shulife issue 10
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REE Sheffield Hallam Union Magazine News | Sport | Lifestyle & Culture Fashion | Music | Film Issue 10 | February 2012TRANSCRIPT
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News | Sport | Lifestyle & Culture Fashion | Music | Film
Sheffield Hallam Union Magazine
Issue 10 | February 2012
SHUlife
This Month in
February 2012
On the Cover Interview with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg
Nathaneal Sansam interrogates politics’ pantomime villain and the man behind the student fees controversy
The Usual4 NEWS Including news in brief and a response feature on tattoo culture
6 LIFESTYLE & CULTURE An interview with artist Mute, an Eastern experience and a comment on LAD culture
12 MUSIC Album reviews, Neil Young’s masterpiece, Harvest, and an interview with new Sheffield band, Blue Lip Feel
10 I KNOW A GREAT LITTLE PLACE IN SHEFFIELDJess Wilson checks out Abbeydale Road’s The Rude Shipyard
11 THE BIGGER PICTUREJames Binnington presents SHUlife’s monthly photographic competition
21 FILM A look at the upcoming Ab-Fab film
24 FASHION Valentine’s Lust List and your guide to the New Year
28 SPORTA day out at Hillsborough and a message from Hallam sport officer, Colan Leung
30 THE LAST WORDInterview with bluesman John Fairhurst
Fancy writing for SHUlife?
Email [email protected]/[email protected]
Meetings held on Wednesdaysfortnightly at the Hubs
John Fairhurst has the last word on page 30
Nathaneal Sansam interrogates Nick Clegg on page 16
Things you didn’t know about Sheffield film on page 22
With Thanks
Nick Clegg, John Fairhurst, Moo Designs, Tom Becker, Dave Huntley AKA Mute, Blue Lip Feel, Ben Hartley, Sheffield Wednesday Football Club, Colan Leung
IntroductionsWith the first semester of the year quickly becoming a distant memory and the dread of exam season over (for now at least), it’s time to get our teeth properly sunk into 2012.So, with that in mind, we are delighted to be able to bring you our highest profile interview ever in the form of Deputy PM Nick Clegg, as well as chats with John Fairhurst and Sheffield artist Mute. Elsewhere, be sure to check out the latest Great Little Place in Sheffield, Dan Oughton’s look at LAD culture and our guide to a day out at Hillsborough – especially if you’re considering head-ing to this month’s Steel City Derby.Plus, with Valentine’s Day once again upon us, we’re sure you’ll want to check out the latest Lust List in the fashion section for gift ideas to leave your significant other feeling the love.Of course, the magazine content is just the beginning and we invite you to come and find us on the SHUlife website, Facebook and Twitter feeds to get all of our latest news, reviews and com-petitions. As ever, we’re always pleased to hear from you so keep sending your feedback in, and if you’re still struggling to come up with a New Year’s resolution, why not make one to join our contribution team?
Until next time,
Kris & Tom
EDITORIAL TEAM
General EditorsKris Holland/Tom Walton
[email protected]@shulife.co.uk
Music EditorAdam Kay
Film EditorKathryn Thorpe
Fashion EditorCorey Kitchener
Lifestyle & Culture EditorsMathilde Flannery/Jess Wilson
[email protected]@shulife.co.uk
Sport EditorsJonty Bayliss/ Dave Mee
[email protected]@shulife.co.uk
IllustrationsSam Ginns
Equal OpsNathaneal Sansam
AdvertisingSophie Sturch
Contributors
Dan Bylo, Sean Robinson, Erika Harris, Andrew Musgrove, James Binnington,
Dan Oughton, Alex Rhodes, Christian Bagnall, Rachel Wright,
Leanne Bolan, Colan Leung
DisclaimerThe views expressed in this publication are the views of the individual contributors and do not reflect the opinions of Hallam Union, its staff or officers. Advertisments do not constitute a recommendation by SHUlife or Hallam Union. All details are correct at time of going to print. © 2012
@SHUlifeSHUlife Magazine
Visit us at
www.shulife.co.ukfor competitions, extended features,
breaking news and more...
International students at Sheffield Hallam are the most satisfied with their learning experience in the UK, according to a new survey.
The University scored the highest levels of satisfaction for learning experience, beating off competition from some of the nation’s best known institutes, includ-ing thirteen Russell Group universities, taking part in the latest International Student Barometer (ISB) survey.James Richardson, director of international development at Sheffield Hallam, said: “We’re delighted with the results of this International Student Barometer survey and that our students rate us so highly.“We will continue to work hard to ensure our international students receive high quality support throughout their studies.”
NEWS
4
News in BriefPOUNDED POSTPONED
Hallam Union’s Monday student night, Pounded, has been cancelled until further notice after the event promoter withdrew its support.The announcement comes just weeks after Hallam Union’s Saturday club night, Entourage, was also cancelled by the same promoter.
ARENA DATE FOR BROOK
Sheffield welterweight boxer, Kell Brook, is set to take on Matthew Hatton at the Motorpoint Arena on March 17. Brook, 25, is undefeated in 26 professional bouts dating back to 2004, winning 18 of those fights by knockout.
OFFICER NOMINATIONS OPEN
The search for Hallam Union’s 2012/2013 full-time Student Officers is underway. There are six positions up for grabs, rang-ing from Union President to Sports Of-ficer. Potential applicants have until 12pm on Monday February 13 to register their interest in the roles.
HALLAM STUDENT LOSES EXTRADITION PLEA
A judge has ruled that a Sheffield Hallam student can be extradited to the US to face privacy charges. Richard O’Dwyer, 23, ran a website which American prosecutors say hosted links to copyrighted films and television shows. For more on this story as it develops visit shulife.co.uk
www.shulife.co.uk
Sheffield Hallam University has been named the first Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT) Centre of Excellence.
The honour comes in recognition of the high standards of the teaching staff and resources on the University’s architectural technology courses.CIAT is the industry body which represents professionals working and studying in the field of architectural technology.Andrew Wilson, lecturer in architecture at Sheffield Hallam, said: “This status within the sector provides us with welcome opportunities to raise our profile and extend our links to CIAT and other industry professionals.”
Hallam tops International
satisfaction poll
Industry accolade for University
with Kris Holland
employability advisors.“But I think today, people are allowed to dress far more as they feel in the work place. It’s not so much a case of suits and ties for men and skirts and high heels for women. So as long as you aren’t flaunting them, or they aren’t derogatory or likely to offend anyone else in the office, most companies these days are accepting of them.“It is hard to generalise for individual cases, but I think in terms of dress code most companies are accepting of them but it is a new area and I don’t think we yet know the full extent of it yet, but if in doubt, cover up.”
It’s the fashion phenomenon that seems to be taking the Western world by storm. Doctors, lawyers and celebrities all have them - even
the Prime Minister’s wife.
Having once been a social taboo, tattoos are now being embraced by more people than ever to become the latest symbol of the middle class – with one recent survey even suggesting that as many as one in three young adults in the UK have been inked.But whatever became of the stereotype that tattoos were just reserved for prisoners, bikers and sailors?“I think the general consensus of tattoos is not as negative as it once was,” says Sheffield based tattooist, Tom Becker.“Fashion and celebrity culture have played a big part in that, but so has the progression of freedom of speech.“I also think TV programmes such as Miami Ink have brought it to the forefront that tattooing is open to anyone. I think that’s particularly evident because a lot more girls are getting tattooed now, and even 15 or 20 years ago that wouldn’t have been the case, but now girls feel like they can express themselves more through tattoos and that’s good for the industry.”It is clear that the stigma once attached to tattoos has greatly diminished in certain quarters during this latest trend.However the debate over whether they can be considered suitable work attire still remains.But what is the advice for young people concerned that their body modifications could stand to hinder their employability?“It is a difficult one,” admits Caroline, one of Sheffield Hallam’s careers and
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Tattoos - no longer a Taboo? Words - Kris Holland
Johnny Depp (above) famously had character Jack Spar-row’s symbol tattoed on his forearm after Pirates Of The Caribbean 3. Liverpool defender Daniel Agger’s (right) back piece depicts a viking graveyard.
Lifestyle & Culture
Mute Pop art with heart
6
Movie characters, superheroes, gaming and even girls on roller skates - Mute’s form of pop art undeniably stands out from the crowd, and painting about what he loves has proved successful for this Sheffield artist.
Originally a Sheffield Hallam student, Dave Huntley – a.k.a Mute – studied film. He was among the last of Hallam’s students to be based at the now empty arts campus on Psalter Lane, graduating in 2006. Mute has recently hosted exhibitions in the Forum, the Sheffield Art in the Gardens shows and Celluloid Screams Film Festival, where his Eighties film-inspired works have caught the eye of many. In addition to this - Mute is the in house artist for the Sheffield Steel Roller Girls, and has had several large commissions including a superheroes project - impressive for an artist in his twenties. Mute explains to SHUlife that it didn’t all start out that way. Art had always been a hobby of Mute’s, but he never got on with it as a taught subject – unbelievably he actually failed A level art. Instead, film was Mute’s first passion. This is very evident when looking at his portfolio - a large proportion of his art is inspired by film, especially Eighties film characters. He describes his usual target audience as cult film fans, but explains that his work covers a broader audience too, with pieces inspired by different topics such as gaming, and also superhero comics. The 28 year-old explains that it was an article in The Sheffield Star about fellow Sheffield artist Pete McKee, which really inspired him to take the jump into the art business. He describes McKee as an inspiration. “Pete’s work is designed as a celebration of a memory, almost all his paintings depict a scene from the past - usually something which people can relate to and remember. I like to think that my work does that too. “For example, some people might see one of my Eighties film characters, and think that’s my favourite character. This in a way means I am designing my work for a specific audience - Pete’s work attracts a much broader audience - but like him I’m painting about what I love and remember – and I’ve found that others love the same things. If you’re passionate about the work you’re doing, it shows.”Mute started out doing group shows and was noticed quickly. He explains that the Sheffield art scene is surprisingly easy to get into, and full of really friendly helpful people. He describes his first solo show at the Forum last year, as “feeling like a test of his art.” His work sold well at the show and this created great grounding for him and he was commissioned to do the superheroes project after being noticed at the exhibition with projects such as Sheffield Steel Roller Girls following.
Mute is currently planning his next exhibition for this summer. www.mute-art.com
Words - Jessica Wilson
Lifestyle & Culture
“A BEER-CHUGGING, BANTER-LOVING, FOOT-BALL WATCHING, WOMANISING MAN = LAD.”
So, have you ever heard the phrase ‘LAD’ used and never knew or understood where it came from or what it meant? Well, no longer will you be in vain. Basically, a LAD can be many things, but generally it’s the idea of gaining recognition and repute for a symbolic act of drinking, pulling, pranking or other banter-related events. It all began in the Nineties where ‘LADdism’ was a sub culture of the Britpop scene. Sometimes branded the latest anti-feminism craze, LAD culture has been considered as a reaction to the women’s rights movement.The formation of LADish conduct has now come a long way and, with innovation of user-generated content, has moved online seeing social networking sites Twitter and Facebook being constantly congested with photos, statuses, comments and vid-eos, all celebrating accounts of LAD behaviour. Typical of the male species, a competition has galvanized in an act to see who the best LAD is. The website truelad.com has driven the culture to another level where said formats can be rated with either ‘goodLAD’ or ‘s**tLAD’ and taglines or hash tags of satirical value define the type of LAD you are. A word that is highly related to LAD culture is ‘tekkers’ (the
Lifestyle & Culture
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appreciation of good skill, technique and ideas). An example of this viral content, the fake Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton photo (above), was posted with the tagline “Tekkerslovakia.” It isn’t just the working class population that associated with the new-wave culture and it isn’t even just the male population. There are many examples of LADdism being adopted by females. The once hit ITV show Ladette to Lady showed women that emulated hints of boisterous and crude behaviour but were then trained into becoming respectable women of etiquette. Even the royals are in touch with their LAD side. LAD magazines are somewhat responsible for the growth of this prodigy - publications like Maxim marked the transformation of masculinity with this new LAD culture through hegemonic values of sexism and homo-sociality. However, there are some negative points to LAD culture - it has gathered criticism from many writers for its lack of respect, propriety and sensitivity. Critique of LADs has led people to believe that the culture has affected politics and decreased the ability of women to participate.
The question is, will this current phenomenon continue to shape the men of today or is it just another disposable disposition?
LAD Culture The British
Phenomenon Words - Dan Oughton
There is a new exhibition at the Heartbeat Gallery Sheffield and it catches your eye from outside.
The Heartbeat gallery may be relatively new but it is certainly grabbing our attention. Walking past the window you can see an upside-down bug sculpture and a collection of tiny hooded figures across the floor, followed by abstract prints across the walls. This wacky mix of eclectic art is well worth a visit. David Allsopp’s sculptures grasp your attention as soon as you walk in, with tall white pillars and the now infamous bug. However it’s Peter York’s wood cut prints that hold your gaze. York’s work presents a fantastic mix of colour and abstract geometric patterns which are perplexing and brilliant all at once. The Heartbeat gallery has kept its reputation firmly intact and SHUlife can’t wait to see what comes next.
The David Allsopp and Peter York exhibition is open until February 4, at the Heartbeat Gallery Orchard Centre.
Mathilde Flannery
Only Allsopp and York
Sheffield’s Weston Park Museum has teamed up with the British Museum as part of Partnership UK to showcase its brand new exhibition, China: Journey to the East.
The exhibition, unfortunately, has too much of a family focus to capture your full attention. However, in parts, it’s a brilliant display of what Weston Park can achieve. The presentation presents you with the generic assumption from much of the western world that Chinese cultural exports are a modern feature within society, and goes on to showcase that, in fact, the opposite is true. The new exhibition delves into China’s rich product based past to tell the story of the country’s journey through innovation which has seen it rise as an economic giant within previous decades. All of this is achieved through the exploration of themes including technology, food, drink and play. The varied showcase pieces demonstrate everything from the progression of the modern calculator through to 1300 year old jam tarts and original porcelain. However, it is the celebration of Chinese New Year (the Year of the Dragon) that appears to be the main attraction for many visitors, with puppets and costumes a plenty.
An exhibition that you can happily spend an afternoon exploring, China: A Journey to the East is in Weston Park until the April 19.
Experience the eastWords - Mathilde Flannery
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Lifestyle & Culture
10
I know a great little place in Sheffield...
The Rude Shipyard
Once discovered, The Rude Shipyard on Abbeydale Road is sure to be one of your favourite places in Sheffield.
A fifteen minute walk or short bus ride out of the city centre, The Rude Shipyard is a hidden gem. It’s always full of friendly, arty people and it’s a great place to escape from the busy city streets for a relaxing cuppa and some food.The independent cafe has a friendly and warm atmosphere - it’s almost like walking into someone’s living room. Everything is mix-match, from the furniture to the pretty china to the gorgeous home-made cakes. The food and drink is top notch, with something to suit everyone and includes tasty bagels, smoothies, cooked English breakfasts and even Mexican inspired dishes. There’s a wide range of veggie food, and at reasonable prices too - you won’t need to break the student budget here. The Rude Shipyard is a far cry from a generic, overpriced Starbucks.However, the best and most interesting thing about the place is the fact that it’s not just your average tea room - it’s packed
wall to wall with books which are for sale and loan. There are also well attended book groups and writers meets to get involved in. And they even sell the occasional bit of music, often promoting local musicians.There’s always the odd musical instrument lying around in the cafe. They describe themselves as “a trove of instruments waiting to be played,” and there is almost always someone tinkering on a guitar or the piano, which only adds to the welcoming atmosphere.The Rude Shipyard is a very diverse cafe - they host regular bistro style nights and occasionally transform the upstairs into an art gallery. With live music nights at least once month, it’s also becoming a happening music venue too, with all kinds of world music events happening on a regular basis. Even Sheffield’s Tramlines Festival used the venue heavily for live music throughout the duration of the festival, hosting DJ sets and bands alike - amazing for such a petite independent tea-room.
The Rude Shipyard is well worth a visit, and it might even pleasantly surprise you.
@TheRudeShipyardThe Rude Shipyard
Abbeydale RoadWords - Jessica Wilson
Photograph by Jessica Wilson
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Music
Album Reviews
12
GoyteMaking Mirrors
Eleven
Although relatively unknown the UK, Gotye is certainly making it big down un-der with his third album Making Mirrors, reaching number one in the Australian charts. Having taken a conventional route for this album, the 32 year old Belgian-Australian exhibits the ups and downs of relation-ships with tracks such as In Your Light and number one single, Somebody I Used to Know highlighting the strong relationship themes.Gotye’s strange vocal technique ranges from an almost inaudible whisper, to his loud voice (slightly reminiscent of Sting). With its upbeat rhythm and a slightly 80s feel, what more could we ask for?
Erika Harris
The Big PinkFuture This
4AD
On Future This, The Big Pink have committed a cardinal sin and compro-mised their sound in search of the critical acclaim they teetered upon when Dominos was released back in 2009. Unlike the duo’s more intimate and experimental debut A Brief History Of Love, this second effort sounds bigger and more immediate, but disappointingly safe. Most of the tracks appear to have been formed around big choruses which have been written in hope that they will evoke the kind of commercial success Dominos had. And whilst this strategy works on songs such as Give It Up and 13, it sadly doesn’t work universally.
Sean Robinson
Pulled Apart By HorsesTough Love
Transgressive RecordS
Leeds quartet Pulled Apart By Horses are the musical equivalent of a petulant teenager who won’t sit still or shut up. Tough Love, their second album, is a hyperactive mix of death-disco drums, punishing guitars and vocalist Tom Hudson’s sent-to-bed-without-supper screaming. The noisy thrash of Bromance Ain’t Dead is irresistible, lead single V.E.N.O.M crams more riffs into its three-and-a-half brilliant minutes than some bands do in their entire careers, while Wolf Hand opens with the memorable line “when I was a kid, I was a dick/but nothing changes”. Like Tough Love itself, it’s puerile, stupid, childish – and a hell of a lot of fun.
Adam Kay
The MaccabeesGiven To The Wild
Fiction
When they first shuffled into view in 2007 with their debut, Colour It In, The Macca-bees were five art school students singing songs about swimming pools with cute animated videos to match (Latchmere). Then they released Wall Of Arms, a second album filled with amazing, emotional rock songs like No Kind Words and Love You Better, and suddenly these bookish young men had become contenders. With the fantastic Given To The Wild, they may yet become champions.
Produced by Tim Goldsworthy, this third album sees the quintet create a sound which is all their own. The unmistakeable vocal of frontman Orlando Weeks is their best instrument – his ghostly falsetto on the brilliant Went Away being a case in point – but his band-mates’ development is just as impressive. The bass-and-drums rumble of Unknow is genuinely dramatic, while the addition of a horn section sends the elegant Child into the stratosphere. In Pelican, meanwhile, they have made
For more album reviews please visit www.shulife.co.uk
what may be their greatest ever song – an epic rumination on life, love and death, as thrillingly exciting as it is exquisitely beautiful.Sublime closing track Grew Up At Mid-night is an ode to maturing, to leaving the past behind, and this album is the work of a band doing just that. Once, they were just another bunch of hopefuls who sounded like everyone else: now, The Mac-cabees are the best indie band in Britain. Given To The Wild is their crowning glory.
Words: Adam Kay
Photograph by Tom W
alton
Masterpiece
Neil Young
Harvest
Music
13
With a career now spanning six decades, Neil Young, one of rock’s ultimate chameleons, has amassed
one of the most substantial back catalogues in music.
His involvement with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, along with his extensive solo career that shows no signs of ceasing anytime soon, has garnered him a reputation as being one of the hardest working and critically acclaimed musicians of all time. Never one to shy away from experimenting, his out-put has always been remarkably diverse, yet it’s often when he plays it simple that he’s most effective. Harvest, released in 1972, is arguably the quintessential Neil Young record and without a doubt one of the finest albums of the folk-rock genre.Despite his critical success, Young’s solo records have rarely troubled the upper
levels of the charts. The exception to this is Harvest, which remains his sole number one album in the US and the UK, also achieving the accolade of being the best selling record of the year in the former. This commercial success exemplifies both the quality and accessibility of the record, and it is also on Harvest that Young is at his most emotionally exposed. With opening track Out On The Weekend, Young depicts his longing for an escape
from the pain of unrequited love, and chart-topping single Heart Of Gold, one of Young’s most notable
songs, also carries a similar sentiment of desperation and loss.The Needle And The Damage Done, recorded live with just Young and his guitar, is a short but heartbreaking tale about friends of his who have lost their lives to heroin addiction, which further serves to highlight the album’s outstanding lyrical poignancy.
Released – February 14 1972
Label – Reprise
Producers – Neil Young, Elliot Mazer, Henry Lewy, Jack Nitzsche
Tracklist
1. Out On The Weekend2. Harvest3. A Man Needs A Maid4. Heart Of Gold5. Are You Ready For The Coun-try?6. Old Man7. There’s A Word8. Alabama9. The Needle And The Damage Done10. Words (Between The Lines Of Age)
Classic Album Review
“Harvest’s commercial success exemplifies both the quality and accessibility of the record, and it
is also on Harvest that Young is at his most emotionally exposed
Words - Alex Rhodes
The sincerity of the lyrics is reinforced by Young’s fragile and raw vocal delivery that’s on show throughout the album, with the personal nature of its themes being left indisputable. Harvest, whilst not quite as adventurous as some of his material, sees Young taking his musical strengths – as well as his personal weaknesses – and capitalising on them.
The result is a truly classic album.
Illustration - Sam Ginns
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Music
Ones to
Watch
Blue Lip
Feel
Please meet Blue Lip Feel, Sheffield’s latest middle finger to suggestions that guitar music is reaching end days.
Chaotic blues riffs and larynx pumping sing-alongs are the front line of this young band and despite only a scattering of internet streams and videos, they’ve already racked up support slots with Kassidy, Various Cruelties and Tribes – currently some of the nation’s most talked about upcoming guitar bands.With the current line up only being finalised in November last year, Blue Lip Feel are singer-guitarist Oliver Tooze, guitarist Conor Houston, bassist Will
Adams and drummer Sam Bywater and they’re a tight unit that are quickly climbing Sheffield’s music ladder.They’re talkative, laugh a lot and exude confidence – Tooze has little problem in answering the phone in mid-conversation and the band aren’t afraid of fun-poking (without naming names) or making tongue-in-cheek jokes. There’s a bar room humour about them and they enthuse about their music and are focussed on the task in hand, without relying on the success of Sheffield’s most recent exports.“We don’t really see ourselves fitting in with the Sheffield scene,” says Tooze (who left Sheffield Wednesday’s academy to pursue music) despite their recent
“We aren’t one of those
bands that would record something we
couldn’t do live”
@BlueLipFeelBlue Lip Feel
Words & Photography - Tom Walton
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accessible but it’s a bit edgy, mainly because of his voice” [points at Tooze], before Adams cuts in: “When we go into the studio it’s real good because we can go in there with half a song and listen back to it and make changes and we can develop it into a proper song.”Houston goes on to say: “People shouldn’t think we go into the studio and put all these little magic effects on it and it suddenly sounds good, it’s just a case of being able to listen back and see how we can play something better,” before Tooze wraps up: “We aren’t one of those bands that would record something we couldn’t do live, it just sounds as it is.”
Blue Lip Feel kick off their first tour on February 9 at The Bowery.
emergence. “It’s basically based on two roads and there’s The Bowery click and The Frog [& Parrot] click. We’re just sort of in between - we’ve got friends in each crowd and we’ll go for a drink in either.” Before Houston adds: “It’s like Grease!”In January it was announced pop albums sold more than rock in 2011 for the first time in seven years. It’s a long and uncertain road to the top for the purge of blues rock bands that are presently coming out of the Steel City, but Blue Lip Feel wield a sound that has the power to set the proverbial wheel spinning again.Already with a strong back catalogue of songs, there is a sturdy work ethic be-hind their writing, which spills into their live performance. This was proved when
they readied a set for a support slot with Tribes with two weeks notice, despite the recent arrival of Houston, Bywater and a changing sound. But they’ve benefitted from their hard work and Houston says: “It sounds like four people playing music together. It’s raw and I think a lot of people try so hard now to be either down to earth Oasis ‘we’re on the street’ or being so weird that you can’t even listen to it. It’s just like, ‘go out and write a proper f*****g song.’”Their tracks are no-nonsense and Sideways burns with a resonance that embeds itself in your head while I’ll Never Know Who plays on indie-blues riffs and breakdowns before featuring MC, Nate, to add another string to their bow. Houston adds: “It’s quite poppy and
15
Photography - Christian Bagnall
“Youth unemployment
didn’t just happen last year - it’s been going up steadily since
2004”
Good afternoon, Mr. Deputy
Prime Minister...SHUlife’s Nathaneal Sansam speaks exclusively to Nick Clegg
This might sound awkward but…” starts Nick Clegg after a few moments of looking at his BlackBerry.
For a moment I fear that something urgent may have occurred in government. Had the Eurozone finally collapsed? Were the Unions escalating strike action? Or perhaps the Lib-Dem’s coalition partners were performing some sort of political manoeuvre on policy behind the scenes that he, as Deputy Prime Minister, has to keep tabs on. Whatever it is, after a moment he sets his phone down and declares he’s ready to go ahead, his phone at his side in case anything urgent happens.
A week, it is said, is a long time in politics, and 18 months is practically a lifetime. During that time, Nick Clegg’s reputation has gone from relative anonymity, to brief adulation, to active and almost visceral hatred in some quarters. A coalition formed with the Conservatives (the first since the Second World War), a massive backlash over tuition fees and a spring conference in Sheffield picketed by protesters. In May last year it culminated in a Lib-Dem loss of Sheffield City Council, along with many others.2011 was looking like a year the Liberal Democrats might want to forget. Since then they can argue they’ve had some significant victories - demanding changes to controversial NHS reforms, and helping to force an inquiry into phone hacking at
the News Of The World. That said, there seems to be no change in the perception among many students that the Liberal Democrats said one thing during the election, and did the opposite.Given all the strong opinions voiced by students, Lib-Dems and, Nick Clegg in particular, SHUlife felt it was even more important contact was made so we could hear the politician’s side of the story.
As a constituency meeting over-runs, we take a seat and notice the very home-spun, lived-in feel the office provides - with boxes of old flyers and books around the sides of the hall space, and constituency maps dotting the walls. Taken aback by the humble setting, far away from the lush and historical office space you might expect at Westminster, it hardly seems like the office for the deputy leader of the country.Nick Clegg is the first out of the door from the meeting, and gives a firm greeting: “Hello, how are you? Sorry I’m running a bit late,” he says, offering his hand.The meeting room, much like the rest of the office, is another lived-in space that’s cluttered with documents and election material. Dominated by a large table to the side of the room, with a larger office chair and small slit windows behind it. I ask him about unemployment, which hit a 17-year high last November, and whether or not he felt it would get worse in 2012: “Well of course I hope not, and I think it means that as the storm clouds in
the European economy darken and as the uncertainties deepen, as they clearly have, it’s self-evidently the case that the situation now is worse than we anticipated a year and a half ago.“But on jobs it means that we do need to do more, and we are now going to do more in the Youth Contract, which I have just announced, to provide hundreds of thousands of young people with a route back into work which didn’t exist.” This is a policy that he announced in November, in response to the worrying youth unem-ployment figures. But why was it that we’ve gotten to the point where 21 per cent of young people are out of work compared to just eight per cent overall?“Well, the first kind of unpalatable truth is
“
17
that young people have always experienced a sharper rise in unemployment when the country experiences economic difficulties. You can see this in previous recessions. The second uncomfortable truth on youth unemployment is this - it didn’t happen over night if you look at the figures for youth unemployment, they’ve been rising remorselessly since 2004.”He mentions the Future Jobs Fund, a fund set up by the previous government which has been among the many public organisations closed amid great controversy. While Clegg agrees with the
principle behind it, he feels it wasn’t effective enough. “The problem with it was the jobs were here today and gone tomorrow, so it actually meant if you look at the figures of the future jobs fund, about half of the young people on the future jobs fund were back on the dole and taking and receiving benefits within a few weeks or months of leaving the fund.“What we are doing is learning from that by saying we’re going to give a job subsidy, still a significant one at around half the national minimum wage, half the basic pay. And we’re going to give it to the
private sector because that’s where jobs tend to last longer.”But given that many economists are now saying that the jobs market may not stabilise until 2016, will these schemes be enough to keep down unemployment? “One thing I’ve learned from a year and a half in Government is that people who make very firm predictions about the future of the economy, whether the British economy or the world economies, almost always end up being wrong.” He then pulls back in order to make a point about the economy more generally, “One thing
“When people say ‘oh, you should do this, you shouldn’t do that’ they have
to…just kind of get real. Our economy has literally just got smaller”
18
19
that I think is true and does need to be said - back in 2008, in the banking crisis, we didn’t just suffer any old recession which we just sort of effortlessly bounced back from. Our economy literally got smaller, and I think when people say ‘oh, you should do this, you shouldn’t do that’ they have to…just kind of get real. Our economy has literally gone like that, just got smaller.” This last point was accompanied by an inward hand gesture that makes it all the more marked. He moves on to try and explain why our economy is imbalanced: “Basically, the way
our economy has been run non-stop by different parties since the mid Eighties [when] Margret Thatcher introduced the Big Bang in 1986. What’s happened since then was the Conservative and Labour governments did the same thing - they said ‘oh, look at this amazing golden-egg laying goose in the City of London, it’s wonderful! It keeps giving us loads and loads of tax receipts, and we’re going to take those tax receipts and transport them up the M1 and we’ll distribute them in Rotherham and Sheffield and everywhere through public subsidies to make
everybody feel good,’ and everybody feels good. That whole merry-go-round has just stopped. The goose isn’t laying the golden eggs anymore.”
There was perhaps one set of questions that I knew this interview would have to include, and that’s on the subject of tuition fees. For so many friends, this was the totemic reason for supporting the Lib-Dems a year-and-a-half ago. Earlier this year we were shocked when we realised that the total of our tuition and maintenance for this year was still
20
less than the £8500 that Hallam plans to charge for tuition alone from next year. However you view this, it’s a massive increase in just one year. “I think the thing I have perhaps utterly failed to explain successfully is that even though the price of the fee has gone up - the way you repay has gone down. It’s really important to remember this.” His reply has the assertiveness that you might expect - it’s a question he’s had to answer over and over for the last year. Nonetheless, his answer has a jaded quality to it. Despite the controversy, he is adamant about the progressive qualities of the funding changes: “For the first time since Labour introduced fees, every single student at Sheffield Hallam will not pay fees as a student. You, at the moment [in Hallam] have got hundreds of students on part-time courses that are paying fees. We are removing the obligation on part-time student. Secondly, you’ll pay back less every week and every month in the future under the new system than you do under the current system. And that is because, yes, we are asking people to pay longer but we’re only asking to repay when you can afford to do so.”The problem though is that the anger is two-fold, at the raise in fees and at the fantastic volte-face by the Lib-Dems over what had been a defining issue. Again, Clegg is unrepentant over the necessity of the reform. “I understand when people say to me ‘oh, you said this and that in opposition’. But the fact, I’m afraid, is that I lead a party which had got eight percent of MP’s in Parliament. I am not the Prime Minister. I cannot deliver the Liberal Democrat manifesto in full. If people want that, they’ve got to vote for a Liberal Democrat govern-
ment, but it didn’t happen.”But while fees in England are tripling from 2012, in the UK’s ‘Celtic fringes’, where Higher Education is a devolved issue, and none of them intend to follow Westminster’s lead, the SNP government in Scotland has abolished them outright. Why is there no agreement between the coalition and the devolved governments? “Well I think you’ve got to look at this in the long term. Let’s see in the long term whether it does their universities any good to short change their universities of badly needed revenue. Because you’ve got to get the money from somewhere, where do you take it from? From pensioners? From small children?” As we wrap up the interview, it is clear that there is no real act of repent-ance that many students might want on the tuition fees decision. While the topic might haunt Nick Clegg and the Lib-Dems for years to come, he will remain adamant that he did the best he could with the hand he was given at the general election.
The question is, who will agree with Nick next time round?
“I am not the Prime Minister. I cannot deliver the Liberal Democrat manifesto in full. If people want that,
they’ve got to vote for a Liberal Democrat government,
but it didn’t happen”
Over the festive period, we were blessed with the return of Jennifer Saunders in a revival of her Nineties comedy
Absolutely Fabulous, and it has now been confirmed that Saunders also plans to write an Ab Fab movie, set for release in 2013.
Saunders, the creator and writer of the series, stars as the crazy PR guru Edina Monsoon, alongside Joanna Lumley who plays Eddy’s best friend, Patsy Stone. The idea for the show originally came from a similar sketch, which Saunders performed with Dawn French in their self-named show, French And Saunders.The sitcom has been revived in the form of three special episodes as a tribute for the 20th anniversary of the show, which first aired in November 1992. The episodes are to be aired on Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and the London 2012 Olympics. All the familiar faces from previous series are back, including Julia Sawalha, who plays Edina’s no-nonsense daughter Saffron, and June Whitfield as Edina’s completely nonsensical mother, Mrs Monsoon. Another outrageous character making a return to the show is Edina’s scatter-brain assistant Bubble, played by Jane Horrocks.As we leave 2011 behind, we have high expectations for the last installment of the three episodes, which won’t be broadcast
Film
AB Fab set for the big screen
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until the summer - a seemingly long wait for fans that enjoyed the festive episodes so much. However, the last feature length special was originally aired nearly ten years ago in December 2002 – so compared to the decade we’ve had to wait since the last episode, what’s a few more months?The Olympics won’t be the last that we see of the outrageous Eddy and Patsy either, as Saunders has expressed interest in writing an Absolutely Fabulous movie. She has previously mentioned her enjoyment for writing the show as the characters come to her so easily, and this explains why she already has an idea of what the movie will be like: “I thought, what are we missing these days? It’s that 1950s Cote d’Azur sense of easy glamour - Brigitte Bardot with her shoes off, strolling down the beach, people in sports carts with scarves, smoking cigarettes.”It seems as though this is no longer simply a dream for Saunders - and fans of the show - as she recently told New York Magazine: “Yes, I’m definitely going to do it. I’m aiming to shoot this in a beautiful part of the Riviera. I fancy the south of France in the spring.” She hopes that the film will be ready by 2013 so we may have a little longer to wait, but if the latest episodes are anything to go by, this movie promises to be a comedy sensation.
Words - Erika Harris
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If anyone was to ask you just what makes Sheffield famous you might reply with steel, football, Arctic Monkeys, maybe even Jessica Ennis...but one would think that you would stop short at suggesting that the city is a contributor to some of Britain’s best loved movies.
Granted, Sheffield couldn’t be further from Hollywood, but if you look around you’ll find that many directors have chosen the city as a location for their projects – some successfully, others not so. One of the most recent successes is that of Channel 4’s This is England, produced by the city’s very own Warp Films. The original was not based in Sheffield, but the spin offs of ‘86 and ‘88 and the forthcoming ‘90 were shot within the city. The prime location used was the Gleadless Valley area of Sheffield due to its lack of modernisation, proving perfect for the Eighties setting.In ‘88 Park Hill Flats became the prominent location for filming and This is England ‘90 will soon follow in late 2012.Warp Films also produced hit comedy Four Lions, which tells the tale of group of hapless wannabe terrorists. Producer Chris Morris was awarded a BAFTA for his debut film. The majority of the feature is shot in Sheffield, and even when the storyline shifts to London, locations such as the Moor and the Showroom Cinema are used to depict the capital. Alan Bennett’s The History Boys was set in Sheffield and even though the film adap-tion adopted the same precedent, its director decided that Watford, Halifax and Elland were better locations than the Steel City. Nevertheless, we got to see an even
podgier James Corden and quite a few of his co-stars from Gavin and Stacey (Gavin and Smithy’s mates Fingers, Dirtbox and Budgie appear, as well as the long-suffering character Peter Sutcliffe) struggle their way through Oxbridge entrance examinations. The BBC film, Threads, captures the increasing tensions and threat of a nuclear air strike by the Soviet Union during the mid-Eighties, when the Soviets eventually do decide to annihilate the west. They choose Sheffield (due to its threatening military strength) and you watch as Saturday shoppers, casually strolling down the Moor, begin to lose their minds and melt to the core. Even Woolworth’s blows up. Once rather mistakenly touted as Britain’s answer to the film Fight Club, Penny Woolcock’s Principles of Lust flopped despite a reputable cast. The likes of Marc Warren (Hustle) and Sienna Guillory (Resident Evil) couldn’t salvage what was a poorly written script, but you do get to see some lovely shots of Attercliffe.However, Sheffield’s main Hollywood success is The Full Monty. Filming spanned the city and the characters use some real Yorkshire slang. The working man’s club where the eventual strip takes place is in Shiregreen and still open for business while Hillsborough was used for a school, in which the job centre scenes and the famous post office dance were filmed. The keep fit sequence, which looked over the city and brought in some fantastic views, was filmed at Manor Oak Road, just behind Park Hill Flats while other locations such as Granville Road and Ecclesall Road were also used.
Films from the SteelWords - Andrew Musgrove
Film
23
Bill Murray has many brilliant films under his belt, but he’s probably most famous for his role as Dr Peter Venkman in the
Ghostbusters films. Lately, the internet has been going wild with rumours of a third movie.
Murray has been sent a script for the film and, according to the National Inquirer, has shredded it and sent it back to the writers with a note attached reading: “No-one wants to pay money to see fat, old men chasing ghosts.”There are a few rumours about the plot for the new script, the more believable ones being that the original Ghostbusters sell their business on to younger men (thus in-creasing the Ghostbusters franchise), and that Murray’s character dies and becomes a ghost.The latest reports are that filming will be going ahead with or without Murray, as the rest of the original cast are on board for the third installment. However, Sig-ourney Weaver has said that she won’t be joining the film unless Murray is involved.
Bill Murray Bill’s best of the rest
1Lost In Translation
Murray plays Bob Harris, a middle-aged American actor who leads a lonely, empty life. Bob is in Tokyo working on an advert campaign for whiskey when he meets Charlotte, played by Scarlett Johansson. In this hilarious and heart-warming film, Bob and Charlotte form an unlikely friendship based on their mutual loneliness, and the cultural and language differences they both face in Japan. This film showcases Bill Murray’s talent at its best.
2 Groundhog Day A miserable and sarcastic weather man finds himself living the same day over and over again - Groundhog Day, a day celebrated by Americans where, according to folklore, a groundhog’s movements will determine the weather for the next six weeks). Murray’s character, Phil, is at a loss when he realises he is stuck repeating the same day, he cannot leave the town and no-one will believe him. Phil has to work out how to break the chain, falling for his colleague (played by Andie MacDowell) and becoming a better person along the way. This brilliantly funny and entertaining film is definitely one to watch - over and over again...
3 Ed WoodThis semi-true story of Edward D. Wood Jr., the legendary ‘worst director of all time’, has Johnny Depp playing Ed Wood, with a brilliant supporting cast including Bill Murray as Bunny Breckinridge. The film follows the disastrous cross-dressing Wood as he tries to make his way into Hollywood through writing and directing, collecting a strange group of Hollywood nobodies as friends as he goes. Murray provides many comical elements to this classic, odd Tim Burton film, and any film lovers need to see it.
Words - Rachel Wright
Bust
ers 3 - N
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ho
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Valentines lust list
Fashion
ForHim
For Her
Watch O’ClockA simplistic block colour is the only way to wear a watch this year.O’clock watch, www.pre-taportabello.com, £19.95
Strike a PoseJust in case you can’t
grow your own. Moustache Mug, Urban
Outfitters, £9
Chic in ShawlFor those off weather days a pea Coat is just what you need this spring, and a shawl collar is the best way to wear it. Shawl Pea Coat, Asos, £75
Blaze AheadFor those of you who haven’t yet,
embrace the blazer - it is here to stay.
Contrast Blazer, Zara, £119Smell SensationA good fragrance is hard to find, so we’ve done it for you. Calvin Klein Aqua, Boots, £48
Pump it UpPumps are everywhere this season
and better than ever. These Veja pumps are a SHUlife favourite.Veja Low Top Pumps, Ideology
Boutique, £79.99
Queen of HeartsDiamonds may be old school, but jewellery still makes a brilliant gift, so why not get the matching earrings too...Heart Pendant Necklace, www.notonthehighstreet.com, £39.75
Miss MajesticBeautifully light and just what you need to take you through S/S12.Miss Dior, Debenhams, £75.60
Take a BowDance your way through the season with these sensational heels. Gen Bow Heels, Kurt Geiger London, £195
Totes AmazeThe fun you can have filling it makes it worth every penny.Michael Kors Ham-ilton Large Tote, mywardrobe.com, £295
Cute as CupcakesForget the spring diet and enjoy one of these tiny delights.Box of 20 minis, £15, Hey Little Cup Cake
Beaded BeautyEvery girl needs a show stopper dress, and this is what Spring 2012 is all about, soft colours and sophisticated glamour. Beaded Midi Dress, Asos, £120
Words - Mathilde Flannery
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New Year Beauty RulesWords - Corey Kitchener
25
Fashion
After Christmas there are dozens of New Year beauty tips and rules bandied around - many of them are either ridiculous
(switch to silk sheets to prevent wrinkles?) or expensive (take time off and visit an Austrian detox facility?).
Here SHUlife trims down the excessive list of resolutions to a few simple rules and tips that will make a difference in 2012...
Do not use hairspray to set make up
Understandably everyone wants their make up to last for the full evening, and for many setting their face with hairspray is the solution. However, hairspray clogs pores and stops skin from breathing properly, which can lead to spots. A replacement, which also leaves skin looking smoother and with a more consistent complexion is a primer, such as L’Oreal Studio Secrets smoothing resurfacing primer (£14.29).
Unless drunk, do not use face wipes
to remove make-up
Face wipes allow make up to be removed quickly but they also dry out the skin, leaving it without moisture when your hangover rolls around. So unless utterly hammered, try to use a proper make up re-mover. Mac’s cleanse off oil (£7) emulsifies make-up and leaves skin clean and moisturised.
Cleanse every day
Beauty experts count cleansing as the easiest and most effective way of keeping skin in good condition so cleansing at least once a day is an excellent New Year’s resolution. The Liz Earle cleanse and polish kit (£12.25) uses a combination of a cloth heated with hot water and a creamy cleanser to leave skin smoother and blemish-free.
Do not backcomb your hair
We all know backcombing hair is both bad for its long term condition and a laborious task which results
in achy wrists and bird’s nest hair. A
simpler technique is to spray hair with Umberto Giannini’s Back-comb in a Bottle (£5.61) and then bouff, or to spritz dry sham-poo through your roots.
Check out SHUlife’s latest
style spots at...
www.shulife.co.uk
Fashion
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New Year, New You Words - Leanne Bolan
Forget New Year’s resolutions such as sweating it out in a gym. Why not give your wardrobe a workout instead?
My biggest fashion mistake of 2011 was playing it safe – hiding away in comfortable black leggings and too much cable knit. That’s a mistake I won’t be repeating this year. Since my (early) resolution I’ve received compliments on my knitted dress, zebra ring, owl earrings, glitter nail varnish and several bags. As my resolution is becoming a success, I decided to find out what fashion resolutions other people were making. While I’ve invested in recent trends such as skater dresses, leopard print, faux fur and stars, I decided to take a look at some New Year fashion predictions. I couldn’t make a resolution to take risks with statement pieces just by looking at what the high street will be offering, so I went to a boutique known for its independent style. Moo Designs has a range of products designed by an array of up and coming Yorkshire designers such as Roc and Doll, Blonde & Wise, Jolaby and most recently Katie Newsam, as well as Moo’s in-house designers, Peppercorn Jewellery. Moo also has their own range of statement leather bags, clutches and purses as well as their children’s and men’s ranges.
Kimberley Lawton, the internet and sales co-ordinator, predicts that big bows will be everywhere in the New Year and will be seen on collars, cuffs and even used to jazz up a pair of plain black shoe boots. Anna Brown, the design and sales co-ordinator, predicts that people will still look for a garment they can wear on different occasions while still being unique. Anna demonstrated a dress that can be worn back to front and even as a jacket, to be dressed up with heels or down with
flats. “Layering will continue,” says Anna, “mix colours and textures to be feminine but quirky. The main colours will be pastels and naturals with some blues, hues with a little colour pop.
The main fabrics will be natural fabrics like tweeds and delicate wools.”
They both predict linen as a spring/summer staple. I admit I was dubious - I think of linen as middle-aged. Kim showed me that linen can be fun and for any age with Moo’s linen twist trousers, either worn high waisted or on the hips. She also predicts that the jumpsuit, which can be rolled down and worn as harem pants, will carry on doing well.So what are the Moo Designs New Year fashion resolutions?Anna, an art and design graduate said: “My resolution is to look after my clothes better and to
“Moo Designs has a range of
products designed by an array of upcoming Yorkshire designers such as Roc and Doll, Blonde & Wise”
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Fashion
MoreStudent Resolutions
“My resolution is to try and only buy things in navy, black, grey and white so that eventually I will have a wardrobe where everything co-ordinates, there-fore ending the usual ‘I have nothing to wear’ dilemma I face each morning.” Corey, SHULife Fashion Editor
“My New Year’s fashion resolution is to spend more time on my hair. I give it a quick brush before I go out but I rarely do anything else.” Mark, Accountancy and Finance student
“I need to make more time in the morning. It would mean I could pick my clothes from out of the wardrobe rather than off the floor as I wouldn’t be in such a rush.” Vicki, A-Level student
“Mine is to buy and wear more expen-sive brands of clothing rather than just waiting for them to go on sale. I’m also going to wear them more. Currently I save them for ‘special occasions’ and then forget I bought them.” Michael, Engineering student
buy things that will last, things that will wash well and be a time-less piece. I’m also going to wear clothes I haven’t worn in ages, change them a bit and bring them back into fashion. I changed some tartan flared trousers into skinnies for an androgynous look.” Kim, a fashion student and model for Moo said: “Mine is to get a better races dress. Go all out with it. The bag, a headpiece and the shoes. I also want to bring more independent designers to Moo.”
To see more of what Moo Designs has to offer and for more information visit their website www.moo-designs.com, their Facebook page Moo Designs York-shire or visit their stores in Leeds or Barnsley.
“Big bows will be everywhere
in the New Year and will be seen on collars, cuffs and
even used to jazz
up a pair of plain
black shoe boots”
Spring/Summer 2012 is all about two little words...pastel and print.
Colour as ever is vital to the new season’s trends, and thankfully this year relatively easy to wear. It is all about the hue, pastel pink, yellow, baby blue, and white are what it’s all about. We want sharp fashion so-phistication, not a crèche wall – and there is a big difference.That is not all. Once again the fash pack have put prints at the heart of S/S12, a feature that is considerably more difficult to work with. Prints this season are not just widespread but radically different from one designer to the next. Animal print is still massive, but let’s not forget the floral, abstract and sometimes downright miscellaneous.Sass and Bide - known for bold colours and fierce looks - presented one of the most memorable shows at London Fashion Week and it was all about the power of yellow. Whether as a block clock colour in a Grecian dress, or in beaded fitted bodices with plain low key colour
block skirts, in Sass and Bide’s world the key is in the detail, showing that bold colours can be minimal or make up an entire outfit.
Antonio Berardi meets Sass and Bide’s fierce sophistication with confident feminine looks. Berardi is infamous for his dresses and for good reason. This ivory dress leaves every girl wishing she had both the occasion and budget to wear one. Berardi’s pale pink outfit is a SHUlife favourite with a slouchy boyfriend blazer and soft beaded leggings pink is a season favourite, to be embraced not avoided. Who knew sunflowers could be so cool. The answer is the wonderful Ashish a Fashion Week favourite for those in the know and set to cause a storm this season. Floral patterns are bold, brave and in no way ditsy, but most importantly they are glamorous. Henry Holland showcased the strongest collection of his career, working chic pastel, python, and prints aplenty. Among the favourites were a sheer contrast block
pastel blouses, python braces, and cloud print jeans.
Fashion Notes Words - Mathilde Flannery
See how SHUlife recreates this season’s key outfits in our online exclusive Fashion photo shoot
@MooBoutiques
Moo-Designs
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A day out at
hillsborough
When you travel to a football club with a name as famous as Sheffield Wednesday, you know
you’re in for a memorable day out.
The Owls are one of the best supported sides in the country and, despite currently languishing in the third tier of English football, regularly pull in more fans than some Premier League sides.Set in attractive leafy suburbs towards the North-West of the city, Hillsborough Stadium is not only Sheffield’s largest stadium, but also the biggest club football ground outside of the top-flight.If making your way to Hillsborough from the city centre, then jumping on the tram is arguably the most economical way to travel.A dayrider ticket costs just £3.70 from the on-board vendor - although usually the carriages on match-days tend to be so packed that more often than not you’ll be in for a free ride.The ground is situated to the North of Hillsborough Park, and its ageing façade serves to provide first time visitors an idea of what to expect in terms of the character of the stadium.However, that is not to suggest that the ground is in a state of disrepair, but more
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAYFormed - 1867
Nickname - The OwlsGround capacity - 39, 812
Attendance - 26, 759
Man of the match - Johnnie Jackson
Price of a pie - £2.80
Price of a beer - £3
Price of a cup of tea - £2
Price of a programme - £3
Top Chant - ‘This City Is Ours’
Next fixtures - vs. Yeovil Town - Feb 4 - vs. Stevenage - Feb 14 - vs. Sheffield United - Feb 26
a testimony to how well Hillsborough has maintained its special personality down the years to remain one of the UK’s few ‘proper’ football stadiums.Each of Hillsborough’s four stands are covered, meaning that when Owls’ fans do find their collective voice, they’re capable of producing an electrifying ‘hair on end’ sort of atmosphere. It is also worth noting that the legroom is relatively ample for what, by and large, are converted terraces.In terms of refreshments, a variety of pies are on sale at £2.80 – although if you’re hoping to put them to the test you’ll have to be quick because, as I learned the hard way, they sell out very quickly!In today’s game, Wednesday went up against League One pacesetters Charlton Athletic in a table-topping battle with the Owls looking to preserve their unbeaten home record.Unfortunately though, the match went down as a missed opportunity to loosen Athletic’s stranglehold on the division, as Johnnie Jackson’s wicked free-kick was enough to ensure that all three points would be going back to London.
Nonetheless, despite the result, at the time of writing, Wednesday still remain firmly in the hunt for promotion back to the Npower Championship.
Sport
Kris Holland watches...Sheffield Wednesday Vs. Charlton Athletic
Charlton’s Johnnie Jackson puts the Owls to the sword
Photograph by Jorja Winfield
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Sport
It’s that time of year again... It’s Febru-ary, it’s cold and it’s the start of Varsity 2012.
Hallam and Sheffield University will be going head to head once again and what a way to kick Varsity 2012 off starting on the ice at the Motorpoint Arena with Ice Hockey on Saturday February 11 before heading over to the slopes of the Ski Village for the Ski and Snowboard on Friday February 17. This year, Winter Varsity celebrates its 8th anniversary and Varsity 2012 celebrates the 16th Anniversary of the whole com-petition. It promises not to disappoint - it will be bigger and better than ever before. The talent of our students never fails to amaze me and both universities are desperate for success. After winning Summer Varsity XV last year for the 10th time in 15 years, Team Sheffield Hallam would love to take the winter trophy home for only the 2nd time since the competition has started. In 2010 the spectacle was held at the Motorpoint Arena for the first time, bringing in over 3,000 spectators for the deciding point of the competition. Last year, over 4,000 attended. Hallam won 5-3 and this year is said to be the closest it has ever been - hopefully we will be able to have around 5,000 spectators. For 364 days of the year these two teams play together on a single Sheffield Universities team, the Sheffield Bears... But Varsity is different - The Sheffield Bears will divide and represent their own University. I am proud and honoured to be leading Team Sheffield Hallam onto the ice rink and hope they will beat out rivals again. Although we won the Ice Hockey last year, we went onto lose 4-0 at the Ski Village, meaning the University of
Sheffield won Winter Varsity 4-1, and took their trophy back across the city centre. This gave them a three point lead going into Varsity XV, which I’m delighted to say, after a week of over 60 fixtures, with wins, losses and draws, Team Sheffield Hallam pulled it back to win 31-30 and retain the Varsity trophy for the eighth year running. Winning isn’t everything though, the reason we put a lot of time planning and organising these events is because we want our students of Sheffield to have an experience they can take away from either playing it or watching it and remembering it forever. Students that compete in Varsity will probably never get the chance again to play in front of thousands of spectators, or even play in such a fantastic venue so it’s important to give students something to remember. It also makes
Winter Varsity 2012
others realise how lucky the city of Sheffield is to have these amazing facilities. I hope each and every student, staff or community member can see what Varsity is all about and hopefully go support your university.
Tickets are available from both Unions and cost only £3 for the Ice Hockey, and £6 for the Ski and Snowboard which includes the after party for over 18s.
A message from Hallam Union sport officer, Colan Leung...
World Cup referee Howard Webb presents Colan with the 2011 Summer Varsity trophy
vocals and other things in but I was happy with it in the end.
Where did you record it?In Germany with a bunch of other musicians, it was very spur of the moment.
Are there any plans for a third album?Club 60 in Sheffield actually. I got speaking to the guys there after my last gig there. They’re really sound and we’ve sorted something out. It’s one of those rare places, it’s got a great vibe, I want to try and transmit that through to the music, and they’ve got fantastic 24 track analogue recording facilities.
Is Sheffield a place you like then?It’s a great city, I studied environmental conservation at Sheffield Hallam. I think I finished in 2001, they’re the years I really learned to play the guitar. It’ll be nice to spend a bit more time there again, I’ve got fond memories.
Is the blues one of your main influences?Well, yeah, everything comes from blues, it’s very important. But I listen to a vast amount of music so it’s difficult to pinpoint what influences me because everything
does. It was my Dad really though, I remember watching him play in awe. I don’t think he ever played a single gig but that wasn’t the point. His record collection was full of Robert Johnson and Tom Waits, I used to listen to them a lot, I guess they’re the artists that set me on the road to playing really.
Folk has seen a massive revival in recent years, as has electro and pop. People say guitar music and the blues is dying out, do you agree?No I don’t at all. The blues is coming back, if you look at Seasick Steve playing the main stage at festivals and The Black Keys – they won a Grammy and they’re essentially a two piece blues band. They’ve taken the ball and run with it and are tak-ing blues to new places. The White Stripes may have ended but Jack White’s Third Man Records is probably the best record label in the world, by far the most forward thinking, he’s releasing records by fantastic folk and blues artists. I wouldn’t mind being on it myself.
The Last Word with John Fairhurst
30
John Fairhurst is one of the best guitarists in the UK right now. With a sound that’s far away from the British mainstream, Fairhurst has an underground repuatation for producing some of the finest solo blues sets this side of the Atlantic. Tom Walton spoke with him...
You’ve been touring for years but how come it took until 2008 to release your first album, Joys Of Spring?It was my first opportunity to actually release anything, I’ve been recording stuff since the age of 16 but that was the first time I managed to stay in one place and get it all down. It was a great experience. It was recorded in a wooden cabin in the countryside near Wigan. It was very intimate, it was a beautiful summer and we recorded a lot of it with the doors open, all of the art work was done on site while we were recording and it was just a very organic way of doing things.
Was there a similar process for your second album, Band?Not really no. It was a labour of love that record, a troublesome beast. I wanted to explore new ideas and focus on blues a bit more. It was a harder experience, bringing
