MUSE. 06/12/11

A Beautiful, Invisible Truth What is it like to live with Asperger’s? “Dignifying Dysmorphia” Ghurkas in York

Polly Borland How the soldier’s adapt to fish & chips, and Jonny English explains her tastes M2 06/12/11 Muse.

M4 M16 M21

Features. Fashion. Film. M4. How do the Ghurkas that serve in York M14. Designer Kathleen Kye talks about M20. James Northcote talks about his adapt to life here? digits, and we shoot the ‘Weasley’s’ in role in the new Wuthering Heights film. Tom Witherow investigates. their Christmas jumpers. Also, we recommend what to watch this Christmas. M6. Polly Borland is a photographer with a dif- Arts. ference. Mia de Graaf finds why. M16. Royal tour artist, Daphne Todd talks Food & Drink. to Sophie Walker. Plus, Durham’s Lumi- M21. Hana Teraie-Wood does The Experi- M8. David Miliband came to York, and Martin ere festival. ment- this month it’s Panettone. And we give you tips for Christmas. Spurr found out his game plan. Music. M18. Electric Six talk about being the Image Credits. M10. Asperger’s is a part of you, not a prob- Cover: Photo Polly Borland reproduced with lem, says Bella Foxwell. Gay Bar band. And a special cat playlist. kind permission Weasley photoshoot: Agatha Torrence Never Say Never Mia de Graaf

erhaps B-Rack was just too unambi- YouTube ever, and the most ‘elfed’ person ber efforts were, well, brave, and he is widely What more could he do? Entice older tious with ‘Yes, We Can’. Truth be told, on elf.com. Ever. He has his own fragrance acknowledged as looking like a lesbian (see people? Surely not? P‘yes we can’ is a motivational message, (‘Someday’ – the advert of which depicts a lesbianwholooklikejustinbieber.tumblr.com. Never say never - perfectly demonstrat- but unfortunately it hasn’t come ot fruit in girl about 6 years his senior yearning for the It’s gold). ed by Mariah Yeater – the 20-year-old who every way he said it would. It worked well 17-year-old), probably a clothing line, and I As well as having seen the countless claimed to have mothered his child. The story enough, and maybe he’ll try to sail on that wouldn’t be surprised by some kind of food ‘vlogs’ of toddlers requesting his hand in mar- was flawed from the off, as my mother con- in next year’s elections. However, it has the brand I the near future. Never Say Never. riage, or even to “sleep next to him and have tested at this girl’s claim that he didn’t use a potential to be so much more. Pretty much “Who is this guy?” some remarkably still lots and fun *wink*”, I have born first-hand condom because ‘he really wanted to feel it’: everyone has guffawed at the thought of Jus- oblivious people ask; “what makes him so witness to his hold over the recently-born- “as if Bieber was a virgin.” Yes Mum, that’s tin Beiber being king of the world. But one popular?” I thought I had this in a nutshell woman with my own flesh and blood. At the the spirit. After an excruciating television thing 2011 has shown us, in his own words: - and I do stand partly by this claim. If you pantomime last year with my four-year-old interview, in which the channel comically ‘Never say never’. haven’t seen the latest Twilight film, there’s niece on my lap, we were awaiting Ham- interspersed footage with his song “baby, A week ago today Justin Bieber was quite a disturbing, and fundamentally illegal mersmith’s finest Christmas cheer, which baby, baby ohhh…”, the naïve woman has named the most searched human being of plot twist in which Jacob, “the sexy one” (my involved listening to chart music – the pre- since backed down (apparently due to death 2011 on Bing search engine, usurping last own words…), falls in love with Bella’s baby - drinking equivalent for the very underage. A threats, and a counter-suit from Bieber’s year’s Kim Kardashian. The Bieb takes his it was that, more than the graphic sex scenes, new song starts. As if competing for her life “people” - as explained to me, genuinely, by pride of place at spot number uno on our web that had me wincing uncomfortably into my on Never Mind the Buzzcocks music round, a 50-year-old American male Belieber on the surfing hit list, and the title as the only male pick’n’mix. I couldn’t work out exactly from this doe-eyed girl hears the opening two 44 bus in York. Never say never). in the top ten. whence this idea stemmed – to romanti- notes, and with glee exclaims ‘Justin Bieber!’ In a nutshell, this end to the year, that Some say astonishing, I say foreseeable, cise paedophilia – but my best guess is that before launching into a rendition of his ‘baby’ many conspiracy theorists claimed would but this shuffle means that B-Rack [Obama] they‘re trying to get at what Bieber has done song. Astounded that much of this was even never come, has taught us one valuable thing has fallen from No. 5 to No. 49 in one fell so well: be a sex god for children. It’s a pe- in her vocabulary range was my first hurdle, that no one – not Obama, not the Queen, not swoop. Justin is apparently the most trended culiar trend that has been both accepted and followed swiftly by the grave realisation that the Bible – has ever truly delivered so force- name on Twitter ever, the most viewed on celebrated – despite the fact that his Movem- she too had been hit by Usher’s cupid arrow. fully and miraculously: Never Say Never. 06/12/11 M3 Quirks: Thinking inside Famous Brothers The Miliband brothers had a public political conflict. the box Do these brothers get on? Camilla Apcar

oey Essex coming to York being Sorostitute according was to be the highlight of to Dominique, the Standards Jmy TV loving 2k11. And Chair. My role in co-ordinat- the chance to play some sort ing the pages must have made of game with him on stage? me a SoroPimp. I’m dubious The excitement! I could show the Sisters would approve. off all my useless knowledge It gets worse. Any aspiring about the Essex clan in a nice Sisters who have been prom- quiz, I innocently believed. ised that a night out won’t be But no. Instead, a lap dance ‘a late one’, should never make competition performed on well-intentioned plans for the Joey’s friend (because the next day that involve going to Chuckle Brothers: Reem-meister had no idea the British Library to do dis- Great childhood dentist about it and refused…what a sertation research. By 2.30am, gentleman) made me want to if you’ve already stopped melt away amongst the swarm drinking, it’s time to face that of girls all desperate to whip won’t be getting home much their tops off for five minutes before five. Being awake past of quality time with Joey. midnight? In-app-rop-riate. The five American leaders Last week, I had resigned – a President plus Standards, myself to this fact. Having Jonas Brothers: Social, Philanthropy and En- been up since 7.30 the previ- Performing pouts tertainment Chairs – of Chan- ous morning and with T-mi- nel Four’s Sorority Girls would nus 7 hours until I had to be in have been horrified at the the company of a pile of musty whole competition, because books, my desperation led me amongst their favourite terms to perhaps the cardinal sin of and acronyms is ‘inappropri- appropriateness. Dare I relive ate’. And they take being ap- my PLC (Poor Life Choice)…in propriate to the extreme. my plight towards academia, I If I were a pledge (a wan- sprawled across the corner of nabe sorority Sister who goes a table for a power nap in the through hazing while decked restaurant-cum-bar. Warner Bros: out in pearls, pink mono- Trying to snooze while No hierachy here grammed pyjamas and cash- Rolling in the Deep and mere knits), I’d like to think Fight For This Love are blast- that the five leaders would ing out of the stereo system initially find me to be the epit- proved difficult. Even harder ome of appropriate. In clubs, I when you’re awakened by the only ever have one drink in my stench of breaded brie. Not to hand: you really can’t do the mention the establishment’s Smack That or Saturday Night bouncer peering down to ask Fever disco dances to full ef- if you’re ‘alright’. A bleary-eyed fect if you’ve got two things to murmur of “I’m just so sleepy” hold. definitely doesn’t give the best I don’t wear above-the- first impression. So inappro- knee skirts without tights: the priate. North is unbearably cold for Evidently, however hard eight months of the year and I try I’m clearly never going I’m not a fan of pneumonia. I to be appropriate enough. don’t wear false eyelashes: my They’ve all got double stand- one experience with them left ards anyway. Hannah the En- Princes William and Harry: Wright Brothers me looking like an even more tertainment Chair is eternally Plane-building japes dishevelled version of Katie caked in a foundation far from Crush on the sister-in-law? Price. All examples of totally Natural Beige, and I definitely ‘appropriate’, albeit middle- spied Philanthropy Chair Ari- aged, logic. anna in a body-con pencil skirt But upon discovering with a slit right up the thigh. my philanthropy efforts, I What a Slooter Cahooter. Christmas by numbers sense things would start to go And aside from the First downhill. Would helping to Battalion of the Yorkshire puts on relationships has a pretty quick turn organise a Calendar Girls style Regiment, what kind of a calendar be considered an in- club had a ferret as a mascot? 10 million turkeys are consumed by the around. appropriate fundraiser? Hav- Sistas, you’ve been weighed British public at Christmas. That’s a lot of dry ing more than one bit of flesh and measured and have been bird, considering no one likes it. on show at a time constitutes found lacking. Your definition 53percent increase in alcohol consump- tion in December . Just such a merry time. 40 percent of Christmas dinners are cooked by men. Domestic inferiority complex- es aren’t exactly finished 600,000 people spend Christmas alone. They’re either old, or ‘Bridget 22 percent of people file for divorce Jones’, and will watch Creature Comforts. on the 8th January. The pressure Christmas M4 www.ey.com/uk/careers 06/12/11

The Ghurkas in York

joined in 1996, my wife only life of the Gorkhali region and British came with me in 2006. It was a army life in York. Integration into their Tom Witherow meets Nepalese “Ihard time.” Gurkhas have served new workplace and community is key in the British armed forces for almost to creating an effective military unit, as soldiers in Fulford to find out 200 years, but are the sacrifices these well as allowing soldiers to have a fulfill- soldiers make off the battlefield going ing life. unnoticed? What drives them to leave Suchant is a Gurkha in 246 Signal how their families are finding their culture, and often their families, Squadron who lives with his wife and behind to fight for a foreign nation? two children. “We have a much better life in the UK. Gurkhas are renowned as some of life here, it’s better for both of us.” Su- the fiercest and bravest fighters in the chant has served in the British army for world – one former Indian Chief of Staff eleven years and has lived in Fulford for even said that “if a man says he is not nine of them. As we speak his wife and afraid of dying, he is either lying or a children sit obediently behind him. He Gurkha”. Hundreds of thousands have says something in Nepali - she disap- fought for Britain, twenty-six earning pears and returns with two steaming our highest honour, the Victoria Cross. mugs of tea. This alongside the large Gurkha rights hit the headlines two formal family portraits, the large green years ago, when Joanna Lumley led a statues and the ornate curtains hint at successful campaign to have the right the country they call home. The tension to habitation in Britain extended to is broken by Suchant’s explanation as to those who retired before 1997. A flood why he joined the army: “Because of the of retirees have since left their homes in money. One pound is now over a hun- Above: Gurkhas the foothills of the Himalayas and set- dred and twenty rupees, that’s big mon- celebrate the tled in Britain. Alongside the presence ey.” Nor does he pause to consider where Hindu festival of of Nepalese army families, this creates a he might like to retire: “Once my chil- Dashain in Af- significant welfare issue. A cultural can- dren have grown up and been educated, ghanistan yon stands between the rural Nepalese there is no point in me being here. I will 06/12/11 www.ey.com/uk/careers M5

But are Gurkhas selling their cul- they will be educated here and so will tural heritage in order to live the rela- have a different mentality.” Both men tive high life that the UK offers? He appreciate that their children may wish doesn’t think so. “We join the army to stay in the UK after they complete because, obviously, we are allowed to their education – a potential worry for live in the UK, but once we’re here we soldiers returning to Nepal. Sabin is as- eat Nepalese food, practice Hinduism sertive as to where he stands: “without a and teach our children about Nepalese national health service you have to look festivals.” Sabin is Suchant’s next-door after them [elderly family members]... neighbour and a fellow ‘Sig,’ he has but when I am old I have lots of rela- two young girls. “I find that sometimes tives who can look after me!” it’s hard to keep the traditions going. Cuts and redundancies in the Min- Sometimes she [his eldest daughter] istry of Defense (MOD) have received doesn’t want to know, and does what- widespread criticism. However, no one ever the British children are doing. feels the effects more acutely than the But we have a completely different cul- Gurkhas. Many soldiers are edgy about ture… I’d really like my daughters to their job security, and Suchant is no ex- understand both cultures, but it’s dif- ception: “Last year there were twenty, ficult.” twenty-one redundancies… Yes I worry, Both families are fully involved in if I am not in continuous service for both the army and the broader Nepa- more than five years I don’t get my pen- lese community. “My eldest son goes sion... I just have to worry for five years.” to a local football club, and is a yellow Sabin is remarkably objective in his belt in Taekwondo,” Suchant announc- opinion of the redundancies. “Sooner es proudly, “We [246 squadron] play or later we have to, because the British football and basketball inside the bar- government has to save money. We have racks.” One would consider language a to understand the economic climate. If barrier to engaging in popular culture, they send me home I wouldn’t have any little did I expect a detailed description hard feelings – they’re cutting every- of the latest Johnny English film from where, not just in the MOD.” Suchant’s younger son. However the Gorkhali choose to Tony Gould, a military historian portray their situation, the implications who has written extensively about of being made redundant are signifi- the Gurkhas has suggested that lower cant. Sabin talks of his family’s tradi- wages (these have now been brought tion of serving in the army, saying that to parity) and the presence of British most of his caste would seek either an Majors as commanding officers (COs) education or a position in the British, serve to create tension inside the bar- or Indian, armies. Redundancy means racks. Suchant doesn’t think it’s any returning home, it means finding an different to other squadrons. “There alternative income, it means re-locating are British guys in our squadron, with your family and your children’s educa- them we’re really quite friendly and tion. Without under-playing the stress- lots of British soldiers want to be in our es placed upon British soldiers forced to squadron for operations… We invited “I would love for my children to go back to Nepal and return to ‘Civvy Street’, one can begin them to our Dashain celebrations, they to see why there is a case to be made even wore Nepalese traditional dress.” against Gurkha job losses. One would often associate comrade- live there, but they’ll have a different mentality. The soldiers’ polite manner is strik- ship with the army, but the Gurkhas’ ing. It is as though these men feel the unique situation means that this isn’t weight of 200 years of tradition on their inevitable. Although the celebration It’s going to be a big change. ” shoulders. Suchant stressed the finan- of their sacred festival may be a small cial benefits of serving in the British point, it represents the wider success army, whereas Sabin claims an entirely that the Nepalese have enjoyed in join- different reason for signing up: “With ing local communities. the British, we have really quite a long Dashain is the most-anticipated history… my forefathers, they served and widely celebrated festival in Ne- in the British or Indian armies. It’s just pal. “In Nepal, all the family come normal. This caste, they will try and home and gather for fifteen days. We join the British or Indian army before kill goats and cows to guard against they join the Nepalese army. It’s just demons, and our grandfathers bless us the way.” Perhaps it is the respect to be with red paint on our forehead… Here? gained from the image of bravery and We had a celebration in our gymnasi- courage that encourages young recruits. um.” This may have seemed a watered- Captain Marsh, the Chief Welfare Of- down affair to newer recruits, but the ficer, play a central role once recruits ar- Dashain celebrations in York promote rive in the UK. He is clear on why young the same sense of community that you Nepalese men choose to go through the would find in the rural communities gruelling training required to join Gur- of the Nepalese foothills. But now the kha squadrons: “Back in Nepal they are community being embraced is multi- treated like kings.” This stands in con- cultural. trast to academic thought. Sociologists, Legislation passed in 2006 gave such as Ananda Shrestha, tend to em- soldiers’ immediate families the right phasise the affront to national dignity to habitation for the period of their ser- that comes from serving as ‘mercenar- vice. The new law created a fantastic ies’” – however, the experiences of those opportunity for families and soldiers, at Imphal Barracks appear to show little but also a new set of issues relating to evidence for this. integration. Sabin is pleased that his Some would say that the employ- children can benefit from British state ment of Gurkhas is a hangover from education: “[In Nepal] education is a redundant colonial past. However, not very systematic. Here, they learn there are strong arguments as to why English and schooling is better. The these soldiers should be embraced as only problem is they don’t learn to read part of the army and wider British cul- or write in their own language.” Nepali ture. Both the sacrifices they make to is the only language allowed at home. serve another nation and the cultural Their children’s assimilation into Brit- diversity that they bring to any area to ish, and more broadly Western, culture which they are posted make the Gur- is a major concern. Suchant feels “they khas deserving of every parliamentary will always think of themselves as Nep- victory they may achieve. And anyone alese,” but perhaps it is Sabin who is who says Gorkhali soldiers are not part more realistic: “We have to change with of our community haven’t heard Sabin the times; we have to keep our mind Above and top: Sabin and Suchant are both recount his last visit to the local chip- open. I would love for my children to members of 246 Gurkha Signal Squadron py... M go back to Nepal and live there but M6 www.ey.com/uk/careers 06/12/11

Dignified Dysmorphia

Polly Borland photographs adults as transvestite babies, and Berlusconi. Mia de Graaf finds out who the woman behind it all is. t’s a long time that the cam- like she has all the time in the world to came when I got in withthe Independ- why I wouldn’t meet John Howard, who era has been bringing us news discuss transvestite adult-babies, the ent Sunday Magazine and Saturday basically refused to apologise to the “Iabout zanies and pariahs, their Queen, and other such facets of her long Magazine. Mainly I did portraits for aboriginal people for the genocide that miseries and their quirks. Showing the and colourful career as a photographer. them but I also did reportages - I did had occurred throughout history. I got a banality of the non-normal. Making vo- Borland - a mini, red-bobbed woman, ballroom dancing before Strictly Come lot of flack for that but I also got quite a yeurs of us all…But this is particularly with a whopping pair of thick-rimmed Dancing; I did nudists, I went and visit- few pats on the back.” gifted, authoritative, intelligent work. glasses, has a distinctively compelling ed all the nudist camps… I just loved it.” The way she puts it, it’s as if she Borland’s pictures seem very knowing, accent, described by one Australian as With firmness in her tone, Borland took up the camera by accident: “I did compassionate; and too close, too fa- “Borland-talk” that you can’t help but is more than accustomed to dealing Art History in Australia, I couldn’t re- miliar, to suggest common or mere cu- engage with. with a challenging audience, and is con- ally draw but I loved it so my art teacher riosity.” In her essay on Polly Borland’s Leaving Australia in 1989 with film fident in standing her ground: “You’ve said, let’s set up a dark room and you photography series, The Babies, which director husband, John Hillcoat (The got to know when you believe enough in can take photos. That really helped start documented various groups of adults Road), her move, though potentially an something to make a stand and in terms it off. So, I was about 17 when I started with a fetish for dressing, acting and liv- illogical one at first, has certainly paid of artistic criticism you’ve just got to to take my first serious pictures and ing as babies, Susan Sontag pinpoints off. Of course, it necessitated a few years have a lot of self belief”. haven’t stopped from there”. Indeed, the delicacy and sensitivity in portray- of door-knocking to rebuild her thriving “One thing I did was when there once things got rolling in the UK she ing such outlandish and daring topics career as a portrait photographer, and was the show at the National Portrait was almost unstoppable, and soon her that has landed Borland her highly es- segway into art photography. Borland Gallery here - I had to do a show titled portraiture had captured the attention teemed reputation in the art world to- recounts this era very systematically: “It Australia. The Australian government of everyone, from celebrities to politi- day. took three years. My first job was with wanted to turn it into a PR event for the cians worldwide, including the likes of I catch Polly Borland just before Tatler, and my second was with Elle then-Australian Prime Minister, John Kylie Minogue (a fellow Aussie expat), she jumps on a plane from England magazine and my third was with Harp- Howard. I basically boycotted the event David Miliband, Gordon Brown, and back to Los Angeles after a fleeting visit. ers & Queen. I worked with Jessamy - they thought I was going to turn up long time, Melbourne-bred friend, and Nonetheless, there’s something calm Calkin; we teamed up - she was writing and I didn’t - and instead I got my as- collaborator, Nick Cave. “I think pho- and lulling that draws you into feeling and I was doing photos. My real break sistant to distribute press releases about tography, if you’re in a sort of position, is 06/12/11 www.ey.com/uk/careers M7

like a passport into other people’s so to speak, of the portrait world. lives, you get a little feel and it’s really “Now I hardly ever do portraits un- great to meet people that way to take less it’s someone I know or a friend, like their portrait, you know you get to know Nick Cave, you know, people I know. a little bit about them.” She ganders My main area of interest is my own per- comfortably through a few star-studded sonal work which I now exhibit and the memories, with a kind of arresting de- reason for that is because you’ve got the tail and matter-of-fact tone: freedom to be more creative - the sky’s “I’ve photographed Berlusconi. He the limit, so my art work is definitely was like photographing the Mafia, he more interesting and, in a sense, more was pretty hardcore. He did the job, but important to me now.” you could tell there were sort of a lot of “The portraiture was great but I things going on that weren’t particu- kind of got to a point where I thought larly that pleasant, I suppose you could ‘well how many famous people can you say. But he was really nice - no, not re- meet?’ It becomes after a while a lit- ally nice, but he was another incredible tle bit soulless as well, because you are experience. I actually love doing the getting an idea of someone sort of like politicians because I’m really interested an inkling of what they’re like and who in power and how power corrupts.” they really are but I like more depth and “Of course,” she adds, “the most sig- I like relationships to be not so, kind nificant highlight would have been the of, wham bam thank you mam, which Queen, which came much later.” is really what a portrait is: you go in, In 2002 Borland was selected as one you have an hour at the most if you’re of 11 photographers from Britain and lucky - or a day, half a day - and I just the Commonwealth to profile Queen think relationships developed over time Elizabeth for the 50th anniversary of are just more satisfying, interesting and her coronation. Given a five-minute have more depth, which is really what slot, “a reckie around Buckingham Pal- happens in my personal work, you know ace” to pick a room, a choice of outfits, it’s an ongoing, to a certain extent, col- and the option of corgis (which she very laborative process.” reluctantly turned down), Borland’s In a forward for Smudge - Borland’s end result - a striking, close up, almost latest, and, in her own words “probably claustrophobic gold glitter and royal some of the most difficult, challeng- blue portrait - is today iconic. The gold ing work I’ve done - people found it was not necessarily planned from the off disturbing, they’re not pretty pictures” - “that was a visual device that was ac- - one of the book’s three subjects, Nick tually a solution to a problem, and in a Cave, says: “I am struck by Polly’s deep way that’s what creativity is - it’s creative love for her subjects and the dignity that solutions to logistical visual problems. exists in their dysmorphia. Because her I was probably one of the few people pictures are never voyeuristic, never ob- that had asked the question: ‘if need servational and never merely shocking. be can I bring my own backdrop in?’” Rather, Polly seems to me to be shoot- And just as well, as she received news ing into a distorted mirror and simply that her room of choice was unavailable bringing back heartbreaking refracted (“instead they offered me the most bor- images of herself.” ing room I’d seen that day - the room Indeed, Bunny was the product of where she signs all her documents”). “I years of photographing Gwendoline had done Peter Mandelson with a shiny Christie - having been struck by her background. It’d been a way to make a towering physique, seeing her around standard portrait of a famous person and about in Brighton - and although into something more iconic and inter- The Babies documented a much big- esting - and also the juxtaposition be- ger group of people, Borland is keen to tween a supposedly sort of straight pub- stress that: “I did actually kind of iden- lic figure and add a bit of razzmatazz to tify with them. I think they understood it. I was interested in the juxtaposition that I understood them. They said it was of what would happen if you put a sort all about motherhood and because my of straight person or a dignitary in front mother died when I was quite young of something that was not conventional I sort of understood that so there was or that had kind of showman-like con- kind of a rapport there anyway”. notations to it. I think it was Peter Lil- Now, having relocated to Los Ange- “It reminds me- dare I ley actually I’d done in front of a disco les, for husband, Hillcoat’s work, Bor- curtain - he was the first politician I did. land’s next working relationship will So, I was interested in sort of subverting have to be taking the form of something say it- of syphilis” what I was photographing.” rather less animate: a doll. For Borland, the image was a suc- “I’ve decided, because I don’t know cess - although a second backdrop (a that many people in America, I’m going deep blue Marimekko screen print to handmake a kind of weird doll and fabric, with large blue flowers) was not do all the things to it that I would have quite to the Queen’s liking: done if I knew someone really well and “She saw the gold backdrop first could take photos of them. I’m going and I had the floral one behind, because to sort of dress it up, maybe a bit like it was literally five minutes so I had to how the smudge people are dressed up, have everything set up ready to go - two and use mirrors and things like that. It cameras, two lights, two backdrops, and enables me to do it in my own home - it just meant she had to stand in one because here I don’t have a studio - so place and once I’d finished the gold we it kind of makes everything a lot more had to move one of the cameras, move miniature and, yeah, it’s a logistic solu- on off the lights, move the gold around. tion to a kind of problem of relocating When she saw the floral one she went and not knowing anyone in.” ‘OOHH’ - like that.” Wheeling through She repeats again an ethos that the story animatedly with a detect- seems to have carried Borland’s multi- able smile in her voice, she teeters on a national career: “Photography gives laugh. “Later it didn’t actually get offi- you a passport to the world. My choice cially approved. A year later the Sunday probably would not be Los Angeles ABOVE: PHOTO MARK Times Magazine ran a story on the un- but in actual fact my spiritual centre is VESSEY REPRODUCED official portraits of the Queen and she within me. I think your home is where WITH KIND PERMISSION. allowed that portrait to be used and it your loved ones are, and really my home LEFT AND OPPOSITE: was on the cover.” is with John and Louis [her son]. I can PHOTO POLLY BOR- It hints at the comical side to her create my work wherever I am.” LAND REPRODUCED work, she smirks, “the bobble man” in Reeling out memories and images WITH KIND Smudge “reminds me - dare I say it - of of the 60s storybook that’s inspired her PERMISSION syphilis”. doll venture, Borland seems to already And so Borland reached a summit, be creating her next little world. M M8 www.ey.com/uk/careers 06/12/11

Watching in the Wings Family politics has forced David Miliband to reconsider his career. Martin Spurr finds out why it’s not the end.

“I hate being in opposition, you can only talk - you can’t really do anything”

olitics is often a very cut and dry creator of ideas, or as a frontline politi- on short-term policy and politics but hard to dispute when you see him talk affair when it comes to the people cian, he said: “I am going to try and do with a grander perspective - the desire forcefully about global issues. States- Pwho participate in it. Issues and what’s best to support the party to win to change the world was still apparent. man-like almost. ideas are spun into a confusing web the election and win the confidence of “The truth is, when people say how But Miliband wouldn’t be drawn of rhetoric and style, but reputations the people. I think that’s hopefully partly are you doing? I sort of say, well I hate on explaining anything he would have can rise and fall within a moment. For about ideas. I’m doing a commission on being in opposition and that’s because done differently to Ed. “I think that he David Miliband that moment was 15 youth unemployment at the moment. I you can only talk – you can’t really do is standing up to David Cameron, but months ago when Ed, his brother and founded a leadership academy for com- anything.” he is doing it in his own way and he is political rival, won the Labour leader- munity organisers, training 10,000 Perhaps the easiest way for Mili- not trying to copy Cameron or Blair or ship election. across the country. I am also keeping up band to go after losing out on the La- anyone else which I think is the right Never mind the three years spent as my interest in foreign policy. I did some bour leadership would have been to thing to do.” Foreign Secretary, nor his various roles teaching in Stanford in America.” recline to the edges of politics, slowing He seems to accept the position he at the heart of the Blair government; But sensitive to the subject we are preparing to leave completely and take now finds himself in. “I am not going the brotherly contest stuck because of skirting around, he feels the need to up a role in a global organisation or lec- to speculate. It’s better not to get into a its symbolism. David’s actions for the openly address his absence from the ture in America. But instead Miliband is hypothetical situation. So I’m support- foreseeable future are defined in many front bench in the House of Commons. visiting 20 universities across the coun- ive of the leadership of the party and people’s minds by the outcome of the “I think I made the right decision not try – fading into the distant background accept what happened, and I’m not go- leadership contest – an outcome which to go into the Shadow Cabinet, if that’s does not seem on the agenda. ing to create any sort of alternative. We left David as the loser. what you are asking, because I think His mannerism and tone of voice are different people with different ap- However when I met with David that would have reinforced the soap op- hark back to Tony Blair; and although proaches, but he won the job so it is up before his talk, alongside other student era.” his greeting felt like he was asserting to him to do it.” media outlets, the man before me had Politics as a whole is often seen dominance in the conversation before This pragmatic view on family rela- seemed to come to terms with what had as a soap opera, one that you would I had even begun to speak, there seems tions seems to highlight his approach to happened. Although there was consid- do best to escape from. But Miliband to be more substance to him as a politi- politics. By facing questions rather than erably more enthusiasm for speaking spoke, and stood as a man who didn’t cian than many of his contemporaries. side-stepping them, this should surely about foreign affairs, there was an ac- appear to intend to escape just yet. Of Perhaps the art of spin is so embed- make his position stronger. The first ceptance that questions about his rela- course, it is only too easy to be deceived ded within him it has become indistin- rule of any political scandal is to admit tionship with Ed, and the comparisons by the political rhetoric of a politician guishable from his real beliefs; but just to it; take one large hit of condemnation and differences between them, were a on a comeback, but within the realms maybe this is what Labour, or politics and then hopefully it will die away. Mili- part of his political life and not some- of false propositioning, authenticity is in general, is missing at the moment. band seems to be taking this approach thing he could merely sweep aside. surprisingly transparent. Miliband de- There is a growing discourse that says to his own problems, hoping that by an- On being asked whether in the next livered his various responses at York Miliband would, and still could, do a swering these awkward questions face- few years he saw his role as a thinker, a with a sense of vision and focus, not just better job than his brother; and that is on they will soon cease to be asked. 06/12/11 www.ey.com/uk/careers M9

However while Ed remains La- bour’s leader and while feeling is more of indifference rather than warmth to- wards him, questions will always be asked because David was the alterna- tive. But politics changes fast and Mili- band’s conclusion that today’s politics is as unpredictable as ever, leaves the door open for him to return. “I think we are in a very open pe- riod of politics, I think anything could happen at the next election, and obvi- ously the Labour party has to put itself in a position, in terms of ideas, and in terms of organisation, that scales the mountain which was presented by our big defeat at the last general election.” He muses later on about the quali- ties of leadership, claiming that passion is more important than vision: “If you haven’t got passion you are not going to be able to motivate or engage any- one and your vision will be desiccated if it isn’t backed up by passion”. It was clear that Miliband himself still had the passion; why else would he go on a tour around twenty universities? But has he got the drive and capability to overcome the hurdles that have presented them- selves in his way over the last few years? Listening to him talk leaves little room for doubt. His sound bites are as good as any- one’s: “Lib Dems present themselves as partners, I think they are the puppets,” and his jovial comment about it being ironic that he has set up a leadership academy shows the path he is trying to head down. But it seems, this sense of humour and outside perspective on parties and situations has arisen and been clarified from not being part of the cabinet. And it is precisely this ‘view of the underdog’ that is now playing to his strength; he can see what’s going on, what needs to be done, because he isn’t at the eye of the storm. It is a position that, in any job, can facilitate for a window of opportunity. It is not inconceivable to see David take the leadership away from Ed after a general election in 2015; the fact that “anything could happen” perhaps is why Miliband is still in the game – waiting for his opportunity to arise again. More likely is a return to frontline politics and the Shadow Cabinet at some point over the next few years. This is something he hopes can be realised again in his career. “I hope Labour’s back in government again and I hope that I’m still old enough, or young enough, to benefit from it. You don’t know what the future holds, but of course I want Labour to be back in government, being in government is an enormous privilege and it is sort of what politics is about.” That sense of frustration permeates his words again - he is a man of action and openly acknowledges the restrictions to a politician whose party is not in power. As Matthew Festenstein, the Head of Politics at York, brought the public talk to a close, he praised students and staff for their “awkward questions”; and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mili- band mouth to his interviewer “they weren’t that awkward”. Maybe his intel- lectual powers and political skills were not tested to their full amount then, but it seems that he will get the chance to fully utilise them once again if the cur- rent fluctuating world of politics paints out a path for his return. “It often takes a Tory government for people to re- member what they miss out on with a Labour one.” The unpredictable nature of politics that has forced him to recon- sider where his career is going, may also be the catalyst in starting his climb back to the top. M M10 www.ey.com/uk/careers 06/12/11

A beautiful, invisible truth It affects more people than we realise and seems to go hand in hand with intellectual brilliance. Bella Foxwell discovers what life is like living with Asperger’s

hat have Einstein, Bill Gates character played by Dustin Hoffman in and Michael Jackson got in Rain Man. It is still largely unheard of Wcommon? Apart from being because the ‘symptoms’ so to speak, are super-talented, your first thought might so easily likened to mere eccentricities. be that they all seem slightly strange, bi- However, as a psychological condition zarre even. it is, for most sufferers, a daily struggle. What if I told you that they are all On Friday 18th November, a boy thought to be Aspergic? It might help featured on Children In Need express- explain a few things such as Jackson’s ing his gratitude for a charity that had inappropriate behaviour towards chil- helped him develop skills to deal with dren and Gates’ single-minded focus his Asperger’s in his day-to-day life. I’m on technical minutiae. Asperger’s syn- sure most people were baffled as to what drome is one of the disorders on the was wrong with him at first glance. It’s autistic spectrum. It is a milder and an invisible disability. Something that higher functioning form of the condi- is strange and a little scary because you tion that afflicted Raymond Babbitt, the cannot define it by a wheelchair, a hear 06/12/11 www.ey.com/uk/careers M11

ing aid or an obvious physical dif- which had a whole lot to do with sharks people would act instinctively to cer- way through Year Ten”. ference. It’s all in the mind. and not a lot to do with make up or tain types of situations or behaviours, As somebody who has experienced Lili Wilson is beautiful, intelligent boys”, says Claire. “Asperger’s doesn’t al- someone with Asperger’s has to act cog- Asperger’s first hand, Lili’s sister Claire and witty. “Meet her for half an hour low for the recognition of many subtle nitively, which means that every piece explained that the hardest part of the and you will be charmed by a young social cues like sarcasm or seething an- of information received has to be pro- condition is not all the odd quirks such girl who appears 25, not 16” explain her ger, and this meant that vulnerable Lili cessed and thought through before act- as hypersensitivity – Lili cannot for the family. “Meet her for any longer than would get lured in by false pretences ing upon. life of her wear any woollen clothing that and she shuts down, retreating into and vicious pranks, not ever once realis- Susan Albinson, here at the Univer- and can hear a clock ticking in the next the parallel but safe world of television. ing people’s true intentions.” sity of York, says of secondary school “I room – but it’s the apparent lack of sen- Her intellect is that of a woman beyond The problem was that this wouldn’t still get nightmares about those 5 years sitivity. “For me, I get nothing back in her years but the emotional part of her be like what bullying would be for you sometimes… I had no real friends to terms of love and affection,” says Claire. brain is on par with a 12 year old. This or I. It takes on a whole new and sin- speak of and was permanently just be- Emma, 20, from Manchester Uni- chasm between wisdom and maturity ister meaning when you are desperately yond my limits. I’m not sure that the versity reiterated this point. “I suck roy- is baffling and renders her paralysed trying to make sense of the emotions school even noticed that anything was ally at expressing empathy. You tell me with rage a great deal of the time. It and actions of others, even though they seriously wrong until I had a massive something awful, and I feel for you. I just doesn’t make sense that someone so are completely concepts. Whereas most screaming meltdown two thirds of the feel really intensely, as a matter of fact. I clever is unable to tell her left from right want to hug you and make you feel bet- or make sense of the most basic social ter. But... I can’t. It’s not inhibition, it’s cues.” not psychological damage. I just can’t.” For years, her family thought she What’s remarkable, though, is that was just a difficult, bratty madam. “We Emma and Susan even made it to uni- thought her clumsiness was exaggerat- versity because most Aspergics won’t. ed, her hatred of going into a shopping Routine is vital, and allows those with centre full of people was a symptom of the condition to flourish. The sporadic being a drama queen, and that her dif- and barely-there contact hours of many ficulty in getting a nice group of friends “You cannot define university degrees and the focus on per- at school was simply bad luck. We had sonal time-management are a night- no idea that it was all part and parcel mare for ‘Aspies’. If one in 100 people of Asperger’s, and that’s because it’s so have the condition, as recent research difficult to diagnose in girls.” it by a wheelchair, has shown, then there are around 150 Aspergic or not, girls will put on a students at University of York who may disguise in order to seem normal. Any or may not know they have it. differences they feel they have to others a hearing aid or an Those anonymous people should are covered up, and most girls face bul- be applauded and supported. Every stu- lying and have major mood swings, par- dent at this university should be aware ticularly once they hit puberty. So with of Asperger’s, because that housemate that in mind, how do you distinguish obvious physical that you live with, that you think is just between your average teenage girl and plain weird, may be struggling to cope. one with Asperger’s? With great diffi- Many mimic behaviour they see on culty, is how. “Lili was ferried between difference. television, or interactions other people numerous so-called specialists, council- make, and try to use this to fit in. Susan lors and psychiatrists for two years be- explained to me that she “had to learn fore she underwent a psychometric test, social skills out of books and by painful which determines how the mind works. It’s all in the mind.” trial and error. My ability in that area is This revealed Asperger’s,” explains her rather limited and social occasions such sister, Claire. as the Christmas Formal would test It’s relative anonymity – it was only them to, or even possibly beyond, my made a standard diagnosis in 1992 – limit. And if I get pushed far enough be- and the fact that many cases are so mild, yond my limit, ‘meltdown’ does not do make it extremely hard to pick up on. justice to what happens.” When the Wilsons finally did receive a Even for people who don’t have As- diagnosis, their lives were turned upside perger’s, the Christmas Formal isn’t eve- down. It gave them an answer, at least, ryone’s idea of fun, but for those who do, for behaviour they just couldn’t under- they certainly have a far harder time of stand, but it also thrust upon Lili a label it. They may make Einstein look aver- she didn’t want to have. age, but socially, life is harder than any One father of an autistic child, quantum physics equation. Jonathan Shestack, describes what hap- The best thing about meeting Su- pened to his son, Dov, as “watching our san was that she described her Asper- sweet, beautiful boy disappear in front ger’s as the ‘keystone of my personal- of our eyes”. At two, Dov’s first words - ity’. “Asperger’s Syndrome influences Mum, Dad, flower, park - abruptly re- every aspect of my psychological life, treated into silence. Over the next six and if it was outright cured, I would months, Dov ceased to recognise his not be me - you’d just have a more-or- own name and the faces of his parents. less empty shell. That’s why the ‘cure At age 9, after the most effective inter- autism/Asperger’s’ folk really get up my ventions available, Dov can now speak nose - ameliorate the more seriously 20 words. debilitating aspects of the more severe Of course, “Lili’s Asperger’s is not expressions of the condition, I can un- as severe as this form of Autism and she derstand. Outright cure? No thanks. We does have the ability to live a very suc- ‘spectrum folk’ cannot change - and I for cessful life if she finds her niche” says one, do not want to.” Claire. What is similar is the change in Both the families, and individuals Lili from pre-puberty to today, because themselves have shown that if you are of being in an environment – school – aware of conditions such as Asperger’s where everyone feels insecure, and any- then you can deal with most types of one that appears different is voted off people and make society a healthier the island. place by keeping an open mind. Men- Robyn Steward, a woman with As- tal health doesn’t conform. It can’t be perger’s, who mentors others with the neatly tied up but treating everybody condition and offers support and advice equally and not taking people at face to families, said to me, “imagine driv- value can allow you to embrace the in- ing round a tricky car park with both visible, beautiful truth. of your wing mirrors cracked”. Such an As a fantastic article on the Wired image allows for the tiniest apprecia- website stated: “For all we know, the tion of what it’s like for someone with first tools on earth might have been de- Asperger’s. This handicap in picking up veloped by a loner sitting at the back of social signals whilst trying to navigate the cave, chipping at thousands of rocks the trials and tribulations of school life to find the one that made the sharpest explain why Lili was constantly bullied. spear, while the neurotypicals (Aspergic “She was targeted because of her term for the rest of us) chattered away weight, but also for her strange tastes, in the firelight”. M M14 www.ey.com/uk/careers 06/12/11 Fashion. Fashion Out of Hand Beauty Andrew Adenmosun talks to flourishing designer Kathleen Kye. Top 3 Xmas beauty treats e star that certainly caught distinguish from the conventional pat- ristmas is the perfect excuse our eye at London Fash- terns. All men possess a fantasy about to ask for indulgent gifts you Onion Week was Kathleen being “macho” although this is being Chcould never justify splurging Kye. Kye, whose fans include Kate Moss depressed at the moment in the name and Jamie Hince, is also one of the lat- of a civilised society. Kye’s concept in est of Vauxhall Fashion Scout’s “Ones to menswear designing is to represent in- Watch” designers She gave us an insight herent manliness with some elements on her collaboration with Adidas, her of fun in it. Fashion designing is in influence by Professor Louise Wilson the thick of commercial interests, but OBE and her race to the top. wouldn’t it represent a cultural endeav- Q. You studied at Central Saint Martins, our also? which has produced some amazing tal- Q. Describe your look in three words. ent. Who would you say was/were the A. Fun, rude, edgy. key designer(s) that influenced you? Q. What would you say was another your student loan on. A. It was a big honour that I could study main highlight in your career so far? Number one on the stocking filler wish at such a prestigious college. Although I A. I am currently working on a project list is Biba’s lip gloss cocktail ring (£15 respect all the upperclassmen, the big- with Adidas Hong Kong. I am spon- House of Fraser). It not only looks great gest person who inspired me was Pro- sored by Seoul Fashion Center. Also, I with its gold and black art deco design, fessor Louise Wilson OBE. She taught will have a showcase in London next suitably matched to any festive outfit, me almost everything that I have to season sponsored by the Korean Cul- but also has the bonus feature of a built know in fashion design. ture Center. And I am a part-time TV in shimmery pink lip gloss to ensure a Q. You have used finger and hand ges- show presenter on a fashion channel in perfect pout throughout the night in ture shapes in your designs, where did Korea. Oh, and I am currently work- case you are found wandering near the this design silhouette come from? ing as a stylist for world famous band, mistletoe. A. I was always very curious about the 2NE1. Favourite beauty store, Sephora, has human body, shapes, and how it works. Q. If you had to relate music to your teamed up with the iconic Karl Lager- Usually, garments are another layer that designs, what genre of music would you field, for an exclusive Christmas col- is added to the human body. But I want- choose? laboration. The collection comprises of ed to take something that is already A. Urban hip-hop music. beautiful eyeshadows in the shape of there in human form and make it into Q. There seems to be a sense of aggres- Lagerfield and glittering nail varnishes, another layer. sion in your designs and prints, is there both of which are luxuriously packaged Q. I read that you are now focusing on Korea. I can say that I am heavily in- a meaning behind this? in gold and black boxes complete with your t-shirt line in Korea. After study- fluenced by London, the city’s style, its A. I like fashion that has a strong state- Karl Lagerfield’s signature. The Karlei- ing in London would you say that your diversity and funkiness. “All men ment. The theme for SS12 was milita- doscope fragrance, suitably named after designing has now been influenced by Q. What do you like and dislike about rism. To show the conflict in it, I made a the man himself, also promises to be a the diversity you were surrounded by? the London look? possess gun shape out of skulls and bones. must-have stocking filler. A. Actually, the basic wear line is a A. London has a diverse look that Q. Would you say that you are trying to Featuring at number three on the wish collaboration with the graphic artist, doesn’t necessarily care about trend, a fantasy appeal to a broad audience? list are Deborah Lippmann nail var- Keenkeee. It’s just another project that which I appreciate. However, the in- A. I am trying to make a statement as nishes. It will be a challenge to not find I am doing at the moment. Currently, crease of high street fashion brands about being a designer rather than making some- a shade you absolutely love. The celeb- I am making some pieces for All Right kind of messes up the city’s style. thing that everybody would like to wear. rity manicurist, has produced a variety Reserved, Hong Kong, regarding Adi- Q. What is the design ethos behind macho” However, as I am starting a women’s of glitter nail varnishes. There is “Boom das x Jeremy Scott and another season your work? wear line next season, I will try to incor- Boom Pow”, “Hit Me With Your Best in London Fashion Week. Also, I am A. Kye’s design ethos is to represent porate both statement and wear-ability. Shot” and the “Dark Side of the Moon” sponsored by Seoul Fashion Center in fun-loving new menswear shapes that amongst the named goodies, enjoy! Men’s Trends Andrew Adenmosun DEPUTY FASHION EDITOR

earling, otherwise known to non- e might say that this was eed and corduroy abbre- fashionistas as sheep-skin, will a bit off-topic for Christ- viated as “Tworduroy” Shdefinitely keep you looking hot Onmas, however, fear no Tw are fast becoming the “it” this cold season. The soft and heavy tex- more chaps - the classic tailcoat fabric to be seen in this winter season. tures make sure that you are ready to battle has been revived this winter. With Long gone are the days when this was with any blizzard that approaches whilst all the Christmas balls and work seen as solely for golden oldies, now the also looking strikingly stylish. Whether it is parties fast approaching why not look can be regarded as the classic un- the latest Burberry Prorsum mid-calf men’s exceed the mark with a slick 1950’s derstated overstatement. The subtle and shearling boots at £495 or Zara’s double sided style tailcoat. This will not only en- comfortable material along with the warm asymmetric shearling jacket at £79.99 (zara. sure that you are the most dapper colours they come in makes “Tworduroy” com or in stores), make sure that this hot trend fellow at the party, it will also guar- a combination that is uniquely brilliant is visible in your winter wardrobes. antee that you have a Christmas full for the chilly season. For inspiration, see of compliments. There is nothing Topman’s latest range of corduroy chinos worse than a poorly tailored tailcoat starting at £36 (www.topman.com or in so for an extensive range of quality made stores). and shockingly affordable tailcoats have a glimpse at www.savvyrow.co.uk with prices starting from as low as £64. 06/12/11 www.ey.com/uk/careers M15 Campus Style Icon Muse searches campus for style icons and their inspiration Christmas Must Haves

ether you’re going away for the weekend, or sim- Whply have a lot to carry, sometimes a satchel or handbag just isn’t big enough. Introducing the holdall. Roomier than a normal bag, yet not as big as a suitcase, it offers space without look- ing stupidly oversized. This holdall from River Island is practical and on trend, the reinforced straps ensure it won’t break, and available in a trendy Navajo pattern or the subtle studs and black leather, this look is set to stay for seasons to come. Ser- ena Rudge

ristmas parties always present the need for a new dazzling dress, result- Ching in a shoe dilemma. But Larin has created a number of amazing designs for the fes- tive party season, ranging from flats to heels and platforms. Yet, the best bit is the detachable orna- ments on the end of the shoe which makes these shoes truly unique and at the top of your wish list. Choose from bows, jewelled clasps, or patent Ben Cross, first year English student twirls and adapt your shoes to your outfits.Helena Davies How would you describe your look? I’d describe myself as a matured, nightmarish, sado- masochistic Peter Pan. My look is dark, mysterious and aggressive. It challenges norms and transgresses them, by adopting women’s clothing (skinny jeans) and adapt- ing different styles. I’ve taken indie and mixed it with gothic and rock influences.

here is a transformation that takes place when you wear a Who are your major influences in terms of fashion? SpiritHood. This experience is un-definable, and completely Howard Marks for his open shirts, Russell Brand, “Tunique to you . . .” and we couldn’t agree more! They’re the Jim Morrison, Noel Fielding’s surrealism and Johnny warmest of winter warmers: a hat, scarf and gloves combo in a variety Depp’s accessorising and layering. of furry animal styles, with a pro-wildlife message at the label’s core. LA’s faux fur, animal inspired Spirit Hoods have already gained a huge Would you agree that music influences your dress following from the coolest of fashion packs, both Jessie J and Ke$ha sense? If so, which music genre would you say influ- have been spotted in them. As you put on a hood, you supposedly adopt ences yours? that animal’s characteristics and its spirit, and as you purchase your Definitely I believe that music is not only for the ears, furry disguise you also donate 10% of the sales price to protecting the but it is also a culture. If I had to choose a music genre endangered species that Spirit Hoods base their creations on. Win win. that has influenced my look I would say rock, then per- Rachel McIver haps some old school hip-hop because of its edginess and jewellery. Andrew Adenmosun DEPUTY FASHION EDITOR

To buy I would have expected, but could this be due and myself. A camera for all the for Dazed [Dazed and Con- to the nature of some of the items on sale? photos I took. A palette for all the fused magazine] was with the or not to When one looks at how the selected design- sketchbooks I made.” Not only is stuff, so it seemed appropri- buy? ers have gone about choosing their ‘sum up’ the item wearable, but many, in- ate to return to the material Paris Bennett object, I wonder if they have got it on the cluding myself, would treat it as for the [Magazine’s] anniver- mark. a form of art installation to be sary. What could be more fit- FASHION EDITOR For starters, most of the big fashion names worshiped rather than worn. But, ting for a time capsule than a involved have not gone for anything cloth- either way, Lagerfeld has made a suffocating man gasping for you had to choose one object that rep- ing related. There is a lighter from Versace perfect selection given the brief. air for eternity?” It is all very resented you over your lifetime, what and a David Bowie record from Frida Gian- Compare this to the bizarre arty and conceptual, but who Ifwould it be? Tough one. But this is the nini amongst the bunch. But what about the item presented by that of London wants to bid for Card’s grizzly question that designers including: Karl La- clothes? This is a fashion based auction after based set designer and illustrator, offerings when you could buy gerfeld, Sarah Burton and Tabitha Simmons all with a trend hungry audience wanting to Gard Card, who has worked with a Swarovski crystal encrusted have been faced with. Over the past two dec- get a piece of the trendy pie. a long list of talents including lighter courtesy of Donatella ades (so basically my entire life) which item Chanel’s genius, Karl Lagerfeld put forward Stella McCartney, Hermes and Versace? sums you up without the need to utter a sin- a small grouping of items, which make up his Comme des Garcons. The original question is gle word? signature look. Lagerfeld’s tie, featuring two Card included in the collection the not so not easily answered. Items that sum my life The idea behind this fashion item selec- delicate gold pins (a camera and paint pal- pretty sculpture of a man who is suffocating. up over 20 years consist of a diet coke can, tion is all in the name of charity. 34 pieces ette), and a white collar, both of which the Although he has recently made the transition Reebok Classics and hair rollers. So who am of swish designer memorabilia were, last designer has presented on a velvet Chanel into the world of art, I cannot help but think I to question the likes of Gary Card. But it is week, gathered to create a ‘time capsule’ in hanger are most yummy. The iconic designer an illustration or a more conventionally at- an interesting money making stunt, that de- which they were eventually auctioned, with has also used Tippex to write “that’s all I did” tractive piece might have raised a higher bid. spite not raising a huge amount, still makes all money going to Oxfam. The event brought on the tie, explained in his quote: “You see He said, “...masking tape and me go back a the fashion brain itch. in £4825.72, which is not as much money as that’s all I did in the last 20 years…Chanel long way. In fact, the first thing I ever made M16 www.ey.com/uk/careers 06/12/11 Arts. Daphne Todd- A Woman’s Work The portrait artist has painted her mother’s corpse, and Prince Charles, but she tells Sophie Walker why she is never satisfied.

aphne Todd was the first female that has defined the success of the Peo- president of the Royal Society ple’s Portraits, a project funded by the Dof portrait painters from 1994 artists themselves to paint working to 2000, and she won the BP Portrait people. “It was our way of saying, ‘look, Award in 2010 for a controversial these are the people of the backbone of portrait of her 100 year-old mother’s the society. It went down terribly well, corpse. But this is a humble lady. it wasn’t just portraits of people at the She has just returned from South top of the ladder.” However, the collec- Africa and Tanzania as the Chief Tour tion’s permanent home now is at Girton Artist for the Prince of Wales and the College, Cambridge. Maybe Liverpool Royal Duchess, which she says was real- would have been slightly more appro- ly rather an “extraordinary experience”. priate. Daphne’s portraits are renowned Daphne’s advocacy of traditional for their honesty, which is a product teaching characterises the mark she of her insistence on painting from real left not only on the society, but on the life, rather than from photographs. I Heatherly School as well. ask how, on the Royal tour, where the “I’m a natural conservative. I want- couple would go to up to 7 venues a day, ed to help stop it going the way of the was conducive to her style of observa- other art colleges, now it’s all conceptual tion. But she says, “I couldn’t work in a art, and very few places actually teach way which was appropriate to record- drawing and painting. It’s mad in my ing greeting line ups with locals singing view - Britain had an international rep- and dancing, and then there were walk- utation for our fine art, we had the very abouts, because I need a lot of time. first national portrait gallery, and it’s the There was no expectation that I could, ridiculous the way things have changed. but it was a question of simply record- Is it a cultural thing? ing my experience, indeed I’d never “It’s gone beyond that. We now been to Africa before.” have a set of teachers in art colleges who “The tour security was amazing, just don’t have those skills so it’s gone but I was a little scared when I was through a whole generation. The right painting in Soweto. I couldn’t dawdle, critical comments about painting are whereas when my daughter was small not critically made anymore. Galleries I used to forget to pick her up some- and Tate and the Turner prizes have times because I was so engrossed!” She brought in non-traditional painters, is clearly consumed in her work, even and it just hasn’t stopped.” when she was grieving, But Daphne is not against progress “I wanted to demonstrate what you altogether, indeed, portraiture doesn’t can do as a human being, in the time have to be old fashioned and formal. given, so the portraits are like British There are some painters that are strad- studies. You’re constrained by real life dling the divide between the generations anyway, so it was exciting rather than but, “people who commission portraits frustrating. At the end, when I showed are generally conservative themselves, the Prince and Duchess, what I had and they don’t want to be painted bright done, they seemed very pleased. pink, they want a likeness!” Although Daphne was proud of the Our generation is one desperate portraits on the tour, I ask her wheth- certain competition doesn’t mean your merely because of her sex. She admits to make an instant YouTube hit, rather er she always meets her expectations. work isn’t any good, it depends on the to “still having a huge amount of self- than long-term impact. Fame has be- “Very rarely, but that’s the point - to al- panel, and whether or not they had a doubt”. But, her achievements ought come such an important part of getting ways be unimpressed really, otherwise nice lunch.” to dissolve any doubt. At the society, on in life. Daphne laughs, “it’s a particu- why would you do it?” Her humility is “I have been pleased with what I Daphne was responsible for some in- larly male thing to be extreme and to surprising considering how much of her have won though, because when I was spired, progressive moves. make your mark.” work has been validated by such pres- at the Slade back in the day, we were “I looked outwards rather than in- I end by asking Daphne if she has tigious awards over the years, including told that women can’t do it; there are wards. I realised we should help other anything that she wants to leave her being awarded an OBE in 2003 for ser- no great women artists. Winning a little people rather than get them to help us, mark on, anticipating no radical an- vices to the arts. prize is silly but it proves to you that you as poor struggling artists. I instigated swer. I was wrong. “I feel like I’d like an There is a little wise scepticism re- can do it, as a woman”, she says quietly a connection with the Changing Faces entirely different style of painting, but garding the extent to which the awards triumphant. charity that’s gone on since my time in it’s a bit like travelling, you think you’ll validate her work though. As the first female president of the office; they even have their own prize leave yourself behind and actually you “I’ve been around long enough Royal society, it’s poignant and it sad- because it prospered so well. The good take yourself with you.” to know what jury’s want - they tend dens me, that a woman who has made you do always comes back to you.” No doubt wherever she goes next, if to look for something unusual. There such an extraordinary contribution It was this sort of attitude, of mak- she takes herself, that won’t be such a is a lot of luck in it. Not getting into a to art, feels her legacy is undermined ing portraiture accessible to the masses bad thing.

Mary O’Connor Editor’s Picks. ARTS EDITOR Christmas Read

8-10 December, 28th October 2011- 21 January 2012, Huckleberry Finn Blackbox Theatre, 19.30 The Young Vic, 19.30 The Trial Stephen Berkoff Hamlet Michael Sheen In celebration of this month being Twain’s 176th birthday. Pop along to the Blackbox Theatre if you are keen The Young Vic hosts the long awaited production Set in 1830s Missouri, Huckleberry Finn tells the story of ‘Huck’, a boy with an to witness the emotional terror our protagonist of Hamlet, having been described as “unbearably abusive father, and a slave boy called Jim. In a wonderful odyssey, this strange pair Joseph K experiences following his arrest for moving;” Sheen’s interpretation is something not travels down the Mississippi River meeting treachery, death and stealth. crimes he is not guilty of. Berkoff will transport to be missed this Christmas. you into a world where justice is negotiable... Jo Rendall 06/12/11 www.ey.com/uk/careers M17

Russia: Mary Lumiere: Chaos of opposites? Is Art “the opium of O’Connor the people”? Arts Editor Celia Scruby investigates the role of creativity Vs. science one are the dark days their own rights against the within public art installation. when art deemed ‘of- over-privileged upper classes. Gfensive’ to society was One does wonder what France subsequently banned. Or so we might be like today if a revolu- thought. In fact, the looming tion had not occurred. We have spectre of censorship haunts art to thank in part for that. us once more, in the wake of In recent years, as political the passing of the anti-homo- correctness has become al- sexuality bill in St Petersburg most hysterical, more art is at the beginning of November; being banned by governments casting ominous conjectures as anxious to prevent its mes- to the fate of the rich artistic sages subverting conventional landscape of Russia and other thought. Most surprisingly, countries, if the blight of “politi- even Britain, as a westernised cal correctness” continues to be and democratic nation is guilty persuasive. of this. In 2008, the now poet Marx warned that religion must Laureate Carol Ann Duffy’s be erased as an “illusory happi- poem, Education for Leisure ness of the people.” Art, how- was removed from the GCSE ever, does not fall under such a English syllabus because its negative light: contrary to the content promoted ‘knife-cul- perverse ideas of the Russian ture and violence’ to the outrage government, it should not be of teachers, students and other stifled as merely “propaganda”. poets alike. hen considering the myriad regard as the permanent, as, in fact up of a network of luminous flumes Regrettably however, the ban- Similarly, quite recently there ways in which Art and sci- very ephemeral;” an interpretation he which symbolise these lines of natural ning of “inappropriate” art and have been incidents of the cen- Wence can influence or be re- is only able to convey through a prism radiation. As the colours within these media internationally has in- soring of art and media, most flected by one’s beliefs, one may turn of scientific understanding. pipes flow vertically and horizontally, creased. notably in Russia. On 26th No- to Installation art. With the increased The elements come together in they represent how these channels Art – be it literature, visual or vember, an interactive installa- refinement of technology, artists have the unifying action of Creation which of energy intersect to form a grid in performing, is liberating both tion piece entitled “The Stars been able to use more experimen- Simeon Nelson conveys in his instal- the first place. What is controversial for the artist and the receiver, Speak” by homosexual artist, tal media, and as a consequence the lation entitled ‘Plenum’. The caption about Meigas’ piece however is that enabling the assertion of a Vasily Klenov was ejected from turn of the century has seen a trend for his piece reads: ‘If you could wit- many are not sure these grids of natu- sense of self by way of the crea- an exhibition hall after Klenov of deeply interactive art; with installa- ness the creation of the universe, what ral radiation even exist. But, it is clear tive process. As Ian McLachlan, refused to remove from the tions using digital, video, film, sound might it be like?’ Nelson explains that that Meigas’ belief in their existence the co-creator of the upcom- piece, terms insulting the Prime and sculpture. Lux Scientia, a trans- in his work he is attempting to amal- is resolute, as he told me of the re- ing pamphlet Confronting the Minister Putin that a visitor European project recently focused in gamate “lots of different strands, a cent loss of his brother-in-law to can- Danger of Art comments, art had typed in. Equally, just this on the obvious presence of science and mythic way of seeing the world, a met- cer, making him determined to raise can be something of an escap-week, Italian clothes company technology in Installation art. The aphysical way of seeing the world and “awareness for this scientific theory ist endeavour: “...it can be theBenetton were forced to retract project commissioned three artists: a scientific way of seeing the world”. through artistic means, [which] will role of the artist to offer us anan advert featuring the current Simeon Nelson, Dominik Lejman and ‘Plenum’ is a projection of sequence: it save thousands of people’s lives”. Did alternative perspective...and in Pope Benedict XVI kissing an Leonardo Meigas to create an artwork begins as a miniscule dot, intimating he see himself as an artist or scien- so doing, to free us to think orEgyptian Imam. The frequency exploring or explaining a scientific the beginning of the universe, and then tist? Not unsurprisingly, he gave me be something else.” As human of such bans is a worrying sig- principle, to be exhibited at Lumiere, proceeds to expand quite explosively a rather proverbial response, saying beings we all have our uniquenal that individual creative li- the four day Light festival which took into a grid. The perfect grid of points that he was “trying to visualise this way of perceiving the world: artcense is on the rocks, and the place in Durham from the 17th-20th resemble stars, but then slowly burst phenomenon as an artist. Simultane- in all its forms gives us this free-proposed absolute ban of pub- November. into chaos. Nelson explained this as ously, the piece is also a declaration dom to explore ourselves and lic homosexual expression or There is an intrinsic tie between “greater and greater degrees of chaos to science’. the universe as individuals, and “propaganda” would be another art and belief: you only need to look but at the same time beauty and free- His answer particularly resonat- thus we can come to affect ournail in the coffin of artistic ini- at the captivating stained glass and dom”. His idea of forging a Creation ed with me as it elucidated the mul- own self-expression in terms tiative. stonework of York Minster to ac- myth founded on science is achieved tifaceted nature of the installations; specific to us, through Artart. will never cease to encap- knowledge this as fact. Dominik Lej- through his use of music and projec- and not just those at the Lumiere Modern artists, Tracey Emin sulate the human condition man’s installation “60 second Cathe- tion: when one image is represented Festival, but also on a much grander and Daphne Todd, are no stran-and experience in society. Phil dral” inverts the common perception visually, another is simultaneously scale. Following on from this, I be- gers to this: both women dealCooper, also co-creator of “Con- of religious buildings; as the artist constructed sonically. This beautiful gan to consider the absolutist na- with traumatic issues (feminine fronting the Danger of Art” himself highlights: “we are used to interpretation of creation as a natural ture of my own question: why did I depression and grief after the commented further on the Arts’ thinking about the Cathedral as a per- phenomenon, a scientific process and think Meigas had to be either a sci- loss of a parent) within their re-relevance to British society to- manent set of architecture and also a religious notion seamlessly embrace entist or artist? The polarisation of spective artworks but somehow day: “the world is in a real state set of certain values”. His work instead the collaboration of art, science and Art and science is underpinned by reach clarity by using art as of a flux at the moment...and it’s plays on the idea of impermanence. In belief. many social structures. Our universi- means of catharsis. in these times that people need his installation, we see the image of 32 Leonardo Meigas, an Estonian ties categorise courses as either Arts Additionally, the Arts are in-artistic expression”. Censor- sky divers who coalesce for 60 seconds artist explicitly links this triumvirate or Sciences, and most people make valuable as an educative toolship needs to be overcome and at a starting height of 6000 kilometres in his installation called ‘The Hart- the distinction between an artistic especially for those who remain resisted now. In the case of the to form the shape of the vault in Dur- man Grid’. His piece was inspired or scientific mindset. This leaves us ignorant of their exploitation. Russian Anti-Homosexuality ham Cathedral. Lejman’s installation by the German oncologist Dr Ernest with the enduring question: will the Indeed, the history itself illus-bill, we must not let any more isolates the vault’s motifs from their Hartmann, who believed humans who increasing popularity of Installation trates Art’s positive educative talented art be extinguished by original religious setting, yet still re- spent a lot of time at the point where Art begin to dissolve our black and effects, most especially seen a perceivably corrupt, homo- tains their fundamental connotations. the Earth’s electromagnetic plates in- white approach to Art and Science, through the French Revolution. phobic government merely He says this action allows us to recon- tersect may be more likely to develop or is this division too deeply routed in In 1789, the clergyman Abbe wishing to quench what they sider the “many situations we tend to certain diseases. Meigas’ grid is made society to deconstruct? Sieyes published a pamphlet perceive as “deviance.” I would entitled, “What is the Third encourage you all to sign the Durham’s Lumiere in pictures Estate?” attacking the unjust LGBT international petition to structures of the Ancien Re-obstruct this legislation, if art gime; aimed at politicising the means or has ever meant any- ignorant lower classes to claim thing in your life. M18 www.ey.com/uk/careers 06/12/11 Music. Electric Six: The Gay Bar Band Dick by name and by nature? Dick Valentine talks to Alex Swadling about being Rock ‘n’ Roll.

fter introducing myself to Dick Valentine, Electric Six’s front- Aman, there is a lengthy silence. So lengthy that I suddenly desperately want to slam the phone down and email his manager saying it was all just a joke. No one was supposed to get hurt. I gig- gle nervously. His Detroitian drawl fi- nally reaches my ears.“Oh sorry, I’m uh, getting inundated with all kinds of uh, UK press at the moment.” This is a bit uncomfortable. Dick Valentine, or as his mother calls him, Tyler Spencer (which is actually quite a cool name – like a boxing cham- pion, or a slightly intimidating but an essentially friendly dog) is charmingly carefree and blunt. Like Dick, the rest of the band brandish equally fitting stage names – The Colonel, Johnny Na$hinal, Smorgasbord, Tait Nucleus? and Per- cussion World. Ironically, Dick seems to care little for personas and while I admire his bluntness, it also makes me want to apologise for calling. Instead, I decide to ask about the latest album, which was released this October. “It’s very user friendly, you know, it lets you in and won’t let you go until the fi- nal note.” As for the majority of the UK, Electric Six will forever remain the “Gay Bar’” band. “I’d never been to the UK when I “Constantly improving, constantly says! As Dick points out – “the songs or parody with Electric Six. It’s prob- wrote “Gay Bar”. I just thought it was a don’t necessarily need to make sense, ably this tension that has given them funny one-and-half minute song with a just add up and get where it needs to the cult following they have, also being repetitive riff,” Dick informs me. “I don’t evolving. We’re becoming deities” go. It doesn’t have to mean anything; it aided greatly by their constant touring think that I ever would try to write a hit. doesn’t have to have a point.” and infamous high-energy live shows. I’m not that person. Generally, anyone There’s no issue in offering fans some “We are a rock ‘n’ roll band that plays I’ve ever met who says ‘oh this is gonna auditory escapism from the difficult is- rock ‘n’ roll songs, and we are very good be a hit’ are assholes, so I try not to be light, three members left the band, leav- sues that often figure lyrically in music at mingling after the show and making like them.” Trying to veer away from ing only two original members.“Every (like sourcing a shag now you’re single new friends. If you have a financial the unexpected success of “Gay Bar” line-up change has generally been to Above: or reiterating the weighty responsi- problem or you need advice, we can and “Danger! High Voltage,” I decide improve the band”, Dick insists. bilities of a Friday). Still, if this kind of give you money or some advice,” Dick to educate myself pre-interview with a So you’re actively improving yourselves? Electric Six dismissal is just blasé arrogance on his says earnestly. “We have a new song, “It militant listening of their seven albums “Constantly improving, constantly behalf then really, why do they bother? Gets Hot,” that comes across really well since Fire (2003). However, I found evolving. We’re becoming deities.” Pushing it, I decide to underline the live,” he continues. “Really gets you wet that the latest offering Heartbeats and Despite Dick’s joking, their dedication slightly ridiculous vein of Electric Six’s with anticipation”. Brainwaves, with its slightly intergalac- and perseverance in spite of these ob- mainstream success. I ask Dick how But are you equally, uh… wet, with the tic ambience and daring (if not slightly stacles (including being dropped from he feels knowing that the most career- idea of constantly ploughing on like random) layering and intersecting of their American label on the eve of the defining and iconic image of the band’s this? different genres, took a little longer release of second album Señor Smoke success is of him donning a chin strap, “That’s the best term I can think of, to engage with. Valentine cuts me off. and pissing off Queen drummer, Roger top hat and bulging in spandex panties: ploughing on. For no other reason we “Well that could just be your opinion.” Taylor, with the video for their cover of The ‘Gaybraham’ Lincoln. can’t help but to plough on. To rub Awkwardness levels peaking… “I just “Radio Ga Ga”) is commendable. Mar- “It feels okay” Dick responds noncha- some dirt in its face,” Dick states. “It’s know once I started listening I couldn’t velling at this ostensibly effortless musi- lantly. “I don’t really care how I’m being our factory. I was institutionalised – stop. I continued listening over and over cal endurance, I question their creative iconised”—not entirely sure if the in- this has been a substitute.” again. I didn’t feed the cats, they died, ease. “I vomit songs?” Why did I ask sincerity was detected or if his humour Self-deprecating, sarcastic and con- my wife left me. I was just sitting in the that? “Oh! Oh no, we have six people is especially arid—“maybe that’s what tradictory – that’s what the Electric chair listening over and over again”. in the band, everyone contributes their people think the band is about but if Six frontman is. I have spent the past Ah. This is the kind of Electric Six front- own y’know? It’s actually easy when you’re home and in your kitchen like I thirty odd minutes feeling reasonably man I wanted – irreverent, insincere you’re motivated to keep doing it, when am now, and the sun is coming through uncomfortable and disappointed that I and cheeky. However little or much you’re desperate not to go back to the your window, you know that none of didn’t warm to what I assumed to be respect you have for Electric Six, there factory,” Dick clarifies, luckily catching that really matters.” This is surreal. a friendly and quirky band, but then is little mystery and pretension around my inarticulate drift. “It’s just rock n roll “That you are who you are, and as long again Electric Six aren’t ever logical. In their style—pleasurably silly, dance in- music – it’s not the hardest thing. We al- as you keep putting one foot in front fact, they’re just doing what they like ducing alt rock—and with eight studio ways approach it like that. I think a lot of the other, nobody is gonna take that to do – ploughing on. Like Dick says - albums in the space of nine years, it’s of bands get into trouble thinking rock away from you”. “It just needs to go somewhere, it no mystery that they work hard either. ‘n’ roll music means more than it does.” After this strikingly sincere comment, doesn’t need to go to a logical place[...] After their 2003 moment in the lime- Art for art’s sake! It means what it I’m left feeling confused. It’s difficult it just needs to go somewhere”. to determine what exactly is arrogance REVERB. “We were dubstep before dubstep. We were all about the bass.”

Korn, renowned innovators of dubstep, discussing their latest collaboration with Skillex. 06/12/11 www.ey.com/uk/careers M19 Starting Over Reviews. Business or pleasure? Alex Edgerton muses on reforming. Artist: James Blake pining for Feist cover Limit to your ith the recent news that Date: 27th November Love, Black Sabbath have de- Venue: Leeds SU Wcided to dust down their Review: Rory Foster matching crucifixes and hit the road again, it now seems likely that any disbanded group could suddenly pull the rug from under their fans by announcing a refor- mation. This comes not long after What he lacks in stage presence the overwhelmingly surprising James Blake tries to make up for in reform of the Stone Roses, with bass. That was the impression I got all the band members performing in the middle of a vibrating Leeds love, the other half CMYK – a rec- some of the biggest volte-faces in crowd whilst trying to decide wheth- reation of the club tune that first music history (Mani once famous- er this was a good gig or not . As a got people interested in the twenty- ly saying that the band would only big fan of both the man’s work before something Goldsmith graduate. reform when Man City won the and after his self-titled album re- Whilst the latter does impress (de- Champions League). After these leased earlier this year, it saddens me spite most of it being played by the announcements, it wouldn’t be to say I’m not sure it was. drummer tapping the right samples) ridiculous to think that maybe There were moments of greatness. the former feels hugely drawn out to Morrissey and Johnny Marr could Gig and album opener “Unluck” appease the crowd. The same goes for patch things up after nearly 25 warms up both the crowd and his a lot of the more popular songs, for years of resentment and make the two-piece band with its bizarre time the obvious reason that Blake doesn’t fantasy of a Smiths 30th Anniver- Recently reformed Black Sabbath. signature and soulful vocals. “I Never actually have that many songs that sary Tour a reality. In fact, so fre- Learnt to Share” is equally impres- work for a ‘live’ band. In the end we quently are bands reforming these However, it would take a real a fan’s memory of them since sive; the marriage of choral and synth got a taste of both spheres of Blake’s days that even after the sad break- cynic to agree with Shaun Ry- their comebacks are rarely go- cascades reproducing the album’s music, but with neither really fitting up of R.E.M. a few months ago, der’s assertion that the only ing to match what they did in powerful buildup. But what lets him comfortably within the 90 minute many people saw it as a given that reason bands ever reform is their prime. Eric Avery even left down the most is the transition be- space he has to fill. It’s always the they’d be getting back together in ‘for the money’. It doesn’t take Jane’s Addiction in early 2010 tween his bass-heavy instrumentals same problem. James Blake’s perso- a few years for a globe-trotting re- a massive stretch of the imagi- because he disagreed with the and intricate pop & soul tracks. The na is part bass DJ, part singer-song- union tour. nation to suggest that maybe band’s decision to head back audience appears similarly split; half writer. He’s trying to please both, but It’s not hard to see why these these groups are reforming for into the studio to make a new bands, or any other broken up the reasons that they began in album (the first as a full band Artist: Joker ones, would reform, especially the first place: the joy of play- since 1991’s phenomenal Ritual Date: 15th November considering the lucrative finan- ing music together. Blink 182 de lo Habitual), and in a way Venue: The Duchess, York cial incentives from a world tour. were encouraged towards rec- he has good reason to. Since it’s Review: Joni Roome Black Sabbath are set to make onciliation in 2009 after Travis virtually impossible for a band over £100 million from their 2012 Barker’s tragic plane crash, to fully recreate what they did reunion tour, while the Stone Ros- along with the sudden death of five, ten, maybe twenty years es are reportedly making £10 mil- long-time producer and friend, ago, any music they make now lion just from their three Heaton Jeremy Finn. Similarly, Blur’s is going to be different. Call The Bristolian prince of dubstep left Park gigs in July with an addition- incredible Hyde Park shows me romantic, but the music his doubters silenced with an electric classics like “Tron,” “My Trance Girl” al £1 million for every one of their and Glastonbury appearance we have from bands that will show supported by Royce Rolls. and “Purple City” as well as newer many festival appearances in the seemed definitely to be more the never reform (usually through a Hailing from Manchester where bass tracks from album The Vision he put summer. More astonishingly, ten result of two old friends (in this member’s death) hold a certain music has a healthy scene, I was keen together a crowd-pleasing show nota- years ago ABBA were reportedly case, Graham Coxon and Da- significance and value, since we to see what York had to offer and as bly playing a totally instrumental set. offered $1 billion for a 100-date mon Albarn) finally burying the know that this is all that we will luck would have it Joker was my first Even after his time was up he took to tour. Bands are often open about hatchet than it was a bitter pur- ever have from them. There’s a taste north of the Pennines. the stage to spin some more tunes in their fiscal motivations for get- suit of a quick pay check (and fascinatingly conflicted sense The punters seemed slow to arrive an impromptu encore/ full on stage ting back together - John Lydon the same can perhaps be said of of wonder and anger that we’ll with the support acts not dragging party with the supporting DJ’s, MC admitted that he only reformed the Stone Roses reunion). never be able to see the Velvet many to the dancefloor, but as the and a random guy in a Brazil football The Sex Pistols so he could afford Although there’s still the ques- Underground, Nirvana, N.W.A., time approached midnight and birth- shirt. The night ended with a bottle to do the same for PiL, while Bob tion of what these reunions Pantera or the Beatles (to name day boy Royce Rolls took to the decks, of Jack Daniels being passed from Nastanovich revealed one of the have done for the legacy of said just a few of many) in their orig- the 400 capacity venue started to fill the DJ through the crowd epitomis- main reasons that Pavement ex- bands. The criticism often lob- inal form again, and one that and the night truly got started. After ing the friendly nature of the scene. tended their gloriously ramshack- bied against reformed bands should be preserved. However, a blistering set from Royce, Joker It was disappointing to see such a big le reunion tour was to pay off his is that their performances, having said that, I’ve still got my took to the stage with a huge reaction name producer fail to sell out a small gambling debts. Thank God for both on record and on stage, fingers crossed for that Smith’s from the now larger crowd. The next venue but the quality of the set made that man’s crippling addiction. sully the group’s reputation or reunion. ninety minutes was a showcase of the up for this and served to make the reason Joker has been so acclaimed night one which will live long in the Local Spotlight. over the past few years – dropping memory.

quick peruse of the songs gy to the table. Half-way through a new single at the Dutchess on the available on home grown “Reverse the Charges, Breathe Nouse Playlist. AYork-based Miaow Mi- Harder,” I believe I may have aow’s Myspace shows a band accidently put on some middle- Power Alex Swadling with enough musical diversity class grime, with an appropri- Finding ourselves up in the dizzying heights of the Nouse editorial in four songs to cover several ately dirty bassline amid some team, we’re in need of a timely tyrannical soundtrack to power our new bands’ entire discographies, and fairly hilarious lyrics, whilst reign. their bio does not exactly help “LADVENTURIN’” feels some- clear things up: their genre is where between an Of Montreal “Raw Power” - The Stooges listed as “tropical”- they state pop meltdown and The Klaxons’ Some 70s rock when Iggy's face was less terrifying. their influences as Foals, Ratatat apocalyptic urgency. and Metronomy and they have Luckily Miaow Miaow’s chief “Go Your Own Way” – Fleetwood Mac done a cover (and quite a good noise maker, Pete Wise, simpli- Except you can’t, because I’m in charge. one I should add) of Daniel Bed- fies things for me: “We’re four ingfield’s “Gotta get Thru this”. young men from York seeking to “I Want to Conquer the World” – Bad Religion A few more listens in, and what enliven a rather sleepy and mel- sticks are the math-rock riffs of ancholy UK music scene with And I will, although Greg Graffin seems to have better intentions. Antidotes-era. Foals, a love of our unique strain of mathy elec- French language and not taking tro-indie. Our interests include “Hidden Dictator” – Kreator their music too seriously. And toy synthesisers, writing filthy Or not so hidden, thrash metallers Kreator have caught the drift. no harm the latter does, with lyrics and generally making mer- every song bringing both witty ry.” Intrigued? Confused? Either “I Can’t Control Myself” – The Horrors charm and bucket loads of ener- way, Miaow Miaow are releasing Definitely the frustrated soundtrack of our future. Sincere. M20 www.ey.com/uk/careers 06/12/11 Reviews. boffin, played by Jonah Hill, Film. Film: Moneyball who gives a wonderfully un- Director: Bennett Miller derstated performance. Starring: Brad Pitt Beane and Brand set about Runtime: 133 mins piecing together a team of Review: James Tyas misfits and has-beens whose Wuthering Heights collective ability is greater than the sum of its parts. If Beane can pull this experi- Lulu Smyth talks to actor James Northcote about his portrayal of Edgar Linton in Moneyball might seem to be ment off he will revolutionise the new film Wuthering Heights. a hard- sell for British audi- the sport. ences due to its subject matter. Writing duo Steven Zaillian hen we think of get a sense for the difficult way Despite being a US national and Aaron Sorkin (of West Wuthering Heights, of life that these people are liv- pastime, the UK remain im- Wing and The Social Network Wseveral images often ing,” he says. “When my dad pervious to the charms of fame) go about it with brio spring to mind: a bitterly pas- (who’s from Yorkshire) saw baseball. Thankfully for us, producing a script full of wit sionate, articulate Heathcliff; the film, he said it’s the first Moneyball features very lit- and subtlety encapsulated in dark, intense romance; the time he’s really seen the pov- tle actual baseball: interest an electrifying scene in which Gothic and the supernatural; erty, hardship and strength of doesn’t stem from what hap- Beane and Brand frantically Kate Bush flailing about in the people who lived in those pens on the pitch but what bluff their way through a deal a chiffon nightie. It’s no sur- circumstances [in an adap- happens off it. across three different clubs on prise, then, that Andrea Ar- tation], and he thought that Brad Pitt is Billy Beane, gen- three phone lines. On paper nold’s brutal adaptation has kind of dirtiness was a lot eral manager of the cash- this sounds dull, but on screen caused so much controversy. more accurate.” strapped and ailing Oakland it sings. Going against the conventions It’s perhaps because of this A’s. Seeing several of his key Bennett Miller directs ef- of the ‘period drama’, she has need for actual, rather than lit- players being pilfered by teams ficiently allowing the film cast a black actor as Heath- erary, accuracy that the cast with deeper pockets, Beane breathing space to let the per- cliff, ignored the character of were actually directed not to becomes disillusioned with formances and script shine. Lockwood, used a handheld read the book. “We were told his inability to afford players Subtlety is the key in Money- camera, and heavily edited by Andrea that she’d prefer to replace them and decides a ball, on the surface an unap- the famous dialogue. While for us not to read Wuthering sea change is essential. During pealing film about sport sta- in Bronte’s version, Heath- Heights if we hadn’t allready. a failed negotiation with an- tistics, but with a human heart cliff says: “I vociferated curses I think she didn’t want us to other team he happens upon making it the best sport film enough to annihilate any fiend get any preconceived ideas of Peter Brand, a young statistics since The Damned United. in Christendom”, in this inter- the characters we were play- pretation he grunts: “F--- you ing,” Northcote explains. “She The Rum Diary - all, c---s”. discouraged us from trying to Despite the upset this construct a different person Arthur Christmas - might have caused, there’s a that we’d then step into. For definite sense that the film is her, it was more important See full reviews online at nouse.co.uk/muse/film loyal to the book. As one critic that we were just as natural has pointed out, by ignoring as possible. In fact, I think Film: My Week With world’s biggest star. the frothy Olivier-esque lay-“We were told by Andrea that Andrea chose people because Marilyn We are transported to Pine- ers and connotations, Arnold she believed they were like the Director: Simon Curtis wood Studios where we begin “pushes the story all the wayshe’d prefer for us not to read characters she wanted in the Starring: Michelle Wil- to meet the glorious array of back to its original 1847 in- film. I remember her saying laims supporting cast (with the ex- carnation”. It’s important toWuthering Heights” to me that she had picked me Runtime: 99 mins ception of Dominic Cooper remember that Wuthering partly because Edgar can come Review: Hannah Wills and his frequently diminish- Heights is not a love-story, but Linton, mentioned (which is literally cut across quite badly in the book ing American accent); bring- a disturbing tale in which na- this when speaking off from civilisation), – as someone who is fairly pa- ing together the likes of Judi ture is the main character. It’s exclusively to Nouse: horrific, primal acts triarchal and set in the ways of Dench as Sybil Thorndike, Zoe this rough and intense atmos- “Although I can’t speak like these are consid- the time. She said she needed Simon Curtis’ My Week with Wanamaker as Monroe’s pro- phere which also pervades the for Andrea, I think the ered to be normative. someone so ‘nice’ that that Marilyn endeavours to docu- tective acting coach, Emma new film. film is so physical that When discussing wouldn’t happen!” He later ment the intense production Watson as the wardrobe mis- However, although ‘rough the only experiences of this dirty, primordial adds: “c– we could only see our week of Sir Lawrence Olivier’s tress and Kenneth Branagh’s and intense’, Arnold’s inter- the supernatural that world that Heathcliff own scenes a few days before, 1957 hit The Prince and the superb performance as Olivier, pretation is not tradition- there are are shown and Cathy privately which was pretty exciting for Showgirl. Based on his true adding a ‘prima donna’ the- ally ‘gothic’ in the same way as normal things inhabit, Northcote me as an actor.” account of his experience as atricality that encompasses that the novel is. In the book, that happen, rather brings up the portray- It might seem strange the 3rd assistant director, we much of the film’s humour. In Cathy’s ghost is alluded to as than extraordinary or al of setting and class for anyone who hasn’t seen follow the young Colin Clark’s terms of dramatisation, I was early as chapter one, and the magical. They’re just in the film, and how the film for the director to entrance into the frantic world impressed with how the film supernatural becomes increas- physical experiences, it differs from other turn away from the original of filmmaking. Fresh-faced does not attempt to overly ingly prominent as the story as much as eating or interpretations: “Of- text, but Arnold’s creation is Eddie Raymonde takes on the glam up and sensationalise the progresses. In Arnold’s film, drinking or dying.” ten the Earnshaws are so raw and fresh that the dis- role of Clark with an innocentconcept of Monroe romanti- this is replaced by a more This may explain why shown as quite well- tance makes sense. She has re- charm that predictably catches cally involving herself with a physical strangeness – for ex- the film leaves us with to-do, even though minded us of the dirtiness and the attention of Monroe (Mi- younger man whilst popping ample, we see Cathy, as a child, such a disturbed feel- the Lintons are much brutality that is woven into the chelle Williams). They fall into pills and excessively drinking. licking blood off a wound ing – in the world of richer, but I think it’s original 1847 narrative, and a tensely short-lived love af- This is partially down to the on Heathcliff’s back. James Cathy and Heathcliff more effective if you presented us with a film that is fair after Marilyn adopts him typically British cast and set- Northcote, who plays Edgar as her confidant, revealing theting, but primarily down to insecure woman behind the Williams’ splendid job of im-

DVD BAROMETER Ones we Ones to go want this Straight to Christ- Charity mas

Film Editor, Elle Hoppe picks what we’ll be watching this Christmas Elf. Why? This Christmas we’re sticking to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup. Bridget Jones. Why? Because mothers’ are still trying to set us up at Turkey Curry The Grinch. Because we can’t wait to gorge on Who-Pudding and rare Buffets. Why? Who-Roast Beast Love Actually. Why? We’re yet to have an emotional greeting at Heathrow. Here’s It’s a Wonderful Life. George is the only man who would lasso the moon to hoping. Why? for a gal. Chivalry is dead. 06/12/11 www.ey.com/uk/careers M21 Food & Drink. Petit Fours Rookie Wins Oven cook cocktail sausages for 2/3 of The Experiment- Panettone the cooking time, then take them out of the oven. In a bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of honey anettone is the most elegant take on 1) Sift the flour into a mixing bowl, add the with 2 tablespoons of whole grain mus- the Christmas sweet. It isn’t a cake salt and make a well in the centre. tard. Pbut a bread which literally translates Put the sausages in the bowl and mix. as ‘little big bread’. Originating from Milan, 2) In another bowl, whisk together the Put them back in the oven and cook for it is the national Christmas cake of Italy. A yeast, milk and whole eggs. Pour this into the remaining 1/3 of the cooking time. myth exists that a Milanese baker, called the well, fold in a little of the surrounding Serve at the Christmas table as a nibble Toni, created the Panettone when baking flour to make a batter. Leave to rest for 30 or a trimming. Also nice in summer on for a rich family. It became a Christmas minutes. a rocket and lemon juice salad. tradition due to baker, Angelo Motta, who between the wars lucratively advertised the 3) Add the egg yolks, butter and sugar and Panettone through platforms such as the mix them and the rest of the flour into the Giro D’Italia, where the winning cyclist of batter with a fork. Then bind everything each stage was awarded a giant Panettone. together into a ball with your hands. Alongside the German Stollen and the chocolate Yule Log, this is a bread which 4) Knead the dough for 5 minutes (to is setting a new trend for something ‘else’ knead, press and stretch the dough away on Christmas day. In comparison to the Ingredients: 500g white bread flour from you, then lift the edges into the mid- brandy fed British cake, it’s quicker, lighter ½ tsp salt dle, give it a quarter turn and repeat). Leave and less of a hassle. 2x 7g sachets of easy to use yeast to rest in a warm place for 1½-2 hours or No UK celebrity chef has shown us 120ml lukewarm milk until doubled in size. Scatter over the peel how to make it. Even ITV’s Italian import and raisins and gently knead these in. 2 medium eggs Lost in the Gino D’Acampo has left the way unmarked, and so naturally the calibre of recipes avail- 2 medium egg yolks 5) Grease and line your chosen tin with able to us is low with variations amongst 160g butter softened greaseproof paper and pour the mixture supermarket them being high. Responses on the inter- 85g caster sugar in. Avoid leaving dried fruit exposed on Christmas trimmings call for copious net suggest that the bread is notoriously 115g chopped mixed peel the surface of the bread as this may burn amounts of fresh vegetables. The qual- difficult to get right, and so an element of during cooking and turn bitter. Set aside, ity of fruit and veg at Country Fresh 75g raisins excitement comes from testing your abili- covered with a dry tea towel, and rest for beats the supermarkets hands down. ties and sheer luck with the yeast and your A bucket with just over 2 litre capacity/ deep cake tin 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to kneading technique. 180C/160C fan/350F/gas 4. This recipe is based on Shehezerade Goldsmith’s mini Panettone recipe. You 6) Brush the top of the bread with melted can add rum, fresh fruit zest, dried cran- butter and bake for around an hour, give or berries, and vanilla extract, but the basic take. When it starts to brown on top, cover recipe is a good place to start. The great with tin foil to avoid burning. thing about a Panettone is its stout nature; you can really play with it and experiment What to do with left overs: with the flavours that dot your bread. Panettone and marmalade bread and but- I’ve swapped the recipe’s little moulds ter pudding for a cooking pot because the fun of mak- ing a Panettone comes from its sheer size. Panettone trifle It is a centre piece to slice or grab. A bucket is great to achieve a dome- Toast with butter or jam Rookie Errors like shape for Christmas, and a deep cake A Mocha is an espresso shot combined tin will give the look of a traditional Milan- Dip in with a glass of milk with hot milk and cocoa powder. V- ese Panettone. This recipe should serve 12. Bar’s defacto definition digresses by replacing cocoa powder with at least two shots of hazelnut syrup. Too sweet The Review. The Loop Bar & Grill and wrong.

joke becomes obvious on arrival: this place isn’t in the loop. You’ll Address: 2 Afind it just outside the city walls hanging onto the edge of the ring road. Fawcett Street And so we enter the outworn trope of Price Range: the suburban trying on the urbane. The website situates the restaurant ‘close £25-40 to the Barbican centre’ whilst the eye places it by a charity store, why so? Why pretend? At some point during the last cen- tury, straight forward British food got a makeover. Pubs were given the ‘gas- For those tro’ prefix, and restaurant chains whose carte-du-jour rose and fell around The of meat and a distinct lack of salad, and Desserts are also your stock characters: with nothing Steak were shifted into the category of the steak is served with a fairly nonde- chocolate fudge sundaes, cheesecake, a ‘Grill’. Whether this is a case of shin- script garlic butter sauce. Nevertheless, sticky toffee pudding etc. This is the Tis’ the season of ing an incurably bad section of the na- this was the unrivalled winner of the malaise of the middling restaurant, Christmas for- tional palette or whether it is a PR spin evening, introducing the usual scenario where paying a little more doesn’t al- mals, but if you’ve on what really is good British food is as of showstoppers shrinking the burgers ways add to the experience. lost all your mon- debateable as entering these places. and the pies to space-filling flotsam on I entered The Loop under celebra- ey, why not attend The Loop fits remarkably well into the menu. It is a repetition of the usual tory circumstances and the good dozen Derwent’s Alter- this category, bearing a self-consciously grill downfall. of us had a great time anyway. Parents native Christmas hip and ambiguous name which screams The Mixed Platter starter is tasty included meant champagne and free- Formal. It starts for ‘updated eat’ as its byline. This runs but doesn’t depart far enough from the flowing wine, so we filled the place with with a ‘Chicken through the food, with chips stacked infamous Slug & Lettuce platter. Ribs, an injection of humour that the interior and Bacon Su- like Jenga blocks next to an 80s revival chicken wings and onion rings merge lacks. The space is lofty but hollow, the preme’ and ends of the ‘Surf ‘n’ Turf’ classic. The steak is with the usual beige-battered party nib- modern décor feels fussy and sterile and with a McFlurry. cooked perfectly and the prawns are full bles. There is nothing fresh, concep- the bar sits unnaturally by the eating Dress remains of flavour. For the bothered, there is a lot tually or truly in the choice of starters. area. The floor space ambiguously floats ‘strictly formal’. between the concept of ‘Bar’ and ‘Grill’.

M23 06/12/11 The Final Say. The Christmas Tradition Strictly Confidential Hannah Ellis-Peterson

hristmas traditions; we all have children on the laps of old, bearded men, them. In Holland they all black up are boundless. Cand throw coins at prostitutes. The And the absurdity of the whole fes- Austrians run through the streets in devil tive fandango doesn’t end there. The Daily masks, unnecessarily hitting people with Mail hasn’t stopped waxing lyrical about a sticks. In Venezuela, everyone rollerblades distraught 6 year old who a supermarket to Early Morning Mass, whilst exclaiming Santa arbitrarily dismissed to his ‘naughty “Jesus is born” (incidentally, my favourite list’ (I would argue an occupational hazard tradition ever). of visiting a grotto in Morrisons). To make In my family, come Christmas after- matters worse, this year’s “Christmas chart noon, we mark this most holy of occasions hijack” is attempting to pit Nirvana, argu- by the playing, and subsequent throwing, ably the least festive band ever, against the of board games. What always starts out as perma-tanned TOWIE collective and the a tender familial bonding moment over a annual X-Factor armada. Can you imagine game of Operation never fails to turn into a what Kurt Cobain would say if he could see scene from a particularly wrought episode ‘Smells like Teen Spirit’ become Christmas of Father Ted, only with fewer priests and number one? He’d probably commit sui- more Whiskey. Ever been bludgeoned with cide all over again. the egg-timer from Articulate? Or been hit I’m not religious. Not even close. My in the eye with a Pictionary pencil (admit- house once got struck by lightning on tedly that time it was me doing the throw- Easter Sunday, which should tell you all ing)? The Uno incident of Christmas 2006 you need to know about my pious inclina- still remains a taboo topic at such gather- tions. But when people start going Clark- ings. Yes, family-inflicted pain, gluttonous son on Santa’s little helpers to the tunes suffering, and in the case of the Dutch, of 90s grunge rock, you can’t help but feel mildly inexcusable racism, is what Christ- the spirit of the season needs a saccharine mas is all about. boost. So thank the Lord, we have Katie Yet maybe thanks to TV brainwashing Price’s seasonal new novel ‘Santa Baby’. finally convincing us Christmas is nothing Snobbish sarcasm aside, Jordon’s tale of more than Stacy Soloman force-feeding Angel, baby Honey and newly discovered Last Word you Iceland’s finest festive chocolate donut half sister Tiffany (the promotional video deep fried prawn turkey gammon platter, is a must-see, mainly for her original, and our tradition-induced euphoria has been sparse, interpretation on the traditional Each man kills the taking something of a skewed turn. Take Santa outfit) is a reminder of the glori- thing he loves, a recent incident at the York St Nicholas ous abandonment of good taste that has Grotto, where, after being made to wait become the global Christmas tradition. the coward kills it with for those valuable moments on Santa’s lap, Christmas spirit is essentially the product a kiss tempers seemingly turned sour. of our repressed penchant for Mariah Car- {} “One man verbally threatened the lady ey, Noel Edmonds and all things inflatable who is dressed as a Christmas tree” re- being allowed to roam free for this one sa- counted the grotto organiser (I quote ver- cred month. And damn is it fun. batim). ” Another of the elves was so upset I’m not quite suggesting do as the Jap- Oscar Wilde that she has resigned. It was a complete anese do and have your traditional Christ- nightmare.” mas meal in KFC, but use this window of What kind of human being verbally tackiness to be bold in your festive deci- abuses an elf? The social questions raised sions. Dig out your complete works of Cliff Oscar Wilde died 111 years ago this December. His by the incident, quite apart from why par- Richard. Read erotic fiction on the train. tomb is being rededicated, with a craze of kissing it ents are continually willing to place their Don those PVC dungarees with pride; it’s to pay homage to the above.

Across The Nouse 1. Deficient in courage (12) The Nouse 7. A room’s furnishing (5) 8. North American bandit (animal) (7) Crossword 10. Highly pleasing to taste/smell senses (8) Sudoku 11. Ancient Egyptian goddess (4) Answers available on www.nouse.co.uk/muse/columns Answers available on www.nouse.co.uk/muse/columns 13. Actor turned President (6) 14. The centre vein of a leaf (6) 17. Daintily attractive (4) 18. Three wheeled vehicle (8) 20. ___ Home, goose film (3,4) 21. Popeye’s girlfriend (5) 22. Stingy (12 Down 1. ___On The Roof, musical (7) 2. Ceaselessly (11) 3. An airport building (8) 4. A scolding (6) 5. Great accompaniment to curry (4) 6. Films about an insect colony (4) 9. Something in the way (11) 12. Reveal (8) 15. Alcohol manufacturing house (7) 16. Unwoven fabric (6) 17. Coffee house (4) 19. Movement in water (4)