Electric Nights
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In The Middle Issue 5 31.10.14 Electric Nights Music • Clubs • Fashion • Arts • Lifestyle and Culture • Society 2 Credits Editor-in-Chief Jasmine AnderssoN editor@thegryphon. co.uk In The Middle Associate Editor Jamie Taylor inthemiddle@ thegryphon.co.uk Music Andrew Kemp Daoud Al-Janabi Oliver WalkdeN Emily Watts Clubs Harriet Shepherd Maddie DavisoN FashioN Esther Eldridge Jessie Jones Claire McQue Tiffany Grous Emma Clark Arts Hannah Woodhead Melissa Baksh Rachel Groocock Beth Galey Lifestyle and Culture Benjamin Cook Jess Murray Katie Dawtry Society Carina Derhalli Maddy Keating Columnists Ellie Parkes JeN Pritchard Creatives BeN Sandin Frazer Sparham Sophia Kossoski Head of Photography Sam Broadley In The Middle Ad 3 3 Contents 4 Nick Mulvey has beeN nominated for the Mercury Prize. We spoke to him about the album in question, his musical interests and 13 a lot more. Most things to do with HalloweeN aren’t as terrifying as they might be. Our four top 5 frightening paintings definitely are. Sivu recently released his debut album. We caught up with him about the long 14-15 journey to its release and his aspirations for the future. We spoke to the very frantic and popular CanadiaN comedian Tony Law. His interview may have beeN fleeting but it’s 8-9 definitely worth a read We give our take on the ever-popular Flux in our feature length article, review 18 Just a Little and provide you with the best tracks this week in Clubs. There might be nothing scarier thaN Russell Brand’s apathy towards British politics. Read all about the ghoulish revolutionary’s 10-12 latest offering. You’ll be relieved to hear that street style is back on trend good and proper. Our fashioN shoot will point you in the right 20 direction. Indulge in the British antiquities of finger sandwiches, tea, and moist, moist mousse. In The Middle Contents Nick Mulvey [photo:Lsandora Tanner] Mercury nominated Nick Mulvey played Nick’s first guitar teacher, Frank Harrison Leeds’ own Brudenell Social Club last week let Nick explore his own creativity whilst as part of his current UK tour promoting his teaching him the basics in order to shape first studio album, First Mind. Illustrating and mould his playing. Other people who his diversity as a musician, 29-year-old have shaped Nick’s creative flare include Mulvey performed both solo and with his greats of the 60’s American song book; four piece band, captivating the audience Paul Simon and Bob Dylan, plus the Malian in both forms. What struck me about maestro Ali Farka Touré. He cannot forget Nick was the sheer ease he seems to feel Uncle Jeremy, “a big inspiration”. on stage, as if --excuse the cliché-- he was born to perform. His fingers stretch Contrary to most modern artists, Nick incomprehensible distances across the frets has a wide range of musical experience. He Gig of his guitar, making every guitarist in the studied world music at the School of Oriental room squirm. Stopping at the beginning of and African Studies (SOAS) and developed a song to correct the tuning of his guitar, his guitar skills in Cuba. “The more obscure Nick jokes with the audience: “if you’re the better,” is one of Nick’s mantras. gonna do it, you might as well do it right”. This perfectly illustrates Nick’s dedication His studies very much reflect through his Guide and search for perfection as an artist. music and style of guitar playing. “It meant Before the gig, I caught up with Nick to I started to play very rhythmically and very learn more about how he arrived where he repetitively,” he tells me. “If I get a little unit is today. of music, I do it, I do it and I keep doing it.” Saturday 1st November That Fucking Tank at Brudenell Social The same ease that Nick displays on Seeing his passion it isn’t hard to see why Club, £5 stage is echoed in his casual stroll over and Nick has been nominated for the Mercury Leeds duo, responsilble for Recon Festival genuine politeness. prize this year. But seeing his humbleness. and a mighty racket. it’s clear it isn’t all “We’re having a blast, about winning for Nick, Sunday 2nd November a really special time,” “I’m amazed the nomination itself The Antlers at Belgrave Music Hall, £13 the musician remarks speaking more than The saddest bunch of kids you could on his time touring with all the time, the prize. “It’s like the imagine. a band after months of outside world nudging solo live performance, “I and that really me and saying ‘you’re Necro Deathmort at Wharf Chambers, got to the point where doing ok’.” £3.30 I really wanted to excites me” Making appropriate sounds for a band with develop it into a band, From picking up death in their name three times. that’s how I made the record.” Calling his those drums to releasing his first solo album, fellow band mates “brothers”, Nick appears Nick’s journey has been an ever evolving Monday 3rd November to be more than grateful to be sharing his and exciting one. “Growing as a person you Superfood at Brudenell Social Club, £9 musical experience not only with his band, start to have your own voice and all those Feast on the sounds of the popular and but also with the audience who support him: things combine to become the middle point, young. “I snapped a string for the first time on stage which is you.” two nights ago and somehow it turned into Tuesday 4th November this really special moment. I was in a new So what’s next for Nick? “A lot of America UML Presents: Strange Parade, £2 place with this crescendo and the audience next year. There’s an appetite over there for UML DJs play literally anything. Some were there with me.” what I’m doing. And after the tour a holiday, make music too. did you want my calendar or my vision?” So how did this easygoing musician come The musician’s determination lies in his The Wailers at O2 Academy, £19.50 to be nominated for the Mercury prize this opportunism. “I’m amazed all the time, and Bob Marley’s old band keeping his spirit year? As a child, Nick “just wanted to make that really excites me.” [Stasi Roe] alive the only way they know how. a lot of noise and racket” and picked up the drums. This developed into the jazz piano as a teenager, “I thought I was a bit Wednesday 5th November sophisticated”, he laughs. Nick didn’t begin Space Dimension Controller at Wire, £8 playing the guitar until he was 15 and bored Back in West Yorkshire after playing on a family holiday. “I found the guitar very FUSE’s Vernal Equinox Party for more easy immediately,” Nick admits, “I liked the grooving. guitar because it was a combination of the drums and piano: the right hand was like the drums and the left hand was like the piano and the harmony”. In The Middle Music 5 Sivu r] [photo: Vita Hewison] Sivu is no ordinary singer-songwriter. He theme throughout the singles’ artwork as changed his name ‘James Page’ to work on well as the album. material under the name ‘Sivu’. His surname in Finnish, and now already has a selection Despite being in bands while growing up, of EPs and a newly released album to this Sivu never planned on being a musician. name. From shooting one of his videos “It was never really a conscious thing, it using a MRI scanner to collaborating with just happened” he admits. “My whole circle producers and photographers, Sivu’s work of friends was through bands and playing is proving unique and is capturing the full music so I don’t think I had much of a choice attention of those who discover it. really. I just went with it and luckily I found my feet.” Something On High, a collection of Sivu’s past releases and some newer tracks Although Sivu has not played many was released on Monday 13th October. He headline shows, he has secured support describes the album as a “progression”, slots with Rae Morris and Benjamin Francis allowing you to follow his journey as an Leftwich in the past, and is now embarking artist over the last two years. The album on a large UK tour with Nick Mulvey. Rather varies between personal subjects, such as than playing with his full band, Sivu has ‘Better Man Than He’ - a song written to help been playing these support shows solo, a friend suffering with depression, to areas which he describes as “daunting”, despite Thursday 6th November where he is more detached from himself. it being a rewarding experience: “It’s quite The Juan Maclean at Belgrave Music “Originally I didn’t want to write about me enjoyable, when you can win a crowd over in Hall, £12 at all and I wanted to take the focus away a support slot it’s always a bit more special, it LCD Soundsystem affiliates refuse to stop from me completely, but unintentionally as almost feels like you’ve achieved a lot more”. partying. I kept going through However he adds that the record and writing headline shows bring Shabazz Palaces at Brudenell Social it, it did become more “I didn’t want to their own rewards. Club, £7 about things that were “Nothing beats coming Proggy hip-hop. Never expected to type happening in my life”.