Written for Listed Magazine
“We came here with Calvin Harris and you were animals. We’re here tonight and you’re animals. Bournemouth – you are animals!”
Sporting a leather jacket and jeans, Mr Hudson reaches out to touch the outstretched hands of the crowd, before launching into ‘White Lies’.
The retro settings of Bournemouth’s Orange Rooms made it a stella venue for the gig, with their quirky 70s wallpaper, swinging chairs and TV screens playing Star Wars. Drinks were a bit more expensive than in other places, but their inventive cocktails are well worth the price.
After ‘Forever Young’, which saw the audience leaping up and down, screaming the lyrics back at the artist, came the hit which saw Mr Hudson rocket to fame – ‘Supernova’.
After a performance that was out of this world came the black hole that this was already the end of the set. The artist sang only three songs, leaving the audience wanting more.
The venue was refreshingly different and the set had a lively atmosphere. I've no doubt Mr Hudson’s performance will be talked about for lightyears to come.
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
DMF Insights with guest speaker Dave Morgan - IP (Intellectual Property)
Review written for The Dorset Music Forum, published by the Bournemouth Echo
NB My name has been misquoted as 'Foster'
Protecting intellectual property is essential in creative industries, where artists rely on the originality of their work to earn a living.
On Wednesday 18 November Dorset Music Forum welcomed Mr Dave Morgan, who came to speak to members about safeguarding their creative ideas.
The talk covered patents, registered designs, trademarks and copyright and gave plenty of information on the various laws, procedures and conditions. At the same time, it was also very entertaining, with the examples of unusual patents such as dust-covers for dogs drawing laughs from the audience.
“I wrote a sit com when I was younger...and I’m working on a musical,” said Paul Coombs, who attended the talk, “[at the event] you network and you get information for lots of stuff like that.”
After the presentation there was a chance to ask questions and an impromptu discussion broke out about music royalties for cover songs. A number of people took the opportunity to promote local music events. The evening ended with a chance to network.
DMF Insights will welcome Robin Oxford a producer from London on 13th January. Details will be on the DMF website shortly.
NB My name has been misquoted as 'Foster'
Protecting intellectual property is essential in creative industries, where artists rely on the originality of their work to earn a living.
On Wednesday 18 November Dorset Music Forum welcomed Mr Dave Morgan, who came to speak to members about safeguarding their creative ideas.
The talk covered patents, registered designs, trademarks and copyright and gave plenty of information on the various laws, procedures and conditions. At the same time, it was also very entertaining, with the examples of unusual patents such as dust-covers for dogs drawing laughs from the audience.
“I wrote a sit com when I was younger...and I’m working on a musical,” said Paul Coombs, who attended the talk, “[at the event] you network and you get information for lots of stuff like that.”
After the presentation there was a chance to ask questions and an impromptu discussion broke out about music royalties for cover songs. A number of people took the opportunity to promote local music events. The evening ended with a chance to network.
DMF Insights will welcome Robin Oxford a producer from London on 13th January. Details will be on the DMF website shortly.
A Smooth Criminal Masterclass
Written for Listed Magazine.
The group of dancers move perfectly in time with the music, the sound of their trainers echoing around the room. They sidestep, before pretending to pull down the brim of a hat, whilst ‘Smooth Criminal’ blares from speakers.
Watching from the front of the room and occasionally shouting encouragement is the dance’s creator – Jeffrey Daniel - the late Michael Jackson’s choreographer.
Members of the Pure Funk dance group were given a master class by Mr Daniel on Saturday 7 November at Poole and Bournemouth College. The former member of 70s group Shalamar – who created hits such as ‘Night to Remember’ and ‘I Can Make You Feel Good’ - taught the King of Pop to moonwalk and has been credited with bringing street dance to Europe.
“The classes have gone exceptionally well,” he said, “the kids are enjoying it – that’s what it all boils down to.
“The dance I showed them, ‘Smooth Criminal’ - we rehearsed that thing at for least three weeks for the video. It’s not just your average 1 2 3 4, it’s done to this really intricate beat. So to come in here and do something that intricate in that amount of time is really very impressive. They loved the challenge and they did very well.”
Amy Beveridge, the founder of Pure Funk said, “it’s been a massive inspiration to them, not just because of the choreography that Jeffrey is teaching them, but to learn that he’s a really nice, down-to-earth person as well.”
For more information about Pure Funk, visit their website at http://www.purefunk.co.uk/
Fancy trying your hand at street dance? Pure Funk’s Classes run nearly every day of the week and do adult courses, as well as those for children. There are options available for all abilities.
The group of dancers move perfectly in time with the music, the sound of their trainers echoing around the room. They sidestep, before pretending to pull down the brim of a hat, whilst ‘Smooth Criminal’ blares from speakers.
Watching from the front of the room and occasionally shouting encouragement is the dance’s creator – Jeffrey Daniel - the late Michael Jackson’s choreographer.
Members of the Pure Funk dance group were given a master class by Mr Daniel on Saturday 7 November at Poole and Bournemouth College. The former member of 70s group Shalamar – who created hits such as ‘Night to Remember’ and ‘I Can Make You Feel Good’ - taught the King of Pop to moonwalk and has been credited with bringing street dance to Europe.
“The classes have gone exceptionally well,” he said, “the kids are enjoying it – that’s what it all boils down to.
“The dance I showed them, ‘Smooth Criminal’ - we rehearsed that thing at for least three weeks for the video. It’s not just your average 1 2 3 4, it’s done to this really intricate beat. So to come in here and do something that intricate in that amount of time is really very impressive. They loved the challenge and they did very well.”
Amy Beveridge, the founder of Pure Funk said, “it’s been a massive inspiration to them, not just because of the choreography that Jeffrey is teaching them, but to learn that he’s a really nice, down-to-earth person as well.”
For more information about Pure Funk, visit their website at http://www.purefunk.co.uk/
Fancy trying your hand at street dance? Pure Funk’s Classes run nearly every day of the week and do adult courses, as well as those for children. There are options available for all abilities.
Tuesday, 27 October 2009
Graphics
I created some opening graphics for a youth programme called 'Spotlight' which a team of us had to put together for a news assessment.
http://www.youtube.com/user/i7867722#p/u
http://www.youtube.com/user/i7867722#p/u
Monday, 26 October 2009
And Another Thing...
Written for geeks.co.uk, a version withot the information on NASA was published by 4Q Magazine and Nerve Magazine.
It’s been made into a feature film starring Martin Freeman and sold millions of copies worldwide, now The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is celebrating its 30th birthday with the release of a new book - And Another Thing...
“Well, Douglas Adams’ agents cooked up this plan and asked me if I’d do it and had permission from his wife, Jane Belson. I’m a fan of the series and I found it very hard to say no, so here we are a year later about to publish,” the 43 year-old from Wexford says.
Eoin is famous for being the creator of the bestselling series of teenage novels, Artemis Fowl, a film of which is expected to go into production next year. He describes writing And Another Thing...as “liberating”, saying that “because normally I write for teenagers...I have to be careful what I write, not meaning to sound patronising. With this book I just let myself go and wrote what I wanted.
“There were the usual challenges because there were lots of people who would maybe not like it, I needed to convince them. By page one I needed to convince them that maybe this is not so bad. It was strange having to consider people reading it.”
For those of you who are not familiar with the series it begins with the destruction of the Earth to make way for a hyperspace bypass. Miraculously there are survivors – Arthur Dent is rescued by his friend Ford Prefect, who turns out not to be from Guildford, but a planet somewhere near Betelgeuse. Together they travel the universe meeting a host of crazy characters including Zaphod Beeblebrox; the two-headed president of the galaxy, Slartibartfast ; a planet-maker with a taste for fjords and Marvin the paranoid android; a manically depressed robot.
“Lots of people don’t read it because they don’t like science fiction,” Eoin says, “[but] it’s not your normal science fiction book – this is extremely funny and irreverent satire and science fiction. Not so much Star Wars...closer to Jeeves and Wooster than Star Wars. People should have a go and see if they like it. I think they will.
“You can’t do good satire unless there’s something in it - it was really well written, the characters were great. It’s up there on a shelf with Pink Floyd and Monty Python. It’s one of those cultural British icons that people remember.”
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was originally broadcast as a radio show in 1978, and a year later came out as a book. Originally there was going to be three novels, but the series turned into a trilogy of five – The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Life the Universe and Everything, So Long and Thanks for all the Fish and Mostly Harmless. Its creator Douglas Adams intended to write a sixth novel but sadly died in 2001 aged just 49. Though the author left notes on the plot, Eoin assures me he didn’t use them.
“I wanted to do my own story,” he says, “I thought if I used his notes it would divide opinion, so I just did my own thing.”
So what can people expect from the latest novel?
“They can expect lots of the old characters back again, they can expect some new characters, they can expect an adventure. In a nutshell – same universe, same characters, new story.”
Thor the Thunder God, the hammer-loving immortal who had a cameo in Life the Universe and Everything will be taking on a bigger role in And Another Thing... There will also be a brand new character, Hillman Hunter - “he’s a sort of property developer. He’s very funny; people who’ve read the book love Hillman Hunter.”
The anniversary has also seen the publication of special editions of Douglas Adams’ books - look out for The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy which comes with a DIY cover and a set of stickers.
In addition NASA have paid their own tribute to the series in the form of tweets from the LCROSS (Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite), which crashed into the moon on October 9 in order to search for traces of water-ice.
The team quoted from the part of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy in which a whale is materialised above the surface of the legendary planet of Magrathea:
# “And what's this thing coming toward me very fast? So big and flat and round.
# it needs a big wide sounding name like 'Ow', 'Ownge', 'Round', 'Ground'!”
# “That's it! Ground! Ha! I wonder if it'll be friends with me?”
Then it struck the moon’s surface.
For more information on And Another Thing... (£18.99), visit the website at http://www.6of3.com/
Beat the Radar
Written for 4Q Magazine.
Beat the Radar were signed up to the Akoustik Anarkhy label after bumping into its cofounder, Noel Vazquez, in a toilet.
“He said, ‘I’ll come listen to you guys’,” says bass-player Rowan Smith, “we thought he was just going to ask us to play a pub night that he runs, but he wanted to sign us. It all happened pretty weirdly!”
Despite the strange start to this relationship, it seems to be going very well. The lads describe working with the label as an “honour”, and say that Akoustik Anarkhy’s encouragement made sure their first album was completed.
“They pinned us down and said ‘why don’t you finish the recordings whilst it’s still possible or else it’s gone forever’ - gave us more direction.
“It’s like having a fifth member who gives you a kick up the arse when you need it! I know it’s quite a weird thing to say but Akoustik Anarkhy has quite a family atmosphere ‘cause there’s just so many people come along and it’s the same faces, and bands that supported us we’re mates with.”
Beat the Radar started at the University of Lancaster, where Rowan and guitarist Laurie Hulme were studying. After deciding to form a group together, the guys started looking around for a singer to join them.
Laurie says, “we knew Johnny because he was in another band, and then one day Johnny says ‘I’ll try out with you guys’ and that was it.”
After spending a couple of months in America the group moved to Manchester in order to get themselves noticed. Later on their drummer left in order to live in London and after a search for a new member, Adam Featherstone stepped in to take his place.
“When we first started we had another guitarist, so it was a five-piece and we were more grungier and that,” Laurie says, “Adam’s drumming definitely brought a different kind of context to it, a lot more dancier at times.”
Adam admits that the music scene in Manchester surprised him because it was so different to that of Leeds, which he says was filled with cliques – making it hard for new talent to break through.
He says, ““I came from Leeds and I was living in Leeds for a while before I came here and it’s completely different from the Leeds music scene...Manchester is really really spread open and I couldn’t believe it when I first came because the music scene here is really really broad and friendly.
“I did a lot of work for a couple of well-known bands there and it was just like everyone that was anyone knew everyone and apart from that they didn’t want to know.
“Before I moved here my impression was that it was a bit dead and it was ten years too late and all the music had happened. But I think the best is about to happen, really. It’s not just a wait – it’s all happening now.”
Despite owing much of their influences to Mancunian groups such as The Stone Roses, The Smiths and The Chameleons, Beat the Radar describe their style as “very US indie, but as in the actual indie indie, rather than Fall Out Boy!”
Laurie adds “but I think Jonny brought a real back-to-British side as well.”
The group’s first single, ‘Telephone Conversation’, was played by Steve Lamacq on his Radio 1 show, ‘In New Music we Trust’. It has also been remixed by Spartak - a collaboration between Martyn Walsh, Inspiral Carpets and Ruthless Producer – who decided to work with the band after seeing them live.
Rather than releasing the track solely as a download, it was also brought out on a limited edition disc, with artwork by a friend of the band.
“To me that’s what independent music is all about – being a little bit different rather than just sticking it on download or whatever. We made a big thing about it.”
The launch of the album was another big step for the band, with a launch gig taking place at the Garden’s Hotel.
“We got friends’ bands to play and stuff and it was really good. It was really grand ‘cause everyone was there just having a good time.”
So far the band has only had one major problem – security at a festival they recently played.
“They were weird people, security,” they laugh.
Laurie says “we were supposed to play unplugged but we told them we could use this amp ‘cause I had to play a guitar solo. [We were given] this little matchbox-sized amp. In the end it was so quiet we ended up getting shot down.”
Later on at the same place, “we went out and bought like a 24 pack of beer and brought it in and the security came back and said ‘you can’t have that, you got to throw it out’ and then they came back and said ‘you can have it but you’ve got to put it in plastic cups’. So they had to put like a 24 pack of beer in these plastic cups...it looked like some sort of 18-year-old’s birthday party!”
The group have an album due out in November, and are set to release another single from it – ’18 19 20 21 22’ shortly.
“When the album’s out we might do a little tour or something,” they say.
Beat the Radar will be playing The Roadhouse with Optional Wallace on 18 September, at Cafe Saki on 3 October and at The Park Hotel in Lancaster on 10 October.
For more gig dates check out their Myspace page – www.myspace.com/beattheradar
Beat the Radar were signed up to the Akoustik Anarkhy label after bumping into its cofounder, Noel Vazquez, in a toilet.
“He said, ‘I’ll come listen to you guys’,” says bass-player Rowan Smith, “we thought he was just going to ask us to play a pub night that he runs, but he wanted to sign us. It all happened pretty weirdly!”
Despite the strange start to this relationship, it seems to be going very well. The lads describe working with the label as an “honour”, and say that Akoustik Anarkhy’s encouragement made sure their first album was completed.
“They pinned us down and said ‘why don’t you finish the recordings whilst it’s still possible or else it’s gone forever’ - gave us more direction.
“It’s like having a fifth member who gives you a kick up the arse when you need it! I know it’s quite a weird thing to say but Akoustik Anarkhy has quite a family atmosphere ‘cause there’s just so many people come along and it’s the same faces, and bands that supported us we’re mates with.”
Beat the Radar started at the University of Lancaster, where Rowan and guitarist Laurie Hulme were studying. After deciding to form a group together, the guys started looking around for a singer to join them.
Laurie says, “we knew Johnny because he was in another band, and then one day Johnny says ‘I’ll try out with you guys’ and that was it.”
After spending a couple of months in America the group moved to Manchester in order to get themselves noticed. Later on their drummer left in order to live in London and after a search for a new member, Adam Featherstone stepped in to take his place.
“When we first started we had another guitarist, so it was a five-piece and we were more grungier and that,” Laurie says, “Adam’s drumming definitely brought a different kind of context to it, a lot more dancier at times.”
Adam admits that the music scene in Manchester surprised him because it was so different to that of Leeds, which he says was filled with cliques – making it hard for new talent to break through.
He says, ““I came from Leeds and I was living in Leeds for a while before I came here and it’s completely different from the Leeds music scene...Manchester is really really spread open and I couldn’t believe it when I first came because the music scene here is really really broad and friendly.
“I did a lot of work for a couple of well-known bands there and it was just like everyone that was anyone knew everyone and apart from that they didn’t want to know.
“Before I moved here my impression was that it was a bit dead and it was ten years too late and all the music had happened. But I think the best is about to happen, really. It’s not just a wait – it’s all happening now.”
Despite owing much of their influences to Mancunian groups such as The Stone Roses, The Smiths and The Chameleons, Beat the Radar describe their style as “very US indie, but as in the actual indie indie, rather than Fall Out Boy!”
Laurie adds “but I think Jonny brought a real back-to-British side as well.”
The group’s first single, ‘Telephone Conversation’, was played by Steve Lamacq on his Radio 1 show, ‘In New Music we Trust’. It has also been remixed by Spartak - a collaboration between Martyn Walsh, Inspiral Carpets and Ruthless Producer – who decided to work with the band after seeing them live.
Rather than releasing the track solely as a download, it was also brought out on a limited edition disc, with artwork by a friend of the band.
“To me that’s what independent music is all about – being a little bit different rather than just sticking it on download or whatever. We made a big thing about it.”
The launch of the album was another big step for the band, with a launch gig taking place at the Garden’s Hotel.
“We got friends’ bands to play and stuff and it was really good. It was really grand ‘cause everyone was there just having a good time.”
So far the band has only had one major problem – security at a festival they recently played.
“They were weird people, security,” they laugh.
Laurie says “we were supposed to play unplugged but we told them we could use this amp ‘cause I had to play a guitar solo. [We were given] this little matchbox-sized amp. In the end it was so quiet we ended up getting shot down.”
Later on at the same place, “we went out and bought like a 24 pack of beer and brought it in and the security came back and said ‘you can’t have that, you got to throw it out’ and then they came back and said ‘you can have it but you’ve got to put it in plastic cups’. So they had to put like a 24 pack of beer in these plastic cups...it looked like some sort of 18-year-old’s birthday party!”
The group have an album due out in November, and are set to release another single from it – ’18 19 20 21 22’ shortly.
“When the album’s out we might do a little tour or something,” they say.
Beat the Radar will be playing The Roadhouse with Optional Wallace on 18 September, at Cafe Saki on 3 October and at The Park Hotel in Lancaster on 10 October.
For more gig dates check out their Myspace page – www.myspace.com/beattheradar
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Cache Me if You Can
Published on www.geeks.co.uk, a link to the article has also been included in geocaching.com's monthly international newsletter.
After 10 minutes of hunting through ivy-covered trees I finally find what I’m looking for – part of a fence post has been carefully wedged between a couple of lower branches. Pulling it away I discover a small Tupperware box concealed among the leaves – a geocache.
Put simply, geocaching is an international treasure hunt. There are over 42,000 of them to be found in the UK, as well as 3380 in Italy, 32 in Antarctica and even one hidden on Mt Kilimanjaro.
To start you’ll need to log on to www.geocaching.com and create an account. The site used to be completely free, but you now have the option to become a premium member for about £30 a year. The only kit you need is a GPS device. Some caches may be possible to find without one, but the majority would be nearly impossible as OS grid references aren’t specific enough to be of much use unless there is a definite landmark described in the cache’s clue.
You can get geocaching applications for iPhones for £5.99. If you don’t own one then a standard walking GPS such as the Garmin Geko 201 (£89.99) will work just as well.
If finding the caches alone isn’t challenging enough, you must do so without being seen by ‘muggles’ – non-geocachers. Some boxes are deliberately hidden in busy areas such as cities, parks and supermarkets, so a good plan is needed to retrieve one secretly. After you’ve searched for a cache, you log on to the site and post whether or not you found it.
When you’re lucky enough to find a cache there will be a logbook inside to sign. Some boxes may also contain other objects such as toys, postcards or, in some cases, CDs. If you take something you put something else back in, unless the object removed is a trackable one. There are two main types of trackable objects – coins and bugs – the latter being a dog-tag which is normally attached to a key-ring or model. Geocachers move these objects from box to box and they normally have ‘missions’ given to them by their owners. These can be anything from visiting as many British castles as possible to travelling to Australia. One cache in Folkestone has been put in place especially for people wishing to have their trackables taken across to the continent, with people going on the Channel Tunnel stopping by to pick them up.
Some caches are placed in a trail, with one box having to be found in order to retrieve clues to the next, others may only be searched for at night. My favourite cache –which I have, shamefully, yet to find – is hidden at Bletchley Park, where WW2 code breakers cracked the German enigma. The clue to finding the cache is written in code, which users have to decipher before they can search for it.
Near many landmarks such as Buckingham Palace and The Houses of Parliament, being seen hiding a small box is likely to get you arrested. Geocachers have solved this issue by creating virtual caches which are ‘found’ by answering a question about the location.
A word of warning – geocaching is surprisingly addictive. You will soon find yourself spending hours on the site checking for new caches. A simple trip to London will include a quick detour to look for that box near Victoria Square. This sport may take over your life, but it’s worth it!
After 10 minutes of hunting through ivy-covered trees I finally find what I’m looking for – part of a fence post has been carefully wedged between a couple of lower branches. Pulling it away I discover a small Tupperware box concealed among the leaves – a geocache.
Put simply, geocaching is an international treasure hunt. There are over 42,000 of them to be found in the UK, as well as 3380 in Italy, 32 in Antarctica and even one hidden on Mt Kilimanjaro.
To start you’ll need to log on to www.geocaching.com and create an account. The site used to be completely free, but you now have the option to become a premium member for about £30 a year. The only kit you need is a GPS device. Some caches may be possible to find without one, but the majority would be nearly impossible as OS grid references aren’t specific enough to be of much use unless there is a definite landmark described in the cache’s clue.
You can get geocaching applications for iPhones for £5.99. If you don’t own one then a standard walking GPS such as the Garmin Geko 201 (£89.99) will work just as well.
If finding the caches alone isn’t challenging enough, you must do so without being seen by ‘muggles’ – non-geocachers. Some boxes are deliberately hidden in busy areas such as cities, parks and supermarkets, so a good plan is needed to retrieve one secretly. After you’ve searched for a cache, you log on to the site and post whether or not you found it.
When you’re lucky enough to find a cache there will be a logbook inside to sign. Some boxes may also contain other objects such as toys, postcards or, in some cases, CDs. If you take something you put something else back in, unless the object removed is a trackable one. There are two main types of trackable objects – coins and bugs – the latter being a dog-tag which is normally attached to a key-ring or model. Geocachers move these objects from box to box and they normally have ‘missions’ given to them by their owners. These can be anything from visiting as many British castles as possible to travelling to Australia. One cache in Folkestone has been put in place especially for people wishing to have their trackables taken across to the continent, with people going on the Channel Tunnel stopping by to pick them up.
Some caches are placed in a trail, with one box having to be found in order to retrieve clues to the next, others may only be searched for at night. My favourite cache –which I have, shamefully, yet to find – is hidden at Bletchley Park, where WW2 code breakers cracked the German enigma. The clue to finding the cache is written in code, which users have to decipher before they can search for it.
Near many landmarks such as Buckingham Palace and The Houses of Parliament, being seen hiding a small box is likely to get you arrested. Geocachers have solved this issue by creating virtual caches which are ‘found’ by answering a question about the location.
A word of warning – geocaching is surprisingly addictive. You will soon find yourself spending hours on the site checking for new caches. A simple trip to London will include a quick detour to look for that box near Victoria Square. This sport may take over your life, but it’s worth it!
Review - FreeLoader Solar Powered Charger
An edited version was published on http://www.geeks.co.uk/
As a camping geek I love staying in the great outdoors, but not so much the lack of electricity that come with it. How was I to cope without my mobile for a week? Would I have to ration the amount of texts I sent to my boyfriend? The wind-up chargers looked way too energetic for me to be using after a long day hiking. Enter solar technology.
With its futuristic design, looking more like something found flying about space as opposed to lounging beneath a car windscreen, I fell in love with the FreeLoader at first sight.
It can be charged either by the sun or a computer and comes with 11 different adaptors that can be used on a range of mobiles, as well as digital cameras, Satnavs, iPods and portable gaming consoles such as the PSP and Nintendo DS. With many sites selling them for about £29.95 these gadgets are also a lot more affordable than many other solar chargers.
After a few hour-long conversations and dozens of texts by phone inevitably started to flag, so I attached it up to the FreeLoader – which I’d charged by computer before I’d left - and within about half an hour my mobile’s battery was about three-quarters full.
Unfortunately for campers like me, the instruction manual states that FreeLoaders hate any kind of water. In order to avoid it being attacked by condensation I ended up resorting to placing the charger in its box and burying it beneath a mound of clothes in my bag.
But the problems didn’t end there. As soon as the sun decided to show itself through the clouds I put the charger beneath the car’s windscreen. It was sunny all day, but when I came to tap the FreeLoader’s charge I found to my amazement that it barely had enough to make its charging light switch on...and then off again.
Here’s the issue – car windscreens are very good at protecting the driver from the glare of the sun. So what hope does a solar charger have of getting those much needed rays? I couldn’t leave it outside because, as with every English summer, it likes to surprise you by going from brilliant blue skies to chucking it down with rain within the space of 30 minutes. Taking it with me to the beach where sand would inevitably make its way into some essential component didn’t seem like a good move either. In the end I had to give up – solar-chargers don’t work so well when there’s a lack of sun!
I imagine if you’re going abroad to somewhere with a good deal more sunshine than England and where you can count on it not to rain, the FreeLoader would work well. Or if you have the time to leave it on a window-ledge for long periods then, again, this may be worth your while.
Despite the potential issues caused by a lack of sun, the FreeLoader is still a good way to charge your precious gadgets without having to spend god-knows-how-long winding up a handle in a desperate bid to generate enough electricity for that last text.
As a camping geek I love staying in the great outdoors, but not so much the lack of electricity that come with it. How was I to cope without my mobile for a week? Would I have to ration the amount of texts I sent to my boyfriend? The wind-up chargers looked way too energetic for me to be using after a long day hiking. Enter solar technology.
With its futuristic design, looking more like something found flying about space as opposed to lounging beneath a car windscreen, I fell in love with the FreeLoader at first sight.
It can be charged either by the sun or a computer and comes with 11 different adaptors that can be used on a range of mobiles, as well as digital cameras, Satnavs, iPods and portable gaming consoles such as the PSP and Nintendo DS. With many sites selling them for about £29.95 these gadgets are also a lot more affordable than many other solar chargers.
After a few hour-long conversations and dozens of texts by phone inevitably started to flag, so I attached it up to the FreeLoader – which I’d charged by computer before I’d left - and within about half an hour my mobile’s battery was about three-quarters full.
Unfortunately for campers like me, the instruction manual states that FreeLoaders hate any kind of water. In order to avoid it being attacked by condensation I ended up resorting to placing the charger in its box and burying it beneath a mound of clothes in my bag.
But the problems didn’t end there. As soon as the sun decided to show itself through the clouds I put the charger beneath the car’s windscreen. It was sunny all day, but when I came to tap the FreeLoader’s charge I found to my amazement that it barely had enough to make its charging light switch on...and then off again.
Here’s the issue – car windscreens are very good at protecting the driver from the glare of the sun. So what hope does a solar charger have of getting those much needed rays? I couldn’t leave it outside because, as with every English summer, it likes to surprise you by going from brilliant blue skies to chucking it down with rain within the space of 30 minutes. Taking it with me to the beach where sand would inevitably make its way into some essential component didn’t seem like a good move either. In the end I had to give up – solar-chargers don’t work so well when there’s a lack of sun!
I imagine if you’re going abroad to somewhere with a good deal more sunshine than England and where you can count on it not to rain, the FreeLoader would work well. Or if you have the time to leave it on a window-ledge for long periods then, again, this may be worth your while.
Despite the potential issues caused by a lack of sun, the FreeLoader is still a good way to charge your precious gadgets without having to spend god-knows-how-long winding up a handle in a desperate bid to generate enough electricity for that last text.
Monday, 3 August 2009
Cradle TV Package
The TV package I did on Cradle - the outdoor art exhibition in Bournemouth's Lower Gardens
http://www.youtube.com/user/i7867722#play/all/uploads-all/0/RedNM9mjkik
http://www.youtube.com/user/i7867722#play/all/uploads-all/0/RedNM9mjkik
Monday, 27 July 2009
Fringe Indie Magazine
The Cat Empire review and inteview with Felix Riebl on Fringe Indie - http://www.fringeindiemagazine.com/
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
The Cat Empire @ Birmingham Academy
Published on http://www.glasswerk.co.uk/reviews/national/8300
The audience at the Cat Empire gig was almost as diverse as their music, with teenagers dancing alongside people old enough to be their parents and even their grandparents. The Australian group have toured with the late soul-legend James Brown and played at the opening of the Commonwealth Games 2006. From the moment they walked on stage it was easy to hear why – their 2 hour-long set was a tour-de-force of world music.
After a brief greeting from front-man Felix Reibl the brass launched into ‘Fishies’, with Harry Angus’ trumpet solo drawing loud cheers from the audience. The group then switched to laid-back reggae for ‘Days like These’, before moving on to the Eastern influences of ‘The Darkness’.
Their support act - Paprika Balkanicus – who play traditional music from the Balkans, joined the group onstage for ‘The Wine Song’. With the accordion and fiddle, the music sounded fuller than the version on their live album, where the chorus is accompanied solely by brass. “We’ve done four shows so far, it’s been one of the best [tours] I remember,” said Reibl, just before the gig, “I think the next album is going to do really well over here.”
The Cat Empire’s tribute to Michael Jackson came in their final song, ‘The Chariot’, which merged almost seamlessly into an instrumental version of ‘Billy Jean’. The crowd, amid whoops of delight, provided the vocals.
This was by far the best gig I have ever been to –the band has a unique style, there was not a note off-key and I never once saw the audience stop dancing.
Photo by Christopher Frankland.
For more information you can visit: http://www.thecatempire.com/
The audience at the Cat Empire gig was almost as diverse as their music, with teenagers dancing alongside people old enough to be their parents and even their grandparents. The Australian group have toured with the late soul-legend James Brown and played at the opening of the Commonwealth Games 2006. From the moment they walked on stage it was easy to hear why – their 2 hour-long set was a tour-de-force of world music.
After a brief greeting from front-man Felix Reibl the brass launched into ‘Fishies’, with Harry Angus’ trumpet solo drawing loud cheers from the audience. The group then switched to laid-back reggae for ‘Days like These’, before moving on to the Eastern influences of ‘The Darkness’.
Their support act - Paprika Balkanicus – who play traditional music from the Balkans, joined the group onstage for ‘The Wine Song’. With the accordion and fiddle, the music sounded fuller than the version on their live album, where the chorus is accompanied solely by brass. “We’ve done four shows so far, it’s been one of the best [tours] I remember,” said Reibl, just before the gig, “I think the next album is going to do really well over here.”
The Cat Empire’s tribute to Michael Jackson came in their final song, ‘The Chariot’, which merged almost seamlessly into an instrumental version of ‘Billy Jean’. The crowd, amid whoops of delight, provided the vocals.
This was by far the best gig I have ever been to –the band has a unique style, there was not a note off-key and I never once saw the audience stop dancing.
Photo by Christopher Frankland.
For more information you can visit: http://www.thecatempire.com/
Wednesday, 8 July 2009
The Cat Empire
Published on http://www.isthismusic.com/
Photograph by Christopher Frankland
They’ve supported the late soul-legend James Brown and played at the opening of the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Now Australian group The Cat Empire have embarked on their European tour. Jenny Ross speaks to front-man Felix Reibl.
How would you describe The Cat Empire’s music to someone who hadn’t heard it before?
Honestly, I’d say that they should come to a show and see it because after people have seen the show they don’t feel the need to explain it. They just enjoy it. It’s very lively music, the musicians are very good. A world music band I suppose is the best way to describe it.
How do you go about writing your songs?
I write them pretty traditionally I think. I go out and experience things or read about things or listen to music or practise music and put words to harmonies and form good melodies that work. It’s one of the most wonderful things to be in a band and have people singing your choruses, so that’s something that’s really inspiring to do. So, when I write songs for this band I try and write choruses, but also leave the arrangement open enough for the musicians to do what they do well – improvisation.
Which track do you think sums up The Cat Empire?
I dunno. I think honestly it’s very difficult – people in the band all have different favourite songs. I suppose, for me, The Chariot probably sums it up the best. That’s a song that we will often finish shows with. It’s a sort of song I wrote for the audience and my friends in the audience. It’s an anti-war song.
What are your influences?
I think my ones…for mainly song-writing; Springsteen, Dylan – it’s pretty ‘60s actually. For the band, a lot of world music - Cuban stuff and Hernie Hancock and Thelonius Monk…James Brown. It was a huge honour to tour with James before he died. Marley. Marley was a big influence. And a lot of Australian music…Australia is a big one I think for the band as a whole. I think the album Below the Bassline, in our very very early days, was kind of interesting because it involved very simple phrases, simple melodies with sections you could open up. And also it’s amazing where influences can come for a band. I think cinema’s a huge one: the guys watch a lot of movies and I think cinema music has played a big part on some of the drama of the sections.
Has the tour gone well so far?
Very well. We’ve done four shows so far, it’s been one of the best one’s I remember, actually. We haven’t been on tour for over a year in the UK. It’s been at least 18 months since we’ve been here and in that time we made a live CD, but also took a lot of time off because we’ve just come off a long-term tour. I think that the live album marks the end of this period and we’re going to record another CD at the end of next year. I think it’s going to be a new chapter.
What can we expect from this new CD? Have you written any of the songs already?
Well I have got a lot of ideas. It’s going to be different, that’s all I can say. We’re going to try something really new and ambitious for the band. What it’s going to be I cannot say.
When you’re on tour do you ever request anything strange?
Like all blue M&Ms and stuff? Yeah, Ryan [Monro, bass guitarist] tried that! But we’re actually a pretty easy-going band in terms of requesting things.
Do you find audiences here different to those in Australia?
I think so. I mean, at the moment, because we haven’t been here for such a long time and in Australia the band’s been around for a long time. It makes it quite exciting because people are out discovering the band.
Do you ever wish that you could be a much bigger band in the UK?
Yeah, I wish I was playing at a stadium some nights. But I think that the band’s in a great position really, especially at the moment. I mean, we’re a well-known band and I remember when we started out playing small jazz clubs, just thinking that if 100 people arrived it would be pretty much the best thing ever…it’s all about perspective really. I think in Montreal a few years ago we played to 150,000 people, which was great and we’ve done huge festivals, so seeing oceans of people is wonderful. But in a band like this really it comes down to how fresh everyone’s feeling and how well we’re playing together and you can have an amazing show to 100 people or a great show to 10,000 people. I think the next album is going to do really well over here.
Where do you see yourselves in 5 years time?
I’d like to create an album – the best album we’ve done with the band – that would be great, and see where that takes us.
The Cat Empire will be playing at Glasgow Academy on July 10 2009. More at http://www.thecatempire.com/.
Photograph by Christopher Frankland
They’ve supported the late soul-legend James Brown and played at the opening of the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Now Australian group The Cat Empire have embarked on their European tour. Jenny Ross speaks to front-man Felix Reibl.
How would you describe The Cat Empire’s music to someone who hadn’t heard it before?
Honestly, I’d say that they should come to a show and see it because after people have seen the show they don’t feel the need to explain it. They just enjoy it. It’s very lively music, the musicians are very good. A world music band I suppose is the best way to describe it.
How do you go about writing your songs?
I write them pretty traditionally I think. I go out and experience things or read about things or listen to music or practise music and put words to harmonies and form good melodies that work. It’s one of the most wonderful things to be in a band and have people singing your choruses, so that’s something that’s really inspiring to do. So, when I write songs for this band I try and write choruses, but also leave the arrangement open enough for the musicians to do what they do well – improvisation.
Which track do you think sums up The Cat Empire?
I dunno. I think honestly it’s very difficult – people in the band all have different favourite songs. I suppose, for me, The Chariot probably sums it up the best. That’s a song that we will often finish shows with. It’s a sort of song I wrote for the audience and my friends in the audience. It’s an anti-war song.
What are your influences?
I think my ones…for mainly song-writing; Springsteen, Dylan – it’s pretty ‘60s actually. For the band, a lot of world music - Cuban stuff and Hernie Hancock and Thelonius Monk…James Brown. It was a huge honour to tour with James before he died. Marley. Marley was a big influence. And a lot of Australian music…Australia is a big one I think for the band as a whole. I think the album Below the Bassline, in our very very early days, was kind of interesting because it involved very simple phrases, simple melodies with sections you could open up. And also it’s amazing where influences can come for a band. I think cinema’s a huge one: the guys watch a lot of movies and I think cinema music has played a big part on some of the drama of the sections.
Has the tour gone well so far?
Very well. We’ve done four shows so far, it’s been one of the best one’s I remember, actually. We haven’t been on tour for over a year in the UK. It’s been at least 18 months since we’ve been here and in that time we made a live CD, but also took a lot of time off because we’ve just come off a long-term tour. I think that the live album marks the end of this period and we’re going to record another CD at the end of next year. I think it’s going to be a new chapter.
What can we expect from this new CD? Have you written any of the songs already?
Well I have got a lot of ideas. It’s going to be different, that’s all I can say. We’re going to try something really new and ambitious for the band. What it’s going to be I cannot say.
When you’re on tour do you ever request anything strange?
Like all blue M&Ms and stuff? Yeah, Ryan [Monro, bass guitarist] tried that! But we’re actually a pretty easy-going band in terms of requesting things.
Do you find audiences here different to those in Australia?
I think so. I mean, at the moment, because we haven’t been here for such a long time and in Australia the band’s been around for a long time. It makes it quite exciting because people are out discovering the band.
Do you ever wish that you could be a much bigger band in the UK?
Yeah, I wish I was playing at a stadium some nights. But I think that the band’s in a great position really, especially at the moment. I mean, we’re a well-known band and I remember when we started out playing small jazz clubs, just thinking that if 100 people arrived it would be pretty much the best thing ever…it’s all about perspective really. I think in Montreal a few years ago we played to 150,000 people, which was great and we’ve done huge festivals, so seeing oceans of people is wonderful. But in a band like this really it comes down to how fresh everyone’s feeling and how well we’re playing together and you can have an amazing show to 100 people or a great show to 10,000 people. I think the next album is going to do really well over here.
Where do you see yourselves in 5 years time?
I’d like to create an album – the best album we’ve done with the band – that would be great, and see where that takes us.
The Cat Empire will be playing at Glasgow Academy on July 10 2009. More at http://www.thecatempire.com/.
Thursday, 2 July 2009
The Leave Me Alone Box
Written for www.geeks.co.uk
It may be not be the most useful gadget around, but the Leave Me Alone Box is certainly one of the funniest. So far the video of it on YouTube has had over 700,000 hits, and has been included in BBC Focus magazine.
Think of it as the grumpy teenager of the gadget world – click here to watch and enjoy.
It may be not be the most useful gadget around, but the Leave Me Alone Box is certainly one of the funniest. So far the video of it on YouTube has had over 700,000 hits, and has been included in BBC Focus magazine.
Think of it as the grumpy teenager of the gadget world – click here to watch and enjoy.
Monkey Island Returns
Written for www.geeks.co.uk
Arrr me lads – the wait be finally over!
Yes, get ready to put the old sword-fighting skills back into action as we join Guybrush Threepwood for Tales of Monkey Island; the final instalment in the legendary series of games.
When our hero inadvertently releases a pox, during a battle with his nemesis LeChuck, pirates start transforming into monsters. In order to stop the epidemic the Voodoo Lady sends Guybrush off to find a legendary sea-sponge, but the quest isn’t as straightforward as it seems…
Disappointingly, the game is not being released in stores but will be downloadable from the Telltale Games website from July 7 and from WiiWare at an unconfirmed date. There is a collectors’ DVD available, however, if you are prepared to pay for shipping.
In addition, LucasArts has announced that it will be re-releasing The Secret of Monkey Island® – the game that started it all – this summer. It has been completely re-mastered, so that the clunky graphics of old have now gone, to be replaced by hand-drawn images.
For screenshots and teasers galore please visit Telltale Games.
Arrr me lads – the wait be finally over!
Yes, get ready to put the old sword-fighting skills back into action as we join Guybrush Threepwood for Tales of Monkey Island; the final instalment in the legendary series of games.
When our hero inadvertently releases a pox, during a battle with his nemesis LeChuck, pirates start transforming into monsters. In order to stop the epidemic the Voodoo Lady sends Guybrush off to find a legendary sea-sponge, but the quest isn’t as straightforward as it seems…
Disappointingly, the game is not being released in stores but will be downloadable from the Telltale Games website from July 7 and from WiiWare at an unconfirmed date. There is a collectors’ DVD available, however, if you are prepared to pay for shipping.
In addition, LucasArts has announced that it will be re-releasing The Secret of Monkey Island® – the game that started it all – this summer. It has been completely re-mastered, so that the clunky graphics of old have now gone, to be replaced by hand-drawn images.
For screenshots and teasers galore please visit Telltale Games.
Wednesday, 10 June 2009
Iain Softley - Hollywood Director
Published on www.listedmagazine.com
Iain Softley - director of Inkheart, The Skeleton Key and Hackers – was one of the guest speakers at the Future Shorts film festival at the Pier Theatre on Friday 29 May. He chatted to Listed about British movies, the credit crunch and the best way to get your film into the cinemas.
How important are events like Future Shorts?
Well, I think any opportunity for a festival type environment is a great way to see films - it gives cinema a little bit of the feeling of a live show, which is maybe sometimes missing...I think the opportunities that there are for diversity in films that are shown is a good thing, there’s so much pressure for conformity [nowadays].
Which of the films shown really stood out for you?
I thought Film Noir, the short animation, was incredible – imaginative, beautifully done, witty. I actually liked all of them, I thought they all had merits.
What do you look for in a good film?
I kind of like something that’s original. Good story, but doesn’t have to be a linear narrative. Something that’s maybe out of the mainstream. I do like beautifully made films, but they have to have something fresh and surprising about them, they need to take you somewhere that you don’t expect to go.
Why should we promote smaller films?
Because all that diversity is very important. I think that homogeneity – that’s the opposite of diversity – is really just for the convenience of the producers, not for the convenience of the audience. I don’t think it’s the choice of the audience to have a more restricted choice of films.
Has the credit crunch had an effect on the film industry?
It’s had a massive effect, which is strange because at the beginning of the credit crunch people were saying the film industry is immune. Relatively speaking, it’s a cheap night out to go and see a film and cinema numbers have held up, if not increased. But a lot of people that are financing films have been really hit...businesses were saying ‘we’re not going to invest as we don’t know what’s going to happen’.
Is the British film industry still fairly important?
I think it’s always been important! I mean, there’s an enormous number of directors, British directors, making films. It's a much more international business that it was 20 years ago - British actors are working in Hollywood and I think American actors are working over here. There’s probably more British films in Cannes this year than any in the last 4 or 5 years.
Do you have a favourite film?
I’m very bad at the singular favourite, but probably a film by either Stanley Kubrick or Nick Rogue. I’d probably say Don’t Look Now.
Have you got advice for any budding film makers?
Well, really you need to know what it is you’re trying to achieve. If you just want to tell stories you can do that now with a video camera. If you want to reach an audience you need to convince somebody to back you. You need to have something they want. In my case it was a script – Backbeat.
Want to see the shorts? Go to http://www.futureshorts.com/ and click on the link.
Iain Softley - director of Inkheart, The Skeleton Key and Hackers – was one of the guest speakers at the Future Shorts film festival at the Pier Theatre on Friday 29 May. He chatted to Listed about British movies, the credit crunch and the best way to get your film into the cinemas.
How important are events like Future Shorts?
Well, I think any opportunity for a festival type environment is a great way to see films - it gives cinema a little bit of the feeling of a live show, which is maybe sometimes missing...I think the opportunities that there are for diversity in films that are shown is a good thing, there’s so much pressure for conformity [nowadays].
Which of the films shown really stood out for you?
I thought Film Noir, the short animation, was incredible – imaginative, beautifully done, witty. I actually liked all of them, I thought they all had merits.
What do you look for in a good film?
I kind of like something that’s original. Good story, but doesn’t have to be a linear narrative. Something that’s maybe out of the mainstream. I do like beautifully made films, but they have to have something fresh and surprising about them, they need to take you somewhere that you don’t expect to go.
Why should we promote smaller films?
Because all that diversity is very important. I think that homogeneity – that’s the opposite of diversity – is really just for the convenience of the producers, not for the convenience of the audience. I don’t think it’s the choice of the audience to have a more restricted choice of films.
Has the credit crunch had an effect on the film industry?
It’s had a massive effect, which is strange because at the beginning of the credit crunch people were saying the film industry is immune. Relatively speaking, it’s a cheap night out to go and see a film and cinema numbers have held up, if not increased. But a lot of people that are financing films have been really hit...businesses were saying ‘we’re not going to invest as we don’t know what’s going to happen’.
Is the British film industry still fairly important?
I think it’s always been important! I mean, there’s an enormous number of directors, British directors, making films. It's a much more international business that it was 20 years ago - British actors are working in Hollywood and I think American actors are working over here. There’s probably more British films in Cannes this year than any in the last 4 or 5 years.
Do you have a favourite film?
I’m very bad at the singular favourite, but probably a film by either Stanley Kubrick or Nick Rogue. I’d probably say Don’t Look Now.
Have you got advice for any budding film makers?
Well, really you need to know what it is you’re trying to achieve. If you just want to tell stories you can do that now with a video camera. If you want to reach an audience you need to convince somebody to back you. You need to have something they want. In my case it was a script – Backbeat.
Want to see the shorts? Go to http://www.futureshorts.com/ and click on the link.
Future Shorts
Published on www.listedmagazine.com
Cinema lovers in Bournemouth were treated to a selection of short films at the Pier Theatre on Friday 29 May.
The Future Shorts event saw screenings of international and local films, including Golden Bear Winner ‘Please say Something' - an animated love story about a cat and a mouse. Hollywood director Iain Softley (Inkheart, Hackers) and cinematographer Ashley Rowe (Calendar Girls, Alfie) gave talks about their experiences of the film industry and answered questions from the audience.
“I think it gives cinema a little bit of the feeling of a live show, of a live performance, which is maybe sometimes missing,” said Mr Softley, “diversity in the films shown is a good thing - I think there’s so much pressure for conformity [nowadays].”
Mr Rowe agreed, “I think it’s great to have a venue like this that’s actually showing something different. Most cinemas just tend to show the normal movies that are on the run at the moment.”
Awards were presented to the best local talent, with Ashley Rowe presenting Best Cinematography (Rubber Johnny) and Best Film (The Beatnik who Lost his Beat). Prizes were also given for the Best Student Film (Milan) and Best Script (Henry Dalton’s This is not my Beautiful House).
Cinema lovers in Bournemouth were treated to a selection of short films at the Pier Theatre on Friday 29 May.
The Future Shorts event saw screenings of international and local films, including Golden Bear Winner ‘Please say Something' - an animated love story about a cat and a mouse. Hollywood director Iain Softley (Inkheart, Hackers) and cinematographer Ashley Rowe (Calendar Girls, Alfie) gave talks about their experiences of the film industry and answered questions from the audience.
“I think it gives cinema a little bit of the feeling of a live show, of a live performance, which is maybe sometimes missing,” said Mr Softley, “diversity in the films shown is a good thing - I think there’s so much pressure for conformity [nowadays].”
Mr Rowe agreed, “I think it’s great to have a venue like this that’s actually showing something different. Most cinemas just tend to show the normal movies that are on the run at the moment.”
Awards were presented to the best local talent, with Ashley Rowe presenting Best Cinematography (Rubber Johnny) and Best Film (The Beatnik who Lost his Beat). Prizes were also given for the Best Student Film (Milan) and Best Script (Henry Dalton’s This is not my Beautiful House).
Thursday, 21 May 2009
Craftily Recession-Proof
A podcast on http://buzz.bournemouth.ac.uk/?p=4532 written and recorded with Sophie Warnes.
Angels and Demons
Published on www.listedmagazine.com
The Vatican is being threatened by a secret society known as the Illuminati, who have kidnapped four leading Catholics and planted a devastating bomb somewhere within the city walls. Accompanied by Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer), a CERN physicist, Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) must follow a series of ancient clues to locate the missing men before time runs out.
Filled with stunning visual effects and unexpected twists, Angels and Demons will please both fans of the novel and those who have never read it before.
I would not, however, recommend it to the easily disturbed as some scenes are very graphic.
Newspapers in Crisis?
Written for http://buzz.bournemouth.ac.uk
Having just listened to a lecture by Stephen Jukes, Head of Bournemouth University’s Media School and a former reporter for Reuters, I was left feeling distinctly worried about what the state of the news industry will be when I graduate in two years’ time.
The upshot of the presentation was that the newspaper industry is having to adapt to rapidly changing technology and the recession has thrown it completely. No longer are journalists working on regional newspapers going out and reporting - the vast majority of their time is spent processing news. So when the local council does a dodgy deal with a developer how are the public going to find out about it?
What’s more, finding hard news is expensive. Comment is free and so instead of being able to access a broad spectrum of news stories we are instead being fed the same information, repackaged in as many different forms as possible. This takes less journalists, so it's small wonder that in a recession this is the method being turned to.
I must admit, I’m as guilty as the next student for looking up news on the web and was left feeling that I am neglecting to support the very industry that I am trying to enter. But then, its all so easy to do isn’t it? And there’s none of those mountain-ranges of newspapers to forever shift around my room and never find the time to read.
And therein lies the problem…
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
Silent Clowns
The front of the house – weighing two tons – falls slowly towards the actor. The audience gives an intake of breath as he is saved from certain death by a window which is barely bigger than he is. However, this is no big-budget action thriller, but Steamboat Bill Junior – the last independent feature by silent comedian Buster Keaton.
“If you have never seen silent comedy on a big screen with a big audience and great live music you will be amazed,” says Paul Merton, on his website, “if you have seen it before you will need no further persuasion from me.”
The live music is provided by pianist Neil Brand, who improvises the entire piece, making every performance unique.
As well as appearances from the likes of Chaplin, Keaton and Laurel & Hardy, Silent Clowns also includes some comedies from the earliest days of cinema and a short feature by the unusually-named Snub Pollard.
At this particular show the full-length film in the second half was Keaton’s The Seven Chances - not Steamboat Bill Junior, as billed. Though the feature was a little slow to get started, once the audience started laughing they barely stopped.
Unfortunately, the performance felt as if it had been rushed. Merton gave only brief introductions to each extract, as opposed to the gems of information which those who watched the television series will be expecting. I for one would have liked to have known more about the enigma that was Mr Pollard, who was given little introduction beyond the fact that his film - The Inventor - was like Wallace and Gromit.
Despite this, Silent Clowns was a very entertaining night out and I would recommend it to both fans of silent comedies and those who have never seen one before.
“If you have never seen silent comedy on a big screen with a big audience and great live music you will be amazed,” says Paul Merton, on his website, “if you have seen it before you will need no further persuasion from me.”
The live music is provided by pianist Neil Brand, who improvises the entire piece, making every performance unique.
As well as appearances from the likes of Chaplin, Keaton and Laurel & Hardy, Silent Clowns also includes some comedies from the earliest days of cinema and a short feature by the unusually-named Snub Pollard.
At this particular show the full-length film in the second half was Keaton’s The Seven Chances - not Steamboat Bill Junior, as billed. Though the feature was a little slow to get started, once the audience started laughing they barely stopped.
Unfortunately, the performance felt as if it had been rushed. Merton gave only brief introductions to each extract, as opposed to the gems of information which those who watched the television series will be expecting. I for one would have liked to have known more about the enigma that was Mr Pollard, who was given little introduction beyond the fact that his film - The Inventor - was like Wallace and Gromit.
Despite this, Silent Clowns was a very entertaining night out and I would recommend it to both fans of silent comedies and those who have never seen one before.
Cradle
Footage I shot of Cradle - an outdoor art exhibition which showcases work by students from the Arts Institute Bournemouth - has been used on their site to promote the event.
http://www.artbournemouth.co.uk/section281983_92997.html
http://www.artbournemouth.co.uk/section281983_92997.html
Nerve FM
Written for Nerve Magazine
20th April 2009
Two weeks. Thirty DJs. Two-hundred-and-fifteen shows.
Nerve FM was unleashed on Bournemouth’s airwaves during March by BBC Radio 6’s Phil Juipitus, who gave us an interview about Glastonbury, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and the Bournemouth Subway Appreciation group.
The fortnight was kicked off by the Jess and Jonny Breakfast show on March 16th. The early starts were hard at first, but from the lively way the presenters sounded you would never have known. Jess claims the reason for this was Red Bull and Coco-Pops.
“At times I found it hard when being careful what you say, but I think me and Jonny were a great pairing and hopefully gave off a good breakfast show vibe,” she told me,” I had such an amazing team to work with who made me laugh, especially on the last day when I was attacked with cameras!
“Also, it's something that I can add to my CV and made me think differently about what I want to do in the future - radio one if I'm lucky!”
The FM featured a range of shows for nearly every taste in music. Abi Brydon’s new and unsigned bands was characterised by her enthusiasm for the genre, as was Dave Curtis’ hip-hop broadcasts. Another presenter, Dave Ruddock, themed each of his shows around a word and played a range of songs from different genres.
For those of you who found themselves bombarded with hundreds of ‘Boycott Costa Coffee’ emails last term, you may have been interested in Chris Jones’ interview with vice-chancellor, Paul Curran, who gave the uni’s side of the story.
Jason Hawkins, SUBU’s Media Services Manager, said, “I would say that this year ranks as pretty much one of the best – for consistency as well as involvement. It’s about providing a platform for involvement regardless of what course you’re on.
“But, it’s also about taking a bunch of students in October who have never been in a studio, training them up and, after two weeks, turning them into competent presenters.”
I went to meet drive-time’s Sophie Moir and Dan Shojaie as they did their last show.
“The Dan vs. Sophie Marshmallow Challenge was really funny,” Dan told me, “Sophie managed to get all thirteen marshmallows in her mouth – she’s like a weird sort of hamster or something! We had the news team in doing a commentary. It was really funny – I couldn’t speak, Sophie couldn’t speak!”
Sophie said, “it’s gone well for us. I also do the news, so it’s been great to see both sides. And Jason’s just a pro at it, he’s taught us loads.”
20th April 2009
Two weeks. Thirty DJs. Two-hundred-and-fifteen shows.
Nerve FM was unleashed on Bournemouth’s airwaves during March by BBC Radio 6’s Phil Juipitus, who gave us an interview about Glastonbury, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and the Bournemouth Subway Appreciation group.
The fortnight was kicked off by the Jess and Jonny Breakfast show on March 16th. The early starts were hard at first, but from the lively way the presenters sounded you would never have known. Jess claims the reason for this was Red Bull and Coco-Pops.
“At times I found it hard when being careful what you say, but I think me and Jonny were a great pairing and hopefully gave off a good breakfast show vibe,” she told me,” I had such an amazing team to work with who made me laugh, especially on the last day when I was attacked with cameras!
“Also, it's something that I can add to my CV and made me think differently about what I want to do in the future - radio one if I'm lucky!”
The FM featured a range of shows for nearly every taste in music. Abi Brydon’s new and unsigned bands was characterised by her enthusiasm for the genre, as was Dave Curtis’ hip-hop broadcasts. Another presenter, Dave Ruddock, themed each of his shows around a word and played a range of songs from different genres.
For those of you who found themselves bombarded with hundreds of ‘Boycott Costa Coffee’ emails last term, you may have been interested in Chris Jones’ interview with vice-chancellor, Paul Curran, who gave the uni’s side of the story.
Jason Hawkins, SUBU’s Media Services Manager, said, “I would say that this year ranks as pretty much one of the best – for consistency as well as involvement. It’s about providing a platform for involvement regardless of what course you’re on.
“But, it’s also about taking a bunch of students in October who have never been in a studio, training them up and, after two weeks, turning them into competent presenters.”
I went to meet drive-time’s Sophie Moir and Dan Shojaie as they did their last show.
“The Dan vs. Sophie Marshmallow Challenge was really funny,” Dan told me, “Sophie managed to get all thirteen marshmallows in her mouth – she’s like a weird sort of hamster or something! We had the news team in doing a commentary. It was really funny – I couldn’t speak, Sophie couldn’t speak!”
Sophie said, “it’s gone well for us. I also do the news, so it’s been great to see both sides. And Jason’s just a pro at it, he’s taught us loads.”
Thursday, 9 April 2009
Red Dwarf Comes Back to Earth
Written for http://buzz.bournemouth.ac.uk/
Includes minor spoilers.
This year marks a milestone for all fans of cult TV sit-com, Red Dwarf. Not only is it the 21st anniversary of the show, but a new three-part speacial - ‘Back to Earth’ - is airing tomorrow night.
So, what can we expect?
Well, most of the old crowd are back - Lister (Craig Charles), Rimmer (Chris Barrie), the Cat (Danny John-Jules) and Kryton (Robert Llewellyn) - as well as guest appearances from the likes of Peep Show’s Sophie Winkleman and Carry On actor Richard O’Callaghan.
Chris Barrie said on Dave’s website, “If I’m honest I would have to say that not having a studio audience was something of a disappointment. However, maybe this is a sacrifice worth making if we are to fully utilise the latest CGI technology and give the show a more filmic feel. One thing is for sure, Back to Earth will look absolutely stunning.”
The show, which will be aired on digital channel, Dave, looks like it’s going to be a typically surreal Dwarf outing - it sees the crew discover a dimension-jumping leviathan inside the ship’s water tank and will include a visit to Coronation Street. Rimmer also gains a new nemesis - another hologram called Katerina (Sophie Winkleman), who is determined to replace him.
Red Dwarf itself has has a make-over from Mark Harris, who has also designed sets for Star Wars and James Bond.
“Okay, so we’re all ten years older,” says Robert Llewellyn in his blog, ”we’ve all got kids, we all make grunting noises when we stand up except Danny because his body is some kind of machine which never ages.
“Other than that, the first days on the Back to Earth set were alarmingly familiar, just like we’d had a week off since series eight and were right back on the studio floor.”
So, will it live up to the expectations of millions of fans? We’ll just have to watch and find out.
Red Dwarf: Back to Earth will be on Dave at 2100 on April 10th, 11th and 12th. All episodes will be shown back-to -back on 13th April.
Haven’t a clue what this article is about? Read up on the show here.
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Policeman Assaulted Outside House of Commons
(Written for http://buzz.bournemouth.ac.uk/)
Questions have been raised over parliamentary security after a police officer was injured in an “incredibly violent” attack just outside the Commons chamber.
CS gas was used to subdue the 40 year-old man, who is alleged to be a director at a London publishers.
Reports say that he had been attending a party hosted by Conservative MP Eric Pickles and was supposed to have been escorted around the building. However, the man was found having an arguement with two other people just outside the doors to the Commons chamber, where a debate was going on.
A policeman asked him for his ID at which point, a source on The Times website says, “completely lost it and went berserk”.
He was subsequently arrested and is now in custody at a Central London police station.
This news comes comes just days before the G20 summit, which is expected to attract thousands of protestors to the city. Questions are, therefore, being asked about how the guests managed to slip past security unnoticed
Questions have been raised over parliamentary security after a police officer was injured in an “incredibly violent” attack just outside the Commons chamber.
CS gas was used to subdue the 40 year-old man, who is alleged to be a director at a London publishers.
Reports say that he had been attending a party hosted by Conservative MP Eric Pickles and was supposed to have been escorted around the building. However, the man was found having an arguement with two other people just outside the doors to the Commons chamber, where a debate was going on.
A policeman asked him for his ID at which point, a source on The Times website says, “completely lost it and went berserk”.
He was subsequently arrested and is now in custody at a Central London police station.
This news comes comes just days before the G20 summit, which is expected to attract thousands of protestors to the city. Questions are, therefore, being asked about how the guests managed to slip past security unnoticed
Slumdog Millionaire
If you haven’t heard of Slumdog Millionaire by now, odds on you must have been shipwrecked on some remote island somewhere - the film has won no less than eight Oscars, including Best Motion Picture, as well as seven BAFTAs.
Based on a novel by Vikas Swarup, the film follows Jamal (Dev Patel), a teenager from the slums of Mumbai who enters the Indian version of ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire?’ After being arrested for cheating he tells police officers his life story, in an attempt to explain how he knew the answers.
Transitions between the past and present could have made the story complicated and jittery, and it is a testament to Simon Beaufoy’s screenplay that is not the case. The plot is compelling, though predictable – the love story between Jamal and Latika (Freida Pinto) in particular – and gives an eye-opening view of life in India’s slums.
The trailers do not do this movie justice. I was expecting to see a romanticised and unmemorable film. I was wrong. Slumdog Millionaire is a classic that deserves every one of the awards it has been given.
Based on a novel by Vikas Swarup, the film follows Jamal (Dev Patel), a teenager from the slums of Mumbai who enters the Indian version of ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire?’ After being arrested for cheating he tells police officers his life story, in an attempt to explain how he knew the answers.
Transitions between the past and present could have made the story complicated and jittery, and it is a testament to Simon Beaufoy’s screenplay that is not the case. The plot is compelling, though predictable – the love story between Jamal and Latika (Freida Pinto) in particular – and gives an eye-opening view of life in India’s slums.
The trailers do not do this movie justice. I was expecting to see a romanticised and unmemorable film. I was wrong. Slumdog Millionaire is a classic that deserves every one of the awards it has been given.
Monday, 30 March 2009
Wonderwool: Oasis singer set to take on the world of fashion
(Written for http://buzz.bournemouth.ac.uk/)
March 19th 2009
He may not be well-known for his fashion-sense, but Oasis front-man Liam Gallagher is set to release his own range of clothes, which will be sold online and in a number of - as yet unnamed - high-street stores.
The collection, named ‘Pretty Green’ after a song by The Jam, is to be released in June and will include shoes, knitwear and versions of the artist’s trademark parka.
The singer said on Prettygreen.com, “clothes and music are my passion. I’m not here to rip anyone off and I’m not doing it for the money either. I’m doing it cuz [sic] there’s a lack of stuff out there of the things I would wear”
Gallagher will design the clothes alongside a team of industry professionals.
March 19th 2009
He may not be well-known for his fashion-sense, but Oasis front-man Liam Gallagher is set to release his own range of clothes, which will be sold online and in a number of - as yet unnamed - high-street stores.
The collection, named ‘Pretty Green’ after a song by The Jam, is to be released in June and will include shoes, knitwear and versions of the artist’s trademark parka.
The singer said on Prettygreen.com, “clothes and music are my passion. I’m not here to rip anyone off and I’m not doing it for the money either. I’m doing it cuz [sic] there’s a lack of stuff out there of the things I would wear”
Gallagher will design the clothes alongside a team of industry professionals.
Sunday, 8 March 2009
Esser - Satisfied (single)
(A report for Nerve)
The second release from solo singer Ben Esser, who is due to release his debut album – Brave Face - at the end of April.
The single has a distinctly Latin American influence, with a piano playing an old-style tango and the sounds of clapping accompanying the singer’s vocals. So, even though the lyrics are pessimistic – he laments how “even when you say ‘I love you’, she’s still not satisfied” – the song still has a summery feel to it.
Esser is about to embark on a UK-wide tour and will appear at Thekla in Bristol on April 23rd and Southampton Joiners Arms on April 24th. He will also appear at a number of festivals over the summer.
The second release from solo singer Ben Esser, who is due to release his debut album – Brave Face - at the end of April.
The single has a distinctly Latin American influence, with a piano playing an old-style tango and the sounds of clapping accompanying the singer’s vocals. So, even though the lyrics are pessimistic – he laments how “even when you say ‘I love you’, she’s still not satisfied” – the song still has a summery feel to it.
Esser is about to embark on a UK-wide tour and will appear at Thekla in Bristol on April 23rd and Southampton Joiners Arms on April 24th. He will also appear at a number of festivals over the summer.
Elle Milano - Meanwhile in Hollywood (EP)
(A report for Nerve)
Meanwhile in Hollywood is the second single from the Brighton-based rock group, who split up in October 2008, and is taken from their album Acres of Dead Space Cadets.
The title track starts off well, with an upbeat chorus and a good use of synths, but is then ruined by the lead singer Adam Crisp’s attempt at a rap.
The second track, Ringtone Advertising Director has yet another appalling display of rapping at the start, as the lead singer chants about a car accident victim. But, once the song picks up and the band finally makes full use of their guitarist and drummer, it is by far the loudest - and the most impressive - of the three tracks.
Showroom Furniture, unfortunately, sees the band slip into a bland, uninteresting style, with no chorus to speak of – just the same tune over and over again.
If Elle Milano had stuck to their strength – rock music – then Meanwhile in Hollywood could have been a very good CD. Unfortunately Crisp’s rapping and the descent into the slow and boring Showroom Furniture put paid to that – I wouldn’t recommend it.
Meanwhile in Hollywood is the second single from the Brighton-based rock group, who split up in October 2008, and is taken from their album Acres of Dead Space Cadets.
The title track starts off well, with an upbeat chorus and a good use of synths, but is then ruined by the lead singer Adam Crisp’s attempt at a rap.
The second track, Ringtone Advertising Director has yet another appalling display of rapping at the start, as the lead singer chants about a car accident victim. But, once the song picks up and the band finally makes full use of their guitarist and drummer, it is by far the loudest - and the most impressive - of the three tracks.
Showroom Furniture, unfortunately, sees the band slip into a bland, uninteresting style, with no chorus to speak of – just the same tune over and over again.
If Elle Milano had stuck to their strength – rock music – then Meanwhile in Hollywood could have been a very good CD. Unfortunately Crisp’s rapping and the descent into the slow and boring Showroom Furniture put paid to that – I wouldn’t recommend it.
Sunday, 22 February 2009
How Mad Are You
(Written 11th December 2008)
Though the title calls to mind some sort of sensationalist reality programme - possibly involving straight-jackets and men in white coats - BBC’s How Mad Are You? is surprisingly eye-opening.
The documentary, which aims to ‘explore the fine line that separates the mad from the sane’, challenges a panel of experts to spot the five mentally ill candidates from a group of ten volunteers.
Friday, 20 February 2009
Being Human
A ghost, a vampire and a werewolf sharing a house in Bristol may sound like a dodgy children’s TV series, but Being Human has managed to pull it off.
The BBC programme, created by Toby Whithouse – who has also written for Doctor Who, Torchwood and Hotel Babylon – follows the flatmates Annie, Mitchell and George as they fight to survive in the modern world, whilst keeping their true nature a secret.
Though the first episode was painfully slow to pick up the pace, it has not relented since and darkens further with each episode. I would totally recommend this to any fan of series such as Heroes or Supernatural.
The BBC programme, created by Toby Whithouse – who has also written for Doctor Who, Torchwood and Hotel Babylon – follows the flatmates Annie, Mitchell and George as they fight to survive in the modern world, whilst keeping their true nature a secret.
Though the first episode was painfully slow to pick up the pace, it has not relented since and darkens further with each episode. I would totally recommend this to any fan of series such as Heroes or Supernatural.
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
One MAD Day
Volunteering. The mere thought of spending a day working for no money was enough to make my friends gasp in horror. When I mentioned the 8.30am start they thought I’d finally lost my mind.
I was one of the first to arrive – dragging myself out of bed in the wee small hours of Sunday morning in a very un-student-like way.
On the way down we listened to our leader, Nick, getting us very lost – “well, rally-car drivers don’t have to navigate” – and large lists of health and safety regulations were passed around. I am pleased to say that we spent the rest of the day blissfully disregarding them.
The Make a Difference (MAD) day had been organised in conjunction with the National Trust. We were to go to Hod Hill, a local iron-age fort, and help with clearing trees that could damage the site. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? Wrong. After shaming myself with my inability to climb a stile without the help of three people, I spent the day hanging onto a tree with one hand and my bow-saw with the other in a desperate attempt not to slide back down, possibly taking my own arm off in the process. Then, of course, someone else would sneak up behind me and cut down all the trees I’d used to climb up the slope with in the first place!
But, moaning aside, who says being a volunteer is boring? And why is it that people seem completely unable to do anything without a cash incentive? Yes there was the constant danger of sliding down a hill whilst carrying various sharp implements, but we had a laugh whilst doing it.
You don’t have to run halfway around the world, travel to deepest Africa or recycle 10 million bottles to do your bit for humanity. Most volunteers give a little over an hour a week or a day a month – the majority of us will spend more time watching television – and it all makes a difference. It's people like these that give you a little bit more faith in humanity. Nick summed up the experience perfectly – “I may not get any money, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get paid”.
I was one of the first to arrive – dragging myself out of bed in the wee small hours of Sunday morning in a very un-student-like way.
On the way down we listened to our leader, Nick, getting us very lost – “well, rally-car drivers don’t have to navigate” – and large lists of health and safety regulations were passed around. I am pleased to say that we spent the rest of the day blissfully disregarding them.
The Make a Difference (MAD) day had been organised in conjunction with the National Trust. We were to go to Hod Hill, a local iron-age fort, and help with clearing trees that could damage the site. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? Wrong. After shaming myself with my inability to climb a stile without the help of three people, I spent the day hanging onto a tree with one hand and my bow-saw with the other in a desperate attempt not to slide back down, possibly taking my own arm off in the process. Then, of course, someone else would sneak up behind me and cut down all the trees I’d used to climb up the slope with in the first place!
But, moaning aside, who says being a volunteer is boring? And why is it that people seem completely unable to do anything without a cash incentive? Yes there was the constant danger of sliding down a hill whilst carrying various sharp implements, but we had a laugh whilst doing it.
You don’t have to run halfway around the world, travel to deepest Africa or recycle 10 million bottles to do your bit for humanity. Most volunteers give a little over an hour a week or a day a month – the majority of us will spend more time watching television – and it all makes a difference. It's people like these that give you a little bit more faith in humanity. Nick summed up the experience perfectly – “I may not get any money, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get paid”.
Thursday, 22 January 2009
Court Report
A man described by Judge John Harrow as a “danger to the public” has been sentenced to 2 ½ years imprisonment.
Carl Anthony Stanley left Lacey Hiscock, a 29 year-old nursery nurse, needing twenty-five stitches in her face after hitting her with a glass in Yates’ Wine Lodge, Poole, on 12th December 2008.
The defendant pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm without intent at Bournemouth Magistrates Court on 15th December 2008, but was sent to Crown Court for sentencing.
The incident happened after the claimant saw Mr Stanley arguing with one of her friends and threw her drink over him, said Stuart Ellacott, prosecuting.
Mr Ellacott then described how the defendant lashed out with his left-hand, in which he was holding his glass, striking Miss Hiscock in the side of the face.
The victim is still suffering from psychological damage because of the attack.
Mr Stanley was ejected from the club by the DJ, but later returned and was arrested by police.
He was on licence from prison until 16th January 2010, having been sentenced to 6 years imprisonment in 2004 after stabbing two men with a pen-knife during a fight on Poole Quay.
Mr Stanley’s defence lawyer, Emma Southern, told the court how the defendant is trying to address his drink problem and returned to the scene of the incident because he knew he had acted wrongfully.
Judge Harrow said, “Drink is your downfall, but it is no excuse for your behaviour - you smashed her in the face with a glass without justification.”
Carl Anthony Stanley left Lacey Hiscock, a 29 year-old nursery nurse, needing twenty-five stitches in her face after hitting her with a glass in Yates’ Wine Lodge, Poole, on 12th December 2008.
The defendant pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm without intent at Bournemouth Magistrates Court on 15th December 2008, but was sent to Crown Court for sentencing.
The incident happened after the claimant saw Mr Stanley arguing with one of her friends and threw her drink over him, said Stuart Ellacott, prosecuting.
Mr Ellacott then described how the defendant lashed out with his left-hand, in which he was holding his glass, striking Miss Hiscock in the side of the face.
The victim is still suffering from psychological damage because of the attack.
Mr Stanley was ejected from the club by the DJ, but later returned and was arrested by police.
He was on licence from prison until 16th January 2010, having been sentenced to 6 years imprisonment in 2004 after stabbing two men with a pen-knife during a fight on Poole Quay.
Mr Stanley’s defence lawyer, Emma Southern, told the court how the defendant is trying to address his drink problem and returned to the scene of the incident because he knew he had acted wrongfully.
Judge Harrow said, “Drink is your downfall, but it is no excuse for your behaviour - you smashed her in the face with a glass without justification.”
Vox Pops
By Emily Fisher and Jenny Ross
The Bank of England has announced that £1.8 trillion has been lost by financial firms around the world as a result of the credit crunch. The global recession is now threatening 1.2 million UK homeowners as house prices drop below that of their mortgage. The chairman of online estate agency, first4sale.com said, “the housing market is severely depressed at the moment because of the lack of money supply and I’ve noticed the same symptoms in the international market. I can only see an improvement in the situation when the banks start lending again“.
Heather Atkins, 45 from Southbourne said “I’ve rung my mortgage, gas and electricity companies to organise my payment as I cannot afford to pay them all off in the same month.”
Many families will be hit hard by the slump in the housing market; Amanda Mallett, a mother- of- two from Wokingham in Berkshire expressed worried about the price of her mortgage.
The unemployment rates have increased with up to 1.7 million out of work in 2008, causing many UK citizens to fear for their job security.
John Grantham, 42 from Christchurch said, “I think my job could be at risk as there will be more competition. I work for the council. The commercial sector has been the worst affected so far but it may have a knock-on effect”.
In contrast, another council worker, Sam Oliver, 20, of Edge Park, Bournemouth said, “no I’m not affected at all because I’ve just started a new job, I would have been affected in my old job though.”
Jobseekers, however, are starting to feel the pressure. Bournemouth University students Bryony Gilbert and Megan Boyes said, “there are no jobs anywhere. We’ve asked in every store in town but nobody is recruiting.”
With winter approaching, charities such as Help the Aged are setting up schemes to aid the elderly, for example by providing free loft insulation to cut down their energy bills.
Mrs Morris, 81, from Christchurch said, “the pensions haven’t changed yet but the bills have doubled. The government should help pensioners pay for their fuel bill; the current fuel allowance is nowhere near enough. I don’t worry about the bills until they come in and I realise I can’t afford them. Heating’s essential!”
Sheila Smith, a 53 year-old assistant-shop-manager, agrees with her, “food prices and utility bills have gone up, but my wages haven’t. At least I haven’t lost my job, though.”
For those in the tourist industry it is hard to say as they’ve not yet had a full season; Tom, a bouncy castle owner from Boscombe, said “we had a tough summer but that was probably due to the weather.”
The Bank of England has announced that £1.8 trillion has been lost by financial firms around the world as a result of the credit crunch. The global recession is now threatening 1.2 million UK homeowners as house prices drop below that of their mortgage. The chairman of online estate agency, first4sale.com said, “the housing market is severely depressed at the moment because of the lack of money supply and I’ve noticed the same symptoms in the international market. I can only see an improvement in the situation when the banks start lending again“.
Heather Atkins, 45 from Southbourne said “I’ve rung my mortgage, gas and electricity companies to organise my payment as I cannot afford to pay them all off in the same month.”
Many families will be hit hard by the slump in the housing market; Amanda Mallett, a mother- of- two from Wokingham in Berkshire expressed worried about the price of her mortgage.
The unemployment rates have increased with up to 1.7 million out of work in 2008, causing many UK citizens to fear for their job security.
John Grantham, 42 from Christchurch said, “I think my job could be at risk as there will be more competition. I work for the council. The commercial sector has been the worst affected so far but it may have a knock-on effect”.
In contrast, another council worker, Sam Oliver, 20, of Edge Park, Bournemouth said, “no I’m not affected at all because I’ve just started a new job, I would have been affected in my old job though.”
Jobseekers, however, are starting to feel the pressure. Bournemouth University students Bryony Gilbert and Megan Boyes said, “there are no jobs anywhere. We’ve asked in every store in town but nobody is recruiting.”
With winter approaching, charities such as Help the Aged are setting up schemes to aid the elderly, for example by providing free loft insulation to cut down their energy bills.
Mrs Morris, 81, from Christchurch said, “the pensions haven’t changed yet but the bills have doubled. The government should help pensioners pay for their fuel bill; the current fuel allowance is nowhere near enough. I don’t worry about the bills until they come in and I realise I can’t afford them. Heating’s essential!”
Sheila Smith, a 53 year-old assistant-shop-manager, agrees with her, “food prices and utility bills have gone up, but my wages haven’t. At least I haven’t lost my job, though.”
For those in the tourist industry it is hard to say as they’ve not yet had a full season; Tom, a bouncy castle owner from Boscombe, said “we had a tough summer but that was probably due to the weather.”
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