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James Cole CABLE Bad Meds Elevator Bar Tom Watson #14 Little Ego Follow us on Twitter: @elevatorstudios Like us on Facebook: Elevator Studios Email us at: [email protected] Visit us at: www.elevatorstudios.com 1 most of the accidents that drivers have and walk away from. It was devastating for Dan’s family. Since the accident Indycar have introduced a new car for this year which JAMES COLE is safer, which makes me feel more comfortable towards getting into an Indycar this autumn. “As far as I’m concerned there isn’t a better feeling than Even though motor sport comes with the dangers, there must be a lot of excitement when you’re wheel to wheel with another car at 180mph; involved when racing…so what’s it like being able to legally drive at 180mph? it’s a high that couldn’t be replicated!” As far as I’m concerned there isn’t a better feeling than when you’re wheel to wheel with another car at 180mph; it’s a high that couldn’t be replicated! The awareness and Within the walls of Elevator Studios, indulging in his passion of music, James Cole isn’t concentration that is needed is ridiculous; it’s made me realise that speed is dangerous your average musician. Having grown up watching motor sport with initial enthusiasm and should only be done in a controlled environment. I would never drive fast on public from his Dad, James began his racing career at the age of 18 with instant success in roads because I‘ve had both experiences. The 180mph speeds and the being hit by a car. regional Formula Ford Championships. Born in Southport, Merseyside, James already I know if the driver had been doing more than 35mph I may not be answering this now. has an impressive motor racing portfolio, having been a regular winner in Formula Ford and Class Winner in Formula Three. A regular race winner in Formula Ford and class winner in Formula Three, was it a little disappointing missing the title of 2011 Formula Two Champion? During a short break from motor sport and before heading back to further pursue his Formula Two last year was very disappointing, coming from being a consistent race racing dream, we caught up with James for a chat about his achievements so far, his winner in any other championship; I found Formula Two a very confusing year. I still to plans for the future and what it’s like to legally drive at 180mph… this day don’t fully know the problems that we had in 2011. I’m happy to move on and take the positives that I had from the year and move to bigger and better things! What initially made you want to compete in the racing world? I grew up watching motor sport on TV because my dad was a massive f1 fan and I used What has been your greatest achievement in motor sport racing so far? to go with him when he visited the F1 and Jr formula’s such as f3 and formula ford as It has to be winning the Formula Ford Championship in 2009 (same championship a fan…I got hooked! It was only when I was 17 that I got the chance to actually drive a Jenson Button won in 1998) and also winning a place on the Mclaren Young Driver of race car. I was hit by a car outside my school in Crosby when I was 11 and was absent the Year 2009, which only 5 Drivers a year get. from school for a year with a big head injury, so my parents refused to allow me to drive anything…well, until i got old enough to ignore then! During taking a break from racing, what’s been keeping you busy? Since I’ve had some spare time I’ve been able to spend some time on my 1st passion Michael Schumacher, Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso…if you which is music. Our band ‘A Band Named King’ has spent much time in Elevator could race anyone in the racing world, who would it be? Studios using the rehearsal rooms to good effect. My racing hero is Damon Hill 1996 F1 world champ; it was him who I used to follow when I was younger. Interestingly Damon’s son Josh became my team mate in 2009 Last year commentators described you as “one of the best drives of the year”, a For- when I won the British Formula Ford Championship, so it was a very surreal feeling to mula One hopeful and you were one of only four drivers to finish all 16 races in the have my ‘hero’ in the team with me and commenting on my driving all year. 2011 F2 series. What are your plans for the future? My plan is to be in full time racing again from 2013. I’m in talks with teams in the US High speed races carry dangers and risks for all drivers, have you ever been in any regarding Indycar. There’s a lot of interest, so I’m looking forward to being able to an- crashes yourself? nounce confirmed future plans very soon! ‘Touch Wood’ I’ve never had any accidents where I felt in real danger. The closest I’ve had was in 2007 in Club Formula Ford. I was racing at Anglesey and had started the Formula 1 racing must seem so close, yet so far away. With sponsorship being a key race in 2nd place, it started to rain on the start line and the leader went off at the 3rd part, how easy or tough do you think it’s going to be? corner because it was slippery. When he went off the track he picked up a half brick in Formula 1 is without a doubt the pinnacle of motor sport. I have raced against some his left wheel and it spun and was sent right at my helmet, it hit me above the visor and great drivers that are now in F1 such as Sergio Perez and Jean Eric Vergne to name a knocked me out. I apparently did another lap (which i can’t remember) before I crashed few; two very good drivers who have a long F1 career ahead of them. I know with my at about 120mph into the wall. It’s all a blur to me though! ability I would be able to deliver given the same opportunity, but at the moment F1 is commercially very difficult to get into unless you have tens of millions of dollars/ The devastating death of 33yr old Dan Wheldon, who suffered head injuries in a pounds/euros on top of a perfect CV in Jr Formula’s. Maybe in the future an F1 oppor- crash involving 15 cars in a Las Vegas IndyCar race; although serious motor sport tunity might come up, but in the meantime I’m happy to focus on the US and develop a accidents like this are rare, did it affect you in any way? long racing career. It’s always horrible to witness those sorts of accidents. It makes you take a reality check and realise that racing is not safe and it never will be fully safe; we take for granted Follow James Cole on Twitter: @racerjimmy 2 BAD MEDS ‘In calling ourselves Bad Meds, we hope to invoke People Falling Over our audience to respect the bad medicine within Halloween Prank Gone Wrong us all.’ Icke, Grandstand Icke, Wogan The Liverpool music scene is continually thriving with new bands bringing Icke, Lizards their sounds to the cities music enthusiasts. Emerging onto the scene late into Fresh Prince, Carlton, Fourth Wall 2012, one particular band has barely been together a couple of months; but a In Bed with Chris Needham, couple of local gigs later, people are starting to talk about the hardcore punk Bass Day ‘98, trio Bad Meds. Famous British Poltergeist. Liverpool gig-goers may already be familiar with the faces that make up Bad Who are your musical influences? Meds, with the guitarist and vocalist Paul Rafferty from popular outfit Hot Flipper, Nirvana, NOFX, Bill Drummond and Aerosmith. Club De Paris, bassist Paul Thompson of Nowhere Fast and drummer David Kelly being a regular performer around town in local band Vasco Da Gama. With the three of you coming from different musical backgrounds, Bringing a mix of talent and sounds to the table, this 3 piece band are not being regular performers about town and part of a popular outfit, ones to introduce themselves quietly, knowing how to make cool, exagger- what brought you all together? ated and heavy tracks…the party has well and truly started! Like most bands that don’t form through the ad wall at Dawsons, we were brought together by friendship. Elevator caught up with the band to chat about their musical influences, Bad Medicine and the story so far… Coming onto stage, doing something new & unheard of - how was the reaction from the crowd at your first live gig in Liverpool? How did you come up with the band name & what was the influence/rea- They stood really still drinking cans of Red Stripe. son behind it? Bad Meds is short for ‘Bad Medicine’. Bad Medicine is a song by Bon Jovi. Whether it was a type of food or drink, some immoral act or inap- The song tells a story; Jon is in love and the love is unfulfilled. He likens propriate dancing, what would be the perfect accompaniment when this love to addiction in the way that a junkie is addicted to heroin.