Who's Jack Sept 2012

WHO’S JACK

WHO’S JACK

September — January 2013

Photography by Rob Laws www.roblaws.com

Styling by Liza Jugolainen Make-Up by Rashida Blair

Hair by Waiming Leung Model: Lexi from Oxygen

Dress by Liz Black, Leggings by Nike Hoodie by American Apparel, Shoes by Shelly’s, Eye patch & gloves stylist’s own

Short leather jacket by Filippa K Bikini top by Thapelo Sequins skirt by Ashish Dollar sign necklace stylist’s own

White sequins top by Ashish Shorts by Nike, Shoes by Melissa Cat mask & knee-highs stylist’s own

Black sequins top by Ashish, Shorts by Nike Hat, stylist’s own

Short navy jacket by B Store Sequins tank top & grey trousers

by Ashish, Socks by Topshop Devil horns stylist’s own

E dito r s Not e Hello and welcome to another new phase in Jack history with this, our September — January Issue. Our new addition this time, Sawdust, a design duo who are now on-board to create amazing graphic design and typography for Who’s Jack. You may have noticed some of the spreads in our last issue being looked after by these guys but this time it is the whole magazine and each new magazine from here on out.

This will be our last issue of the year and I am sure you agree that with Sawdust on board and some great content we are going out on a high note. For September we have new music, a look at our favourite up and coming creatives and designers for 2013 and a little toddle down memory lane to look at how the past has affected the new styles, shapes and fashions of our modern day London.

This may be our last issue for 2012 but don’t fret, we will be back in full throttle early next year and you can put February, June and September in your diary now for when new Who’s Jack Issues will hit the shelves and online in 2013.

Over and out.

Louise Orcheston-Findlay — Editor

Editor-in-Chief Louise Orcheston-Findlay Dept Editor Laura Hills Contributing Editors Charlotte Gill, Charlotte McManus, Faye Héran, Joe West, Laura Hills Letisah Grosvenor Luke Stephens Ollie Russian, Paula Evans & Stuart Fryer Art Direction & Graphic Design Jonathan Quainton & Rob Gonzalez Sawdust — www.madebysawdust.co.uk Contact Who’s Jack is both online and in print.

You can find our website and print issues at: www.whosjack.org We like to keep things simple so if you would like to write for the next issue, feature in it or collaborate for it contact either: louise @ whosjack.org or laura @whosjack.org — Cover image: Styling by Liza Jugolainen photography by Rob Laws

F a s hi on Li za J ug o l a i n e n Sarita Morales

R o b L a ws

&

D a v i d S t e wa rt

&

Aar t t h i e Ma h a k u p e r a n T h e V i rg in S u i c i d e s F u t u re I co n s

0 2 — 11

&

16 — 27

Rebec c a Na en

28 — 37

38 — 47

48 — 61

F a s hi on A d s L a i d B a re Cl a s s of 2012

62 — 69

70 — 83

W i n t e r Be a u t y Tre n d s f o r the end of 2012

84 — 89

Music Rudimental

90 — 93

Lu k e Si t al - S i n g h S k u n k An a n s i e

94 — 97

98 — 105

Ar t T h e Fu t u re o f A r t Ta k e n from the P a st

106 — 107

G o o d Ar t i s t s B o r ro w G re a t Arti st’s ‘Ap p rop ri a te’ S ch l ock o f t h e N e w

1 1 4 — 1 17

Film G o i ng V i ra l

118 — 123

H a r r y Tre a d a w a y

124 — 129

T h e Po we r o f t h e S e q u e l S a m S p u re l l

130 — 133

134 — 139

Lo n d o n New t o Lo n d o n

140 — 141

1 0 of t h e O l d e s t C i n e m a s i n Lond on Guide to London Drinking Even t s : L o n d o n 2012

146 — 153

154 — 159

142 — 145

108 — 113

Photography by David Stewart www.davstewart.com

Grey cut out side dress £35 River Island, long silver double chain £12.50 Diva at Miss Selfridge, camouflage jacket £60 ASOS

Styling by Sarita Morales www.saritamorales.com

Hair and make-up by Jolanda Coetzer www.jolanda.4ormat.com

Military cap £10 Beyond Retro, zip detail jumper £45 Topshop bracelets £15 (each) goodworksmakeadifference.com necklace £8.50 Freedom at Topshop, ring £10 ASOS

Brown leather trousers £40 Rokit, bralet £20 Topshop bracelets £12 Rokit, dogtags £7 River Island

Above: Utility shirt £28 Urban Outfitters, aviator badge £25 Rokit necklace £8.50 Freedom at Topshop, bralet £20 Topshop, left: Oversized military coat £95 Rokit

Studded shirt £45 ASOS, khaki jumper dress £40 Boutique at Topshop, necklace £8.50 Freedom at Topshop

Grey chain top £30 Urban Outfitters, khaki trousers £39 Zara spike earring £6 ASOS, bracelets £12 Rokit, camo cap £7 Rokit

Photography by Rebecca Naen www.rebeccanaen.com

Styling by Aartthie Mahakuperan www.aartthiefashionstylist.viewbook.com

Make-up & Hair by Yura Do www.yurado.com Model: Emily Andrews from Nevs

Shirt, stylist’s own

27

28 | Fashion

Crop top by American Apparel, skirt by ASOS, jacket by Topshop

29

Hooded jacket by Topshop

Blouse by Cos, shorts by Beyond Retro loafers by H&M, socks by H&M

32 | Fashion

T-shirt by Nelly.com, dress by Cos, sandals by ASOS

Denim jacket by American Apparel denim skirt by American Apparel, shoes by ASOS

Photography by Alexandra Cameron Styling by Frankie Murray Make-up by Lucy Ridley Models: Arabella and Poppy

44 | Fashion

45

future icons T h e n e w d esi g ners sl owi ng d o w n t he pa c e of fa shi on

Fashion direction & words by Faye HĂŠran www.epinettefiles.tumblr.com Photography, Christopher Fields, www.christopherfields.co.uk Set design, Rachel Clark, hair & make up, Xabier Celaya Styling assistant, Camilla Hunt, www.littlemythblog.blogspot.co.uk Models: Adrienn from Elite London & Jovanna from D1 Models Location, Kingsland Road Studio, www.kingslandroadstudio.com

Fashion moves very fast. A concept or idea springs to your mind and before you know it it’s everywhere – a fully fledged, shelf filling trend. As a stylist, I try keep up with the colours, styles and inspirations of the season as much as I can. But truthfully I find keeping up with the pace of fashion an often impossible task. This season I decided I wanted to honour my desire to slow everything down. Tasked with shooting the ‘future icons’ of fashion, I pledged to seek out the quiet new lights in the industry, the ones who subtly inspire me. So this brings me to the designers, three recently established names; Arena Page, Melanie Anayiotos and Raffaele Ascione. Anayiotos and Page showed this year in the prestigious London College of Fashion MA show, whilst Ascione debuted his A/W12 collection during London Fashion Week. Between them they have impressive credentials, having already worked under the wings of Max Mara, Gareth Pugh, Saloni and Giles Deacon. When I initially came across them, a pause button froze inside me – a rare moment of calm. For me, these designers represent my concept of a future fashion icon, or at least the icon I wish to champion in this current climate. Their collections have a timeless feel to them and, in my view, can stand the test of time. Before putting the shoot together I decided to speak to each of them about their work and gain a clear picture of how they see themselves influencing the fashion landscape. Russian designer Arena Page was, ‘born in a small beautiful town by the Black Sea’ and cites her inspirations as being, ‘computer technology, art and mathematics.’ She has a passion for the ‘creative cut’ of a garment and uses heavy weight felts and a 3D modelling program to create clean lines and silhouettes. Her collection, Simple Complexity Complex Simplicity is a lesson in timeless fashion. She creates avant-garde pieces, such as the bolero featured in shoot 1, paired with classic looks like a cotton dress or tailored trousers. When considering her place in the fashion landscape she identifies her ‘simple’ yet ‘complex’ approach, explaining that she believes that the, ‘future of fashion is in exploration and experimentation’ and when creating her designs she aims for them to be, ‘a metaphor for something simple, yet profound.’ Melanie Anayiotos supports this sentiment, not only when considering the future of fashion but also in describing her A/W12 collection, Imperfect Beauty. Her style centres around, ‘reconstructing classic garments’ and, ‘reveres simplicity, intimacy, modesty and authenticity.’ Inspired by ‘Wabi Sabi’ – the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection and nature, the looks are understated with loose fitting blouses, skirts and oversized coats all screen printed with gold foil.

The collection is a testament to her ability to create pieces which go beyond a trend or a season – wardrobe essentials for the modern era.

Finally I approached Raffaele Ascione after seeing his A/W12 collection debut at London Fashion Week. His designs struck me as having a dreamy, familiar feel – classical and extremely feminine. His skill is in the drama and detailing of a garment – focused on powerful silhouettes which, ‘represent the strong women throughout his life.’ The collection centres around elegant sweeping skirts, detailed with the most lady like of laces and silks. When speaking to Ascione I realised that he has an extraordinary passion for creating fashion which stands the test of time, explaining that his ‘biggest dream’ is that his, ‘work should be desired and make women feel beautiful at all times’. When not busy running his label, and making women feel wonderful, he works as a tutor as he revels in the, ’very satisfying feeling’ of supporting future talent and believes that his role in industry is to think about the bigger, longer term picture. On the day of the shoot I channelled these ideas of timeless fashion and earthed simplicity, creating crowns from fresh flowers and matching the garments with organic jewellery such as a stunning antique lace neck cuff dipped in gold (Shoot 2). I found a moment to sit down (a rare thing on a shoot) and thought about my passion for and yet perplexingly awkward relationship with the current pace of fashion. It was in this moment of calm I came full cycle in my perspective. I realised that these fashion designers were clearly going to inspire the trends of the future, and by that same token have the ability to slow down the pace, to not be at the whim of a season or a trend. I am happy I made the decision to honour my desire to stay still. And I believe that championing designers such as these lies at the very heart of the future fashion landscape.

Arena Page Felt dress, Arena Page showtime.arts.ac.uk/arenapage Neck cuff, Julia Burness www.juliaburnessjewellery.com Bracelet, Imogen Belfield www.imogenbelfield.com Shoes, Claire Davis for Raffaele Ascione showtime.arts.ac.uk/ClaireJayneDavis

1

Arena Page Dress & bolero, Arena Page showtime.arts.ac.uk/arenapage Pearl crown, VV Rouleaux www.vvrouleaux.com Necklace, Mawi, www.mawi.co.uk Bracelet, Imogen Belfield www.imogenbelfield.com Ring, Joanna Leventis Shoes, Claire Davis for Raffaele Ascione showtime.arts.ac.uk/ClaireJayneDavis

2

3

Melanie Anayiotos Top & skirt, Melanie Anayiotos www.melanieanayiotos.com Pearl crown & earrings, VV Rouleaux www.vvrouleaux.com Ring, Ada Zandition www.adazanditon.com Shoes, Raffaele Ascione www.raffaeleascione.com

Raffaele Ascione Top & skirt, Raffaele Ascione www.raffaeleascione.com Necklace, Imogen Belfield www.imogenbelfield.com Ring, Joanna Leventis

4

5

Raffaele Ascione Lace dress, Raffaele Ascione www.raffaeleascione.com String of pearls, VV Rouleaux www.vvrouleaux.com Crown of flowers, created by styling team

6

Shift top, Raffaele Ascione www.raffaeleascione.com Trousers, Melanie Anayiotos www.melanieanayiotos.com Necklace, Mawi, www.mawi.co.uk Earring, Julia Burness www.juliaburnessjewellery.com Ring, Ada Zandition www.adazanditon.com

Top, Arena Page showtime.arts.ac.uk/arenapage Trousers, Melanie Anayiotos www.melanieanayiotos.com Necklaces, VV Rouleaux www.vvrouleaux.com Ring, Ada Zandition www.adazanditon.com Shoes, Raffaele Ascione www.raffaeleascione.com

7

8

Top, Melanie Anayiotos www.melanieanayiotos.com Skirt, Raffaele Ascione www.raffaeleascione.com Necklace, Mawi www.mawi.co.uk Rings, Joanna Leventis

Fashion Ads Laid Bare Written by Charlotte McManus

How m u ch i s t o o much (o r r at h e r, h o w litt le i s t oo l i t t l e ) ?

Explicit, provocative and s h o ck i ng , W h o ’s Jac k i n ve s t i g a t e s the f a s hi on a d s t h a t w ent t o o f ar Fashion. It’s one of the most novel and avantgarde art forms in the world. Sometimes sexy, often daring and always geared to make a statement, it’s a medium that consistently tests the waters of what’s de rigueur in contemporary style. And where better to encapsulate the crème de la crème of a label’s new collection than in an international advertising campaign?

60 | Fashion

Acting as a brand’s visual representation on billboards, magazines and/or television, an ad is the most effective way to instantaneously communicate information about new products to an audience.

However, there are some fashion ad campaigns that have pushed the boundaries of acceptability too far – and been subsequently banned as a result. Whether it’s an XXX–rated photo of a model baring all, or an image suggesting darker attributes like violence and drug abuse, some ads have just been too much for the advertising regulation agencies to swallow. But in this contemporary day and age, are these advertisements really so shocking? That, as they say, is the milliondollar campaign question …

Now, we’re not stupid; we all know what ads are for. Painstakingly constructed to sell, sell, sell, they’re designed to make us covet whatever must-have clothes, accessories and beauty products the image portrays. It’s not enough just to circulate a picture of some nicelooking jackets hanging on a rail (I can feel my eyelids drooping just by typing that sentence).

But put said jackets on some young, gorgeous

models, together with an appealing setting like a Californian beach or a luxurious nightclub, and it’s a different story. These adverts don’t just sell clothes – they sell lifestyle and status; and above all, desirability.

So, if we’re all supposed to crave the contents of an advert strongly enough to pry the hard-earned cash out of our wallets, you might be forgiven for wondering why a brand’s creative team would craft it in such a way that it risks offending potential consumers.

Simple: when it comes to themes like sex, drugs and/or violence, notoriety sells. Any number of banned media articles can tell you this – from gut-wrenching horror film The Human Centipede II in the UK to Lady Gaga’s Christian-offending ‘Born This Way’ single in Lebanon, if something is prohibited it’s guaranteed to get a much higher percentage of people talking about it – thus getting many more people aware of it – than if the issue had never been raised to begin with.

First things first: let’s talk about sex, baby. Unsurprisingly, given the habitually provocative nature of much contemporary fashion design (hotpants or fetishwear, anyone?),

a huge majority of banned campaigns in the fashion world have been the result of an ad that revealed too much and covered too little, or otherwise suggested concepts of an 18+ nature.

Earlier this year, the UK Advertising Standards Agency (otherwise known as the ASA) revealed their ‘Ten most complained about adverts of the last 50 years’. While these generally concerned issues like animal cruelty and religion, ranking in at #8 was a campaign by none other than French fashion powerhouse Yves Saint Laurent, shot by American photographer Steven Meisel in 2000. The image, advertising the brand’s ‘Opium’ fragrance, features Sophie Dahl; completely nude but for jewellery and heels, reclining across a bed of black silk, hands to her breasts, eyes closed in ecstasy – intoxicated by the perfume (obviously). For many, Sophie was simply flashing too much flesh, and the ad garnered no less than 948 complaints nationwide.

Tom Ford (YSL’s then-creative director) alleged that the image was inspired by the painting, ‘Woman In White Stockings’, by

Top Yves Saint Laurent 2002 Below American Aparrel 2009

61

It’s n o t w ha t you know it’s wh o you b l ow

Below/right Tom Ford 2007

18th Century artist Eugène Delacroix, and described the ad as a “tasteful nude in the tradition of fine art”. However, critics denounced it as offensive and degrading – even pornographic – and the ASA eventually banned the billboard image (though it was still published in magazines). Despite the ban, ‘Opium’ is still one of Yves Saint Laurent’s bestselling fragrances today, with the ad holds fast as one of the most recognised symbols of the brand’s trademark evocative style.

Speaking of Tom Ford, the designer himself caused a fair amount controversy with an ad for his self-titled label, which was ultimately banned. The infamous campaign for ‘Tom Ford: The First Fragrance for Men’ was shot by notoriously disreputable photographer Terry Richardson (the man who once claimed that to succeed in fashion, “It’s not what you know – it’s who you blow”), and featured a series of images depicting close-ups of the fragrance bottle strategically placed in various intimate lady parts. Another cheeky shot showed the bottle wedged between a man’s naked buttocks, with a woman’s hands squeezing each side.

American label Calvin Klein also got in trouble for their S/S09 Jeans campaign, featuring a group of sweaty topless male and female models, wearing nothing but – what else – Calvin Klein jeans, getting down and dirty with each other on a sofa. So far, so a typical Saturday night in (I wish) – but the campaign drew widespread criticism for insinuating group sex. The photos were shot by none other than the same man responsible for YSL’s ‘Opium’ ad, Steven Meisel, who was also behind yet another banned Calvin Klein campaign in 2008 – this time their ‘Secret Obsession’ perfume, starred a fully naked Eva Mendes. Far from 62 | Fashion

being incensed, A-lister Mendes was actually pleased by the result of the ban, claiming that it meant the ads were “Totally Calvin, totally provocative and a little controversial”.

And it’s not just high-end fashion labels that dare to inject the shock factor into their ads. To those familiar with US brand American Apparel, and the notoriously dirty dealings of CEO Dov Charney (a man who’s been at the centre of numerous sexual harassment suits), it will come as no surprise to learn that multiple AA ad campaigns have been deemed too raunchy to run over the years. For instance, a few months ago, the ASA banned not one, not two, but eight American Apparel adverts.

Typically depicting young women in various states of undress (with one memorable image involving two naked models laying side by side on a bed, wearing nothing but the brand’s knee-high socks), the agency stated that the images were too explicit.

Though unquestionably sexualised, it’s worth juxtaposing these banned adverts against other forms of media on offer to the general public. Tabloid papers like The Sun and The Daily Star, for instance, regularly print fullpage pictures of topless models in their pages

Above/below Calvin Klein 2008

63

– yet it could be said that these ‘legitimate’ images (which, after all, are constructed solely to incite lust in its readers) are much more gratuitous than an artful pose in a fashion campaign, a la Sophie Dahl in YSL. Additionally, pop stars like Rihanna and Lady Gaga often make some seriously provocative moves in their videos (just watch the ‘S&M’ video for a case in point – but are still aired on daytime television.

Taking this into account, are these sex-inspired adverts really so risqué?

Saucy content aside, there are those fashion campaigns that deal with altogether darker, more distressing material. Adverts by the likes of Calvin Klein and Dolce & Gabbana have all been banned, due to their depicted implications of physical and sexual violence.

In 2010, the Calvin Klein brand was hurled into the grimy spotlight of controversy once again with another jeans campaign, this time starring Lara Stone. It depicts the supermodel being straddled by a topless male model, whilst her head lies in the lap of another.

The image caused an outcry amongst sexual 64 | Fashion

assault workers and women’s groups across the continent, and the Advertising Standards Bureau (Australia’s advertising watchdog) eventually vetoed the ad, claiming, “The scene is suggestive of violence and rape”.

In a similar vein, back in the Noughties Italian superbrand Dolce & Gabbana had two campaigns banned on their purported portrayals of rape and violence. Firstly, in 2006, their A/W advert was vehemently protested against for its glorification of weapons and violence, and having little to do with fashion itself. It depicts a group of men engaged in various acts of brutality, such as one model poised to stab another with a knife, with another model as a corpse, bullet wound in his head, as a man looks on, pistol in hand and naked femme on hip.

The second banning took place only a year later, in 2007, with two separate images ultimately prohibited for the same reason – suggestions of rape. One saw a female model having her arms pinned down by a male model crouching over her, with a

Representa ti on s of vi ol enc e c ou ld possi b l y ha ve muc h more se rio u s i mpl i c a ti ons th an those i mp osed by nudi ty

Above CK Jeans 2009

group of surrounding men looking on. It was banned in Spain and the label’s own turf, Italy.

The other raised even more eyebrows with its portrayal of gay violence and potential rape (just to cover all the bases), and was criticised for being unnecessarily violent. It shows a naked man on the floor, with another standing over him, unzipping/zipping up his trousers, as two sinister men look on.

On reflection, it’s fair to say that representations of violence (sexual or otherwise), while guaranteed to rocket an ad into fashion infamy – how shocking! How daring! – Could possibly have much more serious implications than those imposed by nudity, if taken seriously.

Some women’s groups contend that images of sexualised violence in outlets like advertising will leave future generations of men desensitised to the issue, potentially leading to higher rates of sexual violence in the real world as a result. Then again, the supposed violent content in these campaigns is only one interpretation of the image – another person looking at the Lara Stone/Calvin Klein ad might see

Above Dolce & Gabbana 2007

65

Top left Dolce & Gabbana 2006 Top right Sisley 2007 Left Benetton 1996

66 | Fashion

nothing more than a woman having some (wholly consensual) naughty fun with two attractive men. Most of the time, there’s no one black-and-white way to read a static picture; there’s a reason why the phrase, ‘A picture says a thousand words’ is so well known. Furthermore, it’s not as though the Western world is unfamiliar with the concept of violence and sex – after all, ‘mummy porn’ bonk-buster Fifty Shades of Grey recently scooped the accolade of being the biggest-selling paperback of all time, despite its clear S&M overtones.

Moreover, hugely popular violent video games like Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto (in which there’s the in-game option of beating up prostitutes) can be available to order to anyone (legal-aged or not) with access to the Internet.

To put it bluntly: violence in the media is nothing new.

Finally, there are those fashion ads considered to be just too out-and-out disturbing to be displayed in the public sphere. Famous for publicising shocking images and campaigns

that don’t contain actual images of the clothes they’re designed to sell, Italian label United Colours of Benetton is a brand with the lion’s share (and then some) of banned campaigns.

One of the most famous is their 1996 image, shot by Olivero Toscani, featuring nothing but two mating horses. Admittedly, it’s a given that the same image of two humans mid-coitus wouldn’t be allowed on an advert – but, on the other hand, it would be easy to imagine those same horses featuring on a Sunday afternoon BBC nature documentary.

Sisley (part of the Benetton Group that owns the United Colours brand) also got itself a ban in 2007 with its contentious advertisement showing two models appearing to snort cocaine, alongside the slogan, ‘Fashion Junkie’. It goes without saying that drug references in ads will always get tongues clucking – especially in an industry so synonymous with drug abuse – but there were some arguments against the ban, with people claiming that there are no actual drugs in

sight in the image, and that the models are appearing to get high from the clothes.

Despite the thousands of complaints that these adverts collectively generated, and the provocative, incendiary material that you think they may or may not have expressed, it must be questioned as to whether they’re still capable of truly shocking us. In a time where pornography is readily accessible through a few clicks of a smartphone, hyper violent films are instantly downloaded from any number of sites, and photographic evidence of a celebrity’s drug abuse is shouted from the front pages of every newsstand, it’s a struggle to find the image of a scantily clad Sophie Dahl too outrageous.

Art – or gratuitous provocation? There’s no single objective answer. However, one factor remains certain: as fashion continues to create new styles each and every season, and brands persist in seeking ever-innovative ways to capture our attention, these aren’t the last controversial ads that we’ll be seeing.

67

CLASS

OF

Class of 2012 Written by Charlotte McManus Portrait photographs by Sam Hiscox

At this very moment, up and down the country, thousands of soon-to-be undergraduates are poised to take their first steps into the world of higher arts education. Whether it’s a fashion or art-based discipline that they’ll be spending the next three years studying, they’re in good hands – from Lucian Freud to Matthew Stone, and Stella McCartney to Christopher Kane, the UK’s art institutions have helped give rise to some of the biggest names in their fields. And these newbies have got some pretty big shoes to fill. This summer saw their successors, the Class of 2012 show some truly fantastic work at the annual graduate shows.

Despite the ominous political and economic conditions currently weighing down all sectors of the country’s creative industry, these students still worked their hardest to put together a huge range of fresh, innovative designs and installations that got people talking both online and off. Who’s Jack has scoured the country to discover seven exceptional graduates who displayed hugely promising imagination and flair with their final works. Keep your eyes peeled; we predict that they will be part of the next generation of artists and designers to take on the creative world by storm. Class of 2012 — it’s time to take the stage …

69

Andrew Graham Kingston University

Wi th h is sur re a l i nk b l ot p ri nts a n d b o l d , cl ean t ailor ing , a mb i ti ous mensw e a r d e s i g n e r Andre w Gr ah a m’s g ra d ua te c ol l e c t i o n I a m No t a Ge nt lema n, I a m a M enta l m a n wa s recei ve d t o im p ressi ve a c c l a i m at K i n g s t o n ’s gra du at e sh ow, c a tc hi ng the a tt e n t i o n o f si tes like Disord er a nd The Styl e C o l u m n .

70 | Fashion

What was the inspiration behind your graduate collection?

The inspiration came from a book about how a young boy coped with a stressful event in his life.

I’ve always had an interest in how the human brain works, and how easily it can be damaged and ‘rewired’. I researched posttraumatic stress, and questioned the concept of insanity. For my prints, I drew inspiration from the Rorschach inkblot test, which has been employed to detect underlying thought disorder. My prints ‘wrap’ around my clothes, suffocating them from reality, gradually taking over – evolving until the final look. Contrasting this, I kept all my shirts white. Colours and silhouettes where taken from Epsom’s (sadly) soon-to-bedemolished West Park Hospital, where I visited at the beginning of the project.

As a designer, how would you describe yourself?

Fresh, clean and bold. I have an almost stupid urge to constantly take risks.

Your collection took a bold, conceptual approach to menswear – which was refreshing to see, as menswear is so often pared down in comparison to womenswear. Should other menswear designers take a more adventurous approach?

Yes. Watching a menswear show that really shouts confidence is so exciting. It also reminds me to keep experimenting and pushing myself further – never settling, and always believing anything is possible.

What’s the single most important thing you’ve learned from your degree?

A failure can be your best lesson.

What kind of man did you have in mind when you were putting together the collection?

A man who is nothing like myself – he is not predictable.

Do you ever worry that you’re going into such a competitive field?

Most definitely. Kingston University taught me to be ambitious and professional. A lot of my friends are in the same field, and we’re all just as ambitious as each other.

And with the UK in its current state of recession, and fashion and the arts being hit so hard, how do you feel about your future within the industry?

I am confident the arts will be just fine. There will always be someone ready to take that next big risk, and produce art that will create a response.

Do you have anything in mind for your next collection?

I have a rough idea. It’s based on an event in my life, a hobby learnt and a father-son bonding experience.

What are your plans now you’ve graduated?

To get a job and carry on with my own personal projects, and then next year apply to do an MA – ultimately setting up my own label.

71

Scarlett O’Sullivan De Montfort

The i dea of a c l a ssi c E ng l i sh ros e g a v e b l o o m to Sc ar let t O’Sul l i va n’s roma nti c g r a d u a t e co l l ect ion, wh i c h d ra p ed mod el s i n f l o a t i n g textures of chi ff on a nd p ri nted v e l v e t .

We’ re n ot alon e i n thi nk i ng she’s a d e s i g n e r to wat ch — sh e w a s shortl i sted f o r t h e T h i s M o r nin g V ie we r Aw a rd a nd the Wa re h o u s e Desi gn com pe ti ti on, a s w el l a s be i n g f e a t u re d i n The Obser ver.

72 | Fashion

What kind of themes influenced your graduate collection?

The traditional English rose, taking both vintage and modern elements to create an eclectic, eccentric collection. I grew up in London, so used a lot of London’s old architecture as a starting point for my print designs – but also incorporated other regal British influences such as vintage interiors and poppies.

Getting attention from such mainstream outlets as This Morning, do you think your designs have a broad commercial appeal (or would you rather they were more popular with the ‘fashion’ crowd)?

Stripped down, individual pieces could work on a commercial level, but when designing I tend to lean towards the ‘fashion crowd’, as you have to be pretty open-mined to wear some of my garments.

How would you describe yourself, as a designer?

In three words: eclectic, colourful, and graphic. I hand draw and paint all my digital prints – the idea of combing art and fashion comes very naturally to me.

Do you ever feel more pressure to succeed, knowing you’re going into such a competitive field?

I go through stages. There will always be an element of pressure, but I’m pretty excited about getting involved in the big bad world of fashion. In light of the recession, it’s even more important to play a part to keep this industry alive.

What’s the single most important thing you’ve learned from your degree?

Everything takes longer than you think it’s going to!

As a learning environment, what was De Montfort like? Do you feel you gained a lot from your time there?

It was a long hard three years, but very rewarding. I found my love for print and fabric design there, and as there’s the option to combine techniques like print and knit, there was very little competitiveness within the class because everyone’s work was different.

Do you have anything in mind for your next collection?

I’ve got a few ideas, but to be honest I haven’t had much of a chance to think about it properly.

It will be darker though – less colour, but still involving print.

Now that you’ve graduated, what’s next?

To get involved in a few internships, and then work my way up from there. I’d love to get involved in a few areas within the fashion industry, so interning would give me a chance to figure out what I really want to focus on Ultimately, it would be incredible to have my own line.

73

Gary Wilson Northumbria University

Da rk, fe t ishist a nd d ema nd i ng attent ion wit h a ra ng e of unrel e n t i n g f i tted silhouettes, G a ry W i l son’s gra du at e colle c ti on ( N o) Love Lo s t ex hi bit ed t ou g h styl es f or toug h women. One of ten chosen from around the wor ld t o e x hi b i t a t the A rts T h re a d / Prêt-à-Porter ‘Who’s Next’ competition i n Pa r is, we e x p ec t b i g thi ng s.

74 | Fashion

What was the inspiration behind your graduate collection?

The collection was called (No) Love Lost – although it really should have been called Silence of The Lambs, considering how much leather I used! It was based on the idea of identity and failed relationships. I drew the idea from a woman I’d met who’d found out her husband had been having affairs with men. It makes me sound warped, drawing from one women’s misery … but it’s an exaggeration of events.

Do you ever feel more pressure to succeed, knowing you’re going into such a competitive field?

Ultimately, it’s what people make of themselves. If you sit about waiting for things to come to you, it wont be long before you’re forced to apply for that 9 – 5 at your nearest call centre. I’m still young, so I’ve got plenty of time – I knew that, after graduating, finding a job was going to be a degree in itself, but things always seem to work out.

What was your creative process like?

Tough – I worked mostly in leather, which doesn’t allow for mistakes.

There were a few days where I wished I’d perhaps chosen plumbing over fashion!

What was Northumbria like as a place to hone your art?

Northumbria is a brilliant university. You see everything from the loudest prints, to classic men’s tailoring with an edge – like a Butlin’s holiday retreat, there’s something for everyone.

Your collection took an intriguingly vampish approach. Do you prefer that tougher edge to softer, more traditionally ‘feminine’ styles?

My work has always taken that look. I often get asked if I’m scared of colour or print, but I just don’t think it would work with what I’m trying to do. Plus, black is timeless.

What kind of woman did you have in mind when you were designing the collection?

That tough, power bitch/doesn’t suffer fools kind of girl – like if Grace Jones, Kristen McMenamy and Isabella Blow all had a baby.

What other designers do you look up to?

Mugler – what [creative director] Nicola Formichetti is doing with the brand is amazing, that would be my dream job! I always loved the theatricality of McQueen’s shows, and more recent labels like Void of Course are doing cool things.

What are your plans now you’ve graduated?

I’m doing a show at drag giant Lady Munter’s club Menergy, and in talks about another show in Berlin. I’ve entered for the new Designers Award at London Fetish Week and I’m working on a number of commissions – one being for the winner of season four of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Sharon Needles. Next year, I’m going to apply for my MA at Central Saint Martins.

75

Ly d i a & P h o e b e L a k e Central Saint Martins

Wo rking as a d uo, mul ti med i a ar t i s t s Ly d i a and Phoebe La k e d ra w i nsp i ra ti o n f ro m t h e i r rel a tionship as i d enti c a l tw i ns to i n f o r m t h e i r creat ive e nde a vours; Tw o, thei r g r a d u a t e pi ece, expe r imented w i th mi rror i n g a n d do ub ling. Havi ng onc e w ork ed fo r t h e i m i t a b l e Da mi e n Hir st hi msel f , w e d on’t t h i n k i t ’l l be l on g be fore thi s Si ster Si ster a c t w i l l b e ma k i ng h eadli nes i n the a rt w or l d .

76 | Fashion

What was the inspiration behind your graduate piece?

Throughout our work, we attempt to understand our relationship as twins, and celebrate it. For our graduate piece, we exhibited four drawings of ‘The Boy’ – two of the same pose, accompanied by a twinned video projection and a book that reveals a conversation between ourselves about the work. There was something specific about the doubling that we wanted to convey; as identical twins, we look for similarities and differences in what we encounter, because it is how we are encountered socially. So, we made drawings of a male subject independently, but drew the same pose. The drawings are mirrored because we are mirror twins – Phoebe is left-handed and Lydia is right-handed. The film creates a similar dialogue, because the boy is doubled. All of the works feature the single male subject because it represents our desire to own a unified identity in our artwork – if we had only used one female figure, she would only represent half of us.

What sets your work aside from that of other multimedia artists?

We have a multidisciplinary practice that revolves around making films and drawings; it is through these mediums that we investigate an apparent psychological bond between ourselves. Our greatest pressure is our desire to try and understand this bond through our making.

What’s it like working as a duo?

Do you both specialise in different things, or do you focus on the same aspects of the work together?

Concept-wise, there is no strict distinction between us. We work towards one idea. We work as a two with a single, parallel vision for our work. This makes distinction difficult.

Are there ever any drawbacks to working as a pair?

No. It’s so natural for us to work as a pair; we’ve always made artwork in one another’s company, and shared a studio. Even when we believe we make our own work, we have always seemed to use something about each other.

What’s the single most important thing you’ve learned from your degree?

How to make our concepts clear.

It’s achieved a clarity over the four years.

You worked for Damien Hirst in the past – tell us a bit about that.

Just before we started our degree, we worked for The Tate Modern as performers for Damien Hirst’s Pop Life, Art in A Material World exhibition. We sat below two of Damien Hirst’s spot paintings dressed the same, to be observed. About a year later, we were also invited to Tate Britain to talk about a painting about twins.

What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?

To continue making our artwork together. There are a few exhibitions lined up.

77

Joseph Popper Royal College of Art

J o s eph Popper took us to i nf i ni t y a n d b e y o n d wi th h is in t e r s tel l a r i nsta l l a ti on, T h e On e Way Ticket , whi c h w ork ed a roun d t h e p re m i s e ‘ zero gr avit y, z ero b ud g et’ . E x p l o r i n g t h e i d e a o f the lone ast rona ut, i t w a s a p ro j e c t t h a t di s pl aye d out -of - thi s- w orl d c rea t i v i t y — a n d qui ckly we nt vi ra l onl i ne, g etti n g b l o g g e r s a l l o v er cyber spac e ta l k i ng .

78 | Fashion

What kind of themes and ideas informed The One-Way Ticket?

I’ve been interested in human space exploration for some time, and also in the more general predicament we are in, where our frontiers for manned exploration into the unknown are on the brink of exhaustion. The proposition of a ‘one-way’ voyage is styled as one of our last adventures.

It is also a way of renewing the promise of space for discovery and wonder through something unprecedented. The prospect of not coming back opens up an exceptional scenario to explore – my works are inspired by what it means to send someone into space to never return.

What was it about the concept of space specifically that attracted you?

I find space an incredibly rich subject to explore. Before this project, I have been simulating space images and experiences for photographs and videos, so there is a history there. I’m pleased that The One-Way Ticket has enabled me to push these interests into the most dedicated and ambitious project yet.

Describe your method in putting the project together.

I was intent on presenting the one-way voyage as a cinematic spectacle, and made props, sets and camera contraptions. The space capsule film set (installed in Show RCA) was where my earlier iterations and tests came together to make the film.

What was it like showing at the RCA graduate show?

It was a great opportunity to present my work to such a large audience. I was also especially fortunate to be able to land the space capsule film set at the show entrance!

What is it about your work that distinguishes you from other artists?

Much of my work is about reaching for ideas and experiences that most of us can only imagine or dream about. The limits of human ambition and the limits of the possible are recurring subjects – which is why future space travel is such a good fit. Bridging the gap between make-believe and reality is an important part of my practice, and I see this theme continuing into future projects.

What’s the single most important thing you’ve learned from your degree?

The importance of project management.

Do you have anything in mind for your next project?

For the moment I am concentrating on extending the life of The One-Way Ticket project beyond the RCA Show. I’m also looking to continue a couple of ongoing projects in collaboration with friends – but first, I plan to have a small break! I think the future starts with getting a studio as soon as I can, and then I will see what happens.

79

80 | Fashion

Robert Briggs Goldsmiths

M u lti me dia a rti st Robert Bri ggs exp e r im e n t s wit h t h e c o n c e p t of th e h u ma n/a ni ma l body, a nd i ts re lat io n s h ip t o it s s u r ro u n d in g s .

In additi o n to wowi ng a t the Gol d s m it h s g r ad u at e s h o w, h e re c e n tly e xhi bi ted a rtwork a t Emb o d im e n t , t h e fin al s h o wc as e in th e G o ldsmi ths D ebuts seri es at Lo n d o n ’s R e d B u ll S t u d io s an d is cu rre n tl y i n the runni ng for the S aat c h i Galle r y/ C h an n e l 4 Ne w S e n satio n s competi ti on.

What was the inspiration behind the work you exhibited at Goldsmith’s graduate show?

The themes of evolution and survival, life and death are at the heart of my creations. The creatures I exhibited were conceived as hybrids of animals and humans; for example, ‘Dowager’ is a human-jellyfish, while ‘Queenie’ is a human-slug. While there is an element of playfulness, I wanted to convey an undercurrent of discomfort. They reflect the macabre and absurd nature of human vanity and pride.

What is it about the ideas of evolution and hybrid culture that you find so inspiring, creatively?

They’re exciting, because they are, per definition, about change.

Growth and mixture are at the heart of what makes us grow!

Tell us about the process behind your graduate works.

It was stressful; I thought I never would finish them in time. At the end, I made shirts for everyone that helped that said ‘Team Rob’ in big pink letters! I like to think of these sculptures as my babies, as the product of a narcissistic effort, maybe.

Exhibiting works at Embodiment, in addition to designing the promotional posters, was a pretty big coup. What is it about your work that you think people responded to so well?

It doesn’t take itself too seriously.

I deal with themes that are serious and relevant, but I like to have fun with the space I’m given. Most importantly, I engage with the viewer by grabbing attention with colour, shapes and composition.

You work with a range of different artistic mediums (textiles, watercolours and so on) – do you think it’s advantageous for artists to experiment with as many techniques as possible, to be more flexible commercially?

It depends on the art one wants to create. Having said that, the more mediums your practice involves, the more commercially viable you are – but this doesn’t mean it is a necessity.

Following on from that – with the arts currently being hit so hard by budget cuts, how do you feel about your future within the industry?

I feel positive … however; it would be naïve not to be saddened and apprehensive about the state of affairs. Art is a vocation; therefore I can’t, regardless of difficulties,

give up this career choice. If my art is allowed to grow and I do succeed, the achievement will be even more satisfying.

What’s the single most important thing you’ve learned from your degree?

Let your art speak for itself.

Do you have anything in mind for your next project?

To continue making human hybrid creatures – however, I would like to develop other horticultural ideas, one being a grass dolphin.

81

Winter Beauty Tr e n d s f o r t h e e n d o f 2 0 12 Written by Luke Stephens

82 | Fashion

The AW/12 fashion shows A lot of the make up here was really pared down and with the odd exception; all featured the usual colours you’d expect from a winter palette. The berries, the plums, and the neutrals to balance.

The main point of difference was the application. One feature, be it eyes, lips, brows, or even lashes, was played up to the hilt in the most spectacular fashion.

There were three main trends that stuck out for me. And they were:

Skin Faces were dewy and glowing! A far cry from the sheen of summer, more of an ethereal glow to the skin, with a light base, and a lot of highlighter! Get your glow on with these.

Below left to right Yves Saint Laurent Le Teint Touch Éclat, £28 / St.Tropez Skin Illuminator, £12.26 Lancôme Blush Highlighter in Midnight Rose, £34 / Bobbi Brown NEW Longwear Foundation, £30 / Benefit Hi Beam, £18.50 / Yves Saint Laurent Dare to Glow Highlighters from A/W 2012 collection / Soap&Glory Bright Here Bright Now, £11

83

Eyes Eyes were jewel toned, in a slight pull away from the usual smoky eye that seemed to characterise the AW/12 shows.

84 | Fashion

Below left to right Yves Saint Laurent Palette, from A/W 2012 collection Rimmel Eye Shadows, from ÂŁ6.49

Below left to right Guerlain’s L’ecrin 4 Couleurs palette for Autumn, £37 Chanel Les 4 Ombres in Premier Regard, £37

There were also a lot of nudes around, with beyond bare colours that hardly affected the overall eye colour at all.

The most exciting element for me was definitely the liner! Making a really strong comeback, the liner, be it kohl, liquid, pencil, or powder, glorified the eyes in the most graphic of ways.

Below, top to bottom Stila Stay all Day Liner, £13 Bad Gal Waterproof Liner, £14

Below, left to right Clinique High Impact Extreme Mascara, £17 Lancôme Hypnôse Star, £21

Lashes were pumped out! Tons of dressy mascara to really make an impact with the amazing colours of winter.

85

Lips Lips were emblazoned with crushed berry colours in all textures, from the very light to the very darkest deepest velvet tones. This season saw a more considered approach to application. There were the lip extremes of merely pressing the colour into the lip with no liner or particular effort made to look smart, and then the full on lip, complete with liner, and a heavy coat of a dark shade in glorious plums.

Below Chanel Guerlain Rouge G De Guerlain L’extrait, £29.50

Some other beauty trends for this season ...

BB Creams They are everywhere now! BB creams have exploded into the UK market, and some are good, and some are not proper BB creams at all. Created originally for skin that had undergone some serious cosmetic treatments as a treatment, and cover up, they became extremely popular in Korea for a long while before we discovered them on our shores.

Some were slightly adapted for a more user friendly appeal and called beauty balms (instead of the original Blemish Balm) they normally encompass a primer, concealer, and foundation all in one! Now, everyone has one out and all are actually pretty good.

Here’s a selection.

86 | Fashion

Below, left to right MUA PRO BB Foundation, £4 / Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector, £9.99 / Stila Stay All Day 10-in-1 HD Beauty Balm, £26 / Rodial BB Venom Skin Tint, £35 MAC Prep + Prime BB Beauty Balm SPF 35, £22

OUD No, nothing to do with Aliens from Dr Who, but in fact the rather fortuitous result of the mould infected heartwood of the Aquilaria family of trees. The tree produces a fragrant resin in response to the mould, and the resin is then harvested. It has been used in perfumes for many years, and is particularly popular in the far east.

Below left to right Jo Malone Cologne Intense OUD & Bergamot, £95 Christain Dior Leather OUD from £125 Yves Saint Laurent M7 OUD Absolu, £58

Over recent months, again, practically everyone has jumped on board with OUD, or Agarwood, and popped it into a lovely smelling fragrance. OUD is very much of the Middle Eastern style family of fragrances.

Heavy, warm, spicy, and extremely sexy.

Here are some of my favourites.

Skin Rejuvenation It seems that there has been a bit of a focus on this for the new year ahead. Historically quite aggressive, and unpredictable with regards to results, generally skin peelers have picked themselves up a bit, and got some really great formulas together for a more reliable wave of cosmetics.

Below left to right Bliss Glycolic incredi-peel Pads, £39 Tria, £549 / Alpha-H Liquid Gold, £31.50 thebeautypress.wordpress.com

87

88 | Fashion

Written by Ollie Russian Photography by Drew Cox Many of you will have heard Rudimental, you’ll have danced to Rudimental and you’d have sung along to their breakout #1 hit Feel The Love. Very few of you will have a clue who the f*ck Rudimental (sometimes ft. John Newman) actually are.

The Hackney 4 piece first caught attention when their remix of Ed Sheeran’s Drunk got picked up by the tastemakers over at BBC Radio 1 and 1xtra (don’t hold it against them). Next up was ‘Spoons’, a million miles away from the DnB remixes they’d been doing, with its laid back house beat and soulful vibes courtesy of vocal turns from the impossibly young MNEK and

the hotly tipped Syron. ‘Spoons’ quickly became a club favourite before they dropped the beast, the DnB meets soul, summer smash ‘Feel The Love’, featuring the previously unknown John Newman (another hot tip for the future!)

Tipped by Zane Lowe as a potential number 1 after he gave the track it’s first ever radio play, the prophecy came true (thankfully other Zane favourites such as Viva Brother didn’t fare so well). With an internet smashing video featuring ghetto kids riding horses around the streets of Philadelphia, yes really, ‘Feel The Love’ went straight into the top spot of the UK charts selling over 90,000 copies

as well as hitting the top tens across Europe and #2 as far afield as Australia. Despite all this Rudimental could still be jumping up and down on your face demanding that you feel their love and its very likely you still wouldn’t have a clue who they are.

So who the bloody hell are they?

Officially they are Amir Amor, Kesi Dryden, Leon (DJ) Locksmith and Piers Agget. Four producers who love playing live instruments and take their cues from a whole arena of genres from garage to house to soul to drum and bass to blues. They’ve been known to describe their sound as Soulful-UKness, not going to argue, that works pretty well for us!

89

Rudimental

You’ve had a #1 single with what is arguably one of the stand out tracks of the year, it’s likely that a lot of people who bought the single will think you have come from nowhere when in fact you have all really been putting in the work. What do you think to that?

Yeah I suppose it’s mad with all the success we have had in such sort space a time, we can understand why it would seem like we have come out of nowhere. Although this is definitely not the case, it has taken crazy years of graft and lots of break ups with girlfriends to get to where we are today. We would like to think that Rudimental was built on early friendships for example Kesi, Piers & I (DJ Locksmith) grew up with each other from an early age almost nappies even.

Living on the same streets of Hackney together as well as sharing the same interests such as football, music and of course girls, we ended up following the same paths. We did the pirate radio station thing and producing from the ages of 14 although I remember getting my first pair of Technique Decks 1200s when I was 13. Although we didn’t know Amir at the time his journey was running parallel to rest of us, working in community workshops from an early age, whilst also producing with and for some of the well known names of today, the likes of Plan B and Example to name a few.

Amir joined up with the rest of us early last year (2011) working on remixes and different tracks together as well as ‘Feel the love.’

From the work we had done with Amir we knew it was a no brainer, It feels as if Amir has been there with us from the very beginning.

So you could say the journey to success started early 2011 but we have all individually had to graft for more than a decade.

90 | Music

You don’t appear in the video for ‘Feel The Love’, there are no official press shots showing your faces, You’ve had a #1 record and yet it still feels as though you can walk down the street unnoticed. All in all you guys are pretty mysterious, is this something you’ve actively cultivated?

B l ack B u t t e r ( l ab el)

We never looked too deep into maintaining our identity, in terms of being in the video or as producers as a whole. We were on the search for a good video, a video that everyone would remember and would be like no other. Fortunately we got that. As for getting stopped in the street, we wouldn’t shy away from it, however we are pretty private individuals, apart from DJ Locksmith he’s the nutty one.

fre e d o m t o make

With tracks like ‘Deep In The Valley’, ‘Spoons’, ‘Feel The Love’ and the forthcoming single ‘Giving In’ you really seem to play around with a lot of different genres, be it DnB, house, modern, old school and soul music. Is this a deliberate ploy to reach a whole spectrum of people or does it truly reflect the music styles you guys are influenced by and love?

o f mu s i cal t h i n king

We always joke about the creation of ‘Feel the Love’ with Kesi bringing the first ever draft of ‘Feel the Love’ to the studio at a time when he was so ... so ... so ... in love lol. But as for a common formula to producing tracks and what genres were gonna make today, there isn’t one. Every time we’re in the studio we don’t go with a focus of making one particular type of music.

We like to vibe with live instruments and different sounds, especially coming from a musical background. Piers plays the piano, as those Kesi and DJ Locksmith dabbles with the Keys, Amir plays the guitar. We have so many influences amongst ourselves it’s nuts, we like to narrow it down to Sly & the Family Stone, Fugues, N.E.R.D and Todd Edwards, but the list goes on.

h av e b e e n p i v o tal in o u r s u cce s s , n o t o n l y g i v i n g u s t he

d i ffe re n t t y p e s of music but also opening up the door to a wh o l e d i ffe re n t w ay

We ha v e al w ay s s ai d t he U K has on e of t he m os t v i bran t m u s i c s c e n e s i n the world, with such v e r s a t i l i t y and experimental music

The dance scene in the UK seems really exciting at the moment, almost in a state of flux. Genres are really beginning to get mixed up and are taking on a life of their own, certainly acts like yourselves, Disclosure, TEED, SBTRKT, Two Inch Punch, Aluna George etc don’t seem scared, or feel like they need to stick in one genre, do you feel that is the way things are moving forward?

We have always said the UK has one of the most vibrant music scenes in the world, with such versatility and experimental music. Who knows if dance music is going or if real Hip Hop is gonna go off. What we do know is that we will continue to try and knock down barriers through music and continue to strive for greatness.

You started off releasing via the uber cool label Black Butter, you’ve now been snapped up to a full record deal on Asylum Records. Is there a big difference between the indie and the major now you are moving forward? Where next in terms of the album?

Black Butter have been pivotal in our success, not only giving us the freedom to make different types of music but also opening up the door to a whole different way of musical thinking. In our opinion all labels should share this type of philosophy, fortunately we have found it in both Black Butter and Asylum.

The album is approaching completion, expect a lot of new, different music a lot of things that shouldn’t work musically but really do, hopefully something you haven’t heard before. 2nd single is done, just needs to be waxed with a bit of Dax! We not only produce ourselves we tend to write most of our own music ourselves which we feel is key to our success. Where next? Hmmm we’re in a position in our careers to colab with some high profile names, BUT! we are extremely passionate and very keen on discovering unknown talent and bringing them through.

The Radio 1 Hackney weekend was a huge homecoming gig for you guys. One of the first shows you actually performed as a full band, pretty daunting stuff! Did it help your nerves knowing you had a number 1 single in the bag?

I have to be honest our actual first full live performance was at the Isle of white Festival at the Strongbow tent the day before Radio 1 Hackney weekender. Many would think that the pressure would be immense for us at Hackney Radio 1 weekender especially for a newcomer act, but as a group we didn’t feel it, we were to eager for our hometown, home borough (Hackney), the very grounds we played football on as kids, to hear our sound, to actually see and witness what Rudimental are really about.

However saying that I saw a lot of band members including ourselves using the toilet a lot more than usual! Number 1 Single or not nerves are always gonna be there, I’d be a lot more worried if they wasn’t.

Do you prefer the live set up or DJing? You seem to like mixing it up.

Don’t get us wrong we love being at festivals or clubs rocking a mean DJ Set but the whole dynamic of performing live and people actually going nuts to the music you have worked so hard on is a next level.

Where do you see yourselves down the line in three albums time?

I remember at the age of 13 (DJ Locksmith), being at Pier’s house and remember saying to him I wanna be on the biggest stage possible with the whole world appreciating what we are good at. Up to this day I stand by that statement and hope that by the 3rd album every one will recognise us as an act with longevity. Rudimental are the new …

Soul into Bass music!!

91

Written by Ollie Russian Photography by Elinor Jones

Luke Sital-Singh

I know what you’re all thinking, ‘Oh Lord!

Not another singer songwriter! Haven’t we seen the last of those? Surely Ed Sheeran was enough?’. It’s OK though, trust me on this, Luke Sital-Singh is special, very special indeed. He’s just about to release his breathtaking debut EP and has spent the last few months wowing audiences across the capital into stunned silences. The 24 year old from South West London’s New Malden is not another ten-a-penny bed wetter, he is the real deal.

Luke, the youngest of three brothers, originally started out playing violin, encouraged by his parents at an early age to learn an instrument. Like many kids he soon tired of it, ‘I didn’t have a particularly strong connection to it, I dropped it after passing my grade one with distinction – better to quit whilst you’re ahead right?’, he tells me. Thankfully the classical music world’s loss is our gain. Picking up his brother’s guitar he found the fit at the right age, guitars are cool, we all know that as Luke attains ‘guitar more obviously connects with that explorationary, rebellious phase, it’s stuck with me ever since’. After the standard teenage flirtation with Korn and Slipknot Luke realised the error of his ways, rather than plugging in and rocking out his frustrations he instead turned to the likes of Dylan and Paul Simon. Nu-Metal’s loss … Starting off learning others tunes he soon decided that they looked pretty simple on paper and he may as well give it a go himself. There is a definite US orientated folk slant to Luke’s music, Dylan’s influence is certainly lurking in the shadows but there is a debt to modern day acts such as Bon Iver and Tallest Man On Earth that radiate through his songs though never to the point of pastiche.

It may seem flippant but I’ve always believed that being a lone singer songwriter is easy, if you can hold a note and play a 94 | Music

I t ’s a l w a ys very tempti ng to get bi gg e r.

S i g u r Rós a re prob a b l y my fa vouri te b a n d a nd I c a n a l wa ys hea r hug e orc he stras a n d c hoi rs i n my hea d when I’m wri ti ng couple of chords anyone can do it, that’s why it’s such an overcrowded genre. It’s the ability to stand out from all the other mediocre dross that is the hard part, that’s the key that so few learn to master. A truly great singer songwriter is all about the subtleties of the music, obvious to those, like Luke, paying attention, but maybe unnoticed by many others. ‘The subtle differences between certain artists tend to seem like huge differences to me. When people compare me to Bon Iver I’m thinking ‘thank you very much!’ but also, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about!’ To me a lot of guitar bands sound the same but that’s just because I am not embedded in that world’.

Like any act there are definite influences you can hear or feel in Luke’s music but what he does so well is bring that extra something, that little bit of fairy dust that is vital, so hard to put your finger on but evident none-theless. Just looking at him it feels like you can sense that innate Englishness that so many of the countries great songwriters have, the Beatles had it, Ray Davies had it in spades, Bowie, Costello, even the likes of Blur, they all had it. It’s that uniquely British way of seeing the world. It’s hard to describe but something tells me you wouldn’t catch Bon Iver writing a love song about a whale.

Yes, one of the standout tracks in Luke’s set is a captivatingly beautiful ode to the largest mammal on the planet, in particular a killer

whale called Luna. ‘I like huge things that are alive. I don’t know why, maybe it’s something about feeling small next to them’, Luke explains. ‘I remember as a kid on trips to the Natural History Museum I was mesmerised in that room with the life-size blue whale. I could just stand and stare at it for ages. Killer Whales are a particular favourite; I just think they look quite cool. When I wrote the song I’d just read a news story about this killer whale called Luna who got separated from his family, and I started writing a song from the perspective of Luna’s fictional girlfriend. It’s a pretty strange thing for me to write about, and I probably won’t do anything like it again, but who knows?’ It’s a strange one alright but oddly enough it works.

Elsewhere in his tracks Luke’s lyrics hint that he really could teach us a thing or two about feelings, real feelings. They speak of a fragile love, a yearning melancholy but always self-aware and never wallowing. When lyrics such as ‘I bought you the sky and the oceans too, by the look in your eye the only thing I couldn’t do is fail for you’ are coupled with Luke’s phenomenal voice that’s where things really start to take hold. Even the most inhospitable rooms are brought to life and when he moves effortlessly from a whispered falsetto to a booming timbre that could fill the heavens, heart strings are ripped apart, long lost feelings for forgotten lovers resurface and, like me, you could very easily find yourself standing in a grotty bar on Denmark

Street with a wee tear in the eye. I don’t normally get like this. To paraphrase a singer songwriter with a lesser voice ‘You do something to me Luke Sital-Singh’.

Having witnessed the reactions of crowds at his gigs over the last few months Luke certainly isn’t constrained by the fact he is ploughing such a simplistic furrow, one man and a guitar.

‘There’s definitely a limit to what you can do live with just a guitar but it’s such a great limit.

I love the idea of this very simple thing that people do and have done for so many years.

Just get up with an acoustic instrument and sing a song. It’s such an intimate thing.’

Such an intimate thing that can very easily be over egged (I’m looking at you Jamie Woon) ‘I really don’t like all these loop-pedals and gubbins being used at the moment. It’s taking it away from the purity of what I love about singer songwriters and moving into the world that dictates that ‘music has to move your feet’. And I think yes — one role music has is to move your feet but another role, and I’d argue a more important role, is for it to lock your feet and your jaw to the floor.’

Luke’s gigs to date so far have been very intimate affairs, even in a larger room it very much seems like a close personal experience, very direct. Things step up a gear on Luke’s debut ‘Fail for You’ EP. One thing present in spades though is space, a definite sparseness that allows Luke’s fragile vocal to envelop the

listener, not constrained by the lyrics or instruments around it. On record the vocals are multi-layered into a majestic choir that subtly floats and drifts around your head before sweeping you off your feet in a moment of pure loveliness, until eventually it sets you down gently into yet another perfectly crafted lyric. One track on the EP, ‘Honest Man’ begins with just Luke and his guitar lulling you in, slowly captivating you into an almost trance-like state. With the song reaching its soaring crescendo it’s like waking from being hypnotised with a vague feeling a whole orchestra has just passed through the room. Could this be a hint of things to come in the future, there is certainly a lot of room to take things to an ever grander level, the songs are strong, they can take it. ‘It’s always very tempting to get bigger.

Sigur Rós are probably my favourite band and I can always hear huge orchestras and choirs in my head when I’m writing. Maybe in a couple of records’ time I’ll go there.’

It seems at the moment though it’s wooing the audience that is Luke’s real musical turn on ‘there is something really rewarding about captivating a crowd on my own. There’s a moment I’m aiming for at every show. When I’ve just finished a song and I’m just hanging there and the audience has been completely with me, and I don’t know what it is, maybe it’s just politeness because no one wants to clap prematurely, but I love it. It really feels like

everyone’s connected at that moment. I know it sounds a bit weird. I’ve never been able to get those moments when I’ve put more musicians around me,’ he explains.

The moments he captures on record are the special ones, everything feels so close, you can hear his fingers on the fret board, the hiss of the microphone, the pauses for breath between lines. Considering that Luke studied at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music it’s a sound that thankfully goes against the standard preconceptions of pretentious muso. Thankfully Luke used his time there wisely, studying the craft of song writing and learning from other writers, ‘I didn’t want to study an instrument. I played guitar and liked to sing, but I didn’t consider myself a guitarist or a singer. I wanted to write songs and get better at it. I tried to keep away from the common room, which was always full of guitarist ‘wanking’ over their fret boards,’ says Luke.

So when it came to getting in the studio with his producer Iain Archer he knew what he wanted ‘I remember saying something like ‘I want to sound like a lonely Sigur Rós’. Iain is a personal hero of mine, and I’ve never met someone who takes songs and performance so seriously. The focus was on getting my best performance of each song, so I sang and played the way I do at every show and then we let the performance dictate where things needed to rise and fall,’ he says. ‘The process feels very personal, so the most important thing for me is to have someone who really gets the songs, gets the sentiment and emotion and so can translate all that into the production. And Iain did.’

Credit to Luke and Iain, on his debut they have managed to capture the emotion and pureness of his live show, which I can assure you is no mean feat. Luke Sital Singh sits apart from the crowd; he’s special, very special indeed. Go out and buy his EP and fall in love.

95

96 | Music

Written by Letisah Grosvenor Photography by Elinor Jones

97

Since forming in 1994 Skunk Anansie aka Skin, Ace Cass and Mark Richardson have enjoyed immense musical success. However when t h e y d i s b a n d e d i n 2 0 01 w e weren’t s u re i f w e ’d e v e r h e a r from them again

With three top 20 studio albums under their belt the band went their separate ways. That was until in 2009 they decided to give the music scene another stab as a four piece.

Second time around nothing stresses this lot out, they know the industry, they’re savvy to the bullshit and they just want to enjoy being in a rock band. For Skunk Anansie it sounds simple really – and it is.

We’re in an empty space somewhere in West London, but the room is surprisingly full with all of Skunk Anansie’s different characters.

Skin is the vocalist known for her powerful voice and striking look, as one of rock’s only front women it’s not just her attitude that makes her stand out. The musicians behind her are the dry but equally quick-witted Cass on bass, tattooed drummer Mark and the subject of many in-band jokes, guitar player Ace.

The quartet are serving up their latest musical offering Black Traffic this September and current reactions are already impressing Skin, ‘people are going crazy about this

album its been quite exciting hearing their positive vibes’, she says but she’s also quick to point out that the group are itching for more than just nice feedback, there’s a lot of talk at the moment, its all chat … we definitely want some action.’

Skunk Anansie’s new album drops on the 17th of September and it’s their first release on their own label in partnership with 100% Records, which might point to why the group is feeling quite so fresh. ‘This album sounds a lot like a band who think they’re like brand new out of the box’, says Skin. She is pointing to the shiny feeling this new material has given the group, which considering their 19 year history, is pretty impressive. ‘Our sound has evolved, for me this feels like a very confident album’.

This will be the second studio LP the band has produced since their reformation in 2009 after an eight-year hiatus and it’s evident that they can’t wait to perform it. ‘It’s been a long time since we last played live. We took 99

about a year to write this and construct it, so now, by the time we get to November when we go on tour we’ll be gagging for it’, says Ace proving that he’s well and truly up for the challenge of a 20 date European tour.

Skunk Anansie really enjoy playing live at all types of venue from small and intimate gigs, to festival tents or arenas. During their upcoming tour the group will play many dates on the Continent, one in particular to a very sizeable capacity of 17,000 at Amsterdam’s new Ziggo Dome. The last and only date of the official tour in the UK is on Skin’s home turf at Brixton Academy in early December. The need for a tour so large just proves the band still have it in the eyes of their European fans.

‘A lot of British bands are big in England and that is it, so it feels like they are these massive bands but once they step outside of England no one gives a fuck’, Skin’s point is echoed collectively as the group seem to appreciate the opportunities European success gives them; larger audiences, loyal fans and a firm place in the rock scene.

It’s evident that Skunk Anansie are disappointed with the present UK music climate with Cass telling me, ‘industry in this country is powered by, driven by and controlled by the wrong entities because it’s got nothing to do with music’. Cass is making a plea against the constriction of music, a point that’s fiercely echoed by Skin, ‘you just have a bunch of producers writing songs for everybody, if that becomes too dominant then it doesn’t encourage people to play instruments any more or to learn to write songs – that’s why Adele comes along and cleans up because everyone’s like ‘oh my God’ something that you can connect to, lyrics and words, a story, a person that you connect to who’s not trying to fling her tits in your face.’

Considering they’re not fans of popular music, Skunk Anansie are listening to a interesting bunch of artists, Skin is enjoying solo work from Sigur Rós singer Jónsi, Ace has been playing the two the albums from The Naked and Famous and Mark loves Bon Iver’s falsetto sound. It’s only Cass who can’t 100 | Music

remember what he’s been listening to after too much time in the studio and relying on Shazam to aid musical discovery.

When talking historical influences Skin is without a doubt eclectic from her House DJing stints to citing the Carole King LP Tapestry as a ‘songwriting masterpiece’. Her other band members flit from hardcore devotion to Rage Against the Machine to an appreciation for bands like The Police, Blondie and Led Zepplin.

With all of the genres the band enjoy why did they decide on their latest material being a rock album? Skunk Anansie chose the more traditional rock sound after seeing that a definite lack of the genre making the rounds

in mainstream music. Along with producer Chris Sheldon, who has worked with the likes of Biffy Clyro and Foo Fighters, the band set out realise this goal. The rapport with Sheldon was already in place as the band had previously worked with and therefore knew him well, during our discussion they are nothing but complimentary of his input on the LP.

The first single from Black Traffic is released on the 10th of September, I Believed In You, as explained by Skin, is a track all about former Prime Minister Tony Blair. ‘If you were Tony Blair and I was in front of you I would say I believed in you but I was wrong,’ she says. Its a direct but different way to make a political statement as Skin continues, ‘rather

than saying something like stop the war, fight the power, smash the state - all those big statement clichés, we always personalise it and say well how did it affect us? What did it mean to us?’. Skin’s explanation is that having voted for Tony Blair, like many others, she was ultimately disappointed and angry with the situations that his decisions led the UK into and the easiest way the band had to express this was through their songs.

Music is undeniably a resource, it can be used politically, commercially and artistically so how do Skunk Anansie feel about lending their material to the movies for dramatic affect? Their music has featured on many soundtracks from Sucker Punch to Cruel Intentions and the band tell me that they greatly enjoy lending their sounds to the world of cinema, as long they’re good films. Reminiscing about Kevin Bacon in Hollowman attempting to mime along to the words of Charlie Big Potato actually causes the band to erupt in giggles. Secretly is another movie track that like Charlie Big Potato featured on the 1999 LP Post Orgasmic Chill, the undeniably beautiful song featured in Cruel Intentions and is actually Skin’s favourite Skunk Anansie track to date.

The song highlights just how versatile the bands sound and indeed Skin’s voice are, a sentiment, which has carried on throughout their work. Not only do the softer songs show a more delicate side to Skunk Anansie but they also supply relief from the heavier tracks. According to Skin they also give more to the group as performers telling me, ‘if I’m just screaming for a whole gig it’s just so one dimensional for me as an artist’. She also appreciates how it is for the audience saying, ‘if you go to a gig and they batter you with too many of those heavy songs, after half an hour you’re just like ‘I need to go to the bar I’m getting a headache’’.

Since the bands beginnings in the mid nineties it’s safe to say the industry has changed a considerable amount but on a larger note so has the world. People can now create and publish their own content at the click of a button thanks to the power of

101

Industry in this country is powered by, driven by and controlled by the wrong entities because it’s got nothing to do with music

technology. Unlike some other acts who tend to moan that things weren’t as easy when they were starting out Skin see’s the development in technology and bands abilities to get their tracks to a wider audience as something positive. ‘What the internet has done is give the control back to the artists and that’s great,’ she says.

The band recently uploaded cover art for their latest album on to Facebook but after seeing mixed feed back quickly changed their mind and went away to re-evaluate what it looked like. Testing things out in this sense and creating a dialogue with their fan’s are just some of the ways Skunk Anansie are embracing the internet in the promotion of their music.

Record sales and online piracy are areas of serious worry for the industry but Mark’s quick to see some pro’s in this saying, ‘a lot more people are getting their music for free but there’s also tons more people that get to hear it which can only be a good thing.’ Skunk Anansie are looking on the bright-side of this debate and are instead more interested in people who find out about them on the internet and then choose to see them live.

Meeting up with a prominent female figure like Skin means asking her what it’s like

102 | Music

to be one of the only women leading a rock band. ‘It’s really good fun fronting this band,’ she says with an obvious sense of pride and achievement for herself individually as well as the band but she also seems to treat this feeling with caution.

More than just being a female front woman Skin became aware of her status as the most successful black front woman in rock while being interviewed for a specific project around the subject. ‘At first you think they’re licking arse, talking shit…’ she says. Skin says she never thought about the fact she could indeed be the most powerful black woman in rock and when attempting to list other women she came to the conclusion telling me ‘I guess I am’. This realisation however has not given Skin anything close to the inflated ego she implies we may expect, instead she is adamant that none of the band should rest on their laurels or loose the ‘fire in their bellies’.

So what would Skin’s advice be to those starting out in music now, or perhaps to her younger self? ‘I would say live in the moment but apart than that I wouldn’t change a thing.

I think sometimes you have to go thundering into it, see what happens and that’s exactly what we did.’ Well said.

103

The F

u

t

u

r

e

of Art Written by Hannah Jenkins Art galleries are all but obsolete, along with petrol and libraries.

If you want to see the classics, like the Mona Lisa, you have to go to some of the oldest buildings and queue for hours, just so you can stand 10 metres away from these priceless paintings. I remember my Grandma taking me to the galleries around Soho to view the latest pieces of modern art. These days it seems the art has broken free from the shackles of a gallery and is literally everywhere we look. It encompasses all possible creative processes that can be viewed through multiple mediums. Modern art, on the whole, has to be accessible otherwise it risks not reaching it’s full potential. Conceptual ideas of what art is and how it can be perceived have changed a lot in the past 100 years.

In my opinion the idea of conceptual art or at least the change from the traditional works started with the artist Yves Klein and ‘le Vide’ (the void). Klein emptied and painted a room white, leaving all but a clear cabinet on show. Thousands of people clambered to see this artwork that actually didn’t display any images or paintings. Klein wanted viewers to use their sensibilities to interpret his work and understand the gravitas behind something unfamiliar. He saw this space with it’s ‘Zen’ like atmosphere where representations are left at the door and one’s own intuition is used to reflect on what is in front of them, the art.

Klein was the father of invisible art and brought about a movement in Paris in the late fifties called ‘Nouveau Réalisme’. Around 100 years ago a gallery called The Hayward paid homage to artists, like Klein, who took art as we knew it and expanded on it. Where monuments to political leaders are erect but underground, and a person’s memoirs are written in water on stone. Artwork that is created but never seen.

Klein and other members of the ‘Nouveau Réalisme’ pushed audience participation with their work and their performance artwork. Klein involved art critic, Claude Pascal, who wrote about ‘the void’ in his work, ‘Zones of Immaterial Pictorial Sensibility’, whereas artist Niki De Saint Phalle created ‘Il Giardino dei Tarocchi’ (the Tarot Garden) in Italy, an amazing paradise with enormous sculptures of open-mouthed blob like monsters in multi-coloured, shimmering 104 | Art

mosaic tiles. You were able to wonder around the garden taking in all the wondrous sculptures and fountains, some of these were even habitable. Now there are whole communities that live within their marvellous monuments, where art meets architecture. Art that brings communities together is not a new thing but having everyone living and working together, creating such elaborate establishments is now a common mantra.

If it isn’t a community living within their art then we see artists mimicking societies with engineered marvels. Chris Burden is another artist that focuses on the invisible with his work like ‘White Heat/White Light’ where he stayed on an elevated platform out of sight in the Robert Feldman Gallery. His presence, though it was unknown, created a tangible atmosphere that affected the audience and drew them in to the motives and meanings of the piece. Later on in Burden’s career he produced ‘Metropolis 2’, an almost exact replica of the capital cities of the day. ‘Metropolis 2’ was showcased in the LACMA during 2012, which had toy cars that would slowly climb an incline, just like a roller coaster. They were then let loose to go whizzing about on a six lane highway, weaving around sky scrapers and high speed train tracks. If you saw Burden’s creation up close, you would describe the noise omitted by the machinery as intense. This is coupled with the fact that the twisted metal structure that had to be supervised, big brother style, for any complications added to this apprehension; possibly a feeling Burden was trying to create.

Burden produced artwork that had such palpable atmospheres, sometimes, he didn’t even have to have an object in the room for people to view and ponder on. This ambience is seen time and time again in art trails and affordable art fairs that frequent my weekends.

There are many small scale art trails in my hometown of Bristol and affordable art fairs in London. These small events will no doubt grow into traditions the world over and make art more accessible to the public. Totterdown art trail, run by Front Room, was one of the first in Bristol. It aimed to showcase established and amateur artists, photographers, designers, makers and musicians from all walks of creativity.

Maybe 100 years ago this all seemed a little contrived or twee but nowadays you grow up in your set communities around people who are almost clones of you. So group events like art trails are common

Ta k e n F r o m t h e P

a

Back then they would still show individuality amongst the artist exhibiting, even within one community, they would show such a diversity between image makers or producing crafts and food. Totterdown art trail also involved musicians to create music whilst the public mused over and hunted down the artists and their work.

It’s not only trails and events that display talented artists, as art is all around us. You can go in to a restaurant and be surrounded by the latest photographers work or go to a club where the light fixtures were designed by a Turner Prize winner. Venues like Sketch, that opened in Mayfair a good few years ago, serve amazing gourmet food with interiors devised by artists like Martin Creed. Creed questions similar theories to Yves Klein and asks the audience to interpret the meaning of his work. Creed famously won the Turner

s

t

of the subways of London or Paris, in the future I’m sure that every wall will be a celebrated canvas with everyone having the freedom to create whatever they want.

Hein featured in the same Invisible exhibition as Klein in 2012. It featured Hein’s ‘Invisible Labyrinth’ where the participants wore a headpiece that vibrated every time you walked into an invisible wall. You had to navigate your way through a maze that wasn’t visibly there meaning the participant put their faith in the device. This gesture of belief in the artwork expands on Klein’s work the ‘Zones of Immaterial Pictorial Sensibility’ which asks the participants to be intuitive and use their own understanding to interpret the artwork and reflect on it’s purpose.

Art such as this would be nothing without participation. Communities like the Barbican are another environment where people can live

I t’s not onl y trai l s and e v e n t s t h a t dis pla y t a le n t e d a r t is t s , as art i s al l around us . Yo u ca n go in t o a re s t a u r a n t a n d be surrounded by the latest photographers work or go to a club where the l i g ht fi xtures w ere de s ign e d by a Tu r n e r P r ize win n e r Prize for his work ‘No.227, the lights going on and off’, where lights in an empty room flashed off and on every 5 seconds. The use of an empty room again brought criticism and many queried if this minimalist style could really be called art. Though we don’t go out to dinner and sit in a white washed empty restaurant, the idea of being enveloped in this arena of artistic sensibilities has stayed true.

The Karriere Bar in Copenhagen, created by the artist Jeppe Hein and his sister, is a wonderfully weird environment where artists can create elaborate sculptures that will sit pride of place in the entrance or even in the mens urinals. Likewise, a customer could listen to the sound art curated by a different artist each month. The construction of such pieces become part of the fabric of the venue, they are integral to the ethos of the place. Subsequently art such as this has become an integral part of our everyday life. Currently we see art all over the walls

and breathe cultural and artistic endeavours. In it’s first 30 years it may have seemed to flounder and some saw it as an eye saw but the public have now warmed so much to the Barbican with its aim to involve everyone, especially it’s residents, in the artistic movements of the early 21st Century. Directors of the Barbican’s events want the attendee’s to feel like they have ownership of the art on show, that they are free to participate in events. To have a sense of belonging to these curated cultural environments so they would be free from all imposed ideas.

Art fairs like Freize, help showcase burgeoning artistic talent and continue to support existing creatives, to join in with performance artists like Spartacus Chetwynd who assembles imaginative productions and plays that incorporates everyone. The lack of artistic laws and conventions that were broken down by deviants like the members of the Nouveau Realisme will pave the way further for liberal art.

105

Good Artists Borrow G r e a t A r t i s t ’s ‘A p p r o p r i a t e ’ Written by Paula Evans

From time to time we find ourselves asking to borrow a pen, a tissue or change to catch the bus. The act of borrowing has become a tradition at weddings, an annual favour from a neighbour or a gesture between friends. It is an integral part of the development of our culture, business and politics which has united alliances and divided nations. Even the British language for example features hundreds of borrowed words from more than 146 languages; just consider — we failed to coin a word to better to describe ‘muesli’ or ‘guitar’.

The art world has seen artists ‘copying’ or ‘borrowing’ each other techniques, style and even imitating or reproducing each other’s work for centuries. Some artists may seek permission; for example 106 | Art

in the case of Rauschenberg’s erased De Kooning’s drawing, where the aim of this appropriated art is to reclaim authorship. Appropriation is not to be confused with forgery or theft, but is recognised as a movement that questions the value of the original.

‘Appropriation’ is the practice of creating a new work by taking a pre-existing image from another context such as art history, advertising or the media and replicating it exactly or combining that appropriated image with new ones. This ‘borrowing’ is regarded as the two-dimensional equivalent of the found object. But instead of incorporating that ‘found’ image into a new collage, the postmodern appropriator redraws, repaints, or re-photographs it. Many modern

Glenn Brown 2010 & 2011

artists wanted to use this concept to acknowledge their historical forebears. Edouard Manet borrowed a well-known composition from Raphael, and Pablo Picasso paid homage to Peter Paul Rubens and Diego Velázquez.

It would seem that today contemporary artists who work across a range of media from painting to photography and even literature are using appropriation to convey a contemporary statement about authorship, originality and the simulacrum.

In the past few decades’ artists have pushed these boundaries further. Artists and photographers such as Sherrie Levine often quote entire works as their own, for example photographing photographs

originally shot by Walker Evans and titling it in audacity — ‘After Walker Evans’. For many artists this process bears several layers of interpretation. Often the audience who viewed this image before will therefore experience initial despair in the apparent familiarity of the image.

The photograph acts as a memory trigger and provides the viewer with an uncanny likeness to original sensory experiences, it is its inherent ability to replicate exact representations of the original that makes it one of the most successful mediums for appropriation.

The effects of original sense perception are key to the success of the photographic montage, a great example of the epitome of photographic appropriation is Melinda Gibson’s Photomontage series.

107

Bernard Pras Salvador Dali installation 2004

Her works are amalgamations of some of the major works of the 1990s and 2000s, culled from the pages of The Photograph As Contemporary Art, written and edited by Charlotte Cotton (former curator at the V&A and LACMA). This book is often hailed in photographic higher education as one of the key texts for students. Gibson, who graduated from London College of Communication in 2006 and is now a visiting lecturer herself, chose to use one of the most sacred encyclopedias of photographic history and tear it apart to address new questions surrounding infinite possibilities of misplacement, manipulation and exploitation of images today.

Using just a scalpel, adhesive and a skilled eye she organised the nearly 300 images from the book into categories (People, Interior, Exterior and Abstract), each montage is made from three different picture types. Photomontage XVII (taken from pages 169, 133, 196), features a mystery figure that sits facing the camera in a suit and bow tie.

The texture of his suit is created from the Zarina Bhimji still life image ‘Memories Were Trapped Inside the Asphalt’ (1998-2003). The empty oil containers and battered walls depict Bhimji’s ‘suspended situation’, conveying the emptiness of memories. Gibson has carefully selected German artist Uta Barth’s ‘Untitled NW6’ (1999), to form the silhouette of his face, an image that resonates the idea of the space between the 108 | Art

image and the viewer, seeing and not seeing and in turn emphasises the distance between our conscious and subconscious realities.

The key to this piece is the core image, Self Portrait of my father Brian Wearing (2003) by Gillian Wearing, which acts as the basic compositional framework for this piece. The use of this image, in which Wearing adopts the identity of her father as a young man, works in unison with other selected images to highlight the power of the photograph and its ability to simultaneously forge relationships between the image and the viewer. What Gibson has achieved here is to isolate our relationship with photography and our original perception whether it is a memory of the image or an original memory itself. I certainly enjoy looking through this series, and the book of its origin to challenge my memory of photographic history and recollect some of the most influential photographs of my education.

While Gibson’s use of photographic appropriation fits current trends among a new generation of artists who interpret the photograph as an object and work towards interrogating the medium. Some appropriation artists choose to use photographic images as the source of their work.

Glenn Brown, is renowned for his process of appropriation creating unique interpretations of the history of painting that are in some parts reproductions from other artist’s works. Brown takes a photo-

Melinda Gibson Photomontage

graphic copy of an iconic artwork and reproduces it using the virtuosity of techniques invented by the greatest masters of art. The result is a photographic and uncanny resemblance to the original masterpiece.

He transforms the appropriated image by changing its colour, positioning and size. Using thick impasto, he works depicting representations that are executed through the application of thin, swirling brushstrokes and creates the illusion of an almost photographically flat surface. His method of copying is a process often taught in art schools across the country, where the ability to replicate the skill, effect and style of legendary artists is the first stepping-stone in fine art education.

Brown, who trained at Goldsmiths, is a controversial candidate for art collectors and curators. But the popularity of his work prevails and he has continued to exhibit at some prestigious galleries including The Serpentine Gallery, London (2004); Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna (2008); Tate Liverpool, England (2009) and his work is represented by Gagosian Gallery in New York and London, Patrick Painter Gallery in Los Angeles and Galerie Max Hetzler in Berlin.

Brown defines his work not as a replica or reproduction but rather as a reference to the original and has attempted to defer the encroaching and enviable copyright issues of which his work incurs.

Several years ago Brown ran into legal problems with Dali’s estate

over allegations that he had produced a copy of a Dali work, rather than developing it into a new work of his own; that dispute was later resolved. His work has continued to cause controversy, most famously at the Turner Prize Exhibition held at Tate Britain in 2000, where one of the paintings was closely based on the science-fiction illustration “Double Star” which was originally produced in 1973 by the artist Tony Roberts. Brown has since claimed that it is nonsensical to make something original and that he believes images are a language, therefore it is impossible to make a painting that is not borrowed – when even the images in our dreams refer to reality.

Artistic licence aside, copyright law is an obstacle for any appropriation artist; it states that the visual connection is the real test of ‘originality’. In order to qualify for copyright protection a work must be ‘original’, in the legal sense that it is not ‘substantially derived’ from the earlier work of another artist. The test is applied by a ‘non-visual expert’ (in other words, the person in the street, not an artist, art historian or curator) by placing the two works side by side and asking whether there is a visual connection: in other words, is the essential shape, form, configuration or perspective of the earlier work substantially present in the later work. If so, there is a connection, and the later work will have failed the ‘originality’ test and is subject to investigation.

109

War ho l ’s h a n d m a d e re - w o r k i ng of t he Ca mp b e l l ’s s o u p c a n l a bel or t he Br i l l o b o x e s re p re s e n t approp r i a t i on i n i t s p u re s t f or m

An obvious example is a photocopy, or photograph of a two dimensional work. However, when artists use their aesthetic skill and labour to paint, draw, print or otherwise make a new work of theirs which is substantially derived from another’s work, the question naturally arises as to whether the later ‘new’ work can be justifiably said to be a result of the ‘original’ work or the later artist. From the legal viewpoint, if the later work is visually connected to the original it is vulnerable to investigation. Artists, art historians and critics may, however take a different view of aesthetic, as against legal, ‘originality’. This is what appears to have been at the heart of the Brown and Robert’s “Double Star” controversy.

It later came to light that the title of Brown’s Loves of Shepherds, (2000) (the piece that resembled Double Star) had be altered and that the true title of the piece should have been subscribed with the words ‘after Tony Roberts’- a strange similarity to the acknowledgement of the original author also made by Sherrie Levine. Both artists reference the original artwork; whether it is the purpose of the work or a loophole to avoid copyright allegations this is unclear.

Such copyright issues have been identifiable in some of the worlds most famous and valuable works but there is a world of difference between Monet’s Dejeuner Sur L’Herbe and Picasso’s cubist version thereof decades later; because if Picasso had not made reference to the original in his own title, few people are likely to have made the ‘connection’. Warhol’s handmade re-working of the Campbell’s soup can label or the Brillo boxes represent appropriation in its purest form, there is no record that he acquired the right to replicate the brands identity, but in doing so he created some of the worlds most iconic imagery.

Contemporaries such as radical appropriation artist Richard Prince who is best known for his image Untitled (Cowboy) (appropriated from a cigarette packet) are still pushing legal limits. Prince last year became the subject of a copyright infringement case in which the photographer Patrick Cariou sued him following claims that his photos of members of the Rastafarian religion in Jamaica had been used to create collages. Prince had purposefully decontextualized the collection by adding splotches of paint and clip outs of other images. One 110 | Art

image depicts a Rastafarian man shot portrait-style in the jungle, which Prince has manipulated into a guitar-playing blue-eyed rock star. The court case revolved around whether or not Prince’s alterations of the Cariou’s photos constituted total transformations of the originals, and were thus protected under fair use laws. But the collection of work was enviably ruled derivative of Cariou’s imagery.

Until recently I had believed Prince had simply disappeared after three decades of creatively transformative artistic practice. Skimming a friend’s bookshelf however, I came across what I believed to be a copy of J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher In The Rye. The idea was simple and precise in its implementation: a reproduction of the first edition, an identical version in every way except the author’s name was swapped

Richard Prince Cowboys

Most people believe that conceptual art is a load of rubbish, well sometimes it is ...

1 Tim Noble & Sue Webster’s shadow sculptures incorporate recycled materials including household rubbish, scrap metal and taxidermy animals. These assemblages are brought to life by shinning a direct light on them, which transforms a pile of rubbish into highly accurate shadow profiles.

2 David Batchelor makes sculptural installations from objects found in the streets of London, he uses materials often considered as leftovers.

By incorporating brightly coloured neon lighting Batchelor emphasises the disused and discarded objects that line our streets.

3 Bernard Pras creates art by stacking ordinary objects on a piece of canvas, a process known as anamorphosis. Starting from a photograph Pras uses unwanted objects to create something that from up-close looks like nothing more than rubbish, but from a certain angle and distance an image is revealed.

from J.D. Salinger to Richard Prince. The replica was undistinguishable to the original, right down to the thick texture of the paper and classic typeface. It was word perfect and even the colophon concluded with: © Richard Prince.

Remarkably Prince had printed a small run of his pirated edition, spread them out on a blanket on sidewalk in front of Central Park, and sold them for $40 each. It’s unknown how many – if any – he sold or how the public responded to this performance. Prince had achieved an ultimate form of appropriation. He simply took another’s work and put his name on it. No longer something borrowed, the distinct lack of manipulation, reproduction or reinterpretation means it is both something old and something new simultaneously.

4 Vik Muniz famously known for his image ‘The Kiss, after Rodin’ in which he recreates the iconic imagery using chocolate recently became the star of Waste Land, a touching documentary directed by Lucy Walker which tracks the development of a 2008 series of monumental photographic portraits made from trash. Pictures of Garbage, is a collaboration with the garbage pickers of Jardim Gramacho, a 321acre open-air dump just outside Rio that is one of the largest landfills in Latin America.

5 Tom Deininger creates idealistic landscapes, reminiscent of famous landscape paintings. Deininger uses scrap and discarded materials such as plastic, wires, old containers, toys and packaging. This collection is commonly represented by photographs but is worth a real life viewing which reveals the intricate depth of the sculptures, enabling the viewer to pick out artefacts.

111

ck e N e th f o rary a r t i s s t u c k i n a r u t , a n d i f so, wha t ’s i t g o i n g t o t a k e t o b e

112 | Art

w

lo ch S e h T

C C G i l l a s ks w h e t h e r c o n t e m po-

the n e x t b i g t h i n g ?

In 1995, Marcus Harvey finished his painting. At nine foot eleven, it had been painstaking to complete; composed of many small units that looked blurry and indistinguishable from up close, but as you stepped further and further away, there was no mistaking what it was. It was large, loud, and controversial: the portrait of a child murderer.

Two years later, Charles Saatchi had bought Harvey’s painting of Myra Hindley and it was hanging in the Royal Academy, the very same establishment where Turner and Blake’s work was displayed, at an exhibition of the advertising guru’s collection, titled ‘Sensation’. This was one piece of work that would struggle to go unnoticed. Indeed, Myra unleashed hell.

In the quake that followed, four members of the Royal Academy resigned, two men attempted to sabotage the painting, mothers of murdered children formed their own protest group and Myra herself even requested for her portrait to be removed. Still, it hung in the exhibition. Still, the people raged.

It is difficult to imagine these strong, angry emotions to a painting in 1997 when today one barely raises an eyebrow at the title of Tracey Emin’s nude sketch of a woman, ‘A Cunt is a Rose is a Cunt.’

Like Harvey, Emin’s work had also been displayed in the infamous ‘Sensation’ exhibition. In fact, the show proved to be a great forecaster for future success. Damien Hirst, Marc Quinn and Sarah Lucas had also had their work exhibited on the same night. They were the Young British Artists: the brave and the bold. They had, arguably, talent, with something else – an ability to provoke, to catch the public eye; and to sell themselves as much as their work. The art scene of the 90s was like nothing anyone had ever seen before; it had become about ideas and entrepreneurialism, above skill and technicality. Art was anyone’s game.

It still is anyone’s game … but fifteen years after Saatchi’s exhibition, Emin et al still dominate the public eye, fashion and the headlines. It is difficult to believe how long they’ve been around. The question is: is their work still relevant, or are we just waiting for something better? And, if it’s the latter, what’s it going to take for a new artist to climb to the top of the contemporary art scene?

Smith refers to the spelling of Picasso in Emin’s works as intended to offer a ‘whole new possibility on the notion of Picasso’ because ‘the missing letter makes you look twice.’ The rationales writers like Smith have given to the works of artists like Emin have made it all the more easy for them to succeed. But people began to tire of the shock art movement. Critics at the time argued that the movement was lazy, exploitative of the public’s ignorance about art. At the Sensation exhibition, Hillary Bowker wrote for CNN that the new brand of ‘shock art’ had failed ‘to reach the creative heights attained by old masters’, such as van Gogh, Monet and Picasso.

Harvey’s Myra was one example of a shock gone too far. The painting, a reconstruction of a police photograph of Hindley, pieced together using the plaster cast of a child’s hand for a brush, was, according to Harvey, intended as an exploration of pedophilia and child abuse. Others merely called Harvey cheap and opportunistic.

David Lee, then editor of Art Review, now in charge of The Jackdaw magazine, said that the piece was ‘merely exploiting a very famous image of a very infamous subject in order to advance the career of the artist.’ Lee also hypothesised that an artist’s quest to get the punch line would be to the detriment of their long-term artistic impact.

Indeed, for short-term impact, Harvey has sunken into obscurity. For artists nowadays, to continue trying to shock the world is to repeat what has already been done to death.

Realising there was little shock left to make, conceptual art took a different direction. In 2004, Rachel Whiteread was commissioned to produce a piece for the Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall. Whiteread was from a different school of thought to Emin; her ideas were complicated, convoluted, even, to the point where understanding them distracted from the appreciating the art in a visceral, immediate sense.

Whiteread has always been preoccupied with negative space; used as a metaphor for understanding ‘what you do not see’. Her piece ‘Embankment’, for the Tate, consisted of fourteen-thousand translucent, white polyethylene boxes stacked on top of each other in different layouts. What looks like a homage to IKEA storage boxes is actually about loss and emotional upheaval.

Similarly, in 2000, Whiteread’s ‘Holocaust Monument’ stunned the public with, not its visual impact, but the idea behind it. In 1995, Whiteread was asked by the Austrian authorities to make a piece of art in remembrance of Austrian Jews killed during the Holocaust. In ‘Holocaust Monument’ Whiteread wanted to emphasise that the prejudice, in this instance towards Jews, is caused by not looking at the whole picture of someone. The piece is the casting of a library because of the occasional reference to Jews as ‘people of the book.’ The intent of her art is, some might argue, not clear.

Critics such as Brian Sewell have called her installations examples of ‘meritless gigantism.’

Many others have delivered equally complicated pieces of work. The question is whether we have tired of conceptual art all together; whether we’re shocked out and exhausted by ideas no one understands until reading a gallery blurb … Is there too much on an emphasis on understanding art through a philosophical rather than pictorial language?

N

e

w

A

Id

e

a?

Below Rachel Whiteread Holocaust Monument, 2000

The communication of concepts has always been central to art, but especially so towards the latter end of the 20th century and into the 21st century, to the point where technicality and craftsmanship have become of secondary importance.

Conceptual art had, at first, been about making people look differently at life, but the Young British Artists had taken it to a whole new level. It was now just about making people look. Success was fame for the artist and the more prepared you were to provoke the public, the more press coverage you got.

Emin’s fame peaked with the unveiling of her conceptual pieces ‘Everybody I have ever slept with’ and ‘My Bed’. The most provocative thing about the former piece was its name; the actual construct was a tent with the names of everyone Emin had ever slept with in the literal, rather than sexual, sense. The latter artwork was an installation of Emin’s old bed, depicting the artist’s miserable and squalid former living conditions. What Emin excelled at was capturing the public’s imagination and maintaining their interest: where would she go next, the people wondered. What was most commercial and appealing about her conceptual works was that they were easy to understand, accessible.

Emin and her contemporaries were the shock artists: they knew the key to fame and fortune was to appal, to slap the public in the face with their ideas. They had taught that lacking in skills such as drawing, perspective and anatomy did not matter anymore. In fact, you didn’t even need to be an intellectual to make conceptual art – just fearless. Where many of these artists succeeded was letting others do the work for them. At an exhibition of Emin’s work, writer Ali

113

Top left Jenny Saville Closed Contact, 2002

t?

Bottom left Grayson Perry

it ad Tr

A

io

n

al

is

abstract canvases sell before they’re even made and German visual artist Gerhard Richter has become the top-selling living artist. In 2011, his works sold for more than $200 million, topping auction result totals for Claude Monet, Alberto Giacometti and Mark Rothko combined.

Even if more traditional forms of art are not at first as knock-out or immediately impactful as the shock art of the 90s, they may be more memorable in years to come. At the Sensation exhibition, Lee commented that ‘great works of the past can be returned to time and time again … They renew themselves before your eyes. They’re inexhaustible, and that’s what makes them great’. Perhaps that’s what is important about more traditional forms of contemporary art; an artist’s respect for craft of the past could guarantee them longevity in years to come.

Still, there’s a problem in art schools with the calibre of students when it comes to technical skills. Ramzi Musa, a rising star in the fashion and painting scene, and recent graduate, became irritated with the lack of quality in art schools. He tells me, ‘The element of skill and craft is being completely killed off in universities’, adding, ‘I’ve worked with people who can’t even draw and I’ve watched them achieve Firsts’.

Contemporary artist Damien Hirst has dabbled in various traditional art mediums, such as sculpture. More recently he tried to reinvent himself with a collection of paintings. In 2009 he had a collection at the show ‘No Love Lost’ at the Wallace Collection, London. This year, at the White Cube Gallery, paintings Hirst created in the summer of 2010 have been displayed at the exhibition ‘Two Weeks One Summer’, consisting of paintings of lemons, sharks and parrots. This is one of the fewer occasions Hirst has done his art work entirely himself, with no help from any of his assistants; both exhibitions have been panned. Rachel Campbell-Johnston of The Times called Hirst’s work ‘shockingly bad’. Hirst has not succeeded as this enterprise, but he is still a success in art …

Recent movements in the art scene suggest that traditionalist art – painting and sculpture, alike – are very much in fashion. The rise of artists such as Jenny Saville and Grayson Perry, as well as the recent popularity of Lucien Freud and David Hockney’s recent exhibitions, emphasise the public’s appetite for more conservative art forms.

Paintings today are fetching enormously high prices. Painter Lisa Yuskavage’s work was selling for around £25,000 to £40,000 in 2000; five years later, her portrait of a femme fatale was bought for just under a million pounds at Christie’s in New York. Tauba Auerbach’s 114 | Art

?

N

e

w

A

B

ra

n

d

Contemporary artist Grayson Perry is, before anything, a craftsman and technician. But he realised he would need something extra to be a success; a brand, a personality. And he has just that: Claire, his famous female alter-ego. It’s Claire, indeed, that some may remember even before they think of Perry.

It’s Claire that has propelled Perry into fame and kept him in fashion. Emin and Hirst’s work may be technically worse than their contemporaries, their ideas outdated; but they have a personal appeal that still resonates with the public.

These days, just like a pair of Gucci shoes, the main thing that matters in art is the label; having a Hirst or Emin signature on your work. In the 2008 documentary, ‘The Mona Lisa Curse’, art critic Robert Hughes argued that Hirst functions like a commercial brand, and Brian Sewell has written that ‘to own a Hirst is to tell the world that your bathroom taps are gilded and your Rolls-Royce is pink’.

People buy Hirst’s and Emin’s works at the drop of a hat, thinking they’re making an investment for the future; for what will be a great, memorable piece in years to come… but they are simply, as Sewell puts it ‘endorsing a production line’. Their work does not have the rarity and scarcity of a Michelangelo. There are thousands of Hirst’s and Emin’s; Hirst’s production team has been churning out his famous spot painting since 1986, which there are now over 1,500 of.

For the next big thing to emerge in the contemporary art world, it’ll take good PR and a compelling personality to make it. Hirst and Emin have proved that even though their work may be stale, their brand is as alive as ever. The message is loud and clear: sell yourself as well as your art.

Above/ right Ramzi Musa

115

116 | Film

Tw e n t y y e a r s a g o Francis Ford Coppola was asked about the future of film-making and who would be the next Coppola. He said that he OR she would be playing with her or his camera and putting things out on the internet to be seen Going Viral Written by Stuart Fryer

those. I love the smaller films with smaller budgets and great ideas. As a future writer / director these are the films that will get you noticed and they are always the best.

Let me tell you a little bit about moi ...

We m a d e our V W suicide bomber spoof ad f or £ 3 9 6 i n a l l ow I don’t think I am the next Coppola (if only) but I do believe that the next Coppola or Scorsese or Cameron or Spielberg or Nolan is at this moment dreaming up simple ideas that they can make on a phone, put into their laptop, edit away, add a few effects and stick onto their YouTube channel. Loads of people, in fact millions are doing this but the fact is most are rubbish.

When it comes to the viral home made film that is thought out rather than a happy filmed ‘accident’ or some idiot singing a song, it is how the film tips over into the mainstream and is sent around the planet to be seen that is the Holy Grail. That is the magic of the great viral, how it hits the zeitgeist and the whole world watches it, not just a few mates.

There are people out there that think they are experts on viral film. They are lying.

No-one is an expert on what will go viral because no-one can tell what will actually go viral.

Companies and agencies spend a lot on films and force them on us with huge marketing spends online. I am not interested in 118 | Film

It’s seven years ago now that I made a viral film that changed my life. At the time I had never heard of the term ‘viral film’. I was working for an ambient ‘guerrilla’ advertising agency called Cunning Stunts. The job was thinking of ideas for non-print / TV ideas. Projecting Gail Porter naked onto Big Ben for FHM was a big one for us. I like advertising that pushes boundaries a little.

I just wanted to make films. I had done the film degree but won’t bore you with that.

One day a couple of creatives came in to do work experience. They had an idea for a viral film. As my better half was climbing the ladder becoming a successful commercials producer we were able to blag a 35mm camera and bought one roll of film. We had a maximum of five minutes to shoot.

My best mate was to act in it. We bought his costume, made a home made bomb out of plasticine and sorted the post production with friends in the industry.

We made our VW suicide bomber spoof ad for £396 in all. We made it to show to agencies to drum up some work. No malice towards VW, I have a 15 year old Golf, it is a great car. (Proof I ain’t in this industry for money).

YouTube had not yet arrived There were various sites to put up films on at the time so this is what we used.

At the end of the first day we had 2 million hits. We started to worry. How would VW react to this?

We soon found out. Getting the 38 bus through Dalston (before it was trendy), I looked over someone’s shoulder to see their Metro newspaper. On page 3 was a double page spread stating ‘VW TO FIND MAKERS OF SPOOF AD AND SUE’. When you see this it makes you want to barf big time.

Arriving in the office a friend then showed me the Daily Mirror, an even bigger spread. Felling increasingly nauseous I turned on Channel 4 news that evening to

VW Suicide Bomber Spoof Ad

V i r a l s g av e a d v e r t i s e r s t he l i c ense to ma k e a ds they never d rea med t h e y c o u l d g e t on TV. Al l those i dea s tha t sa t i n draws a t ag e n cie s s u d d e n l y s p r a ng out a nd were bei ng ma de see a piece on the film and the impact of the internet on advertising. It wasn’t only the strangeness of seeing Jon Snow chat about our film that stopped me from sleeping that night. The Guardian got my mobile number and asked for an interview, I declined as I was ‘papping’ my pants!

Then the 101st Airborne Division in Bagdad posted on their website that it was the greatest f**king ad of all time. (It is framed in my kitchen). I had found out the power of viral advertising.

VW caught up with us. They were not happy, but they let us off with a warning after they realised we had NO money. The master tapes had to be handed over. (But it was already out there in cyberspace, out there forever, and that is another power of the viral, it is there FOREVER). We did not mean to offend anyone, let alone religious groups and as I said I respect VW and their amazing legacy of advertising. At the end of the day it was pure naivety. It was trying to do something bonkers, something brave, something with an edge, something that would get us no-

ticed. Over 70 million people have seen the VW spoof.

This started my journey into viral film making. I was signed, off the back of this viral onto job to a Soho production company and went on to do virals for companies as diverse as GHD, Lynx, Cadburys, Bizarre magazine, PWC, Island Records, VISA, BMI, Paddy Power, Footlocker, Stannah Stairlifts (???) and Playstation amongst others. I created the most violent showreel in Soho.

Virals gave advertisers the license to make ads they never dreamed they could get on TV. All those ideas that sat in draws at agencies suddenly sprang out and were being made.

Sex and violence were on trend for the viral film and the blossoming video game industry loved the medium.

But nothing lasts forever especially in the viral world and with the invention of YouTube and the home made epic fail, the violent viral has become tedious and a relic of the past. And why does a game need to film anything when the animation

in the game itself has become so superb ...

So what was next? A lot. The ‘is it real or is it fake’ viral. The CCTV viral. The banned TV ad viral. The Superbowl shown once on TV viral. The INTERACTIVE viral. The online game viral.

So what makes a good viral? Is it a cop out to say the obvious? The key to a great viral is a great idea. Simple. If you’re looking to make your own and reading this has inspired you then I have few tips:

Don’t make it too long, that is what TV is for. Make it 90 seconds max. If you are advertising something, hide the product as much as you can. The viewer will switch off if they are given the hard sell. Try not to show the product at all.

Know your audience, make something that your core audience will want to pass on.

For example online games work brilliantly for 18-26 year old woman. Think about it, they are stuck at their desk at work, it is raining and cold outside and they can play a game related to One Direction’s new album or Elle magazines new issue has a ‘dress Kate Moss

For most, the holy g r a i l f o r f i l m ma k ers i s the fea ture film o n t h e b i g s c re e n . A c h ap who sta rted i n vi ra l s ha s done j u s t t h a t . A f a b f i l m - m a k e r c a l l e d Ben W hea tl ey the way you want this season’ ... (Forgive my stereotyping). Where as the fella wants to play the high tech “Gears Of War”.

Oh yeah, and try to be original. It may seem like an obvious one but it’s very easy to fall into familiar traps. I keep getting asked by clients to make their own version of a certain viral film. I try and tell them that no one will care, no one will watch it.

Recently I was asked for ‘a version of’ the Terry Tate office linebacker. (Google it)

I had to tell them that Channel 4’s ‘Rude Tube’ showed 2 hours of Epic Fails. How was their little film for bugger all money gonna get seen by an audience. They must think harder.

But enough of my waffling. Who is rockin’ it out there in the world of viral film making today? I don’t know everything out there, but here is a list of some of my favourite viral films for you to look up.

First off, The Viral factory have done some corkers, won tons of awards, check them out.

We have not spoken about the demise of the music industry and how the internet nearly killed them. But here is a great example of how a music video went viral. (I have ripped it off a couple of times!), search SOUR (Hibi no neiro)’

Oh and have you seen the Arcade Fire video that ad agency BBH have just ripped off for British Airways? www.thewildernessdowntown.com

For the higher end work and App development, one of the best companies in the country is AKQA. Also a great place to go and try and get some work from.

120 | Film

They are ever expanding.

For most, the holy grail for film makers is the feature film on the big screen. A chap who started in virals has done just that. A fab film maker called Ben Wheatley. He started making viral films for video game companies and became an Internet guru. He was the live film maker on ‘Modern Toss’ an then had his own BBC3 programme ‘The Wrong Room’ that was a collection of viral ideas. (Showing that the viral had evolved and needed fresh ideas online as now they were on TV.)

Ben has since then made three, yes three features in about 10 minutes it seems!

The first, ‘Down Terrace’ is well worth a watch, the second ‘Kill List’ is a great take on ‘The Wicker Man’ and his latest movie ‘Sightseers’ hits the cinemas in August.

Ben is proof that if you get out there with your camera phone and then edit it on your laptop, a few years later, you too could be making features. Just please make sure you have a GREAT and ORIGINAL idea. Oh and work hard at it, you won’t crack it the first fifth or tenth viral, but maybe the 11th will go stella. (Our VW film was a fluke and it was at the birth of the viral).

If you have an idea and want to be a creative in an ad agency and need something in your book that shows a superb viral / content idea, why not enter a competition run by a great boutique production company in Soho called Toast TV.

Enter it with your idea. And get a million people seeing it! Cos maybe 20 years ago Francis Ford Coppola was talking about you! I hope you make some ace stuff.

— www.montyfilms.co.uk www.toasttv.co.uk

Harry Treadaway Written by Laura Hills Photography by James Lincoln

‘I went camping in the wilderness with Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer just a few weeks ago,’ gloats young up and coming star of Disney’s forthcoming film The Lone Ranger.

Harry, a well spoken yet slightly scruffy looking future star, has just landed back in the UK after a hectic few months filming in America less than 24 hours ago and he is, understandably, fairly jet-lagged. But that doesn’t mask his excitement as he spends the majority of his Who’s Jack photo shoot quite literally bouncing off the walls. Pulling weird shapes with his body and showing off some impressive dance moves to a soundtrack dominated

by Rihanna he is to quote our photographer ‘a dream to shoot’. Making his name in films such as the critically acclaimed Fish Tank and alongside his twin brother in the 2004 cult film Brothers of the Head the Devon born actor is making real waves for himself. And he’s still only 27. We caught up with the rather tired actor for a cigarette and a chat in a typically drizzly Hackney garden …

Born one of three boys to an architect father and primary school mother it wasn’t long until Harry and his brothers developed a love of all things creative. ‘Whether it was music or acting we were pretty much into it all,’ remembers Harry. Growing up to study at The London Academy of Music and Art (or LAMDA as it’s more widely known to theatre types) as well as the National Youth Theatre he’s certainly earned his stripes as far as acting training is concerned. ‘I think in life we all fall into certain things and mine just happened to be acting,’ says Harry. ‘I used to think that it was joining drama school that made me really want to be an actor but looking back now I was always into the make-believe so I think I always kind of had that passion within me. My brothers and I used to put on little plays for our parents and stuff like that. Looking back I don’t think there’s ever really been a time when I wasn’t a bit of a performer.’

It was alongside his twin brother Luke that Harry landed his first acting role. He had just finished his second year at LAMDA when an audition came up for a feature film about conjoined twins in Brothers of the Head.

Despite previously agreeing they would never work together they decided to put their reservations to one side and give it a go.

Based on the cult science novel by Brian Aldiss the mockumentary saw the two brothers playing members of a punk band. As well as playing the lead roles Harry and Luke, who both happened to be members of their selfformed band Lizardsun, also performed all of the songs in the film as well as contributing

nine tracks for the films soundtrack. ‘I love music and I love acting. So to be able to work on a film where I could really throw myself into both of those worlds was brilliant.

Working with my brother was pretty fun too although after that we kind of made a conscious decision not to work together again too much. Neither of us wanted to be type cast.’

And so they went in separate directions.

Luke to the dizzy heights of the theatre stage and Harry continued to carve a path out for himself in film.

Reading pieces about Harry online one thing comes up over and over again. His complete obsession with method acting. With one Evening Standard reporter even saying

that Harry’s way of preparing for a role gives the notoriously obsessive Christian Bale a run for his money. ‘I’ve always been absolutely fascinated with research,’ explains Harry.

‘It’s the main reason I wanted to be an actor because it gives me the chance to play a whole spectrum of different characters and to really immerse myself in who they are and what makes them that way. There’s nothing quite like playing a character who is about as far removed from your true self as possible.’ It is fair to say then that Harry doesn’t do things by halves. When he and Luke were cast in Brothers of the Head they spent months sleeping in the same bed to get into the role of conjoined twins as well as dropping to below 8 stone so that their characters malnourishment would appear realistic. Similarly over his years as an actor he has also learnt how to strip a car engine (for Fish Tank), how to ride a horse (The Lone Ranger) and spent days, weeks even, meticulously researching his characters and preparing for his days on set. ‘No two characters are ever the same so I never feel truly prepared for a role until I’ve researched my character. I think that’s what I really love about my job. That and the fact I get to learn new skills,’ he says.

Unlike some other actors who have landed big roles early on in their career Brothers of the Head didn’t land Harry any other work. ‘Acting is a very fickle thing,’ says Harry.

‘Just because you do a big job that is quite well received doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed any more work after it. It’s a funny world because one minute it can seem like every door is open to you and you have limitless possibilities and the next you don’t even know where the doors are.’

Arguably his biggest role to date is as a cowboy called Frank in the highly anticipated new version of The Lone Ranger. ‘It’s crazy how it came about,’ explains Harry. ‘I went out to America last year to try and land a job out there and ended up going for an audition in front of Gore Verbinski, the guy who directed all the Pirates of the Caribbean films, and he gave me the part.’ Despite his initial excitement Harry then had an antagonizing wait while the films production was put on hold while the crew tried to agree a budget with Disney. Rumour has it that as well as some changes to the extravagant script many of the films major stars including Hammer, Depp and Helena Bonham Carter cut their fees in order for the film to go ahead. ‘Once that was all ironed out they packed me off for six weeks of cowboy camp,’ says Harry. ‘I learned everything from how to ride a horse to how to

I t hi nk i n life we all fa l l i nt o c e r t a in t hing s a n d m i n e j us t ha p p ened t o b e a c ti n g

twiddle and shoot a gun. It was unreal but the days were long and it was ridiculously hot out there. I sweated buckets during that training.’

Harry has spent the last five months splitting his time between shooting locations in New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Arizona working alongside some of the biggest names in the business. And despite the initial hiccups the film still managed to retain a multi-million pound budget. ‘The scale of the whole production is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. I have to give credit to Gore though, he has an amazing ability to really squeeze every last penny out of the budget he was giving. Being on set with him you really get a sense that he’s not wasting any

of the luxuries that have been allowed to him.’ As for the finer details of his role and his relationship with the films leading stars Harry is remaining annoyingly tight lipped. ‘This is the job of a lifetime and I really don’t want to mess it up by saying something I’m not allowed to. As with all big productions the crew is very keen to keep things quiet so that nothing is given away. I’ll end up getting sued if I tell you too much.’ What he will tell me though is that the hardest thing to get to grips with about filming is galloping towards a film crew at full pelt and trying not to kill anyone and that both Johnny and Armie are ‘very, very lovely people’.

As well as shooting guns and spending his time hanging out with Hollywood A-listers Harry has also been shooting a film called Mystery White Boy about the legendary singer Jeff Buckley. ‘He produced beautiful and amazing songs so it’s a real honour to be a part of the film,’ says Harry. ‘Jeff Buckley’s mum is producing it an I get to film over in New York so that’s pretty incredible too.’ But despite all his time shooting over in the US Harry hasn’t forgotten his UK roots. He’s also keeping himself busy working on a new Brit film called Cockney’s Vs Zombies alongside Snatch actor Alan Ford and One Day actress Georgia King. ‘It’s a really nice mix of well established actors and new comers like me,’ says Harry. Cashing in on 2012’s biggest craze, zombies, the film tells the story of an outbreak of the living dead in London and those who are trying to escape it.

For the most part of 2012 Harry has been splitting his time between the London flat he shares with members of up and coming band Tribes (who’s music he plays in the studio after he’s done with the Rihanna album) and a base in LA’s Venice Beach. ‘It’s pretty cool there. I’ve been spending my off-days surfing and sunbathing on the beach, it’s a million miles away from my life here in the UK. Although that’s not to say that I don’t love coming back to London. I really think there isn’t any other city like it. The architecture and history is unlike anywhere else in the world.’

Having a fairly sizable number of both British and American productions under his belt has stood Harry in good stead for finding future work and it seems like things are on he up and up for him. ‘Working on British and American films is every Brit actors dream I think,’ says Harry. ‘There aren’t too many differences between working on an American film and working on a British film although I will say they do catering much, much better

in the US! The majority of the British stuff I’ve done has been short films and I absolutely love the pace of working like that. It’s a great challenge to have to work to very tight deadlines and budgets, that gives me a real thrill because in a way it forces actors and the film crew to be more creative as there often isn’t much time to think through problems. Working like that brings out the best in everyone,’ says Harry. ‘Having said that, what actor doesn’t want the chance to jet over to the US and film for months on end in a purpose built town in the middle of some canyons alongside some of the world’s best actors? To be able to do a bit of both of those types of acting is just mind blowing to me. I’m very lucky.’

The Power of the Sequel Written by Joe West A lot of people forget that the film industry is designed to make money; a biomechanical machine, the constituent parts of which are partly human and partly metallic apparatus.

This chimera strides boldly across the world with the intent of hovering cash out of the pockets of the young, the affluent and the bored. This, above artistic posturing, is its specialism.

So being surprised / elated / enraged when it is announced that a venerated film franchise is going to be receiving a sequel/ prequel/reboot is redundant. The correct response to this news should be ‘Of course.

Obviously. Why haven’t they done it already?

Do they hate money or something?’

But this fatigued acceptance of sequels comes with age and experience, leading to a sourness that can eat away at your ability to enjoy anything that has even the hint of being a re-hashed idea. You’ll end up seeking more and more obscure works, shunning the mainstream to the point where you’re only satisfied by a six hour film about a family of incestuous mimes.

This makes sequels a powerful tool, from both a financial and artistic standpoint.

There are expectations that need to be fulfilled, new ground that needs to be broken and an existing canon which has to be reference. It is a balance that few films can aspire to attain.

However, this does not stop studios throwing money at sequels. They are a rash on the already inflamed hide of Hollywood, which executives and audiences cannot help but itch again and again. While some sequels can be a power for good, others are cursed to receive the vilification of fans. Worse, some are treated with apathy, indicating that interest has waned and perhaps the quiet void of history is ready to swallow a filmic thread for good.

Timely Nostalgia While public fondness for a particular movie IP may play a significant role in catalysing the creation of a sequel, part of the process comes down to the opinions of a gaggle of studio executives. This explains why we are starting to see a specific type of sequel and reboot at the moment.

People who were in their teens and 20s during the 1980s /early 90s are now controlling the money in Hollywood, which is catalysing the recent spate of nostalgic revivals of long-forgotten franchises like Conan the Barbarian. Meanwhile TV shows watched by boys who are now men with sons of their own have been resurrected from the purgatory of indefinite reruns. How else can you explain the existence of The A-Team or The Dukes of Hazard, both of which were met with a tepid reception at the box office?

Nostalgia is perhaps the most human motivation behind the various elements which inspire the production of sequels, reboots and remakes. In some cases it is also a conduit for laziness.

Re-mastery In a recent trend, many studios have begun to take the ‘I can’t be arsed’ approach to sequels, which basically involves digitally re-mastering movies that are now considered classics and then plonking them back into the cinema, usually a couple of weeks before they are released on Blu Ray. This has occurred to plenty of films, including recent examples like Jaws and Chariots of Fire.

While preserving content shot on a volatile medium via an infallible, immortal digitising process is definitely a valuable service paid for by the audience’s Teletubbyesque fondness for repetition, there are still contemporary rogues who are in a position to shun this kind of development. Christopher Nolan’s insistence that The Dark Knight Rises not only remain resolutely 2D but that it also be distributed to 1000 IMAX screens on film, not as a file for digital projection, is perhaps the strongest example of maintaining traditions in another way.

This is the opposite of the canny lethargy which has inspired certain directors to plaster some stereoscopic 3D effects onto an existing film that was never shot or intended to be viewed in this medium and shove it into cinemas again. This is happening for more recent releases, such as James Cameron’s Titanic and George Lucas’ Star Wars hexalogy.

In fact the former earned an extra $200 million with its 3D re-release in 2012, allowing it to breach the $2 billion global box office landmark and endow Cameron with enough cash to replace his eyes with pearls.

No doubt Tony Scott will be hoping that the 3D re-release of the 26 year old Top Gun later in 2012 will be equally successful. This is doubly important since a sequel has been confirmed to be in the works, complete with Tom Cruise’s now 50 year old Maverick. We can only hope that a recreation of the volleyball scene has been mooted and hastily dismissed, because you can’t re-master abs.

It might almost be more sensible for Tony to take the lead from his older brother Ridley and avoid a sequel altogether. 2012’s Prometheus was a financial success, bolstered by huge hype which touched only lightly on the fact that it was a prequel to Alien. While it followed a near identical plot arc to the franchise which it chronologically precedes, sticking closely to tropes of space horror, it did so at a time when this genre has fallen through the cracks of the mainstream and into B-movie territory.

129

Puss in Reboots The sequel in its traditional form has fallen out of favour somewhat in recent years, as has the remake. Instead we are regularly treated to reboots, which shows that Hollywood usually thinks that turning something off and on again is enough to bring it back to life.

Reboots can roughly fall into the category of a prequel, sequel or remake, but have the distinct advantage of being marketed as a separate entity from the original canon. If they turn out to be successful, then a franchise can be reincarnated and augment the legacy of its source. If it is a flop, then it can be swept under the carpet. Or, in the case of 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, exist in the hinterland between failure and success, surpassing Ang Lee’s then five year old Hulk yet trailing every other entry in the fruitful Avengers franchise.

In fact this five year gap seems to be the defining feature of reboots, living up to the implied speed of this moniker. More recently The Amazing Spider-Man has refreshed and effectively re-told the same story of Sam Raimi’s 2002 original just a decade after its release and five years since 2007’s Spider-Man 3.

The fast turnaround on these movies can be interpreted as a cynical attempt to wring as much money from audiences as possible with as little actual effort involved in the process. And, to a certain extent, this is true. But Hollywood has to respond to what the audience wants, which at the moment appears to be big budget comic book movies, preferably with characters and plots that they have seen before.

That was partly why the success of The Expendables was a little bit of a shock, because by the turn of the millennium the straight-shooting action movie had been ousted from its position of prominence, since CGI could clearly be used to realise the fantastical worlds that were previously trapped within the frames of Marvel and DC’s back catalogues. Of course Sly Stallone knows the power of the sequel better than anyone, creating pseudo-sequel reboots for Rocky and Rambo in the past six years. And as with Alien/Prometheus, the faces change but the plots stay the same. Except that the faces don’t change. They just look a bit melty.

130 | Film

The Dance of Disney & Pixar Two closely linked companies that have dramatically different approaches to sequels are Disney & Pixar.

Pixar has so far been incredibly sparing with its use of sequels. It took four years for the Toy Story follow-up to arrive, followed by another 11 year hiatus before the trilogy was complete. Each of these sequels was creatively justifiable and also afforded an international release with a suitably large budget to go with it.

On the other hand, Disney has been far happier to roll out direct-to-video sequels for its box office smashes, some might say to the detriment of the originals. Who could forget The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride, Aladdin 2: The Return of Jafar or, perhaps most significant of all, 2006’s The Fox and the Hound 2, made 25 years after the original?

Disney is transparent in its aims; gleaning a profit from an established brand with as little investment as possible. This makes Pixar’s attempt to foster new IPs all the more appealing, since it has taken big risks, and reaped major rewards, with Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille and WALL-E, amongst others.

But it seems that Pixar’s fecund creativity cannot keep generating fresh gems indefinitely. There is clear evidence that it is starting to scrabble around in its back catalogue and kick start a sequel-oriented era. We’ve already had the poorly received Cars 2 and a Monsters, Inc prequel is coming out next year. Now Finding Nemo 2 and Toy Story 4 are also gestating. Let’s hope these film-children which slither out of Pixar’s womb in the next few years are worthy of love, not bound for a cage in the cellar.

It’s worth noting that Disney’s outright takeover of Pixar in 2006 is probably the key

culprit in the subsequent focus on sequels, since part of the deal involved the animation studio making a commitment to revisiting established franchises.

Therein lies the idiocy at the heart of Hollywood. Pixar had proven, over and again, that it did not need sequels to make hundreds of millions of dollars and yet Disney wanted it to divert from this winning formula in the name of secure profitability and fewer risks.

In fact you could argue that Pixar was succeeding because it could offer moviegoers originality year after year, without resorting to raiding fairy tale books or using a chorus of racist crows to win over audiences, as its new owner has relied upon in its worryingly dictatorial history.

Pixar used to be the Apple of the movie world, which is unsurprising given that Steve Jobs was instrumental in its early years. It would create products that the audience didn’t even know that it needed and inspire endless copycats. But the infectious focus-grouping ethos of Disney is turning it into a trend follower, not a trend setter. Which makes the title of Pixar’s Brave extra ironic.

Blame Bond The film series that is both the king of the sequel/reboot and the culprit behind its popularity is based on that slutty British spy currently portrayed by Daniel Craig. James Bond has been reimagined and rebooted several times out of necessity, since while age has ravaged the actors who have played him, so too has the passage of time altered the balance of power on the global stage, throwing up new enemies and allies for her majesty’s hound dog to encounter.

2012’s Skyfall is arguably a reboot in its own right, despite the fact that Craig has been a lynchpin of continuity for the series since 2006. In the four years since The Quantum of Solace was released, Bond nearly went bust as MGM struggled with bankruptcy, while the frostier critical reception to Craig’s second dispassionate take on the secret agent provoked concern that this might spell disaster despite the promise shown in Casino Royale.

As is demonstrated by Prometheus and The Amazing Spider-Man, the framework of every Bond film must be fundamentally identical to its predecessors. To think otherwise would be to miss the point. It allows the characters and stories to enter myth, becoming part of modern master plots of which everyone has an understanding.

Looking at it this way reveals the fact that, on a basic level, all films are reboots, sequels or remakes. And sometimes art house cinema is just a Hollywood plot where the hero dies.

131

Sam Spurell Written by Laura Hills, photography by James Lincoln

I wa s sa nd i ng m y fl oors one d a y wh e n my a g ent ra ng an d sa i d I ha d to thro w some desc ent clo th e s on and get down for a n a ud i ti on

As far as actors are concerned they seem to be able to be broken down into two tidy groups. The ones who make it instantly and the ones who take years to rise to the top of their game. Sam Spruell is certainly with the latter group. His first proper acting credit came back in 2002 when Sam gained himself a small part in Kathryn Bigelow’s disaster hit K-19: The Widowmaker. Since then Sam has appeared both on the big screen – in films such as The Hurt Locker, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll and most recently Snow White And The Huntsman – as well as in several smaller TV productions. With a wealth of experience under his belt it seems his role as the evil Queen’s brother in Rupert Saunder’s take on the classic Disney tale Snow White could finally see him getting the big break he’s been striving towards. We caught up with Sam just days after he landed back from meetings with agents in LA to find out more …

‘When your first scene sees you pushing yourself up against Kristen Stewart in a rather predatory and sexual manner you know it’s going to be an interesting day on set,’ says Sam as he reflects on his first day on set on Snow White And The Huntsman. ‘That first day I spoke to very few people so that I could make sure I stayed calm. I really felt like I found my character on that first day, I 134 | Film

suddenly got who he was which is rare for it to happen that quickly.’

Born and raised in Lewisham, South London Sam had a very famous childhood best friend, Dominic Cooper (star of The Devil’s Advocate and Captain America: First Avenger). The two met at school and quickly developed a joint passion for acting. Partly spurred on by Sam’s mother who was a theatre actress the two would spend hours together filming amateur short films together. ‘Those films still exist somewhere, probably hidden deep inside one of Dominic’s draws somewhere,’ laughs Sam. ‘He’s actually a great inspiration for me. He’s worked so hard and done incredibly well for himself, we’re still great friends and I look up to him greatly.’

Unlike his childhood friend Sam hasn’t been as lucky as to make it into the big time straight away. Instead he’s spent the last 12 years learning his craft on theatre, film and TV projects and slowly building up a reputation for himself. ‘You could certainly call my career a slow burner’, says Sam. ‘No project I’ve ever worked on has opened a door for me. Instead I’ve been slowly chipping away and the more projects I’ve gotten under my belt the more those doors are open for me. I’ve survived this long so I must be doing something right, I think I’m at the point where I have a proven

track record and people know they can rely on me.’

It’s the directors and casting directors he’s met at his many auditions who have been the ones to most help with his career.

After landing a role in the Kathryn Bigelow directed K-19: The Widowmaker alongside Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson. It was only a small part but it won over Bigelow so much that years later she called him and asked her to appear in the critically acclaimed The Hurt Locker. ‘She called me out of the blue and asked me to be in one of the scenes, she said I could pick any part I wanted in a certain scene which was a great honour. I ended up on set a few months later working alongside Ralph Fiennes.’

But it was a meeting with little known British director Rupert Saunders that would lead to, at the age of 34, what many in the business would call his big break. ‘I was sanding my floors one day when my agent rang and said I had to throw some descent clothes on and get down for an audition to play Charlize Theron’s brother in Snow White And The Huntsman,’ says Sam. ‘I auditioned, Rupert loved it, asked Universal if I could be in the film … and they said no.’ Quite rightly Universal had some concerns about casting a British actor they’d never heard of in a multi-

million pound budget film starring some of the best known actors and actresses in the world. ‘But we weren’t giving up so Rupert set up a screen test which he shot in a forest with a small crew and sent it over for Universal to check out, eventually they decided to take a gamble and the part was mine. Those type of jobs don’t come around every day so naturally I really, really wanted the part and couldn’t believe it when it was mine.’ Since the film was released earlier this year praise has flooded in for Sam’s role with Saunders himself saying in an interview, recently, ‘he’s incredible. I saw him in a small British gangster movie called ‘London to Brighton,’ and I was like, I gotta get that guy. He’s stunning in it’.

Having only ever played small bit parts in Hollywood Blockbusters before Sam suddenly found himself on a purpose built set surrounded by names such as Twilight star Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Ray Winstone and Bob Hoskins. ‘Anyone who’s seen the film will know how mystical and magical the set is and unlike many other films Rupert didn’t reply on green screens.

The team literally built the whole thing from scratch. Half my acting work was done for me because I didn’t have to rely on my imagination, the whole world was there for me to see with my own eyes,’ explains Sam. So what was it like working with Stewart, arguably the most famous actress in the world right now?

‘Amazing. She is just so professional and really generous with her time. If I was ever worried about a scene we were doing together she’d take time out to talk it through with me. Her concentration when shooting is absolute and that’s actually very helpful for actors who are appearing in scenes with her as it keeps everyone focused.’ To prepare for the action packed role Sam was sent on a series of courses to prepare him physically and mentally. ‘I had a lot of fighting scenes to get my head around so I was sent on lots of fighting courses and I also learnt how to horse ride. I also had to put on two stone in order to do the part so I basically survived on a diet of potatoes in the months and worked out five days a week before filming. It got to the point where none of my clothes fitted me anymore.’

And it wasn’t just his body Sam had to change for the role. ‘I had to bleach my hair blonde and grow it really long so I could have a bob cut in to it. All the other actors thought it was a wig, which really annoyed me. I wanted recognition of how hard I work to grow that bloody thing. It worked well for the film but as an every day guy walking around Hackney it was a bit embarrassing. From time to time I’d 136 | Film

forget to put a hat on when I was popping out and I’d get the strangest looks from people.’

For the moment Sam is taking a break from working on any more major Hollywood films and is instead concentrating on a BBC drama called Mayfair, a kind of UK take on The Killing. The series is being directed by up and comer Brian Welsh – ‘He made one of the Black Mirror programs and he’s utterly fantastic’ – and should go some way to further propelling Sam into people’s consciousness’s.

And in his spare time Sam keeps himself busy with his young song and his costume designer girlfriend. ‘I love spending time as a family when we can. The nature of my job as an actor

and her job as a costume designer means we work a bit like freelancers so we’re very rarely about at the same time. One of us is always off working or in another country.’

Throughout our interview Sam speaks several times about his looks. Towering over the rest of us and dressed in a buttoned up polo shirt and Burberry style mac he looks every inch the Londoner. ‘I definitely think my looks are something that I’ve grown into, I used to be a bit awkward looking!,’ He laughs.

‘It’s certainly the worst thing about being an actor, putting yourself out there for not only the casting directors, film studios and directors to judge but also for anyone who watches the end result. When I hear nasty things said about me it’s a very tough pill to swallow but I think all actors feel the same.’ And the best thing about being an actor? ‘I’m very interested in people, how we live our lives and what makes people tick. Being an actor allows me to play a whole range of characters, which gives me a better understanding of humanity.

There’s not many jobs where you can claim that.’

Looking through Sam’s IMDB page it isn’t hard to see that he has, to some extent been partially type-cast. Roles in gritting British films about London life rank the most highly in the list of characters he’s played. ‘I love playing the villain because it’s pretty fun but I’m also trying to look for more projects now where I move away from those kind of characters,’ says Sam. ‘There’s something odd about the film industry that dictates that all films about London should either present everyone as bumbling idiots or as East End gangsters and I think it’s a shame. Both genres have been done to death.’ So how would Sam like to see London presented?

‘As something a bit more glamorous. I’d like London-made films to become more European in the fact that they show a nicer, more up-market side to the capital. I think filmmakers are slowly starting to catch on that there’s a different side to London and slowly but surely I think people are getting a bit more adventurous. I guess what I’d like to see is for a British Michael Haneke to emerge.’ The fact Sam even thinks to mention the German/Australian director who’s best known for his disturbingly bleak style says all we really need to know about his dedication towards his chosen art form. ‘Whether it’s advise I’ve been given by fellow actors, some methodology I learnt at University or tips I picked up watching my mum work I like to look to different influences when I work. I think that makes me the best possible actor I can be.’

New to London Over the Next Few Months

Moreno Cedroni (At the Baglioni) 60 Hyde Park Gate Kensington, London SW7

Written by Charlotte Gill

R E S T A U R A N T S Beard to Tail 77 Curtain Road, Shoreditch London EC2A If you like Shoreditch’s Callooh Calley you’ll be excited to know that the team behind the cocktail bar are opening another joint, Beard to Tail, where you’ll be able to drink and eat some very exciting new things. The restaurant is opening in September and has already has been previewing some scrumptious looking dishes on their Facebook and Twitter pages, including their pork-based dish, Rumpie Pumpie. We think it looks scrumpie-licious.

— www.beardtotail.co.uk

Naamyaa Café Angel Building, 407 St John Street Islington, London EC1V 4AB In October, Naamyaa Café will be coming to Islington in October, providing a modern Bangkok-style dining experience. The restaurant is being opened by Alan Yau, the man behind big brands such as Wagamama and Hakkasan. Naamya will be a sister restaurant to the successful Busaba Eathai, with a lighter, more around-the-clock feel to it. Yau plans to expand the restaurant to shopping malls, airports and cities outside of London.

— www.naamyaa.com Hawksmoor 7 Air Street, Soho, London W1B 4EA Hawksmoor Air Street will be opening up for business this October. This will be the fourth restaurant to open of the British steakhouse and cocktail bar chain, in addition to its sisters in Guildhall, Seven Dials and Spitalfields. This new restaurant will be more focussed on seafood and steak, all cooked on a charcoal grill.

— www.thehawksmoor.com

138 | London

Two-Michelin-starred chef Moreno Cedroni is to open a new restaurant at the five-star Baglioni Hotel in Kensington. The Italian has already described London as ‘the best city in the world for restaurants’ and believes strongly that his ‘food will meet the palate of London diners.’ Cedroni already owns four restaurants in Italy, including the two-star La Madonnina del Pescatore. He is famous for his Italian take on other types of cuisine; one of his favourite concoctions being ‘susci’-an Italian-style sushi dish in which he uses carnaroli rice to replace sushi rice and fish sauce (colatura di alici) instead of soy sauce. We can’t wait to see what he’ll bring to the table!

— www.baglionihotels.com Balthazar London 4 – 6 Russell Street London WC2E 7BN British Keith McNally, referred to by the New York Times as “The Restauranteur Who Invented Downtown” is to open Balthazar, an American brasserie, at the end of 2012.

McNally has been a big name on the New York food scene for 30 years, with his widely praised restaurants including: Odeon, Pravda, Pastis, Schiller’s, and others. We can expect great things from this food mastermind.

— www.balthazarny.com

H O T E L S Shangri-La Hotel London The prestigious Shangri-La hotel chain is to branch out to London. In 2013, Shangri-La will be launching a new luxury hotel inside the spire of The Shard. If you want to book a room, there’s plenty to choose from (195, in fact). The hotel will occupy floors 34 to 52 of The Shard. Inside you will also be able to hang out in the hotel’s glass-enclosed “wintergarden”. If you want a fabulous view over London, this is just the right place to be.

— www.shangri-la.com/london

F A S H I O N College of Fashion & Design In 2013, the publishing house Condé Nast will be opening its very own College of Fashion & Design will open its doors. At the school, you can study for a Vogue Fashion Certificate (at the very cheap price of £6,600 for ten weeks), or in October you can take a year-long Vogue Fashion Foundation Diploma, which will set you back £19,560. It costs to be a fashionista, don’t you know!

— www.condenastcollege.co.uk

139

140 | Fashion

Written by Charlotte Gill

141

1 The Phoenix Cinema The Phoenix Cinema, known as the ‘East Finchley Picturedrome’ until 1975, is the oldest continuously running cinema in London, having been in operation since 1912. The first ever film to be shown at the cinema was about the sinking of the Titanic, which had happened in April of that year. The Phoenix shows independent, foreign and specialist films, and has even been referred to in pictures such as Nine (Rob Marshall, 2009) and Nowhere Boy (Sam Taylor-Wood, 2009). Patrons include director Ken Loach, comedienne and writer Victoria Wood and film buff Mark Kermode.

— 52 High Road, London N2 9PJ 2 The Electric Cinema The Electric Cinema first opened its doors to the public in 1910, shortly after its sister cinema in Birmingham. Problems arose with the cinema during World War I, when locals attacked the building after suspecting German-born manager to be communicating with Zeppelin raiders by sending signals from the roof. In the 1940s, serial killer John Christie is said to have worked as a projectionist there.

The cinema was plagued by financial troubles and closed in 1993. However, later that decade, property developer and architect Gebler Tooth acquired the premises and transformed the cinema, adding a bar and restaurant. It is now one of London’s most fashionable hot spots.

— 191 Portobello Road, Notting Hill London W11 2ED

142 | Fashion

3 The Ritzy The Ritzy was built by E.C. Homer and Lucas in 1911, originally known as ‘The Electric Pavillion.’ It closed down in 1976, but luckily Lambeth Council managed to save it from total demise. Picturehouse Cinemas is currently in charge of the cinema, which now has a bar, café, as live music venue titled ‘Upstairs’.

— Brixton Oval, Coldharbour Lane London SW2 1JG 4 Everyman Screen on the Green The Everyman Screen on the Green is one of the cosiest cinemas in London, located on the Angel’s Upper Street. It has been in business since 1913. The cinema started when two brothers, the Pesaresis, began showing their own animation shows in a vacant shop on the site. Their neighbour, shop owner Thomas Harold, was so impressed with their work that he gave them an investment so that they could buy out their neighbouring businesses and build an electric cinema. The cinema was taken over by the Everyman Media Group in 2008, who refurbished the building with new seats, a better bar and a full-size stage for live events.

— 83 Upper Street, London N1 0NP

5 Gate Picturehouse The Gate began as ‘The Electric Palace’ in 1911 and is one of the first British cinemas to convert fully to sound. In World War II, the cinema became a place where you could go to get updates on the events of the time.

The building was bombed heavily during the period, which unfortunately left the façade and doomed roof damaged. They have since been replaced. The cinema slowly ran into difficulties in the mid-20th century as television became people’s main source of entertainment, but in 1974, it changed hands and was given a new lease of life. Cinegate relaunched the cinema as part of the Gate chain and it gained a reputation as somewhere to see avant-garde and experimental pictures.

— 87 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3JZ 6 Regent Street Cinema The Regent Street Cinema, described as ‘the birthplace of British Cinema’ was built in 1848, and first used for magic lantern shows. Towards the end of the 19th century, two French brothers, Auguste and Louis Lumière began to screen their short films to the public. Their work proved to be enormously popular, even with the royal family of the time. The cinema stopped being used in 1981, and has since been a lecture theatre for the University of Westminster. Recently, the university has joined forces with director Asif Kapadia and Working Title Films in a fundraising campaign to see it reopened. They have so far raised £2.5 out of their £5 million target.

— 309 Regent Street, Paddington City of Westminster, London W1B 2UW

7 The Rio Cinema In 1909, shop owner Clara Ludski decided to turn her auctioneer’s shop into an electric picture house. The Rio was first called the Kingsland Palace, and built by W E Trent, who went on to become a renowned cinema architect. In July 1913, due to the success of the picture house, the building was expanded. Since, the Rio has undergone major changes of hands and structural repairs. In 1998, the Arts Council of England gave the Rio a Lottery grant for redesign and restructuring with the approval of English Heritage. The repairs have led to improvements in the acoustics and café. Today the Rio is famous for its diverse cinema showings; they currently have festivals for Turkish and Kurdish and Spanish gay & lesbian cinema, as well as parent and baby matinees.

— 103 –107 Kingsland High Street London E8 2PB 8 The Curzon Mayfair The Curzon Mayfair was the first of the Curzon cinemas to open, on 6th March 1934. It has been voted by Time Out readers as one of London’s top twenty cinemas, showing some of the best independent and international art-house cinema since opening. Curzon in Mayfair was one of the first cinemas to import and show foreign language films in the UK. The first film it ever showed was Willi Forst’s biopic of Schubert, ‘Unfinished Symphony.’

— 38 Curzon Street, London W1J 7TY

9 The Prince Charles Cinema The Prince Charles Cinema was built in 1962, designed by Carl Fisher and Associates Architects. The venue operated as a porn cinema for some time, and became renowned for its long running of the rather naughty, Caligula, a 1979 Italian-American film about the rise and fall (no pun intended) of Roman Emperor Gaius Caesar Germanicus. Quentin Tarantino has said of the cinema ‘The Prince Charles Cinema is everything an independent movie theatre should be. For lovers of quality films, this is Mecca.” It is reported that a (rather helpful) ghost haunts the upper levels of the cinema, reportedly tidying up mess and adjusting the volume on films.

— 7 Leicester Place, London WC2H 7BY

10 The Horse Hospital The Horse Hospital is a relatively new media venue, but the building is old. It is a two-floor stable in Bloomsbury, built in 1797 by James Burton. In recent years, the Horse Hospital has become a rather trendy arts venue- where ‘underground and avant-garde media’ – including film – showings are put on.

— Colonnade, Bloomsbury, London WC1N 1JD

143

B a r C h i c k ’s G u i d e to London Drinking Wh ether yo u ’ re fro m No r t h, So ut h E as t or Wes t i f y o u ’ re l o ok i ng for the best pl a ce s t o go d r i nk i ng in London we ’ v e go t i t c ov ered .

We asked i n fam o u s dr i nk er a nd coc k tail lov e r Ba r Ch i ck t o f i l l us i n on t he best bar s t o v i s i t i n L ond o n.

H e re’s wha t s h e cam e u p w i t h

Key / Price Guide

—————————— Cheap as chips Very affordable Pricey but worth it NORTH

—————————— Dach & Sons/Flat P ——————————————— This is where the magic happens, or so the sign says. It’s very Meat Packing District: all white tiles, dangling bulbs, wooden slabs for tables, neon lighting pipes and a massive industrial bar. The food here is big and meaty; they have four different types of hotdogs, a burger and three sliders. The Banger stood out, with coarse pork shoulder, onions and mushroom ketchup – wash it down with a few Boiler Makers – that’s beer with a shot of whisky.

Full? Then head upstairs to Purl’s sister bar, Flat P for some prohibition party time. It’s proper speakeasy in here with flickering candles, navy velvet booths and 30s war tunes. The menu is short and sweet with six cocktails on the menu, but these guys aren’t afraid to experiment, so get creative and they will more than deliver.

It’s like theatre for drinkers in here. Standing ovation please.

– 68 Heath Street, Hampstead London NW3 1DN +44 (0) 20 7433 8139 www.dachandsons.com

144 | London

—————————— —————————— —————————— —————————— 69 Colebrooke Row

——————————————— It’s a struggle to find, but when you see a lantern above a door you’ll know you’re in the right place. New York Prohibition era is the vibe, with a piano in the corner which they break out on jazz nights, (Thursdays and Sundays).

Tony is the dashing mixologist behind one of London’s best hangouts. Watching T-bone and his team fix you a drink is reminiscent of a potions class with Professor Snape – no idea what they’re actually doing back there – but the results are a masterclass in cocktail making.

He’s got it all covered, from putting Horseradish Vodka in your Bloody Mary, to charging your Almond Blossom with prosecco.

– 69 Colebrooke Row London N1 8AA +44 (0) 7540528593

Joe’s Bar ——————————————— Rustic charm, wicked music, beef jerky and hot dogs on the bar – sold. Modelled on a 50s rock n’ roll joint this place is one of our favourite watering holes in Camden. It’s laid back and cool, complete with hanging lampshades, industrial piping and a chilled wooden bar – so don’t come in here and try too hard, because you won’t fit in.

Look above the bar, that’s where you’ll find the cocktail menu, old school American diner stylee. Drink the Joe’s Confidential made with Vestal Amber, Aperol and prosecco and hit the Mai Tais because they’re as strong as the raw American vibe. Soak it all up with some hotdogs, these big boys are actually cooked on the bar and we assure you they’re the best around. Load on the mustard, overload on onions and get stuck in.

– 78 –79 Chalk Farm Road Camden, London NW1 8AR +44 (0) 20 7018 2168

The Shop

——————————————— It’s all laid back, cool and creative in here, plus, everything’s for sale (why it’s called The Shop), you could come drinking and find yourself leaving with an antique table, a new print or having learnt how to make cakes and cocktails in one of their masterclasses. Busier on the weekends, with owner Luke’s love of music, there’ll always be some good beats, but be sure to come down for their monthly music night, where the guest DJs will really up the stakes.

The cocktails start at £3.50 for the Size Zero, low calorie and cheap, perfect for your skinny date, but get stuck into the Once Loved, which comes in a vintage milk bottle so you’ll feel like your back in the school playground. Just be careful not to get too stuck in cos you might get carried away and end up buying half the bar.

Caravan ——————————————— Caravan’s new site in King’s Cross is perfect for a train wait. The interior’s all Victorian, with a coffee roaster and a large open kitchen with a working factory hustle feeling to it.

The focal point’s the large bar... naturally. One half is a coffee bar and the other is dedicated to all-day dining, with a wire mesh in-between the two.

Order Sunshine Mary cocktails with yellow tomato juice and Kamm & Sons. Or just hit the wine list with its nomadic theme and wines from across the globe (also available by glass).

Hitting it in the sun? Then head to the outdoor seating in Granary Square. There’s a big dining space inside and out, serving breakfast, brunch, lunch AND dinner, ready and waiting whenever you need them with their food well-travelled menu. Tuck in.

– Granary Building King’s Cross, London (Opening late July 2012)

– 75 Chamberlayne Road London NW10 3ND +44 (0) 208 969 9399

145

SOUTH

—————————— —————————— —————————— —————————— The Doodle Bar

Wishbone

Powder Keg Diplomacy

Electric Social

——————————————— Imagine a bar that looks different each time you pop in, and not because you got too hammered to remember it properly. Well, The Doodle Bar in Battersea is just that.

This relaxed bar encourages people to draw all over the surrounding chalk boards, the furniture and the bar staff! (Take sharpies).

Although hard to find when you’re visiting for the first time, the cheap drinks make it worthwhile, and who doesn’t love a bit of a chase.

If you’re not so confident with a piece of chalk, and you do feel the need to burn some energy, you’ll find a table tennis table just outside the bar, yeah! Food is provided by Street Kitchen – a gourmet food vendor with the virtue of a constantly changing menu according to what’s ripe.

Time seems to stop here – and that is a quality we like in a bar.

——————————————— Just when we thought Brixton Market couldn’t get any better, along comes Wishbone. This place is basically like a MEATLiquor for chicken lovers, and without meaning to brag they are the first free range fried chicken restaurant, boom. Expect chicken goodness, dirty wings, killer cocktails, beer and sides. But fear not, this is not the greasy stuff you’re used to: the owners have travelled the world researching the perfect chicken recipe. Plus The SoulShaker guys are sorting out the cocktail menu, and they’re serving our favourite new beer, Hobo, the new Czech craft lager.

You’ll see BarChick in line for her fried chicken breakfasts on Saturday mornings.

——————————————— These guys are just showing off with their colonial Britain and Victorian inspired pad, and BarChick can’t get enough of it. Best of British is the game here, so expect cravats, top hats and old school beats, everything here from the gin to the grilled gurnard fillet has been sourced solely from the land and sea of the UK.

Conversation won’t run dry with such eclectic surroundings and that wickedly weird wallpaper, so not only will you have lots to chat about with a blind date, you’ll also both look great with such sexy dim lighting. The cocktails here are where it’s at, hot shot head bartender Matt Roberts makes his own liqueurs, cordials, bitters, and shrubs. Drink the Baron Collins which is Chase Marmalade Vodka, blood orange juice, lemon juice, P.K.D saffron cordial topped with homemade lemonade!

——————————————— They call it a country manor with a twist, we say nu rave hunting lodge slash beer hall slash cocktail lounge n club. With long wooden tables, book shelf wallpaper, pop arted walls, lit up stag heads, and obvs a moustached Mona Lisa.

Not your typical, run of the mill burger joint, you can tuck into anything from beetroot crusted salmon to Cornish squid in Ding Dong ale batter. Thirsty? Yes, then hit the cocktails: the very fresh English Garden is a favourite: cucumber, elderflower and Hendrick’s Gin shaken with pressed apple juice or the Forbidden Fruits is your five a day right there.

If you’re not here to eat, then you’ll want some of that leather in the sunken den, perfect for some private time, and yes the piano works so bring your jazz hands. Don’t go rushing home from here, at 10pm they open the club upstairs.

– 147 St Johns Hill London SW11 1TQ +44 (0) 20 7450 6457

– 40 Acre Lane, Brixton London SW2 5SP +44 (0) 20 3588 1111

– 33 Parkgate Road London SW11 4NP

146 | London

– Brixton Market (Opening August 2012) Image by Thomas Bowles

EAST

—————————— —————————— —————————— —————————— Bar Story

——————————————— South is the new East/West/North.

Found beneath the arches of Peckham Rye Station, don’t fear the gentle rumbling sound you hear, it’s not the world coming to an end, it’s your ride home. Round the back is the Sassoon Gallery: art space, music joint, whatever-you-need-toexpress-yourself venue, so you can guess the clientele.

The vibe is cool and casual, and it’s all about the cocktails on the chalk board behind the bar because their tap selection is limited. Prices are between five and six quid and there is also a happy hour between 6 and 7... sorted!

Don’t miss the pizza slices, made in the open plan kitchen, pick any wild combination and they’ll make it up for you.

The DJ plays hip hop / laid back beats/ nothing wild, and if you head outside you’ll find the smokers in the winter huddling around fire drums.

– 213 Blenheim Grove London SE15 4QL +44 (0) 20 7635 6643

Callooh Callay

——————————————— Welcome to Narnia people. It’s surrealist chic: old gramophones decorate the window bays, exotic light shades are shaped like bunches of grapes, and even the corridors are plastered with a mural of 80’s style old-school cassettes. They have goldfish bowls carried by skinny jean n shade wearing gnomes lined up on the bar waiting to be filled with punch to kick-start the night.

This is just the first bar, you haven’t even stepped through Victorian wardrobe yet, where you’re transported to a backroom containing an enormous red and white striped throne – perfect for holding court. Susan and Edmund better up their game if they want in here.

Play your cards right and you could be one of the chosen few invited up to the Jub Jub Bar. Hidden behind a curtain, is the stairway to cocktail Heaven, but first you’ll need the key!

The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town

——————————————— Stroll in casually looking like you’re after some breakfast, then announce “I’m here to see the Mayor”. This is your access code to get you through that Smeg fridge and into one of BarChick’s favourite underground hangouts.

It’s all kitsch chic and amusing with “No Heavy Petting” posters and cat bowls on the floor. There’s definitely some fun to be had, plus the music’s good.

Drink the Rosie and Gin, the Tommy’s Chili and the Red Lady which are some of our favourites.

The weekend brunch is awesome, they have DIY Bloody Marys which are legendary (over 21 ingredients to choose from). It’s American diner style food, and it’s fresh, fabulous and often fried.

NB. Upon exit keep flies undone and skirts tucked in your knickers, don’t be alarmed, this is because you exit through the My Little Pony decorated bathrooms to ensure this bar is kept a little secret.

– 12 –16 Artillery Lane The Breakfast Club (behind the Smeg fridge) London E1 7LS +44 (0) 207 078 9639

The Night Jar

——————————————— This discreet bar hidden between two cafés near Old Street roundabout is the best thing to happen to Shoreditch since the trilby. Head down the stairs, and you quickly feel like you’re in a 1920s speakeasy, all very New York and sophisticated, so dress up and get yourself a Manhattan!

The drinks are amazing, varied, creative, many unique and the list lengthy – it may take you a while to make your choice. BarChick loved the Deep Sea, made from ‘deep ocean water’ and garnished with a shell. Plus there’s plenty to nibble on: fat olives, a board of cheese and spicy meat delights.

What really makes this place is the live music – bands play most days (Wednesday – Saturday) You’ll be spoilt for choice with their eclectic mix of gypsy swing, jazz, and American classics.

It’s all super chic; you’ll feel like you’re in a movie.

– 129 City Road London EC1V 1JB +44 (0) 20 7253 4101

– 65 Rivington Street London EC2A 3AY +44 (0) 20 7739 4781

147

WEST

—————————— —————————— —————————— —————————— Birthdays ——————————————— Welcome to Dalston’s hippest music joint. Born out of a forgotten retail unit, this place has turned into a sure thing with the Shoreditch set (that said this alternative crew would be just as happy hanging out in abandoned joints, SO edgy).

First things first, don’t even think about coming here if you are not a) covered in tattoos, b) covered in piercings, c) leather-clad (not in a Cat Woman way) or d) wearing a trilby at the very least.

Set over two floors, the ground floor is a wicked spot to start in, head here for beer, cocktails and food. But it’s the downstairs you’re here for, this is where the bands play and where you’ll find the massive speakers, stage and in their own terms ‘pretty lights.’ This is also where you’ll find people posing to the music, just go with it.

– 33 –35 Stoke Newington Road London N16 8BJ

Ruby’s

——————————————— When people say “nothing to see here” it usually means there is A LOT to see, you’re just not supposed to. This is exactly the case at Ruby’s. Keep an eye out for the cinema sign saying just that and you know you’re in the right place.

Head down to the small, Victorian styled drinking den, filled with little ornate antiques, props and a menu that won’t disappoint.

There’s a menu of 5 cocktails that change monthly teamed up with wine, beer and the usual spirits.

Each drink is served appropriately; we’re talking tin cups and milk bottles. It’s all very world war stylee, BarChick felt like paying with ration cards.

With music videos on the regs in between scenes from films being shot. It’s a refreshing take on some of the more dive bar offerings in this hood. Head down there before word gets out and the crowds kick in!

– 76 Stoke Newington Road London N16 7XB

148 | London

Evans and Peel ——————————————— If BarChick wasn’t about spreading the love, this place would remain a secret. Think Cluedo, Sherlock and 1920s Prohibition and you are on the right lines. Roleplay past the sleuth, hide your belongings in the trunk and when no one’s looking squeeze behind the bookcase.

It’s dark and sultry, the mood is set with crackly music and you’ll have the kind of fun you won’t want to tell your parents about. Take a pew at the bar make eye contact with the bartender and subtly order a drink. The rustic menu is like a history lesson and it offers some sexy twists on classics, we loved the A n T with mint, cucumber and vodka infused with elderflower and apple juice. Stay on and eat especially if you like your food smoked, as they will try smoking anything.

Not convinced? Then order the Mac’s Cheese and try the sliders.

Quick, get down here before it gets raided.

– 310c Earls Court Road London SW5 9BA +44 (0) 20 7373 3573

Barts

——————————————— The last thing you expect to find when you walk into this portered block of flats in Chelsea, (you’re more likely to find hookers than the red trouser brigade). But once you have found the entrance, (ring the doorbell and if the barman likes the look of you then he’ll let you in) you’ve hit the jackpot.

This wicked bar is full of street signs, stuffed animals, luggage, and a mix of things you might find in a Shoreditch antiques market. BarChick particularly loves the fancy dress box and usually ends up dressed in leather lederhosen. Drink shots from teacups, Absinthe served over sugar cubes and enjoy the novelty of being able to smoke in their garden (although this closes at 8pm).

Perfect place for a date, great barsnacks, and if you’re into Sloaney guys/girls, it’s a great place to pull too.

– Chelsea Cloisters London SW3 3DW +44 (0) 20 7581 3355

CENTRAL

—————————— —————————— —————————— —————————— Crazy Homies ——————————————— Imagine the day of the dead, but in London and every day. That’s what you’ve got with Crazy Homies.

Think fairy lights, multi coloured skulls, graffitied walls and ceilings, neon chandeliers and old school pinups - you could go here solo and still have a party.

Tequila’s the tipple here, obviously, meaning they have 8 different Margaritas and then a sh*t load of other tequila based cocktails (or tequila beer, Largarita anyone?).

Oh and tuck into their nachos but beware of the sauce that looks like BBQ, it ain’t – it’s spicy.

Head downstairs to their new Chamucos Clubhouse, sultry lighting, murals and street art don the walls with their brand’s logo painted for all to see. Here you can get a different selection of cocktails: BarChick loves the Devil’s Punchbowl.

Azteca ——————————————— Chelsea’s better known for Daylesford and Peter Jones than for its wild late night hang outs, but Azteca’s a riot. Step off King’s Road into this Latino den – they’re pros and have ruled this turf for years, so it’s the perfect welcome break from the red-trouser brigade outside.

Grab a sombrero, get stuck into the shelves of tequila and dance to those wicked beats.

This Mexican hangout is run

by Fernando who knows how to party. Get fired up with some pitchers, have a quesadilla and wash it all down with lots of tequila take it straight up and forget the lemon chaser – this stuff is better than that.

Sunday nights are awesome, and as the most of the KR is off to bed, Azteca is just getting started.

Grab a trumpet, hit the bongos and find yourself a wealthy playmate to go home with.

– 125 Westbourne Park Road London W2 5QL +44 (0) 20 7727 6771

– 329 Kings Road London SW3 5ES +44 (0) 20 7352 4087

Janet’s Bar

——————————————— From skeletons and deflated balloons to fairy lights strung all over the place – conversation won’t run dry in these eclectic surroundings.

In here it’s Christmas / Easter / Jubilee / Hawaiian holiday / royal wedding celebrations the whole time/at the same time, a bar for all seasons in every sense of the word and one of the best in London.

Janet is at the helm ... and she’s a legend. Get stuck into the drinks... sure some are a little sweet (it’s all a bit Club Tropicana in here) but Janet makes a perfect Whisky Sour and their Aperol Spritz is spot on. This place is a welcome break from the usual haunts in this hood, Boujis? No thanks. Plus it shuts at 3am and we guarantee that even then you won’t want to leave, oh and there is a wicked smoking terrace, plus popcorn, pot noodles and PJBs (not sure what they are then you have got to go).

Honest Burger ——————————————— Those from South of the river can’t keep the incredible restaurants at Brixton Market a secret for much longer now that Honest Burger has opened a second joint, this time in Soho. This place is all about simplicity, don’t expect long menus and messing about, but do expect British deliciousness.

The mince comes from the tasty Ginger Pig, which is then turned into mouthwatering burgers paired with perfect chips. While the decor is a little different from their tiny, thrown together burger joint in the market, it’s just as likeable. Drink beer, spirits or wine by the bottle or glass. Don’t expect cocktails, but something simple might be added if needs be.

– Meard St, Soho, London (Opening August)

– 30 Old Brompton Road London London SW7 3DL +44 (0) 20 7581 3160

149

—————————— —————————— —————————— —————————— The London Cocktail Club

Mark’s Bar at Hix

MEATmarket

Cellar Door

——————————————— It’s a Fat Duck for drinkers in here and it’s cool, hidden neatly down some stairs. Inside they’ve got some kind of punky old school gent’s club vibe (if that exists?). It’s kinda cool without trying too hard.

James and JJ are all about mixing things up, they’re not afraid to experiment: Squid Ink Sours, Bacon and Egg Coupet ... be brave, they’re actually delicious. For the more reserved, Affogato Martinis chased with Oyster Bombs will suffice. The Oyster Bomb is a shot of Jaegermeister and Red Bull jelly served in a (clean) oyster shell.

Lunches there are awesome, pick n mix menus that are great for sharing, you can really long them out!

Looking at the hot barmen, I’m not surprised their female to male ratio is seriously out of whack. Guys, get yourselves down here for some easy pickings - everyone’s a winner!

——————————————— Mark’s bar was always going to be a classic. It’s underneath the (decent) restaurant in Soho, and whilst they’re very friendly they do run a fairly tough door when its busy. If you’re having dinner, know the crew, or hanging with some hotties then you’ll make it down OK, otherwise be sure to book.

It’s very comfy, sorta clubby and loungey with big sofas that no one minds sharing. There’s a long bar to lurk at if you’re on your own/stalking and it’s a good spot to watch the barmen doing their stuff. The drinks list is vast (Punch Bowls, the Bishop, the delicious but deadly Hix Fix), quirky and fun. Be sure to all hail the Ale here as Mark has won awards for them.

Hit the food: make like you’re skiing with a fondue or shoot some quails eggs – legendary.

——————————————— The boys from MEATliquor can only make so many burgers from their Oxford street hangout, plus queuing is never a good look so this place might just be the answer. This time it’s a little different though, it’s an in/out job, not a stay all night and get f*cked up like the last place. Climb some stairs into what looks like it might be some kebab shop offering, but it ain’t, no this is home to Yianni and Scott’s meat n liquor heaven.

So yeah, it’s all about the burgers, and if your askin’ we like the all new Black Palace burger with its onions ... serious stomach liner. They also do hot dogs; The Ripper, The Kraut or the Corn Dog plus a bunch of other things that taste banging. BUT, save yourself, seriously, the drinks here are not for the faint hearted; Miami Nice anyone? That’s half Strawberry Daiquairi half Pina Colada.

Mmmmmmm!

——————————————— It’s not every day you casually stroll down the stairs of a men’s old public toilet looking for fun, (unless you’re George Michael ... legend) but if you want good cocktails, drag queens and some good old fashioned snuff then it just has to be done. Cellar Door is the ultimate hidden gem beneath the Aldwych, with live acts every night, and it also boasts the sexiest toilets in London (just make sure you remember to lock the door!).

Also, being as intimate as a shop changing room you’re likely to be targeted by one of their many cabaret/drag acts for some humorous/quite harsh adlib. You have been warned; just give back what you get! But if you’re into performing get down there for open mic night, it gets pretty interesting.

They have a wide range of cocktails BarChick recommends the Fistful of Dollars, and if that’s not enough then hit the snuff there’s everything from apricot to Champagne.

– 61 Goodge Street London W1T 1TL +44 (0) 207 580 1960

— www.barchick.com 150 | London

– 66-70 Brewer Street London W1F 9UP +44 (0) 20 7292 3518

– The Deck, Jubilee Market Hall Tavistock Street, Covent Garden London WC2E 8BE

– Zero Aldwych London WC2E 7DN +44 (0) 20 7240 8848

Art direction and design of Who’s Jack magazine by Sawdust madebysawdust.co.uk

Events London 2 012 Our fri end s a t P l a n v in e k n ow all the bit s a nd b o bs co m in g u p i n London and they are a gre a t o n e stop s hop wh en i t c om e s to wo rk i n g out w hat e ve nts yo u wi l l li k e th e be s t. For you, ou r l o vel y Wh o ’s Ja c k re a ders they h ave p ut to ge th e r th e be st of the u p co m i ng eve n ts in L o n do n covering S ep temb er t h ro u gh to J a n uary.

www. p l anvi ne .c o m

152 | London

—————————————— Art The London Open 04/07/12 — 14/09/12 This exhibition showcases the most dynamic work being made in London in 2012. Take a journey through a selection of the latest art trends and see potential stars of the future amongst 35 artists chosen by a panel of international artists, curators and collectors. planvine.com/event/show/the-london-open

—————————————— Art (Modern Art) Team Robbo 30/08/12 — 09/09/12 Team Robbo represents a new order in the art world; a renowned graffiti crew was formed in 2010 by its founder and inspiration King Robbo — champion of the true Outsider art movement, antidote to the Banksy mythology and a rising star in the art market. planvine.com/event/show/team-rex-origin -of-the-species

—————————————— Theatre NT Live: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time 06/09/12 Based on the international bestselling novel by Mark Haddon, adapted for the stage

by Simon Stephens.

Mark Haddon’s celebrated, multi-awardwinning novel is beautifully and imaginatively adapted into a stage play for the first time.

Clapham Picturehouse, Venn Street London, United Kingdom planvine.com/event/show/nt-live-the-curious -incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time

—————————————— Art Chelsea College of Art and Design — MA Show 2012 08/09/12 — 13/09/12 See graduates from show their work from MA Art Theory, MA Curating, MA Fine Art, MA Graphic Design Communication, MA Interior and Spatial Design, MA Textile Design, MRES Arts Practice.Chelsea College of Art and Design, John Islip Street, London, United Kingdom

—————————————— Music The Amy Winehouse Birthday Celebration Fundraiser 14/09/12 Join us for a truly special birthday party on Friday 14th September where we’ll be celebrating the birthday of influential soul singer and seminal pop music icon Amy Winehouse. For this one off event all ticket sales will be donated to the Amy Winehouse Foundation.

band of hobbits, wizards, elves and dwarves set out on an great and timeless quest.

The British Library, Euston Road London, United Kingdom planvine.com/event/show/the-hobbit-at-75

—————————————— Vintage Big Blitz Jive 22/09/12

The Brickhouse, Brick Lane, City of London London, United Kingdom

The Museum’s alive with Big Blitz Jive! An electric evening of fun â40s dance, glamour and Big Band sounds.

planvine.com/event/show/the-amywinehouse-birthday-celebration-fundraiser

National Army Museum , Royal Hospital Road London, United Kingdom

planvine.com/event/show/chelsea-ma -show-2012

——————————————

planvine.com/event/show/big-blitz-jive

——————————————

Dance Tree 15/09/12

——————————————

Photography Rankin 11/09/12 Evening Talk: Join the photographer Rankin as he discusses his career and photographing sitters that range from royalty to refugees.

Victoria and Albert Museum London, United Kingdom planvine.com/event/show/rankin

—————————————— Design/Museum London Design Festival 14/09/12 As the Festival Hub, the V&A will be a focal point of design-related activity and the first point of call for all visitors to the Festival. Rub shoulders with London’s Design Community and Festival visitors from around the world, and take in the atmosphere of this city-wide Festival.Victoria and Albert Museum, London, United Kingdom planvine.com/event/show/london -design-festival

Meet Doug, your National Trust Guide for the evening. Leading you on a tour of a woodland, he’ll be illuminating the wonders of the Yew Tree, The Mighty Oak and all of his other close friends. Doug is a vegan with a secret penchant for barbecuing chaffinches and other than that, just a normal nature lover. You may get to see his ‘I am a Tree’ dance to Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending. And you may even get a cup of cider he has pressed himself.

Talk/Museum Fashion and Psychoanalysis: Styling the Self 24/09/12

——————————————

There is an increasing trend within both the study of visual culture and fashion itself to restore fashion to an aesthetic role — one that moves beyond its commercial success as a global industry and places fashion within a nexus of art, the body, and feminity. This emphasis aims to separate fashion from mere clothing, and illustrate its cultural power as an integral aspect of modern life. The author of Fashion and Psychoanalysis: Styling the Self, Alison Bancroft talks

Literature/Talk The Hobbit at 75 21/09/12

38 B511, Camden Town London, United Kingdom

Artsdepot, Nether Street London, United Kingdom planvine.com/event/show/tree

J.R.R Tolkien first introduced the vast mythological world of Middle Earth in his classic tale for all ages,The Hobbit, published on this day in 1937.

From the gentle rural landscape of The Shire, a

planvine.com/event/show/fashion-and -psychoanalysis-styling-the-self

153

Events — London 2012

—————————————— —————————————— Music King Charles 27/09/12

Comedy Rob Rouse: Life Sentences 29/09/12 See Rob House, Star of Mad Mad World (ITV1) 8 Out of 10 Cats (C4), Dave’s One Night Stand (Dave), The Comedy Store (Comedy Central) and Spoons (C4). Hi stand up is what he does best, honest, frank, seriously funny.

Artsdepot, Nether Street London, United Kingdom

After a rapturous reception at a sold out Heaven in May, King Charles returns to London on Thursday 27 September with a headline performance at KOKO Koko, 1A Camden High Street London, United Kingdom

planvine.com/event/show/rob-rouse-life -sentences

—————————————— Talk/Museum What were we fighting for?

02/10/12

the UK in October for a headline tour which includes a residency slot at London’s Barfly.

Barfly 49 Chalk Farm Road London, United Kingdom planvine.com/event/show/reckless-love

—————————————— Literature/Talk Intelligence Squared Bloomsbury Book Club with Will Self 04/10/12 Will Self talks about his latest book. Umbrella takes up the challenge of Modernism by going back to the source — the industrial madness of World War One, weaving together a dense tapestry of consciousness and lived life across an entire century.

50 Bedford Square, London, United Kingdom

planvine.com/event/show/king-charles

—————————————— Film Manu Luksch: Faceless 27/09/12 Made entirely using CCTV footage, this dystopian London sci-fi feature, voiced by Tilda Swinton, is a unique filmic investigation of the challenging phenomenon of surveillance. Plus related work by the Austrian filmmaker and in conversation.

Award-winning author Ken Follett focuses on one key moment in each of the three major wars covered in his Century Trilogy — the First World War, the Second World War, and the Cold War.

planvine.com/event/show/intelligence -squared-bloomsbury-book-club-with-will-self

—————————————— Drink Wine Tasting Boat Ride: Little Venice to Camden 06/10/12

Churchill War Rooms, King Charles Street London, United Kingdom planvine.com/event/show/what-were-we -fighting-for

—————————————— Music (Rock) Reckless Love — residency at Barfly 04/10/12 Who says learning can’t be fun? Our floating classroom will explore wine and make fascinating new London discoveries along the way.

It’s New World Camden vs Old World Little Venice — who will sink and who will swim?

This is one boat ride you don’t want to miss.

Whitechapel Gallery, Whitechapel High Street City of London, London, United Kingdom planvine.com/event/show/manu-luksch -faceless

Little Venice, Brunswick Square London, United Kingdom Hot off their UK tour with Black Veil Brides and D.R.U.G.S, Finnish rockers Reckless Love have just announced that they will return to

154 | London

planvine.com/event/show/wine-tasting-boat -ride-little-venice-to-camden

—————————————— —————————————— Museum/Talk Battle Castles 09/10/12

Art Mel Bochner at the Whitechapel Gallery 12/10/12

Through the stories of six great castles, Dan Snow examines the building of these epic structures and the devastating weapons used to defeat them — from Edward I’s castles in North Wales, to Richard the Lionheart’s glittering fortress in Normandy.

This talk will tie in with Dan’s new TV series for Discovery UK.

One of the founding figures of conceptual art, and one of its most astute critics, Mel Bochner combines colour and language in his work. The exhibition traces his work over the last 50 years, from the 1960s and 70s and his early installations, wall drawings and works on paper, to his most recent series of exuberant paintings using a thesaurus to generate word chains full of wit and humour.

Royal Hospital Road London, United Kingdom planvine.com/event/show/battle-castles

—————————————— Art (Current Affairs) Paul Sakoilsky: Dark Times/Bright Times — A Retrospective 2007-2012 11/10/12 This is the first ever retrospective of the dark times, an overpainted series of more than 700 free daily newspapers which has achieved a cult following.

From Spring 2007, they chart the turbulence of the past five years: financial crisis, the rise of Obama, the demise of Labour, the Arab Spring, through to the death of media icons such as Amy Winehouse and Michael Jackson, to this moment in time, where every day we live at the brink of financial collapse.

Red Gallery, Rivington Street London, United Kingdom planvine.com/event/show/paul-sakoilsky -dark-times-bright-times-a-retrospective -2007–2012

The Fox At Excel, 2 Western Gateway City of London planvine.com/event/show/cocktail -masterclasses-rumfest-co-uk-the-worldslargest-rum-festival

—————————————— Music (Indie) Straight Lines 15/10/12

Whitechapel Gallery, Whitechapel High Street City of London, London, United Kingdom planvine.com/event/show/mel-bochner-at -the-whitechapel-gallery

—————————————— Art John Bartlett: London Sublime 12/10/12 John Bartlett’s extraordinary narrative paintings are fixated on the paranoia of modern urban life. This major mid-career show includes the artist’s large-scale canvasses alongside more intimate, everyday scenes which capture contemporary London in all its messed up glory.

Straight Lines, sounding like a curious middle ground between Coheed & Cambria ... And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, and the good bits of The Automatic. There’s a canny skill with a melody, with the likes of ‘Say It For Your Sake’ embedding itself in our skulls for a severely uncomfortable amount of time (we’re sure there’s some sort of Claimsdirect compensation in there somewhere). The band plays live at Barfly.

Guildhall Art Gallery London, United Kingdom

Barfly 49 Chalk Farm Road London, United Kingdom

planvine.com/event/show/john-bartlett -london-sublime

planvine.com/event/show/straight-lines

—————————————— Drink Rumfest — cocktail masterclass 13/10/12

—————————————— Theatre/performance Beautiful Burnout 16/10/12 — 19/10/12

The UK RumFest is the ultimate rum experience for rum drinkers, rum aficionados and rum lovers who have all traveled to the tropics to sample the unique music, the delicious food, the partying, and the people associated with the drinking and the production of rum.

Bryony Lavery’s heart-wrenching and deeply human story follows five young fighters as they aim for the bright lights, far from 155

Events — London 2012

Glasgow’s mean, grey streets. This knockout production is spectacularly staged, drawing its audience into the heart of the action, where every jab, hook and uppercut feels flinchingly realistic.

Artsdepot, Nether Street London, United Kingdom planvine.com/event/show/beautiful-burnout

—————————————— Music (Acoustic) Dillon 21/10/12 A respectable example for how destiny takes its toll — whilst most do not receive enough, this 23-year old doesn’t know what to do to with all the gifts. What Dominique Dillon de Byington — who unpretentiously calls herself Dillon — has shaken out of her laptop, is truly impressive. What might be a fairly cold experience, given its most apparent parallels, is anything but — Dillon uses spare beats, subtle orchestrations and background-mixed brass, but everything is bound by a vocal that speaks to the soul, not the soles. This is music for meditation, for contemplation; for escaping into and wandering around, not losing oneself to on a sweaty dancefloor Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen, Hoxton Square London, United Kingdom planvine.com/event/show/dillon

—————————————— Talk/Exhibition Industry takeover all-day seminar and showcase 27/10/12 IT’S BACK! Bigger & badder than EVER before! Bringing you 8 hours of edutainment, jam-packed with performances from the hottest names in urban music, a range of innovative seminars, open mic sessions, essential masterclasses and workshops.

Rich Mix, Bethnal Green Road City of London, London, United Kingdom planvine.com/event/show/industry-takeover -all-day-seminar-showcase

156 | London

—————————————— —————————————— Film/Music Morricone Giallo! Halloween Night Special 31/10/12

Comedy Alan Davies — Life Is Pain 12/11/12

Morricone Giallo! In a fusion of live music and cinema, f’eatre explore the haunting wordless female vocal and the psychedelic lounge trip of Ennio Morricone’s Italian cult film scores of 1968-72. Expect a triptastic mix of hypnotic jazz rhythms, bossa beats, soaring soprano and avant garde expressionism — all to a stunning backdrop of the original film visuals.

Think knife-edge erotica, naked women found dead in fridges and Alain Delon wrestling with giant eels… A rare treat!

After more than a decade since his last stand-up show and following a hugely successful tour of Australia in 2011, Alan Davies, the much-loved star of iconic television series such as Jonathan Creek and QI, makes a long-awaited return to live stand-up this Autumn.

Rich Mix, Bethnal Green Road, City of London London, United Kingdom planvine.com/event/show/morricone-giallo -halloween-night-special

—————————————— Spoken Word Tongue Fu 08/11/12 Tongue Fu is one of the liveliest and best-attended spoken word nights in London. Poets, writers, storytellers and comedians mix it up with the supremely talented Tongue Fu Band (UNKLE, Nostalgia 77) who conjure sublime soundtracks in every style imaginable, all with an improvised visual backdrop by TF VJs CR&D. Rich Mix, Bethnal Green Road City of London, London, United Kingdom planvine.com/event/show/tongue-fu

Hackney Empire, Mare Street Hackney, London, United Kingdom planvine.com/event/show/alan-davies -life-is-pain

—————————————— Food Belgravia Walking Tour — Historical Pubs and Foodie Delights 17/11/12 Explore some of the most historically fascinating pubs in London.Visit pubs associated with The Beatles, the disappearance of Lord Lucan and ‘The Great Train Robbery’ Baker Street, London, United Kingdom planvine.com/event/show/belgravia-walking -tour-historical-pubs-and-foodie-delights

—————————————— Music BIGkids 17/11/12 After selling out their debut headline show at the Ballyhoo in London last month and setting tongues wagging with their performances at Camden Crawl and The Great Escape festival, the excitement and expectation around BIGkids continues to grow.

Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen, Hoxton Square London, United Kingdom planvine.com/event/bigkids

157

shop.swatch.co.uk shop.swatch.co.uk