, Manchester can remain positive. Their fate is still in their own hands with the return game in Cheshire looking vital. They now face Edge Hill in what on paper should be a comfortable win for them.

Johnson quits as RFU crumbles

Written by Joe Rivers on . Posted in Sport.

Martin Johnson’s resignation from his post as England manager came in a typically dignified fashion. A man clearly weighed down by the burden of his position – coupled with a disappointing World Cup campaign – he took the decision to resign with immediate effect.
Johnson’s departure was inevitable after the World Cup; with lacklustre on-field performances and immature off-field antics, his England team did him no favours. This came despite – to the dismay of England fans – Johnson standing by his players’ throughout.
The failures of the World Cup seemed to have been the catalyst for Johnson’s decision.
The events leading up to the ill-fated tournament had been tumultuous – one minute England were trouncing Australia in their own back yard and winning the 2011 Six Nations; the next they were labouring against Georgia. The road to New Zealand was rocky, something hardly aided by selection decisions throughout his tenure which could only be described as bewildering. The overall impression given off by the establishment was of complete disjointedness. Toby Flood’s gradual rise to an accomplished fly-half and then being dropped to the bench for the entire World Cup epitomised Johnson and England’s four-year journey: one step forward, two steps back.
Johnson had no coaching experience before taking the job in 2008 and many question whether he really made the transition from player to manager. Angry outbursts seen in the coaches’ area during matches showed a man frustrated that he couldn’t go out and do the job himself. It has become clear that perhaps he should have been given more coaching support to compensate for his lack of experience. He was weakened before he got the chance to stamp his mark on the team.
Lurking in the background of much of Johnson’s reign was the mess that is the Rugby Football Union, the sport’s governing body, that made the debatable decision to appoint Johnson in the first place. Its reputation has been in tatters since July, when it surfaced there were squabbles between board members about the release of important documents, and an apparent witch hunt of former chairman Martyn Thomas.
Previous England team manager Brian Ashton believes the trouble with the RFU tipped Johnson over the edge. “I watched Martin Johnson’s press conference and maybe he thought to himself: ’What the hell is going on in the RFU and do I want to carry on working for an organisation like that?’”.
Rob Andrew, the RFU Director of Operations, has a large part to play in the appointment of team managers and failed to take accountability for Johnson’s appointment during the press conference. Andrew is a survivor of the collapsing RFU regime but failed to provide Johnson with the support he needed in 2008, and dealt embarrassingly with the removal of Johnson’s predecessor Brian Ashton.
It seems now that much of the decision to appoint Johnson was political; a gamble that in the eyes of the fans could seem worth it. However it is difficult to put any blame on Johnson himself because he was not given the structure to perform his role. Whilst he cut a forlorn figure after his resignation, his reputation amongst fans will always be healthy.

Racism in football rears its ugly head

Written by Jan Metcalf on . Posted in Sport.

For many years, the English Football Association, FIFA, UEFA and other counterpart footballing authorities have fought what seemed to have been a successful campaign in the eradication of the blight of racism upon football. In recent weeks however, racism has filled the front and back pages with the scandals surrounding Liverpool’s Luis Suarez and England Captain John Terry, both of whom are alleged to have racially abused fellow professionals Patrice Evra and Anton Ferdinand.
On-going investigations and an FA charge for Suarez however have been largely overshadowed by the comments made by the head of the world game, Sepp Blatter, who claimed players who are racially abused should merely ‘shake hands’ after the game and move on. Public outcry against Blatter has placed pressure on him to resign, however the problem of racism and general bigotry in football remains immune from proper sanctions and ramifications.
FC Barcelona for instance were recently fined £87,000 by governing body UEFA for their fans celebrating with flares, whilst the Bulgarian FA this week were handed the paltry fine of £34,000 for racist chanting from their fans in the recent clash against England. Unfortunately, both FIFA and UEFA in particular have a poor track record with regards to taking a soft stance on racism, with several high profile figures such as former Spain manager Luis Aragones – who famously referred to Thierry Henry as a ‘black s***’ – escaping with miniscule punishment’s for the derogatory comments.
Football’s soft approach to racism has had dire consequences, mainly in that players are now unwilling to come forward with allegations in fear of being branded a ‘cry baby’ as suggested by Gus Poyet recently. Fear of recrimination and being the person who ‘plays the race card’ has held back many players victimized by racism back in the past, and will continue to do so – making the cases against Terry and Suarez even more unique and intriguing.
Both Evra and Ferdinand have become targets for scorn by opposition fans in the wake of their allegations, further compounding the grim reality that racism is still seen by many as a trivial issue. Eyes are now firmly on the FA, who recently banned several Leeds United fans for 3 years following racist abuse at a game, and whether their ‘Kick Racism Out’ campaign is as serious as the rhetoric suggest.
Presumably, if found guilty, both players could and perhaps should face similar punishment, however more likely a hefty fine and match suspension will be handed down, given the complexities of proving such an allegation took place.
Ultimately, racism in football remains a topic where there is seen to be positive steps taken against prevention, yet the authorities still remain reluctant to appropriately clamp down upon guilty parties. Whilst it is obvious that to actually prove a racist allegation without clear sound and video footage is difficult, it remains imperative that abused players speak up and highlight the casual racism that still exists amongst fellow professionals.
As football fans, we can only hope that with racism firmly on the agenda, other players who have perhaps been guilty of transgressing in the past and got away with it will now think twice in the future.

NBA Lockout sees players in a different court

Written by Finlay Donaldson on . Posted in Sport.

Basketball became the latest sport to become engulfed in a labour dispute, as the start of the NBA season was postponed last month. The disagreement relates to a collective bargaining agreement between players and the owners of the NBA franchises over how much revenue each party should receive. The clash mirrors similar problems seen in the NFL and La Liga earlier this year.
As of last season, players received 57 percent of all Basketball related income with owners taking home 43 percent. However the owners of the NBA franchises, all successful entrepreneurs, have argued that their percentage of BRI was not enough to break even and that collectively the franchises were loosing $300 million a year. Whilst the players were willing to reduce their income to 52.5%, most of the owners decided to push even harder. This led to the players taking action.
Last week the National Basketball Players Association was formally disbanded, allowing players to sue the league for anti-trust violations. Many players, such as Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant, have already submitted cases for violations to the Courts in California and Minnesota. Anthony was quoted as saying the league’s lockout was an “illegal group boycott” that violates federal antitrust law.
Essentially, the lockout boils down to two main factors: money and power. The owners, not used to having employees dictate terms, are trying to exercise their control over the players and reap the financial rewards at the same time. The players argue that they are the main attraction of the NBA and should be able to exercise their own control on proceedings.
With the case going to court, it appears that the dispute is looking likely to be a drawn out affair, with the whole NBA season under threat. This is because, without a player’s union, the NBA season cannot restart.
Whilst the players argue they are being sold short, one only has to look at the annual salary of an NBA player to see there are two sides to every story. As of last season, the average salary of a player in the NBA was $5.1 million. You’re probably asking yourselves what they are complaining about? Imagine if Steven Gerrard came out in the British media saying he wasn’t happy about the £120,000 he earns a week and he has persuaded all his Liverpool team mates to stop playing as well. It just wouldn’t happen. It would cause uproar. Cue comparisons to troops in Afghanistan and NHS nurses.
That is why the dispute is about far more than just money. The players aren’t bargaining for a higher share of profits in order to pay the bills. Instead it is simply a clash between two wealthy, egocentric and successful groups of individuals who are used to getting their own way. A stalemate occurs.
Even more worrying is the fact that, unless the two sides kiss and make up swiftly, there are very little alternative solutions. Some players have jumped the gun and have moved to Europe in order to continue playing but a mixture of a lack of potential earnings and convenience means all 65 players who have moved are either fringe players or amateurs.
For the foreseeable future it appears that both sides are holding out until the other side cracks. From the evidence above, it seems like they could be there a while.

Blind date: Richard and Emily

Written by Lily Howes on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Richard Crook, History, Second year and Features Editor

What were your expectations for the evening?

The promise of a free meal after 4 days of Subway BMT for dinner was a major plus.

First impressions?

Yeah, she was really excited.

What did you talk about?

I learned all about her really. Her family, friends, school, ex’s, pets, course, flatmates, allergies, her favourite Twilight and why etc. etc.

Best thing about them?

She proved she could drink any man under the table.

What did you eat?

Went for the sausage and mash and ice cream for dessert. But she really wanted the ice cream so I gave her most of it.

Any awkwardness?

She told me she voted UKIP and talked about getting out of Europe for quite a long time. That was a bit weird.

How did you part ways? (Mouth-to-mouth action/heavy petting/friendly hug?)

The friendly hug, then she sent me a friend request before we left and waited for me to accept. So we’re sorted on that one.

Out of 10?

6-

Would you see them again?

She works in the Union bar, so I’ll see her there I suppose

 

 

Emily Brown, History and American Studies, Third year

What were your expectations for the evening?

What WEREN’T my expectations for the evening

First impressions?

Helloooo tiger

What did you talk about?

Gender neutral toilets, how state schools produce a more refined person, preferred names for our seven children (I may have imagined this)

Best thing about them?

Pure, unadulterated hunk.

What did you eat?

It could’ve been manure for all I knew, I was too busy staring into those big blue eyes…

Any awkwardness?

I was expecting him to sensually spoon-feed me my pudding, so I think he was a bit confused as to why I waited five minutes before reluctantly tucking in myself.

How did you part ways? (Mouth-to-mouth action/heavy petting/friendly hug?)

Well I was going to go in for the kill – proper goodbye kiss, maybe a cheeky arse squeeze, but…

Would you see them again?

Sadly when I returned from the bar, he’d completely disappeared without a trace. I’m not worried; I’d already added him on Facebook and I recall him saying he lived opposite OP, so I guess I’ll just hang around there for the next week or two.

Out of 10?

9.5 – minus 0.5 for opting for strawberry sauce on the sundae. Otherwise, absolute perfection.

 

Richard and Emily ate at The Deaf Institute, Grosvenor Street, Manchester. Thanks to the guys down at Grosvenor Street for getting involved. To check out their menu, gig listings and have a look at what club nights are coming up visit their website www.thedeafinstitute.co.uk

To sign up for blind date please e mail your name, year of study and course to [email protected] with ‘blind date’ as the subject.

Ask Keir: Sexual health

Written by Keir Stone-Brown on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Ask Keir is a new column aiming to answer all your health questions. If you want to know about that funny looking lump that won’t go away, why that student doctor keeps poking you or anything at all to do with health get in touch at: [email protected]

All questions will of course be kept confidential and anonymous.

Question of the week:

I’ve heard you just have to take one pill to get rid of chlamydia so what’s the big deal?

We hear a lot about chlamydia because it’s very common, with more than 1 in 20 under 25s having it.

What is it?

It’s a bacterial infection spread by sex that can affect both men and women. The symptoms aren’t pretty but it’s important to recognise them.

Women can have:

  • Vaginal discharge
  • Vaginal bleeding or spotting between periods
  • Bleeding after sex
  • Pain passing urine
  • No symptoms

Men can have:

  • Pain passing urine
  • Discharge from the end of their penis
  • No symptoms

What’s the worry?

Chlamydia, if untreated, can cause women to become infertile and can also reduce the fertility of men.  No one needs to be told that jeopardising your future family is a risk not worth taking and that’s not the end of it. With over 80% of women and 50% of men having no symptoms there is an increased chance of it being passed unknowingly.

What can you do about it?

Get a check up at your local GP or sexual health clinic. Almost anyone can have the test, it’s free and you can do it yourself. The result usually takes up to two weeks.

If it comes back positive the doctor will prescribe antibiotics and in most cases that successfully treats the infection. However, as always, prevention in the first place is best so practice safe sex by using condoms.

If you have any other worries contact your local GP.

Got your number

Written by Lily Howes on . Posted in Lifestyle.

This year saw the emergence of the University Sex Survey, published by StudentBeans.com, in which a ‘sex league’ was devised. The league is based upon the average number of sexual partners per student, with 2818 students being asked across over 60 universities.

Top of the league was the University of Glamorgan with an average number of 10.9; followed closely by the University of Wales Institute Cardiff with 10.6 and the University of Brighton with 9.5.

The University of Manchester came 33rd with 5.4; closely beaten by the University of Oxford with 5.6. Oh the irony, and the shame, that we scored higher in a sex league than in this year’s official university league tables.

But what is this obsession with keeping count? Are there people out there updating a tally chart or literally hacking notches into their bedpost as soon as their latest conquest has grabbed their pants and run out the door?

Of course if it’s taking you more than five minutes to count up your history of sexual counterparts and you have to use all fingers and toes twice over to do so then alarm bells should be ringing. However, if every time you have sex with somebody new different bells start ringing in your head – I’m thinking something along the lines of “ding, ding, ding number 28 wahey” – then you, my friend, need to have a long hard look in the mirror.

It’s this sort of behaviour that is associated with the ‘lads’ of our generation. The approach of “bet my number’s bigger than yours” and the bragging and boasting that comes with it that promotes excessive promiscuity and unfortunately, a lot of the time, unsafe sex.

If you’re going to have sex with that stranger that’s just bought you a VK and a shot of Sambuca or are considering seeing if the girl that’s been grinding on you all night wants to head home that’s great, have fun, I hope he or she rocks your world. But be safe and do it because you want to, not because you’re trying to one-up your mates – or competitors rather.

Turning sex into a competition or an anecdote for the next round of ‘I Have Never’ in no way promotes a positive image of yourself or your sexual expeditions.

The ‘number game’ is also in no way gender neutral. Where a boy might be patted on the back for getting into the twenties or plus, a girl in the same position would much more likely be labelled a slag, easy or something much worse. However, that opens up a whole new can of sexist worms that I can’t even begin to delve in without ranting on forever.

University is a time of being young, free, experimenting and what not but alongside this there needs to be a dose of maturity added to every decision we make, sexual or otherwise.

Up too close and personal

Written by Georgia Stevenson on . Posted in Lifestyle.

On hearing a friend on the phone to her mum discussing last night’s conquest, in intimate detail, my insides start to shrivel.

As she hangs up we inevitably engage in the ‘what-we-discuss-with-our-parents’ conversation for the millionth time.

She falls under the first of two very distinct categories of parent-child relations, being where parents are almost like friends. The second is my approach of non-communication which results in me still unable to watch a sex scene on TV with my mum in the room without completely cringing; the third is somewhere in between.

My family have a very British attitude to sex: don’t mention it, don’t hint at it and definitely don’t make any overt showing of it. But perhaps it is this unwillingness to discuss sex that has led to the increasing levels of teenage pregnancy and STI’s that we are currently encountering in the UK.

Family-led discussions on sexual health would, I assume, be much more constructive and perhaps educational than the discourse amongst our own age group which tends to stick to performance ratings, positions and level of drunkenness.

Maybe one day my maturity will be sufficient enough to discuss sex with my mum, or even just watch a 15 rated film all the way through comfortably, but I doubt this will be before I reach at least thirty-five.