On Monday evening as the sun set and the lights from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) blared onto the street, sildenafil over a hundred protesters gathered to call for an end to government subsidies on biofuels.
Joining the demo were a range of musicians that kept up spirits and entertained with witty biofuel songs, as well as several speakers highlighting the issue.
John Stewart,Fight The Flights, spoke about the aviation industry plans to incorporate biofuels. Companies like BA complain about the increasing tax on fuel consumption using the inequality agenda as an argument. But when considering how agrofuels are largely made by exploiting poor countries while the rich benefit, their argument is quickly invalidated.
The police set up a pen as per usual, making sure the left hand side pavement wasn’t blocked which would obviously have a huge detrimental effect. Instead they crammed us all inside the narrow fences; health and safety you know, can’t have a protest stopping people from having to cross the road to the other pavement to get passed. Anyway we all managed to listen and rally in any little space we could find and as darkness fell continued to put pressure on the energy department in the 100-watt bulb luminous lit rooms above.
On Monday evening as the sun set and the lights from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) blared onto the street, order over a hundred protesters gathered to call for an end to government subsidies on biofuels.
Joining the demo were a range of musicians that kept up spirits and entertained with witty biofuel songs, as well as several speakers highlighting the issue.
John Stewart,Fight The Flights, spoke about the aviation industry plans to incorporate biofuels. Companies like BA complain about the increasing tax on fuel consumption using the inequality agenda as an argument. But when considering how agrofuels are largely made by exploiting poor countries while the rich benefit, their argument is quickly invalidated.
The police set up a pen as per usual, making sure the left hand side pavement wasn’t blocked which would obviously have a huge detrimental effect. Instead they crammed us all inside the narrow fences; health and safety you know, can’t have a protest stopping people from having to cross the road to the other pavement to get passed. Anyway we all managed to listen and rally in any little space we could find and as darkness fell continued to put pressure on the energy department in the 100-watt bulb luminous lit rooms above.
The sonically cinematic Danish outfit, symptomsEfterklang, release a live recording of their stunning 2007 release, Parades. I know what you’re thinking, apart from the obvious few, (MC5 – Kick Out The Jams, Mogwai – Government Commissions, Take That – Beautiful World Live, The Who – Live At Leeds) live albums are rubbish. They packages of inferior versions of songs a fan will already own, bought only by completists and maniacs. Who really needs Madonna – Confessions Tour Live, for example? They are usually self indulgent, gratuitous, mercenary money-grabbing affairs.
All illustrations are by Ana Benaroya
Performing Parades is none of these things. It is an inventive and truly beautiful re-telling of the stories told on 2007’s Parades. The presence of the Danish National Chamber Orchestra adds depth and a certain verisimilitude to the songs. Though comparisons to the band, Hood, still stand, the complexity of this album edges them toward Sigur Ros levels of grandeur.
Perhaps lumping together two northern European bands with a shared fondness for wide-screen sounds is lazy, but to my mind it is the easiest way to convey the sound. But here goes another way. It is vast, it is enormous, it is icy grey seas crashing against black rocks, music to lose your self in, to walk in wind and rain to.
Remember the first time you heard Svefn-g-englar? Remember how amazed you were that this music had existed without your previous knowledge? Remember how hurt you were that you were not the first to hear it? That is what you have in store if you haven’t heard this Efterklang. This is astoundingly, for a live album, a fantastic starting point, a great way to lever this band into your life. Your life will thank you for it.
The accompanying DVD is not so much an afterthought but an essential part of the package. Gifting you with a selection of music videos from the original Parades album including the charming animated Mirador, the wonderful Caravan and the slightly freaky Illuminant. The piece de resistance is the 55-minute Performing Parades concert film – see clip below. It is not only a live performance, but thanks to director Benjamin Hesselholdt, a recreation of the live experience.
In short, if you only buy one hypnotic northern-European post-rock album in your life, buy Ágætis Byrjun by Sigur Ros. If you buy two, buy this one as well.
Performing Parades is out on 19th October on The Leaf Label.
Efterklang will celebrate the release with a major concert at London’s Barbican in which the orchestral version of Parades will be staged with The Britten Sinfonia.
Written by Garreth Akerman on Wednesday October 14th, 2009 5:27 pm
All photography of Lily Vanilli goodies by Sally Mumby-Croft.
“So what do you do for Amelia?” a gentleman partygoer asks me. I tell him I’m one of her writers, buycialis 40mg and he nods: “I’m Amelia’s father. I’m making myself useful, pharmacy ” he laughs, tadalafil pointing to the camera around his neck. See, we all want to be part of Amelia’s world, and last Friday many of us were gathered under one roof. Illustrators, writers, bloggers and friends were all there to celebrate the launch of Amelia Gregory’s latest creation – Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration.
123 Bethnal Green Road was already buzzing when I arrived, slightly late due to some last-minute fretting over my hair. I’m usually the wash-n-go type, but after following the steadily building party buzz on Twitter all day I’d started to realise some effort was required as this party was going to be of the colourful kind. Just have a flick through the book and you will see it couldn’t be any other ways, really – ACOFI is a riot of colour, creativity and inspiration.
Naomi Law and myself. Photography by Matt Bramford.
Despite having worked with several of the illustrators present, not knowing who was who made introductions a little tricky. But some were pretty recognisable from their self-drawn portraits, such as Abby Wright, Zarina Liew and Naomi Law.
Michael of AnastasiaDuck and Ellen of the Real Runway.
Antonia Parker, Joana Faria and Abby Wright. Photography by Matt Bramford.
After catching up with fellow Amelia’s Magazine writers Matt Bramford and Sally Mumby-Croft, I finally got to meet Helen Martin, Amelia’s new music editor, who had come from Bristol with her boyfriend.
After running into crafts columnist Hannah Bullivant and her husband, our little group hit the dance floor – enjoying a fantastic mix of music ranging from Bruce Springsteen to Mariah Carey. I had to make do without my boyfriend though, who had to take his coughing home to an early night. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy 6 Day Riot, a new discovery for me, and some excellent dancey tunes from The Pipettes and Will from Mystery Jets.
An open bar served up Adnams beer and Vodka O – generously poured by bar boys and girls with some enviable dancing skills. The vodka was kicking the next morning, and I clearly remembered why I‘d sworn off the potato spirit years earlier. But all well worth it to see in this excellent book and meet the people who made it happen. Well done, Amelia – and thanks so much for having us.
She strutted on stage, more about knees rising high and her umbrella twiddling like a fairy’s shield.I wanted to take in the art work that was Gabby Young. For her outfit was an explosion of neck and hemline pomposity, her boots electric blue and stomping, and her right eye was surrounded by a blossoming flower type creation. Her signature vibrant red hair was piled high with blue and pink buns attached, whilst her face looked as beautiful as a doll’s.
With this visual feast I felt revived from the previous evening’s late night antics at the ACOFI launch party (where Gabby also was), preceded by late night chats with a dear old friend and his girlfriend on the floor of their North London flat. Charlie beside me eating toast, we had spiraled from lively and boisterous to as sleepy as moles. The day had been spent on the Heath, and cushioned with carbohydrates. For the love of Gabby and The Irrepressibles, we had trekked to the utter freezing, shiny, high rise blocked world of the Barbican. And, ah it was a theatrical and stunning evening.
Gabby Young & Other Animals played a mixture of old and new tracks, there were lively jives and ballerinas with cut out megaphones flouncing through the audience. Liberating, FUN and creatively inspiring. We are told that a new song is about someone on stage. It is slow, pretty and meaningful. “I wonder who that’s for” semi-whispered Chaz, “I really like this one”. Me too. It was obvious throughout that Gabby has been classically trained. Her notes range up and down like carefully controlled billy-o. It appears easy for her to produce these notes, and indeed her operatic background serves her folk/jazz genre delightfully. We’re All In This Together brought about suitably pleased expressions and murmurs from the crowd. Its often played slow notes shot up and down my spine, before her voice gently streamed out like a delicate flower opening. It felt like an anthem.
Moving on, The Irrespressibles are theatre and gothic glitz. Wearing an enormous and glittery hat from Philip Treacy, Jamie McDermott is basically DRAMA. As the singer, the composer and the spectacle, McDermott has a knack of being captivating to the point of eye locked awe. And he orchestrated the whole event superbly, his stage presence perfectly matching the flashing lights, and blasting instrumentals.
Illustration of cellist, Nicole Robson by Faye West
The rest of the band both compliment him, but also stand alone as individually beautiful creations. And I mean creations. Each of the nine musicians on stage seemed like a Tim Burton fantasy. Moving in unison and then malfunctioning, like bad robots, they move chaotically about like gothic Toy Story characters. Expressions remain serious and playing, precise and perfect. Each wears beautiful outfits, skimming over bodies with a wink of the eye. See this for a taster of what I mean. It’s INCREDIBLE:
Darkness/light/suspense/breathing/noise/explosion/catwalk – Ooo! Highlights included Nuclear Skies, Knife Song and In Your Eyes. But to be honest the whole set was a triumph. The crowd adored them and the atmosphere was hugely flamboyant and expressively fun. The soaring vocals and dramatic instrument use was just breathtaking. With the emotion of Anthony and The Johnsons, but the Brit extravaganza charm of David Bowie, Jamie McDermott is delicious. With the rest of the band, THE IRREPRESSIBLES are unstoppable.
Written by Helen Martin on Wednesday February 2nd, 2011 4:09 pm
All photographs and videos courtesy of Tate Shots except where otherwise stated.
Back in 2002 whilst still a skint student, cheapest I started what was then my idea of a dream job: ticket seller atTate ModernandTate Britain. I got to see great art and even meet the odd artist or two. I remember Gustav Metzgerinsisting he paid to seeBarnett Newman, and Tony Ourslersuccessfully blagging a freebie to the Turner Prize. Bridget Riley even gave us a personal tour of her exhibition. Fast forward five years and I’ve landed a job helping Tate Media launch a new video podcast:TateShots. These days I produce and commission the TateShots series, in which we interview artists about the business of making art, and talk to famous gallery-goers about their favourite art shows. The job has given me the opportunity to nervously meet heroes of mine likeJeff Koons,Laurence Weinerand Martin Creed, as well as artists I’m less familiar with but who become firm favourites.
We’ve made 150 episodes of TateShots so far, and it now comes out weekly. This week we launched a new strand calledSound & Vision. The series took the films’ director, Nicola Probert, and I, all over the country to interview musicians who make art. Billy Childish,Lydia Lunch, Mark E Smith, David Byrne,Jeffrey LewisandCosey Fanni Tutti all helped us with our enquiries about where art and music collide.
Jared Schiller with Jeff Koons
Billy’s interview was probably the most memorable. We filmed him in a cramped bedroom he uses as a studio in his mum’s house in Whitstable, surrounded by stacks of paintings. There was hardly enough room for him to paint, let alone for us to film. Billy’s musical and artistic reputations arguably couldn’t be more different. As a musician he is cited by bands likeThe White Stripes as an influence – his dedication to lo-fi recording and performance make him the very definition of authentic. On the other hand, as an outspoken critic of conceptual art, his standing in the art world is a little harder to pin down. Because of this big difference, Nicola had the idea to get Billy to interview himself. So Artist Billy asked Musician Billy questions (e.g. “Do I have an influence on you?” Answer: “No.”), and explains how he went through a ten year stretch of only painting to the music of John Lee Hooker (almost). The whole experience made me think that it’s only a matter of time before Billy Childish is unmasked as the ultimate conceptual artist…
Going forward I would love to make more videos about pop stars with a taste for art. Before we embarked on this series we had already spoken toAlex James from Blur about Ellsworth Kelly, and John Squire from the Stone Roses about Cy Twombly. Apparently Jay-Z is a massive Richard Princefan, so perhaps he should be next on my list.
Jared Schiller photograph courtesy of Simon Williams/O Production
What Jared likes:
Places: Moel-y-Gest, a hill near Porthmadog in North Wales
Food: Pizza. My dream is to build a pizza oven in my back garden. It will never happen but I keep hold of the dream..
Drink: AnIslay Whisky is the perfect late night tipple.
Books: Currently reading ‘Then We Came to an End’ by Joshua Ferris. I mainly have a weakness for any kind of exhibition catalogue or artist’s monograph.
Film: I’m looking forward to Chris Morris’s ‘Four Lions’.
Shop: Alter 109 is a really good men’s boutique in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
Back in 2002 whilst still a skint student, order I started what was then my idea of a dream job: ticket seller atTate ModernandTate Britain. I got to see great art and even meet the odd artist or two. I remember Gustav Metzger insisting he paid to see Barnett Newman, ed and Tony Oursler successfully blagging a freebie to the Turner Prize. Bridget Riley even gave us a personal tour of her exhibition. Fast forward five years and I’ve landed a job helping Tate Media launch a new video podcast: TateShots. These days I produce and commission the TateShots series, viagra sale in which we interview artists about the business of making art, and talk to famous gallery-goers about their favourite art shows. The job has given me the opportunity to nervously meet heroes of mine like Jeff Koons,Laurence Weiner and Martin Creed, as well as artists I’m less familiar with but who become firm favourites.
We’ve made 150 episodes of TateShots so far, and it now comes out weekly. This week we launched a new strand calledSound & Vision. The series took the films’ director, Nicola Probert, and I, all over the country to interview musicians who make art. Billy Childish, Lydia Lunch, Mark E Smith, David Byrne, Jeffrey Lewis and Cosey Fanni Tutti all helped us with our enquiries about where art and music collide.
Billy’s interview was probably the most memorable. We filmed him in a cramped bedroom he uses as a studio in his mum’s house in Whitstable, surrounded by stacks of paintings. There was hardly enough room for him to paint, let alone for us to film. Billy’s musical and artistic reputations arguably couldn’t be more different. As a musician he is cited by bands like The White Stripes as an influence – his dedication to lo-fi recording and performance make him the very definition of authentic. On the other hand, as an outspoken critic of conceptual art, his standing in the art world is a little harder to pin down. Because of this big difference, Nicola had the idea to get Billy to interview himself. So Artist Billy asked Musician Billy questions (e.g. “Do I have an influence on you?” Answer: “No.”), and explains how he went through a ten year stretch of only painting to the music of John Lee Hooker (almost). The whole experience made me think that it’s only a matter of time before Billy Childish is unmasked as the ultimate conceptual artist…
Going forward I would love to make more videos about pop stars with a taste for art. Before we embarked on this series we had already spoken to Alex James from Blur about Ellsworth Kelly, and John Squire from the Stone Roses about Cy Twombly. Apparently Jay-Z is a massive Richard Prince fan, so perhaps he should be next on my list.
What Jared likes:
Places:
Food: Pizza. My dream is to build a pizza oven in my back garden. It will never happen but I keep hold of the dream..
Drink: An Islay Whisky is the perfect late night tipple.
Books: Currently reading ‘Then We Came to an End’ by Joshua Ferris. I mainly have a weakness for any kind of exhibition catalogue or artist’s monograph.
Film: I’m looking forward to Chris Morris’s ‘Four Lions’.
Shop: Alter 109 is a really good men’s boutique in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
SHIFT Encounters was put together by the organisation Cape Farewell. Founded by David Buckland in 2001, medicine Cape Farewell has sought to move beyond the scientific debate of climate change by involving artists in provoking and engaging the public. I like this approach; it seems to be a really important way to start thinking more positively about how we respond to climate change and look to the future. It is often so easy to be mired in the worrying statistics that we forget that the future is not set on a fixed, view predetermined path, buy information pills but is something that, with a little imagination, we can shape and plan. Artists can help us make this leap.Illustrations by Diana Boyle of Rooftop Illustrations
Last week I went to see the talk on architecture, bringing together practicing architects, lecturers and a technical consultant. The panellists were well chosen, each bringing to the table their own perspective and expertise so the discussion was refreshingly lively and the kind of group-think around an issue where everyone is already in agreement and no progress is made was happily avoided.
A wealth of arresting facts was presented. Any initial doubt about the importance of architecture when thinking about climate change was quickly dispelled with the striking estimate that over half of the energy used in the UK is through our buildings. Architects were keen to point to the importance of the users of buildings as well as the designs in achieving energy efficient architecture. Office workers have become accustomed to buildings using energy to maintain a constant temperature throughout the day (through heating and air conditioning) rather than regulating this themselves by putting on, or taking off, a jumper. So part of the change required is in people’s minds as well as the brick and mortar.
Perhaps most interesting were the personal stories told. One architect recounted how after an environmental assessment of their offices, he was shocked to discover that 60% of the energy use was outside of working office hours. This was due to the amount of energy required to maintain the servers which were left on constantly. Such surprising results show, I think, the usefulness of such assessments in getting our response to energy use in proportion. For example, we take care in changing light bulbs to energy efficient ones when perhaps we might be better off worrying about the massive amounts of energy needed to heat unused rooms.
The most enjoying part of the talk, however, was the audience’s contribution to the discussion. Once the debate was opened up, the focus quickly moved away from a preoccupation with the office environment, towards much broader questions. These were both more difficult and more exciting to attempt to answer. How is it possible to achieve the cultural shift required to reduce energy use in our homes? Should this shift be regulated by the government or is the only way through localised self organisation?
Provocatively, one disarmingly simple question was posed to the architects. Why talk about all these high profile new ‘zero-carbon’ building developments when what we need to do is not build more, but make the housing stock that we already have more efficient? I think this question cut to the heart of the debate and helped to illuminate some of the forces in play in trying to create more sustainable architecture. Whilst less glamorous than iconic new developments, and certainly a more tricky investment proposition, increasing the efficiency of the buildings we have already would surely be the most effective way of reducing the total energy use of our architecture.
Back in 2002 whilst still a skint student, cure I started what was then my idea of a dream job: ticket seller atTate ModernandTate Britain. I got to see great art and even meet the odd artist or two. I remember Gustav Metzger insisting he paid to see Barnett Newman, and Tony Oursler successfully blagging a freebie to the Turner Prize. Bridget Riley even gave us a personal tour of her exhibition. Fast forward five years and I’ve landed a job helping Tate Media launch a new video podcast: TateShots. These days I produce and commission the TateShots series, in which we interview artists about the business of making art, and talk to famous gallery-goers about their favourite art shows. The job has given me the opportunity to nervously meet heroes of mine like Jeff Koons,Laurence Weiner and Martin Creed, as well as artists I’m less familiar with but who become firm favourites.
We’ve made 150 episodes of TateShots so far, and it now comes out weekly. This week we launched a new strand calledSound & Vision. The series took the films’ director, Nicola Probert, and I, all over the country to interview musicians who make art. Billy Childish, Lydia Lunch, Mark E Smith, David Byrne, Jeffrey Lewis and Cosey Fanni Tutti all helped us with our enquiries about where art and music collide.
Billy’s interview was probably the most memorable. We filmed him in a cramped bedroom he uses as a studio in his mum’s house in Whitstable, surrounded by stacks of paintings. There was hardly enough room for him to paint, let alone for us to film. Billy’s musical and artistic reputations arguably couldn’t be more different. As a musician he is cited by bands like The White Stripes as an influence – his dedication to lo-fi recording and performance make him the very definition of authentic. On the other hand, as an outspoken critic of conceptual art, his standing in the art world is a little harder to pin down. Because of this big difference, Nicola had the idea to get Billy to interview himself. So Artist Billy asked Musician Billy questions (e.g. “Do I have an influence on you?” Answer: “No.”), and explains how he went through a ten year stretch of only painting to the music of John Lee Hooker (almost). The whole experience made me think that it’s only a matter of time before Billy Childish is unmasked as the ultimate conceptual artist…
Going forward I would love to make more videos about pop stars with a taste for art. Before we embarked on this series we had already spoken to Alex James from Blur about Ellsworth Kelly, and John Squire from the Stone Roses about Cy Twombly. Apparently Jay-Z is a massive Richard Prince fan, so perhaps he should be next on my list.
What Jared likes:
Places:
Food: Pizza. My dream is to build a pizza oven in my back garden. It will never happen but I keep hold of the dream..
Drink: An Islay Whisky is the perfect late night tipple.
Books: Currently reading ‘Then We Came to an End’ by Joshua Ferris. I mainly have a weakness for any kind of exhibition catalogue or artist’s monograph.
Film: I’m looking forward to Chris Morris’s ‘Four Lions’.
Shop: Alter 109 is a really good men’s boutique in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. All photographs and videos courtesy of Tate Shots
Back in 2002 whilst still a skint student, page I started what was then my idea of a dream job: ticket seller atTate ModernandTate Britain. I got to see great art and even meet the odd artist or two. I remember Gustav Metzger insisting he paid to see Barnett Newman, find and Tony Oursler successfully blagging a freebie to the Turner Prize. Bridget Riley even gave us a personal tour of her exhibition. Fast forward five years and I’ve landed a job helping Tate Media launch a new video podcast: TateShots. These days I produce and commission the TateShots series, viagra 60mg in which we interview artists about the business of making art, and talk to famous gallery-goers about their favourite art shows. The job has given me the opportunity to nervously meet heroes of mine like Jeff Koons,Laurence Weiner and Martin Creed, as well as artists I’m less familiar with but who become firm favourites.
We’ve made 150 episodes of TateShots so far, and it now comes out weekly. This week we launched a new strand calledSound & Vision. The series took the films’ director, Nicola Probert, and I, all over the country to interview musicians who make art. Billy Childish, Lydia Lunch, Mark E Smith, David Byrne, Jeffrey Lewis and Cosey Fanni Tutti all helped us with our enquiries about where art and music collide.
Billy’s interview was probably the most memorable. We filmed him in a cramped bedroom he uses as a studio in his mum’s house in Whitstable, surrounded by stacks of paintings. There was hardly enough room for him to paint, let alone for us to film. Billy’s musical and artistic reputations arguably couldn’t be more different. As a musician he is cited by bands like The White Stripes as an influence – his dedication to lo-fi recording and performance make him the very definition of authentic. On the other hand, as an outspoken critic of conceptual art, his standing in the art world is a little harder to pin down. Because of this big difference, Nicola had the idea to get Billy to interview himself. So Artist Billy asked Musician Billy questions (e.g. “Do I have an influence on you?” Answer: “No.”), and explains how he went through a ten year stretch of only painting to the music of John Lee Hooker (almost). The whole experience made me think that it’s only a matter of time before Billy Childish is unmasked as the ultimate conceptual artist…
Going forward I would love to make more videos about pop stars with a taste for art. Before we embarked on this series we had already spoken to Alex James from Blur about Ellsworth Kelly, and John Squire from the Stone Roses about Cy Twombly. Apparently Jay-Z is a massive Richard Prince fan, so perhaps he should be next on my list.
What Jared likes:
Places:
Food: Pizza. My dream is to build a pizza oven in my back garden. It will never happen but I keep hold of the dream..
Drink: An Islay Whisky is the perfect late night tipple.
Books: Currently reading ‘Then We Came to an End’ by Joshua Ferris. I mainly have a weakness for any kind of exhibition catalogue or artist’s monograph.
Film: I’m looking forward to Chris Morris’s ‘Four Lions’.
Shop: Alter 109 is a really good men’s boutique in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
SHIFT Encounters was put together by the organisation Cape Farewell. Founded by David Buckland in 2001, decease Cape Farewell has sought to move beyond the scientific debate of climate change by involving artists in provoking and engaging the public. I like this approach; it seems to be a really important way to start thinking more positively about how we respond to climate change and look to the future. It is often so easy to be mired in the worrying statistics that we forget that the future is not set on a fixed, predetermined path, but is something that, with a little imagination, we can shape and plan. Artists can help us make this leap.
Last week I went to see the talk on architecture, bringing together practicing architects, lecturers and a technical consultant. The panellists were well chosen, each bringing to the table their own perspective and expertise so the discussion was refreshingly lively and the kind of group-think around an issue where everyone is already in agreement and no progress is made was happily avoided.
A wealth of arresting facts was presented. Any initial doubt about the importance of architecture when thinking about climate change was quickly dispelled with the striking estimate that over half of the energy used in the UK is through our buildings. Architects were keen to point to the importance of the users of buildings as well as the designs in achieving energy efficient architecture. Office workers have become accustomed to buildings using energy to maintain a constant temperature throughout the day (through heating and air conditioning) rather than regulating this themselves by putting on, or taking off, a jumper. So part of the change required is in people’s minds as well as the brick and mortar.
Perhaps most interesting were the personal stories told. One architect recounted how after an environmental assessment of their offices, he was shocked to discover that 60% of the energy use was outside of working office hours. This was due to the amount of energy required to maintain the servers which were left on constantly. Such surprising results show, I think, the usefulness of such assessments in getting our response to energy use in proportion. For example, we take care in changing light bulbs to energy efficient ones when perhaps we might be better off worrying about the massive amounts of energy needed to heat unused rooms.
The most enjoying part of the talk, however, was the audience’s contribution to the discussion. Once the debate was opened up, the focus quickly moved away from a preoccupation with the office environment, towards much broader questions. These were both more difficult and more exciting to attempt to answer. How is it possible to achieve the cultural shift required to reduce energy use in our homes? Should this shift be regulated by the government or is the only way through localised self organisation?
Provocatively, one disarmingly simple question was posed to the architects. Why talk about all these high profile new ‘zero-carbon’ building developments when what we need to do is not build more, but make the shousing stock that we already have more efficient? I think this question cut to the heart of the debate and helped to illuminate some of the forces in play in trying to create more sustainable architecture. Whilst less glamorous than iconic new developments, and certainly a more tricky investment proposition, increasing the efficiency of the buildings we have already would surely be the most effective way of reducing the total energy use of our architecture.
They’ve already been creating quite a bit of buzz over here but it looks like 2010 could be the year of The Drums. Their EP Summertimeis already available to buy and they’re working on their debut album. This summer will see them touring with Florence and the Machine. We managed to speak with singer Jonathan Pierce about the band.
Andy Devine. How did you all meet?
Jonathan Pierce. Jacob and I met each other when we were very young. I think I was 13 and he was 11? I grew up in the same small town as Adam and I met him through just hanging out and being bored. We all met Connor last June. We feel very lucky to have met each other. We all share a lot of the same interests while at the same time we all bring a little something different to the creative table.
AD. You’ve been tipped by NME as a band to watch this year. Does that put alot of pressure on you to deliver?
J.P. We really have not felt any pressure at all, buy more about and if we do feel pressure it has not been enough for us to notice it. We just keep doing what we have been doing from the beginning and that is to write sincere pop music. Everything we do, information pills we want it to come from a place of purity and also a place of selfishness. If we do not believe in what we are doing, patient then how can anyone else really? This band started as a selfish endeavour and it will end that way. Only that way can you become vulnerable.
A.D Quite a few of your upcoming gigs are Sold Out, how does that feel?
J.P. It’s really wild for us to hear that all these shows are sold out. We would have never thought that a year after we wrote our first song in our tiny bedroom off the highway in Florida that we would be travelling across the UK and other parts of Europe in a tour bus playing sold out shows. It’s very strange.
A.D. Do you enjoy playing gigs over here, how do you find the audiences are?
So far it has been a cool experience for the most part. Everyone seems to be excited. We love playing shows over here. I remember the first show we ever played in London. It was a few months back at The Flowerpot. It was packed and sweaty and wild and we could not believe that it was happening. We could not believe that people cared this much.
A.D. Have there been any notable highlights?
J. P. Playing The Barfly was pretty surreal. There was so much hype and people outside trying to get in. It seemed like a movie, but it was really happening. It’s those moments that you have to just ask yourself “is this real”?
A.D.What do you do when you’re not playing in the band?
J.P. Well, since we stared the band, every minute of the day revolves around it usually. If we aren’t playing shows, then we are rehearsing, and if we arent rehearsing, then we are writing songs and if we arent writing songs then we are working on the album artwork or website. It’s very constant because we are such control freaks.
A.D. Finally, what are you most looking forward to doing this year?
J.P. Playing shows, putting out our album, and writing pure pop songs.
Illustrations by Diana Boyle of 
