13–28 AUG 2017

July 2017 Feature 1

Music The Magnificent Welcome to Unbound Seven As day becomes night, Unbound opens for free literary events in the Spiegeltent during Unbound chief programmer Edinburgh International Book Festival – 16 nights of music and performance, viewing the Interview: Alan Bett Roland Gulliver picks his festival’s grand themes through the looking glass. Roland Gulliver offers an introduction Photo: Sarah Donley highlights from the last 7 years

don’t get too comfortable,” Gulliver suggests. So, in 2017 you have six of the UK’s best known crime writers holding instruments in place of pens to become the The Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers. We have literary superstar and Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson and her husband Malcolm, performing a really quite adult musical set. “With people like Julia you’re putting someone in a context that is surprising,” says Gulliver, “both to

the artist, and in creating situations when Page Match audiences will think, ‘that’s the woman who created the Gruffalo and that’s her husband who sings songs to kids… what the???’ Essentially icking just one highlight from each year is messing with people’s heads a bit.” Pnigh on impossible. The sixteen Unbound Despite its wayward ways, Unbound is still nights of every Festival have provided glittering intrinsically connected to the hugely important moments, a multitude of warm memories and themes of the Book Festival proper, “making the so many different, daring and hopeful elements full festival programme relative and cohesive.” So – brilliant storytelling, genre-busting events, while the main programme offers authors such as raucous laughter (and some tears), beauty, power Roxane Gay and Juno Dawson, Unbound features and dancing. the raucous and riotous club night that is Dive Queer Party. “It’s a really fun and exciting way to McSweeney’s (2010) respond to that whole conversation and debate This night encapsulated the spirit of Unbound. around gender roles and identity and International writers, cool names and local representation… bringing someone like Dive in, spirit. Created with spontaneity, energy and we can have the serious conversation but we can unpredictability. I still have the signed spade also have fun around it… it’s about having that and table tennis set. intellectual discussion but also a celebration at the same time.” Dummy Jim: A Monumental Effort (2011) The genre buster! An event that came from a book written in 1951 which inspired a film which “There is a sense inspired a soundtrack, which in turn inspired a website, tea towels, jams and an Unbound night featuring a pedal-powered hurdy-gurdy. Which of trying to push inspired a book…

back a bit so that Nile Rodgers (2012) The Hollywood night. Having the legendary people don’t get guitarist and songwriter Nile Rodgers perform to an adoring crowd while reeling off a load of too comfortable” hilarious anecdotes and describing how he wrote songs like Le Freak and China Girl was, truly, Roland Gulliver astonishing. Trying to get him out of the Spiegeltent was my rock ‘n’ roll bouncer moment. The issue of race and America also features heavily in the main programme, so is refracted Reel Iraq: the Golden Hour (2013) through Unbound’s particular prism by bringing One of the most inspiring nights we’ve ever done arkness falls over Charlotte Square Gardens. crop, Neu! Reekie! and Flint & Pitch (both part of The Last Poets into the fold. Gulliver says: – poetic, personal, political – with artists from DDay turns into night. And while the Book the 2017 programme). Both of these nights pull in “They’re coined as being the godfathers of Scotland and Iraq reading and performing. Began Festival proper tucks itself into bed, in the an audience beyond those deemed the standard hip-hop. Having had acts like Hector Bizerk and with quiet intensity and ended in joyful Spiegeltent they are stirring: setting up mics, for literary events. Stanley Odd in previous years and having brought celebration as the audience danced around the running soundchecks, testing voices and “At literary festivals people get stuck in in that hip-hop and spoken word audience, we’re Spiegeltent to Iraqi Choobi dance music. instruments (and beer taps). Jekyll feels that stereotypes and preconceptions,” Gulliver internationalising that element by bringing in initial twitch before transforming into Hyde. says, but Unbound lives to subvert these The Last Poets.” Page Match (2014) And for all his faults, Hyde would surely show preconceptions. “Oh that’s a children’s author, Internationalism is key for Unbound. It has We built a boxing ring. In the year of the you a better night on the tiles than the staid, I’m not interested, that’s science fiction I’m not always combined more local talents with those independence referendum, poets from both respectable Doctor. Those in the know, who fully interested in that, or that’s an international from around the globe. In 2017 two of the most sides of the argument performed to deliver some understand that, are already gathering outside. literary ‘with a capital L’ author, so I don’t do that exciting literary voices in the world – Argentinian of the smartest, funniest, satirical, political They need no ticket, these shows are all absolutely – that general feeling of ‘it's not for me’.” Those horror writers Mariana Enriquez and Samanta insight in town. Knock out! free, open and unreserved. These punters don’t same people who would be delighted to stumble Schweblin – grace the stage while Paul Muldoon even need a single penny in their pocket, unless in unexpected upon a Nile Rodgers acoustic set, brings his music and literature extravaganza, Sounds of the City (2015) they want to buy a beer of course – unfortunately or top poets squaring up verbally in a wrestling Muldoon’s Picnic, over from the New York City Unbound is founded on great storytelling and we have still to arrive at that particular utopia. ring, or Scottish rap band Hector Bizerk basically Irish Arts Centre, featuring musicians from The Ryan Gattis reading from the first chapter ofAll Unbound is now in its eighth year, born blowing the roof off the Spiegeltent. Pogues and some very special guests. We visit Involved is a classic. The weight of the silence in in 2009 as a reaction to many things: “To give But Unbound is about far more than just our own Scottish islands with the Island Getaway, the Spiegeltent as the audience hung on the authors a different stage to perform, get showcasing the finest performers in their then much further afield to India with Yatra power of his delivery was beautiful and together and experiment, a more free-wheeling everyday guise. It is not about simple replication (Journey) – fusing Asian blues with both Anglo breathtaking. Spinetingling. I’ll never forget it. approach to the normal Book Festival events,” of what you can see year-round. Unbound is about Celtic and Indian folk traditions, played by world explains Roland Gulliver, in many ways the parent magical, unique moments, spun from the best class performers. Vic Galloway & Friends (2016) to this wayward after-dark child of the literary literary names and musical performers, then Unbound has a malleable personality. It offers This was the night Unbound took over the gardens. institution that is Edinburgh International Book twisted into something unusual and beautiful and time for reflection on the big issues facing the Vic Galloway got the party started with bands and Festival. It was also responding at the time to the new. Combinations of performers you may never world alongside an all out party, acting as both writers in the Spiegeltent while the gardens filled rennaissance of live literature, so over the years see again, sharing a stage with each other and their oasis and arena. And it does this all for free. These with writers from Edinburgh and eight the programme has reflected Scotland’s heritage stories with us, the audience – because in the end, artists are willing to step out of their comfort international Cities of Literature, telling stories. – from past treasures DiScOmBoBuLaTe and the storytelling is what it’s all truly about. “There is a zones, are you? After the fireworks, the Khartoum Heroes were Golden Hour, through to the current cream of the sense of trying to push back a bit so that people unleashed on an unsuspecting audience. Unbound, 13-28 Aug, Spiegeltent, Charlotte Sq Gardens, free

2 Feature UNBOUND THE SKINNY Stornoway to India: Musical Connections When virtuoso artists from Indian and Scottish folk traditions combine, the results are rich and rewarding. We speak to musicians Dalbir Singh Rattan and James Yorkston to find what they will bring to two sides of the same night at Unbound Interview: Galen O’Hanlon

n addition to pioneering Asian Blues with Aziz same with ‘world music’ – what the fuck does This passion – apparent from the very first independence by exploring past, present and Ibrahim and working with musicians such as The that mean? Nothing to me. moments of our phone call – has led Dal to explore future connections between Scotland and India. IStone Roses and Paul Weller, Dalbir Singh Rattan “Our uniqueness comes from the style of play- the richness of Indian music through collaborations You’ll get a taste of the musical at Dal and is now one of the composers of Yatra. This musical ing. It’s not the point to fuse anything. We write a with musicians across the world, from international Aziz’s Unbound performance. They’ll play elements performance piece is inspired by a historical new form of music using two traditions. It’s an rock stars to the finest sitar players. For his latest of it along with a good helping of the Asian Blues journey from the Isle of Lewis to India – made up embodiment of being British Asian musicians.” project though, Dal, through the Stornoway arts they’ve pioneered. And as so much of their work of Gaelic vocal traditions through to the Indian centre An Lanntair, collaborated with Gaelic is based on improvisation, there’s rarely more Raga and folk that Stornoway-man and collector musicians on Lewis to compose Yatra, which than a few suggestions on the set list. “No show is extraordinaire Colin MacKenzie would have “I don’t want my means journey or pilgrimage. It’s a new musical the same,” says Dal. “I’ve been working with my encountered during his travels from the late about the 18th century journey from Stornoway sparring partner Aziz a long time, and we have the 1700s onwards. Dal introduces us to his music to India of Colin Mackenzie – later to be the first confidence and skill to improvise.” and what we can expect on the night. tabla to be the Surveyor General of India – and Dal’s own journeys Did he take a similar approach to working with “We’re not interested in that fusion to the Outer Hebrides (Lewis is a long way from Gaelic musicians on Lewis? Absolutely. Dal set out confusion crap,” says Leeds-born Dalbir Singh token instrument, Leeds). Mackenzie fell in love with India, and a few pieces and sent them ahead to give everyone a Rattan, who plays the Indian drum so well that produced some of the first British maps of the starting point. “Then we got the musicians together, some know him as the Tabla Jedi. He’s worked just because a guy country, as well as collecting priceless items and we were just banging ideas at each other. The with guitarist Aziz Ibrahim for nearly 20 years, and and documents from his career there. piece isn’t really dictated by anybody. I didn’t go up they’ve arrived at a sound that’s entirely their says ‘let’s get a bit This new musical celebrates Mackenzie’s life there with a firm idea of what I wanted everyone to own. “Indian music is so rich and deep, and then as a collector extraordinaire. The score brings do. I’m just looking for help.” all we get is a fusion piece or a Bollywood piece. of an Indian vibe together Gaelic vocal traditions and classical “The Gaelic traditions are so strong and I don’t want my tabla to be the token instrument, Indian Raga in innovative and progressive ways. embedded, and I didn’t want to change that. I just because a guy says ‘let’s get a bit of an Indian on this track’” It premieres this summer at the Purvai Festival just went in there and said ‘can you help me?’, vibe on this track’. We sell our stuff so cheaply on Lewis as part of the New Passages project, and they’re the kinds of musicians and artists sometimes, it’s like a cheap Indian curry. It’s the Dalbir Singh Rattan which marks the 70th anniversary of Indian who will carry you.”

ames Yorkston has now worked with fellow whole. It means you’re not always the leader or musicians Jon Thorne and Suhail Yusuf Khan on supporter, but can be a… midfielder, and kind of twoJ acclaimed albums, blending Anglo-Celtic folk float around.” and classical Indian musical traditions. He explains Finding the right path between Indian and the power and freedom the trio’s collaboration folk traditions has taken a few tries. “When we brings to the music we will experience on their first tried the more Indian stuff, I would learn the second half of the night at Unbound. parts and play the chorus but it sounded so It seems that improvisation and skill, respect obvious and guff, so bad, just like awful diluted and understanding are the secrets to making Indian tourist music. One song on our first tour unexpected collaborations pay off. At least it was utter cringe – all the time changes were as works for James Yorkston, Jon Thorne, and Suhail precise as Bollywood. It was all ‘oh look at this, Yusuf Khan, whose blend of western folk and we can all play in time’.” Indian classicism produces remarkable results. Khan accidentally walked into Yorkston’s dressing room backstage in Edinburgh in 2013; Yorkston was “Musically, we’re playing the guitar, Khan joined in on the sarangi, and a few moments later they went on stage. We put it to Yorkston that this kind of thing just flying, and takes balls, no? “But what’s the worst that can happen?” he retorts, “OK, you make a mistake on loving what we stage and no one cares. Early on I was supporting David Gray on a tour, facing an audience of 12,000 do – and if they people. And I was nervous. Gray said to me, ‘the audience don’t really care if you’re good or bad, don’t like it, I they just want to see a one-off event.’ And that’s stayed with me. They don’t want to see you run don’t care” through something average, and do it well. We did a thing for Marc Riley recently, and it was the James Yorkston same. I said to the guys, don’t hold back. I don’t want to do it well just because we all played in You’ll find none of that on the new album, time. We have to do something extraordinary. No Neuk Wight Delhi All Stars. He’s found a better sitting back. No B game.” way to play alongside Khan: “Rather than follow In print that makes him sound like a maniacal the complicated rhythmic patterns, I try and Hollywood movie sports coach, but he’s not. “All embellish the song in a way that suits me and I’m doing is singing songs. I’m not a nurse or a suits the way that I’ve learned to play the guitar. doctor or running an aid programme. But at the There’s a very experimental aspect to it.” same time, I really value music. It’s one of the only And what’s he got planned for Unbound? things that makes sense to me. I treat what I do “We’ll do what we normally do: sit down and see with respect, but I also don’t take it too seriously.” what happens,” he says. And his response to So how does his collaboration with Khan and anyone who bristles at this kind of genre-busting? Thorne work? “I was playing with Suhail as often “Musically, we’re just flying, and loving what we do as I could, and I chose Jon [on double bass] for – and if they don’t like it, I don’t care. Why waste his background in jazz. I knew he’d have the chops our time being constipated? It’s so stupid to hide to improvise. within a genre. You have to spread your wings a “It’s the power of the trio. You have two other bit, you know?” instruments to hang on to. It dilutes the main Beating New Passages, Mon 21 Aug, Charlotte Square two voices, but it supports and strengthens the Spiegeltent, 9pm, free

July 2017 UNBOUND Feature 3

Music “The stage, the club. That’s our safe space” Dive have been redefining the Scottish queer club scene in recent years. Now they plan to leave their mark on Unbound, bringing their riotous party to the Spiegeltent. Annabel and Annabel explain the fun and importance of these safe spaces Interview: Megan Wallace

t was our recent transformative election night Dive is a particularly nurturing environment, It’s going to be a real honor to feature that.” changed us, I think, and added to what we do. Iwhen The Skinny rang up the two Annabels, the where new performers are encouraged to take Miss Annabel adds onto that: “We’ve also got The Dive Family includes even more people, some innovative pair behind Edinburgh cabaret outfit their shot on stage. The performer list is an international guest that we are bringing over of whom are 72 years old, emerging playwrights Dive, to chat about their debut at the Edinburgh constantly changing and, as Annabel explains: from Berlin, a chap called Le Pustra, he’s a who’d never written before. We’re very aware of International Book Festival, safe spaces and “the shows themselves feature lots of guest wonderful performer, multimedia, with a real the history of what these people do and what making LGBTQI+ history. performers and members of the Dive family.” Miss knowledge and passion for cabaret. We really enjoy they’ve done for us.” For those of you who haven’t made it out to Annabel adds: “The Dive Family started off as four promoting other people, international work.” “And not just for LGBTQI+ people but for one of Dive’s raucous, riotous parties, let me core members but every time we perform or do “Obviously during the Fringe as well, we’ve everyone,” Miss Annabel adds, “What people like explain. Dive arose from a club night in the murky an event, there’s someone new.” always talked in the past about being able to that, people who are fighting, either outwardly depths of Edinburgh’s Henry’s Cellar Bar in July Annabel rolls out the story of how Dive was showcase the queerest pick ’n’ mix of the Fringe. or inwardly are doing for us is incredible and we 2013. With cabaret at its core, it has expanded into born. “[It] started out as a club night and we We’re going to set aside a lovely afternoon with should never take it for granted.” Naturally, the a collective which hosts club nights, performances started it really because there wasn’t anything out the Fringe brochure,” says Annabel. topic turns to safe spaces and the closure of and events while partaking in outreach work. While there that we wanted to go to. There were a lot of queer-friendly spaces. “I think people don’t realise Miss Annabel Sings is always the host, performers gay clubs and gay nights but they weren’t really how important they are until they’re gone... I think are drawn from the ‘Dive Family’: an ever-developing open and accessible so we thought we’d make “Within our safe safe spaces don’t have to be in the physical collection of guest-artists, friends and admirers something ourselves — and here we are four nowadays, they can be online.” which grows each time they perform. With an years later. We’re still doing club nights but we’re “I think maybe our understanding of a safe emphasis on diversity and openness, they serve also doing cabaret, as well as performing at the spaces there’s space might be a little different to others.” Annabel as a much-needed counterpart to more commercial Fringe and now the Book Festival.” adds. “I think we’re encouraging diversity within gay bars and provide a space in which difference On the subject of their upcoming event at queer, straight, old, that safe space and encouraging conversations is celebrated. Unbound, Miss Annabel jokes: “Well the Book and challenges and pushing boundaries and all The two queer women who founded Dive Festival is really exciting… neither of us can read, young, everyone. that sort of stuff. So it’s OK to have a multitude of (confusingly, both called Annabel) play so that’s even more exciting!” opinions and to not agree with each other. Within indispensable, but very different roles in the “Hopefully we will by the end of August,” We’re all there on our safe spaces there’s queer, straight, old, young, up-keep of the collective. Annabel, while also ‘a Annabel quips. everyone. We’re all there on the understanding little bit of a secret performer’ is an Agent Cooper Miss Annabel expands on the theme, the understanding that we respect one another.” figure, keeping the Dive fires burning while Miss explaining what’s planned for their performance. “And for us our safe space is the performative Annabel Sings is host and front-woman. “We’re very, very excited to be performing in the that we respect one,” Miss Annabel explains. “... the stage, the Miss Annabel’s magnetic stage presence is Spiegeltent. We’re going to be doing a new outing, club. That’s our safe space” easily accounted for by her extensive background especially for the Book Festival, of the near-sellout It’s worth recalling here the Dive motto: ‘be as a performer: “I trained as an actor when I was of the show we did at Summerhall (it was a one another” whoever you want to be, however you want to be, growing up, I’ve been in performance and acting near-sellout so we may as well call it a sellout) Annabel wherever you want to be.’ With such an empowering for years. I went to university, studied it, I thought that’s a bit of a performative queer archive. We’re call for diversity, we can only hope that Dive about becoming a teacher but decided to fall into doing a version especially for the Book Festival Dive aren’t just about entertainment, they’re continues to grow, something which seems highly the world of cabaret… well, I didn’t decide, I fell with more of a literary theme; we’re going to have also about community and have been involved likely considering not only their plans for Unbound into the world of cabaret. I gave up my teaching some of our queer cabaret wonders and clubnight with Luminate Festival, Scotland’s creative ageing but also their forthcoming regular slots at degree and focused on being a clown. I started performers as well as some guests who are organisation, who they’ve worked with for a couple Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum. It feels as if change is acting professionally when I was 11 and am still appearing at the Book Festival.” of years and for whom they have just finished a in the air, as if LGBTQI+ entertainment is really doing it now, and I’m almost 40. I’ve been doing Annabel adds that “One of the literary works six month project. Within this outreach project coming out into the open. And it also feels a lot the festival for many, many years – not the Book we want to profile as part of the cabaret is a work they were, as Miss Annabel explains, “promoting like Dive, at least in Scotland, is playing a part in Festival, the other festival. I kind of trained called Lovesong to Lavender Menace which is a play the power of performance, particularly cabaret, making it happen. officially but also on the job, in the cabaret bars that tells the story of a bookshop in Edinburgh, as a therapeutic tool for LGBTQI+ people over 50 Dive host two nights at Unbound: Homage, Sat 26 Aug, 9pm, in London.” the Lavender Menace bookshop, which is a really to tell their story.” and The Last Night On Earth, Mon 28 Aug, 7pm. Both at However, not everyone needs extensive important cultural icon in the city, and was a Annabel explains how it’s impacted them, Charlotte Square Spiegeltent, free experience to take part; both Annabels agree that space for meeting and activism, a queer space. saying that “It’s been remarkable. It’s really

4 Feature UNBOUND THE SKINNY Prophets of Rage Some call them the true Godfathers of Hip-Hop and whether you’ve heard of them or not, you’ve definitely heard ‘em. The Last Poets come to Unbound to see if “y’all are the gangsters that everybody says you are” Interview: Ross McIndoe

s the 1960s neared their close in the United before warfare and violence claimed the world. has changed much since he began, Umar is a little though his image of it is a little more Irvine Welsh AStates of America, the air was boiling over While his work has never shied from representing less diplomatic than usual: “YES EMPHATICALLY! than Walter Scott: “I can’t wait to get to Scotland. with racial tension. Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and the full harshness of reality, Umar is not so cynical DONALD TRUMP IS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED I wish I was leaving tomorrow. Throughout the Martin Luther King rose to prominence only to be about poetry’s capacity to endure: “Why not? It STATES!” Hard to deny, the man’s got a point. years I’ve read and seen movies about you. Can’t gunned down. Each gunshot tore away an icon has survived a thousand year wars. A hundred wait to see if y’all are the gangsters that everybody of the civil rights movement and struck another year wars. Slavery. The Holocaust. Populist says you are. Ha ha ha ha!” blow against the idea that this conflict would Movements. And some of your greatest poets have “Whether it is Even without Otten’s own contribution, The ever be resolved in a language other than bullets flourished under these horrible and inhuman Last Poets’ place in history would already be well and blood. The Black Panthers moved to the for- conditions. Thank you very much!” As Darwinism cemented. They formed one of the most powerful efront of the fight for equality as the divide dictates, you’ve got to adapt to survive and, again, commercialised voices in one of the most challenging times in between the black and white citizens of America Umar is more than confident that the work he American history, made music out of chaos and gaped wider than ever before and its borders and his fellow compatriots have inspired will be or sanctified. birthed a genre that would come to be one of the became increasingly fortified. It was from this able to alter its form to stay alive, arguing that “it most innovative and powerful art forms to be atmosphere of rage, fear and defiance that The already has. If there had been no Last Poets there When one human found anywhere today. Asked how he himself wants Last Poets were born. would have been no Public Enemy. No Public to be remembered though, Umar has an almost Recording and performing since the end of Enemy, No Beastie Boys. No Proof from Detroit. soul seeks the sage clarity and humility to his self-image, asking the 60s as a fluid kind of collective with an often No Eminem. No Kendrick Lamar. Get my drift?” only that people think of him “As someone who changing line-up, they sold millions of records with The evolution of poetry into rap often gets attention of another was real... and honest. And wasn’t afraid to be no commercial promotion, gave voice to a silenced kind of bastardised by ‘cool’ English teacher types that.” Asked about who on the current scene he Black American experience and crafted a branch trying to get their class to read Shakespeare by it is poetry” sees as his successor, he’s equally assured: “My of aggressive, rhythmic spoken word poetry from explaining how he was really the Tupac Shakur successor is my granddaughter... That’s it! She’s which modern hip-hop has grown. Even if you’ve of Elizabethan England. In spite of that, the link Umar Bin Hassan only six months old and she’s driving me CRAZY!” never heard of them, you’ve probably heard them between poetry and rap is legit and, as a man who The Edinburgh International Book Festival at – they’ve worked with Kanye, Common and the found room for a musical revolution in the space As the pioneers of an art form so deeply large is an amazing event, drawing together some Wu-Tang Clan, and been sampled by everyone from between the two, Umar sees the separation as rooted in a particular life experience, it seems odd of the most renowned writers on the planet to sit a Tribe Called Quest to NWA and The Notorious entirely meaningless: “What difference? Anytime at a glance that someone as removed from that life alongside the yet unheralded newcomers who B.I.G. As the ghost of hip-hop’s past, so ubiquitous you stand to express an emotion... a thought... an as Christine Otten would be the one to tell their might one day join their ranks. It’s nice. Very nice. is their influence that their presence is felt today image from your heart and mind to another heart tale. Umar makes it clear that this was never a Almost too nice some might think. Where some even by those who’ve never heard their name. and mind it is poetry. Call it what you may. Whether concern, thanks largely to the legwork the Dutch believe the main festival offers a tea and cakes, Last year their story was re-told in the form it is commercialised or sanctified. When one author put in to capturing the truth of their quiet conversation kind of family-friendly day, of Christine Otten’s novel The Last Poets, the human soul seeks the attention of another it is experiences, explaining “Christine came to America Unbound thrives on its role as the darker success of which, on top of bringing their poetry. Pure and simple!” and interviewed family. Friends. Enemies. The boys underbelly, the place where things can get a incredible tale to a whole new audience, will see Its role in the fight back against oppression in the hood. The girls on the corner. The police. Old little looser, a little less polite, a little more real. the author appearing at Edinburgh International has been at the heart of rap music since Umar contacts. New contacts. And people we didn't know And they don’t come much more real than The Book Festival 2017 alongside those very poets; and his friends more or less invented it and, in but who knew of us. I'm amazed she didn't get the Last Poets. They’ve grown their art out of the Umar Bin Hassan, Abiodun Oyewole and Baba a time where Black Lives Matter is regarded by Pope to speak on us.” Any concerns of appropriation most unforgiving soil and created beautiful Donn Babatunde. Having performed as a Last some as a controversial statement, The Last can be put to rest as there’s no doubting the Poets’ things at a time and place where cruelty and Poet since 1969 and led the group’s most renowned Poets’ work remains depressingly relevant. In pride in the work Otten has done to tell their story ignorance seemed destined to dominate. and revered incarnations, Umar Bin Hassan sat Umar’s eyes, this consciousness raising is the or the respect that exists between them: “Christine They’ve walked through fire for their art, lived down with The Skinny to tell us a little about true role of the poet, whether the person with is a real... Whitegirl. A SERIOUS DUTCH WHITEGIRL! the words they spoke and suffered heavily for poetry, music and America. the pen identifies as an emcee or a scribe: “We But she's our Whitegirl!” their daring. For the first time ever they’ll be in The group’s name comes from a Keorapetse want the audience to go away thinking about the As the group’s first ever visit to Scotland Edinburgh. You should be too. Kgositsile line that claimed, like Adorno asking state of the world’s condition and what they can do approaches, he’s equally enthusiastic about the Meet The Last Poets presented by Apples and Snakes how there could ever be poetry after Auschwitz, to make a contribution in making it better and prospect of checking out the land of Loch Ness at Unbound, Tue 22 Aug, Charlotte Square Spiegeltent, that his was to be the last generation of poets liveable for all.” Asked whether he feels the country monsters, misty hillsides and roving haggis, 9pm, free

July 2017 UNBOUND Feature 5

Music Stick ‘em up punk... Six of the UK’s top crime writers will try not to kill a tune when they hit the Unbound stage as The Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers, so we asked them each to soundtrack murder scenes from their own books Interview: Alan Bett

t began like all good rock n’ roll stories in effective weapon. I once suggested that gangland teambuilding seminars led by a particularly false breasts and a comedy wig before stuffi ng a “Ithe House of Blues in New Orleans.” Doug enforcers should stop wasting their time and obnoxious twunt of a motivational guru. plastic Teletubby in his mouth. He then proceeds Johnstone spins out the origins story of The Fun energy using electric drills on people’s kneecaps “Obviously, he had to die,” Simon observes, to strangle him with a silk scarf tied to the bedpost Lovin’ Crime Writers’ musical collaboration, when or performing clumsy dental surgery, when any and at this point the reader may be thinking the so that his death will look like a particularly humi- he and fellow novelists Mark Billingham and Stuart Phil Collins track will elicit the information they’re same thing. liating fatal exercise in auto-erotic asphyxiation. Neville took to the stage on the spur of the moment after a lot more quickly. Their revenge fantasy delivered, the song during an open mic cabaret night at a crime Going further, it’s possible that a particularly asks the listener the question I want my readers writing convention in the States last year. They vicious and twisted killer could use music as part “‘So kiss me and to ask of Simon, the question that inspired me to will now gather in The Spiegeltent and provide the of their murderous M.O. Imagine, if you dare, the create the character: “Do you think I’m beautiful? opportunity for their fans to see them step out suffering of a victim whose life ebbs away while Or do you think I’m evil?” of their literary comfort zones, offering a musical they are forced to listen to Agadoo or The Chicken smile for me,’ set of crime-related cult classics, including I Song. But there are limits of course. The agonising Doug Johnstone (drums and backing vocals): Fought the Law, Folsom Prison Blues and a number death throes of someone for whom the last John whispers, My latest novel is called Crash Land and has a of surprises. sound they hear is Coldplay might well be too picture of a low-fl ying aeroplane on the cover, so The band were asked to compile a murder much for those who can’t bear overly gratuitous as the fuselage it doesn’t take a genius to work out what it’s about. playlist for The Skinny’s Unbound programme, cruelty in their crime fi ction. A young guy called Finn meets mysterious older soundtracking crimes from their own books. breaks in half and woman Maddie at Kirkwall Airport in Orkney. She Suitably, for minds who have put some of the Chris Brookmyre (guest vocals): Crime Scene gets hassled by oil workers. People get drunk, most twisted murders onto the page, they have Part One by the Afghan Whigs infuses my novel the propeller slices there’s a fi ght, then the plane crashes killing most summoned some some dark and terrifying musical A Big Boy Did It And Ran Away so thoroughly that of the passengers and crew. Cheery, eh? choices: Phil Collins, Coldplay... The Chicken Song? it is an intrinsic part of the book’s DNA. This song through the cabin” There is a surprisingly number of songs about inspired me to create the villain, Simon Darcourt, plane crashes, mostly from indie bands. Car Seat Mark Billingham (vocals and guitar): The opening and is the soundtrack to all his murders, but there Doug Johnstone Headrest’s Plane Crash Blues, or songs by scene of my novel From The Dead sees a man is one killing in particular that is quintessential. Pavement, Rilo Kiley, Bright Eyes and Modest handcuffed to the steering wheel of a car which Simon is a deceptively charismatic individual, The song starts from an ominous, creeping Mouse. More generally, Crash by the Primitives is promptly doused in petrol and set alight, so making the reader complicit in his atrocities by bass intro as Simon sets his plans in motion, springs to mind. Ashes To Ashes or Burn Baby Burn would work inviting them to share his opinions and tapping building layer by layer into an explosion of sound. But I reckon the dulcet tones of John Denver’s very well as soundtracks. Increasingly, though, into their prejudices. He has been forced to sit Simon forces his way into his victim’s hotel Leaving on a Jet Plane could soundtrack the I think that music itself can be used as a highly through a number of humiliating corporate room and makes him dress up in suspenders,

6 Feature UNBOUND THE SKINNY sky-based carnage in my novel best. ‘So kiss me partly in 1978 and I fi nd music is a great time Gone (written as Haylen Beck), its central crime is created to date to life. Then, I’ll go back to The and smile for me,’ John whispers, as the fuselage machine for transporting me back to a particular a kidnapping rather than a murder. The villain of Carpenters and Fun Lovin’ Criminals to write about breaks in half and the propeller slices through year. So I was listening to The Jam and The Clash the piece, Sheriff Ronald Whiteside, is notable for the aftermath. The victims and the lives they the cabin. ‘Tell me you’ll wait for me,’ he croons, and early Joy Division while I was writing it. The his mirror shades, which he only takes off when leave behind. Music will always be my fi rst love, as the rows of seats get ripped from the fl oor and title comes from a Jam track – Down in the Tube he really wants to scare the crap out of someone. so I’m glad it can be of use in my actual day job! thrown out the gaping maw in the plane’s body. Station at Midnight – and I wanted to give the Given the American desert setting, I am of course ‘Already I’m so lonesome I could die.’ Hmmm, let’s chapters titles of other tracks or little quotes from reminded of ZZ Top’s Cheap Sunglasses. The Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers’ not forget how Denver died in real life, after all. Jam songs but my publisher refused because of Murder Playlist Also, Leaving on a Jet Plane is a love song, the costs of obtaining permissions. But in my head, Luca Veste (bass): I can’t write without music Killing in the Name – Rage Against The Machine and in my mind Crash Land is a fucked up love I still know which chapter is A Town Called Malice. playing. Silence is my kryptonite. Over the years, Ashes To Ashes – David Bowie story. Val McDermid described it as ‘a powerful instead of removing songs from my playlist, I am Down in the Tube Station at Midnight – The Jam argument for not thinking with your dick’. Whether Stuart Neville / Haylen Beck (vocals, guitar and constantly adding tracks. Current total – over 600 Disco Inferno (Burn Baby Burn) – The Trammps Denver was thinking with his dick when he wrote harmonica): One of the numbers I sing in the Fun songs. I throw them on shuffl e and get to work Crime Scene Part One – The Afghan Whigs the song, we’ll never know. Lovin’ Crime Writers’ set is AC/DC’s Dirty Deeds writing crime. Songs range from Anyone Who Had Plane Crash Blues – Car Seat Headrest Done Dirt Cheap. That makes me think about a a Heart by Cilla Black to Uptown Funk by Bruno Crash – The Primitives Val McDermid (vocals): Twenty-fi ve years ago, I character from my second novel, Collusion: a Mars to Echoes by Pink Floyd. I have an eclectic Psycho – Muse published my fi rst Kate Brannigan novel Dead hitman called the Traveller. Early in the book, taste in music. Agadoo – Black Lace Beat. Kate was a private eye based in Manchester when crime boss Bull O’Kane asks him if he has a Writing a murder scene has its own playlist. Leaving on a Jet Plane – John Denver and the six books in the series are a chronicle of problem “doing women and children,” the Traveller I know when those dark and disturbing scenes are Private Investigations – Dire Straits the city in the 1990s as well as Kate’s cases and shrugs and says, “Depends on the money.” He’s a coming up, so I’ll break and fi re up the murderlist. A Town Called Malice – The Jam her private life. My personal theme tune for the mercenary bastard, in other words. You could say This is a special list of songs that are full of loud Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap – AC/DC series – and in some respects, its inspiration the same for the character Bon Scott plays in guitars, screaming vocalists, and pulsating drums. Cheap Sunglasses – ZZ Top – was Dire Straits’ moody and atmospheric Private Dirty Deeds... as he describes all manner of Rage Against The Machine (Killing in the Name, Anyone Who Had a Heart – Cilla Black Investigations. It caught my imagination – Mark sordid acts he’s willing to perform “for a fee.” On Bombtrack) feature heavily, as do the heavier Uptown Funk – Bruno Mars Knopfl er’s stuttering guitar fi gures, the spoken top of that, although I had intended the Traveller songs from Muse (Uno, Psycho) [plus] Rammstein Echoes – Pink Floyd lyric, the cynicism and romanticism of it all. to be a gentleman assassin when I fi rst started and Metallica. It puts me in the right mindset to Bombtrack – Rage Against The Machine It resonated deep inside me and became writing the book, as soon as he appeared on the spill blood onto the page, driving the anger out, Uno – Muse emblematic of what a private eye novel should page, he turned into a barely literate, pig ignorant fuelling the rage. The Chicken Song be. Except that my books have jokes. thug. Which is a description I don’t think Bon In my upcoming novel, The Bone Keeper, Anything by Phil Collins The Distant Echo introduces my Scottish Scott would have objected to. those types of songs aided me to fi nd the darkness Fun Lovin' Crime Writers, Wed 23 Aug, Charlotte Square cold case detective Karen Pirie. The book is set Coming back to my latest book, Here and within to bring the most terrifying character I’ve Spiegeltent, 9pm, free

A Taste of Unbound A taste of what you can expect over Unbound’s riotous middle weekend, from three performers out of the Babble On section of the programme

If….with apologies to Kipling Love Poem, written in haste Rose (Rudyard not Mr) (with Autocorrect on) by Vanessa Kisuule by Elvis McGonagall by Brian Bilston I’m somewhere in the middle If you can keep your daddy’s dollars free from tax O what Brave New Worm is this Between a child If you can grope women and put them in their place that holes you, my sweet darting love? Soothed to sugared silence If you can tweet the world alternative facts I see you in the stairs that twinkle With a spoonful of Calpol If you can kick sand in every Muslim’s face up in the heavy above. And an old maid If you can have a “great relationship” with “the blacks” Looking down the neck If you can wear your arrogance like cheap cologne Your light shins down upon me Of a empty bottle If you can feed your empty soul with golden Big Macs and sets my heart on fi r. Wondering where her youth went If you can blow your own tiny trombone You stir up my emoticons These are the sickly sweet times If you can contradict yourself inside a minute and fi ll me with dessert. Where solace comes If you know you’ve bought the race before it’s run In the false promise of tomorrow Yours is America and all the fear in it I gazebo upon your lovely Facebook, And a mug of cheap rose wine And – which is more – you’ll be the President my son your rainy nose, sweet, unmissable, Pour yourself a measure the blue-greed eyes like limpet pools, You fl eeting piece of glory January 2017 your petty mouse, juicy, kissable. We have all the time in the world “My whole life is about winning” (D.Trump) Sad! And no time at all Come with meat, Angel of my Drums, So pull up a chair A full collection of Elvis McGonagall’s poems from ­­€ hold my ham, journalist into the night, Ferment with me to ­‚ƒ entitled Viva Loch Lomond! has just been published and together lettuce explore the worm, by Burning Eye Books over the horizontal and out of sigh. Vanessa Kisuule’s debut collection Joyriding The Storm, is published by Burning Eye Books

From You Took the Last Bus Home by Brian Bilston, Babble On’s Poetry Party and True Stories are on Sat 19 and Sun 20 published by Unbound Aug, Charlotte Square Spiegeltent, 9pm, free

INDEPENDENT CULTURAL JOURNALISM

Editors: Rosamund West & Alan Bett Designer: Kyle McPartlin Production Manager & Picture Editor: Sarah Donley Illustrator: Elena Boils

July 2017 UNBOUND Feature 7

MUSIC What’s On at Unbound 2017 A night by night guide to goings on in the Charlotte Square Spiegeltent. Events kick o at 9pm, although you might want to arrive half an hour earlier to join the queue (or more, if it looks like a popular choice). Each is, as always, completely free

songs, music, drama and art. It’s Sun 13 August Mon  August science fi ction, and it’s alive! Shoreline Beating New Passages The Art of Neuroscience of Infi nity is Scotland’s science fi ction A unique creative collision of words, magazine, published quarterly with A soulful night of music exploring music and aroma, bringing together short stories, poetry, artwork and Scotland’s relationship with India. stories and curiosities from the world articles: shorelineofi nfi nity.com Yorkston/Thorne/Khan perform hits of neuroscience. As the Department of from their critically acclaimed debut Clinical Neuroscience prepares to Thu  August album Everything Sacred and follow-up relocate to Little France after more The Donaldsons Strike Back! Neuk Wight Delhi All Stars – a mingling than 50 years at the Western General, of traditions from Britain and India via musician and composer Alex Menzies After storming the Spiegeltent in 2015, the Appalachian Mountains. Aziz & Dal and cross-media artist Susana legends of children’s literature Julia present their electrifying blend of Cámara Leret join writer Gavin Inglis and Malcolm Donaldson return to the British beats and Asian blues, for the fi rst Unbound you’ll experience Unbound stage for more rambunctious interspersed by readings from Abir with your eyes, ears AND nose. A stories and songs. The creators of the Mukherjee and Nalini Paul. sensory sensation. world-famous Gruffalo have escaped for one night to captivate the big kids. Tue  August Mon  August Enthrallingly entertaining, Meet The Last Poets Island Getaway mesmerisingly magnifi cent – staying up late on a school night has never Formed in the crucible of 1960s black Take a break from the urban bustle of been so much fun. rights activism, with the Black Panthers Edinburgh’s festivals and join the editors at the peak of their powers and an of the Island Review (theislandreview. Fri  August irresistible mood of revolutionary com), Jordan Ogg and Malachy Tallack, Kayo Chingonyi & Friends hope in the air, The Last Poets have as they bring together a spirited crew come to be known as ‘the godfathers of writers and musicians for their Kayo Chingonyi is one of the most of hip-hop’, such has been their impact Unbound debut. Expect celebration, exciting voices in UK poetry. His debut on generations of musicians. This, rumination and elaboration on the collection Kumukanda is a powerful, their fi rst ever appearance in Scotland, extraordinary appeal of islands, told hilarious exploration of race and is unmissable for true fans of the in story, song and verse by guests masculinity which kicks hard against genre. Tonight they perform their vital, including Amy Liptrot, Miss Irenie easy notions of identity. Host of wordy vibrant, often furious work and are Rose and Kevin MacNeil. A night not wonders in London like The Poetics of joined by Christine Otten, whose novel to be missed by the islo-curious and Grime (ICA) and The Blend, for The Last Poets captures their lives. islomaniac alike. Edinburgh he has created a special Unbound night featuring the likes of Wed  August Tue  August poet Miriam Nash, alt-folk singer- Fun Lovin' Crime Writers After Dark songwriter Genevieve Dawson, novelist S K Perry, and East London Descending upon Unbound like a A night of unsettling stories and music rapper and MC, Eklipse. group of maverick loner cops brought – when the thrills become terrifying, together to crack one last case, a dark, brooding shadows grow and our Sat  August musical literary incarnation of Avengers Fri  August Sun  August dreams become nightmares. Come hear Babble On Poetry Party Assemble, crime writer supergroup, Neu! Reekie!: Jock Scot Unbound The Flint & Pitch Revue two of Argentina’s most exciting new the Fun Lovin' Crime Writers will storm writers, Mariana Enriquez, author of Still think of poets as wallfl owers hiding the stage with a selection of suitably ‘I woke up in a ditch clutching a pack A delicious mash-up of spoken word, the gothic Things We Lost in The Fire, in their garrets? You’ve obviously never inspired tunes. Join literary superstars of Sugar Puffs, it was 1970’. Join Neu! poetry and music featuring some of and Samanta Schweblin, whose Fever been to their parties – but tonight’s Mark Billingham, Doug Johnstone, Reekie! hosts Kevin Williamson and the best rising stars of the literary and Dream is a haunting tale of broken your night. Hosted by armchair Stuart MacBride, Val McDermid, Chris Michael Pedersen for a night paying music scenes in Scotland. The bill souls. They’re joined by two of Scotland’s revolutionary Elvis McGonagall, Brookmyre and Luca Veste plus a tribute to the legendary Edinburgh includes poetry and spoken word from best musicians: Rachel Newton, who Saturday’s Unbound sees an eruption collection of murderously good guests poet Jock Scot. A dead-pan performer Rachel McCrum and Sara Hirsch; revitalises traditional Scottish folk of wild voices. Ten-time slam champ for their fi rst live gig together. Dare we with an irascible personality, his work up-and-coming 404 Ink author Chris tales, and Ela Orleans, who soundtracks Vanessa Kisuule, mysterious ‘Poet say, it would be criminal to miss it? captured life on the edges in 80s Britain McQueer; music from Laurence Made a journey through the underworld. Laureate of Twitter’ Brian Bilston and and celebrated his love for his native Me Cry and more, all brought to you by New Zealand’s Hera Lindsay Bird Thu  August city. Co-programmed by Davy Henderson Scotland’s fi nest champions of new Wed  August – whose poems caused a social media Muldoon’s Picnic and featuring the likes of The Sexual voices, Flint & Pitch. Shoreline of Infi nity’s Event stir earlier this year – all take to the Objects, Salena Godden, Gareth Horizon stage, while 2017’s Scottish National Hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Sager, Tam Dean Burn, Don Paterson, Mon  August (pm Til Late) Slam winner Daniel Piper shares his Paul Muldoon, this show is described Kevin Harman and Faye Banks. The Last Night on Earth Edinburgh’s monthly live SF cabaret special brew of comedic performance by Muldoon himself as ‘an omnium- breaks out for Unbound with a special poetry. An unmissable, unforgettable gatherum’, by Time Out as a ‘music-and- Sat  August Ladies, gentlemen and everyone in show celebrating Ken MacLeod’s Guest night of new verse. literature extravaganza’ and by us as a Dive: Homage between! Anarchic entertainers Dive Selected series of Book Festival events stonkingly good night out! Rarely staged Queer Party conjure the spirit of ’47 to and featuring science fi ction writers Sun  August outside New York, and in Edinburgh for Promising to blow fresh glitter up the stage a closing cabaret party of epic from the Festival plus a mix of poetry, True Stories Live – Lost & Found one night only, Muldoon and his house arse of any festival in their wake, Dive proportions. With fakery making the band Rogue Oliphant (including Cait Queer Party bring back their sell out headlines and the world falling apart Love The Moth? This intimate O’Riordan of The Pogues, Chris Harford 2016 hit Homage with a special literary around our ears, the glitter-spattered storytelling event asks ordinary people and Ray Kubian) are joined by special plot twist. Travel to the ends of the minds at Dive Towers have had time to to tell true stories from their life to the guests: Steeleye Span-singer Maddy rainbow with chief weirdo Miss Annabel refl ect: what would we do on our last friendly Spiegeltent crowd. With the Prior, singer-songwriter Lisa Hannigan, Sings, a smörgåsbord of homegrown night on earth? Well this, obviously. theme of Lost & Found, the stories award-winning writer Bernard performance talent and a handpicked Join Miss Annabel Sings, the Dive might be heartwarming, revealing, MacLaverty and leading Scottish poet selection of international guest stars. family and the queerest pick ‘n’ mix of funny, shocking or sad – or all of these at Don Paterson. Produced by Poetry Strap yourself in for a mind-blowing the Fringe as they conga their way into once. Molly Naylor introduces a mix of Ireland and supported by an Arts celebration of the heroes of queer a brave new world – one where you can storytellers, including some Festival Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon and culture from books, music, fi lm and be whoever you want to be, however performers. Sign up for the True Arts Council of Northern Ireland Touring fashion from the past 70 years – on you want to be, whenever you want to Stories workshop earlier in the day and Grant. Hosted in New York City by the the 50th anniversary of the UK be. It’s the closing night of the Festival: you get to be one of the storytellers. Irish Arts Center. decriminalising homosexuality. party like it’s your last! Featuring Le Pustra, Alice Rabbit and many more.

8 Feature UNBOUND THE SKINNY