Salford Media Scene The magazine of SalfordCommunityMediaPartnership Issue Three 2011 Salford FREE Artist Salford suss in She maps the city... sounds, sights and nights

corrie's kickin' kirk Andy Whyment follows his goal... Misfit music Rappin’ with Briggzy and co. Steve Evets ...and the Hollywood Planks Mediacity madness Arts cuts and Quays capers We’re a fabulously friendly bunch at SCMP, not because we’re here Salford for the community – but because Media we are the community! Scene This year the SCMP organisational partnership became a Consortium Welcome to issue three of Salford with the help of Salford CVS and Media Scene magazine! we are in the process of refining what organisational membership Over the past year, SCMP partners means and exploring opportunities have been busy delivering their to fund future SCMP activity. own projects – film, theatre, music, front cover photo by Gareth Lyons courses and much more. For most If you want to get involved in Salford Media Scene of us this has been a difficult year SCMP just sign up! Contributors funding-wise, however, with an injection of NLDC funding, SCMP Linda Robson, SCMP Editor: Stephen Kingston continues to roll out amazing pro- jects and ‘save lives’ – yes literally Twitter: InDesign Workshops supported by ‘save lives’ (see Pink Grapefruit scmp_salford Sam Twyman feature). Facebook: SCMP Stuff! Graphics Editor: Lewis The great thing about the SCMP Email: Harrison-Wood network is that you remain part of [email protected] it, and continue to receive infor- Words: John Edge, Mike mation about what’s going on. Atherfold, Graham Williamson, Gareth Lyons, Alison Cook, Paul strategy. Meanwhile SCMP itself Watson, K. Mac, Jude Bazen, Mike had a new logo created, Salford Scantlebury, John Crumpton, Arts Theatre was given a briefing, Melanie McPhail, Kerry Steadman, and leaflets were produced for ex- Terry Scragg, Bernard Brough, Pete hibitions and community events. Liggins, Karen Illingworth, Stephen Kingston SALFORD Salford Media Scene magazine is COMMUNITY MEDIA the result of SCMP courses in jour- Photos: Paul Watson, Albert Spiby, PARTNERSHIP nalism, digital photography and Mike Atherfold, Jamie Stephenson, SCMP was set up three years ago In-Design magazine layout. Verena Kennedy, John Elliott, Blake to help Salfordians get a foot in Pearson, Steve Baker, Bernard the door of the creative industries, For details of all courses and Brough, K. Mac, Terry Scragg, Ste- and runs training courses allied opportunities contact Linda Rob- ven Speed, Phil Hamer, Mikey Kay, with real life experience of being son on 07534 969007 or e-mail Jemma Cooper chucked in at the deep end work- [email protected] Layout: ing with local community compa- Chris Arthern, K. Mac, Mike nies. New SCMP website!!! Atherfold, Gareth Lyons, Johnson Check out www.scmp.info to keep Asa, Lewis Harrison-Wood This year, as part of SCMP’s PR, up to date with details of events Proofing: Marketing and Branding course and opportunities in Salford’s Jude Bazen we worked closely with the newly creative industries. You’ll also find Printed By: Caric Press Ltd, 525 Ring- refurbished St Sebastian’s Com- on there a digital copy of Salford wood Road, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 munity Centre in Charlestown to Media Scene 9AQ Tel: 01202 871766 create a smart logo and marketing www.caricpress.co.uk

P.2 Salford Media Scene Contents

38 Where’s All Our Salford Cinemas Gone? Media Does it matter? We hit the streets Scene. 16 Media City Madness Arts cuts, Quays capers and graffiti walls Cover Feature 28 Salford’s Hidden 24 Jo Carlon Bar Salford Artist - she maps Salford‘s Going down the Corridor psyche... 10 Misfit Music Rappin’ with Briggzy and co Features 8 Higher 12 Steve Evets and Broughtonwood Hollywood planks Tinned up Hollywood prospers From Cantona To Pirates of the Caribbean 36 Pink Grapefruit In The Area 30 Corrie’s Kickin’ Juicy films and video Kirk Andy Whyment follows his goal… 22 Salford graffiti Palace.... RIP

Salford Media Scene P.3 NEWS New Young Creatives t might sound like some 1980s band with shoulder pads and bad haircuts but the New IYoung Creatives scheme is actually about getting paid training and a job working in film, theatre, music and art.

CRIS: Unleashing Creativity is looking to take on people aged 18-25 to train as development workers in the creative community. That means basically finding out what the community wants and kind of giving it to them.

“The hardest thing about working in our community has been trying to get the right people for the job, so we’re training them up ourselves” says CRIS founder Alison Surtees.

You get paid for doing the training too. If you’re interested call Steph Pierce on 0161 839 7983 or e-mail [email protected]

a step up to get real work-based experience and THE BIG SALFORD opportunities in the media industry. You won’t need FEATURE FILM a cv – just whip out the Salford Feature Film! Salford is making a movie. A great big proper The Raising Aspirations scheme is aimed at people large production and anyone with some skills who are unemployed, on low incomes or who are can be a part of it – from writers and actors, to set lone parents. designers and editors, to those with admin or even accountancy skills. “After working in Greater Manchester for eight years we’ve got a critical mass in terms of people “Both this and the Young we’ve trained, supported and nurtured” says Alison Surtees of CRIS: Unleashing Creativity which is Creatives programme are going managing the project “Both this and the Young to enable us to push at the base Creatives programme are going to enable us to of the industry and give people push at the base of the industry and give people opportunities to get into the creative sector that are opportunities to get into the not being offered anywhere else.” creative sector that are not being offered anywhere else.” Want to get on board the big Salford Feature Film? Give Steph Pierce a ring on 0161 839 7983 or The idea is to give people, who may have had a e-mail [email protected] bit of experience producing a video or something,

P.4 Salford Media Scene NEWS SALFORD MUSIC FESTIVAL “It’s going to be on fire!” After the first Salford Music Salford Music Festival Festival last year, the event will continue to grow is already firmly on the city’s as a major player music map and here to stay. on the national and This year, from 22nd - 25th international music September, four hectic days scene. Hanky Park play an acoustic set at The Hope pub on Sat 24th Sept of gigs all over the city will see over sixty acts covering all Although he admits “It’s not about making types of music. “there are lessons to be money” he stresses learnt from last year”, Ed is “It’s all about making Rock and indie bands, passionate about making the rappers, DJs and MCs, singer 2011 Festival even bigger and music and making it songwriters and folk groups better, despite operating on happen” perform everywhere from The a shoestring …“It’s not about Old Pint Pot pub to Monton making money” he stresses “It’s and continues day and night Unitarian Church, with the vast all about making music and until the Main Stage Finale at majority of events being free making it happen”. The Willows on Sunday 25th entry. with top headline acts. The Salford Music Festival Organiser, grass roots music kicks off with the Grand Final For full details see fanatic and former Fall guitarist, of Salford’s Got Talent at The www.salfordmusicfestival.co.uk Ed Blaney, is confident that the Willows on September 22nd Jude Bazen

contestants who will take part in The Salford’s Got Talent Grand Salfords the Grand Final of Salford’s Got Final is at The Willows on 22nd Talent to be held at The Willows September, kicking off the Salford Got Talent on 22nd September. Music Festival. Tickets are £7 and All year, loads of acts have been available online from battling each other to be Salford’s With one heat still to go, those www.thewillowsonline.co.uk number one talent. They’ve been through to the Final so far include or by calling 0161 736 8541. whittled down to twelve lucky a variety of singers, rappers and all round entertainers - Jo Thomas Domonique, One Voice, Sam Moran, Fresh Connections, James Bennett, Louise Bowyer, Milli Alaira, Misfit Music, Helen Rutherford, Daniel Clarke and Lauren Johnstone. Only one act can win the first prize of £500, to be judged by celebrity and music industry judges. photos by Jamie Stephenson

Salford Media Scene P.5 NEWS AM DRAM GOES OVER THE MOON lways wished it was and rehearse every Monday and The next production is this year’s you up on that stage Wednesday night 7.30-10pm at St. panto, Hey Diddle Diddle, written Asinging and dancing, just Luke’s Parish Hall. by one of the group Sonia Whittle, getting the rush that comes from and is on from 24th-29th October. performing? Well it doesn’t have to be a wish any longer. Check out the SLADS website www.slads.co.uk and their St. Luke’s Amateur Dramatic facebook page or e-mail them at Society, or SLADS, is based in [email protected] for further Weaste and is always looking for details of how to join or upcoming new members to help with shows. The box office number for shows, either on stage, back stage productions is 0161 281 7423. or front of house. The team put on two shows a year, a musical Alison Cook in May, and a panto in October,

No turn Unstoned The Open Mic Night That Comes with a Warning! ernard Brough and Mike comedians and fire-eaters [the To find out when you can join in Skeffington’s adult-only No latter in the beer garden I hope] the fun or just sit back with a pint BTurn Unstoned events are are all welcome. The only and enjoy the mayhem, check hosted every 2-3 months by The certainties on the bill each time out www.salfordstar.com or the Star Inn in Higher Broughton, are singer and guitarist Bernard, SCMP facebook site for venues The Racecourse in Kersal and musician Tony Harvieu and Mike and dates. occasional other venues, where with his ‘tall tales’. The rest is up Jude Bazen anyone with a yearning for to you! stardom can step up to show off their talent.

Bernard is keen to emphasise that “the poetry and stories can be quite raw at times, which is why we recommend you don’t bring your children along, nor your mother for that matter!”

Bernard explains that it is, within reason, a free-for-all – everyone from singers, to jugglers, musicians, poets, storytellers,

P.6 Salford Media Scene NEWS

Photo by Verena Kennedy A to Z of Lost Salford Streets he roving Streets Museum How many street signs have you What is the aim of the A-Z of Lost project has landed at the collected since you started this Streets? TPeople’s History Museum project? To recapture a sense of place, until 14th September. Alison Lawrence: We’ve collected which has been lost through Cook checks out the exhibition around sixty street signs since we excessive demolition over the of old Salford street signs, family started the project. The signs and past fifty years. snaps and audio recordings of artefacts we have show less than what’s fast becoming a lost city… 10% of the 1,500 streets that have Have there been any famous been demolished in the last fifty Salford residents who once lived Once where you would have years. in these now demolished homes? found streets full of homes, you Yes there have been a few - will now find just wasteland. How did this project begin? Alastair Cooke, Bernard Summer Totally empty, unused space Well I studied Art PhD at and Peter Hook from New Order, throughout Salford. Places that Manchester Metropolitan Christopher Eccleston and John used to be full of life now look University, and as part of my Cooper Clarke. They all lived in like cemeteries. research I went out to South lost streets. Africa and visited the District 6 Lawrence Cassidy, from Lower Museum in Cape Town which Streets Museum: A-Z of Lost Broughton, is trying to rebuild displays street signs, pictures Salford Streets runs at the a picture of what these now and memories from District 6, People’s History Museum, Left deserted places were once like. demolished during the apartheid Bank, Manchester until 14th He started the A-Z of Lost Streets period in South Africa. The A-Z of September. But the online which is an online museum, but Lost Streets Museum is based on exhibition continues at also with exhibitions taking place the District 6 Museum. www.streetmuseum.co.uk throughout Salford. e-mail: Lawrence [email protected]

Salford Media Scene P.7 NEWS Welcome To

Higher Broughtonwood In every sense, hile Salford Quays In every sense, Higher Broughton Higher Broughton becomes MediaCityUK, is a million miles away from the is a million miles Wover at the other end of shiny glass, futuristic £billion away from the town, unique tinned up terraced MediaCityUK on the Quays. houses in Higher Broughton are Here, rows and rows of original futuristic £billion being used as sets for tv dramas terraced houses are tinned up MediaCityUK on the and soaps. awaiting demolition. Quays.

P.8 Salford Media Scene NEWS

Lots of streets have already been For Coronation Street, overnight, and classic examples of northern obliterated by the bulldozers but a tinned up terrace was opened working class homes that are fast others are still standing as local up and became the Super Catch disappearing. residents fight to save their homes chippy, complete with flashing with a High Court injunction lights and a big smiling cartoon The houses have also aroused the stopping any further destruction. cod. For Appropriate Adult, old interest of SAVE Britain’s Heritage It’s fair to say that these are the fashioned cops, crowds and group which is currently looking most controversial houses in lights suddenly arrived as the into legal action to stop Salford Salford. end terrace of Cardiff Street was Council demolishing them. transformed into the notorious Recently, however, cameras have West home at 25 Cromwell Street been turning up, not just to feature in Gloucester. The infamous the residents’ real life struggle on Higher Broughton programmes like Newsnight and Meanwhile, filming for other houses featured on Dispatches, but also to use the independent dramas has taken terraces as film sets for Coronation place on the Higher Broughton Appropriate Adult Street and Appropriate Adult, the terraced streets which make the and Coronation new ITV drama centred around perfect location – closed off, Street serial killers Fred and Rose West. available to alter to fit any scene

Salford Media Scene P.9 THE MISFITS ARE

SICK!Teamed together by hardened mic battler, Briggzy, Salford now has a collective of rappers under the banner of Misfit Music. Kerry Steadman met up with the lads in Whit Lane to get a taste of the totally sick…

P.10 Salford Media Scene As we all sit in the Amber Project hut in Whit Lane, Misfit Music explain their approach to the music industry. With a combination of top You Tube videos and live gigs around the city, including Whit Lane’s Party In The Park, Chimney Pot Park’s Super Salford Saturday and at the forthcoming Salford Music Festival, the Misfits infamy is spreading… Photos by Blake Pearson

Briggzy: We’ve got a mixtape Kerry: How did you get together Kerry: Salford isn’t really known as a group? for its rap scene, is this changing? coming soon called Misfit Music: Button 5, The Initiation. Button 5

is a Mafia term for a gang of kill- Briggzy: I put Notes and Kamo to- Kamo: We’re all local lads from ers. But it’s in a music sense, so gether and was going to quit music Salford basically, Lower Broughton gang of killers is not about killing for a bit and manage them. Then and Irlams O’ Th’ Height, Higher people, it’s about killin’ every tune we did a gig for the biggest British Broughton and Whit Lane…we’re we do. hip hop act called Rhyme Asylum all local. and everyone said it was sick… We’ve also done the odd things `What’s the group called?’. So Notes: We’re all from Salford but like a Help Our Heroes track from there we just called ourselves it’s hard to get gigs here, especially which is on iTunes and all the the Misfits; then Ric Charles came for the music we do. Everywhere money from that goes to soldiers, in as the producer, then Illatant we’ve gone has said `Na we don’t and there’s loads of tracks on You decided he wanted to join…it was do hip hop here’. So it’s good Tube. just random but we’ve all known that we can showcase our mu- each other for years. sic, which is the biggest form of Briggzy, we’ve been music out right now. We all just Kerry: waiting a long time for your solo Kerry: What type of rap do you get together and have fun at things album, Gingerfication, to come do? like Party In The Park and Super out – is it in sight? Salford Saturday. Briggzy: With the Misfits you’re Briggzy: We released the single, gonna get something completely Briggzy: We played The Crescent Home, from it ages ago, that’s different from what I used to sound pub recently and it was rammed when the album was going to like, a bit more commercial. And so we’ve got a fair few followers. drop, but I don’t want to release Notes is a sick dancer as well! I’d something that people are pay- say that the majority of our music, Kerry: Have you got any new ing for and it’s rubbish. I want it especially for the new CD we’re tunes coming out? to come out and for people to say doing is more street music. People it was worth the five or six quid our age don’t want to hear people Notes: We’ve not been in the that you pay for it. So hopefully it singing choruses, they want tunes studio much, we’ve had a break will be a classic. There is a launch you can play in your car leaving and been performing for about six party for Gingerfication plus loads the window up or they’ll think months. of top rap acts at the Crescent Pub you’re a gangster! That’s the new 30th September. It is only £3 and sound that we’re coming with. gingers get in free.

Find loads of Misfit Music videos on You Tube and more info at www.briggzy.co.uk Also, see the Misfits at the Salford Music Festival Old Pint Pot 23rd September

Salford Media Scene P.11 FROMCANTONA TO THECARRIBEAN Broughton actor, Steve Evets, thought he was sorted when he was offered a part in the latest Pirates of the Caribbean film with Johnny Depp. So how did Steve, who starred with Eric Cantona in Looking For Eric, get on with the Hollywood planks? Bernard Brough joins the journey…

K so how many people I’ll have a bit of that, it’ll help That year-long course encouraged do you know who have me see the world a bit’. I was in Steve further and he started his Otravelled the world, spent there for about three years. It was own theatre company with a their eighteenth birthday in a great, we didn’t have to salute any couple of friends. Bombay brothel, been kicked out officers and when the ship got into of the merchant navy, survived port you went ashore and went “It was basically doing street horrific injuries in a bar fight and mad.” theatre and passing a hat round” been a pirate? he says “So we made a bit of After being kicked out of the money.” Let me introduce you to Ernest merchant navy, Steve got married Hemingway, er, I mean Steve and tried settling down, but it was It was around that time that Steve Evets. Steve’s a Broughton lad who hard. joined Equity and changed his has taken a rather circuitous route name from Steve Murphy to Evets, via the Merchant Navy and a string “I hated working in a job” he as there was already a Steve of jobs and situations to a position says “I didn’t particularly like to Murphy on Equity’s books. where he is now an actor capable earn money to buy things that I of playing an array of roles - from didn’t particularly need. So when He worked as an extra on a psychopathic murderer in Scott my marriage broke up, I was programmes like Coronation and Bailey, to Colin an alcoholic out of work and signed up for a Street, but as Steve says “That was Christian in Rev, to the brilliant foundation course at Abraham not enough for me...I stopped lead in Looking For Eric. Moss. It was in English and maths, doing extra work and joined the which I didn’t like, but there was Actor’s Centre in Manchester.” Steve’s path has not been easy. also drama which piqued my He joined the merchant navy on interest. leaving school. “Then they started a new course “I’m from Salford and most of us which was just drama” he went into factories, it was kind of adds “You had to put on three what we were bred for” he recalls productions a year and we even “When I left school I had no idea had a budget. We had to write, what to do until the last day at St direct, do costume, publicity and Albert’s when this guy came in organise the tour.” and showed us a film about the merchant navy and I thought `Yeah

P.12 Salford Media Scene From there Steve learned explains “He makes you do loads on screen for about two seconds. audtion pieces and with sheer of improvisation exercises about Blink and you’ll miss me. perseverance he got to the stage your character...you know, your where work started to trickle in, character’s past, his present, but “But I got to be a pirate, meet and more roles came along… not his future. He also gives you Johnny Depp and be on the Queen “They were giving me lines to the script a couple of days before Anne’s Revenge - Blackbeard’s learn, parts to get into and I loved shooting so the story feels like it’s ship - with Ian McShane. And I that.” unfolding day by day. met a great bunch of lads” he adds “Adventure-wise it was great, but After signing with an agent, more On the other hand, working with artistically the worst job in the tv parts came along and perhaps Johnny Depp and co on Pirates of world.” through sheer bloody mindedness the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides his reputation grew. To date, the was the worst experience... After leading such an eventful life biggest and, for Steve, the most you might think that Steve Evets’ enjoyable success was starring in “Artistically the worst job I’ve ever head could have been turned, and Ken Loach’s Looking for Eric. done” Steve scorns “I was there for the success affected him. But no, nine weeks – six weeks in Hawaii it hasn’t. He is still the same Steve “It’s the way Ken Loach works, and three weeks in Los Angeles. Murphy that went to St Albert’s all he shoots in sequence which They flew me out first class, put those years ago. is very unusual, and doesn’t let me in five star hotels and paid me his actors see the script” Steve a stupid amount of money, but I’m

Salford Media Scene P.13 ECCLES COMMUNITY ART GALLERY In a formerly disused shop unit in Eccles Shopping Precinct an art gallery has sprung up. Karen Illingworth tells her own story... Photo by Phil Hamer

hen I moved to Eccles location of choice. I knew I could A big feature of the Gallery is that twenty five years ago create something lively and inter- the artists help staff it where pos- WI was amazed by the esting for local people to visit. sible, so there is the opportunity amount of talent that was simply for the public to talk to the artists ‘invisible’ because there was no- In October 2008 Kyla Ankers, about their work, and the artists where to exhibit their work. The Eccles Shopping Centre Manager, benefit from their feedback. larger galleries don’t generally dis- lent me an empty shop unit for a play work unless you are known, weekend to display artwork. The Eccles Community Art Gallery and you don’t become known management and landlord liked can be found at Unit 4 Boothway unless you can exhibit. what I had put together so much Eccles M30 0EB, and is open to that two years later I am still there! the public on Tuesdays 1-3pm and I curated an exhibition for my art Saturdays 10-4pm. class at Swinton Library and it set We show a wide variety of artwork me thinking about other possibili- and I would like to encourage To get involved see www. ties. Eccles town centre was my participation from different groups. ecclescommunityartgallery.org PUMP ART Strong beer and art meet at Salford’s only independent brewery as Paul Watson discovers… any breweries will have Christopher Eccleston to the Star just one brand logo, full Inn itself bathed in moonlight. Mstop. But Salford’s only independent brewer has a new de- “I create an image to illustrate the sign for every occasion and each spirit of the beer” says Jude Bazen, new ale it brews. whose partner Richard runs the Salford microbrewery “Branding The Star Brewery, based at the each of our beers helps to dem- Star Inn community-owned pub onstrate that each one has its own in Broughton, creates ‘pump clips’ unique character and identity.” (the logos that go on beer pumps) that are now as eagerly awaited There was even a series of pump as the new beers and have even clips that featured a `Bitter Tirade’ become collectors’ items. Images of wrath against the big powerful Photo by Paul Watson have ranged from Julius Caesar to breweries. See a range of Star Brewery artwork at the Star Inn, Back Hope Street, Broughton. P.14 Salford Media Scene I MARRIED A CULT FIGURE FROM SALFORD

After thirty years, a video for the world’s first double B-sided single is being released. Why? Here the video’s producer and director, John Crumpton, explains his ongoing fascination with John Cooper Clarke…

e’re about to release a by Mike Rowe. We wanted it seemed a good time to put new video, I Married to put out the soundtrack, Tea that right. A new voice, Neil WA Cult Figure From Machine Dub, as a 7” vinyl Bell, was found for JCC on the Salford, but its origins lie some single by Steve Hopkins but we soundtrack, and actors Tam thirty years in the past when were lacking a ‘B’ side. Hinton (as JCC) and Rachel the target of its satire, Salford Priest (as Cathy) stepped Baird, John Cooper Clarke was Mike Rowe came up with, I forward to play the main parts approaching the zenith of his Married a Cult Figure, and in on the video. It was shot by celebrity. the original version of the duet cameraman Andy Davies he performed Clarkie’s part. over two days in Salford last In those long gone days the Written from the point of view November. idea of an artist ‘selling out’ was of JCC’s imagined girlfriend/ viewed as a betrayal of their wife, and sung by the wonderful I’ve got some original film fans and their supposed artistic Cathy La Crème, she relates footage of the real John Cooper integrity, rather than now, the story of their ‘affair’ and her Clarke that I shot myself in when it is seen as a considered subsequent abandonment as 1982 so this has been edited in marketing strategy by their she is left behind in the wake of and gives the five minute film management. his upwardly mobile trajectory. an added layer of irony and humour. In a short space of time JCC had The record was pressed and gone from being the thinking was the first double ‘B’ sided I’ve always been a big fan of person’s punk poet to signing single, eventually selling 2,000 John Cooper Clarke. Hopefully a lucrative recording contract copies, and climbing the indie when he sees this he’ll laugh with CBS Records, and was charts of the time. John Peel at what we’ve recreated thirty relocating from seedy Salford to liked it and played it on Radio years on - and not be dialing up sunny Stevenage. One. But in the days before his legal team! MTV there was no money or Back in 1980 I had just directed shop window for a video. The video should be available a twenty minute film drama, to view by late September. See The Tea Machine, set in a Last year was the thirtieth www.johncrumpton.co.uk for Manchester canteen and written anniversary of the record, and updates

Salford Media Scene P.15 MEDIA CITY

MADNESSby Stephen Kingston

Over at MediaCityUK £millions are being spent on art and ‘community engagement’. But at the same time, Salford art and media companies that already work with the community are struggling. The contrast is quite staggering…

In the Langworthy Cornerstone, football game cards are being passed around the café. It’s only a quid to play and the money raised goes towards a new roof at Salford Arts Theatre. Currently, when it rains the foyer is covered in buckets and they’re almost handing umbrellas out at the box office.

At Ordsall Community Arts, cultural worker Gail Skelly is on a sponsored 22 week `dry run’ where, for a quid a week per person, she won’t touch any alcohol. She’s trying to raise money for the annual Lighting The Legend community firework display.

A few hundred yards away at Ordsall Com- munity Cafe, Bob Jeffery has just completed a sponsored cycle ride from Lands End to John O’Groats to raise money for ongoing commu- nity work.

All over Salford, community workers are trying to come to terms with the new Government and local council reality which has seen, and will see even more in the future, savage cuts to funding for their projects.

P.16 Salford Media Scene Ordsall Community Arts (OCA) is based almost parade which culminates in a firework show. across the road from MediaCityUK in an area “This year we don’t have enough money to where child poverty runs at over 53%. Every- have a decent firework display and I really thing positive in that community seems to flow want people to know” Gail says “It suddenly through OCA, from community gardens to the twigged one day that if I could get myself Ordsall’s Got Talent contest, to art exhibitions sponsored I could get the money but also get it and festivals, adults’ and kids’ cultural clubs. talked about.”

Before applying for external grants, OCA Hence, Gail’s sponsored dry run for 22 weeks usually starts the year with £40,000. This ending on the 4th November. But this is not year it was £25,000, or a 40% cut, including just about getting the money for a wicked £12,500 axed directly from the government’s firework display. Lighting The Legend was Area Based Grant. The organisation has lost started 19 years ago to stop kids getting

“I don’t let if affect me, because if I did I’d probably go stark raving mad!”

Roni Ellis, Salford Arts Theatre

a part time worker as a result, while grants involved in setting off fireworks and bonfires from sources like Ordsall and Langworthy’s all over the estate. It’s about calming anti- Community Committee have already been social behaviour, increasing kids’ safety and reduced as a consequence of Salford Council’s raising aspirations by getting them involved 15% cut in the Committee’s budget. in creative arts. Lighting The Legend is a microcosm of the importance of community “It’s looking like grants are going to be harder media and arts in, for want of a better word, to get and we’re going to be doing less work disadvantaged neighbourhoods. in the community because there’s more time needed to be spent on fundraising” explains “I work with a young person, who wouldn’t OCA cultural worker, Gail Skelly “At the say anything to me, but told someone else…`I beginning of the year we were all concerned was on the wrong road and if it wasn’t for OCA with how the cuts were affecting all kinds of I’d still be on that wrong road’” Gail recalls “I different services. We lost the youth services think that art in a community setting has got a manager in Ordsall and we had to start to huge, indescribably powerful role to play. But think how we were going to raise money for these projects need continuity…and the Tories the projects that the community expect – that’s have taken that away.” why I made it personal.” It’s not just in Salford that government and Lighting The Legend is Ordsall’s own version local council cuts might reverse the positive of bonfire night, that happens on the Ordsall affects of community and cultural work. Hall site where Guy Fawkes was said to Nationally, almost three thousand full time staff have hatched his original plot to blow up who work with young people have lost their Parliament. Each year, special lanterns are jobs and Graham Stuart, chair of Parliament’s made in local schools and community groups, Education Select Committee has warned that and around four hundred people take part in a an increase in crime is “inevitable”.

Salford Media Scene P.17 activities but we are going ahead THE MEDIACITYUK MILLIONS with our Crazy Customised Cycle Competition and funding it Media Enterprise Zone Fund: £10million over next 5 years ourselves as we know that there Community Engagement Plan: £161,000 is a need to provide positive activities during the holiday Quays Signature Project Sculpture: £68,000 period” says Trish Bartlett, Chief Welcoming the BBC to Executive of Gears+, the motor MediaCityUK and MIF: £520,000 based arts group which was set up seven years ago `to provide positive and diversionary activities for young people’. “If you cut summer activities for young Similarly The Lowry, despite a people as night follows day you will see an £150,000 cut in funding, told us “We have committed to deliver increase in crime” a significant body of community work under our Walkabout Professor John Pitts banner. This work has not been scaled back and will go ahead as Salford City Council has to have all tried to keep their planned.” made huge cuts to this type of work going this summer, perhaps work, mostly imposed by the because everyone knows the The sentiments are echoed by LibDem Conservative coalition consequences if it stops… John Sculley, Salford’s Museums Government. At the top end, and Heritage Services Manager… £1.2million (42%) has been axed “If you cut summer activities for “No family activities are affected, from Salford’s youth budget as a young people as night follows day we’ve been especially focused on “new integrated youth service” you will see an increase in crime” keeping our summer exhibition is launched; Salford’s culture says Professor John Pitts who family/child friendly” he says. department is expecting cuts of advises London local authorities between 26 and 28% over the on gang and knife crime. This, he Despite this ongoing summer next four years, and the Positive pronounced months before the work, the cuts have really begun to Action for Young People project summer riots. bite. CRIS: Unleashing Creativity, has been slashed by 50%. which does loads of community The community media and “There has been no funding made work based around film, made six creative groups that we spoke available to provide summer

P.18 Salford Media Scene people redundant at the end of last March. ARTS CARNAGE IN SALFORD “We had no new projects or Salford Council Arts Department: 26-28% cut over next 4 years contracts at the time” says CRIS Salford Community Leisure: £1.16milion cut over three years co-ordinator, Alison Surtees “We Salford Youth Service: £1.2million cut (42%) have got one now but at a much Salford Community Committees: £196,000 cut reduced price - a15% cut. We Salford Schools Music Service: £300,000 cut were lucky to access Transition Positive Action for Young People: £700,000 cut Funding from the Government Little Hulton Small Project Fund: £10,000 cut managed by Big Lottery, so we can Winton Small Projects Fund: £10,000 cut build out internal mechanisms and Salford Film Festival: £20,000 cut be ready for new contracts. It’s The Lowry: £150,000 cut supporting us to do Quality Marks, CRIS:Unleashing Creativity: 15% cut; 6 redundancies improve our education offer and Salford City Radio: £6000 cut train new development workers for Working Class Movement Library: £10,000 cut CRIS amongst other things.” Ordsall Community Arts: 40% cut, one job lost Embrace refugee and asylum Meanwhile, GEARS+, as yet, seeker programme: cut hasn’t been so lucky… National Play Day Celebration at “We haven’t experienced any Albert Park: cut direct percentage cuts as most Magic Garden performance/art of the services we deliver with activity: cut council funding are contracted Dirt and Dreams: reduced in scale or commissioned each year” says Proms in the Park: cut Trish Bartlett “However this year Community Media Centre at we have been subject to delay MediaCityUK: cut after delay… the overall impact of this is that, like a lot of third sector organisations, we are having to “Art in a community setting has got a huge, look at short time working in the hopes of avoiding redundancies.” indescribably powerful role to play”

Other arts and media organisations Gail Skelly, Ordsall Community Arts are trying to offset the cuts by pulling in income from wherever they can. While the big organisations like The Lowry and Salford Art Gallery and Museum can increase income by growing their commercial sides (car parking charges, exhibition loans etc), small community groups haven’t got this option.

So Bob Jeffery has got on his bike for the Ordsall Community Café, Gail Skelly has gone on a spon- sored dry run, and Salford Arts Theatre is passing around the footy cards. Basically they’re having to look to their own, hardly rich, communities for financial help. CRIS Production: Pack Up Your Troubles

Salford Media Scene P.19 Ordsall Festival photo by Mike Atherfold

“Maybe there is a Big Society thing in October, and The Willows have Last January, the Salford Star that’s going on, they’re cutting kindly given us the room for free. revealed that out of £161,000 costs here there and everywhere” `Salford Community Engagement’ decides Roni Ellis of Salford Arts “We’ve been quoted £5220 to get money for MediaCityUK, only Theatre. the flat area of the roof sorted, and £10,000 was set aside for Ordsall with the money we have in the and Langworthy community After years of uncertainty Roni, bank and from the football cards I groups to fight over. The rest who works with upwards of fifty reckon we need to raise £3000 by was being given to five other local kids doing drama, has just September. We probably won’t get organisations, only one of which got a ten year lease on the theatre there. But we can try.” was based in Salford. Following from Salford Council “on the the exposure, the funding was put premise that the Council doesn’t While everyone involved in on hold and is still to be allocated. help us in any way, shape or community media and culture is form”. They’ve leased it out to her scrambling around trying to keep The Star also estimated that out of with a roof that leaks waterfalls their work rolling, to keep staff in almost £1.5million Public Sector into the foyer when it’s raining… jobs and even to keep roofs over Partners Programme which was their heads, over at MediaCityUK supposed to further engage the “We said to parents and kids who it’s a completely different story. community in MediaCityUK, a we work with that if we don’t get this roof done this winter we Millions of pounds worth of public would be in a really vulnerable money is being sucked into the position” she explains “So some of new `City’, and a lot of that money the parents started it off. Mike and has the word `Salford community’ Cheryl from The Weaste pub gave attached to it. Yet local community us some football cards and £80 organisations, working with local they collected from the cards in people every day, don’t seem to be the pub. Then they came up with getting a sniff of the funding. the idea of doing a boxing night

photo by Jemma Cooper

P.20 Salford Media Scene staggering £1.3million never went artists. Instead students from the community made movies. As we near the community, with the University of Salford and from art go to press the Festival is in danger money going on `research’, `con- institutions from Italy and Romania of not happening at all this year. sultancy’, `overheads’ and `virtual’ were invited to enter. and `core’ programme teams. This You can argue ‘til the cash cows year, Salford Council has spent “We’ve always prided ourselves come home whether MediaCityUK £520,000 on three events for the on collaborating with the itself will benefit Salford’s Manchester International Festival communities we work in” says community with jobs. But what and to “celebrate the BBC’s arrival Scott Neal of LPC Living “so is clear is that it certainly isn’t in Salford and the opportunities when it came to developing the providing work or contracts for they and MediaCityUK will bring open space at Radclyffe Park Salford’s grass roots community media, youth and art companies. Out of £161,000 `Salford Community The gulf between the huge Engagement’ money for MediaCityUK, amounts of public money being spent at MediaCityUK and the cuts only £10,000 was set aside for Ordsall and affecting local groups is staggering. Langworthy community groups to fight over… When the sums for just a couple of MediaCityUK projects are put to Gail Skelly it’s enough to make her to the city”. No Salford community we naturally turned to the local almost reach for the bottle again… media groups were involved in the University for their assistance.” staging of these events. “Where’s that money gone?” she Salford Council has also set aside asks “What’s going through my Meanwhile, £68,000 is to be spent £2million a year for the next five mind is `What could we do with on a `Quays signature project’ years as a Media Enterprise Zone that money?’…I would have an or installation. SCMP bid for the fund, in part, to support creative Ordsall Community Arts post in funding on behalf of local artists industries at Media City – although every area of Salford. I’d have a and community groups but didn’t there’s no actual financial help if cultural worker working alongside get it, with the winner still to be local media companies want to get organisations like the Broughton announced. in there. And Salford’s proposed Trust and the Seedley and Make Media centre for community Langworthy Trust…” As part of LPC’s new £50million groups was axed by the North retail and housing development West Development Agency in its But Roni at Salford Arts Theatre is in Ordsall, 100 yards from Salford first round of cuts. not about to jump off her roof… Quays, £15,000 has been set aside for a new public artwork. Salford Council also withdrew its “To be honest” she says “I don’t The competition to design it was £20,000 funding for the Salford let if affect me – because if I did never open to Salford’s community Film Festival which showcases our I’d probably go stark raving mad! You’ve just got to try and pursue what you want to do.

“However, without the work that people like Gail and ourselves do, there would be more anti-social behaviour, crime figures would probably go up and aspirations go down…”

Salford Arts Theatre’s Fundraising Boxing Night is at The Willows, Weaste Lane October 20th. Tickets available from: www.salfordartstheatre.com

Salford Media Scene P.21 IN MEMORY OF SALFORDS GRAFFITI

PALACE words by SK

P.22 Salford Media Scene own by the Manchester Ship Canal, costing £1,102,915 which will see a almost across the road from Ordsall walkway between Manchester City Centre DHall, Salford had another unique and MediaCityUK, and eventually intends hidden gem – a Graffiti Palace, where artists to replace the Palace with “bespoke’ from all over Greater Manchester came green, graffiti-proof screens” which would to display their creativity in a huge, ever “embrace a panel design with vibrant changing outdoor public gallery. colours complementing the Irwell River Park branding”. Salford Council described the Palace as “one of the longest unbroken stretches of graffiti in Currently, the former Graffiti Palace, first the city” but declared it a “growing problem” featured in issue 1 of Salford Media Scene, and “a significant negative impact on future is reduced to a secret warehouse and just investment potential”. two walls that make up the sides of a private factory on the site where the owner is happy It has now spent £15,000 removing the art, to allow artists freedom of expression. as part of `Ordsall River Park’ improvements

SALFORD GRAFFITI PALACE R.I.P.

Salford Media Scene P.23 Jo Carlon goes under the simple title of Salford Artist. Never has that name been more apt as she maps her physical, emotional and aesthetic ties to the River Irwell and beyond.

Gareth Lyons charts where Jo is coming from…

” don’t know where it’s going to take me...nobody is doing anything like this” muses Salford Artist Jo Carlon on her personal artistic journey incorporating maps and memories.

“Life is a circus…life is busy, we’re constantly bombarded with images which I’m trying to bring into my current work” she explains, to show how small we are in the grand scheme of things. Just small dabs of paint on the canvas of life.

Lounging on a chaise longe in her studio at Salford’s Islington Mill, life seems to be okay for Jo, who is successfully juggling a full- time job as well as her art career which has seen her work in television, theatre and as a privately commissioned artist.

P.24 Salford Media Scene Photos by Gareth Lyons

Salford Media Scene P.25 Born and raised in Salford, Jo spent her They are snapshots of the world Jo lives in childhood in Higher and Lower Broughton and and as a consequence our world as well. has also lived in Eccles, Irlams O’ Th’ Height and Kersal. It’s no surprise that Jo’s Facebook Using maps of places personal to her as a pseudonym is Salford Artist as there aren’t base, Jo draws in the roads and rivers to create many places within the city she hasn’t called a web on canvas or, as she explains, the home. Her experiences of living within the “human trials of existence”. She then fills in bustle of Salford have allowed her to use these this web with her thoughts, life experiences, experiences to become the artist she is today. current events and memories.

There has to be progression i n my work....

With a degree in visual arts from the University Each piece, a mix of traditional and of Salford, Jo is a multidimensional artist, conceptual art, inspired mainly by Picasso and illustrated in a burgeoning portfolio J.W. Turner, is unique and takes approximately which includes portraits, figurative six months to create. Once Jo has created the work, landscapes, set design, web she herself doesn’t know the direction the fashion, design and poetry. work will take, mimicking the meanderings While she is in demand as of the River Irwell which has been the a commercial artist, the centrepiece for many of these images. One images she is currently thing is for certain; each piece is poignant and, creating away from like the maps from which Jo draws, captures a that career are, moment in her lifetime. for her, deeply personal and Jo uses a variety of mediums to create these introspective. works - from paint, flyers and magazine pictures, to reviews from her own work. Each section of the collage is drawn together within the web by aboriginal art- inspired dots, which represent the “light, repetition and energy” of human existence. In what is a break from many of her commission pieces, Jo finds solace in this personal work as she believes that there “has to be progression in my work…I can’t become the artist I want to be until I have painted a lot longer.”

Jo’s belief in progression and challenging herself as an artist in her map work has resulted in praise and recognition from the public, her peers and from unexpected places. At the Ordsall Community Arts Exhibition she was told by the organiser that her work was many people’s `star of the show’. Jo seems even more proud when she speaks of how some schools in the city have integrated her map work into parts of their curriculum.

It is therefore no surprise that Jo is currently working on some more of these images, and although not finished she enthuses over her representation of Irlam’s O’ Th’ Height, and There has to be progression i n my work.... the religious iconography she’s using to show than ten how her Catholic upbringing influenced her years. She early life. explains that Salford has always had an excellent and Without prior knowledge of how Jo’s map diverse range of artistic talent in the images combined together, the full meaning city. But now that the BBC is coming, of her work may be missed by the viewer… suddenly art and media is taking centre stage. She echoes the thoughts “That’s the thing about being an artist, people of many when she says “maybe the want an explanation” she says “When you’re council needs to start looking on its own trying to get the image out and envisage it doorstep instead of bringing in southern in your mind you’re not worried about an artists to do our stuff. .. explanation, you’re just trying to get what’s in your head out!”

I can’t become the artist I want to be until I have pai nted a lot longer.

This is what makes the work so poignant and ...they want to have a look on their own interesting. Jo has opened herself up and doorstep, they may be pleasantly surprised.” trusted us, the audience, to her innermost thoughts and memories. Jo hopes that her current batch of work will be ready around Christmas time, so she can Away from her art, Jo has also got plenty to exhibit them for her ever-growing band of say about Salford’s creative scene, as one followers. who has been involved within it for more See more of Jo’s work at www.jocarlonart.com or search Salford Artist on Facebook

Salford Media Scene P.27 THE Secret Corridor

Photos by Jamie Stephenson

P.28 Salford Media Scene Salford boasts one of the most famous bars you’ve never heard of. Pete Liggins investigates...

tiny blue neon lit sign, half way too many people where his new venue down an uninviting alleyway, is the actually was. A lot of customers even wake Aonly invitation you’ll get to Salford’s up the next morning, not quite sure where most secret venue. they’ve been. Corridor opened in 2008 with no hype, no fanfare and certainly no publicity. People “You’re in the taxi talking, not paying liked finding out about it through ‘word of attention to where you’re going” he mouth’ and the feeling of exclusivity that explains “Then suddenly you’re here, gave them. Soon the Guardian, Financial you get out and have a good time – hail Times and FHM were handing out five star a taxi home. The next day you’re not reviews and last year it won the Northern exactly sure where we are. They certainly Hospitality Award’s Best Bar prize. wouldn’t be putting their mortgage on it.”

Founder Ian Morgan was working in the It’s not an exclusive bar, if you can find hospitality industry when he wanted a it you can go in, but its mainly cocktail change of scene and decided to move up menu will only ever appeal to a minority from Bristol. of drinkers. Because of this and some tight lipped regulars, Ian says the bar is able to “it’s not an exclusive bar, if you keep under the mainstream radar. can find it , you can go in.” “In some ways we’re quite lucky, you speak to a lot of people and they’re very “It was just when Deansgate Locks had wary of who they tell...I don’t know first opened” he recalls “a friend running whether that’s a bit selfish or not?” says Ian a bar invited me up, so I packed a couple “If we advertised we could probably pack of bags and paid a deposit on a flat I had it out more, but that’s a dangerous road to never even seen in Salford.” go down. You get that crowd in and it’s great for six months, but one day you look It proved to be a good choice, with around and all the regulars have gone. It’s the North West offering a stream of easy to get greedy and watch it disappear opportunities for someone with a skill for very quickly”. mixing cocktails. While working at the Sugar Lounge and at just 25 years old, Ian Although it’s whispered quietly, Salford not was named the UK’s Bartender of the Year. Manchester is home to one of the country’s best new bars. That success brought with it the opportunity to go it alone, co-founding Socio Rehab in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Four years on and Ian was ready to open his ideal bar, a passion project created without compromise. It brought him to an old textile factory, half way down an unlikely looking alleyway in the back streets of Salford. Of course, Find Corridor at 6-8 Barlow Croft, M3 5DY being Ian, he wasn’t planning on telling www.corridorbar.co.uk

Salford Media Scene P.29 CORONATION Andy Whyment has become a household face playing Kirk STreets KIRK Sutherland in I don’t have the heart to tell him Stuff.' For the next few years after Coronation Street. the Los Angeles thing is from his that it was just like one episode in official website. Just as well that different things.” But his yearning to be he’s not from L.A. Andy has starred an actor started really in two of the most iconic and well- These included Cracker, Russ young – in Salford, loved northern television shows, Abbot, Where The Heart Is, The and definitely not The Royle Family and Coronation Cops and a series Harry Enfield did in LA, as John Edge Street. for Sky. discovers… “I’ve been acting since I was eight” “Then I did The Royle Family start- Andy tells me “It was a hobby ing in 1999” Andy recalls “And in t’s ten o’clock in the morning when I was at school and my sister 2000 I started in Coronation Street, and actor Andrew Whyment has used to go to a dancing school. and I’ve been there ever since.” Ijust finished filming at Granada The teacher there gave us the and isn’t best pleased when I tell number of an agency and I joined In The Royle Family, Andy played him I’ve read that he was born in them. Darren Sinclair-Jones, Anthony Los Angeles. Royle’s best friend. A hapless, ”I got my first speaking part when slow, inarticulate, but jolly petty “That’s a load of rubbish!” he re- I was eleven, in a six part series criminal who once got caught torts “I was born in Hope Hospital. called Once Upon A Time In The stealing a fridge. In Coronation I’m Salford born and bred. I grew North” he adds ”I played the son Street Andy portrays Kirk Suther- up in Clifton and went to Ambrose of the lead character, acted by land, brother of Maria, good as Barlow School.” Bernard Hill, who was also Yosser gold, but thick as mud. I can’t Hughes in Boys From The Black resist asking if Andy thinks there

P.30 Salford Media Scene are any similarities between Kirk and himself…

“Not really” he decides “but I think Kirk has got a heart of gold and I’d like to think I’ve got a heart of gold too. I’m definitely not as thick as Kirk, but he’s certainly a love- able character, and I enjoy playing him.”

Andy appeared as Kirk doing an X Factor audition which can still be seen on itv.com On the show he expertly works the crowd to his rendition of Kings Of Leon’s hit Sex On Fire.

“It was part of Corrie’s fiftieth an- niversary” he explains “They asked if I would do it, so I said `Yeah’. I thought it would be a good craic to sing in front of the X Factor judges. It was a bit weird though, and I felt a bit of a fraud because I’m there “If it’s something you want to do, playing a character, and the rest of Andy’s advice for follow your heart” he urges “Get them are there as themselves, trying reaching the goal of yourself an agent and work hard – to make a career out of singing. I KIRK professional acting… and I also have to thank my mum enjoyed it though, and got three and dad for running me to audi- `Yeses’ from the judges which was “If it’s something you tions up and down the country.” nice.” want to do, follow your heart” he urges “Get yourself an agent For anyone starting out, hopefully, those auditions will be held now and work hard” in Salford’s Media City, where the BBC and ITV’s Coronation Street Andy mainly just sings for charity are now moving. events, and plays football for good causes too. “It’s been where it is now for fifty years and I think moving to Media “I’m a massive Man United fan City is moving with the times” he and I go to nearly every single decides “I think it’s going to be game but I also play a bit for the a great set up down there, and I All-Stars, which is a team with expect it’s going to be the place people from Corrie, Emmerdale to be. Everyone seems to be really Photo by Albert Spiby and Hollyoaks” he says “I play excited about it.” quite a few charity matches, but I Andy sings as himself too and came don’t play as much as I used to as Everyone’s also getting excited a very creditable second in Soap- I’ve got two kids now.” about Andy’s upcoming Corrie star Superstar, just beaten by musi- storylines which, we understand, cal wonder-kid Richard Fleeshman Perhaps they should follow Andy’s feature gangland kidnaps, prison who played Corrie’s teen goth advice for reaching the goal of and drugs. Very L.A. Craig Harris. professional acting…

Salford Media Scene P.31 Salford and Manchester have just endured their worst riots in living memory, which have coincided with the 192nd anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre. For those interested in the reasons for such civil unrest, look no further than The Working Class Movement Library. from riots

Words By to K.Mac Photos by roses K.Mac and Gareth Lyons

he name ‘library’ belies is a perfect place to display the A perfect day for those with a the other functions various historic plates and jugs sense of history would be to and services this gem commemorating cooperatives and spend a delightful afternoon with provides. It provides an class struggles. Also on display, the scores of enchanting books. Tunparalleled rich insight into the are a collection of “stunt doubles”, Then amble down the historic narratives of ordinary people, life-sized reproductions of various Crescent to the pub that bears detailing their daily struggles and items, handcrafted by artists based its name and sample some fine routines. Also included in the at the nearby creative hub that is ales whilst discussing all that has extensive collection, are items Islington Mill. been gleaned during the afternoon less of a political persuasion but spent browsing, and no doubt more cultural, and include folk Recent exhibitions offered have lament at how perhaps not enough songs, Industrial Ballads and Sea been a timely reminder, given this has changed for those on lower Shanties, dramas and plays, all of which give great insight into the interests of typical working class people.

A further positive aspect to this library, is the dynamic nature of it. Fresh and inspiring events include ‘object of the month’ whereby a particular item from the Library’s collection is showcased, as well as the various talks and frequent exhibitions on offer, both photographic and literary which change periodically.

The latest and very recent addition period of austerity when the arts incomes. For those with some to the Library is the new ceramic are having their funding axed, time on your hands, why not display which is currently housed of the importance of arts to our discuss the disenfranchised, in the in what was once the photocopier culture . As James Oppenheim so very same place where those two room of the previous tenant, Hazel eloquently wrote, “Hearts starve as greats, Marx and Engels waxed Blears! A tad too damp in places well as bodies, …..we want bread lyrical and exchanged ideas on to house the valuable books, this but roses too.” those exact same concerns.

P.32 Salford Media Scene That life has improved drawn out between yesteryear’s The WCML not only records the significantly, albeit not sufficiently, poor and today’s. Sure we all have history of class struggle but it is as a direct consequence of the trappings, the televisions, the documents the process that we the efforts of all those whose PlayStations and so forth, but life are all still a part of in fighting lives and ideals and politics are expectancy for those on poorer inequality. Sadly workers struggles encapsulated in this very library. incomes is still way below that of and inequality are not a distant For those of you who get irate by higher earners. chapter in our history but are a the amount of inequality depicted, part, and a significant part at that, this is the place to go to. As always, it is those at the bottom of our very shameful present. that are forced to endure the worse Dipping into the library will Whilst it might serve as a sad cuts and are affected most by the hopefully give some impetus reminder that in many ways, economic changes taking shape. to visitors to actively strive to little has changed to improve Certainly equality amongst the improve equality for all. the lot of the masses, certainly in classes has a long way to travel comparable terms to those much before being truly realized. For further details about the richer, it is still nonetheless a very WCML and future events see: inspiring experience to touch www.wcml.org.uk and smell the artefacts representing class struggle WCML 51 The Crescent through the ages. It’s as if Salford M5 4WX the energy of those heartfelt 0161 736 3601 pioneers of equality are in the room with you, shoulder to shoulder, urging you to take up arms (metaphysically speaking, of course) and continue the fight towards equality and respect for all.

Whilst it appears obvious that the lives of the lower classes have improved dramatically since the likes of Engels roamed the local area, it is still the shameful case that relatively speaking, they are still a poor lot. For those who may dismiss our history or see it as having little cultural significance to today, open your eyes and see the parallels so neatly HORRIBLE

COMES TO

Mike Atherfold dons a plague mask and steps back in time to meet with the Living Tudors....

n the shadow of St Ignatious “We are a merry band of courtly Greenhalgh), a falconry and Church I meet up with Amber Elizabethan time travellers, lost weapons expert. ISanchez, the founder member on our way to a banquet” Amber “Primarily we are here to entertain of the Living Tudors, who along tells me, sat at a table set out with and educate and leave all the with two others is all ready in full a veritable feast of cakes fit for gruesome details in” Amber laughs regalia. She thrusts a plague mask Elizabeth 1st herself. “For example, the terrible things in my direction and asks if I’d like Henry VIII did to his wives and all to join in with the merriment… “We make schoolchildren laugh, the things you wanted to know but and share stories about life in were too embarrassed to ask. Tudor times” she explains “And we encourage children to compare “We also do various craft-based and contrast then and now.” sessions, like weaving, nosegay making, quill writing, spinning and The characters they play, however, a mystery object handling session” were real people in those times. she adds “We teach archery too. There’s Mistress Middleton (Denise We love toys and games, and Roberts) a herb and history each of us has lots of experience expert; Dickon the Jester (Ross working with children and in McCormack) an actor and writer; heritage education.” Lady Margaret (Amber Sanchez), an ex teacher, artist and general Another passion is dancing The show off, and Torkington (Walter Rat Dance, which they perform for

Photos by Mike Atherfold HORRIBLE HISTORI ES SALFORD

me later. Strange stuff. Amber tells But it’s their love of role play me that she loves dressing up and which shines through… enjoys early modern history, so “My character, Lady Margaret, was this is the perfect project for her. a favourite of Queen Elizabeth The Living Tudors get their cos- Ist and is supposed to haunt tumes from ebay, flea markets and Ordsall” says Amber “They say she enlist neighbours and relatives to died of a broken heart when her create… twin brother, Alexander, died in Ireland.” “My mum, Yasmin, is a wonderful seamstress and Tudor fanatic” She adds that jesters, far from Amber states “She makes fantastic being poor, often became quite hats, jewels and props. All in all rich when favoured by kings. One we have a great team behind us.” was known to be able to do ‘a leap, a whistle and a fart’ all at But this isn’t just about dressing once. up and having fun. The Tudors are available for school bookings in “I haven’t perfected this yet” she Greater Manchester, and normally says with a mischievous grin “But visit for a day, tailoring activities Ross has!” to the teachers needs. They also do festivals and parties, as well as On that note I decide to bid Lady presenting talks on history. They Margaret good day and wish her even perform shows, including every success with this venture. one called Punchenella and Joan, She plays me a parting tune on her an early form of Punch and Judy. flute and curtsees.

Salford Media Scene P.35 A pink grapefruit has given inspiration for a new film production Pink Grapefruit company that has Film Productions are: sprung from the Mike Atherfold seeds of despair. & Terry Scragg Melanie McPhail gets the juice… FRUITFUL BEGINNINGS

oth are smart and well Terry was born in Salford, and starting with SCMP. If it wasn’t for dressed. Mike has a natural has lived here for most of his life, that I’d be sat in my flat or walking Bhumour, and Terry is clearly apart from a short period spent in the streets, a suicide case, really.” an intelligent communicator. Edinburgh. In the Eighties he set Together they make a quirky, yet up a design company and worked Mike’s first job was in a down to earth pair. From first around the world, however this darkroom, and photography had impressions Mike and Terry are high flying career was not to last, been his childhood passion, which not the sort of people you would as his life spiralled out of control. led to completing a degree in associate with depression, nervous photography-based media. breakdowns or homelessness. But “I lost myself about ten years ago, they both have these experiences was homeless, and when I came “I’d never thought of getting into in common. Now a pink grapefruit back down from Edinburgh four film work whatsoever” he says has allowed them to live a new years ago I was homeless again” “I’m similar to Terry in the way creative dream. Terry explains “but one of the that I went through a lot of bad events which changed my life was years and found myself again

P.36 Salford Media Scene Photos by John Elliott

Check out their ripening creative business project at www.pinkgrapefruit- filmproductions.com

through SCMP. I’m just getting my “I’m so proud of being from Salford, and confidence back again as I had a total breakdown. We both have there are so many creative people at SCMP the same ethos and are the same type of people.” who have a passion.” Terry

After doing creative courses with SCMP and film making with CRIS: Unleashing Creativity, the crucial moment came whilst the pair, who were getting on really well, were filming a stage production of Romeo and Juliet in TrenthamGardens in Stoke...

“There were 600 people sat there and nothing on stage” Terry recalls “But as soon as you set a camera up everyone looks at the cameraman and I thought, why don’t people know about us? So we talked about forming our own film company.”

Mike had brought pink grapefruit “The people involved with Pink creative groups, as there is so for lunch and Terry had Grapefruit are making it work for much talent in Salford and coincidentally just bought a load me, I feel safe” says Terry “I’m so Manchester so we’ll definitely be of them too, so for this charmingly proud of being from Salford, and working with them, in the future.” eccentric pair, that sealed the fate there are so many creative people of the company name. at SCMP who have a passion.” Terry and Mike are a passionate duo who are now bursting with “On the drive back we got the Mike excitedly talks about what zest about new projects. Only time name sorted out, started the can be expected of Pink Grapefruit will tell what the fruits of their website, and got t-shirts printed” Film Productions.com in the labour will bring. says Terry. Pink Grapefruit Film future. “We hope to work with Productions.com was born. theatre companies, and other

Salford Media Scene P.37 WHERE HAVE CINEMAS Photos by Paul Watson ALL our Salford, with its population of 226,565 people has only one cinema – the Vue, stuck out on the Quays in The Lowry Outlet Mall.

he Rialto in Higher knees. Not a day goes by in Broughton is now a the city without a film being TMcDonalds. The Carlton made – yet there’s nowhere on Cross Lane is demolished. to show them. Are people The Salford Cinema on Chapel bothered? Street is now a mission. And the listed Ambassador cinema Graham Williamson went out in Claremont was demolished to Salford Precinct to find out in 2005 after a huge battle to how people see films – do save it. Salford is a graveyard they trek out to the Trafford of picture houses. Centre, go into Manchester or stay home with snide DVDs Even the free community from the market? Salford Film Festival is on its

Do you go to the cinema at all? Mrs Tither: No, I used to go. Which cinema did you used to go? Mrs Tither: I used to go to the Princess in Monton, it’s shut down, it’s flats now. We used to have one in the centre of Eccles as well called Broadway. Mrs Walker: There’s a place in Eccles that used to be a bingo hall, it’s been closed a long time and I think it’s listed but it would make an ideal cinema. It’s a fabulous place. So if they opened that place up now do you think it would serve the city well? Mrs Walker: Oooh yes. There’s nothing, nothing for young ones. Mrs Tither & Mrs Walker

“I remember the heyday of the suburban cinema and we had eight cinemas within walking distance. In fact, the movies was my baby sitter. If me mam was going to town she’d just bung us in the Rialto and pick us up on the way home.”

John Cooper Clarke - as told to Peter Hook on Radio 4’s Chain Reaction

P.38 Salford Media Scene CINEMAS GONE Do you go to the pictures at all? Do you go to the pictures? at all? Nah, do I ‘eck. I do but I’ve not been for ages. I usu- Did you know that the only cinema left ally go to Town or the Trafford Centre. in Salford is at The Lowry? I used to go with my son who’s a Well I have been there with the kids. film buff but I’ve not been for ages. I Would you go to the cinema more if would definitely go more if there was there was one more central to Salford? one around here because I’ve got a Shileen Norris Probably yeah! Shirley Swan little girl and she’s two and a half.

When did you last go to the cinema? Joanne: Oh my God! About two years ago. Any reason why so long? It’s hard work because you have to go to the Lowry Centre or go to town. When you went to the Lowry Centre did you find it hard to get there? Not really it’s just that the car park price goes up after an hour to about a fiver or summat. If there was a cinema in Central Salford would you take Abbi? Joanne & Abbi Froggatt Yeah.

Do you go to the cinema at all? Not often. Do you think it is a problem there being a lack of cinemas in Salford? Yes I do because I live in Swinton and a lot of my friends have got kids and there isn’t anywhere really local for them to go. You have to go to The Lowry or somewhere. Do you think The Lowry is a bit of a mission to get to? Yes and the buses aren’t cheap anymore. I mean when I was younger there used to be loads of little cinemas. I used to live in Monton and there was a little picture house there but now there’s nothing like that for anybody. It’s a shame because no- one seems to be putting money into anything anymore. I find it frustrating sometimes. Joanne Bolton They forget about all the little communities and focus on the money.

The Rialto, Higher Broughton Photo by Mikey Kay

Salford Media Scene P.39 ESCAPE FROM THE CRYPT Happystorm Theatre do plays in strange places with strange subjects. Mike Atherfold went underground to explore where they’re coming from…

Photo by Mike Atherfold

aving dodged a rat I de- hair “And we became overnight pression and the fight to hold on to scended deep beneath the experts at how to pass the fire everything you believe in’. It takes Hbowels of the city into the regulations.” place in a cell to give added para- dank, dark crypt of St Philip with noia and got great reviews when it St Stephen church, which is still Happystorm are always up for a ran at the King’s Arms during the home to the remains of its patrons. challenge. The company, created Not Part Of Festival in July. It’s on by Susi and Matthew Ganley only a mini tour of the North West until The smell was overwhelming, the last year, states that it `strives to October and returns to Salford walls crumbling as Susi Wrenshaw make professional, high quality in September, showing at Smiths of Happystorm Theatre chuck- theatre which is innovative and Theatre Restaurant in Eccles. led “Our biggest challenge was evocative’. And Salford people are working in an underground space at the core of that. The Happystorm people don’t which was not designed for the liv- make theatre easy for themselves. ing, let alone as a theatre space!” “We moved to Salford and fell First a church crypt, and then a in love with the place and the cell - in a restaurant? As she spoke, fragments of the people” says Susi “We speak to ceiling started trickling down the community asking them what “Every obstacle is an opportunity my back like the sand in an egg is important, what excites them, for development and improve- timer. The strange setting was for what are people afraid to talk ment” says Susi, adding “Well, a production of The Crypt earlier about but really affected by? And this is what we keep telling our- this year, where twenty people at then we set about making a play selves…” a time wandered through tunnels and gather first-hand experiences on a journey of life which had the from members of the community. subject of addiction at its core, and We also encourage local writers to Happystorm Theatre had been inspired by workshops produce new plays as we also does community with the recovering community in want to be part of the growing workshops, local events Salford. sense of pride in Salford.” and acting tuition. For “We very quickly learnt about Happystorm’s latest production, further details and health and safety” said Susi, as she The Myth Of Escape, is a `dark contacts see brushed bits of the crypt from her comedy exploring isolation, op- www.happystormtheatre.co.uk

P.40 Salford Media Scene ALICE IN SALFORDLAND Salford Arts Theatre’s Young Performers’ Company are all set to go down the rabbit hole this autumn with a very Salford take on Alice…Paul Watson gets curiouser and curiouser…

o less than three young Jesus, Ghandi and Charlie Bub- For Alice, with its caterpillars, actors will be playing Alice bles, or Robert Powell, Sir Ben card people and grinning N in a new youth production Kingsley and Albert Finney. cats, this will certainly of Lewis Carroll’s famous story of The Young Performers’, co-ordi- be a fun challenge… white rabbits, the Mad Hatter and nated by Roni Ellis and Faye Harri- the Cheshire Cat. son, are encouraged in workshops to devise the plays and Alice is As Alice slurps the bottle with the the latest of many produc- `Drink Me’ label, three girls will tions, including Miss- play the Looking Glass heroine ing, a piece about a while she grows and shrinks. child that disappears.

Clarice is really looking forward to “To act in Missing becoming a third of Alice…“The I had to imagine play is funny and you can be silly” what it would be she says “There are talking animals like if one of my too, and people dressed up as friends disappeared, cards and in rabbit costumes hop- and how this would ping around the stage.” make me feel” says Lee, who adds that Roni encour- Alice In Wonderland is the latest ages the actors to draw on production to be staged by Salford any past experiences they Arts Theatre’s Young Performers’ may have had and to Company, in the tradition of the use them in acting Salford Players that gave the world out a role.

Alice In Wonderland Salford Arts Theatre, Kemsing Walk, off Liverpool St, M5 4BS 24th - 26th November Tickets:£5 Performance times: 7pm Thursday & Friday Matinee performance Saturday 2.30pm Further details:

www.salfordartstheatre.co.uk Watson Paul Photo by

Salford Media Scene P.41 n Salford City Radio’s tardis-like premises behind Swinton Civic I Centre, presenter Jill Bowyer is telling me about a new Salford- Twisted based radio drama that has been written and produced by the team at Twisted Ear productions. It is set in Salford and called Life Ear in Suttie Street…and Jill can’t help laughing when she mentions it as it references former radio station A new Salford City Radio drama features ice manager, Steve Suttie who was cream wars in the city. Graham Williamson reluctant to have his monicker went to investigate life in Suttie Street...... used when he was at the station. “It’s set at the top of a cul de sac where the main characters live Photo by Steve Baker and the main meeting point is the local garage run by the local heartthrob” she says, adding that the storylines are not only based on the local residents but plots include passing characters filling up their vehicles.

One of the episodes may strike a chord with the many Glaswegian exiles living in Salford. It’s called Ice Cream Wars and is about ice cream van owners arguing about nicking each other’s patch, harking back to the Scottish city’s notorious Ice cream wars in the 1980’s where the conflicts involved daily violence and intimidation. Let’s hope Suttie Street’s ice cream vendors can work out a more amicable conclusion. recording, editing as well as writers to use Twisted as a conduit With ten episodes already contributing her own work. for airing their talents out in the recorded, the show is due to public domain. Jill enthuses about be aired on Salford City Radio Current Salford City bosses Roland the individuals who have passed in September. Twisted Ear Gent and Chris Brophy have through the Company’s door and Productions has now been continued the station’s support by have gone on to success in their running for three years and was allowing local poets, actors and own field. the brainchild of the aforementioned Steve Suttie who Tune in on Tuesdays 5pm till 6pm. wanted to add drama to the radio. Contact Jill on Jill responded to advertisements [email protected] in the local press for contributors and soon became the chief co- Salford City Radio - 94.4 FM coordinator overseeing content, www.salfordcityradio.org

P.42 Salford Media Scene Funk flippers, the Original Headits, have had nearly one and a half million plays on their myspace site. Not bad for a band that takes its inspiration from the Starsky and Hutch theme tune. Graham Williamson gets on their case…

t was Salford artist Joe Coffey producer Trev explains “Yeah! in the bag, when can we expect who brought my attention Starsky and Hutch theme tune, to see an album? I to urban funk duo Original Hea- that was what got me into funk in dits. Joe told me they had over a the first place”. And Vocalist and “We’re just trying to get four million profile hits on their mys- guitarist Neil adds “Yeah that’s the tracks finished at the moment, pace page which is a phenomenal kind of vibe we are going for, a we’ve got too many tunes to be amount of interest by anyone’s funk feel”. honest” explains Neil “We’re not standard; Wembley stadium filled sure what to put on it, we want to more than ten times over. When One of the Headits’ strengths is make sure we get the best ones I actually checked the site, that the clever production that brings on there.” number was nearer the one and a parallels to The Dust Brothers, half million mark. who have worked on masterpieces “We’ll get the album such as Beastie Boys ‘Paul’s downloadable on iTunes” I meet up with the pair in Swin- Boutique’ and Beck’s ‘Odelay’, adds Trev “Then get into music ton boozer, The Bull’s Head, with clever use of sampled vocals, licensing for tv and film and stuff after months of trying to track DJ scratching, weird interludes and like that. We’ve been offered them down. The place is depress- stops in the middle of songs. dates in the States too in the past ingly empty and the monsoon-like but found it hard to get a band weather doesn’t help but the mood Trev tells me how his home studio together.” is buoyant as I sit down with the has evolved from a small six track lads to talk about music. analogue to 32 track digital, and With a sizeable established one Headits track, the bass heavy audience, all that’s needed is a One best describes the Headits’ Everything I Wanted To Believe In, good tour management team, sound as brilliantly looking to the highlights his studio jiggery pokery, a decent music video for the future by foraging through the past, sounding delightfully like a mix of album’s lead single and maybe namely 70’s funk, old school rap The Professionals theme tune with get the BBC at Media City to and a sprinkling of jazz, digging up Average White Band-style vocals. commission a Salford-based cop tunes you have likely heard from Other strong tracks include the drama to soundtrack, and the the old American cop dramas. anti-drugs themed High From The game is theirs. Brilliant stuff. Bassist and Winton based Pill so, with a ruck of tunes already

UNK IN THE F HEADPhoto by Steve Baker Listen to Original Headits at: www.myspace.com/ originalheadits

Photo by Steve Baker Salford Media Scene P.43 The aim of the club is to showcase local talent. Most of the kids don’t want to learn scripts, and most people who make short films don’t like writing them out, so we work with ‘a plan’, i.e. a story, but the words just come along at the time.

This is good news for people who just want to turn up, spend a few hours and get to see a result. We’re ONE not saying, ‘Come back next week’ DAY FILM CLUB or ‘We’ve got a shooting schedule of days and days’, and generally, Can anyone really make a film? Yes, according we can share the film as soon as to the One Day Film Club which makes short it’s edited. We put it up on Vimeo. films with local people. Here, Mike Scantlebury, com, which is an accessible site and people can download it if they founder of the Club, explains what it’s all about want to.

he One Day Film Club a script and some actors. I got Since most schools and colleges emerged after a SCMP film in touch with a local 6th Form spend weeks, maybe months Tnight at the Cornerstone College, we had a meeting, picked planning shoots, this is an in Langworthy two years ago, a day, and off we went. enjoyable alternative, and still at which they said that all you produces a product that you can needed to make a film was: a When people asked, ‘What are add to your portfolio and CV. script, a camera and equipment, a you trying to do?’ the answer It helps school kids, university location and actors. was, ‘Make a short film in a day’, students, out of work actors; so when we came to open a and ordinary people who want SCMP provided a camera and Facebook page, the name kind of to try making a film without a we used the Cornerstone as a suggested itself… The One Day massive investment of time and location, so all we needed was Film Club. effort.

We’ve been using Salford Lads Club as a location for nearly a year, and work closely with their kids and volunteers. However, the Club is independent and has been busy fund raising, but we only need money for travel and lunch now, since we’ve had funds to buy camera, film, memory cards etc.

Ideally, we’d like all ages to take part, and feel that the experience is a good way for young people Find the One Day Film Club on Facebook, to get to know and appreciate older people. So, anyone can take watch out for dates offered and reply if you part, and will be welcomed on the can make it.. day. Or e-mail: [email protected] by Mike Scantlebury

P.44 Salford Media Scene REVIEWS FILM LOVE, LOSS, TRUE GRIT AND GANGSTERS MAKE UP TWO FILMS SHOT IN SALFORD AND SHOWING NOW… Moving On A story of pain and loss as well as hope inability to come to terms with the who has experienced the pits death of his young son capsizing of loss. For those wanting to his once stable marriage. Grieving, know if Dave comes unstuck unravelling, and spiralling out and moves on, the film has been of control, he seeks help from a shortlisted for its public premier counsellor and eventually begins at Soho Film Festival, London the arduous journey of turning his - or check it out online www. hot in Buile Hill Park and life around. pinkgrapefruitfilmproductions.com at The Racecourse Hotel in and on Youtube Lower Kersal, Moving On Comedic relief is provided by S the character Bob, an old mate by K.Mac is a short film about death, grief and depression. Dave is a bloke of Dave’s, whose half-hearted MOVING ON who’s lost his world, along with commiserations, coupled with his his place in it. Emotionally pained, unashamed boasting of his many Written by: Yvonne Carsley his appearance is shoddy, his life successes, will leave viewers Directed by: Oliver Milatovic empty. laughing hard. Produced by: Terry Scragg (in association with CRIS) This is a man who has clearly lost Whilst the film opens with Starring: everything he once held dear, and utter emptiness and despairing Graham Williamson is now devoid of all hope, drinking loneliness, it veers towards the Terry Scragg potential of hope. It reminds us to cope with his insurmountable Oliver Milatovic pain. Dave is divorced, his to take chances in life and is a poignant guiding light to anyone DURATION: 15 minutes The Watcher Strange occurences on Paradise Heights t is Halloween night. The happening to the radio. A young Police have asked that kids family, a homeless man and a loan Idon’t trick or treat. Gangs of shark (O’Byrne reprising his role of masked hoodies roam the streets Frank Morgan) are all haunted by in the latest film of Joe O’Byrne’s the past. acclaimed series of movies and plays set in the fictional North This stylish, powerful and atmos- West estate of Paradise Heights. pheric film had its premiere at The THE WATCHER Lowry recently. Although part of Written & Directed by Ian Curley stars as East European a series, the film stands well on its Joe O’Byrne Marek, a taxi driver on a night shift own. he will never forget. It’s an unset- DURATION: 26 minutes by John Edge tling ride. Something strange is find the film at www.vimeo.com

Salford Media Scene P.45 REVIEWS MUSIC THE LATEST SALFORD MUSIC ON DISC AND DOWNLOAD, FROM ROCK TO RAP, TO GLAM TO LYRICAL SLAM…

OTHER PEOPLE LIKE ME is Vinnie Peculiar available on download with the Other People Like Me CD released on 5th September. The UK tour starts first week Sept ‘til last week November. Check it all out at www.vinnypecuilar.co.uk by my top tracks, Artrockers, Art Thief, Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Favourite Sunday chills are Judy Wood with its melodic cello and haunting piano, while Something and Nothing and Theme Fifteen chill on.

by Terry Scragg If filming the music video at Weaste Lane allotments on a reated by Salford a meal with, T Rex, Bowie, Ferry, Sunday morning is anything to go homeboy, Vinnie, a critical Costello, and Jarvis Cocker. If you by, Vinnie is a must see on stage. Cwry talent with punk ever wondered what it would taste The sounds from a fired up red poetics, glam rock and attitude, like, don’t. Vinnie has cooked it Audi Quattro screaming round the has done it again. With his own up. streets of Salford. What albums sounds influenced from the last would Vinnie Peculiar buy for forty years, Mr Peculiar has, with The My Generation rock and glam Christmas? If you have discerning the best British ingredients, made guitar track is for starters, followed tastes listen and find out...

Trojan Horse Trojan Horse alford four piece nouveau together in often surprising ways. themselves. A remarkable debut. prog band, Trojan Horse, Syd Barrett’s Pink Floyd psychedel- Musically accomplished, thought- Stook three and a half years ic flights turn into Sonic Youth post ful, bravely experimental and making their debut album and you punk and white denim-like driving clever. Not many bands do songs can tell. rock. Other times you might hear about Patricroft either. They must “We make Prog-Rock, it’s not Beach Boys harmonies, Gong-like be awesome live. about being pretentious, it’s about jazzy syncopation, or a little nod by John Edge letting everyone know how good to James Brown, all combined in you are” they say about their a mix somewhere between Yes The album is available for ethos. and The Avalanches. Despite download from trojanhorse. The album is an epic journey all the influences, they’ve come bandcamp.com through a range of genres, woven up with a sound that is unique to

P.46 Salford Media Scene REVIEWS MUSIC

t’s loud, it’s shouty but Class Actions are a breath of fresh air Class Actions Ias the country falls to pieces to Con-Dem Killers Mix-tape Vol. 1 a karaoke soundtrack of Pop Idol and the X Factor.

These are hardcore political tunes that fly from the left with raps, with soul, with Mike F’s ace electro vibes - with loads of angry language to match from the gob of Aslan AK. And no-one escapes. Not the Royal Family. Not the BNP. Not the “morally deranged” bankers. And def not the Con-Dem government… “We don’t want no Con-Dem nation, f***king it up, we’re the lost generation”.

They got a track glorifying Militant, starring the politicians who got stuffed by the system years ago… And they got contemporary smash- ing glass and news soundtracks of the recent student riots to the sweet background of the Interna- tionale.

Well, someone had to do it. Some- one had to put a proper political soundtrack to the economic and Find out more about Class Actions and download Con-Dem Killers political mess that is 2011. Thank free at www.classactionsuk.com God it’s coming from Salford… by SK Toby Jughead And His Band Of Merry Drones Media City Ditty his catchy, rock infused, sings... “Your lover’s in through danceable track is a rather the back door.” Tcynical song about the It’s certainly topical and worth famous flagship development a listen. Not sure who they are on the Quays... “Media City getting at but someone comes to you’re so sh***y” starts the song mind… which goes on to suggest bribery, by John Edge hypocrisy and nepotism. “Status can be got with your knickers Find it on Facebook and at www.reverbnation.com/tobyjughead down” the punkish, jazzy vocalist

Salford Media Scene P.47

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